One of my very least favorite things to do is assemble an artificial Christmas tree. The tightly wound steel wire ends shoot out like unassuming razor barbs waiting for me to run the palms of my bare hands down to release the “branches” into full, pine bloom. With each branch, more and more fake needles fall to the floor like winter’s first forest-green snowfall adding the extra duty of pulling out the vacuum when I’m done. Someday, all that will be left of the tree will be a pitiful, Charlie Brown, wire skeleton in the shape of a 7-foot-tall triangle.

Once it resembles an actual tree, I have to jam fists full of lights into it every two feet spiraling upward to the top. In the end, my hands and arms look as if I’ve helped Chino State Prison replace 100 miles of barbed wire fencing with no gloves on.

This weekend, while at Big Lots getting Barbie dolls and Matchbox cars for our favorite restaurant’s Toy Drive box, I happened upon a sale that actually made me rubber-neck and turn around for another look. It was an “easy assemble”, 7′ spruce with lights already attached! “Magnificant!” (I actually said the word aloud.) The best part, it was only $49.99. I doubled back to get a better look but by the time I got through the throngs of moms with kids and carts and stockroom boxes filling the aisles I noticed a man with his fingers locked behind the yellow packing band of the last tree on the rack. He was on the phone telling his wife, “The other store was out but I got the last one at this Big Lots”. I know it was his wife because no man in his right mind would call another man or a co-worker or even his parents and announce that he was spending his Sunday afternoon shopping the local Big Lots stores for the last $50 Christmas tree.

“My tree will last another year or so.” I thought as I made my way back up to the register where my wife and daughter were waiting.

As I stood there I started to run down everything I would have to do to make my house all “Christmas’y”. The mental notes started to pile up and, for some odd reason, I started to become very tired. 1) Bring the plastic totes in from the garage with all the decorations. Scratch that… 1) Move everything in the garage that’s in the way OUT OF THE WAY so I can first gain access to the totes with all the Christmas decorations. 2) Bring the totes in from the garage. 3) Arrange the containers for easiest access in order of importance. I know said “order of importance” because I’ve been a married man for a very long time and fully understand the chaos that disorganized containers can create. 4) Drag the oblong tree box into the house. 5)… 6)… 7)… The list went on and on. I was starting to get pretty stressed out when I looked over and saw my girls standing by an end cap near the “stocking stuffers”.

My 12-year-old was gazing longingly at eye shadow gift sets while my wife gingerly arranged small, ceramic figurines in a cotton-laden Christmas town display. My wife was mumbling something and when I made out what she was saying I realized she was singing along to the Christmas music being broadcast throughout the store. Then, my daughter made her way around the shelf to the dolls and smiled as she inspected the latest included fashion accessories. “Oooo… this one has a pretty dress.” she said to no one in particular.

Okay, so I’m a sucker for my girls. I am powerless in the face of their unintentional sweetness. It’s all I needed to remember why I drag that horrible, monster of a tree and 400 pounds of other decorations from the garage each year. Right there, in that overly packed and obnoxiously loud discount store I had my “Christmas moment”. Last year my Christmas moment didn’t happen until my wife forcibly dragged me out to look at the colorful strands of lights a bunch of guys had stapled to the eaves of their houses. The year before, not until Christmas morning. Why it usually takes me some time before I can get into the spirit of the season is beyond me. Until I notice what it means to my family, I just see it as, well, a pain in my ass.

For my wife, it seems to happen the moment Halloween is over and the TV commercials start to air. For her, the season means family and baking and laughter and providing thoughtful gifts for our children and giving. For my daughter, it means hopes and dreams and magic.

So there we were, buying these toys and it hit me… like a ton of glittery, green and red, Christmas bricks. My heart sank as I thought of all the fathers who will put these gifts under their little girls’ trees. I imagined their trees. Will they be big and beautiful like mine or will they even be able to afford one? If they had my tree, would they be thankful or dwell on why it sucks to have to put it together. I felt like an ass.

I didn’t let on to my wife what I was feeling. When I got home, I wasted no time in getting our tree assembled. Once it was done, I plugged in the light strands, turned off all the other lights and we all watched a movie together. And I was thankful for my tree.

I wish I could say I’m the picture perfect example of the Christmas spirit right now but I’m not. It’s not my style to run around with bells on my shoes or a wreath on the front of my car. What I am feeling, though, is the spirit of giving, love and togetherness. I’m looking forward to the older kids coming home from college for some much needed family-around-the-table bonding, laughing and eating my wife’s delicious, home-cooked meals. On Christmas morning, we’ll all clutch large cups of hot coffee (even the 12-year-old) and be blessed enough to be able to gather around the tree to exchange gifts. Our big, wonderful, Christmas tree.

Happy Holidays!

I get you! I know you don’t have the time and energy to buy all these ingredients, prep them and drop them into 6 other little bowls you have to wash! Now, I love my family and go to lengths to make them a wonderful dish now and then, but most evenings you’ll find me rushed and trying to get dinner on the table before the natives get restless!

It starts with a can…Here is a simple and easy recipe for a hearty autumn soup your whole family will love and it will not only be a staple for Halloween and football game nights, it is a dish company will love.

It is a pasta and bean soup but you can call it what you like. We refer to it as bean soup but it’s really called Pasta Fagioli (fa-jol) I know Giada has a much more complicated recipe, but I know your time and budget can be limited. Keep the ingredients in your pantry and you will always be ready. Another great tip is to buy these items when they are on sale! I stock up when Albertson’s has the 10 for $1.00 sale going!

Please note, I don’t always give exact measurements; I cook like you! Eye ball measurements and add to taste. The Food Network chefs always serve their food to a fun group of family and friends and you can too if you abandon guilt and expectations, keep it simple and skip to the fun part of enjoying your family!

Bean and Pasta Soup

Level: easy
Cost: amazingly budget friendly
Clean up: easy

Ingredients:

• 2 cans canneli beans *(white kidney beans)
• 2 cans chicken stock
• 1 large can of chopped tomatoes flavored with garlic, basil and oregano.
• 1 small brown onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• leftover ham or 4 slices of bacon or salt pork…whatever you have on hand!
• olive oil
• small sized pasta (salad macaroni or small shells, even alphabet pasta is a fun choice!)

Instructions:

1. In your soup pot, saute chopped garlic, onion and leftover ham or bacon in olive oil.
2. Rinse beans and add beans, chicken stock, tomatoes and about a cup and 1/2 of water.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I add a few crushed red pepper flakes)
4. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat and add about 3/4 cup of uncooked pasta.
5. Let this soup slowly simmer for about an hour.

Tips:

Be careful when adding pasta; keep in mind it can as much as double in size.
Serving tips: serve with a loaf of fresh baked bread always avail at the front of the store, canned bisquits, or corned bread.
Shopping tips: buy chopped tomatoes already flavored with herbs for quick and easy italian or mexican meals!  These tomatoes usually go on sale when the plain ones do.
Cooking tips: Cube and freeze those last few slices of ham from your next holiday dinner for this dish.

Debi Gutierrez wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

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• An honorable father does everything within his power to protect the safety and image of his family… not sell them out.

• An honorable father works day in and day out to support his family, not find the easy, sleazy dollar via a publicity stunt.

• An honorable father sends his daughter back in to the house when the hem or neck line of her outfit is inappropriate, not book her to pose naked or pole dance.

• An honorable father builds character in his sons by teaching them how to treat their sisters, mothers and other women with respect.

• An honorable father protects his family’s name. In his world, his family’s good name means they conduct themselves with integrity, not a title of a tawdry reality show.

The first father I will take on is Bruce Jenner.  When I posted this on face book, some asked, “What did Bruce Jenner do?” NOTHING!  That is what Bruce Jenner has done…NOTHING! And the worse part of it is that he isn’t absent, he is very much there, but still does nothing while his wife, Kris Kardashian, a publicity monster, continues to book her girls on one degrading gig after another.

Chris Rock, in his latest comedy special opened with a joke about fathers and how it is their job to keep their daughters off the pole!  I was speechless as I watched a clip of Bruce Jenner viewing a tape of his 2 youngest daughters, 10 and 12 years old, learning how to dance on a stripper pole.  When he brought it to his wife’s attention, (well, when a producer thought it would make good tv for him to confront her) Kris Kardashian dismissed it as part of growing up.  Bruce Jenner slinked away without an argument.

Bruce is a father, but not one of honor. An honorable father protects his daughters innocence. He cherishes her purity. He teaches her about respect and dignity and serves as her role model for how a man should view a woman. Where is your honor Bruce as your youngest daughters spin on poles? Are you aware of what grown men think about when they watch this? I mean, Bruce is a man and should know what men think about, fantasize about as they watch these girls slither on a pole.

At the risk of offending the reader, I must share some thoughts about a call I heard on the Dr. Laura show. I say I may offend in that Dr. Laura was extremely direct during this conversation. A frustrated mother of a 12-year-old called complaining that her daughter insisted on wearing short skits and low cut tops. The daughter argued that her look was just fine and people must have dirty minds. Dr. Laura asked to speak to the young girl. The girl got on the phone and proceeded to be very defensive as she said she was innocent in her choices and couldn’t control what others thought.

Dr. Laura let the girl go on about her up-tight mother and then she said something I may never forget;  Dr. Laura calmly said, “DId you know that when you wear those clothes, when men look at you, it makes their penis hard?” – The girl’s silence was so sudden it filled the air waves. Dr. Laura was so direct with the rest of her conversation. She went on to tell this girl that she wasn’t just turning on the cute boys a little older than her, she could also making 50 year old penises hard! You could hear this little girl gasp and then remark as only a junior higher can, “That’s Gross!”   It took an adult to be that straight forward (excuse the pun) with her and let her know that men will physically respond to the way she is dressed; and that as a matter of fact, she CAN control what they think.

C’mon Bruce! You’re a man. You know how they think. You are building your family name on one humiliating story after another. Your family wouldn’t even have a reality show if it wasn’t for Kim Kardashian’s sex tape with Paris Hilton’s cast off. When that tape came to light, an honorable father, a responsible step-father, a man with character, would have protected her from the media, gossip and shame, not ride that publicity into several reality shows. An honorable father would stand up to his wife and mother of his daughters and stop the whoring out of his family. A father of character, wisdom and integrity would raise a family with those very traits.

Some where, this Olympiad lost his footing and for the sake of his daughters, I hope he gets back on track.

I do believe children are a gift from God. I also believe God blesses moms with the ability to love all her children. But if God meant for us to have 20 children, He would also have given mothers an extra pair of eyes, preferably some that could rotate completely around our head, and some extra arms! Our knees would bend with ease in the either direction. We would have super sonic hearing and a voice that would never grow weary of explaining things over and over and over again! Mother’s would look like some freaky monster from a sci-fi movie!

But, to be serious, I do believe a woman’s body was designed by God and in that grand design, having 20 children and well past a healthy age to do so was not part of the plan! The Duggars claim to be a witness for Christianity and instead display irresponsibility. The 19th baby was born with serious health problems. Yes, any baby can be born with health problems, but if that bay is number 19 and mom’s body has not had time to recover from the last birth or is past the prime age to have children, chances are greater for this baby to be born with complications. Once it was determined the baby was so sick and would be fighting between life and death, the Duggars choose to keep those cameras rolling. How is this witnessing? How is this responsible? How could a husband or father put his wife and daughter through this? A husband is supposed to cherish and protect his wife and family, I see the Duggar dad doing neither! I see him as selfish and single minded. And now, they are considering a 20th child?!

Yes, it appears they can afford it, but for how long without the TV contract on each child! Yes, it appears they love all their children, but can they get to know each child or be there for one of them when he or she may need concentrated attention or wisdom? I know with 3 children, attention is a precious commodity. You have to be available to listen, comfort and observe otherwise they can run off cliffs, physically, emotionally and spiritually. How can you possibly do that with 20 individual children at various stages of growth?

Yes, the children help, but the children are NOT each other’s responsibility…they are the parent’s responsibility. Those children should be allowed to be children and teens without having to raise a brother or sister.

Medically, what are Michelle Duggar or the next baby’s chances of surviving another birth? If either or both do not survive, would this be God’s plan? Mr.Duggar, be a responsible father and husband and protect your family. Let’s start by taking the cameras out of their lives as they go through this. A responsible man like yourself should be able to cover all those bills without reality TV paychecks for 21 people.

This year would be different in our household. My youngest, Pilar will be going into 7th grade and for the first time ever…no uniforms! It has always been so easy to try one style of shirt and pants on her and then buy 5 uniforms in her sizes. We finish off with white socks, regulated shoes and the school hoodie! Done! Of course, like every mother of a private school kid, I went away licking my wounds at the cost of the uniforms, which incidentally, could only be at purchased at one store which never seemed to have items on sale!

As most of my readers know, I use the envelope system for cash. I withdraw each month, at the beginning of the month, the amount of cash I need and put it in envelopes marked, “Grocery”, “Dining Out”, “Gasoline”, and “Misc or Fun”. Using these envelopes have always made me stay on budget and think about each of my purchases; whether it is for going out to a restaurant or drive through Del Taco! And since the envelopes have been such a success, I decided to try it with our school budget!

I worked my budget to include school clothes and supplies and withdrew the cash. I showed Pilar her envelope for school clothes. We all agreed on $300 to begin the year and once she was in school, we would include an amount every month to update her wardrobe. Now, keep in mind, she has never been to public school and most of her wardrobe was made up of only uniforms and she wore those 5 days a week, so we had to buy everything!

I realize, $300 may not seem like much, but I wanted to see how far we would get. I told her school supplies and backpack were not included, however, if she wanted the cute mechanical pencils with fancy erasers instead of the box of plain ole’ number twos I was willing to buy, that had to come out of her envelope! Same went for an upgrade to the back pack or lunch box I was willing to buy.

We got up early and went off to the outlets. She knew she could get more bang for her buck at the outlet malls and we had time on our side to search. I was very impressed with her knowledge about selecting her wardrobe. She planned to shop with her favorite colors in mind so she could easily mix and match. I was concerned when she choose a gray skirt and gray cardigan, but she showed me how many colors go with gray…red, pink, yellow, lavender, pale bue…what a smart kid! She watched every penny and tried on all the clothes to make sure her money was spent well. She hit the information center at the mall for additional coupons and deals! She shopped clearance first, knowing that here in Southern California a summer wardrobe works well in to October.

The purchase I was most impressed with was her shoes! Like every girl on the planet, she loves her shoes! We went to the Converse outlet and she looked at various shoes and told me which ones she could find cheaper on line…something I didn’t even know she researched! I was shocked when she picked a solid black pair! “Really? Black? ALL black?” I asked. She beamed at me and walked over to the shoe lace aisle and grabbed 6 pairs of different colored shoe laces! I tell you, my baby is brilliant!

Every time we made a purchase, we took out our envelope and she saw her cash go down, she winced. I had to remind her that she was making great deals and buying exactly what she wanted. We found a 25% discount at Old Navy just for saying out loud she was a student and on a another day, camis for $2 dollars each for saying “I love Camis”! We came home with a 30% coupon off Converse on a purchase made next month. We are waiting for Kohls to have their blow out sale on jeans and Levi for a sale on a good quality jean jacket.

I am so proud of Pilar and her ingenuity to design her wardrobe from top to bottom. But I am truly most proud of her for respecting our family’s budget and working within it with no complaints; only an excitement to see what her next find will be! As we go out shopping, I see lots of spoiled girls clamoring and whining about what they want. Pilar doesn’t notice though, she is too busy making her money work!

It is the end of the month and Pilar has purchased a skirt, 8 camis, 2 pairs of shoes with six pairs of laces, a darling cardigan, a graphic t-shirt and she still has $107 left! This has taught us, as mother and daughter, a few lessons as well. I have learned how to be more patient with her and trust in her ability to pick what is right for her body and sensibility. She has learned how to be a good steward…a lesson which will serve her well…always.

Now, I grew up with a gas dryer.  I remember a neighbor having a clothes line and when it rained, my mom let her use our dryer. The closest I ever came to line drying clothes was in a hotel room. (And does a pair of panty hose and underwear count?)

I stared at the box for quantity, I went ahead and typed in 2!  I ordered a portable clothes line for me too!  Why not give it a whirl? I always had delicates to wash.  My clothes line was delivered and my husband put it up. I had a brand new bag of clothes pins ready and waiting! I washed a load of underwear and bras and went outside to hang it.

A funny thing happened outside while I hung the panties on the line.  The sun was warm on my back as I stood there in the sun. The dogs were sitting calmly at my feet while I fastened clothes pins on the bras and panties. They actually looked cute hanging in the sun.  I wasn’t feeling rushed or as if I was doing a chore. I could hear my neighborhood buzzing about; a dog bark, a gardener’s lawn mower, birds chirping, the mail man’s cart approaching our home. Before I knew it, the entire load was on the line. It was a warm California day and the clothes were dry in about an hour.

I went out to take them off the line and again experienced a calmness as I folded each item and put it in the basket. It was easy and I felt, well… I felt accomplished! I have been drying my clothes on the line ever since.

It took some research and a few tries to figure out how to hang jeans, dress shirts and that socks are hung from the toes. I found the fabric softener I loved and realized that the sun bleached my dishtowels like Clorox never could.

No matter how busy and hectic my days are, I find that hanging clothes on the line calms me and slows me down.  As I hang Pilar’s favorite Hawaiian Punch graphic t-shirt, or her favorite white hoodie, I find myself thinking about her. I stop and reflect on her smile or her laugh. I always smile when I hang my husbands sexy briefs on the line. When no one is looking, I make them dance! And for some weird reason, I always get an even number of socks! Not one sock has gone to live with Jesus since I have been hanging laundry!

At the risk of sounding like a commercial, my laundry looks brighter and  smells fresher. No matter how hard or stressful a day has been, I look forward to the calming effect I get from hanging my laundry.

Here’s a link to the same one I have. This is Target’s version: http://www.target.com/Household-Essentials-Portable-Umbrella-Dryer/dp/B001H1GUXW/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton

I learned so much about budgeting, party planning and crafting while I was a room mom and wanted to share some of those tips!    Here are ten tips for room moms and will also come in handy for any party planner on a budget.

I used my position as room mom to teach the children bout the world outside of theirs. We not only had parties,  we learned about other cultures, life styles and even did charity work.

Tip #1: Collect money from each student at the beginning of the year.  I planned on 30 dollars for the year and this would allow the children to have something once a month.  As a parent, you know that every time you turn around your child needs 5 dollars her and 10 dollars there.  It really cuts into your budget.  I sent a letter to the parents letting them know that this would be the only time I would collect.  I put the money in an envelope along with coupons from craft and party stores.

Tip #2: Set up your calender with the teacher at the beginning of the year.  This prevents any conflicts regarding dates.  Teachers have to schedule tests, presentations and in service dates, so be respectful of their schedules.  Also, ask the teacher if she can spare a shelf for your supplies.  Label all your supplies to avoid getting them mixed up with the teacher’s.

Tip #3: As a room mom, I wasn’t just a party planner.  I had a guest speaker come in every year to talk to the children.  One year I had my friend who was a professional stunt woman come in to demonstrate her  amazing skills and tell the children what her career was like.  I also had a friend who has been blind since the age of six.  He brought “cool blind man stuff” as he put it, to share with the students to teach them about how a blind person functions.  HE even brought his seeing eye dog and a few games for blind children their age.  Think outside the box!

Tip #4: Don’t just think about the world wide  or national holidays.  We celebrated and learned about cultures from around the world as we celebrated Chinese New Year and Mexican Independence Day. One of my favorite parties was a kick off for baseball season!  The kids wore baseball jerseys and caps and we played grammar baseball and watched Angels in the Outfield.  Lunch was hotdogs, chips, lemon aid and of course, cracker jack!

Tip #5: Make Big Lots and the dollar store some of your regular stops.  I often found all my paper goods for round  dollar!  I have picked up bare wreaths to decorate for 19 cents each, spools of ribbon for a quarter and craft items like stickers and paint for a song!  Go ahead and pick the table ware of the clearance rack…kids don’t mind the off beat colors!  Some of our parties were a hodgepodge of all the leftovers!

Tip #6: Ask for old daddy t or button down shirts for painting projects.  I kept them at home so I could wash them all at once and bring them back with me for project days.  Parents will love you for saving the wear and tear on school clothes or uniforms!

Tip #7: Invest in cupcake making supplies!   Long before Cupcake Wars took over the food network, room mothers everywhere knew cupcakes were the perfect dessert!   Restaurant supply stores have the 2 doz cupcake tin!  What a life saver!  You can get 24 done in 20 minutes!  I also invested in a cupcake carrier; it was one of the best buys I have made.  Keep an eye open for cupcake mixes and frostings  when they are  on sale and stock up on basic chocolate and vanilla.  I found great assortments of sprinkles on line.  I use them for family celebrations too!  They have a long shelf life and can turn a regular cupcake into a party cupcake!

Tip #8: Teach generosity!  I had our students collect for and make Christmas stocking for the homeless community in our area.  They collected personal grooming items and stuffed the stockings.  By the third year, many parents were inspired and also donated gift cards to add to the stockings.

Tip #9: When making projects for Mother’s or Father’s Day, keep in mind that some children are from blended families and may want to make 2 Mother’s Day gifts; one for mom and one for step mom.  I had a child whose father died and every year he made  a card and craft for his daddy.  I have learned so much about the children’s thoughtfulness when it comes to how they feel about their families.

Tip #10: Have the children help with all the projects!  Yes, another mommy and I could do it faster and neater, but the children should learn about offering a helping hand.  This is a teaching opportunity.  Have them help set up, serve and clean up. I had kids clean desks, we took out trash and left a clean class room.  We never left a mess for the janitorial staff.   The kids  often took plates of left over treats to office staff or teacher’s lounge.   They will learn their helping hands are building character and their generosity is always appreciated.

I missed my kids during the sixth grade year…and from what I hear, they missed me too!  My daughter said she wouldn’t mind if I was room mom next year.

I understand that many of you are too busy to be a room mom, but your help is always appreciated.   Room moms could always use the help…even if you can only volunteer once a year!    We could use anything from old shirts for painting to another pair of hands handing out hot dogs.  Your children love seeing you there, even if they act like they don’t….trust me!

Our daughter, Pilar, can sit at the kitchen table from 3:30 in the afternoon to bedtime doing just a few assignments that her teachers have assured us should only take 1 1/2 hours! The entire time she does homework, she is looking out the window, laughing at the dogs, getting a drink of water, going to the bathroom, looking for a definition on the computer or just SITTING there STARING!

Or, how about this….you and your kid struggle, fight, argue and finally the assignment is complete and then your kid DOESN’T turn it in! I try to picture the class room…easy for me to do since I was a teacher for 10 years. The teacher is at the front of the class and asks the kids to pass in their homework. Each kid passes their paper to the one in front of him and the teacher collects them all….right? And yet…and yet…for some unknown reason, my kid will sit there and not hand in a a COMPLETED homework assignment! WHAT??? SERIOUSLY? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

After all the begging, pleading, crying, and yelling, my husband had it! Pilar had been sitting with a math homework lesson for 2 hours and during that 2 hours finished 3 questions…FROM THE WRONG LESSON!!! Oh, and not just a lesson one chapter over… but 23 lessons back???

“GO to bed!” he thundered! We all sat shocked!

“What?” Pilar answered. “It’s still daytime and we didn’t eat dinner.”

“I don’t care!“, a daddy so frustrated and mad we didn’t even recognize him answered. “Stop what you are doing right now, get on your pajamas, brush your teeth and go to bed!”

I watched, stunned as she went upstairs and went to bed. She fell fast asleep and he woke her up for dinner and before he put her back to bed, he calmly told her, “Tomorrow morning I will wake you up at 5:00 a.m. and sit with you while you do your homework.” Now, this family hasn’t been up at 5 AM since and earthquake, and even then, we questioned if we should get up. My husband set his alarm and went to bed. When that alarm went off, he was out of bed and woke up a very surprised 12 year old! There was no yelling, pleading, or crying. Pilar went to the table and her assignment was done within an hour!
Later that night, she actually thanked her dad for taking the time to help her. I wish I could say that one time was all it took, but as you know, our kids can be very stubborn and may have to have a lesson taught more than once. My husband had to set the alarm again this morning for an unfinished book report on a book she didn’t finish reading!

My husband is more than willing to go the rest of this school year, setting the 5 or even 4:30 AM revellie bugle call to get Pilar out of bed and to tackle homework she dilly-dallied over the day before! Now that’s a dad that means business!

Kris Jenner,  a self proclaimed “momager” and matriarch of the Kardashian children exploits her more than willing daughters to display themselves as tawdry sex objects, including going behind her husband’s back to book her daughters for a nude Playboy Magazine shoot.  I am not a prude, all I am saying is; is this the job of a mom?  Do you not realize what most men use these photos for Kris?  You are a big grown up girl, so I  am assuming you do know, it just doesn’t matter to you.  I think the one photo that bothered me so much was the one of a very pregnant daughter in g-string and thigh highs posing in a sexual position…again, I say, I can see how some smarmy agent would arrange that photo shoot…not  a mother and future grandmother.

I have tried to watch the show, Keeping up with the Kardashians, and was appalled with the way the children speak to the parents.  The “f” bomb flows freely and is used on their parents and siblings both in jest and in anger.  They have told their parents to go to hell.  The youngest daughter, a 12 year old, yelled at her father in public when he objected to the was she showed up wearing  to a family dinner in a restaurant.  The 12 year old toddled into the restaurant on 4 inch high heels, with a dress that barely covered her vageen and  was wearing more makeup than Ru Paul!   When her father, Bruce Jenner objected, he allowed himself to be  chewed up and spat out by his wife in front of all his children for being too hard on the girl and he left….all by himself.  How did this family get a reality show in the first place?   Lest any of you forget, daughter Kim launched her career with a sex tape with her best friend’s ex boyfriend.  Kris Kardashian, Mom or Mom-ster?  I vote Mom-ster.

Kate Gosslin, You know her right?  She is that long suffering mother who puts her kids first before anyone or anything!  The mother who protects her children from any awful thing.  Kate has all but put a pork chop around the neck of each of these children and thrown them right to the wolves!  If you want to protect your children, you do not constantly put yourself in the eye of the paparazzi.  If you want to provide for your children, you get a JOB.  I am so sick of Jon and Kate demanding the only place they can earn money is in the world of television…have we all forgotten that TLC found them AFTER the children were born?  How were they expecting to pay for these children in the first place?  He was a computer tech and she was a nurse.  They had a way to support their children.  They may not have been able to to give them the elaborate vacations, designer clothes,  latest toys and three nannies…but they could have supported them.  Get your ass off the dance floor; you are neither a star or a dancer, quit pushing your book with intimate letters for your children, and don’t write another one.  Quit calling yourself one of us…a hardworking single mother, you are a divorced woman who was mean to her husband and continues to exploit your family for your own fame and profit.  Kate Gosslin, Mom or Mom-ster?  I vote Mom-ster.

Deana Lohan, another “momager” allowed her daughter, Lindsey Lohan to spin out of control into a world of false friendships, drugs and alcohol.   What sould Lindsey count on from her mom…help? support? rescue?  NO!  Deana only continues to give excuses.  You are going to excuse that girl right into an early grave and I am assuming you will write a book and make the talk show circuit to tell us all about Lindsey’s sad story.  Mom or Mom-ster?  I vote Mom-ster.

On a recent episode of the Real Housewives of Orange County, the wives showed up to a cocktail party where they would proceed to tear each other and their husbands apart, one wife and her husband got out of the limo and looked great..no detail escaped them.  Not a hair out of place, expensive purse complimented more expensive shoes.  Unfortunately, they overlooked two “accessories” …their 2 daughters!  The girls,  ages 15 and 16 got out of the same limo falling down drunk!  The mother later said she never noticed them drinking in the limo, really?  Are you that self absorbed that you couldn’t see what your daughters were doing 2 feet away from you?  Then they get to the party and EVERY one of the housewives and their husbands notice the girls are drinking.  I am sure the bar tenders and servers knew and I am sure the producers kept the cameras rolling while 2 underage, half naked, intoxicated girls, kept drinking!    Moms or Mom-sters?  I vote Mom-sters.