How do I love my iPad? Let me count the ways.

When I first heard about the iPad, I think I agreed with most of the world that it was probably one more gadget that I really didn't need.

But as I started hearing more about it, I became convinced that I would find ways to put it to good use if I had one. My husband had the same thought. He totally surprised me on Christmas Day with a rectangular box under the tree. Best. Gift. Ever.

People have been asking me if I really use it and what I use it for. Let me count the ways.

1. E-mail, Internet and Facebook. That goes without saying. I've heard a lot of people complain about the keyboard. It is definitely much easier to use than the iPhone. I can almost fit my fingers on the home keys and type like normal.

2. To do list. I use Toodledo, which was a download for $1.99. I LOVE this app. It allows me to create my to-do lists, organize them by category, give them a priority and due date, set up repeating chores and even set reminders.

3. Movies. I love watching movies while I walk on the treadmill or while I lay in bed, comfy and toasty warm under my electric blanket. I stream the movies through Netflix instant streaming.

4. Music. I love having my music library on the iPad. It's louder than the iPhone and can be transported around the house just as easily.

5. YouTube. I created a favorites list of music in YouTube and can watch and listen to my favorite songs.

6. Photo album. It's a beautiful, easy-to-carry photo album on the go.

7. Calendar. All of my calendars are now synched through MobileMe so I'm always up to date on my desktop and mobile devices.

8. The Bible. I downloaded the free ESV interactive Bible. It's lightweight and easy to find chapter and verse.

9. iBooks. Tons of books are available for free or for purchase and can be housed on my virtual book shelf. The iPad is compatible with Nook and Kindle.

10. Overdrive. This is the free app you need to download ebooks from the library.

11. Cookbook. I use the free AllRecipes application. The MacGourmet app also works on iPad, but it is only available as an iPhone app.

12. Globe. The kids and I use the free globe application when we don't feel like getting down the real globe for school.

13. Our school jingles. We listen to our geography songs and grammar jingles where ever we are in the house instead of gathering around the computer or CD player.

14. Board games. Our favorite is the Blokus app, which was 99 cents.

15. Pages. I downloaded the Pages app, which was $9.99. I have only played with it so far. However, I am planning to use it to edit documents for my job. We create most of our documents in Pages, so I thought this would be useful to take to staff meetings and add notes on the spot.

One a week

I had an idea. As part of my goal to take one photo a day in 2011, I thought it would be fun to take one photo each week of my four children standing in front of the same tree.

I'm not going to try to make them smile or wear matching outfits or look perfect. I just thought it would be cool to see how they change throughout the year and how the tree changes. Of course, on weeks that we aren't home, we will get to take the photo somewhere other than in front of that tree, which will be cool, too.

Here is photo No. 1 of 52.

If you want to see all of my daily photos, click here.

Sorting and second chances

As part of my job, I get to work on images for the sermons at our church. Our upcoming sermon series is called Foundations, and we decided to go with a Lego theme throughout the series. You can see what I mean by clicking here.

So, I have been consumed with Lego the past few weeks. I've been building Lego structures and laying on my stomach on the front patio taking photos of them. It's funny how my subject matter doesn't move and yet it takes me a while to get the perfect shot! ;0

Anyway, I also have been trying to get my hands on hundreds of pieces of Lego. This process has reaffirmed what I already knew... that there are a few products in this country that are in great demand. People will pay what they are asked to pay, regardless of the real cost to produce the product.

These products rarely go on sale. They don't have to! Apple products are like that these days. The Wii is another example. And Lego.

Did you know it costs 26 cents a piece to buy pick-a-brick Lego in bulk from the Lego store? Of course, there are other ways to get Lego in bulk through eBay and other sources.

On Sunday, a very kind person at our church noticed our Lego theme and asked if she could donate a massive Lego collection she had at her house. We are talking about thousands of pieces of Lego!

Now, I love to sort. It's kind of an odd hobby of mine. I love puzzles and parts and pieces. And sorting is definitely right down my alley.

But this was a challenge. Where does one even begin? Before long, I had our categories. Vehicle parts. People and accessories. Slanted pieces. Flat pieces. Odd shapes. Standard Lego bricks.

After a few hours of sorting on my own, the kids joined me. It was hilarious to see them get my system and start shouting, "I have an arm and a pirate's hat!" Or "I have a weird shape!"

We sorted until our fingers hurt. Who knew that sorting Lego could make us so tired!

It was kind of funny how our perspective changed during this process. When I was searching high and low for Lego at a good price, it seemed like such a valuable commodity. I was ready to put down a lot of money to get the Lego I needed.

But when I had massive quantities in front of me... more shapes and parts and pieces than I could ever use... it started to lose its value.

We thought of the little boy who once played with the Lego collection many times during the process. We wondered what the parts had been when they were put together? We wondered what he was trying to create with some neat projects that were still constructed. We talked about his imagination and personality.

Well, I'm glad we get to use that little boy's Lego collection. It's almost all sorted now. That massive box that seemed like a random heap of discarded toys will now be put to use.

It didn't seem so valuable in a material sense as it would have it we had purchased it new. Instead, it had a different kind of value. It was fun to breathe new life into that old Lego and give it a second chance.

The everydayschizophrenicMOM

I've been debating whether I should actually reveal this bit of psychosis here on the blog. But, I figure that those of you who actually like me enough to read my blog are already well aware of just how NOT normal I am.

So, you might remember that on Dec. 31, I asked you what you thought of my idea to post a daily "moment" on my blog. Then, after much sweat, a few panic attacks and a pinched nerve, I decided it was a horrible idea, and I couldn't subject myself to the pressure. Instead, I resolved to take one photo a day and leave it at that.

Well, in the meantime, I have been posting my daily photos on another blog. Goodness knows, the one thing I need in this world is ANOTHER blog! However, I'm on Day 3, and I'm actually finding it kind of enjoyable.

So.... if you want to see what we are doing over here everyday, you can check it out.

It's been kind of nice not having to worry about whether anyone is reading or if I'll get any comments. I don't have a sitemeter or a stat counter or even a fancy design. And I don't have to wonder whether anyone will find it interesting. It's just meant to be a reminder to myself of what a day looks like here. I hope to use the words for captions in our 2011 photo book.

So, please don't feel any pressure to leave comments. And there's no pressure to subscribe or follow or even look at it!

My hope is to post one photo a day. However, I can't seem to narrow it down, so you will find several entries per day. And, there's always the good chance this project will only last a week.

OR that I will change my mind tomorrow.

First year

I spent a good chunk of the last few days creating Jayda's baby book. OK. I have an entire room of my house packed full of scrapbooking supplies. But I can't imagine ever scrapbooking again with how easy it is to create a photo book online.

I started out using iPhoto to make my book. After I had imported all of my photos and arranged them on the pages, I went to copy and paste all of the text I wanted from my blog. That's when I realized iPhoto does not have nearly enough options for including text.

So, I eventually made the decision to start over. I uploaded all of my photos to Shutterfly and I was glad I did. Although I love being able to drag and drop my photos into albums on iPhoto, Shutterfly offers a lot more options to customize the book with background colors, page layout and text. They also offer padded covers or leather covers.

Now, I know there are only a few people in the world who really desire to look at one's baby book. But just in case anyone is interested, here's the final product.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Reality

Today is 010111. The date alone makes me want to make a resolution.

I was thinking about my proposed resolution up until the final minutes of 2010. I could hear the fireworks exploding in the distance, and my mind was still filled with thoughts of blogging every day in 2011. The idea alone was making me tense. I was starting to panic even before the first day of January officially arrived.

I was thinking about my life. The reality is I home-school about 30 hours a week. I work about 20 hours a week. Part of my job is to write on a blog. I have four children who are hungry all of the time. They also produce a ton of dirty clothes.

I don't spend enough time reading my Bible or exercising or reading books or grocery shopping or cleaning. My house is cluttered. I need to clean out every closet and take the contents to Goodwill. I have a baby who likes to throw squishy bananas on the floor.

I want to update my blog every day. I can update my blog every day. However, I am choosing not to. (GASP!)

I know. This is so unlike me. I love to have goals and push myself to try new things. But I don't want the pressure. I don't want to turn something that is currently my hobby, my outlet, my joy into something I dread.

I am going to take a photo every day. And I am going to put it in a neat little folder on my computer so at the end of the year I can create a photo book with one photo of every day of 2011. I want to challenge myself to be creative with the photos that I take.

I might share some of those photos on my blog, but I'm not making any promises. I want to see how they turn out. And I'm not sure if they will really be that interesting to anyone outside my immediate family. I don't want all of my e-mail subscribers to leave me because I'm overwhelming them with daily photos in their inbox.

So, thank you to those who encouraged me. I really did appreciate it.

And now, after being inspired by notasupermom, I'm going to post a few other things I plan to do in 2011:

I'm going to check my e-mail as often as I like. I might even put my iTouch in one back pocket, the iPhone in the other and carry my iPad under my arm and then have a showdown to see which one can retrieve my messages faster.

I'm going to drink at least two cups of tea every morning. I will drink my tea with refined white sugar.

I am going to kiss my baby's bald head every day until she grows some hair. I am going to make her wear little hats with huge flowers and bows. I will talk in my baby voice as long as I can get away with it, saying things like, "You are the cootest wittle baby I evah did see. I wuv oo."

I am going to be a more daring friend. I am going to take risks and go out on a limb for people.

I am going to let the e-mail pile up in my inbox until I reach my storage limit or Comcast threatens to shut down my account.

I am going to read books to my children in foreign accents. This drives them crazy and they beg me to stop. I am going to try to annoy them as much as possible with this. On some occasions, I will teach them grammar in my deep south accent and give them spelling words in my Chinese accent.

I am going to play lots of board games with my kids. I might even watch a few movies.

I am going to make as many different kinds of soup as I can until winter is over. I don't care if no one will eat them but me. I will make soup.

I am going to continue to expand my shoe collection.

I will take naps. Lots and lots of naps.

I might update my blog every day some months. Or I might not.

So, 2011, bring it on. We just met, but I'm starting to love you already!

My year, according to Facebook

I compiled my favorite Facebook status updates of 2010. Here are the top 24. (That's two a month, you know.)

1. Jayda: "ga-ga-ga-ga" Translation: "So many pieces of furniture to spit up on, so little time."

2. I'm not sure how I'm going to tell my imaginary personal trainer on Wii Active that I haven't been showing up to jog in place on her fake track because I'm too busy dancing with my imaginary friends on Wii Just Dance. I think I'm getting more of a workout, too.

3. I'm wondering how the "French bread" I made for dinner is going to taste, since I just read the package and found out it was a roll of refrigerated pizza crust dough.

4. I'm thinking about going on my biannual run. I try to run one mile once every two years. It's a rigorous schedule so I want to make sure I'm mentally prepared before I just jump in.

5. Three children in awana. Spent the evening at awards ceremony. One out of the 3 actually made it all the way home with the award.

6. Matthew just asked me when I was a kid how old I had to be to have an iPod. :)

7. I love how the first born wants to make sure he completely understands the rules. The second born tries his best to break the rules. And the third born is like, "Oh, I didn't know there were rules!"

8. I love my 9-year-old. I asked him the difference between famous and obscure. Famous: "Barack Obama." Obscure: "A kid named Toto Baggypants who lived in Africa and only had nine friends."

9.The kids found a centipede in our house so they used the scissors to cut it into three pieces. When it was STILL moving, they suggested we put it on Facebook, my blog AND my iPod... "That would really froke people out," according to Alayna. (Froke is the past tense of freak, in case you didn't know.)

10. just discovered the best way to do laundry: "One load at a time." (If anyone wants to quote me on this amazing statement, please feel free. I'm sure it will be a famous quote someday. hahahaha.)

11. deep thoughts from a 9-year-old: "When Tiger Woods was good, it seemed like he was really good. But when he's not good, you find out his true character... I get tired of seeing his tantrums."

12. Alayna has an empty water bottle and she wants to know if she can use it for a "Skittles" bottle. Her plan is to go around the neighborhood and ask people if they have any leftover Skittles.

13. The 7 year old just came downstairs wearing swimming trunks, a firefighter jacket and carrying an Indiana Jones whip. Sometimes, I don't bother to ask why.

14. Quotes of the day: "WHEN is tomorrow?" ... and you can't let your toothbrush touch someone else's toothbrush because "you might get diabetes!!"

15. Hmmm... Not sure about certain little boys who beg me to go down the tube slide with them because my extreme weight will increase their speed, then to thank me they jump off at the end and make me flip into the water! Fun times!

16. Perspective is a great thing. Funny how when we had one child it seemed like we had our hands full. But now that we have four, and three are at a sleep-over, it seems totally quiet with one.

17. Quote of the week: Matthew: "So what's that smell at So-and-So's house?" Andrew: "I think it's... clean-ness." (Because, clearly, it's not a smell they are used to!)

18. Uncle! I've reached my limit. Just did the "emergency" load of laundry so we would have clothes for soccer tomorrow. The washing machine was on the spin cycle when I noticed the clothes still sitting on the floor. The load of water should be nice and clean.

19. Kent and I have been married for 13 years. He just said to me: "It's been the best 10 years of my life." Oh well... at least we make each other laugh!

20. We are studying biology this year, and we have read three different books recently with sections about the sea cucumber. When it is threatened, it protects itself by expelling its intestines. Another fish likes to live inside the cucumber and sometimes eats its insides. When we opened our book today and saw another setion on the sea cucumber, Alayna said, "Oh no! Not that pickle again!"

21. I love it when the kids, including their friends, all come inside for hot chocolate after playing outside since the crack of dawn, they take off their snowsuits and realize they are still wearing PJs. So funny!

22. iPad.

23. I solved the rubik's cube.

24. The zoo lights really put me in the Christmas spirit. I'm ready to get out the Christmas tree! Visiting the zoo in December inspired me to write this poem: At the zoo. In the Winter. No crowds. No animals.