Been Busy

I've still been learning all sorts of new things, just been a little busy to get in here and jot them down. Here's a couple new things for you...

• Ripe cranberries bounce, that is a big part of how they get sorted for sale. The first guy who figured this out tossed a bucketful down his staircase and the ones that made it to the bottom were the ripe ones. Source: Food Network and Wondertime Magazine (two mentions in two days, figured it was a sign I should blog it).
  
• Your taste buds actually change at high altitudes, thats why airplane food always tastes so crappy. Source: Food Network, Next Iron Chef
• I saw how firefighter jackets are made and learned all kinds of interesting details that go into it, none of which I can really remember a week later... Source: Discovery Channel, How Its Made
• I learned how to make my own granola bars from scratch, and I learned I should read all the directions because I used an 8x8 glass dish instead of the jelly roll pan it suggested, they were too thick and didn't cook all the way through so it didn't stick together into bar form. So I just made some really yummy granola, next time I'll try to get them into bar form. Inspiration: Sarah Snow's visit to Jon & Kate plus 8
  

Do This

• Do you get a million credit card offers a day? I do and it drives me crazy! I kept hearing there are places you can go to get yourself off those lists and I just ran across this one today... Its optoutprescreen.com, just enter your name and address and they should stop completely within a couple months. I chose the 5 year option but there is also an opt-out forever option. If you're nervous about your security and whether this is legit, check out this FTC site for more details.
  

Chicken Fried Rice

• I had the leftover 40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken and was wondering what to do with it... I decided on Chicken Fried Rice, only I've never made it before and had no idea how. After a quick Google, a glance at this recipe, and memories of my mom's version in mind I had it all figured out. I cooked some brown rice, chopped zuchinni & onion, shredded carrots, added some frozen baby peas, two big cloves of garlic, two tbsp of lite soy sauce, stirred in some eggs, tossed in the leftover chicken, fried it all up and voila! It was delicious. Cali even tried it without any prompting and said "Cali likes it! Yummmm" and ate about half a bowl. I was thrilled that she actually liked it after all the work I put into making it (by 'work' I mean, keeping her and D happily occupied while I chopped, stirred, answered phone calls, etc.) So I learned how to make fried rice which is exactly how it sounds, you take cooked rice and fry it up with a bunch of other stuff and it tastes delicious.
  

Chick-Fil-A

• Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays. I remembered after we drove there, saw the empty parking lot, and the big red letters on the sign "CLOSED SUNDAYS" that my Mother-In-Law had just told me that a couple weeks ago. That and Hobby Lobby, I went to HL about 5 times on a Sunday before I remembered that they are always closed on Sunday.
  

Petfinder

• Petfinder.com, the best online pet adoption search, even has Guinea Pigs! I would have never thought of that. The founder of Petfinder.com was on Ellen talking about it after her big Iggy ordeal and they said "... even Guinea Pigs". That's great news. I've kind of been thinking of a Guinea Pig pet for the kids (not anytime soon, but I was just thinking) and would definitely want to rescue one if that is a choice over buying from a pet store. So if you need a pet, even if its a Guinea Pig or a Rat or a Snake please check Petfinder.com first to see if there are any adorable animals in your local area that need to be adopted.
• While looking around petfinder, I also found a link to The Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue website, in case you are in the market specifically for a Guinea Pig. If you're in the market for any other specific animal or breed I highly suggest you Google it and you will very likely find a rescue group for your needs too.
  

Crock-Pot Paella

• You can make Chicken Paella in a Crock-Pot, and about a million other things too. I was checking out crock-pot.com for some new recipe ideas since it finally cooled down here and I'm in the mood for some warm, Fall comfort foods. Some other recipes I printed out were Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Feta, Spinach and Tomatoes, and Salsa Chicken. Yes I'm a big fan of chicken.
  
• Also I am learning that Baby D really, really hates to go to bed. Wonder where he got that from? If we're out in the evening he gets a five minute catnap on the way home and refuses to go to sleep til 2 hours later. Fun.

ETA: Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic was DELICIOUS. It made the house smell so good I couldn't wait to eat it and both babies gobbled it up too! Definitely making that one again.

Shut the Gate

• D has discovered the joys of the dog bowl. First it was the water, lots of fun to pull up (big dog, its up on a raised platform) and splash. Today there was actually food in the bowl (the dog usually eats at night so the bowl is empty all day, but he didn't eat last night) and as we were trying to head out the door he managed to sneak a piece into his mouth. Yummy! Time for me to make a habit of shutting the gate to the kitchen again...
  

Hilarious

• D in an elephant costume = HILARIOUS to Cali and her reaction had me rolling on the floor too. She couldn't stop laughing about the fact that "brother has a tail!"

Its Blog Action Day

• Yep, its Blog Action Day:

  On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

  I had no idea. My friend Vanessa clued me in, especially since the subject this year is the Environment and that's my forte!
  

So here's what I want you to do... RECYCLE!! Seriously people, its not that difficult. I really have a hard time throwing things away, and not because I'm emotionally attached but because I hate to think of it sitting in a landfill for hundreds, thousands, or billions of years. I don't know why but that has always bugged me. In college I did my Senior Thesis on Recycling and explored how to bring a feasible Recycling program to my hometown of Fairbanks, AK. Not easy considering the remote location, costs of transportation to Recycling facilities, etc. Unfortunately I did not find an easy solution, but I did find out a lot from my research and I got an "A" on the thesis. I also took a private tour of our local landfill, very eye-opening and a vivid image that remains with me every time I have to throw something out.

Here's something to think about the next time you throw something away.
Average time it take to decompose a...
■ banana -- 3 to 4 weeks
■ paper bag -- 1 month
■ cotton rag -- 5 months
■ wool sock -- 1 year
■ cigarette butt -- 2 to 5 years
■ leather boot -- 40 to 50 years
■ tin can -- 80 to 100 years
■ aluminum can -- 200 to 500 years
■ plastic 6-pack rings -- 450 years
■ plastic jug -- 1 million years
■ Styrofoam cup -- unknown? forever?
■ glass bottle -- unknown? forever?

So, the point is you should RECYCLE. Here's how I do it: I shop at the commissary where they happen to have huge recycling drop off bins for paper, cardboard, plastic and aluminum. When I shop I ask for paper bags and that is what I use for my collecting "bins" at home. I happen to have a large pantry so I keep my "bins" on the floor in there: one for paper, one for plastic, one for cardboard and I rarely drink soda but if I do I keep those cans too. When the bags get full I move them to the garage, when I go to do my grocery shopping I load up the back of my SUV and drop it all off in the recycling bins before I go in to shop. Its that simple. Really. I rinse out all my plastic bottles when they are empty and dump them in the plastic "bin". I gather up all my newspapers, junk mail, office papers, dump them in the paper "bin". All my cardboard boxes whether from mail packages or gifts or boxes of cereal, I unfold them, flatten them and stick them in the cardboard "bin". Unfortunately my location doesn't take glass, but I wash and save those too and use them for crafts or tool storage or find someone who needs them, people even buy/sell baby food jars on Ebay! After all this recycling I usually only have two bags of garbage per week. Its amazing how much "garbage" you can reduce by recycling the majority of your waste. My neighbors bins are always overflowing and it doesn't have to be that way.

Your assignment: wherever you live and whatever your situation, take some time this week to research your recycling options. Many cities have pick up service, you just have to call and request a bin (some cities charge a little extra for this service). Maybe you have the ability to recycle at work, do it! If your office recycles paper, save your home papers and bring them in to recycle too (ask your boss but I'm sure they won't mind). Maybe you will find a local recycling center that has drop off locations and some recycling places even pay you back. Please, for me, for the planet, for your children. Take the time to think about recycling and see how you can start recycling in your community, then spread the word to your friends & neighbors too!!

Never Wash the Car

• I decided I'm never washing the car again. I think I washed it twice in the past 6 months and it rained the very next day both times. This time a bird crapped on it first, then it rained like crazy. I guess at least the bird crap got washed off by the rain.
  

Cali ♥ Gymnastics

• On Thursday we went to Mom & Tot open gym at our local Gymnastics studio. Cali LOVED it. They have trampolines, bounce houses, a huge foam pit, balls, slides, blocks, hanging rings, balance beams, you name it. Its a huge facility and there were tons of kids but so much to do it wasn't crowded. She has been talking about it ever since and probably already asked 10 times to "go gym again". I told her we'd go back Monday so she's just counting the days. I'll take my camera next time too.

Date Night

• Friday night is my "date night" meaning just me and the kids go out and have a good time. Our little date ritual the past several Fridays has consisted of feeding the duckys, playing at the park & to top it off a small shared bowl of TCBY. Somebody is a big fan...

I think this little date night ritual is going to be a continuing tradition for awhile now.

Stray AC

• I randomly ran across this blog and learned all kind of crazy things, for example:
  
• You may be asked to remove your underwire bra to pass through security
• Your apartment application can be denied if you have tattoos
• If you live in Belgium, you can get your disabled family members a prostitute
• You can get married at Wal-Mart if you really want to
• The odds of having 3 children born on the same day (different years)? 7.5 in 1 million. The Cotton Family of Marysville, Ohio have two sons and a daughter all born on Oct 2 but in 2003, 2006, and 2007. Crazy!
  

Cormorant Fishing

• In China, they used trained birds - Cormorants to be exact- to catch fish for them... In China and Japan, the practice of cormorant fishing is thought to date back some 1300 years. Fishermen use the natural fish-hunting instincts of the cormorants to catch fish, but a metal ring placed round the bird's neck prevents large, valuable fish from being swallowed. The fish are instead collected by the fisherman. Source: Survivor China, info from Wikipedia.
  

Sad News

On Monday I learned some very sad news. My family's dog, Brandy, had to be put down. She was our family pet ever since I was in the 6th grade. I remember the day my dad brought her home (all the way from MO to AK in our new motor home) like it was yesterday. She was the sweetest, cutest, softest little puppy. My dad is taking it pretty hard, they were very close and he will miss her for a long time. He was the one that had to take her in, my mom did it for our first dog Prissy and she said she could never do that again. They made her a nice grave and headstone in their front yard where they can see it out their front windows. I am so sad she is gone and sad for my parent's loss. The picture was taken last November as she so patiently sat while Cali brushed her with a babydoll brush.

Make Your Own Play Food

• So clever! Why didn't we think of this? This mom simply cuts pictures of food off the boxes and uses it for creative food play! I love recycling and I love cheap toys, I'm going to dig through my recycling bag right now... Source: Instructables by way of Goodyblog

Cellulitis

• I think I have unilateral cellulitis, my right eyelid is swollen for no good reason and thats what came up when I googled "swollen eyelid". I believe it though, Cali had cellulitis in her hand last year and that's what it reminds me of. My eye itself is fine, just the eyelid is getting swollen for no apparent reason. It says I need antibiotics, I don't have time for that. We'll see what happens. Source: http://www.eyemdlink.com

How to spend $1.2 Million in One Day

• In case you ever have so much money you don't know what to do with it, here are some ideas. A headline about a $1,000 pizza caught my eye on Yahoo. Hint: it involves a lot of caviar and gold-leafed ice cream.

What I'm Reading

• How to Behave so Your Preschooler Will Too - Wanted to get some extra insight on the whole discipline thing, its not my forte and how should I know how to do it if I've never done it before right? I've always learned best from reading so I decided to just pick up whatever discipline books they might have at my local library. Its a winner, I really like it so far. As one amazon reviewer put it, its "just right -- neither too hard nor too soft. [The Author] acknowledges that children sometimes need to be punished so that they can learn the boundaries of acceptable behavior; but he's eager to help you become your child's ally and tutor in learning right from wrong." I do disagree about using the bathroom for time-out (which the author concurs is not a good idea for potty-trainers), but that's easy enough to change to our own needs. So far I've learned that I have the right ideas, its just remembering to use them, staying consistent, having patience, and having the proper expectations for her age. I've been trying out the "no whining" techniques this morning and they are working great! First you don't tell them "no whining" because that just plants the idea of whining into their head, what you want to do is tell them what they SHOULD do. For example I tell her "I don't understand when you're whining, please use a nice voice" or "I don't listen to whining, I can help you when you ask nicely." Works like a charm... well as much as any charm would work on a 2 year old. But you get the picture, it helps.

I didn't know that was possible...

• On the way to Cali's checkup, I am explaining where we are going and what the doctor will do...

Me: And the doctor will look at your ears, nose, eyes, tummy, umm.... your toes, your hair...
C: Cali growing more hair!
Me: Yes, thats right your hair is growing.
C: Cali growing more teeth!
Me: Yes, you're right.
C: Cali growing more toes!
Me: Ummm, really?

• Cali is 29 lbs and 35 1/4 inches tall. D is 19 lbs 9 oz. Source: Cali's 2 yr checkup
• D can really crawl, I'm in for it now...

Trivia

• The tallest tower in the world is CN tower in Toronto, Canada at 1,815 ft. See it here.
• "Cordilleras": an extensive chain of mountains or mountain ranges.
• Timbuktu is in the country of Mali, Africa.
  
• Europe consists of 46 countries, Africa has 53.
• First woman to win a nobel peace prize: Jane Addams, 1931.

Source: Webkinz trivia for 13+, no I'm not kidding. Cali got a Webkinz for her birthday and I was trying to win some Webkinz money to buy her some cool new stuff. Out of 50 questions, this is all I learned.

Sweet Berry Farm Open for Fall Fun

• Yay! I had such a fun time with Cali at Sweet Berry Farm last fall just after Dave deployed, I can't wait to go back this fall. If all goes well we can make a family trip this weekend, Dave included! I can't wait. Click here for hours of operation and see all the fun stuff they have to offer.
  

National Popcorn Month

• October is National Popcorn Month!! Good news for popcorn fans everywhere. You can get two "free" bags of Dale & Thomas Gourmet Popcorn by going here - "free" meaning You have to pay $5.90 for shipping. Source: Goodyblog.
• I learned the "Funky Eagle" and the "Peanut Butter Stomp" from Yo Gabba Gabba!
  

Zoos

• They have Zoos in the Netherlands where Monkeys run free and they give you special monkey protection bags to put your stuff in so they won't steal it. Source: iVillage Message Board
• Cali is not cool with a live river otter swimming underneath her. Source: experience at our local Zoo today where she was happily sliding through the otter exhibit until I pointed out the otter swimming right under her.
  

Happy Birthday Cali

• If you tell your 2 year old its her birthday when she wakes up, don't be surprised if she wants "Happy Birthday Cake" for breakfast. Compromise: toaster waffle with frosting and sprinkles.
  
• Sonic Iced Latte: 1 on my previously mentioned scale. Blech, I wanted to throw up and did not even drink half of it. It must've been made with whole milk or heavy cream, it was so thick and gross! Never again. I've learned my lesson: you want a good iced latte you have to go to a real coffee shop.
  

McDonald's Iced Coffee

• I got the vanilla (they also have hazelnut and regular). On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being undrinkable and 10 being totally delicious), I give it a 5 and that's being generous. I'm a big fan of iced lattes, preferably with a shot of coconut. Definitely doesn't compare to that but if you're really in a pinch I suppose it would do, maybe. And at $2.15 for the medium I'd rather spend the extra $2 and drive a little further for the good stuff. I won't be getting it again anytime soon unless I'm really desperate for a caffeine kick. Source: My Own Curiosity
  
• People are shady - I bought this little nightlight, vapor releasing do-hicky for Cali's room to help with her stuffy nose. It was supposed to come with 5 refill pads of the vapor stuff. There was none in the box. I realize the box was sealed when I opened it so where could they be? Did the manufacturer leave them out on accident? I re-read it, yep it says it includes 5 vapor pad refills. I check the bottom of the box. Nice, a piece of grimy scotch tape is holding the bottom shut. Lovely, someone stole the vapor pads, taped the bottom shut and returned it? So now I have a vaporizer with no vapors and have to make a trip back to the store when I really have no time or desire to do that today. Source: Annoying personal experience
  
• The top of the guest bed is a great place to take Bear for a walk in his stroller. Source: Cali, almost 2
  

Mileage

• It is 1.5 miles from my local post office to the field of horseys I take Cali to look at. Source: Strollometer data from my morning jog.
• D is not allergic to peanuts. Source: Cali's generous offer of letting D "taste it" before I realized what she was doing.
• Cali is proficient at removing her pants & diapers now. Source: Mid-night trip to the potty where halfway down the hall I realized she had a naked butt and she proudly told me her diaper was "in bed" when I asked its whereabouts.
  
• New favorite product: Johnson's Soothing Vapor Bath. Cali has a cold so I picked some up and it worked great, kind of like you dumped Vicks Vapor Rub in the tub but better. I've heard its great for grownups too. I'll definitely try it next time I get a stuffy nose.
  

Stains

• To remove stains - Pour boiling water over the stain ASAP. Source: Cookie Magazine.

Supposedly very effective, but not sure how practical it is. I mean who has boiling water handy when you really need it? And as a busy mom I don't even have time to boil some if I am home and happen to notice a stain right away. I usually don't notice them til they're out of the dryer and by then its way too late. I'll let you know if I ever try it, and you let me know if you do.

One of those Days

• Don't leave your box of scrapbooking brads on the desk where you will end up knocking it off and then have to spend five minutes picking them up and re-sorting them. Source: personal experience
• Just wait for the train instead of trying to drive around to the next crossing because as luck will have it, another train will be blocking that crossing too. Source: personal experience
• Don't leave your diaper bag at home. Source: personal experience (more than once)
• There is such a thing as a "mommy" paintbrush and a "baby" paintbrush even though they are identical in every way and yes she has to have both of them. Source: Cali, almost 2