Friday Fun 2

This site cracks me up: cute pictures of pets with crazy captions.

Before you buy something, particularly online, check this site for a coupon. If you don’t find anything there, try just Googling the store name and “coupon”. I just ordered a bunch of pictures from Snapfish, and before I placed the order, I thought I’d just try Googling for a coupon, and sure enough I found one for 20% off.

Want to find the lowest gas prices in your area? There have been several sites in the past I’ve used, but I just ran across a new one run by MSN.

Take a look at these amazing photographs from some interesting angles.

Top Chef Recipes for Courageous Palates

Have you ever watched Top Chef? I enjoy the show simply because I like to watch people who are experts at a craft compete. Since I am a person with extremely simple tastebuds, and eat everything plain, I am regularly amused at what “foodies” consider to be “haute cuisine”. Here’s a sampling of recipes from the episode I watched most recently, in which they had to work with “exotic proteins”:

• Hair of Medusa Eyes with Fries, Sriracha and Lime Aioli, Sea Eel with Electric Venom Broth
• Mustard Seared Alligator Tail and Monkfish Liver Braised with Apple Hash
• Slow Cooked Black Chicken and Raw Geoduck* (pronounced ‘gooey-duck’) with Fennel
• Seared Kangaroo on Sweet Potato Pudding, Poached Egg Topped with Monkfish Liver, Ostrich Carpaccio with Monkfish Liver

As the Valley Girls would say, “gag me with a spoon!” You can get the recipes for these concoctions through the link above, but I think I’ll stick with AllRecipes.com.

*For those interested, Geoduck, is a species of large saltwater clam, and is actually one of the longest lived organisms in the animal kingdom. Just think - the recipe above calls for it to be served RAW. I’m feeling sick…I think I’ll go nuke some hamburger helper to help calm my stomach.

The best advice

My friend Char is having a group writing contest over at Weary Parent about advice we got from our parents. She extended the deadline to this afternoon, which gives me just enough time to get something in! The first thing that came to mind when I thought about this topic was more “warning” than advice, but it stands out as something that had a big impact on my behavior as I was growing up.

“Your sins will always find you out.”

I don’t remember when my mother first said this to me, but I remember doubting whether it was true. How would anyone know what I did if no one saw it? I believed I could cover up the mistake and no one would be the wiser. It never worked! I couldn’t figure out how she always knew when I’d done something wrong! As I got older, I just gave up trying, for the most part. I remember a time (I was maybe 10 years old) when I was horsing around near the piano and broke one of her little wooden angels she had bought in Germany. There was no one around, so I put the angel back up on the piano, towards the back so it would be less noticeable and went on about my business. There was no reason to tell that I had broken something, right? It might be weeks before anyone noticed, and then how could they pin it on me? The rest of the day, the phrase echoed around in my mind: Your SINS will ALWAYS find you out! Your SINS will ALWAYS find you out! Finally, I just had to go tell her, because I knew she would find out anyway.

I appreciate the fact that there was no punishment for wrong-doing as I was growing up without the reminder that it’s always better to just be honest and straightforward when you make mistakes. This advice is as applicable in the playroom as it is in the boardroom.

Jack @ 23 Months

The terrible twos came on in full force this month. Jack feels compelled to say NO to everything, although since it’s “no ma’am” most of the time it’s not that hard to listen to so far. He says NO to everything except, “do you want to go outside?”, and that is met with shouts of “OUTSIDE!! OUTSIDE!!! SHOES ON!!! SHOES ON!!!”. Jack feels he must announce everything, no matter how minor, so that everyone in the house, and possibly the neighbors, can hear him. We’ve been working on using our “inside voice”. One of his favorite activities outside is swimming (or “finnin” in Jack-speak). He also loves slides, so yesterday I bought him an inflatable pool with a slide, and Jack thought he had died and gone to toddler heaven.

Jack and Emily are lots of fun to watch. They get into these giggle conversations where Jack will sort of “fake” laugh at Emily and that makes her laugh, which makes him really laugh and they go back and forth and everyone gets cracked up!

These days, Jack loves pancakes, climbing, airplanes (Ehpane!) and tummies. What is it with toddlers and tummies? Jack has to look at everyone’s tummy and push on it and poke their belly button. I wonder why it’s so fascinating?

Parenting Job Description

(Laura sent this to me in an e-mail. Not sure where it originated, but I thought it was cute.)

POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma, Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

Duration: the rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Baby and toddler sleep tips - what works for me

Being a mother to only 1 child (and an aunt to 1), I feel a little silly doling out anything related to parenting. There are so many people who are so much more experienced than I. But, I suppose every child is different and what works for me might just help someone else who’s trying to find a solution. Jack is a great sleeper, great at going to bed, not so great at sleeping late, but that’s just how he’s built. He was not always a great sleeper though. But, I believe sleep is one of the keys to having a happy child and a happy Mommy, so we have really worked at it. So, here are the things that have worked for me:1. If they won’t sleep when they’re really little on their back, try wedging something on either side of them (Laura used rolled up towels), or letting them sleep in a carseat. They may just need to feel snugglier. I wish I had known this sooner! Jack had such a hard time getting through the night. The open crib was just too open for him. He got a cold at about 5 months and the pediatrician suggested sleeping him in his carseat. He slept through the night for the first time that night and has ever since. The Noggin Nest was an immediate purchase the next day and when we moved him out of his car seat after about 2 months, he was fine.

2. I started out taking all the advice about developing a bedtime/naptime routine, and just have gotten away from doing anything at all and found that it doesn’t make any difference. I now try never to get in the habit of doing anything at bedtime or nap time. Maybe some kids need routine, and maybe Jack’s just not one of them, but even with Emily, who I have during the day - I put them down, say “night night” and leave the room. No problem.

3. When there is crying, which happens every couple of months, unless it is screaming because something is wrong, I do not go in Jack’s room. If I think something might be wrong, I feel for a diaper leak, comfort him for a minute and do not go back in again. When Jack started testing the sleep thing at about 15 months (”hey, maybe I don’t have to listen to Mommy after all. Maybe I don’t have to go to bed when she says or stay in my bed all night.”) because he had been such a good sleeper, I thought something surely is wrong with him. By the time I finally realized he was just testing, I had made the problem worse by going in several times and even laying down in his room on the couch trying to help him understand it was night-night time.

4. I try to put Jack down for a nap with a full tummy.

5. Crying it out works. Every person I’ve ever known that did it says so.

6. I try and go into Jack’s room as quickly as possible when he does wake up. (He’s not one of those kids who will play in their crib for a while before really wanting to get up) This way, when he does cry at 5am because he thinks it’s time to get up, it’s relatively short because after getting no response and knowing that crying is not going to accomplish anything, he goes back to sleep. This also is keeping him from trying to climb out of his crib, which I’m sure he could do if he really wanted to.

7. Using a cloth diaper (the thin kind) to put over Jack’s face as he was trying to go to sleep worked great. I guess this is pretty common- for some kids just a light breathable cloth over their face as they’re fussing, trying to get to sleep is just what they need to “turn the lights out”. Cloth diapers make perfect “loveys” as well. Jack always asks for his “night-night” when he’s getting into bed.

What are some sleep tips that have worked for you? I’m particularly interested in what will work as Jack transitions out of the crib into a big boy bed some time in the next year.

Find more helpful hints at “Works for me Wednesday” over at Rocks in my Dryer.

Tiny Ponies in Sneakers

Did you know that if you become blind, that a dog is not your only option in animal assisted mobility? You could also choose to get a tiny, sneaker-wearing pony! I’m not making this up. Apparently, they wear the tiny sneakers to protect their hooves as they walk on the pavement. Check out the look on this little guy’s face. You know he’s thinking, “could they have at least bought me some matching sneakers?”

Car Wash

A few more car wash pictures here.

Be careful where you sit

This last Sunday, our Bible Study group was responsible for doing the services two nursing homes that our church is involved with. We had to wake Jack up from a nap to make it to the first nursing home by 3pm so I could to play and sing, and Mark was to give the message. I HATE to wake Jack up from a nap. The one day he wants to sleep longer than 2 hours and I have to wake him up!

By the time we got to the second nursing home the effects of being woken up were starting to show. Jack only wants Mommy and Mommy has to play the piano. Screaming and flailing ensue. Daddy took him out and we could hear his wailing through the hymn singing. After I was done playing, and it was time to switch off, I took Jack out into the lobby area and we sat down on a couch so I could give him a snack and maybe improve his mood. I started to smell something… thinking it was Jack’s diaper I leaned down to sniff his bottom. Nope, but that smell sure was getting stronger. Wait… my bottom is starting to feel wet. What’s up with that? Then I realize that I have unfortunately sat down where a resident of the nursing home had very recently sat and had an accident. The smell was very strong and I wanted to get the dress off as soon as possible, so I hoped that Mark would not be long-winded. I asked the people at the desk if they had any Febreeze, and they did not, but they did have some bathroom deodorizer that they kindly sprayed over my hind end to reduce the smell a bit.

The thing is, I wasn’t that grossed out. That’s the nice (?) thing about having a child I guess- you can be peed on or thrown up on and not be that concerned about it.  The really awful thing about it was the smell.  Ugh… that’s enough said on that topic, huh?

8 Random Facts About Me

I was tagged by Stephanie and Terra to write a post with 8 random facts about me. This is a fun meme - always nice to get to know people better. Here are my 8 random things:

1. I love sad songs and sad movies. The sadder and more pathetic, the better. Think Sophie’s Choice or Whiskey Lullaby.
2. My hair was straight as a board when I was little and the older I get, the more curly it gets - it’s crazy.
3. I have an explosive, violent temper. I can be really patient and really calm and even-tempered for a long, long time, but when something sets me off I am driven to break and throw things. For example, I threw the remote control at my husband while I was pregnant and hormonal. Not a good quality at all.
4. I can find a silver lining in almost anything. I believe that no matter how negative something seems, you can always find something good about it. (Except having a bad temper. There’s nothing good about that.)
5. My nickname in college was Pavaranda, given to me by a non-opera singing friend whose only knowledge of the opera world was the name Pavarotti.
6. I studied Italian in Rome for a month in my mid-20’s.
7. The first guy I *thought* I wanted to marry had the last name of Large. I’m thankful that didn’t work out. My parents are too.
8. I can spin a pen around my thumb. I learned to do it in a boring high school English class, and have distracted and frustrated college professors, co-workers and piano students with the trick ever since. I can even do both hands at once. I believe it to be an essential life skill.

Anyone else want to participate in this meme? Send me a link to your post and I’ll add it to this one so we can all check it out!

Noggin Imponderables

I’ve been watching the Noggin channel with all the preschooler programs for a while now, and there are some things that have really been puzzling me:

1. What is with Dora’s head? No one else in her family has an enormous “noggin” like she does, so it doesn’t appear to be genetic. I wouldn’t have wanted to give birth to that girl.
2. Where are Max and Ruby’s parents? You see Grandma sometimes, but in most cases, Max and Ruby appear to live alone. That can’t be safe. Max will catch the house on fire at some point at the rate he’s going. I know what I’m talking about too- my sister caught the kitchen on fire one time when my parents were out of town and left us home alone.
3. Does Charlie on Maisy Mouse have some sort of mental issue? He laughs that creepy, goofy laugh almost constantly. Maybe he’s off his meds.
4. In all these years, didn’t anyone even consider telling Bert he has a unibrow? He’s apparently the fastidious one in the pair, but while Ernie apparently just shaved his eyebrows off completely, Bert can’t manage to do a little personal grooming between those giant bushy eyebrows. Or, is it like Pres. Bush always saying “Nuc-u-lar” instead of Nuclear- no one wants to be the one to tell him it makes him look stupid?
5. What is Uniqua on the Backyardigans anyway? We’ve got a penguin, a buffalo, hippo, etc, so what is Uniqua supposed to be?
6. Why is Franklin the only one on his show to have a name? Why don’t all his friends just call him Turtle? He calls them Bear and Rabbit and Mr. Mole, etc. Seems a little selfish if he thinks that just because it’s his show he gets to be the only one with a real name.

Anyone else have some unanswered questions for Noggin? Let me know and I’ll compile a complete list and send it off to them.

; )

My new gadget and survival strategy

I’m very aurally oriented, and am also very emotionally empathetic. In plain English, what that means is when Jack is screaming in frustration or anger, I begin to feel very frustrated and angry along with him and I want to scream too. I find it incredibly difficult to separate myself from his frustration and try and help him deal with it- instead I just make the problem worse.When he gets in a cycle of upset and screaming it makes me feel like I am demon possessed. The sound just sends me over the edge and it’s all I can do not to scream along with him. I totally understand his situation- he’s frustrated and upset and he just doesn’t understand how to handle it, and thus, the screaming. Understanding why he’s doing it, however, does not make it any easier.

Anyway, enough bellyaching- I suppose we’ve all dealt with this problem as mothers. The reason for this post is to tell you about my new solution to my little demon possession problem! I got an Sony Walkman MP3 Player with noise blocking headphones. I can watch Jack scream and be completely removed from the situation, and try and comfort him or give him an opportunity to cool down in the pack-n-play all while listening to some nice choral music, and not join in with the screaming at all!

Of course, something like this could easily be dangerous - I definitely always want to have him in sight. Also, the noise blocking headphones don’t work perfectly- they don’t fit into one of my ears quite right. But, when the tantrum throwing is really bad, I can just push them into my ears, turn it up and sing along!

Free Summer Fun Activity Books for Kids

I’ve got a special freebie for you now that we’re heading into summer - the Summer Fun Book! This is an activity e-book for kids and there are two versions - one for younger kids and one for older kids. The younger kids version is available at FreeStuff4Kids by subscribing to the site’s feed or e-mail subscription, and you can get the older kids version by subscribing to Printables4Kids.com. The books include mazes, crossword puzzles, coloring pages, color by number, word searches and more!
Both of these sites offer lots of fun activities and freebies for kids so stop on over when you get a chance.  While you’re at Printables4Kids check out the 30 Best Printable Activity Sites for Kids!