Another one of my "bright ideas"

So I started another blog a few weeks ago. Why? I have no idea. I haven't posted much yet, because I'm not sure if anyone would be interested seeing as how I only have about 4 regular readers of this blog. But hey, you never know, right? I guess I've been goofily photographing many of the cards I've made, although I rarely duplicate any of them in full because I tend to find things wrong with them. Big surprise, eh?

But if you enjoy any aspect of cardmaking, you might check it out at: http://some-almost-groovy-cards.blogspot.com and let me know what you think. Oh, and as my Aunt Joyce would say, be nice.

(The other way to access this new blog is to just click on my Profile and you will see it listed there as Card Show.)

Oh, the drama!!!

Like my father before me, I am not very good at labeling the pictures that I take. One of the reasons, in recent years, has been that I haven't known what to use to label them. I used to just use ball-point pen, but then I learned that the ink used in those pens is really acidic, so I stopped doing that. Then I tried using my beloved ZIG Millennium pens, but they took way too long to dry on the slick surface. Finally, I found these Slick Writer pens that are perfect for writing on photographs-- they dry super-fast and are acid-free. I've already used one up writing on pictures I was sending away to family members. Then I bought a package of 3 and set a goal to label all 20+ years of photos I have taken. This doesn't even include all the family photos and slides [covering at least 25+ more years] that my Mom gave me to organize.

Is it just me, or does that sound like an overwhelming task? I kept putting it off when I think of how long it would take. Finally, this Sunday, I began the monumental task, starting with photos from 1986 (I was 9 then). So far I've gotten to December 1997, which sounds better than it is, considering I've taken probably twice as many photos in the subsequent 10+ years. Anyway, in order to figure out when certain photos were taken, I have pulled out my old diaries/journals and desk calendars to piece dates and events together. This has been both amusing and sorta depressing as I read what a boy-crazy, emotional, sad sack I was. On the one hand, it's really interesting to see what I thought was soooooo important then. On the other hand, I find huge gaps and wonder why I didn't write about better things, such as my baptism or more about my family. I also tended to write a lot when I was angry, which is embarrassing now. I pretty much quit journaling by 2001, so there's no record of my courtship and marriage, etc. which is pretty sad. Luckily, I did keep up the calendars, at least.

So I thought I'd share an excerpt from an entry in my first diary, dated January 12, 1990, to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Try not to laugh too hard!

"...I didn't see Chad. But I have been thinking A LOT about him. I wish I weren't though, 'cuz if I end up liking him, it'll probably blow up in my face. How come none of the guys I end up liking NEVER like me? IT'S NOT FAIR!! None of the decent guys ever like me. It's always the dweebs, or midgets or fatsos, or dummies or .... just no one I ever like !! Just once I'd like to find a guy. I know I'm not even 13 yet, but who knows how long I'll live. I may never even reach 13 for all that matter!!
"Well, anyway, I'm tired of writing about this depressing crap and 'Just the 10 of Us' is on. Bye!! Rachael"

Don't you just love the drama and desperation of a 12-year-old girl? Boy howdy!!! Unfortunately, some of my entries from college are just as dramatic-- although, at least I became more accepting of other people and stopped giving them such cruel and harsh labels. And I still like to overuse those exclamation points!!!!!

Do you have any equally horrifying diary entries from your youth? It might make me feel better to hear about them!! :)

Still alive....

I had noble intentions of posting many times, but just haven't been quite in the mood when I sit down at the keyboard. Since it's the end of the semester, my husband gets first dibs on the computer to do his enormous projects. We are all looking forward to May 7, when he can stop and breathe a little before he's back to working full-time and taking a summer class.

And of course, now the kiddo thinks he needs to use the computer, too. His primary interests are typing lots of "8888888888" and "0000000" (he now loves 0 almost as much as 8, thanks to "Chicka Chicka 1-2-3") and "jkjkj" type stuff on Word, playing "Keyboard-O-Rama" on sesameworkshop.org, and watching videos of his second cousin, Cora, on her blog. He also likes to listen to music from the internet, particularly the video of "Bubbly" I found on YouTube. When he sits down at the computer, he often asks, "Wherever you go?"

So the computer time I get is mainly when both of my guys are asleep (sigh), and although I should be sleeping as well, I tend to get caught up doing stupid stuff like playing Spider Solitaire or clicking on the inane celebrity news headlines that appear when I log out of my email account. And there are just so many of them out getting arrested and doing other idiotic stuff... I'm a little addicted and have no earthly idea why. It's so, so sad.

Other than that, my Mom came for a visit, which was great. My son absolutely ADORES his "Gobby," and often ignores me when she's around-- quite a change from his usual insistence on following me everywhere. I love that she puts up with my incessant talking and that she thinks my lame jokes are funny. It's a sad day for both of us when she goes back home.

I've also been reading a lot. April 13-19 was National Library Week, so I embraced my nerdiness and managed to read at least 3 books that week. I love that Alexander McCall Smith is so awesome that he has published a new No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency book during the week of my birthday every year for at least the past 3, so that it seems like a present just for me! I can't say that we went to the Library any more than our normal 2-3 times a week, but my Little Guy has informed me on at least 2 separate occasions that it is his "Favorite House."

Speaking of my little genius-in-training, he has now reached 22 months, and every day he surprises me with something new. I'll try to post soon about some of his more amusing talents, but now it is just SOOOOOOOOOO late and I need to take some new pictures, so I'll just tell you that we were recently outside playing with sidewalk chalk when, out of the blue, he taps his chest and says, "Doctor." I have no idea where this came from, so after a few seconds....

"Oh?" I asked. "Are you going to be a doctor when you grow up?"

"Yes."

"Really? Wow, that's great. But you can be anything you want to be, as long as it's moral and legal.* If you want, you could be a teacher, or a lawyer, or a mapmaker, or a scientist, or a writer, or an artist, or even a garbage man, if it makes you happy... Are you sure you don't want to be a champion hot dog eater?"

He gave me a look like, 'you are so weird, Mommy' and said, "No!"

He has since pointed to himself and said "Doctor" a few more times. So, there you have it, I've got a future doctor on my hands... I hope he's not planning on Mommy and Daddy paying for Medical School. I guess he'd better start saving!

*and of course, he knows exactly what that means! ;)

Sweet Sixteen

(Sorry this photo is from last year!)

Happy 16th Birthday to my beautiful, brilliant, fantastic niece, Emily!

We love and miss you, and hope you're having a fantabulous day! We wish we could be there to spend your day with you. I just remembered that I spent my 16th birthday with... you! You were such an adorable little sweetheart-- to me, you still are, even though you're "quite grown up"-- and we are so proud of you.

(I really wish I had a scanner to upload some of my favorite photos of Miss Emily, as 99.99% of them were NOT taken on a digital camera! Please forgive me, Em!)

What am I gonna do now?!?!

Well, shucks, whatever will I get for my husband's Anniversary gift now?!?! If you can't trust "hillbilly teeth," what can you trust?

I hope none of you are in the same boat! ;)

FUNTASTIC Recalls Fake Teeth Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Thu Apr 10, 11:19 AM ET

WASHINGTON, April 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Hillbilly Teeth

Importer: FUNTASTIC, of Houston, Texas

Hazard: The gray surface paint on the teeth contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves a 2-pack fake Hillbilly Teeth with item # 2657. The item number is printed on the packaging. The gums are brown and the teeth are yellow.

Sold at: Grocery, Drug, Convenience, and Mass retailers nationwide from March 2005 through March 2008 for about $2.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy away from children and contact FUNTASTIC for information on receiving a refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact FUNTASTIC at (800) 434-5207 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

Photos at www.cpsc.gov.

Firms Recall Hotline: (800) 434-5207

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Reading The Scriptures

As previously stated, our kid LOVES to look at books, any kind of books. In the past few months, his interest has extended to the Scriptures as well. At first, he would flip through the pages and say "water" over and over again. We decided it was because he must obviously be a spiritual genius and knew the Scriptures were the "living waters." :) Of course, he would also ask me to read to him, but shortly after I'd begin, he'd grab the book back from me. I guess I didn't pick the right verse?! ;)

Then one day, we heard him turning the pages and saying, "sack-a-men" (Sacrament) and "O God, Eternal Father" and we were again amazed. How does he know that is in the Scriptures?

About 2 weeks ago, as we read our nightly 6 verses, he looked through another volume and kept saying what sounded to me like, "ka-tuh-pass." Finally I realized he was saying "It came to pass..." So I guess this means he does listen when I'm reading, even if he's darting around the room and making lots of noise!

I finally got some video "evidence" of this, and thought I'd post it. As for his reciting of the numbers, I have no idea if he was actually seeing them or not. But every night when I start to read, I remind him which Chapter and verse we are reading, so I guess he's used to hearing me say these numbers!

Sorry for all the background noise. Daddy-O didn't know I was "filming." Also, let's hope Daddy-O forgives me for posting this. He said our house looks too messy. I say it could be A LOT worse!

Holidays...

I recently realized that if you were just guessing from the posts on my blog, it would look like we don't celebrate any holidays because I never post any photos or tell what we did. Partially that is because our family is spread all over the world and so our holiday celebrations are quite small compared to most people's. Also, being an uber-perfectionist, I would feel pressure to make it all cute and informative... so I just end up skipping the whole deal. I'm contemplating making a slide show of photos from all the Holidays in the last year, but that seems like it would take a while and I'm not quite up to that yet.

ANYWAY, we do celebrate holidays, of course. My little guy and I were without Daddy-O for Easter this year, but we did go to my Mom's (Gobby's)

and my oldest sister and her 3 gorgeous, brilliant girls were there for 2 days. (We sure wished his other aunties and cousins could have been with us! :( )


Little guy had his first visit from the Easter Bunny, from whom he got 2 new books for Church (about Jonah and Noah), a little bear,

and some eggs full of either fish crackers, m&ms, (generic) teddy grahams, or jelly beans.

Of course, he preferred the candy! I made him spread the treats over a few days, and boy was that traumatic on the first day.

Now every time he sees a basket with a handle, he asks if it's an "Easter Battick." When we said prayers that night, we had to say we were thankful for his "Easter Battick." I don't think he gets that Easter only comes once a year, because he just keeps asking for more "Easter Battick!!!"

Seeking advice...

I was just wondering, if any of my readers have successfully potty-trained a boy. If so, how did you introduce the process to said boy(s)? How many weeks/months/years did it take? I used to babysit a boy while he was learning to use the potty, but that was only one day a week and it was stressful enough! I counted my lucky stars someone else got to deal with it the other 6. My little man-child is very interested in the bathroom, flushing, and usually comments that his old diapers are "'tinky." So I don't know, does that indicate interest in potty-training or not?

Are there any books, videos, websites, or pointers from others that were helpful to you?

Okay, Sweetie!

One fun thing about having a child who repeats nearly everything you say is that you never know what he's going to remember and when. Sometimes when I tell him something I hear him repeat it almost as though he's just storing it away for future reference. (On the other hand, this is definitely causing me to think about what I'm saying, and what I'm exposing him to in the media...)

Lately, when I ask my son questions, I do still get a lot of the replies of "no," "okay," and "yes" that I am used to hearing. But other times I get some much more interesting and amusing responses. The other day, he handed me the book, Corduroy by Don Freeman. When I asked him if he wanted Mommy to read Corduroy to him, he answered, "Great. Great thinking, Mama!"

My other favorite is when he says, "Okay, sweetie." Tonight my husband and I had Temple Recommend Interviews. When Daddy-O thought I was about finished, he turned to the Kiddo and asked, "Are you ready to go home now?" My son's reply: "Okay, sweetie." Then he thought for a second and added, "Wait for Mama!"

As Daddy-O was putting him in his carseat, Kiddo said, "By me," which generally means he wants me to sit next to him. I asked him if that was what he wanted. His reply: "Okay, sweetie!"