Values

Wrapping Paper: $3.50

Scotch Tape: $1.88

Onyx Ninetendo DS Lite: $129.98

Rendering The Boy Speechless For a Full Minute: Priceless

Yeah, What They Said....

To All My Democrat Friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious secular persuasion and or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wisher.

To My Republican Friends:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I'm Dreaming....

.... of a White Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS or HAPPY HOLIDAY?

Our mad day of shopping started Saturday for me (the man of the house). The wife and I went to the big city up to the north of us, about a forty minute drive. We left at 9:30 A.M. in the the truck just because we don't ever drive it due to the gas prices. The battery was getting low, plus my doors don't lock in the chick magnet so the truck was the best choice. We started at the mall which was the beginning of the "Happy Holidays" from every retail store we shopped at except one, but I will get to that later. I would promptly spout back "Merry Christmas" with a big grin and they all said "thank you!!" so chipper. Now my beef is, where's the Merry Christmas that I grew up with and whats the problem with it, if the retail store is making so much from this time of year? Why are they worried about saying "Merrrrrry CHRISTMAS!" when everybody and their brother are shopping for CHRISTMAS. It does not make sense to me. So anyway, we went to Payless and I was there to buy a beautiful pair of Air Walks. We got the usual greeting at the door , and replied back "Merry Christmas". I found the sneaks and brought them to the counter. The nice lady at the desk asked me if i needed any socks with my purchase and I in my quick logic of thinking said "no thanks I put a pair on this morning." I laughed, my wife laughed the other lady next to the woman I was talking to laughed until women gave me the worst look I've ever seen, so that cut the fun right in half! Well the only place that said (out of the twelve stores we went to) Merry Christmas was Burlington Coat Factory, I was about to give the greeter a huge hug! but I gathered my excitement back together and gave a BIG MERRRY CHRISTMAS back to them. I love the BCF for that. Traffic was horrible, it was slow and people just kept pulling out in front of us, which by the way can aggravate me in many ways. People have gotten more pushy along with taking Christmas out of... Christmas. Several stores sell "Holiday Trees" or "Family Trees" now instead of "Christmas Trees". Hmm...

When we finally made it home I poured myself a small glass of wine and relaxed and reminisced the night. Well that's my time of shopping and if you missed it I would say my point is Merry Christmas and may God bless you and your families and keep you safe through the New year. HooooRa!

Let it Snow

Christmas is exactly one week away and it looks like we may actually have a white Christmas this year..... Wonders never cease!! We haven't been dumped on with snow like the weather forcasters predicted, but we do have our fair share.... And the other night J came home from work early and we took the kids outside and made these:

A man and his dog... Despite what the man says about the dog, they are best friends....

*Ahem*

Planning Ahead

Yesterday I fixed a roast chicken for lunchsupperdinner. I took the leftovers and made chicken salad for sandwiches and that is what the kids and I had for lun-whatever that is... our evening meal. T, being her sweet and oh-so-mommy-like self, told me that she absolutely LOVED her sandwich, it was the BEST thing I have ever made, etc. "Mom, you HAVE to give me this recipe when I grow up so I can make this for my kids." Ok, baby. I will try to remember. :o) Thank you.

It's Official!

Today J switches from first shift to second and we learn to live life a little later in the day. :o)

"Lunch" will now be our family meal - perhaps we should call it "supper" now? And "dinner" will now be our smaller and "just the three of us meal." Rumor has it that your last meal of the day should be the smallest, so yay for us!! BUT, our family meals will definitely take more planning than I give them since I will be cooking them shortly after I get up. Hmm, I think I'll have to start planning ahead a day. Oh well, organization is good, too.

We gave the kids a new rule. NO ONE is to be out of their rooms before 9:00 am unless it is a bathroom break or emergency. T is already a pro. She didn't like to see the world before that time anyway. Now she is thrilled. Mommy won't start the wake-up process at 7:00 anymore. JT did well this morning. He can get up early if need be and is happy to sleep in, too. J and I will have to adjust our internal clocks. We tried staying up as late as possible last night so we would sleep as "late as possible" (NO MORE 5:30 am!!!!!!!) and be able to deal with staying up until 1:00 or 1:30 at least for today. By next week he will be working until 2:00, so that means he is home at 2:45, potentially sleeping by 3:00 am. And me, being the weird wife that I am, am COMPLETELY incapable of sleeping without him. So I need to adjust as well. Back to last night.... We tried to stay up, and made it all the way to 11:00 pm. How sad are we?? And sleeping in this morning?? Eight o'clock. Sigh. I am sure that after a few days or a couple weeks we will have adjusted.

The kids did great with getting school done at a reasonable time and pace. I was worried that since we would be starting school considerably later, we would finish that much later in the day. Boy was I wrong!! Apparently (at least if today is any model) the kids do MUCH better later in the day and daydream and stall much less. This could work out well!!

T is very excited that she will be staying up until 10:30 - 11:00 tonight. :o) Silly girl. I hope I can make it until 1:00. Wish me luck!

Be Good!

I am going to show this to my children. Perhaps it will remind them to be on their best behavior.

Oh My

(AKA: New Definitions)

I seem to come in contact with a ton of these people:

Bozone (n): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.


Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.


Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and a(n)....... complete jerk..... (I cleaned that one up....)

I Have THE Sweetest Hubby

Look what he bought me so I can work off those big thighs that were previously mentioned. (My words, not his. He just said "Merry early Christmas" because I think perhaps he was tired of me pestering for one of these.)
























Ilikeitverymuch, thank you. Lots of workout programs, plenty of resistance levels, a fan, a shelf I can put my book on while I exercise....
























And check it out: A cup holder that is the perfect size for my Nalgene.
























How sweet is he??? Now off to work I go......

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope all of you have a wonderful and blessed day!

Overheard Conversation

T: "My bed is really old."

B: "Is not."

T: "It is too!! Mom had it since she was a teenager!!"

B: "Yeah, but that wasn't that long ago."

T: "It was too! Mom's OLD."

B: "T, she is only 40. Forty isn't old."

Great. Frankly I am not really sure how to respond to that.
~Number one, my daughter thinks I am old... Ok, fine.... I thought my parents were old when I was T's age. I'll let that one go.
~Number two, B thinks I am 40 years old. He just aged me by over ten. *sigh* This day better get better.

The Great White Hunter...

...has been out playing today.



















Wait, no, wrong picture. That was a paint ball thing......


Today he woke up bright dark and early to meet up with a couple friends to obtain the perfect poor innocent creature to slaughter tasty meal kill deer to take down in a sportsmanlike fashion. He found one! He found a seven point and took it down brutally murdered rendered it lifeless "with a head shot on a dead run."*

Good job, honey. What's for dinner???

*direct quote from the GWH himself.

The Man From Outer Space

This should be fun, right? .... Mom... Why are you laughing?? WHAT are they going to do to me???
























Holding still is harder than I thought!
























Mom, you and me... We are going to have a talk OUTSIDE when this is done!!
























WHAT is Grandma doing to me?!?! And why does she get a helper?!?!
























Are we done yet??
























Check out the (tied for) first place winner!! Grandma rocks!!


















Oh yeah, whatever happened to his prize?? I so wanted that mug!! It would have made coffee in the morning that much better.

Working Man

I am so proud of this boy. He looks forward to the weekends when he can head off with his Daddy and help on a roof. Fear not, he is safe. The roof is very close to flat. I'd give you pitch numbers, but I don't have a clue what they are and I am a little shady on what they mean.... Anyway, here is The Boy...

...getting the gun ready...



















...lining up the shingles...



















...and taking the shot...



















What a GREAT worker!!

Breaking in the brand new tires

It was a cold and rainy evening. We bundled up and piled into the truck to make the 45 minute trip to E-City to have dinner with our friends. One tenth of a mile down the road, J realized that he had left the CD he wanted our friends to here, so we turned around. Keep in mind, it had been raining all day and we live on a dirt road that in normal rainy conditions washes out. Also keep this information towards the front of your mind: A ditch for a new water line had just been dug, the line lay and the ditch recovered about two weeks prior. So, taking a moment and using a little common sense, what do YOU suppose that recently dug out area looked like (and more importantly, felt like??) Well, as we were driving up our road towards our house, J noticed that there was quite a section washed out and - perhaps - he could "pack it down" so it wouldn't be as washed out. HA HA HA HA HA. So we are cruising up our road at around 20 mph and SUDDENLY are at a dead stop. The truck was at an angle perhaps comparable to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.... or worse. I found myself looking at the grass if I looked out my window and at the top of a VERY tall pine tree if I looked out J's window.

Cousins were called to point and laugh bring up their tractor and tow us out. Even the tractor needed some help.Eventually I had to stop taking pictures so I could be a pusher.

He left a crater in the road

and decided that we were rather dirty

so we made a quick stop at the carwash before resuming our journey to our dinner date. *sigh*















And people ask me if I ever get board being "stuck" up on this hill away from "civilization."

No, not really. In ten years I haven't had the chance.......

Rebuttal

This morning I received an email notification that I had two new comments on a post from way back in March of this year that dealt with my reaction to the HPV vaccine. Wow! How cool!! So, being the curious sort, I followed the persons profile and checked out her blog. And discovered that I am the subject of her most recent post. Yikes! As I was reading, I realized that my point was totally missed. And, just in case millions (ha ha) of people stop by here because of her link to me, I thought perhaps I should lay my thoughts out. So, I am posting the comment that I left on this mom's post. I am not trying to start or fuel fires, I just want to make sure I am not misunderstood. :)

Hi, thanks for visiting my page... I think I should clear a couple things up because it sounds like you may have missed my point. :)
We have not chosen to homeschool because of a vaccine... We HAVE chosen to teach our children at home to give them a better education - to give them one-on-one attention because there are many schools out there where kids get lost in the cracks, despite most teacher's best efforts to not let that happen.
We have also chosen to homeschool because we want that Christian base to their education, but what is available is almost an hour away and will cost THOUSANDS of dollars per year. I was sent to that particular school growing up. I don't really have a problem with it at all... It was a good education and there was the Christian base. However I don't have the money to spend nor do I want to submit my kids to two hours on the road alone 180 days per year.
We are trying to raise them to the best of our ability with a strong faith and one that they will hopefully hold on to and not walk away from... for a time or *forever*. Teaching them at home comes into play here. But, if they ever do stray, I will still love them and stand by their sides.... God's love is unconditional. Shouldn't ours be as well? We homeschool our kids because there are some things in public schools that we would rather not have our kids presented with AT THIS TIME. For instance, our son would be getting "sex ed" soon, and we would rather that he get the Biblical perspective as well as "this is how our body works" and not the "here are some condoms, if you ever need an abortion, let us know, your parents never need to find out if you don't want them to" perspective that public schools give.
Another GREAT perk to homeschooling is that their friends in public school are on the bus at 8:00 (or earlier), school at 8:30, school lets out at 3:30, they arrive home at 4:00 (or later), homework 'til dinner time, possibly more homework after dinner, have an hour or two of free time, then head to bed. Get up the next morning and do it all over again. However (here is the perk), our kids get up early, get their work done - school and homework all rolled into one - and have the rest of the day as "free time".
THOSE are some of the reasons that we homeschool. As far as my reaction to the vaccination, everyone has the right to choose as they feel led on this point. To be honest, yes, I do feel that this may send the wrong message to our kids just as passing out condoms does. But that is just my personal opinion. My actual PROBLEMS per say with the HPV vaccine is that in some states it is becoming mandatory. I disagree with that. That is where my comment about being glad we homeschool came into play. If New York were to mandate this vaccine, we would not be under it because of the fact that they are not in public schools. I just have a hard time with the government telling me that I MUST take something. It seems to me that it is taking some of my freedom away. It should be our choice, and if it turns out that it was the wrong one, then it should be my fault. But I should not be forced to give it to her. Also, this vaccine isn't thoroughly tested yet. What are the side effects? How long does it even last? Would I be putting my daughter in *possible* danger to negative side effects to only have her protected for ten years? HPV is not something that has had a ton of research. Those are my concerns. That is where I stand on that issue and on the homeschooling issues. I hope that clears up any confusion.

Baby It's Cold Outside......

I really can't stay - Baby it's cold outside
I've got to go away - Baby it's cold outside
This evening has been - Been hoping that you'd drop in
So very nice - I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice
My mother will start to worry - Beautiful, what's your hurry
My father will be pacing the floor - Listen to the fireplace roar
So really I'd better scurry - Beautiful, please don't hurry
well Maybe just a half a drink more - Put some music on while I pour

The neighbors might think - Baby, it's bad out there
Say, what's in this drink - No cabs to be had out there
I wish I knew how - Your eyes are like starlight now
To break this spell - I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell
I ought to say no, no, no, sir - Mind if I move a little closer
At least I'm gonna say that I tried - What's the sense in hurting my pride
I really can't stay - Baby don't hold out
Ahh, but it's cold outside

C'mon baby

I simply must go - Baby, it's cold outside
The answer is no - Ooh baby, it's cold outside
This welcome has been - I'm lucky that you dropped in
So nice and warm -- Look out the window at that storm
My sister will be suspicious - Man, your lips look so delicious
My brother will be there at the door - Waves upon a tropical shore
My maiden aunt's mind is vicious - Gosh your lips look delicious
Well maybe just a half a drink more - Never such a blizzard before

I've got to go home - Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there
Say, lend me your comb - It's up to your knees out there
You've really been grand - Your eyes are like starlight now
But don't you see - How can you do this thing to me
There's bound to be talk tomorrow - Making my life long sorrow
At least there will be plenty implied - If you caught pneumonia and died
I really can't stay - Get over that old out
Ahh, but it's cold outside

Baby it's cold outside....

~Frank Loesser

Hey, guess what?? It's SNOWING!!

Coming Soon

AKA "Yes, I am Still Alive"

I know, I've been awful. I've heard. Even J has told me that if he knew I was going to be a once a month blogger, he would have done it. (Insert maniacal laughter here. He really does not get along with computers.) Trust me, it hasn't been that I have not had anything post worthy... I have PLENTY of material.... It is just that every time I sit at the computer and thing about starting one of the many posts I could do, I get all tired out and my head starts pounding just at the thought of the amount of time that each post will take. *sigh* So, since I have been thoroughly, lovingly, gently prodded and reminded, COMING SOON:

What NOT to do with brand new tires.

How we spent our Halloween

The Man From Outer Space

and more.....

While you wait, I am going to study for my test that I have tonight.

Kissing Cows

The other day when we were playing at the barn, I glanced up and saw this:

Now, I wondered if my eyes were deceiving me so I took a closer look.

I realized that, yes, I really was seeing what I thought I was seeing and then proceeded to laugh with my children over the whole thing. A lot.

The kids thought they were kissing. Maybe they are just REALLY hungry.

Thumb Suckers

Yesterday, rainy and gray as it was, seemed like a good day for a field trip. Plus a good friend of ours just had a baby calf born that night. Why pass up an opportunity to see a calf less than twelve hours old and help with chores? So away we went to the top of the hill to play with the cows. It was my job to take pictures.

"Mom, I'm not real sure about this!!"

"Hey! I told you when I was little that my thumb tasted good!! He likes it too!"

"Bud, stick your thumb out like this and let him suck on it! Trust me, it's cool!"

"It feels weird!"

"SICK! I think it is time to feed these guys!"

"Here I come with their bottle! How hard can it be to feed a newborn calf, anyway?"

Aunt M had to wrestle it to get it to eat...... Must be harder than we thought, I guess.

"She did the hard part, this is fun!"

"See, Bud? You should feed one!"

"Bud, make sure you do it right!!"

"This is cool. Buster likes to make sure that the calf doesn't drip any."

Fighting Words

This is in response to the dear loved ones who have thumbed their nose in this direction. I also need to let them know that when they visit again, they will be taking an additional child back to Italy with them. See, THIS household is a Yankee home. Through and through. We will stick by our team regardless of the fact that they have been eliminated this year. Our dear daughter, though, is suffering from a momentary lapse in judgement and made the statement, "I'll root for the Red Sox." She is feverish and delirious. I am sure of this. She'll come to her senses. If not, she'll enjoy Italy.


I would just like to take a moment to give you a couple statistics. The Yankees won the world series in 1923, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1936, '37, '38, and '39, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949, '50, '51, '52, and '53, 1956, 1958, 1961 and '62, 1977 and 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. That would be twenty-six World Series wins. Those are the years the WON the series. They made it to the World Series on thirteen other occasions.

The Red Sox (aka the Dark Side) however, have only been to the World Series a total of nine times since 1903. Five of those visits they conquered the opposing team. Their last World Series win was in 2004.... their first win since 1918. So, um, yeah... the Yankees will not be in the World Series this year, little brother, you are right. BUT... their record still speaks for them. As does the Red Sox' record. Hmmm......

A big benefit

to being homeschooled is....















...being able to help mommy make cookies, sit on the counter and do your reading all at the same time. Why trade this??