Go Get the Bean!

Well, it seems as though our Indian Summer here in the Windy City has turned against us. Our weather is more reflective of the city's nickname. One good thing about colder weather?

Beans!

No, not this Bean (although he's very funny!).

And not this Bean (but every girl needs Tiffany in her life!). Not this Bean either (however, they are pretty tasty!).
Not even these cute little Beans!

No, I'm talking about THIS bean!

More specifically, THIS bean!

Get the Bean is a company that Meghan and her boyfriend started. They sell all kinds of yummy teas, coffees, biscotti...get the idea? Now I realize coffee sites are a dime a dozen, but here's the cool thing about Get the Bean: they are dedicated to fighting cancer!

How can a bean fight cancer? Meghan is this totally beautiful young woman who beat Stage 3B Cervical Cancer. You can read her story here.

Now they raise awareness through their survivor stories and giveaways. I could tell you everything in this little post, but you really need to read it all for yourself.

With a cup of coffee, preferably.

Early Christmas Gifts

The Manimal and SS#1 are growing like weeds. Both of them were in need of jeans and some winter tops. Now, I don't know about you, but even before the economy started to get scary, I hated paying ridiculous prices for kids' clothes.

Oh, let's get real. I hate paying ridiculous prices for ANYTHING.

So on my lunch hour today, I ran to our local Goodwill and Once Upon a Child. I hit the jackpot with OUaC, spending $40 on two pair of jeans for each of them, and six long sleeved tops for The Manimal. Frankly, that was even better than I could've done at my boys' playclothes standby, Wal-Mart!

But the real jackpot was what I found at Goodwill. For me. The first was very cool.

Or, warm, as the case may be.

Now, it's not the exact color scheme, but it's this sweater from Orvis.

Brand new, it retails for $149. Gently used, I paid $6.99!

Good bargain, huh? But here's the piece de resistance!

Yes, fellow fruGALs, I found a Coach Station Bag at Goodwill. It too, is gently used, but it's Coach quality, so a little TLC will make it good as new!

Brand new, it retails for $258. Gently used, I paid $4.99!

Total retail: $470
Bargain price: $11.98

All hail the Bargain Hunting Queen! :) Merry Christmas to me! :)

What Have You Done Lately?

Found this on Deb's blog...

Copy and highlight the ones you have done!

Swam with wild dolphin
Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
Been inside a Pyramid--Does the Luxor count?
Held a tarantula--not in a million years!
Taken a candle lit bath
Said I love you and meant it
Hugged a Tree
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightening storm at sea--on Lake Mendota?
Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
Seen the Northern Lights
Gone to a huge sports game
Walked the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Grown and eaten your own vegetables
Touched an iceberg
Slept under the stars
Changed a baby’s diaper
Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
Watched a meteor shower
Gotten drunk on champagne
Given more than you can afford to charity
Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
Had a food fight
Bet on a winning horse
Asked out a stranger
Had a snowball fight
Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
Held a lamb
Seen a total eclipse
Ridden a rollercoaster
Hit a home run
Danced like a fool, not caring who watched
Adopted an accent for an entire day
Actually felt happy about your life, even for a moment
Had two hard drives for your computer
Visited all 50 states--close, but only 37
Taken care of someone who was too drunk
Had amazing Friends-- still do!
Danced with a Stranger in a foreign country
Watched wild whales
Stolen a sign
Hitchhiked in Europe
Taken a road-trip
Gone rock climbing
Midnight walk on the beach
Gone sky diving
Visited Ireland
Been heartbroken longer than you were in love
In a restaurant sat at a stranger’s table and ate with them
Milked a cow
Alphabetized your CDs
Pretended to be a superhero
Sung karaoke
Lounged around in bed all day
Posed nude in front of strangers
Gone scuba diving
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Played in the rain
Gone to a drive-in theater
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
Toured ancient sites
Taken a martial arts class
Played a computer game for more than 6 hours straight
Gotten married
Been in a movie
Crashed a party
Gotten divorced
Gone without food for 5 days
Made cookies from scratch
Won first prize in a costume contest
Ridden a gondola in Venice
Gotten a tattoo--not in this lifetime!
Rafted the Snake River
Been on television news program as an “expert”
Got flowers for no reason
Performed on a stage
Been to Las Vegas--got married there!
Recorded Music
Eaten shark--not bad, not great. Taste of Chicago 08
Had a one-night stand
Gone to Thailand
Bought a house
Been in a combat zone
Buried one/both of your parents
Been on a cruise ship
Spoken more than one language fluently
Performed in Rocky Horror
Raised children -Still at it.
Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
Picked up and moved to another city
Walked on the Golden Gate Bridge
Sang loudly in the car and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
Had plastic surgery
Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have
Wrote articles for a large publication--does a letter to the editor of US News & World Report count?
Lost over 100 lbs
Held someone while they were having a flashback
Piloted an airplane
Petted a stingray
Broken someone’s heart
Helped an animal give birth
Won money on a TV game show
Broken a bone
Gone on an African safari --the Disney World Version!
Had a body part below the neck pierced
Fired a rifle, shotgun or pistol--a BB Gun
Eaten mushrooms gathered in the wild
Ridden a horse
Had major surgery
Had a snake as a pet
Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
Slept for more than 30 hours over 48 consecutive hours
Visited more foreign countries than US States
Visited all 7 continents
Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
Eaten Kangaroo meat
Eaten sushi--every chance I get!
Had your picture in the paper
Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
Gone back to school
Parasailed
Petted a cockroach—who the heck PETS cockroaches?!
Eaten fried green tomatoes
Read the Illiad
Selected one important author who you missed in school to read
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Skipped all of your school reunions
Communicated with someone without sharing a common language
Been elected to public office
Written your own computer language
Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
Had to put someone you love in hospice care
Build your own PC from parts
Sold your own artwork to someone that didn’t know it was yours
Had a booth in a street fair
Dyed your hair
Been a DJ
Shaved your head
Caused a car accident
Saved someone’s life

New Bloggy Buddy!

I don't have very many friends in real life who also blog, but my friend Rachel just started. Go check her out at Sunrae's Stories, and give her some bloggy love.

Her sweet little big guy plays football and is just about the cutest thing in pads, and she's also got a darling little girl and a curly head toddler who I'm sure you'll meet in the future.

I'm sure you'll love getting to know her...even if she is a Cubs fan. ;)

Monkey-Napper!

Maybe you remember our visitor from last May. The friendly little Canadian Simian whose Mommy sent him on a trip across the USA.

He'd made quite a few stops and visited some fabulous places.

Unfortunately, he's missing.

That's right. He's been MONKEY-NAPPED! And we're all just devastated, especially little people like Sophie, who was so looking forward to hosting Monkey in California. Or big people like Trish, who was hoping to show Monkey the wonders of Florida.

But the most bummed of all is Lisagh, Monkey's Mommy. She's a wonderful, trusting soul, who's probably now a bit jaded about the whole very cool concept.

Hopefully Monkey's captor will see that a ton of people out there are sad and willing to help get Monkey back, even if it means sending money to pay for the postage or even meeting her somewhere to pick him up!

Please send Monkey back! We miss him!

Election Day

I've worked to avoid seriously discussing politics over the past several months. But now that the election is upon us, I wanted to share this video, which exemplifies one of the reasons I will cast my vote for the McCain/Palin ticket. Please watch all the way to the end. Block out the political message if you must, but watch it to the end. Regardless of your vote, it's pretty near impossible not to be touched by this veteran's sacrifice.

I will not discuss my political leanings on this blog, so if you are thinking of leaving a comment to incite discussion, fuhgettaboutit!

Go vote.

And in the immortal words of Miranda ("The Devil Wears Prada")...

That is all.

Another New Outfit

So, no Mom, this isn't the post you're looking for. I forgot and the video will be up tomorrow--it's an election day thing.

Just my little PSA for my Mom, who's a relatively recent new reader, sometimes known as the Diva Nana. :)

If you've been around for awhile, you know that the Diva look has changed a few times. Started pretty generic, with the basic Blogger layouts. Then my dear Canadian Bloggy Buddy, Lisagh (aka "Crafty McCrafterson") created a darling Diva for my header. We were musing along swimmingly, then my Diva had to take a sudden (and extended) vacay, so as not to be the subject of legal action. I was totally bummed, and Lisagh was as well, but as much as I love blogging, I'm simply not willing to pay big bucks to avoid unintentional copyright infringement. Totally not Lisagh's fault, btw. Long story.

Anyway, that brought us back to BBT (boring Blogger templates), as I am completely HTML illiterate. Boring, that is, until I discovered Scrapblog, where I could make fun headers, with which I've been experimenting for the last several weeks.

Then today, I discovered LeeLou Designs. Oh my, are these girls talented. For a very reasonable price, you can purchase a design. Or, if you're trying like me to be frugal, you can download one of their freebie layouts. They're totally compatible with the Blogger Minima template. Then I added (slightly off-center, I know, but since I don't understand HTML, I can't figure out how to center it so get off my case) my own Scrablog header. It's not perfect, but how fun! Just like playing dress up, only I don't have to get depressed because nothing fits or what does is too expensive! :)

What about you? Do you have an absolutely fab blog design that's a keeper, or are you like me and having fun trying on new clothes? :)

What Did You Say?!

As a little girl, I remember playing house. I was always the mommy. My dolls were the babies, and I took care of them. As I grew up, I always assumed that one day I would get married and have real babies of my own. In a million years, however, I never imagined some of the things that would come from my mouth once those children were a reality...

"Don't sit on the dog's head!"

P3, our dog, is a saint. We adopted her at 8 weeks, so she's never really known anything else, but The Manimal, who had just turned one when we got her, is a bit, well, rough. He sits on her head, pulls her tail, and pushes her out the door. All is forgiven, however, because he is also her main source of treats.

"Remember, the broom is for sweeping the floor, nowhere else."

The Manimal loves to "help mommy", including sweeping. Unfortunately, he does not limit his sweeping to the floor. It often appears that he is fencing some unseen opponent, and in the process, wreaking havoc with the broom/epee.

"Don't bite my butt!"

Does this really need explanation? They have both bitten me THERE. I guess because I'm 5'10", my backside is mouth level for toddlers.

"WHY did you poop on the footstool?"

We're potty training. 'Nuff said

"WHY did you poop on the floor?"

We're potty training. Clearly the boy doesn't understand that poop goes in the potty.

"Get off your brother's head!"

I have two boys. Whenever they're together for more than 2 minutes, some sort of wrestling is bound to ensue.

"No, you can't have chocolate cookies for breakfast."

Although I confess to occasionally considering them, a la Bill Cosby.

"Mommy's shoes are not for dog poop."

He decided since his brother used the Pooper Scooper to clean up the backyard, that he would use my shoes. Fortunately I caught him BEFORE he did the deed.

"Don't touch the poop!"

See previous references.

"Pianos are not ladders!"

Apparently, boys like to climb.

What have you said that you never dreamed you'd hear?

It's NaBloPoMo!

Well, November is upon us, and all you good bloggers know what that means, don't you?

That's right, it's NaBloPoMo.

For all of you uninitiated, we're not speaking some foreign language. That stands for National Blog Posting Month, and it's the time of year when we bloggers try to post every day for the whole month of November! I managed it last year, so I thought I'd try it again this year. The difference being that I have TWO blogs this year, so we'll try and double up! Of course, there are some of you out there who have been celebrating NaBloPoMo EVERY MONTH. Crazies...

Onward and upward, bloggy friends!

Election Day draws near, and apparently, nobody is immune to the hoopla. The election has been a big topic of discussion in SS#1's class this year, primarily due to the "firsts". There was Hillary, the first woman with a legitimate shot at the office. Then there was Obama, the first Black Presidential candidate. Then there was Sarah, with a whole string of firsts, and McCain...well, you get the drift.

Anyway, the other day on the way to school, SS#1 commented "So, Hillary can't vote, right?" Apparently, he felt that not winning your party's nomination was on par with committing a felony.

I explained that, no, she definitely could vote, and likely would be voting. He asked who I thought she'd vote for, and I told him that it would probably be Obama, since he's the Democrat.

SS#1 was quiet for a minute, then asked who I was voting for. Not wanting to get into a political discussion with my eight-year-old, I told him that I'd probably vote for Obama or McCain.

More silence, then he said "McCain's the old guy, right?"

Halloween Humor

I'm all about good, clean jokes. Some of my favorites are the silly little children's jokes (Where does the king keep his armies? In his sleevies!). This one made me laugh so hard this morning that I nearly snorted my pumpkin spice latte!

A man is walking home alone late one foggy night...

when behind him he hears:

Bump...

BUMP...

BUMP...

Walking faster, he looks back and through the fog he makes out the image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.

BUMP...


BUMP...


BUMP...


Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him


FASTER...


FASTER...


BUMP...


BUMP...


BUMP...


He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him.


However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping


clappity-BUMP...


clappity-BUMP...


clappity-BUMP...


on his heels, the terrified man runs.


Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, the man locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.


With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door.


Bumping and clapping toward him.


The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup!


Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket...

and,

(hopefully you're ready for this!!!)





The coffin stops.

Halloween Costumes

Found this over on Fussy's site and thought it was hysterically funny. Oh, what you can do with Photoshop! :)

Souptacular

This time of year always makes me want soup.

I'm a huge fan of good soup. Add some fresh salad and crusty bread, and I could survive forever.
Unfortunately, my family doesn't share my love of soup. While this may typically lead to me making a huge pot of homemade soup, freezing 90% of it and having stockpiles that any economic doomsayer would be proud of, there are times when family not liking soup is a good thing.

Because I can be creative.

I'm a foodie at heart, no getting around it. I love to cook, and I think I'd love to have a little bistro, with maybe 10 small tables, where the menu changed on my whim. Since I don't have that, I have to be satisfied with my own kitchen and trying to sneak in creativity wherever possible.

Enter Thai food.

I love Thai food. Unfortunately, our local Thai restaurant just closed, so now I'd have to head out of town to get some. There's a Thai restaurant abot 45 minutes from home that I love. More specifically, I love their soup.

Ah yes, soup. The point of the post.

Tom Gak Kai. A Thai chicken soup that is SO yummy. And easy.

And as it turns out, the timing is perfect. Because Boo Mama is hosting a Souptacular/Crockpotalooza.

Try this if you've got a hankering for Thai food...

12 oz coconut milk

12 oz can of straw mushrooms (with liquid)

approx. 1.5 cups of chopped chicken breast

approx. 1.5 cups chicken stock

1-2 tbsp fresh basil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste, if you like more of a a kick)

salt to taste

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Bring everything to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Enjoy!

It's also really yummy with some Basmati or Jasmine rice thrown in!

Bloggy Boo!

It's the season for some good clean scaring fun! Noah's Mommy tagged me with a "Bloggy Boo", so if you want to "Boo" a few friends, snag my button and feel free. Here's how it works!

Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "Boo-ed". Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (picture) and tell them to "Boo" their friends. Then, put the picture in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been "Boo-ed" and to send the pic to someone else. So, are you scared yet!!?? BOO!! Okay? one more time.....

1. Take picture, put on sidebar
2. Tell people they have been booed
3. Link back to who booed you

Get to BOO-ING!

Magic Number

Modern Mommy tagged me with a meme. Here are seven things you don't know about me. Well, most of you, anyway! :) Maybe seven RANDOM things are a better heading!

1. I'm fascinated with court/police shows. I'm a HUGE fan of the Law & Order Series.

2. I once spoke with Martin Sheen's answering machine.

3. I never drank alcohol until my 21st birthday.

4. I was married in Las Vegas.

5. I would love to be a stay-at-home mom, but not sure if I could handle it.

6. After I saw "Legally Blonde", I considered taking the LSAT.

7. I am a pack rat, but have, over the past year or so, felt a need to eliminate "stuff".

Well, there you have it! Seven is the magic number, so here are seven more that I've tagged to do the same.

C.Beth Blog

Finding Me In the Madness

I Kicked Cancer's Ass

Tale of a Kansas Girl

Oh My Stinkin Heck

Life in the Parsonage

Add Humor and Faith

Go check out these blogs. They're all on my daily blogroll and I love checking in with them!

She Must've Been REALLY Hungry...

Today we'll be discussing a member of the Diva family who has lately gotten very little blog time.

Our dog.

Princess Poopy Puppy will celebrate her second birthday next month, and thanks in no small part to the little men (monsters) in her life, she still acts much like a puppy. She loves to run and jump. She follows me EVERYWHERE (as an aside, I never truly understood "follow me around like a puppy" until she came along). Sometimes I run to the bathroom and slam the door just to get some privacy, otherwise between she and the boys, I'd NEVER have any time to myself!

And much like a puppy, she must chew. It's got to be in her genes. I've learned to keep her "rolling in rawhide" as it were, otherwise, nothing is safe. Some of her favorite things (victims) include socks, towels, rolls of toilet paper, stuffed animals. You get the idea.

Generally, I don't get too angry. She is, after all, just a puppy. And if I forget to keep her chew toys stocked, that's certainly not her fault. And if she chews up a toy or two, that will just teach SS#1 and The Manimal not to leave things lying around on the floor.

Enter the Little People. I'm talking about those of the Fisher Price variety rather than my offspring. Now, when I was their age, little people were about two inches high, with bodies and heads of wood. Then someone decided that they were choking hazards and the fine folks at FP decided to make them bigger. While I don't think they've quite got the charm of the originals, they're still pretty cute.

Especially the Nativity Scene.

I love our FP Nativity. The boys love our FP Nativity, although perhaps not quite as much as I do. It is just so darn cute, with the little Mary & Joseph, Three Kings, Shepherd, Angels. You get the idea. There is a little perch atop the stable for an angel, and when you push on her, the stable plays "Away in a Manger". The Manimal likes to experiment with various "angels" and thus far his favorite to put on top of the stable is Baby Jesus (who also seems to like to ride in the FP LP Helicopter). Too cute.

Last week, however, we suffered two great losses.

Princess must be hankering for beef, as SS#1 found remnants of the cow. Yes, she ate the Holstein, head and hooves. She was severely reprimanded for this little snack.

But just when we thought she'd learned her lesson, she committed the worst of all possible creche-related snacking sins.

She ATE the Baby Jesus.

Yes, my friends, Princess consumed, body and bed, the figure of Our Savior.

Now, the Manger toys are still cute, but without a Baby Jesus, something seems to be missing. And who will be there to "low" with the other animals if the cow is gone?

I hope God forgives doggie sins.

And please God, help me find a new Baby Jesus and cow.

Amen.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With Strings

Today is October 22nd. That basically leaves just over two months until Christmas. Sixty-four days, to be precise.

I'll give you a moment to let that sink in.

Now you have to give ME a moment.

Whew...

Now that we're all sufficiently shocked, let's talk about presents. Sweet Son #1 hasn't yet begun the Annual Children's Christmas Litany of "I want that. Can I have that? Do you think I could get that for Christmas?". The Manimal, unfortunately, at the tender age of almost-three has made up for both of them.

I'm not sure if it's just because I'm getting older or if the economy is influencing my thoughts, but I'm all about a homemade Christmas this year, at least for the grownups. A lot of bloggers have been talking about this as well, and I'm sure etsy will be seeing a lot of business.

For myself, I'm planning on some yummy edible gifts, including caramel corn, fresh bread, apple pie, cookies and kolaches, garlic and basil olive oil, and other tasty treats. I'll be testing the boys' creative skills with some salt dough ornaments.

Santa will likely be doing some creative bargain shopping this year, as I have decided to leave him a note explaining that we simply don't need any more toys, and what kid wants to get all clothes for Christmas?

Do you have a Christmas budget? Any thoughts on frugal, yet thoughtful Christmas gifts?

A Major Award!

I love "A Christmas Story". It's one of my favorite movies, and the "major award" scene sends me into hysterical laughter nearly every time I watch it.

This is not a major award, but I love it just the same! Meaghan over at I Kicked Cancer's Ass has bestowed the "Kreativ Blogger" award on me. She's so sweet to do that, and she's one busy lady lately, what with kicking cancer and kicking off her new coffee company and all! If you haven't yet, go visit!

Meanwhile, here are the rules of the award:

1. Mention the blog that gave you the reward and comment on their blog to let them know that you have posted the award.

2. You also have to list 6 things you VALUE and 6 things you Don't VALUE.

3. Lastly, you have to pass the award onto 6 other bloggy friends!

Six Things I Value:

1. My relationship with Christ... Although I was raised Catholic, I never felt a really personal connection with Jesus and never understood when people spoke of having one. Now I have a wonderful church home and am a fervent follower of The Galilean. My relationship with Him has truly affected every area of my life.

2. My family...We're scattered in different states, but when it comes to family, miles are no object. You never truly realize the value of family until crisis strikes, and when it did, boy howdy, they came running. I can't imagine living so far from family and not having technology around to make communication easier.

3. Respect... Earned, not demanded.

4. Love... Unconditionally given.

5. A really good night's sleep...I have young children and don't expect to get one anytime soon.

6. Education...Not always formal, but I respect those who choose to educate themselves. My grandfather didn't go beyond 8th grade, but he was one of the most intelligent people I've ever met. And I work in higher education, so that's saying quite a bit.

Six Things I DO NOT value:

1. Meanness...There is no reason for meanness. Ever. Be Nice and Play Fair.

2. Anyone who feels a sense of obligation...The world owes you nothing. It was here first.

3. Stuff...Lately I've been feeling the need to downsize. Since not everyone in my life is on board with that, I can't go to the extremes I probably would by myself, but I think Americans in general have too much stuff.

4. Dishonesty...Tell the truth. It will set you free.

5. CYA Procedures and Rules...Why can't everyone just be honest, do the right thing and be nice? Why do we feel the need to "cover our a$$es"?

6. Laziness...Get off your tookus and get going. Do something. Don't wait for someone else to do it for you.

So now comes the best part where I get to give the award to 6 bloggy friends. Go visit them and spread the bloggy love!

C.Beth Blog...Go visit Beth. She's a mom, a writer and she's FUNNY! She also has this great Writing Blog with one-minute writing prompts.

Just Lisa, No Filler...Not only does she have a really cool first name, ;) she also has a beautiful little girl, Allie Cat, and a sweet little baby boy, Adam. Oh yeah, and Wylee (as in coyote), her fab hubby.

Oh My Stinkin Heck...Heather is a mom, wife, blogger and web designer. She has a very full house (1 hubs, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a snake named Ringo) and a very full life, but still manages to write a great blog!

The Painted House...Now this is one "kreativ blogger". Angela is a wife, mom and ARTIST. She's very talented and I love visiting her house every day!

Mrs. Fussypants...She has SO much on her plate right now. In addition to being a wife and mom, she's started an online magazine called Blissfully Domestic. Bliss!

La Mia Cucina...I am such a foodie. I absolutely love to cook and plan meals, so I couldn't let go without one of my fave food blogs. She's real and down-to-earth and I love reading her every day!

So there you are, the Diva picks for "Kreativ Blogger". Go check them out, and Happy Monday!

Get the Bean!

I'm still recovering from the SITS Blogathon...just when I thought my blog addiction was under control, more than 300 bloggers participated in the day!

There are so many wonderful blogs, and I'm sure I'll be recommending many to you, but I have to tell you about one that touched my heart.

Meaghan left a comment on my other blog, so like a good blogger, I checked hers out. This woman is such an inspiration. In 2007, at age 28, she was diagnosed with Stage 3B Cervical Cancer. She battled long and hard, and against all odds, she beat it! You can read her touching story at her personal blog, I Kicked Cancer's Ass.

Not one to let a little thing like cancer get her down, Meaghan and her boyfriend Bryan, started a company called "Get the Bean!", specializing in organically grown coffee. Here's the cool part. They are using GTB to help fight cancer. How exactly does selling coffee fight cancer? From the GTB Website:

We at G.T.B understand Meaghan's story is not unique. There are many men and women fighting battles against cancer. At Get The Bean we want to do whatever we can to help fight cancer. We have decided to donate a portion of our proceeds to various cancer charities.

THIS IS HOW IT WORKS

1. Tell us about yours or a loved ones battle against cancer
2. We will then post your story on www.gtbfightscancer.blogspot.com
3. Each month we will pick one story to feature
4. If we pick your story you get to pick your favorite G.T.B coffee flavor
5. Next we will ask you to pick the Cancer Charity you would like G.T.B to donate proceeds to
6. For the next year we will donate .50 for every bag purchased of your chosen flavor to your

chosen charity
7. To enter your story email us at fightcancer@getthebean.com

How cool is that?! This is such a perfect example of one of my favorite quotes:

"Never doubt that a small, committed group of people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead)

If you are as inspired by Meaghan's story as I was, go forth and buy beans!

OK, so as a little postscript, I have to say that I was looking to buy the "coffee of the month" so I called GTB's customer service number, and guess what?! I talked to Meaghan! :) She is so excited about this project, and they are LITERALLY just getting underway, so the first story of the month hasn't yet been chosen. Stay tuned, though, I'm sure she'll let everyone know when it's up and running!

Saucy Diva

Who doesn't love comments? It's a bit of bloggy love in those few words!

A few weeks ago, I discovered The Secret is in the Sauce. SITS is a group of bloggers who leave their mark throughout the blogosphere in the form of comments. How cool is that?!

There are SO many fabulous SITSahs with sites, but I wanted to share a few of my faves.

I've mentioned that I'm trying to be more frugal lately, especially with the state of the economy! Pennies In My Pocket is a great site where Melody shares her bargain hunting tips and general fun things. Go check her out!

"I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several attack me at once!" Have you ever felt like this? :) Go visit Evi at Keeping Up With Yesterday. She's a Canadian girl who blogs about every day life.

Mama's Losin' It is MamaKat's fabulous blog. She's so funny and so REAL! Her kids are adorable and she'll introduce you to the whole fam!

Go see Heather at Nobody-But-Yourself. Her Karma Post had me shooting Diet Coke out of my nose.

These are just a few of the loads of excellent bloggers you'll meet when you visit SITS! I love reading everyone's posts, and while I don't make it every day, SITS has great giveaways too! :)

Now go visit SITS and become a "Saucy" Diva yourself!

Time Flies and Water Flows

Holy cats! Is it really October 6th already? I'm such a bad blogger...

Well, not really, but you know, LIFE has been happening. Time sure does fly when you're too busy to pay attention to it, doesn't it?

Living in the midwest, we don't get too many hurricanes, but it seems that Ike got a bit sidetracked. Of course, our damage was nothing compared to my Buckeye State friends (or those in the south and southeast who actually prepare for hurricanes), but the collateral rains which made their way up here to the Windy City were a bit too much for our sump pump to handle.

Water. In the basement.

Fortunately, our Menard's still had sump pumps on the shelf that night at 8:30. A store a few miles away had NONE. Diva husband installed it, and we were on to the drying process.

Here is where the lesson comes in, for those of you who have been fortunate enough to not yet have any flooding.

When your basement floods, be sure to check each and every corner thoroughly. As in, actually go to each and every wall, and don't just do a cursory visual check.

Or weeks later, when you go downstairs to get something, you might just have a damp, musty surprise on your hands.

The good thing about a damp, musty surprise is that it forces you to go through many boxes and papers that you probably should have organized long ago, and, well, THROW THINGS AWAY.

The bad thing is that some things are not as nice when you add water and time.

Take, for example, a rag doll. An old rag doll. As in, the old girl is pushing 40.

When I was little, my grandma made me a doll. The unique thing about this particular rag doll is that she made her with two faces. As a child, I can remember thinking that one looked "nice" and one looked "mean". Apparently, Grandma didn't care for the first face she made, but rather than rip it out, she just turned it over and made a second face on the other side. Kind of weird now that I look back, but I loved (and still love) that doll. Before her bath, she even had a tatoo, where I had written my name in blue pencil on her belly/back long ago.

Her names are Penelope and Gertrude. Now, I never actually knew anyone named Penelope OR Gertrude, so I'm not sure how they were even in my head. I do, however, have a very vivid memory as to WHY I named her those particular names.

Her "nice face" is named Penelope. It still baffles me, as Penelope is a perfectly nice name, but it was, at that time, the most beautiful name my little pre-school mind could conjure.

Gertrude, as you probably have surmised by now, was the name of her "mean face" side. Now, as someone approaching 40, I think Gertrude is a fine name. Elegant, even. It brings to mind Gertrude Stein, Expat American Author who spent her adult life in Paris. Or Shakespeare's "Hamlet" character, Queen Gertrude of Denmark. And it can be shortened to Gert (which for some reason reminds me of a cat) or Trudy (as in Trudy Monk, beloved late wife of one of my favorite TV characters, Adrian Monk).

But I digress. At the time, "Gertrude" was the ugliest, most horrible name I could think of. If your name is Gertrude, or any variant thereof, I do apologize for my pre-school thinking.

To this day, I can think of nobody I know named Gertrude or Penelope.

Except this little lady (these little ladies?), who, other than a removed tatoo and a few places needing to be stitched seems to have come through just fine.



And just for the record, that's Gertrude on the top and Penelope on the bottom.

Icky-D's

Like so many others, I've been trying over the past several months to really watch what I feed my family. As someone who works full-time outside the home, it's often difficult to avoid processed foods completely. I'd love to be able to only feed my family homemade, whole foods, but I'll admit to bribing my children/saving time/saving my sanity with the Golden Arches 3 or 4 times a month. While I know it's not the healthiest option, I rationalized my choice with the excuses above.

My boys are partial to their cheeseburgers. SS#1, being a "big kid", typically gets the Double Cheeseburger Mighty Kids Meal, of which, he usually eats the cheeseburger and ends up throwing away the fries. The Manimal, on the other hand usually takes two bites of the cheeseburger in his Happy Meal (the rest of which ends up as dog food), and sucks down every.last.french fry. One saving grace in the fallen Arches meal is that neither of them drink soda, with SS#1 getting Powerade and The Manimal getting milk or apple juice.

After reading Heather's post, however, I'll be rethinking my visits to Mickey D's...

Fun Giveaway!

Check out A Resting Place for a fun giveaway! They've got some really cute stuff in their store, and for a few minutes of help, you could win a $25 gift card!

Thought You'd Like to Know...

I just now discovered that I'm wearing two different colored shoes. The same style, but one brown and one black. Go ahead and laugh.

I did.

This TOTALLY Sucks!

Hah! Gotcha, didn't I?

While I certainly would never let SS#1 or The Manimal use language like this, I suppose it would be OK if they were describing a vacuum cleaner, like I am.

This one really sucks, because it's self-propelled. And from what I know about the vacuum cleaning world (which, if you saw my dog-hair, lego-covered carpet, would appear to be very little), this is a GOOD THING.

MamaKat is GIVING AWAY one of these beauties. What are you waiting for? Go. Now. Enter!

Look at Me Now!

Recently I was very excited to find out that I was the winner in Shane's giveaway. I won a new premade look for my "Enthusiastically ElleBee" blog!

Judi, from Doodlebug Designs was so sweet to work with, and I love the final look of the blog. If you haven't already moseyed over to my other little corner of the blogosphere, check it out, and be sure to check out Doodlebug Designs if you're in need of some new bloggy clothes!

Shh! I've got a secret!

Now, I know it's waaayyy too early to be thinking about Christmas, but one of my favorite parts is finding the perfect gifts to give people. They don't have to be pricey, but the thought is the best part. After all, we're celebrating the most wonderful Gift ever!

One of the activities I used to love around Christmastime was "Secret Santas". With the advent of the blogosphere, we now have a whole new community of online friends with whom to share that activity.

Georgie from "Decisionally Challenged" has decided to run the Secret Santa Soiree. Anything that involves gift giving, and I'm in! Check it out for yourself and see if you don't find yourself humming carols and getting the urge to go Christmas shopping!

Training the Potty

Well, it was bound to happen sometime, what with the pesky habit children have of growing up.

Yes, we've entered the potty training stage with The Manimal.

He's doing surprisingly well, going on the potty both in the morning and at night before bed. We haven't ventured to pull ups or training pants yet, but we're working on it, and he won't be three until January.

Unfortunately, he fails to see the need to "go pee-pee on the potty" at the sitter's house. We've tried bribery, we've tried threats, but he simply refuses. One conversation ended up with him sharing his logic thusly:

Me: "Manimal, why won't you go potty at Miss G's house?"
Manimal: "I NO go potty dere."
Me: "But why? You'll get 5 M & M's" (our bribe for peeing in the potty)
Manimal: "She no have M & M's"
Me: "Yes, she does. I gave them to her."
Manimal: "I no go potty dere. I no need to. I go potty dis morning at my potty."

Clearly he thinks that once or twice in the toilet is sufficient, and in the diaper the rest of the time is wonderful.

Yesterday, however, our conversation went a bit differently. He actually SAT on the potty at Miss G's house.

Me: "Did you go potty at Miss G's today?"
Manimal: "I sit on da potty, Mommy!"
Me: "Good job, buddy. But did you make pee-pee in the potty?"
Manimal: "No. It was stuck."
Me: "The potty was stuck?"
Manimal: "No. Da pee. Was stuck in my penis. It no come out."

Sigh.

The More Things Change

Today something happened that immediately transported me back to grammar school.

As I dropped SS#1 off at school this morning, we were greeted by an overwhelming aroma. I knew right away what it was, even before I saw the pale, peachy pink, sawdusty stuff on the floor.

Two piles of it, actually.

As a mom, I automatically thought, "Well, I hope the kid's ok."

As a transported-back-in-time grade schooler, I related more with the little girl who, covering her own mouth and nose, warned me seriously "Try not to smell."

Never Forget

As I was dropping Sweet Son #1 off at school this morning, we passed by the flagpole at half mast. I asked him if he knew why it was at half mast today.

"Because somebody important died?"

Yes, baby. Many, many somebodies.

Pie Jesu, dona eis requiem sempiternam.

Merciful Jesus, grant them everlasting rest.

Can I Get an "Amen, Sister!"?

I don't really like discussing politics. I don't like being asked "Are you a Republican or a Democrat?" because I have leanings toward issues on both sides of the aisle. I'm excited about this year's presidential election, mainly because regardless of which party takes office, the results will be historic. We'll either have a woman as VP or a Black man as president.

I don't stick my head in the sand on the issues, but as a general rule, I'd rather focus on our commonalities. I think the mudslinging that goes on between candidates during elections STINKS. I don't think it speaks well for either party. It's one thing to say that you are "pro life", but just because the other party is "pro choice" does not mean s/he supports murdering babies. It's one thing to say that you are against the war, but just because the other party supports it does not mean that s/he is in support of our troops dying.

And while we're on the topic, as a friend of mine once said, it must be nice to be able to base your vote entirely on one issue.

If you've been around here for awhile, you know that I love Jen Lancaster. She's a funny, snarky author who tells it like it is. Her post today ("A Cup of Civility") addresses just how I feel about politics, and is worth reading in its entirety, but I have to put an excerpt of it here in case you don't care to click the link. It's THAT important.

"Whatever team you're on, I bet if you check, you'll find that your dog's feet do smell like Fritos. I bet you love your husband. I bet you have a great group of girlfriends. I bet you've all cursed your neighbors when they leave their garbage cans in your driveway. I bet you've had at least one disastrous haircut in your life. I bet you own a certain pair of shoes that you'd have cut a bitch to possess.

I bet if you think about it, you'll find we all have a million samenesses and just a few differences.

But those differences don't have to prevent us from enjoying each other's company provided we have a modicum of respect for each other.

Not long ago I went to a friend of a friend's house to watch Project Runway. There was a group of us there and we were having a fabulous time until I was outed for having voted for the Bush administration. Even though I'd been laughing and talking with everyone for a few hours - they LIKED me - the mood in the room changed instantly. Suddenly, I was the enemy without ever having opened my mouth about politics. After my outing, one of the people there literally stopped talking to me for the rest of the night. Seriously, he would not even acknowledge my presence. And that was bullshit.

I'm deeply weary of what I'm seeing on the Internet right now, too. I'm tired of reading blogs by members of BOTH parties saying that if you don't agree with me, if you don't see the world exactly as I do, then you're either stupid, uninformed, or just quoting sound-bites. I'm repulsed by the notion that if your ideas don't mirror mine, then you are WRONG WRONG WRONG and now I shall sic my comments section on you so they can reiterate how wrong you are because you couldn't possibly have drawn conclusions based on your own research, on your own experiences, on your own historical filter.

Again? That's bullshit. We should be grilling our leaders, not grilling each other.

When did we stop having rational discourse? And why is there suddenly such a lack of common courtesy out there? I understand everyone's passionate about what they believe, hence so many fiery posts. But I don't think we're accomplishing anything with all polarizing, screamingly dogmatic blog posts. How can anyone be expected to listen or get a better perspective on other people's filters when there's so much yelling going on?

Regardless, this website is my living room on the Internet. You all are my guests. So I'm not bringing politics on this site during election season because I WILL NOT allow anyone to make you feel unwelcome or uncomfortable here in my home.

And if you need to use the bathroom, it's upstairs and to the right."

You can use mine too. Just be sure to put the seat down when you're done. 'Cause honestly, it's those kind of issues that I deal with on a day-to-day basis. Not really concerned about Bristol Palin's love life.

Bookworm

Hi, my name is ElleBee, and I'm a biblioholic.

I admit it, I'm powerless over the written word. My mom taught me to read before I was four, and I haven't stopped since. I'll admit, my addiction to books over the years, has resulted in more than a few library fines, and more than a few, ahem, significant purchases at Barnes & Noble and Borders Books. Sadly, my favorite independent bookstore, Books & Co. , was sold to a conglomerate a while back. They still operate under their own name, but it's just not the same...

Enough reminiscing, though. Now that I'm trying desperately to be more pennywise, the local public library and I are again on a first name basis. I'm also looking for creative ways to secure reading material.

That being said, check out Deena's site. She's a book lover, like me, and is GIVING them away! For the entire month of September. Do you know how many books that is? Come on now, you remember the rhyme! Say it with me, "Thirty days hath September..." Yessiree, that's thirty books in thirty days. Ah, bliss. Check her out every day for a new giveaway!

File this under "Wanted to Be the First to Break the Story"

So today I'll spare you a diatribe about the extreme pain I'm experiencing due to my new gym commitment.

Instead, let's have a little laugh at the expense of some poor AP/Yahoo News (not sure which) reporter who, in his/her quest to be the first to break the story of John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate, neglected to do some basic proofreading.

If you've been around the Diva site for any length of time, you'll know of my love of words and all things grammatical. My disclaimer, of course, is that I'm certainly not perfect all the time, but I'm always on the lookout for public grammar offenses.

Here's my recent fave, the final line of an article referenced above. (You can read the whole article here.) ***UPDATE: So it looks like someone caught the error, because they've completely updated the article and rewritten the part about Sarah Palin's family. Ah well, take my word for it, it was there earlier! :)

"She and her husband Todd Palin, have five children. The latest, a baby, was born with Down syndrome."

Did you catch it? I'll give you a minute to re-read if you didn't.

One simple question. Wouldn't you expect that ALL FIVE of Sarah & Todd Palin's children were born, well, as babies? I know my two children were babies at birth.

Just a little humor as we start what is sure to be a brutal presidential campaign.

The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn

In spin class, I prayed that Jesus would let me die.

This morning, I didn't do that. I took a class called "Total Conditioning", and I couldn't catch my breath long enough to pray for a quick and painless death.

I did, however, survive. And will likely go back. I figure one of two things will happen.

Either I will shape up, and not feel like I will die before the class is over,

OR

I will shape up enough so that I have the breath to pray that it will end.

Spinning Wheels

Yes, I made it to my spin class this morning.

Yes, I survived the whole hour. However, around 5:50, I began a singular prayer. As in, "Sweet, dearest Jesus, please let me die. Now."

It's amazing how focused your thoughts become when it's just you, the bike, and the aching pain in your butt and legs.

All in all, it wasn't half bad, and I intend to go back on Friday. My Thursday morning workout won't be a spin class, which is good, since it will probably take until Friday to recover once my muscles realize what they did this morning.

Spin Cycle

So tomorrow, it begins.

Dear bloggy friends, I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into, but I've decided to go to a morning class at the gym three mornings a week.

At 5:30 am.

Fortunately, the gym is close by my house. But I still have to get up at (gasp) 4:45 am in order to make it to class on time. And that is without a shower, so I don't even have hot water to wake me up! I see no point in showering if I'm just going to work out and will have to shower when I get back.

5:30 am.

Pray for me before you rest your heads tonight. Pray that I will not just turn off my alarm, and that I survive an hour of spinning.

At 5:30 am.

Facebook

I have a new addiction.

I must have it every day, nay, several times a day.

I admit, I am powerless over its amazing capabilities.

My name is ElleBee and I'm a Facebook-aholic.

It started innocently enough, with a friend telling me how much more she liked Facebook than MySpace. Now I have almost 100 friends, and more crazy applications than you can count. I'm concerned because I almost have too much Flair for my board. I can't go one evening without playing Scramble. And I have this poking problem which has nothing to do with my toddler.

Of course there are some good aspects. I've reconnected with friends who I haven't seen in more than twenty years. I'm realizing more and more just how small the world really is, when I discover that friends in one circle of my life know friends in other circles. And I get to see really cute baby/child pictures of my friends and family members.

The downside, of course, is that I just can't stop.

Will you be my friend?

High Tea

I love tea. Hot tea, iced tea. I've even developed a fondness for that stuff those Southerners call "sweet tea". This morning, I decided to have a cup of hot tea, so I assembled all of the necessary tools.

• Tea (leaf form, thankyouverymuch) from this fabulous site. (By the way, if you love tea and want to order from here, leave me a note in the comments and I'll send you a $5 gift certificate!)
• My excellent teapot.
• My favorite Disney mug (it's a nice big mug with a big handle...looveee it)
• Honey

After the tea finished brewing, I poured it, steaming, into the cup. Then I took out the honey.

Ah yes, the honey.

So this past weekend, at the farmer's market, I came across some local honey in the comb. I've heard marvelous things about honey in the comb, so I bought it. Yes, indeedy, it is some tasty honey.

But I have a problem.

And I need your help.

How, exactly, does one get the honey OUT of the comb?

You see, if I just chuck a chunk of the comb into my tea, I end up with waxy bits floating in my cuppa. This does exactly nothing to enhance the tea drinking experience.

I tried smashing some comb to extract the honey, but just ended up with a mashed, sticky, waxy mess.

Please help me. I need some of the sweet honey goodness in my tea.

Free the Tethered Children

Or not.

I think I've established the fact that The Manimal is, well, active. If he's not in a stroller or cart, I use a pseudo-leash to keep him in tow. It is disguised as a cute little monkey backpack, so he's usually oblivious to the fact that Mom has him on a leash.

When The Manimal is on a leash, however, he finds other ways to wreak toddler havoc.

Enter the Take-Along Tether.

This invention is the brainchild of Jennifer Spencer, a mom who was tired of chasing her children or picking up their sippy cups and toys. She recently appeared on Good Morning Texas in a segment featuring unique baby gifts.

If you're looking for a way to keep track of your little ones or want a great baby gift, check out Take-Along Tether!

Camp, Camp, Camp...Everybody Here's a Champ!

Other than part-time jobs, I've always worked for educational organizations, so my adult schedule seems to have focused on a school year calendar. Consequently, August always brings with it a sentimental feeling. The summer is ending and the school year beginning. Today as I dropped off SS#1 at day camp, I recalled six amazing summers of my own.

I did my fair share of camping as a kid. Girl scout camps, church camps, pop-up trailer camping with the fam. You name it, we did it. I have some really wonderful memories of being a camper.

None of those memories, however, compare with the six summers I spent as camp counselor. In 1989, one of my college friends introduced me to Culver Summer Camps. She had attended as a camper and was working as a counselor. She encouraged me to apply for a counselor position.

If you're not familiar with Culver, it is a renowned Military Academy and Girls Academy during the academic year, and a fabulous 6 week summer camp during the "off season".

My parents could never have afforded to send me to camp there, but for six blissful summers, I lived vicariously through my campers. Even though I was in college and teaching when I was there, for six weeks, I was a kid again, with no worries except to have fun. It was not as much work, as work disguised as fun.

Here's to the summer memories!

The Simple Woman's Daybook--August 11th

For Today...

Outside my Window...is the dusky greyish pink of the just-post sunset evening.

I am thinking...that being back at work isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I am thankful for...supportive friends and family.

From the kitchen...breakfast for dinner and flax oatmeal cookies tomorrow.

I am wearing...shorts and a t-shirt.

I am reading...Colossians and a novel.

I am hoping...that my mood will improve. Soon.

I am hearing..."Wonder Pets" on TV.

Around the house...a messy living room and laundry to do.

One of my favorite things...hopeful plans.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...working and baking.

The Simple Woman's Daybook--August 4th

For Today...

Outside my Window...is the warm Atlanta sunshine, beautiful green trees and the horses of the backyard neighbor. 

I am thinking...how nice it is to not have to be at work! 

I am thankful for...dear friends, lots of wonderful children, and the love of an awesome God.

From the kitchen...yummy green smoothies and homemade bread. 

I am wearing...flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt.

I am reading...nothing seriously at the moment, but a ton of titles are at my bedside, thanks to my dear friend and her daughter!

I am hoping...to pick up some baking supplies at Breadbeckers.

I am hearing..."The Backyardigans" and three happy children playing together.

Around the house...my house is hopefully still clean, since it's just DH at home!

One of my favorite things...spending precious time with friends who are like family.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...enjoying my vacay, gym time, story time with the kids, getting a delicious taste of being a "stay-at-home mom".