Fantasy Football Fever

My husband has seven Fantasy Football teams to manage this year. Seven. Last year, I was amused by the time and energy he put into the entire football season and this year, I somehow found myself in charge of two teams myself. Together, we play in two leagues, one family league with my in-laws and my sister and her husband. The other team is a group of friends that my husband and I are still in touch with from our college days so both are great ways to keep us all in touch long-distance.

Every Sunday now, I find myself glued to the TV as well as updating the live stats on the Yahoo site (or the Yahoo app on my iPhone) to check in and see how my players are doing. I’ve become obsessed and it’s only two weeks into the season.

Throughout the week, I’m monitoring the injury list and updates on the players so that I can be sure to get my team line up ready come Sunday morning or Monday afternoon. It’s time consuming, that’s for sure, but it also gives my husband and I something else to chat about and he’s loving my involvement.

Driving to pick up my son from school on Monday afternoons, I find myself listening to the Fantasy Freakin’ Football report on my local station, which is very entertaining, as well as informative. My husband can listen in (2,000 miles away) on iHeart radio so together we can listen in and enjoy the same commentary. It’s great!

And then we get to the menu items for the weekend games. Here on the West Coast, the first games start at 10:00 am which means breakfast takes place just before we get ready to watch the first game of the day. Normally, I’ll have some fresh fruit (strawberries, granola,  & yogurt or apple slices with caramel dip) to munch on early in the day. Later on, during the afternoon game, we have a typical lunch followed by an afternoon snack that oftentimes consists of nachos with guacamole or something else that’s quick to make while the game’s going on.

Yes, I’ve become a completely different person on the weekends and while I don’t think that getting married is necessarily a cause to try and change someone, I do think it’s a healthy thing – for my husband and I – that we can bond over football and put our energy into a competitive ‘game’ that also unites us with our family and friends.

To get ready for my weekend and upcoming week of putting together school lunches for my son, a trip to Smart & Final was in order. They have great deals all the time which help me save money on the things I already purchase and this last time, I had fun adding up the savings while I shopped and after looking at my receipt when I got home.

Can you tell my mouth is watering already, thinking about the guacamole dip for tomorrow? Here’s an awesome recipe, which I recommend:

Holy Guacamole

• 2 ripe organic avocados
• 1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped
• Tabasco sauce (to your liking)

Ripe avocados are the key to any guacamole recipe. Mash anyway that works best for you and simply add the rest of the ingredients. If you want to keep the guacamole green longer, put the avocado pit in the dip to help it last a little longer.

The beer I'll enjoy after the baby comes!

In my three years of blogging, I think this is the first time I’ve shared a recipe – and it’s a good one! Enjoy, and please share your favorite Tailgate Party recipe or your Fantasy Football experience! I’d love to hear from readers who “get” my new obsession!

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Is your cup half full or half empty?

I was invited to an event, sponsored by Got Milk, last month, but wasn’t sure I was going to attend at first. There were several reasons why I was talking myself out of going. I don’t normally drink lattes in the afternoon and when I do, I drink them with soy milk since I’m lactose intolerant. My son was with his dad that afternoon so it would be  slightly uncomfortable to be the childless mom in the crowd. It’s not always awkward for me to go to events without him, but I end up missing him even more when my friends are there with their little ones (and I’m not).

The invitation reminder came again the night before the event and all I remember reading was the fact that there was going to be a Tarot Reader there. That was just the push I needed to get me there! I mean, who doesn’t want their future laid out before them and know what’s around the corner?

On the afternoon of the event, I got in the car and put on my game face (aka big grin) and was one of the first bloggers to arrive. The event was held at Java Jones, an adorable little coffee shop downtown. I was pleasantly surprised to see a fellow writer, mom and friend who I had not seen for quite some time when I first walked in the door. We chatted about her upcoming (at the time) appearance on Dr. Phil, laughed about the time we first met in person and hugged. She’s Mexican too, and reminded me of so many of my relatives that I felt like I was with family.

Others from the San Diego blogging community walked in the door shortly afterward and I was soon surrounded by smiling faces, adorable children and friends family. Boy did I need that.

@MamarazziKnowsB, @lajollamom, @hip_m0m, @mamamaryshow, @everdaymama

I also needed the Tarot Reading, more than ever, since I had recently moved and was in the middle of interviews for a job, and had questions about where my long-distance relationship was headed.

I sat down with the beautiful woman reading the cards and suddenly I was nervous. Maybe this was the reason for my apprehension over attending the event. Fortunately for me, everything she told me was positive. She laid out cards, which I wish I had taken photos of, or at least remembered in some detail. All I know is that several of the cards contained cups in the images. Cups represent emotions,  psychic and intuitive arts, fantasy and illusion, fertility, emotions, spirituality, sacred sexuality, grace and serenity.

She talked about where I was about three months prior, where I was currently and what my future looks like three months into the future. It was all good and I felt relieved, knowing that everything that I had been questioning was all leading me in the direction I needed to go and that my metaphorical cup was full ( in many ways).

Speaking of cups, I was lucky enough to sample one of the beautiful lattes that was created by two-time United States Barista Champion, Heather Perry. She made several drinks and provided us with a few recipes to try on our own and made it all look so easy.

The drink she made (in the photo to the left) was delicious and was almost too pretty to drink.

Heather has appeared on the Discovery Channel, the Food Network and holds a Guinness Book World Record for building the world’s largest espresso machine!

She was a delight to watch and speak with and even though the recipes intimidate me slightly, I have to try them out with the espresso machine that I walked away with after being selected in the raffle drawing as the Grand Prize winner.

Yes, that’s right. My coffee cup is always half full now and I am spending less and less time (and money) at the coffee shop on the corner, which means I can spend even more time with my son, my friends and sipping on my coffee.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Apparently I Have An Issue With Letting Go

I was the first one to arrive…scoping out the joint and trying to figure out if I would be able to summon the courage to climb up the ladder and swing from the trapeze along with my friends. But my son and I showed up way too early. When we got there, the sports center was filled with young volleyball players and their parents. There was no sign of trapeze, circus-type activities going on so we sat on the sidelines, waiting patiently for the game to end.

Once the young girls and their families departed, the people behind Circus Fund wasted no time. In less than 25 minutes, the nets were in place, the ladder installed and the trapeze swung high above the ground. I was freaking out and the others had not arrived yet.

We took a closer look, walked to the other side of the gym and sat down, studying the height of the ladder, the faces of those who would be in charge of our safety, and the distance to the nearest exit.

Most of the girls showed up around the same time and there was a buzz of excitement when Liz pulled out the box of spandex pants from Bskinz for us to change into. (I picked the Jazzy Orange pattern.)

Once the class started, the instructors told us to pay attention, keep our voices down (and to put our phones away). I think it’s pretty safe to say that while most of us were excited about getting up there, we were pretty nervous as well.

Apparently, I have issues with letting go. I climbed up the ladder with such confidence that it never occurred to me that the hardest part of the entire night would be letting go of the trapeze bar itself.

Swinging was the fun part, I flew forward and back, squealing in delight and looking down at my son who watched in amazement. But then, I was told to let go and I couldn’t. I just couldn’t let go so I was brought down, instead, safely. I came down slowly onto the net and laughed at myself for being too afraid of the fall even though I watched some of the others before me let go gracefully, and with a smile on their face.

Dealing with letting go seems to be a common theme for me lately. I have recently moved into a (much) smaller apartment, forcing myself to get rid of and purge things from my life, focusing on the more important things (and people).

I’m still working on this process, eliminating the excess things from my life and minimizing what I hold onto. The memories from this Girls’ Night Out are something I will hold onto for the rest of my life. It was a great experience with a wonderful group of women who first met online.

Special thank yous go out to Spencer (@NBCphotog) from our local San Diego NBC station for filming the event,  to @CaliforniaKara for taking pictures and to @muffintinmom for coming out to show her support!

The lovely, brave and talented ladies who participated in the Trapeze Girls’ Night Out:

@SugarJones @IizLiz @EverydayMama @CathyNguyen @MrsNatalie @CandiceStone @RockOnMommies @GingerAnderson @JenBoydSD @ReeseDixon @EyeMusing @Karinayhmy @SheWanders

Other posts about the event:
Adventures on the trapeze
The daring young moms on the flying trapeze
It’s a bird, it’s a plane..
Lessons learned from flying through the air
The daring young lady on the flying trapeze

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Gratitude

This year, I’m thankful for so many people and I’m afraid I may forget someone.

Anyways, here goes:

• I’m so grateful for my parents, for so many reasons but especially (this year) for being so supportive while I try to make ends meet and raise my son thousands of miles away. And also for showing me what it means to love unconditionally. They are by far the most awesome grandparents to my son whose love for them grows as he does.
• I’m thankful for my sister and her boys for sharing their stories with me and making me realize how lucky I am to have little ones in my life that are not my own. It’s amazing how much love there is to go around.
• I’m grateful to the father of my child. For being a constant in my son’s life and for truly being the best dad a little boy could hope for.
• I am indebted to my son’s teachers, both his current teachers and those who have taught him in the past, for encouraging  him, inspiring him and guiding him. He has learned to read, write and love numbers with as much confidence as a superhero and I am blessed that they are there to teach my son respect by giving it in equal measures.
• I’m thankful for my clients for allowing me to share my experiences and expertise with co-parenting issues and for allowing me into their homes and hearts. They each teach me as much as I teach them.
• I’m so thankful for Mr. Right, my best friend. He’s been there for me over twelve years and I appreciate how supportive, loving and funny he is. He continues to impress me and has me falling in love all over again each time we talk.
• I’m ever so blessed to have met some pretty amazing friends over the last few years that also continue to be a major support system to me. I’ve made some pretty amazing friends through my son’s school who invite us to play dates, carpool (because they too love playing chauffeur) and who love my son as if he was their own. (I love your kids too!)
• I’m thankful for the many friends and contacts I’ve made on-line and through social networking. I’ve learned so much about you and your families that I think of you as a part of mine. Thank you for letting me into your lives and allowing me to be a part of yours.
• I’m ever so grateful for my friends back home and spread around the country who make time to catch up with me when we are in the same state. It’s rare that we get a chance to spend time together, but they always embrace me with open arms and we go right back to where we were ten, or fifteen years ago.

I am grateful to you, for reading and for continuing to support me just by showing up. I hope you are able to spend some quality time this weekend with the ones you love, whether it’s face-to-face, over the phone or in spirit.

Hugs to you and your family and cheers to another wonderful year of minutes and moments to be thankful for.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Twitter’s Finest

Somehow, I manage to follow over 6,000 people on Twitter (on two accounts), although it’s hard to keep up.  With the new list feature, I’ve tried to separate these wonderful and funny people which helps me find who and what I need at a given moment. Since the lists feature was created, I’ve discovered some pretty amazing people who I might not otherwise find.

What I find the most interesting are the names of the lists I’ve come across that have made me laugh out loud (LOL) and want to follow everyone included. Luckily, I don’t have to. I can just follow the list and check in every once in a while.

Here are my favorite lists, based not on who is included but by the name of the list. Cause nothing is more appealing to me than an intriguing title.

• @VelveteenMind/for-a-good-time-call
• @dubiousMa/not-douchebags
• @unmarketing/peoplewhocouldbeatmeup
• @singlemomma_cc/funny-even-when-im-sober
• @califmom/milfs-n-dilfs
• @NctrnlBst/cougarrific
• @unmarketing/peoplewhomakemesnotlaugh
• @momfluential/moms-who-run-in-heels
• @MomoFali/brothers-i-never-had
• @DigitalPagan/i-d-leave-my-husband-for
• @ruby2466/people-i-want-to-spoon
• @trabernlaw/people-way-cooler-than-me
• @nomoreidos/nevergettingmarriedagain
• @debontherocks/they-owe-me-bail-money
• @TheArtofBeer/girlsthatknowbeer
• @MireyasWorm/people-who-have-nice-feet
• @LittleAnimation/saynotosnuggies
• @mayhemstudios/too-sexy-for-their-shirt
• @Glennia/this-1-time-at-band-camp

What lists do you follow because of its name?

Follow me: @hip_m0m and @happyhealthyhip

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Putting it all in perspective

Over the last few days, for no reason whatsoever, I’ve been feeling pretty low. I’ve been keeping quiet, staying away from my usual connections – both online and in real life. Today, I had a ton of things to do after dropping off my son at school and I was starting to feel really anxious, frustrated and impatient – with myself and my office equipment.

As I was trying frantically to get this week’s newsletter out before 5pm (my personal deadline), I decided to check in to my Facebook page for a quick distraction and to see what everyone’s been up to today.

What I saw made my heart stop and I have been sick with worry ever since. Right there at the top of the page was the status update that I had to read twice before I realized that I needed to sit down (but I was already sitting down).

Anissa Mayhew

Anissa Mayhew is in the ICU after suffering a stroke this afternoon. Her husband, Peter, updated her Facebook status and there are thousands of us (literally) standing by waiting for the next update (and to learn whether or not Anissa was wearing clean underwear when she was admitted into the hospital).

For those of you who don’t know Anissa, let me quickly share the list of sites that she writes for, starting with the blog that is dedicated to Peyton, her youngest daughter who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006.

• Hope for Peyton
• Free Anissa
• Aiming Low
• The Mayhew Review
• Blog Nosh

Just last week we celebrated with Anissa as her daughter reached a full year since her last chemo treatment. Anissa’s brought us along on her journey, through the ups and downs of Peyton’s treatment and recovery.  I have cried and laughed with Anissa over the years, mostly laughed, since it’s Anissa’s sense of humor that is the most prominent part of her personality, besides how genuinely compassionate and sweet she is.

I had the pleasure of meeting her, finally, in Chicago this past summer at BlogHer. She sat on the floor in front of me during the Humor Panel and upon noticing me, instantly put Aiming Low stickers on both my nipples. Yes, this is the Anissa that I  love and admire and laugh with and am now praying for.

I look forward to laughing with her again soon. Please keep her in your prayers. She’s in ours!

#prayersforanissa

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Tainted Love

Today is Friendship Day, which takes place on the first Sunday of August each year, so I’d like to take a moment to share a story about what I’ve learned this last week about friendship and why – at thirtysomething – I’m just now figuring it all out.

If you’re a regular to my blog, or follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you’ll know that I spent last weekend in Chicago for the annual BlogHer conference. I drove out to Denver to pick up Sugar Jones and from there we hauled serious ass getting to Chicago early on the 23rd.

The hotel room at the Sheraton was under my roommate’s name, but since I got to Chicago before her, I was able to check in but only by providing them with a credit card. Which. I. Do. Not. Have.

I had mentioned to my rommate, before leaving for Chicago, that I had cash to give her since the room was going to be charged to her credit card, but when I checked in, I gave them my debit card, from the checking account which had just enough money for gas and food for our trip home.

My roommate arrived once the parties were already in full swing. I had already stopped downstairs at the Social Lux party, made a new friend, tried to crash the Obama event, and was in the lobby for the Room 704 party when my roommate found me and asked for the room key. This is when I told her that I had checked in and asked her to stop by the front desk to give them her credit card.

We had different schedules throughout the weekend and, because she was pregnant and woke up with a migraine one morning, I was trying to be especially kind and stayed out of her way. I gave her the cash for my half of the room on Saturday – assuming – of course, that she had gone down to the front desk at some point over the weekend to provide them with her credit card for the room charges.

Saturday night (BowlHer) she called me and asked me if it was OK if a friend of hers spent the night in our room since they were on the same flight the following day. They had to be at the airport early and since her friend was staying at another hotel, she wanted to save money by having her stay with us so that they could avoid the extra taxi fare in the morning.

I’m too kind (or stupid), because instead of asking for money for the extra body in our room, I simply gave up my room that night. I ended up staying with my new friend and yes, perhaps was a little selfish since I spent the night away so I wouldn’t be woken up by the two of them packing and getting ready to leave in the morning.

Because I didn’t stay in my room, I wasn’t able to charge my phone and the battery died some time in the middle of the night. When I woke up, I charged it, only to learn that my roommate had tried calling me.

This is when she informed me that the room had been charged to my card. My debit card. From the checking account that only had enough funds for gas and food for our trip home. I panicked. I called her back immediately but was only able to talk to her long enough for her to cut me off and tell me that she couldn’t talk because she was going to miss her flight.

I was furious. Not only was she aware of the fact that the room was charged to my card, but she walked out of the hotel with the cash I gave her. Let’s do the math here: I gave her cash for my half of the room. The entire hotel bill was charged to my card and I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS to cover it.

And this is when the Blind Anger kicks in because I cannot recall the details clearly after that but I do know that I tried calling her back to see if she could call the hotel and give them her credit card. She then informed me let that they couldn’t charge her card without having her present to sign for it.

I asked her to send me the money via paypal and explained to her that I did not have any money to get us back home. I didn’t hear back from her though because she was on her way to the airport and boarding her plane back home.

Chicago would not be the same without visiting Navy Pier but even that was difficult for me to enjoy since I wore out the battery on my phone checking my email every 10 minutes looking for the confirmation from Paypal regarding the payment that my roommate claimed was on its way.

Mamikaze was walking around Navy Pier as well so we walked and talked together, and later that night, I was able to enjoy a *very inexpensive dinner* with Sugar Jones and Shash at the World Famous Billy Goat Tavern and the two of them helped me keep my mind off of my lame-ass roommate and reminded me of how priceless it is to have great friends to laugh and chat with.

We ended up leaving late that evening, after my roommate let me know that her husband had sent payment (for the hotel room PLUS the cash I gave her) to my Paypal account. I was relieved even though I knew that it would take a few days to get the funds.

Wrong. On the road, after using my debit card to fill up the Equiox with gas, I discovered that she had sent the payment as an eCheck, which of course takes 3-5 days to clear. I already have an anxiety disorder, so this just kicked it into high gear as I literally had to put it out of my mind and concentrated on the ride home.

Sugar Jones was a little annoyed that I was in such a foul mood, so we drove and drove, sleeping in the car that night just outside St. Louis since we no longer had funds to spend on a motel room.

We straight through the following day, stopping only for gas and enjoying coffee and Rockstar energy drinks which, as scary as it sounds, prevented us from eating as often (and therefore saving us money).

We picked up Sugar’s kids outside of Albuquerque the following night and I cried myself to sleep, missing my son who I was away from for a total of 9 days and for the mistakes, misunderstandings and missteps I took in regards to the money and hotel room.

The eCheck from Paypal cleared on Friday, July 30th. I got the email saying that the funds were now available in my Paypal account, but it still takes another 2 – 4 days to transfer the funds into my checking account. As of this post, the funds are still not in my account. (Trust me, I’ve been monitoring my account several times a day since last Sunday.)

My son and I have been trying to enjoy the last five days together, but I admit the situation has caused me to be a bit more impatient and irritable, bringing me to tears on several occasions and unfortunately, my son even heard me yelling – and swearing – when my roommate called to try and “work things out.”

What I’ve learned through everything that has happened since arriving in Chicago, and may be something that only those who attended BlogHer can truly understand, is that friends are not simply those that show up for your birthday party or who send you pictures of their families during the holidays.

Friends that I have made online have truly been the most genuine, giving and sincere people that I could hope to know. I had the pleasure of meeting many of them in person last week and there were several people I met last week that I look forward to connecting with online and hopefully again in person at future conferences.

Today is Friendship Day and if you’ve read this far, you’ll understand why I need to say thank you. Thank you for supporting me, listening to my side of the story, backing me up and for offering to send me money during this rough time. I truly could not ask for anything more.

Oh, and one more thing: My anxiety disorder does cause me to deal with things in unusual ways, so my roommate was right. It does totally suck that I got charged overdraft fees each and every time we stopped for gas or ate on the 2,000 mile trip home. And I too am truly sorry that this has occurred.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Road to the White House

With the Obama Inauguration just a few days from today, I thought it was perfect timing to mention the great book series written by Mitali Perkins, called First Daughter. In the first book, Extreme American Makeover, Sameera Righton, the only daughter of Republican Presidential candidate, James Righton, is asked by her father’s campaign staff, to reinvent herself.

Actually, she’s being reinvented by them no matter how she feels about it. With the new clothes, make-up, hair styles and even a new blog written by a paid ghost-writer, her new All-American image is supposed to help boost her father’s image despite the fact that Sparrow (as her family refers to her) is asked to subtly remove her true identity from the campaign.

Luckily, Sparrow has her own blog and even though it’s only read by a few dozen inside her inner circle, it provides her with great freedom and a chance to express herself and get the love and support she needs to deal with a media campaign that’s testing her and her family on a daily basis.

Sparrow is like most 17-year-olds, which is what made this story so realistic and her voice so appealing. No, most teenagers you know were probably not born in Pakistan, or adopted or have parents in the political forefront. But what does hold true is that both Sparrow and others around that age do a lot of soul searching to find their own voice that is both genuine and confident, holding on to the values, culture and beliefs that make them so unique.

Many young people, whether they’re in front of the camera or not, go through a sort of crisis of identity, somewhere between being a child and becoming an adult. These ‘tween years can be a challenge to everyone, parent and child.

This book is recommended for anyone dealing with someone at this stage (parent, ‘tween, or teacher) since it is a wonderfully written, insightful story that deals with friendship, first crushes, politics, culture, religion, family and remaining true to oneself, despite the outside forces that tend to influence us.

The second book in the series, White House Rules, marks the beginning of Sparrow’s life as a First Daughter. Will she be able to maintain her identity and her friendships as life as the President’s Daughter keeps her pampered, protected and living a fairy tale lifestyle? She may need a disguise to help her survive the next four years.

Luckily, Malia and Sasha Obama are young enough to enjoy the pleasures of childhood as they move into the White House and start their new life in Washington D.C. I look forward to seeing the First Daughters grow up and find their own voices. I may even start to search for blogs written by them from behind the scenes.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Half-Full or Half-Empty

This year, with the economy being a major issue and people’s wallets feeling lighter, I want to teach my son what it means to be conservative with our spending and how it doesn’t have to negatively affect our lifestyle. I want him to know that fun can still be had without having to spend money and that we can create memories that will last longer than most of his toys.

My son’s birthday falls between Christmas and New Year’s which is always a challenging time to schedule a birthday party. This year, my ex-husband decided to plan a party and has put everything together on his own.

If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have a birthday party this year. I’d pick some fabulous activity to do with my son – and my parents who are visiting – such as taking him to see the Walking with Dinosaurs experience that I know will keep him glued to the edge of his seat. Sure, we can still do both.

But, in order to get across to my son the impact of the financial stress that everyone is having to deal with – on some level – I was hoping to include on our invitations that no presents are necessary. I think having his friends’ presence, instead, would be much more meaningful. After all, I know five months from now my son won’t remember which toy he received from whom but he will remember who was there to celebrate his special day.

I expressed all of these ideas to my ex-husband. We typically get along great, sharing in our son’s life as much as possible and communicating often so that we’re aware of what’s going on in school and at each other’s homes.

This morning I touched a nerve when I requested that our son invite each of the children from his class. He’s been having difficulty getting along with one boy, in particular, and he mentioned that he didn’t want to invite him to the party.

Working with families and helping parents and educators deal with children who are going through a challenging period makes me more sensitive to those who have trouble communicating and expressing their emotions. I know that this is the type of child that my son wants to exclude from his party but I would hate to see that happen.

My ex-husband feels otherwise. He thinks it’s perfectly acceptable to exclude this boy from the celebration. We argued about it and I tried to explain my position but ended up in tears. I was trying to defend myself while my son’s father yelled and belittled me. He claims that I am choosing another child over my own and that if we invite this boy and he ruins our son’s party that he will hold me personally accountable and will never forgive me. He even went so far as to say that he hopes our son never puts his trust in me. Ouch.

I hesitated to blog about this, at first, but after venting on Facebook and receiving some positive feedback, I want more. I want to know if perhaps I’m in the wrong here. Perhaps I should exclude this boy and “punish him” (my ex-husband’s choice of words) for being a bully.

My argument was that he would be even more of a bully if he were to find out he was the only one not invited to the party when he’s already feeling isolated by the children who verbally express their unwillingness to play with him or be his friend.

Let me also say that these kids are 4 and 5 years old. They’re just now learning how to communicate, how to work together and how to get along. They’re still figuring things out. I want to give this boy the benefit of the doubt. I want to give him another chance to make things right and include him, regardless of his actions and behavior from the past.

I was taught to treat others like we want to be treated, to turn the other cheek and to forgive and forget. I want to pass down these same lessons to my son but suddenly I’m feeling unsure, doubting my decisions and my parenting skills. As someone who works with parents, this is not a good thing to be experiencing.

What is your opinion of this situation? How would you feel if you were a parent of a child excluded from a birthday party? How would you explain to your own child why it‘s important to love, unconditionally? Is it too late to get the point across to an adult who typically sees the glass as half-empty?

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Giving Thanks

This year, I’m grateful for:

My son - He’s nearly five and he is becoming such a mature young man. He makes me laugh on a regular basis and inspires me to be the best mom I can possibly be. I’m so proud of him and all he’s learning and accomplishing.

My son’s teachers – There are many teachers who work with my son on a weekly basis. From the two teachers in his classroom, to the Spanish, Art, Music, PE and Enrichment classes, these amazing educators put so much time and energy into each and every child that they teach.

My parents – My mom and dad are always there for me when I need them. They’ve flown out to San Diego so many times since my son was born that I couldn’t possibly pay them back for all the miles and airport adventures they’ve experienced on our behalf. They’re flying out again in mid-December and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have them here for both Christmas and my son’s 5th birthday.

My sister – She’s put up with me for years and still manages to listen, offer advice and know me better than anyone ever could. She’s a great mom, a super-cool aunt, a wonderful friend, fabulous wife, and an amazing massage therapist!

My ex-husband – He’s put up with my moods and listened to my opinions whether he’s agreed with me or not (mostly not). He’s always there for our son and helps me out when I truly need it. He’s a fantastic father and I love seeing my son’s face light up when he gets dropped off at his dad’s house or when he gets picked up from mine.

My co-workers – These are the women I see on a daily basis. They’ve seen me through a wedding, pregnancy and supported me through my divorce. They have truly become great friends and mentors who have guided me in my career and helped me in “real” life.

My colleagues – For providing emotional support, offering suggestions and allowing me to do the same.

My clients – For trusting me with their parenting issues and allowing me to work closely with their families and recommending me to other moms and dads.

My readers – I’m truly grateful for my readers, who loyally visit the sites I write at (here, Intent, and the Examiner) and leave comments, provide great feedback and share my site with others.

My friends – For those who follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or who know me in the offline world, I could not have gotten through the last few years without them, especially those who listened to me bitch, complain and allowed me to share my random thoughts at wee hours in the morning.

What and who are you thankful for this year? If you have a blog, add yours to the I am Thankful Meme, hosted by Mommy Community.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home