Life: Happy birthday to The Viking!

Today is The Viking's birthday.

...AKA Dad, Daddy, and now Nonno...

Today he reached the ripe age of 57 years old.

Happy birthday to The Viking!

In honor of his special day, here are some of our favorite memories.

That time he wouldn't give up while playing "I'm thinking of an animal".

After trying to guess what animal I was thinking of with the letter "M" for a solid week, he gave up.

The look of fury that crossed his face after I squeaked the word "moop" will never be forgotten.

For the record, I was 10 and I remember hearing about the moops from Seinfeld!

That time that he saved us from the "sharks" in Maryland.

The sharks were actually dolphins, but he screamed "SHARK" with such panic that he cleared the beach.

After calming down the crowd, the lifeguard pulled my father aside to give him a firm speech.

He didn't get arrested, but we wouldn't even dip our toes into the water after that!

That time he acted like the Hulk and pried open elevator doors during a black out.

I was screaming and climbing on top of my Nanny's head when the elevator stopped.

Panic ensued when my cousin mentioned suffocation in the heat.

While Madre, my cousin, and Nanny were screaming "HELP" and kicking the door, I had a melt down.

I was crying and exclaiming that I was too young to die in that elevator!

That's when The Viking told us all to be quiet and pried open the doors with his bare hands.

He saved us all from suffocation while putting us at risk of decapitation.

That time he snapped hundreds of strings beans for my daughter's birthday party.

My daughter had one request for her 6th birthday, and that was to eat string beans!

Nonno volunteered to help her snap the beans while I cooked the sausage and peppers.

Little did he know he would end up snapping 4 half trays full of string beans.

To this day he'll randomly yell out in horror "thheee beaannss"!!

That time he got into an argument with a customer over dirty feet.

Customers were complaining of a naked man in his laundromat.

The Viking ran next door to find a man sitting there naked watching his clothes run through the drier.

When my father nicely explained to him that he couldn't wash his clothes in the nude, the man freaked.

He threw a glass bottle at The Viking and screamed "I won't leave until you clean my feet!".

Within seconds, the naked man, his half dried clothes, and his dirty feet were thrown to the sidewalk.

That time he caught me sleep walking and dreaming I was a salad.

He knew I thought I was a salad because I walked out of my room to smother myself in vinegar and oil!

That time he drove through the city for hours to find my car.

A friend and I ventured off to the San Genaro feast only to forget where we parked my car.

We got lost trying to find it and my father came to the rescue without question.

Although, he wasn't happy that all I could remember about the road was that it had a fire hydrant!

That other time he had to rescue my friends and I from being stranded in the city.

After several bad experiences, he made us promise to park in a parking garage.

He even gave us the money to make sure that we parked in a parking garage.

Well, we found a spot in front of the club and decided to park in the street against his advice.

The Viking ended up coming to our rescue again because a truck legit ran over my friends car!

That time he let me keep my pet iguana at his dry cleaners.

My landlord didn't want the lizard in her home, so he let my iguana take refuge in his shop.

He even let the iguana run free to stretch his legs and scare the customers.

It was all fun and games until he changed my iguana's name from Beautiful to Ralph!

That time he walked me down the aisle, cared for me during surgeries, and babysat my babies.

He may not be perfect, but he's always been there for me, my husband, and my children.

We are all lucky to have these memories and much more with The Viking.

Please join me in wishing The Viking a happy birthday!

List: Ten winter activities to do this year.

It's common to see endless lists of activities for the Fall, Spring, Summer, and holiday season.

Then Winter comes and the only activity on the calendar is simple - h i b e r n a t i o n.

While I'm all for a day or two of that, let's get up, brave the cold, and live a little!

The days are shorter, the weather is colder, and a snow storm is only a matter of time.

Let's accept the bitter truth and come up with some creative ways to spend our days.

There are lots of things to do during the Winter, whether it be inside or outside.

Besides, life's way too short to let an entire season pass us by!!

Ten activities to do during the Winter.

1.  Take an art class with one of your favorite people.

I've never actually done one, but I hear such great things about these events.

Through step by step instruction, your guided into making a beautiful work of art.

This is a fun night out, a learning experience, and a way to get a unique piece of decor!

As an added bonus, there are some that serve wine...

2.  Get passes for a day or more at an indoor pool.

I'm not one for swimming in water that others are soaking in, but most people love pools.

This is a fun way to pretend it's summer, get some exercise, and dust off that bikini!

3.  Spend the day tubing.

We're not all fit or coordinated enough for Winter sports like skiing or snowboarding.

That's why I absolutely love tubing!  It's fun, season appropriate, and almost anyone can do it.

4.  Host a competitive game night.

This could be a game where you win cash money like LRC or cards.

You can compete against your girlfriends and loser gets to babysit the kids for a few hours.

Have the kiddies participate with a game of apples and apples.  Winner has no chores for a week.

Whatever the game, keep it competitive and keep it fun.

Bonus- Throw tacos and margaritas into the mix for a guaranteed good time!

5.  Attend an event at the local library.

My library always has a full schedule of different of activities for everyone of every age.

Sign your kids up for a craft, reading event, or even a puppet show.

Join other people in your community for a day trip to a casino or local museum.

Join the roster for their yoga class or book club meetings.

It doesn't matter which event you choose as long as your involved and have some fun!

6.  Have a snow day slumber party.

If snow is in the forecast, gather a small crowd and prepare for an old school slumber party.

Stock up on popcorn.  Pick your favorite movie.  Take out your mani/pedi supplies.

Move over the living room furniture to ensure space for everyone's sleeping bags.

Don't forget to play a few rounds of truth or dare and charades.

The next morning, make a ridiculous amount of pancakes and dive in!

Then recruit everyone to go shovel the show...

7.  Gather around a "camp fire".

On a mild Winter day, bundle up the kiddies and light a bonfire in the backyard.

Make homemade s'mores over the fire while telling silly stories.

Each person should take a turn saying a line of the story until the story naturally ends.

8.  Go ice skating.

Get out and about during a day trip to your local skating rink.

I guess you could go to a lake or something, but that freaks me out...

It's a great way to keep active while having fun and totally festive for the season.

9.  Have a fondue night.

This can be a fun day home or a day out to a local fondue place.

There's nothing better than your favorite snacks except for when they're dipped in chocolate!

You can top off your chocolate fondue with a hot chocolate to just make it over the top.

10.  Buy a plane ticket to somewhere warm.

Yea, I couldn't do this one either...but it was worth a try!

What are your favorite Winter activities?

Life: Friday Ramblings

I'm absolutely in love with...

...the new wardrobe that my daughter was gifted for Christmas!

It's such a fun, pretty way to display all of her dress up clothing without ruining the costumes.

It has a bar to hang the costumes, a full length mirror, shoes racks, and extra storage for hats and accessories.

For a double win, my son can inherit her dress up trunk as his new toy box!

We love almost anything that's pretty and results in organization.

I'm totally not feeling...

...my new class this semester.  I'm taking marketing and it's just gross.

Unfortunately, it's a required class for my degree so I just have to grin and bare it.

With only a few classes left until I graduate, all the classes I've been avoiding are now unavoidable.

I was thoroughly disappointed in...

...the new show, The Witcher!  With all the hype, I was expecting something more fabulous.

The show itself was dark, dreary, and filled with disgusting, bug like monsters.

Although, I am hearing that I have to give it more than one episode.  Maybe I'll try again..

I'm still laughing at...

...my husband's face when my father's birthday gift came in the mail.

The look of disgust that crossed his face when he saw it was a handheld vacuum was priceless.

My father doesn't have one making this a very useful and practical gift!

I'm trying to practice what I preach by...
...not having a mental breakdown that my hubby accidentally bleached our show towels in the bathroom.
I'm trying to teach my babies and husband that a hissy fit doesn't solve anything.
Despite my fake smile, I am totally SCREAMING profanities in my head every time I walk past it.

I'm still walking around sulking because...

...my manager quit and I feel like I've been dumped after a long, serious relationship.

I now report up to someone so high that I'm afraid to even speak to them.  Anyone hiring?  Save me!

I can't stop giggling at...

...the young girls and their Jojo Siwa bows!  

They are bigger than their heads, and yet they rock them every chance that they get.

We got one for my daughter for Christmas, and that's the gift she spoke about for weeks!

I find myself thoroughly concerned with...

...the world right now!  Everywhere you look there seems to be gloom and mass destruction.

Australia is burning down.  Iran & the US are playing power games with real people's lives.

Puerto Rico is suffering from unheard of earthquakes.  It's mid January and Winter didn't even say hello yet!

Here's to peace, safety, and health to all of those living including the kangaroos & sunflowers in the world.

We'd also like add a wish for just one teeny, tiny snow flurry this season to make the kiddies happy!

What are your Friday ramblings?

Life: Disney on Ice presents Dream Big!

This past weekend, we surprised our daughter with tickets to see Disney on Ice.

This performance was called Dream Big which is a fitting title with the show's main theme of courage.

It encompassed a lovely mix of different Disney classics all centered around the main theme.

We sang.  We danced.  ...& we had a ball trying to guess which story was next!

It was a welcomed experience to break up the dead of Winter.

We purchased our tickets from Groupon at a very reasonable price.

The tickets were $20 per person including all taxes and fees.  The baby boy was free at 18 months old.

While the tickets were a bargain, everything past the entrance point was disgustingly priced.

In typical Disney fashion, everything was magically displayed and enticing.

I mean, I'm a full grown adult and I wanted to eat the unhealthy snacks and snuggle a stuffed princess!

The stuffed animals were $35+.  The Minnie and Mickey ears were $25+.  A bubble wand was $35+.  The popcorn, snow cones, and cotton candy were just as pricey!  Naturally, my kiddies wanted all of it.  We settled on a Cinderalla necklace for my daughter and a Mickey Mouse bubble wand for my son.  Both items combined were more expensive than our tickets, but they did come with a 2 year warranty which was a pleasant surprise.

My FIL had me rolling when he said the bubble wand had more of a warranty than his new fridge!

In addition to the overpriced souvenirs, there were overpriced photographers stationed everywhere.

We were looking for the typical "Disney on Ice" sign to take a picture with, but none could be found.  If you wanted to take a picture to remember the day, you'd have to do so with their photographers for a crazy fee. 

Instead, we took a picture in front of the vendor selling their million dollar snow cones!

Do you think they were stationed in front of these windows to purposely ruin our sneaky pics?!

I may have been a little turned off by their cruel ingenious marketing, but the show itself was great!

We knew our daughter would be in her glory, but I never expected my son to love it as much as he did.

He was dancing, singing, pointing, and screaming in shock at every new face that joined the stage.

He must have screamed the words mommy and mickey about 2,000 times!

We were told by different people that my daughter (6 yrs) was too old and my son (18 mos) was too young.  This was complete nonsense as they both had a blast in their own way.  My in laws never saw some of the Disney movies that were depicted in the show, and they even enjoyed it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, this was enjoyable for everyone and of all ages!

When I was younger, we would see Disney on Ice every year around the same time.

Those shows were a reenactment of one movie in particular.

This performance was nothing like that at all.

In Dream Big, each Disney classic had their own limited stage time to tell their story of courage.

Their story was told through mostly song and choreography, but some narration as well.  In between skits, Mickey & Minnie would come out to introduce the next act.  There was some comic relief with a special appearance from Goofy and some magic with a special appearance from Tinker Bell.

I would highly recommend Disney on Ice presents Dream Big as one time experience.

..just don't let the good prices fool you into leaving your extra cash at home..

Have you or will you see Disney on Ice?

List: The ten biggest rip offs of the holiday season.

My family has always been taught to let Christmas linger until Little Christmas.

While we don't celebrate this holiday in the US, my grandparents still honor the day.

No, La Befana doesn't visit, but we will acknowledge the day with a nod and a pastry!

Since that date has passed, we are spending the day redecorating our home and reflecting on the holidays.

The nook that used to house our Christmas tree is now filled with our contemporary end table.

The fireplace that was trimmed with Christmas loveliness has been redecorated with mosaics and flowers.
Elfie, our Elf on the Shelf, magically disappeared back to the North Pole in preparation for 2020.

My gingerbread house cookie jar has been stored away for next year and my grinning pig has returned.

To put it bluntly, we are feeling the bittersweet sting of the official end of the holiday season.

To help ease the sting, we're mocking our least favorite parts of the season by listing the scams.

This is all in good fun.  We have no regrets, but may make some slight adjustments next year!

Upon reflection, even the worst rip off of the season doesn't ease the pain of the inevitable snow storms ahead.

Ten biggest rip offs of the holiday season.

1.  A holiday photo shoot for your Christmas cards.

Year after year, we've been patrons of a popular chain to take our holiday photos.

We typically get some great shots with a lovely backdrop and unique props.

On top of it, we can order our Christmas cards through that company for a reasonable price.

This year we were unhappy with our pictures and were F L O O R E D at the inflation of price.

For six consecutive years we've spent around the same amount of money.  This year, that price tripled.

We used them in June, which means this establishment learned to milk their patrons for the holidays.

At this point, purchasing a camera, a variety of back drops, and some props may be more economical!

2.  Normal underwear purchased during the holiday season.

After our photo shoot at this popular chain, we went to the underwear section.

My husband needed to purchase some basic, no frills, all cotton underwear.

We picked up a 3-pack of regular undies from Hanes.  Once again we were F L O O R E D.

It was $30 for three freaking pairs of underwear!  I headed to Target and got an 8-pk for $12.

All hail Target, a rare chain that offers discounts during the holidays instead of raping our wallets!

3.  An ugly Christmas sweater to wear for one event.

Last year my daughter had to wear an Ugly Sweater for a holiday party in school.

We had to shell out a decent amount of money for something she'd wear about a total of 6 hours.

Well, I got her the sweater, but two sizes too big so that it would fit for future school parties!

4.  The fake charities that solicit at your front door.

I hate to be that person, but it's awkward when an obviously fake charity is asking for donations.

These "charities" disappear all year long only to come back full force every December.

It's always a conundrum for me.  While they're lying about the cause, it's still charity, right?

5.  Any type of transportation throughout the holiday season.

To book a flight any time in November through January is absolute robbery.

Unless Santa himself is the pilot, what is the cause of the raise in prices!?

The price of taxi services, car rentals, and even horse drawn carriage sky rockets during this season!

6.  The Ryan's World mystery toys suddenly become scarce and expensive.

The star of Ryan's World is a cute little boy about the same age as my daughter.

He ingeniously markets his own toys to his following on YouTube & Nickelodeon.

They are mostly comprised of blind bags or packaging and surprise knick knacks.

Last year I spent $50 on a giant egg filled with CRAP because it was the "it" toy of 2018!

Moral of the story- This year Ryan was banned from viewing and Santa's wish list!

7.  Credit card companies offering "specials" just for you.
Many popular store chains offer discounts for opening up their credit card.
Aside from the hard inquiry on your credit report, the balance can be paid off immediately without penalty.
While this is typical, have you noticed the "special offers" that existing cards give you?
They offer you 0% interest or discounted pricing on your purchase or promotional item.
The promotion may be valid, but the catch is typically more pricey than paying retail value.

8.  The inflated prices on all holiday themed goods.
This happens with each and every single holiday.
Slap a picture of Santa or a reindeer on an every day item and double the price.
Tip- Wait until the day after the holiday for them to hit clearance and save them for next year!

9.  Cheaply made festive decorations.
For my daughter's school parties, I'm always scavenging for inexpensive themed decor.
I'm always shelling out a large sum of money for stuff that won't last more than one party.
It's frustrating and an obvious scam of those big business Scrooges!

10.  All of the mandatory donations and fundraisers.
I'm all for donating to the less fortunate, especially during the holiday seasons.
I always adopt a family during the holidays, donate to the food pantries, and contribute to the mitten tree.
What I'm NOT all for are the organizations that choose this time to collect funds for self profit.
The church, school, and extra curricular activities all have their hands out during the holidays.
These organizations should use their power at this time of year to start a food, toy, or coat drive instead!!

What rip offs during the holiday season frustrate you the most?

Life: Friday Ramblings

I'm feeling empty and really missing our...

...Christmas decor!  Both the inside and the out have been stripped of it's holiday cheer.
I love my everyday decor, but for that first day or two, it's like our home was stripped to its' core.

I never thought I'd mourn an already dead tree that left a mess of pine needles on the floor daily!

To help ease the pain I...

...put out Valentine's day decor.  In my defense, it isn't much but it makes me smile!

We have the most lovely heart shaped wreathe that does a fabulous job of cheering up the front door.
I also adore my festive spoon rest, dish towels, and decorative mug.  They really brighten up the kitchen.

I'm crying real teal tears because...
...today is my manager's last day at the company I work for.
There goes my only buffer between the evil president of the domain and I.
If I thought things were bad before, they are about the get a hell of a lot worse!

I'm ready to throw some punches at...
...our 9 year old neighbor.  Obviously, I would never actually do it.  That would be assault of a minor.
This bossy little snot decided that she wanted my daughter to play with her instead of the other kids.
When my strong minded daughter held her ground, the neighbor tried to drag her by the coat.
She didn't manage to drag Mushy, but she did make her slam her face into the side mirror of our car.
My daughter didn't want to snitch, but it left a giant bruise less than an inch from her eye ball!
To say I'm fuming is an understatement.  Is it assault to wish a day of diarrhea upon a minor?!

I giggle every time that...
...my baby boy calls his spoon a "boom boom" because it's just so silly!

My new favorite under appreciated product is...
...Febreze vent clip air fresheners in Unstoppables.  With this, my car always smells like fresh laundry.
The smell doesn't fade either.  It's so strong, that under the right circumstances, I can smell it outside the car.

I'm dedicated to...
...healthier eating and more activity to lose some of the holiday weight that I've put on.
I'm vowing to stay away from sugars and to cut back a bit on the carbs. 
It helps that it's soup season because they're great to make on a weekend and to freeze for another day!
All I need to learn now is how to eat the soup without adding tortellini.

I'm totally loving the...
...new play yard that we set up around Christmas time.  The best part is, the kids love it too!
Nanny bought us a colorful 8 panel play yard.  It's almost the size the den giving them restricted freedom.
My aunt gifted them with a beautiful, puzzle mat decorated with the alphabet and numbers as cushion.
My hubby won a 50" 4K TV at our holiday party this year.  This was the ultimate addition to their play yard.
Santa gifted my son with a Fisher Price food stand that he I named "Baby Boy's Taco Stand".
Finally we added some finishing touches with a fabric toy bin, a sleeping bag, and a pillow pet!
Since the addition, I've actually been able to work a little on work from home days and clean on weekends!
This was meant for my one year old, but I think my six year old has taken it over like big sisters tend to do..

Book Review: Lost Roses

When I get entrenched in a good book, I don't want to put it down.

On the flip side, I don't want the story to end either.

I guess there's just just no pleasing me sometimes!

That's exactly how I felt when reading my latest purchase.

Last year I read the book Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly.

It spiked my interest because it was the story of Caroline Ferriday.

Caroline was a NY philanthropist that dedicated her life to charity and helping the less fortunate.

Her most recognized work was her dedication to a group of ladies known as the Ravensbrück 'Rabbits'.

She was a descendant of the Woolseys who are a well known family and a big part of Long Island's history.

The book followed the life of Caroline Ferriday and two other characters inspired by real people.

Long story short - the book was absolutely fabulous!  I did not want to put it down.

Knowing this, you could imagine how excited I was to learn that Kelly wrote a prequel to Lilac Girls!

Just in case you couldn't imagine, I was really excited.  I eeped and all!

The prequel is titled Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly.

The book was read by Kathleen Gati, Tavia Gilbert, Karissa Vacker, and Catherine Taber.

The unabridged version was 15 hours and 21 minutes long.

Review:  Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly

Lost Roses has quickly made its way to my top ten favorite books of all time.

It was the first novel I've read set during WWI and it's left me eager to learn more.

The book followed the story of three main characters whose story lines were all intertwined.

Kelly did a  f a b u l o u s  job flipping between each character's story.  The book flowed and was easy to follow.

My only complaint is the lingering cliffhangers when the story line shifts, although, they kept me intrigued.

The time period stretched from the onset of WW1 to the immediate aftermath of the war.

There was even an epilogue to tie the story up nicely for each and every character.

For an even bigger win, the author wraps up the novel with a brief explanation of fact and fiction.

The star of the show is Eliza Ferriday, mother to the well known Caroline Ferriday.

Yes, Caroline makes many appearances throughout the novel as a young child and teenager.

She was a powerful woman from a long line of distinguished, powerful people.

Through heartache and disaster, she became a beacon of light for the less fortunate in this novel.

Her story was well researched, written, and narrated.

Eliza Ferriday is of a character that we should all aspire to mimic.

Eliza's best friend and Russian royalty, is the next character, Sofya Streshnayva.

The reader was able to see Sofya at the height of her life in Russia.

Quickly after the reader's introduction, Sofya was deemed a White Russian and crucified.

Sofya was my favorite character.  I found myself cheering for her through every set back.

This character fought for her son, husband, sister, family, country, people, and even her horse.

I am ignorant to the politics of WW1 outside of this novel, but based on the story, Sofya was a true heroine.

The third character of this story is Varinka, a young Russian peasant with a hard life.

Of the three characters, her story was the most intriguing and difficult to comprehend.

Without giving away any spoilers, she was a victim to hostile situations including persistent domestic abuse.

Her circumstances made me as the reader want to sympathize with her and excuse her for her wrongdoings.

Unfortunately, I could not.  I was sickened by this character and thought of her as the enemy.

It's rare that I withhold hatred for a fictional character, but I really REALLY disliked her.

Her mother was a gifted fortune teller and a genuinely good woman.

It was interesting to see a child grow into a victim of circumstance despite a good parent present.

The story of the three characters intertwined perfectly.

Their story lines allowed the reader to understand WW1 from different perspectives.

It also left me with lingering thoughts around parenting despite unfortunate circumstances.

Oh, and it also validated that I'm a huge fan of Martha Hall Kelly and Kathleen Gati.

I would highly recommend Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly.

After reading both books, I would still recommend reading Lilac Girls first.

This book set up the reader for small Easter eggs that can be found in the prequel.

Have you or will you read Lost Roses?

List: Ten times to request personal space.

I have a brief story to share today.

I know, I know.  Big surprise...

It all started with me minding my own business while working in my office.

A colleague of mine that I haven't seen in a while stopped by to say hello.  I cheerfully returned his hello and welcomed him back.  During the course of this exchange, he walked through my office door, around my desk, and leaned in to kiss my cheek.  As he got closer, I moved further away until there was nowhere left to go.

While the greeting was not welcomed or wanted, it was innocent.

It was also unprofessional and inappropriate.

...not to mention a little creepy....

Caught off guard, I politely reminded him to respect my personal space.

He apologized immediately.  I blushed, accepted his apology, and nervously giggled.

He also hasn't stopped by to say hello or spoken to me since.

This exchange got me thinking.

If some people don't know that work is a place to respect personal space, what else don't they know?

No worries, I'm here to help.

Ten times to request personal space.

1.  You should request personal space any time that you're uncomfortable.

While this should be common sense, many people are afraid of coming across a certain way.

Please don't be and politely ask your personal space intruder to back up.

If they get upset, explain that you feel uncomfortable.

If they still don't give you your space, walk away.

Remember that they didn't respect your request so don't go feeling guilty!

2.  People need to keep their space during meal times.

The absolute worst is when you're ready to eat, and someone shoves their nose into your dish for a whiff.

You have every right to tell that person and their nose to take five steps away from your plate.

3.  When you're at an ATM machine, personal space is vital.

There is a lot of confidential information shared between a consumer and the ATM machine.

Be respectful of that and stand at a reasonable distance from the person using the machine.

Does anyone else feel real vulnerable every time they stand at an ATM?  Ugh

4.  You should request personal space when you're emotional.

Certain people don't like to be crowded when they have any heightened emotions.

Whether you're angry, sad, or frustrated, you should ask for alone time to deal with your mental state.

5.  When you're riding on a crowded train, it's OK to ask for space.

It can be difficult to get space when you're on a crowded form of transportation.

While it's true that free room may be limited, you're still entitled to a personal, grope free space.

Don't give me side eye until you've been groped on the subway!  It happens and it's gross.

6.  You are even allowed to ask doctors and nurses for some personal space.

Some doctors lose sight of the fact that a body isn't just a body.

Don't be ashamed to ask them for privacy or to question them if you feel violated.

Typically it's our modesty that causes embarrassment, but sometimes it's the doctors that are inappropriate.

7.  You can ask for space when someone's touching your laundry.

Your laundry, clean or dirty, is a very personal thing.

If you don't want somebody touching it, just tell them that.

I almost died when somebody tried folding my family's undies recently.  Put my thong down!

8.  When you're shopping with a eager salesman, tell them to you need space.

I often find myself in boutiques hunting for unique clothing.

As much as I love the clothes, I hate the clingy salesman that's all in my business.

They don't let you take one step without trying to be overly helpful or sell you something.

I've even had one follow me into a dressing room to try to convince me something fit that didn't.

9.  If you're in the bathroom, your personal space bubble just grew.

In the bathroom you're allowed to tell people to please leave you alone, even if you're in a stall.

Pee pee time isn't a time to have a conversation.  Please wash your hands and go.

10.  When you're raising your children, you should ask for some personal space.

As a mother to two young children, I can confirm that unsolicited advice & judgement is everywhere.

Raise your children how you feel they should be raised.

Reprimand them how and when you feel they should be reprimanded.

Praise them how and when you feel they should be praised.

Take advice when you feel you need it, and tell everyone else to shove save it!

When do you feel the need to request personal space?