~~The Neighborhood Bully~~

Our neighbors are all pretty nice and easy to get along with. Although a few of them tried to push their religion down my throat when we first bought the house, they have either given up or realized they may as well be trying to nail Jello to a tree~ it just isn't going to happen.

But last week I really had an issue with one neighbor that I didn't want to deal with. The little boy across the street is probably 10 or 11 and he has been picking on my 6 year old daughter at the bus stop. It started out with teasing and I told her to ignore him and he would stop because he liked the reaction he was getting by making her cry~~boy was I wrong.

When she started ignoring his teasing, he started flipping her in the head when he walked by her. My husband told her to smack him back~ duh dad!

So instead we went over to talk to his mom. She said that she couldn't believe he was bullying her because he gets picked on so much she was sure he would never do it to someone else, but she said she would talk to him. That was the next big mistake because after that the teasing and flipping got worse.

Next my husband went over to talk to the boy "man to man". He told him that he didn't care if he apologized to her or just started ignoring her, but from that point on he was going to leave her alone! That lasted about 1 day.
So I had my 16 year old nephew come over and give him a talking to just to let him know that he wasn't going to be picking on her anymore. He didn't touch him and my nephew is friends with the big brother so it isn't like a stranger just dropped down on him, but he did make sure the bully knew he was done bullying little girls.

Was this wrong? I don't know. Part of me thinks that what I did was no better than what the bully was doing, but the other part says I have to do whatever it takes to keep my kids happy and safe. What do you think? Did I overstep my boundaries? I like my kids to fight their own battles, but this war was a bit unfair in my eyes.
I’d like to sit back and tell you how much I regret being such a bitch and how I would never do anything like this ever again, but it would be a lie. Once provoked, I can be a complete and vindictive bitch. And when it comes to my babies I become a mama bear looking over her cubs.

~~Bebe au Lait Toddler Hooded Towel Review & Giveaway~~

Looking for the perfect baby shower gift? I have found a great place that carries hooded towels in baby and toddler sizes, nursing covers, burp cloths, organic gift sets each in several options that are sure to please you. I was sent the cutest little hooded towel for review, check it out.

Is that not the cutest ever?? It is so soft and cuddly that the baby loves being wrapped in it and the girls fight over wanting to use it because it isn't scratchy. These are really a high quality product, great material and very nice workmanship. They have some really great fabric patterns for the towels, covers, cloths, etc, here are a few examples.




Information from the Bebe au Lait site:
Bebe au Lait’s new hooded towel is an innovatively chic twist on a hard-working standard. Crafted in ultra soft, 100% cotton terry, these luxe hooded towels are machine washable. Our Toddler Hooded Towel features sleeves which open at the bottom, and an optional closure using two ingenuous hidden magnets one on each side of the hood neckline. Each lush, cozy towel is edged in signature Bebe au Lait fabric in a variety of fabulous prints and colors."

They have so generously offered a Bebe au Lait Toddler or Baby Hooded Towel in your choice of patterns to one of my readers. All you need to do is go on over and check out their site and come back and tell me what you would chose. Easy Peasy!!

Extra entries for following, grabbing my button, blogging about this giveaway and linking back.

Giveaway ends 10/10/09 @ 11:59 PM

~~Giveaway Winners~~

And this weeks winners are......


Beibi Shoes~~Vaylene
and
Eyes Cream Shades~~ Bethany

Congratulations!!!!
72 hours to contact me or another name will be drawn!

~~ReUsies Snack and Sandwich Bags Review~~

I am constantly buying ziplock bags. Maybe not the brand name all the time, but I go through so many of them I may as well buy stock in the company. My girls always want a baggie with treats, chips, sandwiches and whatever else they find. And even if they only use them for a minute they will NEVER use them again because they are "dirty". So when I saw this great idea I was ecstatic!! ReUsies are reusable snack and sandwich bags. Great idea huh!?!?!? They come in different sizes and patterns and are absolutely perfect for school lunch boxes and trips in the car. Get each child their own design and you will never again hear "that is my bag of cookies" because there is never a question. These are not only a great way to "go green", but a perfect way to help stretch your budget and everyone can use that these days. They are not only great for food, they are perfect little bags to carry a few crayons or small toys in your purse to keep a little one busy for a few minutes. I used one to keep pony tail holders and barrettes in my purse for last minute or on the spot fixes and I could easily see myself using one for carrying lipstick or a powder to keep them in a easily found spot in my huge purse. The ideas for uses are endless!

Check out some of the great designs


Cute designs and there is plenty more just go check out the ReUsies site and check them out! The prices are reasonable and when I figured what I was spending on baggies a month I could easily pay for all the designs my kids chose and still be money ahead!

Go over and take a look, I promise you wont be sorry and I am sure you can find a style for even the pickiest kids!!

Info from the Reusies site:
They are 100% cotton, lined with water-resistant 100% nylon (BPA, Lead and Phthalate free). They come with Velcro® closures that are kid-friendly and ensure that the food won't fall out. ReUsies™ can be machine washed and dried, washed in the dishwasher, or for longest life simply wiped clean with a soapy sponge and air dried.

Available bag sizes:
Snack: approx. 6” w / 5” h
The snack size holds a half sandwich or whole sandwich with the crust cut off! It is good for smaller quantities of crackers, pretzels, apple slices, etc.

Sandwich: approx. 7.5” w/ 6”h
The sandwich size holds a typical "grown up"- sized sandwich, full bagel, or larger quantity of snacks.

~~Wild About FURR ME!!!!!~~

For those of you that know me in "real life" you know I have the most spoiled dog in the world. I love all my dogs even though some days I don't like some of them very much. Anyway....when I got Zoe I had seen everyone with their cute little tiny dogs in little outfits and that was my plan. So much for my plan.....when I got her she fit in my shirt pocket and all the cute little outfits were way to big for her. So I bought a few and waited for the day she could wear them. BUT, between the time she was tiny and sweet and the time she could have fit into them she became a beast and refused to let me out them on her. My sister in law has 2 Chi's that let her dress them and they look so dang cute and I am stuck with the beast who bites me every time I try and put one on her.....just my luck!
But in my search for the cutest outfits for my spoiled little brat I found a place called Furr Me and they have the cutest things for pampering your puppies.
They have all kinds of bedding and blankets


They have awesome spa type products for your dogs


They have super cute blanket/sweater sets


And they have the cutest hoodies!


I got this Zebra one and I absolutely love it!! I am trying to get Zoe used to it so she can wear it this winter. It is soft and very nicely made.

So go check them out and get something for your precious baby~~ they really are great!!

Small Talk Six 9/12

The ladies of Momdot are at it again with a new weekly meme called Small Talk Six. Every Saturday a new topic is announced and you respond to each topic with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 photos, or 6 paragraphs, whatever your heart desires. You can check out the Small Talk Six announcement to see all of the pre-scheduled topics for 2009. Don’t forget to stop by and see this weeks responses at MomDot and link up your own.


Today's topic is 6 things you think would be yummy if they were covered in chocolate.



First of all I am not big on chocolate. It isn't that I hate it, but it gives me migraine headaches so I try to stay away from it. BUT..... white chocolate doesn't seem so bad so I will go with things covered in white chocolate instead.

1. Pop Corn~~ I've had it and it is YUMMY!

2. Pretzels are great and if you add a little caramel after the chocolate it is wonderful!

3. Cashews and almonds are always good snacks, but add the white chocolate and they are devine!

4. I haven't tried this, but I think white chocolate over vanilla wafers cookies would be nice.

5. I also have not tried this, but I think chunks of fruit, maybe pineapple and things like that, with chocolate covering would be super good.

6. And last, but certainly not least, because in all reality anything covered in white chocolate would make it better, I think that all types of cookies dipped in chocolate would make them double yummy!!!!

~~I Have a Frienemy, or Do I?~~

I am sure that throughout my life there has been more than one, even a few I can think of now, but the frienemy I am thinking of and that is ruining my new friendship has probably hurt me more than any friend or enemy I have ever had.

I now know that she was a frienemy...disguised as a friend but really an enemy, but there was a time I thought of her as a friend. We shopped for Sub for Santa, I watched her kids, we saw movies, we went to dinner, she had me over for dinner, I had her over for dinner, we went to the ballpark, I even bought a truck for hubby from her as a surprise for Fathers Day~ although now I know it was all pre-planned. I confided in her when it was all a show because she was trying to pump me for information about my man that would help her take him from me.

See, my frienemy became the "other woman". Or should I say the other woman became my frienemy. The details don't matter and the horrid story isn't what I really want to talk about, lets just leave it at the statement of everybody lost in the deal, me the trust and total love I had for my husband, he lost the job he really loved and she seemed to lose her "perfect" standing in everyones eyes, her husband lost his faith in their relationship.

What I really want to talk about is why people think it is OK to put their grubby hooks into someone else's partner. It happens in all types of relationships, straight, gay, mixed race, rich and poor, and there never seems to be a valid answer, at least not one I accept.

I swear if I hear "It just happened" one more time I will go ballistic. Your pants didn't just fall off and your penis didn't fall into her. Even if it didn't go that far the emotional cheating is just as bad. It doesn't make it any more right if it doesn't get physical.

Why is it that people vow that they will love and cherish only one person for the rest of their life if that is not what they want to do? Nobody forces you- well I guess there is some shotgun weddings, but as a whole I think it is voluntary. Do people not think about what they are losing and who they are hurting? I guess that would be a no because cheating is very selfish on the cheaters part.

In my case, as well as many others, we reconciled and try our best every day to work things out and get on with our lives. I will never say I forget, but I am managing to forgive. It is hard and there are days I still lash out or have things that bring up those old feelings. It has been several years for me and although I know my husband is truly sorry, I will never trust him completely again. I try, but I can't. I am too afraid of being hurt again. A hurt that if you haven't felt it, you would never understand. She took the man that I thought I'd be married to forever and who I felt was my soul mate and assisted him in losing my trust.

Now for my whole point. I have a new friend and I am having a really hard time getting closer to her. She invited us to her house warming party, she asks us to come for dinner or she invites us to go to a movie, today she made home made bread and brought some to share with us and yet no matter how nice she is or how many nice things she does, I feel myself pushing her away. She is a really nice person and I have no reason to believe that she is after my husband, but I can't put those old feelings aside. I will admit it, I am scared. I guess it is because it took me a looooooong time to figure out that my instinct was right before and I don't ever want to be put in that position again. Actually I wont be put in that position again because if I even suspect I will lose it and kill them both (I'm kidding, OK, maybe I'm not).


So I am asking for your advise. Do I give my trust again and have friends outside of my family? I haven't for over 3 years now. 3 years and I haven't done ANYTHING with anyone that wasn't in my family. I swore I would never stay with a man who cheated and I had to consider that seriously when it happened to me. It took a long hard look at what I wanted in my life and I had to take a step back from my pride to stay in the relationship. I can't do that again. I care about myself and my kids too much to even consider it. BUT I can't help it that almost every day something or someone reminds me that I do not have the perfect marriage I envisioned.

I think I want to have friends, but do I?? We have been fine for over 3 years with it just being the two of us and he is my best friend. But he isn't always there, he has friends and a life outside of our home. I think I want that too......... but you tell me what you think, should I trust someone and take the chance at having another frienemy?????

~~Switch Flops and Go Jane Winners~~

I know, I am a slacker. I should have posted this at least a week ago, but y'all know I have been in a alter universe called Facebook. So without further ado the winners of the two giveaways....

Switch Flops: Becky

Go Jane: Amy

Winners have 72 hours to contact me or I will pick another winner. So check your emails for info ladies!
Thanks for entering everybody!!

~~All Sorts of Random~~

I'm back (back) the fog has lifted
The earth has shifted and raised the gifted
You knew I'd be back so pack your bone

And hit the road jack cause daddy's home
With the funky hot rifs thick like Al Roker
Pumpin out hits Gettin chips like Oprah
Bitch I told ya, do not hate or question the music I make (uh)

(Kid Rock Forever Lyrics)

So the Farm Town and Sorority Life fog has finally completely lifted from my brain. I have been sick for the holiday weekend, but got some reviews done and will be posting them along with some great giveaways this week.

The kids are doing great. Amber is loving school, Libby will start next week and can't wait and Zeke is crawling like a little bug. He still would rather stand and walks around the edge of the furniture. It is kind of funny when he climbs up. You see two hands come up over the couch, then an eye, then another eye, then his cute little face all full of smiles pops up and he looks at you like "Look what I did!"

Zeke was being whiny the other day and Libby told him he was a crybaby. Jacki told her that she was a crybaby sometimes too. Libby looked up at her and said "Yea, but I am full of all kinds of cute too", nothing conceeded about her is there?

We have been trying to plan an end of the year camping trip and were not sure if we wanted to take the kids or not. I thought we had been good at staying on the down low about it, but Amber asked me Friday if we were going camping this weekend or next. I swear the child is like an FBI wire tapper at a Mafia birthday party, she hears EVERYTHING!!

I am totally amazed, and yes a little disgusted about the amount of time I have spent 0n Facebook playing games. BUT I own a large farm with 3 houses, barn, sheds, animals, trees and crops. I also have $37,000,000 plus on Sorority Life and own a ton of Hummers, Limos, cute clothes and other stuff. The problem is I can't find the damn cash out button. Anybody got an idea on that one??

Still going nuts with so many dogs. Any ideas on how to stop them from the stupid barking?? I say stupid because I don't mind if they bark when someone rings the bell, if they would do it once or twice. But no, these idiot dogs will look at who comes in and even if it is someone who lives here they continue to bark. Tao and Nala are trying to give the Baskerville Hounds a run for their money. Everytime Jeff leaves the house they stand at the door and howl. I am sure they are asking me to choke them to death at least that is what I hear coming out of them.

I thought this would be the week that my numbers hit the lottery. They didn't. Guess I should send more money with Max this week to get some more for me because I know it is going to happen. Shut up!! I will win the lottery and be able to retire to a beach somewhere to live.

Or maybe one of you wonderful people will tell me where that damn cash out button is......I am waiting...... I will share........I'm still waiting.......gonna keep waiting huh?!?!?

Well , back to work tomorrow. Sucks as usual. This is where I could go back t0 hoping for that lottery win. But instead I will say good night and everybody check back for cool stuff to win and of course all the wonderful (cough cough) stuff I have to say this week.

~~Facebook Is Evil~~

Did y'all miss me???

Shut up!! I know I am THAT important.

Give me a break- throw me a bone because I have had a horrible no good very bad week or so. I spent the last 10 days kidnapped by some mean girls and farmers.

Let me explain.

I have never been one for computer games and the ones I did play were card or word games. If someone had told me a month ago I would spend 72 hours straight playing games on Facebook I would have laughed in their face. Especially the "SIMS" type games. STUPID is what I have always called them. That is until my daughter begged me to join her on Sorority Life so she could have enough sisters to meet a challenge. She promised me I wouldn't have to play, just sign up and let it go at that.

Yeah right!!!

I signed up for her and didn't think about it for a few days, after all it was just a stupid game. Until I decided to look at it one day when someone sent me a "gift" on there.

I cannot believe it-- I was hooked. I didn't cook (well I rarely do that anyway), (I didn't watch TV, I didn't go outside except to go to work and come home. In fact for last weekend from Thursday when I got off work until Sunday night when I went to bed I didn't do ANYTHING except play games. It started out with Sorority Life, then I started Farm Town, Farmville and Mafia Wars. I couldn't stop. I jumped from one game to the next just waiting to build up my stamina and energy so I could go back to the one I left. For those 72 plus hours I didn't sleep, I didn't eat hardly at all, I didn't use the bathroom until it was almost an emergency and worst of all I neglected to blog. I missed a whole week of what ws happening in my bloggy friends lives. In other words I was a Facebook junkie!! I earned over 60 million dollars and spent a good 20 million between all of them. I owned stretch limo Hummers and BMW convertables. I took out Mafia king pins and I grew a garden, raised animals and built a farm/ranch like no other. I swear I could not stop.

Then my husband threatened me with an intervention. He threatened to take my computer away and shut down the internet. The kids climbed all over me trying to get my attention and I did a lot of nodding and uhuh when they asked a question.

I am still in shock that I even liked a game on there, let alone 4 of them.

But I have taken the advise from my family and gotten back on track. So keep coming by and see all the great things I have to review and giveaway in the next few weeks.
I will try and stay on track.

My name is Trina and I am a Facebook addict.