80's Fashion Trends I "Will" Support

I, like so many others, will not succomb to this return to the 80's skinny pants/jeans extravaganza. I adore Audrey Hepburn and commend The Gap for yet another great commercial. However, I am not enough of a slave to fashion to spend my hard earned money on this madness. The title of the "skinny pants" or the "skinny jeans" leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Even when I was at my "fighting weight" I don't think I would have endorsed this trend. I like the idea of pants or jeans, that when I wear them, make me look skinny. So, all this being said, here are a few of the 80's fashion trends that I do and will don this fall.

1. Big, sparkly, cinchy purses. Love this look and am glad that big purses are back in style as I've always carried them. I like to refer to my purse as the MotherShip - a bottomless bag of bobby pins, hair clips, bandaids, exedrin, tylenol, advil, hand sanitizer, lotion, not to mention makeup, money and credit cards....

2. Big earrings. I've spent the last few weeks updating my accessories and am excited to debut my new hoops, loops and chandalier dangles.

3. Bangs.. I never can keep up if their in or out, but I've always had them since God blessed me with a rather large forehead. Either way, I've gotta have them. So I can do long and sweepy or short and straight. Every other year, I'm in style with them.

4. Knee boots. This is a trend from the 70's that I am just passionate about. I love that the weather is getting cooler for me to break out my tweed skirt and my knee boots.

So there it is. My 2006 Fall Fashion Must-Haves. I'm all for being funky, trendy, sassy (as Boomama calls it); So, if you see me walkin down the street in regular boot cut jeans an obvious fashion emergency, please don't call 911, just let me keep going.

Hats off to Single Parents

My husband has been out of town for work since Sunday morning, so I've been doing the single parent thing for 4 days now. I'm tired. It's always a gentle reminder when he goes out of town of all the little things he does to help out with the house, the kids, the pets, me, etc. Doing it on my own is always tough. I don't know how single moms and dads do it every single day and work at the same time. He's coming home tonight and I'm counting down. Not only am I praying for his safe return home. But I'm also praising God for such a wonderful, devoted husband and father. I'm also praying that God will remind me to show B. how much I appreciate the little things he does, and that while they have become a part of our routine, I am still grateful of every little or big thing he does. I thank God for such a positive, hard-working, patient, caring & easy going man. My children and I are so lucky to have him.

Top Ten Things I Don't Feel Guilty About as a Mom

This was inspired by a book I started last night. It's called "Motherhood: The Guilt That Keeps On Giving". So, in my effort to focus on the things I've done right, here's my Top Ten.

10. I don't feel guilty for not cooking every night.
9. I don't feel guilty for leaving the kids with a babysitter for some QT with their daddy.
8. I don't feel guilty for leaving the kids for some QT with myself.
7. I don't feel guilty for wanting the house to stay somewhat picked up and enlisting the children for help. (They need to learn to pick up after themselves)
6. I don't feel guilty for kissing and hugging my kids every chance I get.
5. I don't feel guilty for giving my kids vienna sausages and easy mac & cheese for dinner when I'm stressed and in a hurry.
4. I don't feel guilty about throwing away some of my children's artwork that's just a crayon scribble on a page. I can't keep everything.
3. I don't feel guilty for not scrapbooking.
2. I don't feel guilty for letting the kids watch Spongebob to occupy them for 20 minutes when I'm desperate for a shower.
1. I don't feel guilty for not wanting sex every single time my husband does.

So there it is. I must admit this was harder to come up with than I thought it would be. As I made the list, I kept coming up with things I do feel guilty about. There's something inborn in us women that make us want to please everyone. And when we can't we feel guilty about it. I have so many friends who are on so many committees at church and are spread so thin. Their roots grow wide, but not deep. It needs to be the other way around. We have to prioritize and say no every now and then.

Happy TGIF Eve Everyone!!!