Kids with Musical Gifts

I am so proud of my kids!  My high school freshman plays the flute and she sits in 3rd chair in the high school band.  She beat out every freshman, every sophomore, every junior but one and every senior but one.

My 7th grade son is in first chair for percussion in a 7/8th grade band.  He beat out his own classmates plus every 8th grader as well. So cool!

My 5th grader was looking at clarinets (I played clarinet in school) or flutes and she decided on flute as well.  She has only been playing a couple months with the 5th grade band and we can tell she will be advanced musically as well.

Now I wait to see if my youngest daughter will choose clarinet or flute in a couple years.  We seem to be a woodwind type of family (except for the boys).

My kids are awesome (yes, I'm bragging).  They have a gift with music.  They make me proud!

Bathroom Shower Plumbing

We redid the plumbing to our shower last week.  We didn't plan to have to do that but when things crack, what are you going to do?   We bought more CVPC pipe and all the connectors that go with it, opened up a wall (by sawing through the back of a brand new cabinet - eek!) and redid the plumbing.  We looked at copper and I asked what teflon hose was but neither was something we needed. I am definitely not a plumber.

I have new shower fixtures out of it! Yeah me.

People Who Don't Deserve Children

Last night, I saw a mother spank her one year old so hard, she would've did a face plant into the floor if her mother hadn't had her by the arm.  That poor kid's pelvis went flying forward.  The mother had her dressed in these little heels - real stable and then she smacks her.  All because the little girl was crying after an hour of school band concerts.  How much of an attention span did she really expect a baby to have?

I also saw a mother attend the concert for her son and then leave without him.  He looked for her outside, in the rain, at two different entrances of the school.  She'd left him!

What is wrong with people?

Family Camping

Our family is going to try camping next spring/summer for the first time.  I've never camped in a tent before and neither have any of our kids.  It'll be a new experience for all of us.  I am hoping my teenager can leave her flat iron behind and doesn't try to pack it in the osprey packs to go camping with us.

I don't like bugs.  I can't stand spiders - so terrified of them.  Gnats make my nose itch.  I can handle a weekend of camping in a tent...I hope.

Flooding From Rain

It's December and instead of a ton of snow, we're getting flooding right now from rain.  Oh joy.

I can't stand snow but snow would be better than this constant rain that is causing the river to overflow onto people's farms and into town. This is the second time this year.  I am thinking somebody better 

jump on their skid steer and start building up the banks of the river a bit?

Maybe all this precipitation now will mean a dry winter?  I'd love to not see any snow this winter (as long as it means it's not rain).  I'm asking Santa for a dry winter this year.  We really need to dry out!


Dear Santa,


Please take all the precipitation and send it to somebody who has been experiencing drought right now.


Sincerely,
Syn

Long Marriages

Happy 16th anniversary to me next month!  16 years of marriage - two stepkids, four "ours" children, several moves and jobs...wow!  Will have to pull out the wedding video and pictures and remember back to the day when I was naive enough to think blended families could all work out well despite difficult ex's and spoiled children.  Oh well, the trials actually made the marriage stronger - a little bad for a lot of good!  The ex is still difficult all these years later and the stepkids - well, they're a product of being used by a parent.  Sad for them.

Very thankful for my family today.  My children are awesome!

New Mom Struggles Managing Work and Children

Juggling work and a new baby is a big stress for new moms.  My experience wasn't any different than most new mothers, I believe, who need to work but have a baby.  I needed to care for my child while retaining the respect, reputation and integrity at work, around the daily care of my child, illnesses, etc.

After my firstborn was born, and maternity leave was over, it was a mad dash in the a.m. dressing (putting on a $300 suit and hoping baby didn't spit up on me on the way out the door) to day care to work and then again in reverse when the day was over. I was thankful I had an employer who understood the demands of mommy-hood and I made sure not to take advantage of them. Still, it was hard to receive a call from day care telling me my child had a fever and to come get her when I was in the middle of an important project for the President & CEO of the company.  No matter how much my employer understood, I was still inconveniencing them.  I was pulled in two different directions - the maternal MUST to care for my child and the need to keep the paycheck that put diapers on her and food in her belly while feeling important and necessary to my employer.  I felt like I needed flex-time or the ability to work from home when I had a sick baby but that employer went above and beyond for me.

When the company was sold (I was on maternity leave with my second child at the time), I permanently left that company since my boss was leaving as well. I wasn't going to get the flexible work schedule and understanding.  I needed to know I could both care for my babies and work; the confidence in the new owners just wasn't there. I went searching for a more flexible job that would allow me flex-time, part-time hours with good pay, franchise opportunities for my own business (what better boss for myself but me) or the ability to work at home like workingmums.co.uk offers.  Four children later, my large family is doing well.

Working Mums was founded in 2006 by a mom of two who needed more flexible hours but wanted to stay challenged in her work. Working Mums works with both small businesses and large corporations (and employers in between) to match professional women searching for work (who register for free) with employers (who pay a small fee) looking for professional employees at Working Mums. 

There are also self-employment and franchise opportunities for those who want to be their own boss or expand their brand.  I would enjoy being my own boss. 

Working Mums is not just for mothers though. Dads and other flexible job seekers may look for jobs at Working Mums, franchise opportunities, or utilize the information found at Working Mums that can help them find what they are searching for in a career. 

Working Mum offers years of experience in their Sales, Marketing, Web, Events, Finance and Support Team. This is a great company that has a good backbone of professional staff to help you find that flexible job, a franchise opportunity, or offer career advice and support. 

Working Mums Live in London on March 27, 2012 

I love the flexibility my job offers. My job allows me to put my kids on the bus and be here when they get off the bus.  My schedule is completely my own and I love that. I am raising my children and providing for them at the same time. They are thriving and happy.

The other day, I was complimented by a friend about how well I have it all together and raise my children.  Their behavior is complimented when we go out in public and from teachers at school.  They are genuinely great children and my husband gave me the credit for that recently.  He told me that they are good children because of me.  That was the sweetest thing to hear coming from dad.  I can give my children my time and still help provide for their needs with a flexible job.  Nothing better!

If you are looking for a flexible job, or if you are an employer who can offer flexible job opportunities and want to post them, check out Working Mums. 

Best Jobs in this Economy

My sister went back to school when the economy tanked.  She was in automotive (quality assurance) but she went back to school for computers (I think for a Programmer job, not Computer Operator Jobs...I think).  There will always be a need for computer help.

I think nursing would be a great field to be in right now.  It seems like nurses are always needed.  My oldest is considering nursing after she graduates.  She's not sure yet - nursing or animal vet care.  Guess it depends on how long she wants to go to school and whether she wants to deal with people or animals.