Wordless Wednesday

Today I Am Thankful For . . . . . .

· Made chocolate chip, oatmeal, walnut cookies for the family. Amen for my new cookie scooper, so baby could be held with one hand and cookie dough scooped with the other :)

· Got to prune my birch trees and roses and also clean up a few dead stems and leaves from last year while baby napped and Little Buddy played in the sandbox.

· FINALLY Letting the dog in backyard which is normally a swamp in the spring because we get standing water that does not drain for EVER. He was happy too :) (I'm not telling him that the forecast says rain for tomorrow and that means swamp and no backyard for awhile again . . . . . shhhhh!)

· Talking serious meaningful things out with hubs. We need to do that more often.

· Having a play date set up with my great friend Becki! Yeah! So hard to get together some times. She had a medical procedure done then her kids were sick. Finally :)

· Hubby doing dishes and laundry AND setting up the Roomba. Bliss!

· Little Buddy just full of so much love for momma all day. "Thanks buddy, I needed that today really bad!" Never thought in a million years that a little boy giving me a hug and a plastic horse when I'm crying and sad would make me feel so loved :)

· Getting to the store and picking up baby shower gifts, printing out directions, wrapping gifts and signing card (Lord, people, you have no idea what a feat this is with baby and toddler much of the time!), and confirming grandma's coming to watch Little Buddy tomorrow so Little Munchkin and I can attempt to go to a baby shower.

· Finding two more awesome classic movies for the ipod. One rented: It's A Wonderful World (with Jimmy Stewart and Claudette Colbert) and one bought: Talk Of The Town (with Cary Grant and Jean Arthur).

· I fixed the toilet, unclogged the tub drain (ewwwww, I'm in the post-partum hair loss phase . . . . yuck!), got a new door lock for the screen door and toy for the jumperoo (for FREE thanks to companies who stand behind their products!!!)

· Having my dad help us with a new driveway. The money is helpful but even more helpful are the incredible words that he wrote in the letter that came with the check about things that have bothered me for years. Crazy how life works itself out sometimes. I could care less if our driveway was gravel, but our sub and city code does not allow it where we live and our current driveway in cracked and crumbling and sinking. The letter is worth a million driveways to me . . . . . .

· Warmth, love, life, sunshine, relief, security, home, children, caring, laughter, union, greenery, friends, health, spring.

Quote Of The Day

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.  ~Anne Frank

Steel Roots Exhibit

We just saw the Steel Roots Exhibit by artist Steve Tobin at the Morton Arboretum in Glen Ellyn Illinois. Click here to learn more about the exhibit. Click here to learn more about the artist.

Smiley Sunday

A Week Of Poems: Saturday

God and You  ~Anonymous

They may see the good you do as self serving.
Continue to do good.

They may see your generosity as grandstanding.
Continue to be generous.

They may see your warm and caring nature as a weakness.
Continue to be warm and caring.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It never was between you and them anyway.

A Week Of Poems: Friday

Nobody's Friend ~Anonymous

My name is Gossip.

I have no respect for justice.

I maim without killing.

I break hearts and ruin lives.

I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age.

The more I am quoted the more I am believed.

My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name or face.

To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become.

I am nobody's friend.

Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.

I topple governments and wreck marriages.

I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches and indigestion.

I make innocent people cry in their pillows.

Even my name hisses.

I am called Gossip.

I make headlines and headaches.

Readers, before you repeat a story, ask yourself: Is it true? Is it harmless? Is it necessary? If it isn't, don't repeat it.

A Week Of Poems: Thursday

Drive Thru ~Nancy Ness

I rose this morn with much to do -
Hopped in the car and off I flew.

No time for breakfast, that I knew -
Glad "Dunkin Donuts" has Drive Thru.

In need of dollars, quite a few -
Went to the bank teller's Drive Thru.

Then filled all my prescriptions too -
At "Pharmacy's" brand new Drive Thru.

Some bills to mail in box of blue -
Off to the "Post Office" Drive Thru.

Picked up the laundry cleaned anew -
Just stopped at "Suds & Duds" Drive Thru.

With lunchtime near, my tummy's queue -
Got a "Big Mac" from the Drive Thru.

The car by then was low on fuel -
Full serve at "Shell", just Drive on Thru.

And when they fill the tank for you -
Your car's washed free - in their Drive Thru.

Library books were overdue -
The curbside slot is a Drive Thru.

Then videos must go back too -
"Blockbuster" has their own Drive Thru.

In need of milk and bread, I knew -
I stopped at "Dairymaid's" Drive Thru.

The family asked "Please, can we do -
The "Drive In" show when dinner's thru???"

A Week Of Poems: Wednesday

If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again ~Diane Loomans

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self esteem first, and the house later.
I'd fingerpaint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd model less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.

A Week Of Poems: Tuesday

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

A Week Of Poems: Monday

Before I was a Mom   ~Unknown

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put them down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

A Week Of Poems: Sunday

CHICAGO by Carl Sandburg

HOG Butcher for the World,

Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,

Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;

Stormy, husky, brawling,

City of the Big Shoulders:

They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys.
   
And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again.

And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the faces of women and children I have seen the marks of wanton hunger.

And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer and say to them:

Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.
   
Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities;

Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness,

Bareheaded,

Shoveling,             

Wrecking,

Planning,

Building, breaking, rebuilding,

Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with white teeth,

Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young man laughs,

Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle,
Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse and under his ribs the heart of the people,

Laughing!

Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of

Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog

Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with

Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.

New Rain Gear

Picked up some badly needed new rain gear for Little Buddy at the local Farm & Fleet store. Got both on sale. They had a matching boots but me being so frugal, I figured I could buy good old muck boots that were solid black and we could save them for Little Munchkin. Too much of any pattern makes me go a little buggy anyway on anybody. Lately we have been enjoying the 50's and 60's and visiting the zoo and many long muddy, wet walks in snow boots. He is so excited to be able to go out and slop through the mud and puddles now. Hopefully the coat will still fit this fall as I bought it 2 sizes too big for that reason. Once we found them in the store and put them on, he refused to take them off til we got home. Wet, messy, muddy, spring - BRING IT ON!!!

LIVE TRAFFIC FEED?

I just wanted to mention something about these live traffic feeds that I so often find on many of the blogs I read. I really never liked the fact that it tracked me where I was because I am very private and anonymous on my blog. I also know that MANY LEO and LEOW's blogs are extremely careful about not using names, or pictures of faces or locations of where they live or where they are LEO's. I have for a long time now wanted to blog about anonymity but haven't. I think it's a long shot that someone out there would find you from a LIVE TRAFFIC FEED, but, it still takes away the anonymity that many of us work so hard to keep on our blogs. With this being said, I am really surprised when I stumble across a LEO or LEOW's blog and I see a LIVE TRAFFIC FEED. I am even more shocked when I see the town listed, names of the family members, and plenty of pictures too. I hate to sound like a downer because blogs are a really awesome way to befriend other LEO's & LEOW's from a distance, but I think it's very dangerous to have such a dangerous job and completely put yourself out there on the internet. My husband has a very high stress job near the city of Chicago and there is lots of action and chaos and crazy dirtbags out there that would gladly "come back and put a bullet in your head!" as one told Cop Dad, or "go find your wife and @#$% her!" These are just a couple of the things that Cop Dad has told me about. There are many others that I am sure I don't want to even hear, but should.

Cop Dad has also been warned about the privacy factor in his life from his superiors and he has taken cyber terrorism training and knows how creepy people use the internet to find anybody and anything for almost any reason.

So, it's really not worth the risk for us to give anyone the chance to find us or recognize us or know where we live or where Cop Dad is a cop (which isn't where we live). So yes, I still read blogs that feature the LIVE TRAFFIC FEED, but I really don't like it and it makes me nervous when I see my location along with my blog pop up. I thought awhile ago that it would be kinda cool to see who reads me and where they live and so on but then I learned that there are many other bloggers (not even LEO's or family) that are completely anonymous on their blogs for safety reasons and refuse to frequent any blogs with LIVE TRAFFIC FEEDS on them.

Just curious if anyone else has ever felt uneasy about the LIVE TRAFFIC FEED also? How private are you in your life about your blog, kids, internet recreation, etc.? Oh, and one blog I went to even had my IP address pop up when I went to it. That stinks! I think that people can hack into your computer if they have your IP address. Did you know that? I like to blog freely and for that reason we don't even want anyone from Cop Dads PD to be reading my blog. Ha! I don't even want most of my family reading it either, I'd have no material anymore :)

Please let me know what you think. Is is safe for LEO's and LEOW's to disclose all their personal info on a blog or other type of site on the internet? From the city where they work, to the house that they live in, to where they shop, what schools their kids go to, family pictures, and when they are home and etc.?

Quote Of The Day

The phrase "working mother" is redundant. ~Jane Sellman

Meet My New Phone: The LG Tritan With Body Glove Cover

 

Seems as though Cop Dad as technology fever lately as he has now picked out new phones for us. Like I have said before, I am not high maintenance in the technology department. We are up for new phones though and it was very inconvenient to text on our old little phones so Cop Dad picked out these new phones. This is the LG Tritan (with pink plaid snap cover by Body Glove). This phone has everything. I am just happy to have a qwerty keyboard for texting but I have yet to use the internet, gps, and various other features it comes with.

  

This is the back of the phone. I am really NOT a pink plaid person BUT our last phones were tiny and black and I could never find it in my purse. So I asked Cop Dad to please find me a cover that was neon orange like the cones on the highway. This is what he picked out for me. Not neon orange but I could definitely spot it in my purse which has a black interior.

  

This phone can operate closed or slide open as pictured here. You can use a standard old-school on screen dialpad when held vertical. You can also use a qwerty keyboard when you hold the phone horizontally and closed. OR you can use the qwerty keyboard as pictured here when the phone is held horizontally and slid open.

It's a very nice phone and I have never seen Cop Dad so excited over a phone before. After the plasma tv and bluray player purchase right before Little Munchkin was born, then the IPOD Classic that he purchased for my birthday present in February, and now these fancy schmancy phones we just got last week, I think we are set for another 10 years. I know I am very old fashioned and not up with the trends but I kinda feel at this point in my life as nice as everything is, I hardly get much use out of it as I have my hands full with a baby and a toddler.

My only complaint so far is that the ringtone selection is kinda weird as they are not really rings but some wanna be cool generic rock songs instead. And you have to go online and buy different ring tones which are you guessed it, more rock songs. I just want a regular ring. Remember those?

That's pretty much it. The internet is kinda hard to see and use but for an emergency it is a nice feature. Oh and the antenna reception is less in our home than our little old phones had. Frustrating, as I thought that would be improved more than the old phones. Very nice phone though over all. Thanks Cop Dad!

Thankful Thursday

Today is Thursday, March, 4th and I am thankful for:

-We went to the big zoo today with Cop Dad and it went well, better than we thought as our first major outing with a toddler and a baby. All got exercise, fresh air and plenty of sunshine!

-We are in a warm up and it will be in the forties and even the fifties for the next few days! Woo! Hoo!

-Little Munchkin has been sleeping well and also going down much easier at night.

-Little Buddy has been very fun, very good, and extra lovey dovey lately. It can make me feel so overwhelmed by love at times I can cry, and I do.

-Cop Dad and I resolved yet another issue through talking and patience and although it came after a few bitter words and some hurt feelings, it DID get resolved.

-I feel more and more like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. This winter has been very hard for me/us with a new baby and toddler and being stuck inside with illness nearly every day. Now I can already imagine the warmth and the freedom of going on outings, even just in the backyard as a family. Feel like I am able to breathe again after the long, cold, dark, lonely winter. Hurray!

-Cherishing my friends and the fact that I am able to see them more with some breaks in the toddler sicky spells. Play dates never felt so good :) :) :)

-With the help of Freecycle I have been slowly but surely clearing out the garage lately. I unloaded 12 BOXES of boys clothes. My cousin had an oops baby with a woman he hardly knows and they both have lots of problems. One of the problems is no money and so they were completely overjoyed to receive all the clothes and will be getting a steady stream of boys clothes from us from here on out. Girls clothes can go straight to Goodwill as Little Munchkin outgrows them. Glad to be done building our family, now ready to raise/enjoy them!!!

-Ooooh, and Grandma is building a new bed for Little Buddy that will be ready in the next month or so. This one has book shelves for the headboard and book racks for the footboard and a trundle drawer too (I get to sleep there when it's done! At least until Little Munchkin moves into Little Buddy's room.) It will be very cool to have all that book storage. Little Buddy is going to love his new bed!

Sensible Solutions: Grocery Bag Trash Can

 

Just wanted to share with you a fabulous little thing that we have in our house and love. It is just a trash can, but really, so much more. It's a Grocery Bag Trash Can! I picked this up a few years ago at the Container Store and I cannot stress enough how wonderful it has turned out to be for us. First of all, it fits under our kitchen sink which has child lock on it and so little hands as well as pesty, hungry dogs stay out of the trash. Our garage and recycle bins are just steps away from the kitchen so we have very little trash in our kitchen. This was a very hard transition for us in the beginning as we used to have a big old kitchen garbage in our kitchen. The problem with that: where do you put it? more trash in your kitchen means more odor, more to attract ants, etc., there is more room and so it gets emptied less and food waste is just sitting around, you have to buy garbage bags for a large can and that is more money.

With this small can we empty it more frequently. There is less room and it forces us to recycle more, and put more in garbage disposal and/or compost pile. Then too one may say, "We do not use plastic grocery bags because we use our cloth grocery bags." I say, "Kudos to you!" That is awesome. But then do you have to buy plastic trash bags for your kitchen garbage? Perhaps you are completely ahead of the game and spend the extra $$ and buy biodegradable trash bags. Even better! But for the rest of us, this makes some great sense. I DO use cloth grocery bags. I also am human and do forget from time to time. I also, intentionally leave them in the car from time to time so we get the plastic bags for dog poop and nasty diapers and the trash can too.

OK, so maybe you have a big old trash can and tons of garbage? Then perhaps it's time to reduce your disposables? Just a thought? We ARE leaving behind a trash legacy for our kids and their kids too, and so on. Please care. I no longer buy paper towels. I use rags. I do have one or two rolls of the janitor brown rough paper towels for dog puke, etc. I am religious about using rags but I do NOT want that in my washing machine! We never use paper plates unless it's for a party. I almost never buy individually wrapped foods. Many moms are big on that for kids. BUTTTTTTT, it costs more, and there is more paper and plastic waste to dispose of. Just a few ideas on reducing your trash AND recycling too.

Here is the link if you want to purchase one of these trash cans at Container Store (also the cheapest one I found @ only $5.99!!!. I also Googled: Grocery Bag Trash Can and if you hit images, then you can take your pick of them and then select the website you want to buy from. There are some fancy stainless steel kinds and also a few other plastic types too. This link is another nice white plastic model from Harriet Carter. Enjoy!

What Sensible Solution do you have in your home/life that you really just love and feel good about every time you use it?