Dat Be Nice Party 4 1/2

It's the exciting and long awaited Dat Be Nice Link Party number 4 1/2!!!!

Actually, it turns out that last Dat Be Nice party fell on Christmas, and this one should fall on New Year's Day. Add to that that I'll be relatively internet-less and that Blogger's scheduling system is doing its best to thwart me, and I figured the best thing to do would be to cry uncle.

So I'm going to combine last week's party with this week's party, pin anyone who links up but wait to do combined features NEXT week. Enjoy!

An InLinkz Link-up

Wordless Wednesday {Beach Baby}

 

This might not be quite wordless Wednesday because there might be a little something wrong with Blogger's scheduler insists that this is Wednesday.  What can you do?

Mama Overkill

Mama overkill:

Any project that takes ten times longer to complete than the child will spend destroying it.

Any time a tweezer is used on a project intended for a two year old's use.

And any time I pick up a needle and thread.  Ever.

Much inspiration from here and from my friend Jodie, who I can only figure out how to link on instagram.

Christmas Eve Plans May not Have Gone as Expected if Your Child Has Her First Ever Candy Cane in the Emergency Room

My plans for Christmas Eve:

• Chicken
• Potato
• Green Beans

Head of Demolition's plans for Christmas Eve:

• Reach from high chair to grab chocolate off table
• Emergency room
• Two staples in back of her head

As you can see, we were at odds.  But she eventually won.

On the bright side, if head stapling is in order, Christmas Even is the time to do it.  Apparently.

My Parter in Crime couldn't believe I let the Head of Demolition have her very first candy cane, because I am usually against food coloring and this treat had food color in spades.

But it was past bedtime and the hospital had on the sushi and ritual bondage channel.  So not only did I allow it, I was all:

"For CRYING OUT LOUD PEOPLE!!!!!  Somebody PLEASE get this child sugar and food color!"

She also got a beanie baby, and a toy from some Disney movie I never heard of.

She actually left the hospital more upset about the fact that they didn't have stickers like her pediatrician does than she was about the staples.

Our December has been a constant traipse to and from healthcare facilities for the following:

• Staph (twice, same kid)
• Croup
• Ear infection
• Hives (twice, two separate kids)
• Head stapling

And so even though I had all kinds of printables and recipes and tons of other fun stuff, the best I can really do at this moment is leave you with a picture that is NOT from a hospital:

I've had a hard time figuring out if it is too very disgusting to put a picture of the staples here.  And since it's taken me so long to figure it out, I'm thinking that's pretty much a yes.

You're welcome.

Hope you had a nice Christmas and/or a merry Thursday!

Dat Be Nice #4 and a wondering about link parties

Last week in the comment section of Dat Be Nice #3, my old blogging friend Mark asked me, "What are you doing?" And I thought about that for a good, long while.

The simple answer is that the link up party website had a sale, and I have a hard time passing up a bargain when it's been something I've been considering anyway.

The long answer is this:

I've gotten to know a ton of people in the blogging world over the past almost-decade.  But most of my oldest blogging friends are no longer around for one reason or another.

Blogs have niches.   For my own blog reading, my only real prerequisites are that a blogger is either funny OR nice.  I don't even come close to requesting both.  And for whatever reason, my old "niche" tended toward expats living in places far, far away.

But SJ moved to Facebook and Instagram.  Ms. Q dropped off of the face of the blogging earth.  A Free Man stopped blogging.  Who even knows what happened to Total Spender?  If even an 1/8th of his blog posts were true, he's probably in jail or dead.

Oren.  What can I say about Oren?  Except that we should all still be helping him break the internet with this post.

Once I got pregnant with She-Who-Destroys-All-In-Her-Path, I ended up meeting a lot of blogging moms.  Some of them are funny and all of them are nice, and some of them are even funny AND nice.

But I thought with my very own link party, I could attract stuff I enjoy in real life: healthy food/health/diet/exercise stuff, photography/art/DIY/Crafts/basically anything with a glue gun, education/learning/children/books, and humor (of course)

In all honesty,  an entire link party all on my own is probably going to end up to be more internets than I can really handle.  I don't want to do it if I can't do right by people who take the time to come by.  Still, I got the service, so I'm going to give it a try for a few more weeks and see how it goes.

Mark, if you are still reading, I offer you a picture of my kid licking a beer bottle.  Because.

And if you are not still reading...what can I really do?  It's on to the link party, at least for the time being.

This week (and particularly because my party day falls on Christmas - Merry Christmas all!), I'm not going to really worry about "rules".

What would I do to enforce them anyway?  If you like it around here, I'm thinking you'll probably follow and if you don't, you probably won't be back much whether you follow or not.

Please enjoy how last week panned out:

The most clicked post this week was Skye's post about Dragon books (that adults can love too) -

The most pinned was Elizabeth's from All Kinds of Things:

I really loved Menucha's post on naptime tips, mostly because I got to read about babies who ACTUALLY SLEEP, rather than spending the entire sleep time asking for feet to be tucked back in or the CD to be turned louder, softer, on or off.  Plus, look at these cutsey little fingers!

And, if you're featured, here's a button. One day I'll make a prettier one:

<div align="center">
<a href="http://mightaswelltry.blogspot.com" title="Do Try This at Home"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqX4h4r-hbX_G4FsN75E4rnoNJUWb2ZOjEf1VujpomYK7HZRqVakOm0pNK7qQmt0gKhNLGzfkS1RuR_XfrcmKItTE-xjLG8cGueRPI8ZJvpY5krqU1cjOCQsGBbbhctxc_gPT-5A/s1600/featured+button+250.jpg" alt="Do Try This at Home" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

So have fun and link up people! But only if you want to.

An InLinkz Link-up

Wordless Wednesday - {a dee-der!}

Happy Hanukkah from our Head of Demolition!

When she's not destroying things, she's pretty cute, no?!?!

Also, she'd like to give you a pony.

You're welcome.

Happy Birthday From Germ Central!

I woke up the Chief of Security this morning this way:

"Happy birthday!  How are your hives?  How is your wound?

You know...you don't really have to go to school today if you don't want to.  It's your birthday.  Your final exams are over.  And you have croup, staph, and hives.  You could just stay home."

But he answered this way:

"Let me check my absences."

And he decided to go to school.

So I dropped him off at school this way:

"I will be calling the school.  I will be talking to the nurse.  I will be texting you."

And so what can you really do besides comfort inappropriately with food?

Well, besides for spending his entire birthday afternoon in the pediatrician's office and then stopping for Ben and Jerry's on the way home for additional ill advised comfort food?

Happy birthday Boy-O-Mine!  You're a good sport through and through!!

Disclaimer: I took these photos before the hives made their frightening appearance.  I have photos of the hives, of course, but they are mercifully absent on this post.

You're welcome.

Wordless Wednesday {Downtown Window}

Last Minute Hanukkah, Chanukah, AND Chanukka Gifts (with Free Printable!)

Two gift ideas!  If you happen to be a teacher who might or might not be receiving a gift from our Chief of Destruction...please try not to peek!

Basically we have two things going on here: personalized mugs and personalized jars.

The personalized mugs are all over the internet these days, so...no big surprise there.

If you want to make them, just draw with an OIL paint Sharpie, such as these beautiful markers...

(Disclaimer - affiliate link ahead! Amazon will give me like 8 cents or so if you click through and buy.  Still, I'm almost up to a dollar over there!  So exciting.)

Sharpie Oil-Based Medium Point Paint Markers, 5 Fashion Colored Markers (1770459)

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for a half hour and...it's supposed to stay on through the dishwasher and everything.  Who knows if it really does or not, but it looks pretty though, don't you think?  We're going to put gift cards inside.

Our next teacher gift which I will hopefully not ruin the surprise by posting here are gift jars:

We filled it with white tulle and this DELICIOUS chocolate (another affiliate link).  Not only is it incredibly yummy, but it's 70% dark.  That means it's ALMOST DIET FOOD!!!!  Or at least it qualifies for the South Beach Diet.  Maybe Atkins too, who knows?  

It's good stuff at any rate:

Theo Chocolate Organic 70% Dark Chocolate Sea Salt -- 3 oz

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!  A link to the free printable.  Obviously, I left off the name of my own kid, so it could have your kid's(s') name!

Chanukah picture books also make a great gift! Click here for a big list of over 25 Hanukkah picture books!

Have a happy whatever-winter-holiday-you-celebrate folks!

Dat Be Nice! A DIY/Crafting, Photography, Education/Kid Related, and/or Food Related Blog Hop!

Last week's party went SO NICELY that I thought I should do it again!  JUST KIDDING!  It's actually that I'm afraid if I hold the party less than weekly, people will forget.  That's what I'd do.


Here are features from last week!!!!

Menucha gave awesome photography advice last week.  I was all kinds of excited to see that she gave sneak peeks into her menorah that I featured on my "Why does my kid come home singing about dreidels and seven other things you were wondering about Hanukkah" post!  Plus, it was the most clicked link!  See all the instructions right here at Moms and Crafters!

Most pinned was this delicious looking recipe for Pistachio Kiss Pudding Cookies.  Don't they look delish?!?!  Get the recipe at Yesterfood!

I think this recipe wins the prize for the healthiest link up!  Not only does it look like yum, but I can pronounce every last ingredient, so that's always a plus in my book!  Plus, Spanakorizo is something I never heard of from somewhere far away!  See the whole recipe here on Mommy's Kitchen!

Now on to the PARTY!!!!!!

Here are the social (media) niceties that will help this party feel more like there's drinking involved:

• Please follow me somewhere: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Google+. Or everywhere. Because, you know, it's kind of hard to take over the entire internets when no one is following you anywhere.
• Grab one of these buttons! Or feel free to link to the party in a text link...either way, dat be nice!
• Visiting other posts in the hop is always nice! 

<div align="center"><a href="http://mightaswelltry.blogspot.com" title="Do Try This at Home"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3b8sn5CBjQpXIAH0iO1WbNmxngxbq18U7CmDborA_VVPPosbrv5ZBht6WijuYaz71k57N2_NaBuomXHqwR4RBsdMYihggGwW3opcUJ2o0Shp3kT6BmnJcuHdzFmweK-Zh-2GeTA/s1600/do+try+this+at+home+button+circle+me+and+lielle.jpg" alt="Do Try This at Home" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

<div align="center"><a href="http://mightaswelltry.blogspot.com" title="Do Try This at Home"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIVSoHEuXq1EfJ2_AJ7C-6XUaJC9TDc867Xr9C8rGGisxTpMPGD6e3QQ5ieZx8F_laQxvYNQ7l-AnttTb2NMB6rXrcBPZRB23MAajNYS8Q9S5aYzYcOVRBtFh9e4AA4OwXSR42w/s1600/do+try+this+small+button+250.jpg" alt="Do Try This at Home" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

In return I am going to pin like crazy,  and I will feature three that are related to:

• Healthy recipes that I would feed my own family, including but not limited to Vegetarian, Paleo, Weight Watchers, and Gluten Free.
• Photography/Photography Tips/Wordless Wednesday
• Kids/Education
• DIY/Crafting
• Books and Reading (especially Children's Picture books)

And if I feature your post, please feel free to grab a button!  Or not.  It's really up to you.

<div align="center"><a href="http://mightaswelltry.blogspot.com" title="Do Try This at Home"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqX4h4r-hbX_G4FsN75E4rnoNJUWb2ZOjEf1VujpomYK7HZRqVakOm0pNK7qQmt0gKhNLGzfkS1RuR_XfrcmKItTE-xjLG8cGueRPI8ZJvpY5krqU1cjOCQsGBbbhctxc_gPT-5A/s1600/featured+button+250.jpg" alt="Do Try This at Home" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

The fine print stuff:

• This is a relatively family friendly zone. I don't mind a few curse words, but I reserve the right to draw the line at my whim. If there's devil worship or what I consider too much nakedness, I might not feature or pin.
• By linking, you are giving me permission to use one of the photos in your post as a feature.
• 

Please link directly to your post, not your homepage! Otherwise, who even knows what to look for?
• By linking up, you are giving me permission to email you and remind you to link up next week. If I ever figure out how to do that. But don’t depend on me! Just stop by next week!

Now have fun and link up folks!!!!!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Wordless Wednesday {Rodeo}

Why is My Kid Singing About Dreidels? And 7 other things you may have wanted to know about Hanukkah (or Chanukah. or Chanukka.) but didn't know how to spell.

It happens that several people I know over the internet have expressed an interest in learning more about Chanukah.  There's a LOT to know out there, and I certainly don't claim to know much.  But here's a little bit about a little bit of it!

1) What's the deal with the spelling (or lack thereof?)

Chanukah is a Hebrew and/or Yiddish word.  That means the word is spelled with letters that are not in English.  Some people have preferred spellings, but as far as a "correct" spelling goes...it depends who you ask.  I like to spell it as many ways as I can in a single document, both as a personal challenge and because I have a better chance of finding it with a search if I cover my bases.

2) WHY are we eating this time?

If Only We'd Known That We Could Have Just Locked the Cat in a Bathroom, We Wouldn't Have Had to Do This Whole Kitchen Renovation Thing

For those beating down the door to see pictures of how the kitchen renovation is going...you're time has come at last!

"Isn't it driving you crazy?"

Why yes, yes it is.  It IS driving us crazy to have a cement floor since last May.

But it will all be worth it!!!!!

Because I took THIS photo the other day using ISO 400 at night!  Indoors!  And with NO other light except the ones that my Partner in Crime put in!!!! On my D5000, which is like...unheard of!

The excellent indoor lighting means that what does or doesn't happen with the floor or the cabinets or  the flies and wasps that are making their way in due to the gaping holes in the walls doesn't seem nearly as bad...

As long as I can figure out how to use the fancy light switches my Partner in Crime installed.

It turns out that those cute little things I thought were paint pots at first glance were like the donut holes of the construction world. 

Here's a spot where my Partner in Crime had to put one of those little holes back into the ceiling.  Because it turns out that you can't install ceiling lighting directly into a vent:

And so now we are still traipsing to and from the fridge day in and day out on bare cement, but it is VERY well lit bare cement!  I have never been so pleased with bare cement in all my life!

Despite the fact that having giant holes in the walls and ceiling is GREAT for calling your almost 17 year old downstairs with the handle of a broom or mop (whatever it does or doesn't do for insect control), my Partner in Crime continues to slave away to get us some semblance of walls and ceilings back together:

All in all, there was only one remaining problem with the bare cement. With the wall removed, it was next to impossible to keep That-Cat-I-Never-Talk-About from using it as a giant litter box.  So we confined him to our bathroom.

It's weird, but he kind of loves it there.  He's got his own cozy little spot under the sink, and he has visiting hours from from the Pain-in-the-Neck-Cat-Who-Thinks-He's-a-Human.  Or dog.

I forgot to show "before" pictures, but here are right after the before, knocking out the wall pictures!


If you'd like to see more "kitchen re-do" pictures, here are other posts:

 Walls May Come and Go But Toddlers Requesting Breakfast Out of the Garbage is Forever

 Our Kitchen Renovation Has Leaked Out All Over the Living Room

 Of Digestive Disease and Washi Tape (I had no idea putting washi tape on drinking glasses would be so popular!)

Dat Be Nice! (A DIY, Photography, Kid Related, and/or Food Related Blog Hop!)

When Inlinkz had a Black Friday sale on link party codes and stuff I thought, "Why not pick up a little something nice for myself?"

Have I ever mentioned that I'm impulsive?

So, here it is. The first ever "Dat Be Nice" link party. Usually parties don't have actual rules. There more like social niceties.

But either way, let's be nice:

• Please follow me somewhere: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Google+. Or everywhere. Because, you know, it's kind of hard to take over the entire internets when no one is following you anywhere.
• Grab one of these buttons! Or feel free to link to the party in a text link...either way, dat be nice!
• Visiting other posts in the hop is always nice! 

<div align="center">
<a href="http://mightaswelltry.blogspot.com" title="Do Try This at Home"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3b8sn5CBjQpXIAH0iO1WbNmxngxbq18U7CmDborA_VVPPosbrv5ZBht6WijuYaz71k57N2_NaBuomXHqwR4RBsdMYihggGwW3opcUJ2o0Shp3kT6BmnJcuHdzFmweK-Zh-2GeTA/s1600/do+try+this+at+home+button+circle+me+and+lielle.jpg" alt="Do Try This at Home" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

<div align="center">
<a href="http://mightaswelltry.blogspot.com" title="Do Try This at Home"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIVSoHEuXq1EfJ2_AJ7C-6XUaJC9TDc867Xr9C8rGGisxTpMPGD6e3QQ5ieZx8F_laQxvYNQ7l-AnttTb2NMB6rXrcBPZRB23MAajNYS8Q9S5aYzYcOVRBtFh9e4AA4OwXSR42w/s1600/do+try+this+small+button+250.jpg" alt="Do Try This at Home" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

In return I am going to pin like crazy,  and I will feature three that are related to:

• Healthy recipes that I would feed my own family, including but not limited to Vegetarian, Paleo, Weight Watchers, and Gluten Free.
• Photography/Photography Tips/Wordless Wednesday
• Kids/Education
• DIY/Crafting
• Books and Reading (especially Children's Picture books)

And if I feature your post, please feel free to grab a button!  Or not.  It's really up to you.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://mightaswelltry.blogspot.com" title="Do Try This at Home"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqX4h4r-hbX_G4FsN75E4rnoNJUWb2ZOjEf1VujpomYK7HZRqVakOm0pNK7qQmt0gKhNLGzfkS1RuR_XfrcmKItTE-xjLG8cGueRPI8ZJvpY5krqU1cjOCQsGBbbhctxc_gPT-5A/s1600/featured+button+250.jpg" alt="Do Try This at Home" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

The fine print stuff:

• This is a relatively family friendly zone. I don't mind a few curse words, but I reserve the right to draw the line at my whim. If there's devil worship or what I consider too much nakedness, I might not feature or pin.
• By linking, you are giving me permission to use one of the photos in your post as a feature.
• 

Please link directly to your post, not your homepage! Otherwise, who even knows what to look for?
• By linking up, you are giving me permission to email you and remind you to link up next week. If I ever figure out how to do that. But don’t depend on me! Just stop by next week!

Now have fun and link up folks!!!!!!

An InLinkz Link-up