DOTY had a big "moment" this week so I just had to include it. Here is how the story goes:
DOTY teaches our Sunday School class at church. This week he wanted to do something special and introduce our topic with a clip from The Office television show. He needed to leave 30 minutes early to set everything up with our laptop and speakers. We decided to ride separately so that I could get Miss C ready and fed. So off he went.
30 minutes later...
Always rushing - I sweep up Miss C and we are out the door. I get to the car, open the door to put her in and realize there is no carseat. DOTY has the carseat with him in that vehicle. I call DOTY to tell him what has happened. He is still trying to get everything set up and he is struggling himself.
Thankfully, we have another carseat and base in Miss C's closet. They are the Graco brand whereas our normal carseat and base are the BabyTrend brand. Because of that I knew I would have to install the base itself - not just pop in the other carseat. I put Miss C on the floor to play while I go get the carseat and base down from her closet.
I immediately notice that the carseat straps are at the shortest setting. The last time we used this carseat, Miss C was 8 weeks old! She is much bigger now, so I had to rethread the carseat straps.
Once I had the base installed in the car, I buckled Miss C into the carseat and popped the carseat onto the base. We were finally off. About 5 minutes down the road I notice that Miss C is holding her head up off of the carseat. This was because the carseat base was on the lowest setting - a setting for newborns - all the way reclined. Miss C is used to sitting much more upright in her carseat. She rode the whole way to church holding her head up and away from the carseat.
Miss C and I made it - about 10 minutes late - not too bad considering.
DOTY learned a valuable lesson - Never leave the house with the carseat =)
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece. No poll this week because of Turkey Day. Posts sent in this week will be included in next week's poll.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
In a bag by the door
Isn't that where everything is? - In a bag by the door. That's where my pants have been for 2 weeks now - yup, the ones I was supposed to give to the lady in choir. I finally gave them to her today and she is going to hem them - yay! (What am I talking about? Click here for previous blog about hemming pants.)
Anyway, that is also where I left something very important on Saturday. Specifically, it was the diaper bag by the door. And in the diaper-bag-by-the-door was Miss C's 10:30 bottle. And also in the diaper-bag-by-the-door was anything and everything that could stall/distract Miss C if for some reason stalling/distracting were necessary - things like pacifiers, toys, sippy cup, etc.
Way to go MOTY!
PS Miss C was a real champ about it. She hardly made a whimper. I was so proud. She finally got her bottle at 11:45! I could hear her little tummy rumbling. Getting her bottle during what would have normally been nap time really messed up the rest of our day, but that's what happens when you leave the bag by the door.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece. No poll this week because of Turkey day. All posts this week will be included in next week's poll.
Anyway, that is also where I left something very important on Saturday. Specifically, it was the diaper bag by the door. And in the diaper-bag-by-the-door was Miss C's 10:30 bottle. And also in the diaper-bag-by-the-door was anything and everything that could stall/distract Miss C if for some reason stalling/distracting were necessary - things like pacifiers, toys, sippy cup, etc.
Way to go MOTY!
PS Miss C was a real champ about it. She hardly made a whimper. I was so proud. She finally got her bottle at 11:45! I could hear her little tummy rumbling. Getting her bottle during what would have normally been nap time really messed up the rest of our day, but that's what happens when you leave the bag by the door.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece. No poll this week because of Turkey day. All posts this week will be included in next week's poll.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Super Sweet Gravy
DB has given us our very first Thanksgiving MOTYM. Enjoy!
Several years ago, my Mom and I were cooking Thanksgiving Dinner. I was making gravy and I couldn't get it to thicken. I kept adding what I thought was corn starch to no avail. The problem - I had pulled down the powdered sugar canister which was identical to the one I kept corn starch in. (In case you've never noticed, corn starch and powdered sugar look exactly the same.)
I added a bit of corn starch and my concoction started to thicken. What to do? Everything else was ready, so I served it and told no one (except Momm as she watched the entire fiasco).
To me, it tasted really sweet, but noone else seemed to notice! I think about this every year when I'm making the gravy!
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece. No poll this week because of Turkey Day. Posts from this week will be included in next week's poll.
Several years ago, my Mom and I were cooking Thanksgiving Dinner. I was making gravy and I couldn't get it to thicken. I kept adding what I thought was corn starch to no avail. The problem - I had pulled down the powdered sugar canister which was identical to the one I kept corn starch in. (In case you've never noticed, corn starch and powdered sugar look exactly the same.)
I added a bit of corn starch and my concoction started to thicken. What to do? Everything else was ready, so I served it and told no one (except Momm as she watched the entire fiasco).
To me, it tasted really sweet, but noone else seemed to notice! I think about this every year when I'm making the gravy!
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece. No poll this week because of Turkey Day. Posts from this week will be included in next week's poll.
Turkey Week
Ok. Ok. I realize I may have been a little demanding requiring that Turkey related posts be in by yesterday at 9 pm. So I'm going to give some leeway. You can still send in your Turkey related posts until Tuesday at 9 pm - how bout that!
Here's what I'm looking for:
Thanksgiving/Black Friday funny mom moments - cooking fiascos, social blunders, clothing disasters, travel mishaps, etc.
Thanksgiving/Black Friday tips - cooking ideas, eating ideas, leftover ideas, shopping tips, etc.
Thanksgiving/Black Friday teachable moments - I dare you to come up with a Black Friday teachable moment =) Maybe this will be this week's competition in lieu of the poll =)
Here's what I'm looking for:
Thanksgiving/Black Friday funny mom moments - cooking fiascos, social blunders, clothing disasters, travel mishaps, etc.
Thanksgiving/Black Friday tips - cooking ideas, eating ideas, leftover ideas, shopping tips, etc.
Thanksgiving/Black Friday teachable moments - I dare you to come up with a Black Friday teachable moment =) Maybe this will be this week's competition in lieu of the poll =)
11/23/09 Moms in the News
Meet Linda Blockus, mother and Director for Undergraduate research at Memorial Union in Columbia, MO. When the Life Sciences Center was being built, Linda asked the planners to include a room for nursing mothers to pump. She became committed to the cause after seeing a student who was also a mother go to the restroom to pump.
Meet Lavlee Mollik and Moira Kelly. Mollik is the biological mother of Trishna and Krishna, conjoined twins from Bangladesh. I've been following the story of these twins all week! They were joined at the head and were separated in a 34 hour surgery! Amazingly both survived and it appears have no brain damage - Praise the Lord! Mollik could no longer afford to care for her daughters so she gave them to an adoption agency. She was overcome with joy upon finding out that her daughters had survived the surgery, but she wants them to continue to be with their guardian Moira Kelly so that they will be able to get a good education and have good medical care. Both of these women sound amazing to me. One has painfully given away her daughters because she knows she can't give them the medical care they need. The other has taken on this huge financial burden of medical care for babies she didn't even know and decided to care and love them.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Meet Lavlee Mollik and Moira Kelly. Mollik is the biological mother of Trishna and Krishna, conjoined twins from Bangladesh. I've been following the story of these twins all week! They were joined at the head and were separated in a 34 hour surgery! Amazingly both survived and it appears have no brain damage - Praise the Lord! Mollik could no longer afford to care for her daughters so she gave them to an adoption agency. She was overcome with joy upon finding out that her daughters had survived the surgery, but she wants them to continue to be with their guardian Moira Kelly so that they will be able to get a good education and have good medical care. Both of these women sound amazing to me. One has painfully given away her daughters because she knows she can't give them the medical care they need. The other has taken on this huge financial burden of medical care for babies she didn't even know and decided to care and love them.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Congratulations Dot!
Dot won this week's poll with her tale of the Red Frilly Panties. If you missed Dot's MOTYM, click here to read it.
No poll this week since this Friday is Black Friday and I expect all of you to be out shopping - Yes, I am one of those! But please send in more MOTYMs. I will continue to post them and we can just have more stories to choose from next Friday.
No poll this week since this Friday is Black Friday and I expect all of you to be out shopping - Yes, I am one of those! But please send in more MOTYMs. I will continue to post them and we can just have more stories to choose from next Friday.
Friday, November 20, 2009
11/20/09 MOTYM Poll
Today's poll is different. Leave a comment telling me your vote for the week. I have the comments moderated so I will get an email with all of your votes. This way, the winner will be a surprise on Monday. I know you are all on pins and needles =) In your comment, you can post the letter or the title.
So here are your choices one more time!
A) Finger nails
B) The Midnight Cry
C) Meeting Great Great Grandma
D) The Case of the Red Frilly Panties
So here are your choices one more time!
A) Finger nails
B) The Midnight Cry
C) Meeting Great Great Grandma
D) The Case of the Red Frilly Panties
11/20/09 Turkey Week's almost here
Don't forget to turn in any Thanksgiving posts by Sunday, November 22nd at 9 pm. Posts can be on any of the following topics:
MOTY - Your Mommy of the year moments as they relate to Thanksgiving and/or Black Friday
MOTY to MOTY - Your tips as they relate to Thanksgiving and/or Black Friday
Teachable Moments - Teachable moment ideas to use around Thanksgiving
Send any of these to ashleybeam@gmail.com! Thank you!
MOTY - Your Mommy of the year moments as they relate to Thanksgiving and/or Black Friday
MOTY to MOTY - Your tips as they relate to Thanksgiving and/or Black Friday
Teachable Moments - Teachable moment ideas to use around Thanksgiving
Send any of these to ashleybeam@gmail.com! Thank you!
11/20/09 Moms in the News
Meet Pamela Harris. She is being recognized as a local hero after rescuing an infant from a vehicle turned upside down in water-filled ditch. After she rescued the babe from the car, she assisted in giving the infant CPR. The babe is alive today because of her!
In this story, the 2 year old is the hero. Meet Jeremiha Taylor. He is 2 years old and when his mother went into labor in the living room, he calmly went and grabbed towels. He then caught his baby brother! Incredible story!
Meet Patricia Ann Parker. After graduating college, the world and opportunity were hers. But her own mother died leaving behind 9 younger siblings. Her father abandoned them so she took on the responsibility of raising her 9 siblings. This article was put together by her siblings in her honor.
In this story, the 2 year old is the hero. Meet Jeremiha Taylor. He is 2 years old and when his mother went into labor in the living room, he calmly went and grabbed towels. He then caught his baby brother! Incredible story!
Meet Patricia Ann Parker. After graduating college, the world and opportunity were hers. But her own mother died leaving behind 9 younger siblings. Her father abandoned them so she took on the responsibility of raising her 9 siblings. This article was put together by her siblings in her honor.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The Case of the Red Frilly Panties
"Dot" writes,
My youngest was 2 1/2 and recently potty trained. Following her nightly bath, I would put training pants on her for sleeping. One Sunday morning, I dressed her for church and told her to run put on her "frilly panties." She quickly reappeared, dressed in red frilly panties that did not match her dress. This was many years ago, and red frilly panties were a novelty, to say the least.
I immediately noticed the panties showing through her dress as toddler dresses were extremely full and very short back then). In my haste I exclaimed, "Go take those off, they aren't for church!" True to her sweet, compliant nature, she turned around and headed for her room.
That Sunday was also my first time back in the choir since her birth. It was a small country church and I sat her & her older sister on the front pew where I could watch them. They were being so good, but about halfway through the service, she got tired and laid down on the pew. The choir loft was on the left side of the church, so I didn't have a front view of them, but I could see their heads from the side. The choir director, (who had a clear front view) kept looking back at me, smiling, so I would smile back, thinking how sweet they looked.
After the service, the choir director said, "I think your little one forgot something this morning. She's not wearing any panties!"
She was still asleep on the front pew, her "full moon" aimed at the front of the church!
Needless to say, I had a "panty check" every Sunday thereafter.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece. If you want your MOTYM included in this week's poll, send it in by 9 PM tonight! Otherwise, it will be included in next week's poll.
My youngest was 2 1/2 and recently potty trained. Following her nightly bath, I would put training pants on her for sleeping. One Sunday morning, I dressed her for church and told her to run put on her "frilly panties." She quickly reappeared, dressed in red frilly panties that did not match her dress. This was many years ago, and red frilly panties were a novelty, to say the least.
I immediately noticed the panties showing through her dress as toddler dresses were extremely full and very short back then). In my haste I exclaimed, "Go take those off, they aren't for church!" True to her sweet, compliant nature, she turned around and headed for her room.
That Sunday was also my first time back in the choir since her birth. It was a small country church and I sat her & her older sister on the front pew where I could watch them. They were being so good, but about halfway through the service, she got tired and laid down on the pew. The choir loft was on the left side of the church, so I didn't have a front view of them, but I could see their heads from the side. The choir director, (who had a clear front view) kept looking back at me, smiling, so I would smile back, thinking how sweet they looked.
After the service, the choir director said, "I think your little one forgot something this morning. She's not wearing any panties!"
She was still asleep on the front pew, her "full moon" aimed at the front of the church!
Needless to say, I had a "panty check" every Sunday thereafter.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece. If you want your MOTYM included in this week's poll, send it in by 9 PM tonight! Otherwise, it will be included in next week's poll.
11/19/09 Moms in the News
Meet Surina from Mongolia. Surina ran into a burning house to rescue three children. Two of the children were her neighbor's and one was her own son. Sadly she was unable to rescue her own son. Surina suffered extensive burn damage and today - a little over a year later - she is still getting treatment.
Meet Jocelyn Morales. Jocelyn got pregnant her senior year in high school. Though the father encouraged her to abort, Jocelyn's own mother supported her in her decision to raise her baby. I'm not sure who is the true hero in this story - Jocelyn or her mother. Jocelyn's mother supported Jocelyn through her pregnancy and encouraged her daughter to get her GED. The article goes on about Jocelyn, her mother and her son Angel. It's just a feel good article that shows how a seemingly negative situation was made positive.
Meet Jocelyn Morales. Jocelyn got pregnant her senior year in high school. Though the father encouraged her to abort, Jocelyn's own mother supported her in her decision to raise her baby. I'm not sure who is the true hero in this story - Jocelyn or her mother. Jocelyn's mother supported Jocelyn through her pregnancy and encouraged her daughter to get her GED. The article goes on about Jocelyn, her mother and her son Angel. It's just a feel good article that shows how a seemingly negative situation was made positive.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
MOTY to MOTY: Fluffy carpets
This weekend mom-inlaw showed me how to make bathroom carpets look fresh and clean. Just put them in the dryer on Air Fluff for 10 minutes. Apparently it's not good to actually wash your carpets too often because it can harm the rubber underneath the mat. So if you want a fresh look, but don't have the time - just air fluff those puppies!
About "MOTY to MOTY" posts
Obviously, I am not the one who needs to be giving out tips - since I am MOTY! The goal here is to spread the word about tips. So if you have any Mommy-related tips about saving money, cleaning house, shopping, cooking, etc send me the info and I will share the wealth.
Send tips to ashleybeam@gmail.com
Send tips to ashleybeam@gmail.com
11/18/09 Moms in the News
Meet Carter Brown - 105 year old mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Had her first book signing this week for her book "Aunt Sarah's Recipes for a Long and Spirit-Filled Life." The book has in it recipes and pearls of wisdom from Mrs. Brown. My own great-grandmother is 102!
Meet Doretta Groenendyk - a mother of three and an artist turned children's book author. All of Doretta's pictures tell a story. Her books contain just enough text to allow the readers to tell their own story.
Meet Helen Marotto winner of the Good Neighbor Award. She was recognized because of her dedication to children in foster care. She works for the court system as their advocate. Her goal is to find them permanent homes.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Meet Doretta Groenendyk - a mother of three and an artist turned children's book author. All of Doretta's pictures tell a story. Her books contain just enough text to allow the readers to tell their own story.
Meet Helen Marotto winner of the Good Neighbor Award. She was recognized because of her dedication to children in foster care. She works for the court system as their advocate. Her goal is to find them permanent homes.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Meeting Great-Great Grandma
At 2 months old, I took Miss C to meet her great-great grandma. That's right - double "greats" on this grandma. GGG lives about 1.5 hours away. So when you are nursing every 3 hours, 1.5 is about as far away as you can travel. We jumped in the car immediately after I fed Miss C.
What I failed to take into account is that Miss C's happiest time is right after she eats. She plays for about 1-1.5 hours and then takes a nap. So Miss C's play time was during our long drive. Of course, that didn't go over well. Miss C's play time was Miss C's scream time. Then when we arrived, it was Miss C's nap time - not a good time to meet someone new.
We only have a couple of pictures from this trip where it doesn't look like Miss C is crying, but I can tell you - she definitely cried the whole time.
We took another trip to see GGG when Miss C was 4 months old. My planning was much better that time.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
What I failed to take into account is that Miss C's happiest time is right after she eats. She plays for about 1-1.5 hours and then takes a nap. So Miss C's play time was during our long drive. Of course, that didn't go over well. Miss C's play time was Miss C's scream time. Then when we arrived, it was Miss C's nap time - not a good time to meet someone new.
We only have a couple of pictures from this trip where it doesn't look like Miss C is crying, but I can tell you - she definitely cried the whole time.
We took another trip to see GGG when Miss C was 4 months old. My planning was much better that time.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Erasers
"People are suppose to make mistakes, that's why we have erasers."
Next time your child is erasing something or you are buying an eraser at the store with your little one, remind them that God is the only one who can erase all of our sins away.
Send in your teachable moments to ashleybeam@gmail.com
Next time your child is erasing something or you are buying an eraser at the store with your little one, remind them that God is the only one who can erase all of our sins away.
Send in your teachable moments to ashleybeam@gmail.com
11/17/09 Moms in the News
Meet Janice Stompro, third generation to have breast cancer. She hopes that it will stop with her and her daughter will not have to fight the disease. She is raising money for breast cancer research by compiling recipe books. Her recipe books have celebrity contributions and she has sold thousands. Great work Janice!
Sarah Palin's book came out today "Going Rogue". No matter what your politics are, you have to admire this mom of five who is obviously adored by her family and state. She's a hard working lady and probably has a lot of insight.
Meet Mary Dungan - not your average marathoner. She is preparing to run the Las Vegas marathon for the third time on December 6th. She started training for a marathon after her husband died and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The training is what made her get out of bed in the mornings. With each race she raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Sarah Palin's book came out today "Going Rogue". No matter what your politics are, you have to admire this mom of five who is obviously adored by her family and state. She's a hard working lady and probably has a lot of insight.
Meet Mary Dungan - not your average marathoner. She is preparing to run the Las Vegas marathon for the third time on December 6th. She started training for a marathon after her husband died and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The training is what made her get out of bed in the mornings. With each race she raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
The Midnight Cry
Two weeks ago, Miss C hit a growth spurt. You know what that means - waking up in the middle of the night to eat. By the third night, I was on auto pilot. Half asleep, I picked Miss C up to feed her. When she was done, I stood up with her in my arms and that is when I felt it.
Her diaper was completely loaded - the fullest it's ever been. I realize that more than likely, this loaded diaper is what actually woke her up and not her hunger, but it is too late now. I've already fed her and Miss C is back to sleep again. So what did I do?
I put her back in the bed with the loaded diaper.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
Her diaper was completely loaded - the fullest it's ever been. I realize that more than likely, this loaded diaper is what actually woke her up and not her hunger, but it is too late now. I've already fed her and Miss C is back to sleep again. So what did I do?
I put her back in the bed with the loaded diaper.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Finger nails
I hate clipping Miss C's finger nails. Actually DOTY would correct me here since I've never actually clipped Miss C's finger nails. I am usually holding Miss C and distracting her while DOTY clips her finger nails. The whole time DOTY is clipping, I am gasping and saying "Watch out for..." and "Wait, wait!" and "That's good enough!"
This is probably because the very first time we clipped her nails we got a good bit of thumb in there. I was a basket case. Of course that was a couple of days after we brought her home from the hospital so the slightest thing sent emotions swirling.
After that first nail clipping session, I decided then that we would just use mittens - no need to clip anymore. This worked well the first week. Her nails were starting to get long by the second week, but we had those mittens - right? Yeah, those mittens that never stay on her hands. The third week there were a few scratches, but this MOTY decided those probably didn't hurt near as much as getting her thumb sliced off. On the fourth week her nails were so long that they were starting to break off. "See, we don't have to clip them. They'll just break off after a little while. Problem solved!"
Long story short, the doctor convinced me at her 2 month appointment (8 weeks old) that we did need to be clipping her finger nails. Just recently DOTY has decided to do it when I'm at work so that I won't constantly gasp through the process.
This is probably because the very first time we clipped her nails we got a good bit of thumb in there. I was a basket case. Of course that was a couple of days after we brought her home from the hospital so the slightest thing sent emotions swirling.
After that first nail clipping session, I decided then that we would just use mittens - no need to clip anymore. This worked well the first week. Her nails were starting to get long by the second week, but we had those mittens - right? Yeah, those mittens that never stay on her hands. The third week there were a few scratches, but this MOTY decided those probably didn't hurt near as much as getting her thumb sliced off. On the fourth week her nails were so long that they were starting to break off. "See, we don't have to clip them. They'll just break off after a little while. Problem solved!"
Long story short, the doctor convinced me at her 2 month appointment (8 weeks old) that we did need to be clipping her finger nails. Just recently DOTY has decided to do it when I'm at work so that I won't constantly gasp through the process.
11/16/09 Moms in the News
Meet Malika Saada-Saar - mother of three and founder and executive director of the Rebecca Project for Human Rights. The organization is an advocate for "women on the margins of society". Coming from a rough background herself, Malika empathizes with women and children who come from the rough side of town and women in prison. Her most recent accomplishment was to persuade the federal government to ban the shackling of prison inmates during childbirth.
Meet Kathleen Khalid, 48 year old mother who stopped a bank robbery by jumping on the back of the robber. This is just a small clip of an article about her. She is being given a Courageous Citizen award.
Meet Chia-Ho Lee, mother of two and this years Raytheon Math Hero award for inspiring kids. Raytheon is a company which creates defense technology for the government. Each year they poll students and faculty to find a teacher worthy of this award. Chia-Ho works hard to make math practical for her students so she is this year's winner.
Meet Kathleen Khalid, 48 year old mother who stopped a bank robbery by jumping on the back of the robber. This is just a small clip of an article about her. She is being given a Courageous Citizen award.
Meet Chia-Ho Lee, mother of two and this years Raytheon Math Hero award for inspiring kids. Raytheon is a company which creates defense technology for the government. Each year they poll students and faculty to find a teacher worthy of this award. Chia-Ho works hard to make math practical for her students so she is this year's winner.
Congratulations DB!
Congratulations to DB - Her story "Running Laps" has earned her the title Mommy of the Year for this week!
To enjoy DB's story again, follow this link.
Sorry again for our issues with the Poll. I'll have all that fixed this week - pinky promise!
A big thank you to all of our contributors last week! I love hearing your stories. They encourage me! It's time to send 'em in again. This week's deadline is Thursday at 9 pm. Well, ok if you send it in at 9:01 I'll still accept it =) Spread the word!
And don't forget about Thanksgiving posts. Thanksgiving related MOTY, Teachable Moment or Tips posts are due by Sunday, November 22nd at 9 pm.
To enjoy DB's story again, follow this link.
Sorry again for our issues with the Poll. I'll have all that fixed this week - pinky promise!
A big thank you to all of our contributors last week! I love hearing your stories. They encourage me! It's time to send 'em in again. This week's deadline is Thursday at 9 pm. Well, ok if you send it in at 9:01 I'll still accept it =) Spread the word!
And don't forget about Thanksgiving posts. Thanksgiving related MOTY, Teachable Moment or Tips posts are due by Sunday, November 22nd at 9 pm.
Friday, November 13, 2009
**Redo** 11/13/09 MOTYM Poll
Sorry everyone. I'm still working out some kinks with this poll here. I don't like using this one. Hopefully, I'll have a new one in a couple of weeks, but for now this is what I have. If you voted already, please submit your vote again. This Poll will be open until Sunday at 9 PM. Submit your votes now!
Blow outs
I'm a follow the rules and frugal kind of gal so when a size 1 diaper says 8-14 pounds, you better believe Miss C was going to be in those diapers until she was 14 pounds. You see, a package of size 1 diapers comes with 40 diapers whereas a package of size 2 diapers only comes with 36. For the on-sale price of $8.99, that's a difference of 22 cents a diaper versus 25 cents a diaper!!
At the ripe age of 3 months, Miss C started having a few..... blow outs. I tried different brands, but that didn't seem to help. There was no way she was 14 pounds. Babies don't really double their birth weight until 4 months at the earliest and 13 pounds would be double her birth weight. So instead I began to attribute these blow outs to Miss C herself.
When picking her up from nursery and discovering they had to change her clothes, I simply replied, "Well, she's the blow out queen!"
A few weeks later, we attended Miss C's 4 month doctor's appointment. When put on the scale, Miss C weighed a whopping 14 and a half pounds!! I apologized to Miss C for calling her the "blow out queen" and put her in a size 2 immediately.
Lesson learned! Listen to your baby - not the packaging!
At the ripe age of 3 months, Miss C started having a few..... blow outs. I tried different brands, but that didn't seem to help. There was no way she was 14 pounds. Babies don't really double their birth weight until 4 months at the earliest and 13 pounds would be double her birth weight. So instead I began to attribute these blow outs to Miss C herself.
When picking her up from nursery and discovering they had to change her clothes, I simply replied, "Well, she's the blow out queen!"
A few weeks later, we attended Miss C's 4 month doctor's appointment. When put on the scale, Miss C weighed a whopping 14 and a half pounds!! I apologized to Miss C for calling her the "blow out queen" and put her in a size 2 immediately.
Lesson learned! Listen to your baby - not the packaging!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
11/13/09 Moms in the News
Meet Shalini Madara, named Local Hero in Wilton, MA. Shalini's son PFC Nicholas Madaras was killed in Iraq in 2006. Before he died he had been collecting soccer balls to hand out to the children in Iraq. Shalini has continued in her son's goals starting Kick for Nick - an organization which distributes 20,000 soccer balls in Iraq and Afghanistan every year! Awesome!
Meet Goldie Murphy. Her son also died in 2007 while serving in Afghanistan. In response to this tragedy in her life, Goldie has reestablished 4 chapters of the Gold Star Mothers in Arizona (organization for family members of fallen soldiers) AND she is working with a sign company to create memorable banners of soldiers for their family members. Both of these women are really honoring their sons in remarkable ways.
Meet Karen Fine. She has written a children's book about eating healthy. This is definitely needed now since about half of my news feeds for the "Moms in the News" posts are about childhood obesity.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Meet Goldie Murphy. Her son also died in 2007 while serving in Afghanistan. In response to this tragedy in her life, Goldie has reestablished 4 chapters of the Gold Star Mothers in Arizona (organization for family members of fallen soldiers) AND she is working with a sign company to create memorable banners of soldiers for their family members. Both of these women are really honoring their sons in remarkable ways.
Meet Karen Fine. She has written a children's book about eating healthy. This is definitely needed now since about half of my news feeds for the "Moms in the News" posts are about childhood obesity.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
T-2 weeks
T minus 2 weeks until Thanksgiving Day! Don't you love Thanksgiving? I do. Of course, like any other holiday, Thanksgiving has lots of potential MOTYMs! Have you ever burned a Thanksgiving dish? Stuck your foot in your mouth talking to your inlaws? I would love to have a first ever MOTY themed edition. Please send any of the following:
1) Your MOTYM as they relate to Thanksgiving
2) Ideas about how to make Thanksgiving a Teachable Moment with your kids
3) Tips on savings or shopping on Black Friday
These will be posted the week of Thanksgiving. Posts are due by Sunday, November 22nd at 9:00 PM.
1) Your MOTYM as they relate to Thanksgiving
2) Ideas about how to make Thanksgiving a Teachable Moment with your kids
3) Tips on savings or shopping on Black Friday
These will be posted the week of Thanksgiving. Posts are due by Sunday, November 22nd at 9:00 PM.
Liar, Liar Pants on Fire!
Our second contributor post of the week! Thank you SueSue! SueSue writes:
When my daughter was about 10 years old, we were spending the afternoon at her grandmother/my mother’s house. Her grandmother and I planned a walk to visit a neighboring relative but my REW didn’t want to go and was actually a little stubborn about it. So off we went and REW stayed at her grandmother’s house alone. A few moments after we left, REW came running out the house, having changed her mind about coming on our walk/visit. She caught up with us quickly and looked a little shaken up about something. As we took a few more paces, I noticed a ginormous chunk of hair missing from the back of her head that was normally filled with long blonde hair. I put on my best angry mother tone and asked her why she had cut her hair. She told me that she hadn’t cut her hair, but had simply combed it and her hair fell out. I was furious that she was blatantly lying to me and was going to call her bluff. She kept saying she had merely combed her hair and not cut it, so we turned right around and went back to the house to find this comb that had made her hair fall out. I kept waiting for her to recant her story as we walked back to the house, but she just kept promising me that it was the comb’s fault and I was getting more incensed by the second at her ability to keep up this charade. We got back to the house and she took me into her grandmother’s room and opened one of the drawers to the vanity. She pulled out a triangular shaped comb with various teeth sizes on each side of the triangle. On one side of this triangle comb, there was actually a razor blade in the teeth that was used for thinning purposes. REW had been telling the truth about the comb that pulled her hair out. We were both so upset – REW-because her hair was gone and ME because I had called my child a liar! Have no fear though, almost 20 years later, my REW still brings it up and reminds me of my slip!
**********
Haha! Poor lil' REW - just trying to look nice by brushing her hair =)
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
When my daughter was about 10 years old, we were spending the afternoon at her grandmother/my mother’s house. Her grandmother and I planned a walk to visit a neighboring relative but my REW didn’t want to go and was actually a little stubborn about it. So off we went and REW stayed at her grandmother’s house alone. A few moments after we left, REW came running out the house, having changed her mind about coming on our walk/visit. She caught up with us quickly and looked a little shaken up about something. As we took a few more paces, I noticed a ginormous chunk of hair missing from the back of her head that was normally filled with long blonde hair. I put on my best angry mother tone and asked her why she had cut her hair. She told me that she hadn’t cut her hair, but had simply combed it and her hair fell out. I was furious that she was blatantly lying to me and was going to call her bluff. She kept saying she had merely combed her hair and not cut it, so we turned right around and went back to the house to find this comb that had made her hair fall out. I kept waiting for her to recant her story as we walked back to the house, but she just kept promising me that it was the comb’s fault and I was getting more incensed by the second at her ability to keep up this charade. We got back to the house and she took me into her grandmother’s room and opened one of the drawers to the vanity. She pulled out a triangular shaped comb with various teeth sizes on each side of the triangle. On one side of this triangle comb, there was actually a razor blade in the teeth that was used for thinning purposes. REW had been telling the truth about the comb that pulled her hair out. We were both so upset – REW-because her hair was gone and ME because I had called my child a liar! Have no fear though, almost 20 years later, my REW still brings it up and reminds me of my slip!
**********
Haha! Poor lil' REW - just trying to look nice by brushing her hair =)
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
11/12/09 Moms in the News
This is a great article about Female veterans. It has nice profiles and stories in it.
Marcia Gay Harden - Tony and Academy award winner and mother of three is serving as Godmother of Carnival Cruise's newest ship. Today she will officially name of the ship and unveil Carnival's Big Book of Dreams. The newest ship was built for St Jude's Children's hospital patients to enjoy.
Mattie Cummings the mother of Marion Barry died last week. Marion Barry is a D.C. council member - very popular political figure there. I had never heard of him before until today, but his mom sure sounds like she was a pistol! She really motivated and inspired her son. He is where he is today because of her.
Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano, the mother of Victor Zambrano (pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays) has been rescued after a 3 day kidnapping ordeal. Mother and son have been reunited!
Meet Chief Warrant Officer 2 Krystal Jancze. Krystal is currently serving in Iraq and got to surprise her middle school aged daughter today when she was piped in to the school assembly via satellite! How cool is that?! **Warning. This link has very annoying ads that have sound effects. I love this story, but couldn't find a better article without all of the annoying ads. Turn your sound down!
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Marcia Gay Harden - Tony and Academy award winner and mother of three is serving as Godmother of Carnival Cruise's newest ship. Today she will officially name of the ship and unveil Carnival's Big Book of Dreams. The newest ship was built for St Jude's Children's hospital patients to enjoy.
Mattie Cummings the mother of Marion Barry died last week. Marion Barry is a D.C. council member - very popular political figure there. I had never heard of him before until today, but his mom sure sounds like she was a pistol! She really motivated and inspired her son. He is where he is today because of her.
Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano, the mother of Victor Zambrano (pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays) has been rescued after a 3 day kidnapping ordeal. Mother and son have been reunited!
Meet Chief Warrant Officer 2 Krystal Jancze. Krystal is currently serving in Iraq and got to surprise her middle school aged daughter today when she was piped in to the school assembly via satellite! How cool is that?! **Warning. This link has very annoying ads that have sound effects. I love this story, but couldn't find a better article without all of the annoying ads. Turn your sound down!
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Spoons
About a week ago, we started feeding Miss C solids. We have an awesome video of it. You can see here.
As you can see in the video, the first feeding didn't go so well. Although, it was quite fun and hilarious, Miss C didn't quite know what to do. But it wasn't all Miss C's fault. Nope, some of that blame belongs to this MOTY.
The spoons I had bought were for a toddler learning to feed themselves - not a baby learning how to eat! The spoon was so fat it barely fit in Miss C's little mouth!
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
As you can see in the video, the first feeding didn't go so well. Although, it was quite fun and hilarious, Miss C didn't quite know what to do. But it wasn't all Miss C's fault. Nope, some of that blame belongs to this MOTY.
The spoons I had bought were for a toddler learning to feed themselves - not a baby learning how to eat! The spoon was so fat it barely fit in Miss C's little mouth!
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Running laps
Thank you DB for being our first contender this week! DB writes:
The year was 1994. My oldest was 11. It was a very chaotic time in our lives as we were in the process of moving from one community to another. I decided to let my 11 year old son play little league in the community we were leaving instead of the one we were moving to because he knew everyone there. It seemed like a good idea .... at the time.
Once we moved, the commute was extremely inconvenient, as he practiced almost every weekday. I was very busy settling us in to the new house and would lose track of time, forgetting that I needed to add 30 EXTRA minutes of driving time to his practice starting time.
On this particular day, I glanced at my watch and knew we were already late. My 11 year old was ready and waiting (as he is never late) and I hurried his younger sisters into the van, quickly strapping the 2 year old in her car seat - and off we go.
As we pulled in the parking lot of the practice field (on 2 wheels, I think), I was startled - no one was there. It was 6:10 and practice should have started at 6.. I looked at my son. "Where is everyone?"
He just grinned. "Mom," he said, "Practice starts at 6:30. I told you 6 so I wouldn't be late. I didn't want to run laps again."
I was convicted to my toe nails! I was able to get him there on time after that.
It's funny, though. Now he loves to run - runs everyday.
Did my MOTY moment encourage his love for running?
Who knew?
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
11/11/09 Moms in the News
Meet Stacey Herald - the world's smallest mom! Stacey is about to give birth to her THIRD child in the next 4 weeks. Stacey was told all her life she could never have children - that it would kill her. Yet here she is, working on number 3 and loving it. My favorite part of the article is when she says that kids are a "handful". I bet they are for her especially. Way to go Stacey!
A local mom - local to me at least! Meet Donna Landau - mother to Jessica and brilliant portrait artist. Donna passed on her love of art to her daughter Jessica, but Donna made sure never to limit Jessica to just portraits. Jessica studied the art of glassblowing in Hawaii and now teaches at President Obama's alma marter. Though it's not a super exciting story, it reminds us to allow our kids' creativity to flourish!
This is a fun article about how babies cry in their mother's language at just a few days old!
Finally, meet MckMama. McMama has been all over the Blogosphere and Twitter this week as her youngest son has been fighting for his life. MckMama is a mama blogger like me and like many of you. You can follow her story, but please keep her son in your prayers.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
A local mom - local to me at least! Meet Donna Landau - mother to Jessica and brilliant portrait artist. Donna passed on her love of art to her daughter Jessica, but Donna made sure never to limit Jessica to just portraits. Jessica studied the art of glassblowing in Hawaii and now teaches at President Obama's alma marter. Though it's not a super exciting story, it reminds us to allow our kids' creativity to flourish!
This is a fun article about how babies cry in their mother's language at just a few days old!
Finally, meet MckMama. McMama has been all over the Blogosphere and Twitter this week as her youngest son has been fighting for his life. MckMama is a mama blogger like me and like many of you. You can follow her story, but please keep her son in your prayers.
Send me any good stories you know of! I love to hear about moms in the news! Send stories to ashleybeam@gmail.com.
Wow she's fast!
Just so you know, a lot of my MOTY stories will be about babies....because all I have is a baby! I would love to hear some MOTY stories about teenagers, toddlers and all the in between so if you are a mom of one of those or at one time you were a mom of one of those, send me your story!!
When Miss C was 2 weeks old, the Daddy of the Year (DOTY) and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary! We decided to venture out for the first time to a restaurant. We took a bottle with us - Miss C's second bottle ever. We had practiced the bottle with her the night before to make sure she would take it. She, of course, was a champ so now we were confident.
The date was wonderful. We enjoyed our dinner while we stared at Miss C the whole time. Just as we were paying the check, 7:00 pm came. Dinner time for Miss C. Do we stay at the table and give her the bottle or try to make it home before we give it to her? DOTY and I are daredevils so we decided to take our chances.
About 5 minutes down the road we learned this was a very bad idea. A very hungry Miss C was very angry with us and was letting us know what a terrible decision we had made. At a red light, I jumped out of the front passenger seat and flew into the backseat next to her. I triumphantly pulled the bottle out of the diaper bag and held it for her.
Two week old Miss C's lips began to move faster than I had ever seen them move. Milk began pouring down her chin and all over her clothes. What on earth?? I tried again. Definitely more milk ON her than going IN her.
It was then that I looked...ooops...I had put a fast nipple on the bottle. Miss C was trying desperately to catch that steady stream of milk, but she wasn't fast enough.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
When Miss C was 2 weeks old, the Daddy of the Year (DOTY) and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary! We decided to venture out for the first time to a restaurant. We took a bottle with us - Miss C's second bottle ever. We had practiced the bottle with her the night before to make sure she would take it. She, of course, was a champ so now we were confident.
The date was wonderful. We enjoyed our dinner while we stared at Miss C the whole time. Just as we were paying the check, 7:00 pm came. Dinner time for Miss C. Do we stay at the table and give her the bottle or try to make it home before we give it to her? DOTY and I are daredevils so we decided to take our chances.
About 5 minutes down the road we learned this was a very bad idea. A very hungry Miss C was very angry with us and was letting us know what a terrible decision we had made. At a red light, I jumped out of the front passenger seat and flew into the backseat next to her. I triumphantly pulled the bottle out of the diaper bag and held it for her.
Two week old Miss C's lips began to move faster than I had ever seen them move. Milk began pouring down her chin and all over her clothes. What on earth?? I tried again. Definitely more milk ON her than going IN her.
It was then that I looked...ooops...I had put a fast nipple on the bottle. Miss C was trying desperately to catch that steady stream of milk, but she wasn't fast enough.
To send in your MOTYM write ashleybeam@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your signature and a title for your piece.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Mealtime
Miss C is almost six months old so she is just starting to eat solids. Of course I had to read several books and websites about it. One of my favorites is "On Becoming Baby Wise: Book Two" by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam.
The feeding chapter explains that as your child's eating moves more to mealtimes, you should show them how you "Give Thanks" before the meal. This thought never even occurred to me! Here I am, a mealtime pray-er since I began talking I'm sure, and I never even thought about how I would teach this to Miss C.
The book explained that you should have the food in front of the babe and stop everything to bow your head and thank God for the food. This chapter in the book was a reminder to me that He gives us everything. He is our provider. That little monotonous prayer before our meals is to thank Him for His goodness to us.
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26
Join me in having mealtime prayers with your little one and may your mealtime prayers be more intentional about thanking God instead of the same old words.
The feeding chapter explains that as your child's eating moves more to mealtimes, you should show them how you "Give Thanks" before the meal. This thought never even occurred to me! Here I am, a mealtime pray-er since I began talking I'm sure, and I never even thought about how I would teach this to Miss C.
The book explained that you should have the food in front of the babe and stop everything to bow your head and thank God for the food. This chapter in the book was a reminder to me that He gives us everything. He is our provider. That little monotonous prayer before our meals is to thank Him for His goodness to us.
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26
Join me in having mealtime prayers with your little one and may your mealtime prayers be more intentional about thanking God instead of the same old words.
About "Teachable Moment" Posts
One thing you may not know about me is that I love the Lord. He has blessed me with Miss C and I am so thankful. Miss C is really His child and it is my job to parent her while on this earth. I do not take that responsibility lightly.
God's word tells us:
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." Deuteronomy 4:9
Oh these verses sound great, but when do I don't have time to sit with Miss C everyday for an hour to teach her Biblical principles? Of course I don't. And that wouldn't work anyway. Can you imagine a 6 month old sitting and listening to me read the Bible? That's why there is this verse:
"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7
You see, we are to be teaching our children constantly. Constantly giving them an example to follow and constantly seek out those "teachable moments" when we recognize God at work.
You know, in the car when you see a rainbow out the window. When little one asks "why is the sky blue?" In the bathtub when washing away the dirt of the day. All of these are teachable moments.
This recurring post, will recur when I come across a teachable moment or when you send me one of your teachable moments! I hope that this will help all of us be more intentional about our time with our little ones and to recognize those little moments when we could be pointing our little ones to God.
God's word tells us:
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." Deuteronomy 4:9
Oh these verses sound great, but when do I don't have time to sit with Miss C everyday for an hour to teach her Biblical principles? Of course I don't. And that wouldn't work anyway. Can you imagine a 6 month old sitting and listening to me read the Bible? That's why there is this verse:
"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7
You see, we are to be teaching our children constantly. Constantly giving them an example to follow and constantly seek out those "teachable moments" when we recognize God at work.
You know, in the car when you see a rainbow out the window. When little one asks "why is the sky blue?" In the bathtub when washing away the dirt of the day. All of these are teachable moments.
This recurring post, will recur when I come across a teachable moment or when you send me one of your teachable moments! I hope that this will help all of us be more intentional about our time with our little ones and to recognize those little moments when we could be pointing our little ones to God.
11/10/09 Moms in the News
Meet Delores Powell - single mother of 4 living in Buffalo, NY. Delores bought a house in what she thought was a great neighborhood and place to raise her children. Over the last couple of years, the neighborhood has really gone downhill. Houses and lots are vacant and the neighborhood is becoming unsafe. Delores is doing her best to change that. She's gone so far as to remove graffiti herself and repaint the exteriors of some houses.
Meet Laura Ferguson - special education teacher in North Texas and mother of one autistic son. For her work in special education, Laura was named Bayard H. Friedman Hero. Laura had earned her degree in psychology and was studying to become a gerontologist when her son was diagnosed with autism. She then threw herself into special education recognizing the value of teaching life skills to children who are disabled.
Don't know the names in this case, but this little article is about a 10-year old boy who came to his mom's rescue when a man began attacking her. What a brave little boy!
Meet Laura Ferguson - special education teacher in North Texas and mother of one autistic son. For her work in special education, Laura was named Bayard H. Friedman Hero. Laura had earned her degree in psychology and was studying to become a gerontologist when her son was diagnosed with autism. She then threw herself into special education recognizing the value of teaching life skills to children who are disabled.
Don't know the names in this case, but this little article is about a 10-year old boy who came to his mom's rescue when a man began attacking her. What a brave little boy!
Puddles on the Pies
What went wrong? We still don't know and we may never know...
On Saturday my in-laws were in town. My MIL is the wonderful sort of MIL. Whatever needs doing, she jumps in and does. And that day, chocolate pies needed to be made, but Miss C was a little out of sorts and would have nobody but mommy. I was about halfway through adding the ingredients when it became clear that Miss C needed me and would wait no longer! MIL took over the making of the chocolate pies.
About an hour later the oven chimed to let us know our pies were done. MIL pulled them out of the oven to allow them to cool. We both looked at each other. Do the pies usually look like that? I don't think so. They look.....different. Hmm.
After being chilled in the refrigerator, we pulled the pies out to serve and discovered grease puddles sitting on top of the pies.
Now, who is the MOTY in this case? We really aren't sure ourselves. Grease puddles on pies? That's not right, but where did we go wrong...we may never know.
The end result? The pies were eaten. Everyone enjoyed even the grease puddles and all are still alive today!
On Saturday my in-laws were in town. My MIL is the wonderful sort of MIL. Whatever needs doing, she jumps in and does. And that day, chocolate pies needed to be made, but Miss C was a little out of sorts and would have nobody but mommy. I was about halfway through adding the ingredients when it became clear that Miss C needed me and would wait no longer! MIL took over the making of the chocolate pies.
About an hour later the oven chimed to let us know our pies were done. MIL pulled them out of the oven to allow them to cool. We both looked at each other. Do the pies usually look like that? I don't think so. They look.....different. Hmm.
After being chilled in the refrigerator, we pulled the pies out to serve and discovered grease puddles sitting on top of the pies.
Now, who is the MOTY in this case? We really aren't sure ourselves. Grease puddles on pies? That's not right, but where did we go wrong...we may never know.
The end result? The pies were eaten. Everyone enjoyed even the grease puddles and all are still alive today!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Keds
When Miss C goes out, I love for her to have shoes on. Even though she's not at the walking stage, I think shoes make her look just presh! Her great-grandma who happens to be called Grandma bought her these so-cute white Keds sandals with little hearts on them. The model pictured above isn't quite the same as the one we have, but it is close. These sandals were Miss C's staple for the summer. They matched everything.
I was putting them on her feet one day when Miss C began to scream. Sigh. Ugh, we're about to go out and Miss C is in one of her moods - ugh. "Common honey. Let's get your shoes on." (super high mommy pitch). I try to push the shoe on a little harder. Wait a minute. Something is stuck. Oh no!
Miss C's pinky toe was caught on the outside strap! And there I was trying to push the shoe on harder.
Congratulations RJ!
Congratulations to RJ - our very first Mommy of the Year of the week! Hmmm...Oxymoron? I think not! Moving on...
To RJ's story again, follow this link.
So it's time to begin sending in your stories ladies. We want RJ to know she is not alone! Who else has "tagged" their child? Who has left the lovey in the nursery? Who has fed their kid way too much of one thing so that his skin changed color? What have you let be brushed aside in your life to the extent that other people are offering to hmmm...let's see...hem your pants!??!
Thank you to our contributors last week! You make this website a better place!
To RJ's story again, follow this link.
So it's time to begin sending in your stories ladies. We want RJ to know she is not alone! Who else has "tagged" their child? Who has left the lovey in the nursery? Who has fed their kid way too much of one thing so that his skin changed color? What have you let be brushed aside in your life to the extent that other people are offering to hmmm...let's see...hem your pants!??!
Thank you to our contributors last week! You make this website a better place!
11/9/09 Moms in the News
What a weekend for moms! I have a ton of fabulous moms in the news for you today. These women are awesome!
Sgt Kimberly Munley - This amazing mom of 2 is the same woman who looked death in the face as she took down the man unloading shots on our troops at Fort Hood in Texas. Thanks to this awesome lady, many lives were saved on Thursday, November 5th! I love this article about her - take a gander!
Meet Nausheen Chant a soon to be mother in about 3 months. Her husband, a Brittish soldier has died fighting in Afghanistan and will never get to meet his unborn child. Nausheen is proud of her husband and plans to teach her son all about his daddy.
Meet Mary Fox. Mary Fox died saving her son's life. She pushed him out the window of her burning house as she was engulfed in flames. Teenagers had set her house on fire with fireworks as a prank. They were bullying her mentally handicapped son. She took her last bit of energy left to save her son. What will I use my energy for? myself? or others?
Meet Vanessa Castillo. Vanessa is from Mexico. Immediately after she gave birth doctors rushed her baby away saying something was wrong. They later told her the baby had died and was cremated. Vanessa would not accept this as fact. After a clue was given to her via email, she asserted herself. Vanessa's babe had been sold on the black market. Her babe was found and returned to her. It has now been a WHOLE YEAR since the baby was born. Because of Vanessa, police are finding that doctor's group did this with several babies. They are hopeful they can find the babies and reunite them to their parents. This article I have linked to isn't the best for this story. I read several articles and have lost my link to my favorite so I have done my best to paraphrase those details which I thought were the coolest and were not included in the story I linked to.
Meet Lynsee. Last name not given for anonymity. Lynsee will be LIVE streaming her birth in just a few days from the www.momslikeme.com website. She is doing it for educational purposes, but will not be showing any of those angles. Good luck to you Lynsee! All I have to say is "not me!"
Sgt Kimberly Munley - This amazing mom of 2 is the same woman who looked death in the face as she took down the man unloading shots on our troops at Fort Hood in Texas. Thanks to this awesome lady, many lives were saved on Thursday, November 5th! I love this article about her - take a gander!
Meet Nausheen Chant a soon to be mother in about 3 months. Her husband, a Brittish soldier has died fighting in Afghanistan and will never get to meet his unborn child. Nausheen is proud of her husband and plans to teach her son all about his daddy.
Meet Mary Fox. Mary Fox died saving her son's life. She pushed him out the window of her burning house as she was engulfed in flames. Teenagers had set her house on fire with fireworks as a prank. They were bullying her mentally handicapped son. She took her last bit of energy left to save her son. What will I use my energy for? myself? or others?
Meet Vanessa Castillo. Vanessa is from Mexico. Immediately after she gave birth doctors rushed her baby away saying something was wrong. They later told her the baby had died and was cremated. Vanessa would not accept this as fact. After a clue was given to her via email, she asserted herself. Vanessa's babe had been sold on the black market. Her babe was found and returned to her. It has now been a WHOLE YEAR since the baby was born. Because of Vanessa, police are finding that doctor's group did this with several babies. They are hopeful they can find the babies and reunite them to their parents. This article I have linked to isn't the best for this story. I read several articles and have lost my link to my favorite so I have done my best to paraphrase those details which I thought were the coolest and were not included in the story I linked to.
Meet Lynsee. Last name not given for anonymity. Lynsee will be LIVE streaming her birth in just a few days from the www.momslikeme.com website. She is doing it for educational purposes, but will not be showing any of those angles. Good luck to you Lynsee! All I have to say is "not me!"
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
11/5/09 Moms in the News
Did you know that today is National Adoption Day? 80 children became part of "forever families" today in Las Vegas alone! Do you know any mothers who have adopted children? Congratulate them today!
Meet Major Stella Carroll - mother of FIVE who is being deployed to Iraq on Saturday. This awesome mom will be away from her little ones ages 6-11 for 400 days to make sure our families are safe. Now that's something to cheer for!
Meet Aïcha Ech Channa - mother and grandmother in Morocco. Channa just won the Opus Prize, 1 million dollars! The prize is for a great humanitarian. Channa has an organization which cares for unwed mothers and their children. Channa is really making a change in her country where unwed mothers used to be made outcasts.
Meet Major Stella Carroll - mother of FIVE who is being deployed to Iraq on Saturday. This awesome mom will be away from her little ones ages 6-11 for 400 days to make sure our families are safe. Now that's something to cheer for!
Meet Aïcha Ech Channa - mother and grandmother in Morocco. Channa just won the Opus Prize, 1 million dollars! The prize is for a great humanitarian. Channa has an organization which cares for unwed mothers and their children. Channa is really making a change in her country where unwed mothers used to be made outcasts.
Ms. Know it All
Wednesday at work, a coworker was back in the office after her maternity leave. Still on my baby high I wanted to welcome her back. I asked the typical questions: What's his name? How much does he weigh? How is he sleeping? yada, yada, yada.
I then proceed to offer my advice on all the topics saying things like: Once he hits 12-13 pounds, he'll start sleeping much longer. Oh, 12 weeks old? He'll hit his growth spurt soon! Eating every 3 hours? Well that all changes - you just wait!
I love mommy-talk and offering my advice - makes me feel good to know that my experience may be helping someone else.
My coworker then politely tells me this is not her first child. Ooops! Insert foot in mouth.
I then proceed to offer my advice on all the topics saying things like: Once he hits 12-13 pounds, he'll start sleeping much longer. Oh, 12 weeks old? He'll hit his growth spurt soon! Eating every 3 hours? Well that all changes - you just wait!
I love mommy-talk and offering my advice - makes me feel good to know that my experience may be helping someone else.
My coworker then politely tells me this is not her first child. Ooops! Insert foot in mouth.
A Babe's best friend
Second entry! JLowes writes...
As many of you know, a pacifier is probably one of your child's best friends during the first year of life. There is something about having the paci that soothes a child to sleep, comforts in times of hurt, and simply entertains (my little MAC likes to twirl it in her mouth and even play hot potato). One Sunday morning I was picking MAC up from the church nursery and in my excitement to see her sweet smiling face, I grabbed her and the bag and we were on our merry way. I should probably preface this by saying we have left many things in the nursery including a lonely sock, a hairbow that was never found, and even shoes. So we walked outside, put MAC in her carseat and started our 20 minute track home. However, about 5 minutes from the church, MAC started screaming. Now she is usually a happy babe so if she is screaming to the top of her lungs then she is probably tired or hungry. Being that she shouldn't quite be hungry, I figured it must be that she's tired. No problem, reach into the diaper bag, grab the paci, and done. Wait...(digging through diaper bag)...where is the paci? Did you grab the paci (talking to my hubby)? I didn't grab the paci.......OH NO!!! Poor MAC screamed all the way home because she was sooooo exhausted from having only a short nap or no nap at all (you guessed it, I forgot to ask) in Sunday school. Yes, that 20 minute drive seemed more like an hour. Way to go mom, you definitely get the MOTY award for making your child suffer when it could have all been solved with one simple thing!!
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Whew! Got to love those long car rides with a screaming baby and don't you just hate it when the solution is so simple. Thanks JLowes!
As many of you know, a pacifier is probably one of your child's best friends during the first year of life. There is something about having the paci that soothes a child to sleep, comforts in times of hurt, and simply entertains (my little MAC likes to twirl it in her mouth and even play hot potato). One Sunday morning I was picking MAC up from the church nursery and in my excitement to see her sweet smiling face, I grabbed her and the bag and we were on our merry way. I should probably preface this by saying we have left many things in the nursery including a lonely sock, a hairbow that was never found, and even shoes. So we walked outside, put MAC in her carseat and started our 20 minute track home. However, about 5 minutes from the church, MAC started screaming. Now she is usually a happy babe so if she is screaming to the top of her lungs then she is probably tired or hungry. Being that she shouldn't quite be hungry, I figured it must be that she's tired. No problem, reach into the diaper bag, grab the paci, and done. Wait...(digging through diaper bag)...where is the paci? Did you grab the paci (talking to my hubby)? I didn't grab the paci.......OH NO!!! Poor MAC screamed all the way home because she was sooooo exhausted from having only a short nap or no nap at all (you guessed it, I forgot to ask) in Sunday school. Yes, that 20 minute drive seemed more like an hour. Way to go mom, you definitely get the MOTY award for making your child suffer when it could have all been solved with one simple thing!!
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Whew! Got to love those long car rides with a screaming baby and don't you just hate it when the solution is so simple. Thanks JLowes!
Send 'em in!
Alright ladies! Last call to send in your MOTYM. Email it to ashleybeam@gmail.com. I don't know about RJ, but I'm beginning to feel like maybe we are the only ones who have these moments. Encourage us ladies =) If you missed RJ's MOTYM, click here to catch up! Posts are due by 9 pm tonight in order to be considered for this weeks poll. If it is turned in after that, it will be entered in next week's poll.
Thank you all!
PS. Check out one of today's Moms in the News. She is a mom of the furry kind =)
Thank you all!
PS. Check out one of today's Moms in the News. She is a mom of the furry kind =)
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
11/4/09 Moms in the News
Meet Honey - a mutt from a city animal shelter in Pittsburgh. Honey is acting as a surrogate mother to nine pups whose mother died during delivery. She is nursing the pups.
Meet Teresa Courtemanche - running for city council in Fairfield, CA. She is running to fill the position her son held when he was killed in 2008. If elected, she plans to continue her son's work by creating youth centers. I think it's awesome of her to take a stand and do it in a positive way - instead of looking for blame or trying to get even.
Meet Kristi Smith - mother of two who was covered in debt at the beginning of this year. She decided to make a change and get a hold of her finances. She beat out several other families in a competition to reduce debt and increase savings by the greatest percentage. Her prize? $10,000! Way to go!
Meet Vicky Brickey - mother of three and a volunteer Victim's advocate. She's been named a hometown hero for her 2000+ hours of service. She's in a position where she really gives of herself mentally and emotionally listening to stories of abuse.
Meet Andrea Ivory - a contender for the CNN Hero of the Year award. She is a breast cancer survivor who created the not-for-profit Florida Breast Health Initiative, which provides mammograms to low income women. Another story of not letting your circumstances bring you down, but turning it into a positive.
Meet Teresa Courtemanche - running for city council in Fairfield, CA. She is running to fill the position her son held when he was killed in 2008. If elected, she plans to continue her son's work by creating youth centers. I think it's awesome of her to take a stand and do it in a positive way - instead of looking for blame or trying to get even.
Meet Kristi Smith - mother of two who was covered in debt at the beginning of this year. She decided to make a change and get a hold of her finances. She beat out several other families in a competition to reduce debt and increase savings by the greatest percentage. Her prize? $10,000! Way to go!
Meet Vicky Brickey - mother of three and a volunteer Victim's advocate. She's been named a hometown hero for her 2000+ hours of service. She's in a position where she really gives of herself mentally and emotionally listening to stories of abuse.
Meet Andrea Ivory - a contender for the CNN Hero of the Year award. She is a breast cancer survivor who created the not-for-profit Florida Breast Health Initiative, which provides mammograms to low income women. Another story of not letting your circumstances bring you down, but turning it into a positive.
Hair Accessories
RJ is absolutely right in her post - a mom must accessorize her daughter's hair with a bow or headband or something when taking pictures or when wearing a special outfit or dress. So to follow up on that, here is another one of my MOTYM.
Another time when hair accessories are absolutely necessary is when the babe is first born and can easily be mistaken for a boy. Yes, I said it. I would never mistake your babe for a boy, but others might would. Miss C used to wear headbands and bows all the time in the beginning. My favorite were those stretchy headbands. But I made 2 mistakes with those things.
The first mistake was when I let Miss C wear her headband in the car. About 5 minutes into my drive Miss C begins to cry. This is not unusual so I just turn up the music. Not to drown her out - hah, I know that is what you were thinking. I turn it up because Miss C likes music and it usually quiets her down. Not this time though. This time Miss C screamed through the music and made sure I could hear her. My 15 minute drive seemed more like eternity with her wailing in the back. I kept saying "Oh, you're ok", "We're almost there", and "I know, I know" in my best mommy voice. Finally, we arrived. I jump out of the car, run to the back and throw open the door to find Miss C's headband has fallen and is sitting over her eyes and she was shaking her head from side to side trying to get it off - ouch! So... she doesn't wear headbands in the car anymore!
The second mistake goes something like this: Did you know that those headband things are not one size fits all? I took Miss C's headband off one day to find an indention around her soft newborn head! Yup, time to move up to the next size! Thank the Lord those soft heads are resilient.
Another time when hair accessories are absolutely necessary is when the babe is first born and can easily be mistaken for a boy. Yes, I said it. I would never mistake your babe for a boy, but others might would. Miss C used to wear headbands and bows all the time in the beginning. My favorite were those stretchy headbands. But I made 2 mistakes with those things.
The first mistake was when I let Miss C wear her headband in the car. About 5 minutes into my drive Miss C begins to cry. This is not unusual so I just turn up the music. Not to drown her out - hah, I know that is what you were thinking. I turn it up because Miss C likes music and it usually quiets her down. Not this time though. This time Miss C screamed through the music and made sure I could hear her. My 15 minute drive seemed more like eternity with her wailing in the back. I kept saying "Oh, you're ok", "We're almost there", and "I know, I know" in my best mommy voice. Finally, we arrived. I jump out of the car, run to the back and throw open the door to find Miss C's headband has fallen and is sitting over her eyes and she was shaking her head from side to side trying to get it off - ouch! So... she doesn't wear headbands in the car anymore!
The second mistake goes something like this: Did you know that those headband things are not one size fits all? I took Miss C's headband off one day to find an indention around her soft newborn head! Yup, time to move up to the next size! Thank the Lord those soft heads are resilient.
Class Picture Day
The first guest post - woohoo! RJ writes....
My daughter goes to a church daycare one half day a week so her caregiver (my mom) can have a few hours to run some errands or just sleep in! The program at the church has been wonderful – filled with little take home projects and field trips and weekly newsletters. I love it. A few weeks ago was class picture day. It was so fun to try and think of an outfit for her to wear for her first school picture.
I had just the outfit in mind. It was a romper with a beautiful brown/blue toile pattern and a big bow to tie in the back. She looked so adorable in it- even better than the baby in the catalog (of course, I am biased). I put the outfit on just before we left for church so she wouldn’t mess it up during her time in the morning before daycare. We hurried out the door and headed to church to get in line to take our picture. Katie squirmed and cried most of the way to church which isn’t terribly unusual for her. When I got her out of the car, she was still squirming and fussing and was pulling at the bow on the back of the romper. She kept tugging at her side too like she was scratching herself. I was beginning to think she was having her first tantrum at the ripe old age of 11 months. I was so upset that she would act this way on school picture day. It was like she knew it was a big deal and was trying to ruin it. However, upon further inspection at what she was digging and scratching at, I realized that I had left the big plastic tag (approximately 1x3 inches) along with the “extra buttons” pack attached to the inside of the romper and it was digging into her side! I felt awful to think that I had assumed my child was rebelling against school picture day and me. I felt awful to think I drove all the way to church with her securely fastened in her car seat with plastic tags and buttons digging into her! So I removed the tags and the button pack and gave her a great big hug and kiss and we went to take pictures. Did I mention that in my haste to get out the door in her new pretty outfit that I forgot a bow for her hair? What little girl takes pictures without a bow in her hair. Luckily, my friend let me borrow the bow out of her daughter’s hair. Now that’s a contender for mom of the year, for sure!
My daughter goes to a church daycare one half day a week so her caregiver (my mom) can have a few hours to run some errands or just sleep in! The program at the church has been wonderful – filled with little take home projects and field trips and weekly newsletters. I love it. A few weeks ago was class picture day. It was so fun to try and think of an outfit for her to wear for her first school picture.
I had just the outfit in mind. It was a romper with a beautiful brown/blue toile pattern and a big bow to tie in the back. She looked so adorable in it- even better than the baby in the catalog (of course, I am biased). I put the outfit on just before we left for church so she wouldn’t mess it up during her time in the morning before daycare. We hurried out the door and headed to church to get in line to take our picture. Katie squirmed and cried most of the way to church which isn’t terribly unusual for her. When I got her out of the car, she was still squirming and fussing and was pulling at the bow on the back of the romper. She kept tugging at her side too like she was scratching herself. I was beginning to think she was having her first tantrum at the ripe old age of 11 months. I was so upset that she would act this way on school picture day. It was like she knew it was a big deal and was trying to ruin it. However, upon further inspection at what she was digging and scratching at, I realized that I had left the big plastic tag (approximately 1x3 inches) along with the “extra buttons” pack attached to the inside of the romper and it was digging into her side! I felt awful to think that I had assumed my child was rebelling against school picture day and me. I felt awful to think I drove all the way to church with her securely fastened in her car seat with plastic tags and buttons digging into her! So I removed the tags and the button pack and gave her a great big hug and kiss and we went to take pictures. Did I mention that in my haste to get out the door in her new pretty outfit that I forgot a bow for her hair? What little girl takes pictures without a bow in her hair. Luckily, my friend let me borrow the bow out of her daughter’s hair. Now that’s a contender for mom of the year, for sure!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
11/3/09 Moms in the News
Meet Cathy Ferguson. November is Pancreatic Awareness Month in the city of Lafayette because of her valiant efforts. She is determined to not let her son's death from pancreatic cancer drag her down or stop her from preventing the disease from killing others.
Meet Heidi Trainor - honored today by Modern Woodman of America for being a hometown hero. Her stories are very inspiring if you need a boost. I love this quote from her: “I enjoy work. It relaxes me.” I wish I felt that way about work!
Meet Cynthia Lane - chosen to be a torchbearer in this year's winter Olympics. She will be running on December 23rd. Cynthia has 2 daughters. The oldest is a nationally ranked swimmer and the youngest is mentally handicapped and competes in the Special Olympics. What an awesome example for her daughters!
Meet Heidi Trainor - honored today by Modern Woodman of America for being a hometown hero. Her stories are very inspiring if you need a boost. I love this quote from her: “I enjoy work. It relaxes me.” I wish I felt that way about work!
Meet Cynthia Lane - chosen to be a torchbearer in this year's winter Olympics. She will be running on December 23rd. Cynthia has 2 daughters. The oldest is a nationally ranked swimmer and the youngest is mentally handicapped and competes in the Special Olympics. What an awesome example for her daughters!
Hem those pants
So this MOTYM is actually more about my pants than about my daughter. I have a beautiful pair of gray slacks that fit wonderfully everywhere but in the length. They are about 2 inches too long when I am wearing 2 inch heels! No problem. I know how to hem. My MIL taught me how last year when she helped me hem my own bridesmaid dress for a wedding I was in.
One Saturday, I put the pants on with my heels on and had Hubby put a few pins in the bottom so that I would know about where the hem needed to be. That was all I had time for so I folded the pants up and put them by my sewing machine (I even have a sewing machine).
Night after night, day after day, my pants sat there. When we moved to our new house, my sewing machine got put away and so did the pants - to the back of my closet. Every once in a while I would look at the pants and get frustrated with myself that I hadn't hemmed them yet. There they were - a good pair of pants going to waste!
One morning a few weeks ago, I was looking for something to wear. The laundry hadn't been done so my options were slim and those pants began to shimmer in the back of my closet. "No one will notice," I told myself. "Those safety pins will just look like a shiny hem," I convinced myself. On went the pants. Oh how I loved those pants! I wore them at least once every week. They are a great fit!
This Sunday, a sweet older lady in choir approached me. "Ashley, I hope this doesn't embarrass you, but I'm going to say it anyway. I noticed at choir practice on Wednesday night that your pants were pinned up. If you ever need me to hem them for you, I'll be glad to." I sheepishly smiled and thanked her.
What's so bad about this? I have a sewing machine - a good one at that! I know how to hem - decently. AND, I'm taking her my pants tomorrow night!
One Saturday, I put the pants on with my heels on and had Hubby put a few pins in the bottom so that I would know about where the hem needed to be. That was all I had time for so I folded the pants up and put them by my sewing machine (I even have a sewing machine).
Night after night, day after day, my pants sat there. When we moved to our new house, my sewing machine got put away and so did the pants - to the back of my closet. Every once in a while I would look at the pants and get frustrated with myself that I hadn't hemmed them yet. There they were - a good pair of pants going to waste!
One morning a few weeks ago, I was looking for something to wear. The laundry hadn't been done so my options were slim and those pants began to shimmer in the back of my closet. "No one will notice," I told myself. "Those safety pins will just look like a shiny hem," I convinced myself. On went the pants. Oh how I loved those pants! I wore them at least once every week. They are a great fit!
This Sunday, a sweet older lady in choir approached me. "Ashley, I hope this doesn't embarrass you, but I'm going to say it anyway. I noticed at choir practice on Wednesday night that your pants were pinned up. If you ever need me to hem them for you, I'll be glad to." I sheepishly smiled and thanked her.
What's so bad about this? I have a sewing machine - a good one at that! I know how to hem - decently. AND, I'm taking her my pants tomorrow night!
Monday, November 2, 2009
11/2/09 Moms in the News
Meet Lisandra Santa - local hero in Waltham, MA. She is a mother of 2 who volunteers much of her time for other children. She has won a $5,000 reward and plans to make a library for kids with that money.
Meet Pamela Norwood - a Christian author who has recently released a new book. Pamela has inspired her son, Anthony Norwood, to write books as well. She must be an awesome mom!
Meet Delores Stenton - celebrated by 25 of her family members on her 90th birthday with a trip to a Phillies game. What a woman and mom to be loved so much by so many people! She even got a special visit from one of the players.
Meet Jeanette Harris and Michelle Thomas - a mother/daughter duo fighting breast cancer. Not only is their story amazing, but these ladies have raised over $70,000 to provide FREE mammograms to those in need!!
Meet Pamela Norwood - a Christian author who has recently released a new book. Pamela has inspired her son, Anthony Norwood, to write books as well. She must be an awesome mom!
Meet Delores Stenton - celebrated by 25 of her family members on her 90th birthday with a trip to a Phillies game. What a woman and mom to be loved so much by so many people! She even got a special visit from one of the players.
Meet Jeanette Harris and Michelle Thomas - a mother/daughter duo fighting breast cancer. Not only is their story amazing, but these ladies have raised over $70,000 to provide FREE mammograms to those in need!!
Got Milk?
I always pick Miss C up from my aunts house after work. That's my job. I love being the picker-upper. I get that sweet grin when I walk in and she sees me. My hubby on the other-hand gets the hard job. He's the dropper-offer. He doesn't mind too much and I really appreciate his willingness to do this so that I don't have to.
Hubby and I both had Friday off last week just to take a long weekend (sigh - ahhhh). So on Thursday, Hubby called me from work to say that he was getting off early and he asked if he could pick up Miss C and we could just meet at home. Yay - an early jump start to our weekend of relaxation! All went according to plan and the 3 of us met at home and had a glorious weekend.
This morning, Monday morning, I left for work as usual around 7 AM. Around 9 AM, I am busily working when I get a call from Hubby. There is no milk for Miss C at my aunt's house. It is my job as the picker-upper, to bring the milk to my aunt's house when I pick up Miss C. Since I didn't pick up on Thursday, I hadn't brought her any milk for Monday. Since Miss C likes to have her second breakfast at 9:30 AM, Hubby had to race back across town to our house to grab some milk from our freezer.
I felt completely helpless listening to the commotion taking place from my cubical on another side of town. Miss C got her milk at 9:40 AM and downed it by 9:42 AM.
Sorry Miss C! Thank you, Hubby!
Hubby and I both had Friday off last week just to take a long weekend (sigh - ahhhh). So on Thursday, Hubby called me from work to say that he was getting off early and he asked if he could pick up Miss C and we could just meet at home. Yay - an early jump start to our weekend of relaxation! All went according to plan and the 3 of us met at home and had a glorious weekend.
This morning, Monday morning, I left for work as usual around 7 AM. Around 9 AM, I am busily working when I get a call from Hubby. There is no milk for Miss C at my aunt's house. It is my job as the picker-upper, to bring the milk to my aunt's house when I pick up Miss C. Since I didn't pick up on Thursday, I hadn't brought her any milk for Monday. Since Miss C likes to have her second breakfast at 9:30 AM, Hubby had to race back across town to our house to grab some milk from our freezer.
I felt completely helpless listening to the commotion taking place from my cubical on another side of town. Miss C got her milk at 9:40 AM and downed it by 9:42 AM.
Sorry Miss C! Thank you, Hubby!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Too Much Pumpkin
Just like a good MOTY should, I decided I would try making all of my daughter's baby food. I want to be all healthy and home-like. And, just like a good MOTY should, I decided we should pick out the freshest fruits and veggies from our local farmers' market. BUT, being that I eat things like Easy Mac everyday for lunch, I know nothing about getting fruits and veggies from a farmers' market...
I vigorously looked through the squash, discarding certain ones for no reason other than I thought I should. You can't pick up the first one you see - no one does that. I certainly would look like a newbie if I did that. As I pick through the produce, I realize that I have no idea how much baby food this stuff is going to make. How big of a pumpkin do I need? How many squash should I get?
I quickly wiped the question mark off my face so as not to let anyone know I was confused. I proceeded to put random produce in the back of the stroller. When all was said and done I had one large pie pumpkin, 2 acorn squash, 2 pounds of green beans, and a large basket of sweet potatoes.
After hours of making baby food with the hubby, we had this to show for it:
44 servings of pumpkin
30 servings of sweet potatoes
9 servings of squash
9 servings of green beans
I ended up being quite lopsided favoring pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Hmmm... now that I think about it, don't pumpkin and sweet potato taste similar? They sure do look the same when pureed. Ooops! I hope Miss C likes pumpkin and sweet potato.
And, today I read this article from www.ivillage.com. Apparently, too much orange and yellow veggies can make a babe's skin turn orange. I have 83 servings of orange and yellow veggies in my freezer. Ooops! I sure hope Miss C has a high tolerance for Beta-carotene! Did I just say that I hope my child has a tolerance for a vitamin?
I vigorously looked through the squash, discarding certain ones for no reason other than I thought I should. You can't pick up the first one you see - no one does that. I certainly would look like a newbie if I did that. As I pick through the produce, I realize that I have no idea how much baby food this stuff is going to make. How big of a pumpkin do I need? How many squash should I get?
I quickly wiped the question mark off my face so as not to let anyone know I was confused. I proceeded to put random produce in the back of the stroller. When all was said and done I had one large pie pumpkin, 2 acorn squash, 2 pounds of green beans, and a large basket of sweet potatoes.
After hours of making baby food with the hubby, we had this to show for it:
44 servings of pumpkin
30 servings of sweet potatoes
9 servings of squash
9 servings of green beans
I ended up being quite lopsided favoring pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Hmmm... now that I think about it, don't pumpkin and sweet potato taste similar? They sure do look the same when pureed. Ooops! I hope Miss C likes pumpkin and sweet potato.
And, today I read this article from www.ivillage.com. Apparently, too much orange and yellow veggies can make a babe's skin turn orange. I have 83 servings of orange and yellow veggies in my freezer. Ooops! I sure hope Miss C has a high tolerance for Beta-carotene! Did I just say that I hope my child has a tolerance for a vitamin?
Moms in the News
Every weekday I will post links to news stories about moms. These stories will be inspiring and uplifting with a goal of encouraging us and honoring these awesome moms. If you find an inspiring story about a mom or know about an inspiring story, send it my way so we can all be encouraged!
I am Mommy of the Year
The first reason this site was created was to provide moms with an outlet - a place to laugh at themselves when they do goofy stuff. I call this your "Mommy of the Year Moment" or MOTYM. Feel free to send me your Mommy of the Year Moments. At the end of every week we will all vote on the best MOTYM!
About this Blog
Laundry is done. House is immaculate. Healthy, homemade dinner is on the table. Coupons are clipped and neatly organized. Lunch bags are packed for the kids. You are on time to pick up the kids. Everything the sitter needs is neatly packed in the diaper bag everyday. You are Mommy of the Year!
How do you do it all? Where do you find the time to do it all? I don't know. I'm trying to figure that one out too!
My name is Ashley and I created "Mommy of the Year" for moms like me who really want to have it all together, but can never seem to get there. This site is not going to show you how to get there. The goal of this site is for us all to laugh a little at ourselves and to encourage each other along the way. I am a Christian who loves the Lord. With His help and your encouragement I hope that we can all enjoy the journey of getting there.
How do you do it all? Where do you find the time to do it all? I don't know. I'm trying to figure that one out too!
My name is Ashley and I created "Mommy of the Year" for moms like me who really want to have it all together, but can never seem to get there. This site is not going to show you how to get there. The goal of this site is for us all to laugh a little at ourselves and to encourage each other along the way. I am a Christian who loves the Lord. With His help and your encouragement I hope that we can all enjoy the journey of getting there.
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