tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116896332012-02-03T22:45:45.100-05:00dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.comBlogger2521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-42388733672677687162010-01-24T12:45:00.006-05:002010-01-24T12:52:20.462-05:00

For school, Lastborn was asked to interview a family member over Thanksgiving break, and then write a piece from what he learned about the person. Lastborn chose to interview his Grandfather - and the result is rather funny. Grandpa RossHave you ever had to live on a farm and had to clean chicken poop, or had to be drafted into the Korean War? Well my Grandpa Ross did. Grandpa’s favorite holiday

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-66603416452956714192009-11-25T11:30:00.002-05:002009-11-25T11:38:43.878-05:00

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-12943465673554356412009-11-21T12:53:00.003-05:002009-11-21T13:06:49.873-05:00

Last night, I took Lastborn to the local roller rink for a school sponsored skating night. Luckily, a neighbor was also there with her son, so we were able to chat and Lastborn had company as well.Understand that both of my boys are far more interested in the junk food available at the rink than they are at the skating, and Lastborn has not yet gotten himself off "the wall." So he was really

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-7649389092891617092009-10-19T13:02:00.007-05:002009-10-19T13:31:33.942-05:00

Shortly after we adopted the girls, they figured out that if they pushed on my bedroom door, it would pop opened. This was never a real problem until we got the puppy. Indeed, even after the puppy, it was almost a year before this ever became a problem. She stays pretty much in place all night and during the day when we were out, she was confined in a small area downstairs. This summer, however,

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-33262811411436889512009-08-19T13:10:00.003-05:002009-08-19T13:36:02.861-05:00

Today, I took the boys to Old Navy because they were having a sale on kids jeans and t-shirts. Firstborn is becoming interested in girls, which means that he is becoming interested in fashion. So this is the first year he has actually cared what I bought for him. For summer, I only needed an approximate size and a description of what's "cool." For winter clothes though, I needed him to try things

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-10876748399724360952009-08-18T08:53:00.002-05:002009-08-18T09:16:11.639-05:00

Took Lastborn out to buy new sneakers. He is very hard on his shoes and runs through a pair in just weeks. This time, I decided to spend a little more and get the sturdiest I could find. My hope is that if his feet are comfortable, he will move more.So off we went, to the new Shoe Department near the mall. He was bored at first and wandering around the store. This is a big stage for him because I

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-74677800449322527142009-08-14T07:51:00.004-05:002009-08-14T08:10:56.277-05:00

Back at the Green County Fair, Firstborn actually asked me if I was planning on planting some cheese now that I had seen the garden entries. I don't know where he got this idea as there were no bricks of cheese among the cucumbers, beans, and corn on display. I stopped quickly and looked at him to see if he was joking. There was no sign of humor on his face.I confess, my child thinks cheese grows

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-20613098596317054922009-08-06T12:50:00.002-05:002009-08-06T13:13:27.789-05:00

In MA, I had no interest in going to the county fairs. There is no country in eastern MA, so what kind of fair would there be? Crowded, full of rides and games, but no real fair feel.Now that we are in the heart of Ohio, it's time to introduce the boys to the good 'ole country fair. I had no idea how citified my boys were though.Firstborn decided he was far too sophisticated to go to a fair.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-60718293820911053722009-08-04T10:04:00.004-05:002009-08-04T10:36:01.739-05:00

(Big Bang Theory. Sheldon notices the paint ball paint spot on "his cushion") Early yesterday morning, I asked the boys to go brush their teeth at the same time. Usually, we don't do this because it leads to fights over who uses what sink. You see, the boys' bathroom has two sinks. I have always assumed that the one that had globs of toothpaste and junk around it was Lastborn's and the clean one

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-85843516249725649632009-06-09T08:19:00.002-05:002009-06-09T08:37:50.862-05:00

Firstborn is a genius. Really. His mind works in amazing ways. It's not that he aces every test he is given, it's more the style of thinking that he does. Sometimes it's scary.But then there is the other side of genius. The side where he can't handle the smaller, more mundane thinking processes that we mere mortals take for granted. Like dressing...Last night he had to dress for a special Boy

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-21551731319147649582009-06-08T13:43:00.003-05:002009-06-08T13:46:08.177-05:00

I've been going on walks with Lastborn over vacation. He's going to Webelos camp next week and I'm told there's lots of walking there. Being a pretty sedentary kid and a bit overweight to boot, I'm worried that he will have a horrible time at camp because of how much they push them.So today, I gave him the word that we were going on another walk and he should put his shoes there.His response?"Can

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-81462913368810366242009-06-06T12:24:00.002-05:002009-06-06T12:30:05.364-05:00

Not that I feel a need to spy on my son, but he left the screen open after chatting with his cousin. He was using my account. Here's a typical chat session with Lastborn:Lastborn: yo beninatorbkn: hey, how are you?Lastborn: good how areit feels awkward with this picture (referring to my avatar)bkn: im good, so how what kind of party are you having?Lastborn: bowlingdo you do clubpenguinbkn: not

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-17880405902412824442009-05-24T11:59:00.002-05:002009-05-24T14:14:35.822-05:00

I saw this recipe on the Barefoot Contessa and it looked really yummy. I've thought about cooking with fresh fennel bulb for a while but didn't have the courage. But this risotto with fennel, asparagus and leeks looked so good.Add to this that the kids have become much more adventurous in eating. No more are we limited to the chicken nuggets, mac 'n cheese and pb & j that graced our menu for so

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-23272384280415708442009-05-06T10:43:00.002-05:002009-05-06T11:01:52.883-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I had to bring Firstborn to the dermatologist for a checkup. He has a number of moles she is keeping an eye on. He gets very talkative in her office. Usually she encourages him because of the amazing things that come out of his mouth. Amazing sometimes because they are profound and other times because they are outrageous.The end result is that I sit through the whole procedure

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-85353489461786733292009-04-20T12:25:00.002-05:002009-04-20T13:01:02.383-05:00

I don't have an answer to that question, just an example.I recently learned that the 2-year old son of Firstborn's 5th grade teacher is going through treatment for leukemia. This man was just wonderful for Firstborn last year. Firstborn couldn't have gotten a better teacher for his first year in Ohio. So, I'm putting out the word to all my Ohio friends. There will be a marrow doner drive on

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-90370261620541453342009-04-07T09:05:00.006-05:002009-04-07T11:01:10.253-05:00

For spring break I drove back east with the kids to visit Grandma.We left on Friday morning since the teachers were having one of those convenient development days that lengthen holidays and long weekends. It was nice to travel on a weekday and avoid the mid day traffic of the weekend, but it meant that we had to deal with rush hour. The trip out from Dayton was nothing but fog. Firstborn was

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-16479454019912038272009-03-16T12:47:00.000-05:002009-03-16T12:48:16.236-05:00

http://www.azcentral.com/community/peoria/articles/2009/03/16/20090316LoveAgain.html#comments

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-35580454402069317612009-03-08T07:56:00.003-05:002009-03-08T08:25:29.498-05:00

Before moving to the midlands, I had heard the term cake walk, but I had no idea what it was. Until our new school started planning their yearly carnival. They went on and on about how important it was to have enough cakes for the cake walk.Last year at the carnival, Firstborn went into the cake walk himself, but didn't give it a very favorable review because he didn't win. But this year, the

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-1590791211621760152009-02-25T08:11:00.003-05:002009-02-25T08:41:05.539-05:00

So last night, I ran a Destination Imagination Instant Challenge Workshop. As background, I am the building coordinator for Destination for my son's elementary school. As such, I'm supposed to schedule and plan these workshops at the beginning of the year and at the end of the season, just before competition.The sessions at the beginning of the year are supposed to let the kids try new DI-ish

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-62863971163354854022009-02-24T15:24:00.006-05:002009-02-24T16:20:15.736-05:00

One big difference about living in Ohio is the wind. I never in my life experienced the kind of winds we get here in the spring and fall. There are many nights I simply don't sleep, convinced that the house is going to blow away. I keep the TV on and watch the little weather warning map to see when we will be freed from the high wind warnings -- or tornado warnings sometimes. Ike was the monster

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-6346857607263489322009-02-10T21:16:00.003-05:002009-02-10T21:27:05.944-05:00

So this weekend, I met with the Destination Imagination boys on Sunday and Monday. I had company on Friday morning and had cleaned the house spotlessly then and DH had a poker game on Saturday night and the guys pretty much trashed the house.By the DI meeting on Sunday, I had barely gotten the place cleaned up enough to have the boys in. So I was not too bothered by Z making a comment about the

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-86839687548986697592009-02-10T10:13:00.004-05:002009-02-10T10:43:54.084-05:00

Today I had to bring Nova to the vet. No problems, just that we needed more Advantix and she has been on the cusp of increasing her dose. So we had to weigh her to make sure she had added the two pounds needed to flip her into the higher dose. Last week, I was so excited to stumble upon the perfect car harness for her at a drastically reduced rate of just $10. I've been looking at this harness at

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-88318341350170677712009-02-07T10:53:00.003-05:002009-02-07T11:05:56.502-05:00

Way back in college, I had these two roommates who were polar opposites. One was always depressed and telling me how sad her life was, and the other was always happy, and excited, and bouncing off the walls. I found the contrast too much to deal with, and while I truly liked both women, I could not live with them. I moved into a room with a single roommate and life resumed its normal flows.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-29000392729835917532009-02-05T08:45:00.004-05:002009-02-05T09:05:35.947-05:00

One of my favorite Mom things is snow days. They bring back the joy and excitement I remember from my childhood. This is one perk of momhood I will miss when the nest is empty.Back in MA we (my sons and I) became collectors of snow-day superstitions. And when Firstborn really wants a snow day, he will pull out all of them just to ensure that his wish is granted. Here are a few we have used in the

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-50467740417144266122009-01-30T15:17:00.003-05:002009-01-30T16:00:15.215-05:00

Remember that viral email that went around about how motherhood will change your life? If not, here's a link. Well, I had a few of those moments last night.Let me preface this story with the fact that my husband has been out of town since very early Monday morning. He's been travelling a lot lately. Almost every other week. We will not go into the fact that these trips are carefully planned to

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-84663677017732114312009-01-29T15:32:00.003-05:002009-01-29T15:40:27.924-05:00

After 2 snow days stuck at home, I finally got the chance to slip out of the house to get my brake light fixed. While Ohio does not do inspections every year to catch this kind of stuff, I kinda feel like the local constabulary might have a bit too much fun writing a ticket for this east coast snob were I to be caught with my tail light out.This past week, I had decided to widen Nova's territory

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-13055361026419930162008-12-19T16:50:00.002-05:002008-12-19T16:57:13.486-05:00

So I am hosting half of my family for Christmas. We will have 10 people living here for a few days and the stress levels will probably be pretty high. My dad will need to figure out strategies for getting around my house and generally making himself comfortable and we will need to find a place to let the kids hang out without driving us up the wall.I've spent the past two weeks baking cookies,

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-85668413626689637042008-11-30T15:25:00.003-05:002008-11-30T19:03:04.397-05:00

Yesterday morning at 3am, the guys headed off to their hunting trip in western PA. For those of you who object to hunting, don't worry, I'm sure no deer will be hurt on this trip. This particular group of hunters has not come back with anything in about 7 years and I'm sure DHs lack of experience will not improve their lot at all.Even so, we were not willing to let this trip go without a fair

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-51672454642059818392008-11-26T12:36:00.002-05:002008-11-26T12:41:35.324-05:00

Yesterday, Lastborn was home from school with a mild stomach bug. Firstborn needed me to bring him into school to sign a permission slip he had forgotten to bring home. DH could not stay with Lastborn because he had a 9:00 meeting. So, I had to drag Lastborn with me to the middle school. On our walk from the car to the school entrance we passed a piece of plywood obviously covering a freshly dug

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-82826074645543693032008-11-24T08:18:00.012-05:002008-11-24T09:43:52.084-05:00

One of the things that Lastborn struggles with is low self confidence. He never got to see his big brother struggle, and he thinks that if you struggle, you must not be very smart/strong/whatever. So he will often give up quickly or cop an attitude to get out of doing something he thinks he can't do.Since attending Kumon this summer for math, he has learned that sometimes, if you work at

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-78037885107556235902008-11-23T16:17:00.004-05:002008-11-23T17:21:09.071-05:00

Being Lastborn has its advantages. I remember a friend telling me she felt guilty with how strict she was with her firstborn child and how lenient she was with her third. I wouldn't call myself lenient. It's not in my nature, but I certainly know better which battles to wage than I did on my first go around.Lastborn is beginning to realize that the older brother he used to idolize has his

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-54471331284601451012008-11-16T08:57:00.003-05:002008-11-16T09:20:16.170-05:00

So this weekend, Firstborn went on a 25 mile bike ride with the boy scouts. Well, sort of. He went to the bike trail (about 45 minutes away) and stayed overnight, but it was raining and snowing and the leaders (bless them) felt that the mixture of fall leaves on the ground with rain and snow was an unsafe combination and so the boys just stayed at the camp for the day so that one of them could

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-46866276085045583052008-11-11T17:08:00.003-05:002008-11-11T17:10:10.360-05:00

That last post about Lastborn ended up with the wrong picture. That picture of Lastborn was from last spring. It gets better. Really. Look. I rest my case.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-1499826361811368362008-11-10T17:05:00.005-05:002008-11-10T17:12:53.223-05:00

Every year at picture time, DH and I bite our fingernails in expectation of Lastborn's pictures. (You can cue the scary music here.) Last year, they were so bad, we had to send them back and ask for a retake. Some years, they are just hilarious. The only constant, is that you never know what you will get. Here is a retrospective. A bit blurry, but I hope you get the idea. We will go counter

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-26494835846398002532008-11-10T17:01:00.003-05:002008-11-10T17:04:58.008-05:00

I think he has gone native.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-92160299531997764902008-10-23T11:06:00.002-05:002008-10-23T11:20:08.228-05:00

This year has been an eye opener for us MA natives. Ohio is a big swing state. It is very unpredictable as to which way they will go and as a result, the concentration of Republican nastiness can be seen here. Everything from constant smear ads to questioning the validity of votes (otherwise known as voter suppression).Likewise, we have had numerous visits from all the candidates. As a matter of

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-81616043458172861032008-10-23T07:46:00.003-05:002008-10-23T07:57:46.113-05:00

Lastborn provided two funnies this week. We are well into Halloween festivities, so those provided the perfect backdrop for his wit and wisdom.The first was at a cub scout pack meeting. All dressed in their Halloween finery, the den was in front of the pack presenting what they had learned about Leave no Trace. The den leader asked each of the kids to further explain a specific point about Leave

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-88731589622063174892008-10-11T13:10:00.002-05:002008-10-11T13:13:17.107-05:00

Well, she did it. At times we were not sure, but in the end, she kept up with the class and she is now a graduate rookie rover. Here's her graduation picture on the Pawsitive Pet Solutions website:http://www.pawsitivepetsolutions.com/images/dogs/thumbnails/Nova.jpg

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-76945118626606295252008-09-23T11:28:00.002-05:002008-09-23T11:35:06.037-05:00

I always want to record these great quotes when they happen, but it seems like I never have the time until something else big comes up to blog about.Firstborn was watching a show on TV where someone was remarking on another characters bicepts, referring to them as guns. Firstborn lit up and said, while raising his fists in the air. "I've got guns! They're kind of mushy, but they're guns."Then the

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-87765572400817025022008-09-23T11:13:00.002-05:002008-09-23T11:28:25.005-05:00

In case you don't get the title reference, here's a clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clPYfaTvHT0.Friday, DH announced that he had purchased a chainsaw to take care of the trees in the back yard. Sigh. He promises that he knows what he is doing. He has never been taught how to use a chain saw. He assumes it is some trait carried on the Y chromosome that will enable him to immediately know how

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-1255178688011704402008-09-18T15:08:00.004-05:002008-09-19T09:22:09.417-05:00

Wednesday, schools started on time; except for one middle school. This happened to be the middle school Firstborn really wanted to go to. He had heard rumors that they brought in name-brand junk food for lunch every day. We are not zoned for that school, so he had to go to a different one. Poor Firstborn.I loaded the kids onto the bus and updated my blog with the story and pictures. Then I

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-9259561600415161802008-09-18T15:08:00.002-05:002008-09-18T15:29:15.802-05:00

Monday night, over drinks, our neighbors talked with us about how this had really been fun. While it has been a huge inconvenience, the weather has been nice for this forced camping trip. We are all sleeping pretty well and it is cool enough to do the work we are left with. The kids can play their hearts out and get very dirty, but we are all aware that we are on the verge of problems. For

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-87685932422416670322008-09-17T09:07:00.006-05:002008-09-17T10:05:41.495-05:00

We didn't get to eat until after 8:00 on Sunday. By then, our battery operated and crank radios were telling us that 800,000 people were without power in Cincinnati. We figured that schools would probably be closed because all the power was out; this includes traffic lights and even cell towers.I dug out Sterno and a fondue pot and warmed up some leftovers being careful not to let too much cold

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-26236498195109140682008-09-17T08:53:00.005-05:002008-09-17T09:06:58.357-05:00

Ah. Pictures are working.This is the second tree to come down. The one on our property that hit the shed. It was a double three; a tulip poplar. It was one of my favorite in the yard. It also ripped out a large section of our pathway. A view through the family room at the root ball of the first tree to go down. The view of our front yard and the pear tree that went down.A closer look at the root

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-69825416018924197302008-09-17T07:48:00.009-05:002008-09-17T08:53:05.941-05:00

Today, I am faced with lots of vacuuming, piles of laundry and an empty refrigerator that I need to fill, but I can't go shopping until the kids go to school. They are on a two hour delay. This all started Sunday, which was a terrible, horrible, not good, very bad day.Sunday started out very warm and very humid. We had a warm humid week in fact. Our only event for Sunday was a cub scout meeting

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-49743240725169306222008-09-11T10:51:00.003-05:002008-09-11T11:23:33.475-05:00

Let me just start out by saying that the headline is a joke.When I signed Nova up for doggie school, I had no idea that it would be so much like getting my kids through school. We had our first class last week and I had no idea what to expect. I mean, I think Nova is a pretty cool dog. I've done my best to socialize her around other dogs and people so that she can go into the class with the best

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-25970997545847847032008-09-11T06:46:00.002-05:002008-09-11T06:49:28.144-05:00

This week, Nova started obedience training. They use a method called clicker training. Each owner is given a little clicking device. When the dog performs the behavior you are looking for, you click the clicker and give them a treat. Eventually, they learn that the sound itself is a good thing and you can skip the treats. It's a very effective method of training.I keep my clicker close by so that

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-23674760052131519612008-09-08T08:53:00.004-05:002008-09-08T09:05:56.628-05:00

It's been a while, I know. We've been very busy. Last weekend, I attended a letter boxing event in Eastern OH. Beautiful country and Firstborn and I enjoyed seeing the world in 3D again. But we are back in the flat country and I will recap the event in another post. Today, I went to the dog park with Nova. She loves the dog park and already recognizes my dog-park bag. I carry a water bottle,

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-69650614734755512382008-08-29T13:37:00.002-05:002008-08-29T14:07:39.922-05:00

Since moving here to OH, I have been struggling with entering a new phase in my life. I've been a mother of older children and in my 40s for a few years now. But back in Tewksbury, I was able to avoid admitting that I was aging because members of my mother's group often had younger kids and even the ones with kids my kids' age, were still about 10 years younger than me. In fact, through my

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-63926768285972145572008-08-27T09:46:00.005-05:002008-08-27T10:23:34.764-05:00

It did happen. We did go camping. And we are still recovering. I tried to tap into my inner Girl Scout, but this is tough when camping with Cub Scouts. They have a very different view of camping with kids. It includes wild mayhem and lots of kids not taking on responsibility. Very different from my Girl Scout days.Now, I must point out that when I committed to this trip, it had been a very balmy

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-47386986566336970782008-08-21T08:02:00.003-05:002008-08-21T08:22:12.563-05:00

I have signed the boys up for a cub scout camping trip. Last time I went with Ken, we borrowed a tent from the pack. It was not entirely to my liking as it was very well vented and it was a rainy cold night. So I searched online for tents. Target had some nice ones. So did Walmart. So, I narrowed it down to a nice Ozark Trail 6 man tent from Walmart that got some great reviews. At this point, I

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-67756208024525575262008-08-18T07:23:00.001-05:002008-08-18T07:23:36.834-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPIIMbG9R4w

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-1958248940679833532008-08-18T07:07:00.003-05:002008-08-18T07:16:29.067-05:00

We had Nova fixed on Monday. Not that she was broken, but you know...It was rather stressful for her considering I had abandoned her for just under 2 weeks and 5 days of that time was with a complete stranger.So, Monday night, we picked her up at the vet. She was happy to see us, and oh so well behaved. Turns out they had given her a sedative because she had nipped at them when she was coming out

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-57210854207264101242008-07-28T07:15:00.004-05:002008-07-28T07:29:26.040-05:00

A major milestone in puppy development is the development of a clear signal that the puppy needs to go out. In most areas, Nova is a very clear communicator. She's happy, she wiggles. She's afraid, she cowers. She doesn't want to lay down for you, she gives you her paw; very clear. Potty, not so much. As a result, she seems to have us housebroken. That is, we take her out on a set schedule and

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-47186711286520405872008-07-27T07:20:00.003-05:002008-07-27T07:41:20.751-05:00

Georgia and Nadia are delicate creatures. They are afraid of humans. Not so afraid that they can't be seen by our visitors, but they certainly won't walk up to a stranger shortly after the stranger enters our house.Of the two, Georgia is the more courageous. When I first let her loose in the house, she ran around the house sniffing everything with her belly close to the ground. You could feel the

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-3868949779845280142008-07-25T07:22:00.006-05:002008-07-25T08:05:46.389-05:00

By Firstborn:I built a suit of armor out of duct tape and cardboard. Really!Here's a video of him in full armor walking around the neighborhood to show off his new suit.http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6554268021956205562&hl=en

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-61195462619104417022008-07-08T11:07:00.002-05:002008-07-08T11:27:25.113-05:00

We knew when we got her that Nova was more than just a Labrador Retriever/Golden Retriever mix. After all, neither breed has white patches. And just look at those ears. They are clearly neither. They only lay flat when she is sleeping. When she is awake, they are all over the place in various stages of half to full cocked and rarely symmetrical.When she walks or runs, they are plastered flat back

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-18547781553519061402008-06-10T08:51:00.006-05:002008-06-10T09:14:59.711-05:00

Two weeks ago, I was very worried that we would ever be able to take Nova in a car. She hates the car. She had little exposure and at least half of those exposures were bad experiences. Going to the vet, leaving her mother. But there was more. I discovered when I was taking her to the vet the last time, that her carrier was not too stable. It was also a bit small for her. So as I watched her

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-33849402689821176782008-06-07T13:02:00.002-05:002008-06-07T13:03:23.274-05:00

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-36956332191468452982008-06-06T07:53:00.003-05:002008-06-06T08:09:37.511-05:00

Firstborn is finishing fifth grade today and moving on to middle school. As an end of year project, they had to do a retrospective writing a few paragraphs about specific topics and making a scrapbook of the last 5 years of school. They also had to ask a parent or teacher who has known them through school to write a letter to them. I asked firstborn if he would prefer funny or sappy. Of course,

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-55375446050567525512008-06-05T09:28:00.002-05:002008-06-05T09:54:18.250-05:00

Today's lesson: Ohio Trees. Through AtlasQuest, I had heard about the Tulip Tree. It sounded interesting. So I have been looking for them since I arrived. They are not always easy to find in a stand of trees because the leaves are so similar to those of the maple. While walking through our patch of woods last fall, I found a leaf from a Tulip Tree, but I was unable to identify the tree to which

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-55839912777577940562008-06-05T09:23:00.001-05:002008-06-05T09:25:05.597-05:00

Me: Did you know the neighbors mow their lawn twice a week?DH: Really? No way.Me: Yes.DH: Who?Me: Michelle, and Terry and Mark, and Phil. They all do? You haven't noticed that their lawn always seems to be shorter than ours?DH: Your kidding. (after a short pause) Lawn Nazis!

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-19718460461305321852008-06-04T10:37:00.003-05:002008-06-04T11:12:40.834-05:00

Last night was filled with excitement. We fell under a tornado watch at about 2PM. By 7:00 we were under T-storm warnings and it was raining pretty hard.We sent the kids to bed and sat down for an evening of the Daily Show and the Colbert Show. The rain got harder and harder, but there were no noticeable winds. Then there was hail. Not bad, but we heard a few bangs on the window.At about 10 after

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-86848471250666719812008-05-19T12:22:00.003-05:002008-05-19T12:35:32.778-05:00

Lastborn decided that he wanted the sandcastle cake on the cover of Family Fun magazine for his birthday party. Our first idea was to have a beach party. Then Lastborn struck on Medieval. Great idea.We found nerf swords online for only $2.95. I decided I could make up shields from poster board and duct tape. The boys could decorate them. Lastly there was the joust. What's a good medieval games

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-34584062675577374122008-05-16T08:54:00.002-05:002008-05-16T13:26:56.131-05:00

I just got a call from the secretary at school:Secretary: Hi, Mrs Scalzi. This is Mrs. K from the school.Me: Hello?Secretary: Don't worry, the boys are fine. I'm calling because Ms. Principal would like you to sign some certificates she had made up for the DI participants.Inwardly, I'm laughing. You see, the first thing that came to mind when she announced who she was didn't include. "Oh no, what

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-1252581919846553092008-05-13T13:18:00.005-05:002008-05-13T14:19:52.291-05:00

This year, Firstborn had a project that was so suited to his personality that it was scary. They study an economics unit each year delving into such topics as running a business and balancing your checkbook. This year's unit included a final project of creating a item, marketing it and selling it.The school gave them a small business loan of $5.oo which was to be paid back with an additional 10%

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-35652208591537956232008-05-06T06:52:00.003-05:002008-05-06T07:06:05.556-05:00

Who says that cats and dogs can't get along.The cats have been very curious about Nova since she came into the house. I don't restrict her from the cats too often because I feel that they need to get a good scratch into her while she is small so that she will respect them.Very quickly, Nadia developed a lot of confidence around the dog because she is so agile and can jump over the pen we are

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-35745321989913467252008-05-02T07:37:00.003-05:002008-05-02T08:02:12.439-05:00

The struggle to name our little Nova started before she came home. From the drive home, I was discussing with the boys good names for the little black wiggling mass we had just met and paid for.The name Gadunka came up. I've loved this name since Lastborn first started talking about the Bionicle character. What a great name for a dog. Gadunka. And given how mouthy she is lately, it's the perfect

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-84903860835233925502008-05-01T09:14:00.004-05:002008-05-01T09:31:47.577-05:00

New puppies are like infants except that instead of changing a diaper, you are constantly mopping the floor. As a result, I'm seeing DH revert to his new fatherhood personality. Whereas he used to announce that no way were we getting a dog, he now spends hours cuddling with the little critter. Enjoy that while you can. She won't be little for long. I'm not one for crates. I understand the whole

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-68009495862914342302008-04-27T09:59:00.003-05:002008-04-27T10:19:24.504-05:00

Lastborn made his first communion yesterday.Because none of the extended family could make it, I decided to post the story and pictures here. We got there very early, so I decided to take Lastborn's picture before the crowds started. This was the best he could do with "Stand up straight next to the font. " This was right before he asked if he could dip his feet in there. Practicing for the

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-22513073937218896712008-04-26T12:02:00.003-05:002008-04-26T12:06:12.146-05:00

Who needs TV?

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-86006168381221060472008-04-23T07:40:00.003-05:002008-04-23T08:04:39.039-05:00

We survived day 2 with a bit more success.Of course it helped that most of the evening, the children were strapped into the car travelling to Springfield where we looked at 9 adorable puppies!!!Yes, we decided to bring one home. She is a doll. They are golden retriever mix puppies and the mix is somewhat of a mystery. The pups are almost all black with white marks except for one brown with white

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-68455370270863006722008-04-22T07:46:00.002-05:002008-04-22T08:06:23.661-05:00

Just shoot me now!I decided that I wanted out family to participate in TV turnoff week. Last year, when I suggested this, I thought the roof would collapse. This year, I put my foot down. Not only with the kids, but with DH as well.You see we are a totally electronics addicted family. I see issues with the kids from this. A reluctance to try anything new that does not include a plug, Lastborn's

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-64550914293890419952008-04-22T07:36:00.003-05:002008-04-22T07:46:10.518-05:00

OK. It's been a while, and I feel I have to explain before jumping into the latest kid's post. It's worth waiting for...This is the news. The company I have been working for has reached a fork in the road that requires some staffing adjustments. After the hard push that started in October (just as I was moving from MA to OH), we experienced the quick-change that seems to hallmark the struggling

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-84626528874634143402008-03-27T10:28:00.002-05:002008-03-27T10:31:43.486-05:00

DH picked up this book for me. It sounds good. I have a whole list of people back east who would I'm sure enjoy reading it when I'm done. I'll let y'all know if it's worth the shipping cost.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-59542730805867735332008-03-25T19:08:00.002-05:002008-03-25T19:11:18.793-05:00

Every year, on the anniversary of her death, I'm compelled to go back to her site and remember her writing. Maybe in hopes that she's really not gone and she will have posted a new update. But this year, I stumbled across this entry that I had never seen before.http://graybar.blogspot.com/2004/11/people.htmlIt sucks to lose friends and family,

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-7769315874560607922008-03-24T10:13:00.003-05:002008-03-24T10:17:50.180-05:00

Firstborn decorated the eggs this year. He always enjoys this. I asked DH to pick up another dozen white eggs (we only had 8 left), but when I opened the carton, they were brown. So we have some decorated brown eggs mixed in with the white. Firstborn did a good job with them though. You really can't tell they are brown without looking very closely.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-761630222177597562008-03-24T10:06:00.002-05:002008-03-24T10:13:42.345-05:00

It's DHs favorite food. When his mother came to visit in November, he asked her to make one for Thanksgiving dinner. It's really an Easter dish, but DH loves it all year. She left her recipe and I have spent the past 4 months trying to dissuade him from making it again. It's basically a slab of very delicious cholesterol, containing eggs, whole milk ricotta cheese, cold cuts and provolone cheese,

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-4668351459878051662008-03-24T09:56:00.002-05:002008-03-24T10:06:02.726-05:00

We purchased a new sofa and love seat last month. Now we finally have adult furniture in our family room. There's room for a game table as well. We're working on that.The day the furniture arrived, I was luckily able to lock the cats into rooms so that there was no danger of them running out the opened front door while the furniture was being carried in. But as soon as the guys left, I heard

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-90404570050458659122008-03-21T09:52:00.003-05:002008-03-21T09:59:19.222-05:00

Finally got a chance to take pics of my signature stamps for letterboxing. The first is my personal signature stamp: Barefootcelt. The second is our team stamp. When we go out as a family, we stamp in with this stamp and list the family members' trailnames in the logbook.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-10456114241605560722008-03-21T09:46:00.002-05:002008-03-21T09:47:11.786-05:00

Looking through my Yahoo!Calendar for this weekend:No events scheduled.Now that is a rare sight. Very welcome, but rare.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-30812015363328051322008-03-18T15:08:00.002-05:002008-03-18T15:12:18.500-05:00

For those of us who are slow catching on, they have a magazine.Last month's actually had some great soups. Yes, I did feel pressure to buy this. Like there was something I don't know about being "midwest" that I had better learn before I get in trouble somehow. Given my predilection for faux pas, I need all the help I can get.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-13617474093026546442008-03-18T07:27:00.002-05:002008-03-18T07:40:39.027-05:00

Everyone has their preconceived notions of what another part of the world is like. For DH this meant that living mid-west meant eating more naturally. To that end, we purchased half a cow. It helped that one of his co-workers has a small farm and raises cows. DH worked a deal with him to get a half a cow. That meant we had to go out and buy a freezer. So this year, it will not be economically

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-10642354209478354082008-03-17T19:23:00.002-05:002008-03-17T19:52:48.554-05:00

While Firstborn tends to concentrate more on the technical end of his challenges, Lastborn is definitely the drama type. This year, their challenge was Twisted History. They were supposed to create a performance where they took an event in history and changed a fact or changed the whole thing around. Within they presentation, they had to create a magical object that included shapes as part of

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-25633851675611958752008-03-17T18:45:00.004-05:002008-03-17T19:23:08.884-05:00

This weekend was our region's DI tournament for 2008. It was a very eye-opening experience for me. Both boys participated in the tournament, but only Firstborn was actually competing. Lastborn performed at the Rising Stars level (grades PreK through 2). His team was all 2nd graders since the school they attend starts at 2nd grade.First I'll go over Firstborn's challenge. His team manager chose

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-657096799850061812008-03-13T11:27:00.006-05:002008-03-13T11:47:40.277-05:00

South of Dayton is somewhat hilly. In fact, they refer to our neck of the woods as Far Hills. I can imagine that with the flatness of the overall landscape, that these hills (short as they might be) could have been seen from miles around before buildings were erected to block the view and before the factories came in and fogged up the air. Other than the far hills though, it's pretty flat; except

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-85285036187522259052008-03-13T11:15:00.002-05:002008-03-13T11:26:09.583-05:00

Being an avid reader of beancounters, I ended up being tagged for the 1-2-3 meme today. Yes, I take things way toooo literally. Maybe some anonymous reader of my blog will continue the meme.Here are the meme rules:1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).2. Open the book to page 123.3. Find the fifth sentence.4. Post the next three sentences.5. Tag five people & post a comment here

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-28728688883753155472008-03-12T07:01:00.007-05:002008-03-13T11:27:06.302-05:00

Firstborn finally saw the snowfalls he had been waiting all winter for. We've listened all winter to him whining about how he wishes he lived in New England still where they get enough snow.Don't know quite what he is whining about since he has used up all 5 of the allotted snow days and he has gotten to go sledding more here than we ever went back home. Being in a nice development means that I

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-10661942492772145142008-03-04T12:35:00.002-05:002008-03-04T12:37:59.200-05:00

Knocks on your door and tells you it looks like your oak tree sustained some winter weather damage and he would be happy to help you out with that...But you know that said "oak tree" is really a black walnut...How do you kindly ask him to please get the heck off your porch?

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-85044605310703555812008-03-04T08:33:00.002-05:002008-03-04T09:07:09.091-05:00

Yesterday, Firstborn asked to go to the park with a friend, but it was fairly close to dinner. Knowing how long these kids go to the park and not wanting to have to walk the 1 block to go get them, I had one of those moments of genius and remembered the walkie talkies that DH had purchased for just such an event.First there were the comical few minutes while Firstborn and I figured out how to get

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-75741957865417407162008-02-28T14:07:00.008-05:002008-02-28T14:26:33.110-05:00

We watched the eclipse more than a week ago with Sandra from MA. We should've done that timed photo thing remcat did.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-24958131960719847462008-02-28T08:40:00.003-05:002008-02-28T08:43:15.467-05:00

Last night I waited outside the room in which Lastborn was participating in a Destination Imagination meeting. I overheard this conversation.Ringleader: We need to makeup an alien language!Lastborn: Oh! I know how to speak Alien!It's all becoming clear now...

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-30160876611591104292008-02-14T16:32:00.001-05:002008-02-14T16:35:08.530-05:00

I especially like Grow a soul and Do my dishes.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-30637189253788307812008-02-13T08:59:00.001-05:002008-02-13T09:01:04.682-05:00

You Are A Green GirlYou feel most at home in a world of ideas.You're curious and logical - and enjoy a good intellectual challenge.You're super cool, calm, and collected. Very little tries your patience.Your only fear? People not realizing how smart and able you are!What Color Girl Are You?With thanks to mental meanderings

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-88718943382254527292008-02-04T09:17:00.000-05:002008-02-04T09:47:32.468-05:00

Lastborn has discovered food!Not that he really needs it, but his dad got him to try a couple of types of seafood and now he has discovered that there is a world beyond chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese. His favorite is seafood of any kind. If we say it comes from the ocean, he will try it; Even if his grand-dad does advise that some things are better left in the ocean. Along with discovering new

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-57496611901896121662008-02-04T09:10:00.001-05:002008-02-04T09:16:49.383-05:00

The boys got excited about the Superbowl this year. Coming from NE and having the Pats in the game and all. They felt a connection. So we watched the first two quarters last night. It meant a later bedtime, but allowed them to have something to talk with their friends about in this sports-centered part of the world. They were very dissapointed this morning when they learned that the Pats lost.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-56409034335101687752008-01-24T14:47:00.000-05:002008-02-01T08:00:43.730-05:00

She's a fearsome kitty. But it makes it awfully hard to get my work done.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-87621925395739396242008-01-11T15:31:00.000-05:002008-01-11T15:58:31.399-05:00

I promise Grandma, this won't become a cats blog. First the kids:We brought Lastborn to his first CCD class of the year. They started the class off with a prayer service. Lastborn was not happy, but he cooperated and even participated! That night I was bragging to DH about how Lastborn was singing and even blessing his teachers along with the other kids. Lastborn gets this big smile on his face.

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-48884412590327510822008-01-07T14:48:00.000-05:002008-01-07T15:08:26.332-05:00

Announcing the arrival of Nadia Comenici and Georgia Peach.This is Nadia.And this is Peach.They were found in a home in Cincinnati along with about 59 other cats who were either stuck inside the house with no one to care for them or were living around the house. Cat rescuers from all over the area worked together to find foster placement for all of the cats who survived and for the last 6 months

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11689633.post-20756742905970965872008-01-03T13:09:00.000-05:002008-01-03T13:21:36.102-05:00

I'm trying to encourage the kids to use the phone. I apologise to those neighbors who unwittingly answer a call from my offspring. But the only way they will learn how to use this tool is by actually using it. I hope you have a sense of humor.Especially in this cold snap we are experiencing, it's nice for my kids to call their neighbors to see if they can play instead of walking down the street

dsimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343392523492367774noreply@blogger.com0