Friday, October 29, 2010

Jeopardy! (also, Overheard #36)

From my Facebook status last night:

My 6-and-3/4-year-old just answered a Jeopardy! question all by himself. Way to go, Mister J!

And after someone inquired as to the question:

Honestly, I didn't hear the whole question - but I heard him say "bamboo", then the contestant said "bamboo", and then Alex said "correct". And then we all celebrated with Mister J :)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Keeping Track of My Days, 2 Years and Counting

Another quick post about something I love - the momAgenda!  Friends, if you don't have a calendar that makes you happy, you MUST check this one out!  Non-mom friends, there's the myAgenda for you - personally, I love the mochacinno!  Tweens and teens, check out the myPlan - in three color combination, including zebra! 

There's no better time to give it a try than when it's on SALE! 

and 30% off of the myPlan!

Although the current momAgenda started back in August, it goes through December of 2011 - so you still can put over a year's worth of appointments, reminders, and to-dos in one pretty, hardworking, made-for-you package! Let me know if you decide to give the momAgenda, myAgenda, or myPlan a try!

Confession - yes, it's a bit pricier than your average calendar, but it's got an awesome layout and the cover is bulletproof!  Well, at least kid- and coffee-proof!  I always wait for a sale to purchase mine!  And, yes, I write about it a LOT.  Can't help it!  It's a bit of an obsession....

My first momAgenda
Guest Post about momAgenda
My second momAgenda - and a review of how the first one held up

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Go Visit (but then come back...)

Yes, I know it's been quiet over here lately.  So, to give you some great reading while I'm on a mini-hiatus, I wanted to tell you about a site that's definitely NOT on hiatus!

Some of my bloggy friends have started a new website for moms (and dads, too!) - Triad Moms on Main.  Even if you aren't in their geographic area, there are still lots of posts for you - parenting is universal!  So, hop on over and check it out!  (But please, promise you'll check back in here from time to time...)

Enjoy!

(And PS - There's a sister site, Triangle Moms on Main, coming soon!)

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Christmas Ideas!

OK, I know it's not even Halloween, so I hate to post anything holiday-related, but I want to start sharing some great ideas with you. I know I've got some readers who are moms, some who like to cook, maybe some who are technology/gadget folks, and perhaps some who are interested in fitness. My ideas (at least so far) fall into these categories. Check them out! (I've included links where possible.)


GENERALLY COOL STUFF FOR MOMS
Aveda Hand Relief Cream - such a yummy fragrance (and I don't usually like smelly creams), plus it's nice and thick, which does great things for my dry-and-cracked-before-the-end-of-October hands.

COOKING
My Lunch Box recipe box - You just might have to love packing lunches for this one - or maybe it'll inspire you and you will come to love packing lunches!

TECHNOLOGY/GADGETS
PropUp - I saw this over on Ree's blog, and I think it's a pretty cool, useful gadget. I'm not a big fan of the iPad yet (I think I just heard several of you gasp - sorry!), in part because I have to hold it up with one hand to use it, so it's not as convenient as I would like. I use it primarily in landscape orientation, so I think this would improve my iPad experience.

FITNESS

Feetures (Original No Show with Tab) or Balega (Lady Enduro Medium) technical socks.
Technical (Mesh) Running Cap
Headband or skull cap with ponytail pass-through - trying to find a way to keep my ears warm! 
Long sleeve technical t-shirt - there are so many pretty colors out there!  I've got a fitted base layer, but I'd also like to try out a semi-fitted tee for running in cool-but-not-cold weather. 

I would LOVE to get the registration fee for a New Year's Eve 5K (hint, hint, honey!)

Monkey Hooper hula hoop - If you follow my twitter updates, you know that I tried out a hoopdio class (hula hoop + cardio) last week. Even though I am not great at it (as in, I could sort of hula hoop and was not able to add in the cardio at all), I still think hula hooping on it's own is fun! And it's also great exercise!  I'm particularly fond of the Candy Stripe hoop.

CAMPING
How could I forget that I need a category for camping gear? I know we needs some pots and pans and a means for cooking, but I haven't shopped around to figure out exactly what I want yet. Rest assured, there will be some links here!  (OK, so no links yet...)  And then I'll probably ask to go camping again for my birthday ;)  Also, we need a hatchet, some looong-handled cooking utenstils, and perhaps a good camp knife, too.

I think a 2-gallon jug would work nicely for our cooking (and water bottle refill) needs - size-wize and weight-when-full-wise - so here's what I'm looking at this jug from Coleman.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Works for Me - When I Travel

Whether it's travel to a hotel, to see grandparents, or just to spend time in the great outdoors, this is how I've recently started to pack our toiletry items.



As I'm packing, the kids' stuff gets gathered into one basket, the adults add their stuff to the other, and then I plop them both into a duffle bag.  The extra space in the duffle gets used for bigger items like a pack of wipes, my flat iron, and that bottle of pump hand soap.  (Yes, I travel with a bottle of pump hand soap - so much easier to get little hands clean than with hotel bar soap!)  The baskets help keep our items corralled at our destination, and it's so easy to gather it back up for the trip home.

You might wonder if this adds an extra bag to our luggage.  Nope.  The kids are still small enough that their clothes can be packed into one duffle bag or small (kid-sized) suitcase for short trips!

I'm linking up to Works for Me Wednesday over at We Are THAT Family.  Hop on over for some other helpful tips!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

I Owe You...

I'm waaay behind on blogging.  Not just the fun stuff.  Not even the running updates.  I'm talking about the blogging that I do to keep my friends and family up-to-date.  The blogging that I do to keep track of milestones since scrapbooking isn't a part of my life right now. 

So, here's a quick rundown of some fun stuff - a few photos, a few notes, and hopefully enough to jog my memory when scrapbooking is a part of my regular routine again.

August 5th - We still had a very large cardboard box hanging around (from back when our washer and dryer were delivered - they don't pick up cardboard for recycling around here, and I hadn't hauled it off yet), so I let the kids make a fort out of it, complete with artwork.


Miss M got this umbrella for Christmas, and waited (and waited...) for a rainy day to play outside with it.  Typically, our rainy days were school days, and you can't take umbrellas to school.  So, on a rainy day in August, out she went to walk around in the rain! Sadly, it stopped about the time she got out there.


Sept 28th - You might remember that Mister J lost his first tooth back in August.  Well, the second one came out about a month later!

Also towards the end of September, we met some friends in Virginia for a weekend visit (one of whom was running an ultra-marathon in the George Washington National Forest).  When we realized we were withing a 30-minute drive of Monticello, we decided to visit before we headed home.  Here's a snap of Big J and Mister J in the gardens, one of the many impressive features of Thomas Jefferson's estate.

Early October - Fall is fair time!  I love the displays and the food, the kids love the rides and the "candy cotton" (as Miss M called it).  While Daddy and the kids waited in line for the ferris wheel (Mom passes on that...), the kids were gifted with stuffed toys by someone else in line.  They were thrilled, since we don't play games to win toys.


Just last weekend, we went on our first family camping trip!  We went along with two other families, for a total of 5 adults and 7 kids!  The kids played hard, hiked 2/3 miles on Saturday, and got dirty!  For nearly 48 hours, didn't ask for tv, video games, or computer time.  The climbed trees, pretended to be secret agents, and discovered the Atlantic Ocean!  We didn't have a cell phone signal all weekend, so no texting, facebooking, or tweeting - and I have to admit that it was glorious!  Yes, it was cold.  Yes, we went longer than usual without showers.  Yes, everything that came home smelled like campfire.  But it was a great experience, and I can't wait for our next trip!
Saturday morning before breakfast - we just needed to get warm!
Hanging out on the big rock - about 2/3 of the way through our hike.
Monkey!  The trees around the campsite were great for climbing on and crawling under.
So, there's a very quick wrap-up of the past several weeks.  Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

The Good Stuff Guide

Hi Friends!

If you aren't already reading The Good Stuff Guide, well, you need to add it to your reader.  Heidi's blog is fantastic! She has a regularly-scheduled peek into some gorgeous homes on Home Tour Fridays, has a series of posts on Great Books for Kids, and offers great gift ideas, tips for parents, suggestions for mini-vacations, and more.  And I can't forget the generous giveaways!

Right now, she's asking for help as she works on a post about mini-vans.  She's asking moms (or dads!) to complete a short survey; I just emailed my answers.  It's quick and easy - see?  Here are her questions and my answers:

1) Your Minivan Make and Model Year (just so we know what style): 2004 Honda Odyssey

2) My favorite feature is: The space!  The power doors!  The DVD player for long trips!  (I could go on...)

3) I really wish...: We had gotten leather seats, and that the rear door had a power option (that came in 2005, I think)

4) Would you repurchase the same model?  Hmmm...  While I love it, and I'll drive it until the day it can't go any more, I don't think so.  We aren't planning to expand our family, so I *think* we might go SUV next.

5) Which make/model is your dream?  Honestly, the one I have.  There are lots of bells and whistles on the newer Odysseys (have you seen the newest one?  W.O.W.), but according to Consumer Reports and to our friends with newer model years, the 2004 is really the most solid one out there.  We weren't really impressed with the others back when we were looking for ours, so they aren't on my radar.  And, since my plan is to drive mine for about 10 years (which is shocking to most folks), I still have a few years before I start thinking about it. 

 See, that was easy!  Now, just email heidi@thegoodstuffguide.com with your answers.  Also, she'd love to have a snapshot of your cool wheels, if you happen to have one, and she's particularly interested in folks driving any of these...

Kia minivans
The VW
Toyota Sienna
Nissan

The Good Stuff Guide is also Facebook and twitter if you prefer to follow that way, instead. 

Monday, October 11, 2010

Worst Run Ever, and a Pat on the Back

Part I - Worst Run Ever
I started with three strikes against myself tonight.  I forgot to grab a pre-run snack this afternoon, I forgot to take my water, and I missed warm-up.  I still managed a better time than I expected, but I wasn't at my best.

The interval changed to 3 minutes run, 2 minutes walk tonight - perhaps the reason for my better-than-expected time.  But my lack of warm-up meant that I had to slack off on two (or was it three?) intervals.  It's the first time I've ever NOT stuck with the intervals.  And it wasn't about not having the endurance for the three minute run.  It wasn't about wanting to quit - because I never want to quit anymore!  (I know!  I'm shocked, too.)  It was about my aching hip/leg, and about not wanting to really hurt myself, which would lead to not being able to run.  Although it was frustrating to slack off on those intervals, I'm not beating myself up about it.  I'm listening to my body, just as I should.  I'm in better shape now than I was just a month ago, it feels great, and I don't want to jeopardize the results of all of this hard work.

Part II - Pat on the Back
Did I mention that I run/walked a 5K last Thursday?  I sure did!

I stuck with the intervals for a mile longer than I'd ever gone before, and I made a WAY better time than I expected for adding a whole mile!  I felt like Superwoman when I finished.  A very tired, sweaty version of Superwoman, but pretty much awesome anyway.  So now I know that I CAN DO IT!  From here on out, it's just about increasing my endurance for the run interval.  I'd love to run an entire 5K someday! 

Friday, October 8, 2010

Mini Subs!

Clockwise from top left:
Apple sticks, can't remember what's in the dip container, 'mini-sub' on a hotdog bun, chocolate chip bunny grahams, grapes.  My kids asked for mayo and mustard on their subs.  I was especially floored that Miss M asked for mayo.

Monday, October 4, 2010

New Cloth Napkins!

Only one lunch today since Miss M is sick, but I snapped a photo to show you the new cloth napkins we are trying out.Can you even see it tucked in there?

Under the big red lid - strawberries and grapes
Under the small red lid - dip for those carrots
Ham and Muenster sandwich - half-sized
A few Doritos
Granola bar and applesauce for snack time
And one green cloth napkin, made by Grandma RL :)

This post is included in What's for Lunch Wednesday - Week 18.