Is is a good idea to trash a lot of my things & then leave town & leave your Discover Card with me?!!? :)

Ok...long story short. My room is clean but my mom went psycho in it yesterday. I am one of those very into makeup & my nails people. Don't have nearly the time I used to but still try! Anyway my mom trashed my makeup & nail polishes yesterday. If anyone is living in Central IL I can give you directions to my house...grab any of the garbage bags on trash day...it'll be like hitting a jackpot! I'm pretty brain dead after the all out with my mom but life will go on. My room & Princess Bears (PB) room are clean so I guess my mom will have to think of some other reasons to kick us out!

On a totally different note PB found the Easter Seals fundraising video from last year...she's in it & loves to watch herself! Not vain or anything! The cool thing is they her segments were taped in a speech therapy session with Miss Deb. They were playing with some cars and PB came out with such a clear "GO" they included voice in the video for the first time ever! They also used audio for another kiddo! I really can't tell you want a difference Easter Seals has made in our lives! It used to be that I felt we were living there. PB was in feeding, ot, pt, speech, behavior & lekotech therapies. She's graduated out of everything but speech (she gets ot, pt & speech at school but speech is the only one she needs the backup on at this point!). Here is a link to the video. What do you think of PB with short hair? My mom and neighbor want me to cut it so its just a cap of curls again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1xwLdJJ4WU

It's a good thing she's so cute!

Ok I've got to say that G-d clearly knew what he was doing when making babies and kids cuter than all get out! My child has spent this week testing my limits and giving me more new gray hair than I thought possible in one week!

Now my mom left on Sunday for Miami. This should have been a wonderful laid back week! The only thing to put a damper on things is my moms declaration of anything not "done" in my room is getting thrown out on Friday. Ok, fair enough! So looking forward to being able to just chill a bit was seriously waylaid by my gorgeous daughter. I swear that talking to a wall would get better results. She is doing things she clearly knows better than. Its making me crazy. I'm about 2 seconds from crawling into bed and staying there! Now I know that Princess Bear (PB) has some issues but this is ridiculous! I'm at my wits end and really don't know how to deal with it anymore. My child would spend her life in time out if I go that route. I'm reading Raising the Spirited Child (this woman met my kid before she wrote the books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Even things that are for her well being and safety she disregards. I'm at the shoot me now or send the kid to the moon impasse. Please tell me that this happens to all moms. How do you deal with it?!!!?

Questions

Thanks to my online blogging friend Heather I've copied this (except for answers of course!) lock, stock & barrel! Happy Friday y'all!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Yes! Check this out; my maternal grandmother was named Sarah which she disliked so much because there were too many Sarah's back in her day that she legally changed it to Shirlee. Then I'm born and my mom saddled me with Sarah (I was supposed to be Jordana (pronounced Jordonna) but at the last minute my dad convinced my mom that everyone would call me Donna & my mom had a real dislike of someone named Donna so here we are!). Rose my middle name is my paternal great grandmother.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Surprisingly its been awhile!

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Yes, when my wrist is cooperating! I've been told its too girly though. Having nice writing is not a good thing...I was the lucky one who got to address all of my sisters wedding invitations!

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Bourbon chicken...yum!

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
1 daughter

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Sure

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Who me?!!? No way!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
No! It was part of my moms diabolical plot to never go out on New Years Eve in college

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
It depends, in theory I'm great with the concept. I have a thing though where I get physically sick at heights. So if I could get up high enough without getting sick it would be game on!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Raisin Bran Crunch

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Seeing as I wear Crocs or birks most of the time no laces involved! For my Docs I unlace just because I tend to baby my crocs

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Emotionally it varies. I'm told I am but I don't always buy in on that theory. Physically yes.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Mint chocolate chip, pralines n cream or peppermint (can you tell I'm not good with choices?)

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
eyes

15. RED OR PINK?
depends! Are we talking lipstick, nailpolish, clothes or room color?!!?

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
I'm not organized

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Old friends

18. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? No shoes...I always go barefoot in the summer.
Ditto!

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
hot pocket cheese egg & bacon. Wanted to make pecan pie muffins but we're out of eggs!

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
TV, Princess Bear has a CD playing in the kitchen and someone is mowing the lawn outside

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Periwinkle. LOVE IT! There is a house here in town that is white with periwinkle ornate shutters I've loved it since I was little!

22. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Vanilla, Christmasy (esp Yankee home for the holidays) & lavender

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My mom (checking on my back to see if I was mobile!)

24. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Seems very nice & she is clearly intelligent and shares her knowledge!

25. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
NFL. Die hard Bears fan

26. Hair Color?
reddish

27. EYE COLOR?
hazel All over the place. Green, brown, bluish, amber

28. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
not lately (they screwed up the scrip for the left eye so I need to get new ones)

29. FAVORITE FOOD?
Seafood Casino. Unfortunately Basta doesn't serve it anymore & I can't find a similar recipe!

30. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings.

31. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Don't remember!

32. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
black pj top (I'm bumming it today!)

33. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter

34. HUGS OR KISSES?
Depends on who & when

35. FAVORITE DESSERT?
pecan pie

36. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
The Strong willed child

37. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Some company my dad deals with


38. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Misc sitcoms on lifetime

39. FAVORITE SOUND?
My daughter

40. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
If I have to pick I guess the beatles

41. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Don't know! I'd have to dig out my map. Either my trip through the soutwest or Niagra falls

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
????

Now, I'd love to see your answers. Post a comment if you're participating, so I can come by and read all about you.

Checking In

Wow! Once again I've fallen off the face of the earth! Sorry about that! All sorts of things going on with Princess Bear (PB) and my family in general. We went to my sisters on the 3rd and did fireworks so we tried them again on the 4th. PB was way more interested in playing. She couldn't have cared less! We spent more time this weekend cleaning out our attic. We need to just rent a dumpster and start chucking things in there!!!

Princess Bear started breaking out with a weird rash and her oh too regular hives on the 4th so things have been interesting to say the least. She literally has been asking for the pink medicine (Benedryl). My poor kiddo. We are having a really really BIG problem with her listening to any of us so we're doing some tough love. If she doesn't listen we're done doing whatever it is that we're doing. Well, today I tried going to the grocery store with her. I said she could ride in a car cart or help me push. PB doesn't want to help push she wants to do it all herself. Nope not unless I'm trying to turn the store into a demolition derby. I gave her one warning and it didn't work so I picked her up and left. PB raised holy heck and a woman thought I was hurting her....UGH!!!!

I also found out today that Miss Deb, our beloved speech therapist for PB, lost her daughter on the 1st. I feel so bad for her. I truly cannot imagine burying my child no matter what their age. I also feel bad because I did not know and consequently didn't attend the funeral. Heather was such a joyous person and the world is a much sadder place without her. My heart goes out to Deb.

Happy 4th!

Have a wonderful, safe Holiday!

Ever feel like you're living Groundhog Day?

I'm aware that one of the constants in my blog is the issues surrounding getting the house clean. I don't remember how much detail I went into about my parents going through Princess Bears (PB) room with garbage bags a few months bag but although traumatic for all parties it really did do the trick. It's pretty easy to whip her room into shape. Unfortunately there are still a few problems. The same day that the great garbage detail happened my parents moved about 75% of PBs toys from the family room into her room and that definitely makes it a bit more challenging to keep up. Also I think my parents forget that its a 5 year olds room. She plays A LOT! Unfortunately picking up isn't not her strong suit. Now I won't lie and say that from time to time I slip up and don't go in there and straighten up but it does get taken care of. Last night was one of those nights. I went in and did a pretty good job getting things squared away. Then today rolled around and while I was cleaning in my room PB was playing/performing the role of Captain Destructo to the hilt. We ran out of time before we had to head out for the fireworks (which is a whole different blog. So much fun to see her enjoy it!). We didn't get home until 10pm which is way past her bedtime. PB knew that she had to pick up so we agreed to do it tomorrow. Enter my mom having a fit about the condition of her room. I must also say that the "deal" has been that I have to have it so her room can be picked up in 15 minutes. Fair enough. Tonight it took 20 but I still think that's doable. Here are some pics of before and after. What do you think? Please give me your honest opinions. I know that before is pretty awful but after looks ok, right? Is 20 minutes fair? I just feel like I'm fighting a battle that I won't be able to win no matter what.

The best made plans.....

Well, I decided it was time for a parenting time out today. We have this great place here in town through the Crittendon Centers called the Crisis Nursery. They provide parenting time outs. Basically you call the day before and say you'd like to bring your child in for X amount of time. Its basically set up like a day care with lots of workers and structured activities. I've been letting Princess Bear go about every other week. This is our own down time away from each other since she's not in school right now. She really likes being around other kids and I really like having some free time! Win win all the way around! Unfortunately it seems that on these days I spend lots of time cramming in as many errands as possible so I don't have to drag PB out (her sensory issues have gotten really bad in stores...way too much stimulation). From the time I dropped her off until my parents brought her home I was on the go. It was absolutely wonderful to go to so many places and get so much accomplished with ease. No fighting about seat belts or riding or not riding in the cart! I have decided the next time PB goes I'm having a total me day. Maybe lunch with a friend or just a nap.

I've got almost everything ready to put the pool up. My dad is still trying to decide where he wants it. It was HOT today. I wish we'd get the ball rolling on this! Then again welcome to Illinois it was low 90's today and we're expecting low 70's tomorrow!

Well that is the run down here! I'm off to do some more laundry and then SLEEP! Do you have any exciting plans for the 4th of July?!!!?