Boogers - a "best of" post from the past

I have a yucky cold. Rich and Kiel have it too, although I was the only wimpy one to stay home in bed today.


I'm jealous of Kiel's cold, because his boogers come in ice cream flavors. Last night they tasted like chocolate, tonight like vanilla. Just to be clear, that's what he told me. Despite his generous offers I have not tasted them.

And because I feel icky, and Rich wants to watch a movie, I'm going to cheat and re-post something I wrote for the now defunct Philly Moms Blog a couple years ago

Are booger eaters smarter than booger wipers?

I was at a birthday party recently with my 7 year-old son. While the kids were making their party favors several of the moms were sitting around talking. Of course our conversation turned to kids, and as we witnessed one of the boys mine for nostril gold, the conversation turned to kids and boogers.

One of the mom's commented that kids are either booger eaters or booger wipers, and then speculated that whether or not a kid was a booger eater or a booger wiper was genetic. It turned into quite the conversation as we compared notes and yes, our own personal booger history (booger wiper!). I was surprised at how some of the moms even knew if their husbands were eaters or wipers as kids (mine claims he was, and still is, a wiper).

Since I'm not linked genetically to either of my boys (I have both an eater and a wiper, btw) I really couldn't comment on the theory per se, but it certainly is an interesting twist on the nature versus nurture debate.

While clearly a silly conversation, it did get me thinking. So, like all good pseudo-scientists, I turned to the internet to see what it had to say about booger picking and found this little gem about booger eating. It appears that a few years ago Dr. Friedrich Bischinger, a lung specialist in Austria, gained some notoriety by endorsing the picking and eating of boogers, especially by children. According to Dr. Bischinger people who pick their noses with their fingers (the finger is key, yo!) are healthier, happier, and more in tune with their bodies.

Apparently, the finger is key because it allows you to dig into the nooks and crannies that a handkerchief or tissue can't reach, keeping your nose cleaner. And the only comment I have to this is, "well, duhh!"

He also claims that "eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the body's immune system. The nose is a filter in which a great deal of bacteria is collected, and when this mixture arrives in the intestines it works just like a medicine."  

 

I suppose this makes sense in a rather ewwww kind of way if you discount the effects of stomach acid, etc.. However, as I sit here enduring day three of the cold from hell, I can't say I'm at all motivated to test out his theory. Nor am I very concerned that my career as a pharmacist is at risk.

I just wish I had this little gem of information during our momversation about eating and wiping. Because if Dr. B's theory is true, now I'm wondering if there isn't a genetic link between booger eating and intelligence.

"Oh just look at my little Johnny, such a smart boy eating his own boogers! He takes after his daddy you know."

So how about you? Are your kids eaters or wipers? Or as my Facebook friends pointed out, flickers? Or is flicking a subcategory of wiping? And what about those of you with booger farmers? 

Oh my, who knew there could be such complexity to boogers!

Taking back my blog - part Noah (chapter two)

Well, actually a redirect to a Philly Moms Blog post I wrote a few days ago. As I finished writing the post originally I realized that it might translate well to the Philly Moms Blog. Since I only have a couple weeks left to go down in SVMG and PMB history, I figured I'd post it there.

So for "part Noah (chapter two)" in a somewhat more generalized form, you can read it here.

When SVMG officially closes its doors I'll put it back up here in its original form.

In other Noah news, we are doing some intense attachment therapy with him this week, and it is amazing! As soon as I have a few minutes (between other obligations) to sit down and write about it I will.

I'm taking back my blog!

I heard some sad and definitely unwelcome news today. The Silicon Valley Moms Group, of which the Philly Moms Blog is part, is closing their doors July 1. I know this news came as a shock to many of us who write for them.

I've only been writing for PMB since the beginning of the year, but it has been an amazing experience. It was a leap for me at the time. While I have been writing on MNT for almost five years, I wasn't sure I was ready to write somewhere else, especially for something as big as SVMG. The opportunity came at a time though when I wasn't feeling particularly safe writing what I was really feeling here, on MNT. So even though I knew my voice was going to be different writing for PMB, it offered me a place to continue to write and to stretch a bit beyond my comfort zone. Obviously I didn't stretch too far on a few posts, since I still managed to write about boogers and my crazy kids. However, I also managed to get one of my posts published/syndicated (I'm still not sure of the actual term), which just fed my bug to write. Because while I write for many reasons, one of reasons is that I like knowing that people read me!


I have no doubts that I'll find another place to continue to learn and grow with my writing, outside of MNT, but I think right now this is a good time to refocus on my own blog and why I started writing here in the first place.


Almost five years ago I started Mama Sparklykatt (my first blog) to have a place to document Noah's childhood and to give myself a safe place to vent. For months it was just me. And then I received my first comment. And gradually I gained an audience. Readers that connected with me over adoption, parenting, special needs, infertility, etc.. Readers that I have become friends with.


Over the last five years I've learned a lot; about myself, about parenting, about how I want to live my life. I've written many things I'm proud of. I've written a few things that frankly stunk. Only once have I removed a post (that I later decided was not my story to tell). I have written many things that I never posted and that still sit in my drafts box. I am incredibly proud of what I have created here on MNT, and have no plans to stop it. 


Some of you have contacted me and asked me what is going on. Some of you have noticed that my writing has changed. And it has. And to those of you who noticed, I say THANK YOU! Because wow, knowing that people read me that closely, to notice something is different, well, all I can say is WOW. And again, THANK YOU!

Several months ago a couple members of my family started reading my blog. While anyone is welcome to read here, as I am in the public domain after all, knowing my family was reading was, well, strange. And made me feel very vulnerable. Especially since at the time those members of my family were not communicating with me. And whether they were or not, I felt that I was being judged. Since I was already very sensitive to family criticism, especially about my parenting, I stopped putting myself out there in my writing in the same way as I had before. And I stopped documenting what is going on with Noah in the same way. 


And for seven months I have not enjoyed writing on my own blog as I did before. I have censored myself. And I stopped using my writing to help me work through my feelings. And by doing that I haven't been fair to myself, and I haven't been fair to my readers who come here (at least I hope) because of my honesty and not just because I talk about sex and my frankenvulva.

So I'm going to work on getting back to the MNT I was once proud of. The MNT that wrote honestly and connected. I ask you to reconnect with me, and call me out if I act scared again.

If you don't like what I write, don't read it. It's as simple as that. I'm taking back my blog!

Mother's Day

Mothers Day always brings up a myriad of emotions for me. I wrote about some of them on the Philly Moms Blog, so go! Read! Come back!

What I didn't do more than touch on there was how Mother's Day is a reminder of our journey through infertility. A reminder that what many people take for granted, pregnancy, is a land unto itself to others. A personal hell in many ways.

This movie moved me. If you are dealing with IF or have in the past you will understand. If you aren't but know someone who is, watch this.

What IF? A Portrait of Infertility from Keiko Zoll on Vimeo.

There are times when I ache for another child. I loved being pregnant and the newborn period. I so want to do it again. But it isn't to be for us, for many reasons, not just the IF issues.

So now that I've brought everyone to tears, let me just wish all of you Mom's, Mom's to be, Mom's in spirit, Mom's in heart, a happy Mother's Day full of whatever your heart desires.

I called my karate instructor a vampire, and other news.

A couple weeks ago my karate instructor asked me if I'd write up a short testimonial about my experience that he could share with the moms of his younger students in conjunction with a Mothers Day promotion he is doing.

Of course I said sure and then promptly forgot about it until I started to see him promoting a free month of training for moms last week. And then I felt obligated to put pen to paper, or fingers to laptop in my case, and make him proud!

I figured if I was going to inspire anyone to start training I needed to be honest about my experience. And insert a little humor, because frankly, that's how I roll.

So I started out my testimonial by saying my instructor was a vampire. And then I wrote about almost dying, falling on my face, and my leaky bladder. Oh hell, you can go here and read a somewhat beefed up version I wrote for the Philly Moms Blog, because I was struggling to get something in for them too by the end of the month.

The testimonial that I sent him starts with "Don't tell him I said this, but I'm pretty sure Mr. M is a vampire."

I ended the actual testimonial with: "So I want to thank Mr. M for glamoring me into starting and then sticking with it. And Miss S for letting me get all emotional on her and giving me the extra help I needed to catch up. And Mr. C. for letting me beat up on him when I really needed to practice my self-defense on a person other than my husband. And for all the other adults in the class who have taken the time to help me and teach me and most importantly encourage me!

So come on Moms! If this Mom can do it you can too!"

Instead of how I ended it on PMB with the bit about the fat girl in class and how my husband better not wake me up in the morning poking me with Mr. Happy. So I'm not a total idiot. At least I know what is better to put out on the internetz for everyone to see, versus what I should just email to my instructor. banging head on table

But I'm starting to think based on the lack of response from my instructor that perhaps he was looking for a more traditional testimonial and not one in which he was referred to as a vampire. Especially since the testimonials he has been sending out every day via email are much more traditional, and shockingly not a single one of them mentions that he is a vampire.

Oooppss....

So in other news:

I earned my purple belt two weeks ago, so I am now an intermediate level karate student. The kata I am learning right now is called "mass attack." Which basically means "stay away from me bitches, because I can hurt you!"

Noah earned his junior level yellow belt and participated in a tournament. I really need to tell you all about that because he rocked out on his combination moves all ninja style. 

And I have a review and giveaway up here for Zestra. An arousal enhancing oil that helps heat things up in the nether regions (or in my case the frankenvulva). There I compare sex to a bus ride. So go there and enter to win! If you leave a comment there with the secret code phrase "your karate instructor is a vampire" I'll give you an extra entry! Shhhh...that will be our little secret!

  

Tonight we found our cat had peed in Kiels box of Matchbox cars. Fortunately Rich found it. And the rule in this house is "you smelt it, you dealt it."

My right eyelid and right upper lip have started twitching lately. I think I'm a little stressed, especially as we fight for the services we need for Noah this summer. We have four meetings in the next two weeks alone that have to do with this, and I'm sure there will be more. 

Fortunately I am not super busy at work right now, so the fact that some of this personal stuff is encroaching into work hours isn't a big deal. 

And with that I leave you to ponder if you will, how I should handle my next meeting with Mr. M.  Hair up off my neck perhaps?

I made the papers! And not because I was arrested or found running around the neighborhood nekkid!

Just in case you missed it, my latest Philly Moms Blog post, Return Receipt Requested?. I tackled the issue of the Russian boy that was "sent back" to Russia by the woman that adopted him last September. I'm very excited because it was one of two SVMG posts that was picked up by the McClatchy Company and syndicated in their 30 daily newspapers last Monday. To say I was excited is an understatement.

I also want to link to the post Parents Need Advocacy Too on the DC Metro Moms Blog, which is my inspiration for what I think will be my next post on PMB.

I'm alive, really!

Yikes, it's been over two weeks since I've posted! I've been a little crazyer than normal the last couple weeks just catching up on work and other writing commitments, not to mention the laundry and cleaning the bathrooms and just general mom/wife stuff! I even made a meatloaf recently! I know...I am rockin' this mom shit! 

Then I had a fun episode of strep throat thanks to the giving nature of my 7-year-old last week, and since I'm a big baby when I'm sick I got even more behind in everything. But I did get totally addicted to Virtual Villagers 4: The Tree of Life while I was lazing in bed, too weak to do anything but move my finger on the touch pad between naps.

I have a big deadline at work this week, then I should be able to breathe again. But in the meantime here is a little bit of what's been going on:

Two weeks ago Thor ran out the door on a rainy night and didn't immediately come back inside once he realized his little paws were getting wet. He spent that rainy night and the next miserable rainy day outside. When the sun came out again on day three he still wasn't home. We all freaked out and spent several hours walking the neighborhood and surrounding woods looking for him. We also put up 65 fliers around the neighborhood. 

We have awesome neighbors and one of them found him romping happily at the edge of the woods about two blocks away. He didn't seem all that happy to be home and I'd bet money he scored some kitty smack while he was gone, because he was pretty goofy. We've managed to keep him close to home since then, but I'm not holding my breath that he isn't going to try this again. Teenagers...ughh

Noah had strep throat, Rich stayed home with him for a day, then I got sick and spent four days in bed, because (see above) me = big baby.

I wrote this on the Philly Moms Blog.

And the post I wrote before that was one of the SVMG's Hot Posts of the Week.

I have some new reviews and giveaways up on MNT Review Blog here and here. And have two more to get up in the next couple days.

Earlier this week I dragged Rich and the boys with me to a blogger event hosted by MomSelect and Energizer to launch their Energizer Recharge Smart Charger and announce their "Kids Take Charge" video contest. The contest goes live tomorrow, so as soon as I have a link to it I'll post it here.

Yesterday I attended a mom blogger seminar sponsored by MomSpace. It was awesome! And I finally got to meet the gorgeous and super genuine Joey Fortman, who is going to be my new best friend, I just know it! And if not I'll just stalk her and pretend she is, until the restraining order takes effect anyway. And, Shannon from Chester County Moms, and one of the moderators of the event, absolutely made my day when she came up to me at the end of the morning and introduced herself. She's been a regular commenter on my blog and on Twitter and goofy me didn't put two and two together when she was up in front of all of us doing an amazing job keeping the panel on track!


Noah started spring soccer today and also has his academy soccer going on for another 5 or 6 weeks as well.

And, Noah and I will both be promoting to our next belt rank in karate this week! More about that soon.  

OK, you are now caught up on life in the MNT household. I'll be back soon with more fascinating blog posts, so consider yourself warned! Because at least one is about sex and one is about the frankenvulva, and they aren't even related!

Are booger eaters smarter?

So I thought I'd talk about boogers today, just not here. Check me out on Philly Moms Blog and then leave me a comment and tell me how smart your kid is!

Things you should know!

If you aren't getting enough of me here, check me out on Philadelphia Mom's Blog where I talk about knowing it all before I had kids, knowing nothing now, and second guessing my parenting choices. 

I'll be writing for Philadelphia Mom's Blog, part of the Silicon Valley Moms Group, a couple times a month. There is a great group of writers there, so check it out!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have two three giveaways going on right now, so please enter!

500 Business Cards from Uprinting.com is posted here. It ends 2/12 and right now odds are good! You can do more than just strictly business cards with these, so check it out! 

And here I have a $50 gift card to Safeway up for grabs! This is also good at Dominick´s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, and Genuardi´s. This one ends 12/19.

And finally, here I'm giving away the new Shaun the Sheep: A Woolly Good Time DVD.