That’s right ladies & gents, we are giving away Finish Quantum dishwasher detergent! Since we absolutely loved being apart of the Finish Canada blog tour, we couldn’t resist giving you the opportunity to win some Finish Quantum. With this giveaway, we are doing things old school style since we are seeing Rafflecopter damage many websites. What do we mean by old school style you ask? By simply putting a comment on this post for everything you successfully complete. Every entry will be verified of completion before the comment will go live on our website, so make sure you do things right or you won’t get the entry.

For those of you not familiar with Finish Quantum, feel free to go read our review on the product! Seriously, you’ll love it.

http://www.mommymatter.com/finish-quantum-to-the-rescue/

Alright, now that you’ve read that, let’s get on to this awesome giveaway!

How to Enter

Entering is going to be very easy. No really, VERY easy! Complete each of the following, and submit a comment on this page for every entry that you complete. Yes, one comment, per item, so you can get multiple entries to win! Note: Open to Canada residents only

1. Tell us why you want to win some Finish Quantum dishwasher detergent.
2. Leave us a comment on our review page (one you opened earlier)
3. Follow us on Twitter (leave us your username in comment here)
4. Tweet the following – Join the fight against dirty dishes now! Enter to win #FinishQuantum @mommymatter! http://www.mommymatter.com/finish-canada-quantum-giveaway/  (leave comment with tweet URL)
5. Say hi over on our Facebook page and that you’re here for the Finish Quantum giveaway! (click here to access our Facebook page) (leave comment saying you did this)

What You’ll Win… 

Okay, so what will you win. The winner of the giveaway will be the winner of some awesome Finish Quantum dishwasher detergent! We love this stuff, and know you will too!

Giveaway Running

This giveaway will run from May 15, 2012 to May 31, 2012. On May 31 one lucky winner will be selected! Make sure to include an email address that is valid for contact if selected as winner. Winner will also be announced on our Facebook & Twitter pages.

So, what are you waiting for… GO ENTER! It is truly, really easy.

Giveaway Disclosure: The winner of the Finish Canada Quantum Giveaway is sponsored by Mom Central. Giveaway is open to Canadian residents only. Winner will be chosen on May 31, 2012 and contacted via email. Winner will be required to provide shipping information to receive prize. This information will be provided by sponsor of giveaway. No information will be provided to third party services. Winner will be selected utilizing Random.org on all valid entries received.

Disclosure: I am part of the Finish Blogger Program by Mom Central. I received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

Moms are what make the world turn and children blossom. Celebrating our Moms is a joyous event, and today we want to help you celebrate your Mom even more! As a Mom myself, I am much more grateful of my own Mom and the amount she did for me and my siblings growing up. Motherhood is hard, and something so endearing. Being a mother changed my life in many ways and something I am proud to experience.

Being a Mom, is much more then the label we receive. A Mom puts on many hats throughout her years and conquers many adventures. To this day, my Mom and I are still very close. She is my rock, and definitely wins Mom of the Year in my eyes. She not only is an amazing Mom, but is an amazing Grama too. She has taken on more hats as we’ve grown older and now as her grand babies grow, she is testing out those hats all over again. I always said I wouldn’t never be like my Mom growing up, but now I would proudly say I want to be my Mom when I grow up. She is so full of life. Cherishes every moment of life and never lets life kick her down. She is determined to be great, and does an awesome job at it. She still believes she is 12 years old, and I’m fine with that.

Earlier today, my Hubby hijacked the website to write about me as a Mom. The things he wrote, I never even thought were possible. As a Mom, my only goal is to have a happy family. Over the years, I’ve apparently become the epic Mom. It is nice hearing and knowing that I am apparently doing something right. Giving a Mom the opportunity to hear what she means to you is amazing. Now you have the chance!

If you know a Mom that deserves the title Mom of the Year, you can nominate them at www.momoftheyear.ca, starting Mother’s Day (May 13th) until July 8, 2012.

Besides the title of Mom Of The Year, the deserving Mom will also receive $10,000 for themselves and $100,000 towards a special cause or charity they believe in. Although not every Mom can win the grand prize, there will be 7 runner up Mom’s that will also receive $10,000 for themselves and $10,000 for a charity! All these Mom’s will also be invited to Toronto in September for an awards celebration.

My Hubby didn’t even know about this event, and he wrote a glorious piece about me as a Mom today. Check it out and see why he feels I am the Mom of the Year!

The Walmart Mom of the Year Award is going to be an annual event. Let’s celebrate Moms together!

Disclosure: I’m part of the Walmart program by Mom Central. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own. 

Mom of the Year Award: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY Internet access and valid email account required. Nominations open May 10, 2012 to July 8, 2012 for legal residents of Canada over the age of majority.  Entrants cannot nominate themselves. One (1) grand prize available to be won consisting of $10,000 cash, a $100,000 donation by Wal-mart Canada Corp. to charity/cause and a trip to Toronto (ARV $22,000). Seven (7) runner-up prizes available to be won consisting of $10,000 cash, a $10,000 donation to charity/cause and a trip to Toronto (ARV $22,000).  Charity/cause subject to verification and final approval by Wal-mart Canada Corp., at its sole discretion. Odds of winning depend on how the judging panel evaluates each entry according to the criteria. For Official Contest Rules and to nominate an entrant, visit [www.momoftheyear.ca].

Christine,

Today is your day… You have earned it!

Well Christine today has not made it the easiest to let me tell her how much she means to me and the kids… so I will high jack her site for a moment!

Today is Mothers Day and you are the Mother of our little crazy family. This is us below to all who don’t know us… and that one on the left… That is our Mommy!

Today we celebrate Mothers day, the day where you get something very special. While is may not be a fun video game or special piece of candy it is something that is earned through many years of hard work, patience, stress, frustration, understanding, and so much more. Today your very special present is gratitude, love and respect. I know motherhood is one of the toughest jobs on the planet and the kids and I are so happy to have you as the mother of our little family!

If you are still uncertain to if your present is “Something Very Special” here are a few more reasons why we love you Mommy!

1. You make our house go around – No matter what is going on kids get to school on time, milk in the fridge, bills are paid.
2. When we are sick or hurt you take care of us! – Whether it is a scratch, man cold, or  upset tummy you always take care of all of us.
3. Keep reality a reality – You always seem to say the right things and remind us the most important thing in life is our family.
4. Decorate our home – While this seems lame it is sooo important. You make our house feel like a home, put up pictures of us, decorate the kids rooms, move things over and over and over until they are perfect. You make the place somewhere we can be a family.
5. Keep the excitement – You always know when to crank the music and dance or make some decorated cookies when they are needed. Pull toys out of who knows where, and tickle until we can’t breathe anymore.
6. Keep structure – You make sure things stay structured and balanced so we can all continue to learn and grow.
7. Cook some pretty great meals. You always go out of your way to ensure there is a “proper” meal on the table and its always tasty.
8. Tuck us in – No matter how hard the day was or if your stressed out of your mind you never miss a tuck in and hug and kiss.
9. Show the love – No matter how stressed out you get or frustrated we always know you love us!.. even if you don’t SAY IT!
10. You complete us – This family is made up of four parts and you are by far the one that holds the rest of us together.

You are very special to us and we are thankful for you. You have our love and respect and we have a lot of gratitude for you.  I believe we may actually be the ones getting something very special. I thank you for allowing me into your life and being not only a great wifey but an incredible mother who truly makes me grateful.

I would say you are our rock.. but dogs and cats pee on rocks… so you are our Mommy! So here is to you.. the best dang MOMMY we could ever ask for! WE LOVE YOU!

PS.. sorry about borrowing your site..just needed to tell you how much you mean to us.

I am not one to normally write about what I am seeing in magazines, but this one won’t get out of my head. It is everywhere, and soon to be on news stands. I don’t normally discuss this kind of stuff, because in all honesty breast feeding is a personal preference for every Mother out there, but this Time Magazine cover is just ticking me off. Let me show you this picture…

I don’t like debates or arguments, but I couldn’t let this thing just slide on by without discussion. As a Mom who attempted breast feeding, pumped instead of actual breast feeding and stopped when both my children were 4 months old I am not one who can have much say on the department of length, but I will gladly say, this is not something I want seen on the cover of a magazine that is at my children’s height.

I don’t find breast feeding disgusting, but I do feel it is being made a little too public now a days with the amount of nursing rooms everywhere. It is a private, sentimental moment between a Mother & child, and should be kept that way with the amount of pervs lurking the earth now a days.

Since this image bothered me quite a bit, I started navigating around the Internet to see other’s opinions, and apparently I am not alone in my feelings. Yes, we know breast feeding is best for babies, but do we have to portray it to be scandalous? This image doesn’t say loving, nurturing or anything I think about when breast feeding is discussed. This to me is just… gross. Saddening that Time Magazine is the publisher of this photo.

Upon my searches to find others with opinions on this, Dad Camp is the center point of my thoughts exactly! Their article just sums up my frustrations, from a male point of view however. Here is a snippet of their article and I’ll include a link so you can read it in full!

It’s classic link bait. Say something as outrageous as possible to inflame as much debate as possible. It’s like the Time publishers went to school on Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian in public manipulation.

And the internet has chomped on the bait hook, line, and sinker.

The article features a lithe 26 yr old mom of two proudly breastfeeding her 3 yr old. Inside the piece Jamie Lynne Grumet talks about how she herself was breastfed until she was 6. “It’s really warm. It’s like embracing your mother, like a hug,” she recalls. “You feel comforted, nurtured and really, really loved. I had so much self-confidence as a child, and I know it’s from that. I never felt like she would ever leave me. I felt that security.”

Breast is best, but … it doesn’t always work for everyone. I maintain that extreme behaviours like this do little to encourage breastfeeding as a norm, but rather portray and some freaky outlying attitude. Breastfeeding is natural, perfect, and the best way to nourish children. This pose, and Ms Grumet’s experience and lifestyle, doesn’t promote that.

Read more now…

This cover is saying so many different things. It right away is stating if you don’t breast feed your children until they are older, that you aren’t woman enough. Hello!? Thanks Time Magazine for degrading many of your readers. Smart, not. Cancellation of subscription? Yep.

How is this mother to know what she’s doing, isn’t going to destroy her sons life down the road. I know I wouldn’t want to find out I was featured on Time Magazines sucking my Mother. Shesh, I don’t even like the idea that I was breast fed by my own Mother, makes shivers go up my spine! The thought of this to me, makes my stomach turn. Is there any privacy anymore for our children’s futures? Yes, I write about my family, but I don’t write about the utmost personal things, like breast feeding. And I surely would NEVER post such an image, let alone any that could cause emotional and personal issues for my children in the future.

Okay, so I know some of you are all for breast feeding your children no matter what the age, but would you willingly display it like this image has? I am all for breast feeding and wish it was something I could of continued, but I wasn’t comfortable and stopped. I want your opinions! Please. Am I the only one frustrated with how Time Magazine has portrayed breast feeding? Remember, a picture speaks a thousand words, instantly.

Please leave me your thoughts here or over on our Facebook community now!

Now these cookies are something to quickly whip up and make the house smell yummy with.  Unfortunately with peanut allergies at the grand kids school they can’t share them with their classmates.  But at Grama’s with a glass of milk is a perfect after school treat.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Cook time: 7-9 minutes

Servings: ~60

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup honey (liquid)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• (3/4 cup) whole wheat flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Method:

1. Beat with the help of a mixer peanut butter, honey and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add egg, oil and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. In a different bowl sift flour, baking soda and oats.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and mix well.  You can still use mixer for this step.
5. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375F).
7. Take out from the refrigerator. Drop tablespoons of the cookie dough onto a baking sheet.
8. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Cool before serving, well if you can wait.

For additional peanut flavor you can add 1/2 cup off chopped peanuts.

Hope you enjoy!

When it comes to children, you are always bombarded with things you have to figure out. Sometimes its how to get them to eat something they hate, other times its how to control their little attitudes. My daughter is one of those children that has the attitude of a 17 year old on a power trip. There are days it is all fine and dandy, but then it is back to princess mode.

My parents have friends that feel I am hard on my children. That I never stop nagging. That I am always correcting them. Now yes, I am a nag. I am always correcting them, but I am a parent determined to have my offspring not shoot up a school when they are 15 because they don’t know how to handle situations.

Thankfully, it is always the people that are not around often to experience the kids in full swing attitude mode, so they don’t actually know what my children are like beyond their behaving because there are guests. I am hard, and I am not going to stop. They are old enough to understand time outs, their actions and how to react to situations that make them want to snap necks. I’ve had arguments with people about it, and in the end they always give up because they know I will stand my ground on my parenting methods. I even offer them to watch my children for a few days so they can experience their true attitudes, but no one ever goes through with it. That ends the conversation usually instantly!

So, back to my 4 year old (going on 17) drama queen. BabyGirl has always been a bit of a hellion. She is a risk taker. She will do anything if it is interesting enough, but she is also the child who can’t entertain herself, will drive everyone completely batty and make your skin crawl with anger. She loves testing her boundaries and seeing how far she can push me before I lose it completely. She is the child that knows how to work her cuteness on anyone to make them go, oh isn’t she just precious. Guess what little girl, I know your ways, I too utilized those same tricks.

There are a lot of ways I conquer this princess attitude she has going on, but I never expect it to go away fully. Any time Hubby is gone to the US, there is a drastic change in attitudes around here. She is his Baby Girl and will always go running to him over me for anything. He is a little more, giving, then I am. He is also much more relaxed on discipline then I can handle. I don’t care if I am putting them in time out constantly, eventually they get the hint and behave. Currently Hubby is gone, and the princess battles are not as severe. She has actually been pretty good, other then her following her big brother around constantly and making him want to scream.

How to Conquer the Princess Attitude 

Let’s just say, I am not an expert. My methods work with my daughter and may not work with your own. So don’t take these to heart!

Full Blown Princess Mode 

Baby Girl’s full blown princess mode is when she curls up on the floor and cries, telling me I am mean and no one loves her. Oh ya, I already get this attitude. When she hits this point, I put her in her room and let her have it out. She will usually lie in there, crying into her pillow. I do not go in and try to make her stop crying. Nope, I ignore it. Don’t see the point giving her attention, when we both know it’s all she wants and using the wrong attitude to get it.

Spoiled Princess Mode 

This mode, always happens in public. ALWAYS. She doesn’t pull this with me too often, but always pulls it with Daddy until he gives in with embarrassment that she is acting this way. She usually starts with demanding the item, then starts giving her sassy I want mouth, and proceeds to screaming and making a scene that she wants it and doesn’t stop until she wins. When she pulls this with me, I usually leave completely and deal with her in the car, at which point she is now crying anyways. If other items were purchased for her earlier in the shopping trip, she also looses those items for acting like a spoiled brat.

Sassy Princess Mode 

Yes, there is a sassy princess mode. This is the mode she enters when she is not wanting to do what I’ve requested or eat something that I’ve cooked. She mouths off, gives me full blown 17 year old mouth and finds herself separated from us until she can return with proper attitude. I don’t tolerate mouth from a child. I am the parent. At 4 years old, decision making is usually up to picking out clothes or a snack. I am the boss. Time outs usually get her back into proper kid mode, but sometimes it takes quite a few before she figures it out.

Ignorant Princess Mode 

This is the princess mode that usually makes me want to scream and lash out. I do not like when a child ignores. This usually happens when it comes to cleaning rooms, picking up toys and just being plain old quiet. BabyGirl is pro at being ignorant. She pretends like she can’t hear me all the time, and finds herself sitting doing nothing until she can listen. If she is in trouble for not listening when requested to clean something up, that involves her brothers assistance and he’s been cleaning, she is left alone to finish while he goes and does something else. This goes both ways with my children. Ignorant mode is usually solved very quickly with a time out and apology to me for not listening.

As you can see, a lot of these princess modes are solved with time outs. She does spend a lot of time in time outs. When they were young, my Mom taught me consistency with them so life would be easier. Sure, there are days I am at wits ends, but that is when I take a Mommy break and walk away. Sadly, it is so common with most little girls to have these princess stages but everything is manageable with dedication. It goes the same with my son as well, who also has many similar attitude issues. I don’t tolerate nothing. They are old enough to understand their emotions and be corrected when used wrong. Now is the time.

Alright, I suck. Lately, I’ve had all these fantabulous moments to blog about, but whenever I sit down to do some work… I don’t. Whatever. Life gets in the way too often. Today, it is one of those days, where I plunk on the couch and hope the kids are fine with me not wanting to do anything fancy.

Upon my day of wanting to do absolutely nothing, I thought. OMG I could finally write about the biggest, most hysterical stepping stone in my WeeMan’s life. Now, prepare yourself for it, because it is epic. Well, to all you other parents out there, probably not. To me, it is. So… feel free to put on a face of acceptance for five minutes. I am still new to this whole ordeal of stepping stones being conquered and feeling all WHOOPIE about it.

Let’s get into my awesome stepping stone of horror, now!

WeeMan lost his first tooth! 

Okay, it happened about two weeks ago, but I am finally blogging about it. Once again, I’ve been busy. No really. I’ve done… stuff.

So why is this such a big stepping stone. Well, he is losing his damn teeth. This means, holes. Gaps. And him finally becoming a big boy *tear.* Nope. Not ready for this yet. I am not ready for my little man to grow up. He’s my first born. My baby. Now my baby is gappy and raring to grow up. Whatever.

Epic part of it all. I missed it. Not on purpose. He was at school. Teacher thought it happened in the night, because that’s what he told her. Nope, at school. She didn’t think twice about it. First tooth, digested! Upon chomping into a special cookie Mommy sent to be nice for once, he lost his tooth.

That’s right, he lost his first tooth on a sugar filled treat.

I am not perfect. I let them eat sweets. Their Mommy has a sugar addiction. I am not punishing myself because half the child community is obese. My kids aren’t. They enjoy sweets, in moderation. And he loves cookies, so thou shall eat COOKIES!!! They have their Mommies metabolism, well the old one, and stay skinny until well, they have demonic beings as well.

Back to the tooth.

He ate it. He will deny it.

He will not accept that he swallowed his tooth. He is in denial that he ate a tooth, and it is amusing.

Now, that gap is a play toy. He loves wiggling his tongue in it. It is amusing apparently. I’d yell at him, but I did the same thing too.

I to this day remember a tooth I lost at approximately 6 years old. Now, this tooth, came out in an even more epic moment of experiences I’ll remember for ever. Now, today it is a joke. It wasn’t my first tooth, but it is the first tooth I remember coming out of my mouth. My front tooth. I was being my darling princess little self that day, mouthing off to my Mom. I know! Shocking.

Well, she wanted me to clean up my room. I didn’t. I lipped off. Probably said something on the lines of “Mommy, you are better at it then me so it would be easier for you to do” and got a back hander. Back hander = tooth popped out. Yes it was wiggly. Yes I deserved it. I was a mouthy, smart ass little kid. Hmm… apparently things haven’t changed eh Mom?!

I know WeeMan will probably remember his first tooth being lost, as he ate it and his Mommy got amusement out of this. Yep, I definitely bugged him about it and told him it was fine, eventually he’d poop it out.

Yes, he has been monitoring the toilet looking to see if a tooth comes out.

No, it hasn’t come out yet. He informs me every time. Which then leads into a questioning period of, did you wipe, did you wash your hands, and please to god tell me you didn’t touch it.

Ya, gross!

It is amusing, and funny as hell. Let’s all admit it is fun using our children for amusement. Who needs TV when you have kids?! I know I don’t! Why else would we have children?

Their conversation skills are mediocre. The arguments alone make you want to stab pencils in your ears to tune it out. Why can’t we have some fun with them and make them worry a tooth is going to appear in their number twos?!

Losing a tooth is a monumental moment. It is the beginning of a whole new set of teeth that yes cost Mommy money and best be taken care of or I will go all crazy B on you. Teeth are teeth. You need them to eat, sadly. You need them to not drool, unless you one of them cool folks that likes to drool… and if you are… ya. You need them so you can let them fall out and be gappy. Teeth have many uses. Teeth are teeth. Some are gross. Some are sexy. *Channing Tatum anybody?!… yummy teeth* In the end. Teeth are memorable.

What was your child’s first tooth experience like?! I’d love to hear some of your stories, and not feel so crazy myself! Leave us a comment here on MommyMatter.com or join the conversation over at our online Facebook community!

This past winter, my family had the joyous pleasure to visit SeaWorld, and fell in love with the place instantly. While we were there, we noticed that SeaWorld Orlando was opening an entire new section that was right up my alley, TurtleTrek. If anyone knows me well enough, they know I love turtles. They are throughout my house, in my garden, on my wardrobe and my WeeMan is my little Turtle. Even have plans for my first vehicle to have a turtle family of stickers across the back because of my love for turtles. Turtles are the most inspirational creature in the world. They go through so much and never give up. One day, I will own a turtle, and I will name him Rover.

Since we love SeaWorld so much, we couldn’t resist telling you about TurtleTrek and the greatness they are doing helping many turtles have better chances in their lives, since our economy and stupid decisions are making life harder on so many sea creatures. And yes, we do plan on going back just to go to TurtleTrek… or my life would not be complete.

TurtleTrek is Open!

The countdown is finally over, and the all-new TurtleTrek is NOW OPEN! They opened on April 27, 2012 and are already receiving a lot of great feedback about the addition!

No animal’s life journey is more incredible than that of the sea turtle. From hatching on a beach and making the mad dash to open waters to the dangers and hazards they face as they mature and return to the very same beach to lay their own eggs, their tales of life underwater have in the past been impossible to show. And no theme park in the world is better equipped than SeaWorld to share that journey with millions of people.

Now is your chance to find out what it’s like to “be a turtle” and learn about the incredible journey these amazing animals face throughout their lives. From a turtle’s point of view, go on the epic journey to see the challenges and hardships faced to survive and make it back to the beach where you were hatched.

TurtleTrek is a unique blend of up-close animal encounters and state-of-the-art entertainment. You first visit two massive naturalistic habitats, home to gentle manatees (all rescued) and gliding sea turtles, learning what makes each species so special. You’ll then enter a domed theater and what happens next has never before been seen and is a first at any theme park in the world.

Inside the dome, you are surrounded by a hyper-realistic, 3D 360 degree film that takes you on the amazing life journey of a special sea turtle named Nyah. The experience is all around you and even above you– not just in front of you or on only one screen. It’s this all-new and immersive way of showcasing a sea turtle’s epic adventure that is the heart of TurtleTrek. And for the first time, you are given a turtle’s eye view of the ocean’s wonders.

As if that isn’t amazing enough… there’s even more at TurtleTrek: You’ll love competing on the fun (and educational) “Race for the Beach” video game that plays out on enormous video screens. And, TurtleTrek’s gift shop is unique in the way it continues the attraction’s inspiration. And you’ll see exactly how a portion of each dollar spent benefits in-the-field research to help save animals.

As the park’s newest addition, TurtleTrek makes SeaWorld Orlando a must-see this summer. The wait is over. Live the 3D 360 journey at SeaWorld Orlando’s TurtleTrek… now open!

You can also save on your SeaWorld tickets with the use of one of our SeaWorld coupons. Yes, we have those! That is how much we love this place.

Check out this video provided by SeaWorld on how they are making a difference in sea turtles lives every single day…

Children. They can be the best thing since sliced cheese, but also the worst thing since sliced cheese. Many parents won’t admit how much their children annoy them, but I will proudly say, my children drive me completely freaking batty. Now that I am back on my own with the two darlings… there is no escape. Well, unless Grama is conned into a visit then I get a little silence. By a little I mean, I still got one and she sure ain’t quiet.

Now you may be thinking, damn this Mom is a jerk. C’mon people… let’s be realistic. Children do all the little things that make you want to stab pencils in your ears just so you don’t have to hear that *click click click*, *tap tap tap* sound anymore. Welcome to the real world people! Don’t get me wrong, I do love them. I do miss them when they are gone… yep probably made a few people chuckle there. They are my mini me’s apparently… they are my children. There was no rule that stated you had to like your children, you just have to love them. No one could ever say my children aren’t surrounded in love, because they are and they got buckets full of it.

Over the past few months, WeeMan has decided to use a new line that in the end makes me want to run away. The “Something Special”?! Now this isn’t just an occasional line. No, it’s a daily, multiple times a day line. Any time a question comes out of his mouth, it begins with something special.

Is There a Special Meaning?!  

Honestly, the meaning of something special changes every single day. One day something special is an activity, the next it is a food and then the next day it is an outfit. It is a line I dread the beginning of as it always leads to a questioning of what in sam hell does he mean by something special.

He never explains his something special right away. No… it becomes a ridiculous guessing game. A game that goes on until you find that perfect special idea that makes his little brain go WOO.

How did this “something special” start? I HAVE NO IDEA. One day it began, and it is a never ending event.

When the Hubby is gone, WeeMan is usually the root of my questions for meals. He is a picky eater so I tend to work our meals around what he’ll eat without a massive fight. Baby Girl will eat anything so she doesn’t generally fuss. Lately, the response I always get is… oh you guessed it… SOMETHING SPECIAL.

How many times can I think of something special, before that item no longer is something special. Oh we’ve had some moments. Something special used to mean playing with play doh or escaping to Grama’s and having a candy. Now something special is anything and everything. Lunches have become a battle because he always wants something special. Thankfully I don’t have to deal with him eating his lunch, so I put whatever I want in it and if he doesn’t finish at school, he has to when he gets home to have… oh ya… SOMETHING SPECIAL.

The way children word things to make it their own thing can at first start out awesome, but as they use it daily, repeatedly, those lines become that needle in the eye that is too tiny to get out. Annoying and makes me develop that tension twitch (not really!).

I love attempting to invent something special, but after a few months of this special routine, I’m out. I’m done. Nothing is special anymore. Last night Grama allowed him a something special… which was playing with play doh. He doesn’t get to do too often because the mess is just ridiculous, so when it’s play doh time, it is special time. Let’s just say, Grama has more patience then this Mama.

Come dinner, he wanted something special for dinner. I did not have the want to do the hunt for something special, so our special moment turned into him being allowed to make something for himself. That is something special in his world as the kitchen is MY domain. I don’t like anyone mucking with my kitchen.

Do your children have any similar traits? How do you coup with the repetition and staying creative? Leave us a comment here at MommyMatter or head on over to our Facebook page and join the conversation!

There is nothing like finding a cleaning product that actually does what it is said to do when you are a Mom that is always having too much to do. When I try out products, if they don’t do what they are said to do, I get a little… Hulk like. I am already ticked off that I am having to do cleaning, but to make the job now take twice as long… look out product creator, I will be calling you.

As many of you saw last month, I have fallen in love with a product line that really swept me off my feet instantly. It is a hard task for the products in this house. I’ve very picky. I am very judgey and I am very demanding. When it comes to products, I will judge you by your cover, and if you don’t do what you say you will, to the garbage with you and usually a blog post or two about how much you suck!

So… who is my latest Superhero you ask (once again, if you didn’t ask, you just did because I made you while you read what I wrote)… bahahaha!

Super Power – CLEAN!

My newest Superhero is Finish Quantum! It is a product that takes all the muck off, without me having to do the horrendous pre-soak. No scrubbing. No fussy. No Hulk.

Last month, I wrote about the Finish product line, if you missed that post you can read it here. I’ve really put it through a lot of trials this past month seeing if I could honestly stump them, but no such luck. Everything I’ve thrown at them, they’ve cleaned. We’ve been using Finish products for quite a few years now but we were pre-soakers before we understood Finish’s abilities fully. Now it’s a big no no to waste our precious water on soaking the dishes when they are just going to be washed in the first place by something that actually does what it’s suppose to do.

So what was the one thing that amazed me that Finish Quantum was able to remove…

Peace Out Pre-Soak

Lasagna! This is always something that stuck before Finish entered my life. I always avoided making homemade Lasagna knowing I’d have to clean the pans afterwards. I avoided using my fancy white lasagna dish as well because I dreaded getting it back white. I of course got the before photo, trying to get a photo of the meal for a future recipe, but forgot the after photo and now my camera is gone back to the US with Hubby… so you’ll have to just try Finish yourself to see what it can actually do.

Here is the photo of this delicious Lasagna that I will post the recipe for eventually.

As you can see… Finish had their work cut out for them. I didn’t soak. I didn’t scrub. I just put in the dishwasher and kapow! Clean. Of course the dish sat until the next day because I am the worst for turning on the dishwasher, but it still came out clean.

Go Buy It… Or I Will Go Hulk on You!

Would I recommend Finish products to my friends & family? YES! Annette & I use only Finish products now, and would never go with anything else.

“Disclosure: I am part of the Finish Blogger Program by Mom Central. I received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”