Through Baby Step One, we learned several things.  The first thing we learned is that even though we thought we were only using the credit card for emergencies, we really weren’t.  We were only fooling ourselves.  When we had to discuss the incident that required us to go unlock the box, unseal the envelope and touch the cash, we realized what was a   what was a want!   We also were able to negotiate with cash in ways you can’t with a credit card.  The plumber would much rather have the cash than take a credit card and will be willing to negotiate.

We had to discuss a need v.s a want and realized, sometimes an incident can ride the line between both.  We had wanted to get another miniature doxie and had been keeping our eye open for one.  We found one through our local  the dachshund  rescue.  This puppy had been abandoned and left in a small crate with 2 other dogs.  She was underweight and very scared.  Dog rescues have financial responsibilities and therefore need to charge people who rescue these dogs.   We knew this dog needed our family and we need to rescue her.  We felt good about paying the $300 required to cover her vet bills and paper work.  Yes, this was a want, that became a need, and thanks to our newfound attitude toward money, we had the cash to rescue our newest member of our family and continue to pay down credit card.

We continued on to Baby Step 2; pay off credit card debt.  We made great progress!  Then, as Dave Ramsey warns, Murphy (Murphy’s Law) came knocking at our door and my husband was laid off.   Thanks to following just the first 2 Baby Steps of the Dave Ramsey program, and by adjusting our attitude toward spending and saving, we were in a much better place than other families who lost thier income.   We were able to access our home equity loan and even 2 months into this experience, we have only needed to borrow from it to pay one bill so far.

I will be blogging about our progress.  I do encourage you to go to your local library or book store and pay CASH for one of Dave Ramsey’s book and begin your own journey!

“But Deb,” you say to me, “We only go out maybe once a week.  Now and then I grab lunch for the kids at McDonald’s.  I grab a coffee in the morning from Starbucks..but really, is getting coffee considered going out? That’s not much, right?”

WRONG!

Your wallet isn’t differentiating if money is going toward a coffee, a happy meal with a toy or a reasonable restaurant, it is still money going out!

Let’s look at your average week of not going out.  If you drink Starbucks 4 times a week at 4.00 per order, that is $12.00 per week.  If you are drinking Starbucks during the week, chances are you are grabbing one on the weekend for your kid’s early morning soccer games, so let’s say you are spending anywhere from 50 to 60 dollars a month!  And that’s just for a one person luxury!  If you are dining out, even fast food, you can spend hundreds on going out.  Let’s say your family of four goes out to dinner at a local family style restaurant  just once a month and spends 50-60 dollars per visit; that comes to $200 to $240 per month.  How about fast food…let’s take just fast food lunch for your two kids once a week; easily $14 dollars a visit, or $56 per month.   How about pizza on a rushed night once a week, delivered to your home, so there is also a tip…there’s another $17.00 a week.

Ready to add it up?

• Starbucks……..$50-$60 per month
• Restaurant …….$200-$240 per month
• Fast food visit…$14-$20 per month
• Pizza night……..$17 to $20 per month

GRAND TOTAL:      $281-$340.00 per month!

What could your family do with that much money every month?  Could it be your car note?  Could it be private school tuition for a month?  Could it be your electric and water bill during the summer months?  How about back to school uniforms and supplies for one kid? Could it go towards a family vacation?  I know I could pay quite a few bills with that chunk of change.  Now, this is a conservative estimate of a family that doesn’t go out much!  Some families double this!

Cooking at home is cheaper.   You control the cost and the ingredients.

I will be blogging about many ways to save money by preparing your meals and snacks  at home… my family even enjoys happy hour now and then with appetizers, wine  and virgin blended drinks!

Really?  As I am writing this, I am watching a past episode of July 4th and all she did was gripe and be all over his ass for everything!   If I ate a cookie every time she hit him on the back of the head, I would be in a diabetic coma!  Really Kate?  How about you watch just a few of these episodes instead of tanning, manicuring and planning your next pr move and you will see why you deserved to be left.

During our home schooling, my mentor teacher took away the traditional book reports and told Pilar to read for the love of it.  Well, that girl went on to read 7 books from February to May!  One book she especially loved was, The Tail of Emily Windsnap”.  She loved the story of the unpopular girl who realized that she was a mermaid.  She went on to read the series which included two more books.  She wanted to share the book with her friends.  She came up with the idea to have a book club.  It was a great idea.   She would be able to see her friends during the summer and keep up with the reading at the same time.  Other moms were so excited.   Keeping up with study skills are so important and our children lose so much during the summer.

DESIGNING A BOOK CLUB:

• THE DAY
  We picked a day of the week that would work for everyone and sent out handmade invitations.  I was lucky enough to have a set of mermaid stamps and always have card stock on hand.

• BOOKS
  I bought the books on www.amazon.com (linked to the book) and got a great price!  I also found an accompanying book with wonderful ideas for activities and fun quizzes…girls this age love to find out their hidden talents and skills that define their personalities through these quizzes.

• BAGS
  Pilar and I were off to the dollar stores to find white book bags and journals.  We found them at Michaels. While there, we also found fun ocean themed stickers.  I always have a 40% discount coupon for Michael’s in my wallet.   We already had a big collection of gel pens, color pencils, crayons and markers.

• JOURNALS
  The girls came and were thrilled with their new books and journals.  I gave them a five minute writing assignment.  It was a fun topic.  I did this with my daughter every morning before home schooling began.  The topic could be, “What would you do with a  robot maid?”  “Give a new excuse for the dog ate my homework!”  “What would you do if you found a wallet with money?”  I told the  girls no one would read their journals except them and if they wanted to, they could share.  They are keeping notes as they read, drawing pictures in their journals, and writing down anything they want to talk about at our next meeting.

• CRAFT
  We have a craft and snack at each meeting.  The first meeting they decorated their plain white cloth bags and journals.  Other crafts include ocean themed fun, decorating frames with sea shells, making mermaid tails for their dolls with shimmery fabric, filling and decorating small treasure chests.  I am asking moms for either a small craft fee.  If I give them enough notice, they may even have stuff around the house we can use for our craft!

• FINAL ACTIVITY
  Tie in an activity with the last meeting to celebrate the book.  For example, our last meeting will be a day at the aquarium or the beach.  We will also have an underwater themed slumber party.

The girls are reading at home as well as at our meetings and discussing topics. It is very interesting to hear them talk about their feelings on popularity and how they are nervous about fitting in.  I believe it helps them realize this is something their friends are concerned about as well and everyone is a little insecure!

During their craft time, I busy myself in the kitchen and they can talk with each other.  I asked the moms to stay away from the journals or asking too many questions so the girls feel a sense of independence.  Interestingly, the girls are sharing with their moms and each other.

I have to say, so far I have learned so much.  My daughter loves having her friends over.  A few of the “popular girls”  didn’t want anything to do with our book club.  My daughter is not part of the popular  group and I know it hurts, but I also know that is part of growing up.  My job is to build her character and confidence, not making sure she fits in to the popular group.  One of the popular girls heard how much fun we were having and asked me if she could join. The door is always open!  It shows our girls that if we have fun dancing to the music we make, others will see how much fun we are having and may even join in!

Michael Jackson was tortured.  The one abuse there are witness to was that between him and his father.  Michael Jackson’s father was driven and that drive caused him to abuse his child.  A weak mother never saved him.  His career isolated him.  Yes, a tortured soul.

I take issue with Michael Jackson and the people he bought off.  Mothers who sold their children. People who sold their silence.  Doctors who wrote prescriptions.  Family members who turned away from his bad behaviour and took money while their own niece and nephews were possibly abused.

Clearly he was tortured and he continued with that cycle and left behind unanswered questions and lives in chaos.   Maybe he was innocent.  Maybe he was bought off.  We will never know.

What we do know is that there are 3 children left not only fatherless, but quite possibly parent-less.  I pray the same circle of weak people  will find the strength to protect, raise and guide these children.  But I know that the craziness has only started.

Sarah Palin and Todd in office?   Could you even imagine the reality tv show this country would be forced to watch if the Palin family was the VP family?  Sarah, how could you be second in command of the most powerful country if you are going to buckle and take issue with a late night joke?!   Was the joke in bad taste?  Probably. I will give her that.  Was it fair, it is my personal position that jokes about innocent children are never fair.  But that’s not the issue in this blog.  The issue for me is that this tells me that Sarah Palin doesn’t know how to pick her battles.  Are our children important and therefore worthy of a battle?  Yes of course they are!  But if Sarah Palin was the VP she would have faced mammoth battles that involved the livelihood of all Americans.  I, for one, am relieved that she was not elected to such a high position.  To watch her lose her composure on national television when defending this issue was uncomfortable enough without imagining how she would handle herself with a leader from a foreign country when aired?

Again, let me set the table here; Sarah Palin trotted those children out and exposed their personal lives for all to see.  You can’t control the general public and their comments.  Isn’t there anything else going on in Alaska that requires Gov. Palin’s attention right now?  Now she is claiming that David Letterman is contributing to the male perversity of young women!  If this was a heartfelt  issue for her to begin with, where was it on the campaign trail?  Where was this cause when she was a beauty queen and had the forum to speak out about sexual imaging and degradation of women?

I continue to see Sarah Palin as a politician who continues to play the media to her advantage and choosing her battles based on what gets her more face time.  If this was an issue she brought to the campaign trail, she would have had a huge audience and garnered so much attention.  Women are mistreated in many countries and this mistreatment is causing our world to suffer a loss of HUMANITY.

As a mother, I understand her hurt.  As a mother, I would have suffered a great deal if my child were humiliated.  Like a mother bear, I would have protected my cub; by keeping her in the cave while she was vulnerable… not trotting her out in front of hunters!

As an American woman and mother of daughters, I would have loved for Sarah Palin to have defended women when it was a concern for all of us, not just when she felt it was knocking at her door.

Pilar couldn’t wait to give her some home made scones and butter from our colonial history lesson.  She baked and brought her a home made loaf of Irish Soda bread.  Pilar was embarrassed to give it to her because she thought it turned out ugly.  Mrs. Lloyd took one look at it and exclaimed, “It looks so beautiful and rustic, just like you baked in a colonial oven!” We have taken trips…everywhere!  The California Science Museum (photo above), the History museum, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a California Mission… we turn all these trips into learning opportunities.  She joined a book club for kids her age, I didn’t even know they existed!  We visited her older sister, Anna Maria, who gathers wool and spins her own yarn.  We sat and spun with her all day.  It really brought home what being a colonist went through to provide for their families.  Pilar has read 4 books in one month.  In 11 years of being read to and 6 years of reading on her own, Pilar has never liked to read.  Once the formatted book reports were no longer required, books came alive to her and she loves reading!  We have done several science experiments…3 on one day!  We took pictures and discussed the process of diffusion and osmosis.

I am more  relaxed in my teaching and  proud of my daughters capabilities and skills. As you can see, I have had time to blog!

Sure there are lows.  I am on the other end of every bad mood and temper tantrum.  If I do not reach out for support and ask my husband for help, I get overwhelmed.  I will write a separate blog about the meltdowns and how I didn’t even take my own advice.  Stay tuned!

My 2 older children were involved in the drama program from middle school through Senior year of high school…and that brings a whole bunch of other laundry problems which included, professional grease paint make up, ground in theater grime from construction, blood, both real and fake, (sometimes stage construction did not always go as planned) and often these costumes had to clean and ready to go for the next night’s performance!

Tide detergent has never let me down.  I have never needed a pre-treat for stains, I never need to use more than the required amount and I can always find it on sale.  When I have used another laundry detergents, they have left my clothes dingy, stained and dull.  Even after repeated washings, I still had dingy clothes.   (Wow, do I sound like a commercial or what?!)  With Tide, I wash once and everything looks and smells great.  I never stray from my Tide.   I never have to pretreat, add softener, and re-wash “clean” clothes and that is good for me and my schedule!

Tide Detergent, one of my favorite things!

TIDE’S WEBSITE: http://www.tide.com

Stella got her grove back and Deb feels some dancing coming on!

Due to a difficult classroom situation, we had to withdraw our daughter from her fifth grade class.  Our choices were public school, another private school, or home school.   Since we made this decision at the end of the semester, we were looking at a solution for four months, not the entire school year.  Our public school system was not acceptable.  Another private school would be costly as we would have to pay for  registration, book fees and new uniforms and all for just 16 weeks before we had to do it all over again for the new year.

I was a teacher for 10 years before I started a career in show business and I have missed teaching so much. But to home school my own child?  That took some thought and discussion with the family.  Aside from the actual academics,  home schooling requires the emotional support of the child… and the mommy!

My first step was to enroll her in our local public school and then have her released to home schooling.  I then met with our home school teacher, Mrs. Lloyd.  She not only gave me every book I could ever dream about, after visiting with our daughter, Pilar, she  found books, materials and projects specified for us.  She even invited Pilar to play groups on campus and is currently working on a service project in which Pilar can participate.

Home schooling has it’s challenges and blessings.   I will find time to describe them both to you in my blog.  I will be blogging some of our ideas and events that have been successes so you can incorporate some of them and support your own child’s education.   It seems like I can find so many projects and outings that are both educational and fun.

A friend of mine who is the Independent Studies and Home Schooling Advisor  in her school district, has been very supportive.  She encourages me every step of the way.  She said that this home schooling experience for the next 4 months can be a great big hug for my fifth grader before she goes into junior high.

I look forward to sharing good experiences and funny ones as well.   Of course I will be using my blog to reach out!

Science lessons start in a few minutes!

1. Ground meat: chicken, turkey, beef or a mixture
2. Frozen mixed veggies
3. 1-2 eggs, depending on how many loafs you are making
4. oatmeal, eyeball amount for the number of loafs you are making
5. Spray your loaf pan with non stick spray, fill pans and bake for an hour.

Why make this for your dogs? Read on…

After adopting a one year old doxie, I had 2 dachshunds to feed!  The person from whom we adopted the dog gave me a list of healthful dog foods. She also said that the dog food we were giving our dog was equivalent to McDonalds.  Don’t get me wrong, sometimes everyone needs a good McDonald’s fix, but she was right, not every day.   We went to the local pet store and priced the canned food and kibble.  It was so pricey!  Granted, my dogs are small, but still, with the cost of raising a family going up every day, I knew I had to compromise with their food budget as well.

I was watching a commercial about dog food and the spokesman said, “My dog enjoys dog food made of fresh turkey, egg, vegetables and EVEN oatmeal!”   I thought to myself,  that’s MEATLOAF!  I make meatloaf for my family at least once a month.  I often make two and freeze one for a later date.  It is quick, easy, and economical.   Why not make meatloaf for the dogs.  I have bought the dog food loaves ( in the refrigerated section) in the store and they set me back about $4.99 and that’s on sale.  It is a loaf about as big as a refrigerated cookie dough roll.

I went to Smart and Final and found a 5 pound chub of ground turkey on sale for $3.99.  I also bought the giant sized frozen mixed vegetables.  I already had oatmeal and eggs at home.  I stopped by the dollar store and bought loaf pans.  I figured if I was going to make several loafs, I should make them at one time.  Having only one loaf pan, it would take forever.

I mixed the ground turkey, veggies, egg and oatmeal into  a bowl, sprayed my loaf pans and made 3 large loafs and 4 mini loafs.  I cooked them all at once.  It took less than an hour and half  from start to finish.  While I was at it, I made beef meatloaf for my family!  Once they cooled completely, I wrapped them in heavy duty Reynolds wrap and froze them.  One loaf feeds our dogs for a week.  They eat twice a day with a small amount of kibble.

It was quick, easy and cost me around 5 dollars to make a month of food for them.  They love it and unlike store bought dog food, it doesn’t smell so bad you have to sneak up on it to serve it!

Two weeks ago there was a peanut butter scare and many food products, including canned dog food, were pulled from the shelves.  I felt safe knowing my dogs ate home made dog food and I knew every ingredient that went in it.

Then she talks about pitching a reality show… Unless you want to see a mom completely lose her damn mind, which don’t get me wrong, can be good tv, but unfortunately be only one episode long..no second season here!  More of a you tube thing if you ask me.

Jon and Kate plus 8 is a reality show about a family that works and it works because you have a husband at home and an over-controlling, neurotic mother working together,  full-time, full-tilt boogie taking care of these children. They also have the support of friends and sponsors.  If I had a product to sell, I would be happy to let the Jon and Kate brood hock it.  That family isn’t crazy!

This lady is obviously nuts!   Unless she is pushing Zoloft with red wine chasers, I can’t believe in any product associated with her.

Larry King interviewed the parents of the last set of Octuplets  born 10 years ago.  They looked like a beautiful family, but still stunned!  All they kept saying, (no matter what question was asked) was, ” They are a blessing Larry, A real blessing”.

My 11 year old was listening to an interview and made a wise observation, “Why couldn’t she just turn into the crazy cat lady?  It would be so much easier!”

Chicken Pot Pie

Frozen deep dish pie shells

1 family sized can of chicken (or you can use leftover roasted chicken)

1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables

1 can of  Cambells cream of chicken mushroom soup

salt, pepper, garlic powder

Simply mix chicken, vegetables, and soup into a bowl.  Add seasonings to your taste.  Scoop mixture into pie shells.  Here’s a hint, place the top shell on to the mixture the same way they were placed as frozen, so pie crust is sealing the chicken mixture. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 40 minutes.  If you want a pretty presentation, during the last 15 minutes, brush egg wash over the pie for a golden crust.  Serve with biscuits.

I keep all these things on hand so I can get this dinner together when I have a day that gets away from me.  Fix it and forget it and like I said, leftovers make a good breakfast or lunch!

It is time for Miley to get out of the lime light and take all those other gals with her.  Our daughters need to focus on favorite subjects, not a favorite Jonas Brother.  Our girls need to learn what they can do for their communities and work towards global awareness.  Our girls need to learn how to dress to impress and not to arouse!  I remember hearing Dr. Laura’s radio program and a mom called about her daughter copying all these young role models like Miley Cyrus.  She insisted on wearing clothes that were tight and showing off her bra straps, thong underwear and having t shirts with suggestive slogans.  My first thought is how can your kid wear these unless the parent is buying them.   Dr. Laura asked to speak with the girl and I will never forget what she said to her.   Dr.  Laura simply said, “When you wear these clothes and boys see you, it makes their penis erect.”  You could hear this girl just wince and they say, “….ewww”.   This young girl got it!  When Dr. Laura hung up, she went on to say that these young girls also entice older men when they dress like that.

Right on Dr. Laura for setting this girl straight and telling her the truth.

Sasha and Malia Obama are being placed into social situations, on an international level, and handled it with so much grace and style.   They dress so beautifully and carry themselves like young ladies.  They even dance in a way that is in the moment and so fun and cool.  (Need I go into how Miley Cyrus gyrates on stage?)   The Obama girls are so proud of their parents and they in turn show pride when they are with thier girls.

I look forward to learning more about being an effective parent from the President and First Lady Obama.

My daughter will learn about coming of age gracefully as she sees the First Daughters grow and represent a new fresh face of girlhood.

I save my sanity by keeping a list of “5 Ingredients Or Less”  dinner  suggestions handy and I am going to share a few with you.  Feel free to give me your ideas as well!

Let’s start with an easy one…so incredibly easy!   Breakfast for dinner!!   It’s been months since my family has had time to enjoy a great breakfast on the weekend.  Dinner gives us a little more time.  Fry bacon, make toast and to keep it easy for me, I make scrambled eggs for everyone.  I scramble them with milk and can toss in anything I may have handy, green onions, bell peppers, shredded cheese, or ham.  I slice up some fruit and we are eating within a half hour.

Ingredients:

Bacon, eggs, bread, fruit.

It’s that easy!

Now, MAC isn’t cheap, but it is moderate compared to some lines out there.  You can always get help at the MAC counter.  I used to feel intimidated by  the “MAC girls”, but then I realized, even though I am old enough to be their mother, I still need makeup and let’s face it, I am not using my allowance, I have disposable income!  At first I was scared the MAC rep would try to talk me into that  goth-I-just-got-bit-by-a-vampire-look,  but she was very pleasant and helpful.  Now that I know the colors and formulas that work for me, I order on line from the MAC website and keep my eye open for shipping specials.

MAC is a great product.  The foundations, concealers and powders all go on like a dream and last through out the day.  The lipsticks and glosses are fresh and pretty and never greasy or gloopy.   The eye shadows are beautiful and go from daytime and natural to dramatic and sexy.   Even though the products don’t go on sale, the price points are moderate; and let’s think back to that makeup drawer of bargain buys we don’t even use!  There is always an in store representative or an on line expert available to help you.  Exchanges and returns are handled professionally and MAC even has a recycle program for empty containers.  MAC sponsors good will charities and so you can buy products to make you look good and feel good and pass the blessings on to others.

MAC is one of my favorite things.  Even when I wear just my  MAC Love Child LipGlass to pick up kids at school, I feel quite pretty!

MAC’S WEBSITE: http://www.maccosmetics.com

Here are some guidelines I have learned to set when interviewing and hiring a baby sitter.

1) You must set up interviews.   You are hiring a sitter, so you must interview and consider several applicants.  Ask around and talk to other parents about who they recommend.  Even if this sitter comes with the highest recommendations, you must meet and hire her yourself.  If you have no personal recommendations, check out your local college career center.   I called our local college and was given a list of names of students who live in the dorms near by.  My husband and I were looking for a female sitter for our daughter, so  I only interviewed young ladies.  This is our personal preference.  You should consider the gender of the sitter before you interview applicants.   I spoke to several young ladies and interviewed them.  I asked about school schedule, family life, goals as a student.   I also asked why they were looking for a job as a sitter.  I was lucky enough to find a young lady who is studying to be a teacher and came from a family with several siblings.

2) Establish the price you are going to pay and what exactly are the job duties.   Remember, this is a job and you are the employer.  We  pay our sitter, $10.00 an hour up until 11:00 p.m. and then we pay her more after midnight.   We pay for the first hour if we have to cancel.  This lets our sitter know that we respect her holding the date open for us.  Our sitter has dinner with our daughter and puts away any leftovers.  She helps with homework and gets our daughter to be at 9.  The rest of the night is hers to study, watch TV, or get on her computer.

3) Don’t spring anything new on your sitter and expect her to just roll with the punches.  For example, I let our sitter know at the interview, that we had a small inside dog.  When we adopted a new puppy, we let her know before she came over about the new family addition.  My older daughter has told me about friends of the family bringing extra kids for her to watch.  How would you handle it if your boss dumped twice the work on your desk and expected you to be OK with it and accept the same pay.  Chances are your sitter will be willing to watch extra kids, but ask her first and compensate her financially.

4) Be clear on your rules. For example, Is transportation important to you?  We didn’t want to worry about picking up our sitter or dropping her off at the end of the evening.  After a great evening out, we like to relax.  I didn’t hire anyone who said she could probably get a ride back and forth.  This was a deal breaker for me.    If you don’t want your sitter on her phone or have friends over, then make it clear during the interview.  You may relax a few rules once you feel more comfortable with her.

5)  Be nice to your sitter.  Be a good employer.  Be nice!  We all remember that boss that made it a pleasure to go to work or show her appreciation.  Since she lives in the dorm and appreciates home made cookies and treats.  At Christmas we tip her the equivalent of what she makes in a week.  Either my husband or I walk her to her car and we always remember to say “thank you”.

If you have a respectful relationship with your sitter, you will build a bond that will last for all the years you need her.

Here’s how I save time in the kitchen.  First, I plan my grocery shopping to take a few hours from the time I get my coupons together, shopping, unloading and organizing my groceries for the week.  I know it sounds like an extravaganza,  but trust me, it’s worth it.  I am a busy woman and I never know when I will be called for an audition which takes me out of town for the better part of the day.  I organize my kitchen so my husband or I can make meals with little effort.  But it does take time.

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I have a reach in freezer.  I love it.  It has saved my family so much money.  Do not invest in a fridge for the garage or put your old one out there….they drain so much energy and as you know, you can’t keep much in a fridge for months like you can with a freezer.  You can also take advantage of sales on meat.  Properly stored, you can keep meat for months!

When I get home from shopping, I wrap my meats for the freezer or fridge and put them away. I keep a few days worth of meat in the fridge, the rest goes in the freezer.

Then, I take all my veggies, carrots, celery, cucumbers, onion,  etc, and I wash, slice and store it in see through plastic baggies.  Why wait until the day you cook to wash, peel and cut up veggies.  No recipe I ever saw calls for a whole carrot or celery stalk!  When was the last time you had to throw a whole onion in a dish?  If I know I am going to use lettuce and tomato within a few days, I wash, dry and cut that up too.  Diced onion can be stored in the freezer and defrosts easily.  You can even store in snack sized baggies.  You usually don’t need more than that in your average recipe.

I also grate a 2 lb brick of cheese and can store it in my deli pantry in baggies.  Now I am ready to rock and roll a whole wheat quesadilla on a school morning or an omelet  on the weekend.  I also have cheese ready for popular Mexican foods like tacos, burritos or tostadas!   If I find mozzarella cheese on sale, I also grate that so it’s ready for pasta or salads.  Let’s face it, cleaning a cheese grater is the worst!!!

Anything you see prepackaged at the grocery store, you can do at home.  It takes time, but it is worth the money.  Lettuce, cheese and cookies can cost you up to 3 times as much.  And in today’s financial climate, we all need to learn how to save here and there.

If the spirit moves me, will even package pretzels, crackers and cookies in snack sized bags (holds the right portion size)  for lunch.

You must invest in freezer friendly storage containers and plastic bags…and the help of your family.  You can all decide what to eat during the week.  Anytime the family is gathered around food… even putting it away, can be a good place for conversation.

I had some time to think about what is missing in my life that was in my mother’s life that made things seemingly easier for her.  I always remember great meals, Halloween and school play costumes, vacations, swim parties and clean laundry.  My mom and her friends made it seem effortless.  They did it all without microwaves, prepackaged foods, take out dinners, and the cartoon channel.  They didn’t have Oprah telling them that they needed to put themselves first and to love themselves before anyone else and that they deserve a hot bath, a magazine and some “me” time after going to work, picking up kids, driving to soccer and driving through Jack in the Box for dinner!

My mother and her friends had….each other.  They had “sisterhood”.  They supported each other.  They helped each other…with kids, dinner, rides, and other errands.  I remember going next door to  Mrs. Scheffler’s house to get a can of tomato sauce.  I remember running a cup of flour or rice to other ladies on the block.  A humidifier went back and forth from Mrs. Kyger’s home.   Mrs. Cleary would come over to use our dryer when it rained.  One of these precious ladies was suffering from domestic abuse, but we never knew until we all became older.  Those other mothers and wives rallied around her and kept her and her children safe and secure privately until she had the chance to get out.  Looking back on it, I know now that the children came to our home to play while so much of that was going on.

Yes, it was a sisterhood.

Today’s gals? Not so much.  First, as women we over extend ourselves… and often for people we don’t even like!  We come home tired and pissed off and we wonder “why”?  Do we have a friend we can call on to help us?  Do we know the lady across the street?  Have we introduced ourselves and waved “hello” when we pass by?  Have we judged her unfairly?

We, as women have become so competitive.  Whose baby is walking talking, reading first?  Who has their kid is in ballet, soccer, t-ball, softball, and stars in the school play?  Whose job is more prestigious?  Whose vacation is in a Hawaii?  Whose SUV is bigger and better?!   Ladies, really, do we have to hold such high standards for others and in turn for ourselves? Can’t we be supportive of the mom doing it all, maybe on her own?  If she came to our house to borrow a can of tomato sauce, would we give it to her, with a smile and then later, behind closed doors talk about her?

“What’s going on with that sketchy broad that she needs to borrow tomato sauce?  Can’t she keep her shit together?

Meanwhile, instead of having a friend we can ask a favor of, we are loading kids in the car at crunch time and buying that tomato sauce, milk or eggs in time to make dinner, help with homework and get little Johnny to soccer on time.  If we leaned on each other instead of setting these standards and overworking ourselves, we would be so much better off.

I have a friend I can call on when it is raining and my husband has to take the car instead of his motorcycle to work.  She gladly picks up Pilar for school and brings her home.  She knows she can ask me the same favor for her daughter.  We have helped each other with our Bunco appetizers,  a gallon of milk, dog sitting, a missing item for a party and taking turns with our kids so we can have alone time.

Here is the one memory we treasure and KNEW we were sisters….I was at Walmart and knew that she was hosting a Bunco party that evening.  I called her to see if there was anything I could pick up for her.  I was thinking, ice, chips, plastic cups…she called back and said, “Could you pick up a floor lamp for my living room?”  I didn’t think twice about it, and amazingly found the perfect one for her living room and it was on sale!!!  It wasn’t until later when I brought it over to the party and we were trying to put it together and she said, “Did you by any chance buy light bulbs?”  I said, “A good friend picks up a floor lamp for you, now you want me to pull a light bulb out of my ass?!”

We laughed so hard!  That was a cool sisterhood moment.

I know I can talk to her about problems with my children, finances or career without being judged.  She knows she can do the same.

Recently, we lamented about how our homes are easily destroyed by the family living in it…we can clean the hell out of it and within days, you can’t tell.  We made a pact to have an envelope with money for maid service in case one of us dies, we can have have the house cleaned before family starts coming over!  You know they will be bringing food and will see the inside of our fridge and microwave!  Now that’s a sister!

Girlfriend, be a sister

Now I DO love my Rachael Ray.  She makes ordinary dishes take on a new and tasty personality.  But Rach, as much as I love you and your recipes, I don’t always have the time you do for these creations.  I do indulge in the money and time now and then and enjoy the delicious dishes.  However, unlike Rachael, I do my own grocery shopping, storing, chopping, cooking and then there is washing dishes, pots, pans and cleaning a kitchen.

I am a busy mom managing her family on a budget and in times like today, that is so important.

Before I go one, I must say, one of the best purchases we ever made was a reach in freezer.  Many families I know have an extra refrigerator in the garage, but I found that took far too much energy and all we had in there were drinks and  occasionally we used it for storing party food or something for a potluck.  I find the deep freezer holds so much more and is more economical on my energy bill than the extra fridge.  That being said….

I buy meat when it is on sale.  I buy whole chickens, roasts, porkchops, ribs, and ground beef when it is on sale.  I wrap then in meal sized portions in Glad Press and Seal.  Recently whole chickens were on sale.  I picked up 4 of them.  Each one averaged $2.50.  I also picked up ground beef for a song.

This week, I have to watch my grocery bill more than usual.  I defrosted  a whole chicken and a 2 lb portion of ground beef. I roasted the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper and powdered garlic.  I split the ground beef and made a meatloaf and used a meat sauce for pasta.  The chicken was delicious that night!  As I write this, I am boiling the left over, still attached to the bone and making a delicious home made soup.  I toss in small shell pasta, which makes the soup so much heartier, and serve with a salad and it is my 4th dinner!  Bam!!!  Four dinners for a family of four for ten dollars!

I am not even including leftovers for some lunches this week either.

I also made the 3 meals in one day.  It was very time saving.

Finally, the new year is here!  I headlined 2 shows on New Year’s Eve and the audience members were more than ready to say good riddance to 2008!  No one I know had anything good to say about last year!  Most of us think we can get hit by a tow truck, dragged 3 miles and left in front of a closed-due -to-the economy soup kitchen and when you came to would utter, “At least it is better than last year!”

The country was in such an awful state, personal finances were at an all time low, hope was all but gone.  We had a president that seemed to not only  care less about our well being, but to keep that arrogant smile on his face while he assured us all was OK!

I seemed to have fallen apart so easily during 2008.  I was easily agitated, stressed and in a constant state of worry.  I had FOX  and CNN constantly; God forbid I miss some current or upcoming crisis!  I unloaded all my acquired knowledge to my husband while he tried to unwind and relax after a long day at work.  I made sure he was kept abreast of the election, the floods, tornadoes, housing problems and whether Lindsay Lohan was straight or gay that particular day.

Before he laid his head down for bed, I would ask him if he thought our governor in order to clean up California’s economic bankruptcy would  really be taxing me when I go to my salon and have my roots touched up?!  And at the rate I was worrying, my roots were coming in fast and furious.  I was a Chicken Little claiming the sky was falling and dragging my family under the umbrella with me.

2008 came.  2008 went.  And do you know what? The sky never fell.  Sure we saw some catastrophes through out the world.  There was job loss and stock markets crashed.   Our president made speeches that made us wince with embarrassment and did little for us.  There were fires, floods and earthquakes.  Crazy mothers killed their babies and insane fathers murdered  their families.   But, the sky never fell.  The sun came up each and every morning.  The stars came out each night.  My daughter had her birthday, complete with a rain and lightening storm…her favorite weather ever!  My other daughter was able to update an ancient school library as an internship and enjoyed every minute of it.  My son completed his first year of college.  My husband got a chance to put his writing on it’s feet and realized how talented he is.  A position opened for him to showcase his music.  He is well on his way to his journey as an artist.

We had some loss.  My uncle’s partner of over 30 years passed away.  But we as a family realized so much about love, acceptance, patience and tolerance from this relationship.  My brother in law suffered a stroke and we saw the beauty of a devoted wife in my sister and dedication of family towards him and his recovery.

Yes, the sky never fell.  It was never even close.  Not for me and mine.  We were there for others in need which reminded me how safe and sound we are.  We had some financial struggles, but always found money to help someone less fortunate. We had some illness,  but had family and friends to help us out when we needed them; and when we were well, we offered cash, casseroles and carpools for them.

I realize now, I was safe, loved and blessed in 2008.  I never focused on the positive until a few days after that year left.

I embrace 2009 and take with me the lessons I learned from 2008.

No more Geraldo, Hannity or Jon and Ken for me.  I will indulge in Rachael Ray’s talk show and dance with Ellen.  I will tune in to the news to check in a few times a day.  The real important stuff happens right here at home and in my heart and soul.

Bless You in 2009.

Add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the final rinse water  when washing clothes.  By rinsing off dulling saop residue, vinegar brightens colors and whitens whites.  It even keeps your black clothes as dark as when you bought them.

Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to laundry detergent  when washing new clothes. It gets rid of manufacturing chemicals in new clothing.

Add 1 cup of vinegar to your dishwasher and run it empty for a cycle.  The vinegar gets rid of any soap residue that makes glassware cloudy.

Make a spray bottle of a mixture of vinegar and water to clean and freshen counter tops, inside of the microwave, lunch boxes, plastic food containers and  the refrigerator.

A mixture of white distilled vinegar and water (mixture amount depends on the size of the job) will get rid of varmints such as fleas on your dog, or ants in your yard.

I know this blog entry may seem lack luster is comparison of what is going on in the world.  We have an economic crisis, two wars, a new president, and sometimes with all this going on, I feel like the only thing I CAN control is the health, and happy hum of my home!

Sarah Palin, during your campaign trail, with the responsibilities of mothering five children, you have time to attend a table read, rehearsal and performance of a SNL show?  REALLY?

Sarah Palin, while you can’t make time for any  interviews after the debacle  with Katie Couric, and while you ignore any requests from  any other news networks, you will go on  a show that publicly humiliated you, and throw your hands in the air like you just don’t care? REALLY?  HUH?  REALLY?

Sarah Palin, your sense of humor is NOT what is at stake here.  We are terribly concerned about a number of issues about your experience, ideas on foreign policy,  your revoking rights of women, and the recent charge of abusing your power as a United States Governor.

I don’t care if you can laugh at yourself and roll with the punches on SNL!  In my opinion, you have already displayed “your sense of humor” and it is snarky, sarcastic, and a word I have NEVER used about another woman, Bitchy.

I have an idea.  Since you seem to be able to include network tv time scheduled at the last minute into  your campaign trail, may be you can schedule a hard core news interview to discuss why Colin Powell has announced to support the Obama-Biden ticket, voting against his party and his friend of 25 years, John McCain.

Maybe you can get someone to write you a clever rap about that.

Most grocery store chains have a gift card mall with gift card for everyone! There are gift cards for everything you can think of! Of course we are all know about gift cards to the book store and restaurants, but you should stop by and look at all the new and unique gift cards that are now available! Give your babysitter a gift card for gasoline! How about a fast food gift card for your postman? Your child’s teacher would love a gift card to Michael’s craft stores. What college kid wouldn’t love a gift card toward the purchase of an airline ticket?! Give that “hard to shop for teen” a gift card to a show store. My mom loves to go out once a week with her girlfriends for lunch and a movie. I am getting her some gift cards for her Girl’s Day Out.

You can find a gift card for any budget and anyone on your list!

I have always shopped year round for Christmas and enjoyed having everything done by holiday time. But, I did have to secure one whole closet for my purchases, boxes and gift wrap. I am able to store all my Christmas gifts in an envelope! Wrapping is so easy! I can use an decorated envelope or a small gift box or bag.

I don’t have to run around the mall looking for deals, I am crossing people off my list every other week, and I don’t have to worry about storage!

VISIT HER WEBSITE:
Melinda Kelley
www.melindakelley.com

I took a pair of my husband’s shoes to the cobbler.   His shoes are going to be repaired, polished and shined …all for about $7.00.  When I pick them up, I have a few pairs of my own heels that need some polish and shine and for the fraction of the cost of a new pair of shoes, my classic ones will be as good as new.

I am cleaning my own home and with regular cleaning and  care of my appliances, furniture and home fixtures,  they will all look great and last longer!

I take care of clothing, stains, rips or missing socks and buttons as soon as I see them.  I also find time to iron instead of heading off to the dry cleaner.  (Don’t feel sorry for me! Yes, ironing is tedious, but I use that time to watch a favorite tv show or listen to talk radio).

I cleaned out my makeup drawer and got rid of expired and stale makeup.  I realized how much makeup I buy and compared it to the make up I actually use!  Shame on me!

I found and put away lost hair curlers, bobby pins, headbands and hair ties!  In the past, I would have just gone out and buy new ones.

I keep all my personal brushes CLEAN!  I run our toothbrushes through the dishwasher once a week, I wash my makeup brushes with a special brush cleaner from MAC, (yes, it was pricey, but still a fraction of what it would cost me to replace my makeup brushes when they get dirty), I clean out our hair brushes and spray them with a light rubbing alcohol/water mixture on a regular basis.  I throw in our personal shower puffs…lathers up  like crazy and extends the life of a bottle of your favorite body soap…in the washer with bath towels.

I am going through my book shelves and pulling out those books I never read!  New books!

I keep my car clean!  My car, like most of yours, would cost too much for me to sell back to the dealer and buy a smaller one.  I do like my car and I re-route and use gas wisely to save there.  And I make sure it is always clean, no trash and a regular wash, buy 4 get one free!  (our neighborhood water program bans car-washing at home for now) .

I am taking care of what my family already has or is locked into.   I know it takes time, but it is worth it.  Besides, life isn’t easy!  It is filled with highs and lows and right now, we are all at a low. It is time to take care of our families.  No matter what candidate you are backing, it is clear you must start taking care of things at the grass roots level and start with your own family.

I save a LOT of money by taking care of our home and our things.  I am busy too.  I do not have an 8-5 job, but my hours and days I work vary.  In other words, I do have to schedule some of this maintenance.  But it is worth it.  Yes, there are financial benefits, but there are other advantages; you demonstrate self respect for you, your family and your home.

Teach your children how to take care of their things.  My daughter knows how much her lunch box and water bottle cost.  She is not to lose it or throw it against the wall or on the floor. Taking care of toys and Legos means she has those toys for as long as she wants.

No one said it would be easy.  We can learn a lot from people who went through a depression  and those who were raised by depression babies!  No one needs fast food, the latest car, CD, or jeans.  Leftovers can be stored or frozen, not thrown down the drain.

Like Dave Ramsey says…”Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else!”

In a day and age where friends, girlfriends, are so very important, the manic mommies offers a place where other moms can get advice, empathy, ideas or laughs!  I don’t know my next door neighbors, our schedules never really permitted us to bond.  I have some good friends from church and school, but again, our schedules get hectic and we get busy.  Many of us grew up with stay at home moms who had good friends up an down the street!  They helped each other out, watching kids, borrowing a can of tomato sauce, doing laundry for a sick mom, helping with carpool.  But today’s woman doesn’t have that.  We can,  however, reach out out to other moms on the web.  I am hoping my own blog can do that.  I do enjoy the Manic Mom Web site, blogs and message boards.  There are so many  smart, savvy, and humorous women who share ideas, thoughts and suggestions.  It’s like a neighbor who is available when you are!

You go Manic Moms!

My hubby’s Sausage & Peppers recipe. It’s fast and so delicious! Serves three. (With a little left over for a lunch the next day!)

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Polish Sausage (Chicken, pork or beef… your choice)
• 1 green bell pepper (Chopped or sliced)
• 1 red bell pepper (Chopped or sliced)
• 1 green apple (Chopped or sliced)
• 1 pat of butter
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 cup of rice

Slice the sausage into small pieces and heat them up in a skillet. When they are cooked, drop in the bell peppers and apple. Heat until the peppers and apple are soft. Serve over white rice. An alternative is to not use bell peppers and add more green apples. Either way, this dish is perfect for those cool Autumn evenings. Your whole house will smell wonderful and your dinner will be delicious!

Enjoy!

My husband and I negotiated a fixed first and a modest adjustable 2nd so we had somewhere to draw from if there was an emergency.  By the way, my husband and I DO NOT consider vacations, Christmas, or gifts an emergency!  We don’t live beyond our means.  As the person who sends the bills out and manages the home, I have noticed a tremendous difference in the amount I am paying for groceries, gas and energy!  Those of you who know me or read my blogs, are aware that I am savvy with a buck!  I am thinking if someone like me with a sensible home loan, minimal credit card balance,  and good health insurance is having financial struggles, I can only imagine  the hardship that  someone with a balloon house payment, huge credit card balances and no insurance must be going through just to put food in the table and gas in the car!

Meanwhile, Golden Parachutes  are still being given out on Wall Street as recently as last Friday with a 13.5 million dollar retirement and bonus package for an exec at WaMu who worked there, (GET THIS!…) 3 weeks!!!

Now we are asked to bail out Wall Street and Joe Blow who lived life large while people like me were good stewards with our money and people like my mom, now a widow, whose husband worked two jobs and invested money to make sure she would have a good quality of life when he passed on!  Americans are pissed.  Government websites have been crashing with the amount of emails Americans are sending to thier Congress people.

I am an avid reader of Dave Ramsey and listener of his radio show and down load his talk show.  He makes sense to me!  His philosophy is like he says, Grandma’s advice except he keeps his teeth in!  He believes in cash on the barrel and sensible home loans.  He is on the Fox news channel and is telling us of a sensible plan to get us out of this crisis.  I encourage you to visit his website and read the plan for yourself.  I agree something has to be done and Dave’s plan which, includes revisiting the mortgage negotiations to help people stay in their homes and get back on their feet. [ http://www.daveramsey.com ]

….It’s going to be a bumpy night!

My uncle lost his best friend and partner of 33 years 2 weeks ago.  My sister’s husband and one of my favorite people in the whole world, Uncle Dave, had a stroke.  We looked at a public school for our daughter and had to make a choice as to where we were going to send her to school for the rest of the academic year.  My unions are back to fighting and a possible strike once again looms over Hollywood.  My husband saw his doctor yesterday and now has to have a surgery he has been able to avoid up until now.  Throughout it all, I have been auditioning for TV shows and have had some great stand up spots in town.  I have been managing my home  during financially tough times.

No wonder I haven’t had a chance to blog!  But I have missed it.  Those of you who journal know just how therapeutic it can be.  I will be blogging on all of this and more.  I am having a cup of coffee while my little girl sleeps well into the weekday morning.  We were all up until 4 A.M. with the noise the wind makes when it whips through our canyon.  My poor husband didn’t sleep at all.  He was like a guard dog over his family trying to figure out if the noise was actual damage to the house!  I look forward to sorting out the thoughts in my head and sharing with you.

We have a family friend who recently got married.  We are friends of the groom.  We know all about his love of fishing, hunting and camping.  He’s a guy’s guy!  When he shopped for a dining room table, he looked for one that would be strong enough to hold a car engine so he could work on it in his spare time! So, now, you have a picture in your head of the groom.  Now, he announces he is going to get married!  My friend Linda, the groom’s brother, told us how wonderful this woman is.  She is a beautiful, kind and loving woman.  But when I saw her wedding cake topper, I knew she was going to be a wonderful wife!

In the days of Bridezilla, I ask you how many reality shows do we need showing brides having meltdowns and tantrums?   And rarely, RARELY, do we even see the husband-to-be unless she is pissed at him or he inadvertently does something to piss her off!   Here is a breath of fresh air, a bride who truly loves her husband and took his likes and tastes when planning the wedding.  This bride knew her husband loved many outdoor activities and chose to include that in her wedding motif!  The groomsmen colors were camouflage and safety orange.  This told me that this lady had a fantastic sense of humor! The table decorations were also done in the sportsman’s theme.  Not at any time was this wedding a farce.  I see all of this as such a loving and genuine heartfelt gesture on the part of the bride towards her husband.  So many brides don’t even THINK to include the groom in HER special day!  It is all about HER colors, HER flowers, HER bridesmaids, HER Cake!  Some brides even insist on the type of ring HE will give her!

This marriage is going to work.  This husband and wife will have a marriage filled with love and acceptance.   This isn’t a woman who will throw her bouquet just to free up both hands to change her man.  She doesn’t want to change him. She loves him the way he is.  She isn’t going to make demands that he give up any of the activities he loves.  She publicly welcomed them into her life with him!  And….I think with a woman like this, he won’t be in such a hurry to leave to fish!

How many of us want to change our husbands?  Chances are if he loved sports, fishing, camping, computer technology or playing his guitar before you got married,  he always will love those things.

Men rarely ask us to change our likes and hobbies for them, why do we women continue to ask them to change for us?

We can all learn something from this very lovely bride.  Don’t you agree?

There is another big difference, a pit-bull mother will protect her litter. God help the person who tries to lay a hand on her puppies, the unfortunate person will withdraw a bloody stump! Not so with Sarah Palin! She is willing to sacrifice the happiness and safety of her children for her country. In Palin’s world, Country First, children are much further down the ladder. Apparently Sarah Palin disagrees with President Bush and believes some children should be left behind.

Her daughter’s future and happiness is at stake.
No one knows much about the engagement of her minor daughter and and her boyfriend, an 18 year old. We don’t know if he was convinced or if he stepped up to the plate. I do know that most mothers I have spoken to, don’t believe marriage is the answer to an unwed pregnancy. 50% of marriages end in divorce, I am sure the percentage goes up if you factor in teens, unwed pregnancy, lack of college education, and let’s throw this in, Bristol Palin’s life, the birth of her child and her marriage is going to be splashed across the media. Preach all you want about children being off limits, the fact is, her young life and all it entails is everyday conversation.

Her son’s safety is at stake.
Sarah Palin proudly announces the fact that her son is heading into the Army and the date he is leaving, (Sept 11th ,orchestrated?) for Iraq. How will this soldier be protected? Surely, as the son of the VP nominee of the U.S. Republican party, there will be a price on this soldier’s head. Why are putting his life and the lives of those in his platoon in even greater danger? Oh, I forgot, Country First.

Her special needs baby is at stake.
I have interviewed many parents regarding their special needs children. Not one parent I talked to ever talked about how to incorporate MORE work into their lives. They all spoke about constructing a career which would be more conducive to their child’s special needs. During her acceptance speech, that poor baby was passed down the aisle like cracker jacks at a Dodgers game! If her husband was stepping up to the plate, like everyone in the Palin camp says he is, why didn’t he hold his child for 30 minutes? A Down’s Syndrome baby can by hyper sensitive to noise and strangers; why are you allowing everyone, including a small child, to hold him? Photo op? Or maybe they are getting this baby used to all the different arms that he will be passed on while his mommy is putting Country First.

Would we be bringing all this up if Sarah Palin was a man? I would! The type of parent a person is reflects his or her character! I believe Sarah Palin is sacrificing her children’s safety, comforts and needs behind her own desire to be the VP.

So Sarah Palin, the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull may be lipstick, but the difference between you and a pit bull is that a pit bull even raised in the wild, would respond to her mother’s instinct and protect her puppies. You, on the other hand, with all your education and experience, are willing to allow them to be exposed to unsafe situations.

Hmmmm, let’s $ee, what could po$$ibly change thi$ boy’$ mind? How did he propose? Based on her positions on book banning, pro life, stem cell research and gay rights, I knew Sarah Palin was going to set women’s rights back 100 years, but really Sarah, to bring back the SHOT GUN WEDDING!

Bristol Palin, a 17 year old from a small town, unmarried and pregnant, which is an unbearable situation in the first place, has been thrust into the limelight and now is going to marry a recently “convinced” boyfriend.

If I were Bristol’s mother, I would ask her if she was ready for this baby. There are options besides abortion. This baby could have been adopted out to a wonderful family who was ready and willing to accept this child. But, an adoption would not fit into Sarah Palin’s overall plan to become VP. You see, because Sarah Palin puts country first, not family.

If I were Bristol’s mother, I would ask her if she loved this boy. I would ask her if she wanted to marry this boy. I would ask her if she knew that this was a life long commitment. But Sarah Palin is busy attaining her life long goals, you know, Country First!

If I were Bristol’s mother, I would ask myself if my daughter, at the tender age of 17, is ready for this very stressful pregnancy. The pregnancy of an unwed teen is full of stress and chaos, but this pregnancy situation is unprecedented. Truly, I couldn’t think of anything more complicated than living this through the unforgiving and relentless views of the press. But, we must remember Bristol, Country First! So, we need to put you, your unborn baby, your boyfriend and your unhappy manipulated marriage second.

If I were Bristol’s mother, I would step down and stand by my daughter’s side and protect her with all the mother bear instincts I had. I would put my daughter first. I love my daughter. My daughter is my flesh and blood. She is my gift. I never knew what unconditional love was until I had my first child, my daughter. How could I put my job, YES SARAH, A JOB, NOT COUNTRY first.

If you are willing to pawn your daughter off into a unhealthy marriage and unplanned and unwanted pregnancy (certainly we know the father feels this way) so you can pursue your job, then you are not the person I want in office.

You are willing to sacrifice some one you love for your own political gain, what would you be willing to do to me and my children?

Sarah Palin is a mother, and in four months she will be a grandmother. Even if I didn’t think her lack of experience and some of her positions regarding the rights of women were enough of a red flag, now we see that this hockey mom with such high moral standards, raised a daughter who had sex and got pregnant on her watch. That’s where I have the problem. How can Sarah Palin be the second in command of our country, or worse yet, the president of our United States of America, when she can’t keep and eye on her daughter at home, in her bedroom or a car? Look, I’m no Govenor of an entire state, but when my kids lived at home, I knew where they were and what they were doing. I made sure that any question they had regarding sexuality was answered, and if I didn’t have the answers, we found out together. They understood the seriousness and consequences of premarital sex and conducted themselves into adulthood with this vital information.

Am I saying that this girl who got pregnant underage and out of wedlock a reflection on her mother. You bet I am! It is her job to raise these children. If she has such high moral standards and is ready to impart them on me, why didn’t she do a better job imparting them on her own daughter.

Am I saying you should be held responsible for the actions of your minor child? Again, You bet I am! As long as those children are under 18, and not considered an adult, their actions and the consequences are my responsibility. It is my moral and legal duty to make sure my child adheres to the law. And what some people fail to remember, sex between minors is against the law.

This self proclaimed hockey mom needs to put her children first now. She has no business running for office, especially the second most important office in our country, while her daughter, a minor child, is going to give birth just a few months from now.

Please step down Gov. Palin and grant your daughter the peace and privacy she needs at this time. I understand this is the most important time ever in your career and this opportunity may only come once. But your daughter is going to have a child, an experience that will change her life. You have 3 other minor children to raise and you are needed at home.

I know you were a prisoner of war. As the wife of a former Marine, a former Marine who flies his POW flag every Memorial Day, we are a family who remember them in our prayers often. The fact that you were a POW seems to be your platform and your answer to everything.

The biggest slap in the face to middle class of America came when you said you didn’t know how many houses you have! Americans are losing their one and only home on a daily basis and you don’t even know how many you own! Obviously you can’t relate to the American people who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and a tank of gas to get to work to provide it all!

You are like a Catholic priest giving marital advice! You haven’t lived this life, how can you advise?

Even when you were asked to qualify days later about the homes you owned, you still danced around the issues talking about your blessings, and of course, your time without a home, a kitchen table, or a chair at all….

There are Americans who have nothing now! We are desperate for answers.

Here’s my question to you Senator McCain, do you fly the black POW flag with the silhouette of a captured soldier over ANY of your homes? Perhaps the homeowners association in those particular areas won’t allow it. It may “disrupt” the look of those perfect neighborhoods.

Just a thought.

Here’s one for the books; I was meeting with a producer in Hollywood. He kept checking his phone, which is normal for any one working in Hollywood. He said in a very calm matter, “We hired a new nanny and she left this morning with our son and has not been back for over 5 hours”. I asked, “Can you reach her on her cell phone or is there a service you can contact?” He answered, “No, we just hired her and she doesn’t speak a word of English.”. I was shocked beyond belief! He and his wife handed off their child to a total stranger. I am sure they picked her because of her price and not based on a face to face interview! This guy spent 10 grand on drapes for one living room and will probably be willing to pay 25 grand per year on kindergarten for this child, but in the meantime, why not hire the maid/nanny for the bare minimum she would accept. He had no way to reach her and she was a complete stranger. Why would I let this guy handle my career if he thought so little of his own son. I bet he did more research on his drapes!

So this is why I am so passionate about hiring housekeepers. If you need the help because you have long hours, a busy schedule or young kids, I get it. Hire someone. But be legit about it. Before you dash off your comments, let me get the record straight, I am of Mexican decent and donate time and services to the betterment and education of the Mexican people, not exploit them because I can save a buck.

She has even screamed at him on national television! She never wants these kids to get dirty! How the hell do you achieve that with 8 children under the age of 6! On the sextuplets birthday, she took them to decorate cupcakes and had an apron for each of them with their names on them. She then proceeded to “help” each one decorate the cupcakes and yelled the whole time! Jon wanted his kids to relax and have a good time on their freakin’ birthday! He pleaded with Kate to let them have fun, but there will be no fun as long as Kate is in charged! There will be 8 children dressed alike, spotless, with matching shoes and combed hair! Good for you Kate!

Kate better learn where her bread is buttered. Trust me, as a mommy who has sent two children out into the world, daddy is your best friend. Those kids leave and unless they need something, they don’t come home! If she let Jon parent those children, she would have a wonderful life. Let it go Kate! Give Jon back his balls and let him be a man. Let him be a father! Must you break his spirit as well as those 8 children? And if you continue to do this, you better be careful about hiring cute nannies!