We Got Boo'ed

A Halloween tradition is spreading rapidly throughout the culture. Called "Getting Booed," it involves a family making a Halloween gift basket and leaving it anonymously on a neighbor's door step with a sign "You Got Booed." The receiving family's job, then, is to make up another gift basket and play the trick on another family in the neighborhood who doesn't have a 'got booed' sign on their door.

Last night we had a mysterious knock on the door. When the kids opened the front door, they found a bag of sweet treats along with a paper ghost and poem instructing them to do the same to two other neighbors.
My kids love this part of our Halloween tradition.

But there's been a little debate about whether or not this booing business is plain fun or plain inconsiderate. Is it spreading the Halloween spirit or just a glorified chain letter?

The truth is that it's both.

I still dig it, but I don't want other parents with children on the receiving end of a "You've been boo'ed" ghost to feel pressured to participate. It's hard enough to get Halloween costumes together and prepare for school parties. This I know. But since we ‘got booed’, it’s on!

Here is a BOO basket I found, made by Jennifer at The Buck Stamps Here

that I want to make.

Because I said So

I never thought I would use those words when disciplining my kids.
My parents used that a lot and I never understood why they wouldn't just explain why I wasn't supposed to do something.
Luckily for me, most days I don't have to argue with my children when it's time to clean up or go to bed. I think they are used to the rules by now.
I don't try to run a tight ship, just a tidy one. It's not that hard to put your dirty laundry in the hamper or put your dirty dishes in the sink, is it? And if they forget every once in a while, that's okay too.
But today, my son surprised me when he asked me why he had to take a shower, especially beacause there is no school tomorrow and I had already decided tomorrow I was washing all bed sheets. So, why couldn't he just go to bed, muddy clothes and all. What???
I know little boys like to get dirty, pick their nose, and play with bugs but when did sleeping in jeans and going two days without a shower become okay? Part of me wanted to let him sleep in his filth to see how he liked it but, I just couldn't.
Was he kidding? Did he really want to go to bed with mud on his jeans, face, and in between his toes? Not to mention....the stinch of a little boy who had a very active play day.
My only answer was...because I said so!
Just then, I remember what it was like hearing those very words from my parents and for a moment, I wondered if I should have taken a mimute to explain to him the reasons for proper hygiene. Then I thought, if he doesn't understand why wearing muddy stinky clothes to bed is not okay, then I have no better explanation.
He was actually okay with it, he just said "okay mom", and got in the shower.

I Made a Diaper Cake

I spent days surfing the net trying to find decent free information on how to make a diaper cake. There is so much stuff out there that is just plain gibberish that left me with no clue how to actually make a diaper cake. Diapers are really expensive so, I wanted to make sure that I didn't ruin ANY of them. A good looking diaper cake costs a lot of money and was wondering why I decided to make one by myself.

After much research (online) I was still stumped but, I was determined! I really wanted to make one for a good friend of mine for her baby shower. So I just let my creative juices flow and here is what I came up with:

So, Here is a simple way to make a Diaper Cake

Diaper Cake Ingredients:

Baby bottle or empty cardboard towel roll

8 feet of 1” wide ribbon

8 feet of 1/2" accent ribbon

2 thin wooden dowelsRubber bands

Safety pins

Glue gun

50-90 newborn diapers (depends on the size and the number of tiers you desire)

Decorative baby items (bibs, socks, toys)

Cake Topper

Assembly:

When rolling your diapers, have them opened lengthwise with tabs tucked in Secure your diapers with a rubber band so they stick together

Bottom layer: use larger size diapers. Wrap one layer of rolled diapers securely around the baby bottle or towel roll. Continue to wrap diapers around in rows, until your desired bottom layer is the size you want it.

Middle Layer: will start off the same wrapping around the top of the baby bottle or towel roll. continue until you reach the size you want (about two rows smaller than the bottom layer.

Top Layer: Your top layer will be rows of rolled diapers smaller than your middle layer. I used two thin wooden dowels that went through all layers and served to just hold the top layer in place.

Use a safety pin to hold ribbon around your diaper layers. Your 1" ribbon should cover and hide the rubber bands around your layers. Do this to all layers. Use an accent ribbon 1/2", hot glued over the first one, as a decorative touch. This also helps hide the rubber bands even more.

Assemble your tiers on top of eachother

Tuck your baby items in the ribbons, or flowers as decorations

Top your cake off with something fitting the theme of your party. Whether it be a small stuffed toy, a baby bottle or slippers

This project took me less than an hour and I had a lot of fun making it.

Most people see diaper cake making as a difficult task, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I found it very fast, easy, and fun. And the best part...no wasted diapers!!

And the winner is......

I'd like to accept this award of 'The Worst Mom in the World' on behalf of all worst mom's everywhere.
I couldn't have done this without the help of my children who nominated me for this award.
I am daily reminded of them whenever I catch sight of those single white hairs, stretch-marked hips, and newly-discovered wrinkles.
Giving up my career, shoe-fetish, and nights of sleep to nurture them will forever be a testament to my dedication to make it as The Worst Mom ever.
I couldn't accomplish this without my being so completely selfish that I buy them a new toy or new clothes for absolutely no reason.
Oh, I can't forget to thank my husband either for his genetic contribution to our offspring and whose DNA runs rampantly through them.
I'd like to thank my parents for wishing upon me that my children will be just like ME.
Thanks, your dream has apparently come through.
Thank you Dr. Phil for showing me in all your infinite wisdom my failure as a mother and may you have continued success at the expense of all the other failing parents in the world.
Lastly, I'd like to thank my single, childless friends whose lives I live through vicariously every time they post a status update on Facebook. Without them, my dreams would be full of time-outs, potty words, and slamming doors instead of their wonderful exploits of freedom.
Thank You!

Land of Crazy

I don’t know if I’m cut out to be a mom of teenagers.
People often tell me that I am a great mother. And I have to look around to see who in the heck they are talking about because it can't be me.
I'm the one who let’s things build up until I find myself over reacting and crying in the shower because it’s just too overwhelming.
I keep telling myself, that one day I will be able to laugh about motherhood over dinner. I will reminisce about how difficult kids can be and giggle as my adult children tell me about how they are struggling to raise their own young children......because that’s what they get.
But sometimes, I feel like I’m stuck in a place called tween/teenager where I don’t know the customs, fashions or, the language. I used to be a teenager. I even spoke the language once. But now? Now I’ve forgotten the basics and it’s just nonsense to me. And it’s so frustrating listening to this crazy language that I don’t understand.
But here I am. Another day. Another battle. The kids still need to be reminded to do their homework and brush their teeth. And I still have to hear “it’s not fair” or "I don't want to", on a regular basis.
But today I’m going to ignore the eye rolls and the heavy sighs and just make dinner, help with homework, and give hugs and kisses before passing out in my own bed.
Because that’s what mothers do and I know one day I'm going to miss having chaos in the house.