Time for Fun!

This was just fun - try it out for yourself. :)

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland   "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
The South
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

PS..Kelton arrived home safe and sound from his day at the zoo. He had a fabulous time. Kaylen and I missed him but we managed to have a good time without him. :) Next year ought to be a real adventure.

Kid Free Time

There is nothing like four solid hours of kid-free time! On Saturday we had a sitter come over and Dakota and I escaped for the evening. Hands down, we had a better time than the sitter who was sweet and kind enough not to say anything but she looked completely exhausted when we arrived home. From what we put together through conversations with the kids, Kelton was pretty rough on the poor girl. He ended up writing a note of apology and delivering it to her house yesterday. We decided that we couldn't just let it slide - he needed to apologize for being out of control and not listening to her.

For our part though, Dakota and I decided to drive to a mall across the river (and state line - let's hear it for tax-free shopping!). We decided to have appetizers and drinks (our favorite part of the meal!) at Claim Jumpers before going across the parking lot to the mall. The wait for a table was 90 minutes but we could get immediate seating in the saloon (which is darn fun to say!) so we did that. It was a lot of fun and Dakota had the best drink ever - a Hawaiian Martini. YUMMY!!!!!! I had a drink called Jamaican Me Crazy which well....it was good but more than it, it was just fun to say! :) The food was really good too and we really enjoyed our time there.

After we ate, we walked over the mall and looked around and yes, we even were able to go into shops normally off limits when you have kids in tow. All the great things to look out without fear of little hands breaking everything in sight. Nice!

We bought a few chocolates at See's Candy shop, stopped by the Croc's booth and bought the kids a couple of the jibbitz for Christmas. The we hit Bath and Body Works where I bought some Twisted Peppermint Lotion. I have to say - it's delightful! Dakota picked out a couple of great smelling items from the Aromatherapy Tranquil Mint line. It smells amazing!!

After that we drove over to Toys R Us to look at kitchens for Kaylen. The kitchen she is using was Kelton's Santa gift when he was two and well - it's been loved well and played with hard. Several parts on it are broken and sharp and not really all that safe anymore and yet, she plays with it often. last week she had me bring it in from the garage (we rotate the big toys in and out of the house) and she has been playing with it every day. We found one that we just know she is going to love so we picked it up. So now the trick will be finding room for it. It isn't lightweight plastic like the one we currently have so it will need a more permanent location. We both are left wishing we had a playroom but alas, we don't so we will figure it out.

Before we knew it - four hours had flown by and it was time be home. We had a great time just being together and neither one of us can wait to do it again. We don't have to wait long either - we lined up the sitter to make a return visit on the 15th. Yippie! I get to go out with Dakota, alone, on my birthday!!!! Very, very fun and I can not wait!

What Is Your Parenting Style?

A friend in my MOMS Club found this quiz online about parenting styles. There
are only 4 questions/scenarios and you pick which one of the 2 descriptions for each most sounds like you. The quiz is loosely based on the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator:

So, what's your parenting style?

I had a difficult time choosing between some of the questions because I could see so much of myself in both options. I think the final outcome is pretty accurate though.

Mine is:

Your type is: isfj —The “Tender Loving Care” Mother

“I want my children to feel they have an ally, someone who knows them completely. I want to be a haven for them.”

Gentle and kind, the ISFJ mother provides her children with generous amounts of tenderness, affection, and the comfort of daily routine. Her aim is to “be there” for her children, physically and emotionally. She is sensitive to their feelings, offering closeness, understanding, and quiet support.

Loyal and devoted, the ISFJ mother has a strong sense of duty and consistently puts her children’s needs first. She delights in taking care of the little things that matter to a child, making each one feel loved and special.

To provide her family with security and warmth, the ISFJ mother tends to the practical and domestic, aiming for a smooth-running household and an attractive home. She also observes and conveys the value and importance of family traditions.