Domestic Dork

Hard Choices

2011-06-23T13:17:00.001-06:00

Domestic Dork has been my virtual baby for several years. So, what I’m about to say isn’t said easily, or with pleasure.

I’m logging off.

I’ve spent the last week (plus a few days) battling an ear infection in my left ear, and now, one in my right ear. ManDork and I are both overwhelmed with the stress of moving (and we are incredibly behind on packing). Admittedly, as much as I’ve been whining about living in dinky, little Medicine Hat for the last three years, I’m frightened by the thought of moving to a big city and starting over trying to make friends. I’ve been consistently unable to keep up with my, admittedly self-imposed, crafting, blogging, and Hollyday Studios obligations while simultaneously managing a home and being a good parent.

I’m tired.

Writing has been a pleasure of mine for years, and writing for an audience, no matter how meager, has been exhilarating. As an often isolated young mother, thousands of miles from my own mother and family, and with few friends, my blog (and the related social network accounts) have formed an important community of sorts. But my writing has frown stunted, not only by the knowledge that I have readers to impress (and a reputation, or perhaps personal vanity, to protect), but also by a growing sense of obligation. Fewer and fewer posts have been a product of inspiration demanding to be captured in the written word, and instead have been a chore, a to-do list item to check, a duty. More and more I’ve found myself writing apologies for not having posted regularly enough. More and more I have vomited words onto the screen to satiate the compulsion to get at least something new online. After all, a blogger must publish or perish.

But the passion is gone.

Despite having been so anxious, upon resigning my job at Madchen Studios, to rediedicate myself to Domestic Dork, and even using some of the last of my studio employee credit to have photography done specifically to use in a new design for Domestic Dork, I am unable to convince myself that this is the right thing for me to do.

The idea of giving it all up is certainly not a new one. My inner luddite has often whispered suggestions to me to sign off, permanently, and embrace the “real” world. The drive always died under the sense that I had friends online, obligations, and the fear that I would soon regret it when I realized I wanted to return to my online pride and joy, DomesticDork.com, but my audience was gone. I have ignored the urge to commit web suicide time and time again, brushing it off as a silly whim.

Then, just a few days ago, my paternal grandmother contacted me. You might remember when I came upon my biological father’s Facebook page. The shock was emotionally enormous. I cried a great deal. I had chosen then, not to contact him. It was, I am certain, the right decision.

So I was, to put it lightly, aggravated by the selfishness of a woman who, after a quarter of a century of neglect, sough me out to satisfy her own curiosity, and perhaps a sense of guilt (though maybe that’s giving her too much credit). She was clearly less than honest in her letter. I’m perturbed that I have now been forced to have contact from the genetic family with which I want nothing to do. To my further annoyance, she didn’t even spell my full name correctly. Ultimately, I decided she deserved no response from me, for many reasons.

But it just made me tired, rather, even more tired than I already was. The truth is, I’m a bit of a misanthrope at times. There are very few people I like. I despise personal drama (I had my fill years and years ago, no thanks to my paternal family). I have found myself worn thin by the frustrating interactions I observe online. I am physically drained by these damn ear infections. I am weart of having a to-do list that never approaches completion because my internet “obligations” pile up faster than I can handle. And I am sick-to-death of failing to keep promises to my real family, small as those promises may be, because I am so wrapped up in my online life. The old women’s letter was the proverbial straw.

I’m tired. And I can’t do it anymore. I told Adam as much. Despite being in the top three of the first round of So You Think You’re Crafty, despite having countless ideas for free printables for you all, despire having a brand new blog design in the works, despite having a number of books I planned to review, despite all that…I’m done.

I’m done because I’m too tired to persist. And I dread the idea of my paternal family finding me again via my online presence. I’m done trying to follow everyone’s blogs and Twitter accounts and maintain my own. I had a great deal of reasons not to quit, reasons that had been keeping me trapped for nearly a year now.

Really, those reasons mean nothing when I consider the one big reason I should quit.

My online life is negatively affecting my real one.

Blogging is doing nothing for my parenting skills. I have a bright and lovely and curious daughter. I am missing out on her childhood because I’m so “busy” maintaining online connection and projects. Here I am, a young mother with a gifted child, likely the only child I will ever have, and I’m letting my short time with her slip through my fingers. I’m missing opportunity after opportunity not only to teach her, and provide enriching learning experiences, but opportunities to simply play together. While I don’t believe a mother is obligated to cease all pre-child interests and have no life of her own, I’m not comfortable pursuing such seemingly fruitles activities at the expense of my relationship with my little girl; not only for her sake, but for my own as well.

Would writing a blog post that receives fifty-some comments congratulating me on my wit really be any more fulfilling than spending an afternoon baking orange-craisin bread with my daughter? Would possibly winning a crafting contest really be more exciting that the look of excitement on Lucy’s face when presented with a craft made just for her? Is there really anything distant, digital friends can offer me that my own family cannot?

I’m starting to seriously doubt it.

And so I’m bowing out. For a year, two, five, forever? I don’t know. All I know is that I cannot do it all. I cannot have it all. And I’m not willing to sacrifice my happiness to maintain something that used to make me happy. I have a little girl starting home-school preschool next month. I have a new house to make a home. I have books to read, and projects to make (because I want to to, not because I need to post a tutorial online). I have fun and laughter and love waiting for me…

…offline.

So thank you. Thank you to all my readers, to everyone who has ever re-tweeted, sponsored, re-blogged, or shared in Domestic Dork. It’s been quite a ride, but it’s time for me to get off.

Love,

It's Crafty-Goodness!

2011-06-20T10:01:00.001-06:00

GO VOTE! Fly my pretties! Fly!
{I can't tell you which entry is mine. That's OK! Just vote for your favorite!}
Entry criteria includes craftsmanship and originality!

Worst Week of 2011? Possibly.

2011-06-18T10:28:00.000-06:00

Guys, I have been totally out of commission this week. I woke up sometime in the night Monday night/early Tuesday morning with terrible ear pain. Then Tuesday morning I did the dumbest thing possible (in ignorance), I took a bath. Which probably contributed to the the terrible ear infection I was diagnosed with Tuesday night at a walk-in clinic. The doctor actually seemed impressed at how bad my infection was. And, side note, her name was Alison Cameron (you know, like the character on House?). But I digress. She prescribed me oral and ear drop antibiotics, recommended a heat pack for pain, and sent me on my way.

But things were not getting better. If anything, they were getting worse. So I went to a different walk-in (as the first wasn't open at the time and I was in too much agony to wait). This doctor was also impressed by the severity of my infection (not an inner ear infection, but swimmer's ear, which is an infection of the ear canal). He changed my oral antibiotics and prescribed me Percocet for the pain. He seemed surprised the first doctor hadn't given me any pain meds, but I'll cut her some slack as I wasn't in so much pain that I was bawling in her office like I was at the second doctor's clinic.

The Percocet was awesome...until the nausea kicked in. The only thing worse than being in terrible pain? Being in terrible pain and throwing up repeatedly.

Soooooo...back to the doctor I went.

I'm now on five different meds: oral antibiotics, acidophilus to restore the good bacteria to my gut that the antibiotics kill, ear drop antibiotics, Percocet for pain, and Metoclopramide for the nausea caused by the Percocet.

The good news is that they appear to be working. So, you know, that's good.

The bad news is that the infection is clearing up verry, verry slowly. Two of the five medications cause drowsiness as a side effect. As a result I'm missing the only bachelorette party to which I've ever been invited. I've also missed out on a week's worth of packing and preparing for...

That's right! I'm competing in the new season, to debut next week. Once voting opens I will let you know so you can vote for your favorite project. But I won't be revealing which project is mine. That's cheating! Just vote for your favorite!

If you're in a voting mood, I will reveal to you which photo of mine is a finalist in a Mommy Necklaces FB contest. You'll have to "like" Mommy Necklaces to vote (but really, why wouldn't you? They often do giveaways for their FB fans plus they sometimes sell exclusive designs only available on FB)! Then navigate to the Ambience voting album. You can vote for a maximum of FIVE photos. I'd love to have your vote (the top five winners get a necklace from the Ambience collection). My entry looks like this:

I worked really hard editing this image to showcase the beautiful, ambient, sunny glow that was out that day. Then about 24 hours later I got this awful infection. Ugh. So, I'm playing the sympathy card. Please vote for me and make next week better than the last has been. :)

YOU can also win by commenting on each photo with what you feel the ambient mood of that picture is. One random photo will be selected at the end of voting (Monday evening). Then one random commenter from that photo will be selected to win a necklace!

And now I'm off...to take more meds. Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon.

Failed It or “Nailed” It?

2011-05-31T11:32:00.001-06:00

If you follow me on Facebook, you saw a new feature I’ll be doing (most likely on Facebook exclusively) called “Failed it, or “Nailed” It?”

When I give myself a manicure I’ll upload an Instragram picture to share. And you can share your feedback. If interested, I can detail how I did it and what polish brands and colours I used.

My latest one is perfect for picnic season. :)

In other news…we signed a rental agreement and mailed our deposit for a duplex that is a 20 minute walk from the University of Calgary. It’s large enough that we’re sharing with Uncle Spencer…yay for live-in babysitters, right? We haven’t met our neighbours yet, but our landlord tells us they have a two-year-old and a four-year-old. They also have a trampoline in their backyard. I’m sure Lucy will want to make friends right away.

I’m excited to move, thrilled even (yay Ikea! yay zoo! yay children’s museum! yay “real” city!). But I’m also a lot sadder than I expected to be. Lucy has lived more than half her life in this apartment. It is the only home she’s ever known. It will be hard to leave. And, despite having gone so long in Medicine Hat without what we would consider real friends, in the past year we’ve actually made quite a few. We will not only have to start all over in Calgary, but darn it, we’re going to miss these folks!

We’re moving at the end of the month. So, if you’re interested in guest posting during that time, drop me a line with a post proposal.

The Orchid That Would Not Die

2011-05-25T09:54:00.000-06:00

This baby has been oft neglected but somehow, my black thumb has failed to kill her off. This is probably the third time she has bloomed. I keep thinking “Well, that’s done it. This is it. I’ve finally killed it.” But no, suddenly there are ten+ buds and they start blooming like crazy.

I have a zombie orchid.

Plants vs. Zombies? Nope. Plants ARE zombies.

Awe.some.

Summer Printable

2011-05-24T11:48:00.001-06:00

Memorial Day weekend is coming up, as is the month of June. And you know what that means…

…PICNIC SEASON!

We just had our May long weekend for Victoria Day. Unfortunately, it was rainy, so no picnics for us. Here’s hoping that wherever you are, the weather treats you well.

And here’s a little 5x7 picnic printable for you. Print it, stick it in a frame, and enjoy it! There are three different versions (including one with slightly less saturated colors). Click on whichever suits your fancy to get the full size version (version two, in the middle, is my personal favorite). Then right click and save.

If you like this free printable, please consider making a donation to the victims of the Slave Lake fires, or the people of Joplin. The Red Cross is our family’s go-to organization for disaster relief. They are trustworthy, and they know what they’re doing and do it well:

And don’t forget to sign up for the Hollyday Studios newsletter to get access to exclusive freebies, special deals, and first access to announcements!

Free Printable!

2011-05-23T13:25:00.001-06:00

Have you missed me?

I’ve missed you.

For the time being (and for as long as we can manage it) I’m officially a stay-at-home mom again. I’ve missed my little girl (who has disobeyed my order to stop growing up so quickly). And I’ve missed being able to devote more time and energy to Domestic Dork.

But I’ve come home, literally.

We’re moving in a little over a month, so if anyone is interested in guest blogging towards the end of June, please e-mail me.

Below is a little something I whipped up for the munchkin…

Lacing cards!

You can print your own too! Just click on the images below to get the full size file, then right click and save.

You may have noticed the Hollyday Studios logo on the printables. I will be releasing my new price list this week to everyone signed up for the newsletter (and there will be a little discount code to thanks everyone who signs up).

And you will definitely want to keep an eye here on Domestic Dork, and the Hollyday Studios Facebook fan page as all freebies will be posted on one, or both, of those sites. But you can find all my old freebies here.

A lot of you started following Domestic Dork long after I had temporarily closed shop on my digital illustration work. You can browse my portfolio on Hollyday Studios or on Facebook. Here’s a little look at one of the new items I offer:

How fun would this be in a 12x12 scrapbook or in a shadowbox?

Totally cute, no?

And that’s all for now, as I have a two-year-old requesting my presence in her blanket cave.

Homemade Soda – By Andrew Schloss

2011-05-22T09:52:00.001-06:00

The good folks at Thomas Allen & Son sent me a copy of this lovely book (per my request) to review. So far, so good!

Last night we had friends over for a round of The Game of Things. I’ve mentioned it before. Have you bought it yet? No? Go get it! But, getting back to the book, I decided that would be a good time to try out one of the recipes. There are 200 hundred recipes from which to choose, so it was a little overwhelming, until I saw that there is a whole chapter devoted to “shrubs” and similar drinks.

What is a shrub? According to Mr. Schloss shrubs are “soft drinks spiked with vinegar. They were developed as temperance beverages in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with vinegar taking the place of alcohol…”

I had my first (and until last night, only) taste of a shrub at a Colonial period-themed restaurant near Boston about six or seven years ago. I quite enjoyed it back then, and I was very excited to taste something similar. So we made the “Sangria Shrub” recipe. The feedback was mostly positive. I found the recipe called for just a tad too much vinegar, as did Uncle Dork. But my new friend K seemed to enjoy hers. She said it tasted like Sweet Tarts.

Ultimately, it was good enough that I have faith enough in the book to try more recipes. The recipe was easy to make (though some of the recipes in the book require pre-making a syrup, which will be a little more work). There are some really unique combinations (orange honey ginger ale, coffee chocolate stout, cantaloupe clementine soda, peach habanero tongue twister, etc.). And the book is peppered with interesting tidbits on the history and culture of soda, as well as the occassional “mixology” section for mixing adult drinks with the recipes. The book ends with a section of food recipes (everything from main dishes like sweet heat mahogany chicken wings to desserts like brown sugar pecan cake with root beer frosting). And everything is presented in a pretty design (though the title font on the recipes can be difficult to read at times).

My favorite part of the book so far is the wondrous and glorious secret revealed within regarding Cherry Coke. But first, some background…

We can’t buy Cherry Coke in Canada. They used to sell it years and years and yeeeaaars ago, well before I lived here. Having grown up in the states I had developed a love for this particular nectar of the gods. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make trips over the border to bring back a fridge worth (though I was able to share in someone else’s cross-border loot once or twice). Occasionally I would add some maraschino cherry juice to a glass of cola, but it was never quite the same.

This book has changed everything.

Behold, the secret to making Cherry Coke at home:

“Although we may associate cherry flavor with cherries, it is mostly because the foods it flavors are commonly dyed red. It looks like a cherry, but it tastes like…almond extract. That’s right. The flavor of all cherry-flavored concoctions is almond. The aromatic in almond extract is benzaldehyde, a toxic substance derived from bitter almonds and detoxified of cyanide for consumption. Benzaldehyde is also found in the pits of most drupe fruits, like apricots, prunes, and most notably, cherries.”

Almond extract?

Almond extract!

And, guess what, it works! Now, this may not be exciting to all you lucky people who’ve had steady access to the glory that is Cherry Coke. But for us forsaken residents of the Great White North, this is better than any rapture.

It also says to me that the author, Andrew Schloss, knows what the heck he’s talking about! So if you’re interested in making sodas at home (whether it be because you’re a foodie looking for some more unique flavours, or you’re concerned about the types of sweeteners being used in commercially available sodas), I highly recommend Homemade Soda: 200 Recipes for Making and Using: fruit sodas and fizzy juice; sparkling waters; root beers and cola brews; herbal and healing waters; sparkling teas and coffees; shrubs and switchels; cream sodas and floats; and other carbonated concoctions.

Now excuse me…but there’s a bottle of cola and a bottle of almond extract calling my name…

…What? I can have cherry cola with breakfast, right?

Mommy Necklaces Winner

2011-05-13T20:09:00.001-06:00

Well…it was a good day for somebody (even if it sucked for us).

How do I know? Well, because I drew a winner for the Mommy Necklaces giveaway!

Number 96 was Erin, who liked my FB page (thanks Erin)! She’s been e-mailed already. My sympathies to everyone who didn’t win. I wish I could give all of you free necklaces!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Rejection

2011-05-13T11:11:00.000-06:00

ManDork was rejected, out right, no waiting list even. We were able to see his scores, so we know what he needs to work on next cycle. But we're emotionally exhausted, and very sad today. I'll pick a winner for the MN giveaway later.

Med School Mama: Panic

2011-05-11T16:18:00.001-06:00

I use a lot of hyperbole on this blog. But believe me, I am not exaggerating when I tell you I am >this< close to having a panic attack.

At time of writing, we have approximately one day and twenty-one hours until THE e-mail arrives. The closer it gets the higher my blood pressure rises.

And honestly…

I have NO idea what is going to happen.

The voices in my head keep arguing:

“Adam totally kicked ass on the MCAT, his letters of recommendation were phenomenal, his extra-curriculars are impressive, and UofC is less picky about GPA* than some of those other schools. Plus he felt good about his interviews.”

“Yeah, but LOADS of people don’t get in their first try, even super qualified people! And the UofA didn’t think the extra-curricular activities were all that impressive (by the way, screw you UofA…what, 8,000+ hours of volunteering on top of musical hobbies, film making, and everything else is nothing to you?). You shouldn’t get your hopes up!”

Repeat ad infinitum.

I am losing my grip on reality.

Yesterday I bet Adam two bucks that he’d have an offer by next Friday (the waitlist moves pretty fast, so basically I was betting that he’d at least be towards the top of the waitlist). Yesterday I was confident he’d owe me two bucks.

Today the only thing about which I feel confident is that if I can’t calm my nerves I’m going to go into shock.

For some people a rejection letter sucks, but ultimately just means “try again next year!” while they finish their undergrad.

Yeah, well…ManDork already finished undergrad. He’d really not like to rack up more student loans finishing a second undergrad while applying year after year. When you’re in your late twenties and have family responsibilities the pressure is greater.

Besides, that man has worked his ass off for this. He’s spent the last two years invested in this and it all comes down to one day, Friday.

And here’s the thing…I think the admin people at University of Calgary would be fools to turn Adam away. Sure, I’m biased, but I also know Adam better than anybody.

He is smart. He is passionate. He knows, first hand, how important it is for doctors to NOT BE ASSHOLES. He loves science. He learns quickly and easily. He can work with multiple personality types. He works hard. And he’s so humble that he cannot even see how true these statements really are and how awesome he really is.

I am lucky to be married to him, and UofC would be lucky to have him.

*Adam has what most normal people would consider a good GPA, but when the competition has 3.89, 3.92, etc. things get tough.

Mommy Necklaces: Giveaway!!!

2011-05-08T12:51:00.004-06:00

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

I am obsessed.
ManDork thinks I’m crazy.
Maybe he’s right…
But what can I say? I LOVE Mommy Necklaces.
Because I wear almost nothing else, when it comes to jewelry (I’m not walking around naked except for a necklace people), I have quite a bit of a collection. And I was sent this one to add to the collection for the purposes of this post:

Totally drool-worthy colours, no? The bad news is that this particular necklace is OOP (out of production).* The good news is that you can get OOP necklaces by placing custom orders. And the OTHER good news is that ~~tomorrow~~ Wednesday is the expected release date of all the new styles and updated collections! There have been amazing previews on the Facebook page. And, like all the fans, I’m am chomping at the bit to snag some (especially some of the new “Chic Strands”)! The ladies at MN have been crazy busy, ~~so it could be a bit delayed. But if not tomorrow, definitely next week!~~
But enough about me and my necklaces, here’s why YOU should love them:
Top ten reasons to love Mommy Necklaces?

10. AMERICAN. Made in the USA with USA produced components. Would I prefer to buy Canadian? Sure, I guess…(though not enough to buy a knock-off, BOO)! When I can’t buy Canadian, Made in the USA is my next choice. I like knowing my necklaces aren’t being made by eight year olds working 12 hours days. And, knowing most of you live in the States, I’ll bet you’ll be pleased to know Mommy Necklaces are totally American.
9. SMALL. Made by moms like me! It’s nice to support the little guys, ya know?
8. VARIETY! These necklaces come in a lot of different styles such as: dangling donuts, tear drops, locked donuts, and so on. Check the site (hopefully) ~~tomorrow~~ Wednesday to see the entire selection.
7. COLOR. I promise, whatever outfit you want to match, you will almost certainly find a necklace to coordinate. And if not? Well…
6. CUSTOM. You can order custom necklaces for a small fee in addition to the normal price. I have some pretty exciting plans to order customs for some of my favorite holidays. If ManDork gets into UofC this cycle I’m totally getting one in the school colours to celebrate (and then insisting Adam take me to football games because I miss me some football)! Plus I’ve seen some pretty neat custom designs other ladies have ordered to match dresses for weddings and other special events.
6. SAFE. Mommy Necklaces tests their components. You don’t want to be wearing toxic levels of lead and cadmium…especially if your little one might be playing with your jewelry.
5. DURABLE. These things are TOUGH. Don’t believe it? Well, Mommy Necklaces offers a 0-3 guarantee! If your necklace breaks during normal use within three years of purchase you can send it back to have fixed. I’d like to see a warranty like that on my electronics!
4. CLEVER: designed to be “abused.” These necklaces are made to withstand motherhood. Who wants their necklace to snap when tugged on by little hands, only to have little beads roll everywhere? Not that my kid would ever do that…noooooooooooo….never…of course not. <---Total lie. Well, Mommy Necklaces plans ahead for tugging, snagging, and so on. They make their necklaces with breakaway clasps. Check it out (sorry for the up the nose angle):

Another clever design idea? Matching bracelets that can be used to extend the shorter styles.
3. LOVE. The Mommy Necklaces ladies really care about us, their customers. They interact daily with us on the Facebook group. And I can say, from personal experience, that when it comes to customer service, they go above and beyond!
2. BEAUTY and STYLE. Come on, admit it, they’re just super cute and pretty!
1. A nursing mom’s BEST FRIEND. Ah yes, the original reason for Mommy Necklaces…if you’ve ever nursed a distracted baby or a babe who insists on scratching, twiddling, or pinching, you NEED a Mommy Necklace. This is jewelry with a purpose!

I love my collection so much that I asked ManDork to get me a necklace holder, just for my Mommy Necklaces, as my Mother’s Day present this year.** It’s nice to finally have a place they belong, especially a place so lovely.

But now I’d like to present a Mother’s*** Day present to one of YOU, from the oh-so-wonderful ladies at Mommy Necklaces and myself:

$30.00 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

$20.00 of the gift certificate has been sponsored by Mommy Necklaces. The other $10.00 is from yours truly (after all…I did just receive that blogging grant, how could I not spread the joy?). That gives the winner enough to buy even one of the longer style necklaces. Happy Mother’s Day! :)

Anyone can enter this one, regardless of where you live. Here’s how:

Leave a comment with your e-mail address telling me what necklace you would get or what you’re doing/did for Mother’s Day (either for yourself, or your mother). 1 entry
Join the Mommy Necklaces Facebook page (and leave an additional comment here on this post telling me you did). 1 entry
Join the Domestic Dork Facebook page (and leave an additional comment here on this post telling me you did). 1 entry
Tweet this giveaway up to 2x a day (and leave a comment with a link to each tweet, NOT your twitter profile – if you do it wrong I’m not fixing it for you). 1 entry p/eligible tweet
Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect (and leave a comment telling me you did/already do ). 1 entry
Blog this giveaway on your own blog (and leave a comment with a link to the post, NOT just your blog landing page– if you do it wrong I’m not fixing it for you). 1 entry

Giveaway closes Friday the 13th (at an undetermined time)…because I’ll need something awesome and happy to distract me from the nervousness I’ll be feeling that day. Winner will be drawn via Random.org.

Good luck everybody! Happy Mother’s Day!

ETA: If you've previously won a Mommy Necklaces sponsored blog giveaway, you are ineligible to win this one. MN likes to give as many people as possible a chance to win. I'm sure you understand. :)

*OOP necklaces may or may not someday come back depending on style trends and demand.
**The holder was custom made by Dashing Woods on Etsy. Fantastic product and fantastic customer service (just like Mommy Necklaces)! The frame is reclaimed barn wood.
***You need not be a Mother to enter, because while, yes, these are fantastic jewelry for moms, they look lovely on anyone. And they’re equally practical for those who are teachers, day care providers, or who work with special needs children.

Med School Mama: Nervous Breakdown

2011-05-04T18:41:00.001-06:00

The nightmares have begun.

At time of writing we have 8 days, 18 hours, 27 minutes and 30…29…28..etc. seconds until the dreaded/hoped for e-mail. But who’s counting?

Um, me. I’m counting.

I’m also >this< close to completely losing my $#*!. Of course, the worst thing isn’t even the nightmares, it’s the good dream I had, the dream where ManDork got in and we were utterly jubilant…

…and then I woke up.

The rumour mill tells us that about a third of the people who interviewed at University of Calgary will get a seat. But the rumour mill also says that (when you take into account people who are offered a seat but chose a different school) that in the end, 45% of interviewees will be offered a slot. But some of those people will be waitlisted…right up until the day before classes begin (true story).

If I thought it would ensure ManDork being in that 45% I would spend 45% of my time hopping on one foot while singing “Friday” and eating hot sauce. But it won’t. As it is, I spend >45% of my time worrying about Friday the 13th (yes, notification is on Friday the 13th, but no, we’re not superstitious).

This is the reality of trying to get into a Canadian med school: they weed out the weak by giving them heart attacks before they even have an offer to be admitted.

Time Outs…That Aren’t Punishments

2011-05-02T22:19:00.002-06:00

It’s hard, when you’re a busy mom, to deal with unexpected meltdowns from one’s offspring. When you’re rushing to get things done, the last thing you want to do is take time to deal with a total conniption fit. Your kid is upset. You are upset.
It sucks.
Enter “the Love Chair.”
No matter what, a screaming toddler or preschooler is going to slow you down. But you can lessen the impact, soothe everyone’s feelings, speed up the calming down process, and reaffirm your love for your child by christening and using a “love chair” (or whatever you want to call it).
Our love chair is a pretty pathetic looking, blue mess of an arm chair which we only have in our family room because my brother-in-law (who lives in the apartment next to ours) couldn’t fit it in his tiny studio. But I love it anyway, because of what it means to my daughter and myself.
One day, when tempers were running hot and I was >this< close to losing it, something just clicked in my mind. Instead of raising my voice in answer to the kidlet’s angry complaints I asked, “Lucy, do you need to sit in the Love Chair? Let’s have some snuggles in the Love Chair.”
And we did.
And it worked.
She got the reconnection she so desperately needed. I got a moment of peace, and some sweet snuggles which reminded me how precious my little girl is. And we both got over whatever dispute or problem was plaguing us (as is often the case, in hindsight, it was completely forgettable and ultimately unimportant).
If you need a special parenting tool for your “tool box” of techniques to deal with the maddening tantrums of early childhood, why not designate a Love Chair, or couch, or pile of pillows or whatever works best for you?
Then, in those moments when you and your child are both out of patience and out of your minds, stop. Sit. Snuggle. Even if the problem doesn’t go away, you’ll both be better equipped to solve it once you’re calm and reconnected.
Children need to be reminded that, even when mum or dad are angry, they are still loved. And parents need to be reminded that, even when kids are stubborn and rude and infuriating that we still love them. That’s what makes the Love Chair so important in our house.
Time outs can be a positive experience. They don’t have to be a punishment. They can be a time for strengthening connection and bringing peace to your heart.
Besides…someday your kid will be 14 and will prefer storming off to her room while yelling “I HATE YOU” to snuggling, so you might as well get as many snuggles as you can now.

This post brought to you by Mom Central Canada. Thank you so much for supporting bloggers via your blogger grant program, and thanks especially for choosing me to be a recipient!

Vlog 4.26.11

2011-04-26T23:29:00.000-06:00

3 Years of Domestic Dork (a lifetime of dorkiness)

2011-04-22T10:42:00.000-06:00

Holy crap!

I’ve been blogging for three years! This humble blog of mine started off as Shumate Shenanigans, an online journal to keep far away family updated on our lives. It has become so much more (. I love this blog. And I love all of you for reading it, and making it that much more fun to write.

These last eight months or so have been, honestly, disappointing to me as far as blogging goes. While I adore working for my boss at Madchen Studios, and I am so grateful for the opportunities and skills I’ve gained from my part-time job, I’ve missed having the time and energy I once had to devote to Domestic Dork.

This year will be huge for me and mine. Friday, May 13th we find out whether ManDork is going to medical school next year…or whether we have to anxiously wait and work to get through another application cycle. This summer, either way, we’ll be moving to Calgary. There’s just so much in store for us.

One change, coming in about a month, is my resignation from Madchen Studios (since, as I mentioned, we’re leaving town). I have many mixed feelings about my departure, but in regards to blogging, I’m excited, super excited. I can’t tell you all how much I’ve missed posting regularly, and posting fun tutorials, humorous anecdotes, and general bloggy goodness for your enjoyment (and mine). I felt it was only fitting, on my three-year blogiversary to announce that not only will I soon be returning to my former blogging habits, but I am going to once more make myself available for hire as a freelance digital illustrator.

Some of you may remember, Coffee Designs, my first foray into providing paid services to other bloggers. This summer I will officially open Hollyday Studios to provide similar services (as well as printable items, including freebies)!

My interests are many, but ultimately, my passion is creative creation. Writing, and visual arts have been my loves for over a decade. I want to thank you all so much for the part you’ve played in making Domestic Dork what is is today. It has come so far since 2008. I hope you’ll be with me in the years to come. Domestic Dork is going to be bigger, better, and more beautiful (hint: redesign coming soon) in 2011.

Thank you.

PS: The picture above is one of many from my recent session with Rachel, who is now an accredited photographer for children and infant and maternity photography with the Professional Photographers of Canada. Thanks and congrats to Rachel!

Being Original

2011-04-05T14:27:00.007-06:00

UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF POST

I love Mommy Necklaces. Some might say I have a problem. But whatever…they’re cute, durable, colorful, and Lucy can play with them all she wants. So yay! And when you can get them 50% on Baby Half Off or Mamabargains, double yay!
So when I heard word on Facebook that someone had stolen the designs and was selling them as their own I had to check it out. The company in question will remain nameless (I’m not about to provide free traffic to their Facebook group…their website is currently down for maintenance, so they say). But even their business name was a rip-off of Mommy Necklaces. You can’t just change one word around and expect the public to believe it was completely original…at least, not when there are so many other things you’ve appeared to copy.
It seems obvious to me that they were able to source beads and breakaway clasps from the exact same supplier Mommy Necklaces use so that they could copy, more or less, the color schemes and designs of MN. They then undercut MN prices. It’s the usual modus operandi of knock-off producers. In this case they even used some of the same, exact product names (and many product names that varied by a single word). Heck, even their product photography (see screen cap below) seemed to be cribbing MN photo style.
Then their Facebook Wall was flooded by angry MN fans, some of which got far too heated in my opinion. And the founder, owner, and designer for MN posted her thoughts on the whole thing. And I was touched by this woman’s passion for what she does. {Seriously, read her note and tell me you don’t have respect for a lady that works that hard.}
Today I was curious to see if the knock-off company had slunk off quietly (as I’ve seen such people do before). Their website is down for the moment. But their Facebook group is still active. Every single negative wall post has been deleted (even the ones that were respectful). And the following was posted:

{click to view larger}

Hmmm…I’ve got some problems with this (aside from the fact that I just don’t buy it because their products are so clearly similar).

1. Their supposed “inspiration pictures?” Yeah…all I had to do was google the product name (such as “meadow) and they almost all came up on the first page of results (see below). In the case of "mountain" the image was the very first result. The two images I didn’t see on the first page results of a Google image search I ran through TinEye (a photographic plagiarism checker) and got hits indicating these images have been kicking around on the internet for some time now. {click to view larger}

2. Inspired by Canadian geographic regions? Lady…there are no tropical oceans in Canada. Just sayin’.

3. This whole “Mommy Necklaces aren’t original” line is disingenuous. Yes, there are many other people selling nursing necklaces. I checked them out myself, before I got my first Mommy Necklace. But the designs don’t look anything like Mommy Necklaces. The purpose may be the same, but the style is not. And it is that unique style that led me to go with MN, and nobody else. In my opinion, MN style is the best. I’ll be wearing my Mommy Necklaces long after the need for a nursing necklace has passed.
4. As for wanting to provide a better option for Canadian moms...well, guess what, I live in Canada. And while there are many products I’ve had to pay exorbitant shipping/duty/etc. fees to acquire, Mommy Necklaces are not one of them. The only time I paid beaucoup bucks for shipping a Mommy Necklace was when I got it rushed. Today I did a dummy check-out on the MN website and, yup, still cheap shipping, even to Canada. It’s $4.00, whether I’m buying one necklace, three necklaces, or ten necklaces! Of course, this individual does claim she’s unfamiliar with MN, so maybe that’s why she’s totally unfamiliar with their shipping prices? I might buy that…if I, for a single minute, believed she was unfamiliar with MN and just happened to create nearly-identical necklaces by coincidence.

It's clear to me this is not a case of coincidence. And it seems to me that it would be far better to quietly bow out rather than utilize further dishonesty to combat the well-earned criticism. Can I prove she didn't come up with the same styles and ideas in a vacuum? No, of course not. But the onus is on her to prove otherwise as that scenario would be so very extraordinary. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" as Carl Sagan said. Slapping some random pictures off the 'net onto your page and calling them your inspiration hardly lends any legitimacy to one's claims. Frankly, I'm a little insulted that someone thinks I'm gullible enough to believe it.

So what’s my point? My point is that I think what this lady has done sucks and please do not buy knock-off Mommy Necklaces. When you buy a knock-off Mommy Necklace you’re allowing someone to rip-off a hard-working mom, just like you. You’re saying, with your money, that it’s OK to copy other people (a lesson we’d never teach our children). This isn’t some massive company using practically slave labor in another country to produce their goods. This isn’t some huge business that doesn’t have a very sincere love for their products and their clients. The Mommy Necklace ladies are very involved in their fan community. Their customer service is UNBELIEVABLY GOOD, and I say this from experience. This isn’t even a matter of a crafter making themselves a knock-off simply because they can’t afford the real thing, or want more control over the design (though, just FYI, MN does beautiful custom orders). This is someone making knock-offs intending to make a profit from someone else’s hard work.
And that is not, as the Mommy Necklaces tagline states, “jewelry, justified.”

UPDATE:
According to Mommy Necklaces, the IP address of the person from the Knock-off-which-must-not-be-named is an IP address they have logged in their site stats for quite some time now. In other words...this woman has been caught in her lie re: not being familiar with Mommy Necklaces.

PS: This post is in no way sponsored, approved, or encouraged by Mommy Necklaces. I wrote it of my own volition because I just needed to get the rant out of my system (and I think my husband was tired of hearing me bitch about it).

Where Feminism Failed

2011-03-30T22:19:00.001-06:00

{Preface: I’m proud to call myself a feminist. If you’re looking for a rant about the evils of feminism you will not find it here. I may criticize what I feel are the shortcomings of the movement, but I will never criticize the ideal of women’s liberation and women’s equality.}

I was reading a book. It was called Staying Home Instead: How to Balance Your Family Life (and Your Checkbook). It was written by a women named Christine Davidson. It wasn’t that great. It wasn’t at all what I hoped it would be. But there was an idea in it that has haunted me since I read it {and here comes a big, long excerpt from the book}:

Suzanne Gordon, author of Prisoners of Men’s Dreams: Striking Out for a New Feminine Future, writes of some sources of the problem in the caring professions:

“When women moved into the marketplace,…we hoped to teach men to value caring, to share in women’s caring work in the home and workplace, and to support truly care-centered programs in the political arena…But, in our society, the very project of human caring has been compromised.

…[M]ore and more American women have been encouraged to embrace the very marketplace values that have always denigrated care. New female images of success, like their masculine counterparts, preclude work in the caring professions…

Some American feminists have also failed to emphasize the value of caring work in their theories and public discussions because they, understandably, fear that any widespread attempt to revalue women’s caring work will be manipulated by conservative forces…No wonder then, that many women who were proud to be in “women’s work” felt that mainstream feminism was—and sometimes still is—hostile to their interests…

[W]omen’s caregiving work has become a negative standard against which we measure our progress. Our progress…is [now] charted in the distance women have traveled away from caregiving work, and toward traditional male activities and preoccupations.”

As columnist Ellen Goodman has pointed out, what we need to do is raise the status and pay for caregivers instead of encouraging them out of these occupations. As it is, “the rise in status for women is associate, for better of for worse, with entry into the male world…We have…done a better job at letting some women into ‘men’s’ jobs than at raising the status of ‘women’s’ jobs.”

…While the working woman is unrealistically glamorized and the single mother (or father) ignored, the married mother at home is too often depicted as a drudge; what’s more…her choice is both catastophized and patronized.

Still with me?

Good.

To summarize, I think Christine’s point is that the women’s liberation movement focused so much on access to what were thought of as “men’s jobs” for those women who wanted it, that they unintentionally added to the denigration of traditionally female roles. Having seen fellow feminists look down their noses at stay-at-home mothers, “Mommybloggers,” and hell, even women who choose to reproduce at all, I believe it.

So often, it seems, that being “just” a parent is seen as somehow lazy, somehow less than a “real” job. After all, “working moms are full-time moms too” goes the argument. Of course they are! You don’t cease to be a parent from 9-5 every day, whether you’re a mother or a father. And while there needs to be some real discussion about and recognition of the fact that working moms still take care of the majority of household responsibilities, and how completely and totally unfair that is, that knee-jerk response really has nothing to do with the issue at hand. And here’s why; this isn’t about you. And by “you,” I mean “working moms.” We all know things still suck for you. The workplace still isn’t as equal as some people like to pretend it is. You are doing more than your fair share at home. And life is hard, really hard.

But again, this isn’t about you.

This is about the women who are using their liberation to choose to stay at home…and about the lack of respect they’re getting. I work because, for the time being, I have to. Given the choice, I’d be at home. I see plenty of women in my social circle who seem to get a lot of fulfillment from their work. I’m not one of them. I have a great employer, and a great job, but it doesn’t fulfill me the way being at home does. And that should be OK. I do not feel threatened by the women achieving the traditional idea of success. More power to you, ladies! You’re doing good in the world and for as long as it brings you joy keep doing it!

But why is it that so many working women, parents and non-parents alike, seem so threatened by me?

Is it fear that my choice will fail to forward the feminist movement and create a more fair workplace environment? Would they have me sacrifice that hard-won freedom to choose to ensure their freedom goes unhindered?

Is it simply that so many young women have bought into the meme that stay at home moms define their identity by their role as a caregiver? I don’t know, perhaps we do, at least to the same extent that a lawyer or a doctor identifies by her career. And that’s the thing, isn’t it? To say “I’m a professor,” or “I’m in advertising,” or even “I own a daycare” is seen as respectable…but to say “I’m a mother” is not. Why is that?

Why is it that caring for someone else’s children is seen as more legit than caring for one’s own? Is it simply a matter of pay check? “You spend all day caring for children, eh? Oh, but you’re getting paid money? Well, that’s all right then.” The work is very similar. To deny that women at home don’t have challenging jobs is, as best as I can tell, an opinion that can only be formed from ignorance. Women at home are janitors, taxi drivers, cooks, teachers, referees, and any number of things. It’s hard work. And while we recognize that women working 9-5 have it hard too, let’s not pretend staying at home is easy. The challenges are different. But one is not more than or less than the other.

So stop laughing at us. Stop acting as if we’ve betrayed the feminist movement by choosing a life path that, were we men, you’d say “good for you!” {I’m amazed by the number of women I see on certain feminist sites who seem to think stay at home dads are the cat’s meow but stay at home moms are nothing more than a stereotype or joke.}

And, as for those of us who chose to write what we know via “new media” (aka blogs), stop lumping us together under the patronizing “mommy blogger” title. Just because you can’t relate to what we have to say, because you’re not a mother yourself or whatever reason, does not mean what we have to say is worthless. A certain feminist site I frequent seems inundated with young feminists who seem to think that, because what mothers have to say on their blogs doesn’t interest them, it is of no value. They make snide remarks about “mommies who talk about getting stains out of little Timmy’s shirt” and complain that we should just have a glass of wine as opposed to whining about our kids online…which begs the question, what mommy blogs have you been reading?

The blogs I read are written by women with valuable things to say, whether those things be critical analysis of parenting theories, detailed tutorials on creative projects, or really funny essays on life and parenting.Yet, these young women feel perfectly comfortable dismissing “mommy bloggers” as silly nobodies, rather than embracing them as sisters with thoughts and feelings. Somehow they’ve failed to recognize the hypocrisy of denigrating blogs which sometimes publish what must seem to them very mundane tidbits about the daily realities of parenthood while at the same time frequenting a blog that sometimes publishes what seems to many people frivolous celebrity and fashion news. And while I’m sure these women would be quick to put in his place any man who had the poor sense to write off the entire site as useless nonsense and its audience as silly women, I watch helplessly as they do the same to other women. Yet, amongst the Hollywood gossip and cute puppy pictures, there is content with significant depth. Anyone who failed to see its value would be doing a great injustice to its writers and audience. Just as anyone who fails to see the value of the so-called mommyblogs is doing a great injustice to women who chose to self publish online. Sure, there’s plenty of crap out there. But it takes very little effort to dig past it to the real gems of the mommy blogging world.

What I would say to these women is this:

Just because a woman is doing unpaid work does not mean it is meaningless, insignificant, or undeserving of respect. Just because a woman is at home does not mean she’s there because her husband expects it, or because she can’t cut it in a “real” job. Just because a woman is shaped and changed by her role as a parent does not mean she has no personality or identity besides “Mommy.” Just because a woman chooses to stay home even though, in modern times, other options are available to her, does not mean she is a conservative, right-wing religious fanatic hell bent on crusading for all moms to stay home. Just because a woman chooses to stay home, does not mean she thinks another woman’s choice not to stay home is invalid. Just because a woman insists that her work at home is challenging, and that it requires a lot of mental and physical effort to successfully parent all day, does not mean she thinks working moms are bad moms. Just because a woman, who is a mother, blogs, it does not mean her blog is merely about her children and her role as a mom, and even when it is, it does not mean her writing is without value.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Calgary

2011-03-28T11:40:00.000-06:00

Sometime this year (June, I think?), we are moving to Calgary. I’ve been keeping an eye on the types of rentals we can find in our price range. While browsing the ads I found the perfect set up for all of us (ideally we’re hoping to rent a suitable house with Uncle Spencer). It had FIVE bedrooms, two kitchens, two bathrooms, two family rooms, a shared storage space, a small fenced yard, and a park right outside the back gate. We felt it might be worth paying double rent for a little while to secure it, so we set up an appointment to see it, loaded everybody into our little car (two-year-old included) and drove three hours to Calgary.

And got stood up.

For real.

We tried calling the property management company but, being a Saturday, no one answered. So we called their “if this cannot wait until Monday line” and got a messenger service. We left a message.

And never heard back.

For real.

We wasted $40 gas, six hours in the car, and a perfectly good Saturday to get stood up by a property management company who didn’t even have the decency to return our message.

The kicker?

The neighbor whose phone we borrowed to call said property management company said the same thing happened the weekend before.

Well, I guess we wouldn’t want to rent from you after all.

Jerks.

Little Lucy Love

2011-03-24T17:24:00.002-06:00

I love my little girl. She is my proverbial sunshine. She is sweet, and smart, and oh-so-funny.
And she loves us too, so so sooo much. She can’t get enough of us, and, unfortunately, doesn’t seem to be getting enough of us. Adam has been extra busy this semester with some big projects (for class and for the science and engineering student group on campus), and, of course, with applying for med school (will May 13th ever get here?).* So, sadly, Daddy isn’t home as much as he wants to be. Neither am I, what with having a out-of-home job.
All this separation is taking a toll on our little miss.
As wonderful as her day home provider is, and as much as Lucy likes to talk about her friends at the day home, she misses us. Frankly, I miss her too. The problem is that Lucy seems to be more sensitive to separation than most kids, and more sensitive than she once was. Maybe it’s a stage, or maybe the last seven months have finally gotten to be too much for her. Either way, she’s been struggling.
Lucy has been spending a troubling amount of her time at the day home lying on the couch doing nothing. She hasn’t been eating enough (even according to toddler standards). She’s been spending 75% of her mornings crying, and not the I’m-a-toddler-who-gets-pissed-and-cries-at-the-drop-of-a-hat kind of crying, but the I-am-so-very-sad-and-tears-are-running-down-my-face-even-while-I-follow-directions-and-otherwise-behave-myself kind of crying. She clings to me as though I were life itself when dropped off at the day home. It’s been completely heartbreaking to watch my usually happy and energetic ray of sunshine become so distressed and depressed.
So, we’re switching things up. I’m going to give up a weekend day and add a bit of time to my shifts here and there so that I only have to take Lucy to the day home every other weekday, instead of everyday. And she’ll play with Daddy on my weekend work day. It’s not ideal (ideally I’d stay home again with her every day, which is my dream), but I think it will help ease her hurt, and my own.
What we will do when we move this summer, I’m not sure. But I do know, that for this child, and this mother, being at home is what we like best.
And what post about Lucy would be complete without a picture? This was taken this morning by Rachel at Madchen Studios. The mini Easter session was amaaaaazing. There were so many great shots it almost killed me to select just some of them. This was Rachel’s favorite.

As always, beautiful work by Madchen Studios.

*May 13th is the day applicants are notified of acceptance/rejection.

Extended Giveaway Deadline

2011-03-20T15:44:00.002-06:00

OK, I know lots of you are in the US, but really, only two people have entered the Dog In Boots giveaway? I’m going to extend the deadline until Friday to give more Canadians a chance to enter/spread the word.
It’s been a long weekend. So that’s all I’m really going to say in this post…except that I am now qualified to give you CPR should you ever cease to breathe in my presence.

Checking In

2011-03-18T21:33:00.001-06:00

I wanted to interrupt the “raining books” to bring you up to speed on my life right now. I only have a moment to write this post because I need to get everything ready for tomorrow morning when I go to CPR class at eight am. Ugh. {And I get to do it again on Sunday morning…two days of eight hour class.}

Our car died.

There was drama.

We replaced it {will write more later, I hope}.

I scored some awesome deals on Kijiji (kind of like Craig’s List) which will lead to some interesting posts in the future.

I have a big announcement coming up {and no, it does NOT involve a fetus}.

We wasted 6 hours in the car and $40-some in gas to get stood up by a Calgarian property management company {again, will need it’s own post}.

We are desperately trying to maintain sanity while waiting until May 13th {when we find out if Adam was accepted/rejected this cycle}.

Lucy is having some problems.

But she is also making some pretty neat developmental strides {like learning to use the potty in about three days time}!

My friend had a baby {soooooo cute}.

Basically, life goes on.

Also…we’re continuing to get snow which makes me want to stab somebody.

Anywho, that’s what’s up here. More details later.

And more book reviews!

Dog In Boots – Giveaway!

2011-03-15T07:38:00.002-06:00

{image from Amazon }

Book: Dog In Boots

Author: Greg Gormley

Illustrator: Roberta Angaramo

This cute puppy just read “Puss in Boots” and fancies his own pair of boots…but finding the right pair turns out to be more trouble than he expected.

STORY

Writing: This story is a bit repetitive, but tolerable even for this ADD mama. And the repetition is fantastic for kids. There’s only detail towards the end of the book that seems to come from nowhere, but otherwise I have no beefs with the writing. And I LOVE the instances of word play and sound words thrown in here and there. The sounds words are written exactly how they should be said, so there’s no confusion as to how to say them. And, being a lover of words, I am thrilled that this book doesn’t shy away from words to which children may not have yet been exposed. 5 STARS
Content: This story is totally cute, and teaches a great lesson without being at all preachy. Parent who want to discourage consumerism will like the very subtle lesson. All parents will enjoy the very fun and funny story.. 5 STARS
ILLUSTRATIONS
Style: The illustrations are AWESOME. Adam and I both really love the painterly images. The illustrations are cute, rather than realistic which makes them perfect for young audiences. But they’re still artistic enough that parents will really love looking at them too. 5 STARS
Skill: If ever there were an illustrator skilled at expressive and adorable images of dogs, this is it. There are certain pages and pictures that never fail to make me smile, even after having seen them over and over and over again. 5 STARS
KID FACTOR
Mom’s Opinion: This one is probably my favorite of all the books I’ll review this month. Adam really likes it too.
Toddler’s Opinion: Lucy really loves this one. She’s all about puppies so that definitely appeals to her. We’ve had to talk her out of reading this one on occasion just so we can have a chance to read the other stories being reviewed.
OVERALL RATING
Get this one. Get two copies (one to keep and one to give). Heck, get three copies and donate one to your library. This one is too cute to miss. The story is sweet: the illustrations even sweeter (almost too sweet to stand)! Personally, I’m looking forward to reading this one to any grandkids I may someday have.
5 STARS
So, are you totally excited about reading this one?
Well, guess what.
One of you is getting a free copy!
This giveaway is for CANADIAN RESIDENTS only. Sorry US friends, but that’s the way it is this time. Hey, we get left out of US giveaways all the time. So we feel your pain.
You know the drill:
1. Leave a comment below with your e-mail. 1 entry
2. Blog about the contest with a link back to this post. 1 entry
Winner will be drawn via random.org next week on the spring equinox (March 20th).

Stay tuned for more book reviews this week, and throughout the month of March!
*All books for the “It’s Raining Books” month of reviews were provided by Allen Thomas & Son. I received no additional compensation for providing my honest opinion. All links to the books are affiliate links, meaning if you choose to purchase a copy you will be supporting Domestic Dork. However, I will not encourage you to spend your hard-earned money on a book unless I honestly think it’s worth it. I value you, my readers, too much to take advantage of you that way.

Spring Is Here

2011-03-09T20:24:00.001-07:00

{image from Amazon }

Book: Spring Is Here

Author & Illustrator: Will Hillenbrand

We had above freezing temperatures today. I’m finally starting to believe spring is on the way. What better way to celebrate that hope than a review of a book celebrating its arrival? In this tale, Mole is trying to wake Bear from hibernation. Can he do it?

STORY

Writing: This story is very simply written. Perhaps too simple for my family’s taste, but probably appropriate for very young children (even if mums and dads aren’t enthralled). That said, it is sweet in its simplicity. The simple sentences also help slow down the reading, as counterintuitive as that may be. Because there are so few words on a page you end up pausing to savour the illustrations instead. It also includes a lot of onomatopoeia and sound words, such as “snore.” It can be fun to read aloud until you encounter a word and you find you are unsure whether to read the word or make the sound effect itself, or both. 3.5 STARS

Content: This simplistic story is really great, I think, for younger kids. Mole is trying very sweetly to wake his roommate and friend Bear to tell him spring has arrived. There is a cute little twist at the end that little ones will probably appreciate. 4 STARS

ILLUSTRATIONS

Style: The illustrations are very sweet, very calm, and very lovely. Much of what I want to say about them is covered below. 4 STARS

Skill: The use of pattern and texture in these illustrations is really great. It’s quite clear that Hillenbrand put a lot of love into these very artistic images. He seems to have an eye for detail, without getting lost in it. The character’s emotions are easy to see but drawn in an understated way. The subtle depth of the images really draws me in. 4.5 STARS

KID FACTOR

Mom’s Opinion: Totally cute. I just really like this one. It will definitely need to be revisited every spring for as long as Lucy is interested.

Toddler’s Opinion: Lucy hasn’t had much to say about this one. But I think she enjoys the bear.

OVERALL RATING

If you want to build a collection of seasonal books this one is great for spring. If nothing else, see if your local library has a copy. If they don’t, request they order one. It’s a simple story on the surface, but the lovely illustrations make it enjoyable for even adults to look at. Plus, there are some opportunities to expand on the story with questions and discussion, and maybe even a cooking activity should you feel up to it.

4.5 STARS

Stay tuned for more book reviews this week, and throughout the month of March!

*All books for the “It’s Raining Books” month of reviews were provided by Allen Thomas & Son. I received no additional compensation for providing my honest opinion. All links to the books are affiliate links, meaning if you choose to purchase a copy you will be supporting Domestic Dork. However, I will not encourage you to spend your hard-earned money on a book unless I honestly think it’s worth it. I value you, my readers, too much to take advantage of you that way.

The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah

2011-03-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

{image from Amazon }

Book: The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah

Author: Leslie Kimmelman

Illustrator: Paul Meisel

Most people are familiar with the story of the little red hen. This Passover-themed retelling is a humorous take with a message of forgiveness.

STORY

Writing: This version includes Yiddish words and phrases (with a glossary in the back of the book). That little twist was enough to get me through the repetitive tale without feeling bored and it made it very fun to read aloud. 4 STARS

Content: This is not a book for those unfamiliar with Passover traditions. Without at least a basic knowledge of Passover you may feel a little in the dark. But that won’t be a problem for Jewish families, for whom this book is undoubtedly written. We’re not Jewish, but we’ve been exposed to seder traditions (I’ve attended two) so I knew enough to not be confused. As a bonus there’s a matzah recipe in the back of the book. I am all for story books that encourage family learning activities! 4.5 STARS

ILLUSTRATIONS

Style: The illustrations are cute ink, watercolor, and pastel cartoon-like compositions. The hen and her little chicks are particularly adorable. Overall the illustrations are nice, but nothing unusually fantastic. 4 STARS

Skill: I admit, this is probably very nitpicky on my part, but there is one animal among this all farm animal cast who is inconsistent with the other animals as he is fully clothed as well as a picture within a picture of a fully clothed animal. But that’s really the only thing with which I took issue. 4 STARS

KID FACTOR

Mom’s Opinion: This is a very cute version of the little red hen story. It is fun to read aloud. And I really enjoyed the little chicks throughout the story.

Toddler’s Opinion: Lucy was able to pay attention for the whole story. She enjoyed the animal cast and even entertained herself for a few minutes looking at the pictures and “reading” the story to herself.

OVERALL RATING

The story and illustrations are quite cute. But this book really is better suited to families who actually celebrate Passover or who at least like to explore religious traditions. Passover is April 18-26th this year. So you have plenty of time to order a copy for your family should you feel so inclined.

3.5 STARS (4.5 for families who celebrate Passover)

Stay tuned for more book reviews this week, and throughout the month of March!

In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb

2011-03-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

{image from Amazon }

Book: In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

Author: Marion Dane Bauer

Illustrator: Emily Arnold McCully

This hardcover picture book tells the story takes the old “in like a lion, out like a lamb” simile literally. It follows a troublesome lion and a sweet lamb to illustrate the yearly transition from winter to spring.

STORY

Writing: This book is in verse, so it get points for that. The verse feels just a little clumsy at times but is, overall, flowing and cute. It is fun to read aloud. 4 STARS

Content: Call me strange, but I was very excited to have a book about the month of March. I love observing the passing of the calendar year, and while there are lots of books to be had about the four seasons and about holidays, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one about a specific month (if you know of more, please tell me in the comments). I’m working to encourage a sense of daily and yearly rhythm in our home (for Lucy’s benefit and my own). So I’m quite pleased with this creative, narrative description of March. Obviously, if you’re in the southern hemisphere or a very cold or very warm climate this book might not fit what March is like for you. I think Waldorf friendly families will particularly like this book, but it would be enjoyable for anyone who likes the seasons and weather. 4.5 STARS

ILLUSTRATIONS

Style: Loose, energetic lines (very much like my own style of drawing) with soft, yet vivid colors. It really appeals to my personal aesthetic. I believe the artist used water colors and ink (but that’s just my guess based on the appearance of the art). 4 STARS

Skill: The compositions are a mix of simple vignettes on white pages and more detailed scenes (the vignettes being the definite highlights). There is enough detail that I think many children will enjoy looking through the pictures, but they’re not so busy that it is overwhelming. The lamb is sometimes a little awkward looking, but then, sheep can be kind of funny-looking in real life too. The real winner in these illustrations is the lion. He’s absolutely gorgeous! The artist really captured a lot of that quintessential feline grace, especially in the scenes where he is sleepy/sleeping. His lines and colors are simply lovely. FOUR STARS

KID FACTOR

Mom’s Opinion: This is a fun one. I think verse is really good for kids, especially toddlers and young children who are still linguistically raw. It’s short enough to be used as a bedtime story on nights when your little one has managed to postpone bedtime too long. And it’s not repetitive. While I admit that repetition is fantastic for kids it often drives me a bit batty, so I always count myself lucky when I find a nice book without it.

Toddler’s Opinion: Lucy paid close attention for the entire reading of this one. She said her favorite part was the baby animal illustrations. And she proclaimed throughout our reading session that “that’s my lion!”

OVERALL RATING

This is one you should at least consider adding to your collection. I think most families will enjoy it, though it may not become a treasured favorite as some more narrative tales become. It would help round out your collection and it’s pleasant to both lookat and read. 4 STARS

It’s Raining Books! A Month of Reviews!

2011-03-01T07:23:00.001-07:00

Welcome to March! Spring is nearly here, and with it will come the rain. To celebrate the season it’ll be “raining” books here on Domestic Dork!

There will be some giveaways for you and lots and lots of book reviews throughout the month of March sponsored by Thomas Allen & Son!* If you love children’s literature, like me, you won’t want to miss out!

I was an avid reader as a child. I spent a great deal of my free time perusing the library and would come home with teetering stacks of books almost as tall as my young self. That hasn’t changed, and neither has my love for kid lit. I may have added adult fare to my proverbial plate, but I still read children’s books (and not just to Lucy). Some of my prize possessions are books from my childhood, and I continue to buy and add more children’s literature to my own personal library (which is kept away from messy, careless toddler hands until a certain person is able to share with care). Good children’s and young adult books are charming, touching, funny, educational, any number of wonderful things. They are imaginative and have narratives as rich and compelling as most novels meant for adults. Some of my all time favorite books, even now, were written for children or teens.

As an artist and art lover, I have a deep love for picture books. Some of the finest art I’ve seen has been the illustrations created to accompany a story for children. Actually, if you want a cheap way to get artwork for your child’s walls your best bet is often buying two copies of a wonderfully illustrated story, one for the bookshelf and one to remove pages for framing.

So, with my love for children’s literature and the art that is paired with it, it seemed natural to include both areas in my review criteria. Each book review will include the following categories and a rating from one to five stars (five being the best, of course):

STORY

Writing: Is it written well (not awkward to read aloud, no glaring grammar issues, etc.)?

Content: Is the content enjoyable (is it a good story, or suitably poetic verse, etc.)?

ILLUSTRATIONS

Style: Is the style of the art unique or otherwise appealing?

Skill: Is the art well executed?

KID FACTOR:

Mom’s Opinion: Do I feel it is a good read for a child audience?

Toddler’s Opinion: Did Lucy seem to enjoy it?

OVERALL RATING

Obviously, taste is highly subjective. So please don’t be offended if I poo-poo a book you love. It’s not personal. Additionally, I may include other factors when I determine my overall rating.

I hope you are as excited as I am for the rest of March! My first review is about a book specifically celebrating this month. I think you may end up wanting to order a copy right away. And “beware the Ides of March**” because if you miss that day’s review/giveaway you will be sorely disappointed!

*They provided the books but the reviews are not paid and all reviews are my honest opinion.

**March 15

Med-School Mama: Interviews Part 1 or “Disappointment”

2011-02-20T13:08:00.001-07:00

Early February brought excitement and exultation when Adam was sent an invitation to interview at the University of Calgary…and disappointment when the University of Alberta rejected his application pre-interview. The last few weeks have been a storm of emotion (mostly stress) as our family as struggled with being carless and preparing for Adam to get to Calgary for his interview this coming Saturday. He had no suit that fit, no dress shoes, and no transportation. So he bought a nice grey suit at a good price (much less than we expected), graphite-colored shirt, dress shoes, and a pink tie (and he looks fantastic). He reserved a rental car. He’s going to have to stay in a hotel Friday night because his interview is first thing Saturday morning. Lucy and I will be staying behind so the weekend is as complication and stress-free as possible for him. He tried to get a copy of Doing Right from the school library but it was on hold until May! So he got something similar…but it was a medical ethics book written from a US perspective. So I convinced him to shell out the $70 bucks for a copy of Doing Right and have it rushed. It’s reading week and Adam will spend his time off from class preparing for his interview (and attempting to potty train Lucy, oh joy). It may or may not arrive before the interviews (fingers crossed).

The pressure is high. All our proverbial eggs are in a University of Calgary basket. Only 33% percent of prospective students interviewed will be accepted. If Adam isn’t in that 33% that means no med school for us, at least not this year. It’s not at all uncommon for students not to make it the first time they apply. But being a somewhat “non-traditional” applicant, and being a bit older than many of his fellow applicants the longer it takes the harder it will be on our family. In other words…we’re really stressed.

We know we have to move this summer one way or the other, because there are no more classes Adam can take in Medicine Hat and he needs to transfer to a BA program. It’s so frustrating to look for affordable housing and have to eliminate choices because of family discrimination. Technically Canadians are supposed to be protected from landlords refusing to rent to families with children (except in buildings for the 65+ crowd). But the discrimination policies aren’t always laid out clearly and are not universally enforced.

Basically it sucks.

You know what else sucks?

Having to wait until MAY to find out if Adam is accepted or not.

Everyone knows medical school is hard and stressful. But very few people warn you how stressful the application process can be. Prospective students: consider yourself warned.

Tiny Prints Giveaway

2011-02-07T13:55:00.003-07:00

I like to keep these giveaway posts short and sweet when possible. So let’s jump straight to the nitty-gritty shall we?
What you can win: $25 Gift Certificate to Tiny Prints
How to win it: Visit Tiny Prints. Come back to this post and leave a comment telling my your favorite card. And leave me your e-mail address of course!
{For ONE extra entry you may blog about the giveaway and leave a comment on this post with a link to your post about the giveaway.}
Ends Friday.
Easy Peasy!
Good luck!
You can read my review of Tiny Prints to learn more about their products.

MIA

2011-02-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Where the heck have I been?

Well, besides on the couch sneezing and feeling sorry for myself?

Nowhere.

Why?

Well, besides being sick for a few days?

I no longer have a car.

Correction: I no longer have a running car.

Correction: I no longer have a car that runs in anything other than reverse.

Yes, sad day, our beloved station wagon, Angmar, has finally reached the end of his road. The transmission is dead, kaput, out of service, useless, annihilated, and so on. He took us across the United States, to Canada from Utah, to Utah from Canada {and back}, across Southern Alberta many, many, many times, and to Edmonton once as well. But, sadly, it’s not in our best interest to pay $3500 to rebuild his transmission {which is far more than he’s worth}. Now we’re desperately trying to work out what to do. I need a car to take Lucy to the day home. Adam is required to have a car for work. And frankly, it would be nice to go to the grocery store that isn’t outrageously over-priced instead of walking in sub-freezing weather to the little corner store that demands my first-born for a gallon of milk.

Needless to say, we’re pretty stressed.

My boss has been far more understanding that most. So I am grateful for that. But I’m going to miss our little wagon-that-could. But now he’s the little wagon-that-can’t and so we find ourselves forced to say goodbye.

Goodbye Angmar.

Rest in peace.

PS: Look for the Tiny Prints giveaway later today!

PPS: Here is a gratuitous picture of my offspring with her Uncle and Daddy the day they went sledding:

Proactiv: The First 30 Days

2011-02-06T13:27:00.001-07:00

I told you before that I was less than perfect with my Proactiv routine during the first 30 days. But I want to share my before and after pics anyhow:

BEFORE {this is my trouble zone, the rest of my face does pretty well}:

AFTER:

Both pictures are sans make-up. As you can see there was some improvement after 30 Days, despite my own failure to adhere to the routine perfectly. I’ve got two pretty ugly zits in my after, but that’s better than the whole crop of zits in the before. What I’ve noticed so far is that yes, Proactiv is quite drying. But I use a nice, oil-free moisturizer immediately after the repairing lotion and feel my skin is doing well {especially considering the Alberta winter I’m dealing with}. The monthly break-outs before my period seem to be winning out over the Proactiv, which is unfortunate because that is when my skin is at it’s worst. But…this last month seemed to go a little better than the cycle before and I’m hoping it will continue to be less and less a problem the longer I use the Proactiv.

It will soon be time to take my final picture, at which time I will give you my final verdict of the Proactiv system.

Tiny Prints Review & Giveaway

2011-01-22T15:24:00.001-07:00

A while back I was contacted by Tiny Prints to do a review. It took me all of 2 seconds to reply with an enthusiastic “YES” because omg-I’ve-been-drooling-over-their-address-labels-for-months! Unfortunately there was some sort of strange shipping snafu (Purolator's fault, not Tiny Print’s) and I didn’t get my review items in time to do my post before we flew to Ohio. I was kind of bummed about that because I thought it might be fun for you all to see it before the holidays. But even though the holidays are done and we’re over half way through January I bet, like me,* some of you still need to be writing some thank you notes. Tiny Prints has some super sweet cards from which to chose. Or you could snag some Christmas cards for next year (I’m a big believer in prepping for Christmas year-round so there’s less to do come December). And, it turns out, there is another holiday approaching (two if we go by what the store displays are doing, Easter candy already? Really guys?). No, I’m not talking about Easter…I’m talking about Valentine’s day! And Tiny Prints has the absolute cutest cards for your kids to hand out ever, EV-ER. Lucy would probably dance for joy over the Blue’s Clues one. She loves Blue! I think my favorite is the Etch-a-Sketch or the t-rex!

{click the images to go to the product pages}

And if your kiddo hands out Valentines with his or her face on them I can promise that no other kid in class will have the exact same ones! Order before January 25th {Tuesday} with the code vday and you get 10% off Valentine’s stationary plus $3 shipping {in the lower 48 States; read all the Tiny Prints tiny print here}. Or you could customize a greeting card for your special Valentine for 99 cents with the code VDAYGC {also must be used by Tuesday and cannot be combined with other codes}. These are some of my personal favorites {click to be taken to the product page}:

Ha ha, love that last one! Don’t you? What? I’m not immature, I’m fun. Ahem, anyhow…here’s the nitty gritty info on Tiny Prints products based on my experience:

Tiny Prints is not the absolute highest quality printing I’ve ever seen {granted, I work for a photographer so I’m used to some very high quality press print products}. That said, I would not hesitate to use Tiny Prints products again. The printing is far, far better than some web printing sites {I don’t want to name names but it begins with a V and rhymes with “istaprint”}. And, for the price, the printing quality is not unreasonable. Most people wouldn’t even notice the same little things I notice {such as lines not being 100% crisp when brought two centimeters from your face}. The selection is almost too good {you can get lost on the site browsing for hours}. There are designs style to suit every taste from clean and modern to cute and frilly to classic and traditional. In the end, Tiny Prints gets two thumbs up from me. It makes good design, and customized design, available to more people at a much more affordable price than hiring a designer.

Aaaaaaaand…guess what! Tiny Prints is going to give one of you a $25 gift code to use! Details are coming soon! In the meantime, do try not to cover your keyboard in drool while you browse. ;)

*I keep it real here, folks. I’m not gonna pretend I’m not a slacker ~~some~~ most of the time.

iPad Love and Top Ten Apps for Moms

2011-01-20T20:29:00.001-07:00

{picture from apple.com}

I recently realized that, though I’ve tweeted about it many times, I never blogged about my iPad. Yup. I have an iPad. I sold my iPod, Kindle, Nike+, and a few other possessions, used all my birthday money and Christmas money and bought myself Pippen {that’s my iPad’s name}.

How did I ever live without it?

No, really.

How did I manage to get through each day without being a drooling mess of confusion and fear?

For the last four years or so I’ve been trying over and over again to put together the perfect “control journal” system. And I’ve tried Palm Pilots, Franklin Covey planners, and just about every other paper calendar at the store to keep myself organized. I’ve used Motivated Moms {affiliate link} to try to keep me on track for housekeeping. I’ve really, really tried a lot of things. But nothing, nothing comes close to the glory of my iPad.

You know why?

Because there really is “an app for that.”

Contained within my little glass and metal box of joy are all the tools I need ~~to be~~ to pretend that I’m an organized woman. I have my calendar {synced with Google calendar so I can view Adam’s schedule and my boss’s schedule as well}, my address book, maps, my entire music library, and oh so, so, SO much more. And those are just some of the pre-installed apps. It gets better, oh so much better. So, without further ado, here are my

Top 10 Apps For Moms/Women

10. SparkPeople Diet & Fitness Tracker - {FREE} Some days I have trouble with this app not wanting to connect with the SparkPeople website quite right. That’s why it comes in at number 10. Were it not for that drawback I’m sure I would have listed it closer to the number one slot. What makes this app so fantastic isn’t so much the app itself, as it is the SparkPeople website. Membership is 100% free {you can say DomesticDork referred you if you sign up}. I’ve lost 10-15 pounds since signing up and using their calorie tracker. You can also track water consumption, exercise, weight loss progress, etc. You don’t need the app to take advantage of all the free Spark services. But having a mobile version is very handy. There’s also an app for accessing the Spark recipes {also free}.

9. Dropbox - {FREE} If you want to buy one of the pricier apps you can remote access your entire computer from your iPad. If you’re cheap, like me, you can get Dropbox for free and access a limited number of files. You can use Dropbox to share files over lots of computers. And you can share individual folders within your Dropbox folder with other Dropbox users. I’m able to access my work files because my boss shared a folder with me. And I shared a folder with Lucy’s grandma to make it easy to share pictures and video without the slow, tedious process of uploading to YouTube or photo sharing sites.

8. Read It Later - {FREE} I don’t have 3G service on my iPad {maybe someday but it’s not worth the $15 a month at this point}. But sometimes I want to be able to read blog posts or web articles when I don’t have a WiFi connection {like when Lucy is having a nap in the car, or when I want tutorial instructions and supplies lists handy while at the store}. Read It Later allows me to save a page to read offline.

7. Boogie Bopper - {$1.99} There are a lot of apps for toddlers out there. But the Tickle Tap Apps are just super charming. I bought Boogie Bopper for Lucy. It’s not the only app she likes to use {she’s fond of my Brushes app and the free Bubble Snap app as well}, but Boogie Bopper is designed perfectly for her age. It’s cute and simple enough that she can do it without much guidance. I don’t usually let Lucy play with my iPad. But it can be handy at times {such as during long flights}.

6. WeatherEye - {FREE} I tried a different weather app but switched to this one from the Weather Network on the suggestion of my boss. Find whichever one you like best. The important thing is that you have some sort of weather app, especially if you don’t have TV news or the newspaper to tell you the forecast like me. I walk to work so it’s important to know how much I need to bundle up. I want to be sure Lucy is dressed appropriately too.

5. Kindle - {FREE} iBooks is OK, but I prefer the Kindle app. You just can’t beat the selection on Amazon {including lots of free classics}! It’s soooo nice to have a mini-library in my purse. If you’re not already familiar with the benefits of an e-reader you can read my post about the Kindle. There are some difference between the iPad and the Kindle of course. But it’s pretty awesome to have an e-reader, handheld gaming device, internet browser, calendar, and more all in one device. Right now I’m reading a few books, including the fantastic:

{affiliate link}

4. Ace Budget - {$1.99} Having a budget is the first battle in the war that is “living within your means” {the second great battle is sticking to your budget for which I have, unfortunately, found no app}. Ace Budget is a good app for the price. It takes a little while to get the hang of it, but once you do it should fill all your home budget tracking needs {it probably won’t cut it for small business owners}. And if you do go over your budget one month, the app will track your negative balance in alarming red numbers to scare/guilt you into getting back on track. You can also set category balances to roll over when not fully spent. You can determine the time period you use {we go by a monthly budget, by maybe you’d prefer bi-monthly}. The best part? It does all the tedious math for you.

3. ShoPARE - {$2.99} Speaking of the war of “living within your means,” how much are you spending on food? Us? We spend too much, I think. One thing I’ve been trying to do to solve that problem is meal planning, the other is ShoPARE. For years I’ve known that keeping a “price book” can save you money on your groceries. But, ugh…who wants to lug a binder to the grocery store all the time and record all those prices and do all the conversions to compare prices in relation to package size and…blah blah blah? ShoPARE makes it easy. The interface confused me a little bit at first. But I figured things out eventually. Now I can enter in the basic info for an item {name, price, store, size} and ShoPARE does all the math for me. It then adds a little icon to the cheapest item so you know when you’re getting a good price. You can sort by store, or best price, or item. So, let’s say you’re making a trip to Costco, pull up the Costco list and you know which items Costco has the best prices on. Then you can stock up on the good deals and save the other items on your grocery list for a store that has them cheaper. ShoPARE also allows you to input when there is a sale or when you have a coupon.

2. P Tracker - {Lite version is FREE} Do you track your cycle? I do. I’m not trying to conceive or anything, but it’s a good idea for every woman to be at least a little familiar with her cycle. If you’re aware of what’s normal for you it will be easier to notice when something’s not quite right. And P Tracker lets you keep track of a lot of things related to your cycle. You can track your moods, symptoms {such as cramps, acne, headaches, etc.} and, for those of you trying to get pregnant, you can chart your temps. There’s a notes feature which allows you to record anything you’d like. Periodically {no pun intended} P Tracker will remind you to back up your data {which is does by e-mailing you your backup file}. You can also track your weight if interested. Plus, it’s sort of cute. There are a few different “skins” from which to choose {the paid version has more}. One feature, which we do not use, is the syncing feature. If your significant other has an iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone they can download the companion app and sync to your app. It will tell them when you are on your period and when you’re fertile {at this point, it does not sync your mood information}. I’m sure a lot of women don’t really need their partner to know this info, but I imagine it could be very useful for couples trying to conceive. It might also be handy for the partners or women with severe PMS or PMDD so they have a heads up for when they should be a little extra supportive.

1. Taska – Taska is a to-do list on steroids. It does what any good task app should; it allows you to create categories and tiered projects. But the real beauty of Taska is the options for setting repeating tasks. As you’d expect, you can set a task to repeat every Monday, every 4 days, every 7 weeks, every month, yearly, etc.; in addition, you can set a task to repeat a specific amount of time from that last day you checked it as complete. Why is this so awesome? Household chores. Let’s say you set “mop” as task to be done every seven days, and you are a five days late mopping {a problem I never have…*cough cough*}. If a task was set to pop-up on your to-do list every seven days, in less than 2 days it would pop up again. Do you really need to mop again just a few days later? Probably not.* If you set your task to pop-up seven days from the day you checked it off your list it will adjust to make up for you having done the chore a couple of days late. It’s a smart app. I used Taska to transfer all my Motivated Moms {affiliate link} chores into a digital format. Probably about two weeks after that they released their own app. It would have been a lot less work if I had known that app was going to be released, but overall I don’t mind because I’m able to use Taska for much more than just household chores. I use it to track the steps for sewing projects, keep a shopping list of needed supplies, and generally manage to stay sane. Taska allows you to tag items on your list, as well as drag them around to reorder things. You can also sync with Toodledo if you use it {which I do not}. Basically, Taska is like having a personal assistant {or a mom} in your purse; set it up and it knows what you need to do, and when you should do it. And if you want it to nag you a little bit you can set it to display the number of over-due tasks as part of the icon on your iPad home screen. I’m not going to name names, but someone I know has about a billion over-due tasks to which she needs to attend.

There you have it, my current favorite apps, many of which are available for the iPhone/iPod touch in addition to the iPad. If you’d like to hear about some of the other apps I love {but that didn’t make it to this list because, come on, no one wants to read a list longer than ten items!} let me know in the comments and I’ll write another post.

Do you have an Apple product that helps you manage yourself, perhaps an iPod touch? What are your favorite apps? Tell me about it in the comments.

*Depends on how messy your house is. I have a toddler. I should probably be mopping more often. But I’m not going to and you can’t make me!

The Best News Ever!

2011-01-14T15:46:00.001-07:00

I love living in Canada. There are really only two reasons I ever go back to the States:

Visiting my family
TARGET

In 2013 I will have one less reason.

That’s right.

Oh yes.

Oh YES!

Target is {finally} coming to Canada!!!

>insert happy dance here<

Best news I’ve gotten in 2011 thus far. Best news ever?

Possibly. <—{hyperbole, of course}

Seriously you guys. I am totally and completely stoked.

You can look for my post about declaring bankruptcy shortly after Target opens locally. ;) Now, if I could only make my family magically live next door I’d be set for life.

Proactiv Winners

2011-01-12T16:37:00.001-07:00

Well, that was a little more complicated than I expected…turns out all but a few people who entered the Proactiv giveaway were ineligible, or had already won on a different blog!

The final winners are Vivaglampink {Angela} and JS Lee! Congrats! Your shipping information has been forwarded to the contest coordinator.

I will post my before and after pics for the 30 day challenge soon. But I’m going to go another 30 days and then do another after picture. Because of the holidays {and because I have a toddler who sometimes throws me off my game} I didn’t stick to the routine as well as I’d like. I also had a lot of people warn me at the start that using the repairing lotion every day would completely dry out my skin, so I didn’t. I think that has affected my results. So I’ve been using it every day, twice a day and following up with a good moisturizer and guess what, my skin doesn’t feel dry at all!

Now, if I could just say the same for my hands! Ugh, winter has them so dry!

Anywho…congrats again to the winners of the Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer! You’ll have to let me know how you like it!

Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds Part 1

2011-01-06T16:15:00.001-07:00

Last time I posted I showed you the digital versions of the artwork I made for Lucy’s room. Well, here’s the final product {yay for Dollar Tree picture frames}!

I dunno, I feel pretty “meh” about them. The colors just did not print the same as they looked on my screen {which is my fault for a: printing at Walmart and B: not bothering to try calibrating my screen}. When we move this year I will probably have them reprinted so the colors are brighter and more saturated. The blue is supposed to look a little more like my blog background and a little less baby blue. C’est la vie.

If you want to see more sneak peeks of Lucy’s room you should check out my other blog, The Year of Sewing. I will be posting about most of the sewing projects as I go {including some tutorials}. If that doesn’t interest you then just hang in there until I’m done and I do my big reveal post.

Does your child’s room have a theme {colors can be a theme}? I love hearing about children’s decor so tell me about it in the comments, or tell me about your dream room when you were a kid {or for your future kids}.

Phew

2010-12-31T20:49:00.001-07:00

Traveling is always more work than I expect it to be…which is part of the reason the Proactiv winners have not yet been announced. They have been chosen, and their info sent to the contest coordinator. And don’t worry, I’ll announce them soon, very soon.

Traveling threw me off the Proactiv routine for a little while. It was interesting to observe my skin when that happened. For a little while my acne was worse than before I started using Proactiv at all. So, note to all, follow the routine religiously!

In other news, Lucy is TWO now. Two. Two whole years. I wish I had half the energy she’s got. She’s as cute as ever and talking up a storm. And we hit the WHO 2 year nursing minimum mark! It was a personal goal of mine so I’m very happy to have reached it.

In addition to being two years old Lucy now sleeps all by herself. What the what?! What happened to the little baby who slept by my side all night? As much as I might miss my nocturnal snuggle bug I’m happy for her. She’s growing more and more independent. And to celebrate that independence she’s getting her very own big girl bed, and big girl bedroom; a bedroom I’ve been planning for over a year, a Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds room.

Oh yes.

It will be all kinds of adorable. The adorable-ness will be EPIC.

Here’s a sneak peak:

These prints will be hung on the wall as 8x10s. Each one is taken from a Beatles song that I’ve always associated with Lucy, and that have a sky theme. I’m trying to decide if and how I want to share these designs. Part of me wants to be selfish and not make them available for download at all so they’re one-of-a-kind for Lucy. Part of me wants to offer them for sale. And part of me wants to just say “screw it” and offer them for free. What do you think?

Other projects I’ll be working on feverously in the next 10 days or so (before heading back to work) include an i-spy quilt, lots and lots of super fun pillows, wall decals, and…well…how about I just show you when (if?) I get it all finished?

One more thing before I close, if you’d like to see our family’s Christmas newsletter you can view it here. There’s more family photos from our recent session and they’re super cute.

See you next year! ;)

30 Day Proactiv Challenge

2010-12-02T16:06:00.004-07:00

You know how when you hit puberty everybody warns you about the changes your body will go through and how you’ll grow out of the awkwardness, and the crazy hormonal mood swings, and the acne? Well, everybody lied. At least, in my case, when it comes to acne, there was no growing out of it. There was also no respite from it during pregnancy (did you get the magical pregnancy glow? Because I most certainly did not). I’ve tried tea tree oil; I’ve tried honey and baking soda; I’ve tried some acne wash systems from the local store; I’ve tried switching to mineral make-up. But still the acne won’t go away (the mineral make-up really does make a difference, but it only does so much). Which is why I signed myself up for the 30-day Proactiv Challenge (with a giveaway for YOU, details below).
I’ll be using a new 3-step system:

The 3-Step System: Designed for daily use in the prevention and treatment of blemishes, it gently cleanses and exfoliates while targeting blemish-causing bacteria in the pores.
Step 1: Renewing Cleanser: A unique oil-free formula, with exclusive micro-crystal pharmaceutical-grade benzoyl peroxide, that contains smooth, tiny beads to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and other impurities.
Step 2: Revitalising Toner: A refreshing, alcohol-free toner with glycolic acid that helps balance skin tone and remove dead skin cells to reveal the vital, radiant skin beneath. Its special formulation to balance skin's natural acids includes witch hazel to refine and purify pores and aloe and chamomile to soothe and soften.
Step 3: Repairing Treatment: A light, oil-free lotion containing exclusive microcrystal pharmaceutical-grade benzoyl peroxide. The Repairing Treatment penetrates deep into the pore to help heal blemishes and help prevent future breakouts. The advanced delivery system is safe for the entire face and any other blemish-prone areas.

The new exclusive micro-crystal pharmaceutical-grade benzoyl peroxide (BPO) is refined to be small enough to penetrate pores and help clear blemishes, without causing irritation. These finely milled particles allow the medicines to work quickly and more effectively than ever before. The new 3-Step System (Renewing Cleanser, Revitalising Toner and Repairing Treatment) are the same proprietary and effective formulas as Original Proactiv, with the same luxury skin-care ingredients – only the active ingredient (BPO) has been improved. New Proactiv also has the same great texture and fragrance as Original Proactiv.

Okay, let’s be honest: I’m really not interested in all that “fancy new formula sciencey-stuff blah blah blah.” What interests me is what my skin is going to look like 30 days after my package arrives. If you have adult acne you probably understand completely that after a while results are all you care about. I’d rub my face on a smelly cow flank every day if I thought it would give me clear skin. So I’m going to find out if this suped-up new system walks the walk. I’ll keep you up to date on Twitter (under the hashtag #NewProactiv), and at the end of the 30 days I’ll post my final results here on the blog.
In the meantime I’d love to hear your experiences with Proactiv. Have you tried it? Did you like it? Most importantly, did it work? Do you want to try it? Why? Tell me in the comments, and if you’re a Canadian resident you’ll be entered to win a full size, Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer (valued at $33 CAD). Contest is open through December 17th. You must leave your e-mail address in your comment. You may enter this contest on the blogs of other bloggers doing the 30 day challenge, but you can only win once. I will choose a total of 5 winners via Random.org!

Now closed to entries.

Disclosure - I am participating in the New Proactiv Canada program hosted by Mom Central on behalf of Guthy-Renker. I received a 30-day trial kit and a gift card as thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Share A Smile

2010-12-02T15:39:00.001-07:00

There are so many ways to “share a smile.” You can do random acts of kindness for strangers (try paying for the order behind you in the Starbuck’s drive-thru). You can help out a friend, or neighbor (I bet there are some snowy walks that could use shovelling). You could donate time or funds to a cause in need (during the holidays there are all kinds of food drives). But one of the easiest ways to share a smile is to do just that…share your smile! When others smile at us it’s often a reflex that we smile in response. And when we smile we trick our brains into thinking we’re happy (even if we are maybe not in the best of moods). This holiday season, instead of wearing a grumpy sour puss when I’m out navigating the shopping and flying crowds I’m going to make an effort to smile. And I hope you will too.

Another thing you can do to share a smile is check out the Snack Pack Share A Smile Campaign. I usually don’t accept pitches from huge companies, but I don’t mind getting behind something positive. So when I got the heads up about the campaign from Mom Central I decided to sign up. Snack Pack Canada is donating $1 to Food Banks Canada for every “smile” shared on their Facebook Page. They’re aiming to donate $20,000. Check out the page, “Like It,” and follow the easy instructions and $1 will be donated on your behalf. You can even send “smiles” to your friends and $1 will be donated on their behalves as well.

ETA: Oops! I forgot to mention! When you “share a smile” via the Facebook page you can choose to be entered to win weekly prizes!

Disclosure – I am participating in the Snack Pack program by Mom Central on behalf of Conagra Foods Canada. I received a gift card as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

This holiday season I hope you’ll share a smile, in whatever way works best for you.

Sign Language And Speech Development

2010-12-02T15:18:00.001-07:00

I was recently approached by Misty at Baby Sign Language to ask if I’d like to host a guest post on the topic of baby signing. I took two years of American Sign Language in high school (and loved it) so, naturally, we used sign with Lucy. It was awesome. Do you know how convenient it is to have a baby who can tell you they have a wet diaper? It’s very convenient. Lucy seemed to grow out of signing once she found verbal words (she’s a talker, just like her mum was/is)! But sign really helped us as parents before she learned to communicate with spoken language. That’s why I was very happy to accept Misty’s offer to guest post. I was fortunate enough to have a background in signing. But if you don’t then you should add Baby Sign Language to your bookmarks folder straight away. And now, without further ado, here’s Misty:

Sign Language And Speech Development

Babies communicate in many different ways. Even though they can’t talk, their repertoire is vast. Through facial expressions, crying, babbling, or moving nearer to Mommy they make their needs known. The ways in which babies communicate their needs are as individual and special as they are. Baby sign language can help a baby’s communication – it is a two-way thing, from mommy to baby and back again.

How Babies Learn To Talk

One of the best ways to encourage language development is to simply talk to your baby. Babies learn by imitation and repetition. Whether he is playing, watching or listening, your baby is learning from you and from the world around him. Imitation and repetition are important if he is to develop any new skill – how to talk, how to sign, or just how to interact with the world.

Baby Sign Language gives babies and parents another tool for communication. Many studies show that Baby Signing does not replace speech, but actually aids its development, by improving a baby’s confidence in his ability to communicate. Speech plays a very small part in communication before the age of two, but baby sign language can play a big part in communication from a very young age.

Communication And The Confident Child

Babies who able to communicate their needs successfully will become more confident than babies who struggle to be understood. Every time you respond to your baby correctly – validating his efforts at communication – his confidence grows. As your baby’s confidence grows, so does his ability to communicate. This is a positive spiral. Sadly the opposite is also true – when a baby is not shown that his efforts at communication are working, he may withdraw. Some babies go on to develop very extreme ways of getting your attention – also known as tantrums!

Responding To Your Baby

To help with speech development, babies need to know you have received their messages when they try to communicate with you. Nod, smile, or pick him up, but make sure your response fits what your baby is trying to communicate.

Does Baby Sign Language Interfere With Speech Development?

The short answer is no! Talking is only one small part of communication. For pre-school children it is often only a small part of their range of skills. Children – and adults – communicate with each other through touch, facial expressions, tone and volume of voice. Babies instinctively communicate by using hand gestures. Learning baby sign language can help your baby make sense of the world in this natural way.

Speech development is a natural progression for children as they listen to what’s going on around them. Talking to your baby, reading stories, explaining every day chores and activities, are positive ways to encourage speech. Adding sign language gives your baby another tool for communication. There is no evidence to suggest that Sign Language For Babies slows down speech development – but the opposite may in fact be true.

All Clear?

2010-12-02T15:05:00.001-07:00

I think we’re all clear in the Dork Household. I think the Great 2010 Vomit-Fest is over. *furiously knocks on wood* And now I’ve got some blog stuff to tackle! We leave for Ohio on December 16th and won’t be back until the 29th. And you know what?

I’m not blogging while I’m gone.

Well…at least, I’m not planning to. Maybe I’ll make a short update here or there. But no promises!

I am, however, already working on ideas for this blog for next year. Lately I feel like I’ve just been barely keeping the blog alive, but I’d like that to change. But first, a vacation to visit my family! But before that…I’ve got some cool stuff for you (including giveaways)!

Unfortunately, I’m afraid a CSN giveaway will *not* be happening as soon as expected. The Canadian shipping situation on the CSN network is a little tricky so we’re re-evaluating some things.CSN sponsors giveaways on lots of other blogs, so keep your eyes open while you’re waiting on me.

I’ve got a great guest post going up later today, as well as some promo posts later this week.

Here’s hoping your family avoids the bugs going around!

When It Rains, It Pours

2010-12-01T11:00:00.001-07:00

My week has not gotten better.

Just as Lucy seemed to be getting well again it was my turn to be miserable and pukey. Then I felt better but Lucy got sick again.

I’ve missed three days of work again this week (last week I missed work because of the car vandal, boooo!). Which is especially sucky because this is my boss’s busy season and she is swamped. Not to mention, um…we need the income (helloooo student loans)! I have serious, SERIOUS cabin fever from being cooped up with a very sad, very whiny almost-two-year-old for nearly five days.

My birthday is Sunday. Is it too much to ask that it be vomit free?

Happy Birthday To You?

2010-11-27T16:41:00.001-07:00

Adam is not having the best birthday ever.

He was woken this morning at about 1:00 am after Lucy vomited all over me in the bed. She proceeded to have vomiting bouts until about 3:00 am.

She seemed all better come morning, though she was having some light diarrhea (which leaked out of her diapers and soiled her pants several times). It certainly didn’t make for good birthday fun trying to clean all the clothing and bedding (and carpet) that had either poop or puke. But come 5:30 we would be heading to see Harry Potter with Uncle Spencer, the first movie we were going to see in theatres since Inception.

Then Lucy threw up again.

Soooo…I’m staying home. Adam feels terrible that I’m missing Harry Potter. And trust me, it does suck. But I told him I’d feel even worse if he missed it too, especially on his birthday. Besides, we already bought tickets. No sense wasting the cost of two tickets instead of just one, right?

So I went out to the store to pick up some higher quality, heavy duty diapers for the kiddo (and some pizza and snack cakes – though maybe I should have gotten booze). And what did I discover on my way?

Our car had been vandalized.

Again.

That’s right, the passenger side mirror is hanging off the car by nothing but the wiring. This jerk couldn’t wait a week before he broke my car again? We haven’t even had a chance to see our insurance agent and upgrade to comprehensive insurance yet (going in Tuesday). We just shelled out $500 to fix the damn windshield he kicked in. Now we have to fix something else? What the hell, guy? What is your problem? Why us?

Let’s just say this is not the best birthday Adam has ever had…and it’s not the best week I’ve ever had either. But “happy birthday” to Adam anyhow…I love you.

PS: Also? My newish purse is falling apart. :(

An Open Letter To The Jerk That Vandalized My Car

2010-11-24T20:07:00.001-07:00

Dear Jerk MrJerkison,

At 3:00 am on Monday morning you decided it would be fun to kick in the rear windshield on our car. I hope you enjoyed yourself, because it was no fun for me to discover glass on the backseat right when I was about to buckle in my daughter to take her to the babysitter. It was no fun to confusedly look at the passenger window to figure out where the glass had come from only to realize it had come all the way from the rear windshield of my station wagon (that must have been some kick). It was no fun to call my sitter and my boss and explain I’d be late, at best. It was no fun trying to tape plastic over the gaping hole in the cold and snow (which caused the tape to not stick). It was no fun to try to position magnets to hold up the plastic since the tape had failed. It was no fun to call the police and wait on hold for what seemed a lifetime, only to have my phone die right when I was taken off hold. It was no fun, I’m sure, for my landlord to go through hours of security footage looking for you (and only finding waist down footage). It was no fun for my husband to clean up the glass you left in our car and all over the snowy street. It was no fun to learn that we had opted for the liability only insurance and would be paying the $500 out of pocket to replace the window. It was no fun to have the repairs take far longer than we thought because the glass delivery was late and to therefore miss a second day of much needed work. It was no fun to call my boss and tell her I’d be missing work again. It was no fun to receive a call in the afternoon from the auto-shop saying the glass had arrived broken and they’d have to get another windshield the next morning. It was no fun to have a auto-shop employee arrive in a van to pick us up the next morning so my daughter could be taken to the sitter only to discover that not only was the car seat not installed (as expected) but that nobody knew how to install it. It was no fun to send the driver on his way with a “nevermind” when he suggested I sit my precious toddler in the front seat and let him drive us on terribly dangerous, icy winter roads. It was no fun to drag my toddler with me to my place of employment and wait for my boss to get in only to explain to her that, once again, I couldn’t come in (but that I’d do my best to work from home if I could take the Macbook for the day). It was no fun to attempt to get work done with a toddler climbing all over me (and it was no fun to deal with the mommy guilt that came as a result of letting her watch Christmas specials all day in hopes it would distract her). It was no fun to trudge back out in the freezing cold with my toddler to return the Macbook to the office. It was no fun to miss three days of work (and therefore three days of pay), make a $500 repair, and generally feel crappy and violated. So I hope that one kick you got was fun. I hope it was $610 worth of fun because that’s what it cost me you ass-hat.

Sincerely,

The Co-owner of the Car You Vandalized

Slimpressions Review

2010-11-15T19:47:00.001-07:00

Here, after some hacker-caused delay, is the final review from “Bad Blogger Week:”

In an ideal world none of us would worry about the way we look. But an ideal world it is not {hence my weight loss adventure}. And a product that has been quite handy in making me feel like I look good while I’m shedding the pounds is the Slimpressions Long Leg Shaper. Unlike some body shapers it’s no more uncomfortable than panty-hose or tights. I don’t just wear it on important days {like family picture day} but on regular old week days too when I need a little help looking trim. Slimpressions makes several slimming items, including undershirts to make your tummy and arms look trim.

I find that my Slimpressions Long Leg Shaper doesn’t make a huge difference, but it definitely helps, if only psychologically. I think now that I’ve shed about 20 pounds it doesn’t do as much as it once did. One caveat if you plan on using the Slimpressions Long Leg Shaper; if it slips down a little during the day you may end up with muffin top. So just watch for that.

Use the code SLIM10DD for a 10% discount.

Dear Hacker

2010-11-08T20:50:00.001-07:00

Dear Hacker,

I think you may be unaware that it is beyond rude to hack into someone else’s Gmail account. It is a violation of privacy, and, I’m pretty sure, illegal. Your amoral and inconsiderate actions caused me to temporarily lose access to not only my own e-mail account, but my blogging account as well. You interrupted my “bad blogger week,” my weekend, and my sense of security. You stole personal information so you could spam not only my friends and family, but my boss’s clients, my blogging peers and sponsors, and people I contacted only once or twice many years ago. I suppose I should consider it a small favor that at least you did the spamming in such ridiculous Engrish that it seems none of the people you contacted actually thought the e-mail came from me. And perhaps I should thank you for reminding me that not everyone in this world is a decent human being. So thanks, thanks for reminded me that scum like you are out there ready to take advantage of anyone you can for your own gain. Thanks for making me look like an idiot. And thanks for wasting my time and energy.

In other words,

thanks for nothing.

Sincerely,

Holly

Applications Are DONE

2010-11-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

Just an update on Adam’s situation. His applications are in. We decided together that this year his best bet would be to apply only to the Alberta schools {sniff…sniff…bye-bye UBC}. The back up plan is for Adam to transfer to the University of Calgary and work on completing a Bachelor’s of Science while reapplying. So, unless he gets into the University of Alberta {in Edmonton} and not UofC we’ll be moving to Calgary next summer. But UofC is Adam’s first choice. It’s a year-round program that only takes 3 years instead of 4…also, have you any idea how miserable Edmonton winters can be?

The applications were a pain. They want soooo much detail. In fact, the UofA demanded three references {non-family} *just* to confirm that Adam has, indeed, lived where he says he’s lived throughout his life. What the heck?

Adam got glowing recommendations to send to the schools. He has excellent MCAT scores. His GPA isn’t as good as some applicants, but still acceptable to med-school wannabes. So now, we wait…and wait…and wait…

…until February.

February is when interview invitations are sent. After interviews you get a few more months of waiting. It’s a pretty miserable process. But at least the hard part is done. Halle-freakin-lujah!

CSN

2010-11-04T19:16:00.002-06:00

CSN is here. Hooray!
CSN is here to stay!
Regular reviews, and giveaways;
Look for them every 30 days.
CSN has been here before.
But now they’ll be here even more.
Kids backpacks, toys, and gear galore,
Furniture, linens, and lots of decor.
I hope you’re excited for what is in store,
‘Cuz giveaways are what I live for!

Rockin’ Green Cloth Diaper Detergent Review

2010-11-04T18:43:00.001-06:00

Alas…with the start of daycare Lucy is no longer using her adorable fluffy, cloth diapers. We’re going to be selling her diapers to whatever local mama is interested. And if that mama asks me how she should launder them I will tell her:

“Use Rockin’ Green!”

{picture from http://rockingreensoap.com/}

Rockin’ Green is a detergent that is biodegradable, and uses natural scents {or no scents at all}. It smells *fantastic.* But most importantly…it got the stink out of Lucy’s diapers. We had tried stripping her diapers time and time again but they still held onto the stank…until we tried Rockin’ Green. And as soon as our Rockin’ Green supply ran out? Well, the stink came back.

Check out the Rockin’ Green FAQ. I think you will be impressed. And just look at some of the scents available:

Orangevana
Smashing Watermelons
Rage Against the Raspberries
Mighty Mighty Marshmallow

If you’re not sure you want to commit to a whole bag of detergent you can even buy little sample packs {very useful for finding your favorite scent} for 75 cents. There are even different formulas for different types of water…got hard water? Try the Hard Rock detergent! Soft water? Then the Soft Rock formula is for you! Otherwise go with the Classic Rock, the original formula that started it all.

If you use cloth, you should be using Rockin’ Green. Follow Rockin’ Green on Twitter.

*I was provided with some product for the purpose of review…but I also bought some myself; these are my honest opinions.

The Dork Family

2010-11-03T14:46:00.001-06:00

I interrupt “Bad Blogger Week” to bring you…

Our family portraits!

Check ‘em out! I would love for you to leave comments over on the Madchen Studios blog rather than on this post {don’t worry, I’ll see them all}.

Pant Clippo Review

2010-11-02T19:48:00.000-06:00

As you know, Lucy is no longer in cloth diapers. That means her pants, which had to be purchased large to fit over her fluffy butt, no longer fit. Actually, even pants purchased since the switch to disposables don’t fit in the waist {poor kid already has the same sizing problems with pants as her mother}. So I was legitimately thrilled when I was asked to review a pant clippo from Clippo {a Canadian company-hooray}!

{picture from clippo.ca}

There really aren’t a lot of features for me to tell you about. It’s not a complicated product to use. But you know what, it works. It works great. It’s super simple to use…just clip it to your kiddo’s pants {no belt loops needed}!

{pictures from clippo.ca}

I am a much happier mama now that I’m not pulling Lucy’s pants up every five minutes. Seriously you guys…Adam and I were singing the following to her constantly:

But not anymore. And I have Clippo to thank for that. The pant clips come in lots of cute prints, including designer fabrics like Michael Miller. But pant clips aren’t the only products you can buy; there are hair clips, mitten clips, and super, super adorable bow ties for the little fellow in your life {and more}.

You can get a 30% discount using the code DOMESTIC30 {good until January 30th}.

*I was provided with one pant clip for the purpose of this review. I have thus far resisted buying more in other cute prints, but my resolve is weakening.

eShakti {a review}

2010-11-01T20:05:00.000-06:00

What seems like ages ago {I am a bad blogger, BAD BLOGGER} eShakti contacted me and asked me to do a review. I chose a lovely wool coat.* With the cold finally having made it to our neck of the woods {including some snow earlier thiss week*} I pulled the coat out from the back of the closet and realized just how naughty a blogger I had been.

So, better late than never right?

Just nod and say “right.”

And now…for my review:

eShakti is a unique clothing site because, get this, they will tailor the clothes to your measurements. In fact, you can even customize products. Like this dress but wish you could get it in a below-the-knee length? eShakti can do that. {PS: That dress would be friggin’ fabulous for a Christmas party!} Gotta have this cute little suit jacket, but need a long sleeve version {because, oh…I dunno…your office is always cold…*coughcoughIwouldn’tknowanythingaboutthatcoughcough*)? eShakti can do that too. I think it’s a really clever, and novel idea. The prices are comparable to off-the-rack clothing at nicer retail stores like The Bay, or Macy’s, or whatever your local version of such stores is. A word of warning to Canadian buyers though, you may end up paying duty upon delivery {I did}.

Overall, I’m happy with eShakti. Someday I think I’d like to try ordering something more fitted than a coat, and see how it turns out. But I’m trying not to buy too much clothes right now {because, and I’m totally not complaining, I’m losing weight fast enough that my size isn’t staying the same for very long}. When I do order again I’ll be sure to do another review.

If you’d like to give eShakti a try you can use the promo code Ho5J4U to get 15% off until the end of November {I think Christmas party dresses are calling your name - *wink wink*}!

*eShakti provided the coat, and a discount code if I would like to review additional items. This post was otherwise non-compensated; it contains my honest opinion.

**Curse you Canada! I hate your weather but I love your health care!

Halloween Snapshots

2010-10-31T19:27:00.001-06:00

We started with pumpkin pancakes last night. This morning I whipped together my wolfy ears and tail while Adam carved our pumpkin. The most memorable jack-o-lantern from my childhood was one that my mother use the eye-cut outs to make ears and created a cat. I knew Lucy would love it too, and she does. We’ll roast our seeds later. Adam and Spencer are currently having their own pumpkin carving contest with two pumpkins they bought today.

In the afternoon we went to the mall trick-or-treat. It’s nice for little kids like Lucy because you don’t have to walk far and you don’t have to worry about the weather. I don’t think everyone caught on to our group theme. But we enjoyed ourselves. And we got Cold Stone coupons so I am a very happy woman.

Adam’s costume was a laugh. He kept complaining about how uncomfortable it is to wear a bra. I just kept thinking “you don’t have to tell me, bro!”

Lucy got a big kick out of my wolf costume. It’s super cute when she howls:

Actually, I’m quite pleased with it. Not bad for something I whipped up in a half hour

We stopped by a local, free haunted house after trick-or-treat. But were not impressed. We finished up the day with grilled cheese and spider web soup {and a pumpkin beer for me, yum}!

We also had a visit from “The Great Pumpkin.” He exchanged books for all of us in trade for Lucy’s candy. Adam got Under the Dome: A Novel by Stephen King. I got a book called Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls) . Spencer got a Dr. Horrible comic. And Lucy, who adores pumpkins, got Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin .* It’s a tradition we’ve started based on Neil Gaiman’s suggestion, the common practice of having a candy exchange so kiddos don’t get too much sugar, and, of course, the Charlie Brown special.

Now we’re watching the Vincent Price classic, The Tingler {we’ve been watching scary movies all week}. We’ll watch Fire in the Sky after Lucy goes to sleep. All in all, it was a good day. How was your Halloween? What did you do?

*Those links take you to the product pages via my Amazon store. Just thought I’d say so in the interest of full disclosure.

My Little Red Riding Hood

2010-10-30T16:28:00.001-06:00

Isn’t she cute? I made this costume myself {except the shirt, shoes, and tights}. And I think I’ll put her in a white shirt tomorrow {I didn’t have a white one for her until after these pictures were taken, at Madchen Studios of course}. Adam’s costume is ready except for one cosmetic product we still need to purchase. It’s possible that I have not yet started my costume. But I’m not telling.

Have I mentioned that I absolutely adore this kid? Because I do. Oh, I do!

What are your kids going as for Halloween?

Nanowrimo Word Count Desktop

2010-10-30T09:34:00.001-06:00

I made you a gift {and by “you” I mean “fellow Nanowrimo participants}.

It’s 1280 x 800. Use it as your background. It’s awesome. Unless your desktop is littered with icons you don’t use but have been too lazy to delete.

But I wouldn’t know anything about that.

Enjoy!

{click to open full-size, then just right click and “save as”}

Bad Blogger Week

2010-10-29T20:08:00.001-06:00

Starting Monday, November 1st Domestic Dork is celebrating “Bad Blogger Week” {which is something I totally just made up}. Bad Blogger Week is a week for me to catch up on long overdue reviews/giveaways. Sometimes life just slows me down…and then I feel embarrassed that I didn’t do what I mean to do earlier so I procrastinate a little more…and then it’s been so long that it’s just shameful, but not as shameful as not keeping my word. So, in the spirit of “better late than never” I will be cranking out posts this week.

Enjoy!

Good News!

2010-10-28T16:35:00.001-06:00

If you've been previously unable to access the voting for Lucy you can now message the contest host and tell her you'd like to vote for #44!

Thanks, Loree!

Last Call For Votes

2010-10-27T15:44:00.001-06:00

Lucy needs 110 votes to tie for first. Voting ends Sunday night at the stroke of twelve {Mountain time}. If you haven’t voted yet, please take a minute to do so. It’d mean a lot to me.

Instructions are here.

Facebook gave some people some trouble a while back, but hopefully it should be all good now.

So please help us out if you can! 110+ votes is totally doable! If my dorky, dust bunny army comes together Lucy could win this thing in a land slide. And hey, it’s way easier than driving to a polling place, waiting in line, and doing the usual sort of voting {though you won’t get an “I VOTED” sticker-sorry}.

Halloween Decorations

2010-10-26T08:10:00.001-06:00

Sorry it took so long to make good on my promise to show you my decorations. Man, being an adult requires errands, and work, and other busy-keeping stuff.

Did you deck your halls for Halloween?

PS: I'll add links to the tutorials I used to make my decorations later. I don't have time this morning.

EDITED TO ADD:

Ghost tutorial from Everyday is a Crafting Day

Banner tutorial and template is from Finding My Aloha {mine is paper instead of felt}.

Little Red Riding Hood

2010-10-19T21:16:00.001-06:00

My offspring is cute, super cute, especially in her Little Red Riding Hood costume {made by yours truly}. Check her out {as photographed by Madchen Studios}! She’s the last picture. And now, I apologize, but I gotta run because we have company over. I just wanted to share that link ASAP.

And after Halloween I’ll be sure to post more pictures of all of us in our costumes {me as the wolf, Uncle Spencer as the woodsman, and Adam as Granny}. It’s gonna be awesome.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-10-11T11:15:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving…or Columbus’ Day to my State-side friends. :)

We had our big dinner yesterday and it was delicious. Lucy had her first taste of cheesecake {pumpkin flavored} and judging by the enthusiasm with which she requested more “cake! cake! cake! cake!” I think she liked it. I know I did. I also enjoyed the turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and rolls. Yum yum! The nice thing about being from the US and living in Canada is knowing I get to have Thanksgiving twice…what? You didn’t think I’d skip American Thanksgiving did you? Besides, 14 pounds of turkey {the smallest we could find} for 3.5 people {Adam, Spencer, myself, and Lucy} is way, WAY more than we can eat. So half that bird will be going straight into the freezer for November.

Today Adam is working on a project for his genetics class, and studying calculus {oh joy}. I’m going to see if I can’t finish Lucy’s Halloween costume. Like last year, we’ll be doing a family theme. But it’s a surprise until I’m ready to show you pictures.

Nanowrimo is fast approaching! I’ve got some basic ideas for my novel, and this year I’ve got a plan to make sure I’m able to finish. I’ve started getting up at 6:30 so I have time to get work done before Lucy wakes up. Right now I use that time for crafting, blogging, or whatnot…but it’s just practice for November. I didn’t want to be adjusting to a new routine during Nanowrimo so I decided to get a head start on my early mornings. After November I’m planning on sticking with the new wake-up time so I can continue to be more productive. If nothing else, it’s a chance to read uninterrupted.

And, just in case some of you are interested…

…I am halfway to my weight loss goal! Hooray! Only 15 more pounds to go. Believe it or not…by limiting my portions I even managed to come in on target with my calories yesterday. Spark People is really proving to be an invaluable resource {and it’s free}! The only downside is that none of my clothes fit anymore. I’m going to try taking them to a tailor to see what she can do for me. I’d like to avoid having to buy new clothes until I’m sure they won’t be too big a month later.

So that’s an update on what’s going on in the dorky household. And, just because I hate to do posts without pictures…here’s a random picture of Lucy:

Hope you all have been enjoying your holiday weekend!

Voting for Lucy

2010-10-08T20:21:00.001-06:00

I’ve been continuing to get a lot of comments from people who have trouble with the many different links I’ve tried posting. I’m really sorry guys. This is Facebook’s fault, not yours, not mine. Facebook is just full of suck and fail. I’m really frustrated. Lucy winning this thing would be awesome, especially because the prize would more than pay for her birthday and Christmas presents. But the current lead baby has 68 votes followed closely by several babies with votes totalling 50+.

Lucy has 14 votes.

Boo to you, Facebook. <insert angry glare here>

If you wanna please help us out, and get Lucy to the lead before the month ends here’s the less convenient, but hopefully Facebook-being-crappy-proof way to do it:

Log into your Facebook account.
Search for “Special Deliveries Doula Services Medicine Hat, Alberta” in the search bar at the top of your home page.
Select the search result with the black and white photo of a newborn baby suspended in a sheer white fabric.
Like the group.
Go to the discussions tab and find “Cutest Baby #44” {because Lucy is losing she’s been bumped to the second page so you might have to click “see all topics” and navigate to page 2 to find her…unless someone else votes shortly before you do and moves her back to page 1}.
Stick around in the group at least until November 1st so your vote doesn’t get deleted.
Spread the word if you’d like to {retweeting this post would be awesome}.

Anyhow…a big THANK YOU to all of you who have tried, especially those of you who have tried again and again and again. I appreciate that you would go to that much trouble for me and my progeny.

New Link For Voting For Lucy

2010-10-06T12:22:00.000-06:00

Facebook | Special Deliveries Doula Service - Medicine Hat, Alberta

I've had a few people complain that the link in my previous post about voting for Lucy won't work {I suspect this is Facebook's fault...no surprises there}. If this describes you try the link above, perhaps it will work better.

Also, Lucy's dental work went well. Her teeth look beautiful and she's doing fine. We're going to have a low-key day of rest and relaxation today before we get back to the normal routine tomorrow. Thank you for your well wishes.

Keep Calm and Scary On {free printable}

2010-10-05T20:45:00.003-06:00

When I saw Jessica’s {from Craftily Ever After} Halloween version of the “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster I fell in love. But…I wanted two {to go on either side of a mirror which I will show you later}. And I wanted the image to be slightly different. And I wanted one with the phrase her hubby had suggested. So I made these with some of the free stencils from Martha Stewart’s website:

Hopefully she doesn’t mind that I appropriated her genius idea. If you like these versions you can get the 8x10 versions for yourself below. And if you enjoy the download please consider taking a moment to vote for Lucy. She’s way, way behind. If the link doesn’t work for you let me know and I’ll tweet or e-mail you another. Also, if you like these be sure to check out and follow Jessica's blog since she's the one who inspired them.
To download images click the link, then right click image and “save as.”

Download: “Keep Calm and Scary On”

Download: “Eat Drink and Be Scary”

{ETA: Jessica just added her "Keep Calm and Scary On" too! Check it out!}

I *think* I’m done decorating for Halloween {unless I decide I want to make any other last minute decor}. I’ll try to do a photo post or maybe a VLOG soon. But tomorrow my little girl is being put under general anaesthesia so she can have dental work done {apparently her teeth didn’t develop correctly and that’s why she has so many cavities}. I’m worried for her and trying not to think about it. Wish her luck!

Digital Scrapbooking, My Newest Addiction

2010-10-03T10:25:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to show you all a little bit of what I’ve been working on {digitally at least, I don’t have pictures yet of my latest craft projects}:

Cute, no? It was made with a paid-for template from Free Digital Scrapbooking and a free fall kit from Shabby Princess. Last night I stocked up on some other digital goodies…I’m hoping to make some calendars so I got a few kits for putting them together. Here’s my test run:

It was made with a Christmas pack from Free Digital Scrapbooking and a calendar kit from Cottage Arts. The pictures are last year’s portraits from Madchen Studios. We’re getting new family pictures this month, so I’m totally stoked!

Finally is this work-in-progress {I’m waiting until Halloween to take pictures for it} made from another kit from Free Digital Scrapbooking and some other elements from elsewhere.

I like digital scrapbooking because I can do it even when Lucy sits in my lap…and because it’s about a zillion times cheaper than regular scrapping. I’ve used some purchased items here…but you can do a lot with just free downloads as well.

Do you scrap? Do you do the regular paper and glue style or digital or a mix of both?

The Secret Date

2010-10-02T09:34:00.001-06:00

Adam knows how to plan a fun surprise. Our super secret date was the Medicine Hat Beer Fest {something I wasn’t even aware existed}. It was super fun. We even lucked out and got extra tasting tickets when we were given our tasting mugs. We ended up buying 5 more towards the end of the night so we were able to sample 20 different beers:

Alley Kat Brewery: Aprikat
Artisan Ales: Charlevoix Vache Folle Imperial Stout
Delancey Direct: Samuel Smith Organic Strawberry
Epoch Imports: Nelson After Dark and Nelson Wild Honey
Half Pints Brewing Company: Little Scrapper IPA
McClelland Premium Imports: Stiegl Lager and Erdinger Weiss
Molson: Granville Island Maple Cream
Peter Mielzynski Agency: Innis and Gunn Highland Cask
Premier Brands: Warsteiner Dunkel
Pure Global Imports: St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Purple Valley Imports: 1488 Blonde Ale {a whisky ale}
River Valley Beverage Group: Witches’ Brew Golden Ale and Mississippi Mud
Spider Beverage: Crabbies Ginger Beer and Banana Bread Beer
Tree Brewing: Thirsty Beaver
Yukon Brewers: Yukon Red and Discovery Ale

My favorites of the night were the Innis and Gunn Highland Cask {which is made in 21 year old oak scotch barrels, and had a caramel flavor}, the Witches’ Brew Golden Ale {which almost tasted like hard apple cider}, the Banana Bread Beer {which is made with a species of hops that taste like banana, rather than actual bananas}, and my number one pick {Adam’s too} was the Crabbies Ginger Beer. Holy hops, Batman! That was one yummy beer!

The good news is that all of the beers at the tasting are available at one of our favorite liquor stores here in town. We’ll definitely be buying some of that ginger beer {since we weren’t lucky enough to win the year worth of beer}. We also got some neat SWAG including playing cards and a bottle uncapper {which is somewhat different than a bottle opener} from one of our favorite brewing companies, Big Rock {local to Calgary}. We didn’t actually sample anything at their table last night because we had already tried all the flavors they had available. We also got a beer can chicken roaster from Rickard’s {another company whose beer we enjoy} that allows you to make beer can chicken without having to use canned beer. That’s good, because we don’t drink much canned beer. Oh, and we each got a cute little tasting mug of course.

Now, I didn’t know until right before we left where we were going. I just knew it was going to involve a lot of calories. So I had made sure to have a very light breakfast and a very light lunch. I was quite hungry by the time we left. And even though our 20 samples only added up to about 2 beers worth of alcohol, having such an empty stomach, and being such a light weight {apparently} I got a bit tipsy. I didn’t mind, as it was a mild buzz…but I did end up having to sit down and rest. The problem was that they didn’t make the food {appetizers really} available from the start, so I wasn’t able to eat while sampling. We ended up ducking out after having some appetizers and going to one of the eateries in the hotel {the tasting was held at the Medicine Hat Lodge} and splitting a sandwich. Then we tasted our last five beers. Uncle Spencer picked us up, as planned, just to be safe. We don’t take any chances with drinking and driving folks.

And that was the secrety secret of secretfullness. It was 100% pure brewed awesome.

Just a reminder that Lucy needs your votes. She’s falling way, way behind! But I just know that if my bloggy friends and followers take a minute to leave a vote for her she can take it in a landslide!

Secrety Secret of Secretfullness

2010-10-01T11:23:00.001-06:00

For weeks now, Adam has been plotting a secret date. I don’t know what it is. I just know it’s tonight, involves food, and that Uncle Spencer is going to babysit the kiddo. Speaking of the kiddo, please help me out and vote for Lucy in the cutest baby contest. She’s already falling behind. I’d appreciate it very much.

And now, gratuitous pictures because it’s Friday, and why not?

And the same picture with a more colourful, dreamy look. I’m not sure but I think I like this version better.

Happy October everybody! Have a great weekend!

A Call For Help

2010-09-30T10:00:00.004-06:00

The doula who helped me bring Lucy into the world is celebrating 10 years of fantastic service with a cutest baby contest. Naturally I entered the cutest baby I know…

{picture from last year}

Now I need your help. If you’ve got five minutes you can help me win the contest. It’s super simple:

*Voting ends October 31st!*

Join the Special Deliveries Facebook group.
Navigate to the “discussions” tab.
Find the discussion titled “44.”
Leave a comment that says “vote.” Anything more or less than the word “vote” will be deleted.

Vote here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Medicine-Hat-AB/Special-Deliveries-Doula-Service-Medicine-Hat-Alberta/116036793111 or go directly to Lucy's discussion here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Medicine-Hat-AB/Special-Deliveries-Doula-Service-Medicine-Hat-Alberta/116036793111

That’s it! Just a note, if you leave the Facebook group before the contest ends November 1st then Facebook automatically deletes your vote. If you enjoy this blog, and you’ve got a minute to help me out I’d really appreciate your vote. And, of course, you’re welcome to help spread the word via Twitter or wherever.
Thanks!

Lots And Lots of Pictures

2010-09-25T18:47:00.001-06:00

Guys, I’m sorry. I’m still adjusting to this whole “having a job thing.” I’ve been super busy. And I was totally going to blog and blog and blog this weekend…until the cold I’ve been battling won the war. I have been a snotty, miserable mess today. So here’s lots of pictures instead:

First up, a Halloween project inspired by eighteen25 {yeah, I know, October isn’t until next week, so what?}:

{most of these pictures were done by my boss at Madchen Studios}

<----A spooky photo because I wanted to play around with Adobe Lightroom {my new favorite program}. I think I went too big on this project. They kind of overwhelm my little Kijiji {like Craig’s List} table, hutch, thingy. But oh, well. Speaking of my little second-hand buffet thingamajig. I’m totally painting it one of these days. And it is going to be unbelievably awesome. Trust me.

Also, why is glitter so freakin’ expensive?

And now, more pictures from British Columbia {people pictured are me in my pajamas and Yeti hat, Lucy in her pyjamas, Uncle Jared, Uncle Spencer, and Adam – places pictured are Uncle Jared’s house/yard, the Natural Bridge in Yoho, and Emerald Lake in Yoho – PS: forgive the unusual watermarks…I’m tired, sick, and grouchy}:

{breastfeeding in the wilderness}

{the view from Uncle Jared’s front door}

Some ooooold pictures from our trip to Ohio last year that I just now got around to editing/converting to jpegs:

{Yay Grandma!}

{Yay Great Grandpa!}

{Yay puppies and pools!}

And last but not least, more recent, random pictures:

{first day going to the day home}

{this guy let me get so close I was worried he was going to attack me}

So, there you have it. My blog has vomited pictures all over the internet. Thankfully my illness has involved zero of the same {colds suck, but they are far better than the flu}. Life is otherwise good, though I am stressing about all the things I need to get done. Lucy is adjusting well to going to the day home part time. School is in full swing for Adam and his med school applications for this cycle are almost complete. Uncle Spencer is our new neighbor. He just got a job at The Source. I am enjoying my new job. Aaaand…H&R Block tells us we should FINALLY be getting our tax refund from a few years ago. Supposedly we can expect a check around $3000 sometime soon. Phew. Thank goodness. We need it, especially since we’re traveling to Ohio for Christmas this year {a fact about which I am unbelievably excited}.

That’s all for now. I miss blogging more often and hope to get back into my regular schedule once I get caught up in other “real life” stuff.

Lest We Forget

2010-09-11T10:28:00.001-06:00

In light of recent debate over the location of mosques and the burning of books today I cannot bring myself to write a simple remembrance post. Because we haven’t forgotten the sadness or terror…but we have forgotten how it came to be and who we are.

911 was a result of hate, hate for the West, hate for people who believed differently than those who planned and carried out the attacks. And as a result too many of us have responded by letting the same kind of hate grow in our hearts, hate for all Muslims.

Some people say that Islam breeds violence, that Islam is the problem. The same people seem to overlook the violence and problems bred by other religions, such as Christianity. No religion is immune to interpretations which lead to hate and violence. Not all Muslims choose to interpret Islam that way, just as not all Christians choose to interpret the Bible to justify homophobia, hitting their children, or blowing up family planning clinics. If you want to burn Qur'ans because you think the Qur'an contains hateful things than you had better throw some Bibles on that bonfire pile too.

On 911 Muslims were victims too. Muslims were heroes too:

It is not al Qaeda that plans to build a community center in the same area of New York City as ground zero. Let us remember that.

Let us remember what America stands for, freedom of religion. Let us remember that all religions have motivated people to do evil things. Let us remember that the men who flew planes into the towers and the Pentagon did so because they hated and feared us. Let us remember that we want to be better than that. Let us remember that Muslims died that day, and served that day too.

Never forget.

Yoho! Yoho! A Camper’s Life For Me!

2010-09-06T13:45:00.001-06:00

I’m not sure if it really counts as camping if it’s in someone’s back yard…and if you only do it one night because it was cold and rainy and you wanted to sleep indoors the second night…but “real” camping or not, visiting Uncle Jared in Field, B.C. was a blast. The tiny town of Field {and when I say tiny, I mean TINY…fewer people than my high school graduating class tiny} is located within the boundaries of Yoho National Park. “Yoho” is a Cree word which expresses awe. And awe is definitely what we felt exploring the park. We visited the natural bridge and Emerald Lake. As requested, and promised here are a few more pictures. I still have a lot of editing to do. So be prepared for a lot more posts on this topic {don’t worry, I plan to talk about other non-BC stuff too}.

So Much Blog Material, So Little Time

2010-09-01T17:19:00.001-06:00

I am so sorry for neglecting you guys. Really, I am. It’s one of the sad facts of blogging that the more interesting your life the less time you have to write about it.

This past weekend we visited Yoho National Park in beautiful British Columbia to visit Lucy’s Uncle Jared. I’ll have plenty of pictures to share with you in the coming days {I’m still editing the bajillion pictures I snapped}. In the meantime here’s a preview:

Um…yeah…we are so totally moving to B.C. someday.

The weekend before that we drove to Utah to help Lucy’s Uncle Spencer move here to Medicine Hat. She can’t say his name {she calls him “Pom” or “Pow” or something like that} but she is enjoying having him around. For the time being he’s living in our building. We think he’s pretty awesome so we’re thrilled to have him so close.

I start my new job “for real” tomorrow. I’ve had a few shifts in the last two weeks just to start learning the ropes. But tomorrow I begin working in earnest. I’ll be working four hours every weekday. Lucy will spend that time making friends at the day home we found her. She was going to go to the campus daycare…but apparently when some people say “yeah, sure, she’ll get in, no problem” they really mean “um, maybe if you had gotten her on a waiting list before she was born she’d get in.” But the day home we found looks like a good one. It’s a small number of kids in a nice, clean home affiliated with the YMCA.

Today Lucy had her first dental appointment, at which I was told that her teeth problems are totally NOT my fault. Phew. That’s a big load of mommy guilt off my weary shoulders. Now I just have to deal with the “I have to pay how much to have my toddler put under to get fillings and sealants” load.

So, anyhow…that’s why I’ve been away. I suddenly got a life. It’s keeping me busy. I promise I’m not gone for good. And I promise you are going to LOVE the B.C. pictures. It will take every ounce of willpower you have to keep from packing up your family and moving there on the spot.

Ugh

2010-08-17T10:48:00.001-06:00

I had my first day on the job yesterday. It was great. I enjoyed myself. Lucy? Not so much. Daddy reports that she basically cried herself to sleep despite all he could do to comfort her. But if you’re going to cry yourself to sleep what better place to do it than Daddy’s arms, right? The good news is that I won’t be working at bedtime once my normal schedule starts.

We leave for the States on Friday evening. We’ll get back some time on Monday. The bad news {other than the fact that we’re making two 14 hours drives with a toddler} is that our car needs major work. It needs about $1000 worth of repairs done, $500 of which needs to be done before we leave. If this had happened next month instead of this month that wouldn’t have been a big deal, a bummer for sure, but not anxiety attack inducing stressful. The end of the summer is always tight for us financially. So I’m not pleased that our car decided to let us down less than thirty days before student grants and my first pay check. It is 10 years old and has been driven all over North America, but still. I’m stressed. Maybe I’ll give the crying to sleep thing a try…just kidding.

Other than upset toddlers and not enough cash life is great. The rest of this month is going to be busy, busy, busy. But I’ll do what I can to keep you all updated.

Yesssssss!

2010-08-11T14:50:00.001-06:00

Yay!

Wahoo!

Hip! Hip! Hooray!

Yippee skipee!

Wheee!

Woot to the oot!

I got the job!

You remember Rachel from Madchen Studios? She did our maternity photos {see below}, newborn photos, and 6 month baby photos/family portrait. She also sponsored that fabulous auction for the MS Society. Well she’s who hired me! How awesome is that!? I’m her new office manager. I get to do lots of different things for her {including some blogging…yes, my life is AWESOME and no, I won’t hold it against you if you’re jealous}. I think I did a pretty good job not freaking out when she gave me the gig but OH MY GOSH I AM PEE-MY-PANTS EXCITED!*

You can check out her Facebook page if you’re so inclined. It’s a good way to be notified when there’s a new blog post. And if you like looking at pretty pictures {I know I do} then you’ll want to be notified when there’s a new post.

So, yeah. Totally have a job now. It’s part time. And the plan is for Adam to take Lucy with him to the on campus daycare when I’m working. I think she’s gonna have a blast playing with the other kiddos. And she’ll still be getting lots of mommy time since I’m not going full-time. Hopefully that will make the transition easier on both of us.

This is totally awesome guys.

Did I mention Rachel’s studio is about a block away from our apartment? Because it is.

Bestest job EVAR!

Did I mention I’m excited?

I’m excited.

*Upon no pants did actual urination occur.

The Great Job Hunt of 2010

2010-08-08T15:45:00.003-06:00

Don’t ever let anybody say Twitter is a waste of time.
Thanks to Twitter yours truly has a job interview on Wednesday. Hooray! I’ll tell you more about the job if I get it. But I will say this…I really, really, really, really, really want this position. It’s pretty much perfect for me right now and I love the business for which I’d be working.
I had tweeted that I was starting my search for part-time work. I planned on submitting about a bajillion applications around town this week at the usual places…grocery stores, fast food joints, <insert menial labor position here>. Michael’s was my first choice, until I was offered the interview I have Wednesday. So I’ve got my fingers tightly crossed.
Aaaaand, just because I love it and am proud of how cheap I got it {$41 not including the cost of footwear}, here’s the outfit I’m wearing to my interview:

See, until yesterday I owned two pairs of pants {khakis and jeans}. I used to own a pair of work pants.
But then I got pregnant.
Bye-bye nice dress pants.
So now my closet pretty much consists of all casual clothes {t-shirts…lots and lots of t-shirts} that are either a: too small from before Lucy or b: too big from after Lucy. Not suitable for interviews. So I hit the mall. And it was a success if I do say so myself {and I do}. I was clueless and terrified to try and find something fashionable. I’ve been out of the style loop for several years now. But, wouldn’t you know it, clothing stores have people in them that know about clothes and will help you pull together an outfit! Apparently it’s like, their job or something. Who’d have guessed? I loved the gal that helped me out…and I loved her even more when she informed me during checkout that the pants I found were actually only $6! Score!
Anyhow, that’s that. Wish me luck!

Head’s Up!

2010-08-04T10:55:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to let you all know we’re going on a short trip this month {to Utah}. We’ll only be gone one weekend so it shouldn’t make much, if any difference, blog-wise. Nevertheless, I thought I should give you a head’s up.
We’ll be leaving in the evening to make the 14 hour drive to Provo {where Adam’s younger brother lives}. Hopefully Lucy will sleep through the majority of the trip {hence the driving at night plan}. And we’re borrowing a portable DVD player for the time when she is awake. If watching Winnie the Pooh for the umpteenth time is what it takes to keep my toddler from whining us into insanity then, by all means, let’s watch Pooh.
Adam will be spending most of the weekend with his brother while I’ll be spending most of my time with my friend and her adorable daughter. We haven’t seen each other for years {since before our kiddos were born} so I’m very excited.
Also? I’m totally going to Guru’s {best veggie burrito in the world} and Target! I’m also planning to hit Joann’s Fabrics {if I get a chance} and the USPS. We’re going to ship some Christmas presents super early to take advantage of the USPS flat rate boxes. And I’d like to perhaps grab some fabric if US fabric prices are cheaper, as I suspect they are.
Then, after our trip to the States, we’re planning on driving to B.C. to see one of Adam’s older brothers. Again, it will just be for a few days. We’re hoping to camp one night {Lucy’s first time camping}. And I am very much looking forward to seeing mountains. Actually, now that I think about it, I’ll see mountains in Utah too. I guess I was so excited about going to Target that I forgot. NoIamnotobsessedwithTargetwhydoyouask?
So, that’s that.
Have you traveled this summer? What are your plans for August?

Family

2010-07-28T18:09:00.002-06:00

I was blindsided last week.
Long story short I found my “dad.” And by “dad” I really mean “sperm donor” because, let’s be real, supplying genetic material does not a father make. My father is my step-dad. My bio-dad never paid child support, never visited me, never called, never wrote, not even a single birthday card. Ditto for all my paternal grandparents, uncles, and so on. But don’t think that keeps a little girl from wondering, and wishing, and hurting.
When I was a child I longed to find my dad.
When I was a teenager I longed to find my dad and give him a piece of my mind.
When I was a younger adult than now I longed to find him, give him a piece of my mind, and rake him over the coals for never having paid child support.
Then I found that I didn’t care…or, at least, I thought I didn’t care. After all, why on earth should I care about someone who cares not one iota for me? But that zen conclusion was the product of circumstance. I couldn’t find him. And that was that.
Until I “ran into” him on Facebook.
On Facebook.
And it turned my world upside down.
There he was. He was on Facebook, and MySpace too. There were pictures of him, surrounded by his collection of eleven electric guitars. Eleven guitars. Funny, he wasn’t around to help my mother pay for my one clarinet but he could buy himself eleven friggin’ guitars. And there he was, with a different child in his lap. He couldn’t be bothered to make the child that was me a part of his life, but apparently he had room in his life for others.
I freaked out. I was angry. I was sad. I yelled and cursed and cried. I bawled on the phone with my mother. I vented to Adam. I tweeted about not knowing whether to contact him or not. I exhausted myself with the emotion of it all.
And then I made my decision.
They say you can’t pick your family {with the exception of your spouse}. Well, I’m lucky because, in this case, I can pick my family. I get to choose if this man will be a part of my life, a part of my family. Over two decades ago he chose to not make me part of his family.
And now I’m making the same choice.
There isn’t a good reason in the world to invite a person like that, a person who would desert his own daughter, into my family. There isn’t a good reason in the world I should put myself through the stress, and anxiety, and hurt I’ve been through any longer. And there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell I’m giving him a chance to be a negative influence in my daughter’s life.
He walked out of my life over twenty years ago.
And I’m letting him go.
Forever.
Goodbye…asshole.

Ice {Cream} Ice {Cream}, Baby!

2010-07-17T14:12:00.002-06:00

There really isn’t a decent ice cream place in Medicine Hat, unless you like soft serve…which barely qualifies as ice cream. Having moved here from a town with no less than 6 locations that kept me supplied with really, really good ice cream I haven’t had an easy time adjusting. Just ask Adam, he’ll tell you how much I whined about it.
But last night that all changed. Last night, while driving home from a grocery run I saw something, something that has changed my life, something that made me scream “OH MY GOD!” and grab Adam’s leg, and nearly scare him into a heart attack while he was driving…
THERE IS A NEW COLD STONE CREAMERY INSIDE A TIM HORTON’S!
Apparently they’re testing the market across the country and only four Tim Horton’s in Alberta have Cold Stone ice cream. It’s miraculous that Medicine Hat got one, as opposed to Lethbridge, miraculous and wonderful!
I nearly cried I was so happy.
No, I am not exaggerating.
That is how desperate the ice cream situation has been in this town.
I almost cried.
And today I had a “Love It” sized bowl of cake batter ice cream with yellow cake, sprinkles, and M&Ms mix-ins. It was probably enough calories to fuel Michael Phelps for a day. But it was worth it, I say! Worth. it. YUM.
I had a sample bite of the key lime {which was fantastic by the way}, and next time I think I’ll have to sample the coffee and the chocolate flavors. And herein lies the problem with Cold Stone. There are over 11.5 million possible flavor combinations from which to choose {that’s the actual mathematical statistic, not hyperbole}. People, I am the Queen of Indecisiveness. I could very well end up spending more time trying to decide what flavor to get than I do eating it. But it’s ok. I’m not complaining. I am celebrating because LIFE IS SO MUCH BETTER NOW because I have omgit’ssofreakin’yummy ice cream that isn’t 3 hours away!
My wallet and my waistline are cowering in fear.

Swaps Swaps Everywhere!

2010-07-16T10:34:00.002-06:00

I had a blast last year doing the Christmas ornament swap. That’s why I organized the Valentine’s swap this year. But organizing swaps is a lot of work. So I was pretty stoked when I discovered Swap-bot!

Swap-bot is a online service that organizes group swaps and a community of creative individuals. Swap-bot takes the hassle out of participating in group swaps by organizing all of the participant information and doing all of the partner assignments. On Swap-bot, you can host swaps, join swaps, and chat with other swappers from all over the world.

The swaps for Canadians are somewhat limited, but I managed to find a few that look fun. I’m signed up for a Christmas card/recipe/ornament that can fit in a flat envelope swap and a no spending swap. I love getting stuff in the mail, and I love putting together little surprises so I’m on cloud nine.
I’m also participating in this super awesome I Spy squares swap {not on Swap-bot}! If you’ve got kids they’d probably love an I Spy quilt or book. So check it out!

Do you like doing swaps? What’s the best swap you’ve ever done? Tell me in the comments!

A Quick Anecdote

2010-07-15T09:32:00.002-06:00

Lucy’s vocabulary has exploded lately. We’re often the only ones who can tell what she’s saying, but she is trying. And one of her new words is “bug.”
This morning, lying in bed, she looks up and says, pointing, “Bug! Bug! Bug! Bug!”
I look up.
“Oh my god!” There’s a spider.
A big, ugly, nasty {and did I mention big?} spider. *shudder*
Adam promptly takes care of it {if you know what I mean}, to which Lucy simply replies:
“Bye-bye!”

The Year of Sewing

2010-07-13T19:45:00.002-06:00

You all know I have a new-to-me sewing machine. Well I also have a new blog to go with it. I’m aiming to sew, at least a little bit, every day for 365 days. So if you’re into crafty-type things check it out. I’d love to have you follow my sewing adventure. :)
Here’s what I’ve made so far, and there’s much, much, much more to come:

So just click the button and please follow my newest venture. Thanks! :)

Picnic Pictures

2010-07-09T17:09:00.001-06:00

As promised, here are a few of the pictures Jenn took today {none of which have Ms. Harassment in them}.

Snapping Pictures Can Make People Snap

2010-07-09T14:26:00.002-06:00

Today I went on a lovely picnic with my friend Jenn and her 4-year-old son. We had peanut butter and banana sandwiches, fruit salad, mint limeade, and other goodies. We played with bubbles, and splashed in the fountain in the park. And Jenn, who is a photographer, brought her camera to take pictures of the kids. That’s when things went downhill.
Before I go any further let me just lay out the rights of photographers {in case you’re unaware}:

“The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees your right to take photographs of anything you want, as well as publish them.”
“Nobody can…forcibly delete photos, expose your film, or harm you. If anyone does…you can sue them under civil law to recoup the damages.”
“People can be photographed if they are in public (without their consent) unless they have secluded themselves and can expect a reasonable degree of privacy” for example, if they’re in a dressing room. {This is a clear policy for US photographers and seems to be applicable in Canada as well based on point #1}.

So, now you know. And now when you read the following it should be abundantly clear who was out of line.
So Jenn is taking some fun shots of our kiddos playing with the water {and as soon as she sends me copies I’ll post some for you to see}. We’re having fun, minding our own business. When, from clear across the park, a woman approaches us and orders Jenn to delete any pictures in which the woman appears. Jenn assured her that she wasn’t in any of the shots. But the woman just kept repeating herself, “If I’m in any shots delete them.” Finally Jenn says “right, but you’re not.” She even offered to let this complete stranger look through all the pictures on her camera. Jenn reiterated that the photos are close ups of our kids, that we are on a picnic, and that the woman is being rude. At which point the woman turns to me {as if I’m Jenn’s mother or babysitter or something} and says
“I have a problem with your friend.”
“I have a problem with you,” I replied.
Now, let me make this clear, I hate confrontation. I’m scared of people. I avoid conflict whenever possible {and often when I should be standing up for myself}. So if your behavior has gotten me upset enough to actually speak up then you’re really out of line.
“You’re not in the pictures. She told you you’re not in the pictures. Why would she even want a picture of you?” I continue. Then Ms.I’m-Going-To-Harass-You-And-Refuse-To-Listen-To-You makes a lawyer threat. I told her “go ahead!” Jenn tells her “call the police! Go ahead, call the police!” {The woman does neither which is almost a shame because I would have loved to see them tell her “Lady, you’re nuts. They haven’t done anything wrong. Stop wasting our time.”} The whole thing ends with the woman complaining that Jenn wouldn’t give her Jenn’s business card {to which Jenn said “I don’t deal with crazy”} and the woman approaching another lady in the park {presumably to complain about us}.
I absolutely don’t blame Jenn for refusing to provide contact information. I’m not in the habit of giving my phone number to paranoid strangers who harass me either. In fact, I walked home along a different path because I didn’t want this lady to know where Lucy and I live.
So, word to the wise:

If you’re in a public park you have no right to not be in the background of someone’s pictures {or the foreground for that matter}.
If you want to approach anyone you happen to see with a camera and ask them to delete precious childhood snapshots despite the law saying they don’t have to and they assure you that it’s not necessary because you’re not in the pictures then take them at their word and leave them the hell alone.
If you ignore the previous two points and continue to annoy two mothers trying to have a good time with their small children and the photographer offers your the completely non-obligatory courtesy of proving to you that you’re not in the pictures either accept her offer or shut up and go away.

Geesh. Seriously guys, it was five and a half kinds of obnoxious.
Have you or someone you know ever been harassed for taking pictures in a public place? Tell me about it in the comments and I’ll share the three best stories in another post.

A Fairy Tale

2010-07-07T09:47:00.002-06:00

Once upon a time…
There was a peasant woman with a desire to sew. She bought the cheapest machine she could get because it was all she could afford. And she sewed. She made a cat bed, skirts, some zippered make-up bags, and a few other things. But little did she know an evil wizard had cast a spell on her machine before it was sold that would make it inexplicably break. The woman was very sad. Her husband tried to fix the machine. Her mother-in-law tried to figure out what was wrong. But nothing they did made it better. And in time the machine became even more useless. Hiring a repair-wizard would cost far more than the machine cost. So the woman conceded defeat.
A few years after buying the first machine the woman’s husband surprised her with a new sewing machine for Mother’s Day. And there was much rejoicing! But, having learned her lesson the first time the woman consulted her magical information machine and, in doing so, discovered that this particular type of machine was regularly cursed by wizards and witches. So it was with much sadness and a few tears that the woman had her husband return the machine.
Now the woman had no machine and no hope of soon obtaining one. Trustworthy machines simply cost too much, even refurbished ones from the repair-wizard’s shop. But one day the woman saw a notice on ye olde notice board on her magical information machine for a trustworthy sewing machine in “good condition” for very little money. She laid claim right away and soon the merchant-woman delivered the machine to her. Alas! It was missing a foot, but the merchant discounted the machine to help make up for that unfortunate fact.
It wasn’t until after the merchant had left that the peasant woman discovered that the machine was also missing a crucial part. She contacted the merchant woman again to ask for a refund. The merchant woman simply said she had never had that part. The peasant woman was outraged! “Why, that’s dishonest, “ she said. “You shouldn’t have listed it in “good condition” if you couldn’t even test to see if it works!” The merchant said nothing and slunk off into the dark and frightening woods where only liars, cheats, and robbers live. The peasant woman pronounced a curse on her but, not being a witch, the spell was just harmless, but colorful, words.
By this time the peasant women was sorely vexed and feeling quite depressed. There were so many projects to sew and no way to sew them. Hoping against hope she visited the shop of the lord and lady of the land and asked if they ever had sewing machines for sale. They did, in fact they had one that very moment! It was an older machine, which meant it was probably made before wizards and witches began regularly cursing machines. And, just to be sure, the peasant woman could try it out before buying it {at a discount because the lord and lady are benevolent like that}. It worked! The peasant woman rejoiced! She may have gone through much sorrow and frustration. She may have been cheated. But she finally had a working sewing machine!
But what to do with the two expensive and very large door stops she still had in her possession? “Perhaps the repair-wizard would like to by them for parts,” she said to herself. And, in a complete reversal of her usual luck with sewing machines the repair-wizard did indeed want to buy them. In fact, he bought the machine the wicked, lying merchant had sold her for three times the amount the peasant woman had paid for it {“ha-ha! take THAT liar-liar-pants-on-fire” she thought}. And with a song in her heart the woman joyfully used her earnings to buy notions and fabric.
And she lived happily, ever after?

A Total “Eclipse” of the Heart

2010-07-04T18:43:00.002-06:00

Guys, it’s just so sad. I had to share:
There we were, me, Adam, in the car with the progeny in the backseat on our way to run an errand. I saw something spectacular, incredible, fan-effing-tastic!
“I have to have a Burger King kid’s meal!”
“Right now? Or on the way home?” Adam replied.
“On the way home…they have Twilight toys!”
That’s when Adam gave me a look of disgust and hit me repeatedly saying “dirty, dirty, dirty!”
“No! It’s awesome! That’s a blog post right there!” I was practically gleeful. “Maybe I’ll get a shirtless Jacob figure!” I snickered.
Cut to later when we’re in the drive-thru. The sign on the menu said the toy was a holographic ring. Excellent! I could totally take sexy-face pictures of me wearing it. Adam just wondered if they could make holograms sparkle. The air was thick with anticipation as I dug into my greasy bag and excitedly pulled out…
…a Marmaduke toy.
A MARMADUKE TOY?
Booooooo! Where was my toy for desperate Twihards?
I then sent my very-good-sport of a husband inside to make an inquiry about the toys. They were out of Eclipse toys.
They were out.
I’ve concluded that either Twilight has suddenly become very popular with the under-12 set or a lot of lonely, grown women have been ordering kid’s meals at Burger King. Then again, maybe there’s just been a rush of bloggers like me ordering them for the purpose of satire and merciless mockery. ;)

PS: I love to make fun of Twilight for many reasons {not the least of which being that it’s just so easy}. And I do stand by my belief that they send a terrible message to girls about relationships. That said, I do have my own similarly pathetic movies and books to which I will admit a fond attachment. But I’m still going to poke fun at Twilight and the obsessive fandom. So spare me any outrage in the comments, please.

The Days Are Long But The Years Are Short

2010-07-03T15:00:00.001-06:00

I’ve been busy.

I’ve been selling etched glass and vinyl decals at the local Farmer’s Market and working on my Etsy shop {click “products” in the left-hand sidebar}. I’ve read some books I’ve been meaning to get to. I’ve been taking care of a toddler and attempting to maintain some semblance of sanity {toddlers are hard}. I’ve been doing a little baking. I’ve been, you know, living life.

We celebrated Canada Day on Thursday. Lucy liked the fireworks last year. I was really looking forward to watching her watch them again this year. The bugs were out in full force. I’m covered in itchy bites {Lucy and Adam came out relatively unscathed}. While we were waiting for the city’s fireworks to start there were some little ones set off by somebody or other. Lucy was pretty excited:

But then…

…there was a LOUD firework.

Lucy turned tail and ran. She didn’t even look back to see where we were. Adam chased her down. I gave her lots of hugs. But it was clear that she was not going to like the fireworks. We couldn’t even get her to look at some nearby sparklers. She would turn away from subsequent smaller, quieter fireworks saying “no, no, no, no, no!” So we went home. And even on the way home, in the car where the fireworks couldn’t be heard she refused to look at them. Poor thing.

Maybe next year.

How’d you celebrate Canada Day, or, how will you be celebrating the 4th of July?

Facebook | Tommy Taylor: How I Got Arrested and Abused at G20 in Toronto, Canada.

2010-06-30T21:42:00.000-06:00

Facebook | Tommy Taylor: How I Got Arrested and Abused at G20 in Toronto, Canada.

Read it. Share it. Think about it.

Organizing Med School Applications

2010-06-28T19:37:00.001-06:00

There’s a lot of information to keep track of when you apply to a medical school, deadlines, pre-requisite classes, GPA and MCAT cutoffs, admission statistics, school costs, and so on. Multiply that by however many schools to which you’re planning to apply and it’s a recipe for disaster {mix up your deadlines, fail to send the right number of letters of recommendation, or any number of other mistakes could seal your application doom}. That’s why I put together this chart for Adam:

Right now we’re just focusing on five schools {but we may add more next month}. Here are some detailed peeks: First and foremost are the application deadlines for each school {I used my Cricut and vinyl to make school logo stickers and the medical stickers – if I’m going to have this poster in my family room I might as well make it look as pretty as possible, right?}. And each deadline section has a box that can be checked off once applications are completely submitted. Next are the average MCAT scores and GPAs of students who matriculate. Next to those stats are blank spaces for Adam to fill in his own stats for comparison {he was very happy to fill in his excellent MCAT scores, we’re still waiting for his transcripts and GPA to be evaluated}. And then there’s a checklist of classes he has to take before being admitted {well, for the University of Calgary it’s more a guideline}. He still has a few classes to take but none of the schools mind if he’s still taking them during the time period in which he’s applying {applications take nearly a year}.

Then there’s the application fees *cringe* and how they can be paid. Are you seeing those numbers? $155, $75, $150, etc. and that doesn’t include the cost of transcripts from his prior education, nor the cost of travel to any interviews to which he may be invited. Ugh. It is friggin’ expensive to become a doctor, and let’s not forget tuition. Eegads! Speaking of tuition there’s a row to track which schools will cost what, as well as a checklist for reference letters and the info on when interview invites are given and when interviews are held.

There is information on whether or not a school has on campus housing for families {most do}, what it costs, and how it compares to the cost of off-campus housing. Then there’s the almighty notification dates, as in “the-day-we-will-be-anxiously-awaiting-and-dreading-and-trying-not-to-go-crazy-waiting-for-because-it’s-the-day-that-determines-our-future-for-the-next-three-to-four-years-or-the-day-we-cry-ourselves-to-sleep-because-we-need-to-start-all-over-again-with-this-whole-stressful-application-process” but I’m just calling it “Doomsday” for short.

Finally there’s a place for Adam to make lists of pros and cons for the various schools in case he has the luxury of picking from multiple offers. For example, University of Calgary is a three year program {versus four years} and that really appeals to Adam.

Anyway, that’s the special chart I made. You could easily make a spreadsheet instead but we wanted something large and in a highly visible place. Also, I wanted an excuse to play with my vinyl cutter. :)

Taking the MCAT & Applying for Med School

2010-06-22T18:34:00.003-06:00

*ahem* I do believe it’s time for a little bragging on behalf of Adam:

Oh yes, I’m married to an MCAT-ass-kicking-machine!!!
So, for the unfamiliar MCAT scoring can be very confusing. Here’s more info:

Four separate scores are derived from the MCAT, one for each section and the total score. Each score that you achieve on the multiple-choice sections (Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Biological Sciences) is based on the number of questions you answer correctly. This raw score is a reflection of your correct answers only…The scores for the multiple-choice sections—Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, and Biological Sciences—will be reported on a scale ranging from 1 (lowest) to 15 (highest)…Your raw score on the Writing sample will be converted to an alphabetic scale ranging from J (lowest) to T (highest)...In addition to scores for the individual sections, a total score will also be reported. This total score will consist of a combined multiple-choice score conjoined with the Writing Sample score, e.g., 42T. {via the AAMC}

So, just to clarify, Adam got a ~~good~~ great score. I am not surprised, but I am proud, very proud. He is very smart and he worked very, very hard.
And now, I’m pleased to announce the start of a new series of posts which will be ongoing for the next ~~million~~ 8 or so years here on Domestic Dork:

Seeing as this is the inaugural post in the “Med School Mama” series I’ll give you some background info {for those of you who don’t already know it}. Adam has a bachelor’s in film. In his final year of classes he realized the film industry was not where he wanted to spend the rest of his working days. He spent some time in construction before deciding to go back to school. For the last year and a half he’s been taking pre-med classes with the intention of attending medical school. It was a big decision that we made together. We both knew that if he was going to pursue this dream I would need to be on board. Well, I am. And I’m doing what I can to help, starting with making the application process a little smoother.
Applying for med school is kind of a big deal. It’s exciting, and scary, and expensive and stressful and confusing. Different schools have different requirements. Some schools want your MCAT {Medical College Admission Test} scores to be this good other schools want them to be that good and some schools don’t care at all about the MCAT. This summer the med schools begin accepting applications for school beginning in fall 2011.
There are 17 accredited medical schools in Canada {versus 132 in the United States}. The Quebec schools were easy to eliminate.It didn’t take long before the list of schools Adam was interested in applying to was whittled down to 5 {though we’re not yet completely ruling out the others…except the ones in Quebec}. They are {in Adam’s current order of preference}:

Basically, this is how the application process goes:

We’re not even to step one yet and already we’ve done plenty of the “cross fingers and try not to freak out” bit. See, we had to wait about a month before we knew how Adam scored on the MCAT. Since he did well we’ll move on to applying. If he hadn’t done well he would have had to write the test again and we’d start applying under the promise of sending in his scores after the retest. The MCAT is a big pain. It’s not cheap to take {$230 ouch!}. Plus it required that Adam drive to Edmonton. And, of course, it’s an important and loooong {5 hours!} test that required a lot of studying. So we’re both happy he won’t have to re-do all that {Adam especially is happy about that fact}. But either way it’s time to start preparing for the application process. So look forward to more Med School Mama posts. Next time I’ll show you how I’m helping Adam keep himself organized!
And again, a big, fat congratulations to Adam! Way to go, Love!

Canada’s Sunniest City?

2010-06-20T14:18:00.003-06:00

Medicine Hat is Canada’s sunniest city. But the rain rain rain came down down down in rushing, rising riv'lets till the river crept out of its bed and crept right into ~~Piglet's~~ places it totally shouldn’t be.
That’s right. Southern Alberta is flooding. The South Saskatchewan river which runs through town is racing. We’ve watched 30 foot trees just flowing down the river like twigs in a game of “Pooh sticks.” Creeks all over town have flooded. Roads have been closed. Some neighborhoods, parks, golf courses, and storage facilities are flooded. And it’s supposed to rain tonight.
We’re not the only town to be soggy. In fact, part of the Trans Canada highway between here and Maple Creek is simply gone.

There’s not anything we’ve been able to do to help thus far. Though I am keeping an eye on the new Facebook group where people are posting requests for items to replace things they’ve lost to flooding. We still have a lot of baby clothes, a stroller, a sling, and some toys and such that Lucy has outgrown. So hopefully we’ll have a chance to help somebody out, even just a little.
If you’d like to see more photos you can visit the Facebook page {some of my own photos are posted to the group}. Our own home isn’t in any danger. The lab were Adam works may flood if the water levels rise much more but hopefully the worst is over. We’ve been told the levels aren’t rising and have actually gone down but who knows what will happen after the predicted rainfall. So, that’s what’s happening here. I have more {unrelated} things to tell you all about but figured this was a higher priority. Weather man, it’s crazy. I hear there’s epic weather happening all over North America, so if you’re in a bad area stay safe.

Now My Head Weighs Less

2010-06-10T22:46:00.002-06:00

I cut all my hair off. No, actually, I paid someone else to cut it all off. Just thought I’d share.