PETA

I recently read that PETA issued a letter to the Ben & Jerry Ice Cream company asking them to replace cow's milk with human breast milk in their recipes. This is to "lessen the suffering of dairy cows".

What amazed me about this story was not that PETA actually issued the letter, or even that they did it with a straight face.

What amazed me is that the head of public relations at Ben & Jerry's was able to pick himself up off the floor from his laughing fit long enough to issue an official response to the letter.

That man needs a raise...and an Oscar.

The Eyebrows That Ate Chicago

The natural eyebrows - or lack thereof.


The chemically assisted eyebrows.


Last night I went to the Sanctuary Day Spa for a little treat... at least as much as having hair forcibly ripped from your browline can really be a treat.

While I was lying there, the waxer asked "Have you heard of brow tinting?"
"Um yes."
"What did you think?"
"Sounds ok. Are you saying I should look into it because I have invisi-brows?"
"It would make them more ... visible"

She decided one application wasn't enough to overcome the albino fuzz that is my browline...so she did it twice. But now they seem to have acquired a life of their own and they keep getting darker. I'm sure this is completely in my own mind. I am just constantly surprised when I glance in a mirror.

This morning Toby said "Those eyebrows have to go. You don't even look like my wife."

When I gave him a dirty look, he said "I'm not saying they look bad, but I'm used to you have NO eyebrows and now you have BAM! Eyebrows!"

Needless to say, I'm a little self conscious. If you see me, don't be surprised if I have on sunglasses until these babies fade a bit.

Fall Fun

About three weeks ago we picked up a few new fall clothing items for Robbie. Ever since then one, two or all three of us has been sick and every weekend has been spent seeing how fast we can run through kleenex or how many times one of us can throw up in one 24 hour period.

Robbie has a slight edge on me in this area.

Today we were all feeling sufficiently well go go see the gorgeous leaves in Middle Canyon in Tooele. We also had the foresight to dress Robbie in his new duds and bring a camera. Lately this little group of achievements seems like a miracle.


I want to blow this one up as a poster and title it "repentance" or "reflection". This still moment didn't last long!







Showing me his cool new leaf.


My turn to pose.


Tickle time.


This is probably my new favorite picture of Toby. I had just told him to sit down and Robbie came rushing over and said "No dad, put your hands here." and he placed one of Toby's hands one each knee and moved his fee. Then he backed up and said "Ok, good. Be Still." We were both laughing - I'm surprised the shot is steady.












And that's a wrap.

Gone Baby, Gone.

Robbie, summer is definitely long gone. Yesterday we went to the park for lunch and, even though we were bundled up, you were so cold you didn't even want to play. We just ate our sandwiches and walked back home.
Yep. Summer is gone. And I'm not sure what's worse. That we won't see it it again for nine months, or that by the time it rolls around again those sweet pudgy toddler legs will probably be taller, thinner big boy legs.

A Conversation to Remember

This morning while I was putting on his clothes...

Robbie: I'm getting bigger and bigger, huh?
Me: Yes, every day. Pretty soon you'll be so big you'll be all grown up.
Robbie: Just like you guys?
Me: Yep, just like us. Before I know it you'll have a family of your own.
Robbie: Like Incredibles?
Me: Uh...yea.
Robbie: Great! That's Cool!

The Mad Scientist's Lab

Thanks to my very sweet (and long-suffering) husband, I have a room in my basement just for making soap. He made it for me about two weeks ago but I've been too busy concocting new recipes down there that I haven't had a chance to crow about it on the family blog.


So without further ado.... here it is!


A prepped soap mold on my counter.


The work bench complete with microwave, fragrance and essential oils, tools, bowls, molds, etc.


The Ingredients side - oils, butters, nutrients and a few drying bars.



Some fragrance and essential oils.

Don't Act All Surprised

Anyone that knows me well knows that when I get into a hobby...I get really into it. Most often it becomes another small business for me.

It should not come as a surprise then that my soap making is morphing into one too. I am trying hard to take it slow, and as part of that effort I've set up a year-long product development phase to really perfect the line of soaps I want to make, use and sell.

If you'd like to be an Official Product Tester and gets lots of soap goodies in the mail, go the Spotted Owl Soap website for details.

Plodding Along

I must say Potty Training isn't as bad as I made it out to be in the last post. We're all sick here at Casa del Reed - which is not an ideal time to potty train, I know. However, the week was planned we had no sitter lined up, we'd been watching Elmos' Potty Time non-stop for 48 hours. The time was nigh.

What with all the nose wiping, bottom wiping, coughing, medicine dispensing and so on, it did seem a little overwhelming at first - but Robbie has been a real champ. Yesterday he went all day, incuding nap-time with no accidents.

For my part I am trying to let him be on a longer leash and not ask so frequently if he needs to potty. He's getting that teenager look now when he says, half rolling his eyes, "no mom, I don't need to potty."

Yesterday some neighbor kids came over to play in our front yard and he was having a great time with them. I didn't want him to have an accident but at the same time I didn't want to be "that mom" that shouts into a group of kids "Do you need to go Potty, Robbie?"

I shudder, remembering my mother and I in Kmart when I was about 13 or 14. I was one aisle over, looking for a new package of undies when my mother stage-whispered to me "Try the silky ones - they don't stain."

Braugh! What? Did you just say that out loud? In our home town? And who is worried about staining here? I'm not 3!

As you can see, the scars run deep. So, in the end I called Robbie over and whispered my question into his ear.

The last shred of dignity...gone.

Since we have no sitter right now (see below post) we're taking this "together" time to potty train. We started Saturday afternoon. Let me just say...this could drive me to drink.

He's doing really well, don't get me wrong....but sometimes the contest of wills, the cajoling, the begging, the bribery...it's all too exhausting.

Today after three hours of Robbie refusing to sit on the potty I finally went and sat on it myself and made a big deal about how "my body was telling me I need to go" (yes, stolen right from "Elmo's Potty Time"). Robbie suddenly got interested and ran into the bathroom.

He sat down on the little step stool I usually sit on.

"I sit right here, mom. I sing to you."

Then he sang me "happy birthday to daddy" which, honestly, was adorable.

"Thanks honey."

"Did you go?"

"Yep."

"Good Job MOM! You get a sticker!"

And then he ran out to get me one.

But he still refused to try it himself for another hour.

Drinking, I tell you. Drinking.

Crime and Punishment

Thanks for all the opinions on the spanking poll. It's nice to know that I'm not an over-reacting obsessive parent. Or, if I am, at least I am in good company.

For the past few months Robbie's been going to a day care / preschool. It's really an in-home daycare with a preschool schedule where they learn shapes, colors, numbers, etc.

One day recently I picked Robbie up and he said the caregiver, who I'll call Miss X, hit him. When I asked him to elaborate it came out that he and the other kids were drawing with sidewalk chalk and he started breaking the chalks (for what reason only a boy could tell you) and when Miss X saw it, she slapped his hands and sent him to time out.

We've been telling him that no one is allowed to hit him and that he should come to us if anyone hurts him - so I was glad at least that he told me quickly and clearly what had happened.

The next day when we went back I took Miss X aside and asked her about the incident. She told me the same thing Robbie had told me without embarrassment and without apology. She obviously found it perfectly acceptable so I told her that I did not. I said that if she couldn't correct him without hitting him I would definitely find another arrangement.

Fast-forward to last week. Robbie suddenly started putting up a huge fight about going to daycare. I kept asking him what he was afraid of and he couldn't name anything that was wrong, he just didn't want to go. We would show up to day care and, after half an hour of trying to get him to stay, we'd go home.

On the third day, Miss X said "You know I've just never had a kid not like me. I guess what's probably bothering him is that the other day "child X" was acting up so I was spanking her and dragging her to time out and she was screaming the whole time. It was a really ugly scene and maybe that's what scared him."

You could have picked my jaw up off the floor I was so shocked. Shocked that she's apparently beating on the other kids, shocked that she's freely admitting it, shocked that she couldn't imagine this would be a deal breaker.

We left and he's not going back. But part of me was unsure if I was over-reacting so I didn't give her the blasting she deserved.

A Poll About Spanking

I know many of my friends choose not to work and so they don't have to deal with sitters and day cares. But, almost everyone has had to use a sitter, at least occasionally or maybe regularly at one time in their child's life.

Without any explanation or telling you where I fall on this issue (yet) I want to get your opinion. How would you feel if your sitter told you or you found out that the sitter spanked your kid? Remember, I don't mean to ask if you agree its right or not to spank your own kid and let's assume the sitter is not your mom..just a paid care provider. Would you be ok with them spanking your kids when he/she was "naughty"?

After everyone chips in their two cents I'll give you the back story.