I am a very busy mom. Sometimes I feel that they are not enough hours in the day! I am always running behind on something.  Let’s face it; Today’s families are busier than ever. With the economy, the way it is more moms are working outside the house now and that means less time to get all those Household chores done. With all the after school activities and sports events, housework never seems to get done around here like it used to. I have learned from co-workers that more and more families are considering using janitorial services to keep their homes clean and comfortable.

I admit I used to Dream about having a maid or cleaning services but never thought I could afford it. Recently I started Checking out prices and it’s much cheaper than I thought!   I would love to mark cleaning off my long list of things to do.  I know the kids would love not having to spend Saturday mornings cleaning the house.   Let’s face it who wouldn’t love to come home and focus on other, more important aspects of your life instead of worrying about cleaning your home.  You can be sure you always come home to a clean place, which can make your life much more enjoyable and your home more relaxing and aesthetically pleasing which equals a HAPPY MOMMY!

So now it’s your turn!! Tell me your dream!

D Wade,Bosh,LeBron Photo Credit ESPN.COM

This has been a big topic in our House. We are all divided in what we think Lebron should do.  As you know we are big basketball fans so we have been watching these trades pretty close.

My Son is a big Miami fan so of course he was happy that his favorite player D. Wade is staying with the heat! He is also glad that the heat got Chris Bosh However you would think that he would love to see Lebron come play with the heat right??  Apparently He feels otherwise. He feels that this is not a good move for Lebron. I think this would be a perfect move for Lebron and the Heat.  Many people are talking about the fact that Lebron shouldn’t go to Miami to play with superstar Dwyane Wade and sidekick Chris Bosh  because it Would Hurt the King’s Legacy in Long Run.

The Big Question is Will Lebron James, the guy  we all know who cares so much about his image and legacy very much and who aspires to become a billionaire athlete, be really willing to share the spotlight with Wade? I hope he will be willing to share the stage with Wade and appear like a team player who wants to win instead of a superstar worrying about his ego!  I don’t see how his image suffers if he comes along and helps a team who hasn’t won a playoff since ’06. He doesn’t have to be the Heat’s savior like he would be with the Cavs or Knicks with all the pressure on his shoulders. I understand the logics but come on we all know how bad King James wants that championship!

James with Wade will dominate. Cleveland tried to build around James, and failed. Miami is already a playoff contender, adding James it’s On!! . James can share the ball with Wade, now each man has time to play using their skills and most important their head. More rings bring more glory, more money, and more sponsors. The Wade/James/Bosh  commercials could bring in hundreds of millions.

Tonight is the night everyone gets the answers we all have been asking where is King James going to play!!   My Vote Goes to Miami and my son says he is staying with his Home town where his heart is at. What do you think!!  The ESPN show begins at 9 p.m., and he’s expected to reveal his choice about 10 minutes into the program.  Just letting you know I will be tweeting my ass off either way tonight when the results are officially in!

If you are a parent then you know that one of the first and most important decisions you can make regarding your child is where they will begin their education.  Choosing the right pre k or kindergarten program is essential in giving them the proper foundation in a lifelong learning process.  All of us want the very best for our kids and it begins here.  When I was deciding which programs to enroll my kids in for pre-k and eventually kindergarten there were several questions that were important to me.  Was there a curriculum and was it rigidly followed?   How large are the classes and how many teachers are there per child?  How qualified are the teachers?  Do the children get healthy snacks or a lot of junk food?? (The latter was more appealing to one of my daughters! LOL)  is there someone in charge of monitoring the quality of the program?  These were just a few of the questions I had.  Like any parent I wanted a top notch program that was strict, but fun and educational.  You can get all of that and more with KinderCare!

KinderCare learning centers are dedicated to the highest quality childcare for your kids.  Their dedication to quality is impressive.  Twice a year each of their 40,000 teachers nationwide are engaged in one of the largest early childhood training programs in the country to stay updated on the recent developments.  There is also a low teacher to student ratio so that your child gets the personal attention they need and there is constant contact with the parents to keep them involved in the process as well, which I really enjoy.  KinderCare offers programs from infants up through kindergarten with specific curriculums for each group.  I love that each group has a quality care checklist so specific goals are always met.  This specialization can start in the infant program where they make sure the nap times are personalized for your child’s specific needs and that the daily activities are times of learning and nurturing to the kindergarten program where they routinely check to make sure the proper environment is provided for homework, and that there is ample time provided for activities that begin to nurture creative thought and independence.  The program grows actively and precisely with your child’s needs with an emphasis on constant engagement with the child and the parent to suit the child’s individual development.  Fully licensed and accredited, KinderCare learning centers are the best place for your child to begin their educational journey!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of KinderCare Learning Centers and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate

Here Lately I have been looking over the group of people I “run” with.  I admit after carefully evaluating my current friendships, I must say I have a few that It’s getting cut off.  We all know that ANYTHING Toxic is not good for us and that can include Family and friends.   I am at a point in my life where I am getting older and wiser. I see things totally different than I seen it before.  What I used to brush off, well I can’t do that it anymore.  I will be honest I guess you can say my Patience have wore thin.

Toxic friendships wreak havoc on your sense of well being and peace. A toxic friend can be described in many ways: that “friend” who is always negative, always critical, the one who after you spent any amount of time with leaves you feeling drained.  They thrive on drama but are the main ones saying “they hate drama”.  When you have problems—which they claim to want to hear about, it always magically ends up being about Their BIGGER problems.

I found this while browsing the web tonight which was a big eye opener..So my question is Do you have toxic friends that you would be better off letting go?

7 Types of Toxic Friends

1. The Manipulator is often stealthy. We don’t tend to see it right away until smack it happens again. They have countless tactics too many to mention, the best way to recognize them is when you feel yourself coerced into responding in away that just doesn’t feel right.

2. The Judger just can’t help but judge and criticize us. “You would look great with an age appropriate hairstyle don’t you think?” “I love your home, there so much potential here I know exactly how I would decorate it.” These guys can find fault in anything you do. It’s as though you just can’t do anything right. When it’s done in a joking tone it may be a bit harder to identify.

3. The Competitor will compete with you even when you’re not competing. If you decide to run a 5k they can’t wait to tell you about how they signed up for a marathon. When you mention you’re your weekend getaway they tell you about their plan for a two week vacation in Tahiti in their beautiful over-water bungalow with panoramic views and fresh exotic fruits.

4. The Opportunist is “take, take, take.” There is no reciprocity in this relationship. They tend to call you when they need or want something. They’ll go to your party if there isn’t a “better” event happening that night. It’s all about what’s in it for them.

5. The Energy Vampire is self-absorbed and zaps our energy as they go on-and-on endlessly about themselves. When you leave them you feel exhausted.

6.The Gossiper is more malicious than the average person who periodically finds them self in a bit of gossip. Gossip appears to be the only thing they are interested in and they enjoy exaggeration and little lies to liven up the drama. This can be a disastrous recipe. The Gossiper can destroy relationships, and even compromise your job and reputation. Stay clear of this one because remember, one who always gossips to you about others will gossip to others about you and you won’t know what exaggerations or lies are being added.

7.  Negative Nelly is a downer, all is wrong in their world. They are pessimistic and resistant. They only want to hear what’s wrong in your life and they tend to get bored or change the subject when you mention your successes or happiness.

My Older sister  is always is telling me to surround myself with positive energy; and that I will be much happier. I guess I can now say I understand why her circle is small and why she is always happy!  I am letting go of all negative in  my life Starting now.. So if for some reason your one of those people you now know why.  If your one that I tend to keep THANK YOU FOR BEING A GREAT POSTIVE PERSON IN MY LIFE!!

(((HUGS))

I am sure most of you know by now my blog was hacked!  I have worked with trying to get everything back in order but still have a lot to do.  My post or now showing extra symbols and weird fonts that i need to go thru and fix now.  I also have some post that have been lost .  I have reopened my blog back but I will still be working on it so please look over the mess.

I want to thank everyone for your support! I will admit I was really about to throw in the towel and say forget it!  I will be keeping my giveaways open a little longer to make up for my down time so make sure you get your entry in now!!

Thanks AGAIN!!

Jen

As you know I’m a Yoursphere Test drive mom and my Kids love it! I just got an email from the Yoursphere founder Mary Kay saying she AUDITIONED FOR OPRAH!

Please watch her audition video and vote for her so she can get her own show on Oprah’s new network. This is a great way to support and raise visibility for what we are already doing at Yoursphere for kids and their families.

More about the show from Mary Kay..

Show Topic: The Joy of Online Safety
The Joy of Online Safety is dedicated to providing families with the ingredients they need to create their own family recipe for a fun and safe online experience. My video shows how l will provide families with practical and engaging ways to enjoy the Internet through education, involvement and empowerment.

My show proposal includes going directly into homes, to schools, and to work with kids and teens. I want to involve parenting experts, Internet safety experts, law enforcement and others to help me provide parents with the tools they need to create their own family recipe.  Additionally I want to feature how children and families have used the power of the Internet to enrich their lives and do good things for others.

CAST YOUR VOTE AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN UNTIL JULY 3. (At least one (1) of the five (5) Finalists from the Video Submission process will be cast in the Program.) Everyone can vote as many times as they want

*I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review*

As you many of you know we are having serious issues with my sister.  I will admit this is more than I can handle.  I really thought she would start changing when we took the girls but that didn’t happen! 2 weeks ago she got her first DUI! This was after the fact she told everyone she was going to stop drinking and get her life together! When I say right after I mean just that! The next night she gets caught!

With her history they had a probation hold on her so we couldn’t get her out of jail even if we wanted to.  My Family had already decided that we were going to leave her in jail for a few days. We left her in there a week.  We really thought that just maybe this would show her. 2 days after she got out she was GONE partying Again! I don’t know how much more the family can take to be honest.

When they released her they took her license and gave her a special permit to go back and forth to WORK ONLY, till she goes to court in July.  She also signed up for Family Drug court with her case worker while she was in jail and the state took all control over my nieces.  Now my sister can’t sign me over temporary custody of the girls to get children services out of it. We now play by the state and I have already gone to 2 court dates trying to fight it which don’t seem to be working. I’m praying my 3^rd time is the charm! The rules that you have to play by are crazy! I can’t let the girls out of my sight not even with other family members! I have my own kids, I need a break. Of course they don’t see it like that. It’s no secret the caseworker don’t like me and trust me I DON’T Like her.  I cant wait to share all the details AFTER we get this settled.  All I will say now is GA Dept of children Services are not for the kids!  Its all about money for them. The more kids they take in state custody the more they get paid..

Everyone keeps telling me that Here in GA they don’t play when it comes to DUI so I started searching.  It comes up that Georgia DUI FIRST OFFENSE: if your blood alcohol content is more than 0.08%, a minimum of 24 hours in jail is mandatory along with a fine of $300 to $1000. Apart from that, according to the judge’s sentence, you can stay in jail from 10 days up to one year. You will also have to perform community service of 20 hours if you BAC in under 0.08% and 40 hours if BAC is higher. Your driver’s license will also be suspended; for one year if you are over 21 years of age and for 6 months if you are under 21 years of age and with BAC under 0.08% but if BAC is greater than 0.08% then license suspension will be for one year.  I am not sure what her BAC was but she told me that it was awful high.

After doing more research I am glad that she didn’t get a Scottsdale DUI because the majority of DUI arrests in this Arizona city include a blood test to determine your blood alcohol level (BAC). Usually, it takes about 7-10 days for the Scottsdale DUI crime lab to get your blood test results back!  I would hate to see what her blood test would have been lol.

I have recommended her to find a good Atlanta DUI Attorney along with the Attorney that she already has. The thing is she doesn’t take anything serious. She really feels that she can get herself out of this. I now have to trust in God and stay out of it.The Battle that I have to worry about is keeping these girls with me and for them to be safe.  My sister is 25 ,she can take care of herself.  So I just want to ask everyone to keep praying for us.  I know I haven’t been around much but trust me this is taking its toll. I have like 1000 of things I need to do. ((HUGS)) and thanks for all your support.

I am sure most of you have noticed that I haven’t been around much!  I don’t see that changing any time soon.  I am dealing with some family issues that are taking all my time.  I usually don’t Post very personal stuff on my blog but I am asking all my readers for prayers!   Tuesday I got temporary custody of my nieces who are 4 years old and 6 months.    I never thought that it would come to this.  My sister who I love so much has not only disappointed our whole family but her little girls.

She is dealing with a lot of issues but instead of trying to handle them the right way she feels the need to turn to drugs and alcohol.  We have all tried to help but I am sure everyone knows you can’t help someone unless they admit they need help and wants it.  Last weekend was the last straw.   My Family had to do something. If she don’t want to get help we can’t make her, but we can make sure her children are being took care off.   Tuesday afternoon I got the call from the children services asking would I take the girls, Of course I said yes!  Then she told me that it would be up to my sister and her husband but if they didn’t agree, they would still be placing the girls in State care.  She told me she would contact me as soon as she got word.   Time seemed like it took forever! I was so worried that my sister would be so upset with our family that she would refuse and let them go to total strangers.  Thank God she agreed.

We picked the girls up that afternoon.  I admit my emotions are back and forth.  One part of me is angry and the other part of me feels sad and helpless.  I know she loves those girls but I find myself questioning how much.  I am sorry but if I was aware that children services might take my kids if I didn’t start doing right, I would be doing everything in my power to get my life in order just for my kids.  Everyone wants to say it’s a sickness and I agree but when my kids’ are involved I would have to find a way to get the help I needed to prevent this.

The sad part is my niece was glad to leave poor baby. She says her mommy was mean and screaming at her all the time.  The stories that this 4 year old told would make you cry!  She hasn’t even asked about her.    We have family visit today and I just pray it goes ok.   The baby is also doing great.  She has adjusted very well.  She usually cries all the time and throws up because she did have colic but it seems like things are getting better.  Everyone feels that she feels safe and loved now  since she is getting a lot of attention that she has been lacking since she was born.  The first night and day was rough!! Now she is sleeping all night and as happy as she can be.

My kids are another issue…. They understand why the kids are here but they don’t really like the changes that have come with it.  My son said today that he can’t wait till 2 months is up..That is the minimum time we will have them.   I feel that it will be longer because my sister or her husband has even took the first steps by going to get the first Evaluation and start the process.   They are separated but both of them say the same thing but say it’s the other one..   Saturday night she was suppose to call me to confirm what time she was coming to see the girls but she didn’t!  I called and got no answer so everyone is guessing she is out doing her thing… I will admit this pisses me off!  I didn’t take her kids to be a baby sitter! I took her kids so she could get help and make sure the kids were safe.

My Family and friends feel that since they know the kids are safe here that they are not worrying about anything.  I pray that’s not the case but it wouldn’t surprise me.   I know the kids had to be removed so I am not questioning that, but did I do the right thing by taking them?  Maybe if she didn’t know they were ok or had the option to call and come see them when she wants she would work harder to get her life right.   I am trying really hard to make my kids feel as comfortable as they can but I can tell the longer the girls are here the more feelings they will have.  How do I prevent this!??  Since Jada is 5 and my niece is 4 I am sure you know it’s been a lot of fussing which I expected but I didn’t expect my older 2 kids to have such strong feelings about this.  I have not been able to do much of anything.  The phone is always ringing; the kids are always needing something and add that children services will be coming by regularly to check on the kids UGHH.  Please pray for our family that we can find a way to work thru this.