Bloggy Giveaway Carnival Soon Ends

If you haven't visited the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival homepage, you are missing out on all the fun and great prizes...nearly 1,000 of them! Head on over now because the fun end August 1st.

Since I've had such a great time meeting other bloggers through my first giveaway, I couldn't resist doing something special for the final countdown. I'm adding a new giveaway today. One lucky winner will receive the Rising Star Learning Educational PC CD-Rom Fun with Letters & Numbers. A great prize for parents with young children, and something my fellow-homeschool friends might really enjoy.
To enter the drawing simply leave a comment on this post and tell me which link from my sidebar is your favorite. Or, share an educational site you love that is not listed on my sidebar. Make sure to leave a valid email address so that I can contact you if you win. Subscribing to my email or RSS feed with earn you an extra entry. One entry per person per day. You must enter by midnight August 1st and have a valid U.S. shipping address. Drawing made by random number selection and winner will be notified by email and post on this blog.
Good luck! And please visit our sponsors ;D

The Word Nerd: Word of the Day

Today's word is daft.
daft adjective :

1.	senseless, stupid, or foolish.

2.	insane; crazy.

3.	Scot. merry; playful; frolicsome.

definition compliments of dictionary.com

After two margaritas with an old friend, I found I'd become quite daft.

Not a perfect Mom, or a perfect blogger

As a busy homeschooling mom of three, I'm lucky to manage keeping everyone cleaned, dressed, fed, educated and entertained, plus keep house and shave both legs on any given day. I had no idea what I was getting into when I created a blog. I mean, I love this blogging thing, but come on! It is like a whole other job and I've got no more room on my plate. I'm finding myself up late at night trying to cram in html code deciphering, research and networking and so on. I love visiting and reading other blogs, but I could get lost for months in the blogosphere. There is soooo much information out there I feel like I'm on the verge of being sucked into a vortex. My eyes are bleeding. And everyone around me is screaming for attention.

Don't get me wrong, I love the creative outlet and it's fabulous fun. I also love meeting other mom bloggers and making new friends. Heck, just "talking" with other grown ups during the days does wonders for the psyche. But seriously, how do you get it all done? When do you blog? How many times per day do you post? How do you keep all the butts wiped, the laundry from taking over the house, the dog fed, the hubinator happy and download your photos, update your blog, twitter, stumble, comment, kirtsy and get some sleep?

I'm an all or nothing kind of girl. I hate to do anything half-way, so I'm driven to improve my site, beef up my content, grow my readership, hone my voice and try to avoid neglecting my first and most important responsibility: my family. As a former advertising girl, I can easily see how writing, editing, design, self-promotion and PR could take up a 40 hour work week. And that's just for one blog. Some people have two or three??!

I've been bitten by the bloggy bug and I don't think I can turn back now. But, I'm feeling torn between getting back in touch with my creative, professional side and keeping grounded in my mommyhood-wifedom.
So, how do you other mom bloggers manage? The good, the bad, the wacky...I want to hear it all.

Wordless Wednesday: Leapin' Lizards!

Check out more WW at 5 Min for Mom and be sure to enter my Bloggy Giveaway before you leave!

The Word Nerd: Word of the Day

Today word is ignominious. adjective. Marked with or characterized by disgrace or shame: dishonorable.
Deserving of shame or infamy: Despicable.
Humiliating. Degrading.
Definition courtesy of Merriam-Webster.

After devouring the entire tin of cookies and all of the vanilla ice cream, I suffered an ignominious punishment at the dinner table.

The Word Nerd: Word of the Day

parsimony: noun. the quality of being careful with money or resources, thrift, stinginess
Definition compliments of Merriam-Webster

With the cost of groceries and gas rising so swiftly, I find parsimony ruling my purchases these days.

Bloggy Giveaway Time, Yipee!

Have you seen all the totally cool stuff up for grabs at the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival this week? If not, check it out, there are some super prizes.

I'm throwing my bag into the mix with a Mom Pack which includes a $10 Starbucks card, a $10 Barnes and Noble card and a year's subscription to Harper's Bazaar. To be eligible to win, just leave a comment on this post with your favorite Starbucks treat or favorite book, and a valid email address (one per person per day). You must also have a valid U.S. shipping address. For an extra entry sign up for my email updates or RSS feed. A winner will be chosen on Friday 8/1 at 10:00 PM by random number selection and will be posted on my blog and notified at the email address given. If you are new here, take a look around and let me know what you think. I love feedback! And be sure to visit our sponsors.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck! You are all winners in my book :D

The Word Nerd: Word of the Day

In keeping with at the Back to School hoopla, I've decided to start a new Word of the Day series to combat my mommy brain, and to keep up with my scholarly family members (the hubinator)...and my kids :P Plus, I love word games.
Here's the deal: I'll post a word of the day Monday through Friday. Throughout the day we'll use the word as many times as we can and encourage the kids to do so. I'm also posting our word on our fridge to help us remember and learn to spell it. We'll sometimes create silly stories using the word and have the kids illustrate them. Remember, this should be fun. not a chore :D
If you want to play along, post the word and definition on your blog, and leave a comment here with a sentence using the word and your link with Mr. Linky. Then tell your friends and pass on the love! Be sure to post any stories you come up with on your blog, as well as any books or cartoons you come across that contain the word of the day. Have fun and remember to come back for new nerdy wordy fun.
So without further ado...the word of the day is foist.
Definition compliments of Merriam-Webster.
foist: transitive verb. to introduce or insert surreptitiously, or without warrant; to force another to accept, especially by deceit; or, to pass off as genuine or worthy.

Aiden was a sly little bugger and would often try to foist his cleaning chores upon his unwitting younger sister.

The Not So Daily Dog Bone

He's only the best dog on the planet! Lately I haven't given him his due and The Daily Dog Bone posts have fallen by the wayside. Maxamillion has passed his 6th birthday now and is showing signs of aging. His hips ache with arthritis and he now has trouble getting off the bed. Sometimes he limps and it makes me oh so sad. His joint supplements help, but his graying coat and longer naps (the whole day is practically a nap!) remind me that he won't be here forever. I adore him and can't help but share his fantabulousness here. As my first born used to say, "He's my dawg. I wuv him."

Mmmmmmm Mocha Freeze

Need a little pick me up? Try this yummy recipe:

1 cup cold strong brewed coffee
1 cup ice cubes
1 cup reduced-fat vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
2 tablespoons instant chocolate milk mix
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Sugar or sugar substitute, if desired
6 tablespoons fat-free whipped topping
Additional instant chocolate milk mix, if desired

In blender, place coffee and ice cubes. Cover; blend on high speed 10 to 20 seconds or until mixture is slushy.

Add ice cream, milk, 2 tablespoons instant chocolate milk mix and vanilla. Cover; blend on high speed 20 to 30 seconds longer or until well blended. Sweeten to taste with sugar or sugar substitute. Pour into 3 glasses. Top each with whipped topping; sprinkle with instant chocolate milk mix. Serve immediately. Find this and other great recipes at Eat Better America.

Proud Mama

Today was a big day. Well, it started off with the usual... coffee, lukewarm by the time I get through 1/2 a cup, a hurried shower with crying 11 month old banging on the door, book reading, sibling arguments, whining, scraping dried cereal muck off the kitchen floor, beautiful artwork bestowed on me by my mini artists, a giggly game of hide and seek, loads of laundry and a few dirty diapers. We visited the library and played at the park, had pasta for dinner and then went out for Starbucks. Not an a-typical day for us.
After pjs and tucking the big kids in bed, Dad and I played with Happy Jack a while as he wasn't yet ready for bed. As has become the routine, Dad prodded him to "walk to Mama." In his typical stubborn fashion, he promptly sat down and crawled to me, then gave me a big squeeze and a couple of pats on the back. (Very cute and I relish the love.) We tried again a couple of times and figured he wasn't going to perform, so I was ready to take him to bed. Dad, however, decided to give it one more try. And, it happened. He took 3 steps! Hooray! Big cheers, lots of clapping and one giant smile on the little bugger's face. So proud he was. It was absolutely priceless.
Too bad it wasn't captured on video, but it is etched in my memory forever as a true treasure. Ain't motherhood grand!

Don't forget your free Starbucks!

Print out this card for a free iced coffee from Starbucks....Yum-O!
Participation may vary so ask before you order.

Wordless Wednesday

Find more WW at 5 Minutes for Mom (which rocks by the way).

Holy Spider Batman!

While frolicking by the pool last weekend at Mamaw and Papaw' s house, my 6 year old went poking around the vegetable garden and commented that he didn't like the looks of "that spider." "What spider?" I replied and scurried over to take a look, thinking to myself, this may be an ideal "teachable moment" and I should take advantage. Plus, I'm just plain curious about critters of all kinds. When I got a load of the spider he was referring to, surprise! surprise! It was a female black widow. Wow, cool! and Yikes! went through my brain simultaneously. After carefully helping the kids to get a good look, and then shooing them away, I ran inside to get my camera.
Of the several shots I took, this was the only good one. She was in a tube and at an awkward angle. And when I leaned in for a better shot, she darted toward me and nearly scared the pee outta me. Did I mention I'm a wuss?
Interestingly, when the photo is enlarged you can make out the remains of some unlucky soul down in the sand. There are spider legs and a dismantled carcass laying about beneath her web. I wonder if that was her mate and if he knew what he was getting himself into when he came calling? And I thought I was a bitch :O

























Here Are A Few Things We Learned About Black Widow Spiders:

The female Black Widow is the most venomous spider in North America. The venom of the black widow spider is 15 times as toxic as the venom of the prairie rattlesnake. The spiders inject such a small amount of venom with a bite, however, that they rarely cause death in humans.
The female's body is about .5 inches long, 1.5 inches when the legs are spread.
Females may occasionally kill and eat a male after mating but this is more the exception than the rule. Adult males are harmless to humans, about half the female's size, with smaller bodies, and longer legs and usually have yellow and red bands and spots over the back as do the immature stages.
The female Black Widow hangs belly upward and rarely leaves the web. Black Widows spin webs that lack shape and form and are relatively tough and sticky.
Like most arachnids, the Black Widow preys on insects. Prey caught in the web include a variety of insects (cockroaches and beetles) and other arthropods. After ensnaring its prey in the web, the Black Widow makes small punctures in the victim's body and sucks out the liquid contents.
The Black Widow is preyed upon by Mud-Dauber wasps.

The ABCs of Melissa Meme

The ABCs of Melissa Meme

The ABCs of Me

Accent: Southern, a little. Don't have much of a drawl, but I have been known to say "ya'll."

Breakfast or no breakfast: Coffee x2 and a piece of Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Bread

Chore I don’t care for: Soooo many to choose from. I really hate cleaning toilets and dusting.

Dog or Cat: Dog, Great Dane, woof!

Essential Electronics: iMac

Favorite Cologne: Hmmmm, don't usually wear it, but I do like Victoria's Secret Heavenly

Gold or Silver: Silver

Handbag I carry most often: It's not designer so I don't think it has a name.

Insomnia: Nope. And don't jinx me!

Job Title: Mom

Kids: Yepper. 6, 3 and 11 mos

Living Arrangements: Modest 1950's brick ranch in the suburbs of Hampton Roads, VA.

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: Manipulator

Most Admirable Trait: Not patience! Hmmm, loyal?

Overnight hospital stays: 3 childbirths

Phobias: Heights

Quote: Education is a state-controlled manufactory of echoes.Norman Douglas

Reason to smile: I have an amazing family. I am truly blessed.

Siblings: 2 fabulous sisters. I'm in the middle.

Time I wake up: 7:30 - 8:00 AM, if I'm lucky.

Unusual Talent or Skill: Can make a clover with my tongue. Yes, I know it's weird and kind of gross, but you said unusual.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Eggplant, blech.

Worst Habit: I'm always late.

X-rays: cracked vertebrae, broken finger, lump in breast, teeth

Yummy Stuff: Cookies! ice cream, donuts, pastries, coffee...I'm getting hungry again.

Zoo Animal I Like Most: Giraffes

My favorite cookies to make with the kids

My kids love to help cook, and this recipe is simple and so easy even my 2 year old can get in the mix. Try these shortbread cookies with your kids!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium sized bowl add:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter at room temp.
1 tbsp vanilla extract (or lemon or almond-my favorite!)
Mix all ingredients by rubbing with your fingers until you get a sandy texture. Then form into a ball. Pinch off sections to make ping pong sized balls. Put onto greased or non-stick cookie sheet and flatten a little with a fork. Bake 15-20 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to rack to cool and enjoy. Makes 20-24 cookies.

You can make several different types of cookies by adding chocolate chips, sprinkles, cocoa powder (2 Tbsp), cinnamon (1 tsp), raisins, chopped nuts, etc.

Just a Quick Note & A Lapbooking Resource

Ok, it's getting late and we've rolled in this evening after a weekend trip out of town. (No, I didn't attend BlogHer...I wish). I'm knee deep in laundry and half empty suitcases and just too tired to think much (much less write much). In going through my email, however, I did come across a great site with free lapbooking pages, and links to all sorts of early education and elementary resources. I got lost clicking from link to link, sifting through and bookmarking all the awesome stuff I was finding. So, the dishes are piled up now too, and I haven't gotten much unpacking at all done. Oh well, Monday will start off with a giant pot of coffee and lots of catching up. I'm too pooped to persevere tonight!
~Adieu

Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Flicker :: photos
2. Styling :: hair
3. Episode :: TV
4. Sexier :: Cosmopolitan
5. Studious :: my husband
6. Mushroom :: yuck
7. 8 minutes :: all my free time
8. Bald :: Eagle
9. Immunity :: Survivor
10. Sectioned :: pie chart

For more Unconscious Mutterings click here.

In The News

Recently an old friend of mine, and follow blogger, was featured in our local newspaper, The Virginian Pilot, as an up and coming bloggy mama. Her name is Carmen and you can visit her marvelous blog over at Mom to the Screaming Masses. She is a brave and savvy mom of six; yes, I said six, ages 4 -16 and writes about her life in the mommy hood. Her blog is insightful and witty and her down to earth, tell-it-like-it-is style is quite refreshing. There's never a dull moment at her place, and if you think you've got a handful in your house, just get a load of her day. You'll suddenly find yourself thinking, "Wow, if she can handle that, I can handle this." (Kind of like watching Jon and Kate Plus Eight - I'm addicted by the way). So hop on over and check her out. You are guaranteed a good read and a chuckle along the way.




As per her recent post titled GoogleHer, I'm adding my 5 things about me you'll find on Google:
1. I have been a Denver, Colorado Wedding Photographer since 2003.
2. I am a NC Board Certified Gastroenterologist practicing at Durham Regional Hospital
3. I am a retail shop in Huntington Beach, CA (what I sell? I couldn't seem to find)
4. I attended Wilsonville Elementary School in Wilsonville, AL Class of 2005 :)
5. I have a Ph. D. in Family Therapy (I wish) from Texas Women's University

My I've been a busy girl!

Election Lessons

If you are interested in discussing the upcoming elections with your kids, PBS has some great resources online. There are lesson plans for elementary and secondary aged kids. Great discussion points include every thing from democracy and it's U.S. history, why you should vote, political cartoons, the creation of political parties, past Presidents and more. There are some great ideas for helping kids explore the issues and think about what issues are most important to them and why. I highly recommend taking a look. Lots of interesting stuff here.
Find even more resources at Weekly Reader, and Congress for Kids.

The Daily Dog Bone

Think he's spoiled?

Wordless Wednesday

This is what we call "Crazy Bed Head." Bryn sleeps particularly hard and is the Queen of Crazy Bed Head at our house. See more WW at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Girls Day Out

The hub and I recently decided to make more of a concerted effort to spend some one on one time with each of the kids. To that end, I took dear daughter to the "big mall" for some girl fun. We got dressed up, for us that is...meaning she wore a dress and I actually put on make up... and headed to story time at Barnes and Noble. Then we got a snack, coffee and a blueberry scone for me, chocolate milk and a giant sugar cookie for her. We sat together at the big coffee bar and talked about her favorite things, her big brother and Diego (Go Diego Go). Then, we went to the play area for some romping good fun. I snapped a couple of photos to show the boys when we got home.
Next time, big brother and I will be off on an adventure and Brynie will be Daddy's girl.

Green Is The New Black

Clean it, build it, grow it, wear it, eat it...Green is the color du jour. So, we all know to reduce, recycle, reuse, but have you ever wondered how well you are really doing? What is your ecological footprint on the world. After your journey on Earth ends, what will you leave behind? It is an interesting question to ponder, and here is a little test to help you figure it out (as well as a great jumping off point for an eco-exploration with the kids). So, what's your score?

By the way, here's a link to stop the junk mail and save a tree...for FREE!

Today's The Day

So here it is, my birthday. The big 35. Not only am I a year older, and half way through my third decade, but I've officially entered a new demographic. No longer can I check the box next to 18-34 on surveys and questionaires. Nope, now I'm grouped in with the 50 year olds. Life has changed for sure.
I must say however, that this has been a particularly good birthday. My loving hubbie has gone out of his way to make it special. He's created the 12 days of my birthday, and given me a gift each day. (I feel so loved ;) He also arranged for a babysitter and took me out to dinner at a sweet little Italian restaurant downtown. We had a great time and a super yummy dinner. We rarely do that, go out without the kids, so it was wonderful. He's definitely accumulated some bonus points from all this...now I'll be wracking my brain to come up with something for his birthday in a few months!

Sunday Meme: Unconscious Mutterings

A word on memes. Ok, this whole meme thing is sort of new to me. I stumbled upon Wordless Wednesday when seeking to meet other bloggy mamas and visiting 5 Minutes for Mom. And, as I decided to play along each week I learned more about memes and that there are hundreds. Some are silly and fun, some are kind of dumb (IMO), and some informative. I thought I'd try on a few for size, so here's Sunday's version. It is a free association meme. By the way, if you are clueless as to what a meme is, here's a definition :

meme n (mëm): A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another. From the Greek mimëma, something imitated, from mimeisthai, to imitate.
For a list of memes click here.

My Sunday Meme from Unconscious Mutterings:

1. Intimated ::
tiny me vs huge & scary

2. Brush ::
hair, Brynie's beautiful blond locks

3. Masquerade ::
ball, scintillating and mysterious

4. Procedure ::
medical and not fun

5. Tattoos ::
not so much

6. Square ::
prim, uptight

7. Tuck ::
tummy

8. Boyfriend ::
a distant past

9. Badass ::
moron, pompous ass, insecurity

10. Thousand ::
dollars

Consider yourself tagged if you'd like to play along ;)

Library Book Sales

Today we hit the library book sale in downtown Portsmouth. If you haven't been to one of these you should go. Just check your local library website for information. Most have a Friends of the Library organization for fundraising which holds a book sale either once a month or a couple of times a year. We are fortunate enough to live within easy reach of about 4 cities that hold regular book sales. Many price books by the inch (ie. 1"= $1) so a stack of books 15" high only costs about $15. We made out today with 14 books and 6 National Geographic maps for only $13. Not only do they sell used library books, but many accept donations from the community, so they have everything from cookbooks, to text books, magazines, maps, travel guides, encyclopedias and, of course, great children's books. Now we just need more book shelves! The three in the kids rooms and the two in our living room are at capacity.

Speaking of reading, if you have an early reader, like me, here are a few great sites to try:
Headsprout Offers a Free Trial
Learn to Read Free
Study Dog Starts at $25 per year
Reading Eggs Currently offering a Free Trial
Starfall Free
Time4Learning $20 per month

It's 7/11 Know What That Means?...Free Slurpees!

Happy 7/11 Day! Get a FREE Slurpee today between 7 AM and 11 PM at participating 7 Eleven Stores.
Enjoy! Sluuuuuurp

Free Starbucks Iced Coffee on Wednesdays

Too bad today is not Wednesday, I could use one of these...a double shot. I was up from 3:00 to 5:00 AM with a crying 10 month old and a whiny 3 year old. Yawn...

Print out this card for a free iced coffee from Starbucks....Yum-O!
If you are unable to download this email me at melissabrich at gmail dot com and I'll send it to you. Participation may vary so ask before you order.

Wordless Wednesday

A rare moment of sibling revelry.

Bored Outta My Gourd

Today was one of those days when I felt frustrated and cranky. Two of my monkeys have fevers so we were pretty much house bound. And, the weather lately has gone between hazy, hot, humid and smoky (thanks to local wild fires) to full on severe thunder storms (boomer shoots, my son used to call them). Not exactly the kind of play outside summer-fun-friendly skies I had hoped for. So I've been plodding along, chipping away at Mt. Laundry and wracking my brain to come up with fun and interesting stuff to keep the kids out of trouble. We've made bird feeders, started an indoor herb garden, crafted, painted and crafted some more, read books, visited the library, watched movies, played games, worked puzzles, baked and eaten and eaten and eaten (have I mentioned that I can't stop eating anything that contains sugar?). I'm feeling a little stir crazy and the kids have been literally bouncing off the walls, and couches,and beds, at least they were until the fevers kicked in. The rest of the week calls for mid-90's with a chance of thunderstorms every day through Saturday. Yipee! Well, maybe the fevers will keep them mellow???

Mom, Your Knees Are Old

So here I am, screaming toward my 35th birthday and hating every minute of it. I don't know why but 35 bothers me way more than 30 did. I was the same way at 25. It's the mid-decade crisis. I guess it's that I'm leaving my early thirties behind and will now be in my LATE thirties and thus, nearly 40. That's what bothers me. It's like the end of another era. Another ugly bump on my way over the hill.
To add insult to injury, not only have I gone up a size (obviously not getting back to my pre-3rd-baby size) but my three year old told me today, "Mom your knees are old." I mean, geez! I had noticed the crows feet starting to show, and I've been covering up the gray hair for years, but now my knees look old?!
Why do our bodies age so much faster then our brains? I don't feel 35. I can't even believe I've been alive for 35 years. I keep waiting for the day when I'll feel like a grown up. I am just starting to get used to being a married mom with 3 kids. I don't even know how that happened so quick. Time flies is an understatement.
Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't change it a bit. I love my life (most days), but foot loose and fancy free, I am not. Do I have to be 35 too? Ok, I'm whining. Sorry. I know there are much worse things in the world. Like turning 36. Guess I should count my blessings instead of my birthday candles.

We Got Our Lemonade Stand!

Hooray it's here! Delivered via Fed Ex, no less. Our free lemonade stand. It's totally cool, surprisingly well made and the kids are ecstatic. The kids decided they wanted to help animals, so we will be donating our sales profits to the Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue. We've got lemonade, cookies and brownies. Now, if only the weather would cooperate, we could drum up some business!

If you missed my previous post on this, check it out here.

Please let us know if anyone else ordered this and how you used it. We'd love to hear about it!
Cheers!

By the way, I'm having trouble with Blogger today. Please forgive the funky formatting on the posts.

Fabulous Food, Friendly Faces, and Fizzled Fireworks

So, the 4th was great fun. We had some friends over for a bbq and we all had a great time, despite the muggy heat and mosquitoes. We ended up cramming into our dining room to escape the bugs. The food was great and we had an abundance of desserts...my favorite ;) Afterwards we packed up and headed downtown to see the fireworks, hooray! It was still humid and the smoke from the Dismal Swamp wild fires rolled in, but that didn't deter us. The kids were loud and wild with excitement, so we loaded them in the cars and were on our way. The lightning started as we neared our destination, but we pressed onward. We set up near the waterfront and settled in to watch the show with fingers crossed. More lightning and delays...the kids were tired, but still in good spirits and we waited with anticipation...a few fireworks from local revelers popped in the distance amid the looming smoke. Lightning flickered and the thunder rolled in. Then the word came that the show would be postponed due to weather conditions. Fizzle, fizzle, splat. That was that. Everyone packed up and headed toward the cars, and by the time we hit the parking garage the monsoon had descended upon us. At least two of our three kids crashed out on the way home and the third was not far behind. Not the finale we were hoping for, but all in all it was a great 4th. Good company and good memories and you just can't beat that.

Wordless Wednesday

Three in the bed and the little one said, "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."

The Dog Days of Summer