Toddler Nurses

It was my fortieth birthday.  

I started to feel ill during dinner.  I had thought it was just the rich dessert.  But, by 5 am the next morning, I knew it was the stomach flu.  My husband had woken up at 4 to catch a very early flight for a business trip.  

And, I was alone with a four year old and a two year old.  A stay at home mom, I thanked my lucky stars that I didn’t have a boss I needed to call, at least.

I went downstairs around 7, after having my head in the toilet for the better half of three hours. I attempted to make my girls breakfast.  I was halfway through pouring the Cheerios when I had my head in the sink.  I cleaned myself up and continued with the task of pouring juice and Cheerios.

Then again, I was sick.  I almost made it to the toilet.

My girls stood by, holding hands and watching me clean up my mess.

“Mamma. why you make wah-duh on the floor?” asked my two year old.

“Yeah,  Mommy, why do you keep doing that?” my four year old demanded.

“I must have caught that bug you ladies had last week,” I said weakly.

“A caderpillar bug?” asked my sweet two year old.

“NOT a caterpillar,” corrected my four year old sternly.  “Mamma’s sick.”

“Sick Mamma?”

I explained to my girls they would have to pour their own cereal as the sight of food made me violently ill.  

I sauntered off to rest on the couch.  I heard my girls rambling about in the kitchen, banging cupboard doors and opening drawers.  Minutes later, they approached the couch carrying a cutting board in their hands.

“Here ya go, Mamma.”

On the cutting board was a plastic tea cup or two full of water, some crackers and an icy cold wet washcloth they promptly threw on my forehead.

“Mamma sick.  We take care of Mamma.”

The rest of the day, I lay on the couch and allowed myself be tended to by two little toddler nurses. They fussed over me, tucking me in with various baby blankets and pillows.  Occasionally I had a doll thermometer shoved in my ear and I know a crayon was somehow involved in the mix.  But, I had what I needed: water, scraps of food and the love of two little girls, intent of making me feel better. What can get better than that?

My story is in Chicken Soup for the Soul- Parenthood

                                         

                      

I just couldn't believe it when I received an email from a Chicken Soup for the Soul editor telling me my story would be published in one of their upcoming anthologies! Holy smokes!!

You see, a very uplifting thing had happened to my girls and I a year earlier.  It was a personal story, one I shared just with my mom and mother-in-law.  Both women insisted the story was too good not to share.  It was a "chicken soup" moment, my mother had said.  I chuckled at her words, but nonetheless, took pen to paper to write it down.  In less than one hour I had completed it, the words had just flowed.  And, my voice was very different from my Mammatalk voice.  It was far more personal and was a tight squeeze for into their "under 1200 words requirements".

A whole year later, after almost forgetting about my submission, I received word that my story would be a part of their next anthology.  Chicken Soup for the Soul-Parenthood came out in March of this year with my story, "First Flight" right smack in the middle of them darn pages!  Ever since, my family and I have been stopping at every bookstore we can find to take pictures of the book sitting on the bookshelf. 

**My girls think I'm famous.**

For those of you who can relate to my story, please feel free to drop me a line.  For those of you who have yet to read it, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul-Parenthood.  The entire book is full of heart warming stories ( I know I'm biased!).

The Chicken Soup family were so wonderful to work with!  So warm and encouraging.  My greatest pride was my story had virtually no edits!  I truly feel some stories have a life of their own and just demand to be shared: They almost have a heartbeat and a growl which just won't subside until you share them with others.  I am so blessed and fortunate to have had this experience!

To buy, visit here.

~Michele

Purty new t-shirt

Lookie here what I found....

This website lets you design your own shirts and sweatshirts. You can upload your own pictures and see what it looks like before you order.  

The site is made for dummies.  Super easy peasy!

You can even put a pic or some writing on the back.

I've been playing on the Dress United site for longer than I care to admit.

 

 So, waddya think?

 

 

 

Friday, gotta love the guy!

I think I have a crush on Friday.

By mid-week, I get weak in the knees anticipating his arrival. On Thursday, it begins to sink in. He’s coming!

And, when he arrives, I embrace him and cover him with wet kisses! Oh! Friday! Friday! Friday! My favorite, favorite day!

Friday is that kind of a guy. He fills your head with promises of lazy Saturday mornings, breakfast in bed, picnics in the park and nights out on the town.

He’s a bit of a lady’s man, really. All over town, ladies bat their eyelashes his way, hoping he’ll pay them a visit. And, although he is a love-‘em-and-leave-‘em type, there does seem to be enough of him to go around. He never seems to disappoint. I mean, who complains about Friday?

And, I’ve never known anyone to fight over the guy. Rather, everyone is thrilled just to get their tiny piece of the pie. “Thank God!! It’s Friday!”

As a matter of fact, I think the men are in on this, too. There seems to be a collective sigh heard around the world upon his end of the week arrival.

Everyone is giddy. A little lighter. More relaxed.

Then, he leaves us as quickly as he came, hand in hand with Lady Sunday. Heartbroken, we’re left with some boring guy named Monday. You know the type. All work and no play. Nose to the grindstone. Beady eyed. Cranky. And really teed off that he missed the party.

What a gigolo, that Friday guy, huh? A regular Good Time Charlie.

Sigh.

But, we always take him back, don’t we?

Hey, Bub, What's the Big Idea?!

Don’t you love it when a fabulous idea lands right in your lap?

It floats down out of nowhere, bright eyed and bushy tailed, eager to roll up its sleeves and get to work. It lends a hand where needed spreading success in its wake. Ingenuity and quick thinking are its tools of trade.

As for you?

Well, you gleefully surrender yourself to the fruit of its efforts, watching from a distance. Your feet are up with glass in hand as you watch it slave away, nose to grindstone.

“Now, there’s an idea!” you say, patting it on the back encouragingly.

You are the envy of others.

“Where do you get your great ideas?”

You inspire green eyed envy even from even your nearest and dearest friends.

“Wish I was the one who came up with that great idea!”

Every once in a while, you get a lemon of an idea, who, despite its best efforts, mucks things up, prompting some snide remarks….

“Hey, bud! What’s the big idea!?”

But, most of the time, those great ideas come from nowhere, are eager to please and are the most useful creatures to happen upon.

Serving as your indentured servant, they advance a home or work project, bloom a business and chase the heels of opportunity. These nifty creatures know how to light up a room. And, isn’t it particularly sweet when they not only pay a visit, but bring a knapsack and stay for an extended while?

Ever happen to you?

Yeah…umm……well, me neither.

Canvas Print

I have a picture of my girls that I just adore.  It doesn't matter how big those little rascals get, I always want this shot displayed in our home. It's a simple one, really.  No posing.  It was a moment captured right after my girls and I had run through the sprinkler in our backyard.  Our smiles were genuine.  The sun was in our eyes and we were lost in our laughter.  It was a perfect moment.

I wanted it to be captured forever.

So, I ordered a canvas print of this shot.  What can I say?  It looks fantastic.  No longer is it just a "shot".  It's a piece of art.  Better yet, it's an art piece that shows the heart of our family.  It's truly a moment captured forever.

The folks at Printcopia were fast and efficient.  So professional.  Friendly, too.

I think I'm addicted!

Printcopia's sister companies sell vinyl banners. car magnets and lawn signs if you are interested in any of those products.

Birds, Bees and Some Naughty Laundry

I was once again grumbling over a hill of dirty socks, per usual. 

The sweat was pouring down my face as I wrestled the darks and roughed up the whites. The teetering laundry pile was far higher than I had seen it before. I had been working on it all morning and barely made a dent. I surmised that the clothes must have had their way with one another because the rate in which it multiplied was maddening. 

It was true, some laundry mating must have occurred.

And, I knew what I had to do.

I needed to find the Pappa of the bunch and promptly send him to Dr. Snippity Snip.

I dug and I dug, finally finding what I suspected to be the culprit.

He lay there, immodestly clinging to a pair of lacy panties.

A pair of flannel boxers, fly open wide, he was.

I grabbed him by the waistband and said, “No more fun for you, Pal!”

He responded with surprise, “Hey, lady, I was just getting to first base!”

I marched out to the garage and opened the trashcan.

He started to squeal. “Why you raining on my parade? What did I ever do to you?”

I looked him in the fly…er…eye….before saying, “The work around here is never ending! You and that funny business in the laundry basket are making me old before my time!”

Then he started to soften a bit. “Ah, doll. I never knew. How about a little foot massage? I can fix you up with a pair of athletic socks.”

I gave him another look and began to succumb to his charms.

“A foot massage?” I asked.

“Yeah, yeah,” he assured me. “I’m in good with the whole sock crew. I can make you feel real good, little lady. “

Before I knew it, that rascal had convinced me to bring him back inside to continue with his date with the lacy unmentionables.

And, now, I’m sitting here with a single, one eyed, unmated sock named Gladys rubbing my feet while I listen to the laundry pile writhe and moan.

Kinda makes for an interesting afternoon.

Rambo Sock

I know. I know. I’ve discussed my issues with laundry before.

But, it’s gotten really bad around here lately.

Apparently, a renegade sock mated with a GI Joe and we have had a bit of a Rambo-esque situation.

I first noticed the manly, beefy sock doing sit ups during my sort and fold.

He ran laps around the others, marching about tangled hosiery and ordering everyone to drop and give him ten.

Well, this energy was a bit over the top for me, so I gave him a good kick under the bed.

Out of sight, out of mind is my motto.

But, who woulda guessed? The bugger did the army crawl out from under the bed, dragging a lost pair of lacy panties behind him.

And, judging from the look on his face, I knew he had been up to something more than a simple search and rescue.

I figured what he needed was a good toss in the trash, but ….well, I guess I’m a bit of a softie.

He and the panties have taken up residence in my bottom drawer and, rumor has it, are expecting twins in the summer.

I figure, who am I to kill a good romance?

Now, If I can only get that unmated thigh high paired up, I'd be a happy camper.

Pure Matters

I was recently given the opportunity to test out some children's multivitamins by Pure Matters. My girls were thrilled! The vitamins are in gummie form and are fruity flavored. They are vegan and gluten free. I was also given some samples of their Omega 3's for kids. Loved 'em!

If you get a chance, be sure to check out their site at Pure Matters. They have lots of vitamins for adults, too! Their green products come in glass bottles and their caps are recyclable. Not to mention, the ingredients are very Earth friendly as well.

I know where I'm buying my vitamins from now on...