A Conversation With A Future Voter

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Last night while reading my October Good Housekeeping, Tara, who is 3, asked me what I was reading. It was an article about raising future voters. I started reading to her and asking her questions. Here is our conversation (I took notes, it was too funny!)

Me: This article talks about how we could go online to watch the candidate's ads so we can discuss whether or not they are fair.

Tara: When you eat grapes, you're eating grapes, it's fair.

Me: Okay... Um.... Do you know how old you have to be to be able to go vote by yourself?

Tara: ONE!

Me: No you have to be 18. Now, do you remember how old you have to be to vote by yourself?

Tara: TWO!

Me: No, 18.

Tara: ONE!

Me: I said 18!! Alright, do you have any idea what you have to take with you to be allowed to vote?

Tara: A bucket!

Me: No, your driver's license. Now...let me ask you... (at this point it was just plain funny for me!) Are you a Republican or a Democrat?

Tara: *covering her eyes with her hands* Don't look at me!!! Is this over?


Yes I know that she wouldn' t know any of these answer or have any idea what we were even talking about. But it was funny to hear her response and I can't wait to remind her of this conversation when she IS 18 and heading to the polls!

For now, she'll be taking her bucket and tagging along with mom and dad!

What Could It Be?

Just a little note....


To say....


Changes Are Coming!!!

The Countdown Begins

Does everyone know what day it is? It is exactly ONE WEEK until ELECTION DAY! This will be my 3rd Presidential Election I have been able to vote in and this is the most exciting for me. I am a very passionate Obama supporert, as it seems that everyone who supports this candidate is!! Funny thing is...I am registered as a Republican!

Who really cares? Once you go over the issues and take the time to learn about each candidate, it is then up to YOU to choose who YOU want to be YOUR President! I highly encourage each of you to do that if you have not already. Don't vote for who "seems" the most qualified, go and EDUCATE YOURSELF!!

Recently I was making dinner and I got a call from my mom who lives across town. She had a very interesting story to share with me. A woman had come to her door campaigning for Obama. She explained to my mom that many months ago, her two 20-something year old son's had talked with her about a man whose name she had to practice pronouncing! Barack Obama! She then started following his campaign for the democratic ticket, and now is working as a volunteer for his Presidential campaign. She believes with her WHOLE heart that this man is the man to become the President of OUR United States of America.

Many people believe this, it is not surprising to hear that someone carrying around pamphlets for a candidate would feel passionately about that candidate. This is the first time she has ever felt drawn to put her time and efforts into getting the word out. Again, so have many others this year. The "kicker" in this story, she is a Canadian...she CAN NOT VOTE! Here this woman is out there getting the word out and showing her support to anyone who will listen because she believes Barack Obama will be THE ONE to make this country a better place for her children and grandchildren! That is why my mom felt as though she should call me and tell me this awesome story! I was truly fascinated and would love to meet this woman. My mom and her have since struck up a friendship and I look forward to the day I can meet her.

So, come next Tuesday...pack up your children and head to the polls! Voting is a family event in our house. We want our young children to see us exercising our awesome right as a citizen of this country! Do not take this for granted!! VOTE!!

A Little Fairy Magic?

Mama Divas are having a Tinkerbell DVD/Bluray give-a-way! I am so excited and hope I win the DVD! :) No matter what, it will become an addition to our DVD collection as Tara has so loudly requested it for Christmas! The screaming at the TV everytime the commercial comes on is a major clue!

If you love Tink as much as we do in this house...go on over and sign up to win yourself! Just click on this post's title!!!


Now speaking of fairies...I need some magical fairy dust to get me through the day! I thought this morning's coffee (that I normally DON'T drink) would have done the trick...but not so! We are officially potty-training Tara this week. By "we" I mean ME! The kids and I have only been up for 3 hours, and already Tara has "earned" 7 stickers for her "Progress Chart" but also...is on her 5th pair of panties. I am EXHAUSTED!!! I dont know how much of this I can take.

It's so tempting to just put her back into her Pull Ups, but that would just be putting off the inevitable. She is 3 years old for heaven's sakes! She SHOULD be peeing in the potty! I refuse to have her in Pull Ups anymore. But man this is hard work! Hayden literally potty-trained himself. Having to actually work at it with Tara, is going to put me in a mental institution!

My husband keeps sending me "encouraging" text messages on my cell phone...but it's not helping at all! Really its just pissing me off! Why isn't HE here helping!? Why was he here yesterday when we started this but still I was the one running to the bathroom every 5 minutes while he talked about how "WE" were finally going to get her potty trained!?!

UGH!!! SERIOUSLY I NEED SOME SPECIAL FAIRY MAGIC FOR THIS FEAT!!!

Halloween Zoo Trip!

Still following Tiff's "orders" for this post. Today's topic is "Halloween Present" Remember, click on this post's title to head over and take part. I am SOOO hoping to win today's prize! I NEED SOME PAMPERING!!! :) Now on to the post!

Trick-or-Treat is not until this coming Friday, but we've already dressed the kids all up and taken them to the Zoo. There was candy stations, animal's smashing pumpkins, and BATMAN!

We didn't know Batman was going to be there and once we did find out we didn't tell Hayden (who chose a Batman costume this year) because the chances of actually seeing him were pretty slim.

Well we were really surprised and excited when Batman's parade came through one of the areas where we were walking. And this Batman, was THE REAL Batman! OR at least he could have been if Batman was real. We told Hayden he was though! Not that there was any doubt in that kids mind...his jaw was about to hit the cement!

So imagine our HUGE surprise when Batman got OFF OF HIS FLOAT to come shake Hayden's hand!!! I thought my husband, mom, aunt and myself were all going to pass out! It was soo cool!

Hayden is still talking about it. But he's being very "cool" about it. It's really cute! What a lucky boy!


The Kids Before Heading To The Zoo:




BATMAN:



Batman Shaking Hayden's Hand: (bad pic, but I was too close to get them both in the screen very well)

Fall Extravaganza Craft

Well I missed my blog entry yesterday, I was at my mom's most of the day and by the time I got home yesterday afternoon...well I was just too tired!

Today we're posting our fall crafts. I have two grapevine wreathes, 1 on the front porch and 1 on the deck that I decorate every season. I just get some inexpensive ribbon and whatever else I want to add and see what I can come up with once I'm home.

Theses are our wreaths. Everything on it was purchased 50% off from Hobby Lobby. I spent a whoppin' $16 to decorate both wreaths! I don't think that's a bad deal at all! And at the end of the season, I'll just pack it all away with my fall decor and re-use it next year!






Now head on over to Tiff's blog by clicking on this post's title and enter yourself in her contest! It's so fun!!

Halloween Past

The Fall Extravaganza is still in full swing and today we're supposed to post about "Halloween Pasts". I looked through all of my pics stored on this computer, and of course pics of my most favorite Halloween costume when it comes to my kids is not stored on this computer. Grr! But let me tell you about it anyway!

When Hayden was 8 months old we dressed him as a mechanic. It was the cutest costume ever! He had a pair of denim coveralls and I took black Halloween face paint and put smudges on his knees tushy, and little smears elsewhere like he had been working in a lot of grease and kept wiping his hands. I also put a few little marks on his face as well. It was DARLING!!

We put a hat on him backwards and my husband made a little "Our Last Name's Garage" label for his "uniform" and I made a name tag! It was toooooo cute!! Man! How I wish I had access to that pic to share!!

Click on this post's title to head on over to Tiff's blog to take part in this contest!

Celebrate Fall Recipe

Today is the kick off for Tiff at Three Peas In a Pod's Fall Extravaganza. You may have seen the "button" in my sidebar..?? ANYWAY!! If you want to participate for some awesome prizes head on over and see what it's all about!

Today we're posting recipes...our favorites for Fall. This is mine. In fact I am making it tonight for dinner. We have company coming over and it is OH SO GOOD!

HERBED CHICKEN



4 - boneless chicken breasts
4T - olive oil
2 T - grated onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp - thyme
1 tsp - ground pepper
1 tsp - rosemary
1 tsp - sage
1/4 tsp - marjoram

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix all spices in olive oil.
Coat both sides of chicken with spice mixture.
Place in baking dish.
Bake for 45min-1hr.

Serve over brown rice.


I'm also making steamed broccoli tonight and THIS! YUMMY!!


REMEMBER: To join in on the fun to win some great prizes...head on over to Tiff's blog (click on the title of this post to get there)!

To Conive? Or Not To Conive?

So my aunt is coming to Ohio tonight for a one week visit. We are all very excited for this and it worked out that I was going to be able to go to the airport with my mom to pick her up thanks to my husband getting home from work in time. I was just going to go alone because there is not enough room for all of us in my mom's vehicle. After listening to Tara's heart being broken this morning when she realized that she wasn't going to get to see her Aunt Susie today I decided to take her with me and leave the other 2 at home with Will.

This presented a problem. How was I going to convince Hayden to let me go somewhere with his Grammy(his most best friend in the whole world) without him.

I thought and thought about it and decided to do what every mother has to do from time to time: be coniving.

Me: Hayden, you know how you and Daddy are going to be cleaning your room tonight and making it look super cool for when Aunt Sue comes to our house?

Hayden: Yeah, but I don't really wanna clean. I just wanna play my video games.

Me: Oh you do? Well why don't I tell Daddy to let you stay up late playing your games if you get all your cleaning done.

Hayden: That sounds great!!!

Me: Oh, but it will take a really long time to clean your room if Tara is here. She'll just mess everything up as your cleaning and by the time you are finally done, it will be too late to even get to play your games.

Hayden: Oh, she always messes everything up.

Me: I have an idea! Why don't I take Tara with me and that way you can get all your work done really fast and she won't bother you!

Hayden: Yeah, do that! I dont want her making my room a mess.


Hey, if I would have just said I'm taking Tara and not you, I'd have never made it out the door. Now he gets to get something he wants and I get what I want. Everyone is happy. Well except maybe Will, he is after all the one who will have to put up with "late night" Hayden. That in itself is a whole 'nother post!

Yard Signs

Last night as my husband, the kids and I were pulling out of our driveway a car pulled in front of us and blocked us from getting out. I thought it was someone just turned around but then the woman got out and walked up to my husband's open window.

Lady: Hello! I'm running on the Democratic ticket for County Commissioner and noticed your Obama/Biden sign and wanted to know if I could put one of my signs in your yard?

Will: Well we're just heading out..

Lady: I know but....

Will: Go ahead, we really have to go.

And we pulled around her car and headed off to the store. We get home, and there is a sign that is larger than the Obama sign. I don't know this woman. I don't know if I'm voting for her as I haven't reviewed our local candidates yet. Hell, I'm not even a Democrat, I'm just voting for Obama because he is who I believe will be the best president for this country.

So now what do I do about this lady's sign? Do I take it out of the yard until I actually decide if I want to vote for her? Do I leave it there? What if I do take it out? Will she bang down my door wondering where it went? I don't know!! We only agreed so we could leave without being held up by her speech.

What would you do?

He Wants To Be A What?

Tonight my husband and I are taking the kids to look at Halloween costumes. I of course want to be the "perfect" mommy and make their costumes, but depending on what they want to be, it may just be easier to buy them.

Kayley, our 1 year old, is easy enough. A friend of mine gave me an elephant costume...so that's what she's going to be. No sense in buying something when I have a perfectly good costume in a closet...somewhere in my house. I just have to find it first...

Tara, our 3 year old, is unable to make up her mind. One day she says she's going to be a princess. The next, a witch. The next, a cat. She needs some guidance. And if looking at all of the costumes doesn't help her to make up that pretty little mind. Mommy gets to choose!! (I'm voting for cat! It's easy, and I can put it together myself with the help of a bought tail and ears. So I get credit for actually making it!)

Hayden, our 4 1/2 year old son....Well he's the main reason for this post. He's been planning his Halloween costume since Spring. He's wanted to be a Ninja Turtle, Spiderman, a pirate, a dragon....all very good ideas. Now that Halloween is approaching and it's time to get the costume. He's made up his mind and he's NOT budging. He wants to be a black ghost. No it's not some cartoon character. He wants me to throw a black sheet over his head and call it a day. I just can't do it! So he is the real reason why we've planned this Halloween costume browsing trip. I'm crossing all of my fingers and toes that he'll see a "super cool" store-bought costume, fall in love and then I wont have to purchase a black sheet.

Halloween '07:

FORBP

You know what sucks about being gone from blogging?? Having to get everything set back up again and remember how to do it!

For instance...take a look at my sidebar...there's nothing there except the archive. I have to DO something about that. I need to get a blogroll set up, a stat counter, ect. You know what I'm talking about! My poor little "mommy brain" is running at full tilt trying to remember how to do it all. I think I may possibly have dust flying out of my ears!

On top of all of that, I'm so out of the mommy blogging loop! What's new out there? So...I'm asking all you lovely mommies (probably all 2 of you who actually read this!) to fill me in! Let me know your favorite blogs, or your favorite additions that you use to make your blogging more fun, easy, whatever!!

SHARE SHARE SHARE!! Pretty please?

Now I must go because Hayden wants "you know, one of those strawberry things you bought last week at the store". Hmm...doesn't he know mommy's brain is in OVERDRIVE!?

What Happened To Me??

Well I had planned on getting this blog back up and running...but what have I actually done? Nothing.

There's been quite a bit happening in my household, and although very dramatic, I can't even blog about it...just way too personal! Geesh!!

But I believe things have calmed down...so today is the OFFICIAL relaunch of Mamaritaville!

I'll be posting the "first official relaunch blog post" (referred to as FORBP from here on out) later this morning...after finding a semi-decent template to replace this green one!!

Hang tight!!! ;)