Me

What do you do when the doctor is telling you your scans and tests were all normal and that you only have a UTI, but you’re still having gall bladder pain and spasms…. I’m tired of not knowing what is wrong with me!

Aw. Feel better. Sometimes kidney stones can mimic gallbladder issues. I’d keep asking. Squeaky wheel and all that. I’d also journal my food for a few weeks to see if there’s a trigger. I read Wheat Belly a while ago and it made a big difference. But keep pushing! Drs may know medicine but we know our bodies

The abdominal ultrasound and CT scan came back totally clean. No stones anywhere! I actually think it's more stress related because when I was on vacation I was totally fine.

Depending on the age of the child: 4 or older, I use a chart with specific chore magnets. For older kids, I’m stricter and they’d lose privileges. Parents have to be on the same page. But I’m generally more strict. I even expect my 2 and 3 yr olds to clean up their playrooms/bedrooms.

The kids have flat out said "well it's your job/the cleaning lady's job to pick up after me". I'm going to keep trying. I'm struggling through this one as I've said before.

The parents who allow their kids to run loose in parking lots drive me INSANE! Honestly I've developed the mentality of "they are your kids, do what you want" but my kids know that Miss Cyndi's rules apply anytime she's in the house. And they tattle on themselves whenever something against my rules happens when I'm not there! Haha

Hey guys! What winter and holiday crafts have you done or want to do with your littles?

We did bird feeder pine cones! This year it’s a little tricky because there’s no snow here yet and the rain has been washing everything off. But you dip pine cones in peanut butter (or sunbutter like what we used) then roll them in birdseed. Then we just tied a ribbon on it and I let the kids put them on the trees and bushes!

That’s so cute!! We have so many pretty birds here I need to do that with the boys

You will definitely need to remind them that bird seed is NOT for humans. I don't know how many times I said it and my kids still ate the seeds! We're up in Michigan though so it looks gorgeous when there's snow and the feeders. Unfortunately this rain ick makes it so the seed washes off the cones!

Hey guys! What winter and holiday crafts have you done or want to do with your littles?

We did bird feeder pine cones! This year it's a little tricky because there's no snow here yet and the rain has been washing everything off. But you dip pine cones in peanut butter (or sunbutter like what we used) then roll them in birdseed. Then we just tied a ribbon on it and I let the kids put them on the trees and bushes!

Last year I started the “Santa scanner”. It’s an app that “the elves put on my phone” and tells you if you’ve been naughty or nice. The kids look forward to getting scanned after bath time every day (motivation to do the bedtime checklist! Yes!) and I can bring up the scanner anytime they start to get too sassy. There’s also a button that tells you if Santa is watching that particular scan and they watch it like a hawk.

That’s so cute!! I’m definitely putting that on my phone lol 😁

Oh it's a life saver! I think it's just called Santa scan

Last year I started the "Santa scanner". It's an app that "the elves put on my phone" and tells you if you've been naughty or nice. The kids look forward to getting scanned after bath time every day (motivation to do the bedtime checklist! Yes!) and I can bring up the scanner anytime they start to get too sassy. There's also a button that tells you if Santa is watching that particular scan and they watch it like a hawk.

Made over 100 waffles to freeze on Saturday…. Was off Sunday and this morning… The 6yr old just informed me that they ate ALL of the waffles in the last two mornings… This may be why I’m feeling so over worked… Can’t keep up…

OMG! How does a small family eat that many waffles??

4 kids, 3 adults plus me…. No idea how the kids ate that much or why they allowed it but now I have MORE waffles to make plus a birthday cake AND pancakes… All while entertaining the 4 kids and getting dinner on the table on time!!! Ugh!! I need a vacation!

That’s crazy! Is cooking a part of your job- for which you’re paid extra? I only make kid food ( lunch, breakfast, snack)

I'm not paid extra. It's in my contract that I make the family dinners every day. This new breakfast thing happened as a job creep. I did it once after a breakfast for dinner thing. Made too many pancakes, froze it, kids loved having my pancakes the next few days. But now its all the time. They are "getting away from packaged frozen waffles and pancakes" so I have to fill in there because they still want the kids to have them. My recipe is less sugar/chemicals. Luckily I do actually have a vacation to California coming up so I will be kid free for a whole week! Longest since my knee injury earlier this year!

Made over 100 waffles to freeze on Saturday…. Was off Sunday and this morning… The 6yr old just informed me that they ate ALL of the waffles in the last two mornings… This may be why I’m feeling so over worked… Can’t keep up…

OMG! How does a small family eat that many waffles??

4 kids, 3 adults plus me.... No idea how the kids ate that much or why they allowed it but now I have MORE waffles to make plus a birthday cake AND pancakes... All while entertaining the 4 kids and getting dinner on the table on time!!! Ugh!! I need a vacation!

Or they talk to you through the door.... That's what mine do....