Lights out for Mommy!

No, it's not my birthday but if it was, I'm 21! (wink)

I was feeling guilty not having the time to write on my blog recently. Hey, that's ok. That's real. Be real. this is a repost from a little while ago.

A few weeks ago...

I actually had a pretty crappy day yesterday (at least half the day). Not as crappy as some, I am sure but in my moment in time and space, it, quite frankly SUCKED!

Let's back up a moment to 2 days earlier...

Earlier in the week, a fight broke out, ok a brawl broke out between my daughter and son. I know, you pictured Norman Rockwell here in the Flip Side house. Sorry to burst your bubble.

I broke up the brawl only to have my daughter turn on her heel and tear after my son in a vengeance (much like Voldimort after Harry Potter). She attempted a Karate kid fence post kick which launched her slip on shoe hurdling into the air (yes, I am watching this in slow motion) straight into my, my, (my eyes grew like saucers and if I could have gotten on my knees fast enough to pray...) into my onyx pendant light over my granite counter top.

Literally, as if in slow motion, in unison, I, with my head in my hands and the pendant fell toward earth in silence. I knew what was next. Then the shattering sound of rock hitting rock penetrated the air as muffled shrieks from within my hands followed and then silence.

Exhibit A in front and

Exhibit B in the back

I didn't want to look. My heart broken. I know they are just lights. Just 200 dollar lights that I searched high and low for... I know.

"Sorry mommy?" A questionable sorry as if she knew the her life may be in danger.

I momentarily lost it and decided to leave the light hanging with a giant chip as a reminder to them what their fight caused.

Two days later...

Long and short of it. My son, a big ball, the knowledge that blasting it around the house was unacceptable and the one big, ceiling high bounce that once again happened in slow motion so I could witness it all (but not slow enough to get on my knees and pray). I watched this giant green ball ricochet off my..."NO!"... my, "Please God,  NOOO!"  ( I know, not worth the prayer), another Onyx pendant light.

Rock hitting rock (now a familiar sound). Afraid to look.

I nearly fainted in disbelief. My son nearly did too, like those fainting goats avoiding ensuing danger.

Those lights have been up since 2008 and in one week, two of them kissed granite. I admit it. I cried. Shallow. Material. "How can this happen to me" cry. Then, I came to my senses and realized that it's no big deal really. There are worse things that can happen.

Something good came of it. All three of my kids helped me clean the entire house as a consequence. I mean really clean (to avoid the wrath of mom). This week my husband's word for them was "Accountable". I held them accountable for their actions. Their actions of anger toward each other and disrespect toward rules and others hurt innocent people around them. Ohh, and those poor Onyx pendants. Sniff.

They had to do some work and my son was grounded from his friend coming over (even though his friend was on his way over-embarrassing for both of us). I am usually a softy. But not when I can get my house clean. We all actually enjoyed working together. My oldest actually said he liked it. Amen.

Accountable: be responsible for actions or decisions;

As a parent, if this happened to you, how would you have reacted? 

Launch Weekend!

Launch Weekend! 

See the pictures from the events!

Thanks

Video Message on the Flip Side

A Video Blog Update!

See what's happening on the Flip Side!

Join the A-mob-azon!

http://www.theflipsidestories.com/a-mob-azon.html

Spread the word!

Free link to an animated and interactive version of my book!

Buy a book and leave a review on Amazon 

and let me know on www.facebook.com/flipsidestories

on 

2/12/12

February 12, 2012

1000 in 2012

Hi Everyone,

Do me a huge favor. Go to http://www.facebook.com/flipsidestories and click the "like" button. I want to see if I can reach 1000 Flipsiders by 2012. I need less than 100. It isn't looking good at this point. With your help I might be able to do it.

 I will giveaway a signed copy of my book to a lucky Flipsider on New Years Day! Go NOW!

Thanks. :)

The Year on the Flip Side

By Amber Housey

The Night Before Christmas

So I was seeing what inspiration Randy Gage had for me today. He had a contest going to finish the classic Christmas poem The Night Before Christmas. I love to write poetry to challenge on. In about 15 minutes I finished my poem and here it is. The beginning is Randy's intro and mine is in green. 

The Night Before Christmas, 2011…by Randy Gage

The economy was tanking and things were a mess.
The newscasts were dark, and the mood was depressing.
Unemployment was rising, and things were distressing.

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the U.S.;

I put on my Chewbacca pajamas, climbed into my bed;
Slipped into the covers, and pulled them over my head.
Sleep escaped me, for my head it was aching;
I was riddled with doubts, for the future we were making.


When out on the lawn, arose such a hullabaloo;

Conclusion...by Amber Housey

When out on the lawn, arose such a hullabaloo;

I sprang from my bed when out of the blue,
I heard chatting and clicking, oh what a buzz
I ran to the window to see what it was.

The moon on the snow made clear what I saw.
I blinked and I squinted and looked out in awe.
When what to my wondering eyes did appear
All kinds of people from far and from near.

There on the lawn all gathered together
Were people not minding the cold winter weather.
Making their plans and creating their missions.
To make the world better, it was their visions.

I knew in a moment, they made it quite clear
They were the ones to spread the good cheer.
The writers, the authors, the bloggers came too.
The speakers, the marchers, the leaders, that’s who.

They stood on the doorsteps, they stood in the street.
They typed and they spoke of their feat of all feats.
To make the world better and fix it ourselves
Be kind to each other, we’ll be the elves.

So up through the wires, through speakers and phones,
They spread inspirations in all the times zones.
And then in a chime, on my Apple I heard.
A message popped up with chirp like a bird.

As I sat in my chair and opened my mail.
The message popped up and the wind filled my sail.
It was filled with such hope and jolly good cheer.
I wanted to know, I wanted to hear.

I read it out loud, I read it again and again.
Now I had a mission that I had to send.
I laughed while I wrote it, in spite of my doubt.
I wrote out my mission and then gave out a shout.

With a wink of my eye and twist of my head,
I knew in a moment, i’d nothing to dread.
Inspire the world to see what is good,
We can’t fix it all, I wish that we could.

Let’s work together to love one and all.
Help out our neighbor and beckon the call.
Nurture the world in this new year,
And love one another without any fear.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays to one and all from Flip Side Stories-where seeing another point of view makes a better you!http://www.facebook.com/flipsidestories

On the 4th Day Before... I Got Real

Read and leave a comment where your visiting from and I'll visit and follow you wherever you are!

No, it's not my birthday but if it was, I'm 21! (wink)

Ok, so I have been working on the RACK'd idea of spreading random acts of Christmas Kindness around. I didn't post one yesterday because...well, I didn't have one. At least I don't think I did.

I realized today that I am thinking too hard about this and working too hard at it. It's ok to be open to those perfect opportunities to be nice to someone or help someone. It's ok to proactively seek out or create opportunities to spread kindness. But it's also ok if it just doesn't present itself plainly or at all.

I was feeling guilty not having something to share, some inspiration. Hey, that's ok. That's real. Be real. I actually had a pretty crappy day yesterday (at least half the day). Not as crappy as some, I am sure but in my moment in time and space, it, quite frankly SUCKED!

Let's back up a moment to 2 days earlier...
Earlier in the week, a fight broke out, ok a brawl broke out between my daughter and son. I know, you pictured Norman Rockwell here in the Flip Side house. Sorry to burst your bubble.

I broke up the brawl only to have my daughter turn on her heel and tear after my son in a vengeance (much like Voldimort after Harry Potter). She attempted a Karate kid fence post kick which launched her slip on shoe hurdling into the air (yes, I am watching this in slow motion) straight into my, my, (my eyes grew like saucers and if I could have gotten on my knees fast enough to pray...) into my onyx pendant light over my granite counter top.

Literally, as if in slow motion, in unison, I, with my head in my hands and the pendant fell toward earth in silence. I knew what was next. Then the shattering sound of rock hitting rock penetrated the air as muffled shrieks from within my hands followed and then silence.

Exhibit A in front and
Exhibit B in the back

I didn't want to look. My heart broken. I know they are just lights. Just 200 dollar lights that I searched high and low for... I know.

"Sorry mommy?" A questionable sorry as if she knew the padded wagon was coming for her mother and it was all her fault.

Skip forward to yesterday (two days later)...

Long and short of it. My son, a big ball, the knowledge that blasting it around the house was unacceptable and the one big, ceiling high bounce that once again happened in slow motion so I could witness it all (but not slow enough to get on my knees and pray). I watched this giant green ball ricochet off my..."NO!"... my, "Please God,  NOOO!"  ( I know, not worth the prayer), my other Onyx pendant light.

Rock hitting rock (now a familiar sound). Afraid to look.

I nearly fainted in disbelief. My son nearly did too, like those fainting goats to avoid ensuing danger.

Those lights have been up since 2008 and in one week, two of them kissed granite. I admit it. I cried. Shallow. Material. "How can this happen to me" cry. Then, I came to my senses and realized that it's no big deal really. There are worse things that can happen.

Something good came of it. All three of my kids helped me clean the entire house as a consequence. I mean really clean (to avoid the wrath of mom). This week my husband's word for them was "Accountable". I held them accountable for their actions. Their actions of anger toward each other and disrespect toward rules and others hurt innocent people around them. Ohh, and those poor Onyx pendants. Sniff.

They had to do some work and my son was grounded from his friend coming over (even though his friend was on his way over-embarrassing for both of us). I am usually a softy. But not when I can get my house clean. We all actually enjoyed working together. My oldest actually said he liked it. Amen.

Accountable: be responsible for actions or decisions;

Where are you reading from? Let me know and I'll check it out!