Come see my new blog home!

I'm moving to my very own blog domain, and the transition is almost finished! From now on, I'll be posting at GeekMomMashup.com. I hope you'll stop by for a visit!

Our Family Motto: What's That Smell?

The most frequently asked question in our home is, "What's that smell?"

The other day, there was such a smell coming from the laundry room that I actually closed the door between the laundry room and the kitchen, and opened the other side of the laundry room to the garage to air it out a bit. You know it's bad when the garage smells better than the laundry room!

Having avoided doing laundry for a few days, I decided to brave the stink, for the sake of clean underwear. I started to run a load of clothes, and as the water filled the basin, the smell was putrid. Worse than dirty diapers. More like rotting roadkill.

Not wanting to make a grisly discovery myself, I asked my husband to take a look inside the machine. I was sure there would be something dead at the bottom of the barrel. Dutifully, he removed the wet stuff from the full washer one article at a time. When he got down to the bottom, he found the offending article. "Honey, what's this?" I peeked around the corner and saw him holding up dripping wet a Blue's Clues beach towel with big, brown splotches.

My mind was jogged back to a major chocolate milk spill earlier in the week. "I think it's chocolate milk," I said. (See, it's not as bad as you thought it would be.) But it sure did stink! I had grabbed the big towel to help mop things up. When I finished, I tossed the towel into the washer and forgot about it. Oooh-whee!

In case you're wondering how to remove the smell of spoiled chocolate milk from a towel, I used Tide and chlorine bleach. That almost worked. A subsequent wash with Tide and Borax did the trick.

What? PPV Cartoons for Little Shoppers?

I think we watch too much television. That goes for my whole family. Kids, grown-ups, everybody. And I know we should cut back. I admire the families that have the gumption and commitment to turn it off for a week, or even get rid of it altogether, but I am not that tough. At least not today.

So imagine my reaction when I went grocery shopping and discovered a fantastic and devious new take on the old metal buggy. Now, I have three kids, so the plastic race car shaped carts are already a big hit with our crew. However, this was something entirely amazing -- the TV Cart.

Oh, yes. The first time I encountered the TV Cart, I heard it before I saw it. A familiar tune wafting down the aisle in front of me. I found myself singing along to The Wiggles, and wondered where that music was coming from. And then I saw it. The TV Cart. A mother was pushing her blissfully entranced toddler in this big plastic pod. The cockpit of the cart is mostly enclosed, except for the front window. I guess that's so the kid can breathe.

My initial reaction was one of surprise, mingled with disgust. What will they think of next? As if we need another thing to spend money on, and give our kids more TV at the same time? What kind of mother would do that?

On the way out of the store, I saw the station where the TV Carts wait to be rented. It's a dollar per use. Now, I think of myself as a practical, frugal person. A whole dollar, just for TV during a shopping trip? Ridiculous. hmmmm.

A week later, I was at the store again. This time, I had two of my three children with me. Knowing I was in for a sweaty wrestle of an outing, I looked at the TV Carts. Could I be so frivolous? I started to rationalize, "With two kids, it's only 50 cents each. That's not so bad."

My son was checking out the Cart as if it were a Mustang at the dealership. He peeked inside the cockpit. "Mom, there's a TV in there!" Even his baby sister wanted to get into the Cart. I caved. I got change from the nearest check-out lady and fed it into the rental station. The kids jumped in, The Wiggles started to wiggle, and we were off.

With mixed feelings of guilt and euphoria, I completed the shopping without a peep, bicker, or cry from the kids. They didn't even try to get out and run around. This mom's verdict: TV Cart is a good way to get the shopping done when you're having one of those days with the kids. It's a treat for kids and parents alike, but I'll be using it sparingly.

More fun than ecards: custom Snowball Fight!

This speaks for itself. Another fun web application that lets you upload your own photos and put your face into a silly video. This one's from JibJab, and I think it's even better than ElfYourself. There are a couple of free "Sendables" you can customize (like the snowball fight here), as well as some you have to pay for. I love these things! Enjoy!

Don't send a lame Holiday eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Wii would like physical therapy!

If you've read my previous post on our new Wii (the kids won't unwrap it until Christmas, but we've been playing it at night - shhhh!), you know how much I love it! Even though I suck at pretty much all the games (except I did knock out Hubby at boxing), it is so fun! We plug it in after the kids are asleep and go for a couple of hours. Bowling, golf, tennis, baseball, etc. -- none of which I do in normal life with any regularity... I end up sweaty and out of breath (especially from boxing - I turn into a crazed punching machine for some reason). Nothing wrong with that. I figure anything besides sitting at the computer counts for exercise, right?

But the next morning, boy am I sore! Yes, I'm a bit out of shape. And I'm not as young as I used to be. Anyway, my muscles ache, and my shoulder hurts. I'm really okay, but I was thinking, when will somebody develop a nice post-Wii workout cooldown game for us middle-aged Wii addicts? How about Wii Therapy, Wii Pilates, Wii Yoga, Wii Stretch? They can bundle it with Wii Sports and call it Wii for Oldies. :-)

Why I don't like Dora the Explorer (rant alert)

I have never been a big fan of Dora the Explorer. I don't like to complain, but when Dora first hit the scene, I wanted to like her! I thought it sounded like a great idea to have a young Latina heroine solving problems and speaking Spanish! But right away, I noticed a couple of things I just couldn't get over.

First of all, why doesn't her shirt cover her belly? Isn't it bad enough having to see grown-up women baring their tummies all over TV? Do we have to see it on preschool programs? I'm sure the animators made a conscious decision to leave her belly exposed, because it couldn't be an accident. I mean, how many frames do they have to draw to make a single episode? Can't they just draw her shirt a little lower? I guess it's supposed to be cute, but the more I see it, the more annoying it is.

Secondly, why does she always shout? To me, the dialogue on the show seems so loud. Unless Dora and Boots are deliberately whispering, it sounds like they're yelling. And then, they urge the viewers to shout at the TV! "I can't hear you! Say it louder!" Or how about "Swiper, no swiping! Swiper, no swiping!" Stop!

I didn't think Dora would last this long, but she's still everywhere.

Don't even get me started on Bratz!

Here's my elf dance. Let's see yours!

You've probably seen the OfficeMax commercials for Elf Yourself. It's a web application that lets you upload your own photo, crop it to fit an elf hat, and then watch yourself do an elf dance with up to three of your friends. Silly, but so fun! I did one with my own face first, and then I made one with my kids (above). Aren't they cute?!

I've heard that people without high speed connections aren't able to enjoy the show, so keep that in mind. You can see my elf dance here, or make your own. If you make one that you'd like to share, please post it in the comments so we can all laugh together!

Fudgey Carrie and Matthew "Hannah Montana" - meeting Hubby's coworkers

We went to my husband's annual company Christmas party on Friday. This was the second one I've been to, having attend last year's party for the first time. And since I have a hard time even remembering the names of my own children at times, I am pretty hopeless when it comes to putting names to the faces of people I only see once a year.

One thing I do to make it easier to remember names is to make them into funny nicknames or phrases. For example, here are some of the lovely people I met this year (real names have been changed):

"Fudgey" Carrie: The lady whose husband offered to marry me after sampling the fudge I sent into the office with Hubby

Matthew "Hannah Montana": The SuperDad who took his daughter to the Hannah Montana concert, and is apparently scarred for life

Lizzie "Spanx": The coworker who decided she loved the homemade treats I sent in so much, that she bought Spanx for the party so she could continue to indulge during the week

Don "The Arguer": The one who drives his secretary crazy by trying to reinvent the wheel, even though she's been doing this for 30 years already

The party was a blast, by the way, and the people were just as fun as their names imply. Happy Holidays to all!

Blizzard Bracelet: Thinking of sunshine and citrus!

Here is a photo of what I did this afternoon. We had a big snow/ice/wind event this weekend, so even church was cancelled. I don't mind winter weather, as long as I don't have to drive on ice. Besides, I needed to make a Christmas gift for someone, so I came up with this. It is fresh and fruity, and makes me think of sunshine and citrus -- exactly the opposite of today's weather! I used all kinds of beads, including fire-polished faceted Czech glass, peridot gem chips, clear quartz chips, and cathedral beads. I love the way it turned out. It's a bit heavy with all that glass, but boy, does it sparkle! Do you like it?

Look what's new on Squidoo: SquidFlix movie reviews

I'm addicted to Squidoo. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should do so right away. There is not an easier, faster, cheaper way to make a web page on anything you like. Plus, you can link back to your own blog or site (free backlinks!), and you can even earn cash royalties for yourself or charity. Seriously, Squidoo rocks.

Now, there's a new way to Squidoo. It's called SquidFlix, and it's a fun and easy way to build your own movie review page. Just type in the name of the movie you want to review (whether it's your favorite or least favorite), add some information to make it unique, and voila! Now Squidoo will pay you for traffic that clicks through your page. Isn't that nice?

I've made my first SquidFlix page on one of my all-time favorite movies, The Princess Bride. I used the default modules as a starting point, and added some awesome quotes, video clips of my favorite scenes, and links to DVDs on Amazon. It was quick and easy to put together, and I plan to fill it out a bit in the next few days. If you're a fan of The Princess Bride, stop by and add your own 2 cents.

And while you're there, don't forget to try building your own page. All the other kids are doing it. You know you want to. :-)

Why we love Yo Gabba Gabba (it's weird, but now I like it)

Yo Gabba Gabba is one of the few children's programs that I can actually enjoy with my kids. It reminds me of Sesame Street and The Electric Company from when I was a kid.

Unlike some of the other meaningless junk cartoons, Yo Gabba Gabba is actually fun and educational. It took me a couple of episodes to "get it," because it's different from anything else I've seen, but now I see why the kids love it so much! We sing and dance together to songs like "Don't Bite Your Friends," and "Party in my Tummy!" Once you get over the "this is so weird" phase, it's a blast.

One of my favorite parts of Yo Gabba Gabba is the special "Dancey Dance" segment. This is where a special guest actor or celebrity teaches the characters -- and us -- how to do a special dance, like the "Twirly Whirly" (Nikki Flores) or the "Puppet Master" (Elijah Wood), and other special moves by Laila Ali, Sugarland, Sean Kingston, and others. The dances are simple and fun for the kids, and having a real human person on the show makes it more relatable for adults. Plus, I'm not much of a dancer, so these simple steps are perfect for me, too! There are also special music segments, featuring fun bands like the Aquabats and the Salteens, doing some very perky, peppy toe-tapping tunes.

Quite simply, Yo Gabba Gabba is the freshest, hippest new kids' show out there, and if you'd like to check out some videos and get more information on Yo Gabba Gabba, visit my Yo Gabba Gabba page at Squidoo.

Geek Mom: I think I have Wii elbow!

My husband surprised me with the news a few months ago. "Honey, I got a Wii! I wasn't looking for one, but I just happened to wander into the game store, and the guy said they had just got the shipment, and they hadn't even unpacked them yet. They're really hard to find, so I was lucky to find one, and I had to get it, and we can give it to the kids for Christmas..." That was back in September.

We love video games, and it's not that I didn't want a Wii. It's just that I don't need another device that encourages me to waste more time playing games. I know that once the Wii is unwrapped and installed, there will be almost no chance of turning it off. The kids will want to play it all the time. And worse yet, I will want to play it all the time! And I'll have to take turns!

So Hubby brought it home, and we tried it out (after the kids were asleep). We played tennis, golf, bowling, baseball, even boxing! It was awesome! I lost every challenge except for boxing. I don't know what got into me, but I turned into a crazy manic Wii punching machine, and somehow I knocked him out. I was sweating and out of breath, but I won!

I think I'm developing "Wii elbow."

We put it back in the box, and we're hiding it under the bed until Christmas. Don't tell the kids!

Briefly: Life is all about poop (if you're a mom)

It may come as a shock for new mothers, the way life starts to revolve around poop. From Day One, a baby's health is measured in part by the poops he produces. And it doesn't stop when you bring the baby home...

No, that's just the beginning. Some hospitals send mothers home with log sheets, to make it easier for parents to keep track of all the diaper action. Not only do the diapers have to be changed and bottoms wiped, but the frequency and consistency of the poop needs to be observed and acknowledged.

Of course, this is a good thing to do. Baby bottoms need to be kept clean. Parents need to bond with their babies and build relationships of trust. Babies depend on their parents to tend them with love and concern. Poop needs to be monitored, because certain characteristics can indicate illness or other trouble.

So if you're about to become a mom, don't worry. After the baby comes, you'll probably think and talk about diapers more than current events, movies, or anything else. Just remember that this is normal. Motherhood is not for wimps. And it's totally worth it!

Are you a Slasher? Hint: most moms are!

You may have heard of a new trend in career designations recently. The "Slash Career" is gaining acceptance among mainstream workers. The Slash (/) is no longer reserved for the starving creative types, as in Actor/Busboy, Artist/Barista, Singer/Waitress, etc.

Nowadays, the Slash is popping up between more white collar and upper-middle class professional titles, such as Lawyer/Event Planner, and Executive/Life Coach. People who successfully manage dual careers seem to thrive on the variety in their lives. You know, like pretzels dipped in chocolate. I like pretzels, and I love chocolate. But when you put them in the same bite, they're both even better!

Even though today's hip, modern Slash Careers are getting more press, we all know that mothers are the original Slashers. I'm a mom, and I never know what to put down for "Occupation," when I fill out a form. At first, when I was a new mom, I continued to use my former occupation. My "real" job.

It's been a while since then, and I've gotten over it. The older I get, the less I care about what other people think of me. I'm completely consumed, fulfilled, and exhausted by my current profession as a mom working from home. So what do I write on the form? It's hard to sum up what I do in just one word. But when I start listing the things I do for a living, it seems kind of arrogant to try to write them all down. I mean, who do I think I am? Wonder Woman? I just do what every other mom does... A little bit of everything!

So I usually just choose the occupational titles that mean the most to me personally: Wife and Mother. The other stuff is important, too, and the variety of activities is stimulating and delicious. But in the big picture, all the housework, blogging, entrepreneurial endeavors, and even charitable activities, pale in comparison to the significance of the work I do with my family. Yep, Wife/Mother. That's me.

A collection of "I hate Google" stuff

As a follow-up to my previous post about my conflicted feelings toward Google, I have compiled all sorts of rants, complaints, and frustrations, that others have published on blogs, forums, and news outlets. To see it all, stop by best.i-hate-google-stuff.ever.com. You can read the latest "Google stinks" blog posts from around the world, and if you're feeling frustrated too, leave your own 2 cents worth in the guestbook. Go ahead and let it out. You'll feel better.

Google: I hate myself for loving you

Before you flame me and call me a hypocrite, let me disclose a few things. Yes, I use Google's products. I love that I can see my house from space with Google Earth! I've used Adsense and Adwords, and I still use Blogger, Gmail, etc. In all likelihood, I will continue to use Google products. Google is everywhere, and most of the stuff is free -- how can I help it?

But it's getting out of hand. I think about Google all the time -- keywords, backlinks, SEO strategies... What will Google think if I do this? Will Google like that? What if that makes Google mad? I don't want to upset Google!

But I hate that I HAVE to do that! Google's looming Google-icious omnipresence gets on my nerves and under my skin, and I hate myself for having to love Google, especially when Google gives no evidence of loving me in return. Some days it seems like Google loves me, and other days, Google turns all fickle and ignores me for no apparent reason. It's maddening!

Some days, I just want to break up with Google. I want Google to take all his stuff and get out, and leave me alone with my own quiet life. And I can make my place just the way I like it, without having to worry about what Google will think.

But then I'm jerked back to reality. I can't live without Google. Nobody will like me if Google doesn't like me. I'm nothing without Google.

And then I'm back to where I started. I hate myself for loving Google. I hate Google for making me love him. Google, come back! I didn't mean it! Call me!

Geek Gift Idea: Lorem Ipsum...

This is my latest geek design: "Lorem ipsum..." Lots of people won't understand the humor of this one, but if you are someone who routinely builds or uses web site templates and such, you'll recognize the familiar dummy text. I thought it would be funny to put it on shirts and stuff, so here it is. Maybe this would look great on your office wall. Or maybe it would make the perfect gift for a certain someone. Enjoy!

Exploring the mysteries of homemade pie crust

Making a perfect pie crust is a skill that can take years to perfect. How can something made from such simple ingredients be so difficult to master? I don't know! That's why I always buy pre-made crusts! But this year, I am going to figure out the magic and mystery behind homemade pie crust.

I have gathered some helpful video tutorials on pie crust making, along with some highly-rated recipes, and put them all together on this page. I've included video from Alton Brown and Cat Cora, as well as some home cooks.

It's amazing how you can conjure such a delicious, tender, flaky, golden, crispy, soft, beautiful crust from just flour, fat, salt, and water. Sure, some people add extra stuff, but the basics are always the same. I've never had great success with pie crust. Maybe it's because I'm too impatient to mix the cold fat with the flour properly. Or maybe it's because my hands are always warm, so the dough gets sticky and overworked. I don't know. But I hope I can figure it out this season. Otherwise, it's back to the frozen crusts for good!

Artist Website of the Week

Woohoo! I got a mention over at creativetexturetools.com, a site featuring all things polymer metal clay and lots more, including jewelrymaking and online selling. My shop at smallandsimplegifts.com was named Artist Website of the Week! You can read the blog entry here. And while you're there, check out the other useful stuff Elaine has compiled. Thank you, Elaine!

My kids say the funniest stuff: flytraps

A few days ago, I was driving The Mother Ship (minivan) with the kids in the back. The boys, ages 6 and 8, were reaching across the seat between them, going "chomp! chomp!" toward one another. Hoping to avert a brawl, I was about to tell them to keep their hands to themselves, when I heard the younger one say, "Chomp! I'm a Venus flytrap!" I thought that was cute. Then, the older one responded, "Well, I'm a Jupiter flytrap. I'm bigger!" :-)

These rechargeable batteries are awesome-tastic!

I think these little USB rechargeable batteries are going to be huge. They are NiMH cells, rechargeable at any USB port. You don't need a cradle and cable. Just charge and go. Not only are they easy to use, but they are nicer for the environment, by preventing the disposal of lots of regular batteries. I don't remember all the chemistry of batteries in landfills (those grad-school brain cells have been taken over by new bits of information, like the names of all four Wiggles), but batteries in landfills are bad!

In addition to AA cells, they will be available in AAA, 9 volt, and sizes for cell phones and PDAs. Visit usbcell.com for more information.

Great Geek Gadgets: best.geekgadgets.ever.com

I've been working on a new project this week! This one is called best.geekgadgets.ever.com. It's a page dedicated to geek toys, gadgets, gifts, and other things that I think are super cool. Some of the products I've listed so far are a USB lava lamp, a wi-fi detector t-shirt, and some very cute Darth Vader nesting dolls. I love this stuff! If you're interested, stop by and have a look. And if you think of something I should include, please let me know. If it appeals to my inner geek, I'll add it and give you a nod. :-)

I've been awarded "Lens of the Day" at Squidoo!

My main computer hobby these days is creating "lenses," or single-page mini-sites, over at Squidoo. These lenses are great for me, because I like lots of different things, and the lens-building interface is very easy to use. I can delve into whatever my subject du jour is, organize everything I find, and share it almost instantly. I have been doing a few lenses per week lately, and I have to say I think I'm addicted. But that's my problem, not yours. :-)

I've lost count of my lenses, but I think I have about 25 active ones right now, [edit: I counted, and it's 41 as of today. My habit is worse than I thought!] with more on the back burner. I'm very excited that one of them, the Pumpkin Carving Video Showcase (doesn't that sound fancy?) was awarded the coveted "Lens of the Day," by the Squidoo gods on October 29, 2007. It's a collection of the best and most popular pumpkin carving and other pumpkin-related videos on YouTube. It's truly amazing what some people can do with a simple gourd. One guy carved Princess Diana's face into a pumpkin. Seriously, that's art. I can manage some triangles for the eyes and nose, and a zig-zaggy mouth, but that's about it. And for people who are more about pumpkin destruction than pumpkin art, there's a section on pumpkin trebuchet (punkin chunkin) videos. Fun, fun!

My own turkey tale: misadventures in roasting

I know it's not even Halloween yet, but with the kids' school "fall" parties (they don't call it "Halloween" anymore, apparently) finished up and Christmas merchandise already showing up at Target, I can't help but think ahead a bit.

I've been putting together a page on Thanksgiving recipes over at Squidoo. It's been a lot of fun researching the various ways of preparing turkey, carving turkey, mashing potatoes, etc. It has me reminiscing about my first Thanksgiving with my husband, and that always makes me laugh. So in the interest of sharing a smile today, here is my personal, embarrassing turkey misadventure story. Enjoy!

We'd been married about six months by our first Thanksgiving together as a married couple. We lived in an apartment with a small electric oven. I was so excited! You know... "Look at me! I'm such the little wife cooking for my new hubby..."

I roasted a turkey, fixed up the trimmings, complete with cranberries from a can and Stove Top stuffing. When it was finished, he carved up the bird, my manly husband, and discovered something strange inside the breast. What the heck?! Did we get a defective turkey?!

We examined the pale, wrinkled, alien membrane, and figured out that I had forgotten to remove the bag of neck and giblets before I cooked the turkey. Yes, the bag of turkey guts was still inside, like an unexpected prize inside a cereal box. But instead of a super secret spy decoder ring, it was a baked bag of neck, gizzard, liver, and heart. Now, I'm sure that lots of people love to eat those parts, but we are not those people. I was quite embarrassed, especially when he told his mother about it. Fortunately, I have an excellent sense of humor. ;-) We still laugh about it!

And in case you're wondering, the rest of the turkey was fine. We still ate it, we're still married, and we're still laughing about it, twelve years later!

Ways to maintain a healthy level of INSANITY

I got this in an e-mail from my mom, who got it from her sister... Isn't that how it always goes with these lists? Anyway, I thought this was funny, so I'm putting it here, so you can laugh too. Heaven knows we need more chances to laugh!

19 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Level of Insanity

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask If They Want Fries with that.

4.. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label It "In."

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write "For Smuggling Diamonds"

7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy."

8. Don t use any punctuation

9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.

10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat with a serious face.

11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go."

12. Sing Along At The Opera

13. Go To A Poetry Recital And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme

14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area And Play tropical Sounds All Day.

15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.

16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.

17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won!, I Won!"

18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot, Yelling "Run For Your Lives, They're Loose!!"

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner. "Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."

Who is Ed Helms?

I am a big fan of "The Office," and I am especially entertained by the character Andy Bernard, played by Ed Helms. I have not been a loyal watcher of Jon Stewart's "Daily Show," (it's on too late for me) so I hadn't seen much of Ed Helms before his part on The Office.

If you haven't seen The Office, you are missing out on some good laughs. If you like sharp humor, sometimes uncomfortable politically incorrect situations, and interesting characters, you will love The Office. You might want to give it a try.

So as I was saying, I didn't know much about Ed Helms. His character, Andy, is very annoying. He's a huge suck-up. He breaks into song without warning. He brings his banjo to work. He has a problem with anger management. Get the idea?

I was wondering about the guy behind it all, so I did some research. Okay, I say "research," but you know what I mean is, I typed "Ed Helms" into my search bar. What I found out is that he is from Atlanta, went to college at Oberlin in Ohio, did stand-up comedy, plays in a bluegrass trio, was on The Daily Show, and now he's on The Office. I put all the details together on a Squidoo page, if you're interested in learning more about Ed Helms and Andy Bernard. It includes some of my favorite scenes from The Office, and a link to his band's site. Enjoy!

I like Japanese game shows

I came across this clip from a "Human Tetris" Japanese game show. It is silly and fun, and I think it's hilarious. What does that say about me?

I want Yoda on my iPod

As you know, I just got a tiny new iPod Shuffle for my birthday, and I love it! I want to hug it and squeeze it, and I will call it George. uh... So I was browsing for iPod stuff, like a little protective case, to keep it from getting scratched up. Well, I was not prepared for the amazing selection of iPod accessories Out There! One of my favorites is this cute little Yoda case for the old Shuffle design. Yoda! Since I'm addicted to Squidoo these days, I made a whole page on all the iPod stuff I found, in case you're curious.

If it's yellow, let it mellow...

In honor of "Blog Environmental Action Day" (who comes up with this stuff, anyway?) here is a bit of wisdom that was passed down to me by a family friend when I was a kid. We were visiting a lake cabin with a small septic tank, and were advised not to flush the toilet or put any more water down the drains than absolutely necessary, lest we all find ourselves in a stinky, mucky mess. We were given simple instructions on how to do this:

1. If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down. I believe this is self-explanatory. Once, out of habit, I flushed on a yellow, and was met with "I hope that flush was really necessary," when I came out. I was embarrassed for having forgotten the rule, and said, "Yeah, it was," which was equally embarrassing to admit.

2. The shower had a push-button faucet, like a public restroom. One push would turn on the shower for maybe 30 seconds. Each person got two pushes worth of water per shower, which worked like this: Push once to moisten body. Lather up. Push to rinse body. Get out of the shower.

I guess if we all used these Cabin Bathroom rules at home, we'd both conserve fresh water and minimize the amount of dirty water going to treatment facilities, which would be a really good thing for the planet. :-)

Stephen Colbert on Letterman

I loved this interview with Stephen Colbert on David Letterman. It was interesting to hear Stephen speak in his more "real" voice, as opposed to the ultra-conservative pundit he portrays on The Colbert Report. He talked about trying to earn a living building futon frames, being a dad to three kids, and a bit about his new book, I Am America (And So Can You!). The book even comes with a sheet of stickers!

Yes, I am proud to be a geek

One of my hobbies is putting silly slogans on shirts and stuff. Before I had kids and replaced my hard-earned college knowledge with the lyrics for all the Wiggles songs, I was a scientist. And even if I can't remember Avogadro's number anymore (it has nothing to do with guacamole - I remember that much), I still get a giggle out of math and science related jokes. Here is one especially for fall - it is "pi" season, after all! And I love pie!

Happy Birthday to me!

I'm one of those people who enjoy having birthdays. Yes, I'm getting older, and yes, I have more gray hair than I did a year ago, but I still think birthdays are fun. My family got me a pink iPod shuffle, which I LOVE! And my kids are working on another "present" for Mommy, which is not arguing for the whole day, and doing what I ask without having to be asked multiple times. We'll see how they do! My dad used to ask us for the same thing on Father's Day or on his birthday, and we thought it would be so much easier if we could just get him a "real" gift. I guess you have to become a parent to understand what a "real" gift is, on so many levels!

Gratitude journal: It's my birthday, and I get to eat cake!

That's so true!

I love this "Life Lesson" figurine from TLC/Discovery Channel because it's so true! I never get to go to the bathroom by myself. Even if I close and lock the door, I have little people standing outside, talking to me through the door and poking things underneath it for me to see.

I know I'll miss it all someday, though, and when they're grown and gone, I'll wish for their little fingers sticking through the space under the door, just to get my attention.

Gratitude journal: My kids love me so much that want to be near me, even when I'm on the toilet.

Gratitude

I read in the Reader's Digest that gratitude can help you be more healthy, less stressed, and more optimistic. People have been studying how gratitude affects a person's well-being, both physically and mentally, and it seems to be quite a powerful force for good. Not only does it help a person feel better personally, but people who live gratefully are more likely to help others, which makes other people feel better, too.  So it becomes a big, beautiful circle of gratitude. I like to think of myself as a grateful kind of person, but the scientists that did the study suggest keeping a gratitude journal.  Apparently, taking time each day to remember and write down things for which you are grateful, helps you become a happier and healthier person. I will give this a try. And I will incorporate my gratitude journal into my blog. Feel free to comment and add your own "grateful moments" as well.  Let's all get happier together!

Another colorful necklace, in many shades of blue

Here is a beautiful necklace in shades of blue. I combined light and dark purple amethyst, tri-hue blue tanzanite, clear quartz (it looks like ice droplets to me), faceted cathedral beads, and sterling silver. I made this during the last (I hope) hot weekend of fall, in anticipation of the crisp, cool weather that should be on its way in October.

I've been feeling colorful lately

Well, been staying indoors to beat the heat and humidity lately, and I've done a couple of designs with lots of color! Here is one that has lots of juicy green and orange, including peridot and citrine, and sterling silver. It's a 20 inch necklace that will not be ignored! It may look good enough to eat, but it's not edible. :-)

The Great Pumpkin - smells like childhood!

I grew up in rural Wisconsin in the 70s, and we didn't have cable television. That means it was a really big deal when the Charlie Brown specials were on. Back then, the only time I could see cartoons was on Saturday mornings, unless you count Sesame Street, Electric Company, and Mr. Rogers on PBS.

Anyway, even though we have The Great Pumpkin on DVD now, and can watch it any time of the year (and we do!), it's still a special thing to see it on the network. It doesn't matter that I'm 30-something with kids of my own. When we sit on the couch to watch Linus in the pumpkin patch, it's almost like being a little kid again. Thank you, Great Pumpkin, sincerely!

Heather's banana bread

Every time I make this, people ask for the recipe. Thought I'd share it here.

1 c. sugar
1 stick margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
dash of nutmeg
3 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to about 350 and grease or spray pans (loaf, cake or muffin). Cream margarine and sugar together. Add eggs and blend. Mix together dry ingredients in separate bowl and then add to margarine mixture, and mix. Add mashed bananas and vanilla. Scrape down bowl and mix. Pour into pans and bake until toothpick comes out clean (approx. 60 min for large loaf; approx. 18 min for muffins). Do not overbake. Remove from pans and cool on racks. Then wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.

lots of kids, lots of shoes

Lots of kids, lots of shoes

February snow!

February snow in the backyard