AWESOME.

Pictured: The giant 8ft Lego man who washed up on the beach

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 7:02 PM on 30th October 2008

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At 8ft tall and wearing a garish green jersey he's not the sort of chap to get lost down the sofa.

In fact, you'd think he was unlikely to get lost at all. But someone (possibly someone big), somewhere is missing a key bit of their Lego set.

The colourful character mysteriously washed up on Brighton beach yesterday spawning dozens of tales - soon to become local legend - about where he may have come from.

Stand-up comedy: Bemused children heave the brightly coloured figure upright

While some believe he floated from Denmark-where there is a Legoland park), others suggest he toppled off a ship. Of course, there's always the cynical possibility he's part of a publicity stunt.

Resident Gerry Turner, 34, said: 'It's very odd. God knows how it got here but people are saying it's from Holland because it's got some Dutch writing on it.

'It must have fallen off a boat of something. The kids love it.'

Children who helped stand the Lego man up on the beach were desperately curious about where it came from.

One said: 'It's great, but we don't know why it's here.'

Castaway: The giant Lego man lies where he washed up on Brighton beach

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said town hall officials had no idea of the origin of the Lego man, but added that they saw no difficulty in letting it stay on the beach where it washed up.

He said: 'There's no problem at all. It will be interesting to see how long the Lego man stays there for. We'll keep an eye on it.'

But Lego was insistent: 'We're bemused. He has nothing to do with us.'

The Lego giant's arrival on the East Sussex shingle yesterday morning comes two years after an armada of plastic ducks landed on British shores.

Borne on the ocean currents, the ducks had made a 17,000-mile odyssey from the Pacific where they had been washed from a container ship in a 1992 storm.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1081751/Pictured-The-giant-8ft-Lego-man-washed-beach.html

Ear infection

bubbies was diagnosed with his first ear infection today. I knew my barely-just-turned 9 month old would be suffering from ear pain as soon as his cold started getting worse. Poor thing has been sick for a week and a half and was on the mend; but when my Grandpa passed, his schedule got all out of whack and he lost precious healing sleep.

I don't know why I have to document my children's first major sickness (besides HIS milk and soy intolerance..ugh), but I do. I save their first prescription receipt from the pharmacy too. Like, what the hell am I going to do with that...and why would they even want it one day? I have no idea. I'm a goob like that.

I am sure he'll be all better in a day or two. Amoxicyllin is quite effective on my children...well, until they need Omnicef. ha! I wish I could take that yummy pink stuff when I need medication. That is one thing I hate about growing up....pills are for schmos.

I miss you Grandpa Browning

Harold Richard "Brownie" Browning
BROWNING Harold Richard "Brownie" Browning, 83, died peacefully in his home on Tuesday, October 21, 2008. He was born in Portsmouth, Oh. on October 4, 1925. He is preceded in death by his wife Marian Browning, brother Hobart G. Browning and parents Hosie R. and Essie M. Browning. He is survived by his 3 daughters, Susan K. Williams (Fred), Carol A. Fitzer (Richard), Janet L. Bush (Robert); sister, Christine Browning of Fla.; 6 grandchildren, Kristin Marks (Shane), Paxton Williams (Denise), Brett Fitzer (Christina), Candyce Condon (Mitch), Andrew Bush, Heath Bush; and 9 great-grandchildren, Amanda, Colby, Bailey, Carlye, Mindy, Peyton, Annabelle, Ella and Ethan. He was a World War II Navy veteran. He retired from DCSC. He was a Mason, Ralph R. Rickly Lodge #670 and a 25 year member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He was a member of the Community of Christ Church, Worthington, Oh. The family will receive friends for visitation from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, October 24, 2008, at WEIR-AREND FUNERAL HOME, 4221 N. High St., Columbus. The funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, October 25, 2008 at Weir-Arend with interment to follow at Union Cemetery. Elder Robert Appleton officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a charity of your choice. Sign the online guestbook at www.dispatch.com/obituaries

2nd Annual Spooktacular Halloween Bash

I am thrilled to post that bubbies and P's Halloween party was successful...at least in my eyes. It seemed like the kids had a ton of fun. Everytime I looked around I saw smiles and giggles...and screams, of course, so I am taking that as a sure sign of enjoyment...or quite possibly sugar overload, but none-the-less I loved seeing those adorable, candy-ridden, costume-wearing children having a good time. My friends were all so creative with their children's costumes. It was really special to see how in love all my friends are with their kids. It makes me so happy to know I have surrounded myself, my children and my husband with such wonderful people who love and respect the power of family, children and friendship. P, bubbies, hubby and I are very lucky so and so's.

On to the party. We partied outside. We had a long table set up with ghostie sandwiches, candy, cookies, mummy hotdogs, and nectar of the gods apple cider that mom, Auntie Carol, my sis-in-law and I made. My mom was dressed as Mother Goose and kept the children entertained with stories, music, and crafting. Hubby worked his butt off cleaning up the outside, setting out last minute decorations and providing great fun ideas like the rocket balloons and the "candy in the hay" hunt. I love the idea of pinatas and found one with a Halloween motif that I crammed full of eyeball ring suckers, Marvel comic candy sticks, plastic bugs and gummy bugs, and lotsa other crazy, weird candy. I figure when the kids go trick-or-treating they'll get the traditional candy bars and what not, so I wanted to make the candy interesting...not that the kids even noticed, I am sure! I had the children decorate bags with witchy, batty, ghostie and foamy stickers that they used to collect the candy in the hay and the pinata candy. I am saving that idea for next year too. We had some cooky music playing that of course included songs such as Ghostbusters, the Monster Mash and Purple People Eater.

The guest list included those people we hang out with the most (but, the people without kids didn't come because...well, uhmm..ya know? I don't know if I'd go to my friends' kid's party unless they needed me to help.) And, my incredible...I need to repeat that...incredible sister-on-law came down with my two nephews and my youngest neice and of course had thought of all the things I had forgotten without even have had a discussion. Below are some fun pics from the party - I really need to hire a photographer next time (yeah, right). I find that I am hyper about taking pics because photography interests me so much, but I can't take pictures and run a party at the same time. So, I don't have everything I wanted, but I did get GREAT memories in my camera and in my heart.

Arrrgh & baby arrrgh

Desmadora & her familiar Kitty

Mother Goose, baby arrrrgh & Aunt Witchy

Aunt Witchy & Desmadora

The chef...did she wash her hands?

spooooky story

Pinata candy fun

P and her stash. The kitty ears lasted oh, about 15 minutes.

Beautiful pirate and the bandito that *rassled* her from seafaring ways.

Cute little bugs and hot mama cowgirl

Pickin' hay 101

Stinkin'...well, glowin' cute baby

Chicken

It is one of my good friend's birthday this weekend. We have a similar sense of humor in that we make-up the most ridiculous things and then laugh at them. For instance, "the chicken bucket of love" was quite funny for a while. Kel, whose birthday it is, even got me an "engagement chicken." It was a handmade adorable little stuffed chicken that I kept on my desk for year. Chicken has seemed to cause a LOT of funny moments in my life, actually.

One silly chicken memory that makes me roar with laughter to this day was when my friend Kris and I did a breast cancer walk in New York. We were walking back to hang out for the day we laughed that her old manager called chicken breasts boobies. She and her manager worked in the restaurant industry and when they did the count for night he would ask "how many boobies in that lexan." We laughed and laughed and then decided it was funny to name as many chicken dishes as we could inserting the word boobie. So, essentially, I guess it was the boobie walk. And..my daughter eats boobie tenders...as long as the boobies aren't too hot. I prefer boobies on my salad and am not a huge fan of boobie in a can. I could go on all day.

Kris and I also had Halloween chicken fun. I flew out for the weekend a few years ago to see her in Boston. We had tickets to go to Salem to get the wits scared out of us at the Night of Necromancy, which was basically *real* witches teaching us about the craft, a TON of red wine and some finger foods. The apps were served in one room and then the festivities took place in an adjacent room. To get to the next room we had to pass under none other than a trellis of chicken feet! The witch asked if we each wanted one - hell yeah! Those two chicken feet were great fun the next day. One ended up on a seat in the T and we laughed to hysterics watching riders push and shove to get the empty seat and then look in horror at the foot. Noone would sit in the seat. That foot was rather awful looking all dried up.

Back to my birthday friend. I found the perfect card this year. The card has an old lady sitting next to a guy in a chicken suit. There is a thought bubble over her head and inside the card are stickers with different sayings you can put in the bubble. Well, I chose to make up my own because I think I am far funnier than their creative people who made up those bubbles...well, maybe not, but I did get quite a giggle out of what I wrote. I hope my friend does too.

Slow down already!

This is me talking to bubbies:

"Little boy, what are you doing standing in your crib? You little stinker, you aren't supposed to be doing that already. I guess you want to play and run with your sister...and, I can't blame you. She is really fun and silly. She can't wait for you to walk and run with her."


This is how I am feeling:

"Please slow down my sweet son. Don't grow too fast and walk away from mommy. I want to hold you in my arms forever and sing sweet songs in you ear. Please slow down my sweet son. Thinking of picking you up after your first scraped knee makes me sad. Please slow down my sweet son. I don't want to hold you back, but I don't want to let you go, either. Just let me hold you here a bit longer and rock you without you struggling to get down. I love you my sweet son."

Ever feel...

Sometimes I have so much I want to do that I do absolutely nothing at all. It MUST be a syndrome or something. Maybe something like:

CAL Syndrome: Complaining and Lazy
DB Syndrome: Dragging Butt
FTANYI Syndrome: Freeze Tag and Now You're It
BF Syndrome: Big Fanny - from sitting on it and not doing anything

It is as if I do nothing but daydream and feel like things would never get finished, so why start them. Or I feel like things are sometimes too hard...just because I am being lazy. I have a very large pile of laundry waiting for me, dusting and bathrooms to clean, yet, here I sit on the computer. At least I am accomplishing getting photos posted and getting this off my mind. Maybe just writing about it will be enough to motivate me to do something.

I think part of it is I haven't worked out in about 2 weeks. My knee was bugging me, but now that it is better I have NO excuse not to be exercising. I need to either join Jazzercise again or the Rec Center. I want to run, but now that it is getting cold I am kidding myself that running will happen. I am looking forward to shopping for the Spooktacular Halloween Bash that is happening next weekend - hopefully it will be as much fun as my mind is making it out to be.

ABCs

P sang her ABCs to me in the car the other day and I had to get it on video. I just can't believe she is old enough to sing this song coherently. She is 29 months - or almost 2 and 1/2.

Old Hilliard

Another thought I had about over-analyzing is worrying about how loud, rude, obnoxious and down right unruly my 2 year old P can be. Recently, friend Beth posted about apologizing for our children's actions. It is nice that she brought that up because one of my best friends was in town last week and I felt like I was constantly apologizing for how P was acting. My friend kept saying, "Kristin - she is TWO. Get over it. That is how she is supposed to act." I found that most generally this is how people feel about two and three year olds - they expect them to be out of control and crazy, and coming from a single friend, I appreciated hearing she didn't expect anything less from my "terrible toddler."

Old Hilliard and the babes

However, there are people who do not appreciate that a child is two, and when a child is unruly they get really annoyed and upset at the parent...and ridiculously at the young child. The kid can't really help it, but I do think it is a parent's responsibility to take responsibility for their child's actions. It is important a child learns that their actions have consequences - and that isn't always a reprimand. I think that apologizing for something your child did in front of them shows the child that whatever their action was, it wasn't acceptable. An apology was necessary - this was the consequence. Those are just MY thoughts and how I parent. Everyone has the right to parent how they want to parent and shouldn't be judged for their decisions.

Now that P is older I have her apologize if it is necessary. She doesn't always want to, but she needs to learn that if she hurts someone, damages property or says something mean, she needs to apologize. I feel she is learning how "to be" in the world and learning apologies is learning empathy, responsibility for her actions and to care that others have feelings and she shouldn't stomp all over them. Plus, seeing another child cry because my daughter did something makes me feel terrible. I don't really know if she understands what "sorry" means, but I am confident she'll get it eventually.

I spoke to my pediatrician about how much a two year old actually remembers because I was concerned about some yelling episodes that occurred. He said that two year olds don't remember a ton from day to day, but they do remember patterns and you are setting the foundation for what you want their actions to be as they grow - so be consistent. My mom being an early childhood educator/expert always helps me remember that my children's most influential role model is me - mommy. What? I signed up for hugs, kisses and playing! Not to be someone's role model! :) But, I now have the responsibility to raise good citizens. Hopefully my children will make positive impacts on the world and the people around them. And, I think part of that will be making apologies along the way.

Selfish or not so much?

It is so funny how as mommies we over-analyze everything we do. Before I had kids or was married I kind of just did what I wanted and never thought about how it effected other people. I was pretty selfish and pretty much into myself. It was awesome. I did what I wanted when I wanted and spent money as I pleased. Today, that is a totally different story.

I went shopping yesterday because bubbies needed sleepers. He is growing so quickly I am running out of things to put him in! I headed to the mall because I thought Children's Place was a good option - they typically have a good affordable selection. I wasn't planning to buy many because there is a huge twins/multiples sale coming up - this sale is like hitting the jackpot. Clothing, shoes, toys and gear galor - seriously, it is the motherload of all things kid.

Anyhow, I didn't get sleepers. I got two shirts, a book, a book for P and some cool Halloween stickers. Did I feel guilty? Hell, yes. bubbies is the one who needed sleepers and I bought stuff for me. Well, I did try to get them, but believe it or not, NOTHING in 12 or 18 months was on the rack that didn't have some Christmas-crap or snowflakes on it. Uhmmm...can't we save it for at least November? jeez. Well, back to over-analyzing...I was about to throw down $28 at Gymboree for a sleeper I didn't really like because I was feeling desperate not to be the old selfish me...but being financially responsible, I couldn't do it. So, bubbies just got a big dose of shopping, watching P play in the mall play area (ewwe...germs - we watched three kids pick their noses and wipe their fingers lord knows where, my daughter included) and waiting..waiting and more waiting to nurse when he was clearly hungry. Yes...guilt. BUT, the guilt did subside this morning.

I checked my gmail in hopes to see an email from eBay telling me I won the pirate's costume I was pining for...and I DID!! Yay! So, bubbies got something MUCH cuter than a Children's Place sleeper. I am biting at the bit for the Marks Monster's 2nd Annual Spooktacular Halloween Bash to take pictures of him surround by booty looking like a pillager of the high seas.

So, am I still selfish...?

Princess P's Proclamations

I lovingly call P my little princess as a nickname many times, and I like to joke around with her that the neighborhood is her kingdom. Whenever we are driving or walking through the neighborhood I tell her she needs to be nice to her subjects and rule with kindness and courtesy. She had no idea what I am talking about, which makes it quite funny. I ask her questions such as "what types of food do the subjects in your kingdom eat?" and "how many dogs does each person have to own?" - silly stuff like that.

I am sure through books and PBS she has learned that princesses wear dresses, and so began the whole wearing of the "princess," which is just a dress or pretty shirt...or pretty much anything I call "princess" to sway her into getting dressed. The funny thing, too, is that my little 2 year old niece calls her dresses "princesses"! I know she didn't get that from P because my niece lives in Michigan and we don't get to see them that often. I tell P that if she wants to be a princess she has to have white teeth and clean hands. I mean, that is just what princesses do, right? So, she brushes her teeth for me and washes her hands, and I am thinking about using the princess thing to help potty train her too. The other day we played dress-up and she put on princess costume attire that had been lingering in her toy boxes. We made proclamations for the "land." I tried to get her to come up with 5, but this is what we accomplished:

1. All royal subjects must wear coats.
2. All royal subjects must like sishies (fishies) - the kind you eat and the kind you look at.
3. All royal subjects must like to sit.
4. NOOOO!

That's all I could muster out of my little Princess P.

Grosgrain: Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

'tis the season for CRAWLING!

My lovable bundle of belly laughs and belly rolls has the official status of "crawler!" bubbies has been wobbling on all fours a little more than a week now, and took two "crawls" at Mommy Susan's house four days ago. Then, last night he went all for nothing and crawled across the floor. I was super excited to watch him accomplish this huge milestone and to be knighted a 'Mover and Shaker'. Hubby was elated as he was greeted by his little man crawling towards him for a big afterwork hello hug, and hubby couldn't stop smiling all night. It was really cute.

Hubby and I are over the top with this crawling thing because P never did it. She scooted on her butt and didn't actually crawl until she was two and was acting like a lion. We worried because we had read so much that said babies *have* to crawl because of brain development. Luckily, our lovely pediatrician blew all those myths out of the water and told us our darling Princess P was just fine scooting - can't break a nail or ruin a good manicure crawling, now can we? But, bubbies being all boy, as the stereotype goes, has probably just begun entering the world of not only broken nails, but probably broken bones too.

Latest Con(s)ver(v)sation

Hubby and I have had many conversations over the years over plastics, recycling, organic vs. non-organic, and our latest is "where does the liquid go?" It really bothers hubby that we could be putting liquid-filled containers in landfills and it doesn't biodegrade for years, and then where does it go? Part of the reason I started cloth diapering was because of learning that our environment was a better place if it wasn't filled with bags and bags of soiled paper diapers; but, I never considered that "expired salad dressing bottle" that I just tossed unopened. But, now I am thinking along the same lines...where on earth does the liquid go that can't escape its plastic or glass prison?

Last night hubby admitted to me that he was getting a little obsessed with making sure all the liquid was out of things he threw away. And, it isn't just liquid, it is food...such as, where does the food go that is vaccumed packed and never opened? It kind of cracks me up how upset it makes hubby because I have never seen him this perplexed over something that wasn't on my list of consideration. I actually thought it was funny that he was so upset about liquid...But, now that it has been brought to my attention, I think I need to give it some attention. When I think about it, where does it go? And, once it goes there how long does it stay there? And, once stays there if you open it can you still use it? Won't it evaporate? These are all questions I want to do a bit more research on to find out exactly how liquid breaks down in the landfills.

I try my best in my little world to recycle, reuse and give-away, but now I also do my part to rinse, empty and drain all liquid before I recycle or toss a bottle, bag, or container.


And, there must be something in the air because Mommy Heather recently brought up her concern over plastics. Hubby used to get on me all the time for heating plastic in the microwave, even if it said microwave safe. I remember him yelling at me because I heated up P's babyfood in the little plastic container. He asked me to toss it because "we just don't know what the baby is eating if that plastic gets in her food." We have been eating half steamed broccoli for ages because I just throw it in a bowl with some water with no cover (I'm lazy) - because that was another reprimand. "What are you doing? You can't cover that food with plastic to steam it? We don't know what is getting into our food." Oops I did it again! But, now that Heather brought up the whole notion about serving food to baby on those cute little plates you get at Target and how horrible it *could* be makes me want to think about not only not microwaving plastics, but not even serving hot food on plastics. I generally only serve on my glass dishes, but am considering buying something more natural that can't be broken when it is hurled across my kitchen.

bubbies is 8 months old!

bubbies turned 8 months old today! The things he has accomplished so far have been incredible. I just can't believe the things babies do and learn in such a short amount of time. It is like they sleep for 3 months and then come *alive*. I sat down with P and we "discussed" the things we are seeing bubbies do and our favorite things about him. This is what we came up with:

-he smiles all the time. Hubby made a comment that he'd be a great baby model because he'll offer up a smile with little effort on an adult's part.

-he almost has the whole crawling thing down.

-he is learning to sit from a laying down position. I actually observed this at Bookingham Forest today at the library.

-he talks back...and I mean literally. if I get cross with him when he bites me he jibber jabbers back as if he is saying "well, I didn't mean to hurt you...I am learning here, lady!"

-he has two teeth on the bottom and two on top that are almost all the way in.

Then there are the things that kind of drive me nuts:

-he bites, scratches and pinches. Sometimes it is no fun to hold him and nursing him can be a real challenge.
-he is super squirmy which makes diaper changes and getting him dressed a real challenge.
-he still hates to sleep. He is up at least 3 times a night....still. It makes for a cranky, crunchy, mean mommy much of the time lately.

Missing the water.

Gear: wicking shirt/shorts, bathing suit, hat, glasses, life vest, lotsa sunscreen and H2O

I have always had a love for water, mainly because I grew up on the Scioto River. I was so lucky to have spent my summers swimming, rafting, sail boating, water skiing and winters were for ice-skating. I never knew how lucky I was until I realized that there weren't many people who had a river directly behind their house with a dock to perch on to sunbathe, read books or just play on. My husband grew up in Rhode Island with the ocean mere minutes from his house and a river across the street. He was always playing near or in the water with his friends. We both miss the water, and feel like our kids are kind of missing out since all they have is dirt and grass. Of course, did I appreciate when I was young? No, just kind of thought everyone went clam gathering or fishing right off their backyard docks; but, now I realize I was fortunate, and maybe one day will make the move back to living on the water. We'll see.

Anyhow, I received an email from hubby with pictures from their recent Manly Weekend. This year the guys went white water rafting, which so happens to be something I love. Now, I am not a class 5 kind of gal, but I have been known to get giddy over some crazy rapids. Hubby and I spent our honeymoon on the water. We rafted down the Rogue River for 7 days/6 nights completely away from all civilization...except for the people with us. Luckily, our rafting guide had a satellite phone for any emergencies...like water injuries or bear attacks. I didn't know how intense this trip was going to be until I signed a contract that said the company wouldn't be sued if I died. Yes folks, signed my life away for my honeymoon....well, signed my life away in front a congregation full of onlookers....but I guess hubby was worth it. haha!

Back to the river. It was one of the most amazing trips I had ever taken. Seriously, I didn't think I could ever top it, except when we went again down the Colorado in the Grand Canyon. Both river trips we went with a company called Oars. They make it easy to do the 40 mile trek down river and camping each night. You have to be okay with being wet, hot, cold, dirty, and most of all, pooping in a pickle bucket hoping someone doesn't come sailing down the water while you are wiping your butt. Oh yes - that is certainly part of the trip you have to get used to. Peeing in the river and not worrying that EVERYone knows you are peeing. It really is no big deal...I mean, read the book Everybody Poops...cuz' we all do. :)

Oh - I meant ammo can for poo and pickle bucket for pee.

Being part of nature without all the commotion of cars, cell phones, computers and society is truly spectacular. I was never once afraid. I was never once wishing I was in Greece. I was never once wishing for a bed. I was only wishing that I could remember nature as God intended it to be: beautiful, surreal, breathtaking, inspiring, loving and harsh, and magnificent. Every day you rafted down river X number of miles and at the end of the day you set up camp in a spot off the side the river. You had all of your stuff in wet bags and the company provided the tents for you. Everything was carried in the rafts we took down the Rogue and in dories we took down the Colorado. Each boat has its own river guide and you can choose who you want to row you down each day. River guides are very interesting people. They are pretty much all conservationists, environmentalists, organic and against "big" businesses/corporations. For instance, you probably won't see a river guide drinking Starbucks. At least not the guides I have rafted with...:)

Our camp on the river's edge. Tell me I'm pretty!

Each trip I took one snapshot in my mind that I remember as clearly as if it happened yesterday. The Rogue trip my memory is of the last dinner we had on the river. We were sitting on the water's edge in comfy camping chairs eating spaghetti and drinking wine, when all of the sudden a big black bear came running down the mountain. It was on the other side of the river from us, luckily! It jumped in the water and grabbed a humongo salmon out of the water and ran back up and sat on the side of the mountain and had its dinner with us. While in the middle of its fresh sushi meal, another black bear came down and swiped the fish from his buddy. It was AMAZING to be the close to a wild animal. Especially one as dangerous as a black bear. BUT, keep in mind, black bears are pretty easy to scare away. A little spoon on a pot or pan action will drive the bear from your camp, generally.

The Colorado was a bit more recent and I have lots of memories of that trip, but in particular I remember the night I "slept out." I slept on the ground by the waters edge with no tent, just my sleeping bag. Thankfully hubby made me do it because I had never seen such an amazing sky in all my life. Looking at the shadow of the canyon stretching across the night's shade and seeing the black sky filled with shiny stars was so breathtaking. I was also proud of myself for overcoming my fear of having to be in a tent...and of scorpions.

I hiked up the canyon and this is our camp from above. You can see the boats lined up on the bank.

Everyone Knows It's Windy

Almost 300,000 homes are still without power. Yesterday afternoon/evening here in the heart of it all, the winds reached up to 74 mph. I believe it! It was really scary for hours. We just kept seeing wind gusts dragging branches, limbs and leaves all over the place. I was taking a nap when it started...first nap in AGES and I couldn't sleep because the wind was pounding the house and falling branches were making me nervous. Hubby said he didn't come get me because he felt if God was ready for me a big limb would fall into the bedroom...real nice. Well, unfortunately for him I survived and no trees came crashing into our home. Our neighbors weren't so fortunate. They have two enormous pine trees, well did have two enormous pine trees, in their front yard. The trees toppled over like limp spaghetti on their van - blew out the windshield and two side windows. I believe the vehicle will be totaled out because of the damage. We, luckily, had no major damage done to the house or our cars. Just lots of debris to clean up today.

P and I just came in from picking up branches, sticks and raking up leaves and twigs. What a mess. So the neighbors to the left lost their van and then the neighbors to the right had their fence fall down. Part of the fence is currently in our side yard making it possible for the dogs to get loose. We will have to discuss repairing the fence with our neighbor because we share it with them. I feel so bad for them because during the windstorm their son was getting married, and the father of the groom had to rent a generator to keep the reception going. You can't stop Mother Nature...maybe she was jealous. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. ha!

Big branch in the front yard

Pine trees that took out our neighbor's van

Uprooted tree

Fallen limb

P helping mommy clean up the branches
Hard work finished!

No more rocking?!

Bedtime ritual has certainly evolved for Peyton since she was born. I can't believe that I am at a point where she doesn't want me to rock her any longer. She just wants me to put her down and lay my head on her bed until she falls asleep. I am so sad. Sitting there in that rocker with her when we struggled to nurse when she was born, sitting in that rocker just so I could hold her and watch her sleep, sitting in that rocker singing, listening to music, and sitting her in the rocker because I thought it was cute someone so little could sit in a big rocker like that. She reminded me of Edith Ann. haha! I am so sad. I definitely am not the best candidate for a mother because I HATE good-byes, I am extremely nostalgic and don't always deal well with change. And, all of those things are happening before my eyes every day.

We had a financial adviser come to the house Saturday morning from Edward Jones. She was helping hubby and I roll our 401k's from previous employers into IRAs, other investments, but the main reason she was there was to set up a 529 for the kids' college fund. I started a savings account for P when she was born, but it is just a basic rainy day savings that I figure will help when she wants to buy a car or her prom dress or what have you. Since bubbies was born I have to up that amount so I am saving for the both of them. But, college? Yes, we should have started saving when we even thought about having children because when they are ready to go to college the tuition is going to be astronimical. Our financial advisor was telling us she went to Michigan State on a golf scholarship....that is part of the reason I plan to get the kids involved in so many things. Hopefully they will really latch onto something they like and become good enough to get a scholarship somewhere. I just really want to bypass as much financial struggle for them when they graduate from college that I can. Hopefully hubby and I will be in a position to help them, too.

Anyhow, 529s are seriously the way to go for educational spending purposes. The money is tax deferred and remains tax deferred if used for education. It can be used for private schooling, books, technical schools, college, etc. If the kids decide not to go to college they do not have to pay a penalty for taking the money out, they just need to pay the taxes on the money saved. So, essentially, it is just paying the tax you would have paid if you went with another type of investment. There was also a custodial account that sounded interesting, but it did not have the perks of a 529.

I really just want to get it started, forget about it and not think anymore about the day I have to take P off to college. If she'll let me, I just want to rock her in her rocking chair and listen to music.

September 11, 2001

http://tinyurl.com/65sdf7

9/11. A day as an American I will never forget. If you ask anyone, I bet they know exactly what they were doing, if they were drinking a hot cup of coffee, and even the first person they called to tell them what they saw or heard. I had moved home from NYC 2 years prior to the Towers attack, and couldn't have been more frantic about my friends that were still living there. The many questions I had rolling through my mind and the waiting...oh, the waiting. I can't even imagine what family members were feeling....wives, husbands, mothers, sons....and today, hopefully the pain has eased for some. We learn to deal with the pain of losing a loved one, but I don't think it really goes away. I think you just build a callous around that area of your heart where that person lives. Your memories become bright ones and you forget the bad stuff to only remember the beautiful things and respect and honor your dead loved one.

This site contains information about 9/11 - but, please know that it will bring back the memories, the fear, the feeling of vulnerability and the sadness just like it felt 7 years ago: http://www.september11news.com/

Say a loving prayer today for those who lost their lives 7 years ago, those who lost their lives in the War in Iraq, those who still are over there, and the survivors.

Raising a Nation of Readers

Working towards being certified as a reading teacher, I strongly believe in reading to your children no matter how young they are. There is much information out there that discusses how reading to your child a few minutes a day can make a huge impact on their literacy success. Reading can be so difficult for some children, even some adults, but with the proper support from caregivers and access to books, a child can begin their love of books at a very young age. Introduce books to children when they are infants and it will benefit the child as they grow. From what I have experienced, books can be just as fun as toy trucks and baby dolls.

bubbies, 7 months enjoys being read to by sissy P, 2 years

I naturally love to read. I remember my brother saying I was boring because all I did was read. I'd take a book up into my favorite tree, my bedroom, the back porch, on the dock (I grew up on the Scioto River) and read for hours at a time. I wasn't picky, either. Some of my faves were trashy grocery story reads such as those books by V.C. Andrews. I think my mom would have died if she knew I was reading about siblings falling in love with each other...ewe. I was advanced in English throughout high school and in college I took many English courses in addition to my history courses (history was my major). I owe this to my mother who was/is a kindergarten and first grade teacher. My earliest reading memory was when my mother and grandmother took me to the Columbus Public Library, Karl Road branch I believe because that was where grandma lived, and pronouncing the word "the." I can see myself standing there and trying so hard to read fluently. I really, really wanted to read. Not a clue as to how old I was then.

Anyhow, I started reading to P as soon as she was born. We'd lay on my bed when she was an insty wintsy baby and I read Brown Bear and I Love You Stinky Face over and over again. She would just look at the pictures probably checking out the colors and seemed to just enjoy listening to my voice. We would read every night before bed and then as she got older we'd read throughout the day. I'd let her play with squishy and crinkly books - she liked to chew on them and one book had a squeaker in it that would drive her nuts. She couldn't squeeze it hard enough to get it to squeak. I'd just laugh and squeeze it for her enjoying her reaction. Today, P is an avid little reader. She can look at the pages and retell the story. Mainly because we have read so many of her books a million times and she has them memorized. The other day she sat down with Brown Bear and recited it perfectly. I wanted to get it on camera but as soon as I busted out the gadget she stopped. Typically, she sits and makes up stories to the pictures or she knows the gist of the story and will rephrase it back to me. It is so darn cute. I am so proud of her for loving books and so proud of myself for making books such a huge part of her life. We go to the various libraries around town for storytime, I take her to music classes where they read to the kids, and we hang out in bookstores and libraries. Now, don't get me wrong, she has a ton of toys to play with, but there are many times she chooses a book over a toy and I rather enjoy seeing that happen. Hopefully bubbies will have the same love for the written word that his big sissy does.