Ok, so… It’s time for a Tad Award. BIG TIME. As y’all know I have babysat multiple children in my home for the last 2 years. Sometimes I really enjoyed it and other times, as it is with parenting, I was going crazy. Last year was a tough year with all the court cases and I really battled some with depression. I felt a little isolated because I was always at home with little kids. I think any stay at home mom feels that way at times. Even not stay at home moms feel that way I’m sure. So anyway… I gave my notice to the 2 moms I babysit for. I gave them SEVEN weeks notice because I honestly wanted them to be able to find someone they trust and feel comfortable leaving their child with. I thought 7 weeks was plenty and I also thought the letter I wrote explained my feelings – I admitted I was a bit burnt out and that I wanted to be able to spend more time with Liv before she starts school. I also told them that with how I felt I knew I couldn’t be the best caregiver. I thought honesty would be best.
Well, then Alec got sick. He was diagnosed on Saturday with strep AND mono. He’s been out of school all week and basically doesn’t leave the couch. He’s on Omnicef and steroids. We had to take him back to the dr. today to get an antibiotic shot and a steroid shot. He’s so miserable. So, obviously I couldn’t be watching kids with Alec so sick and so contagious. I let the moms know. One mom was awesome. She’s been awesome the entire time I’ve watched her kid. She always paid right on time. She was very easy going when I had to take a day off or had an appointment so someone else watched her daughter, etc… She now has her daughter staying with a friend I recommended.
The other mom… not so awesome. She has lied to me and used me. She has asked me to not cash her checks until like 5 days after she paid me, text me at 6am to tell me she’s bringing her son early, etc… And I was always accommodating to her because I felt bad since she went thru a divorce in the last year. Plus, I love her son. I’ve watched him since he was 3 months old- he turned 2 in Dec. Well, apparently my notice pissed her off. I kind of expected it since she told me before that she wanted me to watch him until he went to kindergarten. I never said that would happen since he’s 2 years younger than Liv. But anyway… I thought with 7 weeks notice she wouldn’t be as mad. She had to leave her son with her dad all this week and today I get an email from her. I won’t post the whole email here, but these are a few parts (names have been changed):
What bothered me most about your letter was that you said you’ve been feeling burned out for a month or so. The way you worded it came across to me as you had been discussing this with R*** since you gave me her letter by mistake. If you felt that way, I wish you would have mentioned this sooner. I don’t want “Billy” somewhere he is not wanted or somewhere where he is being neglected because you are stressed out. I don’t mean to sound tacky to you in regards to this at all. I’m just saying, it concerns me. (For the record I told her in OCTOBER I was feeling a little burnt out.)
“Billy” has been staying with my dad and the difference in his attitude and overall behavior and happiness is amazing this week. He’s been in the best mood I have ever seen him in. That tells me a few things. Either you are correct and he has not been getting the attention he needs and/or he’s not happy there.
Um, ok. How am I suppose to interpret that? It really hurt my feelings when I read it. And I kinda went off on her. Not as much as I wanted to because really I don’t like to be mean. But whatever. She got my email and said that I was SO MEAN and that she’s glad she found that out now. Puh-lease. I’ve taken great care of her child for 2 years and one email response after she attacked me means I’m “mean”??? She said she wasn’t disrespectful to me at all. Um??? She even had the nerve to say “I’m pretty sure that’s not the way your God would want you to treat people. I have never insulted you in such a way.”
WTH? I wasn’t even “mean” but I did throw a few shots in- but they were totally true. She was just hateful because she’s mad she didn’t get her way. Her ex-husband was mortified by how she treated me and called me apologizing profusely. I was really upset- crying upset. I don’t like to be mean. I don’t like to hurt others feelings. I am a very nice person. But man, I don’t like to feel used or attacked.
So, that’s it. She and other mean, selfish people get a TAD award. Unfortunately it doesn’t make me feel any better to give it out. 
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Should I start with the good:
Or the bad:
The Good? Ok. Let’s do that. I saw “New Moon” on Friday with a bunch of women from church. And although there was a lot of cheese and I CANNOT stand Bella- I can’t- the movie was still a lot of fun. Back to Bella- her acting makes me cringe. Her spastic eyelashes and tic-ish head shaking irritate me and her masculine voice saying, “Kiss me” as she raises her eyebrow all stupid bugged me to NO END. But she was saying it to Edward so I don’t care. But when she’s all gettin’ in Jacob’s face like she’s gonna kiss him and then says, “Don’t make me choose because I’d choose him” I could have kicked her arse- although I don’t want her WITH Jacob anyway. But hello- could you twist the knife in his heart a little more. Freakin’ biotch. Anyway… other than that- I really enjoyed Jacob’s chest the movie. Jacob was gorgeous if you didn’t look at his face too much. His body was unreal. Un.Real. I told Sei, “I think you could have Jacob’s body…” and then I could have Jacob’s body. HA! The whole wolfpack was lookin’ good despite their lack of acting skills. I still would prefer Stephen Strait as Jacob, but I’ll take Taylor Lautner’s chest. It’s all good.
Oh- and TAD AWARD to the whiney psycho lady going up and down the stairs in the theater looking for a seat. There was 3 empty ROWS at the front, but she wanted some at the top where they were all taken by people who showed up earlier. She was pissed that people were “not following the rules” because they were saving seats. Hello- 1/2 our row was gone to the concession stand so of course we saved their seats. She was entertaining…
I was totally bugged when every one squealed with delight when Jacob came on the screen. You know why? Because they are posers. TEAM JACOB used to have like 3 members on it before this movie. Me, Aubrey and… someone else. Idk. Anyway… Now that he’s lookin’ all hot in the movie it’s cool to “switch teams” and I say HELL NAW! I could see a hot Jacob in my head waaaaaay before the movie. I lusted reading the books and was all hot and bothered waiting for Sei to come home. I didn’t need Sharkboy to make me love Jacob. Sei = Jacob personality-wise, skin color, hot… You can’t switch teams now. You have to stick with your scrawny white bloodsucker with funky hair around his nipples… Moving on…
The bad:
Yeah, so you know how some lite posts have those round cement things holding them up? There was a random cement thing in the middle of a parking lot missing the actual lite post. I saw it, pulled up near it while I was waiting for spot and then promptly forgot it was there. I couldn’t see it because it’s only like 2 feet high and I’m in a Yukon. Yeah… I totally sideswiped it and now I keep tripping as I try to climb up on my totally bent running board to get in the SUV. Nice. I swear we can’t catch a friggin’ break. Grrr…
Another good mixed with a “What’d you call me?”:
Got to hang out with my girl, Stacy, on Saturday. We went to a club here in Denton to see a few local bands including Not So Average Mama’s husband. It was a great show all around. A few people fell into my lap as they were… idk… moshing? or something. That was interesting. And a random 17 year old that was outside the club told Stacy and I that we were “total MILFS.” (Mother I’d Like to ____) My initial thought was, “Is it that obvious we have kids??” I wasn’t sure if I should be offended or excited or wash his mouth out with soap…
I wrote this post 2 years ago, but I’m going to repost it today because something that happened to Isabel yesterday reminded me of it:
Originally posted August 10, 2007:
Tonite I had a case of deja vu. (Say that like Sloth saying “BA-BY RUUUUTH.”) My butt was kicked clear back to a basketball tournament in the 8th grade. At the tournament I was hyper and acting like a goofy 13 year old I’m sure. I was all sweaty and what not, too. I asked a boy- I think he was from another school- a question. I don’t remember what is was. But I do remember his answer. He just looked at me and said, “Man, you are ugly.” I was shocked and didn’t know what to say. I think my brilliant comeback was, “No I’m not!!” (Yeah. Good one Tori. “That’s what you are but what am I??? LOSER!!)
Well, tonite Tristan called from his youth activity asking me to bring his scout shirt. We had been out all evening and just dropped him off for scouts without it. I threw on my flip flops and my Longhorn hat and cruised up to the church. When I got there 3 boys ranging in ages probably 12-14 were riding around in the parking lot on their bikes. When I got out of the car I clearly heard one boy say, “Holy cow! She is uuuuugly!!” I assumed they were talking about someone else because I’m so hawt! Then I heard another say, “Yeah she is! Whoa.” I looked around and didn’t see any other person, let alone female, in the near vacinity. They were talking about me. I just ignored them and ran the shirt in. When I came back outside one of the punks was parked close to my Yukon. He full on stared at me and then rode around to his friends while he said, really loudly, “Man, beyond ugly!!” I was stunned. I couldn’t think of one smart-a$$ comment to throw back at him- and that’s rare for me. I’m full of smart-a$$ comments! Where was ElasticWaistbandLady when I need her??? I just got in my car and backed out full speed hoping one of the buttheads was just a little too close to my bumper. Then I could jump out when he’s face down on the ground, 1/2 his face torn off, bleeding profusely and yell, “Who’s ugly now?!? Bawahahahaha!!” 
I drove home and was totally surprised by how I felt. I felt like crying. Why? Like I give a crap what some pre-pubescent kid thinks about me. Why was he looking at an old lady anyway?? Weirdo. But apparently I did care. I don’t know why. Maybe because I have a 12 year old and I don’t want to be one of those ugly, frumpy, embarrassing moms. Or maybe because I don’t want anyone to think I’m ugly. I don’t know. But it hurt my feelings. Stupid, I know. And I’m 1/2 joking as I type this. But, dude. What is up with obnoxious, rude kids?? Those boys are the ones that will have girls starving themselves or worse because some butthead told them they’re ugly. It makes me mad. And it makes me think I should have aimed better when I backed out.
——————-
Now for what happened to trigger my memory of that old post…. Yesterday Isabel got off the bus after school and she told me, “When I was getting off a boy told me that pretty people go first, so he let me go in front of him. But then I heard someone say ‘Yeah, if you get rid of the bucked teeth and glasses…” She didn’t know who said it because they were behind her. It just broke my heart to hear that. Here she is, my 10 year old beautiful girl, and these jerk kids with no manners or consideration for other’s feelings, broke her heart. I wanted to punch the twerp in the face! Girls are so sensitive at that age anyway, but to have kids make fun of something you’re already sensitive about… makes me so sad. Isabel is beautiful- even with her overbite and glasses and I hate that I wasn’t there to kick some butt and take some names. SEE- she’s beautiful: 
So, to that rude, rude kid: You get a Tad Award. What’s that you ask? It’s an award I made up that I give out to jerks. Rude people. Lame people. You.
It’s Tad Award time. For the newbies let me explain what this award is. Almost 2 years ago I introduced these awards. A Tad Award is NOT an award you want to win. The Tad Award is basically reserved for people who suck. I hand them out occasionally. You can click on the pic of Tad to read about other Tad Award winners. Here’s today’s:
So…. Sei was at work. It was his lunch break which is suppose to be his time- although it usually gets cut short by some kind of call. Anyway… the computer in his cop car was dying and needed to be charged. It charges only when the car is on. So, he went in to Whataburger to eat, but left the car running and locked and parked where he could see it. He was in Whataburger for about 20 minutes. He ordered, ate and left. When he went back to the station the lieutenant pulled Sei aside and let him know he had received a complaint. What?? A woman had taken the time out of her day to call the police station to file a complaint. She said she was glad that all their city tax money was going towards paying for a police officer to leave his car running during a 20 minute lunch. Are you freakin’ kidding me?
1st of all – Why do people think that because they pay taxes that they own the police? Or the cops owe them something?
2nd of all- who DOES that??? Seriously??? If she was bothered or concerned could she not have just said, “Excuse me officer. Did you know your car was on?” and then he could have explained that he was charging his computer. Instead she went to his superiors and complained against my husband because he left his car running.
Gee- what a freakin’ crime biotch.
Are you kidding me?
Tad award for you. And I hope you get pulled over soon.
——-
Because you never know what other drivers are distracted doing (like complaining about stupid things!!) while they drive, make sure you have the recommended auto insurance coverage.
The time has come for another Tad Award. If you’re new here, the Tad Award is an award I made up for obnoxious, rude, irritating, just plain WRONG individuals or incidences that occur in my life. You are welcome to hand the award out to others on your blog as long as you will please link back to mine. I like to get my props.
Anyway… this “winner” isn’t one person in particular, just in general and the post may be all over the place so I apologize. Lately in the last couple of months there have been several people who have been so fake nice to my face and then I learn from others or from a letter from a lawyer or whatever that they are full of crap. Now, I’m not a fan of rudeness so sometimes being somewhat fake in necessary. You may not particularly jive well with a particular person or may think their new haircut is butt, however there is no reason to walk up to them and tell them “Your hair looks like a brown football helmet.” (What movie is that from?) But there also is absolutely NO reason to be totally sweet to my face yet flat out lie to someone else about something I did or said- especially when it’s over something totally stupid or so not important in my life. That’s just not right. It’s kinda like leaving rude anonymous comments. Who does that help? Have you thought about how it makes the blog writer feel to read such ugly stuff? Stop just thinking about yourself. Think about the other people involved and how you may affect their life by your words and actions. The saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me” is a load. Words DO hurt. Actions hurt too. And it hurts more when your actions towards the person aren’t the same as the words and actions you are saying/doing when you aren’t with the person.
So, to those of you who say one thing and do the total opposite please take this award, display it on your mantle or whatever full of crap people do and stay away from me.
Thanks.
Not only that- he made fun of Sarah Palin’s daughter and her fiance. The kid is 18, Bristol Palin is 17. To me they are off limits. Leave them alone. They are in a situation millions of teens find themselves in. How many Baby Mamas are full backers of Obama? Even Obama said it was off limits because he knows he’d offend a chunk of his supporters if he said anything. Russell Brand probably embarrassed the Obama camp. I am positive they aren’t going to be using any clips from the VMAs on the campaign trail. It was just sad.
But he didn’t stop there. He made fun of the Jonas Brothers for vowing to stay virgins until they are married. WHY is that funny? WHY is it considered unheard of for a 15 year old or a 20 year old to be a virgin and WANT to stay that way!?? Thank you Jordin Sparks for defending them. You’re right- not everyone wants to be a slut. But the dumb host couldn’t let it go. “A little sex now and then never hurt anyone.” Tell that to someone dying with AIDS. Or someone becoming a mom at the age of 14. When kids/people are strong enough to defend their beliefs they are teased on national television by an admitted sex addict. Nice.
MTV really dropped the ball – yet again- on this one. I’ll be blocking their channel for good. There is NOTHING on that channel that can bring the spirit into our home. And the fact that people cheered for this loser when he teased the Jonas Brothers, etc…, makes me sick. Literally sick to my stomach. What would be awesome is to have someone host that said, “You know kids- you should follow their example! Being a virgin IS cool.” But no, now the kids just have, yet another, bad example and reason to feel embarrassed for living the right way.
Russell Brand- you suck.
GO Jonas Brothers!! GOOD VALUES rock!!! Thanks for setting a good example for my kids and helping make being the “good kid” COOL!
——————————-
**Edited to add: Just a little more info about Russell Brand found thru several different sources online: Brand’s first presenting role came as a VJ on music channel MTV presenting Dance Floor Chart and MTV Select. However he was fired after coming to work dressed as Osama bin Laden the day after 9/11. Very classy don’tcha think?
**If you don’t know what a Tad Award is click here.
Sei and I went to the movies on Saturday. We saw “Cloverfield.” It was ok. We only paid $2 so it wouldn’t have mattered either way I guess. But OMGosh- there was some of *the* most OBNOXIOUS people ev-ah in that movie. TEENAGERS! Why they paid to see a movie is beyond me. They didn’t shut up the entire time. And about 20 of them took up the 2 back rows and were talking VERY loudly in Spanish. Not real Spanish- it was more like Tex-Mex which drives me crazy because it sounds like they just couldn’t make up their minds which language to speak. “Hey ese, quieres to sit aqui?” Wha? They were so rowdy a cop came in and stood behind them for about 20 minutes.
Last nite was the Jonas Brothers concert. Isabel and I had a blast and I will do a review with Izzy tomorrow. We got there early and waited in line to get a tshirt that cost more than the tickets!! Then I bought a $5 diet Pepsi. It must have something special in it to jack the price up that much, huh?? Anyway, we found our seats which were actually pretty good. We were centerstage 4 sections back. We thought we’d be able to see perfectly!
Anyway… sitting in front of us was a mom and her daughter who I am guessing was about 10 years old. This lady irritated the crap out of me!! She stood up almost the entire time- even when her daughter was sitting. Now I’m not dumb, I’ve been to concerts before and I know standing is normal. But when it’s a concert clearly for the teens and little girls there, the mom’s really shouldn’t be the one blocking a little girl’s line of vision. I wanted to stand up, but rarely did out of respect for the tween behind me. I wanted her to be able to enjoy the concert! That’s what moms do, right? Anyway, this lady- who was taller than me and, well, wider than me and Isabel, not only stood the whole time, she moved over and over again. I’d have Isabel stand directly in front of me so she could see and eventually the lady would be standing right in front of Isabel. I’d shift Izzy to the left, the lady would shift to the left. It was ridiculous. It was more annoying when her daughter was sitting and she was still standing. And the thing is- she still could have seen while sitting because there was a little girl in front of her- not a woman. It bugged. I think it bugged me more than Isabel, so that’s good.
And next to us was some pouty teenager. I don’t know what her deal was. But she left like 5 or 6 different times- which wasn’t a huge deal, just kinda annoying. I don’t know, maybe she had diarrhea… But when she left right at the very end of “S.O.S”- the encore song- it was rude! I mean, everyone is standing, clapping, jumping, yelling, relishing the final moments of the concert, and we had to stop, back up, let her thru… Kinda ruined the moment. But what-evah. Tad awards to y’all!
If I was 12 years old again I’d totally have Jonas Brothers posters up in my room. And maybe Menudo too… They opened for them and were so dang cute.
That is all.
