Living on the Edge

Anyone can be a singer!

So as a mom and first grade teacher...I've become queen of the silly songs.  Music tames the savage beast they say...and so silly music will totally catch the savage beast off guard and give you a headstart! 

When my kids had to put their jammies on at night, there was the jammy song.  Brushing their teeth, well of course the brushing their teeth song--to get them to brush long enough.  Waiting at the stoplight...yup, there was even a song for that.  Of course the mega concert of mommy songs was always at bathtub time.  It became a huge medley and remix of songs that were real and those made up.

I came across Jonathon on youtube this morning.  He must have had a mom that also sang to him endlessly about anything and everything.  He now does it himself, films it and posts it on youtube!  He has 571 songs so far.  He sings about the iphone, Steve Jobs, and this funny one about an actor he wants to meet....and many more.

Here is his iphone 4 antenna song too...

Check out his website and see all 571 songs that he's done so far!

Friday's Funny--Sunscreen is important!!

This one is for my girls.  One of my biggest purposes in life during summer is to nag them about sunscreen!  It takes over the winter nagging of doing homework and eating breakfast before school. 

So I found some pictures that may help me get that sunscreen on them...

   

Really...you do need help getting it on your back!  I know you are flexible...but there are places even you can't reach :-)

 

Apparently the S stands for 'Super-burned-man'!

 

Daddy just wouldn't let them in the door girls...no worries!  And if by chance you do have one of these photos taken...I have photoshop on my computer.  Not sure about the pink tie and shirt...that is another subject altogether....

 

I think his face will crack if he smiles any bigger!  And if you think he's bad.....

 

I think this is his mama!!!  I'm hanging this one on the girls' bathroom mirror, right above the bottle of sunscreen on their counter! Ha ha...how's that for a good reminder?

The bank says we are finished!

The painters are gone...the bank inspector came by...the last draw is being drawn...and we are done with the house!  Yeah, I know, there are lots of little projects we still need to do...but that is just now called home ownership.

So here is what the house looked like before:

   

And here we are after!!

 

Thank you Vaughn and Joel from Outlaw Painting! 

Severn Suzuki, Then and Now

I found this amazing video of a 12 year old girl addressing the United Nations.  Her name is Severn Suzuki.  She raised money to fly to Rio de Janeiro and address the United Nations Earth Summit.  I was watching it trying to figure out when it happened.  It could have been today, although when you see the men and their suits and their hair styles...you'll know it's not current.

This video is from 1992.  So almost 20 years ago.  Isn't it interesting that nothing has changed since then?

I was also wondering where Ms. Suzuki is now.

I found that she is married now and has realized that the best way to effect change is to inspire people to change laws.  She realized what many environmentalists discover (other than those that just get off on the radical part) that living your life as the example and taking action whenever you can is what works.

Here she is talking about parenting.

I've always thought that being a parent truly is the best way to make you more aware...of everything!!  We have that innate need to protect our children.  That's why I also think there should be more women in government.  Anybody else think that if we had more women running the country, we would have fewer problems?

Fundraising or Asking for Handouts...that's the question!

So, with two daughters and many sports, schools, girl scout troops, and teams throughout three states...we have done our fair share of fundraisers.  I don't mind the girls doing it for a good cause.  I also don't mind helping them out.  We do have trouble with a couple aspects of selling things though...these are questions that come to mind when you mention fundraisers to me.

1. Will my child be expected to sell things to strangers?  Going door to door in new neighborhoods (or where we live now--a lack of a neighborhood) just doesn't sound safe.  I don't care if it's one girl doing it or three at a time...do you want pretty teenage girls going door to door to people they don't know?

2.  How about standing in front of a grocery store?  That seems a bit safer because I'm sure pedophiles don't buy groceries.  Yeah, I'm being a smart-alec there for a moment...sorry!  Maybe it's because I've sat at many a girl scout cookie sale table in cold,snow, wet and/or windy weather so that my girls can get 25 cents a box for their troop.  Booths in front of stores is definitely a way to catch more people in a shorter amount of time--that's the part I like--hit those quotas quickly!!

3.  Will the group we are fundraising for actually benefit from the sale?  Girl Scouts make very little off their boxes of cookies.  Are we really giving up our family time so that they only get 5% of the sale?  When you create a fundraiser, for it to be worth the time and effort put into it, don't settle for less than 50% of the sale.  Seriously people, there are lots of organizations out there that offer good fundraising opportunities...check them out carefully and compare.  Get that 50% minimum into your pocket...or just move on to another option!

4.  Are you selling something you believe in?  Is selling cheap, made in China items that you are sure to see in the next garage sale worth it?  Is it good for the environment?  Does it support your community or your country?  Will your neighbors or family members be on the next episode of Hoarders because they buy so much of the junk?   If it's not something you would buy...don't sell it!

5.  Are you selling something worth the money? With our economy the way it is...and everyone's budgets tighter than ever...is the consumer getting a good deal?  Selling a $10 ticket to a car raffle...nice idea.  But think of the thousands of people buying those $10 a pop tickets, only one person will win the car.  The other 3,999 people....well thanks for the donation. 

6.  So why not just ask for a donation?  Present a good sponsor letter if you are on a team sport or if you are raising money to go on a group sponsored trip.  Tell people you know your story and offer your services to pull weeds, to babysit, to clean house, to chop wood...anything in exchange for a donation to your cause.  Taking money from people with nothing in return just teaches your child to expect handouts.  If you don't mind that...just plop them on a street corner with a cardboard sign!

7.  My biggest pet peeve?  Car Washes!  The weather is never nice the day you plan it.  Parents end up doing most of the washing.  The kids don't do most of the work for a couple reasons...

• they are busy texting
• they are great avoiders--spending time in the bathroom or getting a drink or finding a dry towel (these are the ones who avoid chores at home too)
• they don't know how to wash a car (NOOOO don't use that sponge that was in the gravel on that new Lexus!!)
• they are busy flirting with the cute football player in the pickup truck (who they've spent 30 minutes washing and drying his car so he doesn't leave)
• they are there because they HAVE to be...need I say more?

So we told our coach that we would be happy to pay for our uniform in monthly installments.  If they have team activities--such as car washes--we would be happy to be there, but selling a $10 chance for a nearly nonexistent opportunity to win a car...it just goes against our moral fiber.

I think we will work on number 6 this summer.  So if you see us coming...don't run...just find our 14 year old some work!  If that doesn't work...maybe she'll be at the corner with a cardboard sign by September!

Katie Perry...you're not 'all that' in Minnesota!

We hear a lot of Katie Perry in our house, on the radio, at cheer practice...everywhere.  Well, who would have thought that Minnesota was feeling slighted by Katie's current song, California Girls! This is clever and very funny!  You probably could also change it to Humboldt County Girls and keep all the other lyrics!

4th of July Friday Funnies

Trying to decide how to title this post. "Patriot's at Heart"  or "How Not to Sing the Anthem"or maybe "It's the Thought That Counts"....not sure, but just remember they all had their hearts in the right place, even if their voices weren't!!

I know what everyone was praying after that officer sang!!

This was cute...the audience starting singing just to be louder than her!

This would count as the most embarrassing day of your life...and in front of a hockey crowd too...the poor girl!

I think the applause was because she finally finished!! There had to be a mad rush for the bathroom afterward because everyone was ready to pee their pants! Hey, Steve, in case you read this...This was at Foothill H.S. in California!!

Now here's one to end on a good 'note'. This one is sung by a 7 year old autistic girl! Better than some of the singers on American Idol!!