My good friend, the one with 5 boys, told me last year when I was particularly frustrated with Jonathan's behavior "don't worry, once he starts school, things will change for the better." Who was I to argue? She certainly has experience in those matters. But secretly, I was thinking, what better child to defy a generation's worth of the inevitable? Jonathan would be sure to be the one holdout in a classroom of compliant children.
But happily, and with extreme caution, I can report that already, we're starting to see some of those changes. It started early. He had only gone to school one or two days, when I stopped hearing "pee-pee-potty." Now he tells me he has to use the "bathroom", and the other day, he excused himself from the dinner table, announcing he had to use the "restroom". Good heavens, who are you and what have you done with Jonathan?
Unbelievably, he has earned his gold stars every single day, even the day when he apparently fell off his seat in the computer lab - he still got a gold star along with a note from the teacher to "please work on teaching Jonathan to sit on his bottom". Mark and I shared a quiet chuckle over this one, after all, if Jonathan is even IN a chair, it's a victory.
The other day, Matthew was (supposedly) taking a nap and I was telling Jonathan to please keep quiet. We were walking down the hallway toward the kitchen, and I reminded him yet again to not run like a herd of cattle, when he turns around and tells me he's going to teach me a song. He puts his finger to his lips and starts whisper-singing "Quiet as a mouse, here we go...quiet as a mouse on tippy-toe...." all the while tip-toeing up the hall past Matthew's door. Whoa. Amazing.
He even likes to play school. He'll get the whole living room set up as a classroom, and calls the kitchen the "cafeteria". He plans a lesson! He announces it's reading time, or time to learn numbers or letters (he has these posters and he'll point to each number or letter and "teach" me what they are). Then there's "game time", coloring time, etc... All the while, he's the teacher, of course, and you never saw a child so still, so focused, so poised. He could play school all afternoon, if I let him. I indulge him a bit - I'll pour a cup of coffee and go in and learn my letters again. But I've now realized that we can also "learn" things like "how to unload the dishwasher" and "cleaning up the classroom before your brother wakes up and finds the crayons and colors on every surface we have, including the LCD screen tv". And HE DOES IT. Happily. With no WHINING!
I realize this is all part of growing up. But I don't think it's a coincidence that all these nice changes have come about just 3 weeks into him starting pre-k. So for now, I'm grateful, and looking forward to even more changes ahead!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
You've Got to Be Kidding...
So I read this article just the other day. I can't even remember where it was - but very possibly it might have been August or September's issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Yes, I get it. No, it doesn't help me make MY home and garden better, but we can dream, right? So there's this article about stay-at-homes. How in the past, a stay-at-home spouse was in a position to be coveted - after all, it usually meant that the family was so well-off, one spouse could afford not to work and had the "luxury" of staying home. It talked about the fact that some families don't do it for "monetary reasons", rather, they enjoy the fact that one spouse can stay home and handle the day-to-day affairs of the household, leaving their evenings and weekends free to have fun. Of course, they had an example - an interview with a family - one spouse stayed home - can't remember which one, but Monday and Friday were "errand" days, Tuesday was grocery day, Wednesday was laundry day and Thursday was cleaning day. "It all works out so well!" they gushed - they have the weekends free, no errands to run, no groceries to buy, food is there and prepared.....ok. So what in the world is wrong with this picture? As if setting aside an entire day to shop for groceries and an entire day to do laundry isn't ridiculous enough, this couple HAS NO CHILDREN.
Okay. You have no kids. And you still need all that time to get your day-to-day household business done? C'mon people, are you nuts? After all, how long does it actually TAKE to do the laundry for two people, one of which stays home?! Presumably, that's at least one person that doesn't need to be ironing and laundering special-care items that one would wear to work say in a business setting. And gee, does it REALLY take a whole Tuesday to shop for groceries for two people who actually EAT their food rather than sulk petulantly at the plate in front of them full of a carefully prepared meal that will eventually wind up in the trash?
I remember when Mark and I were just a couple. Our little family of two - we lived in a townhouse in Annapolis, we both worked at the same office, we commuted together, we played co-ed volleyball, we went out to eat with our friends, and SOMEHOW, we managed to get our laundry done, procure food for the house, and STILL had plenty of time to keep the place neat and orderly, and weekends were awesome - I still remember we used to have friends over, go out of town, go to the beach for the day, visit parents - I never once remembered staying home on weekends because OH NO - we both worked, therefore we had to go grocery shopping and pick up the dry-cleaning and it took an entire Saturday!
So I'm a little unimpressed with the logic. "Getting things done so the weekends are free" doesn't seem like a valid reason to be a stay-at-home. Take some advice from someone WITH kids, where's it actually an advantage to be a stay-at-home. We get all that stuff done, too, during the week. We drag our screaming, protesting, picky-eating, whining, and half the time, coughing and sneezing kids with us to the grocery store, the dry cleaners, the bank, the liquor store, etc... We do laundry when we can - throw in a load at 6am, by the time you're ready to leave for school or the library or wherever, it's ready to go in the dryer, fold it at midnight. And cleaning? Well, it's an ongoing thing. Maybe our homes aren't in Better Homes and Gardens (HA!) but things do get picked up, and the vacuum does get run once in awhile.
I'm not saying families of two shouldn't have a stay-at-home. Just please don't try to tell me the whole week is just filled to the brim with "errands" and "running the house." I'm thinking that there must be an awful lot of bon-bon eating going on!
Okay. You have no kids. And you still need all that time to get your day-to-day household business done? C'mon people, are you nuts? After all, how long does it actually TAKE to do the laundry for two people, one of which stays home?! Presumably, that's at least one person that doesn't need to be ironing and laundering special-care items that one would wear to work say in a business setting. And gee, does it REALLY take a whole Tuesday to shop for groceries for two people who actually EAT their food rather than sulk petulantly at the plate in front of them full of a carefully prepared meal that will eventually wind up in the trash?
I remember when Mark and I were just a couple. Our little family of two - we lived in a townhouse in Annapolis, we both worked at the same office, we commuted together, we played co-ed volleyball, we went out to eat with our friends, and SOMEHOW, we managed to get our laundry done, procure food for the house, and STILL had plenty of time to keep the place neat and orderly, and weekends were awesome - I still remember we used to have friends over, go out of town, go to the beach for the day, visit parents - I never once remembered staying home on weekends because OH NO - we both worked, therefore we had to go grocery shopping and pick up the dry-cleaning and it took an entire Saturday!
So I'm a little unimpressed with the logic. "Getting things done so the weekends are free" doesn't seem like a valid reason to be a stay-at-home. Take some advice from someone WITH kids, where's it actually an advantage to be a stay-at-home. We get all that stuff done, too, during the week. We drag our screaming, protesting, picky-eating, whining, and half the time, coughing and sneezing kids with us to the grocery store, the dry cleaners, the bank, the liquor store, etc... We do laundry when we can - throw in a load at 6am, by the time you're ready to leave for school or the library or wherever, it's ready to go in the dryer, fold it at midnight. And cleaning? Well, it's an ongoing thing. Maybe our homes aren't in Better Homes and Gardens (HA!) but things do get picked up, and the vacuum does get run once in awhile.
I'm not saying families of two shouldn't have a stay-at-home. Just please don't try to tell me the whole week is just filled to the brim with "errands" and "running the house." I'm thinking that there must be an awful lot of bon-bon eating going on!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Trouble A-Brewin'
If you've ever had kids of any age, but particularly, 4 and 2 year old boys, you know that this is nothing but trouble. Jonathan is allowed to use the computer - he has his own log-in (the others are password-protected) and he knows how to get it set up. He loves Noggin.com to play games, to draw and paint and to see his television friends come alive on the screen. But if there's one thing Jonathan does NOT do well, it is sit down, on his bottom, on the chair. He even got a notation about it from his pre-k teacher, apparently because he fell off his chair while in the computer lab at school. So, here he is, half-on, half-off the chair, and Matthew decided to take full advantage.The miracle here, is that for one, Jonathan even LET him climb up there in the first place. Usually, Jonathan will not tolerate the intrusion and shove him down before he can even get half a leg up. And the other miracle is that Jonathan actually tolerated it for a LOT longer than I ever thought he would. Hmmmm, could pre-k be making a difference? I removed Matthew in a pre-emptive strike - Jonathan never once complained about him. Of course, Matthew was sitting quietly and watching, not pulling Jonathan's hair for a change, and not grabbing for the mouse -- very uncharacteristic for my terrible-two!
Monday, September 15, 2008
More Thoughts on Recycling
A comment on my previous post inspired me to continue with the recycling theme. There's some history here, and a few questions. The first question is (or was): is the message getting through? Are people "getting" it? Are they understanding that recycling helps the environment, and can also help out with the "bottom line?" A good question, but here's an even better one: what are the communities and local governments doing to inspire people to reduce their own waste and embrace a more conservationist attitude?
Let's wind the clock back a few years. Okay, 15 years. Eek. I worked in Annapolis, in a cube for state government. So did a few friends. One of these friends used to stroll by my office almost daily, come in, peer into my trash, remove anything recyclable and take it with her to heaven knows where. To her credit, she didn't end our friendship over it. But nor did a few dirty looks and heavy sighs on her part convince me that I needed to put myself out long enough to go figure out what in the world she was doing with my empty Coke cans and then go do it myself.
Fast forward a few years. Mark and I bought a townhouse in Annapolis, and one of our first housewarming gifts courtesy of the Anne Arundel county government was a brand-spanking new blue recycling bin. We could set it out on the curb once a week loaded with a mishmash of bottles, jars, paper....we didn't even have to sort! How easy was that? And wow, it was free!! Well, as free as county taxes could be considered free, but let's not get off the topic. They also picked up our trash once a week, so who could complain? Then we moved to Allegany. Uh-oh.
Guess what? Allegany doesn't pick up trash. Nor do they give you shiny blue bins for recycling. Nope, you haul it yourself. Now some very enterprising folks bought some dump trucks and offer their services - curbside, that is, for a nice fee. We resisted for a few years, but finally gave in - after all, those disposable diapers (did I say that!) can get stinky in between trips to the local landfill, and don't smell too great in the back of a mini-van either. And recycling? Well, I must say, although they don't provide pick-up, the county seems to do a pretty good job of providing many places to recycle many things. Cans, bottles, plastics, newspapers, cardboard, motor oil, magazines, you name it. And unbelievably, half the time, the bins are so full you can hardly get your stuff in! Which begs the question: are there that many forward-thinking folks in this little mountain county? Or could there be...another reason?
Well, let's pick it apart a minute. Let's see, we have to contract our own trash pick-up. They come twice a week in this neighborhood. They'll take just about anything, but their unwritten rule is no more than 6-8 bags a week. Big stuff you still need to take to the landfill yourself. For the people that don't contract the pros, you pay 50 cents a bag (40 gallon maximum) to haul it yourself and heave it into these gigantic dumpsters at three or four dump sites around the county. You have to buy these bright orange tags at local vendors and stick them to each and every bag. With me so far? But guess what? Recycling is FREE. You can drop off plastic bottles, glass bottles, paper, all that, as much as you want, for free. So let's do the math. If a family of four generates 2-3 bags of recyclables a week in addition to regular trash, that's $1.50 a week at the landfill, well boy howdy, that's almost $80 a year saved by recycling alone. Effortless.
I'd say the Allegany County government has given families a bit of incentive to recycle, no? Let's see some other local governments start putting some surcharges on the amount of trash you're allowed to leave by the curb, and watch how many folks take a second look at the value of recycling.
Let's wind the clock back a few years. Okay, 15 years. Eek. I worked in Annapolis, in a cube for state government. So did a few friends. One of these friends used to stroll by my office almost daily, come in, peer into my trash, remove anything recyclable and take it with her to heaven knows where. To her credit, she didn't end our friendship over it. But nor did a few dirty looks and heavy sighs on her part convince me that I needed to put myself out long enough to go figure out what in the world she was doing with my empty Coke cans and then go do it myself.
Fast forward a few years. Mark and I bought a townhouse in Annapolis, and one of our first housewarming gifts courtesy of the Anne Arundel county government was a brand-spanking new blue recycling bin. We could set it out on the curb once a week loaded with a mishmash of bottles, jars, paper....we didn't even have to sort! How easy was that? And wow, it was free!! Well, as free as county taxes could be considered free, but let's not get off the topic. They also picked up our trash once a week, so who could complain? Then we moved to Allegany. Uh-oh.
Guess what? Allegany doesn't pick up trash. Nor do they give you shiny blue bins for recycling. Nope, you haul it yourself. Now some very enterprising folks bought some dump trucks and offer their services - curbside, that is, for a nice fee. We resisted for a few years, but finally gave in - after all, those disposable diapers (did I say that!) can get stinky in between trips to the local landfill, and don't smell too great in the back of a mini-van either. And recycling? Well, I must say, although they don't provide pick-up, the county seems to do a pretty good job of providing many places to recycle many things. Cans, bottles, plastics, newspapers, cardboard, motor oil, magazines, you name it. And unbelievably, half the time, the bins are so full you can hardly get your stuff in! Which begs the question: are there that many forward-thinking folks in this little mountain county? Or could there be...another reason?
Well, let's pick it apart a minute. Let's see, we have to contract our own trash pick-up. They come twice a week in this neighborhood. They'll take just about anything, but their unwritten rule is no more than 6-8 bags a week. Big stuff you still need to take to the landfill yourself. For the people that don't contract the pros, you pay 50 cents a bag (40 gallon maximum) to haul it yourself and heave it into these gigantic dumpsters at three or four dump sites around the county. You have to buy these bright orange tags at local vendors and stick them to each and every bag. With me so far? But guess what? Recycling is FREE. You can drop off plastic bottles, glass bottles, paper, all that, as much as you want, for free. So let's do the math. If a family of four generates 2-3 bags of recyclables a week in addition to regular trash, that's $1.50 a week at the landfill, well boy howdy, that's almost $80 a year saved by recycling alone. Effortless.
I'd say the Allegany County government has given families a bit of incentive to recycle, no? Let's see some other local governments start putting some surcharges on the amount of trash you're allowed to leave by the curb, and watch how many folks take a second look at the value of recycling.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Save Some Money, Save The Environment
With all the talk about rising costs here and every newspaper and magazine carrying articles about how to reduce use and stretch the dollar we're re-thinking our daily lives and have come up with some ways to reduce in our own home. This is by no means a complete list, just some of the things we've done recently. Every day I try to think how I can save more, or do just one more little thing that will translate into a bottom-line savings by the end of the year, either for us, or for the environment. So here's some ideas - if anyone has any more, let me know!
Reduce the plastic-bag-at-the-market waste: I've purchased 4 or 5 of the re-usable bags from the grocery store - the ones I got from Trader Joe's are the best! Did you know that you can fit 3 or 4 times the amount of "stuff" in them? So rather than bringing home 10 flimsy plastic bags that rip and tear, you bring home 3 or 4, and there's no waste. And occassionally, if I do get a drippy pack of chicken, I'll put that in a plastic bag, sure. But then when I get home, that plastic bag gets used as a liner for Matthew's trash can where his diapers go, or a liner for the bathroom trash can.
Light bulbs - I never thought I'd do it - I hated flourescent light. But the ones they have out now you can hardly tell the difference! There's a slight delay when you flip the switch, but after that it looks just like incandescent. Yes, they're tons more expensive at the outset. But they last for years, and save you money for every minute they're on.
Paper towels - whew we do go through some paper towels around here. But lately I've challenged myself to see how FEW I can use in a day, or a week. Whereas I used to make a salad and use one to catch all the peels, seeds, etc..., I now just use a cereal bowl and scrape the bowl right into the trash. Where I used to use one or two to clean up the kids after a meal, I now use a separate dish rag and launder it every other day or so. And spills? Well, why NOT dirty up a clean dish towel and toss it in the laundry? That's what they're for! I surprised myself - I tried to go a whole week by only using one paper towel a day, and wound up only using about 4 the whole week!
Plastic baggies - okay, ziplocs have their place, for sure. And we try to re-use them whenever we can and whenever it's practical. But when you're packing lunches and putting sandwiches, chips, fruit, etc...ALL into little individual zip-loc or other plastic bags, that's a bit of a waste. I try to now use waxed paper for most stuff - it's more biodegradeable. And I've purchased some re-usable plastic containers for things like sandwiches and snacks...not the MOST environmentally friendly choice - plastic to replace plastic...but at least it's not winding up in a landfill everyday.
The dishwasher - HAS an air dry cycle. We never used to use it. We do now. If we run a load after dinner, before we go to bed we remember to crack open the door to the washer and voila! By breakfast time, all the dishes are dry. If I have to run a load after breakfast, I do the same thing and they're dry by dinner. We also never run half-loads, and we never bother with pre-rinsing - it's just not necessary anymore. We also have an Energy-Smart dishwasher - courtesy of the previous owners of this home, so at least I can feel good about that!
Leftovers - this may be a no-brainer, but in the pre-kid days, we used to eat out so much that leftovers would go to waste too often. I can recall pulling the trash can over to the refrigerator and just dumping huge loads of food. Occassionally, I still need to "clean out the fridge" where I'll find a half of a lime leftover from a recipe where I only needed a tablespoon of lime juice, and a jar of salsa that is about 1/4 full and a bag of carrots that has one or two carrots that are starting to turn black. But usually, that's about it. Leftovers around here get eaten. Mostly it's because we eat out less, so there's more opportunity to get creative with last night's dinner. But more often, it's because in my head, I usually have a plan when I cook. I make herb chicken breasts one night, and the next, I'm cutting up the leftover chicken and sprinkling it in a salad. I also go to the market with list in hand, dinner ideas scrawled out in some fashion. It doesn't ALWAYS work out, but it's gotten MUCH better over the years!
So there it is. The list is ever-evolving. Some things we've always done like using cloth diapers part-time, and turning out lights when we leave a room, and setting the timer on our thermostat. But other things, we've needed to make some adjustments. Hope this list inspires you a bit!
Reduce the plastic-bag-at-the-market waste: I've purchased 4 or 5 of the re-usable bags from the grocery store - the ones I got from Trader Joe's are the best! Did you know that you can fit 3 or 4 times the amount of "stuff" in them? So rather than bringing home 10 flimsy plastic bags that rip and tear, you bring home 3 or 4, and there's no waste. And occassionally, if I do get a drippy pack of chicken, I'll put that in a plastic bag, sure. But then when I get home, that plastic bag gets used as a liner for Matthew's trash can where his diapers go, or a liner for the bathroom trash can.
Light bulbs - I never thought I'd do it - I hated flourescent light. But the ones they have out now you can hardly tell the difference! There's a slight delay when you flip the switch, but after that it looks just like incandescent. Yes, they're tons more expensive at the outset. But they last for years, and save you money for every minute they're on.
Paper towels - whew we do go through some paper towels around here. But lately I've challenged myself to see how FEW I can use in a day, or a week. Whereas I used to make a salad and use one to catch all the peels, seeds, etc..., I now just use a cereal bowl and scrape the bowl right into the trash. Where I used to use one or two to clean up the kids after a meal, I now use a separate dish rag and launder it every other day or so. And spills? Well, why NOT dirty up a clean dish towel and toss it in the laundry? That's what they're for! I surprised myself - I tried to go a whole week by only using one paper towel a day, and wound up only using about 4 the whole week!
Plastic baggies - okay, ziplocs have their place, for sure. And we try to re-use them whenever we can and whenever it's practical. But when you're packing lunches and putting sandwiches, chips, fruit, etc...ALL into little individual zip-loc or other plastic bags, that's a bit of a waste. I try to now use waxed paper for most stuff - it's more biodegradeable. And I've purchased some re-usable plastic containers for things like sandwiches and snacks...not the MOST environmentally friendly choice - plastic to replace plastic...but at least it's not winding up in a landfill everyday.
The dishwasher - HAS an air dry cycle. We never used to use it. We do now. If we run a load after dinner, before we go to bed we remember to crack open the door to the washer and voila! By breakfast time, all the dishes are dry. If I have to run a load after breakfast, I do the same thing and they're dry by dinner. We also never run half-loads, and we never bother with pre-rinsing - it's just not necessary anymore. We also have an Energy-Smart dishwasher - courtesy of the previous owners of this home, so at least I can feel good about that!
Leftovers - this may be a no-brainer, but in the pre-kid days, we used to eat out so much that leftovers would go to waste too often. I can recall pulling the trash can over to the refrigerator and just dumping huge loads of food. Occassionally, I still need to "clean out the fridge" where I'll find a half of a lime leftover from a recipe where I only needed a tablespoon of lime juice, and a jar of salsa that is about 1/4 full and a bag of carrots that has one or two carrots that are starting to turn black. But usually, that's about it. Leftovers around here get eaten. Mostly it's because we eat out less, so there's more opportunity to get creative with last night's dinner. But more often, it's because in my head, I usually have a plan when I cook. I make herb chicken breasts one night, and the next, I'm cutting up the leftover chicken and sprinkling it in a salad. I also go to the market with list in hand, dinner ideas scrawled out in some fashion. It doesn't ALWAYS work out, but it's gotten MUCH better over the years!
So there it is. The list is ever-evolving. Some things we've always done like using cloth diapers part-time, and turning out lights when we leave a room, and setting the timer on our thermostat. But other things, we've needed to make some adjustments. Hope this list inspires you a bit!
Monday, September 8, 2008
The BACONATOR
Okay, so I was sitting around watching some tv this weekend...I know, I know, real inspiring. But let me back up - Jonathan woke up with a cold on Friday morning and wound up missing his second day of school....I don't know who was more disappointed, him or ME! And in my quest to have him healthy and ready to return to school Monday (today), we layed pretty low this weekend. Hung out at home, I cleaned the laundry room, we watched some football (take THAT, Ocho-Stinko!) and caught some House episodes (that's a cool show!) since USA was running a House Marathon all weekend.
So on comes this commercial for Wendy's new sandwich, the Baconator. As if the name wasn't bad enough. Two "beef" patties, cheese, SIX slices of bacon...whatever. WHEN are the people in this country going to learn? Every time you turn around, there's some new huge load of food just ready to be purchased. Combo meals, combo platters, pick 5 for $5. Blah, makes me feel bloated just thinking about it. And the marketing agencies love it. The bigger they can make it look on tv, the juicier, the more crap they pile on, the more people will set aside their remote, grab their keys and dash out the door so they can wrap themselves around the latest pile of calories and saturated fat and then whine because their pants don't fit.
Don't get me wrong, my BMI needs a little work, and I address that every day. But it's only within the last year or so that I really started to be disgusted with the fast food industry. These people don't care about you, not one bit. Oh, they may claim they do! "We do it all for you". Yeah, right! What? Give you heart disease? Bigger burgers, bigger fries, "up"-sizing, "Do you want to "round that up?" (heard at Roy Roger's drive-thru recently), "super-value" combo meals...does it ever end? Remember the Shaq-Attack meal they had at BK some years ago? I swear that burger was like 8 inches in diameter. And with all the health issues and the media focusing on better eating and childhood obesity, you would think these national chains would get a clue. But no. And why? Because people are still eating there!
And the response of the fast-food industry: salads. Great. Okay, so I'm going out for a meal, presumably in a hurry or need the convenience, and I'm in my car....yeah, a salad is just perfect. Just the easist thing in the world to eat while whizzing down the highway at 65. Plus, if you add it all up, you realize you just paid $5.49 for something you can make at home, literally for about 90 cents. Yeah, they do it all for you all right.
Oh, yes, thank you Arby's for putting some deli sandwiches on your menu. Thank you for giving us another option that doesn't involve a fried burger on a white bun with cheese. Hmmmm, have you ever seen the nutritional information for these so-called "healthier" options? Most of Arby's new sandwiches are close to or over 700 calories and average 30 grams of fat. Add some curly fries and a Jamocha shake, you're talking enough food for two days for the average American.
I try. I really do. As a family, we eat very, very little fast food. When we do, it's usually breakfast since the kids really love their McPancakes. And chicken fingers and fries are easy to eat in the car for them and if I'm sick of making peanut butter sandwiches every day. But Mark and I have learned. We bring along a power bar or something, and get a coffee and watch the kids eat, or we'll go through the drive-thru to get the kids' food, then go get some sandwiches at the local deli and everyone's happy. And even the kids are limited. No more than once a week, and even that rule may need to be refined a bit. Don't want to be raising kids that when their pediatrician asks them what they like to eat, they say "Baconators!"
So on comes this commercial for Wendy's new sandwich, the Baconator. As if the name wasn't bad enough. Two "beef" patties, cheese, SIX slices of bacon...whatever. WHEN are the people in this country going to learn? Every time you turn around, there's some new huge load of food just ready to be purchased. Combo meals, combo platters, pick 5 for $5. Blah, makes me feel bloated just thinking about it. And the marketing agencies love it. The bigger they can make it look on tv, the juicier, the more crap they pile on, the more people will set aside their remote, grab their keys and dash out the door so they can wrap themselves around the latest pile of calories and saturated fat and then whine because their pants don't fit.
Don't get me wrong, my BMI needs a little work, and I address that every day. But it's only within the last year or so that I really started to be disgusted with the fast food industry. These people don't care about you, not one bit. Oh, they may claim they do! "We do it all for you". Yeah, right! What? Give you heart disease? Bigger burgers, bigger fries, "up"-sizing, "Do you want to "round that up?" (heard at Roy Roger's drive-thru recently), "super-value" combo meals...does it ever end? Remember the Shaq-Attack meal they had at BK some years ago? I swear that burger was like 8 inches in diameter. And with all the health issues and the media focusing on better eating and childhood obesity, you would think these national chains would get a clue. But no. And why? Because people are still eating there!
And the response of the fast-food industry: salads. Great. Okay, so I'm going out for a meal, presumably in a hurry or need the convenience, and I'm in my car....yeah, a salad is just perfect. Just the easist thing in the world to eat while whizzing down the highway at 65. Plus, if you add it all up, you realize you just paid $5.49 for something you can make at home, literally for about 90 cents. Yeah, they do it all for you all right.
Oh, yes, thank you Arby's for putting some deli sandwiches on your menu. Thank you for giving us another option that doesn't involve a fried burger on a white bun with cheese. Hmmmm, have you ever seen the nutritional information for these so-called "healthier" options? Most of Arby's new sandwiches are close to or over 700 calories and average 30 grams of fat. Add some curly fries and a Jamocha shake, you're talking enough food for two days for the average American.
I try. I really do. As a family, we eat very, very little fast food. When we do, it's usually breakfast since the kids really love their McPancakes. And chicken fingers and fries are easy to eat in the car for them and if I'm sick of making peanut butter sandwiches every day. But Mark and I have learned. We bring along a power bar or something, and get a coffee and watch the kids eat, or we'll go through the drive-thru to get the kids' food, then go get some sandwiches at the local deli and everyone's happy. And even the kids are limited. No more than once a week, and even that rule may need to be refined a bit. Don't want to be raising kids that when their pediatrician asks them what they like to eat, they say "Baconators!"
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Our Little School Boy
Just before getting into the car:
Now we're in the car, ready to go:
Just before we picked him up at lunchtime - he wasn't done coloring his fish:
The final product - his first art project! Not bad for 4 years old!
And that elusive gold star for good behavior. I'm still convinced she mixed up Jonathan with some other little boy -- we'll see how it goes from here on out!
So there's the pics of the first day of school. A good experience for all of us! Let's just hope the rest of the year goes as smooth.
Now we're in the car, ready to go:
Just before we picked him up at lunchtime - he wasn't done coloring his fish:
The final product - his first art project! Not bad for 4 years old!
And that elusive gold star for good behavior. I'm still convinced she mixed up Jonathan with some other little boy -- we'll see how it goes from here on out!
So there's the pics of the first day of school. A good experience for all of us! Let's just hope the rest of the year goes as smooth.
Today being Thursday, he didn't go, of course, but he is happily looking forward to going tomorrow. Today, though, we had to go to traffic court. Hmmmmmm....why, you ask? Well SOMEONE got a speeding ticket in July. Who? Well, it wasn't Mark, and Jonathan and Matthew don't drive yet. So who does that leave? Luckily, Mark's office is in the same building as the court, so he was able to watch the boys while I went upstairs and got probation for 6 months for going 81 in a 65. Oops, next time I won't get caught speed! They shouldn't be allowed to pull over moms in mini-vans. I wish some of these troopers would get the opportunity to drive ALONE with two children age 4 and under for 2 and a half hours. They would let mini-vans slide by the radar for the rest of their career!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Jonathan's First Day of School
Well, today was the day. Mark still has the camera, so I can't download the pictures, but I will later this week. How did it go? I would say....GREAT!
We started early: Mark and I were up at 6:30, sucking down coffee, me making waffles - the one thing Jonathan was guaranteed to eat in a hurry. By 6:50, we woke Jonathan, and Mark dressed him and sent him out to me, little sleepy bed-head guy. I gave him a waffle, noticed the clock said 7:00 and realized I could breathe. Mark then woke and dressed Matthew (what a great hubby!). I put Matthew's breakfast on the table, finished packing Jonathan's lunch, ate my own breakfast, washed some dishes, cleaned the countertops, brushed my teeth, washed some faces, combed some hair, supervised a potty trip, and poured a cup of milk for Jonathan. Time check: 7:25. Perfect. Into the car. WAIT! Stop for pictures!
By this time, everyone was fully awake, including the sun on what looked like a gorgeous day in the making, thank goodness. All we needed was pouring down rain, right? Not to be - it was sunny and bright.
Everything was smooth, the morning was flawless. Dropped him off at his classroom, and the one who had a meltdown was Matthew, who was horrified that we were LEAVING! I think Matthew wanted to stay with his big brother in that big, bright room full of cool toys! But Jonathan was great - he found an immediate friend and started playing with some train tracks, and when I told him goodbye, he threw me a little wave and said "Bye Mommy!" and went right back to his trains. Thank God. I didn't expect tears or hesitancy - after all, I know my Jonathan, my little social butterfly and I knew he'd fit right in. And all the excitement of the morning didn't give me time for remorse.
Mark and I picked him up together - we peeked in the classroom to see a room full of little ones, all sitting nicely and quietly, eating their lunches and coloring their pictures. Even Jonathan was still, quiet, compliant. Here I thought he'd be the one running amuck while all the other kids would be sitting nicely. He even got a star for good behavior! Does this teacher have a magic wand?
And then he came out of the room, backpack in one hand, lunchbox in the other. His face lit up when he saw us and he smiled, and as we walked toward the door, he turned and said "I love school". Enough said. I'm not sure there's a happier mommy anywhere right now!
We started early: Mark and I were up at 6:30, sucking down coffee, me making waffles - the one thing Jonathan was guaranteed to eat in a hurry. By 6:50, we woke Jonathan, and Mark dressed him and sent him out to me, little sleepy bed-head guy. I gave him a waffle, noticed the clock said 7:00 and realized I could breathe. Mark then woke and dressed Matthew (what a great hubby!). I put Matthew's breakfast on the table, finished packing Jonathan's lunch, ate my own breakfast, washed some dishes, cleaned the countertops, brushed my teeth, washed some faces, combed some hair, supervised a potty trip, and poured a cup of milk for Jonathan. Time check: 7:25. Perfect. Into the car. WAIT! Stop for pictures!
By this time, everyone was fully awake, including the sun on what looked like a gorgeous day in the making, thank goodness. All we needed was pouring down rain, right? Not to be - it was sunny and bright.
Everything was smooth, the morning was flawless. Dropped him off at his classroom, and the one who had a meltdown was Matthew, who was horrified that we were LEAVING! I think Matthew wanted to stay with his big brother in that big, bright room full of cool toys! But Jonathan was great - he found an immediate friend and started playing with some train tracks, and when I told him goodbye, he threw me a little wave and said "Bye Mommy!" and went right back to his trains. Thank God. I didn't expect tears or hesitancy - after all, I know my Jonathan, my little social butterfly and I knew he'd fit right in. And all the excitement of the morning didn't give me time for remorse.
Mark and I picked him up together - we peeked in the classroom to see a room full of little ones, all sitting nicely and quietly, eating their lunches and coloring their pictures. Even Jonathan was still, quiet, compliant. Here I thought he'd be the one running amuck while all the other kids would be sitting nicely. He even got a star for good behavior! Does this teacher have a magic wand?
And then he came out of the room, backpack in one hand, lunchbox in the other. His face lit up when he saw us and he smiled, and as we walked toward the door, he turned and said "I love school". Enough said. I'm not sure there's a happier mommy anywhere right now!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
My How You've Grown
This is Jonathan. In wading back through a bunch of pictures, I found this one, and it's as far back as I can access right now. I'm guessing he's about 14 or 15 months here. He's now 4 and a half, and will be starting pre-k in a few days, and while I find myself alternately happy as a clam and a nervous wreck, I've resigned myself to just not think about it the next few days, and just go with whatever hits me that first day.But in the meantime, I'd like to do something different, and share with you Jonathan's birth story. This huge milestone in his life takes me back to the day he was born, when I held him and wondered what time would bring. And since this blog is meant to be a journal of sorts, it wouldn't be complete without a story of how he came into the world.
It was a cold, snowy morning in March in Annapolis, MD, where we lived at the time. I was past my due date, and getting more and more anxious as the days went by, and more and more uncomfortable. The previous morning, I had visited my OB who told me I was about 3 cm dilated, but because it was my first baby, they weren't ready to push things along yet. If, she said, by Friday, this baby hadn't arrived, I would come in, and we would schedule an induction for the following week. Well, the next day was Wednesday, and at 4am that morning, I woke to a gush of water - my water had broken. I, of course, didn't know this, I thought I had rolled over in bed and wet myself. I proceeded to spend the next hour in the bathroom, alternately standing and sitting, trying to decide if I was still wetting myself, or if it was truly what I thought it might be. By 5am, I woke Mark. And by 6, I was on the phone with the OB. No, I wasn't having any kind of contractions. Yes, I was pretty sure it was my water. Go to the hospital at 8, she said. So for the next two hours, I called my parents, emailed my boss, some friends, some family, and sat by with Mark, watching the gentle snow fall on an ever-lightening, but pretty gray and cold day.
By 8:30, we had not only arrived at the hospital, but they had determined that yes, indeed it was my water that had broken, had gotten me checked in, assigned to a room and ready to go. But I still wasn't having any contractions. By 9:30, they decided I needed pitocin. And by 10, I was having contractions. Mild at first, then they started getting worse. They kept upping the amount of pitocin to increase the contractions, and finally, around 2pm, I was in full-blown labor. Trouble was, I wasn't having an easy time with the contractions, go figure, and I was still dilated only to 3. I tried a pain med, but all it did was make me dizzy. So there I was, still in the worst pain ever, and now dizzy on top of it.
By now, it was 3:30 and I was in agony. The nurses wanted me to walk, but I flat-out refused - I could hardly stand up, much less walk. My OB approved an epidural and it was immediately put in by about 3:45pm. God Bless epidurals. God Bless anesthesiologists. Relief!!! It was immediate, and it was wonderful. In one hour and 45 minutes, I went from 3cm to 10cm, and at 5:30, I started to push. Little did I know, the hard part had just begun! For the next two hours, I pushed, I heaved, I played tug-of-war with the nurses with their little rolled-up towel-ropes, I pushed until I thought my head would explode. Luckily, there was no pain. Zero. But I was sucking oxygen in between contractions, and I was exhausted. When he finally crowned, the OB, of course, was nowhere to be found. The nurses said - "just go ahead and breathe through the next few contractions until she gets here", which I did for the first one or two, but after that, I told them to get that OB in that room or I was pushing that baby out myself. My, that OB did appear quickly after that!
About a minute later, Jonathan entered the world....8 lbs, 2 oz, 21 inches long. It was a little after 7:30pm and I was just wiped out. But he was here, he was healthy, and that's all that mattered. Thankfully, his birth was an uneventful one. We had some issues later 0n - I was pretty sore and couldn't really sit down for about 3 weeks. And Jonathan had some inflammation in his neck called torticollis. But 8 weeks later we were back to our new normal, and since then, I can't believe all that has happened, and I can't believe in a few days, I'll be sending him out into the big world. He'll always be my tiny baby, my firstborn, that little guy I fought so hard to bring into the world.
Good luck, Jonathan, our little son. Get used to it early, since you'll be doing it for the next 13 years!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Educational Road-Kill
We took a trip to Altoona, PA this past weekend. Needed to do some shopping for Jonathan since he starts school next week. Why Altoona, you ask? Well, it's about an hour, maybe slightly more, away from us. It has many, many large retailers all close together, it's a nice drive, and Pennsylvania doesn't tax clothing. Hmmmm, so while we spent a ton more on gas than we saved on tax, we still got a nice outing, a nice drive, perfect weather and lunch at Olive Garden, which is pretty unusual for us (unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks for $5.99 - can't beat it)!
So we get on Rt. 220 North toward Altoona, and the road-kill begins. A squirrel here, possum here, porcupine up a few miles....this is nothing unusual, for some reason Pennsylvania doesn't get to their road-kill very quickly, if at all. We generally do see a LOT of dead animals along this route - maybe because a lot of trucks rumble through at night, but that's just a guess.
So we're crusing along, and we pass what looks like a fairly large animal, dead, of course, but we whizzed by so fast, we didn't really see exactly what it was. It started a debate between Mark and I for at least the next 5 miles. It was big, yes. Not a deer though - the fur was too long, too shaggy. A bear? Wrong color. Around here we have black bears, not grizzlies or brown bears. Ummmm, a rug that fell off the back of someone's pickup truck? :-)
Unable to reach a conclusion, we let it drop. Until late that afternoon, on the way home, when all the sudden, we remembered. Luckily, we hadn't passed it yet. We started looking, we slowed down. There it was. Wow. Bear. Definitely bear. But....again....wrong color. What the heck?
Well, guess what? Black bears do actually come in different colors, one being what they call "cinnamon". And upon researching it when we got home, we found that only 1% of the bear population in Pennsylvania is cinnamon in color. It isn't often you see a road-kill bear. It's not often you see a bear, period. So, road-kill aside, it was pretty neat to see one, particularly of that color.
And if you haven't blogged about road-kill, you just aren't blogging!
So we get on Rt. 220 North toward Altoona, and the road-kill begins. A squirrel here, possum here, porcupine up a few miles....this is nothing unusual, for some reason Pennsylvania doesn't get to their road-kill very quickly, if at all. We generally do see a LOT of dead animals along this route - maybe because a lot of trucks rumble through at night, but that's just a guess.
So we're crusing along, and we pass what looks like a fairly large animal, dead, of course, but we whizzed by so fast, we didn't really see exactly what it was. It started a debate between Mark and I for at least the next 5 miles. It was big, yes. Not a deer though - the fur was too long, too shaggy. A bear? Wrong color. Around here we have black bears, not grizzlies or brown bears. Ummmm, a rug that fell off the back of someone's pickup truck? :-)
Unable to reach a conclusion, we let it drop. Until late that afternoon, on the way home, when all the sudden, we remembered. Luckily, we hadn't passed it yet. We started looking, we slowed down. There it was. Wow. Bear. Definitely bear. But....again....wrong color. What the heck?
Well, guess what? Black bears do actually come in different colors, one being what they call "cinnamon". And upon researching it when we got home, we found that only 1% of the bear population in Pennsylvania is cinnamon in color. It isn't often you see a road-kill bear. It's not often you see a bear, period. So, road-kill aside, it was pretty neat to see one, particularly of that color.
And if you haven't blogged about road-kill, you just aren't blogging!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Did You Hear THIS Olympic Story?
Yeah, I indulged in a little of the summer olympics. Despite all the negative propaganda about the Chinese government, under-age gymnasts and the computer-enhanced opening ceremonies, you can't deny that watching the games and getting to know a little about the athletes is just plain interesting. And growing up in Baltimore, I'm especially fond of Michael Phelps, I mean, who wouldn't be? The guy is amazing. So it was with a bit of disappointment the other day as I was reading a commentary from Amanda Beard...remember her? Swimming sensation herself from either Athens or Sydney - can't remember, but probably Athens (2004 Games). Anyway, I remember watching her swim and of course, like many Olympic atheletes, hadn't heard another word about her in the mainstream media since then. Until a few days ago.
Amanda Beard just recently posed nude for PETA. Why PETA needs someone to pose nude is beyond the scope of my intellectual capabilities, but I digress. Anyhow, during a subsequent interview, she was questioned about her "dealings" with Michael Phelps. Only being privy to a very short segment of the whole interview, one is led to believe they are talking about romantic dealings, and presumably those that may have occurred during the Athens games. The interviewer asked some pretty personal questions, let's just say the question was as personal as you can get with dealings between a man and a woman....got it? Okay, so here's Amanda. I don't know the girl, don't even know much about her. But her response was something akin to "No way. Ewwwww. He's nasty...."
Real nice, Amanda. I mean, sure, not EVERYONE can be Brad Pitt. But let me tell you something, sweetheart, you ain't no Angelina Jolie yourself. So before you go calling someone else "nasty", take a good long look at yourself in the mirror...and not just your looks. Give your character a once-over as well. Because despite how you may feel about someone, it's really not nice to say such things, and trust me, nobody thinks you're cool. About all you accomplished is making yourself look like an ass.
A tip for Amanda: next time, let's try to have a little respect for our peers, shall we? Never know when it's going to come back and bite us in the (bare) butt.
Amanda Beard just recently posed nude for PETA. Why PETA needs someone to pose nude is beyond the scope of my intellectual capabilities, but I digress. Anyhow, during a subsequent interview, she was questioned about her "dealings" with Michael Phelps. Only being privy to a very short segment of the whole interview, one is led to believe they are talking about romantic dealings, and presumably those that may have occurred during the Athens games. The interviewer asked some pretty personal questions, let's just say the question was as personal as you can get with dealings between a man and a woman....got it? Okay, so here's Amanda. I don't know the girl, don't even know much about her. But her response was something akin to "No way. Ewwwww. He's nasty...."
Real nice, Amanda. I mean, sure, not EVERYONE can be Brad Pitt. But let me tell you something, sweetheart, you ain't no Angelina Jolie yourself. So before you go calling someone else "nasty", take a good long look at yourself in the mirror...and not just your looks. Give your character a once-over as well. Because despite how you may feel about someone, it's really not nice to say such things, and trust me, nobody thinks you're cool. About all you accomplished is making yourself look like an ass.
A tip for Amanda: next time, let's try to have a little respect for our peers, shall we? Never know when it's going to come back and bite us in the (bare) butt.
Friday, August 22, 2008
LaVale's NEW McDonald's
Imagine this: you pack the kiddos into the car, promising McNuggets and fries for lunch, head to the local McDonald's, and when you get there, the McDonald's is....a pile of rubble. Yes, this actually happened to us - April or May I believe it was. No worries, at least, not too many. There are 4 other McDonald's within reasonable mileage of our home, and we could wait a few months while they renovated. Why did they renovate? Well, apparently, the MickeyD corporation felt the structure was outdated. Since it had been built before the drive-thru era and the drive-thru had to be subsequently retrofitted, the parking lot configuration was a bit awkward, and evidently, so was the interior since the employees had to go down steps to enter the drive thru area themselves. This, plus it seems many McDonald's are getting a face-lift these days I'm guessing triggered their decision to knock the whole thing down and start again from scratch.
Well, guess what? They just reopened. Must've happened just as we got back into town. On Wednesday, I took the kids to see what it was like. Oh boy. Not sure what Ronald was thinking here. First of all, it's smaller. This is not good. If you've ever seen this particular McD's the morning of a WVU home football game, everyone and their brother on their way to Morgantown wearning navy and gold piles in and you can barely get in the door. And when Fall color starts in the mountains. And when summer weekends begin at the lake. This is a busy little place, all year round. And not only did they make it smaller, the seating configuration is just...stupid. Where they could've put in a ton of seats, they've got this artsy, semi-circle configuration of booths and tables facing a giant-screen tv...hmmmm...just what I needed as I ate my fast food, more television.
But wait - they've got the McCafe now. Now you can order Cappuccino and McLatte. And Iced McMocha. Which I tried, only because I was given a free sample. Now I'm not a fan of iced coffee to begin with, but...it just wasn't that great. Very sweet. Too sweet. So when the guy passing out the free samples noticed me tossing mine into the trash (oops!) he approached me. Asked me what I thought. I told him - too strong, too sweet. He says "too strong coffee or too strong chocolate?" Chocolate, I told him. He smiles and says, well, that's because they're putting extra shots of chocolate in all the mochas so people will "like them better". Whaaaattt? People who LIKE mocha or iced mocha like them because they like them, not because they're as sweet as a cupcake and loaded with chocolate syrup. Oh well, I guess they figure most of the clientele at McDonald's isn't going to like a reasonable rendition of mocha or latte or whatever...and I can't see why not, after all, their paletes are discriminating enough to enjoy the finer things in life, like a Big Mac.....
Oh well. Maybe they'll do okay. Maybe the WVU fans will stick with the new and improved drive-thru, now that they're certainly not going to be able to get a seat anywhere. And maybe they'll figure out that McCafe just isn't going to attract the crowds they're thinking about, and they'll convert that area to more seating!! Hey! Great idea! Ronald, are you reading?
Well, guess what? They just reopened. Must've happened just as we got back into town. On Wednesday, I took the kids to see what it was like. Oh boy. Not sure what Ronald was thinking here. First of all, it's smaller. This is not good. If you've ever seen this particular McD's the morning of a WVU home football game, everyone and their brother on their way to Morgantown wearning navy and gold piles in and you can barely get in the door. And when Fall color starts in the mountains. And when summer weekends begin at the lake. This is a busy little place, all year round. And not only did they make it smaller, the seating configuration is just...stupid. Where they could've put in a ton of seats, they've got this artsy, semi-circle configuration of booths and tables facing a giant-screen tv...hmmmm...just what I needed as I ate my fast food, more television.
But wait - they've got the McCafe now. Now you can order Cappuccino and McLatte. And Iced McMocha. Which I tried, only because I was given a free sample. Now I'm not a fan of iced coffee to begin with, but...it just wasn't that great. Very sweet. Too sweet. So when the guy passing out the free samples noticed me tossing mine into the trash (oops!) he approached me. Asked me what I thought. I told him - too strong, too sweet. He says "too strong coffee or too strong chocolate?" Chocolate, I told him. He smiles and says, well, that's because they're putting extra shots of chocolate in all the mochas so people will "like them better". Whaaaattt? People who LIKE mocha or iced mocha like them because they like them, not because they're as sweet as a cupcake and loaded with chocolate syrup. Oh well, I guess they figure most of the clientele at McDonald's isn't going to like a reasonable rendition of mocha or latte or whatever...and I can't see why not, after all, their paletes are discriminating enough to enjoy the finer things in life, like a Big Mac.....
Oh well. Maybe they'll do okay. Maybe the WVU fans will stick with the new and improved drive-thru, now that they're certainly not going to be able to get a seat anywhere. And maybe they'll figure out that McCafe just isn't going to attract the crowds they're thinking about, and they'll convert that area to more seating!! Hey! Great idea! Ronald, are you reading?
Some Texas Pics
Just a few pics from Texas - the top one is Mark's family - his mom and dad, his sister, Donna, niece Chloe and brother-in-law Peter. As it's almost impossible to get a good picture of everyone, including the over-sugared 4 year old, I'm posting this one, because even though Jonathan is looking away, trust me, it's better than the other one! The others? Just a few random shots. Mark loves to take nature pics, so the butterflies were all his work. Jonathan even had a little butterfly land on his head - that was at the zoo. And the pic of my little guy sitting all by himself in the Japanese Tea House? That was actually taken in Austin at the botanical gardens. We were taking a break from the heat and the sun and it was cooler in the little stone house. A word to the uninitiated: if you don't like the heat much, don't travel to South Texas in August.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Mexican Coke?
So while in San Antonio, we were staying in this nice suite courtesy of the Marriott Corporation, which had a nicely equipped kitchen. To save a little money and to save our waistlines from 21 straight meals restaurants, we managed to eat most meals in, which required several trips to the local market for supplies. On one of these trips, I happened to stumble on Coke which looked a little different than usual - I picked up one of the bottles and noticed it was bottled in Mexico. Hmmmm, interesting, but not being much of a soda drinker, I didn't pursue it farther. Until dinner that night. For some reason it came up in conversation, and BIL Peter said that the Mexican Coke was made differently - in this case, it was made with sugar rather than high fructose corn syrup. Well, knock me down with a feather, how cool is that? I mean, anyone who reads this blog knows that we are at least making an attempt to eliminate that crap, along with hydrogenated oils from our diet. One of the major reasons we stay away from soda in the first place. Not that PURE SUGAR is like, good for you, but you get my point.
So we couldn't resist. As soon as we could, we hit the market, grabbed a six pack and decided to do a taste test. The verdict? Well, not having much to compare it to (we opted against getting a regular Coke and doing a blind test!), we couldn't tell a huge difference, but there was definitely a slightly "cleaner" taste? What do I mean by "cleaner"? Well, the only thing I can compare it to is a hoppy beer. If you drink beer, you know what full-bodied, well-hopped beer is. You drink it, you swallow it, and the taste lingers in your mouth. With Mexican Coke, after you swallow, the taste is pretty much gone - none of that heavy, sometimes cloying after-taste you get with a regular soft drink.
Calories? I have no idea. Didn't read the label that far. Didn't much care - after all, even with a chemical-free version, I'm still not going to drink all that much soda anyway, even if I DID live somewhere where it would be readily accessible. I just wish other manufacturers would take the hint and start producing more chemical-free and healthier alternatives to the usual crap most everyone eats. Seems like there's been some change for the better lately - after all, there's much more organic and natural foods available, but it still isn't enough, and definitely not on a scale to meet the demands of a nation. I just wonder when the public is going to wake up and say "gee, that's a toxic chemical, maybe I shouldn't INGEST IT." Maybe if they did that, and put these guys out of business, they'd have no choice but to produce healthier products, rather than substituting cheaper alternatives, which boosts their profit, but ironically, isn't passed onto the consumer. No, see, these companies actually charge more to poison you.
And with that happy thought, I'm off to the farmer's market to stock up. Came home to an empty fridge and am dying for some fresh, locally raised, healthy foods!
So we couldn't resist. As soon as we could, we hit the market, grabbed a six pack and decided to do a taste test. The verdict? Well, not having much to compare it to (we opted against getting a regular Coke and doing a blind test!), we couldn't tell a huge difference, but there was definitely a slightly "cleaner" taste? What do I mean by "cleaner"? Well, the only thing I can compare it to is a hoppy beer. If you drink beer, you know what full-bodied, well-hopped beer is. You drink it, you swallow it, and the taste lingers in your mouth. With Mexican Coke, after you swallow, the taste is pretty much gone - none of that heavy, sometimes cloying after-taste you get with a regular soft drink.
Calories? I have no idea. Didn't read the label that far. Didn't much care - after all, even with a chemical-free version, I'm still not going to drink all that much soda anyway, even if I DID live somewhere where it would be readily accessible. I just wish other manufacturers would take the hint and start producing more chemical-free and healthier alternatives to the usual crap most everyone eats. Seems like there's been some change for the better lately - after all, there's much more organic and natural foods available, but it still isn't enough, and definitely not on a scale to meet the demands of a nation. I just wonder when the public is going to wake up and say "gee, that's a toxic chemical, maybe I shouldn't INGEST IT." Maybe if they did that, and put these guys out of business, they'd have no choice but to produce healthier products, rather than substituting cheaper alternatives, which boosts their profit, but ironically, isn't passed onto the consumer. No, see, these companies actually charge more to poison you.
And with that happy thought, I'm off to the farmer's market to stock up. Came home to an empty fridge and am dying for some fresh, locally raised, healthy foods!
Monday, August 18, 2008
We're Baaa---aaacck!
Betcha didn't even know I was gone. Well, maybe you suspected something since I haven't blogged in about a week and a half or so. I was GOING to say something about going away on vacation, but I recalled some of the conversations from earlier in the summer about security and blogs and people knowing where you live...so I wasn't about to announce to the world - hey, guess what, you know where I live, you know who I am, well GUESS WHAT? We're going away for a week!
Anyway, all a moot point, since we're now back. We were in Texas, San Antonio to be exact. Vacationing with Mark's family. We had originally planned this trip around Mark's niece who was going to be performing her music on Riverwalk, but plans went a little awry so while no music was played, at least not publicly, we still had a great family visit and managed to do lots of things, even though it was HOT!
On one day we went to Austin and toured the Austin Nature Center. We saw lots of butterflies and had all kinds of fun with a big snake in the Japanese Gardens. Another day we visited Cascade Caverns and another day we went to the San Antonio Zoo. We also saw the Alamo and ate a few meals on the Riverwalk and took a boat tour. So all in all, a pretty good vacation - and we have lots of pictures which I'll post....someday!
Did I mention we left Matthew home with my mom and dad? Kind of a bummer of a decision, but in the long run, an extremely wise one. Matthew is very "2" right now, we were sharing a suite with three other people, and it was so hot he would've been miserable and made everyone else within a 100 foot radius miserable as well.
And while Jonathan was pretty well-behaved overall for a 4 year old, he had his moments. One of which was at the San Antonio airport. I leave you with a story - and it's called "How to Board an Airplane Well Ahead of Your Fellow Passengers"
The story: we flew on Southwest Airlines. For the uninitiated, Southwest doesn't assign seats - you can sit anywhere you want. And they don't have first class. Getting on the airplane first? That's a different story. There's this complicated little set of rules they have: starting 24 hours before your flight, you can log in online and get your boarding passes and print them. Or you can wait until you check in at the airport, but if you wait that long, you'll be sitting in the middle seat all the way in the back. So if you're good, and you log on exactly 24 hours before your flight, you'll probably be in the "A" boarding group, and you get your pick of seats. Like my in-laws who were on the same flight as us. THEY logged in early, got in the "A" group, promised to try and save us good seats (although saving seats really isn't allowed...). We were actually in the "B" group, but because we had Jonathan with us, and he's 4, we were allowed to board with the "Family Boarding" which happens after all of "A" has boarded, but before "B" boards. So there we were, standing at the gate, waiting for the "A's" to board. Here comes Grammy and Grandpa. They give the guy their boarding passes, smile at us and start walking down the jetway. That's when Jonathan starts to freak. "GRAMMY! GRANDPA!" WAAAHHHHH!!!!! Mark and I are already at the "oh crap" stage after a few previous outbursts from Jonathan, so just as we're about to smother him with a carry-on and drag him to the nearest restroom, the boarding pass guy gestures to us and stops the rest of the "A's" and says "Just c'mon, you can board now!" So we got to cut ahead of everyone else and go chase Grammy and Grandpa down the jetway and grab our seats. Gotta love Southwest. And for those of you whose children can be persuaded to make a stink at the gate, here it is - the lowdown on cutting your way into line. I'm considering trying this to get OFF the airplane next time - nothing like a kid screaming his head off to part the sea of bodies.....
Pictures later this week I promise. Right now I have about a ton of laundry to figure out!
Anyway, all a moot point, since we're now back. We were in Texas, San Antonio to be exact. Vacationing with Mark's family. We had originally planned this trip around Mark's niece who was going to be performing her music on Riverwalk, but plans went a little awry so while no music was played, at least not publicly, we still had a great family visit and managed to do lots of things, even though it was HOT!
On one day we went to Austin and toured the Austin Nature Center. We saw lots of butterflies and had all kinds of fun with a big snake in the Japanese Gardens. Another day we visited Cascade Caverns and another day we went to the San Antonio Zoo. We also saw the Alamo and ate a few meals on the Riverwalk and took a boat tour. So all in all, a pretty good vacation - and we have lots of pictures which I'll post....someday!
Did I mention we left Matthew home with my mom and dad? Kind of a bummer of a decision, but in the long run, an extremely wise one. Matthew is very "2" right now, we were sharing a suite with three other people, and it was so hot he would've been miserable and made everyone else within a 100 foot radius miserable as well.
And while Jonathan was pretty well-behaved overall for a 4 year old, he had his moments. One of which was at the San Antonio airport. I leave you with a story - and it's called "How to Board an Airplane Well Ahead of Your Fellow Passengers"
The story: we flew on Southwest Airlines. For the uninitiated, Southwest doesn't assign seats - you can sit anywhere you want. And they don't have first class. Getting on the airplane first? That's a different story. There's this complicated little set of rules they have: starting 24 hours before your flight, you can log in online and get your boarding passes and print them. Or you can wait until you check in at the airport, but if you wait that long, you'll be sitting in the middle seat all the way in the back. So if you're good, and you log on exactly 24 hours before your flight, you'll probably be in the "A" boarding group, and you get your pick of seats. Like my in-laws who were on the same flight as us. THEY logged in early, got in the "A" group, promised to try and save us good seats (although saving seats really isn't allowed...). We were actually in the "B" group, but because we had Jonathan with us, and he's 4, we were allowed to board with the "Family Boarding" which happens after all of "A" has boarded, but before "B" boards. So there we were, standing at the gate, waiting for the "A's" to board. Here comes Grammy and Grandpa. They give the guy their boarding passes, smile at us and start walking down the jetway. That's when Jonathan starts to freak. "GRAMMY! GRANDPA!" WAAAHHHHH!!!!! Mark and I are already at the "oh crap" stage after a few previous outbursts from Jonathan, so just as we're about to smother him with a carry-on and drag him to the nearest restroom, the boarding pass guy gestures to us and stops the rest of the "A's" and says "Just c'mon, you can board now!" So we got to cut ahead of everyone else and go chase Grammy and Grandpa down the jetway and grab our seats. Gotta love Southwest. And for those of you whose children can be persuaded to make a stink at the gate, here it is - the lowdown on cutting your way into line. I'm considering trying this to get OFF the airplane next time - nothing like a kid screaming his head off to part the sea of bodies.....
Pictures later this week I promise. Right now I have about a ton of laundry to figure out!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Let's Go to Vegas, Baby!
I'll bet most of you had no idea I was a closet slot machine freak. Yeah, yeah, I know. But seriously, the first time I played a slot machine was on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, when I was on a business trip way back in....whew. I don't know, 1997? It was fun! $20 worth of quarters netted me $150 more after only about 20 minutes, and I walked away a happy woman. Key phrase there: "I walked away". That's the tough part.
Over the years, I've tried my luck elsewhere, only sporadically, though. After all, we still have a mortgage payment. Once we went to Vegas in 2005 and I limited myself to$80 $120, which I promptly lost so fast I wondered if I'd been robbed. And I've visited Charlestown Races and Slots a few times...with my parents, no less. Appallingly, my parents have decided that slot machines are FUN! But that's another blog entry! Once I went with them to Charlestown, I took and lost about $100, but the next time I went, still pregnant with Jonathan, I took in $20 and walked out with over $300.
Now, I know and you know that in the long run, you can't beat the slot machines. How many Vegas travel guides and gambling manuals have been written about this very topic? But that doesn't keep people from trying, those of us, say, without mortgage payments...oh, WAIT, you mean, some people play these things even when they're in debt? No. Don't believe it.
ANYWAY....I was lamenting to my mom the other day how wouldn't it be cool if you could play these things just for fun - you wouldn't have to use your own money and it wouldn't matter if you won or lost. Her take? Well, what fun would that be? But a day later, she calls me and tells me I can play online....for free. You just log in andpull that little handle click that little mouse to your heart's content. Thanks, Mom.
So, tonight, for fun, I tried it. I tried it because I literally have 5 pounds of green beans that my husband's co-worker brought him from his garden, and I spent an hour this morning cleaning them and snapping them, and tonight, I'm parboiling them, getting them ready for the freezer. So I had a little time on my hands while I waited for this gigantic pot to boil...twice. So what's the harm in a little slot action? Well, for one, it is truly kind of boring. I mean, yeah, you're not losing your money, but guess what? You're not winning any either, and that's half, well, heck, ALL the fun! And for two, YOU WIN TOO MUCH! In 20 minutes, I went from $75 (credits) to almost $2000 - now I KNOW this wouldn't happen in real life. Trouble is, Joe Nimrod and Sally Idiot don't know this. They'll sit there and watch the numbers climb and start thinking "Well ain't I one lucky dawg, I think I'll go play slots for real!" And then you and I know what happens...they'll trot themselves out to Vegas where the bank-account emptying will begin. Somewhere behind freeslots.com is some big name like Harrah's or Tropicana, take my word for it. Have these people nothing better to do?
So I guess my free online slots experience wasn't so great after all. It did pass the time while boiling beans....but unfortunately that's about all I can say about it!
Over the years, I've tried my luck elsewhere, only sporadically, though. After all, we still have a mortgage payment. Once we went to Vegas in 2005 and I limited myself to
Now, I know and you know that in the long run, you can't beat the slot machines. How many Vegas travel guides and gambling manuals have been written about this very topic? But that doesn't keep people from trying, those of us, say, without mortgage payments...oh, WAIT, you mean, some people play these things even when they're in debt? No. Don't believe it.
ANYWAY....I was lamenting to my mom the other day how wouldn't it be cool if you could play these things just for fun - you wouldn't have to use your own money and it wouldn't matter if you won or lost. Her take? Well, what fun would that be? But a day later, she calls me and tells me I can play online....for free. You just log in and
So, tonight, for fun, I tried it. I tried it because I literally have 5 pounds of green beans that my husband's co-worker brought him from his garden, and I spent an hour this morning cleaning them and snapping them, and tonight, I'm parboiling them, getting them ready for the freezer. So I had a little time on my hands while I waited for this gigantic pot to boil...twice. So what's the harm in a little slot action? Well, for one, it is truly kind of boring. I mean, yeah, you're not losing your money, but guess what? You're not winning any either, and that's half, well, heck, ALL the fun! And for two, YOU WIN TOO MUCH! In 20 minutes, I went from $75 (credits) to almost $2000 - now I KNOW this wouldn't happen in real life. Trouble is, Joe Nimrod and Sally Idiot don't know this. They'll sit there and watch the numbers climb and start thinking "Well ain't I one lucky dawg, I think I'll go play slots for real!" And then you and I know what happens...they'll trot themselves out to Vegas where the bank-account emptying will begin. Somewhere behind freeslots.com is some big name like Harrah's or Tropicana, take my word for it. Have these people nothing better to do?
So I guess my free online slots experience wasn't so great after all. It did pass the time while boiling beans....but unfortunately that's about all I can say about it!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Ramblings of a Sleep-Deprived Blogger
Somewhere between when your kids are tiny infants, and when they get to be, say, 4 1/2 and 2, you come to appreciate, REALLY appreciate a decent night's sleep. We at our household, are very fortunate in this department, son #1 was in bed for 12 hours last night, son #2 went for a whopping 14. But that's not the norm - they just played a little too hard in the pool yesterday. So I can't complain about the kids keeping us up. Not this time anyway.
Let's go back a week. Friday night a week ago, someone near us, perhaps even in town somewhere decided what a great idea it would be to have a fireworks show. Fabulous. They must've paid a LOT of money, because these were the big ones. We couldn't see them, but we could hear them. And when they finally had their grand finale at about 11:30pm, we had been TRYING to get to sleep for half an hour or so, and it did nothing but make us even more awake. We'll call this sleepless night number 1. The very next night, sometime around 4 in the morning, Mr. Skunk decided to spray somewhere VERY nearby. If you've ever been awoken by an odor, you know it's possible - to be sleeping peacefully one second, and the next, wide awake, gasping for fresh air, trying not to gag. This skunk was CLOSE. Like right outside the window close. And it took forever for the air to clear. Say hello to sleepless night number 2. The next night, we got a reprieve. That's not saying we slept great, but at least nothing woke us up. The next night was Bat Night (read below). Sleepless night number 3. The night after Bat Night was "Wake Up 10 Times Looking at the Ceiling Because You Think a Bat MIGHT Be There Night". Sleepless night number 4. The next night was a double-whammy. Mr. Skunk was back. Luckily, he hit us this time at 11:30, shortly before lights-out, and the smell only lingered until sometime after midnight. But then at 3 am, some fool in some fool truck comes roaring up the driveway, causing the dog (who was asleep on our bed) to start barking. I got up to look out the window, and the fool in the truck is shining this huge, powerful spotlight on our HOUSE! At 3 am! Once he spotted our house number (I guess), he drove off. Try getting back to sleep after that one. Sleepless night number 5. And then there was last night, the crowing glory. Or maybe the grand finale (let's hope). Thunderstorms. Tremendous, severe, unending thunderstorms. The first one hit around 11. It finally stopped rumbling around midnight. But at 1:30, it kicked in again and rumbled loud and often, off and on until 3. Back to sleep, only to be awakened at 4:30 by the worst one of all. By 5:40, I had to get up and check the radar to see if it was EVER going to stop storming. It did. At 6:30. Son #1 got up at 8. And jumped on me. Sleepless night number 6.
The fool in the truck? We still have no idea. We did call the state police and inquire as to whether perhaps someone was looking for an address in the middle of the night. They said it wasn't them. A bit disconcerting, but no harm done, just another sleepless night.
So tonight. Tonight we want to sleep. Please, mother nature, skunks, bats, idiots with fireworks and fools in trucks, leave us alone! Because tonight we'll probably have kids with belly-aches to deal with!
And it did occur to me that perhaps IF we had air-conditioning in this house of ours, and IF it would've been running and all the windows shut up tight, we probably would've slept GREAT this week! Just another reason to install A/C....but I digress.....
Let's go back a week. Friday night a week ago, someone near us, perhaps even in town somewhere decided what a great idea it would be to have a fireworks show. Fabulous. They must've paid a LOT of money, because these were the big ones. We couldn't see them, but we could hear them. And when they finally had their grand finale at about 11:30pm, we had been TRYING to get to sleep for half an hour or so, and it did nothing but make us even more awake. We'll call this sleepless night number 1. The very next night, sometime around 4 in the morning, Mr. Skunk decided to spray somewhere VERY nearby. If you've ever been awoken by an odor, you know it's possible - to be sleeping peacefully one second, and the next, wide awake, gasping for fresh air, trying not to gag. This skunk was CLOSE. Like right outside the window close. And it took forever for the air to clear. Say hello to sleepless night number 2. The next night, we got a reprieve. That's not saying we slept great, but at least nothing woke us up. The next night was Bat Night (read below). Sleepless night number 3. The night after Bat Night was "Wake Up 10 Times Looking at the Ceiling Because You Think a Bat MIGHT Be There Night". Sleepless night number 4. The next night was a double-whammy. Mr. Skunk was back. Luckily, he hit us this time at 11:30, shortly before lights-out, and the smell only lingered until sometime after midnight. But then at 3 am, some fool in some fool truck comes roaring up the driveway, causing the dog (who was asleep on our bed) to start barking. I got up to look out the window, and the fool in the truck is shining this huge, powerful spotlight on our HOUSE! At 3 am! Once he spotted our house number (I guess), he drove off. Try getting back to sleep after that one. Sleepless night number 5. And then there was last night, the crowing glory. Or maybe the grand finale (let's hope). Thunderstorms. Tremendous, severe, unending thunderstorms. The first one hit around 11. It finally stopped rumbling around midnight. But at 1:30, it kicked in again and rumbled loud and often, off and on until 3. Back to sleep, only to be awakened at 4:30 by the worst one of all. By 5:40, I had to get up and check the radar to see if it was EVER going to stop storming. It did. At 6:30. Son #1 got up at 8. And jumped on me. Sleepless night number 6.
The fool in the truck? We still have no idea. We did call the state police and inquire as to whether perhaps someone was looking for an address in the middle of the night. They said it wasn't them. A bit disconcerting, but no harm done, just another sleepless night.
So tonight. Tonight we want to sleep. Please, mother nature, skunks, bats, idiots with fireworks and fools in trucks, leave us alone! Because tonight we'll probably have kids with belly-aches to deal with!
And it did occur to me that perhaps IF we had air-conditioning in this house of ours, and IF it would've been running and all the windows shut up tight, we probably would've slept GREAT this week! Just another reason to install A/C....but I digress.....
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
There's a Bat in My Belfry, I Mean, My Bedroom....
Ever wake up to a strange little sound? Nothing big, just a small, little sound that jolts you from sleep, something that's not quite right. That happened this morning - actually it happened about half an hour ago. Both Mark and I were awakened (rudely, I might say), by what sounded like something hitting the screen in the window from the outside. I opened my eyes just in time to see the flutter of wings at the window, then closed my eyes to go back to sleep. Mark, however, was still looking around. "It was one of those big moths hitting the window", I told him, go back to sleep. "No", he said. "There's a bat in the room". I was like "Mark, are you crazy? I saw a big moth out there!", and he goes "No, I SEE the bat flying around the room." EEK. I opened my eyes just in time to see something flying and furry pass within about a foot of my face. Dove under the covers. Wondering what the heck we were going to do next, when Mark gets out of bed (!), grabs the screen from the window, and then, LEAVES THE ROOM. He shut the door behind him and LEFT ME THERE! MARK!! After that nice post about Mark a few days ago, I was ready to kill him. But I guess he had to use the bathroom, because he was back within a minute, again shutting the door behind him. So there we were. Me, him and the dog all in the room, bat still going crazy, me hiding under the covers, scared to move.
We were trying to use reason - maybe Mr. Bat was attracted to the ceiling fan - the whirring sound the blades make. But how did he get in the house in the first place and why wouldn't he leave? Mark turned off the fan. Bat still flying around. Should we turn on a light? Mark thought that might attract every insect in the neighborhood and give Mr. Bat good things to eat. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we didn't see him flying anymore. Did he land somewhere? Like in my closet? Or did he actually fly out the open window?
Well, the jury is still out on that one, because Mark finally persuaded me to leave the room, and he came out a few minutes later - he told me he checked every crevice and no bat. So we assume he flew out. But again, how in the world did he get in? And was he flying around in our room half the night? Yuck. We checked the fireplace flue, but it was shut. Strange.
I like wildlife, I do. I wouldn't survive up here if I didn't. And I guess in the coming years we'll get a chuckle out of this one. But wildlife needs to stay outside. Like spiders. They have 3 acres (and that's just OUR property) to roam around to their heart's content. Why do they need to come in the house? I have no patience for critters in the house, as my family can attest - my broom and my fly swatter have been hard at work in the four years we've lived here. Mr. Bat - you got away with one. Try it again, you might not be so lucky....but on the bright side, our house is curiously bug-free this morning.....
We were trying to use reason - maybe Mr. Bat was attracted to the ceiling fan - the whirring sound the blades make. But how did he get in the house in the first place and why wouldn't he leave? Mark turned off the fan. Bat still flying around. Should we turn on a light? Mark thought that might attract every insect in the neighborhood and give Mr. Bat good things to eat. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we didn't see him flying anymore. Did he land somewhere? Like in my closet? Or did he actually fly out the open window?
Well, the jury is still out on that one, because Mark finally persuaded me to leave the room, and he came out a few minutes later - he told me he checked every crevice and no bat. So we assume he flew out. But again, how in the world did he get in? And was he flying around in our room half the night? Yuck. We checked the fireplace flue, but it was shut. Strange.
I like wildlife, I do. I wouldn't survive up here if I didn't. And I guess in the coming years we'll get a chuckle out of this one. But wildlife needs to stay outside. Like spiders. They have 3 acres (and that's just OUR property) to roam around to their heart's content. Why do they need to come in the house? I have no patience for critters in the house, as my family can attest - my broom and my fly swatter have been hard at work in the four years we've lived here. Mr. Bat - you got away with one. Try it again, you might not be so lucky....but on the bright side, our house is curiously bug-free this morning.....
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Say Hello to My Political Ignorance
I was reading an Associated Press article online this morning, and ran across Obama's campaign schedule and noted he was in....Israel? And headed to the Palestinian region today. That was enough to give me pause. Gee, how many voters live there? Okay, like I said, I'm not that politically savvy - maybe it's a brilliant move, who knows. But then I read more. And I read how the Palestinian leader would like for Obama to get one thing out of their meeting which I believe is today. He would like Obama to "focus immediately on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if elected, or any gains made in peace talks could vanish." That's a direct quote. Um. Excuse me? So let's see, Obama gets elected, gets sworn into office in January, gives a speech, retreats immediately to the Oval Office and.....starts to proctor peace in that region? Hello? Could someone please tell me why this should be the top priority of whatever newly elected leader we'll have come January?
I understand that foreign policy, particularly Mid-East foreign policy does have some bearing on how folks over here will cast their vote, but c'mon! And actually, despite what I said above, I can see how Obama's reception in those regions of the world perhaps could influence our voters and how they feel about how he will handle those issues. But wow. For other world leaders to request and perhaps even expect that the US President be firmly entrenched in and give priority to a battle that has raged for centuries kind of makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up, know what I mean?
We would like our new President, whoever he may be, to place priority on some issues closer to home, thank you very much. And right now, we're in no direct conflict with Israel, quite the contrary, although I could never figure out why the US is so enamored with Israel, could someone explain that too, please? But back to those home issues - yes. We have issues. There's like, the energy crisis for one. I would've said "gas" crisis, but my husband corrected me this morning on that, so now it's "energy" crisis. Then there's like, oh, I don't know unemployment, drugs, national security, education, you know, those little things.
So, Obama, here's the deal. I haven't made up my mind yet. I'm watching you closely. I'm not sure what to make of your little trip this week, paid for with campaign funding, no less. And no, I'm not politically-inclined. At all. And I don't understand all the issues, all the time. And frankly, I don't have time to follow it all. Which makes me, let's see, very, very average. But I'm an American. And I vote. So you'd better start impressing me. I'm a Republican, so you MUST impress me.
I understand that foreign policy, particularly Mid-East foreign policy does have some bearing on how folks over here will cast their vote, but c'mon! And actually, despite what I said above, I can see how Obama's reception in those regions of the world perhaps could influence our voters and how they feel about how he will handle those issues. But wow. For other world leaders to request and perhaps even expect that the US President be firmly entrenched in and give priority to a battle that has raged for centuries kind of makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up, know what I mean?
We would like our new President, whoever he may be, to place priority on some issues closer to home, thank you very much. And right now, we're in no direct conflict with Israel, quite the contrary, although I could never figure out why the US is so enamored with Israel, could someone explain that too, please? But back to those home issues - yes. We have issues. There's like, the energy crisis for one. I would've said "gas" crisis, but my husband corrected me this morning on that, so now it's "energy" crisis. Then there's like, oh, I don't know unemployment, drugs, national security, education, you know, those little things.
So, Obama, here's the deal. I haven't made up my mind yet. I'm watching you closely. I'm not sure what to make of your little trip this week, paid for with campaign funding, no less. And no, I'm not politically-inclined. At all. And I don't understand all the issues, all the time. And frankly, I don't have time to follow it all. Which makes me, let's see, very, very average. But I'm an American. And I vote. So you'd better start impressing me. I'm a Republican, so you MUST impress me.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
And The Gold Star Goes To.....
My husband! I meant to write this yesterday, but I got so behind....Monday mornings kill me. But I got up yesterday morning pretty beat - it had been a long, frustrating weekend. First of all, we were all kind of wiped out from coming back from my mom and dad's the day before. Nobody seems to sleep well there - Jonathan gets to bed late, Matthew is in a pack and play in our room and if he wakes in the night and sees us in bed, he crawls out and joins us on the bed and does NOT go back to sleep. So we have to put him back in the crib and leave and come back only when he's back to sleep....which sometimes takes an hour. And then when we have to get up early, he usually wakes up. So we were all a little sleep-deprived. Then when we got home, the toilet broke. We think it had been on it's way out for some time, but this time, some little plastic piece on something called a ballcock broke completely off. Uh oh.
So here we were, Friday night, just home from an impromptu dinner on the road, unpacking suitcases and laptops and pool toys and I have to run to Lowe's for a replacement part while Mark started baths. I got home in time for bedtimes, but realized I bought the wrong part. So first thing in the morning, I'd have to go back to Lowe's, plus make a trip to the grocery since we had just gotten back. Did I mention it was about 1000 degrees this weekend?
The next morning, a quick trip to Lowe's and the market turned into an all-morning affair, and I didn't get back until almost noon and had to make everyone lunch. Then onto the toilet, and I realized for the second time that I had bought the wrong part again. This is after about 5 phone calls to my dad, who knows how to repair a toilet, let me tell you. So he finally convinced me to quit trying to replace the old part; just buy a totally new valve and install it.
I'll spare you the rest of the details, and the two more subsequent trips to Lowe's, but we finally got the toilet working again. Just in time for me to get dinner on the table. Still Saturday. Sunday was better - we actually got in the pool as a family and had a great time! But I was still tired out and bogged down with the heat and having to cook so much and plan meals - it takes so darn long to do all that sometimes!
But back to that Gold Star Award. Why am I giving it to my hubby? Because yesterday morning, upon reflection, I realized something. I had not changed one diaper the entire weekend. I had not dressed one child the entire weekend, in either day clothes or night clothes. I fed them their meals, but not their snacks, and I may have prepared one drink. While I was running around, sweating, fixing toilets and in general feeling sorry for myself, Mark had completely taken over with the kiddos and saw to their needs. True, the British Open was on in the background keeping him happy, but I'll let that slide - he rocked. Thanks, Mark. I needed THAT break!
So here we were, Friday night, just home from an impromptu dinner on the road, unpacking suitcases and laptops and pool toys and I have to run to Lowe's for a replacement part while Mark started baths. I got home in time for bedtimes, but realized I bought the wrong part. So first thing in the morning, I'd have to go back to Lowe's, plus make a trip to the grocery since we had just gotten back. Did I mention it was about 1000 degrees this weekend?
The next morning, a quick trip to Lowe's and the market turned into an all-morning affair, and I didn't get back until almost noon and had to make everyone lunch. Then onto the toilet, and I realized for the second time that I had bought the wrong part again. This is after about 5 phone calls to my dad, who knows how to repair a toilet, let me tell you. So he finally convinced me to quit trying to replace the old part; just buy a totally new valve and install it.
I'll spare you the rest of the details, and the two more subsequent trips to Lowe's, but we finally got the toilet working again. Just in time for me to get dinner on the table. Still Saturday. Sunday was better - we actually got in the pool as a family and had a great time! But I was still tired out and bogged down with the heat and having to cook so much and plan meals - it takes so darn long to do all that sometimes!
But back to that Gold Star Award. Why am I giving it to my hubby? Because yesterday morning, upon reflection, I realized something. I had not changed one diaper the entire weekend. I had not dressed one child the entire weekend, in either day clothes or night clothes. I fed them their meals, but not their snacks, and I may have prepared one drink. While I was running around, sweating, fixing toilets and in general feeling sorry for myself, Mark had completely taken over with the kiddos and saw to their needs. True, the British Open was on in the background keeping him happy, but I'll let that slide - he rocked. Thanks, Mark. I needed THAT break!
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