Enslaved Crazy Person chained to a wooden crate at the Friendswood HS Drama Club's Haunted House. I know your pain, buddy.

WINNER ANNOUNCED BELOW

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Last Monday, Shelbi (13) sent me a text that took 20 seconds to scroll through.

And that’s if you’re not reading it. Just scrolling.

Reading would have taken AT LEAST  5 minutes. And I would have needed even more time if I chose to decipher all the acronyms and emoticon references. Just a little tip, if someone sends you a text that is 5 minutes long. . .DO NOT READ IT. You’ll only be asking for trouble. There is bad news wound up in that crazy long IM for sure.

My 13-year-old (who is actually turning 14 today) would tell you that my response to her, and to you is my classic response to life.  AVOIDANCE. To which I say, my child is a genius.

Completely true that I try to avoid very bad things.

Negative things.

Harsh things that are trying to keep me down.

It’s been a week  and I still haven’t read that text, maybe one day when I’m more Zen I’ll decide to read it and see what horror lies within.

But for right now, avoidance seems to be working.

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I’m avoiding a lot of things lately.

1.) Crazy teenage antics.

I’m not really sure if my technique is working, but I told her that if she asks me for ONE MORE THING. . .she’s not getting anything she asks for. And of course, she asked me for a new IPHONE, and restaurant Dinner Birthday Party, so I said NO!!! And although I wanted to give her whack! across the rump, I did not. . . .I gave her something else.

A slumber party. 10 friends. 3 sisters. 1 haunted house. 16 cupcakes, and a whole lot of junk food. I’m not Mommy Dearest after all. But I do have my limits.

2. . Haunted Houses

I love them! I do! But if I’m to be honest with myself, I really don’t think that my husband enjoys me climbing inside his shirt in avoidance of the celestial bloody creature in the corner. Plus, I have been known to pee in my pants, so I try to avoid anything that might cause that. In any case, WE took Shelbi and her 10 closest BFF’s  to this really great haunted house put on by  the Friendswood High School Drama Department .  You can choose the really scary tour, or the simply scary tour that is not quite so frightening. It’s just $5 per head (bloody, decapitated or otherwise) and it has two more nights this week. . . (October 29th and 30th.) Check out the link above for more details.

3. Real Work.

I’ve been working hard this week, getting ready for Shelbi’s party. But not real work. Nothing anybody really wants me to do.

I made more bats for the stairs and ceiling.

And then I decorated the mantle.

Added lights to the garden, and threw up another 100 pumpkins around the house.

I did work real hard. But I hardly call it real work.

It was much too fun.

4.) Sugar

I’m not sure what’s going on with me, but all of a sudden sugar is making me lethargic. It breaks me out in bumps. My skin on my face gets tight and hot.

So it’s hardly surprising I’m now on the look out for products that are just as good for me, as they taste. Giving me a happy, healthy lifestlyle, versus the happy, hot , bumpy lethargic pimply one I’m currently flossing.

This is the most recent product that I’ve found that is delicious, and has NO sugar. . .NO Sweeteners. . .NO Calories. . .and NO Sodium.

Just premium water, carbonation, and USDA Certified Organic fruit essences, extracts and oils to create 6 distinct flavors ( Lemon Zest, Mixed Berry, Citrus Twist, Blueberry, Lemon Lime, and Grapefruit.)

And it’s soooooooooooo good.

Refreshing, bright flavors, that make you feel good after you’ve soaked up their goodness.

They are a new favorite of my teenage kid. And she only ingests things that taste good and are pretty on the outside.

Maybe that’s why she tries to eat me up everyday.

And because I want you to be an avoider too. . . .

an avoider of calories. .

and sodium. . .

and sweeteners. . .

I’m giving away ONE CASCADE ICE SPARKLING WATER PRIZE PACK  to one lovely reader who answers this question in the comments section below. . . .

“WHAT ARE YOU AVOIDING THIS WEEK?”

One comment per reader please. Or I will avoid you avoiding me.

The CASCADE ICE SPARKLING WATER GIVEAWAY will end November 3, 2014 at midnight CST. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, November 4th, 2014. Entrants limited to US and Canada. They will be chosen randomly using http://www.random.org/

Good Luck!

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AND THE WINNER IS. . . . .