Quotes of the Week #3

So I'm nursing my baby one day in my room. My husband, realizing the baby might fall asleep in our room- and be there for the night suggests,

"Why don't you go MILK HIM in [his room]?"

Lamentations of someone who would like to meet Oprah

So... I know this is going to come as a big surprise to most of you, and probably a big disappointment...

dare I say it...

I know, I know. We all thought I would be meetin' and greetin' by now. Hob-knobbin' with the likes of Gail and  Stedman and maybe Mr. Obama, as me and Ms. Winfrey conversed like old friends... but alas... I cannot lie-she has not called.

Maybe she didn't get my letter? Must not have. I

I guess I'll have to try again. 

Well-wishers welcome.

Sincerely,

One who wants to chat with Oprah Winfrey

P.S. On a serious note- I did get an email from a lady who has met Oprah twice. She sent me her phone number. I'm going to ring her for some tips on getting an in with Lady O.

The 18-Year Old List

So a long time ago,  I attended a marriage course at church. There was a couple teaching the class and the husband was talking about how his family had an "18 year-old list". It was his parents way of being unified in rearing their children and preparing them for life. He told about how he had a sister who could weld and how everyone in their family had fabulous skills because of their fabulous parents who essentially forced them to "graduate" from their family before they were allowed to be independent. Well I have to tell you- I didnt' really know these people very well, and aside from selling the man's wife  hanging flower baskets from the Garden Centre when I worked at Home Depot, I really haven't been overly influenced by these people... EXCEPT the 18-year old list. I set it in my mind that we would be doing the 18-year old list.
The couple  have since moved away, and I  don't keep in contact so I've had very little mentoring with this thing- yet I'm bound and determined to do it. I figure that Arthur can have Jane endentured as a carpenter sometime as a teenager- and by the time she leaves my house she'll have for sure at least one trade under her belt.(You think I'm kidding- but talk to Arthur- I'm serious. My kid already has a toolbelt and uses a measuring tape on a regular basis. She knows important people like dad, Joseph, and ummmm the Savior of the world were carpenters... so if it's good enough for them... it's surely at least a decent stepping stone for my kid). Aside from carpentry, I intend on my children having skills such as sports, music, money-management, etiquette, cultural understanding, cooking, cleaning, sewing, arts and crafts- I don't know maybe someone could teach them to crochet or play the eukele (I obviously cannot because I was not subject to an 18-year old list).

I've begun my tutelage with similar things that other parents do- like singing the alphabet and taking their kids to the zoo or library... but in a mode of ambition and the ultimate 18-year old list goal... I decided to do a 2 year old list... yeah cause ya' gotta' start some where, right? So I titled the list "103 before 3". I didn't think up this genius until Jane was like 2 1/2 and the only reason I picked 103 things to do was because it made for a catchy title... but you can see how this was maybe a little unfair. The list included simple things like having a playdate at the playground with Jane's friend Edward, and taking a ferry ride with Dad, to moderate things like learning your name, address, and phone number, all the way up to unrealistic things like being able to identify, say, and write every letter of the alphabet.

I was pretty proud of my big-little list and felt like I was well on my way to rearing the ultimate adult when I showed "103 before 3" to Arthur, and reminded him of the 18-Year Old List that we both had thought was a good idea. He felt the tasks on the "103 before 3" were a little juvenille. So I asked him what he thought might be more appropriate...

He suggested maybe some complicated knots.
*AS A Post-script: Jane is now 5 1/2 and taught herself to tie her shoelaces on her own. I tried to teach her the "fast-way", but I guess it was just too complicated (see link)

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKWL1md7Dv4&feature=fvw

Toddlers and Toilets

I gots' ta' go bad. So I rush lightning speed to the bathroom. Flip up the toilet lid and am faced with the fact that the toddler who is strictly forbidden to use no more than "4 squares" has flushed a DOUBLE roll (again). AHHHHHHHHHHH ya' little monkey! I survey the situation, calculate the risk, and deem it too dangerous to continue. I recognize that whatever I put in the toilet- I'll be mopping off the floor. I cross my legs, flip up the toilet seat... and plunge. 5 minutes later- and may I remind you that 5 minutes is a long time when ya' "gots' ta' go baaaaaaaaaaaaad"- I hear the sloshy gurggle and flush. Hoooray. I sit down. I finish the errand- look to the toilet paper and realize it is the last roll and she FLUSHED IT ALL!!!

Kristi has a pretty blog and I don't... Wah wah for m

So my friend Kristi is the biggest, bestest blogger I know. I actually check in on her blog fairly often... and every time I do I think... wow- that looks really good. Wow I need a "button". And like the best handmade crafts... it doesn't look homemade... but she made it.

I asked her what to do. She helped me one day- and although you may not know it- my blog looks a lot better (which sadly is not saying much).

She gave me a few tips:

1. Get comments- they're good- so get them ... and a few tips on how (which I've been meaning to do, but I'm a little inconsistent with my improvements here)

2. Graphics, graphics, graphics.  But I have only an okay-camera. (that fell down the stairs at my old house and the batteries are held in by electrical tape- and quite frankly don't take the most super-fly photo). I'm also a university graduate, and I feel compelled that if I take a graphic from the web and it's copyrighted- even if I think it is public domain- that I may indeed be shot down to the depths of hell with absolutely no chance of redemption in the vast expanses of all eternity (you remember the post-secondary intellectual rights & playgerism lectures... shudder).

3. A button is good- it's like free-advertising. I googled how to make one... but it throws me back to number 2 where I need some good graphics.

Maybe this is kind of like those people who complain about other people who always look good, but make no effort to do so themselves. Maybe it's time for my blog to have a shower and put on some lipstick. I'm going to talk to Kristi and get me some more blog- beauty tips... in the meantime- WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD MAKE MY BLOG MORE INTERESTING?

Picking a URL

I was thinking about starting a second blog- completely different feel, completely different genre. I can't seem to keep on top of this one... but for some reason I feel it might be beneficial to work on number 2? (Guess it's kind of like having kids huh?)

So I'm thinking something that gets my "serious" out- simply an outlet for writing- essays, thoughts, rants (i.e. a typical blog)... so I think... what could I use for a title on this thing- something simple, catchy and easy to remember. Something that suggests communication- listening, speaking, hearing- but bold and hard to forget.

I try a few URL's I believe MAY be taken- but it's always worth a shot. I start the usually-mammoth project that happens when you're trying to find a new login id or web address. So I begin typing

"Listen"

before the .blogspot yaddy, yaddy- it's taken, (and it appears that this guy might be remotely funny). Then I try:

"Hear Me"

also taken- but looks like this one is abandoned... so then I think a little harder, get a bit more creative. I stretch those creative muscles and try:

"I Want your Ears"

... and "surprisingly" enough... it IS available- and for a moment I think-

"boy, what luck! I better snatch that up, before some one else takes it- that's a good one!"... and then I laugh thinking about how it's sounds bizarrely adult and might illicit the wrong traffic.

Quotes of the Week # 2

My two year-old on mornings,  "it's not night time- it's light time!"

"What does precisely mean?

What does experimentation mean?"

-my five-year old