The Daily Dribbles — A pinch of sarcasm and a dash of laughs

Proud Mommy Moments: 5/17/12

by Kmama on May 17, 2012 · 0 comments

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another Proud Mommy Moments!

For more info on what PMM is all about, see this post.

Please make sure that if you’re linking up, you’re actually linking a Proud or Not-So-Proud Mommy moment (using the permalink. Not sure what a permalink is? Just ask me). Links not related to PMM will be deleted and deleting links makes me feel bad. Please don’t make me feel bad.

I’m out of town right now, so I don’t have a Proud Mommy Moment to share this week. But please check out all the other linkers! I’ll be back with another PMM next week!

What do you have to share this week? Type out your Proud, or maybe not-so-Proud Mommy Moment and link it up! Don’t forget to check out Emmy’s Proud Mommy Moment as well! One last thing, PMM isn’t just for mom’s…anyone can link up!

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Where I’m At

by Kmama on May 16, 2012 · 7 comments

in Wordful Wednesday

Right now, I’m not home. I’m at a conference for work. This year, the conference is being held at a casino!!! I’m just a little excited. The only thing better would be to have my family here with me. I always miss them when I’m away.

I thought I might channel Ree Drummond from The Pioneer Woman and give you a little “tour” of my hotel. However, unlike Ree, I do not have my camera here, so all these pictures are from my phone, completely unedited.

First, the “living room” is what welcomes you to the elevators (it’s dark and a little blurry):

Next, the view from my room:

That bridge you see in the background is the bridge to Canada.

And the living area of my room:

The bathroom. Yes, that’s a TV inserted into the mirror!!

I’ll be off enjoying myself (and learning stuff too!) through the end of this week. Have a good week!

This post linked with parenting BY dummies for Wordful Wednesday.

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Thank You Very Much: 5/14/12

by Kmama on May 14, 2012 · 9 comments

in Thank You Very Much

What’s TYVM (Thank You Very Much)? It’s my way of sarcastically thanking all the little things that have ticked me off. It serves as free therapy, and boy do I sometimes need some free therapy! TYVM used to be a weekly meme, however, I retired it awhile ago due to lack of participation. The button is still on my sidebar in case you’d like to play along. If so, please leave the link in the comments and I’ll be sure to come and visit.

Thank You Very Much to Buddy’s school for telling us that he has a “solo” in the upcoming end of year musical performance. As it turns out, his “solo” is him making a funny face at the front of the stage during one of the songs. I wouldn’t exactly call that a solo!

To you-know-who-you-are, Thank You Very Much for passing gas every two minutes during the talent show at Buddy’s school. I mean, really!! How about you just go and use the bathroom. Thank goodness they gave us a program. I had to use the program to fan the air just so I could breathe!

To Buster, who decided to “slide” down the hill at the campground we were at on Saturday, Thank You Very Much. The hill was full of mud, and therefore, Buster was COVERED in mud as well.

Thank You Very Much to the tube of chapstick I found as I was unloading the dryer. As you can imagine, that meant that the entire load was covered in pink chapstick, requiring me to spray all the spots and rewash the whole load. There’s nothing more awesome than washing the same load of clothes twice.

What/who do you want to Thank this week?

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Proud Mommy Moments: Being a Mom

by Kmama on May 10, 2012 · 16 comments

in Proud Mommy Moments

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another Proud Mommy Moments!

For more info on what PMM is all about, see this post.

Sometimes it’s the little things…you know what I mean?

Last week, while sitting with Buster during drop off at daycare, his teacher walked up and handed me a piece of paper. It was one of those worksheets where there’s a space for a picture, and then lines underneath for a caption.

The picture wasn’t much, but just beneath it, the caption said it all.

I couldn’t help but smile. Sometimes, being a mom is the best feeling in the world.

Okay! Now it’s your turn. Type out your Proud, or maybe not-so-Proud Mommy Moment and link it up! Don’t forget to check out Emmy’s Proud Mommy Moment as well! One last thing, PMM isn’t just for mom’s…anyone can link up!

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America’s Pastime

by Kmama on May 9, 2012 · 6 comments

in Miscellaneous

He stands in line, waiting for his turn to throw the ball. Each child takes a turn. Some throw the ball two feet in front of them. One throws the ball seemingly backwards. Another throws the ball impossibly to the right. Finally, it’s his turn. He steps up, holds the ball in his hand, and throws it. He really throws it! The ball falls short of first base by about two feet, but he threw it directly at first, and he used proper form.

I’m flooded with relief.

* * * * * * * * * *

He walks to the plate, bat in hand. Once there, he assumes the batters stance. Bat back, elbow held high, knees bent. It’s the first time he’s faced the pitching machine. My stomach is full of butterflies. I’m nervous for him. I know how competitive he is; how angry and defeated he’ll be if he can’t hit the ball. 40 mph is fast for a 7 year old.

The first pitch comes. He swings, and misses. The second pitch is hit, but it’s a foul ball. On the third pitch, he hits the ball hard towards short stop and it rolls into the outfield.

He beams as he runs to first base, and I finally take a breath.

* * * * * * * * * *

Both of my boys are playing baseball, and I couldn’t be happier. Both of them are doing well, and I am so proud.

After 3 years of T-ball, Buddy has moved up to machine pitch ball. There will be more excitement than the previous years, and the kids (at least most of them) have an inkling of what the game is about, and what they should be doing. I’m anxious for the games to start.

It’s Buster’s first year of T-ball, and after worrying about whether or not he was ready to play, I’m so glad we signed him up. As one of the youngest on his team, he’s definitely holding his own. He has a long way to go, but he can field the ball, throw it to first, and he can hit off the tee. He’s meeting expectations, and having fun.

I played softball for many, many years. I have so many good memories of playing the game, and every time my boys scramble onto the field, I am taken back. To me, there’s something magical about the game. The crack of the bat, the cheering in the crowds, the look of pride on the kids’ faces. It’s just all so wonderful.

* * * * * * * * * *

This past weekend, we were at a party and the kids were playing soccer. Buddy jumped into the game, never having played soccer once in his life. Someone came up to me and asked if he played soccer because he was doing so well.

Truth be told, Buddy doesn’t play soccer because I don’t want him to. I want him to play baseball. I’m pretty sure Buddy would be good at any sport he tried, but so far, I’ve denied him that opportunity. I know I should let him explore other activities, but no.

The same goes for Buster.

I never thought of myself as a parent who would force their child into playing something they didn’t like or didn’t want to play, and I hope that if the time comes where one of the kids tells me they don’t want to play anymore, I listen to them and honor their wishes. But “hope” is the operative word. I suppose if they really didn’t want to play, I’d be okay, but honestly, I’d probably go and cry in the corner. I might eventually be okay, but I will admit that it would break my heart.

I hope my boys continue to enjoy the game and that they have just as many great memories of the game as I do.

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Thank You Very Much: 5/7/12

by Kmama on May 7, 2012 · 33 comments

in Thank You Very Much

Thank You Very Much (for the 100th time) to shoe manufacturers for making the ugliest shoes for little boys. And also Thank You Very Much to shoe retailers for only stocking the ugliest of the ugly. After going to at least 10 different shoe stores, I finally ordered some shoes for Buster over the internet. Of course, I had to order them in two sizes, knowing that we’ll return one, because no one carries the shoes we wanted so that he could try them on for the proper fit.

To E.L. James, Thank You Very Much for rendering me unable to put down a book (Fifty Shades of Grey) that is so poorly written. It’s embarrassing to be so enamored by the book.

To Buster, who once again decided that he needed to use the Porta John at the ball field, Thank You Very Much. We weren’t at the field for more than 5 minutes when he decided he needed to use it…and of course I had asked him to go potty before we left the house. Oh, and to add insult to injury, he had the audacity to complain about how bad it stunk in there while using it.

Thank You Very Much to the extremely loud thunderstorm that kept me awake most of Thursday night. With Buddy still scared of storms, he crawled into bed with us. When he wasn’t tossing and turning keeping me awake, the storm was so loud that it was nearly impossible to sleep.

What/who do you want to Thank this week?

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Proud Mommy Moments: A Solo

by Kmama on May 3, 2012 · 9 comments

in Proud Mommy Moments

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another Proud Mommy Moments!

For more info on what PMM is all about, see this post.

The last few weeks, I’ve been sharing some truly proud moments. As much as I love humor and snark, and wish I could share an “not-so” proud moment, I have another truly proud moment to share with you this week.

The other night, I was going through Buddy’s daily folder and I came across a reminder for the end of the year musical performance. On the back of the reminder, it said that Buddy has been chosen to do a solo in one of the songs.

Apparently, the music teacher asked for volunteers, and Buddy volunteered along with a bunch of other kids. But out of all of those kids, Buddy was chosen. I should also mention that this musical is for second graders. Buddy’s in first grade, however, he’s in a split level class, so he, along with his fellow first graders are being included.

I am so proud of him, not only for volunteering to sing a solo, but for being chosen!

I will be that mom. You know, the mom who arrives forty-five minutes early just to get a seat in the front row. The mom who has a video camera (my flip) prominently on display. And yeah, the mom who is so proud, that she can’t help but cry.

Expect a video.

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Let Them Be Little

by Kmama on May 2, 2012 · 21 comments

in Pour Your Heart Out,Wordful Wednesday

Just over 3 years ago, Jdaddy and I were in the midst of making a very important decision. We were trying to decide whether to put Buddy in kindergarten, or to send him to Early 5′s.

Buddy has an August birthday. The cutoff to register a child in Michigan, at that time, was December 1st. So he technically wouldn’t be the youngest in kindergarten, but there was a good chance he would be the smallest. Buddy has consistently followed the 5-10th percentile curve on his growth chart for height and weight.

While we were considering his age and size, we were also considering the fact that he had been in preschool at his daycare for 18 months at that time. I called the school district and asked for information regarding the differences between Early 5′s and kindergarten. What I ended up learning was that Buddy already knew everything he was supposed to learn in Early 5′s.

After a lot of research, soul searching, discussion, etc., we finally made the decision to send him to kindergarten, with the understanding that we would have him repeat kindergarten if needed.

First Day of Kindergarten 2009

A year later, we found ourselves in the same place…trying to decide whether to send him on to first grade, or have him repeat kindergarten. Academically, Buddy was right on target. His kindergarten teacher had passed him to first grade, so it would be our decision to hold him back. We met with his teacher (who really wasn’t much help), once again did a lot of soul searching, and then, in the end, decided to have him repeat kindergarten.

First Day of Kindergarten 2010

Buddy was at the top of his class in kindergarten. At his fall conference, his teacher asked us if we wanted to move him to 1st grade. We had to explain to her why we held him back (his previous teacher had retired).

I have no regrets when it comes to both of the decisions we made in regards to Buddy’s schooling. I firmly believe he was ready to be challenged in kindergarten that first year, and I firmly believe that having him repeat kindergarten gave him the extra time he needed to mature, and also helped him develop some very important leadership skills.

Buddy moved on to first grade back in the fall. He was placed in a split level class, so he also has second graders in his class. Buddy is excelling! He’s performing at the top of his class, and is even reading a full year beyond where he should be (end of second grade level). We are obviously very proud of him, and are so happy that he has such a love for learning.

1st Grade School Picture

On the other hand, because of Buster’s birthday, there was never a question as to when he would start school. His birthday is December 12th, so just after the cut off. By the time Buster starts school, he will almost be 6 years old. He’s currently in a Pre-Kindergarten class at his daycare, and will be moving to a Young 5′s class in the fall. It’s not a “true” Young/Early 5′s class, but it is formatted much like one.

Two years ago, when we were trying to decide whether to have Buddy repeat kindergarten or to move him on to first grade, I remember thinking that even if Buster had an August birthday, there would be no question…we would move him on. At the time, all I was thinking about was the fact that Buster was really smart, and ahead of his peers. By the time he was two, Buster was able to recite the entire ABC’s and count to 10…and this was just after he finally started speaking (he was a late talker).

Kindergarten round-up for our school district was held last week. I didn’t pay much attention to it at first, because Buster isn’t going to kindergarten in the fall. Late last week, I started thinking about the past and how we had been disappointed that he couldn’t start school this year. In the past year, I’ve completely changed my mind. I’m so glad we have another year before he goes to school. I don’t know if it’s because he’s my “baby” and sending him to school means moving on to another chapter in our lives (and makes me want to bawl my eyes out), or if it’s because he seems/acts so much younger than Buddy did at this age. I can’t honestly say whether or not he really does act younger than Buddy at this age, but I was always in such a hurry to have Buddy grow up, that I didn’t really take time to enjoy every moment. I was always looking towards the next milestone, rather than enjoying the one that was just achieved. I know I’m not the only one. This is a huge issue with our society. We are constantly pushing our kids to do more, be better, act older, grow up faster. I could go on and on about this, but that’s not the point.

The point is, I’m so relieved that I get one more year to just let Buster be little.

May 2012

This post linked with Things I Can’t Say for Pour Your Heart Out and parenting BY dummies for Wordful Wednesday.

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Thank You Very Much: 4/30/12

by Kmama on April 30, 2012 · 22 comments

in Thank You Very Much

Thank You Very Much to the crazy, unrelenting wind we’ve had here for the past month or so. We’ll have one nice day and then we’ll get pounded with cold, strong wind. I’m over the wind.

To our main DVR, Thank You Very Much for breaking. I lost several shows that I didn’t get to watch yet. This isn’t the first time it’s happened, so you’d think I’d learn, but no. Instead, I keep hoping that we’ll finally get a DVR that actually lasts.

To Murphy, who decided he wanted to wake up for good at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, Thank You Very Much. Apparently he didn’t get the memo that no one gets up before 8 a.m. on the weekends.

Thank You Very Much to the very painful knot I’ve had in my right shoulder for the past week. It’s made sleeping, typing, and well, basically doing just about anything pretty painful. I have no idea what I did to cause it, but it’s time for it to go away already.

What/who do you want to Thank this week?

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Wahl Deep Tissue Massager: A Review

by Kmama on April 27, 2012 · 6 comments

in Review

Happy Mother’s Day to me.

The awesome people over at Wahl sent me their Deep Tissue Massager to review. Oh my Heaven.

Neck and shoulder problems are genetic in my family. I’ve had neck and shoulder issues since high school, and threw my neck out for the first time when I was 21. It’s very painful.

If it were up to me, I’d hire a personal masseuse and enjoy a massage each night before bed. However, that’s not very practical. And my husband doesn’t exactly enjoy standing in as a personal masseuse. In fact, you could probably say that he hates it when I ask him to rub my shoulders and neck. So not only am I ecstatic to now own a Wahl Deep Tissue Massager, he’s also ecstatic.

The Wahl Deep Tissue Percussion Therapeutic Massager helps relieve pain with a variable speed feature that lets you adjust the intensity of the massage, as well as four different attachments which allows you to customize your massage. The different attachments include: Deep Muscle Attachment, Four Finger Attachment, Accupoint Attachment, and the Raised Bump Attachment.

The night I received my Wahl Deep Tissue Massager, I asked my husband to try it out on me. I can’t even describe how good it felt. It not only helped the muscles aching in my shoulders, but it also relaxed me to a level I haven’t felt in quite some time. I really enjoyed the variable speed. I would ask my husband to dial it up when he was working on areas that were really bothering me, and then dial it down around sensitive areas, like my shoulder blades and spine.

After I took my turn, I turned the massager onto my husband’s back. The first thing I noticed (and really liked) was that it wasn’t too heavy. I’ve used really heavy massagers before, and they always end up being awkward to use. The Wahl Deep Tissue Massager wasn’t awkward at all, and that’s a huge bonus.

The Wahl Deep Tissue Massager retails for $59.99 or less. You can buy it, or another great Wahl Massager on the Wahl Home Products website, or you can nominate a deserving mom to win a mom relief package via Wahl’s Facebook giveaway.

How to enter?

“Like” Wahl Home on Facebook between now and May 13th
Nominate any deserving mom (be it your mom, grandmother, sister, daughter, friend, etc.) by leaving a comment on the page letting Wahl know why that mom deserves to win
Entries will be judged on their uniqueness and sincerity and the winners will be selected once the contest wraps up on May 13. Stories MUST be submitted before then in order to be considered.

Disclosure: This is a MamaBuzz review. The wonderful people at Wahl sent me a Deep Tissue Massager to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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