I have volunteered my time recently for acmepettransport.com...a group of volunteers who drive relay style to deliver pets from shelters to rescues and forever homes. Often people say, "I've found the perfect pet...unfortunately, it's also 200 miles away." We make the dream a reality by providing free transport. Additionally, we transport lost dogs home, and help neglected animals get to the right rescue for their needs.

I have already participated in one weekend transport...one dachsund, one German Shepherd pup, and one beegle/hound. It went smashingly well...and I encourage anyone who can spare a couple hours drive time to consider this endeavor. You get a good sense of accomplishment when you see a pup get home...and you get free puppy time.

Just tonight, I took in four pups and their mama from a neglectful home. They are woefully malnourished...but you can't tell it by their spirit. There are tails wagging and tongues delivering licks and kisses all over. Hopefully they will be able to get to a rescue within the week. I'll post pics and let you know how it goes tomorrow. I'd forgotten how puppies can wear you out.

Now this is some originality on eBay...quite funny.

Shopping for schools

Well my daughter is nearly two and I suppose it's never too early to wonder about her education. While surfing the net, I found Great Schools. You can find schools in your county or by address and if you are lucky, some parents have rated the school and the principal has included the schools information on the site. There isn't a lot of information posted currently, but it has the potential to be a great tool for parents.

You can also find local school "report cards" at the Ohio Department of Education.

SBS Quilt

I have been such a poor blogger that I don't believe I have noted that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

To call attention to this month, the Shaken Baby Syndrome Quilts will be located in the Cuyahoga County Justice Center from April 26th through April 30th. If you can't go to the Justice Center this week, this site has some information about the quilts and some pictures of the quilts' panels. You can find some older reactions to the quilt here.

Finally, here is the site for the Shaken Baby Alliance.

Breastfeeding--even when you don't feel like it

Kelly Mom has an interesting article on Breastfeeding when yousometimes don't like it. I agree with the central premise: "There are peaks and valleys with breastfeeding and sometimes you will thoroughly enjoy it, and sometimes you will resent it--but in the end you will not regret one day that you stuck with it, even though you were not feeling that joy 100% of the time. " The only caveat is that if you resent it for more than a few days in a row, if you're going on a week and it makes you resent the baby as well, if the numerous benefits of breastfeeding don't pull you out of your emotional slump, it might be best for all parties involved if you stopped breastfeeding.

And if you are wavering about breastfeeding:

1. Go to a lactation consultant.
2. Read this, which I mentioned here.

OK...so I'm getting progressive in my old age.

The Mommy Myth is an interesting piece.

I found this VERY interesting...

"If all the mothers of America were sent on a fact-finding mission, here’s what we would find. In Sweden, we would see that the government requires companies to give a new mother a year’s leave at 90 percent pay. It also provides nurseries for most children older than 18 months. A quick stop in Denmark would reveal that nearly half of the children under 3 are in publicly financed nurseries, and nearly 95 percent of children 3 to 6 are. On to France, where 95 percent of children aged 3 to 5 are in preschool. OK, you say, that’s Europe. Well, get this. In 1984, Brazil gave workers 12 weeks of maternity leave with pay. (That’s right, with pay.) Kenya mandates eight weeks of maternity leave with pay."

What We Owe to Parents: How public policy can support the hard work of raising children

Thoughts???

Random Quiz

Take the quiz: "The Wildest, Craziest, Most Massive Quiz Ever!"

An Awesome Austrian Australopithicus
Omigawd! I survived the biggest, wildest quiz on the internet!
I thought it would never end! Now I am posting this Tongue-Twisting result to dare you to take it.
Can you survive it?

Must have been the Platypus. Or maybe one or two other answers.

Happy Easter

I hope it was wonderful. Ours was fantastic. Hubby surprised us with an Easter Egg hunt for our daughter throughout the house. She loved it.

Hubby may be signing me up as I type

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy has spawned the inevitable spin-off. I always thought that I was more in need of their help than hubby. I'm a little afraid of who they might choose for celebrity guests.

Tis the Season for Peeps!

Now I've never liked Peeps, but the Peep-o-Rama amuses me. I have been a fan of the site since 1998, but unfortunately, they haven't updated it this year (And I'm still hoping for the incredible 50th Anniversary Peeps Gallery addition). The UConn Peeps tour was fun--too bad they had to take it down. But they still have Little Peeps on the Prairie and a hilarious gallery of peeps on parade.

You should check the site.

Happy Holidays to all.

I have been remiss in posting lately due to the new additions to my little farmette. My horses arrived on the 15th of March and we've been working on getting to know each other. I'm very excited, and very in love with both of them. My son, who is not quite two years old, has already learned their names and knows them on sight. We sat out in the nice weather on Sunday and just watched the horses romp and play. So much better than television!

I have also had my first run-in with "horse people" who feel that I have no business having these horses...lack of experience on my part and lack of experience on the horses' parts are the supposed reason for the rather direct judgment and attitude. Little do they know...I could care less what anyone else thinks about my life. I've made it this far without their approval, and I think I'll survive without it.

OK...vent over. :o)