Gust Gab

Getting in the spirit of by playing a few vintage video games before prescreening tonight.

You are never too old for movies with your family!!

Excited to be seeing tonight with the family!!

Hey Twin Cities Locals - Here's an opportunity for a cool event today at a substantial discount...
Not much else to do with these temps! DM the Twin Cities Moms Admin if you are interested!

When Dad breaks the Christmas gift rule and buys tickets to something without checking with Mom first to see if we're available. ;)

That said, if anyone wants a "day date" at Trans-Siberian Orchestra TODAY at the Xcel at 3:30 on the Club Level (hello, bars and restaurants!) we have two tickets we'd love to pass on to someone. Awesome view of the stage! Dad paid $125 a ticket. Mom is selling them for $80 a ticket. Because that's what happens when Mom isn't in the loop. lol! He meant well!

PM us here at the page if you're interested!

It's been awhile since I've shared a movie prescreening with you all - but if you are local, what better way to spend a cold winter morning than taking in a movie at the theater?

Download your passes via the link in the comments!

This is really something. Something to consider as we enter the season ahead.
We are a society of excess, but chances are, there are friends in need right in your own community.

Kids Make Heartbreaking Requests To Holiday Gift Donation Program The kids are asking for basic items like blankets and food.

This parenting gig, it's tough. While I feel that many things should be 'easier' than it was for our parents, given our advances in technology and well, life....
It turns out, those are the things that also bring us huge challenges too. I hope that my children will always know an adult they can go to, whether that's me or their Dad, or a friend's mom or dad...or even just a friend.
I have to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel, if we can just help them to see that light.
Heartbreaking.

A Minnesota child dies by su***de Without mentioning why, Stillwater Area Schools' Oak-Land Junior High School posted su***de awareness phone numbers and a few pieces of advice on how to talk about the problem. That's almost always a sign that a student has died by su***de.

South Metro friends - I hate to share this secret, because...WOW!! But the hubs and I snuck away for lunch together today, and it was amazing!

We have previously enjoyed Las Tortillas taco bar on Fridays in Rosemount, & now they serve up their goodness at a location close to home, Buck Hill Ski & Snowboard Area! We had an amazing lunch of tacos with all the fixins, and 2 amazing Shrimp pasta dishes were also offered today! $9.95, all you can eat. If you can get over there on a Friday - I highly recommend!

(Kids have no school next Friday, I'm thinking my 10 year old would crush this! :) )

Taco Bar Friday! All you can eat for $9.95! 11am-1:30pm

Love the Restore!!

Kinfine donated 1,500 pieces of accent furniture to Minnesota and Las Vegas ReStores Learn why a furniture manufacturer decided to make a large donation to Habitat ReStores!

Do you love Gordmans as much as we do? Gordmans loves your pets, too!

Saturday, February 18th, guests are invited to bring their furry friend to any Gordmans store for a day of shopping, FREE goodies, and chances to win great prizes!

The first 50 guests at each store will receive a free bag of dog treats *while supplies last! Shoppers are also invited to snap a selfie with your pet and post it to social media with the hashtag for a chance to win a $150 Gordmans gift card, and guests can register to win a pet bed or cat condo – there will be one winner per store, which mean 106 chances to win!

I love places that let you include your fur babies!!

Lots of stuff is neglected around here....lots. This post really resonates with me...as I know it will many of you, as well!

You guys know that 2016 was hard. It was hard for me, it was hard for everybody. 2017 is here and as you've probably sensed, I've been making some positive changes in my life.

I know a lot of you hold me up as an inspiration and teacher when it comes to domestic life and expert dinner recipes the whole family will love such as Store-Brand Mostly Real Cheese Sprinkled on Room Temperature Tortillas then Microwaved on Paper Plate and for that I am both humbled and grateful. Imparting my wisdom is its own gift.

I thought it only right that I share the breakthrough that I made today where the oozing ge***al wart with jagged baby teeth that is my laundry is concerned.

This isn't a passive aggressive wildly unrealistic tip such as "put each load away immediately." It's a practical one that I guarantee will end your laundry problems in less than 60 seconds.

Close the door. Put the baskets in a room and close.the.mother-hugging.door.

I have decided that on this day, probably Wednesday maybe Thursday, February something 2017, I will no longer allow my laundry pile to bully and fold-shame me in my own home.

I woke up before 6AM this morning to children, two of whom were already fight crying over who cares what, got two groomed and dressed better than I've been in months and off to school. Then I played with a 3-year-old on my living room carpet for hours. Do you know how you play with a three-year-old? You obey their strict baby despot commands in a rule and structure-free game that involves taking out every toy they own. Occasionally they cry and blame you for breakdown in communications caused by their inability to speak properly. Also, p**p.

By naptime I'd been on mom duty (I love my family) for 8 hours and my brain and body were screaming for the 1.5 hours of rest that awaited once naptime arrived.

I finally got my child in bed after briefly wondering if it was sanitary to let him sleep in the same pajamas we visited Walmart in (it is), but there it was. Waiting. Watching. Judging.

My laundry.

"Fold me," It said. "You don't deserve 90 minutes of immune system boosting Doritos (they're made with the vegetable corn) and laying down on the couch by yourself. Fold and put me away like a good mom who knows how much her kids weigh," It taunted, mercilessly.

And I almost did. I almost spent the precious moments leading up to the early afternoon evening time when children lose their already irrational minds, doing laundry when I had a thought: "No."

If I were an employee, my breaks would be protected by law. It'd be illegal NOT to take regular breathers. By doing laundry when I should be lying down on the floor eating exercise-in-a-bag AKA trail mix with M&Ms (they call it "trail"mix because it's the snack equivalent of a hike-look it up), I am practically committing a crime when you think about it.

It was then I knew what I needed to do. The solution was simple. I took the laundry off of my bed and into a room where it couldn't hurt me anymore.

Yes, my kids will grow up thinking baskets are for clean clothes and dressers are for ones that don't fit anymore, but I'm free now. And I want you to be free, too.

Your family can still rifle through baskets to find fresh underwear in a closed door room without you having to see it.

You already did the most important 3 out of the four laundry steps: 1. Gathering, 2. Washing, and 3. Drying. So what you skipped 4. Putting Away? 3 out of 4 is 75% and we already know Cs get degrees.

So enjoy your naptime Nutella on a spoon, sliced turkey breast eaten with your bare hands, Family-Sized bag of Cheetos no one in your family knows about, all the juice boxes, or freezer chocolate I don't care. The only thing that matters is that you get your break, because after watching 6 episodes of Power Rangers Super Samurai in all of its Oscar-worthy acting glory and wiping butts that aren't yours, you've earned it.

love, Bunmi

Lots of feel good follow up posts to the post I shared the other night, re: this church opening their doors to those literally left out in the cold. I encourage you to read through their FB page and be reminded of the good that is here in this world.
xo

Grace Lutheran Church of Apple Valley We are a welcoming and justice-seeking church that joyfully lives out Christ’s love in the world.