Hey Trish! Whaddyado?

Very interesting question, I am a child care provider. Right now I am a home based provider (meaning I operate from my home) but eventually, I wish to move to a larger facility where I will be able to serve more children, and hire more staff. Nah, I don’t want to be one of those big daycare factories you hear about with a gazillion kids, Just 24 at the very most, but I would like to have a few sites throughout Philadelphia.

Way back in the day, when I was knee high to a grasshopper I wanted to own my own business. My business started when I sold my first cup of Lemonade to my dad for 50cents. Along the way, I worked for and met many entrepreneurs who graciously gave me advice and encouragement. I gained first hand experience on what programs to use for accounting, what forms to file with the state/city and so forth. Yes, I have been blessed.

In 2000, after giving birth to Zoë, I started my first business, Resumes Etc. I made about 100$ that year writing resumes. Two years later I started Devyne Designs, a company that helped other people start their own companies by helping with the filings, etc. I made about 9,000$ that year. Fast track to 2007, I’m pregnant with miles, and I know that I don’t want to put him in one of those daycare factories, so I started The Creative Corner. I drafted a business, and marketing plan, and got the ball rolling with CPR/First Aid certs, and other Early Childhood Education classes, and about 8 weeks later I was in business.

Yes, I’ve experienced some ups and downs. I’ve seen the good the bad and the ugly when it comes to parental involvement, Like parents who show up whenever they want. I am truly thankful for the good ones.

Overall The Daycare business has been good to me. There are days that I just wanna call all the parents and say “yo! Come get yo kids” and days that we have some much fun that the time truly flies.

Day # 10,459 - Dude! Where's my Cart?

Dude! Where’s My Cart?

Have you ever had your shopping cart stolen? Neither have I, until yesterday. During one of my frequent visits to the best store on earth (Wal-Mart) some one nabbed my cart full of wonderful objects.

You see, I was casually walking down the aisle, when I remembered that I had a few rolls of film from our weekend that needed to be developed (yes, I still use film) so I did the responsible thing and I parked my cart on an outside aisle so that I wouldn’t take up too much space, no big deal I do this all the time. As I’m waiting for Bonnie (the photo department lady) to acknowledge me I start looking at stuff, listening in to people’s conversation, smiling at babies, you know the normal things you do when your time is being wasted. Something told me to check on my cart, so I did, I looked over and my cart was still there. I was happy.

But somewhere between that last glance and being handed that little slip, somebody got me!

I didn’t really notice that my cart was gone until I bumped into a palette of stereos that sat in it’s place. I looked up and was like what the! (no I did curse, but I wanted to). I walked around a little bit, thinking that I may have left it somewhere else, and then reality set it. Some body got me for my Cart!

I was so upset, I couldn’t believe that someone would take a cart full of stuff. My Stuff! It had to be a mistake, no one would take somebody's cart. All of the sudden, I see the store manager walking around, so I pull homeboy aside and I’m like “Yo Dude, where’s my cart?” totally clueless, he like “huh, what cart?” I go into the whole "I was over there, my cart was over here, and now it’s gone" thingy, and his response was, “well m’aam, we have more carts up front.”

Breathe, Trish, breahe......

I could have slap that dude if I wasn’t afraid of going to Jail. I calmed down, and I asked “So those carts up front, do they have my stuff in them?” He must'e thought I was crazy, he cocked his head to the side, and was like "No", and walked away. Leaving me there to fester in anger.

Determined to find the idiot who stole my cart, I start creeping up on people and looking in their carts. For a moment I saw a cart from far away and thought “is that my Capri sun?” I did a half run half skip towards the cart only to be disappointed. I did this for about 2 minutes until I called Kyle for some advice.

I was near shouting when he answered the phone all cool like "hey babe".

Me: “can you believe someone stole my damn cart”
Kyle: “What?”
Me: “Somebody stole my cart”
Kyle: “Stole your what?”
Me: “My Cart! I was dropping off some film and somebody took my cart, I think it was the stock boy, there was a palate of stereos there”
Kyle: “Why would somebody take your cart? Did it have stuff in it?”
Me: “Yeah, it had stuff in it! , it had 2 cups and some other stuff that I’ve been picking out for the past half hour”
Kyle: “Oh” (I think he was laughing at me, because he didnt say too much after that)
Me: “Let me get off of this phone, because I feel like knocking everything off the shelves”
Kyle “Oh, okay”

I didn’t knock anything of the shelves, I really really wanted to, but was afraid that I would get locked up…. I did get another cart, but this cart wasn’t as nice as the first one, I tried to go back and replicate my original shopping experience, but it didn’t work. They didn’t have anymore of the really cute shorts in my size. There were no more funny t-shirts in Zoe's size. And I couldn’t remember what else was missing.

I was disappointed. I was mad. No, I was Pissed!

I abandoned my cart, got in the car and went to k-mart.

Day # 10,458 - Life's a Beach

This past Saturday, Kyle & I took the kids to the Jersey Shore. Our daughter, Zoë, had been bugging us to go since the last day of school, and we finally gave in. (The last time we went to the shore Miles had pneumonia, but we didn’t know it at the time).

As we drove down the Garden State Parkway, Kyle let out a very loud sigh, and then he said that he’d rather be home watching Talladega Night’s. Zoë was very antsy and reminded me of that scene out of Screck when Donkey’s like “are we there yet?” are we there yet?”, “are we there yet?” I asked her that if we were there, would we be sitting in the car? Poor girl couldn’t answer that one; now could she? (one mom, zero kid) . Miles who apparently had enough of our shenanigans began humming. He did this for 14 miles. (Didn’t I tell you he was laid back?)

An hour and 10 minutes later we were there, or at least that’s what Kyle and Zoë shouted (almost in unison), I, of course don’t consider being at the shore until my feel are in the sand. Anyways, Zoë was smiling, Kyle was smiling, Miles, was still humming and I, well I had to pee.

We casually pulled into the parking complex as if we owned that joint, and proceeded to lug all of our beach stuff two blocks to the beach. (Why is it so hard to walk in the sand?) We were finally there, we really made it. We made it through the off again, on again traffic, we made it through the speed racers who almost killed us when they cut our little red wagon off on the GSP, and we made it through the throngs of people on the boardwalk.

We were there, and here are the pictures to prove it.

Day # 10,457 - You cant Knock my Hustle!

Okay, the title has nothing to do with what I’m about to write, but when I woke up this morning that’s the first thing I said to Kyle. I don’t think he heard me because he didn’t respond (but then again, he’s pretty good at tuning out some of my mindless banters).

“This can’t be right!”, “I haven’t been this heavy since I was pregnant with Miles”, Wait a minute; I have keys in my pocket”, “What! This thing must be broken”, “Let’s Go y’all I’m ready to go home” You ever have this quiet conversation with yourself? I did.

About three months ago at the NJ Aquarium. While Kyle, Zoë & Miles were over at the stingray tank, ooohing and ahhing I was making a decision that ruined the rest of my day.

At the aquarium, they have this scale that you can step on and “compare your weight with that of a sea animal” How stupid of me, to set myself up for failure. I stepped onto this scale, and I felt like I was on an episode of the biggest looser, my palms are sweaty, my pulse is up, and I’m looking at this contraption watching the numbers go higher and higher. Finally the numbers stop, and I’m confused. A picture appears on the screen. A Shark. I shout “are you kidding me” (a little louder that I intended) I look around, and now I see that there a woman snickering off to my left saying something to her husband. (How rude!) Oh, now I’m heated! I step off the scale, and I see that the computer has printed something out. I snatch it up and skim over everything, and then my eyes lock on the bold Print “YOUR WEIGHT IS EQUAL TO THAT OF A FEMALE NURSE SHARK” I did everything I could to stop myself from screaming. I needed to take a seat.

I don’t like the aquarium any more, and I am not a female nurse shark!

Day 10,456 - Help! My Boy carries a purse....

Yeah, you read it right. The heir to the Fleming name and possibly half of my estate (all 200$ of it ..lol) has been spotted on foot with a friggin purse! I pointed this little “situation” out to Kyle and he’s decided not to make a big deal out of it, and encouraged me to do the same. While Zoë, who calls it his “Dr. Bag”, thinks that it’s cute. Well guess what? It’s not a doctor bag; especially since he aint got no medical degree. IT’S A PURSE. Oh help me Jesus!

A few weeks back, I invested 30$ in a “Toddler Dress up Trunk” from Lakeshore. The trunk (which was actually one of those big Tupperware things) came with four little outfits ranging from a princess outfit, a ballerina outfit, a coy boy/girl outfit, and what appears to be the uniform that someone would wear if they worked in an office. Each outfit came with a very cute accessory. A wand for the princess, a tiara for the ballerina, a rope thingy for the cowboy/girl and a bag that appears to be a purse for the “office worker”.

At first it was no big deal. But things got a little funky when he began carrying the bag over his shoulder, and crying whenever it was time to put it away. And today, he spent over 5 minutes (which is like an hour to a 19 month old) looking for this bag. Saying ‘Mommy, Bag” and pointing to where it usually is. Once he found the bag, he let out this high-pitched wail (that he usually gives out when he’s happy as hell), and he ran around the living room, scurrying from toy bin to toy bin looking for stuff to put in his bag. He starts with his pacifier, and moves onto a small wooden toy car. But all stuff (you know what stuff I’m talking about) hit the fan when he found my cell phone, and placed it along with his other finds into the bag. I wanted to cry.

But then he did the most wonderful thing I’ve ever seen him do. He dug in his nose, pulled out a booger the size of Montana, and said “eeeeeeewwwww look mommy”, and chased Zoë with it.
My Boy is back!

Down Memory Lane

I got this idea from MommaWheel's blog.

Here are the directions:
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses.

If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Day 10,455 - Meet The Fleming's

It’s about time I introduce you to the one thing that keeps me sane. My Family. All together there are four of us; your’s truly, Kyle, my husband, and my two children Zoë and Miles.

Kyle (32 M) - I secretly call Kyle “The Man”. He’s my conscience, the little voice (no pun intended) that tells me that it’s not a good idea, or a good buy. This dude breaks down the price per diaper when we go to BJ’s. He is happy when his family is happy, and that’s what matters the most to him. He don't take no crap from no body, and has been known for cussing people out by mistake.

Although alot of people may not kow it, Kyle has a great sense of humor. I mean we really laugh all of the time. He comes up with clever words that become part of our vocab like "clerty" which describes an article of clothing that has been worn, but does not have stains or smells. (Clerty is a combo word which means clean & dirty). Yeah, it sounds crude, but it's really funny when you hear it unexpectandly. Kyle is not big on Male/Female roles, and isn’t too much of a handyman either. But this man is a great father, and he makes the best baked Ziti I've ever tasted. Yep, Kyle Rocks, the Picture Dosen't.

Zoë (7, F) - Zoë is our little “PIT” (Princess in Training)she’s very inquisitive and has a wicked sense of humor, and she loves all things pink and frilly , now don’t get it twisted, this girl has been witnessed beating the crap out of two boys who thought that they would roll on her. She aint no Joke! She’s a blue belt in karate, and she plays soccer and softball. A few years ago I made the mistake of teaching her a few “yo Mamma” jokes that kind of backfired on me. You see, this girl is as smart as a whip, and as cute as a button, but when it comes to knowing who she should tell a yo’ mama joke to, she’s a little slow.... (sorry Daddy)

Overall my girl is a pretty cool kid. She’s smart, funny, creative, and personable. She’s a funky mixture of Martha Stewart (minus the jail stay) and Rachel Ray (minus the annoying voice). To Zoë each and EVERY day is a day to celebrate. She plans menus for lunch and dinner, and plays restaurant. She calls a cook out (you know a simple back yard BBQ) a BBQ party, and begs to invite people over.

I can definitely see her making a living as an Attorney by day, and party planner by night.

Miles (19 mos, M) - This little dude is so laid back it’s a shame. The only thing that gets him all riled up is if he’s hungry, if he’s tired, or if you take his pacifier (yes, he still takes a pacifier). However, I must admit that this boy is a little bit of a snitch. He tells on everything, and everyone, even his poor mama… He screams “uh oh” or “look at that” and you know it’s on. Run, Fast and head for the hills, somebody’s gonna get a whuppin’. Imma get me one of those "stop snitching" shirts they sell on the corner… That oughta fix em’ lol

I can see homeboy being a musician or some type of performing artist.

Day 10,454 - Who am I?

During our last rendezvous I started to scratch the surface on who I am. Today, after careful consideration I’d like to delve a little deeper into what would be the mantle of my world.

My Given Name is Patricia Dorotheia Jones. I was born into this world 10,455 days ago to Ann Jones & Lawrence Jubilee. I am the eldest child of a very dysfunctional family. Trust me, I’ve met a lot of people and while they’ve lived some very interesting lives, I am convinced that mine may be one that even Freud would be afraid to study.

You see, things in my life took a unplanned rout in 1985. Just 5 years old, My parents became separated. My Mother, had been recently diagnosed as being bipolar, and was now abusing street drugs pretty heavily. I have my own theory that my father introduced her to drugs, but its all speculation. Anyways, the normalcy that I once knew was shattered when my father left home and left me and my infant sister alone with an addict. I’ve never asked, but I would love to know what the hell he was thinking when he left us, I mean so many horrible things could’ve happened to us. I vividly remember my mother leaving us alone at night to chase after her next high, I remember when she stole my money and told me that my sister must’ve lost it. I remember us going to shelters to eat because my mother would rather feed her high than her children. I remember it all. But what I remember the most about my mother were the lessons that she taught me. She inadvertently taught me how to be a mother, how to be strong, and brave; and most importantly she taught me how to love.

Wow! I haven’t cried about my mother in almost a year... breathe, Trish, breathe…. I’m good.

I remember in 1997 when I was away at school, my mother sent me a letter. I haven’t heard from or seen her in almost 7 years and all of the sudden out of the blue I have a letter from her. At first I thought it was some kind of cruel joke, but I remembered her handwriting, and her trademark misspellings. (Isn’t it funny what you remember about people). Anyways, I remember that my hands were shaking and I was afraid of what it may say, at the top of what looked like a discarded sheet of loose-leaf paper my mother wrote:

“Dear Patricia, God will bring your dreams and inspired ideas into reality through the resources of his kingdom. When you acknowledge it is within you its wealth truth ad energy will work to supply all of your needs. The Kingdom is with in you. It is all within reach. Glory! Start reaching for it today, your had of faith is healed and no longer withered. Stretch it forth today. ”

And after that she wrote out the following verse from Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.

So you see, my mother may not have been there in the way that she should have been, but she taught me the lessons that I’ll need to get me through. While I sometimes wish things were differently, but no matter what or how things turn out I know that I am love.

Signing off -
Trish

34 Days and Counting.......

Day 10,4349:36 am

Oh My! I am just 34 days away from vacation. It may not be a big deal to most people, but it is a very deal to me. You see, I haven’t been on a real vacation in over 3 years. Don’t get me wrong, I love those 3 day weekends, and short trips to places like Marsh Creek and the shore. But I need to get on a plane and be out! I’ve been working nonstop for the past year trying to get my daycare business off the ground. So far I’ve had success. Yes, I’ve had my fair share of nut jobs (kids & parents) but overall I’ve had a very good year. This year my family & I are going to Cozumel Mexico. I am really looking forward to it. Like I said I haven’t been out of this country in 3 years.

Day 10,453

Welcome to my Blog. My name is Trish, and here is where you can get a first hand glimpse into my life. I often say that no one person knows everything there is to know about me”, so here I am, laying everything on the line. Of course, I won’t tell y’all everything I mean, I do have some pride, but please don’t get offended if you read something here that is contrary to your current understanding of me.

I actually started “blogging” in 2005 as a way to express some of the shitty feelings I had about a number of things, but I noticed that all I did was bitch & moan and never really tried to change what was making me so unhappy. So I logged off, that is until now. Three years later, I can definitely say that I am a changed person. I speak, act and respond to people differently. I deal with stress much better and I place a higher importance on family life, but we’ll get into all of that later.

Oh, my where are my manners…. This is our first meeting and I haven’t told you anything about myself. Well, let’s see, where do we begin? My name is Trish, I am a 20 something mother of two wonderfully brilliant & adorable children, and the wife to a very understanding and patient man (he has to be to deal with me some days). I come live and direct from a dysfunctional family (which we’ll discuss later), and I am the oldest of six children (2 girls, 4 boys).

Here are some quick facts about me:

Pet Peeves: people who rate things at a "20 on a scale of 1-10", or those who say 150%
If I could do anything and not fail: I’d become either Practice Medicine or Teach Children
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Number: 5
Favorite Letter: O (cause it’s the 15th letter)
My Biggest Fear: Becoming like my mother (I’ll explain later)
Biggest Accomplishment: Becoming a Mother
Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
Person I’d Love to have dinner with: Jesus (I think he could teach me a few things about humbling myself)
Favorite Musical Artist: Michael Jackson
Favorite Song: White Lies (Don’t Laugh, I love that song)
Favorite Movie: Spiderman 2 & The Wiz (ease on, ease on down the road ..lol)
DIY or Hire a contractor: DIY
Morning Afternoon or Evening Person: Definitely Evening
Something about me that you probably don’t know: I’ve been Homeless