bloggy business and mother's day too!

I did it! I did it!

It's been years, but I finally updated my blog. I was a little sad to do it, because I did love the customized autumn blog theme, but it was time. This bloggy background is more Spring and Summer appropriate. Hopefully before Halloween comes back around, I'll be able to find something a little more Fall and Winter appropriate. Plus, the graphic artist who designed it is from Argentina! Totally fitting, no?

What do you think? Better? That "labels" feature, which tells you how many posts are about any given subject is kind of scaring me, though. I apparently talk about Gabe A LOT. Poor Josie is going to start feeling neglected if I don't start sharing the news about her!

Happy belated Mother's Day also! My day was fabulous and the kids were sweet and Josh was generous and helpful and I had a great time. I received cards in bed and a book about cheese, because I've decided I want to be a cheese connoisseur (long story for another post). My book about cheese was accompanied by a gift certificate to my favorite cheese shop and a promise to take me on a Vermont Cheese Tour. We spent the day in Rockport, Massachusetts, and walked around in the freezing wind drinking hot chocolates, window shopping, eating cupcakes, and then taking leisurely drives up the coast.

It was truly lovely, and the kids were funny and silly and behaved beautifully. I think I'll keep the three of them. I do adore them.

secrecy

Years ago, when I first started blogging, I obviously didn't understand the power of the Internet. I didn't (and I know I'm not the only one) realize that simple comments I made, or (what I thought were) generic references regarding my town would allow readers to pinpoint my location or learn who I was. I thought I was being super secretive, but I realize now there is really no such thing. Once you put yourself out there, inevitably you'll say something allowing people to know where you live or what your name is, no matter how careful you think you're being.

I remember reading one of my favorite blogs and having her reference a dinosaur exhibit in her town, and out of curiosity, I googled the dinosaur reference and BOOM, all of a sudden I knew exactly which very small town she lived in. Another blogger told me a story about a reader emailing her with very personal details about her address and her children, simply from a few comments she'd made about her library, a farm they frequented, and a general description of her town. I don't blog under my real name for precisely this reason, I guess. I don't have a totally crazy name, but it is unique enough to pinpoint me on the map.

Anyway, Josh implores me to do my best to keep our location private, so I do, but this certainly puts a cramp in my blogging style. On a daily basis I think of things to tell you about our town's ridiculous garbage situation, or the dramatic police event that took place in our front yard yesterday, or the ridiculous nature of some of my neighbors, but I don't. Maybe it is a wasted exercise and totally unnecessary, because obviously tons of people blog under their real name, but I am paranoid, so I don't.

What about the rest of you? Do you worry about this? I know some of you blog under your real name, but what made you decide to be straight with the Internet? If you're not, are you super careful with your details?

JACKPOT!

Look! Look! Look! I won a contest! On Swistle's site! She asked her readers to guess why she had purchased a mini-deodorant and I automatically assumed she was going to visit her new niece, because she is so cute! Who wouldn't want to visit her?

Yesterday, my prize arrived and OH MY GOODNESS, I couldn't believe my eyes! Look at this loot!
















Do you see those bags of cookies? Those are SERIOUSLY the best chocolate chip cookies I think I have ever eaten! Yum yum yum yum yum. I am definitely not going to lose my last few pounds with cookies like those in this house. I cannot stop eating them, and last night I shared the other batch of cookies, I think they are butterscotch, but I wouldn't share the chocolate chip ones. Everyone has their limits, I say. I love my family, but not enough to share chocolate. Yum!








But seriously, Swistle is the QUEEN of care packages! I don't think you can adequately see the details in these pictures!
















There are adorable post-it notes, bookmarks, notebooks (especially that adorable cupcake notebook that I'd been coveting on her site and even went to multiple Targets to find, and now it's mine!), little pots with seeds, stationary, pencils, invitations, cloth napkins, cloth napkin rings, decorative paper napkins, earrings, an adorable strawberry mug with matching plate, a super funny wallet, a big bag to carry all of my loot, an initial paperweight for my desk, plus these cutie patootie chicks that have been a HUGE hit in my house.











Everyone in my family is fighting over these chicks. Gabe wants to sleep with them, Josh wants them to hang out in the kitchen and oversee the cooking of dinner, even Murray stole one and gave him, umm, let's call it a bath for Gabe's sake. The poor little chick is looking a little worse for the wear today. I may have to take them on a little outing to cheer them up later.











Besides the cookies, and the cupcake notebook, and the strawberry mug, I have to show you my favorite treat in the box. This wallet made me laugh out loud, and I need to find a couple more to send to my law school girlfriends because it is just too much.





I've always said that I just want one opportunity to prove that money won't make me happy.








Thank you Swistle! I am still enjoying all the little pieces of my package, and I hid the cookies deep in the freezer and I've been sneaking them out when no one is looking. Queen of care packages, I tell you! Wooohoooo!

delurk!

Ok, after all my whining in the previous post, I also just realized that today is National Delurking Day 2009!

So please leave a comment, and in return, I'll, um, umm, ummm, well... How about pictures of the babes? Old pictures, but pictures nonetheless. That's something, right?

tao of fertility

On the baby-making bandwagon? Thinking about it in the near future? Check out the Pumpkin Products blog for information about The Tao of Fertility, a book about Chinese medicine and infertility.

Plus, I'm giving away a free copy!

the gauntlet has been thrown

The grandparents have expressed concerns that when 002 arrives, I'll be even worse at sharing photos with the family than I already am. I'm pleased to report, however, that I may have discovered a solution to my laziness!

Check out the review blog, Kinzin or Parent Bloggers to find out how I can continue being disorganized and put in no effort, but still meet the needs of all the grandparents!

hot hot hot sex

Did I get your attention? New post on this very topic over at Pumpkin Products!

Check it out!

attention: snowy drivers

If you ever face snowy and icy mornings, or have to scrape ice off of your car, the new review on Pumpkin Products may be right up your alley.

Check it out!

flareglo, minus the fires

I have a new product review up at the other blog for Autolite Flareglo Safety Lites.

If you like products for your car, or you're a safety nut, or if you're just interested, check it out!

keeping it simple

Do your New Year's resolutions involve getting organized?

I have a new review (plus some products to give away) on Day Runner's new Family Matters organizational system on the reviews blog.

Come check it out! Free stuff! Plus who doesn't need more organization in their lives?

national delurking week

I'm sneaking in here before the week is officially over, since it's delurking week!

Now that Gabriel is here, I totally understand how much easier it is to read and not comment! Babies are indeed a lot of work!

But we do love to read all of your comments around here, and really, Gabriel might cry if you don't delurk to say hi.






You don't want to make baby Gabe cry, now do you?