What if your kid becomes instantly famous?

I can’t watch talent shows anymore without thinking, “what if that was Levi?” (Or Judah.)

It’s crazy to think that in fifteen or twenty years time, one of them could find themselves on a show like The Voice (our current favorite).

When I was a kid I would have watched wondering, “what if that was me one day?” but now my mind automatically leaps to the next generation.

All parents want to raise their kids to have good character and be able to handle themselves well under pressure. But what about the pressure of fame?

What if I was to raise my kids now as if they might someday be instantly famous? What if I was to pour as much into seeing them develop in integrity, self control, kindness, generosity, and humility that they could perhaps one day handle that kind of pressure – the weight of the spotlight?

The thought of that scares me a little. (Okay, a lot.)

Ultimately, I’ll do the best I can. But I’m so glad it doesn’t solely depend on me.

STOP.

 

Q for you: What character traits do you think are most important for a person who ends up becoming famous?

 

Love,
A

 

Click Clink Five | Five minutes a day, unedited. 

Staying trendy: chevron nail polish?

I wouldn’t say I’m trendy, but I do try to stay current as much as I’m able.

One thing I just can’t get into, however, is this painting your nails with different colors and shapes thing. Stripes, zig-zags, polka dots, angled tips, curved tips.

Nope, don’t like it.

I think it would be fun for a tween, or maybe even a teenager, perhaps. But a thirty-something woman? Just seems a little wanna-be to me.

(Please don’t be offended if you like it – you do your thing, I’ll do mine.)

I’ve never really been a nail painter in general. I think I’ve painted my nails less than 10 times in my whole life. Ok, maybe more. But every time I do I clean it off moments or hours later. I just don’t like the looks of it on me. (I always said it made me look like a mom – haha – but I suppose I’ve not tried it since becoming a mom. Maybe it’s time for another shot?)

So considering I’m not even into nail painting, I guess it’s not surprising that I’m not into nail decorating either.

Who knows, maybe I’m just showing my age here. But it’s very hard for me to accept the current nail trends in any way, shape or form.

Am I getting old?

Will I change my mind in a year’s time when it’s all “so last year”? (HA!)

STOP.

 

Q for you: Fancy nails – yay or nay?

 

Love,
A

 

Click Clink Five | Five minutes a day, unedited. 

For the love of jars

I’ve had some new subscribers since my posts yesterday. I’m sorry if this disappoints you–and I sincerely hope you can handle it–but tonight I have another extremely complex and weighty topic to address:

Mason jars.

Why, oh why, have jars become this year’s hot item?

Since I discovered Pinterest a couple of months ago, it’s no secret that I became a fast and furious pinner. (Username adrielbooker – I know you were wondering.)

I love all the DIY inspiration, household tricks, and pretty “stuff”.

But there are things that baffle me about this year’s trends:

Pallets. For everything.

Jars. (Mason, if you’re really cool.)

T-shirts upcycled into “styles” that make them even more sloppy and ugly.

I don’t really know what to think of this information. But I’m really hoping that Pinterest will last.

Because think of the fun we’ll have in ten years time looking back at all of our pins of JARS and wondering, what the heck?

That is all.

Just some more deep thoughts for you to ponder today.

STOP.

 

Q for you: Are you a jar-lover? Chevron? Pallets? Old t-shirts? Art made out of plastic spoons? Chandeliers made out of twigs? Mustaches???

 

Love,
A

 

Click Clink Five | Five minutes a day, unedited.

Confession: I’m a sucker for reality TV

We love reality tv shows around here. LOVE.

Not what you’re thinking (Jersey Shores, The Bachelor). We love the talent competition ones.

First it was American Idol. Then, Australian Idol.

Then it was So You Think You Can Dance, the American version. (Yes, Ryan liked it just as much as me!!)

When that wore off, we got right into Master Chef for one or two seasons, the Aussie one.

That one got annoying because it was on six nights a week. SIX. (And it’s highly addictive!! Who wants to be “chained” to a show nearly every night a week?!!!)

Last year we got into The Block and Top Design. I was kinda obsessed with these shows. Seriously. I lovelovelove design and decorating. Ryan was almost equally into it. (It would be hard to equal my passion on this one.)

This year? Well, the Block is on again. (Yayyayayay!) But we’re also now ADDICTED to The Voice – the Aussie version.

The judges – Seal, Delta, Keith, Joel. Hello, they are the perfect line up!!

I think Ryan has a celebrity man-crush on Keith Urban. And I so get it – he’s so adorable!

And Delta just might be the most beautiful woman on the planet. Pretty sure I gush about her every ad break.

Joel is hilarious in a wear-it-on-your-sleeve kind of way. (He annoyed us as first and has now won both of us over.)

And then there’s Seal. (Need I say more?)

And the competitors? So. Awesome. So. Talented.

We were so excited to watch it tonight that we actually let Levi watch the first 1/2 hour with us since it started at 6:30.

As strange as this sounds… I felt like such a “real” little family sitting there, all watching The Voice together. Flash back 20 years and we would have been gathered around the little tely watching Young Talent Time.

Levi was captivated! Of course he’s obsessed with music so it was right up his ally… but I think there was also the I’m-up-at-night-watching-tv-like-a-big-boy-with-mom-and-dad factor that was pretty fun for him too.

Even Judah woke up so that he could be a part of the action. (cheeky baby.)

I so enjoyed having my boys piled on the couch with us as we enjoyed good music and watching people step out in faith to pursue their dreams.

We couldn’t help but wonder as we were watching… what would we do if one of our littles were on that stage one day?

STOP.

 

Q for you: Reality TV – yay or nay??

 

Love,
A

p.s. Another confession: I went over time today. Like a minute.

 

Click Clink Five | Five minutes a day, unedited. 

Eating off the kitchen floor

We watched the movie Contagion a couple of nights ago.

I’ve never really been much of a germ-o-phone (although I do wash my hands a lot) and I’ve probably become a little more aware of germs since having babies. But even still, I’m pretty laid back about stuff like that. Even with the kids (we eat stuff dropped on the floor all the time).

I think a few trips to India will cure you of being hyper aware of dirt adn grime.

I’ve seen my fair share of people living in grossly unsanitary conditions (not just india, but many nations) in slums and garbage dumps and even regular houses where they just don’t have the same standards as I might. And it’s heart-breaking, really. (Especially when preventable disease spreads due to simple things like lack of hand-washing.)

But it also helps cure you of being a freak about certain things.

Imagine! People all over the world are surviving without paper toilet covers and sanitizing wipes attached to their grocery carts! *gasp*

Pretty sure I will too.

But watching Contagion did gross me out a little. All those close-ups of door nobs and bus rails and ATM buttons. It was shot in a way that just made you think “creepy”.

Although the movie was a little slow it was interesting to see and think about just how quickly an epidemic like that could spread and how a worst-case scenario really could effect life as we know it.

But it also compared teh virus to SARS and H1N1. I admit, it made me feel kind of tough that I survived H1N1 unscathed, while pregnant. (I know thousands did, so I’m nothing special… but it was fun to think I was super tough for a few fleeting moments.)

Nothing like a good two hours of watching pretend people in pretend situations to make you feel like a superhero or a paranoid germ-o-phobe – one of the two.

Now, please, for the love of God, wash your hands after you sneeze people!

STOP.

 

Q for you: Are you a germ-o-phobe? Or do you eat your food from the kitchen floor like me?

 

Love,
A

 

p.s. Went over time today. Partly because I got interrupted by a little person, and partly because it’s still early and my brain is not quite functioning at full speed yet. That second part is not a good excuse. At all. 🙂

 

Click Clink Five | Five minutes a day, unedited.
Adriel also writes (using spell check!) on motherhood and parenting at The Mommyhood Memos. 

Matchy matchy rolled down socks

Whatever happened to wearing layered socks?

When I was in grade school it was all the rage.

Black, white, and red outfit? Layered red and white socks folded down carefully to see each and worn with black shoes.

Teal and pink? Well then, teal and pink socks it is. both sock, on both feet.

For every outfit there were two pairs of coordinating socks.

And not only were the socks coordinating, everything else was as well.

Scrunchie, earrings (hoops!) in two colors, jelly bracelets, and on and on and on.

Everything was matching.

Funny how times change.

There are some days now where I’ll actually change if I feel like I’m matching too well.

I certainly like to have coordinated color schemes and a nice belt/shoe pairing (on the increasingly rare occasion i’m not just wearing flip-flops), but beyond that there is no more matchy matchy.

Seems every trend comes ‘round again sooner or later….

So I’m just wondering, where are the rolled down, double layered socks?

STOP.

Q for you: Did you do the double roll down layered sock look?

Love,
A