Summer vacation... mom wants to run away.

So I've been really terrible about keeping up my blog. I mean terrible! The truth is that I'm maxed out keeping up with the business (which consumes most of my time) , kids out for the summer, and the husband who hurt his back.

So here we are, neck deep into summer and I have yet to write anything interesting. I reached out to my friends Gina, Katie and Kristen for some ideas since my brain is roasting in my non-air conditioned office! (That's right, currently it is 87 degrees in here!)

I have to admit, my friends are a lot more creative than I am. Suggested topics were: divorce and real estate, or crazy stories you've seen or heard of, like walking in on buyers having sex in a house they don't own or something, or how to spot and unscrupulous agent (Gina) or Summer vacation, every mom wants to run away.(Katie).

Gina, I love your idea, but haven't run in to buyers having sex,(yet) and the divorce stories...too long, and not sure how to tell the story of a grown man sitting at my desk telling me his wife left him for another woman. Oh wait, look, I just did!

Ok Katie! Here ya go!

I have honestly approached summer with equal parts, delight and dread. Like I'm sure most moms do!

I love the fact I don't have to get up while it is still dark, and try to convince my children that it is in fact morning. All of this knowing that in 30 min my 9 yr old will tell me she forgot she had homework, when in fact I did ask her the night before. I love that on Saturday my kids and husband stayed asleep till 10am! That's right, you heard me, 10am! I drank coffee and played on Pinterest for 2 hours. It was heaven!!!

Then there is the dread.....My mother in law taught my son how to dial my phone number. Where I think its a great idea for kids to know phone numbers, and I know my mother in law doesn't have a malice bone in her body, he calls me 15 times a day at the least.

Jaxon: "Mom I need you to come home right now!"
Me: "Why?"
Jaxon: " I wanted to give you a hug and a kiss"
Me: "Awe, that's sweet buddy, but I'm working so I can't"
Jaxon, long pitiful sigh,....."Ok..."

Sounds sweet right? Oh don't let that fool you. The next day I thought taking him to the regional airport would be nice since he loves planes and his cousin works there. When we got in the car, and I asked him to buckle his seat belt, his reply: "I don't bow to you!". I'll just stop there and let you use your imagination about what happened next.

Please share some of you summer stories with me!

10 Things I never said before I had kids

 The other day I said something to my son, and it got me thinking...I never would have said that before I had children.
So here it is, my list of 10 things I never said before I had children. 

1. Nipple twisting mom is not ok...
2. Where did you get that Sharpie? If its not washable it doesn't come through that door!
3. Is that Oatmeal or a bogger?
4. Please get your foot off your brother's face, I'm sure he doesn't want to smell your toes.
5. Can I just go to the bathroom ALONE!? PLEASE!!
6. I know the dog licked you first, but you don't need to lick her back!
7. Dude, for the 10th time PUT ON YOUR PANTS!
8. I'm sorry but no, you can't put your hot wheels in the microwave.
9. Why do you smell like pickles and chocolate syrup?
AND THE BEST FOR LAST..
10. No, mommies don't have penises. 

And the parent of the year award goes to.....Sit down Molly Curley!

Last week was back to school. Oddly enough our daughter LOVES school. She spent the first 2 weeks of summer vacation complaining about school being out. And to answer your question, yes, we have checked to see if the hospital made a mistake...

Turns out my brain is still fried from this summer's sunburns to remember to actually PICK UP my child. Total days in school have been 7, and I have forgotten to pick her up twice. **Insert disclaimer: the first time the Hubbs was suppose to do it and call me if he couldn't. After no phone call, I figured we were good. Then the infamous call. "Excuse me Mrs. Curley, we have Daphne here, and were wondering if you were planning on picking her up today?"
I was half tempted to tell the good woman on the other end that she would seriously be happier there cuddled up in one of the bean bag chairs in the Library than at home with her 5 yr old brother who loves to back up and fart on her. None the less, off I went, stopping at the Nestle Cafe to get ice cream to make up for my indiscretion.

Second time was this week. But I do have a good defense. Our school has an "early release day". Sounds nice, unless you're a working parent. They've had it for a few years now and have played around with different days of the week to have it on. And after numerous complaints from parents, last year they did the right thing and put it on Friday.  But we were not so fortunate this year. Wednesday.....yes, at 1:15pm.
This time the school, I guess, gave my benefit of the doubt, knowing it was only the second week of school and waited till 1:45 to call. Awe, yes a familiar voice "Hello again Mrs. Curley. It was early release today and Daphne is still sitting in our office. Were you planning on picking her up?"
OH GOOD GRIEF! I exclaimed as I shot past one of my agents, who was of course reminded me to stop and get ice cream to again make up for my indiscretion. (thanks for the pep talk Richard!)

Ok, so I may not get parent of the year award, but I feel better knowing I'm keeping the Nestle Cafe in business.

Check out the funny clip below!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfQR2sNsa-A

16 Years and Counting

So the Hubbs and I just celebrated our 16 year wedding anniversary. Well...correction, we defiantly acknowledged the day, but didn't really get to "celebrate". Turns out getting sick on your anniversary isn't conducive for much merriment. 

(The Hubbs and I at our Regional Convention)

But even though we were not doing great, I have a great story to attach.

Back when I was little my mom had this BEAUTIFUL rose wood buffet in our house. It was given to her just after she was married. I always loved that thing! 
In the right hand side door, I use to hide my candy in there so my brother wouldn't find it and eat it all. (for those of you who know him, I'm sure you can't imagine him doing such a thing!)

Unfortunately (for reason's that won't be shared on the internet) the buffet was practically destroyed. I was devastated! 
However, the other day I was at a listing appointment. As I was taking the tour with my new agent, there in front of the hallway was the EXACT same buffet! A overwhelming feeling of nostalgia came over me. Suddenly I was in my old living room, opening the door to sneak a 3 Musketeers bar before anyone saw me. 
There I was staring at this beautiful buffet and telling the home owner my story. She smiled and said that she was considering selling it. You can't imagine how happy I was! Of course I had to ask the hubbs before I committed. 
Keith knows how much it meant to me, so for my 16th Anniversary he bought me this buffet. (sorry I forgot to take a pix to put here) 
Words can't express how happy I am! This is by far one of the best presents he could have given me! 
Love you Keith, and I can't wait for an eternity of more anniversaries! 

What I would tell my younger self

I recently read a blog about what people would tell their younger self. It got me thinking. 17 was an awesome time for me. I was close to graduating high school, I ditched the braces, ache finally got better and I had me own car (yes bought and paid for myself, thank you!).
So, if I could sit down with myself at 17 what would I say?

 Mostly this:

1) Time is precious, so procrastinate effectively. Sounds like a contradiction, I know, but trust me on this.
2) Forgiveness is key in feeling truly free.
3) It's ok to tell people no. They will get over it.
4) Learn how to be a great friend. You don't realize you're making memories, you just know you're having fun!
5) Be respectful. No one one ever looks back and regrets being kind.
6) God only has 3 answers for you, Yes, Not now, or wait, I have something better planned for you. This is especially true for marriage.
7) Along with number 6, don't settle for less than what you deserve on love. Trust me on this, you WILL be happy with your decision!
8) Drink coffee or tea outside if possible.
9) Splurge on large bath towels.
10) Don't stop reading good books. It will be hard to find time, but get lost in them!
11) Being pregnant and giving birth is not as bad as everyone will scare you into believing. They have good drugs for that! Except morning sickness, sorry babe, that one sucks!
12) No matter how much you think you do, you do not need anyone to determine your value. You only need to know what you are worth.
13) Don't be afraid to ask for help. God and most people want to see you succeed, let them in.
14) No matter how bad it hurts, some people have walked out of your life for a reason, they are not worth letting back in.
15) Speak the truth and be proud of it.
16) Lastly, buy a puppy. A golden retriever. She will be the best dog you ever had.

The rationale of a working mom

Being a part of Generation X, I've had my share of jobs.
In high school, my first job was working at a farming supply store, odd babysitting jobs, worked as a CNA at the local hospital, and then my senior year I landed a job at the local bank working in the book keeping department. SCORE!
I kept this job throughout college. Now really the rest is history and I'm not going to bore you with the small intricate details of how I got to where I am now.  I love being a working mom! Even though some days are hard as all get out! There are big perks to being at the office, mainly speaking I can pee anytime I want with out someone banging on the bathroom door. And no, I'm not embarrassed that I just told you that.
With home management comes a WHOLE mess of stuff! (most of it I won't speak, because I shutter at the word ...laundry). Seriously I get that unless you are an OCD freak or really don't want to be around your kids, you as well as I have come to grips that, at any given moment you will look around and see the aftermaths of a child tornado.
Being a stay at home mom is super stressful. (Kristen, I know you are reading this, and yes, I'm ready to drink a bottle of wine and have an adult conversation ASAP!)
It's hard to keep it all together when the 4 yrs old is driving the 8 yr old crazy, the pot on the stove is burning and you notice the chihuahua is peeing on the Walmart grocery bag you left on the dining room floor.
Stay at home moms, this is a judge free zone! Working moms, this is a judge free zone! I applaud  you both! We have build our Mommy Skills and we like it that way!

Crap Happens, Especially At Work

I know what you are thinking, this is not news. But hear me out...

Since my son started preschool this year, it didn't make much sense for me to pick him up from school, and take him back to my mom's for 1.5 hours for me to finish work. However, I'm beginning to think its a good idea.  Only because I'm getting to the point where it would be better if Janice from

FRIENDS were here repeating "OH MY GOD!" for that time span than to have my son in the office! 

2 days ago I found him stripped naked, in the office bathroom, playing with bottles under the sink. He had pooped his pants. The best part is it was the 4th time this week and we are only on the 3 day of the work week. And that's just at the office! Don't get me started on at home!

Today he did it again.... I'll set the scene for you: I'm on the phone with a new buyer, ME: "So just wanted to call and let you know that your lender contacted me. Your pre-approval is ready! How soon do you want to start looking a houses?" BUYER: "I think the end of next week will work, can you do late Friday?"    JAXON in the background: "MOM!!....MOOOOOOOMMMM! I POOPED MY UNDERS!! COME WIPE MEEEE!!!"

(my naked son showing me he pooped his pants at my office)

BUYER: "Hummm looks like you're..humm very busy, I better let you go. How about you send me an email later when you have your hands free. (snicker, snicker)".

Yes, Crap happens, Especially at work.

My son & Roids

For the most part my summer has been pretty relaxed. Work hasn't been completely overwhelming, the kids have been fairly mellow. That is until last week. For some reason, it all decided to come crashing down on me last week.I find myself suddenly working with 5 new buyers (horay for me! Momma needs a paycheck!) I have 2 rentals opening up, one to be soon occupied, then my son decides to have an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite, to which the Dr. proscribed him STEROIDS. That's right you heard me!

His face stuck out over 1/2 inch!

My 4 year old son was on steroids for 3 days and once I thought his face looked fine I cut him off. Let me tell you, if they ever need a reason to torture POW's in America, they could just give my son a dose of these again and stick him in a room with prisoners. I guarantee that they will be begging for mercy in less than 4 hours!
I literally didn't get him to sleep before midnight for 3 nights, and he had no nap! So there is a mathematical equation for this kind of situation: 4 yr old + steroids = Mom's nerves in front of firing squad!
I think its time for a babysitter and a pitcher of margaritas!

It's Shower Time!

I'm hosting a baby shower next weekend for one of my besties! Now, when I say she is one of my besties, I truly mean in it in every sense of the word. She would cut off her left boob for me if she thought I'd need it, because lets face it, I DO. And with her one left she still has too much! (Love you by the way!)

(you can see her cleavage in this picture, but not mine, I rest my above case!)

When she came to me a few months ago and asked me this great honor I was totally floored!! I have done one bridal shower before, and it was really fun. So when this opportunity presented itself I couldn't pass it up. After hearing about a bad experience she had in the past, I wanted to make sure this shower was special!  So like the normal, I headed straight to Pinterest for ideas, and created a secret board. Of course I did that! As my friend, she also follows me, I can't let her in on all my secrets! Geez! But the few I have let her in on I'm planning on sharing with you today! If you are prego or know some one who is, these are some great tips to help you get stated.
1)

http://www.thedatingdivas.com/great-deals/16-gorgeous-done-for-you-baby-shower-printable-packs/

This site is a must if you are planning any sort of shower, boy, girl, gender neutral, and gender reveal  party! I know the prices have changed since I bought my pack, but for $28.00 you really get a LOT!

2) Card box: There are just times when you don't have the time or energy to look for gifts. Make sure you are ready for those guests. You need some sort of card station. 

I found this bird cage as a great solution, and gift to the mom to be as decoration later. Unfortunately I was not able to find one like this, but found something similar. 

3) Menu: When planning the menu think about what time you will have the party. I'm planning on 2pm. With it being in between lunch and dinner, I've decided on snacky stuff. Not gonna give away the whole menu, here, but its a good idea to pick things that are easy to prepare. You're gonna have a lot of other prep work, so don't over extend yourself with complicating the food. 

4) Baby wishes: Baby showers are mostly about adorning the mom to be with gifts and advice. This is not my friends first rodeo. She has 2 boys, and let me tell you they are BOYS! So really what other advice can she get? None.

That's where "Baby Wishes" come in handy. I have, out of the printable pack mentioned above, baby wishes cards. I will give one to each guest and have them filled out. When the shower is done, they will go into a book for Mommy to read and share with her daughter later. 

5) Decor: Depending on how elaborate you want to be, (and by that I mean how much you want to spend) there are some wonderful ideas on Pinterest. I won't share mine here only because, Kristen, I know you're reading this and I'm not about to give you a spoiler alert!

6) Games: In the pack above, there are some really cute games. None of these "Let's get some string and see how fat we think you are!" games. (Come on, you all know you've been to that shower with that game!)

These games get mom to be and guests involved. Sure to be a hit!

I hope you have fun planning your next baby shower as much as I have enjoyed planning this one. Please post a comment or picture below!!

Hashtag Mommyhood

When you become a parent you make an instant transformation. You know like Clark Kent in the phone booth turning in to Superman!

That's right, average Jane becomes a superhero in the blink of an eye!
I know many of my friends out there who have been parents for a while, or who have become parents again recently.

My question to you is this: What is you Hashtag Mommyhood/Daddyhood moment?

We all have them! Like taking our kids to dinner and spending more time in the bathroom than actually eating. Or big boogers? NO problem, you'll pick those nasty things up and wipe them on your pants if you have to! Laundry? You have so much of it you're considering turning you family in to a nudest colony.
You are not against taking a glass of wine and your iPad into the bathroom and locking the door, regardless of whether or not you have to poop! Or my personal favorite, I can't remember to put my grocery  list in my purse, but I know exactly where Daphne's blue head band that matches her blue, green and back summer dress is!
So please enter your hashtag mommyhood/daddyhood moment in the comment section below!

Teacher Appreciation

This is the last week of school!! Hallelujah! Some my think I'm crazy, but I'm so ready to have my daughter home! She, on the other hand LOVES school and is NOT happy its ending. She has cried every night because she is going to miss her Teacher. (who is not coming back next year due to family illness)
I got this great idea from another blogger about what she appreciated about her teachers. So I decided to do the same thing, here it goes:

Kindergarten : Mrs. Newsome~ Thank you for sitting me down and asking me how to make chocolate chip cookies, writing down my recipe. Then at my high school graduation framing the recipe and gifting it to me! :)

1st Grade: Mrs. Skinner~You were always so unbelievably patient and kind. Loved singing in your class and the cutting boards we made with flowers and ribbon for our parents (or just my mom). Also when I think about the months of the year, I see them in my mind on the walls of your classroom ;)

2nd Grade: Mrs. Hugley ~ I searched and searched for something nice to say about you (seriously). You were so mean I had nightmares about you for months. Long enough that my mom had to talk to you and the school board about it. What I learned from you: When you are mean and nasty, it always comes back around.

3rd. Grade: Mrs. Pearson~ I learned that women at 65 years of age really didn't have fire engine red hair naturally.

4th Grade: Mrs. Smith~ You brought your bike for the bike rodeo and rode along with your class cheering us on, and bought snow cones for us on field and track day.

5th Grade: Mrs. Winkelman~ Thank you for introducing me to a love of reading (Where The Red Fern Grows) !
6th Grade: Mrs. Stenson~ I learned that even though we can have major faults, there are always people that truly care about our well being. (Also I learned that kids that age desperately need deodorant!)

9th Grade: Mr. Brown (my math teacher) He taught me that bullying was never ok (I punched a boy in his class for snapping my bra, and he didn't send me to the office!)

10th Grade: Mrs. Huffman~ Thank you for teaching me it was ok to be myself and to be silly all at the same time. Thank you for putting me in the play "A Yankee in King Author's Court".

11th Grade: Mrs. Schmizer ~ Thank you for teaching me that history was defiantly important, but that sometimes getting Maple long johns from Rip Griffins was more important! (my fav!!)

12th Grade: Mrs. Overboe~ Thanks for teaching me I was spelling "Remember" wrong for 12 years, that size is not always that important, and most girls with blonde hair have dark eyebrows.

Things You Should Never Say To A Working Mom

Ok, I decided (after not seeing any comments on this blog) to see how many people are actually reading this blog. So here is the game:
I want my readers to leave 1 comment containing something you should NEVER say to a working mom. (let's keep it clean!)
Example: "Don't you miss your kids during the day?"
Alright.............GO!

A Working Mom in Real Estate

I can still clearly remember the day I chose to go into Real Estate. I was working as a receptionist at an auto body shop, and an agent came in to get his car fixed. It was May 2005 and I was so tired of people yelling at me because they needed a new alternator. My husband and I had talked about me becoming a Realtor for a long time, but I didn't think I had what it took. But I couldn't stand the thought of getting yelled at any more for $7.50 an hour 40's a week!
I wanted to work, I needed to work, so I decided to take the plunge! I bought my course and went to work for the agent who had come into the shop. I would later learn, that was my first mistake in Real Estate.
Half way though my course I found out we were having our first baby. Let me tell ya how fun it was sitting in the testing room taking my CO and National licensing test! I was about 4 months along and would have to run out of the room every 15 min to puke in the bathroom! Needless to say I finally passed my exam and after my daughter was born, she started coming to work with me.
I'll be honest, a good 1/2 of my career has been a bit of a blur. Mostly since my second child was born. There has been moments when I was in the middle of trying to save a deal over a water filtration system, when my mother in law calls and tells me my son has an ear infection and since its bleeding I might want to come home and take him to the Dr. I even once hid from my husband (who is a major germ a phobic) who was gagging, carrying a toddler with poopy pants looking for me just so I could secure a listing.
Not really proud of that last one, but got some great laughs when my husband found me.
Now this is the part where you say, sanctimoniously, that I need to set boundaries with my clients or work hours. You know what? I tried. Honestly I tried time blocking (which worked for a while), but the fact is that in the Real Estate industry there are time sensitive issues that come up at the MOST inconvenient times. And my children are pros at making sure I have plenty of obstacles!
In the past I have sat down, created the most efficient, well balanced schedule, and inevitability some one comes in that morning and pukes on me! Within less than 24 hours my perfect calendar will fall to pieces.

When it comes down to it, it may seem as if I'm a walking disaster, but I honestly believe that as a mom, that makes me a great Realtor. Working with first time home buyers, I am tirelessly trying to help them make pertinent decisions.  And if anyone tries to mess with them, my "momma bear" instinct will kick in! If you have had a major life change, I will be there, worrying with you and trying my best to make the process easier for you. As a parent, I know how difficult children can be, so when you are 15 minutes late to a showing, or to meet me at my office because your kids refused to put on their pants, don't worry! You won't here me say a thing except, "I have toys in the corner or what DVD would you like to watch while I talk to your mom and dad?"
The fact is, is that it is not only my duty to make you feel like your interests are being protected, its my JOB to SHOW you this!
I have just entered into my 8th year as a Realtor. It has taken me a while to figure out that I can't squeeze 45 min of work into a 25 min time span. But I have learned  valuable lessons in these 8 years, I have met some amazing people, and learned that being a Realtor has afforded me opportunities to be involved with my children in ways I could never be if I had a 8-5 job! This is something I will NEVER regret doing!
Here is one final thought:

Laundry Fairy

So there is a "mommy blog" out there that I have fallen in love with. Its not like the blogs I posted about a few weeks ago. This one is super funny, and more realistic. By the way, big shout out to my friend Jamie who helped me discover this one!:)
I read a post from this woman the other day that was talking about how her mother loves, and I mean LOVES to do laundry. It struck a cord with me. When I was about to marry my honey, one of the biggest things I could not wait to do was wash, fold and put away his laundry. I promise I wasn't on crack! Just the thought of taking care of him like that made me happy.
Fast forward 14.5 years & 2 kids later....I'm ready for my laundry fairy!
When my mom use to come visit me, that was one of the things that I loved the most. She as well loves to do laundry. The only thing she hates about it is putting it away. I remember when I was little, she was so happy sitting on our couch folding laundry, we kids would line up and she would hand us piles to put away.
We moved my mom here 3 years ago and now instead of coming over and doing my laundry, she has just decided to add to it. The other thing my mom loves is buying socks and underwear. I never have to buy my kids or husband these items because she does it! Which, don't get me wrong is really nice, but....it makes more laundry......
I'm hoping that maybe there was a laundry fairy, but I'm pretty sure I may find her dead at the bottom of my laundry hamper.

I HAVE A GUEST BLOGGER!!

Ok we can all admit I'm not the best blogger. But what I have begun to notice is that on a lot of popular blogs, the originator of the blog isn't either!
They have guest bloggers, their mom's, their co-workers, best friends, you name it!
So I have decided to go with the flow. To day I have asked a wonderful friend to be a guest blogger for me.
And when I say she is wonderful, I mean it in every sense of the word. She is the kind of friend that pushes you at the gym, bakes hundreds of goodies for her kids bake sales, is humble to a fault, and you had better not mess with her friends! And looking gorgeous while doing it all! She won't admit any of it, but I promise it is all true!
So with out further ado, her Andrea Oaks-Jarmillo!

When Molly asked me to be a guest blogger I was naturally uber excited, what a privilege to be included in someone else’s world of blogging. Then, I had a moment of panic! What was I going to write about? Was I going to funny or serious, witty, am I witty? I settled on this, kid stuff, this I know well. I am not claiming to be a “wonder” parent that I am not. I, like all other good parents, am hoping to instill love, values, compassion and understanding within my kids and at some point get a full nights’ sleep again. Sometime.

            With two older kids (7 and 9) I see a lot pressure to succeed, be the best at sports, excel academically, be a child protégée. That’s all great, I am my kids’ biggest fan but, what about being a kid? Playing in the dirt, paint your face with liberal amounts of color that never come out of washcloths and telling secrets in treehouses? We need to remember to cheer our kids on but let them enjoy themselves. Not everyone is going win, that’s why it’s called a competition. Losing is ok, it’s a learning experience. Not everyone is going to be a CEO, heaven knows I’m not the head of an international travel company that samples chocolate.

My point is, they grow up too quickly, we try to force a lot upon them. I’m guilty of it too. I have seen a lot of parents trying to live vicariously through their kids, DON’T. It’s bad for you and them. They are going to be the best they can be because you taught them to believe in themselves and to get back up when they stumble. If you want accolades for achievements in sports or fitness put down your latte and go to the gym for a minute. Your body will thank you and your kids will shine on their own. This goes for art, music and academics. Teach your kids that you are willing to learn and falter with them. I guarantee that they will be as proud of you as you are of them.

Gearing Up For A Super Weekend!

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it or not but I live in Colorado. So I'm sure that you can understand the title of this post is very important since it's Super Bowl weekend and the Broncos are playing this year!
My husband and his family are, bronco fans (brother-in-law especially, avidly), as am I to a certain extent. The game of football is been explained to me many times, but I just don't care to keep the knowledge in my head. So I ask my husband every year, which I'm sure drives him crazy, but he always smiles politely and explains it to me again.
Since we are still in the process of building our house we were invited over to a friends for a Super Bowl party. It's great because our friends that invited us over have been close friends for several years, they have invited several other close friends. We all have kids so they run around like crazy, (I will apologize in advance to Alicia for my children making a mess out of her house), there's always way too much food, good beer, and tons of laughter!
We never really do a formal dinner when we all get together, it's more like everybody brings appetizers.
My husband and I have been experimenting with a few different things that we wanted to take this year ( and by we, I mean I cook it and my husband eats it, then approves or disapproves. Must be hard on the poor guy!)
Believe it or not our first recipe was a hit and we decided to take it. So here it goes, my recipe for my Super Bowl appetizer: stuffed mushrooms wrapped in bacon
( you can adjust the recipe depending on how many people you will be feeding. I will be feeding close to 30 people so I'm not going to put the ingredients for that many people)
Ingredients:
2 jalapeno peppers
1 pound of sausage ( I use Jimmy Dean pork sausage)
2 lbs of white button mushrooms
1 package of cream cheese
2 lbs of cheap bacon
A pinch of garlic salt, salt and pepper

Start browning the sausage, dice the jalapenos and put in meat.
Once done, add cream cheese to meat.
In the mean time, stem and core out the mushrooms.

Kitchen helper #1 

Kitchen helper #2, Keith making Elk Fajitas while I do the mushrooms

Kitchen helper #3, ok not really helping, wanted to lay on my dirty floor & pester me!

Diced goodness!!!

No much sexier than a man in the kitchen!!

Ok, is cuteness a culinary skill? If so he's got it down!!

Stuff the mushrooms with sausage cream cheese mixture

Wrap them in bacon and bake at 375 for 30-40 min. 

Eat and enjoy!!

Even though the Broncos lost, the sun will still set in blue and orange since I live in Bronco country!

Blogging on Mommy Bloggers

So far this week seems to be dragging on. I'm not sure if its because I think spring should be around the corner or because I am officially over this cold weather.

When I started this blog I had such great ambitions to "fill the social net work about the funnies of being a working mom" and maybe throw out there some helpful tips on Real Estate in the process. But, it seems like I have not accomplished either one.
Not for lack of want, but lack of writing ability.
I decided to do a search on top mommy blogs, thinking it might give me some inspiration. "What are working mom's blogging about??" I asked myself, hoping to find some funny anecdotes, or work horror stories that might make some of mine not seem so terrible.
You know what I found? Nothing............ Maybe, if I had felt like browsing though 9 zillion blogs, I could have found something, but I like many moms, suffer from MUDD, (Motherhood Unintentional Distraction Disorder).
What I did find is that there is a TON of mommy blogs that have moms who do DIY everything, make meal plans 3 years in advance (all organic of course), remodel their homes with out contractors, have full time jobs and 10 kids. And on top of it all they find time for date nights with the hubby.
All I could think about reading these is "How in the heck do they do all this?!".
I mean, most of the time I am the queen of time frames! I'm so obsessed with them that I will think about times days in advance. Example: Had to travel for work last Wednesday, hubby decided to go (who by the way has no concept of time),I thought about what time to tell him for 3 days before hand so I would not be late! (which I still was because, again he has no concept of time).
So Mommy Blog World, here is my question to you: HOW DO YOU DO IT? How do you do get up in the morning make breakfast,  pack lunches for all kids, take them to school, soccer practice, do 20 loads of laundry (washed, folded and put away) make freezer meals for 2 months and 4 DIY projects all in one day? Did you find an extra 12 hours in the day?
Hopefully anyone reading this won't think I'm a hater of these mommy bloggers! Its quite the opposite, I'm mesmerized by them.
PLEASE, PLEASE mommy bloggers, I am your Padawan! I'm willing and ready....oh wait gotta go pick up my kids....

No, I'm not that mom

Before I had my kids I defiantly had a vision of what kind of mom I would be. And by this I mean I would be in restaurants where children were running around screaming with spaghetti plastered to every inch of themselves and think to myself, NEVER, never will I allow my future children to do this!

And to some extend I have managed that. When we go out to eat the kids are not allowed to wonder the restaurant and behave like hyenas. However I have had my moments in the grocery store where if I am not walking down the middle of the isle, my son has an amazing "wing span" and will grab anything and everything  and throw it on the floor or in our cart. 

I am very blessed in the sense that my office manager allows me to bring my kids to the office when I need to. Some days babysitters are just not available and I needed a job that would be sensitive to my situation. I'm also blessed that Real Estate affords me to do this.

Daphne has been coming to work with me literally since she was a month old. Jaxon as been a bit of a different story. He has come with me as well, but dynamite comes in small packages. He was not content sitting there watching videos. No, he is mostly about chaos and mess. Case in point:

But though out my journey thus far as a mom, I have come to the conclusion that, no I'm not that mom that I originally thought I would be.

I will end up giving my kids candy with high fructose corn syrup. I will give them cold pizza in the morning because I'm too rushed and too tired to make breakfast at 6 am.  I will be giving my son chocolate milk in the mornings because that is the only way I can get him to drink milk period.

I have ended up picking up my daughter from school in my PJ's just because I was just to sick to think about what all the other mom's would think of me! (something that I also told myself I would never do!)

And in the end will my children remember the mom who gave them chocolate milk in the morning and they were happy, or will they be mad because I should have read labels and not given them No. 2 yellow dye in their mac & cheese?

For now, I like to think that they would be happy with the chocolate milk. 

Summer 2013 Camping!!

I know its been quite a long time since I have been blogging, however I do have a good excuse. SUMMER!
Yes, not only is summer one of my busiest times of year Real Estate wise, its also the only time we have to really get out in full blown nature with the kids. We decided to take a whole 5 days this year and packed it up to the hills with the kids and some close friends for a camping trip! Had a wonderful time!

This is La Jara Reservoir 

Our camping spot overlooked this lovely piece of the mountains! We rode dirt bikes, did a little hiking, fishing, and Daphne got her first BB gun so Dad of course started the proper lessons:)

Jaxon was busy doing what ever he could, which was fine with me since usually I'm trying my best to keep him out of things at home. Here we see him with a wild beast of nature!! If you ever encounter one in the wild, PLEASE use extreme caution! lol

We took naps!

Played with GLOW STICKS!

And of course Daphne's art work had to be displayed for the next campers to enjoy. It was a blast watching her paint!

Jaxon saw his first double Rainbow! Reminds us of how precious God's promise is! What a great way to teach our children how fully He keeps his word!

Of course I had to tame the most wild creature found in the forest! Love!

And of course no camping trip would be complete with out friends/family!

Oh and at least one kid being dumped off a small motorcycle into a mud puddle....

Hope you and your family had a splendid summer making beautiful family memories! 

Phrase of the day: "Mom Guilt"

It seems like lately the guilt monster has been creeping up on me. About what?
Lets see.....
Crazy work schedule
Why can I get my house sold so I can finish the other and take some stress away?
Not having physic abilities about what my 3 year old needs, 6 year old can at least tell me.
Was I too laxed in that discipline, was I too harsh?
Are the kids growing properly
Are the activities I have them involved in stimulating them enough?
Why is my 6 year old acting like a cartoon character one day and then asking to be a teenager the next?
Just wanting a break from kids, work, house, just wanting me time!

I know as a mom I am truly doing my best, and I do fall short. But does guilt really have any benefit?
NO! Guilt will not make things better, but 99.9% of the time, worse.
As you can see from the list above I can quite put my finger on EXACTLY what is making me feel most guilty. Maybe it's a combo of everything.
I read a blog by Jamee Tenzer about this very topic. Here are 3 tips she gave in order to help ease our guilt:
1) What are you feeling most guilty about? Be specific! Try to set aside some time to play that game or read that one book before bed.
2) Ask yourself if you feel guilty because you actually feel you should be doing something different or because you feel other people are judging you. This is a HUGE thing for me. Make peace with the idea that most mom's have their own "guilt's" they are dealing with and feeling judged, and are more than likely not thinking or judging you.
3) If you are feeling guilty, find an action you can take to turn the situation around. I know easier said than done. For example, Jamee said: "“I’m guilty because I’m not making dinners from scratch every night,”  can be changed to “I’m going to add one more dinner each week that I make from scratch by planning it ahead of time and asking my partner and children to pitch in and help.”

And to all the Moms out there, keep doing a fantastic job!