OK, IT IS TIME TO FACE THE TRUTH...I AM NOT A GOOD BLOGGER! I AM IN THE BUSINESS OF HELPING PEOPLE RUN AND MANAGE THIER HOUSEHOLD AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES, MINE? NOT SO MUCH...I HAVE SO MUCH TO SHARE AND BLOG ABOUT, BUT FINDING THE TIME TO DO IT IS A PROBLEM. I WISH I COULD HIRE MYSELF, TO BLOG DAILY...

Today at one of my clients homes (she has two little girls) I was in one of their rooms, and was finding little tiny rubber shoe’s all over her room. Having had two Daughters myself (both grown up now) I knew immediately those tiny shoe’s belonged to Polly Pocket. I gathered them all up and put them away, then began moving toy’s off her floor. And suddenly to my surprise I discovered that Barbie has a Yacht……a huge pink and white one! OMG….when did Barbie get that? My Barbie didn’t have one, nor did my Daughters. That’s not all….Barbie’s camper is bigger, better and more streamlined than the old one. Then out of nowhere I missed my little girls and all of their Barbie stuff……Playing Barbie was so much fun, because Barbie can be whoever you want her to be, and do whatever you want her to do! Olympic Barbie, Sun Tan Barbie, Police Woman Barbie, Army Barbie, Disco Barbie, the list goes on and on!

So…..Ladies this is for us, you’re never too old to play Barbie’s!

Finally a Barbie we can relate to. At long last, here are some NEW Barbie dolls to coincide with her and OUR aging gracefully. These are a bit more realistic...

Hot Flash Barbie. Press Barbie's bellybutton and watch her face turn beet red while tiny drops of perspiration appear on her forehead. Comes with handheld fan and tiny tissues.

No-More-Wrinkles Barbie. Erase those pesky crow's-feet and lip lines with a tube of Skin Sparkle-Spackle, from Barbie's own line of exclusive age-blasting cosmetics.

Soccer Mom Barbie. All that experience as a cheerleader is really paying off as Barbie dusts off her old high school megaphone to root for Babs and Ken, Jr. Comes with minivan in robin-egg blue or white and cooler filled with doughnut holes and fruit punch.

Mid-life Crisis Barbie. It's time to ditch Ken. Barbie needs a change, and Alonzo (her personal trainer) is just what the doctor ordered, along with Prozac. They're hopping in her new red Miata and heading for the Napa Valley to open a Bed and Breakfast. Includes a real tape of Breaking up Is Hard to do.

Divorced Barbie. Sells for$ 199.99. Comes with Ken's house, Ken's car, and Ken's boat.

Super-Delicious Zuppa Toscana
This is the same soup served at The Olive Garden

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds bulk mild Italian sausage
• 1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 10 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 8 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 10 white or red potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, tough stems removed

Directions

1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a large pot over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Cook the bacon in the same pot over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the pot. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Pour the chicken broth into the pot with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

~Eat your vegetables, they're good for you.
~Go play outside! It's a beautiful day!
~How do you know you don't like it if you haven’t tasted it?
~What if everyone jumped off a cliff? Would you do it, too?
~Am I talking to a brick wall?
~Bored! How can you be bored? I was never bored at your age.
~Call me when you get there, just so I know you’re okay.
~Clean up after yourself!
~Did you brush your teeth?
~Did you clean your room?
~Did you comb your hair?
~Don't sit too close to the TV, it'll ruin your eyes.
~Don't run in the house.
~I can't believe you did that!

Many hands make little work.....But it's a lot of work to gather many hands!

Here goes my first attempt at blogging:

I have always thought to myself, if I got paid to be a stay at home Mom I would be rich! Well.... I'm not getting rich but I am making a living, Gotta start somewhere! So what if it's in someone else's home most of the time. Anyway I am doing something so it's a start......

This week’s Handy Mom funny....
I was helping a client clean up and organize their home, they had the cutest little 2 year old, she was so tiny, soft-spoken and very polite. She looks just like Dora the explorer (if you don't know who Dora is, have a kid!) Anyhow she wanted to help me; I was folding, hanging and sorting clothes, so I gave her a pile. The next item I folded was a tiny pair of her underwear.....all of a sudden this tiny cute little girl with the little voice became Sybil that woman who had - how many was it again? - Sixteen different personalities. In a mean, deep voice, with a super mean look on her face, she said: GIVE ME BACK MY CHONES! GOTTA LOVE IT!