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Posted on February 28th, 11 by dailysavingsfromallyou

Get FREE Pancakes at IHOP

In honor of National Pancake Day, IHOP is giving away FREE short stacks from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. tomorrow, March 1. All you have to do to get your free pancakes is dine at an IHOP near you. In exchange for tomorrow’s free buttermilk goodness, IHOP just asks that you consider a little charitable goodness for an excellent cause—they’ll be collecting donations for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals if you feel inclined to give.

So, plan your day around free pancake consumption and maybe pay your good fortune forward in the process. For more information on National Pancake Day or the Children’s Miracle Network, check out IHOP’s National Pancake Day site.

Blogger for Andriod? Yes, please.

This  is only a test. 

Let me begin by saying I love the show Designing Women. I've seen every episode multiple times and am anticipating the release of all seasons on DVD. When in college, I watched 4 episodes each day on Lifetime. I only wish I had gone to seen Dixie Carter when she was performing at the U of A. I start a lot conversations with Matt with "there was a Designing Women episode..." more often that what he would like. Here's how it ties in today.

As a new mother, I am constantly seeing the progress of others' children. It's only normal to compare. Elle got her first tooth and rolled over just before 5 months, she was sitting on her own, completely unsupported at 6 months. There was a Designing Women episode where Charlene had taken her baby to the park and encountered one of these women who let you know the progress of her baby. I can't find the exact quotes but it went something like this:

Mother: When did you baby cut her first tooth? My baby cut her first tooth at 4 months. When did you baby take he first steps? My baby took her first steps at 11 months.

Charlene to her co-workers: All along I thought I had given birth to the most precious baby and come to find out, she's just a toothless blob.

So, when I read that someone else's child is starting to crawl or whatever the event might be, I have to remind myself not to be crazy. She'll learn to walk or eat, its inevitable.

In a recent conversation with a good friend, we were discussing a career choice that someone had made, we'll say an alchemist. It is something that isn't of high importance to us and seems very silly of why someone else would pay for this service. It rates on our scale below hypnosis, but above palm reading and snake charming. My friend chimed in commenting that it's about equal to being a life coach.

Which got me thinking. America is now lacking common sense. I could totally be a life coach. If someone is willing to pay me money for my opinion and common sense, should I not accept it? Is this not what Dave Ramsey has made millions doing? He's only teaching financial common sense...and we're paying him for it. He's right, he's teaching us what came naturally to our grandparents. If you want to take advantage of my life coaching skills, let me know. We can work out a deal.

On a side note, Matt has decided to re-memorize pi. He's up to 35 digits. There's all kinds of fun to had at our house. Jealous yet?

I've been encouraged to keep writing. Look out.

I'm not sure when getting dressed each day started involving yoga pants, but that's how we roll around here. Maybe it's because they are comfortable and it's easier to play in the floor with Elle, maybe it's because I'm still not back down to a size 4 and I'm too cheap to buy new jeans. I will be a size 4 again, from my calculations, I'm 2 stomach viruses away. So, I now get up, shower, put on make-up (which I have found is an extremely important part of being a SAHM) and get dressed in yoga pants. I try to wear ballet flats with them, so at least I don't look like a complete slob, and some days I feel pretty good. I'm not sure that Stacey and Clinton from What Not to Wear would agree. But I don't leave the house dressed like this, well, I normally don't leave the house dressed like this.

Yesterday I was reading through a local family magazine. The article that caught my eye was Breastfeeding: Beyond one year old. At the end of the article, I found myself thinking "Are you kidding me??" They write that according to anthropological studies, the average age of natural, child-led weaning worldwide is 2.5, with a maximum around 5 years of age.

My first issue with this is where are they getting this information? I'm not saying it's not true, but I want the references to know that it was a credible source. Now I understand why we had to cite sources in college papers. 9 years later and the light bulb comes on.

Secondly, what countries are the ones where 3, 4 or 5 years is acceptable? I checked Wikipedia (which brings up other issues of validity) but for this, we'll say that they are accurate and correct. Guinea-Bissau West Africa has the average at 22.6 months. Other fun facts about West Africa:

• It is considered a Third World Country
  
• More than two-thirds of the population live below the poverty line.
• The WHO estimates that there are fewer than 5 physicians per 100,000 persons in the country
• Child labor is very common
• A significant minority of the population are illiterate.

I'm not trying to offend anyone in Guinea-BissauWest Africa or other countries that have extended feeding, or anything like that, all I'm saying is that maybe the authors of the article should compare apples to apples. This post is not at all conclusive, I'm just disappointed in one sidedness of the printed article. I'm not even saying that extended feeding is wrong, every family has something different that works for them, I do believe that if you are nursing a 5 year old, in America, Canada or Britain where this is consider taboo, you may as well be nursing them in the psychiatrist office, because there's a good chance they'll end up there. (Note the sarcasm)

While I'm on the topic of breast feeding, here's my opinion. It's a wonderful bonding experience between mother and child. Not between mother, child and all the other diners in McDonald's or Ruth's Chris. Plan your outings better. For the argument of it being a natural thing...the human body does many natural things which are still not acceptable to do in public.

Secondly, if it hurts, you are in fact doing it wrong, go see a professional. If someone tells you that it is supposed to hurt, they are LYING! Yes, I know both from experience. I was hurting so bad, Matt tells people that I was saying words he'd never heard me say before. I was running out of profanities and started making up my own. Formula feeding was a blessed day in our house. Elle was happy because she was full, I was happy because it didn't hurt anymore, Matt was happy that I was no longer yelling. So, I firmly believe in what ever works best for your family.

If only I'd gotten an invitation...

I probably still wouldn't have gone to Prince Williams's wedding. I am planning on watching it on TV. I believe the time difference is 6 hours, so if I remember correctly, the wedding is at '11 am, which would be 5 am here. Probably not getting out of bed for it, but will be scheduling the Tivo. Our next Well Baby Check up is that same day. When the receptionist asked if April 29th was good for us, all I could think about is..."hmm...that's Prince William's wedding day...it's okay, I'll record it." I know, it was a very sad thought to even think of planning my day around the Royal Affair, but it's history, right? So, that's what I'm going with, I'll be witnessing history.

I found some great blogs today. The first one I looked at was http://www.prudentbaby.com/ I googled pillow case dress patterns and their site came up. Check out the craft section on baby food jars. I wondered what I was going to do with those. Seems silly to toss them out and reusing is better than recycling.

From there, I went to http://www.prudentadviceformybabydaughter.com/ I read some of these, will copy some down for Elle, and will hopefully add my own for her. My first one for her might be to always wear appropriate shoes for the season. Even though it is warm, it is still winter, don't wear flip flops. When leaving Target yesterday, I saw someone in a spaghetti strap sun dress and sandals, which just made her look awkward since its February and just last Wednesday we had 21" of snow.

My favorite from the blog was "Leggings are not pants" True that.

And the winner is....

.
This year's winner of the waiting until the last second to mail your tax documents award goes to....Nova Southeastern University. Congratulations, it's such an honor to be that slow. Yes, it's an annual "award", given by me. Matt doesn't know I do this...I try to seem normal most of the time, some days are better than others.

FX would be totally justified in pulling the plug on Justified. Gangstagrass is entertaining.

She's unhappy but I laugh every time I see this one.

Nothing can stop the Reminator. Feb. 9, 2011

It's a little deep. Feb. 9, 2011

You don't need a sled, this weimeraner will gladly pull you down the hill.

Elle's first snow...Jan 20th 2011

2-5-2011

Snowman that mom and I built 2-6-2011