Works for Me Wednesday - Crafty Control

If you know the Loving family then you know we love us some craftiness! We have a well-stocked craft bin. In fact, our whole house sometimes functions as a craft bin. And though we're not the most organized of individuals we are constantly trying to figure out uncomplicated ways to organize our life.

One of things I've found that works for me is using kitchen organizers in the craft realm. Dish racks, in particular, make excellent craft organizers. This one cost all of $4 at Wal-mart. The utensil cup keeps markers, crayons, and sticker sheets while the dish dividers are perfect for keeping the coloring and activity books in place. They even serve to keep the art work filed nicely as well. Of course, if you're like me it may take more than one of these to keep it all together but at $4 a pop that's a pretty small investment. The other thing we've found useful is silverware organizers. These are perfect for keeping markers, pens, pencils, paint brushes and other art supples in an easy to find spot.

Anyways, in the craft realm that's what works for me. To find out solutions to all sorts of other cool and random things, visit Rocks in My Dryer for Works for Me Wednesday!

Preschool Vlog

Kai is pretty curious about all things web related. So, I thought I'd let her have a vlog of her own. That way she can tell you, from her perspective, what's going on in the Loving family.

We recorded the first one today. I love how she goes from dental hygiene expert to motivational speaker to personal letter to her Grandpa. I don't know whether she fully grasps the concept of the vlog (she's not even 4 yet), but I think it's just as coherent as that "leave britney alone" pyscho on youtube.

Check it out....

Happy Awkward Moments Day!

Apparently today is Awkward Moments Day and since I have plenty of those I thought I'd observe this very special holiday by sharing one of my awkward moments. Here you go:

My wonderful, outspoken grandma was commenting on a friend's decision to get married very young. She said matter of factly,

"Well, I sure hope she isn't getting married just to have sex because, let me tell you, sex and Europe were the two biggest let downs of my life."

Awkward...Hilarious, but awkward.

ooh, I have to add one more on Thomas' behalf. This one is so funny.

We had these friends from small group who bought a beautiful newly built home in a neighborhood that was undergoing an economic renaissance (read: the ghetto was getting a make-over by young adventurous people). Thomas' cousins had recently made a similar move into a really bad neighborhood. Same thing. Beautiful new home. Totally ghetto surroundings. Thomas, in his an attempt to reassure our friends said, "Well, it couldn't be any worse than the ghetto my cousins moved into. They had crack dealers and prostitutes on the streets!" The awkward moment came when we went to visit our friends for the first time and realized his cousins lived directly across the street. We ran inside trying to hide from his cousins so our friends wouldn't realize Thomas had said these things about their neighborhood! They eventually found out and stayed our friends anyways, but it definitely made for an awkward moment!

Care to share one of your awkward moments?

From Fugly to, well, slightly less fugly

So, it's no masterpiece but it is a temporary solution. I'm in the process of deciding what to do with it. I am currently debating spraypainting it a fun color (if I can figure out what to do with the padding inside) or a few other cool paint things. The sharpies won't stay on for long. I can tell some of them are already rubbing off in places. But, I had to do something last night or I wouldn't be able to sleep. The boot is too ugly to be believed.

Anyways, here it is. My hippie boot. "Make poetry and love and peace and happiness." Now, if only I could get my kids to follow that motto instead of making messes and tantrums and fights and insanity. After that, I just might tackle peace in the Middle East...

(By the way, can anyone tell me why every time I take a picture with my MacBook camera everything is a backward mirror image? Not to be stupid, but I just can't quite figure it out) THANKS MAC GURU AND FUTURE BROTHER-IN-LAW JARED FOR HELP WITH THIS!

Update...

So, I had my appt. with the Dr. today and it went really well. I got some good news and some bad news.

Good News:
I don't have to have a screw put in my foot! Yeah!
Other good news, I don't have to have a cast! Double yeah!

Bad News:
I have to have a super ugly and hard to camouflage walking boot (see above pic). Honestly, I think I might rather have had a super cute purple cast than this yucky thing. At least I could hide the cast with leg warmers and cute socks. But, sadly, I am stuck with this thing.

The other good news, though, is that I won't have to wear it too long. And he said I can start walking on the boot as soon as my foot stops hurting. That coupled with the news that I can now start using only one crutch makes for an excellent office visit! I'm as happy as I can be with a broken foot and super relieved that I won't be scheduling a surgery any time soon!

Thanks for all your good wishes, prayers and dinners! We are so thrilled to have such amazing friends!

Find the Fracture

Can you spot the fracture? We're clearly not orthopedic experts, but we think we might have figured out where it is. Anyone care to shed some light on the location of the fracture? I'll know for sure tomorrow afternoon but I'm terrible at waiting for these kinds of things...

Super Spam: Deals from my spam box.

Subject: Gays Gone Wild

Are you fo' real!?

Super Spam: Deals from my spam box.

Subject: You are nominated for a Bachelors

Body: Do you want for a prosperous future, increased money earning power, and the respect of all?

Obtain degrees from Prestigious non-accredited Universities based on you life experience.

U N I V E R S I T Y D I P L O M A S

I can't resist sharing this story...

My sister and brother-in-law live in Cabbagetown and were lucky this past weekend not to have had any significant damage to their home from the storms. It was definitely a scary experience for them but they came through it pretty much unscathed. Their neighbors, however, were not so lucky. The area had some pretty substantial damage and it was heartbreaking to hear stories of what happened to the historic homes there.

There was, however, one story that was just too ironic not to share. A neighbor of my sister lived next to an empty lot. It seems she is the self-appointed neighborhood watch of the street and all-around Cabbagetown busybody. The empty lot next to her had several trees on it. And apparently one 300 year old tree. Unfortunately, the man who purchased the lot to build on it didn't realize the "historic" nature of the tree. But, when he tried to cut it down to build his home she promptly took him to court and sued to have the tree preserved as a "historic" tree thus making his property worthless and effectively making it impossible to build on that lot. Then this weekend during the storm, that very tree fell on her house and smashed her roof. Thankfully, she was okay and her house was actually fairly undamaged which she attributes to the tree's thankfulness to her for saving it(hmmm, really?). But, the story was too irresistible not to share...

I **heart** you North Fulton Regional Hospital

Okay, so I know North Fulton Regional Hospital is not the best hospital in Atlanta. I know there are nicer and more prestigious hospitals around. But, whenever there is an emergency I always go to NFRH for one key reason. They have, hands down, the best patient care I have ever experienced. This last trip to the ER was no exception.

When I went the other day I ended up having to go by myself. And as is typical for my luck, I had to park in what was literally the furthest parking place from the ER entrance. I hobbled bitterly up the HILL in the rain to the entrance and thought this was probably the start of a horrible ER experience. I anticipated long lines, grouchy nurses, shoddy care and just a generally crappy experience. I've never had an experience like this at NFRH but I figured with my luck I would this time.

But I was oh so wrong! Everyone from the desk clerk to the Dr. was super friendly. They brought me back in less than 10 minutes and the Dr. saw me within 5 minutes of my placement in a nice, clean, private room with a TV. Before the first commercial break in the "Real Housewives of Yada Yada" I saw the mobile radiology unit and 30 minutes later I was getting my discharge papers. It all went pretty quickly but not in the "let's rush you out of here because we don't care about you" way. More like the "we totally respect that you have better ways to spend your time" way. And I really appreciated it. But, the icing on the cake came when it was time to go. I had left my crutches at home (because I refused to believe I had broken my foot) and the nurse who wrapped my foot offered to take me in a wheelchair out to my car. When we got outside and he realized it was raining and I was parked so far away, he took my keys and brought my car to the curb for me. He was awesome and it pretty much just topped off the whole experience for me.

I am officially NFRH fan for life.

Yep. I broked it.

5th metatarsal is broken indeed. So, I'm off to get a cast on Monday and (please cross your fingers this isn't the case) possibly schedule surgery to have a screw put into my foot. I really hope that isn't the case.

Thomas says he's never known anyone who broke their foot just walking. Unfortunately, it's not a distinction I have ever wanted...

The Real E.R. of Fulton County

An hour ago I was watching ER and now I'm in the ER. I have to say it is much nicer than the one on TV. I'm actually sitting in a little room watching TV. The doc said it looks like I broke my 5th metatarsal. Bummer.

Just so my foot isn't the first thing you see...

here's a pic of Ivylicious trying out my high heels. She's doing awfully well for a 2-year-old!

I'm on my way to the ER now so I'll update when I know whether or not I've broken it. Any suggestions for what color cast I should get if I did break it?

More reasons to hate kickboxing...

Warning: Below is a picture of a bruised and unpedicured foot. Please forgive the state of this foot as it is generally pretty cute...

Here's what happens when you are generally clumsy and have sore and weak muscles from working too hard at your kickboxing class. You end up walking through the kitchen, tripping on your own feet, and (following a very loud cracking noise) landing flat on your face. There is some debate as to whether or not I've actually broken my foot and we'll know for sure when I go to the ER tomorrow. One thing is for sure, since I can't walk on it at all chasing the girls is going to be a very difficult task...

Things I've had to say today.

Here's a list of things I've had to say today:

"Macaroni is NOT a toy."
"Stop playing in the dirty clothes pile."
"Slapping your sister is NOT a game."
"We don't lick other people's food."
"You absolutely do not ever put your sister in a cage."
"Medicine is not candy."
"Yes, that's funny. But now put your underwear on the right way."

ummm...okay.

weird. weird. weird. weird.

I think the world gets stranger every day.

Wanted: the perfect mommy job

Okay, I'm looking for a job with the following options. Anyone know where I can find one? (Besides Never Never Land?)

- Monday/Wednesday/Friday work schedule
- 9 to 5 workday
- telecommuting a plus
- willing to understand when kids are throwing up at home and I have to call in sick
- willing to hire someone who picked a major they liked in school and will forever have no idea what to do with it

See, I'm not that picky... Okay, maybe I'm asking a bit too much. Still, anyone know of anything remotely close?

Total Truth Tuesday - so totally late...

Geez...I'm really bad at this Total Truth thing. But, anyways, here's this week's truth:

I am horrible at quitting jobs and I have never quit a job in person. Outside the family business, I have held several retail or administrative job. I was even a preschool teacher for a while. And, I have quit every single job via email, voicemail, phone conversation, or letter. I am completely incapable of quitting in person.

It could be because I am, as my dad would say, "backward" or it could be (and most likely is) my irrational fear of confrontation and my inability to stand my ground. I have been talked out of quitting twice and can't seem to stick to my guns when faced with someone who is asking me to reconsider.

Anyway, it's nothing earth shattering but that is my secret. So, that said, what is the craziest way you've quit a job or had to let someone go?

I'll go first. The craziest way I've ever had to let someone go was to call the sheriff and have him remove her from the premises because she had taken over the phone system and was refusing to let customers talk to anyone in the company...

Boo Kickboxing! Boo!

Apparently spending an hour in Zone 4 yields tortuous results. I am pretty much incapable of moving at all today. Damn that peppy instructor for pushing me to this place.

But, despite the fact that I am walking around like an elderly woman in need of a walker, I will be back next week to kick kickboxing's butt!

What I never realized I pray for...

Last night at bedtime, Kai said an interesting prayer. Among her precious kid prayer requests, she mixed in the words, "God please be strong. And please God be powerful." I thought it was a pretty profound prayer for an almost 4-year-old because it occurred to me that this is something I pray for all the time.

When I am praying about something I am scared or worried about, I am really praying, "Please God be strong. Be powerful enough to take care of this." Though it occurs to me this is like praying for the sun to be bright, it is my underlying message nonetheless.

I am amazed at how often I ask for God's will in something and I am really praying for Him to be big enough to take care of the problem or issue at hand. The funny thing is when I heard her say those words I smiled in amusement because, I thought to myself, of course God is big and powerful! You don't have to ask Him to be that way. I guess now I just need to remember that the next time I'm in the middle of some big need...

Did I mention how cool my church is?

This was the opening song from last night's service. The message is all about how we long to be great. And what better way to illustrate than with our desire to be in a Rock Band. I have a whole new perspective on Guitar Hero after seeing it used in church. I guess I'll cut Thomas some slack on his playing...



Want to know what's even cooler? We've got some awesome friends who work there and get to be a part of making this happen. How cool is their job?

Yeah for Kickboxing!

I just spent an hour in Zone 4. I'm pretty freaking proud of myself.

Unfortunately, I may never be able to do another squat for the rest of my life...

A Domestic Fairy Tale

I was looking around my house tonight and realized I'm living a life I had never dreamed I would. When you're a kid, you dream about fantastic adventures in far off lands. You dream about the fulfilling work you'll do changing the world. You dream about a glamorous and exciting life.

You do not dream of playrooms overflowing into your hall or of doing laundry and dishes and cleaning bathrooms at 1:30 am. You don't dream about dirty sippy cups and crayon scribbles on walls. You don't dream about the inevitable clutter of a busy life.

But, it wouldn't be so bad if you did. Because, I must say, despite it's decidedly unglamorous nature this is an incredibly fulfilling life. It is not the jet-set life of a writer I had envisioned for myself and some people who used to know me think I've settled for less or taken an easier path. But, this is anything but easy and I can't help but think when I look into my daughters' eyes that this is by no means settling for less. (Though, I'll admit, before I had my girls I would have felt that way about others in this position.)

I don't think I am noble or righteous for choosing motherhood. I don't think women who pursue a career are less admirable than those who pursue a family. I think this is the right choice for me. And I think women have the right (and the responsibility) to determine what a fairy tale is on their terms. I guess right now, for me, my fairy tale is chasing preschoolers around and stepping on discarded toys on my way to the kitchen. And I fully intend to cherish every minute of it.

I've officially decided...

that my all-time favorite movie fight scene is the ridiculous male cat-fight between Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason. Who couldn't love a slap fight set to "I Believe in a Thing Called Love?"

Movies: we've been a watchin' em...

For some reason it seems like we've seen alot of movies lately. Most of these are DVDs because, well, we don't get out to the theaters all that often with two kids. But still I thought I'd give a quick rundown of the good, the bad, the ugly...

Here goes the list (not necessarily in chronological viewing order).

The Good
1. Michael Clayton - a fantastic movie! Definitely a must rent!
2. Becoming Jane - I (jenna) loved it! it was romantic and devastating and just a wonderful film.
3. 27 Dresses- super fun girlie movie. go see it with some girlfriends!
4. The Other Boleyn Girl - okay, I know what people are saying, but I really enjoyed it.
5. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - a bit long in parts but still a fascinating movie.
6. Death at a Funeral - so freaking funny! Thomas and I both laughed so hard throughout this movie.
7. Stardust- fantastical and fun.
8. The Kingdom - nothing I expected it to be. it was engaging and action packed.
9. Juno - i know, duh! but, i wanted to prove that we do get to see cool movies in the theater every once in a while...

The Bad
1. Pulse - yes, we should have known better. But, for whatever reason, we didn't.
2. Feast of Love - depressing, irritating, and pretty freaking pointless.
3. Jumper - a 2 hour trailer for Jumper 2.
4. Dragon Wars - Thomas' review "uh, it was pretty much crap."
5. Good Luck Chuck - how can the women in this movie ever look their fathers in the face again? if you're not looking for a festival of gratuitous nudity skip this crappy movie. we didn't even make it halfway through.

The Ugly
1. Rambo 4 - if you like watching juiced up senior citizens channeling their roid rage and violently killing members of the international community then this movie is for you. however, if you've graduated from the 7th grade and don't think that stuff is cool anymore, well, then you'll probably want to skip it.

My sentiments exactly...

Kai's prayer tonight at bedtime:

"Dear Jesus, please protect Mommy and Daddy and Ivy. Please bless our small group family. Please make sure there are no monsters in Atlanta. Or bad guys. Or big rocks that will smash cars. And no big huge bunny rabbits. Amen."

Amen indeed, Kai.

Best Husband Ever!!!

My super sweet husband went out last night and got me a gift card to Ulta and one to Sephora! I got to go shopping this morning for some brand new make-up and am starting to think maybe yesterday's events weren't so disastrous after all! Who knows, maybe I'll feel the same way about my hit and run tomorrow...

To the jerk who got away with a hit and run-

Thanks so much for backing into my bumper and taking off. I feel so much better knowing that your kids go to school with mine. I would have thought the parents at this school would have known better than to hit and run but apparently not. I sure hope you're teaching your kids to be more responsible than you are. I will think of you fondly when I am paying to replace my new bumper.

With the utmost love and affection-
The blue minivan parked near you at school

P.S. Just because you can afford a big huge SUV doesn't mean you're qualified to drive one...

Come on, really?

I've been trying to find some creative ways to celebrate Women's History month with a 2 and 4-year-old. It's been hard, though not impossible. However, I was bound to find some infuriating suggestions. None more so than this article. How do I hate these suggestions? Let me count the ways...

1. Barbies should never be an example of anything to young girls. Don't get me wrong. My girls have Barbies, but I've never said, "Hey Kai. Want to know what women are capable of? Check out this roller skating My Scene Barbie. Someday maybe you can skate for world peace in a short skirt and an over made-up face."

2. These are not women in history. These are mostly women's fashion history. "Nifty Fifties"? Really? That's all that we have to offer little girls?

3. Marilyn Monroe and Cher? These are role models for Women's History? I mean, I know we're not going to get a Helen Keller doll, but what about a Queen Elizabeth doll or some other strong female?

4. FYI: The Princess of the Nile, Princess of China, and India Barbies are all basically the original Barbie mold with a darker tinted skin and "ethnic" clothes. Nothing about them that even looks remotely similar to the physical characteristics of the cultures they are representing.

Okay, there's my rant. I love Barbie as much as the next girl, but suggesting them for a women's history lesson is pretty much the worst idea I can think of. Unless, I guess, I want the girls to think their greatest contribution to the world could possibly be through sparkle shoes and a midriff baring "police woman" uniform.

Lest you think me a mean mommy...

Here's a pic of the girls about 10 minutes after their bath/shower. They recovered nicely, no?

@#!%$^&% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought the girls were sleeping in this morning. I was thrilled to have been able to sleep in myself. So, when I got up at 7:30 and went into their bedroom to get them I was very worried when I didn't see them there. I was also pretty concerned when I heard them giggling from behind their closed bathroom door. I was absolutely horrified when I opened the door.


Yep. $300 of Bare Essentials make-up now adorns my bathroom rug (and unfortunately the arms and legs of my children). I wish I could say I was cool about it. I wish I could say I thought it was funny. The truth is, I cried. And I called my mom. Because I am a bad mommy. I'm still not over it and considering I do not have a stitch of make-up left I don't know that I will be anytime soon.

It's getting funnier the more I think about it. At least until I go into the bathroom again and realize I have no make-up left...

(well, thanks to my parents and some other concerned friends we deleted the picture of the girls moments after getting caught. it was adorable, but apparently the girls make-up application made them look like they had been pummeled by some mean abusive mom - which they absolutely were not. any purple and blue on their skin was the result of some very expensive eye shadow!)

How nasty is your car?

Okay...since I didn't post a Total Truth yesterday we'll let this serve as a total truth. I just cleaned out my car today and could possibly need a Hepatitis shot now...

It was pretty scary to see what was residing in the car underneath all the books, jackets, and Happy Meal toys. In fact, I won't even go into all the stuff I found in there. However, I will give you a short list. I found:

• Four pairs of girl's shoes (with a tootsie roll in one shoe)
  
• Two pairs of my shoes
• Several nuggets and french fries in various states of petrified preservation
• One dried banana peel under a car seat
  
• 9 (count them - NINE) sippy cups

And that is just the stuff I can tell you about. So, come on friends of the blogosphere make me feel better about myself. What is the worst thing you've ever found in your car?

You know you're out of shape when...

you find yourself out of breath and hurting from a water aerobics class. In my quest to find health, I took a water aerobics class with my mom today. It was much harder than I had thought it would be. The crowd was pretty much what I expected, pregnant women and little old ladies, but they seemed neither little nor old when they were schooling me in water exercises. I should have known I was in trouble when the little old lady who welcomed me to the class insisted I wear the ankle weights. I put them on because she had them on and, heck, how heavy could they be? Turns out, pretty heavy. It must have been painfully obvious because halfway through she came over and whispered, "You don't have to wear those just 'cause I said to. If it's too much for you take them off." As if that wasn't embarrassing enough, I actually did have to take them off before my calf muscles burst into flames. So, needless to say, I'll be going back to work it out with the adorable little old ladies (and one little old man) at the gym until I can at least get in good enough shape to keep up with the octogenarian athletic machines!

Help!

Okay, keeping in mind that the best creative ideas are stolen from someone else, I ripped this idea off from our church infant environment. We painted the tree and limbs and then affixed cherry blossoms I got from michael's. The problem? It's pretty obvious. Our tree doesn't have a top and I can't for the life of me figure out how to create one. I've tried drawing it on but my perspective is all off and I'm too nervous to try painting it yet. Any advice? ideas? Anyone willing to give it a try? Email me, oh, brave artistic souls... I'm dying to get this finished so I can attach some more cherry blossoms to the top and have it totally done!

Questions for the Church of the Big Bang

Why would evolution need to progress past a state of single cell organisms? This is survival of the fittest in it's purest form. All they do is consume and reproduce through mitosis, the main driving need in the evolutionary theory.

Why separate the sexes? If evolution is just concerned with propagating the species, why would a species with separate sexes out live or even evolve from organisms who can rapidly multiply more efficiently on their own? Doesn't having separate sexes slow the reproduction process down? Not to mention through mitosis the next organism knows everything the previous one knows, therefore the learning process is more efficient as well.

Emotions? Really, evolution grew a need for emotions? This whole emotional thing screws everything up from procreation to learning to violence and self-destruction. This seems to be an evolutionary barrier. You would think we, as evolutionarily superior beings, would have shed those bloody emotions long ago.

Take that fat!

I engaged in the most intense cardio-kickbox class today. It was excruciating but exhilarating at the same time. I knew I was in trouble 15 minutes in when I thought I would pass out dead from exhaustion and the super peppy instructor shouted "You can do it! Only 45 more minutes!" Though I found myself searching desperately for an escape hatch, she was actually right I could do it. And I did.

In the end, I burned 700 calories! It was a super kick-off to my newest quest for fitness. Now, if only I can get the guts to do it again next week...

Welcome to Women's History Month!

March is Women's History Month! I'm looking forward to talking to Kai and Ives about all the kick-ass things women are capable of and helping them to see just how special it is to be a girl. In the meantime, here's a little women's history fact to get you started:

Joan of Arc was the only person ever recorded to have commanded the entire army of a nation at the age of seventeen and led French forces to victories over the English at the age of 19.

This is my PostSecret, too...

This is one PostSecret I totally relate to.
P.S. I'm totally addicted to this site!

@ the Park...

We spent most of the day chillin' at a local park. The girls had fun and it was great to spend the day in the beautiful weather!

Going down the slide together seemed like a good idea at the time...

but apparently it wasn't!

Caught on Craigslist

Found this listing on the WANTED section of CL tonight. It cracked me up...


WANTED: STRIPPER POLE - $150

Reply to: sale-592xxxxxx@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-03-01, 5:45PM EST

PORTABLE OR MOUNTED NEED TO BE ABLE TO HOLD AT LEAST 250LBS. CALL ANITRA (404)XXX-XXXX.

Maybe it's me...

Watching my girls has taught me so much about life. Parenthood is pretty much the best thing that has ever happened to my spiritual life and it's beautiful to see how much God reveals about His love through my relationship with my children. It's equally amazing to see how I must look, as a child of God, to a heavenly father who watches me struggle with the most basic of spiritual issues...

The other day I watched Ivy try to change her own diaper. See, she's got this potty training mission she's on. She's trying to rush things a bit faster than I'd like so I've kind of let her figure some things out on her own in an attempt to stall her. But, try she does and so she attempted to change into a new pull up. But, she forgot a really basic step. She left the old one on. So, here she is, pulling up a diaper while wearing a diaper and failing miserably at the whole undertaking. And I am watching in amusement as she both tries to rush to grow-up and attempts something she simply isn't ready for. When she discovers it isn't going to work she throws the diaper down in frustration and does what I would probably do if faced with a comparable situation. She grabs a different diaper and tries that one instead. She went through 3 diapers before coming to me for help with the whole thing.

And while I thought she was pretty funny for not figuring the whole thing out sooner, I found myself considering how many times I've done the exact same thing. Sure, my failures or frustrations are much bigger (to me at least) but in the grand scheme of things I marvel at how God must view them in His infinite clarity and eternal perspective. I mean, when I try and fail to do the same thing over and over am I any different from Ivy trying to put her diaper on? Does it look any different to God when I try and rush something or fail to simply ask for His help in a difficult situation?

I ask myself, why do I not bring something to God immediately when faced with a seemingly unsurmountable situation? Because as a parent could I possibly have denied Ivy the help she so obviously needed from me? Nope. Never. What did I do when she came over to me for help? I took control of the situation and helped her work everything out.

I guess all that is to say that the next time I try over and over again and fail miserably I'll have to remember that maybe it isn't the diaper, maybe it's me...

I need one of these!

I love the cute shirts over at Swirl Syndicate and I have to say that this one is probably my favorite! The shirts all have lots of fun bi-racial humor (i.e. blender with chocolate and milk and the phrase "I'm swirled") and they are updating their store in March to include a bunch of new designs.

This one probably appeals to me most because I am most often mistaken for a sitter/nanny to my girls. In fact, when Kai first started school the teachers thought I was really very sweet to her for a nanny. They couldn't believe a nanny would love a child she watched so much. Pretty funny, I think. I've never really been offended when people assume I'm a sitter or that they're adopted because I secretly think it's pretty amusing. Why would I really care if someone asks me where they were adopted from since I know they're my girls? Which, incidentally, would be true even if they were adopted so maybe people should refrain from asking "are they adopted or are they yours?" to people - especially in front of the children in question. I know my girls are aware of people when they ask that question.

Still, these shirts would garner some fun reactions and I might have to fork over the $40 ($20 each) for a couple.

A Haircut!

Shamefully, I must admit that I just got my hair cut professionally for the first time since I was pregnant with Ivy. Can you believe that? It's pretty terrible. But, I finally bit the bullet and did it. The girl (a friend of Eryn's) was awesome and I will make her my hairdresser for life and am vowing to get haircuts more regularly - just like a real girl! In fact, I'm even considering going out on a limb with some fun color, too. Tatttoos, haircuts, and now possibly color? I'm really walking on the wild side! : )

Holy Crap. Literally.

I found this over at Ragamuffin Soul.

It is hilarious and disturbing all at the same time. I'd love to know where his church is...

Sweat from the Locker Room Floor

Rule #1: You can't race on a treadmill.

When I get on a treadmill in the morning I purposely seek out the one that is far removed from the pack. You know what I mean, there's a treadmill in a corner or off to the side where the spandex clad, or wind-short wearing, waifs and gaunts haven't yet populated with their swift running spidery legs. That's where I go to start plotting my 15-20 minute session of fat jiggling. I like being far removed so it's harder for any of those stick figures to notice that my treadmill rocks with every pounding step I take or that my hand towel is soaked after 5 minutes of slather.

So, it was with disdain that I noticed one of the spider people hop on a treadmill right next to me out of the sea of treadmills available between me and the pack. She swiftly begins this speed walking jaunt that matches if not passes the speed I'm currently jogging. I think about dialing up the speed. I can't let the spider lady walk faster than I'm running. About a minute later, apparently her warm up is over. She dials up to twice my speed and is practically sprinting on this treadmill.

The flab of my arms are slipping on the sweat of my chest as I realize, "There's no point." I can't beat her and if I try I'll re-enact a scene out of Mr. Woodchuck sending my whole jauncing heaping mass off the treadmill to land in a pile of fat and broken bones. I dial down. I may sway this treadmill and cause the springs to creak under my massive weight, but I'll be damned if I end my work out on the floor as a blubbering idiot.

You can't race on a treadmill.

Total Truth Tuesday

I heart my Blackberry. I mean, I love it so much it may actually be considered a sin. I am hopelessly addicted to every feature it has and well, I can't imagine being forced to give it up. If I loved amphetamines or alcohol or, well, just about anything else this much (aside, of course, from my family) you'd probably be tempted to take it away from me and send me to rehab. Don't you even think about it, though. I know Thomas is secretly planning an intervention, but until then I am going to enjoy every minute with this blessed device.

Wanna know why I love it? Here's just one anecdotal example.

For instance, let's say you have two children who require constant diversion. Let's say the wheels are coming off the bus in a BIG way. What do you do? Google pictures of their favorite animals, of course! Google the pics, play animal sound trivia and watch as the whole situation decompresses. Wonderfulness. Google + Blackberry = Nirvana.

I swear I'm not all that shallow but, honestly, what did my parents do without the ability to google farm animals from their phones on road trips? I just don't even want to imagine a world like that...

Songs of the Humpback Whale, By Jodi Picoult

I just realized I never posted my review of Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult. It was last month's First Thurdays book and I was going to wait until we met to post my review. So here it is...

I've been a fan of Picoult for a few years now and pretty much am guaranteed to love anything she writes. So, for me, it was a no-brainer to pick this book for the First Thursdays inaugural book choice. It was Picoult's first novel so I was curious to see how far she'd come. The answer is, very, very far. I did enjoy the book on a superficial level. I thought the plot was relatively interesting, but ultimately the characters were flat and unlikable. There really wasn't a single character who seemed the least bit interesting or real to me.

From the emotionally infantile mother/wife, Jane, to the cold, uncaring and unsympathetic husband/father, Oliver there was not a likable character in the mix. Even Rebecca, the wise-beyond-her-years daughter with a reverse role as a maternal figure to her own mother, who should earn the reader's sympathy if nothing else, was just dry and flat.

It is a testament to Picoult's progression as a writer to see where she began and it makes me even more excited to see where she is headed.

Ultimately I'd say skip this one and choose one of her later books. My Sister's Keeper was the book that introduced me to Picoult's writing and is still one of my absolute favorite of her works...

Middlesex and other books...

Okay, so I am going to officially save my review of Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides until First Thursdays meets and we can talk about it, but for now I have to say Oh. My. Gosh. I LOVED this book! From the blurb you know it's about a Greek-American hermaphrodite who comes of age and learns to deal with the medical diagnosis and its affect on his/her life. But, it is about so much more. It is complex and tragic and beautiful and gut-wrenching. It is absolutely a must-read (despite being an Oprah book club selection).


I am trying desperately to make some progress on Thomas' pick, Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis because he has absolutely loved the Space Trilogy. Try as I might it's just not happening for me, but I refuse to give up. So, I continue to work through it.


However, I must admit, I'm starting a bit of a literary affair with The Age of Shiva, by Manil Suri. I want to be faithful to Out of the Silent Planet, but this other book is just calling my name. Maybe once I get it finished and out of my head I can go back to the Space Trilogy...

I cut the feet off socks.

Okay, that sounds like some weird confession but it's actually a fun kid's fashion idea.

When Kai was a little younger than Ivy I heard about a cool new product called BabyLegs. They are essentially a long leg warmer for little ones that let them keep their legs warm in onesies or skirts while protecting them from the slippery hazards of socks. I thought they were great and immediately went looking for some. They sold for about $12 a pair and I was going to go right out and snap up a ton of them.

Then I had an epiphany. These were socks with the bottoms cut off. Except they were $12 and I had to buy them online and pay shipping. So, that's when I started cutting the bottoms of socks. We get lots of compliments on them and the girls love them. I end up shopping for cool ladies socks and then cut the feet off so the girls can wear them. They're great because they come in all kinds of cool styles, they're cheap, and they are pretty much one size fits all so the girls can share. (Not to mention they make potty training and diaper changes a cinch!) The ones above were some I got for Kai to wear to her Christmas program. I tend to like them pulled down over the shoes but they look equally cute tucked in like a pair of tights.

Anyways, just thought I'd share the cool idea I stole from the folks at BabyLegs...

Not quite getting it...

Despite my utter refusal to acknowledge her attempts, Ivy is moving forward with the whole potty training thing. She is obsessed with "going potty." In fact, whenever we can't find her we end up looking in the bathroom 'cause chances are she's sitting right there. She hasn't quite fully grasped the concept, though, 'cause half the time she is sitting like she is in the picture: completely clothed.

It seems that despite my initial reluctance to conquer this milestone so early, my hand is being forced. We will be starting the long arduous journey to potty training this weekend. Boo. : (

You haven't lived until...

you've cuddled with a big stinky dog the size of an adult human. Have I ever mentioned that? Hiro has been spending alot of time indoors lately (thanks to the wonderful shock collar) and it's actually been really fun. She's a huge girl (I'm guessing 115lbs) but she'll curl up on the floor in front of the sofa and just chill. No jumping. No barking. Just cuddling. You can lay your head on her, prop your feet on her, and because she's so big and strong she doesn't even notice.

When she's inside she is so peaceful and loving. It reminds me why we made the crazy decision to get a ginormous dog in the first place. But, she's not perfect and still hasn't fully gotten the hang of the whole house training thing. Not that she's ever had an accident upstairs, but Thomas has had to do more than his fair share of mopping in the basement. So, that begs the question, anyone have any tried and true suggestions for getting a dog over that potty training hump and into habit of having no accidents whatsoever? Her only problem is the overnight thing and she outgrew her crate ages ago so we're pretty much at a loss for next steps...

Blogging for Fun & Profit, Part 2

Okay, folks, so by now you know I've been trying to think of ways to make some money blogging. I mean, I figure it's one of my favorite things to do so why not try to put that to work for me, right? As SAHM has to earn her keep somehow and I really hate doing housework so I have to contribute to the household one way or another...

In my quest I found a really cool site through one of my freelance writer's communities that lets you blog about products, services and sites relevant to your site/readership/life. Payperpost.com is a cool place that pays Bloggers to talk about things they find interesting. You just sign up, submit your blog, and once it's approved there is a list of cool things to blog about and each one has a pay figure.

Don't think of it as selling out, think of it as expanding your blogging horizons. I still get to pick what I blog about and I can choose things that I find interesting or useful or just plain cool. It's really different from those random margin ads because you get to choose your blog ads instead of having some sketchy unapproved sponsors showing up on the margins of your blog next to pictures of your family.

So, check it out if you're interested and I'll be sure and let you know how it goes. I'm pretty excited, though, 'cause trying to blog every day gets tough so it definitely helps to have a pool of ideas from this place. And, on top of that, I'll get to find out about cool things that I might never have heard of. Who doesn't like getting paid for doing something they love to do anyways?

Notice the badge at the bottom? That's one way to tell my "sponsored" blog posts from my others. Just in case you were wondering...

Kai-versations: the "flattery will get you nowhere" edition

Kai: "Mom, I like your eyebrows. They are so big. I hope I can have eyebrows like that when I grow up."

Jenna: "Well, maybe you can."

Kai: "And, mom, I really love your belly."

Jenna, skeptically: "Really? Well, I like your belly better."

Kai: "No, mom. I love your belly. When I grow up I hope I can have a belly like it. You know, one that is floppy and jiggles. I want one that goes squish when you step on it like yours."

Gee, thanks...

R.I.P. Feminism

I used to think "Rock Of Love" was the show most degrading to women. But, that was before I watched "Flavor of Love 3." Oh. My. Gosh. Seriously? Are you kidding me? Flavor Flav actually names the women on the show. And he has these twins on there that he has named "Thing 1 & Thing 2." Do I really need to say any more?

Actually, I am speechless with shock and horror so I couldn't say more even if I wanted to...

Blogging for Fun and Profit

I've been thinking alot about pimping my blog. I mean, people make all kinds of money blogging, right? And I LOVE to blog so why not make a little cash with my blog? I looked into Google AdSense but, honestly, it feels a little too pimpy to me. Having ads for products I don't know anything about right next to pictures of my kids seems a bit, I don't know, disgusting.

But, a little web research turned up a really cool site called, Blogsvertise. The concept behind this site is that advertisers pay you to blog about specific products and services relevant to your blog readers. The best part is you're not required to endorse the products or links, just basically mention them and elaborate a bit on how they do/do not relate to your life. I think it's a much cooler and less sleazy way to generate a little web income. Anyways, since I have more blogging friends now, I thought I'd mention it (www.blogsvertise.com) in case anyone was interested. I haven't officially started blogging for them, but if my blog is approved I'll be sure and let you guys know what I think!

Boring? Yes. Shocking? Definitely.

Try to suffer through this, because it is really unbelievable.

Horsing Around

I've really got to stop watching Dr. Phil. It seems like every time I do, Kai and Ivy get into some ridiculous trouble. Kai was supposed to be playing in her play kitchen. I checked on her and she seemed fine. But, at some point, she found the big huge heavy duty chisel tip Sharpie we used to make Yard Sale signs the other weekend and well, she got creative. Again.

She said she was playing horsey. But, she wanted to be the horsey. So, she turned herself into the horsey. Complete with hair and hooves. Check it out:




Did I mention this was a SHARPIE marker she did this with? Yep. Guess who's going to school tomorrow with black arms and a single black leg? I'll give you a hint:

Total Truth Tuesday (no, it's not what you think!)

I just finished watching Trantasia the other night. It's a documentary that chronicles the "World's Most Beautiful Transsexual" Pageant. I made Thomas watch it with me out of sheer fascination with this whole phenomenon. It was pretty interesting. But, that's not my total truth.

My total truth (besides the fact that I LOVE drag queens) is that I secretly wish I knew a transsexual or transvestite so he/she could teach me how to do my make-up because these chicks were FIERCE! My gosh. They are so beautiful and I feel ashamed that I was born a woman and never learned to look as good as these guys. It's crazy.

Anyways, that's my truth. If I knew a drag queen I would totally invite him/her over once a month for a make-up and hair lesson so I could learn to be as fabulous as these girls.

(By the way, in case you didn't realize it, everyone in that picture was born a male. Crazy, huh?)

Pumplini Picnic

My dad was usually charged with cooking breakfast on Sunday's before church. I don't exactly know how this came about but for as long as my memory stretches, if there were a hot meal on Sunday it was produced by my dad. These meals usually consisted of onions, green peppers and some sort of meat wrapped in egg omelet's slathered in salsa; mile high stacks of pancakes bathed in butter and topped with fruit jams—guava, lilikoi, or passion fruit—with sides of portuguese sausage; and on some Sundays when we were lucky enough to find ourselves in a particularly poor state he'd fry up pumplini's.

Pumplini's are apparently one of those poor foods that grew into tradition and live on in a culture as a favored food by those lucky enough to have lived through hard times and yet were young enough in those times that a families love and a warm meal, no matter how meager, were enough to make bright those times of stress and hardship. As far as I know, my grandma brought with her the pumplini from hardships of Puerto Rico to Hawaii where an independent farmers life allowed her to pass the pumplini to my father. My father was able to pass it to me during some difficult financial stages of our family. By then though, it had already transcended the food of the poor to the food of a family. And so I'm able to pass the spirit of the pumplini on to my daughters.

Pumplini's, my dad says, is spanish for 'small bread' or 'pan bread'. It's the most basic of breads that you can fry or cook over an open flame. It can be made from just a couple of cups of flour, baking soda, salt and water. Mixed into a dough you fry it in shallow oil. If you're feeling rich you can add an egg, half a cup of sugar, milk instead of water and even a touch of vanilla to round out the flavor.

Oh the things you'll say...

Dr. Seuss promised exciting things in "Oh, The Places You'll Go" but no one ever warned you about the things you'll say. And that has become an eye-opening experience for us. Think back to all the things your parents said that you HATED. Like, "Don't make me come over there" or "When I was a little girl I..." You think you'll never say those things and I hope for your sake you are right. But, as for me (and Thomas, too) those things have been escaping my mouth despite my best efforts.

Case in point: Kai insisted on having a banana because Ivy was having one. Kai doesn't really like bananas. She peeled the banana and took one bite. When I told her she needed to eat more she said, "No way, Jose. No Way!"

I, of course, told her she couldn't leave her chair until she had 2 bites. She took her required bites, proceeded to mock-vomit, and was greeted with this pearl of wisdom courtesy of her mother, "Kai, there are children all over the world who don't have bananas and would love to eat good food. You need to eat it now and like it." Yep, I said it. I officially sealed my membership to the "Bad Parenting Phrases" club. We have jackets and everything.

Thomas beat me to membership last week. When he was helping put Kai to bed she asked him if I could keep coming back and checking on her. Knowing if I did it that bedtime would stretch on forever and because it was a LOST night, Thomas told her he would be doing the honors. She pitched a huge fit to which he said "Kai, I'm going to be the one to check on you tonight and you're gonna like it." He walked into the bedroom after saying it, looked at me and said, "I can't believe I actually said those words."

So, that begs the question, what is the most "parental" thing you've ever said?

Sometimes I write...

It's few and far between these days, but sometimes I find a moment to write something down. This is an early draft of something I wrote a few months ago and just found. Feel free to constructively criticize. But, please, be gentle.
--
For Ivy
November 15, 2007
It is a quarter to two in the morning and you are awake and crying for the third time. Is it any wonder I need a nap most days? This, my friend would say, is reason 878 not to have kids. My exhaustion says she is right. But, I know she is not. This is reason 10, 694 to have kids.

I walk into your room where you sit dazed from dreaming and crying. You see me in your doorway. “maaamaaa.” You almost hum the words. Not a cry. Not a call. More an exhalation.

Your arms reach out half hugging half pleading for escape. I climb into your bed past the rail that keeps you safe in your cocoon of blankets. I lie down, my back flat against the cool wall, and curl up to you. “sshhh. Sleep, baby. Mama’s here.” Your little body, exhausted, relaxes and your crying slowly dies down. Your head bobs from back to front and side to side. Your eyes close and you lie down in the warmth of your bed.

These moments are the ones I will miss when you grow too big to be my baby. You will sleep the restless sleep of an adolescent and I will sneak into your room pretending to fold clothes but stay to watch you and remember. I will wish for one more night like this.

But tonight, I pat your back until your breathing deepens and I hear the rough breath that tells me you will sleep the rest of the night. You lay there beside me warm and calm and I know that this is the job I was made for. I am your mother, the calmer of midnight tears.

I hold your tiny hand, hot and smooth as a stone. This hand, perfect and innocent and pure, will grow with you until I cannot guard and protect you from the world. This hand, so diminutive and warm in mine, may touch pieces of the earth I have never imagined. This hand may change the entire world. It has surely changed mine.

I slip quietly out of your bed and leave you to breathe the rhythm of your dreams. Smoothing your dark hair over your forehead, I exhale a silent thanks to God for this moment.

Crack a smile, why don't ya?

This is Ivy's favorite way to walk around now. In public. At home. With friends. With strangers. She pulls them down like this on purpose. I guess she really is starting to look like her daddy...

Life Lessons from the Yard Sale

Thomas and I survived out first ever yard sale today! It was a fun experience (i think?) and definitely an eye opening one. We ended up having a pretty successful one though we didn't meet my projected goal (which Thomas says was overambitious anyway). But, mostly, the whole thing was pretty hard work. From the dragging out things, to the pricing, to the waking up at the butt crack of dawn it was no picnic. By far the hardest thing about the whole process, though, was saying goodbye to clothes, furniture and other items we loved for fraction of what they were worth. People can be cruel with your belongings. Anyways, that said, I learned some lessons that I am going to carry beyond the yard sale and they are:

1. You can never be mad at someone for getting something out of you that you don't want to give. The truth is, you are still in control so no one is "forcing" you to give them a cheaper price than you want. I think, for me, this translates into a practical lesson because I often find myself getting angry that people (friends, family, or strangers) convince me to give or do more than I want to. I get angry at them when the truth is I can't get mad at someone for something I control.

2. It's not personal. It's hard to believe when people are digging through your belongings, but the fact that they don't like something doesn't mean they don't like you. It doesn't mean they think you are a bad person, they just don't need/want what you have. Still, I'm the type to take EVERYTHING personal so that is a tough one for me. I think it brought to light, though, the fact that most things in life aren't personal for the people who aren't on the receiving end of them. Does that mean that it's not a big deal just because someone doesn't mean it personally? Of course not. But, I do think I'm going to think twice before falling apart of the smallest perceived offense. I'm also vowing to be more vigilant about my own behavior so as not be so callous in my actions toward others.

3. It is okay to let go. As if you couldn't tell from our carport, Thomas and I have a bit of a problem letting go of things. It's why our basement is a mess. And our car is a mess. It's why I have every scrap of scribble and art from my girls. I can't let go. It is the most difficult thing for me to do. But, throughout this (and my various Craigslist selling adventures) I've learned that you won't actually die from selling a chandelier that you took out of your first house and saved ever since. Your children's lives will not be irreparably damaged from you selling their collection of Happy Meal toys. And, old clothes that don't fit are better off being sold for $1 a piece (regardless of what you paid) than left in trash bags in your basement. This was an important lesson for me and I'm glad I've learned it. In fact, this whole cleansing of material goods is kind of addictive and we're already looking forward to another yard sale experience!

Of course, I feel like a big dork for finding "life lessons" in a yard sale, but I needed something to blog about today and I truly did find a little enlightenment in the whole yard sale process so don't make fun of me too much. Or do. 'Cause I won't take it personal...

Why you never give potted plants to kids...

Thomas took Kai out for a date for Valentine's Day and he bought the girls some flowers. But, in an effort to give them something that would last beyond Valentine's Day, he gave them flower plants.

Valentine's Day at our house was a bit crazy since I was still in the midst of my overambitious crafting project, and I let the girls play for a while on their own (you'd think I'd learn my lesson, right?). I went back to check on the girls and guess what I found? Yep, you guessed it. They eviscerated the plants. Luckily I was able to perform life saving measures and rescue the plants, but I was still left with a terribly messy crime scene. Oh, the humanity!

Happy Valentine's Day (the LOOOOVE edition)

Beyond being a Hallmark holiday, Valentine's Day is also a special anniversary in our house. It's the 7th anniversary of our engagement. 7 years ago (much to the dismay of some family) Thomas took me out to a nice dinner, gave me a hand-painted box decorated with pictures and a poem he had written, and inside nestled in flower petals was a question in the form of a ring. A short (by that I mean LONG) 10 months later we were married on Christmas Eve.

It was a bit of a fairy tale romance complete with dragons to slay and I am now able to look back and see the whole story with joy and awe for the way God allowed it to unfold.

Thanks, Thomas, for being my knight in shining armor. As Kai would say, "Happy 'I love you' Day!"

Happy Valentine's Day! (the fun edition)

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