Tiger Mom Loves Baby Piggies or False Advertising

According to an email I received the other day, there was a poor Mama Tiger in a California zoo who gave birth to tiger cub triplets. The poor cubbies died and the mother got depressed. She was failing to thrive.

The Zoo personel felt that if she could foster some other cubs it might reinvigor her desire to live. They contacted other zoos but were unable to find any orphaned tiger cubs.

What they found instead were a litter of piglets whose mother had died.

The zoo personel wrapped the piglets in tiger skins and put them in the habitat with the tiger. They then waited to see if the piglets would be a treatment tool, or if they would become lunch.

I thought this story was incredibly sweet and good blog fodder if it was true, so I checked it out on snopes.com.

Unfortunately the whole story was not true.

The pictures were actually taken in a zoo in Thailand at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo. This zoo has more than 400 tigers and occasionally gets bored with the normal tiger habitat exhibit so they cross exhibits by putting the tiger cubs in with a mother pig or vice versa.

This was the case with these pictures. All the same, these pics are adorable and serve to be a sort of Lion-laying-down-with-the-lamb example.

"Search My Blog" or "Does Everyone Know This But Me?"

I have been thinking about trying to find an addon for my blog that would allow people to search all of my blog posts.

Like a blog search engine.

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Then I realized there already is one.

Do you see that little box in the top left hand corner of the page? Right above the "The" from the blog title, and right next to where is says "search blog"?

Let's say that you wanted to look up the blog post where I listed 100 Chuck Norris jokes, or wanted to laugh again at my "maternal instinct" pictures, or wanted to reread the comments from my controvesial post about nutrasweet and diet soda, or maybe you are fairly new to my blog and wondered if I ever posted my Christmas Wish List, just type the topic into that little box, click enter and the marvelous power of the blog will reveal to you everything you wish to see, so long as I ever posted about it.

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I dare you to try it and leave a comment about what you found.

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Did you know you could do this? Am I seriously the only one who didn't know?

I Give In

I have debated for months whether or not I should allow my daily blog hits to assist me in more than merely puffing up my self esteem.

You may notice the new ad banner at the top of the page.

Hopefully, this new banner will generate an income for me from my little blog.

If this is a frustration to the 8-10 of you who actually know me and check my blog regularly, I apologize.

Much of my decision was based on the fact that more than 75% of my hits come from people who do not know me, and find me randomly through web searches.

I love that these people visit my blog, and is it a bad thing if their visits earn me a couple of cents?

I think not.

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For my beloved followers who love me and my blog, feel free to ignore the ads, and continue loving me and my blog.

I love all of you too.

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By the way, I am currently using Adbrite for my ads.

I heard about it from Aaron, Stock Investor Kid who also has some other great income generating ideas, as well as a great sense of humor.

More Good Stuff

Because the majority of this blog is merely me sharing random things that I enjoy, I feel compelled to clue you all in to a blog I found recently.

My Real Life Was Backordered is seriously one of the funniest blogs I have ever read. DeNae has a witty way with words that I can only envy.

Go check her out.

Her latest post An Epistle to the Roamin's had me laughing out loud.

Any one who has ever 1) read any scriptures or 2) ever had a child vomit during the night, will feel that you have found a kindred soul.

-Della

10 Simple Things

I am picking up a tag from Ally.

Ironically, this isn't even the tag that she assigned to me, (which I swear I haven't forgotten about), but another one she had on her blog.

It is simply, 10 simple things that make me smile.

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1. Hugs that I didn't ask for.
2. Getting pulled close with an arm around my waist while I am sleeping.
3. My iphone
4. Hearing a good song
5. Getting e-mails that someone has commented on my Facebook
6. Comments on my blog
7. Sunbeams in Primary
8. When everyone makes it to the bus on time
9. Little moments when I know God answered a prayer
10. When my puppy lays his head on my chest and gives me puppy dog eyes

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Alas, I could go on. But I will refrain for today.

Sooner or later I'll get around to doing 25 random things about me.

Hmm, probably later.

Have a great day!

A Poem About Cleaning, (and Why I Suck At It)

I don't know who wrote this, I got it in an e-mail from (can you guess?) my Grandpa.

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Cleaning Poem

I asked the Lord to tell me

Why my house is such a mess.

He asked if I'd been 'computering',

And I had to answer 'yes.'

He told me to get off my fanny

And tidy up the house.

And so I started cleaning up...

The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.

That really did the trick....

I was just admiring my work...

I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops I found

A real absorbing site.

That I got SO way into.

I was into it all night.

/sigh

Nothing's changed except my mouse

It's very, very shiny.

I guess my house will stay a mess....

While I sit here on my hiney.

I liked the poem, but the picture seemed especially appropriate for me.

Love you all!

Back to the Blog

School is back today!

I know there are people out there who would judge me for being grateful to send my kids back to school, but I really have no concern for what those people think, whatsoever.

I say Hooray for School!

Now I can get back in a normal schedule.

I can start blogging again every day, running a few times a week, having lunch with my hubby and have time to breathe.

And maybe sometime in there I'll have time to plan for primary and scouts.

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By the way, I want to say a BIG Thank you to everyone who gave me advice, help, suggestions, ideas, and support via commenting or e-mails about my new calling of Primary Chorister.

You had so many great ideas that I feel much more confident moving forward in this calling. I'll keep you all updated on how things go.

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I leave you today with a school related pic that would have to go under the category of "Things that make you go hmm".

When Does School Start Again?

Granted, my kids are a little bigger than this, but I am soo ready for Monday.

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Maybe- Hopefully- I'll get back in to my regular blogging and running and lunch with my husband schedule. I hope....

I'm the New Primary Chorister! Help Me!

So I accepted the call to be the Primary Chorister.

I really struggled with accepting it.

Not because I am afraid of the job itself, but because I am afraid of one more responsibility.

(I know, I've got it tough, right?) *Note sarcasm.

I had even substituted as chorister a couple of times. I should have known better than to look like I was having fun doing it. That was sure to get me called permanently.

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I am excited about it.

While I struggled with it initially, I was able to come to an acceptance, and even a positive outlook about it.

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But I am looking for help.

I want to do a good job. I want to give the kids a real love for these songs. I want to keep them involved and enjoying primary.

If you have any ideas, please, please, please share them.

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We are supposed to learn "I Lived in Heaven" this month.

Help.

Ideas.

Suggestions.

Support.

Please?

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Oh, and I'm staying on as Den Leader too.

The Dalai Lama's Instructions for Life

At the end of this year here are some good words of advice.

I love you all.

Thanks for sharing in my life and letting me share in yours.

I hope you all have a wonderful new year!

-Della Hill

10,000 hits! Time for a Give-A-Way!

When I logged on today and checked my site meter I was met by the 5 digit total of 10,001!

This is a momentous occasion. Momentous enough to be met with my very first

Blog Give-A-Way!

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So what to give?

I could think of nothing better or more original than the same thing my brother sent me for my birthday,

Screaming Slingshot Monkeys!

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The winner of this give-a-way will recieve no less than six plush monkeys with elastic arms that can be slingshotted across the room.

And as if that isn't enough, these monkeys will scream audibly, scaring children, animals, husbands, and co-workers as they fly.

They also make great Christmas presents.

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So how do you enter?

Simple.

Recieve one entry just by leaving me a comment and telling me that you want to be entered.

If your comment is extra funny or if you have a particularly good reason for wanting a pile of screaming slingshot monkeys, you will recieve another entry.

You can recieve 2 additional entries by talking about my give-a-way on your blog and providing a link back to me. (Make sure you mention in your comment if you are planning on doing this so I check your blog to see).

Any and all of my blog followers (new or old) will recieve an automatic entry.

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The winner will be drawn and announced next Friday, Nov. 22nd.

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Good luck everyone!

New layout

As you can see, the blog looks a little different.

I decided it was time for something new and visited onecuteblog.blogspot.com to find this.

Take the poll on the right to let me know if you like it.

-Della

Tagged Voluntarily

Another bloggie, Ally Pike, (yes, related to Pike's Pickles, but not the same person), posted a self questionaire on her blog and tagged anyone that wanted to to do it and post it on their blog.

So I did.

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I think. . . therefore I am.

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I know. . . God loves me.

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I want. . . to buy a house.

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I have. . . a really, really awesome family.

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I wish. . . . . . well, . . that’s a conversation I have to finish having with my husband before I can post about it.

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I hate. . . walking on spilled sugar or salt in bare feet. And having my toes stepped on.

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I miss. . . Chet, Liz, and all the other members of my family that I don’t get to see much.

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I fear. . . the economy getting worse.

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I feel. . . sore from my 8 mile run yesterday.

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I love. . . my job.

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I hear. . . My dog eating, and Ben 10 on tv.

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I smell. . . not very well. My olfactory senses are not so strong.

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I search. . . for good restaurants to have lunch at with my husband.

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I wonder. . . if people like me as much as I think they do, or if they are just being nice.

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I regret . . .buying that stupid Jetta. And losing touch with good friends.

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I care. . . genuinely about every child that has ever come into my home.

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I always. . . try to share love with those around me.

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I am not. . . perfect (yet).

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I believe. . . in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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I dance. . . in my head, all the time.

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I sing. . . to myself and along with my ipod.

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I don't always. . . remember what I’m supposed to be doing at the moment.

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I win. . . at love.

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I lose. . . at punctuality.

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I never. . . feel bad about taking time for me.

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I listen. . . to the spirit.

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I read. . . not as much as I used to- and in the bathroom.

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I am happy about. . . my life.

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Ok, I now tag YOU!

Follow Me!

(Have you noticed that you can tell how busy my life is by how often I post?)

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Blogger has a new tool to help you follow all of your favorite blogs.

You can become a follower to my blog and get feeds on your dashboard when I post.

It also helps me to know how many people love me and can't get enough of my blog. (Unless that number is so small that it makes me feel bad instead of good).

You can follow my blog (and the blogs of other people you think are awesome), by adding their blogs on your dashboard page, or by clicking on my Followers Box (On the right below my running log) where it says "Follow this blog".

As you can see, Pikes Pickles is the first to follow me.

Be next!

I Need Blog Help!

CALLING ALL MY BLOGGIES!

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I am teaching a Relief Society "How To" class next week on "How to Blog".

I feel pretty confident that I have a general idea of how to do this, but I also know that a lot of you out there have great tricks, ideas, tips and favorite gadgets and components that you like to use and see on other people's blogs.

I am asking for help and feedback.

Please leave me comments and tell me what you like and don't like about my blog, other blogs, your own blog.

What kind of blogs do you like to view?

What sites do you use for pics, layouts, videos and other blog components?

Any other ideas you could possibly share with me?

Even if you don't have a blog, but like to look at other peoples blogs, what things do you like?

Thank you in advance for your help.

I'll thank you again after too.

-Della

Prizes!

Hey everybody,

Click over to my friend Pikes Pickles blog today.

She is having a week of give-a-ways with a prize every day.

Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.

And if you plug her give-a -way on your blog (like I'm doing) you'll get and extra chance.

-Della

Video removed

I apologize profusely for the video that was posted yesterday.

I found a great video on Jibjab.com that you can see >>here<<, that made fun of our current presidential wanna-bes.

Only the one I posted actually had my face in it, so I thought it was extra cool.

But after the first time I watched it I couldn't view it again, and apparently the video I thought I posted was not the video that was playing for my viewers.

I make all efforts to make this a family friendly blog, so I apologize for the video that was apparently playing. I would never knowingly post anything that I feel would be offensive.

I still have been unable to view the video that was playing, so I don't even know what you were seeing.

Anyway, I apologize, and it has been removed.

-Della

My Newest Blog

I have a dilemma.

Sadly, I come across more creative, interesting, humorous, and inspirational pictures though e-mails, or just web wandering than I can realistically add to this blog without making it solely about pictures.

And since this blog is supposed to be about my life and times I have chosen not to do that.

But I have a solution.

I have created a new blog. Yes, another blog based attention seeking method, on which to post all of these pictures.

This new blog, which I have aptly named Della's Pics, will contain all of the blog worthy pics that I find.

It probably won't be added to every day, as I try to post on this one. But it will be added to regularly, so please take time to check it, and enjoy the pictures.

Be forewarned that some times some pics will be double posted, here and there, but enjoy them anyway.

The address is dellaspics.blogspot.com, but there is also a direct link from this blog in my list of blogs that I check regularly.

Thanks for caring.

Motivation!

We are in our last week of school here at the Beach.

Yes, I know most of the country is already out. All you lucky mothers will have your kids back in school weeks before I do.

It is law here in VA that the school year can't begin until after Labor Day.

I am trying to find activities for my younguns to keep us all sane this summer.

There is the rec center, the library reading program, possibly Busch Gardens, the aquarium, and a few others. But my favorite, I think will be the Beach. Yay, Beach!

Anyway, the point I am getting to is that posting may be irradic for the next few months while my schedule is awry.

Perhaps we will have a lot of great activity pics for you all to be jealous of.

But here are a few motivational pics to enjoy.

Wordless Wednesday

I am going to start doing something called Wordless Wednesday. This is a commmon blog tradition of just posting a picture on Wednesay, without commenting on it. Keeping with the idea that a picture is worth 1000 words. Of course, I've already broken the rules by explaining what I'm doing, but next Wednesday, watch out, No Words! Here's today's picture: