Mega Mesh Premium Magnetic Screen Door Review

 I am so excited because I just received my Mega Mesh Premium Magnetic Screen Door from Amazon the other day.  I received this item for free to review but would definitely purchase more for other doors.  Not only was this baby easy peasy to install, it looks great from the inside and out! Our back door does not have a screen so this is exactly what I was looking for to let the air in without the bugs of St. Louis attacking us.  Reina learned very quickly how she can go in and out while the door is open.  The heavy duty magnets allow the screen to self close.  Great find and great job!

Easy Instructions

Reina is not so sure right away

Outside view...PERFECT

Miguel showing Reina how to use :)

Coming Back with a Vengance

I know that I have been quiet for awhile....a LONG while...I let the fibro and the arthritis get me down.  I let people in my husband's "family" get to me and bring me to some very dark places but it is no longer the time to sit back and enjoy the scenery of my bedroom, it is time to react and pose some very long needed questions.

To Denise.  Who do you think you are?  You are the grandmother and NOT the parent of OUR grandson.  How dare you put poison in his mind about his mother, myself, or any other target  you deem fitting at any given time.  You told me that this world would be a better place without me in and I bet you thought you had the best of me.  I am stronger than you know and your words and actions only qualify you as trash.  You lie to manipulate your children and your grandson and to make yourself out to be some victim.  Well, guess what?  I don't care and am not falling for it.

Let's just put one example out on the table, shall we?  Last week you took OUR grandson to the HOSPITAL, not an urgent care, not a doctor's office, but an emergency room at a HOSPITAL.  With your college educated mind, did you not even once think to pick up your damn phone to call his mother?  With all of the texting you did with your son, I know the thought crossed your mind but with malicious intent, you did nothing.  For two minutes, step back and put yourself in a mother's shoes.  How would you have felt if this had happened to you when your children were young?   If, as a mother, you find out that your child has been taken into the hospital and she is then purposely sent to 3 different locations, unable to find him, you too would have been as frantic as Ashley.  Not only was she being led astray but she is also being manipulated by your son into believing that he was the one with him. She was available the whole time.  The feeling of helplessness doesn't even come close to what I can imagine she was dealing with.  When finally told to call you because you had him at the hospital, for no less than 3 hours without a single word of communication from you, would have made me beyond furious.  And we are not even finished, if one parent is unable to take care of a situation, the other parent has every right to step in and care for the child.  Instead of allowing Ashley to leave and care for her son until your son got off of work, you choose to stand there and berate her as a parent and bring up court orders and such in front of Marcus and the nurses and I am sure whoever else would listen to you.  Again I ask, Who do you think you are and How dare you?  SHE is his mother and not you and you just proved that you are a very vindictive, hateful individual.   You are the same person that speak ill about me to my grandson when I have nothing but positive things with and for him.  He is one of the greatest loves of my life yet you continue to tell him how I am not a "real Mimi".  "In the best interest of the child"....LOL, you don't even know what the means!  Why don't you stop being bitter for long enough to truly look in a mirror and see what all of this evil is doing to Marcus.  He is a very intuitive child and knows what is going on, especially considering you and your son are so open with him regarding court details...things that NO 5 year old should know or ever have to worry about.  If you ever stopped for a minute or two and really looked at the situation from a mother's perspective, you might actually see that enabling your son, lying for him in court, and outright hateful deeds, are more destructive for the only one that should matter....Marcus!

Now onto Jason.  I have tried with you so many times, I can't even count but I am done because you have hurt your Dad for the last time  All that he wanted the other night was an evening with his FAMILY, which includes Ashley, Steve, Marcus and Jackson.  You throw a temper tantrum and go off with "how dare he invite Ashley", well I want to ask, How dare he not?  She is closer family to both of us than you have ever been.  She calls and checks in on us both as well as allows us to see our grandson, something you have not done in almost a year.  The only time you call your Dad is when you want something or to speak your hatred for however he wronged you.  You have told him straight out that I won't be allowed to see your new baby when she is born which is fine as I never want to get close to you or your situation again, but how did you think that makes him feel?  Get over it because I am not leaving our relationship and neither is your father. Learn that you are a grown man, responsible for grown man issues.  When you stop blaming other, you might actually be able to see a clearer reflection of yourself.  What I see is a liar (even in a court of law), a manipulator, someone who resorts to bullying, theft, and harassment when you don't get your way,  a lazy thug that deals drugs because it is "easy money" instead of trying to earn an honest day's work, a cheater in life and love (Justine will figure out eventually that you are not quite so honest with her about where you spend your time),   I used to praise you for the fine father that you were becoming but everything has changed.  You have kept our grandson away from us, you take him into unsafe situations and around people that are unsavory at best, you do drugs in front of him, and you talk bad about his family.  Someday he will be old enough to hate you for it all because he sees it.  I just pray that it is not too late and he doesn't go down your same path.

Enough for one night.  Until next time
Mamalou

I Hate Labels But I LOVE Me Some Lace!

I really do hate labels or labeling people or things but I must label myself.  I have had a "recent" obsession with things that are opposite.  Meaning I am one of "those girls" that likes to put a little good in with the bad....like a little bad boy in my wonderfully awesome hubby....like a little yin with my yang.....like a little sun peaking through on a rainy day.  I have to admit that I don't mind a little bad news mixed with my good news.  I know odd eh?!  LOL  I only say "recent" with the quotation marks because you know that this is something that just does not happen over night, it is something you are born with.  Cue the Lady GaGa music......

I definitely don't take myself as a girly girl at all.  The only day in the past 6 years that I have worn a dress was on my wedding day (and it was black and white polka dots....go figure!).  I have bought one skirt during this time and it still hangs in my closet with the price tags on it.  Wait, I did buy another skirt but it was for the fabric so I took it apart.  But I have this obsession with flowery fabrics and lacy, girly materials.  If I see something that even resembles shabby chic, I have to have it.  When my friend Dawn and I go fabric shopping (often), she knows what "Lisa prints" are and I know what "Dawn prints" are.  She is a very mod type of girl and I can pick out a color or print that I know she will just die for.  See, another yin and yang (love ya Dawn!).  

So that brings me to my point, I have this project that I saw out on Pinterest that I really want to make and can't get out of my mind.  It was a bag made of canvas with a beautiful lace border.  Now that I have my embroidery machine, I have the ability to find that perfect lace, make it myself and add it to that bag....YEAH ME!  So check out my pic below...I am making the lace now!!!

Thanks to Mike over at Sew for Less and his Aqua Lace stabilizer, this is an extremely simple job because this stuff will just dissolve to nothingness when I put it into water.  I love it!  Now for the record, I am not being paid to advertise for Sew for Less or endorse their products, I am just excited about this whole new world and the fun tools that have been opened up to me through embroidery.  Sew for Less is a local store and I support local shopping! :)  Here's to hoping I have a finished bag soon.  Dawn....I may need your help on that bag! LOL

Until next time,
Mamalou

My Pride and Joy!

Before I head off to sleepy town....I need to share one more thing.  This is a video of my 2 year old grandson that I took today.  He is incredibly talented and gifted when it comes to just about everything (grandma sees no wrong of course) but when it comes to basketball, he rocks the world!  His mom's side of the family are ALL incredible basketball players and his Grandpa still coaches so he has been around the sport since he was born. It is just amazing to watch him shoot and dribble so I had to capture him on video.  Keep in mind that he is 2 and just turned 2 on 11/22.  Enjoy!

Mamalou

Judging Others Without Knowing Their Story

I just want to share a post that caught my attention on Facebook last night.  I am not putting this out there to berate anyone, just to bring attention to maybe thinking before you make a judgement call. I won't mention names either because the names are pointless.

One person on Facebook posted "When did it become acceptable for people to wear pajamas in public?".  The responses were incredibly closed-minded and really just nothing short of rude.   Below is an excerpt.

"Did you go to Walmart today too?"
"It is so wrong!!"
"See it all the time, not a fan!!"

Of course I joking stated "ummmm.....last night when I went to QT???  Hey, it was very late and I was tired!  Don't hate! LOL"

Those are typical responses but the following response really got me.

"Isn't it disgusting??? People take no pride in themselves anymore."

Disgusting?  Is it hurting you?  Is someone stepping out in their flannel jammie pants actually causing YOU some type of physical harm?  The last time I checked, it only embarrassed me that I didn't have the energy to get dressed up to go to the store, gas station, convenience store, etc.  I had to comment because this is what is wrong with the world today, so many people judge without ever really knowing the person or their story.  Unless you have walked in that person's shoes, how are you to know what they are experiencing?  My response to that comment follows.

"are you guys serious?  You may need to take a step back and consider that there may be a situation behind why that person is in their jammies before calling them "disgusting".  A new mom that needs a pack of diapers last minute because she ran out.....in my case, a disabled person that just didn't have the strength to put back on her jeans so she left on her comfy jammie pants.  It does not mean necessarily that the person lacks pride, it may just mean that the person lacks strength.  Every person has a story and instead of judging, learn sympathy and maybe even empathy."


The person that had the "disgusting" comment came back with the following....

"I do understand about the people who ghave to go out in an emergency....but I think we were talking about the people trying to make a 'fashion statement'."


I must have missed that piece of the conversation (not) but nice way to clarify your feelings and backtrack your response.   My thoughts are that if we spend a little less time judging others and pretending that we know the reasons they do what they do and maybe for once, help someone in need, we might become a less arrogant society that plots people against their fellow man.  Just making  a general  judgement call makes you look ignorant and the person in the jammie pants.....well, the are comfy if nothing else.  I for one would rather be the latter and be comfy! :)  Oh and also, I make jammie pants for anyone that would like to make a fashion statement so contact me if you would like a pair for your next shopping trip. :)

Until next time,
Mamalou