Tragedy and Thank you.

When I sat down at my computer tonight I was going to write about the sun about the pool about the weather about gee well so many inane things. I was thinking about writing about "Little House on the Prairie" now I am not. Not now.


One of my friends posted about another woman, another mother, who is going through hell. Her son her amazing, talented, sensitive son died.

He had struggled with addiction. His mother fought for him. She did everything to help that she could think of.


So this is an open letter to her and to my mother. Thank you. Thank you mom for fighting for me. Thank you for sending me to Provo. Thank you for not giving up.

You know what I did is not your fault. But I'll say it again: my struggles are mine.

Thank you Mom. Thank you for helping me, finding me the help that I needed to find my way out. I very very easily could have ended differently. Without your help I would not have made it.

To the other mother. I am sorry. I am so sorry. I wish that your son had a different ending.

Your son and my story are different. He used drugs I used food or lack of it. But the ending could have been the same: destruction.

Thank you for having the bravery to talk about this. It says nothing negative about your parenting. It says how much you love your son for you to fight for him.

May Giveaway!

Yay! I have a fantastic giveaway for May. Seriously.

I buy hair accessories for my girls way too much. So did these ladies- except they had a really great idea: they went into business doing it.

So they are sponsoring this giveaway.

Here is a description of the prize:
One White 4.5in crystal center peony clip
One Lime green 4in crystal center daisy clip
One Sweet-pea Pink crocheted stretchy headband
One Chocolate Brown Kiss crocheted stretchy headband
One Mini-Red Roses on Vanilla Cream ready to wear headband

And the photos:





What is super about these headbands is you can mix and match the interchangeable headbands and flowers... you can do pink and green or white and brown whatever.

Here is their Facebook page All about M.E. Bowtique

Check out these talented ladies's work. My girls love their bows and are after me to get more.

The nitty gritty:
leave a comment (duh)
Facebook this giveaway- and tell me you did in another comment
Twitter the giveaway- and tell me you did in another comment
'Like' All About M.E. Bowtique on Facebook - and tell me you did

If you do not have an email address associated with your blogger profile- either email me at almostsinglemom@makingitfun.net or leave it here.

The giveaway will run from when I post this until next Friday (June 4, 2010) at 11:59 pm central time. At that point I will use random.org to pick a random comment number and that is the winner!

When I contact the winner you have 7 calender days to get back to me or I will choose another winner

When wishes were simple

Yesterday I had my litter of kids out for a walk/bike ride/ scooter ride. It was an amazingly beautiful day. Blue sky, gentle breeze, just perfect. Stinky was riding his Cars bike a bit ahead of me and suddenly SLAMMED on his breaks. I wondered what had happened. He hopped of his bike and ran into the field next to us and picked two dandelions that had reached the fuzzy seed stage- wishing dandelions. He gave one to me and told me to make a wish. I took it made my wish and blew. Apparently I did it wrong, because he told me, "Mama, this is how you do it. Watch me. This is how you make a wish." He clutched the stem of his wishing dandelion closed his eyes as tightly as he could and said with passion, "I wish, when I grow up, to be a train driver" then he heaved a huge breath for his little body and blew. Then he watched in wonder as the little fuzzy seeds were carried away on the wind.

"That is how you do it, Mama. Try again?" I said sure I'd try again. He picked me another wishing dandelion and I held the stem and made my wish in my head. Then blew. He asked my why I did not say my wish out loud. I told him that I always believed that wishes worked best if they were secrets. Then he threw his little arms around me told me he loved me and that he wanted to make my wish happen.

If only it were that simple, Stinky. My wish was more for non-tangible stuff. But I wish all of my wishes were as easy as that. I wish that I could still whole-heartedly believe that wishing on a penny, a dandelion, birthday candles, a star, or an eyelash would bring my wishes to fruition. That doesn't stop me from making them.

To this day, I am guilty of wishing on stars, throwing change into fountains, wishing on candles, and half a dozen other things. Wishes are fun. And sometimes they even come true.

Six years

The days leading up to Christmas as a kid seemed to take forever. Like years maybe. The past six years I may have slept through because they have gone by in the blink of an eye... my first born, my little girl is a six year old big kid.

She has gone from a preemie who we used to coo to and talk to- to an astute six year old observing social issues and having her own take on them. It is a lot to put on a little girl- but she saved me from an implosion of epic proportions. I am eternally grateful for all she has brought into my life.

Today- we celebrate welcoming her into the world. She arrived with fanfare.

My wish for her is joy. I want her to be joyful. I see in her an authentic genuine joy. A joy that is contagious. It is wonderful that she is true to her heart. I desperately want to encourage that to continue.

So thank you Princess for all you have taught me. You have taught me more lessons than anyone and about many more things than the art of a quick diaper change.

Parks and Poles

Since starting pole dancing I have a whole new reason to like taking the kids to the park.... I get to play on poles. Now, of course, my living room has a pole but until recently, I had to wait until Tuesday or go to a park that has a pole.

I was exceedingly sad to see that the park around the corner from my house does not have an acceptable pole. However, the playground at the neighborhood elementary school does, though somehow I would not anticipate the PTA being entirely supportive of using a pole that supports monkey bars to practice inverting. Nor would they, I am sure, be thrilled with my very nearly six year old tutoring her friends on proper form for certain moves.

So when I take my kids to the park, I look for poles. I also tend to visit the parks that I know have poles to play on. Who says kids are the only ones who can play at playgrounds?

What do some parents look for in their perfect park? Bathrooms (not port-a-potty...ewwww), shade, tables, away from the road, good cushioning.... and poles.

A little awkward.

I am not a good socializer. I get nervous terribly so- around unfamiliar people and do not generally leave a good impression. Really, I am nice, and reasonably within the bounds of 'normal' I just have trouble with people.

This was obvious last night. I have NO freaking idea what to talk about. What to say! I did not know the ladies very well and I am afraid I made an ass of myself because I am just not good at it.

Even around people I know really well- I am just awkward.. *sigh*

One time that this was very very obvious and actually quite a painful experience was at a get together for a message board a few years ago. It was so awful- even a few years later I still think about how bad it was. The women judged me after hardly knowing me- based on my admittedly poor social skills.

stay tuned...

this week I'll have a may give away!