Momathon Blog

Winter postcard: snow, snow, and more snow

Beneath it's snowy mantle cold and clean,

The unborn grass lies waiting for its coat to turn to green.

 

The snowbird sings the song he always sings,

And speaks to me of flowers that will bloom again in spring. 

~ Snowbird lyrics, Anne Murray

 

 

Photos: Chris Olson © 2011

Photo doodle: There is no medicine like hope...

 

If only we could fly a plane and catch a glimpse of tomorrow. 

 

You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles. Photo doodle: Chris Olson © 2011.

Valentine doodle: love blooms

 

 

"Love comforteth like sunshine after rain."

~ William Shakespeare

 

You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles. Illustration: Chris Olson © 2011.

 

Daily doodle: more (heart) please

"Do you remember we were sitting there by the water? 

You put your arm around me for the first time,  

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter,  

You are the best thing that's ever been mine..."

 

~ Mine lyrics by Taylor Swift 

 

(Mine music video by Taylor Swift.)

 

You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles. Illustration: Chris Olson © 2011.

Daily doodle: sweet dreams

Rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

Won't you let me go down in my dreams

And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

~ James Taylor

 

You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.

The best Valentine you’ll ever get is waiting for you at a local animal shelter

A dog's mission is a simple one: I'll be your Valentine every day of the year.  

Once in a while, right in the middle of just another ordinary day, love brings you something extraordinary--a soul mate. In fact, you just might discover your forever love at an animal shelter near you.

 

Looking to adopt a dog or cat? Check out these links:

• Find a Shelter - ASPCA
• ASPCA®’s Meet Your Match®
• Choosing the Right Dog For You : The Humane Society of the United States
• Pets available for adoption, browse by animal - Petfinder
• Dog breeds available for adoption on Petfinder

 

Featured Valentine:

Two-year-old Oakley pictured above is  a Border Collie/Aussie mix who loves kids, adults and other dogs. He knows many obedience commands. Because at his former home he was left outside on a chain all the time he  will need some help with separation anxiety. You can find out more about him and other rescue dogs at PalsForever.org.

 

 

Should you give a "work spouse" a Valentine?

To be honest I had never thought much about "work spouses"--a term for co-workers with close relationships--or giving one a Valentine until I read Sue Shellenbarger's WSJ article today. Sure, I think bringing a bunch of heart-shaped cookies or cupcakes to work for the office is sweet and festive. Who doesn't enjoy an excuse for a party at work? However--and this is a big however--if you give a special Valentine gift to one of your co-workers who you also consider to be a "work spouse," then perhaps you have gone too far on this romantic holiday. 

Or maybe not? I guess celebrating Valentine's Day with a work spouse doesn't have to be about romance, but I wonder if the "real spouse" at home would agree with you? According to Shellenberger's article: 

For Valentine's Day on Monday, Amy McMahon will be celebrating twice. She's preparing a romantic candlelight dinner for her longtime boyfriend and giving him a gift card from his favorite fitness website. That same day, Ms. McMahon will be giving her "work husband" some small heart-shaped cakes and a sentimental card.

So what exactly is a work spouse? Urban Dictionary defines a work wife as: 

That person at work (same or opposite sex) that takes the place of your "at home" spouse while you are at work (no sexual relationship is part of this being!) You talk with, connect to, and relate to this person as good as or better than your "at home" spouse with regards to all things work related.

Office buddies and an office spouse obviously are not the same. Having a deep--yet platonic--relationship with a co-worker is a modern office trend. An estimated two-thirds of workers have a work wife or office husband according to survey by Captivate.com. The survey findings might surprise you: 

Though respondents generally keep interaction with their work spouse confined to the office (55% talk to their work spouse a few times a day in the workplace), a sizeable number continually communicate with their work spouse throughout the day. 21% talk, instant message (IM) and email their work spouse constantly during the workday, and 24% engage in this level of communication with their work spouse even on weekends and weeknights.

Since I barely have enough time in a day to talk to my "real spouse," I can't imagine having enough time for a deep friendship with a "work spouse." And when in the day would I ever carve out enough time to buy a work spouse a Valentine? 

An estimated one billion Valentine's Day cards were sent worldwide in 2010 and I'm sure many were sent to that other spouse. Celebrating Valentine's day with an office spouse doesn't make sense to me. Call me a hopeless romantic. I like the sentiment of Geoffrey Chaucer when he wrote a poem celebrating one of the very first Saint Valentine's Day:

    For this was Saint Valentine's Day,

    when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.

 

(Illustration: Chris Olson © 2011.) 

Valentine doodle: keep me in your heart

 

“If there ever comes a day
 when we can't be together
 keep me in your heart,
I'll stay there forever."

~ Winnie the Pooh

 

 

You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.

Illustration: Chris Olson © 2011.

 

 

Why are coed birthday slumber parties for teens now "OK" ?

I admit, I'm the uncool mom. And it's not because I shop for jeans at the wrong stores. According to my daughter, recently I officially earned the title of the "World's Worst Mom" because I put my foot down and said NO to a party invite. 

I almost avoided the issue altogether and that part kind of scares me. When the party invite came for my daughter, it appeared to be your average slumber party at a local gymnastic center. And everything was fine, until one of the other kids told my daughter that boys were going to attend too. After making a few phone calls, I found out the party was for 60-plus kids--boys and girls--and would be chaperoned by two parents. I immediately began wondering about the sanity of the moms who would agree to this task.

So I told my daughter, "No."

My daughter then told me I ruined her life. We decided to compromise, she could stay at the party until 10:30. Now she thinks I am only the second worst mom in the world.

Fortunately, I'm not alone in this party curfew decision. In the hours before the party, a few of us moms were busy texting each other about what to do. We decided to pick up our kids early. The fact the girls of the "uncool moms" could leave together as a group made it easier for them to save face.

My decision may not be the popular one, but I'm guessing a few parents put the kabosh on going to the party altogether. Besides, this mom is not concerned with winning popularity contests among teens. I've got other things like safety and good, old common sense on my mind.

Call me old-fashioned, but two adult chaperones in charge of a gang of hormonal teens sleeping on trampolines together in one large gymnasium sounds like trouble to me.

I went to coed summer camps and looking back I see the value of separate girls and boys cabins as well as good counselors who will keep track of the campers. It's their job and they aren't interested in winning a teen popularity contest either.

Will the adult chaperones at this rec center birthday party manage to stay awake all night with flashlights ready if they hear kids moving around in the darkened room? And is anyone checking backpacks for beer, or worse?

Yep, I'm going to make a large plaque that proudly declares my new title. I'll hang it in the kitchen above the dishwasher. And maybe I'll get a matching magnet for the fridge. Next time anyone has a complaint about my rules, I'll point to the sign.

A few days have passed since the party and now my daughter has decided it was ok to leave the party early. In teen-speak I guess that means I haven't entirely ruined her life.

Valentine doodle: Love actually is all around

"If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around." 

~ The Prime Minister, the movie Love Actually

 

You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.

Illustration: Chris Olson © 2011.

Valentine doodles: Puppy love

“I don't wish to be everything to everyone,

but I would like to be something to someone.” 

~ Javan

You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.

Illustration: Chris Olson © 2011.