Beyond turkey day

Even though this intriguing article by L.L. Barkat is about Thanksgiving Day, it seems equally appropriate - perhaps more so - the day after.

At least there are no calories in food for thought!

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Photo by me.

Thanksgiving

What were you doing at 4:00 this morning? I was thinking of things I'm thankful for while trying to drift back to sleep. My neighbor was yelling at his dog.

"Sit. SIT. Lay DOWN!"

What an interesting Thanksgiving tradition - confusing your dog in the wee hours of the morning. I tried remembering why I was thankful for my neighbors, who I haven't met yet, and their barky dog. Then I moved on.


I started thinking about verses that have to do with thanking and being thankful. Here are some I came up with:

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
- Psalm 107:1

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."
- Ephesians 1:3

"Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
- Psalm 100:3-5

"I thank my God every time I remember you."
- Philippians 1:3

Then I started thanking God for you (yes, you!) and the rain that started to fall and so many other things. And I kinda forgot about the dog.



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Photos by me. Taken yesterday.

Verses from NIV.

How to be grateful

How to teach kids about gratitude? Obviously, there's no instant fix. But Suburb Sanity has a great suggestion - for school-age kids and adults. I don't want to spoil it for you, so I'll just say it's a simple way to be purposeful about giving thanks each day.

Oh! That reminds me! (The crud is fogging my brain.) Heather also had a neat idea that would work with younger kids as well. It incorporated gratitude AND a countdown! You adapt the idea using something other than a turkey since Thanksgiving has almost come and gone. Maybe a (Christmas) tree or a flower or....a peacock...you get the idea.

P.S. Sorry I didn't send you to Suburb Sanity in time for the giveaway. It wasn't on purpose.....what's that? Did you just say I can make it up to you by having a Bold Avenue giveaway? Funny you should mention that. I think there's at least one coming up before too long. So stay tuned.

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Photo by the Hubs.

It begins.

Did things just get all crazy for you too? The holiday season reminds me of playing tether ball as a kid. You know it's coming around again, but WHAM! it still hits you in the face.


Somewhere between Friday night's Mysterious Exhibit viewing and working on Saturday, the Hubs got the sore throat crud that's been going around.


The next day we still made it to church. And the party for our friend who just got his PhD. (Yay Mariano!) And Thanksgiving #1. (Hubby's family reschedules Thanksgiving for whenever it fits everyone's calendar.)


In the two days before Thanksgiving #2 (with my family, on the traditional U.S. day), I've got some work to do. And I also have the same crud now as the Hubs.

Ah, the holidays.


P.S. Speaking of work, I'll be announcing my Thanksgiving sale tomorrow on the New on the Avenue blog, so stop by or subscribe to make sure you don't miss it! :)

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Photos -
Top: By forezt. CCL.
Other two: By me.

You pick the sale!

Today is the last day for you to speak up about what Black Friday deals you'd like to see on Bold Avenue! I want to put your favorite thing on sale. So visit my New on the Avenue blog and vote! You can vote for as many items as you'd like to.

The item with the most votes will be discounted Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving.)

Keeping track of what your baby does

For those moms who keep track of everything their babies do - how long they slept, how long they nursed, what was in their diaper - I guess this could save you some time.


There is now an iPhone app that helps you quickly note each diaper change, as well as the details (color, consistency, etc.) of what was in that diaper. I'm not making this up. I read about it over on the gDiapers blog.

I know, that's a little too much for some of you to think about. But some detail-oriented parents just added an item to their Christmas list.

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Photo by William Hook. CCL.

Waiting room

Remember how I was getting migraines this summer? Well, a couple weeks ago they came back. With a vengeance. So I quit putting off the MRI my doctor had ordered. And let them look at my brain. (Don't worry - everything's fine.)


What made me smile while I was sitting in a very quiet waiting room with no other patients was a colorful wrapping-paper-covered box full of a random assortment of toys and books. Looked very homemade, like something the staff may have just pulled together themselves. Maybe they know that kids always like someone else's toys better than their own. Maybe they were just trying to keep waiting children happy (read: quiet). But it just seemed like a sweet touch.


I went back to my doctor to get the results. (Which were normal. Remember?) There are always plenty of cute and squirmy kids in that waiting room. But I didn't see any toy box.

I wonder if they have a suggestion box.

What? You've never seen a cat sleeping in your flower pot?

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Photo by me. | More Wordless Wednesday.

What do you want on your sale?

I'm deciding on what to put on sale in my shop over Thanksgiving weekend, and I thought I'd see if you had anything to say about that.

Under consideration:

• Dark tees (including mens, womens and kids)
• Ornaments (round and oval)
• Hoodies (hooded sweatshirts, womens raglan hoodies and kids hoodies)
• Journals
• Tote bags
• Large mugs

Let me know what you'd like to see on sale via the poll on the New on the Avenue blog and/or by leaving a comment here on this post. (Yep, the one you're reading.)

Speaking of Bold Avenue, we've been changing some things up there. So if you haven't already subscribed to the Bold Avenue feed, it would be a great time to do that!


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Designs by me.

Babywearing Week highlights

A few great posts from International Babywearing week (last week):

• Babywearing Ambassador
• Babywearing - it’s not just for fussy babies
• Babywearing Tip: Wearing Baby On Your Back

And a couple of helpful articles I recently discovered on babywearing:

• Glossary of Babywearing Terms
• Pros and Cons of Selected Types of Babycarriers

If I missed your International Babywearing week post, feel free to include a link with your comment.

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Photo by squiddles. CCL.

Update: Kids and (not so much) craziness

You know how you're trying to go to sleep and you start to remember all kinds of things you haven't gotten done? Last night I thought "Hmmm...I was all concerned about how Mom's Day Out was gonna go last time I filled in there. Did I ever let everyone know how it went?"


Sure enough, I didn't. I had my new blog to announce, the elections to document, autumn to contemplate and a phone quiz to complete. Since this week was PSBN, Veteran's Day and International Babywearing Week, it's no wonder the update slipped my mind.

So here's the thing: Watching kids on the morning of Halloween was not the nightmare I was anticipating. Apparently, the candy feeding frenzy had not yet begun. I think there was only one costume-wearer and no plastic weapons of any kind. The kids were a bit hyper, but not nearly as much as I expected.



One of the regular MDO workers said that the day after Halloween is much worse - that's when a bunch of little ones who were up past their bedtimes crash from their sugar highs and get reeeally cranky. Glad we missed that this year!

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Photos by me.

Kids in the white house

With young children about to be in the White House for the first time since the Kennedy administration, you have to ask yourself: What would that be like?

While Sasha and Malia Obama will probably be off-limits to interviewers the next four to eight years, past children of presidents have spoken about their experiences.


The White House Historical Association has this fabulous page about first kids. It asks great questions ("What would your life be like if you lived in the White House? Where would you play with your friends? Could you go anywhere you wanted at any time you wanted? Where would you eat and do your homework?"), gives historical anecdotes and has links to pictures of white house kids and pets. It's listed for grades 4-8, but I was intrigued and read the whole thing. You could also adapt it for younger kids by printing it off and reading them a section at a time, allowing them to think about and answer the questions, etc.

Yahoo also has a Presidential Children slideshow with 101 photos - with captions - of first kids throughout our history.

So interesting stuff to check out! And, in the meantime, you (or the kids) might just accidentally learn something about history or U.S. government!

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Daguerrotype of the south front of the White House (public domain)

The deal with babywearing

We're right in the middle of International Babywearing Week! (Which I know, thanks to Megan's post.)

If you're wondering what babywearing is or what the big deal is or why a parent would want to walk around carrying a baby in a sling, this post explains it beautifully. Enjoy!

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Photo by Pepper44. CCL.

Thanking day

It's not Thanksgiving, but today is a great day to say thanks. Let a veteran or active member of the military know that you're grateful for their service.


My dad often takes a veteran (sometimes a family member) out to lunch on Veteran's Day. I tried to carry on the tradition and went out to lunch with Grandpa one year. Of course, he didn't let his granddaughter pay, but I still think he felt appreciated.

More ways to say thanks to U.S. military and veterans:

• Send message to our troops
• Kids Thank a Vet - who is a veteran and how can kids say thanks
• Kids Take Action (America Supports You) - project ideas and stories of kids showing support for our troops

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Photo by Ilya Eric Lee. CCL.

Recycling beyond the bin!

So let's say you've been re-purposing what you can and tossing what you can into your recycling bin, but there's still more you'd like to see recycled or re-used in some way.


Here are some ideas:

• Donate to the community garage sale to help women in Burundi (Africa).
  
• Check with a zoo near you to see if anything you have fits their wishlist. (The Phoenix Zoo's list includes items you never would have thought of, i.e. sheets for orangutans to play in.)

• Dry cleaners will take hangers.
• Many grocery stores now have places to drop off plastic bags for recycling or will allow you to bring in and re-use old plastic bags (of course, replacing your them altogether with cloth bags is the best option).

• Animal shelters often accept "gently used" towels and blankets.
• Treasures 4 Teachers accepts all kinds of items (including school supplies, containers, etc.) and sells them to teachers very inexpensively for use in their classrooms. They have partners outside of Arizona as well.

• Real Simple has a guide to "How to Recycle Anything" with more great suggestions.
• I listed this on Earth Day, but I think it bears re-posting: Items you Never Thought to Recycle.

Come on back for next month's Project Support Beauty in Nature: the next step in recycling.

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Photos by me.

Mobile (cell) phone quiz

When I headed over to My Little Drummer Boys to respond to Trish's comment, I got inadvertently tagged for this quiz. So....

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Your mission: Get your phone out...and if you already had your phone within arms length - you are tagged.

01. What color is it?
Some kind of metallic I don't have a name for.

02. Who is the first person that comes up under the letter M?
Manoush.

03. Who is the last person you called?
my dad

04. Who was your last missed call from?
my dad (which is why I was calling him back)

05. Who is the 2nd person who comes up under A?
Ali H

06. Who is speed dial #2?
Hmmm...do I have that one programmed? Nope.

07. Who is the 3rd person who comes up under J?
Janet B. (these questions are getting a little repetitive!)

08. Who was your last received call from?
OK, this is funny. My mom.

09. Who is speed dial #3?
Nope. Nothing there either.

10. What is your background?
A faint image of some birch trees.

11. How many text messages are currently in your Inbox?
As many as they'll let me get away with...let's see...77!

12. Who is speed dial #1?
Voicemail!

13. What does the 5th message in your Inbox say?
On way home. C U soon. Luv u. (from the Hubs, of course!)

14. Who is the first person that comes up under B?
Becky C.

15. Who was your last text message from?
Lisa

16. Name every person you have text messages from:
How many more questions do we have left?

17. Who do you have the most received calls from?
Probably the Hubs. Or maybe my parents - hehe.

19. What does the 6th message in your Outbox say?
It doesn't save 6. Last one was "Happy birthday, girlie! Hope you're having a great one!"

20. Who is the first person in your phone book?
Aaron

21. Who is the last name in your Phonebook?
Yantz

22. Do you have a camera phone?
Not yet. But if you wanted to get me one instead of filling out this quiz, I'd be fine with that.

23. Who is the last person under G?
Grandpa. (Not that he answers his phone.)

24. What does the first text message in your inbox say?
Didn't we do this already? It says, "Thanks."

25. Where do you usually carry your phone ?
purse.

26. What is your best advice for mobile/cell phone etiquette ?

If it's a place/time you can't talk, either don't answer the phone or let the person know at the outset of the conversation that you only have a moment and would prefer to call back. Trying to treat it like a regular call is rude to the person who called and doesn't know why you have such an impatient tone.

Advice of the day

1. Clear the clutter from your in and out box ... write down the special messages , recall special moments that inspired them.
   
2. Re affirm friendships and neglected relationships ... is there someone you haven't spoken to or heard from recently. If you are still too busy - just send a quick text message to say Hi - thinking of you today hope you well (to everyone in your address book if you need to).
   
3. Ignore or turn off the phone sometimes ... important calls always ring back.

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Photo by me. Add your own phone photo to your quiz. :)

Autumn

Fall in Phoenix doesn't look or feel like it does in other parts of the country. Seeing changing leaves requires a road trip (my Aunt Peggy actually sent us home from Indiana with leaves for my grandpa), yet there is still a sense that a time of harvest is here. We have white fields of cotton, open pumpkin patches and, for city dwellers, the urge to gather special ingredients from the grocery store for seasonal treats.

After all, isn't harvest really a time to gather, to bring in, to create something wonderful out of the bounty we've been given?


Playful Childhood suggests gathering items from around the house for creative play and bringing in items from outdoors to make a wreath. Holy Experience displays gathered (and labeled) items on a nature table.

I open the windows, hoping to bring in a cool breeze, and think about ways I can celebrate the harvest.


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Photos by me.

Election day

Beautiful things about today

I wasn't planning on posting anything else today, but I really felt moved to write this after reading some negative comments about the election...

As Americans, we find ourselves today at the culmination of a closely-watched, long-stretching campaign season. After months of listening, it is our turn to speak.

We have been red or blue or green or other. We have been right or left or center or undecided. We have been for or against, yes or no, supporting or opposing. Today we are still all of those things - and we are more. Today we are voters. We are deciders. And, let's not forget, we are Americans.

Campaigning, with its name calling and mud slinging, is over. Results, despite what some may say, have not come in yet. What we voters have is today, and today - whatever your disappointments may be in candidates, campaigns or country - we have many things to celebrate.

Today we share in this flawed-yet-beautiful thing called democracy. We have freedom to fill out our ballots, to make our selections. You may not like your options, but you have a choice. Record numbers have lined up at the polls and are willing to wait to take part. In those lines, many will vote for the first time. The past years have seen many people move from apathy to activism. And today we write history. Today's candidates show us that the highest office in the land is, in fact, open to men and women of every color. Today we have anticipation, waiting to see what the future holds.

Tomorrow will be different. How different it is is up to us. Tomorrow we will not be voters, but we will still be deciders. We will still be Americans.

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Photos by me.

Let's get our vote on!

If you're a U.S. citizen and haven't voted already, go vote! I don't think I have to tell you how important it is - especially this time around - that everyone's voice is heard.

Also important: getting the kids involved!



Arizona kids can "vote" online.

In other states, check out kidsvotingusa.org or Googling kids vote + your state's name should turn up kids' voting programs where you are.

P.S. Before you go, learn how you can report your overall voting experience or any problems at the polls via the Twitter Vote Report.


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Photo by Northfield.org. CCL.

A blog for the Bold

There's so much that I'm working on when it comes to expanding my business (Bold Avenue) that I thought it could use a whole blog of its own. So I gave it one.


New on the Avenue will mainly be updates - new products added, new services offered, sales, shipping deadlines, etc. I'll also throw in a few gift ideas. And maybe some customer photos.

But all the posts will be short and to the point and available via feed/email subscription if that's more convenient for you. It will be updated frequently (but not daily), depending on when we roll out something new.


And, don't worry, you'll still be able to find the rambling, the memes, the off-topic posts and the occasional Bold Avenue highlights right here at the Little Stuff of Life.



Feel free to let me know what you think!

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Photos by me.

1) Detail of Garden Tote Bag.
2) Detail of Little Duck Family (congrats) Greeting Card (inside).
3) Heart Jr. Jersey T-Shirt.