There are lots of blog posts on the internet about all of the God-Forsaken quizzes you can take on Facebook, and trust that there posts about them for a reason. I have taken everything from "Which Book of the Bible Most Represents You" to "Are You Gay or Not?"* People take the quizzes because they are fun and sometimes you can get your friends to either stand up for you in defense against "You are The French Taunter from The Holy Grail" - or rail you for it because it's dead on.
There are also polls galore, though most of them recently have been about Michael Vick or Healthcare and you simply say "yes" "no" "maybe" or "what the hell - NO!"** I do a lot of these, mostly because I like to see the results. I think that Facebook is skewed, but I'm part of the skew so most often I find myself in the majority. (I don't think that Facebook is diverse enough, but that is true of a lot of the internet. Just a lower priority for a lot of people, and that's okay, but it needs to be said.) Some of the answers have surprised me from some folks, and so honest conversation has been had and I've been enlightened and enlightening.
I like knowing what other people are thinking - not only can it build community, but it can foster better conversations both online and offline. It's also kind of fun!
However. (and nothing good ever comes after however.)
In my opinion, polls have no place in news shows. Neither do Twitter Tweets, they are not news. I think that we are about five channels too deep on actual news coverage, and to be honest I have abandoned watching any TV news and just check around on the web for reliable news. All of the cable channels do it and it has got to stop. "@armonroe thinks that the Governor of California started the wildfires to gain publicity for his Surplus Yard Sale and it backfired" should never leave the lips of anyone on television, much less an agency intending to report on news.
It's not journalism, it's crap. Leave tweets to Twitter, polls to reliable institutions and the news to news makers.
/rant
*Are You Gay or Not quiz was several questions, but the last was simply "Are you gay?"
**What the hell - NO! was my answer to "Should Sarah Palin run for President"
September 04, 2009
August 24, 2009
Why I Am Glad Summer Is Over
This is really just a summer-in-review post since we have been fairly neglectful of Abby's blog in the last few months. There has been lots going on...
PHEW! Summer Break is winding down for Anny and Abby. Actually, they both go back to their regularly scheduled school days tomorrow and I have never been so happy to see someone go to work in my life. As I have had to sit at my desk, day after day, they have been out doing wonderful things with each other.
What kind of wonderful things? This summer they spent chunks of time in Downtown Silver Spring - every Wednesday to be exact. They have a wonderful children's program during the summer, which is perfectly located because if your child tires of the magician, workout routine or singer/songwriter, they can just go play in the massive play-on fountain area.
They also went on daytime dates with Anny's Aunt Jackie and Uncle Bill to the Museum of Natural History, complete with massive Mammoth and gigantor Whale. I know this because Abby's eyes still get huge when she talks about that whale! (no picture because it seems Anny does not carry either camera unless I am around.)
They have spent most Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Fairland Sports and Aquatics Complex in Laurel. During the summer they offer "Open Gym" two mornings a week where for $5 you get free run of their entire gymnastics room - trampolines, toddler-equipment, foam pit - for an hour. The other upside to this activity has been seeing some of Abby's friends there from week to week! (no picture again, sorry. It is a trend. The only reason we have the fountain picture is that Nana was there!)
On Thursday of last week they took advantage of cruddy weather and a great deal to go see Horton Hears a Who at Arundel Mills with friends. I still have yet to see that movie. It sounds like it was a good time.
They have had a few playdates with some of Abby's friends, including special trips to the pool. They have also had a lot of fun painting, coloring, going for walks around the lake and, well, whatever else came to mind! There has been lots of Elmo and Signing Time going on in our house, too.
All in all, Anny and Abby have had an excellent summer and are headed back to school this week. I've never been happier.
PHEW! Summer Break is winding down for Anny and Abby. Actually, they both go back to their regularly scheduled school days tomorrow and I have never been so happy to see someone go to work in my life. As I have had to sit at my desk, day after day, they have been out doing wonderful things with each other.
What kind of wonderful things? This summer they spent chunks of time in Downtown Silver Spring - every Wednesday to be exact. They have a wonderful children's program during the summer, which is perfectly located because if your child tires of the magician, workout routine or singer/songwriter, they can just go play in the massive play-on fountain area.
They also went on daytime dates with Anny's Aunt Jackie and Uncle Bill to the Museum of Natural History, complete with massive Mammoth and gigantor Whale. I know this because Abby's eyes still get huge when she talks about that whale! (no picture because it seems Anny does not carry either camera unless I am around.)
They have spent most Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Fairland Sports and Aquatics Complex in Laurel. During the summer they offer "Open Gym" two mornings a week where for $5 you get free run of their entire gymnastics room - trampolines, toddler-equipment, foam pit - for an hour. The other upside to this activity has been seeing some of Abby's friends there from week to week! (no picture again, sorry. It is a trend. The only reason we have the fountain picture is that Nana was there!)
On Thursday of last week they took advantage of cruddy weather and a great deal to go see Horton Hears a Who at Arundel Mills with friends. I still have yet to see that movie. It sounds like it was a good time.
They have had a few playdates with some of Abby's friends, including special trips to the pool. They have also had a lot of fun painting, coloring, going for walks around the lake and, well, whatever else came to mind! There has been lots of Elmo and Signing Time going on in our house, too.
All in all, Anny and Abby have had an excellent summer and are headed back to school this week. I've never been happier.
August 13, 2009
Another Garden Bust
In our garden this year we planted green beans, onions, carrots, radishes, green peppers and one squash plant. A second squash plant began to sprout around the 4th of July. We also did a few rows of lettuce seeds from two years ago, so we did not expect them to grow.
As a reward for our labor of planting, weeding, watering and feeding we got... two dozen green beans.
We had hoped there would be an "AND" after those words, but alas all that we got was green beans which have long since passed our plates. They were good, but we just did not have luck with the rest of it. I am blaming the weather, mostly, for our terrible farming season.
May in DC was terribly rainy. June was wet, but not very hot. July was a little warmer and more sunny, but drier. Ugh.
On the other hand - I would like to sing the praises of growing green beans for a family garden! Abby watched them all from sprout and now matter how much water they have gotten, they have grown and produced! I'm not sure if we will get more this year, but there is a decent chance of it! We grew some last year from seeds from day care!
Maybe I should take this as a reality check: either get better soil or stop trying! Definitely what I'm thinking is the case...
We are doing a lot better of a job at composting this year - we have put out two trash cans that we are putting scraps into and have done really well about it. We take our trash out about once a week now between what we can compost and what our town/county will let us recycle. (Could probably take it out less often, but we don't.) We found an extremely helpful, an slightly bizarre, link from Planet Green. Did you know you can compost pizza crusts? What about latex condoms*? Check out the whole list HERE!
Maybe next year we will have a wonderful garden, flowing and growing with fruits and vegetables to share with all. In the mean time, I am looking forward to the Farmer's Market this weekend!
*Debate has been happening amongst my friends about whether or not the condoms are supposed to be unused, and I don't know the answer so don't ask!
As a reward for our labor of planting, weeding, watering and feeding we got... two dozen green beans.
We had hoped there would be an "AND" after those words, but alas all that we got was green beans which have long since passed our plates. They were good, but we just did not have luck with the rest of it. I am blaming the weather, mostly, for our terrible farming season.
May in DC was terribly rainy. June was wet, but not very hot. July was a little warmer and more sunny, but drier. Ugh.
On the other hand - I would like to sing the praises of growing green beans for a family garden! Abby watched them all from sprout and now matter how much water they have gotten, they have grown and produced! I'm not sure if we will get more this year, but there is a decent chance of it! We grew some last year from seeds from day care!
Maybe I should take this as a reality check: either get better soil or stop trying! Definitely what I'm thinking is the case...
We are doing a lot better of a job at composting this year - we have put out two trash cans that we are putting scraps into and have done really well about it. We take our trash out about once a week now between what we can compost and what our town/county will let us recycle. (Could probably take it out less often, but we don't.) We found an extremely helpful, an slightly bizarre, link from Planet Green. Did you know you can compost pizza crusts? What about latex condoms*? Check out the whole list HERE!
Maybe next year we will have a wonderful garden, flowing and growing with fruits and vegetables to share with all. In the mean time, I am looking forward to the Farmer's Market this weekend!
*Debate has been happening amongst my friends about whether or not the condoms are supposed to be unused, and I don't know the answer so don't ask!
August 06, 2009
ROAD TRIP - Volume 3!
We just returned last week from a wonderful trip halfway across the country and back over the course of a week! I am not going to bore with an insanely long post, so I am breaking it up over the next few days. We were gone from Tuesday to Tuesday, for reference. The posts will be along the lines of:
Volume 1 - Let's Get the Hard Stuff Over First
Volume 2 - Iowa Family Time
Volume 3 - St Louis
Today I'm writing about our time in St Louis with Paul and Sarahlynn and the girls. I want to be completely honest about this - it's hard for us to visit their house, and it's not their fault. Or ours. Or anyone's really. Every time we go out there we think more and more about relocating there, which makes it a little hard to come home. Moving right along...
We arrived at their home just as Ellie and Ada were finishing up their lunch and getting ready for their naps. After a two minute "huh" from Abby as she adjusted to standing after sitting for a few hours, Sarahlynn took all three girls to Ellie's room for a quick story before their naps. Abby assumed, almost literally, the exact same position as the moments that we left St Louis at Christmas time: playing along the left side of Ellie's room, draped in beads! Too cute.
We had a great time catching up with some of P&S's friends for dinner the day that we arrived. I love pizza. I love good people. Get me good pizza and good people and I'm one of the happiest guys around. (Their little boy is incredibly cute, too. I was just glad that Abby did not crash him over on her way around the couches!)
A while back I had hatched an idea while at Ikea - they have a three-picture-frame that I have always wanted to put in our house, but never found a place/need for. (Ask Anny - I'm anti-hanging for the most part, but only at our house.) Since this is the third summer that Abby, Ellie and Ada have seen each other, and we have had professional pictures done the last two summers, we should get the frame and do another photo shoot, and our window really left only Thursday morning. It was hard to get all three girls, each with very different attention spans, facing the same way and smiling at the same time. While the very last shot was the best, I am putting this one up because it totally captures Abby lately - laid back and letting others do the hard work:
On Thursday evening we took a trip out to a local wildlife refuge (I wish I knew the name) where they do not allow guns, pets or running. I've been to places that do not allow the first two, but I have never been to a park that did not allow running. It is a beautiful facility - paved paths through the woods and hills were perfect, though a bit slippery from the downpour just prior to our arrival. I am pretty sure that each of us, parents and children slipped, though Sarahlynn came out the worst by tweaking her knee. I did manage to nail a perfect picture of a leaf, but something in the background messed up my shot:
(So embarrassed that I screwed this shot up so badly!)
So on Friday we left from St Louis to Iowa, but came back to St Louis on Sunday for a few more hours to be able to spend with Ellie and Sarahlynn, as they did not make the trip because of an important obligation at home. We arrived to a wonderfully light dinner (after eating in Iowa, it was just right!) and chatted the night away once the girls were asleep.
Our plan for Monday was very fluid - our only real travel goal was to make it to Columbus, OH, on our first day of travel, because it is pretty much half way and would make our second day easier. In the morning we decided to tag along to chit chat while Ellie had swim lessons, and then spend a few minutes in the pool afterwards. It ended up that we played in the pool for almost an hour!We I had a blast playing with all three of our girls, as well as having water dumped on me by other people's children.
After a lunch of Imo's Pizza (is there anything better?!?) we finished loading up the car and hit the road.
In retrospect of the whole trip, the drive from DC suburbs to St Louis suburbs is a long one, but a fairly easy to do trip. We will be pretty quick to make this trip again in the future, no matter which direction we might be headed.
Volume 1 - Let's Get the Hard Stuff Over First
Volume 2 - Iowa Family Time
Volume 3 - St Louis
Today I'm writing about our time in St Louis with Paul and Sarahlynn and the girls. I want to be completely honest about this - it's hard for us to visit their house, and it's not their fault. Or ours. Or anyone's really. Every time we go out there we think more and more about relocating there, which makes it a little hard to come home. Moving right along...
We arrived at their home just as Ellie and Ada were finishing up their lunch and getting ready for their naps. After a two minute "huh" from Abby as she adjusted to standing after sitting for a few hours, Sarahlynn took all three girls to Ellie's room for a quick story before their naps. Abby assumed, almost literally, the exact same position as the moments that we left St Louis at Christmas time: playing along the left side of Ellie's room, draped in beads! Too cute.
We had a great time catching up with some of P&S's friends for dinner the day that we arrived. I love pizza. I love good people. Get me good pizza and good people and I'm one of the happiest guys around. (Their little boy is incredibly cute, too. I was just glad that Abby did not crash him over on her way around the couches!)
A while back I had hatched an idea while at Ikea - they have a three-picture-frame that I have always wanted to put in our house, but never found a place/need for. (Ask Anny - I'm anti-hanging for the most part, but only at our house.) Since this is the third summer that Abby, Ellie and Ada have seen each other, and we have had professional pictures done the last two summers, we should get the frame and do another photo shoot, and our window really left only Thursday morning. It was hard to get all three girls, each with very different attention spans, facing the same way and smiling at the same time. While the very last shot was the best, I am putting this one up because it totally captures Abby lately - laid back and letting others do the hard work:
On Thursday evening we took a trip out to a local wildlife refuge (I wish I knew the name) where they do not allow guns, pets or running. I've been to places that do not allow the first two, but I have never been to a park that did not allow running. It is a beautiful facility - paved paths through the woods and hills were perfect, though a bit slippery from the downpour just prior to our arrival. I am pretty sure that each of us, parents and children slipped, though Sarahlynn came out the worst by tweaking her knee. I did manage to nail a perfect picture of a leaf, but something in the background messed up my shot:
So on Friday we left from St Louis to Iowa, but came back to St Louis on Sunday for a few more hours to be able to spend with Ellie and Sarahlynn, as they did not make the trip because of an important obligation at home. We arrived to a wonderfully light dinner (after eating in Iowa, it was just right!) and chatted the night away once the girls were asleep.
Our plan for Monday was very fluid - our only real travel goal was to make it to Columbus, OH, on our first day of travel, because it is pretty much half way and would make our second day easier. In the morning we decided to tag along to chit chat while Ellie had swim lessons, and then spend a few minutes in the pool afterwards. It ended up that we played in the pool for almost an hour!
After a lunch of Imo's Pizza (is there anything better?!?) we finished loading up the car and hit the road.
In retrospect of the whole trip, the drive from DC suburbs to St Louis suburbs is a long one, but a fairly easy to do trip. We will be pretty quick to make this trip again in the future, no matter which direction we might be headed.
August 02, 2009
ROAD TRIP! - Volume 2
We just returned from a wonderful trip halfway across the country and back over the course of a week! I am not going to bore with an insanely long post, so I am breaking it up over the next few days. We were gone from Tuesday to Tuesday, for reference. The posts will be along the lines of:
Volume 1 - Let's Get the Hard Stuff Over First
Volume 2 - Iowa Family Time
Volume 3 - St Louis
Today I'm writing about our time in Iowa. A little history is that Anny's mother was born and raised in Iowa. We've gone back a couple of times since we've been married. Twice for weddings, once purely for a reunion and twice more for memorial services. Our trip last week was planned as reunion, but also turned into a time of remembrance with a memorial service on Saturday.
The family is large and great fun to be around. I began to write out a list of who was there, but it's incredibly long. Let me just say that the family extends across our country, and into Australia. A lot of the family lives in Iowa, though, and sees each other fairly often. We get to see them on occasion. There are cousins, spouses, aunts and uncles, and a whole gaggle of children from the ages of nine months to ten years, including two sets of twins.
The thing that hit me, right off of the bat, is that Abby melded into the group of strangers-to-her incredibly quickly. Within moments of arriving she had already laid claim to the swings, and begun to learn names. The last time that Abby had seen anyone in the group (aside from Jim and Carol, my In Laws) was two years ago, when she was six weeks old. We did do some preliminary work with Abby a few weeks ago - we began talking about the family members, and showing her pictures of the children in an effort to get her comfortable. The reality is that pictures are simply pictures - they did not show personality, voice or mannerisms - but I can assure you that it helped!
On Saturday we spent a good deal of the day focused on the past. Anny's grandmother passed away this spring, and since the family was coming together this summer, it was decided that the memorial service would wait until we were all together. Anny's "Aunt" Robyn and her husband John even traveled from Australia! The service was at the church that Carol grew up in, which was not near the family "homestead" so part of the day was spent traveling. We made sure to find a Starbucks on the way! We arrived early enough for the ladies of the church to serve lunch to the family.
The service was very nice, though very short. I learned a lot about the life of Grandma Greenfield, but only between trying to keep Abby quiet. At one point, the only reason Abby was talking was to huff and say "NO QUIET!" This typically happened during quiet times, of course. Paul had come prepared, but Abby tired quickly of every toy and book presented to her. Oh well. It appears that nobody minded.
Following the service, we were once again treated to goodies by the ladies of the church. It's part of their makeup to be completely hospitable. If I'm not mistaken, it was the same ladies who provided goodies for us two years ago when we gathered to remember Anny's grandfather.
Following the service we all gathered back at The Timber (the property owned by Anny's Aunt and Uncle with two houses on it.) for dinner and some visiting with each other. The children did absolutely anything they wanted, from swinging to bubbles, and the adults had a great time just spending time together. It was a perfect evening to be outside and with good people and good conversation. Following dinner the Aunts drove around the Timber to spread grandma's ashes. It really seemed to bring closure for everyone in a very productive way. It was much more neat than weird, to be honest. (My grandmother and her mother are still waiting to be spread...)
While our time was short in Iowa, it was really great to be with the larger family. I have this fantasy that the next time we get everyone together I want everyone to bring their wedding albums. I want us to have an intentional way to talk about the good things that have happened for everyone, and I realized on the way home (the looong way home) that I have never actually heard how Jim and Carol met, much less anything about the way that others met, or the special days that they were married. I'm a dork, but I think it would be fun...
(A whole lot more happened in Iowa, but I don't want this post to take days to read! The next post will be on our time in St Louis, which was just as short but even more awesome! Honestly, folks, the whole trip was incredible!)
Volume 1 - Let's Get the Hard Stuff Over First
Volume 2 - Iowa Family Time
Volume 3 - St Louis
Today I'm writing about our time in Iowa. A little history is that Anny's mother was born and raised in Iowa. We've gone back a couple of times since we've been married. Twice for weddings, once purely for a reunion and twice more for memorial services. Our trip last week was planned as reunion, but also turned into a time of remembrance with a memorial service on Saturday.
The family is large and great fun to be around. I began to write out a list of who was there, but it's incredibly long. Let me just say that the family extends across our country, and into Australia. A lot of the family lives in Iowa, though, and sees each other fairly often. We get to see them on occasion. There are cousins, spouses, aunts and uncles, and a whole gaggle of children from the ages of nine months to ten years, including two sets of twins.
The thing that hit me, right off of the bat, is that Abby melded into the group of strangers-to-her incredibly quickly. Within moments of arriving she had already laid claim to the swings, and begun to learn names. The last time that Abby had seen anyone in the group (aside from Jim and Carol, my In Laws) was two years ago, when she was six weeks old. We did do some preliminary work with Abby a few weeks ago - we began talking about the family members, and showing her pictures of the children in an effort to get her comfortable. The reality is that pictures are simply pictures - they did not show personality, voice or mannerisms - but I can assure you that it helped!
On Saturday we spent a good deal of the day focused on the past. Anny's grandmother passed away this spring, and since the family was coming together this summer, it was decided that the memorial service would wait until we were all together. Anny's "Aunt" Robyn and her husband John even traveled from Australia! The service was at the church that Carol grew up in, which was not near the family "homestead" so part of the day was spent traveling. We made sure to find a Starbucks on the way! We arrived early enough for the ladies of the church to serve lunch to the family.
The service was very nice, though very short. I learned a lot about the life of Grandma Greenfield, but only between trying to keep Abby quiet. At one point, the only reason Abby was talking was to huff and say "NO QUIET!" This typically happened during quiet times, of course. Paul had come prepared, but Abby tired quickly of every toy and book presented to her. Oh well. It appears that nobody minded.
Following the service, we were once again treated to goodies by the ladies of the church. It's part of their makeup to be completely hospitable. If I'm not mistaken, it was the same ladies who provided goodies for us two years ago when we gathered to remember Anny's grandfather.
Following the service we all gathered back at The Timber (the property owned by Anny's Aunt and Uncle with two houses on it.) for dinner and some visiting with each other. The children did absolutely anything they wanted, from swinging to bubbles, and the adults had a great time just spending time together. It was a perfect evening to be outside and with good people and good conversation. Following dinner the Aunts drove around the Timber to spread grandma's ashes. It really seemed to bring closure for everyone in a very productive way. It was much more neat than weird, to be honest. (My grandmother and her mother are still waiting to be spread...)
While our time was short in Iowa, it was really great to be with the larger family. I have this fantasy that the next time we get everyone together I want everyone to bring their wedding albums. I want us to have an intentional way to talk about the good things that have happened for everyone, and I realized on the way home (the looong way home) that I have never actually heard how Jim and Carol met, much less anything about the way that others met, or the special days that they were married. I'm a dork, but I think it would be fun...
(A whole lot more happened in Iowa, but I don't want this post to take days to read! The next post will be on our time in St Louis, which was just as short but even more awesome! Honestly, folks, the whole trip was incredible!)
July 30, 2009
ROAD TRIP! Volume 1
We just returned from a wonderful trip halfway across the country and back over the course of a week! I am not going to bore with an insanely long post, so I am breaking it up over the next few days. We were gone from Tuesday to Tuesday, for reference. The posts will be along the lines of:
Volume 1 - Let's Get the Hard Stuff Over First
Volume 2 - Iowa Family Time
Volume 3 - St Louis
Volume 1 - Let's Get the Hard Stuff Over First
The reality is that we just put 1,748 miles on our beloved Pontiac Vibe, and rode an additional 950 or so miles in the Grand Minivan! This is by far the longest road trip that Anny and I have taken together, by about 2,500 miles!
The decision to start with the Hard Stuff is mine and mine alone. I tend to look at the bad before getting to the good so that in the end the focus is the good. With that in mind...
About two hours into our drive our car broke! Unbelievable, right? We were driving through the mountains in Western Maryland when we heard a very loud POP! Assuming that something had fallen off of the trucks around us we kind of ignored the noise. Moments later we heard a very loud and low pitched "whooooooo" sound that was not going away. We pulled over and checked under the hood, around the whole car and even on top. We found that the rubber seal that the drivers window fits into had come undone from the car. Completely bizarre, but also too loud to ignore for the whole trip!
I went completely ghetto/rednecky and "fixed" it by tying a grocery bag around the door frame to hold the weatherstripping as closely as it would to where it actually belonged. Lucky for us, it lasted the whole trip, but I will admit that I found it to be ominous, as we had not left our own state and we had a long journey. I'm glad it was not ominous, but funny in the end.
On Tuesday night we made it to our goal destination of Columbus, Ohio! The hotel we stayed in, though, had an out-of-order hot tub and their "heated" pool was chilly. Our goal of playing until Abby was close to crashing to sleep failed because the water woke more than it soothed!
Abby's cousin Ada was (jokingly) bad influence. They were incredibly great together with a very few exceptions. The bad part is that Abby has picked up some nuances from Ada, like declaring her toys to herself (again, which had dissipated since school ended) and, more cutely, claims her stuffed sheep is named Baa, just like Ada's. I assume it will pass, but it's humorous.
That's it. That's all of the bad, out of the whole trip! I'm looking forward to sharing some of the other fun stuff from our travels, but that will have to wait until tomorrow or the weekend...
Volume 1 - Let's Get the Hard Stuff Over First
Volume 2 - Iowa Family Time
Volume 3 - St Louis
Volume 1 - Let's Get the Hard Stuff Over First
The reality is that we just put 1,748 miles on our beloved Pontiac Vibe, and rode an additional 950 or so miles in the Grand Minivan! This is by far the longest road trip that Anny and I have taken together, by about 2,500 miles!
The decision to start with the Hard Stuff is mine and mine alone. I tend to look at the bad before getting to the good so that in the end the focus is the good. With that in mind...
About two hours into our drive our car broke! Unbelievable, right? We were driving through the mountains in Western Maryland when we heard a very loud POP! Assuming that something had fallen off of the trucks around us we kind of ignored the noise. Moments later we heard a very loud and low pitched "whooooooo" sound that was not going away. We pulled over and checked under the hood, around the whole car and even on top. We found that the rubber seal that the drivers window fits into had come undone from the car. Completely bizarre, but also too loud to ignore for the whole trip!
I went completely ghetto/rednecky and "fixed" it by tying a grocery bag around the door frame to hold the weatherstripping as closely as it would to where it actually belonged. Lucky for us, it lasted the whole trip, but I will admit that I found it to be ominous, as we had not left our own state and we had a long journey. I'm glad it was not ominous, but funny in the end.
On Tuesday night we made it to our goal destination of Columbus, Ohio! The hotel we stayed in, though, had an out-of-order hot tub and their "heated" pool was chilly. Our goal of playing until Abby was close to crashing to sleep failed because the water woke more than it soothed!
Abby's cousin Ada was (jokingly) bad influence. They were incredibly great together with a very few exceptions. The bad part is that Abby has picked up some nuances from Ada, like declaring her toys to herself (again, which had dissipated since school ended) and, more cutely, claims her stuffed sheep is named Baa, just like Ada's. I assume it will pass, but it's humorous.
That's it. That's all of the bad, out of the whole trip! I'm looking forward to sharing some of the other fun stuff from our travels, but that will have to wait until tomorrow or the weekend...
July 14, 2009
Getting Settled In
Just some quick notes as I look back on my office's relocation during the end of June and beginning of July to share with everyone:
It was not helpful that:
It was really helpful that:
Since I have not actually arranged my book case and this is our third week in the office, I think I will tackle that first this this morning when I get to work!
And the office relocation accounts for why I have not been blogging for the last month - by the time I get home in the evening I'm doing my best to spend all of my time with my sweeties.
It was not helpful that:
- We had to move. We HAD to move, though, since our lease expired.
- I had to work Saturday. That's life, and an occasional Saturday is much better than my schedule was at Glenkirk!
- Instructions were not exactly right. The packers expected certain things that we did not anticipate. It happens.
- We hired movers. I "helped" get ONE file cabinet onto the dolly. I can not imagine how long it would have taken without professionals.
- We asked for only essential staff on Friday and Saturday, so there were not many people in the way.
- Labels - Labels - Labels! I was able to help someone at the new office find a box of cables that should probably have been hand carried over.
It was really helpful that:
- We moved over a weekend, whether I like it or not. Our office was down for two days instead of four.
- I got "old office" duties, so I got to leave earlier than the folks at the new place.
- I was able to access the internet through the wireless signal at another office. Just nice, I guess.
Since I have not actually arranged my book case and this is our third week in the office, I think I will tackle that first this this morning when I get to work!
And the office relocation accounts for why I have not been blogging for the last month - by the time I get home in the evening I'm doing my best to spend all of my time with my sweeties.
July 13, 2009
Swim Class Graduate!
Abby has successfully completed the "Bubblers 1" swimming class at the same swimming pool that I took all of my swimming classes many years ago! She was more comfortable on the first night than on the last, but all of the children were breaking down at that point!
She got check marks on all of the boxes, meaning that they think she can do all of the required things to... well to continue to cling on to mom, dad or any human available. She is much better at being dunked and holding her breath, as well as kicking and moving her arms in a manner that could be considered swimming. Getting all three of those things to happen at the same time will be coming in the future, but probably not this summer!
New Words Learned from the experience: Lessons, Suit Bathing (bathing suit) and Swimsuit
June 12, 2009
Dear Abby - You're Two
(Idea stolen from dozens of people, sorry.)
Dear Abby,
Today you turn two years old! You've grown so much since we first brought you home on June 12, 2007. Your mom and I wanted for a long, long time to have you in our lives, and we could not feel more blessed than we do when we are with you.
You are the light of my life, and of moms, too. Everything we do now goes through a filter of "how will this work for Abby" without even thinking it on purpose. I sometimes think that you are the reason your mom likes me so much, but don't tell her I said that.
In the past year you have learned so much that it blows my mind. On your first birthday you could not walk, and today you are running, literally in circles, wherever you please. You could only say a few words, and sign a few others. Now you are very good with both, and even when you babble it is wonderment to me.
Last night you even sang us a song, which I assume is titled "La La" and I am sure that I could never reproduce it, but you were sure it was a song and told us so.
Your bigger family loves you, as well. All of the locals will be here for your party, and we will see everyone else over the summer. You diligently learned everyone's names from their pictures, and do really well at matching pictures with real faces. That still amazes me, since I struggle sometimes with that.
You love your friends, teachers and babies (your three categories, not mine) at school. You recite their names as if to remind us who they are, even when we are at home. Always when we are at home, come to think of it. I hope you never lose track of your friends, and they of you.
You are tentative in a new place, but only for a few moments. Once you have judged something (or someone) safe, you're off and we have to pull you away. I'm grateful for your happiness around strangers and friends alike.
We are lucky that you are willing to try new foods, and always just a little disappointed when you call too quickly for "chicken" if you don't like a new food. I am persistent, though, and will get you to like asparagus soon enough!
I am looking forward to the next year of your life as much as I have the last year, and the one before that. I am ready to be amazed by what you come up with, what you do, and how you grow.
Abby, we love you more every day. I hope you always know that.
-Dad
Dear Abby,
Today you turn two years old! You've grown so much since we first brought you home on June 12, 2007. Your mom and I wanted for a long, long time to have you in our lives, and we could not feel more blessed than we do when we are with you.
You are the light of my life, and of moms, too. Everything we do now goes through a filter of "how will this work for Abby" without even thinking it on purpose. I sometimes think that you are the reason your mom likes me so much, but don't tell her I said that.
In the past year you have learned so much that it blows my mind. On your first birthday you could not walk, and today you are running, literally in circles, wherever you please. You could only say a few words, and sign a few others. Now you are very good with both, and even when you babble it is wonderment to me.
Last night you even sang us a song, which I assume is titled "La La" and I am sure that I could never reproduce it, but you were sure it was a song and told us so.
Your bigger family loves you, as well. All of the locals will be here for your party, and we will see everyone else over the summer. You diligently learned everyone's names from their pictures, and do really well at matching pictures with real faces. That still amazes me, since I struggle sometimes with that.
You love your friends, teachers and babies (your three categories, not mine) at school. You recite their names as if to remind us who they are, even when we are at home. Always when we are at home, come to think of it. I hope you never lose track of your friends, and they of you.
You are tentative in a new place, but only for a few moments. Once you have judged something (or someone) safe, you're off and we have to pull you away. I'm grateful for your happiness around strangers and friends alike.
We are lucky that you are willing to try new foods, and always just a little disappointed when you call too quickly for "chicken" if you don't like a new food. I am persistent, though, and will get you to like asparagus soon enough!
I am looking forward to the next year of your life as much as I have the last year, and the one before that. I am ready to be amazed by what you come up with, what you do, and how you grow.
Abby, we love you more every day. I hope you always know that.
-Dad
June 08, 2009
Abby Update at 23 months, 3 Weeks
I do not have official 24 month statistics just yet, we will have that appointment the week after school lets out, but last night I got Abby to stand on a scale and she came out at 29 pounds. Why would I do such a thing? Anny and I had just done it, and Abby wanted a turn.
As the end of the school year draws close we have gotten a detailed progress report on Abby's growth in abilities, from coloring to talking and from eating to dressing. It is fascinating to see that she has mastered almost everything for her age range, and that the next set of boxes had more checks than blanks. We're truly blessed with a child that loves to learn and try new things. (as long as there are chicken nuggets as backup, that is!)
Unfortunately, "dip" still pervades every meal that it can. If there is no ketchup for dipping around, Abby will make due with jelly of any flavor. She even sampled mint jelly when we were in Wyoming this spring!
Abby has mastered counting to ten, and on occasion will count to 11. We are using this as a tool for things already, as in "count to ten and your diaper change will be over" or "once we get to five you need to be in your" fill in the blank. She knows that if I get to five she is either in her place, or I will put her there. I think it's a hybrid of "classic" parenting and "hippie" parenting. We'll see how long it works.
Finally, Abby's ABC's are adorable. Aside from skipping everything from C to G, she always has a N-A-N-O-P. The funnier part, though, is that she knows there is a "double" something (W) at the end, and that often changes. I have heard everything from "double m" to "double c," though most often it's "double v." I'm proud of her for trying - it's a good potty time song, and can be used much in the same way as doing her numbers when needed.
As we gear up for her birthday weekend, which I believe began with a cake yesterday with the Wendy's Bunch from church, I will be reflecting on things. I hope to be blogging on those, but in reality I have a house to clean, orange cakes to help bake and a wonderful daughter and wife that are fun to hang out with. :o)
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Abby is currently teething, and has been for the last three weeks or so. She does not just have crankiness symptoms, but she has also slept longer on a couple of occasions and her diapers are... let's just say that if you want details you'll have to email me. I don't blog about gross stuff like that! We are hoping that she is through this soon for her sake, and ours!
As the end of the school year draws close we have gotten a detailed progress report on Abby's growth in abilities, from coloring to talking and from eating to dressing. It is fascinating to see that she has mastered almost everything for her age range, and that the next set of boxes had more checks than blanks. We're truly blessed with a child that loves to learn and try new things. (as long as there are chicken nuggets as backup, that is!)
Unfortunately, "dip" still pervades every meal that it can. If there is no ketchup for dipping around, Abby will make due with jelly of any flavor. She even sampled mint jelly when we were in Wyoming this spring!
Abby has mastered counting to ten, and on occasion will count to 11. We are using this as a tool for things already, as in "count to ten and your diaper change will be over" or "once we get to five you need to be in your" fill in the blank. She knows that if I get to five she is either in her place, or I will put her there. I think it's a hybrid of "classic" parenting and "hippie" parenting. We'll see how long it works.
Finally, Abby's ABC's are adorable. Aside from skipping everything from C to G, she always has a N-A-N-O-P. The funnier part, though, is that she knows there is a "double" something (W) at the end, and that often changes. I have heard everything from "double m" to "double c," though most often it's "double v." I'm proud of her for trying - it's a good potty time song, and can be used much in the same way as doing her numbers when needed.
As we gear up for her birthday weekend, which I believe began with a cake yesterday with the Wendy's Bunch from church, I will be reflecting on things. I hope to be blogging on those, but in reality I have a house to clean, orange cakes to help bake and a wonderful daughter and wife that are fun to hang out with. :o)
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Abby is currently teething, and has been for the last three weeks or so. She does not just have crankiness symptoms, but she has also slept longer on a couple of occasions and her diapers are... let's just say that if you want details you'll have to email me. I don't blog about gross stuff like that! We are hoping that she is through this soon for her sake, and ours!
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