Lookie LOO Some one new

What to expect when you have twins…

As a first time dad of twins, I had no idea what to expect. I can tell you that the last two years of raising these little monsters has been challenging and rewarding but mostly challenging. From the first day they were born when one stopped breathing in the hospital that night for a few seconds, it felt like minutes, apparently this is normal with a “C” section my wife says... I don’t know if this is true but if she said so, it’s true... So the first time they fell off the couch on my watch… He was all right just screamed bloody murder for a few minutes... no one was home so that one really didn’t happen… Now my all-time favorite, the infamous, where did all the bath toys go?? So I’m giving my twins a bath, they were still not mobile enough to crawl out but they could hold their own in 4 inches of bath water… I’m lying on the bed which is literally 5 feet from the door to the bathroom playing angry bird listen to them splash around and talk in their twin talk… After I had knocked down the kingdom with the bird that splits into three, I call for the wife to help me wrestle the little guys out of the tub and start the final leg of our long day which includes getting them in their jams, teeth brushing, a little song and dance, and then bed! As I’m empting the tub, I start to pull out all their tub toys and notice there are not as many as usual. I just assume that they are somewhere else or the wife moved them, I really didn’t know where they were at that point, I had just knocked down some crazy kingdom with this little bird and was now ready to get these guys put in bed for the night so we could get on with our night. Dinner is going and I’m watching something like hell’s kitchen or duck dynasty when I hear my wife laughing in the back room. She calls for me and I go in the bedroom reluctantly because after all, I just opened a beer and was watching some TV, nonetheless, I go into the bathroom where the kids just were and to my surprise, we have a toilet full of tub toys. The little monsters managed to lift the lid, throw all the toys they could into the toilet, and shut the lid without me hearing this... It looked like a little swimming pool for play toys, all red, yellow purple, you know toy colors... Well you know who had to retrieve them all and I can tell you it wasn’t the wife. At the end of the day the kids are great, my wife puts up with my shenanigans, and the routine of having twins continues. For all you singleton parents, you have no clue what it’s like being a parent of multiples…

Tooth Fairy Watch

Well its official the tooth is finally out! It’s been a long 5 weeks of worry and wonder hoping this damn thing would come out. When the new tooth is almost as tall as the baby tooth you know you've got to get that thing out. I didn't want to take her to the dentist to do it because I was afraid for her. I had a dentist yank one of my front teeth when I was a kid and I never forgot how that felt. Not something I wanted to force my little one to go through if I didn't have to.

So I made it my husband’s job! He had until Friday to get it out and managed to get it done two days early. I've been freaking out about this little tiny tooth about the size of a grain of rice coming out because Missy B was uninterested in wiggling it. I don't get that but she was.

Last night as I 'm reading a book to my son before bed I can hear my daughter yelling, I know what my husband is trying to do. I have to give him credit he was in there trying his hardest to not hurt her. I move on to singing songs trying to keep my son from hearing her, it seemed like she was getting a little louder and then I would sing a little louder.

Finally I hear nothing no cheering, crying, yelling, reading, Nothing! Ok so I'm thinking Nathan couldn't do it and let it be for the night. I'm in the kitchen when my husband starts shouting for me to come here you have to see this. I round the corner to find Nathan standing there with this tiny tooth with a gigantic root on it in his hand. Tears welled up in his eyes. My heart sank and then I was over joyed. That damn tooth was finally free; this momma doesn't have to worry about it anymore!

Bella is beaming ear to ear. She has blood on her cheek and an empty spot where a tooth used to be. She tells me it hurt but she's glad she didn't have to use the door to get it out. Bella and Nathan run me through play by play. At one point as it came out both of them had tears streaming down there face. But it's out and that's what needed to be done.

You know there are things that I can handle without a problem and then there are things I just cannot do and this was one of them. I made the joke hey I babied those teeth coming in, I can't handle them coming out. And that's the honest truth right there. She's got the second front tooth coming in now, I think she's grasped the aspect of wiggling it but we'll just have to wait and see. But this bad boy will be out before the 5 week mark that I can promise!

Have you ever had to pull your kids tooth? Any suggestions on how to make it less painful?

Rolling in the dirt

What is it with kids and Dirt? Ok so my backyard is a dirt yard, there are a few patches of grass but really it’s just dirt. My kids come in everyday from here a complete dusty mess with plumes of dust coming off their head and clothes.  We’re talking eyes, nose, and mouth crusted with mud and gravel literally falling out of their hair. I’m sick of it! It’s like my kids are rolling in the dirt, which I have actually seen them doing.  But damn they don’t need to swim in it.

Now I guess I’m a little to blame here, I let my kids get dirty. Play in the dirt, have fun, dig holes but do not cover your brother/sister in it please. That’s all I ask but nope they can’t even follow that rule.  There is not a kid in the neighborhood or family member that has come to our house and left our back yard clean. Kids do what they do but is it really necessary to coat yourself in it?

I already can’t keep up with the dust that is naturally here in this dry ass town but when you add my kids coming in brown as can be with a dusty trail left behind, I’m just fighting a losing battle. I’m done, if come to visit don’t expect me to dust, if you are dust sensitive don’t bother keep yo distance, my kids don’t normally dress like this but I’m sick of dirt stained cloths and forbid them to wear anything that resembles something normal in my backyard. If you flip out because your kids get dirty, do not allow them to come to play in my backyard.

I am sick of yelling get out of the dirt, quit rolling in it, get your dirty hands out of your mouth, do not dump dirt on you brother’s head and the dog! It’s a daily battle with my two. I mean I was cleaning dirt out of my son’s ears last night because he had been covered; oops I’m sorry son you can’t hear because there is a rock in your ear. I miss my Spokane backyard it was magical in the summer and full of grass I wish I could click my sparkly red heels and say there’s no place like home and bam we’d be back. No such luck, but it doesn’t stop me from daydreaming.

Do you have a dirt ball, kids that just gravitate to the dirt? Well I do and it SUCKS! Thank God for my washer and dryer because the laundry never stops here!

My dirty girl, and I mean that quite literally!

The Stinky Kid

I don’t want to have the stinky kid in class, but my son is getting to that age where he is just a stinky boy. If you have a boy you know what I mean. They just smell. Boys in general are gross.

Here are 5 things I have to remind my 7 year old to do daily to keep him semi clean.

5. Keep your damn fingers out of your mouth

4. Wash your hands after you go to the bathroom!

3. Quit playing, scratching, itching, touching squeezing your balls. I don’t want to see it and neither does anyone else!

2. Please lift both seats to the toilet up, and try and make it in the freaking in toilet. I don’t want to sit in or step in anyone’s pee not even my own.

And the number one thing I have to remind my damn son about every damn day about is….

1. Wipe your ass. For one if you don’t I have to see the skid marks in your underwear and that’s enough to make me vomit and two you will really be the stinky ass kid that smells like poo, and 3 you're gonna have itchy butt1

So these are a few things I try and remind my 7 almost 8 year old to do every day. At what age will he want to wash his hands and wipe his freaking ass?

Have you seen this?

Hey all you ugly truth's out there have you checked out our Let it all Out section? If not well then let me welcome you to the place where you can let it all fly. Air it all out and leave us questioning. Some times you just need a place to vent it. Feel free to drop by and bend our ear!

My Momma's Meal

30 minute or less meal idea

Doritos Taco Salad

Do you love the new Doritos Tacos from Taco Bell? Well Have I got a recipe for you! My mom made this for us growing up and we loved it. I have now started to make it for my family and they too love it. It’s easy peasy.

Things you will need:

1 lb of hamburger

1 package of taco seasoning

1-2 bags of nacho flavored Doritos

Shredded lettuce

1-2 tomatoes

1 bag of shredded cheese

Sour cream

Salsa

Guacamole if you like it!

Cook the hamburger and then mix in the seasoning. While the hamburger is cook prepare the veggies. Cut the tomatoes and I usually but a head of lettuce cause its way cheaper than the bagged shredded lettuce, shred the lettuce. Buy this point your hamburger should be done cooking mix the taco seasoning in as directed and let simmer.

You can either mix this in a small bowl or a large bowl. I like to do individual size bowls so everyone can add what they like.

I start with the bed of lettuce, next add meat, then cheese, next sour cream and guacamole, then the Doritos and finish it off with a little salsa.

Now you have one of my mom’s old recipes of Doritos taco salad! If you try it out let me know what you think!

We all need a break sometimes!

When was the last time you had a night out? Well if you’re anything like me it’s been a long long time. My husband and I moved back in February leaving behind most of our family and friends, the only people whom I have ever trusted to watch my children. I've been on the lookout for a babysitter but have yet to find someone who I feel comfortable and can trust to leave my kids with.

I go everywhere and do everything with my two rugrats. I'm a stay at home mom and I love my kids but damn this mom needs a break and a little fun. We've reached the point in our house where kids are running amuck, someone’s always crying because they got hit, hair pulled, pushed, bit or pinched and I'm in tears because I just want 5 minutes of peace and quiet to take a dump, yes I did just say that. I have a least one if not both of my kiddos in the bathroom at all times with me, heavens for bid I try and lock the door because that only leads to more screaming and banging on the door. I mean it’s really sad when your son pulls out a tampon and says, “Here momma put this in you butt!” Really?... Yes really.

My husband really does everything he can to try and give me a break even if it means he's cooking dinner, but really that just means more time that my kids are pawing at me and wanting my attention. I love it and I love them but sometime too much is just too much. I can only play so much, sing so much, and keep you occupied so much. We all need a break once in a while.

I couldn't imagine myself doing anything other than taking care of my kids but sometimes it sure is fun to daydream about life before the kids came. Oh to have a night out on the town with my hubs, no kids, no curfew, where I can sleep all day the next day. Yep that's exactly what I need. Just a little break to shed this momma uniform, put on a pair of heels, and remember who I was before I had kids. Shit I'd even take a come on over in your sweats, we'll wear heels, drink cheap wine, and wear red lipstick all while our kids are rolling in the dirt in the back yard. Hey a girls gotta dream ya know and I'll take what I can get.... hahaha.

Good times good times!  All I can say now is if you do have a sitter, someone who loves your kids as much as you. Use them any chance you can because there are those moms out there like me, who cannot even remember the last time they had a night out on the town.

Shit I don't even need the red lipstick, I'll just take the heels!

Sometimes you just need to say NO!

 

I ran across this and I'm sure plenty of you have seen it as well but it really hits home when you think about how rotten some kids are out there. We have demanding little shits that want everything under the sun, and heaven help you if you have Nick Jr or the cartoon network I'm ready to lose it over those commercials. Its to the point that my son is now asking  for the girls toys and pointing out what his sister should get and my daughter just wants everything she sees. I'm even getting the mom when can I get a cell phone? At 5, really? Ugh I remember my parents actually telling me no and having to work for something I wanted.

Are you a parent that gives in or do you stick to your guns when you say no? I know how often I give in to my little shits, but I do say NO when it calls for it.  None of us are perfect but we all need to work a little harder and teach out kids respect and values, after all they are the future!

Have you ever been bullied?

This is one subject that breaks my heart. Whenever I hear a story of someone being bullied I seriously tear up. Last night I was watching the X-Factor. The last girl to perform (on the first night), her story made me sob. This is one subject that touches close to home for me. I was bullied in elementary and junior high school. I was an easy target. I had a boy’s name, my hair was short so people always teased me that I was a boy and made fun of me. I was never a skinny kid or a popular kid. However, once I started to figure out who I was my personality made me shine. It did take a while I would say I was about 16 or 17 years old and I started to find myself. At which point I got self-esteem. My mom would say too much self-esteem. I didn’t look at it as self-esteem I looked at it as, I really don’t give a fly F&*k what anyone thinks of me anymore. I am glad to have got to that point in my life a lot of kids don’t. It’s sad.

One of my biggest fears for my son is to be bullied. I can still remember the heart break and the loneness I felt when kids would say mean things to me. When my son was in kindergarten I would drop him off at the kindergarten playground and watch him go play with his friends to make sure they were being nice to him and not picking on him. No one picked on him but what if they did what could I actually do? Nothing. What I would want to do is another story.

So to prevent my son from being bullied I try to keep him dressed nice with the coolest shoes, clothes, hats, and back pack. It’s very sad that it comes to this but I will do everything in my power to prevent my son from being a victim of bullying. As with preventing him from being bullied I will teach my son not to bully either. I tell him other kids are different and just because they are different doesn’t mean you should tease them or make fun of them. If his friends are over and he is trying to bully them I will intervene or if they are trying to bully him I will say something to them as well.

I know kids will be kids but if each parent would take a few minutes out of there life and teach their kids about the harm that bullying can do to a person on the inside, mentally maybe this world would start to be a better place.

So today I am asking you to take 5 minutes out of your day to talk to your kids to see if they are victims of being bullied. Also take a few more minutes and explain to your kid that just because people are different doesn’t give them the right to say, or be mean to other kids.

Look mom I drew a picture for you

My daughter comes running in the house, “Mom I made a picture of you, you have to come and see it!” I walk out the front door and Bella is telling me she found a rock that is like chalk, you can draw with it. She says, “I made a picture of you on the van.” I walk around the front of my Grand Slam Minivan to find my precious daughter had scratched a picture she claims is me, a flower, and something else into the driver side door of our van.  

My first reaction is to flip out like, “What the Hell were you thinking?”  But at that very moment I also realized something that made me pull back any anger and frustration I had with her. When we lived in Spokane our car was parked under our carport my daughter was never allowed to play around our vehicles. She found a rock drew on the ground with it and discovered that it marked on the concrete. She thought she’d make a pretty picture for me on the side of that van that I get in on. We had never taught our daughter or instructed her to not draw on the cars or that rocks can scratch, I couldn’t be mad at her for literally scratching the shit out of our car when we had never taught her any different.  

There are some things out there that we just don’t teach our kids, we throw them out the door and expect them to know the difference between right and wrong. Sorry but at 5 my daughter didn’t know that what she was doing was wrong. It’s easy for us to get frustrated and angry with our kids but are we really angry at them or are we angry with ourselves? Next time your son/daughter does something that just about pushes you over the edge ask yourself who are you mad at and did your child actually know that what they were doing was wrong?

Now I can say had I done this when I was a kid I would have had my ass handed to me. My mom would have whipped her flip flop off and wham bam fired my ass up. But I’m not my mom and I handled my situation exactly how I seen it. My daughter didn’t know any better, I sat her down and explained that what she did scratched our car, the picture she drew will not come off our car ever, and that she is never to take a rock or chalk or anything for that matter and draw on someone’s car.  Playing around the car, in the car, or near the car is unacceptable; she is to stay away from cars, ours and our neighbors.  That she understood. Has she done anything like this again? Nope.  Will she do anything like this again? I don’t think so. You can ask her if she is allowed to play around the cars and she’ll tell you NO, she’ll also tell you not to draw pictures on your car too.

Most people wouldn’t have handled this like I did and hey that’s ok too. I did it my way, probably way different than even her dad would have handled it, but how I approached her and explained to her that what she did was wrong, she understood. I felt like she understood and actually learned that what she did was wrong more so than what a spanking would have taught her.    

Trophy Wife

Ok, so I am not much of a trophy, but is it too much to ask to be a trophy wife. I just want to be that lucky lady that just gets to drop her kids off at school and pick them up. Go volunteer at the school and get my hair and nails done. Well and NOT work. I hate working. There are few things I hate and work is one of them. So my ultimate goal in life is for my boyfriend/husband to make enough money so I can stay home and we can still do fun things go on vacations and I can afford to get my hair and nails done and go to the gym and work on getting this trophy wife look together. I mean if I had the time and money I could be a trophy that’s for damn sure. But working all the damn time and then having to take care of the wifely duties gives me very little time for myself. So there for I am nowhere near being a trophy wife just yet. But I am working on this very big dream of mine. It will be happening sooner than later. At least that’s what I am hoping for.

Are you a trophy wife or do you want to be a trophy wife?

Is it really too much to ask for???

I need results!

So I had, had enough! I went to the school yesterday and maybe it was a good thing Landon’s teacher or principle were not in yesterday because I may have just made CNN headline news. Well not really I would never harm or hurt anyone but I really wanted to scream and yell and tell them how I felt about the way things had been going down at their school for the last 2 years and it wasn’t going to happen again this year. I let it slide for 2 years and now this is getting real. They are starting to learn more and my son is just falling behind more and more, my poor little love bug. I hate to see him not succeed. Maybe this is why he “HATES” school so much, it’s a daily chore to get him to go every day. I think him struggling has a lot to do with it, more so than I had originally thought.

So I go in and talk to the receptionist and let her know what is going on. She informs me that neither the principle nor the teachers are in today. Well we decide maybe we should get the principle involved but really should we go that far right now? Out from this little side room pops out a counselor and she has over heard my conversation with the receptionist and comes out and tells me what she thinks I should do. She says as a former teacher maybe I should wait and talk to the teacher before going to the principle because the teacher might be offended. I agreed. This teacher had only been Landon’s teacher for about 3 weeks, at this point she really has had nothing to do with why I am really so upset. So the three of us decide maybe we should email the teacher and go from there.

I leave a little more calmed down, at this point these people have felt for me and my son. They get where I am coming from and said if there was anything they could help with they would be more than willing.

I went and ran some errands got home and checked my email. His teacher had emailed me back already within 30 minutes from the Ohio airport. She emailed letting me know, that she has already started the process of getting him tested, to see if maybe he does have a learning disability. She too had noticed all the things I told her that he struggled with and she said she has noticed other things as well.

So let’s hope this is a process that will help and benefit my child’s education for the better!

Billie on Love and Logics

I started counseling a few months ago and one on my issues I wanted to work on was disciplining my son. I’m horrible with following through and the tactics my parents used with me are not working with my son. My boyfriend does the majority of the disciplining in our house, he’s the bad guy but my son listens to him. So with that being said my counselor recommended I take this new group parenting class that their center was offering called “Love and Logics.” I figured it wouldn’t hurt to take this class and if it taught me one new skill to use it would be worth it.  Worst case scenario I’d be getting out of the house by myself for a few hours a week. This class is a 6 week course once a week for 2 hours.

Well if you have heard or know anything about the “Love and Logic” method of raising your kids you will know what this post is about. However, going into this class I knew nothing about it. I am now 3 weeks in and have different emotions and views towards it.

Week one:

I walked out of class shaking my head; they instructed us to sing to our children when they are being bad. The song started off “Uh oh you made a bad decision” I can’t tell you the rest because well my son flipped out on me the moment I pulled this out and I’ve already forgotten it. This is pretty much what I got out of the first class. As soon as I got in my car I called Krystal. We’re doing it all wrong I tell her, we need to sing to our kids when they get in trouble. We joked and laughed because neither Krystal nor myself handle discipline this way. Maybe this can work for kids who are younger but my son who is 7, not a chance!

Week two:

They want you to let your child make their own mistakes, and let them think for themselves. Their look on things is if you let your kids make small mistakes as children that have minimal consequences, as they grow older they will have an understanding that if they make the wrong choice that they have consequences to pay. All in hopes, that your child will not make as many mistakes, as they grow older. I had a really had time with this one when I told them how I’m struggling to get Landon to school, he doesn’t want to go.  Their suggestion for me was let him stay home and figure out on his own that he has consequences for this. If I let my son stay home one day he’s going to try and stay home every day.  Sorry but I don’t want to land my ass in jail because he’s miss so much of school not to mention fall even further behind with his grades.  When it comes to school this is not an option for me!

Week three:

Use empathy when disciplining your kids. Not to start off yelling and screaming when something happens like we would naturally. Ok ummm I am a natural “yeller” so this is going to be hard, my natural instincts kick in and my words fly out LOUD!  But to use key words like “oh bummer” or “how sad” when your child does something wrong. I can’t make any promises but I’m willing to try.

This is just some of what I have learned, what sticks out the most. The general concept is great, some of the things are working with my son and I know some will not. I have tried some of these tips and let me tell you these things have really helped me from yelling all the time. Which in return leaves our household much quieter.

My boyfriend thinks this is going to make me more of a softer mom then I already am; remember he’s always the bad guy. I don’t know. It is nice though talking to other parents who are having the same issues with their kids as I am with Landon. We can share tips that have worked for us and ones that have not.

Have you ever heard of Love and Logics? Have you or someone you know taken a parenting class?  If you have, what did you think of it?

I just sent my kid off to school with a complete stranger

Do your kids ride the bus? Now I know for most people this is almost a silly, stupid question.You’ve all heard how Billie is a paranoid mom and now you will see my paranoid mom side. I’ve been trying to work with my daughter’s school to get her on the bus for the last 3 weeks it’s been a nightmare. My daughter’s school is being rebuilt so they are bussing all of the children to a fill in school. You would have thought with the rebuilding going on that they would have had the kindergartners situated from the get go. I mean we’re all freaked out about sending them and want to make sure that they are going to make it there and back.

All I’ve wanted was to put her on the bus to get her there and then I’ll do the parent pick up.Finally after no help from the teacher or the staff at school as I was dropping her off I marched right up to one of the buses to see if I could get any kind of information.Thankfully, the driver asked me to go back in and talk to the office staff and make sure they had sent my daughters information on to the bus barn.I’ve got time to kill so I make the dreaded journey back into school with my 3yr old. As I’m standing in line I realize that it’s another bus driver in front of me. Rather than dealing with the office staff again, I wait for the driver to finish and ask her if I can ask her a question. She had all of the info I was looking for except the time she would be picked up. She advised me to contact the bus barn and that they would be able to help me. Sure enough, as soon as I got home I called and finally got that taken care of. Bella was going to be riding the bus to school the next day.

Now here is where my paranoia kicks in. Bella has never been on a bus, never rode in a seat without a booster, she doesn’t know kids that ride the bus, and is she going to listen to the instructions the driver is going to give her. Not to mention I'm sending my kid off with a complete stranger in hopes of her making it where she needs to be.My daughter is small, very petite, and I’m terrified of another student picking on her or being mean.Now as her mother, I should know damn well my kid can hold her own. She has all along whether it’s her cousins, her brother, or the other kids in the   cul-de-sac. But I’m scared, actually more correctly is terrified,and all I’m trying to do is put her on a bus for the PM kindergarten with a bunch of other kindergarteners. I know I should relax a little, I mean damn I rode the bus both ways until I could drive, but I also know how I acted on the bus. OHH bad bad habits can be picked up. I’m nowhere near ready to put her on the bus coming home just the thought of it makes my chest tighten up.

Today is the big day. Bella is freaking ecstatic that she’s riding the bus today. All she keeps asking me is when are we going to the bus, stop how much longer until we leave? So the clock hits 12 and we’re walking out the door. I keep running over all of the rules of the bus I can remember. The biggest one being you need to listen to the bus driver when you get to school so you know where to go and you need to stay in your seat when the bus is moving. She quickly snaps back and tells me yea, well a kid at school says you can switch seats when the bus driver isn’t looking. Hmm I know who told her this and low and behold she’s a parent pick up, so not the kid I want my kid listening to if ya know what I mean.

We’re standing at the end of the street and my neighbor walks out, she’s knows this is a huge thing for me and she’s coming to watch it unfold. The bus pulls up, Bella hops on like she’s been doing this forever, me on the other hand am making the driver tell me her name and the schools he’s going to while I also explain she’s never ridden a bus before. He smiles and says not to worry I’ll get her there. He shuts the doors and I turn around with tears streaming down my face. My baby wants to grow up so much faster than I am ready for. My neighbor says, “Good thinking with the sunglasses momma, she’s going to be fine, don’t worry.” Worry is not the word for it, I’m freaking the F out!

Nater and I slowly make our way back to the house where the next hour I spend constantly checking my email, opps yea I already emailed her teacher and sent a note in her backpack firmly stating do not put my kid on the bus home I will be there to pick her up!

I’ve got 40 minutes before I’m supposed to pick her up. I’m anxious to hear how it went but also excited for her. She’s been asking since she was about 3,” When am I going to ride the bus?”Well honey you finally did it. Now as for sending her home on the bus, Nope nowhere near ready for that one! I’ll eventually get there just not today! Would it be silly of me to actually see if I could ride home with her just to make sure for my own benefit she knows where she’s going and what she doing? IDK.. We’ll see!

How sick is too sick to keep her home

All righty. Well we’ve managed to make it to (really) the first full week of school. Technically week 2 and my daughter is already complaining of a sore throat. She still wants to go to school but I also don’t want to look like a bad mom for sending her to school. This is something that I’m new at, she’s never gone to daycare or anything like that. At what point is it OK to send your kids to school sick and at what point do you keep them home? Obviously if there is a fever or throwing up you want to keep them home but I’ve always been that parent that if my kids are sick we’re home. We don’t go shopping or outside playing or visiting. I’ve never wanted to be the parent who lets her kids pass on a sickness to others.

My mommy instincts are telling me to keep her home because she’s not feeling well but in the back of my head I’m thinking, “No I need to send her, it’s the second full week of school. She’s getting her homework packet today, and well what happens if she really gets sick later and I need to keep her home?” I don’t want her to miss school unless she has too and unfortunately when my daughter gets sick, she usually gets really sick. 

I’ve asked her what she wants to do, and she wants to go. I’ve filled her with peppermint tea, given some cold medicine and Motrin. She’s dressed and ready to go, her hair is done, and she’s eaten lunch. As much as I want to keep her home I’m going to take her to school. I’ll let her teacher know what’s going on and if need be I will come back and get her or take her home then.

So I guess on that note: Load ‘em up we’re headed for school. I’ve managed to talk myself into keeping her home and then back to sending her to school all while I’ve written this. I tell ya these are the things that are not written in the parenting manual and we’re all out here just trying to figure it out on our own.

Now I ask at what point do you keep your kid’s home from school sick?

Do you wanna save some cash???

Billie’s Saving’s Tips

As most of you know I use to be a huge couponer. Some would even say I was extreme. I would get 6 Sunday papers just for the coupons I would occasionally buy coupons off e-bay if there was a good deal on something I knew my family would use. I would spend many hours looking for coupons and clipping and organizing my coupons in my coupon binder. I got my best friend Mellisa to coupon with me for a while and I also got my 2 older brothers into couponing as well. With that being said it was one thing I really had a passion for. I still do have a passion for it however it can be time consuming. When I was couponing to the extreme I did at home day care and it allowed me a little more time to clip and organize my coupons. Now that I am working again I cut back to only getting 2 papers on Sundays. My papers usually sit untouched for weeks at a time and then I decide after a couple weeks that I need to organize them and get them in my binder. So I will do that about every 3 weeks now.

Some people say the rush you get when you walk out of the store and you pay only tax is like getting high. It really is! The first transaction you make whether it be free tooth paste, tooth brushes, body wash or hand soap ETC. It is the best feeling in the world to know you can really still get stuff for free these days.

So with that being said I am going to give you some tips on how to start couponing or place/websites you can go to save money.

When I first started couponing, I honestly just googled how to start couponing? Well if you google that you will come up with a million websites on how to coupon, ideas, tips, ETC.

I found an amazing website that truly gave me the best details on how to coupon. They have many virtual classes from how to set up your binder to how coupons work and how to get the best deal. When I found this website they had I believe 32 virtual classes. I took a whole weekend and read every class and got the overall concept on how it all worked. The best part about this website is its FREE!

Check out www.weusecoupons.com

The next thing I did was find a local blog. Someone that is close to you that does match ups for grocery stores and pharmacies in your area. Here in Arizona I like to use cook coupon work. These local blogs should be free and take the hard work out of couponing. They will match the weekly sales with what coupons are out. There are a lot of blogs in Arizona I like this one because there is no drama or rude people (and believe me I have followed a few blogs that have some rude people on them which cause a lot of drama. Plus any where you have a lot of women there is bound to be some drama!) And the 2 gals that run the site Rachel and Susan are super nice and will answer any and all questions along with the people that follow their blog are equally as helpful! There are a number of people that follow this blog that don’t live in Arizona that still use the match ups. We have Fry’s grocery store which is an affiliate of Kroger. Most the sale are the same and most the time each region gets the same or similar coupons. They also do Walgreens and CVS match ups and I am pretty sure those sales are the same state to state. I could be wrong though. =)

*** The best thing to remember about using coupons at your local grocery store is to try and find a store near you that will double your coupons or make all coupons worth a dollar to get the most out of your savings.

www.cookcouponwork.com

These websites are also helpful and help you save money if you live in the Arizona area.

Arizona money savin mama

www.azmoneysavinmama.blogspot.com/

Alicias deals in AZ

http://www.dealsinaz.com

You can also find these previous 3 bloggers on facebook and get the latest feed right on your page to get the hottest deals when the start.

Daily deal sites- these sites have new deals everyday and the deals are usually SMOKIN HOT!

www.onesaleaday.com

www.nomorerack.com

Freebie sites

www.freebies4moms.com

If you know of any other coupon sites or blogs in other areas please feel free to leave a comment below so we can all check out these deals. If you check these pages out please tell them the ugly truth of motherhood sent you www.facebook.com/theuglytruthofmotherhood <--- copy and paste this in to your comment when you tell them who sent you!

*Disclosure I am not affliated with these website other then the face that I use them myself!

Hope you get some use from this tid bit of info!

A Shout Out!

Billie and I wanted to send a big shout out to all of our readers who have stuck with us. We started this blog in hopes of getting our friends and family chatting about motherhood. In the two months that we have been up and running we have discovered that we are gaining a huge following from over seas. With that being said we'd like to thank our Russian followers who are consistently reading our posts. We are gaining a following through Germany, South Korea, France, India, China, Denmark, Finland, and Canada. If you haven't discovered yet we also have a Facebook page and we'd love to invite you to friend us, https://www.facebook.com/theuglytruthofmotherhood?ref=stream. Again thanks to all of you who have stuck with us and as long as you keep on reading, Billie and I will keep on writing. After all, we're all in the same boat together call Motherhood!

Take a bite out of crime

Across the street from us used to live my daughters best friend Anna. Well due to a course of events mom and her girls have moved away but her dad is still my neighbor. He has never once said hi or even boo in our direction. On certain days Anna is visiting and always ends up at my house. The other night this was exactly what happened.

My daughter Bella, son Nate, and Anna are all playing outside. My husband, Nathan, had filled the pool up so they Across the street from us used to live my daughters best friend Anna. Well due to a course of events could play Barbie’s in it and he was washing one of our cars. Nathan had just finished up and was putting away the soap and bucket. All of a sudden we hear a scream and see my daughter running through the front door. "Nate bit Anna!" Now the thing about this is Nate loves Anna, she's his little crush; she brings him rocks and flowers over all the time, so this is very abnormal for my son to do something like this to Anna. Now mom, dad, and sister, yes we've all suffered the wrath of a bite from him but he's never bit anyone else ever. Anna comes running in and she's crying holding her arm. I ask to see it and sure enough my son bit the shit out of her. Full mouth of teeth wide open. I immediately grab the ice and get an ice pack going. I'm freaking out my son just bit someone and he didn't just bite he almost drew blood! It looked as if he was trying to take a chunk out of her arm.

Now I've got to bit the bullet and walk Anna home and explain this huge bite mark on her arm to her dad, mom is not there. Oh shit what's mom going to say? I don't want to do this but as a parent we've all got to buck up once and a while and take care of business. So I grab Anna’s hand and walk her across the street. My daughter is tagging along as moral support, she's telling Anna don't worry I'll bite my brother back really hard for you. "Um no Bella that’s a no a, no one is going to bite anyone!"

I knock on the door and wait, my heart is racing. I've never had one of my kids hurt someone else before and I'm am not ok with biting at all. Dad comes to the door and I explain everything, show him the bite mark and explain this is going to leave a mark and I am so sorry. I see his face kind of glaze over and I know he's thinking what the hell am I going to tell her mom. He thanks me for coming over and leaves it at that. But I'm still worried about mom. I have had my daughter bit like this before, once in the face, and I was livid! So I'm expecting a knock on my door once mom comes to pick her up. GREAT!

I come back home to find my son crying in his room where he's been sent by dad. Nathan explains to me that Anna was hitting Nate with a stick that’s why he bit her. He says I didn't spank him I just sent him to his room until dinner. Now for my son he took this as he was not getting dinner and that was almost as harsh a punishment as a spanking would have been. My husband and I are debating back and forth the getting hit with a stick and biting for it. Hands down I say biting is a No No and you should never bite anyone, but my husband seen it as he got hit with a stick and he defended himself.

I glance out the window and see mom pulling in to pick up her girls. I quickly rush out the door. I felt the need to catch her before she came banging on my door. I explain everything all over again, the bite, the ice pack, talking to dad, it’s bad and I am so sorry. She thanked me very much for letting her know, told me they would watch it, and that kids do things like this. I'm pretty sure she was still pretty pissed, she hadn't seen the bite yet but she left it at that. And the thing is kids do things like this but it still doesn't take away the fact that my son left a mark on her that I'm pretty sure it not going anywhere for a while. He hurt her, stick hitting or not and I am not ok with that at all.

How would you have handled this situation? What is an acceptable punishment for biting?

10 more ugly truths about US from US

5 ugly truths about Krystal by me....Billie

5.  When Krystal’s had a few cocktails she can play a mean tambourine!(I do it’s yellow and that was the best gift my mother in law ever gave me. I say a ching ching ching goes the tambourine)

4. She got married at the Hitchin Post… seriously who does that? Krystal and her husband!

3. Krystal bribes her kids with snacks so they stay quiet so we can talk on the phone about the blog, or just shoot the breeze.

2. She is probably one of the shittiest best friends anyone can ever have!

1. She will probably never tell her daughter how many times she showed her boobies in the bar on a drunkin’ night. (Nope I will NOT!)

 

5 ugly truths of Billie by meeee…Krystal

5 Billie’s car has never been clean and probably never will be..

4 On bad days Billie just wants an icey, it’s like a cold flavorful burst of happiness in her mouth!

3 In her 20’s Billie was the wildest craziest party girl you’ve ever seen and now in her 30’s she’s the biggest prude you’ve ever seen.

2. When Billie sweats it smells like cheeseburgers.

1. Billie will come across as a Bitch when you first meet her, but once you crack through that hard core you realize how amazing and funny she really is! I say this because that’s actually what I thought when I met her.

Is that poop or chocolate??

The other night before putting the kids to bed my husband is sitting in the recliner reading to our two kids. He nonchalantly says someone smells like poop. My daughter pipes in it's not me, I think it’s Nate. Nate says not me I’m not poopy. Nathan says well something smells like poop. He doesn’t even look in my direction to question me; I’m sitting on the couch just watching this unfold. My daughter is down on the floor trying to smell her brother’s butt; she says I still think its Nate. Who at this point yells, “No Bella I’m not poopy!”

 

It’s time for bed and, no Nate’s not poopy. Nathan puts him to bed first and I go to put Bella to bed. Hmmm something is wet on my foot. I got to lay down next to my daughter to talk to her about the next day and I feel something wet on my other foot. I take a look down to find I have stepped in some dog poo along the way. Ok now I’ve told you before I have a mouth like a sailor I try very hard to keep this from my kids but at this moment I’m vomiting swear words out the mouth. My husband thinks that this is as funny as can be. He steps into my daughter’s room to see what’s going on, OH look there’s dog shit on the bed and Bella’s comforter. Nice I’m in the bathroom scrubbing my feet with profanities echoing off the shower wall.

My husband tosses her bedding in the washer and goes back to Nate’s room I walk in telling him you know this really isn’t funny, you just wait until it happens to you. I turn to walk out of the room and my husband loses it, he’s laughing and I can’t understand what he’s saying. So naturally I start to laugh with him, he stops me and says no you don’t understand you have poop on your pants, you sat in it. I twist to look back and sure enough, my puppy shit on the couch and I sat in it and didn’t even notice. Ok the last straw hand been plucked I was ready to cry, really you’re going to laugh at me like this and not even freaking offer to get me a clean pair of pants while I clean this shit up!

By now my daughter is back up both kids are running amuck. I get my son settled in his room and Nathan is trying to get Bella back in her room and in bed. I can hear them but can’t make out what they’re saying. Ok now both kids are back in bed and settled for the night.

Later my husband comes to me and say’s you’re never going to believe what your daughter said to me. I was like ok what. He say’s I told Bella to get in her room and she looks at me smart as can be and says, “What dad I’m not the one with shit on my foot!” It took him everything not to lose it right there and bust a gut. Nathan’s next famous line rolls out, “Bella bed now!”

Ugh hearing your kids blurt out some random profanity is not the end of the world but it’s also something you don’t want them running around saying at school, to their friends/family, or in a store. We’ve tried very hard to explain that these are adult words and it’s very ugly for little girls to say words like that. But still the fact that she so matter of factly threw it out there and used it correctly does make me a little proud LOL. Shhh don’t tell grandma!

Every day is backwards day in my house.

My little boy is truly a character. He does some of the most random things that have me busting at the seams. Lately he has started wearing his cloths backwards. Now when it started with his pants I could understand he’s still new to the whole going potty and feels like he needs to shed his shorts and undies to do it. He sometimes will let me help and others he won’t so it’s not surprising to see when he comes out that he has his shorts on backwards. I just laugh and leave it at that. That’s a battle that I’m not choosing to fight. Hey dude you want to wear them like that then go right ahead. Chances are that at some point you’re going to end up turning them around on your own or you’re going to get so dirty that I’m going to have to change you anyway. So he started with wearing his shorts backwards then moved on to wearing his underwear backwards as well. Now little boy underwear are just funny in general but throw them on a 3yr old backwards with a chubby little ass eating them like a thong and that’s a recipe for a big ole belly laugh. The shorts I don’t mind but really the underwear have got to be uncomfortable, so this when I do see it, I try and fix. But honestly if I’ve got to fight him to do it then by all means, let your ass eat your underwear. Well, as I’m sure you can imagine my little one has now graduated to wearing his shirts backwards as well. I seen him coming and tried to stop him but he was bound and determined he was going out front with daddy. I tried to change it but the moment he told me no momma I did it, I threw my hands in the air and sent him on his way. Is it really so bad to let your kids wear their cloths backwards? I won’t take mine out of my cul-de-sack like this but if it’s just playing outside what’s the big deal really. I say it’s one less fight I have to have with him and we both win. He got himself dressed and I don’t have to take the credit for it. All I can say is it is what it is, if you're going to wear it rock it!