It’s that time of year again…. graduation.

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The sun is shining and grass turning green from the recent rain. I think I can hear it growing. Fluffy, white clouds move into position against the blue sky to form an abstract airplane. Or flying squirrel, maybe? It’s May and spring has arrived. So has Mother’s Day.

I contemplate.

No, not life.

Mother’s Day.

As a single mom, Mother’s Day has always been hard. Kids just don’t DO Mother’s Day on their own. Pre-teens and teens don’t anyway. Elementary schoolers at least make gifts at school still.

So I have contemplated for days how to write this post without bringing the walls. I’d planned to write it before Mother’s Day but I couldn’t hit publish.

I just want all of you single parents to know that it’s okay to feel that a part of Mother’s Day sucks. Because for single parents, it totally can. And it has nothing to do with being grateful OR ungrateful.

I am grateful every day of my life. I have amazing kids and I tell myself and everyone that listens on a daily basis.

I have a lot to be grateful for.

Even as a single mom.

Being a single mom has made me a better mom and I believe I have raised better kids for it. But I digress… I’ve said that in many a post.

When Mother’s Day comes around I don’t set expectations. I don’t tell them Mother’s Day is coming. I don’t tell them they better have breakfast made and their rooms cleaned. Pretty flowers picked from the neighbors yard… In fact, the only thing I asked is that they come down the stairs quietly in the morning rather than bounding down like a herd of cattle. Because they do. Sound like a herd of cattle.

What I have always hoped is that one of these days that I get to hear that my boys are thankful. Really thankful.

I mean, I know that I have raised three amazing kids that do not get everything they want and do chores for free each week and I know that they are thankful for the lessons I teach them each day.

They made me breakfast. Gave me flowers. I got a beautiful card and “prepaid coupon” for 16 hours of housecleaning from my boyfriend. And while J was at work Jonesie and I went and paid a visit to my oldest at work. I have A LOT to be thankful for.

But here’s the thing…

I JUST WANT TO HEAR IT.

I speak for a whole lot of single moms when I say that out loud. Nothing – NOTHING – can replace the feeling that those words bring to our hearts. Even though my boys hold doors and say thank you for dinner every single time we sit down at the table. Even though.

Mother’s Day is the one day where we allow ourselves to wander into the territory of miracles actually happening. I think even married moms probably do this too, but the difference for a single mom is that there isn’t another parent who is in charge of making sure this actually happens. Of making sure that breakfast gets made. Flowers get picked. The kitchen gets cleaned. Meaningful cards get written.

Like everything else in our lives, WE have to MAKE it happen.

I’d been texting Kimberly, who’d written a post of not reminding her teens AT ALL and hoping they’d come through, through the day. I could feel her anticipation (because I felt it myself). I reminded her that she had raised good kids and to hang in because they would “be back for her”. I made her promise to text me when they did. I got that text at 3:30 pm my time. And I smiled ear to ear for her.

Supporting others, and letting others support you helps in ways that you’ll never know if you don’t put it out there. What you give out always comes back.

Trust.

As mom, I make sure that my kids express their gratitude for others regularly. I make sure they know the effort, time and money thatothers put into them. Friends, teachers, anyone who gives them anything.

So….. I watch my kids dole out gratitude on a regular basis. Like, “I wouldn’t be where I am without you” type of gratitude. But *I* am never on the receiving end because it’s who I am. It’s my job as mom.

Tired of watching all of the glorious things women were posting from their “hubs” and kids on facebook I posted a pic of single parent reality. A picture of my kitchen after the boys made me breakfast. And left the mess. Then I took a shower and cried.

Just one time. Just one day. Just one meal.

Respect me enough.

And when I saw all of your support and many people thanking me for posting because many had already shed tears and expressed the same feeling I knew I’d done the right thing.

We deserve to give ourselves a moment to wallow in sadness, right? Because Lord knows we have very little time to do so on any other day.

So, to you, I want to say thank you.  Thank you for having the courage to be honest with yourself and others that there are just parts of Mother’s Day that are hard to swallow and that it is not always butterflies and rainbows for everyone. Owning that feeling and then moving forward from it helps you move forward in life.

Walk through the pain. Feel it. Acknowledge it. And leave it behind.

J, Jonesie and I went for a hike in the evening because I wanted to watch the sunset and put the “day” away. J got a photo of the little and I from behind walking down the trail holding hands. So I asked the little one to take a photo of J and I walking down the trail from the back and J said “do we have to hold hands?” I said “no” thinking that he’d probably rather die and he said “cause I’d totally do it.”

and we held hands

visiting my oldest at work

I did, by the way, HEAR what I wanted to hear at 9:15 PM (so miracles do happen). After the loooong, emotional, physical day and after we got home from our hike they gave me a card. That said exactly what I wanted so badly to hear.

That they are thankful for me and don’t know where they would be without me. And when tears fell J said “that’s when you know you write a good card.”

And that’s exactly why I do what I do. And endure the pain I endure. And cry in the shower. And look to the future. And know that my sacrifice is worth it.

I hope you’ll head over to facebook and read through all of our conversation yesterday. XOXO.

Not the right date? Check the Denver page for the most recent Rockies taco special date!

The Rockies taco special at Taco Bell is ON at participating locations today (May 13, 2013)! This year’s Rockies taco special is four tacos for $2.16. Add a medium drink for $.50.

The deal is on from 4-6pm at participating Taco Bell locations when the Colorado Rockies score more than 7 or more runs the previous day.

Yesterday the Rockies won 8-2 over the St. Louis Cardinals!

Did you land on the wrong day?? Check the Denver Deals tab to see a more recent date.

Q: What is a credit score?   A: It is a snapshot of your financial right now.  You can always fix it (or screw it up).

According to Wikipedia… “A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a person’s credit files, to represent the creditworthiness of that person.”

Translation: Your credit score is a bunch of numbers from your past thrown into a big, huge, shiny machine that jumbles them all around and then spits out a three digit number representing how likely, or unlikely, you are to pay your bills.

The three digit credit score is a number that ranges from 300-850 with 300 being low (high risk, not likely to pay) and 850 being great (low risk – likely to pay).  Anything under 600 is considered bad and you don’t want to go there.

Do you know what your credit score is?  If not, you should.

It is so important for you know your credit score that, by law, you are eligible for one free copy of your credit report per every 12 months.

This is one of those free things that you should definitely take advantage of.   There is only ONE website that is approved by the FTC to provide the free credit report.  There are a few websites out there that claim to offer a free credit report but I have yet to find that they are actually free.  Go here for the FTC approved site.

Five reasons you should check your credit report every 12 months:

1.    Monitor for identity theft.  If there is an account listed that you didn’t open, you need to take care of it immediately.  Instructions are listed on the report.

2.    Monitor for incorrect reporting by your creditors.

3.    If you are struggling, understanding your score can help you get back on track

4.    You can plan, or work toward, future purchases like buying a house.

5.    It is free (without a coupon) and has a shelf-life of one year!  Always looking for a deal…

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS!

Who looks at your credit score? Banks, credit card companies, department stores (for credit cards), cell phone/phone company, potential employers… Whenever you apply for credit, or generally anything having to do with money or employment they run a credit report. It is also important for you to know that it is unlawful for a company that you have not authorized to pull your credit report!

What goes into figuring your credit score? Whether you are on time or behind is the single biggest piece (35%) of your credit score. How much you owe is the next biggest piece (30%). Those two pieces account for over 1/2 of your credit score. Pretty important stuff. The other 35% is made up of length of credit history, how much new credit you have and what type of credit. Go here for a lot more detail on what goes into your credit score.

How does your credit score affect you? I joked above that it is your financial future but it is actually your financial right now. If you are considered a credit risk, on the low end of the range discussed above, banks either will not extend credit to you or they will at a very high interest rate. Conversely, if you have great credit you will be approved for a loan much faster and interest rates will be should be great compared to market rates.

If you have bad credit will it follow you forever? It depends on how you react to it right now. You can take steps to improve your credit therefore increasing your likelihood of being approved and securing a low interest rate. If you choose to ignore it and continue to live status quo don’t expect your credit situation to get any better.

What steps can you take to improve your credit score? The catch-22 with credit is that you have to have credit to have good credit to get approved for loans and low interest rates.

1. Pay your bills on time. As you saw above, this is the single most important factor.
2. Do not apply for department store credit cards just for the discount!
3. Keep balances away from the limit i.e. if you have a limit of $10,000 on a credit card, do not hover just below $10,000. Pay it down and pay more than the minimum due if possible.
4. If you have a credit card or department store card from years ago and don’t use it anymore but it is paid off, let it lie. Length of credit history is important too.
5. I know this is a little contrary to #4, but the number of open accounts can have a negative effect too. I don’t know what the magic number is, but I would say, and I’m not an expert, that more than a handful is too many.
6. Do not skip a payment! Always, always make a payment on your credit accounts.

What if I have a bankruptcy or bad nicks on my credit report? A bankruptcy can potentially stay on your credit report for 10 years but don’t fret, you can take the steps above to work on repairing your credit!

By making a conscious choice to better your credit score every single day, you can change your future for the better too.

I was given a bottle of Soft Scrub Advanced Surface to try out around the house and post my 100% honest opinion of the product and I was all over it because if there is any way possible to cut down on the cleaning time or make it easier to clean… sign me up!

I’ve always been a Soft Scrub fan because I love the Soft Scrub with bleach in our white shower and tub. It gets them SO WHITE!

Soft Scrub Advanced surface gel can be used on countertops, faucets, stovetops, sinks and tiles and it is SUPER easy to use.

Apply it and wipe away. That’s it. No rinsing. No scrubbing. You can apply the gel directly to the cleaning surface, which is what I did on my glass stovetop after cooking a big dinner. Or you can apply it to a damp paper towel, which is what I did to wipe down my countertops.

Easy peasy clean.

• Soft Scrub Facebook page: click here
• Soft Scrub wesbite: click here

Disclosure: As stated above, I was provided a bottle of Soft Scrub Advanced Surface for purposes of review.

Starbucks is offering 1/2 off of any frappuccino blended beverage through May 12th from 3pm – 5pm at participating locations. Find a store near you with their store locator.

Beginning on May 8, Del Taco will introduce Free Food Wednesdays and from 3 – 9 pm will offer an item from the Buck & Under menu free with any purchase. (Price and participation may vary.) This offer will also be available on May 15. On Wednesday, May 22 and May 29, Del Taco is offering a free item with any purchase from the New Tastes menu.

The Buck & Under Menu features a variety of tacos, burritos and drinks totaling 11 items for 50¢, 75¢ and $1. This includes a Mini Cheddar, Mini Bacon Quesadilla and a Crunchy Chipotle Beef Taco – all new products. Other menu items include a Value Bean & Cheese Burrito, Jacked Up Value Bean, Rice & Cheese Burrito, Grilled Chicken Taco, ½-Pound Bean & Cheese Burrito, Double Beef Classic Taco, Strawberry Lemonade with real strawberry slices and Medium Size Brewed Iced Tea.

New Tastes menu includes a Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Taco, a Chili Cheese Fry Burrito and a Fiery 6 Layer Burrito.

“Our new menu has given our current fans a new reason to believe in all that we have to offer at Del Taco,” said John Cappasola, Chief Brand Officer at Del Taco. “And, we’re seeing new customers giving us a try and finding out how positively different Del Taco is from everything else that is out there.”

At Del Taco, all menu items are prepared to order using fresh ingredients including cheddar cheese grated from 40-pound blocks, hand-made pico de gallo salsa featuring ripe tomatoes, diced onions and fresh cilantro, lard-free beans slow cooked from scratch with Del Taco’s signature flavor, and marinated chicken grilled in the restaurants.

Del Taco has more than 550 restaurants in 18 states.

Disclosure: I will receive a Del Taco gift card in exchange for this post.

Aaaah, Cinco de Mayo. It might just be the single most delicious holiday that exists. I love mexican food.

Here is a roundup of my favorites. I might be making every.single.one this weekend!

• Tacos
• Homemade refried beans
• Chile Rellenos
• Homemade tortilla chips

• Homemade salsa
• Enchiladas
• Green chile (also known as chile verde)
• Homemade taquitos

And check out these YouTube videos on:

• How to fry a tortilla
• How to make a taquito
• How to make a tostada

Not the right date? Check the Denver page for the most recent Rockies taco special date!

The Rockies taco special at Taco Bell is ON at participating locations today (May 2, 2013)! This year’s Rockies taco special is four tacos for $2.16. Add a medium drink for $.50.

The deal is on from 4-6pm at participating Taco Bell locations when the Colorado Rockies score more than 7 or more runs the previous day.

Yesterday the Rockies won 7-3 over the Dodgers!

Did you land on the wrong day?? Check the Denver Deals tab to see a more recent date.

Admission to the Denver Art Museum is FREE on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Free general admission tickets are available on-site starting at 10 am.

For more fun things to do in Denver, and more free events, head over and check my calendar.

The remaining Denver Art Museum free days in 2013 are as follows:

• Saturday, May 4, 2013
• Saturday, June 1, 2013
• Saturday, July 6, 2013
• Saturday, August 3, 2013
• Saturday, September 7, 2013
• Saturday, October 5, 2013
• Saturday, November 2, 2013
• Saturday, December 7, 2013

The free days are courtesy of Target and made possible by the citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District.