I'm SORRY, okay?!

Soooo I have 3 tests to write tomorrow. I'm nervous, and I'm excited.
I'm also really freakin' tired. 
I feel awful for slacking on my posts (I actually have one half done and waiting for more inspiration), so I'm going to be lame and put up a 'recipe'.

Super Easy And Yummy Potatoes

Preheat oven to 375F

Potatoes (Russet, red, white, etc)
Butter/Margarine/Olive oil
Onions, diced
Garlic, finely chopped
Spices (You choose!)
Tin foil

The idea here is that you're kinda 'gift wrapping' the potatoes. What a nice present! Wow! How thoughtful!

Cut a square of tin foil (about 6x6 in) for each 'serving'. I usually only need one for all of my children, and one for each adult.
Wash and cut potatoes into bite sized pieces. Try not to keep them too big, or they won't cook as fast. You can also peel the potatoes if you're lame and still take the crusts off your bread, too.
Add onions and garlic (to taste), as well as your spices. I use Mrs. Dash and pepper, but it's totally up to you. 
If you're using oil, just pour it on slowly and ensure that most of the potatoes are covered. 
If you're using butter/margarine, put a large teaspoon in (C'mon, eyeball it!)

Pulling up the sides and join them at the top, sort of like a Troll doll hair style.

Just a reminder.

Make sure that it's closed fairly tightly, though. They need to 'steam' a bit, you don't want them drying out!! Keep them in there for about 45 minutes. *Carefully* open them up with oven mitts on (silly!) and if they aren't ready? BOOM! Pop 'em back in! 


I use these as a side with steak, or chicken. You can also do this on a barbecue (I don't know how long it would take, though. I'm not a big 'barbecuer')! TRY IT YOURSELF!

I tried SO HARD....

I have 3 children, as I've stated before.  They are healthy, happy, normal, cute children. I love them with all of my heart, and always will. It hasn't been easy raising three children, but I've worked my ass off to give them what they need. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there that think I am not doing a very good job. Let's check it out!


1. Breastfeeding/bottle feeding.
This is the NUMBER 1 thing that I get ridiculed for. 
I did not breastfeed my children. I attempted to breastfeed my first two, and was unsuccessful. By the time my third one came around, I went straight to formula. Did I love it? Not necessarily. Would I have breastfed if I could have? More than likely.
Hey - guess what? My kids are fine. They didn't shrivel up, fail to grow hair or gain weight, or any other stupid thing that some people assume will happen. They aren't lesser people because they were not attached to my breast for a year. Oh, and also? I'm not a lesser person because I didn't have them attached to my breast for a year. I'm just fine, thank you.
Bottle feeding is not 'lazy'; it's not cruel, it's not terrible, it's not something that you need to frown upon. So please stop.
OH, one more thing. I absolutely loved it when people would tell me how 'lucky' I was because 'bottle fed babies sleep more than breastfed ones'. Really? My oldest son must have missed that memo, considering he was up every 2 hours at night until he was about 7 months old. 


2. Vaccinations
This is a big one, and very controversial. This article explains one of the main reasons people are under the assumption that vaccines are wrong. Okay, hold on. This isn't supposed to be a blog about whether vaccinations cause damage or not. 
Here's the main thing:
If I have decided to vaccinate my kids, then that's that. I believe it will help them. End of story. 
If you have decided not to vaccinate your kids, then that's that. You believe it will help them. End of story. 
Do I disagree with your view? Hell yes. Do I think you're a bad parent? No. I think that whether we decide to vaccinate or not, we are doing what we actually believe is the best for our children. I just really hope that it's not because Jenny Mcarthy told you so.

To be fair, she's pretty persuasive

3. Co-sleeping/lack thereof
This is not as extreme as the others. I do not co-sleep.
I will not co-sleep. In fact, I have never had any of my children share a room with me. Why? Because it's my freakin' room! I can hear them just fine through two closed doors with 5 feet between them. You don't believe me?? Here's some fun facts. 
Yes, you read that properly. A baby crying is louder than your alarm clock, about the same as a motorcycle, and only slightly quieter than an ambulance siren.  Indeed. 
I'm just one of those people that weigh pros and cons, and pick the one with less in the 'con' column. To me, the dangers of co-sleeping out weigh having to walk to another room to feed my baby. Also, I would not be able to get my freak on with a baby in the room. -shrugs- That's just me.
I've been called a 'mean Mom' for 'forcing my child to sleep so far away' from me. Hey, that's harsh! I give my kids lots of love and cuddles, just not in my bed, at night.

4. Cloth diapers/disposables
I have never used cloth diapers. Ever. My children all had/have store bought disposable diapers. This is the one and only thing that I admit to doing because of laziness. Plain and simple! I honestly wish that I had the patience and guts to use cloth diapers. Alas, I do not. Still, please don't hate me for it.

Please remember that I am not putting anyone down, hating on anyone, or forcing my opinion. Stating my opinion, yes. Defending my decisions? Only because I've been forced to. I already know what my comments section will look like after this, but whatever. The idea is that you can't tell me I'm a bad parent because I bottle fed my vaccinated, disposable diaper wearing child in their own bedroom. I can't tell you that you're a bad parent because you breast fed your non-vaccinated child in your bed. Don't call me out for being 'lazy' or 'wrong', please. It's totally unfair. Let's just agree that we all want the best for our children, and we love them. That's why we had them, right?!

Oh, Sarah... I love you!

Not trying to brag or anything, but I totally get to see one of my favorite artists of all time tomorrow night!

That's right! Sarah McLachlan is coming to my town! Not only do I get to listen to her amazingly sultry and beautiful voice for an hour, but I'm getting paid for it too! Oh gosh, I'm excited.

This is one of my absolute favorite songs by Sarah. I don't know who it's about (Other than the obvious!), the story behind it, or what happened afterward... but that's not the point. This song can be - and IS - for everyone who has ever felt this way in their life. Lost, lonely, shamed, hurt, ugly, useless, etc... Sarah nails it.

Adia, I do believe I failed you
Adia, I know I let you down
Don’t you know I tried so hard
To love you in my way?
It’s easy, let it go...
Adia, I’m empty since you left me
Trying to find a way to carry on
I search myself and everyone
To see where we went wrong
’cause there’s no one left to finger
There’s no one here to blame
There’s no one left to talk to, honey
And there ain’t no one to buy our innocence
’cause we are born innocent
Believe me, Adia, we are still innocent
It’s easy, we all falter
Does it matter?
Adia, I thought that we could make it
But I know I can’t change the way you feel
I'll leave you with your misery -
A friend who won’t betray
I'll pull you from your tower
I'll take away your pain
I'll show you all the beauty you possess
If you’d only let yourself believe that
We are born innocent
Believe me, Adia, we are still innocent
It’s easy, we all falter, does it matter?
Believe me Adia, we are still innocent
’cause we are born innocent
Adia, we are still innocent
It’s easy, we all falter ... but does it matter?


Other songs by Sarah that are dear to me that you should check out because I have awesome taste in music are:


I Will Remember You - One of her most 'famous' songs

Blackbird  - This is actually the first version of this Beatles classic that I heard! Weird!

I Love You - One of my all-time favorites. I think this really showcases her vocal talent.

Angel - Another 'famous' one

Possession - This was written about Sarah's stalker. Most of the lyrics are actual things that he said/wrote to her.

Hey, Mom? I just wanted to say Thank You

So I have spent the last week or so watching episodes of "NBC's Dateline : To Catch a Predator".  Oh my god. It's amazing!

Now, being a Mom, I obviously have strong feelings about things of this nature - Potential predators taking advantage of young teens. I mean, how would you feel if it was your child? Well, how about you ask my Mother.

I was a stupid teenager. Honestly, you have no idea. I was a Mom's worst nightmare.
Track record:
Skipped school
Smoked cigarettes regularly
Smoked pot regularly
Tried other drugs (not regularly)
Drank
Hung out with strangers
Had sex
Said terrible, disgusting and very rude things to my Mother
Etc, etc...

Kinda like this, but with less money

My poor Mother didn't know what to do with me. She tried so hard to keep a close eye on me, hoping to keep me from harm. Unfortunately, I only saw her trying to keep me from 'having a good time'. Things look very different from that side - the side of a naive, defiant teenager. Let's talk about one of the first times my Mother saved me from danger.


When I was 13, I was a church going child. I had the opportunity to go on a trip with two other girls from my church (One was an adult, the other my age) to some type of a churchy gathering in Victoria, BC (About 10 hours away from where we lived). It would be the first time that I was away from the watchful eye of my Mother. I was already very much into boys, but due to the less than esthetically pleasing placement of my teeth, I had very little confidence. Until I met Kyle*.
Kyle was 21, a Youth Pastor and gorgeous - and I do mean gorgeous. Oldest of three children, he came across as big brotherly, smart and confident. We became 'friends' and got to know each other over the few days that I was there. He ended up telling me that he was not the confident man that I perceived him as. Oh no, he thought he was ugly, and girls didn't like him. He had 'never had a girlfriend' because they always told him he was 'a nerd'. Of course, I fell for it - and him. We went for 'walks' alone, with him telling the others at the gathering that it was to talk about God and such things. In actuality, we spoke about love, loneliness and being together one day. Before I went home, he gave me his email address to keep in touch with him. I went home and we began chatting online almost every day. He told me that he missed me, that he wanted to hold me, love me. I was obsessed with him. Not only that, but this guy - this man - was in love with me! With me! It was a secret affair, and I felt special. We called each other a few nights a week. I was madly in love.

Yeah, then Mom found out about all this. 

The phone bill tipped her off (It was probably horrendous). She called around and found out about Kyle. She was livid. She told me that it was inappropriate and that 'he should know better'. She refused to let me near the computer or the phone. I hated her. She was taking away the 'only great thing in my life' and she was doing it because she was a 'terrible Mother'.
Mom, thank you. THANK YOU.


Unfortunately, my memory is hazy, but this example will have to do. He told me once that I reminded him of a girl from a TV show that he watched in the mid 90's. All I remember is that she had red hair (mine was dyed red at the time) and massive boobs. I don't even think I wore a bra yet. Anyway, it was kind of like this. 

Me, twelve. Christina Hendricks, 38-DDD

Of course, I took it as a compliment. My Mother, on the other hand, saw it for what it really was - saw him for what he really was. A disgusting pervert that was preying on a young girl. HER young girl.
I'm not sure exactly what she did, but I do know that he lost his job - and the right to have any job that let him have 'alone' time with children.
I hated my Mother... I remember being so upset with her... and she took it. She took the blame, the hate, the rage - She let me take it all out on her. I will never, ever forget that. 


It's so hard for me to see some of the young girls that I know go through the same thing. Unfortunately, I'm not close enough to them to have chat logs or proof of any inappropriate behaviour. All I can do is tell them my story, and hope that they see it for themselves. One day, my kids will have access to the internet... and I'm hoping I can be as strong as my Mother and monitor the shit out of them.






*Name has been changed to protect the sicko's identity.


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UPDATE!
Check out this website to keep your kids safe! It was promoted on NBC's Dateline to help you keep tabs on your child - and keep them safe from potential predators.