The Injustice of Payday Loan Places

I had to pop on here really fast because I'm listening to something that makes me feel really smart. I'm listening to talk radio and a woman is talking on and on and on about the "injustice" of payday loan places and how we need to regulate them in Missouri. And how they "target" the consumer. And this chick is organizing churches to be against payday loan places and the scandalous interest rates they charge.

And me and the talk show hosts are like, "Everyone has a choice and can get a payday loan or not. And they know the crazy interest rate when they sign up and if they need to float the loan longer, that's their problem!" 

YES, I have gotten a payday loan, way back in the day, like the 90s. We paid like $60 to borrow $50 for a week. I thought it was stoopid even then, but I was married to someone who liked to have stuff but not work very much. I've never gotten one since. 

What do you think about thousands of people wasting their time (I know, it's THEIR time to waste) on trying to regulate these places? Just leave 'em alone. I'm thinking this chick could have spent her time better starting a CHARITY for people who are in dire straits and need to go to these places as a last resort.

This is going on the ballot in Missouri in November. How will you vote?

Beecology.com Buzzes

I'm tired of saying something "rocks" or "kicks butt" and so now will coin a new cool phrase to mean something is awesome: BUZZ. You buzz, man. In the play last night, she buzzed ... hard. (and don't think I don't know what some of you are thinking right now. and stop it. because this is a family company so pull your head out of the gutter and be the klassy TKS readers I know you can be right now).

I think Beecology BUZZES.

They sent me some buzzin' products in the mail to try and I want to tell you about the little Ker Package they sent me. Let's go on a tour:

1. Buzz Balm. It's peppermint, it's all natural (my friend Andrea would call that "legit"), made with beeswax and all sorts of other cool ingredients. Some lip balms bug my lips, but this one just feels good and tingles a little with that peppermint. They sent me a few, and I shared them, and everyone agrees with me that they totally BUZZ.
2. Original Honey Hand and Body Cream "with propolis extract and other really good stuff" according to Beecology! This stuff stays on throughout the day, is just thick enough and just feels good. And there's honey in it, so watch out for bears.
3. Three different soaps. I'm turning into a fancy soap girl lately. This stuff feels like silk when you wash your hands or your bod. I have a bar in our master shower and a bar in the tub where the littles take a bath. Last night I was soaping them up and it felt like no soap I've ever felt, like there's lotion in it. And it smells good! And my skin doesn't need tons of lotion on it after I use it.

What are you waiting for? They offer free ground shipping on orders over $40 and a great coupon pops up when you visit the site!

PTSD After the NICU

Here's something I posted recently at mothering.com after reading a post about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after having a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). I've put some links to my own blog posts from our experience below in my reply:


"I had no idea this could even happen. I'm doing research for a follow up to my article about 12 ways to support a friend with a nicu baby. A parent wanted an article about AFTER, coming home, dealing with family and friends and all that. I came across these posts about PTSD and am crying! My Sam was in the NICU only 7 days in October 2009 after having meconium aspiration and a super fast birth. It was hard to balance the needs of our other 4 kids and I always felt guilty not being at the hospital when he could have easily died at any time. I still get panicky when I think about it and savor this kid like you would not believe. It's also made me afraid to have another child because I had endometriitis (maybe, or maybe not ... my doctor seemed not too sure but antibiotics fixed it), and can't imagine doing the NICU stint again. If I feel this way after only a week dealing with it, how must those who have a baby (or more than one) in the NICU for months feel? My heart goes out to them. We need to be a little gentler with NICU parents, both while they are in the hospital and when they come home."


Here's a great piece my husband pointed me to recently, as well. And a piece in The New York Times.


I remember those days as being very difficult. I only slept because I was sick, and when I was awake I was worried. I pasted on a smile and kept my sense of humor, but remembering that time makes my chest feel tight.


Lately I've tried to take a funny slant on life on this blog, but sometimes I run across something that's informative and pretty serious. NICU stays are pretty common. I just wanted parents to know they can come here and have a discussion with me and a safe place to vent. And I wanted friends and family of NICU parents/babies to be extra sensitive. If a new mom asks you to wash your hands after you're visiting her tiny preemie for the first time, please don't call her a worrywart! These parents need just as much help after the NICU as during.


I want to take this opportunity to thank my family and friends and neighbors who were there for us when Sam was born. It means everything to us, and there's a special place for you in our hearts. We were drowning in homemade chicken noodle soup and help and love, and it was fabulous!

Taking Kids to Church ... Yes or No?

Today is Sunday. Aron is out of town. I am in charge of six people aged 10 and under. Do you think I will be attending Mass? No. Here's why:

1. Sam and Eva can't make it through an entire Mass anyway, so I end up in the vestibule (that's entryway to you non-fish-eaters; Catholics have cool words for normal things and that's why I signed up) or down in the nursery.

That's about it. I don't wanna leave the other 4 kids alone in church ... you know they will act like fools without my adult guiding presence!

I checked out a friend's blog yesterday and she wrote that her 3-year-old didn't make it through the 3-hour Easter Vigil very well last weekend. I'm like (1) it's at night, the Witching Time and (2) THREE HOURS???????? This is a very brave woman. She would have to be to be pals with me, no?

Every Christmas somebody will ask us if we go to Midnight Mass with our kids. I have to be careful how I answer because my mother-in-law took 5 kids EVERY YEAR (including twins, people). Sit on that one for a moment. Five kids. Every year. Midnight. Church.

So I come up with some diplomatic answer that is not usually, "Are you freaking crazy? Midnight? Five kids? Church? They'd be sleeping all over the floor of the joint, and I might have to join them."

Might not see all my church peeps the next TWO weekends, actually, due to Fishing Trip Mania. Why take the only two kids who don't sit through Mass TO Mass? I know God loves that you just show up. I also know God loves a sane and loving mother to take care of the kids that have been entrusted to her care.

Catholic pals, slam me in the comments about what a heathen I am. I can take it.

Hardly Anybody Came to My Kid's Birthday Party

The Universe kicked my butt today a little bit in the form of Michael's no-kids-came birthday party. I'm tough and can handle stuff like that, but I felt badly for Michael. Here's the thing:

I appreciate the dad who came by with a gift and said his kid had stayed up too late, got up too early and was just a whipped mess. That was cool of him to come by and give a gift and explain. That is a stand-up person.

I appreciate the person who has a long drive and called to say she was having a hard time getting all her kids together.

I appreciate my mom, who called early in the day to say she didn't feel well. We have a pollen issue right now in Kansas that is messing with people.

I appreciate my dad and stepmom, who came. And my mother-in-law, who came. And my cousin Zee, who came. And our daughtersitter, Jordan, who came.

I appreciate my friend who came later.

I appreciate our ex-neighbor, who came later. And my friend who has kids in soccer and is always a maybe. And our other friends who were a maybe.

Otherwise, there were no little kids who came to Michael's actual birthday party. Michael isn't exactly a social kid, but he gets stuff.

I don't appreciate people who decide at the last minute that they just don't want to bring their kid and don't want to call to let anyone know. They are setting a rude example for their children, I think. Being late is one thing. Not showing and not calling after you've said you were coming is another.

I don't appreciate people who have their heads so far up their own butts that they don't care about a simple thing their kid might want to do. They don't write it down anywhere. They totally blow it off so they can sit around and watch TV or go shopping or go out to lunch.

I love my peeps and the peeps of my kids, but be warned: when Joel's birthday party rolls around, I'll be making reminder calls the day before and the morning of, just to be annoying. I was always OCD about this sort of rude behavior; it's worse since I've had kids :-)

*This doesn't include any of my neighbors, by the way, if they are thinking I'm talking about them! I know they told me they had other plans!!!