The Great and Random Ramblings of Cannwin

I mentioned on Facebook recently that I had discovered how to make a gravatar (a moving photo). Then I sent it to a select few of my friends who had specifically asked to see it. Yesterday my brother in law called me to tell  me how much he loved seeing it. The problem was that I had not sent it to anyone in the family so I was pretty darn flummoxed as to how he had seen it. He was just teasing me and then tried to convince me to put it up on my blog. I explained that although I was excited about what I'd learned. The gravatar was of my dancing and I wasn't sure I wanted the world to see me bustin' a move. However, he convinced me. So now I'm here to present my first ever moving photo. If you want to make your own moving photo. You'll need to take several photos in succession. My camera does this if prompted to (it's called high-speed burst), my old one did not .You can then follow the steps in this YouTube video (for GIMP ): ...

10 things you didn't know about me but wish you had  ... or maybe not. 1. I had my first child when I was 21. (My second when I was 22). 2. I suffer from extremely violent nightmares that my husband usually has to wake me up from. 3. I have never taken a Geometry class (not even in high school). 4. My first memory consists of me climbing out of my crib and then promptly knocking a bookshelf full of canned foods on top of myself. 5. The laundry turn-around-time in my house is about 1 month. 6. I don't have any TV channels and don't ever want any. 7. I have had a blood transfusion. (Half of you just rolled your eyes because you know I love to mention that). 8. Once, when I was a teenager (16 or 17) I ran away from home in my mom's car, got lost and then ran out of gas. I ended up having to hitch a ride to a pay phone to call home for help. It was a pride-killing moment. 9. When I was 18 I kissed a 27 year old Italian guy (whose name I think was Gigi) in a...

1. Did you swear you'd never do something when you became a parent and now find yourself doing? Fess up. I swore my kids would never be the ones with the messy faces and snotty noses. I just knew I wouldn't let my kids wander around looking like the grapes of wrath. I thought to myself, 'Why do parents let their children go around looking like that!?' Now I know and I don 't care what other non-mom's think. 2. If you could only eat three foods for the rest of your life, what would they be? Ravioli's Homemade Mac & Cheese Parmesan Chicken 3. Retell your worst dating experience. Worst? Hmm, there was that one time I ended up on a blind date (that I didn't want to go on but had been pressured into) doubling with my ex-boyfriend and the girl he dumped me for. It was horrible. I had said no to the date like 5 times and then my ex showed up with the guy at my house... insisting that I come. I'm sure the new girlfriend remembers it just as m...

Hello. My name is Cannwin... not really but that's all you'll get out of me. I am a mother to four children that you can learn more about by clicking on 'characters.' I am married to a Law Student and I live in South Dakota. I am almost 30 which is slightly intimidating. I stay at home, day-in and day-out, with my four crazy kiddo's and experience many emotions some of which I share here on my blog. #1. Why do you blog? I love the written word and find blogging as a major outlet for the constant bouncing around that the English language does inside my head. At some point in my life I would like to be able to make some money at it and thereby not feel like a complete burden upon my husband. (which I rarely feel like, but hey...) #2. What do you blog about? Absolutely anything that strikes my fancy. I use a lot of prompts, I have several 'themes' that I pull from on a frequent basis (including, but not limited to, 'funny things the kids say,...

Amidst the flash of camera's and the scratching of pencils, Cannwin spoke to reporters this morning about the whirlwind that struck her home over the weekend. "I'm just glad we all made it through in one piece. To be quite frank, I was certain we were going to have some bumps and bruises." It all started last week when Cannwin realized she'd taken on to much. "I looked at my calendar and thought to myself, 'I'm only one woman.' " Cannwin, a professed member of the LDS faith did not blame her religion for her overscheduling. "Many people think that Mormon women are 'forced' to be perfect. That's a common misconception. I never feel pressure from the men in my life to be better. It's all self-inflicted." She went on to describe the events of those harrowing 48 hours. "Friday night I told my husband that I'd rather not go to bed, because then I'd have to wake up. It was a hard moment for me, knowin...

The kids have parent teacher conferences coming up this month which also means that the school's are having their annual book fairs. Yesterday the munckins brought home the mini-catalog with some of the more popular books (and prices) displayed inside. I perused through it and found this little gem of literary genius. *crickets chirping* That's right--they forgot to talk about the rabid llamas. I guess you write whatever you can when you're trying to get kids to read. Perhaps it's an exciting book for a little person but that description is lacking. It makes me think of a movie Ralexwin and I saw once (can't remember the name) about a cruise ship that's hit by a wave and flips over. The captain of the boat announces that they've become the victims of a 'rogue wave' and goes on to explain that rogue waves are fast, deadly and virtually undetectable. At this point in the movie we both started laughing. I can imagine the writing style: "I want to m...

I got this in the mail recently and really had to laugh. Talk about subtle product manipulation. I can't imagine how they were expecting people to respond. Did they expect this answer? Or this? There seems to be a certain amount of advertising charisma that we've lost in the past few years. It's sad, really, that such a talent replaced by this. *shakes head in sadness*

Have you ever taken one of those personality tests? The 'what's your color' sort of thing? I'm sure you have. According to Facebook this is my personality: There you go. I'm a big talker. But what about all those things that make up who we are that don't have to do with our social skills? What about them, huh? I propose a new type of personality test. The Acronymian . These would be the medical, educational, and whatever else things that have made up your life. The real you. Let's take a look see shall we? I am a: M-W-F- ACL - TMJD - PTSD -ADD-IUD Translation--I'm a married white female with a messed up knee, a messed up jaw, and a messed up brain, and I'm not having any more kids for a while. My husband: M-W-M-ES- OIF 2-BS- EIT -JD(almost but not quite) Translation--He's a married white male, an Eagle Scout and war veteran. He has a Bachelor's of Science in Engineering and is almost a lawyer. So what's your acronym? I mean if we'r...

Alright... which one of you generous Britainians (is that a word?) did it? You could have saved it for yourself and yet you did it for me. I'm touched *sniffle* Really I am. I mean with those odds. If only it hadn't gone in with my spam messages I could have retired to a tiny island in the South Pacific. *sobs* But really, whoever the generous soul was. Thank you... it could have been you dear UK-anite and yet you gave it to me--an American.

Hello. My name is Remewin. My mom likes to do my hair (because I have so much of it) but my dad keeps saying these things to her like: "You're such a weirdo." or "Why don't you bind her feet while your at it." I don't know what all of that means, but I sure don't like Dad's tone... I think he's mocking me. What my dad doesn't realize is that us girls like to get dressed up to go out and since I have so much hair I guess my mom figured I'd just start a little earlier than usual. The only problem is that this hair band sure makes my head hurt. I'm glad I have this pacifier in my mouth, they always help me when I'm feeling off.

It's the most wonderful time of the year With appliances breaking And cars that start shaking As holidays near! It's the most wonderful time of the year - They'll be parties for hosting Sweet relatives boasting Of all the things they have acquired There's the clothes that need sizing The coats that need buying And pricey things to be admired-- It's the slap-happiest season of all! When the bank accounts bleak And the Mastercards peak And the creditors all start to call! It's the most wonderful time, Oh the most wonderful time... It's the most wonderful time... Of the year! ------------- Did I mention our dishwasher broke... and is evidently not worth fixing. *sigh* I don't know why we keep calling repairmen, that's all they ever say.

I choked on my birthday cake it's sad but its true I choked on my birthday cake and everyone knew I choked on my birthday cake then spit it back up all over the table and into my cup I choked on my birthday cake and my daughter did cry 'oh no! my poor mother is going to die.' I choked on my birthday cake and learned a lesson or two like--when eating your birthday cake remember to chew.

Me : You're less likely to get the raspberries if I walk in and catch you licking the container, so stop crying about it! ... In fact go clean your room. 7 y/o box licker : But I'm starving. Me : Go. 7 y/o : Aaah! Mom! You are being so sensitive. Me : The word you're looking for is INsensitive ... now go! ------ Me : Hey, guess what? 6 y/o man : What? Me : I love you. 6 y/o : I knoooow, you always say that Mom. I wish you would stop. Me : Stop saying "I love you?" Never. 'Cause you know what? 6 y/o : Ugh. What? Me : I love you. 6 y/o : MOOOOOM! ------------- Overheard in kitchen by the dad: That's not how we treat a banana. ---------- 7 y/o reading dictionary : Zucchini!? Why do they have that in here? Everyone knows what a zucchini is. ----------- 5 minutes later 7 y/o : Ask me if I'm an elephant. 6 y/o : Are you an elephant? 7 y/o : No, I'm a wierdo with a dictionary. ------------ 7 y/o : No...

Have you ever seen the movie version of Monte Cristo? When Jacopo finds Edmond sleeping on the floor and asks him what the heck he's doing. Dantes replies that after 14 years on a stone floor it's a bit hard to sleep in a feather bed. Well, my son has the same sleeping habits. He never sleeps in his bed! He'll sleep in a doorway: He'll sleep on the couch. He'll sleep in our bed: He'll sleep in a chair. He's even been found in the hallway: But he avoids his own like it's a soft feather bed after a lifetime on stone. We've tried to break him of this over the years, it's no use. He's gotten to good. We wake up in the morning and find him with us... "Did you know he was in here?" "No, did you?" If we do catch him and send him back to his room we're more than likely to find him curled into a frozen ball on the couch the next morning (since he doesn't haul anything beyond his blue blanket--see above--with him). So Ralexw...

This is a very sweet video I took while lying in bed sick to death with my dear girl... it's a bit quiet so you'll have to listen hard (I have yet to figure out how to not cover the camcorder speaker--I can't seem to find it). I'll explain on the other side. So did you catch it? She's saying that she's sad she's sick because she doesn't want to miss the brain when it comes to school. ???? Evidently, according to what she says there is supposed to be a human brain making it's scientific rounds to her elementary school. Some of the kids are apparently totally grossed out by this, but not my daughter. No, she thinks it's about the coolest thing to happen since her grandma handed her a frozen Gogurt. So that's what she worried about all day yesterday and all day the day before. When her fever peaked at 104.4* her only concern was missing the brain. I told her she needed to ask her teacher when they were expecting it to come so that we could prepa...

(Background) I'm trying to get everyone out of the house in the AM when the baby comes to me with a missing shoe (at least the fifth one of the morning). ME: Where is your shoe!? You just had it. 2 year old: I nuh no. (translation: I don't know) ME: Alright everyone look for his shoe too. (5 min later) Me- at the end of my rope: BABY! WHERE... IS... YOUR... SHOE! 2 year old: I... NUH... NO!!! ---- (Background) I'm trying to get 6 y/o to read to me. Me: I think that says 'thirty butterflies' Him (exasperated): No! That says ten. Me: Oh, ten butterflies. Him: NO! There's no 'b' ... see it's got an L-E-G- and S... That spells legs, not butterflies. See... ten legs! You really should know that Mom. --- This one doesn't need background. 7 year old daughter: Maybe the reason your heads been hurting so much is because of how much you yell. --- 6y/o: Being angry is bad, when you're angry you get screws. Me: Wha...

List your top five favorite celebrities and why you like them. It can be someone from the past, present, or anywhere in between. Have fun! Eww, this ones a tough one because I really don't get to interested in celebrities. I can really get into the characters they play but once you learn a little about the person you don't like them so much. But I suppose celebrity can be anyone famous and not limited to actors. In no particular order: 1. Andrean Sudbury Why? I first heard of this man when I was in England and I began to read his blog. I think he had an affect on me because he was my age, even a little younger when the cancer hit him. He really used his last days to do good in the world. He faced death straight in the eyes and walked towards it. I can't imagine how terrifying that would be, but he seemed to handle it well and I really grieved when he died, even though I didn't know him. I still grieve I suppose. He was a very brave man. 2. Abigail Adams Why? ...