Saturday, April 21, 2012
Upcycling
I have been obsessed with Funky Junk's before and after photos. We had been planning to get new bedroom furniture but I decided to try re-doing what we have. I did 2 pieces today as a test drive.
Here is are my materials:
1. Lacquer
2. Yellow paint
3. White primer
4. 2 paint brushes
5. 2 rollers
6. Self stick drawer liners
Here are the before and afters. I'll show a step by step below.
Dresser Before:
Dresser After:
Headboard Before:
Headboard After:
I started with 2 coats of primer.
Then I used 3 coats of yellow paint. This is when I realized that working outside was not the best idea. Gnats kept landing in the paint and grass started sticking to it.
Finally, I added the contact paper. I made a few mistakes that I patched.
I tried to put the lacquer on it but it made the paper ripple. Not sure why!
Overall, I think I did pretty great for my first time! I will do my other dresser and book cases next.
Ella wanted to help and we had a great time together. I put her in charge painting the back of the furniture with a tiny paint brush. It was great!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease sucks. I am feeling so terrible these last few weeks. I have been in treatment for 4 months and I am feeling worse than ever. My arthritis is horrible in my wrists. It used to only hurt in knees, ankles, and hips when I ran. Now I am experiencing pain after a short walk across a parking lot. Some days there is no pain and other days I can barely walk.
My brain fuzziness (executive dysfunction) is more frequent. I am having trouble making eye contact with people on my worst days. I am having a lot of trouble doing grocery shopping because I can’t find items on the shelf. This comes in episodes so some days are fine but others are terrible.
I am exhausted. I have spent several days in bed these past 3 weeks. All I want to do is sleep. Then, I will get a crazy burst of energy at which point I over-do it and then get sicker.
My asthma is out of control. I am wheezing all day. I have a weak flow meter and in the last month have never been in my healthy range. They are trying different meds but it only takes the edge off.
I am still breaking out in hives which is so annoying because then I can’t sleep. The allergy meds were helping but not anymore.
I am taking tons of antibiotics, herbal supplements, and have changed my diet (no dairy or wheat) but still feel like I am falling apart!
I am starting to feel like maybe I won’t ever get better. It is so frustrating feeling like this. I have a doc appt on Thursday but I think they will tell me to keep doing what I am doing. I just want to feel normal again!
My brain fuzziness (executive dysfunction) is more frequent. I am having trouble making eye contact with people on my worst days. I am having a lot of trouble doing grocery shopping because I can’t find items on the shelf. This comes in episodes so some days are fine but others are terrible.
I am exhausted. I have spent several days in bed these past 3 weeks. All I want to do is sleep. Then, I will get a crazy burst of energy at which point I over-do it and then get sicker.
My asthma is out of control. I am wheezing all day. I have a weak flow meter and in the last month have never been in my healthy range. They are trying different meds but it only takes the edge off.
I am still breaking out in hives which is so annoying because then I can’t sleep. The allergy meds were helping but not anymore.
I am taking tons of antibiotics, herbal supplements, and have changed my diet (no dairy or wheat) but still feel like I am falling apart!
I am starting to feel like maybe I won’t ever get better. It is so frustrating feeling like this. I have a doc appt on Thursday but I think they will tell me to keep doing what I am doing. I just want to feel normal again!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Twilight
I have recently started my books on tape/movie project with Twilight. I do not find the writing to be as compelling as Harry Potter and didn’t love the first book. However, I am enjoying the storyline and intrigued by the world. I also enjoyed the movies and think the baseball scene is one of my favorite scenes I have seen in a movie in awhile.
I notice that it has many of the same themes as Harry Potter: love, self-sacrifice, and bravery. However, I do not feel compelled by them. I don’t cheer on the characters as they put themselves in danger as I did with the Potter series. Here are the reasons I am not as enthralled with Twilight
1. I am increasingly annoyed by the notion that men must protect and control women. While Bella is certainly a strong woman, she is constantly physically and mentally dominated by the men in the book. The notion that she must be “protected” by forcing her to do things either by not telling her something, physically restraining her or rejecting her is not a value that I want my daughter to internalize. For awhile it seemed that Jacob was not going to fall into the role but then he did it too!
2. I just don’t buy that the love is anything but lust (at least for the first book). Bella is drawn to Edward because of his vampire powers (his magnetism) and he is drawn to her because he lusts after her blood. They claim it is other things and as they spend time together one could argue they are learning about each other, but their desires to be with each other are based on the foundation of lust.
These two things really bother me. As I continue to explore the second part of the saga and the future books, perhaps these issues will be resolved. Until then I will continue to enjoy the works but won’t put them on the list of books I want to enjoy with Ella.
I notice that it has many of the same themes as Harry Potter: love, self-sacrifice, and bravery. However, I do not feel compelled by them. I don’t cheer on the characters as they put themselves in danger as I did with the Potter series. Here are the reasons I am not as enthralled with Twilight
1. I am increasingly annoyed by the notion that men must protect and control women. While Bella is certainly a strong woman, she is constantly physically and mentally dominated by the men in the book. The notion that she must be “protected” by forcing her to do things either by not telling her something, physically restraining her or rejecting her is not a value that I want my daughter to internalize. For awhile it seemed that Jacob was not going to fall into the role but then he did it too!
2. I just don’t buy that the love is anything but lust (at least for the first book). Bella is drawn to Edward because of his vampire powers (his magnetism) and he is drawn to her because he lusts after her blood. They claim it is other things and as they spend time together one could argue they are learning about each other, but their desires to be with each other are based on the foundation of lust.
These two things really bother me. As I continue to explore the second part of the saga and the future books, perhaps these issues will be resolved. Until then I will continue to enjoy the works but won’t put them on the list of books I want to enjoy with Ella.
Harry Potter
I am a distracted driver. I text while I drive. In an attempt to stop this behavior, I have started listening to books on tape. After I finish the book, I get the movie from the library and then watch it with my husband. It is great and I am currently recovering from my texting issue. My first book was a silly mystery followed by a period piece about a strong, disabled woman and her frontier life. It was a lot of fun to listen to until her baby was eaten by a dog and another main character had a late-term miscarriage. I arrived at work in tears and realized I needed books that would be “safe”. I am a book snob and had rejected Harry Potter simply because it was popular. I decided to give it a try and fell in love! If there were more Harry Potter books, I might very well line up at midnight to wait for them!
Reasons I loved Harry Potter:
1. The writing was vivid, entertaining, and uplifting.
2. The themes of love, bravery, self-sacrifice, and justice are values that I believe in.
3. The characters were lovable and layered.
4. The experiences of youth were universal. I loved reading about their romances and disagreements.
I enjoyed the movies as well but was annoyed that the duel at the end of the last movie was so different than it was in the book.
I am so excited to read these books with Ella in a few years.
Reasons I loved Harry Potter:
1. The writing was vivid, entertaining, and uplifting.
2. The themes of love, bravery, self-sacrifice, and justice are values that I believe in.
3. The characters were lovable and layered.
4. The experiences of youth were universal. I loved reading about their romances and disagreements.
I enjoyed the movies as well but was annoyed that the duel at the end of the last movie was so different than it was in the book.
I am so excited to read these books with Ella in a few years.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Protesting in Freedom Plaza
It was Thursday night, October 20th. The High was 63 degrees and the low was 47 degrees. We had guests in town from Ithaca, NY who are very socially conscious. I had the idea that we could camp out in Freedom Plaza or McPherson Square to show our support for the Occupy Movement. I struggled to decide which location to visit but eventually decided on Freedom Plaza. Since we had the toddlers with us, I felt that going with the group that had a permit was a better option. We planned to go on Weds but there were major storms, so we went on Thursday instead.
We arrived at around 5pm and set up camp. Everyone was very helpful and helped up set up our giant tent. It was me, another couple, my 2.5 year old daughter, their 3 year old daughter, and their 5 year old son. We all shared a tent and people thought we were Polygamists!
After we made camp, we attended the General Assembly Meeting. We learned the hand gestures to show our approval, disapproval, to ask a question, etc. It went too long for the kids but someone snuck them some food. A mentally ill, extremely intoxicated man began to rant and was gently escorted away from the crowd. This was unnerving but handled beautifully. The man hung out by the bathrooms after that and the “Peace Keepers” ran escorts to the bathrooms for the rest of the evening, which was nice. I was struck by how “ordinary” the topics of discussion were. They talked about cooking (they were just told that they are no longer allowed to cook on site), they discussed new committees, and they described an action that day where they shut down a bank. I guess I had imagined screaming and chanting. I feel silly, now, that I envisioned a rally.
It was also a very different crowd than I had envisioned. I imagined young activists. Instead, there were a handful of 20-somethings, a handful of veteran protesters, and mostly homeless people. It was really shocking at first, but they let us camp in the “Women’s Only” Section which was nice.
After the meeting, we turned in for the night. The kids loved tent camping. My friend’s son, Lucas, talked about how we were protesting which meant we should yell “Yes!” The kids made up stories from pictures and told them to each other. It was a nice evening, but also a terrible one. At one point we just laughed because everything was a mess: the tent looked like it would collapse, our children looked like they would never fall asleep, it was so unbelievably cold, and we all seemed to have developed a terrible cough. Still, we were enjoying each other.
As we settled into bed, Lucas turned to his Dad and said “We need to go to that meeting tomorrow. I have something to say. You should write it down because I already forgot it.” He paused then added. “But I have another idea.”
Some of us fell asleep, but I could not. I was very cold and my cough was getting worse. Ella basically nursed non-stop and I was so glad she could to keep her warm. I must have dozed off because I woke-up assuming it was 3am or 4am. I looked at the clock at it was 12:45am. I heard shouting and realized there was an altercation happening outside. I gleamed that a homeless man was drinking alcohol, which was against the rules, and they told him to get ride of it. He was clearly intoxicated and shouted threats for several minutes. Again, it was handled beautifully and he eventually left.
This altercation woke up Kristina and we decided we both needed to go to the bathroom. We also lamented that it was only 1am! It was this point that I made a change in my attitude. Instead of this being fun, I accepted it would be miserable. Instead of trying to make myself comfortable, I decided to truly experience the discomfort. I thought about what the other protestors were experiencing every day, what the homeless men in the encampment will experience in a few months, and really thought about why these Occupy Movements are happening. It was a beautiful moment and made the rest of the night much more powerful.
The next morning we woke up at 8am, had breakfast, and attended another General Assembly. I helped Little Lucas get in a “stack” so he could share his thoughts with the group. When they called his number, he marched up to the megaphone and said “I have a great idea! Let’s ask for peace.” Then he smiled and walked back to his seat as the crowd went wild.
I was so excited about the adventure and the camaraderie that I didn’t really take into account the extreme discomfort the adults and the kids would experience. Would I do it again? Not with the kids. If I could go back and do it all over would I? I think so! Am I glad we did it? Absolutely.
If you would like help the movement, the people at Freedom Plaza need socks, hats, coats, blankets, and prepared meals.
We arrived at around 5pm and set up camp. Everyone was very helpful and helped up set up our giant tent. It was me, another couple, my 2.5 year old daughter, their 3 year old daughter, and their 5 year old son. We all shared a tent and people thought we were Polygamists!
After we made camp, we attended the General Assembly Meeting. We learned the hand gestures to show our approval, disapproval, to ask a question, etc. It went too long for the kids but someone snuck them some food. A mentally ill, extremely intoxicated man began to rant and was gently escorted away from the crowd. This was unnerving but handled beautifully. The man hung out by the bathrooms after that and the “Peace Keepers” ran escorts to the bathrooms for the rest of the evening, which was nice. I was struck by how “ordinary” the topics of discussion were. They talked about cooking (they were just told that they are no longer allowed to cook on site), they discussed new committees, and they described an action that day where they shut down a bank. I guess I had imagined screaming and chanting. I feel silly, now, that I envisioned a rally.
It was also a very different crowd than I had envisioned. I imagined young activists. Instead, there were a handful of 20-somethings, a handful of veteran protesters, and mostly homeless people. It was really shocking at first, but they let us camp in the “Women’s Only” Section which was nice.
After the meeting, we turned in for the night. The kids loved tent camping. My friend’s son, Lucas, talked about how we were protesting which meant we should yell “Yes!” The kids made up stories from pictures and told them to each other. It was a nice evening, but also a terrible one. At one point we just laughed because everything was a mess: the tent looked like it would collapse, our children looked like they would never fall asleep, it was so unbelievably cold, and we all seemed to have developed a terrible cough. Still, we were enjoying each other.
As we settled into bed, Lucas turned to his Dad and said “We need to go to that meeting tomorrow. I have something to say. You should write it down because I already forgot it.” He paused then added. “But I have another idea.”
Some of us fell asleep, but I could not. I was very cold and my cough was getting worse. Ella basically nursed non-stop and I was so glad she could to keep her warm. I must have dozed off because I woke-up assuming it was 3am or 4am. I looked at the clock at it was 12:45am. I heard shouting and realized there was an altercation happening outside. I gleamed that a homeless man was drinking alcohol, which was against the rules, and they told him to get ride of it. He was clearly intoxicated and shouted threats for several minutes. Again, it was handled beautifully and he eventually left.
This altercation woke up Kristina and we decided we both needed to go to the bathroom. We also lamented that it was only 1am! It was this point that I made a change in my attitude. Instead of this being fun, I accepted it would be miserable. Instead of trying to make myself comfortable, I decided to truly experience the discomfort. I thought about what the other protestors were experiencing every day, what the homeless men in the encampment will experience in a few months, and really thought about why these Occupy Movements are happening. It was a beautiful moment and made the rest of the night much more powerful.
The next morning we woke up at 8am, had breakfast, and attended another General Assembly. I helped Little Lucas get in a “stack” so he could share his thoughts with the group. When they called his number, he marched up to the megaphone and said “I have a great idea! Let’s ask for peace.” Then he smiled and walked back to his seat as the crowd went wild.
I was so excited about the adventure and the camaraderie that I didn’t really take into account the extreme discomfort the adults and the kids would experience. Would I do it again? Not with the kids. If I could go back and do it all over would I? I think so! Am I glad we did it? Absolutely.
If you would like help the movement, the people at Freedom Plaza need socks, hats, coats, blankets, and prepared meals.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Mama Cloth
So, with my recent "return to fertility" a few months ago, I have been experimenting with Mama Cloth (translation- reusable menstrual products). I LOVE it! I was shocked at how many chemicals are in feminine hygiene products. I feel freshers and more comfortable.
So far I have tried several brands of cloth pads but my favorite is the "fuzzi bunz" brand.
I have also tried sea sponges and The Diva Cup. I like both but find that I have to change them frequently the first few days.
I haven't tried conventional "lady products" since I was pregnant and don't plan to go back. I hope that I can teach Ella about them one day and she can have a healthier body as well!
So far I have tried several brands of cloth pads but my favorite is the "fuzzi bunz" brand.
I have also tried sea sponges and The Diva Cup. I like both but find that I have to change them frequently the first few days.
I haven't tried conventional "lady products" since I was pregnant and don't plan to go back. I hope that I can teach Ella about them one day and she can have a healthier body as well!
Night Weaning
So, Ella sleeps through the night about half the time and falls asleep without nursing about half the time too. Really it is a great situation and usually works great. We have a new foster son and I am exhausted so I decided in a rush to full night weaning the rest of the time.
I didn't give her enough notice and she was having a weird night where she wasn't tired. We said "no more nursing until the sun comes" Well, it was too much to ask her to do in one night because she really wanted to nurse to fall asleep. About an hour later she begged to nurse. I reminded her about what we talked about.
She cried and cried. Finally, she calmed down and looked at me and said "Eleanor sad" (she always says she is happy). I asked why and she said "No want nurse when sun comes up. Nurse mommy. Cuddle bed. Please." It was so sweet and heartbreaking that I nursed her to sleep and will try again in a few weeks.
She is such an amazing creature.
I didn't give her enough notice and she was having a weird night where she wasn't tired. We said "no more nursing until the sun comes" Well, it was too much to ask her to do in one night because she really wanted to nurse to fall asleep. About an hour later she begged to nurse. I reminded her about what we talked about.
She cried and cried. Finally, she calmed down and looked at me and said "Eleanor sad" (she always says she is happy). I asked why and she said "No want nurse when sun comes up. Nurse mommy. Cuddle bed. Please." It was so sweet and heartbreaking that I nursed her to sleep and will try again in a few weeks.
She is such an amazing creature.
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