Preempting Thursday Tackle for Letter to School Board

Besides the fact that I didn't have a chance to research my Thursday Tackle this week, I wanted to bring you a letter Jonathan wrote to the school board. Longtime readers know the fact Jonathan WROTE anything on his own initiative is a miracle. Recent readers haven't read about the homework battles in the Howe household. I think Homework Battle #5 was in November.


It's been a difficult couple of weeks for us, I think between the holidays and the snow, it is like when Jonathan transitions back into school routines after a long break. He's had a number of meltdowns lately. We've had three in the last week. Prior to this past week it has been a year since the last meltdown. We try to describe Jonathan's meltdowns to people as watching a stick of butter melt into a pool in a hot frying pan. A friend of ours happened to be here last night. He said, he heard us describe it, but now that he'd seen it, he agrees this is exactly what Jonathan looks like...a pool of melted butter.


So while we were downstairs with our small group Bible study, Jonathan was upstairs writing. I'm going to type it exactly as it is written. I should note, he handed me the letter folded in thirds and on the top he wrote, 'the "Great" invenchon HOMEWORK'

2-24-10
Dear school board,

there is NO reason for homework. There never was a good and true reason and there never will Be. We have 6 hours of the worst thing ever invented (school) and when we get home from school, what do you know more school work. If your thinking "oh well Homework is so you don't forget what you learned at school that day." then I'll tell you somthing: WHAT KIND OF IDIOT FORGETS WHAT THEY LEARNED IN SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus homework keeps kids from playing outside and playing outside is now we get our exrsise. school is only 10% of my proBlem homework is 90% of my problem. Please GET RID OF THE STUPED HOMEWORK!

sincirely,
Jonathan Howe

P.S. sorry if you think I'm being mean But I'm earatated ok.

First of all, my next door neighbor happens to be an elected School Board member. He's known Jonathan, all my son's life. Bill will get a kick out of this letter. And he might actually do something with it.

Second, if I were to grade the letter, I'd give it a good grade for content. He has a good "voice." He's presented his argument well for a 4th grader. I'm really impressed that he has correctly formatted and punctuated a letter of correspondence. He continues to have trouble with proper capitalization and spelling. However, he's spelling phonetically. He's communicating his ideas and his message.


So how do you think the school board will respond? Will they be impressed with his well articulated and reasoned arguments and waive future homework? Or will they say his spelling and capitalization negates his own argument about forgetting what he learned in school?

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He Provides the Play by Play, I Add the Color

As a result of his sports knowledge, especially in all things football, Scott often calls the play by play during sports, like Al Michaels. In fact, Scott will say a split second before exactly what Al Michaels announces during the game. Scott will follow Al Michaels' comment with, "See, I could have his job."

So, with the Olympics going on the last couple of weeks, I've decided to add "color"...which is what John Madden provides during football.

* * * * * * * * *

During the Opening Ceremonies:

Me: Shaun White would make a beautiful girl.

Scott: What?

Me: Just look at that gorgeous thick, curly red hair and beautifully perfect white smile.

(P.S. The next morning I shared my comment with the kids. The following day Faith watched Shaun win a gold medal. Her comment, "Not only does he look like a girl, but he screams like one too.")

Me: Is it just me or does the American uniform look like they are wearing flannel pajamas?

Scott: (cue heat pump blowing air)

Me: I can't believe Wayne Gretzky is being driven to the location to light the final Olympic Torch. That's just wrong.

Scott: He's in his 50s.

Me: So, my dad just turned 70 and ran five miles yesterday!

Scott: Well, maybe they were just trying to speed up the time between the indoor torch lighting and the outdoor lighting. It is on TV after all and they are running out of time before the evening news starts.

Me: Okay. But that's the only explanation that is going to fly with me.

 * * * * * * * * *

Me: The next time Rich (our pastor) replaces Pete as lead singer, he should hold his hands in front of him like this opera singer.

Scott: What are you talking about?

Me: Remember when Rich stood on the stage leading the songs and he didn't know what to do with his hands?

Scott: Yeah?

Me: Well, now I can make a suggestion of what he can do with his hands. I think I'll mention it to him when we go out with him and Dawn on Friday.

Scott: Why are you being so rowdy tonight?

Me: Rowdy? I'm just sitting in the bed, drinking my glass of wine and adding commentary to the Olympic games.

* * * * * * * * *

Figure Skating

Me: I don't like the way his shirt moves while he's skating. It looks stupid. On the other hand, I like the way his partner's skirt flows with her movements.

Scott: I see what you mean.

Johnny Weir's costume (photo from figureskatersonline.com)

Me: Okay, before he even starts, he's in negative numbers for his costume.

Scott: (clue heat pump blowing until end of the program)

Me: I'm not convinced that he's even out of the negative numbers after his program. It was impressive, but I'm still leaning toward negative numbers. I really don't like the costume.

* * * * * * * * *

I had a lot more "color" to add, but since we were often in bed watching the game late at night, I don't remember what I said. Besides, my husband is a tough audience! I thought I was making the games much more interesting than the paid commentators.

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Looking Ahead to Buying First Communion Gifts

Our family lives in Maryland, one of the original established colonies from England. In fact, we live about 40 minutes from St. Mary's City. Englishman Leonard Calvert and about 140 people embarked on the Ark and the Dove to get away from the religious intolerance. They landed in Maryland in 1634, erected a wooden cross and founded St. Mary's on the "principle of 'Freedom of Conscience' and religious tolerance." The first settlers were primarily Catholic and made religious tolerance a law a decade after they landed.

Our area is still largely influenced by the Catholic church. We have a number of neighbors and friends who celebrate First Communion. Our former Spanish exchange student returned to Spain and is going through Confirmation classes in his Catholic church. Then I have twin nieces over in England, who are being raised Catholic. Since we are Protestant,  I got on the Internet to read about these two significant celebrations and to find girl's communion gifts. I found some lovely necklaces and bracelets from this site in England. I couldn't believe I could have them shipped to me for about half the price as it takes for me to ship to my family over in England! Even better, I can just have them send my purchases directly to my nieces in London. I bet they will be girly girls because their mother is. Unlike my Faith, who is not a girly girl and doesn't appreciate things like this (which I absolutely would love to get her):

 

I better start saving up now, since I'm going to be buying First Communion gifts for twins in about a decade.

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Memoir Mondays - Blanket Wars

Brian Miller, you have won the 18x24 digital poster from Online Poster Printing.com. They will be contacting you about how you can collect your prize. Congratulations, your name was mixed up with eleven others and drawn by  my daughter.

It's Monday! As a brain-washed cult membe, I'm dutifully obeying Travis and posting a true story, displaying his new button and inviting ya'll to join us. ('Ya'll' because he's from Oklahoma and I'm from Texas.)

The only on going battle in our marriage is over blankets. I'm a night owl. I read a couple of different studies a number of years ago about sleep. One study indicated people who are morning people sleep their heaviest when they first fall asleep. Those who are night owls, sleep their heaviest in the morning hours just before they wake up. This proves to be true in our house. My husband can decide he's going to fall asleep and then he's out. (I hate him for this trick.) About three o'clock a.m. he's mostly awake waiting for the alarm to go off.

On the other hand, I lie awake for hours and sleep like a rock between four a.m. and eight a.m. The other study showed when people are sleeping their heaviest also have their lowest body temperature of the night. My husband crawls into bed and cocoons himself because he's cold. Whereas, I am warm and just have a sheet over myself first thing at night. However, around four o'clock in the morning I'm shivering. So, I pile all my blankets in the middle of the bed and just keep a sheet. I get really upset at four a.m. and I've finally fallen asleep only to wake up shivering. I reach to the middle of the bed and my blankets are gone.

Me: You took all the blankets in the middle of the night again.
Scott: I didn't take them, you gave them to me.
Me: I didn't give them to you, I put them in the middle of the bed and I expect them to be there when I retrieve them.
Scott: Well, that's not how it works. If they are in the middle of the bed they are fair game.
Me: Okay, I'm not getting my point across. Let me try this a different way. The middle of the bed is like a savings bank. When I don't need my blankets, I deposit them in the middle of the bed for safe keeping. When I need them, I go to withdraw them and I expect them to be there.
Scott: Yes, I use the middle of the bed like a bank too. I use the money deposited in the bank by other people. Nobody actually gets the same money they deposited back out of the bank.

Do you have on-going battles which are more funny than angry?

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Measuring for Children's Footwear -- Where Were You When Jonathan Was Young?

I love the Internet. I'm so glad I'm born in the generation of the World Wide Web. I can start out looking for one thing and get lost for hours finding out about something else. For example this week, I was trying to find some information about shoes, because finding a pair of shoes for Jonathan is a major pain. He’s picky about what he’ll wear AND he hates shopping. He does have a brand he likes (sold 90 miles away, of course). To avoid taking him with me, I make him stand on a piece of paper and draw his foot. Very archaic.

So in a search for Children School Shoes I came across a fascinating site. And I was lost for an hour reading through it. I like to read "about" pages. I learned Start-rite Shoes started in 1792 in Norwich. James Smith was the first leather worker to offer a less expensive alternative to "bespoke footwear." (Cue in an internet search for "bespoke footwear" to discover these are individually made shoes specifically for your foot. They are expensive because each pair takes 40 hours to make.)

The site is a wealth of information. It has advice to new parents on foot care for their children from birth through school age. It talks about how the company has made 15,000 pairs of shoes for children of the Prince of Wales (think Prince William and Harry). The company headquarters sits on the same spot of the original store. I love Europe!

The piece of information I absolutely fell in love with is this video of how to measure your child's foot to order a pair of their shoes online.



Unfortunately, they don't have a Start-rite in my area, but I see they have over 400 store locations in UK and 38 other stores world-wide. Of course, they have their online sales too. I provide this information for my fellow bloggers who have kids with shoe issues. Had I known about the company when Jonathan was younger, I would have had my brother and sister-in-law pick up pairs of shoes and bring them over to the U.S. when they came to visit. (And I would have used this exciting piece of technology to know what size to order.)

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Thursday Tackle - Recorded Dreams

Today's Thursday's Tackle is recording a dream you had. You know how they make perfect sense until you try to explain them. Since dreams are visual, try to include some links to help the rest of us see what you saw.


Background: My dreams are almost always a compilation of stuff going on in my life that day or week. So here is a little insight into my dream. This week I wrote a number of insurance articles for another site. This allowed me to reconnect with my old boss, who is now a Vice President in this Fortunate 250 Financial Services company. We lived and worked together in San Antonio, Texas not to be confused with Lubbock, Texas, where I graduated from college. Lubbock is a significantly sized city in the middle of desert, not to be confused with Las Vegas. I worked hard last week building my freelance writing business so I decided to take my kids to see the new movie Percy Jackson, which has a major scene around the Vegas Nightlife. Our movie theater is so antiquated that we have to take cash. I never carry cash. As you can see my brain never stops flowing like this from one topic to another, which makes it difficult to sleep. Since I was a teenager, I've fallen to sleep with music, an audio book, the radio or TV playing quietly in the background. This week I fell asleep listening to a Joy Behar interview with Bette Midler, the opening Olympic ceremonies, and business news. So here is my peek into my subconscious working on all this.

* * * * * * * * *

I'm so happy to be working with Mike again. We are on the 30th floor of a glass high rise building in Lubbock, Texas. It's Thursday late afternoon and it is a bittersweet day. I've only been back at work a short time, but the Senior VP of our office is outside announcing the closing of our regional office at the close of business that day. Her speech is being piped into the building. I look out the window. I can't see her, but I can see crowds of people. I'm not really listening to her drone on. She stops talking and I see a balloon release.

I think to myself, "This is a waste of money we don't have...WAIT!...What was the last thing she said? 'I'll see you all on Monday.' What does she mean? Does that mean the office isn't closing after all?" My co-workers and I discuss this and decide this is in fact what she means. We still have jobs!

We decide to go to Las Vegas to celebrate. We do the whole Vegas Nightlife thing...games, dancing, eating, etc. Then we decide to go to see Bette Midler on stage, but the theater only takes cash. So I go to a TicketMaster on my new Blackberry and buy tickets. We have a great time and return to work on Monday.

There we find out that the first female Senior VP for the company has influential friends at Disney, who decide to put up capital for her because they believe she'll ultimately prove herself.

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For those of you who asked/suggested. Here is a way to share your Thursday Tackle.

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Teen Autism - Guest Post

I'm excited! I asked Tanya from Teen Autism to be an guest blogger for me. For those who don't read many blogs in the special needs/autism niche, Tanya is a GREAT resource and supporter of other bloggers and moms. When I first started blogging, I would go to her site and look through her blog roll to find other blogs. She gave me my first blog award. She encouraged me with comments. More than anything, I'm so happy to find a mother of a teenage son with autism to show me how to prepare for Jonathan's teenage years. Thank you, Tanya for all that you do!

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It’s funny how sometimes we never set out to do the things that end up being such an integral part of our lives. Take blogging, for example. I never really made the conscious decision to be a blogger. Two years ago this month, I had recently begun to homeschool my son Nigel, who was thirteen at the time. He had been diagnosed at age three with classic autism, and again at age five, because he was still not functionally verbal. Through many years of intensive therapy, he learned how to talk and manage his sensory issues so that he could be mainstreamed in public school with full-time assistance. That full-time assistance was dropped in middle school, and horrible problems arose. I began seeing regressive behavior that I hadn’t seen in years, in addition to new difficulties that I had no idea how to handle. I turned to the Internet and searched for information on autism in the teen years. I didn’t find much, and I figured that there had to be other parents out there whose children, like mine, had been diagnosed in the early years of the autism “boom.” Those other parents of teens had to also be searching for information, and I wanted to provide a much-needed resource for all of us. I wanted to connect with them – with any parents of children with autism - and end my years of isolation. And so, Teen Autism was born.


Initially, I didn’t plan for it to be a blog. It was to be a website, so I researched how to create a website. Not knowing code, this undertaking was hugely insane. I bought books, purchased a domain, and discovered through my host that I could use the blogging software called WordPress as a content management system (CMS). This sounded like it would work for what I was trying to achieve. I had to learn some code in order to install the software and get it doing what I needed it to do, and I was pretty proud of myself for figuring it out (after hours of head-banging agony). And then I started writing. I wrote on all of the topics that concerned me as the parent of a child with autism, and I categorized the posts on the sidebar so that other parents could scroll down, click on a category that they wanted to read about (sensory issues, bullying, language, siblings, homeschooling and many more), and all of the posts within that category would come up. I wrote and posted five days a week, trying to build up the categories with information for other parents to read. But I wasn’t really blogging yet.


Occasionally, friends or family would comment on one of my posts, and that was gratifying. My page views per day were increasing, and I received my first encouraging email from another parent of a teen on the spectrum, thanking me for writing. But it wasn’t until about four months later that I really started blogging, i.e. reading others’ blog posts and commenting on them. First Casdok found me and left a comment, and then Mama Edge, who had just started blogging and found me by searching “teen autism,” just as I’d hoped parents would. She left a comment on my post “To Catch a Fly,” and I went to her first blog, saw her blogroll listing many other parents of kids with autism, and I started blogging. It’s strange to say that I started blogging after I’d already written 105 posts, but that’s how it happened.


I listed my blog on Technorati and the Ringsurf page for autism bloggers, but other than that, I didn’t do anything to market it. I started building up my own blogroll and realized that I was reading so many blogs that I needed to set up a reader, which I did at Bloglines. My feeds have changed a bit with time, but I am currently reading 72 blogs, and the majority of them are autism-related. For now, that’s my focus. I intend to keep posting on Teen Autism until Nigel, now 15, transitions out of high school, and I’ll write about that experience for a few months. Afterward, my focus will probably shift to blogs about writing, which I wish I had time to read now. Almost a year ago, Nigel went back to regular school part-time (with assistance), and I resumed working full-time, so I had to reduce my posts per week. As a single parent of two boys whose father lives 700 miles away, I don’t have much free time. But the connections I’ve made through blogging are so important to me that when I do have free time, usually in the late evenings, I blog. It’s a lifeline for me.


But even lifelines have to be scheduled. Corrie asked me how I manage to blog, comment, work, advocate for my son, advocate for others (through volunteer work that I do as a chapter rep for the Autism Society of Oregon), and be a single parent. To be honest, I’m not sure how I fit it all in. Some days are very hard for me to keep it together. But there are three things I do that help me immensely. First, everything is scheduled, even showers. Of course, things always come up, so the schedule must have some built-in flexibility, and that’s challenging. But it’s essential. Second, I maintain perspective. Every night when I go to bed, I lie in the dark and take five minutes to remind myself that my kids are safe in their beds, we have a good roof over our heads and food in the kitchen, and I have a job that doesn’t have me on my feet all day (I have a lot of respect for people in service-oriented jobs). It’s a mental gratitude journal, reminding myself of the positives in my life, and it’s essential to my well-being. The third thing I do is just keep moving. My life won’t always be this busy, and if I keep moving, eventually I’ll get to a point where it’s a little less hectic. Sure, I’ll always “keep busy,” as my retired aunt says. And I certainly look forward to the day when I’m able to choose how I spend my time. But for now, with the little time I have available for chosen activities, I choose blogging. I may be an accidental blogger, but I am a devoted one. And a grateful one, too.

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Sunshine, Sunshine Everywhere with a Touch of Beauty and Happiness

Instead of a Post It note day, I need to acknowledge all the wonderful awards I've been given in the last couple of months. First, I think it appropriate that I start with the award I received from Otin of Wizard of Otin. I had to admit in his comments that he was a slacker for not acknowledging my award to him. Now I admit that I'm a slacker just lack Otin.

Next, I received the Sunshine Award from Missy at Are You There God, It's Me, Trac at Welcome to Our World, Shelley at Shelley's Swag, Deborah Ann at Heavenly Humor, and Natalie at Adventures of Paul and Natalie.

 

Gregory J at Living My Life, Whatever sent me a Beautiful Blogger Award

 

And Polly at 5th Sister, sent me a Happiness award.

So, here are the rules that come with these awards. First thank the person who gave them to you and link back to their site. Done. Thank you all so much! I wish all the Sunshine you sent could've been real. Then I wouldn't have mounds of four feet of snow in my yard. Being locked up at home hasn't made me feel beautiful or happy lately, so thank you!!!


Now I have to give some personal information about me. I usually give info about Jonathan, since this is primarily his blog, but I'll tell you about me today.
1) I'm the only daughter of my parents. I have three younger brothers.
2) I was born in Alaska
3) My dad was in the U.S. Air Force. I swore I wouldn't move around every few years of my life after I moved out of the house. I was wrong. I've lived in Alaska, Nebraska, California (x2), Arizona, Virginia (x4), Hawaii, Texas (x2), Massachusetts,  and Maryland.
4) I've had 27 different addresses before I married Scott.
5) I've now lived in the same house, in the same town, in the same state for eleven years.
6) I was in 7 different schools by the time I graduated high school. I attended 3 colleges before graduating.
7) Joshua, my oldest, had six  different addresses before Scott adopted him. Jonathan and Faith have lived in the same place all their life.


I'm passing my award on to the following blogs, so please go check them out. (To those receiving, pick an award that you like or don't already have. Congratulations!)


Amy at Amy's Awesome Nest
Gregory J at Day to Day
Julie at Foursons
Holly at 504 Main
Shelley at Shelley's Swag
Shelly at Things I Can't Say
Kmama at Daily Dribble
Jen at Autism, King and I
Judith at Judith Coughlin
Nancy at If Evolution Really Works
Amy at Keeping Up with the Schultz Family
Unknown Mami At Unknown Mami
T. Anne at White Platonic Dreams
May at Currently on Tour
Angel at Angel Believes
Dual Mom at We're At Dad's That Weekend
Cat at Young Old Crone

Wow! I'm sorry I could only hand out ten and seven (although I could probably have multiplied the number of the awards given by ten and seven), but my husband is waiting for me. And it is Valentine's Day when I'm writing this post.

I promise, I'll remember any one I've left out in the next round of awards. Thanks!

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Memoir Monday - The Unimaginable Happened

It's Monday! As any brained washed cult member does, I'm dutifully obeying Travis and posting a true story, displaying his new button and inviting ya'll to join us.

A couple weeks ago, I posted about my fear of losing Jonathan's yellow security blanket. You don't need to read that post to understand this one, but I'll give you a link just in case you're interested.

Jonathan was three years old. We were in a Holiday Inn in Pennsylvania somewhere. Besides Scott, Joshua and Jonathan, we had nephew, Nick with us. We'd been all over the hotel that day for meals, a conference and in-door swimming. When we return to the room Jonathan asks, "Blankie?" (He'd only recently began talking.)

Me: What do you mean, "blankie?" Don't you have it?
Jonathan: No.

I looked up at Scott. He looked at me. We didn't have to say anything. The look of panic we exchanged said it all. Everyone scattered and began retracing our steps. The males divided up the hotel. I went out to the minivan and turned it upside down. I walked around the parking lot. We checked with the front desk.

An hour later we regrouped in the room and shared our lack of success. We dropped onto the two double beds in defeat; dreading the rest of the night and next couple days. Jonathan quietly observed the previous hour of desperation.

As we rolled around on the beds groaning, Jonathan calmly went to the night stand between the beds, pulled out the bottom drawer, whipped out his blanket, held it into the air and proclaimed in victory, "Here it is!"

We sat up, looked at each other in surprise and then turned to look at Jonathan smiling smugly. None of us could believe that we'd been pranked by a barely verbal three year old.

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If you want to join me in my Thursday Tackle this week, my topic will be how your dreams make so much sense until you try to explain them to someone else. Use links to help us visualize the craziness.

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Don't Hate Me Because My Husband Is Romantic And Sentamental

This week I've read a lot of blogs about how women wish their husbands would show them love this Valentine's Day by...watching the kids while she takes a nap, clean the house, give her grocery story flowers throughout the year and not just a dozen roses on Valentine's Day. Scott does all these things and more.


My husband is the romantic. He proposed to me on Valentine's Day. It was a total surprise. He went to my parent's house the week before to ask for their blessing. The following week we were driving home from a ministry conference.  Driving through the Shenandoah National Park, we pulled over to look out over Charlottesville, VA. He parked the car, pulled me to his chest and I could hear his heart pounding. Then he got out of the Blazer, he came around and pulled me out of the car and sat me down. He stooped on one knee and proposed.


Fast forward eleven years: I went out today and got him a nice bottle of Merlot. No card. (I didn't want to get him the left overs at the stores because I've been snowed in over a week.) When I got the bottle of wine the store owner asked, "Do you want a Valentine's Day gift bag?" Ah, no.

I got home. Scott had a dozen red roses for me all wrapped. He wanted me to see them before he put them in the vase. I pulled a bottle out of a plastic bag and handed it to him. "I'll make you a blueberry pie tomorrow too. Happy Valentine's Day." This is pretty typical of our relationship.

 

He still looks at me the same way. What did I do to catch his eye and heart?

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Saturday Snippets - S.O.S. Cancelled

Thanks for all of your support this week and offers of sending chocolate and wine. My husband read my blog that day. He called from the grocery store asking what kind of chocolate I wanted with my whine...er, I mean...wine.

* * * * * * * * *

When my husband could finally get out, I sent him to the store so we could replace the Howe Family staples:

~Dr. Pepper diet cherry flavored

~Tortilla chips for salsa

~Pickled flavored Pringles

~"Round Cheese" (a.k.a. Provolone)

~several varieties of ice cream

~laundry detergent

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At dinner one night Faith was complaining that her knees where cold. After dinner I discovered why.

 

* * * * * * * * *

Joshua lost his wallet recently. Jonathan loan his to his big brother.

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Faith came in from playing outside. She was very upset. "We couldn't find Jonathan. We called and we looked for him. I thought he was lost and I would never see him again. And I wouldn't want that because I love him and I play with him."

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Don't forget to leave a comment at this post if you want to be in a drawing for an 18x24 poster of your digital photo.

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Friday Round Robin - Jonathan's Blanket

Today I'm playing in Amy's monthly Round Robin where we are invited to share anything. I believe it is an opportunity to find other blogs and have others find you.  Here is Amy's button, so come on over to Keeping up with the Schutz Family and link up with us.

I told you last Friday I put away Jonathan's yellow blanket. However, I realized that he really just reattached himself to one his grandmother made him when he was about five years old.

I thought Amy's Round Robin was about DIY crafts, so I decided to show you just some of the constructions Jonathan creates with his "new" blanket.

 

A turban on the Karate Kid.

A niqib for playing Kings in the Corner

A shroud for hiding Purple Man being rendered

A computer chair covering.

Materials:
4x4 flannel blanket
ADHD imagination

Instructions:
I haven't a clue where he comes up with his ideas. I just follow him around with a camera, a pencil and paper for blog material.

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Thursday's Tackle -A Story in 55 Words

Here is my Thursday Tackle.

ten days
out of twelve
no school
for kids.

over 100
dollars worth
of crafts
used.

three days
forgot meds.
one bouncy
flouncy Tigger.

turned to
night owls.
sleep in late
only blessing.

sun peaks.
temperatures rise.
forecast comes
OH NO!

schools closed again.
hair ignites.
nerves twist
like rubber band.
send chocolate and wine.

I got this idea from Brian Miller over at WaystationOne

Since a couple people suggested I start a meme, I hope my Mr.Mcklinky shows up below.

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Want a Poster?

I don't actively participate in many give-a-ways. I'm a simple person working toward a simple lifestyle. However, I have participated in the OnlinePosterPrinting.com give-aways, especially since starting my own Limited Liability Corporation. I loved getting my business cards and labels for free.

I love the quality of the products I won! For this reason, I sought their sponsorship. Now I have the chance to give away another one of their products. The company is giving me a 18x24 Poster print for one winner.

What better way to showcase your favorite photo, band, or artwork than through poster prints! These high quality prints will be a fantastic way to brighten up any wall. The winner can choose between high gloss or semi gloss paper. The poster will be made and shipped within one business day and the shipping is free UPS Ground. Unfortunately, the give-a-way is only for U.S. Residents.

Look here at their Digital Photo Enlargements and here for Digital Photos on Posters. Josh is feeling neglected because of the attention Jonathan gets. So I'm going to use my Blogger Appreciation Award and get this photo in poster size for him to take with him to college.

 

Leave a comment saying what picture you'd use for a poster (or that you'd want to be considered). I'll keep the contest open for a week. I'll announce the winner next Wednesday. That's it, I told you I'm trying to be simple. Although I admit I'm really bummed that I'm stuck at 192 Followers.

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For those who are interested in playing along with me in my Thursday Tackle assignment tomorrow, I'm attempting to tell a story in less than 55 words. Simple, that's my theme.

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Tuesday Tidbits

My material today is too long for a Post It Note and doesn't really fit with the "Thank You" letters. So I guess I'm not playing nice with others in the blogsphere today.

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We were playing one of the many rounds of cards since we've been snowed in five days. This time we are half way through a game of Go Fish. It's Jonathan's turn and in the same intonation he requests a card,  he says, "Dad, can you get me salsa from the refrigerator?"

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Super Bowl Sunday there was an offsides or encroachment call which Jonathan asked us to define. We explained, once you set you can't even flinch and draw the other team into the neutral zone.
Jonathan stands up from his chair and takes the position of a front line player. I laughed and said, "You won't be able to do it." After about two seconds of trying not to flinch, Jonathan said, "You're right. I couldn't do this."

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The night prior Scott bought a package of grape tomatoes, which Jonathan kept eating while I was cutting them for the taco dinner. Scott told him to stop or we wouldn't have enough for dinner. I told Scott I had another package in the downstairs frig. But the next night when I went to get them, I discovered I was mistaken. Jonathan offers, "If you need them, they are down the toilet or in here (rubbing his stomach)."

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Jonathan's been home five days. And we are out of our normal routine for giving him his ADHD medications. (Dad normally wakes Jonathan up and gives him the pills before leaving for work. That way an hour later Jonathan is focused and getting ready for school.)

Yesterday Jonathan announces, "I have a feeling I didn't take my medicine today."

  I wonder what was Jonathan's first clue?

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Memoir Monday - Don't Come Home Without A Watch

It's Monday which means we can play Memoir Monday with Travis at I Like to Fish. I believe the only rule is that your memory has to be true. So write your post, including Travis' book below, and send a link to Travis. He'll post it with others. Check out the other memoirs. They are always good for a laugh.

One morning when Jonathan was three I came into the family room and observed Jonathan staring up at the clock. He asked, "What are the lines between the numbers?" I wondered to myself what three year old 1) knows how to tell time and 2) notices the "lines between the numbers?" Thus began Jonathan's fascination with time.

This year I come downstairs for breakfast and I find this

 

"I wanted to know if the minute hand actually moves. Guess what, it does!"

Jonathan started wearing a watch when he was four. It only comes off when he takes a bath or goes swimming. Somewhere around first or second grade, Jonathan came down in the morning and announced his watch stopped. Well, I didn't stop to talk to him about it, instead I immediately called Scott, "Don't you dare come home without a new watch."

In the meantime, Jonathan started panicking, "I don't know what time it is." So I walked him around the house and pointed out all the clocks in the house. And since he was headed off to school, I told him there are clocks all around the school too, he just needed to look."

I realized I should have a collection of back up watches in the house. I found a purple watch on-line. I thought it would go great with Jonathan's Purple Man comic character. And the same site had a green one for Faith's Green Girl comic character. What's even cooler, is that the watch case looks like a giant Lego. But, alas, Jonathan is a creature of habit, just like his father. I'm afraid, I'll have to buy a dozen of the watches that he started off with. It reminds me of the scene from Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium where Mr. Magorium bought a "lifetime supply of shoes" from an Italian cobbler, nine hundred years prior. And now that his last pair of shoes is almost worn out, so soon will Mr. Magorium.

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Oh, and Honey, if you are reading this post and haven't got my Valentine's Day present yet, here is just one idea (Black or Red Valentine's theme. P.S. Don't be scared by the music on the site like I was.) I'll look around for some more.

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Sunday's In My City - Retracting Teen Give-a-way

I'm not sure about all the rules for Sunday In My City over at Unknown Mami's place. I've seen people post pictures of flowers, landscapes, buildings, statutes and even man hole covers. (I think it was at Sunday In My City where I saw the man hole covers which tell a story if you follow them for several blocks.)

Anyway, here is her button if you want to play along. It's like traveling to see different parts of the world without leaving your home. In my case, I've been home bound for a month. So the best I can do is show you the snow around my house this Sunday.

By the way, I'm retracting my offer to give away an experienced babysitting, hard working 17 year old teenager who eats his mom's chocolate covered pretzels and drinks her Diet Dr. Pepper cherry flavored soda. I've found out there are advantages to a teen who'll eat food right from his mother's mouth.

I was sitting down to my lunch, when Joshua decided that he wanted it. I told him he could have it if he saved my beautiful holly tree which was bent to the ground from the weight of the snow.

He ran out immediately to start working. 

 

 But decided that he needed a little more protection. 

So he came inside to get a little more more protection. 

Look at the snow in his hair.

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Saturday Snippets

Thanks to everyone who participated in my Thursday Tackle - Abortion on Trial. I appreciate everyone's thoughtful and respectful comments. A number of comments did remind me of one of the points I forgot to make.


If everyone were allowed to act upon their beliefs, we'd have chaos. Taking Scott Roeder's argument to it's logical conclusion, the U.S. should not be fighting the War on Terrorism because these men and women are killing others based upon their beliefs.

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As some of you probably figured out, I've been MIA (missing in action) for a few weeks on blogs and commenting. I was just responding to Andi Fischer at Misadventures of Andi that five weeks ago we had snow and the kids were home a day and a half. The next three consecutive weeks one child was at home sick for two days. And this week, three separate  snows kept the kids at home three and a half days. We are under a blizzard warning at this very moment. We have six inches of very heavy and wet snow, which hasn't stopped coming down since yesterday morning. The winds are supposed to pick up to 35 mph and higher soon, knocking down frozen trees and power lines. So I'm predicting kids won't be in school on Monday either. When I add up all these days, I'm at 10 and a half days where I lost productivity.

I actually feel better, not so guilty ridden. No wonder I'm so incredibly behind in reading and commenting on blogs as well as making some money freelance writing. I've been "away" from my desk for the equivalent of two work weeks and someone forgot to turn off my work flow!

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Speaking of freelance work, I'm in the running for a steady blogging job about automobile and home insurance. In a previous life I handled auto insurance claims for nine years and I earned a couple professional designations. Between my insurance experience and my writing experience, I've at least gotten a "your experience is right in line with what we are seeking" and a "your experience is very good for this topic. You'll hear back from me next week after I review all the other applications."

So, my blogging friends, I have a request for you. Would you be willing to copy your auto and home owner's insurance policies and send them to me? I don't need the top sheets which tell me personal information. I just need the actual contract language. I would be writing about insurance from all over the United States and each state has it's own requirements for insurance. I only have contracts for my state. If you are interested, leave me a comment and I'll send you my mailing address. And I'd appreciate if you keep your fingers cross for me. When I saw this job posting I thought, "I can't believe how perfect this is for me. And I can actually use my professional designations I spent years and tuition earning!"

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I  have to stop now, Jonathan has already dealt me my hand of cards for a round of Kings in the Corner. Apparently, I'm supposed to be entertaining him. I'm now officially starting my third week of being away from my work desk.

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Family Fridays - Jonathan's Security Blanket

Today I'm going to participate with my good blogging friend, Amy,in Family Fridays. This is an opportunity to celebrate families and memories. You can share those stories handed down for generations or start a new story to be handed down to the next generation. So, post your story, grab Amy's button and link up with others.

This is actually an early post in my blog, which I don't think anyone read because I had no comments. However, this is the first part of a story which we'll hand down to Jonathan's family. Next Friday, I'll post the second part of the story, which wasn't read either. ;-)



As I wrote in an earlier blog entry, Jonathan became very attached to Joshua's yellow blanket. It was the only thing which provided him comfort and security. It cocooned him through ten months of "colic." It was there in the doctor's office when he got stitches in the back of his head. It was a familiar traveling companion to strange places. It was a train behind him when he began crawling, toddling and finally running. It was hiding in his backpack on his first days of preschool and kindergarten, just in case.

When I realized how dependent we all were on the blanket, I started searching baby stores, baby catalogs and the Internet for a back up. The original label had long fallen off, so I couldn't look to the original manufacture. I don't have the blanket industry vocabulary or sewer's knowledge of various fabrics for describing the blanket to help in a web search. "Yellow blanket," "baby blanket," "receiving blanket," "popular gift seven years ago," "satin border," "soft, fuzzy material," or "our life line to sanity" didn't call up proper imagines of Jonathan's best friend.

This is how desperate I was, I traveled in one direction for an hour to the nearest mall and shopping centers to our house. Then I drove back, passing through our county and drove an hour in the opposite direction to the next nearest mall and shopping centers. When we traveled to another state for the annual retreat for our ministry organization, I made my husband pull over at any store which looked remotely like it would carry a baby blanket.

As providence would have it, apparently the original manufacture didn't make this style of blanket any more. It was already seven years old by the time it was handed down to Jonathan. Fortunately, Joshua wasn't attached to it, so it was practically new when Jonathan started being wrapped in it.

I'm sure the reason I couldn't find an exact replica of the treasured yellow blanket has something to do with some governmental agency's declaration about the health and safety hazards. Something like the baby chick fuzzy quality turned out to be flammable. Or some research study linked carpal tunnel syndrome to the fact that children comforted themselves by rubbing the satin border together between their thumbs and forefingers.

I went to Plan B, in the words of a good friend. I went to a fabric store. I did find the exact yellow satin border sold by the roll. I couldn't find the actual material for the middle of the blanket, which makes sense since someone declared it flammable. No store would want assume the liability of selling such a dangerous material.

I'm not a seamstress. But my mom lives close and she's wonderfully talented with a sewing machine. She repaired the border with the new satin I found. Then, because Jonathan was getting older and the blanket was disintegrating by the day, mom and I decided to make hand-sized satin swatches. We noticed that Jonathan liked the feeling of rubbing the satin border of his blanket in his hand. Jonathan did accept these as a poor substitute. He called them "rackets." (I can't even make a guess about the etymology of his word choice.)

When he was about six, I noticed the blanket was being left more and more often in the room. One day, I just removed it and hid it in my sock draw. He hasn't asked for in for nearly four years. I plan to give it to him when he moves out of the house.

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Thursday Tackle - Abortion on Trial

I decided on Thursdays I would challenge myself to write about new or possibly controversial subjects. I need to stretch myself  and my writing skills to become marketable. I need writing samples to provide to potential clients. Thus, I decided to have an on-going experiment on Thursdays when I tackle a subject outside my normal area of expertise and possibly comfort zone. I submit for your reading pleasure, my "Thursday Tackle."

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I warned you yesterday, my loyal readers, I'm jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire this week. First a confession. I'm addicted to reality crime shows and live jury trials. I usually have In Session (formerly CourtTV) on during the day while I'm home. I fall asleep at night to real and fictional forensic shows. My husband is very worried about my obsession. I try to convince him that he should feel very safe. Since everyone knows of my obsession for these shows, if he should expire unexpectedly and questionably, I'm the first one the police will investigate. Besides, after four weeks at home with one or all of the kids, there is no way I'm going to off him. If I really wanted to punish him, I'd kill myself and leave him with the kids. (My husband proofed my post and said this would be the ultimate betrayal.)

Last week I semi-watched (because I'm writing, reading, and commenting) the State of Kansas verses Scott Roeder, who was found guilty of the premeditated first degree murder of George Tiller. My post is not a news story detailing the murder or the trial; however, I do need to give you a few details so I can get to my point. On May 31, 2008 Scott Roeder, an anti-abortionist, shot Dr. George Tiller, one of the few doctors still performing late term abortions. Dr. Tiller was worshiping in his church at the time he was murdered.

Where to start? I followed the trial to verdict. During that time I had a lot of thoughts and emotions. I was really conflicted about what was going on in my own mind and heart during the trial. I even mentioned it to my good friend and pastor, when we met for our occasional coffee "to solve the problems of the world."

I don't believe in abortion. I believe that every child is "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the image of God. I believe my God has a purpose for each and every person to fulfill. I do believe God has given us free choice to follow and believe in Him, or not to follow and believe in Him. And I believe God knew before the beginning of time which babies conceived would be born and which ones would be aborted.*

I  don't believe Scott Roeder had the right to take Dr. Tiller's life. I'm puzzled by his logic. Even on the stand he admitted that only God has the right to make choices about life and death. However, Scott Roeder believed God gave humans the right to take a life to protect oneself or to protect those who can't themselves.

This is my own personal belief (and pet peeve), I think people should act consistently with what they believe. So, while, I don't agree with Scott Roeder taking Dr. Tiller's life, I can understand that he acted consistently with what he believed. However, I'm disappointed that Mr. Roeder didn't continue to act consistently with his beliefs. The Bible says that we are to submit to governing authorities because God, himself allows the government to be in authority over us. And if we disobey the authorities over us, it is like we are disobeying God. (See this passage)

Scott Roeder never denied responsibility for shooting Dr. Tiller. In fact, he admitted to his thoughtfully executed plan. Dr. Tiller had many attempts on his life, so he wore a bullet proof vest, he drove a bullet proof car, he had guards with him on the golf course, and he had extra security at home and work. Roeder decided the only place Dr. Tiller was vulnerable was at church. Again, I find it distasteful that Roeder killed Dr. Tiller in God's house, but I understand his logic. I also understand his defense that these babies were in "imminent danger." The courts said "an imminent danger defense" might have been available if Roeder shot the doctor Monday through Friday at the clinic. However, given how well protected the doctor was, I can see Roeder's defense that unless he shot the doctor at a place and time where he was vulnerable, the doctor would continue his work.

I feel Roeder should have pled guilty since he never denied his guilt. I think this would have been acting consistently with his stated beliefs. He took authority into his own hands. He should accept the consequences of disobeying the laws of the U.S. and Kansas. However, I understand if he had pled guilty, he would not have had his day in court...on national TV no less. The judge did give Scott Roeder a great deal of leeway in his testimony about his crime and his motivation. Roeder and all other anti-abortion advocates hoped to put abortion on trial. The judge and the state (and even Roeder's own defense attorney) had a difficult job keeping the trial focused on the issue at hand, the premeditated murder of Dr. Tiller.

At the end of the day, and the end of the trial, who won? The pro-abortionists (those in favor or abortions) claim victory. The anti-abortionists claim victory. I may be wrong, but I think Scott Roeder got all that he wanted from his act. He stopped an abortionist (one who performs abortions) and he got his message out.

Me? I'm still anti-abortion. However, I don't like some of the anti-abortionist's tactics - whether it is killing a person involved in providing abortions, bombing clinics or shouting hateful things at women contemplating abortion. When I read through the life of Jesus Christ, I see Him asking questions, telling stories, healing, and serving. I don't ever see Him imposing his will on another person.* This is consistent with His Father, who gives us all the freedom to make our own choices knowing that with choices come consequences, good or bad.

* My statements about my spiritual beliefs are simple for the purpose of this post, I didn't feel the need to go into all the proper theology. So for the ten percent of the people who want to discuss the truth of my simple belief statements, I'll be happy to have that discussion off-blog. 

And this is my Thursday Tackle.

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Purple Man Has Football on His Mind

The other day Jonathan announced to me he "had a new Purple Man." Then he directed me to get him a piece of paper ("new, not recycled"), a pencil and a black crayon. I felt like he was a master surgeon and I was the nursing assistant.

Jonathan has been bugging me to show  you his Purple Man plate. He painted this at a Paint N Pottery placed. I told you, he has a whole marketing scheme already created for Purple Man.

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Tomorrow is my Thursday Tackle. I'm going off the deep end and tackling a really controversial topic.

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Post It Notes - Free to Good Home

 

  

  

  

 

  

  

  

 

If you love Post It Notes, you need to make your own and then head over to SupahMommy's place to link up with all the other Post It Notes addicts. Here is her button for directions on how you too can belong to the ever growing cult.

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