Ever Bribe Your Kids? I do!

My child is smart.

No really, he is.  I know he is.  How?  Mostly because he's a smart ass.

And only someone with a high amount of intelligence can be that quick on his toes at age 5.  Well, and I have other reasons too I suppose.... like the fact that he knows the downtown area better than I do (sadly, I'm not joking) and that his spatial reasoning and ability blows mine out of the water (again, not joking).

But he won't perform.

You know what I'm talking about....  The children that randomly come find you at the grocery store, asks you what your name is, and then proceed to tell you that they're 4 years old and everything else they know.

Yea, that's not my kid.

In fact, even when we're at home by ourselves I have a hard time pulling information out of him that I know he has to know.

It's getting better as he gets older, but honestly when he was 4 and his teachers told me he could count to 100 I about fell out in the floor.  MY child?!  Seriously?  I don't think I'd ever heard him count past 10.

He's five and finally a few months ago I heard him sing the alphabet for the first time.  I've known he was capable of doing it for a long time.  After all, the child's been writing his damn name for almost two years.  He'll even "accidently" slip up in front of me occasionally and admit that he recognizes that a certain letter is a lowercase "L," etc.  "Ah-HA!  You ARE smart!"

I don't know if this is because he's a boy, or WHAT but it makes parenting a little scary.  Fortunately, he doesn't act like this at school so I have confidence that he'll do well when he begins kindergarten in August.  And again, it's getting better.

Well, a few months ago I realized that I'd never worked with him on learning my phone number.  And in order to get him to ADMIT to me that he knew what it was (and to recite it on command) I knew I was going to have to bribe him.

So I did what any good parent would do.... I bribed him.

And it was the mother of all bribes.  "If you'll memorize my phone number, I'll take you to Toys R Us and let you buy anything that you want."

Yes, you'd be correct if you assumed the following two things from the previous statement.  1)  It was important to me that I be absolutely certain that he KNOWS my phone number by heart in case of emergencies.  2)  My kid is that unwilling to perform on command otherwise.

So, overnight he had my phone number memorized.  (Imagine that!)  But, to make sure that he really, really had it memorized... that it was permanently stored in his brain, I've made him recite it a few times a week over the past few months.  Let's just say I have no doubt in my mind that he definitely knows it.  (Whew!)

Well last night, the time finally came for me to live up to my end of the bargain.  Thankfully, the damage was only $50.  (We all know it easily could have been 10x that.)

What'd he buy?

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Fun for the whole family!  It was a win.  :)  

I got what I wanted (the peace of mind knowing my stubborn child, without a doubt, knows my phone number in case of an emergency) and it only cost me $50.  

Plus, I picked a little something up for me while I was there too.  

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Nothing like reliving your childhood, huh?  ;)

So yea, I bribed my child.  Yea, I'm sure you're "not supposed to do that."  But let me tell you... it was worth every penny!

Have you ever bribed your kids?  Do share.  

Change is a Happenin'...

Initially the title of my blog really wasn't a title.  It was a quote that I adore (and that is one of my many mottos.)

I intend to live forever, so far so good . . . .

[That's a realistic motto, right?  Whatever.]

But, I couldn't decide if that was like putting a big red neon sign above my head telling fate to try me.  Well, it was either that or that it just wasn't catchy enough for me.  Either one.  

So, I changed it.  

This time I put a lot of thought into my title, and it's probably what most of you know my blog as:

To Find the Line

However, it just wasn't doing it for me.  I suppose that's because I'd initially anticipated my blog being more about a "journey" and all that jazz but really it's just turned into being a place for my random nonsense.  

And I'm all about some nonsense.  So, it has changed again.  And this time, for good.*

Mad Jackie

Blurring the Line Between Genius and Insanity

I feel this title is more fitting of my personality, especially considering one of my other favorite quotes is:

"I'm so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I'm saying."  

[Now, I don't care who ya are... that is pure BRILLIANCE right there.]

And besides, I do think I'm a little mad, in every meaning of the word.  I'm a little crazy.  I'm a little too enthusiastic about life (as if there were such a thing).  And I'm a little too passionate.  So yes, I am definitely mad.  

I hope that you like the new title to my blog as much as I do.  And.... I am happy to announce that very soon you will see another change.... a new design.  :)

____________________________________
*for good = until/if I decide to change it again

Two Movie Tickets for $9? Yes Please!

Today at Living Social you can buy two movie tickets for $9 using Fandango.com!

You seriously can't beat that!

But just a warning, if you're interested in this deal, I'd purchase it now. It's available through June 10th only and I've seen similar deals actually close early due to such high demand.

Take me to the deal!

To learn more about Living Social or other deal sites that I love click here.

[Note: I was not compensated in anyway for this post.]

Inspirational Shoes

Most (if not all) of you have probably either heard of Toms, seen people wearing them, or own a pair (or two) yourselves.

If by chance you haven't, Toms are shoes.

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But this is not a post about shoes.  This is a post about vision.

Before there was Toms, there was just a guy.  A guy named Blake Mycoskie (who just happens to not be too hard on the eyes, if you know what I mean).

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Blake did something so simple.  He saw a need and he addressed it.

While visiting Argentina he noticed that most of the children did not have shoes.

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Shoes.  How simple.  How easily taken for granted.

Without shoes these individuals are susceptible to many diseases transmitted through the soil, a leading cause of illness and death in the country.

Additionally, many children without shoes aren't allowed to attend school and therefore won't receive an education.

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An education.  Something so simple.  Something so easily taken for granted.


So Blake gets an idea.  "I'm going to start a shoe company.  And for every pair that we sell, I'll give a pair to someone who needs them."

GENIUS!!

But his idea wasn't the best part.  He actually did it.  He actually made this happen.  I'll say that again in case you missed how awesome this is...

He actually MADE this happen!!

[And that is the part that blows my mind, my friends.]  

Because of his actions over one million pairs of shoes are now on one million pairs of feet that never would have had shoes otherwise.  

One million.

That's a lot of shoes.  

But it's so much more than shoes.

One million little feet.  One million opportunities for an education.  One million smiles.  One million improved lives.  

One million.  From one idea.

And this is just the beginning for Toms.  This company is less than 5 years old and is continuously growing in popularity.

Yesterday, June 7th Blake announced the newest venture for Toms.  Rather than telling you about it, please just take a minute to watch this short video clip.  

We see needs around us everyday.  Everyday.  

Sometimes we even have ideas of how to help.  But how many of them just stay ideas inside of our heads and never become more than that?  

I am inspired by Blake Mycoskie.  He didn't just see a need.  He didn't just want to help.  He put himself out there.  He sold a business to fund this venture and he actually made this happen.

I want to be that person.  I want to have the courage to put action behind an idea and make a difference in others' lives.  So thank you to Blake Mycoskie and all the others like him that remind me of just how possible this is.

I am only one, but I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I can do something.

And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.

--Edward Everett Hale

Please Sir, Can I have Some More?

[Wood-Oven Pizza from a Pizza Company Downtown]

[Homemade Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Courtesy Of My Hubby]

The Baby Maybes

Hello, my name is Jackie and I have The Baby Maybes.

I have a son.  He's five.  He's perfect.  

I mean, come on... just look at that face.  

What more could I ask for?  Yup, I definitely do not want a baby.

But....

He'll never have a sibling.  And I love my sister.  I couldn't imagine my life without her.  

We drive each other crazy, but I love her.  Yup, I definitely want a baby.

But... 

I have that whole law-school thing going on.  I'm super busy as is it.

I barely have time for the kid I do have.  Yup, I definitely do not want a baby.

But...

Law school is only temporary and I graduate soon enough!!

[Undergrad Graduation Picture :D]

I'd even be finished several months before any baby arrived.  Yup, I definitely want a baby.

But...

I have all of these stupid medical issues that could easily complicate pregnancy and child birth.

These health issues are the reason I put having another one in the "no go" category to begin with.  

Yup, I definitely do not want a baby.

But...

My doctors are amazing.  And so is my husband.

He'd help take care of me or we could always adopt.  Yup, I definitely want a baby.

I could go on and on and on....  and I do. 

The what-ifs of each possible outcome plague me and I always fear that I will ultimately make the wrong decision, no matter what that decision may be... 

About every three to six months I go through this process in my mind.  It always ends the same way.... with me secretly wanting another baby but being too scared to act on it, to change the flow of our lives.  In many ways, I feel so blessed by what I have that I'm scared to "tempt fate."  

Welcome to The Baby Maybes

Giveaway: Adorable Vintage-Style Picture Frame

Several months ago I discovered Etsy, and it quickly became my favorite obsession.  So, in March, when I decided to redesign our bedroom this was the first place I turned to find all the cute little personal touches I was looking for.

That's when I stumbled across Nikki's Nifftys.  Nikki makes adorable vintage-style picture frames in gorgeous colors, like this one that I purchased from her back in March.

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I cannot tell you how much I stinking love this frame or how many compliments I've received on it.  And best of all, beside this frame being very unique, it's also very durable.  It's made of a solid, heavy resin and it gets its color from three coats of high-gloss paint in a beautiful, vibrant color.  

Please note:  This giveaway is now closed!

Thank you to all who entered!!

THE GIVEAWAY

Nikki has been kind enough to give one of my followers one of her awesome frames.  The winner will receive the style and color frame of his/her choice in any size smaller than an 8x10!!  (How awesome is that?!) 

HOW TO ENTER

1. [Mandatory Entry]  Leave me one comment below letting me know 1) that you're following me using Google Connect and 2) which one of Nikki's frames is your favorite.  (Click here to be taken to Nikki's Etsy Store.)
2. [Optional Entry] Follow @Mad_Jackie on Twitter.  Leave a separate comment below stating that you did.
3. [Optional Entry] "Like" Mad Jackie's NEW Facebook Page.  Leave a separate comment below stating that you did.
4. [Optional Entry] "Like" Nikki's Nifftys on Facebook.  Leave a separate comment below stating that you did.  
5. [Optional Entry -- Limit One Per Day]  Tweet about this giveaway! [Be sure to mention @Mad_Jackie in your tweet.]  Leave a separate comment below (one max per day) letting me know that you did.

This giveaway will run until June 30th.  

The winner (selected randomly) will be notified by email on July 1st.  

Good Luck!

Note:  I was not compensated in any way for this post.