I’m not one to usually remember funny quips said around Messy House, but this was, by far, the best advice I could pass along.

A naked Claire Kong, aka Trouble, was found digging for black gold. As her mother, I of course, tell her, “Stop digging in your butt!”

An inquisitive Anna, The Boss, Banana, asked, “Why you telling Caa to not dig in her butt?”

Mommy Dearest says, “Cause it’s not nice to dig in your butt.”

Anna Banana responds, “You don’t digg in your butt or else you get a hole in your butt.”

Sounds like good advice to me.

Trouble is Born

In the last week, I’ve attended 2 4yo birthday parties.

2

In one week.

Both served pizza. Both served “juice” boxes. Both had crapass cake. Both had cheap “decorations.”

I’m no Colin Cowie, but I do know I don’t want the stock toddler birthday party for my kids. I’m considering not even having a birthday party for The Boss in July for her 4th.

But since she’s been to all these other enjoyable parties, she’ll want her friends gathered together with their moms ignoring them as the kid shoves 1245 grams of sugar down their throats.

So now, what’s a lazy mama to do?

And why am I thinking about this in April?

Suggestions? Ideas?

Anyone wanna hire Colin Cowie for me?

I’ve heard Avitable throws a HELL of a party. But he might scare the kids. And their moms.

That might be fun.

Egg Hunting with Daddy

Happy family, minus a wife.

Oh, there I am with Sir, aka HockeyMan

EASTER - ONE DAY EARLY

The Boss & Trouble

Can you STAND those eyes?

Serious egg hunting

Did somebody spot an egg?

Arranging Easter candy & monies

Florida Sandhill Crane

Yeah, so this whole “economy going downhill and we’re all gonna be destitute in 9.4 months” is kinda scary. Scary in a way that sucks. Scary in a way that makes me wanna do something.

I’m a business owner. I never really thought I’d say that, but I have to admit, I like saying it. I try my best to make my business a professional, customer-driven company. Staying alive in the upcoming (and current) downturn in the economy (stupid) is going to be VERY important to my sanity family.

I want to start a grass-roots campaign to help support small businesses such as my own. I want to feel love from my fellow online bloggy community. I don’t mean shop in my store and only my store and spend every last “extra” dollar you have on my website. I mean support the small business online and where you live.

The small businesses are what is going to keep our economy (stupid) from hitting the crapper. Trust me - WalMart, Target, and any other Big Box stores are NOT going to go under just because you stop buying every little thing you need from them just because you can save $1.45.

Small businesses, like mine and other mom-owned web stores, will suffer and be forced out of business without your help.

I guarandamntee you that you WILL find deals and competitively-priced products from small business. Try the sites. Spend a few extra minutes online and see what’s out there.

For my Thursday 13, I give you 13 of some GREAT online stores, all of which are run by moms. You never know what you might find!

1. Good for the Kids - My beloved online store. Of course I’d be first!

2. B3 Boutique - mom-owned

3. Scrapless Creations - mom-owned

4. Super Healthy Kids - mom-owned

5. Allison Strine Designs - mom-owned Etsy store

6. My Little Monkey Boutique - mom-owned

7. Three Chickadees - moms-owned

8. I Wanted to Wonder - mom/mom-owned

9. Red Thread Confections - mom-owned DELICIOUS gourmet chocolates

10. Emily Allyn - mom-owned

11. For the Monster - mom-owned cloth diaper store

12. Mom Spit - mom-owned - I use this stuff EVERY day

13. Tees for Change - mom-owned - I LOOOOOVE her “green” shirts

I URGE you to start shopping with us small guys. It’s not only economy-friendly, it’s eco-friendly! Really!

I’ll be listing more online small businesses in later posts, so please please please spread the word to shop online with other small businesses. Even if you don’t post about it, spend a few $$ and help everyone.

So yummy! So yummy!

Welcome fellow par-tay ladies from the 5 Minutes for Mom Blog Party! If you haven’t heard of the par-tay, stick around, grab some dip, and join in the fun. Well, as much fun as you can have typing away on your compy ignoring screaming kids.

I’ve been blogging here since mid-2007, and I have a review blog with Dawn from Mom2My6Pack/Because I Said So called Mamas Like. I spend most of my time working on my web store, Good for the Kids, where I offer products for babies, kids, and mamas. It keeps me way too busy, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I think I’m pretty good at it. Check it out. All of my blog readers get a discount using coupon code 10offblog. Bonus!

A little about the “Me” who is typing: I enjoy TV, food, and my compy (oh, MacBook Pro, how I love thee). I’ve been married for 10 years this September - 8 years too long. I have webbed toes just bad enough to where I can’t wear toe socks, I enjoy crappy TV, I enjoy good TV, and I hate cooking. I also hate cleaning, laundry, and general housework. I am on a mission to find a housewife who will work for free. My husband thought he married one, but he was sorely mistaken. To be a good housewife, I’d have to be my mother, and that just wouldn’t be good. HockeyMan says he’d trade me in for her any day just to get her cooking and clean socks, but he was under the influence at the time I’m sure.

Oh yeah - I have 2 kiddos born 18 months apart. To me, better worse than twins because the older one teaches the younger how to plot against me. Their names are The Boss & Trouble. Just check their birth certificates. They are THE CUTEST kids on earth. DON’T even think of telling me that your kids are cuter. Cause they ain’t. And my kids are way smarter than yours.

Now to the good stuff. I have a prize available on the main 5 Minutes for Mom Blog Party, but I’m offering a prize here as well! Two prizes! What could be better?

Leave a comment here by March 14 at 11:59pm telling me how pretty I look today or how heeelarious you think I am (for serious - not required, but SO nice to hear!), sign the Mr. Linky (not required for the giveaway), and you’ll be automatically entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my online store, Good for the Kids. That’s 50 big ones to spend on your kids yourself just for leaving a comment and getting your bloggy par-tay on!

Go shop now because just for shiz and giggles, if you happen to be the big wiener winner, I’ll refund the amount of the gift certificate PLUS domestic shipping costs back to you. BONUS BONUS! You can thank me later.
The winner will be notified here, via email (no need to leave your email address in the comment, just in the form), and on Prizey.Fetch.

Thanks for stopping by! Please come back. I need the validation and attention.

The contest is now over, but feel free to leave comments. I’ll always need comment lovin’. 

We’re gone on a trip
In our favorite rocket ship
Flying to the sky

Mama and Dada
Gone on our own for six days
No kiddos for us

Should we be happy
Or enjoy ourselves sans kids
I choose glad and sad

We’re doing our part. Well, what we can.

It may not be much, but we’re trying.

We were at our local neighborhood park. Beautiful in a suburban-landscapy kinda way. Trash cans are everywhere.

The Boss actually started picking up the trash after she made the comment that the trash can was RIGHT there.

The Boss takes control of the situation

Trouble see. Trouble do.

Check out the ways other bloggers love nature.

 Trouble

She was posing, so I took advantage

Off to work

Potty training (not working)

The Boss going to work

A new medium

My best friend is having a baby