tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41007132296231554192024-03-13T01:01:07.139-04:00McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.comBlogger401125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-19063362277175221032012-04-16T19:00:00.000-04:002012-04-16T19:00:00.833-04:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {4/17}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" /></a></div>
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<textarea rows="6"><a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Classified: Mom" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png"/></a></textarea></form>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
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<br />
<b>Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up</b><br />
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<br />
<br />
1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you for linking up with <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b><b> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! </a></b><br />
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<script type="text/javascript">
document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=145906&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');
</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-83177620728536364832012-04-09T19:00:00.000-04:002012-04-09T19:00:05.800-04:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {4/10}<br />
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<a href="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" /></a></div>
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<textarea rows="6"><a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Classified: Mom" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png"/></a></textarea></form>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you for linking up with <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b><b> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! </a></b><br />
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<script type="text/javascript">
document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=142569&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');
</script><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-25757253731384263802012-03-30T09:00:00.000-04:002012-03-30T09:00:11.703-04:00A New Parenting Blog (You'll Like It!)It can be tough to jump back into writing on a regular basis after taking such a long vacation from it. It is especially difficult when you cannot think of anything to write about. I usually write about the fun projects the kids and I are working on or parenting in general. Unfortunately, things have been getting rougher and rougher around here with both kids. I know that some of it has to do with their reactions to the stress I'm feeling. No matter how much you try to hide something like this, it still shows. And, with my oldest, I am honest. He gets a simpler version of what's going on because 1) I don't believe in lying to him by saying that everything is going to be OK - it may not, and 2) if things do get bad, I don't want it to be a shock to him.<br />
<br />
As for Little Guy, I am having a terrible time. It's as if he wants to constantly argue with me over everything. He'll ask for a flavor of juice that he knows we don't have, then whine and cry and throw a HUGE tantrum over not getting it. He wakes up in the morning telling me, "Today, I not gonna listen to you, Mommy!" All of the rules get broken all of the time. Not only the silly ones, like pick up your toys. The serious ones, too: no touching the electric outlets. He's thrown Hot Wheels at the TV screen, tossed my coffee mug down our wooden staircase, he runs off when we're on walks... into busy streets. I gave up on cooking and washing dishes with him because he's managed to cut me with a paring knife when I told him to please put it down (he put it down with force on my hand!) and he's broken a ton of dishes by tossing them on the floor just to see them crash. I feel that there is more than his reaction to stress to blame for this sudden change in behavior (no, he hasn't had any vax!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.gratefulmomsofmany.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="103" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sl9ws-48y-o/T3IhuEmYXtI/AAAAAAAAChA/mM2mQORRUew/s400/GMOMs+Banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Anyway, just when I thought I had no where but a physician to turn to (I really don't want labels such as "ADD" on his medical chart - especially at only 3 years old), I heard that a new blog is starting up that may just help me with these and many other parenting problems I will come across. The blog is written by three mothers who have a total of 17 children, ranging in age from 1 to 16 (and one on the way!). And, these aren't just any moms - they are moms who have the same parenting philosophies as I. They "<i><b>...ascribe to Attachment Parenting, Gentle Discipline, & Natural
Family Living philosophies; each in our own way. We wanted to create a
place to share our lives as "crunchy" Moms with other similar-minded
Moms</b></i>." Their blog, <a href="http://www.gratefulmomsofmany.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Grateful Moms of Many</b></u></a>, is scheduled to launch on April 1, 2012 and I, for one, cannot wait! On the site, you will find articles on many topics,
including pregnancy & birth, breastfeeding, multiples, special needs
children, schooling, discipline, frugality, crafts, recipes, mental
health, and generally the unique challenges that moms face in
daily life. It sounds like the PERFECT mom blog to me!<br />
<br />
I really love how these three moms (Sasha, Nic, and Michelle) met each other. They were all on an Online Due Date Club - you know, where expectant moms can commiserate with other women who are at the same stage of pregnancy. Once their children were all born, the three moms stayed in touch via a private Facebook group. Though they all share similar parenting philosophies, they also believe that every parent does what he/she feels is best for their children. You won't find judgment on this blog, only support. And, with the years of experience that these Moms of Many have, you can almost bet that all kinds of interesting things have been encountered. That leaves me feeling as if I can find the help I need with my own kids.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/messages/1066702114#%21/gratefulmomsofmany" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLFgcfPRMWw/T3Ih4yHihaI/AAAAAAAAChI/Qs_kt6R7G8U/s200/GMOMs.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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If you can't wait for their April 1st launch, you can head over to their Facebook page, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/messages/1066702114#%21/gratefulmomsofmany" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Grateful Moms of Many</b></u></a>. There are already a few questions posted and the community there feels wonderful - lots of great ideas being generated and no judgemental attitudes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oh, and I almost forgot! </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>To celebrate the<a href="http://www.gratefulmomsofmany.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"> Grateful Moms of Many's</u></a> blog launch </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>on April 1st (you know what day that is, right?!), </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>there will be a special giveaway </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>with a nice little prank-like twist! </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>April Fool's! </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>So, don't forget to go check it out - I'll give you a quick reminder post so you don't forget. :)</b></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-9378681810793179782012-03-26T19:00:00.000-04:002012-03-26T19:00:04.347-04:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linky (3/27)I am so sorry for missing out on last week's linky! I think that things are finally settling down and I should be posting more often. It's just hard to get back into the swing of things - and to even think of what to write about! - after taking such a long hiatus!<br>
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<br>
<a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/03/tuesdays-giveaway-linky-327.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-59394657930735219772012-03-22T11:50:00.000-04:002012-03-22T11:50:05.003-04:00I Wrote a Blog Post! (Really!)Nope, it's not here. You can read my post over at my friend Bernie's blog, <b style="color: #38761d;"><a href="http://onemixedbag.com/2012/03/yarn-for-a-cause-update/#comment-37855" target="_blank">One Mixed Bag</a></b>. <br />
Here's a hint:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5TZkyhSu1nQ/T2tKHIIXzXI/AAAAAAAACfo/-2-eS1pQfCY/s1600/Thank+You.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5TZkyhSu1nQ/T2tKHIIXzXI/AAAAAAAACfo/-2-eS1pQfCY/s1600/Thank+You.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-4149152202674959782012-03-12T19:05:00.000-04:002012-03-12T19:05:14.274-04:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {3/13}<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" /></a> </div>
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<textarea rows="6"><a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Classified: Mom" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png"/></a></textarea></form>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!<br />
<br />
If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you for linking up with <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b><b> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! </a></b><br />
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<script type="text/javascript">
document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=135377&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');
</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-82881906789280502342012-03-05T20:30:00.000-05:002012-03-05T20:30:18.081-05:00Very Quick Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mccrenshawknits.etsy.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="52" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6937788055_b108963954_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e8jPqbzNJJc/T1VnNjeUQZI/AAAAAAAACdQ/wOMCCemQTm0/s1600/DSCN75472012-02-23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
I now have an Etsy shop!!!! Come browse my whopping 7 items at <a href="http://mccrenshawknits.etsy.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>McCrenshaw's Newest Knits</b></u></a> when you have time. I'm working very hard to get more items finished, photographed, described, and listed. My goal is to have a full page of items listed on my shop's homepage by the end of next week. I just need more hours in a day and faster fingers! Anyway, I'm very excited about some of the ideas I have for items, so check back for new listings every few days.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e8jPqbzNJJc/T1VnNjeUQZI/AAAAAAAACdQ/wOMCCemQTm0/s1600/DSCN75472012-02-23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e8jPqbzNJJc/T1VnNjeUQZI/AAAAAAAACdQ/wOMCCemQTm0/s200/DSCN75472012-02-23.JPG" width="176" /></a>I promise that blog posts will be coming back this week.I'm giving my
oldest his first real job: as a typist. The idea is I will speak my
posts into the voice recorder of my MP3 player and, when he gets home
from school, he will type what I've said. Later that night, I'll simply
edit and add photos! I'm not sure how well this will work, so we're
going to do a trial run of 2 weeks. I am trying to make this as close to
a real job as possible for him to give him a taste of what will be
expected of him in his future jobs. Also, I'll be able to write him a
nice letter of recommendation when the time comes for him to get a real
job.<br />
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I'm just wondering how much to pay him, what kind
of hours to set, etc. It's not like we're rolling in the dough, so the
paying thing is going to be tough. I'm trying to think of what I could
use to barter with him. He asked if I could make some Amigurumi for him
to sell to friends at school and at the trading card shop where he hangs
out. Maybe I could make those in exchange for blog posts and he can
sell them for whatever he wants? Is that legal? Any other ideas?<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #0b5394; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Any advice would be greatly appreciated!</b></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-12506798515774548992012-03-05T20:19:00.001-05:002012-03-05T20:19:27.216-05:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {3/7} & a Quick UpdateHello! I know it's been quite a while since you've heard from me. But I'll be back this week. Knitting and crochetong is slow-going, but I've thought of a way to get my posts out and keep plugging along on making items for my shop!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>In the meantime, check out these great giveaways:</b></div>
<br />
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" /></a> </div>
<div align="center">
<form>
<textarea rows="6"><a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Classified: Mom" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png"/></a></textarea></form>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you for linking up with <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b><b> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! </a></b><br />
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<script type="text/javascript">
document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=133297&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');
</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-27363126483998314052012-02-27T19:00:00.000-05:002012-02-27T19:00:01.840-05:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {2/28}Sorry I didn't post this last week! I've been a busy bee - knitting, crocheting, and learning all I can about running a business from my living room for the past couple of weeks! I need to thank Classified: Mom and Tots and Me for being so understanding. I'll be opening up <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/McCrenshawKnits?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">my shop </a>on Etsy on Wednesday, so come check it out!<br>
<br>
And now, without further ado...<br>
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<a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png"></a> </div>
<div align="center">
<form>
<textarea rows="6"><a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Classified: Mom" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png"/></a></textarea></form>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
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<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
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<a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/02/tuesdays-giveaway-linkup-228.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-21614361791476351442012-02-24T09:00:00.000-05:002012-02-24T09:00:13.788-05:00Crafting With Little Ones {Re-Post}This is one of my all-time favorite posts and it was written well before I had many readers. I'd like to share it with you again because I think that the message is important if you want to foster a love of creativity in your children from a young age: It's not the outcome that matters; the process is most important.<br>
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<a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/02/crafting-with-little-ones-re-post.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-63215365449690071702012-02-22T12:25:00.000-05:002012-02-22T12:25:06.988-05:00AWOL?I'm sorry that I haven't been writing <strike>much</strike> at all lately. I finally have my shop up on Etsy, now I'm working hard to get some items made, photographed, and descriptions written. I should be up and running by next Wednesday. That's may goal, anyway. February 29th, Leap Day, is our anniversary. I figured I'd like to make that my shop's Grand Opening day, too. <br>
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<a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/02/awol.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-48753314308606350472012-02-17T14:25:00.002-05:002012-02-17T14:26:52.112-05:00Are You Ready For St. Patrick's Day? {Review}<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOP7ae760b696d0c0e744ce8f42a62ccba0" style="display: none;"></a><br />
Around here, if you aren't wearing green on St. Patrick's Day, you'll be seeing the business end of my shillelagh. Yeah, I have one and it comes out once a year, seeking out those who forget to dress properly. Now, my husband is one of those people who will try to get away with that lame, "I have a little speck of green on my underwear!" excuse-users. He gets a bonk on the head every year (will he ever learn?!)<br />
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This year, and in the future, he won't have to come up with any excuses to avoid a rap on the noggin. I received a t-shirt from <a href="http://www.kissmyshamrock.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>KissMyShamrock.com</b></u></a> to review and it turned out to be the perfect shirt for him:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tomoson.com/show-thumb?img=/home/tomoson/public_html/uploads/promotions/6200_3420_2012_01_18_16_26_06.jpg&maxx=375&maxy=375&mode=normal" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.tomoson.com/show-thumb?img=/home/tomoson/public_html/uploads/promotions/6200_3420_2012_01_18_16_26_06.jpg&maxx=375&maxy=375&mode=normal" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(NOT my husband! LOL)</td></tr>
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While we don't do the drinking thing on St. Patrick's Day (well, I do like a little Bailey's in my coffee or a nice Irish coffee with Jameson's and some whipped cream when it's available!), hubby is a stumbler. He stumbles over toys, rugs, even his own feet! So, not only does he have a nice green shirt from KissMyShamrock.com's selection of <a href="http://www.kissmyshamrock.com/" target="_blank"><b style="color: #38761d;"><u>funny Irish t-shirts</u></b></a>, he also has a pretty descriptive one, too! <br />
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So, don't get caught without your green on March 17th! Check out KissMyShamrock.com to find the perfect shirt for you. In addition to t-shirts, all of their designs come on your choice of style (hoodie, long-sleeve tee, tanks, and many more!) and you can choose from 16 shirt colors! <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><u><b>Disclosure</b></u>: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using <a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOM7ae760b696d0c0e744ce8f42a62ccba0" rel="nofollow">Tomoson.com</a>. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe my readers will find interesting.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-70198946222018589922012-02-14T17:52:00.003-05:002012-02-14T17:57:56.246-05:00The Best Boyfriend... EVER!See this kid?<br />
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He's been deemed "The Best Boyfriend EVER!" You see, things are looking up for my oldest. Being a year younger than his classmates wasn't really a problem until he hit middle school. He struggled with the whole "girl" thing. By the time he hit high school, last fall, he had pretty much given up on thinking any girls would be interested in him simply because he was a little younger than them. But, he managed to learn something that many adults fail to realize: Age really doesn't matter - it's more about who you are. And, though I'm his mom, I'm not just bragging when I tell you that he's an amazing person. Empathetic, polite, level-headed, and thoughtful are the first words that pop into my head when I try to describe him.<br />
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I was so happy for him when he home home with the announcement: "I have a girlfriend!" He's been walking on air since. It's amazing what a huge boost this has been to his self-esteem. Additionally, his attitude around here has gone from typical apathetic teenager to mature and helpful young man. I'm so proud of him!<br />
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He attended his first high school dance last Saturday. The dance was set to begin at 7pm. So, naturally, he started getting ready at noon! Every 15 minutes, he was in the bathroom combing his hair, brushing his teeth, putting on MORE cologne, etc. (We had a talk about how to put that stuff on. He seemed to be under the impression that, if he couldn't smell it, no one could.) He tried on a bunch of nice shirts, picked one out, then asked me to show him how to iron it. Yeah - he didn't just ask me to do it, he wanted me to teach him! With all of his pacing and looking at the clock all day, I think I was more nervous for him than he was by the time 7 o'clock rolled around. But, it all went off without a hitch. He came home smiling from ear-to-ear and went directly to the computer...<br />
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You see, I don't know if it's common all over the place, but kids around here don't talk on the phone or even text each other. They use Facebook to instant message and leave each other little status updates, write on walls, etc. The minute he's in for the night, he's asking to use the computer. He'll spend hours "socializing" with his friends online. WAY different than when I was his age. Back then, I had two choices: talk on the phone, or "hang out." Talking on the phone was pretty difficult. Call-waiting wasn't all that common, so my phone calls were limited to five minutes. You can't get much "you hang up first... no YOU hang up first!" with that kind of time limit. So, we usually congregated somewhere. The mall was the place to be in the wintertime, but not much fun when you had no money. You could go to a friend's house and stare at MTV for a few hours (remember when they actually played music videos all of the time???) Or, we just stood outside on a corner in our little suburban community - but it had to be where no one's parents could see us through a window (as if we were doing anything beside saying, "So, what do you want to do? I don't care... whatever YOU want to do.") Anyway, kids nowadays don't actually hang out with each other unless it's a special event. And they don't even talk to each other. They type to each other, each from the comfort of their own homes. I can't help but wonder what this generation will be like in their 20's - will they have drinking parties via Skype?! But, I'm getting way off the subject of why my kid is the best boyfriend ever...<br />
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He really wanted to get his girlfriend a nice gift for St. Valentine's Day. We just don't have any money to give him and it's hard to find a job when you're his age. So, ever the thinker, he came up with a plan and spent a lot of time collecting empty cans to turn in for deposit (they're worth $0.10 each in Michigan!) He managed to save up enough to buy his girlfriend this:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GebG8AaLEZg/TzrZOxvlCII/AAAAAAAACdE/WaESC0m3U0M/s1600/DSCN75422012-02-14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GebG8AaLEZg/TzrZOxvlCII/AAAAAAAACdE/WaESC0m3U0M/s200/DSCN75422012-02-14.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Yeah, a huge heart-shaped box of truffles. When my husband saw it, he teased my son by saying, "Thanks for raising the bar! Now I have to do something extra special for your mom!" That little comment just made my kid beam. He knew he did a great job.<br />
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He came home today and went directly into his room. All I could think was that either something happened to that candy between the time he left home this morning and when he had planned on giving it to his girlfriend. No, he was just taking a nap. Seems he had been up all night last night, nervous for today. But, it all went well. She absolutely loved the candy in the fancy box. He asked me if he could tell her how he paid for it and I advised him to only mention it if asked. She asked, did the teenage girl "<i>Awwww</i>!", and gave him a huge hug, declaring, "You're the BEST boyfriend EVER!"<br />
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Now, he's not just the best according to one girl. Nope. Word got around school, you know. By the end of the day, he was considered the best boyfriend by the majority of the freshman girls in his school. I'm wondering if the other classes will hear about this on Facebook tonight? He might be the best boyfriend (EVER!) in the entire school by tomorrow morning.<br />
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<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6877879259_cd11fae0dd_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6877879259_cd11fae0dd_m.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-67047054517979034962012-02-13T19:00:00.000-05:002012-02-13T19:00:02.645-05:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {2/14}<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
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<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
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<b>Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up</b><br />
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1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)<br />
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2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)<br />
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3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!<br />
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If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. <br />
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Thank you for linking up with <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b><b> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! </a></b><br />
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document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=126453&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');
</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-88843994027327046382012-02-13T17:06:00.000-05:002012-02-13T17:06:28.613-05:00Here We Go... Again!I am so sorry that I've been AWOL for so long. Things have been pretty bad around here, but I'm working hard to set things straight. Please don't take the following as a bunch of whining. I'm trying to figure out the best way to lay it out for you so you can understand without sounding as if it's the end of the world. It's not.But I want to be honest about this stuff, too. Just know that, while these things weigh on me every day, I won't let the bad dominate the good. Sometimes just acting cheerful can help bring up your spirits to where you're no longer acting.<br>
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<a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/02/here-we-go-again.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-84372757325275094282012-02-11T02:06:00.000-05:002012-02-11T02:06:01.200-05:00Congrats to the Mouth Man Hoodie WINNER!!!<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6763919497_4fae1108e9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6763919497_4fae1108e9.jpg" width="118"></a>I'd like to thank every one of you for entering my <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-scary-guy-mouth-man-hoodie-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><u><b>Mouth Man giveaway</b></u></a>. I just love Little Guy's hoodie and so does everyone who sees him wearing it. My oldest has the same version and Little Guy thinks it is so cool to be able to have a shirt "... just like Brubber's!" I know that the lucky winner is going to be just as happy with their hoodie!<br>
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<a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/02/congrats-to-mouth-man-hoodie-winner.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-57743507865721977362012-02-07T22:49:00.000-05:002012-02-07T22:49:23.512-05:00If His Head Wasn't Attached... {Oliver's Labels}<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOPa44fbda1d66caf7a6cb788e21c3c5511" style="display: none;"></a><br />
My oldest's high school allows students to carry water bottles (with water only!)to class. This keeps students hydrated, especially in the dry winter months, and keeps down student requests for hall passes to get drinks from the water fountains. My son seems to always be thirsty, so having his water bottle in class is very important to him. Unfortunately, he loses everything. It doesn't matter if it's something as insignificant as a pencil or the memory stick containing all of his homework files - he'll lose it. And, often, lost items are never seen again. I think his stuff all ends up in the same place that lost socks and mittens go. So, it has been no surprise to learn that he's lost yet another water bottle. This year, his total is already up to 12 - that's more that one bottle every 2 weeks since school has started!<br />
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<a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/images/design/logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="http://www.oliverslabels.com/images/design/logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I had been casually looking around online for some name labels for his bottles that he'd not be embarrassed to use. Because, let's face it, many of the more affordable labels have icons that are meant for the 3 to 9-year-old crowd. The more sophisticated labels available are usually just to darn expensive for our budget. I was so happy to have the opportunity to try out <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Oliver's Labels</b></u></a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/images/designs/lrg_londonprimrose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.oliverslabels.com/images/designs/lrg_londonprimrose.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Oliver's Labels</b></u></a> has a wide array of label designs and styles. <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/designs/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Designs</b></u></a> range from trains and butterflies children, to roses and carnations for adults, to allergy labels - they have it all. They even offer labels with your own QR Code included, if you have a business or Web page that you'd like to direct others to check out. Their <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/products/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>styles</b></u></a> consist the typical name labels in a variety of sizes to stick onto cups and pencils, photo labels, iron-on labels for clothing, show labels, and even wristbands. Oliver's Labels even offers easy <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/packages/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>packages</b></u></a> of labels that include everything you need for going to camp, clothing, and preschool!<br />
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<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/show-thumb?img=/home/tomoson/public_html/uploads/promotions/6860_9982_2011_04_29_10_27_15.jpg&maxx=121&maxy=200&mode=normal" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tomoson.com/show-thumb?img=/home/tomoson/public_html/uploads/promotions/6860_9982_2011_04_29_10_27_15.jpg&maxx=121&maxy=200&mode=normal" /></a></div>
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I chose the <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/Designs/Products.aspx?DesignID=14" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Crossbones</b></u></a> design for my sample pack of labels for review and had my oldest's last name added. I received a variety of styles - <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/products/product.aspx?ProductID=1" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Original Labels</b></u></a>, <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/products/product.aspx?ProductID=3" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Shoe Labels</b></u></a>, <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/products/product.aspx?ProductID=2" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Mini Labels</b></u></a>, and <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/images/design/sbp_stick.jpg" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Stick-eez</b></u><b style="color: #38761d;">™</b><u style="color: #38761d;"><b> Clothing Labels</b></u></a>. I immediately put the original labels on his remaining water bottles. The mini labels were attached to his favorite mechanical pencil (he loves drawing with it!), and I put the show labels into his new track shoes. I love that they are all waterproof and don't fade! So far, they're all still in place and, no matter how hard I scrub those water bottles, how far he runs in those shoes, and how much he uses that pencil, those labels look as if I just put them on the items today. The clothing stickers are just wonderful, too. I was afraid that stickers would end up falling off in the washer, but they're steadfast! For a kid who loses stuff like my oldest, these are invaluable for getting his jackets returned and keeping his trunks and towels for swimming in his possession.<br />
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The biggest test was making sure he wouldn't be embarrassed to use the items that had these new labels attached. Because, really, what's the point of having the labels if he won't take the bottles to school? He loved them! In fact, he even had a few of his friends and even a couple of teachers ask where I got them.<br />
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<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/show-thumb?img=/home/tomoson/public_html/uploads/promotions/6707_3095_2011_04_29_10_27_15.jpg&maxx=121&maxy=200&mode=normal" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tomoson.com/show-thumb?img=/home/tomoson/public_html/uploads/promotions/6707_3095_2011_04_29_10_27_15.jpg&maxx=121&maxy=200&mode=normal" /></a>It has been three weeks and he has left his water bottle on the school bus and in the lunch room. He even left one of his favorite hoodies on the city bus. So far, though, his forgetfulness hasn't resulted in yet another loss. Every time, the items have been returned. (I'm glad we live in a small enough town that the hoodie found its way back because someone knew who the name on the label belonged to!) I am considering getting a "Found-It" subscription for all of the things that my family loses (unfortunately, it's not just my oldest who has this problem!). Guess what - Oliver's Labels has an option to include the Found-It code on your labels. So, if I do end up subscribing, I'll be sure to check out Oliver's.<br />
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So, if you're in need of some good labels that look cool and can withstand the wear and tear that kids tend to put them through, go check out <a href="http://www.oliverslabels.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Oliver's Labels</b></u></a> first. In addition to their Web site, you can also find them on their <a href="http://oliverslabels.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Blog</b></u></a> and connect with them on <a href="http://facebook.com/oliverslabels.fanpage" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Facebook</b></u></a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/oliverslabels" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Twitter</b></u></a>.<br />
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using <a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOMa44fbda1d66caf7a6cb788e21c3c5511" rel="nofollow">Tomoson.com</a>. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-1086379094195030922012-02-07T14:44:00.000-05:002012-02-07T14:44:11.083-05:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linky {1/7}Sorry this is so late today - My "technical" problems have been resolved, so I'm back on track!<br />
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<a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-scary-guy-mouth-man-hoodie-giveaway.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6763919497_4fae1108e9.jpg" width="118" /></a>Don't forget to check out my <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-scary-guy-mouth-man-hoodie-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Mouth Man Hoodie Shirt Giveaway!</b></u></a> Winner gets to choose from any of Mouth Man's designs, and they make both children's and adult sizes.<br />
Easy Rafflecopter entries!<br />
Ends 2/9 at 11:59pm ET, Open to US residents.<br />
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<a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up</b><br />
<br />
<br />
1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!<br />
<br />
<br />
If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. <br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you for linking up with <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b><b> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! </a></b><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-47248149180349210792012-02-04T15:01:00.004-05:002012-02-04T15:01:50.117-05:00Please Stand By...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3006/3002274612_9df9495b6b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3006/3002274612_9df9495b6b.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image By <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikopettersen/" target="_blank">Phoenix2k</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You may or may not have noticed that I've been AWOL for the past few days. Well... We have no power at home right now. I feel like a complete idiot about the entire thing. My husband brought the mail in a couple of days before the first of the year and, as usual, he read me the due dates ans amounts of the bills and I wrote them on my calendar. Turns out her read "January 3rd" as "February 3rd" for our FINAL NOTICE on the electric bill. So, much to our surprise, everything went <b>BLACK</b> a little over a week ago. I'm secretly glad I was able to brew a big pot of coffee first! LOL We ought to be re-connected by Monday, but it's hard telling - the electric company is pretty fast when it comes to shutting you down, but they seem to take their time when it comes to turning things back on... <br />
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At first, I freaked out. We have no heat, no lights, no TV, no computer... and no oven. Though it's gas, there is an electric sensor that decides the pilot is lit before it'll kick out the gas. I can't seem to figure out how to bypass it and I'm not sure I want to mess with this safety feature. Our stove top does work, I just need a match to get it going - so that's something to be grateful for. Also, our neighbors (who we barely know) offered to let us drop an extension cord down to their place to plug in a lamp and electric heater during the night. I can't tell you what a blessing that is!<br />
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Last Thursday, I finally cleared out the fridge and freezer. We had been buying bags of ice to keep things cold, but the stuff in our freezer thawed and it was time to really start thinking about what to do with all of the meat and frozen soups I had put away. We ate a few things but, without an oven or use of the crock pot, it's kind of hard to cook some of the roasts I had. So, I split up the meats and passed them out to a few neighbors. At least someone would be able to eat the stuff - always better than letting it all go to waste! The fridge was really the motivating factor for my cleaning, though. When you open the door and the entire house stinks like rotten ???, it's time to face facts. Most of the stuff was salvageable, though. Things like pickles, jams, condiments, butter, and cheese were fine - as long as they were cool, they would be edible. I'm glad that I buy my eggs fresh (our health food store carries them direct from the farmer) - those things could be left on the counter for a month before I'd worry! The nasty smell was coming from the leftover beef stew we had in there. I'll spare you the details. Well, at least my fridge is sparkling clean now!!<br />
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<u><b>The Good Part </b></u><br />
All-in-all, though, it's actually been nice to COMPLETELY unplug and spend real time with my family. I really thought that the kids would go nuts in the evenings with no TV, but they're more than happy to just hang out reading, creating, or playing. My oldest, especially, has been a great kid to have around. He seeks out Little Guy for playtime and has been very helpful in the chores around the house. And many of Little Guy's negative behaviors are being resolved, too. I guess that when I'm too busy on the computer and he's staring at the TV, we tend to let stuff go until it grows uncontrollable. I'm not saying that all's well on that front, but I don't ever expect him to be 100% on board with everything. I'd hate to have a kid who blindly follows every direction I give him.<br />
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<u><b>Exciting News, Too!</b></u></div>
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I was going through all of our stuff, deciding what to give to charity (they're sending the monthly truck for donation pick-ups next weekend), when I came across a twin-size blanket that I had started knitting for my oldest when I was pregnant with Little Guy. It had gotten stuffed into a closet soon after I gave birth and has "lived" there until last Friday. So, I'm busily knitting away! I've also checked a few books about knitting out from the library. You see, I've only known how to knit, purl, cast on, and whatever they call getting the flat thing (scarf, washcloth, blanket, etc.) that I've made off of the needles. One book I found really explained how to do the fancier stuff very well! </div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">I've made a few real "things" over the past week and </span><b style="color: black;">am contemplating opening an Etsy shop</b><span style="color: #990000;">. I finally have that inspiration I've been searching for and I'm very excited. I hit my thrift store and bought all kinds of knitted hats, scarves, and sweaters that were marked very low due to stains or holes. Little Guy helped me unravel everything and roll them into balls of yarn. So, I plan to upcycle these unusable knitted goods into things that people can really use. I only need to find people willing to donate knitting needles, yarn, pattern books, etc. I think that, in a month or so, I'll have a good stockpile of items made and will have had time enough to learn about running an Etsy business that I'll be ready to open up shop. If anyone has any ideas for shop names or has some old knitting supplies taking up space in a closet that they'd love to get rid of, PLEASE leave a comment or get in touch with me via my </span><a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/p/contact-me.html" style="color: #990000;" target="_blank"><u><b>Contact Me Form</b></u></a><span style="color: #990000;">!!!</span><br />
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<u><b>A Little More...</b></u><br />
I also have plenty of reading to do. I received two books that look really great in the mail today for review. And the publisher has offered to allow me to give away a copy of each to YOU! I'm hoping to get the first book read, reviewed, and posted this week. The next should follow soon. Oh, and make sure to stop by and enter my <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-scary-guy-mouth-man-hoodie-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Mouth man Hoodie Shirt giveaway</b></u></a>. It's open to US residents and will end on 2/9. And, if you don't want to enter, at least stop by to check out the really cool picture I managed to take of Little Guy. I just love it when red-eye works to my advantage!<br />
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TTFN... Hopefully, I'll be back online and fully functional on Monday. I have a LOT of catching up to do. I've missed the last two Saturdays of review and giveaway posts, so I'm going to have to schedule them to post throughout this coming week and the next. Once I'm caught up, I'll be ready to get back to my regular schedule, again.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-30201366930917633102012-01-30T19:00:00.000-05:002012-01-30T19:00:01.897-05:00<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" /></a> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. <br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you for linking up with <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b><b> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! </a></b><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-31329910020951047612012-01-30T16:06:00.000-05:002012-01-30T16:06:35.255-05:00One SCARY Guy! {Mouth Man Hoodie #Giveaway (2/9) US}<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6763949555_eb7251dcf4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6763949555_eb7251dcf4.jpg" width="120"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what I get when I ask him to say "Cheese!"</td></tr>
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If you aren't familiar with <a href="http://www.mouthman.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Mouth Man Hoodies</b></u></a>, you're missing out! I was sent the <a href="http://www.mouthman.com/Kids_Skeleton_Hoodie_Shirt_p/mm-3013.htm" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Kids' Skeleton Hoodie Shirt</b></u></a> for Little Guy and it has quickly become his favorite thing to wear. The graphics are beyond amazing - sharp and detailed - and printed with eco-friendly inks. And the hoodies are made of 100% Polyester Sport Fabric (recycled!) This isn't a heavy-weight material and is made to breathe, so it's perfect for year-round wear. Right now, it's cold out around here, so Little Guy has been wearing a long-sleeved tee under his hoodie. But, as the weather warms up, this will be perfect to wear outside in the spring or fall, and a great cover-up to carry around all summer for cool nights or windy days at the beach.<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">VERY cool graphics.</td></tr>
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Now, I don't know how old each of my readers is but, according to my stats, it looks as if most of you grew up in the 70's and 80's - like me. So you'll be pretty familiar with the band <i>Journey</i>. Guess who came up with the idea of Mouth Man Hoodies... The bass player, Ross Valory. AND, some of the graphics have been designed for Mouth Man by another (former) band member, drummer Prairie Prince. (((I can't get "Don't Stop Believin'" out of my head!)))You can read more about the creation of these fabulous hoodies and their designs <a href="http://www.mouthman.com/aboutus.asp" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>HERE</b></u></a>.<br>
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And check out those graphics. I think that the hood is my favorite part. The photos on the site don't show the hood, so I was really surprised and impressed when Little Guy pulled it over his head. And these aren't just cool graphics - we were able to even get a little learning about bones in over the past week. Now, whenever he bumps his head, I hear him say, "Mommy! I hurt my cranium!" <br>
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Here's the best part of the hoodies, and the reason they're named "Mouth Man" - when you cross your arms in front of you, the graphics on the elbow-area of the shirts create a head with a mouth! Once I put Little Guy in front of a mirror and showed him how he could cross his arms and then make the skeleton's mouth open and close, he was running around "YOMP-ing" Daddy, Brubber, and the poor, confused cat!<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6763919497_4fae1108e9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6763919497_4fae1108e9.jpg" width="237"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't you just love it when red-eye actually works in your photos?</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.mouthman.com/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Mouth Man</b></u></a> has many more designs and is available in sizes from <a href="http://www.mouthman.com/Mouth_Man_Hoodie_Shirts_s/20.htm" style="color: #38761d;" target="_blank"><u><b>Kids</b></u></a> 2T all the way up to <a href="http://www.mouthman.com/category_s/31.htm" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Adults</b></u></a> XXL. <br>
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<div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Enter To Win!</b></span></div>
Mouth Man would like to give one reader their very own hoodie shirt! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. <br>
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<a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-scary-guy-mouth-man-hoodie-giveaway.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-43405185687953559832012-01-23T19:00:00.000-05:002012-01-23T19:00:02.087-05:00Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup {1/24}<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png" /></a> </div>
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<textarea cols="20" rows="6"><a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/search/label/Tuesday%27s%20Giveaway%20Link%20Up" target="_blank"><img alt="Classified: Mom" src="http://classifiedmom.webs.com/TGL.png"/></a></textarea></form>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to <i>Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up</i> with your hosts <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!</a></span> </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you would like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you for linking up with <b>Aimee @ <a href="http://www.classifiedmom.com/">Classified: Mom</a> & </b><b>Karen @</b><b> <a href="http://totsandme.blogspot.com/">Tots and Me</a> & Alicia @ <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/">McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! </a></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<script type="text/javascript">
document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=119070&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');
</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-13897275170989371302012-01-23T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-23T09:00:11.811-05:00Don't Throw Out The Baby with the Bathwater!When I was a kid, my brother, sister, and I had "bath night". One night a week. It was usually on Wednesday because that's when The Dukes of Hazzard was on TV. My dad (he raised us) would fill the tub, set my little brother up with a snack in front of the TV - where he'd be glued until the last "YEE-HAW! - and my sister and I would go first. By the time he wrangled us into the tub, scrubbed us, and managed to wash and rinse both of our heads of hair (Against our "EEEK! Don't get it in my eyes!!!" protests), the TV show would be over. He didn't drain the water and re-fill the tub for my brother. He'd just add a little hot water to warm it up and it would be his turn yell about soap in his eyes. I was able to watch my sister while my brother, who absolutely hated baths, screamed like a banshee the entire time he was in the tub. No wonder we only got one bath a week!<br />
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I've been thinking about this lately because my kids have always had 2 - 3 baths a week until recently - my oldest MUST take a shower daily and Little Guy has been cut back to once a week. I think the new schedule for my oldest is pretty much self-explanatory to anyone who has had a teen boy in their home for more than a week! As for Little Guy, there were a couple of reasons for my changing things up.<br />
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First, we're cutting down on our water usage and baths take a lot of water. Next, he really doesn't get that dirty. I mean, he is covered by clothes most of the time, it's cold out so he's not sweating like crazy, and the dirtiest parts of him get washed many times a day - hands and face. In the summertime, he tends to get dirtier, but with his regular rinse-offs in the wading pool and sprinkler, a quick towel-off at the end of the day usually does the trick. If he happens to get extra-dirty one day, he can take a quick shower with me.<br />
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Finally, it's just easier. In my experience, many children have some fear of baths when they are around 18 months to 2 years old. Little Guy passed this stage with absolutely no problems. In fact, he used to smell his armpits and declare, "Ooo! I'm stinky and dirty! I sure need a bath." in hopes that we'd fill the tub. Sometimes he'd do this multiple times a day. But, recently, he's become afraid. I blame my husband for both of his fears: 1) The monster who lives in the drain, and 2) Getting shampoo in his eyes. Yep. He did it - he told Little Guy that there is a monster in the drain. He only had to say it out loud one time, during a very trying bath time where Little Guy kept jamming his entire hand down the drain. He was so afraid that his hand would get stuck and had tried everything else. It was one of those stupid things you say as a last resort and regret it even as the words are coming out of your mouth. I cannot get Little Guy to believe that Daddy was joking - he's scared!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DNoFJzGy-2s/TxyzkAfYfAI/AAAAAAAACco/UX3Nf2H-ZWs/s1600/DSCN69672011-11-30.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DNoFJzGy-2s/TxyzkAfYfAI/AAAAAAAACco/UX3Nf2H-ZWs/s320/DSCN69672011-11-30.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the fears set in...</td></tr>
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As for the shampoo... Little Guy used to love having water poured over his head. This made washing his hair the funnest part of giving him a bath. Then, one day, my husband couldn't find Little Guy's shampoo and decided to use the cold-process soap (yeah, the stuff that's made with lye) on his hair. The soap got into his eyes and burned and burned. Now, getting his hair washed is a nightmare. He kicks and screams and splashes. I had to go back to using tear-free shampoos because he squirms around so much that it's impossible to keep his eyes shampoo-free. Our city's use of chlorine in the water isn't helping matters - the water stings my eyes when I shower! His hair gets washed only when it loses its curl and starts looking dirty - I cannot see why I should wrestle him down once a week to clean mostly-clean hair.<br />
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So, due to Little Guy's bath strike and my oldest's need to take more showers, I've just been thinking a lot about bathing. Especially bathing throughout history. I remember reading that, in the western US, when pioneers were just beginning to settle, people took very few baths. Water was pretty scarce in most places. Ma would fill up a half-barrel with hot water and the entire family would wash in it every couple of weeks - sometimes just once a month! You know that saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater"? That comes from this little tidbit: Families would bathe in order from oldest to youngest, leaving the baby last. By the time the infant made it into the tub of luke-warm water, it'd be filthy. (I just cannot get that out of my head! I imagine that this is probably a big reason for so many disease-related infant deaths.) So that saying really hold much more meaning when you think of bathwater that is so dirty you wouldn't notice the baby in there!<br />
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I guess I'm done with my pointless rambling. The subject's just been on my mind.<br />
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<b>How often do you bathe your children? Do you think it's too much, just right, or not enough?</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-45219570486448388822012-01-22T17:38:00.000-05:002012-01-22T17:40:57.753-05:00OH, What a Day It's Been!Yesterday was a blissful day filled with peace. When Little Guy awoke, he sat up, stretched, and said, "A new day!" Made me smile to hear him say that because when I wake up, I usually say it to myself, in my mind. He must have made up his mind then and there to try his hardest to be "nice" to everyone. (We use "nice", "mean", "happy", etc. to describe how we're feeling and acting around here - I avoid "good" and "bad" as much a possible.) He was nice! He didn't whine or cry a split second after he realized we weren't going to do things his way. Instead, he would say, "Stop, stop, stop! I have to talk now. I want ____ because ___." And, we listened. Sometimes, he ended up getting what he wanted, other times we were able to explain calmly and rationally why he couldn't have what he wanted. He'd be sad or angry for a minute or two (and he told us this), so we'd try to help him cope with those feelings. Then, we'd move on.<br />
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There was no yelling, throwing toys, hitting, or deliberately doing the exact opposite of what we asked or what he knew to be one of our steadfast rules.All of those are things that usually occur on a daily, and sometimes hourly, basis around here. When I suggested that he might like to lay down to rest, he hopped into bed. At dinnertime, he told me how yummy the bread was. He kept his toys cleaned up without me even asking him. When he laid down in bed that night - ON HIS OWN - to go to sleep, I started to wonder what happened to my kid. Did he switch personalities with some other kid? Were there parents somewhere wondering why their normally easy-going and docile child had acted like a little nut all day?<br />
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Then today happened and I know that he didn't have a major shift in personalities. I woke up when he jabbed my closed eyes with his fingers. Before I could even sit up, he was jumping on the bed and demanding that I make him some tea, "NOW, MAMA!" Well, at least I knew better than to count on yesterday's behavior coming back again today, right?<br />
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But, you see, today has been quite awful and has put me to the test. I think that all of the orneriness that he didn't release yesterday built up and just popped a cork. It came pouring out today. Now, usually he drinks his tea and I drink my coffee first thing in the morning while we talk about our plans for the day. I'll make a list of what needs to be done and he'll come up with the fun ideas. My stuff consists of cleaning and cooking, his has things like "Do a project with paint" and "Go to the library". Well, today's list was a little different. His plans went like this:<br />
<ul>
<li>I not goin' to listen to anybody</li>
<li>I goin' to make a mess</li>
<li>I not clean my toys</li>
<li>I throw cars</li>
<li>I goin' to be loud</li>
<li>I throw my food on floor and smash it</li>
<li>I goin' to head-bup [head-butt] and bite Brubber</li>
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It goes on and on - he pretty much listed everything that he could possibly think of that we do not like him doing.I diligently wrote his list out for him and then we went over it and I asked him why he wanted to do each thing. We really couldn't come up with answers. I thought maybe he'd had a bad dream and woke up angry or upset, but his dreams sounded like good ones to me.<br />
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Now, one of the things about our lists is we get to cross things off as we do them. And I really didn't know what to do with this list he had made. We weren't going to keep it! I asked him if maybe we could make a new list of fun things to do and he agreed. So we got rid of the old one and made a more normal list. Well, I might have thrown out the written list, but he had it in his head and crossed out every one of his plans before lunch. He's finally taking a nap and I am hoping he'll wake up in a much better mood. I don't know if I can stand an entire evening with this mess. Evenings are usually his worst behavioral times anyway, so I'm pretty creeped out by the thoughts of his determination to be a monster boy added to an already nasty time of the day...<br />
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I can't help but wonder if he's conducting an experiment. Maybe he's planned it all out: One day be nice, the next day be mean. Maybe he'll be an amazingly happy kid tomorrow? I can't see it happening in a child so young, but he's never been typical in his thinking. Only time will tell... <br />
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And, when he wakes from his nap, I'm filling him up with some chamomile and peppermint tea. It's worth a try to get him relaxed right away!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100713229623155419.post-65451839335921578392012-01-22T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-22T09:00:04.922-05:00Week 3: January 15 - 21, 2010 {#Mamatography}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.diaryofafirstchild.com/tag/mamatography/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Mamatography 2012" src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/Luschka/mtbadge2.jpg" style="border: 0pt none; height: 135px; width: 174px;" title="Mamatography 2012" /></a></div>
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It was so hard to choose photos for this week's <a href="http://www.diaryofafirstchild.com/2011/12/14/mamatography-2012-are-you-interested/" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Mamatography</b></u></a> post. It seemed like I had the camera out all of the time. And we did so much! I had the kids help me choose which picture to include and this is what we decided on:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Day 15 (1/15/12)</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I push this button!"</td></tr>
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Little Guy was just thrilled when "Brubber" invited him to play computer games on his laptop with him. Usually, we try to keep him away from our computers because he gets over-excited AND had that "I know what I'm doing and I'm going to do it myself" attitude going. The two of those, together, usually equal a computer that is completely frozen up within minutes and hours of trying to figure out how to fix it. But, my oldest patiently kept little guy in check and found a game that would allow him to use the mouse pad easily. He had the BEST time!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 16 (1/16/12)</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warm Winter's Catnap</td></tr>
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Number 1 has been in heaven lately. He comes into the house after spending a few hours in the freezing cold, gets a bite to eat, then lays down somewhere for a nap - purring the entire time. I can't help but wonder if he ran into a stray who told him he should be grateful for a warm home and food in his belly. He's been showing his appreciation in many ways, too. He knows how much I like a kitty sitting on my lap, but he never really cared for it himself. Not recently! He's been bringing up "presents" to the door (and sometimes tries to sneak them into the house) in the form of field mice. My oldest usually is the recipient of these gifts, since he's often the first one to leave the house in the morning! And, he has even been hanging out with Little Guy, who has just recently made the differentiation between stuffed animal and real animal. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Day 17 (1/17/12)</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goofball</td></tr>
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If you're my friend on Facebook, you already know about this picture. My oldest borrowed my camera for a school project he had to do (how cool is it that he can email his homework to his teachers?!) And, while he had the camera, he had to screw around a little, right? I found about 20 goofy pictures of him and his friend on my camera after he returned it to me. I jokingly told him that he should always delete photos after uploading, or they could make their way into the wrong hands. Then I mentioned putting one of the pictures on Facebook and tagging him in it. The kid actually DARED me to do it. Well, being the mom that I am, that's exactly what I did. I started feeling bad a few minutes later, so I removed the tag (the picture is still there.) I just don't know if one of his classmates might get a hold of his goofy picture and turn it into some kind of nasty joke. So, it's on my wall and he can tag himself in it if he wants. And I'll be having prints made of these photos because they are just too fun to forget about!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Day 18 (1/18/12)</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You Could Have Put Your Eye Out!</td></tr>
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You know how you're always warning kids to be careful with scissors? Yeah... While Little Guy and I were making our <a href="http://mccrenshaw.blogspot.com/2012/01/reuse-last-years-planners-and-calendars.html" target="_blank"><u style="color: #38761d;"><b>Craft Idea Book</b></u></a>, I put the scissors down for a split second. That was long enough for him to come charging across the room at full-speed to grab them. Only I was faster and snatched them up. And, as you can see by the picture, I didn't do so safely. I stabbed myself in the hand - and it was a bloody one. Little Guy's eyes were like saucers when he saw what had happened. I think that he truly did not believe me all of those times I told him that scissors are dangerous. He probably thought I was just saying it to keep him from having all of the cutting-up-paper-fun. Ever since this occurrence, though, he hasn't tried to get my scissors. And I'm on the look-out for a good pair of child safety scissors for him. It <i>is</i> fun to cut paper and why should I be the only one to enjoy it?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 19 (1/19/12)</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Very Cold Friend</td></tr>
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It was so cold! The wind was blowing like mad and the temperature, without taking windchill into account, was 9F. We have a pair of Blue Jays that have decided to winter in the woods behind our house and I couldn't help but see this bright blue guy all puffed up and trying to stay warm when I passed the window. I tossed a handful of seeds out for him and he quickly swooped down from his perch to fill his stomach. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Day 20 (1/20/12)</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sick Blanket </td></tr>
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Another chilly day. Rather than heading outside, Little Guy and I had an all-day indoor camping trip. This picture was taken early on in our day. We ended up making a campfire out of paper towel tubes and tissue paper. We made beds and Little Guy took a nap in his tent. We had snacks. We even went fishing, using sticks, yarn and paper clips for hooks. We didn't catch anything and concluded that fish do not like gummy worms, so we ate the worms for "dinner", instead!<br />
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See that striped, crocheted blanket? My great-grandmother made that before I was born (I think it may even be older than my mom.) It is known as "The Sick Blanket" because that is the blanket that we used whenever we were ill and laid on the couch in the living room all day, while our mom or dad nursed us back to health. It is used for the same purpose for my kids and, hopefully, one of them will become as attached as I have to it and their kids will get to know The Sick Blanket, as well. And when we were well, that blanket made the BEST tents... Still does!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Day 21 (1/21/12)</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wintertime</td></tr>
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This is the picture of winter in my mind. Sled and squirrel tracks in the snow. Kids' footprints, big and small. The sunshine creating those cool blue shadows that you can only see in the wintertime across the snow... <br />
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So, what did your week look like? If you'd like to join me in this
endeavor, just click on the Mamatography button at the top of this post
to learn more. I'll be linking this post <span style="color: black;">at Diary of a First Child's Week 3 Mamatography Linky when it's posted on Wednesday (1/25)</span>, so if you'd like to see more photos you should head over!
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335982303703120909noreply@blogger.com11