(sort of) Sunday Sound Out

Sorry I missed the Sunday Sound Out. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I just had a really busy weekend. So, without further ado....


all these cool sites/blogs everyone is posting is soo going to get me in trouble. How am I supposed to get anything done around the house with all these new blogs to visit??
You're not! That's the beauty of it.

Now a question for SSO: Did you nurse all of your children and for how long?
Yep, I nursed them all for varying lengths of time. Brooklyn was the longest at 15 months.

Hey! You should do a blog on regional lingo. My mother-in-law is from New York and says "stand on line" as opposed to "stand in line". She also says "pocketbook" as opposed to "purse".
ROFL! My good friend Denise lives on Long Island and when we were in Minnesota a couple months ago, she said to our waitress, "I'd like a seltzah with lemon."
The waitress asked, "What?"
"A seltzah with lemon, please."
The waitress looked thoroughly confused and looked to the rest of us for clarification. Unfortunately we were just as stumped as she was.
"A seltzah! Seltzah!" Denise couldn't figure out why no one knew what the heck she was talking about.
"Ohhhh. I think she wants a seltzer. Is that right, Denise?"
"Duh."
"What's seltzer? Is that like soda?"
It was pretty funny, wasn't it Denise? ;) LOL!
(Then she reached into her pocketbook to pay for it.)

SSO question: Does Jackson not like getting his hair cut or is it you that likes it long? I noticed your other boys have their hair short and he's the only one who doesn't.
I have no idea. He wants it long. Whatever. It's just hair which is certainly not worth fighting about in my opinion. I'm just going to start calling him Jackie.

Question for the next SSO: What bizarre things have you said to your kids that you never would have imagined the need to say? For example, we have been heard telling our 2 1/2 year old: "A sock is not a tissue," "No eating snow/ice that's been on the ground for five days!" and "Toothpaste does not go in your eye!"
Here's a list of a few things.

One other Q: Are you a member of the Fiengold Program and if so do you think that it is worth the almost $100 a year?
I am. I'm not sure if it's worth it though. I like that Feingold takes the guesswork out of figuring out what products/brands have artificial ingredients, but you can just read labels to figure out the same thing. However, as Feingold points out, some artificial ingredients are kinda hidden in food because manufacturers don't necessarily list every thing on the label. The actual product names in the Feingold book are products that they've researched. You can also use their message boards to get recipes, ask questions, and get support and answers from other members.

Wow all 6 to the dentist at the same time?? What were you thinking?
Clearly, I wasn't.

I have to say that baby over on the right with the chocolate all over it's face just cracks me up, is that one of yours???
LOL Yep, that's Brooklyn.

Is it bad that I'm giggling as I'm picturing you with the six kids at the dentist on a conference call? Really, I wish you luck (which reminds me that I need to call my dentist tomorrow to schedule a check up, thanks!).Shall I assume that you've officially started back on the Feingold diet?
No, it's good that you're giggling. I love when my misery can make others laugh. ;)
And oh yeah, we're back to the diet!

I'm sorry for the rough day! Will Jackson resist going back on the diet now that he's had a little taste of "freedom"? Or does he see the changes in himself and want to get back to feeling calmer?
He's resisting despite the fact that he knows it helps him out. It's tough. I rarely buy anything off the diet to have in the house. I cook the same way for all of us. But then the other kids complain that they don't get junk food because of Jackson and why are they getting punished. If I let them have something off the diet, then Jackson gets upset that they get something that he can't have. I try really hard to make additive-free alternatives to whatever they crave. If they want Twinkies, for example, I make sponge cake and cream filling from scratch for them. Still, it's tough. We really stick to the diet at home, but I let the other kids have contraband goodies if they're out without Jackson.

Are there any summer camps in your town. We have several day summer camps that the rec center puts on. It would give you a "break" from some of the kids and it's educational too.
That's true and we do have several camps and activities I could sign them up for. Last year I put them in summer school for the first time ever. Honestly though, I actually do like having our days free so we can just pick up and go someplace and do something fun whenever we want. I don't like getting up and going early in the morning. Besides, if I sign one kid up for a camp, I have to sign them all up and it gets pretty pricey to do that.

P.s. Box there yet? Jenn T.
Yes! And I couldn't find what I did with your email to thank you. (This woman, Jenn, sent my kids a box of information and goodies all the way from Alaska. And check this out - Jenn not only lost 83 pounds (which is an amazing feat in itself!), but she competed in her first triathlon in May. Not only did she compete, but she crossed the finish line in only 87 minutes! Inspiring, no?)
Thank you Jenn!

Austin sounds like a hoot. Does he keep the other kids in stitches? No, he's usually the kind of guy who can't walk down the hall without reaching out and slapping a passing sibling. Then, when I yell "Austin!", he looks at me with mock innocence and says, "What? What did I do? I was just walking down the hall!"

So this comment has nothing to do with your post but… I read this article in the Trib and thought of you. Algonquin and Lockport are both getting a Sonic. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-thu-sonic-jun19,0,6796223.story
Woo Hoo! They're building them in Country Club Hills and Aurora too! Yay!

Okay, that running narrative is pretty freaking funny! Go Austin :) Keep being strange. You'll be a wonderful adult who thinks outside the box someday.
Ha! Outside the box, you say? In kindergarten, Austin came home with a paper that had a picture of a dog, a cat, a fish, and a table. It read, "Circle the one that does not belong." He had circled the fish. I asked him why he circled the fish. It was clearly the table that didn't belong. He looked at me like I was stupid and said, "a fish doesn't have four legs." And so it began.

Given that finances play the largest role in determining where you live, have you guys considered moving now that your writing career is off to a successful start? I'm sure any day now the older two kids will be dying for space of their own. P.S. Your house always looks great in pics-better than mine and all I have is a husband and two dogs!
I think we'd have to get divorced first as I want to live someplace warm and very close to the ocean. Joe, on the other hand, would be content in the snowy mountains. And thank you, but nope, my house if pretty much ALWAYS messy!

Question -Do you still sell on ebay as that is how I first heard of your blog.And if so, what is your selling name now - just so I can have a good laugh....(in the nicest sense!) :)
I haven't sold anything in a long time. I have a few things to sell right now, but I just haven't found the time to list them. My ID is the same one I've always used - dawnm5723.

Hi Dawn, I am typing to you right now from Joliet, as we have traveled all the way from Calif. to visit my in-laws...We passed the sign for the Brookfield Zoo, so I know you can't be far from here. We may take my niece and nephew there tomorrow.
I took my kids there on Friday too! Did you hear Brooklyn screaming and me yelling at Jackson while you were there?

Wow Dawn, I just noticed the time you posted. Do you ever sleep?
Not nearly enough. I miss sleep.

I love your blog and am a faithful reader! Can I please copy and paste your friend's cancer videos and petion into my blog (as well as your intro to this piece? I would love to help get word out. Of course I will give you credit link back to your blog.
Absolutely!!!!!!! I should have written that. Everyone, please feel free to copy the videos and pass them on!

How come the search that deal with "body functions" lead to your blog?
Maybe because bodily functions and kids go hand in hand. Or perhaps it's because I've been changing diapers for almost 14 years straight.
(Just wait until I'm a bit older and need a colonoscopy!)

Dawn, sorry the second zoo trip wasn't quite as ... calm? as the first one. It always seems to happen that way, doesn't it? I must say that I admire your restraint, as I probably would have turned around and not gone to the zoo if little cartridges were flying around my car. Again, I'm a mean mommy!
Yeah, I was tempted to do just that, but then it would have punished all my other kids who were behaving and it would have ticked off my sister who was meeting us there, you know?

I love the pictures. Thanks for posting. My apologies if you've answered this a dozen times, but how do you attach the photos? Do you upload to photobucket or a similar site? (Maybe you just tape them to your monitor?)
I'm not sure I understand. I just click the little icon that looks like a picture and then insert them.

now that you mentioned your sister, i wonder how your family (parents, siblings) reacted to your pregnancies and you having a big(ger) family?
They think I'm crazy.

The little bit we can see of your sisters face bears a strong resemblance to your own.
Yep - add 3 inches to my height and take 50 pounds off her weight and we're the spitting image of each other.

Where are Lexi's glasses? And did she get a hair cut? She looks really grown up! I didn't recognize her at first.
Wow! Good eyes! I'm impressed. She "forgot" her glasses that day and I didn't realize she didn't have them until we got to the zoo. If you look really closely at the picture of her on the leatherback turtle, you can see that her eyes are a little crossed. That's what happens when she doesn't wear her glasses even though she insists she can see without them.
And yep, she got her hair cut short. It's cute and I don't have to fight with her to comb out all her tangles anymore!

And thank you for all your suggestions of pastry/alcohol combinations! Who knew there were so many of ua who think about reaching for cookies and beer after a stressful day!

Frozen Girl Scout cookies go fine with a good Merlot.

Beer and Cookies... Works for me!

I think the beer and cookie thing is an nice start. Now, have it served in Hawaii by a young, shirtless man that has a striking resemblance to Johnny Depp and you've got yourself a party!

I have had beer and cookies days, and I only have two kids.

Beer and chocolate chip cookies right now.

yes. beer and cookies go together. go for it! although i prefer bailey's and ice cream. :)

Chocolate chip cookies go with anything

Of course beer and chocolate chip cookies go together! I'm surprised you haven't tried that combo before.

I think cookies and baileys definitely sounds like a better mix than beer.

How about Baileys and chocolate chip cookies? I have a great recipe for Kaluha brownies too.

I'm pretty sure any combination of alcohol and junk food go together at the end of that kind of day. Or for lunch on that day...

Oatmeal Cookie recipe serve in Old-Fashioned Glass1/2 oz Grand Marnier® orange liqueur1/2 oz butterscotch schnapps1/2 oz Bailey's® Irish cream

Beer and chocolate chip cookies sounds like a party to me.

Hard liquor sounds better than beer. after a day like that... Hit the bag of chocolet chips, skip the cookies all together... and than have a few shots.