On having friends and having opinions

  • Some of our best friends spank their kids (and they’re wonderful parents, by the way). But we choose not to.
  • Some of our friends have little girls that know all of the Disney Princesses by name. But our girls don’t.
  • Some of our friends watch “The Office.” But we can’t stand it.
  • Some of our friends had their babies in hospitals with all kinds of gizmos and gadgets and machines. But we didn’t.
  • Some of our friends prefer to carry around their babies in infant car seats. We prefer to take our babies out and put them in carriers (those car seats are heavy!).

carrying baby in boba carrier On having friends and having opinionsThe point is that we have a lot of friends – and we have a lot of opinions. Opinions are good (very good). And everyone has them (even the people who don’t share their opinions or who say “everyone should just do what’s best for their family and keep their thoughts to themselves…” – oh, boy, do they ever have opinions!).

It’s easy to be intimidated by Opinions. I state a lot of them here on my blog. I state them because Tim & I think about a lot of things…we read a lot of books, we have a lot of conversations, and we have very intentional reasons for almost everything we do.

baby waving in colorful dress On having friends and having opinionsSometimes I notice people shy away from conversations with me for fear of causing waves. Or they may think, “She’s just so different from me…with her natural-birthing, breastfeeding, only-watching-1-hour-of-TV-per-WEEK, [insert your-topic-of-choice], ways.”

BUT please know: I want to hear your opinions too. I want to hear your reasons and your point-of-view. I want to hear your questions…and your answers. So we can argue and contemplate and sharpen each other. So we can: GROW.

So State Your Opinion, please.

And know that we can still be friends. We can have lively discussions. We can laugh and share hobbies and go on family camping trips. We can pray for each other, encourage each other, enlighten each other, embolden each other, believe in each other. Yes. We can.

That is my opinion.

Do you share your thoughts and opinions freely with people in your circle? Why or why not?

He’s back (and so am I)

Tim is home!!! (and, boy, did I miss him!)

tim with catfish Hes back (and so am I)

That man – with his green, green eyes. His serious smile. His sincere heart.

That man – with his contagious courage. His articulate words. His in-motion mind.

polka dots and stripes Hes back (and so am I)It wasn’t terrible during the day – with the sun, the breeze, and sweet little voices to keep me company.

But at night, I felt so incomplete as I made dinner (boxed macaroni & cheese from Trader Joe’s, anyone?), went on a walk (by myself – well, with the girls, but without him to talk to…), gave the girls a bath (how in the world do you give a 1-year-old a bath solo?), and tried to put them to bed separately (right….).

Most of all, I missed talking to Tim about anything and everything. He’s the best conversationalist (and we are the best of friends).

I’m going to write more about our marriage soon. Do you have any questions you’d like me to answer about that?

Also – I really do need your advice about how to bathe a squirmy, slippery 1-year-old who wants to stand up on the slippy-slidey bath surface…

SLY Awards: FOX Restaurant Concepts

Anyone who knows our family knows that we rarely eat out. Eating in is less expensive (an important factor since we live on a tight budget). It’s typically much healthier. And the cherry on top is that it’s MUCH yummier.

We seriously eat like kings and queens. Grilled Salmon w/ Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes. Chicken Enchiladas with guacamole. Homemade pizza with the toppings of our choosing. Etc.

When we do eat out, we prefer local places with…you know…actual chefs. They tend to be pricier (which is okay since we seldom eat out – “quality over quantity” is our mantra…), but they also offer more nutritious offerings and better service.

logo 300x97 SLY Awards: FOX Restaurant ConceptsOne such “chain” is FOX Restaurant Concepts – “a collection of original, thriving boutique restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Kansas.” I’ve only been to two of their restaurants, but if those experiences are any indication, I would recommend them all. The atmospheres are modern and decidedly upscale – and the food is fresh.

Each restaurant offers a different culinary focus and experience. You can opt for Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Fresh Mozzarella, Organic Tomatoes & Zucchini at True Food Kitchen. Or an Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with creamy potato, warm asparagus & spinach salad at Wildflower. Or any number of flavorful dishes at the other 10 restaurants.

picGreeneHouse SLY Awards: FOX Restaurant Concepts picZinburger SLY Awards: FOX Restaurant Concepts picNorth SLY Awards: FOX Restaurant Concepts picOliveIvy SLY Awards: FOX Restaurant Concepts

SLY Award recipient Dayna Hadden will receive a $25 gift card to use at the FOX restaurant of her choosing.

Have YOU ever been to one of Sam Fox’s restaurants? What was your experience like?

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Screen shot 2010 05 27 at 12.41.38 PM SLY Awards: FOX Restaurant ConceptsWIN IT! One winner will receive a $25 gift card to FOX Restaurant Concepts. To enter, leave any topic-related comment on this post prior to Friday, June 4th at 11:59 p.m. All generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified. Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

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sly awards SLY Awards: FOX Restaurant ConceptsFOX Restaurant Concepts has generously donated 2 $25 gift cards for this SLY Awards promotion – one for Dayna and one for the giveaway. I received no product or monetary compensation for this post. I’m just excited to celebrate Dayna and…you.

*UPDATE* The winner is #23 Karen M. Congratulations!

Somebody Loves You, Dayna Hadden

SLY header 300x146 Somebody Loves You, Dayna Hadden

Congratulations to Dayna Hadden…this week’s recipient of a SLY Award here on Metropolitan Mama.

sly awards dayna Somebody Loves You, Dayna HaddenEvery once in awhile, some scary emergency happens and you end up at the hospital. You hope and pray for a caring, compassionate, and intelligent nurse to watch over you and/or your precious family member. You don’t know it, but…you’re praying for someone like Dayna Hadden.

Dayna has been a nurse since 2004. She works in the pediatric intensive care unit – a place of many tears, much sorrow, and much healing. If you showed up at her hospital, bleary-eyed and beaten down, you would feel a sudden sense of relief upon seeing her warm eyes, her sincere smile, and her calming voice. You would undoubtedly notice her stunning natural beauty, but you would be drawn in by her good heart.

Dayna had this to say about her occupation of choice, “I find my work as an RN challenging- academically, clinically, spiritually, & emotionally. I like the variety of our patient population- newborn all the way to young adult & w/ many different diagnoses- trauma, transplants, cancer…etc. I am thankful for such a tangible way to try to serve and reflect God’s love.

somebody loves you dayna Somebody Loves You, Dayna HaddenThe cool thing about Dayna is that she is also extremely cognizant of her most significant role – as mom to her two delightful little girls, ages 6 months and 2.5 years old. She works on the weekends from 7pm-7am to ensure that her girls don’t have any non-parental care and I’m fairly certain that she sacrifices sleep for playtime on some of those days.

She is a gentle, strong, and beautiful woman. (And  - P.S. – she’s thinking about starting a blog!)

Won’t you join with me as I celebrate Dayna and shower her with two surprise gifts hand-selected just for her? Oh, and YOU will have a chance to win both products too.

If you know Dayna in real life [or if you have something to say about her story...], please leave a compliment here for her. Let’s give her something to smile about today!

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READ MORE ABOUT THE SLY AWARDS.

Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web

j02933381 Tuesday Tours: Whats Happening on the WebWelcome to “Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web” where I serve as your tour guide and showcase the best contests, freebies, deals, and reads for moms on the web…all in one convenient location.

Contests

Do you know a mom who leads by example and strives to make the world a healthier & better place? Enter her in the Seventh Generation Search for Mother Nature Contest. The winner will receive a $5,000 Green Home Makeover. Deadline: May 31.

Win an all-expenses-paid trip to BlogHer 2010 in NYC (roundtrip airfare, hotel stay, food allowance, conference registration, etc.), courtesy of JVC. Deadline to enter: June 20.

Announcements

The Huggies® MomInspired™ Grant Program is awarding up to $15,000 in grant money, as well as business resources to further the development of original product ideas and startup businesses. Submit your big idea before June 9.

My friend Janessa just started an Etsy shop with a focus on Flower Clips and Headbands: Sassy Sissy’s Closet.

Good Reads

I appreciated this thought-provoking post from The Happy Housewife: Some Things Money Can’t Buy.

Amy {The Finer Things in Life} writes about Giving Support and Comfort During A Miscarriage.

From The New York Times: Norway Tops List of the Best Places to Be a Mother; Afghanistan Rates Worst.

Miscellany

I finally made Jo-Lynne’s famous Chicken Enchiladas (and now I know why they are famous). I actually made them TWICE this week.

I also made these Melt-In-Your-Mouth Shortbread cookies this week…and I will probably never buy shortbread cookies at the store again.

Jessica {Life As Mom} pre-packs Adventure Bags for the beach, the park, etc. Such a cool idea!

Need an indoor activity for those long summer days? Try building with toothpicks and marshmallows {via Muses of Megret}.

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*** If you have a contest or an announcement that you think might be a good fit for Tuesday Tours, e-mail me at stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

An Open Letter to Advertisers

Dear Advertisers (and TV producers),

Please note the following:

looking over my shoulder An Open Letter to AdvertisersI am NOT a weepy, emotional woman who is easily wooed by roses and fancy purses (In fact, one time I turned down a Coach purse for review on my blog). I do not spend money frivolously nor am I a compulsive shopper. I don’t gossip. I don’t diet. I definitely do not wear just my underwear around other women, nor do I wear heels at the park. Oh, and I’m not a size 2.

tim serious An Open Letter to AdvertisersMy husband is NOT a lazy oaf with a beer belly who sits in his lazy boy and watches sports every night. He cooks and cleans and enjoys spending time with his kids. He is not clumsy. He does not gawk at women. He does not wear pajamas to bed (or heart-shaped boxers…ever). Oh, and he definitely does not grunt.

beautiful girls looking different directions An Open Letter to AdvertisersWhen I gave birth to each of my girls, they did NOT come out after 10 minutes of labor (although that would have been nice…). I did not scream obscenities or act out of character when I was pushing. I was not instantly svelte again immediately after the birth. Now that they’re a little older…they do NOT know about Team Jacob or Team Edward (Twilight Barbies…really?). They like to be outdoors. They like to swing and slide and color and sing. When they sing, they sing “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” not songs by Miley Cyrus.

I just thought you should know.

Who ARE you advertising to anyway?

Thank you.

- Stephanie

Do you feel that advertisers understand you and your family? What other media stereotypes drive you crazy?