Pom Poms, A Pinterest Poser Challenge

I've seen some cool places this summer, but nothing beats my front porch.  I love my front porch.  It's not fancy.  It's the front porch of our not-so-nice, plain, brown rental house.  It may not be fancy, but it's really my favorite place in the world.  

We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner on our front porch starting in late spring until it gets too cold in late fall.  We have family meetings and games on our front porch.  We read, we talk, we hang out, we celebrate on our front porch.

Last week we celebrated the first day of the last year of Tim's third decade. 

I love when I find them just hanging out together talking.
It is simply the best.

Reading with my girl.

Last year, we made our beloved door table.  This year, I added a few very cheap decorations which happen to be this week's Pinterest Poser Challenge.*

In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,** every week I attempt and detail a project/idea/recipe inspired by Pinterest.
**My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance.  


Inspired by the folks over on the blog A Beautiful Mess, I made a tissue pom pom garland.  

I already had the tissue paper and the twine.  So, I put the Gypsy Kings Pandora channel on and started making my decoration.   

We had all kinds of craft projects going on on the porch that day.

I simply cut out small-ish squares of tissue paper (approximately 10-15 squares), stacked them and tied a piece of twine around the middle.  I then spread out the tissue paper and formed it into a ball.  I tied each tissue paper ball to a long piece of twine and then hung it above my windows with two pieces of completely un-fancy silver duct tape.

I love the pop of color it brings and how it makes every day feel like a party.

Have you made anything inspired by Pinterest lately? Share it here or on my Facebook page.  

A Delightfully Simple Birthday Party--click here
Make An Awesome Omelette--click here
Outdoor Lights Inspired by the show Parenthood- click here
Herb Garden with Chalboard Pots- click here
Backyard Graffiti Art with kids- click here
Happiness Notecards- click here

Gluten Free Rainbow Cake- click here

Fruit Roll-Up Fortune Cookies- click here

Make Your Own Magnets- click here

DIY Painted Clay Necklace- click here

Dixie Cup Lights- click here

DIY Ornaments-click here

Gluten Free Clay- click here

Make Your Own Stamps- click here
Birthday Shirt- click here
Gluten Free Pop Tarts- click here
Front Porch Kid Art Display- click here
Door turned into Table- click here

Summer Wish List Chalkboard-click here

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie Sandwiches-click here

Painted Mason Jar Vases-click here

Cinco de Mayo Paper Flowers- click here
Earth Day Cupcakes- Click here
Nail Art-click here

Homemade Photo Booth Fun- click here

Fake Bangs- click here

DIY Subway Art- click here

Furniture Painting and Bench/Chest Makeover- click here

Thanksgiving-y Project/Gratitude/Holiday Countdown- click here
The Smoothie-click here

The Free Printable Turned Artwork in a Boring Hallway- click here

The chalk board-click here
Seven Layer Dip in Individual Cups (my favorite so far!)-click here
The pumpkin address-click here
The Kitchen Dancing Sign--click here

  Head on over and follow my Pinterest boards-click here!

Oh yeah, and come follow me on Twitter @AngelaYBlood and subscribe to my YouTube channel here.

Uniting the World & Some Travel Tips

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of travel and excitement and emotion.  I've been in a different city--Nashville, Kalamazoo, D.C.--the past three Wednesdays.  For someone who usually thinks going to the library down the street or staying out past 9 p.m. is an adventure, these past few weeks have been huge.

Traveling teaches, it opens our minds, it's all kinds of good.  For example, while I was in D.C. I discovered a universal truth that comforted me.  As we made our way to the monuments in the ridiculous heat we passed all different kinds of people--different shapes and sizes, colors, nationalities.  One thing was the same in a every family we passed, behind every sweaty mother and father was a teenager rolling their eyes.  Every family.  It didn't matter what shape, size, color or nationality...annoyed teens roll their eyes to every mom and dad.  Truth.

Now that the World Cup is over and the world has nothing to gather together and celebrate or commiserate over, maybe this universal truth is where it's at.  Parents of tweens and teens in the world unite.  Let's hold hands and raise them in solidarity and say together "we may be different but we are not as annoying and embarrassing as our tweens/teens think we are, together we will get through this crazy ride of parenting tweens/teens."

Here are a couple other things I learned from my travels:

Traveling to D.C. with $60 and a gluten problem doesn't have to make you depressed.

Moms Clean Air Force paid for our plane tickets and hotel in D.C., otherwise we could not have gone on that trip.  We are still broke from the road trip we took a couple weeks ago.  So I took $60 and hoped for the best.  We spent money on the train ride from the airport and the rickshaw ride when we simply couldn't walk anymore. The kids wanted souvenirs and I simply told them "the story you have to tell people and your life experience here" were their souvenirs. Ha!  Honestly, they were a little bummed that they couldn't get the sparkly White House pen or the piggy bank with the Capitol Building on the side, but it didn't last too long.    

As far as the gluten problem, JT has Celiac and literally can't eat at many restaurants.  In fact, he has such bad cross contamination issues it's pretty impossible to eat anywhere.  He can't simply ask for the "burger no bun."

So I checked a suitcase full of gluten free food on the flight to D.C.  I hated to pay the $25 bag fee, but it was worth it in the end.  And you can't carry on these food and drink items.  

Udi's bread is our favorite.

We had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch and dinner, along with pretzels and apple sauce and chips. For breakfast I packed Fruity Pebbles (not my favorite choice for the kids, but it works in a pinch) and soy milk.  I packed paper plates, plastic bowls, plastic spoons and knives.  It worked out great.  We ate almost all the food and I didn't have to check my bag on the way home.  No depressed people in our party.

We had dinner in our hotel room while watching HGTV.

We also found great picnic spots outside to have lunch.

Smart phones can save your ass and enhance your traveling experience.

Forgot your flight info? Don't worry, look it up on your phone.
Have no idea where your hotel is in relation to the Lincoln Memorial? Um, the magic map on your phone does.
Want to know if a certain gum is gluten free? Google on your phone can tell you.
Miss your husband and want to tell him how amazing all of your adventures are right that minute? Dude, text him, send him a picture or actually call him on your sweet smart phone.
I would never want to travel without one.  And luckily airports, hotels, rest areas and restaurants are usually happy to let you power up your phones so they don't quit on you.  

Reading stands the test of time.

A book is just always a good idea when traveling (or really any other time).  My kids love it, I love it.  

I told him to look up at the sunset.
He did, and then went back to his book.

Lucy can tune anyone out when she reads, even her three brothers.

Got any travel tips?  Universal truths?  Tell 'em to me.  We leave later this week on yet another adventure and even though like the old Johnny Cash song, I've been everywhere man, I could use more/any/all help.

Something To Share/Sing/Say

Every couple steps we took it seemed like something important was happening--a protest, an interview, a press conference, a meeting.  Everything felt important, powerful.  

In Nashville, it seemed like everyone was working hard at getting discovered.  In Washington D.C. it seemed like everyone was working hard at getting heard.  In a funny way, the energy, urgency felt quite similar.  In both cities, everything felt important and powerful.  From the band trying to to make it in the dive bar or the kid who ran away and was proving how funny he was by selling jokes on the street in Nashville to the men (and a couple women) in suits taking meetings to discuss environmental policies and regulations--everyone had something to share/sing/say.

In both cities, my kids and I walked around with eyes as big as saucers, easily revealing our we aren't from here identities.  In both cities, we were only there for a short time, but we were there to take everything, all of everything in.  Our hearts and minds were open as big and wide as our eyes.

We were invited to Washington D.C. by Moms Clean Air Force (MCAF) to participate in a protest. The protest was to encourage members of Congress to support the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed antipollution rules, which seek to cut carbon emissions from power plants by 30%.


Our flight got into D.C. the day before the protest so we had some time to explore.  I knew we wouldn't have time to see a lot, but we crammed as much as we could into an afternoon.  We walked and walked and walked.  It was hot.  Like the kind of hot where people walk around with pained expressions on their faces and look confused.  

But the kids were troopers, they really didn't complain at all.  Red-faced and sweaty we took rest breaks in the shade and in the air-conditioned museums.  We got lost in exhibits that we didn't even know we were interested in...hello battle ship exhibit, truly fascinating.

Our goal of the day was to get to "Abe's house," that's what JT called the Lincoln Memorial.  We almost gave up on our quest to see Abe because it was so incredibly hot.  It was so hot people were literally passing out.  

"I am not getting this close and not going," I told the kids.  "We have to keep going."

We did.  And even though there were a million people sitting on the steps, walking around the statue and mulling about, it was almost peaceful and serene.

The kids and I made our way to the side of the monument where no one was.  They played make believe.  I watched.  It felt important, powerful.

After a little while, we were ready to head back to the hotel, but I was worried about making the kids walk.  I looked for a tour bus, a trolley, a cab...anything that could give us a lift.  The bus driver said tours ended at 5 so we were out of luck.  Then I spotted the men on their bikes offering rides, actually in their rickshaws.  "Let's go over there," I told the kids.

"You look awful," the man said to me and laughed.

"I only have $20, how far will that get us?," I asked desperately.  

"Oh I need to help you, get in, I'll take you where you need to go," he said reassuringly.  

We climbed aboard the rickshaw and sighed with relief.  This man with two braids, a fisherman's cap and the best calf muscles I've ever seen was my new hero.  He turned up his music and started pedaling.  

"Everyone's trying to find it...
Do we know what it is?
Here we go looking for what we need...
Hope we find what it is"
--The music, a Rastafarian rap, blared these words prophetically.  

The traffic flew by us.  Helicopters roared overhead.  We passed museums, ornate buildings, red-faced tourists, powerful men in suits.  It was completely surreal and fabulous and ridiculous and amazing.  

                     *******************

The protest the next day was full of kids, moms, grandparents, activists, health care professionals and politicians.  Famous senators spoke to the crowd as well as concerned volunteers.  

Senator Barbara Boxer was one of the speakers at the pre-protest event.

After the speakers and the games and the poster making stations, we marched to the Capitol.  

"What do we want? Clean Air!," we all shouted as we marched.  "When do we want it? Now!"

After the march, protesters had meetings with their state's representatives and senators.  Lucy, JT and I, along with another family and our friend from MCAF went to our meetings.  As I walked by the offices of John McCain and other senators I felt like I was in a movie or a TV show.  I expected someone to yell "cut" at any minute and everyone would relax and get out of character.  But nope, this was real.

Passionate, hard working, busy people.  Listening, talking, taking notes, nodding, smiling, connecting.

Senator Kildee talked to JT about baseball and his uncle and politics.  He was wonderful with JT.  He showed him a picture from the baseball game between the Democrats and the Republicans.  Um, who knew that happened? 

"Everyone was so nice here," said JT as we were leaving.  "This was good."

"I totally agree," I said smiling.

The world is scary and argumentative and mean and full of hopelessness.  But it's also full of people wanting to be heard--so many stories and jokes and songs waiting to be shared.  I believe if we open our eyes and minds and hearts to all the stories, jokes and songs we'll be filled with so much nice, so much good, so much hope, so much love.  That feels important, powerful.

In the middle of the protest party, a man was painting a beautiful picture of the Capitol.  It was like a mash up of all my favorite things--politics, hope, voices being heard, art and beauty and self-expression. Ahhhhhh!!!!

During our Rastafarian rap-filled rickshaw  ride home, Lucy leaned into me and showed me her bracelet.  "This, mom," she said and looked up at me all red-faced and happy.

Super Mom

My kids are constantly impressed with me.  Actually they are constantly embarrassed.  But that's okay, most of the time it doesn't bother me when they cringe.  I just go about being me.  Although out of respect for the older ones' pre-teenhood, I tone me down sometimes.  

Last week after being on the road for six days, we needed to make it to a surprise party.  We got stuck in a mess of Detroit traffic and we were running late.  I didn't want to be the reason the surprise was ruined.  So, I asked Tim to meet us down the street from the party and to bring my orange dress.  He did and then I changed in the parking lot.  I went straight from the road to the party like a boss.  I went from road weary mom to party mom in less than two minutes.  I felt like Superman, or more like Super Mom, only I didn't even need a stinking phone booth.  

I thought my kids might be impressed with my powers or at the very least my reference to Superman.  Nope I was wrong.  But maybe you'll be impressed....check me out.

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We're In This Together

It takes a village--not only to raise a child, but to be human.  As we celebrated independence this past weekend, I couldn't help but think about villages and communities and being in this whole thing together.  Relying on each other, helping each other, reaching out, accepting, honoring, thanking...that's what it's all about.  That's what I want to celebrate all the time.  In fact, I think I am going to make a rule that sparklers have to be on hand at all time through the year to celebrate good things that happen, people and situations that surprise you and remind you that we are in this together.

In the middle of the night last week the power went out.  I prayed out loud.  I never pray out loud.  And I never ever do request prayers, you know like "please don't let this or that happen."  But yeah, at 3 a.m. last Wednesday I prayed "oh God please, please bring back my power, holy shit please come back on and stay on, please oh please God."   Over the past couple years, sleep has become very important and without it I am nothing.  I knew if I was nothing the next day, my four kids would stage a coup and I would totally be overthrown. I would be toast.

God must have been listening because my power came back on and I went back to sleep.  Tim woke me up the next morning telling me that there was a power line down in our back yard and to not let the kids go back there.  He informed me he'd called the power company and sent an email so they'd fix it soon. 

Several hours later, no one had come to fix it yet.  We still had power but I was pretty nervous with a live wire down in my back yard. I saw a few trucks from the power company parked down the street from our house.  I sent JT to ride down on his bike and ask them if they were coming to fix our power line. A few minutes later JT led three large men in hard hats down our street to our back yard.

"Well, sure as shit, there is a power line down," said the largest man with several tattoos on his arms.

JT and Wade giggled with excitement because there were men with hard hats in our yard and one of them said "shit."

"We'll take care of that for you ma'am," the tattoed man told me.

"You boys never touch a power line," the big man said.  "Do you understand me? Never! They are dangerous.  Always tell a grown up, never even go near a power line that is down.  Got it?"  He was stern and big and scary.

"God, why are you yelling at these boys?," one of the other guys in a hard hat asked.

"I'm not yelling, I'm being intimidating," he explained.  "I want them to remember what I am saying."

These men in hard hats from the power company were becoming safety mentors to my kids and heroes in more than one way to me.  I love it when the whole idea of "it takes a village" looks like you never think it will.  This wasn't some grandmotherly woman telling me how to teach my kids manners or a kind neighbor offering to watch my children (not knocking grandmas and neighbors, they rule).  No, these were burly men working for a power company--not exactly what you think of when you think of a parenting village.

After fixing the power line, the guys and I talked about garden hoses.  "I love that hose, I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond," the big man told me.  "If you get it there and it gets a hole in it, they'll replace it, no charge."  Good to know, right?

My boys were playing football in the front yard at this point.  

The big man played catch with them for a few minutes.  "Nice hands," he told JT.

Then they were gone, but not without a wave good-bye. 

And a reminder that we are a village, and that my kids might never forget when the big man with a hard hat and tattoos told them about the dangers of power lines and then played football with them.  This is a sparkler-worthy moment.  

How To Enjoy Road Trips With Your Kids

I love a road trip.  Growing up, my family made a few road trips a year.  My mother was always up for jumping in the car and going somewhere.  I inherited that (along with a pesky anxiety issue and hoarding problem, waaa).

For the past 12 years, I have been taking my kids on road trips and I've learned a few things about making road trips not just survivable, but truly enjoyable.

Here are my top 10 tips on how to enjoy road trips with kids:

1. Relax.  

Start the journey in a relaxed state-of-being.  Don't get too excited, don't get too anxious...stay calm, keep expectations low and relax.

2. Expect Traffic and Delays. 

Kids will have to go the bathroom a lot, know that for sure.  Even if you limit liquids like I used to try to do, not all the kids will have to go the bathroom at the same time.  

If you are traveling during the summertime, there will be road construction and that means there will be merging.  Merging makes people stupid, it makes people act crazy, it makes people rude, it makes people drive on the shoulder because they want to get to the front of the lane.  I am convinced that if we could figure out how to merge peacefully in highway construction we could solve all the problems in Washington D.C.  

So yeah, on my last trip we had some merging frustration. While I was muttering under my breath about "stupid construction" and "just sitting on the highway is so dumb," it started to rain.  "I feel bad for the construction workers," said JT.  "They have to work out there in the rain."  Oh man, out of the mouths of babes.  Yeah, I was in an air-conditioned van with my awesome kids, listening to our favorite music...perspective, gratitude, compassion and acceptance.  

Sitting in construction traffic isn't so bad.

3. Make Time To Daydream

DVD players and Netflix on the iPad are ingenious, wonderful blessings for parents and kids on road trips.  We bring a ton of movies and I enjoy listening to them on our trips.  But we don't constantly have movies playing. We take movie breaks to daydream.  

Road trips are a storytelling/daydreaming mecca.  My kids roll their eyes when I tell them it's time for a movie break, but then I catch them staring out the window.  They are staring at the fields of corn, the mountains, the puffy clouds, the abandoned homes, the high school football fields, the neighborhoods, the farms, the factories...they all have stories.

4. Pump Up the Jam

Kids fighting? Turn up the music.  Do it, drown out the noise.  It usually makes the fighting stop and even if it doesn't you can't hear them anyway.  Don't be a radio hog though.  Let the kids make some music choices too.  But remember if you have to sit through their music choices, they have to sit through yours.  Don't be offended if they don't like your music.  "Why do you have to play these oldies?," my son exclaimed with disgust.  He was referring to my Lauryn Hill MisEducation CD, sure a little old school, but oldies? I just turned it up louder.

5. Get Lost

I have made a wrong turn or taken a wrong exit on almost every road 

trip I've ever taken. 

Guess what? It wasn't the end of the world.  I believe talking to the kids about how everyone makes mistakes and takes a wrong turn now and again teaches coping skills and compassion.

6. Find Your Walley World

I am a sucker for cheesy roadside touristy attractions.  Maybe it's because my parents refused to stop at any growing up.  Maybe it's because I love cheesy things.  Whatever the reason, I love these kinds of stops.  Every summer my kids and I go to GunTown Mountain--it's sort of become like our Walley World from the old movie Vacation (one of the all time BEST road trip movies ever). 

The kids in front of GunTown Mountain's Haunted House in 2012 (L) and then again in 2014.

It is a family-friendly tourist attraction nestled in the Kentucky mountains somewhere between the Boobie Bungalow signs and the "Do You Know Jesus?" billboards.  Over the years, we got to know the owner Miss Della and we were a little devastated when we found out she was retiring and selling the place last year.  We weren't sure what to expect this year, but the new owners have added some fun features like "Old Time Photos."  Um, hello?  Yes!!!!

7. Pack a Lunch

Don't go broke on stupid fast food.  Pack a lunch and get outside and have a picnic.  I promise you your kids will complain but who cares? You are saving money and the lunch will probably be way more nutritious.

8.  Stay Hydrated

This is just really practical advice.  The end.

9. Rely On The Kindness of Strangers

Every time I travel someone I don't know helps me.  Whether it's a kind man pointing me in the right direction to the bathrooms at the gas station or the nice lady at the rest area telling me she doesn't mind rowdy kids and that she "misses them being little"--people are nice, people are good.  One year when I was traveling there was a particularly bad news story all over the TVs at McDonald's.  Two rather big men stood in front of the TVs on purpose so my kids could not see the alarming broadcasts while we were in line.  There is good in this world and people will help you in all kinds of ways.

10. Have Fun

Don't worry about everything too much.  Road trips can be the most adventurous, funny, ridiculous, special things you ever do as a family.  Even if your pre-teen rolls his or her eyes at every suggestion you make on the drive, I promise they will remember the good parts.  At the very least, it will make a good story for years about the time you made them dress up for an "Old Time Photo."

Here's the highlight reel from our most current road trip.

Avoiding the Plummet

This is a post about shorts.  But it's about more than shorts.  It's also sort of about how we expect girls to be a certain way and how we expect them to grow up to be women of a certain way.  And it's also about how I hope we can help create some change.

All these things have been on my mind with greater urgency since becoming a mother.  But now I'm almost in panic mode because my daughter is 10.  She is at that age when the experts say self-confidence starts "plummeting."  She is at that age where she is paying closer attention and taking notes about how to act, what to wear, who is noticing and looking at her.  

It overwhelms me when I think about all the ways it can go wrong.  I desperately want her to feel good in her own skin, respect herself and I want there to be no plummeting self-confidence ever.  

Last week I saw this amazing commercial from Always about fighting back against the phrase "like a girl."  It is upsetting, strikes a nerve and makes you think.  I showed it to Lucy.  She was both upset and inspired.  

Some people that saw the ad were upset that it was from a company that sells pads.  But seriously I think it's great.  If companies are willing to use positive images and movements that celebrate empowering girls to sell things all I have to say is hallelujah and it's about damn time.

What does any of this have to do with shorts?  Well I showed the commercial to Tim.  I want him to understand better, see things clearer as a father of a daughter about to go through a whole potential plummet.  

Shortly after I showed Tim the video we were out shopping together.  We were getting a pair of shorts for Peyton and Lucy.  We found a pair right away for Peyton, but it took a little bit longer to find the right shorts for Lucy.  Every single pair of shorts in the girls' department was ultra short, pink, tight and a lot of them had bows on them.  Every single pair was either inappropriate or looked uncomfortable.  We went back to the boys' department to buy shorts for Lucy.  We didn't find shorts that barely covered the boys' bottoms, nope the shorts were longer, loose fitting, easy to move around and play in.  We paired Lucy's boy shorts with comfy T-shirts from the girls' department, but even that was a struggle to find something that didn't say "BFFs Forever" or have a picture of a cat on it.

I am not knocking hearts, bows and cats.  If your girl or boy loves them they should wear them.  I am knocking the fact that there are so few options (if any) available for girls to be anything but short-shorts and pink.  

Lucy likes shorts that she can feel comfortable in playing soccer and basketball.  Or exploring.  Or running.  Or sitting curled up with a book.

Lucy loved her new shorts.

What message are we sending to girls?  Short shorts, too tight to move, pink and frilly---those are the only ways to be a girl?  Does that mean girls can't play, explore, run or sit comfortably?  Are they that limited starting at 10, or younger?

As someone who has found the whole comfort in my own skin later in life, I want to encourage it early in not just my daughter, but other people's daughters too.  And my sons.

Here's to long shorts, self-expression, comfort, confidence, equality, playing and running and dancing and moving and feeling good.  Here's to our girls having more options and opportunities to avoid the plummet.  

Shorts don't solve everything but it's a start.

This company is pretty amazing. They are actually creating change in the marketplace for girls.  Check them out--Girls Will Be.