Yo Gabba Gabba is just plain creepy.  When I see a man in an orange jumpsuit, all I can think about is “inmate”.

The duck on Wonderpets needs intervention.  Bad.  A lisping role model is not really ideal.

I can’t put my finger on it, but something is wrong with Lazy Town.  It disturbs me.  On many levels.

The chick that does the voice on Wow Wow Wubbzy is the same one that does the Squirrel on Sponge Bob.  That voice makes me want to peel my skin off my face.  Please make it stop.

Someone please tell Ruby that she doesn’t need to begin and end every sentence with the word Max.  And interject it in the middle.  I’m fairly certain she says his name at least 3,629 times per episode.  If you’re the only two people in a room, I’m certain he knows you’re talking to him.

And where, exactly, are Max & Ruby’s parents, while they’re galavanting at the mall and all over town??

Change Sesame Street’s theme song back to the fun sing-song one it used to be.  Not the crap “rap” version it is now.

Let the Cookie Monster eat all the cookies he wants, for God’s sakes.  No kid gets obese from watching a muppet eat sweets.  It’s because the mom drives to the store and buys them, then lets her kid eat them 24 hours a day.

Bring back the Electric Company.  Like it used to be.

Shouldn’t Barney be dead by now?  What exactly is the lifespan of a dinosaur?  They didn’t live this long a billion years ago, for God’s sakes.

The Spider Dad on “Ms. Spider” is scary looking.  I’m all for scary – my kids love horror movies from as soon as they can sit and watch one – but this dude is eerie.

 

Now for some praise.

I can listen to Dora all day.  Really.  I don’t even mind that they’re teaching Spanish in my country, which should only speak English.  I just like the show.

The kids on the Backyardigans can SING.  They’re amazing!  I’m guessing it’s studio-enhanced, but I don’t care.

The best cartoon – no, the best SHOW – EVAH - is Family Guy.  It should be required viewing for all parents so they can work the bugs out of their uptight butts and have a few laughs.

 

Little Wet Feet

 

 

 

(And then I have to show off my cutie posing for the camera):

What happened to Geriatric Mama?

Well.  A lot.

This was an old screenname from an old time, and I always found it amusing and unique.  But it’s time to move on.  I can’t yet change the actual root name of my blog, but that will come someday.

Last night, I was laying in bed with my 1 year old and she slowly rolled over, put her arm around my neck as tight as she could, snuggled her head into my cheek, and fell asleep twirling my hair.  I was listening to the muffled sounds of the rest of the house -  Autumn and Justus playing in his room, Brett’s video games in his space, Daddy downstairs catching up on his NFL shows – and realized I’m really not the person I was a few years ago.

I cried as I said my nightly prayers, thanking God for this little person clutching to my neck and sharing my heartbeat, her breath warm on my face.  I thanked God for the three other little miracles going about their business in the rest of the house.  I know I’m blessed to have Gary in my life, to take care of us and love us all.  We’re healthy, we’re happy, we’re a family. 

I decided “Geriatric Mama” was no longer appropriate.  I feel younger than I did a decade ago.  Althought I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown tenfold.  I feel rejuvinated, fresh, full of life because of the life in my home.  Vintage, like a fine wine, is a much better term!

Those are words I just never thought I’d have to say today.  Or ever.

Oh how I can’t wait for this fad to pass.  I swear, every time I see a photog’s website or a blog and they have their pictures on a slant, I cringe.  Next to “selective coloring” (where everything is black & white except one thing, like a flower, or a hat), this is the most disturbing and distracting trend in personal photography I’ve seen.

Please make it stop.  It doesn’t look good.  I don’t know who told you it looks good.  If you’re a professional, you should know better.  A novice, you’re copying a hopefully very short-lived annoying trend.  It’s not fashion photography.  It’s horrible.  Straighten up the pictures, keep them all in color or all in black and white and make the gazillions of people who want to bang their heads against the wall when they see slanted red-rose black & white pictures happy again.

 

And that, folks, is my Thursday rant.

We had planned on heading up to Berlin, Ohio, and the surrounding Amish communities over the weekend, but it rained miserably on Saturday – so instead, we headed up on Sunday, in absolutely beautiful weather.  The downfall?  Everything – and I mean EVERYTHING – is closed in Amish country on Sundays!  I managed to get a couple of good images, but for the two hour drive up and the two hour drive back, it was not the amount I had planned.  That being said, we finished the day at a small park with water play, and the three children (and Daddy!) had a great time splashing and getting wet.  The day could be summed up as quite wonderful, even though we didn’t get to shop for Amish handcrafted items or eat at a wonderful restaurant…  We’re planning a trip back up when the season changes this fall – should make for gorgeous pics!

Just wanted to show a few…

Hat tip to Kimberly Spencer, CPM, for this information!

I can honestly say I have only two regrets in my experiences as a mother.  I regret weaning (from breastfeeding) any of my children before the age of at least two years old; and I regret ever wasting the gas to drive to a worthless hospital to have my babies.  Granted, I managed to have intervention-free natural childbirths, but it’s simply not the same.  And paying someone $5,000 for the use of a room and a set of sheets for a whopping four hours is ridiculous.

If God were, by some glorious wonderful miracle, grant me baby #5 (which hubby says won’t happen, and I’m having a very hard time dealing with that!), there is no way, no how I will leave the safety of my home.  I will have an unassisted homebirth or there may be a slight chance of having a midwife here.  I really really regret not experiencing a lovely, calm, beautiful birth safe and sound in my own environment with my family beside me.

http://www.nashvillemidwife.com/safety.html

 

Image courtesy of “Journey to a Birth” – click picture to view blog.

We love BFD (Breakfast For Dinner) in our house, and one of our favs is Breakfast Pizza.

I gather and cook up meats like bacon and sausage, vegetables like onions and peppers, and cheeses like American and Cheddar. 

Scramble some eggs…

Fry up some flour tortillas in just a touch of olive oil…

Then add whatever you like!  We make them one at a time so that each person can decide what they want to put on top… we add the toppings while the tortilla is still browning in the skillet so the cheese melts:

YUMMY and SO fast… Enjoy!

I was blessed this past weekend with the opportunity to photograph a wonderful African Drum band, “Urban Vibes“, out of Indianapolis, Indiana.  If you’re near there, I strongly suggest you look them up and see them live.  It’s uplifting, it’s poetic, it’s beautiful.  I was able to capture some lovely images of their beautiful faces and instruments, and with their permission I’m reproducing them here for your enjoyment.  I hope you get a chance to hear them, it is always a joy when I get to watch them.

 

If you’re interested in their contact information, please let me know and I’d be glad to forward your request.