Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Playground Fun!
Ladybug and I went to the playground one morning last week. I don't often get to do this with her, as she plays a lot at MMO and when my sister-in-law watches her. So it was fun to watch her confidently climb the big steps and try to negotiate the tunnels. One tunnel had too much of an incline for her to tackle, and when she saw the bigger kids going up, she wanted to go up too. But we found lots of things to keep us busy for a couple of hours. Can't believe my baby girl will be 2 in just a few weeks!
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Tuesday, April 28, 2009
It's All About Community
Sharing more from the CREATESouth conference that I attended this weekend...
I went to the conference not knowing what to expect. It was laid back, which was good. Everyone that I talked with was not only interesting, but also interested in others. I met some great people, and I'm really looking forward to next year!
We had two keynote speakers in the morning. First was Tiffany Trent, an author of young adult fiction. She spoke about creativity. Since I'm a kinesethetic learner, I loved the exercise that she gave us. She passed out sea shells and asked us to picture ourselves as a shell on the beach. What makes us unique from all of the other shells out there?
Tiffany reminded us that we need to practice our creativity every day, even if it's only fifteen minutes. What are you willing to give up in order to have those fifteen minutes?
Our second keynote was Tee Morris, who was very entertaining! He spoke about putting the "social" back in social media. Tee had a lot of great one-line thoughts that I tweeted as he spoke. (I'm so glad I was able to find an outlet for my laptop!) One of my favorites was: Tweet unto others as you would have them tweet unto you. Reminding us that Twitter and other social media need to be about making connections and forming community.
It struck me that that was (and still is!) the original purpose of this blog. I chose the name "Not a DIY Life" because I am a firm believer that this is not a Do-It-Yourself life. We need each other, and we need God. The reason that I share about my faith, my family, and my parenting exploits is to reach out and connect with others. Case in point: my post last week on not giving my toddler juice. Quite a few other parents agreed with my reasons in that post. It was great to hear from other parents and feel affirmed in my parenting!
Back to the conference. After a wonderful BBQ lunch, we could choose different tracks to follow. I was torn between taking the writing track or the community track. I know that good writing is important to building a community for my blog, but I also wanted to hear more about the community aspect too. I ultimately chose the community track, and I'm so glad I did!
Key thoughts from the afternoon:
There was so much more, but I'll stop here for now. It was a great day and a wonderful conference. If you live within driving distance of Myrtle Beach, I would highly recommend attending next year!
I went to the conference not knowing what to expect. It was laid back, which was good. Everyone that I talked with was not only interesting, but also interested in others. I met some great people, and I'm really looking forward to next year!
We had two keynote speakers in the morning. First was Tiffany Trent, an author of young adult fiction. She spoke about creativity. Since I'm a kinesethetic learner, I loved the exercise that she gave us. She passed out sea shells and asked us to picture ourselves as a shell on the beach. What makes us unique from all of the other shells out there?
Tiffany reminded us that we need to practice our creativity every day, even if it's only fifteen minutes. What are you willing to give up in order to have those fifteen minutes?
Our second keynote was Tee Morris, who was very entertaining! He spoke about putting the "social" back in social media. Tee had a lot of great one-line thoughts that I tweeted as he spoke. (I'm so glad I was able to find an outlet for my laptop!) One of my favorites was: Tweet unto others as you would have them tweet unto you. Reminding us that Twitter and other social media need to be about making connections and forming community.
It struck me that that was (and still is!) the original purpose of this blog. I chose the name "Not a DIY Life" because I am a firm believer that this is not a Do-It-Yourself life. We need each other, and we need God. The reason that I share about my faith, my family, and my parenting exploits is to reach out and connect with others. Case in point: my post last week on not giving my toddler juice. Quite a few other parents agreed with my reasons in that post. It was great to hear from other parents and feel affirmed in my parenting!Back to the conference. After a wonderful BBQ lunch, we could choose different tracks to follow. I was torn between taking the writing track or the community track. I know that good writing is important to building a community for my blog, but I also wanted to hear more about the community aspect too. I ultimately chose the community track, and I'm so glad I did!
Key thoughts from the afternoon:
Technology is. It is neither good nor bad. How are we going to use it?
Humor is central to the human experience.
Thinking on your feet makes you a better communicator.
Everything ties back to community; building connections and sharing humor.
Social means interactions; how are you going to connect with those around (in real life and online)?
There was so much more, but I'll stop here for now. It was a great day and a wonderful conference. If you live within driving distance of Myrtle Beach, I would highly recommend attending next year!
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Monday, April 27, 2009
What Would Jesus Tweet?
Welcome to More of Him Monday! This is a weekly carnival in which we can share encouragement with fellow Christian bloggers. Please read here for participation guidelines.
If you have a More of Him post to share, please share the link to your post in the comments. Please link back here so that others can be encouraged and inspired as God shows us More of Him.
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I don't go to any great lengths to hide the fact that I love Twitter. I am a social butterfly with self esteem issues (most of them are fixed, but they're still there), so Twitter is perfect. I can flit about, listening to conversations, add something if I want, but don't have to stick around to hear people say bad things about me.
On Friday, I mentioned that I would be attending the CREATESouth conference on Saturday. I had no idea what to expect, but was thrilled when a lot of the conversation revolved around Twitter. But the idea of "What would Jesus Tweet?" has been rolling around in my brain for a while.
If Jesus were here now and had a Twitter account, how would He use it?
First of all, you can look at Twitter two different ways. One is as a tool to broadcast your message. A second way to use Twitter is in making connections with other people. I think that Jesus would do a little of both.
Can you imagine if Jesus tweeted the Sermon on the Mount? How cool would that be since each tweet is limited to 140 characters!
Since Jesus was all about relationships, He would be the Twitter King, not some celebrity named Ashton who challenged some newsman named Larry to see who could reach a million followers first.
Jesus wouldn't be on Twitter to prove that He was more popular than someone else. He would be reaching out to those who are hurting, to those who are different from Himself. He wouldn't be afraid to share His message of hope with everyone who would follow Him.
At CREATESouth, one theme reoccurred throughout the day: AUTHENTICITY. Being real. Being transparent. Being who you are and not putting on a false front. While we frail human beings struggle with maintaining authenticity, Jesus would not. He is the real deal. He would tweet His message, offer compassion to those who were hurting, all the while maintaining His authenticity.
And that is how we should be on Twitter. Sure, use Twitter to share your message (whether that is sharing what you ate for lunch or a link to your latest blog post). But also use Twitter, and other forms of social media, to make connections. Connect with the people around you, in real life and online.
That's what Jesus would tweet.
If you have a More of Him post to share, please share the link to your post in the comments. Please link back here so that others can be encouraged and inspired as God shows us More of Him.
***************************************************
I don't go to any great lengths to hide the fact that I love Twitter. I am a social butterfly with self esteem issues (most of them are fixed, but they're still there), so Twitter is perfect. I can flit about, listening to conversations, add something if I want, but don't have to stick around to hear people say bad things about me.
On Friday, I mentioned that I would be attending the CREATESouth conference on Saturday. I had no idea what to expect, but was thrilled when a lot of the conversation revolved around Twitter. But the idea of "What would Jesus Tweet?" has been rolling around in my brain for a while.
If Jesus were here now and had a Twitter account, how would He use it?
First of all, you can look at Twitter two different ways. One is as a tool to broadcast your message. A second way to use Twitter is in making connections with other people. I think that Jesus would do a little of both.
Can you imagine if Jesus tweeted the Sermon on the Mount? How cool would that be since each tweet is limited to 140 characters!
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, 4 theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, 4 they will be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, 4 they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger & thirst 4 righteousness, 4 they will be filled.
Since Jesus was all about relationships, He would be the Twitter King, not some celebrity named Ashton who challenged some newsman named Larry to see who could reach a million followers first.
Jesus wouldn't be on Twitter to prove that He was more popular than someone else. He would be reaching out to those who are hurting, to those who are different from Himself. He wouldn't be afraid to share His message of hope with everyone who would follow Him.
At CREATESouth, one theme reoccurred throughout the day: AUTHENTICITY. Being real. Being transparent. Being who you are and not putting on a false front. While we frail human beings struggle with maintaining authenticity, Jesus would not. He is the real deal. He would tweet His message, offer compassion to those who were hurting, all the while maintaining His authenticity.
And that is how we should be on Twitter. Sure, use Twitter to share your message (whether that is sharing what you ate for lunch or a link to your latest blog post). But also use Twitter, and other forms of social media, to make connections. Connect with the people around you, in real life and online.
That's what Jesus would tweet.
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Friday, April 24, 2009
Another First
Since I started blogging when Ladybug was 3 1/2 months old, I have chronicled a lot of her "firsts" here on the blog. Well, this time it's a "first" for Mama. I'm attending a blogging/networking/technology conference tomorrow! And I'm excited!
I'll be attending CREATE South here in Myrtle Beach. I have no idea what to expect. I'll be taking the writing workshops, most likely. I'm excited to spend time with other folks who "get" the things that I do: blogging, tweeting on Twitter, etc.
Hopefully I'll be able to tweet from the conference, so if you're not already following me on Twitter, please do so! We'll be using the #hashtag #createsouth.
Can't wait to share what I learn!
I'll be attending CREATE South here in Myrtle Beach. I have no idea what to expect. I'll be taking the writing workshops, most likely. I'm excited to spend time with other folks who "get" the things that I do: blogging, tweeting on Twitter, etc.
Hopefully I'll be able to tweet from the conference, so if you're not already following me on Twitter, please do so! We'll be using the #hashtag #createsouth.
Can't wait to share what I learn!
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Thursday, April 23, 2009
My Toddler's Nutrition - Beverages
Ladybug's (almost 23 months old!) nutrition is very important to me. Because we are continuing to breastfeed, my concerns for her nutrition may be different than for other toddlers.
First of all, we continue to breastfeed for several reasons. 1) It's good for both of us. Extended breastfeeding reduces my risk for certain types of cancer. It also provides up to 40% of her recommended daily allowance of protein. 2) We both continue to enjoy it. It's great downtime for us in the midst of a busy day to sit down and nurse. 3) It continues to help her immune system. Yes, we have all suffered with colds this winter/spring, but I really do think that Ladybug has not been as sick for as long because we continue to breastfeed.
Because of all this, Ladybug's choice of beverages are simple: water in a cup, or breastmilk from Mama. She may occasionally have juice at Mom's Morning Out, although I have asked them to give her water instead. I know that she does receive juice however. We restrict juice for two reasons: 1) she does not need the extra liquid calories; and 2) we do not drink juice at home except on special occasions. Hubby and I drink water, (cow's) milk, coffee, and tea.
I've never been a big fan of juice for kids anyway. It is always much better to eat an apple than to drink apple juice. There is lots of good fiber in apples that is not in apple juice. And drinking your calories is an easy way to pack on extra pounds because juice is not as filling as an apple.
Now, I'm not judging parents who give their kids juice. These are just my objections to making it a regular part of a child's nutritional intake. Hubby and I have struggled with our weight most of our adult lives. We were both "chunky" as children, although looking back at pictures, I don't see that we were an chunky as we thought. We want to help Ladybug learn good habits now that do not set her up for a lifetime struggle with her weight.
The great thing about having a little one and trying to teach her good eating habits, it has affected our own habits too. We do not eat as many sugary foods as before. We know that we need to be good examples to Ladybug.
I will continue to share how extended breastfeeding impacts our nutrition choices for Ladybug in future posts. This is just the tip of the iceberg! For more great posts about kids and food, don't forget to visit Tara at Feels Like Home and Gracie's Kitchen Friends carnival.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Deep Thoughts
What deep thoughts does a toddler have? I don't know. I love this shot from a few weeks ago. A rare still moment for my very energetic Ladybug.
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Monday, April 20, 2009
I'm Here, But I'm Not Here
Just checking in. I'm typing with one hand because Ladybug is sleeping on me. In addition to a cold, two of her eye teeth are coming in. She needs lots of snuggles and Mama's attention right now. I have several posts written in my head but not typed yet because it's too difficult typing 300 words like this!
Even at naptime and bedtime, I still have to snuggle with her and hold her. But that's what I need to do right now. She's growing up too fast and I don't want to waste this precious time.
Even at naptime and bedtime, I still have to snuggle with her and hold her. But that's what I need to do right now. She's growing up too fast and I don't want to waste this precious time.
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Friday, April 17, 2009
Randomness
Last week, EverydayMOM (one of my fellow LOST fanatics) tagged me for a photo meme called "Keepin' It Real." But I broke the rules. I saw that she had tagged me but I didn't take a photo right away. My excuse - dead batteries in the camera. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)
Here are the rules:
Take a picture of yourself right now.
No primping or preparing.
Just snap a picture.
Load the picture onto your blog.
Tag some people to play.
So here's the photo I took on Wednesday of this week:
But then, I couldn't leave it at this. I got my hair cut today and I LOVE IT! I just had to snap another pic to share. Since it's starting to warm up here, I need to keep my hair off the back of my neck. It's a little too short for Hubby. But I LOVE IT!!
I'm gonna break the rules again and not tag anyone. Sorry. I'm short on time. If you want to play along (read: need blog fodder), leave a comment for me and I'll hop on over to your place and leave you some comment luv too!
More randomness:
I had blogged few weeks ago about possibly joining the Neighborhood Crime Watch. Well, I did! I think my phone call totally shocked the guy; he's so accustomed to getting complaint calls. He came right over to give me a handbook and answer my questions.
Yes, Ladybug can ride along with me. There are about 10 miles of streets in the three neighborhoods that make up our association. It takes about 90 minutes to patrol all of the streets at 5 mph. I'll stick to daytime patrols, probably 1-2x/week.
I think it surprised Hubby that I wanted to do this, but he's supportive and will probably ride along once in a while. My job won't be to confront; I am to be the eyes and ears for the police. If something suspicious is going on, I call the police dispatch. I'm looking forward to it!
And my newest niece will be arriving before the end of the month! My sister is scheduled for an induction on April 30th if she doesn't go into labor before then. Baby T is doing well and growing. If the docs let my sister go to her due date, she'll be delivering a 10 lb baby! That, plus my sister's "advanced maternal age" cause her docs to want an induction rather than waiting. Hopefully, Baby T will want to come on her own!
That's about it for me! Hope y'all have a great weekend!
But then, I couldn't leave it at this. I got my hair cut today and I LOVE IT! I just had to snap another pic to share. Since it's starting to warm up here, I need to keep my hair off the back of my neck. It's a little too short for Hubby. But I LOVE IT!!
I'm gonna break the rules again and not tag anyone. Sorry. I'm short on time. If you want to play along (read: need blog fodder), leave a comment for me and I'll hop on over to your place and leave you some comment luv too!
More randomness:
I had blogged few weeks ago about possibly joining the Neighborhood Crime Watch. Well, I did! I think my phone call totally shocked the guy; he's so accustomed to getting complaint calls. He came right over to give me a handbook and answer my questions.
Yes, Ladybug can ride along with me. There are about 10 miles of streets in the three neighborhoods that make up our association. It takes about 90 minutes to patrol all of the streets at 5 mph. I'll stick to daytime patrols, probably 1-2x/week.
I think it surprised Hubby that I wanted to do this, but he's supportive and will probably ride along once in a while. My job won't be to confront; I am to be the eyes and ears for the police. If something suspicious is going on, I call the police dispatch. I'm looking forward to it!
And my newest niece will be arriving before the end of the month! My sister is scheduled for an induction on April 30th if she doesn't go into labor before then. Baby T is doing well and growing. If the docs let my sister go to her due date, she'll be delivering a 10 lb baby! That, plus my sister's "advanced maternal age" cause her docs to want an induction rather than waiting. Hopefully, Baby T will want to come on her own!
That's about it for me! Hope y'all have a great weekend!
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Thursday, April 16, 2009
Playing with My Food
My good bloggy friend Tara at Feels Like Home has started a new weekly carnival all about kids and food. I love to cook, and I know that I came by that love honestly, as my mom is very handy in the kitchen. I am hoping to pass that legacy on to Ladybug (22 months) as well. She loves to play in the kitchen while I am cooking and baking. And if she's being fussy, she will get a bird's eye view of what I'm doing when I put her in the mei tai carrier on my back. (Like last night!)
It's so fun to watch her take the things that she sees me doing and incorporate them into her own play. She loves to sort through her plastic food and name as many as she can. Now she will even get the pots and pans out and put the food in them. And I'll give her a wooden spoon so she can stir, stir, stir! One day last week, I even found her food in a muffin tin still inside the kitchen cabinet! (Forgot to take a picture, sorry!)
But I did get some cute pictures of Ladybug stirring her food. She doesn't like to pose for pictures or even stand still for very long, so she is a blur of activity. Such a busy little girl!
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Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Rainy Day Play
It's spring, and that means rain around these parts. So I am trying to find ways to keep Ladybug (22 months) occupied indoors on these rainy days.
One thing I've done was to buy a bag of dried beans at the grocery store and keep them in a plastic tub with a lid. Ladybug has bowls, spoons, and even her garden trowel to scoop the beans from the tub to a bowl, or onto the floor as she prefers. It's great tactile play and helps with fine motor skills. I only let her play with it in the kitchen on the tile floor (yet I continue to find beans in every room of the house!) for easy clean up (yeah right!). She has fun with the beans, that's what matters, right? Doesn't matter if clean up time causes melt downs, or if Mama has to clean them up all by herself, right? Right? Hello? Is this thing on? Anyone?
Well, ahem. Let's move on to the pictures of the cute toddler. That's why you're here anyway. (slinks away into a corner) This may not work for me, but it does work for Ladybug.
One thing I've done was to buy a bag of dried beans at the grocery store and keep them in a plastic tub with a lid. Ladybug has bowls, spoons, and even her garden trowel to scoop the beans from the tub to a bowl, or onto the floor as she prefers. It's great tactile play and helps with fine motor skills. I only let her play with it in the kitchen on the tile floor (yet I continue to find beans in every room of the house!) for easy clean up (yeah right!). She has fun with the beans, that's what matters, right? Doesn't matter if clean up time causes melt downs, or if Mama has to clean them up all by herself, right? Right? Hello? Is this thing on? Anyone?
Well, ahem. Let's move on to the pictures of the cute toddler. That's why you're here anyway. (slinks away into a corner) This may not work for me, but it does work for Ladybug.
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Monday, April 13, 2009
More of Him Monday
Welcome to More of Him Monday! This is a weekly carnival in which we can share encouragement with fellow Christian bloggers. Please read here for participation guidelines.
If you have a More of Him post to share, please share the link to your post in the comments. Please link back here so that others can be encouraged and inspired as God shows us More of Him.
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I hope y'all had a blessed Easter! This weekend was a bit crazy for us. I've had allergy/sinus crud going on, and along with it, a touch of laryngitis. I've only ever lost my voice once, when I was leading a week of middle school church camp. I think that's understandable!
I've had years of voice lessons, and I have learned how to care for my voice through stress and sickness. I actually had a cold when I sang my senior recital in college and no one knew it. I know how to sing through it.
I am very thankful for the voice that God has given me, and I totally acknowledge that it is a gift from God to be used for His glory. I love to sing God's praises! That is why He gave me a voice, and it is only right that I use it for the purpose it was intended.
Since my voice has been going in and out since Thursday, I was a bit concerned about being able to sing on Easter morning. Especially Easter! The most joyous celebration of the Christian year, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. Yes, we do celebrate the resurrection every time we gather as Christians, but Easter Sunday always seems to be more joyous.
I wasn't in full voice during worship, and there were times that I backed off the microphone because I felt a bit squeaky. I closed my eyes a lot because I didn't want to focus on what I lacked. I wanted to focus on worshiping my God.
If there was no one else in the room, it would have been sweet worship. I felt blessed knowing that I was offering all that I had to God. My all this weekend was not 100%, but it was all that I had for that moment.
I think we are all guilty of not living in the present moment. We have so many worries that keep us constantly distracted. Sometimes is it almost impossible to calm our restless minds long enough to follow God's directive to "Be still, and know that I am God."
Here are just a few of the questions that have been rattling around in my head this weekend. How can we give 100% of ourselves to God when we feel so many, many different things clamoring for our attention? What helps you to "be still?" When you can't even pay attention to your spouse or your kids, how do you make yourself pay attention to God?
If you have a More of Him post to share, please share the link to your post in the comments. Please link back here so that others can be encouraged and inspired as God shows us More of Him.
***************************************************
I hope y'all had a blessed Easter! This weekend was a bit crazy for us. I've had allergy/sinus crud going on, and along with it, a touch of laryngitis. I've only ever lost my voice once, when I was leading a week of middle school church camp. I think that's understandable!
I've had years of voice lessons, and I have learned how to care for my voice through stress and sickness. I actually had a cold when I sang my senior recital in college and no one knew it. I know how to sing through it.
I am very thankful for the voice that God has given me, and I totally acknowledge that it is a gift from God to be used for His glory. I love to sing God's praises! That is why He gave me a voice, and it is only right that I use it for the purpose it was intended.
Since my voice has been going in and out since Thursday, I was a bit concerned about being able to sing on Easter morning. Especially Easter! The most joyous celebration of the Christian year, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. Yes, we do celebrate the resurrection every time we gather as Christians, but Easter Sunday always seems to be more joyous.
I wasn't in full voice during worship, and there were times that I backed off the microphone because I felt a bit squeaky. I closed my eyes a lot because I didn't want to focus on what I lacked. I wanted to focus on worshiping my God.
If there was no one else in the room, it would have been sweet worship. I felt blessed knowing that I was offering all that I had to God. My all this weekend was not 100%, but it was all that I had for that moment.
I think we are all guilty of not living in the present moment. We have so many worries that keep us constantly distracted. Sometimes is it almost impossible to calm our restless minds long enough to follow God's directive to "Be still, and know that I am God."
Here are just a few of the questions that have been rattling around in my head this weekend. How can we give 100% of ourselves to God when we feel so many, many different things clamoring for our attention? What helps you to "be still?" When you can't even pay attention to your spouse or your kids, how do you make yourself pay attention to God?
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Saturday, April 11, 2009
Knock, Knock
I am a horrible joke-teller. I admit it. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I mess up the punchline. However, I have a few jokes that I have memorized well enough that I don't botch them up. I get a lot of mileage out of these jokes, and if you have known me IRL for any length of time, you have been subjected to them more than once.
And the funny thing is - these jokes crack me up every.single.time.
Someone was tweeting my favorite knock-knock joke a while back, including a link to Funny Jokes and Humor. Lo and behold, there are more "verses" to my favorite joke. So I am sharing it here with you. Feel free to teach this to your 8-year olds. They'll love it too!
I realize that you won't get the full effect, because you cannot hear me giggling as I tell this joke. But I had to share this anyway! Enjoy!
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Ether
Ether who?
Ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Anna
Anna who?
Anna other ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Juan
Juan who?
Juan more ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Stella
Stella who?
Stella nother ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Justin
Justin who?
Justin other Ether Bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Samoa
Samoa who?
Samoa Ether Bunnies.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Beryl
Beryl who?
Beryl of ether bunnies.
Knock, knock
Who's there?
Sherwood.
Sherwood who?
Sherwood like to see another ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Dewey
Dewey who?
Dewey have to listen to any more ether bunny jokes?
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Consumption.
Consumption who?
Consumption be done about all these ether bunnies?
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Cargo
Cargo who?
Cargo "beep, beep"...run over all the ether bunnies.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Orange
Orange who?
Orange you glad it's not another ether bunny joke?
And the funny thing is - these jokes crack me up every.single.time.
Someone was tweeting my favorite knock-knock joke a while back, including a link to Funny Jokes and Humor. Lo and behold, there are more "verses" to my favorite joke. So I am sharing it here with you. Feel free to teach this to your 8-year olds. They'll love it too!
I realize that you won't get the full effect, because you cannot hear me giggling as I tell this joke. But I had to share this anyway! Enjoy!
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Ether
Ether who?
Ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Anna
Anna who?
Anna other ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Juan
Juan who?
Juan more ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Stella
Stella who?
Stella nother ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Justin
Justin who?
Justin other Ether Bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Samoa
Samoa who?
Samoa Ether Bunnies.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Beryl
Beryl who?
Beryl of ether bunnies.
Knock, knock
Who's there?
Sherwood.
Sherwood who?
Sherwood like to see another ether bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Dewey
Dewey who?
Dewey have to listen to any more ether bunny jokes?
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Consumption.
Consumption who?
Consumption be done about all these ether bunnies?
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Cargo
Cargo who?
Cargo "beep, beep"...run over all the ether bunnies.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Orange
Orange who?
Orange you glad it's not another ether bunny joke?
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Friday, April 10, 2009
I Don't Understand Some People
Either I am incredibly naive, or just plain ignorant.
Ladybug's MMO class (Mom's Morning Out) had an Easter Egg hunt last week. Unfortunately, we weren't able to attend for a couple of reasons (not relevant to the story). For Halloween and Christmas, the kids had parties, and the parents were instructed to bring treats if they wanted to. I was not aware of bringing treats for this party, which was a good thing.
This week, I was able to pick up LB's goody bag from one of her teachers. Oh. My. Stinkin'. Word. People. Do parents really think that it is a good idea for their toddlers to eat this much sugar????? (And this picture was taken after I had already eaten some M&Ms.) (And the eggs in the plastic thing are egg-shaped sidewalk chalk - love that.)
These are TODDLERS, People!!! They are in the phase of learning good or bad eating habits, of developing or not developing a sweet tooth. I do not want LB to have a lifelong struggle with overeating, the way I have. Teaching her to make good food choices is very important to me. I don't mind the rare treat, but I really think that some of the treats were not appropriate for toddlers (choking hazards!).
When I took treats for goody bags at Halloween and Christmas, I took fish crackers, then I made applesauce oatmeal bars (wrapped individually). The homemade goodies that we received were all very good.
I think the only thing homemade in this goody bag was a chocolate bunny pop.
Am I just that naive to think that parents care about what their kids are eating? Or am I blowing this out of proportion? What do you think are appropriate sweet treats for toddlers (ages 1-3)?
Ladybug's MMO class (Mom's Morning Out) had an Easter Egg hunt last week. Unfortunately, we weren't able to attend for a couple of reasons (not relevant to the story). For Halloween and Christmas, the kids had parties, and the parents were instructed to bring treats if they wanted to. I was not aware of bringing treats for this party, which was a good thing.
This week, I was able to pick up LB's goody bag from one of her teachers. Oh. My. Stinkin'. Word. People. Do parents really think that it is a good idea for their toddlers to eat this much sugar????? (And this picture was taken after I had already eaten some M&Ms.) (And the eggs in the plastic thing are egg-shaped sidewalk chalk - love that.)
These are TODDLERS, People!!! They are in the phase of learning good or bad eating habits, of developing or not developing a sweet tooth. I do not want LB to have a lifelong struggle with overeating, the way I have. Teaching her to make good food choices is very important to me. I don't mind the rare treat, but I really think that some of the treats were not appropriate for toddlers (choking hazards!).
When I took treats for goody bags at Halloween and Christmas, I took fish crackers, then I made applesauce oatmeal bars (wrapped individually). The homemade goodies that we received were all very good.
I think the only thing homemade in this goody bag was a chocolate bunny pop.
Am I just that naive to think that parents care about what their kids are eating? Or am I blowing this out of proportion? What do you think are appropriate sweet treats for toddlers (ages 1-3)?
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Thursday, April 9, 2009
Marshmallow Peeps
They have absolutely no nutritional value. And I have been reducing my sugar intake. But once a year, I allow myself to walk down memory lane with marshmallow peeps. This year, thanks to my mom, that nostalgic trip is over.
You see, when I was growing up, my paternal grandmother always made up Easter baskets for us grandkids. Grandma was a few cards short of a full deck, but her intentions are what mattered most. I think she would put together our baskets a few days, maybe even a few weeks before she saw us. So by the time we got these goodies from Grandma, the marshmallow peeps went stale.
But let me tell you, that's the way I like them! Even now, I prefer to open the package of peeps and expose them to the air so that they can get a bit stale before I indulge in their sugary goodness.
What about you? Do you like marshmallow peeps, stale or otherwise?
You see, when I was growing up, my paternal grandmother always made up Easter baskets for us grandkids. Grandma was a few cards short of a full deck, but her intentions are what mattered most. I think she would put together our baskets a few days, maybe even a few weeks before she saw us. So by the time we got these goodies from Grandma, the marshmallow peeps went stale.
But let me tell you, that's the way I like them! Even now, I prefer to open the package of peeps and expose them to the air so that they can get a bit stale before I indulge in their sugary goodness.
What about you? Do you like marshmallow peeps, stale or otherwise?
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
WW - My Girl
Ladybug (22 months) and I had an impromptu photo session last week. The weather was beautiful, we were playing outside and sat down on the porch to take a break. Isn't she beautiful? (Yes, that's another bruise on her face. She fell against the bed when trying to get up in the wee hours of the morning. I love the room darkening curtains that we bought, but the drawback is that it is VERY DARK! I know, that's what they're supposed to do.)
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Tuesday, April 7, 2009
They Are Conspiring Against Me
I didn't sleep well last night. My spring allergies are back. And I exercised yesterday, so by bedtime, my left hip was pretty sore. That's where I always hurt these days. Guess I'm just getting old. I tossed and turned a lot.
Then at 4am, Ladybug woke briefly for unknown reasons. I tossed and turned some more. I finally fell back asleep. At 5am, the alarm clock went off. I have used the alarm maybe twice since LB was born; she must have been playing with the clock before bed. So I quickly turned the alarm off and tried to get comfortable again.
By this time, I didn't have much space to call my own in the bed. Have you seen the birth control ad that shows a co-sleeping family? Mom is on one sliver of the bed to the left. Baby/toddler takes up the upper right quadrant. And Dad is left to curl up in fetal position near the bottom of the bed. It's a pretty true depiction. (Not that I agree with the negative connotations of the ad; just saying it's a pretty accurate depiction of sleeping positions in a family bed.)
So I'm trying to get comfortable. My hip is really hurting, and my nose is stuffed up. I finally drift off again. Only to be awaken at 5:19am by the Siamese rattling the bedroom door. She slipped under the baby gate again. Ugh.
I quickly get up so that the rattling doesn't wake anyone else, open the door, throw the cat over the baby gate and reset it in a lower position. Now my bladder was calling for some relief. Good grief.
As I crawled back into bed, I whispered to the walls, as they were the only ones awake to hear me, "They're conspiring against me." I still didn't have much space; LB had rolled over and wanted to hold onto my arm; Hubby was still curled up at the bottom of the bed.
But I wouldn't have it any other way. Conspiracies, door-rattling Siamese, and a toddler who takes up most of the bed. It's all good. Well, maybe not the door-rattling Siamese. She's still looking for a new home. But I'll keep the rest of it, thankyouverymuch!
Then at 4am, Ladybug woke briefly for unknown reasons. I tossed and turned some more. I finally fell back asleep. At 5am, the alarm clock went off. I have used the alarm maybe twice since LB was born; she must have been playing with the clock before bed. So I quickly turned the alarm off and tried to get comfortable again.
By this time, I didn't have much space to call my own in the bed. Have you seen the birth control ad that shows a co-sleeping family? Mom is on one sliver of the bed to the left. Baby/toddler takes up the upper right quadrant. And Dad is left to curl up in fetal position near the bottom of the bed. It's a pretty true depiction. (Not that I agree with the negative connotations of the ad; just saying it's a pretty accurate depiction of sleeping positions in a family bed.)
So I'm trying to get comfortable. My hip is really hurting, and my nose is stuffed up. I finally drift off again. Only to be awaken at 5:19am by the Siamese rattling the bedroom door. She slipped under the baby gate again. Ugh.
I quickly get up so that the rattling doesn't wake anyone else, open the door, throw the cat over the baby gate and reset it in a lower position. Now my bladder was calling for some relief. Good grief.
As I crawled back into bed, I whispered to the walls, as they were the only ones awake to hear me, "They're conspiring against me." I still didn't have much space; LB had rolled over and wanted to hold onto my arm; Hubby was still curled up at the bottom of the bed.
But I wouldn't have it any other way. Conspiracies, door-rattling Siamese, and a toddler who takes up most of the bed. It's all good. Well, maybe not the door-rattling Siamese. She's still looking for a new home. But I'll keep the rest of it, thankyouverymuch!
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Monday, April 6, 2009
More of Him Monday
Welcome to More of Him Monday! This is a weekly carnival in which we can share encouragement with fellow Christian bloggers. Please read here for participation guidelines.
If you have a More of Him post to share, please share the link to your post in the comments. Please link back here so that others can be encouraged and inspired as God shows us More of Him.
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This will be a short post this morning. Since Ladybug's MMO program follows the county school schedule, she doesn't have MMO this week. That throws our regular schedule off a bit. All of you parents understand how important routine is to our little ones!
Ladybug is getting her eye teeth. I've heard that these are painful li'l suckers. And they are giving her fits. She's been cranky, and she doesn't have enough words yet to tell Mama where it hurts.
This morning as she was nursing (we're down to about 3x a day now), she suddenly popped off and started crying. I mean, really crying! I wasn't looking at her when this happened, so I wasn't sure what provoked the outburst. She had her eyes screwed shut, so I thought maybe she had poked herself in the eye. But she also kept pointing at her mouth.
I was able to get her to nurse more, as that always helps to calm her down. I then took a risk and put my finger in her mouth to feel her gums. From her reaction, I had discovered the source of pain.
Isn't our spiritual life like that? We have something painful in our lives, yet we cannot even begin to describe the pain or the source of the pain. Sometimes, it's self-inflicted. Sometimes at the hands of others. Sometimes our unseen enemy.
But the best place to find comfort and healing for that pain is in the arms of our Heavenly Father. He'll hold us close, whispering words of peace and comfort. But we have to allow Him to do that. Just like you cannot hold a squirming, cranky toddler if she doesn't want to be held, God cannot hold us if we don't allow Him.
This is Holy Week, the time where we remember that final week of Jesus' earthly life. Whether you usually participate in Holy Week services or not, I pray that you will find a way to remember the ultimate sacrifice that God made for us so that we could turn to Him when we need comfort. Because of the work that Jesus did on the cross, we have immediate access to God our Father. Jesus has become our High Priest, and when we have Jesus in our lives, nothing but our own crankiness can keep us from God.
So if you're hurting or feeling lost or confused, know that you have a Heavenly Father who wants to hold you close and bring you peace and comfort. All you have to do is ask.
If you have a More of Him post to share, please share the link to your post in the comments. Please link back here so that others can be encouraged and inspired as God shows us More of Him.
***************************************************
This will be a short post this morning. Since Ladybug's MMO program follows the county school schedule, she doesn't have MMO this week. That throws our regular schedule off a bit. All of you parents understand how important routine is to our little ones!
Ladybug is getting her eye teeth. I've heard that these are painful li'l suckers. And they are giving her fits. She's been cranky, and she doesn't have enough words yet to tell Mama where it hurts.
This morning as she was nursing (we're down to about 3x a day now), she suddenly popped off and started crying. I mean, really crying! I wasn't looking at her when this happened, so I wasn't sure what provoked the outburst. She had her eyes screwed shut, so I thought maybe she had poked herself in the eye. But she also kept pointing at her mouth.
I was able to get her to nurse more, as that always helps to calm her down. I then took a risk and put my finger in her mouth to feel her gums. From her reaction, I had discovered the source of pain.
Isn't our spiritual life like that? We have something painful in our lives, yet we cannot even begin to describe the pain or the source of the pain. Sometimes, it's self-inflicted. Sometimes at the hands of others. Sometimes our unseen enemy.
But the best place to find comfort and healing for that pain is in the arms of our Heavenly Father. He'll hold us close, whispering words of peace and comfort. But we have to allow Him to do that. Just like you cannot hold a squirming, cranky toddler if she doesn't want to be held, God cannot hold us if we don't allow Him.
This is Holy Week, the time where we remember that final week of Jesus' earthly life. Whether you usually participate in Holy Week services or not, I pray that you will find a way to remember the ultimate sacrifice that God made for us so that we could turn to Him when we need comfort. Because of the work that Jesus did on the cross, we have immediate access to God our Father. Jesus has become our High Priest, and when we have Jesus in our lives, nothing but our own crankiness can keep us from God.
So if you're hurting or feeling lost or confused, know that you have a Heavenly Father who wants to hold you close and bring you peace and comfort. All you have to do is ask.
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Friday, April 3, 2009
My Name is Heather, and I'm a Lostaholic
Yes, it's true. I don't blog about my obsession with the hit TV show, but it is exactly that... an obsession. I am sorry that I have been keeping this from you. Now you know.
EverdayMOM does a weekly recap post, and today she posted about her obsession with Lost. Sometimes I feel that my comments on the blogs of Others are much better than my own blog posts. So I am sharing my comment to her obsession post...
"Oh, girlfriend! I totally agree that LOST is THE TV event of the millennium! Nothing else will ever come close to it! We don't have tv anymore, so as soon as I get up Thursday morning, I am checking to see if the episode is available online. I watch it, then Hubby watches. unfortunately, he's not quite as obsessed as I am. I'll forgive him for that. i spend most of Thursday scouring message boards and blog posts, rewatching scenes if i missed something. Simply said, I LOVE LOST!!!!!!! (Sorry for shouting, but I think you understand the emotion behind that last statement.) After season 6, we can still have our book clubs, and I'm sure there will be an aspiring screen writer or two who will post their own scripts of future Lost episodes, in hopes that their work will be noticed. (We can all laugh, because NOTHING will ever be this good, again. EVER.)"
So there you have it. I have confessed to my obsession with Lost. I am addicted to Lost, I admit it, and I am no longer ashamed. Oh, and did you know that Jorge Garcia, who plays Hurley, has a blog? It's awesome!
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009
WW - My Kitchen Window
It's spring! I love spring! I love seeing all the signs of new life in the springtime. I love being able to leave the windows open and let the fresh air come in. I love sitting on the front porch with a cup of coffee, just watching the world go by. I don't get to do that often anymore, not with a very busy toddler around!
But I have one spot that I need your help with, O Wise Internetz. This is the view from the kitchen window above the sink.
It's not a tantalizing view, is it? It's rather boring. I'd like to add something to spice up the view, but I'm on a budget. Plus it gets very hot on that side of the house during the South Carolina summers.
You can see the concrete patio, the trees in our backyard, and the neighbor's backyard. What do you think I should do? A bird feeder? A window box with flowers? Some yard art or tree art?
Please, O Wise Internetz, give me your opinions! Thank you!!
But I have one spot that I need your help with, O Wise Internetz. This is the view from the kitchen window above the sink.
It's not a tantalizing view, is it? It's rather boring. I'd like to add something to spice up the view, but I'm on a budget. Plus it gets very hot on that side of the house during the South Carolina summers.You can see the concrete patio, the trees in our backyard, and the neighbor's backyard. What do you think I should do? A bird feeder? A window box with flowers? Some yard art or tree art?
Please, O Wise Internetz, give me your opinions! Thank you!!
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