Friday, December 18, 2009

Favorite Invention Friday!!!


Today, after a full day of creating goodies in the kitchen, I just have to fawn over my Kitchen-Aid mixer. It helped out with three of the jobs...would have done more if necessary. And I love how it does the heavy lifting...like stirring the peanut butter mixture for Buckeyes or the dough for Pinwheel Cookies. I would lose an arm wrestling match any day to someone who makes such goodies with out the sous chef, but I am less weary and cranky at the end of the day. I totally love this little mighty machine.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Favorite Invention Friday!!!

OK...OK...I realize that I have been totally slacking on my FAVORITE INVENTION FRIDAY the past handful of weeks. I really don't have a good excuse...I certainly have modern day conveniences that I have been enjoying. Perhaps, just a bit too indecisive...maybe lazy? Let's go with "too busy"!

Moving along...

As the Christmas season motors along and I continue my gift choosing expeditions, I feel compelled today to celebrate the computer, printer and the Internet (My spell check feature determined that this word was spelled wrong until it was capitalized. Hmmm...). Now, at the risk of revealing too much, I can not tell you why I adore these items...but I promise to do so...soon. Perhaps on Christmas...after all the gifts have been opened. Make sure that you are utilizing all the tools available to you as you pick out gifts for loved ones!

UPDATE: Here's some, if not all, of the ways I've leveraged my computer, printer and the Internet for my Christmas gift planning.

  • Hacked my way into my mother-in-law's account at Snapfish, lifted a wedding picture of her and my father-in-law, and had copies made for them and the families of my sisters-in-law.
  • Asked by a friend to get on IM, found my husband's uncle and his pictures of the barns on the farm that my mother-in-law grew up. Contacted the uncle for permission, copied the photos, uploaded them to Snapfish and ordered copies for all my in-laws.
  • Armed with the request for artwork for a specific spot in her home by my mom, printed off scanned artwork (you can find it here ) created by my girls and decoupaged a painted canvas for it.
  • Contacting my sister's coworkers through her Facebook friends list...so I could get contact info for her local Miche Bag dealer and surprise her with an early gift on her desk.
  • Searching Amazon and Half.com for a specific gift book that I had seen in this YouTube video shown here.
  • Inspired by a Donna Summer related Facebook status by a friend, I remembered that my sister had a Donna Summer album when we were growing up. Found a used one through Amazon and had it shipped to her.
  • While visiting a blog, I came across an advertisement for an artisan on Etsy. Was able to peruse the creator's selection to order and ship to my sister.
  • After not finding the denim jacket my dad was wanting in any brick-and-mortar...I lucked out at JC Penney's click-and-order.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Hmmm...

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that last evening kind of ended on a sour note for the four-year-old and I. She was having some attitude and misbehavior issues (things that good girls don't do, and she is a good girl...right?) and I was not taking it.

This afternoon, after I had been away all morning helping decorate the church for Christmas, she asked me this question. "After you die, will Daddy get a new mommy?" Let me tell you that I did not hear one drip of sadness, at the thought of me dying, on her question. After clarifying that what I heard was what she was really answered, I told her that I did not know...and immediately went and asked her dad about their morning.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

I Was Doing It Wrong All This Time

This morning I asked the four-year-old what she would like for breakfast.

"I don't know. Help me think."

So, I started offering suggestions based on what was available in the kitchen and how much effort I wanted to expend. She stopped me.

"You are supposed to do this when you think," modeling how one would gently rest their chin in their hand while thinking.

Wow! Now I know why great ideas escaped me, or never showed up, on such a frequent (almost chronic) basis. I wasn't always resting my chin in my hand when thinking. I wish I had had this info back in college when working on linear algebra or thermodynamics homework!

Kid Art


The four-year-old created this in November 2009 with marker. I have no idea what it is...haven't asked yet. But I love the big rectangle that she drew along the outside and how purposeful each of her patches of color seem. She didn't just scribble...she chose a home for each hue on the page and patiently filled it in to its predetermined boundaries in her mind. If I ask her about it and get a name or inspiration...I'll be sure to update here.