Will a minivan ruin my street cred?

At what point are you supposed to purchase a minivan? Is it when you have a second baby and the stroller is too big for your trunk? Is it when you have two car seats in your back seat? Is it when your step son comes to visit for the summer and he is taller than everyone in the house and is practically in the dashboard of your little Nissan Versa? At some point I guess you have to give it up and purchase a car that your whole family can fit in.

Of course you gravitate towards SUV’s first and you realize that they are amazing and everything that you ever wanted in a ride but they are WAY out of your price range, but oh so nice. You consider taking out a second mortgage because they are so cool and these are important things that you need in your life. Seat warmers? Yes! Third row that hides itself with just the push of a button? Absolutely! None of these things you need and none of these things are really practical but they are so shiny and new.

Any reason to not get a minivan is reason enough for you, because what will people think? You are not some soccer mom who only does things that revolves around her kids. You’re not like a regular mom, you’re like a cool mom and not because you think so but because it’s true. Cool moms do not drive mini vans they drive over priced gas guzzlers, am I right? I know I’m right.

You are directed towards the minivans because the salesperson knows you need space, you test drive one it’s not bad, the storage is perfect and its right in your price range, maybe even under budget. There is just one lingering concern, will a minivan ruin your street cred? Maybe, but who really knows? Also who really cares, lastly let’s be honest you haven’t had any street cred since you caught baby vomit in your hands. Street cred? None, you have none so what are you concerned about? You will always be the cool mom even if you drive the dreadful minivan your children the only people who matter will think you are cool in a go cart. But don’t go buy a go cart now, let’s not get crazy the minivan is where we draw the line.

So in a short answer “no” a minivan will not ruin your street cred, if you are lucky to still have any you are a super human and it’s going to take more than simply the car you drive in order for it to go away. Drive whatever you want to drive, that you can afford and that works for your household.  If it’s a minivan get a minivan, if it’s a SUV with all the bells and whistles then that’s the car for you. Street cred means nothing when you don’t care about what people think and that is honestly the only way to be. 

Working or stay at home moms?

I am a working mom, always have been and I more then likely always will be not because I don’t want to be home with my kids all day every day but I’ve never had the chance to stay at home. I honestly don’t think I would be interested in it either, because I think that I would get bored and we would end up not doing anything all day but watching TV and eating. I know that’s a stereotype that hurts stay at home moms more than anything. I don’t think that stay at home moms are doing this but I know that I would. I know that getting up everyday and going to work gives me a reason to get dressed and to get my kids dressed because if I don’t have to I won’t.

Now don’t get me wrong I love spending time with my kids and watching them learn and explore life I just am not the person who has the patience or intellect to make sure my kids know what they are supposed to know when they are supposed to know it. I know that sounds crazy because we are our children’s first teachers but I think that is more along the line of morals and values. I think the trained professionals should be teaching our kids and we should be assisting them.

I have been blessed to have two smart girls that I cannot take any credit for, they just know things, I didn’t teach them and I am usually surprised at them knowing it. But I think that them being busy all day and going to interact with other children at daycare makes them well rounded children who know how to interact with humans. I say that because I need adult interaction on the daily even though children are generally much better people they just don’t get adult issues. I cant talk to them about life and things that bother me because they are so carefree and I would never want to burden them with anything that they cannot handle.
So for me, I have to say that I am a working mom and I would not change that. A perk of being a working mom when you pick your kids up after a long day at work they are so happy to see you! They make it as you are a superstar when you walk into the room they don’t do that if they are with you all day. I know nothing in the world probably beats staying home with your kids but if you aren’t excited about it, and don’t properly plan your kids will suffer and so will you.

I know a ton of stay at home moms who nail it, I wish that I could be like them I am not and I’m ok with that. If you had the choice to stay at home with your kids all day everyday would you? That means you would never be able to clock out of work, when you go into the office you get a lunch break and you get to go to the restroom in peace. I love my kids more than anything but sometimes you just need a break.

Required to Vaccinate??


There was a law passed in the State of California, deeming getting your kids vaccinated mandatory for every child in the state in order to attend school or daycare. I’ll save my opinion on the fact for the end but I’m sure you will feel which way I lean on the matter all through this post.

Some parents feel like they don’t have to listen to trained professionals because they know more they think that the “big pharma” companies are trying to make our children sick intentionally because they probably gain some sort of power in doing so. I guess. But then there are some parents who feel like there is no debate on weather a child should or should not get vaccinated.

The argument is always “I’m 30 and I didn’t get vaccinated and I turned out just fine, why add all of these poisons if they aren’t needed?” Well when I was growing up I got every vaccine on time as most of the kids I went to school with did minus the very rare few who didn’t. Which gave all the kids who didn’t get vaccinated this thing called Herd immunity. Basically the risks of un vaccinated children getting the diseases were slim because they were protected by the kids who did have vaccinations. This was the majority of children in school, so if the vaccinated kids weren’t getting the diseases then they wouldn’t spread it to non vaccinated children. But the point being the whole reason non vaccinated kids weren’t getting the diseases is because they were protected by vaccinated kids. Thus by default they kind of were vaccinated, without the pricks but with all the benefits. You know unless they went to a third world country where they were still trying an begging for the vaccinations we take for granted, then they were in fact at risk of contracting these very diseases for no real reason other then perhaps thinking they were doing what was best for their kid by not listening to a person who they are paying to help educate them in the well being of their child’s health.
The parents who decided not to vaccinate really have no real scientific facts, they just act off of emotion and what they have heard.

Well I guess you can see where I stand. I am so elated that this law has passed and I hope that other states follow suit. Right now it really doesn’t affect me because I don’t live in California but one day it may. I think that most parents are just trying to protect their children from getting hurt if it’s not needed, but you have to think of the long term affects of not vaccinating your kids. They could in fact get very ill and it could be potentially deadly. Just look at what happened at Disney World, I’m sure this was one of the determining factors in making it mandatory because only 1 or 2 of those many kids who got infected were vaccinated. I know this is a controversial topic but I honestly don’t care that this may potentially upset some people who I guess know better than doctors, but really wont someone think of the children?

Nature vs Nurture

There is an ongoing question wondering if children or people in general are made who they are by the household they were born into or by the way they were raised. I want to put in my two cents on this topic based off of my two daughters who are raised the same and born into the same household but somehow manage to be two completely different people.

Journi who was born in the winter of 2008 was my very high needs baby, she would literally cry for hours on end for no reason so needless to say I didn’t come running every time she cried. She was very dependent upon me and even to this day she still is. But she has grown into a mature and sweet girl, I gave her room to become who she wanted to become but I showed her right from wrong. She now can get herself out of any bind because I never babied her, she has become very independent.

Joelle was the total opposite from Journi; she was the calmest baby ever she almost never cried so when she did I would come to her rescue because obviously there had to be something wrong with her. But she was always an independent baby and she would self sooth and feed herself like she didn’t have a care in the world. Now she is the total opposite she isn’t nice and she is actually quit naughty which I guess it can be because she was actually nurtured a little bit different then her sister was so it could be the way she was supposed to be naturally or it could be the way she was so independent as a baby that she developed this way of doing things herself.

They are polar opposites even in terms of how they eat, Journi who is 7 is a very picky kid and she always has been she’s very thin and particular about what she liked and how she liked it. While Joelle on the other hand pretty much eats whatever she sees, if you put it in front of her to eat she will eat it. This naturally caused her body to be a bit rounder then her sister. A lot of times they can fit the same clothes particularly in the summer time because Journi is skinny but tall so her pants are the correct size but her shorts can tend to be bigger on her if I get her size. So the clothes that Journi wore last year at 6 years old Joelle at 1 can fit now.

So in retrospect’s I think that some kids are just going to be who they are going to be while other kids you can steer them in the path that you want them to go into. But its not always the same for each kid, you may have a kid that no matter what you give them and how you raise them they still turn out to be the opposite of what you assumed they would be. While on the other hand you can have a kid who does exactly what you want them to do. There is no exact science sometimes its nature and sometimes its nurture.

Meet the girls

Journi and Joelle my J and J duo, which is where Team Dynomyte comes from. I'm not sure if any of you were Good Times fans but I pretty much binge watched it when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter Journi. I became pretty fluent in the terminology that was used back then, so if I throw around Jive turkey Just know that this is where it's coming from.

So let me tell you about my daughters, in order of importance, I kid, I think they are both equally important. Journi who is the oldest and the most active of the two, every time she hears a song she creates a dance to go with it. She's 7 and she also is the most honest child I have ever known, even when it hurts your feelings. Today she told me that I looked better with my nose ring in, because I had lost it for a few days and had to wait a while to get a new one. So I guess up until that point her mom was not cute. But I digress, she also is so affectionate that no matter what I am doing she has to be right next to me attached to my hip and if I tell her to give me space her reason is always " but I love you." Because in her mind that means you never ever leave their side because if you are away even for a moment the love fades I guess. Journi is the most thoughtful girl in the world and she is always drawing me photos and making me masterpieces but at what point can you get rid of the million photos you have piled up in a drawer that are all crumpled up?

Joelle who is one and just entering her toddler phase is well, a toddler and you know what they call toddlers right? Drunk adults, or jerks its all the same. Well Joelle is in fact both of those things, I know some people don like to call their kids names I can for sure say that my kids don't take offense. Now tell me if you've ever tried to write a paper , or even a blog maybe with a 22 pound child sitting on your neck? Probably not, although its an everyday occurrence with me and now that she is a new walker she is always falling down and giving me heart attacks. She like  her sister wants to dance to any and everything but she isn't as good as her sister she does more of like a fast double bounce with a grandpa arm and leans to the side. If you could not imagine that then you've got it correct because none of it makes any sense. But she's so cute so when she pours juice in your brand new shoes you don't get all stabby because you love her more than a pair of shoes. Unless they are designer, there is no forgiveness for that Joelle!

My kids are literally the funniest parts of my life so it only makes sense to write about them, anything else would be a disservice to you all. I think you'll have as much fun as we do,  enjoy and you're welcome.