Month in Review: November 2007

Welcome to Month in Review: November 2007, documenting events for our family history. You know the drill--most of this was already talked about on the blog, but some of it is new.

• Chris and I took a three day trip to Vegas, where we attended the Blogworld Expo. This is where they gave away the $10,000 blogging scholarship for which our Wife Advice blog was (*sigh*) only a finalist. We're having a fun time with our silly little blog. Except for when we argue about whose turn it is to write, what to write, how to write it, etc. The Clarks? Arguing? Imagine.
  
• Tommy is enjoying his membership in weekly Chess club. He now knows how all the pieces move, which is more than I can say for myself. The highlight of his month was his friend's Bouncy Birthday Party.
  
• We took a mini-luxurious-vacation with kids in tow.
  
• We felt very grateful as we celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving at Phil & Karine's house.
  
• Michael now mysteriously transforms into Super-Michael on a daily basis. I'm just dreading the day he attempts to "fly" off the top bunk.
• I finally got a cell phone--I opted for the Treo, which means it's a combination cell phone/PDA. I think I need to call customer service, because it looks like they forgot to send the magic wand which was supposed to make my whole life fall into perfect order the day I started using the new device.
• Once again, David's body feels the need to get all the pain out of the way at once; he's gotten 3 or 4 new teeth in the last week, which we have "enjoyed" almost as much as he has. He loves giving hugs (leaning his head on someone's chest) and blowing kisses (making a loud "MAA" sound).

Until I sat to review my blog and calendar to write this, I hadn't realized what a slow news month it was here; I guess it just felt busy since we've been updating our blogs daily for NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). Phew--now I can go back to staying up too late every night simply surfing the internet and watching tv.

Confessions

All day long I've had the tune and lyrics to Weird Al's Confessions (Usher parody) running through my head. Nothing like a little inspiration.

These are my confessions:

• I've been in PJs for three days straight.
  
• Instead of Primary or toddler music, I play Weird Al for my kids in the car.
• I don't want to put Christmas decorations up this year.
• My kids ate breakfast cereal for dinner twice this week.
• I used to steal Little Debbie snacks from my mom's "sack lunch supply cupboard." Now I steal them from my Dad's stash whenever I visit.
  
• For the last three months, my insurance company has had to "gently remind" me to send them their check, due to plain old procrastinating on my part.
• My son isn't potty trained, but he is an expert at operating VCRs and DVD players
• A couple days ago I wore capri-length workout pants to the gym, even though it had been 2 weeks since I had shaved my legs. And I have dark hair.

I could go on and on (and on). But I want to hear from you instead.

What are your confessions?

They're Grrrreat!!

Chris took Tommy to school extra-early this morning, so they could enjoy a special breakfast of Frosted Flakes, served by Tony The Tiger and Ernie the Keebler Elf.

Yes, I am fully aware of the fact that we have just subjected our son to an overt marketing ploy, the benefit of which is nothing more than the promise of the complete rotting of his teeth and brain.

Tommy didn't want to have his picture taken with Tony the Tiger, so apparently he may not be as grrreat as he would have you believe.

Question:
If you could meet any spokes-character, who would it be and why?

Checking It Twice

Top Ten Tuesday

It's that time of year again--The Season of Listmania is upon us. Obviously, I'm a year-round-list-maker, but the holidays always put me into an even greater list-making frenzy.

This calls for a list about lists.

Top Ten: Lists I'm Making This Season

1. The Master Christmas Shopping List includes all the people we need to remember-- our parents, siblings (thankfully both of our large families do drawings/rotations), friends, teachers, our own children, etc; for each person there is a list of ideas, then I keep track of what I have purchased so far, including a tally of $ spent, so I can price-check items at various stores. Sometimes this list is really organized; so far this year, it's scrawled on the back of an envelope somewhere.
   
2. I make a distinct Neighbor Gift List, to keep track of who will receive our little token-gift. This list always grows as the season progresses, so I make sure to plan for lots more than I originally have on the list.
   
3. I always keep a Cleaning List, but right now it's a bit more intense. I can't stand the thought of pulling out the boxes of decorations until my house is absolutely spic and span--otherwise I feel like it's just full of Christmas Clutter.
   
4. I've started mulling over my List of New Year's Resolutions already. This year I have actually been working on getting some specific habits established before the new year rolls around, so I can hit the ground running.
   
5. Every year I make a Christmas Card List. Now, don't go getting all depressed, assuming you're not on my list just because you've never received my card in the mail. This is a theoretical list only, and so far has never amounted to anything actually making it into the mail. One year I actually bought the cards. Another year I spent hours creating a really creative letter. Someday I might actually send something out.
   
6. This brings me to my next list, the ever-annoying Missing/Incorrect Address List. I always vow to bring it all up to date, but it just never happens. Look forward to an email requesting your current contact info (but don't hold your breath).
   
7. My own Personal Wishlist. I start out thinking that I don't need anything, and that we should have a small Christmas. By mid-December I will have remembered about 30 random items that I want--from a new scrubber sponge, to an outfit, to a bedroom set. Wishlists are fun that way.
   
8. A List of Traditions that we need to be sure to schedule. This ensures that we don't miss our annual chocolate dipping night, or the important trip to the Dollar Store where the kids can shop for each other (and for us).
9. A Supercharged Grocery List. Egg nog, Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes, fondue ingredients--I start this list early and add to it all season, because there is nothing worse than a missing favorite at a holiday meal!
10. This year I want to do a better job getting my Lists for Next Year ready. Wouldn't it be nice if Thanksgiving 2008 rolled around, and as soon as I polished off that last piece of pumpkin pie, I could comfortably collapse into a coma on the couch; I would already have my lists made, and wouldn't have a worry in the world. Oh, except for that same worry I have right now...

How am I going to get all this stuff on my list done???

Blood Money

This post is coming to you live from my new Treo--remember the one you helped me to get? The original plan was a compromise; I would get a Treo with a cell phone plan, but no internet access. However, I manged to convince Chris that I make enough from a week's worth of plasma to pay for the internet bill, so here I am.

Wait--did I not tell you I am doing the plasma thing?! Chris and I both started "donating" (more like selling) plasma years ago, when we were first married. We were able to make enough to pay the rent every month. I had to take a break for a while, but now that I'm not pregnant or nursing I was able to start up again. Chris has been doing it all these years. I don't imagine he will ever stop doing it, even if he were to win the lottery; there's just something about getting paid $35 for laying around doing nothing for only a little over an hour--he just can't resist.

It's actually not too bad, as long as you don't get queasy, and as long as you can study or read or do anything that's a good use of your time. I actually love it because it gives me a few hours of quiet time every week. And now it has given me this--my handheld connection to the outside world.

Experience is Key

Today I rushed David out to the Instacare Clinic, worried about the way he was feverish, whining, screaming, throwing his body to the floor, thrashing about, and--most importantly--refusing to nap. I was convinced that his limited verbal skills were preventing him from telling me something simple like, "Mommy, my eardrum just burst--will you please quit putting me back in my crib every 10 minutes, convinced that this time I'll actually calm down and sleep!"

Luckily it was nothing serious. You'd think by the third child, I would be better at spotting the telltale signs of teething (especially with what he went through his first time), but I am pretty hopeless when it comes to the art of diagnosis.

And you'd think all those episodes of House would have paid off by now.

Worth a Thousand Words

My camera is still M.I.A., but had it been available, here are some of the photos I could have posted today:

• Michael beaming with pride, holding up the picture he "colored" (one red line was all he needed to decorate an intricate coloring page).
• Tommy in tears, begging me not to leave him at the Bouncy Birthday Party this morning, despite the fact that he has been counting down the days, minutes, and hours until this party for the last week or so.
• (Five minutes later) Tommy waving goodbye without a backward glance after one ride on the Bouncy-Slide.
• David's hair full of static cling after playing with the classic party favor--the punching balloon.
• Michael being carried kicking and screaming out of Toys R Us, after being peeled away from a Thomas the Train play set.
• My living room, which has gone from messy to clean to messy at least 18 times today alone.
• Chris dressed up in sweats and an extra large shirt, all ready for our date night.
  
• Tom (Chris's brother) sneaking outside of the Indian restaurant to spit out the licorice/sawdust "after dinner mint" offering.
• Me, at the ice cream parlor--alternating spoonfuls of ice cream sundae with sips from a mug of hot chocolate.
• David snuggled up, sleeping in my arms--the kind of cuddling 18-month old boys only do when they are not feeling very well.
  

Even without the camera, a pretty good day.

Weekend Update

• Chris didn't make it early enough to beat the hordes of people who were out for cheap laptops this morning. He was thoroughly entertained, however, by the mayhem that ensued in the stores. And we always thought all those holiday movies were just exaggerating.
  
• We are slowly making a dent in all the leftovers.
  
• Tommy's list for Santa Claus is multiplying with each episode of Sponge Bob (and accompanying commercials, which suddenly he no longer rushes to fast-forward).
• We are getting a head start on New Years' resolutions, and even made it to the gym today. I may have to sleep on the couch tonight, due to the fact that my legs are flatly refusing to walk up the stairs.
  
• I still have Halloween decorations to put away.
  

Indulgence

I was hoping to post a photo of our yummy Thanksgiving dinner which Chris's brother Phil & his wife Karine hosted at their home in Lehi. Unfortunately, I left my camera at their house, right next to the beautiful spread of pies that I pigged out on. Yum.

Now it's late, and we are attempting to map out the early morning shopping. We've never been big on Black Friday shopping; I don't like dealing with the crowds, and I would inevitably buy more than enough to outweigh any savings I received. But Chris heard about some deals, and he can never pass up a deal, so he'll be getting up at 5 am to go buy a bunch of stuff--most of which will end up on eBay rather than under our tree.

All Expenses Paid?

A while ago, Chris won a gift certificate for a fancy hotel in Park City. We intended to use it for a little getaway, but since we have already taken a few trips on our own this year--and since the certificate was about to expire--we decided to take the kiddos along. The gift certificate was good for one night only, and since the room rate was over $250, we decided not to tack another night onto the trip--we just planned to leave nice and early Tuesday afternoon, and come back nice and late Wednesday afternoon, to get our full money's-worth, er... certificate's worth.

The trip was dubbed Kids' Vacation, and the boys were assured that they could spend the entire time making all the decisions, watching movies, staying up late, swimming as long as they wanted, etc.

What actually happened:

• We arrived at the hotel at 8 p.m. (Please remind me not to complain about the fact that my husband is a very conscientious employee.)
• What was supposed to be a fun dinner out turned into "take-out" (Happy Meals) in the hotel room. Yes, I felt like an idiot carrying them through the lobby of the fanciest hotel into which I've ever stepped foot. I suppose I could have let the doorman take them up for me, but I felt awkward enough having him open my car door.
  
• The boys had fallen asleep on the drive up, so when we stopped at the Redbox for movies, I just hopped out and quickly picked some cartoons without consulting the kids. Tip: If you ever happen to rent Dinotopia or Garfield, DO NOT expect them to occupy your young children for more than 35 seconds each, even if they are being played on a Bose theater system and being viewed from a luxurious bed in an elegant suite.
• Entrance to the hotel's swimming pool could only be obtained in conjunction with the Spa Access, which cost a mere $25 per person per day! Even Tommy--who had his little heart set on swimming--was able reason that the $125 would be way to much money, because think of all the candy that could buy! The boys opted to go swimming in our private jacuzzi, into which was dumped an entire sample-sized bottle of shower gel. I realize this is the second bubble bath photo I have posted this month, but I just had to record my first visit to a hotel with a beautiful, romantic, dimly lit bathroom. This is also the only photo I took before my camera batteries died. I suppose I could have called down to the front desk for batteries, but I was afraid of how much I would have been charged for them--no t to mention what kind of tip I'd have to shell out for the person who rode the elevator up to our room to deliver them on a silver platter.
  

Snarkiness aside, we did have a fun, memorable trip. On our way home today, we topped it all off with lunch from the Less-Than-Gourmet Wendy's Dollar Menu and a viewing of Ratatouille at our Less-Than-Elegant Dollar Theater. This, of course, was the favorite part of the trip--for everyone.

Overflowing

Top Ten Tuesday

It is so easy to forget how fortunate I am. Often when I go to make a list of what I'm thankful for, I feel like some things are too obvious--like it should go without saying that I am grateful for the major things in my life. If I don't make a point to recognize those things, though, I end up with the ungrateful attitude that my life is less than wonderful. I must admit, my life is pretty wonderful. And here's why.

Top Ten: Reasons for Thanks-giving

1. I was born and raised in a happy family with incredible parents and siblings. Each one of them is an inspiration to me.
2. I grew up having everything I needed. Sure, I imagined that I was missing out on the finer things in life--I didn't get a Cabbage Patch Kid until they were on the decline, I didn't have the certain pair of jeans with the certain triangle on the backside--but that completely obscured my view of the fact that we never went without anything that we truly needed, and we had lots of extras as well.
3. I have always had great friends. I've always been a bit overly-social, and so I could never complain that I didn't have friends. (It also helped that I had a pool and 7 brothers). Many of the friends I had in my younger years are still close friends today, but I have also been fortunate to find and form friendships over the years.
4. I was provided with a valuable education. I rarely think about the fact that many people in this world don't even receive a basic education, but when I do think about it, I'm glad that I went to school for many, many years and ended up with a fair amount of knowledge and skills that contribute to my well-being.
5. I have had a few opportunities to travel. Living with my parents for a few months in Brazil opened my eyes up to a world that stretched beyond my limited view. Serving a mission in London truly changed my life.
6. I met and married an incredible man. Did you know that he does the grocery shopping every week--with all three of the kids, so I can have some time to myself?! And you all thought he was just a donkey...
7. I continue to have everything I need--a warm house, a full fridge, cars that run, clothes that fit. This is due to the fact that my husband is an excellent provider, and we are greatly blessed.
   
8. I am a mother to three precious little boys. Being a mom is a constant challenge; I am never done trying to figure it all out. But the rewards--those three little faces, their soft little cheeks, the love that they have for me--worth every moment of motherhood.
9. I have a healthy body. I complain about what it looks like, or the aches and pains here and there, but the fact is, it works, and it's miraculous.
   
10. I know who I am, why I'm here, and where I'm going. I also know that I don't have to do it alone.
    

Family Resemblance

The building pictured here is the Hyde Park chapel, in downtown London. It houses an LDS chapel, family history center, and mission office. It is within walking distance of Royal Albert Hall, Victoria & Albert Museum, Hyde Park, and Harrods.

As you can imagine, this is a popular chapel for LDS tourists looking for somewhere to spend their Sunday in London. I spent countless Sundays in this chapel--not as a tourist, but as a missionary. One particular day, after our Sacrament Meeting, a tourist couple made their way through the crowded room and approached me to ask: "Are you Grant and Margaret's daughter?" A bit startled, I replied that I was indeed, and wondered if my parents had asked them to say hi to me. "We knew your parents 16 years ago when your family lived in Washington. We had no idea you were a missionary here, but we saw you across the room and immediately thought, 'she looks just like Grant and Margaret; she must be their daughter.' "

Is that crazy?! Well, maybe it doesn't sound too crazy to those of you who know me and have seen the way I resemble my mom in practically every way, or how my eyes look like they were plucked directly from my father's face and implanted on mine. I find it fascinating how we can be such unique individuals, but still reflect so many characteristics and qualities that have been passed on by our parents--either as traits we were born with (my mom's smile, my dad's facial features), or even as attributes we have consciously attempted to emulate (my mom's positive attitude, my dad's work ethic).

For many years of my life though, I had not understood why people were always comparing my looks to my mom's, and I had no idea what it meant when people referred to the "Worth eyes." The similarities were pronounced enough to catch the eye of that couple seeing me across the crowded Hyde Park chapel, but I truly spent years unable to recognize what I had inherited from my mother and father. After this moment in London though, I began to study what it was that made me so clearly my parents' child. I started looking more carefully at my parents' features, as well as those of my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews. Slowly, I became more able to distinguish which features were passed on to whom.

Can you see where I'm going with this yet? Is it totally obvious or is it a silly stretch of my imagination? Let's just break it down, then:

• An earthly father ==> A Heavenly Father
• My inability to recognize family resemblance ==> My inability to believe that I truly am a daughter of God
• A nice couple pointing out my striking resemblance to my parents ==> Countless lessons, references, and reminders about my Divine Nature
• I study my parents' and siblings' features more carefully ==> I continually study about the nature and attributes of God
• Slowly but surely, I can look in the mirror and see my parents ==> Slowly but surely, I develop faith and confidence in my Divine Nature

So now the hope is, that no matter where I go, I can be recognized as resembling my Father.

What got me thinking about this? "Daughters of Heavenly Father," by Susan Tanner

Silly String

You know you're a mom...

...when you hear, "Mommy, there's something like a string coming out of my bum."

(how many times have I told that kid not to suck on the minty dental floss?!)

Inspired

Tonight our stake hosted a special musical fireside, put on by talented inspirational music artist, Jenny Phillips.

After typical Saturday hectic-ness, plus getting ready for the event (how many pies does it take to feed 100 teenagers?), it was so nice to sit and listen to beautiful music with a beautiful message. I wasn't familiar with Jenny's music before, but I am now a fan.

Sleepytime

I have been dead tired this week. I'm not sure, but it might have something to do with the fact that I have been up past midnight every night, and up by 6:30 every morning (night owl-ishness and motherhood--not a good combination).

All the sleepiness reminded me of a great set of photos of Tommy.
He definitely wins the award for most creative sleeping over the years.

(click to enlarge)

Yes, I'm Feeling It

I have been walking around in pain for the last couple days, and feeling quite good about it. A while ago Jaime recommended a pilates dvd. I impulsively bought it, plus a couple more from the series. I've been wanting a good workout to do at home for those days that I don't make it out to the gym. I finally tried out the kick-boxing on Tuesday. I've done various kick-boxing videos and classes over the years, and this was by far one of the best I've tried. For the last 2 days, every time I attempt to use the stairs, get up from sitting--or move at all, actually--I can just hear the instructor's voice, repeating at the end of each set: "I know you're gonna feel that one." She was right. It's a nice feeling, though--to be (hopefully) making some progress with this little body of mine. My goal is to exercise more regularly during the holiday season, so I don't feel like it's a huge new project to tackle at the beginning of the new year. I also made a goal to cut down on the junk-food intake. But that's been easy so far, since the Halloween buckets have been out of the "good stuff" for quite a while now.

Attitude of Gratitude--Help Me Get One?!

A week left until Thanksgiving. Who's dreaming of pumpkin pie smothered in whipped cream? Who is already planning their Post-Turkey-Day-Diet? Who's done with their Christmas shopping?

I'm still determined to develop and maintain a more grateful attitude this year as I attempt to keep up with all the craziness and things I want/need to do during the next month or so. Unfortunately, so far my positivity project hasn't gotten off to the best start; I am now in need of some serious inspiration.

I would love it if lots of you would leave a comment today and name one simple thing that you are grateful for. If you are a new visitor or a "lurker" who has never spoken up--today's the perfect day to join in the conversation!

I'll start it out: I am grateful for YOU! Knowing that a handful of people show up here every day to see what I'm up to has meant the world to me. You've helped me recognize and remember that I'm not just a mom who is all alone at home. Thanks!

In Case You're Curious

Top Ten Tuesday

I have been "left behind" by my family a couple times. I can't remember where it first happened; I just remember that I got a lollipop out of the whole ordeal. The second time was at a mall. Don't blame my mom; she had so many kids to keep track of, and this particular day there were cousins with us, making it extra-chaotic. My head was counted as the group gathered to leave, but then I wandered into a store to look at Hello Kitty pens and paper and trinkets. When I realized my family was gone, I searched for the exit--the only familiar landmark was an E.T. display where you could get your photo taken with the actual alien. I successfully identified the exit, which led to an enormous, daunting parking lot. I hurried back inside, passed up E.T. again, and tried to hold back the tears, until I finally found a security guard who helped me phone home; my parents were shocked to get the call, since they still hadn't noticed I wasn't part of the huge group of kids running around the house.

That was just a little something about me that you may not have known. Wanna hear more?

Top Ten: Random Things You May Not Know About Me

1. I wet my pants in 2nd grade, because I already had two checkmarks by my name on the board, and asking to go to the bathroom would have earned me a third checkmark and then I would have had to write lines. (You won't catch me getting in trouble if I can simply avoid it by completely humiliating myself.)
2. I used to imagine that there were ghosts in various rooms of my house--ghosts that couldn't withstand light. I got very good at sliding my hand into a room and flipping the switch up before any part of my body entered the room, lest I be attacked by these dark-room-dwelling ghosts.
3. I won the class spelling bee almost every month in 4th grade, and had lots of plastic trophies to prove it.
   
4. I appeared on the Bozo The Clown TV show, with my Brownie troupe; I even got interviewed on camera. That is some lost VHS footage I would pay money to see.
   
5. I watched after-school cartoons until at least 10th grade. If you must know, Tiny Toons and Animaniacs were my favorites.
   
6. In college and on my mission, I used juvenile stationary, because by then I had such a large collection of stuff I had received as gifts but never wanted to use up. The same principle also applied to those cute little personalized "Nancy" stickers.
   
7. During the first week or so of my freshman year at college, I saw a sign advertising auditions for a sketch comedy group that I had never heard of. Without telling anyone, I auditioned and made it into the group.
8. I have a habit of pointing things out to people--things I was actually hoping people wouldn't notice. Like when my kids are overdue for a haircut, I worry that people will notice how bad it looks, but next thing I know I am making a comment like, "wow--my kids really need haircuts." I guess it's just so if they do notice the bad thing, at least they will know that I know about it already.
   
9. I hate pickles, and although I have resigned myself to the fact that there are pickles in my fridge, I still go to great lengths to avoid even touching the pickle jar when preparing or cleaning up after dinner.
10. I feel like a traitor to womankind, because I am not at all obsessed with shoes or purses. Cute bins and baskets to put stuff in? That's a different story...
    

This post was a response to a tag from Emily.
Haven't posted random facts about yourself on your blog lately? Consider yourself tagged.

Who Needs TV?

Tommy discovered some new books a few weeks ago when we had dinner at the Seawright's. I can't remember the titles anymore, but maybe Elizabeth will pipe up in the comments.

Sunday Afternoon Nap

Bother!

When Michael was 1 or 2, one of his oft-repeated phrases was, I--don't--like--anything. He would say it so slowly and deliberately; anyone who heard it could not help but laugh. That of course would make him upset, and he would deepen the scowl that was already on his face. And this boy can scowl. At a moment's notice he will tip his chin to his chest, furrow his brow, tighten his lips, and stare from deep beneath his eyebrows. It is actually one of the cutest things he does. He will often add a roll of his eyes, making it absolutely irresistible.

His new phrase is simply, bother. He will say it in anger, frustration, boredom, or irritation. He picked it up from the Thomas the Train show, but he is also aware that Pooh Bear has an affinity for that particular word. I need to capture him saying it on video, because you just have to hear it. He closes his mouth tightly, lets the emotion build and build, until the B sound explodes from his lips--Bother!

On one hand Michael is quite easy going, but on the other hand he can be the moodiest little guy you've ever seen. I can relate with that, because I happen to be The Queen of Moodiness (ask anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes around me). Must be something about being the middle child. Bother.

Goodbye BlogWorld (Expo)

The good news is that we ate well today. We finally made it to a buffet for breakfast this morning, we had a great lunch in the Mardis Gras hotel, and right now we're at a little pizza/sub shop in St. George, Utah on our way back from Vegas. It's been a whirlwhind trip, but we had a great time at the conference.

We were interviewed by Shaun at blogtalkradio, which was fun.

The other highlight of the day was when Chris interviewed Mark Cuban about marriage advice.

You can bet that I have lots of other geeky stuff to share, but for now it will have to wait... We have a long drive ahead of us.

Small World at BlogWorld

Well, so far this trip could not have been more different than the last time we were in Vegas:

• Unfortunately, we are starving. One of our favorite things about being in Vegas is eating at the buffets; unfortunately today we were stuck at the Convention Center where we paid $12 for 1 tiny chicken wrap sandwich and 1 bottle of water.
  
• Fortunately, on this trip we have not sat through multiple timeshare presentations, like we did on my birthday trip last year.

Today's highlights:

We met Whitney Matheson! She writes one of my favorite newsy blogs--a USA Today blog called Pop Candy, "Unwrapping pop culture's hip and hidden treasures." She was gracious enough to chat with us and pose for a photo.Then we met Kimberley Klein, the woman who won the $10,000 blogging scholarship, for her blog, The Merits of The Case (One mom's journey through life, law school and breast cancer). The scholarship was awarded at tonight's party at the Hard Rock Hotel. We were excited that Kim recognized us as fellow-finalists, and I was happy to hear that she sided with me on the West is Best debate!Today's workshops were pretty informative. It's been a good opportunity for Chris and I to talk about what we want to do with our blog, and we've come up with some fun plans.

Now it's time to turn in so we can get up nice and early and hunt down a good breakfast buffet before tomorrow's sessions!

What Happens in Vegas

Chris and I survived the 7-hour drive to Las Vegas, alive and well, but pretty exhausted. Thank goodness for the time change (our second free hour of sleep this week)!

We're here for the BlogWorld & New Media Expo, a two-day blogging conference where we will learn to be even more crazy and obsessed than we already are. We will also watch as someone else is awarded that $10,000 blogging scholarship. We'll try to make ourselves feel better by saying stuff like, "at least we were nominated," and, "don't forget--our blog is only a month old; we were lucky to even be in the running," which is in fact exactly how we feel.

I am looking forward to the chance to sit and listen to speakers all day without having a child in my lap, poking and grabbing my face, announcing that he needs to go potty RIGHT NOW and then politely informing me, "NO I WILL NOT WHISPER!" I won't be carting around a big bag full of snacks and activities and toys and books either. Actually, come to think of it, I probably will have one of those bags full of vendor-freebies, but I'm pretty sure it won't have diapers or wipes or cracker crumbs in it.

A big thanks to our friends and family members who already have their own little boys, but were willing to take on a few extras for a couple days. Let the fun begin!

BlogWorthy

Top Ten Tuesday

It's about time I shared a list of some of my favorite blogs. I visit a few commercial blogs that have thousands of readers, but I especially love reading the blogs that are written by my family and friends. The friends' sites that I listed below are great reads, even if you aren't lucky enough to know the writers personally. And of course all my friends' and family members' blogs are great reads. Check out my sidebar if you don't believe me.

Quick note: I used to get overwhelmed by the mere thought of checking out new blogs, because what if I like one, and then I have to add it to my bookmark list, and do I really want to make the commitment to open yet another site every day to see if it has been updated?!? If you are still thinking like this, you need to set up your feed reader! Instead of opening each individual site, your feed reader will gather all the new posts and you can read them all in one spot (or click through to read on the actual blog, if you prefer). If my tutorial is too long and detailed, check out my friend Mary's much more simple explanation. If you're still thinking you don't need to use a feed reader, just imagine that you are trying to tell your friend how great blogging is and they are staring at you like you are crazy, but they're wrong and you know it and you just wish they knew it. That's how I feel. Just do it.

Top Ten: Blogs You Should Check Out

1. My geeky brothers set up The Worth Blog Collection so we can see all of our family members posts' from various blogs on one big page. Fortunately we have quite a few bloggers now, so it is no longer just a big long list of my posts!
   
2. Chris's family members post at Clarks Rule, as well as on their own blogs, which you can find through the sidebar of their family site.
3. My friend Kim is a talented photographer. On her family blog she shares amazing photos and gives photography tips and tutorials. She also recently set up a professional site.
   
4. I knew Mama Nirvana way before either of us were mamas or bloggers, but I feel like I really know her now. Read her blog and you will want to be her best friend. (She may even let you; she has lots of best friends.) She also has a site about being a Doula.
   
5. One of my roommates from my freshman year writes a blog called Grace Impaired. Her writing is so powerful, after one visit to her site you will suddenly feel the urge to read more books and become a runner. Just be prepared to have your perceptions of peaceful country living dashed to pieces. She also writes for a marathon mommy blog and a blog about the hottest toys around.
   
6. Lifehacker is a useful site with all kinds of random tips that will help you get more done. From how to tidy up the massive jumble of cords behind your desk, to how to backup your computer, to how to be a better listener. The posting frequency on this site is very high, so you may want to check out their subscription options, and subscribe only to the topics that interest you. (Leave the Linux and Ubuntu stuff to the geeks.)
   
7. I came across Problogger a few months ago and immediately started implementing tips to improve my blog. It's one of the top blogs about blogging out there. Some of it is very focused for professional bloggers, but there is still a wealth of information for beginner or casual bloggers who want to learn more and improve. (Reading Problogger gave me the courage and know-how to set up our WifeAdvice blog.)
   
8. ParentHacks. Tons of parenting tips submitted by readers. That's where I learned how to store my window clings from Halloween (which I still haven't taken off the windows).
   
9. The Lazy Organizer. Can you tell I like to read tips? Maybe it just makes me feel like I'm being productive when in reality I'm not. This is a site I've found recently. I love it because the author is a real person who admits her flaws, but she also gives very practical advice that is easy to implement.
   
10. I can't help but tell you about The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks, which is simply funny.
    

Did I miss one of your favorites? Feel free to leave a link in the comments.

If You Can't Beat Them

One of the little people in my house has "misplaced" the memory card for my camera, so I had to dig through the archives for photos that would illustrate my point:

These boys are developing serious attitudes.

See for yourself

Can you see them mocking me?

Do you see the body language, the expressions in their eyes?
They are just begging me to mess with them.

Which of course I do. Of course when they start singing silly songs about poo and pee in the back of the van, I forget my Basic Motherhood Training, and I try to stop them! And we all know what that leads to...

• Louder songs about poo and pee
• More details about the poo and pee
  
• Smart remarks like, "But Mommy, we're just talking about Pooh Bear and the Letter P!"
• Lots and lots of giggling, mostly from the baby, who has recently been inducted into the "brotherhood" due to the fact that he will now laugh on demand at whatever the older boys say. Especially if it's about poo and pee.

And of course, what would have been a 30-second ditty about poo and pee, never to be sung again has now become a van-riding ritual which the brothers are completely committed to continuing.

I just have to make sure to strategically angle the rear view mirror, so they won't see me singing along...

Squeaky Clean

1 Jetted Tub + 2 Drops of Bubble Bath = 3 Delighted Boys

Fall Back

As I set my clocks back tonight, I am giddy with excitement over the extra hour of snoozing I'll get to do. Not as thrilled about the fact that it's not going to be quite so dark in the early morning hours, since my children's little body clocks are solar powered. You can bet that I strategically leave a few prominent clocks set on the old time, at least until after "bedtime" tomorrow night.

Sweet dreams.

Giving Thanks

I am determined to start off the holiday season right this year. Often the stress of Halloween costume preparation, followed by the impending endless list of things I need to do and buy for Christmas, makes me completely miss the point of Thanksgiving (other than the eating; that I never miss).

Any tips for maintaining a spirit of gratitude all season long (and teaching the little tikes to do the same)?

I would be grateful if you would share your ideas in the comments!

Candy Overload? Save Some for Christmas

We sorted our candy and took out everything that would be good for our Christmas Gingerbread House. My sister Stephanie gave me the idea, and it was perfect. The kids happily gave up half of their candy, making elaborate plans for the window frames, roofs, pathways, buttons, trails, and people we can make and decorate next month!