7 Quick Takes Friday

1. I'm stealing this, as so many things, from Aimee at The Mother Load. Actually, most of the blog ideas are stolen from other, better bloggers. In fact, I sometimes restrain myself from stealing another idea because I don't want to be a, uh, stalker type...

2. Facebook is amazing! It's also a time-sucking vortex. I mostly respond to others, but still have so many online friends that it's impossible for me to keep up with them. So it takes even more effort to find the ones I want to chat with. And the applications?! Let's just not go there...

3. OH! I WON A CONTEST! This is super big news since I rarely win stuff. Amy over at Crunchy Domestic Goddess hosted a giveaway and I won! It comes with all this cool Earth's Best baby food- like 24 jars of baby food, 8 jars of baby juice, a bib and one of my favorite books: Guess How Much I Love You with Big and Little Nutbrown Hare! Yeah! Thank you Amy for hosting and thank you EB for the cool giveaway! Okay, so a random number picked my comment to win- still, it feels pretty cool.

4. Speaking of baby food-- Kaden REALLY doesn't like avocados. I tried a few more times after the video below, but his faces kept getting worse, his protestations a bit more frantic. The thing that sealed the deal for me was the look of utter bewilderment he gave me after his second taste one day. Okay, Kade, we'll move on to bananas. (But I'll try the good green stuff in a month or two!) Who needs fruit, though, when you've got such yummy toes?

5. Being a green mama - yeah. I'm fairly certain I'm a mama by default, but the green part? Not anywhere near what I'd like. We are feeding him organic foods,and will try an organic formula soon. The food so far is homemade, though I figure the EB stuff will also come in handy for traveling and what not. But the diapers? He looks so adorable in the cloth ones. And I feel so fantastic when I put one on- soft for his bum, good for the earth... so I feel pretty fantastic until I feel wet, because I can't get the hang of checking them more often. Yup, I've got a 80% leak rate due to my inattention! We're not giving up, but I'm feeling pretty discouraged that none of my ideas are panning out... and the reason they're not working is my lack of willpower/work on it.

6. It's raining today. Right now, actually. And 60 degrees. So no outside play today.

7. I love my husband. He - and you- don't hear it often enough. He just ran out to the store in the said rain to pick up some needed stuff. And he rearranged his work schedule so we could get house stuff done. And he just walked in- with a bonus frappacino as a goal reward for when I meet my deadline this weekend. Plus, you should see him with Kaden!

Guess this wasn't quick afterall. Oh well, have a good weekend anyway! Look for some Super posts on Sunday ;)

This blog brought to you by the letter F

See, you thought I forgot about that cool "things I like that start with the letter F" thing that Aimee sent along. Nope- just been thinking about it randomly. But now that I have another deadline looming, it seemed like the right time to take ten and post 'em all up.

1. Florida. Not just because I was born here, and continue to live here, but because I love the sense and scope of this place. Driving through central Florida, I take a curve and whoa- there's a lake, looking like it'd take less than 2 inches of rain to swallow the road. When I've driven across Alligator Alley, with the Everglades stretching into the horizon on either side... When I have a meeting that gets out early, and can make my remaining calls from a fairly empty nearby beach... when we visit a friend and see a flash of fur that we're sure is the elusive panther... it's all magic.

2. Family. Close & Extended. We're blessed to be related to a bunch of caring and interesting folks, and having them as part of our lives makes it better. Even if I don't know some of them all that well. Even if we are scattered across half the nation.

3. Friends. I have childhood / college friends who still keep in touch. It's great to have these folks (mostly women) with whom I can pick up a conversation that's been dropped for a month or more. Who remember some things and forgive others. Friends with whom, after we've 'caught up', we still have a lot of talking to do. It's honestly a great thing- so thanks to all of you!

4. Foreign Countries. I like knowing where they are on a map, trying their foods, learning about their people and histories. And I love getting MAIL from all these neat places (thanks, Postcrossing!).

5. French toast. I don't think it's a health food, and I don't really like eating them alone, but add one slice of french toast to any breakfast and it's just perfect. Especially if it comes with...

6. Fresh fruit (or food in general). There's nothing better than picking an orange and eating it in the same backyard. Or trying a friend's newly ripe papaya. Or an uncle's avocados. Or any homegrown goodies from the...

7. Farmer's Market. There's actually a few in this area, but I love the ones that have actual, local farm stuff. There's at least 2-3 booths at each, and finding purple bell peppers or organic herbs is a really neat way to start the day. I could go twice a week, but have trouble remembering to get there!

8. Football. I have very fond memories of watching football games-- some I saw with my dad on TV, others my folks and I watched my brother play. I also loved our midnight football games in college- even after I lost my contacts in the snow that one night. And in the past few years, watching some family friends take the high school field has been a lot of fun. Can't wait to take Kaden!

9. Florence - I have yet to meet someone with this name whom I haven't liked. My Nana was the first :) and Sister Florence is the latest! All around great Fun...

10. Farina. Thanks to Suze for reminding me- this stuff is awesome! It's like a really sweet, really pureed hot cereal, and I had it all the time when I was a kid.

11. This one' s a bonus- Happy Feast day for St. Francis de Sales!

Avocados

Happy Days...

There's a lot to be happy about these days. First off, I am just so. very. proud. of our nation for a PEACEFUL and historic transition of power today. May we continue to treat each other with respect as we work for a nation that continually improves upon itself...

And, three days ago, our ray of Florida sunshine turned six months. Hooray, baby Kaden! Who's more and more morphing out of the baby stage. Hooray for mommy, who loves her baby but is really looking forward to toddler Kaden and beyond!

I especially love his 'macho' look with the shirt buttons undone! Jimdad, are you sure there's no Italian in your background? Or do the Welsh have the same tendency?