One of those days.. What would YOU do?

I've been having one of those days today.. You know the kind.

The day where you really start thinking about your life, and what you wanted 10 years ago, and what you've got now, and truly evaluate whether or not a change is needed. In my particular case, a change is imminent, but I need to figure out where that change is going to be. This may sound rambley, and if so I apologize, but I really need to get this out "there".

Last week, we visited NY for a wedding, and it was amazing. We had such a great time, and without romanticizing it completely, we missed it. Don't get me wrong- one of the reasons that we moved when Alex was little was the fact that I didn't want my children growing up as "Long Islanders". Kids have enough pressures on them in the world today, but as a Long Islander, there's a lot more. I noticed it during this trip back, and during many of the other recent trips.

I love being able to roll out of bed, make a cup of coffee, and go and sit on my porch in my snowman pajamas. In New York, I couldn't do that.. because of the whole, "What if the neighbors saw me?"attitude up there. I did (roll out of bed with my jammies and drink my coffee on the porch when I lived up there), but it's a whole different attitude that seems to have gotten worse since we've left.

Now that I'm in Florida, we're struggling with so many different things. Alex and his education, for one. Yes, he's gifted, and Florida recognizes it.. but honestly, what good is recognizing it if his needs still aren't being met?? Brian's job is another. My husband is an electrician for new residential construction. Florida is still building, but the hours just aren't there. We seem to finally get back on a good track, get a couple of inches forward, and then we have a week like this week, where he only worked two days, and his paycheck sends us two feet backward. A family of four in 2010 cannot survive on a weekly paycheck that is worth only two days. I'm starting to panic, because our "back up plan" is starting to fall through, and at the end of this month we need to make a choice.

Are we going to 'start over' down here, where we are, or do we 'start over' somewhere else.

I'm at a loss, because for once in my adult life I honestly have NO IDEA what I want. I want to be closer to our family up north. I want to find a job that will pay us both well.. and again, 4BabyAndMom has been wonderful to us, a blessing that I can't even begin to describe, but I just need something more concrete for our family. I'm not necessarily worried about finding a job for me.. I could apply to do just about anything- secretarial, substituting, retail- it's Brian that concerns me.

I love Pennsylvania, upstate New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, but can I find him a job, us a place to live, and a good school for the kids?? I feel the least resourceful I've felt in my entire life. I don't even know where to begin. I'm exasperated.

No matter what happens, or where our new beginning is going to be, I know that it's going to be difficult, but I just need a direction. Some sort of sign.. a word from God.. something.

What would you do? Pretend that at the end of this month, you are in my shoes, and need to make a drastic change.. what would you do??

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Not your typical guide to parenting..."Guide To Pirate Parenting" Review and Giveaway!

Raising children has been a difficult journey, so far. Most parenting books on the market have lists of do's and don'ts that never seem to fit in with my life, or the personalities of my children. At times, my kids are the sweetest things ever, and others- well, sometimes I really feel as if I'm trying to tame a wild animal or as if I am trying to teach a pirate manners.. it truly feels impossible!

When I received the book Guide to Pirate Parenting why you should raise your children as pirates and 101 tips on how to do it, I cracked it open while sipping a glass of wine after a particularly hard day. After the introduction, I knew that this book would be exactly what I needed. No, not a hard core lesson on truly raising my kids as pirates, but an I-can-barely-put-it-down-because-I'm-laughing-too-hard type of book.

I will warn you, for this book you have to have a certain respect for Cap'n Billy "The Butcher" MacDougall's coarse way of expressing his opinions. Not to mention a sense of humor to really understand Tim Bete's warped, yet loving, non-traditional guide to parenting your pirate.

This book makes an excellent gift for new dads, parents that have children that drive them bonkers sometimes, but is not for the prissy, weak stomached parental units. My husband laughed even louder throughout this book than I, as I think Pirate Parenting might be interpreted a little better by those who share the Y chromosome, (and believe it or not, I think I understand the way men think a little bit better after reading this book!).

As Bete writes, "Men don't have to think about the reasons for raising children as pirates because they intuitively know the great benefits of doing so. It is the same Y chromosome that allows men to intuitively know the answer to "Why don't I try to dust the inside of the house using a leaf blower?" In all likelyhood, most men have all ready skipped ahead to the section about converting the family minivan into a pirate schooner, and are in the garage beginning the project. Converting a minivan into a pirate schooner is such a compelling project for men that they would do it even if it meant that they had to raise their children as rodeo clowns. (Legal disclaimer: Raising your children as rodeo clowns is an extremely bad idea, unless you want your children to grow into adults who wear heavy makeup, taunt other people, and then hide in barrels.) Women have an X chromosome instead of a Y chromosome. Studies show that the primary purpose of the X chromosome is to cross out- and negate- ideas created by beings that possess the Y chromosome. Men's personal experience will bear this out."

Want it?
If this type of parenting book sounds like something that you'd appreciate, you don't need a map to find PirateParenting.com. Head over there for more insight about pirate parenting, and to order the book for yer self.. ahem, yourself.

WIN IT!
In the meantime, (after twittering some with Cap'n Billy, and walking away with all of my limbs still in tact!) Cap'n Billy and Tim Bete have offered one lucky reader at 4BabyAndMom the opportunity to win their very own copy of Guide to Pirate Parenting!

Here's how!
Head over to the Pirate Parenting website and take a look around. If it doesn't scare you off, come back here and tell me why you want to win the Guide to Pirate Parenting, and an interesting tidbit from the site.

Extra Entries:

• Follow PIRATE PARENTING and 4BABYANDMOM on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Please post @4BabyAndMom and @PirateParenting on your tweet!
• Help the fight against Cancer and support my friend on her walk: Donate Here! (5 entries!)
  
• Follow 4BabyAndMom and add our button to your site!
• Blog about this contest and include a link to 4BabyAndMom. Post your blog link in your comment, please.
  
• Email at least three of your friends and CC: 4BabyAndMom {at} gmail {dot} com
• Fave this post on Technorati, Stumble this post, or DIGG this post, include link if possible.

This contest ends on May 6th, 2009 at midnight, EST. Winner will be chosen at Random, using Random.org. Winner will be announced on May 7th. Special thanks to Cap'n Billy and Tim Bete for sponsoring this giveaway!

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