Every Monday Matters - Monday #2 - Turn Off Your TV

(again....here is the link to the website's more thorough explanation)

Turn Off Your TV

1. Turn off your TV today (ummmm....Lakers play-off game 4 is today...maybe tomorrow!)
2. Designate certain TV free times throughout the week to reduce viewing hours
3. Remove TVs from bedrooms, kitchens, etc
4. Make a list of activities beside watching TV...then start doing them!
5. Avoid using TV as a reward - this only increases its power
6. Be more sensitive about programming - choose history, travel, cooking, home repair/design and other educational themes


our relationship with TV i think is very healthy. we typically never turn it on during the day and usually watch recorded shows (most of which are from History or Smithsonian - like Pawn Stars or America the Story of Us or Life or Who Do You Think You Are) bryan's favorite thing to watch is golf and i get my reality fix in with So You Think You Can Dance and Project Runway. But they are all recorded and watched after the kids go to bed.

Bryson watches a movie almost every day. he rarely watches TV live. I sometimes let him watch a show "on demand" but for the most part he watches a movie because that is the only way i can get him to chill the freak out somedays.

in college i was a Communication Studies Major. we had a lot of discussions in my media classes regarding TV and its effect on children/adults. there are so many different studies all contradicting each other and frankly trying to say that Sesame Street is responsible for ADD kids is a little overboard to me. BUT the one thing i did take with me is that the 2 most harmful things on television BY FAR are 1) The Local News and 2) Commercials for Kids.

one of my professors taught his kids at an early age to detect the manipulation in commercials and would quiz them afterward and ask them what that commercial was trying to say, "they are trying to tell you dad that if you eat their cheeseburgers you will be happy and you will make your parents happy - and its not true! youll just get fat and develop heart problems if eaten in excess...." so that was an example, not sure if that is how it went - its how it goes in my head anyway. i think its a good idea anyway - to learn to analyze the messages in advertising. and the news! nothing is worse than the news. i can not stand the news on television. i get my news in the paper, NPR (both the radio station and the iPAD app - amazing!) and other resources, but never the local news. it is so severely skewed and so little of it contains actual useful material and is really meant to scare. anyway - i hope i turn more people off to it - you'll thank me...you'll be less fearful of your neighborhood!

i like this challenge though because i think it is important to have a worked-out boundary for TV - like "no TV on Sundays" which i like (bryan doesnt because golf is on then) and we dont have one...but its good to talk about as a family - with your kids about why we shouldnt watch too much TV.

Do you have set boundaries regarding TV? Do you own a TV? I am curious to see how others have already hashed through this...

Kitty Zoodie in the Shop

i posted the kitty zoodies today in the shop - go tell all your friends!

Simple Sundress

my sister is so sweet. every baby shower she has gone to in the past couple of years, she comes to me for a gift. and the best part is that she either pays or babysits. so i score. i can't decide which i would rather receive :)

so she needed a baby shower gift and i was a little tired of my patterns - seeing as how i like to make like 10 in a row of each pattern i get, i believe it is understandable. i am almost....almost...to a point where i think i can venture out and make my own pattern....its still a little scary....like swimming without floaties...

so i was happy to try out Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sundress pattern. it called for single fold bias tape, which i had never used, but was super easy. very UNLIKE its evil cousin double fold bias tape, which i have yet to master. the only negative thing about her patterns is that there are not a lot of corresponding pictures to the "steps", which i find nice since i am such a visual learner. i had to carefully read each step approximately 46 times before i felt i knew what to do next.

is it weird that i am still surprised when i am finished and it all comes together? i love that about sewing/creating.

PS...do you like my mannequin? bryson wants to name her Kajsa...creepy...

Star Wars Day and Darth Vader Voice Skins

did you know today is Star Wars Day? me neither...i just heard...so in honor of this very sacred day, i introduce the newest voice skins for your tom tom...too too awesome for words....

Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park

yesterday i used the book again and found a park i had never heard of - Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. its huge and nestled right in that canyon that the 73 tollroad runs through. its breathtakingly gorgeous in there. i secretly went here to scope it out for trail running. i fully intend to run that marathon after this baby...i have dreams about it. i can't wait to start up again...although this break is nice...must be honest...so i thought it would be good to scope it out and take the boys on a nice bike ride....

the book talks about "Cave Rock" and that kids can climb up into it and slide back down and farther up the trail is "Robbers Cave" - which i know bryson would have gone apes over...

what the book doesnt say is that "Cave Rock" is about 2.5 miles up the road (with minor hills) bryson did it like a champ, but i know for most kiddos it would have been a challenge...bryson seems to have above average energy levels...which is why i pick activities like this for him because the faster you can wear him out the easier he is the rest of the day...its my little secret...i mean - i really believe in promoting physical activity with youngsters and teaching them that a healthy lifestyle is important :) although the bike ride was pretty easy, it was a challenge for me too - my belly kept hitting Bodie's seat and carrying an extra 30 pounds on my bike up hills is not so much fun...but for most i believe it is an easy ride and the road for about 2.25 miles is paved, so that is nice - paved road and no cars = perfect for bryson.

what the book also doesnt say is that there are rattlesnakes everywhere....like everywhere. on our way to the cave i saw one in the middle of the road and pointed it out, how cool! "look bryson a snake!" and then...upon closer examination and seeing the rattle at the end, "uh...stay right there bryson...this is a rattlesnake...they are dangerous...but get a little closer so you can see" and we watched it for a couple minutes as it slithered back in the grass. so cool! and slightly scary! but we were a safe distance and he hadnt rattled at us.

so we get to the trailhead for "Cave Rock" and no bikes. i didnt bring my ergo because i wasnt expecting to have to hike. i was NOT about to put bodie down in rattlesnake village for a jaunt to some "Cave Rock" so we headed back. bryson was a little upset, but i am sure that we made the wise decision.

oh...and then...on our way back to the car i almost ran over a second rattlesnake! "BRYSON! WATCH OUT!" that was freaky - those suckers blend well! so....maybe we will check when rattlesnake season is over and plan a run then...

Bryson also wanted to tell his side of the story - check it out: www.brysonbarnes.blogspot.com

lazy garden update

our garden just popped out in the past week i feel. everything planted in the mel's mix has gone nuts. i did an experiment and planted everything in the top box in mel's and everything in the bottom is organic potting soil...okay not so much an experiment as i didnt buy enough mel's mix cause i apparently am horrible at math and cubic feet...everything in the mel's mix (not sure if this comes through in the picture) is also greener - prettier - healthier looking. i seriously love this stuff, can't you tell? the secret is to get it nice and soaked...let it be a little sponge...that way our socal heat everything doesnt fry up! its hard though - you feel like you are over-watering...but we havent done that yet...and you dont need to do it every day either...i think its more water efficient...im totally making that up...i also think mel's mix is a great mud mask...i made that up too.

bryson and bodie have been enjoying the strawberries as they come...if they dont, then some uninvited guest of some sort will!

speaking of unwanted guests....we have quite a few snails...i am thinking of trying a tip i once heard of digging a hole and placing a cup of beer in the soil next to the plants the snails love (i.e. lettuce and spinach) and the sweetness of the beer attracts them and drowns them...anyone done this? not sure if it will work or if i will just end up with a bunch of drunken snails (hey - that would make a great band name)

our other unwanted garden guest is bodie...we need to really fence off the whole garden because he likes to play golf with the watermelon seedlings....yeah...bryan is not so happy about that!

Every Monday Matters -Monday #1 - What Matters Most

i hope i am not taking away from book sales doing this...but he does post this all on his site, so i dont think i am over-stepping? if it wasn't up there i wouldn't be so bold...but i want to journal this little journey, so here we go!

What Matters Most?

(Click above to follow along via the website)

This Monday (today, i guess) I am supposed to make a list of what matters most to me. I am also supposed to think about the time i spend on whatever it is i spend it on and compare it to the list - does it add up?

Also - if you have kids (probably over 3 would make the most sense) start asking them what is important in kid language. if you have kids under 3, or just as a good general practice, make a list of what you WANT to matter as a family - your family motto or big picture statements or mantra.

What Matters Most:
Faith
Family
Friends
Health
Character

its hard to say what matters most to me in a list because i feel like they are all inter-changeable at one time or another and if i were to list out everything that matters most the list would be a mile long...but i do have to say that comparing this list to where i spend my time every week is a reminder that i need to spend more time in the Word....that needs to become a part of my daily rhythm and it hasn't been.

Today, probably in the car since that is the only way to have a conversation with Bryson where he isnt running or shooting something, we will have a conversation about what matters to him...and to our family...a conversation that should probably be ongoing!

so...there you go...an easy week...i peeked and next week is about turning off the TV for a week (why did i pick this book during the play-offs? maybe weeks can be interchangeable here :)

Simple Fleece Hat

I had found a remnant of this yellow fleece at Joanns - it was $4 i think for almost a yard. i used some on the lion zoodie, but i was hoping it would come in handy for other things as well. i recently got Lotta Jansdotter's book - Simple Sewing for Baby and this little project popped out at me.

i really like her book and her instructions, and above all, the fact that the projects are not overwhelming. i had never sewn a hat before and this came together so so so so easily. seriously. i made it while Bryan was setting the table and finishing dinner. like 15 minutes. i added the little felt flower because it just felt like it needed a little sumthin sumthin...

i should make it a rule that i wont subject my boys to this much longer. and if i do, i won't publicly shame them as i am accustomed to doing. but how cute does he look? seriously...its a cute little hat.

i think i am going to try a few more projects in her book...for our baby to come. i know...sewing for my kids...what a concept!

blending...balancing...

yesterday (saturday) as such an example of how we as a family love to live. i love days like this where there are no boundaries or set plans or places to go or schedules...we can all just do as we please, and most of it is together.

it was a gorgeous day.  i mean gorgeous. (thank you winds) and so when we woke and meandered about we thought it would be best to head here for breakfast.  i am rarely up for the *usual* 1 hour wait, but today it was worth it - its right in the marina and outside and yummy food and a good start to the day. we took a nice long 40 minute walk before breakfast to look at starfish in the marina and breathe in the *unusually* fresh air.

after breakfast we went on a bike ride to auntie's (& uncle's...but to bryson its auntie's) and said hi and hung for a bit until i got sick of bodie trying to drink stagnant nasty pond scum water in a fountain for a whole half hour. we rode home and there was some golfing done and dirt dug and i even got to nap when Bodie went down...amazing...

here is a rare shot of me on my bike...i dont think the belly is going to fit behind Bodie much longer :)

the day was filled with little pockets of time - i was able to clean up here and there and cook here and there and even sew a tad in between chasing and tickling and changing diapers and kissing my husband and posting stuff to the shop. i have found that in order to feel more complete i have had to find the time to do things amidst the rhythm of the day, rather than being able to have a day to myself. cause thats not gunna happen...lets be real. in fact, even when i am given an afternoon to myself, i begin to miss my family and the chaos quicker than i thought i would.

The Lion Zoodie

i think this one is my favorite :) American Apparel finally started making some yellow hoodies...so here it is - up in the shop! ready to go....roarrrrrrr....