Fighting Rules?

by Amy Platon

Hubby and I have a 7 year old boy.

This weekend we “hit” on a topic that we don’t seem to agree on, and I want your opinion.

It’s a question that we parents with boys have all asked ourselves. What do we tell our son to do when another boy hits him?

My husband is of the “Hit him back” school of thinking. But he also went his whole adolescence without a single brawl.

And if you all know me at all you’ve probably guessed, I totally disagree. However, in an effort to find the middle ground, I offered this as a solution:

If our boy gets hit in the chest first, then it’s ok for our son to hit back, but only in the chest, equal to his punch.

I was pretty proud of that solution actually. But my husband said that that too much for our son to consider when he’s in the heat of it all. My expectation would be too high of him.

Of course, I’m thinking of the mom-to-mom aftermath. “My son hit your son in the chest, and your son hit him back in the nose and now it’s bleeding. That’s out of line!”

I feel like if my son at least understood the rules of “fair fighting” then I could at least back him up as responsibly as possible, and not feel totally wrong.

What are your thoughts? I would especially love it if you ask your husbands opinion and would love comments from dads who have been in school hood fights themselves. I’m looking forward to your thoughts!


Also visit this lovely blog for other "Not Me Monday" sagas!

Eye Level

by Amy Platon

My anniversary and New Years come hand in hand, like a gay couple gallivanting through a poppy field. They skip past me down the yellow brick road. I usually shout something like, “Hey, what are you, running in circles? I saw you two last year, and what are you always so happy about anyway?”

There are a few things I know for sure. Like, the best thing about being married is that I have someone else to bounce ideas off of. Someone credible that when he says, “go for it,” I know he means it, having all the same things at stake. Ahh, that rocks!

I’m so proud of my relationship because hubby and I are at such a beautiful and delicate place - that eight-year mark. Where I have seen in other relationships, the end or a departure of sorts. And although I would never be so naive to say that won’t happen to us, I can say with some confidence that it won't happen to us today.

And I remember the moment that it all started for us. Again, I mean. And I’m amazed at how simple an accomplishment it was.

We were often wrapped up in our routine, like workers in a factory, watching the clock, getting the work done - all of it serious business.

Until it occurred to me that the boy in the 'work station' next to mine, was my husband. When his eyes wandered up and connected with mine, unexpected to him. I smiled. Not just at the thought of him, but because in that moment I saw him. Until then I realized that I had been looking at him all these years. My smile, so genuine I guess, he couldn’t help but smile back.

I tried again in the mirror that day. It took a few tries, because the first couple of smiles looked painfully like a school yearbook photo. But when I got it, I saw that I looked prettier that way.

It’s something about the meaningfulness in the lines around my mouth and the ones that shoot out from my eyes. So now I smile when I see my husband, not just for my marriage, but so that he can see the person I want him to see. The one, that is in love with him - for all he does for us, and for what he does to me.

And those two (New Years & Anniversary), they can run right past me. Prancing in their popularity. But for me, there will be no running. I would just like to sit here and enjoy what I have right now, today. I’ll take it all in and let it resonate. I will live my life at eye level. That is my anniversary gift. That is my new year’s resolution.

Want More?
Another 'Smile' Story by me :)
Another one I know you'll like
Also intrinsic about me and hubby
This one too!

Read more at the lovely 7 Clown Circus
See what others learned this week over at FromInmatesToPlaydates.com

The Good Gift

by Amy Platon

If you have a little artist in your home, then you know that the fridge is the usual display spot. If you are looking for an inexpensive gift idea for a mom that you know, consider this…..



It’s a picture box and you can pick one up at any craft store or frame shop although an crafts store may have the better price. I picked this one up for $12.99. And I LOOOOVE it. My daughter comes home with all kinds of cute crafts from school, and they are at times too heavy for a magnet. That’s when I tried to look for a sophisticated solution that would blend with my homes décor.






I printed her name in a pretty font from the computer, and pinned it in the box. Then when she comes home with a new masterpiece, I slip the old one out and into her scrapbook box, and the new one goes in.





She loves it, and so do our guests!


When I gift it, I plan to print out their child’s name and pin it in for them. Then I'll tie a thick fabric bow around it and fasten on a beautiful tag.


Also, watch for another gift idea that I’ll reveal that I’m doing for my children for Christmas. I think it’s safe to post, they don’t know Scribble Ink Café exists…..yet ☺

Want some more inspiration? Click below:

My Kitchen Renovation
More Kid Design Ideas
Patio Makeover

Happy Holidays!

Festival of the Masters

by Amy Platon




Well hubby just completed this beautiful piece of digital art for Disney's Festival of the Masters. Disney liked it enough to make some limited merchandise out of it.






Sharpie liked it too. They did a kids exhibit with it. The kiddos got to color their own tiles to make up the mural that was displayed for the event.









Hubby even signed his work for the adoring fans! Now the only place to land some of this fine merchandise is on Ebay. haha.



If you like Arnel's work, I'll announce the launch of his artist site, just as soon as he gets it all ready. Here was his last piece for FOM



It was an especially beautiful day to be a family!

Halloween Crossover

by Amy Platon

As homeowners who decorate for the holidays, the first weekend in November is a toss up. You know the Halloween décor needs to come down, or you’ll be that family… the one that leaves their stuff up just a little too long after the event has passed.

If you are like us, you consider for a moment, to trade the Halloween stash for Christmas decorations. “That way,” I say, “We only have to open the attic once.”

Hubby and I know it’s just too early for Christmas lights, and at 5:30 on Saturday night, neither of us are ready to get started on that project now or this weekend for that matter. (Besides, it’s not fair to put that kind of pressure on the neighbors this early in the season, haha) However, I convince my man to drag out a couple of lighted trees and a wreath. “The kids will love it.” I say.

So he does. And this morning we woke up to extra greenery around the house, but just a touch of it. It was nice. Even husband was impressed. We stood at the top of our stairs staring at what we were able to accomplish so early in the season. He says, “You even had time to put fake snow on the wreath?” As he stepped in to take a closer look, I was forced to confess… “That’s insulation.”

And the Santas had a jolly good laugh. Almost spilling coffee right down the new stairs.

Happy Holidays!

If It’s Options You Want…..

A word from your REALTOR/Bartender/Writer/Mom/Head of Household.

I’ll just say it. This housing market is a total drag.

I have some friends who bought at the top of their price range, anticipating raises and employment to continue on it’s upward trend. I mean we all did. Our job market was too promising for too long. We all but forgot that there could be a slump in the economy.

The more I walk into abandoned homes and trudge through over grown front yards, the more I think how some of this could be avoided. That’s right, I said avoided!

Look here, if you don’t like your house, you’re not trapped in it, even though the market sucks. You have options. First, ask yourself, can you renovate to make it the beautiful home you’ve always wanted? No? It’s not beauty that stops you from loving your home? It’s the sheer expense of it? Then consider renting it out.

Stay with me now.

If you rent your home out, and you can cover your expenses or at least come close, you can then rent, for yourself, a place that better suits your needs (whether you are trading up or down.) Renting may not sound like a “good” idea to you, but if you can’t stay in your home and you can’t sell without shorting the bank then RENT IT!

Who cares if they spill on your lovely carpet or if they break a tile, or get the walls dirty. That’s all fixable (and comes right out of the security deposit, by the way). Don’t get hung up on the fact that your precious home won’t be kept up, cause you can fix that later (with their money.)

Just because you are a home owner, doesn’t mean you can’t be a renter. So once you get your home rented out, you go find a place that fits your needs and rent it for yourself. If you are able to rent for less than you are paying now, then you can lower your expenses.

Here’s an example, if you currently pay $2000 a month for your 5 bedroom home, but you are willing to go down to a 3 bed room rental that costs $1100 per month. You rent your place for say $1800, then your expenses go from $2000 per month to $1300 per month ($200 your not getting to cover your mortgage plus the $1100 in new rent expenses.)

You lower your cost of living exponentially (including lowering your utilities) and you still keep your investment. If you rent in the town where you own, then if worse comes to worse, and you can’t find a renter the following year, you can leave your rental and reoccupy your home. But come in close, because I’m about to tell you a secret: The rental market is doing great. There are more renters looking for homes than there are buyers. Just be prepared to prove to your new tenant that you are up to date on all your house payments and be prepared to have their security deposit in a separate escrow account for their protection in case you default.

Don’t be a victim to a downward financial spiral. Pilot yourself out of it! We need to quit jumping ship!

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Cheap Renovations - See My Home:
Update Your Stairs
Decorating for Children and Adults
Kitchen Facelift
Patio Magic

Back To Basics

I'm sooo excited! Remember this? I've been looking for this thing (for my daughter) for about a year now. I just remember playing with it for hours when I was a kid (okay maybe I really want to play with it again). You pick a skirt or pants and pick a top and rub a crayon over the paper sideways so the image is drawn on the page.

I didn't remember the name of it, but as it turns out, there is no actual name for it (they call it "Fashion Designer").

Once I stumbled on this site, I decided, that from now on, I'm only going to Back To Basics Toys when I want nostalgic toys. They really do have it all. It's the perfect site to shop for birthday gifts, especially for kids who have it "all" already. (No they didn't pay me to say that.) After all, sleigh bells are ringing in the distance.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share, in case any of you moms couldn't think of the name of this thing either. LOL.