Wordless Wednesday

Not the best pictures, but I think you can get the idea. I just love those swirls...I think they look like the infinity sign.

My second meme...and this ones a toughy

So Deb at Postcards from the Edge tagged me for this meme. I've seen it around the blogosphere in the last couple weeks and am always impressed at what people come up with.

The meme originated over an idea that was prompted by the book written by Larry Smith & Rachel Fershleiser, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure. It’s a compilation based on the story that Hemingway once bet ten dollars that he could sum up his life in six words. His words were, “For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn.”

1. Write your own six word memoir.

2. Post it to your blog including a visual illustration if you would like.

3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post and to this original post http://herebaby.blogspot.com/2008/06/six-word-memior.html if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogsphere

4. Tag 5 more blogs with links

5. Don’t forget to leave a comment in the tagged blogs with an invitation to play

So, my six words: Surrounded by people, yet often alone.

And that is why I'm getting therapy.

Alrighty then, now to tag five people. I think I'm going to tag some of my new Philly Mom blogger friends. Hope you ladies don't mind. I did look to see if you have done this meme already, and it doesn't look like you have.

Katia at Freeform Katia
Kim from Situationally Single Mom
Mel from Life is like a box of chocolates
Sarah at Genesis Moments

I'm also going to tag Bikini at Pantsfreesia

Mommy bloggers get together

Too often I let my social anxieties hold me back. Last Friday however, I pushed myself to break out of my comfort zone. I went to a Philly mom bloggers get together where I knew no one!

Yeah me! I'm actually quite proud of myself. I went, I talked, and I don't think I embarrassed myself (too much). And....I had fun!! I think I'd like to do it again!

So 20 Philadelphia area bloggers met in the pope room at Buca di Beppo in Exton for an evening of food, talk and some great swag. Prior to going I wondered if other bloggers were like me; shy and socially awkward, but I have to say a definitive NO to that one. It was honestly so loud at times from everyone talking that I could not hear the women next to me.

And what women they are! Smart, beautiful and funny! I enjoyed getting to know several of them, including Katia from Freeform Katia, Whitney from Mommies with style, Jo-Lynn from Musings of a Housewife , Sarah from Genesis Moments and Kim from Situationally Single Mom. And those were just the women seated close enough for me to talk with.

There was some great swag and a few giveaways as well. A big thanks to Graco, newbaby.com, Smart Mom Solutions, Orville Redenbacher, Mom Central and the Handyguys Podcast for all the great STUFF. And an extra big thank you to Graco for picking up the tab for dinner and for the two car seats they gave away.

I was also lucky enough to win two K'nex kits to take home for The Boy that Colleen at Classy Mommy gave away. We had lots of fun putting them together this weekend while Daddy was working.

Thanks to the wonderful ladies who put the evening together and for letting me attend!

Welcome to My New Digs!

Welcome! I'm so happy to see you found your way.

As you can see, I finally packed everything up and manage to move it over here with out breaking anything! Whew...I really hate moving!

As soon as I can I'll be sending out "change of address" cards, but please, don't wait for them to arrive to update whatever you need to update. I still need to buy stamps, and who knows how long that will take!

I'm hoping to have a completely new look in the next few weeks, provided I get my shit together and send my want list to the woman who is going to help me.

I spent several hours reading through old posts and changing every one's name. If you see anywhere that I missed one, please let me know. I'm trying to do all I can to make sure that this blog isn't "googleable" by any of the old blog information.

Again, welcome! I appreciate everyone that has followed me here, especially since it likely required some work on your part.

Show and Tell

Public service announcement for this weeks show and tell.


Nectar of the gods in a bottle...Just saying.

My first meme

Wooohooo....I was just tagged for my very first meme.

Katie from http://the-view-from-the-hill.blogspot.com/ tagged me. I found Katie's blog via NaComLeavMo.


'The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

'1. What was I doing ten years ago? Ten years ago I was living in Kalamazoo, MI. I owned my own house, had a Bouvier and three cats. I was single and just starting to think about getting back in to the dating world after a painful breakup with the "boy next door." I was somewhat addicted to the Internet at the time and would spend hours chatting online. I was working as a community pharmacist and on my down time was renovating my 90 year old house.

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):
Go to "mommy group," meet Amazing Daddy for lunch, have meeting at daycare with The Boy's "posse" to discuss his summer transition and how he's doing now, clean the kitchen (again), and work on moving my blog.

3. Snacks I enjoy: fruit, anything sweet, popcorn

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Oh my, where to start! First I would make sure that everyone in my family was comfortable, and that my boys, and my nephews, had college funds set up. I'd send my parents back to England to visit. I'd donate money to a bunch of charities. I'd pay off our bills. I'd buy a house with a yard! Most likely in the country. I'd probably have a couple vacation homes too. And a house keeper! And a part time nanny. And then...I'd probably go a bit crazy and have some fun shopping and travelling! And I'd do every thing I could to convince my husband to do IVF again and try for another baby.

5. Places I've lived: England, Michigan (South Lyon, Fowlerville, Albion, Hersey, Paris, Big Rapids, Kalamazoo) and now Pennsylvania.

6. People I want to know more about: Although I was excited to get tagged for this, I'm super uncomfortable tagging other people. Kind of makes me think of chain letters. So, if you are interested in doing this meme...consider yourself tagged!

Show and Tell

Week two of my Show and Tell! Amazing, I'm following through with something...

Today I thought I'd show the baby/adoption announcement we did for The Boy. I put a lot of thought and time into writing it. I wanted the words to be perfect. I took the picture too, but it has always driven me a little crazy because his right eyebrow is messed up (from food I imagine). When I took it I was not intending on it being for the announcement, but I just loved his smile so much in it.

outside

Inside

closer view of the writing

Now, ask me if I've done an announcement for Baby Brother. Go ahead, ask. 'Cause the answer is nope. And for the life of me I can't figure out why. He was six months old last week and I've done nothing about it. Is there a time frame for sending out birth announcements?

Believe me, it in no way reflects the love I have for him. In fact, its another post entirely comparing my feelings for him and my feelings for The Boy.

Looking for blog advice!

Oh wow, first I need to say how much I am enjoying all the comments! I've had more comments in the last three days than I've had in the almost three years I've been blogging! Loving it!

So, anyway...I've already written that I'm going to be moving my blog to regain my anonymity. The only thing holding me back is I'm not quite sure where I want to set up my new digs. What do you guys think? Should I keep it on blogger or start up somewhere else like wordpress? I welcome any advice!

Show and Tell

I'm not sure what took me so long to find Mel at Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters but I finally did. Yeah me!

So, here I am joining my first Show and Tell!

For my first time I'm going to show off Baby Brothers cradle.

That's my brother Mike in the picture. He made this masterpiece! Are you impressed?

He made it from the wood of a cherry tree that grew on our family farm. He cut the tree, sliced it up (damn if I can remember the term for that), dried it, then spent a couple months deciding what design to use to make the cradle. He finally decided to recreate a design by Sam Maloof (shown here). With only that one picture he made the cradle.

I'm truly beyond words when it comes to how impressed I am by what he did! Made even more so because Mike and I are really not close. We had a rather large disagreement when we were in college (17 years ago) and he swore he would never speak to me again. He's done a pretty good job following through with that promise.

Perhaps this is an olive branch in the form of a cradle? I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Unfortunately, BB refuses to sleep in it! The boy has no taste! We have tried multiple times with no luck. And now, I'm afraid he's almost too big for it, what with his sitting up by himself and scooching around the room talents. I will never admit this to my brother though!

It does make an amazing clothes basket...*sigh*

Big brother is watching?

You may have noticed I've been absent for a couple weeks.

Turns out my boss was told about my blog by one of my coworkers. It's a somewhat involved story that involves some things I said on Twitter referencing the insanity going on in our office at the time. It was taken far more seriously than I ever intended and I regret that it upset my coworker. A lapse of judgment on my part.

However...instead of talking to me about it, she told our boss. And my boss read this blog. And then they confronted me with it. And they were very upset about the three (maybe four?, but I think it was three) twit's I had written. And I feel like I'm back in high school.

What I find most upsetting is that my coworker knew I didn't want anyone else in our office to know about, or read, my blog. I feel betrayed by her, and have lost a significant amount of trust in our relationship.

During that conversation I asked them if they would please respect my privacy and not read my blog. That it was my one place to let out some stress and it was not something I wanted to share with them. Admittedly, I can't "forbid" them to read it as its out in the public domain, but I asked that they try to understand my need for a safe place. And its not like I talk about work on my blog very often. In fact, I've never identified where I work at all. They told me they understood and wouldn't read it anymore.

Well, imagine my surprise (not) when I checked my site stats today and it appears that they have both been here in the last couple days. In fact, my coworker was here just this evening.

So...what do I do now? I really don't want to go password protected because I want to be able to share what I have to say with other parents with similar issues. I like knowing my words are being read, but I prefer they be kept anonymous unless I choose to share them. The only other option I can think of is to move this blog to a new location, with new names and identifiers. Sounds like a giant pain in the ass to me, but if I want to regain my anonymity I suppose its my best choice.

I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to do this, but if you want to continue to follow my journey, please email me and I'll share with you my new location when I figure this all out. If you have ideas for a new blog name email those to me as well.

In the mean time, if they return again, I hope they get an idea of how hurt and betrayed I feel right now. I certainly learned a lesson...that there are people I can't trust the way I thought I could.