Collectible Coins

For custom challenge coins, check out Coins for Anything, Inc. for your business or events or other needs.

This would be one my son would like to collect. 

My husband had a coin collection as a child that his mother recently gave him back (he is 46 now). It's something neat from his childhood to have and show his own children.

He also collected stamps.  I didn't have any collections from my childhood that made it to adulthood.  Of course, most of my pictures and stuff became a casualty of my parent's divorce for them to fight over so who knows where anything is anymore.  I don't even have any of my senior pictures.

Parents really need to learn to leave their kids of the conflicts in divorce.  It's so unnecessary.

Read more...

Answer Door in Lingerie?

How many women answer the door in lingerie when their ex's are coming to pick up the kids?  I was remembering when the ex tried answering the door in hardly nothing (and she didn't realize that I was picking up the kids for my husband, lol). I am thinking it is more common than seeing a man answering the door in mens sexy lingerie for their ex?

Too funny. One of those "ex" moments that always makes me chuckle a bit all these years later.

Read more...

Snotty Step "Kid"

Sometimes, it's hard to remember the sweet little girl a stepchild was 10-15 years ago when they've grown up to be snotty adults.

Getting real sick of her snottiness towards me on Facebook.  I'm thinking blocking might be a good idea. It seems to me that all these years caring for and about her should mean something and that "blocking" would never be an issue between us but...

I don't deserve her snottiness.
I don't have to put up with her snottiness.
My kids shouldn't have to see her snottiness.
My friends and other family shouldn't have to see her snottiness.

You'd think since she expects a Christmas present (she's already told us what she wants), she'd turn off the "snotty" until December 26th.

Read more...

Educational & Fun - Music and Books for Kids

I have been combining my children's Christmas lists with things that I think might actually last in the entertainment department.  I don't like spending money, only to find that it took my kids longer to unwrap it than it did for them to lose interest in it.  I am looking for a few good gifts that give them big smiles.

My six-year-old is a beginning reader.  Her vocabulary is just taking off!  What better way to keep her interest in reading than giving her a personalized book that makes her part of the story?  Music and Books 4 Kids offers personalized books like Scooby-Doo, Garfield, Three Little Pigs, Ballerina Princess, Batman, Sesame Street, Mother Goose & School is Fun.  These are actually licensed books!  For instance, Scooby-Doo is licensed by Hanna-Barbera.  Their prices are very reasonable - $12.95  for a personalized, licensed book!  I think this would be great for a child just beginning their love of reading, a child who would benefit by a book that would hold their interest and also great for those bedtime stories with your child.  Imagine the look on their face when you read their name as part of the story!

I am also looking for entertainment in the car for my youngest as well.  Music and Books 4 Kids offers personalized CD's with children's favorite characters - VeggieTales, Barney, Mickey Mouse, Elmo, The Wiggles, Disney Princesses and Elmo.  My six-year-old would love the Disney Princesses and The Wiggles!

Personalize it with their name and you'll get big smiles!  Two of my girls do not have the more common names or spelling and I found those on their list!  I can't believe it.  My daughter NEVER finds anything with the correct spelling of her name and Music and Books 4 Kids has personalized music and books for her too.

These would make great gifts as well for nieces, nephews, grandchildren, siblings or your godchildren for all occasions - birthdays, Christmas, good grades, etc.  Who needs an occasion? How about personalized music and books for kids just because they're special?

For the new parent, the personalized baby book for only $16.95 is a great idea for a gift! There is also space for you, or the new parent, to add photos and other personal items to the personalized baby book.

Shipping is by U. S. First Class Mail for $2.00 shipping and handling. Of course, if you prefer other shipping, they will accommodate you.

Now get Christmas shopping!

Read more...

First Teen Love Christmas Gifts

My teenager is in teen love.  Last week, she had her first kiss after the boy told her he was falling in love with her. Remember those really early years where you couldn't wait to go to school to see that boy in the halls?  She is living it right now.  I understand those teenage feelings (I can remember back that far) but as a mom, I dread the heartbreak that she will eventually go through.

He already knows what he is getting her for Christmas (I think jewelry). My daughter is still looking for a perfect gift for him.  Perhaps something personal from Personal Creations?  He says he wants a funny t-shirt for Christmas.  I would imagine she will do that, since he said it is what he wants, plus something more personal for him but age appropriate.

She asked me a few weeks ago if I thought she would be stupid if she thought she loved this boy.  Of course I don't think she is stupid.  I can remember writing "I love so and so" over and over when I was her age.  Gift buying in 2011 for a teen boy?  I have no clue.  While I remember the feelings of teen love, I have no idea what teen boys today want.  My son isn't a teenager yet.  I hope she doesn't need my help finding a personal gift for her boyfriend because I feel useless for this part.

Read more...

Another Week, Another Birth Control Bill

Apparently, the ex was just getting caught up with the birth control bills she has been sending to dad. The bill we received last week was for my adult stepchild for October.  The bill we received the other day was for November.  She's all caught up now.  Good for her.  Hope she's not holding her breath.

I expect by the second week of December, we'll have another $60 bill and I'll just have more paper for the HGUE bonfire in one year, six months, and 11 days (when my stepson graduates).  Silly me thought the ex would go away where it concerned contact with us regarding my adult stepdaughter.

Read more...

Cat Came Back

Yesterday, the missing momma kitty launched herself at the top of our screen, meowing frantically to let us know she was home after a week and wanted to come inside. She doesn't appear hurt, was a little dirty, and definitely skinnier. It appears she isn't a very good hunter, I guess, unless she has been locked up without access to food all this time.

What a surprise! Somebody is coming to look at one of her babies tomorrow night so she is in time to say good-bye anyway.

Read more...

1 Cat, 4 Cats, 2 Cats

I think I posted before about the stray cat I found riding up above my muffler system in my truck?  I knocked on neighbor's doors, put signs up, called vets and animal shelters and nobody claimed this little girl. I always had cats around as a child.  I love cats but around the time it became legal for me to drink, I developed a cat allergy and asthma. Sad for my kids who always wanted a cat - hoping we'd keep her. Then this stray ended up giving us three baby kittens.  I am allergic.

I live in the middle of rural nowhere.  Where corn is plenty and farms dot the landscape - farms that have cats running around constantly.  Nobody wanted kittens.  Perhaps part of it was I was a stickler that they were going to an indoor home with vet care and love.  Their mom was a wanderer but her kittens are so docile that other farm cats, or coyotes, would  hurt them.  I am sure I could've found a farmer who would toss them into their barn with the rest of their outdoor flea-bitten cats.  Nope, not these kittens.  Again, I contacted shelters, posted signs at vets and boards in town, craigslist, our local paper, Facebook.  You would be surprised at how many people only want long hair kittens of a specific color (people were seriously getting on my nerves).

One person who said they wanted all the kittens didn't ask any questions about them. Red flag.  Then they asked if I could drive them to them because they don't have a car.  Yeah, right.  I'm not a taxi service for somebody who can't afford vet care and may be a hoarder or worse.  Another was coming with her boyfriend and their three-year-old to look at them...day after day...only to stop emailing.  Whatever.  We ended up finding a home for the little female kitten, leaving us with two males and their momma the SUV riding kitty. (You know how to tell the gender of a cat?  Look up pictures on the Internet and compare.  So dignified! Ha Ha!)

Last week, Karma the wonder SUV riding momma kitty went on her usual outdoor hunt and hasn't come back.  It is so unlike her.  She always comes back within a few hours and hangs on the back of our screen door until we open it to admit her roaming tabby striped self.  This is a good reminder on why I never have cats who go outside - they don't come back eventually.  She came to us as a stray already with a roaming heart and trying to keep her in and safe - ripped screens! Anyway, I drove through the neighborhood (looking in yards and to be honest, roadkill) and didn't see her.  I drove through the rural countryside on the other side of our house (looking into fields and to be honest, roadkill) and didn't see her.  I wake and check the back screen every morning and again in the afternoon...and again at night.  I checked under our deck and bushes to make sure she wasn't hurt and hiding. My husband, who claims to hate cats, went to the screen, looked out, and sighed.  He's worried about her and missing her as well (he would feed her cheese from my kitchen table when I wasn't looking or hold her when I'd walk out of the room - like if I didn't see him loving on Karma, he could still claim to hate cats the rest of the time). I can only assume - 1) somebody saw a sweet "stray" wandering and took her home (in which case if she is within her usual jaunt she'll be back the first opportunity she gets to go outside, 2) she is dead by car, by animal, or by mean bratty kid, or 3) she is hurt somewhere and in hiding, unable to make it home.

As much as I wanted new homes for the cats, including momma kitty, because of my allergies, this was not how I wanted to be down a cat! I am worried about little Karma kitty and hope she is warm somewhere and not in pain.  We are left with her two boys - who are already bigger than her! After losing Karma this past week, I'm not so keen on finding homes for her boys right now.  I had my doctor give me a better asthma medicine this week while we wait for a little brown tabby to come home and hang from our screen.

Karma and my daughter sleeping together (obviously cropped since I don't want my daughter's face on here).

Read more...

Another Birth Control Bill - is the ex clueless or hoping?

We received ANOTHER new bill for my adult stepdaughter's birth control from my husband's ex-girlfriend.  I am wondering how many more times the ex is going to send us the monthly birth control bill for my adult stepdaughter, who we have no legal obligation to pay support for, let alone pay for her birth control - $60 per month - before she gets a clue! 

Even if child support was still ordered paid on my stepdaughter, which it isn't, birth control would never be a legal obligation.  

Read more...