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Thank you to everyone who commented on my Cat Food Giveaway! I now have a few new ideas for what to bring on our next picnic!
Nancy M. – you are the winner!! Congratulations!! Please send me your address and I’ll get that out to you 🙂
Filed under: giveaway | Tagged: giveaway winner | Leave a comment »
It took me a long time to figure it out, but I realized recently (within the past few years) that I suffer from anxiety. It’s not a huge, debilitating thing for me…but it’s there. I get really anxious in new-to-me situations – especially if it’s something where I won’t know anybody. I don’t remember being this way when I was younger…I do recall a few things in college, but it never seemed like much then (stuff like not wanting to go to a party alone. I figured that was just normal…)
I think the event that made me realize this is more than just “normal nerves” was my first attempt to go to a Mom’s of Twins meeting. And granted, I’m sure all of my hormones were off and I was sleep deprived, so I’m going to guess that had a lot to do with it at the time…but it was still an “ah ha!” moment for me (when I was able to look back on it anyway.) What happened you ask? I’ll tell you. I finally mustered up the courage to get out of the house and leave my kids (with Mike) for the evening to head out to a meeting. I was nervous about finding the place, but didn’t get lost – too many times anyway 😉 When I finally got to the location, I couldn’t find a place to park (not knowing there was an entire parking lot behind the building), so I gave up and went home. what?? Ya, you read that right. Not finding a parking spot was all it took to convince myself that I didn’t belong there anyway.
Luckily, the next time around I DID find a parking spot. So that bolstered my courage, but I didn’t know which door to go in, or where to go after I found that door…so I almost gave up again. I thought of my kids though, and how much this group would help them, and so went on with my search. (Thank goodness I did! I’ve met some wonderful ladies 🙂 )
My first PTO meeting for the kids’ school was much the same. I had to convince myself to go inside. I had to slow my breathing. I had to tell myself that the tightness in my chest and the alien baby in my stomach just waiting to get out were both silly and unnecessary (and yes, it felt like more than just butterflies 😛 ). I had to tell myself that I belonged at that meeting just as much as anyone else in there. (Imagine how I felt when I was the one presenting the workshop!!)
So, while I’m kind of thinking that all this anxiety started when I became a Mom…I’m also thinking that it’s actually my kids who are helping me through it. I mean, if my actions start impacting them (I don’t go to a Girl Scout meeting because I can’t find it easily and give up or something silly like that), then that’s not fair.
Filed under: me | Tagged: anxiety | 5 Comments »
Cheryl over at Twinfatuation hosts this one. Go on over to see who else is playing – and join in too!
In honor of my Seven Year Anniversary on Monday, today’s picture is from my wedding.
September 20, 2003
If you’re interested, read all about our wedding.
Filed under: me, Mike, WBW | Tagged: wedding | 2 Comments »
Today marks my 7 year wedding anniversary. Seven years. Seven Years!
It’s so cliche to say that it seems like just yesterday that we met – while at the same time, it feels like we’ve known each other for much, much longer…but that’s really the only way I know how to describe it. The comfort level doesn’t seem to be proportional for how ‘new’ everything still feels. We have the excitement of how a new relationship feels mixed with the comfort level of old farts who have been married for 60 years. 🙂 Although, that’s really how it’s always felt!
Funny story though…I looked at the calendar Saturday night and said, “Yikes! We have to celebrate on Monday!” …to which Mike said, “Celebrate what?” LOL! It totally snuck up on both of us 🙂
Happy Anniversary, Mike. I’m still bat-shit crazy in love with you! 🙂
Cheryl over at Twinfatuation hosts this one. Head on over to see what else makes people’s Mondays (there are always some really good ones!)
Filed under: me, Mike | Tagged: anniversary | 4 Comments »
Sorry, this giveaway is now CLOSED.
I received a very nice cat care package from 9Lives and MyBlogSpark. Since my 2 cats are about 15 years old, I wasn’t sure how they’d react to the new toys. And we’ve been pretty hesitant lately to mix up their food … since they’re already smelling like those funky old uncle cats they are. But I figured we’d give it a try – they can’t smell any worse, and perhaps the 9Lives would make it better. 🙂
The package included a small back of 9Lives Advanced Nutrient System Daily Essentials dry cat food, a scoop/clip, a magnetic picture frame, and 4 cat toys: a squeaky/bouncy mouse, a suction cup spring ball, and two crinkle balls.
I shouldn’t have worried about the cats. They’re cats and they love cat food. We use those mondo cat food holders that are actually meant for weekend (or week-long) get-aways, so the scoop isn’t that helpful for us, but the clip part is pretty cool (and I can see the scoop being useful if you feed your cat once or twice a day). Both cats LOVE the squeaky mouse (so much so that it’s actually already not squeaking – which is just fine with me!!) The other toys…sniffed, but not really attacked like they do with the mouse. (Although, this could also be due to age rather than interest LOL!)
Some feline nutritional information from 9Lives:
A survey of feline pet parents across the country commissioned by 9Lives found that an overwhelming 94 percent of cat owners are confident they feed their felines the most nutritious meals possible. However, nearly half (48 percent) admit they’ve fed their cats table scraps – which do not provide the essential nutrients cats need – an average seven times per month. Additionally, only 30 percent know that giving your cat milk may not be a healthy practice due to the common incidence of lactose intolerance in adult cats.1
Additional findings include:
- 23% of American pet parents think it´s beneficial to keep their cats on a purely vegetarian diet, while actually it may be harmful2
- There are a number of foods that feline parents assume are healthy for cats, but are actually not advantageous to their health including root vegetables (73%), green tomatoes (54%), and raw potatoes (50%)3
- Nine out of ten feline pet parents would be willing to switch foods if they knew it would provide better nutrition. In fact:
- 92 percent of cat owners would switch foods if it would improve their cat´s health, and
- 91 percent would switch food if they could add years onto their feline´s life
In an effort to educate pet parents about the common misperceptions of proper feline nutrition, 9Lives is committed to raising awareness to this issue by providing advanced nutrition for all cats. With the 9Lives Advanced Nutrient System, feline parents everywhere can rest assured knowing their cats are getting the essential nutrients they need to help promote healthy skin and coat, strong muscle growth and a healthy immune system among other benefits.
Now for the good part – I get to pass along one of these cool cat care packages to one of you!
To Enter to Win the Cat Care Package:
There are multiple ways to enter. Only one of the ways to enter is mandatory, all of the others are optional – you do not have to do all of them to be entered!
You have until Midnight on Thursday, September 23rd to enter. The winner will be posted on Friday the 24th.
Mandatory – 1 entry:
Optional – 1 entry each:
Optional – 2 entries:
Filed under: cats, giveaway | Tagged: 9Lives, cat food, cat toys, give away, giveaway | 5 Comments »
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Potatoes from the Garden!
Maggie's First Girl Scout Meeting
Nana capturing everyone's attention (back at Logan's Birthday celebrations)
Logan Reading
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And some dress-up time:
Princess Knight Logan
Burke, Maggie, and Logan
Filed under: FFFF, kids | Tagged: dress up, girl scouts, potatoes, reading | Leave a comment »
Last week I wrote about dealing with disrespect. It’s gotten a little bit better, but we’re far from being over this (not too surprising!).
I was looking for an activity to help with it all (and to compliment those awesome articles), when I stumbled on the Do Over activity. What I like best about this activity is that it’s not a one-time-sit-down-and-do-this activity; it’s ongoing! Oh, and it’s for everyone – not just the kids.
Basically, the article part states that kids are often embarrassed about something they’ve done wrong and get discouraged and don’t want to try again. It states that if we, as parents, start vocalizing our mistakes, it might help our kids get over it and realize that everyone makes mistakes. (I’m thinking this would help a lot of adults out there as well…)
The thing that really caught my attention was the example though:
…[You would say] “The way I said that sounded too bossy” and then call a “Do Over.” Try saying something like: “I call a Do Over. I’m going to say that in a kinder way,” and then try again.
It’s a do over for words too!! I absolutely need that for myself … and so does Burke. We’re both quick with our words (and our button-pushing-anger is typically right at the surface), so being able to take back something that was said without thinking it through is a wonderful way for us to start trying to actually think before we speak.
The suggestion is made to use a ball with the words “DO OVER” on it to ‘playfully’ remind younger kids about do overs. I’m not so sure about the ball (we’d probably need a do over for how the Do Over ball was thrown 😉 ) but I do like the idea of an object for a visual reminder.
Haven’t you ever wanted a do over? I bet your kids have too.
Filed under: fishful thinking | Tagged: Do Over, everyone makes mistakes, fishful thinking, resilience | Leave a comment »
Cheryl over at Twinfatuation hosts this one. Go on over to see who else is playing – and join in too!
I ran across my crafting log the other day and thought “OH YA! I used to take a picture of everything I made! Why haven’t I done that recently??” So…I need to start hunting things down and start taking pictures again. (Alas, there are some that were gifts, so I’ll probably never get pictures of those…)
Anyway, these photos are from December 1993. I was a Sophomore at Clarkson University and I had just taught myself how to crochet! You get a two-for-the-price-of-one deal here…an old picture of me AND a picture of the sweater I made.
1993: Nancy and a Hand Made Crochet Sweater
Hand Made Crochet Sweater
(And now I’ve just confused myself because the date in the book says December 1993, but I remember when this picture was taken, and I’m fairly certain that that’s the common area of my dorms Junior year. Perhaps I finished the sweater in 1993, but took the picture later on. Way to take notes, Nance.)
Filed under: crafts, me, WBW | Tagged: crochet, hand made, old photos, sweater | 1 Comment »
The Zimmer Zoo 