Hey Moms........

this is your week!

i say, work it......all week:)

and if you ever feel alone,

or like no one understands,

or you need advice from a friend,

then PLEASE

visit my FAVORITE parenting site,

iMom.

this site is so inspirational, encouraging, informative and downright cool!

it's like talking with your best friend.

check out this list.......

11 things you should NOT do as a mom:)

1.  I must be cheerful for my family at all time.
2. I must never admit I'm having a hard dayI must focus on my kids 24/7
3. I am only as good as the size of my jeans
4. I must make every meal healthy, tasty and special
5. I must make every day fun for my family
6. I cannot go to bed until all of my "mom work" is done
7. I must get everything "right" with my kids or they will be ruined
8. I must keep my house pretty close to spotless
9. I must say yes to every school or volunteer request
10. I must berate myself when I fall short of these mombligations

(hahaha.....now remember, those were 11 things you should NOT do) 

• TONS of parenting tips and articles like these.....
• 10 Ways to Discipline Your Child
• 21 Creative Consequences
• 5 Ways to Help Your Shy Child
• 9 Strategies for Feeding Picky Eaters
• Anger: Dealing with Anger in Children
• Attitude: Instilling a Can-Do Attitude in Your Children
• Bedtime: How to reduce Bedtime Struggles
• Behavior: Getting to the Heart of It
• Chores: Age-Appropriate Chores
• Church Benefits
• Complaining: How to Stop the Whining and Complaining
• Cursing: Kids and Cursing
• Disappointment: How to help your child deal with disappointment
• Fear: Is your Child afraid of the Dark?
• Goal Setting with your Children
• Honor: More than Obedience
• How Not to Let Your Family Revolve Around One Child
• `Kindness: Five Ways to Cultivate Kindness in your Child

and those are just a few articles you'll find on iMom

i got this in my email box today and thought i

would pass it on.

please visit iMOM and print these great sheets out for yourself.

a few FOR mom, a few for your kiddies, a bit of everything:)

great for a memory book.......

sometimes it's that one tiny special thing you do that makes the day!

 (i think I need this to stick with a diet/exercise program:)

and lastly, a fun, yummy mother's day treat you AND your kiddos will love...... 

 Super Easy Super Yummy Chocolate Fondue

                             1 cup chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, dark or bitter)

2 tablespoons butter

1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For dipping: sliced apples, sliced bananas, sliced pineapples, marshmallows

Skewers

DirectionsPlace chocolate chips, butter, condensed milk and water in heavy saucepan.  Melt mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove pan from stove and stir in vanilla.Use fondue for dipping while it is still warm. Store unused fondue covered in refrigerator.

okay, so go meet your new best friends at iMOM and while you're there, be sure to sign up for Espresso Minute.

you'll be so happy you did!

linking up.....

Hugs,

Suzanne

Cowgirls, Country and Caramel Corn...

so it's FRIDAY...

and we need to have some fun around here!

TRUST ME when i say...we need fun and happy this weekend.

but before i get started, thank you for the care and concern

and many prayers for my dad...

who is still fighting it out in the hospital.

3 weeks now and counting.

he has a long road and we are confident he will make it...

but keep praying, please!

one other thing...

i recently found out i had comments that i was not aware of.

they are not coming to my email for some reason

so i have to work that out.

i know i'm not always the best at this but i truly 

didn't mean to ignore everyone!!!

and i put on comment moderation hoping that helps.

okay...on to some fun stuff.

COWGIRL...

 growing up, i always went through "phases".

thankfully, i STILL go through them...

and now my girls do too.

makes life interesting, you know!

this summer was our COWGIRL/COUNTRY/CARAMEL CORN phase.

let me explain...

we've always had a fascination with the 

cowgirl/west/country girl thing.

but this summer, we REALLY got into it...

and we're having so much fun!

did you know there's a whole culture out there for this?

everything from mild to down home rodeo stuff.

the Picker Sisters have a cowgirl/antique feel to their show.

two of my current favorite online stores

are Junk Gypsy

 (where else can you get a funky shower cap and a crown shower curtain:)

 and i wanted these mugs so bad but they sold out.

 ...hopefully they'll be back

and Island Cowgirl...

  their jewelry pretty much makes up our wish list these days!

we have hats but are really wanting some cool BOOTS.

i think our next summer vacation will be to a dude ranch (cool, huh?)

and on my 50 things before i'm 50 list i'm making,

it includes a visit to the Roundtop Texas Marburger Farms antique fair

 ...and a stay at Rachel Ashwell's Prarie B&B and

horseback riding on the beach.

 three of our favorite shows recently are/have been

Sweet Home Alabama

Hart of Dixie

and Donna Decorates Dallas.

and of course, don't forget Cowgirl Cookies...

 check out Bakerella for the recipe:)

yep, we're having fun with this lil ol "phase" of ours.

Pssst...i don't think it's just a phase but we'll see.

now on to COUNTRY...

i wish i could get back the days my dad drove me to piano lessons

in his brown pick-up truck, playing country music.

 (okay...not his truck but it's pretty, huh?)

anyway, i made SUCH a big deal of it...

how uncool it was...

but NO MORE!!!

we've always liked the occasional country song...

but now we are full-fledged country fans.

shoot...a few of our favorite songs are 

Big Green Tractor and

Hillbilly Bones!

 hahahaha...don't knock it till you've tried it:)

AND the music playing on my blog...

(scroll down to turn off if you don't like it, okay...although
it's playing God Gave Me You...great song:))

but i'll tell you how this really got going.

i got TOTALLY fed up with "pop" (stupid name for it) music today.

i mean, the stuff they "sing" about...if you call it that...is gross and indecent half the time.

and the language...half the song gets bleeped out.

and i don't mind saying i listened to the songs that were

"popular" before my girls to check them out...
UGGGHH!!!

it breaks my heart to be out and hear little girls repeating lyrics innocently to

Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and pretty much

all rap.  and this isn't the whole list.

anyway, we went off the radio cold-turkey...

and fell in love with the music of Nashville!

i know...not always perfect.

but it most often is catchy and tells a story...that makes some sort of sense.

like "Just Fishin"...about enjoying those special times with your kids.

in case you're wondering, my girls don't feel forced into this...

they LOVE it.
we had a BLAST at the Rascall Flatts concert

it's so nice to not have to switch the channel all the time

because a song is "inappropriate".

Here are some of our favorites...

 yep...we're COUNTRY!!!

(and yes, even my husband is walking around singing 

Hillbilly Bones and Crazy Town:)

CARAMEL CORN...

well, this is the reason half my clothes don't fit, i swear!

we managed to find a reason to celebrate with homemade

caramel corn all summer.

oh my gosh...we pass around that bowl

 and practically lick it when we're done...

it's that good!

but our version is a quickie, 2 step recipe...

so if anyone out there has a real, true recipe that doesn't have to be eaten immediately,

i'd love to get it. 

not for us but to give away...of course:)

I see some online but just want to know it's good before making it.

we tried some that was...ummm... downright yucky! 

we can't have peanuts in it due to an allergy,

but anything else goes.

okay...that's where i'm at these days.

trying to enjoy little things, have fun...

and work off this caramel corn:)

Happy Friday!!!
Suzanne

Story Hour...

You know you're getting old when
the little girl you used to take to story hour
is now reading the books at story hour.

...or when your Sunday afternoon is spent teaching her to drive
around the neighborhood...in a real car.
Actually, it was fun.
We had a lot of laughs and only once did I yell "STOP...BRAKES"!!!:-)
Read on for a list of things that children know...
and most adults have forgotten

- Speak up.
- Hang on tight.
- Sometimes it's smart to be scared.
- Ask why until you understand.
- You can be anything you want to be.
- Shortcuts aren't always shorter.
- Sometimes two is a crowd.
- Hitting the kid with the ball might get you the ball but it won't get you anyone to throw it to.
- Go barefoot.
- Who cares what happened last week.
- Trust people.
- Insist on doing it yourself.
- More is not always better.
- Look both ways.
- If you wait until you're really sure, you'll never take off the training wheels.
- Make up the rules as you go along.
- Make waves.
- If you don't like the birthday girl, don't go to the party.
- Enjoy the ride.
- It doesn't matter who started it.
- Yell if you want to be heard.
- People know when you're letting them win.
- Be silly.
- If your mother wants to hold your hand, there's probably a good reason.
- You have to love your brother even if he doesn't deserve it.
- Don't forget to say your prayers.
- Using a word you don't understand can be embarrassing.
- If you're going to laugh, laugh out loud.
- Know what you like.
- One thing you can't pretend to be is funny.
- Homesick is the worst kind of sick.
- Don't always act your age.
- Recess is the best part.
- Drink milk.
- Believe in Santa Claus.
- Where you're going is more important than where you stand.
- A little kiss can make a big difference.
- Once you're wet it doesn't matter how much more you get rained on.
- Hug people for no reason.
- Why buy roses when daisies are free?
- Just do your best.
- Dream.
- If your dog doesn't like someone, you probably shouldn't either.
- Don't pop someone else's bubble.
- Be polite.
- If you're going to take just one step, make it a giant step.
- Wish on the first star.
- Remember to say Thank you.
- It's hard to save the best for last.