My Review of Fisher-Price Doodle Pro Classic - Orange with Purple Accents

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

New for the beginning Doodler. A large-screen magnetic drawing toy that features an easy slide eraser and screen-saver pen.

Fisher-Price Doodle Pro Classic - Orange with Purple Accents

Quiet time toy

By first time around from boiling springs, sc on 11/14/2009

 

4out of 5

Pros: Lasting Fun, Easy To Use, Long Lasting, Stores Easily, Good Variety

Describe Yourself: Parent

Primary use: Personal

my daugther received this for her 2nd birthday. Her first words were "mommy I write" she cannot write a lick, but scribbles and erases, scribbles and erases, on and on! YEAH!

(legalese)

My Review of Fisher-Price My First Dollhouse - African American

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

The My First Dollhouse has a fresh young approach for a 2 year old's introduction to a dollhouse. The dollhouse features 5 rooms: Kitchen, Living Room, Bathroom, Parents Bedroom and Nursery. There is also additional play space with a balcony, patio and an extended living room area. Fun electro...

Fisher-Price My First Dollhouse - African American

Made her WOW!

By first time around from boiling springs, sc on 11/14/2009

 

4out of 5

Pros: Cute, Good Quality, Simple

Best Uses: 2

Describe Yourself: Working Parent, Education Oriented, First Time Parent

My daughter received this as a present for her 2nd birthday. She was so excited because it was her first dollhouse. she has opened and closed the door numerous of time and the everyone goes to the potty!

(legalese)

Oh where have I been

ON FACEBOOK! It's addictive, but I'm going to blog today!

Updates on Essence. As of last Saturday, she has started to recognize the potty is for pee pee. The light has come on! YES! Ok, can we get the poop in there too -in time I know. She did not win or place in the pageant : ( She visited her first water park, Shipwreck Cove. I have a water baby she loves it!

Let's see what pictures do we have on the camera.

New hair do for the next pageant. LOL!

First Pageant

Can you imagine me as a pageant mom? hMMMMM . . . Well, Essence is in her first pageant and guess what mommy is doing a sucky job getting sponsors, outfits, song/dance, etc. This is a lot of work -no this is a job. Doing Essence hair is UGH! It's very curly and short. Changing outfits. OK, this is going to a good cause, but man the dress was ordered on last Friday. First practice was last Saturday wit another one at 4 pm on this Friday. Will Essence smile? While she perform in the talent part? We shall see. to be concluded this Saturday!

New sayings from Essence. Dooda mean clean up (the "Clean Up" song). Well she was sing, dooda, dooda, everybody dooda, when my niece decided to correct her. Well MISS ESSENCE said "No Brit Brit it's dooda" Guess Brittany does not know everything. I caught the five fingers in my face at 3:47am because I refused to ge up to give MISS ESSENCE milk.

Wait she laughs at us now when we ask her to do something. What is sooo funny? And she slaps her knee. Hush your mouth child and do what I say!

And the word MOMME continues and that's short for MOM and ME because she's usually wrapped around my leg or neck saying MOMME, MOMME, MOMME! It's almost a whining TONE! AHHHH!

She is the birth control for the second child! Mommy loves her soooooooo much!

All about Essence

Yep that's my life. I had 29 years, 1 month and 13 days just about me so I don't mind sharing the spotlight!

1. Essence loves to say "OOOOOOOOOH, What's that?" (in a high pitch voice)
2. Essence thinks I'm the only parent, grandparent, sitter, HER EVERYTHING
3. Essence sings "I am sold out" and "Let's get back to Eden"
4. Essence loves the toddler bed except at nighttime
5. Essence like to point to your body parts and tell you what they are.
6. Essence way is the ONLY WAY
7. ELMO was created for Essence (lounge pillow, chair, potty dvd, elmo world dvd, bathroom towels, elmo alive, hokey pokey elmo, cups, toothbrush). Is this a cult
8. Essence sings the Dora song
9. Essence loves the water, but I think I terrified her when I turned the sprinkle on in her pool too much water. Essence no longer in control
10. Essence HATES the potty, but will go to the potty after she potties in her pull up "Wook momma, pee-pee YEAH! (clapping)

I attempted to take pictures last Sunday of Essence in her white, but she does not cooperate or mommy cannot take the picture fast enough.

Momma

She says "Momma?" when she wakes up. AWWWWW! Butterflies flutter in my tummy when I hear this. But "MOMMA!" with tears as a leave out the door pierces my heart! I could never explain the love that a mother has for a child. This love gives you the strength whenever you are tired, joy when you are sad or angry. This sounds like the Love of JESUS! He loves me just as much and more that He gave HIS life for me. LOVE can conquer all! PHILO LOVE, AGAPE LOVE. He's right you must become like little children. If only we could have the love of a child. Thanks Essence for teaching mommy the Love of JESUS! Thank you Jesus for sending ME ESSENCE! Ok, I'll share Essence with you too! When do you want to help with potty training? HA!

VACATION I see you!

No work on Monday makes for a long weekend and thanks to the parents we will be running around after Essence in Gatlinburg over the Memorial Day weekend. YES! We are so grateful to my parents! THANKS MOM AND DAD! I'm so excited that I will have a change of scenery.

In lite of my happiness, some of my past co-workers had a change in job position. Our economy is in shambles. One forecast said we are almost over, then we the middle class feel the hit. All I know is that the WORD said there were seven good years and seven bad years. I'm turning to the WORD to see what they did in the time of famine. There is NO recession in the Kingdom of God. I'm believing in the following definition of recession "the act of ceding back to a former possessor" because the WORD says that "a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous". This too shall pass and I'm not participating in the recession because that means I'm following the world. The world needs to follow my GOD and reap HIS benefits. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

Mother's Day 2009

What a fun filled day spending time with my mother, mother-in-law and Essence. Essence got to play in the country today, lots of open field to run in. Within 5 minutes she was asleep. I'm buying a fence for our yard so she can run, run and run. Now I need to get her to eat more!

Pianist, Drummer, Actress, Comedian, Dancer, Model?

My baby enjoys getting into everything! EVERYTHING! She's an explorer of this world. These pictures speak for themselves. I finally caught her dancing. Can I make this a flip book?

Straight Jacket

No not for me, but for Essence. She has a cold AND allergies. The cold has lasted for 4 weeks because she does not like taking medicine. Everything in the house is medicated -the sofa, bed, Jamie, Mom Townes, Grandma Shirley, me, the floor, suck-suck, etc. Why didn't the doctor give her an antibiotic shot? HUH? HUH? It's tough holding her down and trying choke 1 tsp down her throat! UGH! I'm so frustrated.

Oh and there's the potty training. I hope the pull ups work better. Essence uses the potty when she wants to. Essence go to the potty "NOOOOOOOO!" or if you leave the diaper off "U-oh Mommy" and the point to where she used the bathroom.

Separation anxiety! WHAT! Where was the warning? She screams, kickes, beats the door, throws objects when mommy leaves. And paces the floor at night if mommy is not at home. What about Daddy?

All three of us my need a straight jacket!

NoNa and Essence

My sister LEONIA that's NONA in Essence language was the Atlanta nanny this week. Essence + NoNa = running to elevator, no hair fits, Elmo, etc. Essence + NoNa + Mommy = smack NoNa, buck at NoNa, scratch NoNA, NOOOOOOOOO NoNA, NoNa remove Essence from group dinner, aggressive Essence, etc. NO matter the formula Mommy loves Essence on the business trips. Is Essence any closer to potty training? NO! When do I put on the pull ups and training pants?

Essence has her official Elmo backpack (she wanted boub bof bim that's both of them Elmo and Dora she reached for both in the door at the same time and responded with boub bof bim). We also bought the Elmo puzzle. Time to pack up to leave.

FISH

I have a great job and it gives me the privilege to take Essence with me on my business trips. Last week we went to Atlanta. The weather was horrible and the school that I was conducting environmental training lost power which meant SEE THE FISH with daddy and Essence -YEAH. Essence is amused with Fishhhhh, Fishhhhhhhh so we went to the aquarium. I enjoyed seeing the large fish and the feedings. We did not touch any fish because Essence does not understand soft touch. It was fun although we did loose suck-suck (her blanket that she sucks on). Found it at one of the exhibits whew! Essence has been traveling with me since she was four months. This fall will be the last trips because she's starting school in January 2010. I will miss going back to the room seeing that lovely smile and sparkle in her eyes! Sorry there are no Easter pictures. I always have the camera, but no extra batteries. Essence and Jamie don't like pictures either! UGH!

$60 Weekly Grocery Budget

Ok, we attempted the $60 weekly grocery budget. It was hard because we are fasting and for the last week of Lent we are not eating cooked foods which means lots of nuts, salad, fruit and raw veggies. As of last night we have $10 left (I think, Jamie holds the money his pockets are not hot HA). The groceries also included laundry and dish detergent and Essence's LACTOSE FREE MILK! I've figured out why people don't budget -it's time consuming and you must be organized! Hey I even placed store coupons into separate envelopes! I'm proud of myself and I know there will be a blessing for my pressing! I was banking on buying Dole Salad mix with my coupons then realized we don't have a SUPER Target DARN, but lettuce was $1 a head at Walmart. I'm excited about planning next weeks $60 trip! You know I like numbers and a challenge! So budget advice about clothes, toys and entertainment please!

I DID IT!

I finally sat down and did a budget and cash flow analysis! That's a major movement to being organized for me. Although I'm a numbers person, I usually keep it in my head, but my husband said that I had to prove we had enough money to get a car. I SOLD THE HUMMER!!!! We are buzzy around in the Beetle (yeah we do have another car for those who can count), but we don't have a family car. I do ALOT of traveling for work (NO COMPANY CAR). Ok, it's not that much traveling, but regardless (Am I trying to prove my point to you too?). We want a 6 or 7 passenger vehicle just in case I somehow expand again. I'm proud of myself! I just might buy some bins to organize the house? Ok, I think my mind is cloudy from the air emission calculations. One step at a time. So next week, we have budgeted $60 for food (If the Davis' can do it with two males, then we can with one). Sometimes being like the Jones is good. I have not made it to the Slusher organization status, but I'm moving on up! A couple of the Breathe, Stretch, Shake, Let it Go and going to bed at 10! I feel soo much better! Sometimes you have to call things into order!

April Fool's

I thought Essence would play an April Fool's joke on Mommy. You know be nice, sleep thru the night, don't cry when I leave out the room, let me brush her teeth, just overall nice. NOT my child. I guess the jokes (hope) on me. Mommy you the fool! HA!

Profound Word

Essence new favorite word is NOOOOOOOOO! This is the NO stage starting last week. I'm going to track how many weeks of NOOOOOOOOOO! I must listen to. Along with the word is the facial expression. I'm trying to capture the Kodak moment.

My friend sent me this comic this morning and I have to agree this may be Essence is a few years!

Everyone have a happy Tuesday. I'm going to work on discipline in finances and organizint. First, use my calendar (weekly menu, activities, prayers, shopping list) and then THE BUDGET!

Having a WHY? moment

1. Why am I so busy?
2. Why can't Essence sleep thru the night?
3. Why does Essence need milk in the middle of the night?
4. Why do I work 40 hrs/week, drive 5 hr/wk, sleep 70 hrs/wk, church 6 hrs/wk, (am I at the max yet?)
5. Why did I get in debt?
6. Why cannot I not be discipline to get out?
7. Why do I ask why?
8. Why can't all air permits be exemptions?
9. Why Gov Sanford won't take the money?
10. Why does it feel like I'm not in control?
11. Why do I have to be in control?
12. Why do I over analyze everything?
13. JUST WHY!

NO MARTHA this is NOT UTOPIA!

I want to call out names, but would that be slander? I don't need any lawsuits what would they get A HOLLERING 16 Month!

I started feeling bad because this is the second well third (THANKS Great-great-great grandmother ______ for being IRISH) holiday without decorations in my house. Then we are sticking to the simple meals. I don't read recipes that's to organized. What can a working mom do? What should a working mom do?

I am not superwoman! I cannot have a fully decorated house, cook these wonderful meals, work, raise a child, and be a supporting wife! Yous-a-lie! (country slang). Only OCD people can do that and they have an issue because it's a disorder AGAIN NOT IN ORDER! AHHHHHHH! So I'm not comparing myself to another home or cooking show. That's UTOPIA! I denounce the depression. They are great shows, have great ideas, but that's UTOPIA. I have come to realize that I cannot do that! I'm running myself crazy trying to be the perfect mother and wife. NOOOOOOOOOO!

Ok, I need some encouragement from the mothers!

Writer's Block

Too many things I can talk about, but don't know where to start. Ok, I take it that I don't have any nerd friends except Lee Slusher or no one reads the blog. Anyway, I visited Montessori school today. If my brain was not consumed with air emission calculations then I probably would have more to say. I need some tips on the following
1. staying organized
2 being more discipline

Ok, blogging is purposeless at this point because I'm overwhelm. Will try again tomorrow. Topic for tomorrow, Martha Stewart is a LIE who has time to decorate and cook?

VOC UH?

No it's not alphabet soup! I need Vodka or Crown in order to consume the volatile organic compounds emission so the net emissions will be below 100 TPY! What a bumpy hump day!? Can you smell the toluene and methyl ethyl ketone in the air? What's the ambient concentration at 20 meters from the property line when a wind speed of 5 mph? See you feel like I feel! LOST! Being a nerd is a mental contortion (is that spelled right). Cannot spell a lick, but can manipulate the ideal gas law, use delta H to determine the vapor pressure, read a phase diagraham. Ok, I need my fellow nerds to holla back with some encouragement.

And one more thing, I'm now a fermentation conneseur. I have officially turned the gerber fruit splasher to wine!

Caught Up in Facebook

Facebook is addicting! I joined because a friend advised me! OH MY! Everybody is there. 2nd Floor Belk Hall (don't ask), high school friends, college friends, the working class, stay at home moms, nerds from high school, etc. I know you feel left out. NOTHING has changed! Essence is still trying to oust her mom from the throne. She really puts up a good fight.

Snow then mid 80's now back to the cold weather. Pneumonia I say! Essence wanted to cook with Grannie Mae this weekend.

Mommy doesn't cook sweets (Yes, I do cook dinner!). I prefer candy. We are still working on potty training and I've yet to decide toddler bed or twin bed because I'm looking for a slide. Why are swing sets so expensive. Even the plastic "little tikes" The older she gets the more money mommy spends. OH NO, I sound like my mom!
I need to sign up for some hair braiding classes. Essence's hair is very soft so it's frizzy all the time. One day I'm going to wake up to a full head of hair.

Did I plant good seeds?

I had to plant some good seeds. MOM can you help me out? Ok, yes I admit, Essence is me mad over. She has the attitude, spunk, and cuteness! HA! She is curious and climbs everything. She threw the pillow off the sofa and jumped on top of it. She loves to ride the scooter through the house when she's not playing basketball with the inflatable pit of balls. Now if she has inherited more smarts than me THEN I GUESS I MIGHT BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE "NO!", "MOVE!", "OP!" smacks and scratches! I've added some pictures of MISS THANG attempting to rule the Olley's residence. Someone please notify her that there is only one hen that rules the roost! You REAP what you SOW!

What did we learn this weekend about Essence. She knows some of the alphabets, she recognizes songs "Ittsy, Bitsy Spider" is her favorite and will fast forward her cd player to hear it (THANKS VALERIE for the cd player when can she come sing and dance for you?)

Yes, we finally have received snow. It's the most I've seen in a while. We took Essence out last night. She didn't know what to think.

Land Me on the Pot

Let's start with the flight back home. We flew thru the horrible storms on Wednesday. We shook and bounced for one hour and twenty-five minutes. HECK NAH no more plane rides for me! That was it! I prayed for one hour and twenty-five minutes. Lightning hitting the ground, black clouds. WHAT IN THE NAME!? Needless to say that I got sick and packed with ice to calm down.

Proud of a legacy and heritage! Yesterday, we had a fantastic program at church where the children gave a report on someone in their family that they considered a "hero." Black History is not only Sojourner Truth, W.E.B. DuBois, Fredrick Douglas, Thurgood Marshall. BLACK HISTORY INCLUDES ME! My niece, Brittany did her report on Jerry P Shands an educator and church organizer. Informallyeducated at Biddle Memorial Institute now known as Johnson C. Smith University, his father's (Barry Shands) eye was put out when he was taught to read by the master's children, lost 80 acres of land when he had a stroke on the way to get the deed stamp. I will post her report later.

Essence has peed on the potty twice. No spanking, hollering, etc either. Just as simple as putting on the pot after getting out of the bed. Yes, this may be easier than I thought!

Well Essence is terrifying the computer. LATER!

I think my niece gave the pilot driving lessons!

What in the name of my precious life!? Flying is NOT my cup of tea. Climbing in altitude, descending, turning right, turning left, plop goes the landing gear. I HAVE A MIGRAINE! Look a here there has to be a better way to travel great distances in less time. BEAM ME UP SOMEBODY!

It's been a busy two weeks. Essence travelled with mommy to Spelman College. Essence and Mom Townes had a great time walking the grounds (that's the engineering word for campus) and dining with the students. Essence wanted everyone to see her so the word of the week was "ME!" Me means I'm here, look at me, etc. then she waved and said "Bye". Sorry no pictures of Essence on campus.

NO cute Valentine's pictures. No president day pictures. Ok no pictures because the batteries are dead and mommy just cannot remember to capture all the precious moments.

Oh, Essence danced for the first time with the praise dancers at church. Sorry BATTERIES DEAD (bad mommy!). It was so precious and cute. I'm going to do better with the pictures.

Now, I'm in Selma, Al while Essence is at home : ( I know she is missing mommy!

Elephants, Tigers, Horses THAT'S ALL!

Ok I survived my first circus experience. I was looking for more animals (I guess I need to go to the zoo). Essence's eyes sparkled the entire time. I hope she understood the DON'T try this at home song and dance! Anyway, I needed interpretation last night for the tiger trainer. Essence started to speak back scary!

20 more days until Lent Season start. I am preparing my body and mind for much praying and fasting (40days) Let's see -will it be the Daniel Fast or no meats and soda? If you have never participated in the Lent Season, I strongly encourage you to. Think on the excerpt below.
Lent is about mortality and transformation. We begin the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday with the sign of the cross smeared on our foreheads with ashes as the words are spoken over us, "Dust thou art, and to dust thou wilt return." We begin this season of Lent not only reminded of our death, but also marked for death.
The Lenten journey, with its climax in Holy Week and Good Friday and Easter, is about participating in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Put somewhat abstractly, this means dying to an old identity.the identity conferred by culture, by tradition, by parents, perhaps.and being born into a new identity.an identity centered in the Spirit of God. It means dying to an old way of being, and being born into a new way of being, a way of being centered once again in God.
Put slightly more concretely, this path of death and resurrection, of radical centering in God, may mean for some of us that we need to die to specific things in our lives.perhaps to a behavior or a pattern of behavior that has become destructive or dysfunctional; perhaps to a relationship that has ended or gone bad; perhaps to an unresolved grief that needs to be let go of; perhaps to a career or job that has either been taken from us or that no longer nourishes us; or perhaps even we need to die to a deadness in our lives.
You can even die to deadness, and this dying is also oftentimes a daily rhythm in our lives.that daily occurrence that happens to some of us as we remind ourselves of the reality of God in our relationship to God; that reminder that can take us out of ourselves, lift us out of our confinement, take away our feeling of being burdened and weighed down.
That's the first focal point of a life that takes Jesus seriously: that radical centering in the Spirit of God that is at the very center of the Christian life.
Dr. Marcus Borg - from "Taking Jesus Seriously

Interpretation

I have the gift to interpret unknown tongue. Curcle = Circle, I bought Essence a foam memory game that has shapes. The first one I showed her was a curcle. I turn them over and she picks them up until she finds the curcle (or hexagon ok to her they look alike). She is soooo happy when she finds the red curcle that she repeats the word over and over and displays it. Essence favorite words include (spelled like she says them) daddyyyyyyyy; momma; git dat; i un dat; duce = juice; memememe = pick me up, move, come here; molk = milk; da = Dora; cat; dough = dog; Jewsus=Jesus; uh + Elmo, MP3 player, keyboard = i want to hear music; and booc (soft c sound) = book. As soon as I interpret the finger pointing with words, then I will be a millionaire and on the beach in St Thomas!

It's a marvel how a toddler's mind works. Essence has an Elmo phone. The red button allows you to record a message and the green button plays back. Jamie or I will record a message and FINALLY she has figured out how to play it back. She has color recognition! YEAH! Every milestone seems so simple but they are so unique. She is too inquisitive.

It's hump day and the circus is tonight. I hate to admit, but this is my first BIG circus because I don't like animals, but Jamie and Essence are the opposite. Pray that I don't cut a fool and embarrass Jamie, Essence or myself. I hope the big cat is not angered and jump in the crowd. I don't have time to be a statistic and that's not how I want to pay off my bills (death!).

Somebody has left the door open and it's cold outside. When is the heat coming back on (Spring Equinox)? I know we must kill the insects and plants in order to have a new season. The flu is not as virulent. OH my we may have a bad spring.

I still have a job so it's time to get off of break and do another report that's the only bailout plan I have!

I hope everyone is having a blessed week and if NOT, then you are not putting in in order to receive. It is NOT a way one door!

Baby shoes, Dawn's feet and my knees!

Ok adult shoes give or take a 1/2 size, but baby shoes. NOOOOOOOOOO. First of all why so many widths? Why the same price as adults? Why my baby shoes look like skis? Grannie Mae and Grandma Shirley says high tops, I like mary janes. I just want a pair of shoes <$20 that are cute too. At this point, I really don't care as long as her feet don't have blisters and corns.

Dawn, college friend, and I attended Adrienne's surprise b-day party. It started with a wreck on 85 (I hope everyone is ok) so we were late. We parked "8 country miles" that two blocks for normal talk away from the location. We are still cute so we both had on heels (mine 4"). What in the world were we thinking? My knees had buckled on block one, my toes were cold, Dawn was complaining about the walk. SURPRISE ADRIENNE, we are tired let's sitdown and get a drink before mingling oh and put my shoes on (Yes, I walk bare feet up the 31 stairs.) Electric slide, Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide and 4" heels (HECK NAW)! Finally we got a ride back to our car (I sat in a car seat so everyone could have room in the car). Dawn has blisters and could not go to the altar for prayer on Sunday! We are still DIVAS even if our bodies are falling apart! WORK THAT GIRL!

TGIF

Thank God everyday, but it's Friday. TIME to clock out and join the two day work release program. Not a busy weekend. A surprise birthday party (guess who), buy Essence some new shoes (she needs to tell me when her shoes hurt, I cannot read minds), look for 75% discounts on winter clothes, go to church, count pennies left after payday and RELAX! You know I'll be running around here and there. Have a blessed and safe weekend. HOLLA!

Warning next week be glad if I blog 2 days. It's time for College Audits, ATL here I come with ESSENCE! RUN!

I CAN'T HELP MYSELF

Ok, I toot my horn, but I gained 69 pounds (tipped the scale at 199 lbs before being admitted to the hospital for delivery see you thought i was going to the mental ward). Essence is mama's joy, delight and "moo moo's baby" I cannot resist posting pictures!

We did a photo album marking the first year growth milestones. We captured many memorable(silly) moments instead of cheesy pictures. Related Images of Simpsonville (http://www.relatedimagesphoto.com/) turned me into the all time first time bragging mommy that many run from. The photo album is remarkable and the pictures are to marvel over. We were never rushed during the sessions usually after 1.5 hrs mommy had enough not the photographer. I highly recommend them if you want moments captured. They have so many different options (mugs, canvas, coasters, books, etc).

Hey President Obama signed his first bill so give me my equal pay!

Discipline and potty training tips are welcomed. Miss Essence likes to see how far she can push mommy and daddy. Daddy never moves more than 1 nanometer, where as mommy can be pushed an inch.