Rafferty's Revisited

My mom swooped into town Friday to steal Emeline away for a few days of Granny Time so Ben and I had a built in babysitter... the easiest way to get out of the house! After a week of being housebound with sick kids, the holidays, and school/work vacation I was ready to eat a meal that I did not prepare.

So Ben and I decided to make our return trip to Rafferty's.

We were seated right away even though the restaurant was busy. That's one of the advantages to being a party of two! Our server was a friend (that ensured good service) and she knew of our previous negative experience so she was interested in the quality of this meal. This dinner was off to a good start.

The last time we dined at Rafferty's we ordered an appetizer, Ben had a margarita, Ben and I ordered meals, Ben added on a house salad, and Holden had a children's meal. The manager provided us with two meal cards good for any entree on the menu. Since we had a pretty big bill on the night of the nightmare we felt comfortable ordering the most expensive thing on the menu: the Jackson Hole Filet. It comes with a house salad and one side... a plus since most items on the Rafferty's menu come with a side only and you have to add the salad for $3.79.

The food arrived quickly. Salad was fresh and crisp. A problem that I have with Rafferty's salads is that towards the bottom they get watery and this time was no different, but the Romaine was fresh and it did not have the chemical taste that many restaurant salads have so I was ok with the watery finish. I skipped the croissant because I am trying to quit (in the famous words of my boss), but it was the usual big, fluffy pastry drizzled in liquid gold (honey butter).

The entrees also arrived quickly... maybe too quickly because Ben wasn't finished with his salad, but we didn't complain. Unfortunately, we are like most American's and we shovel food like nobody's business. Eating out is usually not an event that we linger over. Maybe it stems from school lunches that were 20 minutes long 10 of which were spent in the lunch line or maybe it's from eating out with small children: the faster you eat, the sooner you leave, the less chance for a kid to have a public meltdown. I digress... The filet was cooked perfectly; moist and juicy. It was a little salty tasting to me, but good. My side was Vegetable Stuffed Tomato (I was trying to be healthy). It turned out to be somewhat of a broccoli casserole with mushrooms, corn and parmesean bread crumbs... not so healthy, but it was the only vegetable option on the sides list. Ben got his usual fries and for once they seemed decent. I am not a fan of Rafferty's fries since they are usually pieces of fries - crumbly and greasy. All in all our meal was much better than before. We might go back on our own dime... if the recession ever ends.

Cheers to Rafferty's for not being a blankedy-blank embarassment again!

Rafferty's Update

My complaint to Rafferty's website was delivered to the manager... much to Ben's surprise (he said no one would ever read it). The manager graciously called me the Monday after my email to discuss my experience. I really didn't have anything more to add, but I did clarify the reason that I didn't mention it while at the restaurant was because I didn't want to make a scene (or get my food spit in). He sent out complimentary meal cards to compensate us and he said hopefully win us back. Believe it or not I am not in a hurry to go back. Not even for free food! I am sure we will though and I will post back about my experience. At least, they earn brownie points for having such a competent and pleasant manager.

What's Cooking?

This afternoon I came to a realization... I hate cooking. I cook everyday of my life at least once a day. Figuring out what to cook is frustrating. Preparing is a disaster. Clean up is a hassle. But we gotta eat and we are too poor for an in house chef (my fantasy) even eating out everyday is not an option.

OK... I guess I overstated it a bit. This is just the build up of a days and days of being a short order cook for four lousy tippers.

Many of our happiest family memories are in the kitchen over a bowl of cookie dough or a griddle of silver dollar pancakes. All three kids love to help prepare meals and Ben is the best guinea pig ever! I have a repertoire of recipes I prepare regularly, but every now an then I'll try something new. Sometimes it flies and sometimes it flops.

This weekend I had a taste for Buffalo Wings (skinless, boneless to be exact). My relationship with Buffalo Wings is an interesting one. I used to despise them. The smell would turn my stomach. Then during my pregnancy with Owen I started craving them almost daily. Not being one to deny a pregnancy craving I ate them and I liked them! And would eat them in a train... in a box... with a fox! I've heard they aren't hard to make at home and I gave it a whirl.

Here's the recipe I chose:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp margarine or butter
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
about 2 lbs chicken
vegetable oil or olive oil

You just mix the first four ingredients to coat the chicken pieces in. Then mix the next four for the sauce. You coat the chicken in the flour then brown in small batches in the oil in a pan on the stove top. Remove them from the pan and dip them in the sauce and place on a baking sheet. If you have extra sauce, pour it over the chicken. Bake the chicken at 350 for 5-10 minutes. And voila... Buffalo Chicken!

I tweaked the recipe some. After I mixed the butter, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce it seems too Worcestershirey so I added more hot sauce. Ben loved it and declared it "better than a restaurant." I am not so sure. They were good, but not quite true Buffalo Wings. The next time I may only use one or two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.

As for the name of this recipe? I cut the chicken into nugget sized portions so I started calling them Buffalo Nuggets and of course, Buf Nugs for short. Ben said it and I was thinking it...great minds, huh?

One more side note... I left the sauce off some of the nuggets and baked them on a separate baking sheet for Emeline and Owen because I thought the hot sauce might be too much for them. They were moist and delicious. Reminded me of Chick-Fil-A nuggets, but way less greasy. They ate 'em up!

I will be adding Buf Nugs to the rotation especially for football nights and parties!

Sinus Update

This is a follow up to my recent post regarding using the neti pot (sinus pot) to battle an impending cold. It didn't completely save me from the cold, but what I did come down with was considerably mild compared to what I felt like was coming. Whenever my sinuses became congested, I simply rinsed my nasal passages and I could breathe again. A sinus headache? Out came the neti pot and the headache went away. Usually every cold I get turns into a 3 week long hacking cough. This cold seems to be on it's way out and I have no cough.

I would say the neti is a success and I will be using it again!

Our "Night"mare Out

Our family loves to eat out. The kids like getting something other than "home food". Ben likes getting food that I don't cook at home like red meat. And I just love that I don't have to do the cooking and cleaning!

There was a time when we dined at a restaurant weekly, but then Owen came along. He hated restaurants. They made him scream relentlessly. Then came the bad economy and high gas prices. So eating out is a treat for us. We do a family afternoon out once a month or so when we do an errand or two together then have dinner at a restaurant.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) there aren't many good restaurants in Clarksville. Most everything is a chain and they are all chains that gained popularity in the 1990's (read: old). Then there are the cookie cutter Mexican places and Chinese buffets. We usually choose Rafferty's or Longhorn. Rafferty's has several dishes that Ben is fond of. I only like a few things, but I have warm, fuzzy memories of it as one of the first places Ben and I visited when we started dating. They used to have good options for the kids too.

All of that changed on our visit there this week. It was so disappointing that I made my way to Rafferty's website to lodge a complaint. I don't like confrontation nor do I want the undue attention of other customers. But it definitely merited a complaint so I did it the best way I knew how: writing.

Here's what I wrote:

My family visited your Clarksville, TN location on December 4, 2008. Rafferty's has always been one of our favorite places to dine here in town as it is consistently good... good food and good service. Unfortunately, on our last visit we were disappointed. The service was fair, but the food left much to be desired. We ordered our usual hot chicken fingers appetizer which tasted the same as always, but seemed much smaller than usual. I was surprised when my request for honey butter drizzle on the croissants that come with the Chicken Salad, Soup, and Croissants entree was met with an up-charge for an entire ramekin of honey butter. I declined. It is just ridiculous to me that I would be charged for a 1/4 cup of something that would amount to less that 1 tablespoon when drizzled on the croissants as it is on the ones that come with all of other the salads on the menu. I ordered the soup of the day, broccoli cheese, which amounted to melted Velveeta with chopped broccoli... at least that is how it tasted. It was lukewarm and had the consistency of glue. The grapes in the chicken salad were ALL mushy... way past their prime. The croissants were not the usual ones nor were they anything like the one my husband got with his salad that evening; they were more like Pilsbury crescent rolls... small and tasteless. My husband's meal was the Wood-Fired Pork Chops. They were barely eatable. Tough and overdone. In this economy, eating out is no longer a given. Our family goes out to eat about once a month... a special treat for all of us. I have a friend who is a server at a local restaurant and she has noticed a marked decrease in business as well as her tips. What I expect of a restaurant that values me as a customer and wants to keep my business in order to STAY in business is that despite tough times they will give me my money's worth. I was willing to lay down my hard earned money at Rafferty's for food I expected to be worth it. I am not surprised at higher prices on the menu, but I am shocked when the food I receive in return is mediocre and not up to the standards that you once achieved. We will not make that mistake again.

I felt like Chef Ramsay in a Kitchen Nightmare of my own. Only I didn't want to help them turn things around nor was my meal on the house. But hell hath no fury like a mom who got a crappy meal that she could have prepared better and for way less money on her own. So spread the word... add 'em to the black list of Clarksville restaurants NOT to eat at.

Wednesday's Word

Aggressive, adjective. Ready or likely to attack or confront.

Emeline's usage: "I think it would be fun to be a teacher, but would have to be awfully aggressive."

Hummm... that's not exactly the adjective I would have picked.

Images from Sunday Night

Jason Mraz concert at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville...

We were in the balcony, but there's really not a bad seat in the house.


The horn section came up top to play during one of the songs...


Opening act Lisa Hannigan...



It was a great concert. Mr. Az put on a really fun show full of emotion and laughs... plus choreography.

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

So I feel pretty good... it's the end of November and I haven't been truly down-and-out sick once this season. I had the beginnings of a cold several weeks ago, but I downed Airborne and Emergen-C powder and was able to keep the severe symptoms at bay. The kids have all been sick more than once each and I haven't even been infected by them!

This morning, however, I woke to the classic scratchy throat and burning sensation in your sinuses that are the tell-tale signs of a developing upper respiratory situation. And it felt like it meant business. But I am on an illness-free roll and I am not about to break it! Not only does being sick present a major hindrance to my duties as wife and mother, but it also makes going to work a real chore. And tomorrow is Monday... one of my two "at the office" work days. And deadlines don't do sick days. And it's the first day back to reality after a blissful six day break from reality due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Ugggh!

To make this cold even more inconvenient, I have a special event tonight. Jason Mraz at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, a concert I've been looking forward to for months. Now it's here. And now I am sick... no... not sick... not yet. I am not giving up that easily.

Last year, my mom got us a sinus pot also known as a neti pot used for nasal irrigation. In India and other parts of southern Asia, rinsing your sinuses is a daily practice as common as brushing your teeth. My mom has told me for years that I should use a saltwater rinse to relieve cold and allergy symptoms, but in recent years experts have recommended cleansing the sinuses as a means to prevent the common cold and ward off allergy symptoms. This works by washing away the virus (or the allergen) before it has time to make you sick. Actually, the daily practice of washing your nasal passages is beginning to inflitrate our Western world especially in the health nut circles. But it's been on the shelf since it arrived in our home. Being the procrastinator that I am it always seemed too complex to figure out and I simply resorted to Sudafed to do the job for me.


Today was different. I really don't want to get this cold. I am desperate! So in addition to the Emergen-C, gallons of water, and vitamins I broke out the big guns: the neti pot. As it turns out nasal irrigation is a pretty simple process, just fill the pot with warm water, add sea salt, stick the spout in your nose and pour. The water flows up your nose, through your sinuses and out the other nostril. Don't swallow while you are pouring or you'll feel like you are drowning. I learned that the hard way.

For some reason, I keep humming I'm a Little Teapot.

It remains to be seen if this experiment will be a success. If not there's always Sudafed.

Song for a Fifth (or Third) Child

I received part of this poem framed and matted as a baby gift when I was pregnant with Holden. It's how I felt about him, then Emeline, and more than ever Owen. With all the things I try to get done and all the things I HAVE TO get done this poem's been on my mind lately. So I finally found the poem in it's entirety and want to share it.

It's entitled Song for a Fifth Child. Published in 1938 in Ladies' Home Journal.

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Playing Catch Up

Life with 3 kids is crazy. Not a day goes by that I don't think of something to write about on my blog, but weeks... months fly by that I don't get to. I know the point of blogging is doing it regularly so that people will actually read your writing. I don't do a very good job of that. But for the few of you that check in on us... thanks! Thanks for your patience and understanding.

When I feel guilty about the pile of laundry or the undone scrapbooking or the unwritten posts... I stop and think about cuddling with Owen, reading him stories, him telling me all about his cars. These are things that I wish I could record and share with everyone. They pass all too quickly as learned with Holden and Emeline. So I will be selfish once in a while and steal as many hugs and kisses from him while I can.

Wednesday's Word

Benchmark, noun. A standard or point of reference against which things may be compared or assessed.

There's no usage for this word this week, but it is a word that is being spoken quite frequently in our house. Every nine weeks the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System assesses the progress that students in grades 3 and up are making with benchmark testing. Holden tells me it's like a mini-TCAP (the standardized test grades 3 and up take in the spring) and he dreads it. Holden is not a good test taker. He stresses out way too much. He worries. He frets. He acts like his mom.

After many stressed out conversations, I finally have Holden convinced that the tests are no big deal and that the teachers are putting so much emphasis on these test because it reflects on the job they are doing as teachers. When the students do well that means the teachers are doing their jobs. In this era of "No Child Left Behind", a school is put on notice when test scores are below expectations; federal funding is cut when scores do not improve (this I do not understand... shouldn't failing students get more help?) I do not have first hand knowledge of this, but I can only assume individual classes' scores are made public to the staff at each school. And even if only the principal is privy to that information I have discovered that schools are one big gossip machine... and it's not just the students talking. Oh the embarassment a teacher with below proficient students must experience!

Teachers are rushing to drill all the state's standards into these little minds that it seems fun and exploring have taken a back seat. But I am not writing this to critize teachers. They are doing their job. And my experience with teachers in our school system is they are doing a great job with what they are given. The challenges that teacher's face cannot be fixed by legislation, more money or more tests.

Could it be that minds need to be changed? Our standards of acheivement challenged?

That is exactly what the book The Report Card by Andrew Clements is about. Holden read it last month as one of his two required Accellerated Reader books. It's a story of a girl who is surrounded by high achievers; to them it's all about the grades. Her family even has a special ritual of reading the report cards when the kids bring them home. But the main character is just an average student. Or is she? The truth is she's a genius, but she's been hiding it since she was two; afraid that people would single her out as different. She's determined to change everyone's minds about grades and classifing people based on their intelligence. Her plan? Make bad grades. This book has effected Holden. He secretly wants to be a B & C student. He thinks average kids have less pressure. And lately, I think he's been seriously considering a plan to throw his grades and slide down a few levels.

Whew... I just had a Reading Rainbow moment.

My point is (and I do have one!): I'll be glad when this week of "benchmark" is over and we can go back to day-to-day homework and studying. Back to a relaxed Holden - loose and settled. Back to a house where you don't hear the word benchmark... at least for the next nine weeks.

Weekend Wrapup

Some weekends we don't do much of anything and some are action packed like this past weekend...

The kids, Granny, and I collect nuts, bark, leaves, twigs, and cones from Rotary Park on Saturday so Holden can make a project for school. Holden gets poison ivy for the first time. But the project turned out nice...


Sunday Ben and I went to the Titans/Vikings game in Nashville.

LP Stadium & Field ...

The Scoring Drive. They do score... they don't win.



Post game... Ben's not smiling. But we had fun!



Granny watches the kids for us while Ben and I are on our "date". She braves the Sunday meeting with them. They clean up nice don't they?



A sweet ending to the weekend... sugar cookies! Emeline chose to make butterflies and she decorated them herself.

Family Celebration

We have a family tradition on (or around) our wedding anniversary. We look at it like our family's anniversary. Even though the kids weren't the picture when we wed, it was the beginning of our story and the start of where we are now. It's a happy time for everyone.

Our family is so kind and generous. The weekend following the 17th we had a family dinner for our anniversary. Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie and Uncle gave us and the kids some great presents (even though we tried to prevent them from doing so!). It was so much fun to be together.

Since we were hoping to skip the family-wide gift giving, Ben and I hadn't gotten the kids anything so we celebrated late and gave the kids gift this weekend. Here they are with their new treasures...

The BEST gift of all... siblings!!!

Mission: Oz

Scored another Oz toy today. The Lullaby Munchkin.

This Is What's Wrong With Our Society... Well, One Thing

Surfing the internet on a caffeine fueled high (mental note... no Starbucks espresso after 7pm) I came across this ad cluttering up one of the pages I was visiting:

No offense to "Laura" or to anyone who's figure looks like "Laura's" after picture, but tell me exactly what is wrong with the before? She went from a woman with curves (hips & waist in proportion) to 10 year old boy? I realize that these images are in all probability not even the same person, but that's beside the point. It's the message that I take offense at.

That before is my goal picture! Yes, I do have weight loss goals, but they stem from wanting to avoid the Michelin man look when I bend over to pick up Owen. I want to be comfortable.

This country's obsession with super skinny is uncomfortable. When People magazine calls a size 0 "skinny" and a size 2 "curvy", there's a problem. When an actress eats a meal and suddenly has a tiny pooch and she's accused of being pregnant, there's a problem. When we go for years seeing airbrushed models and actresses on the pages of magazines and then a real photo turns up of them and people are shocked... disgusted even that their favorite star has :gasp: cellulite, there's a problem. When those same models and actresses stand up and say "leave me alone, I like who I am" and then go into hiding and lose 30 pounds, there's a problem.

We are the problem. So to all the "Before Laura's" out there (including me): start liking yourself. Today.

Whew! That Dennis Miller-style rant burned off some caffeine. I think I can sleep now.

They Got Me!

You might be able to guess that I am an Oz fan. The quotes to the side are from The Wizard of Oz. The picture is me with my kids and niece and nephew and the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz Festival in Boone, North Carolina that we attended last year. I am not obsessed. I don't have the time or money to be, but it makes me happy to watch it, sing the songs, and look at a few little nicknacks we have around the house.

Last year, McDonald's had Wizard of Oz Madame Alexander Dolls as the Happy Meal toy. I made it my mission to get the complete set. These were collectibles that I could afford. We don't usually frequent McDonald's although Owen's obsession with the Golden Arches would make you think otherwise. But last year we got one or two Happy Meals every couple of days. I vowed never to do that again. It was like my own Supersize Me experiment.

Now here we are a year later and McDonald's has done it again. This year's set includes more characters... something the kids and I had talked about wishing they had. The Wizard! A Flying Monkey! Dorothy with Toto! So they got me again! Owen finally had his craving filled yesterday and we got Happy Meals for lunch. I wanted two Oz toys, but Owen being all boy caught sight of the Batman Lego toys for boys couldn't wait to get his hands on one. So we just got one... the Flower Munchkin.

Time to get out the fat pants!

Last year's set:



This year's expanded set:

Wednesday's Word

Now that I have started writing again I wanted to pick up where I left off and continue "Wednesday's Word". But as I was reviewing the conversations I'd had with the kids in recent weeks, I couldn't recall any extraordinary words. I was just about to give up when Emeline came through for me while I was making dinner.

Despicable, adjective. Deserving hatred and contempt.

Emeline's usage: "Today, a boy at my table was burping. He was doing it purposely."

"Did you think it was funny?", I ask.

"No! I think it is disgusting and despicable!", she replies.

"Despicable? What does that mean?", I inquire.

"Oh... you know!", she says her face snarled up, but with a hint of amusement shining through.

So Long Summer

Here are some images from Summer 2008...







So long...

Our 14th Anniversary

Today Ben and I celebrated our 14th year of marriage. Our "celebration" consisted of the usual daily routine... feed the kids breakfast, make school lunches, get the kids on the bus, take out the garbage, clean house, mow the lawn, fix the junky weedeater, go to work, make dinner, clean house again, tuck everyone in bed. No romantic dinner with wine and candles. No babysitter or flowers. Just us doing our family thing.

But that is the point of marriage after all. Spending your life with the person you love most. Making a home and family. Growing together. Forever... 14 years and counting.

Wednesday's Word

Scheme, noun. A large-scale systematic plan for attaining some particular object.

Emeline's usage: Holden and his evil schemes.

When I heard her say it, I couldn't believe that she actually knew the word. I figured she just heard it on TV and was repeating it. So I questioned her as to what a scheme was and to my surprise she answered me correctly. "A plan", she said. Exactly! And she hit the nail on the head in reference to Holden. He always cooking something up to get her goat.

Wednesday's Word

Hideous, adjective. Ugly or disgusting to look at.

Emeline's usage: Excerpt of a conversation she and I had.

"Where did you get that hideous rug?", she says with disgust.

"Wal-mart", I reply.

"Uhh, where are you going to put it?"

"Right there where it is."

"Uhh, ok", she says with all the attitude of a pre-teen and an obvious roll of her baby blues.

Guess I should have gotten one with glitter or Hannah Montana's face on it.

Friday's Fact: Push-Up

Either this fact is going to make you feel really good about yourself or really bad.

I remember with much disdain physical the fitness tests of P.E. class. Pull-ups, sit-ups and push-ups. Ugh! Couldn't we just play kick ball? Turns out those basic calisthenics are a good way to get into shape and a good indicator of what kind of shape you are in.

The typical sit-ups have been ditched by most in the field of fitness in exchange for crunches or balancing poses that work your core. On the other hand, push-ups are still widely regarded as a symbol of good physical fitness. Turns out they are very telling in your overall health. Since all of your muscles are involved in completing a push up it is the best way to tell how strong you are. And since you are lifting your body weight the more you can do at one time can be a good indication of your endurance and stamina as well.

So can you do push ups? How many?

National average says that a 40-year old woman should be able to do 16. That's not a type-o... 1-6... sixteen. A 40-year old man? He should be able to do 27.

There's a Friday Fact to motivate you. Now drop and give me 20!

Terrific Twos!

Owen turned two on June 21st... the first day of summer. Wow! It doesn't seem possible that it's been two years since we brought him home and he was the center of attention for five minutes.

When I look back on that day I see Holden and Emeline waiting on the front porch for our arrival. They looked like they were about to come out of their skin they were so excited. Each of them wanted to hold him right away, as if holding him at home was somehow different than holding him in the hospital. Owen was blissfully unaware of the excitement. He was so patient with being manhandled by a couple clumsy of kids. He willingly accepted all the of kisses, pats, and pokes they dished out that Friday afternoon.

It's a different story these days. Usually, Holden and Emeline are pushing Owen away rather than seeking him out. And Owen isn't loving all the love Emeline gives. These days his response is "Emmmmmeeee!" accompanied by a quick shove. He's into the typical two-year old things... exploring, climbing, destroying... so it makes for some tense sibling moments. But all that of is to be expected.

What I did not expect when we brought Owen home was how wonderfully he would round out our little family. His arrival defined Emeline's role as big sister and made her really shine as a caregiver. Holden more fully assumed the role as big brother because suddenly it was a more interesting job. They both became more independent and less needy of mom and dad.

Owen has also brought a light-hearted joy to our house. Holden is Mr. Serious. Emeline is Miss Drama. Owen is a goof ball (a smart, well-coordinated, quick-thinking one, but still a clown). He's earned the nickname "Dennis"... you can guess why.

As far as development goes, Owen is ahead of schedule. He's taken up potty training all on his own. I haven't changed a stinky diaper in about 3 weeks! His speech is really clear and his vocabulary is astounding at times. At his two-year check up he weighed almost 29 lbs. and he's 33 inches tall. That puts his weight in the 25th percentile and height in 50th percentile. His head circumference? In the 75th percentile! Geez! I knew from the second that kid was born that he had the biggest head of the three!

Ben and I often catch ourselves just staring and smiling at him and saying how we wish he didn't have to grow up. But he does. They all do. And each stage brings a new, exciting bunch of twist and turns. We are in for a terrific ride with Owen!

Wednesday's Word

Illegal, adjective. Contrary to or forbidden by law.

Emeline's usage: Is it illegal to fake an injury?

I had a hard time deciding between illegal and injury for this one. Apparently she had seen a television show where the person faked an injury in order to sue a business. She knew this was wrong, but wondered how wrong.

Wednesday's Word

Butter, noun. A pale yellow fatty substance made by churning cream and then used as a spread or in cooking.

Owen's usage: That's my butter and Timmy.

Hehe!!! He meant "brother".

What Year Is It Now?

Last night Holden and I watched the Greatest Songs of the 80's on VH1. He was less than impressed, but I was repeatedly thrown back in time to 1984... 1987... 1981. Each song had a memory. The first time I saw the Jump video and laughed hysterically at Diamond Dave. The drama of middle school and Every Rose Has It's Thorn. Man... I wished I had pink frost lipstick just like Bret's... if Mom would only let me wear it! Discovering a truly legendary song on U2's Joshua Tree album in the back of my best friend's Dad's Suburban on the way to King's Island.

Then this picture was on my phone when I got up this morning...


It was taken LAST NIGHT at where else.... Wal-Mart? The 80's Lady (as she is affectionately nicknamed) is a late-night regular at the local Wal-Mart and a true character of Clarksville. This is how she dresses always. She is not ashamed. The 80's must have been totally awesome to her! When there's a sighting it's an event and sneaky cell phone picture is a plus!

So while Holden rolls his eyes at the big hair, synthesizers, and dudes that look like ladies I just have one thing to say... "LONG LIVE THE 80'S!" (at least in the aisles of Wal-Mart).

Wednesday's Word

Appreciate, verb. To recognize the full worth of something; to be grateful for.

Owen's usage: I 'pprecate you playing with me Holden.

If a two-year old can be appreciative then we can too. Tell someone that you are grateful for them and the things they do. It will make them feel good and it will benefit you too!

From Chloe's Kitchen: Enchilada Sauce

Our family LOVES Mexican food... fresh mex, tex-mex, dead mex (Granny's term for the cookie-cutter, Mexican-American owned restaurants in nearly every strip mall in America). We love eating it out; even Taco Bell! I love to cook it. And Thursday is usually Mexican night.

One super simple thing I like to make is enchiladas or burritos. They aren't spectacular; just easy! Of course the thing that makes them extra yummy is the sauce. I hate buying overpriced bottled sauce. Sure it's the convenient thing to do, but once you know what goes into making it you realize how much they mark that stuff up. I have tried several recipes in search of one that really makes me happy and I finally found one.

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 Tbs Gebhardt Chili Powder (I used what I had in the spice cabinet)
  
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 heaping tsp. garlic powder (with no salt added)
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon (less than 1/16 tsp.)
• 1/3 tsp. sugar
• 5 Tbs. cold water
• 5 Tbs. white flour

Directions:

In a 2 quart sauce pan add the chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon and sugar (the sugar is a little secret to eliminate any bitter taste from the chili powder).

Use a whisk to mix everything well. Heat to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 3 minutes.

Whisk frequently to make sure all spices dissolve. This is important for flavor and a nice smooth sauce.

While the sauce is on a slow simmer/boil, add 5 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl.

With another whisk mix 1 tablespoon at a time of flour. Whisk vigorously to avoid lumps. If you have lumps here, you will definitely have lumps in your sauce.

After 3 minutes of cooking sauce, turn the heat up to high. Very slowly, pour the flour mixture into the boiling sauce. Here you must whisk the sauce vigorously while adding the flour to avoid lumps.

After all the flour is added, continue to whisk for one minute. You can turn the heat down to medium during this time. Just make sure the sauce is boiling.

Turn off the heat, this enchilada sauce recipe is done.

You will notice that as this sauce sits it will form a "skin" on the surface. This is normal and in fact the longer the sauce sits the thicker this skin becomes. All you have to do is peel the skin off and throw it away.

They aren't kidding about stirring! I added more than 1 T of the flour mixture at a time because I was in a hurry and I had a few lumps. Next time I'll follow the directions for a smoother result. This was like a gravy: thick and super good. A great flavor and the kitchen smelled great. The burritos were delicious. This one's a keeper!

I found this on is a Mexican Food Recipe site. I can't vouch for the rest of the recipes, but if you try something good let me know!

Wednesday's Word

Accident, noun. An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally typically resulting in damage or injury.

Owen's usage (in response to big brother Holden asking him why he'd ran into a door): It was accident.

Accident may not seem like such a fantastic word, but Owen will be two on the 21st of this month so I think it's a mouthful!

Slip'N Slide

Friday Fact

I have been called a female Cliff Clavin (from the TV show Cheers). This is not as insulting as it would seem since the reference is to Cliff's habit of sharing tidbits of trivia while sipping his beer at the bar. I too am full of useless facts (or so it seems).So it seems appropriate to share a fact on Friday. If there's one thing I learned in school about writing and catchy gimmicks it's alliteration!

Here's the first Friday Fact:

Writing is good for you! A study by psychologists at the University of California, Davis, found that participants who kept a journal recording five things that they were grateful for over the past week were a full 25 percent happier than the participants who noted five hassles that bothered them. Plus, the grateful group reported fewer health complaints, got more sleep and spent more time exercising.

Back To The Future!

Back in 2001 our family visited the Tennessee State Fair for the first time. Holden was only 3 at the time (the only kid in our family), but he was a big boy who wanted to ride all the midway rides even the ones geared for bigger kids (and kids at heart). We had to convince him that he could not handle the one that flew 6 stories into the air upside down! But we all agreed he could ride the swings as long as mom rode along.

So we handed the ride operator our tickets and climbed in the two-seater swing ready to have lots of fun. As the ride began, the swings rose about 3 feet off the ground and the gentle rotation started. The wind felt wonderful on the hot, humid day. Then the "swings" did something no other swings I had been on before had done. The circular top that the chains were attached to tilted as it rotated. It was a slight tilt at first, but then more dramatic. Our gentle ride suddenly was much more adventurous. Our swing flew way out to the side and then back in again; in and out, round and round. I never really suffered from motion sickness, but I became dizzy. Holden could barely hold his head up.

But it was fun! Holden wasn't scared at all. In fact, he giggled the entire ride. I couldn't help but to laugh at him having so much fun. As we staggered off the ride a photographer from The Tennessean approached us and asked if he could get our names, etc. and consent to use the picture he'd taken of us on the ride. He wasn't sure if it would be used, but he had to have that info in order for them to do so.

The next morning, Aunt Juli called us to let us know that we were on the FRONT page of the Sunday edition of The Tennessean. The picture was large... about half of the front page. We were celebrities... at least in our own minds!

Flash forward seven years: Holden is ten. We haven't been back to the state fair since, but last Thursday we opened our mailbox to find a section of The Tennessean with a note from our neighbor. Our picture was in again! What a surprise! And it brought back a flood memories just one of them was this story.

Time has flown! Holden looks so little in this photograph. And our family has grown so much. Emeline and Owen would love the rides. Maybe it's time to schedule another trip to the fair. No demon swings this time though!

Wednesday's Word: Scallop

SCALLOP, noun. An edible, bivalve mollusk with a ribbed fan-shaped shell.

Emeline's usage (as we are washing her hair): The most important part to clean is your scallop.

Cool Site!

Tuesday night I had a slight catastrophe in the kitchen. I had just filled my water jug with ice and I let the freezer door swing closed. It didn't slam just closed like normal. And then the most horrible thud along with the cracking and crashing of glass. Fear seized me. What would await my eyes when I turned around?

When I turned around I saw what I feared. Something had fallen on the stove top. Several years ago we had to buy a new stove and I finally got my dream of a flat surface stove top. (I LOVE it! My stove actually gets cleaned!) So when I laid eyes on a broken candy jar on the top of my precious stove, my stomach ended up in my throat. Thankfully, the only thing that broke was the jar... in a million pieces!

But as I was cleaning up the candy pieces and bits of broken glass, I found that I stove didn't escape completely unscathed. One of the control knobs had broken beyond repair. This upset me pretty good because as I mentioned... I love my stove! It's the newest appliance that I have and I want to keep it the shining star of my kitchen. So I decided to immediately find a replacement knob on the internet.

In my searching, I found this really neat website: ManageMyHome.com. There are all sorts of tips, ideas, and support to find there as well as a link to replacement parts. (It's a Sears website so it took me to their parts site, but I ended up not buying from them.) The really cool thing I found was you can set up an account and keep track of everything for your home on this site including PDFs of manuals for the appliances you have in your home! I am a manual reader and keeper, but it just so happens that my stove was delivered without one so this is perfect.

So if you are a home-owner, check it out and see what wonderful things you can do for your home. Starting with recycling all your appliance manuals, decluttering your home, and storing them in cyber-space.

And I did find a replacement knob... on RepairClinic.com. I chose them because they allowed returns on all of their products. The Sears site did not. The base price was slightly more, but I found an online coupon code for the site that gave me a 10% discount! The killer was the shipping! That's highway robbery! It doubled the price of my item.

The important thing is my stove will be back to it's former glory soon.

Wednesday's Word

Today I noticed Emeline using a word that just seemed out of place in the conversation of a five year old. In fact, I notice these words quite frequently coming out of not only Emeline's mouth, but Holden and Owen's too. I'll try to share these on Wednesdays.

SIMILAR, adjective. Resembling without being identical: This teddy bear is similar to yours.

Not "sorta the same" or "kind of alike", but "similar".

Just like the five year old who's going on 15 to say something like that.

Somethin' New

In an effort to write more regularly I am devising topics for each day of the week. This may work. I will know what I am going to write about on X-day-of -the-week and having a clear purpose will be more like an assignment rather than and open ended do whatcha kinda thing. We'll see..

School's Out...

School's out school's out
Teacher let the monkeys out
One went east, one went west
One went up the teacher's dress!

WoooHooo.... Summer break is HERE!

A Reverse Buckwheat

Owen so cute! Now I know that I am partial. I could go on and on 'til I was blue in the face about all the cute things our O-Boy does and says. I won't do that now, but I did want to share this adorable little tidbit.

Owen has taken to saying "o-tay" for "OK". Cute!

He's Buckwheat from the Little Rascals in reverse... Bone straight hair that's so blond it's nearly white. Creamy skin. Bright blue eyes. But he's got the lingo down!

And he's got the rascal part down too. This whole "reverse" thing is a little bit ironic because of what happened this morning while Owen was playing on Baby Shield. Baby Shield is a program I downloaded to make it safe for Owen to click around with the mouse and tap the keys without doing any harm to the iMac. However, certain key commands still work with Baby Shield on. I am completely unaware of most of them until he hits the magic sequence of keys and poof the computer's normal state changes. An investigation ensues to determine not just how to undo what he did, but what he did in the first place. This morning he did just that and the screen looked like photograph negative. I just so happened to be on the phone with Aunt Juli who knows lots about Mac OS so she was helping me uncover the caper. After about 10 minutes of searching on apple.com, Mac OS help, and Google she found the key command. Control, Option, Command, 8... what? Reverse black and white on the screen.

Leave it to the most mischievous character in "our gang".

Spring Cleaning

Spring is just naturally the time to renew and refresh. I am not really "into" cleaning, but I do what I have to. Since I've been having dreams about people coming over to my house and picking up brooms and dust cloths I decided it was time to embark on Spring Cleaning... Chloe-style.

My version of Spring Cleaning is not an all out attack on dust and clutter. Although I did just participate in a multi-family yard sale to rid my attic of stockpiled baby clothes (seems we've run out of babies to pass things to) I didn't get rid of much in our living space. I like to take things slowly working on one room or closet at a time using the entire spring to complete the process.

I started by cleaning out the kids' closets, drawers, and toy boxes. It's so nice to be able to fit their things into the storage compartments that are designated for them. I am moving onto the spare closet now. We removed everything last week so the spiders could move on before I got in there with them. Old house plus dark cluttered closets equal Brown Recluse Spiders in these parts. And we all know I don't want to encounter one of those biting buggers.

Another aspect of Spring Cleaning is giving everything a fresh wash. Walls, baseboards, curtains, carpets, linens. I am wishing I could just take a pressure washer to it all. But since I can't and I am cleaning everything by hand, I've decided to try to do a Green Clean. Yes, I am trying to use Earth-friendly cleaning products; making my own when possible (wallet-friendly). So when cleaning my bathroom yesterday I broke down and used a 50/50 vinegar-water solution. It worked great!

I am going to try this recipe for polishing the wood furniture in the house: one teaspoon lemon juice in two cups of vegetable oil. You just apply with a cloth and buff.

The vinegar solution worked really well, but the scent wasn't that great. I'd like to find a recipe that smelled a little better. Perhaps I'll try this the next time I start cleaning with vinegar to offset it's unpleasant odor: place a drop of essential oil on a light bulb (one that's on, of course) to fill the room with the scent. I have to admit even though the vinegar scent lingered for a few hours after the cleaning, when I returned home later in the evening the house smelled fresh and pure not like vinegar at all.

Anyone have any Spring Cleaning/Green Cleaning tips?

It's Like Something Paranormal Just Happened to the House...

In the wee hours of Friday morning, Ben and I awoke to the rattling of a picture on our bedroom wall. The continuous banging was definitely out of the ordinary and it made both of us sit up and take notice. We first assumed it was one of the low-flying military helicopters that so frequently pass overhead. Their arrival is preceded by a low rumble and when they fly by the windows rattle. But as we laid there with the picture shaking and the house rumbling no loud helicopter engine noise followed. My first thought was earthquake and Ben matter-of-factly stated "oh just an earthquake". Curious, but more tired... we both immediately fell back to sleep.

When waking up a few hours later, it was the first thing on my mind. Did we really have an earthquake? And sure enough we did! It's interesting and exciting when you live over 150 miles away from the epicenter and you only feel the vibrations. Holden has been searching the internet for earthquake facts. He's bummed he didn't feel it and is hoping for an aftershock.

News coverage has been abundant on this story. As usual the news media blows things up and creates more drama than necessary. As a person who "lived through" the Earthquake '08, I can testify to the fact that it was not as dramatic here in Middle Tennessee as they are playing out. But I have to share this video clip of a news story ran on a television station out of Nashville. The good part comes at the end when a quintessential Tennessean calls into the 911 dispatch to report the earthquake.

Paranormal activity or earthquake... it was all pretty exciting!

The Sun!!!

Today we saw the sun in Tennessee for the first time in... well, I don't remember when. It was beautiful! All of us enjoyed being able to get out in it and play, clean the car or mow the yard. What truly mattered was NO RAIN... NO CLOUDS... just bright, warm sunshine. It's about time!

Last week I was feeling unusually despondent due to lack of sun in my life. Work was not where I wanted to be after returning from spring break in Louisville and besides that work was not "working". But the atmosphere around the office was upbeat. Someone I work with had been to a concert over the weekend and brought back with her a novelty pair of Corona sunglasses. They were floating around the office Monday. Another girl in the office put them on and commented that it made everything look sunny. By the late afternoon, they ended up on my desk. My S.A.D. mood was apparent to everyone. I had to try out the glasses...

Turns out the yellow lenses do make everything look bright and sunny like the most perfect sunny day you've ever seen. Instantly, the clouds lifted and I felt happier, lighter... buzzed? Suddenly I am miles away from ordinary. And not only am I feeling better, but everyone that looks at me is smiling too! These glass are amazing!

Whoever coined the phrase "April showers bring May flowers" sure did know what they were talking about. So I am on a mission for yellow lens glasses that aren't at conspicuous as these to help me out on the gloomy April days that lie ahead. And if the sun isn't shining where you are... maybe these silly glasses will put a smile on your face by seeing them on mine.

Spring Break

Holden had an earlier-than-most Spring Break this year, but he wasn't complaining! He did the usual vacay thing at Granny's house in Louisville where he spent his days at the office... working. Yes, really. He loves that place. Sure he does plenty of made up work like performing "employee reviews", but he's recently earned the privilege of answering the phones. A dream come true for Holden! This time he also helped Granny with the office inventory... hard work according to Holden.

So after all that slave-driving (on the part of Holden)... Emeline, Owen, and I joined them in Louisville for the real fun. But first I had to get my hair "done" by Sandy (the only person I truly trust to come at me with scissors and hair bleach). Once that was out of the way, we could play.

And play we did! The kids love to ride bikes in front of Granny's house. Since she lives on a dead-end street with literally no traffic (the one house at the end is my grandparents and neither one of them drive) they feel like the have the run of the place. While we were there Emeline graduated from tricycle to two-wheeler with training wheels and Owen claimed the trike. Emeline was really moving on the bigger bike (Holden's hand-me-down) and they both liked the added freedom it gave her. Holden and Em actually played together... some. Owen's little legs are long enough to reach the pedals of the trike, but he hasn't put two and two together yet and still rides Flintstone style. He's pretty good at it though and I think he feels like he's keeping up with his older brother and sister.

The real fun happened on Friday afternoon when we took the kids to Incredible Dave's. It's a 21st century version of Chuck E. Chesse with a game area and play structure plus inflatables, bumper cars, bowing and Euro-bungy jumping. And to appeal to adult tastes there is a "fine-dining" restaurant and coffee bar. I think Gordon Ramsey would have a few things to say about the dining since it seems that most everything came straight from the freezer to your plate. Actually, I would have preferred Chuck E. Cheese pizza. And apparently the 21st century thing to do is charge for everything. The play structure and inflatables were $6 for an armband; bumper cars $2; Euro-bungy was $4; games of course were 25¢ to $2 per play. Even the Xbox and Wii cost $2 an hour to play!

But the kids had a blast! And we got out of there spending only $20. Emeline wasn't big enough to ride bumper cars or do the Euro-bungy, but she enjoyed the Princess inflatable. Owen loved the toddler inflatable. Wonder how much those cost because he could have spent an entire day playing in there bouncing from wall to wall, climbing and sliding. If I had one at home, I could actually clean my house!

As always, our time off is too short and we are back to work and school. Holden has TCAP (standardized testing) in a week. Emeline has Kindergarten Round-up next week where she'll get to tour the school, a school bus, and meet some of the teachers. It's hard to believe that there are only six weeks of school left and that in August Holden will be a 5th grader and Emmy will be in kindergarten!

Whoop... There It Is

I've been sick. It started a few weeks ago with a sore throat and just not feeling great. I had headaches for several days in a row. It seemed I was getting better and then Ben got sick with a cold. Of course, he blamed me for infecting him like I always do, but his symptoms were different than mine. He had the common cold, but I wasn't exhibiting the nasal congestion and sneezing.

As Ben's cold subsided I started with a cough. It hit me on Saturday evening while I sat on the couch. I took in a breath and the hacking started. It's miserable. I am sure everyone around me is miserable. Tuesday morning as I was getting ready for work I had a coughing attack that nearly caused me to blackout. As I stood doubled over in the bathroom, I thought to myself, "I am going to fall over and hit my head on this cast iron tub and Emeline and Owen are going to be alone... I have to get to somewhere softer!". Since then I've had about a half dozen or so of these attacks.

I've gotten coughs like this before. In fact, I used to get a dry, hacking cough once a year. It would last a few weeks or a month then fade away. I've been fortunate the past few years and escaped the misery, but this year is back with a vengeance.

"Doctor" Reed (Jacki at work) has diagnosed me with whooping cough. After listening to me cough for about five minutes in the bathroom at work she told me about a news story she just saw on about the resurgence of whooping cough. Then she pulled up a website about whooping cough. I must say the symptoms and progression of my illness are exactly as described. If you'd like to hear what my poor family, friends, and workmates have been suffering through, listen to this. That's what a paroxysm (attack of coughing) sounds like. There really isn't anything to do for it once you have it. It just runs it's course.

To prevent future occurances, I could get a booster shot. Holden would just love that! Doctors recommend getting boosters every ten years for diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. I am already on the fence about vaccines for my kids and since this would be optional for me, we'll have to see. Until then... whoopie!

An Arm and A What?

Today was a long day. We got home from the "day" at 8pm. That was just the beginning of a long night for me. Straight away Owen had a dirty diaper to change. Emeline was hungry (when isn't she?). To tell the truth I was starving as well. There were ads to finish for work. And to top it all off, I've been sick and have gotten quite the ab workout today from coughing so much. I was not in a good mood.

Emeline is oblivious to all of these factors. She's almost five so this is quite appropriate. But as I knelt next to Owen's crib changing the aforementioned dirty diaper and Emeline kicked me in the face as she scaled the crib wall, my rope ran out. Instead of yelling at her, I calmly explained that she need to be calm and quiet because I didn't feel well and I had lots to do. She needed to eat her snack and be good. And unlike I usually do, tonight I couldn't wait on her hand and foot.

Emeline is not easily deterred. She quickly fired back, "You don't have to wait on me hand and foot, Mom. What about elbow and arm? Leg and toe? Neck and bellybutton?"

Come on! How am I supposed to pull of the stern mom act with this kind of heckling?

Spring Fever

This weekend was so warm that the kids are now in the throws of spring fever. Sunday's high was about 70 degrees... sunny, breezy and beautiful!

Owen is such an outside kinda kid that he doesn't need warm weather and sunshine to make him want to head out. But since we had decided to bring the outside in by opening some doors and windows, the outdoors were calling Owen even more than usual. He spent Saturday and Sunday repeatedly fetching his shoes and bringing them to anyone willing to put them on and take him outside. He succeeded in getting Ben to take him for a walk on Saturday in the big wagon with brother and sister. After the kids and Dad returned home, Holden and Emeline went down the hill behind our house to the creek. Warm winter days like these are the best time to explore the woods behind our house. No bugs to swarm you. The underbrush is thin. Since the trees are bare you can see a pretty good distance. From the porch you could hear Holden and Emeline excitedly making their way down, Holden helping Emeline along.

They returned with one of the first signs of spring... daffodils. They always sprout in the woods behind our house before we see them anywhere else and they are a signal to us that longer days and warmer weather are just around the corner. Even though they are calling for freezing temps and a "wintry mix" later in the week we can hold onto the warmth of the weekend until spring gets here to stay!

Daylight Savings Time is just 2 weeks away! We "spring forward" on March 9th!

Peanuts?

Owen still shows interest in the potty... almost on a daily basis. We are pleased, but not prodding. This weekend he experienced more success by actually using it rather than just acting it out.

Emeline is the best big sister! It's a role she was meant to fill in her life. When Owen came into our lives, she just shifted right into sister mode and has never looked back. She has learned that when Owen sits on the potty he must point his business down or else the bathroom will get an unexpected shower. So while Owen was sitting on the potty one afternoon, she gently reminded him to "point your penis down, Bubba". Owen looked at her and then he looked down to point down what he called "peanuts".

We don't use nicknames for body parts in our house, but that one is too funny not to share, write down in a baby book, and remember as great story material for the first girl Owen brings home to meet Mom and Dad.

El P.A.S.S.o

The title is a pharse borrowed from Mr. Bill (my boss at The Peddler)...

The P.A.S.S. evaluation results have come in and Holden did not get accepted. I had to meet with the P.A.S.S. coordinator and the school psychologist to discuss the results last week. It was somewhat intimidating to me and I had an uneasy feeling the entire time. It was as though they were telling me Holden had a terminal illness.

The meeting entailed them explaining the P.A.S.S. program to me, detailing the various tests they administered, and the results. I was mistakenly under the impression that P.A.S.S. was an advanced placement program that offered classwork at a higher level than the rest of the grade was doing. The program is actually for students that are gifted. Looking back on when I received the information a few months ago, I thought the use of the term "gifted" was rather strong for the students in the program. But it seems they were actually searching not for children who are smarter than your average bear, but are on a much higher level. Genius?

In light of this, I've done some research on giftedness. There are many websites out there and most of them define giftedness as something very near Holden. I am not the only one who thinks so. His teacher and the P.A.S.S. coordinator were sure he'd qualify and both were very disappointed that he didn't make it. When it comes down to it though what matters are the numbers on the paper. Holden did not score well on the IQ tests... only slightly above average. An IQ of 130 or greater gets you automatic entry into the program. A score of 112 to 129 along with high scores in two other areas can qualify you for the program, but if your IQ is below 112 you're out. After hearing about the IQ test (I've never taken a real one myself) I can see why he didn't do well in some of the areas. Some elements were confusing and he didn't even complete some of the test because he ran out of time. Guess that would be my fault for drilling into his head that it doesn't matter how quickly you finish, but if you did your best work and took time to double check yourself.

Holden was not disappointed that he didn't make it. He didn't even want to try out for it. I had to convince him to let me submit the parent survey on the condition that he could leave the program at any time if he was unhappy. I am disappointed only because I think Holden does so well in small groups and thrives with personal attention. The program sounds wonderfully interesting; something that all students would benefit from regardless of level of intelligence. Regular classroom teachers don't have the time for so many "extras" given the laundry list of standards they are required to teach for fear their student's will be exposed as "left behind".

I am very proud of Holden's graceful acceptance of not getting into P.A.S.S. I know that I would have reacted differently even now as a "mature" adult. He continues to excel in school and even better... he is well-adjusted (except for his astraphobia).

Update on the 4H Poster Contest: Holden again won first place in his class and the poster will go on to the county competition. He came up with a great slogan and a terrific concept. I will post a photo of it when we get it back! The next project in 4H is a demonstration of how to do something... anything! He wants to show how to use a computer. More on that as details become clearer.

Science Fair is next Monday!

4H Speech Competition

Holden competed in the county-wide 4H Speech Competition Tuesday night. We knew that the competition would include all the 4th grade speech winners from all the elementary schools in the county, but we weren't anticipating such a crowd. The contest was held at the middle school nearest to us and the parking lot was packed! There were two 4th grade groups and two 5th grade groups. Holden's group had 23 students plus parents and other onlookers.

Holden was surprised to say the least. Getting up in front of 75+ people to do anything is not his thing. He is very well-spoken and poised, but he suffers from a bit of stage fright. Besides his speech was supposed to be only one minute long not even enough time to warm up. Even though he was reluctant to do it once he realized the circumstances, we convinced him to try. And he did it! In front of all those people and a table of judges, he spoke his own words about what he wants to be when he grows up.

We were very proud of him for getting to the county-wide contest. We are super proud of him for standing before all those strangers when he really did not want to. It's an experience he'll never forget and does not regret even though he did not place among the top three.

After the competition was over, Ben, Holden and I went to eat at Outback Steakhouse (Holden's choice) to celebrate. We enjoyed being together just the three of us (the original family members, as Holden said). It's been so long since we have spent one-on-one time with Holden and he relishes in one-on-one attention from anyone. His sweet personality really shines when you spend that individual time with him.

Up next for Holden is 4H Poster contest and Science Fair.

O is for Oreo

Owen had his first taste of Oreo cookies today. I was preparing Dirt Cake this morning (going-away party at work). The main ingredient is cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies. Everybody's favorite cookie. Well, at least milk's favorite cookie. And maybe Owen's favorite cookie.

It started as a curiosity for him. Perched on the kitchen chair watching me drop the cookies into the food processor and grind them into a fine powder. "Doo-kie, yum." Then the fingers started poking into the bag of Oreos. Since it was morning I was trying to be the "good mom" and not feed my 18-month old cookies for breakfast. But then there was a piece that wouldn't break up so I just let him have that piece. "Dank you mama."

Well, as you can imagine that just wasn't enough for him. How much can one little Oreo fill up Owen's tummy? I reasoned with myself. I let him have another. Which he proceeded to twist apart, admire the creamy inside and promptly devour. After the cream was gone he sat down the chocolate wafers and then reached for the bag to grab another.

I know that people eat Oreos differently. Some dunk, some pull apart and eat the cream then the chocolate, some do as Owen did and eat the cream but leave the cookies and some do as I do and enjoy the delicious combination as it was meant to be eaten... all together. But how does an 18-month old know to pull the Oreo apart? This was his very first (but definitely not last) Oreo. Ever. Is the way you eat Oreos predetermined in your DNA? Ben pulls his Oreos apart. Is that one trait Ben can proudly chalk up to himself... "that's my boy!"

By the way, Owen did save room for another circular staple... Cheerios for breakfast!

Open Call for Addresses

I have some new pictures of the kids that I would like to send out to friends and family, but first I'd like to be sure I have current address for all of you. Please email me your current address (or if you don't have my email address you can post it here... I moderate all comments so it will not appear to the public).

Thank you!!!

Pictures arriving soon...

Blackmail

When you are child number three the blackmail starts early. It must be the influence of your older sibs (cousins too!). You see them doing all of sorts of interesting, grown-up things and you have to try them out for yourself.

For instance, Owen is keenly interested in the potty. He loves walking up to it and pointing in it loudly proclaiming "pee-pee" and "poop". He's a pro and tearing off bits of toilet paper and dropping them in. Emeline has banned him from the bathroom when she's using it because he tries to give her toilet paper even occasionally trying to wipe for her.

It was only a matter of time before Owen begged to try it out for himself. Several months ago he was doing just that. Pulling on his diaper while standing in front of the toilet and proclaiming "Pee-pee! Poop!". For whatever reason I did not think he was trying to tell me that he wanted to use the potty for the very things he was yelling, but moments later a messy diaper told me otherwise. I am ashamed to say that I didn't take advantage of that moment, but at the time he was only 16 months old. I have never experienced a baby at that tender age show the interest or ability to potty train. From that moment on, however, I vowed to seize every opportunity that Owen gave me to let him try it out.

One such opportunity arose earlier this week. Diaper off and cushioned potty seat on, Owen climbed up on that porcelain throne as proud and mature as any 18 month old I've ever seen. He was there for a while and I thought it was all just an act, but then "plop". He did it! To my amazement the little stinker pooped in the potty. A diaper free future flashed before my eyes. We all clapped and sang Owen's praises. He beamed. And then it was over. I barely flashed this pic before he scampered off the pot to resume his apprenticeship as Tasmanian Devil.

The Blackmail Begins!

P.S. - I am not getting my hopes up too high. Of course, I want all my children to succeed even excel and I will forever encourage them to those ends. But I also realize that kids go through phases and what they seek to do one month completely changes the next (one month it's "I can do it myself" and the next "Hold me Mommy"). And I am not going to be a slave to Owen's bathroom habits. I know many old-school moms (OSM) will tell me that when they had babies they were potty trained by 12 months. (I was late being trained - closer to 16 or 18 months - and what shame my mom experienced as a result!) In fact, just this past weekend a OSM asked me if we were potty training to which I gave a quick, no-excuses negative reply. But really were these babies trained or was it the moms? Maybe OSMs were more tuned into their kids, but I have times when I forget to go to the bathroom! We'll keep you posted... about Owen that is!