DAY 120

I made it 1/3 of the way (4 months)

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." Lao Tzu

Yes, spring is here and it is finally green!! Photo taken by Connor Rasmussen.

The photo of the day was a group effort today. During dinner I still didn't have a picture. As we were eating Haldan was looking out the window at these upside down umbrella-like leaves in the woods. He thought this would make an interesting picture from the underside of them. We finished dinner, Haldan left for work, and Connor went out with camera in hand to try to get a picture. I loved this shot of Connor (which was going to be my photo of the day), but he was actually able to get a pretty cool picture of a leaf. I did doctor it a bit in photoshop, but loved the result. It wasn't from the underside, but I still liked it. Great job, Connor. I have leaf pictures in my living room that I paid money for that very much remind me of this photo.

We tried a new recipe today. We had the usual, "Ooh, gross remarks from the kids", but they actually liked it and went back for seconds. It comes from the Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine. Love that book! If the kids like it, it's worth sharing. If you use light sour cream it's also a pretty low fat dish. It reminds me of a white lasagna, but it's much easier. We used store bought green salsa even though I'm sure the homemade recipe in the book is good.

Tortilla Pie with Chicken
12 corn tortillas (6-inch), toasted
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles
1 1/2 cups green or red salsa
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (6 oz)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, layer 4 tortillas, 1 cup chicken, 1/4 cup chiles, 1/2 cup salsa, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat once. Top with remaining tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Bake until top is browned and bubbling, 30-40 minutes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not sure I should put the next pictures on the same page as a recipe, but I wanted to share an update on Haldan's finger; sorry if this grosses you out. The first photo was taken right before Haldan's trip to Ohio. I was pretty concerned about the risk of infection at that point and it still looked pretty gross. There was also this rough, brown scaly stuff on the back of his finger, which is not very evident in this picture. The last several weeks there have been lots of different colors and layers as it's been healing and changing.

I talked to my mother in law just a few days ago and at that point was still concerned about his finger. I wasn't sure if it was ever going to look normal again. It's absolutely amazing how quickly our bodies can heal... shortly after our conversation a big chunk in the front of his finger got snagged on something and fell off. There was a bit of a hole there and literally within two days it's starting to close and heal. He's been growing out his nail as well to let it catch up and I'm happy to report that he cut it today after this photo was taken. He also has plans to get back in the water next week and get back to his regular tri training schedule. He still has some nerve damage; not sure if that will ever totally repair itself, but I have more hope since watching the amazing healing process on the exterior.

DAY 119

“If you feel the urge, don't be afraid to go on a wild goose chase. What do you think wild geese are for anyway?” - Will Rogers

This is exactly how I felt today as I attempted to photograph these goslings. We were by the houseboat docks. We were on one side and before I could snap the picture they would swim to the other side. After going back and forth a few times I finally gave up and got this picture of them in the water.

DAY 118

"I like to think that the moon is there even if I am not looking at it."

-Albert Einstein

DAY 117

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Today I went on Camille's field trip to Dubuque. It was a long day. I didn't take my regular camera because I still wasn't feeling fantastic and I didn't want to carry a heavy camera around all day. Most of my pics turned out absolutely horrible. I'm not convinced any camera can take a wonderful picture in an aquarium. I think I'll google it. Maybe there's a trick. I knew I wasn't getting one with Haldan's camera, the man cam. It's water-proof and shock-proof and I like it because it's compact and fits in my purse. There's really no comparison to my canon though when it comes to quality. I had almost given up all hope of getting a pic when I ran into these crazy white lizard like guys all lined up near the front of the museum. I wanted to get a picture of Camille and her friends in front of them, but they thought the lizards were too creepy. My guess is that there are plans to paint them and put them around town, but I'm still not sure. I paid $9.50 to get into the museum to see all of the wildlife and these were probably my favorite part of the tour.

Other highlights of the day:

• We signed papers again to refinance our Iowa home at 8AM this morning. For the last time??
• Hans finally made it out of Cedar Rapids at 1PM this afternoon after his Moline flight was cancelled yesterday.
• Camille had her dance pics tonight & boy am I glad that's over. We still have the Dress Rehearsal at the US Cellular Center & the recital to go. The amount of times these girls have to get in full costume is ridiculous. Camille is burnt out.

DAY 116

"The fishing was good; it was the catching that was bad." -A.K. Best

Connor caught this 22 1/2 inch walleye all by himself. It was the largest walleye all week. Hans wanted me to mention that he got skunked. (Photos by Haldan)

DAY 115 "Smores & Scrapbooking"

"Life brings simple pleasures to us every day. It is up to us to make them wonderful memories." -Cathy Allen

This is the picture of the day. Camille has been wanting smores for some time. Whether it's not enough time or too much wind or rain, which is the case today, it just hasn't worked out. Like Camille I also really love smores, but it's just not the same done over the stove or in the microwave. If you're gonna do it, ya gotta do it right. She found a recipe in her Betty Crocker kids recipe book for Indoor Smores. We had all the ingredients needed, so we tried it. It's a fun, child friendly, yummy alternative to the real thing so I thought I'd share.

Indoor S'mores
Cooking spray
12 graham cracker squares
3 cups milk chocolate chips
2 Tbsp peanut butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Spray 13x9 pan with the cooking spray. Crush up the graham crackers in a plastic bag. Put chocolate chips and peanut butter in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate chips are melted. Take saucepan off heat. Stir in graham cracker pieces and marshmallows. Spread the mixture in the sprayed pan. Put pan in refrigerator for about 1 hour or until firm. Cut bars. Wrap any leftover bars with plastic wrap and put back in the refrigerator.

Camille made it almost entirely by herself. She even stuck around and helped wrap them in the plastic wrap at the end.

I found these 2 minute pages (named appropriately) awhile back for 50% off at Michaels. It was shortly after Connor decided he wanted to see all of the National Parks. They're fun travel pages that will be easy for the children to put together themselves. All they have to do is stick the pictures on and add some journaling. I also got some 6 minute pages which will be slightly more involved for later that allow for a little embellishing. It might not be enough to finish the book, but it will give them a great start. I got each of them 2 sets. Haldan was concerned that I wanted Connor to scrapbook, but I convinced him that it wasn't exactly scrapbooking if you only add pictures. Tonight Camille worked on her Mammoth Cave National Park pages.

In other news:

• I think my cold has turned into a sinus infection. I've had enough over the course of my life to know that whenever I feel super low on energy, am a little dizzy, and have pressure in my face and ears it's most likely an infection. I took my sister's advice and have been using the mucinex DM. I think I'll try the neti pot tonight too. The good news it that I survived our girl's week and had fun with Camille inspite of my sickness.
• Highlights of our week together include: lunch with my neighbor Carrie and her daughter Emma at a unique place called "Farmer's Daughter's Market", Camille's playdate with Kate, shopping at various places (Camille's favs were Bath & Body and Claire's), new Hannah Montana/American Idol downloads for Camille, movie night together with special treats, learning to knit, the walkathon, and scrapbooking, etc. It was a fun 4 days without the boys.
• My house is smelling better, but there's 3 cabinets that still smell really bad. I've tried absolutely everything I could find on the internet with the google search. I've had friends suggest leaving bowls of vinegar out, using vinegar and baking soda to wipe the cabinets, and using charcoal absorbers. Yes, I've even tried that. My mother in law suggested I give it time. I'm trying.
• We still have not closed on the house. To make a long story short, the VA funding fee was more than originally quoted so we cancelled the transaction after we signed. They waived the origination fee and we are now closer to the original disclosed amount. We are now scheduled to close on Monday, which will make it more than 3 months since we started this loan process. We are still not sure it's the right thing. If we knew we were going to be in this house 3+ years it'd be a dream loan, but I'm very concerned about middle school for Connor. We are in the Roosevelt district (the worst middle school in the city) and after talking to Cedar Rapids school administration about open enrollment I learned that it was closed to Taft this year. I'm not sure we can afford a private school with 2 mortgage payments. I would home school before I put him in that school and I really don't want to home school!! There's so many variables to a house when you have children. I just always assumed that elementary and middle school would have open enrollment. The kids at Madison seem to be getting worse with age. When the kids were little I didn't notice it so much. I also know that middle school is a crucial time in a child's life. Not only are they going through changes, but it's such an impressionable time. Friends or lack of can make such an impact on a their life. Maybe I'm thinking too much into this, but it's really been weighing on my mind.

DAY 114

Madison Elementary's 5th Annual Walk A Thon

This is the first year that I can remember that it was an absolutely gorgeous day for the walkathon. Last year got rained out twice and the year before was cold and windy if I remember correctly. Connor will be sad he missed it, but I'm sure he wasn't too sad today as he was making his own memories on Lake Erie.

DAY 113

“A really great talent finds its happiness in execution.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Tonight we went to Vicki Garbett's for a lesson on knitting. She is a very talented lady. She recently knitted Camille a hat (DAY 71). She was a great teacher and a little ways into the lesson Camille said, "I thought this would be boring, but it's actually fun." I was a little concerned it wouldn't hold her attention, but we stayed a few hours and Camille really took to it quickly. She worked very diligently on it and the hat is already taking shape. I can't wait to see the finished product. Her strong willed personality can be a great thing when it's channeled properly. On the way home she suggested that maybe we could have a knitting party instead of a Justice Party for her birthday. I'm not sure about that, but I'm really glad she likes it so much! Thanks Vicki for being such a wonderful friend.

DAY 112

"A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work."

-Author Unknown

What I thought was just a few guys goin' fishin turned into quite the event. This is the group at our house prior to departure this morning. Turns out they were meeting up with a couple other cars. I'm not quite sure who all was in on this outing. I'm not even sure of the specifics like where they are staying. I feel completely in the dark and extracting info is too painful and not worth it. I know they are heading east towards Lake Erie area and are getting a fishing charter and staying in some sort of lodging. The good news is that it's an area where there is cell phone reception should my sewage back up again or I want to check in. This brings a smile to my face. I'm sure it will be a fun time. Camille feels completely left out and has been demanding all of my attention. My dear husband was kind enough to get me sick and then abandon me to entertain Camille alone. What a sweetheart. She's expecting an entire 4 days dedicated to "girl time". So far we fed the ducks, went to the park, ate out, and watched American Idol with special treats. There's only so much a sick girl can do. Wish me luck.

From left to right in the photo: Dave & Laura Gibson, Brian Hupke, Hans Rasmussen, Haldan & Connor Rasmussen, and Mike Strope

DAY 111

jungle gym: n. A structure of poles and bars for children to climb and play on.

Uncle Hans came for a visit and the kids enjoyed climbing all over him. They think he's a jungle gym and he's a good sport about it. Tomorrow the boys leave early for their adventure on Lake Erie.

DAY 110

"Mom, enough is enough!"

This photo was taken towards the end of a long day. Right after school we started almost immediately... costume, make-up, hair, etc. Then the photos started. This was dress rehearsal at the studio and I took many photos trying to get just the right one. This scowl only frustrated me. When I got home and reviewed the photos I realized that this picture really captured the moment. I know should the children ever become famous they will have no problem with paparazzi... they live it on a daily basis. I've tried to venture out to other venues from time to time, but my kids are such wonderful subjects, scowls and all!!

DAY 109

"Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed." -Corita Kent

DAY 108

"The most interesting thing about the weeping willow and its willow family cousins is it medicinal history. Cultures as far back as Mesopotamian recognized and wrote about the medical uses of willow bark. Early American cultures also discovered that willow bark had medical uses and the most common one was in the relief of pain and inflammation. In the 18th Century, the active extract in the bark was isolated. It was a substance called salicin. When salicin is in solution in water it is very acidic. This acid is called salicylic acid. Just before the start of the 20th Century, a chemist created a substance based on salicylic acid that was not as tough on the stomach. This substance was ultimately named aspirin."-Aazdak Alisimo

DAY 107

"I find chopsticks frankly distressing. Am I alone in thinking it odd that a people ingenious enough to invent paper, gunpowder, kites and any number of other useful objects, and who have a noble history extending back 3,000 years haven't yet worked out that a pair of knitting needles is no way to capture food?" -Bill Bryson

We have a new restaurant in town and I give it two thumbs up! It's called Jiamen; location is on Edgewood Rd near the large Hy-Vee. I had lunch today with my friend Joy. I tried the fried noodles with beef. The menu is a little pricey, but less expensive at lunch time.

In other news:

Our house is starting to smell less smokey, but 4 of my cabinets in the kitchen have a horrific odor still that I can't seem to get out. I'm starting to worry. You name it and I've tried it... baking soda, vinegar, soap, dawn, lysol, comet, odor absorbing spray, charcoal plug ins, etc. I've wiped all surfaces more times than I can count and yet there are still cracks I'm finding soot in. I've been running fans non stop for 4 days now and have had the windows and doors open as much as possible. My kids have been complaining about how cold it is in the house. I even got out the blow dryer this morning thinking that if I heated the wood back up maybe I could extract the smell back out of it. My husband thinks it needs more time, but I'd like to put my kitchen back together. I've taken everything out of cabinets, thrown all paper products away. We even took the doors off the hinges and had them outside to air the last two days. Next on the list is the ozone treatment or sanding the cabinets, but I've heard mixed reviews about the ozone treatment and wood and sanding seems drastic. I need to be patient, but it's never been my best virtue. If you have any other ideas please pass them along. I really don't want to have to buy new cabinets.

After almost 3 months of waiting we finally signed papers today to refinance our home here at an amazing 4.875%. We were able to do a VA loan. The rates have come a long way since our first VA loan, but the paper work and requirements are much more involved now. When we started the loan back in January we locked in at 5%, but after two months it was no longer locked in. Luckily the rates went down more and we were able to get this rate. As I was signing papers today I was thinking how blessed we are to still have a home to refinance after the toast caught fire this week and nearly burned the house down... even if it is a smelly house.

DAY 106

"It's beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart."

Tonight was Camille's "Barnyard Moosical". Camille was a sheep and her friend Kate was a cow. I didn't realize how similar they are until tonight. They both wore braids today and took them out for the program, they both have a space between their front teeth, they both bite their nails, and they even have matching hickeys on their arms. (Unfortunately I think Camille was the bad influence there.) Now I know why Camille has been wanting a cell phone. Yes, Kate has one. No, Camille is not getting one anytime soon.

Haldan and I had a good laugh with this one called "Funky Chicken". Haldan was laughing so hard he had a hard time keep the camcorder still and he actually had tears rolling down his cheeks by the end. This was Camille's favorite song. Camille is the one in front with the sheep mask and the longer white dress. To hear the music on the video you'll have to stop the music on the blog (right column). Enjoy!

DAY 105

“Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.” George Washington

The first president of our country spoke wise words that are still prevalent today!

America bans together today with TEA PARTY PROTESTS across the nation.
I'm happy to report that even Cedar Rapids, IA was involved in this historic event.

The original tea party happened in Boston and was one of the most memorable events from our nation’s revolt against British rule. The original tea party took place in Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773. Today, a new kind of “tea party” has organized and events are taking place all over America to protest high taxes, and the new taxes proposed by the Obama administration.

"Toast"

DAY 104

9:45 AM It’s been thirty minutes now and I’m still shaking.

8:50AM I drove the kids to school, came home, and decided I should probably eat some breakfast before work. I’ve never been much of a morning eater, but decided I’d eat some toast.

9:05 AM I put some bread in the toaster and pushed down the lever. I went to the office to print a quick receipt. (I ordered some photos online at Wal-Mart that didn’t work out so well and they told me I needed to print the email confirmation… a whole other story in itself.) I was trying to find it and the computer froze and I couldn’t get it to do anything. About this time I smelled the toast. I just figured it’d popped and I could get it in a minute.

Side note: Our toaster hasn’t been working well lately. It doesn’t matter which setting it’s on or how light you set it… it always burns. So, I just thought, “I’ll probably have to toast a couple new slices.”

9:08 AM It was about this time that the smoke alarms started going off in the house. I rushed to the kitchen to find my toast on fire, literally! It was then that I realized it never popped up and that the toaster must have malfunctioned. Within seconds the entire house was engulfed in smoke and every single smoke alarm was going off. I unplugged the toaster.

9:09 I panicked and couldn’t think of what to do. I opened every door and started opening windows when I realized the toast was still on fire. I took it outside and put out the fire and proceeded to open windows and turn on the fans.

9:15 AM I got out the broom to try to get the smoke alarms to stop because it was exceptionally nerve racking! Nothing was working and the house was still filled with smoke.

9:17 AM I called Haldan and left a message. I said, “This is an emergency-I need help!” Now I know it was a very stupid thing to say, but I have been pre-programmed. Whenever I try to call him at work they always ask, “Is this an emergency?” with the reply always the same, “No, I just really need to talk to him.”

9:18 AM I called again and this time he picked up. He didn’t like the panicked state I was in and told me to calm down and explain what was going on. Within a few minutes of talking the alarms finally stopped. What a relief. The one in the living room is impossible to reach with the vaulted ceiling.

At this point it was maybe 15 minutes since it all started and Haldan asked if I’d taken a picture. Yeah, right. My house is about to burn to the ground, but I’m going to grab my camera? He suggested I do it now that things had calmed down. The toast looked black and very charred; one even had red coals like in the fire pit at the end of a long night. But the worst of it was over and there was really nothing spectacular to take a picture of at this point except for the extremely burned; past black toast.

9:25 AM I attempted a few pictures, but they definitely didn’t do it justice.

9:30 AM I continued to try to get the smoke out of the house & wiped down some of the kitchen.

9:50 AM I finished getting ready; debated another shower, but decided there was not enough time.

10:10 AM I had to leave for work and didn’t take extra time to change my clothes. It wasn’t until I’d left the house that I realized how bad I smelled. My clothes and hair were a constant reminder all day of the toast that caught on fire. My hair smelled so bad I pulled it back to try to lessen the smell. I couldn’t decide if I smelled like an ashtray or someone who’d spent days at a campfire.

1:45 PM This is about the time that Haldan got home today. He opened the doors back up, started more fans, and wiped down the brown ashy residue under the cabinets.

3:45 PM Picked kids up from school and went straight to our dentist appointments. Noticed a huge mark on Camille’s arm. When I questioned her about it she said she was bored so she sucked on her arm. The quick summary: she gave herself a hickey.

4:00 PM Haldan and I had check ups while the kids stayed in the waiting area. That lasted only about half way through our appointment and I could here them fighting. The receptionist sent them back to sit with us.

4:50 PM Good Check up. No cavities. Rescheduled.

5:05 PM Got home and realized just how bad the smell was. The entire cabinets reeked even after Haldan scrubbed them. I did more scrubbing and was still getting a yellow substance off.

5:45 PM Camille and I went to Wal-Mart to try to clear up the picture mess and picked up a few groceries while Haldan and Connor were at soccer practice.

6:50 PM Got home, reminded again of the horrible, pukey smell! Put away groceries.

7:15 PM We had chili for dinner. Haldan was right, it did hit the spot tonight. (Our house feels like an ice box with the windows open and every fan going.)

7:50 PM Downloaded pictures and sorted through them to try to find a suitable picture for the day.

8:00 PM “Jammies, brush teeth, bed.”

8:10 PM Researched how to get smoke smell out of house after a small fire. Not that successful. Learned that once things cool down and the smoke subsides that the pores in wood shrink and they tend to trap smells. Not what I wanted to hear.

8:45 PM Kids still not asleep. Tucked in, lights out, final warning.

9:00 PM Finished story and started blog.

9:15 PM Downloaded picture to photobucket and added “Toast” to playlist.

9:45 PM Finished blog.

Still need to clean kitchen and unwind from this crazy day!!

This is not the best photo, but it's a memory I will not readily forget!

DAY 103

"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance." Japanese Proverb

This is not the best picture, but if you knew how hard it was to get it you might actually think it was. The window to the room Camille practices is covered with vertical blinds and then there's a diamond shaped grid pattern on the window; nearly impossible to see through. Somehow I was able to get the camera through a crack and capture this pose. The girl in white in the background is Camille's friend Brook. She came over this afternoon after school and practiced this dance some with Camille. Tonight was the last practice. This is Camille's "tired, I can't do this much longer" look. She must have practiced that same song at least a dozen times today. Next week is the dress rehearsal... we're getting close to recital time! If you look closely you can see some remnants of the red streaks Camille put in her hair yesterday. (She got a streak and style kit for Easter.)

Other daily highlights: I made this cute tic-tac-toe board out of tile and rocks at an Enrichment activity this morning. Very cute idea, Kathy! The kids had fun playing with it after dinner. It can also be used outside and is very weather resistant.

The new clothing system seems to be working well. It doesn't take up any additional space, which is important to me with limited space. We used to have a different one, but it took up too much room in her closet. We laid out 6 outfits for the week together and this morning went without snags. So far so good! I forgot to mention the download also comes in pastels. If you missed the link you can find it here.

Haldan and I also met with Madison's principal today to share our opinions about the inappropriate sequence of events that led to our son viewing the puberty video without our consent. He was very understanding and respectful. The outcome: I will be able to come in and view the video at the school and he will create a read and sign parental form for the future. He also informed us that the girl's video starts in 3rd grade. I've heard that girls are starting their periods as early as 8 years of age these days. Are there any thoughts on why this might be? Hormones in foods, obesity??

DAY 102

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" -John 11:25

Free Download- Days of the Week Tags

My daughter is 7, but still whines every morning that she can't find anything to wear and wants me to help her. I thought this was a brilliant solution. Click here http://www.livinglocurto.com/?p=104 for the free download.

DAY 101

"I hope you never lose your sense of wonder..." -Lee Ann Womack

I wish I could be half as excited about anything as the children were about this easter egg hunt. They had lots of fun. In other news, it was a gorgeous day today... the first day our legs have seen the light of day in some time now. Haldan and Connor picked up his boat in Central City while Camille and I took in the new Hannah Montana movie. I also finally made a successful messy bun on Camille today. It looks like it would be easy, but it's not. I watched a great video on a blog dedicated to little girl's hair. If you're looking for fresh ideas, you should check it out! They include very good pictures and instructions as well. Have a Happy Easter!!

DAY 100

"Happiness equals reality minus expectations." -Tom Magliozzi

This is a quote I need to drill into my head... tonight I must have sat and looked over my mediocre pictures for at least an hour before I realized I didn't like any of them. My husband could see so many he liked for one reason or another, but they were all flawed to me. I tend to keep unrealistic expectations. I think I put added pressure on myself because of it being day 100 too. The eggs were definitely less than perfect... a few cracked while I was boiling them, the kids kept dripping the dye all over the other eggs, and when we attempted the "glitter" portion of the kit... it left snotty looking clumps as Haldan put it. But it's ok. We'll hide them, then make deviled eggs out of them and eat them. Besides, the kids much prefer the candy filled ones. Life would be so much more enjoyable if I had no expectations at all!

The winner is...

March 1st place

March 2nd place

Thanks to all of you who took the time to vote. The 1st and 2nd place were only separated by 1 vote. So, if you don't like the results make sure to vote next time. It was an interesting mix of favorites though. There were alot of random ones this time; not so much the same. It's fun for me to see what people like. Hopefully I can get a couple of decent pics in April. So far it's been a rough go. I was hoping by now there would be more spring foliage... not so much the case.

DAY 99

"I used to walk ten miles to school, barefoot, in the snow, uphill, both ways..."

Who hasn't heard this phrase at least once in their life? I thought of it today as I watched my children walk to school. They have such a cush life and they don't even know it! I drive them to school almost every day of the school year. It's finally warm enough for them to walk and it makes for a much easier morning. Whether I'm doing laundry or getting ready for work... it's always a little stressful having to stop everything and drive them over to the school. The pokiness (by both), the fighting, and the habitual forgetting of one thing or another makes it not such a pleasant experience and can definitely sour my mood.

I'm sure this phrase is more of a cliche than anything else, but it reminds me how times are so much more different today than they were even 20 years ago. Twenty years ago I can't imagine that a 9 year old would have to watch a video about puberty.

We didn't even get so much as a note warning us of the talk that Connor would receive today. So, when he left for school I was entirely clueless! From what he's told us they discussed his anatomy and changes that will occur to his body. He remembered terms like testicles, sperm, and wet dream. I don't know if it's because it caught me so off guard, but I'm really disturbed by it. He's only 9! Between this and Oprah's sex ed today talking to 14 year old students about what occurs in middle school... I'm speechless! It is an interesting time we live in. Any thoughts out there? Am I just ultra conservative and out of touch?

On another note... Camille had to buy her backpack from me today. Lucky for her I got it 75% off, so it only cost her $5.00. They both get a new one at the beginning of the school year, but Camille's has already died, literally. I had this other one for next year, so I decided to let her know I only buy her one a year, but she could buy this one from me if she really wanted one. She must have really wanted it. I was really torn about it! This might make me seem like a mean mom, but I feared that if I just gave her the new one it wouldn't be reinforcing the principle of responsibility.

Parenting is so hard and exhausting some days.

DAY 98

"The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic."

-Henry Ward Beecher, Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit

No, we did not get a dog despite my children's many plees! As I was looking for photo ops today, I found Camille over at the neighbor's house playing with their dog. She was fascinated with the eye boogers and the amount of drool he possessed. They took him for a walk, held him by his front paws, tickled him, and even put him up in this tree. This poor pug, who they call "Frank" was a good sport and let the girls fawn all over him for quite some time before he gave me those sad, desperate eyes that seemed to say, "Help me."

As luck would have it for American Idol night tonight I made "Puppy Chow" for a treat. Since it ties in so nicely I thought I would share. Farewell Scott MacIntyre, Connor will miss you. (We each have our favorite American Idol contestants and that was one Connor was rootin' for.)

Puppy Chow

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Peanut Butter

1/4 cup Butter

1 cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

9 cups Crispix or Chex cereal (any flavor)

1-1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions:
1. Combine peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave for one minute then stir to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir well.
3. Place the 9 cups of Crispix or Chex cereal in a very large bowl.
4. Pour the peanut butter-chocolate mixture over the cereal and toss evenly, making sure all the cereal gets a good covering.
5. Coat with powdered sugar, sprinkling evenly over the cereal and tossing as you sprinkle to cover each piece well.

DAY 97

"The rules of soccer are very simple, basically it is this: if it moves, kick it. If it doesn’t move, kick it until it does."

Take notice of the untied shoes... TOTALLY Connor. This is the kid who doesn't stop to eat and definitely not to tie a shoe (or two in this case). When he's passionate about something, it's full speed ahead!! (Don't know where he gets that!)

DAY 96

Alfredo di Lelio owned and operated a small restaurant in Rome in 1914. He created a special light dish for his pregnant wife when she could not tolerate heavy tomato sauces. The original Alfredo was egg fettuccine with butter and parmigiano cheese. Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks often stopped into his establishment which in turn attracted other Hollywood actors and the dish was talked about and recreated in America with the addition of heavy cream.

Tonight was a hectic night as we hurried to get dinner on the table before Camille's dance. This is fast and easy to make... and the kids like it. They were having fun slurping the noodles! By having dinner before dance we were able to have a family night as well. We're going to use the Jasper's idea and attempt to "build a firm family foundation". We spent about a half hour sifting through legos and the goal is to fill the jar with the legos and once it's full we can have a fun family party. The catch is... we can only put legos into the jar when we see acts of kindness. I was at my wit's end with the name calling and fighting, so I thought this was worth a try.

DAY 95

"Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life." - S.D. Gordon

DAY 94

“Sometimes I wish I could go back to the days when I was seven and my biggest problem was what kind of dress to put on Barbie..."

DAY 93

"Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happens to you."

-Aldous Huxley

Finger Update

This is not intended for the faint of heart!

I finally got a photo of the finger while Haldan was changing his dressing. I think it's pretty gross. He's started running again even though it causes him pain. It actually hurts worse after as it throbs. He said the cold hurts it as well (sort of like a sensitive tooth). It'll be awhile before he can get in the pool again. This has certainly slowed his triathlon training. Send some positive healing vibes his way.

Moments By Months March 2009

It's time to vote for your favorite March photo!





You can glance at the calendar above or click on either the March archives or the Project 365 link to the right to review. Please vote! Leave a comment on the blog or email me- lish@mchsi.com.

DAY 92

Daffodils are one of the easiest plants to grow. They are relatively pest free, given that they are poisonous to many creatures. Few insects bother them. Rodents that feast on other bulbs like tulips and crocus won’t eat daffodil bulbs. Deer, which will eat almost anything if they’re hungry enough, won’t touch a daffodil. They also tolerate a wide range of climates, which is good if you live in Iowa. Today we had a nasty snow/sleet mix. This flower is an indicator that SPRING is actually coming, it's just taking it's sweet time.

DAY 91

The Crocodile's Toothache (one of our favorites)

by Shel Silverstein

The Crocodile

Went to the dentist

And sat down in the chair,

And the dentist said, "Now tell me, sir,

Why does it hurt and where?"

And the Crocodile said, "I'll tell you the truth,

I have a terrible ache in my tooth,"

And he opened his jaws so wide, so wide,

The the dentist, he climbed right inside,

And the dentist laughed, "Oh isn't this fun?"

As he pulled the teeth out, one by one.

And the Crocodile cried, "You're hurting me so!

Please put down your pliers and let me go."

But the dentist laughed with a Ho Ho Ho,

And he said, "I still have twelve to go-

Oops, that's the wrong one, I confess,

But what's one crocodile's tooth more or less?"

Then suddenly, the jaws went SNAP,

And the dentist was gone, right off the map,

And where he went one could only guess...

To North or South or East or West...

He left no forwarding address.

But what's one dentist, more or less?

A few highlights from our Wednesday:

• Good news to report... NO CAVITIES!! But the dentist said Connor may need a gum graft. I've never heard of a child needing that. Perhaps a second opinion is in order.
• Haldan received an automated phone call today that told him that all Duane Arnold personnel needed to report to work immediately; I thought we were having a nuclear melt down, but it turned out to be an error- or was it an April Fool's Joke?
• Connor tried to tell Haldan an April Fool's joke today, but failed miserably. He had to actually hold his mouth down so he didn't smile. We all had a good laugh and we learned he's a horrible liar unlike Camille who had a fun time telling lies all day long.
• Haldan pulled a 2 inch hair out of my ear today after I was complaining it felt weird. I could hear much better once it was removed- NO JOKE!!