Jonah's EB Auction

OK, folks - it's starting tomorrow night!  Be there or be ... Well, you know!

You don't want to miss Jonah's EB Auction! 

There are lots of awesome items up for auction (I've got several on my radar), and here are the details (shamefully lifted straight from their blog):

What: An ONLINE auction to raise money for EB research and advocacy (all proceeds go to DebRA)
When: Thursday February 24th @ 8pm until Sunday February 27th @ 8pm
Where: Right here at www.jonahsebauction.blogspot.com!  You can bid on lots of fabulous items from the comfort of your own living room!! If you want to see how bidding will work (or get a little practice bidding for your favorite item!) you can do so here.

And, as I've said before, if you haven't met Jonah, Patrice, and Matt - get thee to their blog posthaste!  When she's not getting Radical, showing off her too-stinkin-cute Jonut, and fundraising for DebRA, you can find Patrice here, too.

Hope for Anton

My bloggy friend, Patrice, has embarked upon a mission to change the life of a little boy - and she needs your help.  

This is Anton.  He has Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa.

Please go here to see how her mission began.  Here, here, and here to read a bit more.  And here to see more ways you can help. (Passionate?  Yep.  And it's infectious - in a good way!)

And, while she's doing all of this, she's also celebrating her own little boy's birthday in a spectacular way. 

If you haven't "met" Jonah, Patrice, and Matt, you really owe it to yourself to hop on over and say hello. 

I'm planning a bit of blog silence for a few days, but I'll be back to promote Jonah's EB Auction!

Calling It Like She Sees It

We aren't big sports fans around here, but we do watch the Super Bowl - for the commercials. I doubt that's a new idea to you, though most folks probably watch the game, too.
A good friend of mine is blogging about the Super Bowl today, with a perspective you might never have considered. Stop by and see what's on her mind today.

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!)

It's Been Quiet Around Here...

Hey there!  So glad you popped in!  I haven't been around much lately, either.  I'm trying to make the most of the last couple of weeks of summer, my mom came for a long weekend (in addition to visiting, shopping, and cooking, we also straightened up my pantry), and Big J took on a yard-improvement project (the rest of us pitched in a bit, but he did most of the work - it looks great!).

I've got a few posts in mind, but I hope you'll be patient with me as we enjoy the end of summer and get into our new school routine.  So, for now, I'll leave you with this little bit of excitement - I got a little link love over at Mama's Laundry Talk today, where "Mama" is highlighting laundry room makeovers!  Ours isn't complete, but it's sure nice to have the virtual pat-on-the-back to inspire me to wrap it up with the finishing touches.

There's nothing like a few small projects to make your space (indoor or outdoor) a more enjoyable place to spend your time - even if it's just laundry time!  As much as I want to tackle some more projects around here - small and not-so-small - I think I owe it to the little ones to set aside my grand plans for a few days.  "Fun" is the order of the next several days - I'll do a bit of mobile blogging as time allows.  Thanks for sticking it out with me during the quiet times!

A Host of Helpful Hints (updated)

All Natural Homemade Cleaners - I'm working on the switch to natural and homemade cleaners, and this post is full of great recipes

The 6 Most Valuable Grocery Products Known to Man - a gigantic list of tips and tricks, with links to even more tips, such as...


75 Extraordinary Uses for Baking Soda - I can confirm numbers 8, 10, 20, and 66, and want to try out number 17, 32,and 70.

Quick Clean-Up - a minute-based plan to clean your home

How to Make Natural Cleaners Work Better -  this is the one I found after I published these links.  Read through the comments for a way to use up 'scraps' of bar soap - clever!

You can 'find' me here...

I didn't plan a post for today, but I got a nice mention over here - so I'm just passing a link along.  You might want to head that way, since there's a great geocaching giveaway going on!  (Thanks, Heidi - for the mention and for another awesome giveaway!)

And, just for fun, a few of my posts and guest posts about geocaching:

Smarty Day Trip - Geocaching - May 2010, guest post
All I Want for Christmas is a GPS -  August 2008, first geocaching experience
Loong Overdue - March 2009, scroll down for the part about geocaching at a local park

Links that Make Me Think

Choosing What Matters - by my sweet friend Muffy.  Y'all, she makes me think.  Her friendship is a beautiful challenge to better myself - to be more positive, to choose what matters, to fill my life and my home with joy and happiness.  Love you, sweet friend!

What Have You Done for YOU Lately? -  more about choosing what matters, but also about taking some time for yourself.  As parents, it's so easy to put everyone else first - and to run out of energy to take care of yourself! 

10 Ideas to Make Money Matter Less - lessons your probably already know, but the reminder is always good.  These are some great lessons to share with your children, too.

Adventures in Food Allergy Testing (Part 2: the Results) -  Though we are not longer a food allergy family, I do believe that awareness very important!  After all, every one of us (knowingly or unknowingly) encounters someone with food allergies, and we don't want to put them at risk.  Please read Alison's account of her daughter's food challenge (Part 1 describes the first stage of food allergy testing) and her thoughts about the day - it is eye-opening, even to a former food allergy mom.

Is It Really That Easy?

Oh, my - I can't believe I didn't figure this out sooner!

I am not good at cutting anything that's not a straight line.  Curves are too complicated - not to mention anything with an actual shape.  And then I read that the best way to cut curves is not to turn the scissors, but to turn the paper. 

You know what?  I tried it - and it works!  And I learned this just in time - I have 2 dozen cupcake wrappers to cut for Miss M's birthday party this weekend!

Capture the Moment

I recently spoke at a preschool graduation ceremony.  I was honored to have the opportunity, but anxious about what I would say.  I wondered if anyone would really be listening, to be honest.  And of course, I always feel like my greatest moments of inspiration hit when I'm driving - and by the time I can stop, those fleeting moments of brilliance are long gone.  I ended up speaking very briefly about "capturing the moment."

One of the things I have tried to do with my blog is to capture both the ordinary and the extra-special moments in our lives. I've got lots of stories and lots of photos.  The majority of the photos feature my kids - after all, they grow like weeds and change so quickly!  But it's been a long time - a LONG time - since we've had family portraits made.  There's an occasional snapshot of all four of us.  Why?  Aside from the fact that I'm usually the one behind the camera, I don't like how I look  in photos.  And why is that?  Well, because the camera tells the truth - and like most women out there, I don't usually like what it tells me.  (Plus, I don't like my smile since I've gotten braces, but that's another story).  Typically, it takes a darn good reason - like Christmas cards or a request from school - to get a photo of all four of us.

Our last family portraits were made over three years ago.  I feel terrible about that, but after reading this post, I'm resolving to get in the photo more often - even if it's just a snapshot.  Besides that, I'm also resolving to be happy about it.  I can't go back and make up for the moments I missed, but going forward I can do better.

PS - As it turns out, my friend Muffy just took some photos of us two days ago.  I absolutely love them!  And I owe her big time, because I like how I look in these!  Thanks, friend, for capturing the moment!

Miss M (almost 4), Big J, me, Mister J (6 1/2)

NeedToBreathe

I don't fancy myself the cool, music-scene type, but I do enjoy a variety of music. This is one of my favorites of late - I kept their latest CD, The Outsiders, in my mommy-van CD player for longer than I care to admit. And now, I wish I'd purchased their earlier albums, too. Check out this version of Something Beautiful by NeedToBreathe. (Apologies for the short ad before the video - beyond my control.)



(Have I mentioned I went to high school with the oldest brother of one of the band members? No? And believe it or not, I am pretty sure that is not how I found out about the band.... Also, for what it's worth, I'm two degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon.)

(Did any of that boost my cool factor?!? No? Rats...)

Child's Play

Our toy room is in major need of sorting, purging, and organizing. I need some inspiration for several reasons. The main reason is because I'm sentimental -I remember where nearly every toy/book/outfit came from, especially if they were gifts. While I'm thankful that I have such a great memory, this makes it very hard for me to part with things.

I came across a few toy-themed blog posts last week that I think will help me with this next big project. Take a few moments to click on the links; hopefully they will be just the motivation you need if your toy room is also too full of fun.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Becoming Minimalist - This post is perfectly timed, as I have an overflowing toy room to deal with very soon.

Triad Smarty Pants - I was fortunate to be able to hear this guest blogger speak at an event in March, and I have to tell you that what he shared has already changed my parenting style. Not completely, but small (important!) changes for the better. It's making a difference for my children and for me.

Muffin Tin Mom - I can totally relate to this post. Especially the part about pulling out your childhood Legos to share with your children.