Favorite Things Winter 2016

Here's a few things I've been loving lately that you might want to try out.

 
Rimmel Provocalips! it's Rimmel's version of long lasting lip stain.  I know that Lipsense is ruling the planet right now but I personally don't want to spend over $50 on one color of stain/gloss.  I like to change my color up on the daily and I think that price point is a bit prohibitive.  Lipsense for me, is just RIDICULOUSLY expensive.  I realize it's a MLM and I am not a hater.  I'm just not at a place in my life where buying lipsense makes any sense when I can get the same effect for a small fraction of the price.  Have I used Lip Sense?  Why yes I have.  I actually really like the product, A LOT.  I used it about 4 years ago and even did an old blog post about it.  That being said, I wanted to try out some drug store brands just to see how they hold up.  So far, I think spending $6.94 for this stain was well worth it.  You can watch my videos below to see for yourself. (p.s. I'm just going to apologize right now for my weirdness)
 

Pampered Chef Chopper.  I seriously love this thing.  I use it practically every day.  I had the same one for about 15 years (holy good investment). This year I finally purchased another one and I'm so so so happy about it.  Once my 15- year-old chopper finally broke I tried about 3 other brands, including kitchen aid.  Let me just say, the Pampered Chef chopper is unbelievably better.  It chops up onions, peppers, etc in no time.  It even can make them teeny, tiny so my picky eaters don't even know they are there.  Buy one, you won't regret it.

This book is so life changing.  Well, it was for me anyway.  I had so many "light bulb" moments while reading it and I think anyone can and will benefit from reading it.  It was very interesting and not boring in the least.  I'm even thinking of ordering a few for gifts this year!

The Extraordinary Mom's Podcast.



I am a busy mom of five and a business owner so I just don't have as much time as I'd like to sit and read.  But this podcast is such a fulfilling podcast.  I seriously LOVE it.  It is so uplifting, encouraging, inspiring and enjoyable to listen to.  It's filled with practical advice from other mom's who share their experiences.  I've found it to make my mundane daily tasks fly by.  I love turning it on while I clean the bathroom or fold laundry.  If you don't know how to listen to podcasts yet post in the comments below and I'll give you the scoop, it's completely FREE!

If you're looking for some incredible music to listen to this season you MUST check out Pentatonix Christmas!  I'm currently listening to "Hallelujah" on repeat...all day long.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ

Handmade Flower Tutorials

Hey guys, if you don't know already I own a custom hair accessory business and have been running it for about 15 years now (yes, I'm that old!)  But the reason I'm sharing this info now is that I've started sharing some of my how-to videos on you tube.  If you ever get in the crafting mood or are thinking of starting your own flower/bow making business you should check them out.  Or are just curious about them well here's one of them and if you subscribe you can see even more videos...if I ever get them posted.  :) 

What The Crazy Lady Taught Me

Woes of Renting
We live in a cute little neighborhood right now.  That happens to have been taken over by investors who keep buying the houses and renting them out.  Not to classify renters as any one thing (considering we are currently renting and have been for almost 4 years) but this causes a slight problem, which is transition.  When you rent, you are much less rooted to the area.  There are several houses that are rentals and so we see a lot of movement.

Rated X Movie
One such house is kiddy corner to us.  A few weeks ago our very quiet and nice neighbors moved out.  Shortly following, some new, less quiet and less nice neighbors moved in.  They did not lack pizazz!  On day one she was outside screaming obscenities like an X rated movie (I am assuming here since I've never actually seen a rated X movie) at her boyfriend? husband? brother? ex? who knows.  Anyway, my children were huddled in the corner of the room cowering in fear that we were being attacked.  I'm not going to lie; I wasn't sure if I needed to call the police because someone was being murdered outside our front door.  It was Straight Outta Compton.

DRUGS?
As the days went by the yelling, screaming, glass throwing, obscene amounts of swearing, car kicking, craziness continued.  I'm not going to lie, it just started becoming normal.  Oh, it's just the new neighbor outside again.  Going BERZERK again.  I was pretty convinced she was either on drugs or, maybe she needs some drugs, and a lot of therapy.

Thank The Kids
You're probably wondering what I was thinking when I came up with the title, "What could this person have taught me?" you may be asking yourself.    Well for one, it taught me how insane you look when you yell at people.  I mean you look nutso.  Nobody looks at the yell-er and thinks the yell-ee is very deserving of this yelling they are getting.  Nope, they think, jees, that yell-er is so mean and onery and crazy.  If you're wondering how I came to this realization, you can thank my kids.  When I would start to get wound up and raise my voice for them to please pick up the 7 towels strewn across their bedroom floor they would say, "You sound just like our new neighbor."
Lol.  Gotta love kids.  Did I really sound like our new neighbor?  No, I was not screaming obscenities or throwing glass at my children.  But I realized that I also wasn't accomplishing anything by getting so frazzled by them.  I was just looking insane and scaring my kids by yelling so much.

An Ugly Cycle
Why did I yell?  Because it worked.  As soon as I got peeved enough everyone jumped on the clean-the-house-wagon and we finally got it done, and in record time.  Was it a bad experience?  You betcha!  Was I exhausted and guilt ridden?  You know it.  But I honestly felt like, this is the only way. It's the only way to get them to work hard for me.  But what I've realized over time and research is.  I've trained my kids to wait until I get loud before they hop to it.  It's not a good thing.

What Now?
Well I've jumped on the stop yelling train.  I just can't handle the thought that I look even remotely, on any level, close to how my new neighbor looks.  I REFUSE.  So I've drastically cut the yelling down.  I'm on a new mission.  First thing I did was apologize to my kids.  I mean, who wants to be yelled at all the time?  Then I told them, "guys, I'm not perfect but I want to be better, and I need your help".  I feel like I've been doing so much better.  I have reigned my little spit fire temper in so much and I feel so much better about myself.  Have I relapsed?  Yes.  But I'm not giving up!

HALLELUJAH
Oh and in case you're wondering.  Crazy lady moved out (HALLELUJAH) and we are moving too.

I NEED EMOJIS
 (p.s, does anyone else feel like they can't properly communicate without emojis?  I'm being for real here)

COMPARISON SOMETIMES IS THE DELIVERER OF JOY
Have a great day feeling like an awesome person because you didn't kick the windows out of your own car today in a blind rage.



XOXO,
Kell

Don't Call the Police, it's normal.

Two words:  My garage.  It is so ridiculous right now.  I mean if I didn't have any pride I could post a jaw dropping pic for you but I do have a little pride so I'm not going to.  I will say I can park my suburban XL in there but once I do you have to shimmy and jump to get in the house.  I'm pretty awesome at it since I practice everyday.  You would think that at some point I would stop and think.  Hey, if I move this crib that is leaning against some chairs, that is leaning against some totes, that is leaning against some rusty bikes (relax, this isn't a memory test), that is leaning against my freezer then I probably wouldn't trip on it three times a day.  But, no.  I trip, and pretend curse (or actually curse depending on how much sleep I got the night before) and I just keep on keeping on.  Because I'm awesome like that and I'm secretly training for a future "Mom Ninja Warrior" show that I'm sure someone is going to produce.

I heard this true story about a family that left to go somewhere.  To make it more interesting, let's pretend they went to the fair.  And when they got back (from the fair) their house had been caution taped off as a crime scene.  Because, get this, after they left -- their "helpful" neighbor saw that their door was left ajar.  He peeked in to make sure all was well and was planning on closing the door and go on his merry way.  After he peeked in though he knew that their house had been burglarized.  Because it was "ransacked."  He immediately called the police because his fair-going neighbors had been broken into.   Much to the horror of all involved the house was not in actuality "ransacked" just a deeeesaster.  I snort laughed when I heard this because it was just a little too close to home ya know?  All I'm getting at is, I'm ready to make some changes around here.

I know change is possible.  Case in point.  I used to be a messy car person.  I hated it and complained to people about it but then I got a new car (the aforementioned Suburban) and I was bound and determined to be a clean car person.  And guess what?  I'm doing a pretty dang good job.  Do I have to clean it up everyday?  Yep.  Do I have to vacuum it regularly? You betcha.  Does it make me happy to get in and drive a lovely clean car.  You better believe it!  It's also nice when a friend needs a ride home to not have to rush out ahead of them to grab every half eaten piece of crusty pizza and throw it in the trunk.   I'm finally a normal person.  Kind of.

Anyway, I digress from my point.  How on earth do I get my kids to start helping with house cleaning?  I'm desperate. They will do a job or two after I ask them a bajillion times, and then they do the crappiest job at it (sorry kids but it's true, I love you but, you are not good cleaners)  I'll take all the advice I can get.  Oh, and when I try to show them how to do it they yell and scream that they already know how! I'll help them clean their room.  I'm talking, deep clean, every scrunched up pair of undies that are stuffed under the bed, each drawer wiped out, all the clothes folded in the "tidying up" way and before the day is through things are starting to gather again in the corners.  Someone tell me their magic cure-all.  We don't want neighbors to call the police on our "ransacked" house.

I go through stages.  If there's a week where I don't have PTA meetings, a dentist appointment, soccer practice and game, two basketball practices, three dance practices, gymnastics, back to school night, lunch out with my friends, a hair appointment then I spend every waking minute cleaning and organizing. Those weeks where it's less chaotic I clean non-stop and my house looks pretty dang good.  Inevitably though I do have things I have to do and that's when it gets sketchy.  As soon as I stop cleaning the whole thing hits the fan and we're back to the "burglarized" house.

I've read a few ideas that I'm wanting to implement such as, "minimalism" etc but I guess I'm not desperate enough yet.  AKA, I've yet to have the police show up to my "burglarized" house.  

In other news, Halloween is over and I'm kind of happy about it.  It's a bit exhausting getting everyone in their costumes 5 different times.  I like Halloween but I'm happy it's only once a year.  I guess I better go pick up 45 candy wrappers. 

Confessions of a Swearing, Ragged Mom!

It's been a rough morning.  You know, the kind of morning where everything is just a little bit off.  And it's making you think of lots of swears that you want to really really say out loud.  But as soon as you do you regret it and feel lots of guilt and then you want to curse at yourself for your lack of self control and inability to set a good example for your kids.  UGH.  ok so I actually didn't swear at my kids THIS morning.  It was close.  But I refrained.  The point I'm trying to make is WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?  I feel like I'm constantly helping them set out their clothes, get to bed early, find all their books, sign all the papes.  But each and every morning we have at least one (typically more) panic attack moments.

It goes something like this.  "Mom, my hero report is due today!"  "What?  How in the world are we talking about this now?"  "Sorry, I forgot."  "Holy crap. Ok sit down.  Let's crank this thing out."  I start spatting off hero sentences while mixing up chicken salad for their lunches.  Whilst (I always wanted to use that word in a sentence) running back and forth from my daughter's room trying to coax her out of bed and into her clothes.  Stopping every few minutes to match some socks, and pack a lunch.  Pause while I go and give my baby his binky and pat him back to sleep.  He's back to sleep (whew!)  Now I've got to brush some hair, and tie a shoe.  I also have to rush up and down stairs three million times looking for the lost book that HAS TO BE TURNED IN TODAY.   Never found the book btw.  Then, I usually chase them down on their way to the bus because, "Hey, you forgot your lunch, jacket, hero report that we JUST wrote!"

Not to mention I get to intervene on at least three hostile conversations about who's fault it is that Mom is in a bad mood now.  Because we all know, It's everyone else's fault!  This has got to stop.  I'm exhausted.  I hate mornings.  I hate all the crazy screaming and fighting, and tears and drama.  I'm just over it. 
 
Don't worry though, my daughter's folder got left in my husbands car (who was long gone to work) so I get to go up to his work, pick up the folder, and drop it off so my sensitive first grader won't get yelled at for not having her folder.  Which means she won't go to school the next day because she doesn't want to get yelled at again.

I'm doing my best but my best is not cutting it. None of my kids ate a lick of breakfast today because we spent all our time doing hero reports and looking for lost books so yeah, maybe not my best.  I think I'm going to go check all my kids out and take them to breakfast.  And write for the reason.  "Crappy morning.  We need a do over." 

That's what a great mom would probably do.  But I'm too tired and exhausted to be a great mom today.  They are just going to have to accept the fact that I'm a ragged mom today and it's just a case of the Mondays.

Speaking of hero reports,  all you Super-Moms out there.  What works for you?  What are your tips and tricks for "swear free" mornings?

Do share. 

p.s. I did try the whole get up super early thing for a few days and it definitely helped in the morning...but then I was dragging so bad in the afternoons.  I'm thinking I need two of me.  Or a sister wife.  :) lol