"A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body"
~Benjamin Franklin
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
The Lesson I Should Have Learned
If you are like me you take digital photos - utilizing your phone and camera. Perhaps my parents instilled in me the value of having photos as a sentimental reminder of the past, or perhaps I just want to try to capture the beauty that surrounds me in photos. Either way, if you are like me many of the photos I take never make it to print. Rather, most of the photos live electronically on my computer and external hard drive.
A couple of years ago, a good friend of mine lost many of her beloved photos because her computer was stolen when home was broken into. She was heartbroken at losing the photos but was able to re-collect some of her child's first year because she had emailed some of them and uploaded others for printing - definitely not the same but at least it was something...
Shortly after that situation I began backing my photos up onto an external hard drive and a USB drive - placing them in different locations in the event that my computer was stolen.
Fast forward to earlier this week - I was attempting to gather some photos for a Christmas present and my drive crashed! To my utter dismay, I had not kept current with both of my back up systems and I had only uploaded all the photos I took in 2012 to my external hard drive. The hard drive would not work no matter what I did and I feared most of 2012 - photographically speaking - was lost!
After calling some computer businesses, I ended up spending a small fortune and was fortunate that all my photos were recovered! That was a relief - but I have now vowed to have not only hard drive and USB backups but also an online backup of my pictures...
A simple search on google for online photo storage brings up several options for online backup programs. I ended up going with a program called Drop Box. It's an online document storage system that my husband uses for his business. Since he already has a relationship with them - that system seemed the best for us.
If you are the type of person who enjoys looking at copies of your photos (rather than printing photos) I highly recommend looking into online storage so you can have peace of mind. Know that a computer is just a thing that can be replaced but online sphoto storage will be there for you even if the unforseen such as a situations and you won't lose your photos alltogether.
A couple of years ago, a good friend of mine lost many of her beloved photos because her computer was stolen when home was broken into. She was heartbroken at losing the photos but was able to re-collect some of her child's first year because she had emailed some of them and uploaded others for printing - definitely not the same but at least it was something...
Shortly after that situation I began backing my photos up onto an external hard drive and a USB drive - placing them in different locations in the event that my computer was stolen.
Fast forward to earlier this week - I was attempting to gather some photos for a Christmas present and my drive crashed! To my utter dismay, I had not kept current with both of my back up systems and I had only uploaded all the photos I took in 2012 to my external hard drive. The hard drive would not work no matter what I did and I feared most of 2012 - photographically speaking - was lost!
After calling some computer businesses, I ended up spending a small fortune and was fortunate that all my photos were recovered! That was a relief - but I have now vowed to have not only hard drive and USB backups but also an online backup of my pictures...
A simple search on google for online photo storage brings up several options for online backup programs. I ended up going with a program called Drop Box. It's an online document storage system that my husband uses for his business. Since he already has a relationship with them - that system seemed the best for us.
If you are the type of person who enjoys looking at copies of your photos (rather than printing photos) I highly recommend looking into online storage so you can have peace of mind. Know that a computer is just a thing that can be replaced but online sphoto storage will be there for you even if the unforseen such as a situations and you won't lose your photos alltogether.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Wisdom Wednesday
"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners
who make our souls blossom."
French Novelist
Saturday, November 17, 2012
The Best of Intentions
We've all received parenting advice from various sources...the national news, local news, magazines, friends, family, strangers we encounter - some of the advice is valuable, other advice is complete fabrication, and other advice is of sound theory but little practical application.
I recently read an article that urges parents to not allow children under 3 years old to watch television, stare at computer screens, or use electronics. This is a prime example of advice that is of very sound theory but for me has very little practical application.
Let me first say, I am not an advocate for sitting your child (no matter what age) in front of the television or other electronic item and relying on them to entertain and occupy your child. However, I also know that there are times when it's necessary to rely on electronics to help manage your children.
Shortly after giving birth to my first son I recall someone telling me it was important to nurse my child without televisions, radios and other distractions. Honestly, with four dogs and a cat, I was less than successful in eliminating all distractions when nursing him.
Then I had my second child 22 months after my oldest was born. I found it incredibly difficult to keep my oldest entertained while nursing my second child - enter electronics into part of our daily entertainment. Not to mention, I would be hard pressed to think of a time when I nursed my second son that had no distractions.
In practice, if you only had one child I would argue that it is possible to not let your child watch television or utilize electronics prior to age 3. However I suspect that even with only one child this feat would be nearly impossible.
So what do you do when you are torn between what the "experts" are telling you and the reality of your situation? While there is no right answer to this question, I recommend listening to your instincts. If your instincts tell you something won't irreparably scar you or your children, then proceed. Even the best parents aren't perfect - sometimes we just have to do the best we can!
I recently read an article that urges parents to not allow children under 3 years old to watch television, stare at computer screens, or use electronics. This is a prime example of advice that is of very sound theory but for me has very little practical application.
Let me first say, I am not an advocate for sitting your child (no matter what age) in front of the television or other electronic item and relying on them to entertain and occupy your child. However, I also know that there are times when it's necessary to rely on electronics to help manage your children.
Shortly after giving birth to my first son I recall someone telling me it was important to nurse my child without televisions, radios and other distractions. Honestly, with four dogs and a cat, I was less than successful in eliminating all distractions when nursing him.
Then I had my second child 22 months after my oldest was born. I found it incredibly difficult to keep my oldest entertained while nursing my second child - enter electronics into part of our daily entertainment. Not to mention, I would be hard pressed to think of a time when I nursed my second son that had no distractions.
In practice, if you only had one child I would argue that it is possible to not let your child watch television or utilize electronics prior to age 3. However I suspect that even with only one child this feat would be nearly impossible.
So what do you do when you are torn between what the "experts" are telling you and the reality of your situation? While there is no right answer to this question, I recommend listening to your instincts. If your instincts tell you something won't irreparably scar you or your children, then proceed. Even the best parents aren't perfect - sometimes we just have to do the best we can!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Wisdom Wednesday
"The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important."
~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
To Glide or Not to Glide
Many to be parents plan to purchase a glider rocker before their child is born. During the first several months of your wee one's life you will likely spend all hours of the day and night feeding and rocking your baby.
I am unsure why the glider rocker is so popular for nurseries but nonetheless, in every baby section of all stores the glider rocker is there begging to be purchased.
My personal opinion of the glider rocker is that they are uncomfortable to sit in for long periods of time. I did want something to rock my baby in but I felt like we could accomplish this differently than my being uncomfortable.
When the birth of my first child was impending I knew I needed to find something to rock my miracle in that would be comfortable. I was also hesitant to pay a large amount of money on a chair that might only be used for one year.
My solution?
After trying out the more advanced glider rockers and rocking chairs of various shapes and sizes, I looked at recliner rockers. We went to La-Z-Boy and "test drove" several models of the recliner rockers. Finally I found the perfect chair. True that it was slightly more expensive than a basic glider rocker, but it was slightly less expensive that the more advanced glider rockers.
Two children later I am so thankful we went with the recliner rocker. I can tell you that there have been many nights over the past 3 years that either my husband or I have had to sleep with one of the kids in the recliner. The chair is not the same as a bed but it is definitely more comfortable to sleep on than a glider rocker.
And when my children no longer need me in the middle of the night and I can spend every night in my own bed, I can use the recliner as a recliner in my living room.
I am unsure why the glider rocker is so popular for nurseries but nonetheless, in every baby section of all stores the glider rocker is there begging to be purchased.
My personal opinion of the glider rocker is that they are uncomfortable to sit in for long periods of time. I did want something to rock my baby in but I felt like we could accomplish this differently than my being uncomfortable.
When the birth of my first child was impending I knew I needed to find something to rock my miracle in that would be comfortable. I was also hesitant to pay a large amount of money on a chair that might only be used for one year.
My solution?
After trying out the more advanced glider rockers and rocking chairs of various shapes and sizes, I looked at recliner rockers. We went to La-Z-Boy and "test drove" several models of the recliner rockers. Finally I found the perfect chair. True that it was slightly more expensive than a basic glider rocker, but it was slightly less expensive that the more advanced glider rockers.
Two children later I am so thankful we went with the recliner rocker. I can tell you that there have been many nights over the past 3 years that either my husband or I have had to sleep with one of the kids in the recliner. The chair is not the same as a bed but it is definitely more comfortable to sleep on than a glider rocker.
And when my children no longer need me in the middle of the night and I can spend every night in my own bed, I can use the recliner as a recliner in my living room.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Quick Adjustment as Daylight Savings Time Ends
Daylight Savings Time officially ends tonight. Before children, this was my favorite two days of the year. The extra hour of sleep was so very lovely!
As parents know, children don't always let us sleep later just because it is the weekend or just because the clock is turning back an hour.
For some children the adjustment of this one hour is very difficult. As a working mom, I have needed my children to adjust rather quickly to daylight savings time beginning and ending.
I have found the best method to getting infants to adjust in about 24 hours is to adjust in 15 minute increments.
Tomorrow will look like this for my children:
As parents know, children don't always let us sleep later just because it is the weekend or just because the clock is turning back an hour.
For some children the adjustment of this one hour is very difficult. As a working mom, I have needed my children to adjust rather quickly to daylight savings time beginning and ending.
I have found the best method to getting infants to adjust in about 24 hours is to adjust in 15 minute increments.
Tomorrow will look like this for my children:
Saturday, 11/3 Schedule Sunday, 11/4 Schedule
7 am Breakfast 6:15 am Breakfast
10:30 am Nap 9:45 am Nap
12 pm Lunch 11:45 am Lunch
2 pm Nap 2 pm Nap
4 pm Snack 4 pm Snack
5:30 pm Dinner 5:30 pm Dinner
7 pm Bed 7 pm Bed
This way when Monday rolls around, my 1 year old is adjusted to the time change.
I have found that this has worked twice a year since 2010 with both my children.
Enjoy your extra hour if you are able – you deserve it!
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