I'm going to pinch you, Mom!

My mom.  I LOVE my mom.

My mom raised us to be HARD workers.  Left with 3 daughters and sporadic, if NO, child support [dad was a deadbeat (true, but we're over it now), mom did not fight it in courts like she should have and had his wages garnered so his kids would NOT have to be in the projects while he and his "new" family - his words back then, not mine -  were in a house with a pool.  But I digress.], mom taught us nothing is free. Nothing is owed to you. You EARN it.

She hated food stamps.  Back then, it was actual paper stamps in a book, not these debit cards moms get today.  When you handed those coupons to cashiers back then, you would get looks of disgust.  I kid you not.  The looks my mom would get.  We needed those food stamps.  Four women and one of them making $15k a year before  taxes.  We needed those stamps.  Mom eventually refused them.  She was tired of the embarrassment   What did she do? She took on a second job.  We took on fast food jobs to have money for ourselves.  I smelled like a Whopper for most of my high school evenings.  Burger King gave me a job and a scholarship.  Love them.

I sit in Walmart now, watching a woman in high heels, jeans, full makeup, nails done to the nines, Coach purse, handing the cashier her WIC Debit card and I do not get it.  What the hell?  Sell that purse and buy some respect.  See, no one cares anymore.  No one cares if you "get over" on the system. That's sad.  Mom taught us if you want something, you EARN IT.  No one owes you $%^+.

This is one of David and my favorite skits, by the way.




I'm digressing again, back to mom.  She raised 3 very different girls.  Very different, but we share the same work ethic.

When Mother's Day comes around though, SHE KILLS ME!!  She sends me a card, with money in it!  A check or money order for $50 or $75 will show up in the mail every year.  And I want to PINCH HER.  STOP buying me a Mother's Day gift, I tell her.  You're OUR mom, we do stuff for you!

She sends the card and then I'm all "Dang!  Now I have to make sure I buy her stuff equivalent to this!" I laugh.  We're just exchanging money for goods.  She is one tough cookie to shop for, especially since she lives on an island and I can't see what she needs for her home, what size she's wearing, what article of clothing she's needing.  I scour the stores and end up buying her something, hoping it'll work for her.  Some times, the shoes won't fit, the pants won't fit, etc. etc.  UGH. Pinching her the next time I see her.

I love my mom.  Happy Mother's Day, Mami.  Te amo muchisimo.

That Patch Blanket

I have not taken a picture of our patch blanket since 2007.

Here it is then.

And here it is now.

Crazy, huh?  We've had this since Jake was a Tiger in 2000.  I love seeing the progression of his scouting and then just the progression of places we've been to.  The last ones on here are from a video game from 2012 and Busch Gardens Tampa from 2012.  We have not had any for 2013.  I need to remember to get them when we go places. 

The Sexiest Thing Ever

Watch until the end.  You'll see why.