It's not complicated....

I’m not here to cheer for Biden or Trump—honestly, I’m not on Team Politician at all. The whole idea of putting all our faith in one person, one party, or one government to fix everything? Feels like betting on a rigged horse race. It doesn’t matter who’s in the driver’s seat; the car’s already headed the wrong way. And the media? Well, they’re riding shotgun, pointing us toward whatever narrative keeps us distracted.

Meanwhile, here we are, scrolling through social media like moths to a flame, chasing algorithms instead of answers. We’re asking Google to solve our problems instead of looking inward. We’re rushing to cast votes for people we think we understand—or more accurately, people we’ve been told to trust. And somehow, all the finger-pointing and shouting has split the room right down the middle, turning our culture into a battlefield rather than a shared space. It's like that old saying—how do you tear something apart? From the inside out.

And boy, have they succeeded. We're so caught up in the shouting matches that we’ve missed the real trick—the wool pulled over our eyes. Left, right, red, blue—everyone’s busy blaming everyone else. And no one’s stepping back to think, “Wait a second, maybe we’ve had the power all along to make some real changes ourselves.” Spoiler alert: we never needed a permission slip. Not from a politician, not from a party, and certainly not from a punch card at the ballot box.

The truth? We’ve become our own worst tragedy. We’ve lost the spirit that built us up in times of crisis because we’ve been too busy tearing each other down. Hate, judgment, prejudice— and don't get me started on the Liberals.... those aren’t external forces anymore. Those are our own creations. And for those who don’t hold hate in their hearts, fear has taken its place, freezing them in indecision. The few who still believe in fighting for what’s truly right? Outnumbered, exhausted, and drowned out.

But it doesn’t have to go this way. Maybe what we need isn’t another argument or another leader to fix everything. Maybe what we really need is to sit down, shut out the noise, and actually think—for ourselves this time. Think about what this country was built on, and the strength we found in each other during the hardest times. If we don’t recognize that, we’re doomed to stay in this mess we made.

Wrong is wrong. Right is right. It’s not complicated. No gray areas, no asterisks. If we can’t fight for what matters—together—then maybe we should start praying for the strength to stop fighting each other.

10-31-21

From memories 

In the middle of me doing some house work, Jessica calls and asked me if I had seen one of the toys I gave the kids last night in their Halloween buckets.  (It’s a .99 plastic toy I found at Wallgreens) i stopped what i was doing, and immediately went in search of it until I found it and then promptly delivered it to her awaiting car in the driveway. LOL 

I thought to myself I would never do this for my children when they were little!  If my kids lost something I would say “well you’ll found it eventually.”  But not for these grandbabies!   I will stop whatever I’m doing just to make them happy. LOL

No wonder my kids wanted to stay at my parents all the time!!

#LollyLife

Parent Assignment!

"Stay in the house on a beautiful day? Nope, don't' be that parent!! Here's the real assignment, folks—parents need to put their phones down, step outside, and remember what fresh air smells like. Yes, I’m talking about old-school parenting. You know, the kind where you race your kid to the slide and realize halfway through that you’re horribly out of shape. Parenthood isn't a lost art—it’s just been on a coffee break. Time to dust it off and get back in the game!"

Jack & Diane

Wow, I never expected to still be jamming out to "Jack & Diane" as a grandmother. I remember blasting that song with my high school boyfriend while touring Oklahoma colleges 40 years ago. Now, with 13 grandkids, I still feel the same nostalgia and emotions every time I hear it. Music truly has the power to transport us through time and bring back precious memories. It's a reminder that age is just a number.

The Trials and Triumphs of Running a Daycare

Running a daycare is a bit like tending to a flourishing garden. At first glance, it seems simple—plant the seeds, provide water and sunlight, and watch everything grow in harmony. But anyone who's tried their hand at gardening knows it’s never that straightforward.

I run a 5-star daycare center in Oklahoma, a place filled with giggles, toys, and potential. On paper, it sounds idyllic, but behind the brightly colored walls and cheerful posters lies a mountain of stress, much of which, surprisingly, doesn’t come from the children. No, the children are the roses in this garden. They are content with a room full of toys and the freedom to play. The real storms come from the adults—the parents, the staff, and even the system itself.

Take parents, for example. They trust us to provide care for their little ones while they go about their day, and rightly so. But sometimes, situations arise that leave us as daycare providers in a perplexing bind. There’s the parent who drops off their child, fully medicated with Motrin because their fever was 104°F that morning. Their hope? One dose of medicine will last until six in the evening, conveniently avoiding the risk of missing work. The inevitable fever returns, and when we call the parent to pick up their child, the frustration comes back at us tenfold. Suddenly, it becomes our fault, even after we learn that little Timmy spent last week at Aunt Linda’s—who just tested positive for COVID.

And then there’s the staff, the lifeline of any daycare. Some of my employees show up every single day, despite personal health battles or family challenges. These women are warriors—true cornerstones of my daycare’s success. But others? Well, there are those who mysteriously vanish after a sneeze or strategically schedule their doctor’s appointments for the middle of the day, making it impossible to work the hours before or after. Like a garden, the health of a daycare relies on all its parts working together, yet some flowers don’t always pull their weight.

Add to that the looming shadow of DHS (Department of Human Services) and the bureaucratic hurdles that can feel as relentless as weeds on a summer’s day. The myriad forms, inspections, and compliance requirements can leave even the most prepared daycare operator second-guessing every decision.
Then, there’s the financial strain. The cost of running a daycare has skyrocketed—supplies, inventory, you name it. To cover expenses, prices rise, and suddenly you’re the villain for charging what’s needed to maintain quality. It’s a delicate balance, like watering your garden just enough to keep it alive without drowning it.

Still, through all the stress, there are the moments that make this garden worth tending. It's seeing a child learn to tie their shoes for the first time, watching friendships blossom in a sandbox, or hearing the unfiltered joy of laughter during playtime.

Working in childcare isn’t for the faint of heart. Owning a daycare is an even steeper climb, full of challenges that could dishearten even the most determined individuals. But if you’re reading this, and you still think running your own daycare sounds like a dream—call me. I might just be willing to hand you my garden gloves. 💐