Inspired by "How I met your Mother" I figured I would revisit certain stories..just for the fun of it and for the fun of re-telling stories that are well entertaining and funny to say the least...

Now, the hubby and I had moved to Arizona with his brother. We were newly married and decided to spend the money on a BBQ. The first thing that was to be made on the BBQ was a bunch of steaks. We bought three incase his brother could make it over at the last minute but we weren't sure if he could make it over in time for dinner. Anyways, the hubby went outside to start the BBQ. He lit the fire with no issue and closed the top. Now, his major issue here was that he closed the top but didn't open up the side slits on the top of the BBQ. He let it warm up for about 20 minutes then......he went to open it. I kid you not it was a massive *BOOM* our neighbor came outside of her apartment to see if there was an explosion of some sort...Well, I was outta range of the boom but my husband wasn't. He at least was smart enough to cover his face by the time of the impact. He covered up the BBQ again and immedately I took him inside to make sure I didn't need to call for an ambulance. Of course, my husband being him was mostly worried about his hair..go figure. Yes, he burned off half of his eyebrow along with some of his hair but I was more or less worried about him being seriously burned.

Anyways, he called his brother and told him what happened and asked if he could head over..which hey, he had the time to head over. Of course, his brother brought up the movie "Backdraft" and since he wasn't giving the air firing he caused a backdraft and it could have been ten times worse and we were lucky to not burn down our apartment. Needless to say his brother helped finish up the steaks and we all had a nice dinner on the patio of our apartment. Now, my husband is not allowed to operate a BBQ without another adult male around..Of course, we have bought numerous BBQs over the years in this house too and they all have been destroyed because the second a monsoon hits and the hubby goes outside to clean up the wind ends up knocking him into the BBQ and it gets destoryed..

Well, thats your storytime for today..just felt like sharing.

Okay, again based off another discussion online I figured I would bring this topic up..Yes, its later than my normal posts but at this point I wanna write it down before I forget the topic.

Every weekend, my husband and my daughter have whats called a 'sleepover' basically they both get their own couches and have a camp out in the living room complete with classical music and all playing on the TV. This is great because they can bond. Too many times, people forget the bond behind the Daddy/daughter. In this house, it is still very much important. Even when our oldest is in town sometimes the hubby will stay up late with our oldest and watch movies until she's tired. It IS important for Fathers to have a role in their little girls lives. I remember at around five or six playing barbies with my Dad and listening to classical music with my Dad. Some of the music my Dad used to play for me that I used to say 'EWW' to when I was a kid..I actually now do like. In todays society especially the Dad is overlooked. I don't care if its a boy or a girl but Daddy is just as important as Mommy.

In our home, Daddy is the one that write with his left hand..not me. So all the homework dealing with writing  has to handled with Daddy while I deal with the rest. The hubby also teaches the little one how to defend herself BUT I do show her the way on the arts but then again, the hubby does that as well..I can dance and play the flute BUT the hubby can draw..So, its a give and take there..Every parent should have their role but Daddy's are important. I think a lot of times Dad's get the brush off but they are important in the long run..Never under estimate the power of the Father...

So, one of my facebook friends posted this article: http://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/149621/parents_with_only_one_kid?utm_medium=sm&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=beingamom_fanpage and I just kinda felt the need to go on a rant over it.

First off, I do not agree with this  at all. I have only given birth to one child..Why? Well, its pretty simple child birth nearly killed me so we decided that we were done having kids. Sure, the woman who wrote it stated basically, that it wasn't directed towards women like me but still, I think it's way off base. Oh and yes, I do have a step child as well but she's out here only during the summers and we talk to her on the phone a lot..Anyways, on to my rant.

We made the choice to not have more children..it was our choice regardless of if I had major issues with my pregnancy or not. Yes, I have more free time to myself than a parent with six children BUT I have no issues keeping my idenity and who I am outside of my family, marriage and being a wife and a Mother. I cannot begin to tell you how many Mommies I've talked to who just seem to lose grasp on who they are outside of being a wife and a Mother because well, they have no time for anything else or anything for themself. Its very easy as a parent to get burnt out if all you are doing is taking care of others and doing things for others. After all, a happy parent is a good parent and a parent who does have an idenity outside of taking care of others also makes a huge difference at the end of the day. I mean, you eventually want your child to have their own hobbies and their own 'thing' outside of school..correct? So, when Mommy and Daddy are constantly being pulled between this, that and the other and have no time for their own hobbies how can they really understand what you are trying to teach them with hobbies when you have no time for your own?

I also highly disagree with this man's statement about only children not being able to make friends. My daughter has never had an issue making friends. She comes home from school everyday telling me all about this friend and that friend and even when she was in pre-school she was basically the 'popular' kid in the classroom to where everyone wanted to be friends with her and always wanting to help others out in the classroom..She also knows how to play alone as well and doesn't need anything human to keep her happy. She knows how to play pretend with her animals and imagine on her own without a sibling there. Even though my daughter is seven she still gets what we call 'alone playtime' on the weekends because since she is an only child we think its important for her to know how to occupy herself without coming to Mommy or Daddy to play pretend with her.

This man also states that only children tend to be spoiled..Sure, my daughter has a ton of toys but she earns them and they can be taken away if she doesn't follow directions. She may get to do this, and that which is fun and exciting or get this or that which happens to be fun and exciting but she has lost things or had to wait to get things for not listening or generally not working with us when we simply needed her to work with us.

I think its very easy to sterotype only children which I know a lot of people still do in todays world clearly seeing as how someone wrote this about single children..Regardless, its a personal choice to only have one child regardless of why you decide to only have one child..thats your own personal choice. I would much rather have a family that has one child, two children or even three children that can be well taken care of vs. someone having 10 plus kids that they can't afford. As long as the family can afford the amount of children they decide to have..thats their choice regardless of if you like it or not.

Yes, today is New Year's eve and to be honest there are just certain things that I don't get about this holiday and certain things that well get on my last nerve...Since yesterday, I've been seeing a bunch of things that well, drive me crazy on Facebook status messages that I feel like I need to adress these issues formally. Maybe, someone can explain some of this to me because some of it I don't get and some of it just seems down right not that bright to me..so let's begin...

1. Okay, why is everyone tends to diss the year thats about leave? I mean it couldn't have been THAT bad..really? Everyone just wants to focus on the bad and basically saying 'good riddence' to the old year basically assuming that the new year is going to be grand and wonderful..Talk about a whole lotta pressure for something that hasn't even happened yet. I've gone to four star resturants before and even then I don't expect wonderful and fabulous..I've never been there...so, how do I know its going to be that great even though in theory it is suppose to be wonderful. It just seems unrealistic to me..No year is perfect..Come on now.

2. Getting drunk and then waking up to a hangover- Now, go back to number one..If everyone wants wonderful and positive the second the new year comes..Why in the world do you drink yourself stupid to the point where you wake up with a hangover and you are miserable the first day of the year? Doesn't that kinda contradict things..just a little bit. If you really want positive then don't drink or stop drinking long before midnight so that you don't wake up feeling ill the next day. I think in my entire life I've only been completely plastered one New Year eve and I regretted it the next day..Yep, never again..I'll pass on the headache.

3. New Years resolutions- I don't get them..most of the time people make them then never keep them. Life is unpredictable..you can plan to do one thing and then what happens if someone gets seriously ill and you can't physically keep your resolution. I tend to go month by month..We have a huge list of stuff to take care of come the new year but it doesn't all have to be done at once..I wouldn't call them resolutions just stuff that needs to be done as stuff gets done naturally things will get better..Again, it all goes back to setting the bar too high and putting too much pressure onto the new year which hasn't even happened yet.

4. Staying up all night then sleeping the entire next day away- I've done this..I know people who do this..it again defeats the purpose of welcoming in the new year in the proper way..Again, it all goes back to number one..If you want things to be wonderful then welcome in the day in a wonderful way without sleeping through it.

5. People that sugar coat or push their 'year in review' thing to only include the negitive- Again, no year is perfect and from what I've been seeing most people either sugar coat their year or they only mention the things that sucked because they want the clock to strike midnight and have that new start..It all goes back to number one on the list- no year is perfect and no year is that horrible..good things to happen..I mean come on the year is 365 days..You can't mention one good thing that happened in those 365 days??

In short, the clock striking midnight is not some magically fairy dusting where everything goes away and then magically restarts wonderfully and happy..Don't expect the world to be flowers and unicorns that poop chocolate candy in the following year. You WILL have things that happen that will suck and be hard to deal with and you WILL have wonderful things that happen to you that makes you smile..Regardless, don't tip the scales at the end of the year and forget the good or the bad.

Yes, and the battle rages on..the difference between Stay at home Mom's and working Mom's. Yes, I am Stay at home BUT I am NOT your maid nor am I your short order cook. I grew up in a household where my Mom was stay at home even after I went back to school and ya know, it was a nice luxary to have and not everyone can afford it. I love people who say 'If I was stay at home I'd be cooking three meals a day." Really, lets be real here..I again grew up in a home where my Mom was stay at home and hey, we had cereal for breakfast during the week but on the weekends and if we were sick we would get breakfast made and we did order out from time to time because well, my Mom wasn't the best cook but she did her best. There was even one year where my Mom made a turkey for Thanksgiving and we ALL got sick from it..Yep, all of us throwing up as a family because the turkey wasn't fully cooked. Even though at the time it wasn't fun looking back on it the time the entire family got sick from a badly cooked turkey is a fond memory.

I don't think there's one standard a woman should be held to just because she is stay at home and you are not. You did make the choice to not stay at home..thats great but I did and as I said to my husband after I had my daughter 'I'm a stay at home Mom and not a maid'..which is very true. I do expect people to pick up after themselves and even to put the stuff into the dishwasher themselves. If you are closer to the scissors or the hammer and you aren't sick..well then, you can get it yourself! No, I am not full on Suzy Homemaker and infact, I hate HATE the term homemaker that completely takes us back to the 1950s..Why can't anyone come up with a better term and half the people I do know can't understand the whole SAHM thing either..Can we have a better term for what I do? Seriously..

In general, why do we have to be so judgemental of other people's lives and even parenting styles? If anything women who are Mothers tend to be the worst and most judgemental both online and on the internet..Is that really needed? Kids are kids and each one of them needs to be handled differently. Each one of our families operates differently as well..You don't have to understand why the household works that way just that they well do... I sometimes find it hard to believe how parents act towards other parents and at times I think it boils down to jealousy to a certain extent...Anyways, back to the true point of this blog..

Neither parent is 'better' then the other- we are adults and make the best choices for our kids..Just because I have a little bit more time on my hands then you do a day and have time to form and maintain an idenity outside of my child and my husband doesn't mean I should feel bad about it. The parent who decides to work shouldn't feel bad about working and home life sometimes being insane and having no time for themselves..and no, just because I am stay at home I will not take care of your issues at the drop of the dime just because I am home...Again, I am a stay at home Mom and not a maid. I don't judge you and you don't judge me..that simple..Every parent, every child and every household works differently..that simple accept the fact that not every household works the same as yours. I'm also pretty certain that every parent has made a mistake here or there..or maybe even numerous mistakes at that. Some of us though to show our mistakes and lessons learned from the mistakes. In short, I don't care how you parent or how you decide to parent..A stay at home parent vs a working one is really no contest as long as your child(ren) are happy and adjusted..what difference does it really make at the end of the day?

 I have stayed very quiet on what happened at Sandy Hook but now as of late I feel its time to speak out. My daughter is a special needs child and although she has not been diagnosed with anything but a few delays she is around kids who have autism and aspergers. I am NOT afraid of her being around these children..why? Simply put the media is feeding a lot of horrible things about these children into the minds of adults. These kids are already bullied enough already..http://healthland.time.com/2012/12/19/guilt-by-associationtroubling-legacy-of-sandy-hook-may-be-backlash-against-children-with-autism/?xid=rss-topstories

I know many parents who have autistic children and let me say- they are NOT dangerous. I can not believe the hate that the media is putting out there and misinformation. The hate on the internet has also gotten out of control. I have a girlfriend who has done nothing but try to raise awareness for YEARS and now because of one instance and a lot of people who hardly know anything about these types of delays are suddening giving their two cents...so here's mine. How about we stop making these children feel like they are strange, how about we have some empathy towards these kids? Again, they get bullied enough on a daily basis and now kids are basically being profiled..kids who have done nothing wrong and yet they are the bad guys. I've read some pretty sick and disgusting things from parents online and on facebook about kids with autism..Really? These are kids and yet you as adults feel the need to look down on them and judge them because of something you don't understand and fail to understand. We are the adults- don't go off of what the media says..Do your own research and if you'd like I can send you to a friends blog who is very educational and lets you into the daily life of a child with autism..if you'd like further then that I can also point you to a children's book and some childrens programming that can lie it out for you in simple terms.

..and for all of you who are claiming these children are infact, mentally ill..I challenge you to say THAT to a parent of a child who has autism..Let me know how that turns out for you..really..If you want to make things better..well, this is NOT the way to do so. Yes, my daughter is special needs and yes, there is a little boy down the street that my daughter hangs out with especially in the spring time that has autism and I assure you he is not dangerous. I'm just sick of people blaming and bullying children especially those who have done nothing wrong. Please, open up your eye's and lets not place blame on children with autism/aspergers...They are NOT the one who had the gun. Seriously, how about people stop being ignorant and start educating themselves vs just going blinding off what the media says..Please, open up your eye's..Don't bully children who have done nothing to you and really do mean no harm...Thank you.

         Now, I can't say that I didn't see this coming after last year but hey, now it has happened. Yes, Black Friday is now Black Thursday..numerous retail establishments are now opening their doors as early as 9pm on turkey day. Last year, certain stores opened at 2am..I'm all for shopping but since I spent three years in retail I have started boycotting Black Friday. I don't even leave the house- I sit in the house, in my pajama's all day, eating the leftovers and reading the news about the crazy people who are out shopping since the crack of dawn. I also sit in my pajama's and be thankful that I am not working retail anymore and don't have to worry about the crazy people who are out fighting(literally) for a good deal and a good sale. I mean, really..we spend a day giving thanks for what we have then we go out and punch people in the face over the last HDTV and the last cool barbie doll for our kids..It really does kinda take the luster off of giving thanks with our behavor the following day or in this years case..the same day. I am also mostly disgusted because since these stores are opening up earlier and earlier- it is just feeding into the commercialization of the holiday season. I again, like Christmas a  lot BUT I don't want to hear about Christmas from the start of October all the way through to December and beyond..its a just a bit overkill.

    I understand there's a demand for people to want to start shopping early but seriously, why do we have to feed into the deamand..What ever happened to having some respect for the holiday? If enough people feel like I do and do indeed start boycotting Black Friday as I do..Don't go out, don't go to the sales(there will be more through out the season..trust me) and simply stay home and enjoy themselves then..Hey, we won't have workers who are angry about their holiday being cut short. Yes, I understand you can celebrate any day of the year..In my family, we'd do the holidays sometimes a week early since sometimes my sisters couldn't get off of work or even make it out for the actual holiday..so we made due BUT certain family members can only get that day off and things can't be rearranged just because..Whatever happened to the good old days when places would open at maybe 7am at the earliest? Have the holidays seriously become that commercial to where those who do work retail can't even have a holiday off? I am very greatful I don't work retail anymore to say the least. The one year I worked a Black Friday the cops were called three times during my eight hour shift to break up fights..Its not only unsafe for those shopping but its also gotten highly unsafe for the employees and mind you, when you get a job in retail you don't imagine that there will be a strong possiblity of being punched in the face BUT on Black Friday..trust me, I always worried about being accidently punched in the face by some crazy person who just wanted the last item on the shelf.

   In short, if you do agree with me and think that Black Friday should REMAIN on FRIDAY then simply don't go out..Spend time with your family in your home, eating leftovers..maybe order a pizza and watch movies all day..There will be other sales..You aren't missing out..Stop the maddness and lets all band together to keep Black Friday on FRIDAY!  

Yet again, we have another school making judements and not saying when they are wrong..So, please..read here: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/mint-suspended-school-161637649.html 

Okay, check out my picture above..those are Altoids which are also mints and happen to look like unmarked pills. Now, when I was in high school many of my friends would chew on these after lunch or simply in class and they never, ever got in trouble..Sure, the things that the kids were chewing on were engergy mints but they clearly aren't anything illegal. In fact, I was drinking coffee when I was in high school which yeah, they never took away my coffee from me.

Also, a blast from the past..anyone reading this remember Jolt cola- yeah, that was a big thing when I was in high school that stuff was spiked with caffiene and my band director drank it all the time. I mean seriously, how hard headed are we with kids today? So far this month alone we've had a peanut butter issue, issue over dress length and now an issue over mints..How far outta hand can we get with our kids? In this case, the school is clearly wrong and it has been proven that the mints were in fact mints but the kids are still suspended? That seems rather backwards to me..how about you as a school say you are wrong and allow the kids back in the school? What are you teaching the kids by not allowing them back into school when you as a school are clearly in the wrong here. Personally, I kinda hope this one doesn't go away and the parents do fight and even sue the school over this one..Just admit you are wrong and let the kids get back to learning! This is part of the issue with todays schools is that half the time no one can admit they are wrong and just want to continue on with life has if it never happened..yep, go school!

So, its time for another rant- this time over dresses and girls being turned away from a dance when clearly the dress code was 'vague'. http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/utah-girls-barred-dance-principal-apologizes-175900222.html 

Now, I understand the need for a dress code especially with school aged girls. When I was in high school the popular thing was to show your mid-drift and they have to actually go through and let everyone know that tummy bearing dresses were not to be worn to prom or homecoming. I can understand how the tummy can be seen as bad..but whats wrong with a little bit of leg and ankle? Last I checked this was 2012 and not the 1950s. If you see the girls in the picture of the news story there is clearly nothing wrong with their dresses and if anything they are dressed for their age and look cute. They shouldn't have been denied entrance into their dance. The staff should have been briefed on what exactly the dress code was and knew what they were looking for vs breaking these teen girls hearts. Sure, they are going to have another dance free of charge to make up for it but the damage is already done. These girls already went home and had to be comforted by their parents I bet and these girls(if anything like I was as a teen) are most likely still upset about it even with the schools fix. I also find it interesting that the article did state that strapless dresses and dresses showing cleavage was acceptable..this makes me raise an eyebrow because to me the cleavage bearing is more concerning to me then a little bit of ankle and leg. As long you can't see butt when you bed over then the dress length is fine to me at least. Even as an adult I tend to try and make sure that my dresses aren't overly short..well, okay the dresses I wear when the little one is around at least.

Its fine and great to have rules but if you as a school are going to enforce them then make sure everyone is on the same page and KNOWS what they are doing..Seriously, this is yet again more proof that public schools aren't what they used to be..In fact, the school that my daughter had her test at just a few weeks ago they have a uniform policy. I was sitting in there in the nurses office while my little one took her hearing and vision test and there was a young girl there who was dressed in uniform but she came in pretty much blue booty shorts and was forced to change on spot then got called into the principles office..Goes to show you that just because there's a uniform that kids and parents won't become lazy and send their child to school not dress properly for their age or for school for that matter. From what I could tell the little girl who was in trouble was probably in sixth grade. I found it amazing that the little girl was even able to get outta the house in shorts like that unless she put a change of clothes in her backpack. Now, if the girls pictured were dressed in dresses that showed butt and were very, very short..I could see and understand the cause for alarm but nope, not with what these girls happened to be wearing..Again, public schools..how about we get our act together here and all be on the same page vs. ruling with an iron fist and hurting our children's feelings..

So, This morning I had the pleasure of reading yet another news article that yet again points out how insane the public school systems are becoming. Feel free to read: http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/pb-38-j-worst-weapon-kid-bring-school-215000284.html Yes, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich according to this school is considered a weapon..This I find interesting since you can't physically beat someone up with said sandwich. It is infact, creamy, yummy peanut goodness with a hint of sweetness with the jelly. I hardly see this as a weapon if anything I see this as a yummy treat, meal or even midnight snack.

Now, since we are in the process of starting our daughters testing and enrolling her into public school we as parents had a long conversation with her just this week infact because she wanted to know what she was allergic to, what Daddy was allergic to and what I'm allergic to. We as parents went over her allergies and made sure she understood why she can't have certain foods. In short, she's really only allergic to oranges and rasberries and only once did her one daycare mess up and give her oranges..Yes, she broke out..yes, we were a bit annoyed because it was on her paperwork but she had the weekend off so in the long run she had time to get over her reaction before returning to her daycare on Monday. Now, her reactions aren't that bad..just basically a rash thats not even itching to her but it looks horrible.

Anyways, whatever happened to parents educating their kids about their allergies and making them aware of it themselves. By the time your child hits kinder even first grade your child should know enough about their allergies and know how to use their words to where they should know how to not take something from someone. When we had the incident with the daycare our daughter was just learning how to use her words..so, she didn't know to speak up like she does now. I think in general the schools want to put these kids in a bubble. Why should every child be punished over one allergy? Again, my daughter has an allergy to oranges but I'm not yelling and screaming at the top of my lungs that all oranges and orange juice should be taken out of the schools. Yes, I understand peanut allergies are horrible as well..Infact, fish allergies can get pretty serious as well..I know this because my husband is highly allergic to certain types of fish. Its very rare to run into any adult who doesn't have an allergy of some sort. Realistically if you have an allergy you have to learn how to deal with it. Once you get into the workforce and even into college they aren't going say no one can have peanut butter just because you are allergic..Nope, they expect you to manage your allergy on your own. The other children shouldn't have to suffer because of everyone else. How about we go and teach these kids about how to manage their allergy and how to manage others having peanut butter around them. The earlier you teach your children about how to manage their allergies the better. Children do infact now how to handle themselves if you give them the shot to do so. A lot of these schools aren't even giving kids a chance to see if they can handle themselves instead they just put them in a happy bubble where they don't have to worry.

As a parent who has a husband who has allergies and a daughter who has a few allergies I do have to check out whats in what and be careful about both my children(yes, I did just include my husband in with my daugher-LOL) but still I keep an eye on what comes into this house and who eats what...Since I handle the grocery shopping I tend to be aware of things so of course, if I pack my daughters lunch she won't have anything she's allergic to in it and if I make dinner I make sure to avoid making certain fishes(unless my husband already has another dinner planned for himself). Now as of this week our daughter is aware of what she's not suppose to eat..and yes, I understand that kids do trade lunches and lunch items..I did so when I was a kid which is fine BUT if your child is educated and knows what they aren't suppose to have then they will know better then to trade one item for another one that they are allergic to.

In short, don't let the whole population of kids suffer because of allergies- give them a shot to use their voice and educate your children yourself about certain conditions they may regardless of what it is..Give our kids a shot to be responsible for themselves instead of just shoving them into a bubble..