Something I never thought I would say....

"Honey, don't throw the baby Jesus across the room!"



















Sadie received the Little People Nativity Set with not only the Manger, but included the Marketplace and 3 Wise Men with Traveling Caravan. The entire town of Bethlehem with camels, cows, sheep, sheepherders, merchants, wise men, Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus takes over the entire coffee table. And somehow a cow ended up where the angel should be. But Sadie has this fascination with gravity. You give her a cup of water, she turns it over to see what happens. You give her a baby Jesus and she hurls it across the room.

But right now our main concern is that she also has Noah's Ark. So now a lion, elephant and zebra are invading Bethlehem. By the time she gets to Sunday School, The Ark will invade Bethlehem after a Flood where the Whale ate Baby Jesus after snacking on Jonah. We've already messed up Easter for her.

Good Lord.

This is a shout out to my husband....

The fact is, since Sadie was born, my husband and I don't get to go out alone hardly ever at all. Whenever we do, it involves driving for 40 minutes to the grandparents house for free babysitting and then going out, then coming back and another 40 minute drive. It's actually kind of exhausting. But I miss my husband. He's cute and sweet, and is an amazing work-from-home dad. I actually have to announce to people that, "YES, men can take excellent care of their children just as much as a mom can!"

Case in point, when Sadie had to go to the dermatologist because of a birthmark, the nurse was dumbfounded that Charlie arrived with Sadie's insurance card, information, and toddler in hand. She said to him, "Wow! The wife really made sure you have everything! Um, this is your daughter, correct?"

Uh, yeah. He didn't swipe some kid off the street, look at her, and say, "Wow. You need a trip to the dermatologist." He came up with all the insurance info on his own. And truth be told, I would have probably forgotten the whole appointment existed.

So, because my husband is so great... I thought I would ask him out on a date. Via blog.... 'cause we are super busy like that.

Oh, and if you like the t-shirt... you can get it here. For men or women...

Inauguration Day can't come fast enough...

I've worked in Washington, DC for the past 6 years. I can honestly say the motivation in the Federal Government is pretty low. The people at the Department of Interior have been depressed, the people at the non-profits are broke, and the people trying to make the world a better place just feel defeated. Now I'm worried all that momentum from the election is going to fade away. So, play the YouTube clip, find your inner mojo... and let's go clean out the jerks out of the government... (that means you, Blagojevich! Your name even sounds like someone just hurled.) Plus, I love that this clip included a little Newsies action. Awesome.

No. Freakin'. Way.

For completely selfish reasons... I want this for my desk at work. It even plays the Indiana Jones theme song. Awesome! Dear Santa... I want this! Please. Love, Indiana Joynes.

When I was a kid...

... my mom would draw little cartoons on my brown lunch bag with a caption that used my spelling words in the sentence. My geeky friends thought that was pretty cool. And I looked forward to my Ho-Ho's at lunch. Oh, and I can actually spell.

This blog is a dad who works on these little pieces of art during his lunch break and then brings them home to his kids. Luckily, he actually shares them with us on his blog, Lunch Bag Art.

I only have the VHS version...

But this has more Kermit, deleted scenes, and much better visual quality. Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas turns 30 this year! The book was published in 1971 by Russell Hoban, and you can get his other otter books here.

The Best Illustrated Children's Books for 2008...

This list was from the New York Times and you can see a great slide show here. It's also a nice visual break from your day. Ahhhhh.....

The Little Yellow Leaf ~ Written and illustrated by Carin Berger. Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins Publishers. $16.99. (Ages 3 to 8)

Something I've noticed....

Is it just me, or does the new Secretary of the Smithsonian look like the Captain of the Titanic? This is Secretary Wayne Clough (above). And this is Captain John Smith (below), the guy who went down with the famous ship. Reincarnation? Just wondering.

After the tongue lashing I gave my husband this morning...

He probably thinks I should take one of these. All I wanted was to declutter the house so we could put Christmas decorations up. However, I don't think my delivery was, well, nice.

I'm sure if I was drugged, I would have been much friendlier about it.

But really, I'm more of a swear my head off and give the finger kind of girl.

Dear Hillary,

Time to go accept some serious apologies...

Having siblings is fun....

On StumbleUpon.com and came across the website OneSentence.org. The point of the site is to tell a story in one sentence. So far my favorite is:

After I tricked my little brother into eating a Jalapeno pepper for the first time, I told him eating another one would cancel out the spiciness of the first.

This is a picture of my brothers last Christmas. I'm sure if the opportunity presented itself, Bryce would do this to Eric.

Holy Mother of God!!!

There was a time when I worked on archaeology sites and we would find Black Widow spiders. Yep, the kind that could kill you with a bite. But I just found a tiny, itsy-bitsy spider who somehow found a place in a drawer that I opened about 5 minutes ago. I made the same face that little Chapin made here. You would've thought it was a tarantuala, but really, it was only about 3 centimeters.

I'm so lame.

I love this blog....

Bookshelf is a simple little blog that shows all the different ways you can display your books. I'm completely addicted to it and it's updated often. This is one of the latest entries and it's the entryway of a bookstore. Too cool.

The photo is by Fernando Onions.

If you are a museum freak like me...

... you are always looking for a new and exciting museum to explore, regardless of where it is in the country or the world.

I've recently come across a museum while online located Amherst, Massachusetts that has me ready to hop in my car and head north. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has developed a collection of artwork that really should receive more recognition than it usually does. If you've heard Eric Carle's name before it's probably because of his classic (and a Sadiebug favorite) The Very Hungry Caterpillar, first published in 1969. Since then he has published over 40 children's books that are currently in print. The 40,000 square foot museum opened in 2002 and includes a library, art studio, exhibition space and an auditorium. The museum is very family friendly and definitely a great place to stop while on vacation in the Northeast.

The museum has highlighted artists such as the Spiderwick Chronicle's Tony DiTerlizzi (seen below) as well as family favorites Dr. Seuss, Mo Willems of Knuffle Bunny fame, and illustrator Dorothy Kunhardt who illustrated Pat the Bunny in 1940:

And you can also purchase exhibition catalogs and posters, as well as a multitude of other books, classroom supplies, and gifts. This is a great site to explore with their virtual tour and information for professional illustrators as well as visitors who just appreciate children's book art.

If you live near Cedar Rapids, Iowa...

You are one lucky person! There is a new exhibition of artwork by Mary GrandPré, illustrator of the Harry Potter series at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Mary is actually from St. Paul, Minnesota and has been an illustrator for over 20 years. It's worth going back to your Harry Potter books and having a second look. The exhibition Mary GrandPré: Harry Potter and Beyond will be shown from November 1, 2008- February 1, 2009. Which means it's perfect for a holiday outing. Check out the virtual exhibit of some of her illustrations. Way cool!


This one is: Mary GrandPré, “Olivia Opal in Rumplestiltskin,” 2001, from Once Upon a Fairy Tale by various authors (Viking Press). Pastel on paper. On loan from Irwin Terry and Bill Campbell.

I can't keep the house clean...

We keep finding Sadie's banana puffs in mysterious places. *sigh*

This one is not for the kids...

It's been one of those days. And it makes me feel better. Just make sure the kids don't hear it. I warned you.

Basically, the warm Obama vibe has at least temporarily left Washington, DC. Everybody is back to being a jerk. Particularly the ones on the Metro. When you have locals, slow-pokes, tourists, type-A's, businessmen, sassy women with a lot of 'tude, and pompous blowhards all on the same train, ugly things are bound to happen. That is when I think of all these lovely words. Especially when the escalators don't function and I'm late for work.

Happy Veteran's Day...

Yeah, I've written a bit on Obama, but I have to say that I really hope he will fix this mess we are in and start providing Veterans with the medical, psychological and family benefits they deserve. A lot of people aren't aware that even though I tend to lean on the liberal side, my brother is currently serving in the U.S. Army. This is a photo taken at Fort Bliss in Texas where he is right now. He volunteered over 4 years ago, and was recently caught in the stop-loss system and is now putting his life on hold. He will likely have to go to the Middle East (again) and serve there for over a year before he is released and can go to graduate school. My problem with all of this is if we have a volunteer Army, how can the Army force someone to stay beyond their contractual limit? The unfortunate fact is that they can, and they did the exact same thing to my grandfather. He was sent to Korea.

The fact is, the military is far more complicated and infuriating than the media reports. It's full of problems and issues that are continually brushed under the carpet. I'm hoping that with this next administration, there will be more transparency to show the issues these soldiers face and how the federal government is responding to those needs. Military families are going through difficult times right now, and I hope those programs get the funding they rightfully deserve. On that note, Happy Veteran's Day.... and I hope you all enjoy this beautiful photo of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC from my friend Brent Tomerlin

Thank God.

I don't think I could handle another Vice-President that likes guns and hunting. That didn't work out well the last time.

Deadheads for Obama

I'm not much of a Grateful Dead fan (even though I met Mickey Hart a few years ago...) but my husband is. So here is his Deadheads for Obama shout-out!

The Wizard of Id...

... got that right.

Since my hometown is in Northeast Ohio...

I feel that I must give some sort of explanation every election season. Luckily, this guy did it for me. Thank you, Mike Polk!

I love toys...

Why didn't they make this stuff when I was a kid? That's the Mighty World Search For The Lost Mummy Medium Theme Set! It comes with it's own archaeologists, mummy and everything you need for your own imaginary dig. The Mighty World also has Farmer's Market sets, a Florist Shop, a Special Operations unit, a Wilderness Camp set (which would go well with your Search for the Lost Mummy set.)























I'm such a dork.

Dear Starbucks....

Oh, what happened to us, Starbucks? We used to be such good friends. Here I am on my fourth wedding anniversary, and you were the one who got me through the wedding. Every morning you were waiting for me at Union Station, ready for me to haul myself to the museum. You even were there for me after the wedding with a Grande Caramel Macchiato as my reward for writing 3 thank you notes with good handwriting. But then things turned, and we aren't the same as we used to be. I expected better, and you turned away.

First, you jacked up your prices. Then you allowed people to use your tables as their personal office, causing those of us who wanted to have a conversation to be banished to the streets. Then you even tried to take away your yummy breakfast sandwiches until I protested. But this morning was our breaking point. You, Starbucks, have changed.

I understand that relationships change. They go through ups and downs, but this morning you weren't at all who I thought you were. You made me wait 15 minutes for you to get your act together. You ignored me when I begged for my drink 3 times. And then when my tall Caramel Macchiato was handed to me... you.... you.... gave me 1/3 of the cup full of foam!!! How could you?

You were sassy and mean. You took my money and left me with a half cup of crappy coffee. I have to leave you, Starbucks.

I have a confession to make.... I had an affair with a wonderful independent coffee shop in Western Maryland this past weekend. I don't regret it. I had a luscious venti (large) hot chocolate. Yeah, Indie actually spoke English. If I wanted a small, it wasn't a tall. If it was a medium, it wasn't a grande. And when I was handed my quite affordable drink, I received a smile and love that you never gave me.

Starbucks, we're done. Don't call me and don't send me freebies. You've disappointed me one too many times.

Suck it, Starbucks,

Me.

Who doesn't love ta-tas?

There are certain topics that come up in the Mommy Club. Once you have a munchkin, you are automatically a member whether you are a Stay-at-Home Mom or a Working Mom. Since I have two friends who are about to give birth, I've been thinking back to my own pregnancy and early months, as well as all of the absurd things that went along with it. One of the issues that comes up a lot is breastfeeding, and the issues that come up when you have to do it in public or at work. I struggled with this part of parenting, and ended up doing some pumping and a little formula. But then I read articles like this woman's experience and it makes me crazy.

Let's be honest, anyone how picks up a pregnancy or baby magazine is bombarded with the Breast is Best message, which medically is true. My issue is that even though the Federal Government wants women to breastfeed for the first 3 months, they don't legislate that a woman can do it anywhere she chooses. The states can legislate, as New York has done in 2002 (that's right, only 6 years ago), but most states have not:

N.Y. Civil Rights Law § 79-e (McKinney 2002) guarantees a mother the right to breastfeed her baby any place she has the right to be, public or private, even if the nipple is exposed during or incidental to breastfeeding.

As a result of not having a Federal law, people feel that it is their right to criticize and harass a woman who is simply feeding her child. People can't separate the sexy boobies from the actual baby feeding machines they actually are. So, breastfeeding mamas run into situations where people feel it is completely acceptable to give their opinions, tell them to cover up, or better yet- just do it at home. For any woman who is breastfeeding, there is a limit to how much milk your ta-ta's can handle before you really need to feed someone. That's like asking someone to drink 4 gallons of water and hold it. Plus, is a woman really expected to stay at home for a full 3 months? Or longer if she chooses to continues to breastfeed? Why don't we just banish her from the real world for having a kid? We want women to have babies, we just don't want to watch women to actually feed them.

If you do have funny and sassy comebacks for this issue, feel free to comment or go over to one of my favorite blogs: Thingamababy. He's running a contest for the best sassy comeback for stupid people who feel they can tell a breastfeeding mommy what to do.

Women can do this. Men can't.

As a few of my friends are heading into the home stretch... I must say well done!

I can't wait until Election Day....

This used to be my view from my old office. In many ways, I'm glad I don't have this view anymore. I now work for another part of a particular institution that will remain nameless, in an office... with no windows. Blah.

I spent most of the morning doing nothing but Human Resources hoo-ha. Performance evaluations, leave slips, etc. That's right, nothing actually job related. I just want all you taxpayers to know that.

A Brief Word on Being Pregnant in Washington, DC....

This picture was taken around January of 2007. Yes, I'm happy lookin' and about 7 months pregnant. What you don't see is how completely and physically exhausted I was at this point. I gained 65 lbs over the course of my pregnancy, even though I got sick every day for the first 4 months. I was also commuting (and still am) about 90 minutes each way, including a commuter train and 2 metro trains. But let me inform everyone that if you are going to get pregnant in the Washington, DC area, DO NOT expect anyone to offer you their seat.

I thought it was a one time thing or maybe people thought I was just sorta chubby. But by the time I was 8 months pregnant, with my belly hanging over a young woman's face one day, I would have thought a lightbulb would have gone off in someone's, anyone's, head. When the train jolted, my belly almost knocked her in the forehead... but still, no offer.

About a week later I was being crammed by a large crowd into a train at Union Station. I was starting to get freaked out because I could tell I was losing my balance. So I yelled, "Stop pushing, I'm 8 months pregnant!" I swear it was like the parting of the Red Sea. Suddenly, no one wanted to be near me. It was as if I was leaking amniotic fluid at that very moment.

So here I am, almost 2 years later, thinking back to those rude moments. I keep thinking back to them because the other day I was reading a letter in the Express (the Washington Post's metro paper) about a guy who offered his seat to a lovely pregnant woman, who said she was fine but she would stand, thank you very much. But before the guy could sit back down, another person snatched the seat!

This, my friends, is Washington, DC.

And that's why I live in Baltimore.

How Sadie got her name...

People love Sadie's name (or at least that's what they tell me to my face), and they always ask how we decided on it. Well, the story is more about what we decided what NOT to name her. Seeing all of the crazy names people were coming up with, we made some basic rules:

1. The name will not be an alcoholic drink- So Bailey and Brandy were definitely out.


3. The name will not be someone from the Real World or Road Rules challenge from MTV- As a result, Amaya, Cameron, Cory, Rachel, Ruthie, Robin, Kaia, Arissa, Brynne, Elka, Genesis, Montana and most definitely Trishelle... were all out.

The name will not be a season or month- Autumn, June, May, and April were therefore, out of the running.

After all that, we were walking through the mall one day and I said, "Sadie!" And Charlie agreed that we had never known a crazy wackjob Sadie, or a mean Sadie, and to be honest, neither of us knew anyone named Sadie. Then we had to find a nice middle name. This involved the "BLANK BLANK, cut that shit out!" test. Sadie Angelica rolled off the tongue easily.

So, Sadie Angelica was named.

Finally, my very own blog....

Many of you have been following Sadie's blog for awhile now, but I thought it was time to have my own blog. Sadie is teaching me a lot about layouts and HTML and Blogger Gadgets. So I thought I would finally put them to use.

So, why Indiana Joynes and the Temple of Motherhood? I used to be an archaeologist. I hate saying "used to", but I was and now I'm not. After getting my Master's degree at the University of Chicago, I eventually got a job in a museum and worked with lots of books, old artifacts, and cool stuff that only history nerds enjoy. Then the stork paid me and my husband a visit, and now I'm a mom. Once that happened, my whole career went crazy, and I haven't quite gotten a grip on it yet.

So, here I am. Indiana Joynes and the Temple of Motherhood.