Review on Yo Johnny Frozen Yogurt! in Watertown, NY

I really deserve to be on the naughty list this season.  I can't remember the last time I put on my running shoes and worked up a sweat.  My diet selections deserve to be on the naughtiest of all naughty lists.  Seriously though, why does it have to taste so good?  Why can't apples taste like chocolate chip cookies?

I swear December 26th, 2012 I am going for a run.  Get ready treadmill. 

Since I am already on a bad girl spree, I figured out it was a GREAT time to check out Yo Johnny Frozen Yogurt! in Watertown, NY.  It's a new frozen yogurt bar owned and operated by a radio personality.  After seeing many mouth watering pictures of frozen yumminess on Facebook, I decided it was time I let my taste buds be the judge.  A huge Coldstone Creamery fan, they had high expectations to meet.

I walked up in somewhat dismay to realize it was in the same location Teriyaki Experience used to be.  They must have closed.  Frown face....I really liked it there.  Okay, back to frozen yumminess.  My first impression was pleasant based on the decor and atmosphere.  It was fun with bright colors...hot pink, lime green, shiny silver.  A white Christmas tree with multicolored, vibrant ornaments is in the foyer between the exterior door and entrance to the restaurant.  Several smaller silver tables with modern, bright colored chairs are in the front of the joint for those who choose to stay to munch on their concoctions. 

A pleasant young lady must have sensed my unfamiliarity with the layout because she guided me to the back on the restaurant where the bowls are kept.  And then the line of frozen yogurt machines.  I expected chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurt.  Not the case.  Apple pie, Tahitian Vanilla, Oreos Cookie and Cream, Peanut Butter, oh my.  It went on and on.  A few flavors were out of order, but some kinks are to be expected during grand openings. 

Once you make the difficult decision of which flavor yogurt you desire, you move on to the toppings bar.  You name it, they have it.  Even bacon.  Yup, bacon on frozen yogurt.  No I did not try it.  I was buying for the entire family so I really focused on the fresh fruit toppings as my kids are fresh fruit vacuums.  Kiwi, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, cantalope, pineapple and even these little bead shaped toppings called Bursting Boba.  I have to try that next time.  Syrups are at the end!

Checkout consists of weighing your frozen yogurt masterpiece.  50 cents an ounce.  It's that simple! 

It was far better than expected.  I really expected like a strong yogurt taste but it was really creamy and soft ice cream like.  My husband seconds that opinion.  The toppings were fresh and plentiful (over 50 different toppings to choose from).  I love that you serve yourself.  Four bowls of frozen yogurt loaded with toppings all for $20.00.  I didn't think that was a bad price at all. 

The staff was very friendly and helpful.  It was very clean and tidy and organized once I realized what the flow of the line was.  The modern decor is hip and inviting but also very family friendly.  It will be great to sit in the bright Adirondack chairs that line the exterior of the building with my family this summer for a sweet treat. 

Gift cards are available (great Christmas gifts).  Free Wi-Fi.  Open 10am - 10pm Monday through Saturday and 10am - 7pm on Sundays. 

We all agreed it was delish.  I like the fact that they have options for when I am behaving diet and exercise wise to keep me off the naughty list!  You control the portions and there are plenty of healthy options so you can decide whether you are being naughty or nice!  We will be return customers without a doubt! 

**Picture was taken by my brother in law...I was too interested in consuming my frozen yogurt to remember to snap a pic of it first.  Priorities, ya know!!**

Believe!

Madison lost her first tooth this morning.  Like literally lost it.  Seriously, I can’t make this stuff up.  The first loose tooth is a big deal in the world of Parenthood.  It comes with all different emotions.  Excitement for the child for experiencing the Tooth Fairy.  Heartache as you realize it is just another sign of the passing years, of the child no longer being a baby.  Loose tooth today, driving and dating a pierced, tattooed peer tomorrow.  Sigh.

So you can imagine the panic I felt at realizing the first tooth had been lost.  I drive the girls to school every morning.  We have our routine.  Elementary school first, in line with all the rest of the parents dropping off their precious bundles of joy.  Waiting until the child makes it to the safety of the aid who opens the door for them.  The line was long today.  She hopped out, further back in the line then I liked and ran up the sidewalk coming to a screeching halt halfway up.  She turned and ran back to the car and I knew what she was returning for.  The Kissing Hands. 

I plant a kiss on the palm of both her hands, she plants a kiss on the palm of both my hands and then we kiss on the lips.  Every morning.  If you do not know the significance behind the kissing hands you need to look up the book and get it to read to your little ones.  Such a great story.  https://www.google.com/#q=The+Kissing+Hand+book&hl=en&tbo=u&source=univ&tbm=shop&sa=X&ei=eETLUPH9FY-29gSc6oBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CEsQsxg&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=11d5ec86076e28e2&bpcl=39967673&biw=1152&bih=696

So after the kissing hand ritual, I noticed she was touching her mouth.  My first thought was she was wiping my kiss from her mouth as the stinker likes to do sometimes.  She turned and looked at me and matter of factly said, “I lost my tooth.”  Open door for flood of emotions once that sentence sunk in.  Excitement for her, heart wrenching for me, anxiety for the Tooth Fairy who will now have to keep her eyes open long enough to perform the duties.  Then she said the words, “I am not sure where it fell, it’s gone though.”  WHAT?!! 

As she took off, the horror set in knowing that her tooth was now in limbo.  My baby’s first lost tooth, I could not stand the thought of it just being lost on the school sidewalk, stepped on by many kids and teachers and mixed in with dirt and pebbles.  So I did what any mother would do.  I pulled into a parking spot and convinced my teenager to help me find the itty bitty tooth. 

Full line of parents dropping off children.  Several hundred feet of sidewalk.  Lots of dirt and pebbles.  My daughter and I on our hands and knees searching for the lost tooth.  Picture it.  Oh the situations we get into for our children. 

End of story is that the tooth was found.  A piece of my baby girl’s childhood in my hand.  To be placed under her pillow where she will lay her head tonight and the Tooth Fairy will fly in and exchange the tooth for some money and fly away leaving the magic of childhood and fantasy behind.  And I now have a memory to hang on to with a little smile and a lot of love.  The story of the first lost lost-tooth.

On a side note, I have a hard time with religion but there are many moments in life that I have to really wonder if a higher power is not at work.  It seems financially especially, when things are tight and I am wondering how everything will come together and then there is a sudden chain of events like a few bills that are unexpectedly less than what was budgeted or news of unexpected yet appreciated gifts of money at times it is needed most that really make me wonder if the word Believe doesn’t have more meaning than what we give it face value for.  For those who question the meaning of Christmas, maybe it is to renew spirit in believing in things we don’t see or understand.  Believing in miracles and that we are not meant to understand everything in life but that Faith means knowing with your heart Everything that happens is meant to be and that it will all work out in the end.  Take no moment, no matter how small for granted because no moment in life is meaningless.  Open your eyes and heart to all possibilities for those who are blind and closed will miss so much beauty and magic in life. 

I am truly grateful for my curious and open mind and heart that looks beyond the ordinary to see the extraordinary in everything and everyone.  Creativity and imagination should not end with childhood, it should always exist.  Thanks to a chain of events throughout the past year, just know that I am starting to BELIEVE with my heart and my mind.  I can not explain some things that have happened, other to know that there is a bigger power at work.  May it be angels, may it be Him, may it be Santa or the tooth fairy or just how life is meant to be work out, there is something bigger than us out there.  So this holiday season and beyond just celebrate what is in front of you and beyond you.  That is the meaning of Christmas.  Nothing and no one in life is truly lost.  It can be found in the craziest places if you open your eyes and look for it.  Whether it be a tooth or faith or meanings.  It’s there.  Just believe.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a GREAT night!

The Blogging Queen and her Huntsman

Today is December 11th, do you know what that means?  I mean aside from the fact Christmas is two weeks away?  It means hunting season is over with, hallelujah! 

Yes, sad but true I am a hunting season widow.  From the months of mid October to early December my husband generally assumes that I have no life and am able to take on being a single mom for a few months so he can tip toe around the woods in camo and face makeup. 

I would like to pause and take a second to assure all my readers that I in fact do have a life during this time period and that I do not understand the thrill of the hunt.  Therefore, I could care less if he decided to take up another hobby...like house cleaning.

I am sure the pursuit of a defenseless animal who causes no harm to mankind and is just trying to avoid humans and go about living a peaceful life in the woods is exciting.  Waking up before dawn even breaks to put on eleven layers of clothing to walk a mile back into the woods, climb up a tree and perch in absolute silence until an unassuming animal falls within your scope sounds like a GREAT time to me.  I totally would love to give up sleeping in, laying in my warm bed and checking my Facebook to see who put up embarrassing drunken statuses the night before in order to go out to hunt.  NOT!

I get grossed out looking at a local website's feature called Deer of the Day.  It features pictures of proud hunters who boast about their kill by posing with the dead animal as they grip the massive antlers to heave the dead head up to pose for the picture.  If that dead animal was a human, you would be considered insane.  So morbid.  I am sure that hunter has tapped into some sort of primal feeling of being alpha dog over another creature, but where does the joy of the kill end?  Okay to kill a fly, a snake, a crow, a pig, a deer but not okay to just slaughter a dog or another human?  Who makes up these rules? 

There is a bunch of hunting rites that I personally view as psychopathic tendencies.  Like eating the heart.  Oh yeah, that whole rite caused a HUGE fight in my home Thanksgiving morning.  He used my pot to boil it, it smelled nasty and I truly believe you have to have a screw loose to get giddy over boiling a heart to be pickled.  And all this comes after GUTTING the deer.  Slicing it open, draining the blood, removing vital organs, all elbow deep in blood....  Disgusting doesn't even begin to explain my thoughts on that. 

How do I explain to my daughter why one of Santa's reindeer's head is mounted on our wall?  By the way, at five she already has her lifetime hunting license. 

I admit I used to eat venison without a second thought.  There is some satisfaction and joy in knowing that our freezer is full of meat.  However when eating venison stir fry one night a few years ago I happened to have just one piece of deer hair in my food.  And I lost it.  I can't get past that moment in time where I could not look at the fork about to be placed in mouth and deny that it was Bambi.  I am definitely someone who can't overthink what it is that I am eating. 

And then he watches this channel dedicated to only hunting.  24 hours, 7 days a week of hunting tips, hunting expeditions.  A man crouched in a tree whispering into a microphone, "I'm in these here woods, 24 miles north of where I was yesterday.  I have heard rumors of a 10 point deer up in these here neck of the woods.  Shh...I hear something.  Here comes a deer.  I am raising my gun up to my shoulder.  I am looking through the scope.  I am going to pull the trigger when the deer is in my crosshairs.  Dang, it's only a doe.  Tune in tomorrow when I do the same exact thing."  The whole thing whispered. 

I try to be supportive.  I really do.  After Christmas I will be remodeling our bedroom with an outdoorsy/hunting lodge feel.  I said, "Yay" when he shot a deer Thanksgiving morning (before I realized he intended to boil a deer heart on my stovetop).  But it takes some energy to muster that support, probably the same energy he musters for my blogging, couponing and deal seeking hobby.  It causes some fights....it is not understood by the other...as long as it doesn't interrupt our lives we don't complain...but when it's not in full force, it is pleasing.

I just want to apologize in advance to everyone that Santa will probably be running a little behind this year seeing how my husband killed one of his antlered friends.  I seriously hope Santa takes the coal he is bringing for my hubby and shoves it into the chamber of his gun.  Maybe sets all his hunting gear on fire by splashing milk on it and rubbing cookies together to get a spark.  Or take all the deer back to the North Pole.  Other than that I am very supportive of my husband's hunting hobby....From the end of December until beginning of October that is....

Tis the Season....Flu Season...

The flu has struck the House of Moulton.  It's cool...we enjoy the constant running nose, taking sweat baths in the middle of the night, missing essential parts of our favorite TV shows because other family members are hacking up a lung and missing work around the highest volume of shopping season conducted in our house.  It's cool. 

Taking the day off today to stay home with a sickly five year old, I had my first experience at a Pinterest craft failure.  It was pleasant....there was tantrums, snot, f bombs and finally the slam of a trash can lid.  I really don't want to talk about it.....soooooo  how was your day?

I mean, I know people get sick and that's what sick days are for but as a working mother, it is so stressful to have illness hit your house.  I mean I pray for it to show up on Fridays around 3pm so I have the rest of the weekend to nurse my family back to health without worry.  My luck doesn't work like that though so it seems to always hit on a Tuesday. 

I am about to shock you.  Most moms who work out of the home do it out of financial necessity.  Gasp.  Yes, it's not that we choose to abandon our children 40 hours a week with the added bonus of a paycheck for that time, but for the most part National Grid Electric company likes to have their money every month and the only way it gets paid is by someone bringing home some bacon.  I don't have the body for prostitution or stripping so I had to get a day job.  Which for the most part, is a great job.  I have a job most would be envious of.  I never wake up trying to think of a viable reason to call in.  So when I do call in, you know there is some serious sickness going down. 

I truly wonder how Moms who get to stay home do it.  Are you a trust fund baby?  Did you hit pay day by marrying a man who makes enough to support your entire family?  Do you pinch pennies beyond belief?  However you make it happen, I am jealous.  If you ever want to shart your secrets, I have an ear waiting to listen. 

My husband works full time for a great company as well.  I think I would freak out more if he lost his job than if I did because he has the benefits.  He provides our family with health, dental, vision, prescription and life insurance.  By the time all those premiums plus retirement and his child support for his older two children come out of his pay it is no where near what we would need to support our family. 

I am a couponing, sale shopping, penny pinching parent (the name of my Facebook page).  We live in an older home, drive modest vehicles and have been known to wear underwear with holes in them.  Without my paycheck, ends would never meet.  Even with my paycheck, sometimes ends don't meet.  I can clearly remember time where the bank account was empty and so were our cupboards.  Pancakes for dinner kinds of nights.  Just recently have I started to feel like we are back on our feet (Brian's sudden open heart surgery knocked us off for years). 

Just this week alone, our propane ran empty weeks earlier than it should have, we discovered we need a new hot water heater (hence the propane running out), Brian shot a deer and took it to the meat shop and now I have had to take some unanticipated time off.  Extra unexpected expenses, reduced expected income.  Yikes. 

Oh yeah and I had to put two new tires on my car.

When I encounter times like this I have to take deep breaths and remind myself tomorrow is a new day and that next month none of this will matter.  It will all be dust in the wind.  I repeat one of my favorite sayings...."This too shall pass..." 

Madison is starting to run another fever.....maybe Saturday will be a new day....

The Up Side to a Commercialized Christmas

I am so excited about Christmas approaching.  I know I have mentioned before that Christmas time was magical during my childhood years.  Even now as an adult my parents love to spoil us with more gifts than what they should.  The gifts are nice and very much appreciated but my parents taught me so much more than just about gifts around the holidays. 

Right off the bat, I am going to take a stand and say I do not celebrate the religious aspect of the holiday.  For many reasons.  I am not religious and do not pretend to be for the holidays.  Not to mention if you really research the history of Christmas (and not use the Bible in your bibliography) you will find it truly has very little religious roots unless you are Pagan. 

I am the girl who is out shopping Black Friday for the best deals.  Who starts playing Christmas music in October.  Who makes lists and checks them twice....or two hundred times.  I make sure that my kids see all the classics (Rudolph, Peanuts, Garfield Christmas, etc) and we make a big deal out of decorating the tree.  We drive around looking at lights and go to see Santa.  I try as hard as possible to make this a magical time of year.  Because every childhood deserves some magic.

What gets me is when people question my values.  Make comments about celebrating Christmas even though I am not Christian.  Make comments about how much I buy or spend.  About how it should be less about the gifts.  First of all if you are religious, I respect that.  If you believe you are celebrating the birth of baby Jesus, I support that.  If you choose to not spend lots of money on material gifts, I give you props.  As long as you don't try to tell me I am wrong.  If you have mutual respect, so do I. 

There is so much cruelty out in the world.  I just read a story about a little girl whose father and stepmother went to prison for keeping her chained to a dresser and now a year later, in her mother's custody she was just found dead.  She was 6.  SIX.  Her life was filled with horror and hell.  There are children sleeping in cars and sometimes even the streets.  There are children forced into sex traficking and there are children who suffer unimaginable abuse.  So please don't ever try to question my decision to bend over backwards to make this a special time for my kids. 

Christmas to me is about celebrating family and friends.  Teaching about giving and charity.  It is about celebrating winter and the end of another year of life together.  It is about appreciating this moment in time and making it bright and jolly and joyful.  There is nothing commercialized about that. 

I find nothing wrong in letting my children believe in Santa, a true symbol of childhood and believing.  I would get so excited waiting for Santa to come, I couldn't sleep.  One time I was so sleep deprived that I got sick and had to be hospitalized.  Out of sheer excitement.  My sister and I would "practice" how we were to get up Christmas morning.  We would rip out of our beds at 4am and just gaze in amazement of that tree, sparkling with lights and ornaments as it towered over piles of gifts for us.  I know my parents had to have some financial hardships raising us, but you never knew it on Christmas Day.  I remember Christmas Eve going down to play with all my cousins at my grandmothers and stuff ourselves on snack foods.  Baking Christmas cookies with our Mom.  Driving around to look at all the Christmas lights and on the way home from Grandma's watching the sky under our Dad's guidance for a sleigh and 8 tiny reindeer. 

Now, my children sleep til 7am and usually it's me pouncing on them at that point to wake them up.  We gather round the tree and someone passes out gifts.  I could care less about opening mine because my favorite part of Christmas is watching them open their gifts, squeal with excitement and for just maybe a moment not feel one ounce of worry or any other emotion other than joy.  I am beyond fortunate to be able to do what I do for my family and no one should be made to feel bad for about how they decide to celebrate the holidays, or for what reason they do so. 

I love it all.  The decorations.  The carols and music.  The get togethers.  The glow of lights through a velvet black night.  Wrapping paper and bows.  Trees and garland.  Polar Express and Rudolph.  Hot cocoa and sugar cookies.  Santa and his elves.  Stockings hung with care.  Family and friends.  Sales and lists.  I love it all.  Maybe I enjoy the sheer commercialism of it all.  But there was a reason that people read Charles Dickens' A Christmas Story and wanted to reenact the Christmas get togethers depicted in the story.  Because in a world that can be very cruel, it's nice to have one day a year to focus on love, joy and giving. 

So yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus in our home.  And there is a Christmas without religion.  And there is hope, happiness, laughter and sooo much love.  There is magic and there is belief.  There is childhood.  You'd be hard pressed to find someone who has as much Christmas spirit as me.  I know you know what is the right way to raise your children.  So do I.  So don't ever question my beliefs, traiditions or methods to raising my babies.  Because someone will get run over by a reindeer.

The Pinterest that Stole Christmas

I always knew there had to be an alterior motive to Pinterest.  It was one of those too good to be true things.  I mean sometimes I have to set my Kindle down to catch my breath from hyperventilating from the mind blowing ideas I see on there.  Nothing that good is without it's evils.  Tonight I realized it must be administered by the one and only Grinch. 

Stocking stuffers for the older girls used to be a breeze.  Bobby pins, hair ties, socks, lotions and potions and sugar and spice.  Well every since I applied a magnet (with adhesive, can find a 3 pack at Jo-Ann Fabrics or Michael's)  inside my medicine cabinet we have not lost bobby pins.  They are nice and organized, magnetized right within easy reach when doing hair.  I also have a magnet on the wall in Paige's room right next to her full length mirror.  I bought hair ties that come with a metal ring, similar to a key ring to store hair ties on.  Organized....never lost.  We have missing socks boards to help when putting away laundry and located singles that get seperated in the laundy.  What am I to put in their stockings now?!  The Grinch aka Pinterest has stolen my go-to items! 

Cindy Lou-Who shall fear not for there is still on the wish list.  I have checked off quite a bit of projects...PVC pipe shoe racks to keep pairs together and easily accessed.  Cereal boxes cut into organizers to neaten our junk drawer.  Old shutters sitting in the garage were pulled out, washed off, spray painted and hung as ceiling tiles in the enclosed porch.  A piece of spray painted (I love you Krylon) wood and some glued on clothes pins to make a masterpieces display for artwork created by my little one.  My house has literally been Pinterestisized.  I should have taken house before Pinterest and after Pinterest pictures.  I went from loathing this old farmhouse to loving it.  I would see gorgeous mansions and in the same moment of being in awe I would think ughh...I would never be able to keep up with cleaning that monster.  It's hard enough to keep this two floor, four bedroom house clean and organized on my own.  Pinterest was literally my bff in helping me make a house into a home. 

One room I was never fond of was the kitchen.  It was okay, done in a grape theme that at one time was very stylish but now is an outdated look.  The worst aspect of the kitchen was the carpet.  I HATE carpet in the kitchen.  There are two rooms that you never ever have carpet in.  The kitchen and the bathroom.  Even worse, the carpet was a dark green so every little bit of dirt or food would be like a neon light.  Every spill would be a stain.  Cupboards were a nice solid wood set, but outdated.  One day I just snapped.  Decided to start with a backsplash.  I grabbed the car keys and drove off to my FantasyLand aka Lowe's. 

$100 later and I had a tiled backsplash.  I also had the start to a several long month fire that burned in me to motivate and complete (yet thrifty) revamping of our home.  Living room I painted opposite walls a deep Ox Blood red (yes really the name of the paint) that I got off the clearance rack at a local Ace Hardware.  I left the other two walls a beige.  I spray painted an old wicker stand black and used it for DVD's.  I took an old dresser in storage, took drawers and braces out, spray painted it black and use it for blanket storage.  I spray painted all my picture frames black and put a new rug in the living room and LOVE the results. 

I took an old and FREE entertainment stand that I saw by the side of the road and made a kitchen play set for my daughter.  Lesson learned from this was to measure the staircase prior to doing a project meant to go in an upstairs bedroom, but this issue was fixed by borrowing a Load-All and some man power.  Easy peasy!

I revamped both girls rooms with some paint, decals and new bedding.  In my oldest daughter's room she had a corkboard that I covered with some fabric to update the look.  Decals and paint in my staircase.  Paint and painter's tape to create an abstract designed wall.  Fabric and some plywood to create wall hangings.  Decals and a new shower curtain in the bathroom.  Finally I had run out of projects to do except finish the kitchen that had sat with a new brown and white tiled backsplash with green and purple walls.  I did a faux finish with two tones of brown on the wall.  I took apart the cupboards and steel wooled years of built up grime off the wood.  Instead of buying all new hinges and cabinet handles I cleaned them up by soaking in vinegar for a few hours, scrubbing with some dish soap (the grime comes right off after the vinegar soak) and then, of course, spray painting the handles, hinges and screws.  Voila, new updated cabinet hardware!  I was going to leave the cupboards but the plain wood really bugged me and clashed with the new colors.  I started by painting the upper cabinets white.  My husband asked me to leave the bottom cupboards the wood colored.  I didn't like the thought but reluctantly agreed.

Until this weekend that is.

My husband always goes to the Southern Tier opening hunting season weekend and camps for the whole weekend.  This used to bother me in our newlywed stage but now does not phase me at all.  Honeymoon phase is over.  However, my five year old was an emotional mess over Daddy leaving for the weekend.  She clung to him and her older brother, begging and pleading for them not to leave.  She was petrified they would never come back or in the course of a weekend, forget that she existed.  Thursday night he hugged her tight and promised to wait until she got back from school to leave.  Guess who broke his promise?  I was irritated that he wasn't keeping his word to her but didn't put up too much of a fight, especially after he said he would call her right around the time she got off the bus.  That time came and went, no phone call.  That phone call never came that night at all.  I had to break the news he left already and she was hysterical.  Furious does not even come close to how I felt.  No excuse for not keeping his word to her.

So I let that emotion simmer over night, of course after a quite pleasant text message to him.  The next day it hit me.  Perfect timing to go against my word and paint the cupboards.  And that is exactly what I did.  Not white, like the upper cupboards but I used the deeper of the two brown tones on the lower cupboards.  It is gorgeous.  I am so pleased.  With the outcome and of course the decision of retribution.  Oh you forgot to call your daughter?  I forgot I told you I wouldn't paint the lower cupboards!  Whoops!

Female praying mantis' kill the male after mating.  Well played, bitches, well played.  Looks like I know what animal I want to come back as in my next life!

So he came home, took one look at the cupboards, said, "Disgusting" and that was that.  Ugh, disappointing reaction.  I am not sure what I expected though.  He was well aware of what he was getting when he married me.  An alpha male would not be able to handle the woman I am. 

So now hopefully Santa will drop some wooden laminate flooring down our chimney or at least a Lowe's gift card.  I am willing to exchange extra cookies and milk for this gift.  I can find some mind blowing cookie recipes right on Pinterest. 

In 2013 I plan on doing our extra bedroom over that my stepkids sleep in when they come over as well as our office/gym area and our bedroom.  So for now, sugar plums can dance in my head as I dream of those finished projects.  I am a bit fearful of what will happen when all my projects are complete.  I think I have already proved my idle hands are the Devil's workshop.  All the Who's in Whoville should fear that day....

Knock, knock

A knock on the door can only mean one of four situations:

1.  Expected company has arrived.  This is the rarest type of knock.  This means you have been lingering in the room near the door awaiting the sound of the knock.  You will open the door and the smell of freshly baked goods will surround the guests as you welcome them into your clean as can be home.  Despite spending hours slaving over cleaning the house, screaming at the kids as they attempt to mess up your masterpiece of a home, you toss your perfectly styled hair over your shoulder, smile, bat your eyes and ask your guests to excuse the mess in your home, knowing damn well that it's not a mess at all...it's in the rare form of clean.  Your makeup is complete, your socks match and you are wearing a bra. 

2.  Unexpected company has arrived.  This is the most common type of knock.  This knock guarantees that you have no bra on, your home is in conditions that the health department would condemn it, you child is naked and instantly sprints to greet the person at the door.  Another good way to guarantee this kind of knock is if you are running late to someplace and trying to get out the door.  How does one nicely say, "Get the hell out."?  This is also the time the dog is most likely to drag a used tampon out of the trash and into the living area. 

3.  Unexpected strangers have arrived.  Jehovah Witnesses, Sales People and people you don't know looking for your spouse all fall under this category.  All of the conditions for Unexpected Known company except for you have a slightly higher chance of also being pantless in this situation.  Naked child running to the front door also is more likely to occur.  You will be completely ticked that they made you peel yourself off the couch and wrap your blanket around your nearly naked waist to see what they want.  99% of the time that I peer out the window and don't recognize the vehicle I don't bother getting off the couch...I just hiss at the kids to stay low and wait for the knocking to stop. 

4.  Friends and Family who you are comfortable with stop by.  At which time you don't care what the house looks like or if anyone is dressed at that point.  Bras are optional. 

If you ever want to prevent #2 and #3 just clean your house.  Be fully dressed.  Do your makeup and hair.  It is 100% effective at hindering any unexpected company. 

I definitely remember as a kid seeing a vehicle pull in the driveway and mass chaos breaking out.  You had like 5 minutes and 14 seconds to get the house presentable.  Mom took the dirty dishes and threw them into the oven, dishwasher, bathtub, whatever was necessary.  Dad took to picking up dirty laundry strewn about paying special attention to bras and underwear.  I took toy duty, sprinting throughout main rooms and picking up stray toys and chucking them into back bedrooms.  My sister had door shutting duty, closing all doors of rooms that company would least likely enter.  My brother had to dress his naked self.  The dog chewed on a used tampon.  Sometimes we would practice unexpected company drills and time ourselves to make sure we were on point.  Now I look back and realize that Mom was just getting us to clean up a bit.  Definitely helped strengthen our family bond.  I know it scarred me to a point that I hate being unexpected company.  Unless I know the person and fall under a Category 4.  My whole point is give me a days notice before dropping in.  Otherwise you are walking into a war zone.  This blogging, penny pinching, couponing, exercising, cooking, Pinteresting Mama/Wife does not have daily time to dedicate to housework.  And afte the passing of a wonderful friend who preferred to live life over cleaning house and I bet she doesn't spend a second in the afterlife regretting that I don't second guess myself much anymore either. 

On another note, I received a coupon in the mail today.  $50 off a $100 purchase.  Wow, that would get a huge chunk of my Christmas shopping done at 50% discounts!  Thennn I read the fine print.  Excludes Bonus Buys, Door Busters, electronics/Tech Trek, fine jewelry, fine and fashion watches, fragrance & cosmetics, cause-related merchandise and other charitable items, furniture departments and mattresses, clearance center merchandise, gift cards, Incredible Values, salon products, service departments, special orders, Yellow Dot merchandise, small electrics, health & wellness, toys, food, coffee, candy, Brahmin, Coach, Columbia, Frye, Levi's, Michael Kors, Not Your Daughter's Jeans, Tempur-Pedic, and regular price items from Dooney & Bourke, Dansko, Ecco, Birkenstock, Merrell, Designer Shoe Salon, Lucky Brand, Polo, Lauren Ralph Lauren and Wacoal. 

Okay, okay...wouldn't it just be easier to tell me the three items that it can be used on?  Seriously, I can't stand a bunch of stipulations in coupons.  Or free shipping deals where you have to spend at least $100.00 to get the free shipping.  I always end up finding $94.55 worth of merchandise.  That's not a deal, that should be a given if people spend that much at your store.  Especially not taking on my second job, this year I am looking to be as savvy as possible with Christmas.  There are some deals that really aren't deals. 

I try not to let those minor shopping irritations get to me.  I know that in just a matter of time there will always something great knocking at my door ; )