Emskyrooney

As seen on Design Mom ... And this is JUST how it happens actually - for anyone who might not know about the birds and the bees yet...

I'm obsessed with signing up for giveaways that other bloggers and websites are holding.  The tiny chance that I might win something that is super cute just because I commented on someone's blog excites me!  And so, today, I'm posting a link to a giveaway that's being held over a the Meanest Mom's blog just so I can have a second chance at winning. And by the way, if you haven't checked out the Meanest Mom's blog yet, you totally have to.  She's my inspiration.

I just came across a wonderful website for current parents who can't stand listening to that Raffi CD one more time in the car, or for grandparents who want to reminisce a bit about their childhood.  Kiddie Records Weekly uploads classic childrens albums from the Golden Age every week.  They're available to listen to and/or download for free!  An ipod full of these would be great on a long car ride!

One of the blogs I've started following recently is called " The One-Minute Writer ."  Basically every day they give you a writing prompt and then you click on the little stopwatch on their website and write for one minute.  I subscribed to the blog thinking I'd like to work on my writing more but haven't actually done any of the prompts yet.  Today, I'm breaking the cycle and writing.  Today's Prompt: "Reflect on how your life has changed since March 5, 2004" Here goes: 04.  Can't remember where I was exactly besides in Boston.  Working at the Kennedy School.  Hadn't met Paul yet, almost though.  One year later we'd be together.  So I must have been single, dating, looking for "The one".  Thought I'd found him before but was wrong.  Thankfully wrong.  Wow- I'm a slow writer I guess!  Didn't get much done in one minute!  When I was a kid I went to nerd camp.  Johns Hopkins has this program called the Center for T...

Here I am with yet another half-assed entry in which I don't say much but link you to the wonderful work of someone else.... Here's a cute time-lapse video of a baby playing with his toys.. This kid really gets around!!!

I promise a real post soon (by "real" I mean "one written by me")...  On one of the blogs I read I just came across a wonderful piece about being a Mom... Those of you who are mothers (particularly to older children) will nod your heads in agreement I'm sure... As for me I'm going to file it away to pull out in ten years when I need to be reminded that I am "building great cathedrals." “Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible” I’M INVISIBLE It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’ Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corne...

Little Paul had a pediatrician appointment this morning.  He's up to 10 lbs, 4 oz which puts him in the 16th percentile (he was in the 5th at birth so yay for us!)...  We're supposed to start teaching him to sleep through the night (which I'm totally ready for) in his own bedroom (which I'm totally NOT ready for...).  He also had 2 different shots and has been pretty fussy all afternoon so we won't be attempting the "sleep all night" trick (i.e. let him cry it out for 15 minutes) until Friday night... We made it home just in time to see Obama take his oath and hear his speech which was great.  My youngest brother is in DC for the events and I'm sure it must be a phenomenal experience.  The excitement of the crowd must be just amazing in person!  I try not to put my politics into my blog but I have to say that I'm pretty thrilled by the fact that LP came into the world at such an exciting time.   Through one of the many blogs I read I came acro...

Funny funny stuff... McDonalds is opening their new "McCafes" up here in these parts and while I doubt that I'd stop at a McD's specifically for a latte (french fries, yes, latte?  hmm.. .), I'm finding their commercials to be pretty darn clever and wanted to share in case they're not being shown nationally yet... Here's "Hipsters":  And here's "Intellectuals":

I read a lot of blogs.  And by a lot, I mean several hundred.  Mostly they are craft, sewing and food related but lately I've been reading some that are more baby and child related (the so-called "Mommy Blogs"- which I guess is what mine is going to turn into eventually...) One of the blogs I've enjoy reading is MetroDad .  He blogs about his experiences finding out his wife was pregnant, supporting her through the pregnancy, and now raising his daughter.  I find it interesting to get a guy's perspective (other than Paul's) on some of this... Yesterday MetroDad posted an entry titled "Use Your Words: How We're Raising a Nation of Pussies."   And I have to say that I whole-heartedly agree with most of what he says... Now I certainly am not an advocate of violence, however I also don't want my child to stand on a playground and let some other kid push him around.  If he's asked the other child to stop and the other kid won't, then b...

So far today, instead of cleaning the house as I'd planned (have to get it cleaned before my baby bro comes to visit on Tuesday as he hasn't seen our new house yet!) I baked. Recently I've been eating a bagel for lunch a couple of days a week as I can grab one on my way into work and I've been alternating between Dunkin' Donuts and Finagle a Bagel, neither of which really satisfies my craving for a really delicious bagel (after all, this is Boston, not NYC- it's known for baked beans , not bagels.. ) So I've been toying with the idea of baking my own bagels... Last night while perusing Tastespotting (my fave website!) I came across someone who had made their own bagels using the recipe from the King Arthur's Flour website which is full of information on how to make a simple bagel. I looked in the cabinet and we had most of the ingredients necessary so I thought I'd give it a whirl. And I have to say, all in all it was pretty easy. There were a few s...

One of my favorite websites that I can spend hours looking at is Tastespotting . People submit gorgeous photos of recipes that they've made and each photo links back to that person's blog which usually has more photos, the recipe itself, and other information. It's a seriosuly addictive website, especially when you're hungry and always leaves me feeling inspired to get into our kitchen and make something fabulous. A few weeks ago Tastespotting closed up shop for some sort of legal reasons and a new website called Food Gawker was started as an homage to Tastespotting. It's basically the same as Tastespotting, I haven't figured out what the differences are quite yet.. Well now Tastespotting is back, Food Gawker is sticking around, and both sites are fabulous! Seriously, if you're interested in cooking, baking, eating, great photography, and/or drooling on your keyboard you have to check these sites out..... Yum... Now to figure out what I'm going to make...

Here are two of my current favorites on You Tube. First up, "The Mom Song."... I'm sure in a just a few years I'll sound just like this! And my second favorite which is a bit more inspirational: Hope you enjoy!