Moaning Moaning: Easter Eggstravagance

Just in case anyone was wondering Christmas is in December. 

DECEMBER.

So spending 150.00 on Easter Baskets is RIDICULOUS.  Spending 100 on an Easter Basket is RIDICULOUS.

Did you know that if you did not start your kid out expecting a ton of stuff for Easter (or birthdays or Christmas) that they will be OVER.THE.MOON if that silly bunny leaves a small hallow chocolate bunny, a few easter colored candies, a peep, and one toy! or a toy and a book if you want to go all out?

 And yet...all over the place you see people planning for Easter and that ole bunny like its meant to be a second gifting holiday and not just incidentally so.  Bikes, trikes, clothes, movies, leapsters, ds lites, etc. etc. etc. Seriously...the only reason kids end up NEEDING so much stuff is because we make them expect it.

Like Harry Potters Dudley "But last year, but last year I got 37 presents"

Yeah.  And we all wonder WHY our children have such entitlement issues.  "Oh where did we go wrong? We gave them everyTHING they could ever want.

I loved the scene in Escape to Witch Mountain where the children are taken to a home with Mr. Durant and it has this amazing nursery with a soda fountain, huge toys, beautiful furniture, etc.  But I'm not about to give that to my children...

No wonder our country in debt!!

The Weekender: My 2 year old believes in Dragons.

I think I'm tired of Sell it Saturday.  I don't to do nearly enough online shopping to keep it up! 

Instead I think I will discuss...I dunno, anything, on the weekend.  :)

SO:

My 2 year old believes in Dragons.  He's at that age where he can make believe, he's really good at it for a 2 year old.  We have fake ice cream cones, tea, and he gives status reports as a soldier all the time!  But he also is still at an age where he just takes what we say for granted.  I love that.  We read books.  Tons an tons and tons of books every week.  Some of them are about bunnies, or cows, or Martin Luther King Jr, or an Elephant Detective, or Dragons.  We talk about them so they MUST be real.

Yesterday we were at the Rolling Thunders Easter Egg Hunt.  We go every year, the kids LOVE the biker bunny.  :)  I had all four when I went in but only 2 when I left, the bigger guys got sent to my moms for the day since we were headed there for dinner anyway.  So only me, the Toddler an the Baby in the van...it was QUIET!

So I asked the little guy if he'd like a story, momma just isn't use to the quiet.  I told him about a little boy who was curious and asked his mom so many questions and then told him her answers.  :)  After that I asked him to tell ME a story. 

It was so sweet.  He told me about animals.  About the rooster that cockadoodle dos, the cow that moos, the pig that oinks, the dog that barks, and the dragon that rawrrrrrs.  Yes, right with all the farm animals my boy puts the Dragons.  It struck me that theres no way he could know that Dragons AREN'T real yet.  Afterall, we read about tons of animals he hasn't seen in real life yet so why would the dragon be different?

This just underlines the trust and dependence kids have on their parents.  Mommy has told him about dragons, so they MUST exist.  Its sweet, cute, and awe-inspiring all at the same time. 

Eventually he will learn that dragons are fairy tales, mommy's can be wrong, and that the world is a colder, less interesting place.  But for NOW my 2 year old believes in Dragons.

Finally Friday: Last full week in March :)

I missed last weeks, but we were busy learning and having fun outside.  It was very important. 

The weather has been amazing so we've been trying to get out in it some:

bathed in the sunlight!


the trees are in bloom!


 reading in the great outdoors






yes...even the baby :)


my bud the thug, doesn't he look tough?


We also went to the Planetarium last weekend and enjoyed ourselves a lot!  Er...after figuring out that our 2 year old gets motion sick...sigh.  We THOUGHT maybe he might since we've had 'issues' before but they all coincided with other illnesses...I guess they exacerbated the problem?  I dunno...but we had to make a quick trip to a store to get new clothes and Dramamine for the poor kid.  Luckily we don't do long trips often.  I know he felt horrible, growing up I got car-sick all the time, still do if I'm not driving!!

I wish I had pictures from the Planetarium, but my mom is holding them hostage!  Well...really she just has them.  I just need to get them from her.  :)

I also got to go consignment sale shopping.  I ADORE consignment sales, but figured out that the Boy is getting to the age where their clothes don't really survive year to year for people to consign :(  booooo.  Ah well, I got enough for the Toddler to clothe 2 little boys :D

AND I will leave you with you this.  Our tv broke last week.  Our gorgeous, 3 year old, 52 inch screen 1080 p tv.  Gone.  Fixing it would have cost 800+labor.  Not gonna happen, a 65 inch one of equal quality is about 1300 nowadays. 

:( So we found a great deal at Dell for a 37 incher to 'tide us over' and waited anxiously for its arrival.  Here is my husbands story of its delivery:

"I was expecting a package from UPS today, and on the way home I was pretty excited to see if it had arrived. Upon pulling into my driveway, I noticed there was a sticker on the front door.

When I went to look at the sticker, it was a failed delivery notice. It said no one was home, so my package could not be delivered. The only problem with that is Susanne was home with the kids ALL day.

So I called UPS to complain, explained the situation, and was told that someone would call me within the hour...
About 15 minutes later, a UPS truck pulls up to the house. The driver gets out with my delivery. While I am signing for it (I didn't say anything to him), he says "your wife must have been asleep when I came by earlier". I asked him what time he came by, and he replied "about 9:30am". 9:30!!! With 4 kids? My wife was homeschooling at 9:30. What a bunch of bull.

Then, a few minutes later, while I was unpacking the box, a UPS representative called. She said that the driver would be by soon, at which point I explained he had already delivered the box. Then, the representative told me that the driver had come by earlier and that he had beaten on the door and rang the doorbell repeatedly, but that he doubted anyone heard him over the blaring television.

I just laughed (angrily).

The package was a new TV. Our only TV broke last week."

 

Wonderful Wednesday: Stonewear

So I've been to Pampered Chef parties, bought inexpensive things so I could help without spending a fortune.  I saw the stonewear, it was pretty but expensive...it couldn't POSSIBLY be worth it right?

Well...my Mom went to a Pampered Chef party and bought me a 9x9 cranberry stonewear pan as a 'little' gift. 

I just got around to testing it on some brownies. 

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!

I had NO clue, NONE about the fabulousness that is stonewear.  None.  It cleaned the easiest of ANY pan I've ever owned, nonstick included, expensive 20 dollar teflon pans, etc.  It was perfection.  Absolute perfection. 

I was dreading cleaning the pan.  I always do.  We have no dishwasher, or rather, we have me.  I am the dishwasher.  So when something is difficult I provide the elbow grease.  But it was FABU.  Absolutely easy to clean. 

So thanks Mom!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  :)
 

Moaning Monday: Healthcare

1st, let me say I am a liberal, I support this bill mostly.  It ain't amazing but if we wait for perfect it will be a bajillion years till something gets done. 

2nd, my problem.

WHEN did we lose the ability to disagree about things with each other?  When did someone thinking differently automatically become a cause to fight, feud, and defriend on facebook those you disagree with?  When did we stop letting people have differing opinions even on big subjects with us?

(did we ever do that?)

Polarization is KILLING us.  Not this bill, not the war, not immigration, not abortion, not teenage pregnancy, not education.  Polarization.  This us/them concept.  This whole "you are with me or against me" concept is great for a war but we are not, or at least should not, be warring with our neighbors.

The pundits put our conversations in terms of war, I know this.  I know because last night I watched 8 hours of protesters randomly shouting "kill the bill".  I know this because Bill O'Reilly has written a book called "Culture Warrior" and puts it in those terms on a daily basis.  I know this because Glen Beck (sp?) mentions how he'd love to hurt people constantly.  Including strangling the President.

I know this because the reporters take this language and run with it because we watch "Maddow eviscerates Gingrich" faster than "Maddow disagrees with Gingrich and discusses this disagreement". 

I also know I hear this language in the people I talk to.  I hear it from my mom, from friends, from the newspapers.  This language.  These 'innocent' words are creating a divide wider and wider between us.  Its easy to disagree nicely with people who want the healthcare bill and are voting for it even if you aren't.  It is impossible to do so when they are 'ramming it down your throat'.  The type of terminology, the violent word choice, is just impossible to stay friends through. 

And this latest bill, this Healthcare bill, has just invited so many people to malign each other, to hate each other, to blame each other.  You would think that in the interests in keeping our union more perfect the congresspeople would support better verbiage.  Maybe lighten the tones.  But they get swept up just the same, they blind themselves just the same.

I don't have a solution, if I did I would not be moaning.  I would be doing it. 

The only thing I know to do is to stop taking the bait and start using my words better. 

Wonderful Wednesday: Happy St. Patricks Day

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

I don't know if I've described how much I love ALL holidays.  Something is so neat and cool about a theme.  Switching up daily routines, having something to focus on.  And since I'm part Irish I love to pretend on March 17th that it is a much bigger part of me than normal!  (Who doesn't, KISS ME I'M IRISH!)

So today I am wearing green, eating potatoes, listening to Irish music, and reading some Irish/St. Pats stories.  And being thankful for the wonderful country that gets to be celebrated on this day every year. 

Moaning Monday: Technology

ARGH!!!!

I am SO tired of technology (she says as she types on her laptop sitting in front of her big screen tv with her touch screen phone sitting next to her).

Specifically I'm tired of technology not working, having hiccups, having 'issues'.  Issues?  People have issues, that why we see therapists.  My printer (yeah printer, you heard me) should not have issues.  All I want to do is print out stuff but no, the password for the wireless connection is funky and needs to be put back in ALL the time.  Yeah, I COULD just be thankful that I have a great wireless printer.

Sure. 

If you like that kind of thing.  :P

Instead I'm choosing to be petty and ungrateful for the many blessings I have in my life and to just be irritated by them instead.

So, I would like my phone to stop messing up phone calls and have a screen that is not susceptible to my not taking care of it.  I would like my printer to just print things when I ask and not need to have that password I insisted on inserted all the time.  I would like the D on my keyboard to not stick sometimes (even if its my mistreatment that caused it).  I would like my microwave to never burn my popcorn.  I would also like it if my ereader could keep up with my scrolling 100%. 

I'm sure I have a bunch other ones.  This technology stuff is so sensitive.  It requires 'care' and treating them with 'respect'.  Pfft.  Once they've EARNED my respect they can have it, but so far all I see is a bunch of future junk mocking me. 

And that gets no respect from me. 

Sell it Saturday: A PSA for this week, Slings

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has many women up in arms.  They've issued a report on 'slings' and telling parents to be careful when using them.

I'm a baby wearer.  Have been for oh...almost 3 years now (on the second baby now) and I have to say...people who are angered by their report are just being ignorant.  I use a mayawrap, its a ring-sling style carrier.  There are a few ways you can carry your baby in it.  One of them is the bag-style.  Honestly...I've never been a fan.  I had a Snugli style carrier with my first...it was uncomfortable and I couldn't take not seeing his face.

I tried it on once and it got put away with other things we also never used.

This site http://www.sleepingbaby.net/safety.php gives a good explanation of safe baby wearing.  The basic gist is that if you would naturally hold baby a certain way its safe.  Exempt from this are the back carriers like the baby hawks. 

When you use a bag-style one its just not safe, they can suffocate without you ever knowing it!  Really, really think about this when go to get your sling.  Tons of styles are great!  But the infantino bag styles, peanut shells etc are all a little more risky than I like. 

Good Luck Sling shopping!  Here are some great sites that sell great wraps/slings that are safe (plus the two up above):
http://www.bustlingbaby.com/baby-slings-carriers.html
http://www.meitaibaby.com/
Happy Babywearing!

Finally Friday: The Zoo!

We went to the Zoo on Saturday.  So much fun.  I'd never been to this zoo, it was great.  LONG.  But great.  It's about a 2 hour drive so we did that and my mom, brother, and his fiance went with us.  We spent about 5 hours trekking the 5 miles of zoo land.  (that did include a lunch)  The kids had a great time and most of the animals were very cooperative in showing off. 
The girl in the egg

The toddler checking out a chimp who obliged us by sitting RIGHT THERE!

The baby, not entirely sure why she's along for the ride (in a stroller for the first time too)

 Flamingos!  Always my favorite exhibit for some reason

 The boy on top of a bison

The girl on top of a bison

Petting the fake bison

Checking out another animal

The boy actually smiling normal

Harper Seals


And no trip back is complete without Carrabbas.  MMM I love that restaurant.  So good.  

Unfortunately the toddler got sicker this week.  So much so that we actually took him to the doctor, poor boy has pink eye and is congested enough that they gave him a decongestant.  Hopefully next week will be much better.
Hubby was off this week so he was able to him to the doctor and stay home with him yesterday since we had our homeschool group.  The kids really enjoyed going and it was so weird not to have to chase a 2 year old around. 

Because we were all still recovering and chilling with the Man home we really didn't too much else. Now I am praying that the other children don't get pink eye...its so contagious :(

Wonderful Wednesday: Gameshows

Specifically Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. 

Call me old fashioned but at 7 est I don't watch reruns of Two and Half Men (no offense) or whatever else is on (I only know that because I catch the last minute before House or Idol).  No.  We watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with the kids.  We compete against each other or we work on teams.  The kids are actually getting better!

I adore these game shows.  Each one offers up its own brand of fun.  Jeopardy has actual bits of knowledge, some I know, some I SHOULD know, some there's no way I know.  There's Alex Trebek making all sorts of corny jokes he thinks are self-deprecating, the puny categories (oohhh I love a pun) and of course final jeopardy where I always bet it all! 

And then we have Vanna and Pat.  Oh Vanna, do you ever age?  You are still graceful and beautiful, even the few closeups are amazing.  And who doesn't love their banter after the show.  Good times.  Plus I know more answers.  And I love getting a puzzle that's 5 words long with only 6 letters within it.  That's such a great feeling. Makes ya kinda giddy doesn't it!

So today, on this beautiful Wednesday, I'm saying HOORAY for Game Shows!! Thanks Alex, Vanna, an Pat, for being my pals.

Moaning Monday: Never

I live by the phrase: Never say Never, and for someone as given to hyperbole that's saying a lot.  I say this because there was an argument about tantrums and a bunch of first time mommies were vowing that their little angels would NEVER throw tantrums in public.  Nooooo their cute little bundles would condensen learn respect and know how to act. 

I try not to be condescending but...um...at one point every kid will be that kid.  Probably between 2 and 4, those are the cavemen years.  Thats when they have NO impulse control, no matter what you've taught them, but they do have WANTS as opposed to before then when they don't really get the whole 'ooh toy, I want that' thing that the bigger ones have.  So of COURSE you will have tantrums. 

Look, I'm not saying that there aren't stupid parents out there.  I'm not saying that you can't be irritated by them.  I'm just saying, NEVER SAY NEVER.  Never look at a parenting style (barring extremes of course) and say NEVER.  Because you don't know what type of kid you will have and you'd hate to remember some day, when your precious little Johnny is making a grocery trip the absolute living HELL and remember how horrible YOU were about it and so you KNOW what others are thinking about you.

Learning a little empathy is just the best thing anyone can do for themselves.  I promise.

Sell it Saturday: PurelyBeauty

Who doesn't love a spa day?
No one, that's who!  It feels GOOD to pamper yourself and it feels GREAT to see results from products that are not bad for you, your skin, or your looks!!

Which is why today's blog is dedicated to PurelyBeauty
http://www.etsy.com/shop/purelybeauty

another Etsy shop selling some fantastic stuff don't ya know.

There are some fantastic treasures on this site.  I think my favorite is the pumpkin mask though.  You can't beat that!!  I know the other stuff I bought after having my baby in October was more expensive than that.  And kinda slimyish, not really clean feeling.

And for me, if I don't feel clean while washing my face or afterward then there's not a real reason for me to do it at all.  Why wash with something (or exfoliate) that doesn't work?  Even if it is expensive.  :P  And ridiculously so. 

Not only are the prices at PurelyBeauty reasonable but the products are quality made.  And they are really for the natural beauty product lover.  Peppermint and Tea Tree Oil Shampoo (just imagine the scent on that!) and the Green Tea Facial cleanser are rockin.  Things that have been par for the course in a lot of other places in the world. 

I love it, love the whole idea.   I hope everyone stocks up on their stuff because it could be the best thing you did for your face :)

Finally Friday: March Enters

We got to see the Salvador Dali exhibit on Sunday, it was so much fun.  It was his 100 works on Dante's Divine Comedy.  
The pieces were so interesting and some were just lovely (others...well kinda gross but still neat to look at).
 
The kids (all four) were so much better than I feared.  They waited 'mostly' patiently for our turn and even once they got tired they still paid attention and looked interested!!  The girl has been practicing perspective this week because of it. 

Monday was March 1st which means that my baby was 4 months old!  Alreadyyyyy!!??!!  Sigh.  I know I'm a broken record...but time flies so quickly.  This is her gnawing those hands.  :)  I take pictures of her each month on the 1st and I'm looking forward to doing something with them when she turns one.  :)


More weird weather!  Snow, like a fine dusting and now 60's :P  sigh the south.  I would like to have one set of clothes that work for a season, I really would.  Asking too much, I know. 

And of course I got a cold this week...so far it seems to be just me, but I can't breattthhhheeeee wahhhhhh.  By Doze iz tuffy.  :(  I hate having a cold.  Especially this kind with the clogged nose. 

You know what creeped me out this week?  Reading how Heidi/Speidi Montag (sp?) want to have a baby.  Are you kidding me???  Thankfully they would probably just get a nanny for it so they won't be the ones raising a child.  PLUS it may just be a rumor right?  (fingers crossed)  I don't have a lot of respect for most celebrities anyway but the absolutely classless and talentless ones like 'Speidi' just make my skin crawl.
 
AND Today my 6 year old went and got a great new haircut, she normally, or always I'd guess you would say, has lonnnggg hair, past the middle of her back long and she decided she wanted it cut to her shoulders.  It looks fantastic!  As one of my aunts said, very french.


A good good week...and we start next week off with a bang because we are going to the Zoo!!  Hooray!  I love the zoo, and the zoo in March is PERFECT, not hot yet so no stinky animals (or not AS stinky) and not tooo cold.  :)

Wonderful Wednesday: Coffee

I'm going to be cliche and give thanks and praise for coffee. And whoever it was that first looked at the plant, said hey lets see if you can make a tea with it, and voila discovered the fantastic creation we call "A Cup of Joe."

I cannot tell you how much I have come to consider coffee my friend. I am looking forward to the day when I am no longer nursing so that I can drink the amount I'd like to instead of keeping it under 3 cups a day so I don't have a jittery baby.

I enjoy it with sugar (real sugar, not sweeteners) and half and half helping it smooth its way into my heart. I also enjoy the flavored creamers that come out around Halloween and Christmas. Its also great just black.



I think half of my love is the smell. I wake up so much better when the coffee is brewing and the aroma is wafting its way through the rooms of the house. It stimulates my nose and brain and gives me something to look forward to as I get up from my warm bed.

Thank you Coffee, thank you for being there for me through sleepless nights, colds when only you were strong enough to penetrate my sense of smell and taste, through early morning trips, and all nighters in college. You are welcome in my home anytime.

Moaning Monday: New Years Resolutions

Why do I make ones I won't want to keep?

Sure, I know I SHOULD keep them, they are good things to do. But after a while I don't wanna anymore and feel like maybe I've been punished enough.

For instance: No more fastfood. Yeah. I made that, built in some exceptions for on the road traveling and group trips with my homeschool friends. I thought those would be enough to let me have the devils food and not really, really want it. But planning and making and cleaning up after meals every night SUCKS. And my husband leaves me alone a few weekends every semester (hes a college professor, we live our lives in semesters.) He does most of the cooking. Oh how I depended on McD's chicken nuggets and apple dippers when he would go away.

Now what am I supposed to do? Cook?? You've got to be kidding me!

And they are building a new Sonics on the way home from my MOPS group. I have to see it every week, sometimes multiple times and think of the coneys and tatertots.

This is ridiculous!

And I'm supposed to be less lazy. Um...hello, less lazy? WHY??? I don't wanna stop procrastinating! I don't wanna clean up after dinner right after dinner. Who cares that its easier and takes less time. Or that its great for the kids to see me taking care of business properly. How healthy can it be if I do so grumbling under my breath while I 'work'. I am quite sure I'm supposed to be sitting around watching a soap opera eating bon bons. With frou-frou slippers non the less. Yes?

Whatever 2010. I'll stick to them for the most part. I will. I'll keep down the 'slips' as much as my willpower will allow. BUT my 2011 resolutions will be the opposite, I will resolve to eat MORE junk food and MORE fast food and to be MORE lazy. Take that 2010. Take that.