Family of 9

welcome caroline

2012-02-01T11:40:00.001-05:00

The source of the Unspoken prayer request...

courtesy of Portrait Innovations

safely arrived at 9 lbs 1 oz via c section for unstable lie last month.

God is good.

brooke does black friday take one

2011-11-25T11:33:00.000-05:00

13 year old Brooke has watched me "do" Black Friday almost every November. This year she thought she would give it a go. I would have loved to have initiated her but being almost 33 weeks into a pregnancy my body is way too old for, I had already decided to sit this one out. So Kevin took her. But from the story he told after falling into bed at 3am early this morning, she could still use some schooling.
Last weekend we worked the church nursery together and I had asked her if she had a plan. What doorbusters did she want? What stores did she want to shop at? I downloaded an app that had all the sales. She could search by store or category. She seemed bored after just a few minutes of paging through it.
So Thanksgiving Day came and there was still no plan. We picked up a friend of hers around 6pm that was tagging along. When pressed by dear hubby for a plan, the girls said they would like to go to the mall and it was opening at midnight. The van left about 11:30 with...SURPRISE...Luke in tow.
Kevin and Luke walked the entire mall at least twice. In that time Brooke succeeded in getting in line at Wet Seal to purchase a dress that she had not tried on and it was NOT on sale. That turned out to be the extent of her Black Friday purchases. As I type this, Kevin is back at the mall with her to return it because it is see through and on second thought maybe not even a dress after all.

*Update. Turns out, purchases from Wet Seal are non-refundable. You may return for store credit only. I think she may have cried. Next year will be better. I will start resting up NOW!

see george grow

2011-11-10T11:47:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I've posted. Right now we're in the middle of shaking up the room assignments on the second floor. In order for Nathan to repaint the big room, I had to take down the foam penguin growth chart I bought for George last time we were in Atlantic City.

I'm know my faults. And one is that I am horrible when it comes to documenting. Baby books, scrapbooks, growth charts...sit around and mock all my good intentions.

So this foam penquin only ended up with two total marks. It left more marks on the drywall when I ripped it off.

And now, what you've been waiting for:

George 9-11-2010 44 3/4 inches tall
George 4-21-2011 47 1/2 inches tall

muffins for breakfast

2011-08-17T09:44:00.000-04:00

Last night I was once again cursing my Pampered Chef mini muffin tin. I made chocolate brownies in it and once again they were sticking like glue in the cups. Every time I cook anything in it it sticks inside. It doesn't matter what type of prep I do for the cups. Today it's going in the recycling bin.

So I left the pan on the table to deal with in the morning.

George let me sleep in today and thoroughly enjoyed the brown "muffins" for breakfast. :)

Memorable Quote

2011-07-30T22:10:00.000-04:00

"I play house in the night and all my animals are bad but dragon. I spank them. Except for pig. I give pig a pinch because he's too fat to spank."

Jacob William March 1, 2005

(I came across this quote on a loose piece of paper in the junk drawer. From a boy of few words. I felt it needed a place of more permanence. I love his sense of humor and huge imagination. He will make an awesome video game designer if that's what he still wants to do when he grows up.)

what's in YOUR spf?

2011-07-04T19:53:00.000-04:00

For the most part I didn't use any sunscreen last summer because I end up with an intense blistering reaction about 24 hours after applying it. The big floppy hat/long sleeved white cotton shirt combo was working just fine.

But then I happened upon the sunscreen guide published by the Environmental Working Group. EWG describes this guide as an "in-depth analysis of the safety and effectiveness of more than 700 name-brand sunscreens. The new database lists products that offer the best combination of safety and effectiveness: they are formulated with the safest chemicals, are most effective at protecting against sunburn, and help prevent long-term damage caused by the sun’s UVA rays, which are linked to skin aging, wrinkling and, potentially, cancer."

Lots of urging from my yoga teacher friend Jen convinced me I needed to give it one last shot of finding a brand that would work. I selected two that were awarded a "one" from EWG's list that were not astronomically expensive and were somewhat readily available: Aveeno Baby Natural Protection Mineral Block and Badger Baby Sunscreen.

I picked up the Aveeno Baby at Drug Mart on a BOGO 1/2 off sale. About $15 for two. It went on easy enough, didn't discolor any clothing or take the logo off my water bottle, and best of all....NO REACTION. I am one happy camper. (p.s. they make it in a face stick too!)

A few days later the Bager Baby arrived from Amazon. About $14 a tube. If you can get past the terrible smell, is extremely thick and hard to apply. The active ingredient is 18.75% zinc oxide. Hmmmm, now wonder it reminded me of Desitin. At least it didn't give me a reaction. I will keep it on hand for a backup. Maybe the kids won't want to ride in my car if I use it. ;)

now that's scary?!?

2011-06-07T11:38:00.002-04:00

orphan red potato with a few eyes

Children's responses to finding this in the snack cabinet:

"The no. 1 nastiest thing I've seen in my entire life."
"I won't sleep knowing that thing is in my house."
"Throw it over the hill."
"Take it to the curb."
"I knifed it."
"Now I will have a nightmare."

All this nonsense over a vegetable from teenagers who can watch horror movies and laugh about it.

graduated!

2011-06-06T23:19:00.000-04:00


Em with Nan and Pop.

Last Friday Emma received an Honors Diploma from Midview High School. I didn't cry but her aunt did. I was doubly glad I had snuck her in without a ticket. Blended families should get double the tickets. ;)

Under her gown she wore a beautiful white cotton dress from ICE. It was a lined and had an embroidered eyelet pattern. We picked it out together about a week ago and then shared Chipotle to celebrate. The dress fit her personality perfectly and matched her white leather peace sign thong sandals.

It looks way nicer on Em. I'll fix this later.

Now to get ready for the party.

that went fast

2011-06-01T21:25:00.000-04:00

I can't believe George's year in preschool is done.

Yesterday we celebrated at the school with a family picnic. There were about 500 hot dogs on the buffet alongside various trays of fruit, pasta salads, chips, popcorn, and desserts. Miss Tori made a slide show with the highlights of the past year in the Yellow Room. She is excited for her summer break but you could tell she's become attached to her students.

Today was the big zoo field trip. Each student needed at least one adult chaperone. We met up in the ticketing area at 9:30am and entered the zoo as a group. George quickly hooked up with his favorite playmates Zion and Evan. We all saw the brand new multimillion dollar elephant enclosure. The elephants were inside the building though.

After the elephants we hopped the tram and rode up to the sharks (and the rest of the primates and aquatic life but the only thing the boys wanted to see was the sharks.) We were all more than ready to meet up with the rest of the group for lunch when we were done with the sharks. All the boys opted for McDonald's.

We had enough time after lunch to see the rhinos, monkey island, the giraffes, the butterfly garden, all the bears and a few other miscellaneous animals. I have to say my favorite part was the naked mole rat exhibit in the elephant building. George claims he doesn't remember enough to pick a favorite.

s.o.s. (#$@& on a shingle)

2011-05-15T11:30:00.003-04:00

A surprisingly family friendly recipe. You may know by it's not so colorful pseudonym: chipped beef with peas on toast.

The firehouse always looked forward to my grandpa's turn as chef. This was one of his favorite things to make. It seems so simple. Dump everything in a pot and warm it up. Spoon it over buttered toast.

He was always very careful about it.

Ingredients:

Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Undiluted. (yes you can substitute the inferior brands but the color of the Campbell's is usually superior. The off brands can be kind of brown.)
Green Giant Sweet Peas and Pearl Onions (Used to be able to find this easily in the canned veggies section. Now I only find it boxed in the frozen section. You can just use sweet peas and leave the onions out. Cocktail onions from the pickle section are NOT the same thing.)
Carl Budding Beef In the hot dog section.

Dump all in a pot. Slice beef in strips or dice. Add milk slowly to desired consistency. Heat through. Spoon over buttered toast.

letters from george

2011-05-13T15:44:00.002-04:00

Yesterday George brought the mail in before leaving for school. He sorted through the stack eagerly in search of something for himself. When he got to the bottom he got a confused upset look on his face.

"Why didn't she take this?" he asked me. I looked at the envelope he was holding. It was a white business sized envelope with carefully crafted preschool script across the front in red marker: p-o-p-p-y

That was it. No stamp. No return address label. No other information about the recipient.

While I was thinking of how to respond George had an Aha! moment.

"I know why! I forgot to put the red flag up!"

serve elyria

2011-05-12T07:54:00.000-04:00

There is still time to sign up at www.serveelyria.com

Firemen are my heros.

2011-05-09T14:58:00.001-04:00

My favorite grandparent was a member of the FDNY so I've always had a huge amount of respect and admiration for firemen everywhere. Now, thanks to North Ridgeville's Finest, George does not have to go through life with an ice scraper as an appendage.

I was driving from David's Bridal to Elyria to pick up my good friend Mich for lunch at Chipotle. It was sunny, I was on time, AND we had a FREE coupon! Life was good. Then I hear panic from the back seat.

I have become very good at deciphering the various noises George makes. The various whines, groans, cries, gasps, sighs, and screams that mean different things based on their intensity and frequency level. Usually they mean nothing serious. This time I knew it was something.

I pulled over w-a-y onto the berm of the highway and turned around. His middle finger was stuck through the eye of the ice scraper handle and the digit had already swelled much beyond normal. He may have pushed that finger in but there was no way it was coming out.

I got him calmed down and proceeded to the nearest fire station. It helped that the first thing we saw when we got there was the familiar face of the head of the high school drama boosters. She reassured us that this happens all the time (not to anyone I know!) and got a paramedic to help poor George.

They sawed the ice scraper off then gave the boy a complimentary tour of the fire station. Thanks, guys!

2011-05-02T13:46:00.001-04:00

unspoken

2011-04-23T09:41:00.002-04:00

thank you, Jesus.

2011-04-22T15:38:00.000-04:00

bridesmaid adventures part two

2011-04-20T08:52:00.004-04:00

My invitation to the wedding shower I am helping to host arrived in the mail last weekend. We got word from the matron of HONOR (i.e. head bridesmaid) that 105 invites went out. Yes, you read that correctly.

one. hundred. and. five.

Not at all the "intimate gathering of the bride's closest friends and relatives" Miss Manner's suggests.

One other bridesmaid and I are in charge of favors.

Since the wedding is a beach theme, we wanted to do a message in a bottle favor. A small plastic bottle with a rolled up paper in it with the happy couple's names and wedding date. We were going to toss in a few small shells and a teaspoon of sand.

Now we are doing jordan almonds wrapped in tulle. And I'm thankful I'm not in charge of the food. How would I ever be able to afford my lovely strapless pool colored dress if I was? And the Spanx I need to hold my assets in?

radical change

2011-04-18T08:42:00.004-04:00

When we first met, Kevin was unemployed and substitute teaching to help make ends meet. (hmmm, help bring ends less than a mile apart is more accurate.) His unemployment did not last long and he's been very gainfully employed with the same Fortune 500 company ever since.

We were still only ~~dating~~ hanging out (remember ends were a mile apart so we didn't actually get to "date" much in the traditional sense) when he first wistfully made mention of the fact that he could never make teaching work as a career because of the low pay. Another person may not have even noticed this passing comment, but for some reason it was one that stuck with me.

So when he mentioned the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship to me last November, I did not automatically collapse in a frantic heap of sobbing worrying mess. I knew back then that I would eventually be married to a teacher($) and NOT a senior systems analyst($$$$). I just figured it would be more of a retirement pursuit for him and not a midlife course correction.

I did have a lot of trepidation. We have SEVEN living children. Only the first of which is starting college this fall. But God had prepared my heart with David Platt's Radical and the Adventure of Greatness our life group had just completed. This was a 7 week study on using our gifts and talents to serve others. That is where you find greatness... when your life's work is serving other people.

The fellowship seeks midlife career professionals in science and technology fields to retrain as high school teachers. Applicants must commit to teach at least 3 years in high need urban schools. It is the aim of the program for these teachers to bring knowledge and hope where it is needed most. John Carroll's mission statement, vision and core values make it the perfect partner school for the fellowship.

Through my anxiety, I encouraged him to apply. A few days later a good friend told me she had just read an article that said there were already over 700 applications for only 20 spots and that was only the beginning. I won't lie. I breathed a small sigh of relief. Maybe this really wasn't something that God was calling him to now. That much change with the loss of our daughter so recent seemed almost insurmountable to me.

Then we received news he made it through the first round and was selected for the interview process. He spent a vacation day down at John Carroll interviewing with the committee members and teaching a sample lesson. After that, it was just a waiting game. He was told he would have an answer sometime in April.

Saturday morning the envelope came. In his words it was, "too big to be a rejection letter."

John Carroll here we come. Go Blue Streaks!

I have no idea how we will make it through the next year without his income. But my husband is an awesome hardworking resourceful guy and we serve a BIG HUGE GOD. Pray for us as we begin this new chapter of our lives.

Pray for wisdom, discernment and clarity as we decide how to best manage our household during this time of transition.

carpool lane

2011-04-14T14:28:00.002-04:00

I will very highly recommend my son's school to anyone willing to listen. I love that they have master degreed teachers in every room. I love that the ratio in his room is 1:5. I love that they use technology like ipads to encourage the kids to go as far as they can. I love that he is exposed to kids that are differently abled. I love that one of the teachers brought in some baby ducks to share with the classrooms. I love that they provide 5 day a week 3 hour a day play based learning experiences for the whole county on a sliding tuition scale. I love that he walked in today to meet a butterfly newly emerged from her chrysalis. I love the huge indoor gym and the bikes.

I do NOT love the carpool line.

I try to have patience. I realize after participating in at least 6 different carpool lanes at schools in 2 different states that I have a lot more experience than some of the other moms.

The parent handbook attempts to make it very clear.

The note the head administrator sent home at the end of the first quarter made it even clearer.

They still don't listen. So maybe we should spell out exactly what the carpool line is NOT for.

It is NOT for cornering your child's teacher just because it happens to be her day to help with carpool for a quick conference on how Johnny has been doing. Believe it or not the teacher really isn't interested. She's had a long day and is anxious to get her room closed up and home to her own family. Shoot her a quick email or leave a voice mail and she will get back to you. When it is convenient for you both.

It is NOT for chasing your kid down to wipe down his face or fix her hair. If you can't take care of this one at home just let it go. Preschoolers can get grimy. And they aren't all that concerned with their appearances. Teachers know this.

It is NOT for placing your car in park to make multiple trips into the building to unload classroom supplies.

It is NOT for long conversations with your child about his day as you buckle him into the seat. But be sure to get around to that.

It is NOT for rearranging items in your car. If this is something you have a problem with, you are not going to be able to fix it in a few minutes a day.

It is NOT the place to get distracted talking on your cellphone or working a sudoku. Especially when your bumper sticker says, "hang up and drive."

It is NOT for adding oil, windshield wiper fluid or other substances to your car. Yes, I've actually seen this one.

Now that we got those NOTs out of the way, please place your child's booster or car seat in the most convenient position for the aides who are there to assist him in and out of the car. Today, let them do their jobs and we'll ALL get home sooner.

bubble fun

2011-04-06T14:45:00.001-04:00

Blowing bubbles is one of our favorite things to do so I bought 3 of these No-Spill Bubble Tumbler Minis at Walmart. I wasn't expecting too much because they were only about $2 each. I am so happy to say I was very pleasantly surprised. They are the perfect size and shape for little hands. The circle that you blow through is small. It makes is so easy for even toddlers to blow lots of bubbles successfully.

Lots of things can say no spill but they aren't. This bubble tumbler can be tipped over, dropped, even turn it upside down, and at the most only a tiny splash leaks out.

This would be a nice addition to your wee one's Easter basket. It's won multiple awards including Oppenheim Toy Portfolio's Gold Seal, Parent's Choice Classic, and National Parenting Publication Gold Award!

praising God today

2011-04-04T10:57:00.001-04:00

for His provision of five, YES FIVE!!!, new pint sized clients,

for the MANY material blessings we have so recently received: 24 Regal Cinema passes, MTD trimmer NIB, the very successful sale of an Edison Phonograph, $50 Amazon gift certificate, fancy running shoes gift certificate,

for the everyday encouragement from people and bloggers in my life to help me to be a better wife and mom,

for the opportunity yesterday to cuddle with a precious newborn girl in the infant nursery with ZERO grieving in my heart,

for a teenager who would sincerely and excitedly say to me: "Isn't tithing GREAT!",

but most of all for the opportunity to have a relationship with Him!

Do you know Him?

nemo grille at alten house, avon ohio

2011-03-27T12:36:00.003-04:00

Kevin was called off of his Pizza Hut delivery job last Monday so after a quick phone call to procure babysitting services for the boys, we enjoyed an impromptu date night.

When we were blessed with Macy, Kevin received a bonus gift certificate to restaurants.com when he bought me a bunch of stuff at Motherhood Maternity. We redeemed it online for Nemo Grille in Avon shortly afterward but just now got the opportunity to use it.

I had the 16oz. rib eye with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. The steak was done to perfection. I paired that with one glass on Pinot Noir and left the potatoes on the plate. Between the second helping of asparagus I got from Kevin (non veg eater) and the 4 servings of beef on my plate, I didn't want the potatoes. They did come with a paper thin waffle like fried potato sculpture protruding from them. That was kind of neat. Kevin opted for the New York strip and had no complaints about either the steak or the garlic mashed potatoes (though he did refuse mine.)

Nemo Grille is housed in a century old home. We were in "our" room alone until a young couple and their child came in shortly before we left. The service was terrific, the atmosphere is great and we would definitely go back. It is a bit pricey so bring a coupon from restaurants.com if you decide to give it a try. 20% gratuity is added to your check when you use a coupon but if your service is anything like ours, leave a bit more. Servers work hard for their money.

nathan's 14th

2011-03-24T13:55:00.001-04:00

The bouncing baby boy I was blessed with so many years ago is now a gangly teenager. He celebrated his 14th birthday on Tuesday with Chicken Paprikash, and Red Velvet Cake. He ended up in bed shortly afterward with THE virus that has knocked out at least 50 kids in his school.

High fever, stomach ache, head ache.

He is now claiming that the only cure is homemade Shamrock Shakes chased with Reese Cups. Hmmmmm, sounds like he may be on the mend?

the jesus storybook bible

2011-03-22T09:25:00.001-04:00

I bought this Bible for George on the recommendation of Angie Smith. I knew it would be good....but WOW!

What I love most is the foreshadowing at the end of each and every Old Testament story. Basically saying that God had fixed this situation for now but...one day he will fix it for good and forever.

An example from the story of David and Goliath (George's favorite): "David was a Hero! Many years later, God would send his people another young Hero to fight for them. And to save them. But this Hero would fight the greatest battle the world has ever known."

All that building up of excitement as you read the well known stories of David, Jonah, Daniel and others will have you and your child just about bursting for joy when Jesus makes his debut on page 176 in "He's here!" I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this for your favorite little pre-Christians. :)

more george quotes

2011-03-22T08:56:00.002-04:00

To Emma about her shimmery pink prom dress. "That's a beautiful dress. Is it for your wedding?"

On the labels stuck on the piano keys. "We should put these letters in order."

"Macy is the quietest person in our family."

Explore: Carlisle Reservation Visitor Center

2011-03-19T19:59:00.000-04:00

Children's Nature Space at Carlisle Reservation, Carlisle Visitor Center, 12882 Diagonal Rd., LaGrange.

Climb and crawl while you learn about dinosaurs. Conduct a puppet show, crawl through the tunnels and color dino pictures. The Children's Nature Space is a great place to have fun while learning dinosaurs and more. Open 8 - 4:30 Daily.

give to ceasar

2011-03-14T16:56:00.002-04:00

Tax time is a pain in my big behind. I love having a family childcare but going through the zillions of receipts from 2010 and having to figure out what everything was and what percent of it is tax deductible is enough to DRIVE ME INSANE.

Would you remember what a TB NORTH 5M is 11 months later? I sure don't but I bought 2 at Walmart for $12.50 a piece. What about an EQUATE MPS?? You get the picture.

Taxes really shouldn't take 2 months to complete.

I think George is starting to hate them too. Too often lately the answer to "Mommy can you play me at this?" is "Not right now George I really need to get these taxes done."

I realize I should sit down every month and do it as I go but it just hasn't happened yet. Pictures of George with his immortal rats are coming soon....

Happy Birthday George!

2011-03-03T13:48:00.000-05:00

5 years ago our graceful merciful God blessed us with a baby boy. George is a delight to our entire family and loved by all who know him.

He turned 5 today and celebrated with a group of his friends. Damon, Diana, Auntie, Jadon, Aubree, Maddie, Lydia and Rayle were all invited. Rayle was contagious with strep throat so he stayed home. (Thank you Denise!)

The kids all enjoyed a hot dog bar. The toppings included: chili, cheese, ketchup, mustard, and onions. Chips and dip were served on the side. (Thank you Amy!)

George got Lego Creator toys, a bubble gun, a over sized inflatable fabric covered soccer ball, Kung Zhu, Zhu Zhu pet with accessories, and a Mario backpack with wheels. He had an awesome time and is very thankful for all of his friends and family.

Mom and Dad got him a Nintendo DS Lite and big sister Emma blessed him with a Kung Zhu game for it.

His birthday restaurant for his family lunch was CiCi's pizza. I think he prefers winning High School Musical toys in the grab game to the pizza but it's his choice so even though it was the second time in a row, we went.

Happy Birthday George!

the stupid hamsters have won

2011-03-01T20:20:00.002-05:00

George will be turning 5 on Thursday and his love affair with Kung Zhu continues. All he wants for his birthday is Kung Zhu. I'm throwing in the towel and letting the rats invade. :)

restaurant week

2011-02-22T21:31:00.001-05:00

I met Kevin for lunch downtown today to take part in Downtown Cleveland's 4th Annual Restaurant Week. I had a blankety-blank of a time finding parking. Had to circle the entire self-park area twice before finding a spot(later Kevin informed me it was probably due to Obama speaking at the Wolstien Center.)

After viewing the special restaurant week lunch menus online we selected the Greenhouse Tavern. It was a short chilly walk from his office. Even though we didn't have reservations we were slightly ahead of the lunch crowd so we were seated immediately. The server took a lot of time explaining all the specials to us. He wasn't quite thorough enough though. We are the antithesis of foodies so we were left wondering about more than a couple of the items he described. Cornichons, mignonette sauce, lardo, and fromage blanc were among the items we were ignorant of.

From it's description, I knew I wanted to try the fried Brussels sprout soup but wasn't sure how far to push the envelope. I was going to opt for the burger but Kevin encouraged me to be brave so I ordered the Pâté Melt Sandwich w/ caramelized onions, two year cheddar & pâté maison. I'm still not really sure what it was that I ate, and likely don't want to know. It was quite tasty. Somehow I already knew the pomme frites it came with were fried potatoes. They were hair thin potato strands that took too much effort to eat. Now that I think about it, maybe I was supposed to use my fork.

Kevin was VERY adventurous and went with the special. House made ravioli stuffed with lardo, goat cheese, and apples. The server just described the sauce it came in as "sweet and sour." When his plate arrived I was surprised at the small size of the serving. And the fact that it looked like it was garnished in tiny cubes of beets. After a quick taste I confirmed to him that they were in fact beets so he worked his way around them. He was so generous and let me taste one of the tiny pillows of deliciousness. The lardo, goat cheese, apple combo was yummy. The pasta dough was so thin and done to perfection.
Our meal ended with ONE vegan chocolate chip cookie the size of a quarter. He got one bite. I got a bite and a half. Yum!

This was a very fun lunch. Once in a blue moon, there is nothing wrong with eating someplace where you have to google the ingredients before you order but I'm not making a habit of it.

I made sure there was a substanial dinner waiting for hubby. With all the running he does he needs a ton of calories.

date night

2011-02-21T21:25:00.001-05:00

Saturday night for the first time in a long time we had no day care, AND no life group. Kevin and I took advantage of it by sneaking out for our February date. He probably would have preferred his alternate suggestion of RamonesMania but being the true gentleman that he is, he left the choice up to me so we saw The King's Speech at the Regal Cinema.

This was a fascinating portrayal of King George VI and how he overcame his stammering to lead the people of Great Britain into WWII. I love well made historical films of all types but especially those from the modern era.

And it certainly didn't hurt that Colin Firth was the lead. ;)

jacob's 12th birthday dinner

2011-02-19T13:01:00.000-05:00

Jacob turned 12 last December but just got his birthday dinner two weeks ago. He chose CiCi's Pizza Buffet. I was excited because we finally had coupons! Buy one adult buffet with a drink and get one free.

But then I read the fine print and it said "Carry Out Only." How do you carry out a buffet? The cashier cleared it up for me when I presented the coupons before we paid. "It's a misprint."

I had looked up their menu online and discovered that I could have 4 slices of Veggie Italiano for only 10 points(yes I'm doing Weight Watchers again.) It was delicious and satisfying. The kids enjoyed lots of helpings of the Macaroni and Cheese Pizza, always their favorite. And thanks to Kevin's pocketful of quarters, they also got to enjoy the game room.

The only thing missing was Emma. She had to miss once again because she was working.

OM-a will do just fine, thank you

2011-02-16T16:57:00.001-05:00

Recently I was mistaken ONCE again for George's grandmother. While I realize I am technically old enough to be one, especially at the young age some kids are having kids these days, I am still not ready for that title.

The Faster Times newsletter I subscribe to had an article on what a great opportunity it is to choose your own grandmother name. The article pointed out a handy online quiz you could take to help out.

So...the results from my grandmother name test. Just in case I don't remember where to find it when the time comes.

You're a bit of a hippie, interested in preserving the earth and living naturally. Your taste tends toward the arty and bohemian, and no one, not even your grandchildren, knows exactly what you will decide to do next. Because you have such a global perspective, you may want to choose a grandmother name from another culture, such as the German Oma, Italian Nonna, the Hawaiian Tutu or the French Grandmere. Alternatively you may want to create your own grandmother name from whole cloth. Whatever name you end up with, it will be individualistic, and it will suit you.

guess who?

2011-02-09T10:28:00.000-05:00

I always thought I knew how to play this game. I felt confident teaching the kids how to narrow down the options by asking obvious questions like "Do you have facial hair?" "Are you a girl?" and "Do you have a hat?".

Well this morning George has beaten me three times in a row by asking inane things like "Are your eyes red?" and "Do you have eyebrows?" It may have helped that he didn't realize that when I asked "Do you have red hair?" I meant even the guys with just a few tufts of hair above the ears.

It was then I suggested we take a break and make some cupcake tin crayons for the daycare baby. Find instructions here: Recycled Chunky Crayons

jesus and his headache

2011-02-06T18:02:00.001-05:00

Jordan is a 3 year old girl I have been caring for over a year. She comes to church with me on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. Her mom sent me a text a while back that she had named her doll that she got for Christmas "Baby Jesus" and has been singing "Yes Jesus Loves Me" to him at night. I am grateful to the servants in our Children's Ministy programs who have taught her a lot of this.

I have a baby Jesus in a manger on the window sill above my kitchen sink. He stays there year round. Last week, Jordan was studying him thoughtfully as she sat on the kitchen counter. That is her favorite place when I am preparing dinner.

I tossed the whole wheat rotini into the boiling salted water and heard her ask, "Why's he sleepin'?" I told her it was because he was tired. That he knew he had a big job ahead of him and needed all the rest he could get. It was then she decided that he had a headache. I agreed that with a job as big as the one he had, he definately might have.

I've tried to keep that in mind. The headaches I get from the stress of parenting and day care are nothing compared to what made him sweat drops of blood the night before his death. And he has given me these challenges because he knows I can handle them.

His grace will be enough.

Our church is embarking on a series called "The Adventure of Trust". It is all about learning to be a good steward of the things God has placed in our care. I'm looking forward to learning how to work harder at being a better parent and provider to the children he has placed in my care.

His grace will be enough.

the pit

2011-01-28T17:14:00.001-05:00

(An old pastor of mine used this story at least twice that I know of. I couldn't find it exactly the way he read it and have no idea who this is originally from but I love it.)

There was a man who fell into a very deep pit.

A Hindu said, “You deserve to end up in a pit for your past life.”
Confucius said, “If you had listened to me, you would not be in a pit.”
A Christian scientist said to the man, “You only think you’re in a pit.”
Buddha said, “Your pit is only a state-of-mind.”
A geologist said, “Appreciate the rock strata of the pit.”
An evolutionist said, “You are a rejected mutant destined to be removed from the evolutionary cycle, which means you will die in that pit without producing any pit falling offspring.”
A construction inspector came by and said, “Brother, you got a permit for that pit?”
A self-pitying person said, “You haven’t seen anything ‘til you’ve seen my pit.”
A positive confessor said, “Just say this over and over again: ‘I am not in a pit. I am not in a pit.’”
An optimist said, “Things could be worse.”
A pessimist said, “Things will get worse.”

A follower of Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.

date night

2011-01-27T08:03:00.004-05:00

Tuesday Kevin and I went to see Ride the Divide. This is a captivating film about an underground race down the continental divide. The race begins in Bnaff, Canada and ends at the Mexican border about 3 weeks later. There is no support provided. You bring or purchase along the route everything you will need. Many nights are spent alone in the wilderness in the sleeping bag that you have carried on your bicycle. The racers encounter many bears along the route. Not my cup of tea but the movie was unforgettable.

On the way to the movie we grabbed a quick bite to eat at The Hot Dog Inn. A very interesting place, if you have never been there I advise you to check it out. I recommend one hot dog with everything and some FRIES!!!

dancing in the minefields

2011-01-23T15:27:00.006-05:00

"I do" are the two most famous last words
The beginning of the end
But to lose your life for another I've heard
Is a good place to begin

'Cause the only way to find your life
Is to lay your own life down
And I believe it's an easy price
For the life that we have found

And we're dancing in the minefields
We're sailing in the storm
This is harder than we dreamed
But I believe that's what the promise is for

So when I lose my way, find me
When I loose love's chains, bind me
At the end of all my faith, till the end of all my days
When I forget my name, remind me

'Cause we bear the light of the Son of Man
So there's nothing left to fear
So I'll walk with you in the shadowlands
Till the shadows disappear

'Cause he promised not to leave us
And his promises are true
So in the face of all this chaos, baby,
I can dance with you

a visit from classic infulenza, type unknown

2011-01-21T09:30:00.004-05:00

Poor Jacob has not left his bed since Monday. He has been running a constant temperature from 101-103. The strep culture came back negitive and since all the other symptoms of classic flu are there, that's what we're calling it.

In between the times when he is moaning for tea or more Ibuprophen, he has watched almost the entire first 2 seasons of "The A-Team" on my iTouch Netflix app.

I've been hearing people for years say, "I was out with the 24 hour flu," or "I had a touch of the flu." HA! I am not sure what virus they had but it wasn't this! Real ful symptoms lasts 7-10 days and comes with a high fever, headache, extreme tiredness, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and body aches (in Jake's case he can not lift his arms they hurt so bad.) Vomiting and diarrhea don't even need to be present but is more likely found in children than adults.

No one in my house has ever had this before. Now I understand how so many people die from this.

Wash your hands, people! It's flu season. YUCK.

open arms

2011-01-19T10:24:00.005-05:00

My favorite long sleeved mustard colored Gap tee is now decorated with ~~Glidden~~ (Another Paint Co. That Is NOT Sherwin Williams How Dare They ;) "Sherwin Williams Festival Green SW 6923."

In early June our church announced the undertaking of a major project. The reorganization, demolition, and construction project was named "Open Arms". The sermon introducing it was based on the "let the little children come unto me" verses. It was the last one we heard before Macy's death. :( Don't miss the painful irony of those last two sentances.

This is an undertaking of MAJOR proportions. Basically we are changing the way space in our building is used. We used to use the school classrooms for our children's ministry spaces. This made a lot of sense but it didn't give the church kids any of their "own" space. The new space is going to be spectacular. All the rooms have their own themes. There will be big bold color and eye catching features all around. All designed to make it welcoming and fun.

It is a great deal of work. A HUGE deal of work. Done mostly by volunteers.

In addition to giving financial support, over the summer our life group cooked for the volunteers. Until now that has been the extent of my own involvement. Last month when the children and volunteers were invited to put their own painted handprints up to decorate the entrance hallway to the new space, they had a list available of many little mini projects. I decided to take ownership of the trim in the rainforest room.

Yesterday, while George was at school, was my first day on the job. It might take a month of a few hours here and there but I'll get it done. And if Jesus doesn't come back for us soon, my prayer while I paint is that kids will be getting to know Him in that room long after I'm gone.

And that is how my favorite Gap tee became adorned with an inferior paint company's version of Festival Green. I don't even really mind because my treasures are in heaven, not in my closet.

bridesmaid adventures part one

2011-01-17T20:24:00.007-05:00

A close friend who is dear to my heart has finally found her groom. On Yahoo Personals of all places. Same place I met mine. :)

Today I completed the first of my bridesmaid's duties by helping her find a dress. This is my first serious experience as a bridesmaid and I'm kind of getting excited about it.

I spent the better part of the day in David's Bridal Salon lacing her into layers and layers of silk, tulle, taffeta, and chiffon. I still don't feel confident I have the lacing job down pat. You wouldn't think it's so hard getting the ribbons to lie flat. After a day of working at it, I would only give myself a solid "B-". Either she hires Holly, her David's consultant, to come lace her up on the big day or I have to put in a bit more practice.

Holly suggested we initially bring 3 dresses into the room with us. Dress number two was a serious contender but the store only stocked it in white. Kathy wanted off-white.

Then as she stepped out of the dressing room in dress number three her eyes popped and her mouth fell open on spying a fellow bride on pedastal in "her" dress. She knew right away. She couldn't take her eyes off that dress. Even to the point she was ignoring her own reflection.

Bridezilla took major offense when Kathy commented that she wanted to try her dress on. "You can have "MY" dress when I'm done wearing it!!" She didn't even have the same size that Kathy would need. Soon after the other bride was gone (without making a purchase) and Kathy stepped into her own dream dress.

It didn't even matter that the dress happened to be marked down because it was discontinued. She would have taken it at the full price.

Sticker shock didn't set in until she realized she would be paying the same price for the headpiece and veil that she paid for the dress! How is it they get $200 for a couple feet of tulle? I'm in the wrong business.

After taking a break to have a bite to eat and talk things over at Clementine's, we returned to David's once again where she put down a non-refundable deposit on all three pieces.

I came home exhausted to a feverish 12 year old Jacob. :(

How did you spend your MLK day?

george quotes

2011-01-14T20:48:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I picked George up a personal pan pizza while we were out doing errands. I took a slice out and let it cool on top of the box on his lap. After about 5 minutes or so I called back to him, "I think you can try to take a bite out of it now." He scruched up his face at the steam that was still rising off it in the cold car and said, "Mom, I can't. It's still spitting smoke!"

I have a sebaceous cyst on my thigh that I am under strict doctor's orders to soak in a hot tub daily. That, along with a strong antibiotic ointment seems to be working. Tonight as I sat in the water he barged in to the bathroom and said in an excited voice, "Mommy don't worry if your assist doesn't soak off, I will pray it off!"

"What comes after a trillion?" "I'm going to ask Luke!"

teenage rebellion

2011-01-13T09:53:00.002-05:00

A friend's status update in my FaceBook newsfeed this morning:

Jane Doe "is in the middle of teenage daughter rebellion years. But then I get word that an old friends son has stage 4 cancer and now everything is in perspective...."

I am thankful that God uses circumstances like this to adjust our outlook on things. And I'm so very sad for this family. :( A family near our neighborhood has also recently been told they will be losing a child to this disease. My heart breaks for all of them.

Losing a child is the worst thing. Beside that, everything else looks like no big deal.

Even teenage rebellion.

Looking back from the other side of my first experience with it, I wish I'd trusted in the Lord MORE and worried a lot LESS. He loves my children more than I ever could.

And I'm thankful that:
1. as big the storm seemed at the time, my God is much bigger.
2. it's a bit like the pain of childbirth, easily forgotten when it's gone.

grandma comes to stay

2011-01-13T09:08:00.001-05:00

This Christmas we were blessed to be able to host a visit from Kevin's mom. She is currently staying in a group home for grandmas that a family runs out of their own residence. It is licensed and she is well cared for but we thought it would be nicer to be with family for Christmas and I think...for the most part, she agreed.

So with plenty of preparation, she arrived with Kevin directly at church for the Christmas Eve service. She tends to wear out rather early in the day and he didn't want to give her the opportunity to say "no" to church.

Afterwards, as is our custom, we got Chinese food on the way home. She has adult onset diabetes so Kevin needed to give her a shot before all her meals. The initial shot went smoothly, if only just a few minutes late. She's supposed to have it before she eats but was quicker to tuck into her dinner than Kevin was with the syringe.

With dinner finished, I offered to help her get into her pajamas but she made herself comfortable on the couch watching DVR'd episodes of Jeopardy and her son busily wrapping the last of the presents.

Finally deciding she'd had enough, she wondered aloud if she should sleep on the couch. I led her into the front room to show her the air bed Kevin had inflated and made up with warm flannel sheets and the racing T-shirt quilt she had made for him so long ago. The huge smile that lit up her face made me genuinely thrilled.

Another tradition we have at Christmas is taking turns opening up the gifts. That way everyone gets to see what everybody else got and it lasts a little longer. Grandma did not have the patience for that. She went along with it once or twice but soon opened her things one right after the other. She got word finds, a cardigan, a blouse, a pair of slacks and a stocking filled with odds and ends.

When Kevin was done cleaning up after lunch he asked her if she wanted to go home then or after dinner. She decided she was ready and quickly put on her shoes, new cardigan, winter coat, grabbed her purse and marched out the front door. All before her son had his shoes on.

Although her shots at breakfast and lunch went along the same lines as the first one, she seems to have come through the whole visit none the worse for wear. We would like her to come to stay for good but when Kevin asked her about it on the way home she said, "Not as long as I can stay on my own!"

Not sure what to think of that.

the decision

2011-01-09T19:44:00.002-05:00

Emma will be graduating this June so we have been enduring the whole college selection process. Initially she wanted to accept the full 2 year scholarship to Lorain County Community College that was offered to her, but Kevin and I encouraged her to consider a few 4 year colleges and universities. Her grades are really decent and so are her test scores so her options are wide open.

Together, we have taken tours and feasted in the cafeterias of Baldwin Wallace, Mount Union, Case Western Reserve, John Carroll and Cleveland State University. She has gone with friends to Ohio Northern and Bowling Green.

She wants to stay in the area because of her deep affection for Cleveland that only other Cleveland Lover's can understand.

Verdicts:

Ohio Northern: too small
Bowling Green: bad vibes
Cleveland State: too many commuters
Mount Union: too far away, application process too inconvenient
Baldwin Wallace: applied and accepted, 13K renewable academic scholarship
John Carroll: applied and accepted, 15K renewable academic scholarship
Case Western Reserve: applied and deferred

After all that she's decided to take the full 2 year scholarship at LCCC and enter their diagnostic medical sonography program. After only 2 years of school and she can be making a desirable salary with a career that can be flexible enough to accommodate additional schooling if it's what she wants or possibly a family someday.

Congratulations on your decision Emma! May you always shine like the stars. Phil 2:12-16a

legal

2011-01-03T14:57:00.003-05:00

Emma turned 18 yesterday and celebrated by getting "Love is all you need" tattooed in script under her right arm, winning $10 on lottery tickets she purchased herself, and getting her ears pierced.

All things she can do on her own now that she is a "legal" adult.

I repeatedly cautioned her about the tattoo. Even to the point of her accepting that her hypothalamus will not be developed until she is 25. She would not be dissuaded.

Today she opened a checking account and that made her feel the weight of adulthood more than any tattoo, lottery ticket, or earrings ever could.

le petit artiste

2011-01-02T13:58:00.001-05:00

When the boys got xbox kinect for Christmas it gave me the perfect excuse to relocate our television to the basement and rearrange the family room to accent the fireplace.

Emma assisted with the heavy lifting. We moved the chest that formerly held the tv into a coffee table position. I pulled lightly on the black construction paper that George had recently posted there. I assumed he'd used tape. When it didn't come off easily, I peeked behind it and that old saying about the word "assume" came quickly to mind.

My darling son had used Elmer's glue stick to post his creation onto my heirloom Lane chest. :(

Guess what I'm googling this afternoon....

cwru early application status: deferred

2010-12-16T09:10:00.000-05:00

The only other time I've heard of deferment pertains to the draft during the Vietnam War. Then I can imagine it was great news to some to hear that they had been deferred.

It's not such great news to hear from your first choice college.

It's like asking a guy to prom only to hear him say, "hmmm, I'm not sure. I'll get back to you if I'm not asked by somebody a little better looking." Any girl worth her salt would kick him in the tenders.

Em's first choice school deferred her last night. It seems that some more selective colleges don't say yes or no to all early applicants. They say YES to the ones they are certain they want. And NO to the ones they know won't be able to cut it. To the ones that have the qualifications (3.9 GPA and 28 ACT) but they are just not sure about for one reason or other (but they don't tell you why)....they say WAIT AND WE'LL SEE. We'll consider your application with the larger pool of applicants in the spring and see how you stack up to them.

Needless to say, for now, she's made her own mind up.

Deferment sucks.

aspiring suvivor

2010-12-15T16:36:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure that I could survive weeks on end without my better half so if he does get selected based on this audition, I will be auditioning contestants to fill a temporary manny/launderer/chauffeur/misc. odd job guy position in our home. (although no one could even begin to fill his shoes....)

Since I can't figure out how to embed the official video you have to follow this link: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor/casting_call/video_player.php?vid=11282

don't eat the yellow snow

2010-12-15T15:37:00.002-05:00

Video submitted by Kevin for Survivor Casting Call 2010

george's ride on the polar express

2010-12-11T10:11:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the Yellow Room took part in a rite of passage for most preschoolers since the publication of Chris van Allsburg's book The Polar Express. They all wore their pajamas to school, drank hot chocolate, and spent time immersed in the story of a pajama clad boy who boards a mysterious train to the North Pole in the middle of the night.

All but George that is. Under no circumstances and with no amount of cajoling could I convince him that is was appropriate and expected to wear pajamas to school. He knows you are supposed to wear clothes to school and this particular son is very particular about rules.

So I put them in his book bag hoping that he would change his mind after seeing all his friends and teachers in their PJ's. He didn't.

When Kevin picked him up, he asked him if he wore his pajamas. "Not for a minute," was his reply.

oh, december

2010-12-10T14:59:00.003-05:00

This is the first year in a long time I did not venture out on Black Friday. I've done all my shopping so far online. I just don't have the energy to face the crowds and the traffic. This year has been one of such loss, combine that with the darkness that comes this time of year on the north coast and I'm not surprised at all at my lack of Christmas spirit.

I did manage to get the tree up and George and the daycare kids had fun decorating it. Most of the ornaments are in the middle half of the tree, out of reach of the daycare baby, but none higher than they(George and the daycare kids) can reach.

Our pastor is preaching a series on an Uncommon Christmas. That is so appropriate. This is a very Uncommon December for me so far.

December is a month of birthdays in our house. There's JESUS!! and then there's my dad, Kevin, Rachel, my mom, and Jacob. With Em hot on their tails Jan. 2.

I got together with my sister to send an Edible Arrangement to my mom and dad. Combo gift on the giving AND the receiving end. They are both on Weight Watchers so they loved it. It was just like the picture and so easy. The store is less than a mile from their house so we had them pick it up to give them an excuse to get out of their cozy Villages cluster home and get some fresh air.

Rachel got her birthday dinner at Cici's Pizza a little early due to most of us being together and daycare clients canceling. Em was the only one missing but she had been there a few days earlier on a date so she didn't miss too much.

Kevin had a nice steak dinner on his birthday. Followed by white cake with homemade chocolate icing. He was home late due to a community service project of Sherwin Williams. They sponsor the kids at Barbara Booker Elementary School in Cleveland for Christmas. Kevin helped deliver all the boxes of presents.

That's a lot of activity for December being only 10 days old. There's lots of other changes in the works I'll get into soon.

TTFN.

a walk in the woods to a 99th birthday party

2010-11-22T08:20:00.003-05:00

Kevin innocently suggested taking a family hike in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park last Saturday. We were going to Cuyahoga Falls to the 99th birthday party of his Uncle Clair.


This was MY view for the majority of the hike.

I learned that "family hike" has at least two definitions.

There is mine: a family friendly stroll through the woods on a well marked path involving lots of discovery, swinging from vines, poking at mosses, rotting trees, and mushrooms, trying to identify various fauna, and looking for wildlife.

And then there is Kevin's: a rigorous 5 mile workout where you go up and down many hills covered with leaves and mud, cross at least 4 streams on slippery rocks, are sure to get your feet wet and never stop long enough for your heart rate to drop below 80%.

I also learned that if I had been Maria von Trapp escaping over the Alps, the Nazi's would have caught up with me.

Uncle Clair didn't seem to mind that we were sweaty and covered with mud when we arrived late at his party. He is an amazing specimen of a man. His full head of hair has only recently gone gray. At 99 he enjoys good health and still does most things on his own. His sister Earline told a story about how he would hitchhike back to Lorain County from OSU about every 2 months when he was a student there. Once he slept overnight inside a corn shock because it got late and there wasn't any traffic.

I'd bet we'll be back next year for his 100th.

kung zhu

2010-11-16T07:35:00.001-05:00

When Zhu Zhu pets were introduced last year with their sweet pink noses and backs embroidered with stars or hearts or flowers, I thought they looked so fun. You could buy darling purses to carry them around in or little bean bag chairs for them to sleep in. When you pushed their noses, they let out darling little squeaks. They had tons of accessories.

But George was NOT interested.

Well, some marketing genius came up with the idea to rebrand them for boys. They now come ready for battle. Instead of purses or chairs, you buy armor and swords to pit them against one another in the ring.

And George has been smitten.

Because he doesn't spend his birthday and Christmas money with the lightning speed of his brothers and sisters, he still has an envelope with cash in the safe. So when we were in the toy department picking up a gift for his friend Lydia's birthday I let him buy one. I am hoping it will help him get over his infatuation before Christmas as there will be a season pass to Cedar Point under the tree and NOT more hamsters or a battle arena.

almost speechless

2010-11-14T21:54:00.003-05:00

I had an interview with the sweetest couple and their 7 week old son today.

And, I learned something new(always good).

Elimination Communication.

This is a practice where you closely monitor your infant for signs that he is ready to go potty. Then you take his pants off and put a receptacle underneath him to "catch" the product. In a nutshell(from someone who knows very little about it), the theory is that since no animal in nature does it's business where it lives, we should not train babies to do their business inside their diaper. And that they actually are born knowing that they shouldn't and struggle to communicate this to us. But we ignore them and are stuck later retraining them that poop and pee belong in the toilet and not in their pants.

Hhhmmmmmmmmmmm.

neighborhood serve

2010-11-08T16:25:00.000-05:00

Please visit our virtual fundraiser for the Plas family. Their oldest daughter is fighting cancer. :(

Forward link to your family and friends. Items have been donated for sale in support of this family. MAKE OFFER!!! All items have free local pickup.

CLICK HERE

westward, ho

2010-11-06T20:49:00.004-04:00

Emma is coming home tonight after being gone over a week. Yes, you heard that correct. I did allow my college bound daughter to take a 9 day vacation in the midst of her senior year. It wasn't my idea but I went along with it.

This was her father's idea. He tends to live in the moment and not focus so much on responsibilities and consequences. Once upon a time, a (much) younger and (arguably) stupider me actually found that attractive. The mature me would have said no immediately but the mature me also seeks input from my older, wiser husband who thought, if it was up to him, he would probably say "yes".

Her dad doesn't get to spend much time with her. It started once she got a social life but now that she is working she rarely goes to his house. With her leaving for college next fall, this is possibly the last good opportunity for them to spend some quality father-daughter time together.

Her adventure started the night before they left when she dropped her phone in the toilet. Now I didn't have to worry that she would eat up all our minutes talking to her boyfriend of the moment. The next morning they flew into Phoenix.

She called to tell me how big the cacti were.

She sent this when they reached Utah.

And after long hours of this interesting scenery, stuffed in the cab of a U-Haul with her dad, his friend, and his son

they BOTH got out in Idaho.

Ah, the cooling pines of Oregon.

And now THIS is where she wants to go to school.

It was a great experience and it's not something we would be able to do for her. I'm thankful she got to go. Now she had BETTER catch up on all her schoolwork.

Gentle, Full of Love, yet Strong and Courageous

2010-11-05T21:03:00.000-04:00

My company fitness center has a Friday morning Yoga class at 6:45 that I like to take. For me to participate, however, I need to be on the RTA Rapid that leaves the Brookpark station at 6:10 AM. Since the next one doesn't come along until 6:30, and it is about a 20 minute trip to Tower City.

Well this morning as I walked through the station, there was a young man jingling some change in his pocket. He told me he needed to buy a pass and was 50 cents short. I gave him a dollar. I proceeded to walk out onto the platform and notice that there was nobody there. My watch said 6:10 but the train must have been a few minutes early.

So no Yoga for me today. Knowing I had a long wait, I walked back into the (heated & well lit) train station.

Several minutes later, after a few more people had showed up, the guy who I gave the dollar to approached a woman and used the same story. He was still short 50 cents! Maybe he didn't recognize me when I walked out and back in?

Anyhow, I spoke up. "Dude, you were 50 cents short, and I gave you a dollar. How can you still be 50 cents short?" He looked at me and said, "My mistake."

"How many more people are you going to ask?" was my next question. "No one", he said. He stared at me for a couple minutes and I stared right back.

Then he walked away and a different woman said to me, "Thank you."

Once on the train, I was reading my daily Bible study verses. Today's verse for meditation is 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline". The prayer for today ended with, "Help us to be gentle and full of love, yet strong and courageous."

I felt I had already been "gentle and full of love", when I helped this brother in need by giving him a dollar. Then when I discerned his lying ways, I responded by being "strong and courageous."

through the valley

2010-11-02T14:14:00.002-04:00

I drove past a yard sign for a local large non-denominational church today. It promised a free book authored by a current preacher of the "prosperity" gospel to every first time attender.   This did not surprise me. That's the version most people are comfortable with. It's a lot easier to grow a mega church by telling people what they want to hear.

But...

Jesus promised us that we would suffer. John 16:33: "In this world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."

Jesus promised us that we would suffer, but he reminded us that it would only be temporary.  When I go through suffering I try to constantly remind myself of that. And remind myself of what else I know to be true.

I know God is unchanging. I know He is all powerful and He loves me.   I know He is the only place I can put my trust and not be disappointed.

Even through the hard times.

Like last May when my obstetrician quietly explained 6 months into our pregnancy that our daughter wouldn't be joining our family as planned. I was overwhelmed. There was so much love and so many plans waiting for her.  A big a part of me wanted to put my fist through his ultrasound screen. But through the tears that had already started rolling down my face, my response to him was calm. "It's OK."

He seemed confused.

But he shouldn't have been.

Near the end of our first trimester we had faced some questionable test results. I had told him at that time that we were prepared for whatever baby God had chosen to bless us with. The news I heard that day shattered my heart but it did not change my mind. For some reason He chose to bless us with a daughter who most likely wouldn't make it to the end of the pregnancy and if she did, she wouldn't live long enough to come home.

And that was OK. I knew the heart of my Heavenly Father was breaking right along with mine. And I knew He would hold me and shelter me through the storm that was coming. And I trusted that there was a purpose in His allowing it to come.

The story of Job was never my favorite but I find a lot of comfort there. Job didn't just lose one infant daughter. He lost every single one of his children, his livestock, his house and was afflicted with a horrible disease. Although Job continually praise the Lord, he did want to know why?? God reminded him through a series of unanswerable questions what a great God He is and that there is never any way we will understand all of the whys.

Particularly when they pertain to the tragic consequences of living in an fallen world.

Like imperfect kidneys in a little baby girl.

Should it be a goal for us as Christ Followers that when we are faced with suffering instead of asking the "Why?" that we are never going to understand, we can focus on the "Why not?" Why should we not be blessed with suffering that is designed to bring us closer to and cause us to lean a little harder on Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end? Why should we not be blessed with suffering that will glorify God?

Those are very hard questions. Be comforted today by the promise that, in the life of the Christ Follower, God does work all things for our good and His glory. (Rm 8:28)

how do i talk my 4 year old out of

2010-10-29T13:24:00.003-04:00

wanting me to sew him a transformer/vampire/skeleton costume at the last minute??

I pulled out the old costumes out of storage and it was easy.

One of the benefits to having an entourage of older brothers and sisters and a ~~cheap~~ frugal mother:

He can go as Darth Vader,

Buzz Lightyear,

Pikachu,

Pokémon Trainer Ash Ketchum,

a lion,

a leopard ( hood not pictured),


or Sheriff Woody all from the comfort of his own home.

He decided on a lion at school, Pikachu at the mall, and Darth Vader in the neighborhood.

Now I don't need to learn how to sew a transformer/vampire/skeleton costume at the last minute.

And that makes me smile.

I hope the kids share more than just Mounds this year. Happy Halloween!

academic m

2010-10-26T11:29:00.002-04:00

Last night I had the honor of seeing my oldest daughter receive the most prestigious academic award our school district has to offer. After 7 semesters of high school, she carries a 3.97 cumulative GPA and is ranked 11th in a class of almost 300 students.

Student who received the award had to pick a teacher who has most influenced them. Emma picked Señora Eastin who taught her Spanish II and Spanish III. We had dinner together while waiting for the keynote speaker Bob Maxwell to begin. I enjoyed being able to get to know her.

While learning Spanish, Emma has made up fantastic and colorful yarns about her own life for conversational projects and theme papers. She expressed concern before hand that Sra. Eastin was going to see her made up fantasy life collide with reality. So I found it incredibly funny when Sra. Eastin started talking about how she makes up outlandish tales (some which focus on her mother-in-law) to tell the class. I guess this keeps things interesting. :)

Congratulations Emma and best wishes for a bright future!

recreational soccer mom's primer

2010-10-23T09:30:00.012-04:00

Today is the "Lorain County Fall Classic" (county tournament that has been renamed and de-competitivized) so I thought I would share a little of the knowledge I'm privy to from being married to a youth soccer coach/referee. After listening to the parents at my step daughters last few soccer games, I think some parents could use a little more information about the rules of the game and the calls the referee may or may not be making.

1. Subbing (non-injury) I know it's frustrating. The ref seems to be ignoring the subs your child's coach has waiting at mid field.   The other players are tired and you are hoping these subs can breathe life into the rest of the half. Your child's coach can only put subs in when the game stops for his own throw in or his own goal kick or after a goal. OR if the other team is subbing on their own throw in or goal kick. As long as the other team is able to keep the play going without a score or sending the ball out of bounds, your subs will keep waiting.

2. Injuries If the injured player is not involved in the play the ref is not required to stop the game. This only makes sense.   If your teams best player got a breakaway, one of the other teams players could just cry injured to stop the play and give his teammates more time to set up and stop the goal.   When the play does stop, the coach may send in one substitution for his injured player.

3. Loose shoelaces Ditto my last point. Play will not be stopped to give somebody time to tie their shoes. It's not the ref's responsibility to make sure your kid's shoes are tied. Double knot them before they get out of your car.

4. Goalie SURPRISE!!! The goalie is permitted to come out of the box. Once the goalie is out of the box they are considered a regular player and may not use their hands in play.  She better be quick to get back though if she doesn't want to be running laps around the field after the game.

5. Heckling However the ref calls it, that's the way it is. The ref is not going to change his call based on how mad or how loud you get. No ref will see absolutely everything and make every call correctly. You should know the referee is allowed to penalize your team based on too much heckling from parents. This could include banning the most vocal ones from the next game or the extreme of calling the game off. If you think you can do that much better, take the class, buy the uniform, and have a go at it but give the ref a break.

6. Playing time In most recreational leagues all players must have equal playing time. The coach may not keep in his best players at the expense of playing time for the weaker ones. My husband technique is to "hide" his weak players on offense. Whatever your child's coach chooses to do, he has to give all players equal time.

Finally....

7. Remember Don't put too much emphasis on the win. This is recreational youth soccer. Yelling and negativity won't encourage the love of the game. If your child shows a lot of talent maybe it's time to move on to a more competitive league.

Do-a-Dot Printables

2010-10-21T12:02:00.000-04:00

George came home from school with a letter P stamped in circles. He was very excited to tell me all about "do-a-dot". It's an activity they do at school to help with fine motor skills. Since his teacher told me that is the only area of concern she has with George, we picked up our own pack at Michael's Crafts this morning.

This is a super activity that doesn't create any mess whatsoever. There is a complete set of uppercase letters at Tot School. Two places to find pictures to Do-a-Dot are Making Learning Fun and DLTK Kids. Or google "do a dot printables" or "bingo dauber art" to find your own.

Happy Dotting!

child care: the exit

2010-10-20T17:27:00.000-04:00

I recently started a new 13 month old day care boy. His mom is very young and has a difficult time with separation. She has to arrive at my house 30 minutes early so she has time to say goodbye.

At first I thought it was just because she didn't know me and was a little unsure about leaving her baby with a stranger. But it's been about a month now and it shows no sign of stopping.

It's sad because the little boy loves it here and is always excited to come in the door. At first he is oblivious to her but after she stands around begging him again and again to come "give mama loving, I got to go to work", he starts to realize she's sad and uncomfortable leaving and begins to feel like he should be upset too.

Tearful goodbyes are fun for no one. This post goes into more detail but if the goal is to foster a healthy separation between you and your child, please don't linger. Just give one kiss, say "I'll be back soon" and LEAVE!

melt: the event

2010-10-15T07:20:00.002-04:00

Melt Bar & Grilled opened in Lakewood in 2006. We didn't get there until May of 2010.

It was a Saturday and we were celebrating Emma's 17th birthday dinner. We arrived around 3 in the afternoon for an early dinner. We didn't know much except that it was a place the specialized in grilled cheese.

We ended up waiting about 3 hours to be seated.

It was loud and dark and had a unisex bathroom. The food was yummy but not knock-your-socks-off spectacular.

So I didn't jump for joy when my girlfriends suggested it for our pre-Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure meal. I mentioned we should be prepared for a very extensive wait. They were incredulous. They thought I was lying. Why would anyone wait that long to eat grilled cheese?

We had Indians tickets for the night but I wisely passed them on to some family friends. We were meeting at 5 so I knew we would never be out in time for the game.

The wait and the service both seemed a lot shorter this time around but it could've been the Las Vegas Lavender Mojito and the Raspberry UFO Patricia and I tried from the bar. Then it dawned on me...after sitting around for hours drinking an adult beverage or two, anything would taste fabulous. Even more fabulous is getting to spend time catching up with friends. This may have a lot to do with Melt's reputation.

While it's not really a place I'd recommend taking hungry children to, it's definitely an "event" you should experience.

wow

2010-10-13T09:18:00.002-04:00

Make sure your life insurance is paid up before you read it this book because it will blow your mind and break your heart at the same time.

Referencing Mark 10:21, David Platt challenges us to take a look at our lives and to forsake everything for the Gospel.

if your van has to break down there is no better spot than our church parking lot

2010-10-11T07:19:00.008-04:00

One of the pitfalls of a large church is that it can often take a long time to get connected. The regular attenders have no idea who is new unless they speak up. And even when they do, unfortunately it may always seem like someone else's job to make sure they continue to feel welcomed and accepted, and find a spot that is a good fit for them.

But the upsides are huge.

Like when you have car troubles in the parking lot.

Yesterday, due to Kevin's marathon and a slew of non-communication from my daycare moms, it was only George and I in the van. One block from the church I noticed a bunch of smoke coming out from underneath and an engine running so hot the needle was touching red. I turned the heat on high to cool it off but it was really smoking as I pulled into a parking spot.

I texted my neighbor (who was already at church) that George and I would most likely need a lift home.

After making sure it wasn't on fire, I dropped George off at Sunday school. Jeff, a member of my Life Group, was helping in the kindergarten room. When I mentioned the car issue, he said it was probably just a radiator gone dry and to fill it with water after it cooled off.

After the service I went out to do just that but there was a huge puddle of watery tan stuff which I knew was not good. Jeff came out and confirmed that it looked like transmission fluid and I should get a tow. He and his wife would take me home if my neighbor didn't see the text I sent.

While waiting for the tow truck (AAA to the rescue AGAIN...best investment we make) a young mom I didn't know came over to offer assistance. She had a vanful of toddlers and was on her way out. She wanted to know what she could do to help. She offered me her mechanic husband's phone number and made sure I had a ride home.

When I stopped in to let George's teachers know what was going on, I was also offered a ride home if I could wait til after the second service. He just promoted to this class a couple of weeks ago so this woman didn't know me. I live in the complete opposite direction, at least a one hour detour for her after a full morning at church, yet she was still offering to help us out.

My neighbor eventually delivered George and I safely to our front porch. (Thanks Michelle for checking your phone!) And thankfully, all those growing boys (and girl) I left home unattended for the entire morning did not trash the house or eat all the food.

I was not surprised at the multitude of offers of help I got from people I am already acquainted with and those I call friends. And I don't think surprised is the right word to describe my happily confirmed suspicion that a stranger in obvious need would be offered assistance at our church.

It's the strangers not in OBVIOUS need I worry about.

giant eagle deal of the week

2010-10-09T12:53:00.004-04:00

I don't normally shop at Giant Eagle because it's so far away but Kevin won a $200 gift card for increased support of the United Way. Since step-families more than most families need to stretch their dollars, I thought I would pass this on here.

This week at Giant Eagle you can get Totino's Pizza Rolls for only $.50 a bag. Store price 10 for $10. Use the coupon from the paper on 9-12-10 (save your coupons!!!) and save $1 on 2 bags and it will bring your price to $.50 each. Makes a nice quick after school snack.

You can also pick up General Mills Cereal for $2.06 a box . The store has the cereal on sale for 4 for $10. Using the online coupons to save $1 off 3 and $.75 off 1 brings your price down to just $8.25. Just $2.06 a box.

refrigerator shopping

2010-10-06T13:19:00.006-04:00

Our new refrigerator arrived the end of last month and I really like it!! Our old one was almost 10 years old and dying a slow death. Not only was it struggling to maintain the CACFP mandated 40 degrees, the dispensers had not supplied ice or water for over a year, it had sagging baskets in the freezer section, a stolen ice storage compartment, a meat drawer you could not pull out all the way without it falling, and door storage bins that fell off at will. After yet another storage area was lost when the plastic shelf support pegs gave out, we decided it was time to go shopping.

My uber busy spouse had less than zero time to help so this task ended up in my lap. I shop for major purchases just the way my dad does. First you decide what you need and then you research your best options. All before setting foot in the store.

I married into our current model, a side by side. I never preferred this type but it came with a real prize of a husband, so I settled for it. This time around I knew I wanted to replace it with a freezer on the bottom style, the kind with the drawer on the bottom.

After picking out a couple of options based on the most recent reviews in Consumer Reports, I googled the models for individual reviews. The LG I preferred (only very slightly due to the alarm that went off when the door is left open too long) seemed to have some issues with the ice maker being too prolific. I also came across a few who had issues with the seal in between the fridge and the freezer. I decided to be happy with the very close second choice, a Whirlpool Gold.

George and I went around a few stores to price the fridge out. The local independent family owned appliance store was our first stop. The price was hundreds more than I had seen online, they gave no financing options and no discounts for cash. Also they charged to haul away your old one.

The big box home store was next. The salesman was knowledgeable but pushy. The prices were right and haul away was included. They also had financing 6 months same as cash.

Sears was the last stop. Their price was a little higher and you got to pick from 18 months financing OR delivery/haul away. I got bold and asked the unassuming saleswoman if they would match the big box deal. She did that and more with an additional 10% off price matching guarantee, free delivery/haul away and an extension on the financing from 6 months to the 18 months Sears was offering.

The only glitch came when the delivery guys pushed the fridge into the hole. I had measured at the edge and knew there was only 1/8 inch clearance at the top. I did not know the upper cabinet was bowed in the middle, just enough so that the fridge would not go under. The Sears guys left it there and Kevin stopped home between sports commitments to sand the cabinet down enough to slide the fridge under.

And now everyone is super happy to have automatic ice once again.

oval sticker overload

2010-10-05T11:06:00.003-04:00

I'm getting very tired of trying to figure out what all those ovals on the back of your cars stand for.

The earliest one I recall is OBX but according to Mike Rudeen, it all started at the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic in 1949.

This morning on the way to the orthodontist, an SUV in front of me had one for French Bulldogs and Bulldogs. Easy enough...he's a Bulldog guy. But then there was one with tiny colored Bulldogs lined up in rainbow order. Does that mean he is for gay Bulldogs too?

This is too much for me to think about in traffic.

Don't even get me started on all those stick figures on the rear window of your minivans....

stepfamily traditions

2010-09-28T09:00:00.001-04:00

A common recommendation found in step family books is to create and plan your own step family traditions. We come together with two sets of separate traditions. While we can include the new family members in our established traditions, it never feels like it's "ours". Even worse, sometimes the timing of these traditions conflict and difficult choices have to be made.

Like our first fourth of July celebration.

Kevin always watched the Elyria fireworks with his kids, took them to the parade in Rochester, and then to a picnic on his family farm. I always got together with my college friends with children in tow on Catawba Island. Due to how many of us traveled from out of town, having an additional day off work helped make this happen. Through negotiation and communication, we have usually been able to work everything out but I do remember a wee bit of conflict that first year.

For many years our family had little time and even less money to plan any sort of elaborate tradition, so I started thinking smaller. We seemed to settle on birthday dinners. Not thrilling, especially when you have to wait 3 hours to eat grilled cheese(can't believe I didn't blog about it) but at least we had something.

Until...

After a long awaited for trip to Kalahari Resort last fall that coincided with the soccer convention and the discounted room prices it brought with it, I mentioned how nice it would be if something like that could be our annual step family tradition. Kevin had some sort of non-committal response. So I wasn't counting on it.

But...

This summer one of the prizes in the adult summer reading game was an overnight trip for 6 to the same resort! So as they say, I put all my eggs(coupons for the drawing) in one basket(overstuffed box) and this time it worked out! We are having and second annual autumn resort trip courtesy in part(2/3) to the Friends of the North Ridgeville Library. Maybe this can be our annual step family tradition after all. (fingers crossed)

Disappointing side note: After doing the math(6 free passes, 9 people), my 3 stepchildren were actually concerned they were being left out. That made me sad. :( It wouldn't be a step family tradition without all the members of the step family now, would it??

child care: safe sleep practices

2010-09-15T13:48:00.003-04:00

I recently participated in my first online training: Reducing the risk of SIDS. If you are expecting, or if you currently or MAY care for an infant, I highly recommend this FREE online training.

I wanted to pass on the most important thing I learned. This point was brought up because infants die more frequently in childcare from SIDS in the first few weeks of attendance.

Unaccustomed tummy sleeping increases the risk of SIDS. Babies who are used to sleeping on their backs and are placed by childcare providers to sleep on their tummies are 18 times more likely to die from SIDS.

Please, please, please make sure you put your infants "Back to Sleep" unless you have a signed wavier from the pediatrician.

It's not only SIDS providers need to be concerned about during nap time. This summer two local families have suffered similar horrible tragedies. In North Ridgeville in June, after being left unsupervised, a 2 year old went out the window and drown in a neighbors swimming pool. In August in Medina County, two sisters wandered off from a grandfather who thought they were asleep. They both died from heat stroke after being trapped inside a neighbor's car.

Stay alert during naps, use baby monitors, perform timely visual checks, and make sure your safety gates are in place to keep children contained. These practices will go a long way toward preventing these kinds of tragedies.

Sleep can be dangerous. Do your part to keep our kids safe. Sleep practices for childcare providers are covered HERE in the Ohio Administrative Code.

Kari Jobe | Revelation Song | Live

2010-09-13T08:16:00.000-04:00

counting to one hundred

2010-09-09T14:09:00.002-04:00

Don't look at me.

I had nothing to do with this.

When it comes to cognitive development of a preschooler, I'm firmly in the Montessori camp. I design the environment, provide the materials, demonstrate, and resolve behavior issues. I don't use worksheets or formal lesson plans. Yes, I've had complaints from daycare parents that their 2 year olds aren't recognizing letters but darn it, I just don't think it's developmentally appropriate for a 2 year old to be "taught" to recognize letters.

My own 4 year old boy does not have the letter recognition skills that some of his peers have but WOW....he can count to one hundred!!!

And that's pretty cool.

transitioning

2010-09-03T08:21:00.005-04:00

Early education professionals are taught how difficult transition times can be for the preschooler. It's hard on parents too. On your youngest child's very first FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, which is most likely the last very first FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL you will have, is it too much to ask for a masseuse or a frozen margarita machine in the parent resource room?

He did GREAT! But I wept in the parking lot for 15 minutes after dropping George off at preschool Tuesday afternoon. It wasn't because I was worried about him. It was sad and unfamiliar knowing that I'm entering the next phase of my life where I no longer have any little ones at home with me all day.

Then I spent 2.5 lovely hours swimming laps and grocery shopping in solitude. Ahhhh.

child care: interview hints and tips

2010-09-01T07:11:00.010-04:00

A provider friend of mine is interviewing this week for one opening. She has multiple families to pick from for the one spot. I thought I would pass along some information for helping you to stand out from other applicants when interviewing with a highly qualified and recommended home childcare professional. Providers are just as busy as you are and our time is just as precious so we appreciate clients who demonstrate that they understand this from the get-go.

Most importantly; Keep your appointment. Nothing sets off more of a red flag than a no show/no call for an interview. At worse, it shows us how little respect you have for us and for our time. At best, you reveal yourself as a disorganized person who is unable to keep track of her own obligations. Keep in mind that many local providers maintain some type of contact so the news of your bad behavior is likely to spread.

Ask if there is a link to a parent handbook you can review before the appointment. If there is a policy or procedure in the handbook you have a strong objection to, it may be helpful to have a phone conversation ahead of time to clarify it. You don't want to waste your time and ours by interviewing in spite of objections you can't overcome. For example, if the childcare provider serves only vegetarian meals and you want your child eating chicken for lunch, you probably want to pass on the interview.

Come prepared with a list of questions. Nothing should be assumed. Nothing will shock us. We are the one who will spend the majority of your child's waking hours with her. You are entitled to the information.

If your child is going to be a distraction because he can't play quietly while you interview the provider, you will want to leave him at home for the initial interview. It is important to see how your child interacts with the provider, but it's more important to discover if the childcare is a good fit for your family.

If you see anything markedly objectionable or dangerous in the home, (a provider caring for more than 6 children, smoking, filth, signs of drug use etc.) you need to report the provider to the county job and family services childcare division. You can do this confidentially. Please do it to protect the kids. They can't do it themselves.

FOLLOW UP with the provider within a week. Even if it is only to say you are still deciding. If you have chosen another provider and feel a phone conversation would be akward, just send email to the others you were considering to say, "Thanks for your time but we have found another provider who is a better fit for our needs."

Following these simple guidelines is the first step to a long and mutually respectful relationship with your new provider.

beach day

2010-08-28T19:38:00.006-04:00

Ignoring my to-do list spending the day at the beach makes me feel naughty.

We left early so a portable breakfast of potatoes seemed like a good option.

Sun, sand and soccer wore them out.

The stack of shirts needing ironed, the steps that need vaccumed, the bathroom floors, the lawn and the grocery shopping can wait. Summer is almost over! :(

working on monsters

2010-08-27T15:57:00.007-04:00

George went for his preschool assessment on Tuesday. While he did very well in most of the assessed areas, my mom was distraught that he does not yet know how to skip or recognize all 24 letters.

I spent the day shopping for lingerie with her listening to, "You have your own day care and your kid can't skip!" (How skipping and day care are connected was never clearly explained.)

I enlisted the aid of big brother Nathan and cousin Diana to help with the skipping and stopped at Marc's Deep Discount Store for a dry erase board for the letters.

Wednesday I wrote his name out and told him to work on his letters while I got a quick shower. After toweling off, I found him smiling in my bedroom. There was somewhat of a "G" on the board but the rest was covered with scribbles.

"What's all this?", I asked him. "Oh...I was working on monsters," was his reply.

google maps review

2010-08-25T13:56:00.004-04:00

Comedian Anita Renfroe has a chapter in her book Don't say I didn't warn you:kids, carbs, and the coming hormonal apocalypse about how she is concerned her husband is considering leaving her for the GPS. She compares her loud and bossy back seat driving to the GPS's calm voice making suggestions or "recalculating" the route. I found it hilarious.

Growing up, we spent a lot of our vacation time driving around. Hours spent studying the AAA trip tiks made me into an adept map reader. In my life as a mom, I don't venture too far but when I do I depend on old fashioned maps to find my way. It wasn't until earlier this month when Kevin and I drove to the Jersey shore that I had my very first experience with computer assisted navigation. He recently upgraded to the Droid so we used the Google Maps Navigation App.

The first leg of our trip was from home to my friends house in Robinson Township PA. The app did not recognize her address as being there and kept defaulting to Corapolis PA. We dutifully followed all "her" instructions until we were told cheerfully at the dead end of a city street, "You have arrived at your destination."

I had already seen my friend's recently purchased "landmark property" and I knew darn well we were NOT there. We were close, but that only counts in horseshoes and....what else???

A quick call to her husband got us routed in the right direction. We arrived at her house a few minutes later.

The second leg was from her house to a park near Reading PA. Hubby was supposed to have run a marathon there in early June. He wanted to stop at the park for a run on our way to NJ. Same result. Close but no cigar.

She was successful in getting me to the downtown Reading YMCA. Did she know about the three strikes and you're out rule??

We continued to Atlantic City without incident.

I did OK without her on Thursday when I took the rental and drove down to Ocean City for the afternoon. My innate sense of direction and a doodled map from Kevin's boss were all I took with me. A friendly biker helped me out when I deadended at the ocean after being distracted by the fancy houses in Margate.

Coming home Friday, she routed us north in Philadelphia. It's not the way we would have chosen due to the traffic and we somehow ended up at the end of the turnpike without a ticket, but we did make it home before dawn.

Final verdict: Not too impressed. There is no substitute for being able to read a map, knowing which direction you are going in, and friendly locals to help you out.

pampering time

2010-08-21T15:50:00.008-04:00

and I don't mean diapers.

It's common for cash to be a little less easy to come by in a step family but everybody can benefit when we step moms enjoy a bit of "me time" at the spa. Hopefully we come back less frazzled and more willing to deal with issues that come up with a smile on our face.

Cosmetology students to the rescue! I've discovered I can get the same basic services for much less at the local Aveda Institute. Services are discounted and because they are students and not employees you are not permitted to tip them. Students do get rewarded based on successful recommendation of the product line to the customer so I usually pick up a little something if I can afford it.

So far I've had a hair color & cut session (highlight/lowlight/retouch) that lasted 7 hours, a relaxation massage and a facial. Brown Aveda is just about 30 minutes away and they can easily fit me in any Saturday morning as early as 8:30 a.m. And no, the "financial aid" link on the hompage is not for clients. I was bummed too. :(

Search HERE to find your own local budget spa experience.

Today's words of wisdom...

2010-08-18T16:03:00.005-04:00

1. An entire box of prunes eaten in one day is really just too much of a good thing. Trust me. ;)

2. When you leave for vacation and hide your external hard drive from potential thieves, write down where you put it. It's really no fun to come back from vacation and have to tear the house apart looking for it.

3. Participate in your local public library's summer reading program for a chance to win big prizes. Like the overnight trip for 6 to Kalahari Resorts that I just won!

Clotheslined

2010-08-17T09:26:00.008-04:00

I realize the green movement has gained a lot of ground in the last decade but now there is an entire movie on the fight for the right to have a clothesline in your yard. Drying for Freedom is a film about the politics and restrictions on how Americans dry their laundry. It was much simpler and environmentally friendly when everybody used a clothesline but then the public was wowed by the introduction of the electric dryer and all the convenience that seemed to come with it. Now some people are waking up to the wisdom of the old ways to find that clotheslines aren't an option because they live in a planned community that doesn't welcome them.

My first encounter with this was during the short time I lived in Magnolia TX. We had just moved in and our dryer was not set up yet. I strung a rope in between two tree trunks in our back yard. The hot Texas sun baked my laundry dry in about 15 minutes. A few days later there was an envelope in our mailbox with the return address of our homeowners association. I imagined it was a welcome to the neighborhood greeting. I was a little put out when I opened it to find a warning about forthcoming fines and legal action regarding the Little Tikes picnic table next to the garage and the "gasp" clothesline I had hung in the back yard.

I swore I'd never buy another property with deed restrictions again but I few years later I married into one. This time I read all the fine print in the homeowners' agreement my new husband had neatly filed away in a box in our basement. In my new community, not only was I not permitted to hang a clothesline, I was not even allowed to hang items over my front porch railing to dry. I was full of newly wedded bliss at the time so I couldn't be disappointed. A gas clothes dryer was part of my dowry and hubby came with two drying racks so even with the 6 kids between us I figured we'd be all right.

I will admit it would be nice to have the option of an outdoor clothesline. Dryers do use energy and that costs money. Money that could be better spent on a new handbag or some school supplies. Line drying also saves you money because your clothes stay nicer looking for a longer time. And those clothes just smell so darn good after drying in the sunshine. Until we move, I'll just have to compromise with the same Lehman's Best Floor Clothes Dryer from Lehman's Hardware that my sister-in-law uses.

When hosting a bereaved friend...

2010-08-14T10:12:00.006-04:00

1. Remember they can be extremely forgetful so have things like extra can openers and cork screws handy for when they leave their own at home.

2. Feed them delicious meals with lots of protein choices for rebuilding their broken hearts.

3. Wear them out with a "brisk" after dinner walk over 2 miles of "gently" rolling hills in 85 degree heat.

4. Leave a night light at the top of the stairs for when they are wandering around after being woken by the nightmares.

5. Keep a large box of tissues nearby.

6. Be prepared for tear stained pillow cases so don't put out your best linens.

7. Warn your spouse that when he is surprised in the bathroom by your friend's red and tear streaked face, a fresh cold washcloth would be just the thing to help.

8. Remember that there is not anything you can say that can possibly help. The ONLY thing even remotely appropriate is "I am so sorry." Because they know you mean it with your entire being. It's best to be quiet. All your friend really needs right now is your presence.

If you are blessed enough to have one good friend in your life, you understand what I mean when I say I wouldn't trade her for all the riches on the face of the earth.

Making the switch: A young person's pocket guide to surviving transition times with divorced parents

2010-08-07T10:53:00.002-04:00

I'm the kid! Dealing with Parent Drama

Even though we are all taught in the court mandated parenting class that it is in your best interests for us to refrain from exposing you to our arguments, unfortunately there are some parents who will never learn to get along. And sometimes you get drawn into the conflicts. It's helpful to have a response ready when this stuff happens. Something simple like, "Please don't involve me in this stuff. I have enough to deal with of my own." (Parents reading this, please hire a therapist to dump your insecurities and issues on, don't do it to your children.)

Where's my stuff?

Constantly moving between two households can make it hard to keep track of your favorite things. I've found that a large duffel bag can come in very handy. The super size kind they sell in the sporting goods stores. The bag itself is very light and can fit a ton or just a little bit. Whatever you happen to need. If you keep your things in this when they aren't in use, it is much easier to keep track of them. An added bonus is that you don't have to spend so much time packing things up for each switch.

Sorry, I can't make it. Missed activities

This becomes more of an issue the older you get. You have to spend time with both parents but friends are becoming more important. When parents live any distance from one another, getting to things like sporting events, birthday parties and sleepovers can be a challenge. If you don't have parents who are willing to sacrifice, there isn't much you can do about this. Make sure your parents understand how this makes you feel. Maybe you can negotiate at least one activity a month. Social networking (facebook and myspace) and texting can make staying in touch with friends a little easier but doesn't make up for the missed events IRL.

Explore: South Central Park Splash Pad, North Ridgeville

2010-08-06T19:59:00.001-04:00

The Splash Pad provides free summer fun for all ages. Open from 10am-9pm Memorial Day thru Labor Day. The park was recently improved with updated drainage and a shaded sitting area. Adjacent playground area has equipment suitable for toddlers through school age. Facilities include picnic tables and flushable toilets.

Now I've seen everything

2010-08-05T06:33:00.001-04:00

Spending money on this type of stuff may be one of the reasons you need two incomes. Believe it or not, the Peter Potty Toddler Urinal is SOLD OUT all over the web.

Gimme 5 Recycling: another reason to love Whole Foods Markets

2010-08-04T09:15:00.004-04:00

We have a large blended family AND I run a home business taking care of additional children. Saying we produce more trash than the average household would be an understatement. I try to recycle as much as I can. While most of us agree that this is beneficial, many community collection efforts only accept plastics labeled 1 or 2. That's a great start, but leaves me feeling guilty about what to do with all my 5's. Products like yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding and the ready-to-eat BBQ pulled pork I served for dinner last night all come in 5.

Leave it to Whole Foods to come to my rescue with their "Gimme 5" program. You can bring clean 5's to the store and they will mail them to Preserve. Preserve makes toothbrushes and razors out of them. This started in 2009 as a pilot program at a few stores and is slowly expanding to additional locations. Check this link to see if your local Whole Foods is participating.

While I'm on the subject, it really blows my mind when one of my kids tosses their Gatorade bottle in the trash. One would think all Al Gore's efforts to indoctrinate our young people about the coming environmental Apocalypse would have been a little more successful. All I got when I was young was the crying Indian on a hill and I was SOLD.

Child Care: Fall Zone Options in the State of Ohio

2010-08-01T01:01:00.005-04:00

The Ohio Administrative Code contains the full text of outdoor play requirements for Type B Childcare Providers. You can find it HERE.

Paragraph F states that "Outdoor play equipment designated for climbing, swings, teeter-totters and slides shall have a fall zone of protective resilient material on the ground under and around the equipment. The material shall include, but not limited to, washed pea gravel, mulch, sand, wood chips, or synthetic material such as rubber mats or tiles manufactured for this purpose. Equipment shall not be placed over concrete, asphalt, blacktop, dirt, rocks, or any other hard surface. Synthetic surfaces shall follow manufacturer’s guidelines for depth."

In going through the process of certification, I had many questions about this vague language. How wide does the fall zone need to be? How deep does the material need to go? Which is the best option? Is grass considered a "protective resilient material?" Do we excavate and back fill with material or would it be better to establish some sort of barrier to hold the material back? And most importantly, how were we going to pay for all this?

I thought I would include our experience here to help new providers with their own decision making.

Transition area: to edge or not to edge??

I am still on the fence about this one. We are trying to make the area safer and erecting a barrier with plastic timbers or concrete bricks creates a tripping hazard. If you make the fall zone wide enough, this may not be an issue. But most home providers do not have the resources to pay for more "protective resilient material" than they actually need. The barrier also creates another area you need to tend with the electric edger. This may not be an issue for you if, like me, there is a collection of strong teen boys living in your house who love playing with power tools. The barrier DOES do a great job of keeping the material out of the lawn while also creating a vivid reminder for your little clients as to how far they are allowed to roam without incurring your wrath.

If you opt for excavation like we did you may be in for some unpleasant surprises. Underneath a very shallow layer of topsoil (about 1/2 inch) we found what Gilfeather Construction(no wonder they went belly up) used to level out our back yard. Pieces of broken drain tile, broken cement, large rocks, cigarette butts, aluminum cans and a plethora of other construction refuse. That debris combined with the rock hard clay led two contractors to quit on us before we found someone willing to finish the job. So depending on where you live and how difficult the soil is going to be to dig out, excavation may end up costing much more than a barrier system.

Size: Under and Around
Some states do regulate the placement and size of the fall zone in a home childcare facility. Ohio is not one of them. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has created guidelines for home playground equipment. They can be found in entirety HERE. The section on placement of the fall zone(page 8) states:
Proper placement and maintenance of protective surfacing is essential.
Be sure to;
· Extend surfacing at least 6 feet from the equipment in all directions.
· For to-fro swings, extend protective surfacing in front of and behind the swing to a distance equal to twice the height of the top bar from which the swing is suspended.
· For tire swings, extend surfacing in a circle whose radius is equal to the height of the suspending chain or rope, plus 6 feet in all directions.

There are charts for figuring those formulas on their web site. For the mathematically challenged OR the more adventurous, you can end up with almost the same result if you have your tallest child swing as high as he can and then jump off. (WARNING: Use your own offspring for this method of measurement NOT A DAYCARE CLIENT. Using a daycare client could make this whole process moot.) Have your insurance card handy because there is a small chance this could result in an unplanned trip to the nearest hospital. Mark the grass a foot past where he lands. Measure the distance from the swing set and mark off the same distance in the rear. Viola! You have perfect placement for your fall zone.

Material Choices
1. Wood Chips/Mulch: This is the first material we tried out. Mulch can be inexpensive or even FREE if you can get it from your local street department or utility provider. If you don't have any luck there, check your local Craigslist or freecycle for more sources. The downside to this cheap mulch is that it is not screened for inorganic material(read GARBAGE). It also may contain very large pieces as it is usually just shredded once.

You can also contact your local landscape supply center for a mulch quote. They will supply you with beautiful freshly shredded playground mulch. You should opt for a single shred as mulch that has been shredded 2 or 3 times tends to grab onto the clothing and decomposes much more quickly. Also make sure it is NOT dyed. The dye will rub off on the children's skin and clothes. This mulch will run around $25-$30 a cubic yard.

The major issue with using wood chips or mulch is that it quickly starts to decompose. You will have to add more each year. Even if you are getting it at low/no cost, this can become a hassle.

2. Synthetic Material: The first product that comes to mind when one considers synthetics is shredded rubber. The local playgrounds recently replaced their wood mulch with rubber. It is a good choice because it provides a nice cushion, it warms up nicely in the sun, and it does not need to be resupplied every year. When it is newly laid or gets hot it does tend to release an odor. On VERY hot days it may even burn your bare feet. For the typical home provider the cost of this option is going to be prohibitive.

3. Sand: While your little clients may love this idea, I would not recommend using sand. It will retain water. It will get in their eyes when they throw it at each other. Not to mention how much sand burns your feet when it gets hot. As you can see from the illustration, sand is hard to contain and will end up EVERYWHERE, including all over the inside of your house.

4. Washed Pea Gravel: After opting for mulch during the initial installation of our fall zone, we switched to pea gravel when the landscapers demanded another $600 to replenish our mulch to the correct depth only one year later. I had no idea that the mulch would decompose so quickly. Our current landscaper assured us that once we put the washed pea gravel in, we would be done. While it would settle a bit, he could guarantee we would not patronize him again for playground surfacing.

Your clients may well end up throwing this at each other. Just make the price for that behavior more than they want to pay. I warned all of them when we got it installed that outdoor play would be done for them (time limit intentionally not stipulated) the first time they threw the gravel. It hasn't happened yet.

One warning about the washed pea gravel...you have to do the washing yourself. Or wait on Mother Nature to send the rain. The gravel will arrive covered with fine dust/dirt. Since we all know how much parents love picking up children who look like Pigpen, I'd advise a thorough washing with your hose before letting them play.

Washed pea gravel is priced by the ton. Cost will be similar to mulch at $27-29 a ton.

Here is how ours looked before I washed it.

I hope this information has been of help to you. I highly recommend Dave from Grafton Topsoil for all your landscaping needs. He can be reached at 216-408-8770. Sorry I can't be of help in answering the question of how to pay for this. Just remember one of the most important rules of running a home business in childcare: Save your receipts and DEDUCT, DEDUCT, DEDUCT!

Best of luck in your new endeavor as a home childcare provider. This can be a challenging path but it is also very rewarding.

Windmill for Macy

2010-07-30T07:24:00.005-04:00

Last Saturday I took George to the local flea market to get some local produce. One Asian vendor has a spot with over 50 boxes of various dollar junk. No tables, just boxes on the ground. George was attracted to the ones with the windmills. Samples were set up and they were spinning in the breeze. The sign read "WINDMELL 3.00 2 for 5.00". I smiled at the misspelling and agreed he could pick one out. It would be nice to put up near Macy's special spot.

Falling asleep on the drive out.

His first attempt at staking it in. He wasn't happy with the result so...

he tried again.

Great job George!

Only in America

2010-07-27T07:53:00.009-04:00

Yesterday I ventured into the room of my house I go the least often: The children's bathroom. The room many mothers avoid at all costs. It gets pretty gross. They drip toothpaste on the counter and the sink. The mirror gets very splotchy. Once in a while they "miss". They leave empty bottles of product and wet rags in the bottom of the tub. And despite the fact that there are 6 of them occasionally assigned to clean the tub, it never gets REALLY clean. I should probably spend more time in there but that has not yet become a burden on my heart.

Back to those bottles of product... Six of our children regularly shower in that bathroom. And yesterday there were 22 bottles of DIFFERENT product on the shelves. Shampoos, conditioners, body washes (both the female and male brands), all-in-one washes, shaving cream and bubbles. I have no idea how this has and continues to accumulate because I only buy them a bottle of Head and Shoulders now and then. The gross excess that this signifies leaves me more than a little embarrassed. Especially once I checked my own shower. Do I really need the hair masque AND the conditioner?

When my husband was growing up he had a bar of soap and ONE bottle of Head and Shoulders in the tub. When his younger sister reached her teen years a bottle of conditioner got added. How did we allow the ad men with their mad marketing skills to evolve us so quickly from people who shampooed twice a month into people who need 4-5 separate products to get clean?

Among the books I am currently reading is Amish Peace. There are a lot of tips in there to help simplify your life. Amish people only keep in their homes things they really need. I doubt there is more than a bar of soap and one bottle of 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner in their showers.

An Optimist is...

2010-07-22T11:55:00.004-04:00

“An optimist is a fellow who believes a housefly is looking for a way to get out.” --George Jean Nathan

I can not STAND having a fly in the house. But I hate it when they make me their murderer by refusing to leave on their own. I killed 9 yesterday. Must stop letting the kids leave the door open.

Beets: Country Style

2010-07-19T16:05:00.010-04:00

We had another lovely dinner yesterday courtesy of my sister-in-law Barb and her husband Bob. I'm so grateful to them for their compassion, generosity, and thoughtfulness as we are healing. Among the offerings in the kitchen was a side dish made of beets and onions. My entire family opted out but I found it cold, sweet, and delicious. I had 2 large helpings with dinner before leaving to pick wild blackberries at my brother-in-law's.

Kevin soon came by to take me home. He commented that Barb had sent me "some beets" with the other leftovers. Unpacking her food gifts at home I expected to see a neat little container of the beet dish among the leftover hot dogs, chili topping, and macaroni and cheese. Imagine my surprise when I unpacked the bag at home and found instead some large dirty lumps covered with dirt.

Now, I'm not that much of a city girl that I did not realize immediately that these were the beets. "What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked him. They looked like what I imagine excised tumors would. His response was the same as his sister's had been when I asked her if the dish had a lot of added sugar; "2 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of vinegar."

Barb comes from a long line of women with a natural ability to cook. These are the women who give you recipes with ingredients like "some" sugar, "a bit" of oil or a "handful" of flour. They have been following recipes like this for generations and their food always comes out great. I am not one of these women. I need step by step instructions with exact measurements of what to add and when and how to do it.

So I called Barb up for the details. I could only smile and thank her when she said..."Boil the beets a bit, chop them up, put some onion in and add two parts sugar to one part vinegar. That'll do it."

Made for Heaven...Macy 6-9-10

2010-06-30T19:01:00.007-04:00

(Image of our daughter's feet courtesy of Donna Wheatley Photography. Donna is a volunteer with Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.)

Gooey Gunk

2010-05-05T14:21:00.003-04:00

I attended a training session on Monday by John E. & Danita Thomas authors of Kid Concoctions.

Today I decided to try one of their all time favorite concoctions for our science time. Being that I have all that extra Borax hanging around, we chose Gooey Gunk.

This was such a success! The kids all had lots of fun with it. You can find the recipe posted here.

Homemade Detergents

2010-04-29T10:33:00.004-04:00

I have been making my own detergent since September. I was very intimidated with the process when I first learned of it. Visions of failed 11th grade chemistry experiments danced in my head. After seeing two young Duggars from 19 Kids and Counting making it on their own, I had to give it a try.

After a little research, I settled on this homemade laundry detergent recipe. I thought it was cool that it was posted by a guy who seemed to be having a ton of fun with this chore.

Although I have since used many varieties of soap, I've found that an entire bar of Fels Naptha soap works best. It is a soap specifically made for laundry purposes and has powerful cleaning ability.

If your family wants the fake chemical "clean" smell like mine does you can put in one capful of Suavitel fabric softener as a final step. I've tried adding a couple different essential oils instead but they don't leave the lasting impression that the fabric softener does.

I also have tried making dishwasher detergent. I see a lot of people on the web claim that one tablespoon of a powdered mixture of 1/2 Borax and 1/2 washing soda works well. I have tried this. Even when I add the recommended citric acid I do not get good results with my water. So I continue to purchase Cascade in bulk for now. I am open to any new suggestions on this though.

April Date: Cheescake Factory

2010-04-27T10:34:00.005-04:00

Kevin and I have "date night" once a month. I know that probably doesn't seem like much to those of you without a large family but this takes a lot of effort and I am very grateful for it.

He had been given a gift card to Cheesecake Factory for appreciation from one of his player's parents. We also had two $25 Frank and Pauly's gift certificates from my sister for a Christmas present yet to spend. After discovering that Frank and Pauly's has closed for good, we went to the Cheesecake Factory.

He chose a steak that came with french fries AND onion rings. The cook was kind enough to sub extra fries for his unwanted rings. I got the Steak Diane and couldn't have been more pleased with it. It came with a big mound of mashed red skin potatoes. I took at least a third home and still had no room for dessert. I couldn't even be tempted by Kevin's Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake dessert. He had every bite all to himself.

I encourage you to try date night with your spouse. It's especially important in large step families where the marriage relationship often takes a real beating.

Child Care: healthy meal habits

2010-04-22T13:30:00.007-04:00

As a daycare provider, I get to participate in the Child and Adult Food Care Program. They train me twice a year, how to serve healthy proportionate meals to children in my care. I spend a lot of time planning for nutritious meals and snacks that the kids will eat.

Check out this chart. Did you know that the correct grain serving size for a preschool child aged 3-5 is a half a slice of bread? That will make 1/4 a sandwich. Their bellies are not all that big so we need to stop making them entire sandwiches and then complaining when they don't clear their plate.

One of the children I take care of was labeled "overweight" by her doctor a while ago. Dealing with weight issues myself, I know how horrible this can be so I work extra hard for her to monitor that what she is eating is not only healthy but the correct serving size.

Two weeks in a row she has come back from lunch with the grandparents with an entire donut to be eaten as "dessert". I know she has just eaten an unmonitored lunch with them so has probably already consumed too many calories. Now they want me to feed her an entire fat laden, fat and sugar frosted, fried donut? Call me the bad guy but I put it in the book bag for her mom to deal with.

When choosing a day care situation for YOUR child, be sure to evaluate the nutritional standards of the program. Ask to see the menus and find out how they are planned. Quiz the provider about appropriate serving sizes. Food should never be used as a reward or punishment. You do have a say in how your child's nutritional needs are met when you are at work.

If you are like most people, your child spends most of his waking hours in a child care situation. Please do your part to make sure he is learning healthy nutritional habits and eating patterns. One day he will thank you for it!

Now why didn't I think of that?

2010-04-21T14:00:00.005-04:00

Looking for something to read the other day, I pulled Be CentsAble by Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee out of my husband's pile of library books. It suprised me that they recommended using wholesale clubs to save money as I have never found them much of a bargain. I renew my Sam's Club membership every year just to be able to purchase the commercial type paper towels that I need for daycare purposes. The authors were quick to point out that just by purchasing one item(milk) there, they save over $200 a year each.

Since we go through about 5 gallons of milk a week, I thought I would try this. Knowing that multiple trips to Sam's specifically for milk would offset my savings, I planned to follow their advice for stockpiling milk in the deep freezer. Kevin raised his eyebrows when I mentioned freezing the milk (being raised on a dairy farm makes one quite particular about milk)so our initial purchase was only 6 gallons. We will see how it goes.

I'm excited because if it works, I will be saving about $5 a week or $260 a year!!

Breaking the Silence: impending blog name change (Lord willing:)

2010-04-19T14:04:00.007-04:00

To anyone wondering if our last post was significant of anything....I am stepping out of denial to publicly acknowledge it.

I am 20 weeks pregnant! We are happily expecting our new addition in late summer.

Explore: Playground World Kids Play

2010-01-25T19:52:00.001-05:00

1014 Jaycox Road

Avon, Ohio 44011

440-937-5760

Kids can play for free in the showroom at Playground World in Avon from 11am-12pm on Mondays and Fridays. Days and times subject to change. Call to confirm.

We had lots of fun although it was very popular so there were many families having fun along with us.