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Sunday Linky Love
2008-08-11 07:53:00
People are still trying to make moms feel ashamed for breastfeeding in public. What a great letter for the tooth fairy! Admit it. You too have had thoughts of purposely leaving your naughty kids behind at least once in their life, right? Finally, a step-by-step tutorial on how to kill a fly. Oh, I love a good confession. It ...
More About: Love , Sunday , Linky

I Fought Vonage and I Won
2008-08-09 22:51:00
You may remember I had some issues with Vonage following my disconnection on July 7th. The gist of it is that I disconnected at the start of my billing cycle so Vonage had no right to take a monthly payment for July. I went back and forth with Customer Care (and I use that term “care” ...

Another year older
2008-08-06 06:29:00
Keaton is fourteen today! Hold me. © 2004-2008 The Bean Blog - All Rights Reserved. Visit The ...
More About: Help Me , Year

Sunday Linky Love
2008-08-04 07:26:00
Wannabe Hippie had to say goodbye to her cat this week. My heart is just breaking for her. Midwestern Mommy has had quite a week. She went to emergency care because of stomach pains. She quickly found herself admitted to the oncology ward and told she had cancer. The spent the next couple days running tests. ...
More About: Love , Sunday , Linky

Didn?t your mama teach you manners?
2008-08-03 05:47:00
Earlier this week there was a little Facebook meet-up at Hyde Park in London . Around 250 teens and young adults had a water fight to cool off from the “blistering heat.” (Do they have blistering heat in London because I was there in the middle of June a few years ago and it was darn ...
More About: Mama , Manners

First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes Taco Bell.
2008-08-01 06:45:00
After spending a couple of hours at the pool we decided to grab dinner at a fast food restaurant. After all we got some exercise at the pool so we could afford a few thousand hundred calories. Lee pulled the van in to the Taco Bell parking lot and drove around back towards the drive thru menu and speaker. As we turned the corner I noticed a car parked sideways (as opposed to in an actual parking spot). Next to the car was a couple snuggling on the curb. The girl was sitting on the pavement and the guy was straddling her from behind. He had his arms around her. They seemed to be watching the traffic coming in and out of the restaurant. Then I realized they were parking. Not parking as in I parked my car in this parking spot. But parking like when teenagers pull off to Love r’s Lane and neck in the car until the windows fog up. Only these people weren’t teenagers. And Taco Bell is so not Lover’s Lane. That’s when I realized just how happy I am that I’m mar...
More About: Marriage

Atlanta may be too rich for me
2008-07-31 07:02:00
I’m watching a preview of The Real Housewives of Atlanta . Have you ever seen these Housewives shows on Bravo. It started with Orange County Housewives. Then they added New York Housewives. I’ve heard rumors of New Jersey Housewives. And now Atlanta Housewives. Basically, each series is about a group of women with way too much ...
More About: Rich

Hi, my name is Cranky Ms. Crankypants
2008-07-29 05:37:00
It’s 10:30pm. I’m hungry, but I already ate. I’m tired, but I can’t sleep. I’m bored, but I have nothing to do. It sucks. I have hardly slept in the last two weeks. This is what happens when I’m on prednisone. I go to bed early, but then I just lay there unable to sleep. Last ...

Sunday Linky Love
2008-07-27 22:13:00
DadCentric welcomes two new dads to the mix. He does have a point. BlogHer could be the perfect place to pick up women. What do princess do? I’ve been there. Having no internet can drive a person crazy. It’s amazing to me that people don’t even realize how rude they can be. Did you know it takes 22 times to ...
More About: Love , Sunday , Linky

Thankfully we?ve captured it on film for all to see
2008-07-27 05:27:00
Today’s Public Service Announcement brought to you by The Bean Blog Association Against Hangovers, a nonprofit organization I just made up now. Stay away from the 7 and 7’s or you too may end up crashing to the floor right in the middle of your husband’s 20 year class reunion. And if you’ve had way too ...
More About: Film

Getting brave by graduation
2008-07-24 07:49:00
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve been kind of crabby the last few days. I think it’s a combination of the suffering I’m feeling at the hands of my asthma symptoms and my lack of sleep due to the prednisone I’m taking to cure those asthma symptoms. It’s just a big, vicious cycle. ...
More About: Graduation

Vonage stole $30.57 right from my checking account
2008-07-23 08:12:00
Remember my problems with Vonage ? Well it just keeps getting better and better. Let’s recap. Vonage has really sucky service. I work from home. On many conference calls people would say, “Christine I can’t hear you. You’re breaking up.” And I was on my home phone. That’s something I would expect occasionally from a cell phone as ...
More About: Verizon , Account

Is clean silverware seriously too much to ask for?
2008-07-22 06:19:00
Yesterday afternoon we went to IHOP to eat. When I was a little I loved IHOP. It was a special little treat because we didn’t have an IHOP in Iowa. So I could only go to IHOP when I visited my mom. I can’t remember if we went when she lived in California or if ...
More About: Clean

Sunday Linky Love (with a side of Thank You)
2008-07-21 07:49:00
Before we get to Sunday Linky Love I want to give two big THANK YOUs to some really great people who went out of their way to help Iowa flood victims. Lance of Dad2Twins who raised $160 on his blog. That money went directly to a young family with two boys who are in desperate need ...
More About: Blog , Side

I think this whole argument made me delusional
2008-07-19 12:24:00
The other day we were driving along in our automobile and the kids were in the back doing what they always do; arguing. I wasn’t listening at first, but apparently the fight was about Power Rangers. Caleb swears the Power Rangers have a sword. But Skyler is pretty sure they don’t. Caleb: Yes, they do. Skyler: No, they don’t. Caleb: Yes, they do. Skyler: No, they don’t. Well you get the picture. Then Spencer piped in with, “Skyler, do you even watch Power Rangers?” Skyler: Well I’ve seen it. Caleb: Well I watch it all the time so I should no. Skyler: Well I think you are delusional from watching too much Power Rangers. Caleb: I am not delusional. Skyler: Do you even know what delusional means? Caleb: Umm…Mom, what does “delusional” mean? Me: I’m not in this argument. Just leave me out of it. Caleb: Well we just need to know what delusional means. Me: It means crazy. Caleb: (looking at Skyler) What?!? You calling me cr...
More About: Made , Delusional

Foggy Albuterol brain
2008-07-18 12:24:00
I’ve been having some not so smart moments lately. I blame my asthma. All that Ventolin has gone straight to my brain and killed off some brain cells. First, my bluetooth headset died a sad, watery death. The kids and I were at the pool (as we are at least three times a week). I took off my headset in preparation for heading in to the pool to hang out with the kids. I lathered each of the kids up with sunscreen and they all ran off. Then I lathered myself up and I realized I had nobody to get my back. So I grabbed my headset (because it was easier than searching through my bag for my phone) and called Lee. He was supposed to be meeting us at the pool and I wanted to know how close he was; if I should wait for him to come slick up my back with sunscreen or if I should just go ahead and perform some contortionist routine to try to reach every inch. I was hoping for the former because there were a lot of people at the pool and god forbid I look like some weirdo trying to save mys...
More About: Brain

Some news and some whine
2008-07-17 01:17:00
So today is Wednesday and normally we would be enjoying Working Wednesday, but not today. Because today…SURPRISE…it’s moved to a new site. I’m now writing over at Iowa Moms along with a bunch of other wonderful Iowans. Come on over and check it out. I’ll be spilling all about balancing work and family and whatever else pops in to my head. Be sure to go back daily. Since we aren’t talking about working today let’s talk about what everybody else is talking about; BlogHer. While thousands of women (and a few men) were at BlogHer last year, Mrs. Flinger and I vowed nothing would keep us from the big conference next year. Well here we are at next year and I’m not going. (But Mrs. Flinger is so at least one of us kept up our end of the bargain.) I thought I was ok with my decision not to go this year. But now that everybody is talking about it I’m kicking myself. Decisions are so hard. Be a good mom and spend time with the kids or go...
More About: News , Whine

Does Wall-E hate fat people?
2008-07-15 19:28:00
Oh for crying out loud. Apparently there is a big controversy over the Disney/Pixar movie Wall -E. I guess some overweight people are upset about the way Wall-E portrays fat people. Give me a break. If you haven’t seen the movie let me give you a run down. It’s a cute love story between Wall-E, an old robot who was left on Earth to clean up the mess left by people, and Eve, a new robot Wall-E unexpectedly runs in to. The premise of the movie is that people are not taking care of their planet and eventually it gets so bad it can no longer sustain life. Since people can’t live on Earth they are all hanging out in a spaceship. On the spaceship technology takes over and people start to live a very sedentary lifestyle. Nowhere in the movie did they make fun of fat people. They did not make the people seem like bad people. In fact it was just the opposite. The people were all very nice people. They were just average people who were lured in by the power of technology and ...
More About: People , Hate

Pardon my fast food rant. It’s late. And I’m hungry.*
2008-07-15 00:07:00
What ad agency is Burger King relying on for their current ad campaign? The last few campaigns have been downright disgusting. There was the Western Whopper which makes you grow a mustache. Who in the hell wants a mustache from eating a burger? That so does not make me want to run right out and get me one of those. And now they have these infuriating commercials for the Steakhouse burger. Apparently you have to do something exception to be deserving of a Steakhouse burger or else you get slapped or called names. Seriously?!? It’s a fucking hamburger from a fast food joint. It costs what $4.59 when you buy it with a large fry and drink. Give me a break. I stopped eating at Hardee’s because they gear their advertising towards men. Which would be fine if they didn’t also alienate women in the process. But their advertising made it very clear that they just want big, hungry men to come eat at their restaurant. So I was more than happy to let them have them. I wonder ...
More About: Food , Fast Food , Rant , Fast , Late

Sunday Linky Love
2008-07-14 00:19:00
Just when i was starting to scream “that dirty bastard…” A little time management tip. What?!? There are people who have never heard of Andrew McCarthy? A conversation with her ass. And her asses response. Apparently Dockers, JC Penneys and TLC Marketing all suck big time. And TLC Marketing’s customer service is really, really bad. Rockstar Mommy is back. Well not really, but sort of. I know some of these Muffia members. And I hate them. I have so been there. In fact I was just there last week. Aren’t kids fun? Always remember your blog can be used against in a court of law. Still looking for a way to help out the Iowa flood victims, buy a t-shirt. © 2004-2008 The Bean Blog - All Rights Reserved. Visit The Bean Blog for more great content. Follow me on Twitter @ thebeanblog or on Plurk at thebeanblog.Find me on Facebook and LinkedIn.---Related Articles at The Bean Blog:Sunday Linky Love Sunday Linky Lo...

Growing up right before my eyes
2008-07-12 14:00:00
We’ve spent a lot of time at the pool this summer. We got pool passes and dang it we’re going to use them. In June we went to Chicago to visit my mom. While the kids were doing their very favorite activity ever in Chicago…swimming in the pool at Grandma’s apartment… (I know, you’d think it would be Navy Pier or Shedd’s Aquarium or even Great America. Nope. Their favorite thing is Grandma’s pool.) So anyway, while in the pool at Grandma’s house, Caleb got brave enough to swim on his own…without a noodle or holding on for dear life to either the edge of the pool or a family member. By the second day he had this swimming thing down. He wasn’t an Olympic swimmer or anything, but he got from point A to point B and he was pretty darn proud of himself. When we got home and headed back out to our city pool he kept at it. Every day he went a little bit farther in to the deep end, practicing his new swimming skills. He&rsquo...
More About: Eyes , Growing , Growing Up

Can you *cough* hand me that *hack* fax please *sniffle*?
2008-07-09 13:36:00
When I first started working at MCI (more than 10 years ago) we got 30 sick days a year. Yes you read that right. 30! That’s a lot. Most people (at least those who were responsible employees) did not use the full 30 days each year unless they had a medical emergency or gave birth to a child. We got 30 sick days a year, but our short term disability was less than desirable so we needed those 30 days to be able to stay home after surgery or baby birthing. When Worldcom bought us our benefits suffered slightly. Our annual sick days decreased from 30 days to 12 days. Although not 30, it was still a pretty impressive number of sick days. Our short term disability did not change. We still had to pay a small fee out of each paycheck to receive 66 2/3rd of our salary while we were on leave. And we only got that after we expired all of sick and vacation time. Which I never understood because why would they require a person to use all of their paid time when they had a baby. An infant w...
More About: Hack , Hand , Cough

Always read the small print…or why I hate Vonage
2008-07-08 23:09:00
I’ve mentioned before that we have had Vonage phone service. Yesterday we said goodbye to VoIP and got a landline installed again. It was part of a package deal. We also switched our internet and cable TV. Now we have just one bill for all three. But that wasn’t the only reason we switched. A long time ago I had MCI’s Neighborhood phone service. We got it right when bundling local and unlimited long distance was the cool thing to do. We were so excited to get unlimited long distance for the low, low price of $45.99 a month so we signed right up. And then the rates went up, up and up. Even with my $25 employee discount my bill was almost $40 a month. It was ridiculous. Then Vonage came along and promised unlimited long distance plus some international calling for just $24.99 a month. That was cheaper than what were paying so we were lured in by their charm and big promises. Last September we signed right up and didn’t look back. We had problems starting from d...
More About: Hate , Read , Small

Know what the best part of having kids is?
2008-07-08 05:00:00
Eating out. Before kids we would go out to dinner. Have some quiet conversation. Enjoy every morsel of our food. And leave the restaurant hand-in-hand with big, loving smiles on our faces. Now, with kids, we eat as quickly as we can having no clue what the food tastes like. We rarely talk to each other. Instead we spend much of the meal saying things like “get out from under the table” and “keep your hands to yourself” and “no you cannot have dessert because you haven’t eaten a single bite of your chicken fingers.” And we leave the restaurant in a jog hoping we can get out before anybody notices the mess we left behind. And tonight was no exception. But tonight we got some added fun. I don’t know what the boys were talking about, but all of a sudden. Out of the blue. Caleb yells out, while laughing hysterically, “you just said ‘up your butt and around the corner.’” And just in case the old couple across the rest...
More About: Kids , Part

Sunday Linky Love
2008-07-07 05:38:00
There was not one, but two 4th of July babies in the blogosphere. Momma Says the F Word had a boy just one minute in to the holiday. He’s a cutie patootie. And the Creep has a new baby sister; the Twerp (a.k.a Maggie). A big 9 pound 3 ounce girl. And Metalia finally had some time to tell us her birth story. Cynical Dad is running for congress. With Kermit the Frog as his running mate? I’m not the only one giving hair to Lock of Love . I can barely walk in flip flops so it’s no surprise to me that flip flops cause car accidents. Suburban Scrawl has some fond (well mostly) 4th of July memories. Are you a joiner? Or is the thought of singing “Row Row Row Your Boat” in the pool with a bunch of 2-year-olds like the four corners of hell to you? Instead of spewing more bloggy hate, donate to those in need. Speaking of manners on the internet, some people still don’t get it. Dad Gone Mad is educational? He’s just as shocked as we are. What? Gay marri...
More About: Sunday , Linky

4th of July family time
2008-07-05 20:37:00
Our 4th of July usually starts with us getting up early to run in the big race downtown followed by us filling our tummies at the pancake breakfast. Then we come home, get in to our red, white and blue garb, spike the boys’ hair with colored gel, and paint the girls’ toenails with a patriotic theme. In the afternoon we head over to my aunt and uncle’s house to celebrate my cousin’s birthday. And we end the night downtown watching the fireworks over the river. None of that happened yesterday. Now that my cousin is an adult and moved out of his family home there was no party. Since downtown is still recovering from the flood and there is a ton of cleanup going on there was no race, no pancake breakfast and no fireworks. And since we were to exhausted from swimming we didn’t paint our nails or spike our hair. A little part of me is heartbroken that we weren’t able to follow tradition this year. But then another part of me is yelling, “stop bein...
More About: Family , Time , Family Time

Vonage on crack
2008-07-04 16:46:00
The 4th of July is usually one of my favorite holidays. We have a lot of family traditions for the 4th of July holiday. Our cities Freedom Festival usually has a ton of activities scheduled for the holiday. There is the Red, White and Blue parade, the Balloon Glow, the annual kids race plus the 5K and 8K, the pancake breakfast and, of course, the cit fireworks display. Because of the flooding three weeks ago, all of that has been postponed until Labor Day. Since downtown was completely underwater and is now trying to dig out, we cannot have our usual festivities. It’s so sad. But one of our traditions was still on. Yesterday we had our annual family picnic at my grandma’s tree. And this year the whole family was able to come back (except for one of my cousins). My grandpa has been having some health problems, and was actually not feeling that great yesterday, but at least we were all together yesterday. It was wonderful to see the whole family again. A couple days ago my...
More About: Vonage , Crack

Getting high at the hospital
2008-07-03 04:10:00
I’m not a person who does well on medication. If there’s a side effect I feel it. When I take cold medicine I instantly have medicine head. You know the saying “high as a kite?” That’s me on cold medicine. Nyquil completely knocks me out. Within a half hour of downing a shot of Nyquil I’m out cold (no pun intended). And then I can’t get out of bed in the morning. Apparently I get this affliction for pain medication from my grandmother. Grandma cannot hold her morphine. My grandma had one of her hips replaced Monday morning. She’s been hanging out at the hospital ever since. Last night the morphine really got to her and she got a little loopy. She was convinced five of the nurses took her home with them last night. She said, “I was trying to figure out why they all lived in the same place.” Turns out they actually just took her to get a chest x-ray. Last night my aunt left the hospital around 5:30pm for supper. She returned ...
More About: Hospital , High

A day of makeovers
2008-07-02 05:58:00
There were a lot of big changes at our house today. First the backyard got a makeover. This morning my backyard looked like this: Then this big bobcat entered the yard. And now my backyard looks like this: We live on a hill. Actually we live on the side of a hill. Our yard is so bumpy I practically break an ankle every time I step outside. We’ve been wanting to level our backyard for years. The last two years we’ve put our pool in the front yard because there was no even semi-level place in the backyard. It’s kind of embarrassing flashing the neighborhood and every passer-byer from the pool in the front yard. I’m pretty sure the neighbors are sick of looking at my saggy ass and droopy boobies. Lee talked to his friend about coming over to level our yard a long time ago. In fact I think he first talked to him last year. He kept meaning to come over, but he’s a busy guy. With lots of excuses. Yesterday I answered Lee’s phone when Roger called. I ...

Sunday Linky Love
2008-06-30 02:21:00
Have you seen those green bags on TV? Ever wondered if they actually work? Pumpkin Delight tried them out and apparently the green bags do keep produce fresh, but not as long as they claim. A garden to attract humans. This is so true. Why can’t bloggers just get along? I read Dooce, Amalah, Bossy and Mrs. Fussypants and I love them all. And I can assure you they all have their own unique voice. Speaking of fighting within the mommyblogger community, Queen of Spain wrote a great Open Letter to Mommybloggers. With all this fighting I think we could all use a strawberry margarita with a side of humor (and a lot of cursing). Or maybe you like your margaritas frozen…on a stick. Popsicles for adults. Or if you don’t want that much tequila, maybe you want to try out some of the smoothie recipes from our Weary Parent Camp. It’s amazing how different Friday nights are after kids. I joined the itty bitty titty committee a long time ago. Unfortunately I was there even...
More About: Love , Sunday , Linky