Let's Be Parents, Shall We?

Forewarning, this is going to be a lot of venting and personal opinion but I figure it's my blog and I'm not forcing anyone to read.
I'm a photographer. I work for Picture Me, great company and I love my job. However, some of the children and PARENTS that enter my studio should not be allowed in public, rather be locked up in a cage. During a session last night, I spent TWO HOURS, normal appointments last anywhere from a half hour to 45 minutes.. but I spent two hours and shot 94 photos of Satan's children. These girls, I'm not sure on exact ages but I'm guessing between 3 and 5, ran and ran and ran some more. They were screaming and yelling and jumping on chairs and tables, pulling open drawers, throwing papers and files EVERYWHERE. During the sales process, the girls went as far as getting into our personal employee cabinet, got my ridiculously large water cup that was supposed to last me 5 hours and drank it ALL. If I had the power to kick people out of the studio without being punished, I would have done so.
This story gets better though. While these children are being demonic, their mother is witnessing and allowing the whole thing to continue!!!! She said nothing to them. She said nothing to me, like this behavior was normal.
I'm sorry but some people should be required to pass a class or take a test to be a parent. I am not saying that my children are perfect by any means. My three year old, who is obsessed with Buzz, thought it would be fun to shoot people with his "laser" at garage sales yesterday, cute imagination, but embarrassing.
I do not understand how this mother felt absolutely nothing. No course of action was taken and she did nothing to help clean up the mess!! I was appalled. Get a handle on your children, lady!

So after this "wonderful"  experience, I have decided to come up with a list of things that I promise to do or teach to my boys as they grow up. Feel free to add ideas that I can add to this list or create your own.

1. I promise to always be a cheerleader for my boys. I will always be their number one fan. There is no doubt that this may embarrass them one day, but oh well (:
2. I promise to to teach my boys manners. It will get them farther in life.
3. I promise to read to my children at least once a day. It will open their minds to new ideas and do wonders for them when they get to school.
4. I will teach my boys their feelings and ways to express them rather than temper tantrums and screaming and crying.
5. I will teach my boys that there is a time to be rough and there is a time to be gentle.
6. I will teach my boys to do laundry AND how to fold their clothes.
7. I promise to always give my boys something to believe in and to never give up hope.
8. I promise to let my boys be boys. I will let them play in dirt and climb trees and ruin their jeans. I will let them experience new things and explore their curiosity.
9. I promise to teach my boys there is more to beauty than looks.
10. I will teach my boys to help others.
11. I promise to always be a safe place for my boys. Wherever. Whenever.
12. I promise to always kiss my boys. This may also embarrass them one day.
13. I promise to never judge. I want my boys to be able to come to me and talk to me about anything.
14. I promise to build forts and camp in the living room watching movies.
15. I promise to raise my boys to gentlemen. They will know how to hold a door for a lady, to pull out her chair at dinner, to be the man that any girl would be lucky to have.
16. I will teach my boys to be honest and faithful.
17. I will trust my children. I will trust in myself for raising them and teaching them to do the right thing.
18. I promise to be interested in the things that interest my children.
19. I promise to never let my boys give up.
20. I promise to be the best mother that I can possibly be.

What are your promises to your children?

What's This Blogging You Speak Of?

Blogging? Hmmmm, I'm not sure that I am up for pouring out details of my personal life to total and complete strangers on the internet but at the same time I am starting a new journey in my life and I need to be held accountable. This seems like a good way to do it.
Introduction.. My name is Crystal. I am a mother to two wonderful boys (3 years and 10 weeks). I can promise that you will hear more about them at a later date. I am engaged to my exhusband; that story is a long one and can be saved for another post as well. I recently enrolled at BVU and I plan to continue my education and finish my bachelors degree--my education kind of took a back burner to my children and I have just been working on it slowly. Now I plan to get back in full swing and in 20 months I will have a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor in Human Services, and a Bachelor in Psychology. Go me, right?!
Now....the dreaded point to this whole thing. After gaining WAY TOO MUCH weight with my first pregnancy (65 lbs) in 2009 and not doing much to lose that afterwards, I was back to 200 lbs before I got pregnant with my second child last October. I did my best to keep off the extra weight and did well for the most part; I think being extremely sick with morning sickness and H-Pylori (a stomach bacteria) may have aided little weight gain and I topped out at 235.
Now I am on my journey to not only lose all the extra weight and get back to at least 150, but to also find the person that I use to be. I know this journey may be a long one and it is going to be rough at times, but I CAN and WILL do it!