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  • The Cold Hard Truth About Disney Holidays

    PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

    What I am about to give y’all is free advice that I should be paid a lot of money for but I’ve decided to educate all future dads, current dads, and grandpas for free. After the last week I feel it’s my duty to help others before they plunge into the Disney mission. Every one will call it the Disney experience but trust me it’s more like a mission.

    Let’s start by when your wife and kids bring up going to Disney World the first thing you do is convince them that it has burned down and is no longer in existence. If that doesn’t work you should have time to follow my steps bc they will plan this for along time.

    First thing you do is enroll in the navy seal training program. You will learn many skills needed for you to survive your Disney mission, such as being able to keep your cool under extreme pressure. Little to no sleep for long periods of time and being hot, cold,and wet all minutes apart.

    You will learn how to not use the bathroom for hours at a time and be stealthy sneaking in and out of lines by not being detected to alert the others around you. You will learn how to be hungry and thirsty with no time to eat or drink for fear of missing your next objective.

    U will also be in shape so you can walk in circles for miles and miles each day which may or may not require you to sprint at high speeds for short distances. All the skills at navy seals training will be needed. Do not take this lightly.

    Rusty and I did not get pointers before we went through this mission and almost didn’t make it home. Some vocabulary words that u should get comfortable with are fast pass, quick service, snack credit, table service, wait time. Also sharpen up on your map reading skills and be ready to make quick and accurate deviations bc sometimes you will be seconds away from being too late.

    Be ready to get up early and go to bed very late. Don’t be fooled this is not a vacation. You will be excited to go home and back to work. Before you head out on your Disney mission get out your stroller and practice folding it up and unfolding it up. If you can’t do it 3 times in under a minute you aren’t ready keep practicing. Also you will have to remember where you park the damn stroller 20 times a day and it will always be in a stupid spot and if u park it in a spot that’s convenient they will go move it to a dumb spot so you will have to search for it.

    You will have to find it quick bc you won’t have much time to get to your next ride. You will need to be able to stand for hours and hours and if you get lucky to sit down it will be a hard surface with no padding but don’t worry you will only get to sit for a couple of seconds bc you will have to get somewhere very soon. Don’t expect to sit down and eat and relax either bc you will need to eat fast so you can get to your next event.

    Miles adapted and started swallowing his food whole to make up time. Early in the morning is the most important part of the day. Be prepared to get up 3 hours before the rides start and get on the bus. It’s important to be at the front of the start line and haul ass to the most popular rides before the rest of the crowd gets there Be able to run while steering around many others while pushing your stroller while being yelled at to hurry.

    All skills you should acquire at seal training. Always be prepared to stop and take a picture but be able to do it fast bc you don’t have much time. If you think your tired slap yourself and push on Also no matter what your wife makes you wear t-shirt wise trust me you will not be the goofiest looking family there.

    Trust me you will see some goofy families wearing matching shirts that will make your own look awesome so don’t fret about the shirt thing. That’s the least thing to be concerned about. The last advice I will give you is get a second job months before you deploy such as be a drug dealer bc your gonna need some extra money bc a donut cost 5 bucks and a coke is 4 bucks. If you think your gonna get a beer to knock the edge off so you make it through the day they cost 8 bucks so the salary of a drug dealer is needed to support the mission financially. Follow these pointers and maybe you to will make it through a 7 day Disney mission.

    Credit Dustin Mueller

  • Why Leaving My Wife Was The Worst Mistake

    I was married, had been with my wife for 15 years. Then I left her 2 months short of our 10 year wedding anniversary.

    We were parents to two beautiful children, who are in their late teens now, but were only seven and nine years old when I walked out.

    I travelled for work, stayed in a different hotel at least three nights a week. That’s how I met Eve*.

    We got to know each other over time. We became Facebook friends. We sent messages to each other all day and night. She was also married, also had two kids. We had so much in common, we soon fell in love. I felt like she ‘got’ me.

    This was all during a very trying time in my marriage. I wasn’t happy, I didn’t look forward to going home. My wife had put on weight, we hardly ever spoke, she always looked so miserable.

    Little did I realise that I was the reason she was so down and depressed. I didn’t pay her any attention. I took her for granted. I was too busy wishing my life was more exciting, being romanced online, spending all of my free time thinking how I could get out.

    I believed she didn’t love me. I convinced myself she never cared about me or my needs and wants and wishes, that all I was was a paycheck.

    She spent her free time taking care of us — our kids, making our suppers, doing out washing, making lunches, doing homework, projects, shuttling kids to sport, taking care of the pets they loved so much, their friends, and had a job of her own on top of it all.

    Every time she spoke to me, all I heard was nagging and whining. But she was actually begging for my attention: a weekend away, a date night, a movie — everything I ended up doing with Eve behind her back and after I left my family.

    We argued and fought because we felt unheard by the other. And yet that was all we actually had to do – LISTEN – to each other!

    I moved to another province with Eve. My now ex-wife got custody of our kids. I saw them every second weekend, the usual ‘Dad’ set up.

    New beginnings

    Life was sweet!

    Eve and I had an amazing sex life. A connection I believed I never had with my ex. We had a large circle of friends. My family loved her. My kids liked her.

    But my ex could never bring herself to meet Eve – she felt betrayed. I hated her even more! She was childish. She was mean. She never cared about me or my happiness. I didn’t care about my ex’s feelings when I posted photos of us on Facebook… I had Eve and a whole new life and it was fantastic!

    We were together for about six or seven years but never married – we believed marriage was not our thing.

    I believed that after 15 years with my ex, we’d given it all we could and our time together was up, there was nothing we could do to salvage our relationship or marriage. Eve was my future, Eve was who I should have been with all along.

    Eventually, no matter how well we got along in the beginning; no matter how well I thought she “got” me; no matter how good the sex was; the “honeymoon” came to an end.

    Eve and I started snapping at each other. Little fights here and there. I had a moment of pure realisation one night, at about 2am.

    I realised that I missed the woman who created my first home and family. I realised that if I’d treated my ex-wife the way I’d treated Eve, used the hours I spend woo-ing Eve on my ex, she’d have bloomed.

    If I’d stopped being negative about her and our relationship to my family and friends they wouldn’t have been so negative to her and she wouldn’t have pulled into herself and shied away.

    She became someone I convinced myself I no longer knew or got along with because I never gave her the time and affection and attention she craved and deserved.

    I thought I had, but when I got down and really thought about it I never really did. I never really let her in. I had ended my marriage years before with the simple decision that she was no longer who or what I wanted. And I’d convinced my family and friends the same – that she was no good for me!

    Regret sets in

    But I was wrong. I missed the best years of my kids lives. Missed being a family with them. I let their mother battle with raising them alone. Yes I helped financially, but a man living outside his family has no real idea what the costs are on the single mother. While Eve and I ate steaks on the weekends, my ex-wife was living on egg and toast.

    And do you know that she never complained? She never demanded more money out of me. She never stopped me from seeing the kids. Never said no if I changed plans on her at the last minute. She gave up her weekends so that my mother could spend time with her grandchildren. She left me to get on with my life with Eve, even though it must have killed her.

    Like any relationship, it had started out good – great in fact – but when it go bad I decided to leave… I walked out and divorced a woman who – and I can only see this now – would have done anything for me. But I’d told myself she wouldn’t or couldn’t.

    My ex-wife stayed single for 8 years. She dated but never got involved. Her being single was also a kind of affirmation for me – that no one wanted her – that everything I’d decided she lacked, so did other men… She actually stayed single to focus on our children.

    Too late

    And then came the day she met Craig. I never thought it would bug me in any way if she got a boyfriend. I thought it would be great! But I was very wrong. I felt hurt. I felt jealous. I even felt angry and maybe betrayed.

    She moved in with Craig, along with my kids. She set up a new home. A new family, with my kids… it was a very bitter pill to swallow.

    I finally understood how she’d felt all these years. And it felt rotten.

    I watched via Facebook and through conversations with our old mutual friends how Craig spoiled her and the kids. Their weekends were spent on the beach – he surfed with my son. They went hiking in the Burg. They went to Mauritius where he proposed on a kayak and she said yes — they got married.

    My daughter was a bridesmaid. My son was a groomsman. Craig’s parents and brother welcomed my ex-wife and children into their family. They told everyone how blessed they were to be gaining them as family.

    She glowed with happiness. She radiated love and none of it was for me! My heart felt like it had been ripped out.

    It should have been me.

    Don’t be me. You think you will never be happy when you are in a rut. It is when you are there at your darkest that you need to grip down and try your hardest.

    Today I live alone and still only see my kids occasionally. They are big now and harbour anger towards me for leaving them and their mother. Who can blame them?

    Of all the things Eve was, she was never the mother of my children – my original true love.”

    “HOPE this helps a few marriages, Love and appreciate a Good woman”.

    Credit #Allos_of_Mr_Lakusu

  • I Saw You But You Didn’t See Me

    I saw you hug your purse closer to you in the grocery store line.

    But you didn’t see me put £10 into the PoppyScotland tin last week.

    I saw you pull your child closer when we passed each other on the pavement.

    But you didn’t see me playing Santa at the local village hall.

    I saw you change your mind about going into the restaurant.

    But you didn’t see me attending a meeting to raise more money for the disaster relief.

    I saw you roll up your window and shake your head when I drove by.

    But you didn’t see me driving behind you when you flicked your cigarette butt out the car window.

    I saw you frown at me when I smiled at your children.

    But you didn ‘t see me when I used my only time off work to run toys to the homeless.

    I saw you stare at my long hair.

    But you didn’t see me and my friends cut ten inches off for Cancer Research.

    I saw you roll your eyes at our leather coats and gloves.

    But you didn’t see me and my brothers and sisters donate our old coats and gloves to those that had none.

    I saw you look in fright at my tattoos.

    But you didn’t see me cry as my children where born and have their name written over and in my heart.

    I saw you change lanes while rushing off to go somewhere.

    But you didn’t see me going home to be with my family.

    I saw you complain about how loud and noisy our bikes can be.

    But you didn’t see me when you were changing the CD and drifted into my lane.

    I saw you yelling at your kids in the car.

    But you didn’t see me pat my child’s hands, knowing he was safe behind me.

    I saw you reading the newspaper or map as you drove down the road.

    But you didn’t see me squeeze my wife’s leg when she told me to take the next turn.

    I saw you race down the road in the rain.

    But you didn’t see me get soaked to the skin so my son could have the car to go on his date.

    I saw you run the yellow light just to save a few minutes of time.

    But you didn’t see me trying to turn right.

    I saw you cut me off because you needed to be in the lane I was in.

    But you didn’t see me leave the road.

    I saw you waiting impatiently for my friends to pass.

    But you didn’t see me. I wasn’t there.

    I saw you go home to your family.

    But you didn’t see me. Because, I died that day you cut me off.

    I WAS JUST A BIKER. A person with friends and a family. But you didn’t see me.

    Re-post this around in hopes that people will understand the biker community

  • £6.77 What Could You Buy With That?

    £6.77.

    What could you buy with that?

    In the real world, the answer is “not a lot” – but in my ex’s world it’s apparently enough to provide for your child for a FULL WEEK.

    £6.77 is the exact amount of money my ex is willing to pay, per child, per week in child maintenance.

    He’s paid today and hasn’t even rounded it up to the nearest quid.

    He’s fiddled his business books so hard he’s managed to reduce his maintenance payments from £414 per month to a measly £59 per month for TWO children. 👏

    £6.77 wouldn’t even buy his Netflix subscription, or a packet of fags – yet it’s the price he’s put on feeding and clothing his first born children.

    You may be wondering how this can happen? Well, it’s a massive #CMS loophole which thousands of self employed parents are exploiting.

    Parents who own their own business can declare earnings of their choosing to HMRC – and it’s win win because a) they pay little or no income tax and b) The CMS use this figure to work out maintenance payments.

    It doesn’t work for those who are “employed” because HMRC can see true earnings for those who are PAYE and so earnings can’t be hidden.

    According to CMS, my ex declared his earnings to be £8,137 last year. If he only earned £8k, I’m a millionaire. (I’m not)

    This loophole is affecting THOUSANDS of children – why won’t anyone listen and take action?

    So I’m making it my mission to get this sorted. Watch this space and give me a wave if you are with me.

    #ihaveaplan #karma #CMS #nevergiveup #whatgoesaroundcomesaround #taxevasion

    Credit https://www.facebook.com/singlemumstillstanding/

  • Breast Milk Is Just Amazing

    Nancy had her 1 year injections on Tuesday afternoon, the “normal” colour milk is from the day before she had them, the “blue” colour milk is from today – 2 days after she had them. It’s blue from all the antibodies my body is producing as it thinks she’s sick with what she was vaccinated against! When she feeds her saliva sends signals to my body to produce more milk with illness specific antibodies!

    This is one of the reasons I’m still breastfeeding 13 months on….you don’t get all this goodness and nutrients from formula or cows milk! Way to go boobies

    **Edit to add** holy shit I wasn’t expecting this to go viral 😱😂

    *I’m by no way shaming formula, I formula fed my 1st, and combi fed my 2nd & 3rd. I Was merely showing what women’s bodies can do when their children are poorly and this is one of the reasons I’m still breastfeeding at 13 months as I’m often questioned as to why I’m still doing so.

    **My milk isn’t this colour from what I’ve eaten (not had anything artificially coloured/no supplements/no green vegetables), my milk is only ever this colour when my daughter has been sick…it’s never been like it when she’s be well.

    ***This was expressed STRAIGHT after a feed so certainly not foremilk either.

    This goes to show the vaccines are doing exactly what they are meant to do, and so is my daughters body and mine. Whole point of vaccinations is to introduce a very very weakened version of what virus/disease you want immunity over. Which causes your body to make antibodies and “heal” itself, which then in turn makes your body think you have already had said virus/disease so your won’t get a more deadly real version in the future when/if your exposed to it.

    Don’t come on my post preaching about not having vaccinations and them been poisonous 🙄 I hope your child(ren) never becomes ill with anything serious or doesn’t pass it on to a poor baby waiting to have their immunisations because you don’t believe in vaccinations!

    credit

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=730805119

     

  • Parents Step It Up This Is Not Okay

    This is a snap from a week or more ago from a birthday party my son Marshall was invited to.

    I’m sharing this in part because after I posted it, another mom messaged me saying that because of my last rant about birthday parties, they are specifically going out of their way to attend every invite they get.

    Guys, I walked into this party twenty minutes late. The room was dressed to the nines with Minecraft decorations including homemade cupcakes shaped like a Minecraft sword and even favor bags made so the kids would have something to open while the birthday boy opened his presents.

    I walked into a room full of adults, all family members. The only other two children were his little sisters.

    I want you to think about that for a second. Think about this child literally having not one single friend or even non-sibling CHILD show up to his party.

    It’s devastating. And you say, “Well, they had a good time it seems! Maybe they won’t notice!”

    Nope. They notice. And this time the birthday boy purposefully came to the adults for the answer to, “Why didn’t any of my friends show up?” TWICE. Not once. But twice.

    There were a dozen untouched favor bags sitting out and maybe 5 or so cupcakes eaten (myself included). Luckily he had a lot of presents from family, so at least there was a big “to do” when present opening came around.

    Anyway, I just wanted everyone to know that yes, birthday parties are a pain in the ass. Sometimes you have to sit there the whole time while making small talk with other parents while the kids play, but come on, is it really that bad?

    And if so? Drop your dang kid off for an hour. Hell, I guarantee that if you showed up, dropped off your kid SANS present, guess who would still be happy? Birthday boy.

    Step it up, guys. This isn’t cool. #okaydonewiththesoapbox

     

    Credit https://m.facebook.com/mirandamarrs

     

  • When Will I See The Baby?

    “When can I come see the baby?”

    A question new moms might hear over and over.

    At least at first.

    Sometimes before she has left the hospital.

    Before she has had a chance to sleep.

    Before she has even showered off the blood.

    “When can I come see the baby?”

    Her phone dings while she settles back in to her home with a brand new human – to her brand new normal.

    Her estrogen and progesterone levels are plummeting from the highest they’ve ever been to the lowest. She is shaky and hot and cold and sweaty and weak.

    Whether she chooses to breastfeed or not, her milk is coming in and she is sore and engorged.

    Whether she delivered vaginally or by c-section, her uterus will be contracting for days and weeks. Sometimes it’s as painful as labor.

    She’s bleeding and will continue to bleed for up to six weeks post-delivery.

    Her crotch is swollen and puffy and sore, or her incision is painful, or both.

    She is struggling to go to the bathroom – and she pees her pants (or pad) when she laughs, sneezes, and coughs.

    Her core muscles are weak, making lifting ANYthing hard.

    She’s starving. Endlessly starving.

    She has stretch marks and varicose veins, hair loss and acne, blurry vision and dry eyes. She sees a stranger in the mirror.

    She is totally and utterly exhausted. She hasn’t slept for more than an hour at a time in days or weeks.

    Any independence she had – to run errands, go to work, shower, eat, pee, sleep – has been suspended for now.

    So when you walk into her house, look at HER first.

    Give her space to heal, to bond, and to rest if she needs it.

    Be there if she needs it.

    Offer to help her.

    And then help her.

    Admire the baby, sure.

    But don’t forget to nurture the mother.

    Credit Nicolle Godor

  • Most Of You Don’t Know Her But She Is Important

    Most of you don’t know who this is but she is important.

    Her name is Latasha Harlins. In 1991, at the ripe age of 15, Latasha went to her local Korean owned food mart and never made it out. The store owner’s wife, Soon Ja Du, mistook her for trying to steal a bottle of orange juice and a minor struggle ensued.

    Du grabbed Latasha and ended up getting pushed to the ground. Du then went and got her gun and pointed it at Latasha. Latasha bends down, picks up the orange juice, and places it on the counter.

    As Latasha had walked away to leave the store, Du shot Latasha in the back of the head at a 3 foot distance, killing her immediately. Du tried to claim self defense, but there were 2 eyewitnesses and the store’s security camera showed otherwise. The jury convicted Du and advised the judge to go with the maximum sentence of 16 years. Du walked away with 400 hours of community service, 5 years probation, and a $500 fine, as the judge said although Mrs. D acted inappropriately, her actions were justified.

    Judge Joyce Karlin states that Mrs. Du was the victim, Latasha is the criminal and would be standing in front of her for assault on a store clerk had she not died. The slaughter of Latasha Harlins is one of major factors in the initiating of the LA Riots. We only hear about Rodney King but she is the original #SayHerName.

    Tupac had an affinity for Latasha and has mentioned her name in several songs as well as dedicated the iconic song “Keep Ya Head Up” to Latasha. So today we say Latasha Harlins, you’re a pillar baby girl, whether they realize or not. And today, someone heard ya story❤️

  • My Mum Thanked Me Last Night

    My mum thanked me last night.

    She babysat, and SHE thanked ME?!

    She never taught my brother or I to self soothe.

    We shared her bed.

    We took our naps in her arms.

    She breastfed till we naturally weaned…

    And one day, all of that came to an end.

    One day, we turned into cranky and unruly teenagers who wanted to be with our friends over her.

    And then even later on, one day we both got married and had families of our own.

    Last night, my husband and I went out.

    Not far. And we weren’t late.

    But when we got back, I went upstairs and found my children asleep in my mothers arms in the same way that they fall asleep in my arms every night.

    And in the same way that my brother and I had fallen asleep in her arms every night.

    They all looked so calm and peaceful.

    I asked if she was ok, and she smiled through faint tears.

    She thanked me for giving her these moments back.

    These moments that she never imagined possible to experience again….

    she thought that these days had well and truly passed.

    She told me that no matter how hard she tries, she can’t remember the last time she held me.

    She can’t remember my last feed.

    She can’t even remember the last time that I climbed into her bed in the middle of the night asking her for a cuddle….

    But when she held her grandchildren to sleep, it gave her an emotional reminder of what it was like. How beautiful it felt. How special it was.

    Because these moments won’t last forever.

    Even though sometimes they feel like they will.

    She told me how lucky I am that I get to do this every single night. And how fortunate I am that I get to do so for a little while longer.

    I smiled. She is right.

    Even on those long nights when I don’t believe that to be the case; I am most definitely lucky.

    Credit https://www.facebook.com/mrsmombastic/

  • Heres Why You Don’t Sleep In Contacts

    “I sleep in my contacts all the time and I’ve never had a problem.”

    As an eye doctor, I literally hear this daily. The picture shows a referred case from the local urgent care, a subsequently cultured pseudomonas ulcer, and are the direct result of sleeping in contact lenses. Pseudomonas (bacteria) is an important cause of ocular morbidity and its opportunistic characteristics quickly lead to permanent blindness. This will be the 4th case of cultured pseudomonas that I’ve treated in my clinic.

    The bacteria explosively eats away at the patients cornea in a matter of days leaving a soupy, white necrosis (dead tissue) in its wake. I was able to start this patient on fortified antibiotic drops around the clock and recently steroids to reduce permanent scarring. While this patient’s eye continues to drastically improve from baseline, she will very likely exhibit some form of residual vision loss even after treatment.

    To be very clear, I don’t ever recommend sleeping in any brand of SOFT contact lenses. The risks outweigh the benefits every time. It takes seconds to remove your contacts but a potential lifetime of irreversible damage if you choose to leave them in. People need to see these images and remind themselves/family/friends to also be aware of contact lens misuse.

    #DontSleepInContacts #NotEvenOnce #EyeEmergency #VitaEyeClinic #247EyeCare

    Credit Vita eye clinic