Banned Book Week

OOh, oooh... Banned Book week is coming up. September 23rd to the 30th. I didn't know there was a banned book week. (why didn't I know this?) I will have to find some lists and start re-reading! Woohoo. Love those First Amendment rights.

Seems to me that the books that have historically been banned are the ones that challenge us to see things in a different light, or to face society's history (the "n" word), or to view uncomfortable truths.

Apparently, Forever, by Judy Blume has been on the "challenged" list for "sexual content". Could it be that parents don't want to accept that this is what their teenaged kids are thinking about, and maybe doing? Ban the book and they won't get any "ideas". Well. A book isn't to blame - it's hormones. Nature, plain and simple. I've read the book. I had to sneak it - I read it in the public library when I was in junior high. Maybe if kids read fiction like this at an appropriate time (I wouldn't give it to my 8 yr old just yet... I'm still waiting to give her Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret) they'll have some answers to questions they're embarrassed or afraid to ask their parents.

Me? I'm standing at the ready, armed with Judy Blume and a copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves, waiting for the questions to begin.

More School Shopping

We got C some great uniform items at Kohls. I love Kohls. They have everything and at a great price. The best part was that they had uniforms in the store, but not in her color - she wanted khaki, not navy... so we tried them on, and then went to order them online. There are even coupons available online so we can save even more! Free shipping or a % off. This coupon site has coupons for all kinds of things, not just Kohls. Target, Dell, eBags ('cause you can always use another purse!), Overstock... lots of stuff. So many people are afraid of ordering online, but I do it all the time, and I'm even happier when I can save some extra money!

Morrigan's Cross

I visited several stores before breaking down and just buying the damned book at Borders. Nora Roberts is a given for me - when she releases a new book - I buy it, no questions asked. Tuesday was no different. I knew her new one, Morrigan's Cross, was being released. Two grocery stores and a drug store later, I knew I just had to break down and [gasp] pay full price.

I wish I could say that I had to pry my hands off the book to type this, but it's just not the case. Uusally, Nora's characters are much more engaging. Usually, I get sucked in and can't put it down until I finish, bleary eyed at 2am. Not this time. Not yet, anyway. I'll keep you posted.

Wednesday Rant: Chain Letters

I get so many STUPID chain letter emails it isn't funny. Get the hint -do I EVER "send this back"? No... I'm gonna break the chain! I delete them.

With email, it's as simple as a fwd and a few clicks from your address book, and you're on your way to annoying friends and relatives. Remember when they were actual letters... On paper... In envelopes... That required postage? Ha. I remember getting one in elementary school - a chain note. What a chore for a kid - to have to hand copy this stupid note ten times, then find ten friends to give it to... and what if they gave it back to you as one of their ten friends? Did you have to do it all over again, or were you OK since you'd already done it once?

I asked my mother about it and she told me to throw it away. So I did. Is this why my life seems to be an uphill climb? Should I start sending on these inane chain letters? Why then, after telling me that all those years ago, does she insist upon sending me these stupid, *$#((#*$(#*$# chain emails? I don't know. I don't think anyone knows.

Sewing Lessons

C loves the snippets of Project Runway that she sometimes sees when she comes downstairs after bedtime. (PR is one of my dirty little secrets. I am not fashionable, and I hate reality shows (except for Extreme Home Makeover) but there is something about PR that is oddly addictive. IMHO, they got cheated on the Emmy!) She has expressed interest in fashion design. This fits for her - she loves to draw and create things - and she's m'fashion girl! But, if you want to do that, as is SO apparent on the show, you need to be able to sew!

Our first lessons have begun. We made a little tote bag this weekend. I need to snap another pic of her with the finishe product, then I'll come back and post the photos! She cut and sewed, and I translated the directions and pinned the fabric for her. She even learned how to wind a bobbin and thread the machine. She drools over the embroidery machine, but she's not touching that for a long time!

First Day of School

My dear C is off to 3rd grade. There she was yesterday on her first day back. Isn't she lovely! She was excited and happy to be going back. She likes school, and she missed her friends.

But no first day is without problems. The school district decided to mess with bus schedules and stops, and didn't call us to let us know when and where she'd get the bus until 3pm the day before school started! Arug! They changed her stop! And there were still kids at her old stop! B was livid. I took her in the morning on my way to my one day in the office, and was less than pleased with the arrangements. The bus came down off the highway and stopped to pick them up just around the corner from the off-ramp. There is no stop for traffic coming off the ramp, and folks often don't slow down at all - they just make that right turn. The bus is going to get creamed one of these mornings. B called the school, and after much aggravation, got her stop changed back!

L is mad that C is back in school - she wants her around to play with her (bug her) but she's also very put out that she isn't old enough to go to school. We've been looking into private pre-schools, but they're all so expensive...

:)

First Day of School

Well, C is off to 3rd grade. She made her own lunch, got ready, and we were off to her new bus stop. Not that the school waited until YESTERDAY to bother to call to let us know where and when she'd be picked up... She also didn't know where her new class room would be - she had to report to her old 2nd grade room to be taken to the new one. Seems there were a lot of shake-ups this year, from classes to bus routes. The darned driver didn't even know when they'd be back this afternoon... how are we supposed to pick her up? B will be there - he's a good daddy! More later when she's home and tells me how it went!

Locks of Love

You might have been wondering what the big deal was with C's hair. Why did an 8 year old need to be treated to the "fancy" salon? Well, back before her birthday in March, she made a major change to her hair. Drastic. Generous. C's hair was nearly to her butt! It was getting hard to care for, and she finally decided that donating it was the way to go. We went to the salon where Tara (the stylist worth following!) used to work and got it cut for Locks of Love. She wasn't as pleased about the new lenght as she'd hoped - when they cut it, they must put it in a pony tail to contain it, and they then cut above the elastic. This makes a very crooked cut (think the blonde girl friend from the movie 16 Candles that gets her hair caught in the door and her "friend" cuts her out) that must be fixed by cutting off even more length. I thought it looked wonderful.

Ready All Her Life

Took 1/2 day yesterday and C and I went out shopping for school uniforms. What a tedious task. Not that I mind uniforms... "So, are you going to wear the khaki pants, or the khaki skirt?" I was not going to get her shoes yesterday, but then she saw a pair she LOVED. Could not continue breathing without. And she was good, didn't beg - but I could see the lust in her 8 yr old eyes for these shoes. The clincher was when she said they were "Claire" shoes. Claire is my cousin, whom she adores. We bought the shoes.

So then, off to get her hair done at my salon. C was hysterical about it. The salon is huge and is also a spa. It's impressive to walk up to - the double doors to enter are at the point of the corner of the building, and there are lit aromatherapy candles in the foyer, which you can see from outside.

"Are you ready for your first 'spa' experience?" I asked, my hand on the big, brass door handle. "Mom," she replied, giving me 'the look', "I've been ready all my life."

We are then seated in the waiting room, where there are black leather couches, a fire place, beverages (wine, if you're of age), cheese and crackers... Tara comes for her and we go back to her station where we discuss the hair. Tara actually listens. (Light beams down from above and angels sing - a stylist that listens!) We go back to the sinks, which are are SO cool... not only do they have foot rests, but they have these neat platforms IN the sinks so that your head rests on them and your neck doesn't get sore. Then Tara gets to work and does a beautiful job. So my dear girl is all set for "back-to-school"!

School Shopping

Arrruuggggg. Off to get uniforms for C today. Hooray that her school district has a uniform policy. My fashion girl would surely make my life a living hell otherwise. Now, it's "Do you want to wear the khaki pants and the blue polo, or the khaki pants and the white polo?" She does like skirts, so I'll be sure to get her skirt/skorts... and then, come winter, we can get some fun, funky tights to jazz up her outfits. If she wants them. Sigh. I'd love to get her the whole collection of fun and funky from Hanna Anderson, but I'm not sure 8 going on 18 is going to want that. Who knows. Third grade. (rolling eyes!!!) What the hell.

Last year she had a problem remembering her assignements. I indulged her in an American Girl School Smarts Book. I really hope it helps. I think she'll use it because it's American Girl.

We're also getting her hair trimmed - at MY salon with MY stylist. (rolling my eyes again) She is such a girly-girl. Much more fashion consious than I ever was or probably ever will be. When shopping for a top to wear out for B's birthday, I had C tell me what looked good! Pretty sad when your 8 year old dresses you. I wouldn't be surprised if she became a designer. She has art skills and interest. I've kind of encouraged maybe designing outfits for her Barbies or AG dolls. She hasn't yet, but we'll see. I'll be happy to teach her how to use a sewing machine. Maybe it's time to find a simple pattern so she begins to learn the basics. I had my own sewing machine at 10 - and knew how to use it!

Red boots

L is stomping around the house in her red boots. She wears them - red rain boots that are several sizes too large and go up to her knees - in case the Laurie Berkner song "Boots" comes on Noggin. "In my red boots, in my red boots, I stomp around in my red boots... in my boots STOMP STOMP..." Which is fine, except that the song usually plays while her father is sleeping.

Noggin, as a TV station goes, RULES. I often feel like clipping the cord right off the TV, but L learns SO much from Noggin, it's not funny. The best part, beyond the kids' programming that runs all day (6am to 6pm) - shows like Dora, Diego, Little Bear, Franklin, Blues Clues... is that there are NO commercials. Music videos (like Laurie Berkner!) where the commercials would be on any other station.

It occurred to me that there may be a much larger proportion of posts about C than L, so here's one about L! I think the glut about C is revolving around the 'back to school' stuff going on now. But I will try to mention L more - which will probably happen, as she's home with me all the time, and alone, now that C is going back to school.

New Coffee Mug

Bliss. A latte in one of the new mugs my cousin brought us on her way to college. I chose the one on the right - I like the shape. We have a small collection of her pottery now, and it's growing. I'd like it to keep growing! We'll have her "early works" when she's famous and you can't get a mug for under $50. She really went back and forth on the whole college issue. She's so accomplished that she worried (rightly so) that most programs would have little to offer her. But she's thinking about her future. She wants to be prepared for the time when she can no longer throw and wants to instead teach or own a gallery. She'll have a degree behind her to do just that. Smart girl.

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My House was FULL of Birkenstocks

My Aunt and Uncle came through today with their daughter. We happen to be a good half-way point between their home and the college she will attend. Sigh... their baby going away to college. They are true hippies from the 60s, and their youngest is following suit. They came into the house and took off their shoes, as did I. I looked over and saw a pile of Birkenstocks and couldn't have been happier. C is dying for a "real" pair, but I won't relent until her feet stop growing. Until then, she'll have to make due with her "faux" Birks.

KT is an accomplished potter. She's been apprenticing for years at Wheaton Village, and is now going to one of the best schools in the country to hone her craft. Not only is she attending the best "pottery" school - she's going on a big scholarship, which they awarded on the basis of her portfolio. I have a few pots, and she brought me the wonderful gift of 2 new mugs. I bought one for dear hubby last year, and it's HUGE... it holds at least 16 oz.! Makes a hell of a latte!! Now I will have one, too.

The kicker was the menu. I offered to feed them, since they'll be on the road for days (my aunt admits to being a turtle on the road... and it did take her at least an hour more to go from her house to mine than it takes me to make the trip) and won't have home-cooked food 'til the end of the week. I mentioned to C what I was planning to make, and my dear 8 yr old flipped out. She reminded me rather forcefully that KT is a vegetarian. Let me just say that substituting Boca ground "beef" for regular ground beef in lasagne works very well. I couldn't tell the difference, and all were very happy.

He did WHAT?

Holy crap. A woman had a baby in her own home. How did she ever do it without a trained doctor to tell her what to do, and is it safe to do that without all those machines that go "ping"? (thank you, Monty Python)

Well, you may as well know about it now... I fully believe in a woman's ability to birth babies without tons of medical interventions. *Disclaimer: There are some instances where the interventions are very necessary and life saving. I am not speaking about those times.*

There was an article the other day on CNN entitled Congressman Delivers His Own Son. Against my better judgement, I flipped over to the article. I'm glad all went well and they have a healthy baby. Congrats!! I wish them all the joy that goes with a new baby. But why, I ask, is this news? His wife simply did what women have been doing since the beginning. She birthed her baby. She did what nature made women's bodies to do... and do well. These articles make me crazy. They perpetuate the myth that women need to be in a hospital to have a safe birth. (Most times, they do not, and in fact, being in the hospital is what causes problems.)

The article says that he'd dreamed of becoming a doctor, and he got to play that role. Actually, he got to play the role of an equally noble profession - that of a midwife. I'm sure what he did was be there for his wife and catch the baby when he was born. That's what a midwife does. He didn't "manage" the birth, he was present for it. What a blessing for their family.

Milestones

My baby isn't a baby anymore. L made her way into her room last night early and promptly fell asleep in her undies instead of changing into a night-time-only pull-up. This morning, some 12 or 13 hours later, she awoke DRY. Could that have been the last package of diapers/pull-ups I'll ever have to buy? I am thrilled, and just a little sad. While I don't want to reset the clock with another baby, there's that little part deep down that says, "Awww, wouldn't it be nice to have just one more?" Fortunately, the other, more sensible parts immediately take that "awww, new baby" part back behind the barn and kick the living shit out of it. L is enought to keep up with, thanks!


L is my fearless little Ranger. No slide is too high or fast; no gap too wide to fling herself across. She's amazing to watch at the park. Older kids get left in the dust. She doesn't seem to realize that she's younger. L just knows she wants to get there first!

My other "baby" will start third grade in less than 2 weeks. Aaakk. Third grade. I think I learned the "F" word in third grade. (Ok. I learned the "F" word waaaaay earlier than that, if family stories are to be believed... and I do think they are accurate.) She's asking about kissing boys and worrying about being fat. She's finished all the Harry Potter books twice. We're going into our last year of Brownies. Before I know it I'll be entering the world of training bras and discussing feminine hygiene products.

But I'm still in the early stages. Family will breeze through on Monday for a visit on their way to take their youngest to her first year of college. I cannot imagine sending L off to college right now. I'll enjoy the fifteen years I've got ahead of me on that one, thanks!

Eight Hours in the Family Fun Park

Load 'em up in the old 'family truckster' and take 'em to the amusement park. Well, we skipped the world's largest ball of string, and instead saw the ubiquitous PA attraction known as "the rear bumper of the car in front of you in construction traffic". The kids also learned the valuable "don't try to cut in line by zipping down the shoulder of the road when there's a cop in the SUV ahead of you who is not afraid to block your path" lesson.

We surprised the kids with a trip to the wonderful Knoebles Grove. This park is how amusement parks used to be long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. They encourage picnicking with a large, covered picnic grove just full of picnic tables just outside the park. I'd say outside the park gates, but I don't know that there are "gates" since they don't charge an entrance fee. I'll wait a moment while you recover from the shock. No $40 entrance fee for a parent who is not going to ride a single ride. The park instead sells tickets, or on weekdays, all-day ride bracelets. But wait, you say, the lines must be out of control at this place... Nope. I think we waited longer to get through the construction traffic on the way.

There is an extensive "kiddie" section to keep the little ones happy. We sent C off with her aunt and uncle to ride the roller coasters while hubby and I took the little ones (L and her cousin) and let them ride the rides with reckless abandon.

We spend eight hours - EIGHT HOURS in the park... but we had a lovely picnic then spent ages on the rides. I think L and cuz went on every single kiddie ride available, and C went on some roller coasters more than once. L was tall enough to ride the flume with the rest of the gang. If you look closely, you'll note that Uncle is soaked, and Daddy is suspiciously dry. Someone ducked! It was a very long day, and once back in the truck, we couldn't keep L awake for the short drive to the restaurant where we would have our long overdue dinner. Happily, she wasn't too cranky. The inlaws are going to Disney. Frankly, I think they're insane - a nearly 3 yr old, and an infant. Not my idea of a great time. I think MY girls are still too young to really appreciate Disney. Better them than me. I'll stick to my favorite family fun park a lot closer to home.

Is it Pancake Day?

This is how the day begins most days. The 3-yr-old wants to know if it's "Pancake Day." We make pancakes on Sundays. She gets to stir (sometimes, if she behaved while out getting Daddy's Sunday paper). But, alas, not every day can be pancake day. Most days are "work" days, or worse yet, the dreaded "Allentown Day" - the day I have to travel into the office. I work from home 4 out of 5 days of the week. I expect I'll expand on that another day - the pros and cons of working from home is a subject all its own.

I have two lovely girls, ages 8 and 3. They get along... most of the time. The rest of the time... well, they're normal kids! C is 8. She's a Brownie (I'm a co-leader) and she takes Irish Step Dancing. She'll be starting 3rd grade in a few short weeks. I don't know where the time has gone - just yesterday she was born! I know, I know... it only goes by faster.

C went to GS camp for a whole week this summer, and L was lost without her. C had a wonderful time, and is trying to figure out a way to go to camp for more than one week next year.

The secret to good pancakes is to not use a mix! It's really not much more trouble to make them from real ingredients, and the results are worth it. C&L refuse to eat pancakes out in a restaurant.

Pancakes

Dry: 1.5 C Flour 3 T Sugar 1.75 t Baking Powder

Wet: 1 egg, beaten 1 C milk 3 T vegetable oil

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine dry and wet mixtures. Heat frying pan or griddle over med-high heat. Butter pan (yes, use butter!) and when butter is melted (but not burning - if it gets brown, the pan is too hot) add approx. 1/4 c of batter for each pancake. When bubbles form on the pancakes, flip them and cook about a minute more. Serve hot!

Off to figure out what to make for dinner!