I was recently asked to do a guest blog post on a site I just love: The Museum of Ridiculously Interesting Things. I was delighted to do it because I love the site, and it turned out to be a mutual admiration arrangement because their site admin loves my blog Who Were They? So, the guest blog post is up and I hope you'll take a second to read it, then browse around the Museum. It's pretty awesome!

There have been a rash of news articles and coverage of the "tanning mom" who allegedly took her 6 year old daughter to the tanning salon with her. She was arrested and charged with child endangerment I think. All these news stories are so concerned about the child (of course) and trying to get to "the real story" of what happened, but they are all ignoring the gigantic overcooked-bacon-brown elephant in the room.

What the hell is going on with the mom??? O.o.

Once again I'm apologizing for not having had much to say in the previous month. I have a lot of great ideas to blog about...as I'm drifting off to sleep or driving home from work. Not really opportune moments to have a quick blogging moment!

We decided to thin down our stuff, getting rid of things we have have moved from one house to the next without ever really unpacking, things we do not need, don't fit, are worn out, etc. It's a good exercise and forces me to really consider the need/want motivation behind each item. My sewing room is the worst! It has become a catch-all for historical clothing, craft supplies, research books, and of course an unused crib. Don't you keep one in your sewing/craft room? I have it listed on craigslist for sale but I doubt anyone is going to buy it. Honestly, it's the third or fourth time I've listed it there with not one nibble. Last week we decided we were done with the 'temporary' dining set we bought of the former occupants of our house (in 2005!). I listed it for FREE on craigslist and the only response I got was someone wanting the chairs. Sigh...we wound up hauling the beast - it is very very heavy - out to our front lawn on Saturday morning. Not even 10 minutes into the project, the "free" sign not even hung up, someone was asking about it. Not 20 minutes later, the massive table, 8 chairs and two leaves were gone. We are very happy using our smaller table which gives us a lot more space in our kitchen!

So, if you know anyone who needs a really beautiful, gently used crib, I am selling one. Still. :-) 

The April resolution was to read to Melody 3 to 5 times a week. I think I might have hit 3 times a week. Although she loves chapter books, Melody hasn't been very interested in the ones I tried on her. Alice in Wonderland was not a hit at all, which surprised me. I don't remember how old I was when my mom read us the Narnia books, but it seems like they might be a little old for her. Anyway, we have been enjoying several books that Aunt Virginia gave to her last year - 365 Penguins, Bats at the Library and Beetle the Bard.

The March resoultion is still hanging in there. I walk 3-4 times a week most weeks. We had a lot of rain recently so that interrupted me, but for the most part I get in my walk whenever possible. I also still have been off fast food for two months, which is a huge accomplishment! The thought of it now is pretty gross and I hope that's a mindset that stays with me forever. I might have fnally broken this addiction, fingers crossed!

May's resolution is no TV 5 nights per week. That is really pretty stupid, lol. How about no TV 3 nights a week and if I make it to 5 that's a bonus?

I'm pretty late with my March resolution recap. Honestly, I haven't even turned the calendar from March to April. Does that tell you anything? I really don't want this year to fly by like last year did, but I guess there isn't anything that can be done about it.

The resolution for March was to walk,3-5 times per week for 20-60 minutes at a time. That would have totaled 12-20 walks in the month of March. Looking back, I see that I walked 13 times for 20-30 minutes. Usually I do this during my lunch break, so 30 minutes is really the maximum I can do. An evening walk with Melody involves the dog and working in the park somehow, which interrupts the walk. Consequently I tend to avoid the evening walk, even if I can make it a longer walk.

I feel good about that goal and have been continuing to walk during lunch breaks several times a week, upping my tempo as I become stronger. My biggest challenge is my foot, which is still sensitive to overwork. If I push too hard, the foot aches and swells. If I don't push hard enough, it will never pass the next hurdle of healing.

April's resolution is reading to Melody 3 times a week. She loves this! We recently read Peter and Wendy, chapter by chapter, and she loved it, so I'm looking forward to reading to her again. She is almost at the point that she can read, just not quite there yet. I'm excited for her to discover that whole world of imagination that was so exciting for me as a girl!

We have been working hard at keeping certain words out of our language in front of our now five year old daughter. You know the basics, the seven dirty words (note: the actual words are on that page in case you don't want to read it). I'd like to add a few more to the list.

Stupid - I use it to describe the remote a lot but little girls don't understand the distinction between inanimate objects and their classmates.

Dumb - see stupid

Fat - you can't even say "big fat liar" without touching on body size. According to a recent article on CNN, children begin teasing and calling outcasts "fat" as early as preschool.

Diet - dovetailing off "fat" it's been theorized that children exposed to constant parental dieting can become more self conscious of their body image at a younger age. High school is hard enough, I'm not going to burden her with a negative body image if at all possible. We talk about eating healthy, not about dieting.

Bad - as in "I'm going to be bad and eat this..." This goes hand in hand with the possible consequences of "fat" and "diet." There are too many ways to screw up your kids!

Crap - she already knows it means the stinky deposits in the bathroom, it's not much of a stretch to get her to say shit. Let's just nip this one in the bud.

Shut up - self explanatory

Most religious statements and exclamations, like "Oh my God!" and "Jesus Christ!" and "for chrissakes!" For one because we aren't religious and for two because a 5 year old saying "Jesus Christ!" might be funny but it isn't a good thing at school.

Self censorship is pretty dammed difficult, isn't it?