Polly Pocket February 17, 2008
An eternal dilemma
Pro: Keeps Lily occupied for hours on end
Con: Thousands of tiny little shoes and plastic dresses all over my playroom floor
God’s greatest gift or a form of motherhood torture? Discuss…
Fun with Recalls November 9, 2007
In case you have been living in a cave, Aqua Dots have been recalled. Choking hazard-nope, lead- not this time, date rape drug- BINGO. Could anything be more disturbing?
So, we have these. They were one of Lily’s favorite toys from her birthday. She loved playing with them and I know for a fact that there were many little dots on our floor for a few weeks after well within Hannah’s reach. It is by the grace of God she didn’t ingest any.
I have spent the past few days trying to get a hold of the manufacturer to figure out what to do. Today after being on hold for a good 15 minutes I reached a live person who I am 90% sure was speaking to me from India. She informed that the company had rushed to produce a “safe” and “non-toxic” version of Aqua Dots that has been coated with something that tastes really bitter so the child will immediately spit it out. Then she assured my again that it was non-toxic. If it is so non-toxic why does it need the bitter thing???
So would I like some new “non-toxic” Aqua Dots or a replacement toy of a different nature?
Um, let’s see…
My children will be receiving twigs and leaves from the backyard this year for Christmas. I may even through in some strange looking berries which will probably be safer if ingested than anything on the shelves of Toys R Us.
A Long overdue Jump onto the soapbox November 3, 2007
Ok, so remember a long time ago during “The Great Sickout of 2007” when I mentioned I had a beef with McDonalds. I know you have been waiting on the edge of your seats for this post. Well, my friends, I don’t disappoint.
Lily, like many other children of her generation, loves McDonalds Happy Meals. We don’t eat them often, but as you other mommies know, a Micky D run may happen from time to time. What is the draw of McDonalds to a toddler? Greasy food, overpriced “meat”, red and yellow ambiance? No, it is the toy. I swear Lily would eat a salad there if it came with a toy (maybe I’m on to something ingenious).
So as soon as I got the Happy Meal, Lily immediately started asking what the toy is. Imagine my delight when I pulled this out:
Is this appropriate for a 4 year old? Is this appropriate for anyone? I had to launch into a discussion of modesty and appropriate dress to someone who had no clue what I was talking about and just wanted to play with her toy. You would think jewelry was in that thing. Needless to say she handled it well, but I did not need to be put in this position.
When did Happy Meal toys go from fuzzy and cute to slutty and cheap? OK, so they were always cheap, but I mean the other kind of cheap. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised given the Britney-fied, Bratz culture we live in, but is it too much to ask to want to wait until Lily is, oh I don’t know, 6, to see this stuff.
So I would like to say we should all boycott McDonalds. I’d like to say that I am boycotting McDonalds, but that probably won’t realistically happen. I would like to say I am writing them an angry letter, but I haven’t done that either. What should us mothers do? Not just mothers of daughters, those of you with sons are affected to. They are growing up looking at the same images assaulting them. What do you do?
Anyone else? October 15, 2007
Let me just start by saying that anything that comes after this sentence I mean in the most Christian way possible.
OK, does anyone else find Samantha Harris to be one of the most annoying people ever? Let’s just say I did not miss her when she was gone. It just doesn’t seem like the woman can form a complete sentence when she interviews the contestants. I end up watching every show wondering how she got her job. I am sure she is a lovely person, not to mention a child of God, but she needs to find a new career.
On a lighter note, how amazing is everyone doing this season. Now that Wayne is gone, there is really no one who stands out as the obvious one to go home. I am not even sure who I want to win cause there are so many people I really like. I am really enjoying this season. Are you watching? Who is your favorite?
An open letter October 6, 2007
To the security staff at Magee Woman’s Hospital in Pittsburgh:
If you choose to call our house at 11:30 pm, please don’t begin the call with-
“Hello, I am Officer so and so from Magee Woman’s Hospital and I am so sorry to call so late.”
I have already panicked that the phone is ringing at 11:30 and there is a hospital on caller ID. My heart is pounding and I have begun praying for everyone I know.
So you can understand my anger when I discover you are calling because you have found a cell phone with our number in it and are wondering if we can contact its owner for you. Especially when said owner has no other contact number than his cell phone. Oh, and did I mention he is a doctor who works in YOUR hospital. A doctor whose name you seemed to know when you called.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely-
Me
It was only a matter of time September 10, 2007
I can’t believe I have had a blog for this long and haven’t jumped on a soapbox about Miss Britney. Being that I am (ashamedly) a reader of celebrity gossip, there has been no one whose story is more of a trainwreck as of late. So I of course had to tune into the MTV VMA’s last night to see her historic comeback (soley for research purposes).
I could blog about how bad it was (really, really bad) or how she seemed to even forget how to lip sync (how hard is that?) or how raunchy she continues to be (inspiring young girls everywhere). Instead I would like to talk about how fat she looked.
Oh, yes, it seems many of the reviews today are all about her “huge” gut. Is it just me, or is it a little sad when this:
is fat? Now perhaps she isn’t quite as toned as when she was SEVENTEEN, and perhaps I would have gone with a different choice in clothing (actually this applies across the board-please hire a stylist Miss B) that was a bit more flattering, but since when is this overweight? The woman has had 2 children people. I have had 2 children and my stomach isn’t near that flat. In fact I would give the 10 extra pounds around my waistline for that stomach (oh, wait-then I would have that stomach).
There are a billion and one reasons why this girl is a poor choice of role models for young women, but let’s not add to them by suggesting that her body isn’t good enough. Somedays, I truly weep over the fact I am raising girls in this culture.
I’m a Little Bit Speechless July 13, 2007
Those who know me, know that doesn’t happen very often. However when I read this story about a woman and her toddler who were kicked off a flight I was in a bit in shock. I live in fear of traveling with Lily on a plane with this flight attendant. Lily is a bit like the girl in this commercial (go to the bottom of the link and click on the little girl icon). I would Benadryl her, but I have had a few friends try it before flights and it has been kind of an upper. If there is one thing my kids don’t need it is more energy.
Until I get a more satisfactory answer from Continental airlines than, “We are investigating…” I won’t be flying their airline. Feel free to join me in my boycott. This is really cutting into my jet setting around the world that I had lined up for the fall, but I am just going to have to find another airline to do it on.
So I am willing to give people the benefit of the doubt and believe that maybe this flight attendant was having a really bad day, but is any other mom out there tired of being shot the evil eye when you and your kids are having a bad day (I know you all have them, I read your blogs). If I believed in karma, (which I totally don’t) I would think this flight attendant will immediately be struck blessed with a couple of sets of triplets. Really, really naughty triplets that require lots of cross country flights.
Why Aren’t More Christians Funny? July 9, 2007
I came across this post today and decided I would definitely sit next to this woman in heaven. Anyone who calls themselves Christian and smart ass is totally someone I want to be friends with. Why is it many Christians seem to think the eleventh commandment is “Thou shall not have a sense of humor?” To me there is tons of evidence that God has a great sense of humor: farting, curling as an olympic sport, the platypus, the fact that men have nipples (why?) and this.
I have been so excited to come across so many Christian women in the blogosphere who are so freakin’ funny. I have found some kindred spirits who think its ok to laugh at ourselves, at others (with them, not at them) and even bust out laughing at an inappropriate moment in church. My husband and I both have warped senses of humor and are both created fully in God’s image.
I will leave you with a very important scripture that I believe points to the fact that Christians ought to have a sense of humor.
Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me go on and speak further to my Lord, even though I am but[t] dust and ashes. (Gen. 18:27)- Ok, that was for my mom. It makes her giggle everytime.
Ranting and Raving July 1, 2007
So I am climbing back on today because I have gotten my knickers all in a bunch over something said in the sermon today. Our regular pastor is taking a few well deserved weeks off. Our youth director spoke today about Moses leaving a life of comfort because he was asked to go free the Isrealites. The basic theme was that as Americans, we tend to seek out comfort when God is calling us to greater things to advance his Kingdom. Also, that being comfortable is boring and we should strive to live epic lives for God’s purposes.
Nothing offensive in that, right? I totally believe that we all need to stretch and grow outside our comfort zones when God is calling us to serve him. It was the personal example he used that ruffled my feathers. He was talking about how he and his wife made all sorts of plans before their baby came 4 months ago in order to make life comfortable enough for her to stay home. She has found 4 months into motherhood that her life is boring and feels like it lacks purpose. He then said, “I think in striving to serve her [by making her life comfortable], I have done her a dis-service.”
That was the point when steam came out of my ears and I stopped listening to any other good points he may have made. I know I am probably completely misinterpreting what he said (supported by the fact that 2 people who I talked to afterwards did not remotely hear it the same way), but you will have to excuse me for reacting this was, being someone a bit defensive of my decision to stay home with my children. To me, that decision is anything but the comfortable choice to make.
We have sacrificed 2 incomes for 1. I am paying off loans for a master’s degree I am not using. The part of my brain that makes intelligent conversation with adults has gone on vacation and I am not sure when it is coming back. My most meaningful contributions to society as of late are my completely random posts on a blog a handful of people read.
Is it boring? Yes and no. Doing dishes and laundry every day, over and over, in piles that never seem to go away… boring. Feeding the same 3 rotations of lunches to my picky 3 1/2 year old… boring. Doing a similar routine everyday… boring. But I don’t ever doubt that it is completely within God’s will for me to be doing this.
Could I make a major impact on the world if I picked up my family, moved to Africa and spent my days serving the needy? Absolutely. But I am spending my days making a difference in the lives of 2 precious little girls. How better can I serve God than to raise up children who know Him and live to serve Him? I simply don’t trust anyone else to do that job, and that is why I made the choice to stay home.
So, I know in my head I am overreacting to a small comment in an otherwise good sermon. I am just so tired of feeling devalued for being “just a mom.” I wear that title as proudly as any CEO wears theirs’ and I wouldn’t change where I am for anything. I just hoped that in a community of Christians that decision would be celebrated and today I felt like it wasn’t. I am hoping to write a intelligent, un-PMS laden (yes, that isn’t helping) email to our pastor and let him know my feelings. Then I will climb down off my soapbox and re-enter the world of “comfort” and “boredom” I am accustomed to. OK, I am climbing down for real.
