The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks

My little sister Abby told me about this blog a while ago, it is hilarious!!  Abby just sent in a post, she is "famous" now!!  Check out this link:

http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/2008/07/amber-may-or-may-not-be-missed.html

Yet Another Reason to Dislike Barbie...

I saw this article on the internet this morning:

Barbie’s new S&M look has whipped up a storm — with protesters dubbing it "filth."
The doll’s image is transformed with kinky fishnets, motorcycle jacket, black gloves and boots.
Maker Mattel says Black Canary Barbie, out in September, is based on a DC Comics superhero of the same name.
But religious group Christian Voice said: "Barbie has always been on the tarty side and this is taking it too far. A children’s doll in sexually suggestive clothing is irresponsible — it’s filth."

Oh, SO agreed!!!  I have never liked Barbie.  My little sister Dana used to tell me that she was going to buy my kids Barbies to play with because I always said that I never would.  (Okay, I did buy Grace a barbie bike, but even I have a hard time turning down a steal of a deal at a consignment sale!!  And she needed a bike!  But I have never bought a barbie doll!!)  I think that the whole idea of Barbie creates an unrealistic expectation of beauty/body that is virtually unattainable by 99.99999% of the human population.  Combine this with young impressionable girls idolizing her and I just don't think it is a good thing.  I think that young girls are way too overly sexualized by the constant bombardment of images, such as this barbie,  on TV, magazines, billboards, walking through the mall, etc.  I don't know who thought that making a barbie, BARBIE whose target market is young girls, dressed in S & M clothing would be a good idea.  Have we become so desensitized?!   How are little girls going to play with this barbie?  Put her on a seedy street corner and have Ken drive up in his barbie jeep?!  I get it, it is probably supposed to be a collectors item for adults, but come on!!  I will continue the boycott...

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby (#4) in the baby carriage!

Well, we have been gone for the last week visiting my parents, but I thought that it was probably time to announce to the world that we are having another baby!!  He or she will be due early January (hopefully he so I don't have to buy any new clothes!).  I am about 14 weeks pregnant right now and over the worst of it.  I was pretty sick the first 12 weeks (believe me, that is not fun while selling a house/moving), but now I feel great and just want the next 6 months to be over!!  This will most likely be our last baby and I feel strangely relieved that I am almost over this stage of my life, now I can just concentrate on getting them all raised!!  So that's the news from the VanderLouws, more pics to come of our trip!!

Back Yard Antics

I just had to put this post from my family's blog on my blog so everyone can see how hardcore and crazy my parents are!!  Enjoy!

Hi everyone. Decided it was about my turn to share a little experience I had last week. As all of you know, your Dad has a headlamp that he uses outside, to work very late at night. It has been very beneficial, especially last summer getting ready for the wonderful open house. Well, you may have all heard that we had to do some quick cleaning up down at the bottom of our hillside. Someone turned us into the city, so we spent a day shredding branches, probably there from ten years back. It really was time to clean it up. Another thing we have to do is stack up the railroad ties, many of which have rebar coming out the ends. Another wonderful experience with landscapers. Anyway, dad was working out late in the dark last wednesday night. He slipped and fell on the hillside, and there was a spike sticking up out of one of the railroad ties. It pierced his leg. He continued to work for a while, and as we were getting ready for bed, he mentioned it to me. I could see the bloody hole--not too big--in his pants. He took them off, and he also had a hole in his garments, and HE ALSO HAD A HOLE IN HIS LEG! It wasn't huge, but it needed to be sewn up. Well, it was very late, and Dad proceeded to go through his black bag, found some suture, and asked/told me that I needed to put a suture in it. It really was gaping. I really wish you had been here, Colin. So he draws me a diagram, shows me what the needle needs to do, how I need to jab it in. He really is a very good teacher. Next he laid down on our bed, and I begin to jab into the edge of the wound (he also told me how close to put it in). All this is with no anesthesia. He also showed me how to wrap the suture around my tweezers (didn't have the instrument you use to hold the needle), one way, then the other way, forming a square knot. Eventually, I got it done. It was definitely not a sterile procedure. He didn't wince or anything. I am happy to report that there are no signs of infection, and the wound is healing nicely. Jason if you had been here, maybe you would have been called upon to operate! Anyway, it was a very interesting experience for me. I know how to do it if I am ever called upon again to become a temporary surgeon. Life is always interesting here on 20th. mom


Here they are, the dynamic duo!!