Category Archive

First of all, I’d like to say THANK YOU to each and every one of you who submitted an article for the June 1st installment of Root & Sprout. I realize you all have busy schedules of your own to keep, and the fact that you would take the time to help me realize a dream humbles me in a BIG way. It’s still NOT TOO LATE to submit an article. As long as I have it by the stroke of midnight in whatever time zone you live on the 15th, I’ll take it!!

I’ve debated posting what I’m about to admit to you all, dear readers. It’s an admission I’ve had to both my husband and a friend whose opinion I respect greatly. To say that I am anxious about Root & Sprout’s success would be an understatement. You know that knot you get in the pit of your stomach as you’re waiting to find out if your bid on the house of your dreams has been accepted? You know the nervous anticipation you feel as you’re waiting to see how many lines will develop on that home pregnancy test? You know that rush of adrenaline as you slam on the breaks of your car for that darn flock of turkeys in the road that has materialized out of nowhere? You know how every nerve in your body tingles as you’re waiting for Ryan Seacrest to announce the winner of American Idol? Well, add all those feeling together and multiply by 100. That’s exactly how I feel about Root & Sprout and how badly I want it to succeed. 

I realize not many people (myself included most of the time) are willing to write for free. Personally, I think “guest post” sounds better, but it still means the same thing: you’re taking time away from your own site to write something for mine. While I would like to reward each and every person who submits an article with more than just recognition and a link back to his or her site, I simply cannot do that. At this point. I have every intention of hiring a group of writers, as well as accept guest posts, but that might not happen for another 6-12 months. In the meantime, I am prepared to offer an alternative that I hope will be acceptable to the majority.

For those of you who submit an article between May 15th and June 1st, you will be eligible to win $25 in the form of a direct deposit into your PayPal account or in the form of a Barnes & Noble or Borders gift card. Likewise, anyone who submits an article between June 1st and June 15th will be eligible for the next drawing (and so on).

Don’t think of it as bribery; think of it as an incentive.

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Remember to sign up for the Root & Sprout newsletter by May 31st, and you will be entered in the drawing to win a Root & Sprout Tote Bag. I received mine today, along with a few Root & Sprout shirts from the official Root & Sprout store, and they are pretty C-O-O-L!

You can subscribe to the newsletter by sending an email to newsletter@rootandsprout.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject field. Get a friend to sign up, and your name will be entered twice. Just have that friend write, “My friend [insert your name here] told me what an awesome site Root & Sprout is.” (or something along those lines)

You’ll definitely want to sign up for the newsletter. Why? Well, aside from general announcements, there will be news and offerings and opportunities exclusive to the people on the mailing list. So sign up today!!

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I’m taking a few days off to start getting everything ready for the June 1st installment. There are articles to edit, articles to write, articles to move to the archives, pages to format (And I have ONE LAST school newsletter to complete. After two years of that, it’s time for me to move on from that project!!).

I’ll be back in a few days time. Until then, enjoy the rest of your week!!

This is how the garden looked a month ago in April. I doctored the photo quite extensively to make the brown appear a little more . . . green. April around here is such a colorfully dull month. At that point, my husband and I had yet to extend the deer fencing around the oval garden and bird feeder. Nothing had been done, really, except to clear away weeds and debris, and to start the seeds indoors.

A month later, this is how the garden now stands. I didn’t retouch the photo at all, so you can see what 30 days of sunshine and above-average temps will do. The deer fencing has been extended, which makes our total gardening area rather large. I used to *hate* the deer fencing, because it feels intrusive to the rest of the yard. However, I have come to regard the enclosed area as a separate room. I rather love it now!

See the stone garden bench on the left-hand side of the photo? Though I told my husband not to give me anything other than time to clear off my desk for Mother’s Day (which he did), he gave me the bench I’ve been coveting since girlhood. I have a thing for stone benches! He still needs to level it for me, but it’s a wonderful addition to the garden.

Here’s Bridget, the resident waterer, about to drench a raspberry cane with a bucket of water. Just a little drink, Bridget! Don’t ya just love that sassy look? I get it a lot. Actually, the sun was just in her eyes at that moment. Her shirt says Trouble Maker, by the way. While I don’t normally purchase clothes with such derogatory labels on them, I couldn’t refuse its accuracy.

And here are Hannah and Jacob, working in the dirt. Jacob’s sporting a lovely Transformers tattoo on either cheek (in case you’re wondering what that glob is on his face). Ian picked up a few pint-sized tools the other day, and they’ve been a BIG hit with Jacob. He loves the month between when the garden is open but the dirt is free of plants. He can get in there and dig to his heart’s content, and he’ll literally roll around in it. You should see the state of my bathtub by the end of each day! I’m convinced children don’t need a pile of toys; they just need a mound of dirt!

So the plants are enjoying their first day outside. Many people make the mistake of transferring their plants to the ground too soon, though. Between the cool temps, wind, and direct sun, you run the risk of killing what you have before it’s even produced anything. Peppers and tomatoes, especially, need to be babied.

I “harden off” my plants starting around May 15th (our last frost date), by introducing them to the elements for a few hours each day over a period of 7-10 days. I try to pick a starting date that is overcast and not too windy; I don’t want to scorch the plants, either by the sun or wind. At night, I bring the plants back inside. Each day, I let them stay out a little longer than the day before. Yes, the transferring from indoors to outdoors and back again can be tedious, but I sure as heck don’t want to ruin a month’s worth of hard work.

There’s not a gardener as itchy to get in the garden as I am. I’ve been pushing around dirt for the last month. Rather sad, really. Plus, my seedlings are growing so big, they really need a new home . . .

Bridget had another one of her butt issues yesterday. For twelve long hours she pranced about on her tip-toes, convinced she couldn’t poo. Bridget withholds, and her incidents of withholding are frustrating. Finally, at 1:17 AM (yes, AM), after listening to her say repeatedly, I give up (what almost 3-year-old says I give up anyway?), after having my nipples ravaged by incessant comfort-boobing, after being screamed at numerous times to stop talking, mommy!, after hours of my encouraging her in the dark that it’s okay to poo, she pooed!

Or, as Bridget said, Ahh, that’s much better! I poo-ed. (all of her action verbs have a pronounced -ed on the end: I swing-ed, I hiccup-ed, I run-ed, I laugh-ed, etc.)

None of the preceding story has anything to do with today’s post, other than the fact that she asked, while clenching her butt cheeks together, When are we going to Kannas? (Kansas)

As I was recounting the story to my husband, who sleeps in Bridget’s bed most nights because Bridget is sleeping with me most nights and quite the bed hog, I happened to mention that I wished my grandparents still had their horse tank.

Horse tank? What the heck does one do with a horse tank?

I look-ed at him with an expression that pretty much conveyed he was an idiot for even asking what the heck someone does with a horse tank.

You swim in it, of course. Duh!

I don’t know what it’s really called, but I imagine my grandparents inherited their horse tank from either of my great-grandparents’ farms. The horse tank was probably 8 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep. It sat on their back patio, and I spent hours swimming in it as a little girl. My grandmother would float on a raft in the horse tank while I pretended to be a shark or sting ray swimming underneath her (I was fascinated by sting rays at one point in my life).

In any event, they got rid of the horse tank some years ago. I’m not sure why. I guess it’s because the grandchildren who used it most, my oldest cousin, my sister, and me, are now all grown and married. There are no little kids left who find swimming in a horse tank to be a novel experience.

Still, I would have loved to have seen my kids enjoying it and then sitting on their towels in the warm Kansas breeze, eating a bowl of grandma’s homemade ice cream.

Not my agenda, friends. Your agenda.

Articles for Root & Sprout are due THIS week on Thursday, the 15th. If are are thinking about submitting an article, please don’t hesitate. A dear bloggy friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) actually told me that no one would be interested in what she has to say. And to that I say, WHAT?!

As parents, we need each other. Who else besides another parent understands the trials and triumphs we experience on a daily basis? With one glance at my Google Reader, I could tell you exactly what each of you has to offer. I could tell you exactly what is your area of expertise, even if you don’t consider yourself an expert.

Let’s see here . . .

I have experts in hospitality, lactation, running a business, raising twins, infertility, being a single mom, being pregnant, raising autistic children, raising a child with Down Syndrome, homeschooling, making cool crafts, knowing how to entertain a preschooler, living sustainably, being fit and healthy, how to take beautiful pictures, being a stay-at-home dad, etc.

And that’s not the half of it! You have a wealth of information to share, whether or not you believe you do.

You think no one is interested?  For one, I am interested; otherwise, I wouldn’t be reading your blog in the first place. And I’d wager the comments you receive on your posts come from people who are just as interested in what you have to say as I am.

We all have something about which to write! It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional writer or simply journal privately each day. You are an experienced parent with valuable advice to share! You could write an article on why it’s important to floss your teeth. LOL! That’s something everyone should know, after all. You could write about how to fly a kite or share fun, outdoor games to play with your kids (anyone remember Ghost in the Graveyard?). These articles don’t have to be heavy. Think about the types of articles you read in Wonder Time or Parents or Martha Stewart or Mother Earth News or Highlights or American Girl or National Geographic . . . (you get the point)

Wanna know a secret? I write about what’s going on in my own life, because no one knows my life better than I do. I might write about how to protect your family against Lyme’s Disease, because we happen to live on heavily wooded property and have a gazillion deer, each one, of which, who could be carrying an infected tick. I might write about how to extract a splinter, because my kids are always getting them. Or, I could write about which emergency phone numbers you should know (yes, I’ve had to call Poison Control before).

So what are you waiting for??

Writing an article doesn’t have to be difficult or take long, I promise.

Read the Root & Sprout submission guidelines and help me make Root & Sprout a wonderful place for parents to visit!!

Thanks to all who have submitted articles already. Keep them coming!

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If you haven’t had a chance to grab the code for the linkable graphic below, please do!! It would please me immensely to see the Root & Sprout logo floating around the blogosphere.  

<a href="http://www.rootandsprout.com"><img alt="Root & Sprout"

src="http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll152/lisgarrett/002-1-1.jpg” />

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Don’t forget to subscribe to the Root & Sprout newsletter, your way to keep up-to-date with what is going on at Root & Sprout. For everyone who signs up between now and May 31st, you will be entered in a drawing to win a Root & Sprout Canvas Tote Bag. Send an email to newsletter@rootandsprout.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject field. Get someone else to sign up, and your name will be entered TWICE. Just tell your friend to say “[insert your name] referred me.”

**Take a peek at all the Root & Sprout products available to YOU!**

No, I haven’t done anything wrong, not unless you count eating an entire plateful of prepared-to-perfection tenderloin topped with sauteed onions accompanied by a side dish of steaming buttered sweet potato, chased down with marbled cheesecake a little too late in the evening as wrong. (my husband made dinner for Mother’s Day)

I have a confession to make: my husband and I still watch Desperate Housewives.

I know! I know! You’re all groaning and rolling your eyes. It’s slightly cheesy and over-the-top, but I have to admit I am hooked. My husband thinks I’m most like Neurotic Bree. Really? Have you seen my house lately? My sister, on the other hand, is a bit more honest. She says Lynette reminds her a lot of me. In season one. You know, when she is most frazzled and resorts to choking down a few Ritalin just to keep up with her mangy brood. Well then. Honestly? I feel more like Susan on most days, the one with good intentions but who is too often clutzy and misunderstood. She just can’t seem to get it right. I’m not saying our parenting styles are similar at all, but there is something about Susan with which I identify.

But getting back to Lynette. For those of you who don’t know, Lynette’s husband fathered a child (unbeknowst to him) with another woman before he and Lynette ever met. Years later, the other woman shows up with her daughter and, in true Desperate Housewives fashion, gets killed off the show.

In between those two episodes are many episodes in which the family struggles with the news and how to deal with these two “outsiders.” Lynette’s husband understandably welcomes his tween daughter Kayla into his life, but Lynette, understandably, has a difficult time accepting the awkward situation.

Like I said, however, Kayla’s mother gets herself killed off the show; therefore, Kayla moves in with Lynette and her family fulltime. Suddenly, Lynette has a new daughter. And they don’t really like each other.

I don’t like Kayla. She is an eleven-year-old witch. But I can forgive her somewhat, because her mother is dead, she’s now living with a father who hasn’t been a part of most of her life, and she has a step-mother and four other siblings in her space, as well.

But Kayla does cruel things, like convince the twins to set fire to a new restaurant and jump from the roof of their house. Lynette complains to her husband, but, like the dolt that he usually is, places the blame on Lynette and continues to believe everything is fine and dandy. Meanwhile, the viewer is left with shots of Kayla smirking mischievously or lurking about, overhearing juicy tidbits to which no kid should be privy.

Kayla is a player. She knows how to manipulate everyone around her to get exactly what she wants.

Long story short, the therapist the family begins seeing suggests perhaps Lynette doesn’t love Kayla and that they should start spending quality time together. To Kayla, quality time means shopping with Lynette and guilting her into buying expensive clothes for her.

And then there’s this scene, which I just can’t seem to get out of my head:

Kayla demands a corndog. Lynette says no. Kayla demands a corndog. Lynette says, no it’s too close to dinnertime, but I’ll get you a healthy snack you can eat in the car. Kayla demands a corndog, and if you don’t get me one, you’ll be sorry (or something like that). Lynette (shocked) asks Kayla if she’s threatening her. Kayla retorts, I got the twins to set a fire and jump off the roof, I wonder what I could get Penny to do? *Penny is Lynette’s four-year-old daughter.*

Lynette slaps Kayla across the face. Everyone in the department store watches, horrified over what just happened. Lynette apologizes but tells Kayla she should never have said such a horrible thing.

But you know what the really horrible thing was? In the split-second before Lynette slapped Kayla, I thought to myself, Oh I would slap her silly!

I can understand Lynette’s rage, Kayla threatening her young sister in such a malicious and intentional way. I imagine an eleven-year-old girl trying to convince Bridget to do something dangerous, and my mama bear claws comes out. My first instinct is to protect my child and eliminate the threat.

And holy heck, does this scare me!

Identifying and empathizing and justifying Lynette slapping Kayla totally goes against how I parent. It goes against my intentions for establishing Root & Sprout. I’m all about gentle parenting. So why, then, was my own gut reaction to slap that child across the face?

Anyway, in one of the closing scenes, you hear Kayla on the phone with the therapist saying that Lynette slapped her, it wasn’t the first time (yes, it was), and that she is really scared. You can imagine what will happen to Lynette in the next episode.

 Read some interesting commentary about Lynette and Kayla.

One of the great things about Mother’s Day is the homemade goodies the kids bring home from school and/or spend hours secretly crafting here at home. Today, Hannah and Jacob bestowed two such gifts on me.

From Hannah was an approximately 16×33-inch card (that opens). She drew pictures of the family on each page. The text reads, “I hope you have an excellent Mother’s Day! I think you are the best mom in the world. And I respect that even when you yell at us, you still love us. Happy Mother’s Day!”

If that didn’t make you chuckle, how about this?

From Jacob, a fill-in-the-blank card he made at school. *The bolded text was pre-printed.* Dear Mom, I love you because “ov evre thing.” Thank you for “mi skootr.”

Just in case you are unfamiliar with kindergarten-speak, allow me to translate. “Dear Mom, I love you because of everything. Thank you for my scooter.”

Well, those two have certainly made me feel like a #1 mama! Now if Bridget will just sleep through the night, I do believe that will be the icing on the cake!

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mamas!!

I’m taking the weekend off from blogging, but I’ll be back on Monday.

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**EDITED**

A few people asked when I would make a Root & Sprout graphic that they could add to their site. First of all, I’m flattered that you would even want to do that! Secondly, I can’t believe I actually figured out how to make one! So, please feel free to swipe the code below . . .

PS - I’ve had a few people contact me to tell me they can’t get the code to work. The quotation marks are a little screwy down below, so try retyping those. *For some reason, it publishes differently than how it looks in edit mode. Does anyone know why?* Or, instead of the copy/paste function, try typing it directly into your widget. Also, sometimes blogs don’t save exactly what you’ve put in, so go back to where you input HTML and make sure that it looks like the code below. Sometimes they throw in an extra quote or leave out a word, and it throws the entire thing off.

Yeah. Blogs are great like that . . .

PS - If you have Blogger, you can save the image and then use the “add image” to create the code (or so I heard!).

 <a href=”http://www.rootandsprout.com”><img alt=”Root & Sprout” src=”http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll152/lisgarrett/002-1-1.jpg” />

Well, yes . . . there are some changes happening on this site. Thanks for noticing! But before I get into the changes, let me interject a little aside (if only because I need some sympathy this morning).

Remember how my husband had food poisoning this past Saturday night? Well, we believe it may have been a rather virulent stomach virus instead. Why? Because I feel like carp, too. I’ve felt like carp-warmed-over for the past few days, but I’ve continued to plow through the week. We parents know there’s no other alternative. You go, go, GO until the kids are in bed, and then you collapse in a fevered/chilled state on the couch and moan and groan that you think you’re gonna die. I don’t handle stomach bugs very well. Reminds me too much of being pregnant.

However, I can thank my lucky stars I am not as sick as what my poor honey has been. He’s managed to plow through the week, as well, with nary a complaint. But my already pale-skinned, freckle-faced husband is an unhealthy shade of cream. Truly . . . it’s a color I’m not even sure I know how to describe.

Anywho. Feel free to comment and tell me how sorry you are that we are in such a sickly state. Our house has not been cleaned in days (although I have managed to disinfect the bathroom and kitchen plenty of times). I have not practiced yoga in what feels like ages. Even Bridget asked this morning, Can we do yoga today? I’ve been feeding my kids eggs and toast and cereal for dinner for WAY too many nights. Sigh.

They’re fine, by the way. The kids. Full of their usual energy and malarky.

I swear, this is some form of parental punishment. Both of us too carpy-feeling to really parent. That would account for why Bridget is having a toosie-roll pop at 8:30 in the morning (she did have a bowl of Raisin Bran).

Oh, and I have to miss my Mother’s Day Tea Party at Bridget’s preschool today. Good thing she is not old enough to know that we are missing it. 

So if you would like to join my pity party, just let me know . . .

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Okay. Now on to business.

I’ve decided that I’m going to end my “writing” blog. That doesn’t mean I won’t be writing anymore, though. Quite the contrary! I originally thought it would be best to separate this blog and the other, but I think I may have been wrong. My husband would pay a pretty sum to hear me admit I’m wrong. Well, I was wrong!

Hence the reason for the new banner. The designer did such a beautiful job that I couldn’t let it go to waste. And considering I have a perfectly wonderful domain assigned to that other blog (www.LisGarrett.com), I’m going to transfer that over here as well. I’ll let you know when that happens. So . . . you’ll have to change your feed at that point (sorry!)

ALSO. I’m not going to have a blogroll. Please don’t take it personally. It just looks so . . . cluttered there on the sidebar. Perhaps I’ll make a separate page for it instead. But do bloggers really click on blogroll links?? I don’t usually.

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A little Root & Sprout news: If you happened to click over to the site yesterday, you may have noticed that it looked a little different. Well . . . I’ve been trying to come up with a satisfactory solution to letting readers know when new information is posted. Unlike a blog, Root & Sprout doesn’t have a feed. I ended up installing a blog function on the homepage, but the feed for that, even though it worked (for most), was just a bunch of gobbeldy gook. *thanks to those who tested it for me!* Additionally, I didn’t really like the way it looked on the home page.

Therefore, I will be offering a newsletter subscription to anyone who wishes to be notified of general announcements and when new articles hit the site. You can find the information on the home page at Root & Sprout, or you can simply send an email to newsletter@rootandsprout.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject line. Of course, your information will be kept confidential.

Don’t forget I need articles!! I’ve received two articles from two faithful readers, but I need plenty more. I’ve had a few people ask what type of articles I’m in need of, and the answer would be EVERYTHING!!

Remember, if you can write a blog post, you are certainly qualified to write an article for Root & Sprout. Likewise, you don’t have to spend any more time on a Root & Sprout article than you would a blog post, so please don’t feel like you need to make a major time commitment to help make Root & Sprout a success. If you have an extra 30 minutes or can even spend 5 minutes a day drafting an article - GREAT!!

If that’s me sounding desperate, it’s only because I am on my hands and knees begging for help. I Ain’t Too Proud to Beg!

It’s the first Thursday of the month, and you know what that means?! It’s time, once again, to help out Fagan and NAME THAT BOW!

Now I know what feelings this bow conjures for me, but what does it say to you?

Put on your thinking caps and send your suggestions to Fagan at VerySweetBows@yahoo.com . Fagan will then choose a name of her liking and send the winner a bow of her (or his) own. In the event that two people come up with the same name (it has happened before), the winner will be determined by who submitted the winning name first. Perhaps you should leave your suggestions here before sending them to Fagan so that no one submits the same name (just a thought).

You have until May 14th to make your suggestions, but don’t delay! Visit Fagan at Very Sweet Bows to see her entire product line. And to learn more about how Fagan started her business, read her feature ad at Root & Sprout.

Remember our run-in with lice?

Well, what can I say? There are just some incidents that lend themselves to further exploitation.

Check it out!

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May 15th: submission deadline for articles to appear in the June 1st installment of Root & Sprout

*Call for Special Content* Father’s Day is almost here (June 15th)! How will you celebrate Dad? Please submit special Father’s Day stories, crafts, and recipes. Have your child write a letter to Dad, and we will post it here (on Root & Sprout) so the world will know what a special guy he is!

Now, I realize that it’s Mother’s Day that’s almost here . . . but publications, whether print or web-based, need material in advance, hence the reason why I am requesting Father’s Day goodies.

Put on your thinking caps and get writing!!

Given the circumstances of the past few days, I thought it best to release my site NOW. Without further ado (and please be kind) here is Root & Sprout:

www.RootandSprout.com

Otherwise entitled:

A Conversation With a Six-Year-Old-Boy (Who Lost His Tooth Today at School)

I’m confused, Mom. How did the world get started anyway?

Well, I said, taking a deep breath. There are some people who believe that God created the world. They also believe that the first people to live on Earth were Adam and Eve.

Is God dead?

God is more of a feeling, not an actual person.

Who is Jesus? Is Jesus dead?

Some believe that Jesus is the son of God and lived and died a long time ago. There are also some people who believe that the world began a long, long time ago (starting to lose him at this point - gotta make it interesting). You know, like when there were dinosaurs?  And did you know that some people think we are related to monkeys?

Jacob’s eyes grow very wide. I think I have to pee. (runs off)

Not sure where all that came from . . .

Someone please tell me how it is already almost 2 o’clock in the afternoon when it feels like it should be late morning? So many items on the agenda. So little time.

You’ll be shocked to know I practiced yoga for an hour and ran on the treadmill for twenty minutes. Exercising is easy when there are no kids in the house to throw toys on the treadmill or climb on you as you attempt to balance on one leg.

My husband helped out at Bridget’s preschool this morning and looked totally wiped when he came home. But between you and me, he has a lot of fun while he’s there. They made apple pie and Mother’s Day crafts today, so it was a good thing he went instead of me. I like to be surprised.

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Jacob is on the verge of losing his second top tooth. Loose teeth, especially when they just hang there, make my stomach turn. While Jacob was brushing his teeth last night, his gum began to bleed. Being the supportive parents we are, Ian and I began to chant, Pull it out! Pull it out! Of course our chanting roused the curiosity of both Hannah and Bridget who had to crowd around Jacob to investigate. Seems the blood and hoopla was a bit too much for Jacob to handle, however, and he dissolved in tears. He’s not really fond of the site of his own blood, and the whole incident freaked him out a bit. That’s okay, Buddy. I know exactly how you feel.

There was a time, when I was not much older than Jacob, that a friend’s older sister chased me around the living room, pinned me to the floor, and brutally yanked out my loose tooth. The experience ranks right up there as one of the most traumatic events of my life!

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So I know what we’ll be doing this summer: learning about the United States of America. Hannah and Jacob were recently talking about their cousins, who live in Ireland. Perhaps you can do a study-abroad program when you are older, I suggested.

I know what foreign country I want to go to, said Hannah.

Where?

Florida!

Uh . . .

I suppose to an eight-year-old who lives in New York and who has no memories of having ever left the state, Florida may very well seem life a foreign country. Afterall, it’s a long ways away. She did redeem herself (thank goodness) when she said, Wait a minute! Florida’s not a foreign country. I meant to say France.

Whew! Nevertheless, our roadtrip to the Midwest will provide the perfect opportunity to expand their limited horizons.

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A new reader made the suggestion that I include a section for product and book reviews on Root and Sprout. Well, of course!! Consider it done! Just like the other categories, please write a 250-800 word review on a product or book and send it to submissions@rootandsprout.com . Entries that I receive before May 15th will appear in the FIRST installment of Root and Sprout.

I just want to say that the new website is really starting to take shape, and I am very excited about the launch!! Thanks to everyone for all your hard work. Continue to send in your articles!!

Yesterday’s post received a record number of click-throughs (not), so I appreciate the 4 out of 13 readers who read the post in its entirety only to discover a nugget of happpiness tucked in at the bottom. I’m a trickster like that.

I don’t know about you, but advertising that one can purchase advertising space on Root and Sprout is one of my least favorite aspects of being a website owner. I feel like I’m knocking on a door only to shove my palm in your face when you answer. My husband does this for a living, minus the knocking on the door part. I don’t envy him his job.

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Today is one of those miraculous weekend days when nothing pressing is on the agenda (except for cleaning the dungeon - ick). Trust me, those days are few and far between. It’s not often that I can lounge in bed until 7AM, sit on the couch for an hour to read the paper and drink coffee, and then write a blog post. Here it is, almost 8:40, and I’m beginning to feel like a sloth. Little tummies are growling, and a kitty needs his meds. But other than that, there’s nowhere to go and nothin’ to do except enjoy the day.

And get this, my husband proclaimed last night that the weekend is his time to cook. He said it in a way that implied I’ve been hogging the kitchen (snort). Um, well . . . here’s the spatula, honey. I won’t fight you for it! We received a promotional magazine in the mail yesterday with oodles of delicious-looking recipes, and my husband is feeling inspired. He’s already planning my Mother’s Day meal. It’s good to be me!

And just in case you need another reason why it’s good to be me, here’s a short story:

I was outside with my kids yesterday lounging in a chair while watching them play. The girls began to chant, We love mom! We love mom! At that point, Jacob comes running over to me and whispered in my ear, But I love you best of all . . .

I know. I have it rough.

Considering that I celebrate Earth Day in some small way each day, I don’t feel too badly about not giving it a formal acknowledgement yesterday. I meant to; but by the time I posted about Louie, worked, cleaned, commenced with various kid duties and played outside a bit, it was already late in the evening. In other words, I was too pooped to party! (my husband has been out of town since Sunday, so I’ve been 100% in charge - kudos to single parents everywhere!)

I’ve been thinking about some of the little things we do that add up to make a big difference:

• We’ve replaced all of our halogen lights with CFL’s.
• We use cloth bags at the grocery store and whenever we go shopping. (Have you noticed that Taget now sells their own canvas bags? Hooray for Target!)
• We use cloth napkins during meals.
• We dry our clothes on a line outside during warm weather. We also have a line in our laundry room.
• Every new appliance we purchase has the Energy Star label on it.
• We cut the grass out back using a push mower. (purchased at Home Depot for less than $75)
• We grow a good supply of fruits and vegetables each year and visit the Ithaca Farmer’s Market as much as possible. Incidentally, I came across a blog yesterday called Eggs On Sunday. This local blogger has some fabulous pictures of the Ithaca Farmer’s Market (not to mention some palate-pleasing recipes).
• We don’t turn on the lights unless we absolutely need to. We are fortunate that our house allows a lot of nice, natural light.
• We compost.
• We purchase as many organics as our budget allows.
• We don’t eat a lot of meat.
• We’re slowly replacing our 1950’s storm windows with new, energy-efficient windows.
• We recycle (almost forgot this one)

These are just a few things that come to mind right off. Our biggest embarrassment is our 1950’s furnace. We have got to replace that monster, considering it’s too inefficient to tell you just how inefficient it is. The darn thing is also costing us a small fortune in utilities each month. THANK GOODNESS it hasn’t run in over a week now. We’ve had the windows open instead ~ lovely!

For everyone who is working on a Root and Sprout project (whether it’s an article or *somethng else*), I’m going to need you to complete it by May 15th in order to be ready for the June 1st launch. If you would like to contribute, please read the submission guidelines. We have TONS of openings available, so please consider writing something. You do NOT need to be a professional writer to participate. I’ve received many comments and emails from people saying they would like to contribute but that they are just not much of a writer. I want to stress that Root and Sprout is a website for parents written by parents (or people who have experience working with children). If you can write a blog post, you can write an article for Root and Sprout! (Don’t forget that you get a byline and link to your blog or website)

If you truly do not wish to write an article but would like to help out in a minor way, would you please consider spreading the word about Root and Sprout on your blog? If so, you can link to this post. Thank you!

If you would like to be one of the first to claim an advertising space (not to be too forward), I’ll be providing the details tomorrow. Once Root and Sprout is officially open, I will no longer be advertising on this site (and the process of advertising will be a bit different and hopefully better).

(Sigh)

Bridget’s preschool teacher lives just down the road from us. She saw a coyote in her backyard over the weekend. Louie has definite puncture wounds, and they aren’t from another cat. My husband told me that when Louie came home on Sunday morning covered in mud, he flew up the back steps as if something was chasing him . . .

Thanks to everyone who has expressed concern. We won’t be letting Louie outside for the next few weeks. The ironic thing is, we had just purchased a harness and leash to prevent Louie from going out into the road. Looks like we’ll need it to prevent him from going back into the woods, too.

It can.

Remember how I was lamenting the cost of gas and groceries the other day? Never mind the fact that gas has risen $.06 since Saturday ($3.69), it’s those unexpected expenses that leave you curled on the floor in the fetal position clutching your wallet close to your chest.

Like, say for instance, your cat being attacked by an animal.

We let Louie outside yesterday morning before church, and he came back an hour later rather muddy (which was odd). We gave him a quick bath, and he sulked off to lick himself dry. When we came home from church, Louie was nowhere to be found.

My husband is out of town on business, so the kids and I, thinking that Louie had snuck outside, went looking for him. We called and called, but to no avail. Then we searched the house, as Louie is prone to hiding in small spaces. Still, no Louie.

The kids were worried, given that our last cat died prematurely when he was hit by a car. Hannah cried most of the day, and I did my best to console her.

At 10PM, I found Louie in a corner of my room looking rather unwell. I believe he must have been under my bed, although I’m not certain why I never thought to look in that one spot in the first place.

Louie has a heart murmur and was breathing heavily. He also yowled whenever I tried to touch him.

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I just returned from the vet. Louie will be staying overnight for IV fluids and antibiotics. He also needs to have full-body x-rays to determine the extent of his injuries. Louie has a high fever, and the vet is concerned he may be septic. She discovered old wounds in addition to this new one, so she believes that even though Louie had been acting fine, an old wound probably became infected and spread. He also had a VERY full bladder, and she couldn’t get him to “go” just by squeezing it. She will catheterize Louie to make sure he is not blocked.

As the vet was telling me all of this, all I could hear was cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching.

I had to leave a 50% deposit of $550 (thank you Bank of America credit card). The high estimate is $1200, but that doesn’t factor in the cost of surgery if it comes to that. Thankfully he is current on his rabies vaccine, otherwise we would have to quarantine him (major cha-ching).

I’m trying hard to stay positive. The last thing I want to have happen is for us to cancel our vacation because this unexpected expense has eaten up everything we’ve put away for the trip. I told a friend that I just need to get a little food in my body, change my attitude, and get back to work. I can’t do my job(s) and bring in any income if I am moping about. So!

You know what the worst part of all this is? I got mad at Louie on Saturday because he got into the garden and was about to use it as a litter box. I chased him out and said screamed a very unkind thing to him (too bad to repeat here and, the likes of which, made Hannah cry - very, very, bad of me).

And then this happens.

And the guilt is HUGE.

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Just heard from the vet. The x-rays show no internal injury. HOORAY!! Poor Louie is evidently in A LOT of pain, so he may or may not come home tomorrow. Bridget and I were playing in the sandbox.

Where’s Louie, I asked.

At the doctor’s office, she replied.

And then she added, I miss Louie . . . 

(so do I)

Gas is $3.57 a gallon here in Ithaca. When I began approximating the cost of making the trek to the Midwest this summer, I budgeted $3.50, never imagining that it could get any higher. My in-laws keep asking if we still plan to go, but deciding not to is just not an option. I haven’t seen most of my family in close to a decade, and I need to reconnect.

We think, with three kids, the drive from here to Wichita will take us three days. My kids, Bridget especially, do not do well in the car. Keep us in your thoughts. We entertained the cost of flying, but the price of tickets for five people, not to mention having to rent a van once we arrive, would be more than driving the journey ourselves. Luckily, my husband has amassed a few FREE nights at the Marriot with all the business traveling he has done. Nevertheless, I’m beginning to stress out about the cost of this trip. Next summer, we’ll be vacationing (hopefully) in Ireland. That’s what happens when you have family spread far and wide. I was really hoping to see my older sister and her three kids this summer, but unfortunate personal circumstances in her life have prohibited her from doing any traveling.

Anyway. I was reading in the paper this morning about how one of our local bakeries is feeling the pinch of rising gas prices. Their flour suppliers are now passing delivery costs down to them. While they used to be able to buy a 100-lb bag for $30, they’re now paying $60 or more. YIKES!

Each time I go to the grocery store, I get a huge knot in my stomach. Good food just costs so much money, and I’m not one to skimp on quality. When my husband and I were first married and trying to save money, we skimped. I remember talking to my mother on the phone one day, lamenting that cheap food tastes . . . cheap. She scolded me, of course, as mothers often do. Don’t ever sacrifice the quality of your food, she said. This advice was particularly appropriate, given that I was pregnant with Hannah at the time.

I’ve never been one to stock my fridge and pantry with artificial food (neon green and orange food colorings are just disgusting). I cook using fresh ingredients; it’s what I was brought up to do. But my goodness! When I stroll through the grocery store and see the price of staples versus a $1 personal-sized frozen pizza, it’s hard not to want to change my buying habits just to save a few dollars.

For a family of five, I easily spend $250 a week on groceries (and this is me being conservative with my wallet). Granted, not all of this is for food. Laundry soap, paper products, and toiletries cost a fortune, too. I buy what I consider the necessities and then ration it out.  

I’ve had to cut down on the amount of organics I buy. I still buy my store’s version of organic milk ($5.99 a gallon) because my kids drink so much of it. I’d prefer NOT to have to buy a bra or sanitary napkins for Hannah just yet because of all the growth hormones found in milk. Thank goodness we’ll have the garden this summer to provide us with most of our vegetables (and hooray for the orchard just around the corner).

I used to buy a magazine off the rack whenever I went to the store, and now such things are a luxury. A “splurge” is taking Hannah with me and buying her a cup of gelatto for $1.75.

Is anyone else feeling the strain as much as I am?

I took a gamble when I quit my contract job, but I still stand by my decision. I would not have been able to enjoy this week off with my kids had I been stuck at my desk for six hours a day researching and writing boring articles. I’m thankful for the job I have coming up, another contracted position which will require about 10 hours of my time per month and net me almost the same income as my last job (hooray for those who see fit to pay me what I’m worth).

Blah.

This was all on my mind this morning.

I’m going back outside to hang sheets on the line and work in the garden . . .

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Just went out to run an errand - $3.63 for gas and sunscreen is $10.99 a bottle (prices for sunscreen at the drugstore where I was at ranged from $8.99-$12.99). I imagine we’ll spend at least $50 in suncreen this summer easily.

When temps are 20-degrees above average and the kids are on Spring Break, it’s seems so wrong to be stuck inside blogging. I don’t start my new writing gig until May 1st, so I am not stressing out about work. My days this week have been filled with hanging clothes on the line, planting seeds indoors, getting the outside gardens ready for planting, playing with the kids (Jacob is home!!), doing Yoga, reading . . . and all sorts of fun leisurely stuff!

Monday will see me back to work on Root and Sprout. Thanks to everyone who has submitted an article or contacted me to let me know what you’ll be writing. I’m pushing for a June 1st launch date, so I’ll need your articles in the next few weeks so I can get them edited and posted in time. If you would like to submit an article, please follow the link and follow the submission guidelines.

Enjoy your Friday and, if I don’t blog for a few days, have a great weekend. It’s supposed to be 81 degrees here on Saturday, so I imagine I will be getting a nice workout outside. Woot!

I cried myself to sleep last night.

It all started yesterday morning when I walked into Jacob’s room to put away his little socks and superhero underwear, and I was struck by just how quiet the house is without him.

Hannah said to me, as Bridget was napping and we were lounging with books in hand, Isn’t this nice?

It sure is, I replied.

I like to imagine, with a bit of envy, that this is how it is most of the time for those parents who have just one child and who have since surpassed the demanding stages of infant and toddlerhood. Quiet. Relaxing. Little stress.

With one visiting Granny & Papa, one taking a nap, and one reading a book on the couch, I thought I was on vacation! For once, I didn’t have one kid or another asking me to fix a meal or break up a fight. I didn’t have to worry about who was flooding the bathroom or getting into the toolbox.

But for those of us who are used to constant noise and commotion, any amount of quiet is felt in a most acute way so that it’s almost painful.

When I spoke to Jacob on the phone last night, he said to me, I cried a little today.

Why, Buddy?

I just miss you so much.

He sounded homesick. He’s never stayed with Granny & Papa without Hannah, and even though I know they are spoiling him with attention, he misses his sisters and us.

I miss you, too, Buddy. You’ll be home tomorrow, so try not to be so sad.

Okay. I love you, Mommy . . .

So when I went to bed last night, my mind started to wander. As perverse as it sounds, I began to imagine what it must be like for those parents who have lost a child. You read about them every so often via one blog or another, and their accounts of loss just wrench your heart because you can almost feel their suffering.

Your throat closes, and you grit your teeth just trying to squelch the tears. Your body aches just to feel your child in your arms, to hold them as close to you as possible and breathe in their scent. You try to recall their voice and mannerisms as best you can, but it’s difficult.

Having a high-maintenance child is exhausting. You might assume that I relish the slow-paced life that comes with him being away for a few days.

Truth be told, though, I spend nearly every moment thinking about having him home.

I’m just lucky that mine will come home again.

edited

Well heck. I meant to pluck a can of diet Coke from the fridge and grabbed a low-sodium V8 instead. I should add that I popped the top and took a swig without even looking at the label. When you’re expecting the cool, sweet, carbonated goodness of diet Coke and, instead, get a mouthful of pureed vegetable product, it’s a little disconcerting.

V8 is what I consider an acquired taste. It’s not bad, per se; however, I often have to chug the last half of the can and then bite the inside of my cheek so as not to vomit.

I’m really not sure why I drink the stuff at all.

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Thanks to everyone for getting those articles in!! It’s nice to wake up and have an inbox full of wonderful ideas. Keep them coming!!! This next week, I’ll begin letting you know what areas need to be filled.

Just in case you missed the announcement from yesterday, I am at a point in the development of Root and Sprout when I can begin accepting submissions. I realize I am asking you to take time away from your own blog to write a post for my new website, and I sincerely appreciate any effort made on your part. Really, I cannot do it on my own. If money is any incentive, there is an opportunity to get paid for writing the feature post. I would love to offer monetary compensation for all published articles, but I simply cannot (at this time).

If there is little interest and the articles don’t come in as quickly as I need them to once the site goes live, I may have to close down this blog. That’s not a threat or me acting desperate for submissions; it’s simply a fact. I feel very strongly in my new website and want it to succeed. If it means I have to close down this blog to devote more time to the website, I will (but I don’t want to).

I have a lot of exciting things planned for Root and Sprout, and I think you’ll find it a great place to hang out. If you have any interest in submitting an article please read the submission guidelines. Although I didn’t state this in yesterday’s post, I would like you to contact me at igarrett@twcny.rr.com with your article idea so I can plan accordingly.

As an incentive, the first person to submit a completed article (remember to follow the guidelines) will receive a NEW SHARK handheld steam cleaner. (US mailing address, please)

Again, I appreciate everyone’s help who chooses to write an article and spread the word. And my humble thanks goes to those individuals taking the time in helping me to get the website ready to launch. You’re all the best!

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I’ve had a few people ask what they should write about and the tone they should use. At this point, I’m looking for ANY type of article, as long as it falls within one of the categories or subcategories.

The tone - Because Root and Sprout is not a blog, I’m looking for articles that are conversational and friendly, but not overly personal. Think of it more as an online magazine. I’m hoping to publish the site June 1st (or around that time), so you have a little time to think about what you would like to write. And you may write more than one article.

(it’s spring break here and my kids are getting into the ice cream - at 8:20 AM - gotta run!)

Calling all moms and dads! I need your help. Head on over to my other site to see what’s going on!

I asked a person for feedback recently, someone for whom I’d written an endorsement. Although she liked what I had to say in the post, my words did nothing to drive traffic to her site. Needless to say, this makes me feel like a failure. I know, I know . . . don’t blame myself (not completely at least). I can only do my best to write a persuasive piece of marketing material. What the reader chooses to do, either click through or not click through, is his or her personal business.

I’m wondering, though, what types of sites are you likely to visit? What products are you more likely to buy based on another’s opinion? Do you shop more often for yourself or for your kids? What’s your price range on jewelry, clothes, and toys, etc?

One of the people for whom I had written an endorsement noticed an increase in traffic and sales. And then there’s the monthly bow contest that is doing well. So I know we’ve had success in the past.

Hmm . . . I’m stumped.

This has me concerned, because funding for Root and Sprout will, in part, come from endorsement posts and graphic/text ads. In other words, I need to find out what works and what doesn’t so I can make sure the person who pays for advertising feels like she’s getting her money’s worth (and I can afford Root and Sprout).

Thoughts?

Two very nice things have occurred to me in less than a 24-hour period.

I received a lovely bouquet of flowers yesterday. I couldn’t imagine who might be sending me flowers (my husband had just given me a bunch of wildflowers for no reason at all). It wasn’t my birthday. It wasn’t mothers day. For a split second, I thought the delivery man must have the wrong address.

Are you Melissa Garrett? asked the man with the flowers (for another split second, I thought this man might be someone trying to gain entrance into my home - I’m paranoid like that)

Indeed I am!

I tore into the card, curious about the sender. Well . . . the other day, a man contacted me on behalf of his wife. It seems she’s starting a new website and was hoping I might consider selling a domain I had registered ages ago, www.SewGreen.com . Sell it?

Heck no, I said. I will give it to you.

Now, I know there are plenty of sites out there called “Sew Green.” My husband suggested I should sell it for profit, but I’m just not that sort of person. I had no reason to hang onto the domain, and I was happy to transfer it over. So, they sent me flowers as a thank you! Nice!

The other nice thing to happen is this: Gary just delivered a few of these pencils with pottery animal toppers. Aren’t they just the best?! The funny thing is, Gary had emailed me earlier this morning letting me know that he would stop by Friday at 1:30. What he should have done is say “today” instead of “Friday.” Any SAHM will attest to the fact that we often can’t remember what day of the week it is. And considering my kids are home for spring break, I was seriously thinking today is Saturday. So, when Gary said “Friday at 1:30,” I thought he meant next Friday, the 18th.

So there I was, in a cathartic trance mopping my kitchen floor, when I began to hear a low rumbling sound. The dishwasher was running, so I wasn’t quite sure what I was hearing. It stopped. It started. It stopped. It started. And then it dawned on me that someone was rapping on my front door. And then I peeked around the corner and saw Gary!

You decided to come early, I said.

What? It’s 1:30. (these may or may not be his exact words)

And then I, mop in hand, grungy in bleach-stained sweats, scraggly hair, looking like death warmed over, stood there and tried to justify my mommy brain. A far-cry from my online persona, I assure you (or maybe it’s not)

Check your calendar, said Gary. Today is Friday.

Was that a hint of sarcasm I detected?

PS - Hop on over to Gary’s etsy store where he has a few things for sale.

It’s Spring Break, and the kids are home. Now normally I would be stressing out and suffering the occasional heart palpitation, worrying about trying to complete my contract work. But seeing as how there is no contract work to complete, I am feeling rather serene.

I havebeen working off and on, don’t get me wrong. There’s the new website and the book Hannah and I are writing. I did a little ASAP copy work for a soon-to-be-regular client. But even when I take on the client full time, the work won’t be as time-consuming as my last contract job.

So now there is time to do Yoga with the kids, plant our vegetable and flower seeds, sleep in until 7:00, putz around the house, go to the movies . . . the good stuff.

But I wouldn’t be me if I weren’t stressing about something. Yesterday when I wrote about my astonishment that Bridget will be three years old in less than three months, it suddenly occurred to me that we are leaving for our FIRST EVER family vacation (as a group of five) in less than three months as well.

Suddenly, I am feeling the need to clean house. I’m not talking about sweeping the floor and wiping counters, I’m talking about cleaning the house, as in organizing drawers and closets. I spent three hours yesterday cleaning out our file drawer. And then I came across our wills and healthcare proxies and went over those with a fine-tooth comb, making sure nothing had changed.

I have a perverse way of thinking sometimes; I’m a glass half empty sort of person. If something happens to us on vacation, the last thing I want is a bunch of family rummaging through a messy house trying to make sense of what we left behind. The same feeling overtook me just before my husband and I went to NYC for a few days back in 2005. Up until that point, we didn’t have a will in place. We had never left Hannah and Jacob before (we took 5-month old Bridget with us), and it prompted us to tie up a few loose ends. We could never decide on a guardian for the kids. I hope they don’t mind the thought of moving to Ireland.

We’re hoping to have my husband’s aunt and parents help take care of things while we’re away, as there will be a cat and newly-planted garden that needs tending to. For some reason, having an organized linen closet will make me feel a little better about leaving things. And I suppose I don’t want my MIL to see how really messy things are should she go searching for a flashlight or bottle of Tylenol!

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I am feeling a little devoid of things to blog about lately. I’ve been putting a lot of creative effort into other writing projects, there’s not much left over for the blog. Stick with me, please . . .

There are days when there are too many thoughts running through your head. That’s when you have goulash.

We got a new van yesterday. A 2008 Honda Odyssey. Red. Very nice. Great deal. I was installing Bridget’s car seat when my neighbor came over for a chat, and that’s when it began . . . the guilt. You see, my neighbor and his wife live frugally. We aren’t exactly swimming in gold coins ourselves, but we budget so that we have what we need and a few things we want. There are times when we want for more, but we’ve never needed more.

We’ve been neighbors with this family for six years, and they’ve had their share of car woes. Whereas we have always leased new vehicles, turning them in every three years for a newer model, my neighbors buy their cars used. The problem is, their used cars are always in the shop and in need of repair. I can’t tell you how many times they’ve had a tow-truck in their driveway. Their cars are rusted and unreliable. I have to wonder, wouldn’t they be better off with a new car that comes with a warranty versus constantly hemorrhaging money on a hunk of junk? Are they really saving money?

So my neighbor says to me, Either you got a new van or you painted your old one.

Nope, it’s new.

We’re having problems with our van and are having to drive that (indicates the car over his shoulder).

What happened?

Carburetor died. The van is completely shot.

When I told my husband about this conversation, he asked, Are you sure he said ‘carburetor?’

Yeah. Why?

Well, that means their van is a lot older than I thought it was. (Wikipedia claims the last car made using a carburetor was the 1991 Ford Crown Victoria).

I feel guilty that we have a new van, and they have nothing but trouble with their vehicles.

I know what you mean.

But should we feel guilty? We’re actually paying less on this new vehicle than what we were on our last. And it’s not like we got leather interior or DVD installation. We’re pretty darn excited that the van moves forward and back and that we can afford the monthly payments.

I don’t know. Things like this just leave me feeling conflicted.

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I put our indoor cat outside today. He was putting holes in our screened door. The kids have been chasing him around the garden. Heh.

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The school psychologist is meeting with all the 3rd-grade girls to discuss bullying, gossip, and rumors. Yes, we are still dealing with that. Yes, I am tired of it. And I really don’t like my daughter’s teacher. I added her to the list at http://www.ratemyteachers.com. I also sent a detailed letter to the principal.

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Bridget is sick. Again. I thought breastfed babies weren’t supposed to get as many colds? Hannah and Jacob were nursed for a combined four months as opposed to Bridget’s 33 months (and counting), and they were rarely ill as infants and toddlers. Bridget seems to be sick all the time.

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Bridget slept until 2:50 AM (woot!) before coming into our bed last night (as which point my husband switched to her bed - he says the “night slurping” is really annoying).

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My husband and I watched American Gangster (hated it - fell asleep) and No Country For Old Men (loved it - want to read the book). My husband was getting tired of all the chick flicks on the Netflix queue, so I had to add a few manly movies (which I secretly enjoy). Next up is Atonement and Becoming Jane (woo hoo!)

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Don’t forget to enter into this month’s Very Sweet Bows contest.

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Has everyone forgotten about Bloggers For Locks Of Love? Does anyone want to participate? My hair (and Hannah’s) is getting L-O-N-G. I don’t know what to do with it anymore, and yet I am getting very attached to it. Cutting it will be difficult, but I will do it. I’m going to wait until the end of summer so that I can be left with a little hair when I cut off the ten inches.

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Bridget is up from her nap (still coughing). Nice day outside. Must go play . . .

Had I been of the male persuasion, it’s safe to assume certain reproductive appendages would have been sorely compromised this morning during playtime with Bridget. In an event that was almost too incredible to believe, I hurt myself . . . down there. And you must believe me when I say the pain was so intense I thought I was going to either faint or throw up. How did this happen, you ask?

Bridget had coerced me into her room to play with (ironically) her set of wooden balls. Sit down, she said, patting the ground. On my way down to the ground into what would have been a position like a hare on her haunches, I sat rather forcefully on the corner of Bridget’s kitchen door that had been left open wide. In other words, the corner of the door jammed into my pelvic bone. OUCH!

I now know what it means to see stars.

I ran out of Bridget’s room clutching my privies (just like a man) and flung myself on my bed where I commenced whining in a most pathetic way. Where’d you go, mommy? Come back here!

It’s okay Bridget (sob, sob, sob). Mommy just has a little boo-boo (sob, sob, sob).

So in case you happen to run into me today while we’re out and you’re wondering why I’m walking a little funny, now you know.

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There’s another NEW post today!! Scroll down . . .

Look what I won recently ~ a byKimLane handbag. Incidentally, I had also placed an order for a new Spring/Summer purse, and I received both in the mail yesterday. It was a good mail day! Thank you Kim ~ they are very lovely.

The reason why Kim was giving away a purse is because she was participating in a Pay-It-Forward giveaway and wanted to keep the kindness going on her own blog. Because I entered the contest and won, it’s now up to me to pay it forward.

I am offering one lucky reader a FREE endorsement post, a value of $30. Here are the details:

• you must be a small-business owner or entrepreneur (etsy, indie designers, online boutiques, independent websites) in need of a little inexpensive advertising,
• you will receive a post on this site, as well as www.LisGarrett.com . I will also place a graphic ad that links to your site on www.LisGarrett.com ,
• you must be willing to pay it forward if you win by creating a post similar to this and hosting your own giveaway,
• you have until Friday, April 11th (noon eastern) to enter this contest. I will contact the winner, and we will get started on the specifics of your endorsement!

If you are unfamiliar with my endorsement posts, here is an example of  the most recent one. Here’s what satisfied customers have to say. Good luck everyone!

Let’s see . . .

This morning I:

• jumped on the bed with Bridget
• played “dollhouse”
• played “kitchen”
• cleaned and rearranged Jacob’s room
• read a few blogs
• gave Bridget a bath
• ate too many doughnut holes
• rocked Bridget to sleep
• emailed a few friends
• tidied the kitchen
• read a little
• cleaned out my inbox
• subscribed to Writer’s Market online
• did a little research
• worked on the school newsletter

**************************

If you’re wondering what’s missing from this list, click here.

We’re going out to eat tonight to celebrate. (kids eat free - woo hoo!)

Tonight at 8PM, we’ll turn off the power for one hour to do our small part in reducing energy consumption. Admittedly, I had a tough time getting my husband to agree to Earth Hour. It’s prime TV time, he whined. So I put on my thinking cap  . . .

You know, I said, if we can get the kids in bed by 8:00, we’ll have a whole hour without any lights.

Yeah. So?

The man can be dense without a full pot of coffee running through his veins. An hour together? In the dark? (wink wink)

light-bulb moment

Let’s just say we’ll be making some energy of our own!

**This is a long post** 

I often think that motherhood is not so much about having light-bulb moments as it is about your mind’s dimmer switch being turned on slowly. I’ve been struggling the past month with my eight-year-old daughter, Hannah, because she’s been exhibiting behavior outside the realm of what I consider normal for her. There’s been lying, crying, anger, frustration . . . general sulkiness. Hannah has always been the bright beacon on cloudy days, the epitome of happiness, a true and loyal friend to everyone. You can imagine how this change in behavior has been weighing on my mind, leaving my stomach in knots as I wring my hands in search for answers.

Quite honestly, I thought Hannah was feeling the stress of being in 3rd grade; after all, 3rd-graders are like the middle children of elementary school, stuck in between the coddled lower grades and independent big kids. Hannah has, up until this year, been a top-notch student. While still above par in both reading and writing, she’s been struggling with math. Although math has never been her greatest subject, she’s having a tough time with being fast enough this year. God, how I hate the schools who put emphasis on being fast rather than proficient.

At any rate, I believed Hannah’s self-esteem issues were linked directly to how she’s been struggling in math. Hannah is a lot like me; she wants to be perfect in everything, and she believes a weakness in one area makes her an overall failure. It makes me almost physically ill to see Hannah mirror my bad behavior, and it’s something I’m desperately trying to correct. A call from her class math aide and a conference with her teacher made me question what was really going on, however. Apparently, Hannah is actually doing a lot better in math than what she has led us to believe. She’s average, almost smack-dab in the middle. 

There’s something getting in the way with her self-confidence, said the math aide, and we’re not sure what it is.

I asked both the aide and teacher to occasionally throw Hannah a bone. Tell her she’s doing a good job. Let her know that not everyone can be a math whiz and that she’s a strong reader and writer.

And yet, Hannah’s behavior became more and more bizarre. It was almost as though she was depressed, and I didn’t know how to reach her.

***********************

The other day, Hannah’s friend, so-and-so rode the bus home with her. I’ve been watching so-and-so after school sometimes, as her mother is not always available to greet her daughter directly from the bus. Although I like so-and-so (at least I did) there has always been something about her that’s given me pause. But considering I couldn’t quite put my finger on what bothered me about her, I never said anything. Certainly, I didn’t say anything to Hannah, as I don’t think it’s ever okay for an adult to badmouth one child to another, especially not when the children are classmates. What’s more, I like so-and-so’s mother.

The girls had been downstairs watching Nancy Drew while I finished up a bit of work. After the movie was over, they came upstairs and began getting ready to go outdoors to play. That’s when I noticed a chunk of denim missing from the knee of Hannah’s jeans.

What happened to your jeans, Hannah?

She got that blank stare on her face and refused to speak.

Hannah, did you cut your jeans?

For a brief second, I noticed the girls exchange a look.

Hannah, it looks like your jeans were cut. Did you cut your jeans?

I didn’t do it, mom. I don’t know what you’re talking about.

And again, the girls exchanged another look.

Hannah, it hurts my feelings when you lie to me. Even though I may be disappointed in the truth, I’m even more disappointed when you lie to me.

I didn’t do it, mom. I promise.

So I let them go. But I knew . . .

While the girls were outside, I went downstairs to search for the scissors and the missing piece of denim. And sure enough, there they were, right where the girls had been watching television.

After Hannah’s friend went home, I showed Hannah the evidence. She began crying, but all she said was, I lost my mind. All I could think of was, what the hell sort of answer is that? Hannah’s punishement for lying was to lose TV privileges for an entire week.

Fast forward to the next evening at dinner. My husband was working late, so it was just the kids and me. Hannah was picking at her dinner, looking sullen.

What’s wrong?

And that’s when the dam broke and a tide of pent-up emotion came rushing forth with enough force to practically knock me out of my chair. I told so-and-so we can’t be friends anymore? she quivered.

What happened? I was fully expecting some ridiculous answer.

She’s just so mean mom! She’s a rotten, horrible person! Strong words for an eight-year-old girl.

Hannah is loyal to a fault, so I knew it had to be serious for her to be so emotional. And serious it is. Apparently, so-and-so has been playing Hannah and other friend, with whom Hannah has been good friends since Kindergarten, against each other. So-and-so has been spreading lies and rumors, confiding in Hannah that other friend has been saying mean and nasty things behind her back, and vice versa. The taunting happens almost exclusively on the playground and even got so bad last week that Hannah and other friend went crying hysterically to the supervising teacher. So-and-so got a stern talking to, according to Hannah. I wondered, however, where was my phone call from the teacher? Where was my note sent home that informed me of what had transpired so that I could talk to Hannah? 

I took the opportunity to broach the subject about the previous day’s lying incident. Are you ready to tell me about your jeans?

She began crying. So-and-so made me do it.

What? How did so-and-so make you cut your jeans?

So-and-so told me, “You better cut your jeans, or else.”

Hannah, what did she mean by that?

I don’t know, mom. I was afraid that she wouldn’t be my friend anymore if I didn’t do it. And I didn’t want to tell you yesterday, because I didn’t want to get her in trouble.

See? Loyal to a fault. Obviously, we need to help Hannah better distinguish between knowing right from wrong and asking an adult for help if she feels unsure or uncomfortable.

Hannah spent the better part of an hour venting, crying, and raging. And me? Well, I was livid. Holy crap was I mad.

So I emailed so-and-so’s mother. It was a polite email, full of detailed incidents (including a word-for-word account of the letter so-and-so mailed to Hannah in which she said that they could not be friends at school and, by the way, my dad thinks other friend is a brat). I couldn’t trust my temper over the phone, and email gave me the opportunity to get out all my thoughts in a non-judgemental and non-hostile way.

I also quickly emailed other friend’s mother wondering if other friend had confided anything in her.

The next morning, there was a friendly reply from so-and-so’s mother saying so-and-so has no right to bully the girls and that she will have a talk with her about it. As of yet, I don’t know the details of what she and so-and-so talked about.

But then I had a LONG talk with other friend’s mother, and it’s become apparent that her daughter is receiving the brunt of the bullying. When I told other friend’s mother about the jean incident and got to the part where so-and-so said or else, other friend’s mom gasped and said that her daughter told her of an incident on the playground not too long ago in which so-and-so wanted other friend to do something naughty or else.

Or else, what? asked other friend.

Or else this (miming slitting a throat)

WTF? These girls are eight years old! My head feels woozy as I write this. I am on the verge of both crying and retching into the toilet. All of this makes me so sick.

Other friend’s mother was going to call so-and-so’s mother last night, and I am wondering what happened.

All I know is, both Hannah and other friend have been seriously traumatized by this girl. And I feel awful that it’s taken until now for all of this to come out into the open. We have instilled in our girls the value of friendship, to treat others the way you want to be treated, to be nice no matter what. And then a bully comes along and takes advantage of their sweet disposition, plays them against each other, lies to them, threatens them . . .

So not only do we have to contend with the Special Education Department and AIS (Academic Intervention Specialists) dragging their heels for six months on Jacob’s evaluations, we now have to deal with a school bully. The only good thing to come out of all this is so-and-so is going back to homeschooling next year. This is the first year she’s been in public school. When I asked her mother why she said, I can’t take all the drama. Kids are so mean to each other.

Hannah said, As far as I’m concerned, so-and-so is the one causing all the drama.

We’ve never had problems like this before, and it’s all-of-a-sudden gotten worse. Hannah told me, I’m so glad so-and-so will be home next year. I don’t want her in my school anymore causing problems.

At this point, I don’t know how angry I should be with the teacher and/or principal. I’m not sure they knew the extent of what was going on. But you better believe they’ll hear it from me.

PS - My husband and I are looking into what our legal rights are concerning the AIS evaluations. That will be a post for another day, though.

Won’t you please join me at my other site?

To everyone who has commented in the last few days during my brief blogging funk, I truly appreciate it. I would have commented to each and every one of you in return, but WordPress is not delivering comments to my inbox. Please know that I am taking to heart everything you say. Thank you!

I pared down my Google Reader from 100 subscriptions to 85, and yet I still had close to 150 feeds left unread. And I suddenly realized how ridiculous all of this is; blogging, I mean. Why does it feel like a job? It’s no longer a fun obsession for me; blogging has become an obligation. And I have to be honest, there’s a big part of me who just wants to chuck the whole thing and wash my hands of blogging forever. I spend too much time blogging when I should be writing query letters and working on my little book project.

Will I really give it up, though? Probably not. At least not for awhile.

This blog is like my waiting room to the professional world. I know I have somewhere to be, and yet I’m not sure to where I’m heading.

Honestly? I’m feeling burnt out. I’m tired. And I don’t know if this exhaustion is just a result of having had horrible sleep these past few nights with Bridget being sick (up three times for water, once for Gatorade, twice to tickle her back, too many times for the boob, tossing and turning) or if it̵