A new year of potential

It’s a new year!  It’s a time for new beginnings, releasing old habits and generally, shaking off the dust.  And if you live in my house, there is plenty of that because the way my schedule is set up, there is very little time for “frivolous” chores like dusting.  Something like cleaning a toilet, well, that needs to get done but dust, well, I know that is pretty gross too.  I could make a bunch of excuses as to why I can’t get everything done but just envision yourself working and parenting without 2 people.  As in, all on your own.  I love when friends or people in general complain about how hard it is to be a parent and I see their husband at the ball field, at the grocery store and let’s say, lending 2 additional hands to the parenting role.  I am like a human octopus….truly, all hands on deck.

Now that I think of it, since dust is made up of sloughed-off skin cells (among other vile things like mites and other dead insect parts), I should dust and I could create an assistant to help me multi-task.  My dust assistant could go grocery shopping, while I assist with homework.  That would be a cost-effective way to secure some help.

And I am not complaining.  I am generally happy and I make time every day, no matter what the weather is, to get out for a walk in nature.  The things l don’t like to do – cooking, laundry and scrubbing floors, I would have to do with or without children.  To me, the parenting stuff is easy – challenging, at times, and time consuming for sure but immensely enjoyable.  The daily chore stuff…not so much.

Truth be told, when I looked out my slider today while drinking a coffee, I realized the 5 pumpkins I bought for the fall were rotting beside the “Welcome to the pumpkin patch” placard.  It should say, “Welcome to my world – procrastination sprinkled with exhaustion”.

No dust here. Nothing but blue skies.

Dolls are magical at any age

I still love dolls.  I don’t know what it is.  There are certain things that are beautiful and fun at any age.  And dolls are one of them!  As I was dressing one of my daughter’s dolls this morning, it made me nostalgic for my childhood and endless afternoons of play.  I know.  I know.  I am going to take some heat for this but I am going here anyway!  People will joke, “Really, Mary?  You have time to dress dolls but you haven’t returned my phone call?”  I know. I am sorry.  My daughter will roll her eyes or cross them.  Crossing them is worse.  Trust me.  But at least my son will be a good sport and tell me, “It’s okay Mum, you can like dolls.  As long as you have time to take me to a movie later.”  But, of course!  Anyway, I have found a fabulous new spot where you can order doll clothes.  It is the www.dollclothessuperstore.com.  The quality is amazing and the prices are really fair.

They have everything.  It is an online boutique of doll fabulousness.  They have American Girl doll outfits http://www.dollclothessuperstore.com/american-girl-doll-clothes.html matching girl and doll clothes, Barbie, Cabbage Patch (remember those?  They are back or never went away, not sure!) and on and on.  I selected an American Girl doll outfit to receive.  It is so pretty.  The quality (in my humble opinion) is easily as good as what you buy at other doll clothing shops.  And I don’t have to say this.   The company asked me to review the product and I feel the dress I received was lovely and well-made.  And after reviewing the website, talking with the owner and receiving the product, I can tell they make these clothes with love and good intentions.  They are about a third of the cost of many other retailers and this allows people on every budget to buy clothes for their dolls.  So instead of paying $30 for a dress for your doll, you pay about $7-9.  That is really fair.

Usually I tell my readers you can thank me later for this great new find, but this time I have to thank the folks at www.dollclothessuperstore.com for giving me an excuse to take time out and dress a doll.  I haven’t done this in years.  Too many years really.   It suddenly became clear to me why dressing up dolls or stuffed animals is so important.  It is aspirational; it allows us to dream about being a ballerina or a doctor or going to some fabulous dance all decked out!  I guess the message here is to never forget the dreams of that little boy or girl inside of you.  And allow your children endless hours of play so they too can dream of great things.  If any of my wonderful and inspirational readers (yes, you inspire me!) would like an additional discount to the retailer featured here, please make sure you subscribe to my blog and I will send you an email with the discount code!  Please enjoy and keep dreaming!

How lovely is this dress?  All dressed up and where are her invites?

How lovely is this dress? All dressed up and where are her invites?

 

 

 

 

Who’s counting?

Since I started the blog, there have been many things to count.  I don’t usually get excited about numbers (unless they are in my bank book) but once I got going I couldn’t stop.  Here are some of the stats:   Since I started the blog in late August of this year, I have had over 1500 views!  I don’t know if that is good or bad.  I have been invited to join two blogging directories.  I was asked to review one product.  It was a car product.  I wish it had been cosmetics.  I have lost 10 lbs and gained back 5.  Still in the negative.  Don’t judge.   Two readers wrote in for advice.

On the home front, I have made about 120 meals …..In the microwave!  Well, that is what some of you want to hear.  The truth is some were made in the toaster oven.  Have you tried Toaster Strudels?  They are gorgeous.  There is real fruit inside.  I have indulged in 50 or more pumpkin lattes.  At D and D.  Starbucks.  Wherever they are on the menu.  Is there a stock option out there for them?  I have read 100 or more books to my son.  One Olivia book about 30 times and that puts me on the waiting list for reading sainthood.   I am not kidding.  Olivia is one weird pig!  Have you read these books?  One minute she is matching her red socks (yes, they are all red) and the next she is dreaming about the Supreme Court.  In Olivia’s dream there are 9 justices and she is one of them.  I am totally not following the plot, but my son loves the books.  So we keep reading.  He has lost two teeth and had two magical visits by the tooth fairy who, by the way, has two enormous gray wings.  Who said numbers weren’t cool?

My daughter has rolled her eyes countless times!  I lost count of how many times I responded with “Your eyes can stick that way, you know?”  My neighbor gave me a two fingered wave the other day.  Is he lazy?  Was that a blow off?  A peace sign?  A martian wave?  If he beams me up to the planet Mercury, do they serve pumpkin lattes there?  I hope so.  I guess that is ‘Peace out’ from me and oh, don’t forget to count your blessings!  I count mine every day…….

 

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