Wired For Noise

I don’t really have a good tip this week for Works For Me Wednesday. But I did find a great one so I’m passing that on instead.

In case you didn’t know next week is TV Turn Off week, one we’re going to try to join in. I’ve been reading a bit on others pledging to go a week without the boobtube and saw this great post at Unplug Your Kids. It’s on making a “Mommy, I’m bored…” box. One you can pull out when the kids start whining.

The box is simple. Decorate a shoe box and fill it with slips of paper. On each slip is a suggestion for something to do. Read a book, put together a puzzle, have a scavenger hunt. Whatever fun ideas that you kids can do. Then anytime they start with the “mommy, I’m bored” whining you just point them in the direction of the box.

I loved this so much that I think every parent should have one on the counter all year long. Use neon colors, set a flashing arrow above it, buy a voice activated alarm that goes off to the sound of the word “bored”. Anything to direct the kids towards the almighty box of ideas. You might find they can be happy without the TV. If you’re feeling gutsy you might cancel the cable account and put that money into savings accounts instead.

Tags: parenting, TV Turnoff Week, TV

My news feed last night brought me an article about a woman named Leslee Unruh who was fighting to make abortion illegal. To, you know, save the babies.

One fundamental flaw in things such as this is this idea that some have about their own power. An idea that seems to dictate that if they just say “no, you can’t” you will immediately stop. Heh. I can’t get my toddler to stop peeing on the cat and they think passing a law that turns women into walking wombs for the state will make them stop having abortions?

Making abortion illegal does not stop it.

Figures show that 10,000 women die every year in Nigeria from unsafe abortions, carried out by untrained people in unsanitary conditions.

That is 27 deaths every day. [link]

Did you catch that? Here, let me try again. Making abortion illegal does nothing to stop it.

In Peru alone, an estimated 50,000 women a year either die or suffer serious complications after an illegal abortion. [link]

No, still not sure? How about this. Making abortion illegal does not stop it, does nothing to affect the circumstances surrounding abortion, and conveniently overlooks that some of those clumps of cells they are fighting so hard to save will, in fact, grow up to be the very women they hate.

“Pro-life” Where life means a clump of cells floating in someone’s body, yet a fully formed human being doesn’t count if it has a uterus. I feel a Friday Feminist Fuck You coming on, if only I had a webcam.

Tags: abortion, pro-life, pro-choice, women, politics

Lotus has another great carnival up for people to share their birth/adoption stories. Since I loved joining in the breastfeeding one I knew I had to do this one two. Having been through birth twice now I debated sharing both or just one, and if just one which one. Finally I decided I would share Evan’s birth story, since it’s the happiest one of the two. If I leave out the dirty details of the neighbor’s party and their need for addiction treatment that is. Copied from Helium:

The birth of my first son was also my rebirth. I left my old life behind and entered a new one called motherhood. Read the rest of this entry »

If you haven’t had the chance yet go over to Queen of Spain’s and read her bash it out to the lowly PR guys wanting to get in with us “mommy bloggers”

That means you need to get touchy, feely and join our community and get to know us. I know, sucks for you huh. You have to engage us. You have to even learn to trust us, but more than that you have to make us trust you. And you’re not going to gain our trust if all we are to you is a statistic.

One of their fundamental flaws is that they see us as only “mommy bloggers” and nothing more. As the Queen said in a Twitter convo they think all we talk about is potty training, which is missing all the other stuff we also talk about.

I’m proud to be a so-called “mommy blogger”. I’m a mom, I blog, and most of it is about my kids or kids in general. That’s what is part of my life right now. But I’m also a woman, a feminist, a liberal, a consumer, an US citizen, and countless other labels that doesn’t fit neatly into the “mommy blogger” label. I’ve blogged about local and federal politics, shared my views on women’s rights and issues, and raved about products that I loved.

Though the day of a mom may be full of potty training, making snacks, and babydolls that does not mean that those are all a mommy blogger knows, or writes about. Actually paying attention to those you are targeting is one way to earn our respect.

Tags: blogging, family, mommy bloggers, life, kids, parenting

Help a mama out.

I’ve been hunting everywhere for a button to put on the purse I knit a few months ago. The bag is hot pink and black, very “punk princess” looking. I have been searching for a big funky button with a skull and crossbones on it in hot pink and black. I’m dying to finish this purse!

I’m also looking for some good books on being thankful and grateful. Something a preschooler could understand, not religious, and not packed with shame and guilt. Maybe that doesn’t exist, as all I’m finding are either straight out of the bible or dripping in shaming kids into appreciating what they have.  Got a good book suggestion? Let me know!

A knitting pattern for something small yet fabulous. I won 42 gorgeous yards of wool yarn from Sew Spun and I want to make something I can wear and show off.

More great suggestions for my vacation post. If you haven’t added your 2 cents run over and do so now. Everyone is pushing camping, which I love. But Dearest wouldn’t be caught dead more than 5 minutes from cable TV and refrigeration.

Tags: blogging, knitting, crafts, vacations, books, kids, parenting

Dearest wants to take a vacation this year. The last (and only for me) vacation was when Evan was 15 months, we went to New Orleans for a week right before Katrina hit. This year he got a pretty good return and wants to spend some of it getting away from here with the kids for a while. Of course now that means fighting on where to go.

He’s in absolute favor of San Diego. Which is great really, except we don’t have nearly enough to fly there and pay for hotels and be able to do anything. Even the so-called “cheap” travel plans are way out of our budget. I want to use our vacation time to go down to Texas for the Rethinking Education conference. I wanted to go last year so badly but wasn’t able to, this year I’m itching to try again. Unfortunately he thinks it’s lame, even with baseball games nearby that he can escape to.

Dearest’s mother has suggested Branson Missouri and a few other really touristy places. Both of us rolled our eyes at that. The responsible thing to do would be save the money and stay home. But honestly, we need a vacation like a fish needs water. Get us out of here we’re both begging. Somewhere inexpensive (both to get there and to enjoy) but not overly touristy or made for senior citizens. And it has to have stuff for the boys, that’s a given.

Hmph! I still want to go to the conference. Anyone else planning on going?

Tags: vacation, family vacation

Tomorrow is a big day.

First of all it’s the first day of the Ultimate Blog Party over at 5 Minutes For Mom. You can shake your groove thang (I totally wanted to say that) and party with some cool blogs that you might not have ever seen before. Plus, there are prizes. Everyone loves prizes. I’ve got a $20 gift certificate going in as one of the prizes. Which means tonight I need to get those pink and green spring-time themes earrings made and in the shop. And the flowery necklace, and the funky bracelet. Check out the prize page to see what other goodies are up for grabs, then join in the week long fun.

More importantly, tomorrow is Evan’s birthday. My tiny little baby is no longer tiny, or a baby. Yesterday he kicked my butt at Chutes and Ladders three times! He will be another year older and and even more amazing and cool. Not that I’m biased or anything. Mr. Big Stuff is strutting around the house today because he got a phone call and was personally invited to stay the night with his favorite cousin. Apparently there will be cake too. And I’m not invited. Suddenly mom is losing her coolness. Dearest is supposed to be off work Monday so, weather permitting, we’re going to take the boys to the zoo. I’m going to make cupcakes and pack a picnic and try to earn back some mommy points.

Tags: ultimate blog party, birthdays, kids, fun