Eternal Lizdom

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Time For A Change... Maybe...

I've been doing some thinking... I'm coming up next month on my 1 year blog-iversary. I'm coming up on my 35th birthday next week. And I feel like I need a little change. First... I want to address my lurkers... I love that you are here and that you read! Especially those who come back every day or regularly. Keep coming back, please! And maybe... leave a comment from time to time? The thing I like about comments is it helps me know what my readers respond to and like to read. Don't get me wrong- it won't dictate what I write because this is still what I do for me. But I'm intrigued to find out what people like and the best gauge for that is reading your comments! Second... I think I need a new header title. "Come. Sit. Enjoy some Lizdom. And maybe some pie." As has been pointed out, there isn't much pie happening on this blog. So I feel like I want a little header that will better suit the blog. But I need your suggestions!! Third... I think I'm going to work harder to get more Tweet-friendly. If I get my new phone (a little bird tells me that it's going to happen) for my birthday, I will also be upgrading my Verizon contract and upping my TXTing option to unlimited instead of the limited package I have now. Sah-weet!! What I need to know from YOU, gentle readers, is if I should connect with my readers via Twitter? Should I include a little Twitter update thingee here on my blog? And finally... there are new links up in my nav bar! "Pictures" will take you to a blog I set up specifically when I have oodles of pics. Turns out there were folks who weren't able to get to Facebook (work blockers, firewalls, etc) to see the pics. So I created this new page to make up for that! I don't always want all of my pics here- 74 state fair pics would be a bit much, I think, and require much scrolling! "Awards" takes you to the blog page created to keep my lovely blog awards that I love receiving!! Alright everyone! Regular commenters and lurkers unite! Give your input!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

My #1 Parenting Trick

Well, #1 for this week, anyway. The week that Jeff was off slaying dragons and living in a dungeon at GenCon, I was saddled with the task of picking up my 2 children from vastly different locations each evening. My drive from work to home takes 45 minutes on average so getting to Zach by 5:30 was a challenge already. Miss Lisa lives just blocks from our home on the west side of our town. I work on the west side of the city of which we are a suburb- still on the north side but east vs west. So rush to get Zach by 5:30, then head across town to the east side of our town and fight serious traffic to get there before 6. Then get the kids home, dropping Christy off on our way, and throw dinner together. The only way to keep the kids happy during all that madness? SNACKS Everyday, I made sure to have a snack waiting in the car to feed Zach on the way to get Teagan and to feed Teagan on the way home. Then they would have a lighter dinner and we'd all have a pleasant evening. This week, Jeff is back. I forgot to tell him the trick. He did all the school transportation this week and did it without snacks. Which meant there were some cranky kids in his car. Unintentional experiment shows the importance of food in the tummy! I got to pick up Teagan at school yesterday and she was crushed that I hadn't brought a snack. And since she was tired and hungry after her full and busy school day, she fell apart a little. Whining, a few tears, constant nagging. Today, I went to Trader Joe's and stocked up on serious snack options. My plan is to bag them up and have ziploc bags available for Jeff or I to keep on hand for in-the-car snacks whenever needed. I've got brown-rice krispy marshmallow squares (healthy rice krispie treats), jelly candies (again, the healthier version of a jelly candy), fruit leather, dried fruit, raisins and other dried berry type fruits, cheese stick crackers, peanut butter crackers, ABC cookies. Also plan to hit Costco this weekend. They have a mango and berries dried fruit mix I want. And little mini bottles of apple juice (juice boxes don't work in a car). Plus little mini pepperoni- not for snacks but to add to these super easy pasta bowls that Teagan wolfed down from Trader Joe's. Toss in some mini-pepperoni and presto- complete meal! So my parenting tip... keep snacks handy. At home, we keep them easily accessible in a bin in a lower cabinet. Healthy options like applesauce, cereal bars (Trader Joe's variety), dried fruit, etc. I find that often, crankiness is due to being tired or hungry or tired and hungry!

Friday, August 21, 2009

State Fair Pics

A shot of Main Street before filling up with people

First stop- Pepsi Coliseum

Mane bokeh

Crop/whip lady

Crop/whip gal

National Clydesdale Queen from Ohio

Horse

Horse with Ribbon

Early morning food prep

In case you weren't sure... don't eat out of this dumpster.

Tap dancing seniors!

Lady with long hair, braided and looped up.

Know what this is? No! A clock!

Old state police car

Ethanol promo guys who asked to have their pic taken.

Some of the $2 Taste of the Fair offerings!

Pretty rose outside Our Land Pavilion

Cheese sculpture

Cheese sculpture of... cheese

Cool pics of a sand sculpture in the Our Land Pavilion

Woman taking wool and making yarn

Weaving on a gourd

Loom weaving

The fabric that has been woven thus far at the Fair. When the Fair is over, the material will be cut into scarves and donated to a local shelter.

Teagan coming to join Mommy at the Fair

and Zach, too!

Checking out the cows- Albino cow with weird spotted eyes

Lazy cow

Thinks you can't see her cow

Breastpump

many breast pumps

Naughty dogs!

Shots from our ride on the Ferris Wheel

Naughty, naughty dogs!

Jeff, very excited to have found the "CAN-ship Enterprise." Canned goods were built into structures by teams- other examples include a ferris wheel, a hippo from the classic childhood board game, a steam roller, a pagoda... all canned goods will be donated to Gleaner's Food Bank after the Fair.