The 9th Ward Cartoons

H/T to Jessica for finding these and posting some on her website. This is a blog with LDS cartoons that are pretty cute and funny. You'll have to give them a visit at The 9th Ward.

These cracked me up:



and...


Now I have this months message all prepared!!! Yay! (every little bit helps)

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty

So, the other day I was posting and noticed that my layout had gone BERSERK! I had been using that cute feet in the grass layout (which I'll probably return to at some point) that I got from SIMPLY FABULOUS BLOGGER TEMPLATES, because, well, she has some simply fabulous blogger templates.

ANYWHOOOOO, there were some issues with photobucket at her site which caused much mayhem. While only annoying to me, I can ONLY imagine what a pain they were for her. But, in the meantime, I just switched the ol' layout to this one because it was kinda summery and funny and definitely different than what I normally use. Who knew it'd be such a hit??? (Probably Martha Stewart and, well, pretty much everyone else out there, including you, eh? Oh, well. Still.)

Enjoy...while it last.

Follow Up to Kvetching

So, as I know you have been waiting with baited breath for what happened next, I'm here to tell you Gentle Reader, it was a busy weekend...

First, about the tv. We remembered we had put a special rider (is that what it's called?) on our insurance for computer stuff...technically, if you could use it for your computer, it was covered. As the tv screen could also be used as a monitor, it would work. Hooray! Unfortunately, upon closer examination, last year they changed the wording on the policy to deem that it must be used only for computer stuff. Boooo. We're still going to see what they say because it never hurts to ask.

In the meantime, we ordered two converter box coupons that should be arriving shortly. When we get them, we are going to cancel DISH...why? Because I realized I needed to be an adult about this; because I realized that I did tell Super J that we would. And since we are already ripping off the band aid and the girls are getting more and more used to no tv on the main floor, we might as well. When we do turn on "shows" upstairs or downstairs, I'm trying to just stick to PBS and Qubo. So, yay for that!

In the end, I'm sure this will be better for all of us, though admittedly, change is hard. The girls are now constantly WITH ME, which I'm trying to embrace in a happier mom sort of way. But they are also playing more (bless their hearts, they have no choice but to do SOMETHING) with each other and "new" re-discovered toys.

And Super J has started a new business with the girls: Toys That Make Cents. The girls are going through all their toys and deciding which are garbage and which are "keepers" and which can be sold/given away. For each toy (or toy part...Polly Pockets has lots of shoes, don't you know) they put in the sell/give-away pile, they get a penny from us. In a few weeks, when the project is complete, they will make a stand (À la a lemonade stand) and then sell them to the public for a penny or a nickle and then whatever they don't sell, they'll donate. We thought that sounded good and it's a way to keep them busy.

Also keeping us busy is a project to organize the girls clothes. Having four girls of different sizes, it is a kick in the pants keeping all the clothes seasonal appropriate, modest and clean and folded and put away. To help with that, we've gotten rid of the dresser drawers that don't work (on so many levels, they didn't work, but what I mean is that they were broken or unable to be pushed in/out without much effort...that kind of didn't work. So, that would also unfortunately be both sets of drawers are now no longer with us), and replaced them with these little wonders. They have little fabric cubes that you put in the shelves (happily, in a variety of colors! We got ours from Target, where they were conveniently on SALE this weekend! Wahoo!!!). So far, Gentle Reader, so good. And I think the girls actually have more room to put stuff. Wahoo. Our big plan is to label them so that eventually we can have the girls put away all their clothes, even Miss O, as we will put pictures on her little cubbies.

So, that's where we are at. I feel good about everything we got done and the decisions that were made. It's always nice to be a keeper of your word...especially to your spouse, even when the change is hard and unexpected. And being organized is a good thing, too. Who knew...besides Martha Stewart and, well, pretty much everyone else out there, including you, eh? Oh, well. Still.