Monthly Archive for April, 2010

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Fred the Garden Gnome

Published on Friday, April 16, 2010 in Birthdays, Fun and Gift Ideas. 3 Comments Tags: .

We love garden gnomes. We have one in the back yard, and he’s seen better days. I don’t remember how it happened, but the poor little guy has broken a foot. His disability is hidden by the woodchips, and he has a stake that keeps him propped up.

We’ve been on the lookout for a new one, but we just haven’t found one we like yet.

Well, imagine my delight when I got the monthly newsletter from our local pottery painting place, and they announced that they have garden gnomes!

This was going to coincide nicely with Daddy’s birthday, so Claire and I put our plan in place.

We conducted our plan in total secrecy, and Claire nearly burst from all the excitement, but she didn’t spill the beans!  She kept the secret!

We picked out our gnome and got the paint all ready. Claire wrote her name on the table, to make everything official.

We started out with a sponge, but switched to paint brushes. (By the time we did that, I had Glenda safely put away so as not to get paint on her.)

Claire and I painted for two and a half hours, and we worked great as a team!  Yes, I said we painted for two and a half hours!  It was a long process, but one we both thoroughly enjoyed!

When I was painting on some of the detail work, Claire used the paint on our palettes to create her own little picture for the owner of the store. (You can see our garden gnome and Claire’s other handy work on the table.)  I mean, when you’re 4-years old, 2.5 hours is a long time to sit still…but this kept her preoccupied.

I told Claire she could name him, and she decided that “Fred” was the perfect name for Daddy’s Birthday Garden Gnome.

As you can see above, Fred the Garden Gnome turned out really well!  We finished painting, and he posed for a photo, waving to us amidst all the painting aftermath.

…then we had to wait for him to be fired. I hope he can support his family without a job. Ha. Just kidding. Couldn’t resist.

Well, after a week had passed, Fred was ready!  We picked him up today, and it’s really cool to see him all shiny!  The Birthday Boy is thrilled!  Claire and I were so excited to see how Fred turned out, and none of us were disappointed!

Daddy says he looks too nice to put outside, so we’ll just have to see where Fred ends up!

A GREAT LIST to bookmark for Summer Fun!

Published on Thursday, April 15, 2010 in Fun. 0 Comments Tags: .

Okay, full disclosure: I spent oodles of hours originally compiling & editing this list by the Mile High Mamas and for the Mile High Mamas, and I’ve re-vamped it for 2010.

So, I’m just a tiny bit partial to it.

That being said, it IS an awesome list (if I do say so myself).

Need something fun to do in Denver this Spring or Summer?

Check out this list!

Last year, I had it bookmarked in my phone, and I’m doing the same this year.

I’m a Featured Writer today on Indie Ink!

Published on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 in Featured Elsewhere and Indie Ink. Closed Tags: , .

Click here to check out the writing piece!

Check out these two new Product Reviews!

Published on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 in Product Reviews. Closed Tags: , , .

I’ve added two new product reviews to the Product Review Page!

The first is our review of the Hooked on Phonics® Learn to Read Program.

The second is our review of the Treasure Dough.

Go check ‘em out!

Love is…

Published on Monday, April 12, 2010 in Random Thoughts. 2 Comments Tags: .

…when your preschooler says, “Let’s not get outta the car yet, Momma! Let’s finish this song!” when you had the exact same thought in mind.

My thoughts on LOST

Published on Friday, April 9, 2010 in TV Shows and TV: Lost - The Show. 0 Comments

As you may remember, in seasons past, I’ve written my LOST observations after each show. (I even reviewed the Missing Pieces they ran during the Writers’ Strike.)  Well, I decided to do something a little differently this time.

I’m trying really hard to just watch the show. I don’t take notes. I’m not writing about my speculations in great detail. I’m just trying to soak up the show and see where it takes us.

It’s ending, and I’m very sad.

I do involve myself in some re-cap blog comment bantering, and I do participate in a LOST chat, if I have time, on the Wednesday following the episode.

I do have some theories, but I really am just trying to take it all in. That being say, here are some things I have bouncing around in my head:

I, for one, do not like Jacob. I don’t think he embodies all that is “good.” In my mind, he’s way too manipulative to be “truly good.” By that same token, I don’t think the Man in Black is “evil.” I don’t think either one of them is 100% of either thing.  BOTH of them have been behind people dying.  BOTH of them mislead people for their own gain.

I think they are a yin/yang. They are the black and white rocks sitting in the balance in the painting in Widmore’s office. They each have light and dark forces in them.

That being said, I think they are (or were?) the same being.

I could be totally wrong, and that’s okay.

I think the LOSTies need to band together to fight BOTH of them, or just let them duke it out while they make their escape.  “Live (fight them?) together, die alone” comes to mind.  ;)

Also, I find it highly suspect that we get to the 6th Season to find out the show is about two random dudes who may or may not represent all that is good and evil? Really? I really hope it’s about more than that. (I do think the last episode “Happily Ever After” starts taking us in a slightly different direction than that, and for that I’m glad…and hopeful.)

Another thing that gives me pause has to do with when Desmond turned the fail-safe key.  Remember that?  The hatch exploded. The sky turned purple. The hatch door crashed onto the beach. Desmond shows up in the jungle totally nekkid, much to Hurley’s surprise.

And, the LOSTies go on as if nothing happened? Really? Who’s to say some time-wonkiness didn’t happen then?

Also, the Dharma Initiative people (and the Others, for that matter) have always referred to “The Incident.” They’ve never been specific in what that was. I’m thinking Jughead always went off….at least in some capacity. I’m thinking whatever happened to create the two timeline versions (2004B, the “sideways” we’re seeing now) could be related or could be something different altogether.

What happened, happened…right? I’m just losing track of which whats are what. ;)

So, that’s what I’ve got bouncing around in my head. What about you? Are you a LOST fan? Are you analyzing it to death or just along for the ride?

All I do know at this point is that I will be lost without LOST. I’ll need to join a support group of some sort. Starting May 23rd, I’ll have time on Tuesday nights. ;)

Even Highway Robbers have to eat

Published on Thursday, April 8, 2010 in Claire, Photos and School. 0 Comments Tags: .

Today is Picture Day at Claire’s School. Again? They do this twice a year?? Apparently, they do.

In the past, this particular school photo company would allow you to see the photos before making a purchase decision. Well, so many parents were keeping the photos and not paying that they’ve changed their policies for this school. Now, just like in the fall, we have to decide which package we want, pre-pay and then HOPE the photos turn out.

We were really lucky in the fall, and they turned out fabulously.

I have my fingers crossed today.
And, I’m trying not to twitch.

Still, I can’t get over how much they cost. All the little girls were showing each other their little photo slips and their pretty dresses today. I can’t leave her out of that experience. Yes, we take more photos of her than a typical Paparazzi on any given day in Beverly Hills, but “real” photos to share with friends and family is fun, too.

I used to take Claire to a local photo place that would offer entire packages of photos for under $10, if you could stick to one pose. That worked for us. Gone are those days…

At least this time, I’ll get a whole class photo out of the deal. What gets me about this is how much they charge JUST for that. Of course, you can get individual photos, TOO, for “just a little bit more.”

The thought of paying that much for one photo makes me sick to my stomach.  So, I try to find the most economical deal, and I pay. The thought of Claire being left out when everyone else participates in Picture Day makes me sick to my stomach. So, I pay.

They know this, and they gladly take my money.

I wonder if they hum a little tune as they skip to the bank?

Peer Pressure at its Finest

Published on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 in Swimming. 0 Comments Tags: .

Today, you probably heard the shrieks of joy, amongst all the splashing, and wondered what was going on.  Yeah…sorry ’bout that. That was me.

So, what happened?

Well, at the end of Claire’s last swim class, she was *this close* to doing a back-float unassisted in the “deeper pool.” *This close.* This was the one item not checked off of the “you get to move up to the next class” list. We decided to do another go-round, to see how she’d do.

I mean, she can float all day by herself in the shallow kiddie pool…but she panics in the big pool.

Today was the second class in that session, and guess what happened!?

She was a little clingy with the teacher, but to the outside world she appeared rather calm…and was *this close*…again.

Then, when we were playing afterward, we saw one of her preschool friends. This little girl is a year older than Claire and is in her same Preschool Class. “Emma” is an excellent swimmer and already in the next swim class. Emma can back-float all by herself.

I know this, so I decided to use Peer Pressure to my advantage.

“Hey, Emma!” I said. “Do you want to show Claire how you can back-float all by yourself in the big pool?”

“Sure!” she said.

“Yeah!” said Claire. She wanted to see it, too.

So, we went over there, and sure enough Emma, can do a back-float with the best of ‘em.

“I wanna try!” Claire said. “I wanna do it BY MYSELF, MOMMA.”

And, she did!! All it took to get over that hurdle in her mind was watching her friend do it. What made it even better was that her Swim Teacher saw her do it, and cheered for her!

I am SO proud of Claire for coming this far.

In other news, my face hurts from smiling.

Technical Difficulties

Published on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 in Random Thoughts. 0 Comments

I’m experiencing some technical difficulties here today. The connection here at my home office is down, but I still have access to the outside world via Glenda, my trusty BlackBerry.

I love her dearly, but her screen is tiny, and although I’m somewhat of an expert at typing on her tiny keyboard, it’s just not the most conducive for blog posting. (And I can’t even see what I need to see at the other site I maintain…)

So, until my personal Tech Support Guy can get me back up and running, posting may be light.

One one hand, things have come to a screeching halt. On the other, I haven’t been this productive in a long time. :)

Matchy-Matchy

Published on Monday, April 5, 2010 in Random Thoughts. 4 Comments Tags: .

My husband and I accidentally dressed in matchy-matchy outfits today.

I was rushing out the door for swimming lessons as he was leaving for work when I noticed it. I couldn’t help but laugh…out loud…while physically pointing this out.

Why? Because he normally considers wearing matchy-matchy outfits a fate worse than death.

So, naturally, I could not contain my glee.

We won’t be seen in public together today, and he didn’t have time to change.

Knowing he’s twitching today makes me giggle to myself.

Oh the joys of true love. ;)