Molly's Story

I recently talked with my friend, Molly (who lost her teenage son nearly two years ago), and naturally, the subject of Ryan came up. One of the things she told me was further evidence that she is healing. She said that before Ryan died, she always saw her life as a story that she was writing; that all of the chapters were born out of choices she had made; going to college, getting married, mothering three boys, growing her career, etc. When Ryan died, she says, that book slammed shut. Eventually, a new book was born, but it was very different; it had only a back and front cover and a single page. On the page were the words, "My son is dead." Now, she says, that book has a few more pages. She has picked up her pen and has been slowly, but surely, writing a new chapter, at least figuratively. I asked her if she would ever consider writing a book, and she said she's thought about it but doesn't know where she'd find the time. (I'm sure we can all relate to that!)

Molly's an amazing woman; she always has been, and I feel very blessed to have her in my life. Her story of survival would be incredibly inspiring and a must-read.

What is your story? Are you writing a novel? Non-fiction? Mystery? Joke Book? Fantasy? Science Fiction? I'd love to read the jacket of your book.

Reality Show Reality

College Students who like to get drunk and stupid
Cops
Mall Cops
Survivors
Little People
Brats and their Unskilled Parents
Families with multiple children
Spoiled/Pregnant/Runaway Teenagers
Hollywood Has-Beens
Cheaters
Drug Addicts
Housewives
Garbage Collectors
Bachelors/Bachelorettes
Fishermen
Chefs/Cake Designers
Wannabee Models/Atheletes/Prom Queens
"Beautiful" People

Who will they not make a "reality" show about? I'll tell you...

Happy, functional families (Remember Little House on the Prairie?)
People with good social skills (Remember the Waltons? Leave It to Beaver?)
Intelligent fathers (I think Bill Cosby was the last one I know of, and they pretty much broke the mold with him.)

Who am I missing??

Our Favorite Things: Pantry Edition

Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. This is the third installment of the Favorite Things series, the goal of which is to share your favorite products/services with everyone. In this edition, we'll share food-related items (assuming that's what you have in your pantry, haha.) The important thing to remember is that opinions shared here have not been impacted by any free offers or gifts; they're strictly based on my opinion (take it or leave it :)

One of my top favorite items in my pantry is my pickle relish, but I can't write about that, because you can't have any!haha Sorry, but as far as I know, my pickle relish (a homemade gift from my friend Dawn) is not available for sale, nor are her delicious pickled green beans. (I guess you'll just have to suffer on that, sorry.)

Another top favorite in our pantry is Betty Crocker mashed potatoes.  They're super easy, inexpensive, convenient, and everyone loves them. The website claims that they "Taste as good as homemade!" and I'm happy to report that they are definitely the next best thing (but half the work and a tenth of the time), and they come in all kinds of flavors. Our favorite is Creamy Butter, but they also have Roasted Garlic, Four Cheese, and other combinations of the same. One box holds two envelopes, and we usually make both for our family of four. They're made with "100% real mashed potatoes" and (I'm sorry to say) some ingredients I can't pronounce, but I'm good with that; they haven't killed me yet! I highly recommend these potatoes for those times when you just want to serve a decent meal that makes everybody happy.

I realize this is kind of contradictory to what I stated earlier, but I am very, very happy that my favorite peanut butter includes just that: peanuts (and a little salt.  Smuckers Natural Chunky Peanut Butter is my absolute favorite, and when I don't have any to put on my favorite whole grain bread toast, I get very, very crabby. While my family mostly still prefers Jif, I am working on switching them over, because I'm trying to cut back on unnecessary salt and sugar, and the Smuckers is every bit as delicious. I guess I should add that the chunky variety is not for wimpy bread, but seriously, are you really putting natural peanut butter on crazy, processed white-flour "bread?" Come on over to the whole grain side! It's awesome over here!!

Okay, since I'm on the subject, I am in the market for a hearty, whole grain (as in sunflower seeds, crunchy, slice-your-own bread.) I really love LaBrea, but two stores that I buy it have switched to something inferior :( I sort of liked Breadsmith's whole grain bread that I tried last week, but it came already-sliced, and we like it a little thicker. Plus, it was just "okay." What it boils down to is this: If I'm going to eat carbs, I want them worth something. Suggestions are welcome.

That's it for me! I look forward to your suggestions on all things pantry-related. For favorite recipes (including my yummy summer favorite, Black Bean Watchamahoosit check out Mrs.4444 Cooks! For previous "Our Favorite Things" editions (including links to other contributors) check these out:

Bathroom
Kitchen
For Lawn/Garden/Garage Edition, tune in July 9th (I'm leaving time for the holiday). Guys, this is a special invite to you, but I know you ladies have stuff to offer, too. See you then!

Now's your chance to link up your favorite recommendations on today's topic. Here's LinkyTools, for your linking pleasure...

Sundays in My City

Unknown Mami hosts a wonderful photo-themed meme on Sundays, when people from all over the world post photos representing their cities. This week, I have kind of a hodgepodge and am going to make up for skipping last week.

In my neck of the woods, I came upon a very elusive, but beautiful, bird family. Here's the best shot I could get...


I'm also still enamored with this funky tree, now in the midst of a farm field of happy yellow something-or-other.


Our friends, Mike and Sandy, had us over for fish on Friday night. No, not the fish in their backyard coy pond. Their dog couldn't wait for dinner, though, and helped himself to the fish food (as in the food belonging to the fish!)


It was pretty hot/muggy outside (we were cooking/eating in their very nice, clean garage.) and this guy...


was dying to go swimming and eat some fish! (What a good dog!! He did not jump in, though he got really close.)

This little baby got a good workout that night...


Think fresh walleye, shoestring fries, and my first-ever, deep-fried green peppers!


I saved the best two photos for last.

Here's the partner-chefs doing the dishes after serving that amazingly delicious meal.

(Yes, Mike knows he looks like Uncle Fester.)

That's my man right there on the right and below...

(Just so you know, that's not a wart on Mr.4444's cheek; it's a bead of sweat, and if you look very, very, carefully, you'll see another one starting on the end of his nose.)

I know, I know....I've got it good.

Unknown Mami's got it good, too; she lives in San Francisco and always has great shots to share. Why not stop by and say hi?!

Friday Fragments, 100th Edition!!

Holy cow!! It's the 100th Edition of Friday Fragments!! If you think about it, combining all our fragments over the last couple of years (no, I'm far too lazy to actually count them), we've probably unloaded (conservatively) 10,000 random thoughts, observations, pearls of wisdom fragments together. That's pretty impressive, no? Thanks for joining me! [for more info on FF and how to play nice, click the FF button above :]

To celebrate, I'm going to give you 100 fragments about me. JUST KIDDING! (I hate those things, BTW.)

***In Wisconsin today, you can still smoke in a bar. Come July 5th, though, that will change. I didn't think a lot of it until I went to Madison (smoke free for a while now, I guess) last week and saw nary a cigarette in the three days I was there. Wow-It's really nice to be able to wear anything to a bar without worry about it (or you) reeking of smoke when you get home. I rarely even saw anyone smoking outside. It was strange and very nice.

***Also interesting about Madison was the fact that there seems to be a greater danger of getting run over by a bike than by a car; lots of people bike in Madison, and they seem serious about it! Overall, I really enjoyed the visit and felt like I was in Seattle again.

***Yesterday, after watching Jannie's silly video in response to my Vlogging FAIL video, I somehow ended up at The Levity Project's website and found the Smile Micromovement. I'm very excited to contribute to this very fun cause. All you have to do is send a 5-10 second video clip that involves you smiling. Interested? Check out their Car-Dancing Movement from this spring and see if you don't get inspired!

***That Caution--She is so brilliant. This is her once-again prize-winning fragment from last Friday:

Lesson 2: Those film marks on the inside of the windshield which you don't notice until you are driving your children to school against the sunrise? Erase them with a dry erase eraser. The eraser will also do wonders for wiping smudges from the screen of your phone.

What a great idea! I am so going to try this. Thanks, Caution! You win the prize again.


***Our Favorite Things Kitchen and Bathroom editions are up and running. Tune in Monday for the Pantry Edition (including all favorite food products.) Remember, these are products you aren't selling and haven't received perks to promote. I love hearing from real moms and dads about products you like, so why not join in and share your opinions?

***The mom of one of my students died, unexpectedly, a few days ago, from a previously- undiscovered medical issue. I knew her fairly well, and her passing stirred a lot in me, but I have come to terms with it now. She leaves a husband and two young daughters (7th and 10th grades) behind. If you are the praying kind, would you please put in a good word for them? Thanks.

***Wisconsin Mommy's King Zhu Pets Giveaway is underway! I'm sure everyone knows at least one kid who would love to win these! It's a very generous package, and right now, your odds of winning are great, so don't be afraid to check it out!

***Mr.4444 and I have been shocked and amused by the Schick Quattro Trimstyle woman's razor commercial, which shows bushes being magically trimmed in a variety of shapes as beautiful women go about their lives. I'm sure some people are put off by this commercial and find it incredibly tacky, but we think it's hilarious.

***I am so dying to overhaul this blog template, but I am just overwhelmed by the whole idea; there's just so much to move!!! Would anyone like to move me for free? Hm. I thought not. Maybe by the end of summer...

***SuburbanWow, an interactive morning chat show hosted by the talented Melisa of Suburban Scrawl and special guest Martha, will be livestreaming Friday morning here. Stop by to say hi!

Okay, here's the linky thingy to link up your FRIDAY FRAGMENTS post (not your "Not Even Going to Actually Read the Post, I Just Want to Promote My Blog post, okay? Thanks.) And while you're here, check out another fragmenter or two--They'll be glad you stopped by :)

My Very Good Excuse

I've been feeling kind of dumpy lately, so I made up my mind to get some exercise today. I put the appropriate clothes on, as in 1990 spandex (hey, they're not worn out at all!), sports bra and all all that jazz. I made sure I had a little fuel in me and prepared a nice big bottle of water. Finally, I was ready.

I went all the way upstairs to the bonus room, got the treadmill out and set up (which was no small feat. Thank you, Kendall!) It was also covered in dust.

Next, I got the TV in the correct position. That's about when the whining started. It wasn't very loud, but it was incessant. "Are you kidding me?! Stop it!" I said, distracted, but not swayed; I had a plan and was sticking to it. No amount of whining would get in the way, but still...the whining continued.

Finally, I gave in......




....wait for it....




......wait for it....




Sometimes, you just have to give in to the whining....

(See? I wasn't kidding--Look at the dust!) Anyway, just so you know, Cooper ran for 45 minutes. I did have to change the channel for him,


but I understood...



Sometimes, you just have to take one for the team.

[Don't worry--I did get a turn. I only made it 20 minutes, but I'm going to go at it again tomorrow.]

Vlogging FAIL

Have you ever heard of vlogging? It's video-blogging.  You may remember some really fun vlogs done by Yaya, back when she was blogging.  I've always wanted to vlog, but I've just never gotten it down.  I tried again yesterday and was reminded why I don't vlog much....

[Don't worry--It's only 30 seconds long]



Maybe another time....

Favorite Things: Kitchen Edition

Welcome to Our Favorite Things! It's a way for us to talk over the "cyber" backyard fence, if-you-will, to share our favorite products with confidence, just to be friendly.  The rules are just that--share some of your favorite things that fit in the designated category; things you absolutely love and might cry if you never saw again.  Be sure you only pick things you've never received money or a freebie for and that you aren't selling the product/service. That way, we can all know with 100% certainty that there is no bias involved.

Today's subject is "Kitchen" and includes products and services related to your kitchen (but not including your pantry; that's for later.) Here are mine!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  The thought of eating fruits and vegetable skins that have come in contact with God knows what really grosses me out. I mean, think of it--How many people do you think have touched that apple, green pepper, or tomato before you? Think of where their hands have been. [Shudders]  I honestly don't worry about that anymore, because I've been using Veggie Wash now for at least four or five years, and I love it. I've mentioned it on several of my Mrs.4444 Cooks recipes here and here and here, so you know for sure that I'm not kidding when I say I use it all the time.

Veggie Wash is made of simple, natural ingredients, smells great, and rinses beautifully. Just follow the directions on the bottle to wash anything from apples and strawberries to cauliflower and broccoli. After using this stuff, I will never again eat grapes without washing them first with VW; there is a big taste difference, and you get rid of all of the film on them.  It cuts through that waxy stuff on cucumbers, too.  Okay, I  think I've made my point.  You can find Veggie Wash here. For what it's worth, two years ago, I bought this 32 oz. bottle of concentrate (which makes eight 16-oz refills), and I still have plenty left. 

Another hands-down favorite thing in my kitchen is this little do-jobby that I bought from Pampered Chef more than five years ago. (I actually have the older version, which I prefer, but you get the idea.)

At one point, I had two, because during the summer, one is always in the dishwasher. I use it to take the tops off of strawberries in a swipe (without cutting off too much!). I also like it for getting rid of bad spots in fruits or vegetables and for seeding jalapenos in a snap.  I used it to pull the pulp out of lemons and limes for my delicious Black Bean Watchamahoosit recipe, too.  If I lost this thing, I would be really, really bummed.  As you can see, it's about four inches long, which explains why I am due to buy another one, because my second one is LOST.  (I hope they still sell them!! Any idea what it's called?!) [update: The new, updated version of this is called the Core and More #1176]

And finally, another Pampered Chef Product (Yes, I've been to my share of P.C. parties!)

This baby will cut a finger off if you're not careful.  Mine was purchased years ago and is in great shape; it is the coveted peeler in our house whenever two or more are gathered in the name of booyah veggie cutting, especially!  The person who uses this peeler is always able to peel twice as fast as everyone else (but like I said, be careful!!!)  Yes, Pampered Chef stuff costs more, but every single thing I have ever bought from them has lasted forever, and my peeler is no exception, so go ahead and accept that invitation; you can buy one of these little things I've shared and get out the door not spending an arm or a leg, with something you'll be very happy with.

I love sharing this stuff--Really, I hope you find it helpful, and I look forward to reading about yours. Share your favorite stuff in the comments, or write a post and then link up to the appropriate post. (If you'd rather do bathroom, click on the link highlighted below to add your link).  Here's the list of current and upcoming Our Favorite Things Topics (join in any time!):

Bathroom Edition
Kitchen Edition, Monday, June 21st
Pantry Edition (all things food!), Monday, June 28th
Lawn/Garden/Garage Edition, July 9th (to allow for the holiday week)
Sporting Goods?
Car?
Petcare?
Cleaning Closet??
Suggestions are welcome-(except Bedroom Edition--I'm just not going there.)
What have I missed?!

Grab the button (in my sidebar) to spread the word! (The more the merrier!) The button above is linked to my first Favorite Things Post (Bathroom Edition), which includes directions and links to other topics.

So, what are your favorite things in your kitchen?

Dad's Home!

Ever since our kids were small, whenever Mr.4444 is away on business, one or both kids asks, "Where's Dad? When is Dad coming home?" One would think they might care less about their dad being gone as they became teenagers, but they have not asked less often at all; they simply miss their dad when he isn't home, and I think that says a lot about the kind of dad Mr.4444 is (and no, it doesn't say a thing about their mom, haha.) He is the best dad that a kid could ask for, honestly--the whole package; kind, affectionate, loving,  patient, attentive, giving, fun, playful, serious when he needs to be, hard-working, etc. I could not have picked a better father for my kids.

Happy Fathers Day, Mr.4444

We love you.

And Happy Fathers Day to all of you other dads out there.
Here's hoping your day tomorrow is as great as you are! :)

[note: This post probably looks very different if you read it in your Reader. I loved the "poem" I had written but had second thoughts about posting it, so I took it out, and I'm not sure the Reader will reflect the changes. That's okay; I just wanted to explain my intent.

Friday Fragments, Episode #99!

 

Welcome to Friday Fragments, the home for bits and pieces of your week that are too short for stand-alone posts, but too good to discard. Collect humorous observations, "Heard" items, and other small gems, and put them together in a Friday Fragments post. Then leave a link to your Friday Fragments post with Linky Tools (below) and link back to THIS post in your FF post (please). Note: You don't have to have a blog button to link up--any small photo will do. Let me know if you need help :) For more info on how to be a good fragmenter, click here.

***I'm so bummed that I forgot my camera at home! (I'm still in Madison.) Such a beautiful place, and all I've seen is the view from the hotel, but it's gorgeous (Lake Monona).   I've never been any place in which you could step outside and get run over by a bike at any given moment, either. (Madison is very bicycle-friendly.)

***I'm frustrated about not finding just the right fragment divider for my FF posts.  Anyone know where I can make a little graphic that has no background to it?

***OMG-Check out Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple Bites at the Tasty Kitchen (cooking blog on The Pioneer Woman's website.

***Lisa Ceaser is a new fragmenter who stole the Favorite Friday Fragmenter award this week with this:

I think BIG MAC has started teaching LIL' MAC some of his bad habits... what do you think?

and this...

And those aren't the only amazing shots she put in her frags! Check her out to be wow'd some more! Lisa, congrats on winning the award!

***And speaking of pics, I want to share this one, of my sister, Geri, and her tap-dancing pal, Anne. 

A few weeks ago, they performed in a recital of sorts and were apparently a big hit!  Don't they look great?!

***Random Thought from Mrs.4444:  Volunteering is very important--very important. However, if it isn't bringing you joy, stop, and don't feel guilty about it. There is always some group that needs your help. You can make a difference in a million different ways. Don't be a martyr volunteering; if you don't enjoy it, stop and find something you do.

***So sorry I can't remember where I read this, but on someone's blog, I saw a profound question: Would you have an affair in the underwear you're wearing?  Holy cow! It blew me away (but from a bra point of view), so I went right out the next day and bought a beautiful new bra from Victoria's Secret. [Sorry-Details for Mr.4444 only!]  I tried to explain this epiphany to Kendall, but she said, "Okay, Mom. STOP. That's gross." Buahaha!

***Whoever decided to have the World Cup inside a bee's nest needs to be fired.

***Enough people showed an interest in the Favorite Things meme that I've decided to do another one.
The next edition, Kitchen (all things kitchen-related, EXCEPT food), will be posted Monday, June 21st, and you can learn the rules here. I hope to see you then!

Got a Friday Fragments post? Link up here:

The Jeffrey Journal

[Warning: If you have ever lost an infant or child, this post may be upsetting to you. While that is certainly not my intent, I realize it's possible, and I wanted to warn you.]

Imagine holding your months-old baby in your arms, getting to know his/her spirit, reveling in each gorgeous smile, seeing yourself in his or her eyes, feeling your heart burst with love. Add to that the complication of knowing that your child was not long for this earth; that he would soon pass away because of lack of a cure for a genetic disease.  Helen Baldwin knows this pain, and she wrote about it with grace in a memoir called The Jeffrey Journal.

I won The Jeffrey Journal from Helen (Lucy, of The Suite Life of Lucy and Ethel) in a giveaway. I'll be honest and tell you that I had seen the book before and figured it really wasn't for me; I'm way past the having babies stage and don't have a frame of reference for having lost a child. Plus, I thought it might be kind of depressing. [Sorry-Just being real.]    Out of respect to Helen, I glanced through the first few pages, thinking I would just get an overview, and I found that it had an uplifting tone to it. Her story hooked me, and I decided to take it with me on our weekend camping trip. I finished it the next day, and am very glad I did, because her story is inspiring, and that's why I offered to write about it here.

It surprises me that 1 in 40 people are carriers for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and yet I had never heard of it before reading The Jeffrey Journal. I had no idea that there was such a disease in existence, let alone one that is the number one genetic killer of children under the age of two. What's amazing is that there has been progress in SMA research, and according to Helen, a cure is actually on the horizon.  In fact, a cure for SMA will also help those battling ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and many others.

Helen and her family suffered a terrible loss when their beautiful little Jeffrey passed away, but her fierce love for him lives on, and I think her attitude is inspiring to anyone going through troubled times.  I was touched by her story and think anyone whose every loved and lost a family member would be, too. Please help spread awareness and support by friending Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy on Facebook.

For research, support, and hope for families dealing with SMA, please visit Families of SMA.
Purchase The Jeffrey Journal here.

Just so you know....

I'm in Madison, Wednesday through Friday, at a conference that has so far been really worth my time! Today, our speaker, Yong Zhao, spoke about globalization and education for three solid hours (without stopping), and I found it hard to leave the room at all (for bathroom breaks) because I didn't want to miss anything. He was inspiring.  I just wanted to let you know that while I do have posts scheduled as usual, I won't be stopping by your blogs til the weekend, most likely. I hope this finds you all happy, healthy, and loving summer :)

I leave you with a quote Yong shared (by one of his own children's teachers) about students:


"Children are like popcorn....some of them pop early, and some of them pop late." 

[Never mind that I burn a lot of popcorn! I loved it.]

Mostly-Wordless Wednesday: Remember Doing This?

On Sunday, I posted a photo of my sister Michelle with her two boys after participating in their first-ever Bellin Run.  What I didn't tell you is that they are multi-talented! See for yourself:



[BTW, that's Mom and Michelle laughing in the background.]

How My Mom Took an Army Soldier Down

Oh, this is good.  Priceless, really; you're gonna love it.  I have to thank Shannon, of Mobile Army Family, for sharing this story with me, because it will be told for generations in my family...

So, Shannon's U.S. Army soldier husband, "M" (who has never even met my mom or heard of her) ended up needing medical attention a few days ago because of her. Yes, it's all her fault, and here's why....

M is assigned to a famous military base in Texas (you know, where the temperature is 100 degrees by 9am) and was doing some marching "Hooha!" thing (three hours, 12.8 miles, in full gear, including armor plates and combat boots). The poor guy was near the end (both physically and mentally) his feet were raw. He, like the other 550 comrades behind him, "could feel the blood seeping through his socks."  Listening to his I-pod often helped him push through the tough spots, and it had, up to this point, but that was soon to change.

Shannon, a nurse-to-be, was serving as a medic at the finish line when she looked up and saw her husband staggering up to the finish with a very odd look on his face; like he was hallucinating or something, and suddenly, he reached down for something, tripped, and fell!  She was treating someone else at the time, but spoke with him a few minutes later, asking, "What the heck was that all about?!" M explained....

He was almost to the end of his grueling march (very competitive--he wanted to be in the top finishers) when suddenly, a song on his Ipod threw him for a loop! Instead of AC/DC or Metallica, M said, "I heard your mom singing Happy Birthday to me! I thought she was here or something!"  [Shannon's mom passed away more than a year ago.]   What in the world?!  Was he, in his over-heated, exhausted state, hallucinating?!  M fumbled with his Ipod to look at the screen, tripped, and fell.

Puzzled, Shannon gently removed M's boots (which took five minutes) and found an ugly mess so bad that I can't post a pic. (Just picture black toenails, blood, a broken toe, and a lot of raggedy skin.) As she worked on the battered feet, it dawned on her....

See, a month or two ago, Shannon had downloaded my mom's Happy Birthday to me, rather than just playing it (because she couldn't get it to play otherwise.)  Songs downloaded on her computer default to her I-tunes account and automatically get uploaded into her I-pod when she syncs it.  She had realized the song was there but didn't delete it, because she thought it was kind of cute.

Something tells me her husband might not think so....

Only kidding. He was able to laugh about it later. Until today....Monday....the birthday of the United States Army. Poor M had to march again!

I wonder if he used Mom's song to help him get through it!

"New School"? Meet "Old School"

Three years' worth of blogging, and I've never told this story?! I don't know how I got this far without it, because it's a good one. I was inspired to share it today, having read about poor Kathy's Potty Trouble post. She could use some advice, so pay her a visit [after you read my post, of course!]


As a parent of young ones, I had a long list of things I would not do. I would not yell at my kids, belittle them, beat them, or make them get up before 10am on Saturday mornings. As many of you know, Mr.4444 and I have done a pretty darned good job raising our kids, but it hasn't been without a few bumps.  Although my degree in Human Development and training as a preschool and kindergarten teacher helped me a lot as a parent of little ones, I didn't know everything! 

When it came to potty training, I was interested in the "new school" method of training, in which the child would "let you know" when they were ready to be trained. From my professional experience in early childhood and kindergarten, I had seen the results of too much pressure about using the toilet. I was not going to be all "old school" on my kid and bully him into wearing underwear, and I felt pretty good about that. After all, old school parenting is bad, right?

So...when Kendall's birth approached and Kyle was almost three, I encouraged him to use the toilet, but I didn't pressure him. He used it sporadically, and I clapped and praised him, but I didn't make a big deal of his upcoming birthday and the fact that he was still in diapers. This was an important transition time in his life, and I didn't want to mess it up.  Besides, nobody goes to kindergarten in diapers, right? I figured he'd let them go in due time.

I'll never forget the day I came home from the hospital with baby Kendall, and Kyle asked me to change his poopy diaper. He layed(?) down on the floor, and I did the deed, but not without being shocked at how huge this kid was, compared to the tiny infant I had brought home. He was like ten, and he was crapping in a diaper?! It was so gross.

Still, I didn't push the diaper issue; the poor kid had a new baby sister; it didn't seem fair to me to force him out of babyhood like that. He was only three, and he wasn't in school or anything; it wasn't a big deal. He'd use the potty when he was ready.

Six months later, it was status quo on the diapers for Kyle. I didn't like it, and I tried to make him think the potty was awesome (I can't tell you how many books I read that kid when he was sitting on the toilet!) but I didn't bully him about it. I did buy him Power Ranger underwear, and he wore them periodically, but he was still into those diapers.

One day, I was sitting on the couch when Kyle came up to me and said, "Mommy, I need a diaper."

"Okay," I said. "but are you sure you don't want to use the potty?"

He declined, so I put the diaper on him. And then, it happened...

That little shit  stinker stood there as the tell-tale taking-a-pee glaze came over his eyes, and then he announced, "Okay. I'm done. I need a new one, please."

And that's when I decided that it was time for New School to meet Old School.

I told Kyle, "Go upstairs and count how many diapers you have left." He did and came back with "Seven."

Then I told him that when those diapers were gone, he wasn't going to wear diapers anymore. Alarmed, he asked, "Why!?" and I told him, "Because you don't need them any more."  He insisted that he did, and I said, "No. You don't. You're almost four years old."  I told him he could wear pull-ups to bed if he wanted to (I knew that he hated those), but he declined. I think there was a tear or two (his), but I've blocked them out (cuz I'm cold like that.)

Three days later, I put Kyle's last diaper on him. I told him we were going to celebrate. I baked a "Congratulations, Kyle!" cake, wrapped a present (new book), and invited a family we knew over for dinner. All day long, Kyle asked me to remove his diaper so he could use the toilet and I put it back on him when he was done.

I wish I had a photo of Kyle's face, at the front door when our friends arrived with their kids calling out, "Congratulations, Kyle! Way to go, Man!" and reaching for high-fives. It was as if he was thinking, "This is serious! She's not kidding. I guess I really am done wearing diapers."

He never wore another diaper after that day. And yes, he did wet the bed a handful of times (especially that night, what with all the partying going on), but it all worked out in the end, and I'm really glad I finally woke up. There's something to be said for "old school."


Disclaimer:  How/When/Why to potty train your child is your business.  All kids, like all parents, are different.  My method was chosen based on what I knew about my child and his needs.  Please talk to a trusted adviser before deciding to yank the diaper rug out from under your child's butt!  
 
P.S.  If you're a mom who likes to give advice, please read Kathy's post and see if you can help her solve her potty problem!

P.P.S. Eternal Lizdom sent me to this excellent post from a mom whose really been through it! Check out A Big (and Stinky) Milestone, especially if you've ever had to deal with the extreme "end" of this issue.

Sundays in My City

photo by Evan Siegle, Green Bay Press Gazette

Yesterday, a record-breaking 15,050 walkers/runners took part in the 34th annual Bellin Run, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The tail end of the race passes near Mom's house, so we love to head down to cheer on the participants. It was a little drizzly today, but that didn't keep Mom from hiking the two blocks to sit in her lawn chair and visit.

Runners/walkers come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and many of them pair up. I really love seeing them encourage each other.

Another fun thing about the race is seeing so many people I know in it. It's hard to get pics, though, because by the time I recognize some people, they're almost past me!  I did my best...

Cousin Nancy! (It's about time I saw her at something other than a family funeral!)

My nephew, Caden, was running in his first Bellin Run. He had his eye on the finish line!

 

His mom (my sister Michelle) made sure to grab Caden's brother, Logan, for me to snap a pic!

Of course, the outfts are always interesting...

After watching the variety of boobs bouncing all over the place at these things, I'm certain I would never run without a very good bra. [no photo for that one, sorry.] 

I really love cheering, because most people are very appreciative of my clapping and, "Four more blocks!! You've got this!! Good job!! Keep going!!" I love watching faces light up. Many, like these kids from a school "team," pick up the pace when they hear that the end is near, and most look very relieved.

Of course, some people hate hearing that they have four more blocks to go, but so far, they've never thrown anything at me but dirty looks, haha.  At the end of the race, in fact, a guy went out of his way to walk up to me at the end and thank me for doing "a great job cheering."

See...spectators are important, too!  Maybe I'll run/walk next year.

Also this weekend, in my sister Geri's city of Anchorage, Alaska, there was a big run, the Run for Women. It's a walk/run to raise money for breast cancer programs.  Geri sent a link of the story, and I loved the pics so much, I thought I'd share two here.

The first was taken by Erik Hill, of the Anchorage Daily News...

The second was taken by Marc Lester, of the ADN.

There are many, many more wonderful Run for Women pics here, and to see other fun happenings from all over the world, visit Unknown Mami's place!

Favorite Things: Bathroom Edition

Like Fraulein Maria, I have a number of favorite things, and I love hearing about yours, too. Hence, this series.  All you do is write a post that features your favorite products that you use (in this case, in the bathroom.) Then, link your post up here. The catch is that you cannot post any product for which you have ever received a "perk," such as a free sample or coupon because you are a blogger. That way, we can all be 100% certain that these are our absolute, unbiased favorites.  I'm going to start with a post about stuff I use in the bathroom, and if this goes over, I'll host other editions. Here goes...

Products I refuse to do without in my bathroom:

Q-Tip Brand swabs. 

We are big fans of Q-tips in this house, and no other brand has met our ear-cleaning standards. (They don't bend and are very comfortable.) And don't try to warn me of the dangers of Q-Tips in the ear; we will not be swayed and have so-far avoiding going to the ER.  Of course, we use them for a variety of other things, too, but clean ears is the top of our priority list, so there. For history on Q-tips, click here. Note: This week, I bought the Equate brand of Q-tips (from Walmart), because they were out of Q-Tip brand, we were desperate, and I like to try generic products, too.  The jury is still out, but they are so far pretty darned close to Q-Tip brand!

If you hate flossing, maybe you haven't tried using Glide floss (from Oral-B).

I love it, because it slides right in and out, without giving you flashbacks of Nazi dental hygienists going to town in your mouth.  BTW, because I floss every day, my teeth-cleaning appointments are a breeze.  If your gums are bleeding during a cleaning, it may be because they aren't used to being flossed! (Or maybe you have a medical problem.)

This may be TMI, but we are also fans of wipes in the bathroom.

This reminds me of a funny story. When a "friend" of mine had surgery and needed help in the bathroom, I was thrilled to see wipes sitting on the ledge. However, when I went to take one, I found that my frugal friend had cut all of her [generic, thin] wipes in half!  WTH?!  They were like 3 inches wide and paper-thin!  Needless to say (or "Seedless to Nay," as Mom would say) I said, "Look. If I'm going to be wiping your butt, there is no way I'm only using half of one of these!" haha  She was temporarily disabled (and in kind of a vulnerable position, obviously), so I got away with it.

So, back on-topic, I've tried them all (including generic and "green" products, and there is no comparison to me--Cottonelle is the best. They're safe for septics, and I especially like that they have a refill pack that is environmentally friendly.  They also participate in the Boxtops for Education project, so that's an extra bonus.  I'm not sure what's up with the ridiculous dog-in-a-bathrobe graphic on their website, but I'm not going to hold that against them.

We're all trying to save money these days, but everyone has something they like to splurge on. Here's mine...My "Splurge" item has to be Bath and Body Works Sugar Scrub in Jasmine Vanilla scent.

It feels so luxurious, is exfoliating, negates the need for shaving cream, leaves your skin silky smooth, and smells fabulous.  I'm not the flowery-scent type, and I love this one. At $16 a jar, it's pricey, so I pretty much only get it for my birthday and Christmas. The only bad part about this product is that Kendall loves it, too, so now I run out of it even faster. Even Kyle loves sugar scrub (I buy him the Eucalyptus Spearmint scent.)

So, there you have my favorite bathroom products. I'd be interested in learning about yours, so post away! (or just leave your recommendations in the comments)

For favorite products/services in other categories check out this schedule:

Bathroom Edition
Kitchen Edition, Monday, June 21st
Pantry Edition (all things food!), Monday, June 28th
Lawn/Garden/Garage Edition, July 9th (to allow for the holiday week)
Sporting Goods?
Petcare?
Cleaning Closet??
Car?
Suggestions are welcome-(except Bedroom Edition--I'm just not going there.)
What have I missed?!

Okay, here's where you link your FAVORITE THINGS, Bathroom Edition blog post. FAVORITE THINGS POSTS ONLY, PLEASE!

Friday Fragments, Episode #98

You know how during the summer, you go to picnics and celebrations that have TONS of food, and you pile up a little bit of everything on your plate, and even so, your plate overflows with goodness (so much that you still have to go back for a little more later?) Well, my Friday Fragments are like that this week---Because it's summer and I'm so relaxed, I had a nice, big, empty plate and all kinds of "food" to choose from. Finally, I narrowed it down. [For the ins and outs of Friday Fragments, click here.]

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This week, I noticed wrinkles near my eyes, for the first time (I know, I'm late. haha.)  Not sure how I feel about them yet. Funny, because I can honestly say that I have never, ever noticed anyone else's wrinkles!

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Fantastic post here, called Are you 25 or Older? Time to Grow up!  If you are over 25 and see yourself in these behaviors, it's never too late!

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Last week, in my FF, I ranted about drive-by bloggers who just stop long enough to link up a random (not FF) post and then leave. Wouldn't you know it? Two bloggers I have never met went ahead and linked up (obviously, without reading the post.)   I responded to the second one by first leaving a sincere comment on her post, and then writing, "Thank you for stopping by HPKT to link up today. In the future, though, I'd appreciate it if you actually read the post." I felt like such a beotch, but come on!

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Holy cow! Kristin (The Goat) offered up several winning fragments last week. I highly recommend you poke around over there. One of them was about The Most Harmful Drinks in America. Some of the info was the no-brainer type, but I had no idea that some of those drinks have more than 800 calories!! The article also gives sugar equivalents. For example, a Sobe Green Tea has the sugar equivalent of a half of a cherry pie!  Kristin also had a really great Facebook fragment, as well as a link to one of The Pioneer Woman's always-moving, posts. Kristin, you are hands-down my Favorite Friday Fragment this week. Congratulations!

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WooHoo!! I won the Karen Neuberger socks from The Mom Jen!!! You should stop by some time; she has tons of giveaways all the time.

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Kyle came downstairs one morning last week and said that he had a wonderful dream in which he got to see and hug Grandpa 4444 again. He said it felt like it lasted about five minute. So cool...

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I loved this comment last week, from Caution, on one of my camping posts:

I camp because I am an amazingly good sport. Last weekend, while I was counting the hours until we came home and showered, Keith saw a little Shasta camper and said, "If we didn't have kids, we'd probably have something like that." I said, "If we didn't have kids, I'd be in a hotel." End of discussion.

Thanks for the LOL, Caution :)

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Remember clackers? If you missed When Bruises Are Fun (a quick video I posted), you should check it out for a laugh down Memory Lane.

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WOW! I decided to try Blogger in Draft's template designer and gave Mrs.4444 Cooks a makeover in less than five minutes! It looks amazing.  If you don't believe me, check out Summer's Harvest Breakfast.

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Hungry? Well, then, grab a plate! Set your dish-to-pass right here:

Confidence Gone Wrong

Okay, for a long time now, I've admitted that I am not the person you want to have around, should you fall down some stairs, bang your face on a door, etc.  In Why I Could Never Be an EMT, I explained this and promised to work on it.  Today, though, I need a pass, because I LMAO watching this video, which my nephew, Logan, shared on his blog. (Thanks, Logan!) I'm pretty sure this is gonna set me back a bit in my recovery....

Wordless Wednesday-Summer Smiles Edition

Did you know I have a daughter, too?  There's been a lot of attention paid to Kyle lately (graduation, graduation party, Eagle stuff, camping silliness.)  Just in case you were wondering, Kendall is enjoying her summer, too.  Here's proof (taken from her camera with permission):

Yes, this girl likes to give piggy-back rides to her friends.

(And no, that is not a fake basketball "sticker" photoshopped into the photo; 

It's a real basketball, thrown by the boys.)

Here's the "Omg-omg! I'm gonna wet my pants!!" shot.

(No, she didn't really wet her pants, as far as I know.)

She used a timer for this last one. 

I couldn't decide if I liked the crooked one

or the one I straightened with Picnik.

You decide...

The smiles in these shots pretty much say it all.

Summer rocks.

Need a Cute Father's Day Idea?

Many years ago, when the kids were small, we made a very special t-shirt for Mr.4444 for Fathers Day.  I had the kids dip their hands in two colors of fabric paint and made prints on a t-shirt.  I had them put their hands sideways on the shirt, and added a little glitter so that the prints looked like fish, and I wrote Daddy's Little Keepers on it in bubble letters. It's long since been put in the rag drawer (he loved it, of course), so I can't show you a photo, but I can show you what it looked like, because Fibers.com is having a Father's Day T-shirt Design Challenge, and I've entered! (I'm dying to win an IPAD!)  I would appreciate it VERY much if you would consider voting for my design. THANK YOU!! [HURRY! CONTEST ENDS TODAY!]

Lake Photo, Revisited

Believe it or not, the photo that I took at Franklin Lake, in Eagle River, Wisconsin (several years ago) was a candid shot. I just snuck up behind the fam at the lake's edge and snapped it. It's one of my all-time favorites.

After I saw how awesome this photo turned out, I got it in my head that I should set up the same pose each year after and take a photo so that, in the end, I would have a fantastic treasure. Since then, every year that we go camping, the family moans and groans a little but humors me, and we try to recapture the moment. I don't have copies of the handful of attempts since the original, and the reason is that they've all fallen short of what I was going for. I've never been able to get it "just right." Still, I persevere.

When we went camping last weekend, I was very excited about once again trying to capture the shot. As the family prepared to walk down to the lake at just the right time (not too light out, not too dark), Kyle calmly asked, "Mom, why are you so obsessed with getting that picture? It's not like we need it."

And that's all it took to click for me; we do not need that photo. It has no bearing on how much fun we have, the quality of our memories, or anything else. We've camped at Franklin Lake many times and have piles of memories to show for it: boating out to "our" island, the horrific storm we weathered one year, fun at the beach, the friends we've made (some we still have), etc. and I have very few photo to show for it. Photo memories are nice, but my children do not need photos to remember why they've loved our camping trips. Heck, I've never even printed that photo out and put it in a frame. How important can it be if I haven't even done that?

So yeah, I'm going to print that photo and frame it, and then I'm going to let it go; file it, if you will, because the photo is simply a symbol, a symbol of the love and togetherness we've shared as a family. Nothing can ever take that away; it need not be "captured" or repeated just-so. There will be plenty of other symbols. For example, this one.

[click the photo for the story behind it]

So, when we got down to the lake, I let them pose however they wanted, and I took a couple of shots. Then, we went up, set up our sleeping bags in the tent, and spent the rest of the weekend talking, laughing, roasting marshmallows...and making new memories.

Sundays in My City

I always love stopping by Unknown Mami's place on Sundays, where bloggers share photos from all over the world. If you can't afford a vacation or are looking for a vacation destination, stop by her place and check it out!

In my neck of the woods (haha) this week, I captured these...

 

Remember this beauty?

 Here's the "after" shot:

At least it made it through the graduation party. 

(Too much water? Too little? Not enough sun?)

Morning view from the tent...

Woodland Peace...

 Welcoming Sunset...

That's it for me! Stop by Unknown Mami for more Sundays in My City shots from near and far.