Happy Memorial Day!!!

Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday weekend...

And hoping you'll all take the time to remember why we even have a day off today!

Thank you to my kids' dad for serving in the US Air Force and now in the police force.

Thank you to my Dad for serving in the US Army in Vietnam.

Thank you to my Granddad for serving in the US Navy in World War II.

Thank you to all of those who are still serving now, those who served in the past, those who gave their lives, and the families who lost loved one.

I'm Back...But Not Really.

I totally spaced last Friday.

Forgot my responsibilities at the 5 Moms...

Not on purpose...

Life just got in the way.

I'm Back...

But not really.

Just want to wish you all a wonderful Holiday Weekend.

Nothing special going on this weekend over here...

Just Soccer

&

on Monday a BBQ with family.

I love BBQ's!

Each family member has their signature food that they bring.

I look forward to our family BBQ's!

What is my signature food?

If you know me then you know I bring the CHIPS.

I am not good in the Kitchen & someone has to bring the CHIPS...Right?

Do you have a signature dish that you bring to potlucks or family gatherings?

Getting Hungry,

Mimi

It's My Onion And I'll Cry If I Want To

I wish I could slice an onion without crying. I really do. But slicing an onion is always an emotionally wrenching experience for me.

I have tried all sorts of suggestions from people. I even tried opening windows, wearing sunglasses and on one attempt, goggles.

The only thing I got from that was some very strange expressions from family members. Not that I could see them clearly through the blur of tears. Hey, it's my onion and I'll cry if I want to.

If I wanted to cry, I would just cry or watch a sad movie. I wouldn't chop up an onion.

I just don't get it. I just don't get how some people can chop onions and their eyes don't water and their nose doesn't run.

Did I mention my nose runs? This is not attractive. Let's just say that I never chopped an onion during the entire time my husband and I were dating. Well, not in front of him anyway.

I couldn't. Where would I do it? The kitchen is no good, not a tissue in sight. Chopping an onion in the bathroom is not very sanitary, but where else would I find a sink, toilet paper or tissue, and privacy all at the same time?

Wordless Wednesday..BUSTED! How Many Did He Eat???

T~A~R~A~H

Grocery Shopping Is Not For The Faint At Heart

It's 5:00 pm. Do you know where your dinner is??????

Word to the wise: don't ever go to the grocery store at 5:00 p.m. in the evening. Don't!

The store is full of people. Hungry people. Hungry people in a hurry. Hungry people in a hurry that have absolutely no idea what to make for dinner.

Hungry, desperate people.

Don't go unless you are willing to park in the parking lot, 45 miles away from the store. Because there will not be a close parking spot to be found. Oh, and it will probably be raining too.

Don't go unless you are willing to negotiate the aisles with your shopping cart. Do you have a driver's license? Not good enough.

What you need is a license to drive an obstacle course. You know, one of those closed courses they show on t.v. and it says "Driven by a professional driver. Do not try this at home."

Don't try this at the grocery store either.

You need to be able to operate your shopping cart at amazing speeds, and able to speed around any person who gets in your way, with a smile and a "sorry" on your lips.

You need to be able to stop your cart any time you see an amazing deal, a great idea for dinner, or an overwhelmed mom who is desperately seeking dinner and something to quiet her screaming, hungry children.

You need to be able run into the store at 5:00 p.m. and get out by 5:01, with an amazing dinner and maybe even dessert.

Or, better yet, you need to have the number to your local pizza place on speed dial, as grocery shopping is not for the faint at heart!

Perfect Pairs

I was just sitting around munching on a little snack when I said to myself...

"Self, I don't think I could it an Oreo without milk."

They are the perfect pair!

Then my mind started wandering...as it often does...what are some other things that I HAVE to eat together?

Some of MY other Perfect Pairs...

• Peanut Butter & Chocolate

• Blue Cheese Dressing & Boneless Buffalo Wings

• Swiss Cheese & Salt Sprinkled on top

(Don't judge until you have tried it)

• Taco's & Sour Cream

• Carrots & Ranch

• Pumpkin Pie & Whipped Cream

• Apple Pie & Ice Cream

These are pairs that I could not eat separate from each other...EVER!

Well...except for Peanut Butter & Chocolate...Those are both yummy anytime of the day together or apart!

What are some of your Perfect Pairs?

Do share...I am always hungry for something new.

Craving Something Good,

Mimi

I'm So Sick of It!

Last time on Five Mom's and a Blog, Nan was talking about having a sickness and it's sad to say but I have one of my own.  I like to refer to it as the crafting bug.  

This is what it looks like.

Lately, it's gotten bad, not because my house is oozing with creativity.  I wish that were the case!!!  It's more in my brain and in my computer, evidenced by all the saved files.  Every time I see a neat little project, I snatch it away and put in my crafty little crafting file, where they'll be saved for all eternity.  It is a sickness cause I just can't seem to stop doing it.  And there just can't be anything right about owning a sewing machine for several years now, loving it like it were a child of my own, all the while never having threaded it's needle.  It's sad :o(   I know and I'm sure the mere thought just sickens you sewing goddesses.  But the reality is this - I'm a BIG SCARTY-CAT!  I'm too afraid of hurting it, so I just let it sit in solitary confinement. It's for it's own good.  Where's Martha Stewart when you need her????  not here :o(

I don't have proof, but believe me, the projects are there.  My computer can attest to it.

Ever since I could remember, I've always enjoyed making things and have always wanted to own a boutique shop in a quaint little town.  Oh man, the possibilities would be endless.  Everything would be homemade with love.  Awwwww.....

Maybe it could look something like this.

OR THIS!

 Or how about something pretty in pink?

Or maybe I should open my own little Esty shop?

The thought has crossed my mind MANY a times.  Like I said, crafting is a sickness.  So, what's the remedy? Maybe I just need a place where my brain can have a little piece of mind and my creative juices are welcomed with opened arms.

Have you ever wanted something so bad?

Stay tuned.  Maybe sometime in the future I'll have a GRAND OPENING to announce.

Miti

Future owner of Miti Homemade

(in my dreams)

It's A Sickness.....Really......

I have a thing about groceries. I do a lot of my shopping at a store where you pack your own groceries. I don't mind bagging my own, and I think it's because deep down, I am a frustrated bagger. It's like a game. Or a challenge. Or a sickness.

Ever since I was a little girl I would go to the store with my mom and watch them put her groceries in a bag. It just looked like so much fun. Now, I get to go shopping and have my own fun!

How fast can I load a bag? Can I beat the other person loading their bags across from me? Who will win get their bags packed first? The fun part is winning a race that they don't even know they're in!

How many items can I cram into one bag? Yeah, you heard me. I try to cram as many things into the bag as I can. I consider it a special challenge and a personal affront to my dignity if I only get a few things in.

I also prefer to use only one bag per cramming. Anybody can use two bags at a time instead of one. The art is to use one bag at a time and cram away. Can I put 50 pounds of canned goods into a single plastic bag and NOT have it rip or break?

How far will I get before the bag breaks? Five feet is my personal best. My son once got a couple of steps before his bag broke, dropping 5 pounds of apples that then proceeded to roll down the driveway. Clearly I have corrupted him. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Can I carry 18 bags of groceries into my house at one time? Seriously, I have a thing about two trips. I would rather burden myself down with 50 bags than make an extra trip. I have bags hanging off my neck, my ankles, my ears, my nose..........anything with a "handle" on it, and anything to avoid making a second trip.

I love pairing strange things up. Eggs. What can you pair with eggs and still be safe?

Bread is good. Paper towels are good. Toilet paper is good. But cans? What if the cans fall on the eggs?

Can you pair up eggs with a five pound bag of sugar. You cannot!

By the way, it is always good to tell a teenager which bag the eggs are in. I'm just sayin'.......

The String On the Finger Ain't Cuttin' It!

So does anyone find it odd what they CAN remember.... and hate what they CAN'T remember?

At my work, I'm needing to learn the names of our clients. But our clientele at our investment firm is primarily ELDERLY. And I'm not trying to be mean, but they all kinda start to look alike after a certain age. Know what I mean? After all, they all have gray hair, they all have wrinkles... Oh, now I'm just sounding mean, aren't I? *sigh*

But seriously, I've been there since February 1st, and most of the clients already know 'of me' and know my name even if they've yet to come in and meet me. They all had to go from "Liz" (my predecessor) to "Erica". They only had to learn ONE new name and one new face. Plus there's a little name plaque on my desk should they forget.

I, on the other hand, have to learn.... uh.... 500+ clients?! Yikes. {{shiver}}

And yes, it's been quite the challenge.

So...... my boss is now planning a two-day Meet-n-Greet with all of the clients and has told them in the invitations to "wear their smiles" when they arrive as "Erica" will be taking their portraits as our gift to them. Oh boy!?!

Then we're gonna give them all a copy of each picture and we'll keep one --- flash cards for Erica maybe? Ha ha ha.

So yea, my memory is struggling.
Yet, I can say this NAME in its entirety (which takes a whole six seconds just to say) with no problems.... WHY? Because it was on a commercial one time, and you know me.... MEMORIZE commercials with no problem:

WHY IS THAT?

So what silly, stupid, crazy things can YOU remember that you really have NO need for?

What Makes You Comment?

I am just wondering...

What makes you comment on a blog?

If you read it do you always comment?

Do you comment on only the blogs that comment on yours?

Do you just read blogs without commenting?

Do you only comment when you post?

Do you comment back on new bloggers that pop by & comment on yours?

Do you comment on blogs because they are having a giveaway?

Like today? I'm kidding. I am guilty of leaving an extra comment for an extra entry.

Winning is fun!

I'm curious.

I have my thoughts on Commenting...

But it is nice to hear what other blogging friends think about commenting.

Share your thoughts...we are all friends!

Leave me a comment and I will comment back,

MIMI

Some Motherly Advise

I'm sure you all know what Sunday is...

That's right!
Mother's Day!

This is definitely a holiday worthy of celebrating. And I'm not saying that because I'm a mommy myself. With 4 years of motherhood behind me, I still have plenty of learning to do before I can earn my Greatest Mommy Award. My mom, however, has had her little trophy for quiet some time. To be exact, she's had it for as long as I can remember. I know that I've got a great mentor to rely on if I need any advise. If my little guy is feeling under the weather, I know just who to call. It never fails. She always has the best old-fashion, homemade remedies, like mixing one part olive oil + one part honey + a little splash of lemon juice to sooth a nasty cough. Believe it or not it tasted really good and it worked like a charm! Sometimes the remedies are a little out there like when she told me to grease him down with Vapo Rub. Yeah, that's nothing new, but then she tells me to wrap him up in newspaper! ??????? Don't ask me... Since the first trick worked, I didn't have to resort to that one. I gotta say, though, I'm kinda curious.....

My point is this. A mom would not be a great mom if she didn't give advise to her children. It's part of the motherhood territory. One day, God willing, I'll be giving my children advise on how they can be the greatest parent ever. I just have to remember everything that my mom has taught me and then pass it on.

So tell me...
What great advise has your motherly mentor passed on to you?


Your's (truly),
Miti

When bad things happen to GOOD people {me}

You know when you need a pedicure...BAD?

Yeah like where your flip flops actually break because they are TIRED of carrying your pathetic toes...

{NOT an actual photo of me you know that I don't own those pants anymore}

So, I am rushing...and rushing....and I should have pulled into here:

But somehow, I decided to park here.....

C'mon..they look alike!!!

So..Did I get one of these?

Nope...Because I am blessed AND because I am a

{Sweet Talker}

So tell me..when was your last BRUSH with the law???

Tarah

Instructions Have No Feelings

For some reason I have a mental block when it comes to some things. Like remembering why I went downstairs, following directions, trying to understand everything the doctor is saying to me, and listening to someone explain anything technical to me.

Directions are a problem. Please don't give me directions. Directions are for the weak at heart. I don't care if they are directions to your house, how to do something on the computer, or directions to the refrigerator. Please, spare me.

I don't have time for instructions either. Just put it together or fix it for me, o.k? I don't want to learn. You can learn and have fun with all that knowledge. Instructions are confusing and boring and take time. I just want to know how without having to learn how.

So if you ever write instructions for me, please do it something like this:

1. Look, Nan. I know you don't want to read how to do this. I know you'd rather read a good book or go blog or something. So ignore me. Instructions have no feelings so you can't hurt me.

2. Walk over to your husband or children and say "Helpppppp!!! me!"

3. Don't get offended when hubby or children laugh at how helpless you are and your children say "Really, mom? You seriously can't figure out how to do this?"

4. Do not wait for your husband or male children to finish what they're doing before they help you. Insist that they drop everything and help you NOW. This is always good for some marital tension and childhood frustration. Everyone needs the opportunity to learn patience now and then. This will give lots of opportunity for them to exercise it.

5. While they're helping you, insist that they do NOT stop and read the directions. Tell them directions are worthless and they should be able to figure it out on their own. They are men, after all. Men never bother with directions. Just ask your husband.

6. After they've insisted on reading the instructions ask them if they're finished. Thirty seconds is long enough for anyone to read a 1,000 page document.

7. Don't let them explain how to do it. You don't want to learn how to do it. Their job is to do it for you. Tell them that. We all need to be good at something, and they can be good at reading instructions.

8. Let your eyes glaze over and start to close if they start talking technical and try to explain things to you. Look as if you're in pain. Whine if you need to.

9. Remind them again that you don't want to know how it works, why it works, or what to do to make it work. You just want it to work. Period. Just work and do the job you've asked it to do. Is that to much to ask?

10. If they follow the instructions and they STILL can't figure things out, don't forget to say "I told you so!"

Signed, The Instructions