Holla Hump Day

This week's shout outs go to…

…those who give honest answers. I'm sort of done with the standard "I'm fine" response. Actually, I'm really done with it. I feel like if someone asks how you are and all you've wanted to do that day is go back to bed or throw up you should be able to say that. OR, if you are on cloud nine you should be able to be all giddy and act like it. Come on people. Let's start a movement towards real answers and delete the word fine from our vocabularies. I had a "how are you" conversation with someone a few days ago and I got a real answer for the first time in a long time. It was quite refreshing.

…all of the powerful, brilliant, and inspiring groups of women I am fortunate enough to be a part of. There's my core group of high school/college friends that remains astonishingly large and dedicated, my blogging friends who I don't see often but adore, my doula sisterhood, and the most recent Mom's club I've joined. One of my daily prayers is for my daughters to have the good fortune of being surrounded by women who teach them, love them, and support them throughout their entire lives. It's a good thing I have plenty of my own to show them how it's done.

…Kid friendly venues. I get that there is a need for the fancy places where kids are not necessarily a part of the scene. But the lack of places where kids are welcome and even catered to can be frustrating. There is a cupcake place on Main Street in my part of town called Sweet Dee's Bakeshop that has an area with kids tables and a big chalkboard on the wall. Yes, it's a cupcake place. Their clientele includes children. The thing is, they also serve coffee and breakfast and adults are just as catered to. If I had the extra cash flow I would start a chain of coffee/breakfast/play/art places.  I truly believe that something like that would make some serious money.

And a few non-traditional ones for good measure…

* I appreciate timers. I use them religiously with my kids to mark transitions because I have no problem blaming the timer. "Sorry girls but the timer told us it's time to get out of the tub. I know, I know. That timer is so mean."
* Text messaging. I have loud kids. It's a simple fact, and while I try to teach about inside voices I also try to let my children be children. They can't help it that they were born with an exuberance that causes loudness. Therefore, I do not enjoy being on the phone when they are in play mode.
* Lastly, thank God for baby wipes. They scare the crap out of me and yet I can't live without them. I don't mean this in the sense of wiping behinds, but in the sense of cleaning everything else. Whatever the magical stain removing component/combination is I don't want to know. As a semi-crunchy mama I refuse to give up the insanely wasteful yet powerful baby wipe.

Happy Hump Day Lovelies!