I just got some more yarn in the mail from Midnight Sky Fibers. I ordered some more Doorjam. I won't lie, it should be called Toejam. Someone asked me to define what colour it was, and I said, actually, it's kind of vomit coloured. Don't let that deter you from buying it. I adore it. It's what I used for that dream swatch I posted about last week.
This is the description, verbatim, from the Midnight Sky Fibers sight:

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I love this product. My toddler loves this product. My older kids love this product. Oh, got your attention, hm? It's the Comfy Easy PC Learning system. It's a keyboard system for your PC that your child (ages 1 - 5) can use all by him or herself. Talk about great! Who doesn't have a headstrong toddler who is all about "me do it!"? You don't need extra special knowledge to set it up - just plug 'n' play!The keyboard comes with one software title; others are available and at approximately 20$ per title, they aren't too expensive. They come in various themes and levels. Each title has multiple levels and multiple languages too! My kids learn in English, Spanish, Hebrew, German, French, and more. Wow!

The keyboard itself is very durable. It got dropped a few times, of course my toddler was leaning on it, banging on it and otherwise abusing it. Not a single problem with it! Nothing was broken, busted, cracked, unattached or lost! If you know my kids, you know that's nothing short of miraculous.

My two year old took right to it. No coaching, or having to show her what to do. It freed up my time to make dinner, clean, do laundry, whatever. The Comfy characters kept her totally entertained for at least twenty minutes, but usually much longer, to the point I had to tell her it was time to stop and turn it off!



We sampled quite a few software titles, and they were all a hit. I can't even suggest one over another. Each title has it's own merits, and own reasons to be touted. I think our favorite was the music title, we were loving "playing" the drums and piano and other instruments.



I honestly want to sing it's praises. The characters didn't get annoying the way some do and neither did the songs or other sound effects. My daughter keeps asking for "sleeping moon" over and over and over again. I love that it teaches beginning computer skills without the worry of breaking a typical keyboard. I didn't have to tell the kids to get off or be careful. I could leave them be and go do what needed doing or I could actively engage the game with them. Every button brings a reaction, and every reaction brings a smile. I couldn't ask for a better learning system to compliment the computer we already have.

Try an online demo of this fantastic product now!

www.comfyland.com - If you are planning on purchasing this product, please use this link. A portion of your purchase directly benefits Punky Moms.

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Since the shop got fucked and had to be reinstalled and recreated, all of the shop accounts were lost too.

As a special, one day only event, in order to encourage you to create a new account and help clear out our current inventory, I am opening it for the afternoon/evening.

Head on over to http://www.punkymomsforum.com/PunkyShop/ to check out our new look!

I no longer have to approve your account, so make sure you pick Punky Moms Forum Member as your membership type to get immediate access to tags and maybe some other goodies too (definitely in the future!) I do have to approve it, but I am working on that. As new registrations get emailed to me, I am editing the member type.

As an extra special thank you, use this coupon on any clothing item for an extra two bucks off!

The coupon code is "twobucks"

"twobucks" is good once per customer, expires on July 7 2007 and is only good on items in the adult clothing category (I know I know, we don't have any size large or larger, we're working on it! We need to clear this stuff out!) only

In a few short weeks we should have new hoodies, new stickers, pins and other surprises!

July News is also live. A few days late, but all the better for it!

The kids put on a play. Dorian was a jellyfish. It was cute, although kind of annoying (I have a hard time hearing kids who don't enunciate, and most of them were not) but still very cute. The kids all did a great job and you could tell they were so proud of themselves.

I was reading over the program, and was happy they spelled Dorian's name correctly, and then turned it over to read the back and was shocked to find my name! I did a couple of props for the play. It's nice to be recognized, especially when you were not expecting it. I also got an award (a paper printed... the word is escaping me :( ) and was again surprised. I know it sounds silly, but it wasn't a lot of my time, and I really was not expecting to be recognized for the little bit of time I put in, especially when the other parents put in much more.

Pictures coming soon! Wouldn't you know it, I was all prepared to play photographer and my batteries were dead! They were *not* dead earlier today when I checked them and I didn't take spares. I should have. Every time it's something important my batteries die. I gave the camera to Michael, and he had the genius idea of turning it on right before we needed to take some and taking a bunch until it shut off. He actually got quite a few that way! I just put some disposables in my camera so I could unload it properly and my batteries are on the charger. I'll be tossing some spares in my case from now on!

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I can't write. I can't draw. I can't create. I am so frustrated. I get out a pencil and paper, and nothing comes out. I bought a dressform, I got out my serger, and nothing. I am at such a loss. Nothing inspires. Nothing stirs. It's as if I've created all I can create, and I shall create no more. Dramatic, no?

I used to blame it on a lack of time, but perhaps it just a lack of me.

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I can't even begin. This vaccine was touted as a miracle cure for cervical cancer (which I think was the first mistake made, that people feel it really is a "cure" (100% prevention) of cervical cancer, it is not.) and pushed through and pushed to be made mandatory. I wont say I am surprised. Remember Vioxx? I was on Vioxx, before it was found to do more harm than good. Just another example of something pushed  through before adequate testing was done. I feel so horrid for those pregnant mothers! I don't even know how you would go about compensating for that, and what's sad is, they probably signed away any rights to go after compensation (not that you can compensate for loosing a child or inducing defects).

Judicial Watch Uncovers Three Deaths Relating to HPV Vaccine

For Immediate Release May 23, 2007

Contact: Press Office 202-646-5188

Judicial Watch Uncovers Three Deaths Relating to HPV Vaccine Event Reports Obtained from FDA Detail 1,637 Adverse Reactions to Gardasil (Washington, DC) -- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released documents obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, detailing 1,637 reports of adverse reactions to the vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV), Gardasil.  Three deaths were related to the vaccine.  One physicianâ™s assistant reported that a female patient âœdied of a blood clot three hours after getting the Gardasil vaccine.â  Two other reports, on girls 12 and 19, reported deaths relating to heart problems and/or blood clotting. As of May 11, 2007, the 1,637 adverse vaccination reactions reported to the FDA via the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) included 371 serious reactions.  Of the 42 women who received the vaccine while pregnant, 18 experienced side effects ranging from spontaneous abortion to fetal abnormities. Side effects published by Merck & Co. warn the public about potential pain, fever, nausea, dizziness and itching after receiving the vaccine.  Indeed, 77% of the adverse reactions reported are typical side effects to vaccinations.  But other more serious side effects reported include paralysis, Bells Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and seizures. âœThe FDA adverse event reports on the HPV vaccine read like a catalog of horrors,â stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.  âœAny state or local government now beset by Merckâ™s lobbying campaigns to mandate this HPV vaccine for young girls ought to take a look at these adverse health reports.  It looks as if an unproven vaccine with dangerous side effects is being pushed as a miracle drug.â Judicial Watch filed its request on May 9, 2007, and received the adverse event reports from the FDA on May 15, 2007.  Judicial Watch has posted the adverse event reports below. (A recent study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, also questioned the general effectiveness of Gardasil.) ### Click here to view the Garadsil Related Deaths Reported to VAERS as of May 11, 2007 Click here to view the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) Reports as of May 11, 2007 © Copyright 1997-2004, Judicial Watch, Inc.

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How awful is it that my sisters unveiling was right near (on I think) Fathers Day in 2004, and my moms is right near it in 2007.

I have to find a good giftie for my dad this year. How craptastic.

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Michael and I got all dressed up (ok, he was in his funeral suit pants and a white shirt and tie, I was in my funeral dress & shoes) and went to shul this morning for a bar mitzvah. We had to duck out early because he had to be at work (something I felt crappy about because it's Shabbat and it's a frum-orthodox congregation).

The Rabbi shook his hand once he went inside (men & women are separated) and gave him a tallis (they keep a stack in the back for those who didn't bring their own/don't have them) a siddur and found another member to help him along the service.

Michael said he had to admit, he felt good in there.

I said we weren't doing it every weekend. I just can't. He said no, he didn't want to, he had no clue what was going on, it was just nice.

I agreed. The service is very different from the Saturday morning services I grew up with. I am totally lost in there myself, with the exception of the "group" prayers.

So I am going to buy him his own tallis so he isn't wearing one a zillion other men have worn, because we'll be there often enough to merit it (we will have a ton of brit milah and b'nai mitzvot and the like to attend... we have another next weekend).

I had a half dozen people tell me I reminded them of mom. One told me how strong she was. I was talking to Erin (Dorian's friends mom) the other week and explained... I don't go to shul because it's a family thing for me, and I don't have any family left to go with (my dad adamantly does not go of his own accord... he will go if invited by friends and he knows he is expected to show, you know?) so I just don't. I am not an avid Jew. I don't like standing around, separated from my husband, from 9 to 1 praying. Not my thing.

But it was nice walking in with Michael today.

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So I have been wanting to go talk to the Rabbi, and ask him why he believes. Not what, but why. What makes his faith so strong, he believes it no matter what. What makes him have that faith.

I can't bring myself to do it. I hate to bring my crisis of faith down on anyone else. So I kind of hate to bring it here too.

See, I never had faith in Judaism as a religion. God never really figured into it. The people, the tradition, the history, that was my faith, mixed with a little something older too. Somewhere in the last few years I lost that.

I've had this dialog in my head for the past few days, about how the Rabbi would ask me why I don't believe in Hashem anymore, and my reply would be, well, if you had the last few years I had, would you? Then he asks me what God has given me, and I counter with everything God has taken away, and it's a very negative conversation.

Yes, I have entire pretend conversations with other people in my head. It means I don't actually have to have the conversation for real and works out well for my hermit tendencies.

So regardless of what you believe, what gives you that faith?

I don't need a crutch to get me through the day. I don't need a "God works in mysterious ways" line to explain things. It isn't about that. I've just come to realize, where I used to believe in something, there is nothing. I don't think it's hurting me, but I seem to have forgotten why it was there at all.

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Update! It's here! We have new merch! It's wearable, it's stylish , it's Punky Moms Chic! Come one come all, get your summer weight Punky Moms hoodie. You know the drill, it's totally limited edition, hand screened by the one and only Madam Winter. You'll be wearing your heart on your sleeve and your Punky Mom pride on your chest with this sexy number.You can get delivered to you, direct in the mail, one Punky Moms hoodie for the low low price of 45$ That's right ladies, just a small payment of 45$ will get you this sexy hoodie, and all the looks you can handle! Shipping is included if you live in the 48 continentals, 50$ will get this chucked across the pond. If you live outside of the continental US, please contact us for an adjusted invoice before paying.

This hoodie is helping turn our cookbook into a reality! Buy your hoodie today, before we run out!

For our international mamas (remember, we are USA based, so that means anyone outside of the USA) please remember to wait until you get an adjusted invoice from us. Your hoodie will be 50$ to help with the cost of international shipping.

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So, drama on the board turned out to not be so "drama-full" as it could have. We lost a member... lost. No, she was given the option to come clean, provide proof or leave. She chose to leave. Goes to show you don't know shit about who is on the other end of your computer!

Our bags are selling like hotcakes. We'll need to order more soon, I think. Shirts too, and some other goodies in the works.

I bailed on the gym today. I wasn't up to walking, lifting or anything at all. So Michael went, and came home and we went to the post and the food store.

I got new glasses yesterday! Clicky clicky the thumb for a better image.

I was a bit of a label whore. They are D&G frames but they actually cost less than the unbranded pair I was looking at. Plus with a AAA discount, they were almost free. My lenses, on the other hand, were just shy of 300$ Michael got new glasses as well, and thank goodness he got approved for their credit, b/c we certainly didn't have what it cost in full to spend yesterday. On the good side of things, my script hasn't changed much in the past two years. I am practically blind to distance without glasses, but I am 20/20 up close. (My distance was like 70/80 or something... I could barely read the third line down on the chart).

Another of our koi died. We need to test the water and clean the tank. Our pleco isn't really doing it's job and we have some nasty algae all over everything.

We had cake for Eshiva on Monday night. We didn't really do birthday anything this year. I didn't really want to. I hope that doesn't set the tone for the whole year. We had cake for the twins birthday as well, but it wasn't festive. I feel bad. I took lots of photos of her eating her cake, and of the kids and my dad and everyone.

My wrist and elbow are killing me. I need to find a decent support for them. I've been working a lot and it's taking it's toll.

Someone called asking for mom. Out of habit (assuming it was a telemarketer) I just said she isn't here and may I take a message. I hope it wasn't a friend who just didn't know. How shitty would that have been? Those telemarketers are thinking they are slick lately though, asking for people by their first names in a real friendly tone.

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Nobel laureate accosted at peace conference - Examiner.com

There aren't even words. Thank you Punky Moms for posting this. I've kind of stopped reading the news, well, because of shit like this. (You will remember last month, or a couple of months ago I posted a ton of Holocaust-related things, which seemed to be jumping at me from the news).

I still cannot believe people out there are still saying the Holocaust never happened. If your angle is to deny the Jews, then forget about the six million Jews who were murdered. What about all the other people? Right, if you don't care about the Jews you probably don't care about the handicapped, mentally ill, gypsies, anyone who wasn't bond haired and blue eyed (by the way, my very Jewish cousins are blond and blue, there goes that theory!).

Bah.

Did you hear that they found a bundle of letters from Anne Frank's father? Letters trying to get them out and into Spain, America. I guess they had been sitting on them for a while, but they will be releasing them on Valentine's Day (which I think is kind of fucked up, why that day?). I can't say I am not anxious to read their contents though. Morbid curiosity.

I'm not a Holocaust scholar or anything. I've always been interested in Hitler and the Third Reich and the Holocaust. Fascinating history, and we should be on our toes to see that it doesn't happen again, to any portion of the population. Sadly, some of the same events mind-sets that helped lead up to that mess (that's an understatement) are happening right now in places like Darfur (where entire clans are being wiped out), and even in the US (how many people want entire countries wiped out, regardless of the innocence of most of their populations?).

I guess that's my soapbox for the day.

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YouTube - CH. NFurno: How the Drug Companies Make Vaccines

Fabulous mock news story on vaccines and their ingredients.

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Punky Moms has Punky shopping bags! That's right. With all the eco-talk going on lately, we've stepped up and done our part too! Not only is our website paper-free and eco-friendly (hrmph, minus all that power you use to connect to it) but we now have all natural, 100% canvas PunkyMoms reusable shopping bags!Our new bags are a lightweight 4.5 oz. natural canvas bag with matching 20" over-the-shoulder handles and bottom gusset. Don't let that throw you off. We've put them through the ringer and they are stronger than they look (much like many of us!) They measure a generous 15.5 x 15 x 3 inches and have a silk screened Punky logo right on the side! As if people weren't gawking at you enough in the market... you can now proudly slip off with the soccer moms staring at something else besides your tattoos!
Need some usage suggestions? Try these!

• use instead of paper or plastic at the food store


• use instead of shopping bags at any store


• use as a diaper bag


• use as a purse! (ok, not an evening bag, but it'll work for keys and general "stuff")


• use it to keep a change of clothes in the car for your kids


• it makes a great library bag too!


• got another suggestion? Let us know!

Special! Buy five bags at $8.00 each and get one free! That's right! A total of six bags for the cost of five. You can't beat that! Free bag will not reflect in shopping cart.

 These are dirt cheap, so get yours while they last!

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Went to the gym this morning. Walked for five minutes, ran for five (at 4.2 mph) and walked for five more. Biked for 20 minutes, average speed was just over 18 mph, but I was up around 28 mph for a minute (I made sure I held it for a minute solid) and was close on either side. We stretched, and then I did two reps of 10 (30 lbs) on the pec machine, one rep of 10 on the butterfly (?) machine, tried the leg press but couldn't get it set proper for me to use it. Not a bad gym day, all in all.

Came home, showered, went to Panera and had the mediterranean sandwich, and went to the mall.

I bought my sister her first real bra (went to Vickies and had her measured). Actually, I got her two, one beige, one white. She's had like, sports bras before, but I figured it was time for a decent one. I also got myself a bag that has some smelly stuff in it, and we went to Trade Secret and I got an OPI sampler thingie (I liked all the colors, couldn't decide, so I got the small bottles instead) and some CHI leave in hair repair/strengthener stuff.

Now we're home.

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