Diary of a Busy Mom

In case you’re wondering what it’s like to be the mother of a strong-willed child, let me give you a glimpse into the Lil Diva’s brain. Right before Christmas, she decided she would like to write a newsletter to share with her friends. Her first attempt was a sweet one that talked about how awesome her Christmases are and how she hoped they had an awesome Christmas, too.

Now that the holidays are over, I guess it is time to get down to brass tacks and share what’s on her mind. In the spirit of the television show Ned’s Declassified, the Lil Diva has come up with some tips to share with her friends. Here are the first three.

No More Chores for Kids

Nobody wants to do chores. So just say no to parents. It is a parent’s job to do the house work, NOT kids. So no more chores for kids, only adults.

Parents can’t tell you what to do

Parents are ALWAYS telling you what to do. Example: “Go get me that!” Or, “You have to go to what I am going to!” And, “Don’t eat that chocolate!” So, say no when parents tell you to do stuff.

Parents can’t take your stuff

Parents say, “If you don’t do this, I will confiscate this.” That is just STUPID. Just hide it. It is yours, not theirs.

Is it any wonder I started going gray after the Lil Diva was born?

Thursday Books: Thursdays in the Park by Hilary Boyd

Thursdays have always been kind of hard to fill around here. I've tried recipes, but I have to depend upon the hubby to download photos off the camera for me to post--he's got some complicated procedure going that you have to have a Master's Degree to figure out--so I don't tend to write about cooking/baking as much as I would like.

On a whim, I decided to see what kinds of books I could find on Amazon that had Thursday in the title. I'll feature some of them here and see what develops.

What do you do if you've been married to a man for half your life and out of nowhere he leaves your bed – permanently? When this happens to Jeanie, she's furious and hurt, and determined to confront George, her husband of thirty years. Is he in love with someone else? What did she do wrong? He won't tell her.

The brightest day of her week is Thursday, the day Jeanie takes her granddaughter to the park. There, one day, she meets Ray and his grandson. Ray is kind, easy to talk to, and gorgeous – everything George isn't. She starts to live for Thursdays. But does she have the courage, in the teeth of opposition from all sides, to turn her life upside down for another shot at love?

File Size: 1958 KB
Print Length: 353 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 085738516X
Publisher: Quercus (August 4, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B005COO12C

The Black Shard Giveaway Winner

Congratulations goes out to Terri F. She won an e-copy of The Black Shard by Victoria Simcox.

Thanks to all who participated. Look for more giveaways coming soon!

WSJ Wednesday - The Opposite of Casual Friday

Why this article caught my eye, I don't know. Perhaps it was because Casual Friday was such a big deal when I was working outside the home. In Andy Jordan's article titled, "If You Really Want to Defy Conformity, Dress Up Today,"* he features San Francisco startup Pulse who holds "Formal Friday," where everyone dresses in their Sunday best instead of the casual business attire during the rest of the week. Jordan mentions Barbarian, a New York digital marketing and creative agency, as one of the early proponents of this tradition.

I love this idea. What do you think of it?

*This article appeared in the Friday, January 4, 2013 edition of The Wall Street Journal.

Reusing Tip: Packing Away Those Christmas Lights

For years, the picture below is what I would be working with when it came to put up the Christmas trees and garlands. It seemed no matter how carefully I packed up the lights at the end of the season, they would be a tangled mess when I took them out the following year.

I finally got smart. And I didn't have to spend any money to do it. I do most of my shopping online. Amazon is my best friend from November through December. When they package shipments, they often include a cardboard insert. Other vendors do this, too. When it's time to wrap up my Christmas lights, I wind them around these cardboard inserts. They are easy to pack away and stay neat all year long. I also use some of the sturdier food boxes from our groceries. Yes, I could buy those plastic cord winders, but why spend the money when this works just as well. This also makes it much easier to place the lights on the trees when it's time.

It's probably a little late now, but keep this helpful tip in mind for next season.

Teaser Tuesday - January 15th

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~

Pitcairn grimaced. "The colonel will be lookin' for a way to even the score, so be on your guard..."

~ page 171, Daughter of Liberty by J.M. Hochstetler

Teaser Tuesday - January 15th

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The soft footsteps on the carpet were getting nearer by the second. Marla's eyes grew large and frightened.

~ page 91, The Case of the Mystified M.D. by A. K. Arenz