Fortune of Good News

“Good news will be brought to you by mail.”

Please! Please! I could use a little good news…no more bills, just good news. And, NO I don’t count the Publishers Clearinghouse!

When I think about it, and it doesn’t take much thought, I don’t get much mail. I get plenty of bills, sales notices, coupons, but not letters. What is even sadder is I don’t send mail. I don’t even get Christmas cards out most of the time, let alone birthday cards, Thank You notes, just everyday thinking of you cards. Ask anyone who has known me for years…I am great at emailing, I respond on facebook, I text like a mad woman possessed. But, a simple letter, well frankly, I suck!

Yes, there is my confession. Ask my pen pal in Germany from the 9^th grade, oh…wait, you can’t, I wrote ONE letter! Ask a lovely, lovely lifelong friend in New York, ask my family. They will all tell you I suck!

It is a strong way to put it, but I am a realist if nothing else (except when I am wearing my rose colored glasses) and I know it, I own it. I wish I could say, I will work hard to change it, but I know it would probably be a lie. I wouldn’t mean it to be. In my heart I see a neat clean organized desk with lovely Marthaesque stationary where I would sit with a LeBlanc pen and write heartfelt notes to my loved ones. As I gaze upon my desk…umm, kitchen table…I have a nice basket with stationary and envelopes, I also have a pile of paperwork and bills to plow through. Where will that stationary end up?

Why do I even have it out? Because I sent my son in college a care package. Yes, me the queen of not sending mail, I sent a care package. It had coffee, boxers (sorry Pop!), school supplies, an awesome Papo Mutant Gorilla and a letter on my stationary telling him how proud of him I am. I cannot tell you how excited I was for him to get his package, I know he loved it, he was on the phone when he opened it. I will see him this next weekend, so I probably won’t send him a care package this week – but I look forward to surprising him.

“Good news will be brought to you by mail.”

In this day and age of the fast and faster gratification, tweeting and posting, I don’t hold out much hope of good news in the mail. What is truly sad - most of the good news I get in my email inbox is just a chance to order Viagra at 20% off with free shipping or I have won the Lottery in Sweden based on my email address. I know you have the same emails, sitting in your junk box…

THAT’s WHAT I NEED!! A Junk Box for my MAIL box!! If only the mail man could filter it as he puts it in my box – Bed, Bath and Beyond mail – Ok! To Current Resident – JUNK! I could even set it up for him, a separate slot and everything. But, since it is probably the Junk Mail we receive that actually keeps our tried and true Mail Men/Women in service, I shouldn’t complain too much. I just need to send more MAIL!

Maybe if I would send more mail, I wouldn’t rely on my Ebay or Amazon purchases to make my mail nirvana happen….

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

PS…Your lucky numbers: 11, 13, 15, 26, 35, 40 – Oh 40, I am going to face you down next year! I am finally starting to feel the age I am in my heart.

Meanest Fortune



This pic has nothing to do with the post, but I WANT ONE!!!



“Never corner anything meaner than you.”

I am going to start off by apologizing for how long it has been in-between posts (and Book Blurbs – which I know I will never catch up on, I may just have to hop around), life has been moving all around me.

Since my last post, I have gotten my oldest son to college – a whirlwind trip to be sure and my wallet is still reeling! My middle Tart has started his sophomore year of high school and little Frosting has begun Pre-K with a new teacher. I lost part of a tooth and got a crown (temp right now)…paid a king’s ransom for it! Honestly I could probably go on and on…can’t we all.

So, with all this I pull out this fortune, “Never corner anything meaner than you.”

I could complain all day long, but there are some really wonderful things that I am grateful for! I have a son in college, another in high school and one in Pre-K. I was able to get a tooth fixed. I have two good jobs and co-workers that I truly enjoy working with.

What exactly do I need to corner? What is meaner than me? I need to corner the dirty rotten scoundrel that stole my old checkbook information and is cramping my style…I don’t like having all this hanging over my head. Might consider taking on the cable company to figure out why my bill is so high when I don’t have any premium channels. 

Probably the meanest thing I need to corner is MY HOUSE! The clutter monster continues to try to take over…I have read tons of tips on how to tame it, but that critter just won’t quit. It is MEAN! If I turn my back for a minute (or two or a couple of days), it just seems to spread like mad.

So basically…I may have to ignore this fortune and corner it.

Thanks for checking in – I’ll be making my rounds and trying to catch up!

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

PS…there are no lucky numbers on the back of this fortune. Now, really…that’s just MEAN!



Character of Fortune

“Character is much easier kept than recovered.”

Here I am in Arkansas getting ready to register my Pop for college – I am so excited, so proud, so heartbroken all at the same time. Who knew so many emotions were possible in the same heartbeat?

I watched him with pride on Saturday as he walked across the stage and received his diploma, and I managed not to cry. We had a wonderful party for him with a video his father made that is beyond words amazing, this video brought him from an infant to now with well wishes from friends and family, managed not to cry. But, as I am sitting here in the hotel room while he is working out with his new football team – I think I may cry.

It is too real the fact that he is moving away, while I am sitting here. It is too soon that it is happening…seriously wasn’t he just that little baby that would peek at me through the bars of his cribs with his bright eyes in the middle of the night? Wasn’t he just that little boy running through the house with only his diaper on? Wasn’t he just this new big brother holding his little brother, Tart, and poking his cheek to make him giggle? So…where has the time gone?

It has flown. And, here I am.

What on earth does this have to do with my Fortune Cookie? (Which by the way I got at the local Chinese Buffett, along with my Hot and Sour!)

“Character is much easier kept than recovered.”

It is very valid advice to him and to any graduate as they head into this semi-grownup stage. Life right now is open to them in a way it may never be again. Fresh start on a new campus, new town, new teachers with no preconceived notions of them – Keep your character. Keep your integrity, keep the heart and soul of who you are and grow. This is your shot to really shine, to be on your own and show everyone your character.

How hard is it to recover character? Ask Michael Vick. Ask Congressman Weiner. Ask Arnold – will we look at any of them the same? Think about the friends and family that have through the years let you down…what does that say about their character? Can they recover it with you?

“Character is much easier kept than recovered.”

My Pop, My Tart (and my Frosting, who is a little young for this), you have amazing character – keep it!

The world is wide open, step into it!

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

PS – I don’t know if Arkansas has a lottery…guess I need to look into it! Your lucky numbers are 55, 5, 45, 28, 13, 4.

Lucky Fortune



Silly Dog and Tortuga



“You will be showered with good luck tomorrow.”

OH – PLEASE!! I could use a little.

I apologize for being MIA, I have had quite a bit on my plate. The opportunity I had hoped for came to pass, and today was my (very sad) last day at one full time job. My Pop graduates on Saturday from High School. They are coming to drill through my master bedroom closet for a slab leak and also into my garage floor to compare soil samples tomorrow. I cracked a tooth and it had a HOLE in it – got a filling in it yesterday and hoping I don’t end up with a root canal. Adopted a tortoise – named her Tortuga.

SOOO….needless to say as I am sitting here with my glass of Merlot with stacks of cloths piled around me that came out of my closet, I am actually feeling guilty as I sit to write. But honestly, I do not know where to start with anything that I need to do in the house. If I fold laundry, where will I put it? There is truly NO ROOM in my house that is not piled up, cluttered or otherwise screwed up! I am behind on my non-profit work, sad to leave one full-time job, totally excited to start another, emotional beyond belief over Pop’s graduating and overwhelmed by everything hitting at one time. Poor Tortuga to come into our home at this point in time – but I am hoping that the awesome collard greens I got her will make up for it!

“You will be showered with good luck tomorrow.”

All this being said, perhaps I should get a little cheese to go with my Whine?

I am SO blessed!! So Blessed! I have to praise this wonderful Creator of the Universe – I have a wonderful hubby, Pop, Tart and Frosting, a roof over my head, three jobs that don’t want to lose me (okay – technically two right now, but the FT job I just left offered to keep me on part-time.), a good dog, a tortoise and amazing friends and family to share it with!

The fact that I can get up each morning and face the day – I am showered with good luck, love and fortune (cookies).

Thanks for your prayers and support –

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

Lucky Numbers – 1, 2, 29, 36, 40, 47. If you are showered with good luck, please let me know!!!

Life with My Dudes - Pop, Tart and Frosting

Kiddo Post for Dudes –



Old pic - Pop, blue; Tart, brown;
Wonderful Hubby, Maroon;
Vanilla Mama (80lbs ago!) purple,
 Frosting, Stroller; FAV filling - Pink!

  One of my favorite blogs put out a challenge today to write a post about living with Dudes for kiddos. Well, I have Pop, Tart and Frosting – my three Dudes! Life with these three Dudes is never boring!

From being scared into screaming like a girl (oh, wait – I am a girl!) when Pop and Tart conspire against me to scare the ever living beejeezes out of me just the other day to getting sweaty boy hugs from all three of them – there is always something going on that makes me glad to have my Dudes.

When Pop and Tart were little, they had in their little kiddo minds that Mom would like a swimming pool….their solution – DIG, DIG, DIG! And dig they did…in my backyard, by the time I figured out what was going on I had a two feet deep hole about 3 feet across. I was livid, until they told me why – then I just laughed and explained there was a little more involved to getting a swimming pool than just digging a hole. I ended up planting a tree in that hole, because no matter how much sand and dirt I put back in the hole,  it was on a slope the rain would wash it all away. To this day when I drive by my old house, I laugh when I see that tree!

There is quite an age difference between my Pop and Tart and my little Frosting – 14 years for Pop and 10 years for Tart…it has been challenging, the blending of ages. Pop is getting ready to graduate and go to college, Tart is a freshman in high school and Frosting is just 4 and thinks he should be able to do everything his older brothers do.

Pancake Mask - HAHA!
Love the BUTTER!

We have Hot Wheels, Legos, Xboxs, computers, strong deodorant, dirty clothes on the floor that are scary to pick up, pee on the seat,  potty humor galore and I can’t imagine life any other way. We have promised to burn a shirt after family portraits to get Tart to wear it and followed through with it, gone to midnight showings of Harry Potter movies, stayed up late in the night talking about girl issues and gotten up bleary eyed the next morning for donuts before school.  We have dumped an entire box of cheerios on the floor and tried to get the dogs help clean it up. We take pictures of motorcycles, drool over old cars and make pancake Halloween masks. That’s life with my Kiddos, my dudes, My Pop, Tart and Frosting – that’s life with our Filling.

Who are the Filling? All the Buddies of the Kiddos that call me Mom, too! Dude or Dudette – they are the Filling, and no life is ever complete without Filling. As with any type of Filling there are some flavors that you like better than others…but this Filling I have been able to adjust, sometimes just by how I react to it. And while there is certainly some Filling I really wish would come around more often….I know that Pop, Tart and Frosting are not the same without their Filling.

Raising Dudes for Kiddos is certainly different than raising girls, there are not hormones or arguments that their skirts are too short….they are simple in jeans and t-shirts. (Most of the time!) Now, I will say, Dudes have HORMONES…different hormones, but hormones nonetheless –but usually I can tell them to go run it off or work out and we are good again. Sweaty testosterone can be scary, stinky and overwhelming, but I love every scary, stinky and overwhelming minutes with my Dudes.

One thing this little challenge has made me realize, is I don’t have very many good pictures of me and the Pop, Tart and Frosting together and I am going to have to fix that SOON!!!  When I do – I’ll have to share! The picture I am posting is from 2009 and it has Pop, Tart, Frosting, Vanilla Mama (A LOT HEAVIER THAN SHE IS NOW – 80lbs heavier!), my wonderful hubby and one of my favorite Fillings!

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

A to Z Challenge - Y

A to Z Challenge – Y

Y is for Yoga.

At one point in my life, the fittest I ever was – I was doing Yoga everyday…sometimes twice a day. I have recently been trying to get it back in my life. I love the way my body feels, I love the way my mind feels when I am doing it.

I am going to tell you flat out, I am not into the spiritual part of yoga that everybody thinks about – new age, crystals, etc…but I am into the relaxation and the breathing, the connection with my body. One thing that I know about myself is that I need that time that I give to myself, to take care of myself. I enjoy the flowing movement, the breathing, the power that I am able to develop in my core by these few simple movements. ‘Cause trust me – I am not a “yogi,” my movements and my practice are SIMPLE!

Day before yesterday I pulled out one of my covered in dust DVD’s, put on some comfy clothes and went to it. I couldn’t find my yoga mat that I had purchased many years ago, according to wonderful hubby it is probably in the garage hidden underneath goodness knows what…Perhaps I will find it, someday – but I wasn’t going to put it off like I did last week (or even like I did on MONDAY!). I needed to do this.

I did it, my feet slipped all over the rug. I couldn’t grip my toes into ground to save my hamstring! Needless to say, I ended up very SORE and did not do any Yoga yesterday!

So, today I was on the hunt for a new Yoga mat (buried underneath goodness knows what Yoga mat, just DOES NOT appeal to me!). I wasn’t looking for anything fancy and I had a $15 coupon for JC Penney’s, no Yoga mats there – but an AWESOME pair of sunglasses and a cute, cute top! I thought about going to Barnes and Nobles, but I was really getting down to the wire and had a very LIMITED budget – so I went to Target (closer and probably CHEAPER!).

I ended up with a $10 plain mat, it was a hard choice for $10 more I could have had one with butterflies on it…but, I went for economy!

Today was much better – I could grip my toes, I could do Warrior poses without worrying that my feet were going to slide. I was able to relax and enjoy (as much as a person can while sweating) the poses and let the breath guide me.

Why, if I enjoy this so much don’t I do it more…why did I stop? Simple answer, several years ago – I fell. Not while doing Yoga, but while running to the phone on Christmas morning (my first Christmas morning without my Pop and Tart) and I slipped on the floor and fell. Rammed into the doorframe – dislocated my shoulder, fractured my elbow, bruised my hip and really jacked up my wrist. That pretty much put an end to it. That was way, way, way back in 2002 – almost 9 years ago!

I healed up as much as I could, my wrist was still not what it should have been, then I developed Herbert in my foot – who is Herbert, check this out and you will find out – now, he is not as angry and I am trying to get back into it.

So – Y is for Yoga…I’ll keep you posted.

What do You do to help your body and mind?

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

A to Z Challenge - W

A to Z Challenge – W

W is for wistful. 1. Characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning. Or  2. pensive, especially in a melancholy way. (Thank you Dictionary.Com!)

I have been very wistful lately, pensive in a melancholy way. I wistfully remember Pop’s first day of kindergarten as I prepare for him to graduate. I wistfully remember reading Pop and Tart Harry Potter and going for midnight releases of the new books and movies…I wistfully contemplate Frosting getting older and starting school next year.

Melancholy may be a little too strong of a word, but sometimes there is a definite sadness as I stand back and see all the time that has passed by. All the todays that have come and gone while I am trying to keep my head above water. I think about all the things that I have experienced and wonder about all the little things I may have missed out on while dog paddling. I am wistful.

As we are going through pictures and videos of Pop, applying for financial aid, thinking about a car to get him to and from college, preparing to buy bedding for a dorm room out of state – I am wistful…I am longing. I am longing for a time when he was small (not really ever small…but, you get my drift!) and his bright little eyes would look out at me from his crib at 2 in the morning. I am longing for the little red faced fits he threw in his cowboy boots. I am wistful for the cuddling of my little boy that is now in all truth a man.

All the while I am wistful I am also go incredible grateful for the wonderful memories and wishful for all the things that are to come for my Pop, Tart and Frosting.

What are you wistful for? What are you longing for in a melancholy way? I am wistful for the innocence of childhood to be sure! Kids today are growing up too fast in a world that has no consideration for the need to pace their growth. Kiddos are exposed to violence, sex and drugs at a younger and younger age…youtube, google, Facebook, iPods…you name it there is media out there to present it no matter how careful you are as a parent. I wistfully wish that I didn’t have to worry where my kiddos are 24/7, but realistically I know that this is now the world we live in.

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

A to Z Challenge - S

A to Z Challenge –

S – is for two friends…S**** and D** S****, again trying to protect the innocent from the ranting of the Vanilla Mama! I will warn a few people ahead of time, your time is coming, but it is ALL GOOD!

Since I used D already I had to honor D’s with her last name…that starts with S! My two oldest boys and her two sons have the same names…almost…Her oldest’s name is my middle son’s, and my oldest is her youngest son (Frosting doesn’t play into this equation, he wasn’t even a glimmer when this lovely lady and I met – although we call her Aunt “D”). We met many years ago with our kiddos in the same grades, I used to babysit them and she is one lady that is stunningly beautiful without really knowing it. I am talking drop dead gorgeous, move over Julia Roberts gorgeous! Her heart is lovely and sweet and even though we haven’t had time to speak much recently, this is a woman I know I could call in a crises and she could call me. We have shared sangria, my first cevhice, and she even braved a bridesmaid dress in my wedding – and she looked amazing!

Now S****, again I have known her for a LONG time! I, in a past life was a cubscout leader and her son was in my troop. I have been amazed by this young man’s growth and since I have already passed the letter “J” I will save him for a Fortune Cookie. A woman with a stronger backbone and heart I have not had the pleasure of meeting – beautiful inside and out! Our sons will be lifelong friends and we will too!! If I need raising kiddos in a crazy world advice, I always think of her. When I think of crazy party that is family friendly, I think of her! Am I am really bummed that the cruise we were planning as a group to celebrate our sons’ graduations fell through the floor?  You betcha!! (Don’t’ get me started on how our school district really screwed that on up!) Girl, we will be talking soon about something we can all do to celebrate – we have come this far chicha! My Pop calls her his second Mom and I gotta tell you, I trust this woman heart and soul when it comes to my kiddos. Her son is a joy in my heart and I call him one of my boys.

S is a wonderful letter – my name starts with it as well, some of my favorite people  start with it, SINGING starts with it (a BTW – I LOVE to do that!), and silence starts with it – and that’s where I am headed now…Into the silence of sleep!

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

BTW – There will be not post tomorrow. I work a weird shift and will try to make it up on Sunday. (EVEN THOUGH I HAVE TO WORK ON EASTER SUNDAY…WHAT?! UMMM!!! Did you NOT get the memo?!?! I DON’T WORK ON SUNDAY’s!!! Deep breath, in and out…I have another couple of wonderful women to talk about on T!)

A to Z Challenge - Q and R

A to Z Challenge – Q and R



Check out his Cool Paintings!



Well, yesterday was quite a trip! Woke up, couldn’t move my head because my ear hurt so bad, went to urgent care and found out I had a double ear infection and sinus infection. SO – now I am on an antibiotic and WOW some sort of medicine that had me going BLACK at work. I had to come home and I went straight to bed! Thank you for your well wishes and THANK YOU to two wonderful friends – one who made it possible to go home and the other that took me home, there was NO way I could even drive.

I had extra time to think about Q, changed my mind a couple of times…but, still came back to Quote. At the end of every post, my every personal e-mail, on walls I my home you will see Live, Laugh, Love. Am I going to tell you here and now I was signing that in my book SEVEN years ago – almost eight, before it became something you could find in EVERY catalogue and in every WalMart across the nation! I came close to abandoning it, but I will stick with it – since now everyone is changing it. There are a million variations to suit anyone, but I will stick with my original Quote.  I don’t know where I heard it or read it – honestly I thought I was the first one that came up with it….but probably not. (I also thought I was the first to say Wonky, Hinky and Cool Beans…but alas, now I see it in books everywhere! But, I promise you I am the FIRST to say…”What do you want? Wicker?” in answer to customers and children who are impossible to please! )

My Quote – simple, to the point and exactly what everyday should be full of – Live…Live your life! Get up off the couch and LIVE it! Laugh – Everyday you have to smile, no matter how bad it gets, find the something silly to make you laugh. Love – How simple is this, at the very least LOVE yourself. If you can’t muster that find something in your life that you can LOVE…a passion for something, a GUPPY or Sea Monkey…something!

So no matter what, you gotta Live, Laugh and Love – and if you can’t, e-mail me…the Vanilla Mama will help you find something. There are many dark places that life can take you, you have to, have to make the choice to find something.

Now…for R….RITA!

Who is RITA, she is my ghost…was my Ghost. You don’t believe? That’s your choice…but when your 3 year old tells you, “The ghost under the bed doesn’t like us.” You perk up your ears to listen!

Mommy, “What do you mean he doesn’t like us?”

Pop, “Wait…” turns his head like he is listening, “No, it’s okay, she likes us.”

Mommy, shaking a little because it is not the first weird thing that has happened, “Really, does the ghost have a name?”

Pop, listening again…”She likes us and her name is Rita.”

“Okay then, it’s time for us to go in another room!”

Ex-Hubby and I actually at one point called a priest out to do whatever priests do to get rid of haunting and he wouldn’t. We brought a physic to our house and he confirmed…without telling him ANYTHING that there was a child ghost in the house. I had a friend that saw her…I had another friend that WOULD NOT come in my house without me there because one time when she came ALL the cupboards were open. My ex-hubby had the door shaken like someone was trying to get in…no one was home, then all of a sudden a drawer pulled open while he was watching.

I lived there for many years, 13 to be exact. I will tell you straight up – I lived with a little girl ghost, named Rita. Other children in the neighborhood saw her at their houses without knowing about her in our house. She liked being around all the children in my daycare, she liked me (I think), she was sad, lonely, happy and mischievous. She would hide things, she would open cabinets, she would tease me with cold fingers up the back of my neck.

At one point I was alone in my house…separation, divorce, kids gone…I had never really been alone, truly alone until that point. I was in my kitchen having a drink of some sort and I felt her, cold and prickly and I told her, “I don’t know why you are here, but I accept your presence. Be nice and we will get along just fine.” The atmosphere changed and we continued like that for several years. When I finally was moving out of the house to get married to my wonderful husband I actually invited her to come with us. I never felt her again.

I don’t know why she was there, I don’t know why she was in other houses throughout the neighborhood, but I know she was there. You can believe or not believe…that is again your choice…but, I know. I also know that after I left my old house…people would live there for 3-6 months and then MOVE out! I will tell her story someday.

So, there you have Q and R –

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

A to Z Challenge - O

A to Z Challenge – O

O is for Obtuse….unfeeling, tactless, insensitive; blind, imperceptive, unobservant; gauche, boorish; slow, dim.

I remember the first time I ever heard this word used as something other than describing an angle, it was in one of my all time favorite movies, Shawshank Redemption.  Andy is an innocent man sent to prison for the murder of his wife and his wife’s lover, but he finds in prison a man who knows he is innocent and is talking to the warden about it – the warden of course doesn’t want to let Andy out of prison….Andy asks him, “How can you be so obtuse?”

I love that question! Absolutely love that question – I ask it several times a day in my brain!

To the customers that come in daily, to the phone calls that I get, to my children that continue to leave dirty laundry on the floor – How can you be so obtuse?! I may never utter it aloud to the customers in the store, or to the callers on the phone….my kids have heard it, probably don’t know what I am saying….they are thinking about the angles. They are wondering WHY on earth they are greater than 90 degrees. Is this a good thing? NO – how can you be so obtuse?! Really, is it SO hard to pick up the laundry off the floor, to bring your dirty dishes to the kitchen?

Is it perhaps a little obtuse to post this? Absolutely!

Sorry Pop, Tart and Frosting (although Frosting – you do pretty good when I count down from 5!).

Someday when you are parents you will understand.

To the customers, to the callers, to you and to me – let’s all try to not be Obtuse with one another…let’s all try to not be unfeeling, tactless, insensitive; blind, imperceptive, unobservant; gauche, boorish; slow, dim.

Maybe for just a day? I’ll do my part and I’ll gently remind you in my head to do yours – although I may get frustrated enough to say it out loud to you!

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

A to Z Challenge - M

A to Z Challenge – M

M is for Making it Up!

Making it up as I go – I used to have a plan, but I quickly learned that whatever plans that I make, they usually go awry. Especially if I am very specific with God about what my plan does not include…example, “I am never going to get remarried!” – God said, “Really now? How about this wonderful man?”….example, “I am not going to have any more children.” – God said, “BTW, did I mention natural family planning means that you are open to life? Congratulations, you’re pregnant!”

Do I regret either one of these things? Absolutely not! God had his plan for me, and I was just ‘Making it up’ as I went, flying by the seat of my pants. God still has a plan for me and I will keep making it up as I go – because in all honesty, God has my back no matter what. If he brings me to it, he will bring me through it.

I was talking to a friend at work not long ago, he did not realize that I had been married before and remarried (fact #1 – for anyone that is counting). I don’t bring it up much in general conversation, it doesn’t define who I am…again, wasn’t part of my plan, but I made it up as I went. Life can throw you a lot of curve balls – are you ready? Can you make it up as you go?

Here is a little curve ball…do you make it up as you go so much, that you don’t remember who you are? Women in general are used to covering up, making up to hide things…we all do it. We make it up, we make up who we are…but at what point do we never take the makeup off?

I have seen shows about women who at night do not take their makeup off, they sleep in it, in the morning they jump out of bed and shower so quickly that their partner never sees them without their makeup on. What are they hiding? How self conscious are they? How self conscious am I, are you? Does anyone see you or I without the makeup on? 

How many people can I honestly say know me without my makeup on? Not many, less than you could count on one hand – Everyone, you, me, the neighbor across the street – have places that they are making up as they go and are making up to hide the others.

Personally there are sides of me that I do not share with everyone, I can’t. In some cases it is not appropriate and not comfortable, in others I am willing to open that part of my heart up to them. Personally everyday there is an element of my life that no matter what my plan for that day is, I will have to wing it – Make it up – very seldom does everything go to the little check-list that I have in my head.

Now for another M word…hmmm, can’t think of one for this. I was awarded the Stylish Blog award, and wow, how cool! So, MMMMMMTHANKS! –hehe- In honor of the letter “M” and to fulfill the requirements of the award, here are seven facts about Vanilla Mama that you will have to figure out….which are Made up and which are true…#1 is a gimme!

2 – I live with a host of dust bunnies that continually multiply.

3 – I love to feed horses apples, carrots and any kind of produce that in my healthy dreams I am actually preparing and eating, but in reality start to rot in the crisper section of my fridge.

4 – I can leap tall buildings, read minds and tell your future!

5 – was a manicurist and daycare provider at some point I my life, at the same time!

6 – I love, love, love the scent of Vanilla…in fact so much that my loved ones know I am around simply by the aroma, and they know I will haunt them through it from the grave!

7 – I read, read, read and listen, listen, listen to books.

Now….which one am I making up?

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

PS - Watch out, I have a few badges to hand out as well!

A to Z Challenge - L

A to Z Challenge – L

L is for Lover! Now, Now…don’t get all hot and bothered it is not that kind of Blog!

Yesterday I got my Hot and Sour soup fix taken care of at PeiWei (found a ROCK in my rice, but that’s another story!), and my friend who knows that I love Fortune Cookies grabbed a big ole hand full of them for me. Out of this new influx of Fortunes I grabbed on – “You are a LOVER of words, someday you should write a book.”

My wonderful hubby and I looked at each other, we have been trying to fit more time in for me to write – this blog is a writing exercise of sorts for me. I have so many things inside my head that I need to get out, writing these short little posts helps me to organize my thoughts.  It gets my mind moving again – it has been stagnant for way too long, dormant in a world of busies.

I actually have written a book, I had it published, I got some great reviews had a handful of book signings and then got busy with everyday life. It is really easy to push aside something that you love, that you are a LOVER of. I am a lover of words, how they fit together form a thread and story. When you are a lover of something, there is a certain amount of guilt associated with it.

I do feel guilty when I am sitting here in my padded seat at my kitchen table with paperwork strewn everywhere. I do feel guilty when there is laundry piled up on the bed that needs folding. I do feel guilty when there is a sink full of dirty dishes – I feel so guilty through all of this when I am sitting here being a lover, it is like an affair of the heart.

Choices, balance – I am not really good at them. For many years I made the choice to say that I will start writing again tomorrow…recently I realized that tomorrow never comes.  Did you know that? Think about that for just a second….Tomorrow never really comes, because no matter what it is always today. Today I am sitting here wishing that I could get my life together tomorrow, today I am sitting here wishing that I have time tomorrow to do yoga, today I am wishing that I sit down and make the outline for my next book tomorrow….but tomorrow NEVER comes. It is always today – I need to do these things TODAY. Otherwise the list grows, the piles grow, the depression grows.

L is for Lover – (Again THANK you Dictionary.com)

I am going to skip the first 3 definitions, they don’t apply!

4. a person who has a strong enjoyment or liking for something, as specified: a lover of music.

5. a person who loves, especially a person who has or shows a warm and general affectionate regard for others: a lover of mankind.

What are you a lover of? I am a lover of my family, a lover of my wonderful hubby, a lover of Pop, Tart and Frosting, a lover of words.

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

BTW – THANK YOU so much Danni, I am honored that you selected me for the Stylish Blogger Award! Tomorrow (yes, I know what I just said – but REALLY!), I will get the badge up and pick my winners too!

BBTW - LUCKY NUMBERS - 10, 13, 18, 31, 35, 36

A to Z Challenge - K

A to Z Challenge – K

K is for Kite!

One of my favorite all time songs from a movie is – “Let’s Go Fly a Kite!” from Mary Poppins. In my full time job I see a lot of kites and kite string come through my line and every so often this crazy Vanilla Mama will break into song and treat/torture an unsuspecting person with a quick rendition of it. (If I am feeling really spunky I will even do it with an English accent!)

The younger crowd doesn’t have a clue what I am doing – but they smile, some of the little kiddos laugh, most of the parents really get a kick out of it. At least no one has complained as yet. Even my co-workers smile indulgently, maybe someday I will get a duet going.

I haven’t had a chance yet to fly a kite this year with my kiddos, but I already have a kite in reserve so that Pop, Tart and Frosting and I can get out and do that. For the older boys though, I think I will have to get them something other than the Plex kite that is leftover from last year…time to step up the game and get a stunt kite!

Last year was so much fun, we did it just on our little street and Frosting was adorable running with the kite trying to get it up in the air. Tart really had one up there and Frosting was SO jealous and wanted Tart’s string. Pop came late to the whole proceedings, but he dragged out a dragon kite that the Easter Bunny had brought and got it up in the air for a few, and wonderful hubby wasn’t home. Poor Frosting got his Kite stuck

Bottom line – grab some string, a cheap little kite and a breeze. Sing the song (lyrics below of course!) and HAVE SOME FUN!

Mr. Banks: (If you do not know who these people are get thee to a VIDEO STORE!! or CLICK HERE to watch at least the song on YouTube!)

With tuppence for paper and strings
You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You're a bird in a flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite

Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!

Bert:
When you send it flyin' up there
All at once you're lighter than air
You can dance on the breeze
Over 'ouses and trees
With your first 'olding tight
To the string of your kite

Londoners:
Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Let's go fly a kite!

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

PS-I would have done Kindness for my K word - but I already covered that in a Fortune Cookie post! You can read it here!

A to Z Challenge - I

Oh, My Ice Cream Obsession!

A to Z Challenge – I

I is of course for Ice Cream!

I really did not know how much I loved Ice Cream (notice capital letters – it is that wonderful!) until I got pregnant with Frosting. –If you are wondering who Frosting is, you are going to have to go back at this post! – I mean, I always knew Ice Cream was good, I would eat it with my Grandparents when we visited – I remember Neapolitan the most, it goes great with birthday cake…and then fast forward to my pregnancy.

I was already overweight, but I fell in love all over again with Ice Cream in my first trimester. Really, really loved Haagan Das Dulce de Leche, Moose Tracks, and anything creamy with chocolate or peanut butter (and honestly if it didn’t have peanut butter in it I would add it on the top – but alas, that is another obsession for another post!) Fast forward to high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and BED REST, not all because of Ice Cream – I was already overweight and under a lot of stress, and totally in love with Ice Cream and other things we won’t mention right now, but I am quite sure that it did not help any.

These days, 80 pounds lighter, I have a healthier approach to Ice Cream – for the most part. I will admit that I have a true weak spot…Cherry Garcia Ice Cream Bars! Notice, I said Ice Cream Bar – not the Ice Cream. Oh My Heavens – that thing, that magnificent piece of Ice Cream confectionery magic, that ice cold, creamy crunchy bit of magical Ice Cream Heaven – I almost wish I had never laid eyes on it, let alone touched my tongue to it. At the end of nearly every shift I would treat myself to this masterpiece of Ice Creamness….but, then the terrible, terrible thing happened!! The Good Humor Man, yes…you read that right…The Good Humor Man, that until that moment I would have called a dear and true friend because he brought my beloved Cherry Garcia Ice Cream Bars to our cooler at work, told me that our store would no longer carry that bar!!!

WHAT?!?!

It was being replaced by another product!

WHAT?!?!

Any other sane, normal, non-obsessed person would shrug and say, “Oh Well.” But, not your Vanilla Mama….

There were NINE left in the freezer and guess how many I bought….NINE!!

Not my proudest moment. Really, really not my proudest moment. ***Shrug*** They will a laugh about that for a very long time!

What was I supposed to do? I bought them and put them in the break room freezer and enjoyed them over the next few weeks – and now – now, they are GONE!

I have eaten the last one, and I do not know where I can find them again. I have tried replacing this obsession with a different Ice Cream bar that we have – but I just cannot work it up. It is NOT the Cherry Garcia Ice Cream Bar…and before you even ask…YES, I have tried the Ice Cream you can get at the grocery store and even the Ben and Jerry’s store that is up the road and it IS NOT THE SAME!!! SO, SO NOT!!

I is for Ice Cream and I guess for now I am going Ice Cream-less! Until I find the next thing I just LOVE – I refuse to spend unnecessary calories on something I don’t absolutely LOVE!

(in a hushed whisper – “if you happen to know anywhere in the DFW area that sells Cherry Garcia Ice Cream Bars – feel free to e-mail, leave a comment, or IM me! I am not THAT proud! – haha-“)

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

Pop, Tart and Frosting

Okay – Pop, Tart and Frosting….

Monkey, Bear, Gabbiano….

Cheeky Monkey, Little Bear, Tug Boat…

What on earth am I going on about – have I suddenly developed a condition?!

Nope, I give nicknames to my kiddos, little love names that are silly and full of embarrassment for my kiddos. Hehe –

The latest nicknames are Pop – 18 year old about to graduate, heart of gold, Tart – 14 year old who thinks he should be, wise beyond his years and stronger than he knows, inside and out, Frosting – 4 year old who is the…yes, I know…the frosting, the finale of the family!

Short post, but since I will be frequently referring to them in code. (We always strive to protect the innocent of Vanilla Mama’s ranting….of course the fact that some of you know me personally won’t help them any – evil laugh ensuing!)

Meaning behind the names…Pop, Tart and Frosting – just silly!! They laugh and get it, private inside joke…we call their friends the filling or the fruit! But, if you ever hear a crazy looking woman say, “Pop – Tart!” in a weird sing-song voice, it may be me!

The only other one love name I will explain is Gabbiano  - That is Italian for SEAGULL! For you parents out there….please flashback to “Finding Nemo”…..”Mine, Mine, Mine!” That is my little man (another nickname for him!) at the age of 2! Everything was, “Mine, Mine, Mine!”

I promise that soon I will have my next Fortune Cookie post, it is stewing in my Hot and Sour brain and I am liking it.

I have a huge commitment that I am making soon – perhaps one that not everyone will approve of or understand, but I have been thinking about it now for literally years. I am not sure if I will share pictures of it or not, but it is my Willow Tree. So, I will be talking about that soon and explaining that as well.

One of the wonderful blogs that I read put out a challenge tonight about why and how we write and do what we do…I was close to just going to bed tonight having commented on her blog (http://parentingbydummies.com/) – but decided that I wanted to address it here as well.

Why-3 kids, 2 jobs, 1 hubby and an overwhelming desire to put something out there on “pen and paper.” I have always been driven to write. I have a book, a ½ book – someday it will be written - , short stories, ideas for at least 2-3 more books, poems, posts….the words inside me want to come out and find a place. Whether it will just be something that my children groan about now, or remember when they place me in my grave, it will be written.

How – any spare moment, any extra time, any napkin or scrap of paper that is idle while my brain is not. Anytime that I can spend reading books, blogs, articles I try to do it. I am constantly inspired by the women and men I meet on here in blog world, who put their lives out there. I hid a little behind my moniker, Vanilla Mama, but I know that in all honesty, if you want to find out who I am you will. I really don’t have anything to hide. I am who I am…I am the person I am because of what I have been through and the people that I love form my heart and touch my soul. And – probably more than you will ever know.

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

BTW - the YUMMY looking picture comes from - http://ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com/diy-pop-tarts/2009/04/26/! Check it out!