Monday Memo: The Latest

 Greenhouse Goodness

 Strawberries

 Boating

 So Green!

 Shrimping

Beautiful Dinner

This is what I have been up to lately - farm life. I don't get much down time to play around online as we spend most of our time doing things - gardening, fishing, shrimping, exploring...my kids are in heaven out there and when it is super nice out, frankly, so am I. So when my posts slow down, you can picture me here...

Happy Easter Weekend

here

We are off to the mountain to search for eggs in the snow and celebrate Sebastien turning ONE! 

Ce que Disent les Parisiens

I love listening to the French language. I haven't spoken it myself in about ten years (gasp! really? yikes.) so this video is a nice reminder of why I should practice again...the fluidity is so beautiful even if this is a video making fun of Parisiens.

The Girl Effect

Laughter is Medicine

here

Helping the Planet - One Step at a Time

here

How does one make political change? I have had this question stuck in my head for months. I am a stay at home mom, which means we have one income, which means we have limited funds, which means we have no extra money to donate to causes we value. I am a stay at home mom, which means my free time is very limited, which means I don't have time to volunteer for causes we value. So. How, aside from voting, does a person like me help fuel change in our nation? We do the bare minimum "green" things like recycle, compost, eat organic foods from local sources, buy used instead of new...but that seems like stuff everyone should just DO.  

I have just been feeling lately that we have been taking, taking, taking and not giving back. Personally, my timing may not be ideal as I barely have the time and space to put our laundry away so maybe in a few years when my kids are in school most of the week I will be able to contribute to society more. I want to show our kids that we, as people of this country and land, need to give as well as take. How does one do that? 

Well, I asked my friends Brendan and Anne DeMelle. They are a very impressive couple (see Brendan here). Here is Brendan's response - it is sooo inspiring and not at all intimidating so be sure to check it out after the jump: 

Happy Leap Day

“I’m about to do something pretty crazy.” — Liz
“You should. It’s Leap Day. Real life is for March.” — Criss

February Instagram Challenge

 phone

 heart

 closet

 time

blue 

makes me happy

Turns out taking a picture everyday IS a challenge - some days I play catch-up. Well, we are off to the island then to the farm then skiing...here's to adventure! Have a lovely weekend everyone (and long week if you are taking school break off).

Honest Logos

This is a funny list of what the logos should really say.

February Instagram Challenge

 Dinner

 Button

 Sun

Front Door

 Self Portrait

Sloths on Ellen

I don't know if it's because it is the end of the day and I'm delirious but I was laughing so hard while watching this that I actually cried.

Hop on the Party Train

here

A friend and I were talking about insecurities the other night. We all have them. I have them, you have them, he has them, she has them. We all deal with them in different ways, but I would be shocked to find someone who didn't have a few. (If you are out there, reveal yourself and share your secrets!) So I am going to share mine with you.

I have never been one to party a lot, I don't have jokes up my sleeve and my sense of humor can come off as a little too sarcastic. So my main insecurity is that I am no fun, not the life of the party, not the girl you first think of when you want to go out and have a good time. But here's the irony - I love going out and hanging with friends. I am more of an observer I guess. I laugh a lot at other people - people really amuse me and it is fun to share a laugh or two. I get a kick out of watching you get drunk and make funny comments or shake your booty in front of the DJ booth (who am I kidding, when was the last time I went out where there was a DJ? So this is clearly a reference to our pre-child days but go with it for peet's sake) or take the piss out of our best friend.

During our discussion, my friend was so kind to point out that no one friend will fulfill everything we need in friendships - you have your comedians, your bookworms, your adventure-seekers, etc...That's why you have more than one friend! So while I will never be the center of attention - the one getting the laughs - every party needs some people who actually do the laughing and the listening and I suppose that's me.

Instagram - Challenge

Ok peeps. I am starting a challenge...no, no, don't be silly, it's not a well-being challenge or a fitness challenge (scoff!) but a Instagram challenge. Ahhhh yeah! Another excuse to take photos everyday of my highly exciting and ahhhhh-inspiring life. I'll start posting my photos from the week on the weekend - you know, if I'm not too bust with life.

Whoot whoot - let the challenge begin!

National Good Day Day

Today was and still is a Good Day...it is sunny and beautiful and crisp here in the PNW. So to celebrate that and that it is Friday, here is a recent discover from Here regarding exactly when it was Ice Cube's good day...very clever indeed!

CLUE 1:

“went to short dogs house, they was watching Yo MTV RAPS”

Yo MTV RAPS first aired: Aug 6th 1988

CLUE 2:

Ice Cubes single “today was a good day” released on: Feb 23 1993

CLUE 3:      

”The Lakers beat the Super Sonics”

Dates between Yo MTV Raps air date AUGUST 6 1988 and the release of the single FEBRUARY 23 1993 where the Lakers beat the Super Sonics:

      Nov 11 1988    114-103      Nov 30 1988    110-106

      Apr    4 1989    115-97      Apr  23 1989    121-117

      Jan  17 1990    100-90      Feb  28 1990    112-107

      Mar  25 1990    116-94      Apr  17  1990    102-101

      Jan  18  1991    105-96      Mar  24  1991    113-96

      Apr  21  1991    103-100      Jan  20  1992    116-110

CLUE 4:

Dates of those Laker wins over SuperSonics where it was a clear day with no Smog:

                Nov 30 1988                Apr   4  1989

                Jan 18  1991                Jan 20  1992

CLUE 5:     

“Got a beep from Kim, and she can fuck all night”

Beepers weren’t adopted by mobile phone companies until the 1990s. Dates left where mobile beepers were availible to public:

                 Jan 18 1991                 Jan 20 1992

CLUE 6:

Ice Cube starred in the film “Boyz in the hood” that released late Summer of 1991, but was being filmed mid-late 1990 early 1991 and Ice Cube was busy on set filming the movie Jan 18 1991 too busy to be lounging around the streets with no plans. 

Ladies and Gentlemen..

The ONLY day where:

Yo MTV Raps was on air, it was a clear and smogless day, beepers were commercially sold, the Lakers beat the SuperSonics and Ice Cube had no events to attend was…         

JANUARY 20 1992      National Good Day Day

Snowy Snowy Day

It has been snowing at home for the past two days with no signs of stopping! What fun! For some reason though, my daughter isn't as excited about it as she is when we are at the ski hill. There, she can hardly get in the door of our room before she is stripping off her clothes to get her snow suit on. (On a side note, she is starting to love her skis! So exciting! She just heads straight down the mountain, no fear and no needing to bribe her down with candy. Oh how I hope this lasts!) But with snow just outside her doorway at home, she is indifferent. Strange. Little Sebastien, on the other hand, was more excited about this snow than the stuff at the mountain. Go figure. He enjoyed tasting all the yummy fresh snow...so that was fun.  

Fourteen Simple Steps

My friend Chris, posted these tests from BabyCenter. Read them. Seriously. Just do it. They are hilarious. I was reading these at the lodge this weekend and caught myself laughing out loud enough times where the two guys sitting across from me started giving me funny looks. 

here

Follow these 14 simple tests before you have children:

Test 1 – Preparation

Women: To prepare for pregnancy:-

1. Put on a dressing gown and stick a beanbag down the front.
2. Leave it there.
3. After 9 months remove 5% of the beans.

Men: To prepare for children:-

1. Go to a local pharmacist, tip the contents of your wallet onto the counter and tell the pharmacist to help himself
2. Go to the supermarket. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home. Pick up the newspaper and read it for the last time.

Test 2 – Knowledge

Find a couple who are already parents and berate them about their methods of discipline, lack of patience, appallingly low tolerance levels and how they have allowed their children to run wild. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child’s sleeping habits, toilet training, table manners and overall behavior.

Enjoy it. It will be the last time in your life that you will have all the answers.

Test 3 – Nights

To discover how the nights will feel:

1. Walk around the living room from 5pm to 10pm carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 6-9 lbs, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly.
2. At 10pm, put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 11pm and walk the bag around the living room until 1am.
4. Set the alarm for 3am.
5. As you can’t get back to sleep, get up at 2am and make a cup of tea.
6. Go to bed at 2.45am.
7. Get up again at 3am when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs in the dark until 4am.
9. Put the alarm on for 5am. Get up when it goes off.
10. Make breakfast.

Keep this up for 5 years. LOOK CHEERFUL.

Test 4 – Dressing Small Children

1. Buy a live octopus and a string bag.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the string bag so that no arms hang out.

Time Allowed: 5 minutes.

Ghostland Observatory

Ahhh...this reminds me of 2007 - one of the most fun-packed years of recent memory - it was soooo busy with weddings (including my own), parties, concerts, travel...This guy knows how to MOVE and is one of my favorite bands to see live by far. The amount of energy this guy exudes is remarkable - he makes even the most repressed want to break out of their shell and DANCE.

Legos in the 80's

This is how they advertised Lego with girls in 1981. Wouldn't it be nice if companies still marketed to girls like this?

Some Funnies for Late Week

Portlandia - Is it Local?

Whole Foods Parking Lot

Shit Yogis Say

I know you have all probably seen these but they are just as good the second time around...still makes me smile.

The Glow

The lastest post at The Glow is really beautiful and I think it is my favorite so far - she seems like a great balance between a creative force and a nurturing parent. I like that she shared a bit of her birth story too and that she had her baby at home! Yay for home births! It's hard to talk about home births and wooden toys and the like without sounding pretentious but she sounds so nice about it and honest. It's refreshing.  

"At this age, I don’t actually think she needs that many toys. She’s happiest with the either her red rattle, a bottle of water, or a box of tissues. If I’m trying to get dressed, I just pop her on the bed and give her a box of tissues and it buys me at least 15 minutes. I really like crocheted or wooden toys for her. They’re old fashioned, pretty, and have been working for years, so why change it up and get flashy plastic toys."