Save the Planet - Equal Opportunity

I love this quote from Jennifer Nettles of the band Sugarland on why she joined the virtual march with www.stopglobalwarming.org:

"I watch the world. I watch people. I love both. I am afraid of the damage that is being done to both. We are worth protecting. Even if it's from ourselves. We don't have to be perfect. We just have to try. Let's try."

StopGlobalWarming.org is an equal opportunity -- our opportunity -- to make a difference. Can you try?

Kick It Real Good!

Best photo from Roman's first game is above. Best moment: Roman is in conversation with a player from the opposing team when the ball rolls right by them. See photo below for Roman's skills demo. The Gilbert Youth Soccer folk have decided to test the commitment of players and parents throughout the league with Saturday afternoon games through December 13. The temperatures were at least 90 yesterday but the Purple Dragons prevailed! They are 2-0. Manny said the best kid on this boys and girls team is an eyes on the prize little pistol named Isabella. Go Bella! Next time I hope I can go since this game landed right in the middle of Laney's naptime.

Another Exemplary RYW

Over Labor Day Weekend my sister and I repainted Roman's room - a Ruin Your Weekend Holiday Bonus! This required 2 coats of Kilz Primer and 2 coats of thick Behr paint. I think a pair of socks were sacrified too. The cottage white made the room bigger (the prior paintjob was dark muted blues). But the light bright walls were now too big and bare. He had requested a robot room for at least 2 years, so we found robot bedding in August, repainted walls in September and now, after 2 short months, 2 Behr rebates, and at least 5 trips to Michael's, voila, the decor is completed. Pretty much. Custom artwork by Roman's Mom takes TIME! Each robot is painted on a 22"x28" canvas with liquid acrylic -- so move over Martha Stewart -- you are OWNED!

I think this ruined more than one weekend, but the outcome is fun and happy. As a bonus, he also chose this very cool ceiling fan (Home Despot comes through again!) and it's a great accessory.

That's More Like It!!!

Though I'm crap at taking pictures with my camera phone, here's a happy thing for the day: gas under $3 a gallon! In more than one place!! And filling my tank for less than $30! It is sad to be excited about this, but compared with the rest of the economic news, what a nice change of pace.

Rite of Passage

Laney has enough hair for a barrette now! She got this one (she calls it "ba-loo") from her sitter, Miss Jenny. Can you say adorable? Now if I can just get her into her Halloween costume . . . hmmm, maybe Miss Jenny will be able to convince her to wear it . . .

It's Not Too Late!

My husband was stoked when he saw this bumper sticker on a car in Gilbert Saturday night (my camera phone photo was too blurry so we had to go the website):


It would be a great companion to his other stickers -- "Veteran Against the War" and "Bin Laden is a Conservative." I think Manny is a Goldwater Republican.

Product of the Week: SEEMS Like a Good Idea But . . .

(I know, I don't even do a product every week . . . but someone needs to address this):












I was looking at the Staples catalog when I saw these pens. Admittedly, it seems like a good idea, but really -- can you imagine how uncomfortable it would be to write with that stupid little flag poking out at your fingers? And the diameter must be fat and uncomfortable. Not to be daunted, the pen manufacturer actually includes the following features and benefits in a bullet list:

-Write notes on documents then flag the page for easy reference
-Twist barrel to open and reveal Post-it® flags
-Conceal flags for ease of use when highlighting
-Flag size: 3/8"W x 1-3/4"L
-Includes 150 flags

What?!?! Ok, first bullet -- duh, I know what to do with a pen, and a post-it flag. Second: Twist barrel to open and "REVEAL" Post-it flags?!?! Like they're a secret treasure?!? Third: Conceal flags for ease of use -- because why? They're totally irritating me when I try to write with the pen?!?!

Ok, I have to stop this post, it is just too absurd.

You sunk my battleship!!

Roman and his dad are playing Battleship. The game boxes are now all cool and aerodynamic and laptop-like. They've also upgraded the design with a radar sort of graphic on the top part where you put the pegs for what you've called out. The competition is stiff with Roman's fleet down an aircraft carrier and Daddy down a battleship. Uh-oh, Roman just lost his PT boat too.

Roman thinks the "Battleship" stickers that came with the game are for the winners. I'm not sure the strategic location of his remaining armada will fool Dad, but as of now he's learning something . . . I hope . . . maybe next week -- Bingo!

Another Lo-CD Evening

I got a set of cool abalone and coral bracelets in August. Two days ago, I started freaking out that the baby magpie (Laney) had made off with 2 of them, because I could only find 3. For some reason I had convinced myself there were 5. And I had let her play with 2 of them last week, I thought. So, being as they are almost new, I blocked out time in my schedule last night to straighten up while I looked for them. The beauty of this was at least I could multitask, right?

After straightening the playroom, and organizing, and cleaning, and peering under couches and furniture, it was about 11pm. Time for bed. For some reason on a whim, I pulled out the jewelry catalog, looked at the bracelet page and I realized I AM NOT missing 2. There were only 3 in the first place! Then I thought, if only I had indulged my OCD in a different way to begin with and checked the total number of bracelets in the first place, I would have saved sooooo much time. On the other hand, the playroom would not have been straightened, either. I can't tell if I need professional help, or not.

Oh, and I found all but one piece of the set of 4 puzzles that were scattered throughout the playroom...so now I'm going to have to see if it shows up, or consider blocking out time in my schedule to search for it. Or get professional help.

Postscript: another years-old missing item found! While cleaning out a drawer so I could store the 97 CD-ROMs that had accumulated on my desk (do these things breed at night or what?), I found the knob for a recliner that had been removed (probably by the first baby magpie). The knob keeps the chair at the desired reclining angle AND I had scraped my leg on the uncovered screw at least quarterly for the past 3 years. Win win win! The chair is "fixed," no more scraped legs, my desktop is clean, the desk drawer is organized, and Lo-CD is happy!