Weber Family Blog

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Changing Your Name

I got sucked into an article the other day called "retro marriage trend makes a comeback." I actually even followed it back to several other articles on this topic. I think you all realize I changed my name and it never really was a consideration to me to keep my maiden name (although my paternal grandmother thinks you should drop your middle name and use your maiden name in place of it...which she still goes on about....I (and my mother, who has been married 30+ years and never did it) get things from her addressed as such...). I did it because I wanted to and because I wanted to have the same name as my kids. My husband wasn't adamant I had to do it, I just wanted to. I felt it was part of getting married and being a unit. Now I will say, I think it is cool when a man takes a woman's name for various reasons as well. I can see why that might be beneficial. But I like the idea of sharing a name, albeit if you do it traditionally or not. I'm not sure if I'd call this "retro" though...as I don't think it really went out of fashion. Women just felt that they had to assert their identities...and there are many ways to do that, so maybe this isn't an important one.

I found the reasons why women changed their name in this article (and what I followed back from it) interesting. I also thought the professor who was saying it was from watching their mother's struggle with the name game that made them do it as well. I know that I've talked to women who have changed or hyphenated their names and some (who did it for good reasons) would have rather just changed it now. Something I hadn't thought of - and wouldn't have been an issue in the 70s or 80s - is the annoyance of hyphenated names and computer systems. So many system make up things like usename with your actual name and this has created a problem. Obviously, don't do something just to avoid tech issues, but that's another hassle. I think the issue of your kids' name is where it really comes in and if you aren't going to change, then do you hyphenate your kids' name, just have a different one, what, and I can see how that is complex, on all fronts. One of the women said she wanted to as a sign of her new identity, as that change to marriage...and I think that's moreorless how I see it. Now, does that means a guy doesn't? Well, I think the act of giving you his name does that....obviously, that's a sign of a patriarchal society, that we go that way, but that's part of who we all are. Maybe that's a little cheesy, but I think that's important to a lot of guys - that they can do that and that's part of how they show they are married and a unit, so it goes hand and hand with it (I am not saying that if you don't change your name, you aren't committed to your marriage, so don't read it that way).

I did see a story awhile back about a man who changed his name so his wife's family name wouldn't die out (it was important to her father) and then the government got all mad...that was ridiculous. The guy did the right thing from them and changing your name when married is legal...and if so for a woman, than also for a man!

I think it is also easy to do it young. I did it at 21 with no career behind me...it was easy for me to change "identities" per se, and it would be much harder now with a professional career in my name so I can see how something getting married older would have more issues with the name change.

Anyways, I got sucked in, so I felt like talking about it. So hopefully you enjoyed my ramble!

Interesting side note - I followed Sarah Millar back and she is doing a blogging project on the Baby-Sitters Club...rereading them and commenting on them as an adult. I was addicted to those as a kid...that was also a fun little side jaunt!

Rearranging

I rearranged the boys' bedroom as Andrew will soon be getting a BIG BOY bed!

New Bike

Adam got a new bike with training wheels!

Andrew had to try it too!

Sunflower

I planted Adam's sunflower...it looks pretty small so I hope it makes it!

New Zip Line

New zip line Thomas that Grandma and Great found at a yard sale (still in the box!)

Flowers on the Fence

I want to slowly increase the number of flowers on my fence...so I ordered three more hangers this year. I had to find new ones and resort to online, but these seem really great. I like they are adjustable!

Birthday Party Fun

We went to a birthday party for one of their friends today. It was at a local park and a lot of fun!

Trying to blow bubbles

Hawaii Burgers

I made these for Andrew's party and they got rave reviews. Ray has already been mentioned he'd like to see them again! They were so juicy and yummy!

Hawaii Burgers

Modified from The Book of Burger

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

3 tbsp. soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

1/4 cup onion, minced

2 tsp dark sesame oil

salt and pepper

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

pineapple

red onion

4 buns

In a large bowl, combine turkey, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, onion, sesame oil and S&P. Mix thoroughly and then divide into 4 parts. Grill, basting with hoisin sauce, until completely cooked. This will take about 10-12 minutes.

You can grill the pineapple if you want as well. Serve burgers with pineapples (others liked this, I ate my separately and we used canned so I didn't grill them) and onion (they recommend lettuce also).

Serves 4.

Some articles

I'm cleaning up my computers and I wanted to share some!

Hear Alexander Graham Bell's voice - really cool!

Revolutionary war fort found in Georgia - I have to admit, I'd love to work on a dig for a summer. Even just as a lackey, I think it would be fun

CIA Burglar who went rogue

Spring Cleaning

I'm working on spring cleaning and doing a major purge. Our church rummage sale drop off is Monday and I plan to have a huge pile! It is amazing how much junk we accumulate....

We have the laundry room done (where I'm piling all baby stuff currently), the storeroom/downstairs bathroom, Ray's area plus the guest room and the boys' room. The toy purge here was major! Ray took the boys for the day as I know they wouldn't like the idea of cleaning out, but it was all toys they don't use. Anyway, it is done! The flooring people start here on Wednesday, so that is also happening. Here's to having a shiny clean and somewhat clutter free house in another week or so!

Someone found an old friend after I cleaned - a truck with cars he hadn't seen in awhile!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Thank You Card

I had to make a thank you card for Ray's GTA. I really liked the final product!

My first sock

This is the cuff of my first sock attempt. I'll post some more later...suffice it say, this is NOT going well....The double points combined with size...a PAIN in the butt. I think I'm going to try this two-socks at once method next!

Swinging

Swinging together

Andrew's New Truck

Andrew got this from Grandma and Grandpa and Great and Great-Grandpa. He's always loved the Cozy Coupes when we are at other places so he got a Cozy Truck! He is in total love!

Already in the seat before Daddy got it together!

Gassing it up!

Cupcake Cones

I'd read about this awhile ago and finally got to try it! It is cupcakes but in ice cream cones INSTEAD of regular wrappers

I filled 2/3rds full each cone on a baking pan

Baked for about 20-25 minutes

Frosted!

Yummy!

Adam

Soccer participation

He grew this at preschool for me - they are sunflowers

Andrew

He loves to be "King" of the woodpile

Waiting for Adam's bus - we sit on the front step and read together!

Andrew's Fashion Statement

What a fashion statement!

Andrew's Birthday

My birthday card for him - he's a big THREE now.

Licking his cupcake cone

Opening a present

Making thank you cards!

Wheelbarrow that was a present!

Letter Fly

Project from school

Potty Training....

We are still doing really well with pee, just no progress on poop. We will continue on! This part takes time!

Lego Project

We get a Lego magazine that is free (we just sent in a flier from a Lego box we bought) and it has these AWESOME projects in it. They are easy and meant to be made with just regular pieces - so all those random pieces you have! They are also SHORT, which is a big deal for my 5 year old!

I totally recommend getting this magazine!