LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER on Morning Blend

41 cities across North America, LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER Shows are filling up local community theatres with stories that celebrate the role of motherhood. All occurring within two weeks of Mother's Day in recognition of the diversity and unlimited possibility of the motherhood theme.

I've been helping to produce LTYM shows for four years now, and two years before that, I was part of the LTYM show in Madison.

I believe in LTYM shows because I see how sharing our stories help us to see how we are united more than we are divided: we have to find the common instead of seeking out the different.

As a co-producer of LTYM Milwaukee, I have the privilege of playing a part in helping Milwaukee hear the voices that need to be heard. I also get to experience how supportive and receptive our Milwaukee community is when they come attend our shows, and when local media offers to spread the word of LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER.

Milwaukee's Morning Blend show is such a community supporter, and I had the pleasure of being able to talk LTYM on their show last week. If you want to learn more about LTYM and hear from one of our 11 2016 cast members, you can watch the 5 minute segment here.

Thank you!

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Parenting: It's So Easy

For the past 20 years, I have mothered. And for every year that passes while I guess, bluff, hope, and put my heart into this role, I wish for another year to try again and fingers crossed, get it right.

But I don't think we can ever get it right. But we can aim to.

When I was invited to talk about raising boys in today's world, and the shift (so welcome) from forcing boys to be tough, strong, never cry, and never feel hurt, I jumped at the chance.

We can change, do what we're supposed to, and accept our kids for who they are.

This morning's topic on The Morning Blend. "Raising Today's Boys."

Toy Talk

Does it bring you joy? If the answer is no, then it's time to toss and send it on its way. BUT if it's a toy, and you're asking a kid, the answer will always be YES I LOVE IT SO MUCH!

Toys will always bring joy to their owners but what about your house running out of room? What about every inch of shelf crammedjammedpacked to the brim with toys toys toys.

Teach your children to share them -- maybe it's not natural for them to want to let things go, but when you work with them to help them understand there are kids that don't get even a sixth of what I know our own receive from aunts, grandparents, cousins, friends, birthday parties, you may be able to lead them to water and make them drink.

I talk about encouraging a spirit of giving with your children, of spreading the good that we have when we have more than we need on The Morning Blend.

Thanks for watching! And thank you for helping me spread the message, Morning Blend!

Click here to watch.

Happy de-cluttering!

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Is There Any Way in the World to Make Back to School Fun?

I don't know, but I try.

I do it, for the children.

The Forbidden and The Forgotten

Yes, I did just fall to earth

Tonight, the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show aired.

There was much in the way of ridiculousness: women in giant bird wings, super hero capes with thigh high neon boots, clamshell cage ensemble thingys, and even a little something for the latinas: a 5 foot tall awkward peinilla and mantilla. There were angels, devils, tramps and thieves; all culminating in which can only be described as featured left overs from a mardi gras parade.

All this for an underwear show. A fancy underwear show vs a fancy, underwear show.

I can't help but smirk when I think of the expensive, expensive underwear that gets purchased in the hopes of a little sumpin sumpin happening.

The only sumpin sumpin that'll be happening to that gossamer barely held together by threads knitted in a moonlit forest by faeries (vs fairies) that were bred solely for the purpose of producing Victoria's Secret gauzy underthings, is that those sparkly bands of fabric will get shoved to the back of the dresser drawer.

I must finish thine corset before the first wane of the moon

Banished to The Land of The Forbidden and The Forgotten.

It's a very nice effort, one full of hopes, Mr. Victoria's Secret, that those items will be used for daily living, but the truth is that women in the real world (those that believe in the cotton crotch, weigh more than 100 pounds and walk on sidewalks in flats not on runways in heels, whilst engaging in the high risk behavior of an acetate panty panel) are not going to pay that much for underwear with seams that will take on the fragility of an overused Kleenex if you sneeze too hard.

We just won't do it.

Not when you can find some perfectly durable, comfortable, no threat to your circulation 50 to a pack Hanes Her Way at Costco for less than $3.39 each.

We know enough to resist the urge to buy what you offer us. Victoria's Secret Models are the most beautiful in the world. They're like Barbie dolls. They have figures that aren't found pushing a shopping cart full of Hamburger Helper and Lunchables at MegaMart. 

That exact same gorgeous 3 inch wide band of lingerie on a VS model, will not look that same way on me.


It will not look the same way on me and I will be sorry. And disappointed. And regret ever thinking the possibility existed I could wear that. And then I'll have to sit down and eat 12 100 calories at a pop Weight Watcher fudgesicles while watching Bridget Jones' Diary.

Models are really, really different from you and me. Stare at something pretty for too long, and the mind begins to do funny things. Like tricking ourselves into thinking, Yeah, you know, if I double up on the hot yoga and the spin classes, I could do it...

No, no you can't. The only thing you can do is the clamshell cage. So, leave the underwear made from one thousand butterfly wings to the professionals. 


Besides, Hanes has animal prints out this year!

Whoa, Nellie...is that a double reinforced stitch all cotton crotch??

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Hoarders 911

BABY E: "Mom, can you find a place for all those pizza mixes you accidentally bought?"


ME: "I will, honey, I just have to clear out the cereal cabinet first."


BABY E: "If you don't do it soon, Mom, then you'll be a repulsive hoarder."


ME: "I think you mean an impulsive hoarder."


BABY E: "Yeah. They call that "serious." Like, you keep Christmas ornaments in the shower and stuff."


ME: "O.K., honey, I'll take care of it."


Hoarders is one of my guilty pleasures: I know I shouldn't watch, but I can't help it. Pictures from their photo gallery, like the one above, just make me feel better about my pizza mix situation. A & E counts on weak people like me. Perhaps Baby E shouldn't be sitting on my lap while I watch???

You gotta Swagger Wagon? Yo, check it out

Thank you to Beth, at The Confused Homemaker for the link and these early morning laughs. [Believe me, so worth the click over and the 2 minutes to watch.]





Sorry about the cut-off. Blogger has been doing that to me all morning. Everything looks perfect in "Preview" but gets all crazy in Publish. YouTube has a better video, the Sienna channel has all of them. Hilarious.