tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59790837865550148762026-04-24T03:23:30.715-05:00Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-49600687262642447462010-04-16T16:06:00.003-05:002010-04-16T16:09:40.373-05:00

The FaceBook group Southeast Texas Moms will have a group meeting Wednesday, April 28 at Barnes & Nobel in Beaumont. From 10 a.m. until noon, the group will gather at the Dowlen Road store for story time. All Southeast Texas moms and kiddos are welcome to attend.

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-79441499964878282702010-04-16T13:30:00.003-05:002010-04-16T13:45:21.281-05:00

The fine folks at Rockin' A Cafe in Beaumont will host on Saturday a Mud Bug Benefit for Nederland tot Mackenzie Patterson. Patterson, daughter of Jeff Patterson and Stephanie DeRouen Patterson, is 6-years-old and (when not home-bound) attends Langham Elementary in Nederland.Patterson was diagnosed with leukemia last June. Proceeds from the event will benefit her family and help fund her

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-39257354551280408302010-04-16T09:16:00.003-05:002010-04-16T09:45:21.757-05:00

I am not a morning person.I have a personal rule not to talk before 10 a.m. when possible. In the first few minutes after I wake up, I'm disoriented and only make sense with half the things I say. I'm liable to randomly start talking crazy things, like sail boats and caterpillars. The next hour or so is spent sleepy and bitter at having to wake up, causing most things I say to be a little

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-20578434839400308082010-04-15T18:20:00.003-05:002010-04-15T18:26:16.038-05:00

When Colby a little over one year old, I would get a little sad when I'd tell him - like I do a dozen times a day - that I loved him, but he couldn't tell me back. Of course, he was barely walking, so it was silly of me to expect him to talk. But I always wished for the day when he would start verbally telling me that he loved me, too. (In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have wished so hard for

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-68372412429430916802010-04-15T09:10:00.007-05:002010-04-15T09:58:51.918-05:00

With four kids, a husband, a home-life and a full-time job, I haven't had a lot of time to make and maintain great friendships. But I've been fortunate to keep one great friend for 14 years.Cassie and I were 15 when we met at a bowling alley in Mid-County. Brought there by a mutual friend, our quirky personalities clicked immediately. It wasn't long before we became inseparable. We drove to and

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-8561704003472645222010-04-14T11:00:00.000-05:002010-04-14T11:00:05.843-05:00

When describing how terrible my cooking skills are, I often say, "I could burn a salad." And sadly, I'm not kidding.If you're culinary-challenged like me, every little bit helps when it comes to planning a decent (and edible) meal for your family.Fear not, I've found the answer.Recipes.You can thank me later. =)

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-348914033972970572010-04-14T09:27:00.001-05:002010-04-14T09:28:37.573-05:00

Riley - or Ri Ri, as he calls himself - has been making up his own knock-knock jokes...

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-47132185550559615082010-04-13T16:13:00.002-05:002010-04-13T16:27:45.761-05:00

Larry and Brittany had a father-daughter trip to the dentist today, and I got the news I'd been fearing -- Brittany has a cavity. Two, in fact.We've been concerned about her teeth the past couple of months, as she's been sporadically complaining about a toothache. Unfortunately, her mouth is so tiny that she'd need a flip-top head to actually see past her first four teeth.So we entrusted the

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-21977196295215401102010-04-13T13:47:00.003-05:002010-04-13T13:54:18.650-05:00

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas wants you and your family to get buried in family fun at the "Playing in the Sand" Family Arts Day.Having heard about these occasionally AMSET family days, my husband and I decided to try one out in October and went to "Dinosaur Day." And honestly, we had a blast. There was so much for the kids to get their hands into and fun projects to make. I highly recommend

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-82381047154424470802010-04-12T09:55:00.005-05:002010-04-12T10:37:01.686-05:00

I have a friend who, turns out, is a mastermind when it comes to saving money. With two kids in school and a six-month-old baby, she set out on a mission to save a few dollars when she decided to become a stay-at-home mom.And after following her progress with coupons and deals, I've got to say, I'm impressed! Just yesterday she checked out at CVS with about $30 worth of merchandise, and ended up

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-78278074836669314472010-04-09T15:57:00.004-05:002010-04-09T17:13:14.498-05:00

They say being a parent is the hardest job in the world.I disagree. The hardest job in the world is being a step-parent.I entered my first marriage in 2006 with a man who was entering his second. He brought to our life two children who would later come to live with us as we created children of our own. My husband's ex-wife also remarried. And within a matter of years, we became a blended family

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-11191736986010177592010-04-07T15:16:00.000-05:002010-04-07T15:16:00.365-05:00

We recently had several of Bryce and Brittany's friends over for the weekend. Probably one of the most interesting ventures I've ever hosted.Below you will see what happens when you make a bet with a group of girls and lose. The payoff is never going to be very masculine.But, of course, what's good for the goose...

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-30023600414618338222010-04-07T10:34:00.002-05:002010-04-07T11:28:21.470-05:00

It's finally happened.After 10 wonderful Christmases and Easters and about a dozen lost teeth, I have a non-believer. My first of four to finally realize that he's been living with Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy all along.And I appear to be the first parent to be relieved by this discovery.I'm all about the magic of Christmas. I remember what it was like to be a little girl and

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-45571165349627004282010-04-06T08:00:00.007-05:002010-04-06T17:01:05.759-05:00

There's nothing quite like living in a house full of men.I can overlook the empty toilet paper roll, and I've learned to always make sure the seat is down. I have found a way to ignore the disgusting jokes and belching contests. And I've given up on trying to separate Man from Xbox.But a few days ago I walked outside the front door and found my four-year-old urinating on a tree. A perfectly good

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-53512664284492144162010-04-05T22:21:00.008-05:002010-04-06T15:16:45.170-05:00

Like every American girl, my child is obsessed with Justin Bieber.The Bieber has taken over our MP3 players, our computer playlists, our daughter... She goes to bed listening to him, and wakes up to start it all over again. She's been bitten by the love bug. She don't need no stinkin' lyrics...

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-26361417495407396832010-04-05T22:01:00.004-05:002010-04-06T15:17:12.501-05:00

It seems the past month or so, I've been a bit lax on updating this blog.While excuses are not reasons, I recently took on a new job and new house - in the same week. Actually, let me rephrase myself. I took on a new position at The Enterprise, transitioning from Web Editor to Features Editor.And I'm more than happy to say that, with my sanity intact, both the house and job are going great.So

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-7673621570601141902010-03-18T20:40:00.005-05:002010-04-06T15:17:22.273-05:00

Is it just me, or does it seem like the time change has actually shaved about 2 hours off of every day? I could swear mine only have 22 hours now.

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-71985492420615635572010-03-09T08:57:00.011-06:002010-04-06T15:03:59.981-05:00

Friday, I’ll turn 29, and it’s bothering me. I’ll have one year left as a “young adult,” before I’m forced to realize I’m aging. One more year to be a “young mother,” before I become a mom.I’m sure there are a few of you who rolled your eyes when you read that. But no matter how young 29 seems, I promise it feels a lot different to someone with four kids, gray hair and a mini-van.I’ve spent a lot

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-69400098373808649922010-02-09T11:38:00.005-06:002010-02-09T11:42:28.537-06:00

There occasionally are times when I wonder if the entire universe is against me.My husband and I moved our family to a new house this last weekend. After spending years trying to fit six people in a very tiny house, we finally have a home large enough for everyone to live comfortably. But the two-day moving adventure was filled with more disaster than joy.Our issues started rolling out before our

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-26224581023621077062010-02-08T13:04:00.004-06:002010-02-08T13:58:11.637-06:00

Oh hell nah.Word is a young actress from Disney's Hannah Montana movie has come under fire for launching a clothing line considered racy for young girls."Ooh! La La Couture," as it is called, was designed in part by 8-year-old Emily Grace Reaves. Some people have said it looks a little like lingerie. I say my child wouldn't be caught outside the house with one foot in that outfit.I expect at

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-46277212520255833322010-01-20T21:52:00.006-06:002010-01-20T22:19:03.170-06:00

My youngest child, our last baby, is starting to communicate in full sentences.I'm filled with mixed emotions. I'm happy that he's learning so many new words, and that he can express to me what he's feeling. I'm sad because my tiny baby boy is growing so quickly and will turn 3 in July. I'm confused, because to learn new words he must be hearing them, yet he never seems to hear a single thing I

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-52948704571662253432010-01-20T21:16:00.003-06:002010-01-21T08:45:35.308-06:00

I was born an obsessive worrier. Give me a small problem, and I'll turn it around and hand you back a catastrophe in no time. I have a knack for finding the "what if" in every situation. My husband calls me a pessimist. I like to think of myself as a realist. I like to see that the glass is half full, and I can understand why it also looks half empty. But realistically, I've got a glass with

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-57135012688428142192010-01-19T09:12:00.002-06:002010-01-19T09:15:21.107-06:00

My school-age children have homework almost every night, much like your kids.So, I wasn’t surprised last week when my second-grader pulled an 80-plus page workbook from her backpack. The task, she said, was to complete two pages a night every night. The workbook, I noticed, had the words “Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills” written across it.My second-grader is studying for the TAKS test? A

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-66530535401095715012010-01-15T14:09:00.005-06:002010-01-15T14:30:10.562-06:00

A story on the front page of today's Beaumont Enterprise brought to light one local high school that has taken a new approach to curbing the bad behavior of students. In the Nederland school district, citations are now being given for those who break the rules, and kids as young as 11 are being ticketed for things like fighting and cussing.A Mom Spot reader has asked that I comment on this story,

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979083786555014876.post-6695288653995072632010-01-12T09:02:00.002-06:002010-01-12T09:04:31.025-06:00

When meteorologists last week started spreading the news of a freeze, we began taking precautions.At the start of every school year, I buy a set of gloves and a hat for each of my four kids in the event of harsh winter weather. Rarely do our winters turn bitter, and the gloves and hats usually are left to collect dust in a drawer. But, of course, anytime the weather calls for protective clothing,

Monique Batsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03141735084411178777noreply@blogger.com2