Scrubs?

Remember the whole incident with the concert? When I talked about the contact lens that fell apart...and I had to drive with a pirate eye patch on one eye? Well, that same day I went to the mall to get a pair of eye glasses. My eye was too iritated to put on contacts. Actually, I haven't worn contacts since. I don't have a pair anyway, but I wouldn't wear them anyway. My eye is still healing.

So at the eye center I went to, I noticed something strange. All the women were wearing scrubs. You know, NURSING scrubs. Now this is a common practice in hospitals, dentists offices and other health facilities, but this is no doctor's office. Then I remembered that the year before, I had noticed that some of the women that worked there were young. No big deal, except they were dressed inappropriately. Now, how are you going to work with the public in a professional atmosphere with a thong that's visible every time you bend down or a plunging neckline? I guess I wasn't the only one that thought, "WHAT THE?!?!" It may seem strange, but I guess it works. I'm sure it saves the employees from having to spend money on "work" clothes and eliminates management issues with "proper attire". The scrubs were nice, but it was just weird. Scrubs always remind me of the weeks I spent living in the hospital with the kids with their bouts of pneumonia, meningitis and asthma. Horrible memories, but we survived.

You know, requiring certain professions to wear Scrubs may not be such a bad thing. At least we wouldn't have to be exposed to some ridiculous fashion CATASTROPHES!

The Princess

Here is the picture of The Princess as promised. She lost her two teeth! Her grandmother took her to Walmart for this portrait. She was nice enough to give me some of the pictures to share. I finally got my printer - scanner - copier hooked up to this computer. I was able to scan the picture for all of you.

So Besty....doesn't she look cute?

A TV Product I'm Keeping My Eye On

There are times that I experience long bouts of insomnia. During these times, I end up memorizing infomericals that air on all the channels. TV products, weight loss pills, workout videos and exercise equipment reign at these wee hours of the morning. I've seen lots of commercials and even purchased a workout video that I use now and again. It was a sad exisitence for awhile. Well, that was all before I owned a computer.

Some of those TV products are really worthwhile. I don't know about those vaccuum bags that supposedly triple your space, but I did try the gizmo that doubled your closet space by arranging your hangers vertically instead of vertically. Unfortunately, I hung too many outifts and broke them.

There is one gadget that I may eventually buy. It is the one touch can opener that is safe for the kids. You know we have FOUR CATS now. Yeah, the kids convinced me to get 3 kittens at the same time. Anyway, I don't let them open the cans because it's dangerous. This can opener opens on the side and doesn't leave sharp edges. This TV Products For Less sells the One Touch Can Opener for less than the TV commercials. At 18.95, you can not only pay less, but receive your purchase sooner. I seriously keeping my eye on this. The Little One is getting into everything. I don't need anymore trips to the ER. It's the carelessness of the older kids that worry me. After all, there are 7 of them and just one of me!

Easy Come, Easy Go!

The Diva is driving me nuts. All she wants to do is see The Jonas Brothers. Three times wasn't enough! Now she wants to go see them in Manhattan. We'll see. Maybe I'll take her. It all depends on the day and time. School is starting soon and I need to buy them lots of clothing, sneakers and school supplies. You know the drill.

I'll be writing lots to make the money to pay for all of it. I'm going to be really, really busy!

After Season Sale!

After season sales are where you should be if you want to buy items for seasons that don't last very long....like summer! This is when you can get the lowest rockbottom price. So if you have your eye on item, wait and check back often...to get it on clearance!

So, in the spirit of sales and clearance prices...there is a site that has a clearance on some garden items. Apparently, they overstocked and need to make room for Christmas merchandise. That means savings for you.

These garden gnomes are on sale, but with the coupon code: (gnome-bloggers), you will receive an additional 10%! or any other item. After surfing the site, my favorite items are the stepping stones and the garden fountains, but we all remember Little One's dive into the garden fountain... Both of the items are beautiful. If I had the money, I would definitely buy one. Unfortunately, as you know...I will be paying for braces for two of the dwarves very, very soon. Take advantage of the coupon code. It's good until April 1, 2007. Visit the site and see if there is anything you want or need. There is nothing like getting a great sale. It's the thrill of the hunt!

Save The Date Cards

Ever heard of the expression, "You learn something new everyday"? Well, this rings true in my life. When you surf the net, you always learn something new. Unfortunately, I came across some things that I wouldn't mention here. Unlike the library, the internet is not protected from "adult content".

Anyway, there is something new I can share. This is new to me, but it may not be for some. Being surrounded by kids and teens, not having much interaction with adults...it keeps me out of the loop of what's new in the real world. My world consists of The Disney Channel, The Jonas Brothers and Myspace...my younger kid's and teen's interests. I digress.... Back to the topic of a new discovery, Save The Date Cards. Now, I really didn't understand the concept of Save The Date Cards, so I went to a site to do a little research.

What are they and what are their purpose?
Let's say you were proposed to and you accepted. You and your beloved decide on a date right away. Your freinds and family live all over the world. You have relatives in Europe, the states and even the Caribbean that will be attendng. What do you do? You can send Save The Date Cards to all your guests, so that they are aware of the plans that are underway. Obviously, they are sent way before the wedding invitations. The nice thing about this particular site that I used as an example is that they can coordinate your Save The Date Cards to your wedding theme/colors or they can be fun and witty. It's all up to you. I guess I better get acquainted with all of these things. My oldest is 18 and time goes by sooo quickly!

Rumors

Before I registered on payperpost.com, I did a google search on the company and the owner. I usually do this to check a site's legitimacy. What did I find? A huge controversy involving Mr. Ted Murphy. What was it all about? A and B-list bloggers were all upset about his new internet marketing company that was....*GASP* going to pay bloggers to post ads on blogs. How dare he? Reading through all the whining and slander, I came across some silly information.

Now whether or not some of this is true...only Mr. Ted Murphy knows. I just thought it was irrelevant. One blog stated Ted Murphy was a rich spoiled brat that had started a company with Daddy's money. What's wrong with that? At least he's not lounging around! Hello!!!! He's working! Another blogger implied he was defiling the integrity of the blogger. What??? Blogger.com is being used to peddle porn sites. Those are evil bloggers that defile blogging! Making a couple of bucks for writing a few words and posting a link is honest work for honest pay.

Want to start a rumor? Well, check this out. I was telling my mom in Puerto Rico how I get paid to blog. I told her that I wrote an offer about a windfall. She asked me why? I told her it was a piad offer. We got to talking and she thought that if this guy was really a millionaire, that his objective for that post was to bless someone by making their post come true. That's a wild thought. My father used to read the Daily News in NY and he loved the column written by the rich guy that granted people's requests. Of course, the column ended up becoming a parade of sob stories, but it was cool anyway. Kind of like the idea of Robin Hood.

Anwyay, if you ask me about Ted Murphy...this is my opinion. See a Need, Fill a Need...you can tell I have kids, huh? Yes, for those of you with kids...this was the mantra of the main character in ROBOTS . In this case, it rings true. He took advantage of a great opportunity and many people are kicking themselves for not thinking of it first. Oh well, cest la vie!

Need Help Planning Your Wedding?

If you are getting married, this is a site you need to visit! This great wedding resource is full of articles to help you plan your fairy tale day. They cover everything from hiring the perfect wedding photographer to choosing the appropriate wedding dress. They even have an article that can help you pick the perfect Indian wedding dress! Don't know anything about the groom's cake? Actually, I don't either. Well, their wedding tips can teach you what you need to know.

This is a great resource for anyone that is planning a wedding! If I decide to ever get married again, I will definitely refer to this site. I also like the fact that Online-weddings.com has great wedding ideas. It has a sister site that sells wedding invitations and other necessities. So what, you're thinking?! If you purchase $100.00 in merchandise, they set you up with your own wedding web site! Isn't that an innovative idea! They provide a free wedding web site for you and all your guests, where you can display the pictures of your special day. Marketing GENIUS!

Do You Think This Really Makes a Difference?

It's 11:05pm and I just read about Tom Cruise's consequence. Consequence? Apparently, Paramount didn't find his behavior this past year "appropriate" and so they decided to cut ties to his movie company. Does this mean he is out of work? No, a three time Oscar winner and the most well known scientologist...this is just a bump in the road. Such a powerful man doesn't just roll over and die. Apparently, a new project has some big backing from some independent financers that Paramount doesn't approve of.

In the end, he will always make it. No matter how much the people freaked out over his couch jumping and the tabloid headlines of his maniacal control freak hndling of Katie and the baby, Tom Cruise will continue to make movies and sell tickets. His scientology friends will always help him out. It's a profitable and powerful group that he belongs to..

Work from Home With blogsvertise.com!

Here is a great site that pays you to blog. Blogsvertise.com is a site I just found through a forum I frequent. They pay you to blog!

What tools do you need?
You must have two things. The first is a blog...of course, the second necessary tool is a paypal account.

What do you need to do?
After signing up and being approved, you will be given a site to write about. You need to write a paragraph of about 50 - 60 words about the site and provide a link three separate times. All you have to do is mention it. You can write about a story in your life, about the service in a positive or negative light. It's up to you, as long as you post three links in your blog.

What happens next?
Once your post is approved, you must wait 30 days for payment. After 30 days, if the post is still on your blog and all the requirements are still in place, Blogsvertise.com will put your payment in your paypal account. What do I like about this site? They pay $10.00 per post! If you write 10 posts, you make $100.00! Not bad for 50-60 words and a few minutes of your time!

If you want to go on that great vacation, pay off your debt or make some money to treat yourself and the kids....you need to sign up with Blogsvertise.com and start blogging for pay! You have nothing to lose and money to gain!!!!

Good luck and feel free to leave me a message or email with any questions!

Sleepless Nights?

You bought a new bed. You lost weight, but you still have a sore neck and back pain. After visiting the doctor, you have a clean bill of health and still no explanation for your extreme back pain. What should you do? Have you thought about seeing a chiropractor? Beed more info about Physical therapy in New York?

For more information on New York Physical therapy ,click on the link read about it on spine and sports.com.

Have a good night's sleep that is back pain free!

Happy Birthday Comedian!

My first biological child was bron today, 14 years ago! I can't believe how fast time goes by! He weighed a little over 6 lbs. He was born several weeks before his due date. He was original due date was Sept 13, which turned out to be The Little One's birthdate ...9 years later!

Anyway, it was a long arudous labor. I was at a coworker's wedding when the labor pains started. They started right before midnight on a Saturday. They continued through Sunday. By Monday they were a little over an hour apart. By Tuesday, I couldn't see straight. Unfortunately, I was dilated. What did they do? the hospital sent me home. They sad it might not be another week...ot two! Anyway, I was going through pain for all those days without sleep or food. You know what sleep deprovation does to a human, now add the pain of labor. On Tuesday evening, I went to the hospital and grabbed the doctor by his shirt. Ya think I was delirious? I told him, he better admit me and take this thing out of me...because I wasn't leaving. I pretty much looked like the excorist by then. He told the staff I was delirious from sleep deprivation and pain and told them to admit me. They broke my water on Wednesday and then he was born. I thought I would never have another baby....I was giving birth 11 months later to The Diva. Huh, who knew?

That's the short version of his birth. Their were complications, a little problem with distress and the issue with the umbilical cord that was wrapped around his neck several times...as well as tied into a pretzel in certain sections...but it all turned out ok.

Here is my Comedian. Happy Birthday! Mommy loves you very much!

My Pregnancies

Many people assume that I had so many kids because I had easy labors. People have commented how they too would have had more kids if it had been painless or less complicated. Let me put all those assumptions to rest. None of my pregnancies or labors were easy or painless. Each had their own unique situation. Two of my pregancies were spent fighting their father in court. He cheated on me, left me broke (all the bills, car payments and credit was in my name) and then took me to court to NOT pay child support. Oh and he also wanted to try to break me...by TRYING to take custody of the kids. FAT CHANCE!!!

Here are the symptoms, the complications and the labors. I'll elaborate on each one separately on future posts.
1. First child, morning sickness until I gave birth- severe vomiting and I worked full time. Migraines, drowsiness and pre-term labor. He was born a month early.
2. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer, many complications...Experienced pre-term labor and she was born over a month early with meningitis.
3. Series of ear infections, antibiotics gave me yeast infections?!?! Unquenchable thirst, drowsiness and migraines. Born on his due date, but was huge!
4. Pre-term labor throughout pregnancy. The idiot left and dragged me threw court to complicate matters. Was born early, chronic asthma...
5. Pre-term labor, infections, nausea, rapid weight gain, indigestion, severa drowsiness (and already had a million kids at home) and was then overdue after brethine was prescribed. Nightmare labor...weighed 9lbs 4 1/2 oz. After that, I lost the desire to ever have another baby!

Believe it or not, I have met people that have had it worse. One pregnant girl had 5 kids at home and was hospitalized due to severe dehydration due to morning sickness-the vomiting. She was on an IV and had to stay in the hospital. Thank God for good moms. Her mother helped her husband with the kids. A few people I know developed diabetes. There are so many things that can go wrong... We just have to thank God for the good and the bad because it can always be worse.

What's the best part of pregnancy? The shopping. I love to buy little tiny pink or blue outifts. Back then, I was oblivious to the internet. Today, I would be very dangerous! There is one site that I have written about on my other site Gift Giving Made Easy. They have the most beautiful diaperbags. They also have beautiful baby clothing, shoes, gift baskets and even maternity clothing for you. Tutti Belly Maternity has creative products like the belly belt, so that you can wear your favorite jeans during your pregnancy. They also have trendy maternity clothing, for those moms that still want to keep up with the latest fashions. I love this site. The products are so beautiful. Makes me want to have another baby.....well not really, but I can't wait to buy one of these for a new nephew or new niece...
******That was a hint Betsy!!!*****

Would You Consider this a Dark Secret?

I knew someone that was dating fiancee for years and was shocked to find out a little secret before the wedding. I wonder how many people would change their plans because of a little secret? This one was not an earth shaking secret...at least I didn't think so. It's not like finding out your groom used to be a woman or your future spouse was convicted for stalking Courtney Love? It was something that had been forgotten.

Back when hair transplants first started, they were questionable and made out to be a big joke by many. I didn't understand until someone explained that hair transplants used to entail taking out hair from certain places on the body and putting it on their receding hair line. Yes, this was confirmed one night. I was suffering from a stomach malady and stumbled across a hair transplant infomercial. Today technology is more advanced and this is not the norm. But when this certain girl's husband to be had it done....it was. I don't know how it got out, but his friend's knew and were making him the butt of the joke and that's when she found out. Let's just say that they were being crude and crass. The joke entailed putting her hands through his hair, with the knowledge that it should be "where the sun don't shine". That's a lot of ridicule to bear for the sake of not being bald. Hey, everyone does what they feel they have to because of their self image. Women have their eyebrows threaded, their legs waxed and their bodies wrapped in sea weed. We all undergo some ridicule and pain to look good.

What happned? She married him and are still happily married. I didn't think that something like that should have made such a big difference, but some people are fickle....

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The Jonas Brother's Concert Nightmare!

It seems that I find ways to complicate my life. I don't mean to make things more difficult, but sometimes I feel Iike I am living in an I Love Lucy episode. You think I watched too much TV growing up?

Here's what happened. Since we got lost and The Diva missed the whole Jonas Brothers' concert, I decided to make it up to her. She found out that they were having another concert at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville NJ which would take us fours hours to get there. Why so long? Before going to a concert, I have to go to the Bronx to leave the other kids with my sis. That now becomes the starting point. Of course, me and my big mouth...I suggested she give them gifts. That turned into a whole mission. I suggested she give them something they could wear...like Tshirts. So, we had to go to ACMoore to buy an iron on transfer kit. Then she had to get the perfect picture followed by the perfect saying. It became a 24 hour project and I am not including the 8 hours we slept. What a nightmare!!!!!!!

Being so unprepared last time, I told her to call her grandmother to borrow the camera in advance. She got it the day before. What did she do? Took a million pictures of herself. Anyway, I bought three packs of batteries. I didn't want the batteries to die before she finished taking pictures. She had to have the perfect outfit, which turned into about $500.00 worth of clothing. I stumbled across some sales: Timberland shirts size 8-20 boys $4.49, Rocawear boys $4.99 and Timberland shirts for men $9.99. I decided to do the back to school shopping and get it over with. Who can pass up G Unit, RocaWear, And1 and Timberland at those prices!!! Anyway, I printed up the directions, even the return trip! I thought I had all the bases covered. The night before, we I went to bed at 1:30am trying to print the iron transfer on the computer correctly. She went to sleep at 3am after she finished printing her iron on transfer.

The next day became a series of disasters, one after the other. The iron on transfers had to be perfect. She called someone we know that has a machine that does it in seconds. The machine was broken...so I had to do it. We are both perfectionists so I knew it wasn't going to be a good mix. Then she still didn't have all the components of her "perfect outfit". We still had to buy a birthday bag, her leggings and the batteries. She wanted to go to the mall. I opted to go somewhere closer. Actually, she was asked to be a model in the store's fashion show, which we wanted to attend...but after all the expenses...we had to pass. I haven't gotten to that one yet.

We go on the road and hit traffic...repeatedly. We get to my sister's house and The Diva makes me blow dry my hair. Like anyone cares what I look like??? Whatever. I did my hair and we went on the road... We hit traffic again, but we were doing good time. After paying a million tolls, we got to the last three steps of the trip. It should have taken minutes instead we got lost for 45 minutes! Not to mention, there were several detours due to car accidents....just my luck! We arrived 45 minutes late ...again! I was convinced we missed it. We get to the door and I show the tickets to the bouncers. I tell them we got so lost, this is the second time we miss their concert. The guy tells me they haven't performed yet!!! Then he made my year...he asked me for ID....to make sure I was 21!!!!! He wouldn't take my word for it! Really... what a gift!

She got to see the whole concert, got to meet them..and they remembered her, she met their parents and took pictures. About the pictures, she wasted the rechargeable batteries taking pictures of herself. No problem, I brought extra packs, right? No, apparently they weren't strong enough and the camera kept shutting off. Luckily, I had packed a disposable camera...which I haven't developed yet. Think that's the end? No!

After midnight, they finally left. That's when we left too. My contact lens was bothering me and it wouldn't stay in place. I couldn't see. Since we were in the middle of nowhere, we followed them out of the place to get to civilization. I figured I would find a gas station. Guess what? They were all closed. I needed contact solution and quickly! After 15 minutes of driving aimlessly, I cam across a Quik Chek. They had saline which I purchased. I took the lens off and couldn't put it back on. It had scratched my eye badly. I didn't have my glasses, which are really old...but I carry for emergencies like this. Long story short, I had to drive with only one contact lens. What's the big deal, right? Well, my vision is really bad...try -5.75! I can't see without my contacts and driving at night with only one eye (I had to cover the other one with a pirate patch I bought the Diva at the concert-long story). With a prayer, I made it home. But ho was I going to drive upstate? I ended up driving my sister to drop off the kids, then to her job and the bank and then back home-with an old pair of her glasses that had the wrong prescription. What did I do? I had to drive straight to the mall and a pair of glasses. My eye was too scratched to wear contact lenses. I spent $115. for the eye glasses, $115. at the Children's Place for The Princess' back to school shopping, $25.00 at Kaybee Toys and then there was the "I'm hungry and thirsty" run. All in all, that concert cost me a ton. They're going to be at Rockaway NJ giving a free concert, which she wants to attend. Nope, I don't think so. I need to recuperate financially from the last two concerts!

I'll post the pictures of The Diva and the Jonas Brothers as soon as they are developed!

Thinking About NYC...

The more I take The Diva to events like the concert and we frequent NYC, the more I want to move. Since the pay for blogging is going unusually well, I told the kids about the idea I was mulling over. If I can pay all the bills off as well as the minivan, then I will consider renting a studio apartment. It makes sense. They want to take acting, dance and comdey lessons. My niece wants to be a designer, so we can add that to the list. We could commute to the city on the weekends and then stay there without inconveniencing anyone. It's a great plan, I just hope it al works out. I love our home, but I hate the isolation. Besides, the kids and I love the city life and showbiz!

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5. recently resurfaced tennis courts.
6. a gym.
7. a full size basketball court.

Makes you want to pick up and move...

Let's Talk About This...

I'm not obsessed with plastic surgery, but I have to admit one thing. There are times when it is a huge improvement, not only for health reasons but for overall appearance. One specific instance is Ashlee Simpson. The girl had a huge nose and it was just wrong. It looked like it had been broken and healed without being set correctly. When she got her nose done, I couldn't help but think...."I'ts about time". The only weird thing is that now, she looks like her sister's clone. Yup, and everybody is thinking....we know who was born with the natural beauty and who paid for it. Not that she wasn't beautiful, it was just that her nose was in the way. That's kind of the way I feel about Owen Wilson. I spend most of the time staring at that nose.

Let's talk about Jay Leno. Every time I see him, I swear he's going to belt out,"It's mac tonight!" Anyone remember those Mickey D's commercials? Umm...what an unusal face um..chin he has?!?!

Anyway, I think it's great that everyone that's famous is different. That's why I love India Arie songs. Imagine if we all looked "perfect"?!? That would be....B_O_R_I_N_G!!!!

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The Diva Meets The Jonas Brothers

Wednesday was a very hectic day. I had to take the kids to summer school, take The Diva to get her hair done, make sure there was food for Sleepy Dwarf and then drive several hours to take The Diva to Staten Island for a Jonas Brothers concert. It didn't sound too complicated until a million other things came into play.

First, the hair stylist no longer works at the salon we frequent. So, The Diva sat with a girl that took, well...a long time to do her hair. I had just gotten a trim without getting my hair done, so I looked like a crazy person. The time spent there made us have to go straight to the school, where I had to speak to the summer school principal. The Comedian thought it would be funny to crack jokes in class. The laughing students caused a disruption in the class...DUH??? Well, he got suspended for a day...again. He caused the same disruption the last time. He needs to go to an Improv class or something. He reminds me of Jim Carrey... Anyway, I went to Wendy's got them something to eat for everyone, packed up the car, got ready and the phone rings. The (Mary Kay)director I had been trying to meet up with since Monday, was leaving this Friday. If I wanted the products, I had to go to her home that moment. Now that adds to my schedule. Great. So, The Diva decides to ask her grandmother to meet us, so that she can borrow her digital camera. That tagged on more time, but I still had time... Except, I got lost getting to the director's house and her grandmother took awhile to get to us. Still cutting it close...

Finally on the road! Whew! Can't wait to start the long trip and then right before the entrance of a highway...an accident. That made us have to detour right into a traffic jam that took us 30 mintues to go through two lights! Finally on the highway and we encounter several more accidents. Get to the city, drop off the other kids with my sister and commence our trip to Staten Island. Encountered even more accidents and horrible directions from Rand McNally. What's up with these computer direction sites? I brought money with me to buy The Diva some posters and stuff and I spent it on tolls that were not even mentioned on the sites. They didn't even mention we would be going over:
1. The WhiteStone Bridge $4.50
2. The Triboro Bridge
3. The Verazano Bridge $9.00
and I had already paid $6.00 on the George Washinton Bridge?? I also had to fill up the tank...twice. It was insane. The worst part is we took the wrong exit and we arrived 15 mintues before the show finished and we had excellent seats we didn't even use!

There is a happy ending to my crazy day. Here it is! The Diva Meets The Jonas Brothers She had two hours of pictures of The Jonas Brothers and conversation with the Jonas Brothers at their Meet And Greet! Now go find out Who Are The Jonas Brothers?

Isn't she pretty? What do you think of her hair? The first picture is The Diva with Nick Jonas, her favorite band member. The other two are of The Diva with the Jonas Brothers.

What's next? B5. Another boy group made up of five brothers. They are on the BadBoy label. Ohh, maybe The Diva will get to meet B5 and mommy will get to meet Diddy.

A girl can dream....

Wedding Favors

When I was growing up, there were a lot of weddings in the family. My parents attended many of them. What I didn't understand was that they almost always had the same wedding favors. I was sure that there was a reason for this, but I never asked. It wasn't because I wasn't curious, it just slipped my mind. Today I finally read the meaning of this particular wedding faovr. I wonder if Sal and Diane had a similar experience? It may just be a cultural thing.

Here is the wedding favor and its meaning. This is an excerpt from a web release. Almonds are a reminder that life is both bitter and sweet. Five sugared almonds represent five wishes. The five wishes for the happy couple are health, wealth, happiness, children and long life.

Isn't that cute? At least, now I get it.

Would You?

If you were like Hollywood celebrities and you had money to throw away, would you go under the knife?

Realy, I was just wondering. If you money was not an issue and you had the best palstic surgeons at your disposal, would you get a nip/tuck? If you would, what would you do? Would you get a breast augmentation, a breast enlargement, your posterior, hips or thighs made a little leaner?

What would i do? I would build a home gym and an indoor inground pool. Why? I don't even know how I had 5 biological kids...naturally. I hate surgery and will not be hospitalized unless its absolutely necessary. I would rather work out everyday....but that's me. What about you?

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Everyday Life With Autism

First of all, I want to thank my friend. We have been friends since high school. She has a son (a year older than the Little One) that was diagnosed with autism. We often discuss issues surrounding their condition. She sent me this clip which I watched with the The Diva and The Princess. I refrained from crying because I didn't want to upset the kids. When you watch this clip, pay attention to the woman chasing after her son. That is what my life is like every time I leave the house.

Documenting Truth About Autism

Those of you that follow my entries titled "PDD Memoirs" know that I am blatantly honest about our daily struggle with autism. Life is difficult, not just for me...but for all of you as well. It is my sincere hope that this video touches people's lives and helps others have compassion and empathy for our children and our struggles.

Feel free to comment on the tape and/or to email this entry to your friends and family.

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Good Question!

This is a great question that was presented to me. I thought all of you might want to answer it on your own blogs.

Since I Get Paid For Blogging by advertisers, what would I pay someone to do?

Good question. I ponder on this often. If I had the money to pay someone to do something regularly for me, it would be a .....nanny. I would love to have enough money to pay for someone to help me with The Little One. I already take him with me everywhere I go, but it is hard to care for him and be attentive to the other 6 kids. He consumes all my energy, time and attention. If I could afford a nanny, I could take The Diva, The Entrepreneur and The Princess to auditions and go-sees. I could take them to dance classes, let them join several sports and lots of other things that I had to curtail. In the end, I want to give my healthy children all these things...but I am just one person. So, that is my answer. My final answer.

Now, what would you pay someone to do?

The Diva and The Drama!

The Diva wants to be an actress...just like her mommy! Anyway, she is a drama queen. She was on the internet and came across this acting school in California. It's one that Raven, Josh Dolley and a bunch of other kid celebs attended. She made a whole little plan in her head and sat down-like an adult that she thinks she is-with her proposal.

So, she decided that instead of going to PR with me, she should go to San Diego with my sister. Uh-huh. Not for vacation, to live. Yes, she is going to move to California, because she will be closer to LA. The acting school she HAS to attend-or she will die-is in Los Angles CA. Now, she decided she is going to attend the 8th grade over there, that way she can go to acting school, audition and get a role-so she can support us! What the???? So I asked, "Oh, who's going to drive you?" "My titi(aunt)," she replies in a matter of fact tone. "Oh, so she is not going to go to work, to drive you around?!" She looked at me shocked. "AND, LA is over an hour away from her." I told her. "Anyway, even if we all agreed, your father would never go for it!" I'm not about to give legal custody to anyone! What what she thinking? She watches too many movies!

So, that is not the end. Now, I am ruining her life and any chances of being famous! As if she can't do the same auditioning in NYC. I used to audition all the time. I got different gigs. The difference is that my parents weren't realy supportive. My mother thought that a celebrity's lifestyle was full of suffering. Yeah, well I'd rather suffer and be rich than have suffered like I did and be poor like I am! So, that's the latest with the Diva. I'm ruining her life. I'm such a bad mommy!

Oh and The Little One's latest catch phrase is "OH MY GOSHNESS!" Yes, he used to say "Oh My GOD", but his daddy taught him that was taking the Lord's name in vain. So, he told him to say "Oh my Gosh" or "Oh my Goodness!" Well, he combined them and now we hear "OH MY GOSHNESS!"

They are soooo cute. AND THEN THEY GROW UP!

The Blockbuster From Hell!

I can't believe I forgot to tell all of you about this incident. Last Wednesday, I got a call from Blockbuster. It was an automated recording stating That's so Raven had not been returned and I would be charged for the movie on Saturday. I know that The Little One's father had rented it for him and he had returned it on Sunday. I spoke to him about it on Friday July 28. I knew that he had returned it, he is meticulous about those things. He said he had returned 2 of the videos that day. I returned the other two later that week. He suggested we go in person to straighten it out.

He spoke to an employee that was pretty rude. She insisted that the tape wasn't in the store, "BECAUSE THE COMPUTER SAID SO." Then the manager comes over. Now let me explain that neither of these women are spring chickens. They are older than me. I would be able to overlook being treated rudely by a teen or young adult because they are young and just learning, but by a 40 something year old. Well, the manager of the store, was way off. She POINTED at Little One's Dad and told him that he was responsoble for the video. "That's what renting from Blockbuster MEANS". Uhh.... duh?!? So, I stepped in and stated, "Yes, but once the movie is put in that slot it is now your responsibility." To which she replies, "We never got it, so you are responsible." I don't hink so. Then The Little One's Dad asks her if this has happened before and she starts to deny it! I then told her, "Look, I've been on line here and watched people lose their tempers because your staff has made mistakes. You can't tell me that you never make mistakes, this has happened to me before at this branch." She then tells us to "Go home and check and bring the video back." Still accusing us of not returning the video. Do I look like I suffer from alzheimer's?

Little One's Dad then stated he wanted to pay for the movie and get it over with, but that when they found the video...he wanted his refund, although he was closing his account. The manager states that she can't do that and that he might as well wait until Aug 2, 2006. Now all through the conversation, the employee is saying that they have checked every place in the store and the MANIFEST says it's not in the store. Yeah, like I believe they check the whole store every day. Yup, and I am selling the Brooklyn Bridge! The manager then explains that Tuesday is INVENTORY DAY. That's when they check every shelf, nook and cranny in the store. Little One's dad still wants to pay for the movie. He gives her the card. She tells us she is risking her job, but that she will charge off the movie and tells us, "Be sure to return the movie WHEN YOU FIND IT." She's still accusing us of keeping the movie!

When we got home that evening, Blockbuster was on the caller ID. I called the store and she gets on the phone, without apologizing for the altercation. I tell her I just got a call from there, she asks for my name, I give it to her and she checks on the computer to see if I owe anything. Now, I worked in customer service in a bank-where people really get stupid and I know that when you have a confrontation with a customer....you never forget their name. She acted as if she didn't know who I was. She plainly states that I don;t have anything out. Doesn't say they found it, doesn't say it was charges off-just that I don't owe anything! I went ahead and reminded her of the incident. Non chalantly, she states that she found it in a bin right behind her with a note she had written herself stating "label missing and they didn't know who the movie belonged to." Then she went on to instruct me on how I should put the tapes or DVD's up high, so that kids won't get to it and I WON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN. That was the extent of it, she gave me a reprimand and never even apologized for accusing us of losing the tape.

Monday, The Little One starts whining that he wants to watch Freaky Friday. We realize that she kept our card. I go to the Blockbuster and explain the situation to the employee. He tells me, "We cut up your card, that's what we do. You can get a new one with photo ID in less then 2 minutes." Well, I don't have my card or photo ID and I drove 25 minutes to get here. The manager stood there and acted as if she had no clue. I had to leave and drive home, to a crying kid! Do you think I am going to report her??????? Hell, yes. By the way, her name is Terry and it is the Middletown, NY store on Dolson Ave. I will keep you posted as to what Blockbuster is going to do about all this drama!

Why I Bought Solar Lights

I'm still awake. It's 10:08pm and The Little One is wide awake, completely wired. It's pitch black outside, it always is. We don't have streeet lights. I remember when I first moved up here, how afraid I was. The only lights on the road are your headlights. It takes some getting used to. I regretted watching all those horror movies!!!

That's one of the reasons why I bought solar lights. Let me tell you why I made it my business to buy some. On one of those dark nights, I went outside to see why my pitbull was barking and was surprised with an unwanted gift. Goliath was barking at PEPE....LePeu that is. A skunk that lives on my property was taking a stroll in the night and was startled as I approached. That was the first and only time that I was "skunked"!

The solar lights I purchased were simply functional. I was just being practical because I knew electric lighting would increase our electric bill. Look at the beautiful products that are sold today. Solar Lights can be purchased as simply functional lights, but at this site they also have fun solar lights. What do I mean? They have house numbers, animals and rocks that are solar lights. What a selection! If I had the money, I would buy the rocks and place them strategically around the house to make it exotic. Well, as exotic as The Little House on the Prairie can look.

Anyway, I'm going to attempt to make him go to sleep. I have to get up early to drive the kids to school....

Saving Rockefeller...

On Sunday, Little One's father was here rushing me about...as usual. He must be the most impatient man on the planet. Since I have to do everything, including getting the two youngest ready as well as myself...while rushing the other kids...I asked The Entrepreneur to put Rockefeller outside on the lead. He has accidentally let him go in the past and the dog has run all over the fields and across the roads, like a bullet. I made sure to reiterate to not let him go. Half an hour later, he bursts into the house in tears. "That's it!" I thought. "He got hit by a car.." I asked him what happened. He replies that a bug flew onto his wrist and he panicked and let go of the dog. Rockefeller went off and fell in a ditch...that is covered with old cuttings of trees, bushes, poison ivy and brush. He was underneath a pile that was taller than me and he couldn't get him out. See why I say my life is a soap? So, I had to stop everything to go get the tools to cut all the branches, brush and overgrowth and try to find the dog. Remember, he is a Jack Russel Terrier...known for their ability to dig. I was worried because my son told me he was barking, but then he stopped. He wouldn't answer when we called. I thought that the leash or collar was caught and he couldn't get out or worse... he ws being strangled.

Little One's father helped me cut through all the branches, to search for the dog...unfortunately he also steped on my broekn toe...TWICE. After cutting and removing overgrowth, I started to hear and see Rockefeller. I thought he was stuck, because he seemed to be pulling and digging. As Little One's Dad reached out to get him, he growled. Naturally, I thought he was injured. I tried to get into the clearing to pull him out. Apparently, he had found a tunnel for some animal...either a skunk, opposum or racoon...and he was trying to get in there and drag it out. Thrilling, Little One's Dad was upset about getting his pristeen white sneakers soiled and the dog was chasing a rodent. Anyway, I pulled him out and put him on the lead. I'm telling you...even the animals in this house want a dramatic role in this soap gone wrong....

On another note, The Little One took off his splint. I have an appointment with an orthopedic doctor on Aug. 2nd. Last night, he stepped on my broken toe three times...ooh lucky me!

Yesterday, it was scorching outside. My ex-mother-in-law had The Diva call me and invite ALL of us to her pool. At first my answer was no, but The Little One's Dad encouraged me to accept the invitation. Being that the Little One is accident prone, I was more than hesitant. Then I thought, it would be good practice for our trip to PR. So, we packed into the minivan and went off. I put a life jacket and floaties on him and he did great. He became so comfortable in the water, he was jumping into the pool (3 FOOT kiddie pool) and floating. He started imitating his brothers and sisters (that are swimmers) and he was doing very well. I was impressed. He didn't even give us a hard time when it was time to leave! He did very well and I am glad to know that he is ready to take swimming lessons!! My fears were alleviated a bit. Fears? Let me explain. I had an incident with The Princess years ago. She chased a dog right into an inground pool....but that's another story for another day.

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