Twitter.

I realize I’m culprit to some of the most annoying things about Twitter, but please … can get a few things out there?

Social Networking is exactly what it sounds like … networking. Building a community, being part of something bigger. Surrounding yourself with the kind of information that will either drive you forward or keep you right where are.

I choose to surround myself with banter and information that takes me away from the humdrum. So, no … I will not follow you just because you’re following me. If the the last 3 tweets you sent out into the world have something to do with your cat being adorable, @ing your Aunt Betty about what’s for dinner or complaining about your husband … you are not interesting.

We, as a social networking consumer, have a pretty substantial play in how the networks morph and work. Meaning … you get to make it work FOR you. If I wanted to surround myself with mom’s who have young children, I could. And we could tweet away about how tired we are and how adorable the baby is or how incredibly smart our preschoolers are. Recognizing octagons! Look at them, FUTURE ASTRONAUTS.

I don’t mind some of that and personally push that content out on a regular basis. I don’t intend to make every single one of my followers happy on a tweet by tweet basis, but maybe I should. What am I really saying? What do I even HAVE to say?

Most of Twitter is just noise in my opinion. Noise that I find really annoying. If all you do is tweet about your blog and OMG have we read it YET? I get bothered. So I try not to tweet about my blog. Once in a while when I write something I’m either proud of or think is a mass-worth-while I’ll blast a link out. Otherwise, it’s just not for me.

Some people see Twitter as a conversation and if you don’t join in their conversation (follow them back after they follow you) they get offended and unfollow you. Did you follow that? Here’s what I think. I think Twitter is a conversation but some times people don’t want to be engaged.

So here’s my policy if I had one:

I control the information coming at me really, really well. I keep it to a minimum and I keep it quality. I get to choose that because I get to choose who I follow, what I read and where I go. This isn’t a proverbial sandbox we’re playing in … it’s the internet and it’s not always safe and it’s not always awesome. There’s real jerks out there, really really good liars. Twitter is easily becoming the new way to spam someone. There’s so much junk and pointless crap floating around that if given the chance to ignore it or clean it up … I will.

We’ll have to wait a bit before the day 2 how to of cold press coffee can be edited and published … Having internet difficulties this morning. Working to resolve it shortly.

How did you sleep? My kids slept through the huge storms of the Midwest but woke up EARLY.

So about that coffee …

Whoops! Technical difficulties.There’s a new look around here, if you can’t see it hit refresh while holding down your Shift key. Or empty your cache. Both should work.

Not sure this is the permanent look yet, but it’s a step in any other direction then where I was … which wasn’t bad, just … not right. So we’re trying something new.

I’m also trying to get my reader to stop sucking for those of you who subscribe to it, although I’m pretty sure there are multiple reader feeds so not every one is experiencing this issue … if I’m confusing the crap out of you, please skip this part.

We also have Sponsors now!! Yay! That’s really exciting. I’ll be adding a few more in the next week or so. I’m extremely excited to be embarking on this part of the journey. If you’re a company interested in sponsoring this website please contact me and I’ll send out a media kit with appropriate information.

Here’s the basics:

I’m interested in creating opportunities for my audience, who also happen to be my friends. Whether or not I know them by name. I’m passionate about living out loud, being authentic and saying yes as often as possible. I don’t own pets, I do have kids – we drive a minivan, I garden. You decide what that means to you and then throw it to the wind and partner with me to make the world a little bit sweeter.

I’m totally in.

I was born in Nigeria, Africa while my parents were serving as missionaries over there. My older sister (by 22 months) was also born there. My parents moved their then-family of 2 boys and a 7-month pregnant mother to Africa in 1981. She now remarks at how flipping crazy that sounds today.

I came along in 1983.

My mom did not breast feed my brothers, it wasn’t the vogue thing to do on the Pacific Northwest when she was having her first baby, then her second. She did however brave the delivery room without pain meds. All four times. She is ridiculous.

When my sister came along in Africa my mom decided to breast feed because bottle feeding was a health hazard to the villagers in which they were missioning. As in, proper care of sterilizing a bottle and using clean water not to mention being able to buy formula at the open air market. So, she went with the flow and breast fed. For like 2 years, and then me – for almost 3.

HIPPIE!!!

Totally kidding. The reason for this post has nothing to do with breast feeding actually, but I can fit it in there somewhere – what I’m trying to tell you all is, she did everything. Everything in Africa. Made our own mayonnaise. Fried our own potato chips. Cultured our own yogurt. Popped the boob when we were infants and ordered cuts of meat from a freshly slaughtered pig or steed hanging upside down, still dripping in blood.

Some of that I remember. Most of it I do not. But now as I’m trying out different things in the kitchen and making my own marshmallows, frying my own donuts and whipping up some mayonnaise – I get to hear stories about when we were in Africa and I love those stories.

Those parts of my life I can’t put pieces to, she can. I have no idea if this wild, fearless kitchen person inside of me has anything to do with Africa or my first 3 years of watching my mom cook, bake, and make but if I’m allowed to draw my own conclusions, and let’s be honest – we all are – then I’m going to say that yes, yes it has everything to do with this fearless need inside of me to create and to make with my own hands.

That is one of my talents. My hands. Their ability to dig in soil and nurture nourishment. Their ability to stir a pot of stock into a stew for dinner. Their ability to capture, watch and hold the moments in my life that are now creating roots for my own breast fed children. (Fed with the boobs, people! WITH THE BOOBIES! NIPPLES!)

It’s a beautiful life. Why people are afraid of it, I just don’t understand.

I’m waiting for these books in my Paper Back Swap que to become available. (No affiliate links, promise)

Barefoot Contessa – A friend has this cook book and I used to stand around in her kitchen just staring at it. I hope it still has that affect on me if it does come available.

Comfortable with Uncertainty – This was a book recommended to me by Jill Tanis a while back, I think it’s one of those books that stares at YOU and when you’re ready … you will look it in the eye. I’m not anticipating this book as much as I am dreading it … but either way, I’d love to have it on my shelf.

Diabetes: Fight it with the blood type diet – I’ve been doing all kinds of reading about this online and have it on my list to reserve this from our library. This’ll be one of those books I go back to again and again, make notes, dog ear pages … so I can’t wait for this one.

The Guernsey Literary Potato Society came highly recommended from a friend who loves books and eats them for breakfast, she has impeccable taste. And reads hella-fast and those really daunting 6 inch books. I’m inspired.

Gut and Phycology syndrome this one, again, came highly recommended by a different friend. I’m interested in reading this for a number of reasons, not sure I need to own it though – I’ll see what the library has to offer me first. Still, Food and Behavior tickles my fancy.

Healing with whole foods Mmmmm. Doesn’t that just sound delicious? Another recommendation. People, if you like to read, ask your friends for their latest great finds. It’s like a crazy escape to knowledge.

House Rules Jodi Picoult’s latest book. I love her books, have read them all. I plan to keep that tradition alive and well. Can’t wait to dig in to this one. I generally devour her books within a week of reading before bed.

In Defense of Food – this one made the news a couple times … which maybe they all did or do, but I don’t often notice books because I don’t often watch news or read it. We’ll talk about that later. Reading the back panel of this book, though, got my attention. I’m excited to read it and come to my own conclusion.

Is this your child? Another recommendation from a friend … differences between food ALLERGIES and food SENSITIVITIES. And what that all means.

Juicy Pens, Thirsy Paper by SARK. I am in a SARK phase right now, cannot get enough. And infact I have enough to keep my busy for about 2 years by her.

Junk Beautiful – I saw this one in Menards tonight on my mommy/daughter date picking out paint colors for the room-redo later this weekend. I wanted to buy it so bad but thought I should check Paper Back Swap first. A no go, but I’ll still wait to see if it comes available. Drool worthy, folks. So so drool worthy.

The Last Song – Hummmana, Hummana. I love Nicholas Sparks. Also, like Jodi Picoult, I’ve read every single one of his titles published and I’m an avid stalker on his “About Me” section on his website. Yes. Yes I am.

The Makers Diet – another recommendation.

I’ve got my work cut out for me, don’t I? All this reading. All this fabulous reading.

Any others I should add to my list? Who’s your favorite author? Or the best book you’ve read lately?

Last night I spent some time clicking around from site to site and I found some gems. Some days I totally “get” the internet and have a blast wondering down the so-called-aisles of spectacular and some days I wonder why I even bother.

Yesterday was not the ladder.

Printable Easter cards for kids, adorable. You have to create an account with Scribd in order to download them, but I have already linked to some sites where you need this same ability. It’s a straight up link, I’m not getting a referral or a kickback for saying that. FCC, how am I doin?

Fluffy fun Easter bouquet – Oh my goodness I have so much yarn as I used to crochet like a madwoman … so I’m doing this. Can’t wait to have my daughter in on this fun.

Feed Your Soul, free downloaded art – so I want to share this with you because FREE ART is amazing and these artists are even better … but I also don’t want to share this with you because it’s so amazing. I want to keep it for myself and decorate my walls with splendor and pretend I spent a fortune on amazing original art. I digress. Check it out, you will not be disappointed.

Gift bags from envelopes – A) This is genius. B) Who doesn’t have a drawer full of misc. office supplies that makes you cringe but not clean out because it’ll one day be useful? Now it is. You’re welcome.

Eggcelent Eggs – decorating Easter eggs with the kids is messy, but very fun. Except your left with brown eggs because they didn’t understand that using ALL the colors at once doesn’t automatically guarantee them a rainbow egg. Also? You can buy brown eggs, so thanks kids. Now you can “pre decorate” the eggs with Awesome and let them dip to their hearts desire. At least now you’ll have brown eggs that kick ass.

Make your own gallery, template – Wow. I plan to use this template on my kids’ art. So so so much finger painting and coloring and writing of their names for the first time … I want to keep it all but it doesn’t feel right sticking it all in a box to hand to them once they’ve graduated college. Now I can enjoy it too.

Se7en – this is just a cool website I stumbled on … we have a very eager 5 year old who wants to know/learn everything and this site seems to (at first glance) do quite a bit of sharing in those terms. She’s a homeschooler mom of seven + 1 … I’m excited to dig in the archives and figure out some experiments we can do together.

Make your own Ampersand (&) – I’ve already emailed this link to half my family and they’re all planning on making it soon. My mom will be making one to put in there soon to be brand new bathroom at the cottage. This is the new shower curtain for said new bathroom, so the Ampersand will go swimingly with it.

Mini-wreaths – Ok, so I would need to spend some money for this one, but the butterflies wreath is just adorable. And if you’re into Dumpster Diving I’ve known people who can find AMAZING stuff in the dumpsters of Michael’s, Hobby Lobby etc … stickers like this even. So if you wait for it, you might be able to pull this one off for free. I’m just saying.

Easy felted flower – I have buttons and some felt that I bought while I was pregnant with my son to make booties that I never, ever used. Huh. 2+2=ACCESSORIES! So excited to try this one. I might make some small add on’s for hair clips for my daughter. She’s kind of fancy like that.

Headband tutorial, bows – Awesome. I’ll try this for the little fashionista in my life as well.

There you have it for today. Get inspired, people. Start trying something, then come back here and tell me about it – I want to hear about your adventures.

I’m working on an Easter Round Up as well – I’ll be going off of what I plan to do for the dinner we’re hosting, but it’ll be difficult to divulge all the information because I have some surprises up my sleeve and my guests read this site (Molly! Mom! Erin! Jill! Hi Sisterlie’s and Mom!) so I’ll have to be stealth about it. However, if you have some Easter ideas – please let me know and I’ll add them to the list. Or an etsy shop you want me to link to, maybe your’s or your mom’s, bestfriend’s, boyfriends’ sister’s?? I’m all over it.

In the meantime – you can stock up on your Easter candy now thanks to Savvy Chic Savings for the heads up on coupons this week/month.

I think Easter is my Christmas. That’s fair warning, right?

This will be a smattering of incidental information that I can’t wait to share with you. Ready? Go.

Favorite new site to drool over and inspire dreams:
Knock Off Wood, check out the ‘Plans’ section of the site … this is making me want to learn carpentry more and more. I can’t wait!

When I made my Life List I specifically didn’t put boundaries on #58 … contribute to one of my favorite websites. Partly because I wanted it to be open to any of them (Dooce, Mighty Girl, Young House Love, Mighty Goods, Momversation to name a few) but also because I didn’t want to be a leach on a link. Like if I put it out there and they saw it they’d help me out by letting me do it. I don’t want to be helped in this area. I want it to really happen. Because I have some kind of value to bring. Because they, any of them, noticed that I COULD contribute to their sites.

I know this is kind of lofty dreaming. Being noticed by these bloggers just because is kind of like asking a blind pet to see, just this once. Bla Bla, heart feelings, bla. Ok. So. I don’t think this actually counts but it makes my heart beat faster … Mighty Girl linked to my Life List in a post of a plethora of links to other blogger’s and their lists. I’m in great company and feel pretty special regardless of whether or not I should. So check it out. Click on a bunch of links and dream along with all these wonderful people.

Tea Towels, simply lovely.

How to have a swap is an AWESOME idea. One in which a blogger friend gets all the credit for posting the link and making me drool.

I was clicking on links the other day and came across Inexpensively which led me to Gazelle … I am very intrigued about this site as we have quite a few electronics laying around and from it sounds like, it’s pretty easy to unload them on Gazelle and make a little extra cash. Bonus.

Also, any one know of a menu-planning swap or co-op complete with recipes and grocery lists to accompany them? Does something like this already exist? I love to do it, but it takes so much time and getting into the groove of making that time is just hard. I’d benefit profoundly if something like this was already out there, if it’s not … it will be soon. Would you find this helpful?

Should we talk about this?

Ok then.

The blood sugar woes are going well. I am able to manage my levels with diet and exercise which is ideal. That diet still happens to be the freaked out life of vegetables and protein, but maybe some day I’ll enjoy a starch or carb like the rest of the world.

Funny thing is now when I see commercials or people eating in restaurants and they’re eating rolls and hamburgers I just think to myself “How in the world is their body regulating all of that” because my body would be breaking, although functional in the sense that I somehow don’t drop over dead, it just boggles me.

My pancreas can’t even handle a bite of a sandwich, A BITE, and here people are eating spaghetti with garlic bread and a beer. OH MY GOSH, my BP rises thinking about it. So it’s best not to.

My body can handle caffeine though, and even the occasional Vanilla Latte. Which surprises me to no end – but I think the speed of the caffeine somehow helps the digestion of the flavoring.

Either way, I’ll take it.

I haven’t had a lick of fruit since this whole thing began and the other day I was cutting an apple for Oliver and thought to myself, I wonder … ???

Yep, wondered wrong. Can’t handle the fruit yet. So, me and carrots, we get along.

I’m still poking my finger 4 times a day which has Jessica worried four times a day, but she’s getting used to it. When I was pregnant with Oliver I had to give myself insulin injections twice a day and was really worried about having Jessica see me do this. It just doesn’t seem right to watch a pregnant woman give herself a shot IN THE BELLY when they’re 9 months pregnant. I didn’t want her to think the baby was sick or that I was in danger.

But she didn’t care at all. Seeing me inject insulin was no big deal to her, but seeing me check my blood sugar almost always requires lots of explaining before and after to keep her calm.

So I’ve had some ups and downs, some really tough weeks where all I want to do is rip open a bag of oreo’s and forget I had anything wrong with me at all … and there are really easy weeks where I can eat Salad for every meal and be full.

I think the trick is having people on my side, my family supports what I’m doing and is always asking how things are going, which keeps me accountable but also gives me an outlet to say how frustrating this is.

Part of me thinks that when the time frame is done for this trial period (which is working) I won’t be able to reintroduce sugar back into my diet. Possibly not for a year, or even 10. I told Aaron how much this scares me and how frustrated it is to be social living like this. Going out to dinner or to Christmas Parties is like punishment for me right now, so how can I be expected to live like this for years on end?

Aaron was understanding but firm in his support for my health and just gave me something to think about. How lucky I am to be healthy as long as I’m eating right and doing what I know works. Even if it is 10 years from now, I’ll be 10 steps ahead of every one else for figuring this out so early.

So. Yes. Here we are. Still, we’re still here. And it’s still working.

I’ve gotten questions as to what I’m taking (if anything) to help. And I am taking a couple things … Lots and lots of B vitamins, Glucomannan, CoQ10 and an anti-viral for my pancreas as well as a pancreatic supporter (vitamin) from my Chiropractor. Honestly, I can’t tell a huge difference about anything from these vitamins, but my Chiropractor can, as well as my Acupuncturist. So, for the next couple of months, I’ll keep swallowing capsules. The future hope is that I can do what I’m doing without so many vitamins, and I’ll probably be off the viral and pancreatic ones sooner than later.

Who knew that getting my blood sugar issues under control would be such a process? Not me. For sure not me. But I’m glad I’m on this journey if for nothing else than to learn more about my body and to be aware of what I’m putting in my mouth and how much it truly affects me.

What about you guys? Have you taken any health-fulfilling journey’s this past year? What are you learning about and how has it affected your dinner table, or your attitude? Maybe your outlook or opinion on medicine? Do tell! This is something I’m really passionate about learning, and I’d love to hear what keeps you guys interested in your health!

Sorry for the hiccups over here. Trying to get a new skin working on this site, I’m all for cutesy apples and whatnot but it’s just not me. Please hang in there while I do some behind the scenes work. I’ll still be posting, but things might look a little messy around here.

Also -don’t forget to update or re-subscribe to this site via your Reader software or RSS feed.

A couple things:

1. I’m a compulsive About me page person. Click on over there and find out why. I won’t always announce when I’ve changed it but it happens often.

2. Updated the Life List. Will do a write up about the goings-on over there soon.

3. The FAQs page probably needs a little more explaining. Do you care? Ok, thanks for being the internet so I can pretend you raised your hand and I’ll just keep talking. Because I was part of the BlogHer network it made almost all of the things I talked about in the FAQs practically impossible so I said no to all the inquiries. I’m still trying to decide on whether or not to continue with their ads. I’m guessing not at this point.

4. My Blogroll is coming back, I just have to figure it out. Which is what I’m doing with most things here, learning a new system. Thanks for the patience with me. I’ll try to keep you updated on the new features. Right now, other than the nifty tabs up there to your right, there aren’t too many.

5. If you were subscribed through a Reader of some sort to my old website (same url) you’ll have to re-subscribe to it again to continue getting the updates. Sorry about that one, couldn’t be avoided.