My Daughter's Hair

Jane's hair is getting out of control. A first haircut is in order. I didn't realize how traumatic the idea would be for me. But I'm quaking in my flip flops thinking about it while simultaneously wanting to take scissors to it myself. There are competing voices in my head about it, namely:

1. Her hair is beautiful and natural, just let it grow (hippie?)
2. Her hair is tangly and gets in her eyes, cut it yourself and be done with it (practical hippie? or maybe just cheap)
3. Her hair will look jacked up if you cut it yourself -- take her to a kid salon! (yuppie?)

 (Dada says she can have long hair when she can comb it herself!)

Long, wild hair at Lake Calhoun near Minneapolis

I'm pondering my own hair at the same time. The grey is starting to show more, at least to my eye. And I happened to read a book this week "Going Gray" -- that I didn't really like but was all about how our ideals of beauty are firmly entrenched in not-grey hair. So I've been noticing grey more (there's a lot of it at church). I am not ready for the upkeep of regular coloring, so nothing is going to happen now.

Jane Climbs

At the amazing North Loop Playground near the Mississippi River:

Lessons Learned: Two Weeks in Minneapolis with a Toddler

It was quite a trip, and I did a fairly good job having the right stuff on hand. A couple things I want to remember for our next big travel:

• Bring fewer toys and books. I brought probably 20 books and nearly as many toys. I had visions of playing and reading in the hotel room. Uh ... it's not childproofed, so we spent most of our time out and about. Also, we did plenty of shopping, including some books and toys of course! So a better idea would have been just a few toys and books for the plane, and then play it by ear otherwise. For books we can always go to the library. Even though we can't check them out we could always read, read, read there.
• Bring fewer clothes -- especially if I know I'll be doing laundry, just do it twice instead of only once -- and then that adds space in the suitcase to buy more clothes! (Particularly MY clothes -- I way over packed and for some reason forgot that I can wear jean shorts more than once.)
• Bring a booster seat! We had to buy one, which turned out OK. We found a folding travel booster on Amazon (affiliate link) that had pretty good reviews and was available at Babies R Us. It made mealtime infinitely easier. It folds down flat and weighs less than 2 lbs. I highly recommend it, and now we have a booster for our October trip and to use for coloring/stickers at the kitchen table. It's a Thing that I Bought That I Love. Some of the reviews talk about how the seat collapses under the toddler -- I don't think that can happen if the straps are tightened properly -- it's pretty cool how it works actually.
• Gate check the stroller! (Although it managed to get home OK without any further damage by checking it as luggage.)

NAILED IT. Things that worked for us for toddler travel.

• Always bring a small First Aid kid. We had Band Aids with us, which were key when Jane cut her index finger in the elevator. It was fine, but I was glad I had them. (Hotel had some too, so there's always that, but I like relying on myself, probably more than I should.)
• STICKERS STICKERS STICKERS -- these are great on the plane and for downtime in restaurants or really any time she's in the mood. I like the bigger stickers that are round -- easier for her to place and less frustrating. I had a little mini notebook that she could put them in, and bonus she can later flip through them and relive the fun!
• Water bottle and tote bags -- definitely a city vacationer's friend. (I'm in the market for a flat water bottle I think ... I've been using my Life Factory glass one, and it's super heavy even when empty -- although water always tastes great.)
• Cool towels -- we went to MN in the middle of a heat wave, so these were great to have while we were at the zoo and other outdoor activities in the heat.
• Dog backpack -- I got this at a consignment sale before Jane could even walk. It's basically a leash, but it gives her more freedom than she'd have otherwise (there's probably an analogy for life in there somewhere). What I mean is that I don't have to grip her hand tightly and we can walk a little easier knowing she can't jet away from us. Jane's very much into walking now and rarely wants to be carried. She'll ride in the stroller some, but we didn't have the stroller with us in the airport so the dog was good. It was also a nice hugging friend on the plane and served as a pillow/arm prop for the one flight she actually slept.
• Bigger diaper bag for me -- I tried on all of the bags I own that were about the size I was thinking (remembering from the Berlin trip), and I settled on a luggage-style soft-sided bag that had an adjustable strap. So I was able to make it long enough to hit my hip. I wore it with the Ergo or just pushing the stroller, and it was great.  

I tried "hypnosis" from this Scary Mommy blog post about traveling with kids.  I told Jane how she'd feel sleepy and cozy when we got on the plane. When I asked her what she'd do when we got on the plane, she'd respond "Shhh..." But the first flight was no sleep, even though it was still early. I guess 6:30 am is about her normal wake up time, but she'd already been up for more than 2 hours, so what gives? I was exhausted and ready to sleep! After monumental amounts of play in the DFW airport she did sleep for over an hour on the last flight, and she didn't have any trouble falling asleep in her own crib back home. So I think I should count myself lucky. I certainly do!

Minneapolis-St. Paul in Bullets

I didn't write a blog post every day like I did when we were in Berlin. But I did take brief notes and thought I'd save an outline of our trip itinerary here -- and in case it's ever useful for anyone looking for kid-friendly things to do in Minneapolis-St. Paul. We had the best time, and I'm thinking it might have been my best vacation yet!

I have written several Trip Advisor reviews while we've been here, so just linking to those for some of the descriptions. Unfortunately, I can't link directly to my reviews but just to the actual attraction page. My name on Trip Advisor is "silvermari" -- no surprise -- if you want to click through and see what I wrote.

I took over 700 photos in two weeks, and as much as I want to share all of the best ones of Jane I've decided not to. I might post one or two on Facebook (and I did as we "checked in" places with free wifi -- another perk of a big city). BUT I did take 40 photos that turned out in which Jane isn't the focus of the photos (although she is in a couple!). I forgot to take any pictures of our FEET on vacation. D'oh!




Saturday 7/13: ARRIVE, plenty of hassles (see damaged stroller)

Sunday 7/14:

• Getting supplies/groceries
• Minnehaha Depot and Minnehaha Falls (surprisingly fun, and kind of a stumbled-upon thing that we would have gone to later in the trip otherwise I'm sure)
• Swim in the hotel pool

Monday 7/15:

• North Loop Playground by Mississippi River (walking distance from the hotel -- brand new and so nice)
• Target downtown for more supplies
• Como Town Zoo and Conservatory

Tuesday 7/16:

• Minnesota Children's Museum (Possibly our best outing of the entire two weeks)
• Swim in the hotel pool

 Wednesday 7/17:

• Midtown Global Market "Wee Wednesday" program and playing in a great indoor play area for toddlers

Thursday 7/18:

• North Loop Playground by Mississippi River
• Minnesota Central Library baby story time -- WOW. This is a bigger system than EBR, and the quality was outstanding. The group was much smaller, they provided copies of each book read so everyone could read along, and there was toy time afterward! Also it was in a room separate from the bigger kids, which was less distracting and more focused than what we're used to. I miss this library!
• Walker Art Center
• Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Friday 7/19:

• Webcam with Katie
• Family story time in Cancer Survivors Park
• IKEA and Target

Saturday 7/20:

• Mill City Museum
• Swim in the hotel pool
• Dinner party at a house on a lake about 30 minutes from Minneapolis (so beautiful!)

Sunday 7/21:

• Mall of America rides, lunch and shopping
• Webcam with Popeye and Grandma Dale

Monday 7/22: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT B!

• Wild Rumpus "Tail Time" and book shopping
• University of Minnesota walking tour with Daddy and shopping at UMN book store

Tuesday 7/23:

• Downtown St. Paul, Landmark Plaza and Peanuts character statues
• Minnesota Science Museum
• North Loop Playground by the Mississippi River

Wednesday 7/24:

• Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet walk by the water (baby ducks!)
• General Store of Minnetonka (yummy pesto pea pasta salad to go!)
• Minnesota History Center with Daddy
• Mickey's Diner for supper (slow service, no high chairs, only OK food)

Thursday 7/25:

• Target (again!)
• Minnesota Central Library baby story time (different librarian but still amazing and fun)
• Swim in the hotel pool

Friday 7/26:

• Guthrie Theater Endless Observation Bridge
• Stone Arch Bridge / Mill Ruins Park
• Family story time (instead of in the park was in the library because of sprinkles)
• Toddler yoga (which was actually big kid yoga and we missed most of it because they had it in the park and we were still in the library when it started!)
• North Loop Playground by the Mississippi River -- was so hard to say goodbye to this beautiful park, and the amazing weather in July (but I keep reminding myself we'll get there in October and November when Minneapolis is in the snow!).

Saturday 7/27: HOME, with plenty of hassles (mega storm, main road closed and Toad's Wild (taxi) Ride to get home, but all luggage and passengers in tact -- our house still standing too!).

Retail Scenes

Balloon Race Ride at Mall of America

I made it to the Mall of America on this trip. And it was underwhelming -- or perhaps overwhelming. I'm sure I would have had a better time -- and better shopping luck -- if I had been on my own. (A toddler always slows you down.) It also would have helped if it weren't so crowded. We went on a Sunday; although I'm not sure if it's any better during the week.

Basically I went to this retail mecca and didn't buy much of anything (although I fell in love with a store: Typo ... OMG full of such fun stationery type things). We got Jane some educational place mats (easy packing!) at a game shop, and I bought some post cards. But otherwise the lines were too long, we were all melting down -- we showed up an hour before stores even opened but were able to spend that time riding rides, which was fun and Jane's first time! Lunch there was good too, and I felt extraordinarily happy just before we ventured back into the fray of the crowd.

All in all it was a bit of a disappointment, but I was only tempted a little bit to go back in the week and reclaim the retail therapy that could be mine.

I took Jane to a bookstore story time and made up for it by buying here a Twin Cities themed ABC book and a purse/book bag/cross-body bag for me. I had to ask the sales lady to get it down, and when she told me the price ($45) I was too embarrassed to say I didn't want it. It's handmade (this was a hippie, independent bookstore so it's not the worst thing to support it!), and is black and white with tons of pockets. I don't know if I'll be able to use it without feeling bad about having bought it.

So much for retail therapy.

Coffee Filters as Toddler Dishes

I didn't bring enough plastic baby bowls on this trip, and before I went and bought some more that I'd have to pack and carry home I actually had an idea -- well recalled an idea I'm sure I read on a blog or Pinterest or Facebook -- and used some of the 100 coffee filters I bought for the coffee maker here.

(They are a bit too small for the machine, but I've managed to make due -- rookie mistake ... and they're definitely too small for the home machine; I like unbleached anyway. And even if they had been the kind I like would I really want to waste valuable suitcase space on taking home coffee filters?!)

Anyway, they have been great for corralling grapes, yogurt melts, avocado chunks and the like. Then the messier foods (cottage cheese, pesto pasta, etc.) can go in the actual bowls I brought. (The bowls are called "take and toss" but I can't bring myself to toss them!)

American Airlines Damaged My City Mini Stroller

Flash Back:
City Mini in happier days:
last summer in Berlin

And all I want to do is cry!

It is so dumb to be this irrationally attached to an object. And I didn't even know I felt this way about it. But seeing its metal frame handle bent and the gripper slashed makes me sentimental and sad. Not to mention the expensive carrying case being effectively destroyed -- zipper all but ruined and the straps ripped off -- that just makes me angry because of the obvious negligence or intentionality to open and damage it. When we got it off the carousel it was wrapped in plastic, but there wasn't a "hey, we had to inspect this and the bag broke" note. Just a jacked up stroller in a ruined bag. Waaah!

An American Airlines baggage counter worker was somewhat helpful (working with Shawn, because I probably would have been raging ridiculously and not helped matters). She said the bag might be covered or replaced. She's still checking into it, and in any case we have to take the whole contraption to a baggage counter within 30 days. Lovely.

But the stroller won't be covered because "airlines don't cover strollers." I get that an unpackaged stroller is a liability and likely to be damaged -- they're bulky and non-uniformly sized. But our Baby Jogger City Mini model is specifically designed for travel. It folds up, the wheels had clicked off and were stowed carefully inside the carrying case, which is smaller than a regular suitcase but just as stable as (or maybe more stable than) a soft-sided bag. So I feel like it should be covered just like any other bag. If the contents of a suitcase get strewn about, torn or bent, doesn't the airline compensate for that? At least partially? Maybe I have the wrong idea about how protected I am when I check a bag.

In any case I tweeted about my woes, because someone I follow had tweeted about how helpful American was to him with delays -- the corporate social media types knew more about the delays than the ground crew he was working with. @AmericanAir tweeted back to me to keep working with the baggage agent and then "sorry for the bent handle" when I tweeted an update for a couple friends who had expressed twitter sympathy. If AA is actually sorry they should cover the damage. Surely there's a way to fix the stroller, right?

I've emailed the Baby Jogger customer service to inquire about the availability of a replacement handle with grip. Hopefully it either isn't too expensive or the airline will actually cover the damage.

*Whimper, whimper, whimper*

This Face

Twinset: Rainbow Round Ripple

A starburst kind of blankie to go with the Gumdrop Roulette I already had made. Using up more of the rainbow yarn I got for some other projects.

This pattern is by designer SmoothFox and is called SmoothFox's Beginner's Round Ripple. It's the same basic pattern as the Christmas tree skirt I made earlier this year. I loved how fast it worked up and what a neat look it gave. I added a crab stitch/reverse single crochet edging to finish it off -- mostly because I love that look and actually doing the stitch is so fun.

I'm also really happy with how the two blankets look together. I think they'll make a nice gift. This is the third set of twin blankets I have made and the first for a set of girls. Love, love!

Whistle A Tune

I love this picture so much. What a nutty baby.

Gumdrop Ripple

Sweet little chevron rainbow blanket for a baby girl due to join our family in August. I sent it to her Mama early, and I've had it done since January -- less than a month after I found out my cousin was expecting! (I probably would have made a different blankie if she weren't having a girl.)

I loved this pattern and the puff stitches. And the crab stitch/reverse single crochet edging is so simple but really provides a nice finish. I used the super soft white yarn and brighter colors for the rainbow than the pattern called for. I've STILL got rainbow yarn left over, and I've made four rainbow-themed blankies with it so far.

Linked Out

Ugh. Another email asking "Do you know Ex-Boyfriend?" from Linked In. It's the second one, and no thanks. I don't want to connect with him even if we do have some contacts in common (I figure that's the only way it would suggest the connection?). I could see once on the mobile app that he (or someone from the newspaper where he works) had looked at my profile, so I looked at his back. And maybe that is it. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

And it looks like Linked In is adding more high school stalker-esque tools to allow people to see who's looking at their updates and profile AND keep a list of what you've looked at. Maybe good for when you're looking for a job and you know that a potential employer has (or has not) looked you up there. But even that seems a little unsettling to me.

It's enough to keep me logged out of Linked In. I'd rather just be oblivious. You can connect with me there though: www.linkedin.com/in/silvermari.

(Also, someone other than Shawn should endorse me for things. I must pop up on the top of his when he logs in -- the one social media outlet he uses! -- and he likes to endorse me. They're things I actually am good at -- editing, proofreading, etc. But I'm sure it looks more than a little wonky to have my husband as my top endorser, especially when we haven't ever worked directly together aside from my proofing of his dissertation and other papers.)

Elephant Lovey

I saw a picture on Ravelry of a really cute elephant security blanket. I thought I could recreate it without the pattern. I sort of did, although my version leaves a lot to be desired, and the scale of the elephant to the blanket is definitely not the same as the inspiration picture.

To properly make amigurumi I need to have tighter tension so it's a more solid fabric. I also need to be more consistent in where I place my stitches. I tend to drift from placing in the stitch, only in the back post, only in the front post, between stitches, etc. With this one at least I used white stuffing and white yarn so you can't tell as much how bad my stitches are. I also should have made the elephant slightly smaller to make the granny square blanket seem bigger. Making the flower for the elephant's ear was fun though and it looks pretty cute.

Jane loves the elephant and has been dragging it around some.Maybe I'll try again. I've still got plenty of this rainbow worsted weight yarn left...

Putting the Free in Freelance

I've been volunteering for my church for about a year, helping with their website and social media. They did a big redesign last summer and I helped get the content in shape and over in the new template. (I am a content person and writer, and there were designers in charge of coding) Then the site went live and the web design firm went MIA, and I was basically left on my own to sort out different issues.

The site is built on WordPress. I am not a WordPress expert, but I can figure things out and follow online tutorials, etc. But I was panicky about doing any updates without clear instructions from the web firm about backups, even just as part of a hand off of responsibilities to me, but no instructions ever came. No matter how many times I asked.

So what happened IS my fault, in that I wasn't more vigilant in updating WordPress myself. Things seemed to be OK so I just let it lie. Bad idea.

I'd noticed the site coming up as "potentially dangerous" in my browser's security bar, but I didn't look into it until the church accountant got a message from a member to that effect. I first updated WordPress (and it didn't break anything!), and then I contacted our host.

The host flagged our site as suspicious and said they would shut down our account if we didn't delete a certain file in 24 hours. Ruh, roh!

But since they told me the file I could go in and clean out the malicious code. I also updated all of the themes, plug ins, etc. and changed all the passwords as directed. BUT when I updated the theme ... POOF! Goodbye theme customizations.

*SOB SOB SOB*

The host does backups of the site and keeps them for a few days, so since I caught it soon enough I knew I could get an old one and then upload an old version of the theme via FTP. Well I didn't know that at first, but after I took Jane to the park and thought about it for a while the idea came to me -- and it actually worked, and the site went back to looking right with the customizations.

But that means our theme is not the latest version, leaving us vulnerable to hacks, and I'm not sure I've completely cleaned the site, and I'm especially worried that there's still a backdoor into the site and we'll just keep getting hacked and flagged.

I finally got a response from the web design firm. We're not active clients, and our contact there seems to have left the firm. But someone wrote back and said they'd look into it. I don't know what to expect (this firm also left tons of broken images and links throughout the site when they pushed it live from their testing server, among other unprofessional, frustrating things).

So I was feeling OK, thinking that at least we were stable for now. And then I tried to add a link to a post -- just updating it. And I couldn't edit the HTML and clicking "add link" icon did nothing. On top of everything else it made me want to beat my head against the wall. I googled, googled, googled and found directions to add a line of code to one of the files. And it appeared in enough of the WP help forums that it seemed legit. So I did that and it worked. I can edit the posts again. I still need to get used to the new version of WordPress and figure out if anything else got broken during the update.

I also don't know if maybe my computer is involved at all. There's only one other person who really updates the site, so I assume something could have gotten in through her computer. Or perhaps it was just through the site itself and a security breach within the theme.

My pulse has raced more times today than it has anytime since I haven't been working. I care SO much when I work and have projects/responsibilities like this. It's fun to figure things out and fulfilling to end up with a good end product that people like and use. But the process to get to that is so full of angst I can hardly stand it.

**I didn't really cry, but man I was a TERRIBLE mama to Jane during this ordeal ... which is still ongoing.

Green Eyebrows?

I have a green eyeliner pencil that I've never used. I bought it with the idea I might like to try an edgy makeup look sometime. Since I don't wear makeup normally going for edgy is a bit of a stretch. But it was a cheap-o brand so no real loss. But I was looking at it this week and the label says "eye and eyebrow pencil."

*Record scratch*

Oh, that's a whole new look I have never seen before -- colored eyeliner in your brows. How about that, trendy hipsters? Does anyone already do that? If they don't and then they start you'll know where you heard it first.

As for me, I'm going to try to wear mascara every day and work my way back up from there. There was a solid 6 months that I wore makeup daily for work -- starting in August 2010 until the "morning" sickness of 2011. I also flattened/blowdried my hair every time I washed it (not daily, but 3-4 times per week).

It's a good thing I don't care about how I look.

That's a "favorite" quote about me from a friend. I still haven't quite digested it or gotten over it -- more than 5 years later. I've decided it doesn't mean the same as not caring what people think about me but more me not thinking anyone can get the right impression based on the way I look so why try? Or something. Insecurity alert, I know.

UPDATE: Thanks to my mom who did a Google image search, apparently green eyebrows are a thing, possibly started by Lady Gaga. Surprised? Nah.

Things I Bought That I Love: Cool Towels

I had never heard of cool towels until my aunt came to visit this year. We spent at least one steamy day in New Orleans, and having the cool towel was essential for keeping the baby cool (not to mention dealing with hot flashes).

I've since bought two -- one via Amazon (referral link) and one that I found at my local grocery store (hello, Winn Dixie) on sale. Once you find out about something you start seeing it EVERYWHERE.

Anyway, these things are supposedly 20 degrees cooler than ambient air, and all you do is wet them, wring them out and then store in their plastic tube until ready to use. Pull them out, shake them for 20 seconds (I just do 20 shakes) and they really are cool. And they feel good for wiping off sweat

At the park Jane will say "coo, coo" until I give her one of the towels (she will also hoot a little like an owl, because towel=owl in Jane's world right now). Her poor face gets so red when she's overheated. I know the towel can't completely cool her down, so we don't stay outside long now in these hot-hot-hot southern Louisiana summer days. But it's nice to let us get out a little bit (and having one for me helps me be a slightly less cranky mama when outside).

I also think they'll be VERY handy in hurricane season if we lose power again. Last year we filled our tub with water to wash with in case we lost water too, so dipping the towel in that to recharge wouldn't be a problem (also, we never lost water). Here's hoping we don't need the cool towel for that now that we have them!

I really think there's a market for garments made out of this material. Think about maternity shirts -- or my personal favorite a poncho. I guess those would be harder to shake and activate...

Snug, Snug

Some outtakes from playing outside a week or so ago. How much do I love this face? These teeth? That mouth? Those eyes?!
 

One of Fifteen, Again

I wrote three sentences about this right after it happened.

The trial was this week. Guilty verdict. Death sentence.

When I allow myself to think about it, read about it I almost go numb and my heart breaks all over again. It's upsetting from every single angle.

It feels improper for me to write about it or even really have feelings about it -- although believe me, the feelings are expansive and painful.

I'm reading Adam Hamilton's Confronting the Controversies: Biblical Perspectives on Tough Issues (referral link) and coincidentally read the death penalty chapter the night before the sentencing. I've never tried to decide what I think, and even now my opinion is clouded by a personal connection. But I liked what he had to say (Google Books link to that chapter).

Purple Swing Set Cardigan

It's a purple party cardi for my sweet baby girl. I had made a mistake in the previous one -- there was an error in the pattern, in my defense. But really I just didn't read closely enough or I would have realized the mistake. On this one I didn't do the button hole placement perfectly and I had to spend 2+ hours unraveling the second skein of yarn (so annoying). But I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm thinking about making a matching hat because I bought three skeins of this yarn and don't want to buy anymore to use up the third one.

Cardi in action -- perfect for reading books and sitting on your gardening bench in the living room.

Photo Bombed by Brando

Crochet Lately: Swingset Cardigan & Gumdrop Roullete

Gumdrop Roulette baby afghan -- made earlier this year but just finished it by weaving in ends, washing and photographing it. I love the Red Heart super soft (that's what I used for the white because it was on sale after Christmas) ... I wish I had more! The rainbow stripes match previous blankets I've made, and I still have more to use for another blanket I want to make. Stay tuned.

This is called a swing set cardigan. It's supposed to be made in DK weight yarn, but I couldn't find any that I liked. My aunt was visiting and making it in sport weight, and I bought this pretty color worsted weight and decided to give the pattern a try if nothing else. It worked up quickly, in about 4 days with plenty of non-crocheting time. There are no seams, which made it even easier and it looks just darling. Because of the thicker yarn it made a bigger finished cardigan. I made 9-18 months by the pattern, but it's still too big for Jane. She'll grow into it, and I may try to find some DK yarn to do another smaller one in the meantime. It's too hot here anyway to be wearing sweaters, even if they are short sleeved. This also needs some buttons added at the top.

Railroad Curve

Near the Levee, Downtown BR

Drinking Water in New Orleans

At Smashburger in NOLA. Photo by Auntie Sue.

Azaleas in Bloom

Totally weird, two months after all the other azaleas bloomed around town and our bushes in front are covered in blossoms. What the what?

I didn't take pictures at the height of the blossoms, mostly because they aren't visible from outside -- because of a green bush that's in front of the azaleas -- and also because pictures through the window are a little iffy (see zoomed in shot at left for what I mean). They're pretty though.

I need to trim the tops of the bush -- they're sticking up all spiky looking. I'm not a good gardener...

Pumpkin CHEESE

Although out of focus and wearing a weather-inappropriate hat, this might be my new favorite Jane pic. Look at that ridiculous smile!

CHEESE!

Oklahoma Weather

I have mixed feelings about writing about what happened in Moore, OK, this week. I grew up in Oklahoma, have family in Oklahoma and identify with Oklahoma, but I don't want to inappropriately attach myself to Oklahoma just because it's in the news. (Similarly I didn't write about Boston after the marathon bombings, or Connecticut shootings, etc.) I still feel like writing though and I'm going to focus on my own experience with Oklahoma weather rather than trying to have anything worth reading about what happened this week.

So growing up I did have experiences preparing for tornadoes -- but it almost seemed like a joke. My little town is situated on a hill, there are some low mountains to the north and another small town to the west. The weather almost always travels west to east, so it just seemed unlikely that our town would be hit. So far in my life it hasn't been. Knock on wood, cross your eyes, etc.

The town is so small that there are no tornado sirens -- at least there weren't when I was a kid. We just watched the news -- or listened to the radio if the electricity went out -- and packed a bag to take to the cellar. Most of my bags were full of toys. And it always seemed exciting.

As a teenager it really was a joke. I had told my then-boyfriend about how we prepared for tornadoes with frantic packing, and it struck us both as absurd and funny. If weather hit while we were at school the line would be "You better go pack your bags!" What lame teenagers who felt invincible I guess.

Anyway, once weather did hit while I was at school -- I was probably younger than a teenager, but I remember filing down to the basement-level dressing rooms with the rest of the kids. We were down there but oddly not scared. Probably because we were just kids and unaware of the risks. It was hot and stuffy in the dressing room (it always was, but we were down there a long time). There wasn't actually a tornado but high winds messed up the high school roof.

The cellar at our house seems really awful now -- it's probably half-full of water most of the time (except during the worst parts of the drought I guess) and definitely doesn't seem safe. I don't really make it a practice to check on it when I'm home. Creepy crawlies down there too!

I love rain and storms though, even though they are scary and powerful. I find them so refreshing and somehow comforting. But then I've never lost anything after a storm, and I can't imagine the depth of that pain.

Jane-Go-Round

Christianity on The Mindy Project

I watch a lot of TV, and one show I actually really like is The Mindy Project. I like a woman-led project, and the show has laugh-out-loud moments and characters I care about (ish).

But recently there's a storyline with Mindy's "Cool Christian" boyfriend that has me scratching my head and wondering if I should stop watching. Instead I thought I'd just write about it.

Mindy has started dating a pastor, which on the surface sounds great. Christianity being portrayed in pop culture seems like a good thing. Christians are people too, etc. But the storyline unfolds bizarrely and in a way that is incompatible with my understanding of how Christians, particularly pastors, should believe (which flows into how I think they should behave).

Mindy goes to Pastor Casey's church service and watches as he is treated like a rock star in the pulpit (he wears a collar, and the sanctuary is typical pews and raised pulpit area, but otherwise seems like a contemporary-type service). I've never seen a preaching session or church dynamic like that, although maybe I'm just out of it/used to my traditional, methodical church experience.

But how Mindy and Casey's relationship unfolds is definitely weird when viewed through the lens of my expectations of Christianity and pastoral behavior.

There are sex scenes, including a shower one that would be funny if I weren't thinking about "what?!" He asks Mindy to convert to Christianity, breaks up with her when she won't and then changes his mind ("G" told him to make it work/that they can overcome the differences/that she's the one/etc.).

The season finale has Casey deciding to go to Haiti for a year and inviting Mindy to go with him. They're going to live together in a tent for a year -- with plenty of "making love" as he calls it. WHAT?! Would a mission trip anywhere be like that, with unmarried people living together as if it's not a thing?

So I still haven't decided what I think, other than "HUH!?!?" I also know that TV is not at all representative of what life actually is, so maybe that's just what this is? But it still bothers me more than any other ridiculous storyline on TV.

What do you think?

Substances Affect Aging

h/t to my cousin -- thanks!

Waypoints

We took a road trip this week -- going home to see my family for Mother's Day. We had a difficult time finding playgrounds to stop at along the way, although we did find three eventually: one in Denton on the way there (no shade, and Jane got a small burn on some of the equipment!), a really nice shaded one in Mesquite on the way back and one in Shreveport on the way back that was partially shaded so she could only go down one of the five or six slides (we stopped at a non-playground park in Shreveport on the way there and tossed a ball around).

A friend told me about an app you can buy in the App Store for Mac, I think Ontheway or similar, but it's $5 and I don't have an iPhone/it wouldn't work without wifi on the road on my iPod. And I'm still "old fashioned" in liking to work things out on a big screen/use my keyboard and mouse. What a fossil, right? (I'm also CHEAP.)

I did find a website called Waypoints (which I'd never heard of as a term for places to stop along the way but which Shawn used in a non-website context), but the site was wonky and incomplete. I didn't get any useful information from that.

Anyway, Shawn did most of the work after I did some googling. He used satellite images to confirm which parks actually had playgrounds. We'll be making the trip again I'm sure, so we've saved the info and will hopefully find more to expand our options for places to stop that are kid friendly to get out the wiggles. Shawn's already spotted another park in Alexandria that has a splash pad of some sorts that could be really fun in the heat.

It just seems like it should be easier and that information should be available. I guess most people just stop at McDonald's and let their kids play there? I'm sure we would do that if it were raining or something.

I tried to pay attention to our surroundings while I drove, and I saw a water park in Canton, TX, that seems like it might be about halfway -- maybe my sister and I can meet there someday with our kids for a fun summer trip!

Skin

I went to the dermatologist last week. I hadn't been since our move here and the last time I had been dealing with beds bug skin effects.

This time I had a skin check and asked about what I thought was a skin tag in the corner of my eye.

Skin check was ok. Nothing dangerous yet. (I am young, no guarantees against future problems, etc.) But she was very critical of my arms, which "have seen enough skin damage for a lifetime." Lovely. They are quite freckled. I gotta get better about sunblock. I wrestle it on Jane more than I do myself!

Anyway, the skin tag was diagnosed as dry skin or sub? dermatitis. She gave me some hydrocortisone cream to dab on daily after cleaning. It looks and feels better but I swear I still see a skin tag that will keep cracking.

G-R-O-double-S!

Questions

I attend a Bible study on Monday nights, and our leader is amazing. She asks really good questions, including great conversation starters like:

• What was your best birthday memory?
  
• If you could shadow anyone for a day, who would you choose and why?

I've spent time thinking about those, so much that I remember them even months or more than a year later. And last night's question, while not a conversation starter but more of a heart starter, is still tumbling in my head.

What concrete difference in your life does knowing the end of your story make?

We all had to answer, and I rambled something about parenting/motherhood, how I don't think I'd want to be a parent without the end of the story, the Gospel, knowing and feeling God's love. What would be the point? It would be so hopeless and seem cruel.

I'm not sure that's what I really mean -- or my full answer or something. But I thought it was a profound question in any case and that you, my three or four loyal readers, might enjoy thinking about it for yourselves too.

Mom Praise

For all the gretching about moms on the playground I do (and believe me, there's even more I could do), sometimes I actually LIKE other people.

*Record Scratch*

There's a mom I have seen several times at the playground who has two children and frequently watches two others. Hers are 5 and 2, and she is so calm. She's younger than me but I know I could learn a lot from her just from what little I've seen of her parenting.

I love the way she speaks to her kids -- never disrespectfully but always clear she's the mom in charge. She gives them choices -- "we're not playing in the sand today, but you can choose what you'd like to play with next. do you want to swing? or slide? or ...?" It's just much better than my reaction of "NO SAND! ARGH! DIRTY! UGH!" She also plays WITH her kids and moves from pushing one to getting water for another, etc.

I don't even know her name (although I do know her kids' names), but I have gleaned some things about her, both in direct conversation and via eavesdropping (ask Shawn -- I pick up lots of info about strangers wherever we go). I know I just see a small slice of her life, but she seems pretty awesome in that slice.

Related: on Twitter someone sent me a link to a story about how making mom friends is like dating. I'm not sure if that Twitter friend reads this blog, but it would make sense, as she sent it after my mom gripe post. In any case, I haven't made it past first base with any mom friend, but I can't say I've actually tried either. Making friends is hard.

Jane & Mama

Baby Blocks

(By Daddy)

Mom Gripe: Playground Ice Pops

Yesterday I took Jane to the playground. Not an unusual occurrence. When the weather is nice we try to go once a day. I'm not sure if I'll manage that schedule once the temperatures soar, but I digress.

We got to the park -- a short walk away -- and there are a few other families there. Two moms with three kids between them have passed out those rocket-shaped ice pops that are startlingly red, white and blue.

It was very warm yesterday, and the popsicles were melting everywhere. While the moms lounged in the shade, the kids were carrying their melting messes of corn syrup and food dye all over the playground equipment.

I did have some wipes in the stroller, thankfully, so I wiped away in front of Jane while she climbed to the slide (and I was only half paying attention as I was invited to a new moms group by someone I knew who was leaving).

It was so stressful. Mostly the mess, but now that I think about it those sticks were a choking hazard. One of the kids is about 2 and another is probably younger -- about Jane's age. The oldest was 4 or 5 and talked to me while I cleaned -- saying her ice pop wasn't melting on the ground (it was just getting all over her hands and dress before it got to the ground).

The mess kept coming, as the kids stood and gaped at me, while the moms were oblivious. Jane wanted to swing after one time down the slide, so we did that while the other kids continued to get things messy and sticky -- not just the slides/climbing equipment but also several of the riding toys that are around the park.

The moms had a pack of wipes and cleaned up their kids a bit -- and finally told them "You've had enough. Three is plenty!" to much screaming and crying while the box with the rest of the ice pops was thrown in the garbage. But they didn't use the wipes to clean up the playground equipment. If it had been their stuff that kind of mess wouldn't have been allowed and the kids would have had to sit to eat, but since it's communal property who cares? (Their kids afterward got in the sandbox, so I can't imagine the mess their cars would be in ... or how they were going to get them cleaned up before going home since they were both driving luxury SUV type cars.)

I have seen these moms many times, and I know I'll see them again -- at the park, library, etc. So I couldn't bring myself to ask them to clean up the mess, in part because I knew I wouldn't be able to contain my venom. I really wish I had though -- even a simple "would you mind cleaning up the slides and tunnel? They're all sticky from the popscicles."

I did make a snide remark to a grandma who was pushing her grandson in the swing next to ours -- "I've never seen anything like this mess here." And she agreed it was ridiculous.

Thankfully Jane didn't want to climb anymore -- otherwise I would have had to waste more of my wipes cleaning up the gunk. Today it rained and rained and rained, so I'm sure everything will be unsticky when the weather clears and we next go to the park.

I should be less judgy, right? Meh.

Reading Lately

I haven't been keeping up with Good Reads, but I've been plowing through a few books -- mainly on my Kindle via the EBRPL Overdrive service. Here are quick hits about the last four books I've read (mostly this week, thanks to visiting childcare in the form of inlaws!):

• The Book Thief: World War II/Holocaust novel told from the perspective of Death, focused on a particular girl growing up outside of Munich, Germany. Her mom drops her off with a foster family -- I was never clear why, as she wasn't Jewish. Something about being Communist though. They hide a Jew in their basement, so the war and Hitler is an overarching theme and stress. It's not a very happy ending in most respects, I would say. But an OK read.

• The Life of Pi: a novel written as if it were a biography/memoir type thing. It's fantastical about surviving a shipwreck -- from India to Mexico via the Pacific Ocean. I couldn't put it down and was reading while getting ready to go out several times, and at least once I forgot my phone or something else vital. Another less-than-happy ending in some respects. But I really liked it. Not sure if I'll watch the movie that's been made. It came out last year and was up for a bunch of Oscars.
  
  
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: LOVE. This has been on my list (and in my Amazon shopping cart) since it came out several years ago. I think I was leaving R!A when it was first published (or thereabouts). It's about the woman whose cervical cancer cells have been used for research breakthroughs since the 1950s -- without her or her family's knowledge or consent. It raises a lot of issues about research and privacy, but I think what I liked most was seeing another kind of life. It seemed to be presented truly, her family's life, in a respectful but honest way. I've kept thinking about it since I finished it last night.

• Why Have Kids? I picked up this book at the library after my mother-in-law spotted it on the New Nonfiction rack after story time this week. I'd heard about it and definitely heard of the author before. And a book is a book, so I checked it out (along with a Louisiana Lighthouse book that I thought would have pictures -- upon further inspection realized it was curated from Wikipedia articles ... is that a thing now?!). I guess I liked it -- I read it very quickly this afternoon. It was written like a book report or college term paper -- lots of references and footnotes. The author has a child, so there are some personal anecdotes included (you know me, loving the nosy business of knowing about others' lives).
  
  I'm still not sure what her thesis was -- other than women should be allowed to choose whether to have children and society should support either decision equally (as of now society doesn't do a good job supporting either, depending on how you look at it).
  
  What I didn't like was the chapter that basically said women who don't work are doing a disservice to womankind and to themselves (because eventually their partner/husband will die, leave them or lose his job and getting back to work after an extended leave for kids is impossible/difficult). She wasn't saying that herself, but "reporting" on others' research/writings/findings. But she was wishy-washy in her critique, indicating that she initially took issue with the idea but now supports it/agrees with it. She definitely states her belief that women shouldn't solely depend on another person financially for any long period of time. I hesitate to state an opinion of my own, although my actions speak for my own situation at this point in my life, so I couldn't help but feel like it was a bit of a personal affront. I also see the logic in the thinking. So there you go.

I have a couple more books in my Kindle and a few things I'm still looking for that I'll probably have to get in hard copy at the library. I read The Paris Wife a couple weeks ago and am interested in reading some actual Hemingway (I have a feeling I've never actually gotten through any of his works entirely before). I've enjoyed a couple books by Jane Smiley, the 18th Stephanie Plum book, a couple by Laura Lippman one of which I loved (What the Dead Know), a bunch of David Sedaris and Billy Graham's Nearing Home on my Kindle. All free thanks to the library.

Egg Hunting

Eggs on the monkey grass

Finding eggs to put in her basket

I am getting a TON of spam comments lately. Any ideas how to put the kibash on that? Ugh.

We had a little back yard egg hunt for a baby girl today. About 80 eggs to find. It started getting buggy -- yuck -- so Daddy had to help clean up the last ones. She's been playing with the empty eggs inside anyway. Plastic fun ... oh, I'm sure they're not BPA free. Stressful.

Hope you've had a great Easter!

Cousins

Owen came to visit this week on his spring break. The cousins had a great time playing together, and I know Jane is missing him. I wish we lived closer to each other to have a more regular physical presence. We get by with visits several times a year plus weekly webcamming sessions.

Nothing like a cousin hug though!

Red Stick Gators

Hope you're having a lucky day.

I'm processing my weekly Jane photos and found two gator photos I took at the zoo this week. I have been to the zoo three times before this and never seen these guys. Were they always there and I never looked? Are they new? Whatever the case they kind of creeped me out.

Azaleas

The azaleas are blooming in Baton Rouge, and they have been for at least a month. I think they hit peak blooming last weekend.

One thing I really regret that we did at our house when we first moved in was cut down three big azalea bushes in the back yard. I didn't know what azalea meant, or how beautiful they were, and I was pregnant, emotional and my house was full of guests. I wasn't thinking straight.

We have a small bush in our front yard next to our front window. It doesn't bloom much, although there are probably 10 blossoms now. Nothing like the lush displays I see when driving down Highland or in the Garden District.

You live and learn I guess. Wait at least one full year before doing any major landscaping if you can help it.

Pictures of Azaleas at church -- about a week after peak bloom but still pretty.

Goodbye Google Reader

Sad news from Google. They're doing away with Google Reader, the RSS feed reader I've used for ages, probably since it was launched in 2005. I know there are other readers available, but they aren't as good. And this is the one I know, where all my feeds are and what I'm comfortable with. Slowly I'm losing my loyalty to Google, since it probably IS somewhat evil. I should consider moving my blog to WordPress.

I'm not sure how the RSS capabilities for my blog will be affected -- I use FeedBurner, another Google product that may be axed if it isn't already on the block. It's also how my daily emails are sent out (to all two subscribers, me and my mom) -- so that's a bummer although not a major one I guess.

Grrrrrrrrr... How am I supposed to keep up with my blog voyeurism now?! Not to mention my news reading. Waaaaah!

WHINE!

Read: Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I checked out this e-book somewhat randomly. It was recommended on the same magazine page I'd torn out to remind myself to look up another book (not sure which one now). When I was perusing the EBRPL's Overdrive site I searched for this one and it was available: check out!

Because it's labeled "memoir" I thought I would love it no problem. I love reading people's personal stories -- I'm nosy that way (I do read a lot of blogs, for that very reason) and I just love a good story. But I wouldn't classify this as a memoir at all. It's a collection of essays without the overarching life narrative. At times it's preachy, and it's definitely the work of a journalist, which isn't a bad thing, but it quotes other people a lot and generalizes more than being personal for most of the book.

I don't think it's a bad book, and I'm sure I've liked Anna Quindlen's work in the past. I just think it's geared toward an older reader? I was turned off by some of the things she wrote about motherhood and aging. And maybe it was the honesty that made me want to turn away, but it just didn't do it for me.

I struggled to finish the book, if only to be able to post a review about it and check off another in an imaginary "books I've read this year" list. (Part of me wishes I did keep up with Good Reads so I had an actual record of what I've read. The Kindle keeps a record, including library books checked out. So at least I have that.)

View all my reviews

FWD: How to Write Good

1. Avoid Alliteration. Always.

2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.

3. Avoid cliches like the plague. They're old hat.

4. Be more or less specific.

6. Writers should never generalize.

Seven. Be consistent.

8. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.

9. Who needs rhetorical questions?

10. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

Thanks, Auntie Sue!

Read: My Beloved World

My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is more than a memoir -- sure it's the story of Justice Sotomayor's childhood and professional life, but it also has solid advice woven throughout. Advice for following your dreams, connecting with family and friends, and caring for your physical well being (as she has with her lifelong diabetes).

I think it's rare that a Supreme Court Justice would be this open about her life -- she even mentions her underwear at one point (a friend made fun of it and taught her how to shop better for herself once she had the means to do so). I can't imagine knowing about Antonin Scalia's underpants (although I did have a logic professor in college who had taken a shower with him when he saw him at his gym in DC ... just to say that he had!).

Anyway, I really liked this look at an inspiring life of dedication, even though the book ends once she becomes a federal judge and doesn't detail her life since. Hopefully she'll write a sequel about the rest of her life when she's closer to having finished it!

I read this as an ebook from the library, but I would love to have a signed hard copy.

(I've been plowing through a lot of books from the library -- the ebook options are amazing! Long live the library!)

View all my reviews

Breastfeeding on Modern Family

One of the shows I watch is Modern Family. It's a sitcom done in the faux documentary style that seemed to start with The Office.

Anyway, last night's episode (which I watched about a half hour after it aired and was tempted to blog about right away), included Gloria, the sexy second wife of the grandfather, nursing her new baby while she signed for a package. They digitally pixilated her boob, and the dialogue made clear that the baby was nursing/not like it was popped off and it was just a boob that she was showing. There were jokes about her breasts, that she is too free with her body, etc.

Most of the time they were making those jokes she was clothed -- with the low cut tops she wears in which you could see even more of her breast than what was pixilated around the baby's head. I really don't understand why the breast when used for its intended function (even fictionally) is something that requires digital alteration lest we be scandalized. But when it's on display for sexual purposes we have no problem with it.

Furthermore, I don't know why depictions of breastfeeding have to be like that -- somehow shameful or sexual. And I guess it stuck in my craw even more because this particular show uses boob humor on a regular basis.

I know my thoughts aren't fully formulated or useful, but I had to put it out there since it struck me as just wrong and distasteful.

Jane Street: August 2010

In the waning days of our time in NYC I took pictures of things I wanted to remember. I was looking through them today. I had such a dumb camera then that most are blurry or weird. But the series of photos I took of the Jane Street mean I wanted a baby named Jane for a long time.

Upgrade Ya

When we were in New Orleans this weekend Jane and I checked out a furniture store on Magazine Street. I scoped out this little nightstand on Friday when we were on foot, fretted about it and went back on Saturday to buy it when I had the car. It's super turquoise and super functional.

I had been using that chair as a nightstand ever since we moved into the house. (The chair was theoretically an upgrade from the rubbermaid-type drawers I had been using for ages before that.)

I had been waiting until we got a full bedroom suite, but realizing that isn't a priority but that I still wanted more function beside the bed I started the hunt. I'm really happy with this and if we ever do get a matching set of bedroom furniture this can always go in Jane's room. Although I can't imagine I'll ever want to give it up!

We're also in the market for a china cabinet -- and there was definitely a contender at this store. We're looking for small-ish footprint, dark wood, blocky/clean lines with drawers, lower cabinets and glass-front upper cabinets for display and glass storage. We might like to have a buffet surface too (the contender here didn't offer that). I keep checking Craigslist and maybe need to look at thrift stores and estate sales. I'm super cheap, which is why I didn't just buy the one at this store. It would be great to have something though so my fancy wedding china wouldn't still be sitting in a box in our utility room. Oh me.

Mardi Gras Aftermath

Took this from the car yesterday in New Orleans -- what a mess, although beautiful in a way.

On the streetcar someone asked me where the beads come from -- like who pays for them. I have no idea, but I'm glad I can pass for someone from Louisiana ... I think?

Then I heard a story on NPR about a company trying to make "throws" locally. They're more expensive but would be less petroleum-based and less disposable/of nicer quality. Weird, weird.

Edit to clarify: we were not in New Orleans for Mardi Gras itself. Rather we were in town the weekend after, before the beads have fallen from the trees. I'm not sure if they ever clean them up entirely. 

Paperman

Found via This Was Supposed to Be My Symphony.

Teddy Bear's Rainbow

I made this blanket for Jane. I didn't make her one before she was born since I was sick and/or lazy. Her favorite word to say right now is "BEAR" so I thought this was a perfect choice.

I had yarn leftover from making another rainbow themed blanket (which I'll post about once I actually give the blanket to its intended baby!) -- instead of orange it was supposed to be peach, but I could never find that in worsted weight. This made the rainbow less baby-ish than the pattern picture. But I think I like it better this way.

The white yarn was on super sale at JoAnn's -- 50% off for Red Heart Super Soft because it was somehow Christmas themed? It’s pure white though, and oh-so-soft.

The filet pattern is great, and I love the look of adding stripes to fill out the blanket. The ruffle edging was a treat too.

Very happy with how this blankie turned out. Jane loves it too!

Nielsen Rater

Our household was chosen to fill out a TV diary for the Nielsen company to determine ratings. I'm sure everyone gets to do it once in a while.

Jane never watches TV, and Shawn rarely does, so it was mostly my TV watching ... and it pretty much mirrored my November 2012 project to write a post about every show I watch. Lovely.

I just wish Psych were on -- for reasons other than being recorded in the dumb TV diary.

I got $30 cash in return for completing the diary which is nice. But I was more than a little annoyed when they called the house TWICE during the week of the survey at almost 9 p.m. Fortunately Jane slept through both jangling rings, but I was pretty aggravated.

This is what it's come to I guess.

SLICE!

I made some pesto sauce this week, using some pine nuts I inherited when a friend moved away. All was going fine as I put the nuts and basil into the food processor. Then I realized that the basil was covered in dirt. Whoops!

So I started trying to pull out the leaves. Uh... bad move.

SLICED my middle finger on my right hand. Just a cut, but deep and painful on the tip of the finger. Ugh.

It got blood all over the pine nuts in the food processor. SO I had to dump out everything, wash the basil and start again (there were plenty of nuts left for that at least).

The pesto turned out OK, although I probably needed more basil. We ate it with bowtie pasta and an Italian herb and cheese chicken breast (I had a coupon for some new Kraft seasoning shake-and-bake type thing ... meh).

My finger is still healing. It reopened itself when I was washing Jane's hands, and I've been trying to keep it covered with a band aid BUT it's pretty tough given the location of the cut and the shape of a finger, you know?

Just keeping you posted on my latest injury. Oh me.