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Sep

My mom has been here for 3 days this week – cooking up a STORM and filling my freezer with cooked meat and a few meals.

One of my food aversions during pregnancy has always been raw meat. Can’t stand the sight, smell, or feel of it. GAG! So she has been cooking up all kinds of chicken and beef and getting my freezer stocked. We can start eating more than PB & J or fruit smoothies for supper!

YAY!

Both girls have loved all their time with Nana and its been nice to be able to put my feet up when I need to and she’ll go check on the girls and the loud racket upstairs…

We also got to sort through the girls’ clothes and get rid of the “too small” and replace them with the “growing into”. Except for Curly who has grown out of almost EVERYTHING. It’s a blessing she has uniforms for school, cuz now we’ve got to get her a few more casual outfits to wear on the weekends through fall into winter. Hopefully “Santa” can help replenish her wardrobe, too. lol

My energy level is coming and going. That’s better than being entirely GONE, but still hard to keep up with the girls most days. They are quite energetic, and on a good day I’m chasing them around – but between my age and their ages & energy level – it’s been pretty exhausting all in all.

I am feeling pretty good otherwise. As the heat diminishes, the nausea I feel (mostly in the afternoons when it’s just unbearably hot) is also diminishing. THAT is a relief! I’ve not been sick like I was with the girls – but it has kept me immobile at times, so I’m looking forward to some cooler weather and maybe even getting out and enjoying the days more!

This is Curly’s first FULL week of regular school and she’s been pretty tired. She’s making new friends and reviewing things she’s learned at Mommys Day Out and Pre-K. Yesterday, she missed “mommy” – and that made me feel good, although I don’t want her to miss me too much so she can enjoy school!

Georgie & I are starting to enjoy some one on one time together. Its been so nice. She’s such a funny kid – if demanding at times – and I think we’re already bonding in a new way – that feels really great.

We’ve got some shopping to do today and then Nana will head home. But we get to have Chicken Enchiladas alá Nana for supper tonight. YUMMO!!! And all I have to do is turn the oven on. NICE!

Category: Family, blogging Leave a Comment

Aug

How I Became The Queen Mommy

queenmommy

I always wonder what people think when they hear “The Queen Mommy.” What does that mean exactly and how did I come by that title?

Honestly, it’s one I gave myself.

My name – Debbie – means “honeybee” or “the bee”… I’m the oldest of 3 kids, and the only girl, lending to a VERY bossy existence…

So, “honeybee” quickly became “Queen Bee” for me… I’m a take charge – run the show – kind of gal. I’ve had various friends and boyfriends even call me by that because basically – I know what I like and what I don’t like. I’m not usually afraid to voice my thoughts. And I’m still bossy. Really.

It’s a gift called Administration! (look it up in the Bible if you need to…)

And then while I was dating Roy (for the 3 months we actually dated), he sent me an email and wrote “You are my Queen Bee” and said it in such an endearing, affectionate away (and not the teasing, sarcastic you’re-too-bossy way), that I became proud of that moniker.

And when I became a mom, it just transformed into The Queen Mommy.

I’ve always loved royalty and queens & kings, princes & princesses. When I was in Junior High and High School I read every biography I could get my hands on about British & U.K. royalty – they just fascinated me. I couldn’t be the Queen Mother – cuz, well, that is what they called Queen Elizabeth’s mother and I wasn’t willing to steal that name. I couldn’t be The Queen Mum because, well, I’m not British. Since I’ve always thought of myself in much higher terms than one should probably think, when I was looking for a name to blog under, to adopt The Queen Mommy.

And THAT, my dear readers, is how I became The Queen Mommy.

It helps that my grandfather always called my grandmother his Polish Princess (for she was 100% Polish – and one of the sharpest gals I’ve ever known) – so maybe my affinity for royalty is not so far-fetched…

P.S. – FYI – the logo included in this post is actually a motivational poster that was used during WWII in Britain, as a means to encourage and raise the morale of the British people in case of invasion by the Nazis. I really like it. The crown insignia is lovely, and since I tend a little towards “type-A”, it’s an appropriate reminder for me. You’ll see this logo again in future posts – I’ll be sharing something really COOL soon!

Category: The Queen, blogging One Comment

Aug

All Quiet on the Bloggy Front

queenmommy

Yep – right now – I’m just sapped.

It’s okay. I’m not complaining. It’s just a time for me to be quiet. (Never thought I’d ever say that!)

Blogging is being reprioritized – and right now, there are other more pressing and needful things in my life that I have to focus on.

I’m not done – just stepping back. I’ve been dancing on the line for some time with it – and although writing is such a natural extension of ME, it’s being reformulated along with several other things in my life.

We’re all good. Girls are growing like WEEDS I tell ya! Reading some books – so I’ll have some reviews up here soon. But I’m still enjoying less time tied to the computer for now – and know when school starts and “routine” settles in again, I can think about writing and blogging and being here more actively…

Category: blogging One Comment

Aug

MomSelect: The Waterpik Easy Select Showerhead

queenmommy

I was surprised to find a box on my front porch last week from a sender named “Waterpik” until I opened it to find a beautiful brushed nickel, hand-held showerhead. MomSelect and Maria Bailey had sent an email asking if I wanted to participate in a review of this product, and I said to myself, Sure, Why Not!?!

Oh! I am so glad I did!

The Waterpik Easy Select Showerhead is one of my favorite new household luxuries! With FIVE different spray options, I now have my own personal spa at my fingertips! FANTASTIC!

My husband doesn’t have to bend over just to wash his hair anymore. He’s 6’4″ and I’m 5’4″ so now we can each have a GREAT shower without much effort!

And my girls – who used to prefer baths to showers – actually GIGGLE during their showers now. They love the different spray effects, and Curly happens to think that spraying her own hair clean is really grown-up.

I love that the spray itself can be fairly wide – I feel like I’m getting a massage just from the Power Spray, and the Circular Massage feature is REALLY great for my lower back! It’s also nice to be able to really rinse a good foot scrub off without worrying about being some kind of contortionist, too!

If you’re ever looking to upgrade your shower, or want to add a great spa-feel to your bathroom, I would definitely suggest and recommend the Waterpik Easy Select Showerhead!!! (There are a variety of handheld showerheads available from Waterpik, but I’m glad I got to try this one!)

I was not paid for this post, and was provided One (1) Waterpik Easy Select Showerhead in exchange for my honest review of the product, through the MomSelect blogger program.

Category: Product Reviews, blogging One Comment

Aug

She’ll Be Comin’ Around the Mountain…

queenmommy

Yep – so no new posts – and I had it all figured out that I’d be warmed up and lining up posts left and right.

Funny how things in life just kinda reshuffle things.

Well, maybe not funny – but like the U.S. Marines say:

Improvise.

Adapt.

Overcome.

Yeah, I wish I was that good. I’ll be honest. Right now – I feel like life has run me over with a 40 ton train. I’m not sure how to Adapt. Improvise. or Overcome that feeling right now.

I could list about 50 reasons or more why I feel this way, but that’s sort of a private thing I need to do and something I probably ought to share with Roy before I share it with total strangers…

Sidenote: There’s something oddly relieving about sharing some dark inner secrets with strangers. The lack of face-to-face intimacy – even when I know many of my readers personally – provides a sort of comfort level that helps me write honestly.

Oh – don’t get me wrong. Nothing’s wrong with Roy. Or our marriage. Or our family. It’s just one of those times that being away from the computer and taking naps and watching brainless TV feels nice.

I’ve been tied to the computer with school for several years – and the relief from NO SCHOOL right now may just be a little intoxicating.

I miss writing. I do. And I can feel the inner-writer emerging somewhat – but we’ve seen a lot of changes over the past year in our family, and I’ve really needed to just “Get Away” on a lot of levels.

I have a really cool post coming about a product I just tried – oh. my. goodness… It has been soooooooooo lovely.

And I’ve got some other things tickling around the nerve endings of my brain. I’m letting go of some projects. And taking on new ones.

There’s just a lot of change – and I feel like that song is my theme right now:

She’ll be coming around the mountain, when she comes…

Category: Life, blogging One Comment

Jul

Changing Gears

queenmommy

So my blogging of late has been a bit different. And last week, I completely FORGOT to participate in ANY of the memes & challenges I’ve started with – so I’m trying to get back on track.

School ends for me and my brain kicks into a whole new GEAR and things are changing…

I’ve started reading the book, The Excellent Wife, by Martha Peace. So far – I can only read it in little pieces because it’s very meaty and I don’t want to miss anything. I’ve also got some audio CDs of Elizabeth George‘s, A Woman After God’s Own Heart. (Now I want a book & a workbook to go with it…) And I’m in the thick of Debbie Taylor Williams‘ study of Colossians, If God is in Control, Why am I Such a Basketcase?

All really good, beneficial, edifying stuff. If you need something to read, I’d recommend any of these three to you.

My mom is getting ready to launch her new cookbook – earlier than expected – and she’s BESIDE herself with excitement. I got to help edit and review the cookbook before it was sent to the publisher – and its got PLENTY of good stuff in it, so go check out the cookbook’s Facebook Page and her blog, The Better Baker, for more info.

So here’s the thing – Is there anything YOU want to know about? Anything you want to hear about here at my virtual cafe? Any questions for me – things that aren’t clear? Any topics you’d like to see more about?

You don’t have to worry – I rarely run out of things to talk about – just wanted to offer up the “floor” for your input and suggestions…

Category: Books & Movies, blogging Leave a Comment

Jul

The Delicious Irony of Life

queenmommy

Ya gotta love Irony.

Well, ya don’t GOTTA love it. But you should.

So I posted a confessional about S’mores yesterday in an attempt to win an Ultimate S’mores Prize Pack from Mom Bloggers Club- and revealed some deeply personal details about my affinity for S’mores…

sigh.

So just as I get home from a quick run to the grocery store last night, my phone goes off with a text. My hands are full, so I don’t pay any attention to it yet.

I walk in – put the cold stuff away, and Roy tells me that our sister-in-law had come over asking for help with their new computer – that was flashing VIRUS warnings…

So I walked over, and sat down and fiddled around for a minute – and then I noticed.