And its pretty scary. People are getting laid off everywhere, work is harder to find and people are losing their houses. My husband works construction and we have no idea what the winter holds as far as work. The winter is usually the slowest time in construction and with work already being slow as it is, winter could mean no work at all. Very scary.

Im really hoping with the new president the economy gets better. They say the economy is the worst since the Depression. That is really scary. And depressing. I have actually been really depressed lately. With Christmas coming up we are broke with no money for presents right now. I have been trying really hard to find a job, but with five kids, I can only work certain hours unless I want to shell out my whole paycheck to day care. So Ive been trying to find a job I can telecommute in. Try doing that with a 14 month old. Not easy. Yeah, depressing.

I want more than anything to give my kids everything they want for Christmas. Unfortunatly, I dont see that happening. Somethings gotta give. I just keep hoping things will get better. Things may get worse before they get better though.

I was just reading a cool blog I found and read about an exciting give away she's having! A $50 gift certificate to Amazon! What could be nicer, especially right before Christmas? Check it out! http://worldofmom.com/

This is a totally fun blog to read, btw, so I reccomend it to add to your blogroll.

So it's the middle of November and its warm and sunny here in California. I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt and so are the kids. I told one of my sons earlier this month that shorts weather was over, because it's getting cold out and there won't be anymore hot and sunny days. Boy have I heard about that every morning! When I said that it was raining - well sprinkling anyway. I could have sworn last year at this time it was cold. Sorry! So, no, it really hasn't been cold except for mornings. Maybe I was just hoping it would get colder. There's something about cold weather and rain that makes me reminisce and feel all warm inside. Hot drinks, warm fires, snugly blankets, and lots of holiday treats to eat. Mmmmmmm. It makes me happy just thinking about it. Obviously I'm going to have to wait a bit longer for cold weather here. That's OK. I guess that's California for ya.

The one thing that really makes me angry about this society is the fact that it is so difficult for parents to be at home to raise their children. With the high cost of living (at least here in California) most families have a very hard time living off of one income. Rent is high, food is expensive, and until recently, gas has been outrageous. What we are lacking in this society is the value of how important it is for children to be raised properly - in a loving, nurturing environment with their mother or father (or both). We are forced to either barely scrape by so we can do what we feel is best for our children, or go to work and leave them to be raised by strangers. People that we really have no idea how well they are taking care of our children. Yes, there are the lucky ones who have a wonderful relative to help them out. I'm sure that can never ease the guilt many mothers feel as they head off to work every day, leaving their babes in the arms of another.

So the mothers out there who need to stay home, or simply cant afford to pay for daycare to get a job, look for work at home opportunities. And that is where conniving rats scam innocent moms who are desperate to find a real way to make money from home. The scam artists are out there by the thousands. It makes me sick! I myself have been in this position, looking to stay at home with my sweet little baby and make some money so I can buy Christmas presents for my other children. Or even help pay some bills. I have seen so many scams and schemers its amazing. Another tell tale about this society.

Luckily there are real jobs where you can work from home and earn money. Unfortunately I am only one of the thousands out there applying for these jobs. And with the state of the economy and the hundreds getting laid of every day, I'm sure there will be more joining me. I have always thought that a parent should get paid to stay home with their baby. At least for the first three years. Those are some of the most important years for a child. It is the time in their life when they learn the most about being. Do we really need more children out on the streets doing God knows what because their parents are either too busy to watch them, too stressed about bills to focus on them, or just too damn tired from working their asses off at two jobs to make ends meat? I see it everyday in my neighborhood and it makes me sad and angry. I am so happy I am at home to help guide them and make sure they are safe and have an understanding about making right decisions. Its just a shame that as I stay home and my husband goes out to work everyday, we still cant pay all our bills every month. Yeah, I know its a dream to think that a parent should get paid to take care of their children which would ultimately better society, but I know its not only my dream.

So I have recently found myself the mother of 5 boys. My husband's two sons have come to live with us, we have one son together, and I have two from a previous marriage. Yes, 5 and they are all boys. The funny thing is, when I tell people how many children I have, they always say the same thing. 'Wow... All boys?' or 'Five boys, huh?'. I think some people feel sorry for me, but I don't mind. While I didn't exactly become the mother of five by choice, it is something I am proud of. I love all my boys, as crazy as my life can be.

You can only imagine life with all boys - lots of talk about farting & poop, lots of yelling ,wrestling and rambunctious boy energy. While I often wonder what it would be like to have a daughter, it is fun having boys. Although I have to wonder if I had a daughter, would she love to run around showing her bare butt for fun. I think the one thing that really drives me crazy about having five children, is getting them to take responsibility for their messes. I will find a mess someone made or a sock left on the bathroom floor and ask who's it is, always to hear the same response four times ' not mine. I know it's not mine!'. LOL.

There is a book by Stephen King, 'Children of the Corn', about children who are evil. I like to jokingly call them the 'children of the corn'. The funny part is, in the movie the leader's name is Malachi, and one of my sons name is Malakai. Of course I don't really think they are evil, but it's always fun to joke - especially when they are driving me crazy.

As I watch my youngest son play, I have to smile. He is adorable, intelligent and oh so much trouble! Ever hear the saying 'curiosity killed the cat'? They must have been talking about my son. If there is something he ISN'T supposed to get into, he will find it. His favorite thing to get into is the toilet. He loves to put things in it. Anything. A towel, toilet paper, shoes, you name it. Funny, but so frustrating. Yeah, I guess I forgot what its like to have a 1 year old. All I need to do is see his smile or hear his laugh though, and I forget what a tiny terror he can be. Gotta love 'im.

Britney, Britney, Britney. So many people wonder now, do you even care about your kids? On October 1st, the L.A. County Superior Court ordered custody of Britney Spears children to their father Kevin Federline starting on the 3rd at 12 p.m. That same day Britney is seen giving her kids over to K-Feds bodyguard. Hello! I don't know about you, but if I had two days to spend with my children before I lost custody of them, I woud spend every second with them! Can someone knock on her head and find out whats going on in there?

If that isn't bad enough, Britney was seen that night going out to party! Not to mention she was driving herself around with a valid California license! No worries though - Ms. Spears went right down to the DMV the next day to get her license. She may not seem to care to much about little Sesn Preston and Jayden James, but she certainly doesn't seem to want to have her mug shot shown on EXTRA when she gets arrested for driving withou a license!

The court battle for custody wages on, and everyone in America is watching and wondering what foolish move Britney will make next. The question is, do you feel sorry for her? I for one, certainly do not. I think there is no excuses for her behavior concerning her children and her lack of underwear. Please get it together dear!