Ingredients

• 4 cups Dried Macaroni
• 1 whole Egg Beaten
• ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
• 1 pound Cheese, Grated
• ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme

Preparation Instructions

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.
In a small bowl, beat egg.
In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.
Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.
Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.
Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
Add in cheese and stir to melt.
Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

4 Eggs
1/2 cup sweet marsala wine
16 oz. mascapone cheese
12 ounces espresso
2 tbls cocoa powder
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 packages lady fingers (about 40)


I began by assembling four large egg yolks, 1/2 cup sweet marsala wine, 16 ounces mascarpone cheese, 12 ounces espresso, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and enough lady fingers to layer a 12x8 inch pan twice (40). I stirred two tablespoons of granulated sugar into the espresso and put it in the refrigerator to chill.

In a heatproof bowl, I whisked the egg yolks until they became a light and fluffy cream.

Pour in the sugar and wine and whisked briefly until it was well blended.

Pour some water into a saucepan and set it over high heat until it began to boil. Lowering the heat to medium (enough to keep the water boiling), I placed the heatproof bowl over the water (a convenient double boiler) and stirred as the mixture began to thicken and smooth out. I stopped when the mixture began to slowly bubble.

Remove the mixture, which has now become a custard, from the heat and put it on the side. This custard by itself is a great Italian dessert called zabaglione (sabayon in French cooking) and can be served as is or made into a more complicated dessert by mixed with fruit, serving with cookies, or made into tiramisu (and many more possibilities).

While the zabaglione cools a bit, I whipped (with my stand mixer to save time) the heavy cream until soft peaks. Soft peaks is when the whipped cream can almost stand on its own. Dip your whisk or finger into the cream and see if the spike that forms when you withdraw just curls over at the tip. If so, you've got soft peaks. If it stands up by itself, you've over beaten and produced stiff peaks. If the peak just sinks back into the cream, you don't have whipped cream yet. Keep beating.
Now, in a medium bowl, I beat the mascarpone cheese until smooth and creamy. I used alternated between beating with a whisk and mashing it with a spatula to make quick work of the cheese.
I poured the zabaglione onto the cheese and beat until smooth.
Then folded in the whipped cream. Folding prevent the whipped cream from continuing to progress on the path toward butter and separation (which is what happens when you over whip cream). To fold, simply use your spatula to cut into the mixture and scoop up mixture from below and "fold" it over the cream. Rotate and repeat. The final mixture should be have a fairly even distribution, but it's okay to still see some patches of yellow and white.

Now, began to assemble the tiramisu. The recipe called for filling a 12x8 in. pan, but that's not a readily available size. Quickly dipped each ladyfinger into espresso. Do each ladyfinger individually or you'll have ladyfingers falling apart.

After the first layer of ladyfingers are done, I used a spatula to spread half the cream mixture over it. Then, I smoothed it out in preparation for the next layer.
Cover the cream layer with another layer of soaked ladyfingers.

The rest of the cream was spread onto the top and cocoa powder sifted over the surface to cover the tiramisu.
The tiramisu was now complete and would require a four hour chill in the refrigerator.

***Optional - You can shave chocolate over the top instead of cocoa powder.  Sometimes I use a mix of white and dark chocolate or a spicy chilly chocolate or lemon chocolate.  It is all up to you how you top it!!

Think about the last time you encountered a bully. What was your response? My guess is, like me, your first response probably wasn’t to pray. It isn’t always easy to respond with the kindness that Jesus teaches. For many of our kids, bullies are a common challenge at school, on sports teams and in our neighborhoods. We have the opportunity and the challenge to model Christ-like kindness by responding to the bullies in our lives the way Jesus taught us to, and then lead our children to do the same.

Take a few minutes to talk with your kids about any bullies they may know at their school. How do they treat others? Ask your children why they think these bullies treat others the way they do. Together, think of some kind ways to respond to bullying.

There is something about kids that challenge every ounce of patience we have. Even the most patient of us can find ourselves at our wits end because of the kids. I am shocked at how flustered I get during the mere process of getting ready to leave the house. I am a mild-mannered person who somehow transforms into a yelling, screaming, crazy woman as kids slowly meander around the house with one shoe on, or suddenly get hungry as we are walking out the door. There are countless situations like this that we face daily. We can take solace and comfort knowing that we are all in this battle together. We are all encountering these challenges and frustrations, and we are all aspiring to grow in our patience to provide a peaceful and God-honoring home for our families. Let’s keep perspective that these frazzled moments are normal and natural and in the midst of the daily grind God is alongside us and waiting to help us. Let’s be a people that are quick to call on Him and help point one another to the peace and patience and comfort that only He can supply.

During a quiet family time, talk about the crazy moments around the house. Point out times when you get upset and impatient (maybe leaving for school in the mornings. getting homework done or getting ready for bed.) Talk about your desire to make those moments more peaceful and talk about ways the family can help one another be more patient during those hot-button times. Ask for each family member to suggest one way to prevent those times from becoming too intense. Suggest a code word that only your family knows that acts as a reminder to keep perspective when you observe one another losing patience.

Patience. Even the word causes frazzled parents to feel guilty or frustrated. It is one of those elusive qualities that you can’t will yourself to have. And as much as we try to learn to have patience, practice doesn’t make perfect. So if we can’t make ourselves be more patient, or work hard at learning to be patient, how do we capture this needed yet hard-to-find character trait? By leaning on God. Just like we cannot force an apple tree to produce apples or an orange tree to grow peaches, we cannot force the fruit of the Spirit into our lives. We must lean on God and let Him fill us. While we cannot make ourselves more patient, we can practice the discipline of asking God for help before we are in the midst of our craziness. Start your day with a simple prayer asking for His patience in whatever the day might bring. He is faithful and will show up.

Ask your kids how they feel when they are waiting in line at Disneyland or Sea World? Ask them if they get anxious or frustrated at how long they have to wait sometimes. Talk about that normal feeling and how God wants us to respond. Connect the dots with them that even though we all feel like that sometimes, it shouldn’t affect how we treat other people.

When life becomes difficult, we can lack peace in our hearts. This causes our immediate relationships, including our relationships with our children, to be affected. During difficult times we may feel miserable and less at peace. Sometimes our actions may give our children mixed messages. They may begin to internalize the tension and react rebelliously in stressful situations. Everyone becomes tense when life gets hard. 

Matthew 15:18 (NIV) says “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart.” Think about what’s in your heart. Ask God for peace, one of the fruits of the spirit, to enter your heart and trust that he will provide. God has this amazing power to give gifts through people. As you embrace the gift of peace, your actions reflect that. This gift will then trickle down into the hearts of your children. They will experience God’s peace through your actions.

Take a moment during the day to do activities with your family that will help you de-stress. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Take your children to the park and play with them. Give your child a hug. Teach your children a fun old game, the silence game, where no one talks or makes noise for a few minutes. You all sit at the dinner table or in the living room and relax. During the silence you smile at each other. Close your eyes and relax. At the end of the silence thank God through a short prayer for the peace and tranquility in your home.

You are in your home. The noise level is high. You have one child crying and another child scattering all the toys over the floor. Peace at home. Yea right! The meaning of peace radically changes the day you become a parent. You may ask yourself, “How can a harmless creation of God take away my peace?” The bible mentions peace is a fruit of the spirit. Peace is a gift from God. Stop and ask God for peace during the chaotic times. Take a minute to receive God’s peace amongst the chaos. This will help you feel less anxious and more serene. Take a moment to teach children to stop and pray in the middle of hectic and out of control moments. The type of peace they yearn for can only come from God. So ask him for it.

Ask your children, “Are there times you feel like everything around you is just crazy? Or you feel so confused and can’t think clearly?” Show them how to take a moment during the day when things seem out of control to stop and pray. Pray for peace, calmness and tranquility. Discuss what calm means for your children. Later in the day ask how praying helped them.

It’s important to remember when we make mistakes and ask for God’s forgiveness, God’s grace is what sets us straight again. When we allow our children a do-over, we are nudging them along in the right direction. We can praise them when they do. A pat on the back, a hug, words of encouragement and a high five are ways to let them know, “You’re doing great”.

Parents, think about what your child has improved on. Maybe they’ve stopped whining, or they’ve begun doing chores without being told, or they’ve improved their school grades. Take a few minutes to let them know how proud you are and how they’re a much more responsible person now. Remind them how awesome God is to grant us do-over’s to allow us time to get it right and grow closer to Him.

Rules. They are everywhere. There are rules at home, rules at school, even rules at grocery stores. Rules are established to keep us safe and out of trouble. In fact, God gives us rules to help us because He loves us. It’s up to us to follow and obey them. God gives us rules so we may grow closer in our relationship with Him through trust and obedience. When we train our children by setting up household rules, we are establishing a relationship based on trust and obedience with them.

Talk to your children about the importance of rules. On the road today, ask your children to think of a very important rule either from home, school, or church. Tell them when you get to a red light, they all get to share their rule. Then when the light turns green, have them explain why that rule is important and what could happen if they didn’t follow that rule. After everyone’s shared, explain that by obeying rules, they’re obeying God. And this shows God how much we trust and love Him.

God creates each one of us as unique individuals, blessed with our own special gifts. As parents, we have the opportunity to help our children to discover their uniqueness and teach them to value their own special gifts. As they appreciate their gifts and abilities, they will grow confident in God’s love, and in return, they will be able to recognize and appreciate the gifts of people around them.

On your way to school, talk about how neat it is that God gave everyone special gifts.  Ask your children to name one special gift they think they have. Next, ask them to pick out a special talent or ability of a sibling or family member. Then challenge them to give a compliment to another person at school today.  Maybe a classmate has really pretty long hair, or maybe a friend is really good at playing a sport at recess. Before bedtime, ask how they did with their efforts. Learning to give a compliment not only builds others up, but teaches our kids to recognize how God loves and works in other people as well.

For a polished ponytail à la Balmain:

1. If you are starting with unwashed hair, add some texture with a few doses of dry shampoo. For a freshly washed mane, work in a volumizing gel or texturizing paste when hair is still damp.

2. Using a round brush, blow dry hair in small sections on low heat. Make sure to lift each segment and dry at the base of the roots for body and volume.

3. Once hair is fully dry, work a dime-sized amount of smoothing serum into the ends.
4. Next, collect your mane into a loose ponytail, making sure to brush over the top, sides and back as you go.
5. Once you feel the crown is smoothed to your liking, secure your hair with a clear elastic.

Finish the look with a mist of hairspray and a styling cream to give locks a glossy, healthy sheen. (Tip: add some edge to your look with a metallic hair tie or decorative embellishment.)

8 BB Creams To Try

The latest and greatest in Korean one-step skincare, think of BB Cream—also called beauty balm and blemish balm—as a super-charged tinted moisturizer. All-in-one dream creams that prime, hydrate, cover and protect, these skin perfecters are known for their flawless coverage. And since many are packed with SPF and age-fighters, you can count on radiant results in a flash. Save yourself a few steps this spring and get fresh-faced with one of the eight favorites!

Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm $32 Stila All Day Beauty Balm $38 Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream $39 Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream $13 Estée Lauder Anti-Oxidant BB Crème $38 Clinique Age Defernse BB Cream $37 3Lab Perfect BB Cream $95 Boscia BB Cream $38 -The Rachel Zoe Report

What is the one accessory capable of taking any look to the next, most glamorous level? Lipstick. But not just any lipstick, Exude Lipstick, which is single-handedly modernizing the way women pucker up. Thanks to a revolutionary applicator, Exude retains its shape over time and dispenses the exact amount of lipstick users need. It doesn’t get more fabulous than that!

 There is no better time to prep your kissers with a perfect pink, red or other gorgeous shade from Exude’s versatile palette of colors.

Nice light minty feel.  Light not sticky feeling lip gloss. 

Hourglass Cosmetics Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation



Having been fooled by one too many oil-fighting imposters in the past, I'm admittedly skeptical—a liquid-to-powder fix that tones skin, delivers flawless coverage and battles a not so chic bout of shine?—but after giving this mattifying marvel a go, I couldn’t deny the results. Made with skin-firming phytostem edelweiss and Spanish lavender, I love the velvety-soft coverage. Save the glisten for your gaze, it’s time to hit the matte!
-The Rachel Zoe Report

Availability: Kate Somerville 24-Hour Pimple Punisher ($28). For additional information, visit Katesomerville.com.


PARALLEL UNIVERSE

2-in-1 Fight & Fade Gel, $8

French Lessons



Inspired by a “dewy rose garden at dawn,” L’Eau is an aromatic accessory to charm your inner Francophile. A perfumed mist blessed with a fresh, earthy je ne sais quoi, this rich blend of essential oils offers seductive notes of citrus, musk and rose. We love a fragrance that pairs perfectly with a downtown-cool ensemble! Très chic, non? Next time you’re feeling a little French, pair your Parisian best with a spritz of L’Eau.
 Availability: L’Eau by Vanessa Bruno ($41). For additional information, visit Vanessabruno.com.

Super Soak



Since there’s no foolproof way to shield our skin from the cold, dry air this time of year, it’s of the utmost importance that we add some moisture-rich pampering into our skincare mix. A winter-worthy godsend, Beautannia’s Brideshead Bath Oil is the sweet salvation our skin’s been dreaming of.

Made with a calming blend of aromatic rosehip and honeysuckle oils, this luxurious soak relaxes, moisturizes and leaves us feeling head-to-toe radiant. With a scent evocative of lush English gardens and too-pretty-to-resist packaging, next time your weatherworn limbs cry out for a rescue, save your skin with a soothing soak and get bath time beautiful!
 Availability: Beautannia Brideshead Bath Oil ($60).

Hatch Collection Maternity Clothing


Hallelujah—all hands in the air for the biggest shopping day of the year! Since many of you are out stampeding to score a few fabulous buys, we are spotlighting a special something for the fashionable gals among you who are opting out of the fine frenzy, due to a movement restricting bun in the oven. That’s right, if you’re preggo—or know someone who is—this one’s for you.

Introducing Hatch Collection’s Maternity Clothing, a miscellany of modern, versatile and comfortable wardrobe essentials to be worn both during and after pregnancy. Ranging from a sleek button-down top to a dapper dinner party dress and day-to-night drawstring pants, this line has it all. Did we mention each piece comes in a variety of coveted colors? Applause! Shop the Hatch Collection now for yourself or another mod mama and $5 of your order will be donated to Every Mother Counts, a campaign whose mission is to increase education and support for maternal and child health. If that isn’t reason enough to shop ‘til you pop, we don’t know what is!

Availability: Hatch Collection Maternity Clothing ($98-$348). For additional information, visit Hatchcollection.com.

Have those dark circles under your eyes overstayed their welcome? Not for long! There’s no need to fret over lost beauty sleep when you can banish bags and wrinkles in a jiffy with Sue Devitt’s new Marine Crystal Eye Swirls!

The latest innovation in anti-aging for your pretty peepers, this deeply reparative eye treatment stimulates collagen, increases hydration and dramatically reduces the appearance of fine lines with just one twenty-minute application! Can you say ba-na-nas? Made with micronized marine crystals and hyaluronic acid, Sue Devitt’s medical-grade formula takes R&R to the next level. So drop those cucumber slices and say sayonara to snoozy eyes with a swirl!

Availability: Sue Devitt Marine Crystal Eye Swirls ($60). For additional information, visit Suedevittbeauty.com.

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Babor
Sensational Eyes Active Pads, $10

Dreaming to illuminate your own cheeks? Get colorfully contoured with our six simple steps!

For a frostbitten flush à la Versace:

1. Start with a luminous complexion and prep your skin with foundation, concealer and finishing powder.

2. Select a bright cream blush—keeping in mind that bold color can always be toned down with a touch of blending. (Tip: a vibrant shade is an instant complexion booster!)

3. Apply a few dabs of color to the apples of your cheeks and blend in a circular motion upward toward your temples. (Tip: down is drab! Keep your look youthful by concentrating color high on your cheekbones.)

4. To amp up intensity, apply multiple layers of cream until you reach your desired flush.

5. For longer lasting color, set your shade with a light sweep of powder blush in a matching hue.

6. To finish your look with a glistening touch, use an angled brush and dust highlighting powder along the uppermost rim of your cheekbones.

From rosy radiance to a glamorous glow, warm up winter with a fetching flush!

A superhero serum with an impossibly addictive scent and all-natural blend of calming antioxidants, this lightweight oil is an instantly revitalizing remedy for any not-so-chic complexion. Just apply a few drops to your moisture-zapped visage and you’ll be gorgeously glowing, day to date-night! From sensitive skin to lit-from-within, our complexion cure du jour is simply magic.

Availability: One Love Organics Morning Glory Complexion Booster ($48). For additional information, visit Oneloveorganics.com.


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Burt's Bees
Radiance Serum, $18

Availability: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo ($55). For additional information, visit Shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com.


PARALLEL UNIVERSE

TRESemmé
Deep Cleansing Shampoo, $6

Beauty addicts take note: thanks to several high-profile appearances on the fall runway, statement brows are back and having a major moment! From flatteringly full to bleached-out bold, this scene-stealing beauty trend has us dreaming of epic brows. On the catwalk, dramatically dark eyebrows at Oscar de la Renta paired gorgeously with bitten lips and rosy cheeks, while Alexander Wang went for downtown minimalist with bare faces and unfussy brows. At Jen Kao hard-to-miss arches got the golden treatment with a dose of glittered pigment and at Jason Wu, brows went missing beneath dramatic eyes and a bit of bleach. Next level!

If runway-induced brow envy has you on the hunt for a look that is both wearable and of-the-moment, take a cue from the models at Oscar de la Renta and contrast a dark brow with a fresh complexion and a hint of color. Follow your natural brow line and fill in with your tool of choice (i.e. a brow pencil, brown tint, brow coloring powder) then give your arches a proper polish with a coat of brow gel and a quick tweeze of any errant strays—just be careful to never over-pluck. For a fetching finishing touch, contrast your emphasized eyebrows with a bright lip, exaggerated lashes or vivid cheeks. Embrace the power of a fuller brow and reinvent your look with one of this season’s best beauty trends. Bottom line, bold brows are ba-na-nas!

Sexy beach hair is often considered a warm weather-only styling option, but thanks to Oribe’s new Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray, we are ready to rock St. Tropez tresses year-round!

A two-polished-thumbs-up product, this salt-free, wave-making wonder gives hair flowing, touchably soft shape without even a hint of stiffness. Loves! Unlike any mist we’ve tried, it infuses locks with rich essential oils while a combination of wheat protein and vitamin B5 deliver volume and sun-kissed shine. In place of a fresh ocean breeze, give your wet or dry mane a spritz over, then style and flaunt those glamorous locks with a leather jacket, maxi skirt and smoky eyeliner. Hello, beach-to-bombshell chic! From winter hair woes to endless summer waves, when it comes to an effortlessly tousled ‘do, Après Beach is everything!

Availability: Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray ($35). For additional information, visit Oribe.com.


PARALLEL UNIVERSE

Sedu
Beach Beauty Sea Salt Spray, $10

So I got to thinking yesterday after hearing and talking to my husband about how some people tell their life story to others and use it to help others or to help themselves.  I know I have heard some really moving stories and some people who have really gone through a lot in their lives.  But it got me to thinking why have I never told my story?  Why have I always hidden things away?  Why do I always think that I can just find away to fix it, move on, or hide it from everyone? 

I know I am a strong person and I have been through a lot in my life but when I got to thinking about my life I was like oh my goodness I have not just been through one thing I have been through a battle.  My life is an on going story and well I don't even know where to begin but well I am going to try just a little.

So one story I have in my life is about who I am and where I came from.  Well growing up I thought I was like all the other kids.  I had a sister and a mom & dad.  I went to school like everyone else. Played on the bars, jumped rope, hop scotch, tether ball, you name it.  Well one day at school I was going to play jump rope with my sister and the other girls but the girls wouldn't let me play.  They said that we weren't sisters and I couldn't play with her.  So I went in crying.  I went home crying and asked my mom why I looked different from my sister.  Well she sat down and then told me in her room that I was adopted.  She told me that she had told me before but I didn't know she had and this was the first time I knew I was different from everyone.  I also found out that day that my parents got me because they had lost a child at birth. 

Well as the years went on a little more of the story came out but not much more.  Then 10 & 13 years after I was adopted my parents adopted 2 boys.  So then I had 2 brothers that were adopted. 

I had to grow up early to take care of the boys.  After school I had to watch them, change diapers, and do all that stuff since both my parents worked as teachers.  My sister didn't like to do that stuff and didn't do much to help me watch them.  So I was the one that had to do it all and my school work and everything. 

Well later on in life as I grew up like most teenagers they start to not like their parents for some reason.  Well I had a few.  I had never really got to be a kid.  I never got the same treatment as my sister did (at least I thought).  So I started to act out especially to my mom.  Well she took that as a sign that I didn't like her and wanted my natural mom. 

So my mom had a family friend that found my natural mom.  Got in contact with her.  And then he set up a meeting with me.  After school one day after track.  He took me to Denny's and started to just have chit chat with me.  Well after a while he told me that he had pictures and letters of my natural mom with him and wanted to know if I wanted to see them?  Well I didn't want to and I wanted to go home and be with my parents and find out what was going on and why they would do this to me.  When I got home I walked in to see my dad in tears like he was going to loose his baby girl and then I saw my mom who was sad but wondering what I was thinking and wanted to do.

I have always been close to my dad my whole life but as I got older and things and started to have my own family that is when some of these feelings got more clear to me.  I believe now as a mom that I was close to my dad so much because my mom got pregnant with my sister and that was something that she didn't think would happen to her again.  Her doctors said back then that she may never have a child again so when she got pregnant well that was to her a blessing.  And with us being so close in age well someone had to raise me and do things for me and that was my dad.  He rocked me to sleep, stayed up with me when I was sick at night so I could breathe, he was there for me.  I bonded with him and well it makes sense.  And my sister was and is close to my mom because she was the blessing my mom was told she couldn't have.

This Christmas my mom told me a little more about this and said that when they lost their son at birth that back then churches helped people find babies to adopt.  And so they had some calls and some fell through.  And that the state wanted them to undergo a psych evaluation to make sure they were ready to have a kid.  Because people all around them (friends, family, my aunt,) were all having kids but they weren't.  But my mom thought that was crazy and that they were fine. 

Well I know now from having lost children myself through dnc's, miscarriage's, and things.  I at times don't know if I dealt with it.  I think I was pushed and just kept going through the motions and that maybe I got a cold heart at times.  I didn't have a chance to deal with the losses the way I needed to.  This has been hard for me.  And it is something I have to carry with me for the rest of my life.

But something I have learned through this is that no matter where my kids come from, how hard it was to get them, the struggles it was.  It is not their fault and that I don't want them to carry with them pain, hurt, or wonder their whole lives.  I just want them to know that no matter where they came from or how hard it was that they are mine and I love them so much.  And I will go to the ends of the earth to love them.  To me I don't want to show one more love that the other, make one ever wonder or guess where they belong, or make one of my kids feel out of place.  They are my kids and I love them no matter what. 

It is amazing to me to see full circle now from being a kid to now being a parent.  And I know that my dad always loved me the way I want to love my kids.  I am going to pass his big heart on to them I hope.

Today we took our kids to lunch and some shopping.  Of course this ment we had to let the kids stop off at the play area.  As we were watching them play we were noticing some kids and their clothing.  It was kind of strange to because being at a mall surrounded by kids clothing stores to find kids that had shirts that were to tight, to short and showing tummy, pants that didn't fit and some that had plumbers crack.  It was crazy to see all that goes on in the play area at the mall.  I just felt bad for the ones that some walk out of the house looking like this.

So have you ever been at a restarunt, Mc Donald's, check out line, or at the store for your cell carrier talking to someone younger than you and they think they know it all.  I have heard of it called the participation generation.  And it is like the 20 year olds or something that feel like they have some entitlement or something.  I just don't get it.  There are some jobs and things that I have done that I didn't want to do are you kidding me but I did them and worked my buns off to do my best when I was there.  I didn't slack off and tick people off because I thought I had more power then they did.  I mean good service could lead to a better job.  Don't people have dignity or work ethic anymore? 

Could you picture yourself locking the door at closing on someone older just to show you had power over them?  Could you tell someone no you don't have something in stock just show power?  Why do they feel like they need to pull a power trip? 

I feel like this sometimes because when I go out and some young people have to say how even they are connected on facebook, blog, etc. then they think that they are so in the know.  Well even though I am right now just a "mom" I have not always been just a mom and I do more than that.  I have been so into the computing world and have probably facebooked before they could walk.  I think it is fun when I can tell them about some social networking thing that is new and up & coming that they don't know about yet.  Because well they don't know it all and that is why it is good to network, share, and meet one another.  It isn't about being a snob.

A few times just this week I have been asked the question about what I do.  And well for most that isn't usually a hard question to answer.  But for me it for some reason is. 

When I finished school I had my share of good jobs.  I started my path in l was going to be an interior designer.  But then as I had to take some classes in computers I found I was really good at it and back then even started to help teach some of the classes because the teacher was taking night classes just to teach the class.  And I was just picking it all up fast and naturally.  So then I started to find myself in to the computing field.  I loved it.

Although later I got the chance to stay home and start a family.  So I have been a mom to two great kids.  Through the years though I have tried to do a little something for me again.  I tried to do Creative Memories scrapbooking but it was just to time consuming, took up to much space, and it cost to much to stay in as a consultant for the just little bits you sold.  Then I have done MaryKay.  I like MaryKay because it is a good product and even if I don't want to sell to much I can just be a personal use consultant.  So this business is felxable for me and I like that.  I have also tried Advocare.  They are a good company.  I like them too just like MaryKay because I started it to be flexable and personal use but I can make it so much more if I want to.  I also found and LOVE a company called Boresha Coffee.  They are just an amazing company that is changing my life.  Their coffee and tea is a fat burning coffee.  Yes I said it is FAT BURNING COFFEE!!! I just love that I can loose fat just by having a cup of coffee.  I love it!

On top of these opportunities I also blog, am totally into social networking, and many other things.  I have so many interest like shopping, cooking, traveling, etc. that I just love that makes me well rounded.  So I think yes I am more than just a mom but it is sometimes hard to just tell someone what it is that I do and what I am.