Cream Cheese Cookies and Crowns

Super T and me decided to make Cream Cheese Cookies- Breakfast at Tiffany style! We put on tiaras, and fancy clothes and aprons over and got down to business. 

Preheat Oven 375
1- 8oz package of cream cheese room temp
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1tsp Vanilla
1- Box of Cake Mix, any flavor (We used white cake mix) Chocolate chips or any of your favorite cookie mix in.

Creating Revolution: Personal Confessions of my Heart

Revolution: (Noun) a sudden, radical, or complete change.

I need a revolution. Something to change whatever it was that I am doing that is holding me here stagnant. The truth is this: I love being a mom, I miss being a wife, and I am tired of living the life that he left behind. It took me two years to get to this point. I didnt want my life to change for the longest time; partially to keep things stable for our daughter. On a personal love life level: I continually operated in the same pattern because it is what I know and am comfortable with. I also want him to hate himself seeing the life that he left behind continue without him. But he didnt hate himself. Instead he has happily moved on with his life starting over again on the other coast without a notion of regret. And here I am stuck in the same place I was when he left two years ago. Nothing has changed.

This idea of a revolution is an accumulation of so much:

I realized this summer how much I rely on my daughter to be my companion. She became the one that I depended on to keep me from being lonely. She is the reason that I sometimes do not go out to date- she is an excuse to avoid intimacy. I need to cut that umbilical cord. I need to not depend on her to keep me safe any longer. I need to take risks and date new people and find the man I was meant to be married to for the rest of my life. Finally find the man that will be a daddy to her, because that is what she wants so badly.

I need to stop filling the emptiness in my life with retail therapy. I have always struggled with this. I am not one for figures and numbers honestly. I can make the money just fine... but I need an allowance to keep myself from overspending and living paycheck to paycheck. I get sad, empty, feel alone, and shopping for needless items brings me happiness and something to look forward to. As silly as this may sound, coming home with a new smelly candle to light will inspire me to clean the entire house and keep it clean for days. I look at it in my clean house and fell content. This keeps me busy and distracts me from the emptiness in my heart and home. But while I clean the house I find other things that I need to buy... not to mention I love buying impulse buys for my daughter. I have filled her room with them. I am teaching her that new things make you happy. This is the wrong message to send. I know I need to stop.

I need to stop attracting men that are unavailable to me. My history is full of the emotionally unavailable- and I twist that unavailability to be a need I want to fill for them. This put me into a role that I know all too well. I am comfortable caring for someone with needs. I am not happy or moving anywhere, but it is a pattern I could operate in without fear of intimacy. I need to stop attracting the men that aren't ready for a healthy commitment of marriage. I need to start recognizing men that are takers and will leave me empty and dry and seek out the men possessing a healthy balance of give and take. I need to make marriage a life goal that I am actively and purposely pursuing. A place I can invest and receive deposits of love as I share experiences and events in life and fall deeply in love like Ive never know before.


FINALLY: I need to reclaim a life that IS mine. I am done waiting for him to return and rob me of all that I have tried to build since his departure. I have closed that door and burned that bridge, but I have been still standing at the door step waiting... for what?! It IS time for me to move on. I need to close other doors that I have kept open in fear of change. I need to be ok with saying goodbye. I need to be ok with closure. I need to be ok facing my future without any bridges or promises to fall back on. I need to find friends that are in the present and I can build a future with. I need to let go of friendships built on my past. I have nothing in common with my past any longer. I overstayed my welcome, and it is time for me to close that door and walk away because I am now in a different place and moving in a different direction. A new direction full of promise and hope. I am not the same person I was then. I will not be identified by my past- although it did help shape who I am today, I am so much more than just my past.

It is time for me to choose some life goals. It is time for me to make purposeful pursuit of these goals. It is time for heartbreak to burn to cold ashes, and hope to accumulate into a wildfire consuming every part of my life changing my path forward forever.

Confession: Pattern of Choosing the Unavailable

I was jogging trying to burn some of the energy I had. Jogging has always been a place that I could think and center my soul again if I was feeling unbalanced in life. Lately I have been jogging more than usual. Today, while jogging, I was hit with an epiphany: I have always chosen men that are unavailable to me. Whether they were unavailable in maturity, emotionally unavailable, or unavailable in circumstance. I have never dated a man that is available to me. This fact baffled me because I have never wanted anything more than to give myself completely to a man and him to me and spend the rest of my life making him happy. A man that could be my best friend and I would be his. I am a pretty independent girl- and I am not asking for a 24/7 kinda thing... in fact I am pretty sure that I would go crazy with that kind of constant attention. But just a best friend and a lover to share the rest of my life with. So-if that is what I have always wanted- why have I sabotaged my own aspirations and established a pattern of dating men that are unavailable?!

Immediately I wonder what is wrong with me? What makes me attracted to these unavailable men? What is it they all have in common?

I have never been good at putting up walls and not letting people in. I am generally open with my life. I wear my heart on my sleeve and despite my best attempts to hide what I am thinking- its inevitably written across my face with clear expression. I naturally trust people without first waiting for them to give me a reason to trust them. I feel that most good things are temporary and that I am constantly waiting for the other shoe to fall and things to end.

 A man that is unavailable is possibly a challenge for me. I want what I cant have. Although I have never had an affair, I would imagine that it could possibly be the same. I have always been the good girl that loved her some bad boy. Most of the time it was because I was able to look into his eyes and see some sort of good that was there. Im a natural optimist- so I would focus on the good that I saw in him and disregard the bad. Part of the bad I disregarded so quickly was that he was not available to me. He couldn't be my best friend, he couldn't treat me the way a woman needs to be treated, he had other non-essential priorities (hobbies, friends, etc) that he placed in front me. And most of the time I let him do this because I was so focused on that good- or maybe because his inability just hurt too much to dwell on.

So why did I allow this to happen? I now wondered what it was that I was hiding from. Could it be that a girl that had dreams and aspirations to find a commitment worth fighting for, was hiding behind the walls of others? Was it that I was too afraid of failure to allow myself a valiant try?

Whatever the reason I have decided that it needs to stop. If I want true devotion- I need to start with dating the men that can fill those shoes. I have to stop seeing the good in his eyes- and instead look at the WHOLE PICTURE. Does he have the ability to give me everything that he has got- or is there something that holds him back from me? It's time for me to stop chasing what I will never catch, and find a catch that is worth a lifetime of chasing.

Daddy Shopping: My Series For Solo-Moms Regarding Dating

Online Dating: Really??? Am I gonna do this seriously?!

I couldn't believe that I was about to fill out an online dating application for Match.com. I knew I was in a place that I felt ready to find Mr. Right- I was no longer carrying the emotional pain my divorce left me with. But this is what my dating life really resorted too? Browsing ads, weighing options like I was shopping for a vehicle: Looks, Marital Status, Faith, Likes/Dislikes, Occupation, Amount of previous children, Likeliness of wanting children in the future, etc. This all felt so impersonal honestly, but I am a solo mom with full custody of my daughter and I work full time to pay the bills. I don't have the luxury of child support to help out. So, I don't have a lot of time or resources to spend at a gym, church, or Barnes and Nobles shopping Mr. Right. As impersonal as it felt, I knew that if I wanted to try this and see if it really worked- I would have to make a valid attempt to make it personal.

I had researched the online dating sites, and after considering eHarmony.com. and Match.com, I decided to go with the latter because it allows you to search for people- rather than pick from what the website recommends to you as a potential match. I wanted to do a site that participants pay for, with the idea that they would be more serious about finding a potential mate than some late-night company. (I have to also admit that the commercials for Match.com were inspiring, although eHarmony claims responsibility for 2% of all marriages in the US today. Does that also make them responsible for 1% of all divorces?? Ha ha ha- ok Cynical Erin needs to go have a time out now!)  


After writing a clever profile clearly outlining what I was looking for, I started shopping. I was very direct in my profile that I was looking for a serious relationship- not a fling. Despite my best efforts I soon discovered that online dating had to be approached with a critical heart. It could be compared to an airport- quick pick-ups, and lots of baggage it seemed. I found that a lot of guys weren't interested in a commitment as much as a hook up. The rest of the guys seemed to carry baggage they were looking to drop off: jealous ex's, alimony, child support, but most of all damaged hearts not yet healed from the pain of divorce. Few carried that magic "potential" that I was in search of.

I began to honestly doubt the ability for something so impersonal to actually create a personal match of substance. I wont lie and say it isn't time consuming. Maybe because I was focused on making a valid attempt, but I emailed back every guy back that showed potential. I was constantly analyzing their words from a critical standpoint with my most common question to them being, "if you are so wonderful, why are you on Match.com??" I mostly was matched with cops, or other law enforcement details- which came with it's own set of baggage. I was picky... but I felt that I am holding enough in my hand to play the game with cutting discernment. Being picky did present challenges and it was a lot of effort to email back and forth in a timely manner, just to watch "potential" fizzle out in the end. The iPhone app helped. Exhausting.

I have never dated anyone that I wasn't first friends with. Dating sites eliminated this important building stone to relationships. It seemed to be that most guys were interested in jumping into a date without first meeting and just talking. They wanted to see if there was a chemistry before they were willing to put in the time and effort to build any more of a relationship. This totally freaked me out. I have always been more than slightly concerned with the fact that child predators will often position themselves to date single moms so they can have access to the children. If you have ever watch Chris Hanson on Dateline, you will find that there is always one guy that looks completely clean cut, normal, and a responsible member of society that has twisted ideas of sexual attraction. With this concern in mind, I did not divulge the detail that I was a solo mom immediately. I personally feel that I am much more comfortable with a man walking away from me because he doesn't like the fact that I have a child, rather than be attracted to me because I do. It is my job to protect this little girl of mine- if I don't protect her no one will.

After spending a little less than a month on Match.com, I did meet two great guys I totally clicked with on a friendship level. However, one of them I was not attracted to. As shallow as that might be, this is a dating site!! Attraction carries is an important role in a relationship. He also carried some baggage that I didn't rule him out for... but it wasn't giving him any points either. Since he was uninterested in becoming friends first and working on that- I was not interested. C'est la vie! In time I realized that the other guy was not interested in a long term relationship, but rather a temporary distraction. Honesty is important in a relationship, and he had stated he was divorced on his profile... in reality he hadnt yet filed. Be open to compare what his profile says with what you see to gain clarity and avoid spinning your wheels and wasting energy.
     
I did have two moments of funny awkwardness... One when a good friend of mine from years ago found me on the there. We had a good chuckle over our inability to score a date with someone of substance and found ourselves shopping online. The second moment of awkwardness was when I found my old coach from when I was 14. I was just writing him to say hi, and I think because I was using a dating site to say hi, lines got crossed and things got very awkward because of the potential for creepiness. (Let me take a moment to say that it never got close to creepy! He was a gentleman completely. I think it was just awkward because it could be perceived as creepy. LOL!!) 

Dont forget when writing a profile to carefully protect your little one and yourself.
Many child predators target single parents because of the availability it gives them to the children.
So know when to fail to mention you have a child... and know when it is time to brag on your little one.
Most of all- remember that even though you have interacted online- THEY ARE STRANGERS.

Here are some websites with information on online dating I found useful!!

10 top dating sites:
http://www.top10bestdatingsites.com/?kw=top%2520online%2520dating%2520sites&c=8318517667&t=search&p=&m=e&adpos=1t2&a=1&gclid=CMDHx9yFqasCFRpkgwodJiJmCQ
The Internet Dating Guide
http://www.theinternetdatingguide.com/2005/12/pros_cons_of_online_dating.html

Happy Hunting!

Tea Party for Fun?!

As adults we have swarays, dinner parties, BBQs, and shindiggs just for fun all the time. There doesnt need to be an occasion for us to call up some friends to come over and hang out. Childrens' parties shouldn't be an exception!!

Being that my daughter is the only child, she craves social engagement. So, when she came up with the idea of having a tea party- I encouraged the creativity and excitement!! We went to the neighborhood Thrift store to pick up some missed matched tea cups, pots, saucers, creamers, and sugar bowls. She loved this part because she got to pick the ones she wanted. We also picked up a fancy semi-yellow dress for her for $5!!

She was ecstatic about her formal dress and her new tea set and couldn't wait to use it!

Tea cups and last-nights' left overs!

They took turns serving each other and using manners

The kids all got dressed up!

This was an excellent lesson in division, as the kids divided up their cakes evenly amongst themselves!

The practiced their best table conversation!

The older kids helped the younger kids do it themselves!

They took turns serving each other and using proper manners.

We used juice instead of tea in our tea pots, and Little Debbie Zebra cakes and chocodiles.

Cheers!

Building a Vision

Daddy Shopping: My Series For Solo-Moms Regarding Dating

In my last post I discussed the importance of dating with vision. I promised a list of questions to help provoke thought and build vision... here they are! (Feel free to add more if you have them!! I am still building my vision, so I can use the input as well!!)

• Dont ask for a Prince Charming unless you are prepared to be a Fairytale Princess!!!
• You can only demand as much perfection as you have... nonetheless DONT SELL YOURSELF SHORT because you have weaknesses and failures!!

• Know yourself!! 
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• What inspires you?
• What impassions you?
• What do you want to change about yourself?
• What do you love about yourself?

• The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Therefore we have to reflect on each past relationships and determine what worked and what didnt.
• Where did you meet?
• How long after dating did you tell him you loved him?
• Did you plan on changing him?
• How clear was your "love sight"? Were you in love with your portrayal of him or with who he was in reality?
• How did your relationship end? What role did responsibility did you hold?

• What role do you want your partner to have in raising your child? Discipline? Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual support and influence?

• How do you picture your life in 5, 10, 20, 50 years?
• Married?
• Working?
• More Children?
• Own a house?
• Traveling?

These are just thought provoking questions. Please feel free to add your own... because I am in the same boat trying to find a good match and make choices that will bear successful results!
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Daddy shopping: Start Shopping with Vision

My series for solo-moms regarding dating.

I wish had a nickle for every time I went to the grocery store without a list and ended up with so much more than I was shopping for- I'd still be poor because most of those eye-catching impulse buys cost more than 5 cents! The point is that I start off going to the store with a vision of what I am looking for- and I end up distracted leaving with something I never intended on buying.

Heres the deal: Solo Moms dont really have the luxury of dating for fun. We have our child(ren) 100% of the time, and the other parent is no longer in the picture. We are working to support our little ones, and with our time off we are spending it enjoying the snot out of them! I know, I have a lot of guilt if I get a sitter for any reason not work related!! Seriously, get a sitter so I can go out on a date... I dont have the time or energy to invest in blindly feeling out Mr. Right from all the Mr. Right-Nows. Also, for most Solo Moms I know, falling in love is a calculated choice... rarely can we be sweet talked and wooed with flowers. So, lets harness this newly found power, and focus it into a vision of what we are looking for!

10 Reasons why you should start dating with a vision:

1. You give your dating a purpose.
2. You (and more importantly your little one) wont have your heart involved with someone that shouldnt be a part of your forever future.
3. Solo moms dont have time to waste dating Mr. Right-Nows- this will help you avoid squander your valued time resulting in an unproductive outcome.
4. You are able to teach your child an important lesson: never compromise, value yourself, and expect  and only accept the best.
5. You get to embrace your freedom and freely enjoy your time alone with your child(ren).
6. You have a chance to avoid the pitfalls and mistakes made before.
7. It isnt just about you anymore- you have the hearts of your children that may become invested and attached... as mothers we will do just about anything to protect our babies! Dating shouldnt be any different.
8. Make dating a life lesson for your child by showing your child with your actions that you value yourself and them.
9. Creating a vision will help you choose wisely this time around.
10. Finding the man that fits that vision will help you to eliminate insecurities that can cause doubt.

Next post: Questions to provoke visionary thoughts of Mr. Right!