cheeri-O

This post is just cause...just cause I have to.

Cheerios are a staple around here, 3 boxes are in the pantry right now, all different flavors (me= whole grain, Tim& twins = multigrain, Cole = plain jane)

We inspired Kyle to crawl by using cheerios...

I take them in tupperware on every shopping trip to entertain the boys...

They are all over the floor some days...and then this is what happens.

Kyle slapped one on his head (he's like a squirrel...packing them away for the winter)...why would he not carry it in his hand????? That would slow him down way too much.


What's the staple cereal in your place...any funny cereal stories to share?

Technology and me = oil & water

Heads up....do not buy me electronics. EVER

If you do...you will regret it as chances are I will ruin it within the year. Maybe sooner.

Not intentionally...it's just me and always has been me.

Remember these..Yup, I had not one, not two..but three of them between the ages of 13 and 15...every time my parents would buy me a new one...they would plead..."please Cheryl take care of this one.."

Remember these...
Uh huh...I had ALL THREE of these babies with a flippin year and a half. Let's revisit the demise..

Camera #1....death as a result of ingesting breastmilk
Camera #2...death as a result of ingesting Maui sand (at least it was Hawaii sand)
Camera #3...death as a result of dropping onto a patio in hopes of saving Cole's fingers from being slammed by a patio door. (yes I saved his fingers...)
Tim put his foot down and refused to buy me (aka Dr. Destructo as he calls me) anymore cameras......tough love at its finest!

So 10 months ago just after the babes were born and my cell phone plan was coming up for renewal Tim caved and presented me with a lovely blackberry...with a disclaimer....

Cheryl, I did NOT buy you the warranty plan...as the plan does not cover water, breastmilk or sand damage...so it's useless for you" PLEASE take care of this phone!

Blink blink my baby blues......Ok, no prob.

Blackberry met water (potentially drool if the twins had it..) last week. Crap.

Tim phoned the cell phone company... $600 to replace the phone since I'm only 10 months into a 3 year contract.

Double Crap.

Tim said nothing...he simply shut his office door for a few hours while I tip toed around the obvious. He emerged.....filled a tupperware with rice, placed the battery into the rice and let it sit on the cable box for 3 days...while of course we avoided talking about the obvious.

He baked the blackberry at 100 degrees for a bit...and voila, I'm back in action with $600 still in my pocket. No lecture...

Which makes me think that this was pretty much expected...has Tim become immune to my destructive technological tendencies? Likely not...pretty sure I avoided one unhappy hubby....and for that reason I have taken it upon myself to purchase this from Etsy.com...
Cute right?

AND padded...
AND waterproof....

My Tissue Balls...How to DIY

Lots of requests to share how I made these tissue balls for my sisters wedding shower...


http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/pom-poms-and-luminarias?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/paper-and-fabric-flowers#slide_4

I first saw them at a small bridal shower at a friends condo. The "pop" of color was fun and the lightness of the decor made me feel happy....I HAD to make them! Her color was apple green...

These are REALLY easy to make, trust me...coming from this non-crafty person...

My only suggestion is to splurge and by the $2 tissue paper, not the dollar store stuff as it seemed to tear easily. I bought flower wire from Walmart for $2 (for 10 pieces, which I cut in half) and I used clear string to hang. The total per ball was about $2.20...cheap!

Each tissue ball took about 10 minutes to make. We made 25 for the shower and reused them again the week after for a friends wedding reception. After that they were "wilting" ....

Play around with color and and patterns for a fun birthday theme! If you make them I expect some pics!!!

Enjoy!

Drink & Be Pregnant?

A friend of mine emailed me asking my opinion. She's a news reporter and is thinking of doing a story on the potential "switch" in our views of pregnancy and alcohol. She's done her research and feels there is something happening...enough dirt to write a news story!

In some countries pregnant women DO drink a glass of wine every now and then....not here in North America...signs are plastered everywhere "With Child, Without Alcohol"

I shunned when I heard this....and then it occurred to me...I DO know of women who have consumed alcohol while pregnant. Some knowingly...and some unknowingly. When I was 7 months pregnant an older lady offered me a glass of wine...I must have given her the hairy eyeball and she quickly said..I had wine while I carried my kids.....

A friend of mine had several drinks during her pregnancy..once the first trimester was over she said there was no harm....I find that hard to believe. Something about seeing a pregnant girl with a glass of booze frightens me. So does a cigarette for the record....smokers are not off the hook in my book.

Just a few weeks ago for my sisters stagette, a friend came out and drank..and drank..and drank somemore. She prayed to the procelain gods that night...and then last week texted my sister to inform her she could not make her wedding...she was 7 weeks pregnant and too sick to make the 2 hour drive.

Do we have a more relaxed attitude towards alcohol and pregnancy these days? Do you have a strong view on this?

Would you drink and be pregnant?

Would you choose your babies eyes color?

This photo color was not touched..the exposure was brightened a bit, that's it.

My babes have blue eyes. They are truly THAT blue, and if they wear blue..watch out!

At least one person a day stops me to comment on their blue eyes. My mom said this happened to her all the time with me...

I forget that I as well have bright blue eyes...since I see them everyday...and most days they don't look blue...they just look tired!

A little girl at the park commented yesterday what pretty blue eyes the boys have....and then she frowned and said...

"mine are just hazel"

I told her how pretty hazel eyes were, especially HER hazel eyes...my compliment was futile..she shook her head no and said....not as pretty as theirs.

When Cole was a baby, I remember a little boy at gymboree sitting in front of Cole and all of a sudden his little finger reached out toward Cole's blue eyes and poked him...right in the eye. The mom quickly apologized and said "your son has such blue eyes....my baby likely has never seen such eye color"

So I wonder....what's the interest in blue eyes? A quick search on google provided some fascinating facts...

In Japan, the stereotype of someone from the U.S. is usually a blond and blue-eyed person.

In yahoo answers, a girl posts.."the stereotype is all boys prefer blond hair and blue eyes and tan skin, but i have black hair, green eyes and olive skin, that's pretty too, right??"

Oh boy....let's just add to a womans already low self esteem shall we?

But wait! ...has having blue eyed babies become an obsession by some? One would hope not. Should we not just love what we get. Our kids are a product of us...of our mate..of our history...why mess with nature? Do we honestly think blonde-blue eyed children have it better then those lucky enough to sport brown hair and green eyes?

A doctor who has specialized in sex selection at his fertility clinics in Los Angeles and New York has announced a new offering to clients: hair and eye color selection. He plans to use in vitro fertilization, combined with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to select for embryos with desirable traits. He offers an 80% probability of delivering parents' choices.

Would you do it?

One standing...one sitting

That's my life this week...one stander and one sitter...

He may be small but he is sprite! I will likely have a walker in the next month...given his crawling to standing stage lasted all of 2 weeks!
Luke remains perfectly content sitting and watching his younger brother run circles around me. Amongst all the toys, playing with baby wipes is a favorite...

We had our first fight this week. Luke smacked Kyle for taking away a toy carrot...Kyle looked back at Luke and gave him a head butt...and so it begins...

And can you believe I forgot my camera for Cole's first day of grade 1? Yup, I sure did!. Will grab a shot this week as he begins his first FULL week of grade 1...he's very happy NOT to be the youngest in the school anymore..do 5 year olds really care about that?

Have a great weekend!

A letter of apology to Tim

Saturday AM I was determined to run 9 miles. As I prepped, I told Tim I would be out for 6 miles FOR SURE...maybe 9, if my leg held up.

I also promised to stay on the "loop".. the loop being a 3 mile path around our neighborhood. Easy to find me in case of an emergency. "Supposedly" last summer there was a flasher nearby...no biggie!

As I started out..the sun was shining, it was 8am...lots of runners out and about..I began the "loop" and then my body simply wandered towards the nature park nearby...my legs were dying for some trail instead of concrete, my mind was aching for something other than houses and streets...

I was alone in the bush...it was damp, cool, a runners dream.

I came to a gravel road, about 3 miles long...I turned and I ran...knowing I should NOT be on that road. But. It. Felt. So. Good.

8 miles down and I was back on the "loop" but my leg was feeling fantastic...so I thought "what's another few miles?"

10 miles, 12 miles....oh why not just run a half already......my excitement got the best of me, it's been so long since I've ran without pain I wanted to savor this run, savor this feeling, the runners high that was consuming me.

I ended at the house, 13 miles and 2 hours later...and a HUGE smile on my face. Until...

I walked inside and saw Tim with his jacket on...the babies packed and ready for a car ride...

A search and rescue mission....a FIND MOMMY mission...

oops.

My one hour run had turned into 2 hours.

I was lectured like a teenager..and I deserved it.

I saw the shock on Tim's face turn to anger and then turn to relief.

I tried to explain...it felt so good! My leg has no pain! I did 13 miles! But all I could see was the panic in his eyes, the pacing he must have done as he waited for my return...minutes seemed like hours I'm sure.

Knowing I was already in the doghouse, I thanked him for being so concerned...but that his efforts to find me would have been futile, given I strayed from the "loop".

I may never be allowed out again...if there is such thing as a runners grounding, I may have to self impose...no run is worth a worried hubby.

I'm sorry Tim,

Can I carry a cell phone next time?

Go ahead everyone....lecture me...I deserve it.