MamaOnDaGo

Looking Forward to 2011

2010-12-28T22:42:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a very happy holiday season. We're down to one more holiday. The New Year!!!! 2011!!!!

Looking back at 2010, it was filled with a lot of bad news. The word cancer in various forms came up multiple times this year. Up to now, we are still dealing with it. There were also some very unexpected deaths and other illnesses.

I know, I'm sounding like such a downer. With all of that said, 2010 was also filled with so many priceless moments that I shouldn't push into the shadows of depression. Celebrating Christmas reminded me how precious life can be.

Ever since the birth of my children, life has taken on a brand new meaning. Princess Ninja and Chubs have allowed me to appreciate life. The amazement and magic of everyday life through the eyes of my children is truly a wonder that I cannot get enough of.

Some of you may have noticed, I have not been present in the blogging world as often as I'd like. Its mainly due to the fact that I'm trying to savor as much of life with my family as humanly possible.

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Mental note that I never want to forget, so I'm sharing it with all of you as a means of preserving it. I'd love to hear one of your favorite memories so that we can somehow archive it here and remind each other how great life can truly be.

Christmas Eve, Princess Ninja and I spent most of the morning and afternoon baking treats for family and Santa. Prior to leaving the house, Princess Ninja and H leave a plate of truffle balls and milk for Santa. Of course, we can't forget about those hard working reindeer. A small box of raisins were placed by the fireplace as well.

We arrived back to our house past midnight on Christmas Day. Both kids are sound asleep in their car seats. H and I quietly try to place each child in their room without waking them. There isn't a single wrapped gift under the tree. This was done on purpose and not by shear laziness. Chubs has a tendency to open gifts.

As I walk down the stairs, I see the yummy truffle balls, glass of milk, and raisins for Santa. How could I resist such a delectable midnight snack. H and I spent the remainder of the night wrapping and placing gifts under the tree and in their stockings.

Come Christmas morning, the look on the children's faces as they saw all the gifts Santa left is engraved in my mind. Princess Ninja was so proud that Santa ate the special treats that she made that she's still talking about it with a smile as big as Texas on her face. Priceless.

Tassimo Brewbot

2010-12-13T22:39:00.000-08:00

I must have been a good girl this year because Santa's little elves dropped off a little something for me to play around with. I was fortunate enough to review the Tassimo T20 Brewbot.

What exactly is a Tassimo T20 Brewbot you might ask?

It's a 7.08 lbs, 11.0" (length), 7.9" (width), 11.8" (depth) machine that makes coffee, tea, cappuccino, latte, crema, espresso, and hot cocoa. Yes, all of that liquid goodness in a small little package. The Brewbot retails for about $129.99 and can be purchased at a number of stores. Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and Walmart to name a few.

The Brewbot along with T Disc

Please visit www.brewbot.com for further details.

When this lovely was dropped at my doorstep, I couldn't wait to brew some coffee. Like many of you, a day without coffee is a day in lethargy hell.

As a busy working mom, I have some basic needs and wants out of my coffee. One, I need my coffee STAT. Two, I want my coffee to jump start my day and it better be good.

The Brewbot was easy to set-up. You basically fill the water tank with water, place your choice of T Disc into the machine, press a button, and in less than a minute....Voila, a cup of coffee.

Fresh cup of coffee brewing

Surprisingly good!

I sampled the Gevalia Signature Blend Coffee first. It was smooth and robust. It was exactly how I would like my morning cup of Joe.

What I enjoyed most is that the machine is so simple to use and set-up. I can literally carry the baby in one arm and brew a fresh cup of coffee with the other hand. Did I mention the toddler was stuck onto my other leg while all of this was going on?

Princess Ninja

Because the Brewbot uses T Disc technology, there are no beans to grind and no messy filters to deal with. The T Disc keeps the grounds fresh and easily available. There is no messy set-up or clean-up. There are a large variety of T Disc to choose from. It's not just coffee either. They have teas and cocoa as well. So there's something for everybody.

Speaking of something for everybody. The machine also has interchangeable faces that can be purchased separately. The Brewbot pictured above has a red face. There are a variety of different faces to match your decor and mood.

I can totally see this being a bonus at a party. Everyone is able to select the beverage of their choice and brew it up themselves.

As a late afternoon treat, I brewed myself up a cup of Starbucks cappuccino. That's right Starbucks! Although it wasn't exactly how a cappuccino would taste, it was delightful in itself.

From an economic standpoint, I could brew up more cups of regular black coffee using my old coffee maker. The key word there is regular.

If you're one that usually stops by your local coffee shop for a cup of gourmet coffee then this machine could provide you with a comparable cup of coffee for much less.

Because I was so excited about this machine, I invited my fellow coffee lover, Manette G, over to help me with this review. She was also kind enough to provide the pictures.

Machine and coffee were provided. Opinions are all mine.

Gifts

2010-12-07T23:25:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Season is in full swing right now. Our tree is up and decorated. The stockings are hung. We've even used the fireplace and played Christmas music in the background to bring us more cheer. The outside of the house is full of holiday nick-knacks ranging from the inflatable ornaments to random animals dressed in winter clothing.

Everything is ready for Christmas but one minor detail (said very sarcastically with eyes rolling). Okay make that two minor details.

Minor detail #1: I have yet to receive my Christmas cards that I ordered. Did I mention I just placed the order 2 days ago? I'm just hoping people will receive them before 2011.

Minor detail #2: I have purchased 2 gifts. Those gifts were purchased today. My Christmas shopping list seems as long as Santa's.

I understand that Christmas is all about being together as a family. I'm supposed to enjoy this season and absorb the love and joy. To be frank, people expect presents. Don't tell me they don't. If we're truly being honest with one another, when was the last time a member of your family was happy with a hug for Christmas?

Well this year, I'm this close (thumb and index finger 2 mm away from each other) to call it a wrap and purchase gift cards for all. With the few exceptions, being my kids, I'm so very tempted to. I can literally drive on over to my local grocery store, purchase the usual grocery items, and get a bunch of gift cards. That's it! The only major thought is to decide which type of gift card to purchase.

I, for one, love gift cards. I usually get a few different ones and place them in my wallet, so they're ready for action at any moment. I understand the pure enjoyment of ripping open the wrapping paper and avoiding paper cuts is kind of a bummer.

So tell me your thoughts on gift cards? Yay or nay?

Hello!!!!

2010-12-01T22:03:00.000-08:00

I know! I've been away for awhile. Definitely a little longer than I had anticipated. So where have I been?

1.) The family went on this FABULOUS (said in that snotty Thurston Howell III from Gilligan's Island accent) vacation around Europe. That's right! The kids were oh so well behaved. H and I drank wine and ate the most exquisite food under the European sky. Think Brad and Angelina but with far fewer kids. Instead of kids, it's a bunch of family members. I get chills just thinking about it.

2.) I had a mental breakdown. You know the kind that celebrities have because they're under too much stress. Shall I say it, I pulled a Britney. A Britney without the bald head incident because there is no way I'm having holiday pictures of myself bald. I had to admit myself to the hospital to destress and to regroup myself mentally and physically. Isn't that what the rich and famous/celebrities do when they're stress?

3.) The long weekend of the Thanksgiving holiday was far too long! The term "long" weekend has a new meaning.

4.) The real reason why I've been away so long is probably a combo of all the above. Since it's been one thing after the other the last week, I found myself having to escape to a happy place. Now. Now I'm left with a far less than vivid sense of where my reality and happy place actually end and begin.

So there you have it. It's now December. The holiday lights are up outside. The tree is decorated. I haven't even started shopping yet. If you'll all excuse me, I'm off to my happy place again.

Twice In One Month...WTH!

2010-11-18T23:11:00.000-08:00

So there I am, sitting there in a semi-reclined position with a my mouth wide open and a light shining in my face.

No, it's not some sexy new position that H and I have going on. Get your mind out of the gutter, I'm talking about my dentist visit.

Yes, the dentist. How many times a year am I supposed to see him?

Twice. It's highly recommended that I visit the dentist twice a year. They remind me it's been almost a year since my last visit. Really, it's been that long?

I sit there, the dental hygienist is literally scraping and pulling plaque out of my mouth. I feel like someone is running their fingernails across a chalkboard. She continues on to tell me that I should floss more often because there is a large amount of plaque build-up in my mouth.

Alright, let's get on the subject of flossing. I don't floss everyday. I know I should. Seriously, I'm just glad I'm able to bath and brush my teeth every day. That alone is an accomplishment.

Like many of you, don't deny it either, I some how think I can fool my dentist. If I start flossing a week before my visit, maybe my gums won't bleed so much. Maybe, just maybe, I won't hear the flossing lecture.

I continue to sit there. The hygienist places some type of gum measuring device between all my teeth. She dictates numbers to the other hygienist who notes each number down. 2.3.1.3.3.4.

What the hell does all that numerical mumbo jumbo mean?

Well it means that my attempts to start flossing a week before my visit isn't fooling anyone. I did not dodge the important flossing lecture. They even took out the fake teeth. Teeth that are perfectly straight and shiny. Teeth that are free of plaque. Gums that are healthy.

They take out another pair of fake teeth. Teeth that have been neglected. Teeth that are missing and brown. Teeth that are so scary that I've been flossing every night.

Good news is I'm cavity free. Bad news, I have to go back for a DEEP CLEANING. UGH!

http://www.drbradhylan.com/gum-disease.html

Being Robbed by this Fall Back of Time

2010-11-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

On a normal day, I'd be all excited about getting an extra hour of sleep. Actually I'd be excited about getting an extra 15 minutes of sleep. Excited: streamers, confetti, clappers excited! The big hype is all about getting sleep.

Well, I feel robbed. Not only am I not getting an extra hour but sleep hours have been taken away from me. Valuable, irreplaceable sleep. How I miss you terribly!

You would think it'd be logical if your child normally wakes up at 7am, he/she would wake up at 6am during this fall back of time. It's not the case for my Chubs. This whole messing with time is messing with our lives.

Chubs is waking up between the hours of 3am-5am. Waking up like he's gotten a full night of shut eye. I have no problem getting out of my comfy, warm bed to lay on the uncomfortable, cold couch as he plays quietly in the family room. OK, I would still have a problem with getting out of my comfy, warm bed, but it's a bigger problem if Chubs wants me to be all interactive with him at 3am.

There I am, in the dark, the only light is the street lamp outside our family room window and the light of the moon. Inside I'm praying Chubs gets the hint that it's dark. Dark meaning sleep. No, he wants Mama to read, play cars, wrestle. I lay on the couch ~~pretending~~ actually sleeping. He yells at the top of his lungs. He's announcing to the world it's time to wake up like a crazy rooster who has his days and nights mixed up.

It's now day 5 of this routine. How long does it take to reset? Help!

Come Here Sweet Thang!

2010-11-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

With Halloween now behind us, I'm faced with the reality of the upcoming holiday season. The time of year that seems to go by the fastest. It's as if Father Time pushes the fast forward button and all of a sudden it's a new year. Although every day seems like a whirlwind of chaos, there is something about November and December that adds to the craziness of every day life.

I do love the holidays, but they've definitely taken on a new twist now that I've become an adult. Don't get me wrong and I don't want to sound like Ebenezer Scrooge, but there's so much chaos during this time of year that the very site of Christmas items at the stores sends my blood pressure up, up and up.

I. do. not. like. Christmas shopping!!!!!

I have to admit, I'm somewhat of an emotional eater. When the going gets tough, desserts and chocolate seem to call me. There cries of, "I'm here. Enjoy my yumminess. I'll make you feel better" become louder and louder to the point where I can no longer resist.

It was just a few days ago that I noticed that I happened to enjoy 3, count them 3, Reese's peanut butter cups right before bed. I was a work and I lost count of how many "fun" size pieces of candy I ate. What's so fun about fun size anyways? I could probably go on and on but I've lost count.

So I ask all of you this, how do you cope with the holiday season? Perhaps it's just me who become so overwhelmed. I'm open to suggestions.

In the mean time, there's a dark chocolate Milky Way calling me. Yes, it's supposedly "fun" size. Let the fun of the holiday season begin.

Wordless Wednesday: Sunset & Defense by ManetteGonz

2010-11-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

Sunset by ManetteGonz

Defense by ManetteGonz

Guest Post: Maureen from Tatter Scoops

2010-10-28T22:04:00.000-07:00

If you don't know, I'm a full-time working mom. Often times I find it difficult and tiring trying to balance it all. Am I alone in my less than perfect Martha Stewart/Pottery Barn/Brady Bunch world? I wanted to know other people's thoughts and feelings on finding the balance between it all. Please share.

I introduce you to Maureen from Tatter Scoops. She was kind enough to share her perspective as a working mom.

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When Mama on Da Go asked me to guest post about being a full time working mom, I was so flattered then I panicked!

What the heck do I really know? I’ve only been working for a little more than two weeks now! There are plenty of other working moms out there.

Before, I did some part time job from home, little things that doesn’t really consume my time but with the end of my marriage, I must push myself out there. Injecting my old self back into the corporate world…

It’s not easy! That’s for sure…from finding the job itself to leave my son on the first day.

Believe me, I cried!

I was missing him too much, I felt distant with the new people at work – they are nice but I still feel awkward being ask about my marital status, I felt guilty that I would be missing out my son’s daily activities. It was really tough.

Then I started to get into the rhythms of working again, secretly, I started falling back in love with my career. There’s this great feelings inside about being productive, satisfactions coming from outside motherhood.

Luckily, I am living with my parents. Got my son a nanny to help watching him, she seems to love him so that’s great. I don’t have to do the dishes, laundry, cleaning or cooking. My mom has an assistant who does all that. All I have to do is work, come home and spend what’s left of that day with my son, nanny will pretty much rest when I get home and took over. Sounds easy right? Not so much!

Often times, I’d come home feeling exhausted because my day started early, so early. Got up at 4 and left the house by 6 or 6:15. I’d rather come early, finish my job and doesn’t have to work overtime too much. On average I’m working 55-60 hours a week.

The boy has been doing great while his mommy is at work or so I’ve been told. Yet when I’m home, he’ll become super clingy, whiney and cranky leaving me overwhelmed. Maybe it’s just a phase until he get used to the idea that mommy is now working full time. I’m hoping it will get better and I won’t get too worked up over this.

He will start preschool next month…when he went to his preschool last week, my heart aches because I can’t take him. When I got home from work, I tried to absorb every little detail that my mom could remember and told me.

That’s just a beginning…

Sadly, I’m sure I will be missing out on a lot of little things that my boy would experience in preschool, with my schedule I won’t be able to drop him off and pick him up.

As hard as I wanted to be there 100% for him, I can’t be in two places at the same time so hopefully when he’s old enough to understand, he’ll know that I’m doing all this to give him a better future.

Balancing mommyhood and career is not easy, especially for a single mom. We may have extra helps from families or on my case, hired hands but there is a difference.

Learning to prioritize and setting limits are the keys, I think because frankly, we can’t all be supermom who juggles motherhood, career and being a domestic diva at the same time without sacrificing one or two things to keep the important parts up in the air.

Until I master these steps and learn how not to loose my mind…I would just take it one day at a time.

If you’re a working mom, how do you balance it all? Tips and tricks are welcome."

XOXO

Maureen

The Drivers License

2010-10-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

I remember being 15 1/2 years old. I was in high school and signed up for my drivers education classes. It was just another step closer to obtaining my driver's license and the joys of being behind the wheel without an adult chaperon. After passing the written and the behind the wheel exam, I was so excited to take my driver's license picture.

Of course taking a driver's license picture was/is a big deal! For one thing, it's the picture you have to keep with you for a few years. Once you hit 21, it's the picture you flash multiple times. A few hundred bartenders and club bouncers have seen that picture.

As the years go by, it's no longer bartenders or club bouncers checking to make sure I'm legit. Now hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Target register employees have seen my driver's license to make sure I'm legit enough to pay the bill. I mean I can't remember the last time I was at a club. I know damn well that the bartender who is checking to make sure I'm legal enough to drink is doing it for a larger tip or because they fear losing their job.

Just bring me my red wine! You don't have to schmooze me. You'll still get a tip.

Well the lovely DMV sent me a letter back in September reminding me that it's time to renew my driver's license. For the last 5 years, I've been able to keep my license and pay the usual renewal fees over the internet. This time the letter was different. This time the letter stated I needed to physically enter a DMV, get my finger scanned, take a new picture, and pay the renewal fees in person.

Really, you want me to physically enter a DMV and take a new picture? What's wrong with the 5 year old picture that I've been carrying around? Did I mention I'm happy with my picture? Did I mention I look young and fresh in my picture? What could possibly make the DMV think that I no longer look like that picture?

Thinking back on the last 5 years of my life, it dawned upon me that many life changing events have occurred. From the years 2005-2010, the following major events have taken place:

   1.) graduated with my second college degree
   2.) started a new career that requires me to put in crazy hours
   3.) x3 moves
   4.) purchased a house
   5.) had 2 kids
   6.) Did I mention the amount of stress that all of the above has put on me? Let's not forget the lack of sleep and healthy meals.

Now I wait. I'm eagerly waiting to see what my new driver's license picture looks like. No, I didn't get to preview the picture either. It's the DMV not a model shoot. They didn't allow me to take a few pictures so I could choose the best one. I didn't see a Photshop option either in any of the paperwork I was filling out.

To top it off, despite all of the above life changing events, my height AND weight have remained the same.

Tip On How To Have Stylish Hair

2010-10-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last visit to the hair dresser. Almost 3 months to be exact (last hair appointment). I just love the feeling of leaving the salon with a banging new cut and fresh highlights. I want that feeling again. Even if that oh so wonderful feeling lasts only a day or two, I. Want. That. Feeling.

Since then, my cut has definitely lost it's shape. It's looking more like a shag rug landed on top of my head. The hair color has faded and I'm left with inches of root showing...inches!

Like many busy women, the last person to get pampered in my household is yours truly. Granted, H's haircuts are far, far cheaper than mine. He also swears visiting his barber is not being pampered as he compares it to the wonderful scalp massage I receive. I realize spending a hundred or so dollars on a hair cut and color is ridiculous for a family on a budget. Yes, you read that correctly, "hundred" or so dollars. Did you also notice I did not put the exact price since I live in fear H will one day read my blog?

For the price of a trip to the salon, I can purchase more sensible things that would contribute to the overall wellness of the family and not just my selfish vanity.
   1.) gallons of gas to drive the family here and there
   2.) food
   3.) preschool tuition
   4.) a birthday gift for my sister
   5.) Let's not forget the bills that could be paid

After debating with myself (and checking out the monthly budget), I will have to go another month without that oh so lovely feeling of getting a fresh cut and color.

To make myself feel better, I did discover I'm actually very stylish. Apparently, there's a hair style that's hit Hollywood. It's called the ombre. Let's make note that I'm usually way behind the styles so this could be old news. But since I'm making myself feel better, in my mind, I'm stylish and I'm rocking the latest Hollywood hair on a budget.

Ni Hao Preschool

2010-10-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

We're about a month into preschool and I'm happy to say not a single tear has been shed. I should clarify, not a single tear has been shed since day 1 of preschool. The weeks prior were a little rough and emotional on my part. Luckily, I was able to get all of the "my baby is growing up" tears out.

Princess Ninja is blossoming right before my eyes. She's bringing up stuff about China and pandas. Apparently, she wants to go to China. Actually, she thinks she lives in China. I keep telling her she lives in the USA. To my frustration, she insists she lives in China. OK then! As much as I keeping ranting and raving about Canada, it's way closer and way cheaper to go to, she still wants to go to China.

I have even turned on ~~as many~~ a few episodes of Ni Hao Kai Lan in hopes that it would help with her new found interest in the Orient. On occasion, I hear her saying phrases in Chinese. She could be cursing at me for all I know.

For some brownie points, we've even made it to the local library to read more about China.

Let's be honest, who doesn't love Chinese food? We've had our share of local Chinese take-out. I know it's probably not truly authentic, but the people behind the counter were speaking Chinese. That's good enough for me. And besides, the food was certainly yummy! It's all in the name of Higher Education.

Wordless Wednesday: San Diego by Manette

2010-10-05T23:41:00.000-07:00

San Diego Endless Summer by Manette

Night At Balboa Park by Manette

High School Friends

2010-10-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

My 15 year high school reunion is coming up (yeah you do the math on my age), but prior to that Kludgy Mom has a homework assignment that I need to get out of the way. The assignment is to feature one of our followers and talk about how fabulous they are.

In honor of my reunion, I'd like to present you, not one, but two followers! Yes, two for the price of one! The reason why I chose these two was because they reminded me of friends that I would have had in high school. Of course, the present day me likes them also!

Behind door number 1 is Maureen from Tatter Scoops.

Maureen would be the exotic foreign exchange student from Jakarta. After a few weeks of sitting next to her in algebra class, you discover this gal is pretty smart and it'd be in your best interest to introduce yourself to her. After a few sessions of her schooling you, you realize there's more to her than just smarts. You end up spending plenty of time hanging out with her and talking about life in Jakarta and boys!

Behind door number 2 is Pop from Go, Pop, Go!

Pop would be my best guy friend in high school. You know, the guy that you grew up with, so you could never really think of him like that. Your family would have his family over for BBQs. The guy your mom wished you would end up, but you're too preoccupied with either the QB of the football team, the bad boy, or Mr. Best Looking. He's funny and he shares his life's experiences, so us gals can get the guys perspective.

There you have it, a few of the people who I would allow to enter my personal circle. Check them out and tell them MamaOnDaGo sent you.

Now it's your turn, tell me about a blogger or bloggers that you picture yourself being friends with.

Childhood Memories: Saturdays

2010-10-01T00:26:00.000-07:00

Photo: Musings of a Housewife

As the weekend approaches, every now and then ~~when I have a moment to think~~, I remember one of my favorite childhood memories. Saturdays!

Growing up, my favorite day of the week was definitely Saturdays. I loved Saturdays. For one thing, it meant that I didn't have to wake up early to go to school. Not that I disliked school, but I was never really a morning person. Back then, the option of waking up to a freshly brewed cup of Joe was not part of the breakfast of champions.

Another reason to love Saturdays was my mom's pancake breakfast. It was probably one of the few days out of the week where I didn't have to pour myself a bowl of cereal.

I would eagerly get out of bed and burst into my parent's bedroom to wake my mom. Having my own children now, I have to apologize to my mother for doing this. Now I realize the weekends were the only days she could sleep in. Hey, she needed to get up and make me some pancakes. It's Saturday!

As mom would get herself situated in the kitchen, I'd turn on the TV and plop myself on the couch. How I loved staying in my PJs and having a warm blanket on me during those winter months.

Let's not forget Saturday morning cartoons. To the surprise of many children, we didn't have channels devoted to cartoons. There were no cartoons 24/7 whenever we had the need to watch a cartoon, they did not appear. We had to wait for specific times and days to watch certain shows. There was also something called a TV Guide, do they still make this? A whole weekly magazine devoted to helping us track our favorite shows. Of course, I had my morning line up memorized.

During commercials, I'd run into the kitchen to see if a fresh batch of pancakes were ready to be devoured. In a blink of an eye, I'd have a plate of warm pancakes that were topped with butter and syrup. I'd plop myself right back on that couch engulfed in my Saturday morning cartoons and pancakes.

Smurfs

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Ewoks

Snorks

Superfriends

Muppet Babies

Disney's Gummy Bears

Care Bears

Fat Albert

Do any of these ring a bell?

What were some of your favorite Saturday morning cartoons and memories?

Souvenirs From Hawaii

2010-09-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

I want a vacation! I need a vacation! I want to lay on the sand, soak in ~~skin cancer~~ the sun (wearing appropriate SPF, of course), let the cool breeze toss my hair around as the sound of the ocean waves calm my inner being.

When was the last time you went on a vacation?

The last time I went on vacation was over 2 years ago!!!! H & I decided we needed a getaway. Not to mention, we were approaching our 5 year wedding anniversary. We wanted to celebrate.

Back then we only had Princess Ninja who was a little over a year old. We purchased all sorts of things that were meant to keep her busy for the ~~never ending~~ 4 hour plane ride. We bought various DVDs, coloring books, crayons, snacks. I was packing so much stuff in my carry-on to keep her entertained there was barely room for my wallet and lip gloss.

I even went so far as to purchase Benadryl. Yes, I was prepared to medicate my child if she turned into the Hulk. I know some of you out there are shaking your head and pointing your ~~middle~~ index finger at me. Hey, don't judge!

As far as the Benadryl went, I did a test run a few days prior. It worked like a charm. Princess Ninja had a lovely evening. She woke up happy as a clam the next morning.

For those of you shaking, pointing, and judging, you'll be happy to know the Benadryl didn't work. Just look at the above pictures. Does that look like a sleeping child? There are you happy?

Looking back at the pictures, it reminded me of a great family vacation.

Oh, did I mention, 9 months later Chubs was born!

We brought home one of the greatest souvenirs ever!

I'm using this as part of my B2S/B2B homework with Kludgy Mom. I'm sending more commenting love out. Please leave a comment and I promise to love you back.

Disneyland: The Real Deal

2010-09-24T00:00:00.001-07:00

This post started off kind of sappy and sweet. It was going to be Disneyland through the eyes of my children. I actually deleted it and decided to do something else. I wanted to write about the flip side of the Disney experience. My point-of-view. All unedited and straight from the heart.

First of all, it took H and I a couple of months to even decide on a date to take the kids to Disneyland. We're both juggling full-time careers. After months of negotiating, we decided it was going to be Monday, September 20.

Why this date you ask?

We figured most children would be back in school. Considering it was a Monday, we thought people would be headed back to work. Also, it happened to be the only day H and I could agree upon. Of course, the stars, the moon, our horoscopes said it'd be a fine day to go.

How much are tickets?

The 3 year olds ticket ran a hefty $68. H & I were $76 each. This is for one park, one day. You do the math. Luckily, the 1 year old was free.

Gees, does anyone work any more?

I thought we were in a recession. I realize that the unemployment rate is high, but I didn't think Disneyland was on the Top 10 Things To Do While You're Looking For A Job.

If you are a kid on vacation, shouldn't you be reading or doing some extra credit project in the library?

First of all, I can't believe there are that many children who do not go to school. Not every child there was a baby or toddler either. Yes, I did hear some accents. I must admit, I'm not an expert in the world's schools systems, so these children were excused. Other children in the world are entitled to enjoy Disneyland.

Why do the shuttle drivers make us take down the strollers?

This was definitely on my top 10 pet peeve of the day.

Seriously Disneyland, do you really expect us to not only care for our children and their 5,000 pounds of equipment, but you want me to fold up the stroller too?

Like many parents, my stroller not only transports the kids, but it acts as a storage device. I don't know what type of stroller the rest of you have, but I have to empty out the undercarriage to fold up the stroller.

Let's just say I looked like a circus act trying to balance the kids and the equipment. I left H outside to battle folding up the stroller, carrying it in the shuttle, and finding a spot for it so it wouldn't injure anyone.

I haven't even mentioned doing the circus act in reverse.

Nourishment and Hydration?

Forget about packing a lunch and going back to the car to eat it. The whole shuttle experience is crazy. Although I did pack some snacks and drinks, it was part of the 5,000 pounds of equipment, we needed to eat. I won't even tell you how much, but it was going to be our only big meal of the day. Luckily it consisted of fried food, so it'd sustain us until we left the park.

It was also Chubs' first time in the Magic Kingdom. He's 1. Although he seemed amazed by the wonderful sights and sounds of the park, he would have been just as content playing in the neighborhood park. He enjoyed the rides, but was a total animal waiting in line. For the first few rides, he was a total angel. Then the novelty of it wore off and it was a wrangling war. Disneyland all of a sudden felt like the Danger Zone.

Princess Ninja, who is 3, was so amazed and thrilled about the whole experience. She's finally tall enough to drive a car in Autopia. I'm still suffering from whiplash.

Would I do it again?

Yes, in a heartbeat. Regardless of the stress a trip like this can create, I know I'm going to look back at the pictures and remember what fun the kids had. Of course, memories are priceless. Unfortunately, Disney doesn't take memories as a line of credit, so let me start saving money for the next trip now.

Wordless Wednesday: Australia by Gina

2010-09-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

Koala picture By Gina Baynham

Port Macquarie New South Wales by Gina Baynham

Sydney Harbour Bridge by Gina Baynham

Wangi Wangi Gum Trees by Gina Baynham

T/F: People with Four Or More Children Cannot Be Adequate Parents To All

2010-09-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in Kludgy Mom's Back To School, Back To Blogging Challenge. We're on week 2 of the challenge, to be honest, I sucked at week 1's assignment.

As usual, Gigi aka Kludgy Mom, has come up with a fantastic idea. Why didn't I think of something like this?

She's come up with the Idea Bank. A bank of ideas from bloggers, moms, and various other people to help those moments when we suffer from writer's block. She's asking that we come up with 10 ideas/questions to help inspire others. I've made my deposit and now I'm withdrawing from the bank.

The inspiration from this post is from Sarah: A Better Magnificent Mom

7. Tue or False. People who have more than four children cannot be adequate parents to all of their children. Explain.

Before I answer, I'd like to add a disclosure: I'm going to answer this question from my own lifestyle, point-of-view, financial situation, etc.
=========================================================================

Four or more children, the idea crossed my mind once upon a time. That once upon a time was when I was growing up as an only child. My first and only sibling didn't arrive until I was 6 years old.

In retrospect, H comes from a large family. He is the eldest of 7 siblings.

Although, I had neighborhood children to play with and a hand full of cousins that lived in the same city, I really wanted to be part of a large family. I vowed to myself that when I grew up and started a family on my own, I would have at least three children maybe even four. Oh, how I spent many days wishing I had older siblings that would teach me to be "cool" and drive me around. How I longed for younger siblings who I could help baby and oh and ah at.

When I was pregnant with my first child, H and I knew immediately that we would have more. Remind you, I didn't even give birth yet. To be honest, being pregnant was the easy part compared to actually raising Princess Ninja. After she was born, H and I knew we would try to have another child. Almost exactly 2 years later, we were blessed with Chubs.

It wasn't until my own children came along that I realized how much work, effort, patience, sleeplessness, money, and responsibility came with a human being. I've had more than my share of mommy fails and a few hand fulls of mommy high 5s.

Two children later, I question having another. It's definitely a topic H and I have discussed. Although, we are not opposed to being done, there is a piece of me that longs to have more. To be able to make the wish of a little girl who didn't get a sibling until she was 6 years old a reality. Then the 30 something, mom of two comes in and slaps a dose of reality into me.

Reality:
   1.) I'm stretched and pulled between 2 children, I can't imagine adding another one
   2.) I hear it only gets harder as they grow older
   3.) Financially, how can we support another one
   4.) I want my kids to be kids and not have to take care of their younger siblings. I'm all for teaching responsibility, but it's mommy's job to be mommy
   5.) What is another pregnancy going to do to my body
   6.) I want to one day be able to get sleep
   7.) What would another child do to our current family dynamic

I'm sure one can go on and on. For me, I have to be honest and say I know I cannot be an adequate parent to 4 children. I sometimes wonder if I'm an adequate parent to my two children. In the mean time, we are enjoying life with the two kids. Only time will tell if more is in our future.

For those of you who do have 4 or more children, how do you do it?

Where is my Ying and Yang?

2010-09-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

Like all the usual days and weeks in my life, it's been busy. Seriously, when is it not busy and crazy?

For now, I'm going to spare you the crazy part.

In the mean time, I can feel the abuse I've placed on my body catching up to me. Lack of sleep, lack of nutritious food, lack of exercise, and an increase in the amount of stress. Let's not forget ~~The Grim Reaper~~ Father Time coming to get me.

Does any of that sound familiar to you or is it just me who manages to constantly lose my ying and yang in life?

I'm all about trying to find harmony, inner peace, and all of that good stuff. Unfortunately, there are many obstacles that prevent me from this. I've decided to be a little more diligent about finding my happy place.

I was seriously trying to look for an acupuncturist. I've heard many positive things about acupuncture. I've come to a point where I'd be willing to try this. I really don't mind having a bunch of needles placed onto various stress points on my body. Hey, if I can give birth twice then a bunch of tiny needles is nothing! Trying to squeeze a human being out of ones vajayjay or having a doctor cut through your abdomen to yank out a baby sounds far worst to me.

I've had no luck in the department of finding an acupuncturist that can help cure me of some of my ailments. There are a few criteria that still need to be met.

Plan 2: Yoga. Yes, I purchased a mat and have been happily taking a few yoga classes. Not that super hot, I'd be sweating and passing out Bikram yoga. Just basic yoga that's supposed to help me stretch and help me to become one with the universe.

A new week is upon us. Let's see how well I do at finding and keeping my ying and yang in place. If all else fails, I have purchased a few bottles of wine.

Friday Flip-Off

2010-09-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

Everyday life is just so damn busy. Right from the very second of waking up to the bitter end of the day, it's just a constant go, go, go. Usually that very second of waking up is started off by the uninviting sound of any of the following:

Mama, are you awake?

Good Morning!

Mama, Mama!!!!

Whaaa!!!

Regardless of which morning wake-up call is used my eyes are still closed and my mouth is still open from exhaustion.

What exactly am I flipping off here? I guess not being able to really feel like I'm taking the time to enjoy life and to enjoy my children.

To time: For going by way too fast and making me feel like I need to fill so much in such a short 24 hour period. I sometimes feel robbed of truly enjoying my babies. You're taking them away from me far faster than I'd like. I want to be able to stop, smell and appreciate what is out there. Did I mention you're aging me faster than I'd like also? Stop it already!

Thank you to MommaKiss for hosting since Gigi is busy.

Wordless Wednesday: Fort Worth, TX By Sarah Austin

2010-09-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Sarah Austin Photography

Homework for Mama

2010-09-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

For the next few weeks I've decided to join Gigi over at Kludgy Mom for her
Back to School, Back to Blogging challenge. I'll be the first to admit I'm not a computer, high tech person. All of this computer mumbo jumbo is so foreign to me. I'm just glad that I'm competent enough to figure out how to post. Call me simple.

The pre-homework assignment was to install a retweet button, which I'm proud to say I did. Of course, it took a lot longer than I had hoped. Luckily, there are other participants who are willing to help those in the less than average section of this challenge.

Also, I believe I was able to set-up a fan page on Facebook for my blog. Yes, MamaOnDaGo now has a fan page, so please "like" me. It took me a few hours to try and set it up. I realize it's simple and oh-so basic. To be honest, I don't even know if I did it correctly. Hey, that's what this challenge is for. I wanted to try and improve things and expose myself to some new high tech info.

I'm also going to be realistic. At the end of this, I don't expect to have this gorgeous state-of-the-art blog or a fancy shmancy fan page with hundreds of new followers and fans. The children just won't compromise on how much time and effort should be used to improve on Mama's hobby. It took me a good long while to even write up this post between naps and quiet time. May I also add that it's football season. Enough said with that. I do hope to learn something and to meet more great people.

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mamaondago14
The Fan Page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/MamaOnDaGo/105834496144690

Official First Day of Preschool

2010-09-09T00:37:00.000-07:00

Today marks the official start of ~~the~~ ~~end~~ preschool. We attended Open House on Tuesday. This allowed us to meet the staff and a few other students and parents. Princess Ninja was able to explore her new surroundings. I must say, she did well. Granted we never left her sight and she was able to do as she pleased. I'm not quite sure how she'll do when Mama and Dada actually leave and she has to follow instructions. Regardless, today is the day.

Since I love pouring salt and squirting lemon juice into my motherhood wounds, I'd like to share a few photos of Princess Ninja.

Princess Ninja a few hours after coming into the world.

Hanging out in her Bumbo

So tired!

Sniff, sniff! No that's not me crying. I just got something in my eye.

Old School: Rocking the Bowl

2010-09-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

My cousin, NC (on the left) & little MamaOnDaGo (on the right)

It was a very busy Labor Day weekend. I truly "labored" because I didn't have a lovely 3 day long weekend. At this point, I can no longer continue folding my mountains of laundry due to cramping issues. I needed a break, so I decided to write a post. I am determined to conquer my never-ending piles of laundry today...tonight even. I shall not sleep until all is folded! In the mean time, please enjoy the above picture.

My little sister made a stop at my Aunt's house prior to leaving on a 2 week long tour of the New England states and parts of Canada.

Am I jealous? Yes! She's sending me various messages and pictures of Boston. I'm living vicariously through her at the moment. Oh it must be nice to just take off and travel!

In the depths of my Aunt's photos, my sister managed to find the above picture of my cousin, NC, and me. This is circa early 80s. As you can see, NC and I went to the same hairstylist. We were rocking that bowl!!! Not only did we go to the same hairstylist, we managed to also have the same fashion consultant. NC's look is more old school Chinese with a matching red accessory in her hand. I'm going for a modern farmer look with my red overall shorts. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm really working the hair and outfit with this pose.

Please pardon the flash in the middle of the photo. The picture is behind a humidity, light controlled glass case to preserve it from any damage.

Friday Flip-offs

2010-09-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

I realize that I am very, very blessed. I really don't have much to complain about. At least I shouldn't be complaining. Complaints, pet peeves, aggression are what Friday Flip-offs are all about, isn't it? A neutral place where we all can just let it go and not be judged for that one brief moment. We aren't always looking for answers or advice, we just want a place to vent, so we can continue on our merry way. So here it is.

To zits: Actually it's one large zit that is composed of 3 little zits. No, one little zit is not enough. It decided that it wanted to have a menage a trois. Yes, I had to Google how to spell this. I hope H doesn't find it on the computer's history and get any ideas. There, on the right corner of my chin, lays a zit orgy. When will this sign of hormonal imbalance end? I can understand if I was a spunky, hormone crazed teenager, but I'm in my 30s people!!!! 30s! No amount of concealer is hiding this either!

To cancer: It's shown its evilness twice this year. My uncle will be undergoing his bone marrow transplant next week after being diagnosed earlier this year. Just last week, I found out my friend EM's mom is also undergoing a battle with breast cancer. Cancer has shown up in my family's life in the past and it continues to show up uninvited. Please say a prayer and hope that cancer will get the message that it is not welcome anywhere!

Friday Flip-offs is being hosted by MommaKiss. Kludgy Mom is handling some business that you are all welcome to check out. In the mean time, please join us for a moment of venting.

Wordless Wednesday: San Diego By ManetteGonz

2010-08-31T22:53:00.000-07:00

Downtown San Diego by ManetteGonz

Scripps Pier by ManetteGonz

*linked up with Angry Julie's Wordless Wednesday

What a Morning

2010-08-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

The day did not start off well at all. Not only did I get kicked numerous times during the evening hours by Princess Ninja, my slumber was interrupted by the ~~soothing~~ irritating sounds of both children crying this morning.

To Princess Ninja: Perhaps if you stayed in your lovely, comfy bed, Mama would not have to continually reposition you. Oh did I wake you, sorry! I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't kick me in the face in the middle of the night. Actually, I would appreciate it if you didn't kick, slap, or try to push me off the bed.

Chubs: I have no idea what you have to cry about in the morning. You were fed well, so you couldn't be hungry. I held you, hugged you, gave you numerous kisses and even read your favorite book 5 times!!!! Don't tell me I'm not giving you enough attention.

By this afternoon, I was at my wits end. Princess Ninja continually kept throwing things in the air. I reminded her three times to not throw things in the house. Angry Mama finally came out when her little throw toy decided to land and bounce on some delicate equipment, the television. Luckily nothing broke. Princess Ninja ended up having some alone time in her room, so she can think about why we don't throw things in the house. Current status: fast asleep.

Chubs was being unreasonable. He wanted me to hold him. 10 seconds later, he wanted to be put down. As I placed him down, he would stomp around the house throwing a fit. Then he'd want me to hold him. Then he wanted to put down. It was getting old very fast!

He couldn't possibly need another nap. He just woke up from a hour slumber less than an hour ago. Hmm, perhaps you're hungry. As I fed him AND held him, he would suck the juices out of his food and spit it ~~ever so cutely~~ in my face and then cry about it.

Chubs ended up back in his room. I let him ~~think about his actions~~ cry it out for 10 minutes. The next thing I knew, silence!!! Current status: fast asleep.

The house is silent! Hallelujah!!!!

Signs & Symbols

2010-08-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

I'm no Handy Manny. I'll be the first to admit that. I leave it to my husband to handle all things that require fixing. As far as car maintenance, I can do the very basics. I can put gas in the tank. I know how to check my tire pressure and put air in the tires, if needed. I know the basic concept of changing a tire, although I've never physically done it before. I also know signs and signals.

photo courtesy of carservicetips.com

oil change/low oil. Something to do with the oil that needs to be taken care of.

"Honey, I think there's something wrong with the car's oil"

photo courtesy of shutterstock.com

I better get some gas or I wonder how far I can go before the car stops running.

photo courtesy of myspaceantics.com

Somone's pissed off at me.

"Right back at you!"

photo courtesy of safecar.gov

But what in the world is this?

Yeah, that explanation point in the middle of a cauldron. Does it mean somethings cooking and I better remember to remove it from my fire pit?

It's obviously something important because the manufacturer decided to use an "!" In other words, I better do something about this problem. If I only knew what the car was trying to tell me.

It turns out one of my tires had a small hole that was causing my tire pressure to fall. In other words, the symbol above is telling me I have a flat tire?

Really? There wasn't something they could have used to make it a little more obvious.

The Total Body Workout

2010-08-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

We all want a hot body! We all want to wake up every morning feeling va va va voom. Does any of the following resemble us instead:

Good morning triceps, is that you guys waving at me? Where are we taking flight to today?
There's a buy one get one free on pancakes this morning. (As each butt cheek is dragged on the ground)
Muffin top, let's just take the whole damn bakery with us
I like it when my thighs rub together. I like it when I chafe.

After observing several people and infomercials, I think I've devised a complete body work out. From toned arms, a belly that doesn't jiggle, a butt so high and firm you can bounce a coin on it, and lean legs, it is possible with minimum effort.

Move over Jillian Michaels there's a new work out guru in town!

The Ab Contour

It's a belt that delivers electrical impulses to your abdominal muscles. I have to admit, I actually tried this. A friend of mine bought it and she let me use it to work out. I had a 45 minute work out while doing every day task. I even ate a doughnut as I was working out!!!!

The Shake Weight

Dynamic Inertia is the technology used for this device. Hmm, dynamic inertia, huh? You must see the instructional video to truly appreciate this. The website claims that you'll see results by using this for only 6 minutes a day. 6 minutes, I think I can spare that.

Sketchers Shape Ups

"Shape up while you walk" Again, another multi-tasking way to work out. You can shop for groceries or walk the kids to the park and shape up all at the same time. Cha ching!

Sun Chips Technology

Last, but not least, this one is actually beyond my control. If every manufacturer of food can use the same loud technology as Sun Chips, it might just prevent me from eating so much. I'm all for biodegradable and helping the green movement, but if the whole neighborhood can hear I'm eating at midnight, I might just pass on stuffing my face.

Disclaimer: I'm still waiting for Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit edition to call me. I just found the above interesting if they actually worked. If it does, please let me know!

Answers to Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-25T23:22:00.000-07:00

Crack & cake! Really?

That's my friend Manette on my Wordless Wednesday posts.

Some how the crack picture always makes me giggle. Who would have such a twisted sense of humor?

The cake picture. Well, I too, have portion control issues, so who am I to judge.

Crack and cake is the combo I get when I asked her to send me a picture of herself. Manette's actually made an appearance on my blog before. If you click here, you'll see how we spent the day together. Yeah, she's loads of fun. My kids love her because she's basically a big kid. Did I mention her house is always full of yummy snacks?

Manette's also taken up photography. She has a bunch of cool gadgets that I'm usually yelling at the kids not to touch. Since I pack about 5,000 pounds of toddler and baby gear, I tend to carry around a little point and shoot camera. On top of that, I can NOT take my eyes off the kids for one minute, because the second I do, Chubs manages to dart to the most dangerous thing out there.

I decided to team up with her for Wordless Wednesdays of San Diego. My favorite budding photographer ~~was forced~~ has agreed to help me share our beautiful city with all of you.

If you didn't hear, BlogHer 11 is going to be in San Diego. We wanted to tempt you all to come because it's not about coming up with the cash, sponsors, or time that's stopping you. You all needed convincing.

The first Wednesday of every month will be dedicated to her work. Please join us.

I also wanted to do a spin-off. Worldless Wednesdays of the World. I wanted to post a picture taken by you guys. If you're interested, please let me know.

Wordless Wednesday: Stay Tuned. Answers on Thursday

2010-08-24T23:17:00.000-07:00

Over at Casa di Cass

2010-08-24T00:56:00.000-07:00

I'm hanging out with Big Mama Cass. Come join us!

Family Fun Day

2010-08-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

I had this whole family day planned out. The Mr. and I are both off today. It's a weekday and most people have returned to work. A lot of the schools here have also started up again. To top it off, it's a gorgeous day to hang out at the beach or by the water. All the makings of some fun in the sun with the family.

To start off family fun day, I woke up and made chocolate chip pancakes and had myself a cup of iced coffee. Everyone was dressed and ready to go by 9:00AM. By the way, that's a record in this family. Normally it's a struggle to wrangle up the kids. By the end of the morning, I'm exhausted. No, this morning was easy breezy.

Oh, did I mention that both kids have fallen asleep before I even loaded up the car? I went upstairs to gather a few more supplies and I see Princess Ninja asleep. As I continue organizing our supplies, I see Chubs rolling around the living room entertaining himself. The next thing I know, he's asleep on the floor.

Great! Well there's been a change of plans. We're all going to take naps. When we wake up, fun in the sun will be reevaluated. Until then, this is definitely my idea of family fun day.

Random Post: Stalkers, Blog Challenge, & Vajazzled

2010-08-21T23:47:00.000-07:00

It's almost 11:30pm PST. I should be getting ready to go to bed, but I have a small burst of energy.

Hint: I just used the bathroom and my urine smells like a fresh brewed cup of coffee. French roast with a splash of milk so not to upset my stomach this late in the evening.

As I'm waiting for the last load of laundry to finish, I thought I'd do a random post. So here it is.

Saturday is almost done. I have a few minutes left before Sunday rolls in and I can no longer boast about being stalked by Kludgy Mom. It was a very pleasant Saturday surprise. I enjoyed my special day.

Speaking of Kludgy Mom, she's holding a blogging challenge. On my endless journey to become more and more awesome every day, I decided to join. Mind you, I'm a novice at blogging. I figured this could only help me.

Last but not least, I've gotten a number of inquires regarding one of my Friday Flip-offs. The bedazzled vajayjay or vajazzled. I would repost the picture, but I figured some of you already have the image burned into your brain. It's not easily forgotten. For those of you who have not seen the picture or for those of you who can't get enough of it, click here.

The number one inquire: What happens to the crystals once your hair grows back?

I was going to research this question. From Googling the topic, the disco ball usually lasts about 5 days or so. I'm sure this number varies from individual to individual. I was going to go on and on on how the adhesive would wear off and how natural skin rejuvenation will occur. Blah blah blah! Boring.

I'm going to leave you with a comment that pretty much sums up what happens when the hair grows back. It's from Bethany from Organic Enchilada:

I would bet that when the hair grows back, it's like a reverse metamorphosis. Butterfly turns back into a fuzzy caterpillar.

There you go curious readers. Hope you learned something.

Friday Flip-offs

2010-08-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

I've been building up some aggression about everything and anything lately. I think it has to do with something called my monthly friend. Oh, there's one flip-off right there! Let's start and get some angry under control.

To PMS: I realize you're just doing your job of announcing the arrival of my monthly friend. If memory serves me right, the last time you didn't do your job, I had a lovely surprise 9 months later. I just wish you didn't make me so bipolar.

To 5 pounds: I've been trying to lose these 5 pounds even before I had kids. I have no idea where you came from. I don't get my reasoning of, "If I could only lose 5 pounds" I'm not on a show where I'm going to win thousands/millions of dollars. Losing you will not make me a happier person....well it might! Considering I haven't lost you, I'm still willing to find the happy person who is 5 pounds thinner.

To my laundry: I wish you would get some birth control! Better yet, go get snipped!!!! I don't understand how you can reproduce like hormone crazed bunny rabbits. You're overflowing into my bedroom.

To Cosmo for their bedazzled vajayjay (aka vajazzled) article: This is what has been burned into my brain.

photo from http://redriver.momslikeme.com/

You have added one more thing to my "Oh hell no!" list and "H would kill me if I spent our hard earned money for this"....or would he????

Count Down to Preschool

2010-08-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

The upcoming school year is just around the corner. In just a few short weeks, children will be heading back to school. For me, it's bringing with it a mountain of mixed feelings.

You see, my 3 year old will be starting preschool. To me this isn't just any 3 year old. This is my first born. My baby girl. My Princess Ninja. I know eyes are rolling and thoughts of "Oh brother" and "Get over it" are screaming through my computer screen.

I think to myself: Isn't this what you wanted? Now you're having second thoughts. After all, preschool isn't mandatory. She can be mama's little girl for another year.

After all the work it took to find the right preschool, I'm having mixed feelings. The Mister and I went through so much trouble trying to get her in. We had to search high and low to narrow down our list to a few schools. We chatted with parents to get their input. Then there were applications, application fees, interviews, and waiting lists. It was so stressful. On top of that, how do I even know it's the RIGHT preschool for HER?

I knew one day the big girl step of going to school would come. I realize this isn't even "real" school. It isn't even for the full-day. I really don't know why I'm hesitating about this.

I also realize this will be good for her. It'll allow her the opportunity to interact with kids her own age. To grow and learn. This will provide her with things I can't. She'll love it...I hope.

I know I'm being selfish, but can't I be selfish for one more year?

Letter to the Blond

2010-08-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

I wanted to dedicate this to the blond gal that was in my kickboxing class.

Dear Barbie,

Since my workout sessions at the gym are so haphazard, I didn't realize that they changed the rules on me. It was only a few weeks ago that you can just walk right into the class. I wasn't aware that this particular teacher had a following and now it's mandatory to get a ticket to enter. I thank you for making space for me, because if you didn't, I'd drive myself back home and be pissed for the remainder of the night as I eat a dozen cupcakes to ease my anger.

I'm sure you could care less but making time to go to the gym takes a lot of time. Not only do I have to make sure I have someone to watch the kids, I have to start preparing hours in advance. I have to not only prepare the children's bags of various items, but I have to prepare myself mentally.

Please excuse me if you feel like the back of your neck is burning. It's only me admiring you. Even though I can tell you aren't a real blond, you somehow manage to work the bold, blond highlights. I like the way your toned arms don't flap the way mine do. If you don't mind me asking, what type of sports bra are you using? Somehow I feel the need to invest in a better one, so the girls look perky, like yours. Also, I'm in awe that your butt doesn't jiggle here and there the way mine does.

I also wanted to let you know I'm not giving you an evil stare. It's actually the sweat dripping in my eyes. It is causing me pain and I can't see the instructor. I'm squinting to lessen the burn and to focus on the teacher. Just to inform you, I'm not snarling at you either. I'm actually using some alpha-hydroxy pads that claim they can rejuvenate my skin and make me look younger. They cause my skin to be extremely sensitive to the acidic nature of my own perspiration.

Thank you once again,

MamaOnDaGo

PS After our workout, how would you like to get some cupcakes? If your diet doesn't allow for it, I'll eat your share and you can have my iced water with a wedge of lemon.

My 3 Day Weekend

2010-08-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

If some of you read my last post, I have been in a state of blah lately. Yeah, my robot-zombie zone. The place where many tired, overworked parents go when they are just going through the motions of making it through the day.

The weekend isn't entirely over yet and I'm feeling like a totally new woman! I've finally come out of the funk I was in and actually feel like I'm human again. Human, meaning my new baseline since I've become a mother. Because, we all know you never quite feel like the same well rested person you used to be prior to having kids.

Last night, I attended a dinner that was being held for the volunteers of Fresh Start. For those that are unfamiliar with Fresh Start here is a little information that is on their website.

The organization threw us a wonderful Mardi Gras themed party. Although the food and entertainment was terrific, it was two of the guest that truly made my night. They were patients whose lives have been completely changed due to the Fresh Start. It was moving and humbling to see how volunteering can change an entire life!

I'm feeling like Mama again. Like every great mother, I'm multi-tasking like a bad a**. For instance, I'm writing this post, cooking up lunch, and have the ingredients ready to make homemade Nutella poptarts from the Brown Eyed Baker. Laundry and bathroom sanitation is also on my agenda today. To top it off, the kids have been well behaved. In other words, the morning activities wore down the kids and they are currently napping.

If this feeling continues, I might even have to MAKE the hubs cash in on his IOU card. :evil laugh and smirk:

To top it off, two, not just one, fellow blogger gave me the Foxy Mama Award. One was from Discovering the Me in Mommy and the other from TV's Take. Whooo Hoo!!!

I hope everyone is having as great of a weekend as I am!

The Robot-Zombie Zone

2010-08-11T22:57:00.000-07:00

The weekend brought with it a large amount of work. I'm talking about the work that pays the bills, puts food on the table, and a roof over the family's head. I was leaving past midnight. Due to stress and lack of energy, my body was telling me to stop by to get some McDonald's french fries. Yeah, I know, so not good. If you're up that late and on Twitter, then you probably read about my glorious stops. The weekend left me completely exhausted and useless at home.

I have to pause for a moment and give my husband massive amounts of kudos for watching the kids and keeping the house together. He really stepped up to the plate and kicked it up a notch. I would repay him with some great sex, but I'm too damn tired from actually working. I'm giving him an IOU on this. Yes, I'm posting it out there for all the world to see. I'm making it all official and legal.

MamaOnDaGo is giving her husband an IOU for sex because he's gone above and beyond and deserves it

Notarized and all that legal mumbo jumbo

Back to what I was originally going to discuss.

Work left me completely useless at home. We all know that our jobs as mothers and fathers does not stop because we are tired. The children continue to wake up at the butt crack of dawn. With day old mascara smeared upon my blood shot eyes (because I was too tired to do a decent job removing it), I would wake up. Actually, my body would be moving but my mind and my soul, I felt was elsewhere. I call this my robot-zombie zone.

The zone where I'm so exhausted I'm just going through the motions of being a mama. I neither really feel nor hear. My hands and body are moving as I play with the children, but I'm not really mentally there to enjoy this moment. Instead of being able to multi-task, I put efforts to even accomplish one task. At times, I just find myself zoning out even further.

I'm glad I can look forward to a few days off. The fine print is I'll be off from work, but I'll be on full-mama duty. It'll be the Misters turn to make some dollars. I'm hoping a few days away from work will help me get out of the robot-zombie zone and refocus. I would say re-energize but that's asking way too much from being home alone with the kids. Here's to refocusing.

Blogging Brings Families Together by Absolutely Narcissism

2010-08-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

I want you all to discover the wonderful world of Absolutely Narcissism. As a sample presentation, she's been gracious enough to do a guest post for me. Please read, enjoy, and check out what else she has to offer.

Blogging Brings Families Together

By Sandra @ http://www.absolutelynarcissism.blogspot.com

The kids have been home for six weeks.

That’s approximately 44 days...I’ve even broken it down into hours, minutes, and seconds, but I’ll spare you the tedium.

It’s funny because there seems to be a general consensus out there that mothers are not looking forward to their kids going back to school. Whenever I read various blogs about this mommy who is warning her faithful readers that she won’t be posting for a few days in order to enjoy the last few days with her children before they go back to school, I’m always left with this intense guilt. What is wrong with me that I WANT my kids back in school?

Now.

Like right fucken now.

I have spent these past six weeks inviting other children over to play with mine; taking my kids to the beach on sunny days; taking them to the movies on rainy days; encouraging them to play in the pool; going for bike rides; hiking; fishing.

I’ve been doing as much as I can to keep them out of the house, entertained, occupied, and off the computer, Xbox, Wii, Playstation, and iPod.

In the process, I have been consciously limiting my time checking my email, Facebook, twitter, and blog.

Finally this week, I just gave up. I’ve had it. It’s been cloudy yet humid. Not conducive to the beach. Too sticky for outdoor activities. Too broke for indoor activities.

And I’m tired. No. That’s not accurate – I’m exhausted.

So I’ve been plunked on the couch, laptop in my lap, television playing Toddlers in Tiaras in a continuous loop, and have basically not discouraged my kids from anything. Do want you want as long as it doesn’t require me to get up from this couch.

What I’ve discovered though, is that rather than remaining glued to the electronic devices, they have been gravitating towards me. Why? Because I have been blog surfing for two days straight, having a terrific time, laughing, talking to myself, and commenting out loud.

My kids love it. I don’t think they ever seen me this jubilant.

They want to know what I’m reading. Why I’m laughing. Who I’m talking to.

And I’ve been telling them: “This woman is so funny. She just wrote that her baby pulled her diaper off, and rubbed poop all over the walls.”

Of course, not at all funny for the blogger in question. But it’s poop. My kids love poop. They love saying it. They love hearing about it. And they especially love the visual of it smeared all over crib bars and walls.

Of course the mother in me tries to make this experience a learning one. I’ve described to them certain sadder blogs in which mothers are fighting illnesses – theirs or their children’s, always ending with a “you should be grateful you are healthy and happy.”

But in general, we like the inappropriate blogs. We’re all about the fecal matter.

Guest Blog on Tie A Little Ribbon

2010-08-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

Tie A Little Ribbon gave me the opportunity to guest blog for her. If you haven't checked out her site, please do so. Also, you can catch her on Twitter @tiealittleribbon

Given this wonderful opportunity, I was perplexed on what to write about. If you're curious, check it out, be amazed and entertained! I promise you it's full of crap.

Guest blog on Tie A Little Ribbon

Tales of a Food Porn Addict

2010-08-08T01:42:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of The Food Network

I've known for many years that I have a LOVE for food. At first, I didn't really think much of it. It's not until recently that I've diagnosed myself with being addicted to food porn. Whether or not this is a true sickness, I'm not sure. There might also be a more appropriate term for my self-diagnosis. Regardless, I love food, what's the big deal?

According to my last doctor visit, I'm a healthy weight. I have an appropriate BMI. My issue isn't necessarily with eating food (I could eat healthier though). Surprisingly, I'm a fairly picky eater. I don't even eat meat. This non-meat eating diet has evolved over the years to cut out various items. The evolution of a semi-vegetarian, dessert addict will have to be saved for a later post. Basically, I don't eat meat. I do eat seafood though. I'm sure there's an appropriate term for this as well. Every so often, I tell myself that I would eat a really good filet mignon, but I haven't in quite awhile. For now, let's just say semi-vegetarian.

As a young child, I can recall watching Julia Child and The Galloping Gourmet with Graham Kerr. We didn't have cable and this was way before the Food Network. Prior to having my own children, all I ever really watched was the Food Network. Literally!

The thought of food sends my senses into overdrive. I have a passion for food. I talk about food a lot. Reading and listening to various recipes sends my salivary glands into overdrive. I can look at pictures of food and be fascinated by it.

Sadly, I don't cook as much as I would like. To be quite frank, I'd rather hear and watch other people talk about food. See the problem here?

Although the taste of meat no longer really appeals to me, I enjoy hearing a chef talk about piling a burger with blue cheese crumbs and pairing it with sweet potato fries. I enjoy the sound of a steak being seared at a high temperature to seal in all its juices.

Photo courtesy of the Food Network

Let's not even get on the subject of baking and desserts. My real weakness. I can probably go on and on.
All this talk of food is driving me wild. I need a cupcake!

MacGyver Parents

2010-08-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

Am I totally aging myself if I do a post that refers to MacGyver?

For those of you youngins, MacGyver was a show back in the 80s. I was fascinated by the show. It was basically about this guy, MacGyver, who was a secret agent. He'd go on all these special missions. The guy could escape anything and anyone using a few random things and his Swiss Army knife. He'd be able to make a bomb to get himself out of a bulletproof, soundproof safe by using ear wax and pocket lint. He'd be able to whip up a compass using a pencil and rubber band, so he could find his way back to the drop-off point. The guy was a genius. The guy was awesome!

Somewhere along our evolution as human beings, we were blessed with the MacGyver gene. Granted, this gene does not automatically turn on once a child is ripped from a women's body and the umbilical cord cut off. The gene remains dormant. It's buried deep in our chromosomes and one day emerges.

How else could you explain how we are able to entertain our children using Tupperware and a couple pencils? Voila, a drum set. Grab that mixing spoon and you have yourself a mic.

Who else turn couch cushions into a fort or castle?

The MacGyver parent can turn an empty box into a boat. The laundry basket into a rocket ship.

Like I said before, MacGyver was awesome, but once the MacGyver gene kicks in, a parent is a hero!

BlogHer: Not This Year

2010-08-02T23:33:00.000-07:00

Just a few thoughts on why I'm not attending BlogHer.

1.) The idea of partying all night and schmoozing makes me tired just thinking about it

2.) Although Hubs has been supportive of my blogging, I can see him locking up the computer and our bank accounts from me

3.) Wait, Hubs wouldn't have to lock me out of our bank accounts because all payments would bounce anyways

4.) My "real" job, the one that puts food on the table and a roof over my family's head, doesn't feel that this conference counts as a business trip

5.) I don't think the people of BlogHer would appreciate my Mama Uniform

6.) I don't have time to lose 10 pounds on such short notice

7.) The NYC pollution is bad for my skin and lungs

8.) I've been trying to throw all the crap out of the house. Why do I need more awesome stuff even if it's free?

9.) I'm still feeling like the new girl in high school
10.) BlogHer would be like going to the prom...solo!

The reality is I've only been blogging for a few short months (how about almost 3 months). I'm very much a novice when it comes to all of this blogging/Twitter/FB mommy high tech stuff. Quite frankly, I didn't know this conference existed. If it wasn't for all the mommy blogs talking about it, I would have continued on to live without knowing the existence of BlogHer. Heaven forbid!

Perhaps next year!

I know it's just the hurt talking...slightly jealous!

This Not Going To BlogHer was sponsored by A New Breed of Mom. Please feel free to join the rest of us who are not going to BlogHer.

Also part of BlogHerPityParty by Life Without Pink & Mommyfriend because there's just that much hurt and jealousy. =)

Mama Uniform

2010-08-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I ran into a blog called Absolutely Narcissism by Sandra. On that particular day, the topic of discussion was clothing and dressing like a mom.

Like the vain woman that I am, I was searching for ways to give myself a little more style. Unfortunately, this particular post wasn't giving dress advice the way I had hoped. It was a post about a woman who felt that after a woman turns 30 and has kids, she should dress like it. Uh, what exactly does that mean? I apparently didn't get the email or manual when I became a mother or when I turned 30 because I have no idea how a 30+ year old mother is supposed to dress. Hence, the reason why I was looking for fashion advice.

I have what I like to call my Mama Uniform.

Looks like Chubs is cursing someone out like an Italian mafia guy.

Dark top, jeans, shades, and hair in it's usual mess. After park photo.

-Jeans. My staple go-to attire. Let's make note that they are not "mom" jeans. I deserve a little credit. I just like to make sure my crack isn't hanging out every time I sit or bend over. Variations: khakis, shorts, capris, and workout pants.

-T-shirts. Variations depend on the weather: tunics, cardigans, sweatshirts, tank tops.

-Sunglasses: The bigger the better. No day is complete without shades. It not only provides me with protection but it also hides dark circles and bags way better than any concealer.

Looking through my closet, I've found that most of my tops are black, navy, brown, and a touch of white. I can pretty much pull any two items in my closet and it's guaranteed to match. Plus, darker colors tend to hide stains better and supposedly make you look slimmer. I'm afraid one of these days I'm going to find myself in a magazine with the shameful black rectangle on my eyes to protect my identity.

One of the main reasons I really don't put too much effort in clothing is because I always end up with mystery stains on them. It can be one or more of the following: saliva, various food items, mystery sticky substance, regurgitated items and dirt. The top also has to be boobie flash proof because Chubs has a tendency to pull my top down for the world to see the "girls." Princess Ninja is currently obsessed with the word "boobies" and likes to point and/or poke at mine. There is so much running, bending, crawling, kneeling, etc involved in my day that my clothing has to be comfortable and practical.

A few months ago, I was inspired to try to put a little more pizazz to my wardrobe. I invested in a few pieces of clothing that weren't too trendy but stylish. Shopping for these few items was stressful since I brought the kids with me. Another reason why I love online shopping. Since I can't try anything on, I tend to purchase more Mama Uniform-like items. One of the new pieces also included a sundress. Whoa! I also busted out some of my pre-mama shoes that haven't seen sunlight in 3 years. I was feeling pretty good.

I put on my little sundress and comfortable wedges and sashayed out with the kids to start our day. Chubs kept lifting my dress exposing my albino legs and full-coverage panties. My feet were hurting from the wedges and the kids were able to out run me through various obstacle courses. Since that day, I was back to my "classic" style, the Mama Uniform.

Trying to stop the Italian mafia guy from coming out of Chubs.

Guest Blog on New Breed of Mom

2010-07-31T12:52:00.000-07:00

My first post as a guest on New Breed of Mom: Guest Blogging is like a First Date. Yay!!!!

Preschool

2010-07-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Preschool! The educational foundation that every child builds upon. It's the first brick that will help build and determine how successful your child will be in the future. Ivy league college or permanent fixture on Mama's couch? The pressure!

Does any of that sound familiar?

No one ever told me that finding and getting into a top preschool was like applying for college. First of all, the choices out there was mind blowing: Montessori, private school, public school (which you still pay for by the way).

Research had to be done: student-teacher ratio, parent volunteering requirements, comments and recommendations by other parents, awards, licenses, tuition, waiting list.

Waiting lists! Yes, there are waiting lists to get into preschool! Really?!?! Yes! Some so-called top notch preschools have waiting lists so long you can be waiting years.

I later find out there is also an interview. Someone wants to interview my 3 year old daughter. What exactly are you going to ask her? I can tell you she barely listens to her parents. Good luck in trying to interview her. Great, we may not get into a preschool.

The interview isn't just the 3 year old. It's a family interview. What exactly do you want to know about the family? Is there a criminal background check involved as well? Great, we may not get into a preschool.

We actually had to decide on our top 4 preschools. Like I mentioned, it's like applying to college. In case, you didn't get into your #1 choice, you want to have back-ups.

Did I mention application fees? These were not cheap either. We're talking triple digits. Non-refundable. They made that very clear.

After all of that, there are deadlines to meet. Make sure the paperwork is completed and handed in by this date. Your child will not be a candidate if all necessary paperwork is not completed and turned in by said date. Interviews had to be completed by this day. Letters and notifications of acceptance will be mailed out on this date.

Well, those dates were marked and circled on the calendar. We waited and waited. Is it like college? Thick envelope is good. Thin envelope is the letter of doom.

Luckily, our top 4 choices for preschools had their notifications being sent out during the same week. In that one week, Princess Ninja's entire future will be determined. Can I get any more dramatic with this?

At the end of this whole process, Princess Ninja was able to get into choice 1 & 2 for preschool. We ultimately decided to accept the offer for our #1 choice. Obvious, right?

Preparations have already began for the first day of preschool. I'm sure there will be posts about this. Prepare yourselves for crying and an emotional wreck.

The VJ Check-Up

2010-07-28T00:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since the yearly VJ (in case you didn't know: vajayjay) check-up. After the visit, the NP or Dr. usually ends it with:

Give it about a week, no news is good news.

I know this office all too well. It's the same office I had to go to time and time again for both of my pregnancies. It's this same office I go to have the yearly VJ checked out and all it's accessories.

I sit in the waiting room and wait for my name to be called. The happy MA greets me, tells me to pee in a cup, and meet her at the scales. During my pregnancies, I had the pee-in-a-cup method down packed. I can do it quickly without getting a drop of pee on my hands. Even during my 3rd trimester, the large belly was no match. After not going for a year, my technique could have used some work.

Knowing I have to hop on a scale, I usually pick out my "lightest" outfits. After all, I want the weight on the scale to reflect my true weight and not an ounce more.

Then, we enter The Room. After the MA checks more vitals, she hands me my new outfit. A lovely two piece ensemble that is made up of a paper vest and a larger piece of rectangular paper to cover below the waist. I'm assuming this outfit is one size fits all. It's definitely not flattering to anyone.

The MA reminds me that the open side of the vest goes towards the front so they can do a breast exam. Great, can't leave out the girls during all this fun.

After getting undressed, I like to fold my clothes up nicely and tuck my undergarments away. I don't know why I obsess about this. It's not like the Dr/NP is going to be assessing my folding techniques. They're going to be assessing way more than that.

I hop on the table that's covered with more of the crunchy paper. I also try not to move much because the sound of the paper beneath my naked a** is disturbing. I sit there and wait uncomfortably. As I wait, I always read the posters that cover the wall (what else is there to do). Pictures of ovulation, the stages of pregnancy, what happens to a woman as she ages, types of birth control, etc. They do make lovely reading material as you sit there naked under some bright lights, as if on a Broadway stage.

Eventually, I hear the knock on the door. A warning of what is about to happen. Then the exam begins.

It's now been a week and I haven't heard from them, so I'm assuming it's good news. Yay, the VJ can rest easy for another year!

Mr. Pig

2010-07-25T22:44:00.000-07:00

I have a teething 1 year old!!!! I think that about sums up the week.

Chubs has not sprouted teeth since December 2009. I kid you not. The boy had 8 brand spanking new teeth to welcome 2010.

Then last week, badda bing badda boom, my sweet little boy turned crazy. He became bipolar. One second he wanted me to hold him. The next second he wanted to be put down. Over and over again. It was quickly getting old.

Then there were the screams in the middle of the night. Goodness!!! I even tried medicating the poor kid. Motrin AND Tylenol...or should I say the generic brands of these drugs. It bought a few precious moments of shut eye.

Teething rings, frozen waffles, toys, various body parts of my husband all fell victim to Chubs.

Here is one such victim. Mr. Pig.

Mr. Pig is now deaf. Chubs almost got his snout off too.

Mr. Pig is left with one leg.

Poor Mr. Pig

Mr. Pig was a stress ball shaped like...well a pig. He was actually Princess Ninja's toy. I guess Chubs was so stressed about teething that Mr. Pig is no longer the same.

For those of you who are concerned, Chubs did not swallow any of Mr. Pig's parts. He was so gracious enough to spit them out on the floor.

To give the week that added boom it was missing, Princess Ninja was bitten in the eye. Breathing, eating, playing. A few days later, she was back to normal.

What a great week! Glad it's over!

The Anniversary Dinner

2010-07-21T23:18:00.000-07:00

Our Wedding.

Photos: Janis Foley Photography

I just celebrated my 7 year wedding anniversary. A date night with my husband is something I really look forward to. Because we've been going through some rough times this past year, this dinner was extra special. I wanted to share it with all of you.

My Tiffany Blue Wedding cake

Hopefully if I post it, it will be floating in the virtual universe forever. I can look back on it one day and remember it fondly.

Reservations were made at Oceanaire. A seafood restaurant whose claim to fame was due to Brian Malarkey. He was a contestant on Top Chef. Well Mr. Malarkey has left the restaurant but it wasn't going to stop me from eating there.

My husband and I have eaten there in the past and we've both enjoyed it. My old pre-mama days loved trying out new restaurants. Since the birth of the kids, I've become kind of a bore and have tried to stick to my list of faves.

For one thing, we don't go out for such things often. It's usually quite the task to try and find a date we are both off and able to find someone to watch the kids. After going through all that trouble and spending a good amount of change, I really, really don't want to be disappointed.

Upon being seated, the hostess gave us our menus. As I was trying to decide what to order, I noticed they were wishing us a "Happy Anniversary" at the top of the menu. A very nice touch.

We started the night with raw oysters. Hello, aphrodisiac! We usually go for a trio. Tonight's trio consisted of Fanny Bay, kusshi, and blackberry. The Fanny Bays are one of my favorites. Some of the oysters are already missing from picture. I couldn't resist.

Next came Oceanaire's famous crab cake. I could honestly have a couple of these with a starch and call it a day. It's probably one of the best crab cakes outside of Maryland. It's the real, deal crab cake. Just mouth watering, sweet, whole lump crab meat. Sprinkled with some good Old Bay...delicious!

No celebration would be complete without wine. We both enjoy a good Pino Noir. After letting it breathe for a bit, it was a smooth red wine with slight bite at the end.

We both ordered an entree of fish. One dish was sea bass topped with crab meat. Dish two was the Mako shark with blue cheese butter.

Since we were celebrating a special occasion, the restaurant served us their flaming baked Alaska.

To top it off, I received this bouquet of white roses. I have something against red roses. Red roses aren't my favorite.

The night was great. A fancy meal, quiet adult conversation and another wonderful year together.

Downtown San Diego. 7 years ago.

The Mini Makeover: Hair

2010-07-15T22:51:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, the beginning of 2010 was a rough road. If you weren't aware, here's a little link so we are all up to speed. As we enter the later half of the year, I'm starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. With that said, as I emerge from the dark tunnel of 2010, I don't want to look like I've been buried in the depths of the earth this whole time.

Another reason for wanting to keep up ones appearance is due to the fact that my big wedding anniversary is coming up. It's the big 7!!! The husband and I are going out for our special dinner. Dinner that includes great food and wine. How can one celebrate without wine? Red wine, so it's heart healthy. =)

My task to give myself a mini makeover was lock, set, and implemented. First things first, hair! I've managed to let my hair go for almost 5 months. No cut, no color, no touch-up. Sooner or later, Disney people were going to come knocking at my door to see if I wanted to play a poor, tortured Mufasa for the next Lion King movie. Things were getting out of hand.

Uh, yeah! Not cute, I know. I go out in public like this.

Like a good man, a good hairdresser is hard to find. Can I get an amen?

A few years ago, I thought I finally found my perfect hairdresser. Let's call him "Abe". Abe was my man. I looked forward to seeing him. He was owner of a great salon. It was urban and hip. Abe wasn't too chatty. He would allow me to sit in that chair and catch-up on all the latest gossip and beauty magazine. His salon served wine!!!! Ding, ding, ding, ding! His staff gave the best head massages ever on the face of God's green earth. Every time I left Abe's salon, I felt like I belonged on a hair commercial. *hair blowing in the cool breeze*

Well, like the rest of us, Abe had some rough times. Divorce, money, a new girlfriend. You know all the things a good reality show is made of. His salon, his golden touch all went to hell. I tried going back to him a few times, hoping and praying he would get his groove back. After a few attempts, I had to finally say good bye to my dear Abe. My hair and I were left to fend for ourselves.

After numerous Yelp and Google searches, I finally settled on a place. The girl they recommended was a cute, young, blond gal. She reminded me of Julianne Hough from Dancing with the Stars. I started seeing "Julianne" in March 2010 (actually it was the first and only time I saw her). I told her the kind of look I was going for: low maintenance, keep it on the longer side so I can pull it up, thin it out a bit, and give me bangs but not Brenda Walsh 90210 bangs.

I was very pleased with Julianne's work, so I decided to see her again for the mini makeover. She's a bit more chatty than I'd like, but she's not annoying. The head massages are okay. I guess comparing who gives better head massages is like comparing old boyfriends. Sometimes if you can have a better relationship on a deeper level, head massages can be somewhat overlooked. 3 long hours later, I left the salon a tiny bit disappointed.

Cute cut. No cut is complete without the ponytail test.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the cut. I just feel she made the color a little too light for my low maintenance, I can only come every 4-5 months lifestyle. To be honest, it's a pain in the butt to find time to go back to the salon to get it fixed. I've decided to keep the lighter, blonder me for a wee bit. Let's see how many months I can go without a touch-up. It reminds me of the hair color I had when we got married. I figured the Mr can enjoy a new me for our wedding anniversary....a semi-new and improved Mufasa....Roar!

How It All Began

2010-07-12T15:49:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a barely 20 year old sophomore college gal. She was just your semi-typical, yet semi-responsible, college student who was thrilled with the new found freedoms of college, but was still trying to find her way into the adult world.

One day in the college library, as she sat with her friends discussing everything but class lectures, an almost 23 year old guy came by to talk to one of her friends. This guy just happened to catch the gals fancy. I bet you this 23 year old guy was quite smitten by the barely 20 year old gal!

That's my very Cliff Notes version of how Hubs and I met. I think it's also one of the few details that we could probably agree upon. That beginning was almost 13 years ago!!!!

When I met Hubs, I was actually dating someone else. Like I mentioned, I was young and in college. I wasn't looking for Mr. Right or my future husband. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that exact moment in time would change my life forever.

I went out on dates and dated a few guys before I met the future Mr. MamaOnDaGo. Yeah, if I started to date someone more exclusive, it was probably because I thought they were nice guys. There was probably some type of chemistry between us that deserved to be discovered. I will admit, my dating and past relationships pretty much ended the same way. Is there a nice way to ever break-up with someone?

Hubs, or shall I say pre-Hubs, was different. Does that sound like a cliche? He was this older guy (at least older than me), he drove a smashingly cool car, he was suave, he was nice, and most of all he was cute. What else could a college sophomore want?

One date led to another and another. Before I knew it, months of dating became years of marriage. We will be celebrating our 7 year wedding anniversary in a few days!!!! I'm very excited!

Some of our engagement pictures taken in beautiful, sunny San Diego (circa early 2003)

Courtesy of Janis Foley Photography

Looking back, the relationship that Hubs and I have has changed so much through the years. There were the initial discussions of our likes and dislikes, what we did in our spare time, do we want to continue this relationship, if he doesn't call me "I'm going to get pissed".

I haven't seen these pictures in quite awhile.

Janis Foley Photography

Dating anniversaries were monthly...you know in case we never really made it to the year mark. Those monthly anniversaries consisted of dinners, flowers, little gifts and surprises. The early part of our marriage consisted of yearly vacations, dinners, flowers, little gifts and surprises. Are you seeing a pattern? Oh those more carefree days.

Cheesy yet beautiful at the same time. =)

As we approach our 7 year wedding anniversary, there are no longer discussions of what we enjoy in our spare time, only because, there is NO spare time. LOL! To be honest, sometimes we can go on for days without having a real discussion. The kids have consumed almost every square inch of time and space in our lives. I say almost because we try to make it a point to reconnect with each other. Like having children, marriage is something that needs attention, nurturing, work, patience, and love.

I hear so many stories of couples who divorce after 20+ years because they've grown apart. I can see how this can happen. Life takes over and couples often forget about constantly reconnecting with each other. People do change. Hubs and I are definitely not the same people we were 13 years ago. If we were, I think we'd have a serious problem.

In another 20 years, I picture the kids grown and life will again change the people we are today. I want to be able to lay out on a beach in Hawaii with Mr. MamaOnDaGo and look back at the great journey we've experienced and have the following toast:

"Here's to another 20 years!!!! Where can we travel to next? I love you!"

Mai Tai or wine in hand (who knows what alcoholic beverage I may enjoy in 20 years)

Also, let's note how great I look because the kids will be independent. Gym and I can reconnect.

I'm no Dr. Phil or Dr. Ruth. In fact, I'm not a Dr. Any advice like element is strictly my own personal experience.

Giveaway: Urban Decay Primer Potion in SIN & Cover Girl Lash Blast WP in Black

2010-07-10T21:54:00.001-07:00

I've decided to do another giveaway. The two items up for grabs are featured in my I Heart segments. I've personally been using both of these and I adore them. If you end up winning and don't like them....they were free & too bad! Both items will go to one lucky winner.

Item 1: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin

Item 2: Cover Girl Lash Blast WP in Very Black

Rules are simple:

1.) Mandatory entry: become a subscriber to the blog AND leave a comment below (any old comment...weather, food, wine. Oh, I'd love to hear of more make-up recommendations).

If you already subscribe, just leave me a comment.

2.) Additional entry: Follow me on Twitter AND let me know by sending me a tweet

@mamondago14

3.) Additional entry: Tweet about it AND send me a tweet @mamaondago14

-one entry per day

You have until July 21, 2010

PS if you know you're sensitive to eye products, please do not enter. I don't want to be responsible for any damage. I guess this is a disclaimer. Kind of like those drug commercials: can cause loose bowels, difficulty urinating, if you have an erection for more than 4 hours seek medical assistance...etc etc. I personally have had no problems using these products and I wear contacts.

Good luck!!!!

Guess who won???

Navy Frugalista

winner chosen by random.org

I Heart: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin

2010-07-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Time to meet Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin. I already Heart the original formula. It's perfect for preventing the nasty look of oily eyelids and eyeliner/shadow meltdown. AKA: the you do NOT look cute look of summer!

I purchased Sin a few weeks ago and have been using it non-stop. Not only does it prevent the "not so cute" look of summer meltdown, but it offers a tiny bit of "champagne" shimmer to the lids. Who doesn't like a little bubbly in their life?

While using the original formula which is described as an ultra sheer, totally nude color, I would sometimes apply a little MAC eyeshadow in Wishful and/or Vanilla to give my eyes a little pop of color. None of that is needed while using Sin. The champagne shimmer is just the right amount of color to highlight the eyes. It does not look disco-like or overdone for a day time look.

Because I like it so much, guess what? I'm giving one away! Details to follow.

The Good, The Bad, & MY Ugly

2010-07-07T20:02:00.001-07:00

I think many of us envisioned what being a mom would be like. This beautiful bundle of joy that we would cherish and love. Those little hands and feet that we would caress. Those adorable cheeks that we would kiss and kiss and kiss. Don't forget that wonderful smile and giggle.

From the very beginning of both of my pregnancies, I had a wonderful experience and was overjoyed. Of course, there was the weight gain, the cravings, the weird things that would go on with my body that no book could come close to describing. I tried to cherish each pregnancy regardless.

The funny thing about Mother Nature is that she hypnotizes us with all these precious little things our baby does that it makes us develop amnesia. I guess if we remembered the pain of child birth, the lack of sleep, and the many other things that occur, we would be a dying species.

Yes, I did fall immediately in love with my children the moment they were placed in my arms. The love has just grown and grown. *happy music starts to play in the background, flowers and rainbows appear*

Now it's time for MY ugly. My personal confession. I hate to even admit to this, but I thought I'd share. After reading numerous books on the joys of being a mother, I never came across anyone that ever stated any real negativity to it.

Prior to having children, I will admit that I had very little patience and I was very much consumed with ME. Having children has definitely changed my level of patience and how little me time there is. I feel that 95% of my life revolves around the kids. This is a rough estimate, of course. I'm sure you get the idea of what I'm saying. Especially since they are so young, 3 and 1, they are so dependent upon me. I knew this part prior to having them. I definitely didn't expect them to be self-sufficient beings right from the get go.

There are moments when I absolutely dislike being a mom. Yes, I said it. Yes, there is still a feeling of guilt, but it's the truth. At first, I felt truly guilty to having these feelings. I felt I wasn't being a good mother. Maybe there was something wrong with my motherly wiring. Maybe, maybe, maybe it's just the truth. Regardless, I know that I'm a good mom. I love my children, but I don't love every single minute I have with them.

There are the drives when all I can hear is the stereo sound of the two of them crying and fighting in the background. Moments when all I'm trying to do is go use the bathroom and one, if not both of them, are in there with me. The tantrums over, literally, spilled milk. The lack of patience that drives me nuts. The sound of me asking the 3 year old to do something over and over again. There are the times when the sound of, "Mama" or "Mommy", actually brings a tension down my neck and back because the tone of it is done in just that way. The way the 1 year old is on me like white on rice and all I need is to have a moment without anyone in my bubble. I can go on and on.

Deep down, I enjoy my 1 hour of alone time at the gym. My hour of just sweating and working out my inner aggressions of life. I do enjoy it when my husband comes home from work early and I am no longer out numbered by the kids. I like the end of the day when both kids are quietly sleeping and my personal bubble is unoccupied. I enjoy getting my hair done where I can sit quietly and read tabloid/beauty magazines and hope the hair dresser is not in a chatty mood. Yes, these are some of my deep down guilty pleasures.

Maybe that's also why Mother Nature has developed unconditional love. A love that can withstand anything. A love that causes all the bad aspects to be overlooked. A love so deep that it's indescribable. Unconditional love has to be what I have for these two because I definitely wouldn't be able to put up with them if it wasn't.

Busy, Busy, Stress, Stress, Gross, Gross!

2010-07-06T13:22:00.001-07:00

The last few weeks have been filled with a lot of changes for the entire family. Actually, it's been the first half of 2010 that's been filled with change, both good and bad. I am hoping and praying the second half of 2010 will be filled with much happier things. Although it's entirely too early to determine if things are taking a turn, the last few weeks have been extremely stressful. It's forced Hubs and I to focus our energy into other things, mainly relocating. With that said, family QT has dwindled and become almost none existent. Aside from the few hours spent at the fair, I'm surprised we all recognize each other.

Another example is the great meals I've been serving the kids. From late night drive thrus to various fast food joints to those great microwave mac and cheese bowls. The kids and I have been filling ourselves with preservatives, grease, and mystery ingredients up the ying-yang. If you need another example of a drive thru horror story click here. Can I also add that both kids have the runs? Too much grease?!

If I can figure out which box holds our kitchen pots and pans, perhaps I can whip up something. Never mind the fact that the fridge contains milk, orange juice, yogurt, and eggs. Let's see if someone from the Food Network can make something edible with those ingredients. British buff guy from Mission Impossible, I'm challenging you!

Yes, the last few weeks have made me an emotional eater. French fries and Pinkberry seem to be my comfort food. The gym sessions have been non-existent the last couple of weeks and have been replaced with sorting through odds and ends and packing. How much crap can one household have? Gees!

Let's talk about personal hygiene now. I am proud to say that this is one thing I have not let slip through the cracks entirely. I have managed to wash my hair every 2-3 days...maybe 4. I have discovered a nice little product that my sister introduced me to. The hair accessories I have on my hair is a direct indication of how many days have passed since the last washing. For example, freshly washed hair will be worn down. Day 2: pony tail. Day 3: pony tail and clip. Day 4: pony tail, clip, and headband. Maybe if the hair doesn't touch my face, I can go another day. Let's not continue. From there it just gets plain gross.

Showers have been a record 20 seconds. Luckily, I developed skills from when my children were newborns that have come in handy. You can save time by shampooing your hair and letting the suds run down your body as you scrub. No need to soap! If you use extra conditioner on your hair and let it run down as you rinse, you've moisturized your skin already...no need for lotion.

As if my laundry room was not a complete disaster to begin with, I am proud to say that I managed to wash and dry all the clothes prior to the big relocation. These clothes were literally thrown into black garbage bags. No sorting or folding of any kind. I literally have to dig into the garbage bags to find clean clothes for everyone. These garbage bags full of clothes are decorating my bedroom. This is only one side of the room. Heaven forbid I give you a full 360 view. All I can say is lovely!

Today, I managed to get a few things done. My main goal today was to hang out with the kids. The few moments I have had with them during the last few weeks was when I would pick them up after work and get them ready for bed. Sad!

I did manage to hang out as the cable guy installed our cable and internet. Give me some credit. It's one more thing to check off the list. At least now I can post about my experiences. My eyes were starting to hurt reading things off of my Iphone.

Here's a picture of the classy ensemble that greeted the cable guy.

Yes, that is a Thunder Cats t-shirt complete with plaid bottoms. Don't hate. At least I matched...in my eyes, I do. If only I owned a Voltron shirt too. Am I the only one that remembers these cartoons?

Moving Torture Chamber

2010-07-03T18:39:00.000-07:00

Another typical get off late from work, still have to get the kids and feed them nights. We're talking 8:00pm and we still have to make it home to get into jammies and hope I can brush their teeth. Of course, the great mom that I am, decides to go through one of my local drive thrus.

Hmm, which high fat, high calorie fast food joint to go to?

This time the kids and I go through a Wendy's. The kids will eat the same french fries and nuggets, regardless of which place I decide to tempt their culinary palates.

Mama: Can I get a 5 piece nugget and medium french fries, please?

Wendy's man: blah blah nuggets...static....french fries (sounding like the teacher from the Snoopy cartoons) Is there anything else?

Mama: No, that will be it. Thank you.

I pay, grab the bag, and drive off. I stick my hand into the bag to make sure the food isn't molten lava hot and hand the bag to Princess Ninja (the 3 year old).

Mama: Give your brother a nugget, please.

Princess Ninja: Wow, the nuggets are so red.

Mama: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Give your brother a nugget, he's hungry.

I assumed at this point, she gives Chubs a nugget. He is quiet and I can see the silhouette of him chewing from the rear view mirror. Finally, silence as we drive off into the sunset. Oh wait, the sunset hours ago. It's pitch dark now!

Ahh, one thing checked off the to-do list. Only a million more things to do before I can call it a night. At least, the kids are fed.

Princess Ninja: I don't want any of these nuggets!

Mama: Fine, just eat the french fries. (as I grab little carton of nuggets)

Chubs: (screaming bloody murder at the top of his lungs like someone attacked him)

Mama: What's wrong? (I'm trying to look in the rear view, turn my head. Anything to get a look to see what's causing this terrible sound)

I catch a glimpse of the nugget carton to see they were orangey-red. They gave me hot and spicy chicken nuggets!!!!

Mental note: The next time Princess Ninja makes a comment, pay attention!!!!

Movie Night: Eclipse & food

2010-06-29T22:48:00.000-07:00

I've been planning this movie night for a few weeks now. My parents were going to watch the kids. Hubs was able to get the day off from work. Many thanks to LF who covered the last half of my mission at work. Manette, my sis, Hubs and I were going to watch an early premier of Eclipse.

For those of you who enjoy photography, Manette has a blog too.

To make a long story short, Hubs was not able to attend. I'm sure he was sooooo disappointed. None the less, I was going to go and hang out with the girls. Don't worry Hubs, I want to see it again. Guess who is going to take me?

I was the first to arrive approximately 2 hours before show time. The whole afternoon I was in constant communication with Manette and my sis. Nothing else was going to fall through. Hubs already took one for the team.

Of course, there was already a small group of people already in line. If I had to guess, I was probably the 10th person. If it was anything like last year, the line was getting wider and wider from people letting others cut in front of them. This year's movie premier was much more organized. Kudos to those that were involved in the planning of this.

Manette and I waited in line as my sis was bringing us food. Sis did not disappoint. Our first course was pizza. It's from a local pizza joint called Bronx. The pesto pizza is my favorite. You can buy pizza by the slice or the pie. They offer a variety of different toppings. The pizza is NY style. I've never lived in NY. The last time I was there was over a decade ago. I'm not sure how authentic this place is but it's delicious.

Eating pesto pizza in line

If the pizza wasn't enough, sis made it a complete meal by bringing in dessert. Cupcakes from Babycakes. My favorite cupcake from this place is there signature "babies'. It's marble cake with chocolate chips and cream cheese. Unfortunately, sis did not purchase these but brought my second favorite from this place....the red velvet.

Illegal cupcakes brought in using very large bag

One thing I don't enjoy about the red velvet from this place is the actual cupcake part. It's a little too dense in my opinion. The frosting makes up for it. The frosting is a yummy cream cheese base frosting that is creamy and not too sweet. Regardless, the cupcake made me happy.

My contribution was what the girls were calling a chocolate tampon. I handed these to the girls and both hesitantly took it from my hand. The white package speaks for itself. Let me tell you, I didn't hear them complaining once they opened up the package and took one bite of this delicious morsel.

Yummy tampon packaged wafers

Now to the actual movie, Twihards. It was great! The movies get better and better...just like the books. Of course, no Twilight movie would be complete without the crazy fans. There was the usual barbaric yells as the shirtless Jake appeared on the screen. There were some hot make out scenes that left the three of us a little tense and awkward due to the young, innocent eyes that were seated next to us. I think Hubs would even appreciate the action scenes...I'm speaking for him here. The humor between Edward and Jake was entertaining. Charlie Swan had some good lines that made everyone chuckle. The movie will not disappoint.

"@bretterlich: Twilight's like soccer. They run around for 2 hours, nobody scores, and its billion fans insist you just don't understand."

I Heart: Full N' Soft & Lash Blast

2010-06-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

While the last ounce of caffeine is starting to make it's way out of my system, I thought I'd do a quick review on some fine and dandy mascaras that I've been loving. They're both drug store mascaras that won't break your piggy bank.

First is Maybelline's Full N' Soft: waterproof in very black. The reason why this one is first is because I've been using it for years and years. It's probably one of the few products in my make-up bag that I've bought time and time again.

It makes your lashes look natural but better. I find it's a great everyday mascara. I prefer the waterproof over the original formula due to it's holding power. I have very straight, short, not-so-full lashes. Basically, everything you wouldn't want your lashes to be...so sad.

After curling my lashes, I apply a few coats and find my lashes to be longer and darker. I don't find it to be too voluminous (or full as the name would imply) even after applying a few coats. The brush is easy to work with. I do find that it does smear towards the end of the day. I only apply the mascara on my top lashes but find a smear at the lower, outer bottom corner of my eye.

Second is Cover Girls Lash Blast: waterproof in very black. Again, a nice everyday mascara that I frequently interchange with the Full N' Soft. I do find this one is slightly more dramatic. My lashes look longer, fuller, and darker. For me, it doesn't smear on my lower eye as much as the Full and Soft. I did feel my lashes were slightly more crispy, not quite KFC extra crispy, but something I was willing to overlook. It took me awhile to get accustomed to the fat brush and short bristles. I'm happy with the results and I've purchased this a couple of times.

Two lovely drug store mascaras that will give you a nice polished every day look.

Fair Day

2010-06-27T18:41:00.001-07:00

We took our annual trip to the fair today. Before the day even started, I was expecting to have some turbulence to occur. Most of the time, it's my emotional 3 year old, Princess Ninja. Chubs, the 1 year old, is pretty mellow. As long as he's fed and entertained, he's a happy guy. Well my magic crystal ball made the wrong prediction. Princess Ninja gets an A for today. Chubs gets a D-. I'd give the guy a F if he wasn't my own flesh and blood and so darn cute.

Dada, Princess Ninja, & "D-" Chubs

Yes, Chubs gets a big fat D-. He wanted to have his own Fair Day without the family. He refused 9 out of 10 family activities. He refused to sit in his stroller. He wanted to explore on his own without even holding Mama or Dada's hand. He tried to escape out of all the rides except for a truck ride than went round and round. He was semi-good on the Ferris wheel. I did have to hold him down so he wouldn't fall out of the seat he was supposed to be sitting on. Also, he kept trying to reach outside the seat box. Can you say amputation?

More naughty stuff. Sticking hands in dirty canoe water.

Beautiful view on the Ferris Wheel. That's the ocean in the back.

Mama holding down Chubs

Princess Ninja on the other hand gets an A. She would have had an A+ if she would have taken the $1 toy I won for her. It was a smiling banana. I had to cough up $5 to win her a whale shark. Other than that, she met all safety precautions for riding the rides. She obeyed the simple command of getting in and out of her stroller as needed. There were no major tantrums other than not wanting a smiling banana.

pic of the whale shark that lost the A+ for her

Overall, it was a great family day, minus the fact that Chubs did not want to spend time with the family. I know this is the first of many attempts to try and ditch us, but I didn't expect it so early in life.

One of the other things I love, love, love about going to the fair, other than hanging out with the family, is the food. Fair food always intrigues me even though I know I won't eat it (I don't eat meat).

Everything is fried and/or on a stick! I've come to the conclusion if you can either fry it or put it on a stick, it's probably good! If you can fry it AND have it on a stick, it's golden! The newest creations this year was the fried Klondike bar, fried Pop Tarts, and fried butter.

Can you believe fried butter? Here's a picture of the stand. It's called the Heart Attack Cafe. I like the picture of the nurse with the defibrillator paddles.

deep fried butter stand plus other fried foods

closer pic of the stand

The Texas Tater Twisters intrigued me. It's a hot dog on a stick, wrapped in a spiral potato and fried. It's like eating a hot dog and chips without it being too messy. Fascinating!

what else can they fry and put on a stick?

I did get my hands on some Aussie chips. I have absolutely no clue what makes them Australian. The potatoes are cut chip style so you don't confuse it with the French fry. Let's not get the two countries mixed up. Do you think it's the decorative Australian flag they top it off with that makes them Australian? If there are any Australians out there, please let me know if you guys eat this in your country.

The Aussie chip plate is basically deep fried potatoes with your choice of toppings. You can either get ranch, cheese, sweet chili, and/or sour cream. I choose ranch and cheese. I ate 2 chips and was starting to feel my arteries clog.

I am a little upset I didn't get my hands on Funnel Cake on a stick and my yearly Cheesecake on a stick. The lines were too long and Chubs was already getting a D-. I didn't want to push for that F.

Crazy Morning

2010-06-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

My job requires me to start at various hours of the day. When I say various, I mean various. I can be on-call 24/7 on some days/nights. For the most, the main part of my profession, I usually can start somewhere between 7:00AM-9:30AM. Of course, this high demand on me isn't the easiest for my family life. Some days, I can leave before the kids wake up and come home when they're already asleep or just about to. Sniff....I hate those days!

I don't mean to sound FBI, CIA, I love Chuck, but I can't go into any more details. My job involves a lot of privacy, life and death situations, if I told you someone would kill me or you stuff.

I love starting early. AKA before the kids wake up. Yes, it's hard waking up...it always is. If I can get an early start time, I can get ready, sit down to eat breakfast, and enjoy a cup of Joe (or two). It's my one moment of me time before the chaos of the day starts.

Today was not the case. I had a late start time. The kids woke me up before my alarm clock did. Once the kids get up, the day is in full swing....ready or not. As best I could, I try to get them situated with their breakfast and the tv. Yes, more often than not, I use the tv as a babysitter. I try to buy myself time, so I can get ready for work.

I had a bad mama moment. For breakfast, the kids had brownies, cookies, and milk (the one healthy part). I really didn't have time or the energy to argue with them. The bowl of cereal I initially prepared was thrown on the ground by Chubs (the 1 year old). Princess Ninja (who is 3 years old) kept carrying around the little baggy full of brownies and insisted that I open it. I'm definitely not proud of this no-no.

As best I could, I tried to shovel cereal and a banana into my mouth. At the same time, I have the 3 year old sitting on my lap and the 1 year old clawing on my leg. Right before I run out the door, I inhale a cup of coffee.

I hate mornings like these. I'm running around like a crazy woman trying to get everything ready. The kids are crying for my attention and someone usually has to peel them off of my body, so I can leave for work. During the car ride to work, I try to not feel guilty and take some deep breaths to try and relax myself. To top it all off, I'm probably going 25 mph because of all the traffic. By the time I pull into my parking spot at work, I'm exhausted and stressed. My 10-12+ hour work day has yet to even start. I'm begging Calgon to take me away!

Mid-Year Review and Evaluation

2010-06-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

I had very high hopes for 2010! After all, it was the beginning of a new decade. So far, I'm only partially impressed.

It wasn't that 2009 was a bad year. It just wasn't a great year. The best thing about 2009 was the birth of my son. With that said, Hubs and I made some very important decisions that we are still working through, as we speak. We knew with the decisions we made, came consequences. We were willing to deal with them, because we knew it was the best thing for our family. Although it has been a stressful period, we still believe, in time, it is all for the better. Slowly, we are starting to see things fall into place.

It's June 2010. Mid-2010. Like most people, every year, I make my New Year's resolution. I think at this point, it has become more of a tradition and a must to do. Regardless, I still like to see how I'm doing with these resolutions and reflect upon them to see how I can make the last half of 2010 better.

First of all, 2010 as brought along a lot of deaths and life threatening illness. I know, it's very depressing. Literally, since January there has been some devastating situation that has popped up. They say bad news comes in 3s. Well, multiply that by 2 or 3. I only hope that it is the end of this very sad and emotional period. I try not to dwell upon this, but these situations have made me realize what is truly important and has highlighted things in life that I should not take for granted. I needed to find the silver lining in all of this.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to take better care of myself. I still manage to exercise (I couldn't survive without my dose of endorphins). Now that I've reached my 30s and the two kids, I'm finding exercise alone isn't good enough. With all the emotional things going on, I noticed that I started eating less healthy. If you follow me on Twitter, those evil french fries have gotten the best of me more than once. No more I tell you!

I'm going to try and get back on track on my healthy eating. I even went to the market after the gym and bought some good for you food. Instead of reaching for that cookie, I started making my Kefir chocolate-strawberry smoothies. I've rediscovered some of my old go-to snacks.

Another New Year's resolution was to spend more time with the family. Between having opposite schedules with Hubs to help eliminate the kids going to day care (which is family by the way) and trying to make ends meet, it has been a challenge. I think when I made this resolution, I didn't really have a set goal and something that I can measure. Evaluating my current situation, I think I've managed to stay on track with this. I truly feel that I'm doing the best I can juggling work and family life. Of course, I can always try and improve this. Quality vs quantity.

In 2010, I also wanted to put more aside in the nest egg. I've managed to set aside more money by decreasing some of the luxuries I've once lavishly indulged in. The trip to the neighborhood Barista has been greatly decreased by brewing my own Joe.

Although, I started seeing the hairdresser again for some highlights, I've managed to find a low maintenance color that I can maintain using my favorite color conditioner. I'm happy to say I'm now going on almost 4 months now. I'm really pushing it though. The root to highlight ratio is at its breaking point and no amount of special conditioner is going to save my hair. I think I'll have to suck it up and make an appointment. Still, I'm impressed.

I've also managed to discover some drug store products that I've been impressed with. It's eliminated some of my more expensive products. I'll have to write a blog on some of my discoveries. One of them is the Neutrogena wipes. I'm still in search of ways I can save and hopefully build that nest egg.

So far, so good for 2010. I'm still wishing, hoping, and praying that the last half of 2010 will be way better than the beginning. Let's toast January-June away and say, "Welcome" to July-December.

Tiffany Blue Pandora's Box

2010-06-21T21:42:00.001-07:00

How would I describe my life?

I like to think of it as a beautiful, Tiffany blue, Pandora's box complete with that silky smooth, white ribbon wrapped around it. Oooolala!!!

Now, now! No one go summa cum laude, Harvard grad, ivy league, top of my class in Greek mythology on me. This is just a metaphor. Work with me people!

We all know and love it! That lovely Tiffany blue box, complete with that semi-shiny, silky white ribbon. Just the sight of it given to anyone of us would increase our heart rate two-fold. I love that shade so much, it was the color of my wedding cake.

That's probably how I would describe my life. I love it! I look at the life that Hubs and I have built together and it brings a smile upon my face. I look at the kids and the sheer joy sends a warmth of love upon myself. The feeling is beyond words itself.

Then there's the Pandora's box metaphor that comes into play. No, my life box isn't filled with the evils of the world. It is filled with so many other thing, but I wouldn't describe them as evil. It's just the everyday concerns of life. Sometimes, I feel like there's so much to worry about and so many things going on. I wonder if that silky white ribbon holding everything together is going to last another day.

There's the minor stuff, for instance, what am I going to pack for lunch tomorrow, will I ever get that laundry room organized, etc. Yeah, something to think about, but it's nothing to really lose sleep over. Even these minor worries can accumulate and can cause some havoc in ones life.

Then there's the major stuff, for instance, is there enough money in our bank account to pay for that bill, hopefully we find a bone marrow compatible for Uncle L, etc. Things that will keep you tossing and turning through the night. They are so beyond my control.

Then there's deeper stuff, for instance, did I really have to get mad at Princess Ninja over that, am I spending enough time with Chubs, am I being a good mom and wife, etc. These are thoughts that I often reflect upon. Things that I can make a conscious effort to improve.

Some how, some way that semi-shiny, silky smooth white ribbon seems to always manage to hold everything in place. There are moments when all the worries of the world seem to be busting out of my box. The perfectly shaped Tiffany box is becoming dysmorphic and the lid is barely on.

Life has a way of working itself out. It doesn't always work out the way we want it to or the way we expect it to. I've learned to take a deep breath, step back, and enjoy the beautiful, Tiffany blue, Pandora's box that I call my life. Of course, it wouldn't be complete without the white ribbon holding it all together by a lovely bow.

Simple Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

2010-06-20T22:22:00.001-07:00

I've been on a kefir kick lately (the last few months). I've been reading more and more benefits to drinking it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with kefir here is a brief description of it.

Easily digested, it cleanses the intestines, provides beneficial bacteria and yeast, vitamins and minerals, and complete proteins.

The regular use of kefir can help relieve all intestinal disorders, promote bowel movement, reduce flatulence and create a healthier digestive system. In addition, its cleansing effect on the whole body helps to establish a balanced inner ecosystem for optimum health and longevity.

Kefir can also help eliminate unhealthy food cravings by making the body more nourished and balanced. Its excellent nutritional content offers healing and health-maintenance benefits to people in every type of condition.

The above was taken from http://www.kefir.net/ for those of you who want to read more. I'm sure there are a million other articles out there for you to Google your little heart out.

Seriously who couldn't benefit from an increased bowel movement? (small childish smirk across my face).

I try to eat healthy. Don't get me wrong, I consume my share of oh so delicious cupcakes and yummy salty french fries. I mean life is short, so I have to try and enjoy it. I know I'm probably cutting my life even shorter by consuming large quantities of junk food. I do try to balance it out. Instead of reaching for that chocolate chip cookie, I've been making myself kefir smoothies. No blender required....meaning no need to wake the kids during those midnight snack cravings. I thought I'd share it with you guys.

For about an 8 oz or so serving:

Fill 1/4 of the glass with strawberry kefir and the other 3/4 of the glass fill with chocolate soy milk (my favorite is Silk). Mix with a spoon and enjoy.

It reminds me of a chocolate dipped strawberry in liquid form. I just had a glass! My kids enjoy it too!

FYI: I'm not a dietitian, nutritionist, or an expert in any way, shape or form as far as healthy eating. It just tastes yummy, so I thought I'd share it.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

My children are lucky enough to have a great dad and to have both their grandfathers involved in their lives.

There's Lolo, my dad. I'm quite impressed on how great of a grandfather he is. My kids are his first grandchildren. Although he was a strict father to me and my sister, I'm seeing a totally different side to him.

There's a different warmth in his eyes when he takes care of my kids. My kids get away with murder. If my sister and I tried some of the things my kids do, there would be a spanking involved. Princess Ninja adores her Lolo.

Perhaps it's because at the end of the day, my dad knows the kids go back home with me. He's grandpa and not dad. I guess raising your own kids is a different experience than being a grandfather. He even built them a slide and swing-set in the backyard. My sister and I never had such a thing growing up. I also think it's because he has more time now that he's retired. When he was raising us, it was all about trying to support the family. I know I wasn't the model daughter either.....poor dad. He's in a more comfortable place in his life now. A place where he has time to smell the roses, golf all day, and hang out with his friends and family.

Then there's Papa, my husband's dad. Along with my husband, Papa also has 6 other kids. As you can imagine, the guy loves kids. It was never a doubt in my mind that he would be a great grandfather. Chubs adores his Papa.

Of course, there's Dada (aka Hubs). Before we even had kids, I knew he'd be a great dad. He has more patience than I do...depending on the amount of sleep we get. I love watching him play with the kids. When I look into my daughter's eyes, they're Hubs' eyes. When Chubs makes certain expressions, it's Hubs' face I can see. Although I don't always express it, he does so much for his family. Princess Ninja, Chubs, and I are lucky to have him!

Happy Father's Day! Thank you to all the dads who do so much for their kids and family. I hope you enjoy your special day!

The Brady Bunch House...nixed!

2010-06-18T23:24:00.000-07:00

As I was growing up (circa in my 20s), I envisioned what type of life I would have in the future. It seemed pretty typical. I wanted to find the man of my dreams and marry him, have a couple of kids, a nice job, and a lovely home. I did grow up watching the Brady Bunch, so you can only imagine what was going on in my mind.....that happily ever after....la la la....birds singing....sun shining....blah blah blah.

Well, I think my vision lacked a lot of details. A LOT of details. Some how the powers-that-be took the wheel of life and drove me straight to my dreams. Granted the trip isn't a smooth one and the journey is still on going.

I was lucky enough to find the man I would fall in love with and marry. He definitely didn't come riding in on a horse to sweep me away from my evil step-mother (okay, I grew up on Disney movies too). He isn't Mr. Brady. Yes, Mr. Brady had a lot of good qualities, but he is not the man I would marry. Hubs is hubs. I love him. I realize marriage and our relationship is an ongoing entity. It's not to be taken for granted and it definitely isn't something you put on autopilot.

Then there are the kids! Oh those kids! I love them to death. It isn't until you become a mother that you realize you are never the same person. I never would have imagined motherhood to be this way. You will never be the same well rested individual. There are so many things to worry about and so many things to treasure.

Growing up, I envisioned this wonderful, huge, 2 story house, backyard large enough for tea parties and BBQs, and a beautifully landscaped front yard to show off the Christmas decor (imagine National Lampoon). I guess Brady Bunch-esque.

The Brady house was large enough for 6 kids, Mr and Mrs Brady, Alice, and Tiger (let's not forget the dog). If I recall, Mr. Brady was an architect. I think Mrs. Brady was a stay-at-home mom.

Realty hits and the mortgage payment on such a Brady-like lifestyle is a pretty penny. It's probably closer to a pretty dollar here in Southern California.

I love my job (granted I do have those days where I leave work and thank the heavens the day is over). I spend many, many, many hours working. I'm grateful I have a job (it's rough times right now), yet alone, to have a job I enjoy doing. We are definitely a two income household. The more Hubs and I have to work, the less time we get to spend with the kids. (Duh, right?)

Hubs and I had one of those deep conversations about our life and our family. What did we truly want? We wanted to focus on what we felt was important and what we could do to obtain this. At the end of it all, we decided the Brady Bunch house wasn't worth it. It's a house, not a home. At least, not OUR home.

We wanted to spend time with our kids and to enjoy life. We wanted a location where we could provide the kids a strong sense of family and to surround them with those that share the same vision.

Now, the vision I once had in my 20s has been tweaked. The Brady house no longer exist. What does exist is the home Hubs and I are providing for our kids. A home where we can have small BBQs/parties that will provide wonderful memories. A home where we can hang some Christmas decor but will be filled with happiness on the inside. A home full of love where we can actually spend time in!

WINNER of the Sephora Gift Card

2010-06-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Amber (Twitter: lipstickncandy)! She's my Sephora gift card winner!!! Thank you all for entering. I hope to host many more giveaways.

Winner was selected using Random.Org

Photo Session with Manette

2010-06-17T21:23:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, my friend, Manette, came over for a photo session, cookies, and Pinkberry. It was a fun afternoon!

Manette's a budding photographer and fellow Twilight lover. In honor of the Twilight series, we wanted to do a mini photo session with the kids. It allowed Manette to practice and play with her new gadgets, while it captured what a moment in my life is like with my kids. I think she's one of my few friends that shares my love for the Harry Potter series and Twilight sagas. Check out more of her photos and blogs.

Just to give you guys a little background, the setting was my messy family room. I picked up the kids after another long day at work and headed home. I threw on my Team Edward shirt (that I will be wearing to my Eclipse premiere) and popped some cookies in the oven. Manette was kind enough to purchase a People magazine (prop/business expense). We just let my kids do what they normally do...laugh, scream, jump, and run. Here are some of the pictures she captured. The kids loved it!

Review: Neutrogena Cleansing Wipes

2010-06-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

There are days, or shall I say nights, when taking care of yourself is the very last thing on your to-do list. I'm not even talking about trying to pamper myself. I'm talking about every day, normal daily cleaning of oneself. On a busy day, I may not even start getting myself ready for bed until 11:00pm. Of course, I'd rather just plop myself in bed and snooze.

One thing I get lazy about is removing my make-up and washing my face properly. I read about these Neutrogena Cleansing Wipes that claim they remove make-up and water-proof mascara. I thought I'd purchase a pack from my local Target and give these wipes a try.

Upon purchasing the wipes, I noticed you can purchase the little refill pack (picture I posted above) or the actual plastic container to hold your wipes (picture below).

I chose to pass on purchasing the plastic container, which I may add, costs a little more. I didn't need another piece of equipment occupying my bathroom drawer or counter.

I'm quite pleased with the wipes. I'm accustomed to washing my face with water and a cleanser. After that I have to apply moisturizer. Not so with these wipes. All you have to do is swipe the wipe all around your face. At first, I wanted to rinse after wiping my face. No need to use water according to the instructions. I was so lazy that evening, I even skipped moisturizer. The wipes left a slight film on my face that went away. The next morning I thought my face felt soft even without using moisturizer.

As far as their claim on removing water-proof mascara, I thought it was alright. It did take multiple, gentle swipes to fully remove my mascara. It's something I can overlook. I have yet to discover a product that is practically effortless.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this product and I will definitely purchase again. It also helps during those times when the kids are sleeping on my bed and I'm trying to be quiet while I'm getting ready.

The refill pack remained moist for the last month. I just resealed it.

My 1st Pregnancy

2010-06-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

As I write this blog, I can see my 3 year old playing quietly out of the corner of my eye. First of all, she never really plays quietly to herself. Second, I have a 3 year old!

Hubs and I have been married for almost 4 years when we started thinking about having a child. We had our little home and our careers going. On top of that, I was mid-way into my 29th year of life. We all know what comes after 29....the big 3-0.

I think, like most women, perhaps not all, the big 3-0 usually means something big. Honestly, I was just ready to start our family. Well sort of kind of ready. There was a piece of me that couldn't put the biological clock on snooze any longer. There was a piece of me that was nervous and uncertain.

In the back of my mind, I knew the freshness seal on my eggs was no longer a brand spanking new "Fresh" sign. It was starting to fade and the "Fresh" was becoming more of a "Fres". The "h" barely legible.

But, Hubs and I were ready to try. We just knew it was the right time for us.

About a month later, after making that life changing decision, my monthly visitor decided not to show up. I remember hurrying to the store to buy a pregnancy kit. I actually bought a few different ones. I was so excited to pee on that little stick. I read the instructions a few times. I laid the stick on the bathroom counter just right. I stared at that little window. I waited in anticipation as the double lines slowly appeared on one kit. One kit had a "+" sign. Yet another kit said, "Pregnant". I literally bought every type of kit possible. Just in case I couldn't read two lines, a plus sign or the word pregnant.

Yay, we were pregnant!!!!! I was sooooo excited!

I had one of those pregnancy books that would tell you what to expect at each month. I would read each monthly section as I would approach it. I made sure I didn't skip prematurely to the next month. Some of my books had little pictures of what my little peanut looked like. Each month, the picture changed into something less alien-like and more human-like.

With all that excitement, there was an equal amount of worry. So many things could go wrong. Chromosomes and cells had to split just right. A little bit of this and not too much of that had to be exact. You can't have any alcohol, increase your calcium, remember to take your prenatal vitamins, etc.

It's wonderful how a simple conversation.

Mama: What do you think about having kids?

Hubs: Sure.

Turned into the little girl that's playing quietly with her Legos! Amazing!!!!!

Sephora Gift Card Contest Closed

2010-06-13T22:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for entering. I should have the winner posted and notified by the end of the week. I'll announce it on the blog and Twitter.

Having a Moment

2010-06-11T00:35:00.000-07:00

Here I am at 11:30pm with another early start time at work tomorrow. Mind you I have not had a day off all week (Sun-Fri). Only day off this week is Saturday. I was even contemplating going in for a few hours in the later afternoon. Then Hubs brought me back to my senses and told me I shouldn't.

I was having a moment, just now. I was upstairs getting ready to call it a night. I was thinking back to an incident last week. I had to come downstairs and write about it. I wanted to remember this feeling for next time.

Rewind to last week:

A beautiful, sunny afternoon. I had the morning and early afternoon off until I had to go to work later. Hubs and I took the kids to our local neighborhood splash park. It's literally an area in the park with water squirting everywhere.

I've taken the kids there before. Each time, I had to restrict their water soaking activities because no one was dressed appropriately. You can get completely soaked.

That afternoon we were ready to get soaked. The kids were in the swim outfits and lathered in sunscreen. We packed a little snack for later. Hubs and I were in our swim outfits.

Mind you, my swim outfit for this particular afternoon consisted of long board shorts and a bikini top that could withstand moving every which way to keep up with the kids. I threw on a white shirt on top for the ride over.

We get there and Princess Ninja darts off. Chubs was hesitant. He was sticking to me like white on rice. There were a fair amount of people there. Kids were running around the water area. Parents were on the outskirts sitting and watching.

The kids that day were a mix crowd. Older elementary to toddlers. Of course, the older kids were running around splashing and having fun. I also noticed that the other parents weren't participating in the activities. A few parents would allow themselves a splash here and a splash there. None were allowing themselves the opportunity to splash to their full potential.

After noticing this, I turned to Hubs and told him no one else was wearing a swim suit. Not only this, but no other mom was wearing a swim outfit and joining in with their kids. Most adult supervision were sitting down and watching. Like I mentioned earlier, a few parents here and there would get their feet wet.

I could tell Chubs wanted to start having fun but not solo. Hubs told me to just go in with my white t-shirt and board shorts. Um, no, there will be no wet T-shirt contest at the neighborhood splash area.

Hubs eventually took off with his paparazzi camera and started capturing those precious moments on digital film. Princess Ninja was clear across the park and giggling away. I was left there holding Chubs, who was so patiently waiting to have fun.

Hesitantly, I took off my cover shirt. No, it was not done in that slow motion Baywatch type of action either. It was more like, hurry up before Chubs starts crying type of motion.

There I was in my neighborhood park appropriate swim attire. Yes, I was feeling a little self-conscious. Why was I the only wearing a swim suit and playing with my kids? It wasn't so much that I was playing with my kids that made me self-conscious, but I was wearing less than usual doing it.

Forward back to now:

I just looked at the pictures that Hubs took at the splash park that particular day. Princess Ninja had a smile bigger than Texas on her face. Chubs was full of curiosity and wonder. There I was in my mommy appropriate swim gear having fun with my kids....after letting go of being so self-conscious.

I feel guilty enough that I work so much. I always feel like I'm missing out on such a large portion of their lives. My kids are growing up so fast. It seems like it gets faster and faster with each passing year. There I was, about to miss out on a wonderful memory because of my own insecurities.

I'm promising myself to never let my own feelings of self-consciousness get in the way of being there for my kids. Life is too short to wonder when we should be doing.

Confessions of a Twilight fan

2010-06-08T21:14:00.001-07:00

I'm going to admit it, I'm a Twilight fan. I know it's so teeny-bopper. I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but I'm also squealing like a teenage girl on the inside, because Eclipse is coming out at the end of the month.

That whole series of books helped me through my pregnancy with my second child. Wait, let me rephrase that. That series prevented me from getting much needed sleep with my second child.

My sister-in-law was the one who introduced me to the books. At first, I was very, very reluctant to read them. I mean seriously...vampires, werewolves, teenage love. I didn't get it! It was all cheesy to me. How could I possibly relate? I'm definitely not a teenager. I was about to be a mother of two kids. I'm an adult, for goodness sakes. It sounded like a waste of time. After awhile, I thought I'd give the first book a go. What did I have to lose? I lost a lot of sleep is what I lost!!!!

After I finished the first book one evening, I needed to get the next book, New Moon. It was probably about 9:00 in the evening when I finished reading Twilight. I changed out of my pajamas and slipped into sweats and a T-shirt. I could at least look a little presentable heading out. I packed, my then 1 year old daughter, in the car so we could go to Target. I carried her all the way to the book section, along with my 6 month pregnant belly, purchased the book, and headed home to read it.

I was hooked! Until this day, I really don't know what has me so addicted to this. Seriously, if a guy was looking at me the way Edward looks at Bella, I would be calling the police. It's a little freaky. I could probably go on and on about stuff especially things in the movie. By the way, I hate how the movies don't follow the books exactly. I guess that's Hollywood.

I'd also like to admit I've read Twilight and New Moon twice. I would read them every 2-3 hours during my son's night feedings. They helped me get through some long nights. If I could, I'd read Eclipse another time before the movie. The books are so much better than the movies. Perhaps it's because one's imagination is so much better than anything Hollywood could produce.

I'll be the first to admit that the acting in the movies isn't the greatest. I wouldn't call the books equivalent to Shakespeare either. Somehow, some way they take you away from the everyday world for just that one moment. They take you to a place of innocence, fairy tales, and your first teenage love. They remind you of the butterflies that once occupied your stomach, and the overwhelming feelings of emotion when "He" would look at you. Sometimes that's all we need.

Confession: The kids are asleep. I have an early start time at work tomorrow (Wed, June 9). I'm patiently waiting for Hubs to come home, so I can drive all the way to work to purchase Eclipse tickets at midnight!

The facility I work for rented out a movie theatre, so the employees can watch a June 29 showing of Eclipse. To top it off, they're selling tickets for $7.50! Wish me luck!

While I'm on a roll on the confessions, I also own a "Team Edward" shirt. Let's end it at that!

$50 Sephora Giveaway

2010-06-05T15:33:00.001-07:00

Since summers here & I'm feeling generous, I decided to give away a $50 Sephora giftcard.

Ways to enter:

1.) Follow MamaOnDaGo's blog AND make a comment below on your favorite Sephora product.

2.) Follow me on Twitter (mamaondago14 or use the sidebar) AND leave a comment on your favorite Sephora product.

3.) ReTweet about this giveaway. (Can reTweet once a day for an additional entry until contest ends)

Contest ends June 14.

This giveaway is sponsored solely by me. Good Luck!!!!

Kids Manual: Please read prior to entering the world

2010-06-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

I realize that when you become a parent, a manual is not included. There are millions of books, websites, magazines, and other resources to advice you on this journey though.

Apparently, when the stork dropped my little bundles of joy off, my kids must have taken a detour and skipped picking up their "How to Be an Obedient Child" manual. I've taken the liberty to highlight a few key points that I wish they would have at least browsed over prior to entering the world.

1.) Upon arrival, it is best to allow your parents to sleep through the night. If this is asking too much, they would appreciate at least 5-6 hours of straight sleep.

Cliff Note version: day=awake, night=sleep

2.) It would probably help that you don't poop out every last drop of breastmilk that Mama worked so hard to produce right after consuming. You wouldn't be so hungry.

3.) Being rocked to sleep is overrated.

4.) When you're sleepy, why fight it? Go ahead and lay your pretty little head down. Mama and Dada won't take offense.

5.) Things are the way they are for a reason. Continually asking me "Why...." will not help me produce a correct answer. Mama and Dada may even have to make something up.

6.) Brushing your teeth isn't as bad as having to sit in a dentist chair getting your teeth fixed.

7.) Don't be afraid to let your poo out.

Side note: For some reason, as my kids got older, they would hold it in.

8.) When Mama and Dada say, "No" there is a good reason for it. Continually asking will only bring out angry Mama and Dada.

9.) Just listen the first time Mama and Dada say something.

10.) Throwing a tantrum, especially in public, is not the way to solve your problems. It will only cause more problems.

11.) It is okay to cry, if it is done quietly.

12.) That's called food. It goes in your mouth. Eat it!

13.) That's called _____ (eg: coin, toy, dirt, bug, etc). It does NOT go in your mouth!

14.) Fighting your parents as they are trying to put on your diaper or dress you, will only make this so-called torture last longer. Just sit or lay there quietly and it'll be done before you know it.

15.) Strapping you in a car seat is not a form of torture. It's for your safety.

16.) Your parents spent some good, hard earned money on that toy. It's supposed to make you smart. Go play with it and stop playing with that empty box.

17.) That's not a slot machine, it's an electrical outlet. That cover is there for a reason. Stop trying to take it off.

18.) Using "please" does not guarantee you'll get your way.

19.) Mama and Dada realize teething can be painful and itchy. That's why you have a million teething toys to choose from. Our leg, arm, stomach, and other body parts are not teething toys.

20.) "Because I said so" is an acceptable answer.

21.) If you already know the next line to this book or movie, why not try another book or movie? There are other options in the world. No one is forcing you to have to listen to this story or watch this movie over and over and over again.

I'm sure there a billion more that can be added. If you have any more, please share. These were just the few that popped up in my mind.

Solo Mission with the Kids

2010-06-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

It's was a beautiful Friday here in SoCal. The sun was out and, most importantly, Mama had a day off! On top of that, I was able to get a solid 6 hours of sleep the night before. Feeling energized, with the help of 2 cups of morning coffee, I decided that I'd take the kids out to Sea World. Solo! Some may refer to this as a suicide mission. Alone, at an amusement park, with a 3 year old and a 1 year old. What possessed me to be so adventurous?

Dada had to go to work and make some $$$ to support this SoCal lifestyle of ours.

The preparation began early. It's usually quite a circus act trying to get the diaper bags, cooler, the kids and myself all ready to go. I want to get there and enjoy the sites before the Sandman comes along and turns the kids into psychotic/beyond reason/please stop crying & quite this tantrum loonatics. The preparation alone can be quite exhausting. I paced myself since I knew the big mission was still upon us.

Chubs, the 1 year old, falls asleep in the car. Nice, I think to myself. Princess Ninja, the 3 year old, is excited and has the biggest grin on her face. It's enough to make me not turn the car around and head straight home.

Luckily, Sea World wasn't too crowded on this fine Friday afternoon. We were able to find a parking spot right away. After struggling with the stroller and balancing the diaper bag and a few supplies, I was ready to get the kids out of the car. Problem, where is that darn cooler that's full of sippy cups!? I could have sworn I packed it. Um, think again! I'd figure out something once the kids get thirsty.

Let the games begin!!!!

We headed straight to the Sesame Street Bay of Play. There's an Elmo ride that the kids love. It's very similar to the flying Dumbo ride at Disneyland. Here I am, holding Princess Ninja's hand and carrying Chubs on the opposite hip. We get to the front of the line and the lady proceeds to tell me that I can't take both kids on the ride. There seems to be a 1 child to 1 adult rule. No exceptions.

The little Princess was not taking this rule well. She began to throw a mini tantrum as I walked us over to the next ride.

Princess Ninja: I want to ride Elmo!

Mama: We can't. We have to have Dada with us. This next ride will be fun, I promise.

Princess Ninja: No, it won't!

Mama: Yes, it will, I promise. (angry voice starting to come out)

Princess Ninja: I want to ride Elmo!

Mama: Do you want to go home? (angry voice getting angrier. I'm carrying Chubs so I'm trying not yell in his ear)

Finally it's our turn to ride this spinning teacup type ride but with Sesame Street characters. We get to the front of the line and the guy stops us. (I know for a fact this is not a 1 adult to 1 kid ride). He wants to see Chubs walk! Apparently, this ride has a "you must walk, to ride this ride rule."

I put Chubs down. He stands there with his arms up, wanting me to carry him. Great, I thought, the one time we really need you to walk. I take a step back, hoping Chubs takes a step. You know if we don't get on this ride, Princess will have a MAJOR tantrum. One step. That's all I'm asking for.

Yay! Chubs walks towards me and the man in charge is satisfied. The line behind us starts to look less angry. Smiles all around. The kids enjoyed the ride.

The rest of the day was pretty much the same way. Minor bumps here and there. The angry Mama voice did come out a few times. I had to carry a child on each hip so they can both see the penguins. Eventually the kids got thirsty and I had to spend $12 on an ugly, scary dolphin souvenir cup that was full of sugar, make your kids hyper lemonade that I made them share. Princess refused to go to the bathroom and I prayed she wouldn't have an accident. That would have been the icing on the cake, wouldn't it? Right before we leave the park, I buy them a Shamu cookie...it's tradition.

As we strolled back to the car, the Sandman was really doing a number on Chubs. He was starting to get belligerent. I was able to strap everyone into their car seats and load the car with our millions of pounds of supplies, minus that darn cooler.

Princess Ninja and Chubs fall asleep on the way home! We all managed to survive the trip. The end!

Here's a picture of the $12 scary dolphin cup. They look possessed and are about to attack me. I think I'm going to get rid of this thing before the kids start asking for it.

Guess what I saw sitting on top of the counter? The darn cooler!!!!

Side note: used Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturizer and it held up nicely.

Yummy Yummy in my Tummy Cheese Danish

2010-06-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

I made this oh-so delicious recipe last weekend and I plan on making another batch. It was fast and easy. Did I mention delicious?

I couldn't wait for it to cool, so I ended up burning my tongue. Luckily, Familybites suggested I have a glass of cold milk ready. Good thing I did, because it came in handy. Sadly, the minor burn did not stop me from eating 3/4 of the pan myself....no joke! Guess what I'm going to be making again?!

The other 1/4 of the pan was consumed happily by family and friends. My daughter loved the cream cheese filling. All had rave reviews!

Here is the recipe from the Familybites blog. You can also visit her blog directly to read the history behind this danish. It's on her April 16, 2010 posting.

I had to substitute in vanilla extract for the almond extract, since I ran out. I'm going to get myself another bottle of almond extract for this weekends batch.

The Cream Cheese Danish
Adapted by: Me

2 tubes crescent rolls*(I have found Pillsbury works best...I know, I seem like a brand name snob, but I'm telling you, it's worth it)
2 (8oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract

For topping:
5 T. butter, softened
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Grease a 9x13 pan. Take one tube of crescent roll dough and roll out so it covers entire bottom of pan. Blend the cream cheese, sugar and extract until smooth. Take cream cheese mixture and spread on top of the crescent roll dough. Take the 2nd tube of dough and cover the top of the cream cheese mixture. Then combine the softened butter, sugar and cinnamon and crumble (or spread, depending on consistency of your butter mixture) on top.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Cool before cutting.

Here's your warning: have glass of cold milk ready for fresh, out of the oven danishes!!!! They also taste great with a cup of coffee.

I Heart: Urban Decay Primer Potion

2010-06-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Meet Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion! It'll be your best friend if you wear any type of eye make up during the summer.

It's hot, you're sweating. Your eyelids are sweating! You're eyeliner isn't where you originally placed it. You're eye shadow has pooled in the creases of your eyes and to be honest, you're a hot mess! You can either leave those big, Jackie O. sunglasses on or get yourself this product. It's worth the $18.

There are actually different shades of this product. I use the original which is a sheer nude. It not only helps to keep eye make-up in place, but it can intensify the color of your eyeshadows. This version of the magic potion also comes in Eden (matte nude) and Sin (shimmering champagne).

The picture below is an example of how using a eyeshadow primer (not necessarily Urban Decay) can intensify the color of your shadow. The top shadow was placed without a primer. The bottom picture was a shadow placed with a primer. You can see the difference in color intensity.

I also use it all year long to prevent my eyeliner from migrating to my eyebrows. Yeah, it's a nice look, isn't it? Some days I don't even wear eyeshadow. Since it's nude, you doesn't change the color of my eyelids.

I Heart Technology

2010-06-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last night I had another lovely conversation with my friend Em. We usually have 2-3+ chats during the week. The interesting part of our chats is that they are ALL text messages. Em even had to upgrade her phone plan to accommodate our "talks". It seems that our relationship was costing her an arm and a leg to keep up with. The last time Em and I had a real conversation, where we actually had to speak to one another (heaven forbid), was months ago.

Thinking about it even more, I really don't "talk" to any of my family or friends on a daily basis. The chats with hubs on the phone are usually short because one of us, if not both of us, are at work.

How are the kids?

Can you pick up some milk on your way home?

What's to eat?

How's your day going?

More often than not, I find out things and communicate through text messages, emails, Twitter, Facebook, and other types of non-human contact. Perfect example: here I am blogging.

On a side note, I'm very much a novice on some of the latest versions of communicating. Twitter especially. Pardon my etiquette, if you follow me.

The times I did have to speak to someone on the phone (usually some customer service person), the kids were screaming in the background, climbing all over me, asking me to help them with things, as I'm trying to wash dishes, do laundry, and cook.

I remember back in the day, I would spend hours and hours on the phone. I have no idea what I could possibly talk to someone about for that period of time. I also had A LOT more free time, since it was my pre-mama days. I also could only do 1-2 things at a time.

I just find it utterly impossible and unenjoyable to try and catch-up with someone when I'm already doing at least 10 different things at the same time. Also, everyone else is busy with their families, work and life. It's almost impossible to try and catch someone. It usually ends up with a frustrating game of phone tag competition and the emails/text messages begin.

The wonderful part of texting is that I can continue doing several things at the same time and the kids can do what they usually do without me stopping the conversation to tell them to be quiet, mama is trying to talk on the phone! Or every 2 seconds, I place my hand on the phone receiver, yell from across the room and shoot the kids an evil look. Of course, they ignore me, as that furrow/wrinkle between my eyebrows continues to deepen and deepen beyond any miracle creams claims. I've gotten quite skilled at typing on my phone and multi-tasking other things....another thing to add to my mama resume.

Do any of you remember Runs House? It was a show on MTV.

Well at the end of every episode, Run would be laying in his jacuzzi size tub that was filled with bubbles. He'd lay their contemplating his day as he types up an inspiring blog.

Well every night, mostly every night, you can catch me in my bed typing away on my i-phone. My only moment of alone time. I'm usually playing Word with Friends, catching up on my emails, blogs and FB, checking out You Tube how-tos from MakeupbytiffanyD, and/or exchanging texts.

If it wasn't for all other forms of communication, I would be sooooo out of the loop. It's introduced me to many interesting people and ideas from across the land. Although it has completely destroyed my "hold a conversation on the phone" skills, I love how it's opened up so many doors.

I Heart Technology!

Summertime make-up (stuff I heart)

2010-05-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

It's summer! At least in my world. Officially, according to Answers.com, the first real day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere is in June. Blah, blah, blah. Regardless, it's getting warmer and warmer!

I'd like to do a favorite list for summer foundation-ish. If you keep reading, you'll see why it's called "ish". Mind you, I'm not a make-up guru. I've never received my MAC diploma or attended a single class on how to appy make-up. I think my only real credential is that I am a Sephora V.I.B. (very important beauty insider). Meaning, I've spent some hard earn $$$ at that store. It's the Toys R Us/Nordstroms of make-up....love it. Plus, you can order on-line and get samples.

Now that you know my credentials, let's move on.

Drum roll please!!!!

1.) Nars: Sheer Glow Foundation

It claims it can improve skin brightness, radiance, and texture leaving skin with a luminous, sensual glow.

Seriously, who out there couldn't use a little luminous, sensual glow? Especially when you're getting a few hours sleep and running around chasing the kids, doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. You get what I'm saying.

This is my favorite! I seem to reach for it more often than not. The consistency is pretty light. It's very easy to blend. You don't even have to use a loose powder to set it. The coverage is nice. It looks like skin...not too matte and not really glowy (even though it says it gives a glow).

Seriously, who's skin really glows? Healthy, maybe.

Although, it is recommended for those that have normal to dry skin, I still use it. I have combination skin. T-zone can look like an oily mess if I'm not careful. I don't even touch up after a 10-12+ hour day.

Sadly, it doesn't have a SPF. You'll still need to use a primer or moisturizer to protect against the sun. Say no to wrinkles and skin damage!

Speaking of damage, it'll run you $42 at Sephora.

2.) Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil-free

This product claims to be a lightweight foundation that can be reapplied as necessary

Who really wants to reapply foundation during the day? Actually, who has time to reapply?

It's definitely more of a foundation than a tinted moisturizer. It just seems thicker. I still like the coverage. Skin looks more matte rather than the sheer look you would expect from a moisturizer. I prefer the oil-free formulation to help with that oily T-zone.

It does have a SPF 20. I had a harder time finding my ideal shade. Overall, a good product that's easy to use.

Again, $42 at Sephora.

3.) Bare Minerals Original

States it is a mineral-based foundation that gives flawless coverage

It does offer good coverage and it's buildable. It's easy to use: swir, tap, buff (I think that's what they tell you to do). Skin looks natural but better after using it. It has a SPF 15. It offers a pretty good range as far as colors.

My pet peeve is that the powder gets everywhere. The guy at the store told me to punch a few holes on the sticker of a new container to eliminate overload. Tried it and it didn't work. Maybe I'm just messy.

It'll run you $25.

The products range from a foundation, tinted "moisturizer", and powder. I find for the hot summer months, these tend to hold up. I use all three. It depends on my mood, what I'm doing that day, how the stars are aligned and what my horoscope says.

Side note: All products were purchased using my money. Reviews were done by my own experience using these products and claims were those of the manufacturer.

Memorial Day Weekend remembrance

2010-05-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

The law will never make men free, it is men that have to make the law free.

Henry David Thoreau

Memorial Day weekend! A long weekend of activities that include BBQs, the great outdoors, hanging out with family and friends, and lounging around. Like always, I have a list of things that I need to get done, all before tonight when the ring of the phone means that work is calling and I need to come in. Prior to that, we have social engagements that are scattered throughout the day. My day includes a mix of laundry, cleaning, photo shoot, errands, etc. It stresses me out just thinking about it. Don't worry, you'll read about it.

I just decided that I'm going to make an exception. Although, I am having a difficult time with it. I will fit in a couple loads of laundry and an errand or two. The rest will have to wait. It'll be there tomorrow. It'll be there the next day. No one will be injured in the process.

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance. To remember those that served, so I can enjoy being with my family and friends.

Thank you to those men and women!

Side note to the large pile of laundry: tomorrow is a new day. Watch out!

Nocturnal Ninja

2010-05-27T20:22:00.000-07:00

Night has finally fallen upon us. I can call it a day. As I fall deeper and deeper to sleep.....BAM! I get kicked in the rib. BOOM! I get karate chopped in the face. One minute I'm looking at a foot in my nose. The next minute I'm being pushed closer and closer to the edge of the bed.

It's another visit from the Nocturnal Ninja.

Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and even the Tooth Fairy visit less than this sneaky Ninja. I can usually expect a few visits during the week from this butt-kicking fighting machine. This Ninja knows how to slowly wear me away. Hours of sleep have been lost.

The Nocturnal Ninja, also known as my 3 year old daughter, sneaks into my bed and performs 360s that can win a gold medal in the Olympics.

I actually tried to contain her in her crib for as long as I could. Like all well-trained fighting machines, she still managed to climb out and end up in my bed. The transition to the big girl bed was inevitable.

I thought pretty pink bed sheets and bright, colorful blankets would make the big girl bed more appealing. Luckily, after a few bedtime stories, prayers, and kisses, she manages to fall asleep in her room. Some time during the evening, when I'm fast asleep, she manages to sneak back into my bed and kick my butt yet again.!

Cupcake Cake

2010-05-26T20:21:00.001-07:00

Glancing at my social calendar, I noticed it no longer has key phrases like happy hour, drinks with the girls, dinner with ____, movie night, etc. More and more, my weekends are being filled with kids birthday parties. One of the best parts of a birthday party is the cake.

But wait, how about a Cupcake cake?!?!

An "entire" cake made of cupcakes!!!!

I've even ordered a few of these creations for my own kids events. I love this concept for a number of reasons.

The most obvious, "Who doesn't love a cupcake?!?!" They're so nostalgic. They scream childhood. They take you back to a time where you didn't have a worry in the world.

Another reason why I love this concept is because there are no knives or utensils involved. It's one less thing to worry about and contributes to the Green movement. You basically pull the cake apart, unwrap your little treasure and enjoy. They're individually pre-sliced! Individual serving sizes vary....I can probably scarf down 3+ of these morsels.

I was lucky enough to find Go Custom C akes by B.

The lady behind the B is Bertha. A full-time wife, mother (ages 6 and 4) and baker. One of the first things that drew me to Bertha is that she was a self-taught baker and decorator. No fancy culinary school, just a lot of "trial and error."

She got her start by making her son's first birthday cake. According to Bertha, "I enjoyed it so much and found every excuse to make one which served as practice." An average cupcake cake can take about 2-3.5 hours depending on the design.

As far as offering any advice to those interested in baking and the art of the cupcake cake, "Practice, practice, practice and do no be afraid to try new techniques." I've posted some of her favorite cupcake cake pictures throughout this article.

To add to her culinary talent, she also makes some beautiful cakes. I'm bias to my ever favorite cupcake. Please check out her other designs at http://www.flickr.com/ph otos/gocustomcakesbyb/