A COMMERCIAL REVISITED...

Now head on over to Mercedes Rocks
to see "wassup" with a little

Thanks to Mercedes for bringing us

a little laughter each mid-week!

A COMMERCIAL REVISITED...

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/commercial-revisited.html

XBOX WIFE: GREATEST HITS

In this week's edition of Works-For-Me Wednesday: Greatest Hits Edition, Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer, has asked us to rerun one of our own favorite old Works-For-Me Wednesday posts. I decided to get all nostalgic on y'all and rerun the very first Works-For-Me Wednesday post I ever made! Hope y'all enjoy it!

MY FIRST WORKS-FOR-ME WEDNESDAY!
Originally published on Wednesday, September 19, 2007.

For a couple of months now, I have been reading the
Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival hosted by Shannon at
Rocks In My Dryer. And y'all...it is so awesome! Each week I find wonderful new tips for just about everything! I've longed to join in the fun; but it wasn't until this past Saturday that I was finally ready to take the big leap and not only remove a post from draft form for the first time ever, but publicly publish that post as well! After privately blogging (in draft form) since the Spring, I am gradually making all of "XBOX WIFE" public. It's a work-in-progress. :)

Now, I am so excited
to finally be a part of:

THE UPSIDE OF DOWNSIZING AND ADDING MORE WHEELS

This summer was a big traveling summer for our family. We took an airplane trip, as well as a long road trip.

Sometimes traveling with kids can be,shall we say...difficult!

They tend to get bored while waiting in line at the airport and hotel check-ins, making it an easy temptation for them to:
a)get loud, b)get whiney, or c)get lost by wandering away,
leaving you either angry, frustrated, or panicked (or all three) and wondering why you took the trip in the first place!

We found something that kept our forces of nature at bay this summer. And y'all, let me tell you, it made our travel time SO much easier! We gave each child their own suitcase. It's amazing what putting them in charge of their own set of wheels was able to accomplish. Not only did pulling their own luggage keep them occupied, it gave them a sense of pride and responsibility. They did NOT want any help, and they kept up with us in the airport. Focusing on their luggage kept them from being distracted by other things. They did not fight. They did not whine. They did not wander away from us. This held true in the hotel check-in lines as well, and it was wonderful!

Of course, there were additional benefits as well. We packed far less than usual. Each person was limited to their one suitcase. This made doing laundry so much easier when we returned home. Lastly, Mr. Brownstone and I were able to have a stress-free check-in at both the airport and the hotels because not only were our children cooperating, but we were also each carrying only one small bag. Long gone were the days of lugging a couple of large, heavy suitcases and several carry-on items, all while corralling in kids. We did each have one small carry-on item because their were certain things we wanted to keep on the plane with us. I had a large purse, and he had a backpack. These helped to occupy the kids after the luggage was checked.

We followed the same exact packing plan for our road trip. We do not have a large car, and the four small suitcases fit perfectly in the trunk. We kept the "carry-on" items in the backseat with the kids, so they could access them easily. It was easy to unload what we needed at each hotel, and it kept our children from all whirlwind activity.

I can definitely say that the idea of downsizing and adding more wheels Works-For-Me, and I hope that it will work for you, too!

**To see another thing that is working for me, click here! (Link removed for reposting.)

HAPPY TRAVELING!

And now back to the present day...

What is working for me today other than the things about which I've already written?

It's "Ten Things Tuesday" ~ a carnival of thanksgiving!

You can click here to read the guidelines,
and you can click here to read about the inspiration behind it!

Since we're all breaking out reruns today, click here to see my other Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips, which include:

• how we clean out children's closets with ease (really fun!)
• what meaningful gesture of love we use with our children (my very favorite!)
• what we've learned about dining in and dining out
• "Backwards Edition" tips for shopping at CVS
• "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
• how we master math in the Brownstone household (GREAT tool for math!)
• "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
• how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them (biggest reader response!)
• how we make traveling with kids easier (see above!)

Click here to find out what works for us regarding chores and allowance!

Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us!

XBOX WIFE: GREATEST HITS

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/xbox-wife-greatest-hits.html

TEN THINGS TUESDAY

1. Today is a day that the Lord has made! I am happy ~ and thankful ~ to rejoice in it!
   
2. Twister is feeling better this morning, and that is awesome.
3. I am thankful for the abilities that God gave certain people to diagnose illnesses and the abilities He gave others to create medicines.
4. Tornado has a really exciting activity today that just might be the highlight of the school year.
5. I am thankful that God gave certain people the ability and creativity to be wonderful teachers for my children.
6. I am thankful for my children.
   
7. I am thankful for my sweet friend that I have gotten to know a little bit better through blogging after all this time. I hope she knows how much I am looking forward to growing our friendship!
8. I am thankful for my sweet friend that is finding joy in every corner. I hope she knows how proud I am of her!
9. I am thankful for my sweet friends that make me laugh on a daily basis and help me when I need it (and even when I don't, so it's "just because")! I hope they know how much they mean to me!
10. I am thankful for our awesome husbands, especially mine because he's smokin' hot! I feel like I've got a few extra brothers in the husbands of my friends, though (and a few extra sisters in my friends), and that is a comforting feeling!
    

Ten Things Tuesday Participants

1. Chandra 2. Jennifer 3. mzzterry 4. shana 5. Dyane 6. Amanda 7. Dallas

8. Danna 9. Nikki 10. Jill 11. Andria 12. Jen 13. Sarah in Disturbia 14. Mercedes

15. Jason 16. Rosheeda 17. Jamie 18. Jenn 19. Jenni J

Learn more about Ten Things Tuesday here.

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TEN THINGS TUESDAY

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/ten-things-tuesday.html

AND TO THINK I DRINK THIS STUFF!

At the risk of sounding a little goofy...
One of the little pleasures of my day, each and every single day, is to have a Diet Coke...or two...or sometimes maybe three. I find myself grinning with the anticipation of the cold frosty burn that will cause me to shake my head and shiver my shoulders with that first sip. Oh, since I'm being all honest and vulnerable here, let's call it what it really is...my first big gulp!

I don't really spend a lot of money on small pleasures. I don't make a lot of impulse buys for myself, or for our home. I don't often get a pedicure, or even a manicure. I don't drink a lot of fancy coffee, unless it's really cold; but if you read this post, you know that is hardly ever! I do ~ however ~ spend money almost every single day on a fountain soda. They just taste better in my opinion; and nobody ~ I mean NOBODY ~ does it better than Sonic!

Two o'clock p.m. is the magic time for me. I've been known to give a giddy giggle and a little clap as the hour draws near, "In two and half hours, it's Sonic time!" You get the picture. Every day from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. is Happy Hour, and that means that all fountain drinks are half price! So every day, on my way to pick up the kids from school, I pull into Sonic and order a Route 44 Diet Coke with easy ice, regular cherry syrup, vanilla, and real cherries. It costs $1.03. I know, I know... That's $5.15 for the entire school week, but it's so worth it to me. I get so much more enjoyment from the fountain soda than if I swung through the drive-thru of a trendy coffee establishment where I would spend more than that for a mere two cups! Not that trendy coffee is bad...Diet Coke is just better!

Once the fountain soda is in hand, I proceed to sit in the school pick-up line (at least thirty minutes before the bell rings), roll the car windows down if the weather permits, and enjoy every single sip of that pure joy in a cup! This small pleasure gives me such great pleasure. It's one of the most relaxing times of the day. I enjoy the quiet...the anticipation of the kids being home for the afternoon...the reading of passages in my Bible...the working of a crossword puzzle or word search... the music on the radio... It is just a peaceful time for me, and I'm thankful for it.

If I do have another Diet Coke during the day, it's just from a can, or a bottle, at home ~ much like the ones that these fellows are using in this video. I would post it here for you, but they really prefer that you watch it over at their place, and I'm totally cool with that. I hope you'll check it out, though, because it's really funny...and amazing...and slightly scary for a Diet Coke drinker like me!

Ann Kroeker is hosting "Monday FunDay" ~ "a carnival dedicated to swapping simple, amusing – maybe even silly – everyday ways you enjoy good, clean fun" ~ over at her blog. I had a "Monday FunDay" watching this video today! And even though I will never have one with Mentos, every day will be a FunDay when I have my Diet Coke!

You can find other fun ideas over at Ann's blog,

and y'all know...we can all use a little fun now and then ~ especially on Mondays!

AND TO THINK I DRINK THIS STUFF!

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/and-to-think-i-drink-this-stuff.html

LIKE TWO SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT...

Such will be the week at the House of Brownstone!

Oh, mercy! We have a crazy busy week, with lots of fun activities planned for one and all. Dinners this week will have to be super easy to prepare, and the clean-up will have to be even easier.

MONDAY - We will be having baked ham, scalloped pineapples, corn-on-the-cob, and green peas. We will also have a Scout meeting and the final run-through and costume adjustments for the living museum book report that Tornado has on Tuesday. (See below for Scalloped Pineapples recipe!)

TUESDAY - We will have leftover ham to use for sandwiches, along with chips and fruit. I will not lie ~ there is a strong possibility that this could be a drive-thru night as well. Tornado has an activity that requires us to be gone from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. We also have another Scout meeting that afternoon. It might be hard to even make sandwiches! It's a good thing I like ham because that could be lunch for me for the rest of the week!

WEDNESDAY - We will be dining for $10 at our church! The menu for the night is Chicken Parmesan, Garlic Bread, Salad, and Chocolate Cake. Yum!!!

THURSDAY - I have Titus 2 Talks for the women's ministry at our church. I'll grab something quick before the meeting, and Mr. Brownstone and the kids get to have free-for-all!

FRIDAY - There is a really special Dad/Child activity at church that includes concessions, so that means it's Girl's Night Out for the other moms and me!

SATURDAY - We don't have too much going on of which we know...yet! The plan is to have Lemon Garlic Turkey Tenderloin, rice, and broccoli.

SUNDAY - I can't imagine that this Sunday will be different from any other Sunday...it is always a time for lunch and/or dinner with our friends, and I can't imagine it (or wouldn't want it) any other way!

The following recipe is courtesy of my mom's recipe box:

Scalloped Pineapples

2 cups sugar
3 eggs
¾ cup butter, melted
¾ cup milk
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained
8 slices bread, crusts removed and cubed

Mix together all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours. Reduce heat to low, and cook one more hour. Eat hot as a side dish to ham, or poultry. Eat chilled with vanilla ice cream, or frozen yogurt.

Enjoy!!!

To see more recipes from the Brownstone kitchen and my mom's box, click here!

As always, thanks to
Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie
for hosting

each and every week!

Menu Plan Monday Participants

1. Tamy ~ 3 Sides of Crazy

2. annie

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LIKE TWO SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT...

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/like-two-ships-passing-in-night.html

TRACK SPIKES, TENNIS RACKETS, AND CORN FLAKE MACAROONS!

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Mrs. Brownstone. (Well, she wasn't always Mrs. Brownstone, but that's neither here nor there.) She lived in a little place called Our Town. And by "little place"...well, let's just that actually means "little place".

Lots of people have asked her through the years if she ever wished she had grown up in the city; but Mrs. Brownstone always thinks about it for only a moment before shaking her head in a "no". She thinks Our Town was a great place in which to grow up and have experiences that might not have been as readily available in a big city. She got to do LOTS of things.

Through the course of her eighteen years before college, she was involved in at least three kinds of dance; learned to play six different instruments; participated in five sports for fun and a little competition; participated in five different Varsity sports for fun and serious competition; played in three different kinds of bands; learned lots of things in organizations like Girl Scouts, 4-H, and Future Homemakers of America; participated in lots of academic and literary competitions like poetry and prose reading and four different kinds of competitive writing; got to be an editor and a writer in journalism; participated in all facets of drama; was active in Student and Class Councils; and was a National Honor Society member, among other various activities and accolades.

Growing up in a small town afforded Mrs. Brownstone lots of opportunities, the most important of which was the opportunity to be well-rounded. She never had to choose only one thing in which to participate or excel, and there was never a great expense to participate, because Our Town needed every member! At the same time, there was never a lot of pressure to be the best! There were not a lot of other things to do in Our Town, so these things were considered more fun and play than work and responsibility.

Though Mrs. Brownstone excelled at some things (like running), she was certainly not the best at everything (like tennis). BUT...I'll tell you one thing ~ that girl could make a mean batch of Corn Flake Macaroons! One year Mrs. Brownstone entered this delight of the cookie family into a 4-H cooking competition. And GUESS WHAT!?!!
She won!!!

Amongst the medals and trophies...amongst the broken tennis rackets and nearly new swim goggles...she still has that beautiful little blue rosette ribbon. Maybe she should just bust that sucker out of the storage box and display it in her kitchen! In the hustle and bustle of city life, it might be a good reminder for Mr. Brownstone that she actually CAN cook!
(Or at least bake...)

Following is the prize-winning recipe, courtesy of her mom's recipe box:

Corn Flake Macaroons

2 egg whites
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sugar
2 cups corn flakes
½ cup nuts
¾ cup coconut

Place egg whites and vanilla in mixing bowl; beat until foamy. Gradually add sugar while beating. Beat until stiff and glossy. Fold in flakes, nuts, and coconut. Drop by level tablespoon onto well-greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet.

Happy Baking!

Thanks to Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks
for inspiring this post through her

The theme this week was "cookies"!
For other great cookie recipes, click the graphic!
For other great recipes from the kitchen of Mrs. Brownstone, click here!

TRACK SPIKES, TENNIS RACKETS, AND CORN FLAKE MACAROONS!

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/track-spikes-tennis-rackets-and-corn.html

TAXES AND LAUGHTER DON'T MIX!

Or do they???

I was doing a little blog hopping this morning and came across Mad Kane's Humor Blog. She is challenging her readers to write a haiku, a limerick, or both in honor of April 15, otherwise known here in the United States as "Tax Day". Never one to back down from a little poetry challenge, below you will find my efforts!

A little limerick for you:

Mr. Brownstone our taxes doth file,
And never has he cracked a smile;
But this year invokes hollers ~
For the extra TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ~
Due to kids and our walk down the aisle!

And now the haiku:

Why are we waiting
Until the dead last minute
To file a REFUND?

TAXES AND LAUGHTER DON'T MIX!

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/taxes-and-laughter-dont-mix.html

DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT THE MOM?

Last week was a really great week! The kids were home for Spring Break, and we had so much fun!

I am always so thankful when we get to spend truly quality time together without having to worry about homework, extra-curricular activities, dinner, baths, and bedtime...only to repeat the process the following day.

When they are home and free to "just be", I am continually reminded of their creativity, their energy, their wisdom, and their wit! In honor of the little jokesters, I give you my fourth edition of Thursday Thirteen!

Thirteen Jokes My Kids Love To Tell That Make Me Laugh Every Time!

1. Why does Peter Pan fly around everywhere?
   Because he can never, never land!
   
   
2. Knock, knock.
   Who's there?
   Liza.
   Liza who?
   Liza get you nothing but trouble!
   
   
3. What did the witch order when she stayed in a hotel?
   Broom Service!
   
   
4. Knock, knock.
   Who's there?
   Anita.
   Anita who?
   Anita Knapp
   
   
5. What did the ghost say to the invisible man?
   Long time, no see!
   
   
6. Knock, knock.
   Who's there?
   Boo.
   Boo who?
   Why are you crying? I'm just telling a knock knock joke!
   
   
7. What do snakes do after they fight?
   Hiss and make up!
   
   
8. Knock, knock.
   Who's there?
   Emma.
   Emma who?
   Emma cracking you up yet?
   
   
9. What kind of witch lives on a beach?
   A sandwich!
   
   
10. Why is six afraid of seven?
    Because seven eight nine.
    
    
11. Knock, knock.
    Who's there?
    The interrupting cow.
    The interrupting cow wh...
    MOOO!!! (Done in an interrupting sort of way, of course!)
    
    
12. Why couldn't the eleven-year-old see the pirate movie?
    Because it was rated "Arrrgh"!
    
    
13. Knock, knock.
    Who's there?
    Banana.
    Banana who?
    Banana.
    Banana who?
    Banana.
    BANANA WHO?
    Orange.
    Orange who?
    Orange you glad I didn't say banana!
    

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thursday Thirteen Participants

1. zenmomma 2. MissMeliss 3. pussreboots 4. Mercedes 5. Susan Helene Gottfried 6. Many Little Blessings 7. tipsandtricks 8. Joyce T. 9. Danna

10. Starrlight 11. Phyl 12. Nicole 13. Rims 14. Sarah in Disturbia 15. Jennifer 16. misty 17. Cindy Swanson 18. On Shades of Gray

19. e-Mom @ Chrysalis 20. Monica 21. Thebluestbutterfly 22. Pretty Life Online 23. Vera 24. Smiler 25. Malcolm 26. Celticlibrarian

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here
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DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT THE MOM?

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/did-you-hear-one-about-mom.html

YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN THE SOUTH WHEN...

In honor of the GORGEOUS weather we've been having around here, I thought I might give all y'all folks who might think I'm rubbing it in by bragging about how it's been in the 70's (and even the 80's) this week, exactly what we still have to look forward to here in "the South"... 'cause it's all fun and games until somebody gets burned!

1. You notice the radiator is overheating before you even start the car.
2. You no longer associate bridges over rivers (or even the rivers) with water.
3. The thermometer in the lid of your Bar-B-Que Grill shows 150 degrees before you light it.
4. You hear the weather forecast for 105 degrees and don't even flinch 'cause that's nothing!
5. You are skilled in using only two fingers to drive your car because your steering wheel is so hot.
6. You can make instant sun tea...instantly.
7. The best parking is determined by shade...not distance.
8. Hotter water comes from the cold water tap than from the hot one.
9. You need an oven mitt to open the car door.
10. Sunscreen with less than 50 SPF is called "hand cream".
11. You consider fabric the deluxe interior because leather sticks to your legs.
12. You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron...
13. Your biggest bicycle wreck fear..."What if I get knocked out and lay on the pavement and cook to death?"
14. You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
15. At the first cool spell (anything below 70 degrees ~ Brrr!!!), you declare it's "good weather for chili".
    
16. You know ALL SIX seasons:
    Spring ~ February 16 to April 15 (temp: 50 to 85 degrees)
    Summer ~ April 16 to July 15 (temp: 90 to 98 degrees)
    Super Summer ~ July 16 to September 10 (temp: 100 to 115 degrees)
    Still Summer ~ September 11 to October 1 (temp: 90 to 98 degrees)
    Fall ~ October 2 to December 1 (temp: 50 to 85 degrees)
    Winter ~ December 2 to February 15 (temp: anything below 45, but it always feels like -10 because of the wind!)
    
17. And finally, you know that green grass DOES burn!

Thanks to Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks
for encouraging us to find a little each week!

YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN THE SOUTH WHEN...

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/you-know-youre-in-south-when.html

THE HIGH PRICE OF FASHION

Every Spring it has to be done. Every Fall it needs to be done, too.

Closets. Those dreaded closets!

Unfortunately, they need to be cleaned out, reorganized, and sometimes replenished! Things need to be mended...things do not fit...things are simply out-of-style.

Now, cleaning out my closet is one thing....
But cleaning out the kids' closets??? That is something ENTIRELY different!

They do not like to do it!
It is not always easy...
It is always time-consuming...
And most of all...it is BOR-ING!

HOWEVER...
I have found an awesome and simple way that works-for-me to get our children to help in this often irksome and tiresome process...with no whining...no complaining...and no battle.

AND they try every single piece of clothing!!!
We can see what still fits...what did not weather well through storage...what needs to be hemmed...

You must be asking...
"How do you do this? No whining? No complaining? No battle? AND they try on everything? EVERYTHING???"

My answer? "Yes!"
Every.
Single.
Thing.

We have the "Brownstone Fashion Show" with Fall and Spring Collections. It is so much fun because it's like playing dress-up or make-believe. We have judges. We have music. And the models get paid.

Paying my models...THAT is the key!
They get $.05 per item. To them, it's like getting "supermodel pay".

Do I feel guilty for bribing my kids?
Not for one single second!
The ease of cleaning out the closets...the visual of what needs to be mended, donated, or purchased...and simply the sheer fun it brings alone...

Just the fun is worth it...
Every.
Single.
Penny!

Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to see more

tips this week!

And visit Ann Kroeker, the hostess of "Monday FunDay" ~ "a carnival dedicated to swapping simple, amusing – maybe even silly – everyday ways you enjoy good, clean fun" ~ over at her blog. We had such a "Monday FunDay" having a "Brownstone Fashion Show" this week that I didn't even have a chance to blog on Monday! Maybe this FunDay will work-for-you, too!

You can find other fun ideas over at Ann's blog,

and y'all know...we can all use a little fun now and then ~ especially on Mondays!

Click here to see my other Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips:

• what meaningful gesture of love we use with our children
  
• what we've learned about dining in and dining out
  
• "Backwards Edition" tips for shopping at CVS
  
• "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
• how we master math in the Brownstone household
• "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
• how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them
• how we make traveling with kids easier

Click here to find out what works for us regarding chores and allowance!

Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us!

Click here to see my other Monday FunDay ideas!

THE HIGH PRICE OF FASHION

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/high-price-of-fashion.html

TEN THINGS TUESDAY

1. It is shaping up to be a gorgeous day ~ not too hot for a jacket and not too cold for shorts! No matter your temperature preference, you can be happy on a day like today!
2. We had a wonderful Easter! No matter how hard I try, I will never be able to wrap my head around the sacrifice Christ made for me...and for you!!! I'm so thankful for my redemption.
3. We have wonderful friends and family with whom we were able to celebrate this special day!
   
4. Spring Break was awesome! It was so much fun to have the kids home for a whole week. I will sorely miss them today, and that's a good thing!
   
5. One of my children has an activity on Tuesdays that is a step toward fulfilling a lifelong dream. If a desire begins at age two for a child and never wanes, I feel confident in calling it "a lifelong dream". :)
   
6. I am so thankful that Mr. Brownstone works so hard to provide for our family. I know he's so tired at the end of each day, but he stays involved with the kids and with me. Tuesdays are the longest day of the week for him because they start the earliest. Say a little prayer with me that he finds the energy he needs to have a great day! He deserves a great day!
   
7. "Ten Things Tuesday" has an awesome new button!!! Grab one for your blog!!!
   
8. This means that there are some wonderful, helpful people in the blogosphere! Rachel Anne at Home Sanctuary and Michelle at Scribbit: Motherhood In Alaska...y'all rock!! Thank you so much for your help this week! I appreciate not only that y'all both took time out of your day to give me personal and detailed responses, but y'all contribute amazing quality to the blogosphere!
9. And I'd be remiss not to mention Chilihead at Blogging Basics 101. Her in depth blog about blogging has incredible step-by-step instructions for just about every question.
10. There are some creative and generous people in the blogosphere, too. Dennis Hill and Friends have a great website with amazing photographs, and they...are all...FREE!!!

Ten Things Tuesday Participants

1. Jennifer 2. Dyane 3. mzzterry 4. Jill

5. Jennifer 6. Shana 7. Tyler 8. Mercedes\' World

9. Jason 10. Danna 11. Dallas 12. Kathryn

Learn more about Ten Things Tuesday here.
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TEN THINGS TUESDAY

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/ten-things-tuesday_25.html

UP TO THE MOON AND BACK...

Upon viewing this, I'm sure you want to ask...

"What
on earth
is that?"
I can't blame you for wondering...
Because I'd be wondering, too...
It's an odd sort of picture to be posting on a blog.
Especially on an entry about showing kids how much they are loved!

Earlier today, I was cleaning out and organizing the drawers in Tornado's bedroom, when I came across this stack. At first, I was a bit surprised and wondering what on earth these were doing in the drawer!?!! That feeling was quickly followed by a healthy round of tears and a nice thick lump in my throat, as I had the big "A-Ha!!!" moment. Have you guessed what they are yet?

These are most ~ if not all ~ of the napkins that I have written love notes on for Tornado's lunch box this year!
And I found them tucked safely away in a drawer...
Some pristinely clean...
Others rumpled and dirty...
Some shriveled up from water blots...

All with a love message from me.
Or Mr. Brownstone...Or Twister...Or a grandparent!

The notes are not difficult to write. We always keep them short and simple ~ just a brief "Have A GREAT Day!" like the one shown, or "You bring a smile to my face!" Sometimes they include an apology..."I'm sorry we had a rough morning...", or "I was a little grumpy, and I'm sorry." Sometimes they have a little sketch of something...a smiley face, an ice cream cone, a big sunshine, or roller skates. Sometimes they are a reminder..."Two more days until vacation...", or "It's Friday! Yippee!!!" Sometimes they are an encourager..."Good luck in your play tonight! I can't wait to see you!" or "You are a reading and writing machine! Good luck on your test!" Sometimes they are a thank you note..."Thanks for being such a great helper on Saturday!" Sometimes they are wistful..."I had so much fun with you this week!" or "You are growing up so fast!" Sometimes they are a witty play on the napkin...a blue napkin reads, "We are so 'blue' without you! Can't wait until 3:00!" A jack-o-lantern napkin reads..."You make me smile like this guy!" And always, always...they are an "I love you!"

Clearly, this gesture of love is working for Tornado. Apparently, it's also working for Twister. After this find, of course I had to rummage through those drawers, too! Just guess what I found... In fact, upon further digging for both kids, I found stacks and stacks of little napkins dating all the way back to preschool!!! The really funny thing is this...I am the one that cleans out the lunch boxes each day. Not once have a found a napkin inside. I just assumed that they had been tossed away at school. The notes obviously were so meaningful to them that they stashed them away at school so they could save them once home. And that is meaningful to me!

Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to see more

tips this week!

Click here to see my other Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips:

• what we've learned about dining in and dining out
  
• "Backwards Edition" tips for shopping at CVS
  
• "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
• how we master math in the Brownstone household
• "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
• how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them
• how we make traveling with kids easier

Click here to find out what works for us regarding chores and allowance!

Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us!

UP TO THE MOON AND BACK...

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/up-to-moon-and-back.html

TEN THINGS TUESDAY!

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24

It's "Ten Things Tuesday", and that means it is time to put your on your happy face, and share your ten things for which you're thankful for today!! And if your happy face is hiding? Make your list anyway, and just see if it doesn't make an appearance!

1. I got to sleep in this morning!!!
   
2. It was easy because it is a beautiful rainy day ~ one of my favorite kinds of day!
3. Mr. Brownstone is a real sweetheart because he was extra quiet when he got ready for work today.
4. We've all been a bit tired because we traveled over the weekend ~ we had a wonderful weekend!
5. Thing 14 arrived in this world, beautiful and healthy!!!
6. We got to spend a lot of time with my family this weekend, and it was so much fun!
   
7. Tornado and Twister are home because it is Spring Break!
8. We have something fun to look forward to in a couple of hours.
9. I logged in to XBOX Wife and was able to admire my new look for Spring! (Don't you just love it???)
10. I have awesome friends!

Here's how this little carnival of blessings, thanksgiving, and happiness works:

"Ten Things Tuesday" Guidelines

• Each Tuesday, I will post a list of ten things that I am thankful for that day.
  
• Write a post listing your ten things that you are thankful for that have happened that day - no matter what time! If you find this list on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday...by all means, post and link anyway!
• Have fun with it, and be thankful!
• Please come back to my "Ten Things" post for the day, and post a link to your actual post ~ not the front page of your blog ~ in the "Mr. Linky" section. That way, people can find the exact post for which they are looking!
• And please, please, please...provide a link back to my page on your actual post, so other people can join in the fun and thanksgiving; and so they will know that XBOX Wife is the hostess of this carnival. An additional link in your sidebar would be awesome, too! That we people can find this even if Tuesday has come and gone! If you aren't sure how to create a link, email me, and I'll be glad to help. By you providing a link to me, and by me providing a place for you to link, it will be a great way to help this thing grow! This will be the hub of all the activity, but it will be beneficial to everyone that participates. (Soon, I'll have a really cool button you can add to your blog, too!)
  
• Please do not host your own "Ten Things" ~ it's something I'm passionate about, and I'd like for people to link back here!
• Be sure and click on other people's lists and leave them comments, too! By encouraging one another, and by celebrating what we each have to be thankful for...well, that will just bless all of us! Don't forget to leave a comment here, too!
• Come back next week for more of "Ten Things Tuesday"!!!

Ten Things Tuesday Participants

1. Jennifer 2. Jill

3. Jennifer 4. Jayne

5. Danna Ramsey 6. Shana

Learn more about Ten Things Tuesday here.
Get The Code

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

TEN THINGS TUESDAY!

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/ten-things-tuesday_18.html

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

Do you remember playing "Red Light, Green Light" in the schoolyard during recess? How about "Mother, May I?", "What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf?", or "Simon Says"?

When I was young, we didn't have a lot of expensive playground equipment like many schools today. Recess was a time for "Tag", "Red Rover", "Hopscotch", races, and jump roping, not to mention all of the clapping games! We got creative, and some of my best early memories are those of the playground. When Tornado started to school, all of those memories came flooding back to me. Though I could not remember a lot of the rules or lyrics to the games, it just so happened to be the time of Google! Lucky me!!! I won't say it was a complete and total breeze to find what we were looking for back then, but it wasn't really that hard either. After a few clicks, we had several sites giving us all the information we could want for many of those old games!

Today was the first day of Spring Break for Tornado and Twister, and it was a gorgeous day! With the threat of rain and cooler temperatures tomorrow, we played outside for hours! We had so much fun playing these games from my childhood. Of course, I was always "It" ~ whether "It" was "Simon", "Mr. Wolf", or the "Traffic Cop". We were even inspired to make up new games with math facts and spelling words, too! The kids laughed and giggled and screamed and jumped and practiced schoolwork without even realizing it...we had the best time!

What games do you remember from childhood? I'd love to hear from you in the comment section!

Ann Kroeker is hosting "Monday FunDay" ~ "a carnival dedicated to swapping simple, amusing – maybe even silly – everyday ways you enjoy good, clean fun" ~ over at her blog. We really had a "Monday FunDay" playing these silly games today! Try them sometime, and see for yourself!

You can find other fun ideas over at Ann's blog,

and y'all know...we can all use a little fun now and then ~ especially on Mondays!

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

https://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/red-light-green-light.html