7 Quick Takes: February 26, 2010 (Vol. 31)

~ 1 ~

I've been a total Olympics junkie.  Since I'm always a fan of late night television anyway, I have had a fabulous time watching it.  Have you been watching the Olympics too?

I have to admit to being emotional when I watch it though.  Eric would say, "When aren't you emotional?"  But, I swear -- if any of those Olympians cry, I think I'm contractual obligated to cry with them.  I just can't help myself.  I cry with them in both victory and defeat.

I just love the Olympics.  I'm already looking forward to the summer Olympics in London.  (Although it is a little unsettling to realize that when the Olympics open in London in 2012, I'll be the mother of a teenager.  Wow.)

~ 2 ~

Molly and I have been talking about what instrument she would like to play when she is older.  Having never taken any kind of lessons when I was growing up, it's funny to me to just automatically think that she'll take music lessons.  But, with two kids already taking piano lessons, it seems like a given.

I told her that she has to start with piano, since she can start that the earliest.  Then, we were chit chatting about the possibility of the cello.  I always wanted to play the cello.  Of course, I should probably just take lessons, rather than live through her.  But, our piano teacher does those lessons as well, and we were able to look at her cello not too long ago.  Molly was pretty impressed.

This discussion made me think about a comedian we watched online talking about how much he loved playing the cello.  Well, except one particular song.  You must go watch the video (and then come back, okay?).  I would embed it, but that has acted funny lately.

(Just a heads up: It's just over five minutes long.  Up until four minutes, it is totally clean.  After that point, he does use three curse words.  All are ones that could be aired on primetime television, I have noticed.  However, that still doesn't mean that kids should watch it after that point.)

~ 3 ~

Why is it that once I turned 30, I had to start having pimples again?  Seriously -- that's not right.  I didn't have them very often when I was a teenager, and I felt lucky.  Flash forward and here I am with breakouts.  Boo!  So wrong.

~ 4 ~

This week, Noah came out on the Wii Fit as being "at risk for being overweight."  I was pretty distraught by this.  He is a big kid, but he's also a really tall 10 year old.  He was pretty bummed, and so was I.

All of the sudden, in the middle of the night that night, I said to myself (outloud), "Hey!  We've never changed his height in Wii Fit!"

Yep, that's what it was.  The next day, I measured his height (4'11", if you're interested) and then we went in to Wii Fit and added in his extra inches.  Apparently he was 4'5" when we got the game.  Let me tell you -- six inches makes a pretty huge difference in BMI measurements.  He was pretty thrilled, and so was I.

We also had to change Jack and Molly's heights, as long as we were at it.  Jack had grown five inches since we first bought the game, and Molly six inches.

~ 5 ~

I told the kids that I forgot about changing heights in the Wii Fit because I am not getting any taller.

"I'll never get any taller than this," I told the kids.

Jack chimed in, "Yeah - but I have heard that when you get older, you shrink."

Thanks, kid.

~ 6 ~

My sister-in-law has been sending us some videos of their new baby, Elizabeth, with their new flip camera.  Does anyone have one of these?  (The flip camera, not baby Elizabeth.)  Do you like it?

I go between thinking it might be something fun to have and we don't really need it.

~ 7 ~

Watching the Olympics has reminded me that I need to teach the kids the words to The Star-Spangled Banner.  It's funny the things that you realize that you need to teach the kids when you homeschool.  For this very reason, we started doing the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of our homeschool co-op this school year.

It may not be a surprise, but singing The Star-Spangled Banner makes me cry.








This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes and Weekly Wrap Up.

photos by: Olympic Rings - Miss Barabanov / cello - FaP ;-) / wii fit - nataliej / American flag in Chicago - Angie @ Many Little Blessings

Strategies For Getting Caught Up On Email for the Easily Distracted

Did that title catch your eye?  It probably means that you are a lot like me.  I have the best of intentions to get caught up on email, but then one email makes me say, "Oh yeah -- I meant to check that on Facebook."  Or, maybe an email mentions an idea that I want to look up.  Then, instead of looking it up later, I bring up Google.  An hour later, when I'm doing something completely unrelated to what I originally went to look for, I remember that I was working on email.

I'm not going to pretend that by giving strategies that it means that I'm keeping up with my emails.  Just ask Brenda, I'm not.  But, here are a few strategies that always seem to make me clear out my inbox (at least partially).

Work Offline: I have been making it a practice to take my laptop along with me to the boys' piano lessons.  We spend an hour at the teacher's apartment, and I spend most of that hour just working on email.  Because I'm offline while doing it, all of the emails have to wait until I get home to send.  But, it also means that I can't pop online to be distracted. 

Just this week, their teacher said that she had been meaning to ask me if I wanted her security code so I could get online.  I told her that as much as I would love it, I found the time to be most productive because I was offline.  I was proud of myself for not caving in to my usual distracted behavior.

Set a Timer:  I really enjoy using Tiny Timer to set a timer for working on my email (or other tasks where I tend to get distracted).  What I will do is decide how long I want to work on email and then put it in the timer.  Then, I can't do anything else on the computer (other than email) until the timer goes off.  I have been known to then give myself a little time to play around after the timer goes off, and then set it again.  The timer, of course, is great for any number of purposes though -- check it out.

Delete Emails that Don't Need Answers:  I have a tendency to forget to delete emails that ought to just be deleted.  When I let them build up, it makes me overwhelmed to check my email.  I am always more apt to work on my email when my inbox isn't brimming over with messages.

Set up Filters/Separate Email Accounts:  I don't tend to use filters on my email, but I do have a few email accounts.  While this may seem counter intuitive to being caught up on email, it helps me to have specific email accounts for specific tasks.  For instance, my email account for Catholic Mothers Online gets a lot of email, but it is also not something I need to check every day.  But, when I do check it, I tend to work through it all in one setting.  (This works for me because I use Outlook Express for most of these and can change between email accounts with two clicks of the mouse.)

Five Sentence Emails: Based on the idea on Sentenc.es - A Disciplined Way to Deal with Email, I work hard to keep some of my emails as brief as possible.  This helps me to move through some of them faster (and I'm less likely to let my mind wander).  Then again, I also manage to write emails that are as long as this post, so that does cut down on my efficiency.

Put Email on my To Do List: Sometimes, I just have to write a specific goal on my to do list, when I get really behind.  For instance, I may write, "Answer 20 Emails" as a to do item.  I really enjoy checking off tasks, so this is like a challenge to me.  It helps to keep me from being distracted when I know I can make a notch on a paper for every email sent.


Anything that I missed that works for you?  Do you tend to keep up with your email or let is pile up?







This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday.

I Would Be Remiss If I Didn't Talk About Conan This Week

Many years ago (maybe around eight years ago), I used to post on a scrapbooking message board before moving on to LifetimeMoments.com (which has also closed now).  One day, after a big discussion of the infamous lists that were discussed on Friends, the moderators decided to hold a contest for anyone who was willing to divulge who would be on their list.

For those of you that have never watched Friends, the list was a list of five celebrities that they would be allowed to cheat on their significant other with (with no consequences to their relationship).  Of course, on the show, Ross runs into Isabella Rossellini, who was on his list but that he had just removed for someone else.

So, we all made our lists of five celebrities and emailed them in.  (The prize was a letter punch, just to give you a time frame of how long ago this was.)  The moderators then declared that they had originally planned to give two prizes -- one randomly chosen person who had submitted their list and then one randomly chosen from amongst those that had whomever ended up being the most popular on their list (I think it was George Clooney).

It seems that upon receiving all of the lists, they decided that they absolutely had to add one more prize.  It had to go to the person that, as they declared, had the most shocking/funny/surprising person on their list.  I was publicly called out as a freak (in a nice way, I think) for one particular celebrity on my list...

Yep, I won a prize, and the general disbelief of my peers, for having one Conan Christopher O'Brien on my list.   And, do you know what?  If I had to make the list again, he'd still be on there. 

I am just naturally a night owl.  Actually, I'm probably more of a delayed sleep phase syndrome owl.  So, late night programming has always been something I have watched.  It's hard to imagine my late night without Conan.  I have my fingers crossed that he'll have some other show deal in the works soon.

Thanks for always making my late nights filled with humor, Conan.  I'll be anxiously awaiting your return.

Where Have I Been Lately?

I know that I haven't been around as much as usual during these last few months.  And, then the last week, I just haven't been here at all.

While it may seem like I probably haven't been on the computer, I actually have been on the computer quite a bit.  (More than I probably should have been, honestly.)  But, I am now happy to say that we have had a site redesign, move, and re-launch of The Homeschool Classroom, as well as the launching of a new site Homeschool Lifestyle Media (which is the umbrella company for The Homeschool Classroom and Curriculum Choice).

It has been great working on these sites, but I am very glad that some of this ground work has been laid.  I'm hoping to be back to writing here now.  I've missed you all!

7 Quick Takes: October 30, 2009 (Vol. 20)

~ 1 ~

I have been working on trying to find time to exercise every day lately.  It's funny though, I feel like I am wasting time when I am doing it.  It's like time exercising is akin to time spent reading Facebook to me.  I seriously need to adjust that thinking.  If I could manage to exercise as often as I was on Facebook, I would be a size 2 now.

~ 2 ~

Speaking of that exercising, I have noticed an interesting thing about Wii Fit Plus
(which I really, really like by the way, and think it's a great addition to your existing Wii Fit).  You see, when I used to do it once every couple of weeks, they would say things like, "It's nice to see you again, Angie."

Not anymore.

Now, I skipped one day, and they said to me today, "Too busy to exercise yesterday, Angie?"  Well, yes, yes, I was.  Thank you animated Balance Board for your concern.

~ 3 ~

I'm super excited to share that I have purchased my ticket for Blissdom 2010, and even have my hotel room reserved!  I kept thinking that it was a long way away, but then realized that it's actually only three months away.  Wow!  I think I need to start saving my pennies, using the Wii Fit a little more (or a lot more), and get some business cards printed up!

Anyone else going?

~ 4 ~

This week, I was delighted to do something for the first time.  I actually spoke on the phone (at length) to one of my blogging friends.  Of course, I have spoken to friends who blog on the phone before, but never anyone that I only knew because of blogging.

I had a delightful conversation with you, Brenda. Can't wait to talk (and email) more!

~ 5 ~

Do you know what else I enjoy?


 Cottage cheese.

In fact, I just had some as a late night snack.  (Don't tell the Wii Fit Plus Balance Board though, okay?  They keep talking to me about my late night snacking.)  Here's the funny thing though -- I have got to use a fork when I eat it.   The idea of using a spoon to eat cottage cheese literally gives me a chill up my spine that I can't explain.

Very odd.

~ 6 ~

I would love to post a little bit about my beloved local homeschooling group.  We had a meeting about restructuring our group this week.  I was excited about the idea, but it appeared that there were two distinct view points on what our group should look like, and a lot of people left still charged with emotions.


I expected the meeting to go like that, but I guess it really surprised some people.  And then, after having to talk to many people on the phone about it the next day (the other former co-coordinator and I got an awful lot of phone calls), I wondered if things could be healed.

And, then the funny thing is -- just 48 hours after such a meeting that left a lot of people feeling miserable the next day, it already seems like there is a lot of healing, and I'm so encouraged by it.  I just pray that everyone will continue with this new spirit of trying out some new ideas.

Do you know what my favorite thing about it all might be though?

I got to meet someone that goes to my very own parish that I had never met before, and I think she is just delightful.  I am so excited to have gotten to know her just a tiny bit, and I can't wait to get to know her better.  Life is funny like that, isn't it?

~ 7 ~

Speaking of life being funny (and apparently the staying power of Post It notes), those Post It Notes I mentioned last week that I let the kids stick all over the walls -- a couple have fallen, but otherwise, they are all still there.  I have considered taking them down, but then I look at them and smile.  So, I leave them there.

This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes Friday and Weekly Wrap Up.



photos by: carbonated (cottage cheese) / google images (post it notes)  /  JaviC (Wii Fit)

7 Quick Takes: August 21st (Vol. 12)

~ 1 ~

I have had a strong desire lately to work on another mixed media painting. I just loved working on the ones that I gave to some of my sisters for Christmas last year, as well as one that I kept for myself.

(The one shown here was the 16x20 canvas that I made for my sister Erin, after we kept saying that at a scrapbooking retreat amongst our family members.)

I have all of the paints I need, lots of different papers picked out as being good candidates, and even several sizes of canvas. Apparently all I need is to make it a priority to find the time to work on one sometime.

~ 2 ~

I did, however, work on a painting with watercolor crayons this week. Granted, it looks much like a third grader did it, but I'm cool with that. I know that I am not much of an artist. But, I do know that I had fun creating it, and that's what matters.

My reason for working on that was that the kids were working on their weekly lesson from Artistic Pursuits (from our curriculum this school year). I really love this curriculum. We're in the K - 3rd grade Book 1, and it's so fun. We've been talking about what artists do, looking at pictures of famous pieces of art (along with discussion questions), and then working on our own art.

One of my favorite parts is that we were told which art supplies we needed, and they were real art supplies. There is just something exciting about using watercolor paper (instead of computer printer paper), real watercolor crayons, and nicer paint brushes that cost $4 per brush, instead of the kinds of brushes that you get five in a pack for $2.

My other favorite part? Those real art supplies inspire me to sit down with the kids and do my own project. And, in that, I am showing them that you don't have to be good to enjoy creating art.

~ 3 ~

This week found us at Molly's very first ballet lesson ever.

Oh. my. goodness.

It was so cute that I thought I might have to cry.

Molly enjoyed herself, and is looking forward to her next lesson. I'm looking forward to watching her and her classmates work again. (If Molly can just work on keeping her eyes on her teacher, and not me, it would be even better.)

Oh yeah, and I'm also looking forward to hearing her teacher call the class of girls aged four to six years old to attention. Because, while it's cute to see them all ready for their lesson, it's even cuter each time the instructor says, "Okay, ladies..."

~ 4 ~

I have been worrying about our math curriculum decision. I kept thinking, "Maybe we need to try Math-U-See." Then, I went to their website again, and was again confused by the videos. I finally realized that we were just fine with our Horizons Math.

But, just as an extra help to Jack, I introduced him to Touch Math. And, you know what? That really helped.

It also saved me over $100 in buying new math books.

Double bonus.

~ 5 ~

I have worked on losing weight off and on for a few years. Honestly -- I don't have very much willpower, so it never seems to work very well. (Although I did once lose a little over 25 pounds, but then I just put it back on later.)

Deciding that it was time that I really worked on it, I convinced Eric that we should challenge my parents to see which couple could lose the most (based on percentages).

Apparently we're all in. I just hope that the prospect of a night away without the kids (it would be our first ever) is enough to push us both to actually lose some weight.

And, on the up side, even if we lost the challenge, I would be happy to see my parents do well. So, it will be win-win. (But we still would like to be the winners, of course. Well, except I can't actually imagine being gone overnight without the kids.)

~ 6 ~

I have had the song "Lost!" by Coldplay in my head most of the day.

While I really like that song, I just might be ready to have it out of my head soon. I'm thinking of listening to it several times loudly tomorrow, and hopefully that will help. You know, or it will make it worse. Definitely one of the two.

~ 7 ~

When something good happened the other day, I said aloud, "God -- what did I do to deserve such a blessing?"

Then, in an instant, I realized that if God gave me what I deserved, He'd probably drop kick me across the room. I'm thankful that we have a God who doesn't give us what we deserve, and who loves us so faithfully.

Make sure to visit Conversion Diary for more 7 Quick Takes!

photo credits: "I Think Your Girlfriend Gave Me the Stink Eye" -- Angie @ Many Little Blessings / "Tippy Toes" by something.from.nancy / "Toledo Scale" by Brave Heart

Wow! My Guest Post is One of Simple Mom's "Popular Posts"

I just popped over to Simple Mom during her giveaway week, and was surprised to see the guest article that I wrote for her site Composting Bins: Benefits, Rules, & How to Make Your Own listed on her sidebar as one of her "Popular Posts."

Okay, that's it. I am just feeling horribly unfocused tonight, and so I enjoyed seeing a little glimpse of what I can do when I actually mange to focus.

And now, I think I have to check Facebook, then go fold half a load of laundry before wandering off to do something and then forgetting the laundry, and then sitting down to my email, and following it all up with staring off into space.

Hey -- just keeping it real.

13 Gifts I Have Received That I've Used The Most

I haven't done a Thursday Thirteen in forever, but I thought it would be fun to think about thirteen gifts that I have received that I have gotten the most use out of.

And, once you read my list, maybe leave me a comment with some gifts that you have received that you have used the most!

Here's my list (in no particular order):

1. A quilt that my Mom made for me in 1985. How do I remember that it was 1985? In the bottom square, she embroidered that it was to me, from her (it said "Love Mom") and then the date. I still use the quilt all the time, and I love it even more now than I ever did before.

2. My iPod. Eric bought me a 30 gb video iPod a few Christmases ago, and I can't even imagine how many times I used it. And, then on Mother's Day this year, he surprised me with an iPod Touch. So, I can thank him not only for the iPod, but also if I get arthritis in my fingers from playing Tap Tap Revenge (Coldplay Edition).

3. The hope chest that my parents bought for me for my high school graduation. I had wanted one for so long. Imagine my shock that it had apparently been sitting in our garage in a box and I hadn't noticed it!

4. Our dining room table, which we actually don't have anymore. We got it as a wedding present (also from my parents), and I'm sure that without it, we would have spent years with a folding table as our dining room table. But, alas, it was small and only seated four. I think (hope) that one of my sisters still has it.

5. A wall crucifix that Eric and I received from the couple that sponsored us through RCIA. They gave it to us after the Easter Vigil Mass when we were received into the church. It now hangs in our dining room.

6. The garage freezer that Eric and I received as our only gift from my parents one year for Christmas. It is one of those stand-up freezers that is a bit bigger than a large dorm fridge. We use it all the time! I can't imagine what we would do without it now, especially as a family of five.

7. My favorite purple hoodie sweater that now has holes in several of the "seam" type areas. But, darn it -- I love that thing. Although, the funniest thing about it is that I picked it out for my birthday from my parents and then proceeded to stick it away in the closet for years. But, when I rediscovered it, I fell in love with it. I will probably keep wearing it until it falls apart.

8. Our honeymoon trip, which my grandparents gave to us as a wedding present. Sure, we were only able to really use the week long trip to London for a week. But, the memories have lasted far longer.

9. The paper shredder that Eric's parents gave to him one year for Christmas. Okay, so this wasn't actually for me, but I use it many times a week, so I'm counting it on my list.

10. As a baby gift (when I was pregnant with Noah), my Mom gave me the rocking chair that she got when she was pregnant with me. It hasn't always fit into our house in the way we would have liked, but it is used often. Although, now that the caning came out of the seat, it is used considerably less.

11. The keychain wallet thingee that a friend gave me for high school graduation with a Purdue emblem on it, because, as she declared, "Everyone at Purdue as one." I used it until it, quite literally, fell apart.

12. Gifts of money. So, this may not seem right to say, but there have been many, many times that we have received monetary gifts when it seemed like we were most in need of it. So, PC or not, it had to make the list.

13. My Kitchen Aid Mixer that I got this year from my Grandparents for Christmas. (This is kind of cheating, because I actually used money that I got from them to buy it. So, while it falls under #12, I think of it separately.) Every time I whip something up with my mixer, I not only save time, but I think of my Grandparents. And, what better gift is that?

Okay, so, if you got through this list -- Kudos to you! Now, share some of your favorite gifts! (Or right about it on your own blog and link back so I can read it!)

7 Quick Takes - May 15th Edition (Vol. 3)

1. You can now find my blog easily by going to http://www.manylittleblessings.net. And, you know what, if you forget and put in the .com, it will also redirect. I just could never configure Blogger with the host that I bought the .com with. And, trust me, I tried it about a million times. So, I finally sucked it up and went with a .net. Yeah for an easy web address!

2. It is time for planting our garden. Not only have I not started planting, I haven't even bought any starter plants. (And this certainly means that I didn't start seeds, other than the ones that I started earlier.) I'm hoping to have time to go out plant shopping this weekend.

3. We took a road trip this week to the Children's Museum. It was especially great, as we are counting down these last precious days of the school year.

We went with another homeschooling family, and we were glad that their 12 passenger van allowed for us all to make the trip together. It was a long day, but everyone seemed to have a really great time.

I know that there are a lot of people who homeschool that don't have much contact with other homeschooling families, but I don't think I could have made it through this year without all of the support and love that I have received from other people in our homeschooling group!

4. Speaking of homeschooling, I keep having Math U See pop up in conversations or online. I have wondered if that means that I should be using it. But, I watched one of their videos, and was kind of confused. Finally, Eric said that maybe I just needed to buy the manipulatives and add them to the Horizons Math that we are using now. So, I think it's a plan! Hopefully it will work!

5. Even though we're planning to continue working on math throughout the summer (as well as grammar and reading as well), we officially have just seven days of school left! I can't decide who is more excited -- me or the kids.

6. We watched the season finale of Grey's Anatomy. I just don't know what to say about it. All I can say for sure (especially without spoiling it for anyone who hasn't watched it) is that I was shocked when I figured out who "John Doe" was just moments before Meredith uttered his name. I promptly gasped and burst into tears. It's going to be a long wait for the new season.

Sure, I have a lot more I could say about the episode, but I won't. Because, well, this is quick takes, and I'm still feeling emotional about the whole thing anyway.

7. My teeth hurt part of last week and all weekend. First I thought it was something seriously wrong with one of my teeth. Then, that whole side hurt and I was in pain every time I ate.

Finally, I used our Neti Pot, and a week's worth of horrible pain was gone. I was about one step away from the doctor's office and a prescription for antibiotics. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Neti Pot maker.

How Could It Have Been 17 Years Ago?

I mean, really.

How could it have been 17 years ago today that I was 15 and my (16 year old) super shy friend Eric grabbed me in the school hallway and kissed me, thus, apparently sealing our fate. (Or, perhaps it was my love declaration when he had an arm full of AV equipment, that he promptly droped.)

Either way, you can read the whole story here, if you want.







photo by Moh Tj

Talk About Some Pressure!

I was talking to a couple of people tonight about my blog. One of them is a blog reader, and the other is not familiar with my blog.

During the conversation, the blog reader was telling the other person about how "good" my blog is and how much she enjoys it. Ahhh...nice.

But, then the other shoe dropped. She said, "Well, it hasn't been very good lately."

What?

She tried to say that what she was saying is that I just haven't been writing as much lately (by this, she did mean that I haven't been writing daily). That actually is true. But, still -- now I feel some pressure. (Like an egg in a wrench, apparently.)

I will share with everyone, I have a plan to help me have more dedicated time for writing. I haven't been able to give it a try yet though, but I'll share if it ends up working for me. (I can't try out my plan until next week though, so don't hold your breath waiting for my new secret.)

Is it a cop out to blame a week and a half vacation that was two full months ago? Seriously, this just can't be right, but I haven't felt caught up since I got home in January. I suppose that's stretching it a bit though, huh?

photo by bitzcelt

Welcome to the Ultimate Blog Party (Plus a $25 Amazon GC!)

Welcome to the partiers from 5 Minutes for Mom's Ultimate Blog Party 2009!

Here at my little party spot you can find lots of goodies -- but, sadly, no meat because today is Friday! But, I didn't give up chocolate for Lent, so I will be sure to serve up some! (Of course, if it was summer time, we could have fresh veggies from my garden!)

My name is Angie, and I'm a Catholic homeschooling Mom to three kids (ages nine, seven, and four). Our oldest son has Asperger's Syndrome (high functioning Autism) and our other son has issues with high anxiety, and then when you throw in a sometimes sassy little sister, interesting things are always happening at our house. Really though -- we have been blessed by three pretty darn good kids.

Here at Many Little Blessings, I write mostly about faith, family, and household management topics (cooking, cleaning, menu planning, and the like), as well as posts about crafting, homeschooling, going green (including gardening), and attempting to live a more content life.

From time to time, I even add a new free downloadable Mommy Calling Card design!

Speaking of giving away things, I'm sure that you're here for the giveaway! So, I won't waste anymore time.

One randomly chosen winner will receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate!

There are three different ways to enter the drawing. You can do one of them, two of them, or all three!

The contest starts now and will end on March 27th at 11:59 pm EST. You can enter by one (or all) of the following ways:

1. Leave a comment on the post with one tip that works for you around your house or in your life OR you can leave a comment about something you would like to hear me write about in the future (about one of the topics listed, such as homeschooling, going green, cleaning, menu planning, crafty stuff, etc).

2. Post on your blog or twitter about this giveaway, and then come back and post a link in the comments.

3. Subscribe to Many Little Blessings. Leave a comment to let me know!


Winner: ljsfunone

I need your opinions: blog design question

I like my current blog design (come click through if you read by a FeedReader or through email!), but have been thinking about a different layout as well. There is not much on the different layout, but you can check it out right here.

So, I can't promise to go with the popular vote, but I would love to hear what you all have to say. Do you like the current design/layout better or the second one? And, if you have an opinion about them -- why do you like one design/layout better than the other?

Thanks a bunch!

I like them both, but may be leaning one particular way. (And, after writing this, I may be leaning toward the one my Mom likes best.) Eric likes one layout/design, and my Mom likes a different one than he does. So, I would just love to hear a few opinions.

(Love the comments so far! Just as a side note, there is actually a variation on the second choice. The columns are just in different spots, so the content is still in the middle.)

$25 Amazon.com Gift Certificate Giveaway (Bloggy Giveaway Carnival)

If you are new to my blog and have come here through Bloggy Giveaways, welcome to Many Little Blessings!

My name is Angie, and I'm a Catholic homeschooling Mom to three kids (ages nine, seven, and four). Our oldest son has Asperger's Syndrome (high functioning Autism) and our other son has issues with high anxiety, and then when you throw in a sometimes sassy little sister, interesting things are always happening at our house. Really though -- we have been blessed by three pretty darn good kids.

Here at Many Little Blessings, I write mostly about faith, family, and household management topics (cooking, cleaning, menu planning, and the like), as well as posts about crafting, homeschooling, going green (including gardening), and attempting to live a more content life.

From time to time, I even add a new free downloadable Mommy Calling Card design!

Speaking of giving away things, I'm sure that you're here for the giveaway! So, I won't waste anymore time.

One randomly chosen winner will receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate! There are three different ways to enter the drawing. You can do one of them, two of them, or all three!

The contest starts now and will end on Friday, January 30th at 11:59 pm EST. You can enter by one (or all) of the following ways:

1. Leave a comment on the post with one tip that works for you around your house or in your life OR you can leave a comment about something you would like to hear me write about in the future (about one of the topics listed, such as homeschooling, going green, cleaning, menu planning, crafty stuff, etc).

2. Post on your blog or twitter about this giveaway, and then come back and post a link in the comments.

3. Subscribe to Many Little Blessings. No need to post here that you have subscribed, just drop me an email with the code that you'll find at the bottom of the feed.

Welcome to Simple Mom Readers!

If you have stopped by through my guest post at Simple Mom today, welcome!

Here at Many Little Blessings, I write mostly about faith, family, and household management topics (cooking, cleaning, menu planning, and the like), as well as posts about crafting, homeschooling, going green (including gardening), and attempting to live a more content life.

From time to time, I even add a new free downloadable Mommy Calling Card design!

And, while you're here, be sure to enter for the Motivated Moms Planner giveaway that I have going on through Tuesday!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Oh, and for my regular readers -- thanks for stopping by too! You can check out my guest post Composting Bins: Benefits, Rules, and How to Make Your Own at Simple Mom!

7 Ways to Get Exercise Without Leaving the Neighborhood (WFMW #61)

I really need to be getting more exercise, and I know that. I used to belong to a fitness club, but it was just too far across town (especially while gas was high) and it was difficult to fit into my schedule.

Finally, I thought, "Why not use some of the things that work for me instead of thinking it's all or nothing?" (And, at our house, any time someone says something "works for me," Eric or I always have to say, "Wednesday!")

So, while I have not come up with a schedule of what I will be doing which day, I have come up with my plan to use ways to exercise that I have right around the house.

Here is my plan of ways to exercise that already work for me that I will be putting into my schedule:

1. Wii Fit -- We already have a Wii, so there was just the expense of buying the Wii Fit. But, for $80, the whole family is getting exercise. I love this game, and it doesn't feel like a chore, much like other exercise. But, I can feel that I am getting a work out!

2. Dance Dance Revolution -- Yes, again with the Wii. Seriously -- I cannot recommend this system enough. Even my Mom and Dad bought one! (And, while my Grandma was in a nursing home for a few weeks, she even enjoyed bowling with it.) Anyway, DDR is another one of those, "I'm exercising, but I'm enjoying it."

3. Recumbant Bike -- One year for Christmas, Eric and I asked my parents to just buy the two of us just one gift -- an exercise bike. This isn't fun like the Wii, but it's great to have one good cardio machine here in the house. If something like this is too expensive brand new, you can look on FreeCycle, Craigslist, garage sales, or go the route that we did and see if you can get it as a gift.

4. Exercise Videos -- I can borrow these from the library before buying (and you probably could too!). This is a great way to try out a variety of types of exercise -- from buns of steel to pilates to yoga. It's just a DVD player away!

5. Take a Walk -- This is a great, no cost option. Of course, this is not the time of year for it around here, but it's a nice time for the whole family. Or, for a more intense work out, I can take a power walk by myself. Just put on my iPod and go! (I don't do this option near enough, but will try more in the spring.)

6. Gardening or Yard Work -- Again, not the time of year for it (other than shoveling snow), but this is a great way to get out in the sunshine (for Vitamin D, as my Mom would point out) and get your body moving. Plus, this is a great way to get the kids working too!

7. Have Fun -- Just the other day, the whole family ran around the house dodging, hiding, and moving all about. No, we weren't dancing (though that would great exercise too). We were having a nerf gun battle. It was hilarious and it ended up with everyone out of breath. Lots of fun and a cardio workout!

What are some of your favorite ways to get some exercise? Anything you want to start trying to do (learn yoga, start running, etc.)? Do you have an exercise schedule?

To see what works for other people around the blogosphere, be sure to check out Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer!

If you are looking for the iPod giveaway, please visit this link for the post earlier this week to enter.



photo by Joachim S. Müller

What I Did Last Weekend

I saw this video over at my dear friend Becca's Blog, and I just had to share it. Oh man -- did it make me smile! Not only was it shot by one of my favorite buddies (whose blog I won't link to right now, since her name is listed below), but it was also what I did last weekend too!

I'm in the video, by the way, as are 70 of my friends (oh, and perhaps my mother and two of my sisters -- they're twins). Although, I realized that I was right about thinking that I was hardly ever at my seat because every time I could see my seat in the video, it was empty (other than once I was in it that I was actually in the video).

Oh, and a quick note -- while there is nothing bad on the video, I still suggest that you not watch it in front of kids. You'll understand why when you watch it.



2008 Crop of a Lifetime from Stephanie Burdett on Vimeo.

$25 Amazon.com Gift Certificate Giveaway (Bloggy Giveaway Carnival)

I can hardly believe that it's already time for the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival again! Wow! I guess the last three months have flown by!

If this is your first time stopping by Many Little Blessings, then let me say WELCOME! I hope that you will consider stopping by again sometime, or even subscribing.

My name is Angie, and I'm a homeschooling mom to three kids. My blog primarily focuses on our daily life, our family, faith, and various household management ideas (from tips and tricks to recipes). You'll also sometimes read about cool products that I like, as well as the occassional learning tip (although I also blog about homeschooling on our group blog, The Homeschool Classroom, as well as the homeschooling and food channels of Blissfully Domestic). I also publish free Mommy Calling Card templates for download from time to time (see the link above).

Okay...so on to this giveaway. I will be randomly choosing a winner for a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate. Because, you know -- who can't use $25 to Amazon.com, right?

Here's what you need to do:

Post a comment to this post by Saturday, November 1st at 11:59 pm EST.

Your comment must include something interesting about yourself or your blog. Trust me -- this something interesting is pretty liberal. Honestly, just tell me something. Others will see your comment, and maybe something you say will make them want to visit your blog! (If your comment only says something like, "I'd love to win" or "Pick me," then you did not read the directions, and you can't win. Sorry!)

Leave me a way to reach you, if you should be the winner. Either email or make sure your comment is linked to your profile/blog. If I can't reach you, you can't win.

For an extra entry, leave me a suggestion of what to call my Etsy store (yes, I am going to re-open the shop). I have some ideas, but am not really sure. It is currently called Autumn Daisy Studio, but I'm changing the focus (somewhat) and want a new name. I will be carrying handcrafted Rosaries and Photographs (religious subjects only). I have a few ideas jotted down, but would love some ideas. Maybe if someone suggests something I already have written down, then it's a sign!

Okay...get to posting those comments! Can't wait to learn more about all of you!

20 Little Things to Treasure in Autumn

Melissa from The Inspired Room has asked people to post 20 things they love about Autumn. Since Autumn is my favorite season, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to declare my love for that season.

1. Watching the leaves on the maple tree in our backyard change color.

2. Crisp, but not cold, air outside.

3. Carmel apples with chopped nuts on top.

4. Watching the kids try to carry the pumpkins they choose from the pumpkin patch.

5. The earthy colors that are typical of the season.

6. Molly's birthday.

7. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin STUFF.

8. Fall festivals.

9. Thanksgiving with family (and the food isn't too shabby either!)

10. The start of the new television season.

11. Cozy nights inside.

12. My annual trip away for four days of scrapbooking and friends.

13. Leaves blanketing the ground.

14. Burning bushes turning from unimpressive green shrubs to gorgeous, bright red wonders.

15. The extreme bounty that can be found at the Farmer's Market toward the end of the season.

16. The excitment of Election Day.

17. Christmas begins to loom closer.

18. Greeting the smallest trick or treaters at our door.

19. Finally being able to see when you drive through the country, as the corn crops are harvested.

20. A cool night with a huge moon and a sky full of stars.