Kim Kardashian's $2 Million Ring

Wow, Kim Kardashian's man must REEEEEEAAAALLLLLY love her to give her a $2 million ring! The picture above is my hand next to a picture of hers. Like Kim, I have been married before. Let's see if Kim can make her second marriage last as long as mine has (almost 13 years; 16 years together).

 I'm not trying to be a jerk, but WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING wearing something like that around? I would be afraid some random person would cut my finger off to get that ring. So I ask you (and I think I already know the answer): does a bigger, better ring equal a bigger, longer, better marriage?

I think not. I love my ring. I took forever to find it. I think it's interesting that it has 5 stones and I have 5 kids. I wonder if that means something! My ring cost under $2 million. In fact, it cost under $2,000. I didn't want something that was obnoxiously big or too expensive for my man. I wanted something pretty that nobody would hopefully steal that was COMFORTABLE.

Dang, I wish you could upload a picture on the Comments section of the blog. Maybe put your wedding ring on your own blog or Facebook pic me ... I'd love to see your wedding ring and hear the story behind it.

CouponChief.com

I know many of you who read my blog are trying to save money like I am. The economy is doing strange things, and we are all cutting corners where we can. That's what I love about CouponChief.com, a really cool site that you have to check out. Do a search by company or by category and you are bound to find something you're looking for to help you save money on online purchases of products and services.

I have actually used CouponChief.com before and just didn't realize it. I searched for coupons for nursing bras at Bravado Designs and found one on CouponChief.com for 20% off. When you're talking about a $50 bra, 20% is nice to save.

They also have a "Pays-2-Share" program where you upload coupons to your own site, and every time someone uses a coupon you've uploaded, you get 2% of the sales, which is not a lot, but it is better than a poke in the eye with a stick and I'm sure it adds up. I plan to sign up and try it, so watch for coupons and codes in some of my blog posts that I feel are relevant to you.

Their web site is easy to navigate, and I can't wait to do some Christmas shopping using coupons from CouponChief.com! Head over there and check out their stores ... there are thousands! See you there :-)

McDonald's Playland Sock Policy (Overland Park, Kansas)

I think I’ll call posts like the following (Mommy)Kerrie Behaving Badly. Something happened to me when I became a mom: I turned into a fierce Mama Bear. I used to be the meek only child who was bullied on the way home from school. Then I married an abusive guy (NOT my current husband!!!). Now it’s like I’m on a campaign to eradicate bunches of b.s. in the world where kids are concerned. Simply put: a lot of adults annoy me. So here’s my latest story in a long line of stories:

So I took 5 kids plus Jordan to McDonald’s Playland the end of June so I could try to load Microsoft Office 2010 onto my sweet new laptop. Since I didn’t have Internet access at home, I had to go to the good ole Mickey D’s. Jordan and I dropped some serious cash on food to keep the kids happy and off they went to play.

Soon a snotty little girl started telling Michael that he had to leave because he had no socks on. She was quoting her mom and pointing to the sign that said you had to wear socks to play in the PlayLand. I didn’t think much about it since half the kids in there had no socks on. If it’s not life-threatening (i.e., blood or fire), an issue often falls off my radar screen. Such is the life of a mom of many.

After a few more minutes a female employee came in to tell me the kids need to wear socks. I asked her specifically why, since it’s June and it’s hot and who really carries socks around for 5 little kids in the middle of summer anyway except for those anal, uptight, Type A moms we don’t want to know? She said it’s a Health Department issue and they could be shut down. I told her that’s not true. What is it about kid feet that is any grosser than kid hands? And have you taken a look at the nasty McD’s floor lately? Any socks worn there would have to be burned afterward.

I told her I wanted to see the Health Department decree she was talking about so she went to get … a manager. He was a treat and reminded me of Dwight from Atlanta Housewives. He said we could buy socks and I said I was not going to buy his socks when I just spend a small fortune on their food. Let’s just say I put up a fight because that’s what I do. I didn’t want to buy socks and I didn’t want to make the kids stop playing. I was stuck, and so I was mad and acted like a jerk mother and might have cussed at the guy a little and might have said some not nice things to the guy in front of my kids after he followed tiny Sam around and said in his face, "Would you like some socks, little boy?"

Look, I get that a policy is a policy. I’m just saying it’s stupid. I’m also saying that a lot of policies are stupid and should be challenged. No breastfeeding in certain restaurants, anyone?!

If I had any sort of attention span, I’d have to consider law school because I’ll throw down verbally with just about anyone these days.

SOOOO ... I was a little ashamed of myself and hadn't posted this yet, but Friday my friend called me to tell me that our McDonald's in Overland Park, KS (87th and Farley) pulled this on some moms again. An employee named Sarah got after all the moms in the Playland about the socks. Then she got a manager (haven't verified if it was the same manager treat I got). The moms did not leave (they were having a Foot-In), so the MANAGER CALLED THE POLICE. The police came and KICKED OUT THE MOMS AND KIDS!!!

So I ask of you, people, do your kids wear socks in McDonald's Playlands? Do you carry them just in case (I sure do, even in summer now)? Or do you wait for somebody to hop your case and then either leave or buy them for $1 at McD's? Orrrrr ... are you all compliant about wearing the socks and make sure to teach your kids to obey all policies? I am really dying to debate this one!

Anti-Television People; TV is BAD!!!

I was reading this book by a homeschooling mom of 9. The book has a lot of good tips and I'll "review" it later, but one thing that annoyed me is that she sets this standard of hardly any TV watching in her house. My husband would gladly give our TV away in a second (although what, my love, would you watch the Netflix movies on besids my laptop?).

Anyway, the mom said something about unwinding OTHER ways, like by reading or playing a game or ... I don't remember what else. I want to defend television by saying that sometimes it is the BEST way to unwind for some people. Think about it. There is no interaction or thinking usually. You just watch something mindless and you get to RELAX YOUR BRAIN.

Lady, I don't WANT my brain "on" all the time. If I'm sick or overwhelmed or find myself suddenly alone in my house (rare!), I like to have the TV on to just chill.

Do we watch too much TV at my house? Sure. But I have to say a good half of it is PBS educational stuff that's on while Sam is nursing and sleeping on me. It's our "quiet time." What's the difference between them watching that and other homeschoolers sticking their kid in front of a Bob Jones University DVD for hours while they "do school"?????

When the TV is on, they are occupied and quiet. A cousin of Aron's once called it the TV-sitter. I admire you if you have no television, but I can't do it. We only have one TV and are certainly not fanatics, but it is nice every once in a while to zone out, no?

How to Grow Pumpkins in Your Backyard

When Aron and I were first dating and he was traveling, he got me a sweet children's book called "The Pumpkin Blanket."

Last year Joel tossed some pumpkin seeds and gunk into our garden as composting, then this year Aron located what looked like some pumpkin vines. He transplanted them to the end of the garden so they wouldn't kill our tomatoes, beans, carrots and beets, and they are TAKING OVER the garden, climbing OUT OF the garden and resting on our air conditioner.

I can't wait to see how many actual good pumpkins we get out of this "crop." I wonder if my kids will cover them with blankets if they get cold come October. Anyone for pumpkin pie? I'll mail you a piece!