Lunchbox Love (A Giveaway Too!)

The B Man takes his lunch to school every single day.  I can count the times he has eaten the school lunch on one hand.  Actually, I can make a "Peace" sign with the fingers. ;)

So, I pack his lunch every single morning.

When he first started school two years ago he wasn't completely reading so I would take a napkin or folded paper towel and just draw a little picture or say "I <3 You" or something cute like that.  I tried to include a little something at least a couple of times a week.  And sometimes that "little something" was the SAME napkin with the same drawing because you know, many times he wouldn't actually use it...

Last year I did try to do the same thing but I will say that I was not nearly as good about it and he got "dessert" more than he got notes.  (What?  That's "sweet" too... )(and of course, he also gets both sometimes!)

But this year, now that he can most certainly read (Harry Potter anyone??) and has more work in the gifted program in which he is now enrolled, I wanted to make sure that I sent encouragement as daily as possible.

That's why when I was flipping through the "back to school" issue of Parents magazine and found Lunchbox Love I was VERY excited.  I emailed them right away and asked if they'd be willing to send me some "love" and let me send some "love" on to one of you as well.

They quickly complied and both The B Man and I are loving these little cards!  They are so easy to just slip right into his lunch EVERY morning.

One side has encouraging words...

And the other has some cute little trivia.  I think B actually likes the trivia more.  He IS his father's son...

And they even include a couple that are blank on the encouragement side so that you can make up a few of your own for your child.  How fun and sweet is THAT?

And did you catch the part about how they want to send some cards to a reader of The Miss Elaine-ous Life too?

WOOHOO!

One of you will get a set of volumes 1-4 of Lunchbox Love for Kids.

Here's how to Enter:

This is Mandatory:  Leave a comment telling me something you would write on one of the blank cards for your child or a child you love AND Like Lunchbox Love on Facebook (you MUST do both)

Extra Entries (separate comment for each):

Follow this blog on GFC or tell me you already do.

Like The Miss Elaine-ous Life on Facebook or tell me you already do.

Tweet about this giveaway and let me know you did.

That's FOUR ways to enter!

Giveaway closes Sunday night, September 4th at midnight, central time.  Please make sure I have a way to get in touch with you should you win and good luck!  I promise you're gonna love these cards!!


Also, linked up at WordFul Wednesday!





*I received one set of Lunchbox Love cards to review.  I received no other compensation for this post and all opinions are mine and my son's. 

Best.Shower.Ever.

She only knew my name from a white piece of paper. I assume it was even typed and not written in anyone’s own handwriting. It did not matter if she knew my name or not. She was here for only one reason and she called me “Honey” the entire time we were together.

I noticed she was kind of heavy set in my cloud of painkillers and it was slow going as she helped me get up from the bed.

Tim had gone to get a decent lunch instead of one from the hospital cafeteria (who could blame him) and promised me I’d feel better after a shower.

Her cold fingers seemed even more so as they touched my skin that had just been lying against warm, bleached sheets for hours on end.

I wanted to get up but I also did not. I wanted to see my baby but I also did not. I DID want to get clean.

After fussing with the things on the bed that a woman who just gave birth has underneath her, and the various other accoutrements that go with a hospital bed, I was up. I looked right into her dark, chocolate eyes and grabbed her thick arm with my hand for support.

We slowly made our way to the bathroom together as she lilted over and over, “Now go slow honey, this ain’t no race…”

I wanted that warm water on me. I needed its cleansing powers.

She gently helped me get out of my gown and mesh panties and the next thing I knew, I was standing naked in front of a complete stranger as the drops of water fell from my hair and my nose, my fingertips.

And I didn’t care.

I just had my first baby the day before and plenty of people who knew nothing much about me had seen all kinds of parts of me that normally they would not.

I was certain that I was not the first naked woman she had seen and that I would not be the last. However, I did wonder what she found different about my post-partum body versus the others she had seen. Maybe it was the mole on the side of my face, or perhaps the shape of my knees. Maybe she couldn’t care less and just thought about how many more hours she had until she could go home from her job, after washing strangers who needed her help just to get clean.

As she finished helping me dry off I thanked her several times and each time she said, “Oh Honey, you’re welcome, it’s my job.”

As she readied herself to leave she asked if I wanted to be back in the bed or in the chair and I said the bed was fine. She helped me raise it up so I could eat my lunch and watch television and then just like that, she was gone, on to the next patient.

Tim returned just a bit later and he could tell his promise was fulfilled as he glided into the room and saw the smile on my face.

He smiled back as I told him how a complete stranger helped me have the best shower ever.



The prompt:

Your assignment for this week is to write about a memory of yourself WITH someone else.

Miss Elaine-ous Monday (1st Edition!) - Chips Only?

I love chocolate chip cookies and this is no secret in our house. When the kids see me get the mixer out from under the cabinet and the butter out of the fridge they know it's go-time and we ALL get a tad giddy.

Today I suggested we make some and shortly after Tim said, "you know what I want to try? (he did not wait for an answer) I want to put some of the peanut butter M&Ms in the cookies!"

I was neither amused or excited at this proposal. I like chocolate chip cookies (sometimes with oatmeal too, I'll admit) with JUST chocolate chips. No walnuts, no pecans, no M&Ms - chips and chips alone.

But as I was daydreaming about the cookies that would be, Tim was already loading the boys in the car to go to the nearest convenience store and buy a couple of snack-sized bags of said M&Ms.

And he did make some with them, as well as regular M&Ms, per the boys' request.

Did I try them? Yes.

Did I like them? No, not really.

Do I stand by my chips only proclamation? I do.

So now, if you ever want to bake or send me cookies you know what kind I like! ;-)

So, what's your pleasure? Chips only or other stuff too? I wanna know.

AND! I want you all to link up for the first ever Miss Elaine-ous Monday!!

What is Miss Elaine-ous Monday you ask?

Well, I came up with this little idea while trying to go to sleep the other night (it's when many of my best ideas form) and decided that Monday is a great day to get you all to link up to ANY post you WANT! It could be from last week, last month, last year or just the post you wrote for your blog today.

It can be about ANYTHING you want as well! Get it? Miss Elaine-ous Monday?!

Do you have a post that meant a lot to you but wasn't read by as many folks as you'd hoped? Or one that has great pictures and you want more people to see them? Or do you just have one that you really want to share!?  And like I said, even the post you wrote today, will work just great too!

I know you all have something so please join me since this is a linky for anyone, any post and any topic! (please do keep it clean since this is a family friendly blog!)

PLUS! I'll also choose a random post from those who link up to feature on The Miss Elaine-ous Life Facebook page (please "Like" if you have not already) so even more folks will see a new post every week!

Now go on and pick a post (that may be the hardest part) and come back here and link up!

Also, please try to visit at least a few posts around your link since the purpose of this is to find new blog friends and share each other's posts!

Grab the button if you want to but it's not required...

(p.s. I made it myself - my 1st button after almost 5 years of blogging - an old blogger gal CAN learn new tricks!)





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If you do not post the button, I would love for you to still link back to my blog, even if you just put a little blurb at the end of you post such as "It's Monday and I'm being "Miss Elaine-ous" over at The Miss Elaine-ous Life!" - Thanks!!  Oh and extra bonus points to anyone who puts a tweet out there, that would be awesome too! :)

And now for the Linky!

Living Up To My Name

If there was any doubt that my blog is aptly named, let me dispel those thoughts right now.

This week's posts, as a whole, do seem to prove my "Miss Elaine-ous-ness"

From sweet to sad. From stories to pictures.

Between a pic of K stuffing her face with pancakes to one of my worst memories as a child.

Or how about my re-doing of old stuff or a review of Mat Kearney's new album?

Oh, and a VERY SHORT (and "tweet") story thrown in for good measure.

And a lovely Blessingway.

See what I mean?

RAN.
DOM.

Anyway, just thought I'd let y'all know that I'm still on track. :-)

p.s. I'm thinking of starting a carnival called Miss Elaine-ous Monday...  You could link up to ANYTHING you've EVER posted recent or not.  And we could all make new blog friends.  And it would be on Mondays. Funny how that works out, huh? So... anyone interested??

A Year

It was a year since he had seen her.


And now here she was, holding a baby, about 3 months old.


He looked into his own eyes as he approached.






I wrote this for this prompt from Write On Edge:
Let’s lighten it up around here. And when I say lighten, I mean REALLY lighten.


This week’s assignment will require the fewest number of words ever: we want you to write a story – your choice of topic – as a tweet.


That’s right. One hundred and forty characters. Not words. Characters.


Make us laugh. Make us think. Make us want more.

Mat Kearney and Young Love

“You Can Count on Me” are some pretty powerful words when you think about it.  And I like to say them and hear them.

And I also hear the kids say “Hey Mama” A. LOT.

Perhaps that’s why these are two of my favorite songs on Mat Kearney’s new album, Young Love.

When I popped the CD into the car player the other day the whole family was riding together and it didn't take long before the kids were jamming out to "Hey Mama" in the back seat.

Kids car-dancing is like one of the cutest things ever, right?!?

And then I was singing the catchy chorus before the first play of the song was over.  (we may have played it just a FEW more times since then...)

Tim drove off playing the album in his car this morning.  I think it's safe to say the whole family likes it.

I really like all the songs on the album and "You Can Count on Me" totally surprised me when I first played it and I LOVE that!

I also really like "Sooner or Later and "She Got The Honey".  But like I said, they're all good.

My only complaint is that the album is too short.  I'd like more songs from Mat.  I really like his style, his rhythms and his voice.

And not to mention, we are totally BFFs... I mean HELLO! he touched my shoulder!! ;)

when I met him and Michelle Branch at Blissdom...

Now, go watch the video for "Hey Mama" - it's so great!




So.. if you're like me and want some new, great music that you can play in the car that is not VBS music (ahem) or the Wicked soundtrack for the 80 bazillionth time (double ahem) go get Mat's new album.  I promise you're gonna like is as much as we ALL do!

I was sent one copy of Mat Kearney's new album from One2One Network to review here on the blog.  I received no other compensation and all opinions are my own. 

Treasure Hunting

After visiting with my friend Claudia in Texas last month and spending some time on good ole Pinterest (although it's not that old, is it??), I was inspired to find some things to re-do and re-finish.  My friend had repainted an old bread box and a paper towel holder to look SO cute and she had made her own wooden candle holders. I was impressed and impressed upon.

It didn't take me long to hunt down some old picture frames in my Dad's garage when I went to his house later that week  He has a garage FULL of treasures...well, that's if you really like fishing poles and tackle boxes, but I digress.  Anyway, he willingly let me have three frames but one of them had some strange sticky substance on it that I have yet to completely remove.  Then I found another great one at Goodwill.  I wish I had a before pic but alas, all I have are these after photos.  I was that eager.

The blue one is the one from Goodwill and it was just plain brown (they all were actually) but inside was one of those horrible old still lifes with an old lantern and bowl of fruit.  I'm so glad I was able to see it's potential without that print.  I really love the beaded trim.

I have yet to hang these anywhere though.  I'm not quite sure what I want to do with them yet.  But the wheels are turning...

A few of weeks ago I went to a local indoor flea market on a Saturday and found a couple of treasures as well.

Like this old shutter which is now in my dining area holding notes and things. I got it for eight bucks.  I quite love it.  And I know that because I wiped it clean of A LOT of cobwebs and I don't just do that for any old junk.

And then, in the same place, I found this cedar chest.  Perfect for in front of our bed and storing treasures!

It's my next project since it has a few imperfections and well, those aerodynamic looking knobs just HAVE to go.

But I love it's bones and I can't wait to re-do it once it cools off around here.

I'll let y'all know how it goes (y'all like before and afters, right?)


Do you like to go hunting for treasures to re-do? If so, what kind?  I'm all about it right now... 

That Night

I woke up startled as their muffled voices carried through the walls and slithered below my door, the space between the carpet and the wood just wide enough.

My Mom was crying.

My father’s tone was angry. I heard the buckle of his belt clang, he was getting dressed.

It was still dark in my room and I felt as if I had not slept for very long.

As I heard her outside my door the whiny knob turned. The light from the hallway offended my sleepy eyes and the sight of her night-gowned silhouette made my heart beat faster.

Through tears she told me to get up and put on some shoes.

I think I asked what was wrong.

Something bad had happened - something really bad. They had to go to him, try to help him. Make sure he was okay.

This wasn’t the first time.

It wouldn’t be the last.

She hurriedly walked me to our neighbor’s house next door and then suddenly she and my dad were gone. I pulled back the thick curtains from someone else’s window as I watched them drive away.

I was 9 years old and petrified.

I didn’t know what had happened. I had heard the words “car” and “rolled” and “been drinking” and “hospital” and his name.

His name.

I wanted to go back to my house, back to my bed, to my place of comfort, with my parents just on the other side of my wall, sleeping.

This hard, unfamiliar sofa was no place for me. This house smelled so different and I was cold.

I laid there wide awake worrying about things I didn’t know.

My stomach and heart ached simultaneously and I could feel it coming on in my forehead too.

I didn’t know when they would be back or how long it would take or what would happen next.

There was nothing I could do but be the good girl I always was, trying to make up for other mistakes.

It seemed like years before she came back to get me. I could still see her face in the dark, worn with worry and she looked older somehow.

The days and weeks to follow were full of arguments and tears and conversations about things of which I knew nothing.

Adult things.

I will not ever forget that night.

It is seared into my heart and my conscience, never to leave me.

And to be honest, I am not sure I have forgiven.

Not yet.

I hope to.

Someday…




This was written for the following prompt from Write On Edge:


We all have them.
Memories that we wish we could forget…things that we wish we could banish from our minds.
Imagine that writing down your worst memory will free you of it.
What is it?
Why does it haunt you? 
Write it down and let it go. (if only it were that easy for me...)

A Blessingway

On Sunday we celebrated a friend of mine who is due to have her third child soon.

Instead of a shower we joined in her honor for a Blessingway.

We pampered her with foot and hand rubs and a foot soak and gave her yummy things to eat and drink.

We read a few poems that made us all cry and reminded us to cherish these moments and days with our babies.

We each gave her a special bead for a necklace that she will wear while she labors.

We decorated unique burp cloths for her to use with her new blessing.

And we united ourselves with a piece of yarn for each of us to wear until the baby is born.

We laughed, chatted, enjoyed delicious food and celebrated our friend and the joy of the new life she is about to bring into the world.

It was nothing short of amazing, all of us women gathered in friendship and in love. 

the gorgeous hostesses, Sarah* and Jenny with the guest of honor, Marie. 

I feel so blessed to have been there.

*Sarah took some of these photographs, including the first one, which I LOVE!

Pancakes! - Saturday Morning Scene

Who needs a fork when you have perfectly cute little fingers in which to insert Saturday morning blueberry pancakes?

:)

Happy weekend!

linking up for the first time over at Katie's place....

Gifted

Last night, while playing in Baby K's room with the kids, I suddenly found myself describing (in basic terms) to The B Man how babies are born. He knows that my belly was cut open and "sewn" back together when his younger brother and sister were born so he assumed that he was born the same way. But he was not. He was born the “old-fashioned” way (well, besides the epidural part).

When I finished telling him, using the proper anatomic terms, he looked me square in the eyes and said “Mom, that’s disgusting”. And although I know the birth of a child is beautiful and miraculous and amazing, I cannot completely disagree.

He is a pretty smart boy and there’s really no reason to dance around it or use silly terms with him because even if I do, he’ll find a way to figure out how babies really ARE born and then I would look like an idiot to him. And we don’t need any more of that around here.

He already thinks I don’t know as much as a second-grader (like him) since I did not know what a river dolphin was and he likes to hold this over my head (I swear, I had never heard of a river dolphin – Google it, they ARE a real thing! Who knew?)

This morning I met with his new teacher for the gifted and talented program that he will begin at his school next week. Every morning he will be with other students in the program until lunch time. She and I discussed his strengths and weaknesses, his likes and dislikes. I was comforted by the fact that she had a genuine interest in my son and his personality and abilities.

It was pretty special.

Now, please know that I don't say this just to brag about my child.  Of course I'm proud and I'm so glad that his abilities and efforts have gotten him into this program.  But, I'm also just so impressed with his teachers and their interest him.

I could never home school, I'm just not organized or disciplined enough.  The thought even crossed my mind once, briefly, but it did not take long for me to come to my senses and know that it's just not for me.  Or for us as a family.  But I still worry and think about how my children are being taught and treated while not in my care.  It's only natural as a mother.

B's teachers have never been anything but complimentary about his manners, behavior and abilities but that doesn't mean I don't fear that he will have a bad day or that something else could off-set his norm.  And he can be extremely sensitive in certain situations.  Plus, he's not really a fan of extra "work" (although I've not met many people who are...) I think the gifted program takes those kinds of things into account (not to say that non-gifted programs/teachers don't) and I'm pretty sure he's going to do great.

As parents we want the best for our children, always.  I'm so excited for B to start this program next week and I hope that he likes it as much as I'm anticipating he will.  And here's to great teachers who really care about our kids.  My hat goes off to you in a big way!!

And to my sweet Benja boy, you are my original gift as a mother.  I feel "gifted" just knowing you. :)  I wish you all the best this year in school.  You are a shining star and love you so much. xoxo -Mommy

Ordinary Moments - You Capture

Sometimes I think about what it will be like when my kids are older and don't necessarily enjoy ice cream this much anymore.  Although that's impossible right? Ice cream is yummy no matter your age.

Perhaps they will look at me like I've lost my mind when I tell them to stand by the wall so I can take their picture.  The 7 year-old was already giving me the side-eye when I suggested it.  But he was still willing to comply.

And it probably won't be as fun to go watch them get their hair cut anymore.  But this was K's first official bang trim so I had to take a pic.  Of course the paci probably helped the fact that she did not cry.

The boys got their hair done too.  Tim takes them to this great old-fashioned barber shop in town.  Love that.

And when they are older I'll miss the quiet mornings of play-doh play.  It does keep them happy for a while while I sip my coffee.  Maybe they'll still like to make "pancakes" and "snakes" even into their teen years.  But I'm guessing not...

These may seem like "ordinary moments" but they are just a few that made up our week.  And they are pretty special to me.

All captured with my phone since my poor camera has hardly seen the light of day lately...

A food tower, a handmade dress and a 2nd grader...

You like random right?

Good, 'cause that's what you get today.

This was part of my lunch the other day  Don't you want to eat it?  I want to eat it again but alas, I have no mozzarella.

Phooey.

If food could talk this food would say "I'm really delicious, you must eat me now!"

I finally COMPLETELY finished the one and only dress I've made for K (so far...).

Baby girl with her lovies.  She likes to tickle her nose and ears with her hair... 

I added some rosettes by the straps (possibly to cover up some *cough* imperfections *cough*) and some ribbon trim on the bottom.  She actually wore it out in public, to church, on Sunday.  We took her to the church nursery and the lovely lady that works there immediately said, "Oh, did Mommy make you a dress?!"  I wasn't quite sure how to take that.  Hmmmm....

Some handsome dude I know started school on Monday.

yes the ivy and sweet potato vine ARE about to take over the house.  It's like the damn jungle out here... 

He keeps telling me there is going to be "lots" of homework but I have yet to see any.  And today when I asked him how his day was he said, "Same as yesterday... gosh Mom!"  Does that start already?  If so, I'm not ready for it.

He told me he wanted to ride the bus this year (he would only ride it home since Tim drops him off in the mornings) but he decided against it right now since he feels it's too hot to walk home from the stop. Can't say that I blame him one bit. We'll see what he wants to do when it cools off...

He also lost another tooth over the weekend and another one is loose.  AND! get this!  The "tooth fairy" FORGOT to visit on the first night.  He told me his "best idea" was that I was the tooth fairy and that I forgot.
I think the jig might be up soon... what about y'all?

File under, too smart for his own britches. Ugh.


So, have your kids started school?  If not, when will they?

What random stuff is up in your life today?

Linked up with Wordful Wednesday HERE and HERE!

Tour of my Car - Vlogtalk

I'm about to let you see my car. Don't you feel so privileged?!

Please don't "unfollow" me or "unfriend" me or any of that stuff when you see the back seat floorboard, k?

Pinky swear?
(wait, how do you do that over the internets??)

Anyway, just please don't.

I mean, it's BAAAAAAD...

It's possible that there are small woodland creatures living down there somewhere.  Or a few "goldfish". HA HA HA!  Get it?  Goldfish (you know, the cheesy variety).

I crack myself up.

Anyway, here's the car.  The one I have a love/hate relationship with. I may or may not start begging my husband at one point during this vlog.

And I'm not the only star of the show this time (perhaps I've covered the third prompt as well...) ;)



Check out Vlog Talk - it's pretty awesome!

Beautiful Eyes - i heart faces

I took this shot of K when I first got my 50mm lens.  It's one of my very faves and pretty fitting for i heart faces this week, dontcha think?

It's kinda like she's looking down into my soul.  So intense for a baby girl.  Also?  Makes me wanna kiss my computer.

:)

i heart faces

Blog On Sista! (refelctions on blogging)

As I entered into the experience that was BlogHer ’11 I had no reservations and I was not stressed about going. Admittedly I was a tad anxious just because I knew I would meet many new people. It’s much like I used to feel when I was a kid, getting ready for the first day of school, excited and full of butterflies. I’ve been to a few conferences now and I’m such an extrovert that the concept of going off to another city to be with people I’ve never met before (and some I’ve met only once) is more fun than stressful to me.  It's actually like a natural "high".

I met up with Galit at the airport and we hit it off right away. And then once I found Jennifer and we were all lunching together (including Melissa, Jessica, Amanda and Lizz) it was like I was on a trip with some of my best girlfriends. I saw Heather and her baby girl and we hugged and not much later I saw other friends in the lobby and around the hotel. Jennifer said I knew “everyone” but she was wrong. No way could you know everyone at a conference with 3500+ people.

Me and my BlogHer roomies in one shot from our flip book from the Clever Girls party on Thurs. night

The next day we walked into the enormous pavilion for breakfast and it was like a sea of people I’d never seen before, even in the “twitterverse”. Although I’m sure many of them I just didn’t recognize form their teeny tiny avatar - I mean, that’s really hard to do, y’all!

I began to feel a bit like a little fish in a REALLY big pond. More like a small lake actually.

And the thing is, I am. And that’s fine.

There are SO many more blogs out there than when I started my little space almost 5 years ago. Blogging has evolved SO much since my first post went up on November 28th, 2006. I posted about my preemie nephew coming home from the NICU and the fact that we had to rake a million leaves in our yard, upon our return from our Thanksgiving holiday in Austin. That was my life then...

Today many blogs are much more specialized and are labeled as "Baby" blogs or "Food" blogs or fitness or photography or giveaway blogs. People often “vlog” (I’ve done it too, yes I have…) using programs or software that I don’t even know how to use. There are things like Stumble Upon and Triberr that confuse me. Sadly, sometimes I feel behind the times.

On the flip side though, I’ve always been glad that my blog name and subject matter lends itself to encapsulate many things and I’ve even posted about each one of the topics I mentioned above. But then I also wonder if because my blog is fairly general, does it perhaps get lost in the shuffle of it all.

Jen and I in a photobooth at the BlogHer Expo

However, even though I wonder it, it doesn’t make me change who I am. I really, REALLY enjoy writing and taking photographs and so I continue with this internet journal called a “blog”. It’s a wonderful creative outlet for me and the amazing people I’ve had the opportunity to meet are just an extra, fabulous bonus.

Lizz, me and Melissa gettin' crazy at CheeseburgHer!

And the cool thing is that as blogging evolves, so do I.

I can tell you right now, my photography has definitely improved ten-fold since that first post.

So, who knows where the blog and I will go from here.

But I'm definitely willing to find out... hope you are too...


p.s. good thing I still know how to use the "old school" scanner, huh? ;-P

The Invisible Rock

Sometimes as as mothers we have no idea what our day holds.

Perhaps you've carefully planned a day of running at the gym in the morning, nap time for the toddler, Uno time with the 7 year old, reading blogs, hanging out on tweetdeck all while the pre-schooler is at summer "school".  But somewhere in there you hadn't showered yet when the phone rings and the assistant director at the school says on the other end, "G says he put a rock up his nose. Maybe you should come get him."

Good thing you (meaning ME) had already had lunch.

My response?

 "Is he crying, is he in pain, have you felt around to see if there really is something in there?"

Hers:

"Yes M'am, we can't see or feel anything but we just thought you might want to have him checked out."

Mine:

"Okay, I'll be there in a bit to get him."
(meanwhile my internal monologue is all WTH?!?)


So, all the rest of the day's plans are out the window as you (meaning me) RUN to go take a shower, call the neighbor (thank GOD she's home!) to come stay with the sleeping toddler and come to find him at school happily eating a popsicle and questioning the whole thing.

After lots of tweeting with my tweeps, texting with the hubs, a call to the pediatrician and asking G over and OVER whether there really IS a rock in his nose, you (meaning me) decide to load up the kids and take him to the local clinic.

And guess what!?!?!  They do not have proper tools to extract things inserted into little noses by little boy fingers (same story at the pediatrician, btw...) so they advise you (after all of them telling their own "oh yes, so-and-so totally put a button/peanut/m&m up his/her nose stories...) to go to the ER.

THE ER!!!!

(I hate the ER)

Thankfully your hubs offers to take him and so after you (meaning me) take the kids for burgers you meet him at the house and he takes him.

And when they come back less than an hour later and you ask "SO!?!?!?  Was there really a rock in there?!?!" and your hubs says "mmmm.... not sure..."  you're a tad puzzled (that's a really nice way of saying "using expletives in your head") as to how no one saw said rock.

He tells you (meaning me) how he thinks he maybe saw some small thing come out of his nose.  He says possibly getting said thing out of his nose was NOT an easy or at all fun task to watch and then you are upset that your baby had to go through that.

When you ask toddler he says that the rock is gone, takes a bath, enjoys his ER sticker prizes and goes to bed fine.

And you (meaning ME!) are kinda wishing you could drive back to ER and scour the floor for tiny pebbles that may look like something that was in your son's nose.

I mean it's not like I have any plans tonight...


P.S. I’m sharing my awesome with Momma Made It Look Easy and you can too

BlogHer Top 12 (because top "tens" are boring, right?)

It's hard to sum up my whole Blog Her experience this year because there was just SO. MUCH.

So much walking.  So much hugging. So much laughing.  So much dancing.  So much love.  So much friendship.  So much fun.  So much swag (yes that too).  So much picture-taking.

But after going through the photos that were taken with my camera (many not by me, since I'm in them - YAY!) I came up with a little list that I think does a fairly good job.

It was a great time and I'm SO glad I went and got to hang out and meet my friends from the internets.  They really are quite amazing!

So here it is...

My BlogHer Top 11:

12. Realizing you have an awesome roommate when after only 5 minutes of meeting her, you and your other wonderful roommate are already laughing with her about her awesome swag, a battery-powered hairbrush. :)

It really was awesome.  We all tried it and our hair looked very smooth and shiny!! 

11. The views from your hotel room look like this and it's 60-something degrees when you walk out on the balcony.

10.  You enjoy dinner with seven of the loveliest ladies you've had the pleasure of spending time with.  And a nice, albeit "leetle" (gosh, could you spare just a tad more vino???) glass of wine.

Melissa (@bargainshopmom), Amy (@nevertruetales) Me and Jen (@MomMadeItLookEZ)

Christine (@Evolving Mommy), Rachel (mommyneedsvaca), Jen (@buriedwithkids) and Kelly (@kpugs)

9. You get up at 5:30 to go run a 5K (that wasn't really a true 5K but oh well) and see pretty boats and bridges while you're out and about.  Oh and you see a friend there that you just had dinner with (@kpugs)

wearing the tee from my awesome sponsor, Canvas Press!

8. You have the opportunity to hear an amazing photographer (Penny De los Santos) speak in her own personal poetry and show you some of the most amazing photographs you've ever seen and you are TRULY inspired. (thank you to @shesuggests for suggesting I go! ha!)

7. You hop in the flying paper money box at the expo and win ten bucks for cab fare!  WOOT!  As well as send a Hallmark card to your mom with a beagle on it that looks like the one you grew up with (miss you Chester! Oh and you too Mom!) AND take a pic with Cookie Monster and Elmo and your super fabulous roomies!

6.  You go to parties with great friends and talk to a lot of great people (even some who you don't realize who they are at the time - hey @mommyofamonster!)

Me and Tracy (@sellabitmum) Love Her! 

5. You dance and party like it's 1999 with thousands of fabulous bloggers and then your thighs hurt badly in the morning.

Tracy, me and Tracy (@chimomwriter - who took the pic!)

4. You take a little walk in the gorgeous weather and come back feeling refreshed after taking a few pretty pictures.

3. You go to the movies (to see "The Help") with some gorgeous ladies and cry your eyes out after many attempts to push back the tears.  It was amazing.  Go see it, the first chance you get!!!

 Amanda knows how to rock the smile!! 

Aren't my roomies stunning?

2. You can hang out at a party for a couple of hours with a personalized Micky D's paper bag on your head and no one thinks twice about it.

1. THE COMPLETELY FABULOUS, WONDERFUL, WISH YOU LIVED NEAR ME, LET'S FORM A COMMUNE, PEOPLE!!!!

Me and Liz (@libismorgan) getting down at CheeseburgHer

Jessica (@mytimeasmom) and me at the Aiming Low party (yes, I was getting tired by this time)

 

Me and the sweet, beautiful Galit (@GalitBreen).  She's amazing, inside and out. 

Me and Amanda at the Cheap Sally party. (and @ByWordsMusings enjoying her drink in the background!) 

Yes, my eyes are closed but it's the best of the 3 that Zdub (@Zakary) and I took!  

Melissa and me at the Big Toy Book Party where they had champagne, yummy Pink Berry and where I got the boys a Hex Bug from KidzVuz! 

I also want to give a shout out to these ladies who I loved seeing but are not in any of my pics but I wish they were.  Boo to that... Jo-Lynne, Ilana, Nicole, Cheryl, Nichole, Mandy, Heather, Ellie, Jennifer, Angie, Jill, Stacey, Yuliya, Haley, Heather, Becca.

So, what was in your top 12 at Blog Her?  And if you didn't go what was great about your weekend?  And would you consider Blog Her '12?  It's in NYC.... We'll see... :)

Oh and if this was a TOP 13 I would also include the gorgeous, funny and heart-felt posts read during Voices of the Year and the Listen to Your Mother Salon.  It's so amazing to hear people read their own writing out loud.  (sorry this is an after thought but I was just SO tired after compiling this post!)

p.s. all photos on flickr

Linking up with WordFul Wednesday...