Recipes Review
Get this: I posted a cake and muffin recipe review on my review site! Didn't know I had a review site? Well, I haven't posted in a LONG time. But it was one of my New Year's Resolutions to start posting on my review blog again. I've got all sorts of things I've been wanting to write up, but to get me going at all I started with some easy recipes. They are good ones I found on allrecipes.com, though. And the upcoming reviews are even more interesting!
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Bloggy Friends Book Club
In early July, hush did a book discussion for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I definitely have plans to read the book and add a (hopefully) meaningful comment to the discussion. If you've read it, head over and post your thoughts!
I had had this thought that those who like reading and are interested could host a book discussion on their blogs and/or comment to participate, thereby creating a sort of Bloggy Friends Book Club that meet at each others' places to discuss the book of the month.
So I'd like to host a book discussion of Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian on August 11, 2010! If you are interested, get the book, read it and come here and comment on August 11th.
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August DC Area Meet Up
I know everyone is more than ready for an adult-only get together. Let's do it in August! Please vote for the day and time in the poll on the side panel. There are lots of options because it occured to me that I should offer lunch and dinner times for each day. I'm unable to do the weekend of the 21-22, so I didn't include those.
I'm thinking we meet in McLean and go to one of the restaurants there. I really like a few in the Tyson's Corner II mall. What do you guys think?
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
My Adventure Girl
When we went on vacation last month, my friend (commenter Bisbink), her husband and son spent the weekend with us and my dad. One day that weekend, Londo and my dad went golfing, while I took both kids down to the boardwalk with my friend and her family. We walked around, had lunch and played in the sand. It was fun and a nice time.
But the best part was after we did all that, we went to the amusement rides part of the boardwalk. The Pookie had just (finally!) fallen asleep in the stroller, and thanks to my friend and her husband, I was able to focus more on my adventurous daughter.
This was her first time on any real ride. She'd been on those little up-and-down animal/car rides at the mall, but never a true round-and-round ride at any sort of amusement park, like my friend's son (who is just a few months older than the Pumpkin) had. Thanks to my friend staying with the sleeping babe in the stroller, I was able to go on the Pumpkin's first ride with her: a carousel!
We sat on horses next to each other, each strapped in on our horse (so we can be safe!), and my hand on her back. She LOVED it (even more than I did) and was totally ready for another ride.
The next ride was a sit-in-a-car (or was it a train?) ride that went round and round. She went in a car by herself, while my friend's son went in another car. Her whole face was light up the entire ride. It was magical for me to watch.
The next ride was an airplane ride, another round-and-round ride, but this one could go up and down too! She went in an airplane by herself, and she used the control stick to make herself go up and down. At first, she pulled the control stick, and when the plane started to jerk up, she let go of the stick to hold on to the sides of the plane, and the plane came back down. It took her a few circles to figure out that she needed to keep her hands on the stick and keep pulling down to get her plane to keep going up. Once she figured it out, she was a wiz! I could see the Thrill of the Ride in her face the whole time.
Finally, we had enough tickets for her to ride in a puppy dog that went round and round and up and down, although the up and down was an automatic one not controlled by her. She still loved it!
She did not want the fun of the rides to end, but the baby was waking up, we were out of tickets and she was WAY over-stimulated. So I made us leave, and thanks to no more tickets, she didn't complain TOO much.
On the way to the parking lot, she pointed out the ferris wheel and said she wanted to go on that. Now that I'd seen my adventure girl on the kiddie rides, I realized that she could handle the ferris wheel and the thrill of heights. I promised her that we would come back to the boardwalk later that week with Daddy, and I'd go on the ferris wheel with her. After all, I love ferris wheels and would love to share that with her!
Sure enough, that's what we did a few days later. First, we had to check that there was no height or age requirement, which there weren't. Then we had to wait for our turn, and we did some fun dancing to the music while we waited. I explained the rules of no leaning out of the car and staying seated, and made sure the guy who ran the ride re-iterated what I said (he totally mumbled it, slightly amused, but understanding that I needed him to say it to her as the official ride operator). Londo stayed at the bottom with the Pookie, while the Pumpkin and I got in the car and rode all the way to the top!!!
We could see "eva-ree-ting!" (everything!) from the top! She loved to look around and go around the big wheel. Ferris wheels aren't the same thrill as a fast ride, but the sheer height and view was so exciting for both of us.
My daughter has always had an adventurous spirit. She was climbing jungle gym equipment with ease and no fear since shortly after she started walking (at 10 months!). She has always gone to the edge of things, jumped from as high as we'll let her, climbed everything she could find. She has always loved the thrill of doing physical things. Of course rides were right up her alley. And I'm so happy I've gotten to experience her joy with her.
But the best part was after we did all that, we went to the amusement rides part of the boardwalk. The Pookie had just (finally!) fallen asleep in the stroller, and thanks to my friend and her husband, I was able to focus more on my adventurous daughter.
This was her first time on any real ride. She'd been on those little up-and-down animal/car rides at the mall, but never a true round-and-round ride at any sort of amusement park, like my friend's son (who is just a few months older than the Pumpkin) had. Thanks to my friend staying with the sleeping babe in the stroller, I was able to go on the Pumpkin's first ride with her: a carousel!
We sat on horses next to each other, each strapped in on our horse (so we can be safe!), and my hand on her back. She LOVED it (even more than I did) and was totally ready for another ride.
The next ride was a sit-in-a-car (or was it a train?) ride that went round and round. She went in a car by herself, while my friend's son went in another car. Her whole face was light up the entire ride. It was magical for me to watch.
The next ride was an airplane ride, another round-and-round ride, but this one could go up and down too! She went in an airplane by herself, and she used the control stick to make herself go up and down. At first, she pulled the control stick, and when the plane started to jerk up, she let go of the stick to hold on to the sides of the plane, and the plane came back down. It took her a few circles to figure out that she needed to keep her hands on the stick and keep pulling down to get her plane to keep going up. Once she figured it out, she was a wiz! I could see the Thrill of the Ride in her face the whole time.
Finally, we had enough tickets for her to ride in a puppy dog that went round and round and up and down, although the up and down was an automatic one not controlled by her. She still loved it!
She did not want the fun of the rides to end, but the baby was waking up, we were out of tickets and she was WAY over-stimulated. So I made us leave, and thanks to no more tickets, she didn't complain TOO much.
On the way to the parking lot, she pointed out the ferris wheel and said she wanted to go on that. Now that I'd seen my adventure girl on the kiddie rides, I realized that she could handle the ferris wheel and the thrill of heights. I promised her that we would come back to the boardwalk later that week with Daddy, and I'd go on the ferris wheel with her. After all, I love ferris wheels and would love to share that with her!
Sure enough, that's what we did a few days later. First, we had to check that there was no height or age requirement, which there weren't. Then we had to wait for our turn, and we did some fun dancing to the music while we waited. I explained the rules of no leaning out of the car and staying seated, and made sure the guy who ran the ride re-iterated what I said (he totally mumbled it, slightly amused, but understanding that I needed him to say it to her as the official ride operator). Londo stayed at the bottom with the Pookie, while the Pumpkin and I got in the car and rode all the way to the top!!!
We could see "eva-ree-ting!" (everything!) from the top! She loved to look around and go around the big wheel. Ferris wheels aren't the same thrill as a fast ride, but the sheer height and view was so exciting for both of us.
My daughter has always had an adventurous spirit. She was climbing jungle gym equipment with ease and no fear since shortly after she started walking (at 10 months!). She has always gone to the edge of things, jumped from as high as we'll let her, climbed everything she could find. She has always loved the thrill of doing physical things. Of course rides were right up her alley. And I'm so happy I've gotten to experience her joy with her.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Maybe My Birthday Rule Will Work Next Year
Today is my birthday! Happy birthday to me! I still love my birthday, because each year is still better than the last.
This morning, I told my kids that the rule on Mommy's birthday was: No fighting, arguing, crying*, screaming or whining.
They did all five anyway, of course!
*I actually rescinded the crying part, because I've always said that if anyone feels the need to cry, they could go ahead and cry.
This morning, I told my kids that the rule on Mommy's birthday was: No fighting, arguing, crying*, screaming or whining.
They did all five anyway, of course!
*I actually rescinded the crying part, because I've always said that if anyone feels the need to cry, they could go ahead and cry.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Question of the Week - Internet Writing
The Internet has changed the way we write. It's influenced how we speak and how we act and, I would even argue, how we think. Being a language person, I really love to think about how language changes and is influenced.
Consider the following ways of writing that are normal on the Internet, but perhaps were not the norm prior:
-Acronyms for often-used phrases (LOL, YMMV)
-Written sounds we make to convey speech (meh, gah)
-Use of punctuation to describe how we are speaking (emphasizing. every. word. A lot!!!)
-Purposely mis-spelled words for effect (teh, haz)
-Brand new words to describe brand new things (tweets, blogosphere)
-Emoticons/phrases to express, well, emotions ( ;-), I <3 your blog)
Those are just a few I thought of off the top of my head. I'm sure there are many more examples of how the Internet is changing our language.
This week's question of the week is:
What is your favorite new way of writing that you get from the Internet?
I've got two: the written sounds and the punctuation to show the speech pattern. I especially love the words "meh" and "gah!" And I'm a huge user of the periods between words and multiple question marks or exclaimation points. It's just cause I love. them. so. MUCH!!!!
What about you? Do you find yourself using the acronyms regularly or throwing some internet words out in real life? Do you like the changes in teh language or r u wishing everyone would still write out the words even if it means longer texts? Any cool interweb speak that I missed which you enjoy?
Consider the following ways of writing that are normal on the Internet, but perhaps were not the norm prior:
-Acronyms for often-used phrases (LOL, YMMV)
-Written sounds we make to convey speech (meh, gah)
-Use of punctuation to describe how we are speaking (emphasizing. every. word. A lot!!!)
-Purposely mis-spelled words for effect (teh, haz)
-Brand new words to describe brand new things (tweets, blogosphere)
-Emoticons/phrases to express, well, emotions ( ;-), I <3 your blog)
Those are just a few I thought of off the top of my head. I'm sure there are many more examples of how the Internet is changing our language.
This week's question of the week is:
What is your favorite new way of writing that you get from the Internet?
I've got two: the written sounds and the punctuation to show the speech pattern. I especially love the words "meh" and "gah!" And I'm a huge user of the periods between words and multiple question marks or exclaimation points. It's just cause I love. them. so. MUCH!!!!
What about you? Do you find yourself using the acronyms regularly or throwing some internet words out in real life? Do you like the changes in teh language or r u wishing everyone would still write out the words even if it means longer texts? Any cool interweb speak that I missed which you enjoy?
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