Please direct your prayers and sympathy to WHYMOMMY

I recently discovered this new blog Toddler Planet.

WHYMOMMY has just been diagnosed with breast cancer- and she has to quit breastfeeding her baby to get treatment. Plus, all that other hard stuff that goes along.

She is looking for POSITIVE comments and prayers.

WHYMOMMY I am sending you both- and I am hoping my readers will hop on over there and do the same.

Toddler Planet

Egg Drop Soup and LOVE

My parents are here for a little while, combining visiting with watching out for DV while I recuperate from having a tooth yanked out.

Today my mom made me a "soup of love."

I think we moms do this a lot- make something for our children which tangibly demonstrates our love for them. I know I try to do it for DV.

Here's the recipe: (I didn't actually watch so I'll have to have Mom check it out)

LOVE
1 can chicken soup (Mom recommends organic, MSG free)
2 eggs
1 clove garlic, chopped
ground ginger
fresh chives, chopped
olive oil
salt

Brown the garlic in olive oil and add with ginger to soup. Bring to a boil. Add eggs in strings to soup. Cook until eggs are not transparent. Remove from heat. Add chives and salt to taste.

How did it taste? Perfect!!!!

Don't forget the LOVE!!!

THANKS MOM!!!!

My mouth hurts and SO....

I saw Megan of Velveteen Mind's fun post this morning and couldn't resist emulating her- since my mouth is aching and I am sitting here typing with one hand. (The other is holding an ice pack!)

See all my previous posts below- I was taking quizzes and finding that image of my favorite Dali painting.

Definitely more fun than TV!

I had to post this too! My personal favorite Dali work.

My favorite!

This one is my favorite of the quizzes (I like the result!)

You Are Best Described By...

Landscape With Butterflies By Salvador Dali

What Famous Work of Art Are You?

I lived in Tampa while I was an undergrad. and I spent a lot of time in St. Petersburg at the Dali museum.

I love Dali! He has a lot of wonderful art beyond the famous melting clocks... in fact I have a copy of one of his paintings of the Last Supper here next to my computer.

It's called The Sacrament of the Last Supper and I saw the actual painting (twice!) in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

I am violet!

Your Psyche is Violet

You are spiritual, intuitive, and serene. People trust you to rescue them from bad situations, and you usually come through. While you are quite enlightened, you find that your path can be very lonely. When you are too violet: you can't connect to ordinary life or ordinary people When you don't have enough violet: you lack wisdom and can't learn from the past

What Color Is Your Psyche?

I'm not so sure about this one- although purple IS my favorite color. I am almost never lonely... well, I do have a 2 year old!

Hmmmm.....

I think the quiz they use to generate this could use some more questions!

You've Experienced 84% of Life

You have an amazing amount of life experience. In fact, you've seen and done more than most people. So congratulate yourself on what you've done so far. The future is only going to be more of the same!

How Much Life Experience Do You Have?

I'd like to think there is more than 16% of life left to experience- because I sure do have a list of things I'd still like to do!

I better start using some different language...

I guess as compared to Megan or Heather my blog is just plain boring.... but I could let my 2 year old read it!

Is that really an advantage?

PS- Heather, I checked yours and you're doing well maintaining that R!

Sympathy PLEASE!

This morning I had a wisdom tooth removed (it was impacted) and also a small growth (scar tissue, I think) removed from my inner lip. Ugh!!!

To top it off, I only had Novocaine for the actual surgery and now I have Tylenol and ice! (I have A LOT of allergies.) I don't even get the good stuff! Unfair!

I'll probably have a purple face tomorrow.... at least my parents are here to watch out for DV while IV works- I think if I had to chase him I would just about fall over.... Thanks Mom and Dad!

Plus, since I am packing gauze in my lip I look to be chewing something attractive....

Wordless Wednesday (A retrospective)

This was last year about this time- we had just moved into our house (notice the 1/2 finished paint job) and my parents were visiting with their dog (on the right.) And, DV still looks like a baby! He had just started crawling!!! Isn't IV a great daddy?

More later...

My open house! (Business)

Saturday was my open house. It was a great success!

I spent all morning cleaning the house and getting everything ready- THANK YOU IV, IV took DV out for the whole day from about 8 am to 5pm!!!

Then, at 1:45 my first guest arrived- she stayed for 3 hours and designed quite a bit of jewelry- and my other customers/guests came in at different times (the last one at 4:45) but everyone had a great time and all but one purchased something!

It was a great success, I wanted to get the word out about my business and this is a great start!!!

Thank you all my blog buddies for your support- and Toni I wish I could have sent you some champagne and chocolate!

Avalanche Ranch!!!!

This week I am volunteering at Vacation Bible School for my church every morning. Our theme this year is, "Avalanche Ranch." I signed up late-very late- because I didn't know how DV would take to being left in the nursery.

On the first day he really didn't appreciate it (he was in a FOUL mood anyway) so I carried him with me for half the morning. But, yesterday I left him there all morning.

I think he enjoys the teenage volunteers- I have peeked in to see them carrying him around the room on their hips. Yep, this is what he likes at home too. Plus, he is quite fond of girls anyway....

I am having a lot of fun doing something adult (even though it involves working with 100s of kids) while I know DV is well cared for.

Just yesterday the director asked me to consider religious education in the fall- how about 8th grade confirmation??

You know, I think I just might do it!!!

The importance of mothering

I have been reading the book Holiness for Housewives (and other working women) by Dom Hubert Van Zeller.

I found this quote, "How can it be a career to tell other people's children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone?"

And also, "A women's function is laborius; but because it is gigantic not because it is minute."

I really loved both of these quotes because they help me to remember how important my first job is.

There's only one person in the world who I get to mother- and I am the center of his universe right now. That doesn't last long.

I am reminded to appreciate the time with DV when he is small and value myself for what I am doing with him.

Mothers I appreciate you!!! Don't forget to appreciate yourselves!

Thank you Dad, from a Daddy's girl

Thank you to my daddy

Thank you for singing me to sleep.

Thank you for raising Oscars in my room.

Thank you for teaching me to ride a bike.

Thank you for taking me to eat ice cream right on the beach.

Thank you for ALWAYS taking me on the carousel.

Thank you for teaching me statistics.

Thank you for spending countless hours working on science projects with me.

Thank you for helping me raise rats in the garage (for my science projects.)

Thank you for helping me move MANY times.

Thank you for taking care of me when I was sick.

Thank you for helping me countless other times in many ways, small and large.

Thank you for always supporting my dreams and aspirations.

Thank you for always listening with your heart.

Thanks for being my Daddy. I love you.

Southern boys...

Some of my mommy friends have been discussing the southern habit of dressing little boys in somewhat- shall we say- girly clothes.

I think it's very appropriate! Yes, I am the dissenting opinion...

See the picture of DV and I to the left <-

Isn't he cute? He doesn't know the difference between wearing the little smocked long legged bubble and wearing.... well, anything with little dogs on it.

He's too young to have many style opinions (and I know it won't be long...)

So for now, I get to dress DV to MY taste. And, I want my little boy to have a bit of a kinder, gentler little boy life before reality comes crashing in.

Plus, I love the workmanship on those outfits and I don't have any girls.

By the way, we save them for special occasions and Church...

I say- with regards to this debate- embrace your taste when dressing your boys!!! You won't have long when your opinion counts...

If this was a book I'd buy it...

Megan of Velveteen Mind posted something so poignant today.

I cried.

Every book that has ever made me cry has an honored place on my bookshelf- not too many of those.

Please read it for yourself, Victor Vito.

Thursday 13 Reasons to Start a Home-Based Business...

Toni is my favorite Thursday 13 gal- although everyone I've read is funny! Check out Toni's HILARIOUS post about poor Paris Hilton.

I have been working on starting a home based business (ever wonder why I haven't been blogging as much lately?)

So, here's my Thursday 13!

13 Excellent Reasons to Start a Home-Based Business

1. You need extra cash (So true, but what I have produced so far is extra expenses....)
2. Ability to predict finances (I project we should be profitable in 2 months max!)
3. Extra time on your hands (hmmmm.... ok so I didn't have any, but see reason 1)
4. You would like to take-over a room of your small house (my office is now an office/store room)
5. It's summer time so I won't be too busy (why did I think that?????)

OK, out with the sarcasm....
6. I love meeting new people.
7. I love designing jewelry.
8. I was getting just a little bored with the whole house cleaning thing.
9. Parties!!!! Fun!
10. Extra income so I can continue to stay-at-home with IV.
11. Jewelry counts as a business expense!
12. New clothes are required to show off jewelry!
13. Shopping at Sams Club in the business hours (how did I ever stand it before?)

Overall, I am already so happy with being a self-employed gal! But I don't have any time for TV, or novel reading, or well, anything other than being a mommy and work. I am trying to make time for IV- we had to schedule a date this week!

If you'd like to know more about my new business venture see my website: www.ditybeads.com/jennie

Have a lovely Thursday!

PS- Local gals I am having an open house (read free food and alcohol) on Saturday, June 23 from 2-5pm

Fart post

I laughed SO hard at Queen Heather's post about farting and other related activities I had to join in.

DV has taken up farting as a hobby. IV encourages it too.

Typical conversation (between IV and DV with DV on IV's lap)- IV, "Wow! That was a great one!" .... "Wow! That was a REALLY good one!" .... "WOW!!!! Practice that! You'll need it around the campfire when you're a boyscout!"

And then.... IV, "Are you pooping?" DV, "Grunt...grunt...smile"...

IV, "Honey! I think DV just pooped!"

Me.... sigh.... "Honey, I am working! Can you change him???"

IV, "Do I have to?????"

Usually, I do it because I am totally disrupted by this time anyway and what is another poopy butt to me???

Ah well, the joys of motherhood!

Adventures in Dieting...

For about 2 months now I have been on a really strict diet.

The good thing is- I have lost 20 lbs! Which is great, because I never thought I would wear the size I wore in HIGH SCHOOL again!

The bad thing about that is- I have NO CLOTHES THAT FIT!!! I am not talking my clothes fit poorly... they actually fall off- I guess that's what happens when you go from a 14/16 to a 8/9... I finally had to go out and buy a pair of pants and shorts because I needed to make a professional contact.

It's not so bad when your shirts are loose- but pants rolled at the waist or super-low riders (crotch at the knees, anyone?) do not make the best first impression.

Our budget does not allow for new clothing purchases- and I got rid of the clothes I wore in high school a long time ago- so I guess I will be making it with a very limited wardrobe... I see lots of laundry in my future.

Oh, and my diet? I got diagnosed with diabetes/pre-diabetes 2 months ago and decided to be very aggressive about it. (My dad has been diabetic for ~20 years so I know the complications first hand.) I got the book Diabetes Solution and have been following Dr. Bernstein's recommendations religiously, plus I started on Avandamet which I think has been helping a lot.

And, I've been working out a lot- for the first month anyway- but I hurt my knee so I have been taking it easier lately and I have still been losing weight.

Now I am worried that I may gain the weight back.... and waste any smaller clothes that I buy...

Bad Tree!

So yesterday was a busy day.... and there was this tree.... I swear it was in the middle of the driveway!!!

Sigh.... I bet you can guess what happened. I backed into a tree! And, not only did I bust the brake/tail light I also made a (small) dent in the side of our car.

The tree wasn't in my driveway, at least...

I had just taken DV to his kindergym class and had to run home for a picture for the local newspaper (my neighborhood association) so I parked in a neighbor's driveway. I think I should have observed the tree (actually just a little in the drive, a thin pine) while I was going into the long drive forward- but I was in a hurry.

Then, it took a long time for the photo to be taken- actually, I left before the interviewer did- and I was hurrying out to pick up IV at work. Well, the neighbor's driveway is long and sloped down but without a place to turn the car around.

I had my foot on the brake backing down and I was turned around- but obviously I missed something because all of a sudden.... CRUNCH!!!! I didn't even stop to take a look at the car but just glanced at the tree and continued on my merry way. Yes, it was that kind of day.

I get to IV's work to pick him up and go out to check the car- hoping that the crunch was all in my imagination- and I find a broken out light AND a dent... and bark.....

Sigh....... if only Explorers were made for people who are only ~5'3" (can I blame it on the car??)

Two and a half weeks!!!!

OH MY GOSH! I can't believe I actually went 2.5 weeks without blogging! I was SO busy!

At least, I have a lot to write about saved up.... more than one day's worth!

The trip to California to visit my great-grandmother went very well- excluding flying with an almost 2 year old and changing planes (with a car seat!) And, also excluding staying in an ~700 square foot cabin with 5 people- and sharing a bed with my mom... and a room with DV... and a bed with DV in the middle of every night... and the associated bruises!

The stay in Florida with my parents was great, although MUCH too busy. I got to spend some quality time with my best friend (since 9th grade!) who has a 3 month old and I remembered how much fun she can be.

All in all, it was a great time but I would do something different about plane travel.... UGH!!!

Anyone have any wisdom???