Brennan is turning EIGHT so we are going to celebrate (with an etsy sale!)

see his fabulous mustache tie tack?  awesome, right!

Brennan loves my bow ties more then anyone else I know.
In fact, when I prepared a polo shirt for him to wear today to church, he was very upset that he could not wear a bow tie or neck tie with it.  :)
He turns eight next Sunday.  In one week.
Turning eight for an LDS kid is kind of a big deal.  See, they can get baptized when they turn eight.  Brennan has been working hard to prepare himself and make sure he wants to get baptized and he feels (and we do and the bishop) he is ready to do this.
But, I digress....
for now, we are talking about me ;)
See, Brennan is having a MAN party for his birthday, inspired first by his love of dress up neck ties and bow ties and my love of mustaches right now (fake, NOT real).

Since he loves the ties so much, I am having a sale in my etsy shop from now until Saturday at midnight.
ALL neck ties are $8 each, plus shipping, the very few bow ties I have left are $4.25 plus shipping.
Considering other then that very rare % off sale I just had, I don't lower my already REALLY low prices, I'd say this is a great deal and I'd encourage you to hop over to my etsy shop right this second and order some.  If you want more then 1 of any size, send me a convo and I will set up a listing.

OH, and I almost forgot the best part....EVERY SINGLE NECK TIE you buy comes with a FREE mustache tie tack!  Yep.  Awesomeness!  Or you can buy them separately for $3 each.
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AND, if you tweet (@jessremington and include a link to the shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/confetticreationsbyj ) or post on Facebook about this sale (make sure you @ Confetti Creations AND click that little UNlock button so I can SEE the comment on Facebook on my Confetti Creations wall), I will give you a top secret code for 10% off your total purchase price as well as those sale prices!  I will ask that you please not share the code as it is SO easy to get it sent directly to you!

One TIme

You might not believe it, but this innocent, sweet, peas and chicken-n-dumpling eating boy is not always so cute and innocent.
As a matter of fact, lately he's been down right rude!
The biggest infraction he has is his response to anything he doesn't want to do is "NO" in a super bratty, brings my blood to a boil in a nano second tone of voice.  Seriously.   Then, when you ask him to please respond nicely, the tone gets ever worse, he gets a "like hell am I going to do what you want" manner.
Since I am trying to teach the boys GOOD manners and to be polite and kind, this little bit of impulsive extreme defiance...didn't sit too well with me.
So, I reached way back into my memories...and remembered an old stand by that always worked on my brothers, sister, and myself if we were back talking, saying naughty words, etc.  Now, I only remember this actually being used (on me) maybe one or two times total, but if that is all it was used, the threat of it was enough to nip future offenses in the bud if this punishment was mentioned.

When I happened to have a bottle of the stuff in the kitchen.  I pulled it out, showed it to Jack, had him smell it.  I told him it did not taste nice and that the next time he said "NO" in that tone of voice he'd just used, he'd get to see what hot sauce tasted like.
Well, he sort of laughed but didn't say "NO" again.  The next day he said it (this had become a frequent habit of his) and I gave him one last warning.  "Jackson, if you can't talk nicely, I will let you taste something that is as yucky as your words."
Well, the next time comes.  He says his "NO" and throws a fit over whatever it was he thought was worth throwing a fit over.  I calmly approach him, let him know he had lots of chances to change his ways.
I open the bottle of hot sauce, put my finger on top of the bottle and turn it over.  He is watching me..."is she really going to do this?  I bet not" is what he is thinking.
I turn to him, rubbing off almost all the hot sauce I had just put on my finger (it was a teeny tiny drip so this made it miniscule).  I ask him to open his mouth or his punishment will be much worse.  Surprisingly, he opens.
He tastes.
He cries.
He spits.
He now no longer says "NO" in a sassy tone of voice.
AND...if he does start to slip back into that form, all I have to do is hold up a bottle of hot sauce (thank you Popeye's wicked chicken for providing us with enough to store all over the house, car, my wallet, etc, etc) and BAM, he and all other children in the room are suddenly good as gold.

I wonder if this works on 8 year olds who think they need to have the last word???

Father's Day

I am a big believer in a lot of holidays being "Hallmark" holidays...invented by the card companies to make a buck and make you feel like crap for not going all out (think did you buy a card, heart of flowers, and stuffed animal for Valentine's Day?)  I kind of believe this about Mother's Day and Father's Day as well....I think it started out as a day with good intentions, then the stores say, "Ah HA!  We can make money off of people's guilt at not thanking their parents enough through out the years!"

So, we are all left feeling like schmucks that we didn't do enough for our fathers, who are obviously wonderful and amazing.  We wonder, what in the world can we even get our father (or mother, feel free to see this as my view of both holidays) to express our deep and heartfelt love and appreciation for them?  I mean, those tulips I ordered my mom are for sure dead by now, cards get thrown away, and chocolates, well, while that is good in theory, my dad is a diabetic.  Tools?  He's got 'em?  A book?  He's got a room of them.  A picture?  (Maybe...I am still thinking this through)

Bart was easy.  He wanted a video game.  I told him too bad, he had a $25 limit.  He bartered some other stuff and got the difference.  Done deal.  I didn't even have the boys make him cards.  Isn't that their Sunday School teacher's jobs?  That is sure my nursery lesson for tomorrow!  LOL

I have been thinking about what to do for my dad.  He and my mom recently visited and this the ONLY picture I got of the visit!  They did SO much for our family, and we are so grateful for them and their skills and knowledge.  My dad took the boys to a ball game which they all (even Bart) really loved and he created a great memory.  My mom took me shopping (we found her some fabulous wedding event dresses and one for me, too!).  My parents are letting us "borrow" their dog for a month so we can see if a dog is a good fit for our family (note, it is not really for the parents, and our votes equal 99.9% of the total voting powers :) )

So, what is a girl to do?  Steal her future sister in law's idea of course!  Take her daddy on a date to show him how much she cares!  Oh, yeah, I think I will totally rock this Hallmark Holiday!!!  (We will schedule this soon)

So, here I will publicly thank both Bart and my dad for being such great dads.  One day I think Bart should let me write him out a guide on how to do it even better (HAHAHAHA) and I will let my dad edit that book and add his own forward as well...but overall, Bart is a great dad to the boys and a great support to me.

As for my dad...one word for you folks (because we all know what  a sentimental sap I am)  awesomesauce.
(Did you think I was serious about being sentimental?  I just told you I think this nice holiday to honor our parents is the brainchild of "big business".  Oh, and in 1998, when I was watching Titanic for the first (and only all the way through) time, I totally laughed during the Rose/Jack/freezing water/dying people "NEVER LET GO" in the movie theater)  Anyway, thank you.  For being a good role model to me (and my husband).  For working so hard and letting the boys be your shadow whenever we visit so they can learn to work hard.  And for being a supportive and loving father.

And to Bart, thank you for the video game parties, bug collecting, and smoking lessons.  I know the boys will remember those moments (and if not, they can read my blog and learn about them...or see them in scrapbooks....just doing my parts to seal the deal on how awesome we are as parents...that is why I don't scrapbook the hot sauce moments, the parent fails or the melt downs ;) ) and feel the same pressure as I do to find an awesome present...and fail as I do each year.

40% off sale in my etsy shop

Now through 6 p.m. CST, get 40% off your total purchase.
Just use code:  40off  in my shop:  Confetti Creations by Jessica

please note:  tie jackson is wearing is not for sale, this is just an example of how cute YOUR little one can be in one of MY ties!

stock up for next year and save with this cute chick tee (the girls is TO DIE FOR ADORABLE!) or peeps iron on kit!

Shipping is really cheap so this is a steal of a deal!
Hurry though, I will only restock once at 1 p.m.!

Mr. Independence

This month has been a busy one, but I am not a blogger to not blog for a while and apologize for my lack of posting.  I must live my life and it provides fodder to write about...and I am constantly composing posts in my head.  If only they made it ONTO the blog!  ;)
Today you are in luck, because one of those well thought out posts (you know, day dreaming as the Ethan-nator screams his head off, a "take me away" kind of moment) is coming to you!

My parents came to visit last month.  We are doing a "rent a dog" program for the month where they are letting the boys "borrow" Lexie, their golden retriever, for the month, to see if they are as serious about wanting a dog as they (and my dear husband {who bought me coconut m&m's when he FLEW to the store tonight to buy a phone since the batteries in our phone died and I work until two tonight!} also REALLY said he wanted) say they are.
While here, my mom, my NE bff (I have a bff in several states, doesn't that make life that much better?), and myself went shopping.
A lot.  As in, for D.A.Y.S.

She got a new outfit for my brother's wedding, Idaho reception, and Mississippi reception.  I got a new dress for the receptions, plus a new dress just because it was beautiful and I tried on 7.3 million dresses to find one for my sister to wear to the Mississippi reception. 
Side note:  Do you know how HARD it is to find a perfect dress for someone you have not seen in a year who recently lost over 15 lbs and doesn't know what size she is AND has bigger boobies then me?  Yeah, REALLY hard!
Anyway, back to me and my small boobs.  Nah, just me.  I tried on a beautiful dress that will hopefully be perfect for my sister.  It was perfect for me (lol) and both my Megan and my mom agreed.  However, they only had ONE dress in that size, the size I needed and assumed she did as well.  Being the awesome big sister that I am, I said it was Jeni's dress, not really wanting to spend money that day, anyway.  But, as we were checking out, my mom ordered one for me to be delivered to that store later in the week!

YAY Mom, right?  Right!

So, back to the title of the post "Mr. Independence"....
.
The beautiful dress arrived at the store Thursday evening and I got the call.  Yay!  I can wear it to a church event Saturday evening!
So, plans are made to go to the mall Friday after Bart gets off of work.

We load up the kids, the stroller, us, and head to the mall.  When we get there and park, the most unusual and unexplainable thing happens.
The older boys get their seat belts off and sit, waiting for the signal to get out.  Ethan is pulling on his seat straps like a mad man (as if we'd ever leave him!).  I get out the stroller and get Ethan to put him in it. 
Ethan starts throwing a tantrum and actually says, "Mama NO stroller, I walk."
I was overcome with  utter confusion and puzzlement.  What did these words coming out of my two year old's mouth mean?  Where had he learned such non-sense?  And how was I going to convince him that he was W.R.O.N.G. and that he would be riding in that stroller?
Neither Jackson nor Brennan had ever revolted over the stroller.  In fact, Jackson still begs to ride in the jogging stroller from time to time.  Brennan was only booted out when Ethan was born and took his spot.
Ethan even loves his stroller.  At home he hangs out in it sometimes, like it's the most happening place in the house to be.
So, these words of rebellion, of war, of absolute anarchy, came as a total shock to my system.

However, being the Mother Of The Year that I am, I quickly recovered my senses and got the situation under control.

"Ethan", I say as sweetly as possible, calm, as if talking to a tiger in the wild, "Don't you want Daddy to push you in the stroller?"

And he quickly climbed in, ready for Daddy to push him around the mall.

Crisis averted, for now.

But what do I do about a child who actually thinks he has the right to overrule Mommy?  Now that, my dear bloggy bff's, is the question.  ;)