Wizarding World of Harry Potter sites

I'm posting this for myself and to share with my mom. If you're planning to go to Universal Islands of Adventure to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for yourself, I recommend that you DO NOT VISIT THESE LINKS. You don't want to spoil the surprise!

Watching these videos, I realized just how much I MISSED in the Wizarding World. Diggity dang.

Spoiler-filled link with video: http://www.insidethemagic.net/2010/06/spoiler-filled-review-harry-potter-and-the-forbidden-journey-ride-at-universal-orlandos-wizarding-world/

Tips when visiting: http://www.suite101.com/content/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter-is-hot-summer-vacation-experience-a248236

Inside Ollivander's Wand Shop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBaIbCMXwwk

Moaning Myrtle haunts the restrooms: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJyKvR0dZ0s&feature=channel

Tour of Hogsmeade Village shops: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7f-ktkWRpY&feature=channel

Excellent article. 'The way we grieve now'

I just read an excellent article on grieving via Yahoo's Shine section. The examples it uses are celebrities, but there stories are no less touching than those of the average Jane's. Definitely worth a read.

It's been more than 11 years since my grandfather died, and I still feel the heart-stinging grief occasionally. I miss him greatly and wish he'd had the chance to meet my husband and especially our daughter. He would have been over the moon about her. It amazes me that the two people in my life who mean so much to me--my husband and daughter--never knew my Grandpa. He played such an important role in my life growing up; it just doesn't make sense on that inside level of me.

Wishing you love and joy,
Minda

'The way we grieve now' http://www.shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/the-way-we-grieve-now-2389801/

A site all about soap? Soap.com is so much more

Yes, it's been nearly three years since I've posted here ... really? No! Hmm, maybe.

The Peanut is going to be four in a couple weeks, so, yeah.

Anyway, I'm back thanks to Postling.com for making updating my various blogs, Twitter and Facebook so very, very easy.

When I find cool sites that are helpful to parents, I'll post them here and let you know why they are worth your time. Feel free to send me your suggestions!

Soap.com

What it isn't: A site about soap operas.

What it is: A site with household products everyone needs, especially those who have a hard time getting to the grocery store on a regular basis. My friend at work who has three boys ages 3 and under, works full time and just started taking MBA classes comes to mind.

I discovered this site through MyPoints.com (which I will talk about in a different post). The site started out in 2005 as Diapers.com, a site to make the lives of parents easier. This summer (of 2010) the owners decided to expand it and rename it ... and now it carries 25,000 different products!

They don't just sell soap products (detergent, shampoo, hand soap, body soap, etc.). They also sell diapers, all sorts of baby goods (from breast pumps to car seats and everything in between), OTC medications, toilet paper, deodorant and antiperspirant, cleaning products, home fragrance, stying products, hair tools, feminine care, face scrubs, makeup, fragrances, vitamins, natural care, and more.

Deals: FREE 2 day shipping on ALL orders of $25 or more. Visit the Savings Center to get weekly deals. E-coupons give you a chance to save money and get competitive deals.

Features: As with all sites I love, this one offers customer reviews. It also shows you items other customers interested in items also purchased or where interested in. they has a "Suggest a Product" link at the bottom of each page.

Fancy stuff: Diapers.com is a Top 100 Inc. company, with a 3,473.8% growth rate between 2005 ($2.5 million revenue) and 2008 ($89.4 million!). They know they stuff and their audience.

Real stuff: While I haven't used this site yet, I will definitely keep it in mind for the future. I'd love to hear what you think about it. Have you used it yet? What was your experience?

My baby is almost 15 months old

Bella will be 15 months old this weekend. Unbelievable. She is currently climbing on my leg as she "runs away" from Daddy, who is playing with her near me on the floor.

I had the day off from work today, and the Peanut and I ran errands and shopped all day. We went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast, and she shared my scrambled eggs (fed pieces to herself!), grits and maple syrup (yes, I'm a Yankee, I know it) and biscuits and jam. I was also able to sneak a container of her blueberry and pear baby food into the mix. She's getting more picky now. She's also got the word "no" in her vocabulary now and uses it a lot during meal times. Do you want a bottle? "No." (It sounds a lot like "D'oh") Do you want food? "No." Water? "No." Puffs? Yes! But she's not clear on "yes" yet. It sounds like "zess." Or she'll clap or laugh. She is very much into the Gerber Graduates Puffs right now. She's been demolishing a container of apple cinnamon ones for the past few days. Before, she didn't know what to do with them. She'd play with them and scrape them with her fingernails. Now she eats the heck out of them. And makes a mess with them, of course.

Right now she is reaching out to touch our Christmas tree, touching the faux pine needles, saying something I'm not sure about and pulling back her hand, then doing it all over again. Daddy is asleep on the floor near her now. He stayed up until 4 a.m. working on some freelance projects.

Earlier this evening she ate a couple pieces of a Dorito. They went down fine. (You see, she has been struggling with a MAJOR gag reflex since she first tried solid foods.) Then suddenly, a chip touched the wrong part of her tongue, the coughing began, I started to prep for a guyser, she stopped choking ... then spewed on me like the pie-eating contest scene in "Stand By Me." Right in the crotch of my jeans and all over the living room chair. Yuck. Oh well. I'm a mommy now. This is my life.

But things are getting better. She's eating more solid things without gagging or throwing up. She's pulling herself up really well. She's been cruising for a few weeks now. Before she would just stand herself up and stay there. For long periods of time. But now she's cruising. And Grandpa works on walking her around the house. She's still scootching around, but now she's really fast.

And she's talking like crazy. Most of the time it's in her own Bella language. But she's also got quite a few words in her vocabulary.

Dad
Dada (which sometimes means Daddy and sometimes means me, Mommy)
Mamamama (I can get her to say this if I repeat it a lot)
Pop Pop (Grandpa ... new in the last week)
Baba (bottle ... used occasionally ... she likes to sign and click for this one still)
Puff (or something like it ... she loves puffs!)
Cracker (she also loves Gerber Graduates cheese crackers)
Ki-kat (kitty cat)
Sha-pere (Shakespeare ... one of our cats)
Go go go!
Bye bye
Hello
Hi
Duck (practically her first word, which she growls)
Dragon (she also flies like a dragon ... Grandma taught her this one and also how to roar)
Mermaid (Grandma is working on this with her)
No
Yes (zess)

I've also heard her say "Tigger" and "bear" for Pooh Bear. I also think she said "Santa" recently.

She's amazing. I know every parent thinks their child is brilliant, but can you blame them? It's like the Police song says: "Every little thing she does is magic." And that is so true. I love witnessing how she is discovering and learning the world. Right now she's simultaneously talking to the Christmas tree, shaking her container of cheese crackers, pulling all the items out of her diaper bag and trying to open a jar of mac and cheese. And putting a container of her veggies under the tree. Scratch that; she's piling ALL her baby food under the tree. It is a merry Christmas!

May Santa fill all your stockings with stage 2 sweet potatoes and apple sauce.

-Minda
Thi

Why so few posts?

You have probably noticed that I don't post here much anymore (if you are reading this, that is). I've been posting more often on my MySpace page. You can check it out at www.myspace.com/thecemeteryclub. But I have found that I can post really cool widgets here, so check out my new cyber pet Mookie the kitten and Pac-Man on the right. Cool, eh? More time wasters online. Gotta love it!

I've changed my tune ... and my title

I've changed the title of this blog to "The Mommy Show." I decided that I really don't like "The Accidental Mom" tag anymore. I still feel like I fell into the mommy thing like I tripped on a rug, but it wasn't a real accident. The Peanut was very much wanted and is very much loved. So while the link name is still the same, at least the inside name is different.

Right now I'm researching social media (and this is indeed social media as well) and also chatting with a Lulu.com agent about why I loaded my magazing contents and will now be receiving a two-page document in the mail. That I paid $10 for. I'm ticked off with myself for not knowing how the hell Lulu works (first time using, people) and with Lulu for not being more clear. Mostly with myself because it was all user error. I was in a rush to get the mag done and out to people. I then was in a rush to purchase one to view as a proof. Now I'm finding out that I've made a royal mess out of it. ARGH!!!!

This is my problem sometimes. I steamroll my way into my projects and keep going until they are done or I freak out ... and then get help in finishing them.

Now I'm trying to upload a 264 MB file. Taking forever. Gotta be an easier, more effective way to do this. I need more training.

More later ... need to see if Don C. can assist me further.

-M

One Year ...

What all can happen in one year? The birth of a child and the growth of a child. New life--for her for us. A renewal of life--for us, for family. My baby turned one year old yesterday.

While getting into the car yesterday morning to head over to my parents' house (to get ready for the birthday party), I noticed that another tooth had popped through in Bella's little mouth. Number seven, located to the right of her two bottom teeth. She hadn't had any teething pain that we'd noticed for at least a week.

It's funny, even though it's just the matter of one day, she actually has changed over night. After taking drinks from her sippy cup today, she let the water run out of her mouth. I was sitting next to her in the car, she in her car seat. "No, Bella. That's bad. Be a good girl and drink your water." She did it again. "No, that's bad." I took the sippy cup away. She looked at me, and huge tears welled up in her eyes. She acted like I had just taken her favorite doll away and threw her in the garbage. I had never seen her react to anything exactly like that before. This same thing happened again later. My mom said, "Well, I guess you have the evil eye after all." I didn't even know I was doing it! My god, I am my mother!

Other things Bella has been doing? She draws on a MagnaDoodle. She's working on pulling herself up. She's starting to get up her knees and lunging onto my lap, big pillow and Daddy's lap. If you ask her where your nose is, she points to it--actually presses her index finger on it (thanks to Tracey!). She scootches like crazy--so much that she sometimes gets rug burns on her legs and the sides of her feet.

My little girl. Our little girl.