I found a Throne for my Prince!! Will it help?

In training C, I find its much harder than with the girls. While researching the Internet for ideas, I found his throne. Its cheaper than the one I purchased but I really want it. Do you think this will encourage my little prince to go wee wee into the potty or will it make not a difference.

He sits on the potty for 2 minutes and says, "I went potty". I tell him that he didn't pee pee or pooh pooh into the potty and he claims emphatically, "YES I DID!!". What is a mother to do?

The girls were so much easier, in 2 weeks, they pee peed in the potty and doing the #2 business was harder. C only holds it until he can't anymore and then goes into his pull up.

Any suggestions would be great. I think I may have to get my prince a throne and maybe he then can be King of the Potty.

Hope you had a great weekend. I am off to accept the potty challenge once again.

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I am going to defend Lindsey Lohan in this incident

I can't believe I actually watched Nancy Grace but after reading the 911 tape and seeing the tmz.com interview with the 3 guys in the GMC truck, I believe the media has it wrong. The woman on the phone doesn't answer police questions due to her fright. She kept saying "HE" and not she. "HE got out of the car"; "He had a gun or was pulling something out", "Oh my God, what is HE doing". Not once did she say "She".

Also, the 3 guys are not small guys. They are lanky with height. How did Lindsey overcome ALL 3 guys. No matter how much you drink, someone who weighs 100 lbs tops, can't fight off 3 guys with average weight of 180 lbs (I'm guessing). I am sure they knew she was Lindsey Lohan and she had run ins with the police. They were probably thinking they could add this to their notch belt of being really cool.

This is the synopsis of what I believe what occurred:

Her assistant invited her boyfriend who brought 2 friends to a party that she was attending with Lindsey. Her and Lindsey got into a fight. Assistant quits. Calls her mom and leaves the party. Lindsey runs out to try and stop her. Mom drives off. Lindsey looks for her transportation. The guys say, "Come on we'll take you". The car was sitting at the assistant's house when mom pulls up. Mom didn't recognize the vehicle. Guy gets out. Mom freaks out and leaves. Chase pursues. Truck finds assistant and mom calls police. The guys freak out when the police arrive and claim to be innocent. Police zero in on Lindsey. Boys see "Money coming for potential lawsuit". Call my agent. Media knows that they can get ratings by running the "Lindsey did it again".

One of the guys said that she ran over his foot. The bandage and boot looked homemade. If a hospital did that poor of a job wrapping it, then they should go back to nursing school.

Don't get me wrong, Lindsey isn't perfect but she had a lot of enablers to help her to get to where she is now. Bars allowing under age drinking going on and the ABC Board doesn't pull there alcohol license. Her mom is more interested in being popular than being a mother who should have put her foot down. A dad with a drug and alcohol problem who I believe may have straightened himself out. Her friends are "yes men" and no one wants to rock the cart. After all Lindsey picks up the tabs and she gets into all the "hot" places. Whose gonna to tell her to grow up.

Before, we jump to conclusions, lets everyone take a lie detector test to get to the truth. Yes, she had cocaine on her. I believe its hers. She should take accountability for what she does and not blame the paparazzi. She needs a parent with a backbone.

Normally, I don't get involved in celebrity issues but this one has too many loopholes.

What do you think?

Have a great weekend.

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Richmond SPCA said it best regarding Michael Vick

Robin Starr has stated what I have a hard time doing regarding Dog Fighting (in general) and the circus regarding the Michael Vick Case. For this reason, I copied it from my email from the Richmond SPCA to share with you.


On July 26, a group of us from the Richmond SPCA waited for hours in the heat to be present in the Federal District courtroom for the arraignment of Michael Vick and his co-defendants on dog fighting charges. It was worth the wait.
The proceedings were predictable and dignified in nature although you would never use those adjectives to describe the scene outside of the courthouse. There were hundreds of people there to mourn the dogs and to make the world aware of the unspeakable cruelties they have suffered. There were also Vick supporters present who seemed to reject the idea that he had committed the wrongs of which he is charged and even a few that disparaged the premise that dog fighting is a heinous crime. There were also some people who tried to make this out to be a racial issue.
As long as we have worked to make the public aware that dog fighting is a widespread underground activity of organized crime and brutal gangs, it was rewarding to me to see these men being brought to justice. While they are only the tip of the iceberg, the enormous amount of attention being paid to this matter gives me hope that the public’s outrage will translate into real progress in stopping this barbarism.
I am offended at the effort to make this out to be a racial matter. This is a matter of cruelty, nothing else. If the horrific allegations prove to be true (and the prosecutors indicated that there would be more to come), there is no excuse that can be made for these crimes. Animals are our companions and our friends who share this earth with us. They love us regardless of our color, class, religion or any other factor. They do not deserve to be brutalized and our society does not deserve the effects of such brutality. Let’s all acknowledge this sadism for what it is and, if these men are convicted, let the court know that the maximum sentence is the only appropriate response.
I will be writing a series of commentaries on the animal welfare issues related to the Vick prosecution for the Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial pages as the case progresses. Please be looking for them over the coming few months. Thank you so very much for helping the Richmond SPCA to protect the well-being of the animals who need us.
Sincerely,


Robin Robertson Starr

Thanks Robin for speaking my thoughts so eloquently.

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I'm in First Place

A few weeks back, my husband was asked to help out with a class held by a mutual friend. He thought it would be a great idea. He asked me to come and support them and thinking that it would be a great thing for us to do together. So, I did and that's how I ended up in First Place which came at a perfect time as August is a stressful time for me.

First Place is a bible study series that focuses on putting God in First Place in your life to help everyday victory for everyday people regarding weight loss and becoming healthy spiritually. I thought well, I can always lose weight as it would make me healthier and a great excuse to stay in my Bible which I seem to neglect at times. I don't want to be a Sunday only Christian but an every day Christian.

One of the reasons that August is so stressful for me is because its the time when C usually meets with his orthopaedic doctor. I want C to walk without aids and to run as any 4 year old. C's doctor mentioned on one occasion that we may have to do surgery. I'm not a big fan of that as when C had surgery at 9 days old, he didn't come out of the anesthesia for 24 hours. It was a terrifying time for me. So, when we see Dr. T, I get nervous. Also, since C is growing that means we need to get sized for bigger braces to accommodate his feet. This is usually expensive. Our out of pocket expenses usually range around $500 which is what the insurance doesn't cover.

So this bible study came at a great time. During the second week of the bible study, we work out of a workbook and it struck me in an interesting way that we were studying the following verse:

2 Samuel 9, 1-13: David and Mephibosheth
3 The king asked, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet."
4 "Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."
5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.
6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "Your servant," he replied.
7 "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."
8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11 Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's [a] table like one of the king's sons.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet.

It struck me that the Bible Study led me to this verse regarding crippled feet. This brought comfort to me for I realized that God will look after C no matter what happens.

In Sunday School Class, this past Sunday, we were doing our bible study in Acts. This was the verse that we studied that made sit back and say to myself. God, thank you! I know that you will answer my prayers in your time.

Acts 14 : 8In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

I don't believe in coincidence. I believe everything has a reason. I am glad that my Faith is what is keeping me sane in this world and God does hear our prayers. Sometimes the answer is no and sometimes its a yes. I am starting to keep a prayer journal so I can see the yes' and nos. I remember a lot yes' in my life and quite a few nos.

I am so glad that I am in First Place. Now , maybe I can go through August without my normal stress and nervousness. Time will tell as C sees Dr. T on August 2 and gets fitted up on August 3rd, Chris' birthday.

Here's hoping you receive your daily blessing~

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Potter Puppet Pals in

This should keep you entertained while we wait for the release of Harry Potter. My husband just "loves" this..NOT!!

Have a Hogwarts Night,

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I'm sorry kids, Spongebob died last night!

Last night at 11:13pm, Spongebob died. We don't know the cause but its still sad the same. When I called home today, I told the kids how sorry I was about Spongebob. They took it pretty well. The girls were happy that it wasn't there hermit crab. It was Cs.

We've had the crabs for almost a week and Spongebob never did move a lot and it appeared that he rested in one place while the others were natural gymnasts. Chris took the C and K to Pet Smart to pick out another hermit crab. Pet Smart was real nice and let them get one of their choosing for free.

We haven't named this one yet but he appears to be another gymnast and is getting along well with his room mates. I will miss Spongebob. His shell was painted blue with Spongebob on his back. He was big and came out when I tsk! tsk! him.

Rest In Peace Spongebob and may you have a great night

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My kids made me proud

Yesterday why I was at work, one of the fuses blew in the house. Yes, we still have a fuse panel in our house. With the fuse blown, and we were out of fuses, there wasn't any air conditioning on the first floor of the house. We have oscillating fans that are 4 ft tall that help with air movement. When I called home to check on the kids they didn't complain about the temperature of the house. My mom was the one to tell me that the fuse was blown and we needed more fuses.

B was reading her book. She wants to read 12 books this summer so she can get a book award from her soon to be 3rd grade teacher. Her Magic Tree House book starts with a riddle and she wanted to know my guess so she could write it down to see who the winner was. The riddle is dark and hard as a rock but deep inside you will find beauty. What is it? So I gave her my answer.

K was working in her 1st grade math workbook. She wants to do well in school so she thought she would try and do 1st grade math. She said she was having fun and was glad that she had the book.

C was in his room and playing with his assortment of trucks and cars. He loves his trucks and cars. He was making them go crash and go on trips.

Instead of complaining, they were entertaining themselves and having fun. The TV was off and the house was quiet which is rare for us. When the kids were doing their own thing, I can tell you that I was amazed and proud to be their mom. I'm sure I would have complained and made Chris go to Home Depot to get the fuses.

We can learn a lot from our kids if we just sit back and watch. I hope you have a cool day tomorrow and remember to be thankful in all circumstances.

The answer to the riddle: an oyster.

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The Legacy Ended Today

Well, today was the final day. The kids had fun. Mom was hot. Hopewell had a chance to shine as the kids visited Weston Manor and St. Dennis Church.

First up, Weston House, B learned that George Washington was the hero of his day. Society at that time looked at George Washington the way many today look at Hollywood Stars. The girls also learned about the architecture of the house and that by not having as a deep of a fireplace as was the standard, the fireplace actually produced enough heat to warm the house.

C's favorite part was the bulldozer that was outside knocking down the tree that was causing some issues with the house. Because the height of the tree shaded part of the house, the house was unable to ward off dampness from the walls causing some of the wallpaper to peal.

K's favorite part was the gift shop and the toys from George Washington's day. She got to see a playhouse made out of a shipping crate that was actually still in pretty good condition. She thought that it was pretty cool to make something from an old crate that you could play with.

The next stop was St. Dennis Chapel. The Chapel was beautiful but is now a museum that houses the variety of Hopewell China that was produced between 1920 - 1945. The kids weren't thrilled with the plates except for 2 pieces. One featured children where the plate looked like a portrait was taken and made part of the plate. The 2nd plate was one with children's rhymes on it which they thought were way cool.

The kids got to visit Hopewell and learn that even though there is a lot of history in Richmond, which is where we originated, the Petersburg Tri Cities has a lot to offer. They now appreciate what they have now because of where our ancestors came from.

Here's to the past have a great night.

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The Music Made Me Do IT!!!

Today, I met my husband for lunch at Jersey Mikes for our weekly meeting of the minds. We usually will have a discussion where we agree or disagree on a particular item. Today we agreed. After leaving Jersey Mikes to head back to work, I was flipping through the radio stations (Radio Disney - please no more!!, AFR - Talk Radio, I want music, K95, same old stuff, then I found Lite 98). AHHH!

I hate when I can hear music from other cars. I appreciate all types of music except I really hate lyrics that use curse words in them. I believe there is enough words in the English language including slang to use without the use of curse words. As I said, I found Lite 98 and I had my windows down. The first song I heard was Kool and the Gang singing "Celebration". Something really bad happened. I turned up my radio, started doing the car dance (you know the dance, all upper body movement) and singing with the song. I was having a blast. Kool and I were having our own "Celebration".

Next up, ABBA "Dancing Queen". This is when I really got cruel. I cranked up my radio as loud as I could stand, did my car dance and in my off key, tone deaf voice, I sang ABBA and I liked it. The cars next to me were looking at me like I was a loon. I didn't care. I kept on singing. The red light must have been like nails on the chalkboard to the guy sitting next to me.

I have to admit I love ABBA and the songs from the 70s and 80s. I had a blast. I know it was cruel to expose my lack of singing ability to the other commuters, but sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do. So I did. I was cruel and I liked it.

Here's to your favorite song and car dance.

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Popcorn Can Kill YOU!!!

We went to the movies last night to see the latest Harry Potter and was eating my popcorn. It was pretty good and then my mind went to a friend of mine whose daughter died from eating popcorn. I haven't seen Nicole in about a year. Her husband was transferred to Tacoma Washington and Hailey was 9 months old.

Our church has a website for prayer requests and my husband was looking at it when he told me that he some bad news. His next words were so surreal, Nicole's daughter, Hailey died because a piece of popcorn got stuck in her throat and they nor the paramedics could get it out. I am so saddened about this. Haily was a few months shy of turning 2 years old. Nicole has 3 boys that are all boys and when Travis was about 2, she discovered that she was pregnant. She prayed for a girl. God blessed her with this beautiful baby girl and now she's gone.

Who would have thought popcorn could choke you. I know I never did. I knew it got stuck in my teeth but not in my throat. So if you have little ones, please be careful and not to feed them popcorn.

My prayers are with Nicole, Casey, Michael, Justin and Travis. I know that you are truly devastated and my heart goes out to you.

We love you!!

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I hope they don't get naked!!

I have never received a phone call like this at work and after today I hope I never will again. I was having a wonderful day at work when my mother called to let me know that she was having problems with our stressed out hermit crabs. It seems that when they get stressed out due to lack of water, they climb out of their shells and run around shell less. She was in a panic and didn't know what to do. I told her how to prepare the water and she said that she would call me back. 20 minutes later she calls me back and the hermit crabs (Spottie and Dottie) were relaxing in the water and climbing back into their shells. A few months later they died.

That was 2 years ago. Today, my husband decided that we would try the hermit crab thing again. Instead of 2, we got 3 (Charlotte, Christie and Spongebob). We prepared the habitat and so far so good. I keep thinking about that naked phone call and my hopes are that I won't forget to keep them watered and fed. These are bigger with hand painted shells except for B's. Hers has a natural colored shell. She likes to keep it real.

The kids promise me that they will help take care of them. Our first go around with the crabs, C wasn't too thrilled. Today, he sat in a chair and watched them for about an hour and every time one moved, he got excited. You know the type of excitement that starts with a gasp, hands to face and as loud as you can say"LOOK!!!". It was that type of excitement. It was pretty cool. This time he picked a sponge bob decorated shell over a spider man painted shell. I guess he wanted to get back in touch with his first love.

As I said, I hope these crabs keep their shells on as naked hermit crabs aren't good for you and its hard to keep a straight face when your co-workers are laughing at you.

Have a great night!!

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She's Got A Brand New Boyfriend..

I came home from work and found my oldest daughter writing a letter. I thought how sweet that she's writing one of her grandparents a note. She then informed me that she was writing to AH. I was shocked and then my heart saddened as I started to really like her boyfriend of 5 years. The first time I met LB, he had a blond rat tail which I thought went out with the mullet.

They were 3 years old and met in preschool and became inseparable. They were also the same height. When I saw LB again in Kindergarten, the rat tail was gone but the pierced ear arrived. So I am figuring that he will get his first tattoo by 5th grade. LB is really a nice boy. The last time I saw the two together was at the 2nd grade dance and he came up to B's shoulders. He is really a sweet boy in a kind of Wally Cleaver way.

Anyhow, when I asked her why she was writing AH, she said that she just wanted to. AH lives around the corner and goes to our church. He is a cute little boy. I should have seen this coming when I caught them holding hands at the picnic. They see me coming and they both looked like they were just caught stealing a cookie out of the cookie jar. I see the hand holding and before I could say anything, B looks over at AH and says "Busted. What now?". I let it go and told her to go play on the playground where her brother and sister were. AH is a nice boy but he reminds me of Eddie Haskell. You know the type. Real nice on the outside but inside, he's a bad boy.

LB started out as a bad boy but I guess at the ripe old age 7, he's mellowing out. B has always had a heart for the bad boy. Her first hairdresser was a guy who had piercings on his brow, lip, nose, and tongue and he was tattooed in all seeable areas. He worked at Hair Cuttery and she loved him and would only allow him to do her hair. Unfortunately, when we moved to Colonial Heights, we had to say good bye to tattoo guy. Now she can't wait to grow up so she can get painted like him.

When school let out, she and LB informed us that they were getting married in the year 2036 because they had to go to college first. LB's parents were more shocked at the fact that LB mentioned going to college versus the getting married part. I thought that it was really funny that they were planning on the future. And now, she is writing to AH.

I hope that this is only summer love and when school starts LB will return to the mix. I have asked B if AH knew that she had held hands with LB? After blushing profusely, she said that she told him and he wasn't happy about it but as she puts, "He got over it". I can't believe my 8 year old is introducing me to the angst years of teenagerdom before I'm ready. What happened to Barbie Dolls, watching Full House, and playing with dolls?

She's got a brand new boyfriend and I am getting a glimpse into my future teenager. Please tell me it will be OK.... I'm not ready for this. Today 8 years old, tomorrow Teenager Wannabe.

Here's to the future,

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No Shirts Allowed

Our children were invited to a pool party at Pocahontas State Park. We were amazed that the pool is pretty clean but were disappointed with the rules of the pool. Our little man can't swim and is fair skinned so we always use precautions with him. Our girls (with the use of sunscreen) tan pretty well and are natural sun bunnies.

We had placed a t shirt on C so he wouldn't get too much sun as he is fair skinned and a red head which is not a good combination for fun in the sun activities. The pool policy is no shirts allowed regardless of the reason. They state that the dyes from the clothing affects the chemicals in the pool which I feel is bogus. We've been to plenty of pools and never had a situation come up where we were told that no shirts were allowed. With Pocahontas being a STATE PARK, you would think that they would be more flexible and understanding when it comes to fair skinned people.

Another issue that we had was C was wearing floaties on his arms to help him keep his balance. This is OK to wear in the kiddie pool but once you go to the larger pool where the cool stuff is, the floaties have to come off. The life guard couldn't give us an explanation. They only stated that it was the pool policy. So if you have any physical disabilities and require aid from devices for support, I guess you need to stay in the kiddie pool. I don't think floaties have ever caused a child to drown as the purpose is to keep them floating. Again, we've used the floaties at another pool and that wasn't an issue with the life guard even when we were in 4 1/2 feet of water with him. We never leave C alone in pools or around water as a safety precaution.

The pool was nice and clean and we didn't mind paying the $4 parking fee, however, it was a birthday party and the hostess had paid admission to the pool for the party guests. The admissions person charged us to get in as she stated that the host had already paid for the party and we weren't included. The host took our ticket and was able to get a refund. The host did pay for us ahead of time so she didn't understand why there was a misunderstanding. I hope communication gets better so other hosts won't have to deal with the confusion.

The kids had a great time and overall the experience was fun. Just remember at Pocahontas Swimming Pool no shirts are allowed and floaties need to stay in the kiddie pool.

Have a great night,

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Our son has 6 legs

I thought that I would let you know how we get C involved with others. He's a 4 year old boy who is leaving behind the world of Spongebob and has entered into the realm of Spider Man. He loves spider man. He also loves to sing. C goes to church every Sunday and he is in the same classroom as his piers. Its great for him to be around children his age as it enables him to work on his speech and he gets to play with kids who thinks he's cool because he has 6 legs. His walker has 4 wheels and then his 2 legs = 6 legs. The kids think that its great.

He also loves to sing so he is in the cherub choir at church. He loves to sing. He always has a song. Whether its 1-2-3 like a burd I fwring or its na na boo boo your sooo rude. He's either singing or calling for me. I am now looking for a potty video done to music hoping that it will encourage him to want to go potty.

C also goes to special ed preschool during the school year where the bus comes and picks him up. This year he will go to "regular" preschool 3 days a week in order to assimilate with his classmates for Kindergarten. The goal in school is to get C as ready as possible for Kindergarten. This will be his 3rd year in the program and they are marvelous.

We also expect C to pick up his toys when he's done playing and he gets to choose the clothes and PJs that he will wear. This will help him to make decisions and develop his likes and dislikes. We did this with the girls and now they have opinions whether we like it or not.

The only issue that I have with C is when we go to playgrounds. The only boundless playground (handicap accessible) is in Chesterfield alongside the dog park. We like going there but its a drive. I am working with the Special Education Advisory Committee in getting a boundless playground in the schools. So far, Wesley Preschool is going boundless as well as C's preschool. Tussing Elementary is redoing their playground and I have spoken with the PTO Board regarding making some equipment accessible since they were replacing some of the equipment.

The best thing we do for C is that we keep him normal. No special privileges. He gets time out when he pinches, pokes or throws books when he gets mad. My expectations are the same for him as it would be for any other 4 year old. We also are open to suggestions and believe in working with his teachers for the common goal which is the success of C.

So when you see a 6 legged child, just remember, he's just like you and me except that he has additional legs.

Take Care
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Can you cross the line in Blogging?

My husband and another blogger have been commenting back and forth regarding their differences. During the heated exchange, the blogger decided to bring our son into his argument. Accusing us of using our son's circumstances to get empathy from bloggers. This isn't true and it crossed the line in my opinion.

If you don't deal with special needs kids, I guess its hard to understand that often times we feel isolated from the normal world. We deal with issues that families with normal children do not face on a daily or hourly basis in some instances. I use my blog to help others know that they are not alone. When I was 33 weeks pregnant and was told that my child has suffered a serious condition and that the prognosis is unknown and the game plan is to do major brain surgery on your unborn baby, it can be pretty disconcerting. I also know that I felt alone and searched for someone to guide me. I found help on the Internet by finding the Hydrocephalus Association and a Yahoo News Group for Hydrocephalus. Now, I am passing on the favor in my own way.

So back to my question, can you cross the line in blogging? In this instance yes. If you cannot stand on your own in arguing/debating your side of the topic, then please be a man/woman and keep our children out of the argument. When I read the comments section on this blogger's post and the blogger dragged my innocent child into an adult conversation, this truly removed my respect for the blogger. I will no longer read anything that is written from this blogger and will pray for the person.

As a parent and fellow blogger, I am respectful of your opinions and enjoy a good debate but I am mature enough to stand on my own without bringing your family or lifestyle into the equation. I also understand that by blogging about my family, I have opened up the door for comments regarding them. I am also hoping that we are adults and support each other without being a bully.

Tonight was a disappointing night in reading the comments. I respectfully request that we leave our children out of adult discussions and be mature individuals.

Take Care,
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South Park Mall has a new Theatre

The new 16 screen movie theatre at South Park Mall had a soft opening yesterday where all movies were $2 and drinks and popcorn were $1 each. We stood in line for about an hour (12:30pm to 1:30pm) and we decided to go to a 7pm movie. The seats are great. It consists of stadium style seating with the option of having an armrest between you and your date or you can sit "Love seat" style.

The customer service was awesome and Regal has started a new rewards program. Every time you purchase tickets and refreshments, they will scan your "crown rewards card." You will get free stuff once you reach the magical level. Lines were horrendous but moved quickly. We were behind a representative for a church who ordered 15 buckets of popcorn and 15 drinks. They were friendly and patient. While waiting, I met a teacher from Prince George who said that Prince George is always looking for substitutes teachers. The pay for substitute teachers are higher than Colonial Heights so I will work on my application this week. The proceeds from Sunday's shows supported the Ft. Lee Community Outreach Center which is a great reason to go and see a movie. It was sponsored by Channel 8.

The kids and us saw Shrek 3 and it was pretty good. We always enjoy Puss N Boots. The kids had no problems seeing the movie or hearing it. We had such a great time last night, that we went back tonight and watched Nancy Drew. Again the movies were $2. Tonight the proceeds went to help reading programs in the Richmond Area and was sponsored by the Richmond Times Dispatch. The movie was pretty cute and the girls enjoyed it. Now hopefully, I can get my 8 year old to try and read a Nancy Drew book.

Overall, if you want to enjoy a new movie theatre that has great customer service, go to South Park Mall. The grand opening is this Wednesday. I'm not sure what specials will occur so check the listings.

Eat Popcorn and enjoy the show!!!

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I want a Do Over

We are back from Atlantic Beach. We had a wonderful time even though we were involved in a double decker bus accident and saw an island catch on fire due to the fireworks.


Atlantic Beach is fun, clean and most importantly family friendly. We stayed at a time share called A Place at the Beach. We had a first floor room which was nice. We had the use of a ramp or stairs which again was nice. We took C's crutches and walker so the ramp came in handy. We also saw a wheelchair that was beach ready. I'm not sure if they provided it or not. I think the APATB owned it. We will check next year when we return. The pool included a 150 foot water slide. C stayed on the slide with dad or me holding him. I crashed continuously and he didn't care. I did as I hate to go underwater. However, after finding out that this is one of the best places to go scuba diving, I believe I will look into getting certified so I can go and see the sunken ships from years past.

The weather was awesome and we found oodles of shells. K found a sand dollar on Sand Dollar Island and it survived its way back to Virginia in a cheez it box that was placed in a book bag. Miracles do happen. The water was calm and the girls learned how to boogy board. Everyone got along and it was simply Nirvana. Sunburns occurred on Friday but it we still loved being out there.

We took a double decker bus tour in Beaufort. We got to see the oldest houses and the history of the town. Its also where the notorious Blackbeard lived. We were looking at his house when the bus backed into a parked car. It wasn't good for the car owner as it happened to be a 2007 Honda with all of the bells and whistles. No one was home so they left a note and we got to see more of the house.

On the 4th, we took a boat ride out onto the Atlantic Ocean and was able to see all of the fireworks shows from Ft. Macon to Beaufort. They were beautiful. Unfortunately, Sugar Island caught on fire and no one could get to it. The fire was a bright orange and the flickering flames were pretty. While on the boat, we got to see Shackleford Island which is the home to wild horses which are descendants from the horses left during the Spanish American War. They were beautiful. They have adapted to living in the marsh and have a high salt diet. Next year, I am going on the Shackleford excursion to get a better view of the horses and wildlife on the island.

We went to the NC Aquarium and got to see sharks, jellyfish, stingrays and an assortment of fish. The aquarium gets it water pumped in from the ocean so the habitats are natural. The water goes through a filtration system to get the debris out and then pumped into the various tanks. What a great way to recycle water. B was selected to participate during the live animal show which showcased alligators and crocodiles. B was transformed from an 8 year old girl to a mean alligator in front of about 100 people. She loved it. The kids then got to pet a baby alligator which they thought was "way cool".

No trip would be complete without a little American History so we visited Ft. Macon. This Fort was utilized through World War II. Its a living museum and it has great views of the ocean. The defense structure is amazing considering that it was built during the civil war. It was also where the first African American General took post. Its pretty cool to see how they lived and to hear the letters from the soldiers during the different wars that it participated in.

Overall, the group had a great time. We ended up purchasing a timeshare there which was at a reasonable price for a red week. We were also able to reimburse the owners maintenance fee for this year so we can utilize it this year for Disney.

If you are ever in North Carolina and want to go somewhere fun, clean and happy, visit the Crystal Coast. We did and we want a redo. PLEASE!! CAN WE DO IT AGAIN!!! You betcha.

Hope you had a Happy 4th.

Beamer 319