Goals

I'm taking part in a challenge, orchestrated by a man named Robert, on his blog My Name Is Not Bob,

how awesome is that name?

in which he is challenging other bloggers to increase their platforms.

Why do I need to increase my platform, you ask?
Because if I hope to ever see my book in print, I need an agent. And if an agent is to become interested in representing me, he or she will want to see that my platform encompasses more than about two people.

So in one of Robert-not-Bob's recent challenges (he has a new one each day this month), he asked his participants to set short-term and long-term goals.

And would you like to know what I listed as one of my long-term goals?

.....

cricket-cricket

.....

I said, would you like to know what I listed as one of my long-term goals?

Thank you.

I hope to get to the point where I have 1000 followers on this-here blog. That's right, 1,000 followers.













Sounds impossible, right?
It's a ridiculous goal, is what it is.

I know. But I think it can be done. I 've seen plenty of blogs that have this many and more.

I CAN DO THIS!

I am willing it from the universe.

I am placing my order with the Almighty.

I am sending my positive energies out into the world with this thought, for it to be boomeranged back to me with so many followers that all of Microsoft crashes
it could happen.

So where do you fit into this?

Simple.

If you have not already done so, just go to my sidebar on the right, find the follower's section (just beneath the picture frame that says, "If you are here, you are awesome" (it's true, you know)

And click the pretty blue button that says "join this site".







That will take you to a page where you can click "Follow this blog"
And lastly to a page where you click "Done".

And just like the button said, you're done.

Without any fanfare or hoopla, you will be a follower on my blog. Just like that.

Now, if you're super into helping other people accomplish their goals

(so you can, you know, procrastinate on accomplishing your own, like I like to do),

then by all means, spread the love around by sharing my blog on whichever of your social media sites tickle your fancy. I even have a few share buttons on my sidebar, too!

Anyway, I've gone on far too long about all this.

I hope you follow. I hope you can pass this on to maybe two more friends that will follow.

Then grab some popcorn and sit back and have more fun than you can imagine watching my box of followers get bigger and bigger, and beam with pride knowing you had much to do with that growth.

Like the frame in my sidebar says,

If you are here, you are awesome!





And hey, now that I've got you in a clicky mood, if you feel you just have to click a few more buttons or you'll die, I have a couple more things you can click:

Vote for me on Circle of Moms Top 25 Adoptive Families Blog!
Just click this badge, then scroll down to my blog, then click on the Vote button.
You can vote every day till 4/27.
Thanks!!!!!





And let's not forget good old Top Mommy Blogs!
Just one click of this button (below) and you've voted. You can vote every day!






Image courtesy: thethunderingherd.com

Farm Friday - Heavenly Homemakers

I follow a blog called Heavenly Homemakers. Which I love.

Seriously, she's full of awesome recipes and helpful hints and she's thrifty and amazing.

Why am I blogging about her today? Because she's starting a fun new link-up thingy called Homemaking Hints at Heavenly Homemakers. Here's what she wrote about it:

With this link-up, you are welcome to share kitchen tips, cleaning solutions, recipe ideas, cooking short-cuts, household money-saving suggestions, decorating ideas, gardening tips - anything you feel fits into the category of “homemaking hints”. The purpose of the “Homemaking Hints” link-up is to offer helpful advice to inspire and encourage us all as we spend our time caring for our homes and families. Therefore, we ask that you do not link up posts that contain product reviews or giveaways you are hosting, deals posts, or sales you are running on your site. Thanks for understanding.

She'll run this the first Friday of every month, so even though it falls on my Farm Friday bit, I'll take part.

So my tip for today? A very simple one:

Keep a kitchen-sized trash can in your closet. Place several trash bags in the bottom, and put one bag in the can, already to fill up. Every now and then, take a minute to look through your closet and remove items that you have not worn in a while, or items that are stained, ripped, or you have no hope of ever fitting into again (stop kidding yourself, already). Throw 'em in the bag! When it's filled up, just remove the bag, tie it up, and throw it in your car. Next time you're around one, drop it in a Planet Aid drop box, or a Good Will, or whatever strikes your fancy. This easy-peasy tip makes light work of thinning out your closet.

Negotiations

Maybe being a kid in a large family isn't always a walk on the beach. They have to share more, they don't get as much one-on-one time with their folks, maybe there's even less money to go around.

But it has its advantages. There's a certain skill-set that is built when one grows up surrounded by sibs.

Take the conversation I overheard a couple nights ago. Julie was at a friend's house and twilight was descending. Time to get Annabelle into the barn, but that was Julie's job (and let me just add, the most hated job in this household).....

Me: Hey guys? Julie's not here, so someone's going to need to take Annabelle.
Daniel: Not me. I helped her this morning b/c you wanted eggs.
Rosie: I don't want to!
James: I just took two big bags to Mom's car!
Patrick: Look, let's figure this out. How 'bout if we each chip in one star.
(I give out stars for chores, etc, that they can trade in for late bedtime, extra screens, etc)
Rosie: Plus whoever does it, we can do their chore for them.
Me: And I wouldn't mind sweetening the pot with a pack of Trident.
Daniel: OK, I'll do it. I have dishwasher.
Patrick: OK, thanks. We'll all empty the dishwasher for you and you get six stars and a pack of gum.


Done.

Julie actually ended up coming home a little earlier than planned, so she just emptied the d/w instead of the others doing it.

Now come on. In a world of me first, gimmme-gimme-gimme, you can't tell me these kids aren't going to have an advantage in understanding the art of negotiation.




















Voting for me requires no negotiations. Just a click of this button. I'll give you a star.

Wordless Wednesday - Amish Mules

These awesome pictures were taken by Rosie.



Click to vote? Thanks!



Thanks to "Saturn Bull" for following!

Adoption Tuesday - Attachment Series.2

Last week I began a series on attachment that I thought I would continue every Tuesday. At least for awhile.

Sometimes I will feature an article, sometimes provide a tip, and at times I will just share my experiences and thoughts.

Today?

Just a quick tip.

In last week's post, I made the analogy of the parent being like a tree, with the roots being the underlying love the parent has for the child, and the leaves representing the parent's emotions:

The leaves are emotions, and they change as the weather and the seasons change: sometimes happy, sometimes sad, or angry, or frustrated. Regardless of the leaves, though, the tree remains stable, and firmly rooted to the ground. Children with RAD have difficulty with this concept, and will mistake the parent's current emotion for his underlying feelings towards him. In other words, if the parent is angry, the child feels that the parent does not love him.

Because of this, I feel it is important to let your RADish know that even while you are feeling angry towards him or her, there is still love.

What works for me and my son (with RAD) is that while I am angry with him, and talking with a raised voice or more intense tone, I will hold my hand up in the sign for "I love you". In this way, he is getting the message that I love him even though my face and voice and words are telling him I am angry. He has had a lot of difficulty knowing that both can occur simultaneously, and this is a very visual reminder for him.





















I love you, my faithful readers.
And oh how I love it when you vote for me. Did you know you've brought me into the 30s by now? It's true. Keep on clickin'. Let's take Funny Farm onto the 1st page, just like Bringing Borya Home used to be.
Thanks!




Image courtesy: cafepress.com

Mirth Monday

"All those who enjoy making pirate sounds, say 'aye', all those who enjoy making horse sounds, say 'neigh'! "













Gotta love Callahan....





Haha! Click, click!

Sunday Social - Frex

Next one down on my siggy line...

Anne,
Wife of Fred for 23 years
Mom of:
Patrick (17)
James (17)
Rosie (14)
Bella(14)
Julie (13)
Daniel (12)
My children around the world:
Milly in Taiwan
Eun Hae in South Korea
Felice in Hong Kong
Nadya in Germany
Obrin in New York
And our critters Blue, Sunny, Cindy-Lou, Annabelle, Fiona, and Sophie; Mamfy, Mali, Milky and Punkin; Nick; Frog 1; Charlie and Dizzy; Minnie and Alice; Elfie, Frex, Crope, Tibbett and Ozzy; Genevieve, Pippin and Finnegan; and a dozen or so chooks.

I'd like to ask God why He allows
hunger, poverty, and injustice
in the world,but I'd be afraid
He'd ask me the same thing ...



Is Frex.















Frex was one of the original goat herd, as well. Since he was the biggest, and looked to be the oldest of the bunch, he got the name of Frex.

Truth be told, though, I haven't a clue how old any of 'em are. My money's on Frex, though. His crooked ol' face has a story to tell. His face runs a zig-zag course that starts at his hornless crest (the only one of our goats without a rack), and ends in his snarly mouth and nose.

Though he's the largest, by far, he's an outcast and sits morosely at the bottom of the totem pole in the caprine hierarchy of our barn. He runs from trouble (namely, Tibbett) and can usually be found grazing a stone's throw from the others.

What's his story, I wonder....

An ill-fated love triangle between Tibbett, Elfie and Frex, in which Frex lost to Tibbett in a violent knife-fight from which he barely escaped with his life?

Perhaps Frex is the scorned love-child of Elfie and Tibbett? The dirty little secret no one wishes to acknowledge?

Or maybe Frex's father lost everything to Tibbett in a scandalous drunken gambling binge. Like Hindley's Hareton, Frex is now indebted to Tibbett (Heathcliff) and will forevermore be a servant in his own house.

What do YOU think Frex's story is...?







Clue me in to Frex's life-story, and then throw me a vote for TMB by clicking this button...Thanks!