What Spice are You?

My friend Lisa put this on her blog and challenged us to find out what spice we are. As you can see, I am basil. What spice are you?

You Are Basil

You are quite popular and loved by post people. You have a mild temperament, but your style is definitely distinctive. You are sweet, attractive, and you often smell good.

What Spice Are You?

Sunscreen

It is the first day that we are projected to hit 80 degrees. I'm rather excited about this even though tomorrow's forecast is for showers. I am also in the quandary I find myself every year on a day like this, I need sunscreen but have not made the first purchase of the year. As I was researching sunblock, I wondered, how do they test sunscreen to know if they are effective? Well, Hannah Holmes had the answer. Apparently, they actually use people. And wouldn't you know, it's the folks from England who are the lucky guinea pigs. (I wonder if they have to send them to Hawaii or Puerto Rico to actually find sun.) What an interesting job, "sunscreen guinea pig". I guess somewhere in my mind I too think it's okay to risk Melanoma for a day at the beach. Either way, a big shout out to those of the fair skin who easily burn, your sacrifice does not go unappreciated.

Anyway, as you know there are a myriad of choices for sun protection and sometimes it's hard to narrow down the field to make the best selection for your family. Consumersearch.com has a list of tested products that work the best. And if you need information on preventing and treating sunburn, The Skin Cancer Foundation has a plethora of useful information for moms.

Well, I'm off to the store and then the backyard. Here's wishing you a burn-free summer!

Musical Monday-Lullabies

I enjoy singing. It's something I find myself doing quite often and one of my favorite things is to sing my children to sleep. As I was preparing this post I became aware that my time for enjoying this is coming to an end as my older boys have outgrown this ritual. On those nights when taking the time to sing was a pain I never thought I would be feeling the way I am tonight. I will miss this someday and so I will do a better job to cherish it.
I have a repertoire that I run through which includes, I Am a Child of God, Two Little Boys (an old civil war lullaby that my grandmother taught me), Baby Mine and Angel Lullaby. The song you're hearing is Baby Mine from the Disney movie "Dumbo". I hope you enjoy the words and melody, it's one of my favorites.

GFC 11

It's been a long while since I've created a GFC so I cannot wait any longer. This one is simple and very fun. I have been inspired by spring and so my Good Force Challenge this time is plant something! I know it's early for some things so I'll give you 2 weeks to get this done.
Here are some places to find gardening information: About Gardening, Gardener's Choice , and Home and Garden TV .
I'd love to hear what you planted and any gardening tips.

Playboy

Surfing through channels last night I came across a program called "Girls Next Door". It's a reality series about Hugh Hefner and his three, twenty-something live-in girlfriends. I couldn't help but wonder, is Hugh a closet polygamist? Na, I guess not. He refuses to marry them and they are old enough to consent to sex.

The Becoming

As the season changes and the earth turns from the dusty colors of winter to the vibrant greens of spring I can't help but be amazed at the transformation. It has caused me to think about the butterflies I raised last year and what a fun learning experience that was. I remember one specific stage of the butterflies' lives that really astonished me. Just before the caterpillar envelopes itself in a chrysalis it has an astonishing task to complete. The caterpillar will hang upside down and form itself into a "J". After a few moments of hanging in complete stillness the caterpillar will shake, almost like it's having a seizure. During the "seizure", the caterpillar's skin splits right down the back and is shed completely from the body of the caterpillar. After that, the caterpillar resumes it's stillness and begins the barely noticeable process of encasing itself in the chrysalis. I was lucky to actually witness this with two of the caterpillars we raised. I was amazed and couldn't help but wonder, "was that painful?". The caterpillar seemed to be trying so hard to rid itself of the skin that encased it's body.

When I see the leaves of my quaking aspen unfolding themselves from the white bark I wonder too, "does that hurt?". Every little thing, emerging from it's dark winter hiding place must have to put forth quite a bit of effort to become what it is meant to be. It has brought me comfort to have these thoughts. I have felt so often a great deal of discomfort when moving from one stage of life to the next. I ask myself, "why is this so hard?". I have come to think that not only is the point of our lives to become someone better, but to learn to take comfort in "the becoming".

Musical Monday-BGM

In the sincere interest of bringing you something interesting to read this Monday, I've been perusing various research studies on music. Let me tell you, I've got content for the next four years based on what I've read about music and it's effect on us. What struck me most was a paper on Back Ground Music-(BGM) by Norman Weinberger. So while you read these little snippets from his paper, enjoy the BGM I've selected for today.

[BGM], "a music delivery system that permeates virtually all public indoor (and "in plane") spaces with "Background" or "Elevator" music. Often referred to as "Musak", background music (BGM) is actually offered by several music suppliers. BGM permeates our world. It is easier to think of places that lack BGM that to list all those where it is found. Most establishments in which we spend money, to purchase goods, services, food, or drink have BGM. So do many work places, be they factories or offices. BGM is currently being marketed for the home ... numerous channels, each with a distinctive type of music for different personal or social situations, all in digital stereo. And where there is no permanent installation, as in our cars, it is a simple matter to achieve self-supply of BGM by tuning the car radio to an appropriate type of station."

He goes on to discuss the power of BGM to direct or even manipulate us in any given situation....

"The widespread and increasing presence of commercial BGM testifies either to a large waste of money by BGM purchasers , or to the effectiveness of BGM in modifying human behavior, to the benefit of BGM purchasers. Even by the most inefficient of market forces, BGM would long be gone were it ineffective, or at the very least, believed to be ineffective. But it is effective. For example, in one study of the effectiveness of music in a national chain of supermarkets, the use of slow music increased sales over the use of fast music. Shoppers stayed in the store longer and purchased more, a lot more. The average gain was from $12,112.35 per store to $16,740.23, a gain of 39.2%"

Moreover, sound can permeate a space and reach all potential listeners, and do so simultaneously, something achieved only in special circumstances by visual images, as in a cinema. But here too, BGM has an important role. Although you may be only mildly aware of the effect of BGM in movies, a moment's thought will probably convince you that without music, the impact of a movie would be dramatically reduced. Moreover, researchers have shown that the remembering of filmed events is significantly better when they are accompanied by music, particularly music that which fits the mood of the visual images.

Weinberger discusses the presence of back ground music from the earliest times including Motzart and Beethoven's performances for royal courts. I'm sure everyone has a favorite (or sad) memory that is accompanied by music. Take a minute to listen to a song that brings back a memory.

Happy Musical Monday!

Faithful Thoughts: "Teaching Moments" - (Annie)

I like the topic that Lisa chose this time because it has made me stop and truly think what has been effective and what hasn't as I try to teach my children. I agree that the most teachable moments are moments that aren't planned, they just happen during the course of the day. I would also say that the simpler I make my answers, the better. I can lecture, I can go on and on but I see a glaze go over my children's eyes (especially Katie - Zach would just be long gone by that point) when I go too much in depth. Children do watch, and they do pick up our good and bad habits/traits. (And like it or not, they especially like to share the embarrassing comments, stories, etc. to friends, teachers, grandparents, etc.) Obviously parents are human and we can get tired and not always be on our best behavior. But it's very important to set a good example because those little eyes are always watching.

We always sit and have dinner together (lunch, too...daddy's just not usually there for that one). We take turns sharing about our day and what the best part of our day was. It's a great time to learn about my kids, what makes them tick. It's also a great time for them to learn about their siblings. I will miss Katie being there with us at lunch next year...she'll be off to 1st grade.

We also do family devotionals at night before bedtime. Katie soaks it up, Zach can't sit still and pay attention very long, even though we're talking about 5 minutes. It can be very frustrating, but my hope is that Zach is still observing what we are doing as a family and at some point (hopefully in the not-so-distant future) he will be sitting there soaking it all in with us. It's amazing how a 5 minute devotion that is geared for small children can speak volumes to the parents, too!

I have to say that I learn a lot from my children. I learn more about myself, things that maybe I wish I could change. My daughter has a friend that isn't the nicest of girls, yet she absolutely loves this little girl. God is proud of her for that. I'm sure Katie's attitude about the little friend is a lot better then mine. There are times I'd like to pull this little girl aside and say something not-so-nice to her, but then I have to remember that I am to love her no matter what. How is it that my 6-year-old daughter has that concept down and her 34-year-old mother doesn't? (Of course I would sit the little girl down if it were something really harmful that she were doing, but it isn't.)

We spend our whole lives studying things in school, taking tests, etc. It's rather surprising how anyone can just have a baby, no degree necessary! And yet it is the hardest job (and most rewarding) out there! People who adopt have to take tons of classes...in a way I'm envious because I think my friends who adopted were probably much better prepared for parenthood then I was. It is definitely on-the-job training. There are never real clear-cut answers or approaches. You just trust and pray that you are doing the best for your children. I think we can all three attest to the fact that church and God are our best bets for raising good human beings. I know I've made a lot of parenting mistakes in the past and I know I'll make more in the future. I thank God for loving and forgiving me when I fail and for helping me in my parenting skills when I am smart enough to ask for His help!

Faithful Thoughts: "Teaching Moments"- (Lula Mae)

I'm a talker. I can yakkity yak until the cows come home and find that I have said nothing of substance. Add to that the fact that I am a lecturer, and well, you can guess I have a lot of hot air. My instinct is to teach my children by discussion. I have often come away from my "teaching moments" quite self-satisfied at my performance only to have my child display no understanding of what I "taught". I have also come away from lessons taught to me only to choose not to learn anything from the giver of the lesson because I deem it unnecessary. After recognizing my weaknesses as a mother, I've decided I need to turn my "teaching moments" into "learning moments".

Lisa is spot on when she says we teach our children by what we say and do. I think children learn far more by watching than from "being taught". I guess that the goal of my teaching has expanded from teaching a certain principle to trying to show them how to learn from the lessons of life. Really, to hopefully instill in them a desire to take notice and make changes. Obviously, we need to make sure our children know how to do very obvious tasks. Things like making their beds, brushing their teeth, doing homework and making good choices. Those things take concerted moments of instruction. But then there are the intrinsic lessons of life that come from experience and thought. I think that by asking our children about their perception of an event or lesson helps them to recognize and internalize what they have just been presented with. I hope that my children can recognize a "learning moment" when it is presented to them. This method is still a work in progress because, as I said before, I like to lecture. It's far more difficult for me to ask my child "what did you think of that?" or "did you learn anything from that experience?" than it is for me to explain to them what I think they should have learned.

After all these posts I realize how precarious and blind the job of parenting is and how many things I need to change and improve. Talk about on the job training! I'm grateful for this chance to really think about different aspects of my motherhood. I hope that I can be an example of learning to my children. Ultimately, I hope I can teach my children how to learn.

Faithful Thoughts: "Teaching Moments" (Lisa)

This month I wanted to talk about teaching moments with our children. It has been said that children are like sponges and soak up everything around them, which is very apparent to me with my children.

In our family we have some formal opportunities to teach—family home evening, family scripture study, and family councils—but I find that the informal opportunities come up more often and are generally more effective. Children’s very nature of being inquisitive and eager to learn opens up so many opportunities to impress on their little minds the important things of life. My kids are still young (4 ½ and 6 ½) so their questions are still pretty simple, but we’ve tried to set a precedent of answering all of their questions simply and honestly, so that as they grow older they will always feel they can come to us and that we’ll be straight with them.

Some of the best times for teaching occur during our family meal time. There are studies that show that families who eat at least one meal a day together have children who are much less likely to engage in premarital sex, use drugs and alcohol, cheat, and a participate in a whole slew of other bad stuff. Right now, with young children it is pretty easy to make sure we eat together often. I know that as they grow older and their schedules get more demanding, it will be more difficult, but I am committed to keep family meal time a high priority. Just the other day, Olivia asked me at dinner how eggs become chicks. This turned into a good opportunity to open the door to talk about where babies come from—not a subject that I feel particularly comfortable talking about, but one I definitely want my kids to hear from ME, not kids on the playground and definitely not from the media.

Another great time for teaching occurs when we are traveling in the car—I admit freely that I use our DVD player in the van to entertain them more often than I should, but when we have it turned off, the kids really want to converse and ask questions. Conversation in the car can and should be times that we teach our children.

Another opportunity for teaching comes when we are watching TV with our children. I am not advocating in any way that we allow our children to watch the smut that fills the airways in the later evenings, or even most of the material that is on daytime TV (those news shows cover some pretty heavy topics!). However, the children’s shows that our kids watch bring up subjects like bullying, serving others, being kind, people with different challenges, and other issues that I want my kids to learn about. I love that on “Dragon Tales” a brother and sister have to learn to get along while they have adventures with dragons in a very imaginative land. I love that on “Higglytown Heroes” the kids learn about different professions and ways that people help each other out. I even love that my kids are picking up a bit of Spanish from Dora and Diego. Again, not advocating that we use TV as a babysitter (guilty as charged), but that we can use TV shows as conversation starters.

Of course all of these and others are great ways for us to vocalize teachings to our children, but I also believe that much of their learning comes from watching us and seeing how we live, speak, and act. Their little ears hear what comes out of our mouths when we talk with friends or family or even the guy on the freeway that cuts us off. They see how we react when a loved one is going through a hard time or when a neighbor is in need. They learn how to be polite by observing us being polite. They watch how we fulfill (or don’t) our community and church responsibilities. They see how we show love to those around us. They mimic me in action and word, which shows that they learn by watching me, for better or worse. This isn’t to say that I am always the greatest example for them, but I hope that by being aware that they are watching and learning and soaking it all in, I can be better.

The Mommy Mind

My friend and I were discussing the phenomenon of the "Mommy Mind" the other day. It's what happens to your brain when you have children. (This transformation happens irregardless of offspring being biological or adopted.) Here are some things that are signs you have a "Mommy Mind".

1: You know that house slippers can buy you four days between floor cleanings.
2: You know your child has a messy diaper before anyone else can smell it.
3: You consider "Goodnight Moon" good poetry and can recite from memory.
4: You know "why".
5: You figure if it's clean, it's in fashion.
6: You spend more on gas than on beauty products.
7: You know a band aid can work miracles and can unwrap and place with one movement
8: You can tell the difference between Pokemon and Digimon and know that Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus are the same person
9: You know the function of Psuedoephedrine, Acetamenophin and Ibuprofen
10: You can recite your pediatrician's phone number faster than your own

Musical Monday

I'm starting a new feature on my blog called, you guessed it, Musical Monday. From now on every Monday I'll have a new song or musical thought for the week. Hope you enjoy my first selection, "Ever, Ever After" from the movie "Enchanted". I love this song, it's a toe tapper. Happy Musical Monday!

Home Delivery

Okay, so there was a plethora of fun-poking material in today's Entertainment section of MSNBC. After movie reviews that take themselves too seriously and reports that Miley Cyrus had her "teeth done" I was just overcome with weariness. Don't get me wrong, I love celebrity gossip. I am a devoted reader of People magazine and I always check out the entertainment section of the news but for some reason today, I just got fed up. Enough already with "Hottest Celebrity Bodies" and "Will They Tie the Knot?" stories. Is there nothing more? Readers of celebrity gossip unite! We want substance, we want real information! We want the celebrities delivered to our front door so we can ask the questions! (I'm available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings)

Boobie Dippinhump

I love this funny exercise!
We all need a little stress reliever! This only takes a minute.
Sometimes when you have a stressful day or week, you need some silliness to break up the day. If we are honest, we have a lot more stressful days than not.


The following is excerpted from a children's book, Captain Underpants And the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants, by Dave Pilkey, in which the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names...

Thus, for example, George W. Bush's new name is: Fluffy Chucklefanny.

So:-Follow the instructions to find your new name.

1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your New first name:

a = snickle
b = doombah
c = goober
d = cheesey
e = crusty
f = greasy
G = dumbo
h = farcus
i = dorky
J = doofus
k = funky
l = boobie
m = sleezy
n = sloopy
o = fluffy
P = stinky
q = slimy
r = dorfus
s = snooty
t = tootsie
u = dipsy
v = sneezy
w = liver
x = skippy
y = dink y
z = zippy

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:

a = dippin
b = feather
c = batty
d = burger
e = chicken
f = barffy
g = lizard
h = waffle
i = farkle
j = monkey
k = flippin
l = fricken
m = bubble
n = rhino
o = potty
p = hamster
q = buckle
r = gizzard
s = lickin
t = snickle
U = chuckle
v = pickle
w = hubble
x = dingle
y = gorilla
z = girdle

3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:
a = butt
b = boob
c = face
d = nose
e = hump
F = breath
g = pants
h = shorts
i = lips
j = honker
k = head
l = tush
m = chunks
n = dunkin
o = brains
p = biscuits
q = toes
R = doodle
s = fanny
t = sniffer
u = sprinkles
v = frack
w = squirt
x = humperdinck
y = hiney
z = juice

Make sure to share your new name with all of us! Sincerely, Boobie Dippinhump!

Joke of The Day

Okay so I've been a little time challenged lately so today's post is courtesy of an email a friend sent. Just a little mindless reading entertainment.

Compared with Gasoline......

Think a gallon of gas is expensive?
This makes one think, and also puts things in perspective to other things we buy.
Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29 ... $10.32 per gallon
Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz $1.19 ..........$9.52 per gallon
Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 .... $10.17 per gallon
Ocean Spray 16 oz $1.25 ......... $10.00 per gallon
Brake Fluid 12 oz $3.15 ...... $33.60 per gallon
Vick's Nyquil 6 oz $8.35 ... $178.13 per gallon
Pepto Bismol 4 oz $3.85 .. $123.20 per gallon
Whiteout 7 oz $1.39 ....... . $25.42 per gallon
Scope 1.5 oz $0.99 .....$84.48 per gallon
And this is the REAL KICKER...

Evian water 9 oz $1.49..$21.19 per gallon! $21.19 for WATER and the buyers don't even know the source
(Evian spelled backwards is Naive.)

Ever wonder why printers are so cheap?
So they have you hooked for the ink.
Someone calculated the cost of the ink at...............
(you won't believe it....but it is true........)
$5,200 a gal. (five thousand two hundred dollars)

So, the next time you're at the pump,be glad your car doesn't run on water, Scope, or Whiteout, Pepto Bismol, Nyquil or God forbid, Printer Ink!

What Lies Beneath

I have spent part of my day cleaning the main rooms of my house. It seems that part of all my days are always spent cleaning the main rooms of my house. I always want to make a good impression on anyone who visits. However, if any person were to venture up the stairs they would find an alternate universe. Clutter and disorder reign in the bedrooms. It dawned on me that my life in general is much this way. I am very good a cultivating the parts of me that everyone sees regularly and yet there is such work to be done on the inner self (or upstairs, as the metaphor goes.) I guess this would be a wisdom lesson I am learning; work must be done everywhere in order to make the house whole. Here's to spring cleaning!

Spring Planting

I was in the grocery store yesterday and found a Better Homes and Gardens publication called Beds and Borders. It has 38+ garden plans that are comprehensive including climate zones and Latin plant names/species. I am mixing and matching some of their recommended plants to create my own look for my front walk. I'm going through it little by little because there is a lot to cover and it can seem overwhelming but the format is really easy to follow and there are photos of each design, including sketches. You can check it out online at: www.bhg.com (Sorry, for some reason the URL link function isn't working so you'll have to type it in manually.)
Really fun!