We also made time to make some goofy faces for the camera!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Ian and Anson Playing
My parents are watching my nephew for a couple of days. So, we have had lots of cousin playtime!!
There has been some sandbox playtime.
There has been some sandbox playtime.
We all took turns taking them for a ride in my bike cart.
Pulling an extra 50 lbs. while going up even a small hill, is a serious leg work out!!!
We went to the local dairy farm/ice cream shop.
We fed goats, got goat kisses, bawked at the chickens, mooed at the cows and patted the calves.
We played on old tractors too!
Anson's Letter to Mommy and Daddy
Dear Mommy and Daddy,
I am having so much fun with my cousin, Ian. We played all morning. We played basketball. We played in his sandbox. We ran around the yard chasing bubbles too! Then, we had lunch, and fed some goats and ducks. While we were feeding the ducks, Ian had to go potty. Aunt H said we were too far from a bathroom, so he peed on a tree. It looked like so much fun, I had to give it a try!
Love, Anson
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Happy Birthday!!
Chrissy and Anson checking out my parents garden.
Today is my sister-in-law's 53rd, no wait 35th birthday!!
(Why the confusion? Ask my Mother!!)
Chrissy,
We hope that you have a wonderful birthday!
Love,
Heather, Mark and Ian
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
It's All About Being Mediocre
I have to get on my soapbox for a couple of minutes. Sorry, but this just needs to be said.
What is up with graduation parties? I don't mean the "I graduated from high school", but the "I graduated from first grade or fourth grade or eighth grade". I get the have a recognition party during class thing. I even understand the program after school for eighth graders going to high school. But, I can't wrap my mind around having a party to celebrate these events in either my home or a restaurant. Let's just throw money at something shall we? There are several parents in the local area that are throwing an Open House for their child upon completion of the 8th grade. I think this is just crazy!
There is a great line in the Incredibles movie that illustrates how I feel. Mr. Incredible doesn't want to go to his child's graduation from 4th grade. So, he says that if we keep celebrating the mediocre, nothing will ever be special. Think about that for a second... Isn't that exactly what we do with regard to our children? Now, I am not saying we shouldn't applaud the accomplishments of our children. But, we, as a society, have gone seriously overboard.
If you haven't had a child in organized sports in the last 10 years, you have no idea how much this notion has permeated our lives. You don't get picked for team. All teams are randomly selected until you get into high school for the most part. I can see this to some extent with younger children so that everyone gets to play. But, it has gone a little crazy around here. Also, there is no keeping score. Again, this permeates the system until about high school. Well, I got news for ya: That's not how life works. And the sooner your child learns to deal with the ups and downs life hands him or her, the better their life will be. We don't always win. We sometimes lose and it stinks. But, you need to learn the coping skills early to deal with those losses.
We spend entirely too much time 'spoon feeding' information to our children too. When I was in school, you turned your work in. We didn't do papers just to keep us busy. And if we didn't turn something in, you either got less credit or no credit for it. These days, Little Johnny can turn stuff in on the last day of the grading period and get full credit for it. Little Johnny gets "Redo" tickets so that he can do his test or homework again for full credit. WTH??? I can honestly say I don't remember ever having been given the chance to redo an assignment. I will admit that I was a good student, but I did have a few misteps along the way. (Like algebra at first. It was a complete mystery to me for about 2 weeks then it clicked. Now, I am the neighborhood "go to" person for help with algebra homework. And, I do mean neighborhood!)
So what are we teaching our children with all this? You get to redo things over and over until you get them right. You never win or lose. Everyone's abilities are the same. And, we celebrate every little accomplishment to the highest level.
I guess I need to throw a party next time Ian stubs his big toe or makes a basket or rides his bike!!!!
What is up with graduation parties? I don't mean the "I graduated from high school", but the "I graduated from first grade or fourth grade or eighth grade". I get the have a recognition party during class thing. I even understand the program after school for eighth graders going to high school. But, I can't wrap my mind around having a party to celebrate these events in either my home or a restaurant. Let's just throw money at something shall we? There are several parents in the local area that are throwing an Open House for their child upon completion of the 8th grade. I think this is just crazy!
There is a great line in the Incredibles movie that illustrates how I feel. Mr. Incredible doesn't want to go to his child's graduation from 4th grade. So, he says that if we keep celebrating the mediocre, nothing will ever be special. Think about that for a second... Isn't that exactly what we do with regard to our children? Now, I am not saying we shouldn't applaud the accomplishments of our children. But, we, as a society, have gone seriously overboard.
If you haven't had a child in organized sports in the last 10 years, you have no idea how much this notion has permeated our lives. You don't get picked for team. All teams are randomly selected until you get into high school for the most part. I can see this to some extent with younger children so that everyone gets to play. But, it has gone a little crazy around here. Also, there is no keeping score. Again, this permeates the system until about high school. Well, I got news for ya: That's not how life works. And the sooner your child learns to deal with the ups and downs life hands him or her, the better their life will be. We don't always win. We sometimes lose and it stinks. But, you need to learn the coping skills early to deal with those losses.
We spend entirely too much time 'spoon feeding' information to our children too. When I was in school, you turned your work in. We didn't do papers just to keep us busy. And if we didn't turn something in, you either got less credit or no credit for it. These days, Little Johnny can turn stuff in on the last day of the grading period and get full credit for it. Little Johnny gets "Redo" tickets so that he can do his test or homework again for full credit. WTH??? I can honestly say I don't remember ever having been given the chance to redo an assignment. I will admit that I was a good student, but I did have a few misteps along the way. (Like algebra at first. It was a complete mystery to me for about 2 weeks then it clicked. Now, I am the neighborhood "go to" person for help with algebra homework. And, I do mean neighborhood!)
So what are we teaching our children with all this? You get to redo things over and over until you get them right. You never win or lose. Everyone's abilities are the same. And, we celebrate every little accomplishment to the highest level.
I guess I need to throw a party next time Ian stubs his big toe or makes a basket or rides his bike!!!!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I Can't Feel Good
Bedtime around here is a crapshoot. Sometimes, it goes so smoothly you wonder if something is wrong. And sometimes, it's a complete nightmare. We have pretty much decided that the nightmare nights are simply Ian's attempts to assert his will. I thought maybe he was getting too tired. But after moving up bedtime a bit, we still have the problem sometimes.
Anyway, we are working through the toddler's attempt to control his world. It's not fun, but staying consistent makes it pass quickly. Why do I tell you this? Because the last 2 nightmare nights, he has come out with a new phrase.
The lastest stall tactic: "I can't feel good." First, let's address the grammar. It just cracks us up!! It's as if he is convincing himself that he doesn't feel good. We have told him that it is proper to say I don't feel good, but he as stuck with can't. Second, I have to admit the first night he tried this it stopped me in my tracks. A parent never wants their child to be ill. I took him to the bathroom, checked him all out, took him back to bed and let him cry it out. Nightmare night number 2 had me laughing at his attempt to get what he wanted. I was told by him that I am the meanest Mommy ever!!!! My response: That's right and don't ever forget it!!!!
So next time you aren't getting what you want, remember to try Ian's phrase. I can't feel good!! Let me know if it's any more effect for you than it is for him.
Anyway, we are working through the toddler's attempt to control his world. It's not fun, but staying consistent makes it pass quickly. Why do I tell you this? Because the last 2 nightmare nights, he has come out with a new phrase.
The lastest stall tactic: "I can't feel good." First, let's address the grammar. It just cracks us up!! It's as if he is convincing himself that he doesn't feel good. We have told him that it is proper to say I don't feel good, but he as stuck with can't. Second, I have to admit the first night he tried this it stopped me in my tracks. A parent never wants their child to be ill. I took him to the bathroom, checked him all out, took him back to bed and let him cry it out. Nightmare night number 2 had me laughing at his attempt to get what he wanted. I was told by him that I am the meanest Mommy ever!!!! My response: That's right and don't ever forget it!!!!
So next time you aren't getting what you want, remember to try Ian's phrase. I can't feel good!! Let me know if it's any more effect for you than it is for him.
A Flare Up of New Castle Sligo
I laughed so hard today that my sides hurt this evening. Those of you that know me well, know that I have a truly warped sense of humor. And, I often put it to good use like I did today.
I offered to ride with my friend, Amy, to LaGrange, Kentucky today. Our mission was the drop off of Sami (Amy's stepdaughter) with Shannon, Sami's mother. I can tell you that we pretty much talked and laughed our way through the entire event. But, things really got giggly when I saw a road sign for New Castle/Sligo. WTH?!?! It sounds like some weird disease that occassionally flares up and never really goes away. So, after I mention this, we laugh until we practically pee our pants. Then, I start texting. I told those that I sent the text, that I was having a flare up and asked how their New Castle Sligo was doing today! I got responses that ran the gamut from "What" to "You need help". Which of course, just fueled my imagination. Really, who names a place Sligo???
We continued driving, dropped Sami off, and decided to look for an outlet mall. TomTom to the rescue! Well, almost.... TomTom tells me that the Butler Outlet Mall is 24 miles north of our location. We head that way (taking note of the winery location for later reference!!) and just as we are getting off the highway, we get behind a q-tip! (Q-tip: old person, white hair who usually shouldn't be driving.) He was driving (in his old person style car) 45 miles an hour in a 70 mile per hour zone on I-71!!!!! He gets off at the same exit we want. He stopped at the bottom of the ramp and we then realize that his q-tip wife is in the passenger seat. She was just too small to be seen over the back of the seat!!!
I am not even going to tell you about the sad excuse for an outlet mall. After laughing away our disappointment, we decide to hit TomTom again to see what else he had to offer. This time he came up with several options. One of the options was: Ghlic. Again, WTH!?!?! (I googled it and found out it is Gaelic, but have no idea what it means.) Anyway, we decided that it was a sign and must be the medicine used to rid oneself of the New Castle Sligo!! We further decided that in Kentucky, taking Ghlic to get rid of New Castle Sligo has a few side effects. You know all the Kentucky jokes: It will make your teeth fall out. You will want to marry your sister. Etc. That pretty much kept us going/laughing all the way back into Ohio. (Yes, they actually let us back into Ohio. But I am pretty sure our husbands will never let us go on a roadtrip without adult supervision ever again. Which means that winery we spotted may be an unfulfilled dream.)
Remember, I never said I was normal!
I offered to ride with my friend, Amy, to LaGrange, Kentucky today. Our mission was the drop off of Sami (Amy's stepdaughter) with Shannon, Sami's mother. I can tell you that we pretty much talked and laughed our way through the entire event. But, things really got giggly when I saw a road sign for New Castle/Sligo. WTH?!?! It sounds like some weird disease that occassionally flares up and never really goes away. So, after I mention this, we laugh until we practically pee our pants. Then, I start texting. I told those that I sent the text, that I was having a flare up and asked how their New Castle Sligo was doing today! I got responses that ran the gamut from "What" to "You need help". Which of course, just fueled my imagination. Really, who names a place Sligo???
We continued driving, dropped Sami off, and decided to look for an outlet mall. TomTom to the rescue! Well, almost.... TomTom tells me that the Butler Outlet Mall is 24 miles north of our location. We head that way (taking note of the winery location for later reference!!) and just as we are getting off the highway, we get behind a q-tip! (Q-tip: old person, white hair who usually shouldn't be driving.) He was driving (in his old person style car) 45 miles an hour in a 70 mile per hour zone on I-71!!!!! He gets off at the same exit we want. He stopped at the bottom of the ramp and we then realize that his q-tip wife is in the passenger seat. She was just too small to be seen over the back of the seat!!!
I am not even going to tell you about the sad excuse for an outlet mall. After laughing away our disappointment, we decide to hit TomTom again to see what else he had to offer. This time he came up with several options. One of the options was: Ghlic. Again, WTH!?!?! (I googled it and found out it is Gaelic, but have no idea what it means.) Anyway, we decided that it was a sign and must be the medicine used to rid oneself of the New Castle Sligo!! We further decided that in Kentucky, taking Ghlic to get rid of New Castle Sligo has a few side effects. You know all the Kentucky jokes: It will make your teeth fall out. You will want to marry your sister. Etc. That pretty much kept us going/laughing all the way back into Ohio. (Yes, they actually let us back into Ohio. But I am pretty sure our husbands will never let us go on a roadtrip without adult supervision ever again. Which means that winery we spotted may be an unfulfilled dream.)
Remember, I never said I was normal!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Happy Anniversary!
Today, Sam and Andy have been married 20 years!!!!
Wow, 20 years!!! It was a very memorable wedding and it seems like it was only a year or so ago. Not 20! The two of you have been through a lot in 20 years: Numerous job changes, a few moving trucks, getting hit by a truck, remodeling of your house, etc. And when all is said and done, you have 2 amazing kids, a wonderful relationship and one continuously crazy ride on this planet to show for it! Can you just imagine what the next 20 will bring?
Happy Anniversary to you both!
Love,
Heather, Mark and Ian
Wow, 20 years!!! It was a very memorable wedding and it seems like it was only a year or so ago. Not 20! The two of you have been through a lot in 20 years: Numerous job changes, a few moving trucks, getting hit by a truck, remodeling of your house, etc. And when all is said and done, you have 2 amazing kids, a wonderful relationship and one continuously crazy ride on this planet to show for it! Can you just imagine what the next 20 will bring?
Happy Anniversary to you both!
Love,
Heather, Mark and Ian
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Susie Sunshine Post
Just in case you actually think things are getting better with the economy:
1) Foreclosures rose 32% last month. (So much for foreclosure help from the government and the bailout money predictions!) Now we get to spend more tax dollars to see where all that money went, because it sure didn't go where it was intended to go.
2) Retail sales dropped significantly during the month of April. (Need consumers to start buying again to indicate that the economy is strengthening. Apparently we, the people are just not feeling it.)
3) As for the legal business: Bankruptcy work is crazy busy. Divorces, DUI's and domestic violence cases have increased significantly too. I guess when you don't have a job and have to stay at home all day with the spouse and/or kids, it's just too much.
4) Let's not even talk about unemployment.
5) And, I almost forgot: The price of gas rose an average of $.16 per gallon this week.
Didn't want anyone to think that the current administration's plans for the economy were actually working!!!
This post brought to you by the eternal optimist known as 'Susie Sunshine'.
1) Foreclosures rose 32% last month. (So much for foreclosure help from the government and the bailout money predictions!) Now we get to spend more tax dollars to see where all that money went, because it sure didn't go where it was intended to go.
2) Retail sales dropped significantly during the month of April. (Need consumers to start buying again to indicate that the economy is strengthening. Apparently we, the people are just not feeling it.)
3) As for the legal business: Bankruptcy work is crazy busy. Divorces, DUI's and domestic violence cases have increased significantly too. I guess when you don't have a job and have to stay at home all day with the spouse and/or kids, it's just too much.
4) Let's not even talk about unemployment.
5) And, I almost forgot: The price of gas rose an average of $.16 per gallon this week.
Didn't want anyone to think that the current administration's plans for the economy were actually working!!!
This post brought to you by the eternal optimist known as 'Susie Sunshine'.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day
My single-most important accomplishment in this lifetime.
To my mother: Thank you for all that you do. I don't know how I would have gotten through the last year, in particular, without all your help. While I may ask you "What did I do to you to deserve this very busy boy?", you know that I love every minute of it and would not change a thing, even if I could. You assure me every day that I am doing a good job at the most important thing I have ever done. I appreciate you more now that I have a child, then I ever thought possible. Thank you and I love you.
To all the other amazing mothers that I know: You are all fabulous! Your willingness to take on the responsibility of raising another human being in this crazy world, is staggering to me. Your skills while do so, humble me. I don't know what I would do without the love and support I receive from all of you. I can only hope that I am able to absorb even a small amount of your wisdom and patience. Thank you for all that you do. And I love each of you.
Last, but not least:
Happy Birthday Katie!
We hope that you have not only a wonderful Mother's Day, but a fabulous Birthday!
Love,
Heather, Mark and Ian
Since I Left You Last...
Right after we returned from picking up my car, we had a big thunderstorm. Why is that important? Because, the phone line going into our house was hit by lightening! Since then, we have been systematically going through electrical issues trying to fix all the weird problems. Let me tell you, lightening can really cause strange problems. Some things are completely knocked out, others have only parts that won't work. It's just weird. Mark was home and actually heard a sizzling noise! One neighbor was asleep from work on 3rd shift and it woke him up. Another neighbor thought it may have actually hit her as she felt it because it was so close.
So, what all did we have to repair, you ask?
1) Well it took the local phone company 3 hours last Monday to fix our 2 phone lines. (Note that it took them 4 days to even get out to fix the problem!) They had to basically replace the line to the house from a pole about 1/4 mile away. And in doing that, he knocked out the phone lines of at least 3 of our neighbors. Nice!
2) The network adapter card on my desktop computer was fried. At this point, we can get on the internet from my laptop which is served by the network that is the desktop. I do not have a clue how that is working, but it is. Seems to me that the any computer on the network should not work if the computer acting as the server is not working in that capacity. But, what do I know?!?! Diagnosing the problem has been the biggest obstacle so far. I had to call the local cable company which provides our modem service. They ran a few checks, decided it wasn't my modem, but maybe the router or card. They suggested I call the manufacturer of those items. I, of course, got someone in Pakistan who wanted the model and serial number on the card INSIDE my computer. I was so frustrated at that point, I hung up after telling her I would simply replace the piece of crap! So, I have to crawl under my desk, tear my computer apart and replace the card. Sounds like fun with a toddler crawling all over you, doesn't it?
3) It blew the circuit board, transformer and battery on our security system. Amazingly, sometime last year I decided we needed a service plan on the system which included lightening strikes!!! It took them 2 days and would have cost me about $1700 to fix without the service agreement. Note to all those with security systems: Get a service plan!! It only costs a few dollars and saved us hundreds!
4) Finally, we have at least one light switch which is not working. I think we have 2, but Mark is not convinced that the second one was working properly before the strike. So, we have an electrician coming on Tuesday to take a look at things. I want a professional to tell me that all the wiring in my walls is okay. That way when my house burns down from an electrical fire, I have someone to blame!! Just kidding, but it will make me feel better about leaving my house with a light on at night. God, only knows what a check up from an electrician will costs us, but the peace of mind will be worth it.
So, what all did we have to repair, you ask?
1) Well it took the local phone company 3 hours last Monday to fix our 2 phone lines. (Note that it took them 4 days to even get out to fix the problem!) They had to basically replace the line to the house from a pole about 1/4 mile away. And in doing that, he knocked out the phone lines of at least 3 of our neighbors. Nice!
2) The network adapter card on my desktop computer was fried. At this point, we can get on the internet from my laptop which is served by the network that is the desktop. I do not have a clue how that is working, but it is. Seems to me that the any computer on the network should not work if the computer acting as the server is not working in that capacity. But, what do I know?!?! Diagnosing the problem has been the biggest obstacle so far. I had to call the local cable company which provides our modem service. They ran a few checks, decided it wasn't my modem, but maybe the router or card. They suggested I call the manufacturer of those items. I, of course, got someone in Pakistan who wanted the model and serial number on the card INSIDE my computer. I was so frustrated at that point, I hung up after telling her I would simply replace the piece of crap! So, I have to crawl under my desk, tear my computer apart and replace the card. Sounds like fun with a toddler crawling all over you, doesn't it?
3) It blew the circuit board, transformer and battery on our security system. Amazingly, sometime last year I decided we needed a service plan on the system which included lightening strikes!!! It took them 2 days and would have cost me about $1700 to fix without the service agreement. Note to all those with security systems: Get a service plan!! It only costs a few dollars and saved us hundreds!
4) Finally, we have at least one light switch which is not working. I think we have 2, but Mark is not convinced that the second one was working properly before the strike. So, we have an electrician coming on Tuesday to take a look at things. I want a professional to tell me that all the wiring in my walls is okay. That way when my house burns down from an electrical fire, I have someone to blame!! Just kidding, but it will make me feel better about leaving my house with a light on at night. God, only knows what a check up from an electrician will costs us, but the peace of mind will be worth it.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Cleveland Rocks!!!!
Can you name this building?
How about now?
The day after my birthday, Mark and I went to Cleveland for the weekend. We wanted to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, spend some time together, and eat a meal where we did not have to entertain a toddler!
We stayed at the Marriott in downtown Cleveland. Our room was on the 25th floor overlooking Public Square. (The rooms on either side of us were occupied by Run DMC!!) Thursday night, we ate at a cajun restaurant called Fat Fish Blue. The food was excellent and spicy, but the Gator Juice drink was worth having seconds!! (I wrote down the ingredients so that I can figure out how to make it at home.) Friday night we ate at a wonderful sushi restaurant (not the type of restaurant you take a toddler to!) while out exploring the city.
Saturday, we went to the Rock and Roll of Fame which was amazing! There was more memorabilia packed into that place than you could ever have a chance of seeing. The basement started with bluegrass and went all the way to the present day. The top two floors were special display areas full of Bruce Springsteen memorabilia. Some highlights: Purple Cadillac owned by Elvis, Red hot rod from ZZ Top, cape worn by Mick Jagger on the Stones first US tour, lyric notebooks from a huge amount of performers, Michael Jackson's Grammy award (it's really small!), Madonna's cone bra, and Steven Tyler's mic stand. I could go on and on. It was really fascinating! That evening, we had dinner at Mallora in the Warehouse District. The amazing food was Spanish/Portuguese and the service was spectacular.
Statute in the square that we saw from our window.
So why do we have a picture if Ian and Alex in front of the Brown's stadium? We had to go back to Cleveland on Wednesday to pick up my car! We headed north on Wednesday, spent Thursday at the Great Lakes Science Center which was really cool, picked up the car and headed home.
Why did we buy a car in Clevelend? My lease was up on my car and the local dealer was bugging me to death. I needed to test drive a couple of models without fighting with Ian and his seat. So, we looked up the dealer in Cleveland and told them we were not buying just test driving. They were happy to help us, spent time telling us all the ins and outs of financing options with complete honesty and made the experience really enjoyable. They were able to get the car in the color I wanted with the options I wanted from a dealer in Virginia. So, we had to drive back on Wednesday after they had the car shipped to them. Yes, I will take a picture of it soon and get it posted. It's really pretty!!!!
My Birthday
Can anyone guess how old I am??
What was your first clue?
Best part: I got TWO chocolate cakes!!!
Mom made her amazing chocolate cake and Ronda brought me a triple chocolate cake!!!
Thank you both!
All I have to say about this crazy crown is:
Katie will one day turn 40. Bwhahaha!!!
Just in case you weren't sure who turned 40!!
The following post is a slide show of the dinner we had at a local Italian restaurant, Giovanni's. It's a great place for a relaxed family and friends dinner. It holds a special place in my heart because it is the first place I ever had pizza when I was a kid! (Yes, it's been in business that long! Actually, it's been in business since about 1954.)
Dinner started out as just a few people (mostly family) and turned into an extravaganza! I had so much fun. The entire bottle of wine that I drank probably helped too! The pizza was great and the company was the best.
Thank you all!!!
