Last Spring I wrote about Loudoun’s Just Between Friends Consignment Sale. I was a newbie to the whole consignment process, I knew roughly what it meant but I had never been to a sale. Thanks to Susan at JBF Loudoun, my best friend and I had the opportunity to check out their 2012 spring sale. My first impression was Wow! Anything and everything I could have thought to look for was there. I was excited to find some great toys and puzzles (all in like new shape) for my son’s upcoming birthday. Although I didn’t need any clothes when I went, there were rows and rows of clothing that looked like it hardly had been worn. One mom told me,“I like that they don’t allow any stains or tears on the clothes. They set the standard high” She is absolutely right: zippers should work, buttons button, and batteries should be installed. I love that the team at JBF Loudoun really goes that extra mile to make sure they aren’t just some other consignment sale. All my local readers need to check them out this Spring, coming to the Dulles Sportsplex April 20-21st.

JBF Loudoun was voted the best Consignment Sale in DC and Northern Virginia! Congratulations to everyone who makes the sale happen!

They are also holding Consigning 101 classes again this season. They were a huge success in the Fall, helping many people to learn about the hows and whats of consigning.

Class Information:

Sunday, March 24th at 6:00pm, at the Dulles Sportsplex

You can register here: https://www.facebook.com/jbfloudoun/events

Two (2) Lucky Winners will receive a Pre-Sale Pass into the Spring 2013 Sale. Giveaway Ends January 30th 2013.

*Leave a comment for each entry. Winners will be chosen using Random.org*

1. Leave a blog post comment telling me what item you are looking this Spring
2. Like Just Between Friends Loudoun on Facebook and tell them Teachable Mommy sent you!
3. Like Teachable Mommy on Facebook

*This post is sponsored by Just Between Friends Loudoun. I received a pre-sale pass for writing this post. No monetary compensation was received and opinions expressed are my own.

We survived Hurricane Sandy. Thankfully, our power never went out and all our friends and family are safe as well. We spent our 3 days off from school, hanging out at home, playing board games, and just enjoying the crazy life break. Sadly, our Church suffered damage but luckily our Pastor discovered it soon enough that they could get a company to come in to salvage everything. To everyone affected in New York and New Jersey in Mamavation, my love and prayers go out to you girls!

I started the 2 week challenge last week and OUCH! Bob Harper has me doing things I would never ever EVER try on my own…burpees, squat jumps…no thank you!  My leg and butt muscles have been hurting since last Monday. I know that soreness is a good thing, it means muscles are getting worked out in ways they aren’t use to which means I will tone up more. But that knowledge does not make it hurt less. One more week ladies, we can do this!

I was a good girl this past week in the food department. The only candy I ate was UNREAL and it was only a little bit. And since UNREAL is so great I feel like it’s not as bad I have not braved the scales yet. Some of you girls weigh yourself more then once during these challenges, my hat goes off to you. I avoid the scale until the end, we are not good friends you know.

Seriously though, November already?! I feel like the panic of getting everything organized for Thanksgiving/Hubby’s Birthday and Christmas just smacked in the face. I shop all year for gifts, it is how I save money, but the meal planning and crazy schedules are what get me. Shelley posted this week about needing a weekend with nothing to do and she thought one was coming up in 2014…that is exactly how I feel. I could use a nice snow storm to force us all to stay home.

CALIFORNIA FRIENDS: PLEASE GET OUT AND VOTE YES ON PROP 37 TOMORROW. TELL THE USA WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT IS IN OUR FOOD!!! 

*This post is sponsored by Bengay Zero Degrees and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway

Mirror Mirror 

Do you ever have the feeling that your are being watched? Well you are, by these little miniature people who kind of look like you. They are watching your every move, listening to every word even when you think you are alone. And that is not even the scariest part. No, the scariest part is when they reenact your life and you get to see yourself in a tiny mirror, for better or for worse.

My Mema has always said, little pictures have big ears. I would also add they have the most impeccable memory and mimicry skills. Even as a teacher I always tried to remember that children are always watching and whatever show I put on was one that might affect them later in life. With little eyes watching me closely and little ears listening intently I had better mind my P’s and Q’s. What are they seeing and hearing? What traits are they learning?

We can learn a lot about ourselves by watching how our children interact and treat one another. Putting on a good Mommy Show is harder than it looks. This isn’t a tv show or a book with editors and rewrites, this is real life and there is no take 2. When my daughter snaps at her brother because she is losing patience with him I see myself. Or when my son loses his temper quickly, I see myself there too. I want to hang my head in shame in these situations, way to fail at parenting Ashley!

We would love to blame their unwanted behaviors on someone else. Although they do pick up annoying habits from other children, most of what they mirror is coming from us. Sorry, I wish I could sugar coat it but it doesn’t work that way. Having the undivided attention of your children puts a lot of pressure on any mom. We all screw up and have not so great mommy days. Just as modeling good behavior is important, modeling how to apologize is equally vital. When you screw up let them see you apologizing and owning up to your mistakes.

Moms, dads, we are living examples for our children of what is right and what is wrong. A big problem we are dealing with in our house is the tone in which we speak. Now I will be the first one to raise my hand and stand shamefully in front of the class admitting to my failure in this area. I have a tendency to get frustrated, overwhelmed with life and I allow those emotions to affect how I speak to my children. Thank God for the little mirrors in my life! Lately, I have been constantly speaking to my daughter about how she talks to her brother. You are older, you have to be the good example, I wouldn’t want to play with you either if you talked to me like that, etc. Then it dawned on me, where did she pick all this up from? Sigh. Me. Needless to say, after that light bulb went off I have been working hard to control my tongue and think before I speak. I am older, I should be a good example, and I want to be around someone who is kind not cranky! It is a tall order, believe me, but everyday I think I am getting better and more importantly, when I don’t do so well I sit down and talk to my kids. Luckily, they are very forgiving and loveable little things! 

With two pairs of eyes studying my every move I am trying to be mindful of what I say and do. I have been keeping these verses in mind:

“Kind words are like honey-sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Proverbs 16:24

“You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” James 1:19

What do you see when you look in your mirror?

A tired mom? Isn’t that redundant? Probably, although she is easier to spot than the sick mom. Look for the barely concealed dark circles and the vente sized coffee with extra shots. Although spottable in the wild, she is still a mystery.

Why the mystery? That is simple, although she is very real, there are some who do not think that she is. It seems that seriously confused people believe that a tired mom is an anomaly and therefore should not exist. Stay at home and work at home  parents I feel get it the worse. Have you ever heard this one: well you are at home you can just nap when the kids are napping. There isn’t any reason you should be tired. Excuse me?! It takes all within me not to reach out and smack someone when they say that to me. My job doesn’t stop when my son goes to sleep. If anything it gains momentum and takes me through the end of nap to pickup time for my daughter.

IF I chose to sleep during naptime or slack off in anyway it would be like clogging up an erupting volcano. Eventually it will explode and cause mass destruction. IF my job only consisted of babysitting a child then pfft that would be pretty easy. Play, feed, and keep them alive. Done. Let me rip the veil off your poor disillusioned eyes. My work is not that simple. Besides being a mom, I’m an accountant, chef, cleaner, room mom, blogger, and the list goes on and on.

Whenever someone asks me, how are you feeling? I say good or ok, tired. And they always nod like yeah I know what you mean. But seriously, being tired is like a chronic condition for me. Not in a medical way, but I just always feel tired. It’s almost like a never ending way of life for moms. Thanks to my mostly Irish genes, I’m a pale face. I’m talking red hair, fair skinned, freckled pale face. So any type of emotions, breakouts, or tired eyes seem to show on my face like a neon sign in Vegas. Thank God for some great concealers on the market. My Mary Kay rep must love me, in fact I should buy stock in their eye treatment products.

If you are reading this with blood shot eyes and dark circles then I feel your pain. We are sisters in the sorority of the exhausted. If you are single, childless, or one of those parents who think we have it easy, I hope you have had an eye opening experience today. If not, then you might want to learn how to defend yourself. One day you will say something dumb to a tired mom and she’s going to take you down. Just saying.