How the Government Shutdown Could Affect Your Family...and Why it May Take Superheroes to Fix It

Back in March I posted information about sequestration here. Since the government shutdown this week, it seemed important to talk about how this may affect your family, government job or not. Babble outlines some details here.  

Yesterday, reports stated visitors to Yellowstone National Park were given 48-hours notice to find alternate lodging. CNN explains National Parks and landmark sites, like the Statue of Liberty and the Smithsonian, will close.

After discussing it with my mom for an hour, I felt it necessary to say what many in the country feel. It's a mess and all parties should be blamed. Many have taken to Twitter for a little snark (#govtshutdownpickuplines) and comic relief. But, now is not the time for blame, it's time to get this mess cleaned up. I could write volumes on how I feel about the way this went down, but now it's time to figure out what happens next. 

CNN explains how it got to this and a bit about what could happen here. CS Monitor gives some details with video highlights here. I encourage you to read and figure out what it may mean for you and your family. It would be good if we all learned more about this. Maybe we can put the answer together, like pieces of a puzzle (Marvel, anyone?) 

Maybe it won't take a bunch of genius superhumans to fix this, or maybe it will since neither side wants to flinch. Our elected officials need to remember they are there to serve the best interests of the entire U.S. population, not just their respective political party. It's time to roll up your sleeves and get it done. For the sake of our nation, please, get it done!

Bullying, Jen Aniston and Why We Need to Do More

This Babble post by Jessica Cohen is one of the best I've seen on bullying. She explains it happens between adults, but she also points out something more important. 

"How can we be trying to raise a generation of children who don’t bully others and who speak out against bullying, when we (generally speaking) are being so hypocritical?"

Thank you for saying this Jessica! 

I may have hesitated to read this because of some recent buzz about Jennifer Aniston saying something or other about us ladies not being happy for some reason or other and how she feels it's our own fault or something. But, I was so glad I read it. 

Too often we try to tell our kids "Do as I say, not as I do." Well, how are they supposed to learn anything different, if we keep sending them wrong messages like this one? There are some instances where we do need to have some leeway as parents, but bullying should not be one of them. So, be nice for goodness sake! Or, at least take mama's advice and don't say anything at all if you can't keep from saying something berating or belittling. 

Why we need to do more. I saw a news clip of a recent incident on a Florida school bus. Three kids pummeling a 13-year-old boy and I wanted to reach through the screen and stop it, but I couldn't. It already happened. Why did these kids act out? Why didn't the bus driver stop it? How can we stop this kind of stuff? Soap box, I know. But, I don't ever want to put my kid on a school bus now. Ever! 

How can we help? I don't know other than to say, be kind. Smile more. Pay attention to your children (she says as the baby is rising from a nap, so I have to walk the walk here and sign-off soon). Be interested in them and what they're doing, who their friends are and what is going on in their lives. I hope I can look back on this in the future and say it helped me to realize these are the times when good parents and parenting are needed most. Maybe we can be the change we wish to see in the world, as I think Gandhi said. Goodness has to start somewhere. Live it. Teach it. Be it. Hug your children and show them you care. 


Has Grown-Up Bullying Become a Sport? by Jessica Cohen on Babble

Judgement Day: Last Meal Cravings (Babble) has me thinking

Let me first say that you can check out the inspiration for this post over here at Babble.  

I like where she starts. The author's not sure if Judgment Day is tomorrow, probably not, but why eat salad for your last meal when dessert is so much better? 

Okay, I’m listening. And drooling.  

As for due diligence let me say that every once in a while a day spent indulging in desserts sounds pretty good - please exercise moderation though and not make a habit out of it. (Note: this is a case of do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do, and I'll explain why next.)

I recently noticed my intake of cake and ice cream increased. This came closely on the heels of our second child's birth. Now I try not to go overboard, but every once in a while a girl's gotta go crazy. In any case, I went to out for a milkshake run last week - we ate all the cookies - and I noticed that my sweet tooth seemed insatiable. In an effort to pull myself out of feeling bad about how I was Jonesing for shakes despite the number of ice cream trips we’d taken that week, I parked three blocks away. Yes, a whole three blocks. My spirits buoyed, I ordered the Choco Fudge bevies and headed home. So, I say try hard to moderate, but if you have extenuating circumstances like job stress or kids at home, feel free to disregard this advice. Now you know why this blog post caught my attention. 

Take a look and see what you think. Although, there’s some babble about a veggie breakfast plate or something, but you can skip past that. I recommend the Chocolate Dipped Pecan Cake, Smores Ice Cream Sandwiches and Apple Dumpling Cinnamon Rolls. Yum!

That’s a great place to start. I’d add my Grandma’s Georgie Porgie, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cheesecake, Tiramisu and a dozen other desserts. What would you eat?

18 Heart-shaped Foods for Valentine's Day (Babble) - So Cute!

I had to link you up with Babble on these adorable and delicious looking foods. So, if you're trying to come up with some fun or creative V-day treats, check these out. Enjoy!