A whole bunch of random crap all at once. You’re welcome.
Win Some Gorgeousness.
- I posted a review of this Wired Sea Cuff on my review blog – cleverly named: lotus reviews. I know, I know – my creativity astounds you. The post is a giveaway post, so go find out what I think of the Wired Sea Cuff and then enter to win $50 to spend at Studio Jewel. (Ends TODAY 9pm CST)
(Coming up, I’ll be running review/giveaway posts about 2 different camera bags, as well. Keep your eye on the review blog if that kind of thing interests you. Subscribe here.)
- Because I know so many of you dig photography, I also wanted to tell you about a fun meme that a couple of my friends are doing. It’s called “The Flip Side” and it gives you an opportunity to share a self portrait – reflection, shadow, or classic type portrait – every week. This is a great incentive to practice the art of the self portrait if you want to increase your photography skill. I am going to be playing along.
Selfies are Fun!
- The September issue of Room 704 is up. The theme is “Educate.” I write/edit on that website, and I’ve got 3 posts there this issue, including one that basically outlines what a moron I was in grad school. It’s fun to self deprecate. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.
- I’m still running like a mofo. I’m currently using the Bridge to 10K app (picks up where C25K left off and trains you from 5K to 10K level). Running makes me feel powerful and strong. Yes. It is hard. But POWERFUL! and STRONG! Also, my legs look insanely better than I think they ever have before. EVER. So there’s that.
If you want to stay apprised of all the fitness nonsense I get up to, join me on Dailymile. 
- I’m going to be running the Austin, TX Komen Race for the Cure on November 7th. I’ll be talking about that here again more between now and then, but for now, I’d like to ask you to go ahead and think about sponsoring me. I’d really like to raise a good chunk of money.
- Oh, and my kid is apparently in training to be a shoplifter. Go figure.
proudly showing me how he can hide toys in his hat
Happy Thursday!
Support a fabulous woman; win some cool shiz.
During the time that I’ve been blogging and utilizing social media networking sites, I’ve virtually met quite a lot of people. Many of them have impacted me in some profound way without even realizing it. I’ve been hurt a few times, moved to laughter as well as tears, and been inspired and humbled.
I’ve made some wicked good friends. I’ve been reminded of how many amazing people exist out there, if only you look… kind, caring, generous people. The sort of folks you love to see in the world.
If you’ve ever seen Piper, you’ll know that she shines like the sun and you can’t miss her.
And then you can’t stop yourself from doing a double-take and a triple-take. And when you get to know her, you realize that her beauty starts from the inside and radiates outward. She’s one of those people.
She’s had some rough freaking times lately. Heartache of serious proportions. A car on fire and ruined. Hey, Universe? GIVE HER A BREAK, ALREADY.
A group of her friends online want to help her. She needs funds for a new car, and to pick herself up and move on with her two sweet boys. So a giveaway of sorts has been thrown together by several of us and Adam was awesome enough to get it organized and posted on his site.
Basically, you donate $10 to the pot to help Piper back to her feet, and you get a chance at winning a prize. The Grand Prize is an 8GB Ipod Touch, but there are several others.
I donated handmade paper as one of the items:
You can head over to Adam’s Post to see the specifics and the rest of the items you could win. Please make your $10 donation and stay tuned! (And if you’d like to donate an item, he has instructions on how to do so there, as well.)
Help us get the word out by sharing this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, and wherever else you can.
Let’s pick her up, guys. Let’s each be one more of those people we love to see in the world.
Because Free Shoes = FREAKING AWESOME
UPDATE!
WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG
CONGRATULATIONS TO CONNIE!
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Are you sad because you missed your chance to win Monkey Toes shoes on my giveaway site, Who Doesn’t Like Free? last week? Well, I am bringing you another chance!
These shoes are adorable! Many people know about them because Suri Cruise wears the Ladybug MaryJanes. Personally, I just love a cute little kid’s shoe, no matter who wears it. 
From the site:
Monkey-Toes is a playful line of fun animal and insect themed footwear for children. Our original collection of hand-painted sneakers and matching socks is designed with both parents and kids in mind.
Just have a look around the site – there are several different adorable shoe designs to choose from, as well as socks and shirts!
For this giveaway, we’re focusing on your choice of one of these 2 designs:
Limited Edition Glow Bugs Tennis Shoes (only available until October 15th!)
(more styles available, see site)
(more styles available, see site)
You can be the winner of one pair, and you get to choose the style/size on the pair you win.
This giveaway contest will run from 12:01AM, CST October 4th, 2008 to 11:59PM, CST October 10th. The Winner will be randomly selected and announced on October 11th, 2008.
Add a comment to this post to enter – you can enter here up to seven times – but only once a day!
Each comment you leave on this post counts as an entry BUT YOU MAY ONLY ENTER ONCE A DAY.
Remember, you don’t have to have kids to enter! Everyone knows someone with kids, and you can always give your winning as a gift to a friend with a little cutie.
Definitely Good For The Kids
From time to time, I try to get involved in something that isn’t entirely self-absorbed. It’s really hard, because I’m a lazy, narcissistic douchebag most of the time.
Today, I’m going to step out of my Lotus Burrito (get it? I’m all wrapped up in ME!) for a few moments and talk about a Blogger Challenge designed to help raise money for public schools.
Deep South Moms has accepted the 2008 Donors Choose Bloggers Challenge.
I am fully supporting this, and I’d like to ask you for your support as well. You can see the widget on my left sidebar, and if you’d like to help, you can grab that widget, too. Just click HERE. Placing that widget on your sidebar, and especially posting about it, will help!
Of course, giving a donation to one of the proposals at the DSM Donors Choose Challenge page would be greatly appreciated. There is no donation too small or too big when we’re talking about supporting the education of our children.
stockxpert.com
To motivate you to give, I’m teaming up with Good For The Kids to offer you a prize. You’ll have a chance to win a $40 Gift Certificate to Good For The Kids for helping out HERE with a donation.
Click through HERE, choose a proposal from that page, and make the donation of your choice. Afterwards, come back here and tell me you donated and you’ll be entered into the pool from which the winner will be drawn.
All who make a donation HERE in the next two weeks and comment here that that they have done so will be entered into the pool of possible winners. You have a chance to enter from now until 11:59PM, CST October 15th, 2008.
On October 16th, one entrant will be randomly drawn and will receive the $40 GFTK Gift Certificate.
If your name is drawn as the winner but you did not actually make a donation, we will draw another winner.
So, come on! Help Deep South Moms and me do something Good For The Kids!
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For more information about the Deep South Moms 2008 Donors Choose Bloggers Challenge, visit here.
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“Cock,” Xylophones, and Shower Tacos
Things I learned this week:
- Sometimes “Mommy” is much more capable of diagnosing and treating her kid than is “Dr.”
- There are some of you who find it HIGHLY DISGUSTING that I saved Braden’s Baby Jerky. But for some reason, hair seems acceptable to save. ?
- Young children are capable of breaking the sound barrier with nothing more than their very own lungs and vocal chords. And it hurts. Ohh, maaaan, it hurrrrrts.
- You could win free shoes over here.
- Sometimes it’s probably just best to keep your mouth shut. But it’s hard.
- Braden can finally say, “fan” instead of calling it, “esh-wheat,” which comes out sounding a lot like “oh shit.”
- But he still says, “cock” when he’s not sure if something is a “car” or a “truck.”
- I am going to be a panelist at Blissdom ’08!
- My husband is a good xylophone player. (And Braden’s not half bad on drums.)
- My heels won’t stop drying out all disgustingly, and they have forced me to use a “foot rasp” on them.
- A foot rasp looks like a cheese grater. Using it on your feet is WEIRD. I feel like I’m about to garnish some type of weird shower tacos with my feet.
- Time just keeps moving on. Often much faster than you’d like.
- Braden is still amazing.
Fecal Matter Frustration and Hereditary Narcissism
We’ve been on the potty-training roller coaster with Braden for some time now, and seriously, this experience has been enough to really not want any more kids. I’ve joked around about that before, but there are times when the whole thing really is just that frustrating. Fecal and Urinary Trickery and Frustration really can make you want to rip your own uterus out of its warm, abdominal resting place and shove it down into the sink garbage disposal.
“Poop!” he yells.
We go to the bathroom, he sits on the potty.
For a long time. And reads a book.
Then he’s “ah-dun!” and gets down.
No poop is in the potty.
But he delights greatly in telling me “Eh-Poop!” later, when it’s in his pants. Then he runs like mad to the bathroom so we can put it in the toilet and flush it, while he says, “Buh-byyyyeee, Puh-POOOOO!!!”
If he weren’t so cute, I’d shove him in with it.
I’ve even tried this great tip (is that not hilarious?) but I don’t think he really cares what the poop wants to do. It’s all about him, don’t you know!? (I have NO idea where he gets that from. *cough*)
He pees on the toilet more reliably, but by NO means all the time. And he has “accidents” on the carpet/floor/step stool in the bathroom which are not really accidents at all, if you ask me. I mean, when someone is just doing his thing, then he stops, take a stance that thrusts his crotch out, and smiles devilishly at you while he starts an incredibly healthy and strong stream of urine all over something you don’t particularly want urine on? IT’S NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT’S AN EVIL DEED.
He has also become incredibly obsessed with running to the bathroom and climbing up on the step-stool I placed in front of the sink to make it possible for him to learn how to wash his hands. Does he want wash his hands very badly? No, he wants to flip the lights on and off (remember how he became obsessed with that a long time ago?) and “perform” in front of the mirror, with much silliness.
I’ve stopped him now by buying a cheapo wall mirror (about $4.75 for those of you taking detailed notice of what I spend around here) and hanging it at his level in the living room.
Now he dances and performs in front of it, or just stands there laughing and talking to himself.
So yes, it is official. Narcissism is quite hereditary.
*turns head, looks upwards, and starts whistling*
*walks away nonchalantly*
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Don’t forget to leave your daily comment on the giveaway post for $50 at GFTK!
Anyone want $50?
WINNER SELECTED!
Winner randomly selected (www.random.org):
Caryn B
Congratulations! You will be contacted by email and put in touch with the owner of Good For The Kids. Enjoy your $50 Gift Certificate!
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Sure, I know lots of bazillionaires read my blog because I clearly appeal to that audience, but for those few of you who could use a little help in the monetary department occasionally, how about a simple way to get your hands on $50 worth of free shiznite for your kids?
I see you nodding.
Check it – I’ve had a button on my right sidebar for some time now, but if you haven’t already visited Good For The Kids, you should do so now. Like, uh-mee-dee-eht-LEE!
Browse around and find $50 worth of stuff you like. Trust me, it will be EASY b/c the site is packed with tons of great products for your little ones.
The site has all kinds of toys (everything you can imagine), feeding gear and essentials, clothes, books, and more!
A few of my favorites from GFK:
This Handy Sack tote to store things when out and about with kiddo is so cute it almost makes me cry.
These Safe Sippy Cups have a great design, cute colors, and are BPA free!
And this toy is just all around wonderful simplicity. My little brother had one just like it growing up, and we adored it. What’s more fun than pounding away? Nothing, I tell you. Nothing.
If you’d like the chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate to Good For The Kids, just hop over to the website, browse around and discover all the wonderful items you want, and then hop back over here and comment on your very favorite item from the website (that I did NOT mention in this post).
Your comment must include an item from the website that I did not mention in this post! If you are randomly chosen as the winner at the end of the week and you did not do that, I will be forced to choose another winner. (Yes, I’d really like you to go look at the site.)
The contest will run from Saturday afternoon, September 13th at 5pm EST until Saturday, September 20th at 11:59PM EST. The Winner will be announced on Sunday, September 21st, and notified by email.
You can leave a comment entry once a day – at up to 7 entries! Each of your comment entries must have a different item named in it. But that’s easy!
So there you have it, Good For The Kids and I are teaming up to give you $50 worth of cool, free stuff.
Making your lives better!
That’s what I’m here for, people.
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Disclosure: In exchange for hosting this $50 Gift Card Giveaway, I received a $40 Gift Card for Good For The Kids.
Free Stuff
Hey, just a quick announcement for all my lovely readers. I’m doing a giveaway site since I get emails about giving free stuff away to you guys periodically. Rather than choke this website with that stuff, or turn down the opportunity to give you free stuff, I started a sideblog for the giveaways.
First giveaway is up, so go check it out! Make me feel like it’s worth it by subscribing to the feed while you’re there, okay?
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