Reader Appreciation | Playgroups are No Place For Children

Category Archives: Reader Appreciation

Skipping, tears, and the first day

Written on August 16, 2012 by Jennifer in Little Monkeys, Reader Appreciation

I was fine last week, yesterday. I’m a pro, afterall, having just a year ago done the whole Kindergarten thing. Over at Babble, I even wrote a step by step guide on how to survive sending your baby to Kindergarten. Easy peasy, no biggie, ain’t no thang.

But I was wrong. She is the baby of the family and sending her off to be an elementary school to become an independent little girl, left a teeny tiny hole in my heart. She didn’t see me cry as she waved, skipping and smiling in line behind her teacher. I’ve spent the whole day with a lump in my throat, thinking about her being in Kindergarten. Kindergarten!

When I finally get to pick her up, I can’t wait to hear about all of her Kindergarten adventures, like eating in the cafeteria, making new friends, and going out for recess.

There she was YESTERDAY. How did I send her to Kindergarten today?

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Psst.

Written on May 4, 2011 by Jennifer in Reader Appreciation

Uncommon, makers of custom iPhone cases are offering my Facebook page fans 20% off a case.

Head over here to claim your code!

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The best ideas come on pendants from Etsy shops

Written on September 20, 2010 by Jennifer in Reader Appreciation

Does anyone remember a long time ago when I wrote a post about what you do with birth announcements and Christmas cards? I am certain that I wrote something about this problem, but of course I can’t actually find the actual post to refer to.

Details, details. Here are the Cliff Notes from the post: Do you keep or throw away birth announcements and Christmas cards? Actually, the comments section of that post were really helpful. I know that somewhere in the discussion of that post, we talked about different ideas for saving your kids artwork. At least I think it did.

Anyway.

Considering that I have old diaper boxes filled with Carson and Ella’s bee-yoo-tee-ful creations sitting under the shelves of my already unorganized pantry, I’m not exactly someone to dole out advice on what you do with these masterpieces. But I DO have THE BEST idea on how to preserve at least one or two of their very best pieces!!

Hop on over here where I’ll tell you all about it AND I’m giving away one of these great ideas!! (hint: It’s jewelry! Come on, clicky, clicky.)

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I have a Conundrum for you

Written on September 7, 2010 by Jennifer in Reader Appreciation

Remember a few months ago when I told you about Jared, the little boy in my neighborhood who appeared to roam freely and was wreaking havoc for me and my kids? THAT was a conundrum.

Turns out that after I wrote that post, I saw the little boy only once. He came over once at the beginning of summer, was mostly polite, and stayed about an hour. Since then he hasn’t come over again.

It’s almost like Jared’s parents read my blog. Which is awkward. (And unlikely.)

It appears that I got myself all in a tizzy over nothing, worrying that this little boy was going to be a wart on an otherwise fun-filled summer. This whole conundrum completely sputtered out.

Speaking of conundrums, I have some Conundrum wine and a lovely relaxation basket to give away over here! Wanna chance to win? Just click over here and tell me about your conundrum!

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I’m not actually giving away my children, just a shirt

Written on August 10, 2010 by Jennifer in Contest, Reader Appreciation

Cute kids wearing cute shirts, huh?

On any given day, I contemplate advertising my children on Craigslist, “Free to a good home!” (I’m mostly kidding.)

Those cute shirts they are wearing, though, I’m giving away a shirt of your choice from The Rocking Pony!

Clickity click right here to head over to the giveaway!

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The Wicked Witch of W@lmart

Written on November 21, 2008 by Jennifer in Contest, Huh?, Little Monkeys, Reader Appreciation

Two things that I’m not particularly fond of are 1) grocery shopping WITH my children AND 2) grocery shopping at W@lmart. I know perfectly nice people (like me) shop at W@lmart, but there are definitely quite a few odd ducks that shop there, too. I’d just much rather shop at a grocery store, where odd duck encounters are few and far between. In fact, I currently live in a grocery store mecca. Within five miles of me, there are four different gourmet-ish (I made up that word) grocery stores. These stores are GORGEOUS! and NEW! and they serve coffee! and have a sushi bar! and expensive cheese! and sadly they are brutal budget killers.

Thusly, I shop at W@lmart.

Yesterday while moping through W@lmart, nervously keeping my eyes on my son, and trying to navigate around swarms of people, we happened upon an elderly woman. She looked kind and sweet, and frankly out of place in a store like W@lmart. She smiled warmly at me, as I tried to push my cart out of her way.

“Carson,” I said, “stand over here by Mommy so the lady can get by.”

The elderly women pushed her cart passed us, then bent down to say something to Carson, pointing an arthritic finger in his face while her faced suddenly changed expressions.

“Carson,” she nearly cackled, “You better stay by your mommy or…,” she paused dramatically, “the WICKED WITCH WILL GET YOU.”

Carson and I stared at her in disbelief. I was struck dumb and couldn’t think of any equally as hostile retort, other than, “come on Carson, let’s go this way.”

I still can’t wrap my brain around someone saying that to a little kid! Was this something acceptable when she was raising kids in the Middle Ages?

I dare say, this would only happen at W@lmart. (And certainly not at my estranged boyfriend’s place, Meijer.)

(On a side note, have you seen this W@lmart Bingo card? SO FUNNY!)

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Today’s FINAL Reader Appreciation giveaway comes from Fruition Designs!

Karla from Fruition Designs is offering up a printable version of holiday or mommy cards!!

To enter, just leave a comment!!

Comments will close at 7 AM, EST, November 23, 2008.

Congratulations to T with Honey, winner of the Build a Bear Workshop gift certificate and Mom24, winner of the Sassafras Kids Pizza Making Kit!

Comments closed, thanks for playing!!

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There are worms everywhere

Written on November 20, 2008 by Jennifer in Contest, Little Monkeys, Quirky Me, Reader Appreciation, working mom

I filled out a job application yesterday for my former school district here in Tennessee.

For some reason, with all that’s going on in my life, starting a job after THREE years at home with my children suddenly seems like a good idea. I mean I have NOTHING ELSE going on right now AT ALL.

(Except for the fact that we just moved, we close on our house in one week, I have ZILLIONS of things to do for the closing, once moved in I’ll have to unpack my entire house in lightning speed to get ready for Christmas, CHRISTMAS HOLY CRAP IT’S IN A MONTH, A MONTH!, Christmas shopping, Christmas decorating, Christmas parties, Christmas baking, and finding childcare because I’m GOING BACK TO WORK.)

I feel a little like yakking in the bathroom.

Three months ago, I’d have never dreamed that I’d be sitting in my kitchen in TENNESSEE, filling out an application for a JOB. Yet, here I am, filling out a job application, talking to my future boss on the phone about the schools that need a speech pathologist and the hours I’d work.

Originally, being a stay-at-home mom was something that I thought I’d do until the kids were in Kindergarten. Eventually, I pushed the timing back to *maybe* junior high. I’ve never even left my kids with a babysitter. But the thing is, I really think I NEED this.

The universe is on my side (so far) on this, too. Every time we’ve moved before, I’ve had to jump through about a gazillion hoops to get a teaching certificate. I recently discovered that my Tennessee teaching certificate is still valid, so there are NO HOOPS. Several of my former co-workers have emailed me and told me how desperately they are in need of Speech Pathologists. Randomly at a birthday party last weekend, I ran into a special education preschool teacher who begged me to come back to work. I was pulling my hair out in frustration trying to answer specific questions about the number of semester hours I’ve completed for the job application and realized that my mom works in Admissions at my former university and can get me all that information.

You have chills now, don’t you? I KNOW! It’s like I’m being guided by some unknown force into returning to work.

I really don’t think I have a choice.

But it doesn’t mean that opening this can of worms isn’t also opening an enormous ulcer.

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Today’s Reader Appreciation giveaway is yet another way the universe is telling me that it’s time to return to work. Well, sort of, if you think really, really, really hard about it.

Who’d like to win a brand new laptop messenger bag from Tom Bihn.com, exactly like the one below…

One lucky winner will win that laptop messenger bag!! Tom Bihn has lots of great bags, messenger bags, laptop bags, backpacks, briefcases, to choose from! I’m thinking that I’m going to NEED a new bag for work!

To enter, leave a comment on this post!!

Comments on this post will close at 7 AM, EST, November 22, 2008.

Comments closed, Thanks for Playing!

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