Hello Again!

Hi there! Did you miss me? Life is hectic here in the sandwich generation. Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas and Hanukah is right around the corner. Not to mention ringing in the New Year! This weekend is another of out multi boy sleep overs which I am sure will make me ready for a long winter night!

Our Thanksgiving was a wonderful one. We had another new baby, welcome Caitlyn, Natalies little sister, and it was Lily the wonder dogs first inside family Holiday. Kids and dog went together very well. I sat and reflected on Thanksgivings past while waiting for midnight to start my cyber shopping. We are really blessed in so many ways. We have never been alone on Thanksgiving. We have always had family or friends around for a nice dinner and with wonderful conversation and laughter. Lee and I went out to lunch yesterday. We were sitting in Panara and at the table next to us was an older couple. We started talking and ended up spending 30 min. chatting about things past and present. It was nice. I'm hoping that when we are older there will be people we don't know willing to sit and chat for a min. We enjoyed taking just a small amount of time and sharing our day. This time of year is so busy. I hope you have time to sit down and have a chat with someone, if you know them or not. Take time to enjoy the season. Take care!

United Nations, Lite

The other day I was able to experience a middle school United Nations. Jakes school participated for the first time, along with about 7 other schools. There were approximately 200 kids. The topic that they had to work on was world hunger. Before meeting, the group that volunteered was broken into smaller groups. Then each was assigned a country and they had to research what that countries needs were, and how they could help. Then at the UN meeting, they all came together and started talking. It was really fun to see. These kids were grades 6-8. First they had to learn how to work with the delegates of their own group (country), then they had to work with other countries and try and get them to see their side of the issue. After all the meetings, there would be a proposal and the whole United Nations would vote on it. There seemed to be a lot of canals being dug. Never mind that some of them weren't really near water, or that they would have to run through several countries to get where the water was needed. There was also a lot of trading extra cash. These kids haven't had that big dose of reality yet. Why would a country object to having a canal run through it, just to get water to a neighbor in need? Why would a country object to giving another country money to buy food, seed, farm equipment and much needed clean water? If everything that they had come up with would actually work, it truly would indeed be a great accomplishment. It's harder to explain a country to a child when they haven't seen it in person. They don't live in an area with no running water, dirt floors, and people starving.   I would love to see a student US conference. It would be interesting what these kids would come up with to fight hunger in our own country. Do they know that some kids in their own city don't have breakfast or dinner? Do they realize there are kids in their own school that wouldn't have lunch if it wasn't paid for by the government? There is certainly a need all over the world to fight hunger. I just wish that we would start with our own country. Soon there will be food drives for the food banks, pantries and free store. If you see a good sale, stock up and drop if off. Every little bit helps! Take care!

Ditched at Sea!

This past summer we took a Caribbean cruise. It was very nice. We were on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas. That ship was huge! We were very impressed by the size of everything on the ship. We were on the 8th deck and there still was a lot of ship above us. Besides having a baby pool, splash pool, adult pool, regular pool and several jacuzzis, there was putt putt, rock climbing, wave riding and ice skating. Add in the theater where they played movies and broadway type shows, night clubs, teen clubs, and the casino, there was something going on the entire time we were on board. When we went to Alaska, we did a bunch of family things. Played games, watched movies or just watched the scenery as it glided by. There were mostly "mature" people on the Alaskan cruise. This time was very different. There was a teen club that actually had teens in it. There were kids everywhere. All ages, sizes, countries were represented. In the afternoon, there would be a parade of little ones through the shopping area. They would be dressed in that days arts and craft. It was always amusing to see them strut through smiling and waving at everyone. The group that seemed to vanish was the 12-14 group. We left on Sunday, by Monday afternoon we had been ditched. That's right. Jake would get up and walk with us to breakfast at 9:30 or 10:00. One of his new friends would materialize out of nowhere and mention that a group of them would be at that table over there. As Jake melted into the crowd, we would yell out a time and place to check in. By Tuesday I was hearing names like, Jordan, Justin, Cameron, Matt, Jasmine...countries like Norway, Germany, and Canada. Once is awhile there would be a glimpse of a teenager. Wed. we set some rules. Jake must eat one meal a day with us, dinner. Attending the after dinner show was optional, but we would like his company. That night after dinner, Jake said he would meet us at the theater entrance. He showed up on time, with four of his buddies in tow. That was when we realized that Jordan was female and from Orange County. Technically he did attend the show with us. He just didn't sit anywhere near us. Usually on the other side of the theater! There were activities planned for the teenagers from 10:00am-1:00am. This was time to let him have some space. What could happen? There is always the he could fall overboard thought, but we were confident that Jake would not put himself in any danger and as far as we know, he didn't. Jake had a taste of "freedom" during that cruise. He met all kinds of kids and he is still in touch with a few of them. The Freedom of the Seas gave Jake a taste of independence. It gave Lee and I a look of what's  to come. Being ditched. If you have to be ditched by your kid, it's nice that he did it on a cruise ship that had all kinds of fun things to do, for everyone!! Take Care!

The end is near!

Yes, the end is near, of summer that is. I cannot believe that it is the end of August already. As far as I'm concerned it's the beginning of June! School just let out and we have hot, sunny, lazy days ahead of us. Which we did, two months ago. How time flies! When I was younger, it seemed like summer lasted FOREVER! I spent my summers on my bike. I'd ride "uptown"Bright and meet my friends at Jot Em Down or Rencks store. We'd get a can of pop, sometimes it would be frozen, then off we'd go. We would then ride the loop, which took us through Logan, down Mt. Plesant and then back up Sneakville to Bright. There were no bike trails then. We rode on the road, up and down hills, and waved at all the cars as they went by. It took a couple of hours and we had a great time. We had no video games or air conditioning to keep us inside. The world was different then. I can't say that it was better, just different. I would love for Jake to be outside more, instead of laying on the couch glued to TV/iPad/PS3. But I also can't blame him for laying on the couch in a nice air conditioned room when it's 90* with 80% humidity. I would have loved that too. Add in allergies and I'm right there on the couch with him. Maybe that's what happened. I laid down on the couch and went into a TV coma. It started in June and ended the end of August. I know we went on vacation, I'll tell you that story later, and I started my business, it's just all a blur! Now, this coming weekend is Labor Day. The official end of summer weekend. The WEBN fireworks will happen on Sunday. The family will get together several times over the weekend for pool parties. The evenings will become cooler as will the mornings. It's already started. The mornings are brisk, I love that. I can sit outside with my coffee and enjoy the cool air, in my mind. In reality I am getting breakfast, packing lunches and driving the car pool. Yes, the end is near. Next year I will take a bit more time to enjoy summer! I hope that you created some wonderful moments this summer, there are more to come! Take Care!!

In the Summertime!

Today is a perfect summer day. It is warm and sunny with a light breeze blowing. The pool water is warm and we are hanging out on the patio. Lee and Jake are playing RISK, Lily the dog is laying stretched out asleep and I am just hangin. This reminds me of growing up. I have mentioned before that I grew up in Bright Indiana. When I lived there, it was really country. Many of the roads were gravel, the town consisted of three churches, a grave yard, two general stores, a gas station, firehouse and the grade school. Most of the land was farmed, and "sub divisions" didn't exist. Bright is very different today. Once Hidden Valley was developed in the 70's, there was a building boom in Bright. The roads are all paved, they have home pizza delivery and a Chinese place. There are many more businesses and restaurants than I ever imagined. However, the farmland is a thing of the past, and sub divisions are the norm.

When I was young there wasn't really anything to do in the summer. There weren't that many organized club sports, especially for girls. There weren't any malls to hang out at and no air conditioning. That left us to hang outside. You could look out and see the heat rise off the corn fields across the street. There was a small groove of trees with a creek across the road. I would spend hours over there, walking through the woods, imagining, and playing in the creek. That is where I found the frog eggs and brought them home. We put them in a container and watched them hatch.  The sounds and smells of summers past was very different. There would be the singing of birds, the rumble of a hay wagon, the crunch of the gravel on the road as the milk tank truck went back to pick up the Grubbs milk. Once every couple weeks the "grader" would come down the road and smooth out the gravel. This would cause a large dust cloud to settle all over the place. Mom would yell for us to shut the windows so the dust wouldn't get inside. The smells would vary from Spring to Fall. There was the sweet, clean smell of rain in the Spring. There was also the stinky smell of manure being spread to fertilize the fields. The summer would bring honey suckle and a yellow dusting of pollen from the tassels of the corn as we ran through the rows. At night we could hear the frogs and crickets and chased lighting bugs that seemed to be everywhere. We could see brown bats diving for bugs at our light outside. Greg and I would put a cloth over a rock and throw it up in the air to watch the bats dive for it. I have no idea what we thought we were doing. It just seemed right at the time. There would be the soft ground from the turned dirt in the garden. I loved running barefoot outside, I still do today. In the Fall, there was the smell of cut hay, and a crispness in the air. The garden was turned and put to bed for the winter and we would prepare for ice, snow and electric outages. We raised hogs, so we would have litters of piglets over the summer. Sometimes there would be a couple that were rejected by the sows and we would end up hand feeding them. We would ride our bikes up to Rencks store and buy ice cream, or go down to the grade school and play on the playground. It was a very different time. Today, as I sit in my backyard, watching my teenage son. There is a TV attached to the wall, a iPad on the table and his cell phone. I can hear the hum of the air conditioners and smell the grills being warmed up. I can still hear the birds and later on my yard will glow with fireflies. We will grill out and have a grand time. These are the memories Jake will have when he is older. Playing games on the patio, a sleeping dog, grilling out, warm pool water and he might even remember the birds and fireflies. Everyone remembers things differently. It's your own personal past. I hope that you have wonderful memories of summers past, and that you are making new memories this summer. Take care!

Happy Fathers Day!

Today is Fathers Day. My Dad is 81 and lives with me, so I get to see him every day. I'm very lucky to have a great Dad. The things I remember while growing up was sitting on the couch and Dad reading the comics to my brother and I on Sunday mornings. Dad making sure that when Mom was in the hospital, we stayed together as a family. Even though my Grandmother offered to keep me at her house.  Dad running around the yard holding on to my bike as I learned to ride. That led to my spending hours in the summer riding. Dad making a maze for my science project. I won first prize. Dad teaching me how to drive a stick shift. Dad walking me down the isle, on Fathers Day, 27 years ago. Dad coming to Guam and snorkeling even though he isn't a great swimmer. Dad coming to the Wal Mart parking lot with the truck when Lee and I bought a grill to big to fit in our car. Dad fixing EVERYTHING that needed to be fixed in our new house, and every place we have lived since. Dad holding my newborn son. Dad coming to every event my son and my nieces have been in. Dad teaching Lee and Jake how to fix things, sometimes. Dad going to the markets and craft shows to help me set up. Dad taking care of Lily, the new puppy, when no one else has time. She follows him around like a shadow. I have a great Dad. I hope that your Dad is still with you, and if not, I hope that you have wonderful memories of times together. By the way, I have a great Mom too! Take Care!

Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday Lee and I celebrated our 27th anniversary. It is hard for me to believe that I have been married that long. The statistics today for married people doesn't look good. Most people are married at least twice in their life times. You never know. Look at Liz Taylor and Marie Osmond. Who would have thought Marie Osmond would be married three times! She even  followed Lizs lead and married one husband twice. I have a friend who has been married twice, to the same man. They took a year or two off early on the their marriage. How does one keep it all straight? If you marry the same guy twice, do you celebrate the first or second date? I need to ask. If you forget the first date can you make it up on the second? Do you just celebrate both? Hmmm, that sounds like a plan. Lees parent were married over 50 years before my father in law passed away and my parents have been married 60 years. You don't really hear about that much anymore. June 17,1984 was a long time ago. We were different people then. Lee was a medical student who wasn't sure what type of medicine he wanted to practice. I was in college and not sure what I wanted to do, so we got married. The Navy entered our lives in the form of a scholarship and Lee decided on OB/GYN. Off to Virginia we went, then over seas to Guam. Those experiences formed us in some ways. We traveled more than we ever thought we would. We were able to see Bali, Singapore, Saipan, Hong Kong, with stops in Japan and China. Not the type of vacations we really thought we would be doing. We learned to scuba dive and became independent of "the family". Moving away was scary, but I feel that is helped us grow together. To not rely on anyone else but each other. When the time came to decide where we wanted to go, Cincinnati was the obvious choice. Both our families were here, and when you think about it, what do you do for vacations when you live away from your family. You take vacation to visit family. We decided to live in Cincinnati, not vacation there. It has been good. There is always ups and downs in marriage, and in life. It's nice to have someone to take that ride with you, even if the road is bumpy. Sometimes thats the fun of it. Becoming parents in our late 30's also changed us. You look at things differently. We were more settled than if we had been able to have Jake in our late 20's. Yes, Lee and I have changed over the years. One thing hasn't, that is our humor. Our very odd sense of humor seems to have stayed the same over all these years. Maybe that's why we have made it so long. We are able to laugh, at each other and with each other. Love makes the world go round, but laughter keeps it together. Take care!

Happy Memorial Day

Time is really flying by. I haven't updated in weeks and I have so many stories piling up! I decided that today would be a good day to look back. In the last few months I have gotten a vendors license, applied and gotten into several famers markets, and got my business off the ground. How did I do it? I was able to do it because of this wonderful country we live in. I am able, in my early 50's, to walk into the tax department and apply and receive a vendors license. I am able every Tuesday to set up shop on fountain square with other like minded people and sell my dog cookies. I can do this because of the beliefs that founded our country. I have two Navy men in my house. My father was in the Navy during the Korean War and Lee was in the Navy twice, once in the late 70's and then again in the late 80's/early 90's. We were already married on the second time around. Lee didn't "see action" the way Dad did. We weren't "at war" at those times. He was still ready, and willing, to go if needed. It's because of people like Dad and Lee that we can be free and sometimes stupid. We can protest what we think is wrong. We can vote, or not, for who we want to run the country and then complain about them when they are in office. There are some who feel the need to burn the flag and protest at military funerals, and they have the right to do so. Because men and women fought for our rights. It saddens me that when Jake was in grade school they sang America the Beautiful instead of the Star Spangled Banner. I was told it was easier to sing. Jake isn't sure about the words to the National Anthem. I plan on working on that this year. I want him to understand his roots. I want him to know that because of very brave men and women he can be free and feel safe. That    the freedom we enjoy did come with a price. So today, hug your family, and if they happen to be, or have been in the military, thank them for me. Take care!

Graduation Time!

This year I have two nieces and one nephew graduating from high school. As they say, time really flies by. I graduated high school in 1977. There were about 230 in my class. At that time, the friends you have in high school you think will be in your life forever. Most of the time, if you're lucky, one or two make it. Things change, you change, and time passes by. I am still in contact with two friends from high school, although I don't actually see them much. I am facebook friends with a few more. Graduation is a gateway into the world of adulthood. You go out into the world with the ideas of changing it. Making the world a better place. Gaining independence, and learning how to be an adult. It can be frightening, and exhilarating at the same time. Matt will stay in Columbus and go to Ohio State,  Jessi will head to St. Louis university, and Courtney will join her sister Gwen at Indiana University, in Bloomington. I can't help but look back at when they were born. Matt was this little thing, loves working with his hands and very creative. Courtney was born with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. Loves sports, being social, but still making the grades. Jessi is a born student athlete. There isn't a sport she can't excel at along with understanding the game. Loves both competition in academics and sports. They are all three so different, and all three ready to head out in the world to make a difference. To see the world as they see it is a real joy. I have my wishes for them. The main one is to be happy in what you do. I want you to be spared pain in relationships and in school, although those are the things that help you grow. You will have ups and downs, and things won't always go as planned, but you will succeed in what ever path you choose. The world will be a better place with you in it.  So, as graduation nears, enjoy your parties, have a great summer, and be happy! Much Love, Aunt Kim

Happy Mothers Day!

I didn't become a Mom until I was 38 years old. We had a long hard road to get there dealing with infertility problems. Needless to say it was a true miracle the day Jake was born. Now, thirteen years later, I have a teenager living in my house. Along with my own Mother. Six years ago when we built our house, Lee suggested that we have Mom and Dad move into the lower level. The reason was they were getting older, they lived an hour away and we had a small child, and I would always add that Lee was trying to push me over the edge by having my mother move in.  When I was little, I would dress up in Moms night gowns like they were evening gowns. Mom made Barbie clothes for my dolls, she also made my own clothes. We had our ups and downs through the teenage years, as most parents do. As we age relationships grow. Some grow closer, some grow apart. I think the turning point was when Lee and I moved to Guam. That was the first time we lived so far away from our families that we only "had each other". You grow when you have to stand on your own two feet. It is a great experience. Now that I am a Mom, I understand some of the things that I thought were awful when I was younger. Mom and I parent differently, and that's okay. We agree to disagree on certain things, and have learned that line between Mom and Grandma. Most of the time, life is good. Being a Mom is a hard job. You are range from being the most important person in your childs life, to being considered a monster, then becoming a friend. The bond of being a Mom is different with each child that you have. Since I only have one, my bond is that of a Mother and her son. Now the choice of movies, music and video games are very different. As I have said many times, I have never been nor will ever be, male.  I don't always understand the way he thinks, but we still have a connection. We still can sit and talk and laugh, just like I can do with my Mom. I hope that you have a great connection with someone. Happy Mothers Day Mom! Take care!

Happy Easter

Today is Easter Sunday. Probably the holiest day of the Christian faith. I was raised Lutheran, and even though we didn't attend church on a regular basis, we did on Easter. When I was little Mom would get me a hat. Everyone had Easter hats. In church you couldn't see over all the hats. All sizes and shapes! It was all very colorful. As I have gotten older, my religious views have slightly changed. I guess it is from working in hospitals for years. Science has a way of changing the way you look at the world. Those are thoughts and feelings for another time, today is Easter. The real Easter is that Christ died for us, and then rose to heaven to be with God. I am really not sure when the bunny, basket, eggs etc. came into the picture. It seems like every holiday has some sort of commercial side. I should look it up and see when that all started. There is usually something innocent in the beginning, then it blooms into something very big. I'll let you know what I find in a later post. For most Christians this morning will have a sunrise service, probably in the rain, the traditional egg hunt, and usually a pot luck lunch. Kids will find their colorful Easter Basket full of candy, stuffed toys and maybe a small gift or two. When Jake was little, he loved looking in his Easter basket and going through what he had. When I was young, my brother would always pick out the black jelly beans. Now you can buy bags of just black jelly beans, it's kind of sad. It was fun going through all the colors. One of the things that hasn't changed is that families get together on Easter. It's another occasion that finds people gathering for a reason. Usually we eat ham, why? This year we are going in a different direction and having ribs and chicken. It's not that we don't like ham, it's just that we wanted a change. No matter, it will still feel like Easter. There will be baskets for the kids, colorful eggs, only this year they are chocolate, and the family will be together. We should really try an celebrate like this more often. The old fashioned family dinner. If you celebrate Easter, Happy Easter and I hope you find the golden egg! Take Care!

Happy Birthday Jake!!

 Jake at 3!

Jake at 13!

13 years ago we welcomed our son Jacob Adam Lautman into the world. It was a Tuesday, the weather was warm and clear, I had a C-section scheduled at 9:00am. At 9:12, he arrived, all 7 lbs. 21 inches of him. I remember looking over at the table where they were cleaning him up, and I noticed his feet. They looked just like Lees. They both have a space between the big toe and the one next to it. Then I remember feeling very tired. The next thing I knew, I was in recovery. I remember seeing my parents and in laws, then falling back to sleep. I woke up in my room, with everyone there. In the afternoon, I got a call from a former neighbor, Susan Farnham. She had delivered her third boy the day before. She was describing eating a sandwich after giving birth to Steven, via natural child birth. I couldn't eat anything because of the surgery. It was wonderful to hear from her and I wished that she still lived next door instead of moving to Cleveland. As the day moved on, we had many visitors. My brother Greg was coaching at U.C. at the time, he called in the evening and asked if he would still be able to come after a spring football camp. I said sure, come on down, I had no idea what the visiting hours were. He ended up talking himself into the hospital at 11:00pm. The day only has a few clear memories for me. I found out why the next day. I had a "bleeder" after Jake was born and lost 1/2 my blood volume. That would explain why all I wanted to do was sleep! We spent the next few days in the hospital. The day we went home it was raining. Jake screamed all the way to the car. He wasn't happy, but as soon as we  buckled him into his seat, he was quiet. Jake was a very good baby. He was happy, slept 6 1/2 hours a night at 10 weeks and smiled often. Now that he is a teenager, he is back to sleeping 6 1/2 hours a night. He likes to stay up and isn't really a morning person. I hope he is happy, he seems to be. He smiles, but not always showing his teeth, but he does laugh easily. This creature that is a teenager is new to us. We are now entering a new phase of life. He will become more independent. We will need to learn to let him fall. He will change more physically and emotionally than he will ever imagine, and we will have to learn to let go. It's a bittersweet time. No longer a little boy, not yet a man. One thing will not change, he will always be my son. I hope that we sail through these changing tides with little storms. I am sure that we will face a hurricane or two, but we'll just batten down the family and move through them. That is what you do isn't it? Take care!

She's a G.E.M.

Here is the reason I haven't posted lately. Meet Lily. Lily is now 10 weeks old. Lily is a Goldendoodle. Her mother was a Golden Retriever and her father was a miniature Poodle. She is what we call, a Genetically Engineered Mutt, G.E.M. Yes, the world shall soon be over run with these GEMs. There is nothing wrong with a pure bred dog. I think that people want something different, so they came up with hybrids, designer dogs, or GEMS. As humans, we always want to see what would happen if we changed something. We want to know what makes something work, what would happen if we mixed these ingredients together. That is what makes big companies like P & G so successful. We mess with stuff to create other stuff. It is the same thing in the dog world. There are dog allergies. What would happen if we bred these low shed dogs with other dogs and create a new type of dog. Now, with Lily, the poodle side of her has the soft wavy coat, no shed, intelligence and love of family. The golden side of her has the buff color, easily trained, longer coat, love of family. That is what is expected of this mix. That may not be what you get. So far, we know that Lily loves us. She loves being around the family. She is working on training us more than we are training her. She is showing some signs of intelligence, but mostly she is showing signs of selective hearing. She will come, when she wants to. She will stop doing something she shouldn't when she is done doing it. She knows who will give her treats, and who she can bully. Jake has't gotten use to her yet. He is gone most of the day, and when he is home she feels the need to bite his feet. He then runs from her and puts his feet up yelling for somebody to get the dog. I must admit it is funny seeing a 5'8", 130 lb. boy running from a 10", 7 lb. puppy. Beside that entertainment factor, I also love seeing my husband yell every time the dog looks like she is going to squat. This could be just to sit down. The dog makes this move, Lee jumps up and yells outside! This makes her wag her tail and run in a circle, growling. Yes, she is training us well. I have read that having a dog will extend your life. You will have unconditional love. I think that it makes a person feel needed. We need to take care of something. We need to have that feeling of reward that we helped something in this lifetime. The dog takes care of that need. I hope that you have something to care for, and someone to care for you. Take Care!

Stories

On our recent vacation we had three generations together. Whenever that happens, someone usually ends up telling a story on someone else. Then "story hour" starts. Family stories are told from the point of view of the storyteller. That point of view could have been actually being present in the moment taking place, or being present at the table when the story was told. The first stories I remember were my bedtime stories. A ritual that I enjoyed with my son when he was younger. I would make up stories and tell Jake and my nieces. Gwen and Courtney would sit for awhile, then be done with it, but Meredith would sit with me for a long time and listen to the princess stories. She would be wide eyed and so captured by it. Jake always wanted stories about making things magical and colorful or inventions. The first family stories I remember were always told at the Holidays. In most families, one side will be more adept at story telling than the other. Not my family! I have great story tellers on both sides of the house. Several of my cousins can tell a story and make you feel like you are right there.  I have seen it pass from generation to generation. When I look at Jake and the girls I wonder who will be the best story teller. I also want to make sure that the family stories are passed down. It is a connection with the past that you don't realize you have until story hour begins. The stories might be a little bit overboard, but you get the picture. I think that stories add a layer to us. It's like a old, comfy quilt where each square was added by a different family member. It wraps us in laughter and love and it grows with each generation. I hope that you have a wonderful story quilt wrapped around you. Take Care!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

On our recent vacation to Orlando we decided to go to Universal Studios to see the Harry Potter exhibit. I must admit as I am getting older amusement parks are not my favorite things, but I am a big fan of Harry. My husband is a big fan of saving money. Which is why we sat through a 90 minute presentation for a time share we already own in order to get the $100.00 off Universal Studio tickets and the privilege of a one hour head start before the park opens. That was the reason that the alarm was set for 6:30am on vacation. After lots of coffee, getting two teenagers up and ready to go, we were standing in line for the Harry Potter ride at 8:05. We only waited 30 minutes to get strapped into the car and head off on our adventure. It seems the new rides are all virtual. You don't really go anywhere, you just sit, strapped in, in front of a big screen. The "car" you are in shakes, rolls, tilts and swings you around while the movie plays out in front of you. There are warnings everywhere about motion sickness, and for good reason. The way to keep from getting sick is medicine and just closing your eyes. I must admit I missed some of the movie because my stomach was telling me I really didn't want to see what was playing. The ride only lasted about four minutes. But it was long enough for me to get queasy and have a head ache. As we exited the ride through the gift shop, we noticed that the streets of Hogsmeade were filled. I mean there were people everywhere. There was a line to get into the shops! The wand shop had the longest line. We walked past  the Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, Filches Emporium and Dervish and Bangs. The windows were filled with cauldrons,  the screaming plants, robes and potions. We found a short line and bought butterbeer. You can get your butterbeer frozen or liquid with a foamy head on top. We bought one of each to share between the four of us. I liked both of them. Jake and my niece Meredith preferred the frozen and Lee was more interested in the fact that people were standing in line to get into a shop and how crazy that was. Butterbeer has been described as tasting like cupcakes and butterscotch or a cross between Dr. Browns cream soda and ginger ale. The amount of people who entered the wizarding world of Harry Potter was astounding. That section of the park was at capacity by 9:30am. We left Harry and entered into the rest of Universal. I must admit the magic wasn't there. After walking the crowded streets of Hogsmeade, seeing the crooked buildings and feeling like you really were in another world, going into the worlds of Dr. Suess, Marvel Comics and the Lost Continent can't compete with Harry. Maybe it's because those worlds are in my past and Harry is new. It was a fun, but tiring day. I hope that you can enter into a magical place and get away from the real world for a bit. Take care!

The Buzzards of Hinckley Ohio

Today is a very special day in Hinckley Ohio. It is the day the "Buzzards," or Turkey Vultures return to Ohio. This is a real sign that Spring is right around the corner. Since March 15, 1957, "Buzzard spotters" have been watching for this great birds return. They start watching at 6:30am. at Hinckley Reserve in Clevelands Metropark. Armed with binoculars, warm clothing and hot coffee, these dedicated souls watch out for the first dark spot high in the sky. If you have ever seen a Buzzard fly it's a beautiful site. They are a large bird with a dark brown/black body and a red head. From a distance you can see them fly gracefully over head, looking for their next meal. They are not hunters, they are scavengers. They are unable to kill anything, so they look for road kill. Because of their size, they easily scare off other animals. This allows them to come in and take over, and have their meal. Although they are beautiful in the sky, they are ugly on the ground. They look big, awkward and just plain ugly. The Sunday after March 15th, is Buzzard Sunday in Hinckley. The festivities are celebrated with coffee and treats. Along with the budding flowers, trees and warm, sunny days, they are another sign of Spring. Here in Cincinnati we usually see the last Buzzard in December. A few weeks ago I saw the first one here. Now I see them everywhere, flying over head. I always wonder when I see five or six of them circling what they have found. They are a vulture after all. I hope you spot a sign of Spring soon. Even if it is an ugly bird. Take Care!

Backseat Driver

We were all excited when we got our drivers license. In the 70's when I got my license, the requirement was a two week class I took in the summer, then on your 16th birthday you got your drivers license. Now there are a lot more requirements. Before you turn 16 you start taking classes, then you have so many hours of driving at night, during the day, with someone over 25, with and without passengers. It all seems so complicated. It could all be so simple. Just put my Mom in the backseat. At 78 years old, Mom knows she is the best driver on earth. The worst driver, in Moms opinion, would be my Dad. He can't possibly make it without Mom telling him what lane to be in, what the speed limit is, and which exit to take. Mom and Dad are in Florida right now. Yesterday I spoke with Mom on the phone. The conversation went something like this. "Hi Mom, how are you?" "We're fine, on our way to Orlando...get in the right lane...how are you?....Don, that's your exit!" "Mom, have you made it to the airport to pick up Gwen and Chris?" "Yes, we have them in the car, say Hi to Aunt Kim....you better watch your speed or you'll get a ticket...the weather is warm and sunny." It is always interesting to talk with Mom while she is telling Dad how to drive. She flows very easily from one conversation to another. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to follow. The only time there is a problem is when she is on speaker and I am driving, then I feel the need to do what she says, even if she is telling Dad and not me how to drive. In three years Jake will be of driving age. Lee and I talk about who will teach him how to drive. I think we should just put Mom in the car. She's going to tell him how to drive anyway and he would be learning from the best! Take Care!

The Magic of Spring

March is always a month of change. As the snow melts, magically you find that daffodils, tulips, crocus all are peeking up through the cold earth. The gold finches are turning from brownish green to bright yellow. The song sparrow is singing loudly now in the mornings. Gray cloudy days give way to bright sunny days. Although it is still cold, we don't mind it as much because of the sunshine that comes with it at this time of year. Spring Break plans are being put in place. Lots of cars headed to Florida to soak up the sun and play on the beach. When it's our turn, we will head down to Orlando to visit rat world, I mean Disney. Disney is a magical place. Any other place that had a giant rodent would not be a vacation destination. Unless it is a critter getter convention. Once there we will stand in line to get in, stand in line to ride the rides, stand in line to get food and for women, stand in line at the bathroom.  A place where  a man would put on a hat with ears and walk around with a big, goofy smile on his face and not have a beer in his hand. The song It's a Small World will run over and over in your head until the end of April. Every ride ends in the gift shop. That is the only way out! Get off the ride and walk through the gift shop. They have everything! You can get towels, golf balls, stuffed animals, candy, anything that can have a logo printed on it, they sell it. You can have sets of golf balls! Golf balls with the main disney characters, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto or you can have golf balls with movie characters, like Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. I can see it now. You are getting ready to tee off on the first hole. You reach in your bag and pull out a ball. You check with your foursome to make sure you can tell your balls apart once they are in flight. "Today I'm planning on using Minnie." For some reason, unless your golf partners are under the age of 10, that seems like an unlikely statement. Then there is the fact that you paid $20 for three character balls. Disney is truly a magical place. You are under some sort of spell that causes you to buy things you would never dream of, but it seemed like such a good idea at the time. Maybe it's the magic of Disney, combined with the magic of Spring. After a cold snowy winter like this year, we give into the magic of the warmth of the sun, big blue skies and the feeling of awakening from a long winters nap, refreshed and happy. Maybe even a bit goofy. Whatever your Spring Break plans are I hope that you find the magic. Just look outside and you will see it. Take Care!

Vampires, Mummies and Ghosts

I was listening to Jimmy Buffet the other day. He has this song called Vampires, Mummies and the Holy Ghost. It made me think of a story. My Mother loves scary movies. The old fashioned kind, Dracula, the Mummy, those types of films. My cousin Steve was over for an overnight with my brother Greg. They were about 13 & 12 years old. We raised pigs, and Gregs job was to go out and make sure that the pigs were in the barn at night. That night on TV was the old black and white movie Frankenstein. Mom let us stay up and watch it. After the movie, Greg and Steve had to go out and put the pigs away. It was a warm dark, summer night about 11:00pm. The boys went out to do their job, joking around as boys do. Mom decided it would be really funny to scare them. She got a sheet and went out the front door. Mom was standing by one of the sheds, trying to get the sheet over her, when the boys came around the corner. She didn't even make a sound. They took one look at the ghost and screamed! One of them threw the crowbar that was in his hand, which thankfully missed Mom, and they took off running towards the house screaming. Greg was in the lead for a few seconds, only to be passed up by Steve who was at a full speed run. I was standing in the doorway and just got the door open in time for them to dive through it. I got knocked over and Greg and Steve were laying on the floor half laughing, half crying and yelling for Mom. Mom was standing in the back yard laughing. It was the perfect scare. Looking back on these stories are fun. They make me realize that a little thing like movie night can become a great family story. I hope that you have some memorable movie nights. Take Care!

The Lamb Story

Spring always brings out pictures of cute little lambs. They always look so sweet and gentle. Let me tell you the REAL story about lambs. When I was younger we ended up with a lamb. It was born on my Grandpa Henrys farm and was rejected by it's Mother. That should have been the first clue. Dad brought it home, and I'm sure we named it, but I can't remember. I don't know if it was a boy or a girl, but for this story I will refer to it as Lambzilla. Lambzilla was a small white lamb. Mom would fill a empty whiskey bottle with formula and we would bottle feed it. Lambzilla didn't live in a pen like normal lambs. Nooo, Lambzilla had an identity crisis and thought it was a dog. It would sleep on the front porch with the dogs. It would leave little "pellet presents" on the porch that Mom would have to sweep off every morning. Lambzilla was a happy little lamb. The problem with Lambzilla was, every day it tried to kill me. Yes, this lamb was violent! It was summer, and I loved to play in the yard. I would go outside and before I knew it Lambzilla would come running. Not towards me where I could see it coming, it was a sneak attack. Lambzilla would run up BEHIND me, with its head down, and head butt me in the back. I was little, and it would knock me over. Time and time again, I would get knocked over. My brother Greg thought this was the funniest thing. You see, he was older and faster and could run to the apple tree for safety. This also gave him a great view of watching me get knocked over. For days I would spend my outside time on the ground. I had worked out a way of not getting knocked over. When I heard Lambzilla coming, I would sit down. The only thing it could do was push on me. I would be screaming for Mom and Greg could be heard laughing from the top of a tree. Obviously, Lambzilla needed to find a new home. I don't remember how long we kept Lambzilla, but I don't think it was very long. I also have no idea what fate awaited Lambzilla. I have visions of a "Lamb Fighting" arena. You know, the matador with a red cape, flashing it as a little white lamb comes charging at it before taking the matador down at the knees. As Spring is right around the corner and you go to that petting zoo, think about Lambzilla and don't turn your back on any cute, little, fuzzy lambs. You have been warned! Take Care!

Learning to let go

I have always said that you need to keep learning new things in order to grow as a person. That's why I like to take enrichment and hobby classes. This weekend I am learning something new, and that is to let go.  On Thursday, Jake left for a five day marine biology sea camp in Big Pine Key, Florida. He has been looking forward to this since we signed him up in the fall. It's a school sponsored trip, so he knows everyone going. This is not the first time that Jake has gone away on an overnight trip. In second grade they did an overnight at the zoo and every year after they went somewhere on a class trip. No, this was the first time that he got on a plane and went on a trip. Jake has flown many times before, with us, so he knows what to do in an airport. I know he will be fine and the trip sounds like great fun. It's the tightness in my throat and the fact that I can't sleep that is the problem. By the way, Lee is sleeping fine. I was watching HLN and they showed an arial photo from Boca Raton, Florida. The news guy was saying there are " tens of thousands of hungry sharks fifty feet off shore"!  There were all these dark spots in the water. Apparently the sharks were looking for schools of fish in the warmer waters. Just what I wanted to hear. I called Lee to express my concern. He said it was better they were looking for schools of fish in Boca and not middle schoolers in Big Pine Key. HA HA, so not funny. I started thinking about how life changed when Jake came along, and the fact that in six years, he will be off to college. When Jake was little and would go off someplace I would tell him the usual things, be polite, share with the girls, and have fun. When he left this time I told him basically the same thing, be polite, stay away from the girls, and have fun. This is just one of many times to learn to let go. I'm not sure that as a parent, you ever let go completely. That just seems impossible to me. This is a learning experience that will help us grow. For Jake, it is learning to be independent, for me, it is learning to let go of the urge to protect my child and trust that he will make the right decisions. I'll just be glad when class is over, and Jake is back home. Take care!

Getting to know Mac

The very first computer I ever owned was a birthday gift when I was in my late 20's. I never asked for it. I didn't really want or need a computer, but Lee really thought that I did.  This was in the mid 80's, and not everyone had a desk top computer. We went to the store so I could pick it out. I knew nothing about computers, so I went on looks. There was a pink monitor. It was a very soft pink, but it was pink. I took one look at it and said that's the one I want. Lee wasn't so sure about it, but the salesperson could tell that I had no clue and since it was my birthday present, I got to pick the monitor. We packed it up and took it home. That thing was huge! It took up most of the desk, and the printer had that paper that had all the holes in the edges. I can't remember the brand, but it was a PC.  I can't count how many computers we've had, some lap tops, some desk tops, but they were all PCs. My nieces and nephews all seem to have Macs. One Christmas my niece Jessi asked for something Mac related. I went to the brand new Apple store and explained what I wanted to the salesperson. He listened very intently, then told me to follow him, he knew just what I needed. He handed me a gift card. I knew then and there I knew nothing about Macs. This past Christmas I decided I wanted to replace my Gateway lap top with a MacBook Pro. We went to the Apple store and I picked out my Mac. I also bought a years worth of classes just to figure out what to do. I have had several classes so far and I can find my way pretty well, but there is a whole lot of stuff I don't know. Most of the trainers are young, and they seem very patient with me. I have been told that I remind them of their, Mom, Aunt and neighbor. I can only hope that they like these people. It's interesting getting to know Mac. There is a lot out there in this world that a computer can do. One thing though will never change, there still needs to be someone out there to steer you in the right direction. A computer can only do what a person tells it to. Take care!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Today is one of those Hallmark holidays. You know the ones, the ones that have been pushed on us by card companies. I'm sure there is a history to Valentines Day but I really didn't have the time to look it up. I thought instead I would reflect on Valentines through the years. When I was in grade school, we would make a Valentines Card Box. Each child in the class would bring in a Valentine for all the other children. Some cards would be hand made, some might contain candy and others might not even be signed. When I got married, great care was taken in picking out just the right card. We would go to a wonderful dinner, with candles, wine, and I would get a nice little present, usually jewelry. Maybe even take a get away weekend. When Jake was little, it was more about celebrating us as a family. We would go out to an age appropriate restaurant, and give cute little gift bags. Of course we still made the Valentines Card Box for school. This year Lee and I have been together for 29 Valentines Days, 27 of those we have been married. We started dating in December, there is a big story about that for another time, when Valentines Day came around we were supposedly dating just each other. I went over to Lees apartment and he told me to get him a drink out of the fridge. He NEVER asks me to do that, so I told him no. He keeps asking me about going to the fridge, so I give up go. Inside the refrigerator was a beautiful red rose in a bud vase, sitting right next to a plate of home made heart shaped sugar cookies! Lee doesn't bake. I picked up the rose and a cookie and walked back into the living room. Lees face went from a great big smile, to a stunned look, then a sheepish grin. I asked if the roses were cheaper by the dozen? It seems that he was still seeing an ex girlfriend "on occasion." Well, our first Valentines Day wasn't that special, though we've had some really great ones over the years. The past several years we go to dinner the weekend after Valentines Day, usually with a coupon. This year we are having friends over for dinner a few days before. I think we will celebrate not just our family, but friends too. When I look around, I have all kinds of Valentines in my life. I hope that you have many Valentines in your life too! Take care!

Grandma Attacks Nature

My mother is not usually a mean person. She has respect for most living things. However, sometimes she doesn't think about her actions. There was this incident that happened when my niece Gwen was about five years old. Gwen and Mom were on the deck during a fine summers day. They were talking and Gwen was playing with a worm that was minding its own business, crawling across the floor. Mom looked down, saw the worm and decided that it would be better off in the hereafter. So she stepped on it! Gwen let out a scream and started to cry. Grandma had just crushed her new little friend. Now Mom was having a problem. Gwen is crying "He was going home to his Mommy!", and Mom can't figure out how to get worm guts off her shoe. It was quite the scene. Mom sent Gwen in the house to get a tissue, this gave her time to scrape what was left of the worm on the edge of the deck. She then promised Gwen that she would not take the lives of anymore worms, ever! It's times like these that we need to think before we act. I'm sure that Gwen is scarred for life, and Mom can't help laughing when she retells this story. I guess it just depends on where the shoe falls. Take Care!

Punxsutawney Phil

I'm a bit late with this entry, but I wanted to comment on Groundhog's Day. It seems that we are in for an early Spring according to Phil, the weather forecasting groundhog that lives in Gobbler's Knobb PA. It was a cloudy day, so he did not see his shadow.  I hope that Phil is right, we have had a pretty harsh winter and I'm looking forward to a nice warm, early Spring. I was interested in finding out about Phil so I looked him up on the Groundhog's Day web site. He has lived about 21 life times. Apparently groundhogs live for 6-7 years. Phil has been around for 125 years. The web site states that in the early 1800's the German settlers in Pennsylvania thought the groundhog resembled the hedgehog from their native land. This animal helped them to ration out their hay. When the hedgehog appeared, they should still have half their hay. Why they didn't just ration it out by months is a good question, but they decided to go by an animal behavior instead. So, since Pennsylvania is low on hedgehogs and overflowing with groundhogs, Groundhog's Day was born. Originally Phil was called Br'er Groundhog. The problem with that was ANY groundhog could be the magical weather predicting rodent. Phil was picked out of the preverbal crowd and given the name Phil, after King Phillip. On each Groundhog's Day he is given the "elixir of life" to extend his life 6-7 years. That's how he can be over a century old. He is also supposedly 100% right. I find that hard to believe. I've never met anyone, especially male, to be 100% right. This makes me question more things. Is Phil really Phillis?? That would explain some things. Is that elixir of life legal? Was it tested on humans before given to Phil/Phillis?  But what really makes me question if Phil is 100% right, he predicted the Steelers were going to win the superbowl! GO PACKERS! Take care!

Another adventure!

Well, as if I don't have enough to do, I have added another blog! I am excited about this one also. It will be a place to see pictures, poems, random thoughts etc. that will be posted by Lee, Jake or myself. I hope you drop by to see it. You can find it at www.picturesandpoemsbykim.blogspot.com. It will be fun to add this to on going projects. Take care!

The Great Outdoors

When I was about 8 years old I was allowed to go camping with my Aunt Gertrude. It was my first experience in the camping world. We went to Versailles State Park in Indiana. Looking back I give Aunt Gert credit. She took 5 boys, ages 9-17, and me tent camping. I actually didn't sleep in the tent. She had a Dodge Rambler, and the seats folded down flat. She and I slept in the car, while my brother and cousins slept in two tents. I think it was just for one night, but I really don't remember. What I do remember is being at the grocery store and there was a dispute over a broken pickle jar. The boys were involved in that one. When we got to the park, we set up camp and went for a hike. The older boys went rock climbing. I thought the cliff where they were climbing looked like the side of a mountain. There are no mountains in Indiana. My cousin Perry and I waded in the creek looking for critters under rocks and watching out for water snakes. We spent the afternoon swimming at the lake. The older boys again took off out in the water, leaving Perry, Aunt Gertrude and my self in the shallower waters. Over time we became brave and started moving away from Aunt Gert. All of a sudden Aunt Gert was yelling for Perry who was no where to be seen. She panicked, and had the life guard pull everyone out of the water. Now that I am an Aunt, I can only imagine the fear she felt. She found Perry on the edge of the water, playing, not paying any attention to the fact that he was the subject of the search. He was spanked on the spot! That evening, we sat around the camp fire and roasted marshmallows. Mine caught fire and I waved my stick back and forth to put it out. When I looked at the end of my stick my marshmallow was gone! I had waved it away. We looked everywhere to see what had happened to my marshmallow, but we couldn't find it. At morning breakfast we were allowed to cook our own over the fire. Aunt Gertrude said if you're old enough to go camping, you were old enough to make your own breakfast. We loved it! As we were breaking down the tents, we found my lost marshmallow. It was stuck in the hair of my Aunt. Apparently, while I was waving my stick of flaming marshmallow, it took flight and landed in the back of my Aunts head. We had a great time that weekend. When Aunt Gertrude dropped Perry off at his house, he ran to his Mom as fast as he could. Aunt Gert thought that he was going to tell on her for spanking him. Instead, he announced with pride that if you are old enough to go camping, you were old enough to cook your own breakfast! I hope that you have some adventures with the great outdoors. Take Care!

The Queen and Her Court

It all started in 2007. Mom and Dad wintered in Arcadia, Florida. One of Moms friends was going to enter the Senior Ms. Arcadia pageant and wanted someone else to enter also. At first Mom said no, then decided it might be fun. She had never done anything like this before.  Once she did, she received all kinds of advice.  There was an 80 year old who was a pageant pro. She wanted to know what Moms talent was? Talent? No one mentioned a talent part of the program. This lady’ s talent was to do the waltz with her walker. Mom was a bit dismayed by that, but soon was relieved to find out there wouldn’t be time to have a talent show. There was a lot of being escorted back and forth across the stage. The judge was a beauty Queen from Florida. Mom was shocked when she was crowned. That’s when it started, the beginning of the crown collecting. My nieces soon followed in royal style.  Gwen, won homecoming Princess that same year, in 2008, Courtney won and in 2009 Meredith won. Now that we are out of girls to win, they needed to find a different venue. Gwen took the Snowball crown and Courtney took the Farmers Fair. I’m not at all surprised by this. When the girls were little, I bought them all the Disney Princess halloween costumes. Gwen was Cinderella, Courtney was Ariel and Meredith was Snow White. They did indeed look like Princesses, as well as acted like it. We decided this year to do a crown picture. I wanted to capture this moment with Grandmother and Granddaughters. It was fun, there were goofy pictures and comparing who has the biggest crown. By the way, Mom does. I resisted putting a crown on Jake just for fun. He felt that might come back to haunt him. My own family royalty. You never know when the Princess will grow up to be Queen. Take care!

Dogs and Cats

A few years before Jake was born I read an article on raising children. It was very interesting and the main part of the article has stuck with me over all these years. It compares having children to having dogs and cats. Now, I have had cats and dogs, and I have a child. I now understand what the author of the article was trying to say. You see, when you get a puppy, they depend on you for everything. When you have a child it is the same. When you walk in a room your child lights up and runs to you, so does your puppy. When you leave, or put the baby to bed, it cries. You need to feed it at the right time, make sure the bathroom needs are taken care of and play and cuddle with your child/puppy to make sure they are happy and socialized. As your child/puppy grows, it becomes more independent. When little, you understood every look and sound that your child/puppy made. You just knew what to do at every moment. When your child turns into a teenager, your puppy turns into a cat. Yes, a cat. No longer will your teen/cat care if you are home or at work. The only thing that matters is that you have food and drinks available whenever they need. They no longer want to hang with the family, they have friends to meet and mice to catch. They no longer need you to entertain them, they can do that all by themselves. They come and go as they please, you never know when they will allow you to engage them in anything. Their response could be a good one, a smile or a purr, or not so good, a slamming door and a hiss. The article assured me that as the teenager/cat grows into a young adult, they slowly return to being a dog. Once they have experienced life as an adult, with the responsibilities and relationships that come with it, they will return to you with a smile and a hug. Wether you have a cat or dog, enjoy your time. Take care!

Designer Dogs

When I was growing up there were two kinds of dogs, purebred and mutt. That was your choice. Now things are different. There are still mutts and purebreds, but the popular thing to have is a designer dog. A designer dog is a hybrid, two purebreds mixed to make a new breed. What brought this to my attention was the fact that Jake and I want to get a dog, Lee not so much. He has dog allergies. The neighbor has two standard Poodles. Poodles are known to be low shed, smart and allergy friendly. Belle was in the yard and I wanted Lee to take the Poodle test. We went over to Belle and I had Lee rub on her, then sniff his hand. I wanted to see what his reaction to her was. The only down side to standing too close to Belle is she gets excited and usually tries to pee on you. Lee positioned himself in front of her and rubbed away. He didn't react at all. He passed the poodle test. I had a green light.  I decided to look into hypoallergenic breeds. This picture is that of a Chinese Crested pure bred. I'm sure that there are tons of people that would love this, but I just can't get into it. I want a dog with fur. Not one that looks like it has some sort of hair disease. Allergies are very prevalent now. People want a cute, low maintenance, smart dog.  This is what began the designer dog craze. A Poodle is very smart, and a bit high strung. When you take a poodle and add another dog personality you can get all kinds of things. There are Labradoodles, Schnoodles, Goldendoodles, Snickerdoodles, no wait, that's a cookie. Anyway, the rage of mixing purebreds brings out all kinds of dogs. Take the Beagle. A cute little hunting dog. I've had Beagles and they are great dogs, but they smell. Mix that with a Poodle and you have a Poogle, or a Pug and get a Puggle. My favorite name was the Brat, Boston Terrier and Rat Terrier. The possibilities are endless. The surprising thing is that these designer dogs cost more than the purebreds! Plus you can never be sure which traits a dog will get. If you mixed a Beagle and a Chihuahua, you could get a jumping, yappy, smelly dog that runs in circles.  My puppy search will continue. I don't want to get a dog until spring. I am leaning towards a Goldendoodle because they are just so darn cute! Take care!

A New Beginning!

Welcome to 2011! The first day of the New Year. We have already said good bye to a decade in this new century. Is it what you thought it would be? Did you think we would have flying cars and live on the moon by now? When you think back, we have come along way baby! How much further can we go? I have no really big plans for 2011. I don't make resolutions because I think they are silly. I do try and evaluate what changes I would like to make, and what I need to make. Hopefully some of those will be accomplished. I can be sure that in this New Year, I will wish that Jake would stop growing, I will wish that we did more family things and I will wish that I can make my shape something other than round. Two out of those three things could be accomplished. They may or may not actually be accomplished, but it is possible. Why do we look at the New Year as a new beginning? It's not like a giant clock is reset and we start over. It happens right in the middle of the school year, so that doesn't really do anything for us. The only thing that is certain to happen is the kids will scream See ya next year! on the last day before break. It doesn't even fall at the beginning of a season! We have these big plans for the New Year. We can plan celebrations, vacations and retirements.  We can look forward to birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. The calendar starts anew then. It makes us look at ourselves and see what we like, or not. This year will be better than last. Was last year so bad? I think a year should be extended to 24 months. Think of what we could get done in that period of time! Maybe have a choice, you could take a year, or an extension, like on our taxes. If you don't want the year to end in 12 months, extend it. If you are having a bad year, then it's over at mid-night on the last day of the twelfth month. It could be that easy. Who made up these rules anyway? Maybe we should move New Years to a warmer month, like May, or to September when school starts. Jake would go to school in one year. None of this 2010-1011 school year. You would graduate in the same year that you started. It seems easier to me. Alas, I am not in charge. I will make the most of my next twelve months the best way I can. May your next twelve months be grand! Take Care!