Introducing the Princess (Costume SuperCenter Review)

Ladies and Gentleman, announcing the arrival of Princess Cinderella Emma!!!! Whoo hooo!!!

Oh yes, that is her name. You either address her as Princess Emma or Princess Cinderella Emma. Oh and of course, she has changed my name I am Princess Mommy Belle and her aunt (my sister) is Sleeping Beauty Aunt Thereasa. Freakin' adorable!

For Halloween, Emma picked out a princess costume which was adorable. I paid a lot for it at Spirit (a little over $40!), granted she wore it and loves it and still likes to wear it from time to time. I told myself then I need to buy more girls costumes so she can play dress up! Well, I was so stoked when I was offered the opportunity to review a costume because when I browsed their site, I was amazed at a. the selection of costumes they have for adults, b. their selection of kids costumes and most importantly: c. their prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My goodness, their prices are so freaking low! I wish when I was shopping for costumes for Halloween I would have found this site! The costume Emma wore for Halloween was much less costly on this site than it was at Spirit and it was the exact same costume!

Well, I had Emma go over the site with me and asked her to pick out a costume that she would like to have and she picked out this adorable Kids Gold and Red Queen Costume. Shipping was very speedy. We ordered the costume in a size Medium which is a little too big for her now (she was wearing a size 6 when we ordered it but she just had a MAJOR growth spurt and I now have to seek size 8s for her... sigh) but she fell in love! The velvet is gorgeous! She adores the tiara and scepter and she made me dance with her at "The Ball" in "The Castle" (living room...lol) and I was designated as the Prince. Go figure! The quality of the dress is gorgeous and I am thinking it will be fun for her to wear it to the Renaissance Festival this March (if we go early, it won't be too hot)!

I say super thumbs up and I know where I am ordering costumes from for Halloween 2011!!!! Yay!





disclaimer: I received the costume at no cost from costumesupercenter.com. The fact that I received this at no cost has zero bearing on my ability to be fair with my review. The costume rocked!

Shaken Baby Syndrome...

I made this video in 2008 and I think it's time to update it. My dear readers, this is our life. We don't have separate lives, Emma and I live one life. It's a difficult road and six and a half years after Emma was brutally shaken, things have calmed down. A lot. The road was bumpy, it hurt every single day to get through each day never knowing what was going to happen. Between medical emergencies, therapies, surgeries, in and out of court, it was an exhausting run in our lives. We no longer have the trial to worry about, it's done. It's now in the past. The person who robbed Emma of a future received five years probation. The person robbed Emma of a life of independence, this person robbed Emma of a life she deserved... this person robbed me of seeing my daughter off to college, of seeing her turn in to a mother, this person robbed me of my daughter and what could have been. I choked up in court and never really launched in to the tirade I wanted to. I was so upset. I remember before stepping up to the podium to speak, I knew. I knew this person will never spend a day in prison, I could feel it and I felt defeated.

We will never be defeated... we still have the future. I have a vision, I love to take photographs (well, except with the camera I have! LOL) and I am going to upgrade soon and I want to create "Beautifully Challenged" and feature the faces of adults and children who are mentally or physically disabled, chronically ill, cancer,senior citizens, homosexual couples, etc, those who are considered in the eyes of "norms" as outcasts, drains of society, scourges, leeches, and show the world... we are all people. Just wanting the right to live, laugh, love and hope...

Well, enjoy my video... I will update it soon!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Within all the ugliness..

There is still beauty. There are sweet and beautiful moments in life. The evidence?

This video


Everybody deserves these moments of pure and beautiful preciousness. I am not wrong. I am right. This is adorable. This is the product of affection: Joy. What a beautiful family.

After yesterday's emotional day at the nightmare that has become my state, I needed something beautiful and to remind me to look in my daughter's face when I am sad. This precious video reminded me of the little things in life are the most meaningful. A father and daughter singing team. Beautiful.

Today... I am a little emotional and angry and getting on a soapbox

Want to know what pisses me off? Generalizations. Do NOT blanket me with what you perceive to be fact. Do NOT make an assumption about people in general unless you are the epitome of perfection.

I am a social networking nerd. I love it. I have one too many Facebook apps (Damn you Cityville, Frontierville and the rest of your cursed 'Villes!). I waste too much time that could be used for something much more productive like, oh I don't know... getting up all my review posts and what not and most importantly? My child is still not potty trained but I don't want to dwell on that failure on my part. So bite me.

I despise news article comments. Why? The anger and hatred that is spewed on those message boards scares me. Why? Could Asshole1 be my neighbor and if so, that's how he feels and could he take that angry animosity out on me and my child? *Shudder* So now, I close those comments. I am sorry my child pisses you off because she can't help that she is disabled and needs some help. I am NOT sorry that I chose life when she nearly died and was on life support. I am NOT sorry that I am a single mother who works and does my damn hardest to take care of her. I am NOT sorry I am not you, you hatemonger.

That rant over. There has been a long standing generalization about Tax Leeches. Oh oops. I mean those who receive Medicaid, Food stamps and other government assistance. You know those generalizations: druggies! Baby factory, low life, loser, and so on and so forth. Well, guess what... F THEM and their misconstrued beliefs.

Read this STORY and tell ME if this couple are drug addicts. Oh how about a baby factory? A Drug Addict? No? Well, damn. Blew that fragging theory out the water. How about dying? How about the fact that this young couple is dying. No, they aren't both dying. The husband is. Anybody who has ever been a caregiver for someone knows that the caregiver is in for the ride. How about taking a moment and reading Tashi's blog. No, I don't know her from another person. But my heart broke... badly. This is a lover story, that really in most honesty, won't have a happy ending. They just want time together and to extend his life as long as possible. I want Kevin to beat the cancer. His chances are slim but hey! a chance is a chance and I really hope he gets his chance and those two get another 5, 10, 15, 20 years or more together.

On another note, many of you may remember me posting a review about No Comfort Zone by Marla Handy and my personal bout with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A mutual friend of Marla and myself posted a thought provoking blog and I think you should read it. When is enough enough?.

The needless shooting in Tucson. Enough said.

I don't know about you... but enough is enough. I am tired. I am drained. I am saddened to see fellow humanity so angry. I am not saying let's have world peace right now but what about just flat out being honest to goodness decent humans?

Just food for though. Chew it thoroughly. Savor each bite. Swallow. And wait.. maybe it will digest, maybe it will regurgitate... but regardless, maybe it will be some nutrition for our souls.

If I start getting nasty comments, I will close comments. Keep it civil, please. This isn't about politics, it's about humanity.

Winter is Coming...

I honest to goodness have not been this giddy over a tv show coming out since... well, crud, I don't remember! So that's telling you something! Alas! Winter is Coming and HBO is bringing it and I just can't freaking wait for April! I have had cable since 2006 and I am going to order it just because of Game of Thrones. Don't let me down HBO but seeing the trailers and behind the scenes tells me I won't be disappointed. Not crazy over some of the casting, sorry, I don't think Lena Headey is attractive as a blonde and certainly not as attractive as I see Cersei. Eh, as long as they bring the spirit of the character, I am good with that. I love watching the clips because now I know I have been pronouncing some of the names wrong (Catelyn, Tyrion, Cersei, etc). On another note, doesn't Robert Addy look amazing as Robert Baratheon???!!! Insane!

Enjoy

CSN Stores Review Preview!

I know most everybody here in the blogiverse is familiar with CSN stores and their amazing online selection, if not... boy let me tell you all about it! CSN Stores is an online retail site with over, I am not exaggerating, 200 online stores with everything from modern office furniture to children bedding to cookware!!! Their selection is out of this world and their prices? Phenomenal! If they aren't the lowest price, let them know, they will beat it! The shipping? Lightening quick. I have purchased many items from CSN and am excited to be given another opportunity to work with them.

I am not sure right at this moment what I am going to review, so it will be a surprise!!!! In the meantime, I have been drooling over these lovelies I have found browsing around the many sites... enjoy. A girl can dream, right?





Check out this article about CSN Stores on MSNBC about British interior design styling. Love it!!!!!

My Review

Originally submitted at CSN Stores

Adorable

By Jaime from Phoenix, AZ on 1/9/2011

 

3out of 5

This bedding set is absolutely adorable and made a great Christmas present for my daughter. I got her the entire collection. I did knock two stars off because the picture online shows the pink to be brighter on the blanket/pillows but it's more of a faded/light pink. Cute otherwise!

(legalese)

Book Review: No Comfort Zone: Notes on Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Marla Handy

From Amazon.com:

No Comfort Zone exposes a jagged slice of humanity that is all too present, but often shielded from our view. The author challenges us to see life as she does, so we can understand a bit of what it’s like to live with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With insight and humor, she describes the fear and unpredictability of growing up in an unstable household, the terror of being raped as a young adult, and the confusion and shame of living with perceptions and reactions that are often so very different from others’. After years of treatment for depression, a diagnosis of PTSD came as a surprise. Isn’t this something that only happens to combat veterans? But it made sense. In writing this highly personal account, Marla Handy helps the rest of us understand what PTSD is and that it happens here at home, too.

What do you think of when you hear of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Most commonly people think of War Veterans, or even some people will think of first responders (firefighters, police officers). Sadly, it's not just those demographics who suffer from PTSD, it's every day people like you, myself and Marla Handy. Marla wrote "No Comfort Zone" to share what she lives with each and every day: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Marla is middle America: a caucasion, middle aged woman and has a PhD. She has done some amazing work world wide and has shown what an amazing person she is.

I actually "met" Marla a few years ago on a message board, which is unrelated to PTSD, but through some message board topics and seeing her responses you know she is a wonderful person but you wouldn't know the emotional ramifications she deals with each and every day from living through horrific child abuse, medical procedures and rape. She messaged me one day and asked me if I would be interested in reading and posting a review of her book and when she told me about it, I jumped on it.

Many of you know that in 2004, my daughter was severely injured by being shaken and slammed. She spent 2 months in the hospital, with one of those months being in the PICU. Her injury was the straw that broke the camel's back. About a year after her injury I broke down. Badly. I had been a victim of sexual and child abuse for many years, terrorized by people who were "close" to me, I had two babies pass away at birth, but Emma's injury, that was what it took for me to break all the way down. I was suicidal. I went to a recovery center and the psychiatrist said that I had classic PTSD symptoms. The flashbacks, the jumpiness, the depression, the fascination with dying, and so on and so forth. I was referred for outside counseling and medication. I stuck with it for a short time but insurance problems caused it to cease. I am on my way back! I promise!

That's why I said yes to reading and reviewing No Comfort Zone. This book isn't a clinical book about PTSD. This book isn't a self help guide. This book says "This is me. This is PTSD. This is PTSD and I together, and this is what I go through and understand me". When I read this I felt that "Yes" reaction. Yes, I am right there with you. I understand this! She brought up something that came right back home, she said we aren't allowed to be victims. No more victims of cancer, they are survivors. No more rape victims, but rape survivors. They aren't child abuse victims but they are survivors! Sure it's empowering, when that person gets to that point. Many times "survivor" is for the outsiders to not feel so depressed. I HATE when people say I am strong. I am not. If I was strong, I wouldn't feel the way I do inside. I wouldn't feel so broken half the time. I upset some "friends" of mine a few years ago when I said I hated it when people say I am strong. THEY were offended that I put down their view of me?! WHAT? What's wrong with this picture?
I felt a connection with this book because I understand.

As Marla told me, she wrote this book to help those living with PTSD and those who living, work, and are around those who have PTSD. As she told me, she isn't trying to promote herself as an author, but rather to make this book visible to those who can benefit from it. This book isn't pretty. Rape isn't pretty. Child abuse isn't pretty. Marla's life hasn't been pretty. It isn't supposed to be a pretty book with the girl gets the guy but this is real. Marla does a beautiful job of showing you reality and what it's like through her eyes.

Five stars.

I really think you all should read this. Or tell others about this book. It's worth the time.





disclaimer: The author provided this book at no charge for my fair and honest review.