Saturday Sampling, July 31, 2010

Welcome to Saturday Sampling, a collection of best posts from around Blogdom this week (with a few oldie-but-goodie posts thrown in).  This week, since I didn't win any Pulitzers, I took the liberty of linking up three posts that I read this week. I put stars by them, because they are perfect examples of why I created Saturday Sampling--They are excellent posts, and everyone should read them. You, too, are welcome and encouraged to link up anyone's post that moved you. (I will also add a star to any post that someone else raves about in the comments of this post.)

Remember, SS is a place to showcase your blog and your writing; if someone read only one of your posts this week, which one would you want them to read? If you didn't write anything special this week, link to an older post, or just sit back and read the ones here. To learn more about Saturday Sampling (and please do, if this is your first time here), click on the tab at the top of this page.

*By the way, I put a star by posts that have been highly recommended by people other than the authors themselves :)

P.S. This week, I stumbled upon Big Mama Cass and learned about her Saturday meme, especially for replaying older posts from your archives.  After linking up here, stop over to her place and double-dip! I'm sure she'd love it.

Friday Fragments, Episode #105

If I haven't even read your FF post from last week, I apologize! Being gone three weekends in a row is going to take its toll on blog reading, but I will catch up, eventually! To make it up to you, I'll keep this short.

Last weekend, it was the concert. This weekend, the 4444 family is headed to 'Da U.P., which we haven't visited in a couple of years, and we're very excited about it!  (This would be a great weekend to rob our house, but don't bother, because we have nothing to steal and a very vicious golden retriever that will be lonely and might lick you to death. [Don't worry--Someone is bound to stop by and let him out at least once. JK!!! We really have made arrangements, I swear.] I'm not even sure if they have the Internet in Calumet (haha), so Saturday Sampling and my Sunday post are already locked and loaded :)

Is that short enough?

Here's the link to hook up your own FRIDAY FRAGMENTS post [other links will be deleted, sorry.]  If you're new here, though, please read the FF Do's and Don'ts here.

Thousand Words Thursday: Jack Johnson Edition

A picture says a thousand words (says The Mom Jen), so today, you'll get at least 5000, because I'm going to show you a handful from the concert I attended last weekend with my friends, Dawn, Shawna, Kris, Katie, and Candice. (Hi, Girls!!)

First, see this kind of boring shot of Alpine Valley Music Theater, in southern Wisconsin?

It says a lot more than you think.  For example, I took it at about 7pm, when we arrived.  G-Love and Special Sauce opened for Jack Johnson, who didn't even start until two hours after I took the photo. It says a lot of things, which I added for you here...[click to enlarge]

So, yeah; Kris's broken leg was good for something, at least. And can you imagine hiking up to use the restroom?
I can, because I did it about five times. [Note to self: Take your Go-Girl next time!]
What the photo doesn't say is that I did not see one pair of heels that night, but you can see why.

I'll spare you the photo of my cup of Diet Coke with the pile of puke next to it. (No, not my puke.)
In the young woman's defense, it was dark, and at least she didn't hurl on my shoulder (I was on the aisle.)

These guys (who sat directly behind us)?

What the photo does not say is why they were so happy. having had not a single drink between them (that I noticed.)  Yes, I'm outing them for smoking "something" they passed back and forth between them, but that's what they get for doing it all night, right out in the open like that, without a care in the world for anyone (let alone the "security" person standing literally next to them all night.) I have to be honest and say that they were very, very nice and not at all bothersome (unless you count the contact high for Dawn and me.)

This next shot is of our "friends" in the row with us. Need I say more about this guy?

Okay, I will. He was a little scary at first but actually just a sloppy drunk;

a "bull in a china shop," (kind of) but a nice bull.

Overall, I really have to admit that everyone (aside from the puker) was really pleasant, and the atmosphere was very upbeat.  Jack Johnson's music is very happy, relaxing stuff. 

As we were leaving, we passed the nosebleed seats and could hear thousands of sweet voices,

singing along with Jack, who was a tiny speck from their vantage point and could barely be heard.

No matter; true Jack Johnson fans know all of the words :)

So, here's a recap of what I learned at the Jack Johnson concert at Alpine Valley:

*There is something very sweet and beautiful about thousands of

people willing to sit on a very steep hill in the dark,

in grass that has been rained upon

for three days.

*If you want great seats and very special treatment (including Handicapped Parking),

break your leg. (Thanks, Kris! :)

*Keep a close watch on your drink (or at least BYO lid!)

*Wear sensible shoes (Chaco sandals-best investment ever! 5 years and counting!)

*Oh, and if you don't smoke, stay home--You might as well be a smoker

(of all things smokey) if you are there; it's allowed, because it's "outdoors."

*Jack Johnson is a talented musician and a very nice guy!!

Thanks, Jen, for the inspiration. Now, when are you going to resurrect Thousand Words Thursday?!

He's Ready to Fly!

Our son, Kyle will be leaving for his freshman year of college in about a month. I'm told this calls for emotional upset the likes of which I have yet to experience, though I suspect that for me, at least, it will rear its ugly head the week after he leaves, when I start my first week of school (always a stressful time, though exciting!)  In the meantime, I will admit to a lot of confusion on this "parenting adults" gig, with which I have no experience.
I know all about early childhood and adolescence, as a scholar, a teacher, and as a parent. I have more than 15 years working with adolescents with emotional-behavioral problems. I can solve all kinds of problems from babyhood through adolescence, but this next step in parenting (the right way, anyway) is foreign to me.  I understand the boundary issues part of it on an intellectual level, but the emotional level kind of throws me for a loop!

Every kid in my family left home the day they turned 18, becoming fully self-supported from day one. I have no frame of reference for being financially supported by one's parents in any shape or fashion. Mr.4444 and I each paid our own ways through college, working like dogs to make it through and to pay off our student loans. Today, though, I'm told by the folks in the college financial aid office that college costs have skyrocketed, but financial aid has not kept up.  Even working full-time, today's college students will struggle to pay for their educations, and the Department of Education feels that "it is a parent's responsibility to support their child all the way through his/her education."  We get that, and we will do what we can to help Kyle get the loans he needs (he's also earned four scholarships but those aren't enough), but there's a lot more to this than I realized.

I have no idea how let our bird fly out of the nest without immediately flying beneath him to make sure he's okay. I have a lot of questions...

When is the gravy train supposed to stop?  When are you supposed to say, "No" when they ask for money? How much money? What are you supposed to do if your kid runs out of money?  Are you supposed to shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh, well"?  If so, how in the world do you do that??  Where is the line between enabling and supporting? How do you know when you reached it?

Here's what we've agreed to do:

*Continue paying for Kyle's cellphone, car insurance and health insurance, and continue a monthly $100 allowance, until he graduates. (He'll be at U.W.G.B. for three years, then chiropractic college for three more.)
*Co-sign student loans.

Here's what I have no idea about:
*All the rest!


I'd love to hear the advice from parents/adults out there who've successfully navigated this stage of parenthood/adulthood. Please share what you've learned from your experience! Thanks.

How Do You "Like" Me, Now?!

I'm so excited!! You might have noticed that I finally learned how to add a "Like" button to my posts! And because I'm your friend, I'm going to show you how, today! Well, maybe not show you, but at least show you how I learned. I apologize for not being able to credit the geek whose blog led me to this page, but here it is.  I'm not going to lie and say it was easy, but you can learn from my mistakes; the first time, I just put in the Half-Past Kissin' Time url and soon realized that the button created was for the blog in general and not for individual posts. I spent a good amount of time trying to figure out how to get individual post Like buttons and ended up doing it this way:

1) Publish your post.
2) Copy the direct url that points to your specific post (click on the TITLE of your post to get its code.)
3) Go to the link I provided above and paste that url into the appropriate box.
4) Change the Layout Style to Button Count, instead of Standard, if you want to offer your readers privacy. For example, I do not blog with my real name and don't want it posted everywhere, so I am not likely to "like" your post if you used the Standard Option, which will display my Facebook name and photo. [Thanks, Brian, of Chalkboard Dad, for helping with this!!]
5) Click "Get Code" and paste it at the bottom of your post. I use the Iframe code (whatever that means!)
6) Publish again!

While on the FB code page, I clicked and dragged the tab into my taskbar at the top of my page, so the FB page sits up there all the time, for easy access. Let me know if you need help doing this.

If you're smarter than I am and know how to get the Like button for individual posts easier than the way I've just shared, feel free to share in the comments, but I'm not sure I'll be up for it--I'm all sweaty just from figuring this out!

Good luck!

The Stealing Game

This morning, a post from Mainstream Mommy took me back to the days when my own kids were small (and picky eaters.)  Please refrain from calling Child Protective upon viewing this photo of Kyle, who was, yes, bone skinny, but not for lack of being fed.

Both of my kids just didn't have a roll between them, so naturally, we always tried to make sure they ate well. When Kyle was about five (Kendall 3), Mr.4444 and I came up with an ingenious idea for getting your kids to eat more.  If this doesn't work, nothing will, but keep in mind that the initial delivery is key....

Here's how it's went:

On the first night, as agreed ahead of time, we made a supper the kids liked (chicken, pasta, and carrots). Mark took a kid-sized bite of chicken on his fork and dramatically exclaimed,

"Boy, I am going to love this bite of chicken! I hope no one steals it from me!" (picture puzzled children here) and he faced left, engaging one of the kids, dangling the food out towards the right (where I was sitting).

Sneakily, I quickly ate the bite off of his fork, just as he turned back to put it in his mouth. So, instead of biting a juicy bite of chicken, he chomped down on a bare-naked fork, with another dramatic, distressed reaction. (I, of course, put on a big show of looking innocent for the kids.)

"Oh my gosh! Someone stole my chicken bite!" Turning to each of us, he asked suspiciously, "Did you steal my chicken?!" Of course, the kids denied taking it, and I, too, feigned innocence. (The kids and I giggled conspiratorially.) The game continued, with Mr.4444 doing this every other bite or so with each of the foods. Soon, the kids were asking if they could "steal Daddy's food, too."

At first, I said no (to make them want it really bad, of course) and eventually (as the days and weeks went on with the game) they were eating a ton of food (anything we were eating). Of course, Mr.4444 didn't get much to eat and dropped two pant sizes. (JK)

After that first night, the kids often begged us to play "the stealing game," so Mr.4444 and I sat across from each other so the kids could each steal from us. This game was so successful that we actually became annoyed with how often the kids insisted on playing it! Eventually, we had to designate one night per week to play it.

Years after we stopped playing this game, Kyle would sometimes ask to play it again. The game not only got the kids to eat, but also made dinner time fun. My kids are now in their young adults, so we have no worries about getting them to eat, of course. We don't play the stealing game any more for food (it's evolved from our forks to our wallets :).

I would love it if someone would try this and let me know how it works. Also, I think a video of this game would be priceless (and possibly become a Youtube sensation under the category of "How to get your child to eat." ) If you don't have children, please pass this idea on to someone who does, because I know it's an issue many parents deal with, and I'm happy to share this trick.

Bon Appetit!

Weekly Winners

I'm out of town this weekend, so I leave you with just one photo. It's my favorite of the summer, so far...

 

For more favorite photos from around the globe, visit Lotus at I Am Lotus.

Saturday Sampling, July 24, 2010

If someone were going to read only one of your posts this week (or a previous week), which one would you choose?  Saturday Sampling is your chance to link up posts you're especially proud of or would sincerely like feedback on.  You're also welcome to link up other posts from bloggers who moved you this week (and please do!)  Keeping this in mind, you'll also find some wonderful reads here, tagged by topic for your choosing pleasure :)

What Saturday Sampling is not:
A place to link up posts even you won't remember a week from now.
A place to promote products or services you are selling
An obligation: You do NOT need to link up just to link up (and please, don't)

If this is your first visit, please click on the Saturday Sampling tab at the top of this page. Thanks.

Thank you for being here!

Friday Fragments, Episode #104

Welcome to Friday Fragments, where the little thoughts/observations/bits of nonsense found throughout the week finally find a home. It's the easiest, yet most satisfying post you'll write all week.  Thanks for stopping by!

I Can't Blog is a new and very simple idea from Lislemen, of A Few Clowns Short.  It's a fun blog that will have only one post. That's right--one post. The idea is that all the excitement will happen in the comments!  He would really love it if you would stop by and say hi.

My son has grown into an intelligent young man! Here's what I heard him say to his girlfriend, in the kitchen last night (they were making something to eat):  "Just let me do it my way--the "guy" way, that isn't necessarily the right way, but the way I want to do it."  At least he's honest.

Mr.4444 said the sweetest thing the other day. He told me that he woke up around 5am, wide awake, his mind instantly launching into overdrive about work. He thought he might as well give in and get up, but then, he looked over and saw me, sleeping ever-so-peacefully, and a feeling of calm came over him. He snuggled up to me and was able to just embrace the extra tranquility and ride on a wave of peace, back to sleep. What a wonderful gift to be able to give him.

I've decided to feature three of my favorite Saturday Sampling posts each week, in my sidebar. I'd also be open to suggestions for how to "tag" other SS posts that you think are especially good, if you think that's a good idea.  Maybe like this:  If you especially love a SS post you read, sing its praises in the comments, and I will add a * to each title that receives more than one comment?  IDK...just thinking

If you're the person I stole this divider thingy from, THANK YOU!! I LOVE IT!! And here's a little something for you:  If you click here, you'll find out how to get rid of the borders of pics like this!

Inspired by Melisa, I created a page on Posterous for my favorite photos. I'm new at Posterous, so I don't understand the whole thing yet, but it's starting to dawn on me that it is a new blogging platform, like Wordpress, Blogger, etc. You can use Posterous to upload all kinds of files (photos, video, etc.) via a simple email.  It's very nice, but I'll be staying right here to blog, thank you.  I plan to only post my favorite, favorite photos, so I promise it will be worth your time to check it out! Melisa, too, is having a ball with her new foster "baby," so check her page out, too, if you want to see the object of Melisa's adoption dreams :) 

Here's your chance to share your Friday Fragments. Link up, and then be kind enough to stop by some of the other Fragmenters' blogs to say hi! Have a great weekend!! [This linky is for FRIDAY FRAGMENTS only.  Other links will be deleted, sorry.]



And BTW, tune in on Tuesday to learn how to add a "Like" button to your blog!

Note to Self

A very tiny speck of you knew that it was not your fault.

A small part of you knew that you were not "stupid" or "a dummy."

A small part of you knew that you did not deserve to be slapped in the face/head/butt or grabbed by the scruff of your neck or arm in a hateful way.

A small part of you knew that there was nothing "wrong" with you.

A small part of you knew that you truly did deserve those compliments from teachers and others.

A small part of you knew that you were special.

A small part of you knew that you deserved happiness. 

A part of you believed that God did exist.

A big part of you knew that you could learn a lot if you listened, worked hard, and remained open.

A big part of you knew that you could write, sing, and be funny.

A tiny part of you believed that you might marry a wonderful man some day and have a beautiful family.

A big part of you knew that you were were a treasure, a precious gift.

Thank you, so much, for holding onto these parts...

...until I was old enough to catch up with you, and put the pieces together.


inspired by Tara's Inner Child Dialogues

Rants and Raves Wednesday

It's been a while since I ranted and raved about anything, so I'm joining up with A Little Blog About Nothing's meme this week.

RAVE:  I'm going with my friend Dawn to Milwaukee this weekend!! We're going to the Jack Johnson concert at Alpine Valley, watch a bocce ball tournament, play for a day on a lake, take a tour of Pabst Mansion, and a stop at TRADER JOE'S on the way home!!!  Best of all, we get to stay at Shawna and Kris's house (Hi, Shawna and Kris!!  Thanks so much for your hospitality!! I can't wait!)

RANT or RAVE?  Bubba, (the miniature pinscher down the street), that was quite disgusting when you walked up to us in the garage tonight with a long, skinny mouse tail hanging out of your mouth! At least it was dead (and you killed it--Bravo), but that was just SICK.

RAVE:  Grandma 4444 took me out to dinner last night! :)  I tried the new dry seasonings on Buffalo Wild Wings wings and am happy to report that they were fantastic!!  I loved the crispiness and the bold flavors of Desert Heat and Buffalo flavors (they let you mix 'em up!) Warning: My lips were on fire after a while, but in a good way, haha.

RANT:  The Salt & Vinegar flavored "Buffalo Chips" at BWW? Not so fantastic. I recommend the "chips" if you like your potatoes a little soggy. I'm sure they'd be delicious with just salt and some ketchup, instead.

RAVE:  This post (Angels), from Debbie, at Finding Normal, really touched my heart this week. It relates to encounters she's had with people in the past two years since her daughter, Addie, was born with a genetic disorder two and a half years ago. Read it, and you will be inspired.

RANT:  What do I have to do to get "people" to learn that THE LIDS ON BOTTLES ARE NOT RECYCLABLE!  STOP PUTTING THEM BACK ON BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN THE RECYCLE BIN!! SHEESH!  [So glad I got that off my chest!] 

RAVE:  Cooper did not eat one single loaf of bread this week!

 Got stuff to rant and/or rave about? Visit A Little Blog About Nothing and link up!

Say What?

You know how it sometimes takes a lifetime to learn you have been making a fool of yourself for years by singing the wrong lyrics to a song? This video, sent to me a few years back, was my epiphany.



Yes, it turns out that I'd been singing, "Wear your bra! You sexy thing!" for more than 25 years.  When I told Mr.4444 about this, he at first asked, "Are you serious?!" but then confessed to singing Neil Diamond's "Reverend Blue Jeans" for many years before someone set him straight. It happens to everyone, right? Right?

This week, when I told this story to Lisleman, he send me to the the link, Kiss This Guy, where it turns out there is much evidence of music misinterpretation in this world. (Thanks, Lisleman!) 

Care to confess yours?

VLOG, Take 2

Okay, guys....I give you VLOG #2 (What am I supposed to call these things, anyway??!)

Oh, and P.S. Next time, I'll try not to video up my nose.

Sundays in My City/Weekly Winners

All kinds of winners in my "city" this week....

Kendall and I took it upon ourselves to update some mother-daughter shots. 

Here's the winner that made it to my FB profile....

Then, you may not believe this, but in the last month, I have won four giveaways! One was for Karen Neuberger socks from The Mom Jen. One was from Michelle, from Honest and Truly, for e.l.f. cosmetics (Yea!)  Everyday Kathy sent me this beautiful Baccarat Necklace from her giveaway on Everyday Bliss,

and June sent a lovely bag that she made from a bed pillowcase! (That woman is a whiz with the sewing machine! Check her out at 3! A Charm It fits neatly in my purse, which means that I never forget it in the car when I go the the grocery store.  It came thoughtfully wrapped like this...

and I was just touched by her thoughtfulness. (Thanks, again, June! I've used it twice already.) And finally, because this post made Lynn, of For Love or Funny, "howl with laughter," she sent this incredible prize package,

which I will happily wear (see the beautifully made apron?! 

It reads, "Call for Takeout!") and use 

(those towels are hand-stitched! Maybe too pretty to use!)  

She was also kind enough to send the adorable applique

t-shirts for me to put in a raffle at school. 

Also, in my "city" this week, I took a few shots of nature's bounty....

Fresh summer veggies from local gardens...

Gems from Mom's flowerbed...

Hollyhock...

And one of my own flowers...



Cooper had to get in on a game of SORRY...He whined like crazy until we invited him!

And we hate to admit it, but once AGAIN, Kendall was the WINNER! 

(Gotta get that kid to a casino, I swear!)

Hope you had a winning week, too! You can't lose, visiting I am Lotus and Unknown Mami.

Saturday Sampling, July 17th, 2010

Feeling overwhelmed by a reader full of unread posts? Wishing your reader could just float the best posts to the top so you can make the most of your time or catch up on the important stuff?  Then Saturday Sampling is a great place to be!  Pull up a couch and read. Link up your favorite post and/or that of someone else. All are welcome, and tweets are appreciated.  (In fact, if you can teach me how to put the twitter button at the bottom of this post, I would be thrilled!)

[Saturday Sampling rules can be found on the SS tab at the top of this page.]

Friday Fragments, Episode #103

Hooray! You made it to Friday!! I'm glad you're here. Kick your shoes off, pop open a cold one, and get ready to unload all of those random thoughts from your week.  I went a little overboard last week, so this week, I'm going to keep it short...

Be sure to link up your favorite post from this week (or the past) to Saturday Sampling tomorrow, and then read some of the wonderful posts that find their way there.[I'll put the post up at 9pm central time, Friday night.]  I'm not going to put anything new up, since I dumped a load on you Thursday, but I will definitely be there to read your posts.  Please keep SS in mind throughout the week, too; if you come upon a post that you think is a stand-out, by all means, invite the blogger to link up; the more, the merrier. 

Just thought I would mention (unsolicited by anyone) that I recently purchased my Halloween costume from BuyCostumes and am very happy with what I got.  The price was reasonable, the fit is perfect, and the costume doesn't look cheap, like so many do. I do have to drop about five pounds to look as good as the model, but I'm very happy. Here's a pic (And no, that is not me. I am much sexier!haha)

Green Bay is one of only six ports in the United States chosen to once again host the Tall Ships Festival.  If you are a fan of tall ships, you shouldn't miss it! It's scheduled for August 13th-15th this year.

 

One day, Mr.4444 decided he wanted to do some sporting goods shopping on-line. As a result, he found out what happens when you just Google "Dicks".  Let that be a warning to you!

My Favorite Fragmenter this week was Everyday Kathy, who heard this from her 3-year-old daughter:

"Mom, I have an idea. Don't watch me and it won't be too dangerous." 

(Let's hope those weren't "famous last words.")  Here you go, Kathy!

Kathy also has a new and fun idea in her blog sidebar; she's got a "Resource" Linky and invites everyone to link up relevant posts. Check it out~

As promised, that's it for me. Now it's your turn! Link up your FRIDAY FRAGMENTS post (following the rules here, as usual) and then meet some new friends or say hi to some old ones; it's always great to have company :)

1000 Posts! WOW

When Aging Mommy read that I was nearing 1000 posts (Saturday), she suggested I do a sort of "Best of" post. That sounded like a great idea to me, so here you go--My favorite 10 posts from the last three years (in no particular order.)

Gifts From My Father (reflection, my dad, also available in audio--see sidebar)

You Go, Girl! (demonstration video, humor)

O.M.G. (short and hilarious)

Still the One (Mr.4444, sweet)

Lost in the Wilderness: A Cautionary Tale of Over-Confidence (my first and probably longest post; a true story that will make you laugh and teach you a thing or two)

You'll notice that most of these posts have no comments. This is because my stupid Haloscan comments never exported when I switched. (That's okay; I remember them :)

Making a Difference (teaching, reflection, a "touchy-feely" post)

Why Kendall Might Wish I Didn't Teach at Her Middle School (probably my all-time favorite post, very funny)

Bent, but Not Broken (a beautiful, true story written by my friend Molly, who is also a teacher)

Christmas Memories (my mom, reflection)

My Momma Don't Dance and What Some Little Old Ladies Have on Their Ipods (my mom, sweetness)

I'd like to also take this time to thank you for being one of the most rewarding aspects of blogging; your heart-felt stories, life lessons, and entertaining posts have been joys to read, and I treasure your friendships. While I love to write, it would not be the same without your feedback. Every time you tell me that you spit your coffee onto your computer screen, get choked up, or are inspired in some way, I feel a rush of happiness and feel validated.

Seriously, thanks.

Wordless Wednesday

My grandma (Mom's mom) passed away in 1976. As it goes with all weddings and funerals, it was a time when we cousins (less a handful, who are not pictured here) were all together in one place, so we took a photo to mark the moment in time.  See if you can figure out which one is me.

[Insert blood-curdling scream here]

Yesterday, while home alone and cleaning the basement, I SCREAMED when a dead mouse fell out of a box of junk, as I was taking it down from a shelf.  Now, in my defense, I had just observed a different mouse (which had fallen into the basement well window) jump all over the place for something like two hours, pawing all over the window in an apparent desperate attempt to join me. (Yeah, I'm slow, so it took me two hours to realize he wasn't trying to get into the basement but was actually trying to get the heck out of the window well.) So, yes (as a result of a little Facebook poll I conducted), I chose to help him get out and placed a piece of wood into the the well, so that the mouse could climb out. 

Shortly after the dead-mouse-in-the-basement incident, I SCREAMED again (and curled my arms into a fetal position (it was quickly pointed out to me), when Kyle appeared out of nowhere in the basement (I had been home alone for hours.)  Yes, he enjoyed it very much. 

What's your freak-out creature? Mice? Snakes? Roaches? Children?

Our Favorite Things, Lawn/Garden/Garage Edition

This is the final installment in Our Favorite Things series; posts in which we've shared our favorite products (unbiased testimonials about things we love and want to share with friends.)  If this topic doesn't interest you, I highly recommend that you check out this week's Saturday Sampling links--the best/favorite posts from around the web, sure to make you laugh, cry, or just exclaim, "Wow!")  And now, without further ado, my favorite products for lawn/garden/garage:

The mosquitos in Wisconsin have been INSANE this year, due to an incredible span of time with rain, rain, rain.  I won't complain about the rain; we needed it badly, but I could do without the mosquitoes. That's why we practically buy Deep Woods Off by the case. Seriously, I've had to stop Mr.4444 from keeping a can in the bathroom for aftershave; he loves the danged smell so much! Although it does leave a slight stickiness at first, you can't argue with the effectiveness. We love our Deep Woods OFF!

When I asked Mr.4444 what product he would recommend for the garage, he quickly promoted his favorite, contractor-strength garbage bags, which he buys at Home Depot, but I don't know what they're called. (sorry) He also highly recommends Ortho Weed-B-Gone and Round-Up for the lawn. (No, we don't care about dying from pesticides; we care more about being able to run barefoot through the grass :)

That's it for me. This seemed like a good category at the time, but since I'm terrible at gardening, I'm coming up empty on that front. Maybe you can offer a suggestion for getting my rose bush to bloom?  We've had it several years now, and I tried bonemeal (per my green-thumb Mom's suggestion), but Cooper just kept digging up the dirt to get at it, so we had to stop!

For other installments of Our Favorite Things, check out the following links:

Bathroom Edition
Kitchen Edition
Pantry Edition

Here's LinkyTools for you to link up your Favorite Things Lawn/Garden/Garage post, if you should have one.  Have a great week!

Sundays in My City/Weekly Winners

Since the growing season is relatively short in Wisconsin, 

the Farmers Market is a treat. Here are some reasons why...

First, the cutie by from my Thousand Words Thursday post this week.

How gorgeous are these?

There was fun for kids...

Familiar Hmong crafts...

Lots and lots of this...

And this huge bouquet, for which I paid just $8 

and delivered to a very happy Grandma 4444...

I decided to play with this one. First, straight-out-of-the-camera, Before....

And After, played around in Picnik...my favorite shot of the week.

And finally, a Wisconsin summer landscape (again, played with in Picnik)

To visit interesting, beautiful, amazing places all over the world, 

stop by Unknown Mami's place for Sundays in My City

and I Am Lotus for Weekly Winners.