I’ve been really slacking on the exercise front. I mean, reallllly slacking. And I decided that by the time we go on vacation in September, I want to be unashamed to wear a swimsuit at the hotel pool. And I want Mr. Syndromes to tell me how great I look when we (hopefully) have dinner with him when we visit San Diego this year…lol!

So, I’ve come up with a plan. I am setting the alarm on my cell phone for the top of the hour each hour until LG goes down for her nap. And every time it goes off, I have to drop whatever I’m doing (whether it be sewing, or internetting or playing with LG or reading a book or watching television (ha!) or whatever) and get up and do something physical. That could be popping in an exercise dvd for a 10 minute workout, putting on some music and dancing around for 5-10 minutes with LG or even running 10 laps around the house. Whatever it is, it has to include me getting off my butt and getting my heart rate up. It’s too darn hot to do anything outside, so I have to be creative. And setting a little goal of 10 minutes or less every hour seems a lot more doable than trying to work out for a half an hour to an hour at a time. Or even to get out of the house to go to Curves right now. I know that it’s better to get your heart rate up for 20 minutes at a stretch, but at this point I figure something is better than nothing. And many somethings are better than many nothings. So, I’m getting off my butt and doing something. And you know what? It feels good! I think when I do my 10 laps around the house next time, I’ll carry the hand weights with me…lol!

All those masses the week before last seriously took a toll on my mojo and it was all I could do to post anything last week, much less tell you about all the exciting things that went on. So without further ado, some very random catching up…(but yes, there are photos!) (Read on …)

I’m definitely going to be trying some of these Chip Resistant Nail Polishes.

100 ways to cut 100 calories.

How to photograph children, part 2.

How to create an ongoing photo time capsule.

I like weird things like this: Great feets of art. (Yes, I know I spelled feets the wrong way - click and you’ll find out why.

A hi-tech refrigerator magnet.

I’m not a big fan of fried eggs, but if you are, this would be a fun way to serve them.

The best books and the best-selling books of all time.

20 ways to use free time.

How to paint a rug.

How to photograph silhouettes.

Now this is the way to exercise.

I think this mug would be great for those of us who are not too talkative in the morning.

25 uses for ziploc bags. via lifehack.org

Waymarking calls itself “a scavenger hunt for unique and interesting locations in the world”. via Lifehacker

Appetizer
Name a sound you like to hear.

The sound of my child’s laughter.

Soup
What is your favorite kind of cheese?

That’s a toughy, because I love cheese. I guess I’d have to say Colby Jack.

Salad
Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not?

Not really. I pretty much get up at the same time every day which is whenever my daughter wakes up which is somewhere between 7 and 8:30. On Saturdays, I have to get up with her so she doesn’t wake my husband up because he usually gets in very late from his gigs.

Main Course
When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it?

I don’t remember. ;-)

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I notice ____________ when _____________.

I’m going to talk about who won American Idol last night in this post, so if you don’t know want to know yet, stop reading now.

Okay, that was your warning. No more warnings! (Read on …)

Little Girl loves to pretend she is singing into a microphone.

She uses rolled up
reply cards from
magazines.

She uses the
lint roller.

She uses a red
cylindrical block from
her block set.

Whatever she can find that resembles a microphone, she uses. And she knows that it’s called a “microphone”, and she uses that word all the time. “Mama sing on da mikaphone!” and so forth.

So, you’ll understand my confusion when the other day, she had her favorite red cylindrical block which she was putting up to her mouth and calling a “casket”. !!!????!!!!

I looked at Mike accusingly. “Why did you teach her that word???” He looked as puzzled as I did. “I didn’t teach her that word!” Hrm. She’s never seen a casket - she didn’t go with us to my cousin’s funeral and she’s never been to any other funerals. What on earth could she be trying to say? What sounds like “casket” and looks like her red block? Basket? Nope. Crack it? Nope. We tried several words that sounded similar to “casket” and they were all met with a shake of her head. That wasn’t what she was trying to tell us. We finally just nodded and smiled and pretended we understood her rather than let her think we were stupid people who couldn’t understand plain toddler English. But, I was still a little concerned about where she might have learned that word.

I remained puzzled for a day or two. Until she was in our bedroom and saw something on my shelf. Something of mine that she loves to use. “Mama! I want da casket!” And she pointed right at this…. (Read on …)

Scroll down for Surfer Sunday

Because this is a post about a child and her potty and I’m writing it mostly for myself to be able to remember the date, I will let you decide if you want to read it or not… (Read on …)

How to make a pillowcase.

Activities for young children (with a special page just for toddlers) including all kinds of different themes like animals, food, colors and holidays.

A painted cookie tutorial which I’m totally going to try. via A Chelsea Morning

I can think of so many things to do with these ice trays. Not just colored ice cubes, but how about jello? Fun stuff!

How to improve your night vision.

Cutest, cuddliest, weirdest chair ever.

Weekly online crochet classes.

How to boost your brain power.

Tips for improving your landscape photography.

Monday:
• Mass at the high school in the morning (LG went to Grandma’s)

Tuesday:
• Search for confirmation gifts for two lovely young ladies
• Mike played confirmation mass #1 in the evening
• watch American Idol with LG

Wednesday:
• Grocery shopping first thing
• music planning session with the music director from church
• sing at confirmation mass #2 in the evening (Mike’s cousin came to babysit)
• came home to fast forward through most of American Idol to see who got voted off before I opened the laptop
• watch the end of the Suns game (grr)
• watch Lost after finally getting LG to bed

Thursday:
• haircut for me and Mike (LG went to Grandma’s)
• stop by grocery store to buy the loaf of bread that I forgot to get on Wednesday
• pick LG up from Grandma’s
• sing at confirmation mass #3 (Mike’s cousin came over to watch LG again)
• Mike had to run off to work
• get LG to bed and then watch: Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy and ER on the dvr

Friday:
• take LG to dance class
• go to post office to buy 2 cent stamps - line is way too long
• go to neighborhood Hallmark with post office to buy 2 cent stamps - line is short
• stop by the project house to see Mike and let LG dangle her feet in the pool
• buy tickets online for the American Idol Tour’s stop in Glendale this summer so LG can see her “Jordin Pahks” and her “Blake”
• tonight we will watch the Suns win game 6 (positive thoughts)

Saturday:
• take LG to Grandma’s
• sing at confirmation mass #4
• pick LG up from Grandma’s
• come home and die of exhaustion

Did you notice how many times LG will have been babysat this week? She is not used to being separated from Mommy for that much time, so it’s been interesting. I am really looking forward to next week when we can go back to a (mostly) normal schedule. Next week is still busy, but not every day and every night at least.

LG (who will be 2 1/2 two weeks from tomorrow) has been showing many signs of potty training readiness. But, there is no way I’m going to seriously start that until our life has a tad bit more normalcy to it. Consistency is the mother of success. ;)

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Appetizer
List 3 emotions you experienced this week.

Excitement, frustration, and rejoicing.

Soup
Name a car you’d love to have.

A Ford Mustang

Salad
Describe your typical morning routine.

Wake up, go to the bathroom, get LG and let her watch Sesame Street while I check my email and do my morning internet rounds.

Main Course
Have you ever emailed someone famous? If so, who, and what did you say to them? Did they reply?

I emailed two authors, Shanna Swendson and Candace Havens, to tell them that I had enjoyed their books, and they both emailed me back!

Dessert
Do you listen to podcasts? If so, which ones?

I used to listen to them on a regular basis, but I can’t seem to find the time to do it anymore. I hope that will change at some point. (Maybe someone needs to give me an iPod…lol!) The two that I listened to on a regular basis were PotterCast and MuggleCast, both of which I highly recommend if you are a Harry Potter fanatic.

Melody, being a puppy, has a tendency to shred paper all over the living room and kitchen. And I, being lazy having a back that doesn’t like bending over too much, have a tendency to not pick it up right away.

So, last night my sweet little girl, without me even asking, decided to pick up all the little pieces of paper that were on the area rug by the television. Every single one. She put them all in the plastic bag that the newspaper had come in and then she went and threw the whole thing away in the trash can.

It is moments like this that I think someway, somehow we are doing something right. She is “getting” it. She is learning how to function in a family and what her role is. And she is becoming a very nice little girl.

Of course I am fully aware that one day she’ll be a hormonal teenager and all bets will be off, but until then I will bask in the glory of my perfect child. ;)

“Shock in da heart! Bad day! Bad day! Bad day!”

“I! Have nothing. I! Have nothing. I love you! I love you! I love you!”

Click to find out what she was singing… (Read on …)

Two weeks ago, I told you how Little Girl won’t say her name correctly. Well, guess what? She’s saying it correctly all. the. time. now. There is a slight (and cute) little mispronunciation she uses, but it’s still her full name.

I love all her little mispronunciations, and I miss them when they leave her vocabulary. “Hiss” finally became “horse”. “Monene” became “Marlene”. “Noneck” is now “nogurt” (which isn’t yet yogurt, but is closer…lol!). She still hasn’t gotten “Rochelle” down quite yet, but it’s just a matter of time.

It is truly a joy watching and hearing her learn to talk and communicate, but I can’t help but be a little wistful as she leaves her Little Girl-isms behind.

We awoke this morning to LG wanting to “blow da nose”. It was 5:30 and since we didn’t have to get up until 6:30 (mass at the high school today), I told her to go back to sleep, but she persisted enough that it woke her father up, too and he went to check on her. Let’s just say I’m really glad it wasn’t me who checked on her because I would have upset her more than she already was. She had apparently had a bloody nose and there was dried blood all over her face. I saw her after Mike had wiped most of it off and it was still not pretty. Needless to say, she got an early morning bath.

It’s been very dry here (the humidity was 19% when I checked this morning) and she had a little bit of a bloody nose in the car the other day as well. Number one, her fingernails are getting clipped. Number two, we might be getting a humidifier if this persists.

Number three, there is blood on her nightgown, her pillowcase, and her very favorite blanket. So any good tips for getting bloodstains out? I googled a few that I might try, but if any of you know any good ones, I’m all ears. (And don’t worry, I know better than to launder them before I get the stains out!)

It’s 6:15. I should still be asleep, but I’m not. I feel a nap coming later.

I am thankful for my mother who loved me unconditionally.

I am thankful for my grandmother whom I never met, because she taught me that love does not end with death.

I am thankful for my aunts who love me and do their best to fill the void left by my mother.

I am thankful for my friends who answer all my stupid questions about parenting and raise their children in a manner that I strive for.

I am thankful for my mother-in-law who loves her grandchildren and takes care of them when we need her to.

But most of all, I’m thankful for my little girl, for without her I would not be privileged to call myself a mom.