Family Musings

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Umm, this week's Thursday Thirteen theme is 'gross.' Since I don't feel like doing a post about gross baby stuff (you know, poop and vomit), I will share with you 13 gift-of-the-month items. (Because, you know, there are 12 months... yeah, the connection to 'gross' is lame, but it's the best I can do with the theme)

Fruit of the Month - Probably the most common club. It might give someone you love a chance to try a new or exotic fruit they would not have otherwise purchased.
Cheese of the Month - Since cheese goes good with everything this club would be great. Just don't send it to your Aunt Goosey who is lactose-intolerant.
Chocolate of the Month - Show me someone who wouldn't like this and I'll show you a crazy person!
Coffee of the Month - Great idea for someone who likes to mix it up and is a real coffee connoisseur. (Not me, but maybe my dad)
Flower of the Month - Brighten some one's home year-round with a fresh bouquet of flowers.
Perfume of the Month - If they don't want to look at flowers, maybe they could smell like one?
Tie of the Month - I don't know. This is probably the most bizarre club in my opinion.
Candle of the Month - Seems awfully expensive. Just ship them a Yankee Candle gift card. Better yet, send me the gift card and I'll, um, be sure, to um, pass it along. Yeah.
Teddy Bear of the Month - Perfect choice for someone who can't get enough snuggly-love.
Movie of the Month - Not a bad idea at all. Of course, sending someone 12 movie tickets might be easier. Then they would get to pick the movies they want to see.
Steak of the Month - You can send this one to me, so long as someone agrees to cook it up like P-dub!
Cookie of the Month - If you are going to share this one with our family, give me plenty of notice. I will need to cut the gas budget to buy more milk. Everyone knows you need milk to go with your cookies.
Pizza of the Month - because everyone needs to try a Shrimp Teriyaki pizza at least once in their life!

Check out other gross lists at Thursday Thirteen. By the way, this is my 8th edition of T13.

Labels: thursday 13

# Posted by Jennifer @ | 6:00 AM | Comments 3

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

13 More Mother's Day Ideas

Okay, my family probably thinks I am desperately trying to angle for the BEST Mother's Day present. (See previous gift idea posts here and here.) Really though, I'm not. I just keep coming across fabulous options. These would work well for birthdays too!

I received an e-mail in my inbox recently from World Vision about 5 gifts they think would make excellent gifts for moms this year. I agree but decided to expand the list to 13 for this weeks edition of Thursday Thirteen. They are:

Hope for sexually exploited girls - If a family sells their daughter into prostitution, it is often done out of desperation. That family needs food or medical care for another member. WV has shelters to take these girls in and rescue them from 12+ sexual encounters a day. ($35)
Provide a goat for increased income - If a mom has a goat, then she has the means to feed her family a sustainable product. Then, one day, that goat might have babies that she can sell. ($75)
Enroll a girl in school - As an educator, this one really hits home. Many times, girls in third world countries must stay home to care for their younger family members and miss out on the valuable skills and tools an education would provide. ($35)
Supply malaria prevention for a family - Bed nets and education. It is so simple. Those two things can be enough to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. ($20)
Feed a mother and her children - We count calories to lose weight... mothers in Angola count calories to make sure they gain enough weight. ($50)
Care for a caregiver - Given the AIDS epidemic in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, there are many people who need loving care. Help support one of these caregivers by providing some basic medical supplies. ($28)
Help the orphans and widows - The AIDS crisis requires it and the Bible commands it. ($100)
Pick up the pieces - Hurricane Katrina's effects are still felt on the Gulf Coast. Building materials are still needed by many. ($35)
Tutor a US student - This gift provides one month's worth of tutoring to a student in need, specifically targeted towards urban elementary students. ($55)
Grow fruit trees - Like the goat above, this is a gift that keeps on giving. Fruit trees offer shade, sustenance, and a source of income. ($60)
Gather water - Purchase a treadle pump and an entire community will have access clean water that can be used for crop irrigation. ($392)
Spread out your giving - Consider purchasing a Gift of the Season package and four separate cards will be mailed letting your favorite mom know you think about her all year long. ($196)
Sponsor a child - We know it costs a lot more than $30 a month to raise children in the US, but that relatively small amount of money can make a huge difference in the life of someone like the child you will see when you click this link.

Finally, they have one special gift designed specifically for Mother's Day. By donating $85 to their Maximum Impact Fund you allow World Vision to use the money where they see the greatest need. As an added bonus, you will receive a beautiful cream-colored scarf for mom.

"Each scarf is hand-woven and dyed through a World Vision income-generating program for women in Thailand. At your request, the scarf will arrive with a beautiful card explaining the impact of the donation."
Visit Thursday Thirteen for more 13 fun.

Labels: thursday 13

# Posted by Jennifer @ | 10:55 PM | Comments 1

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

13 Places I've Been

This week we have a themed Thursday Thirteen. I'm going to share with you 13 places I've been and what I liked about each place.

Orlando, FL - Umm, this is the vacation capital of the world! There is literally something for everyone. Well, okay... not quite. If you like climbing mountains, then FL isn't for you. We are below sea level and flat as a board. Remember 2004 when we had all of that plywood everywhere?
Chicago, IL - Visiting the Field Museum and seeing a baseball game were the highlights of my time there. Oh, and the shopping. There is a LOT of good shopping in down town Chi-town.
New York, New York - I've been here a couple of times and need to go back. The energy coming off of the street is amazing. Must do's - Broadway, morning talk show, and breakfast at a diner.
Beijing, China -For a completely different experience... wow! And if you like shopping, this place was made for you! The Pearl Market actually sells all kinds of jewelry and silks and miscellaneous do-dads. Your souvenirs from this trip will be loads better than some lame "My aunt went to China" t-shirt.
Washington, DC - My husband just came back and brought me pictures of the cherry blossom trees. I wish I could have gone with him. Between the trees and the gazillion free things to do there, this is a must for every one.
Pacific Ocean - I'm kind of copping out on this one. I don't actually remember where I was when I first dipped my toe in the Pacific Ocean, but the experience was breathtaking. Wherever it was on the PCH that I stopped, there was the Pacific Ocean on one side and rocky cliffs on the other. (Yes, I know that describes most of the PCH.)
San Antonio, TX - I think I've made 4 trips there and each time vow to go back. Between the Spanish mission, Alamo, and the excellent and authentic Mexican food this place is a winner for the whole family!
Addison, TX - This is the city to visit if you like to eat. Make sure you stop by Truluck's. I think I tried everything on their menu at least once, maybe twice for the desserts. Last I heard, Addison had more restaurants per capita than any other city west of the Mississippi River.
Rome, Italy - To be honest, I only spent one night in Rome, and I was alone with no Italian language skills. But I think I should go back. If for no other reason, than just to try more authentic Italian food.
Cayman Islands - To be even more honest, I've never even been here! But my friend John lives there (and so does this guy Thababti, whose blog I read) and I think I should go visit them.
McGayhesville, VA - Never been here either, but figured I should include it since it is where I will be during the 2nd week of June. Anyone know what I can do there?
Alaska - My first visit to Alaska was on a cruise. I really enjoyed my day in Skagway and learning that the SE part of Alaska is actually a rain forest. My second visit to Alaska... well, that is still being negotiated with my husband.
Leaving this one blank so my faithful commentors can give share their ideas.

What is one place you've been that you've really liked? Why?

See what other 13ers said!

Labels: thursday 13

# Posted by Jennifer @ | 9:46 PM | Comments 6

Thursday, April 17, 2008

13 Gifts for Mother's Day

Since this is my first year as a mother, I thought I would help Charlotte out and make a list of 13 things I would like to receive this year.

Momma Bling - Doesn't every mom need a piece of jewelry that proclaims her title? And what better way to receive it than in a Tiffany Blue box?
Less Expensive Momma Bling - I've been following Lisa's designs for a while now and she always has an interesting take on expressing emotions. If Tiffany & Co. is too far out of Charlotte's budget, she should check out Lisa's site.
Chocolate - What woman wouldn't want a box from Godiva?
Quiet Time - Can I have some time to quietly enjoy that box of chocolate?
Massage - After endless nights of laying on my side to accommodate Charlotte, my back is not the same. I am too young to feel this old.
Pedicure - Does anyone see a theme here? I need some pampering!
Sleep - As in, may I please sleep in more than 1 time in a month? Bruce and I have a deal that on Saturday mornings I get to sleep in while he watches Charlotte for a couple of hours. Our schedule hasn't allowed this hardly at all for the last 2 months.
Fancy, Schmancy Sleep Mask - It would help me to sleep in on bright, sunny Saturday mornings if I had a luxurious sleeping mask.
Photo Keychain - What mom doesn't need something like this for bragging on her children? I've got a lot of photos to share.
Flowers - What woman doesn't love flowers? I love them too, but hate when they die off, so buy me these cool eco-friendly metal ones instead.
A new Bible - Bruce and I have looked at a lot lately, and I think I like the Holman CSB the best. There are lots of different versions of it though and I can't decide which one I want. I bought this Holman CSB for a friend recently and really liked it.
Baby Kisses - Okay, enough selfishness... Mother's Day is a chance to celebrate being a mother. I think I kind of need a kid to do that. So tell Charlotte I need to get loaded up on kisses. She has a few weeks to practice.
Family Day - We've been so busy lately, that I would really just like a day for us to lounge around together. No blogs, no tv, maybe a picnic lunch at Bok Tower, soaking up the sun and one another.

Have you Thursday Thirteened yet?

Labels: thursday 13

# Posted by Jennifer @ | 8:01 AM | Comments 5

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Thursday Thirteen - 4th edition

Hmmm... I've already done 13 reasons I haven't been posting so I can't do that list again. How about 13 things I love about Charlotte Moon instead?!

Her name.
Her dimples. She has 2, one one each cheek.
Her smile.
The way her nose crunches up when she smiles with her eyes (see the last picture).
How soft and smooth her baby skin feels, especially after a bath.
The large wave-like curl that is growing on the top of her head.
How when she first wakes up in the morning she likes to just look around and grab her toes.
The smile I get when she first sees me, in the morning, or when I pick her up.
The way her hand rests on me while she is nursing.
Her laugh. It is infectious!
How she snuggles up to me at night and uses my bosom as her pillow.
When she melts into the snugly comfort of my arms as she falls asleep.
And finally, I love how she now knows what to do when the camera comes out. She just perks right up and flashes a cheeky grin for us!

I could go on forever probably, but this is Thursday Thirteen. Visit the official site for more 13 fun!

Labels: thursday 13

# Posted by Jennifer @ | 8:15 AM | Comments 2

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Musings on Musings

Recently, I realized that there are a lot of blogs that use the word musings in their title. So, for my 3rd edition of Thursday 13, I thought I'd share some of them with you. I only read 1-2 of the most recent posts on each of these and in no way am I endorsing them as having content you will value.

Disclaimer: Linking to these sites doesn't mean I agree with them... they are just here to illustrate that musings are a common theme among bloggers. If I wanted to include posts that had the word musings in them, this list would have to be posted on the Thursday Three-Thousand site! :)

Visit Thursday Thirteen for more list goodness.

Labels: thursday 13

# Posted by Jennifer @ | 7:00 PM | Comments 9

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Thursday Thirteen - 2nd Edition

My blog hasn't even been around a year, but people do go looking for it on occasion. I'm not sure why anyone would want to read my little blog, but they go searching for me (or completely unrelated topics) and these are 13 of the best phrases they use to find me.

"jenny sabin and new baby" No one calls me Jenny anymore so this must be someone from waaaayyy back... if that was you, you should have left a comment and said hi! And seeing as you've been back several times using that search phrase, why don't you just save my homepage as a favorite, or add me to you blog reader? It would be easier than always have to go to the same post.

"pottery pictures" "pictures of pottery" This search seemed odd to me since I am not a pottery blog, but it brought someone to my site at least 7 times, and this is where they ended up. I'm proud of my family's artistic endeavors, but I doubt this is what someone was looking for, then again... 7 times?

"family musings" I suppose it is only natural for someone trying to find my blog to use the name of my blog. What surprised me is that my blog came up first on Google search! Yeah for page rank!

"baby in his belly" Ew! I don't think Bruce would like people to believe that he ever had a baby in his belly... and Bruce doesn't eat babies so this is just bizarre. After a little sleuthing, I finally figured out how someone landed on my page with this search string... it goes back to my giveaway post and a comment from this reader.

"organized doodles" Hmmm... was Rick looking for himself? If so, he found what he was looking for here. Maybe if more people come looking for him through my site he could give me some sort of discount! (hint, hint...)

"distinguishing watermelon from orange pregnant bellies" I didn't realize this was hard to do, but glad someone thought I could help! What would the world do without Google to answer these tough concepts?

"phuny" "phuny photos" "phuny pictures" At first, I was appalled that someone would spell funny so horribly, then I remembered this post.

"throwing up light green bile" Ahhh... this searcher helped me remember my most fun weekend as a new mom! Not!

"the 4 methods to interpreting scriptures" See, I can be serious on this blog too.

"proper way to give solids at 6 months" "research supporting delay of solids to 6 months" "breastmilk v. solids at 6 months" It seems like my efforts to educate part of the world about baby nutrition are paying off. All three of these phrases landed on this page about delaying solids.

"could gaining weight make my legs hurt?" Duh! Seeing this though is a reminder to get back on my weight loss bandwagon.

"foods with moon names" Huh? Are there any? If so, this searcher didn't find it at my blog, instead they found out why we honor the name Charlotte Moon.

"pitchers of pregnant ladies giving birth any where" I can only imagine why anyone would want a pitcher full of pregnant ladies, giving birth none the less. That would be awfully messy. The person looking for this must have been disappointed to find this link on my site. He, or she, didn't even get to see any pitchers, or pictures!

Go read more Thursday Thirteen fun here!

Labels: blog, lactivist, thursday 13, weight

# Posted by Jennifer @ | 10:50 AM | Comments 7

Thursday, February 21, 2008

7 Days - 13 Reasons

That's how long it has been since I posted to this blog. I have some good excuses for not being here in the last week, but you probably don't care. Just know that the threat of having the Barones move in next door was enough to get my keister back to the keyboard!

1. I was visiting my mom last weekend.
2. Then I was taking care of a sick husband.
3. Then the sick husband got pink eye so he couldn't entertain Charlotte.
4. I cut caffeine out of my diet, but Charlotte isn't sleeping more, so we are playing more.
5. We have gone to bed early a few nights this week due to 2 & 4,
6. I get home later now that I go to Curves each day after school.
7. I have to shower after I workout.
8. I couldn't find my camera to post pictures.
9. I was too busy reading these forums.
10. My planning periods were too busy to post a blog.
11. I'm sleeping in later so no time to post in the morning.
12. My baby brain can't remember all of my great post ideas.
13. Did I mention I was spending more time playing with Charlotte?

Even though I used excuse number 8, I found my camera today and here are some pictures from the last week. First, this is Charlotte on the big heart day. This outfit doubled as Christmas and Valentine's Day attire.