I recently read The Pagan Stone, by Nora Roberts and Fearless Fourteen, by Janet Evanovich. I was really not impressed by either one of them and felt cheated by the boring endings.
I've read Nora Roberts for years, I get her writing. It is a lot of the same thing over and over again - especially in her trilogies. Three girls and three guys and they're just perfect for each other. They have some sort of 'paranormal' issue to work through, where each one is a key to solving the puzzle. Each guy and girl couple ends up married and pregnant. Usually, the first book in the trilogy is the best, the second is the worst and the third is decent. Even though I know the basic storyline, I still enjoy her books occasionally. I just felt that the Pagan Stone, which is the third in the 'Sign of Seven' trilogy, rambled and circled and rambled. It just felt like she was desperately trying to fill pages and it really just got boring. Also, the climax of the book was confusing and, well, anticlimactic.
I've also read Janet Evanovich for years. I love her sense of humor and how Stephanie Plum is almost 'normal'. (No one could really eat that much cake and still be thin!) I enjoyed Lean Mean Thirteen more than many of the other installments in the series. Fourteen was really kind of a bummer. She too circled and seemed like she was trying to fill up pages. Plus, Stephanie didn't end up in a life-threatening pickle, like she usually does. Hopefully, Fifteen will be an improvement over this one...
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Spanking
My parents got divorced when I was 8 years old. Prior to that time, my brother and I had the fear of Dad put into us when we misbehave with the ever classic, "Just wait till your father gets home...". We weren't beaten or anything, but we were spanked, and I don't ever recall getting spanked with just a bare hand. My father spanked us with a leather biker glove on, the paddle (a wooden cutting board with a handle), a hanger and a belt when we misbehaved. I don't remember much of my childhood before age 8, but the memories that I do have are definitely not the fondest.
Luckily, after my Mom took us and left my Dad, the spanking stopped. I was only hit one time after age 8 and that was when I was a teenager, mouthing off. My Mom slapped my face, I said it then and I'll say it now, I deserved that one. I was a horrible teenager and pushed WAY far over the limits MANY times.
Fast forward to when my son was born. Now my husband and I had to decide how we would raise our children. We talked it over a bit and really just came to the conclusion that neither of us were better people because of being spanked. It really is an ineffective punishment.
When my son was 2 years old and I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, that conviction was put to the test. He is and has always been a very good kid. The problem was at bedtime. I could not keep lifting him back into bed countless times every night. First, he was literally the size of a 4 year old; second, I was pregnant and exhausted; and third, I was the only one on bedtime duty since my husband and I worked opposite shifts to avoid having daycare. I ended up swatting him as a punishment for getting out of bed. He is has a "people pleaser" personality, so it didn't take more than a light swat on the tush to get through to him. That was pretty much the only time we ever employed spanking with him. During the daytime, a simple time out was sufficient to get his behavior back on track.
Fast forward to when my daughter was 2 years old. She is extremely stubborn and hard to get through to. Take away her toys? She doesn't care, she's got such an active imagination that she's content to play with anything or nothing. She's not all that attached to any one toy or doll anyways. Take away TV time? Doesn't matter, not that my kids watch that much TV anyways. Raise your voice? She laughs or just ignores. Time outs? No big deal. So, we opted for the "tried and true" spanking with her.
It didn't work.
I'm sure (though I've never tried it) that I could spank her as many times and as hard as I could and it would not phase her for more than a second. Literally. She does the little whine right after the spank and then gets right back to her antics before you're out the door.
Bed time has always been a challenge for us and a few months before the baby was born, the older two became roommates. We kept spanking, with no real results and didn't know what else to do. My sister-in-law suggested that we use a paddle on her, because that's what she does with her kids. She only wants them to associate love with her hands, so she "avoids" the negative by using a paddle. Absolutely absurd, if you ask me. I think that using anything but your hands is cowardly.
From the time the baby was 2 weeks old until she was about 8 months (in December), she was a very difficult baby, especially in the evenings. I kept racking my brain, trying to figure out what to do to get those kids to have a smoother bedtime. We have always done a bedtime routine and that hadn't made any difference. Spanking wasn't working. On top of that, I just felt horrible about spanking my kids when I never wanted to do it in the first place.
And, I was becoming a hypocrite. My son and daughter were hitting each other when the other wasn't doing what the first wanted. How could I talk to them about that effectively when I did it myself?
Fast forward to January 4, 2009. I lost control. I had never spanked in anger until that night. The kids were messing around after what seemed to be 100 warnings. I spanked them hard enough to leave bruises on their butts, and I'm not proud. I called my husband (who was working), in tears. I hated myself and I hated that in that one moment my children feared me. He talked me down and agreed that we needed to sit down and figure out a more constructive way to handle bedtime battles.
I went into my kids' room and apologized and hugged them for a long time.
That was the last time I spanked my children. I will never do it again.
I truly hope that in 20 years or so, that they won't remember that awful night. I want their memories of childhood to be better than my memories of mine.
Its only been about 2 months, but it feels like another person in another lifetime. And for that, I thank God that we were able to work through it as a family and come to a positive resolution. Yes, there are still bedtime battles, but we have minimized them and bedtime is pretty easy most nights now.
Luckily, after my Mom took us and left my Dad, the spanking stopped. I was only hit one time after age 8 and that was when I was a teenager, mouthing off. My Mom slapped my face, I said it then and I'll say it now, I deserved that one. I was a horrible teenager and pushed WAY far over the limits MANY times.
Fast forward to when my son was born. Now my husband and I had to decide how we would raise our children. We talked it over a bit and really just came to the conclusion that neither of us were better people because of being spanked. It really is an ineffective punishment.
When my son was 2 years old and I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, that conviction was put to the test. He is and has always been a very good kid. The problem was at bedtime. I could not keep lifting him back into bed countless times every night. First, he was literally the size of a 4 year old; second, I was pregnant and exhausted; and third, I was the only one on bedtime duty since my husband and I worked opposite shifts to avoid having daycare. I ended up swatting him as a punishment for getting out of bed. He is has a "people pleaser" personality, so it didn't take more than a light swat on the tush to get through to him. That was pretty much the only time we ever employed spanking with him. During the daytime, a simple time out was sufficient to get his behavior back on track.
Fast forward to when my daughter was 2 years old. She is extremely stubborn and hard to get through to. Take away her toys? She doesn't care, she's got such an active imagination that she's content to play with anything or nothing. She's not all that attached to any one toy or doll anyways. Take away TV time? Doesn't matter, not that my kids watch that much TV anyways. Raise your voice? She laughs or just ignores. Time outs? No big deal. So, we opted for the "tried and true" spanking with her.
It didn't work.
I'm sure (though I've never tried it) that I could spank her as many times and as hard as I could and it would not phase her for more than a second. Literally. She does the little whine right after the spank and then gets right back to her antics before you're out the door.
Bed time has always been a challenge for us and a few months before the baby was born, the older two became roommates. We kept spanking, with no real results and didn't know what else to do. My sister-in-law suggested that we use a paddle on her, because that's what she does with her kids. She only wants them to associate love with her hands, so she "avoids" the negative by using a paddle. Absolutely absurd, if you ask me. I think that using anything but your hands is cowardly.
From the time the baby was 2 weeks old until she was about 8 months (in December), she was a very difficult baby, especially in the evenings. I kept racking my brain, trying to figure out what to do to get those kids to have a smoother bedtime. We have always done a bedtime routine and that hadn't made any difference. Spanking wasn't working. On top of that, I just felt horrible about spanking my kids when I never wanted to do it in the first place.
And, I was becoming a hypocrite. My son and daughter were hitting each other when the other wasn't doing what the first wanted. How could I talk to them about that effectively when I did it myself?
Fast forward to January 4, 2009. I lost control. I had never spanked in anger until that night. The kids were messing around after what seemed to be 100 warnings. I spanked them hard enough to leave bruises on their butts, and I'm not proud. I called my husband (who was working), in tears. I hated myself and I hated that in that one moment my children feared me. He talked me down and agreed that we needed to sit down and figure out a more constructive way to handle bedtime battles.
I went into my kids' room and apologized and hugged them for a long time.
That was the last time I spanked my children. I will never do it again.
I truly hope that in 20 years or so, that they won't remember that awful night. I want their memories of childhood to be better than my memories of mine.
Its only been about 2 months, but it feels like another person in another lifetime. And for that, I thank God that we were able to work through it as a family and come to a positive resolution. Yes, there are still bedtime battles, but we have minimized them and bedtime is pretty easy most nights now.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Why Is it Wrong to Teach Kids Responsibility?
My favorite, and the only, mom blog that I read is written by Dawn Meehan - Because I Said So. She posted a few days ago about the responses she received from her readers about her having her older children help pick up the younger children's toys. Apparently, some of the readers were appalled that she would have her kids help her other kids out. I completely, utterly and thoroughly do not understand that opinion.
Since when is it OK to keep kids from helping out around the house?
Since when is it OK to not teach kids responsibility?
In my opinion, Ms. Meehan was completely right to ask her olders to help the youngers out. American society, as a whole has really lost most important aspect of family which is that families are supposed to function as a team. No, families don't get along ALL of the time, but we are all supposed to pitch in and help each other out.
This society is so wierdly kid-centered - parents work and ignore their kids and then give them everything and anything they want to relieve the guilt due to their negligence of their kids. WHY? Kids these days are just overly self-involved and self-centered and its really contributing to the downfall of society. Just look at all the people on government assistance that are still sticking their hands out for more money. Honestly, those people on assistance have more money at the end of the month than we do and we don't qualify.
Kids need limits, boundaries and responsibilities!!!
When I was 5, I was standing on a chair, washing dishes every night after dinner.
When I was 12, I made at least one dinner a week.
I was responsible for doing my own laundry.
I bought my own gas and car insurance - and car.
I was responsible for sweeping, mopping and cleaning the bathroom regularly.
My olders, who are 6 and 4, are responsible for helping around the house. They have to clean their room about once a week. They clean the baby's room and toys up once in a while. They have to set the table. My son helps shovel snow and he cleans the litter box. They help clean walls, windows and scrub floors. And they make their beds every day.
In working within our family as a team - Mom and Dad are the coaches, as well as players - I hope to instill in my children a sense of responsibility, ownership and family values.
Since when is it OK to keep kids from helping out around the house?
Since when is it OK to not teach kids responsibility?
In my opinion, Ms. Meehan was completely right to ask her olders to help the youngers out. American society, as a whole has really lost most important aspect of family which is that families are supposed to function as a team. No, families don't get along ALL of the time, but we are all supposed to pitch in and help each other out.
This society is so wierdly kid-centered - parents work and ignore their kids and then give them everything and anything they want to relieve the guilt due to their negligence of their kids. WHY? Kids these days are just overly self-involved and self-centered and its really contributing to the downfall of society. Just look at all the people on government assistance that are still sticking their hands out for more money. Honestly, those people on assistance have more money at the end of the month than we do and we don't qualify.
Kids need limits, boundaries and responsibilities!!!
When I was 5, I was standing on a chair, washing dishes every night after dinner.
When I was 12, I made at least one dinner a week.
I was responsible for doing my own laundry.
I bought my own gas and car insurance - and car.
I was responsible for sweeping, mopping and cleaning the bathroom regularly.
My olders, who are 6 and 4, are responsible for helping around the house. They have to clean their room about once a week. They clean the baby's room and toys up once in a while. They have to set the table. My son helps shovel snow and he cleans the litter box. They help clean walls, windows and scrub floors. And they make their beds every day.
In working within our family as a team - Mom and Dad are the coaches, as well as players - I hope to instill in my children a sense of responsibility, ownership and family values.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
My Subconscious is Having a Field Day
Last night, I had 2 rather wierd dreams, both in reference to jobs/work that I did until about a year ago.
In the first dream, I was a Mary Kay consultant doing a skin care class. I was having a hard time finding the right shade of eye color for one of the people there, because MKC had done yet another overhaul on the product line. While that in itself isn't crazy, since it happens ALL THE TIME! The 'faces' at the party were a bit odd - they were pirates. Yes, pirates, and they were really getting ticked at the product changes that were happening, once again. Would YOU want to attempt to sell makeup to an angry pirate? I don't think so!
In the second dream, I was working at Taco Bell. Only, the restaurant was being run in my kitchen. The hot line was my sink and we were having trouble fitting all the food in there and there was issues with keeping hot water in the sink. There was also issues with bad food being delivered and we kept running out of hot food - but I don't recall seeing any customers.
I can say for certain, that I absolutely do not miss doing either of these things. In fact, I have only eaten Taco Bell one time in the past 10 months and that's only because my Mom brought it over for lunch one day. I just wish my subconsious would give it up!
In the first dream, I was a Mary Kay consultant doing a skin care class. I was having a hard time finding the right shade of eye color for one of the people there, because MKC had done yet another overhaul on the product line. While that in itself isn't crazy, since it happens ALL THE TIME! The 'faces' at the party were a bit odd - they were pirates. Yes, pirates, and they were really getting ticked at the product changes that were happening, once again. Would YOU want to attempt to sell makeup to an angry pirate? I don't think so!
In the second dream, I was working at Taco Bell. Only, the restaurant was being run in my kitchen. The hot line was my sink and we were having trouble fitting all the food in there and there was issues with keeping hot water in the sink. There was also issues with bad food being delivered and we kept running out of hot food - but I don't recall seeing any customers.
I can say for certain, that I absolutely do not miss doing either of these things. In fact, I have only eaten Taco Bell one time in the past 10 months and that's only because my Mom brought it over for lunch one day. I just wish my subconsious would give it up!
Friday, February 13, 2009
I Beat It!!!
I finally got all 120 stars as Mario on Super Mario Galaxy! I think this is an awesome video game. Definitely challenging, but also very fun. Its hard to find that balance in video games. I've always liked Super Mario games, but the only other one I've ever beaten was the first Super Mario Brothers on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. I've never played the Gamecube or N64, but I'd like to play Mario 64 on the Wii. You can download old game system games for a pretty decent price on the Wii. We just need to either get some old Gamecube remotes or get some Wii Classic remotes so that we can play some of those older games that we've never tried.
I definitely think that the hardest levels are the Boulderguist Daredevil Run, the Luigi's Purple Coins and Dreadnaught's Purple coins.
Now I get to play it as Luigi. What fun!
I definitely think that the hardest levels are the Boulderguist Daredevil Run, the Luigi's Purple Coins and Dreadnaught's Purple coins.
Now I get to play it as Luigi. What fun!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Sickies
I really hate deciding whether or not to go to the doctor. I'm not the kind of person who likes to waste the time or money if the condition doesn't warrant treatment with a prescription. I also feel like I'm bothering my doc if I'm calling for something that might end up being just a cold. As a result, I sometimes wait too long to get my kids in to the doc.
In January, my daughters both had well child checkups and it turned out that my baby had an ear infection. Due to her reaction to the last ear infection, we were reluctant to put her on antibiotics. So, the doc put her on a mild, 3 day antibiotic. It so didn't work, so she had to go on a 10 day antibiotic. This time I put her on probiotics as well to help counteract the stomach upset.
About a week after she started her antibiotics, her brother woke up at night and had a hard time breathing and was coughing a croupy cough. My oldest daughter started that same cough the following morning. I was figuring that it was strep, so I got them into the docs that afternoon. It was pneumonia. So, the doc started my olders on antibiotics to treat that.
About 4 days later, my baby - who was still on antibiotics - started a fever and a really junky cough. That was last Thursday. I am really hoping that its not pneumonia, since she was already on antibiotics. The issue now is that my nephew now has pneumonia and my baby has been coughing and pulling on her ears alot. I'm just not sure if it is just a cold or an ear infection or pneumonia. I thought she was doing better, but she just keeps yanking on those ears. Maybe she's just really congested...
I guess I'll just call the doc next week if she's still not feeling well...
In January, my daughters both had well child checkups and it turned out that my baby had an ear infection. Due to her reaction to the last ear infection, we were reluctant to put her on antibiotics. So, the doc put her on a mild, 3 day antibiotic. It so didn't work, so she had to go on a 10 day antibiotic. This time I put her on probiotics as well to help counteract the stomach upset.
About a week after she started her antibiotics, her brother woke up at night and had a hard time breathing and was coughing a croupy cough. My oldest daughter started that same cough the following morning. I was figuring that it was strep, so I got them into the docs that afternoon. It was pneumonia. So, the doc started my olders on antibiotics to treat that.
About 4 days later, my baby - who was still on antibiotics - started a fever and a really junky cough. That was last Thursday. I am really hoping that its not pneumonia, since she was already on antibiotics. The issue now is that my nephew now has pneumonia and my baby has been coughing and pulling on her ears alot. I'm just not sure if it is just a cold or an ear infection or pneumonia. I thought she was doing better, but she just keeps yanking on those ears. Maybe she's just really congested...
I guess I'll just call the doc next week if she's still not feeling well...
Monday, February 9, 2009
25 Randon Things About Me
1. I'm going to Disney World this December.
2. I love to eat crab legs.
3. I've never seen "Its a Wonderful Life" or "Miracle on 34th Street"
4. We don't have cable or satellite TV; or caller ID.
5. I use cloth diapers and love it.
6. I have recently become passionate about helping the environment by reducing my family's waste. But, I don't believe in Global Warming.
7. I can't stand a hypocrite.
8. I believe that Colic is a symptom, not a condition.
9. I love to play Euchre.
10. I love to go camping - in a tent! No TV, no phone, no computer.
11. I like to play video games - specifically Mario Bros. games.
12. I worked at Taco Bell for 12 loooooong years.
13. I plan on having one more child.
14. I pretty much only bake from scratch - no boxed mixes!
15. I like Logic Puzzles
16. I cashed out my 401K just weeks before the market crashed to pay off debt so I could be a SAHM. I'm glad that I did it, too.
17. I hate it when businesses have misspellings on their marquee signs or in any of their literature. I usually won't do business with a company that doesn't take the time to use a spell checker.
18. I find myself turning into my mother. Its not a bad thing - I just hear things coming out of my mouth that she says or a tone of voice that sounds like her.
19. I like all my in-laws.
20. I have chronic rhinitis.
21. I never really went to college.
22. I didn't vote for Obama, but I'm tired of hearing people bashing him. There's nothing we can do but write to our congressmen, hope for the best and pray.
23. Until a year ago, I had size 11 feet. While I was pregnant, my feet grew to size 12. Do you know how hard it is to find a decent looking pair of size 12s?
24. I love spicy food and eat it despite having GERD.
25. I love Friends and have watched every episode many times. Matthew Perry is hilarious!
2. I love to eat crab legs.
3. I've never seen "Its a Wonderful Life" or "Miracle on 34th Street"
4. We don't have cable or satellite TV; or caller ID.
5. I use cloth diapers and love it.
6. I have recently become passionate about helping the environment by reducing my family's waste. But, I don't believe in Global Warming.
7. I can't stand a hypocrite.
8. I believe that Colic is a symptom, not a condition.
9. I love to play Euchre.
10. I love to go camping - in a tent! No TV, no phone, no computer.
11. I like to play video games - specifically Mario Bros. games.
12. I worked at Taco Bell for 12 loooooong years.
13. I plan on having one more child.
14. I pretty much only bake from scratch - no boxed mixes!
15. I like Logic Puzzles
16. I cashed out my 401K just weeks before the market crashed to pay off debt so I could be a SAHM. I'm glad that I did it, too.
17. I hate it when businesses have misspellings on their marquee signs or in any of their literature. I usually won't do business with a company that doesn't take the time to use a spell checker.
18. I find myself turning into my mother. Its not a bad thing - I just hear things coming out of my mouth that she says or a tone of voice that sounds like her.
19. I like all my in-laws.
20. I have chronic rhinitis.
21. I never really went to college.
22. I didn't vote for Obama, but I'm tired of hearing people bashing him. There's nothing we can do but write to our congressmen, hope for the best and pray.
23. Until a year ago, I had size 11 feet. While I was pregnant, my feet grew to size 12. Do you know how hard it is to find a decent looking pair of size 12s?
24. I love spicy food and eat it despite having GERD.
25. I love Friends and have watched every episode many times. Matthew Perry is hilarious!
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