Critter Update.... and a GIVE-AWAY!

When I started a blog, no one told me that hacking would be an issue.  Especially being hacked by my own family members!

I've had many of you tell me that it's so difficult to make a comment that you've just given up and I simply can't have that!  I love hearing from you so hopefully, Reagan's tutorial will help and the comments will just start rolling in.... hint, hint.  See here if you missed the how-to lesson.

First order of business... critter update.  Let me just put it this way - it's a good thing that Ryan and I were not born in the olden days when people had to live off the land.  We would definitely have starved.  I can't grow a thing and evidently, Ryan's not that great at trapping.  We had not one, but two traps set up last night.  Both were empty this morning.  So Round Two begins tonight.  I know y'all are losing sleep over the anticipation of us catching something, so I promise to keep you updated.

I'm not sure just how much more excitement you people can take but here goes.....

It's time for the First Ever Along Came The Bird Give-Away!!!

This would be the perfect time for you to start singing the chorus of "Let's Get It Started" by the Black Eyed Peas.  Just a thought....

For those of you faithful blog followers, you might remember that last week, I told you about a back-zip pajama I just discovered called Little Keeper Sleepers.  Click here to read that post in case you missed it. I would like to add that we are now going on a little over two weeks and this sleeper is Lily-proof. That's even better than child-proof.

Well, I am happy to announce that the lovely company that makes the Little Keeper Sleeper is giving one away, along with free shipping, to one lucky Along Came The Bird reader!

Can I get a Woot-Woot???

Here's how this is going to work -

To enter the contest, all you have to do is make a comment at the end of this post by 8 AM (Central Time) Tuesday morning, the 17th of May.

Your comment does not have to be eloquent, lengthy, or include a bribe... though that might get you to the top of the list.  Oh, I jest.

Just comment something.

And only comment once.

Then you are automatically entered in the contest.

Once I know how many comments there are, I will choose a number using a handy random number generator at Random.org that my husband found, and the comment corresponding to that number is the winner.

I think it goes without saying that the more comments there are, the more fun this will be.  What a let-down it will be for me if I have to choose a number between 1 and 3.

But refrain from commenting multiple times.  I will have my computer goons (otherwise known as Ryley and Reagan) checking to make sure there is only one comment per person.

I will announce the winner in Tuesday's post... of which there could just be yet another super give-away.  If I were you, I would be checking this blog every day this week.  Just sayin.....

That's it!  This contest is easy-peasy.

So let's get started right now.

Make a comment.

Good luck!

How to Follow/Comment on the Blog

Mom is sick today, so she probably won't feel up to making a post.  But, she asked me to explain to her how people can comment or follow the blog so she could let everyone else know.  So I decided to make a blog post for her showing y'all how to do it.  And no, she doesn't know about this.  Mom...you've been hacked!!

So, if you have a Gmail account, then commenting or following is easy.  When you go to the Along Came the Bird homepage, look at the little toolbar on the very top of the page.  On the top right, it says "Sign In" - click it.  There, you can sign in with your Gmail account, just as if you were logging in to your email.  It will take you to a page that says "My Dashboard".  Then, if you  type in the Along Came the Bird URL again, and look at the top right again, now, it will have your email and a "Sign Out" button next to it.  Now you can comment or follow using your Gmail account.

The other option, if you don't want to make a Gmail account, is to make a Google account.  It's essentially the same process, but you use your normal email address, and replies to comments or comments made after yours are sent to your normal email instead of your Gmail.  You can make a Google account here.  After making that account, just follow the exact same steps given above to comment or follow the blog.

So that's all you have to do to comment!  If you still have questions, you can comment and ask her, and I'm sure she'll at least attempt to answer!  Just kidding...mostly.

Have a good week!

Reagan

Here's The Problem...

I apologize for not posting yesterday and this morning.  Blogger (the site that hosts my blog) was down with technical difficulties that were not resolved until just a little while ago.  It's back up and running so I can post to my heart's content now.

But here's the trouble...

It's now almost 4 PM on Friday afternoon and my brain has pretty much already checked out for the weekend.  Plus, I'm about to leave to pick up the Bird from school.  There's just not much time to fill you in on all the things I'd like to.

So you know what that means - a list!  Here we go...

1. Ryley and her dad have the Athletic Banquet tonight so I'll be on "hair duty".  For Ryley, that is.  Ryan's on his own.

2. I'll also be supervising Reagan cleaning her room the way I like it so that she can go to a birthday party tonight.  No clean room = no party.  I'm mean that way.

3. I baked my Mamaw Askew's teacakes this afternoon and I can't help thinking how happy she would be to see all of my daughters (her great-granddaughters) munching on her cookies.  She loved to feed all of us! Here's the recipe in case you'd like to enjoy some this weekend.  These are big, almost white, pillowy cookies that are perfect for dunking, if you enjoy that type of thing.

Mamaw's Teacakes

2 cups sugar

1 cup Crisco

1 cup sour cream

2 eggs

2 tbsp lemon extract

Mix well.  Add 5 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 2 tsp baking powder.  Roll out (will need additional flour in dough and on rolling surface for this step).  Cut with biscuit cutters.  Bake at 400 for at least 6 minutes - longer if you like crunchy cookies.

4. I ran into the mall yesterday to grab a pair of brown leggings, which I found at JC Penny not for the regular price of $18 but for $8!  Then because I was floating on the "unexpected sale cloud", I decided to pop into J Crew, where their sale stuff is still more than I like to pay.  I had spotted a cute little linen dress a couple of months ago but it was $98 stinkin' dollars.  A few weeks ago, it had dropped to $49.  Better, but still too much.  Well, my "unexpected sale cloud" didn't let me down.  That cute little dress was marked down to $29 and is now hanging in my closet.  That is what I call a successful trip to the mall.

5. On the flip side, I did not have a successful trip to Target.  Because I am old, I use toothpaste for sensitive teeth.  I am in need of a new tube of Colgate Sensitive.  I have been to Target twice now and have still failed to pick up the needed toothpaste.  The first trip, I didn't have it written on the list.  It's always comical how I think I will actually remember to get something if it's not written down.  But the second trip, I not only had it written on the list, I actually crossed it off the list without putting any in my buggy.  And I have absolutely no memory of it!  Like, I'm wondering if I simply wandered down the toothpaste aisle and said to myself, "Yep, there's the toothpaste" and crossed it off my list like I was on some sort of scavenger hunt.  Bottom line - I am definitely old and definitely still in need of some Colgate.

6. We are planning to do a little hunting this weekend.  We have a critter, whom I strongly suspect is of the armadillo species, digging in my flower beds for grubs.  Every morning, I wake up to newly turned over mulch and have to sweep the sidewalk.  I am planning to treat my beds to get rid of the grubs but I think our redneck roots are coming out just a bit in that we're all a little excited about trapping a varmint. If we catch something, I'll try to get pictures to share with all of you.  You know you want to see it.

7. My favorite day of the month was yesterday, Thursday.  I met up with my moms of special needs kids group.  I can't even express to you how much I love these women.  They are strong, compassionate, self-sacrificing and incredibly intelligent ladies who love all their kids unconditionally and are willing to do whatever it takes for them.  There's not a doctor in the bunch but you wouldn't know it listening to them talk about biomedical treatments, food labels and ingredients, and drug intervention.  They put their hearts on the line for their kids every single day and refuse to give up hope.  I so admire each one of them and feel so blessed to be in the group.

8. Finally, I have a couple of way exciting things planned for the blog next week.  I'll be having my first ever give-away!  You won't want to miss it so be sure and check in Monday morning!  I'll post a reminder Sunday afternoon.  It's big, people!

Make some cookies, kiss your spouse, hug your kiddos, and have a great weekend!

"As We Get Older...."

Those are the words I seem to be hearing with much more frequency each time I visit a doctor, a dentist.... even my hairdresser!

Two weeks ago, I went for a yearly check-up and of course, heard those words.  My sweet doctor was quick to point out that I was certainly not old yet, just well on my way there.

Thanks for that, Doc.

When his receptionist called to remind me of the appointment, she suggested that I fast so they could do some blood work while I was there.  I agreed and starved myself from that point on.

There were two reasons for this fast - one medical and one personal:

Medical - They would be checking my cholesterol and

Personal - I would be stepping on the scale.

Unlike Lily, stepping on a scale is the only time I feel the need to strip myself naked but since it's frowned upon in the busy hallway of the doctor's office, I have to satisfy myself with wearing extremely lightweight linen while only removing shoes and any heavy jewelry.

I couldn't help but think of the first time I ever had my cholesterol checked.

It was about 18 years ago and no one mentioned that I should be fasting or doing anything special at all.  So on the way to the doctor's office, I ran through Taco Bell.

I completed my check-up, blood work and all, and headed back home.  Bright and early the next morning, my phone rings.  It's the doctor's office.  And the conversation went a little something like this:

Nurse - "Mrs. Rush, we received your blood work results and your cholesterol is extremely high, especially for someone as young and fit as you are."

OK - She didn't actually say that last part.  I just added it for dramatic effect because as we get older, our memories start to fail and we can remember things the way we want to!

Me - "So what does that mean?"

Nurse - "Well, it's so high that we are considering having you come back so we can talk about options, including the possibility of medication."

Me - "Wow.  I thought only really old people who don't eat well need cholesterol medication."

Because Taco Bell before a doctor's appointment is the epitome of eating well, am I right?

Nurse - "That's not necessarily true.  Much of cholesterol is hereditary."

I was feeling quite relieved by now because I could totally blame this on my mom and dad and not Taco Bell.

Nurse - "Let me just ask a few questions and then we'll set up the next appointment for you.  When was the last time you ate before arriving at the office?"

Me - "Well, the appointment was at 1 PM so I ate about..... oh, 11 AM, maybe."

Nurse - "Wait a minute.  Let me get this straight.  You ate one or two hours before having your blood work done, you moron???"

Again, not exactly what she said, but now that I am older, I know what she was thinking.

Me - "Ummm... yes.  Why?  Did I do something wrong?"

Nurse - "This blood work was supposed to be done while you were fasting.  You shouldn't  have eaten anything since at least midnight the previous night."

Oops.

Me - "I didn't get that message.  And I didn't just eat, lady.  No yogurt or bran muffin for me, no ma'am.  I had a taco and a big honkin' bean burrito and I washed it down with a Diet Coke.  Do you think that might skew cholesterol results just a little bit?"

I was feeling a little defensive at this point because even though I was young and fit, I had figured out by now she thought I was a moron.

Nurse - "Never mind.  We'll just check your cholesterol when you come in for your next yearly appointment.  And we'll be sure to remind you to fast.  Good-bye."

I'm sure she hung up the phone and ran to tell all the other nurses loitering around the water cooler about the moron she just talked to.

Oh well.

So this time, I did everything right.  I didn't eat from about 10 PM on.  I was going to ace the test this time.

But like I said before, I'm older now.  I have things working against me, like gravity and slow metabolism and a general hatred for all things exercise related coupled with a deep love for all things chocolate.

I didn't exactly ace the test.

Granted, I didn't alarm anyone so much that I got a phone call in the wee hours of the morning this time.

But it is a little higher than it should be.  Which means doing things like eating steel cut oats, upping my Omega 3's, and looking into the American Heart Association Diet.

Oh, and in the words of my doctor, continuing to exercise.

I love that man.... he always thinks the best of me and doesn't say mean things like "How about you get off your lazy butt, start an exercise routine, and oh!  Here's a novel idea.... stick with it!"

While these are all wonderful suggestions, I think I'll go with the nurse's advice from 18 years ago.

I'm just going to blame my mom and dad.

Taco Bell, anyone?

We're Bringing Out the Big Guns

Since the day Lily discovered how to work zippers, she has been on a single-minded mission to strip herself naked.

Not during the day, mind you.

That would be way to easy for me to put a stop to.

No, her favorite time to strip is at night.  The cold, dark, middle of the night.  When everyone else in the house is sound asleep and snuggled under the covers of their cozy beds and no one wants to be awake.

Well, no one except the Bird.

We have tried everything.

She has slept in footie pajamas with a t-shirt over it to conceal the zipper. We have put shorts on under the footie pajamas.  We have put duct tape over the zipper pull.  We have purchased sleepers with an inverted zipper that you had to pull from the bottom up.

All of these were mere child's play for our escape artist and only slowed her down for a night or two.

For the last couple of weeks, I've been cutting the feet out of all her pajamas and putting them on her backwards.  But the neck on them looks pretty uncomfortable when worn the wrong way.

So I began searching the web yet again for another option.

Lo and behold, there is such a thing as back zip pajamas, purposely made that way for children who like to strip themselves naked in the middle of the night.  I must admit it was quite comforting to know that Lily is not the only four year old headed for a stint at Hippie Hollow.

The pj's are called the Little Keeper Sleeper and they look like this:



The website states:  "Even a little Houdini could not get out of this Little Keeper Sleeper."

Well, I assure you Lily is up for the challenge so time will tell if that is an honest claim.

It has kept her warm and clothed for a week now.  That 2-way snap closure system is quite tricky, if you ask me. Let's just say I'll be surprised if she can get them off but I won't be shocked.  I am rarely shocked at anything anymore.

The sizes begin at 18-24 months and go to a size 7/8 - perfect for those of us with older special needs children.  You can choose from three styles:  footed, footless with long sleeves or footed with short sleeves.

One sleeper is $19.99 but each one you order after that gets a bit cheaper.  I know it seems high for pj's but you can't think of it like that.  Think of it as spending $20 for a good night's rest.  When I'm changing sheets and pajamas at 3 AM, $20 would seem like Monopoly money to me.

Give 'em a try.  It just might mean a full night of uninterrupted sleep.  WooHoo!

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

I feel I need to issue a warning before you view today's post.  

If you have heart problems, high blood pressure or any other ailments that could be worsened due to seeing something frightening, please look away from the images below.  Expectant mothers should also use caution while viewing as I don't want a sudden surge of terror to cause premature labor. 

For those courageous souls brave enough to read on, proceed at your own risk.

I give you..... Lily Bird.

The Lily Bird is a rare and unique breed.  Raising this particular species is not for the faint of heart.  Sure, she looks innocent and sweet.  But don't turn your back on this pedigree.  A Lily Bird is quick, incredibly intelligent, and an escape artist of the highest degree.  She will wear you out and make you long for a nap.  She will try your patience and test your limits.

  But she will also make you wonder how you ever thought your family was complete without her.  She will fill your heart to absolute bursting.  And she will remind you every day that God is still in the business of performing miracles.

Lily Bird.  

I don't recommend one for every family.  But God sure knew what He was doing when He sent one my way.