Saturday, February 26, 2011

No Artificial Birth Control for Us

I don’t really think that often about the ways I’m different from regular folks (even though technically I’m a total outcast hippie freak).

Then I realize something like how I haven’t been on The Pill since 1996 (amazing how those headaches disappeared!) … .that’s 15 YEARS! This also includes nothing else going into my body or on my man’s body.

It’s a wonder we only have 5 kids, right?! (don’t forget that Natural Family Planning is NOT the old rhythm method … I’m not even going to capitalize it because it doesn’t deserve it because it failed more often than not I’m guessing).

At a cost of at least $10 per month for the Pill (actually, our copay is probably double that), I’ve saved about $1800 … so far. Natural Family Planning isn’t just good for the Catholics; it’s also good for those who want to go green, do something natural for their body and save a ton of bank!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Future Breastfeeders of America

January 26, 2011

Today 15-month-old Sam wanted to nurse and I was busy, so Callie lifted her shirt for him to nurse.

He looked at her funny and pulled her shirt down for her.

Then he headed back to me, saying “nay nay” (nursing), which he’s been saying for months.

Someone recently asked me if size matters when you’re nursing (his wife has big ones, apparently). Nah, size doesn’t matter. My breast is always bigger than my newborn’s head, and, amazingly enough, I haven’t smothered one yet.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Textercising Video

Everywhere I go I see people texting and multitasking.

I almost ran over my neighbor at the Quik Trip one day because she was walking across the parking lot while texting and wasn’t paying a lick of attention.

I see people walking down the sidewalk while texting.

Hanging out with friends while texting.

My advice: grab your head with both hands … and pull it out of your butt.

I have a Textercising video if you want to really multitask. I really didn't want to go the YouTube route, but Blogger wasn't uploading the video in less than like, a YEAR.

Friday, February 18, 2011

I Hide Organic Liver in Meals

So we get organic beef from a farmer and have for a few years now (Craig Sharp in Humboldt, Kansas, 620-473-3588 or 620-473-0511). We love it, but we end up with too much liver. It piles up because we don’t love it. I even give it away to whoever wants some, and I still have tons left. Every now and then we flour it and fry it up, but it’s not always a hit.

I don’t like to waste food, so I had to figure out a way to cook this stuff and use it.
So I’ve decided to find a way to disguise it.
I’ll cook it like normal … flour it and fry it in a pan until it’s nice and dry.

Then I’ll chop it all up super-fine with a big ole knife.
Then I’ll sneak it into stuff like shepherd’s pie, tater tot casserole and hamburgers.

Nobody will even notice. I’m not wasting food, and everybody gets their iron. We all win.

Got anymore ideas for where I can hide liver, besides in Aron’s underwear drawer?

Monday, February 14, 2011

My Husband, Mr. Aron McLoughlin, Blood Donor

We met 15 ½ years ago. We were inseparable from the start. We weren’t friends first. We dove in with both feet and have never looked back. 

Something I love about Aron is that he regularly donates not just his blood, but also platelets, which is a 2-hour process. He has a rare blood type, and also has some special thing about his blood where he never got some childhood illness that most kids get, so his blood is coveted.

The boy is a Blood Donor Star. Things arrive in the mail from the donation place because you can choose prizes according to how much you donate.

He never gripes about it hurting or acts woozy after doing it. He just does it. I am envious of him because I have these dinky, rolling veins that make it difficult for me to give blood. Then I get all woozy and have to lay around for hours even eating cookies and drinking juice. If I could just give blood when I’m pregnant, the blood bank would have a fridge full of my blood. When I’m pregnant my veins are huge and I have all sorts of extra blood.

Anyway, Happy Valentine’s Day and a big I love you to my husband, who subscribes to this blog so he can get it in his email box at work when I post.

P.S. Why is January blood donor month? Shouldn’t it be February, since it’s a heart-y month and the heart pumps blood?

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Arrested Development

I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching lately, which may be very boring for you to read, but it very fascinating for me, so bear with me.

When I was 11 my Great Aunt Eva died.

When I was around 13 my Nanny (great grandma) died.

These women were very important to me.

BREAKTHROUGH.

Now I understand why I am so immature! My emotional development was stopped when I was a tween!

Now that I have my life all figured out, I have to decide if I even WANT to start acting like a true adult.

Nah.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sea Monkeys Still Rock!

Sea monkeys are all over their little habitat, reproducing (or are they eating each other? we can't really tell!) and havin' babies left and right.

So much fun!

Cheap fun, my favorite kind!

The kids are thrilled and it's a nice homeschool science experiment for our household.

Highly recommended!

Friday, February 4, 2011

Too Old to Have Babies? NEVER!

I know a lot of people who think they are too old to have children, and they are infecting my household. Because they have their opinion and I have mine, I want them to think about a few things.

So I ask you this: would you (potentially) rather go to your child’s graduation or wedding in a wheelchair or would you rather live with the knowledge that you killed that baby due to abortion? I know what I would choose, because the regret of abortion is unfathomable, believe me.

And sure, you could die before you see your kid have kids, but you could also get hit by a texting driver tomorrow!

The time you are spending griping about this issue could be instead spent exercising or researching and purchasing some awesome vitamins, minerals and other healthy supplements. Put down the fried chicken strips and pick up a salad, people!

This whole thing might seem silly when you’re 100 and healthy and your kid is 50. Hey, John Travolta and Kelly Preston just had another kid at ages 56 and 48. Yeah, I know they're rich, and they have a lot of amazing potential guardians to choose from.

If you know someone who had a baby over age 40, please send them here to comment. I’d love to know the good, the bad and the ugly (and the positive and the miracles!).

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

LL Bean Pima Cotton Sucks

I was so excited when I ordered my LL Bean Pima Cotton long-sleeved T-shirts. I usually spend about $5-10 per long-sleeved shirt at Target, but they don’t last long, they fade and they stretch out and get holey. So I figured I’d drop $20 per shirt at LL Bean since they got rave reviews about lasting almost until the end of time. I love the V-neck and the crewneck, but the boatneck definitely isn’t for those of us of the large-breasted variety of women. And the worst part of all was …

THEY ALL SHRANK IN LENGTH.

For those of us of the rounded tummy variety of women (gimme a break; I’ve had 5 kids and love chocolate), this is the kiss of death in a shirt. We want our butt half-covered and our belly fully covered. Shrinking upwards is not acceptable.

Guess I’m heading back to Target until I can drop some weight … I mean, I'm chunky cute and proud of it, but I still want to look my best, ya know? What's so wrong with that?!