Thursday Thirteen

13 Shows I'm Looking Forward to Watching This Fall
(in no particular order.... well, ok. The first four are my faves.... the rest are in no particular order)

1. Heroes NBC - I've been an avid Heroes fan since the beginning. I was very disappointed in how short the season was due to the strike. I'm really looking forward to getting some of my questions answered this season!

2. Lost ABC - Speaking of having questions answered... Lost is very good about answering a question only to create a dozen more questions! But I'm hooked and will see it through the end just to see what happens!

3. The Office NBC - I've really missed watching Jim and Pam's relationship grow... I know, I'm one of those dorky people who talks about tv show characters like they are real people.

4. Grey's Anatomy ABC - Meredith and McDreamy need to be together! But I'm sure something will happen to keep them apart - again.

5. Criminal Minds CBS - Its not a cookie cutter of all the other crime drama shows. I like that it gets in the mind of the bad guys. And yet, its kind of creepy too.

6. Biggest Loser NBC - One of these days I'll stop sitting on my butt watching shows like this and actually be my own biggest loser. But until then I'll keep watching, waiting for it to motivate me!

7. Numb3rs CBS - This is one of the cleaner crime dramas. While I don't necessarily understand all the math stuff they use on the show I do find it interesting.

8. Pushing Daisies ABC - I have not watched this series as of yet. But I've heard a little about it and I think I'd really like it. I'd kind of been hoping that they'd release season one on DVD so I could catch up before the new season starts!

9. Private Practice ABC - I like Addison. I love that their practice offers some more alternative medicine options. I saw a few labors/births on an episode the other night that weren't "emergency" anything - one was even in a birthing tub. It was nice to see more than a traumatic "everything that can go wrong" scenario.

10. Extreme Makeover Home-edition ABC - Its not one my favorites but its still a good clean show I can watch with my kids. Except that almost every family says "Oh My God" over and over during the big reveal. Oh, well... it could be worse.

11. Flight of the Conchords HBO - I've watched some videos on youtube and they are hilarious! I can't wait to watch the show!

12. Ugly Betty - I have only watched a few episodes here and there but I saw the finale last season and I have to see which guy Betty chooses!

13. Scrubs ABC - That is right folks... Scrubs is back! Only now they're on a new network! Yeah!

Click here for a printable schedule of network season premieres. And click here for more Thursday Thirteen.

WFMW - Scrapbooking Storage

I think I saw this in a scrapbooking magazine or on a website - no, I wasn't smart enough to come up with it on my own. Anyway, I got this pillbox at the dollar store. It has 14 compartments (1 week 2x a day) and I've used it to separate and store some of my buttons, eyelets and brads that I use while scrapbooking. What a deal!?! To by similar specialty storage containers it would have been alot more than a dollar! Here are a few other embellishment storage ideas from ScrapbooksEtc. Saving money on scrapbooking works for me!
Check out other Works For Me Wednesday posts HERE!!

Cool Jewels!

Simple Mom is having a great jewelry giveaway! Monday Sept. 22nd she'll be giving away a piece of Lisa Leonard jewelry! Just leave her a comment on the giveaway post and get entered!
I just checked it out and I'm in love with Lisa Leonard's style! I'm entering! But if I don't win, I'm totally sending her website to my husband as a hint for my Christmas gift!! I mean really, who doesn't feel just a little bit better about themselves when they're wearing a unique piece of jewelry? I know I do!

Overwhelmed

I am overwhelmed by everything to do with Joe. Isaac it seems is ever the optimist when it comes to Joe - always believing that eventually Joe will catch up. I try to think that way too. But in the back of my mind I'm bracing myself to be taking care of him for the rest of my life. And that is kind of scary, you know. I mean, I have always wanted to be a mother... but I do not think I knew what I was signing up for. I hope I don't sound awful... I love my son and I will do whatever it takes to care for him the best that I can. It is just too much sometimes - to think of the big picture. I need to stop thinking about the big picture and just think about today. But how?
It seems especially hard because we really have no idea what to expect. But he's such a happy little guy, he brings joy to our life in so many ways. But he also brings doubt, stress, fear and questions too. I know God is in control and He has a plan but I'm just afraid His plan isn't what I want it to be. I want Joe to grow strong and healthy and be able to live a full life, you know? What mother doesn't want that for her kids? I know I need to just give it all over to Him (that is what everyone keeps telling me) but when its your child's life... how do you let go of that? sigh... ok - I'll stop rambling now.

How Do You Think You Look?

I've just recently watched a few episodes of How To Look Good Naked. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's Carson Kressley teaches women how to bring forth their inner and outer beauty without plastic surgery or extreme dieting. Over the course of five days Carson will introduce new, beneficial changes for subjects in his signature humorous way. Each episode will culminate in an ego-boosting fashion and beauty photo shoot for the lucky subject.
In just the few episodes I've seen there have been different body types, each woman has had different issues with their bodies - some were self conscious about their butt, some their belly, etc. Intermittently throughout the show they'll have stats on women and body image, etc. It is really sad when you think about how so many of us (all different shapes and sizes) are unhappy with our bodies for various reasons. It does not matter what size or shape we are... we women find the worst in ourselves, especially when it comes to our bodies.

My husband saw a bit as he was passing by (this particular episode had a tiny petite Asian woman) and he asked if they ever use women who were not thin on the show. So, to prove to him that there was diversity in size and shape on the show I went to their website and found a woman with a body shape similar to mine (I think). It was helpful for me to see the affirmations she got from Carson and the public about her body and to see her transformation as she became more confident.
There are lots of resources out there for those of us who struggle with poor body image. Don't be afraid to reach out and seek help if you too easily find the flaws in your self and your body. Here are just a few websites to check out if you are interested.
BreakFreeBeauty
Healthy Body Image
TCW online article
Body Image books on Amazon.com

Nate-isms

My son says some of the cutest things sometimes! Here are a few that I've remembered to write down lately:

When we're having lemonade he calls it "leNoMade". When we try to correct him he says it wrong but with emphasis - as if that fixes it.

When he doesn't know how to do something instead of saying "I don't know how" he says "I can't how", only he is usually whining and drags out the how so its "I can't hooowww".

He's also gotten into the "why" and "what is dat" phase which is more annoying than it is cute.

In The Motherhood heads from the Web to TV!

If you haven't checked out In The Motherhood yet you should! Moms from all over have posted their funny, real life stories about daily life as a mother and then the best of these stories get made into webisodes that are just hilarious! Leah Remini, Chelsea Handler and Jenny McCarthy are so funny in these made for the web shorts. Totally easy to relate to situations, but so much funnier when retold by these great women comics.
I just read online at the Hollywood Reporter that ABC is picking up In the Motherhood for a 13 episode season. TvDecoder says it should be ready to air sometime midseason! Chelsea Handler is the only one of the three current "mothers" to be following the motherhood to tv. She will be joined by Megan Mullally (of Will and Grace) and possibly Cheryl Hines (of Curb Your Enthusiasm).
Here is one of the many funny webisodes available online. Check 'em out and tune in to ABC to watch the show this season!

In The Motherhood Is Back! @ Yahoo! Video

Family Friendly Friday

Some friends of ours have designated Friday nights as their "family night". Every week one of their four girls gets to choose the activity. Sometimes its something like making s'mores, or another time it'll be a nature walk or board games... given how different their girls are - I imagine the activities vary quite a bit from week to week!
Does your family have a designated "family nite"? What kind of things do you do together as a family? Do you make it a time of fun or learning or both? I'd love to hear some other great ideas from all of you! Let me know what your family does!

New Therapy Tool

Thanks to the First Steps loan pool we have acquired a stander for Joe. This is one of the more basic models(click here to see others). One company I found online describes the benefits of a pediatric stander this way:

The EasyStand Magician standing frames by Altimate Medical benefit children of all ages both physically and psychologically. Physically, standing can assist with skeletal development in children, help normalize respiratory function, and improve circulation. Having the ability to bear weight strengthens bones and muscles.

Psychologically, standing promotes independence, enhances learning, and encourages kids to explore their environment. Children generally feel more comfortable interacting with others when standing at eye level.

We're still getting used to it. Isaac kind of had a hard time when he first saw it. It was more "medical" looking than he was expecting. Joe seems to like it alright - he's so easy going most of the time anyway. Nate is still intrigued by the new "toy". Its just one more thing to add into the daily routine. The PT recommends that he be in it 2-3 times a day for 30min. We are working up to it. It hasn't become a natural part of our life yet.

We are hoping to get our insurance sorted out soon so we can get the MRI and EMG done soon.

More Scrappin' Pages!

I've put off doing my boys' birth pages for awhile because I wanted to make sure they were really good. I finally did them. I also wanted them to be similar (I'm all about equality between siblings).
We had another craft night at church. I got alot of pages done! I've tried using sketches a few times and have liked the results. Let me know what you think.

Check out the other Sunday Scrappers here!

Bitten by the Twilight bug!

I must admit that the primary reason that I started reading the Twilight saga was because alot of my friends and all of my sisters were reading them. I didn't want to be left out. Of course I was hooked from the first chapter of the first book! I couldn't put it down! In a week and a half I read all four 500-700 page books!
Stephanie Meyer did a great job pulling me into the story and the characters. Barnes and Noble's website said this about the four book saga: Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn capture the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires.
One thing I think is sooo cool is that Stephanie Meyer is supposed to be working on releasing another book in the saga only this one is the story of the first book told from another character's perspective. How cool is that? Anyway, I really enjoyed reading them and can't wait to see the movies.

Here is a more detailed description of the storyline I found on the movie's myspace page:

BELLA SWAN has always been a little bit different. Never one to run with the crowd, Bella never cared about fitting in with the trendy, plastic girls at her Phoenix, Arizona high school. When her mother remarried and sent Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she didn't expect much of anything to change. But things do change when she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful EDWARD CULLEN. For Edward is nothing like any boy she's ever met. He's nothing like anyone she's ever met, period. He's intelligent and witty, and he seems to see straight into her soul. In no time at all, they are swept up in a passionate and decidedly unorthodox romance — unorthodox because Edward really isn't like the other boys. He can run faster than a mountain lion. He can stop a moving car with his bare hands. Oh, and he hasn't aged since 1918. Like all vampires, he's immortal. That's right — VAMPIRE. But he doesn't have fangs — that's just in the movies. And he doesn't drink human blood, though Edward and his family are unique among vampires in that lifestyle choice.

To Edward, Bella is that thing he has waited 90 years for — a soul mate.

But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy.

Somehow or other, they will have to manage their unmanageable love. But what will they do when LAURENT and JAMES, the Cullens' mortal vampire enemies, come to town, looking for Bella?

Based on the 1 New York Times Bestselling series by Stephenie Meyer, TWILIGHT is a cultural phenomenon, with a fanatic fanbase that eagerly awaits this movie. Critically acclaimed director Catherine Hardwicke brings to life this modern, visual, and visceral Romeo and Juliet story of the ultimate forbidden love affair — between vampire and mortal.

I just did one of those dumb quizzes online to see which Twilight character I was and here is the result:
Bella Swan You are Bella Swan, the apple of Edward's eye. You are very private, clumsy, sweet, and funny. You have a wonderful ability to accept people (or mythical creatures) for what they are. You have an amazing capacity to love, even though you can be too hard on yourself.

Twilight Quiz by QuizRocket.com fun tests!
Fun Quizzes | Quizes | MySpace Quizzes
» » "Who Should I Vote For?" « «

Labor Day Trip!

We took a trip and spent the long weekend at my inlaw's lakehouse with friends and family. It was great weather and we had a nice relaxing time. We're thankful that we are able to spend time there regularly. Its such a peaceful place. I'm planning on taking my sister up there sometime soon to do more of her senior pictures!



Speaking of trips... I just stopped by the Blog Trip on MommyCommunity.com and you should too! There are lots of blogs to check out and free giveaways! Check it out!

Tough Love vs. Spanking - Good Argument

I got this as a forward and thought it was worth sharing. Let me know what you think!

Most of America's populace think it is improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of 'those moments.'

One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk.

Some say it's the vibration from the car, others say it's the time away from any distractions such as TV, Video Games, Computer, I-Pod, etc.

Either way, my kids usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together.

I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.

I think this will work with grandchildren, nieces, and nephews as well.

Writing the Word on a Child's Heart

Over the last couple of months Nate and I have been working on memorizing a few bible verses together. We do them a couple words at a time. Like: When I am afraid... I will trust in you.... Psalm 56:3
Its been so neat to watch the Word being written on his heart. Sometimes he still needs to hear the first word of the verse as a prompt to get him started but he's really enjoying it and sometimes he'll even say them to himself. We have a couple of verses in mind to do soon that we'll probably use in correcting/disciplining him. I'm so glad that we're starting now, when he's got so much enthusiasm and energy (and he likes to mimic). Plus its a good chance for me to learn some bible verses too. Right now this definitely works for me!

Check out other WFMW posts here.