Sparks and Butterflies

We have a winner for the Superbowl Party Pack!

Congratulations, Maria P.!  I’m sending you an email to get your address to pass on to Pepsi.

Thank you to all who participated!

So.  Headless Mom has passed to me an award.   It’s my second in all the years I’ve been blogging, so I must say thank you.  It’s always wonderful to be acknowledged.  I had the pleasure of meeting Headless Mom at BlogHer last year – she was passing out headless dolls, as I recall.  And she still reads me.  So, I must not have made too terrible an impression!

So – the award – Making Lemons out of Lemonade

This award comes with a few rules: Put the logo on your blog or post. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE! Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

Now the hard part – Passing it on.  These blogs really don’t have anything in common.  Some are popular, some aren’t.  Some are Christian, some aren’t. Some curse, some don’t.  But I find each of these bloggers compelling for some reason – in all their differences.

1. Steph at Adventures in Babywearing for her indomitable spirit.
2. Angela at Bring the Rain for her grace and heart in sharing her daughter’s story.
3. Kelly at Generation Cedar for never wavering in her principles.
4. Ree at The Pioneer Woman who exudes the gratitude she has for the life she leads in every post and picture.
5. Stacy at Your Sacred Calling for the calm, focused and true way she lives her life pointed at God.
6. Tanis at Attack of the Redneck Mommy for the ferociousness in which she loves and fights for her kids and husband.
7. Crystal at Boobs, Injuries, and Dr. Pepper for the great attitude she has through all she’s been through.
8. Allison at Mrs. Fussypants for her indomitable spirit through the last couple of years.
9. Oh, the Joys for the attitude she shows about and to her children.
10. Megan at Velveteen Mind for her constancy (even if she IS a fan of the blogging hiatus.)

Of course this isn’t everyone – I read hundreds of feeds.  But it’s a start for now.  Thank you to them for their thoughts, wishes, dreams, and the urge to share them with everyone.

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Don’t forget – the Superbowl Party Pack Giveaway ends tonight, Jan. 16th at 11:59pm PST.

I’ve a new post up at Blissfully Domestic - Physical Therapy -  A Quick Look.

Are your Christmas Decorations put away yet?

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CONCLUDED, AND WE HAVE A WINNER – MARIA P.

Ok so technically, we’re a football family.  Really it’s just my husband and oldest son.  But they’re part of the family, right?  And quite frankly, my husband has decided until next year that football no longer exists since his team is out.  But if YOUR team isn’t out – or you just plain don’t care, and love the Super Bowl…  I have a giveaway for you!

It’s The Ultimate Super Bowl Party Pack!  It’s valued at $250 and comes complete with food and goodies!

From Pepsi, Behold:

• 1 football

• 1 beverage pail

• 1 snack helmet

• 2 key chains

• 2 hats

• 2 t-shirts

• 5 Pepsi 24 pack coupons

• 5 Frito Lay coupons

The Pepsi peeps will send the package directly to the winner when I give them the info before The Day (Feb. 1st)..

So…  What do you need to know?  Comment on this post.  I will pick a winner via random number generation.  I’ll post the winner, and I’ll email the winner to get their delivery information.   The contest ends Friday, January 16th at 11:59pm PST.  Only ONE comment per person, please.  I’ll delete repeaters.

So – Comment away!

The Bloggies are currently in the nomination phase.  I have nominated my own darn self in the Lifetime Achievement category.  Why?  Because I’ve been blogging since “online diaries” in 1995.  And my archives here go back to 2000 – I’m a DINOSAUR in the blogging world and I want my cookie.

Please also nominate Blog Nosh Magazine…  Our editors, and our editor-in-chief, work very very hard.  I nominated it in the Best Group Blog category.

You have to pick three for your nomination to count, so pick someone else (you perhaps?)

And another thing!

The Weblog Awards are in their voting phase.  Blog Nosh is nominated in the Best New Blog category; and Blissfully Domestic is Nominated in the Best Parenting Blog category.  You can vote once per day…  Please vote because you love me!

And just a smidge more…

I published a post on Blissfully Domestic on Occupational Therapy.  And over on Blog Nosh I edited a post on living your life with purpose.

And I think that’s all I needed to update you on.  I don’t schmooze too often…  How’d I do?

So I’m going to BlogHer ’08 (woot and yay!) in two – TWO – weeks.

I have never met a blogger in person before. I’m especially nervous about this. I’m anxious about the social thing. (what if no one likes me waaaaah) So, figured the best way to attack this was to list my flaws so you won’t be shocked or surprised. heh. You probably wouldn’t have been anyway.  But this is my way of attacking my anxiety head on.  Here I am, take me or leave me, with all my flaws.

• If I’m drinking, I talk.  If I’m nervous, I talk.  Drinking and nervous?  Oh dear.  Also – when I’m nervous I start talking louder and louder.  The problem is – I was (literally) dropped on my head too many times as a child and it effected my hearing.  I actually cannot hear myself talk.  So, while I may be talking louder, I still can’t hear a difference in my head.
• If I’m passionate or excited about something, I start repeating myself.
• I’m chubby.
• I smoke.  Please don’t lecture me, unless you too fought an addiction to meth.  I will only smoke in appointed smoking areas, and I won’t blow smoke in your face.
• I’m missing two teeth.  This is very very upsetting to me and makes me very self-conscious.  But here’s the story: I did take care of my teeth.  However, genes suck, and I was born without 8 permanent teeth.  So, that means that the permanent teeth weren’t there to push out the baby teeth.  So, the baby teeth just stuck around, until they just couldn’t hold on any more.  My bottom front teeth have been fixed, and I still have two babies that are hangin’ on for dear life in the bottom on both sides.  But on the top, one on each side, couldn’t hold on anymore.  It will take several thousand dollars to fix, and I don’t have that kind of cash, so, they are missing.  Yes, I brush and floss.  I’ve had one cavity in my life.  Just bad genes.  So – I may not smile big, and if I do, it’s because I forgot about my mouth for a minute.
• I snore.  But you won’t have to worry about that since I’m alone – NO KIDS OR HUSBAND – in my room.  I may hide in my room because of the beautiful beautiful silence, but I digress.
• I talk with my hands.  I’ll try not to smack you.
• I’m a notorious clutz.  I’ll try not to drop my drink on you.

That’s me.  In all my glory.  I can’t wait to meet you there.

There’s a new Giveaway over at Butterviews! Enter for your chance at a free case of water!

A very Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, no matter what kind.  You matter.

I normally don’t post about every single post I do on Special Needs Parent because A) I post every day and B) the feed is in my sidebar.

However, It’s not every day that one of the top 5 bloggers I read agrees to an interview for me.

First Susan Wagner (of Friday Playdate) did it.  And now Mir Kamin (Woulda Coulda Shoulda).

Go check out Mir’s interview today.

I’m pretty open here.  I’m open about my past of drug addiction.  My parents/lack of parents/birth parents/abandonment issues.  My children.  My children’s disabilities.  Marriage.  Really.

So – I’m opening up for questions.  Got any?  Any at all?  Ask and I shall answer.  Anything you like.

Normally when I receive PR information, I save it, potentially, for Butterviews.

This is different. This is important information that I need, and that is needed by the larger audience of this blog. I live in earthquake country. It could happen at any time, any day. There isn’t any warning. The closest they’ve gotten is “the ‘big one’ will be in the next 30 years.” They’ve said that since I was a kid, and it’s always the same timeframe. In other words, no one really knows.

So I want to challenge you to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster – and me as well… I’m not very prepared. Whether you face earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and the annual influx of the strange flies from Peru – you need to be prepared.  So take this information, and do what you need to do to get your own family prepared.

We’ve been given the opportunity to work with the state of California to identify families with trusted online voices to get better prepared in the event of a disaster. This starts by assessing your risk and then creating and documenting an emergency preparedness plan, which can be saved, printed and/or emailed to your family and friends. Through your thoughts and opinions about this process via your blog, the state hopes that WE can spread awareness and stimulate action for this important initiative, not just with your friends and family, but statewide.

So. How can we prepare?

1. Identify Our Risks – Identify dangers where you live and work, and where your children go to school. Find out what natural or man-made disasters pose a risk for you and your family. Do you live or work in a flood plain, near a major earthquake fault or in a high-fire danger area?

• Contact your local Office of Emergency Services (OES) or local chapter of the American Red Cross, and get informed.
• Check with your insurance company to see if your home is in a high-risk area for fire, flood or earthquakes. Make sure your insurance coverage is up to date on an annual basis.

2. Create a Family Disaster Plan

• Designate a meeting place outside of your home. This is where family members can go if you have to evacuate.
• Identify an out-of-state “family contact.” It is often easier to call long-distance following a disaster.
• Know and understand your plan. Involve all members of your household in the creation of your plan, especially children.
• Learn how to get important information in your community and how to talk to family members, if you become separated.
• Take care of your family pets. Store food and water for them in your disaster supply kit and keep their tags up to date.

3. Practice Our Disaster Plan – After working with your family to develop your plan — practice it. Start by having family members meet at a designated spot outside your home. Know how to respond in a disaster — whether to stay put indoors, or whether to evacuate your neighborhood.

4. Build a Disaster Supply Kit for Our Home and Car – In order to be self-sufficient until help arrives, you need to have a disaster supply kit. Your home kit should have at least the following items and be kept in containers that can be easily carried such as backpacks, plastic totes or wheeled trash cans. Carry a smaller kit in your car.

• Have at least a three-day supply of nonperishable and canned food, and water for all family members. Replace water every six months. Don’t forget to restock food items.
• First aid kit
• Battery-powered flashlight, portable radio and extra batteries. (Replace batteries on a regular basis.)
• Change of clothing and footwear, and one blanket or sleeping bag for each family member.
• Extra set of car keys, a credit card and cash.
• Extra medications.
• Sanitation supplies (such as soap, cleaning supplies, shampoo, toilet tissue, etc.)
• Extra prescription glasses.
• Keep important family documents in a waterproof container.

5. Prepare Our Children – The more informed and involved children are in disaster planning, the more prepared they will be. Talk to your kids about risks and what your family will do if disaster strikes. Empower your children to help develop your family plan, build your disaster supply kits and lead practice drills.

6. Keep in Mind Unique Needs – Remember to prepare for unique needs that you or your family members have. Do you have small children or are there seniors or individuals with disabilities in your family? Make sure you have infant supplies, medications or durable medical equipment that you or your family members may need. Have enough supplies to last at least three days. Contact the National Council on Disability at www.ncd.gov for more information.

7. Learn CPR and First Aid – Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross today and get trained on first aid and CPR. Your training could save the life of a loved one or neighbor following a disaster.

8. Secure Our Space at Home and the Workplace – Secure the contents of your home or office to reduce potential dangers, especially during shaking from an earthquake or an explosion. Strap large electronics, anchor tall furniture, secure cabinet doors and overhead objects such as ceiling fans and pictures. Find out how you can make your home fire safe by contacting your local fire department or CalFire.

9. Understand Threats of Man-Made Disaster -There are many types of disasters. Some are natural occurrences, such as earthquakes and floods. Others are man-made and can range from chemical spills and power outages to terrorist attacks. WE Prepare by understanding and being ready for both types of disasters.

10. Serve – In California, one way WE Prepare is by helping others. There are many ways you can get involved to help make sure your community is ready for disasters. Log on to www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org and Volunteer Now! In the search by interest box select Public Safety & Disaster Preparedness to find out where to donate blood or how join a local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), the American Red Cross, Fire Safe Council or other volunteer organizations in your area.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD “10 WAYS TO PREPARE FOR DISASTER” PDF

Here’s some other information.  Granted – it’s the State of California, however, many of the concepts can hold true for preparation for any state.CaliforniaVolunteers
1110 K Street, Suite 210
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-323-7646
916-323-3227 fax
www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org

Go to www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org and take advantage of the free tools that will help you and your family Get Ready, including a customizable children’s story designed to teach kids how to be disaster prepared in a fun, nonthreatening way.  On www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org you’ll be able to:
• Determine your family’s risks by using the Web site’s Risk Assessment Tool
• Customize your Family Disaster Plan
• Personalize and download your own Children’s Story
• Print out wallet-size Emergency Contact Cards
• View and download First Lady Maria Shriver’s 10 Ways WE Prepare for Disasters