Q& A Session: How do you get rid of your child's friend

Mara has a schoolmate that I do not particularly like for her. Plain and simple. Mara played at her house and I didn't like how it went so I thought we would only let them play at our house. I feel stressed like I constantly have to be watching them or someone gets hurt or something inappropriate is said or done. Now granted, it isn't anything horrible but nevertheless it isn't what I want for my child. So, now what? It makes it harder because I know her mom and really like her. My current plan is to tell Mara that she can no longer play with her and Mara can communicate the message so I don't have to. Sound good? I know, I know, pretty sleazy. Any ideas?

Addendum: I spoke with Mara this morning about "Jane". She told me she tried to tell "Jane" she wanted to take a break from playing with her at recess (she came up with that on her own-- I was impressed) and "Jane" cried and told the aide (who happens to also be her aunt) who then told Mara to be nice to "my litte Jane". (As quoted by Mara.) She said she's tried to tell her she wants to play with other people but she gets mad.

Did I mention I'm 30?

Now here is a real picture of me on my 30th birthday. No airbrushing, NOTHING. I didn't even get rid of the red-eye. (My photoshop is not working.) It's with my dear sweet baby to show how old I am and how far I'm come. I have to say that I love her to death but I am so glad to be on this side of things and not where she is. It's been hard work getting here but I am grateful for where I've been, what I've learned and the road I'm on right now. Honestly, I wouldn't want to be doing anything else at 30. Being a mom is a blessing every day.

I'm 30.

I say that with all the excitement I can muster. For my birthday I got a new cut. I figure I should have a new 'do to go with my new 30 year-old demeanor. What do you think? Fitting for a stay at home mom like myself, wouldn't you agree?

Huckabee vs. Romney, An American "Holy War"

This election year has been lots of fun. No really. It has been one of the most fascinating in a while with both parties chock full of candidates it makes for interesting news.
Especially with a mormon running.
There are stories all over about what mormons do and don't believe. The journalists have at least got one speck of the truth in the stories, and then a whole bunch of their own interpretation on what that may mean. One of the main stories was about Huckabee who said in an interview to New York Times "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?" Which in and of itself isn't so bad, it's what he said later that I found laughable--
Huckabee later told CNN his question was taken out of context. But he also apologized to Romney face-to-face. "I said, 'I would never try, ever to try to somehow pick out some point of your faith and make it an issue,'" Huckabee explained. "I said, 'I don't think your being a Mormon ought to make you more or less qualified for being a president.' "
Now, I don't mean to offend anyone who supports Huckabee but, come on! Shall we really go into all the ways that he is trying to say that Romney shouldn't be president because he is a mormon? ("I'm not going to air this ad, I'll just give it to you press guys and you do what you feel is best.")
Historian Jan Shipps (considered one of the foremost non-mormon authorities on mormonism) says "It seems so bizarre to me to see politics going in this direction." And Shipps wonders whether we should do stories now about what Baptist preacher Mike Huckabee believes. After all, Huckabee suggested his surge in the polls is due to divine intervention.
So, on a lighter note, here is a link to a great article about "an unfortunate typo".
Enjoy the politicking!