Fundraisers

My friend had a great post about fundraisers on her blog. It is full of lies though. She claims that fundraisers aren't fantastic. I can't understand it- I thought we were friends. Here she is, attacking the sacred fundraiser on her super popular blog.
Seriously. I would love for some kid to show up at my house with his (or her) box of world's finest chocolate and charge me three dollars for a box of mint meltaways. Home delivery man.
When I was in middle school we had lots of band fund raisers. I single handedly won the chocolate challenge. Why do I say "single handedly" which my spell checker is getting so mad about?- easy. Because I ate all the chocolate. More than two cases worth I think. And I sold the most chocolate in my school. I don't know if I sold any to my neighbors either.
I think back on those times and wish I still had a metabolism that would let me eat a case of chocolate without gaining ten pounds. Also I have wondered for years where the fundraising children had gone. No one came to our house with magazine sign up sheets. No one came with chocolate. No one even came with wrapping paper, which I don't actually like but the point is no one came. I was broken hearted.
Then this year like a miracle occured. One of my friends had a child in girl scouts. I bought a few boxes from her. And from the other lady in the ward who asked me if I wanted some. And I heard someone else was selling them and bought a few from her. When I was asked to bring a dessert for enrichment I proudly displayed my thin mints on a tray. They were very popular because Girl Scout Cookies are the best. John and I just finished out last pizza from the pizza sale. Still no magazines, but I've heard the kids don't make much money from that.
Now some fund raisers are not that great, like the one my friend's daughter was doing with a hamburger press and little teddy bear. They remind me of the type of crafts you can do at a craft fair- something that will eventually end up in an ornament box for the "ugly/family" tree or in the trash.
But hey, I like my oven bake Churros, and I didn't have to go to the store to get them.

Read more...

My little Alien.

Well since I am sick of not writing about my cravings and sicknesses I thought I should tell everyone I am having a baby in september. I am due on my mom's birthday. About 2 months into John's first semester of Medical school. So if anyone wants to spend sunny October in Scranton watching a little girl named Danielle and TBA Madsen child they are welcome to come visit us. I am not excited to move into a ward while 7 months pregnant.
I noticed that many people have a floating embryo on their blog, so I wanted one too. Isn't that reason enough to get pregnant? I considered just posting one on my blog for the joy of the floating alien but after a few pregnancy tests I realized you could track the alien that is giving me heartburn this very minute. We don't know if it is a girl or a boy yet so we can just call it "alien". I would say Alien peanut because that's what all the ultrasounds of babies seem to look like but more realistically it is probably still an alien cashew.
I remember once Jen's downstairs neighbors (of the cloth diapers) had made a chalk drawing of their "embryo" on the wall next to their door. This new version of chalk drawings was quite intriguing. Who draws an embryo on their wall? And an 8 week old one at that? Although it was disturbing at the time, I am embracing this baby ticker html. Could there be a classier way to announce that I'm pregnant? I don't think so.

Read more...

Your Worldly Representative

My friend is doing a giveaway on her blog. Her famous blog. You should look at it. She was nominated as one of the best parenting blogs and you should vote for her- HERE -it is the meanest mom. Maybe the votes of the five people who read my blog will help her.
Also if you want to win some things from my shop you should enter her contest.
Actually this blog post is sort of about her. Like how she told me she likes that I am worldly. I thought about this and smiled a little. Some people tell you they think you are rich because of how you spend money (so I make a lot of entries about expensive shoes I want- big deal) and other people just make you feel nice for wearing fancy high heeled shoes to help you feel pretty. I like to save up money from my shop and save it for Danielle in the bank. That is actually Danielle's savings program right now. But I also like to save up money and buy myself nice sunglasses or buy my mom an ipod as a gift.
I like to work to enjoy the worldly things. One of my favorite people at church was loving a lesson where they were talking about how no one comes to your house and looks at the things you buy so other people will look at them. But I do. I get jealous. I really like how Becky Despain has these cute vinyl labels on her storage jars. They are way cuter than what I can make with my label maker. I used to think the label maker was the best thing in the world but what if those Christmas stocking stuffer bins could be labeled with a personalized cute font Vinyl. Oh Becky, you have helped me want to spend more money. Anyway the friend said it is bad to spend money frivolously. I don't think I've really ever had enough money to spend it unrighteously, but her simple statement made me feel a little guilty. And she had fantastic shoes on. So maybe I am worldly. At least I don't dress up in a tent and wear my first band shoes from the seventh grade. I'm just saying.

Read more...

March

Well yesterday morning I opened the door and a few inches of snow fell in the door. There is something about a snowstorm that is beautiful and fun.
I hate it. I hate snow. I have short legs so my pants are always wet in the snow. Unless you wear cut off pants, which can get cold when it is windy. Then there is the matter of shoes- no one has time to put on winter boots while taking out a dog. and my house slippers just got wet.
Welcome to storms on the east coast- 50 degrees one day and then- a foot of snow. At least it isn't covered in an inch of ice.
So of course the dog had urgent potty issues all morning. In theory he should be able to hold it more than 30 minutes. I forgot the joy of having a puppy. They like to bite things. They have tons of energy. If you try to get close to them they jump up and lick you in the eye. They can't sit. Or stay. Or lay down. Or stop trying to eat the guitar hero guitar. You take them out and 5 minutes later they pee themselves in the kennel. I forgot only sleeping a few hours a night because you don't want to clean up dog poo. Maybe I forgot because compared to a baby a puppy is a nice vacation. and two months later you get to sleep again. And you don't realize a year later that the poo's are so stinky and they won't learn to be potty trained for a while.
Now if that doesn't give you baby fever, I don't know what will.
Danielle screamed for "Mama" all morning, even when I was there.

Annoying contest.
Bedford 0 Danielle-1
This morning we are really trying out how long Bedford can hold it. My hair is wet and there is nothing worse than the feeling of a super cold blast of wind in your wet hair.

Read more...

Dear Disney

Dear Disneyworld,

Today Danielle was missing again. After 30 seconds of frantic searching she was found in the bathroom munching on some crackers she got off of the kitchen counter. She always goes really quiet with something yummy like the bag of Cadbury mini egg she found on the bed in the sewing room the other day (how did those get there?). You may wonder why this is relevant? It's not. But I feel I owe you an apology about something else.
I am sorry my daughter kept running up to other tables and cutting at the character breakfast. Especially the incident where I looked down to ask if she wanted any mickey shaped waffles (which P.S. were not very good) and she had disappeared, trying to climb into Someone's lap. I am also sorry she kept shoving piglet's head. It was funny except I bet it wasn't so funny for him. Or her.
Is Piglet stable? I mean the person in the costume, of course. Do you think he will want revenge? Because really anyone dressed as an adult sized stuffed animal could just waltz right up to Danielle. She would happy go home with Tigger, or piglet. So I was just wondering if I have to be on the lookout.
I know there is no excuse for poking people in the head. One of our friends taught her to slap us on the cheeks the other day which has evolved into her punching me on both sides of the face for attention. Knowing that might make piglet feel worse though. But he/she should know that it is OK to poke stuffed animals. At least we tell her that. Danielle doesn't know that the large stuffed creatures walking around are actually costumes.
Thank you for your time,
super observant mother

Read more...