I found this article on Unclutterer and it sure is burning my butt. See what you think:
...demonstrators gathered in front of the hotel were adamant supporters of phonetic spelling, what they call Simplified Spelling. From a Washington Postarticle covering the protests:
The protesters believe English is mired by too many
spellings for identical sounds and too many sounds for identical
spellings. If they got their way, “you” would become “yoo,” “believe”
would become “beleev” and “said” would become “sed.” The cost of clinging to traditional spellings, they say, is millions
of illiterate English speakers who struggle to read signs or get good
jobs, and billions of dollars in lost productivity. The campaign for simple spelling, which activists say started more
than 100 years ago, is experiencing a revival with kids who have taken
wholeheartedly to phonetic spelling in electronic messages.
Seems to me that Simplified Spelling is sure smackin' of Ebonics...
Honestly, it makes me mad to think that just because something is "hard" (say it with a whine) it should be changed.
Having a baby is hard - let's drug up the mom and pass those affects onto the baby but it won't be so hard!
Breastfeeding is hard - let's formula feed and fill our children with synthetic food that has a link to adult obesity. But it's not hard anymore!
Raising children is hard - let's hire a nanny, a babysitter, dump them on gramma because she's so experienced and has done such a good job with me! Yay! No more hard for me...
Watch as the Sienna Family drops their hot new single, Swagger Wagon.
This goes out to all you minivan families out there who get a Sienna SE
for space but fill it with your family's swagger. To learn more about
the Sienna SE visit http://toyota.com/sienna
or download the free MP3 at http://toyotaswaggerwagon.com .
Special
shout-out to Black Iris Music and makers of Yoo-hoo.*
(LYRICS)
[INTRO
MOM AND DAD]
Yeah
This one goes out to all you minivan
families out there. Sienna SE...in the house. Where my
mother/fathers at? Where my kids at?
Where my kids at? Where
my kids at? Where my kids at? Where my kids at? Where my
kids at?
No, seriously honeywhere are the kids? They're right
there, see? Oh, cool beans.
[VERSE DAD] I roll hard
through the streets and the cul-de-sacs, Proud parent of an honor
roll student, Jack. I got a swing in the front, a tree house in the
back, My #1 Dad mug says, Yeah, Im the Mack.
[VERSE MOM] I'm
the world's best nurse when my kids get sick, I make a mean
gel-mold, I perfected my tricks, Back when I used to party as a
college chick. Now I'm cruising to their playdates lookin' all
slick...
[CHROUS] In my Swagger Wagon, Yeah, the Swagger
Wagon, It's the Swagger Wagon, I got the pride in my ride. In
my Swagger Wagon, Yeah, the Swagger Wagon, It's the Swagger Wagon.
[VERSE
DAD]
Check it...
I love hangin' with my daughter sippin'
tea, keep my pinky up, All the drawings on my fridge sport an A+. I'm
an awesome parent, (Right!) and it's apparent, (True!) And in this
house there's no mother/father swearin'.
[VERSE MOM] Straight
owning bake sales with my cupcake skills, I'm better with the money,
so I handle the bills, And I always buy in bulk, ain't afraid of no
spills. Every Mother's Day proves...I'm kind of a big deal.
Daughter:
Mommy, I need to go potty.
Bring the beat back, 'cause, yo, I
got more to say, You know I'm always front and center at the school
play. I kiss their boo-boos, clean doggie doo-doos, Cut the crust
off of PB&Js, chill the Yoo-hoos.
[VERSE DAD]
Singin'
"Farmer in the Dell" in perfect harmony, When I'm rollin' with my
posse in the HOV. We rock the SE, not an SUV, And it's true, if I
were you, I'd be jealous of me...
[CHORUS]
*YOO-HOO is a
registered trademark of Mott's LLP. All rights reserved.
When Forrest Gump died, he stood in front of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter said, "Welcome, Forrest. We've heard a lot about you." He continued, "Unfortunately, it's getting pretty crowded up here and we find that we now have to give people an entrance examination before we let them in."
"Okay," said Forrest. "I hope it's not too hard. I've already been through a test. My momma used to say, 'Life is like a final exam. It's hard.' "
"Yes, Forrest, I know. But this test is only three questions. Here they are."
1) Which two days of the week begin with the letter 'T'? 2) How many seconds are in a year? 3) What is God's first name?
"Well, sir," said Forrest, "The first one is easy. Which two days of the week begin with the letter 'T'? Today and Tomorrow."
St. Peter looked surprised and said, "Well, that wasn't the answer I was looking for, but you have a point. I give you credit for that answer."
"The next question," said Forrest, "How many seconds are in a year? Twelve."
"Twelve?" said St. Peter, surprised and confused.
"Yes, sir. January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd ..."
St. Peter interrupted him. "I see what you mean. I'll have to give you credit for that one, too."
"And the last question," said Forrest, "What is God's first name? It's Andy."
"Andy?" said St. Peter, in shock. "How did you come up with 'Andy'?"
"I learned it in church. We used to sing about it." Forrest broke into song, "Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am His own."
St. Peter opened the gate to heaven and said, "Run, Forrest, Run!"
It's Lent: A time to look for and reflect on Jesus.
I got this image in an email threatening dire consequences if I didn't forward it; which, of course, makes it just more SPAM. But I thought the picture interesting enough to share. No consequences attached.
Everyone has a personality of a cartoon character. Have you ever asked yourself what cartoon character do you most resemble?
A group of investigators got together and analyzed the personalities of well known and modern cartoon characters. The information that was gathered was made into this test.
Answer all the questions (only 10) with what describes you best, add up all your Points (which are next to the answer that you choose) at the end and look for your results.
Do not cheat by looking at the end of this post before you are done. Leave me a comment and tell me what YOU are! 1. Which one of the following describes the perfect date? a) Candlelight dinner (4 pts.) b) Fun/Theme Park (2 pts.) c) Painting in the park (5 pts) d) Rock concert (1 pt.) e) Going to the movies (3 pts.)
2. What is your favorite type of music? a) Rock and Roll (2 pts.) b) Alternative (1 pt.) c) Soft Rock (4 pts.) d) Country (5 pts.) e) Pop (3 pts.) 3. What type of movies do you prefer? a) Comedy (2 pts.) b) Horror (1 pt.) c) Musical (3 pts.) d) Romance (4 pts.) e) Documentary (5 pts.) 4. Which one of these occupations would you choose if you only could choose one of these? a) Waiter (4 pts.) b) Professional Sports Player (5 pts.) c) Teacher (3 pts.) d) Police (2 pts.) e) Cashier (1 pt) 5. What do you do with your spare time? a) Exercise (5 pts.) b) Read (4 pts.) c) Watch television (2 pts.) d) Listen to music (1 pt.) e) Sleep (3 pts.)
6. Which one of the following colors do you like best? a) Yellow (1 pt.) b) White (5 pts.) c) Sky Blue (3 pts.) d) Dark Blue (2 pts.) e) Red (4 pts.)
7. What do you prefer to eat? a) Snow (3 pts.) b) Pizza (2 pts.) c) Sushi (1 pt.) d) Pasta (4 pts.) e) Salad (5 pts .)
8. What is your favorite holiday? a) Halloween (1 pt.) b) Christmas (3 pts.) c) New Year (2 pts.) d) Valentine's Day (4 pts.) e) Thanksgiving (5 pts.)
9. If you could go to one of these places which one would it be? a) Paris (4 pts) b) Spain(5 pts) c) Las Vegas(1 pt) d) Hawaii(4 pts) e) Hollywood (3 pts) 10. With which of the following would you prefer to spend time with? a) Someone Smart (5 pts.) b) Someone attractive (2 pts.) c) Someone who likes to Party (1 pt.) d) Someone who always has fun (3 pts.) e) Someone very sentimental (4 pts.)
Now add up your points and find out the answer you have been waiting for! Don't forget to tell me who YOU are!
(10-16 points) You are Garfield: You are very comfortable, easy going, and you definitely know how to h ave fun but sometimes you take it to an extreme. You always know what you are doing and you are always in control of your life. Others may not see things as you do, but that doesn't mean that you always have to do what is right. Try to remember, your happy spirit may hurt you or others. (17-23 points) You are Snoopy: You are fun; you are very cool and popular. You always know what's in and you ' re never out of style, you are good at knowing how to satisfy everyone else. You have probably disappeared for a few days more than once but you always come home with the family values that you learned Being married and having children are important to you, but only after you have had your share of fun times (24-28 points) You are Elmo: You have lots of friends and you a re also popular, always willing to give advice and help out a person in need. You are very optimistic and you always see the bright side of things. Some good advice: try not to be too much of a dreamer. Dreaming too big could cause many conflicts in your life.
(29-35 points) You are Sponge Bob Square Pants: You are the classic person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have and never wants to lose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey, it' s funny and calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people and you will be stress free.
(36-43 points) You are Charlie Brown: You are tender, you fall in love quickly but you are also very serious about all relationships. You are a family person. You call your Mom every Sunday. You have many friends and may occasionally forget a few Birthdays. Don't let your passion confuse you with reality. (44-50 points) You are Dexter: You are smart and definitely a thinker... Every situation is fronted with a plan. You have a brilliant mind. You demonstrate very strong family principles. You maintain a stable routine but never ignore a bad situation when it comes. Try to do less over-thinking every once in a while to spice things up a bit with spontaneity!
Living where I do, there is a large population of Latter Day Saints (LDS or Mormon) people in our area. Heck, we're just hours from the main digs - the Temple in SLC.
I grew up in SLC from the age of 12 on and got the gist of the LDS religion by attending seminary in the early mornings with my Mormon friends. I am not Mormon. I'm Catholic and like it that way.
What I'm about to post is not a slight on Mormons - my own (step)Sister is a Mormon as are some of my very best friends. This is meant to be a laugh and a gentle bit of fun.
So, a bit of fun on Romney's behalf:
A Washington, DC. top congressional policy advisor who is also LDS, has said the vast majority of GOP congressmen are endorsing Mitt Romney.
He thought a Mitt presidency was no longer improbable, but, it is now something that 'could happen.'
So... if Mitt Romney became President of the US (code name POTUS) won't we have something we've never had before -- a president who goes to a specific church?
All other presidents belonged to religions that didn't have tight congregational boundaries. Now, think about that:
What Ward would POTUS be in?
If you are his new Bishop, here are your top 10 questions:
1. Will you allow an inaugural ball to be held in the cultural hall? Do you mount security cameras on top of each basketball rim and have a secret service detail stationed on the stage?
2. Can you call Mitt and Ann as the Nursery leaders... even if you really feel inspired?
3. Who is going to home teach them? Will you call someone who needs activation but may not pass the vetting and national security screening?
4. If Harry Reid and Mitt Romney are in the same High Priest group, will you need to be there to keep order?
5. Exactly how will tithing settlement work? Will the Secretary of the Treasury come too?
6. Will you be inviting the new Romney family to speak in Sacrament Meeting... and if they go a little over at what point do you ask them to sit down?
7. Will the Secret Service do a sweep of the building before each meeting? And if the Romney's always leave before Sunday School, will the Sunday School president need to interview them? If they stay, where will you hold the class?
8. Can you call the Secret Service agents to help out in Primary?
9. If you give Mitt a calling and the two Democrats in the Ward raise their hand AGAINST sustaining him - partly out of habit - does the Supreme Court need to be involved?
10. If you can't give them a calling (job), and they don't attend very often (for presidential stuff) will that mean they're 'inactive?' If they're not active, can you give them a Temple Recommend? And if you do, can they go? Will the Secret Service have to screen the temple too?
11. If the President wants to hold Sacrament Meeting at Camp David or the White House for security reasons, is that a conflict of Church and State?
If you're assigned to be the Romney's home teacher:
1. Can you just drop by, no appointment?
2. Can you even call them for an appointment or do you have to go through the Chief of Staff?
3. Can you bring by Christmas sweets and cookies? Will they be analyzed? And for how many people - family, secret service details?
4. If you don't come can the IRS do an audit on you?
5. Will they want to do a national security background check?
6. Do you have to have a permanent companion who has been vetted? Can you just grab any teacher or priest to come with you? And what if that priest has been a little wayward? Do you need to search him first?
7. Do you have to help him move in and out of the White House?
8. If Ann Romney gets sick, are you allowed to bring in meals or at least tell the Relief Society about it?
9. What can you share with the Bishop about the Romneys?
10. Do you have to ask them about their year's supply?
11. If you get a late night call for a blessing will reporters follow you around wanting to know what was wrong and what you said?
If Mitt Romney is assigned to be YOUR home teacher,
1. Is telling the group leader you haven't been home taught a national security breech?
2. If he wants to come at the end of the month, do you accept his reason, 'I've been out of town'?
3. Will he drop by unannounced or will the media crews give him away?
One more thing - WhyMommy is going in for her double mastectomy surgery in just 10 days! Visit her, comment, leave her love and prayers. She's needing it.
A bus carrying only ugly people crashes into an oncoming truck, and everyone inside dies.
As they stand at the Pearly Gates waiting to enter Paradise and meet their maker, God decides to grant each person one wish because of the grief they have experienced.
They're all lined up, and God asks the first one what the wish is. "I want to be gorgeous," and so God snaps His fingers, and it is done. The second one in line hears this and says "I want to be gorgeous too."
Another snap of His fingers and the wish is granted.
This goes on for a while with each one asking to be gorgeous, but when God is halfway down the line, the last guy in the line starts laughing.
When there are only ten people left, this guy is rolling on the floor, laughing his head off.
Finally, God reaches this last guy and asks him what his wish will be.
The guy eventually calms down and says: "Make 'em all ugly again."
NEXT TIME YOU'RE LAST IN LINE BE HAPPY
Blessed are the Cracked, for they are the ones who let in the Light!
It's all T's fault. She addicted me to her blog and knows of my Sesame Street weakness. She made me test myself to find out my Sesame Street Persona. It's all her fault...
Your Score: Kermit the Frog
You scored 56% Organization, 53% abstract, and 81% extroverted!
This test measured 3 variables.
First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being clean.
Second, this test measured if you prefer a concrete or an abstract viewpoint. For the purposes of this test, concrete people are considered to gravitate more to mathematical and logical approaches, whereas abstract people are more the dreamers and artistic type.
Third, this test measured if you are more of an introvert or an extrovert. By definition, an introvert concentrates more on herself and an extrovert focuses more on others. In this test an introvert was somebody that either tends to spend more time alone or thinks more about herself.
You are mostly organized, both concrete and abstract, and more extroverted.
Here is why are you Kermit the Frog.
You are both somewhat organized. You have a good idea where you put things and you probably keep your place reasonably clean. You aren't totally obsessed with neatness though. Kermit is also reasonably tidy. He'll even dress up for interviews.
You both are sometimes concrete and sometimes abstract thinkers. Kermit spends a lot of his time as a reporter collecting facts, but he is also the author of the dreamy song "The Rainbow Connection." You have a good balance in your life. You know when to be logical at times, but you also aren't afraid to explore your dreams and desires... within limits of course.
You are both extroverts. Kermit gets along with everyone. Sure a few folks annoy him, but that's just because they are annoying. Kermit likes to meet new people when he does his job as a street reporter. You definitely enjoy the company of others, and you don't have problems meeting new people... in fact you probably look forward to it. You are willing to take charge when necessary or work as part of a team.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, Kermit starred on Sesame Street years before The Muppet Show.
The other possible characters are Oscar the Grouch Big Bird Snuffleupagus Ernie Elmo Cookie Monster Grover The Count Guy Smiley Bert
Hey, don't be a grouch! If you liked the test, let others know by rating it below. Feel free to vote for your favorite character too.
My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
OldestGirl is the EXACT. SAME as I am, down to the percentages. CurlyGirl is Big Bird - 81% Organization (could have fooled me!), 65% abstract, and 72% extroverted!
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A New Zealand couple is looking to call their newborn son Superman -- but only because their chosen name of 4Real has been rejected by the government registry.
Pat and Sheena Wheaton say they will get around the decision by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages by officially naming their son Superman but referring to him as 4Real, the New Zealand Herald newspaper has reported.
The Wheatons decided on the name after seeing the baby for the first time in an ultrasound scan and realizing their baby was "for real."
Seriously, is this the kind of people you WANT to reproduce? What will they name the second kid? 4Real2? Superdude?
I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth.
I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that. "Why?" my daughter asked. "Because it's been on the ground, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Mommy, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart."
I was thinking quickly. "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.
"OH... I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy."
"Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my Face!
I've never been to Weight Watchers. But Aimee has a VERY good post about her loving relationship with that fine facility. And it was over at her place that I found a like to some very vintage WW recipe cards.
The things they did to jello and fish... (shudder)
We're BACK from visiting and SO glad - much cooler here in SE Idaho than at Gramma's house. Good to see ya'll, internets.
CurlyGirl broke the nose pincher part on her glasses and isn't wearing them until we get the new nose pincher buffer in place - hopefully tomorrow. BoyBoy had only 1 accident (travel diarrhea) the whole weekend! Go Boy!
Fatality while gone - the hermie crab is dead. CurlyGirl is devastated. We'll see about getting a few more. They're SO attached to these spider looking thingies!
Catty-fatties are glad to see us and purred everywhere and sat on all of us. Dog went with us, but was ready to go again as we cleaned out the van. She just sat there, awaiting the start of the next trip!
7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids.
