I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Services.  Today, I’m ready to give it back.  My almost three-year-old is OUT OF CONTROL. 

My sweet angel of two and a half years has morphed into the devil’s spawn.  He unlocks every lock on the doors and runs into the front yard and street, he pours EVERYTHING pourable out of it’s container onto any surface available, he shouts “potty words” at the top of his lungs when we’re in public, he opens exit doors that “alarm” when opened, AND…he takes his diaper off and pees…in MY bed…and on his sister.  A couple of nights ago, my husband and I awoke to a bottled water being poured into our bed at 2AM! 

You know what the worst part of all of this is?  Almost everyone I have talked to about this who has a boy has claimed this as “normal” boy behavior.  THIS IS NOT NORMAL.  Typical, maybe, but not normal. 

Thank GOD the kid is cute!  I am going to fall back on that until this “stage” passes.  And until it does, WATCH OUT PEOPLE!!! 

Photo by soursob via Flickr Creative Commons. 

We had our last yard sale in our current home this past weekend.  And, God willing, our last yard sale EVER.  I say it every time…but this time I mean it…I’m done.  We’re downsizing into a smaller home, so it needed to be done.  But I hereby vow NEVER to accumulate so much CRAP that I don’t know what it is, when I purchased it, or why it has spent the last two to three years in my garage with tags on it. 

I vow never to wake at 5 am on a Saturday morning to set up heavy, rotting tables that I have kept for this purpose alone.  I vow never to smile at those early birds who arrive, watch me take things out of my garage for an hour, then leave saying, “Nothing we want here.”  I vow not to have to lie to my mother when she asks me why I threw away the fish tank, books she gave the kids for Christmas, or UGLY vase we’ve had in yard sales for the last seven years. 

And…I vow not to send my children away so that I can sell those toys that they have CLEARLY outgrown.  Instead, I will continue to remind them that “giving” is better than receiving.  My goal is to be on a first name basis with my buddies at the Good Will trailer!  Not after a yard sale, but with one small bag, gathered while spring, summer, fall, or winter cleaning! 

For those of you that enjoy them, YARD SALE TIL YOU DROP!!!!  For me and my house, WE’RE DONE!!!

Photo by Daquella manera via Flickr Creative Commons.

I just got to view the video making all the news channels with the eight-year-old Brazilian girl singing “Bad Romance”.  Believe me…she’s not the only one going Gaga.  My nine-year-old and I actually “enjoyed” this one much more!

Photo by dariuszka via Flickr Creative Commons.

I put cookies in the oven a little while ago, and decided to see what I could find when I did a search for “cookies”.   Look what I found!

I am pleased to introduce Mandi as the newest writer for the Shak family.  Mandi is a mom, wife, and pet lover.  Her stories are real, her experiences funny.  Please make her feel at home!

As my first post, it seems logical to tell you a little about myself. So, here goes…

My husband and I live with our two children, one boy and one girl, in a brick home on a hill. We have a white picket fence surrounding our house, which sits on 25 acres of rolling hills and valleys. It’s a lot to keep up with, so I am assisted by two nannies and a WONDERFUL housekeeper.

Wait…wait…wait…um…my mind was traveling back to my dream last night. I apologize. Here’s the real story…My husband and I have two wonderful children, an 8-year old girl and 2-year old boy. We live in a typical “cookie cutter” home with our two dogs and cat. Our home is so close to our neighbor’s house that we do sometimes hear the tantrums of the three children who live next door. So, in short, no “yard man” is needed! Unfortunately, needed or not, the two nannies and housekeeper are also not part of our world.

My husband started his business right as the economy tanked about two years ago. That’s been interesting. I have been a stay at home mom since the birth of my daughter almost nine years ago. My three year job search has become both irritating and boring. I believe it is safe to say that our family sees or has seen many of the everyday struggles that many families are experiencing these days.

I hold a Bachelors Degree in Family and Consumer Services with an emphasis on Child Development and Family Studies. In theory, this makes me an expert in almost all aspects of family life…from morning sickness to adult diapers. Since graduating from college in 1997, I have been humbled to learn that, although book knowledge is a wonderful and useful tool, experience is the best education!

I welcome the opportunity to write on a regular basis. I have to admit, though, that I do believe it will be a challenge. For years, I’ve said that anything in writing can be used as “evidence”!!! I now have the chance to test my theory! Hopefully, we will all learn a little, and the only evidence will be that of my budding self-confidence!

I always make complete stops at lights and stop signs anyway, but this would definitely give me further inspiration to do so.  Why do I always make complete stops?  Because the police officers in my area love giving tickets when you don’t.

Squirrel Queen linked to these very creative signs and I might have to suggest we consider it in my own little town.  Creative genius!

What a great idea … people would definitely stop and read.  Then again, maybe they’d be distracting for some drivers.

For about the last two weeks every time I walk anywhere and touch anything, I get the static zap.  It stings darn it … not as badly as a tetanus shot, but I’m over it!!

So on this bone chilling cold day at work, I’m trying an experiment. I read not too long ago that if you get a  safety pin and attach to your clothing, it’ll ward off the static zaps.

So I’m going for a walk…

3 minutes later…

No zap!  This is an exciting development in the winter survival guide!

This makes me feel a guilty.  My oldest daughter read the Harry Potter books.  My youngest is reading Twilight.  Jamie’s daughter reads the Bible.

“Miss A what are you doing? You’re supposed to be in bed.”
Miss A, who is a manipulatress who has mastered the fine art of the bedtime stall:
“Um…I just like to sit like this and read my Bible and sip on my ice water.”

What parent could get mad at their baby for staying up late like this?

Photo by Powi through Flickr Creative Commons.