You probably did know that.

I, however, for some reason, did not realize this until recently.

When I found out that my friend Laura, who blogs at Wife and Mom Under Construction, makes a blog book every year with that year’s posts, I had to find out more. She pointed me to Blog2Print (I think it was that one), but since I blog on WordPress.org rather than WordPress.com, I couldn’t print mine that way.

So, after some digging around, I decided on Lulu for my blog books. So far, I’ve got 2008 and 2009 done and I’m really happy with them. Lulu sends you a $25 off coupon good toward your first printing, so my 2008 book was practically free (I just had to pay a few dollars shipping) and my 2009 book, which was 185 pages, was nearly half price. They’re not cheap, but as family keepsakes, they’re totally worth it.

If you haven’t done this with your blog, you should really check it out. It’s so worth the time and effort to have it in print for posterity. Plus, you get a PDF version for free on Lulu, and probably the other print sites as well.

Not that anyone would want to buy it necessarily, other than maybe family, but on Lulu, you can also sell both print and E-book versions, which is pretty cool.

Here are my PDF versions:

2008

2009

I will be working on 2010 and 2011 this winter.

So, I need advice from the nail biters among you. Cody has been biting his nails since he was a tiny thing. They now look like this:

The nails are just about halfway gone and yet, he continues to bite them! We’ve had discussions about the necessity of him stopping, or he won’t have any nails left, but he still does it. When I see him biting, I remind him to stop, but my guess it that a lot of this goes on, without him even being aware, during school. Short of forcing him to wear gloves all day (I’m sure that wouldn’t create cause for ridicule by his classmates at all) or soaking his fingertips in vinegar (he hates the smell), what can I do? Will he chew away everything that’s left if given enough time?

Any advice, thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated!

You see, this particular holiday season has found me far, far down, where the sun just don’t shine. Normally, I adore Christmas and everything it brings, means and stands for, but this year was terribly difficult for a variety of reasons. I’m coming through the darkness onto the other side, finally; to my usual optimism and innate ability to thoroughly enjoy my morning cup of coffee, a beautiful, sunny day and listening to my kids’ chatter.

I don’t know when or why I stopped writing when I am unwillingly visiting The Dark Side (my term for clinical depression). As a tween and teenager, I filled journals with angsty prose, but as an adult, I’ve tended to avoid writing during these trips. Maybe it’s because I’m afraid of what will come out. After all, like so many other writers, my hand seems to have a stronger connection to my emotions than my brain does. It can be pretty scary to not realize quite how you feel about something until you write about it.

Then too, there’s the guilt over knowing that in the whole scheme of things, whatever I am going through is nothing, NOTHING, compared to what other people in my life are. This knowledge makes me go inside myself even deeper, because I have no room to complain. I just don’t. I have blessings galore, more than I can even name or realize, and I should be deeply grateful for each and every one of them. And under normal circumstances, I usually am.

But that’s what depression does. It lies to you. It thunks you over the head with despair and self-pity, and when you feel ashamed and guilty for being forced to indulge yourself in it, it lays you out flat with more. It’s ruthless, searing, yet at the same time, incredibly dulling. You go through periods of sharp, spiky emotional pain and others of feeling like someone ripped everything that makes you YOU away. There’s no joy, only brief periods of pseudo-happiness that barely touch the surface.

Thankfully, I haven’t taken a journey to The Dark Side for quite a few years and I’m beyond grateful that the trip is at an end. Depression isn’t something I’m proud of, but it’s something I struggle with from time to time, just like other people deal with diabetes or an overactive thyroid. That many people don’t understand it as an illness, even in this age, is sad and terribly uneducated.

Depression doesn’t define me, but it is a part of who I am. I’d like to think that it has made me a more empathetic person, as well as a stronger person. It has certainly forced me, at times, to work harder than most people have to in order to accomplish the bare minimum.

Here’s to a long, long vacation from The Dark Side, and a light-filled, productive and peaceful 2012 for us all.

Do you struggle with depression? How do you deal with it (medication, therapy, exercise, etc.)? How does it affect your family?

Enjoy your toys, Jen!

So, without further ado, here’s the lastest giveaway.

THE PRIZE:

A Peek-A-Shoe Octopus PLUS My Own Story Time Pad. This bundle is retail priced at $60!

TO ENTER:

♣  Leave a comment on my blog. Limit one comment per person, per day.

WANT BONUS ENTRIES?

♣ “Like” LeapFrog’s Facebook page. Leave a comment telling me you did it, as well as your Facebook profile name.

♣  Subscribe to my blog via RSS or email, then leave a comment letting me know.

♣  Tweet this giveaway and leave a comment with the link. (You can do this daily.) Optional phrasing for your Tweet: I’m entered to win a Tag Reader & Solar System Pack from @MomofTwinsPlus2. Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/7jy9822.

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PLEASE READ: Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time, Sunday, December 18, 2011. Any comments left after this time will be deleted. Open to residents of the U.S. only. The winner will be chosen by using random.org. Winner will have 24 hours to respond to notification with shipping info. If no response, another winner will be chosen.

GOOD LUCK!

Ally seemed to really like the songs; she repeatedly pushed the song button. She was also really excited when she found the ball under the right shoe. It’s an entertaining, educational toy. It’s not too obnoxious or loud. The actual octopus seems durable; Ally has been carrying it all over the house.

The balls are pretty hard. We had one get a little crack the first day. Kids are obviously going to be throwing balls, so they should be made to withstand the abuse.

I noticed that the octopus gets confused if it is played with on soft carpet. It gives incorrect answers sometimes.

Overall, it’s an exciting and encouraging toy. Ally has played with it a lot without any pushing from me. It’s good to teach counting and colors.

Next up: A giveaway combo of the Peek-A-Shoe Octopus and the My Own Story Time Pad. Stay tuned!

No comment on the misspelled last name.(He and I have been over it many times.)

As I began reading the writing journal, which contains tiny gems in both pictures and phonetically-spelled words, I said, “Awwwwwww…” out loud when I got to this one:

My translation: The most important manners is always be kind. Being kind is nice. It is fun too. I like being kind.

What elicited the “Awwwwww…” from me was the picture, in which Logan drew himself opening a door for other people and saying, “Ladies go first.”

“What?” said Logan, who was sitting across from me, doing his homework and heard my sigh.

“That’s so gentlemanly of you,” I said, showing him the picture.

“Aw, Mom, you’re making me dashful,” he said.

“Dashful?” I echoed.

“Yeah, you know, when you’re embarrassed? You’re dashful,” he explained.

“Oh, you mean BASHFUL,” I corrected.

“Yeah, DASHFUL,” he nodded.

It’s LeapFrog’s My Own Story Time Pad, and since it’s geared toward kids ages 24 months to 6 years (my youngest is 7), I decided to send it home with Dan to try out with his 4-year-old daughter. Here’s his review:

Last week I finally bought an e-reader. Like most of us these days, I’m trying to get what I want while staying on budget. After much debate, I decided to buy a Nook Simple Touch from Barnes & Noble. While my six-year old daughter will no doubt end up “borrowing it” soon, my youngest daughter, who is four, will not. This is where Leap Frog’s My Own Story Time Pad enters the market.

My Own Story Time Pad resembles one of today’s e-readers but has what my preschooler will relate to. The construction is what we can expect from Leap Frog, a solid and durable design. On the front there are four faux e-reader or tablet computer options. I call them faux because they are really meant to resemble the adult version. While they offer limited capabilities, they are enough for my daughter. The four options include alphabet, e-mail, a book and music with a paw print in the middle as the command or enter button.

The “Alphabet” mode allows users to choose a letter on the pad. A character voice pronounces the letter’s sound and uses it in a few words. The “E-mail” simulates e-mail from a character on the reader. The character reads the e-mail while the words are shown on the screen. In the “Book” or “Story” mode, a character tells a short story complete with simple graphics. Finally, the “Music” mode plays either a few children’s songs or allows the user to make music using the Pad’s keyboard using instruments and sound sampling. At the end of the mode function the Pad will ask if you have done another activity, like “have you checked your e-mail?” keeping the child busy and engaged much like we are when using an iPad, tablet computer or in my case, the Nook.

As a father, I think this will both educate and distract. I say distract because my youngest does not need a full-blown e-reader or tablet computer. With this she will know what a tablet computer or e-reader do and be a little more ready for them when the time arrives. The experience left me wanting more, but realizing that this is enough for my youngest…for now.

Pros:

Solid construction

Good platform for learning reading, as well as an intro to electronic devices

Cons:

Small screen

Simple graphics

Dan can be found at his blog, The-DG,

Look for a giveaway on this toy coming soon!

Congratulations to

Rondah Stepp of Stoutsville, OH!

Enjoy your prize, Rondah!

Congratulations to

Angela Winesburg of Frederick, MD!

Enjoy your prize, Angela!