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Sunday, January 31, 2010

We are not Rubber Bands

After having a baby you should be focusing on your new family.  The beauty of your baby,  not the pooch on your belly.  While some women will be back in their pre pg jeans in no time most women won't, if ever, be back in them.  I have never been the size I was before I got pg with my first.  I probably shouldn't have even been the size I was before I got pg.  It took working out 3 times a week, no breakfast, only coffee, a lite lunch and most times no dinner.  I was in my final semester of college and would be there from 6 am till 10 pm.  I lost 25 lbs in 3 mos.  I am sure I was the envy of women everywhere.  I looked dreadful.

Now, while overweight, I am pretty happy with how I look.  I am not sure I would give up my ample curves to fit in my pre pg jeans.  It would be a tough choice.  But apparently I am supposed to want to.  And my body should be a rubber band, able to bounce back the moment a baby leaves my uterus. Well its not, nor should it be.  We are women, not rubber bands. 

Friday, January 29, 2010

What bigger than a bread box?

And bigger than our van?  A monster truck!

If you don't know who that is, that's Gravedigger.  Only the most famous Monster Truck in the country.  Kids got the drivers autograph and an official picture with him.  The Dh took a wrong turn so we ended up out of our way trying to get to the Gravedigger event.  Which is actually a good thing.  Because we passed a fast food restaurant where my 9 yr old exclaimed, "Look its Batman!"

 

So after Gravedigger we went back to see Batman.  All of this was free.  We got candy, balloons, pictures and autographs.   This was special for my 2 yr old who is the biggest monster truck fan ever. But he was too scared to meet his idol.  Go figure. 

Ask a Patent Attorney

Allan Niemerg, of Niemerg Patent Law, is answering questions about patent law.  Being a small business owner who created their own product I have a question for him:  Is a patent the only means to protect your invention?

This is a common question amongst cloth diaper making work at home moms and I am very curious to hear his answer. 

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Babies and Poop

This isn't going to be a post about you think its going to be.  Really.  3 completely unrelated things happened today but lends itself perfectly to a title that will lead you to believe its about something else. 

First - on our way to the park we passed the sewer treatment plant and the smell was horrendous. The Dh described it as rotten dog poo and sour milk.  Everyone in the car was gagging, the smell was overwhelming.  Then out of the blue my 10 yr old announces, "It smells like grandpa!" So now on top of gagging we were nearly choking from laughing so hard.  I didn't even have to ask which grandpa, I knew which...and it wasn't my dad. 

Second - I have a new niece!  My only niece! She weighed in at 5 lbs 14.6 oz.  While small that's actually almost a pound bigger than we expected her to be.  The Dh asked if I had baby cravings from it.  He knows me too well.  But oh my is this baby beautiful!  I can not wait to see her, which I should have had the opportunity to do.  It was hospital FAIL day which is a story for another post. 



Third and lastly - we arrive at poop again.  While on the phone to the Dh my 5 yr old comes in and announces, "I only had a little to eat but I pooped SOOOO much."  I thanked him for sharing so readily with me.  As if I didn't have enough of poop this week.  Still no matter of poop can take away from the joy of having a new niece. 

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

And the Green Grass Grows All Around...

Do you remember that song?  And a tree in the hole and the hole in the ground and the green grass grows all around all around.  I could change the lyrics of that to the events that unfolded today.

There Was A Boy
in The Quiverfull House
the Cutest Boy
that You Ever Did See
and The Boy In The  House
And Siblings All Around All Around
And Siblings All Around


and In This Boy
there Was Diarrhea
the Nastiest Diarrhea
that You Ever Did See
and The Diarrhea In The Boy
and The Boy In The House
and The Siblings All Around All Around
and The Siblings All Around


and in this Diarrhea

there Was A smell
the Very Worst Smell
that You Ever Did reek
and The smell in the Diarrhea

and The Diarrhea In The Boy
and The Boy In The house

and The Siblings All Around All Around
and The siblings All Around


and In this smell

there Was Some Incense
the Smokiest Incense
that You Ever Did See

and The Incense In the Smell
and The Smell In the Diarrhea
and The Diarrhea In The Boy
and The Boy In The House
and The Siblings All Around All Around
and The Siblings All Around



and In This Smoke
there Was a Smoke Detector
the Loudest Smoke Detector
that You Ever Did Hear
and The Smoke In The Incense
and The Incense In The Smell
and The Smell On The Diarrhea
and The Diarrhea In The Boy
and The Boy In The House
and The Siblings All Around All Around
and The Siblings All Around



and In This Smoke Detector
there Was A Constant Chirping
the Most Annoying Chirping
that You Ever Did Hear
and The Chirp In The Smoke Detector
and The Smoke Detector In The Smoke
and The Smoke In The Incense
and The Incense In The Smell
and The Smell In The Diarrhea
and The Diarrhea In The Boy
and The Siblings All Around All Around
and The Siblings All Around


If you are confused I just said my son has diarrhea and it stank to high heaven.  So we lit some incense that just happened to be right under a smoke detector.  Which then set off the smoke detector.  While I managed to get it turned off it apparently ran down the battery because now the light is on and its chirping non stop.  I could have probably included a verse about a headache but that was probably implied. Personally I like the green grass version better.  Conjures up a much better mental image. 

Monday, January 25, 2010

4 is a Great Age

I was nursing the baby while my 4 yr old went potty.  He needed a wipe but I was otherwise occupied.  So I told him to get it himself as I was busy nursing the baby.  He thought for a minute then said, "You know some mommies walk around while they feed their babies."

Then, whilst at Walmart getting turkey from the Deli, my 4 yr old runs over to me after looking at the cakes.  "Momma!  They have chocolate hot dogs!  Wanna come see?"  Who doesn't want to see a chocolate hot dog?  So I followed him over to the cakes and sure enough...they were Eclairs.   They looked like chocolate hot dogs in a bun for sure though.

Last night he asked me, "Dolphins are mammals right?"  I thought, "Wow, hes really paying attention!"  Then I realized he was just watching Phineas and Ferb.  Oh well.  Maybe he will remember it when he needs it.

Monetary Monday - Cheap Lunches

Avocado Sandwiches



Avocados
Tomato
Lettuce
Mayo
Italian Dressing
Bread of your choice

Optional:
Bacon
Cheese
Onions

I get the avacodos 4 for $1 at a farmers market down the road. (They also have 2 heads of lettuce for $1 but I often get lettuce free from my mother.)  You only use half per sandwich so 4 will feed 8 people.  Using steak tomatoes you can make everyone's sandwich, depending on the size of bread, with just 1 tomato.  I can get 1 steak tomato for $1.

Spread some mayo on the bread and top with lettuce.  I like Romaine or Iceberg but you can use whatever. Top with sliced tomato.  Top with the sliced Avocado.  If you don't know how to slice an avocado you cut them in half and remove the pit. Slice through to the skin length ways.  Gently scoop out with knife, fingers or spoon.  Sprinkle on some italian dressing.  You can also top with bacon, when we use it was use turkey bacon. Add a cheese of your liking, we get this at Costco so we don't spend as much per serving. Onions can also be added, but kids usually don't like onions.  I use Jewish Rye but you may find you like other breads.  Since it is a messy sandwich you might want to try it in a pita pocket. This is basically a salad on bread.

Another cheap lunch the kids like is Mac and Cheese with Tater Tots and Bananas.  I have to make this once a week for me own sanity, they get withdrawals if they don't mac and cheese at least once a week.  You would think their blood was made of Valvetta.   I guess instead of Tater Tots you can do roasted potatoe slices to be a bit cheaper, but tater tots is easier.  And we all know, time is money!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Don't Stick your Hand in a Dark Place

We lost our universal adapter.  We lose a lot of things.  Surprisingly our heads are still attached.  Probably because the kids can't walk off with them.  And I need that universal adapter.  I actually found the end to it in my sewing drawer.  We all know I need the end in all sorts of sewing projects.  I have no idea what it was doing in there, I was just checking every drawer.  I looked under sofas and book cases, in the Dh's dresser, under beds, everywhere.  Except on top of the cabinets. 

I am too short to see on top of the cabinets even on the step stool.  So I climbed on top of the counters.  Yes, I know we tell the kids not to do this, I'm still trying to think up an excuse.  I found 2 tomatoes the kids threw up there, they were dehydrated and looked like potpourri.  Don't ask why the kids were throwing tomatoes, or why I never cleaned it (they are still up there).  Just file it away under, "I don't want to know."  But I did not find the adapter.  There was one cabinet left on the side.  A side that happens to have dirty dishes still there waiting to go in the dish washer.  So I gingerly climbed up there but couldn't see on top.  I could only stand on the edge where there were no dishes.  So I reached my hand up there, hoping not to find another tomato or worse a mouse or a trantula.  I feel dust.  Then I feel....something.  Its crunchy and flacky.  I pull my hand back as I jump.  Remember I am standing on the edge of the counter.  I grab the cabinet to keep from falling to an embarrasing death.  Thankfully the cabinet held my momminess, if you know what I mean.  I push the dishes away with my feet so I can look up there, afraid of what I might find.  It wasn't the adaptor.

It was a rose the Dh gave me a couple years ago.  Apparently I put it up there when I couldn't find a place for it somewhere else.  So don't go sticking your hand in dark places, especially if you are standing on the edge of a counter.  The adapter is still missing.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Baby Kangaroo

My 4 yr old wanted to see what a kangaroo looked like when it bounced so onto You Tube I went.  I found this great educational series from a sanctuary in Australia. There are many parts, but they are all about 2 minutes long, great for 4 yr olds with short attention spans.


Thursday, January 21, 2010

Friday Fails - Photog Fail

PhotobucketMy Blessed Life is having a blog carnival - Friday Fails. I could have an Everyday Fail, but I think knocking me down a peg once a week is enough.

Remember how I went to the Zoo on Monday?  And that I forgot my camera, and my phone, and my daughter's phone AND my brother's phone?  So I got no pictures.  Well I figured all was not lost.  We actually had our photo taken as we entered the zoo.  Think last hill on a plume ride type thing.  I saw the picture, it was great. We took up the whole entrance to the zoo, we are a massively beautiful family.  We could buy the picture at the exit or we could download it for free at home.  They gave us this little card with the link and code for when we got home.  Guess what we lost?  That little card. The Dh said he put it in his drawer...or maybe it was the van? Its in neither place.  So not only did I manage to forget every camera we also lost the only picture we did manage to get there.  Brilliant Fail.  Have I ever mentioned how difficult it is to get all 10 of us in a picture and actually looking at the camera at the same time?  Well, Its hard.  At least I have the picture in my memory.  If you couldn't hear that it was me rolling my eyes at myself.

Picture of the Day - Play is Tiring



Hes just tuckered out after playing with those 3 toys.  Wonder if his leg fell asleep.  

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

In which I must always preface by saying

"I have 8 kids so....

- I really need a black couch with no rips or holes.  Cause my kids will destroy it in a day if it does."
Said when trying to find a new sofa.  Which has now been put on hold to instead pay for our van registration.  For what I pay for that I could buy 2 new sofas every year.

- I buy a lot of food."
Said to a cashier when she remarked, "Oh you have 2 carts?"

-It gets kinda noisy here."
Said to the lady from Vital Records as I hid in my closet to give her the babies name.  She asked if I had a day care.  Yea, lady.  I've got all my day care kids here less than a week after having a baby. 

-I am not able to get dressed everyday."
Said to the folks from Dept. of Justice after I opened the door to them while wearing shorts and a tank top with my hair all floppy. 


- I understand."
Said to a parent after their baby projectile vomited all over me and the floor.  

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Education at the Zoo

Don't you spend your days off school doing educational things?  We got our yearly membership, which actually entitles us to admittance to zoos all across the country.  Not that we ever leave the state, but theoretically of course. 

Its a cold rainy day, I swear I do live in the desert.  You would never know by how often its rained the last couple of months.  Everytime we go out we get rained on it seems.  Anyhow, its cold so it was interesting to see how slow these cold blooded animals were moving.  The tortoises had heat lamps on them, poor things. 

They have an elephant from Ringling Bros.  She was so cute, seemed to be sniffing us.  We saw wolves playing, you know by watching them its funny to think they are as dangerous as they are.  They seem so playful and cute.  Some lemurs were making a huge fuss, and we saw some Gold Eagles that were bigger than my toddler.  But the highlight of everyone's day by far was the orangutans.

The toddler orangutan was playing and falling and the kids were just laughing away at her.  Then she climbed up to her mother and started nursing.   Orangutans nurse for 3-4 years and this toddler will be 4 next week.  The exhibit was busy, we weren't the only ones enjoying watching these guys play and eat.  I was hoping I would hear at least one other person remark on how sweet it was to watch her nurse.  One father said to his little girl, "Oh look shes smelling her mothers hair."  Meanwhile some kids down on the other side said, "OMG look shes sucking her nipple."  It made me sad that the father couldn't be honest with his daughter about what was going on. The Dh said, "When I heard that I knew it would tick you off." And why wouldn't it?  Its an ANIMAL, how can nursing be obscene on an animal?  The kids I understand, it probably didn't even occur to them that there are no bottles in the wild.  And I have to wonder whose fault that is.  Even my kids, when I pointed out he was nursing, all in unison sighed, "Awwwwww."  Right down to the head tilting to the side and eyes batting.  Which did you know you can't sigh Awwww with your head straight?  Try it.  You automatically tilt your head. 

We will be going back in a few weeks, we should get some good pics then.  I was upset I didn't get any of the nursing session. Not only did I forget my camera, I forgot my phone, my daughter forgot her, my brother forgot his and the Dh's phone doesn't take pictures.  Would figure on the day I forget every camera I would want a picture of something for my blog. 

Monday, January 18, 2010

Monetary Monday - The Dollar Store

Last week I was thinking about how buying at the Dollar Store makes it very hard to be green.  For instance if you buy something there that requires batteries its cheaper to just buy a new product altogether than replace the batteries.  Books with buttons that play music, stick up lights, watches, clip on radios, various toys, etc, anything that would have a battery die it was cheaper to buy the whole thing than the batteries for.  Making it very difficult to be responsible. Which is what this post was going to be about - the dilemma of paying more to be responsible.

That was until this week.  Funny how quickly things change.  I bought a new book light since mine is dying. However, when I opened up the new one it didn't work.  My son, I don't know if he didn't believe me or if he wanted to play Mr. Fix It, took it apart to see what the problem was. Apparently it had no batteries.  So either it was an Ooops or the Dollar Store has stopped putting batteries in their products.  I have to take it back to find out whats what.  But if they have decided to stop putting batteries in their products it certainly has made my choice for me to just buy the batteries instead of a whole new product each time. 

The Dollar Store might be good for the pocket book but bad for the environment - so beware.

Friday, January 15, 2010

You might have a lot of kids if...revisited

In case you missed it the first time....You might have a lot of kids and/or be quiverfull if:

You actually hope your relatives don't buy your kids gifts at Christmas because you are dreading the mess.

You have so many pictures of kids that you filled up a 4 gig drive in 6 mos, and you aren't a professional photographer.

You keep your pee sticks and actually post pictures of them for all the world to see.   It skeeves the DH to see mine laying around.  So I have to hide them. 

Dh points out a Tour Bus and says, "That's our next vehicle." 

People call and ask if your family wants to join them on a field trip because theres enough of you for a group discount.  No, really, true story.  Being "used"  takes on a whole new meaning when you have a lot of kids.

You are now a proud owner of not 1 but 2 side by side fridges and a stand alone freezer.

Your savings consists of all the loose change you find in the washer.

Even the kids can't keep all the names straight.

You are out shopping with your mother when you see a sale on maternity clothes and she says, "You better hurry up and get pg."  We wouldn't want to miss a sale now would we.

Every time your grandmother visits there is a new baby for her to meet.  This time she gets to meet 2 new babies, mine and my brothers.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Famous Large Quivers

Disclaimer - not all of these actually HAD large quivers.  Some came from large quivers.  And by quiver I mean family.

George Burns - He was the 9th of 12 children.  He adopted 2 children because he and his wife couldn't conceive.

Mel Gibson was the 6th of 11 children and with his wife had 7 children. I think hes working on #8 with another lady.  I try not to follow the tabloids too much.

Of course the Kennedy's.  Robert and Ethel had 11 children and 30 grandchildren. Robert,  the son of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, was 1 of 9.

Mozart had 6 children, but only 2 survived infancy.  Likewise Beethoven was one of 7,  but only he and 2 brothers survived infancy. 

Martin Sheen was the 7th of 10 children.  He went on to have 4 of his own.

Bob Hope had 6 brothers. He and his wife adopted 4 children. 

Wyatt Earp was one of 8 and also had 2 half siblings.  His father was the 3rd of 10 children.

The Vanderbilts - Cornelius had 13 children and William (son of Cornelius) had 9 children. Its a large family tree that includes people like Anderson Cooper.  

Kirk Douglas had 6 sisters and went on to have 4 children of his own.

Macaulay Culkin was the 3rd of 7th children.

Tim Allen has 9 brothers and Sisters.

Glen Campbell is 1 of 12 and with 4 wives has had 8 children.

Kirk Cameron has 6 kids, 4 of which he adopted.

Bing Crosby was 4th of 7 children and between 2 wives had 7 children of his own. 

Of course the Jacksons of which there are 9.  

I found this blog in my searches and it made me smile.  I especially like this footage.

Don't think anyone today has a big family like that anymore?  Think again!  Here are some real life large families, bigger than mine, like twice as big as mine.  I like teeny tiny compared to some of these guys.

The Arndt's (they have a blog) - 13 boys and 1 girl.

The Jeub's (they have a blog too) - They have 15. 

The Duggars (yes of Duggar fame) - they have 19. 

The Bates (of same Duggar fame)  - they have 17.

The Heppners - they have 17, one of which they adopted.

Lady of Virtue - She has 15.

Kim, from Life in a Shoe - She has 9 (with one on the way) and is one of 14. Today is a particularly good day to visit as she has pics up of her large family.

The Casons - Christi is expecting #16.

There are many others of course, but I don't want to overwhelm you, especially if you are here just to gawk at the crazy lady with all those kids.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Potty Training

Wouldn't it be great if your children potty trained themselves?  Yup, no reminding them to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes.  No secluding yourself in the house for fear of accidents.  No wiping butts or cleaning up dirty underwear. None of This happening.  I think its every parents dream.  And I am living it.

You read right, my 2 yr old is potty training himself.  I have known for awhile that he is ready to be out of diapers.  But this boy does not take kindly to demands.  If I set the timer and told him to go potty he would run in the opposite direction screaming no.  Not because he was afraid to go, simply because I told him.  He is a strong willed child, to put it nicely.  What I can do is encourage him.  And I guess it worked.

I was busy rewinding a VHS tape (There are still some in existence.  I think we own the worlds last remaining artifacts) but, the rewinder doesn't work, so I had to hit the rewind button over and over.  Anyhow...I was busy.  My 2 yr olds diaper was coming off.  I offered to fix it but he just decided to take it off.  After I was done rewinding I went to put a diaper on my 2 yr old only to discover he had one on.  He had put a diaper on himself.  Thats when you know they are ready to be in underwear!  The Dh says, "A self changing toddler.  You gotta love that. "

But it gets better.  Sorta.  The Dh and I were in the kitchen making dinner when who comes in but our toddler, who pulls out his penis and pees on the floor.  I was thinking he was just being bad.  But there was a method to his madness.  Yes, I have a 2 yr old who plans being bad.  No, he did it on purpose cause he had to pee but didn't want to do it on the carpet.  He knew its easier to clean up on the tile.  So when an hour later he almost did it again I told him to go on the potty.  And he did!  Although he used a lot of toilet paper. 

I told him to go get underwear on instead of putting on another diaper, but no he wants to wear a diaper.  And yes, he put that on himself too.  Watching this whole process was so cute.  So determined, so methodical.  2 year olds are great, especially when they potty train themselves.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Elephant Birth

WARNING:  GRAPHIC BIRTH IMAGES

Ok now that that is out of the way, this really is amazing.  Several things struck me as I watched this video. First, I was surprised to see that Elephants give birth from underneath, I assumed it would be from under their tail like a cow.  Silly me, I should have realized that would be a LONG way to fall.  Second, the sound the baby makes sounds just like a baby crying.  I never realized before that animals could cry like humans do after they are born.  It only makes sense, I have seen Swans cry when one has died and dogs cry when they have gotten hurt.  And third when the mother is bearing down she opens her mouth wide.  If you have read any Ina Mae you know that reference...open mouth open bottom.  I love this video, its so cute.  But oh boy, what a mess.

My kids thought this was gross.  But they liked to see the baby Elephant once it was born.  If you have any kids interested in animals say as a Vet or Zoologist they will find this interesting as well.

Without Further Ado - Elephant Birth

Monday, January 11, 2010

Monetary Monday - Entertainment

I know most families have a budget that includes a portion for entertainment.  If you put our entertainment portion on a pie graph you wouldn't even be able to see it.  Mostly because our entertainment is free and the little we do spend is so little its hardly noticeable.

Our biggest entertainment expense is Red Box.  $1 a day.  And even then half the time its free with codes.  Which reminds me I really should get Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs before my code expires.   I saw a new location yesterday, outside the Denny's.  Dinner and a movie takes on a whole new meaning.  We rarely go see movies at the theaters.  For the kids birthday we let them pick one thing they want to do just for themselves.  Sometimes they pick a movie.  Last year the Dh went to Cloudy with 2 of the kids for their birthdays and Ice Age 3 with another one.  But that falls under the birthday budget, like cake and ice cream.  If the kids want to see something not during a birthday they have to save their allowance.  So we only pay for the adult to go with them, or sometimes they go with a friends family.

Most of our trips are homeschool related so that comes out of the school budget.  Like the History Festival. We don't do concerts.  The kids can't even stand it when a car drives by blasting their radio.  Every year my grandparents send us money for the kids for Christmas which we use to buy a year pass to the Zoo.  So again, to us, does not cost anything.  We have Culture Passes here, which is free admittance to places like the zoo, the art museum and the science center.  You can only get so many so we do have to pay for the other kids. 

So there are lots of ways to entertain ourselves inexpensively.  Especially if you are just sitting at your computer watching you tube videos.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Picture of the Day - The Best Part of Waking Up




...Is a Diver in your cup?  I asked the kids, "Really?  We put toys in coffee cups?"  And my 7 yr old said, "Liam did that."   Maybe he really really needed some caffeine.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Laundry

When my parents moved they couldn't get their washer up the stairs to the laundry room.  So lucky me has been doing their laundry for 2 weeks.  Like I don't do enough.  My poor poor machine.  In fact right now I have a load of my parents drying in the dryer.  My mother is coming over tomorrow with more. I'm faint with anticipation. I really gotta get the Dh over there to move their machine. 

But do you know what gets a mom really excited about laundry?  No, not letting everyone run around naked. What really gets a mom excited is having more washers and dryers.  I have dreamt beautiful dreams of laundromat style laundry rooms with rows of washers and dryers.  It made the ridiculous scene from Cheaper by the Dozen when they were in the basement with all the washers and dryers seem sane.  Anyhow, while I was touring the new HGTV Dreamhome I noticed it said there are 2 laundry rooms!  Well that sealed it for me.  I want to win that house.  I don't care that its a state away, I could do my laundry in half the time.  I told the Dh we were gonna win it, cause it has 2 (TWO!) laundry rooms.  His Response?  "One for you and one for your mom." 

I was thinking 'Shes gonna drive all the way from Phoenix to do laundry?'  Yea who am I kidding. The house has casita. 

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

How do you find Blogs?

I don't know if I am nosey or just hungry for knowledge, but I like to read blogs.  I follow about 2 dozen blogs and I am always looking for more.  I read blogs about Couponing and Bookmarks.  I follow blogs about moms and Childbirth.  Which is kinda one in the same.  But it seems so hard to me to find these great blogs.

I sometimes look at the followers on blogs and see what else they are following.  Thats how I found the couponing one.  I always look at signatures on forums to find blogs - thats how I came across Flinging Debt's Blog.  Sometimes I look at the comments in the blogs I read and follow the links.  A couple of blogs I found when someone guest blogged for someone else.  And Blogger's Blogs of Note is what led me to the Bookmarks blog. The dh told me about The Helios blog, but hes really the only one to share with me. Then there are the blog websites like Blog Catalog.  Every once in a while someone will post a link like I am doing and I find a great little blog.  

And still I only have 2 dozen.  I know there are more out there.  I know there are popular blogs but no one ever seems to talk about it.  Like they don't want anyone else to discover their great blog.  I know the time I followed a blog and I was the very first one and it slowly became more and more popular I felt a little proud.  I was there first.  Sometimes I think that the question seen on so many job applications asking you to list 3 or 5 blogs you read is just a sly attempt at finding great blogs for themselves. 

So how do you find blogs?

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Thinks I Thought Today

I wanted to write 'THINGS I thought today', but when I saw my typo I left it because I feel its more appropriate.

Moms don't always say the things we think  Surprising isn't it, with all the yelling and direction we give? Instead of just keeping it to myself I though I would share with you the Thinks I thought but did not say.

While I was cleaning his room I could hear my oldest son down stairs tell my 2 yr old, "Get off me, I am not a horse."  I thought 'Who would be able to tell?  You live like an animal."  And why was I cleaning my sons room?  After 3 days of boys complaining, despite 2 loads of laundry, that they did not have anything to wear the Dh went in search of the problem - dirty clothes shoved under beds.  Hence, why I thought they lived like animals.

My 7 yr old tipped the cookie sheet thereby sliding all the unbaked cookies off the cookie sheet and onto the window of the oven.  I scrapped them up with a spatula and slapped them back onto the cookie sheet.  When he asked if he could bake them that way I told him no.  What I was thinking however was, "Sure, go ahead.  I don't care if you eat cookies that were smooshed onto the window of the oven.  As clean as I am sure it is what with Christmas having been like a week or 2 ago."  And the reason I said no was because if I had said what I was thinking he wouldn't have cared they were nasty from all the whatever is on the window.

 When my son came in my office to see me and subsequently farted I told him, "Dude, you don't come in here and stink it up."  When what I was thinking was, 'Ack, I thought it was the dog.  Good Lord what have you been eating?'  The worst was when he denied it, the dog would have owned up to it.  That I probably should have told him.

I told my 5 yr old to clean his room.  He told me, "I am playing Zoo Tycoon."  I told him he was playing zoo tycoon.  He was done now.  He murmured something unintelligible as he walked out of the room but in the hall I heard him clearly say, "Whats wrong with you woman?" I laughed.  What I was thinking was, "Gosh he sounds just like his father."  That I know I should have told him.  He would have laughed too.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Monetary Monday - Homeschool Curriculum Part 2

So you want something a little different than your traditional homeschool curriculum...and you still don't want to spend a ton of money.  You can do that too. 

You can try Old Fashioned Education.  If you are anything like us, you already have lots of the books required for reading.  If not many if not all are available for download free online.  The nice thing about this site is they have a schedule already done for you. 

Then there is that whole freeware thing...you remember that right? Stop! had an article about that very thing.  As if you didn't have reason enough to try out freeware or shareware.  

Some free or almost free - just the cost of S&H - software can be found at Planet CD ROM.   I haven't tried them yet but I might have to since I want the I Spy software.  Or the kids want the I Spy software.  That wasn't a freudian slip or anything.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Resolve

In an attempt to be transparent and hold myself accountable not just to myself but to all my readers, I read a book yesterday.  100 Years 100 Stories by George Burns to be exact.

Okay, one book is not exactly "reading more" but its a start.  If I could read a book a day I could not only surpass but decimate the goal I set for myself of 1 a month. Yea it wasn't an earth shattering, learn something new each page, motivate me to the core book that I *should* be reading.  But it did make me laugh.  Oh how I laughed.  So I took care of 2 resolutions at once.  Now I don't recommend reading this book to your kids as a bedtime story but it is funny.  If you are looking for an easy and quick read, maybe something for the bathroom shelf for your 2 minute trips there, this would be a great one to start with.  Perhaps not great for the work site, I can just imagine would people would think to hear you in the stall next to them laughing hysterically.  It might make them a tad self conscious.

I bought the book yesterday and finished it within hours.  I figured Saturdays would be a good day to read.  And I was right.  The Dh said I should have bought 3 or 4 books cause I guess he knows me.  Next month however is the VNSA book sale and I hope to find enough books there to get me through the year.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Cactuses

In honor of my New Years Resolution we went hiking.  As we began our hike my 4 yr old said "I don't want to get hurt by any cactuses."  I thought, this is a great teachable moment.  I explained that if there was more than 1 cactus then they are called cacti.  That some plural forms, which is more than 1, don't have a 's' at the end.  I did mention I was explaining this to my 4 yr old right?  Ok good.  As we got further along on our hike ds quips again, "There sure are a lot of cactis on this trail."  Oh well, he kind of got it.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Electricity is Electrifying

You probably think this is gonna be a homeschool post. I guess it could be classified as a  "Life Lesson", but no not really about homeschooling. It is however about me laughing my fool head off at the Dh. 

We have a light on an end table that has gone rogue.  Its a bad light.  Full of mischief and deviancy.  First it breaks its shade.  I can only conclude it was the light itself since all the kids denied it.  So it sat there for about 6 months glaring at us with its huge light bulb.  Did you know that shades are more than just decoration?  Yup, its protection against flying balls. You probably guessed, the light bulb broke.  I had to break down and buy a shade for $2.50; oh the humanity.  Foiled, the light had to come up with another plan to drive us all insane.

For some time the light was fine then one day...it decides it doesn't want to turn on.  Yes, we checked to see it was plugged in.  Yes, the bulb was fine. Then another day it turns on.  The next day it doesn't work again.  And so turning on the light became like playing the lotto...Will we hit the jackpot today?! 

Yesterday it all came to a head when the dh says, "Have you seen this light?  I think it has issues."  I nodded and said, "Yes, for some time."  I probably should have taken the hint to look at the light when he said, "Have you seen this light."  I looked up as I walked by,  the top half was hanging there like a broken fishing pole.  The cords the only thing keeping the two pieces together.  Yea, I'd say it has issues.  Once again I can only assume the light did it to itself, cause no one was talkin.  I told the dh he should unplug it before someone electrucuted themselves.  He assured me it would be fine and he would fix it. 

There on the sofa he sat, light between his legs. My 7 yr old unplugged the light for him while he worked on it.  "Brilliant!" I thought, he listened to me.  He got all the pieces back where they were supposed to be and asked ds to plug the light back in as he held it with one hand.  Then just as quickly yelled, "UNPLUG IT." 

"I think it has a short."  he says.    Really, what gave it away?  The not turning on?  Oh no, it would the wattage now racing through his arm.  I didn't say, "I told you so."  But I did stand there laughing at him.