Notes of a Mom, Biz Owner, Wife

MomGadget.com

2010-01-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy that I'll be writing reviews for MomGadget.com

Take some time and check it out. They do reviews on all kinds of neat things for home.

http://www.momgadget.com

I"m thrilled I just got my first assignment and can't wait to get started.

Kids are home!

2009-12-20T06:40:00.000-08:00

Vacation has started and the same night they already started fighting. Uh don't they know Santa is watching? Then older one said there is no Santa in front of 5 year old. UGH!!!! She didn't beleive him. She just saw polar express that day and had a bell and she can hear it ring because she said she beleives. Now if we can get through at least half a day without yelling, fighting that would be the best Christmas gift ever.

Here I am trying to paint and finish last orders today and as soon as they woke up they fought over a missing video game. FINALLY they found it and then it was all a laughing fest. Not for mom so much as she was grabbing the advil for pounding headache.

What a way to start the day.

Merry Christmas!

Funny thing I noticed when I was Christmas Shopping

2009-12-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

There I was at the checkout with a cart full of presents. I guess I didn't look too happy. The cashier said oh alot of people have that look these days. I said well I just spent over 100 bucks and it looks like I got nothing. Then as I walked away I noticed a table set up with several workers. A huge sign was on the table and it said Free Gift Wrapping. Then I looked at the line. I had to laugh. There was a line of men getting their gifts wrapped.

It made me remember being a young teen and my brother would call me into his room and there would be a HUGE black bag full of presents he had bought for everyone and he said " Can you wrap these for me?" Every year I wrapped all his presents. Sometimes even my own LOL.

Just my laugh for the day

It's December!!!

2009-12-01T04:23:00.000-08:00

Have you started getting ready for the holidays? I'm sooo far from ready. I got shopping started but so far to go yet. Thank goodness for shopping on the internet.

I have been busy with work. Not so many ornaments this year. Mainly sanddollars and mailboxes. It's funny how things change. Last few years have been pet portrait ornaments and People portrait ornaments. Either way I'm still busy.

I've also been keeping up with my writing articles. It's alot of fun. I always loved writing as a kid and wanted to be a novelist when I grew up. Well that didn't happen. Someone I got sidetracked with paint and art. Still thinking about giving private lessons for art. Now that the kids are older. And craft classes for younger kids. That's how I got into all this stuff. I started when I was about 6 taking craft classes at a local shop every saturday morning

Well here is my latest article. It's kind of funny about our family trip to Las Vegas. Yikes. We'll never ever forget that trip.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2426304/our_bad_family_trip_to_las_vegas_nevada.html?cat=16

I have got to find this desk and clean the living room up so I can dig the Christmas decorations out this week. I'm usually all done by now. Where did the time fly by to? If you find it can you catch it for me?

Some Christmas Articles I wrote about traditions and memories

2009-11-06T07:25:00.001-08:00

My Personal Holiday Traditions

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2360566/my_personal_holiday_and_christmas_traditions.html?cat=10

My favorite Christmas memory

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2343232/my_favorite_christmas_memory.html?cat=10

Article on Easy ways to Save money on your Electric Bill

2009-10-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2256287/simple_ways_to_save_on_your_electric.html?cat=57

Getting tired of hearing complaining

2009-10-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

By everyone lately.I know we're all under alot of pressure money wise but I'm just soo sick of all the complaining. I mean the ones that don't do anything to try to better the situation. Those able to work and just won't and want to cry and say poor me. Figure out a way to make money. Have a yard sale, start doing something online like selling on ebay . Clean out your house and make some money. At least try to make it work. I sit here busting my behind raising 3 kids with hubby who is working very hard and running my own biz. And still cleaning out house and listing on ebay to make money and hey what doesn't sell guess what? I donate it to good will because it's still like brand new stuff. Or donate to free cycle.
Every good deed is a wonderful thing. And it will come back around to you. I truly believe that.

Make goals and work toward them. I know I've been doing alot of that with personal things like getting caught up on bills and getting out of debt after everything is caught up and of course my business. How to make it grow and new lines and designs.

We all have to have something to work towards. So lets make our goals ladies and gentlemen and get working toward them! Stop whining and crying and go do something about it.
Don't take it lying down. Your hard work will pay off. I truly believe this and am working on this myself. So lets do this together!

A mom searching for her child

2009-09-27T15:06:00.001-07:00

Ok I'm posting this here for a friend of mine. If you happen to read this and can help her please email her.

My name is Mae Tanzillo, I had a baby boy 20 yrs ago that was adopted to a couple with the first names Barbara & Michael. His bday is JULY 10,1989 & was born at Mercer Hospital in Trenton, NJ. This is all the info I have PLEASE co...ntact me thru fb or email at maetanzillo@comcast.net

UPDATE: This is the most wonderful and amazing news. I'm so excited for her. She found her son!!!! Through a friend of a friend of the family and she found him in facebook! How amazing is that? They are spending time together now. I'm so thrilled for her and him.

Been awhile .....

2009-09-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

Since I posted last. Sorry for that. Summer took over. Now school is back in full swing It's time for this momma to get to biz on all fronts. Home, Work, Motherhood and every other hat I wear.

Summer was interesting with lessons learned. It amazes me how something as simple as some baseball games can turn into insanity. Cooperstown New york. My son played in a tournament there for a week. Wonderful time. I felt bad for him because what we thought he would enjoy he didn't. Like staying in the dorms. He was there to play ball and he took it so seriously and others in the dorm were painting toe nails on others. Saran wrapping kids to beds. He was afraid to sleep. So he stayed with us. Then comes elimination time. Now here is where baseball games become insanity. Benched several kids all through elimination and told them " do you want to win this whole thing or do you want to be out on the field" Now what kind of statement is that to say to kids who are there obviously to play baseball? When did it become all about the coaches and not the kids? When did childrens game of baseball turn into all about adult egos? Needless to say my son had enough and after last game and we got knocked out he said I'm done with this team. He refused to stand on the field at closing ceremonies to receive his ring with those coaches. So he waited till he got home to get it from a friend.
How sad is that? I'm so proud of him for standing up for himself and his own beliefs.

Now onto a new year of great things to come with baseball, my biz growing, School going well and all those other great things. It's gonna be ride I"ll be happy to be along for. The good, the bad and the ugly. Bring it on

Is it just me or is there something wrong?

2009-06-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to buy my daughter something simple. Shorts.
Can't be easier than that could it? Well apparently it's not as simple a task as I thought it would be.

They are making girls clothes sooo small. I mean there is nothing there. Behinds hanging out because shorts and skirts are so short. I mean is this what we want our children wearing? Do we really want them thinking it's ok to look like this? What are these designers thinking? They are children. Not little adults.

I finally found some long shorts that were very cute and covered everything. It wasn't easy I will say. I mean even bathing suits for young girls are very adult looking.

Is it just me???

School coming to a end

2009-05-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Well I've been busy doing day trips here and there trying to get a bunch of photos to work from during this summer. We'll be doing more once school gets out but it's so much easier for me to concentrate on my photos when the kids are at school.

Which comes to another dilemma. How to fit work in during the summer when we should and will be out playing more often at the beach and parks.

Plan is to get up early as always and work till all the kiddos are up and ready to go. Then work at night when we are settling in. Now where does housework come in? I have no clue but I'm sure it will find it's way to getting done.

What are your plans this summer?

People trying to get free info

2009-04-29T10:51:00.001-07:00

Ok nothing annoys me more than this in my biz. When you get these emails from people wanting to not buy from you but wanting you to give them instructions on how to do what you do.

I've worked hard to build my business by myself. I design and handpaint everything myself. I try to keep my prices so anyone can buy my work and items. When people email/call asking me if I can tell them what brand paint I use and how I paint on certain surfaces so they don't have to pay me to do it that is ANNOYING.

I never once asked anyone to give me their inside scoop on how they do something. I figure it out myself if I want to do something like it or I just buy from the person doing it. I mean come on.

So much to do! Can I have more time?

2009-04-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

I have orders that need finished. I'm almost done. But tommorrow is double header out of town. That eats the day up. So gotta get moving today. Orders, laundry, would like to go through some of the kids winter clothes they don't need anymore and add to ebay. Can I have more time in a day please? Maybe grow a few more hands?

Ok I'm gonna take a deep breathe now. Ahhhh. Ok no now I'm out more time. Kids are watching tv and hey can I get some help over here? Yeah your mom is asking for help!

Ok back to work for me.

Easter is over

2009-04-13T05:58:00.001-07:00

But it was a wonderful family holiday. Kept the kids home to do ressurrection eggs on Good Friday. The two older ones were really into it and asking questions which was neat. We had a great time doing them together. Saturday consisted of 2 easter egg hunts locally. Sunday we discussed the meaning of Easter and did the normal egg hunt and baskets. I did wind up working alittle on orders while kids were off playing and doing their thing. I got alot done and now its back to school and work. Time sure does fly when your having fun. Where did this holiday go?
I never thought much of easter as a kid. A basket, going to the shore with my family for the day to spend money on games of chance. Things sure have changed for me as I grew up and had my own family.

Hope you and your families had a wonderful holiday

It's Spring Break. Now for the Entertainment

2009-03-31T12:14:00.001-07:00

Have you noticed it may be the kids spring break but man do I feel like a enterainer. Seems like I'm running a vacation tour. I'm going to need a vacation from my kids spring break vacation.
We've been doing something every day. Which works for me because I also make it work. I am on the search for photos for my reference files to work from for future paintings and artwork. Which I'm finding wonderful subjects in our own back yard so to speak. My oldest son said we look like tourists. We sure are acting like it this week and I'm the tour guide. Wonder if I will earn any tips? Money that is? I doubt it. Probably the only tip I will get from my kids is where the nearest white padded cell is located waiting for me. Tommorrow the adventures continue. We're on the search for alligators! This should prove interesting. I hope to grab some great photos of them as well.
Wow I think it's my nap time. I'm pooped

Trying to be a responsible Biz owner

2009-03-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

With shipping. I do reuse boxes unless they are just totally a mess then I will take them to recycle. But I am a firm believer that as long as the box is presentable, fits my item, I will use it. I also save all packing materials to reuse in my boxes. I do not like to waste anything if it's possible. It also keeps my costs down which passes onto my customers. It's a win win situation if you ask me. How if you work at home do you try to conserve resources?

Now as a mom, wife and just a human being our family together is trying to change our ways and become green. We are learning together and have wonderful friends that help. You know who you are! They point us in the right directions and now I hope that somehow I can pass my learning onto my customers, friends, family etc.

So not only as a biz owner but as a mom, wife, person I"m trying my best to be responsible and save as much as I can and recycle the rest.

I'm also working on adding some new things where I recycle things I find and make them into artwork to enjoy. It's something different and it's another use for these items. So keep a lookout. Coming soon to a web addy near you Lol

Sorry I had to say that

The fun of dealing with public school

2009-03-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a busy two days dealing with public middle school. My son was in a special program called Traditional which is smaller classes etc. Well he just got kicked out of it because he missed a C by 3 points. which he had a high C up till 3 days before and she graded all this stuff and the ones that dropped it were ones not due till the end of this month. well past that marking period. So the mom I am I went out and found he still actually has 2 weeks left of probation but they are not honoring that. NO big surprise there. I have now gone to the school board for help. This teacher also owes him 2 movie tickets he won from her in October! When asked about it she claims to have lost them. I doubt she ever had them in the first place. To all the teachers out there. Please DO NOT offer say movie tickets for a prize for writing assignments and then hold our kids to the highest standards and then never give them their prize. Why are they held to such high standards not allowed to make one mistake in anything and if they do they get penalized. where is your penalty for not doing what you said you were going to do? Trust me if I promise anything I'm held to it. No if, ans or butts. As with any parent out there.
And to all parents out there. Don't let these schools push you around. We're here to stick up for our kids and make sure everything is in order and done right and if it's not go out there and make it be known. Someone needs to have a voice for these kids.

Why can kids never find anything?

2009-02-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

I've been dealing with this forever. I'm sure all of us parents have. I get sooo annoyed. They are missing something whether it's homework, shoes etc and you say " well you better get looking" and they just seem to wander around in circles. Not touching anything and just having a blank look on their faces. Like zombies. How do they think they will accomplish finding anything when they don't even look under anything or even look at anything? Then if your like me you finally get fed up with the endless wandering around and blank stare and within a minute AH HA there is the missing item. Right next to where they started at. How did they miss it????

I guess this is a endless symptom of being a kid? I mean I guess we all did this to our parents right?

Check out this contest

2008-09-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hey all you need to check out this wonderful page
http://www.thegreenparent.com/2008/09/02/eco-beautiful/

Great information about being green and going green and there is a wonderful contest going on

You can win a $40 gift certificate from Affordable Mineral Makeup™
So go check it out

The fun of the eye doctor

2008-08-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Well it was time. My son had blurry vision and we were told last year it was borderline. Well today was the day.

We went to the office and it started. " Mom... Do I really have to go in there? Will I have to get glasses too? Do I really have to go in there? It's gonna hurt" Well after calming him down .... and yes this is a pre teen we head back. I was so glad to find everyone there in that office was as nice as could be and explained everything and it calmed all his fears. He got contacts and had no issue at all putting them in or out sooo after 2 1/2 hrs of the dreaded eye doctor he walked out blurry (dilated) and couldn't even tell if he could see with his new contacts HAHA

I can't wait for him to put them in tommorrow and see the difference. How exciting

Christmas shopping.... are we ever done?

2008-07-22T13:56:00.001-07:00

Well I've already started on Christmas shopping for this year. It seems the second Christmas is over it's time to start on the next Christmas. Are you ever really done shopping?

I have inlaws just about done from the kids. I try to find really special things from the kids. Personalized with their pics etc. There are so many neat ideas out there.
I also try to have each one make something themselves as well.

It is my favorite holiday of the year. And I just like to get things done and have things ready to go so I can enjoy my holiday with my family and not be rushing through everything.

I love to stop and smell the Christmas trees.

So I hope you take the chance to do the same.

Adopting Dogs

2008-07-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

Well around Christmas time we thought it was time for a family dog. We haven't had one in 2 years and it was time. We went to all the shelters and well at Animal Control we found our Buddy. A weird mix of Lab/golden retreiver/shepherd mix. He's been the perfect family addition. Never a problem with him. Well we tried to get another puppy and kept bringing him around to meet buddy and the family and then we got to keep him. Well it just didn't work out. He turned out he didn't like certain age kids. Well we found him a better home and it's been a little while now. The kids missed him and so did we. Off to hit the shelters again. We used to buy dogs out of the paper. Nothing wrong with that but there are too many out there without homes and on deaths door if they don't find a home. Soooo we spent several days going to shelters around our home and farther. Finally the next day went back to animal control and after telling kids " don't count on bringing a dog home. they probably wont' have the perfect fit for us today" well there she was. A beautiful 6 months old puppy white/yellow lab with some husky in her. Gorgous dog. Of course I couldn't leave her there. She was adopted and a wonderful addition to our family. Even with Buddy. One lesson I learned finding a dog at a shelter. You just need to go every single day. They have new dogs every day that are wonderful loving animals and just desperately want a home. So next time you go out looking for a new pet maybe take a look at a local shelter including your local animal control where you can make a difference and save a doggy/cats life.

Spring Cleaning or should I say Summer cleaning?

2008-06-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

Well I missed out on the spring cleaning with being busy working. So I decided well why wait till next spring? I'll just call it Summer Cleaning.

I started in the kitchen. It's taken me 3 days so far and i'm 1/2 done. But everything is getting scrubbed and gone through. It's amazing at what was in there. I mean things I haven't seen or thought of in a year or more. Probably more.

So I decided it's time to have a yard sale by the time I get through this whole house so I have a pile for yard sale, and tossing the rest. I feel like I'm in a new kitchen! It's very liberating.

So why put off spring cleaning? Don't wait till next Spring. It's Summer Cleaning time!

The Video Game Scam

2008-06-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

I was totally fed up yesterday. A simple lets go get a video game turned into a all morning waste of time.
We were on the search for Mario Kart for the Wii. I figure hey it's been out alittle while so it should be easy to get now that the rush was off. Boy was I wrong.

First stop they have empty boxes sitting out lined the shelve. PAYDIRT I thought. I go up the counter with a empty box thinking they are keeping them behind the counter. Sorry mam we don't have any and haven't for a while. Sorry don't know when they are coming in. WHAT???

Ok next stop " sorry we haven't had any in a while and don't know when we are getting any"

Ok Kid get in the car mom is done driving it's time to take it to the phone.

Get home and go through the yellow pages. Call after call. I must have called every store in the county looking for the elusive Mario kart for the wii. Is this deja vu? I mean didnt' we just go through this to get a wii in the first place around Christmas time?

Come to find out no one around this county has it and one store informed me they weren't expecting any till the end of July.

UGH. So after a while of this calling and getting the same answer I gave up. I threw my hands in the air and said " I GIVE UP!"

Talked kids into getting their second choice video game. Now all is well except for the " when are we going to get the Mario Kart?"

Will it ever end?

Last day of School

2008-06-03T06:58:00.001-07:00

WOO HOOO. Ok I'm saying that now because I don't have to get up tommorrow morning but I know what is coming. The I'm Bored. What are we doing today. The constant wanting to be entertained by me. Do I look like a clown? I guess I should check in the mirror just in case.

Well here comes alot of days at the beach and hopefully no where too far where I have to use alot of gas with the price of that these days. Yikes.

Welcome Summer!

Loyalty in Kids Sports????

2008-05-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

Is there any loyalty in Kids sports? I've pretty much come to the conclusion after 3 years of Club baseball that no there is none. We've been around and thought we finally found the perfect team. Well after a few short months we realize NOPE there is no loyalty here. Even a coach that has had the same group of kids for several years has no loyalty to the team or the parents. How can you turn down a group of players that became available even though you only need one player and there are 7? So take them all and hope some of the oldtimers leave? Push them out. Such a sad thing to see. Basically it's not about TEAM as much as it is about yourself, your own ego, how to get the big trophy. It doesnt seem to be about the kids learning to play competetive ball as a team as it is getting the trophy. Trophys are nice. Medals are nice. My son has a ton of them from the last 3 years. And you know what he does with them? Nothing. He has them heaped in a pile in the closet. But he can tell you all the great plays he made and tell you all about the game. How much fun he had and all the goof ups. So sad to say there is never a point where you say Awwww this is finally home. Our baseball team. There is never any definates for a season. Let alone a weekend .

Kids are overshowed by parents egos, coaches egos and aren't left alone to be kids having a good time playing baseball on a team where they know they will be for the long term. Is there such a thing anymore in competetive baseball for youth?

Welcome

2008-05-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

I needed a place other than just my biz blogs where I can relax, rant and rave about anything, talk about motherhood, Trials and Tribulations of running my own biz and just about anything.

I hope you'll join me on my lifes adventures

Jill