Birthday Photos

A lovely dinner was had by all last night. My mom received a nice candle from Gene and Kay. Zane had fun with the birthday "cake", which was actually brownies that my mom made (she wanted to, ok?) This was the first time we had a birthday around here that he really seems to be starting to understand what goes on. He was all about it and wanted to do it again today. Ha ha. Poor thing, now we have Kevin's, Caspian's, and my birthday all before his. So, he should be geared up for the big #2.

~t

Blue Monster 178

Boo! No, it's not that kind of monster. I'm just participating in an upcoming puzzle by the blog marketing company, payperpost. The contest is to be announced in the near future. When the entire puzzle is assembled it will be a sneak peak at the payperpostbluemonster, a secret program that we will find more about later, I'm sure.

Ok, so here's the puzzle piece:



The first person to assemble the pieces and post the whole thing on their blog gets a fabulous cash prize.

~t

Just Go Do It

Well, it seems I may have gotten whatever Zane had. Ugh. I've been down for most of the day. And all night. At least at night, it's nice when you're sick and your kid wakes you to nurse like 4 or 5 times. Oh wait, that's not so nice. I finally broke down and took some meds and am feeling a little bit better.

Was funny--I wanted to take a bath, but not with Zane and Zane is obsessed with baths. But he was upstairs with Kevin. I said it to my mom. And she said, "Well, just go do it."

Just go do it. What an idea. Just go do something for myself. I did. It was nice. Sometimes those moms know what they are talking about. The whole family has been really great today about keeping Zane occupied so I could rest. Thanks folks.

We had a nice night last night for my mom's bday. I should have some pics around here somewhere, but I have to find 'em. The probably ended up on Kevin's computer. Maybe later. :)

~t

Simone and Elvis

What a provocative title. It belongs to a new Self Help Book I recently found. I haven't read it yet, but the site has some interesting information, including a relaxing flash presentation you can view for free. I tend to like self empowerment and self help books, so this is something I'm going to look into more. Let me know what you think!



~t

How Many of Me?

This a fun little link sent to me by Heather.

Apparently, I am quite unique, my husband has only one duplicate, and my kids don't even exist! Horrors!

HowManyOfMe.com

There is: 1 person with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Have fun "finding yourself"

(cracking myself up over here.)

~t

Dream Jobs

You may not know this about me, but I am passionate about people finding their right work. We spend so much time working, that if we aren't doing our dream, our calling, we are just taking time away from things we'd rather be doing.

I'm excited to have found this book on Dream jobs.



It lists 101 careers that many people would love to consider. (I was excited to see that Life Coach, one of my dream careers, was listed!) Not only that, it gives you the tools to discover, choose, and create the dream career for you, with specific action steps.

You can order the book or download a free copy of their ebook right at the site. The book is a #1 bestselling career book at amazon.com and has been featured in the June 2005 issue of Women's Day Magazine.



~t

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Maaaaaa-aaaaaahm,
Happy Birthday to YOU!

Aye yih yih, she's SIXTY! I am such a bad daughter for posting this online. It's ok, Kevin is making her a ham dinner tonight to make up for it.

Here, I will also post a nice picture from recently in the pretty porch spot. (Whoever sits in this spot automatically looks pretty.)


~t

Ultimate Chopper

Well, Kevin and I survived our first cooking lesson. He worked on teaching me how to cook beef stew. That was a pretty big deal. And we are still married. One thing he did notice I needed some help on was my chopping abilities. They are somewhat lacking. Of course, he thinks I just need practice, but I found a shortcut online: Ultimate Chopper.

This thing not only chops, it grates, minces, crushes, grinds, whips, and purees. Holy heck--that's major duty. According to the website, it also "has 750 Watts of Mega-Power." That sounds so manly. Do you think that will convince Kevin that we need one?

~t

New Boots

Well, as we saw earlier this week, the rains have come to Olympia. Zane and I went shopping today, and he got these:

He's not totally sure how he feels about them. Sometimes he prefers using them as buckets rather than boots. He likes to SAY "boot". I got some, too, but mine weren't quite as animated.

~t

100th Post!

This is my 100th post!!!

Woo to the hoo!

~t

(maybe I should have said something important.)

Online Coupons

I love to shop online. No driving, no hassles, no crowds. And I love it even more if I can get a deal while I'm doing it! I'm not that great about using coupons in person (another piece of paper to manage), but it's so easy online.

One of my favorite stores for both in-person and online shopping is Target, and I just found some great Target coupons at this site. Although I love online shopping, I hate to pay for shipping, and this site has some coupons to get it for free. They also currently have one I like that's $5 off of a $50 order. It's really easy to use. Check it out!

~t

This is what toys do...

...when no one is looking.

And I thought these two were both boys. Hmmmm...maybe they are. We're openminded.

Kevin insists he did not do this to the toys. Hmmmm...Another mystery. Maybe it was the ghost.

~t

The Pushchair Guide

When Kevin and I registered for gifts before Zane's birth, we were completely overwhelmed by some parts of the process. Picking the right stroller was one of them. There are so many different kinds out there, and it can be a big purchase. We were lucky to find a friendly mom in the stroller section who gave us some direction. But that was a somewhat random occurrence. Were I to have the decision to make again, I'd probably want to be a little more informed. The Pushchair Guide is a good place to get that kind of information.

First off, I have to say, I hadn't heard of strollers being called "pushchairs". Not sure if that is regional or what, but the site has a lot to say about the different types available. There are sections on types of pushchairs, where to buy, top brands, accessories, price checking, and even a quick checklist to help you determine what you really need. There are also sections on safety (all important), news articles, and reviews by other shoppers. It's a great place to get all the facts before you make a purchase that could really save you some energy in the long run!

~t

Just for Gina

Before I had Zane, I swore he would not taste pasta until he was 16 years old. That's right, 16 YEARS. I was just kinda grossed out by it. Not the pasta. The sauce. All over. Yick. Me and food stuff. Not so much. Yucky yucky.

We've been pretty crunchy on the intro of food, and he didn't even have rice cereal until he was 6 months old. But, somehow, pasta snuck into his repertoire of foods LOOOOONG before his 16th birthday. I have become amazingly ok with it. I guess after the muck of childbirth, a little bit of pasta sauce just is not that big of a deal. Well, and he just loves it.

~t

Home Improvement Daydreams

Since we just got a new/old house, we have been working on it a LOT. Of course, there are still many home improvement projects that we would like to have done. I've just been daydreaming about what we'd do if money were no object.

First on our list is our fence. Kevin's been tearing it down due to termites, so we'd like to replace that. We'd especially like to replace it with something high enough for privacy in the event that we see one of our other home improvement plans come to fruition: the hot tub. Oh yeah.

Hmmmm...what else would I do if money were no object? It's fun to think about. We'd get some art. Stainless steel countertops for the kitchen. That would be fun. We'd really like to trick out the back yard more--a little patio, some great furniture, probably an umbrella of some sort. And a fire pit with seating. Somewhere Kevin could play guitar.

But, I think, more than anything, I'd like have a super deluxe bathroom attached to our bedroom. We have a bathroom upstairs right now, but it definitely needs work, isn't very convenient, and doesn't even have a tub. That is truly a bummer. I loves me a good soak. My mom has a tub I can use if I need it, but it's not the same. Especially if Zane is sleeping. When I was in Vegas, I took a bath while he was sleeping in the next room. If he woke up, no big deal. Now, if he woke up while I was downstairs in my mom's bathtub...ehhhh, I don't bother.

A dream bathroom. Good to think about while Zane watches Rent for the gazillionth time.



~t

Mysterious Figure on the Stairs

Here is Caspian's account of the "figure" he saw on the stairs. We have already determined (like the annoying parents that we are) that it was not a stick figure, a figure 8, or a figure that you use to sew dresses.

Now, without further ado, here are Caspian's words about the incident (which occured at approx. 5:50pm today.)

Caspian: "There was a female walking up the stairs. She was oh, I'd say about 5 foot 7. She had light blond hair. And gave me a sideways glance."

He rescinds that he originally said she was dressed in the 1680s style.

Terri: "Was she cute?"

Caspian: "Kind of. She was wearing a bonnet, though."

Terri: "How old did the figure appear to be?"

Caspian: "About your age." (For the record: 34.)

Terri: "Was she wearing a dress?"

Caspian: "Yes. One of those old-fashioned dress that they would tighten the straps behind it to make her look skinnier."

Terri: "What color was the dress?"

Caspian: "Light blue with white."

Terri: "With white what?"

Caspian: "White. The white thing that made her look skinny. I dunno, what is it called?"

Terri: "A sash? A corset? A belt? An apron?"

Caspian: "No, not an apron or a belt."

Terri: "This sideways glance, was it friendly?"

Caspian: "It was just kind of blank. Just walkin' by."

Terri: "Anything else to add, Caspian?"

Caspian: "Nnnnnope. Oh wait, there is one more thing never mind. It was just kinda weird to see a figure walking by, but that's pretty much all I have to say."

Terri: "Was she solid or transparent?"

Caspian: "Not really solid."

Ok, I think that ends our transcript. Stay tuned for more sightings from our circa 1890 house.



~t

Kitchen Appliances Guide

Well, we just moved in to a new/old house and redid our kitchen. But it may not be quite done yet. (And by "redid" I mean Kevin scraped and scraped and scraped and painted and painted and painted. I shopped online for cool chairs.)

I just found a pretty, pretty site where you can get all sorts of information on different kitchen appliances and good places to buy them online. This site has a Kitchen Appliance Guide that is really helpful to girls like me who are more comfortable in front of a computer screen than a stove. They have great tips for making selections of all kinds of applicances, including can openers, food processors, hand mixers and blenders, steam irons, juicers, kitchen scales, ice cream makers, electric kettles, and smoothie makers.

Since my family is big into smoothies, I was specifically interested in their section on smoothie makers. I liked this page because it had some tips for buying that I might not have thought about--like looking for anti-drip pouring tap and dishwasher safe parts. Because, really, with 2 boys, we have enough messes to clean up. The page also includes addtional helpful links like where to buy, brands and top models.

I just love having this sort of useful information at my fingertips!

~t

Kids Who Leave Their Clothes Upstairs and the Dads Who Do Laundry All Day While those Clothes Fester Upstairs

Wow, is that even a viable title? Well, it's what's going on around here. I wish I could say it was something new, but it surely doesn't seem to be.

This episode of "Kids Who Leave Their Clothes Upstairs and the Dads Who Do Laundry All Day While those Clothes Fester Upstairs" is extra dramatic because school pictures are tomorrow. WHAT will happen?

Well, first a bunch of yelling. And then some apologizing.

Hmm...none of this is really big news around here.

But, in general, for those of you have been following this story, Caspian has been being really, really, really good. He is a good student, and an excellent older brother, and has been working very hard at being responsible (so he can have a hamster). I mean, just for the sake of being responsible. Because he's responsible. And he didn't just slam the door. He is a Capricorn after all.

Vonage Forums

We love technology around here. As you can see, I might as well have my computer attached at my fingertips. One technological advance that many people are jumping upon is VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol. Basically, it's having your phone service come through the internet, and many companies are offering great deals on this service.

As with any technology, there is a lot to learn before making a decision on whether or not it's right for your family and who would be best to provide the service. A great place to learn more is this Vonage forum. It's an incredibly informative site that includes over 90,000 articles from its members. There are also reviews and an entire section on Vonage in the news. It's a great place to go learn more.

~t

The Kid Loves Juice

Well, it has happened. Zane's love affair with juice has begun. We have put it off for over 19 months, so I do think that's an accomplishment. All he had was water and milk for a long, long, LONG time. Don't worry, he's eaten plenty of fruit in his day.

It started with a little orange juice in a restaurant. Then, he had to have some of Caspian's apple juice today. Then, he went to the fridge, said "juice", and had to have some Morning Blend, which is, admittedly, delicious. Yum, yum, yum. We haven't had that in a long time. I bought it for smoothies. But, apparently even Kevin had to have some Morning Blend in a cup. That may not sound like a big deal to you, but trust me, it is. Kevin does not drink Morning Blend in a cup. Kevin drinks Coke. Kevin drinks coffee. If he has been having problems with his teeth or leg cramps, he might drink water. Kevin does not drink Morning Blend in a cup. But today he did. What is going on in the world?

~t

Comparison Shopping for Health--Vimo

Health care is a major concern for many people, myself included. It can even make or break a decision to take or stay at a job for some people. If you find yourself in the position (personally or professionally) of researching insurance, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), medical procedures, doctors or dentists, Vimo can be a good place to start.



For a long time, large HMO's and the companies that used them for their employees were in control of health care. Today, with so many people choosing self-employment or working for small companies, more options are necessary. We are starting to see more choices available to us, but finding both the right insurance plan and service providers can be a daunting task. Vimo's goal is to help consumers by being the "only Internet destination where users can gain objective, authoritative, and comprehensive shopping-comparison data" for the above health care services.

Both the integrated nature of the site and the community idea behind it are what makes it unique and helpful. You don't have to surf around from site to site to find the doctors, health, or insurance information you need--they're all right there in one place, ready to compare side by side. And, you can read reviews of doctors by their patients. I think this option is really useful. I know that when I am searching for a doctor, I like to hear what other people do or do not like about each particular doctor's style.

As a bonus, the site is attractive and easy to navigate. Currently, if you rate your doctor, you get a free t-shirt.

~t

Getting Ready for Rosie's 60th

Disclaimer: Even though this post says "suck" and "pull" a lot, it is not dirty. Except maybe that I haven't cleaned the laptop yet.

Well, Kevin declared today that I need to leave the computer alone and we were both going to just clean clean clean the house. As you see, I'm being disobedient. However, this is my first entry and it is 4:35, so I've been ok. He actually made me CLOSE the laptop. To avoid the pull of the screen. Have you noticed how screens just pull you in? Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Puuuuuuuuuuullllllllll. Even if I am in a bar or restaurant, and there is a sporting event on, puuuuuuuullll. Suuuuuuuuuccck. It just happens. I wonder what it is. Do they have some special sucking and pulling technology that they put into screens? Is it like a window? You just can't help it? Are we all still just amazed on some secret level about TVs and computers? We just can't help but look.

Anyway, what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing is cleaning the house for my mom's 60th birthday. Holy heck, she will be 60 on Thursday. And we are having Kevin's Aunt and Uncle over. Cookin' a ham. Rosie loves ham. It should be fun. Our friend Bam Bam should be home after a long trip, too. And we can't wait to see her. We might give her ham.

Ok, so I went to the grocery store today and fed Zane and he wouldn't stay asleep for his nap when I got up, so I ended up sleeping with him for like 3 hours. Kevin would say "Bad guhl."

~t

The Art of Mechanical Music

When I hear the term "music box", it automatically conjures an image in mind of one of those pink boxes you open and a ballerina dances, possibly to "Music Box Dancer". Or maybe I am mixing my memories. However, those memories couldn't be further from the truth about some of the most unique and eclectic new Music Boxes that are available from Reuge.

Reuge is known for its Swiss-quality products, but has now taken their design to a new level with the Studio and Lounge lines.

As you can see, these are beautiful works of art that look as great as they sound. Although the company has been in business since 1865, I had not heard of them until now. With these chic designs, they are sure to catch the eye of a whole new generation. Reuge is also the manufacturers of the smallest musical movement in the world.

~t

What's in a name?

Zane is finally starting to say his own name! It's so exciting. For a long time, when asked, "What's your name?" he would think for a moment, and say something like "Mommy" or "bear". I would tell him, "I don't remember naming you 'Mommy'" which he didn't seem to understand. Babies.

Tonight, in bed, he had to have Caspian's Snoopy stuffed animal (who he calls "who'-knee") and his baby. Then, he set about pointing to everything in bed and naming it. "Mommy, hooney, baby." "Mommy, hooney, baby." This went on for a while.

Finally, I pointed to him and said, "And who is this?"

"Zane!" (he has a little bit of a hard time with the Z still)

I said, "My sweet Zane."

And he said, "Hi!"

~t

nutraOrigin Vitamins for Women

We all know we should take our vitamins. It can be tough, especially as women, to find the time and energy to take that little extra bit of care for ourselves. I just found a new site that focuses primarily on Women's Vitamins and makes it a lot easier.



It is important take care of ourselves at all times, but women especially can use extra help at specific times in their life--like pregnancy and menopause. Personally, I feel that the vitamins I took during my pregnancy with Zane were important in producing a healthy result. But I had to run out to the store to get them. Shopping online is so much easier, and nutraOrigin also offers autoship.

To see nutraOrigin's line of products arranged in an attractive table that is handily organized by health concern (Blood Sugar, Cardiovascular Health, Menopause, Osteoporosis Pre Menstrual, Pre Natal), check out their Health Matrix. The table includes the essential supplement, the unique benefits of each supplement, and a suite of supplements that works dynamically together to help with each particular health concern. How cool.



The site itself is attractive, informative, and easy to navigate. (I know, I say that a lot, but I am a bit of a design snob and really appreciate when something is well put together. I wouldn't say it if I didn't really think it.)

Check them out and get the radiant health you deserve.



~t

Sick Baby Sucks

Ha ha ha...just my little double entendre to myself to try to make myself feel better about how much sleep I'm NOT getting. Zane was up multiple times all night. Nursing most times. Ha ha--sick baby sucks.

Yesterday afternoon he woke up from his nap with the crabbiest attitude I may have ever seen from him. It made me realize how lucky I really am. He is such a good boy generally. In fact, it almost made me rush him to the hospital for fear something was terribly wrong.

But, we went ahead with baths and snacks and milk and rest and trying to figure out what he wanted. Baths helped. And finally, Tylenol seemed to help. Ahhh...the old home remedies. We are thinking it must be teething. He did end up having a fever and still has one a little today. But he is acting mostly like himself, so it's ok.

He is such a "bo boy" as he says. LOL. We tell him he is a "good boy" and then he says "bo boy". And then when he does the same good thing later, he comes up to us and says "bo boy."

~t

Postie Patrol

Well, here's another incentive to join up as a payperpost postie. "Postie" is the term that is affectionately used for us bloggers who post about payperpost opportunities. It's the Postie Patrol!

It is great to be appreciated, and from what I've seen, payperpost agrees it's important as well. Postie Patrol is their newest way to show appreciation to their posties. The video in the above link shows the first Postie Patrol, where they surprise a postie with a challenge that includes the opportunity to win some cash.

The thing that really gets me about this is the fun spirit of the company. In my opinion, not only are they doing the right things, but in the right way. I'm excited to see where it all goes! I'm sure if you keep reading my blog, you'll find out.

~t

ps--did I mention payperpost also gives Posties the opportunity to donate our earnings to charity with each post? How cool is that? I LOVE payperpost! (obviously)

Ten Chimneys on NPR--Follow Up

I announced yesterday that Ten Chimneys would be featured today on NPR's "All Things Considered". The segment aired today and was a smashing success. To see the printed story (along with some lovely pics) or LISTEN to it online, please visit ALL THINGS CONSIDERED Ten Chimneys Feature.

Broadway legend and co-creator of Ten Chimneys, Alfred Lunt (1892-1977), was well known as a marvel in the kitchen. NPR also prominently featured Alfred's recipes for cardamom bread and coffee, made the old-fashioned way.

Great exposure, Ten Chimneys Foundation!

If YOU haven't had the opportunity to tour Ten Chimneys, you really must make a reservation today. (I only say that as one of the founders of the tour program.)

~t

Payperpost, Again

Ok, I just can't stop talking about payperpost. It really is the coolest thing I've found in a while. I get paid to research new things, write them up, and share them with you in my blog. Now, I am not the only person to have this amazing good fortune. You, too, can make money by blogging!

If you're already blogging, it's really quite easy. All the details are at the above link, but the general gist is that to get started you need to have a blog that has:

at least 90 days under its belt
at least 20 entries
no gaps of 30 or more days in it
unique content on each post (written by you and not duplicated elsewhere)

(Again, please read all the details at the above link.)

If you do decide to sign up, please list my email, terri@shamelesscreations.com, as your referrer. I get a petite bonus for bringing payperpost such a prize as you.

Happy posting! (and paying!)



~t

Always, Part Deux--A Small Apology

Ok, I have learned that the Always website I linked to was specifically targeted towards girls. Not me. I have to say, there are some nice features on there. And if I could have gone to a website to learn about my period when I was 13--that would have been way better for me. The real website is here.

A lot of my previous post still applies. (I do still want the Red Tent. I still do NOT want to be told to have a happy period by a piece of paper stuck to my pad.) And just from a cursory glance, I do see that the site for girls might be giving out some hopeful, if possibly false information: ("If you’ve had your period for less than two years, chances are, it hasn’t become regular yet. But don’t worry – it will be soon. ") I know many full grown women, including myself, who do not have a super-regular cycle. But I think I knew what they mean. Like, rather than every 3 months, more or less every month.

So, in general, I applaud the site for what it is trying to do. And hey, it's a pretty sure bet that if you want to a find a place where just girls hang out--this would be it. And a place for teens to go to get real information--kudos.

Just don't tell me to be happy when I'm on the rag.

~t

Brilliant Earth Diamonds

I am so excited!!! Before Kevin and I got married, we went to the mall to get a wedding ring for him. I was going to use a ring I already had. We ended up finding rings for both of us, to the tune of $40. These are still our wedding rings. That sort of thing was just not that important to us. However, I have always said that when we we make it to 10 years, I want a diamond. But, we also had some ethical concerns about what goes into getting many diamonds to consumers.

So, why am I so excited? I just found a place that specializes in a conflict-free diamond. Brilliant Earth is based in San Francisco.

From their website:

"What is a Conflict Diamond?
Did you know that some diamonds have helped fund devastating civil wars in Africa, ending millions of lives? Conflict diamonds or “blood diamonds” are associated with human rights abuses, environmental damage, and terrorism." Blood diamond facts can be found here.

Offering Canadian diamonds, they carefully track each one to make sure that their supply is not corrupted by blood diamonds. Additionally, the company gives back 5% to African communities. They also offer eco-friendly rings made of recycled gold.

Not only does Brilliant Earth have some fabulous jewelry, which they call "luxury with a conscience", the site is informative, attractive, and easy to navigate. Soon they will even be offering customers the option of creating their own ring.

I don't know if I can wait until my ten year anniversary!



~t

The Rains Have Come to Olympia

That's all people ever said about Washington: rain, rain, rain, and more rain. And they said it in such a way that implied, "You'll be sorry you moved there." Well, they were WRONG. It has only rained a few times since we've been here.

My poor little baby is so averse to harsh sunlight, that he complains and says "bright" when it shines on him. His dad is about the same. We even heard some fellow Olympians complaining about the sun as they walked past our house one day. We must be a special breed.

Now, I know there hasn't been the normal amount of rain, but we've been WAITING for it! Our grass died, for heavens sakes.

Guess what? It's HERE!!! And I'm pretty sure we STILL won't be sorry we moved here. So there.

Wait, I'm nervous that maybe I am telling some Washington trade secret that keeps outsiders away. Never mind. It rains every darn day. It is so dreary and depressing. Oh why oh why did we move here?




The artsy shot











The shot where you can see how cloudy it is and Zane's cute new 2T jammies. That kid is just growing like a weed. The lack of rain hasn't hurt his growth.






~t

Holly Hunter is Funny as a Tough Guy

Just sitting here watching Holly Hunter in "A Life Less Ordinary". She's being tough. It's funny. She is like 4'7" or something. Ok, I think she may be taller. Let me see if I can find out how tall she is. She's 5'2". (Don't you love how you can find anything on the internet?) That's pretty shrimpy. I love that word. Thanks to my friend Michele on the word shrimpy. At any rate, with that height and a sweet little accent, when she's tough, it's funny. I think she was even wearing an eye patch in this movie. (Zane was running around and had to have milk and be put to bed, etc., etc., to I didn't really get to pay attention.)

And how about Holly Hunter in "Raising Arizona"? Holly Hunter as a cop. Also funny. Is there anything really to say about "Raising Arizona" that hasn't been said? It's one of Kevin's favorites. Classic.

I love imdb.com. It must be the whole Friday the 13th and being close to Halloween, but they had a lot of horror movies up. I don't get the appeal of horror movies. Ewwwww.

Anyway, back to Holly. She's pretty versatile. Quite an actress. I'm going to check out her body of work. As I suspected. Impressive.

So, there's my spotlight on Holly Hunter. Not too terribly intellectual. Sorry about that. I think I'm tired. But an ode to Holly, nonetheless.

~t

Self Storage and Moving Help

No, I'm not offering to help anyone move or asking help from anyone to move. Trust me, after the move we did this past summer (Milwaukee, WI to Olympia, WA), we're ready to stay put for a while.

Moving can be full of stress and hassles, so it's important to find a way to make it as easy as possible. This is ESPECIALLY important if you are planning a long-distance move such as ours was. You never realize just how much STUFF you have until you have to pack and move it all. And sometimes you find out that either you have too much stuff that you still need or your dates for the move don't coincide with the dates you can get into your place. It's a tricky thing to manage. I found a great site that helps with all of that, and includes a fabulous Self Storage Directory - Moving.bz.

You can search for storage in any part of the U.S. (by zip code, city, or state) and also get quotes from up to four companies you like. Comparison shopping at it's best. And you choose which companies will contact you. Not only that, but they have other resources available, including movers, packing supplies, checklists, mortgage companies, and so much more.

It's also easy to understand and navigate, which is so important at a stressful time like moving. Anything that can take alleviate stress away is worth a try!



~t

Ten Chimneys on "All Things Considered" TOMORROW

Just got an email from my friend Sean Malone, President of my old employ, Ten Chimneys, which is going to be featured on NPR tomorrow. Here's the scoop from Sean himself:

"I'm excited to share that National Public Radio's 'All Things Considered' will be airing an in-depth feature on Ten Chimneys this Sunday, October 15th. Acclaimed author and NPR correspondent Jacki Lyden recently spent two days at Ten Chimneys recording this feature. I'm eager to hear what they've put together - and wanted to share the news so that you can listen in if you're interested.In the Milwaukee area, you can hear the program at 4pm this Sunday (October 15th) on WUWM, 89.7. I've been reminding myself and my staff that it is national radio, so air times are always subject to change. But I'll certainly be tuned to NPR this Sunday at 4pm."

Congratulations, Ten Chimneys & crew, on the exposure.

~t

Poker Night for the Ladies

It seems poker is everywhere lately. Not too long ago, poker night conjured up an image of a few guys around a table, eating chips, drinking beer, smoking stogies, and if they were lucky, being waited on by "the little woman". (ha ha ha--did I just say that? Oh yes, I did!)

Well, that has all changed. Just recently I was invited to either a "hair highlighing night for the girls" or a "poker night for the girls". I've also been invited to "co-ed" poker evenings. I suppose that's always been popular with the strip poker crowd. I did once play strip yatzee with my husband, but that's a different story. Anyway, I digress.

There's also lots of celebrity poker going on and tournament poker championships, and let's not forget, I was just in Vegas, baby!

I wasn't really sure I was interested in poker. Not sure I'm a gaming kind of gal. But I do like some games. And poker and highlights sounds good. The problem, however is--I don't know how to play poker!

Luckily, I just found a handy little site and includes poker rules for all the most popular versions of the game. (The most popular version these days, I'm told, is Texas Hold 'Em.)

You can also try out your new skills at the site in real games with other people for fun or money. A good place to get ready for poker and highlighting, I would think. Or, I suppose, Vegas.

~t

Has the Always Feminine Products Marketing Team Lost It's Mind?

Now, before I go off on this rant, I have to say that I am a fan of Always feminine products. That is why I was so disturbed when I noticed that the little paper covering the sticker on the pad one month told me to "Have a happy period." I've been looking for the actual paper, which I saved, and even tried to photograph, because I knew it would come to this. But I cannot find it.

I'm looking for it, because I know it also said the same thing in French. WHAT have the French done to us that they could not be spared this indignity? The truth of the matter is that I thought the French for it was less offensive. It was something about a bonne semaine. "Semaine" may actually be a synonym for period--I dunno, they didn't cover that in my high school OR college French. So, to me, "semaine" is week. Have a good week. Still kinda annoying, but doesn't feel the same to me as "have a happy period".

So, back to the original English. "Have a happy period." I cannot think of a single girlfriend I could either A. say this to or B. need to explain how wrong this is to say to anyone, and specifically how wrong it is to say if you are a piece of paper stuck on a feminine product. Do I have to explain what's wrong with this? I don't know if I can. It's like explaining why a Botox t-shirt on a pretty young woman is funny to an 8 year-old. But that is another post. I guess I will try.

1. We are not generally happy when we get our period (unless we were having a pregnancy scare, but that is a different story). I know, the pad is trying to make us happy. Nice try. (see #2.)

2. Salutations on pieces of paper stuck to our feminine hygiene products will not make us happy. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect on me and everyone I told it to.

So, now because I couldn't find the actual paper that was stuck to my feminine products, I was directed to visit the website. Are you seated? It is actually entitled "Have a happy period." Allright. I am slightly less mocked by the website than I was the piece of paper stuck to my feminine product. But now the site takes it so much further. A wish your friend a happy period ecard? time of the month mantra? Pad-o-meter. Ok, they are targeting a younger audience than my 34-yr-old self, but still. Do people go for this? I noticed they didn't have an ecard that said, "So sorry you're not pregnant." or "Whew!" Maybe they should print that on the paper. They could color code them, to make sure you buy the right box, depending on your mood.

Further, I am invited to join "beingirl" and tell them how I make my period happier. Again, obviously not for my age bracket, but what is with that? Don't we matrons need pads too? Are only the young, skinny girls allowed to ride horses and go shopping and frequent photo booths during their periods? Sheesh. Now, I originally misread it and thought it said that I could tell THEM how to make my period happier. I had visions of the Anita Diamant book, The Red Tent. I envisioned them setting me up for a week without anyone to care for but myself. Resting, sharing the company of other women also on the rag, eating the cooking that was made by the young girls of the village who knew how to cook, and taking a break. As God(dess) intended. That would make my period happier. Not riding a horse or trying on clothes even though I am bloated. But I do hear there's a cure for that, too.

Why can't we just rest? And eat chocolate? And be taken care of? And be CRABBY? Maybe we have this week so we will stop being so nice to everyone and be honest for 20% of our lives. Maybe if we are crabby enough everyone will leave us alone and we can finally read that book we've been meaning to. Because if I'm having a happy period, I'm guaranteed people will still want me to do things for them. No thank you. I'll forego my happy week and live as nature intended. In pajamas with an Instyle magazine and some dark chocolate while I watch What Not to Wear and Project Runway. Now THAT would make me happy. (Don't tell anyone.)

~t

Again, I have to say that I have been a loyal user for years. Dryweave and wings rock. But I just don't need a note in pad. I don't know that anyone does.

Singing Fool

So, just this morning someone compared one of my blogs to the Madonna Ray of Light video and I had a hard time finding the video to view online. Well, I found it, but it wouldn't play. Then I found it for SALE and I BOUGHT it and it STILL wouldn't play.

Then I found singingfool.com. Check out over 11,500 music videos! It was so easy to find the video I was looking for, it played, and it gave me the code. Within minutes, I had the video on my myspace page. (Or is it myspace page? I dunno.) At any rate, I felt compelled to share this information. There is a huge selection and it's very easy to use.

Using singingfool.com you can:

1. search and save video from library plus YouTube’s 6million videos.
2. create playlists.
4. get video codes.
5. Upload your own music videos

We are a bunch of singing fools in our house, so I'm sure we'll be visiting this site again.



~t

Book Review: Go, Dog. Go!

Yesterday I heard my mom and Zane making believe that they were running into each other on the street, saying "hello", "how's the family?", all that stuff. It was funny, especially since Zane really is into only one-word-at-at-a-time still. But then he said something about a hat. I'm not sure I interpreted it right or not, but I remembered this book I got for Caspian that I'd read to Zane as well: Go, Dog. Go!

This was one of my favorite books, so when Caspian began to read, I couldn't help but buy it for him. It's an "I Can Read it All by Myself" book, like many of the Dr. Seuss books. In fact, I am confused by the fact that it seems just like a Dr. Seuss book, but isn't. I'm gonna search the author, P.D. Eastman. Ok, click his name for the dope on Eastman. We also love Are You My Mother?

Anyway, Zane is 19 months old, and this book REALLY held his attention. I realized it has all the things he's really into right now: dogs, trees, cars, "going" and prepositions. He just learned "up" and "down" and this book is great for those and many others. Plus, it's just fun.

Ok, the site with the info about Eastman also has a review of Go, Dog. Go!

Check it out!

~t

The REAL Story on payperpost

Rumors abound on the true nature of the origin of ads on blogs. Where did this practice start? How did it get here to the world wide web?

I hear that it was brought to us onboard a spherical vessel containing our space brethern and sistern from Venus. Considering that today is Friday the 13th, and the sun is in Libra, I have been authorized to disclose this special secret. The reason being that Friday and the number 13 are both ruled by Venus, as is the astrological sign of Libra.

So, rejoice, Venus is all about love. Love of beauty, greatness, social grace, peace, and happiness. It is about all of us benefiting: bloggers, advertisers, and readers alike. This is what payperpost is here to bring us all.



~t

Debby and the Termites

No, it's not a hip, new Olympia band. It's our neighbor out the window from my office, digging up the little buggers. Sorry for the screen picture.

Well, I was going to post a picture of a termite, but you can all thank me that I chose this picture of Debby instead (except maybe Debby won't thank me). Those termite pics made my hair stand on end. Debby and Kevin have been outside for two days now, dutifully ripping down our fence that has been harboring the nasty little bugs. Yucko. Apparently, when our house was sprayed as a term of our purchase, they decided to forego the fence. Hmmm...not so good. Debby is pretty sure she has found the whole freakin' nest. The bug dudes will be coming back, it seems. Here, for those of you who want to look at the yucky bugs.

So, now we are fenceless. The dynamic duo of Debby and Kevin are now plotting to erect a new wall from reclaimed concrete, as Kevin did at our last place in Milwaukee.

I think it makes him almost as happy as the the fact that BSG will be on in 20 minutes.

~t

Aviva Trivia Blog

My husband is a vast repository of knowledge. He likes to collect useful and useless knowledge alike. I have recently found another vast repository of knowledge, Aviva Trivia Blog.

This is a unique blog with a wide variety of information on different subjects. I especially liked the posts on Little Known Facts About Venus and Women Behaving Badly. Is that saying too much about me? Other categories include information about history, food, nature, clothing, and animals, just to name a few.

The site is easy to navigate and includes pictures along with its entries. The bulleted or numbered nature of the blogs make the fun facts easy to read. It appears that a new entry is added every other day. Learning about Chicken Sexers and whisky and milkshakes just got that much easier.


~t

The Effects of My Blogging Habit

Well, you may wonder where Zane is while I am doing this blogging. He's around. He's rifling through everything he can get his little baby hands on. (I don't think this picture even comes close to accurately portraying the mayhem that is my living room right now.) Oh well.

He's also making lots of poopy diapers so I have forced writing breaks. I think it's good for him. It's teaching him some independence. Oh wait, he's not in this picture. Hey, Keviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin? Have you seen Zane? Just kidding. He's right here. He's yelling out the window at our neighbor Debbie in his best redrum voice. Whew.

~t

TechCrunch Discusses payperpost

From my last post, you can see that I'm addicted to blogging. I've decided to take this addiction and turn it into a positive thing by joining payperpost, a website that pays you for blog advertising. It is a great site that connects bloggers with advertisers and pays bloggers just to give their opinion. Holy heck, how great is that, something we bloggers readily do anyway?

This is a real, honest opportunity to make a little bit of cash. And I know real people who are already doing it. If you are at all interested, or if you are already on payperpost, a real good way to learn more about the site and the business is to check out the TechCrunch podcast with payperpost founder, Ted Murphy. It includes great information about the site, the business, the people who are using it, and the recent announcement of $3 million financing by Inflexion Partners, Villiage Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Payperpost is a new company that has made a big splash in a somewhat controversial way. This podcast takes a look at the different implications of this new way to advertise online.

~t

Might as well face it...

...I'm addicted to blogging.

Yes, I've been blogging like a maniac these days. Both here and at Writing Up. It's been interesting (if unpaid) work. I feel like I'm flexing my writerly muscles again. There is also a certain satisfaction to the fact that I am able to immediately publish myself. Ping! What an interesting world we live in. 20 years ago we would not have been able to imagine all the instant gratification we have now. I am feeling old today. DVRs and Digital Cameras, blogs, cell phones, IMs. It is amazing how much these things have exploded in just the past 5 years. I hope I can keep up. I know just enough about this stuff to be dangerous. I am hoping, however, that we never lose the human element in all this technology. Writers like George Lucas and Gene Roddenberry understand/stood the importance of that.

So anyway, if you are out there and reading this (Heather and Kevin), I hope you are enjoying it. I am.

~t

Dr. No

Disclaimer: This post has absolutely nothing to do with James Bond, Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, or the movie Dr. No.
Zane's favorite word these days is “No!” I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I can’t help it. He gives it numerous different shades of meaning with a variety of emphatic intonations. And I’m not crazy enough to argue back and forth with him when he tells me “no.” I usually just go about doing whatever he should have agreed to (e.g. changing a poopy diaper.) However, I have taken to calling him “Dr. No” because of all of this. (He has also gone by “Dr. Crazy Hair” for obvious reasons.)

Today my sweet son and I were taking a bath together, as we do, so I have a chance to get clean, too. Multitasking. I knew I could be letting myself in for trouble when I asked it, but I decided to risk it. The victory would be so much sweeter if I got the answer I desired. Because sometimes he does say “yes”.

So, I asked, “Zane, do you love me?”

“Nooooooooooooooo.”

“That’s disappointing, because I love you.”

“Nooooooooooooooooo.”

I didn’t take it too personally.

Of course, everyone in our household knows of Dr. No’s penchants by now, so my mom got a big kick out of it when later in the day I decided to ask a different question.

“Zane, do you think I’m ugly?”

“Nooooooooooooooooo.”

Which was quickly followed by these questions:
“Do you think I’m mean?”
“Do you hate me?”
And the piece de resistance, “Do you think I’m a bad mommy?”

And to all of these, I got a big, glorious “No!”

It cracked me up. It cracked my mom up. What’s the harm? Maybe I will get it for this someday, but for now I’m enjoying myself.

~t

New Car

Well, he just had to have it. The last two things he just had to have were watermelon at the grocery store and cake at Starbucks. I have to say both the watermelon and the cake were two of the best things we've had in a long time.

So, since I broke his other bike yesterday (after Kevin told the 8 yr olds not to ride it--hey, I still maintain that I paid the $2 for that other bike and I had a right to ride it--uh, break it--if I wanted to), we decided he could have the car. See, we're not the completely indulgent spoiling-your-kids type of parents. AND, this car also teaches him stuff. The toy barons have realized that us parents today are such suckers for that.

This little thing was supposed to last him until 36 months but he is almost to big for it now! I guess he is wearing some 3T stuff already.

And dangit, the movie is NOT out on DVD yet. (Cars) Durrrrr. I thought he could ride around on it while we watched the movie and listened to the music. Not until 11/7, apparently. I hope he hasn't outgrown it by then.

Zany Milestones

Today, Zane experienced the following firsts:

• First time he offered a beverage to a stuffed animal and/or doll.
• First time he made sounds as if above had drank said beverage.
• Also fed the stuffed animal some food. Probably cheerios.
• First time he participated in a toast at dinnertime. "Here's to Daddy!" (for cooking dinner) Then, we ended up toasting everyone, of course. Zane drank water.

~t

Lola Rooster, NOT Stella Chicken

Upon rigorous IM speculation with Heather, we have decided that Stella Chicken is actually a rooster. I know, SHOCKING!

Caspian and I were thinking she was a he and that's why it was funny that s/he was wearing a dress. But we were calling s/he a chicken, which led me to believe s/he was a she. It was the ever-wise Heather who said, I think that's a rooster. Well, a cross-dressing rooster. We were right! Hence, Stella Chicken has become Lola Rooster.

AND, for those of you who can't get enough Lola Rooster, I did make a small section of Lola Rooster paraphernalia on one of Kevin's cafepress test stores. (Page down all the way to see him. Er...her.) Tell me what you think of him/her!

Of course, Kevin's real store is Shameless Humor. His hottest new seller are these cool dishwasher magnets.

A Chicken in Baby Stella's Clothing

Zane asked me to dress his chicken in Baby Stella's dress. I think she has a lot of personality. Here she is:

Zane's Latest Tricks

Allright, it looks like I won't get a decent picture of me and Kevin on our anniversary or the next day and I'm not even sure about the next day (today). So, instead, I thought I'd give some Zane updates.

He is getting so big!

He:

• wears mostly 2T clothing now and some 3T.
• weighs about 26 lbs. (he's sturdy)
• has peed in the potty a few times. Woooo hooo!
• is talking up a storm--don't ask me how many words. I'm not a counter, really.
• has become "Doctor No"--not the 007 movie, but that is the word he says more than any other. This morning I heard him saying it a lot, only to hear my mother say, "Can you say 'yes'" and Zane's answer was "nooooooo." For the record, he CAN say "yes".
• also signs a LOT of words. We looooove signing. Esp. Signing Time.
• is in size 6 diapers
• has picked his nose and eaten boogers. ewwww. We're trying to work on NOT doing that. However, he is also good at blowing his nose, which is nice.
• now understands the concept of "2" as in 2 plates, 2 cookies, 2 squares of toilet paper. He wants 2 of everything, basically.
• loves to "pick" things, especially from "up" on the counter with Daddy.

Pay no attention to all the margarita mix next to Kevin.

~t

4 More Years! 4 More Years! 4 More Years!

No, this is not a political blog. And NO, I am certainly NOT in favor of 4 more years of Dubya. Yesterday was our wedding anniversary! This is a pic of that historic day 4 years ago.

And I thought my arms were fat then? Ha!

So, we almost had a babysitter lined up for yesterday (for the first time in Zane's young life), but sadly, that fell through. So, we took him with us to lunch. We are so totally crazy. We went to the Mayan Family Restaurant and drank a collective of 36 ounces of margaritas. It was no Taqueria Azteca (our favorite in Milwaukee), but it was good and fun and the service was fab.

Well, I wish I had a recent pic of Kevin and I to compare with the above, but we just haven't taken any recently and he's asleep right now. Maybe I'll get one later today. (of course, there's always Bedhead for seeing him.) For now, Zane is beckoning from his high chair. Something about poo? He says it's "Yucky".

~t