Count Me In!

Whew! I found this contest just in time! I think I have about 50 minutes till it closes!!

I am entering The Blogging Challenge started by One Man's Goal! The challenge is to make your blogging scores go up higher during the month of August - the winner gets a place of honor on One Man's Goal sidebar :) Spiffy!

Just the attention I could use for my Blog For A Year contest.

Burn Baby, Burn

Paul and I finally made the decision to join a gym. Well, ok, I made the decision to join one. Paul has faithfully been working out at least 5 days a week since forever. But we joined the *same* gym last Monday, and then got sick and didn't go back.

Till today that is. I haven't worked with free weights for about thirteen months, and I gotta say - it feels GREAT to be back at it!
I am debating starting to blog about my weight loss progress. I have seen brave folks posting before - during - after pictures and posting their current weight, what they lose along the way and their goals throughout.

I am not sure if I am that brave. I would much rather post a before/after picture AFTER the fact - just in case I never actually get to "the after." =)

Contests coming out my ears...

5 Minutes for Mom is hosting a few super cool contest!

First up is $300 of Free Dairy products from Horizon Organic. Perfect timing with Judah getting ready to embark on the lovely journey of food! =)

Secondly is a 37" Flat Panel LCD HDTV from Best Buy!! Wow, eh? I think that's a pretty exciting giveaway - in fact I think it is the most generous give away I have seen in the bloggy world.

Here is some cool news for all my blog readers - you DON'T need to have your own blog to enter the contest!! AND for the HDTV they accept Canadian entries! How cool is that? All you need to do is leave a comment with an email address so that they can get in touch with you should you win (and if you do win I expect to be invited over lots to watch movies with you - or to drink your milk, depending on which one you win!!) So go check out the cool prizes and browse around 5 Minutes for Mom's site a bit :)

iPod Shuffle Contest

Want to win an iPod shuffle? Of course you do! But I don't want you to. I want to win it!! But for the chance to win it I'm obligated to write this review about Brandon Hopkins' contest and link to this site about free business cards.

Well, that was all I was obligated to say, but I want to add that his blog is pretty cool. I mean, you've got to be to youtube yourself to make your contest known, right?? But he's got great ideas too - like naming a writing business There, Their, They’re. Maybe it's just me, but me thinks it's rather clever :)

I hope Brandon doesn't mind that I embedded his Youtube video on my blog - I thought it was so clever that I wanted to share it with everyone!

Blogging to Win!

Kuanhoong dot com is giving away $100!! The contest ends soon, so if you want to enter you'd better get at it! As with most any contest there are rules! These rules however are simple:

Write a review 100 - 150 words about his make money at home blog- in English or in another language. This is where I wish I spoke another language. How many languages can this person know? I'd love to write this review in some little known language. But my language skills are only in English =)

Don't use any images or flash.

You have to use the anchor text "make money at home" or "make money" or "money online" in your post.


And you have to link back to this page, which shows all the rules and details!

If I win I will donate all the money to my Blog For a Year contest.

There was no rule outlawing begging, so I am going to plead with you to pick my blog to win the money!! Thanks =)

Fechr-ed/Featured ... it's all the same

Want your blog to be Fechr-ed? Uh-huh, that's right F-E-C-H-R-E-D. A cool, hip word for an up and coming cool new site that, you guessed it, actually features your blog. All you do is enter your blog, blog about them, and then wait for your blog to be featured on their site.
The waiting thing isn't such a big deal though - in fact, it's rather brilliant. For a site that is just starting out their traffic isn't as high now as it will be in a month or two.
So while yes, I really truly do hope my blog will be fechr-ed I hope they hold onto it and do it in a couple of months when they're really booming. How perfect would being fechr-ed be for my blogging contest?? Think - or dream with me - about the potential traffic that could come to my site that would then go vote for my blog. Brilliant, eh?

An Award

I was nominated by my friend Pati for a web award and I won it!
Karla has awarded me this web award! You can view other winners of her web award here.

Thank you Pati for nominating me, and Karla for awarding me!!

Runs in the Family

Judah is just like me - and I gotta say, I am proud of it!! It drives Paul nuts, but I cannot for the life of me sleep in one place. The sheet and comforter always end up all on my side of the bed - or on the floor on my side. Paul - who is twice my size - ends up sleeping in one quarter of the bed, and I sprawl out over the rest of it.

Judah is definitely showing signs of being just like me. When he sleeps in bed with me I am the one sleeping on the edge of the bed and he takes up the rest of the bed.

This video is Judah during nap time. Some how he managed to lose his pants and pull up the bottom sheet. I don't know how! But hey ... I don't need to know =) Some people just have this natural talent and I am proud my baby boy shares this talent with me!

My Personal Chef

*Sigh* Even if his cooking was rotten I would still find it quite adorable that a muscular manly man made an attempt in the kitchen. But the great thing is he's a good cook! In fact he is an amazing cook!

Paul is good at many things, but one of my favorite things about him is his cooking skills. He makes the best pizza and the best bread that I have ever had (and I grew up with a mum and sister that made both really well!) He makes amazing omelets - which normally I hate omelets. But I really like Paul's. His are the only ones I will eat.

Paul is one of those talented cooks who doesn't follow a recipe - he is inspired by a recipe and then just lets his taste buds do the rest.
He is definitely a man about cooking though. When I told him that I did not like omelets he made it his personal mission to make them so that I would love them. And he did it! He makes them about once a week now for me, and I love every single one he makes! I think he's a little proud - and perhaps even smug - about the fact that he got me to like them.

If I say any definite "I do not..." he makes it his goal to change my mind. A negative person he is not!!

I think I could actually play this up to my advantage.

"I do not like chocolate."
"I do not like cheesecake."
"I do not like steak."
"I do not like iced coffee."

A Sign of a Brilliant Child - right?

This is how my baby watches his classical-music-to-make-his-brain-smarter-dvd! Instead of facing the tv like a normal person he turns his seat so his back is to it and then cranes his neck back to watch.

I don't claim to understand him. Just love him. =)

We only own one Judah-dvd. It is a Dollar Store version of Baby Einstein that my mum picked up for him. And while Judah loves it and finds it highly entertaining I do not.

I am not a fan of Baby Einstein. Never have been, and I don't think I ever will be. Those shows just drive me nuts!! I do however adore Classical Baby and am considering buying it for Judah (maybe putting the $10 giftcard to Amazon that I won this weekend towards it!)

Classical Baby is cute and whimsical. It is a three disk set, each disk featuring a different art form; dance, music and visual art. There are little cartooned animals that appear throughout - frogs swimming across a famous painting of water, ballerina mice dancing through a piece of art of ballerina's. It is a show that I don't mind watching over and over again - and if momma is happy, then, well - everyone is happy =)

Rock the Boat Baby

I am working on a new header for my blog. I haven't exactly figured it out yet, as you can see by the disproportioned pink border in the background. I've given up on it for the evening, but will try sometime in the next day or two to fix it all up!!

I have won many prizes this weekend!! I won two prizes from the give away thing I posted about on Thursday, and then yesterday I won THREE prizes from Jessica the Rock Chick's raffle - pretty sweet, eh? I am thinking sometime soon I should hold a contest on my blog!

Here is a video of Judah that the other Jessica played on her blog during the 24 hour blogathon (hope she didn't think she got exclusive rights to this video!!) When the camera *isn't* on him he laughs and laughs at the rowing, but this little dude is just fascinated with the camera and won't perform for the camera!







This second one is just some cute expressions - he has started tucking his lower lip under his upper lip - so adorable!! Please ignore the spit up on his sleeper - I really do do laundry and dress my baby in clean clothes - the spit up is about ten seconds old in the video! =)

A Mystery!

Some kind soul donated some money on Blog For A Year for me and I don't know who it was! If you read this could you tell me who you are so I can say thank you? Your donation is muchly appreciated! Thanks!

Hey, hey Good Lookin'

I just love this outfit of his that the Nummy's gave me at Christmas time for him - it is labeled 0-3 months and it is just fitting him now at 6 months. I think he always looks cuddly, but he's extra cuddly in this outfit!

Go Check it Out

Head on over to Jessica the Rock Chick's blog! She is going to be posting ALOT today in honor of the blogathon!! She will be posting every thirty minutes - Judah and I will even be appearing on her blog at 5:30pm EST. Go leave her some comments and participate in her trivia contests to win some cool prizes!

Cookie Crumbs

My friend Rachel sent me the recipe to these cookies - despite the name healthy in the title of them they are really delicious!! After I made them she suggested upping the amount of honey to 1/2 cup, but the 1/3 cup worked just fine for me!! These cookies freeze really well. The plan was to make them and then stick them in the freezer for "special" times. "Special times" is subjective, right?? Because our freezer no longer has any cookies in it =) I wanted to take a picture of them to go with the recipe but there are none left to photograph! Guess it means I need to make up another batch of them!

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 c. raw honey

1 egg

1/2 c. real butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. raisins

Cream the butter, honey, egg and vanilla with a mixer. Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl, then add to the butter mixture. Stir until moist. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Uh-Oh!

I have been bumped to fifth place!! Oh No!! That just can't be!! Please, please, please vote for me today!! NO signing up is necessary!! ALL you do is click on the yellow bar above and then click on the link that says "VOTE FOR JESSICA MORRIS" It's SO easy - it'll just take a few seconds of your time!! Thank you!

6 months!

Judah is six months old today!! It is a rather odd feeling that he is half way to one year!! He has grown and changed so much already, and yet he still has the wonderful world of crawling to discover - and then walking!! And then there is all the food for him to taste - he's only had avocado, carrots, lemon and chocolate ice cream thus far! Can you imagine being limited to only those tastes?? I am so excited about him discovering all the different foods - tastes and textures - that are available! Our baby is growing up!! =)

A Giveaway!

Who doesn't love giveaways?? I meant to enter it to give something away - but I forgot, because forgetting things is what I do best these days... there are 506 links to giveaways on THIS blog - all you do is leave a comment on the blog of the prize you want to win. Cool, eh? But it all ends tomorrow ... so start entering!

8 Years Later

This picture was taken about 8 years ago when I was in grade 9. I was homeschooled and there was only one other girl my age, so rather than just the two of us celebrate our grade 8 graduation we waited until the many girls a year younger than us graduated and we all went out for dinner together to celebrate. I searched so long for the perfect dress to wear, and fell in love with this blue dress! Well guess what?


I just dug it out of my pile of clothes that I thought I'd never wear again and it fits!! I guess I had good taste at 14, because I still love the dress now!!

In Three Words...

I was tagged by Mel's Mom - Debbie Sewell - for a three word meme!

1. Where is your cell phone? On the counter
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend? Have a Hubby
3. Your hair? Baby pulls it
4. Where is your father? Umm, in Canada!
5. Your favorite thing to do? Cuddle my boys
6. Your dream last night? Shrek, rollercoasters, fairies
7. Your dream car? Don't have one
8. The room you're in? Painted beige walls
9. Who did you hang out with last night? Husband and baby
10. Your fears? spiders, night noises
11. What aren't you good at? changing car tires
12. Muffins? oh yes please!
13. One of your wish list items? A sewing machine
14. The last thing you did? Made a smoothie
15. Your computer? Handy dandy laptop
16. Your pet? none at all
17. You are wearing? Baby spit up
19. Your mood? sleepy and satisfied
20. Missing? pre baby body
21. Your car? Runs just fine!
22. What are you thinking about now? Putting baby down*
23. Your work? Wife and mom
24. Your summer? has been lovely
25. Your relationship status? Very happily married.
26. Your favorite color(s)? Blues, greens, creams
27. When is the last time you cried? hmm, don't recall
28. When was the last time you laughed? Few moments ago
29. School? Good times ... not!
30. Favorite 90's group? Don't have clue

*(to sleep!! But I am only allowed three words!!)

I am going to tag Jessica the Rock Chick - because she always makes me laugh with what she has to say and I want to see her refrained to three words!

On Saturday Jessica is participating in the Blog-a-thon to raise money for VH1 Save The Music Foundation. Check out her post HERE for full details on it and HERE for ways that you can win cool prizes and HERE for the cool prizes!

Baby Morris

Mmmm - mashed avocado! Anyone want to come for supper??

SGT Morris

Tilt your head sideways for the first bit!

My Boys

Yesterday was Paul's promotion ceremony. It was held at the clinic where he works. Judah and I went over for it and with all the pictures I took I didn't actually get one of the new rank! Judah is in front of it in this picture! I will add the movie from the ceremony a little bit later.

Today we decided to start Judah on some real foods - we started with avocado! He seemed quite perplexed by the new taste in his mouth, but he didn't spit it out! I got a movie of him eating too, which I will load tonight or tomorrow.
Hopefully the introduction of other foods will help him to sleep longer at night! For whatever reason he has been nursing every 2 - 3 hours around the clock! It's rather annoying and I am ready for it to end!

Onion Letters

What are the odds that our favorite Burger place is also our least favorite Burger place? Sounds complicated, but really, it isn't. Paul and I went to a Back Yard Burger in South Carolina once and fell in love with it! The food was incredibly good, and the staff was super friendly and helpful! We were excited to find one near our house and went out one night for supper there. We have never had a worse experience with eating out. They got the order wrong three times in a row, and when they finally did get it right we ended up throwing out most of our meal as it just tasted gross and looked rather unappetizing.

Soon after we were married I read an article in a woman's magazine about "Onion Letters." Onion letters being complaint letters. The woman had a fancy name for "praise" letters too, but I can't remember what those were called and I can't remember why she used the phrase "onion" ... I really should remember because Paul and I spent a good portion of a 14 hour car ride discussing that article ... but I simply cannot remember why. And anyways, the 'why' is a rather mute point to this blog.

Ever since reading that article I wanted to become an onion letter and 'praise' letter writer. If someone gave great service their boss should know about it! And if it stank, the boss should know that too. And, ok, I'll confess - the author got some free gift cards to the places she wrote letters to. And I want free gift cards too!

So, as of this afternoon I am an official Onion letter (and praise letter, tho that doesn't have the same ring to it!) writer. I wrote to the good Back Yard Burger location telling them how much we liked them, and I also wrote to the Headquarters telling them about the location we loved and the location we hated.

I have been racking my brain trying to think of other Onion letters I can write, but nothing else is coming to mind yet. From what I remember though the lady who wrote the article got a lot of free stuff just from writing letters - so, uh, maybe I will make that my career? Can't you just see my son on career day talking about his parents jobs?

"My daddy is in the US Army and is defending our country. My mummy writes onion letters."

Do you think I'll make him proud??

The Newest Accomplishment

Judah is sitting up - he's still tipsy, but he can do it!!
You need to tilt your head sideways to see it!

He's Growing

Judah is trying so hard to crawl!! He inches himself across the floor or his crib, and pushes his little bottom in the air trying to get himself up in the air.

Feelin' Crabby?

On Friday someone found this crab and then gave it to Autumn to play with. I don't think I have ever seen one up close moving! It was so cool!

Dragon Toes

Jessica Kearon bought this sleeper for Judah at Christmas time - I think it is the cutest sleeper ever - and he is finally *close enough* to fitting into it!

Splish Splash

Some pictures of the kids at the beach - I forgot to get some of my own baby!

Inventive

I love my husband. I really, really do. That being said - he is weird and he does some really odd things. He likes his coffee. Ok, no - he is obsessed about his coffee. We have to buy whole bean coffee to grind ourselves (My Aunt and Uncle bought him the grinder for Christmas and it is *the most* used and, I do believe, loved gift Paul has ever received!) It has to be certain brands of coffee we buy, and only certain blends.

Paul loves coffee.

So much so that he wouldn't allow the shattered coffee pot keep him from his morning, noon or nightly cup of joe.
I came home from my two weeks away to discover our "remodeled" coffee maker ...


Brilliant, eh? Makes me proud to be married to an inventor of the Pyrex Measuring Cup Coffee Maker. As proud as I am of our new coffee maker I want to get Paul a new one (and I want my measuring cup back!)
Any suggestions for a coffee maker? I'd love some ideas!