In my packing zeal, I boxed up my 2009 tax paperwork. FAIL.
[...]
Here's an adorable snow penguin from Sue Slade of Catonsville. Keep sending me your pictures of creative snow contraptions and creatures for our snowmaggedon contest.
Don't forget to include your name and neighborhood with your photo, please.
' [...] Detachment. Often times it is necessary and in my opinion, it is always healthy. I'm glad I can apply it in my own life. Some people don't get that. They confuse it with judgment, persecution, self-righteousness, gossip, etc... and, well, that's OK. I am huge on and very vocal about [...]
You know something good's afoot when kids start coming up with their own hacks. From Bethany:
My oldest daughter actually came up with this one! She is really petite and we were given lots hand-me-down cotton pants, leggings, and other pants that lack belt loops. Since I’m not [...]
Apparently I’m turning into a crazy chicken lady. Which I’m thinking is worse than being a crazy cat lady. And I’m pretty sure my mom is wondering where she went wrong with me because here I am dedicating a whole Top Ten Tuesday to my backyard [...]
Can you judge a mother by her shopping cart...in MY case, ABSOLUTELY...go right ahead...I triple-dog dare you!
If you were to ask me, years ago -- before blocking the MTV channel and searching for un-holey jeans at Hot Topic ruled my world -- what [...]
Dave's got a great idea for solving the "restless feet" problem on road and plane trips:
We know of the problems that are caused by children's feet dangling off their car seats. But there are few alternatives on the market and they are expensive and fit few vehicles. [...]
Latest in our snow creature and snow contraption contest: a merry snowman from Hollins Market.
Shaina Wahl writes: "Here is our Snowman at Hollins Market- buttons of beer cans, a cucumber mouth. Photoed with: Peter, Brian, Trevor, Sebastian." [...] I think I'll keep the Nancy Drews long enough to see if any of the kids pull them off the shelf and get hooked. If I think about it, it's the formulaic rhythm of the writing that doesn't hold up well for me, not to mention some of the underlying [...]
Nick and Anna Berte of Bel Air sent me these pictures of the giant snowman they made with their children in front of their home. "My husband is an engineer and decided later on to make the snowman breathe fire," Anna Berte writes. "Hope everyone enjoys" [...] 
Sorry, I got the book title all wrong on the previous post. It's "A Better Way of Dying." I've linked the Amazon page there for your convenience.
' [...]Most women say they want flowers, jewelry and chocolate.
Well, I like chocolate likely more than the next woman. But what I really covet is a great book.
So in honor of Valentine’s Day, I put together a list of science fiction books that satisfy both my geeky and romantic soul.
Parents, I’m a Geography instructor at the College of San Mateo and my colleagues and I have been fighting tooth and nail to save the San Francisco Bay Area's schools as the State of California systematically dismantles our entire public [...]
Next Sunday is a holiday of wonder and celebration. No, not Valentine’s Day! It’s the first day of the Chinese New Year. (2010: Year of the Tiger!) Perhaps the most important holiday in Chinese culture, the New Year is an opportunity to celebrate, exchange gifts, and [...]
Get it? Like listing to the side the way one might if she is very tired? And a list post? (The pun is the lowest form of humor.)
Another comment on my guest post: Pennie told me later that one of the things [...]
Image: www.thetimetravelerswifemovie.com
In a year when the top chick flicks involve vampires, it’s hard to say what makes a geeky chick flicks stand out from the rest of the genre. But it’s safe to say geek women are drawn to films with intelligent dialogue, an interesting premise, [...]
Image: MultiEducator, Inc.
Are you an engineer who wishes they had access to some work-related calculations out in the field? A series of handy new apps may offer what you need. The Formulator Series by MultiEducator, Inc. is a series of iPhone/iPod Touch apps designed and [...]
Battle Graph boards in use. Photo: Michael Harrison
Running battles in combat-centric role-playing games can be as painful as stepping on a caltrop. You’re either depending on the Gamemaster to keep the entire scene in his or her head, or you’re [...]
Liz Atwood muses on the possible end of Valentine's Day for her tweens this Tween Tuesday:
If you're the parent of a tween, beware. Valentine's Day might come early this year--or not at all.
My third-grader is supposed to have a Valentine party in school this' [...] 
So there I was, proudly telling you all how we have managed to integrate the internet and internet games into our merry lives, being perfect parents with perfect children and so on.
HAH! It turned out that one of our children [...]
I’m finished! I’m done with my children’s scrapbook.
One of my scrap-loving friends might ask, “Done with the preschool scrapbook? The family vacation book? The birthday party pages?”
No, I’m done with the whole darn thing – the book is complete until I add their wedding pictures [...]
Okay, so I couldn't resist featuring just one Valentine's Day themey, adorable heart barrette. Especially after I was kind of wishing I had one at my daughter's school Valentine's party this past weekend. The 2010 Make-Yer-Own Oscar Pool Page is live. Go nuts: http://www.defectiveyeti.com/oscars.
If you encounter any errors or oddities, please drop me a line. I fix most errors immediately so, if you discover a bug, don’t assume it’s already been reported: you’ll probably be the first.
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Written by Kathy Benjamin
As anyone who’s ever encountered babies in the wild can tell you, they’re shiftless little balls of deception and greed. Those of us who stand up to walk, and sit down to poop may not be Mother Theresa, but it turns out [...]
Blissdom was everything I thought it would be and so, so much more than I ever dreamed.
Seriously - this was INSIDE the hotel.
It was, without a doubt, the best conference that I have ever attended. And that's saying a lot, as I adore each [...]
Blissdom was everything I thought it would be and so, so much more than I ever dreamed.
It was, without a doubt, the best conference that I have ever attended. And that's saying a lot, as I adore each and every Blogher conference I attended.
I think I rocked my talk. [...]
Anxiety is no friend of mine. In fact, I can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've felt truly, out-of-control anxious. Okay, maybe both hands. I'm not talking about those blockbuster stress events, like when a kid dashes out in front of an SUV [...]
Before The Blizzard of 2010
Friday Afternoon
Saturday Morning
Sunday Morning…and 25 inches later
some longtime followers of odin's adventures may recall odin in parents magazine and mothering magazine and "above the fold" in the vernon county broadcaster.
and now, some of the pictures i took of him cross country skiing lessons [...]
I'm so ready for this gray, rainy, cold weather to be done and over with. I know we don't have it nearly as bad as some in other parts of the country but, geez!, enough with the chill and gloom. I can't get warm. It's disconcerting.
Speaking of gloom,' [...]
Halloween SeasonI was going to write this up for here but they were kind enough to ask for a guest blog and I was honored and happy to share: There is Enough Love.
Related posts:I’m still in essay hell [...]
There aren't many holidays I actually care about.
July 4th is just picnics and cheap fireworks. St. Patricks Day and New Years ceased being remotely enjoyable after 25. Thanksgiving is a cavalcade of guilt and horrible travel experiences. Most of the rest of the calendar holidays are there to give kindergarten' [...]
Oh hi there! I know, I know, it’s been days since I last wrote anything. I attended Blissdom in Nashville and didn’t have a chance to write before leaving. Normally this wouldn’t matter even one, tiny bit, but this time I left up such an angsty post! I [...]
My kid is growing up with a multitude...
Are you heart-ed out yet? No? Good. Because we just discovered the charity-minded Michael Stars Joyful Heart tees, created in part by Mariska Hargitay and pimped out by fab friends like Jennifer Aniston, Hilary Swank...
Why are we
talking about teens? Because every single one of your tiny bundles of joy are
going to grow up to be one, and you might as well know what you're getting
into. Trust me, you're
going to want to know this stuff.
[...]
