Somewhere in Washington County is a guy in a big yellow truck who thinks I’m crazy.
I was so overjoyed when the power came back on today, I got my daughter to make a thank-you card for the guys from the power company who restored our electricity after two days in the cold and dark.
As they prepared to leave, I ran out with her in my arms to deliver it. First I ran up to the window of the Appalachian Power truck, but he pointed to the guy in the Pike Electric truck, so we gave it to him. He didn’t say anything.
I’m sure he said it after we went back in the house: that woman is certifiable.
But I’ll tell you what – after a freezing cold shower by candlelight in a freezing cold house, and having to make my sick baby girl stay in bed until I could get the place warmed up with a propane heater, having no means to bake the thawed food in my freezer and – drama of all dramas – no Dora the Explorer – I literally jumped for joy the moment I saw a power company truck outside.
It was a reminder of all the things we take for granted – and a reminder, in this season of power-rate increases, just how valuable it is to have electricity.
I bet these guys are wary of disgruntled customers. And I bet they’ve been hearing an earful since Wednesday, when nature launched an all-out assault on the trees and electric poles in this area.
So I hope my happy over-reaction brightened their day a little bit – even if they do think I was nuts.

It’s incredible how much progress can take place in the span of a year.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, I made my annual trek back to my hometown, where it seemed there was growth on all fronts.

Houses, shopping centers, businesses and clinics popping up everywhere, buildings fixed up or replaced. While the news media continues to tell the story of a terrible recession, the visual picture of a place sometimes tells a different story.

After church on Sunday, on the way back to the townhouse my parents now inhabit, I stopped by the spring with my daughter. There wasn’t much space to pull over; another car was already stopped on the road’s narrow shoulder, and a man was filling up jugs with water.

For some people, progress is paying good money for bottled tap water from other towns. But despite the development that has transformed the rural community where I was raised, the spring there still flows – and people haven’t forgotten what springs are for.

It’s a bit harder to hear the spring these days, what with all the traffic, but up close it’s as alive as ever, with the water dancing up to kiss your cheek and, if you’re not careful, soak your clothes.

Even with the quickening pace of change, luckily some things stick around – if only through a force of nature that says water must flow somewhere. I can’t show my daughter the fields and pastures I passed daily in my childhood – but I can still show her the spring.

I feel like it’s possible to be thankful for two seemingly contradicting things at once: the development that has made our lives better in many ways and the bits and pieces of our culture that endure even amid progress.

My daughter’s new favorite song is “Ring Around the Rosy,” and she never tires of swinging around in a circle, then falling down, laughing and rolling around in the grass. You could get dizzy just watching her.

On Memorial Day, she led me all the way down to the end of the dead-end, where we spun around and fell down until the tall grass was just a silhouette against the clouded evening sky.

It’s good to see the grass already head-high and know, after three years of drought, that from the look of things Southwest Virginia’s cows are going to eat good this year.

And it’s good to reflect on the resilience of humanity. Take that rhyme, for instance. It’s common belief – though Snopes.com says it’s all a bunch of hooey – that “Ring Around the Rosy” originated during the Middle Ages and described the symptoms and mass-death that came with the plague.

Whether or not the song originated during the deadly 14th century pandemic, the connection real or imagined to that time of suffering is a stark contrast to its current state of laughter, to that part of humanity that, despite our troubles, lets us roll around in the grass laughing until the sun is gone.

Salary.com says a stay-at-home mom would make $122,732 a year if she were paid the going rate for all the work she does.

Working moms, in addition to the salary from their employment outside the home, would make $76,184.

The results elicited a cheer among my full-time-mom friends and, undoubtedly, many other moms around the nation who say their work is undervalued.

Whatever their salary and whether or not they work outside the home, moms are valuable!

Looks to me like a good excuse to give your mom a hug and thank her for all she does!

Questions, comments or suggestions? I’d love to hear from you! E-mail me at dmccown@bristolnews.com.

At the risk of stating a cliché, it’s tough being a single mom. But the truth is we’re part of a growing crowd.

Believe it or not, out-of-wedlock births jumped to an all-time high in 2007. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that about 40 percent of the children born that year were the sons and daughters of single women.

Look back a few decades, to 1950, and just 4 percent of children were born out of wedlock, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That’s quite a change. What’s more, in 2007 nearly 60 percent of the women in the 20 to 24 age group who had babies were unwed mothers. I was among them.

My daughter, born in April of that year, is now a two-year-old drama queen who’s almost too adorable for time-out. (Almost.)

Among mothers like me, now in our mid-20s, single moms are in the majority.

Which is not to say it’s right. Or good. A lot of people would tell you it’s downright scary. But it’s happening. Whatever your opinion, the consequences are real – not just for moms, but for society at large.

So this working, single mom of a toddler is joining the conversation on the Mommy blog. While I will continue to read with interest Sara’s posts about the antics and adjustments of a nuclear family, my hope is to supplement these stories with a few tales from a different front line, one dedicated to the rest of us.

Questions, comments or suggestions? I’d love to hear from you! E-mail me at dmccown@bristolnews.com.

Thank you, and happy reading!

My son is really into the computer.  He loves playing learning games on Nick Jr. and similar sites, and is really getting good at navigating websites.
Thankfully, he also loves to get outside and get some exercise as well.  However, I know that soon, the allure of the computer will be overwhelming.  So, I ask, how do you get your children to do split their time between computer and physical activity?  Do you set time limits on computer time?
Let me know!

By the way, I’m on Twitter, so sign up and follow me!  go to http://www.twitter.com and sign up.  My user name is sdiamondwjhl.

Thanks to the efforts of a high school sophomore in Los Angeles, the county board of supervisors there voted to name this week as “No Cussing Week”.
Student McKay Hatch started a No Cussing Club at his high school in Pasadena. Now the concept has spread. The club now has 30,000 on line members internationally.

I admire this guy for his efforts. I’ll be the first to admit that in tense moments, I’ve been known to let a cuss word fly, although I do not cuss around my children. My son knows that there are words that are not nice to say. If he hears someone on TV say, “Shut Up”, he gasps and says, “Mommy, he shouldn’t say that. That’s not nice.“ I know it’s not realistic that he will always think this way, but he’s only 5.

Do you think you could swear off cussing? Have you tried having a ‘cuss jar’ where you put in money every time you cuss?

Okay, I guess there is a lot of confusion about exactly which peanut butter foods are safe and which are not. 

I am planning on explaining this in as much detail as I can cram into the Medical Watch segment today, but I wanted to give you a website that has the complete list of recalled items.  You can search by food type, upc code, grocery store name, etc.  Here it is:

http://www.fda.gov

According to their website, there are 1844 products being recalled.

One food that is still safe?  Jarred peanut butter.  Most of the jarred peanut butter on the recall list is only sold to institutions like prisons and companies that products from peanut butter.

Please, if you have any concerns, check this website.  It is a great tool.  Also, if you notice some recalled products still on store shelves, let the manager know, and call us.

I’ve taken another step into the electronic world.  I am now on Twitter.  It’s not like other networking sites.  You can post updates of 140 characters or less on what you’re doing, where you’re going, what you’re thinking….pretty much anything.  There’s also a webpage devoted to Moms who Twitter:  www.twittermoms.com
Hopefully I posted it correctly.

Our website has a Twitter, and you can sign up to get updates.  I also think it may be a great tool to keep track of family members on the go, as you can check it on a computer, or texting through your cell phone!

Do you Twitter? 

“Is it cold enough for you?“

How many times have we heard people say that in the last week or so?  I don’t remember temperatures being this low since we moved here several years ago.  It feels like the Midwest!

We usually let Jaxon go outside and play, as long as he’s bundled up.  However, when it gets this cold, we bring him inside.  It’s even more difficult to bring him in when it’s snowing!  Why go inside when you can be building a snowman, or throwing snowballs?!

Do you still let your kids go out and play, or do you find activities indoors where it’s nice and warm?

I saw the school closings roll by this morning, and couldn’t believe the amount of flooding.  I know how devastating flooding can be (my hometown was flooded this summer) and I hope everyone is safe with minimal to no damage.

It seems we’ve had a very wet winter, which I know is good for our rain deficit as well as for farmers, but I’d like a little sunshine now and then! 

How did your family get through the rain the past two days?  Did you hunker down inside, or did you splash in the puddles?

Tune in tonight to see which area was hit the hardest by the rain and flooding.  We’ll have team coverage beginning at 5pm.

Have a great day!

How exciting is that?!  The twins, Zoey Marie and Keylee Ann are doing well at Vanderbilt Medical Center.  They were flown there after they were delivered by Dr. Eva Pickler and a large support team at Johnson City Medical Center Sunday morning.

Look for my story at 5pm!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year.  Let me know what you did by posting in the comments section!

Well, it’s finally here.  I’m not sure I’m ready for Christmas as far as gifts go.  I decided I’m not going to shop anymore.  Whatever I have for the kids, that’s it.  I know I have enough, but I always have that nagging feeling that I’m forgetting something important.

We will be with my parents, my sister and her two girls for Christmas, and I can’t wait.  I don’t get to see my sister that much, and the kids always have a blast when they get together.  With our family spread out over three regions of the country, it’s difficult for us to be together, but somehow we find a way.

I think it’s funny how I left home to start my career and be my own person.  Now that I’ve gotten married and had children, I want to move closer to my parents!  Oh, how times change!

This time of year is a big milestone for my father, as well.  after almost 40 years in law enforcement, he is retiring.  He has done so much for the county he lives in, in terms of saving taxpayers money, holding people accountable for their actions and trying to keep peace and order during the flooding in the midwest.  Congratulations, Dad!  You deserve it!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever you celebrate.  In the midst of all of the craziness, take time to hug those close to you and count your blessings!

We have begun the winter yuckies at our house.  Our toddler had walking pneumonia, RSV and an ear infection all at the same time.  Yikes!  So, our days were filled with antibiotics, oral steroids as well as two kinds of medication for the nebulizer. 

Luckily, she pulled through like a champ and is almost back to her old self.

Has winter illness hit your family yet? 

This morning, our son woke us up with an excited whisper.  “Mommy! Daddy!  There is snow EVERYWHERE!“  Naturally, I thought the roads were covered, and he’d be staying home today.  Then I looked out the window, and found snow on the neighborhood cars, trees and grass.  Hardly everywhere, but to our son, it was a big deal.  He has seen a lot of snow when we visit my parents, but he always wants to see more here in Tennessee!
Luckily, school was not cancelled, and our day continued as usual.
How do your kids react to the snow? 

Today I’m doing a story on kids and holiday eating.  Let’s face it.  During this time of year it’s a challenge to eat right.  It’s easy to stuff ourselves with turkey, gravy, stuffing, cookies, pies and other treats. 
Tune in today and learn how you can keep your child from overeating and regretting it later.  It may also help your eating habits during the holiday as well!
What do you do during the holidays to keep you and your children from overeating?

My son hates getting shots.  HATES it.  the last time he had to get his routine vaccinations, it took two nurses and my husband to hold him down while a third nurse administered the shots. 

Now that flu season is here, it’s time for him to get his flu shot.

I’m trying to figure out how I can tell him the truth, that he’s going to get a shot, without having to drag him in kicking and screaming.

How do you get your kids ready for shots?

My good friend and former co-worker Barbara Miller Shipley taught her daughter, who is four, about the election process. 

I talked with Jaxon about the election, and his class participated in their own ‘election’.  He seemed very interested in the process.  I hope he stays this energetic when he’s old enough to vote!

How did you discuss the election with your child?

Serenity now!

I hope all of you had a chance to get out and vote.  I voted this morning, and I was ready for a long line with snacks, water and my cell phone that has internet service.  I was pleasantly surprised that it only took 19 minutes total.

What kind of voting experience did you have?  Did you vote early?  Did you have to brave the long lines?

You know, just this year, more than 182,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women, according to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

Your chances of fighting and beating this disease are so much better when you catch it early. 

Last week, I had my routine mammogram, and took a camera along, so I can show viewers how digital mammography is changing the way breast cancer is detected.  It’s amazing how clear the image is, which makes it easier for the radiologist to interpret!  Thankfully, my mammogram showed no abnormalities, but I’ll be back in the office in a couple of years to get another!

If you need a reminder to perform self-breast exams, you can sign up for News Channel Eleven’s Buddy Check on our website.  I will send you a monthly e-mail.

For more information on breast cancer, and the fight to end it forever, log on to http://www.komentricities.org

Recently, I’ve seen TV commercials defending the consumption of “high fructose corn-syrup”.  There are a couple of them playing right now, and they both read something like this:

Person #1 is eating a snack/treat containing high fructose corn syrup (i.e.: a Popsicle).  Person #2 makes fun of them for eating something with HFCS.
Person #1 then shows #2 how HFCS isn’t that bad when consumed in moderation, etc. etc. etc.

I think I have some problems with this argument.  I admit moderation to most everything is key.  However, with the large amount of sweets and treats that contain HFCS, do you think most people would know if they were eating ‘moderate’ amounts?  And, what is a moderate amount?

Take a look for yourself at http://www.sweetsurprise.com or http://www.hfcsfacts.com/

I read somewhere on the internet that compared these commercials to the tobacco industry saying cigarettes are okay.  That’s a pretty strong statement.

On the flipside, http://www.webMD.com has several articles talking about the ill effects of HFCS. 

What are your thoughts?  Do you avoid snacks/treats/foods that contain HFCS?

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Palo, the town I grew up was evacuated, and is on lockdown.  No one is allowed in.  Folks with the National Guard are at every entrance to the town turning people away, whether they are homeowners, or potential looters.  I’m not even sure if there is anything left to loot.  Maybe the shingles.  I think that’s about all you can see.

Cedar Rapids, where I went to school and spent most of my days is also under water.  The downtown area is totally shut down.  Rescue boats drift where cars once drove.  The devastation is unbelievable.  I’m trying to wrap my brain around it, but it’s hard to internalize all of the photos I see on news websites.

I have several family members and friends who have lost everything (thankfully, my parents are still dry).  I wish there was something I could do, but for now the best thing is to pray for the people whose lives have been forever changed by the flood.

I know everyone has their problems.  Gas prices are high and we’re all trying to make ends meet.  But I’d be grateful if you could throw a few prayers and well-wishes toward the Mid-West.  Thank you!

Happier topics to come!

As a parent, one of the tools I need (and at times have to remind myself to use) is PATIENCE.
Other things:
Snacks and water on hand at all times!
An extra pacifier
I’ll add more as we go.

Add yours in the comments section.  You may inspire others! 

FDA informed consumers not to use or purchase Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream, marketed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., because the product contains potentially harmful ingredients that may cause respiratory distress or vomiting and diarrhea in infants. The product is promoted to nursing mothers to help soothe and heal dry or cracked nipples. Potentially harmful ingredients in the product are chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol. Chlorphenesin relaxes skeletal muscle and can depress the central nervous system and cause slow or shallow breathing in infants. Phenoxyenthanol, a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications, can also depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants. Mothers and caregivers should seek immediate medical attention if their child shows signs and symptoms of a decrease in appetite, difficulty in awakening, limpness of extremities or a decrease in an infant’s strength of grip and a change in skin color.

Read the entire 2008 MedWatch Safety Summary, including a link to the FDA News Release regarding this issue at:

http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Bliss

How did you celebrate the weekend?  Did you go to the lake?  Boone Lake is REALLY low this year.  I hope we get some rain.  Not during the day, though.  Wouldn’t it be nice if it could rain at night, while everyone is sleeping (or at work, for you 3rd shifters out there!), then turn nice and sunny during the day?  That way, everyone gets what they want!

Sickness while young can prevent serious disease later
Manuel Gallegus
CBS News

Sounds strange but researchers now think the common cold and other viruses may actually save young kids from a potentially deadly disease.

Daycare may protect children from a form of cancer.

According to a recent study kids in daycare could have a 30 percent lower risk of developing childhood leukemia. 

Dr. Adrienne Morgan, of Children with Leukemia Charity says, “Send your children to daycare, let them eat dirt, let them have lots of early infections.  It’s good for them.”

Another doctor, Saint Luke’s Kenneth Gottesman explains why it’s good for kids.  He says the theory goes like this:  Unlike stay at home kids, young children in daycare are exposed to plenty of colds and other illnesses, including pathogens, germs, viruses and bacteria.  So, their immune system is challenged at a very early age.

“That might help the body produce certain antibodies,” Gottesman says.

And that might protect against childhood leukemia, which usually strikes between the ages of two and five.

Childhood leukemia only affects a small percentage of kids so doctors say parents shouldn’t purposely expose their children to illness.  But going to daycare or hanging out at the playground on a regular basis should do the trick.

Gottesman adds, “I think these exposures are part of growing up and in general they’re minor, mild illnesses.”

And early exposure may benefit kids by helping their general immunity by exposing them to illnesses before they begin school.

In other words, getting sick now may keep them from getting sick later.

What do you think?  Post your comments!

Before I was a Mom:

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom:

I had never been puked on. Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom:
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late h ours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom:

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom:
I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom:

I had never r gotten up in the middle of the night every
10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Okay.  The lemon story Nate Morabito did this past week was fascinating and really gross at the same time.  Since his story, I have passed on the lemon in my water and tea.  I haven’t eaten seafood yet, so I don’t know what I’ll do in that situation.  Maybe I’ll buy lemon juice in the little plastic lemon at the grocery store, and take it with me.
Usually, I don’t over-react to stories like this, but when fecal bacteria and YEAST was found on the lemons, I decided to hold off on the garnish for a while.

What was your reaction to the story?  Let’s hear it!

My son is very excited.  He can’t wait to go to ‘big school’.

As his mommy, I’m torn.  On one hand, I am excited for him to begin this new chapter in his young life.  He is going to experience so many wonderful things, make new friends and learn so much. But this next step is a doozy for me.  I’m not ready to send him off to school. 

I’m really not worried that it makes me sound old (I don’t think it does).  I think it’s hard to see my ‘baby’ boy as a big kid, and ready to go to school.

I am excited, however, to watch him grow intellectually as well as physically this coming year. 

There are a lot of changes to come.

With a big smile, and a little tear in my eye, I’ll be ready for them!

We did a story last night about trade ministry leaders in Japan complaining about Crocs.  Evidently, the trade ministry received 65 complaints of Crocs wearers (and similar shoes) getting stuck in elevators.  The people at Crocs say (and the folks in Japan neglected to mention), is that the Japanese government has asked the escalator industry to improve awareness of safety issues. 

I guess that means they need to post those “escalator guidelines” at the entrance of the escalators like we see here in the states.  So, maybe people who ride escalators in Japan need to be taught how to pick up their feet when they step off the escalator!

For some reason, I found this story amusing.

I own a few different styles of Crocs, and I find them rather comfy.

Do you wear Crocs?

I am very excited for Saturday’s March of Dimes March for Babies at the Appalachian Fairgrounds in Gray!  I think the walk starts around 10am.  Please come out and show your support for the babies (and their families) in the Tri-Cities who need a little extra to help them grow big and healthy!

If you would like more information on the March of Dimes, log on to http://www.marchofdimes.com

Have a great weekend!

Some people there are struggling for some sort of normalcy, though their lives are changed forever.  I admire the strength of the faculty, staff, students and community for trying to continue with their lives, yet never forgetting the tragedy that took so many from the campus family.

Feel free to add your comments.

I am torn between keeping her on the stage 3, and starting to grind up our food.  I’m not sure her tummy is ready for that yet.  She still gets a little gassy with corn and bananas, so I think we’ll stick to the baby food for now.

When did you start feeding your kids ‘big people’ food?  Did you try the jar food?  Did they like it?  Tell me your experience!

I hope you have a great weekend!

I also want to start doing some springtime educational activities with Jaxon, so I went to my trusty search engine and found Familyfun.go.com

There are so many different activities, crafts, etc.  It will keep you and your children busy and having fun!

Are there any springtime outdoor educational activities you like to do with your kids?

I forgot how much I miss out on while I’m at work.  My husband kept telling me how he loved having me home at night.  He said it felt like we were a ‘normal’ family!

Do you or your spouse/significant other work a different shift?  If so, how do you handle family activities?

Now that I’ve written this, I also need to add that unnecessary weight gain during pregnancy is risky, so moms-to-be shouldn’t pack on the pounds to up their chance of having a boy.  I myself kept about five to seven pounds of baby weight after my first pregnancy, so I think I’m in the grey area.

For those of you out there who had a boy the second time around, do you think this is true?  Keep in mind it won’t happen every time.  Mother Nature still has a few tricks up her sleeve! 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Now that I’ve written this, I also need to add that unnecessary weight gain during pregnancy is risky, so moms-to-be shouldn’t pack on the pounds to up their chance of having a boy.  I myself kept about five to seven pounds of baby weight after my first pregnancy, so I think I’m in the grey area.

For those of you out there who had a boy the second time around, do you think this is true?  Keep in mind it won’t happen every time.  Mother Nature still has a few tricks up her sleeve! 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

I am so ready for the warm weather.

Our winter wasn’t that harsh, but for some reason, I am anxious for the temperatures to start rising.  Everything is starting to turn green and buds are on the trees (if not leaves). 

It’s a time of renewal.

Spring cleaning is on a lot of people’s to-do lists.  Yard work and home improvements will begin.

Don’t forget about yourself, either.  Your mind, body and spirit also need tending to!

What kinds of things do you do during spring?