Thursday, August 23, 2012

Friday Fragments: Episode #212


Mommy's Idea

Lots going on over here, which is why I'm happy to be able to unload the randomness.
Thanks for joining us!
[Before linking up for the first time, please read the FF ins and outs found via the FF link above.]

When you eat ice cream, do you get an ice cream headache, ice cream chest pain, neither, or both? I've never had an ice cream headache, only the chest pain. Mark's never had an "ice cream heart attack" until this week, and it won't surprise some of you to know that I laughed until tears ran down my cheeks. Good thing it wasn't a real heart attack, as I would have been incapable of dialing 911, due of my hysterical laughter.

I think blogging conferences are great; fantastic, actually.  The networking opportunities and business skills developed can't be beat. That said, I would really love to go to a gathering of lazier bloggers who were there for nothing other than hanging out. In fact, I'd like someone to organize a bloggers "convention" in the Caribbean or some other tropical destination. We could lay on a beach, do a little shopping, maybe go hiking, and just be there for the sake of relaxation. Oh, and if it were free, that would be awesome.

Steve is settling in nicely. In case you missed the introduction of our newest family member, check out Milo and SteveI have the BEST photos of Milo and Steve for my Sundays in My City post this week! Here's your reminder to join in with Unknown Mami for her weekly photo meme featuring photos from places all over the globe. Speaking of Unknown Mami, have you voted for her? It literally takes two seconds to do and can be done once per day.

On Sunday, I shared my blogroll button "quilt," along with directions for making a "Grab My Blog Badge here" gadget for your own (Blogger) blog here. (You still need to know how to resize an image, I suppose, but you can google that, right? :)  And, because Keetha politely asked, I found the answer to the question, "Do I really need a blog button?"

It's not too late to enter my Tupperware Giveaway (which, incidentally, ends Sunday night).

I'm still sick, but it's all in my throat now--lots and lots of itchy-throat coughing and throat clearing. I'm pretty sure it's been exacerbated by my terrible sleep routine (Mr.4444 and I taking turns getting up with Steve on and off throughout the night, and yes, he's sick, too, now).  Thankfully, Steve's almost sleeping through the night now, so maybe I'll get well in time to start school healthy.


I have fond memories of my cousins' exchange student experiences; I've always wanted to have one, but Mr.4444 has always said no, though he never offered a specific reason. Guess what?! He said yes this time!  And Kendall said yes!  And Kyle (whose bedroom will become the student's bedroom) said yes!  We are now expecting (again), pending approval!  We have only committed for six weeks, at this point, and we can end the arrangement if it turns out to not work for our family, so don't worry.  For those wondering if I've lost my mind (empty nest thing....two puppies...now an exchange student), it's very possible.  Stay tuned.

Have a great weekend! Don't forget to link your Friday Fragments up! :)

49 comments:

  1. You mentioned still being sick so I wanted to tell you about my experiences with probiotics. I love them. If I take them when I feel like I'm starting to come down with something I start feeling better before I start to really feel sick. I just went to a vitamin store at the mall and learned more about them then consulted with Dr Google and then spoke to my doctor. Everyone agrees that they are good in moderation when feeling a little under the weather.

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    1. Actually, I think I have some of those in the house! We got them to cure Kendall's belching issue (They helped a little.) Off to check the cupboard! Thanks!

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  2. Woah!! I see my name in print in your blog!!!

    I feel like I've arrived. Where, I don't know but I'm sure I've arrived.

    :-)

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    1. Sorry if the paparazzi gets too out of hand! ;)

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  3. My sister took in exchange students for years. Most were wonderful and joined the family as if they had always been there. Only one was introverted and kept to her own room most of the time. One has returned to visit several times and all but the shy one have continued to stay in touch over the years. My sister has even been to Sweden to visit with one of her student's family.

    Wishing you the best with your exchange student.

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    1. Thank you! A shy private student would be miserable in our house, I think!haha Also, one who expects a spotless environment--I have to provide photos of our home--Maybe i shouldn't clean first?haha

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  4. I made a blog button after the quilt post. If I can do it, anyone can. Thanks for the kick in the butt.mi think it turned out pretty gosh darn cute.

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    1. That's terrific, Tracy! Good for you! Off to check it out! :)

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  5. Can you pick which country the student is from? I wanna go to the blogger convention in the Caribbean too, your schedule of events sounds great to me :)

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  6. I'd love to host an exchange student and have been asked multiple times, but we just don't have the extra room for one right now. Where's yours coming from?

    Steve & Milo are so cute - & such fun names! I can't wait 'til we move to CA and can get a puppy or two ;) ourselves.

    I can't eat ice cream anymore (sad face), but I definitely got brain freeze every time in the past! My oldest dd never gets that, but she gets throat freeze, lol.

    If you ever hold YOUR bloggers' convention, I'm so there.

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    1. We don't know yet for sure where our student will travel from, but we're keeping fingers crossed for Norway. We are Norwegian (among other things), so that would be cool.

      If I ever hear of such a convention, I'll keep you in mind. Wish I had the time to plan one, actually; maybe next summer I'll get started.

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  7. See that is a blogger conference I would go to. I have always found that more business is done in the hospitality suite than at a conference anyways. Why have the pretense?

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  8. How nice of you to take in an exchange student! I'm sure whoever it is will feel very lucky to be living with such a nice family as yours . . . and of course, will love your pooches too!

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    1. Thanks, Karen. From what I've heard, the benefits to both sides are great. I'm really happy that Mr.4444 saw the light :)

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  9. I have been invited every year to a blogger's conference near Cancun for Latin American bloggers. Most are retired folks, but they organize a few actual blogging activities other than soaking up the sun and socializing. I have never gone. Maybe one day.

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  10. I'm getting the blogger comment box again! Did you make a change?

    Y'all have been busy. I've had the brain freeze but not the chest thing.... in fact, this is the first I've heard of it and I used to work at an ice cream shoppe!

    I'll come to that conference....perhaps I should get a passport!

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    1. Yes, I did. Blogger and Disqus weren't playing nice anymore, and I needed a reliable system for my Tupperware giveaway, so I switched. Maybe I'll go back, but I'm not sure the problem is fixed.

      You know, I think about getting a passport all the time. I really need to! With Mark traveling so much, the likelihood of a future free plane ticket is excellent!

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    2. Oh you should most certainly get a passport. Since all the border security stuff it makes it easier to just go our neighbors Canada and Mexico. Anyway it's a planning thing that can really mess up a trip if comes late. Also did you know the airlines age the mileage points and change the levels? The time periods are long but can slip away. I've lost points which are like money before.

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  11. I think it would be fun to have an exchange student. My father was a soccer coach and he had an exchange student on his team and for one week he stayed at our house while his host family was somewhere. I was in third grade so I don't remember all the details but I remember how kind he was too me. His name meant Wednesday. I remember interviewing him and asking all kinds of crazy questions. I can't wait to hear more
    I am not a big ice cream fan I usually only have ice cream once or twice a year. So no headaches or chest pains or anything like that.

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    1. What a charming story. Clearly, exchange students can make a big impact in small ways :) I'll keep you posted!

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  12. Fridays are my catch up day if it’s been a busy week, so I haven’t commented this yet; Steve is adorable! I love labs, well, I love big dogs. We had a collie growing up and when I had my first back cat as a teenager, they were woderfu8l buds! I know I won’t have a dog to pal around with our cats now; Hubby is definitely not a dog-person, but I get my dose of puppy-love when I visit my dad. Sasha is definitely not a puppy, but she is so sweet. I love her like crazy and sharing a home with my aunt’s pocket pooch, she usually doesn’t get the attention from visitors, so she and I are buds. She makes sure I get my dog-fix. If Milo stashes the “order of things” while Steve is still a puppy, he may end up being the “little guy with a big body guard.” Okay, that idea is from just finish a book with characters like that. :)

    The coughing part is the worst part of being sick, but glad you’re in the end stage!

    Happy Friday!

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    1. I'm glad you can get your puppy fix at your dad's. Little dogs are so different; I had no idea how much until now. Still coughing, but keeping fingers crossed to be well by Monday. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have a great weekend.

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  13. I am afflicted with "ice cream headaches" while my family suffers "frozen throat" but we press on by eating ice cream as often as we can.

    Thanks for the primer on why to have a blog button...still working on mine.

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    1. "press on"...so funny

      Thanks for participating in FF :) Have a great weekend!

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  14. I'm of the ice cream headache group though I have had the 'heart attack' when I've swallow ice by mistake. I think the latter is way worse. I went over to look at the puppy pictures- so cute! When Tucker was little DD2 got a chocolate lab pup. It was great for about a second and then the lab outgrew Tucker. And then he outgrew us. LOL He's about 115 pounds now- all grown up. But it taught Tuck to hold his own with big dogs and he does to this very day! Enjoy them! And get better- school won't be a bit of fun if you're all sick!

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    1. I know, right? It would help a LOT if Steve would sleep longer at night, but I guess we asked for it! Wow! 115 pounds?! Steve is likely to top out at around 80. thanks for linking up. Have a great weekend.

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  15. I've never had a ice cream heart attack....probably would keep me from having ice cream, which would be a blessing to my waistline! I hope you and Mark are both feeling better soon. You pups are too adorable can't wait to see Sundays post.
    I think the exchange student will be interesting and make for good blogging....hopefully she will be a gem and long-lasting friendships formed. Speaking of that sign me up for a lazy blog conference!
    Have a great weekend!

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    1. I'm not even kidding about that conference... We just learned that we are likely to have a 17-year-old Norwegian student--SO excited!

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  16. What the heck happened to my picture? Its a corner of my blog.. haha! That'll draw people to my blog... not... :)

    A ice cream heart attack? Never heard of it.. & now I'm afraid of it. I had a ice headache from a frapachino last week & forgot how painful those are!! OUCH!

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    1. Sorry about that, Rebecca. I tried to add another one for your post, but it wouldn't let me :( If I delete the first one, I can add a new one; let me know if you'd like me to do that.

      haha I get the pains in my chest, always. I don't think they're worse than ice cream headaches, though, so don't worry :)

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  17. I've only had brain freeze a couple of times but I've always gotten throat freeze. Kills me! Nobody else, except for my oldest son, seems to get this too. Weird.

    And oh, about the tropical lazy bloggers convention? I'm so in!

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    1. I'm totally serious about the conference. I should look into it; maybe i could get mine free that way! :)

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  18. I have never heard of an ice cream heart attack. Yicks! I do hope everyone will feel better soon. I hate it when that happens. See you on Sunday. :)

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    1. This is so funny--"See you on Sunday" and then I was all like, "What?! Am I supposed to be somewhere on Sunday? I don't have anything on my calendar, and who is Lisa that I'm seeing her Sunday?" Wow. I need to take a nap or something!haha

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  19. ice cream headache - brain freeze is the term I use. I heard if you hold your tongue to the roof of your mouth it goes away quicker.
    Now an exchange student wow. Thanks for sharing this empty nest experience with us. Very interesting.
    thanks for hosting the FF again.

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  20. We had two German exchange students with totally different personalities. Both of them were a lot of fun. Good luck with yours.

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  21. I like your conference idea. We need to start something new and fun. All the conferences I've been to have been a drag.

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    1. I'm totally up for helping plan something. Maybe we can start a google doc for brainstorming?!

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  22. We were sharing an ice cream sundae as a family and all of a sudden Luna Pie started crying. She can only say a few words and couldn't let us know what was wrong, but she was really upset. Then it occurred to us that she was probably getting her first brain-freeze from ice cream. Poor thing.

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    1. That is the sweetest little story. Poor Luna Pie. Thanks for the smile.

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  23. I would totally go to the lazy blogger's conference with you. That's my kind of paradise!

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  24. I get a brain freeze from drinking iced tea too fast!...

    I'd so sign up for a lazy blogger's conference. =)

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  25. I'm SO ready to join you on this lazy blogger conference! ;-)

    Oh my, I don't know if my DH will be happy if I keep following your blog ... seeing your cuties is giving me puppy fever! ;-)

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  26. I often get the cold ingestion headache thing. I must learn really slowly, but it never seems very funny to me. Doh!

    You may be doing dog adoption a huge boost singlehandedly. I can't get a dog, but your pups make me wish I could. sigh.

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  27. I've heard many folks who've rescued dogs saying they'd never do it any other way. Stop by for your puppy lovin' any time. Oh, and while you're here, do what you can to get Steve to stop peeing in my living room, please!!!

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