My Little Life

I have a mom ( didja know that? That I had a mom? Shocker, huh?)...so, anywho ...this mom of mine, she is a tip junkie. A tip- aholic . It's a little ridiculous, really. I mean, I think she spends more on her vacations just tipping people, than she does on anything else (admit it mom...it's soooo true?!!!)...she tips everyone from the taxi driver to the stranger sharing her cab...from the door man to the people on vacation with her. Seriously, I wouldn't doubt if she tipped her doctor after a pap smear. Well, okay...that's takin ' it a little far. But, her excessive, random tippingness , has turned me into a tip- aphobe !! It's true...I am now obsessed with who(m?) y ou do and/or don't tip. I once had the carpet cleaner scheduled to come clean our carpets (imagine that!! A carpet cleaner cleaning carpets!! Geepers , have you ever heard of such a thing? Why I never...) So, anywho ...the carpet dude comes driving down the driveway...and I panic...I p

I, am a keeper of my word! Since The TreeHouse Chronicles are on sabbatical, I'm gonna put on my food blogger hat and show you the ever amazing, ...the delectable, ...the delicious, ...the fabulastic ... Chocolate Star Cookie , ...courtesy of the "Original Mama".. ahem ... that'd be m y mama, who has these down to a perfect science...*begin chant* "we're not worthy! We're not worthy !!" First, cream together the sugars, oil and butter...this is where I long for a KitchenAid Mixer...and begin cursing this home, which is seriously lacking natural light. Next, add in the eggs, And "seasonings" (um...can you call it "seasonings"...when you're baking? Is it flavorings? Or, neither...perhaps, just "additional stuff" will do...) and look up the number for the realtor to begin your search for a home with natural light...or, just grab a hatchet, climb on the roof, and chop away...creating a nice, natur al "sky

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly consume another 12,000 calories in one day... I'm gonna do it again! Um...okay...well...if I were to be completely honest, it'll probably be more than 12,000 calories. You know...maybe I should take up Olympic swimming a s a hobby. Help me burn some of these calories. Anyone know how to get ahold of those Olympic folks? See if they'd want me? Ahem... Moving on... So, today, we're celebrating Thanksgiving, again!! And the creme de le creme? The piece de resistance? The golden nugget (or something)? I'll get to watch a football game of epic pr oportions !! Really, you should be envious of me. Or not. For today, my friends, is when the annual "Pig's A** Bowl" takes place at my parents! My dad, (This is the Old Man) My bros and Big A.: (The Great One...And Big A.) (This is Treehorn ) (The Chosen One) Yeah, those five...they'll be takin ' on my uncle, his sons and son-in-law, and his grandson in a Bo

'Sup ladies?!! Anyone burn some major calories doin ' a little Black Friday shoppin ' yesterday? I didn't. I took a nap. Does sleeping burn calories? ' Cuz , if it does, I'm golden! Okie dokie , then...today's healthy tip goes hand in hand with the giveaway goin ' on over here !! Portion control, dudes!! That's what I'm talkin ' about. Didja know that your serving of meat should be the size of a deck of cards? (I did know this...but I seem to play with those gigantic cards for the elderly? You know...the ones the size of dinner plates? Yup...those.) Didja know that 1/2 of your plate should be fruits and veggies? With a 1/4 for meat and a 1/4 for grains? Um...wow. Nope, I didn't know that. I knew veggies and fruit were important and all, but 1/2 my plate? Man, I've been doin ' this all wrong! So, let's start thinking about those portion sizes!! Take a good close look at our plates and see if it meets the recommendat

Happy Black Friday, my friends!!! Anyone still recovering?! Well, it may be Black Friday, but it's also Five Question Friday!!! Whoo-hooo!!! The blog carnival that poses quirky, fun questions so we can get to know each other better!! And, you know...have a chance to answer quirky, fun questions about ourselves! I mean...who doesn't love that ?!! Da rulez...copy the following questions to your blog, answer them, grab the MckLinky blog hop code, and link up!! I'd lurve it if you'd link back to me, Mama M !! Don't have a blog, but wanna participate? Feel free to answer the questions in the comments below!! All righty then...let's get started! Questions for November 27th: (Thanks to Adrienne and Tyler for their question suggestions!!) 1. Do you do a real or fake Christmas tree? 2. What is your favorite Christmas tradition with your family? 3. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in your neck of the woods? And, if so...how many calories do you think you consu

Happy Thanksgivin g!!! Sometimes, I get so wrapped up in life...so co nsum ed by the daily grind... That I forget how incredibly thankful I am. I mean... wow. Really ...just wow... I have an amazing husband, who loves me even if I leave the breakfast mess on the counter for him to come home to... I have 5 incredible kiddos, who are healthy an d safe... Big A ...and the way he is becoming such a nice young man...I h afta be honest...I thought 13 would've been a lot harder! Miss E ...and the way she loves. E.W ...my Lego-maniac, with his HUGE heart and infectious laugh. Little A ...with his happy go-lucky, laid back nature...his, "old soul". Baby Girl ...with her spunk, her Independence , her strong will. I am thankful for my family, and our closeness...not only in proximity , but also our hearts! I am thankful that my husband and I have careers that are stable... That I live in this great country. I am INCREDIBLY thankful for the men and women who are serving our cou

I dunno 'bout you, but...last year, I was a Scrooge. It was all "Bah-humbug" and crabbiness, Hustling and bustling, on a mission to just "git 'er done". I didn't get into the Christmas spirit at. all. last year. And I knew it, I saw it in myself, and it just made it worse! So, this year...I've already decided...I'm focusing on the "Reason for the Season" and not so much on the "materialism" of the season. Baby Jesus' Birthday is why we celebrate my most favorite holiday of all!! So, bring on the music, the candles, the movies, the warm fuzzies, and the reminders of why we celebrate!! Mama's gettin' in the spirit!! A couple of years ago, I decided that I was no longer going to respond "Happy Holidays" to someone who wished me "Happy Holidays"...so, me, being the rebellious rogue that I am (*snort*), began saying "Merry Christmas". And, the response I got was awesome...cashiers would li

...why, when the checkbook's off, it's never to your benefit? ...why athletes make millions playing, while stay-at-home moms make nothing and work harder than anyone? ...why babies can go home to parents that need to prove themselves "unfit" before that babe can go to a safe home, yet we need a license to drive a car? ...how the ground can freeze solid, but the frogs still make it through the winter? ...how you could possibly love another baby as much as your first? ...why your heart doesn't just explode from being too full of love? ...why some people can eat a whole pie, and seemingly burn more calories digesting it than they did eating it, while others, merely glance at that pie and gain 5 pounds? ...where all those missing socks go? ...if Barbie really couldn't stand if she were real? ...why some fashions ever make a come back? (hello blue eye shadow and leg warmers...) ...if everything happens for a reason ?

Yowza! I can't believe we are already at week 4! Ca-razy! Time is flyin' when you're havin' fun or somethin'... So now that we have 3 weeks down...you have to be feelin' Hot and Healthy...we hope! At least more so than you were...right!?! So of course we have a few questions for ya... Have you gotten into a good workout routine that you're able to stick to? Did you try Keely's Pilates exercises...please say you did...please!?! Did you get all your cardio in? Did you have any fast food...if so, did Mama M's awesome healthy tips post make you choose more carefully? Last, but sooo not least...are you feeling Hot and Healthy? Once you have the questions answered, make sure you link up...there is a giveaway over here !! Feel free to just leave us comments too if you don't have a blog and can't link up... And, the winner of the amazing giveaway from last week is...#13, Helga!!! Congrats, Helga!! Email me so I can g

There once was a woman called Mama, (That's me) Who wasn't a fan of high drama. (That's me...dreading the return of Aunt Flo...knowing there's just no stopping her...) Aunt Flo ruins my mood, Makes me eat too much food, And turns me into a pimply...a pimply...llama? comma? Obama? Sigh... I always knew I wasn't cut out for limericks. Apparently Aunt Flo and her evil sidekick, Captain PMS, also crush any creative brain cells of mine. Those evil @#%@#'s!! ;)

Six years ago, at this very moment...I sat in a darkened hospital room, marveling at the new babe in my arms. He, with his wispy blonde hair and blocky head looked very much, like a tiny little Viking. A little warrior. Six years later, my baby boy is still blonde and blocky headed, with an infectious laugh, and a heart of gold...soft and tender. He has a mischievous demeanor, and you can read his every thought and feeling through his eyes. He loves Legos , Spiderman , and helping his daddy... His Mama falls in there, too...somewhere! I love you, to the moon and back, Sweet E.W!! And I am so blessed to be your mama. Happy Birthday, My Love!!

When I heard that the ever so enjoyable and adorable, Pioneer Woman was going to be just a mere two hours away from me, today...I had a deci sion to make. I hmm'd and hah'd, I contemplated and considered, I debated. ..and decided. I knew if I didn't go...I'd be kicking myself in the head for the rest of my life (and, um...have you ever tried kicking yourself in the head? It hurts, and I know I would've pulled a hamstring...I don't recommend it.) So, I harassed my mom into coming along, dragged my two girl s with...and set off to the Mall of America. We arrived...me, naively thinking, it would be a quaint little even t...imagine my surprise, when I saw a line that surely must've been 18 miles long. At least. And, I'm probably being conservative. So, I snapped a picture from afar (an iPhone pic, n onetheless...for stupid ol' me forgot my camera at home!! Bah!)...and we set off to "let the line die down" while we ate some lunch. After a l