The presidential pooch, a one year old Portuguese Water Dog, romped around the grounds of the White House with reporters and photographs capturing his every move. He played fetch and took breaks to investigate the white stuff.

Are you or someone you love a Bo fan? Check out some cute stocking stuffer and gift ideas!

~ Bo Obama Official Ty Beanie Baby
~ First Dog
~ Bo, America’s Commander in Leash
~ Fuzzy First Dog Doll
~ First Dog T-shirt

Post from: Blisstree

Presidential Pup’s First Snowfall

Alabama is my husband’s team. He grew up during the glory days of Bear Bryant, and he still remembers seeing the mighty coach standing on the sidelines or watching him eat Golden Flake potato chips on TV. If you think Alabama fans have put the Bear years behind them, you haven’t met my husband.

My son is an LSU fan. We’re not sure how it happened. Truman pledged his allegiance to the purple-and-gold a few weeks before the 2007 football season. That was the year they took home the national championship. This was when my son was his most clairvoyant. He almost always picked the winning baseball team or Nascar driver. When he predicted Obama would be president long before the Democratic primary, well, it was just freaky.

Here’s how much my husband loves our son – he bought Truman an LSU jersey. Truman wears it from time to time, especially when he and Daddy play football in the yard. Rick is willing to be most any team Truman makes him be, except Tennessee and Auburn. Last week Rick was Iowa. (Truman pronounces it eye-OH-uh.)

Sure, we bought Truman Alabama caps and jerseys even before he was born. We assumed we would raise an Alabama fan simply through osmosis. But for some reason, our son preferred choosing his own favorites. As much as it pains Rick, he is willing to let Truman be his own man when it comes to choosing sports teams. Rick is an avid New York Yankees fan; Truman prefers the Red Sox. Rick loves the Lakers; Truman likes the Celtics.

When we told Truman last week that we were going to see Alabama play LSU, Rick told our darling son that he could wear any jersey he wanted, including his LSU jersey. Truman said, “That’s OK, Daddy. I’m going to wear my Alabama jersey just for you.” My husband gushed with pride.

Those words alone from my psychic son led me to believe that Alabama would continue its winning streak. But at times it was hard to keep the faith. Thankfully, Alabama pulled off the win. Roll Tide!

We drove home that evening with our son strapped in the backseat. He was wearing his Alabama jersey and ROLL TIDE eye blacks, holding a crimson-and-white shaker and a paper hounds tooth hat fan, and shouting “Roll Tide” to passing cars. My husband turned to me, a proud papa, and said, “I think we’ve finally made him a Bama fan.”

Truman suddenly paused from his Bama chants. “You know, Daddy,” he chimed in. “I like Alabama, but I still like LSU more.”

Photo, JWJourney

Post from: Blisstree

Can You Influence Your Son’s Choice in Team

Obama, who has been working on the White House Garden and using said gardens to promote a healthier lifestyle, is appearing on the November 10th season premier of Sesame Street. Producers say that Obama will teach the furry friends of Sesame Street (along with young children all over the world via television) about the benefits of growing a garden and healthy living. Obama will also demonstrate how to plant tomato, cucumber and lettuce seeds.

From the show, Obama notes, “All these seeds need to grow are sun, soil and water. If you eat these healthy foods, you’re going to grow up to be big and strong, like me… I know you’re going to like these vegetables, because in addition to being healthy, they really taste great!”

The new season will highlight a two-year science initiative on “Sesame Street” called “My World is Green & Growing” which is pretty cool. When I was a kid one of the cartoons I remember the most from Sesame Street was this little recycling /trash cartoon – which by the way I’ve been looking for forever.

Source: Reuters

Post from: Blisstree

Garden with Michelle Obama on Sesame Street

Because of this event and the reactions:

• Parents have taken more notice of what’s being taught (or piped) in the schools to their children. Perhaps they will play a larger role in their youngsters’ education in the future.
• Hopefully parents have discussed the matter with their children and will do so when they get home today, expressing their views on why or why not this is a good idea and whether they agree with what the President has to say.
• Parents will research a bit more into the President’s philosophy behind his actions instead of accepting blindly what they think he says.
• All Americans, as well as parents, hopefully will discuss with others in a reasonable manner instead of being accusatory because their viewpoints differ. In many instances, this has become an emotional and ”place the blame” matter instead of one of sensible discussion. 

Additional Resources:

Boomers, Are Your Grandchildren Being Informed or Indoctrinated?

Obama’s Speech to Kids Released

Obama:  Should He Talk to Your Kids?

Obama – Education or Mind Control of Youth?

(I also thank everyone who responded to my blog posts about this matter and left comments.)

Post from: Blisstree

Obama’s Speech & School Children

Kara Mastin photo

If you’re operating a crafting business, you may be wondering if or how President Obama’s “changes” will affect yours.  Will some of the policies he’s introducing and, in some instances, already passed have a positive or negative effect?

I have a “change” poll at Home Biz Notes, where you can express your opinion.  You also can write your view in the comments section of this post or the one at Home Biz Notes.  It would be interesting to see whether you expect, or already see, a change of some magnitude.

Post from: Blisstree

Does Obama’s “Change” Affect Crafting Biz?

Image: sxc.hu

With all the “changes” occurring since President Obama has taken office, whether you agree or disagree, you’re likely to feel some effects in your life and craft business. 

Over at my Home Biz Notes blog, I’ve set up a poll, where you can express your thoughts about the changes this is bringing about or will cause in your craft business.  Since many crafters have developed an income source with their talents, they may be looking into the changes that could occur to this method of making a living.

Even if you live in another country, you may be wondering how changes in the United States could affect you.

Post from: Blisstree

Will Obama’s “Change” Affect Your Craft Biz

Elizabeth Edwards' new book will be released May 8

My mind moved with my body in tow through the distance of two rooms, to the open doorway of the bedroom where my mother used to sleep. The bed was empty and I heard my father through the bathroom door. He was retching. It was an awful sound, low and monotone, and I sobbed there, like a baby, on the hallway floor because life was supposed to be different for us.  

(My father tells me now he did not throw up. He was brushing his teeth and sometimes when he brushes his tongue he gags himself and makes that horrible retching sound. I’d rather believe the news of Mom’s death made him sick to his stomach because it’s more endearing that way. But, whatever.)

As idiotic as it sounds, when I read the reports of Elizabeth Edward’s interview on Oprah (scheduled for Thursday), and how she spoke about her husband’s affair, I understood when she said her reaction to her husband’s confession was to cry, scream and vomit. It brought me back to that day, when my mother died and my father threw up, because life had changed forever and ever.

And sometimes you just don’t want it to change. 

John Edwards broke my heart, too. He was supposed to be my president. I had chosen him before 2004, before he played second fiddle to John Kerry. And I was a bigger supporter when he ran again in 2008. I read a story in the New York Times magazine how he would serve as a champion to the underprivileged because, though he is insanely wealthy now, he hails from a humble background. I saw visions of Robert Kennedy in him. He was my candidate; (although my son was determined Obama would win). When Edwards withdrew just before Super Tuesday, so did I, temporarily.

I respected his love for his wife. And she won me over by being solid and loyal. There is no denying he is the more attractive of the two, but he seemed to look beyond that. And when the rumors began to circulate that John was having an affair, I refused to believe them because the John I know is good and honest and loves his wife with a passion – his cancer-survivor wife. The one who hid the lump in her breast as Kerry gave his concession speech to the world.

I don’t blame her for sticking with him, for trying to hold tight to that life she knew before the affair. But life is changed forever for her, like it changed more than a decade ago when her oldest son tragically died, and again in 2004, when she discovered she had breast cancer. Life rarely goes as expected. It sends you to great highs and treacherous lows. How one manages to hold on during those times and keep her sanity says a lot about a person.

I think that must be the value of being Resilient.

Photo, Barnes & Noble

Post from: Blisstree

In Defense of Elizabeth Edwards

We almost bought a house here in New Zealand that had their own family theater. It’s not as grand as the one in the US White House but it is good enough for commonfolks like ourselves. If I had a family theater, I’d have plush seats like the ones pictured above. I’d probably only have a couple and I’d probably get a leather couch for our guests to use when we have movie night at home.

In our next house I’m hoping we’d have another living room so we could convert that into our family room with a gigantic TV of course and leave the main living room or lounge in receiving guests.

What about you? Have you got a family room in your home?

Post from: Blisstree

You Love Movies? Home Theaters are great!

Bo on April 15th

Bo on April 20th

Bo on April 21st

[images: Pete Souza on flickr]

Post from: Blisstree

Bo’s First Days In Office

It will be “formally” introduced to the family tomorrow by Senator Edward Kennedy, but it’s already in Washington and has already met the Obama girls, Malia and Sasha.

With a little lei around its neck, the Portuguese Water Dog (also known simply as PWDs) sat patiently as the President and daughter Sasha gave it a pet. The girls have already decided on a name as well: Currently named Charlie, the six-month-old pup will be renamed Bo. The Washington Post says the name was chosen because first lady Michelle Obama’s father was nicknamed Diddley.

Though the First Family said they would adopt a dog from a shelter, PWDs rarely end up in shelters, so instead they’ve said they’ll be making a donation to the D.C. Humane Society.

[image: newscom]

Post from: Blisstree

First Dog Makes an Early Appearance