Today's Small Talk Six is all about smiling. So here are 6 things that make me smile:
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Small Talk Six: Six Smiles
Today's Small Talk Six is all about smiling. So here are 6 things that make me smile:
Yoplait Giveaway Winners
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
42 7 37
Timestamp: 2009-02-28 05:14:12 UTC
#42:
- Barely Domestic Mama said...
-
I tweeted the contest at http://twitter.com/BarelyDomestic/status/1226413671
- Liza767 said...
-
I follow on blogger
i love the name of your blog btw
Congrats ladies! I'll be sending you an email in the morning to get your information. Since it's already after midnight, I need to get a little sleep! If you happen to see this before I'm in touch with you, please email me (mommastaci33(at)yahoo(dot)com) with your name and address so you can get your gift bags asap.
Thanks to everyone who entered!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Time to Play Thursday: Sand Art
What you need:
Big bowl of Fruit Loops
Ziploc bags
Rolling pin
Baby food jar (or similar small jar)
1. Separate Fruit Loops by color. This takes awhile, but it's a good way to teach colors and sorting skills.
2. Place colors into separate Ziploc bags. Using rolling pin, smash until a fine powder is all that's left. Be careful though not to break the bag-I made that mistake.
3. Pour each color into jar, layering them as you go.
4. Seal jar tightly. You can put a tiny bit of glue around the edge of the lid if you are worried about anyone dumping it on the floor.
5. Display proudly!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Introducing the Gibbon
1/2 Price Smoothie Happy Hour
Are you a smoothie lover? My little man would answer that with a loud resounding yes. At TCBY, smoothies are 1/2 price during happy hour. Now, 7 Days a week, from 5-6 pm, you can order your favorite flavor for half price.
The best part is, TCBY makes their smoothies from real dairy yogurt and fruit. The live and active cultures in yogurt will boost your immune system. And, the smoothies come in a ton of yummy flavors like Strawberry Bananza and Black 'n' Bluberry.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Warning: Potty Talk
But the biggest question? Who peed on my seat? I swear, I ask it 20 times a day. There's a big thank you to all the coffee I drink. How hard is it for boys to hit the bowl? I have to admit though, I'll take hitting the seat over hitting the floor (or wall) which both seem to be an almost daily occurrence as well.
I think someone needs to remind my boys that this is not a gas station, and pee on the wall is not a form of art. Oh the joys of being the only one required to sit.
Reclaiming my Space
Since living here, little man has been sleeping in our room (in his own bed). His bedroom is one of the only ones we decorated, but he has wanted nothing to do with it, and rarely even uses his playroom either. We all have a habit of converging in the living room and staying there all day.
So, in a four bedroom house, one is being used. Today, my goal is to change that. I'm shuffling toys around, so that there are more in his bedroom, adding more decor, and organizing like crazy. I'm hoping that it will make the room more appealing. My ultimate goal is to have him sleeping in his own room by next week.
Wish me luck as I try to reclaim my own room! I'm off to continue on with my rearranging trek.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Monday's Amusing Moment
He asked which I wanted, and I chose the tall skinny one, which any princess would want. It was completely adorable. His response: Momma, your head is too fat for that one. Then holding up his imaginary tape measure he announces, you need the fat crown.
The lone college kid nearby, burst out with laughter, and really, who could blame him? I guess momma and her fat head should just eat at home from now on.
Friday, February 20, 2009
What's Going On
At 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires, Karen reviewed some super cute shoes from Stride Rite, and is giving away a pair too. Stop by soon, because the giveaway ends 2/24.
MomDot is giving away a $100 gift certificate to My Wonderful Walls. You should check out their Kids Murals and Nursery Art. Amazing!
Sara over at Momma Findings is giving away 3 Honey Kix prize packs. My little cereal eater would go crazy for these. The giveaway ends 2/28.
Over at Mommy's Quiet Time, Bloggymommy talks about little girls and bullies. Though I can't relate yet, I'm dreading the day when I have to deal with that too.
Have you checked out The Launchpad from MomDot yet? Head on over, check out the groups, discussions, and meet some wonderful bloggers.
And don't forget to enter my Yoplait giveaway, which ends a week from today.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Pumpkin Porch
In my defense, we rarely use the front door, meaning I rarely take notice to what's on the porch. Today, I went out to get the mail, and this is what caught my eye:I was speechless. I'm still speechless, and a bit disgusted. But, ya'll will be proud to know that they finally made their way to the dumpster. Say bye-bye to little Jack-o-lantern.Now I just need to hose pumpkin snot off my steps. Wonderful.
Time to Play Thursday
Our recipe is really simple:
1/4 cup salt
1 cup flour
1/4 cup water
I let the little one dump the salt and flour into a bowl, then he uses a spoon to scoop in the water. You can just pour it in, but it keeps them busy longer doing it in spoonfuls. He is also in charge of kneading the ingredients together until it reaches play dough consistency. I usually end up adding a bit of water later, as this recipe dries out easily.
After he's played with it for awhile, usually an hour or more later, we create little volcanoes. We fill each with baking soda, than pour in some vinegar.
We also add in a few drops of food coloring or some sprinkles to make our eruptions look pretty. And, waa-la, some magical, bubbling, homemade fun.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Yummy Yogurt & A Giveaway
Recently, we had the chance to try Yoplait Yo-Plus Blueberry Acia. I have to say, everyone was able to enjoy it. It had that hint of sweetness the little one likes, but it was smooth and fruity too, making hubby and I both happy as well.
With only 110 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per serving, it's a great way to start the day. It contains vitamins A and D, calcium, and fiber. Plus, Yo-Plus Blueberry Acia contains live and active probiotic cultures to help keep your digestive tract healthy.
If you're like me, you may be wondering if Yo-Plus is safe for children. According to Yoplait's site, the natural probiotic in Yo-Plus yogurt is a kind of bacteria that is among the first to develop in an infant's digestive system. This probiotic, Bifidobacterium, is safe even for young children and infants. In fact, it's one of the most widely studied probiotics with proven safety at all age ranges.
How to enter: Leave a comment here telling me what you do to stay healthy or maintain a nutritional diet. I want to hear your tips, your favorite healthy snacks, etc.
Extra Entries:
- Post my button in your sidebar
- Favorite me on Technorati
- Follow me on blogger
- Follow me on Twitter or tweet the contest
- Blog about this contest for 5 extra entries.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Thrifty Shopping
We go about once a month to our local one, since it's still a bit of a drive. But after an hour there, we managed to buy:
17 kid's books, all in good condition
3 shirts for hubby
3 shirts for the little man
2 pairs of kid's pants
3 pairs of pants for me
1 sweater for me (from Express even)
The total? $29. I'd say that it was a pretty good trip.
The thing with thrift stores is you never know what type of people you'll run into.
First, there was Mrs. Mumble to Myself. I, unfortunately, was caught beside her for a good twenty minutes while I rummaged through bins of books. She picked up book after book, commented to herself about it, then made her decision to keep or put it back, after a long discussion with herself. It was rather mind numbing to listen to.
Then there was Grandma Talks Too Much. You know the one, the old lady who corners you for no reason and tells you her whole life story. I'm not sure it was necessary for me to know that she needed to buy metal dog food bowls because her dogs kept eating theirs or that her sister just had surgery. Blah, blah, blah.
And last was the mom with the screaming kid. Oh wait, that was me. Little man was so upset that the thrift store no longer carries toys. Me, I had to fake my sympathies for him. I was completely thankful I no longer had to hear him begging for toys that look a little too well loved or games that were missing half the pieces. I was more than happy to promise him an extra book to replace any toy he had hoped for.
Do you shop at thrift stores? What's been your best find?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Preschooler Play: No Batteries Included
Here's a few of the things we have done to keep busy and have fun:
- Read: a book, a magazine, anything.
- Grab some crayons & color
- Build with Legos
- Play with a box-it can become a rocket, a car, a cave
- Tell stories
- Play dress-up
- Count something, count everything
- Have a picnic, indoors or out
- Bake and decorate cookies or cupcakes
- Make a card for someone special just because
- Write a letter
- Play “I Spy”
- Make fossils
- Make homemade clay
- Create fun and edible necklaces
- Create your own sand art
- Play with playdough
- Play ball-roll it, kick it, throw it
- Play “Simon Says”
- Sing a song
- Finger paint
- Play in a sandbox, or with rice or birdseed inside
- Let them dig through a glob of shaving cream, or run cars through it
- Make a treasure hunt for them to follow
- Race cars
- Make slime
- Make your own music
- Dance
- Build a fort
- Create your own pretend store
- Play with or make puppets
- Make an obstacle course
- Play sink or float in a tub of water
- Make masks from paper plates
- Sorting games, using anything
- Paint with string
- Play with flash cards
- Play bean bag toss
- Play memory or matching games
- Just talk!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Winners of the Cocoa Puff Tees
#2: Cat from 3KidsandUs
#11 Valerie from Sweeps4Bloggers
#19 Sara from Momma Findings
#24 Suzanne from So, you don't get any phone calls from me...
#31 Lori A. (No blog)
Congrats ladies! You will be recieving an e-mail from me shortly, and must respond within 48 hours! Thanks to everyone who entered.
Small Talk Six: Happy Valentine's Day!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Farm Girl
I grew up on a farm. Simply said, we lived in the middle of nowhere. Being farmers, my parents didn't have a lot of money, but we never went without. We always had food on the table, always had something to do, and never knew just how tight things were.Being a farm girl definitely defines a bit of who I am. I can stack hay and carry grain with the best of them. I know how to tend to the animals, and I know how to create my own fun. Growing up, we made our own games and found ways to entertain ourselves. That's exactly what I want to pass on to my son, the ability to use his imagination, the power to play with things that don't require 4 AA batteries. I want him to see thinks simply.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
To Work or Not to Work...
Here's the thing about me: I hate being told what to do by anyone. Maybe it's the 5 year old in me, but being told to do something makes me want to do the exact opposite. I need it to by my decision, when I'm ready.
Granted, I went to college and finished up my degree while he worked. He took full responsibility of earning the money for awhile, but I've done the same for him when he was unemployed. The thing is, I like being at home. I want to be here to send my son off to school, I want to pick him up in the afternoon, I want to be that mom.
I just don't see the balance being there anymore. If that makes any sense. I'm fighting the idea of being away from my little one for a huge part of the day, and wanting to make the most out of the time we will see each other. It's so hard for me to see my little one suddenly seeming so grown up.
Any advice? How did you handle you kids going off to school for the first time?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Friday Night Live at MomDot
Macy's
Blinc
Things Remembered
Casio Watch (Courtesy of MommyGoggles)
Flip Ultra (Courtesy of The Posh Parent)
PediPed
Kuster
Trembini
Fruit Roll Up
And Dyson Divas
Daddy's Home
It's been just shy of a month. Four long weeks. The little one and I have our routines when he's not here during the day, and lately, we are really missing that. It's hard to suddenly have him around all. the. time.
Honestly, I am at my wits end. I've been to work more often than he has in the past month, and yet, I'm still basically solely responsible for making the household run on my own. Cleaning, laundry, dishes, bills, bathtime, bedtime. Cooking on occasion is about the extent he is contributing.
I could scream at him to do something. Instead, I tend to mutter cuss words at him under my breath. I shoot dirty looks at him from across the room. I make snide little comments when I get the chance.
I need him to go back to work. I need my days back to just me and the little one. I need my old routine. I need him to get off his behind and help out. I just really need to feel like I'm not in this alone.
Oh, and the little one's take on it?
Today: Mommy, can you loan daddy some of your money? I really want to buy (insert whatever was on the commercial I was ignoring). Daddy hasn't been to work in a long time, he needs your money.
Love it. At least the 4 year old knows where I'm coming from.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Skin MD Review
Recently, I was able to try Skin MD Shielding Lotion with sunscreen. I’ve never heard of a shielding lotion before, so it was a completely new idea to me. Basically, Skin MD creates a barrier to keep out irritants that dry skin. According to Skin MD, it works by boosting the natural protective abilities of your skin.
Between work and being a mom, I am constantly washing my hands, so they have become incredibly dry. However, after using Skin MD, I was able to see a noticeable difference. My skin not only felt smoother, it also felt moisturized. No more itchy, scratchy, scaly hands.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Small Talk Six
This week they want to know 6 songs that get me up and dancing when no one is looking.
Bad Day as sung by the Chipmunks: Maybe it's the fact that we listen to this constantly, but these obnoxious voices take me back to when I was little and I still dance every time.
Baby Got Back: No real explanation needed, right?
Creep by TLC: I loved these girls! I'm sure I still have the cd around here somewhere.
Hot Momma by Trace Adkins: It's a definite pick me up song that gets my booty moving.
'Fore She Was Mama by Clay Walker: One of those songs I can relate to so well.
Gangsta B*tches by Eve: I go back to my teeny bopper years when my best friend and I would cruise around trying to pick up boys, dancing along to it in the car.
Friday, February 6, 2009
What's Going On?
Over at MomDot, the Friday night live show is going on tonight at 9:30 EST, so be sure not to miss out. One of the topics will be how to make money on your mom blog. The Recovery is one of the sponsors tonight. They carry some amazing products for postpartum recovery and c-section recovery.
Over at 3 Kids and Us, Cat has begun her Bloggy Baby Shower, as she counts down her final weeks of pregnancy.
At the Not-So-Blog Blog, Bridgette is gearing up for her Mardi Gras Mambo which will start 2/9. Be sure to grab a button to spread the word.
And don't forget to enter my contest below for a chance to win one of five Cocoa Puffs tees.
Breakfast Time & A Giveaway
Our morning routine is pretty simple around here. Momma makes her coffee first thing and finds some breakfast for the little one. While I
At first, I felt guilty that I wasn't up before the sun fixing a pancakes and eggs for everyone. I mean, that's what all the moms do on tv, right? But in real life, I seriously doubt too many momma's play short-order cook in the mornings.
After reading that 75% of kids don't get enough calcium and vitamin D, and that Big G Cereals provide both nutrients, I stopped feeling so guilty about our cereal-raiding habits in the morning. We love Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cocoa Puffs in our house. You can always finding them lining our cereal shelf in the pantry.
Over at the Big G Cereal website, they explain that most cereals have roughly 100-130 calories per serving and provide at least 10 important nutrients. Cereal is the number one source of whole grains in America, and Big G cereals contain less than 12 grams of sugar in each serving. A bowl of cereal is a simple way to provide your kids (or yourself) a healthy morning meal.
To enter, visit the Big G Cereals site and leave me a comment with one fact you learned over there or a favorite cereal in your house.
Extra Entries:
- Post my button in your sidebar
- Follow me on blogger
- Follow me on Twitter and tweet the contest
- Blog about this contest for 5 extra entries.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Mommy
What?
Mommy?
What?
Mommy?
Yes?
Mommmmyyy?
Do you need something?
Mommy.
Okay then.
Such is life with an easily distracted 4-year-old.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Feeling Like I'm MIA
For those of you who remember, my dad went through this same surgery back in November and suffered a heart attack during it. Needless to say, he is still recovering, making her current state even harder for him to deal with. A lot of the responsibility has fallen to my mom, and now, as she goes back to work, it falls to my sister and me.
My grandma came home this past weekend, and is doing considerably well. But, someone has to be with her at all times. So, that is where I've spent my afternoons, and will continue to until she feels well enough to be on her own.
I know it sounds so selfish, but it is hard on me to suddenly be away from home more than 40 hours a week. To miss out on afternoons with my son, to rush home to get dinner ready before I need to get GM ready for bed, to not have the freedom to do what I want or need to in an afternoon. The cleaning is not getting done, the dishes have piled up, and the laundry is fighting it's way out into the hallway.
I have sat at her dining room table, searching my brain to name birds at the feeders outside the window, finished reading the first book I've opened (that doesn't rhyme) in over a year, and sat in silence quieter than anything that ever occurs in our house.
I'm trying my hardest to only see the good in this, and to not worry about what I'm missing at home, what needs to be done. But then I come home and realize how long it will take me to catch up on the housework while a 4-year-old is repeating his recap of the afternoon in my ear over and over, and it's hard to see only the good anymore. This is only day 3, I could be in for a very long week.
I walk every day, practice yoga and try to eat organic whenever possible.
gkstratos@yahoo.com