My first guest post

My first guest post. I need to become a better editor! I am horrible at editing my own stuff, and generally online media prefers articles post-ready. ack! Oh well, I hope the content is helpful!

Here I give some PR advice to small mommy businesses: Market Mommies

bubbies' new tricks

My boy is such a trip and never ceases to puzzle (in a good way) me. Lately, he has been wanting books to go to bed. We gather 4 or 5 board books and put them in his crib next to his collections of lions: Lancelot, Lion, and Heart Heart, and his one Webkinz dog he named Woofie. Don't forget Woofie or he screams for Woofie until you go and get him. Woofie is currently in the laundry and I try to divert his attention to a frog I found to take Woofie's place while the stuffed dog gets clean. The frog has to stay at the foot of the bed, but for right now it'll do. Woofie will be home from doggie spa soon, my son.

This is it though, my darling two year old has been asking to go on the potty. Mostly for hubby, but today at naps I went to change him and asked if he'd like to use the potty. He said "yes" in his baby boy voice, promptly lead me to the bathroom, I plopped his chubby butt on the Elmo potty, and he went! I am in awe.

8pm

This is how you'll find us at night. Me and my girl, and the plastic baby P tells me is mine too (well, I always did have a thing for GI Joe). *Note to self - really should have paid the extra cash to get that reclining glider four years ago.

RIP Sheilah

We still miss you and think about you every day Mom, Nana, Sheilah...

Sheilah passed away Feb. 6, 2007

A laugh a day.

I need a laugh a day. I am too serious lately.

Now, I am not talking an email subscription to a joke a day to come to my inbox, I am talking a good old-fashioned belly laugh. I think I need to stop thinking so much and just let things be.

My First Columbus Underground Article

Pretty excited to be contributing once a month to Columbus Underground. I have been working out the details with them since last fall, and this January was my first attempt at being a "reporter." Loving the writing aspect and having the ability to get some coverage for local people who deserve a shout out. Take a look if you get time - and I am open to ideas! :)

http://www.columbusunderground.com/nothing-says-i-love-you-like-hand-grenade-soap

Nothing Says “I Love You” Like Hand Grenade Soap

By Kristin Marks | January 24, 2010 1:00pm | Filed under Features | Comments

“Now, that’s da bomb!” is the phrase Megan and Rob Green frequently hear about their Stinkybomb Soap products, and it is very fitting - their top selling soap is in the shape of a hand grenade. They also create soaps in the shape of cassette tapes and baby doll heads, but the hand grenade made with aloe and olive oil is their most popular selling item.

Stinkybomb Soap came about when Megan was staying home with her newborn daughter, and her husband’s grenade and bayonet molds were cluttered all over the house. Rob casts resin replicas of weapons as a hobby. Megan played with various types of soap, colors and scents, and cast the soap in the hand grenade molds. The explosive cleansing agent was born. Now, the soap products are not just fun novel gifts, they are made with quality products, and the molds and soap are handmade right here in Central Ohio.

Stinkybomb Soaps are created in small batches with either olive oil and aloe or goats milk and come fragrance free, but can be scented with essential oils or fragrance. Since the soap is made in small batches, everything can be customized with a favorite color and scent and has an average cost of $9 per soap.

The husband and wife team of Central Ohio take their suds seriously, but they enjoy having fun with their product calling it “Irony at its Sudiest.” When asked about shoppers’ reactions to the hand grenade soap, Megan said “most people laugh. They know that it is done with a sense of humor and see the novelty in it, but we do have folks that get offended.” She went on to explain that a shopper once said to her “That is not funny. Don’t you know there is a war going on!” Megan and Rob take those comments very seriously. They even give 1% of each sale to Wounded Warrior Project, and have sold hand grenade soap to families of active military men and women.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, why not tell that special someone they are the bomb with a hand grenade soap? If you decide to put a grenade in your love’s rose bouquet, please order by February 8 for arrival by February 14. Personal notes can be included.

Stinkybomb Soap products can be found at various indie craft shows, Wholly Craft at 3171 N. High Street, What the Rock at 1194 N. High Street, and at their online Etsy store. Their website can be found at StinkyBombSoap.com. For information about Wounded Warrior Project, please visit: WoundedWarriorProject.org.

Kristin Marks is a Columbus Underground contributor, and can be found blogging about kid-friendly activities in Central Ohio over at cbusmom.com. She can be reached at Kristin@cbusmom.com.

Baby Boy is 2!

bubbies turned TWO! I have a two year old boy. When did this happen? Granted, his first six months were a blur from sleep deprivation and figuring out what was making him a sick little guy, but two years have passed?!

I couldn't be more thrilled with my baby boy. I get excited to hear his coos when he wakes up in the morning, his singing, his babbling, his ability to eat just about anything. He is so darn cute too...of course, I am a bit biased. teehee. I love watching him push his toy cars over everything, including the dogs, and racing around on his ride-on toys or chasing his sister. He's such a boy!

We had a robot-themed birthday for him (thank you friend Jocelyn for all the robot pointers!) and he loved it. P and I created a robot banner complete with his name. Here it is:

Thank you Amy for the banner idea! Check her out here.

And, friend Daryl came over and helped make these awesome robots for parting gifts for all of my kids' adorable friends. Lookie here:
And last, but certainly not least, hubby, P, and I made this awesome robot cake:

Yes! From scratch. Down to the orange buttercream icing that took two bags of powdered sugar and two sticks of butter. A heart stopper in and of itself.

*Highlight of the party:

• Dearest friends showed up.
• Garbage disposal pipe came loose and flooded the sink area of the kitchen. Thanks to good friends it got cleaned up right away.
• Dad used his awesome new camera and got terrific candid shots of the party.
• I didn't die from exhaustion.

And adorable baby boy coming down from all the sugar and fun:

Monster

My daughter's newest creation is a monster. She said it eats little kids. She also said she wanted to invite her friends over to see this monster. Her daddy said it was a proud day because not only is she wanting to be an artist when she grows up, but she creates monsters that eat her friends.

Cooking with my kids

I love my new kitchen. What I love most about my new kitchen is that I get to cook in it with my kids. This has been quite a learning experience for me - to cook with my children. In the fall last year I attended cooking classes led by my friend Rachel over at Hounds in the Kitchen. I not only watched how she taught the kids to cook, but watched how she taught them useful skills with the patience of a saint. She taught me too, and probably didn't even know it. She taught me patience in the kitchen with my kids, and that even the smallest task assigned to them is fine. I was having a hard time before that figuring out what I could let them help with as I cooked. I was worried they'd burn themselves, make a mess, or start throwing food everywhere.

Rachel of Hounds in the Kitchen "Kids Cook Class" featuring applesauce.

I think I was being too controlling. And seriously, a mess? Really? C'mon. A mess can be cleaned up...and sometimes it is fun to make a mess. The kids just want to help, be involved, be with mommy. My mom always has P help her in the kitchen...and she also has the patience of a saint. P always gets so excited and LOVES helping her Grammies make applesauce or cookies. I think what I love more than the actual act or the result (even though I could eat mounds of raw chocolate chip cookie dough and a dozen cookie by myself) is that spending time with my kids together doing one common act is fun. Quality time is good time.

Seeing what P and bubbies can do if you let them, I now let both of them chop (with a plastic kid knife), stir, pound, sprinkle, and most of all EAT. It is enjoyable to watch them eye recipes as if they know how to read them, pour ingredients into the bowl, and taste as they go along.

There are even fun experiments called "What will my brother eat off this teaspoon?" Yes, P fed bubbies a 1/4 of a teaspoon of baking soda. Being the little lovey dovey wanting to please big sister, bubbies did it without even questioning what that salty white stuff was. I think it was as if a volcano was errupting in his little tummy. He immediately turned red and puked everywhere. He cried and cried because it scared him and probably hurt his little tummy. Guess "Mom of the Year 2010" is out...but, I did call poison control! Isn't that considered in the "problem solving" category?

Words

I have always loved words. My vocabulary isn't necessarily as vast as I'd like it to be, and I find myself asking my hubby what he means when he uses big words, but that is okay. It is nice to have a husband who can teach me new words to make me seem smart if I use them. I'd like to set a goal for myself of learning a new word a week, but I need to use it in order to retain it or it will be a waste of time. I am sure there is some sort of "word of the day" I can get sent to my email or app for my droid. Perhaps finding an app on my droid will be my Saturday morning fun. OR maybe I'll do Word Wednesdays and put up a new word on my blog with the definition and maybe a catchy little sentence...or even better! I'll teach my daughter the word and have HER use it in a sentence {insert ridiculous "I am going to take over the world" giggle here}.

(shout out for SQ....or I could be washing my cloth diapers. sorry, SQ, I am still laughing over that)

Given that, I have been a little giddy over two words my darling 3 and 1/2 year recently used. The words: scrumptious and glorious. She even used them correctly. However, when I asked her what the words meant she couldn't tell me...that is okay. Sometimes I use words correctly and have no idea what they mean. hahaah! don't tell anyone.

Here are the definitions:

Scrumptious: adj. Splendid; delectable
P was pretending she was my mommy and told me to eat my dinner. She said "little girl, isn't that scrumptious!"

Glorious: adj. Delightful; wonderful
In the bathroom. She was told her brother it was going to be a glorious day. Oh good! What does she have planned for us?!

Thank you www.thefreedictionary.com for the definitions because I didn't know what those words meant.

After Class Updates

When I pick P up from preschool, if I am there at the time I am supposed to be (read my post about being on time over at Ohio Moms Blog: Never on Time), the parents get an update from one of the teachers. This is to let us know what the kids did in class so we can talk to them about it afterward. Today, for instance, they did a "dance drawing." A "dance drawing" is basically a combination of dancing and drawing, as the name suggests. The teachers put on music, each child had a piece of paper, crayons, and danced while drawing a picture. I didn't even have to prompt P - she immediately grabbed her drawing out of her bookbag and handed to me excitedly. "Mommy! I danced and drawed this picture for you!" (yes, everything is for "me" and I love it!...heehee)
She also told me they each made a mitten and she wrote her name on it, had raisin snacks, and how much fun she had in class. She also enlightened me to these facts, in her words:

"Mommy! I didn't push anyone today"
"And, I didn't hit anyone or knock them over"
"Mommy! I didn't even fight! It was a good day!"

Okay. Thanks for letting me know. Now I ponder if she is telling me those things because she thinks that is what I want to hear, or if she truly is that unruly. I think she's just three and probably does all of those things...oh goodness.

Happy New Year 2010!

Here was my toast:

"May there be a downhill road to your door. wait, what? May the road be straight for you? wait, what is it?"

Susan: "Kristin is really trying here."

"OH, may there always be coins in your pocket and food on your table. Take care of your health."

Okay, okay, so I really should prepare and rehearse before toasting the New Years next time. How about this:

























"Happy New Year! May you get a box of money in the mail, eat lots of garlic and stay healthy, and not be ashamed if you have nights that you just serve cereal for dinner. Love to all my family and friends who are knotted in my heartstrings."

Diet

So many people are talking about The Shred, a high-protein diet, a no refined sugar diet, South Beach, Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers.

I like my dad's diet. It is called:

Stop Bending Your Elbow

pretty funny, and probably pretty effective....of course, I have never tried it....(I've done just about all the other I listed above, though, trust me!)

It's all about the love

Papa Bill comes tomorrow from Rhode Island. The kids are excited, I am excited, and hubby is especially excited. It will certainly be a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by family from both sides of our marriage this Christmas. P is giving up her bed and sleeping with mommy and daddy, we are buying boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios (Bill's favorite), and I am planning a spectacular feast for Christmas Eve with my friend Daryl. Christmas has been really special this year with friends, and soon family. We have made ornaments, exchanged gifts (and beer), and enjoyed some delicious Christmas pastries...oh, and remote controlled zombies.

I am very excited that this will be the third year in a row we do Christmas Eve or Christmas day with friends. I love that we are starting a new tradition full of people we adore. When I was little I loved my Christmas Eves. It was traditional to go to my Grandmother Williams for Christmas Eve singing Christmas carols all the way there. She had a huge spread, and invited all her and Grandad's friends as well as lots of family. Grandad's friend Marvin would dress up like Santa and make a surprise visit handing out gifts to all of us kids. I just found out that he would go back to the car where his wife was waiting for him, and change his clothes to come into the party after playing Kris Kringle. We, as children, were none the wiser. The gifts were just simple little gifts such as coloring books, paddle balls, or bubbles; but to us, they were straight from Santa. That made them super special and we felt super special as we colored the pages full of pictures of reindeer, elves, and wrapped presents. It makes me smile and my heart melt a little thinking my grandparents did that for us. Those are fond memories that I cherish.

I want my children to have those fond memories as well. I have been introducing things that I want to be tradition when it comes to Christmas. Some of the traditions I have been dabbling around with will work out only for this year, and some things didn't even come to fruition; but, the things I know will stay and just keep getting better are the things we do with the people we love. And, isn't that what the holidays are all about?

Canadian Honeydrops and manic desire

For the love of all things sweet and sinful, I adore Canadian Honeydrops. I generally go ga-ga over something chocolate, and whatever it is has rules: No nuts. No butterscotch. No peanut butter. AND, certainly No fruit. BUT, these honeydrops are just as the name suggests: drops of honey, and they contain No chocolate!

I was *just* introduced to them by my friend Susan who made them for Christmas. She put two cookies together with her hubby's homemade strawberry jam (dreaded the thought of eating jam in my cookie, but OMG!). It took everything inside me not to quietly take them all off the plate and hide them where noone but me could ever find them. The great thing about food is there is a recipe somewhere that is similar...or you can just ask your friend for it, which is what I did. This was me, in a craving-filled frenzy:

Give me HONEYDROPS...or at least the recipe.

I calmly asked my dear friend Susan for the recipe. She had no idea I was so full of desire for these golden little nuggets. She told me to look at the Betty Crocker website, because they are Betty Crocker old school... and it was NOT THERE. I found another link and sent the recipe to Susan. She promptly (what a good friend) replied with the link containing the recipe she used. I was so happy because I actually had all of the ingredients I would need in house - sans the shortening because I don't use it, just subbed with another stick of butter - and used my daughter's preschool Christmas party/concert for an excuse (I had to bring a dozen cookies to the event). Of course, 12 cookies made it to the Christmas party, but the rest you ask? The rest of the cookies died delicately in my mouth as I let crumbs slowly fall onto my shirt and then to the floor where the dog was allowed a wee little taste. I almost, in a very three year old way, screamed MINE. I thought better of eating crumbs of the floor, though.

Now this is me:










I bet you all want the recipe?




Well...uhmmm...okay, but you need to send me some if you make them. Use this link: http://www.recipe4living.com/recipes/canadian_honey_drops.htm


I used Lynd's Fruit Farm black raspberry jam for the filling and all butter instead of shortening. That's just how I roll....soon like a jelly doughnut if I don't stop eating these damn cookies.

Race #2 was wet, but awesome!

Me with my number before the race
My official time: 32:49:00

The Snowflake 5K was awesome, though a bit wet and a bit cold. I was seriously soaked to the bones when I got home from running in the rain and through puddles. The course was through some the trails through Dublin - right off the rec center. The pathways weren't that wide, which made it difficult to pass people...and then there were the big puddles. Many times I ran around in the grass, but I more afraid of falling because of the slippery grass than biting the bullet and running through a bunch of water. Some part had slush too - kind of thew me off in regards to concentration and pacing. I think I learned that I don't mind running through the rain, but running when the rain could freeze and cause a slippery surface isn't a good idea.

Friend Bridgette - it was her first race and she beat the pants off Heather and I. Go Bridgette!!

It was so much fun to do it with friends (Bridgette and Heather look so cute all wet). We didn't stay together because we all had different paces, but we started together and then waited for each other at the finish line. Results still aren't posted, but I think I did around 34 minutes, which is awesome for me. I was hoping to run around 11.30 per mile, and I think I accomplished that. I can't wait to get my official time!

Finish line! Bridgette, Me, and Heather (@bolognas)

I think I am addicted. Looking for a 10K for spring and then quite possibly a half in August...but we'll see about that one...:)

Race #2 Today

It is raining and cold. I think it is 34 but feels like 27, according to the National Weather Service. Funny thing is - it really is only supposed to rain in the morning...for the race. Yesterday was gorgeous, of course. I am trying to find humor in this.

Hubby said to get excited because I have never done anything like this before - meaning run a race in the rain, in the winter, with my friends, and the list goes on. He is such a glass is half full person. I am happy it is a 5k and not a 5 mile like the last one. Not because of distance, but because it will take me less time to run 3 miles and then I can get in my warm car.

Wish me luck - and stop over at my friend's site and wish her luck too. She is doing it with me: http://bolognasamwiches.blogspot.com/

And, along come stitches

This was taken when we got home from the hospital. You can kind of see the stitches under his lip.

I knew is was a matter of time before bubbies got stitches. He is so physical and he also falls a ton. If you watch him play you will see he topples over almost as much as he runs and plays. It is endearing, but nerve wracking too. I find myself smiling - and then sucking in my breath and furrowing my brow seconds later. He is generally okay, until last Thursday.

He fell over his truck and he immediately came to me with lots of blood dripping down his face. I thought for sure he had bit his tongue....again. I was on the phone with my buddy AmyD and she, as she puts it, was babbling on and on because she hadn't eaten. I was trying to be calm to seem like I was in control, but as soon as I hung up I was panicking. He was grabbing his lower lip with his teeth and I could see that he had lacerated the outside of his mouth just under his lower lip and it kept opening up. I called the pediatrician and the nurse triaged me over the phone. She asked if the teeth went all the way through - well, to me, yes, it looked like they went through. The nurse then said to take him to Children's, not an urgent care, but the actual hospital because they will do a much better job stitching him up.

Well, by the time I got off the phone he was playing and laughing as if nothing had happened! He's nuts! I called hubby to tell him to hurry home b/c I didn't want to take Miss P with me to the emergency room. My fear was she'd have to watch the stitching up procedure or contract some awful flu while we waited. Luckily, hubby pulled in the driveway mere seconds later.

On the way to the emergency room bubbies was singing songs and bobbing his head. Nothing phases this tyke. We got to the hospital, great place to park, walked right in and the longest we had to wait was 30 minutes for the numbing gel to work. Then came the loooonnnnnggggest 15 minutes of my life. I had to hold my baby down while they sutured his lower lip. Poor thing struggled so hard to get him and was so angry to be pinned down. I hated having to hold him down. It was awful. I was strong for him there, but when I got home and shut my bedroom door, I broke down in tears. My good friend Kris said her mom was the same way - it must be a scorpio thing....or just a mom thing.

It has been about 5 days since the accident and he's doing great. It is a severe pain in the butt to clean it three times a day, because he *freaks* out if you even attempt to bring the q-tip near his face. But, we are managing it...with lots of his tears and a little stress.

I did it!

I did it - 5 miles, no stopping. It was exhilarating. It started off with runners in front and the walkers in back. Friend Heather said to go more towards the back and off to the side as to not get pushed over by the super runners. She also said to take my cell so that I could call hubby at certain points. Thankfully, I did that. People were jonsing to run as soon as the horn sounded. We walked for about 2 - 3 minutes, then everyone was running. I was being passed by some very fast men, almost as fast women, probably the same man in flip flops that Heather saw (I almost called her, but then I knew I would laugh and run out of breath) - oh, and a dog, a child, and a man pushing two kids.

***Thank you to Burke and hubby who said do the 5, because if you do the 4 and finish fine, you'll wished you did the 5.*** OH! And, Burke told me I'd get a BEER at the end of the race. I was 2 minutes too late for the pumpkin pie....and NO BEER! you owe me, Burke (shaking fist). heehee

I like this picture b/c I had just finished and was trying to get my breath back.

I felt steady the whole time, but there were times I was ready to give into walking. One of the first times was when I got halfway. But, then I called hubby and got just the boost I needed to keep going. It was a little after the half way point I got a burst of energy and sped up, but then I remembered that back up Lane Ave was all hill. I didn't know if I was going to be able to make it, so I started giving myself small goals. I wanted to see how I felt once I got to my "marked" place - just get to the light, just get to Lane Avenue's light, well, heck, I can see the finish line I can't stop now!My Turkey Trot "medal!" P wouldn't smile. Both kids were a little overwhelmed by all the people and I think they thought I ran off from THEM! ha!

Many runners stopped and walked up Lane Ave. It was really challenging, and I knew it would be and that is when I called hubby again. He was so excited that I was getting close to the finish line, and that gave me another boost to finish. Once I saw the cows on Lane I knew I could make it, then I saw the flags, and then people were lined along the street cheering for the runners. I was so emotional! I am having a hard time holding back the tears as I type this. Hubby also said that he fought back tears as runners started crossing the finish line. He said that there were the incredible athletes that ran it in about 5 minutes, then there were the others who struggled a bit more. He said many women were crying as they crossed the finish line and that choked him all up. Our friend and his son were waiting for me too. We parked in their driveway and hubby called them to cheer me on at the finish line. It was such a great morning!

Yes, that is Uncle Fester.

Getting there was interesting. Some runners had already run down Lane (b/c we passed them parking) and back up as a warm up. Whah? Maybe one day I'll be at that point. Right now, I am training for a 5k on Dec. 13 with some friends. I think 3.1 miles will be in the bag!

Pre-Race

I set this race as a goal to teach myself how to run. That is what this race is all about. I wanted to see if I could do it, because I have never been able to run.

I have to get this down because I want to remember how I feel right now. This morning is my first race and I am so nervous about what to expect. Seriously, I have never been a runner. As a matter of fact, running is the one thing I have avoided my whole life. Mainly because it is hard, and then I used my asthma as an excuse (not an excuse, totally manageable - but I had to take all these years to find it out). I feel ready physically and emotionally, just nervous because I don't know where to park, where my family should stand, what I do when I am finished, will I have to walk the last mile, and more than that - will I be okay with myself if I walk the last mile. My friends know that I am black or white, not a lot of gray area in between. I am trying to get better with that - only because I am forced to b/c of my children. heehee. Gray area is where I should be today - fine with anything that happens.

I took a voice recording of P and bubbies to put on my shuffle so I could get some encouragement when I will need it the most. I decided not to make my own playlist, though, so I won't be using them. BUT - I have them for any future races. I decided to stick with the podcast music and Robert Ullery's voice because I am used to hearing - don't want to screw up my pace by having Ween play at the most inopportune time. P said this though, "Mommy, please run. I will miss you. I have a surprise for you at the end." so cute.

anyhow, enough babbling. wish me luck. :)