tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359894962011-12-08T10:33:57.046-06:00thoughts from the slightly addled mind of a working mommy bloggerElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.comBlogger5671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-23171988779200218322011-01-05T09:58:00.001-06:002011-01-05T14:53:44.810-06:00

I've moved! Come see me at the new Musings of a Working Diva!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-847957431929694882011-01-04T00:01:00.000-06:002011-01-04T00:01:01.277-06:00

A new year always seems to bring a fresh perspective to things. Brand new calendars, cleaning sprees, a chance to press the "reset" button.I've been wanting to switch from Blogger to Wordpress for several months now, but worried that it would be too complicated. I'm not nearly as familiar with WP as I am with Blogger, but ohmygranny has Blogger's photo upload been frustrating me lately! Then I

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-67359640286754724802011-01-03T00:00:00.000-06:002011-01-03T00:00:07.746-06:00

My maternity leave is rapidly coming to an end. For the past three months, I've been working one day a week, a combination of in the office and from home. Little Darth, being fairly portable, came with me to the office. Today, I'll do a "dry run". I'll get up in time to shower, get myself ready, feed the baby, get him ready, and try to leave the house by 8 am.I may have to get up at 3 am.It's not

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-29722231600337180402011-01-02T00:00:00.001-06:002011-01-02T00:00:04.112-06:00

I love to cook. I love to read cookbooks and go to places like Whole Foods and Dorothy Lane Market just to wander and dream about the delicious dishes I could make. I like to try new foods and count Ethiopian and Thai among my favorite cuisines.Unfortunately I married a Mexican whose taste runs more to Taco Bell than authentic Mexican. When he finds something he likes, he really doesn't like to

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-55802914346745638962011-01-01T00:00:00.003-06:002011-01-01T00:00:04.831-06:00

The last week in December always seems to FLY by so quickly. Before I can come to terms with the old year, the new year is upon us. I always have big plans for resolutions, new year themes, plans for change...You get the idea.Then before I can really flesh out those plans, the year rolls over and BANG--it's January 1st.One would think that, coming off of three months of maternity leave (And yes,

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-23674699498098327262010-12-26T18:55:00.004-06:002010-12-26T19:37:39.150-06:00

Every year I swear that I will NOT find a reason to go to the store on December 24th. And every year it seems I end up at the store. This year it was Walmart.We needed sprinkles and frosting for Santa's cookies. Because it wouldn't be good enough to leave Santa brownies. Made with the brownie mix that was ALREADY in my pantry. No siree. Santa had to have Christmas cookies. Meaning we had to go to

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-15071863539379554492010-12-25T10:58:00.002-06:002010-12-25T11:04:59.450-06:00

Merry Christmas!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-82025864427223990632010-12-24T10:58:00.005-06:002010-12-24T11:28:34.449-06:00

"I'm dreaming tonightof a place I loveeven more than I usually doand although I knowit's a long road backI promise you..."Family has always been important to me. Growing up as an Air Force brat, we rarely lived near family. Driving 300 miles or more for the holidays was commonplace.As I've grown older, I've come to value my family relationships more and more. I understand what my parent

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-27717191479032564672010-12-20T14:00:00.000-06:002010-12-20T14:02:34.537-06:00

I love Christmas. I love the REAL meaning of Christmas. I love finding the perfect gifts for friends and family. I love Christmas decorations and Christmas music.Now that I've made that clear, I'm hoping that you'll indulge my inner Grinch for just a moment.I really don't like the Christmas song "Blue Christmas". Strongly dislike. Despise. Hate. Abhor.I mean, really. Why in the world would

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-30246188561764782902010-12-12T20:41:00.005-06:002010-12-12T20:58:37.493-06:00

I love giving Christmas gifts. I love finding the "perfect" gift for someone, and the creativity of putting the gifts together. I think that's why I've participated in the Secret Santa Soiree for the past three years. Georgie always does such an amazing job administering the process and I've had a blast with it.This year was no exception.She organized it a bit differently this year. Instead of

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-37183736099960860462010-12-06T11:34:00.005-06:002010-12-06T11:54:03.553-06:00

Greetings from the Diva Household where Things 1, 2, and 3 (with a little help from Princess the Wonder Dog) have turned our normally semi-chaotic home into complete, utter madness.While we were all still adjusting to the arrival of Little Darth (uhm, yeah, back in OCTOBER), the holidays decided to creep up on us and land firmly in our home, trampling our precious routines to bits.I had every

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-15977949838692984312010-10-17T18:15:00.005-05:002010-10-17T18:39:42.383-05:00

Well, it's an announcement that is two weeks overdue, but since Mr. Baby graced us with his presence a few days early (albeit with a bit of encouragement), I suppose I'm okay with the ANNOUNCEMENT being overdue instead of the baby! :)Yes, it's true, I'm now outnumbered four to one in the Diva Household. Well, if you count Princess the Wonder Dog, I suppose it's only four to two, but as a former

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-79360279669769203362010-09-27T13:27:00.003-05:002010-09-27T13:41:18.697-05:00

Yeah, just when you think things can't get any crazier, they usually do. :) Nothing big to report in the Diva Household, just trying to wrap up my work world so I can go on maternity leave with a clear conscience and trying (with my wonderful DH doing most of the home work) to prepare our house for the impending arrival of Mr. Baby.I'm always amazed how such a small little creature can create so

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-8816231764971130442010-09-20T09:43:00.005-05:002010-09-20T17:18:24.630-05:00

I've been feeling a bit sentimental lately. It could be attributed to any number of recent occurrences or events in my life...pending arrival of Mr. Baby, celebrating the 12th anniversary of my 29th birthday, my many friends who have lost loved ones recently, who knows?At any rate, it seems that I've been more and more appreciative of life and those who have played an important role in my

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-56364265437151835492010-09-17T10:28:00.003-05:002010-09-17T10:55:05.447-05:00

It's no secret to any woman who's been pregnant that babies steal your brain.Yes, it's true. I don't care what Discovery Health says, with ALL THREE of my pregnancies, I've been "dumbed down". I forget things, process thoughts way more slowly, the whole nine yards.Unfortunately, in my experience, it often takes up to a year AFTER the baby comes to regain full mental capacity. I also figure

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-7643306452462281492010-09-14T15:20:00.004-05:002010-09-14T16:00:16.008-05:00

If you're the parent of a tweenager (or in my case The Tweenager), it's likely you'll know exactly WHO does random dancing. This post doesn't really have anything to do with her, but it was the first thing that popped into my head when I thought of creating a random blog post.So here they are, in random order, the random thoughts that have been dancing through my head lately.Mr. Baby is perfectly

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-91620063863095354522010-09-11T00:00:00.000-05:002010-09-11T10:15:44.062-05:00

My return to Six Word Saturday comes on a day where few words are needed.We remember the innocent souls and heroes .Go to Show My Face for more SWS entries.

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-15268197287214707542010-09-10T16:24:00.004-05:002010-09-10T16:47:33.750-05:00

Our school district has an automatic notification system. It's one of those dealios where you provide every possible means of contact, and when the district wants to send information home or make some sort of emergency announcement, you'll receive fifty seven eleven hundred thousand auto-messages from the school district.I really don't mind it. I just have to remember to provide only one or two

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-2069391193781943462010-09-09T00:01:00.000-05:002010-09-09T00:01:01.601-05:00

Two incidents have recently caught the eyes of the nation. Both are related to the upcoming anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Both are completely permissible and legal. Initiators of both events are well within their rights to move forward with their plans.And personally, I don't think either should take place.I am, of course, talking about the proposed mosque/Muslim Community Center near Ground

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-25696183717606248452010-09-07T21:45:00.000-05:002010-09-07T22:05:46.425-05:00

They seem like such a normal, simple thing to me. Some even taste better the second time around. But apparently not everyone grew up with them. When we were first married, Diva Husband really didn't want anything to do with them.Fortunately, he came to his senses when he realized that I have a problem "cooking for two".Yes, my friends, I'm talking about LEFTOVERS.Those delicious morsels that are,

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-70361196027788391162010-09-07T00:00:00.000-05:002010-09-07T00:00:01.475-05:00

After two children, it shouldn't surprise me, and yet somehow, it does.I don't like to do housework. I'm not a very good housekeeper. My Diva Grandma used to have a sign in her house that pretty much summed things up."My house is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy."I don't like to do laundry, primarily because it seems like it NEVER FREAKING ENDS. Just when I think I've

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-25502726480183512562010-09-06T00:00:00.000-05:002010-09-06T00:00:00.460-05:00

Labor Day has become one of those holidays that nobody really understands. Frankly, I don't think I was ever really TAUGHT the origins or history of the holiday. For most Americans, it's simply become a date that marks the symbolic end of summer, the time to close up summer homes, close down swimming pools, and pack the white shoes away for the winter.I guess it's good that we have a long weekend

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-63725023984181859122010-08-30T15:51:00.003-05:002010-08-30T16:09:40.600-05:00

It has nothing to do with carrying on the legacy of the name and everything to do with the toys.Yes, the toys.When The Tweenager was born, Diva Husband was rightfully proud. He created custom cigar wrappers with the little man's picture on them. He bought the child a Fisher Price Power Wheels truck before the kid was even old enough to sit up on his own.When we welcomed The Manimal, I have to

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-71235104656919327492010-08-25T09:09:00.004-05:002010-08-25T09:17:42.708-05:00

Tiger Woods was an amazing golfer (and still is, if you're the average hit-the-links-on-Sundays or don't-really-know-anything-about-the-sport kind of golfer). Bottom line, though, is that he's a celebrity and has about as much in common with your average readers/viewers as the Queen of England does with an Aboriginal tribesman living somewhere in Australia.I care about Tiger's (finally) finalized

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-46247622331851847522010-08-16T12:37:00.004-05:002010-08-16T12:49:36.262-05:00

Being 33 weeks pregnant, the most often used room in my house has got to be the bathroom. Being a woman in a houseful of men, I always have to be on my guard when I go to use the facilities, though. Stumbling into the bathroom in my stupor at o-dark-thirty is likely to end up with my nether regions taking an unexpected bath if I'm not aware of my surroundings. When I found out that Baby #3 was a

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-11462326899037349272010-08-11T11:22:00.003-05:002010-08-11T11:46:01.106-05:00

I've seen this before, in various iterations. I so wish I could take credit for its creation, but I can't. It has been credited to many authors, including The London Times and comedian George Carlin. It's a classic and bears repeating, particularly in this day and age of political correctness. It reminds me a lot of my favorite Saturday Night Live skit with Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler, Weekend

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-30155788861571403862010-08-04T08:31:00.004-05:002010-08-04T09:34:05.373-05:00

By now most Americans know that Chelsea Clinton got married this past weekend. The media glommed on for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which being the secrecy that surrounded the preparations and event itself.It was reported that the secrecy was due not to requests from her slightly famous parents, but from the bride herself. And really, who can blame her? It's not like the media have a

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-40423507566197655222010-07-30T08:43:00.004-05:002010-07-30T09:29:28.383-05:00

I'm getting old.Lately, I'm starting more and more sentences with "When I was a kid..." or "When I was your age...". I find it happens often when discussing sports.Now, lest you think I make a habit of discussing sports, I don't. But the value of team sports and other team co-curriculars for kids has always been, in my opinion, underestimated. Cooperation is a part of life, and the sooner one

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-31925599578414786702010-07-20T14:08:00.003-05:002010-07-20T14:27:40.749-05:00

Both the baby and I are still kicking (and waving to Diva Nana). Just been crazy busy. Or as I like to say "Gone Crazy, Back Soon".Random tidbits to keep you entertained...Baby #3 is at 29 weeks now. Only 11 weeks to go. I am SO not ready for this.The Manimal is INSISTENT that we are naming the previously aforementioned child "Darth Vader". Won't he be shocked?Diva Husband is INSISTENT that we

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-26186758531755978582010-07-01T09:53:00.002-05:002010-07-01T09:58:32.512-05:00

My favorite men's body wash has done it again. Remember "I'm on a Horse"?Well, the geniuses at Old Spice's marketing firm have returned with hot OS man, Isaiah Mustafa, and this time, he walks on water! These commercials are the best! I love that they are basically poking fun of their own industry. Check it out!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-22054381220303951492010-06-28T15:18:00.004-05:002010-06-28T15:37:20.174-05:00

The Diva Homestead has been invaded by a seemingly innocuous, gentle species. They're sweet-looking, cute and fuzzy.Yes, I'm talking about the Lagomorpha Leporidae.I prefer to call them the "wascally wabbits".We started having problems with them last year when they discovered my hostas in the front yard. We're trying to avoid them attacking our lovely tomatoes and herbs and many assorted young

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-15775265088915419132010-06-16T09:45:00.001-05:002010-06-16T09:49:18.804-05:00

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-48159590229258694002010-05-31T00:00:00.003-05:002010-05-31T00:00:02.559-05:00

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." --John F. KennedyEach Memorial Day weekend, for more than ten years, we've traveled to Northern Wisconsin to visit my Gram. Each year, the time we spend with her is more and more precious.

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-65656338583994206812010-05-30T00:00:00.001-05:002010-05-30T00:00:03.902-05:00

While praying and thinking today about He who made the ultimate sacrifice for all of humankind, pray too for the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of our country.Then go check out The Pioneer Woman's Photo page and be touched by her "Coming Home" photos, especially remembering those who didn't.

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-76157167405649414192010-05-26T14:32:00.003-05:002010-05-26T14:57:50.619-05:00

If you've been around here awhile, you know of my passion for New Life for Haiti, a charity that benefits people in the Grande Anse River Valley on the southern peninsula of Haiti. While I've not had the privilege of being a part of one of the work trips, many of my friends have gone.One of the common threads of everyone's experience is the passionate love that they develop for the people in this

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-41369937549420977832010-05-23T19:19:00.002-05:002010-05-23T19:25:10.517-05:00

Between a "real-life" sermon from our Pastor today and these two songs I found on a bloggy friend's site, I'm pretty sure God's got a message for me...So you thought you had to keep this upAll the work that you doSo we think that you’re goodAnd you can’t believe it’s not enoughAll the walls you built upAre just glass on the outsideSo let ‘em fall downThere’s freedom waiting in the soundWhen you

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-73672275268588645412010-05-21T09:39:00.005-05:002010-05-21T10:13:19.092-05:00

Well, not officially yet.The Tweenager's last day of school is June 3. This is the first year since he's been in the district that they've not extended the school year due to snow days. Strange, really. I mean, the district calendar actually lists it as "tentative last day".Crazy.Growing up in Southwest Ohio, we had five snow days built into the calendar. Meaning if we actually got through the

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-80855616837410847602010-05-14T16:08:00.002-05:002010-05-14T16:30:06.760-05:00

This is the time of year for graduation ceremonies, and here at Diva U., we'll celebrate our grads this weekend. While planning the logistical part of the ceremonies is my job now, in a former lifetime, my involvement in graduation ceremonies was limited to music.As in conducting it.As a high school band director, it was my responsibility to corral the bandos and conduct them in the prelude and

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-91869379066422859692010-05-11T13:55:00.004-05:002010-05-11T14:17:46.014-05:00

The Manimal is smart. Yes, I know every parent thinks their child is a genius, but in this case, most people who've met him agree on two points.1. He's too smart for his own good.2. Diva Husband and I are in BIG trouble.Last week The Manimal and I watched "Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie" on Hulu.He was fascinated. Asked all kinds of questions."Why did Jonah go wif da pirates?""Why do dose pirates

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-10006185486087983312010-05-06T12:14:00.003-05:002010-05-06T12:30:32.471-05:00

If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a sucker for a good kid story. One of those where your eyes well up with tears and you think, "Wow. That kid's parents/coach/teacher must be really proud of them."And somehow, deep down inside, you hope that someday, your kid GETS it too.From Devil Ball Golf, A Yahoo! Sports Blog:"There are times to be competitive. Moments when all you want to do is

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-9076186224218319932010-05-03T11:15:00.002-05:002010-05-03T11:34:57.966-05:00

When I was a kid, I went to Girl Scout Camp in the summer. I loved it, even if we only got to go for one week. Somehow, living in platform tents and using an outdoor shower and latrine were attractive when I was nine.One summer I went to Church Camp for a week. I went with a dear friend and we had a blast. Things weren't quite as rustic as Girl Scout Camp, but still, it was CAMP.In college, I was

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-45795747560180553132010-04-24T20:23:00.003-05:002010-04-24T20:45:35.058-05:00

While I live in a testosterone-heavy household, I have to say that I'm fortunate that Diva Husband doesn't turn me into a sports widow every season. He's not really into following pro or college sports too much, although he's been known to enjoy a good car race.The Manimal isn't really old enough to become too much of a sports fanatic, but The Tweenager has started to develop a taste for college

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-91876714532365486222010-04-20T12:39:00.004-05:002010-04-20T13:02:02.838-05:00

(image source: http://thefastertimes.com/comics/files/2010/02/justice-league.jpg)Did you ever get to a time in your life as a parent where you're pretty sure you "got" your kids? I mean, I'm always up for a surprise, but I was feeling pretty sure about my kids.I know my kids.I know what they like and what they don't. I know how much sleep they need and when they've had more than enough computer

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-40037263173418968782010-04-17T00:01:00.000-05:002010-04-17T00:01:01.106-05:00

As far as labels go, I'm a big fan. They keep things straight in my head. Not to mention it makes simple tasks like telling the difference between salt and sugar a much easier process.As far as people go, I'm on the fence. I love my labels of "mom" and "wife". It thrills me to say that I have two "sons". And to me it's simply nothing more than a fact of genetics and birthplace that Diva Husband

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-73787381037043856662010-04-16T09:40:00.003-05:002010-04-16T09:54:48.768-05:00

I love Ireland. I love reading about Ireland. I love Aran sweaters and celtic crosses. Irish Dancing makes me want to curl my hair into ringlets and put on my dancing shoes. Seeing pictures of Ireland stirs the travel bug in me.I'm pretty sure I was Irish in another lifetime, but sadly, I have not one drop of Irish blood in my veins in my current lifetime. Some friends of a friend are finalists

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-8033031592442264982010-04-09T16:00:00.002-05:002010-04-09T16:12:21.507-05:00

Yes, I'm still alive. Turns out, growing a baby takes WAY more energy than I remember! Or maybe it was the week I spent in Kentucky for a conference for work. Or perhaps the fact that work is insanely busy during March and April. At any rate, I'm exhausted more often than not, and when I'm not, I'm probably working!Sweet Son #1 has a new name. Starting today, he'll be known to the interwebz as

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-48473340752443470592010-03-17T08:35:00.003-05:002010-03-17T08:38:32.489-05:00

This one will have you crying tears of laughter into your green beer today!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-71403839970768473992010-03-12T16:36:00.007-06:002010-03-12T16:51:26.536-06:00

When I was a high school band director, I tried to preach to teach my kids about the importance of having class. In the years following graduation, I knew that very few of them would ever play their instruments or participate in a marching band competition again.But they would face competition throughout life.And class? Is a life skill a lot of adults could stand to learn.In the ten plus years

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-27265417402445965352010-03-09T09:18:00.005-06:002010-03-10T13:18:49.532-06:00

It's Post-It Note Tuesday again! Why not join us? All the cool bloggers are doing it! You can find more of us over at SupahMommy's. Today's theme is "True Story".

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-91932454171935389562010-03-08T00:01:00.004-06:002010-03-08T00:01:00.970-06:00

Long before Disney Channel, there was PBS. And I'm not talking about PBS Kids or Sprout. I'm talking about plain old PBS, the channel that had kids shows for a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours during the after-school hours. I'm not really sure what they did in the in-between times, but as a kid, I didn't really care.When I was pregnant with SS#1, I made a decision that the

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-58623296131612196582010-03-06T00:01:00.000-06:002010-03-06T00:01:01.456-06:00

When did they get so big?

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-4913007355810795962010-03-05T11:08:00.004-06:002010-03-05T11:20:27.555-06:00

On any given day during a Chicago winter, we're pretty used to our morning traffic reporting fog delays, snow delays, ice delays, black ice, sleet, sideways snow, and my all-time favorite "wintry mix".You get the idea.So you can imagine our shock and surprise, when this morning, none of those things were being reported. In fact, there are distinct signs that winter MAY be on its way out the

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-46068217057954552522010-03-04T00:01:00.002-06:002010-03-04T00:01:01.331-06:00

Two years ago, I had a small outpatient procedure to address some minor "female issues". At some point during one of those doctor visits, my doctor began a conversation that had a statement beginning with "Women of your age..."I have no recollection of what she said after that.Women of my age? I was 38 going on 39 at the time and I certainly didn't consider myself in the "women of your age"

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-64001581627631443232010-03-03T09:18:00.004-06:002010-03-03T09:36:35.031-06:00

Our regular WFMW host is on her way to Kenya with Compassion, Int'l. Bloggers. This week, visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer for more WFMW posts!In this economy it seems like everyone is trying to be a bit more responsible with their money. Budgets are cool. Couponing is the latest rage.Frugal is the new black!I suspect, that if our family and many of our friends are any indication, one of the

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-31462933782973423452010-03-02T09:33:00.006-06:002010-03-02T09:40:18.532-06:00

For more Post-It Note Tuesdays, visit Supah Mommy!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-44790909542836756902010-03-01T10:28:00.000-06:002010-03-01T10:29:40.036-06:00

Oh, I so need this today!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-10378826697128546692010-02-27T15:34:00.003-06:002010-02-27T15:37:52.859-06:00

God says surprise, restocking baby supplies.

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-85801221715719440792010-02-25T14:51:00.004-06:002010-03-01T10:31:05.660-06:00

I'm of the camp that believes the best part of the Super Bowl is generally the commercials. "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" has officially made Old Spice my favorite company ever.Basically, the guy starts out in a shower, is transported to a boat, and then, yes ends up on a horse.All because of Old Spice Body Wash, of course.It was clearly shot through the magic of computers. Or was it? Check

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-59027341923391493962010-02-24T00:01:00.000-06:002010-02-24T12:10:52.828-06:00

I don't usually participate in WFMW, but this was such a deal, how could I not?I listen to my iTunes at work. I love it. It keeps me sane. I would love to be able to listen to streaming radio or Pandora, but our firewalls don't love those at all.I don't have as much music on my iTunes as those who know me IRL would think. iTunes recently raised most of their song prices to $1.29, which can add up

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-41218562948221617922010-02-23T00:01:00.001-06:002010-02-23T11:32:36.540-06:00

For more Post-It Note Tuesdays and How to Make Your Own, visit SupahMommy!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-30691755782677324332010-02-18T09:51:00.004-06:002010-02-18T10:39:21.093-06:00

I like playing with makeup. I don't wear it regularly, except for foundation, mascara and lip gloss, but I think it must be in my DNA. I am, after all, a girl!I love the beautiful colors in the eye shadows. The blushes intrigue me. And I'm a sucker for my Chanel brushes. Whoever said that having the proper tools was half the battle was SO right!Sephora may very well be the mothership.Which is why

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-21208350266535982542010-02-17T10:35:00.005-06:002010-02-17T10:53:40.836-06:00

My friend Suzette is doing an American Cancer Society Relay for Life this weekend. She needs to raise $50 more to reach her goal. I think it would be cool if she could raise even more than that! How about going to her RFL site and donating? Even $10 can make a huge difference.Giving up St*rbucks for Lent? Go see Suzette and donate two day's worth of drinks to her team. Giving up fast food? Go

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-81821096214131887912010-02-16T12:41:00.005-06:002010-02-16T13:18:33.588-06:00

It's a new Meme today! For more Post-It Note Tuesdays and How to Make Your Own, visit SupahMommy!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-59575426380211084032010-02-09T13:10:00.001-06:002010-02-09T13:12:02.700-06:00

This makes the band director in me want to pick up my baton again! Wowzers...

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-16095523842402757402010-02-07T18:35:00.001-06:002010-02-07T18:37:14.246-06:00

Hard to believe that we've had Princess the Wonder Dog for three years, but it's true! Here's a blast from the past, the post I wrote shortly after she joined the family...Well, we took the plunge and became dog-owners.A wonderful local shelter had several pups and we took this one home with us. As near as our vet can tell, she's a Chow-Chow/Rottweiler mix. Our new little fur-child has, of course

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-32004020327015032882010-02-05T00:01:00.000-06:002010-02-05T00:01:00.752-06:00

Seriously one of the funniest captioned pictures EVER. I've had a copy of this on my bulletin board at work for years.

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-34173006683349885822010-02-04T15:25:00.001-06:002010-02-04T15:26:34.648-06:00

Today is the final day to enter the Stamp Set and Block giveaway! Be sure to enter before 9 pm tonight!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-5688495970651096152010-02-03T20:20:00.003-06:002010-02-03T20:26:42.515-06:00

If there were ever a day to miss posting, this would be it. Things are nuts. But I've managed to post an entire freaking month! Every single day. Pretty amazing, actually. And there is no way, if I can help it, that I'm gonna miss now!On the plus side, I received a sweet little package in the mail today. I ordered one of sweet, creative Lisagh's key fobs. It's a bee. You know, like "ElleBee",

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-66962244248647954632010-02-02T13:14:00.003-06:002010-02-02T13:29:11.053-06:00

Today is the Primary Election in our fair state. Even if you're not familiar with much in our fair state, you probably have heard of our former Governor. He's made more than a few media appearances in the last year or so. His wife appeared on the show "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here", when prosecutors banned his own appearance. Recent rumblings have been made that he may show up next on

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-75611466843711859032010-02-01T13:02:00.007-06:002010-02-01T13:29:52.940-06:00

Hard to believe, but yesterday marked my five hundredth post! I guess that's what happens when you decide to post every day and forget to keep track of just how many posts you've done in total! I thought 300 was a milestone and now 500 has come and gone!If you read yesterday's post, I introduced you to my creative friend Michelle. Well, she has graciously agreed to help me celebrate this

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-20795654319566201372010-01-31T09:04:00.004-06:002010-01-31T16:03:09.083-06:00

I love doing crafts. Unfortunately, I don't do them very often, with the exception of the occasional Christmas craft. I have, over the years, dabbled in many crafty projects. As a child, I once worked on a simple plastic canvas needlepoint project for TWO YEARS before I completed it.Yes. Two years.I get interested and then my interest wanes. Consequently, I become a Jill of All Trades (and Master

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-45223636450412975472010-01-30T19:33:00.001-06:002010-01-30T19:36:07.296-06:00

Wii Star Wars...playing together...AMAZING!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-87724294008217776762010-01-29T10:03:00.002-06:002010-01-29T10:09:08.816-06:00

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I confess, I saw this on another blogger's site and now cannot remember which one! I think it's pretty appropriate for a Friday, where frankly, sanity is overrated!Ways to keep a healthy level of sanity:At lunchtime, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down. Insist that your

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-36624612016533325712010-01-28T16:26:00.004-06:002010-01-28T16:54:29.497-06:00

It's going to take more than a bit of putting thisInto thisSo we can put theseOnto them.Yep. We're planning a trip a little over a year from now. I'm really excited for many reasons. First, it's Disney for Pete's (Dragon) sake...it's the Happiest Place on Earth (just for you, NJ!)!Second, both boys will be old enough to ride and enjoy everything and young enough to not be too cool for a pair of

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-33682484096553053822010-01-27T12:41:00.004-06:002010-01-27T12:56:32.707-06:00

Music in my ears...Book in my hand...Movie on Friday Night...

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-56098929948823741662010-01-26T20:58:00.002-06:002010-01-26T21:22:46.741-06:00

I'm generally a positive person. A "glass half-full" kind of girl. I've even been accused of being a bit Pollyanna-ish. I'm also usually usually pretty open to other people's personalities.What I absolutely CANNOT stand, though. What drives me absolutely BATTY, makes me want to run SCREAMING in the other direction...Negative people.Now, I'm not talking about people who are just having a rough day

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-74574342880026748802010-01-25T16:33:00.002-06:002010-01-25T16:43:59.853-06:00

The Manimal has incredibly dry skin. It's been that way since he was born. I've tried so many lotions, potions and creams, that I could probably stock an entire skin care aisle with what hasn't worked.Did you know that there are some skin lotions that contain ingredients that actually DEHYDRATE the skin? And the manufacturers KNOW about this!In my mind, that just stinks. I mean, you buy the

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-14222953507265539602010-01-24T12:45:00.003-06:002010-01-24T12:54:49.238-06:00

It's that time of year again. Mailboxes are being stuffed with the W-2 forms for all USA taxpayers. As the saying goes, the only sure things in life are death and taxes.Throughout the year, many people keep track of their charitable donations to deduct from their taxes. Usually, December 31st is the end of deductions for that calendar year.This year, the IRS has stepped up to encourage donations

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-84054970732526371262010-01-23T21:10:00.003-06:002010-01-23T21:17:12.085-06:00

After a lovely-yet-not-fancy tea party this morning with some fabulous ladies from church, I was buried under six loads of laundry.Blame my mother. She's the one who taught me to sort.In the midst of the laundry, I also made lunch and cooked dinner.Yes, "made" lunch and "cooked" dinner. Tried making potato chips, which I've done before with decent success.Tonight's attempt was less than

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-24737222617817979232010-01-22T20:01:00.005-06:002010-01-22T20:08:09.027-06:00

Four years ago today, this was me. Well, to be more specific, it was WE.Your big brother was so excited to have a buddy.And from little on, you let us know what you liked......and didn't like.Now you are four, and we love you more than ever.Happy Birthday, Manimal!

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-44811785267769988052010-01-21T00:01:00.000-06:002010-01-21T09:22:16.498-06:00

A friend of mine lives in Chicago. Actually IN Chicago. (She's not one of us suburbanite city wannabes.)Chicago and Illinois have some pretty significant political races occurring this year, and our primary elections are coming up on February 2. Like many other places, we are able to vote early to help avoid some of the crowds, and give more people an opportunity to do their civic duty.My friend

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-73132645536677554752010-01-20T00:01:00.000-06:002010-01-20T11:17:42.033-06:00

A friend referred me to a new blog. And I don't know whether to feel informed or ill.A bit of background info.I rarely bought school lunch as a kid. Frankly, it was pretty expensive, compared to my mom packing our lunches. Of course, being a kid, I thought the grass was always greener. The year that I bought lunch regularly, I wanted to bring my lunch and when I was brown-bagging it on a regular

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-82281595036287939992010-01-19T00:01:00.000-06:002010-01-19T09:18:11.194-06:00

Sadly, as the days go by, the news from Haiti becomes more commonplace. People expect it to be the lead news story. They expect to hear about more deaths as bodies are recovered from the rubble. Stories of the difficulties that teams are having actually GETTING supplies to the people are no longer met with outrage. Americans expect to hear stories of celebrities raising money (and sometimes

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-76406761453751293302010-01-18T12:36:00.004-06:002010-01-18T12:59:48.998-06:00

Well, as promised, I tried the "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" recipe shared by The Ivory Hut. While I'm certainly no Pioneer Woman when it comes to food photography, I did manage to take shots at almost every step of the way.It's got a nice, crusty crust. You bread lovers out there know what I'm talking about. The bread texture itself was dense, and not what I would've liked from the airy

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-31482525718703111772010-01-17T14:51:00.004-06:002010-01-17T14:57:21.230-06:00

This past week, my heart was heavy remembering a significant loss from last year. I'm sure he's up there, celebrating with his Savior. But knowing Jacob, he's singing or organizing some musical performance or, as I mentioned to his sisters, eagerly trying to figure out "the answer", which, as we all know, is 42.In his brief 30 years on earth, he truly seemed to love life and live it fully.God

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-42439338518596228542010-01-16T13:19:00.002-06:002010-01-16T13:25:59.974-06:00

The Manimal is at a fun age. He's very imaginative and has a strong bond with the Fire Ants. If you're in the southern part of the USA, you know that fire ants are nasty little creatures. Diva Nana tells a story from when we lived in Mississippi and I sat in a fire ants' nest. The little beasts invaded my diaper and ohmygranny.You can imagine what my reaction must have been. I'm just grateful

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-91113832412614367622010-01-15T09:35:00.003-06:002010-01-15T10:07:11.810-06:00

I love to cook. Baking, however, scares me a bit.I know the reason. Cooking is somewhat inexact. It's subjective. A teaspoon of salt may be perfectly seasoned to one diner, but may make the soup taste like seawater to another.Baking, on the other hand, requires fairly precise measurements. Four cups of flour MEANS four cups. And not four coffee cups. Or four "that's about a cup". Four cups. 32

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-67103139386155685332010-01-14T08:37:00.006-06:002010-01-14T09:25:13.512-06:00

"What?! Giving again?!" I asked in dismay."And must I keep giving, and giving away?""Oh no," said the angel, looking me through."Just keep giving until our Lord stops giving to you."(Anonymous)It is impossible to look at the photos of Haiti and her people and NOT be touched. For those of us with connections, with friends, looking at the photos is heart-wrenching. We want to be there to help, to

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-36406533425425322862010-01-13T00:01:00.002-06:002010-01-13T00:01:00.182-06:00

Haiti is always in my prayers, and today more so than usual. As you probably know, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, possibly the world, has been devastated by an earthquake.Please pray for this couple and all of the people they help.Steve and Joline Moore are the resident missionary couple for New Life for Haiti. We've gotten word from Joline that they are safe, but many of the

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-47014372439796206542010-01-12T00:01:00.000-06:002010-01-12T00:01:00.276-06:00

I'm finally to the point where looking at my Christmas pictures doesn't give me the cold shakes.You know what I'm talking about, right? I mean, I love Christmas. Love it. But frankly, it's stressful. So I take the pictures, then don't look at them again until my Christmas decorations are packed safely away until next year.Of course, that means that half of the toys you'll see in the following

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-10487566328675322902010-01-11T00:01:00.000-06:002010-01-11T09:57:57.154-06:00

Sweet Son #1 has a slight obsession. I'm not really concerned about this one, though, because it's not illegal, immoral or unethical and, among the fourth grade males, it's pretty normal.Pokemon.He collects these cards with fantasy characters on them, then "battles" with his friends who also collect the cards.I used to think it was a simple card game, like "War" or "Go Fish". You know, the higher

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-16785672498140712062010-01-10T09:00:00.002-06:002010-01-10T09:03:40.279-06:00

"Let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves...." 1 Jn 3:18-20, The MsgBeautiful scripture and reminder that He who is in us

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-69166115058841760412010-01-09T00:01:00.002-06:002010-01-09T00:01:00.557-06:00

Thank the Lord for hairdressing geniuses.

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-79261896785241023292010-01-08T00:01:00.001-06:002010-01-08T00:01:01.132-06:00

I'm frustrated.I have enough trouble putting myself together in the morning so I look as though people aren't covering their children's eyes to shield them from the ugly monster relatively presentable.Now I've had it with the look of my blog.I've wanted to learn blog design for more than a year now and I've just not done it. And I know that I could pay someone to design a way cool blog look for

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-62597003820772722072010-01-07T09:56:00.002-06:002010-01-07T10:06:44.616-06:00

Well, by now you may be sensing a previously non-existent trend in my posting. That is to say, there IS a trend.As in, I'm posting every day.Yes my friends, I'm going to attempt that wonder of the blogging world, Blog365. Of course, through the miracle that is post-dated posting (why does that phrase sound so incredibly odd?), I can, in theory, do several posts at a time, and schedule them to

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-27208369422751191862010-01-06T00:01:00.000-06:002010-01-06T00:01:01.937-06:00

If you've been around for a while, you may know that one of my passions is fundraising for an organization called "New Life for Haiti".Founded in 2005, NLH has been working hard to make a difference in a small river valley on the southern peninsula of Haiti. Our church is very involved and we feel it is important to teach our children about Haiti as well.Each summer, the children of our church

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-24558769228330563072010-01-05T00:01:00.001-06:002010-01-05T00:01:00.923-06:00

I was a girl scout when I was a kid. Somewhere in my basement, in a box in the corner, I have the merit patches I earned. I'd pretty much forgotten about those patches until I read Life With a Little One and More. Jenners entertained us all by showing off some of her accomplishments as a Girl Scout.Like Jenners, I imagine that my zeal for activities I once earned merit badges for wore off long

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-15690682809266585332010-01-04T09:09:00.000-06:002010-01-04T09:10:05.165-06:00

Well, it's back to the routine today and I have just one word to say.AmenandthankyouJesus!Yeah, one word.Don't get me wrong. I do FULLY appreciate having had the last two weeks off. It's the longest vacation I've ever taken from work. And since Diva U. was actually closed for the last week, I don't feel like I'm wading through everything that happened while I was gone.Because nothing happened.I

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-23154849045880803302010-01-03T00:01:00.000-06:002010-01-03T00:01:00.204-06:00

Disclosure is generally a good thing. Sort of like confession is good for the soul.While I'm not a compensated blogger (not that I'd turn down some freebies!), I figured I'd go ahead and be in compliance with the FTC's mandate for bloggers.Here goes...This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35989496.post-56636789926102497332010-01-02T07:52:00.003-06:002010-01-02T07:59:40.155-06:00

It's January 2nd and we are in the first deep freeze of the year. No surprise, of course, for two reasons.1. It's Chicago.2. It's winter.Having worked with teenagers for a part of my career, I have encountered Captain Obvious more than once. You know Captain Obvious, right? He (or she-obviousnessness doesn't discriminate) would walk out in January in Chicago and come back in the house, shivering

ElleBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13573589482128669479noreply@blogger.com1