7 Quick Takes: Volume 24: Pearl Harbor, Mental Hygiene, Babies, and Stay-at-home Moms

Thanks to Jen for hosting! I'm oh so glad it's Friday. Well, in my world, not quite Friday, but there's something about it being the weekend for the man of the house - makes it feel like the weekend for all of us! So even though I work on Saturdays, I'm very thankful for Friday. Plus I get to write my 7 Quick Takes. It doesn't get much better than that!

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Today is December 7th, "a day that will live in infamy." Seventy-one years ago today, Japanese planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. America subsequently declared war on Japan, and later on Germany and Italy. Millions of lives were lost over the following four years. Today is a day to pray for the repose of their souls - may they rest in peace. It's safe to say that the events of December 7th, 1941, changed the lives of millions while altering the course of history. The patriotism and resourcefulness of this era is truly inspiring, however, and is a timely reminder of how our nation has banded together and overcome adversity in the past.

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I love the song "White Christmas", and the two films in which it plays a starring role: Holiday Inn and White Christmas. Don't get me wrong, though; I'm not necessarily dreaming of a white Christmas for myself! We definitely get snow here, but not usually until later in the winter. I love the nostalgia of a snowy day, but I almost always have to go to work and driving in the snow is kind of scary! Ok - last year, driving to work in 6 inches of snow at 5 am when I was 6 months pregnant and Dan was out of town was REALLY scary. But I did it anyway. And I was proud of myself. Back to a white Christmas, though - after watching news footage of cars chaining up on the passes this morning, I think the snow should stay where they're better prepared!

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Advent is upon us, and this year I'm doing a series of posts dedicated to "Advent Acts of Kindness." Each post describes a small act of kindness (read the first three posts here, here, and here). Yesterday's post is a giveaway! Yep, that's right. You can enter to win a set of grippy cookie cutters! Head on over for details.

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I just heard about a new app that was developed in a nearby city, and I have to admit, I'm a bit perplexed. The app claims to solve the problem of buying items you don't need and having the return deadline pass before you can bring the items back. Now, I must confess I've purchased things I don't need, or things I later changed my mind about. In fact, before Emily and Erin were born, I often bought things on sale with the idea I could return them if they didn't turn out to be something we needed. Now that I don't work outside the home full time, I shop only for items we really need or want, and I don't tend to return things unless they turn out to be the wrong size or are defective. I guess I'm perplexed by the need for such an app. The method of operation does sound pretty cool (you snap a picture of your receipt and all the necessary information is stored to give you reminders of the upcoming return deadline) but unless it was also keeping track of spending and helping with budgeting, I don't know that I'd want to need to use it. I may be forgetful, but I don't want to be this careless with my money! What do you all think?

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I've had a lot of fun this week curling up with the girls and watching those old black and white "mental hygiene" films on YouTube. I love the glimpse into 1940s and 1950s life - families sitting down for meals together; girls and women wearing flattering, modest clothing; a no-nonsense attitude towards good manners and clean living. What I like best of all is that the overall message is to do the right thing, not to be yourself at everyone else's expense. I think that the "be yourself" message can be a good one for kids to hear, but it's also important to know that there are expectations in society that might clash with individuality. It's our job as parents, and the job of our children's teachers, to show them when it's okay to "be yourself" and when they need to conform to social standards. Being different simply for the sake of being different isn't always a good idea.

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Emily and Erin are starting to interact! It's even cuter than I had imagined. Dan actually got a video over the weekend of Erin rolling over (she doesn't do this very well yet) and Emily watching her. As Erin started to struggle and get frustrated, Emily looked concerned, and then reached over to pull her sister's shirt - "it's okay, I'll help you!" Emily spends a lot of time trying to get Erin's attention, and Erin loves watching Emily. They are starting to sit up and play with toys, instead of just gumming their toys, and they do something new almost every day! Being their mommy is so much fun. I can't begin to describe how blessed I am to be their mommy!

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I've been contemplating something over the past week, and I'm curious to hear what all you readers have to say. In the past, almost all mothers stayed home when their children were young, choosing to take care of their families and make do on their husband's wages. Now, a fairly high percentage of mothers work outside the home. Obviously, times have changed, but it seems to me it's a "chicken and egg" situation. It's hard to say if more mothers are working because there is truly a need for two incomes, or if our overall standard of living has simply adjusted to reflect the trend of two incomes because more mothers decided to work outside the home. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!