Friday was the first meeting I'd attended in over a month, and I was so happy to be there! This will be a short recap, as I'll be doing another one for this week's meeting.
The main announcements revolved around the mission committee. Kathleen thanked everyone for helping to pass out food at the Thanksgiving Food Fair, and reported that we distributed over 175 items to the food pantry. I know those who participated made a great difference to a lot of people.
In addition, we're on par to break last year's "Change for Change" record, as we've already collected about $100, and we will be continuing this ministry next semester.
Charlotte gave us a wonderful message about remembering what Christmas is all about. Sometimes we get caught up in the superficial parts of Christmas, and it's important to remember the birth of our savior foremost in all of it. Thank you Charlotte!
Lastly, Jenny led us in a great craft, as we covered composition books for ourselves and for children who will greatly appreciate a place to put their thoughts. Here's a note from her, in case you haven't already seen it...
"Hi Ladies,
I hope that you enjoyed the craft friday. The notebooks you made to donate are so cute! I know they will be appreciated! If you did not have time to make a beaded pen for yourself and you want one, please let me know which paper you used and I will make you one and bring it to the next meeting.
If you were not at the meeting, we covered composition books with scrapbook paper. We made 2 each - one to keep and one to donate. If you missed it but would like one please let me know by Tuesday. Otherwise all the extras will be donated.
By the way, when your kid goes to Kindergarten and they have to use the primary ruled (w/ the dotted line in the middle) composition books and spirals this is a great way to make them pretty b/c they don't make pretty ones w/ primary rule! It is also a great teacher or hostess gift.
For those of you who asked here are the supplies we used:
- Composition books (available at Target, Wal-Mart, etc / 25 cents before school starts)
- Scrapbook paper and felt (Hobby Lobby, Michaels)
- Adhesive and Terrifically Tacky Tape (Hobby Lobby, Michaels by adhesive in scrapbook dept)
- Beads for pens - "Tiny Glass Marbles" (scrapbook dept of Michaels/ $1.99 for 2 vials and will make alot)
Remember to let me know if you want a pen or composition book if you missed it!
Jenny"
Congratulations to all the newly announced pregnancies, and prayers that Constance's induction went well today.
See you all on Friday! I hear it's a meeting not to be missed :)
Kim
Monday, December 6, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Meeting Recap 19 Nov
I'm so glad we had such a great turn-out for our meeting on Friday. The Moms Panel is always really helpful and this year was no exception. Buckle up ladies, this is going to be a long post.
. . .
Shannon Schlachter, Stacy Johnson and Christina Moreland were our panelists this year. Between the three of them, they have over 100 years of parenting experience (that may be an exaggeration).
Two words of wisdom from our esteemed panel were thus:
1. Never forget an anniversary and,
2. Let your children fail.
As the wife of someone who HAS forgotten an anniversary, I think this is very true. Even if there's no celebration, do SOMETHING. If you get a chance, ask Addie Delahoussaye (admit it, you're impressed that I know how to spell her last name) what she and her husband do for their anniversary every year. It's pretty cool.
As for the second piece of advice - I know this is hard. I don't want my kid to ever struggle with anything. I want her to be good at writing and reading and eating with a fork. I want her to be GOOD at everything, and I don't want her to ever feel the frustration of not getting something right the first time. But I know that's just silly. As someone who didn't have any major struggles with school, or making friends (or eating with a fork), I found myself lost when I couldn't find a job and the person with whom I spent most of my time pooped standing up in the corner.
Needless to say, I didn't handle it well.
But I've learned perseverance, patience, and another word that starts with P that I can't think of right now. It's important to learn how to fail, and even more important to learn how to pick yourself up after.
. . .
One of the first things we talked about was when we should stop taking responsibility for everything our kids need to take to school. Everyone agreed that teachers really help parents make that decision. Some 1st grade teachers require students to hand in their folders themselves. We can help ease that transition by handing folders to our kids, who then will hand it to teachers. It was also mentioned that by second grade, kids are given a lot more responsibility. Encourage them to take responsibility for their homework. They're told that they're in charge or getting forms signed, homework finished, etc, so hold them to the teacher's standards.
. . .
Scheduling was another topic that was brought up. How many activities are too many? In addition, how do you stay organized?
Christina said that in first grade, her kids get to pick 1 activity. In second grade, they get two. Shannon suggested that having her husband coach her son's baseball team helps them keep the number of practices down. She also insisted that you only volunteer for things that involve your kids. Christina mentioned that carpooling makes everything easier.
I think this is very dependent on your family. We only have one kid, so Claire could go to more activities than a family with 16 kids. It also depends on the timing of the activity. If soccer practice starts at 6, but it's important that your family sits down to eat together every night, soccer might not be the best sport for your family.
Look at the start times of all the things your kids want to do. Don't be afraid to tell them no. And don't hesitate to talk to coaches if they're insistent on practicing 5 times a week. These kids aren't in the majors. They're just having a good time.
That being said, I think extra-curricular activities are SO important for kids. Growing up, we were expected to do SOMETHING after school. It almost didn't matter what it was. You know, as long as it wasn't taking Dealing Drugs 101 or pole dancing lessons or something.
. . .
Having a three-year old is hard enough. Dealing with one who says "No" to everything is cause for a raise. So how do you handle a three year-old who refuses to agree with anything?
My new favorite quote? "God grant me the peace to deal with my blessings." Listen, I'm the first to tell you that kids kinda suck. They want things, SO BAD, but they can't articulate what they want. Everything is unfair and grounds for tears. Sometimes, you just can't convince them that playing with knives is unsafe. This is, obviously, a time where it's NOT a good time to "Let them fail" because you might end up with "Let them learn how it feels to get stitches."
However, if you're faced with a non-life threatening situation, have fun with it.
I refuse to take my kid too seriously. She's three. She doesn't know what she's talking about. Kids have short memories (thank goodness), and I can usually get Claire out of a tantrum by just changing the subject. Sure, she's confused for a second, but now she sees how I feel when I hear her talk about how how much milk she should be allowed to have now that she's awake and don't you think it's a great idea to give her an apple and wouldn't it be so much fun to go to the Stomping Grounds since she had four noodles because she could totally get another noodle if she puts her shoes in the shoe basket and did you hear about the time that Jane-Jane SQUIRREL.
I've heard that God gives us the kids we need to have. I think I got hosed since I'm convinced God gave me the kid JR's supposed to have and I'm the one dealing with it most of the time, but whatever. The point of all that is to have fun with your kids. Soon they're not going to want anything to do with you. Enjoy them now.
In related news, someone asked what to do with time-outs don't work. Claire was in time-out for most of last year. But, I used to tell her she was allowed out of Time-Out when she could figure out how to do whatever it was that she was supposed to do. There wasn't a set time for this. In fact, one day she sat in Time-Out for 4 (that's FOUR) hours until she could figure out how to say she was sorry for hitting me. I read an entire book while she was sitting in the corner. To say it was ridiculous is a massive understatement. She hated it, I hated it, but she finally said she was sorry.
For older kids, it was suggested to ask them what's important for them to lose. If they're favorite thing is to play outside, that's the punishment. No playing outside if they get in trouble. Take away TV, desert, electronics. Just remember that you have to be the one to enforce it. So, if the only way you can cook dinner without "help" is if the kids watch Phineas and Ferb for half an hour, think long and hard about using television as a punishment.
. . .
So how do you keep your kids from getting frustrated with they don't get something right the first time?
A lot of people suggested extra work, after homework. Make it a game, and encourage kids to come up with things they can do to improve. They'll be more receptive if they think the extra practice is their idea. I've found the same works for husbands.
Most importantly, be an advocate for your kids. If there's a problem with a teacher, talk to him or her. However, don't assume your kid is right. Listen to their teacher and work together to find a solution.
. . .
A few of the books mentioned during the meeting were:
The 5 Love Languages and
The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman
Strength Finder by Tom Rath
. . .
I hope everyone got as much out of the panel as I did. Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!
See you Friday!
[cori]
. . .
Shannon Schlachter, Stacy Johnson and Christina Moreland were our panelists this year. Between the three of them, they have over 100 years of parenting experience (that may be an exaggeration).
Two words of wisdom from our esteemed panel were thus:
1. Never forget an anniversary and,
2. Let your children fail.
As the wife of someone who HAS forgotten an anniversary, I think this is very true. Even if there's no celebration, do SOMETHING. If you get a chance, ask Addie Delahoussaye (admit it, you're impressed that I know how to spell her last name) what she and her husband do for their anniversary every year. It's pretty cool.
As for the second piece of advice - I know this is hard. I don't want my kid to ever struggle with anything. I want her to be good at writing and reading and eating with a fork. I want her to be GOOD at everything, and I don't want her to ever feel the frustration of not getting something right the first time. But I know that's just silly. As someone who didn't have any major struggles with school, or making friends (or eating with a fork), I found myself lost when I couldn't find a job and the person with whom I spent most of my time pooped standing up in the corner.
Needless to say, I didn't handle it well.
But I've learned perseverance, patience, and another word that starts with P that I can't think of right now. It's important to learn how to fail, and even more important to learn how to pick yourself up after.
. . .
One of the first things we talked about was when we should stop taking responsibility for everything our kids need to take to school. Everyone agreed that teachers really help parents make that decision. Some 1st grade teachers require students to hand in their folders themselves. We can help ease that transition by handing folders to our kids, who then will hand it to teachers. It was also mentioned that by second grade, kids are given a lot more responsibility. Encourage them to take responsibility for their homework. They're told that they're in charge or getting forms signed, homework finished, etc, so hold them to the teacher's standards.
. . .
Scheduling was another topic that was brought up. How many activities are too many? In addition, how do you stay organized?
Christina said that in first grade, her kids get to pick 1 activity. In second grade, they get two. Shannon suggested that having her husband coach her son's baseball team helps them keep the number of practices down. She also insisted that you only volunteer for things that involve your kids. Christina mentioned that carpooling makes everything easier.
I think this is very dependent on your family. We only have one kid, so Claire could go to more activities than a family with 16 kids. It also depends on the timing of the activity. If soccer practice starts at 6, but it's important that your family sits down to eat together every night, soccer might not be the best sport for your family.
Look at the start times of all the things your kids want to do. Don't be afraid to tell them no. And don't hesitate to talk to coaches if they're insistent on practicing 5 times a week. These kids aren't in the majors. They're just having a good time.
That being said, I think extra-curricular activities are SO important for kids. Growing up, we were expected to do SOMETHING after school. It almost didn't matter what it was. You know, as long as it wasn't taking Dealing Drugs 101 or pole dancing lessons or something.
. . .
Having a three-year old is hard enough. Dealing with one who says "No" to everything is cause for a raise. So how do you handle a three year-old who refuses to agree with anything?
My new favorite quote? "God grant me the peace to deal with my blessings." Listen, I'm the first to tell you that kids kinda suck. They want things, SO BAD, but they can't articulate what they want. Everything is unfair and grounds for tears. Sometimes, you just can't convince them that playing with knives is unsafe. This is, obviously, a time where it's NOT a good time to "Let them fail" because you might end up with "Let them learn how it feels to get stitches."
However, if you're faced with a non-life threatening situation, have fun with it.
I refuse to take my kid too seriously. She's three. She doesn't know what she's talking about. Kids have short memories (thank goodness), and I can usually get Claire out of a tantrum by just changing the subject. Sure, she's confused for a second, but now she sees how I feel when I hear her talk about how how much milk she should be allowed to have now that she's awake and don't you think it's a great idea to give her an apple and wouldn't it be so much fun to go to the Stomping Grounds since she had four noodles because she could totally get another noodle if she puts her shoes in the shoe basket and did you hear about the time that Jane-Jane SQUIRREL.
I've heard that God gives us the kids we need to have. I think I got hosed since I'm convinced God gave me the kid JR's supposed to have and I'm the one dealing with it most of the time, but whatever. The point of all that is to have fun with your kids. Soon they're not going to want anything to do with you. Enjoy them now.
In related news, someone asked what to do with time-outs don't work. Claire was in time-out for most of last year. But, I used to tell her she was allowed out of Time-Out when she could figure out how to do whatever it was that she was supposed to do. There wasn't a set time for this. In fact, one day she sat in Time-Out for 4 (that's FOUR) hours until she could figure out how to say she was sorry for hitting me. I read an entire book while she was sitting in the corner. To say it was ridiculous is a massive understatement. She hated it, I hated it, but she finally said she was sorry.
For older kids, it was suggested to ask them what's important for them to lose. If they're favorite thing is to play outside, that's the punishment. No playing outside if they get in trouble. Take away TV, desert, electronics. Just remember that you have to be the one to enforce it. So, if the only way you can cook dinner without "help" is if the kids watch Phineas and Ferb for half an hour, think long and hard about using television as a punishment.
. . .
So how do you keep your kids from getting frustrated with they don't get something right the first time?
A lot of people suggested extra work, after homework. Make it a game, and encourage kids to come up with things they can do to improve. They'll be more receptive if they think the extra practice is their idea. I've found the same works for husbands.
Most importantly, be an advocate for your kids. If there's a problem with a teacher, talk to him or her. However, don't assume your kid is right. Listen to their teacher and work together to find a solution.
. . .
A few of the books mentioned during the meeting were:
The 5 Love Languages and
The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman
Strength Finder by Tom Rath
. . .
I hope everyone got as much out of the panel as I did. Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!
See you Friday!
[cori]
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Meeting Recap 5 Nov
Hey everyone!
I think we had a great meeting on Friday. I know we only got to two of the Convention Share Sessions, but I'm planning on putting the notes from all three on the Nesting site so everyone can have them available.
Here's what we did Friday:
Kathleen reminded everyone about the Thanksgiving Food Drive to be held at our next meeting, November 19. Don't forget the things EFBHNM needs the most -
Canned meat
juice
jelly
crackers
mac & cheese
flour
rice
corn meal
toddler sized diapers
toilet paper
sample size toiletries
Also, we're going to be going out to EFBHNM on November 22 to hand out Thanksgiving food. I went last year and it's a lot of fun. Childcare is $3/child, and they need a lunch. Let Kathleen know if you're interested in coming and didn't get a chance to sign up. We're meeting at the church at 9 and heading over soon after.
I've had a few requests for the recipes of the things everyone is bringing to the meetings. Post them on the Nesting site (we have a thread for recipes already), and I'll put some on the blog too.
Charlotte talked about Matthew 7.20 at the meeting too. She asked us to think about what we're praying for. Don't just pray for the big stuff, think about the small details too.
My favorite part? "Children are a gift from God. They are His reward."
We started praying for our kids last week too. Colin and Benjamin Shearer; Jackson Dias; Luke and Mackenzie Harrison; Madeline, Chloe and Mason Hill; Kendall, Hailey, Austin and Travis Merkel; Hailey and Mason Nuno; Sarah Steinhaus; Austin Stump; and Aleah and Andrew Thummel.
Don't forget to send me pictures of your kids. I only have about 10 people who've sent them in. I need them asap! My email address is CoriAtkins@gmail.com if you don't know it.
Hope everyone has a great week. See you next Friday!
I think we had a great meeting on Friday. I know we only got to two of the Convention Share Sessions, but I'm planning on putting the notes from all three on the Nesting site so everyone can have them available.
Here's what we did Friday:
Kathleen reminded everyone about the Thanksgiving Food Drive to be held at our next meeting, November 19. Don't forget the things EFBHNM needs the most -
Canned meat
juice
jelly
crackers
mac & cheese
flour
rice
corn meal
toddler sized diapers
toilet paper
sample size toiletries
Also, we're going to be going out to EFBHNM on November 22 to hand out Thanksgiving food. I went last year and it's a lot of fun. Childcare is $3/child, and they need a lunch. Let Kathleen know if you're interested in coming and didn't get a chance to sign up. We're meeting at the church at 9 and heading over soon after.
I've had a few requests for the recipes of the things everyone is bringing to the meetings. Post them on the Nesting site (we have a thread for recipes already), and I'll put some on the blog too.
Charlotte talked about Matthew 7.20 at the meeting too. She asked us to think about what we're praying for. Don't just pray for the big stuff, think about the small details too.
My favorite part? "Children are a gift from God. They are His reward."
We started praying for our kids last week too. Colin and Benjamin Shearer; Jackson Dias; Luke and Mackenzie Harrison; Madeline, Chloe and Mason Hill; Kendall, Hailey, Austin and Travis Merkel; Hailey and Mason Nuno; Sarah Steinhaus; Austin Stump; and Aleah and Andrew Thummel.
Don't forget to send me pictures of your kids. I only have about 10 people who've sent them in. I need them asap! My email address is CoriAtkins@gmail.com if you don't know it.
Hope everyone has a great week. See you next Friday!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Introduction
H
ey everyone! I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself, so you get an idea of the person behind these posts.
My name is Cori Atkins. I've been married to JR for five and a half years and I have a three year old, Claire.
I have my degree in English, and I love to write. We moved to Houston two years ago and when we lived in Austin, I was a wedding coordinator. I loved it and would love to get back into it once things settle down here.
I also love taking pictures and messing them up with photoshop. I almost always have my camera with me.
This is my second year in Mops and I just love it. I go to as many socials and playdates as I can. My advice for new members? Engage others. Meet people and plan to hang out outside of the meetings.
I can't wait for the next meeting. We're going to have a blast doing some yoga!
[c]
ey everyone! I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself, so you get an idea of the person behind these posts.My name is Cori Atkins. I've been married to JR for five and a half years and I have a three year old, Claire.
I have my degree in English, and I love to write. We moved to Houston two years ago and when we lived in Austin, I was a wedding coordinator. I loved it and would love to get back into it once things settle down here.
I also love taking pictures and messing them up with photoshop. I almost always have my camera with me.
This is my second year in Mops and I just love it. I go to as many socials and playdates as I can. My advice for new members? Engage others. Meet people and plan to hang out outside of the meetings.
I can't wait for the next meeting. We're going to have a blast doing some yoga!
[c]
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Oct. 8 Meeting Recap
Following the "Coreology" theme, Lauren Merkel assisted us in determining our MotherStyles personality, based on the Myers Briggs Personality Test. To discover your MotherStyle Personality, you can take the quiz: http://quizzes.familyeducation.com/motherstyles (FYI, for those of you who attended the meeting, this quiz is more in depth than the one we took at the meeting. I came up with different results for both tests.)
If you are interested, there's also a book called MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths by Janet Penley.
If you are interested, there's also a book called MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths by Janet Penley.
Tile coasters craft:
I'm not the least bit crafty, but I really enjoyed making the stamped tile coasters. They were so easy to make, and a lot of moms talked about how great these would be as Christmas gifts. Thanks, Jennifer, for organizing this great craft!
Missions:
Kathleen is planning a day for us to volunteer at the East Fort Bend Humans Needs Ministry food pantry on Monday, November 22 from 9am-Noon. Childcare will be available upon request at CUMC for $3 per child. More details are to come.
Pajama Party:
Jill passed around a sign up sheet for those who are interested and able to attend this year's pajama party, held in Rms. 210/211 at Christ Church from 7-10pm. There will be a chocolate fountain, pizza, guac and chips, salad, etc. Come in your comfy PJs for lots of food, games, and fellowship!
Play Date at Sugar Land Memorial Park:
Tentatively planned for Monday, October 18 or Wednesday, October 27
We are planning on going to Dewberry Farms on Monday, November 1 at 9:30am. The group rate is $6/person. Children 2 and under are free.
Charlotte led a wonderful devotional focused on God's personality. Through scripture, she showed us how God is:
- Knowable (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
- Approachable (Matthew 7:7-8)
- Creative (Psalm 147:5 and 121:1-2)
- Forgiving (Romans 3:22-25)
- Honest (Psalm 119:105)
- Capable (Ephesians 3:20)
If you missed our meeting, I recommend spending some quiet time reading and meditating on these scriptures. Even if you did attend the meeting, reflect on some of these scriptures. God will be delighted to spend this time with you.
What else?
We voted in Julie Chance as our Outreach Fund Coordinator for the year. Congrats and thank you, Julie!
Next meeting (Oct. 22):
We'll be doing yoga, so wear comfortable clothes, and bring a yoga mat if you have one.
Have a great week!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Thoughts from Kim Garnett...
Hi girls!
Cori wanted the publicity members to start posting on the blog, so I've been thinking all week of a good topic to blog about. After talking with Missy at the meeting today, it appears that I was overthinking it :) So, for my first entry, I'm going to share a few things I learned recently.
To give you some background on myself, I've been clipping coupons, etc. as a hobby for the last two years. Don't get me wrong - my family certainly needs to stay on a budget if I want to continue being a stay at home mom. However, I've found that budgeting and seeing how much I can get for my money is a fun challenge for me, as well as helping my family save money. My family calls me the "crazy spreadsheet lady", and I'm proud of it, as my spreadsheet has told me how much I've saved in coupons this year ($400)! I will now stop the spreadsheet talk and step away from my control freak ESFP "Happy Together" mothering profile that I discovered today to tell you...
I've been subscribing to some recently discovered mom-blogs (frugal living and crafty ones) just for the tips other moms have shared. I've also been trying to make a lot of our foods/cleaning supplies, etc. at home which combines my two blog interests. As a result, I found out about a few things that you moms might like to know.
1. Clorox Anywhere Spray. It's almost $3.50 a bottle in some places, and here's the recipe: 1.5 teaspoons of bleach, 22 oz. of water. THAT'S IT!! Can you believe it? My parents have about 6 half used bottles around the house for various dog accidents, etc. I should make it for them, and sell it for half price!
2. Fruit Wash spray. Not sure how many brands there are, but the ingredients on the one I have state "surfactant, water, citric acid". According to the dictionary (and my chemical engineer husband), the definition of surfactant is 'a chemical agent capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved'. Basically, this is soap. As for the citric acid, this acts as a rinsing agent. So, keep your fruit wash bottle, pump a few squirts into it, and dilute with water and a teaspoon or so of lemon juice. I do recommend using scent-free soap, the flowery palmolive I just tried makes the grapes smell weird :)
3. Along the same lines, Bath and Body Works (B&BW) is making a killing on their foaming hand wash. Foaming soap is WAY easier for the little ones to use, so I keep it in their bathrooms for easy, quick hand washing. We ran out of our B&BW brand soap the other night, so I added 10 pumps of Dial liquid hand soap into the bottle, carefully topped it off with water (so as not to foam it up too much), swirled lightly, and voila! Foaming hand wash! Can you imagine how many B&BW bottles I can refill with my liquid Dial?? I must say that I am quite fond of the B&BW pump. It seems to keep working for a long time. No sticking like the other pump bottles (including Dial's version). So, I will continue to buy an expensive bottle of B&BW soap at least once a year, just for the bottle.
There! I've saved you $15!!! :)
To wrap up, I had a great time visiting with some new ladies today, and I'm hoping to get to know more of you soon. So far, I'm really enjoying this great group of women! I just hope that my kids stop clinging to my leg when I leave them in Moppets so I can relax while I'm with you :) See you in a couple of weeks!
Cori wanted the publicity members to start posting on the blog, so I've been thinking all week of a good topic to blog about. After talking with Missy at the meeting today, it appears that I was overthinking it :) So, for my first entry, I'm going to share a few things I learned recently.
To give you some background on myself, I've been clipping coupons, etc. as a hobby for the last two years. Don't get me wrong - my family certainly needs to stay on a budget if I want to continue being a stay at home mom. However, I've found that budgeting and seeing how much I can get for my money is a fun challenge for me, as well as helping my family save money. My family calls me the "crazy spreadsheet lady", and I'm proud of it, as my spreadsheet has told me how much I've saved in coupons this year ($400)! I will now stop the spreadsheet talk and step away from my control freak ESFP "Happy Together" mothering profile that I discovered today to tell you...
I've been subscribing to some recently discovered mom-blogs (frugal living and crafty ones) just for the tips other moms have shared. I've also been trying to make a lot of our foods/cleaning supplies, etc. at home which combines my two blog interests. As a result, I found out about a few things that you moms might like to know.
1. Clorox Anywhere Spray. It's almost $3.50 a bottle in some places, and here's the recipe: 1.5 teaspoons of bleach, 22 oz. of water. THAT'S IT!! Can you believe it? My parents have about 6 half used bottles around the house for various dog accidents, etc. I should make it for them, and sell it for half price!
2. Fruit Wash spray. Not sure how many brands there are, but the ingredients on the one I have state "surfactant, water, citric acid". According to the dictionary (and my chemical engineer husband), the definition of surfactant is 'a chemical agent capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved'. Basically, this is soap. As for the citric acid, this acts as a rinsing agent. So, keep your fruit wash bottle, pump a few squirts into it, and dilute with water and a teaspoon or so of lemon juice. I do recommend using scent-free soap, the flowery palmolive I just tried makes the grapes smell weird :)
3. Along the same lines, Bath and Body Works (B&BW) is making a killing on their foaming hand wash. Foaming soap is WAY easier for the little ones to use, so I keep it in their bathrooms for easy, quick hand washing. We ran out of our B&BW brand soap the other night, so I added 10 pumps of Dial liquid hand soap into the bottle, carefully topped it off with water (so as not to foam it up too much), swirled lightly, and voila! Foaming hand wash! Can you imagine how many B&BW bottles I can refill with my liquid Dial?? I must say that I am quite fond of the B&BW pump. It seems to keep working for a long time. No sticking like the other pump bottles (including Dial's version). So, I will continue to buy an expensive bottle of B&BW soap at least once a year, just for the bottle.
There! I've saved you $15!!! :)
To wrap up, I had a great time visiting with some new ladies today, and I'm hoping to get to know more of you soon. So far, I'm really enjoying this great group of women! I just hope that my kids stop clinging to my leg when I leave them in Moppets so I can relax while I'm with you :) See you in a couple of weeks!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Fish. In the Crock Pot. Now I've seen everything.
For those of you who don't know my husband, let me wax some poetic. He's a meat eater. He once told me that if I had been a vegitarian when we met, he wouldn't have dated me (no no ladies, he's all mine). This man needs some sort of meat product in every meal I make. And don't even think about trying to sneak ground turkey into a burger. He knows that's not ground beef and he's not very happy about it. He is the pickiest eater in my house, which is saying a lot since I have a three year old.
So I was really pushing my luck when I decided to try this fish recipe. It could have been terrible. The only thing I was banking on was the fact that he HAS to try everything on his plate to set a good example for Homeslice. Heh, sucker.
And seriously? He LOVED it. He's even requested it! This was the gateway drug to the grilled bell peppers I made last night (which, by the way, he also loved, ThankYouVeryMuch).
So, if you're the mother (or wife) of a picky eater? Try this. I think it'll go over pretty well!
From A Year of Slow Cooking:
Ingredients:
-- 3 or 4 filets of Tilapia (or other favorite white fish)
--1/4 cup mayonnaise
--1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar. I've made it before with Parmesan and it was amazing. If I was planning a trip to the store specifically to get ingredients for this dish I would pick Parmesan.)
--juice of 2 lemons
--4 chopped garlic cloves
--pinch each of salt and black pepper
The Directions:
--mix all ingredients (except for the fish. definitely not the fish.) in a bowl
--lay out a piece of foil
--rub sauce mixture on both sides of fish
--fold foil over and make a little packet for the fish
--put all the packets into the crockpot
--cook on LOW for 2-4 hours; fish should flake easily with a fork
PLEASE take care when taking the packet out of the crockpot and when opening it. It will be hot.
So I was really pushing my luck when I decided to try this fish recipe. It could have been terrible. The only thing I was banking on was the fact that he HAS to try everything on his plate to set a good example for Homeslice. Heh, sucker.
And seriously? He LOVED it. He's even requested it! This was the gateway drug to the grilled bell peppers I made last night (which, by the way, he also loved, ThankYouVeryMuch).
So, if you're the mother (or wife) of a picky eater? Try this. I think it'll go over pretty well!
From A Year of Slow Cooking:
Ingredients:
-- 3 or 4 filets of Tilapia (or other favorite white fish)
--1/4 cup mayonnaise
--1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar. I've made it before with Parmesan and it was amazing. If I was planning a trip to the store specifically to get ingredients for this dish I would pick Parmesan.)
--juice of 2 lemons
--4 chopped garlic cloves
--pinch each of salt and black pepper
The Directions:
--mix all ingredients (except for the fish. definitely not the fish.) in a bowl
--lay out a piece of foil
--rub sauce mixture on both sides of fish
--fold foil over and make a little packet for the fish
--put all the packets into the crockpot
--cook on LOW for 2-4 hours; fish should flake easily with a fork
PLEASE take care when taking the packet out of the crockpot and when opening it. It will be hot.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Meeting Recap - 17 Sept
Hey hey hey!
So sorry this meeting recap has taken so long to be posted, but dudes. There's a lot of new TV that I'm already invested in. Can anyone say Glee?!
Anyway, another good meeting! A lot of information was out there so I'd like to put it all here, just for reference.
Kathleen mentioned that we're going to start accepting things to trade at each meeting. If you're anything like me, you have a year's worth of Real Simple magazines just sitting in your bookcase that your husband keeps giving dirty looks to (so grammatically incorrect. I apologize, Addie). Bring your magazines, books, (unused) toothpaste, formula, coupons, etc to the meetings. One man's trash and all that.
[change for change]
Empty out those change purses at each meeting into our Change for Change coffee can. We collected a ton of money last year, and I know we can do the same this year. Even if it's less than a dollar, every bit helps.
[East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry]
Connie spoke to us about the EFBHNM at the last meeting too. We love working with them, and now we have a TON of ways to help. The resale shop is open Monday-Saturday and is always accepting donations. In fact, I have a trash bag full of curtains that I got from my Mom's house when I went to help her move last weekend. We mentioned setting up one meeting for everyone to bring their stuff so it can be dropped off all at once, but until then, take it over to them. They're located at 435 Stafford Run.
We'll be doing a holiday food drive, and I know we'll be going out there to help out once in a while so keep them in mind. Also, if you shop at Randalls, you can get community bucks to give to them. See what I did there? I have NO idea what community bucks are, but I totally acted like I did. Impressive, no? ; ) If you have any questions, email Connie - connie@humanneeds.org
[Just Between Friends]
The Just Between Friends sale is the first weekend in October which is...Wow, this weekend! Head out there to pick up some winter clothes for those growing kids. If you want to sell, don't forget the perks: 65% back, or 70% back if you volunteer. They're accepting items on Wednesday the 29th from 6:30 - 9 and Thursday the 30th from 12 - 2. The website is a wealth of knowledge, plus there's a really cute baby on the first page. Check it out and let us know what you scored (or how much you made!)
[Pumpkin Patch at St. Catherines]
Elizabeth Hendrie mentioned that there would be a pumpkin patch at St. Catherine's starting October 11 from 10a - 7p. There will be storytime, photographers and games. Plus, pictures of kids in front of pumpkins are adorable! There's no website for information, but Elizabeth knows a lot about it so if you have questions, email her.
[Charlotte]
Finally, Charlotte talked to us about Matthew 5:5. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inhearit the earth."
One thing she said really stuck with me: "You're blessed when you're who you are, no more, no less." What do you think about that verse?
So that was our meeting. Did I miss anything? Keep any eye out for a new post with my new favorite fish recipe - cooked in the crock pot. That's right. I said crock pot. Seriously. It's delicious.
[c]
So sorry this meeting recap has taken so long to be posted, but dudes. There's a lot of new TV that I'm already invested in. Can anyone say Glee?!
Anyway, another good meeting! A lot of information was out there so I'd like to put it all here, just for reference.
Kathleen mentioned that we're going to start accepting things to trade at each meeting. If you're anything like me, you have a year's worth of Real Simple magazines just sitting in your bookcase that your husband keeps giving dirty looks to (so grammatically incorrect. I apologize, Addie). Bring your magazines, books, (unused) toothpaste, formula, coupons, etc to the meetings. One man's trash and all that.
[change for change]
Empty out those change purses at each meeting into our Change for Change coffee can. We collected a ton of money last year, and I know we can do the same this year. Even if it's less than a dollar, every bit helps.
[East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry]
Connie spoke to us about the EFBHNM at the last meeting too. We love working with them, and now we have a TON of ways to help. The resale shop is open Monday-Saturday and is always accepting donations. In fact, I have a trash bag full of curtains that I got from my Mom's house when I went to help her move last weekend. We mentioned setting up one meeting for everyone to bring their stuff so it can be dropped off all at once, but until then, take it over to them. They're located at 435 Stafford Run.
We'll be doing a holiday food drive, and I know we'll be going out there to help out once in a while so keep them in mind. Also, if you shop at Randalls, you can get community bucks to give to them. See what I did there? I have NO idea what community bucks are, but I totally acted like I did. Impressive, no? ; ) If you have any questions, email Connie - connie@humanneeds.org
[Just Between Friends]
The Just Between Friends sale is the first weekend in October which is...Wow, this weekend! Head out there to pick up some winter clothes for those growing kids. If you want to sell, don't forget the perks: 65% back, or 70% back if you volunteer. They're accepting items on Wednesday the 29th from 6:30 - 9 and Thursday the 30th from 12 - 2. The website is a wealth of knowledge, plus there's a really cute baby on the first page. Check it out and let us know what you scored (or how much you made!)
[Pumpkin Patch at St. Catherines]
Elizabeth Hendrie mentioned that there would be a pumpkin patch at St. Catherine's starting October 11 from 10a - 7p. There will be storytime, photographers and games. Plus, pictures of kids in front of pumpkins are adorable! There's no website for information, but Elizabeth knows a lot about it so if you have questions, email her.
[Charlotte]
Finally, Charlotte talked to us about Matthew 5:5. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inhearit the earth."
One thing she said really stuck with me: "You're blessed when you're who you are, no more, no less." What do you think about that verse?
So that was our meeting. Did I miss anything? Keep any eye out for a new post with my new favorite fish recipe - cooked in the crock pot. That's right. I said crock pot. Seriously. It's delicious.
[c]
Friday, September 10, 2010
Great First Meeting
I just wanted to post a quick message to thank everyone for a great first meeting.
One of the questions in our ice breaker today was "Why did you join MOPS?"
Our table didn't get to it, so I wanted to address it here. I joined Mops last year because we had just moved to Houston from Austin. A lot of the people that we knew here didn't have kids and I was struggling with finding women I got along with. MOPS gave me a place to meet women who's kids were in the same age range as mine.
The thing I love most about our MOPS group is that I feel like everyone can find someone they have something in common with. I'm one of the younger moms in the group, but I still felt like I had something in common with some of the people in our group. I know it can be intimidating to walk into a group of women who all seem to know each other. I felt the same way my first meeting and I already knew some people in the group.
But these women could very well become your best friends. They're the ones who you call when your kids are driving you crazy and you need someone to complain with. They're the ones you call when you can't figure out why your kid refuses to poop on the potty. They're the ones you call when you want to see the newest Twilight movie, but don't want to be the only middle-aged mother sitting on the floor at midnight. Trust me, you won't be the only one.
In this group, you'll find women who like the same books as you, even if they're the Sookie Stackhouse series (hey, I've read 9 so far, no judgement here). You'll find women who like to watch The Bachelor, or who spend their free time watching the news. They're the ones you ask for book recommendations when you need something light and funny, or when you want to challenge yourself with War and Peace. You'll find someone who will listen to the same music, enjoy the same vegetarian restaurants, shop at the same stores.
Get to know everyone. It's hard; there's 47 of us. But don't be surprised if you get a phone call after a particularly hard week from someone you don't know that well, telling you that they've been through what you're going through and offering a cup of coffee and a shoulder to cry on.
Don't be afraid to ask for help from these women, because these women? They can change your life.
Welcome to MOPS.
One of the questions in our ice breaker today was "Why did you join MOPS?"
Our table didn't get to it, so I wanted to address it here. I joined Mops last year because we had just moved to Houston from Austin. A lot of the people that we knew here didn't have kids and I was struggling with finding women I got along with. MOPS gave me a place to meet women who's kids were in the same age range as mine.
The thing I love most about our MOPS group is that I feel like everyone can find someone they have something in common with. I'm one of the younger moms in the group, but I still felt like I had something in common with some of the people in our group. I know it can be intimidating to walk into a group of women who all seem to know each other. I felt the same way my first meeting and I already knew some people in the group.
But these women could very well become your best friends. They're the ones who you call when your kids are driving you crazy and you need someone to complain with. They're the ones you call when you can't figure out why your kid refuses to poop on the potty. They're the ones you call when you want to see the newest Twilight movie, but don't want to be the only middle-aged mother sitting on the floor at midnight. Trust me, you won't be the only one.
In this group, you'll find women who like the same books as you, even if they're the Sookie Stackhouse series (hey, I've read 9 so far, no judgement here). You'll find women who like to watch The Bachelor, or who spend their free time watching the news. They're the ones you ask for book recommendations when you need something light and funny, or when you want to challenge yourself with War and Peace. You'll find someone who will listen to the same music, enjoy the same vegetarian restaurants, shop at the same stores.
Get to know everyone. It's hard; there's 47 of us. But don't be surprised if you get a phone call after a particularly hard week from someone you don't know that well, telling you that they've been through what you're going through and offering a cup of coffee and a shoulder to cry on.
Don't be afraid to ask for help from these women, because these women? They can change your life.
Welcome to MOPS.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Find your great summer book
The fam and I just got back from a family reunion for a week at Hilton Head Island (go ahead, be jealous. It was marvelous). Since the price of plane tickets require you to drain your savings account, we decided to drive the 17.5 hours.
This sort of trip requires a LOT of To-Do Lists, although I'm not complaining since I LOVE me some To-Do Lists. I'm the sort of person who will write a chore I just finished just so I can cross it off. And since we have floor to ceiling windows in our dining room, I got to write those bad boys right on the window with dry erase markers. No one can say they didn't see the list (*cough* JR *cough*).
But I digress.
In my preperation, I downloaded some books on tape (books on CD? Books on iTunes?) for the drive. I ended up only getting through on full book, and halfway through two more, but in my research I found a long list of books that I want to read.
Here are some of those. Some of these I've read already and would suggest, and some just look good. Feel free to add to this list with your favorites.
This is the first in a series that Charline Harris has written. Think Twilight, but more...adult. It's a quick read. I have this one on my iPod, and the next few in softback. Not too bad.
Or really, ANY David Sedaris book. This is his most recent and as usual, makes me laugh out loud. If you can, find the recordings of them. David reads them himself and his voice makes them even funnier. Other books he's written: Me Talk Pretty One Day, Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice. He's also the editor of Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules.
Seriously. Drop everything you are doing right now and go buy this book. I finished the first 2/3 of it in 2 days, then forced myself to read more slowly to make it last longer. I finished it, and immediately started it again. This is NOT a light book. It deals with World War Two, death, little kids. But it's amazing. A+
If you want to think about things a little differently, Malcom Gladwell is your guy. From Amazon: Malcolm Gladwell poses a provocative question in Outliers: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Again, I have this on my iPod (I got it for JR, and he finished it - a huge acomplishment for someone who doesn't like to read for pleasure. No, I don't understand it either), but I started it too. So far I've learned that the most successful hockey players are usually born in January and how many hours are required to perfect a skill (spoiler alert - 10,000). I can't wait to finish it.
I had this on my iPod and listened to it at every chance. From AJ Jacobs' website: The Year of Living Biblically is about my quest to live the ultimate biblical life. To follow every single rule in the Bible – as literally as possible. I obey the famous ones:
The Ten Commandments
Love thy neighbor
Be fruitful and multiply
But also, the hundreds of oft-ignored ones.
Do not wear clothes of mixed fibers.
Do not shave your beard
Stone adulterers
Why? Well, I grew up in a very secular home (I’m officially Jewish but I’m Jewish in the same way the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant). I’d always assumed religion would just wither away and we’d live in a neo-Enlightenment world. I was, of course, spectacularly wrong. So was I missing something essential to being a human? Or was half the world deluded?
I decided to dive in headfirst. To try to experience the Bible myself and find out what’s good in it, and what’s maybe not so relevant to the 21st century.
The resulting year was fascinating, entertaining and informative. It was equal parts irreverent and reverent. It was filled with surprising insights almost every day. (I know it’s not biblical to boast, so apologies for that).
The book that came out of the year has several layers.
-An exploration of some of the Bible’s startlingly relevant rules. I tried not to covet, gossip, or lie for a year. I’m a journalist in New York. This was not easy.
--An investigation of the rules that baffle the 21st century brain. How to justify the laws about stoning homosexuals? Or smashing idols? Or sacrificing oxen? And how do you follow those in modern-day Manhattan?
--A look at various fascinating religious groups. I embedded myself among several groups that take the Bible literally in their own way, from creationists to snake handlers, Hasidim to the Amish.
--A critique of fundamentalism. I became the ultra-fundamentalist. I found that fundamentalists may claim to take the Bible literally, but they actually just pick and choose certain rules to follow. By taking fundamentalism extreme, I found that literalism is not the best way to interpret the Bible.
--A spiritual journey. As an agnostic, I’d never seriously explored such things as sacredness and revelation.
--A memoir of my family’s eccentric religious history, including my ex-uncle Gil, who has been, among other things, a Hindu cult leader, an evangelical Christian and an Orthodox Jew.
I first read The Glass Castle a few years ago, but picked it up again a few weeks ago. This memoir is about Jeannette Walls' childhood, sharing her fond memories of her father and mother. She tells how they refused to conform to society’s ideas of responsibility, leaving their children to fend for themselves for even the most basic of needs, such as food and shelter. Jeannette tells her story in a straightforward fashion that is not touched with anger or self-pity, belying events that often shock her readers with her almost innocent presentation of the facts. The Glass Castle is an astonishing memoir that will leave the reader both stunned by the tragic circumstances of Jeannette’s childhood and awed by her strength. This isn't a thick book, but I didn't want it to end.
What books are your favorites? What is your preferred summer reading? Any more suggestions?
[cori]
This sort of trip requires a LOT of To-Do Lists, although I'm not complaining since I LOVE me some To-Do Lists. I'm the sort of person who will write a chore I just finished just so I can cross it off. And since we have floor to ceiling windows in our dining room, I got to write those bad boys right on the window with dry erase markers. No one can say they didn't see the list (*cough* JR *cough*).
But I digress.
In my preperation, I downloaded some books on tape (books on CD? Books on iTunes?) for the drive. I ended up only getting through on full book, and halfway through two more, but in my research I found a long list of books that I want to read.
Here are some of those. Some of these I've read already and would suggest, and some just look good. Feel free to add to this list with your favorites.
This is the first in a series that Charline Harris has written. Think Twilight, but more...adult. It's a quick read. I have this one on my iPod, and the next few in softback. Not too bad.
Or really, ANY David Sedaris book. This is his most recent and as usual, makes me laugh out loud. If you can, find the recordings of them. David reads them himself and his voice makes them even funnier. Other books he's written: Me Talk Pretty One Day, Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice. He's also the editor of Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules.
Seriously. Drop everything you are doing right now and go buy this book. I finished the first 2/3 of it in 2 days, then forced myself to read more slowly to make it last longer. I finished it, and immediately started it again. This is NOT a light book. It deals with World War Two, death, little kids. But it's amazing. A+
If you want to think about things a little differently, Malcom Gladwell is your guy. From Amazon: Malcolm Gladwell poses a provocative question in Outliers: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Again, I have this on my iPod (I got it for JR, and he finished it - a huge acomplishment for someone who doesn't like to read for pleasure. No, I don't understand it either), but I started it too. So far I've learned that the most successful hockey players are usually born in January and how many hours are required to perfect a skill (spoiler alert - 10,000). I can't wait to finish it.
I had this on my iPod and listened to it at every chance. From AJ Jacobs' website: The Year of Living Biblically is about my quest to live the ultimate biblical life. To follow every single rule in the Bible – as literally as possible. I obey the famous ones:
The Ten Commandments
Love thy neighbor
Be fruitful and multiply
But also, the hundreds of oft-ignored ones.
Do not wear clothes of mixed fibers.
Do not shave your beard
Stone adulterers
Why? Well, I grew up in a very secular home (I’m officially Jewish but I’m Jewish in the same way the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant). I’d always assumed religion would just wither away and we’d live in a neo-Enlightenment world. I was, of course, spectacularly wrong. So was I missing something essential to being a human? Or was half the world deluded?
I decided to dive in headfirst. To try to experience the Bible myself and find out what’s good in it, and what’s maybe not so relevant to the 21st century.
The resulting year was fascinating, entertaining and informative. It was equal parts irreverent and reverent. It was filled with surprising insights almost every day. (I know it’s not biblical to boast, so apologies for that).
The book that came out of the year has several layers.
-An exploration of some of the Bible’s startlingly relevant rules. I tried not to covet, gossip, or lie for a year. I’m a journalist in New York. This was not easy.
--An investigation of the rules that baffle the 21st century brain. How to justify the laws about stoning homosexuals? Or smashing idols? Or sacrificing oxen? And how do you follow those in modern-day Manhattan?
--A look at various fascinating religious groups. I embedded myself among several groups that take the Bible literally in their own way, from creationists to snake handlers, Hasidim to the Amish.
--A critique of fundamentalism. I became the ultra-fundamentalist. I found that fundamentalists may claim to take the Bible literally, but they actually just pick and choose certain rules to follow. By taking fundamentalism extreme, I found that literalism is not the best way to interpret the Bible.
--A spiritual journey. As an agnostic, I’d never seriously explored such things as sacredness and revelation.
--A memoir of my family’s eccentric religious history, including my ex-uncle Gil, who has been, among other things, a Hindu cult leader, an evangelical Christian and an Orthodox Jew.
I first read The Glass Castle a few years ago, but picked it up again a few weeks ago. This memoir is about Jeannette Walls' childhood, sharing her fond memories of her father and mother. She tells how they refused to conform to society’s ideas of responsibility, leaving their children to fend for themselves for even the most basic of needs, such as food and shelter. Jeannette tells her story in a straightforward fashion that is not touched with anger or self-pity, belying events that often shock her readers with her almost innocent presentation of the facts. The Glass Castle is an astonishing memoir that will leave the reader both stunned by the tragic circumstances of Jeannette’s childhood and awed by her strength. This isn't a thick book, but I didn't want it to end.
What books are your favorites? What is your preferred summer reading? Any more suggestions?
[cori]
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Product Review: Nair Shower Power
Full Disclosure: Nair did NOT approach me to write this product review. I received no compensation what-so-ever. I just thought that it might be fun to use a chemical to burn the hair off my legs during a rainy afternoon. Hey, my house is a disaster, I have no idea what I'm cooking for dinner, and my kid is running around naked climbing the mountain (arm rest of the couch) so I figured why not? It's not like I have anything else do today.
Nair Shower Power. I paid $5.99, on sale, at Target. This, I must confess, was an impulse buy. This is why I don't go to Target alone. It's a lot harder to compare chemical hair removal products with a hollering three year old asking for a chocolate shake. You get the 5.1oz bottle and a small sponge that looks like one I might use to scrub my tub. If I, you know, scrubbed my tub.
*ahem*
The directions are....complex. There are three sections, and take up the entire right side of the back of the bottle.
First step: Apply Cream. Skin must be dry before application. Dispense cream onto green side of the dry sponge and apply evenly. Repeat until the entire area where hair to be removed is covered. Make sure unwanted hair is completely covered. DO NOT RUB IN. Hang sponge on hook in the tub/shower or place with the white side of the sponge down near tub/shower. Wait at least 1 minute before showering.
Ok. Pretty straight forward. I just put the cream on the sponge and slid it across my leg. It wasn't very thick. It looked like most of the cream was getting on the green side of the sponge instead of my leg. No matter, I'll just put the cream directly on my leg, then spread it with the sponge. That worked a little better. I wasn't sure how much to put on, but I was pretty sure I wasn't supposed to touch it. I mean, there's a sponge for a reason, right?
It was then, while I was naked, sitting on the edge of the tub, when Claire wondered in.
"What are you doing, mommy?" She asked, staring at my legs.
"Shaving my legs," I replied, helpfully.
"Ok. I'll help." She pronounced, climbing out of her twirly princess dress and walking toward me.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" I screamed as her hand veered dangerously close to my now white leg.
But, she was too fast for me. Great. Now I have a Claire-sized hand print on my upper thigh. We washed her hands immediately.
Waiting one minute was no problem. I had my hands full with the aformentioned hand washing, plus then Claire had to go potty, then wash her hands again. When I finally stepped in the shower, I had no idea how long it had been, but my legs were starting to tingle.
Shower. Step into the shower and follow your usual routine. The cream will resist wash off, but a small amount of wash off is not unusual. For optimum product performance, keep skin where cream has been applied away from direct stream of water. Make sure the cream stays on your skin for at least an additional 2 minutes while in the shower. DO NOT EXCEED 10 minutes of total application time.
Besides the overabundance of bolded words in this set of directions, it seemed pretty straight-forward. Shower, as normal, avoiding the water spraying directly on my legs. Got it. The problems started when Claire got in the shower with me. Showering with a 3 year old is hard enough. Add possible chemical burn-inducing cream on my legs and it was as if I were in Circ de Sole. I washed my hair, trying not to touch her. She wanted the "water spray" on her, then she didn't, then she did again. Not only was I worried about her, I was aware of where the water was spraying. Only on my head and back, NOT my legs. Check.
Downside: my shower was beginning to smell like a mixture of baby poop and amonia. Awesome.
Remove/Rinse. Total hair removal depends on hair thickness. Rinse the sponge and use the white side to remove the cream together with the hair in a small area. If the hair comes off easily, remove the rest of the cream by massaging in a circular motion. If the hair does not come off, leave the cream on longer without exceeding 10 minutes of total application time. Once the cream and hair have been removed, rinse your skin thoroughly under the shower. Do not rub. Pat dry gently. Rinse the sponge. Keep the tube closed when not in use.
Here's where things get, pardon my pun, hairy. I had to manuver my body so that one foot was against the shower wall, while trying not to touch Claire. By this point, most of the cream had already rinsed off, but there were still large patches of white goo on my leg. I used the white side of the sponge and rubbed my whole leg. Sometimes I remembered to use a circular motion, but most of the time I looked like I was scrubbing my sink. You know, if I scrubbed my sink.
*ahem*
A few times I dared rinse the sponge, desperately trying to not get any water on Claire, who at this point was entertaining herself by singing "Take a bath, wash yourself, take a bath, show me what you're scrubbing with" and largely ignoring me. Which was good, since I looked like an idoit.
Everything came off pretty easily, and the cream that was still on parts of my leg was rubbed in other parts of my leg thank to my vigorous circular motions. I got everything off, rinsed my leg again and finally stepped out of the shower.
Final Verdict: B+ The parts of my legs that had absolutly no hair were smoother than when I shaved them. But, the whole process was a little involved. Next time I'm going to try with more cream and less 3 year old helper.
I don't know if I'd buy this again; that will be determined once I see how long it lasts. But, it was more enjoyable than shaving. It's worth a try.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
"And Then I Had A Cocktail" or "How I Won the Mother of the Year Award."
As I pulled on my yoga pants, I felt positive. It was 7am and I was getting ready for a yoga class at the Y - something I had wanted to start doing for months. I was dressed (including socks and sneakers) and so was Claire (including pants - the real win). I had water. Claire had extra diapers in case she had an accident. We had already discussed the exciting playground at the Y where she was sure to meet new friends.
We were ready.
My plan was foiled the moment we walked in the door. We got a little lost looking for the daycare, and when I picked up Claire to try to walk more quickly, I realized that she was sopping wet. She hadn't mentioned needed to use the bathroom and in my rush to get to class on time, I hadn't asked. I finally founf the daycare and asked for the changing table. As I was changing her diaper, Claire's sixth sense flaired up. She knew I was leaving. I spent a few minutes walking her around the room, pointing out the slide and blocks and princess books. I told her to give me a hug and kiss and that I would be back from my class soon.
Then the wailing started.
" I just wnat you Mama," she cried in a terribly pathetic voice. I spent a few more moments trying to calm her down before looking at the daycare workers helplessly. Then one of them said something to me that angered me more than I thought it would: "If you had just dropped her off, she would have been fine. But now she'd going to cry the whole time you're gone."
I shot her a look that I hoped conveyed my anger at her accusation (but probably just looked ridiculous - I've yet to take the "Crazy Eyes" class at the LLU) and walked out.
I was not happy. I had been looking forward to yoga - the quiet, the peace. I was doing it just for me, or trying to, and my plans were thwarted. I walked a little faster to the car than I should have, annoyed that Claire had immediately stopped crying and was now negotiating a chocolate milkshake after lunch and could we go play at Aunt Addie's and how about she gets to turn on the air conditioner for me?!
Didn't she know she had just ruined my plans? Why couldn't she just go play by herself like other kids?
"I'm not happy, Claire. You ruined my day." I was fuming. How could she be so happy? She had thrown a huge fit to get what she wanted. She was acting like a baby.
Then I looked in the rearview mirror and saw her big blue eyes looking at me. That's when I realized. She WAS still a baby. She is only three. She was scared to be in a place she didn't remember with people she had never met. She didn't know how to tell me this, so she cried.
And I yelled at her. Guilt washed over me. But I pushed it down, knowing it wouldn't do any good. I resolved to salvage the morning.
. . .
As I type this, Claire is standing in our atrium, naked, in the rain. She's shivering, but she's laughing. Since that morning, I've yelled again. I've been frustrated and annoyed and angry. But I've also hugged and kissed and said "I love you." I have bad moments, and I have good moments, but they're just that - moments. They don't define my day. I let the bad ones fall away and hold on to the good ones.
How do you handle "bad moments?"
We were ready.
My plan was foiled the moment we walked in the door. We got a little lost looking for the daycare, and when I picked up Claire to try to walk more quickly, I realized that she was sopping wet. She hadn't mentioned needed to use the bathroom and in my rush to get to class on time, I hadn't asked. I finally founf the daycare and asked for the changing table. As I was changing her diaper, Claire's sixth sense flaired up. She knew I was leaving. I spent a few minutes walking her around the room, pointing out the slide and blocks and princess books. I told her to give me a hug and kiss and that I would be back from my class soon.
Then the wailing started.
" I just wnat you Mama," she cried in a terribly pathetic voice. I spent a few more moments trying to calm her down before looking at the daycare workers helplessly. Then one of them said something to me that angered me more than I thought it would: "If you had just dropped her off, she would have been fine. But now she'd going to cry the whole time you're gone."
I shot her a look that I hoped conveyed my anger at her accusation (but probably just looked ridiculous - I've yet to take the "Crazy Eyes" class at the LLU) and walked out.
I was not happy. I had been looking forward to yoga - the quiet, the peace. I was doing it just for me, or trying to, and my plans were thwarted. I walked a little faster to the car than I should have, annoyed that Claire had immediately stopped crying and was now negotiating a chocolate milkshake after lunch and could we go play at Aunt Addie's and how about she gets to turn on the air conditioner for me?!
Didn't she know she had just ruined my plans? Why couldn't she just go play by herself like other kids?
"I'm not happy, Claire. You ruined my day." I was fuming. How could she be so happy? She had thrown a huge fit to get what she wanted. She was acting like a baby.
Then I looked in the rearview mirror and saw her big blue eyes looking at me. That's when I realized. She WAS still a baby. She is only three. She was scared to be in a place she didn't remember with people she had never met. She didn't know how to tell me this, so she cried.
And I yelled at her. Guilt washed over me. But I pushed it down, knowing it wouldn't do any good. I resolved to salvage the morning.
. . .
As I type this, Claire is standing in our atrium, naked, in the rain. She's shivering, but she's laughing. Since that morning, I've yelled again. I've been frustrated and annoyed and angry. But I've also hugged and kissed and said "I love you." I have bad moments, and I have good moments, but they're just that - moments. They don't define my day. I let the bad ones fall away and hold on to the good ones.
How do you handle "bad moments?"
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Changing of the Guards
Happy July!
Seriously, as I was typing that, I realized that it's July. JULY. How did that happen?
We're deep into summer now and, at least in the Atkins' household, things are running as smoothly as expected. Potty training is going well, if you could getting pooped on twice in two days "going well." I've done more laundry this week than I have since homeslice was an infant. In fact, Claire is peeing and pooping on so many of her shorts and twirly skirts that I'm doing at least one load everyday. The problem lays in the fact that Claire's clothes are, well, small. A few soiled shorts and dirty cloth diapers does not a full load of laundry make. I'm actually seaching my house for more things to stick in the washer.
Never had that problem before.
Moving on.
I was reading the newest edition of Women's Day (no, I don't have any idea how I came to receive Woman's Day every month in my mailbox) and found a recipe I had to share.
A little backstory: when we lived in the OKC and I was pregnant (seriously? Never go to Oklahoma. They put something in the water out there. People were getting pregnant left and right. It's a good thing we only lived there a year or I'd have come back with scores of little babies. But I digress), I had the most powerful craving for chocolate shakes (and to shoot a gun, but that's a different story).
I tried all the usual places, McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King. I tried the local places. JR tried to make one for me. They were never exactly as I wanted. Then we went to a place that sold Frozen Hot Chocolate a la Serendipity in NY. I can't remember the name of the place (and sadly I think it's closed now), but I have dreams about this drink. It was cold and frosty and chocolately and it was so good that it almost made up for the fact that I couldn't eat raw fish or soft cheese.
Almost.
Anyway, I found a recipe for Frozen Hot Chocolate in this month's Woman's Day. It looks pretty good - I haven't tried it yet - and it's apparently a "slimmed down version." 150 calories and virtually no fat.
Holla.
So, someone make this and bring me some.
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup fat free evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups ice cubes
Garnish: reduced fat whipped topping and/or dark chocolate shavings.
1. Combine chocolate syrup, evaporated milk, vanilla and ice in a blender until smooth.
2. Pout into glasses. Garnish with a dollop of whipped topping and/or sprinking of chocolate shavings if desired.
Dude. Not until I finished typing out the "directions" did I think, "Well, duh." Mix everything and pour into glasses. Do we really need written directions for that?
So there it is. Frozen Hot Chocolate to cool down your (really, REALLY) hot afternoon.
Enjoy!
[cori]
Seriously, as I was typing that, I realized that it's July. JULY. How did that happen?
We're deep into summer now and, at least in the Atkins' household, things are running as smoothly as expected. Potty training is going well, if you could getting pooped on twice in two days "going well." I've done more laundry this week than I have since homeslice was an infant. In fact, Claire is peeing and pooping on so many of her shorts and twirly skirts that I'm doing at least one load everyday. The problem lays in the fact that Claire's clothes are, well, small. A few soiled shorts and dirty cloth diapers does not a full load of laundry make. I'm actually seaching my house for more things to stick in the washer.
Never had that problem before.
Moving on.
I was reading the newest edition of Women's Day (no, I don't have any idea how I came to receive Woman's Day every month in my mailbox) and found a recipe I had to share.
A little backstory: when we lived in the OKC and I was pregnant (seriously? Never go to Oklahoma. They put something in the water out there. People were getting pregnant left and right. It's a good thing we only lived there a year or I'd have come back with scores of little babies. But I digress), I had the most powerful craving for chocolate shakes (and to shoot a gun, but that's a different story).
I tried all the usual places, McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King. I tried the local places. JR tried to make one for me. They were never exactly as I wanted. Then we went to a place that sold Frozen Hot Chocolate a la Serendipity in NY. I can't remember the name of the place (and sadly I think it's closed now), but I have dreams about this drink. It was cold and frosty and chocolately and it was so good that it almost made up for the fact that I couldn't eat raw fish or soft cheese.Almost.
Anyway, I found a recipe for Frozen Hot Chocolate in this month's Woman's Day. It looks pretty good - I haven't tried it yet - and it's apparently a "slimmed down version." 150 calories and virtually no fat.
Holla.
So, someone make this and bring me some.
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup fat free evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups ice cubes
Garnish: reduced fat whipped topping and/or dark chocolate shavings.
1. Combine chocolate syrup, evaporated milk, vanilla and ice in a blender until smooth.
2. Pout into glasses. Garnish with a dollop of whipped topping and/or sprinking of chocolate shavings if desired.
Dude. Not until I finished typing out the "directions" did I think, "Well, duh." Mix everything and pour into glasses. Do we really need written directions for that?
So there it is. Frozen Hot Chocolate to cool down your (really, REALLY) hot afternoon.
Enjoy!
[cori]
Friday, April 30, 2010
Its hard to find time for "me", but I have managed to create time - yes you heard me "create" time! Thanks to a wonderful husband, and some really close friends I manage to get away for some "me" time on a periodic basis. And, instead of centering this "me" time around dinner or movies I try to get some new and exciting education. I know it sounds hokey but it can be so much fun to learn something new and exciting all while enjoying some time away from the kiddos. Here are a few ideas that I have done myself that you might enjoy:
Sewing classes - yes even the beginner sewer can enjoy; classes available in May: Little Stitches - http://www.littlestitchessewing.com/classes
(I have heard that they also offer classes at Sew Contempo in Mo.City, but never tried them there!)
Cake decorating classes - oh my goodness I took this class with a girlfriend, and it was so much fun! I learned a lot of tricks, and unfortunately the ingredients to cake icing! I took the class at Micheal's in SugarLand, but they also offer at Hobby Lobby: http://www.hobbylobby.com/store_classes
Cooking Classes - they offer a wide variety of cooking classes for all your taste buds at Whole Foods! I took the class with a friend during Christmas and we learned how to make a Yule Log (a.k.a. Cake Roll) and it was FABULOUS! All store locations offer classes, but we took the class at the Whole Foods on Westheimer / Weslayan, see site: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com
iphone / ipod / ipad usage classes - I know this sounds CRAZY, but a friend of mine (you know who you are :-)) recently purchased an ipad and was offered the free usage class! Very exciting! The Apple store in First Colony Mall offers these usage classes, I haven't been to one yet - but recently when I visited the store the sales person suggested that I visit - I am sure I'm missing out on all kinds of things with my iPhone!
Scrapbooking classes - I wish I had more time to scrapbook, my younger kids have no scrapbooks and my oldest have 6 or 7! Yikes! No, really every now and again I like to take a day or an evening - or even, and ALL NIGHTER - yes you heard me ALL NIGHTER to scrapbook to my hearts content! The Scrapbook Village in Missouri City offers scrapbooking classes, weekly crops (just a fancy term for bring your supplies and work in their store), monthly crops, and the occasional ALL NIGHT CROP! I have done it a few times, and it is so much fun to scrapbook with friends, share stories of the pics, and get all of your memories cataloged. For available classes see:
http://www.thescrapbookvillage.com
Thats all for now - if there is anything else I can think of I will send it to the blog! Please share any other ideas that I might have missed! Thanks for reading, and see you soon!
JoBeth
Sewing classes - yes even the beginner sewer can enjoy; classes available in May: Little Stitches - http://www.littlestitchessewing.com/classes
(I have heard that they also offer classes at Sew Contempo in Mo.City, but never tried them there!)
Cake decorating classes - oh my goodness I took this class with a girlfriend, and it was so much fun! I learned a lot of tricks, and unfortunately the ingredients to cake icing! I took the class at Micheal's in SugarLand, but they also offer at Hobby Lobby: http://www.hobbylobby.com/store_classes
Cooking Classes - they offer a wide variety of cooking classes for all your taste buds at Whole Foods! I took the class with a friend during Christmas and we learned how to make a Yule Log (a.k.a. Cake Roll) and it was FABULOUS! All store locations offer classes, but we took the class at the Whole Foods on Westheimer / Weslayan, see site: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com
iphone / ipod / ipad usage classes - I know this sounds CRAZY, but a friend of mine (you know who you are :-)) recently purchased an ipad and was offered the free usage class! Very exciting! The Apple store in First Colony Mall offers these usage classes, I haven't been to one yet - but recently when I visited the store the sales person suggested that I visit - I am sure I'm missing out on all kinds of things with my iPhone!
Scrapbooking classes - I wish I had more time to scrapbook, my younger kids have no scrapbooks and my oldest have 6 or 7! Yikes! No, really every now and again I like to take a day or an evening - or even, and ALL NIGHTER - yes you heard me ALL NIGHTER to scrapbook to my hearts content! The Scrapbook Village in Missouri City offers scrapbooking classes, weekly crops (just a fancy term for bring your supplies and work in their store), monthly crops, and the occasional ALL NIGHT CROP! I have done it a few times, and it is so much fun to scrapbook with friends, share stories of the pics, and get all of your memories cataloged. For available classes see:
http://www.thescrapbookvillage.com
Thats all for now - if there is anything else I can think of I will send it to the blog! Please share any other ideas that I might have missed! Thanks for reading, and see you soon!
JoBeth
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Finding "me" time
As mothers, we all know how important it is for our kids to play with other kids. We set up playdates, shuttle them to and from summer camps and school, enroll them in dance, soccer, and Gymboree. We encourage our kids to find out their passions and follow them.
I even set up playdates for my husband to make sure he has friends outside of work.
But on my way home from dance class the other day, going over the week's meals, listing everything that needed to be done before I went to bed, I realized something.
Why don't I get playdates?
How am I supposed to meet people? How do I find MY passions to follow?
The next few posts will be all about finding things to do for US, as moms. If you have any other ideas that we haven't talked about, leave a comment.
. . .
Right before Claire was born, I decided that I wanted to good camera. I had a little point and shoot that worked well, but I was looking for something that I could learn.
I bought a Nikon D40 and am so glad I did.
The camera takes much better pictures than my old Sony, even on automatic mode. I learned Photoshop (kinda), I took pictures everyday.
And, this January, I took a photography class at the Leasure Learning Center. They have a ton of classes, and they're not that expensive. In fact, Addie and I are taking a class next week, "Self-Hypnosis."
Yes, it should be hysterical.
The classes are once a week, usually for a few weeks.
This is a great way to meet people, to do something just for YOU. For a few hours a week, I wasn't worried about what we were going to have for dinner, or what laundry needed to be done. I didn't care if Claire was up past her bedtime, or if the kitched wasn't clean.
I was learning more about something I loved doing.
So check out the LLU. Which classes would you take?
I even set up playdates for my husband to make sure he has friends outside of work.
But on my way home from dance class the other day, going over the week's meals, listing everything that needed to be done before I went to bed, I realized something.
Why don't I get playdates?
How am I supposed to meet people? How do I find MY passions to follow?
The next few posts will be all about finding things to do for US, as moms. If you have any other ideas that we haven't talked about, leave a comment.
. . .
Right before Claire was born, I decided that I wanted to good camera. I had a little point and shoot that worked well, but I was looking for something that I could learn.
I bought a Nikon D40 and am so glad I did.
The camera takes much better pictures than my old Sony, even on automatic mode. I learned Photoshop (kinda), I took pictures everyday.
And, this January, I took a photography class at the Leasure Learning Center. They have a ton of classes, and they're not that expensive. In fact, Addie and I are taking a class next week, "Self-Hypnosis."
Yes, it should be hysterical.
The classes are once a week, usually for a few weeks.
This is a great way to meet people, to do something just for YOU. For a few hours a week, I wasn't worried about what we were going to have for dinner, or what laundry needed to be done. I didn't care if Claire was up past her bedtime, or if the kitched wasn't clean.
I was learning more about something I loved doing.
So check out the LLU. Which classes would you take?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Resolve to do WHAT?
I never look forward to January. We all have those friends, you know the ones that are going to "change the world" starting the first of the year. It is a lot of pressure...pressure that I don't think anyone deserves or needs. So, I boycott. I deliberately avoid my husband's requests to sit down and set family goals. I longingly admire people who start running in the super cold January weather. And, I keep adding half and half to my hot chocolate despite my knowledge of not only my lactose intolerance but where that half and half goes (straight to my you know what).
But am I alone in feeling this way? We asked the experts! (We mean you...moms of the world...or at least CUMC MOPS...)
Two of our members were brave enough to tell us like it is, let us know what they think about this whole resolution business and give us some insight into how they are going to live their lives in 2010.
Megan Drake, who you may all know survived 2009 as a nearly single mom (while her husband worked overseas), was just begging to be quizzed about her resolutions (or lack thereof). She's got to have some mad skills to make it through last year, so what's in store for Mrs. Drake in 2010? She's not afraid to admit that she isn't keen on the resolution business either (yay! partner in crime!). In fact, Megan shares that "mostly I think about eating black eyed peas, shooting fireworks and trying to remember to write the correct new date." (yay again!).
She is going to work on her posture this year, and has some family members helping her out who are hoping to work on the same thing. After writing this here, she also has 49 of her closest friends ready to call her out on it every other Friday.
Our next willing participant in the publicity committee's study into the tradition of the resolution (should we trash it or flash it?) is Lauran Helms. She DID make some resolutions! More power to you sister! She has already started waking up earlier than her girls to start her day, have some devotion time and/or do some quiet reading. I'm so happy to report that it is totally working for her! Her second resolution is to exercise and she explains that she's "failing at it." It's okay...that's the crazy pressure I'm talking about!!!
As a nice coincidence, both girls have Francine Rivers books to recommend as great reading material to start off 2010. Lauran recently read Redeeming Love and highly recommends it while Megan is reading Lineage of Grace and is enjoying it. Megan also gets a lot out of her new daily devotional book, New Life New You by Joyce Meyer.
I would love to hear what you have on your agenda for 2010! Exercise? Less yelling at the kids? More time with the Lord? Less gray hair and cuter shoes? (sorry, I put a few of my own in). Whatever you do to help you have a little more peace, a little more fun, a little more happiness, I think it is worth it! How do you do that? If I knew, I'd be rich (and have less gray hair and cuter shoes).
I think that Megan does a really good job of summing up what she hopes she sees when she looks back on 2010. She hopes she is a "good wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend." I think we can all agree with that one.
Good luck girls! I can't wait to see what 2010 has in store...with or without resolutions.
Dani
But am I alone in feeling this way? We asked the experts! (We mean you...moms of the world...or at least CUMC MOPS...)
Two of our members were brave enough to tell us like it is, let us know what they think about this whole resolution business and give us some insight into how they are going to live their lives in 2010.
Megan Drake, who you may all know survived 2009 as a nearly single mom (while her husband worked overseas), was just begging to be quizzed about her resolutions (or lack thereof). She's got to have some mad skills to make it through last year, so what's in store for Mrs. Drake in 2010? She's not afraid to admit that she isn't keen on the resolution business either (yay! partner in crime!). In fact, Megan shares that "mostly I think about eating black eyed peas, shooting fireworks and trying to remember to write the correct new date." (yay again!).
She is going to work on her posture this year, and has some family members helping her out who are hoping to work on the same thing. After writing this here, she also has 49 of her closest friends ready to call her out on it every other Friday.
Our next willing participant in the publicity committee's study into the tradition of the resolution (should we trash it or flash it?) is Lauran Helms. She DID make some resolutions! More power to you sister! She has already started waking up earlier than her girls to start her day, have some devotion time and/or do some quiet reading. I'm so happy to report that it is totally working for her! Her second resolution is to exercise and she explains that she's "failing at it." It's okay...that's the crazy pressure I'm talking about!!!
As a nice coincidence, both girls have Francine Rivers books to recommend as great reading material to start off 2010. Lauran recently read Redeeming Love and highly recommends it while Megan is reading Lineage of Grace and is enjoying it. Megan also gets a lot out of her new daily devotional book, New Life New You by Joyce Meyer.
I would love to hear what you have on your agenda for 2010! Exercise? Less yelling at the kids? More time with the Lord? Less gray hair and cuter shoes? (sorry, I put a few of my own in). Whatever you do to help you have a little more peace, a little more fun, a little more happiness, I think it is worth it! How do you do that? If I knew, I'd be rich (and have less gray hair and cuter shoes).
I think that Megan does a really good job of summing up what she hopes she sees when she looks back on 2010. She hopes she is a "good wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend." I think we can all agree with that one.
Good luck girls! I can't wait to see what 2010 has in store...with or without resolutions.
Dani
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)