Hiya folks,
So things have been busy here but are winding down now and I find that I have more time to do the things I enjoy.
I am going to be moving my blog and adding a few fun things and I really hope I can blog once a week too.
So stay tuned. Ill let you know when to expect the new site to be live.
Im excited!
According to this article, and The View the ad has received a lot of attention.
A lot of it is positive, but some of it is bad.
I will say this, I definitely noticed this family's makeup.
Naturally I noticed the cute little girl with light brown skin and light curly hair. Then I noticed her white mommy. I thought "Oh a mixed race girl and a white mommy".
Then I stopped listening to the commercial because I was trying to guess what her dad was going to look like.
"Are they going to show her dad at all?"
"Is she adopted or is she a mix of her parents? No, she is not adopted. That wouldn't make sense. Plus that would probably tick people off that a white woman is adopting a baby from another race. People will think...'Oh so only WHITE people can adopt children of other races'. So no, she is not adopted. She is her mothers daughter and her father is black. Are they going to show him?"
Then they show her daddy and he is black! I will say this made me happy. I like that they showed a family like mine and a girl like my girl. You don't see that very often. At least not on TV.
Its a good thing Cheerios had their box in practically every shot and that they ended the commercial with Cheerios all over the daddy's heart, because I was not paying attention to what was being said, but more to what they are saying.
Its amazing how many thoughts can go through your head in 31 seconds!
Funny thing. I thought the idea of a white mommy adopting a brown baby would offend people.
I really didn't think people would take offense of a mixed race couple with a mixed baby.
But we live in a goofy world filled with goofy people and people have taken offense.
WHY!!!
A seemingly "non-racist" answer is that the commercial is offensive because the family has a black man married to a white woman. And perhaps it would have been less offensive to feature a white man married to a black woman. I can see that...There is a slight stigma when it comes to black men with white women. I'm not going there today...or probably ever.
I like that Cheerios took a chance with their little commercial.
I decided that I want the positive to outweigh the negative so I liked their commercial on YouTube, (the comment section has been disabled), commented on Twitter to @Cheerios and commented and liked the commercial on Facebook.
My big girl LAUV Cheerios and eats them 2x a day and my lil' girl is getting practice eating finger foods with Cheerios.
And remember this?!
We heart Cheerios in this family.
Show Cheerios some love and drown out the sound of the haters.
So it looks like Google is retiring Google Reader.
I think this upsets a lot of bloggers because of the Followers widget many have on their blogs.
Some bloggers have A LOT of followers and it shows up on their blog. And personally if I see a blog that has a lot of followers, I think "Wow, they must post some good stuff."
Or at least that is what I used to think.
I've come to realize that is not really the case.
I haven't used Google Reader since my second kiddo was born because I don't really have the time to read up on others and I have lost interest.
For a while I was following a lot of folks and I enjoyed reading most of who I was following.
Then I got bored... and annoyed. Too many link-ups, sponsor posts and complaints about their big beautiful homes turned me off.
And some folks just changed their writing style to a more poetic, flowery style, and there is nothing wrong with that. I just don't like reading it.
I don't get symbolism and I cant follow too many adjectives in row. It makes me feel dejected, lugubrious, and as though I am adrift at sea without a paddle. So I just give up and move on to something else, like PINTEREST! (so pretty)
If I REALLY want to keep up with a particular blogger I follow them on Facebook and Twitter. If their little blurb catches my eye THEN I go to their site.
It works for them and me because I get to pick and choose what I read and they get traffic to their site.
Its a Win-Win!
So if you still want to keep up on my bloggy happi-haps, I suggest subscribing via email or following me on Twitter.
I like to keep my Facebook personalish so Im not really sharing that. (I add the ish because how well do I really know all 304 of you.)
I noticed an usual hike in my blogger stats the other day.
Although my content is extremely exciting and engaging, like this post and this post, I was not anticipating much traffic to my little corner of the world wide webosphere.
Here is a screen shot of the traffic to my site:
I havent posted since Feb.
I then took a look at where this traffic might be coming from and take a look...
For whatever reason CHINA loves my little blog as of late! Ill deal with the issue of Brazilians not checking things out later. In the mean time I will choose to not be offended.
Soooooo why China?
Most likely its some sort of spamming or phishing robot that keeps hitting my site.
Thats so boring.
Id like to explore some other options. And since you are still reading wont you explore with me?
Here are a few very probably scenarios as to why China loves me so.
Government Secrets
China thinks my site contains government secrets.WHICH IT DOES! Check here and here.
Just kidding. No government secrets found here... maybe. Or perhaps some things got lost in translation. Which leads me to the next scenario.
I DIM Sum
I have a page called "I DIM!" Which is short for I Did It Myself. Its just a collection of successful different projects I have taken on. Perhaps an English speaking person in China is looking for a recipe on dim sum and my little website comes up in their search. They are probably so disappointed when they see this.
Celebrity Status
And lastly and I think the most probable, is that my face has been used to market popular products in China and folks are just trying to find out "Who is that girl?".
If you happen to be taking a little stroll in downtown Shanghai, check this out!
I'm VERY marketable
I am not sure how they got my face, name or blog url but they did and I have yet to see a dime. Ah well. It is what it is. Or as they say in China "WaiYuSoTan".
We have an ant problem...but only in the winter months. I thought ants were a summer problem, but apparently that is not the case and every winter these little creepers march into our home and try to feast off of our crumbs. One particular colony (we have a couple colonies, I KNOW, its gross) likes our bathroom. Why? I don't know. I promise you I DO NOT eat in our bathroom. Maybe the little guys are thirsty and this is the only place they can find water. Perhaps they like hair and dust because that is really all there is on our bathroom floor. (Don't act like your bathroom floor doesn't have hair on it). Usually there are not a lot of ants. Maybe like four or five just kinda wandering around. They seemed lost and perhaps a little desperate.
To take care of the problem I bought some ant traps and strategically placed them in their path. Soon there were a bunch of ants feasting on the poison and you know what...I felt bad.
You see, I have this way about me...I talk to animals like they are people (see this story). I used to try to save spiders instead of kill them until this happened.
As I was watching the little buggers march in and out of the bait trap I imagined what those ants must have been feeling.
After weeks of sending scouts in search of anything to feed the family in the bathroom (eye roll) they were about to lose all hope. Then one scout comes back with great news...FOOD!!! This scout was the hero. He saved the colony! It's going to be the best winter ever. Come on everybody lets go! Follow me! And so they march...find the prize and bring it back to their queen.
The rest is history.
I don't know how much they have to eat to die from the poison or how long it takes. All I know is that it will only last for about 3 months. Then we have to set a new trap. Why is that you think? I could Google it, but I don't feel like it.
I think only the living ants die (redundant I know) and the eggs live. And when they hatch, there are a bunch of little Orphan Anties (see what I did there). And then the cycle continues. That is until summer, then they make their way outside again.
I think I need to stop imagining the ants are like this:
pic from Disneys Bugs Life. Please dont sue me.
And imagine them more like this:
Walking Dead mob o' zombies
Ants are not cute little Pixar characters that have inter-species friends that break out in song occasionally.
NO! They are mindless consumers with a mob mentality.
After I follow my rabbit trail of thoughts, I don't feel so bad for poisoning the little creepers and leaving their offspring orphans.
I don't know about you or most people but I get the post-Christmas blues almost every year.
I really enjoyed Christmas this year despite our lack of space.
We have a new little babe and a fun little tot whom was able to appreciate all things Christmassy this year. Perhaps Ill post pictures...but that is a lot of work...Trust me it was fun.
So after much planning and prepping I feel relief and enjoy relaxing the days following Christmas.
Then I feel kinda like "eh".
I feel itchy for something new and exciting but I also feel unmotivated.
I want to move someplace warm or have some sort of adventure or just SOMETHING special happen.
There are a ton of DIYs I want to try and things I want to blog...BUT at the same time I just don't FEEL like it.
So like before, I just keep on keeping on.
And I pray and try to be thankful for all that is around me.
I have a lot to be thankful for.
I figure in a week or so Ill snap out of it and get back in a groove.
On that note, tomorrow I'm teaching children's church.
The funny thing is the lesson is about peace and I'm really sweatin' it. Figure that one out :)
It will be fine, I'm sure. If not...its only a little more than an hour :)
On a different note: The following made me giggle...enjoy.
I wont bore you with the details but I will share with you my latest adventure in dabbling in the domestics.
Huh...
Anyways.
Twas our annual Cookie Exchange Christmas Wrap party. Many moons ago the party started off as a Christmas wrapping party. We would bring presents to one location and use each others wrapping paper and bows and wrap our gifts together. Later we added exchanging cookies into the mix. Then as the babes were born, one by one we stopped bringing our presents to wrap and just brought cookies. This year one person brought stuff to wrap and we just watched her wrap whilst we ate cookies.
Looooooooooooooong story short, I wanted to make these:
One of my "friends" was so offended she took one home in a separate container from the rest of her exchanged cookies so as not to contaminate the proper cookies.
Eh. (Shoulder Shrug). I got to take home more cookies than everybody else. MERRY CHRISTMAS SUCKAS!!!
There is so much to say about what happened at Sandy Hook and also a lack of words.
A lot of sadness and heaviness.
I found today's Crosswalk.coms daily devotional to be helpful.
You can read it here.
Last week I realized one of my favorite earrings was missing. I moved Made the husband move the couch, love seat, coffee table and end table. It was G-ROSS under there, so I vacuumed. That's a good thing...but still no earring.
After about 45 minutes of searching I sat down and thought about the last time I had my earrings on.
Then it hit me...I only took one off.
The other earring was still in my ear.
Later that week I interrogated my two year old to find out where she put the reindeer cookie cutter.
"Em, Help me find the reindeer"
"Em, Where is the reindeer?"
"Em, We cant make cookies without the reindeer"
Some time later, I found said reindeer placed out of Ems reach on the counter so that she couldn't play with it and loose it.
So my plan worked. I just didn't remember how smart I was.
I had this grand plan to be a Working-from-Home mommy. It hasn't really worked out. Long story. You can catch up here if you want to do a little reading.
So I'm a Stay-at-Home mom and I LOVE it, except that my choice to stay home is keeping us from buying a home. Its a cycle.
Go To Work- Pay for 2 kids in daycare, afford a mortgage, see my kids less, be more tired than I already am.
Or,
Stay Home- Stay the course financially, small apartment, see my kids all the time.
So I'm praying for wisdom, guidance, priorities and a miracle.
Ill keep you posted on that.
I have some ideas though.
~Does The Gap need a children's clothing designer that works from home. If so, I got some great ideas. Anyone out there with connections, hook me up!!
~How about some Harry Potter Post Voldemort Fan Fiction? Anyone interested in reading that? Its not written yet, but I got some ideas.
In the mean time, Ill just keep on keeping on with my littles.
Ah Christmas commercials...
Some of them just make me happy. Is that weird?
For instance I get that "ITS CHRISTMAS TIME" feeling the first time I see this commercial:
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is also my favorite Christmas song.
I also like this one:
I cant quite pinpoint why I like this commercial so much. The music, the drama, the thought that Santa is running late and needs to make a quick stop at Target...I just like it all!
And then there is Target Lady.
I miss her. Now they have those two tweeny type people. Not as fun.
Whats your favorite Christmas commercial? I wanna see them!
Occasionally Often times I really REALLY want to shop. But its the holiday season and the things I like are just WAAaaaaay to pricey to justify. So I create little outfits on Polyvore.
I am in the mood for some color so I put this together.
I still have some post pregnancy weight I gotta lose. If I get to the size I want I am going to treat myself and get an outfit similar to this. That is if yellow jeans are still in style then. :)
This Christmas we have a very stuffed living room.
We have a Pac n' Play and a baby swing and a baby play mat and a lil' kitchen set and lots o' toys all taking up lots o' space.
I had to put my beloved papasan in storage a long time ago.
In case you didnt know we live in an apartment and are looking for and praying for a new home. I am a stay-at-home mom so that makes home buying a little more difficult.
All this to say, there is no room for a Christmas tree this year.
At first I was bummed about this.
Christmas without a Christmas seems very sad.
I thought about how this might be the first Christmas Em remembers and there wont be a tree.
After a brief mourning period and some prayer I decided its not so bad.
I am going to have a Christmas tree. But it will not be the traditional type of tree at all.
After searching the interwebs I found lots of different ways we can have a tree and still be able to walk around.
The Christmas tree decal.
We have a ton of wall space because I keep telling myself this is our last year here in this apartment (its been 8 years) and I cant commit to a wall color or wall hangings.
After thinking about it, I decided we will do the following:
~The tree decal
I already bought and will have it up soon.
~The Felt Tree
I'm gonna buy the felt this week and have IT up soon
~The Window Tree
This will prob be done this week and redone many times until Christmas
~And lastly
the spinning tree.
I saw it Target and had to get it. Its pretty small and will go on our coffee table and Em can play with it lots. It was on Sale!
So instead of being sad that we are not going to put up regular fresh tree this year and dress it up with our ornaments, I'm going to be happy that we have 4 trees and hope that it is a fun memory for Em too.
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