The “Momsters” & Balancing the Parenting Juggling Act

I’m pretty sure I would have made a really rockin’ Momster.  For anyone whose not familiar, it’s the Parenting Version of Bridezilla; but instead of being a complete hot mess?  The “Momster” is perfect in her bitchiness.  It’s not just her attitude that says, “I’m better than you” – it’s her actions.. her perfect baked goods… her complete dedication to working towards negative numbered clothing sizes… She throws the best dinner parties, is in every committee possible in the PTA/Junior League and shealways beats you in tennis.

You can read more by visiting TheOneCrystal - my wordpress blog. :)

Myspace Migration: Random Thoughts From Me

I have the kids for extra time this weekend (yay!). It IS a good thing and I'm very excited to have just been able to spend a weekend with them without work or other interruptions. Lindsey learns how to shave her legs today (hahaha - she's all geeked up about it now, but give her a month... :D).

We watched An American Girl Movie: Kit Kittredge yesterday. It was really a great movie - I'd recommend it to anyone, regardless of their parental status. That probably sounds funny, because it IS definitely a kid's movie. But oh, you can draw some interesting parallels to things that are going on today; and even moreso, it's a pretty decent reality check. The movie is set in the Depression Era and centers around those who were losing their homes, the measures they tooks to keep from becoming 'hobos' or ending up in 'The Poor House.' It showed the 'Hobo Community' and just dealt with a lot of things that we really have lost sight of. I know I had.

I'm worrying about things like my bonuses so I can have a nanny this fall for the kids after school - while they were literally going cross-country to find work. While the movie wasn't real, people really did do that. And people are doing it again - the low reported unemployment is really bunk. That just means there's a lot of people not utilizing Unemployment. There are a lot of people that do not have work right now - or if they do, they're under-employed. I really am grateful to be gainfully employed in a challenging position; even with some of the craziness and the workload! ;)

I have this great house that I'm freaking out about because it's too hot for us upstairs (1) - they showed these two families.... one lost their home after selling eggs in the neighborhood to make ends meet (talk about humbling). The other, the main family, took in boarders (one of their close friends, and several people they didn't know) to try to pay the mortgage. And draw the parallel to now, there are 33+ homes in my neighborhood that have been forclosed on; with more on the way. This little boy came home from school to find all of his family's possessions on the lawn after the sherriff had locked them out. So sad. This is not confined to my neighborhood folks; it's a real problem out there.

But, even with the real problems, it's still a LOT better for us than it was during the Depression. You can't watch that movie without feeling grateful for what you have. It did leave me drawing enough parallels, however, that I do believe we are in a recession, regardless of what the media says.

(1) Thanks to Absolute Air, we will have a zoned system in the next week or two!

Myspace Migration: Because it's Too Funny NOT to Mention

So, in olden days when you had problem children, you raised them quietly and then lived a life where people thought that perhaps you were the sweet, barren couple who didn't have kids. You kept kinda mum.
In some kind of cosmic funny, LYNN SPEARS is putting out a *pause for me to have another fit of laughter* PARENTING BOOK. Bahahahahahaha! What in the name of the holy trinity makes this woman think that she's fit on ANY level to give "normal parents" advice on how to rear children? Was it the bang up job she did with Brittney? (1) Or, perhaps, it's the loving open relationship she has with now knocked-up daughter Jamie Lynn.... Seriously, what do they put in the water out there? When it first was announced that Jamie, at the tender age of SIXTEEN, was in the family way; the publishers put the book on hold, indefinitely. This restored some faith I had in the publishing world.

Ahem. Hold that hope.
The book is BACK ON and now will be published directly. We are straight on the way to hell, people and I don't see pavers of good intentions. Jamie Lynn. Parenting Book. Must.Go.Laugh.Till.Throw.Up.Now.
(1) See also, definition for white trash - she really should just give it up and embrace it. You've hit a new low when your nanny doesn't feel comfortable leaving you with the children because you have no juice, no milk, and no food AT ALL in your massive sub-zero.