Realisticallyrealme’s Weblog


Winning Stuff

I really want to go on vacation. I want a kindle. I want a new wardrobe.  I want to get my hair highlight again by the expensive pro down the street. I want, I want, I want.

These things don’t fit into my budget. So instead, I am entering sweepstakes. I figure someone has to win, why not me? I even KNOW someone who actually has won a minivan when her husband was out of a job. If it could happen to her, it could happen to me.

Perhaps the better thing would be to just want what I have. But what does Sherly Crow know?


I’m Back – To Intro a Book Give Away!

Book Give Away

Book Give Away

I’ve ignored my personal blog since I have been very busy working on my work blog (that I actually get paid for). But I am back to introduce a new book I heard about from Dear Author.com. They have a give away going on right now. I love to escape in books and I read many book review blogs to try to direct me to the better ones.


Taking Me Down

Shoulder pain that turned into neck pain which then turned into head pain – now it’s all taking me down. I have visited the bone cruncher (chiropractor), a masseuse, and a regular doctor and I am still in pain. And it’s not getting better. In fact, it may be getting worse. I wish I could figure out the “why” part. Why is it happening? I have no idea what I did. Currently I am taking a muscle relaxer which has taken off the edge but that’s about it.


Terrible Headlines in the News

Why do I read stories that I know terrify me? Just reading the headlines makes my heart start beating faster. Usually it’s stories that involve children and a parent’s worst nightmare. Last night it was reading about a three year old who was left in a car & died from the heat. He got out of his car seat but couldn’t get out of the vehicle. I imagined in my head him struggling to get out and wondered if he felt pain. Was he scared?

The mother forgot to drop him off at day care on the way to work. I could bash the mother but then I wonder, “What horrible things could I do in the right situation?” When my youngest was born (a surprise bonas) my next youngest was 17 months. I was so sleep deprived that I didn’t know which way was up. What could have happened at the wrong moment? I don’t know. I don’t know how a parent gets over something like this.


Delayed Gratification….sucks.

Kids have a hard time with delayed gratification. It’s something that parents have to teach their children – how to wait. How to delay their personal gratification. There are many ramifications for children who don’t learn this “skill.” Can I call it a skill? I saw it (kids who didn’t understand the importance) all the time as a teacher and now as a mom.

But just now, in the bathroom, I was thinking about a book that I waited to get at the library. Instead of buying it at Borders (I was so tempted!) I instead went online to order it through inner library loan. Of course it took MONTHS to get but it finally arrived. I am still waiting for another popular book whose waiting list I am on – I think I have made it to the 400s now. Yes, over 400 people are ahead of me for the books. I think there is about 40 books in circulation. Instead of spending my money, I waited to get the book through the library. A very difficult thing for a book freak like me. So yea for me… unless you know how often I actually bought that book I wanted. I spent money not in the budget for that book I really wanted to read.

There are so many times I don’t delay my gratification – food, books, gossip, tv, sleep…. how different am I from my kids? I sure can hide it better. Well, almost better. It is hard to hide the extra tummy roll from the sweets. I have a harder time with delayed gratification than I thought. I was so proud of myself momentarily. Hmmm.


Book Review: Beauty Confidential

Beauty Confidential is written by a former beauty editor, Nadine Haobsh,  who now writes in the blog world. She wittily shares the best make up products and procedures in the business. Each chapter takes on a different topic from hair removal to the best skin care products.

I decided to try some of her advice and bought some of her recommended products with mixed results but overall found her book helpful, informative and fun to read.

What I loved! Bare Essentials starter kit foundation. Where have you been all my life? The DVD that showed the best way to apply the powder foundation was crucial to my success. 

What was okay: Nars Orgasm blush. I like it but is it worth $25? The experience of receiving it in the mail was wonderful, scented flower petals and lots of free samples. What’s not to love with that? I found this blush recommended by other beauty editors too so maybe it’s just me. Or maybe not. But with a name like Orgasm, really, who can resist? Not me apparently.


New Misadventures

So my youngest, age two, found his sister’s roll-on body glitter (and coated his face with it), put white, zinc diaper cream all over the couch and threw his supper on the ground. The last one is a daily occurrance. Everyday it’s something. I can barely take a potty break for myself because every day he gets into mischief. Is this third child syndrome?


Prevention

I have started writing more at my other job so my personal blog has been put on the back burner. Either way I am writing, which is good. And I do a lot more editing, rewriting, proofing at my job which is really good for building writing skills – it’s easy to blow off those things on a personal blog.

So, anyway, I am writing about safety on the work blog. What really is interesting for me is the research part- like the pilot who crashed because of the bumble bee or the man not wearing his fall harness &  he fell because of the heart attack. Or how about the man itching his nose while the blow torch he’s using is still on…flukey things. So much about safety is prevention because you never know when flukey things are going to happen.  NOw I just need some photos to go along with my work blog.


Mommy + Kids = Chaos

Where do I begin? The fights? The whining? Shampooing the carpet with real shampoo? Breaking the sprinker?  My four year old balancing 32oz of yogurt on his head which tumbles as I am saying, “Take it off your head before it falls”? Yogurt splattered everywhere? My two year old taking off his diaper and peeing in his crib? 

These are only a few of todays trials. I am exhausted and ready for Mommy CRD (Chaos Recovery Drink).


My Life Is On the Computer

I have been out of commission the last 6 days waiting for my Dell to return from the Dell people. They replaced the motherboard and I am hoping (please!) that my problems are over. Well, my computer problems at least. The bikini line shaving rash is still a problem but that doesn’t shake up my whole life.

My banking, my family’s social calendar, my work, family photos, contacts… everything is on my laptop. So life came to a halt this past week while my laptop was visiting it’s maker. Now it’s game on and time to get caught up. I also bought a Western Digital external hard drive to make sure I back up this time!