Funny Friday – The Grammar Nerd

April 13th, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in Funny Friday - (Comments Off on Funny Friday – The Grammar Nerd)

Yes, that’s me. I have been known lovingly as a grammar nerd, a grammar cop, and even the grammar nazi by my honey. I get it, it’s difficult to type everything out in texts or even from your phone to Facebook, but when a reputable news source starts making grammatical errors, I start getting “grinchy”. And sure, I’m not perfect, but I appreciate when basic grammatical rules are followed. If you ever find any basic errors on this website, please feel free to correct me!

A short lesson:

it’s = it is
its = possessive form of “it” (referring to something that belongs to “it”)

there = refers to location (There it is!)
they’re = they are
their = possessive form of they (belonging to them)

your = possessive form of you (belonging to you)
you’re = you are

two = the number 2
to = preposition used before a noun or verb as an infinitive (We are going to the store. We are going to leave now.)
too = also (I love you, too.)

who’s = who is
whose = possessive form of who/whom

These are the few that were at the top of my mind today. Which bother you the most?

To relieve some stress from my mind, here are a few graphics from someecards and one from Piccsy.

Does bad grammar bother you? Which grammatical errors bug you the most?

, , , , , ,

The Saturday Spruce-Up – Back Porch Spring Cleaning

March 31st, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in The Saturday Spruce-Up - (Comments Off on The Saturday Spruce-Up – Back Porch Spring Cleaning)

All winter, every winter, my unused back porch turns into a catch-all room, a storage room, gathering dust and odds and ends including old lamps, stuff for Salvation Army, and who knows what else? Yesterday I spent naptime moving furniture and stuff, vacuuming, scrubbing and DE-CLUTTERING. It feels so good to have my cute little porch back.

Here’s the shameful before picture with a winter’s worth of junk:

Yikes! That's embarrassing... and this is the entrance we and guests use every time.

The view from the back door. Layers of dust and junk. I do like the bamboo shades though.

I included this one because you can really see the dust build-up under the bench. It's awful. Why am I posting these on the internet?! What is wrong with me?!

Okay, so here are the after pictures that (somewhat) redeem me as a wife, mother, and human being.

Aaaah. Much better. It's all scrubbed, washed, vacuumed. Much, much better.

This is a doll clothes armoire I had when I was a little girl. I love it as an end table!

No more dust under that bench!

Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?

Have a great weekend!

, , , , ,

Funny Friday – Introducing Average Dan

March 30th, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in Funny Friday - (Comments Off on Funny Friday – Introducing Average Dan)

My extremely entertaining brother-in-law is “Average Dan” on Fox 23 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A few months ago, he shot a series of promotional videos, some of which I’ve included here. Be sure to check him out on Fox 23 and click here to read his reviews of above average businesses in the Tulsa area.

The maniacs and I spent at least a half hour the other day watching the ten second commercials over and over and over. And laughing.

The five second rule should not be questioned. You can tell its a rule. How? Because of the way it is. Deal with it.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

 

Sneezing is a serious health condition. Do it carefully and responsibly.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

On Average, people laugh 17 times a day. In order to reach my daily laugh quota, sometimes I have to find a loophole, so I made this video for those days when I need a pinch-hitter and don’t feel like chuckling one bit.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

, , , , , ,

Make-A-List Monday – Quotable Kids

March 26th, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in Kids | Make-A-List Monday - (Comments Off on Make-A-List Monday – Quotable Kids)

Our three maniacs, from left to right, TT(4 1/2), Vanilla(15 mo.), and Peach(2 1/2). And yes, the two big kids crawl themselves into Vanilla's crib almost every morning and all three jump... Don't judge me.

On my other, extremely neglected blog, I attempted to keep track of funny or insightful things my kids said because they are constantly coming up with new gems. However, I often hear them say something, laugh about it and tell their dad, then forget about it. Today is redemption for my other blog, Out of the Mouths of Maniacs.

Here are some glimpses from that website as well as some new stuff the maniacs have been telling me lately.

1. After we returned home from vacation – TT: Mom, I just want you to be home for one day then go on vacation again.

2. Dad: What do you want to be when you grow up, buddy?
TT (age 4): What do I want to be when I grow up? Hmmmm…. A husband!

3.  Peach, our two and a half year old, has several nicknames for her little sister, and we don’t know where any of them came from. They are: Cakes, Quakes, and Little You-ee-high.

4. Lately, our baby, who is now 15 months old, has been saying, “Hi Peach!” and “Hi Sase!” (talking to her brother).

5. TT (age 4): Mom, you know how I can fly like Superman?
Me: How?
TT: I can get a cape on my back and a stick on my crotch and fly away!
Me: A stick on your WHAT?
TT: On my crotch. You know, like Harry Potter.

6. Peach (age 2, after painting her toenails hot pink): Mom, can I take my pink toes to bed with me?

7. Then there’s this conversation between a plastic goat and a plastic horse (via my two-year-old):
Goat: I love you.
Horse: Well, I love you too. Let’s run away from the hyheenas!

8. TT: That grape was disgusting. It tasted like yard.
Me: How do you know what “yard” tastes like?
Crickets, crickets.

9. As I’m wiping my four-year-old’s butt – TT: Mommy, I think you are just gorgeous!

10. Peach: I can do whatever I want!
TT: (in a very calm tone) No, you cannot do whatever you want. You are a child.

Which is your favorite? What are some awesome things your kids have said lately (or ever)?

, , , , , ,

The Saturday Spruce-Up: The Kid Emergency Bag

March 24th, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in The Saturday Spruce-Up - (Comments Off on The Saturday Spruce-Up: The Kid Emergency Bag)

Okay, so this bag I keep in my van isn’t for actual emergencies, but more for normal “kid” emergencies. We were at a local indoor playground recently (Going Bonkers) and my newly potty trained two-year-old wet her pants. I frantically searched the diaper bag for anything that would fit her, then ran out to the van while my little girl cried quietly because she still wanted to play.

Out in the van, the only thing I could find was a pair of gym shorts (and it was below freezing out) that my four-year-old hadn’t quite grown into yet. Why did I have shorts in my van in the middle of January? Because sometimes I can be a bit way too unorganized, and this pair happened to fall out of a bag of hand-me-downs we had received from another family.

I brought the shorts, thinking we were just going to have to make them work, when a good Samaritan–another mom I barely know–offered her son’s extra pair of sweat pants without a second thought. All I could do was keep saying, “Thank you! Thank you so much!” And thinking to myself, “I wish I was her right now. I wish I was smart enough to have extra clothes for my kids. Why am I NOT a type-A personality?!”

Then I discovered that it doesn’t take a type-A personality to put together a kid emergency bag. Here’s what’s in mine:

The Van Emergency Bag for Kids

  • Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Extra set of clothes for each kid, including socks and underwear
  • Jacket or sweater for each kid
  • Jammies for the baby

I just put it all in a bag, and it stays in the trunk of my van. Easy as pie! (I never understood this saying… it’s not really that easy to make pie.)

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I also found a car emergency kit placed in an adorably decorated plastic wipes case on the blog Rips in My Jeans (found via Pinterest, of course!). So I decided to make my own. Since I know I’ll never make the time to actually cover the box in cute fabrics, I’m just using Tupperware. Here’s what’s in my box:

The Van Emergency Box

I like that the Tupperware is clear so I can see everything inside without taking off the lid. This piece is a square #2 Modular Mate with a blue lid.

  • grocery bag for trash
  • hand sanitizer
  • Wet Ones
  • ibuprofen
  • lotion
  • white petroleum jelly (good to use for diaper rash cream or lip balm or for small cuts)
  • tissues
  • a safety pin
  • a small amount of cash & change
  • non-perishable snacks (I have Craisins)
  • a hair tie
  • a pen
  • bubbles (my maniacs go absolutely nuts for bubbles)
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Now I can feel like one of those actually-making-Pinterest-projects, wore-her-skinny-jeans-home-from-the-hospital, super-organized-tidy-house b moms… even though I’m really not.

, , , , , , ,

Funny Friday – The Round-Up Kid

March 23rd, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in Funny Friday | Kids - (Comments Off on Funny Friday – The Round-Up Kid)

Last Friday my four-year-old son TT and I went to Kindergarten Round-Up. He’ll be attending our parish’s Catholic school, and he was pretty excited about the whole thing. My favorite quote: “Mom, you promised it was going to be so fun, and it was!” So now, even though I know I’ll be sad once August gets here, I know in my heart he’ll be well taken care of and happy when he’s at school ALL DAY next year.

Here are some shots of him after we got home from Kindergarten Round-Up:

My soon-to-be kindergartener with his new hat, handkerchief, necklace, and badge from the "Round-Up". Giddy-up partner!

Gram watched the girls while TT and I went to Kindergarten Round-Up, so she deserved a picture with the new cowboy hat.

TT sure loves his Gram. He cried when we figured out she was babysitting his sisters, but not him.

Me and V. She's still bald, but she ain't a baby. At 15 months, she's running all over the place and still cute as a button.

Okay, so this wasn’t the classic hilarious funny Friday, but a girl’s gotta show off her kids sometimes… right? 🙂

Have a great weekend everyone!

, , , ,

Funny Friday – Awesome Advertising

March 16th, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in Funny Friday - (Comments Off on Funny Friday – Awesome Advertising)

DollarShaveClub.com just launched last week, and their video (which only cost about $4500 to produce) is pure advertising genius. It’s absolutely perfect for their target market.

WARNING: This video contains a bleeped out f-bomb, as well as a few other more mild cuss words. So don’t blame me if your kids repeat anything… Enjoy.

, ,

Funny Friday: Helpful Hints when Caring for Baby

March 9th, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in Funny Friday - (Comments Off on Funny Friday: Helpful Hints when Caring for Baby)

I just discovered these graphics at CoolStuff.com. Parents and non-parents alike, enjoy. Have a great weekend everyone!

P.S. Uncle Connor, I’m talking to you.

, , , , , ,

Make-A-List Monday: My Lenten Resolutions

February 20th, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in 2012 Resolutions | Make-A-List Monday - (Comments Off on Make-A-List Monday: My Lenten Resolutions)

I’m never very good at keeping New Years Resolutions, but Lenten resolutions are much easier for me because they actually make me feel closer to God.

I am a contributing writer for CatholicMothersOnline.com and I recent wrote a post about First World Problems and gratitude. If you haven’t heard of “First World Problems,” it’s a funny way of saying “I’ve got a great life, but I complain anyway.”

Part of the graphic I created for the Catholic Mothers Online article - Familiar?

With this in mind, these are my Lenten resolutions this year:

  1. Quit complaining.
  2. Quit gossiping.
  3. Be grateful for all my blessings.
  4. Simplify and de-clutter my home and my mind so I can really appreciate what I have

When I have the urge to complain or gossip, I’ll say a silent prayer instead, thanking God for the blessings in my life.

For a more details about my thoughts on gratitude, please read my article at CatholicMothersOnline.com. 

What are your resolutions for Lent this year? What do you plan to do to keep them?

, , , , , , ,

Make-A-List Monday: Most Annoying TV Shows My Kids Love

February 13th, 2012 | Posted by Bryn in Kids | Make-A-List Monday - (Comments Off on Make-A-List Monday: Most Annoying TV Shows My Kids Love)

Have you ever noticed how irritating television programming made for children can be? I have trying to cut down on my kids TV viewing, but they still have some favorite PBS and DVD shows they enjoy.

The top five kids’ shows from hell are:

5. Sid the Science Kid – He only thinks he’s a science kid.

4. Spongebob Square Pants – Want to make your kids dumber? Let them watch this!

3. The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about That – “Your mom will not mind at all if you do”? I just don’t think any parent would let their kid go on adventures with a strange giant cat. Just sayin’.

2. Go Diego Go/Dora the Explorer – Do you see the elephant? Um, yeah, it’s right there.

1. The Doodlebops – Three adults with flourescent colored skin sing on a bus. Just plain weird.

I also feel like Barney should be on there too… What kid shows annoy you the most? I’m sure there are more out there. Have a great Monday!

UPDATE: We only have basic cable, so I’ve never seen an actual episode of Yo Gabba Gabba, but my friend Barb says, “I’d rather have a root canal than watch that show!”

 

1a. Yo Gabba Gabba – Wow. Just wow.

, , , , ,