I've Moved!!!

Hi, everyone!  As if I didn't have enough to do already, this blog, "Rub Some Dirt On It," has moved to WordPress!

What does that mean for you?

That means that you need to head over here:

http://rubsomedirtblog.com/

to read any posts from now on.  I am hoping to have you immediately transferred there if you happen to come here by mistake, but I'm still working on that, as I am working on so many things.  The site is still under construction and not too pretty, but that will take time.  For now, I'm just glad my stuff is over there!

I appreciate your patience in advance!

Don't forget to change your bookmarks or favorites to the new address!  Things will not be updated over here after this.

Hooray for progress! Thank you again!

Hello, and a Collage

Hello, everyone!  I'm back and starting to get into the swing of things again.  I had big plans for a super great post tonight, but Em is suffering from her 3rd ear infection in 5 weeks (or it's just the same one, over and over), so she is screaming my name.  I will leave you with these photos, which I will explain tomorrow--

--and heartfelt thank yous for your patience and kind words during this tough week.  I really love this community and thank you for coming back day after day.

See you tomorrow!  And don't forget to skip down to the next post and check out my blog hop!  I need some happy posts to read while I'm holding my baby girl all night long!

Happiness Is... {A Blog Hop}!

Okay, I've done it!  I've jumped into the world of blog hops, and created one that I know we will all look forward to week after week!  It's called Happiness Is... and it's a hop to share the stories, photos, food, drinks, crafts, or moments that brought joy to our lives this week!

What's it all about?

Happiness Is... is a place to link up posts (not your entire site) that made you happy this week.  It could be almost anything; we'd love to see what made you smile!  The only regulation is that it may NOT be a giveaway or review.  We'd only like to hop around to posts that will genuinely bring joy (and sorry, honey; you're review of dish detergent ain't cuttin' it). 



There aren't many rules, but there must be one or two to maintain a semblance of order.

Rule #1:  Link up a blog post about your life recently that made you happy.  It could be a photo, a story, a recipe, a craft, etc.  No reviews or giveaways.  They will be deleted.


Rule #2:  Add my "Happiness Is..." button somewhere to your post.  The html code is found in my sidebar.


Rule #3:  You don't have to follow me (because I'm not really into that whole "follow me back" thing), but if you enjoy this site and/or this hop, I'd really appreciate it if you did! 


Rule #4:  Please don't link and run.  Try to at least comment on the posts around you; it makes the whole hopping experience so much more enjoyable.

Thank you for making this hop a success and for helping spread some joy!  I had a tough week this week, with the loss of my grandfather, so I didn't have time to write up a happy post of my own.  I do have a photo of me and Em that I'm sharing with "Embrace the Camera," in which I look less than stellar and my head is chopped off, but it makes me happy to be with my baby girl. 

Next week, I promise to have a full post!  Until then, I look forward to delving into your sites and sharing in YOUR happiness!

Dizzy

Want to get dizzy?

There are some things that Dads are just made for.

Swinging kids around in a bucket until they puke is just one of them.

Does that mean Moms are made to clean up afterward?

I think moms are made to enjoy the fun.

That's one of the best things about family.  Fun in everyday moments.

Baby Makes Three

Last week I had the pleasure of taking some photos of my friend Michelle and her beautiful daughter Evelyn before baby Elizabeth arrives to make them a party of three ladies.  Oh, Mike, you're goinig to have your hands full!

Evelyn is such a naturally spunky, happy little girl, and I love how this photo captures her exuberance and her love for her mama (and sister!).

And how these ones show her quiet side, too.

I know Michelle has a great relationship with her mom, and as you can see, she's just continuing that tradition with her girls.

Baby Elizabeth could be here any time, although she's not due for two more weeks, so I was glad to get a few quiet moments with these two before the word "quiet" isn't really in their vocabulary anymore!

Can't wait for Em to meet her new girlfriend!  Can't wait to add another beautiful baby to our ever-expanding crew!  Can't wait for Evelyn to be the fabulous big sister she is dying to be. 

Hooray for more babies!

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And in case you're wondering who won the giveaway for the froggy lunchbox, it was Katharine!  Katharine, I haev your email and I'll be contacting you today!!  Congratulations!

Thanks to all of you who entered!  I hope to have more giveaways as time goes by.  They're so fun!

Guest Post: Tammy from "She Says Tomato!"

Greetings, Dirt Fans! (Much better than Rub Fans, yes?) Since the Mother of All Things Dirty (hehe) is stepping away from her computer for a few days, she has asked that I step in and distract y'all with an embarrassing story about me. Not difficult, I assure you.

Now, which to tell?

...the time I accidentally shaved my cat?

...the time I sprained my neck while looking under a bathroom stall at work and ended up in a neck brace for a week?

...the time I adopted a rat and ended up giving him CPR because he was having some sort of seizure?

After a bout of self-doubt, some intense deliberation and a few glasses of amaretto on the rocks, I decided the sprained neck story was too good to withhold. The best part? It was so terribly awkward and ridiculous that my best friend, who went to film school, decided to make an entire short film based on the incident. Who starred in that film you ask? MOI! So not only can I tell you the story, but I also have the benefit of having screen shots for look-at-the-picture types like myself.

Story goes like this:

I was in the bathroom at work, sitting in the furthest stall. When I entered the bathroom, there was a smell...I mean, a smell. I had apparently just missed it (which is good), but I did get mildly paranoid that the smell would be attributed to me if someone were to come in. I decided to take my chances.

Of course someone came in. A mystery woman came barreling into the bathroom and into a stall three doors down. Obviously I  needed to wait her out, lest we make eye contact at the sinks and she get the impression that I was the cause of the smell (the horror!). So there we sat.

She started to pee, and I shuffled my feet a bit, subtly letting her know that someone else was in the bathroom and she should put a hurry on it. After what seemed like 10 minutes, I realized that she had been peeing for an interminable amount of time. I mean, there is a full bladder, and then there is a camel. I was ready to check for hooves. Then, just when I thought she couldn't be a more annoying co-occupant in the bathroom, her cell phone rang. You know she answered it. So now I'm all...

...and she's all "blah blah blah...blee blahhhh". Appalled at the blatant rudeness of this bitch, my curiosity got the best of me and I leaned way down to see what shoes she was wearing so I could be sure to give her dirty looks if I ever saw her in the hallway.

All I saw were a matronly pair of boring brown shoes, the kind all of the women at work wore. Hmph. My curiosity not having been satisfied enough, I sat up quickly to stew about it some more and OH! OUCH!!! MY NECK!!!!

 

By the time I woke up the next morning, I could barely get my head off the pillow to sit up. I called my mom, and she took me to the emergency room, where she made sure I told everyone how I had hurt myself. (My mother has a strict no lying/no stealing policy). Much to my dismay, the (hot, young) doctor told me I had indeed sprained my neck (betcha didn't even think that was possible) and that I would need to wear a neck brace for a week. I had to go back to work like that, where I obviously couldn't tell people what had really happened but didn't want to lie (moms get in your head that way). I mean, if you say you were in a car accident or something...and karma hears you...well, you know.

Anyway, I went with the oh-so-awkward "I just twisted it wrong" and suffered through the looks of pity, curiosity and blatant disbelief for the remainder of the week. Stories went around about me having been in a fight (um, no...I'm waaay too wimpy for that).

And in case you were wondering, I never did figure out who the woman was. Curses.

And that, folks, was just one of my abundance of awkward moments. Come on by and visit me sometime at http://www.shesaystomato.blogspot.com/ and I'll be sure to regale you with the tales of many more!

Guest Blogger: Dawn from "At First Blush"!

I am thrilled and so grateful to one of my oldest friends, Dawn of "At First Blush,"

who is filling in for me while I'm down in Massachusetts.  Dawn and I have been friends since fifth grade (thank God I don't have any of those photos scanned), and she has been my go-to beauty expert my whole life. 

Whether it has been me copying her perm in 7th grade (yikes!), being a bridesmaid on her wedding day,

 or her doing my make-up on mine,

she is a stellar friend and a talented esthetician and fashionista.  Her blog is really funny and insightful, especially for someone as cosmetically challenged as myself.  You will definitely enjoy it!

So now, with further ado...



Dawn!  And her adorable little man, Connor.

When Becky asked me to be a guest blogger here, I was so excited. Then, trepidation set in. I thought, "What am I going to write about?" I'm a mommy, too, but not nearly as crafty or witty as my BFF. I am, however, a self-proclaimed product junkie, and have been since middle school. While Becky was left to figure fashion out on her own (having a hippie mom did not lend itself to be very helpful during those treacherous years), she leaned on me to guide her. From Pink Bubblegum Lip Smackers to modern bridal chic, I have to say, I am the advisor on most things trendy in our relationship. And Becky is the one I turn to when I don't know what to do when my toddler won't touch a vegetable, drink his milk, or is driving me crazy on a rainy day!

With that said, it only seems fitting that I share this text sent to me a few weeks ago from your favorite blogger at Rub Some Dirt on It.  Becky wrote, " Just thought I'd make you laugh and tell you I'm still using the same eyeliner from my wedding ;) Almost 4 years!" 

You made me laugh, alright, Becky. Then, I proceeded to roll my eyes, and mutter, "Dear Lord..." 

That text prompted this very blog post:

When to Toss Your Cosmetics 

Mascara and Liquid Eyeliner-Every 3 months

This black, moist, liquid-in-a-tube is breeding ground for bacteria. After 3 months, not only does the formula start to dry out and get cakey, but you are more likely to develop infections in your eyes. 

Liquid Foundation, Blush, and Bronzer-Every 6 months

As liquid foundation sits on our vanity, it becomes oily and starts to thicken. This can leave you with an uneven application and breakouts. Also, dipping your fingers in these products leads to more bacteria build-up. 

Powder Foundation, Blush, Bronzer, and Eyeshadow-2 years

Hallelujiah! Something we can keep on our vanity for what seems like forever! But, beware. Even powder formulations can dry up and be more difficult to blend. Also, if you use a "puff" to apply the product, please, please, please, wash it at least once a week!

Cream Eyeshadow-6 months

The same rule applies here as with the other liquids. This is especially crucial because our sometimes clean fingers are usually the applicators, and thus bacteria can transfer back and forth.

Eyeliner and Lip Liner-2 years

Sorry, Becky, that fabulous eyeliner that reminds you of your beautiful wedding day needs to be tossed in the garbage! After two years, the color and shine of the product can disappear.

Lipstick-1 Year

Praise the lipstick queen! Who wants to spend the money on the perfect shade of lipstick to only have to toss it after 6 months? Not me! So, ladies, keep that lipstick in your purse a little bit longer, even if it might lose some of its sheen and color.

Lip Gloss-6 Months

I don't know any women who actually still has the same lip gloss after six months, but I'm sure there are some of you out there! I am a bit of an addict, so mine don't last that long. This is a tricky one. I think that if you have the lip glosses with the wand that dips in, it should be tossed after 3 months, because, again, you are transferring bacteria. But, if it's the kind with the slant tip that you squeeze, you should be o.k. with the 6 month window.

Quick tip: 

**Sharpen your eyeliner and lipliner before each use so it's like new!

That's it! I hope you enjoyed a little segment that had nothing to do with kids or crafts. It's something written just for you! Now, go clean out your makeup bag, go shopping for some new stuff, feel and look gorgeous!

Thank you, Becky, for allowing me this opportunity to be your guest blogger! I have enjoyed every minute of it! And, thank you to Becky's audience for taking the time to check me out!

By the way, Bloggies, if you have any questions regarding skincare, makeup, fashion, etc., head over to my blog: www.atfirstblushbeauty.com, or email me at dawn@atfirstblushbeauty.com

Have a BEAUTIFUL day!

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Thank you, Dawn!!  I couldn't ask for a better friend.  And just to make you all laugh, the part where she says, "I don't know anyone who still has the same lip gloss after 6 months?"  Haha, Dawn, you sure do!!  I am still using my lip gloss from my wedding, too!!

Odds 'n Ends

Have you been over to my sponsor, Cherie at Lots of Jewels's, Etsy shop lately?  In case you have a free moment while enjoying a cold beer and enjoying the unofficial beginning of summer, it's definitely worth a look!  Let me entice you a little bit...

Also, Cherie recently announced that she joined Etsy Project Embrace!  She will now be donating 5% of the sales of certain items in her shop to the American Cancer Society (ACS) for Etsy Project Embrace in support of funding cancer research and spreading the message of HOPE!

Way to go, Cherie, and a good excuse for all of us to do a little shopping for a good cause!

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On a sad note, my grandfather passed away this week and I will be heading down to Massachusetts for the next few days for his services.  I will undoubtedly fall behind in coming to your sites, participating in your link-ups, and replying to your truly-appreciated comments, and I apologize in advance.  To help fill the gap, two dear friends are going to do some guest posts on Monday and Tuesday: Dawn from At First Blush and Tammy from She Says Tomato.  Both funny, smart women who have known me for most of (and in Tammy's case, all of) my life!  You will love their posts and will love their blogs!  Go check them out while you're still enjoying that cold beer.

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Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway to win this adorable froggy lunchbox!

It's as easy as clicking this link and leaving a comment!  Hurry; the giveaway ends on June 1st!

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And lastly, June is going to bring great things--like the introduction of a blog hop of my very own!  I can't say much now, but it will begin on Thursday, June 2nd and will continue every Thursday for as long as people are interested!  I hope to see you then!

The Only Way I Know How

In my post yesterday, I gave a little insight into my parenting style: I'm pretty laid back about certain things like making messes and try not to get too stressed out about kids being kids.  Granted, I want those messes picked up properly and the toys/books/cars put back in their designated place, but in the moment I don't really care.  I like to think that I let my kids be kids, and even though Jax has flashcards for his love of words, I don't push him to be the next Doogie Howser.  Without question, the old cliches are true, and they do grow up too fast.  So I'll just enjoy them and all their faults, some of which are of my own creation.

One area where I've never been able to relax in my parenting is with the kids' sleeping.  I can't let them cry it out.  It's just not part of my DNA.  I can handle about 15 minutes, max, if I'm distracted.  If I'm just lying in bed listening to his or her furious or heartbroken screams, I can last about four.  I have to go pick them up.  I'm desperate to let them know that I'm still here and I still love them, even if I really want them to go to sleep right now.  So I cuddle my babies back to sleep, and thus, have created a little monster of the chubby little girl variety.

I was rereading a post recently that I wrote in January about how I love to snuggle Em back to sleep and that I wasn't going to regret it.  Well, here it is, four months later, and she still is not a very good sleeper.  I am blaming her chronic ear infections, but I bet there's a little share of blame for me, too.  Regardless, I can't change now, and I'm still not sure what I would do differently.  She is getting better lately but suffered from really terrible separation anxiety for a few months; how can I know that during the day she isn't sure if I'll be coming back, but assume that she'll just get through it at night?  I  know she would survive and probably be a more independent person for it later in life, but I don't care.  I want my babies to know I'm always there for them, no matter what time it is.  Creating a monster, yes.  But I'm aware of it and know what I'm getting myself into.  My husband would probably beg to differ, but I'm the mama so I win.

As Jax is getting older and smarter and his brain is starting to work in more abstract ways, he's starting to get anxious.  He doesn't want to be changed on changing tables anymore; definitely NOT in public ones--they terrify him--but sometimes not even at home.  He says, "Change me on the floor, Mama," (and I think, Go pee pee in the potty, buddy!).  He grips my hand and says, "Don't let me fall," with real anxiety in his little eyes.  He gets sad when people leave, sometimes with eyes brimming with tears, and says "But I miss him," with a sad little voice.  He knows people come back.  He knows I have always come to get him in the middle of the night, and he still is anxious.  My rationale is, if he is anxious now, imagine how crazy he'd be if I had never picked him up in the middle of the night!  That logic if flawed, I know, but I guess I'm just of the parenting school of thought that sleep deprivation won't last forever, and that being a mom is the most important job of my life.  I don't want to screw it up to get a few extra minutes of sleep.  As my mom says, "You can sleep when you're dead."  True that.

What made me think of writing this post was an incident around 2:30 a.m. this morning.  Jax started whimpering for me, which would only escalate into full-blown yelling, and since I was praying to God that tonight would be the night Em started sleeping well again, I scurried in there as quick as I could to see what he needed.  It's usually just that he's lost his Binkie, and that was the case.  I crawled around on my hands and knees for about five minutes, ripped apart his bed, even turned the lights on, but I couldn't find it.  Jax was getting a little insistent, verging on the point of hysterical, that I had to find his Binkie right now.  I didn't want all this middle-of-the-night activity to wake him up for good, so I went and got JDubbs and had him join the search party.  So there we were, two adults in our underwear (it was almost 80 degrees last night), crawling around on the floor while our little king of the castle directed us and demanded his Binkie.  We looked high and low, spoke in hushed tones.  Turned lights on.  Turned lights off, still living in fear of waking up the banshee next door.  No Binkie. 

I was about to go make a "phone call" to the Binkie Fairy, who, as you may recall, came to visit our home a few months ago and confiscated all Jax's Binkies.  She had to give one back to restore order and naps (and sanity) to our home, but I have two more in a drawer in my bedroom.  Thinking that I didn't want to blow the Binkie Fairy's cover, I was hesitant to go get a new one, when Jax rolled over, and out flew that blasted Binkie, which had been stuck in his sleeve the whole time!  He was sleeping in one of my t-shirts because it was so hot (and it was a bit like a manly nightgown), and the Binkie was lost in one of the many folds.  Jax triumphantly cried, "Here it is!", popped it in his mouth, and rolled over to go back to sleep.  JDubbs and I blinked in confusion, looked at each, shrugged, tucked him in, and went back to bed.  Once back in our room, we had to laugh.  Our kids sure have us wrapped around their fingers.  Both parents in his room in the middle of the night, searching for something that wasn't even lost.  I told you I'm an easy mark.

But, that's who I am.  It's how I parent, and it's the only way I know how.  Flawed?  Most certainly.  But happy nonetheless.  They'll be big before I know it, and I'll be like that crazy lady in Love You Forever who drives across town with a ladder to watch her grown son sleep.  I might be flawed, but at least I'm not crazy.  Yet.

Just What I Deserved

I can see how I am going to have to keep my wits about me when my kids are older.  Without question, I will fall for the old sibling You cause a diversion and I'll wreak havoc routine.  It's so easy to get sucked in to one kid's cuteness and forget that there's another one skulking around, stealthily abusing my momentary lapse in diligence.  I can only imagine if there were three or four of them!  I'd be putty in their hands, if they were smart enough to gang up against me.  Even with the two I have, I can be manipulated pretty easily.

Exhibit A.

Em knew that insisting on going out of the house with her cute shoes, strands of beads and rainhat on would cause me to run inside to grab my camera.  She began playing the Will-I-Or-Won't-I-Eat-This-Rock? game...

 ...so I was sufficiently distracted to let her brother get into a touch of mischief. 

Please note how her foot is looped through her necklaces,

so when she tried to stand up, she couldn't straighten.  Caused quite a fuss. 

Enough for me to be oblivious to the slealthy silence which is never good when you have a two-year-old running loose.

Sigh of acknowledgement.  I have been bested.

I am of the parenting school of thought that if they're already dirty/messy/need to be changed, might as well grab your camera and have a good laugh.  No way to go back.  And really?  Do I want to?

Also, why should I yell at him?  I'm the one who wasn't paying attention.  I got what I deserved.

Chaos.

As they say, kids will be kids!

So I loaded Em into her carset so I wouldn't be double-crossed (Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me!), took off Jax's shirt, and let him have a few minutes of fun.

I know, he looks like an extra for The Village People.  Gardener Spice. 

 Whatever.  It's hilarious.  Shirt could come off, but the red beads had to stay.  Maybe Em has been giving him some fashion advice.  Accessories at all times!

My favorite photo:

Hilarious.  Can you imagine if he had squeezed it?  Right up his nose.

And then, someone had to be the bad cop and take the hose away.  We had to take our dog to the vet.  I had no choice but to be the voice of reason.

Again.  Hilarious.  I stung him to the core.

Look at the betrayal in his eyes.  How could you?!  Trying one last time to wrangle the hose himself and regain power over the situation.  I'm so cruel.  I find his attempts at vengeance completely amusing.

Sorry, buddy.  You got me once, but I'm on to your little game.  Send the cute, chubby, little one out to be photographed and then conquer and destroy behind my back.  I'm not falling for it again.

Let's be real.  Who am I kidding?  I'm an easy mark.  I got just what I deserved, and undoubtedly it will happen again and again.