Chicken Stuff

What is going on in the coop? Well, Lizzie isn't broody--that nurturing thing that kicks in with chickens that makes them want to sit on eggs. Depending on where you read, it can happen quickly or it can take forever.

Lizzie isn't anything. She is lonely. She just kinda hangs out. It didn't help that she was "cooped" up inside our house while the temperatures hovered around 20 degrees.

So I think I have found some chickens. The picture above is of Wyandottes. Why am I changing my mind on the breeds? Because I have been researching breeds more closely and chatting with some online buddies, and my two favorite breeds (Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds) tend to be dominant birds. What does that mean? Lizzie gets the tar beat out of her again.

But the Wyandottes, from what folks are telling me are a gentler breed, like Lizzie's. Hopefully, it will be easier to incorporate everyone than the boxing match we had last month.

I have found someone who has 20 week old "pullets". Pullets are basically teenaged chickens. They aren't quite full grown, but sure look like it. I will be able to get them next Tuesday. I have been talking with this person quite a bit, and she does have my other favorite breeds too, but once I told her our chicken nightmare of November, she thought I should reconsider and so do I.

So, wish us luck. I'll be posting coop news next week.

Chaos....

Why do I say chaos? We are in that weird Christmas Break time when Christmas is over but we are still out of school. So we have lots to do and yet nothing to do, and it's hard to plan our days. We kind of just wake up and say "what are we going to do today?" And some things get done and yet, so much more needs to get done. Since I need some organization, and my very small case of OCD is starting to kick in, I am going to make a list.

Here goes:

Things I have gotten done:

* Finally got my wireless connection secure! That has been a weight on my mind since we rearranged the office last summer and I couldn't figure it out. One of the Tracy's who comment on this blog--her husband came over and fixed it, we shot the breeze, and it's done. Check!

*Scads of laundry. But that is the chore that never really goes away, does it?

*Gotten some housecleaning done.

Things I have not gotten done:

*More housecleaning done.

*Shoveling out the boy's bedroom. We are about to go the grandparents house for the Christmas we missed last week due to weather. Get ready.....every toy known to mankind will be coming into my house, and each one takes batteries. We have no room for that load.

*Balancing the checkbook. Stress! Again, that might fall into the category of being a constant chore.

And my caffeine deprived brain can't think of much else that needs to get done. The few things on that list weigh heavily on my mind. The few things on the done side make me feel like I have wasted time. And there goes that.

Chicken news? Next post.

Warm Welcomes

And it turns out, according to a Christmas card we got today, an old high school friend of mine has "tuned into" my blog. Welcome to D and P!

This has given me much food for thought today, for some reason. D and P (specifically D, the husband is who I went to high school with, over 20 years ago) are good friends. We haven't seen each other in years, and I dare say, may not recognize each other if we saw each other. But when we do have a conversation, it's one of those where we pick up where we left off. It's very comfortable. I am just kind of excited they found my blog.

Why? Because blogging, specifically family update kind of blogging that I do, keeps people in touch more than the Christmas card every year--which is what D and P and my family does.

So, apparently D and P "tuned into" my blog during the "episode" where I referenced making slippers out of maxi pads. One of my better posts, and I stole it! But what I find intriguing is the references that my blog is like a TV show, and that almost makes me laugh out loud.

I feel that way often. What saga is next? What drama are my kids going to blow out of proportion next? It made me laugh, I have to say. It feels like a soap opera sometimes. Sigh...

So, welcome D and P! Now I have a question.....how did you find my blog? That is a mystery to me! But I am elated that you did, for sure.

But nonetheless, I hope you get a chance to post some comments, check out my friends blogs, etc. I know this sounds cliche', but when I need a good laugh, I click on the blog "It's Lovely, I'll Take It" about really bad real estate listings. If you thought the maxi pads were funny, just keep clicking through her posts. Oh my word!

Christmas 2008

Yes, we are still house bound, and have been essentially since December 15th when the first storm started this weather with a slight dusting of snow, and it's grown in magnitude since then.

I am thankful for a lot of things:

* I was able to get out and go shopping and get some pretty dandy gifts one afternoon when we had a reprieve.

* We have only lost our electricity for a few moments at a time, not days at a time.

* We have had an incredibly special Christmas just the four of us, not the traditional huge family event that, honestly, overwhelms the kids. It was a perfect Christmas morning where the kids got a few gifts, and have really enjoyed them.

* The Christmas Day turkey was the best turkey we have ever made. I also made the best batch of gravy I have ever made. I only make it once or twice a year, so I never get enough practice.

* It has been nice, although sometimes tense, to spend long concentrated time with each other. We don't get to do that often when life seems to just be busy.

Here is our recap:

Christmas Morning Musings

The big gift from Santa this year was that gift the boys have wanted forever....a Nintendo Wii. And of course, to set up this thing, you have to pull out the TV. What happens next? Every single itsy bitsy toy that has been missing for years has been found. Candy wrappers from clandestine candy eating is found. Crusts from pizza is found--crusts that were supposed to be eaten, not stashed. So the hubbie got out the vacuum cleaner and has cleaned up the place. Here is one aspect of that conversation:

Mom: Watch out! Daddy made a clean spot!
BH: Oops!

Dear Santa, from Mom.

Another one of those forwarded emails that hit my tickle spot, especially now that our cabin fever has hit an all new fevered pitch.

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited their doctor's office more than my own doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out -- over several Christmases.

Since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles; and who knows when I'll find any more free time in the next 18 years, so now

***Here are my Christmas wishes***

*I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (-in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

*I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

*If you're hauling big-ticket items this year, I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

*On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, 'Yes, Mommy' to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

*I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, 'Don't eat in the living room' and 'Take your hands off your brother,' because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

* If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

*If you don't mind, I could also use a few miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

*It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and 0 my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his red crayon back. Have a safe trip Santa, and remember to leave your wet boots by the door, and come in and dry off, so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours always with love and appreciation,

A Mom

P.S. One more thing, you can cancel all my requests, if you can keep my children 'young' enough to believe in Santa.

Amazing Blessings

Okay, read this whole story. It is amazing! Click here.

You have to read to the very end. The final sentence will make tears suddenly appear in your eyes.

Coming to a Grinding Halt

Our little man measuring the Christmas tree.....for some reason....

Our decorated tree....a bit off center, but at least it's not falling over.

Let's go outside.....now! In five minutes, it's "Let's go inside .....now!"

Remember my lovely blackberry bushes from last summer? Yep, that's them.

The city has declared only vehicles with chains are allowed to drive. Well, then you can either use your four wheel drive Jeep.....or cross country skis.

Beautiful ice laced holly tree in our yard. It's fun to see the beauty all around.

It's official in the last 24 hours, not only has the city come to a complete halt. It has now hit emergency levels. Emergency vehicles cannot get around, and are actually requesting a plow to plow in front of them to make it to emergencies. Parts of the grocery store near us has closed down, because the shelves are bare. A couple was found today having died from carbon monoxide poisoning because they were trying to stay warm in their car. So, around the city, you can feel it--some critical levels have been achieved. Some of the remote rural communities have some serious concerns about getting supplies to them. So, I ask your prayers for them. When we hear such news, we are struck by how blessed we are to have a roof over our heads, and food in our cupboards. Yet there is not much we can do for those we are hearing about, prayer is the most effective thing I can think of.

I am bummed for another reason. We do a giving tree at our church every year, like most churches. We adopt a few families and provide for them Christmas. I mean it, we provide it all. The gifts for the kids, a few for the parents, a full meal including a ham. So we all pick items to bring. I was lucky to get to a store late last week to provide two presents for two kids. I am so sad for those kids because there is no way our church can get these things that I have bought and others have bought for these families.

As I watch my little local yahoo chicken chat group online, I am amazed at how many people are losing chickens to frost and cold. We have been consistently in the 20's for the last several days. So, while I put up with Lizzie squawking in my house, I am glad we can bring her inside. She may not be though.

We are blessed that we will have a cozy Christmas here in our home. Traditionally, we go off to the inlaws and have a huge Christmas. I have always secretly (not so secret anymore) wanted to have a few Christmas memories in our house, with just our family, with our own traditions. This year will be memorable for that.

The world around us has come to a grinding halt, in some cases, quite tragically. We count our blessings.

We wish all of you a most blessed, lovely, special and memorable Christmas.

Colorado Weather in the Pacific NW

Mystery solved! When you put a full Pull Up outside,
in 20 degree weather, it will freeze! It is harder that a rock.

Drifting snow in our backyard.

The snow drift you need to walk up to get on the stairs to our back porch.

Snow drifts in the chicken coop.

I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for almost twenty years now. I still get tickled watching the city shut down when there is a slight snow flurry. Honestly, when I was a kid, there were very few times the weather shut school down. Why? Because the guy in the administration who made that decision was from Minnesota. So bad weather in Colorado seemed like nothing to him.

Well, this is weather that might have shut down schools in Colorado. It is blizzard like (not full on blizzard) conditions. Blowing, blustery snow with drifts. I haven't seen a snow drift here, ever.

One thing about Pacific Northwest weather I never saw in Colorado--freezing rain. I remember the first time I saw that, and it scared the jeebers out of me. Why? Because I had just stepped out of my entry level job and needed to drive home in it.

And guess what is happening now, which is typical. We have had our snow. Now there is an ever so slight crust of moisture on top of it. And it freezes. So we are going to have a layer of ice on top on snow probably by the end of the day. Now that is kind of sporting when it comes to even going to get your mail. The world suddenly becomes a skating rink. That happened a few years ago, and honestly, just walking up the street to a mail drop box (because the postal carrier wasn't carrying mail for several days) I was skating on ice, and walking by hanging onto cars and fences so I wouldn't slip on the ice.

We'll keep you posted.

Crud, crud, crud!

I had an inkling this would happen someday.

You know how much I really enjoy sending BH's birth family our semi annual letter and pictures. I sent the most recent pack the week of Thanksgiving. We received it back today "No longer at this address". Crap!

I kind of knew this would happen. Let me give you a bit of the red tape that can happen with adoption.

When we adopted BH, the agency, we shall call ABC, had a director, Jeff. Jeff was a bit of a schmoozer who could easily be a politician. And in some respects of adoption, you want that kind of person. You need someone who can build relationships and put together agreements, which is what adoption is.

ABC adoption was (notice the past tense) directed by Jeff on the east coast, we live on the west coast. JM's adoption was in a state a long way's off, and it was a commitment to a lot of phone calls, and it went fine. I made it clear to Jeff, we needed him to jump on the paperwork so we could finalize the adoption by the end of 2005. Why? So we could get the adoption tax credit we desperately needed to pay for a lot of the adoption. Key! I made it clear, that needed to happen.

After we took custody of BH in the summer of 2005, the adoption isn't over. You have to finalize the deal with a lot of paperwork and a court appearance. Again, lots still needs to happen.

I called my attorney in the fall to see how the paperwork was slogging along. He had received nothing from ABC. Now keep in mind, they had hounded me quite a bit at this point for several minor medical bills to be paid, which were. But when I needed something, I got nothing.

This calling, asking for the paperwork, nothing happening, continued after the New Year. It got to the point that by March, I wasn't getting calls returned at all. I would just call at random times to try to catch a lucky moment when someone picked up the phone.

This is tax season of 2006! Our taxes are messed up so badly at this point. I finally get ahold of Jeff, and he explains to me a terrible thing. His entire staff had walked out on him and he was running the whole show. "Oh, Jeff, I am so sorry. However, I really need this paperwork to happen. It has been almost a year" I say. His specific words to me are "You have my word that this will be out the door to your attorney in a week." When someone says that to me, I honestly take them at their word.

I call my attorney at the beginning of May, and I get the answer, he hasn't received the paperwork. I am shaking mad at this point, I am not kidding. I am on the verge tears, and they are not sad, they are pure infuriation. I leave Jeff a voicemail with my voice shaking explaining how upset I am that I took him at his word that he swore to me, and that if this doesn't get resolved, I will be calling the attorney general in the state in which he is a practicing adoption attorney. Seriously, nothing happens. I now totally understand why his entire staff walked out on him, he has the listening skills and follow through skills of a dolt.

I finally get him on the phone while I am at the zoo at the beginning of June. I ask him flat out, get me paperwork or I am taking legal action. I am not exaggerating, he tries the schmooze thing on me. He says, "Oh but AM, just think of the great son you have." I say, "Nice try, he isn't my son actually is he? At best, I am his legal guardian, and how are we going to fix that?" He says, "Fair enough...." and makes more promises.

I have kept my attorney abreast of this crap all along, and he finally called Jeff, which was out of the kindness of his heart, and said something. The paperwork finally got finished, over a year after taking custody of BH.

I noticed the following November, when I called ABC offices, his voice wasn't on the voicemail. It was the social worker saying she would call back. I have left several messages with her, and of course, no returned calls.

So the writing has been on the walls for awhile. That agency is on the way out. But any responsible agency, when it folds, contracts another agency to take care of all the follow up and contact between birth and adoptive parents. I know our agency here in our hometown has taken over those responsibilities for other agencies. Nothing from ABC.

I have searched on the Internet for ABC, for Jeff, for the social worker, for any updated information. I have also left a message for another agency in the same city just to see if the know the gossip about what has happened to ABC.

And who suffers here? Well, when BH is old enough, I get to tell him that the agency went under with no new information. His birthparent's suffer because they are waiting for the update that is sitting on my desk, instead of in their hands.

Crud, crud, crud!!

Snow Day Number 2

They seem so peaceful and serene don't they?
They actually have a severe case of "ants in the pants".

Adventures in Pull Ups

Ever wonder what happens when a Pull Up goes through the wash and comes out intact?




Now you know.

Snow + Trampoline = Fun!

I know for those of us who grew up in climates that have serious snow, my pictures today will seem really wimpy. I remember trick or treating as a little girl in Colorado in snow drifts taller than me. There are toddler pictures of me in Montana where the snow drifts are twice the size of me. So these pics I am sharing today will seem really wimpy. But we still had fun!

Snowball fight!

Nice form! Jumping and throwing and picture taking!

Christmas is Coming! Let's Add Some Levity to This Economy!

Dear Friends and Family,

Somewhat embarrassing to admit, but Christmas is tight this year.

I will be making bedroom slippers for you all as gifts. Please let me
know your sizes. You'll most likely agree that it's a splendid idea, and
should you wish to do the same, I've included the instructions below.

How to make bedroom slippers out of maxi pads:

You need four maxi pads to make a pair.
Two of them get laid out flat, for the foot part.
The other two wrap around the toe area to form the top.
Tape or glue each side of the top pieces to the bottom of the foot part.


Decorate the tops with whatever you desire, silk flowers (this is most
aesthetically appealing), etc.

These slippers are:
* Soft and Hygienic
* Non-slip grip strips on the soles
* Built in deodorant feature keeps feet smelling fresh
* No more bending over to mop up spills
* Disposable and biodegradable
* Environmentally safe
* Three convenient sizes: (1.) Regular, (2.) Light and (3.) Get out the
Sand Bags.

I've attached a photo of the first pair I made so that you can see the
nifty slippers for yourself....

Awaiting your response. It's crucial that I get the right size for each
one of you.

The Chicken Posts are Only Going to Get Worse

Remember how happy I was that it seemed like Lizzie and the others were getting along so well? It was short lived. I went to let them all out the next morning from their enclosed roost. The two white chickens, Maisy and Daisy, had thumped on Lizzie all night long. She was pretty beat up--again. The raccoon did worse damage, but we were back to square one. We have an injured chicken in our house, and no hope that she can go outside with the others.

Okay, new plan! I have had it with the two leghorns. They have always been a bit aggressive and mean. It's a characteristic of their breed. If you want a chicken for a pet, they aren't the best choice. I got them as a freebie. They lay great eggs, which is why they are what we get in the grocery stores. As a family we agreed it was time for Maisy and Daisy to find a home where they aren't hurting others. I posted them on craigslist, specific that they needed to be by themselves and not around other chickens, and they have a new home. I am glad for them, I am glad for Lizzie.

Lizzie is now outside, and acting very chicken like. She is still just a bit nervous. She keeps looking around seeing if Maisy and Daisy are going to pop out somewhere and pounce on her.

A hen by itself is not a good situation. They are very social creatures, and will eventually just kind of go numb without a friend.

Here is the plan:

1) Encourage Lizzie to go "broody". That means make her go into mama-chicken protective mode to get her to lay on a clutch of eggs, incubate them and raise them.

2) Have her incubate a bunch of eggs.

3) Give away any roosters that emerge from that clutch.

4) Keep a few hens and give a few away.

5) Have peace in our coop because Lizzie and her "family" won't kill each other because they suddenly don't remember who each other is.

5) Get the kids involved in this little adventure and maybe learn some cool things.

6) Buy eggs for the next four months. Bummer!

The biggest question from my chicken lovin' friends out there, what breed will you choose? I have had in the past Plymouth Barred Rocks (black and white birds, lay big brown eggs) and Rhode Island Reds (brown/red birds that lay big brown eggs). Both are very friendly, and the kids would definitely not have to run from them. Both lay huge brown eggs, which I love. I have found a place where I can get Rhode Island Reds, and we'll see what we can do to get the eggs underneath Lizzie's little belly. I also found a place that has Black Australorps, which is what Lizzie is. I just don't like their eggs as much. They are very small. I like big eggs.

I would consider Buff Orpingtons, because they are truly a beautiful golden color. They are known for their pet friendliness, and their large brown eggs. I just can't find a place that breeds them. Maybe next time.

Here is what is a bit freaky. This is seriously a hair brained idea isn't it? My husband is going for it! When I mentioned posting Maisy and Daisy to craigslist, brooding Lizzie, etc. He said, "When can we post it? Can we get fertilized eggs after the holidays? This would be great for the kids to get involved in."

Who are you and what have you done with my husband?

Chicken Soap Opera Continues...

Okay, so in the days before Thanksgiving and knowing we would be out of town, I was trying to incorporate Lizzie back into the chicken coop. The problem was the other chickens forgot who she was and started thumping on her. Normally, I let them just duke it out, but this time I couldn't. She is still injured, yet healing, and it's two beating up on one.

What to do?? Not sure yet, but on Wednesday afternoon I go to check on the two remaining ones outside, Maisy and Daisy. Suddenly, Maisy is gone. I mean gone. I was freaking out, just knowing I would find a pile of feathers and a glance at a satisfied raccoon. I look all over, and find her cowering in a corner.

I figured out what happened. The leak in our fencing into the coop that allowed the raccoon in also has allowed our 60 pound dog, Clementine, in. I had let the dog out earlier, and she had been inside now for about two hours. I think Clementine roughed up Maisy. I can't get too mad. How do you tell a dog to go after small animals (rats, squirrels, and raccoons) and not the small chickens?

Maisy is not nearly as tame as Lizzie, yet she let me pick her up and examine her. Her wings were fine, no blood, just limped a bit but no broken bones. I think she is just bruised a bit.

Now what? We are even further from what to do with all these critters! No one wants to babysit beaten up chickens! First things first, I sat on my behind in that chicken coop and pulled out chicken wire, dug up dirt, reinstalled galvanized wire, buried the wired 6+ inches below the surface, and buried it under river rock. Good luck to the next critter who tries to dig under it.

Next, my neighbor volunteered to take Lizzie for the few days if she were in an animal carrier. Done! She also agreed to come over and lock up chickens at night. I love my neighbor! She absolutely loved taking care of Lizzie, her grandson came over to see her and enjoyed her sweet cooing.

Okay, a few days ago, I am cleaning up Maisy a bit and holding her down. I clip her little claws, and sure enough, clipped too close and her toenail starts bleeding profusely. Luckily I have stryptic which is an instant bonding agent that stopped the bleeding.

Right after I got her bleeding under control, and put her back in her coop, the dog decides to try to escape and gets her leg wedged under our fence. It took both my husband and I to unwedge her. Her yelping could be heard for blocks.

Lord have mercy on our critters!

All that to say, the plan for Lizzie. I have been putting her little animal carrier out in the coop with the chickens so they can get reacquainted without beating each other up. It seems to be working. Plus, with Maisy being a bit gimpy it's taken the fight out of her a bit. Yesterday, Maisy and Daisy were all cuddled up on the outside of the door to the carrier cooing at Lizzie.

Today, I stopped in the kitchen with Lizzie to go outside. I opened the door to replace her water, and she just starts strutting around my kitchen. Thank goodness the dog didn't see her! She really seemed ready to go outside. She wasn't cowering in the corner anymore. She seems recovered, not just healing. Her head still has matted feathers, and I think we'll just wait for those to work themselves out.

I put her outside with Maisy and Daisy today, not in the carrier. Instead of attacking Lizzie right off the bat, Maisy and Daisy just acted curious. After a few minutes, there was a bit of squawking and posturing, but Lizzie was defending herself. There is a need to redefine pecking order, and I understand that, but it wasn't a fair fight 10 days ago when I first tried to put her out there. She would have been reinjured. Now, they are all getting to know each other again, with just a few squabbles.

And more restful nights for me.

Things of Value

I was reduced to tears today thinking of what happened yesterday in church. Let me tell you about how God teaches me things...

For a few months now, our church has had an unusual family coming to our church. We are an Episcopalian church, but don't worry for all you theologians out there watching the huge rift in the Episcopal church, we are the minority voice of conservatism.

Anyway, this family is huge. It is a set of parents, and maybe even some grandparents, and as far as I can count eight children. They are Burmese refugees. I have no idea what the specifics of their story is on how they made their way to our church, but they are here.

It's been a rough few weeks, mainly for the language barrier. After kids are dismissed from regular service for children's chapel, all the kids join us. We do our same liturgical-esque program, and all of us adults wonder how much they are ingesting mainly because there is a huge language barrier. If you ask one of the kids their name, they will answer. But they won't talk to you. One of the boys, about ten, speaks English very well, and we all depend on him a lot.

After chapel the kids are dismissed to classrooms. The Burmese children don't join in at all. I usually find them playing in the bathroom or wandering halls. More than once I have steered them into a class where they are "caught" and must stay. All of us adults agree, if they are more than visitors at our church, which seems to be the case, then we need to have the same expectations of them as we do of our children. That is, they need to join us for our church programs, and that includes Sunday school. They can't be allowed to just wander the halls, and hide in the bathrooms. The one objection we hear to that is "but the language barrier". Well, us parents agree you learn a language by hearing it spoken, and what better place than Sunday School. Many of us are hall monitors finding the kids and getting them into classrooms.

It's been an interesting frustration. They want to be there. We want them there, but the barriers seem vast and hard to bridge. But it seems all of us, the family included, are determined to make it work.

And a new language was formed yesterday at church. It's the language of feeling special.

We had children's chapel. Then our pastor's wife assigned all the parts all the kids are accustomed to having for our Christmas pageant. We asked if they wanted to have parts, all their little brown eyes lit up and bobbed their heads in unison. All of the sudden, these distant little creatures weren't so distant.

Then, the job all of us moms hate--doling out the costumes, making sure they fit, and putting names on them for performance day. Our church has an impressive costume closet.

I was in charge of angels. Having both my kids as angels in the past, I know the costumes are recycled white sheets, cut to size, with collars put in, and tinsel stapled to them. From a distance, they look cute, up close, well, the tinsel has lost it's lustre.

As I asked each girl (and I fitted four or five little Burmese girls in angel costumes, the rest were shepherds off with another parent) if they wanted to be angels, their eyes lit up. I helped them take off their little jackets and slid the costumes over their heads making sure the length fit them. You would have thought I put a princess crown on them.

Their faces were just magical. They felt special. They felt included. They felt pretty. What a humbling privilege for me.

The youngest of the group is a little two year old girl, and ummmm....well, she is a two year old girl with tons of older siblings. Need I say more? I put her in the smallest shepherd costume we had and she just strutted around like I put a king's robe on her.

Then, after assigning costumes, the children were taken off to practice songs. Two other mom's and I cleaned up the rest of the costumes, organized, hung up hangers, etc. We were all just tingly with warm fuzzies. Suddenly, these special kids, who have lived a whole lifetime in their short years, suddenly see us as friends. The distrust was gone this special morning.

We also listened to the practice. Each one of those kids from this family was singing, with vim and vigor, in their voice. Not just the blank stare that we normally see while singing hymns. It wasn't just feeling special putting on a tinsel laden costume, it was the feeling that they will be included in our production, and they feel special because of it.

In case you can't tell, I am beyond excited to share with you our annual Christmas pageant pictures coming up in a few weeks. I hope you get to see their faces as I saw them yesterday.

Christmas Cool Things

One of the most cherished traditions of our family at Christmas is to watch two favorite movies. In years past, we had to wait for network TV to show them. Then the advent of VCR's and now, DVD's, make it so we can turn it into and event.

What movies are they? "Christmas Story" with Peter Billingsly. We have it on DVD, and definitely love that movie. I showed it to my dad a few years ago, the man who is not a movie watcher. He loved it because it captured his childhood, and he had a Red Rider BB gun just like that when we was a kid. This year is the 25th anniversary of the movie and it sounds like a nice celebration is going on. Click here.

Now, the next one? "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" is the most watched movie in our family. We know all the lines, we have studied each scene. In almost every scene we can show you funny things that you may not catch the first dozen times you watch it. We know all the trivia behind this cinematic nightmare (ie did you know during all the snow scenes, that is fake snow?? All of it, it was 80 degrees outside when they filmed all the outdoor snow scenes).

Charlie Brown Christmas? Frosty the Snowman? 'Twas the Night Before Christmas? No, those are not family favorites, but we watch them. But just not with the same vigor as those two. Did you learn something new about me today?

It's either here or there....

It's been one of those weeks where there could be a whole lot of nothing to say. Not much in terms of interesting things, but a whole lot of stuff.

Here goes:

* Trying to incorporate Lizzie back outside, and the other chickens are attacking her. Normally, I would let her duke it out, but she won't fight back and she is still slightly injured. Not sure what to do. I think she actually likes being inside, but being in a cardboard box 24/7 is no existence for a chicken, or my family.

* Had my huge annual candle sale yesterday. I didn't put as much effort into as I usually do, but I still sold close to $1,000 in products that were stored in my basement. So I cleaned out some stock, some friends got some great deals, created some future business, and now I can hibernate for Thanksgiving.

* School is going well for JM. He aced a math test yesterday, and I am so proud of him!

* School is going okay for BH. He is doing great, loves his teacher, loves his classmates, and tells me all the fun preschool things he does. The church that runs the school just pulled one of those typical church politics stunts (three influential people had a back room meeting while the school director was gone on vacation, and had her fired) that just chaps my hide. So we parents are dealing with that, and hoping the church realizes, no matter if she was worthy of being fired, that their way of doing it was completely mean-spirited and ungodly. The former director is planning to sue. It will be pretty I am sure!

* Need to make a spinach salad and a requested broccoli salad for my part of Thanksgiving dinner. Going to the inlaws. Just as a general rule, when I go to my inlaws, please pray for me.

* Went to cash a check at a bank yesterday that I don't bank at. The bank teller couldn't cash it. She needed an approval from the branch manager. Way back in college, I was a bank teller for three years. I know that was long ago, and fraud is a huge problem, I know this. I told this branch manager, "Why do you even have tellers? If she can't cash a check on your bank with sufficient ID and my fingerprint (yes, I had to fingerprint the check for CSI purposes) then why do we have bank tellers?" I got the "we need extra measures if you aren't a bank customer...." bit. That didn't answer my question, seriously, why have bank tellers?

Corollary, I am thankful to have banks. I am thankful to have money that needs to be cashed. I am thankful to have a distraction for my preschooler at the time I waited that thirty minutes for the manager. I am thankful I have these simple inconveniences that others don't have. I am thankful.

* Our beef has been ordered since the beginning of November. We have conversed with the butcher. On December 13th, our freezer will be full. I am so excited, and yes, very thankful.

I wish all of you a wonderful, safe, thoughtful and special Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for. We have roofs over our heads, we have warm beds, we have people in our lives that make us who we are, we have opportunities, we have a warm meal on Thursday, and we have Jesus Christ. We have so much!

Thankfulness

As we approach our Thanksgiving season, I do like to reflect on what I am thankful for. I think I may have more than one post on this, so I thought I would get started early.

Here goes:

I am thankful that I have a job. I am thankful that my job still pays bills and puts food on the table.

I am thankful for my family, always. With every breathe I take, I am so thankful for them.

I am so thankful for my friends. As I have lived over the years, it is the influence of my friends that has chiseled me into the person I am today, and I am ever so thankful.

I am so thankful to God for giving us Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate artist in my life that has the most influence. He has redeemed me, saved me from my ungodliness, and made my life something that glorifies Him. Only God can do that.

I am so thankful for living in the United States. The freedoms we enjoy, the rights we enjoy, the basics we enjoy, etc. They are because pioneering folks got into a boat, and braved a new world.

I am thankful for the writers of the Constitution and the huge amount of wisdom and foresight they had when writing such an amazing document. I honestly believe God was influencing their writing.

I am thankful for all American soldiers, past, present and future, who have sacrificed for those freedoms that we have all enjoyed since the earliest settlements of Northern America. Those soldiers have sacrificed life, liberty, limb and peace for those freedoms we all enjoy, and I take every opportunity I have to thank them for protecting my home and family, and the rights I enjoy.

Please add any more you can think of! I am sure as I reflect more this week, I'll have another post this week.

Jesus, to you alone be the glory!

Church Bulletin

Got this out of our church bulletin last Sunday. I have taken it from "The Church Around the World" volume 38, number 12.

Pro-Life Leader: Poland is Profoundly Pro-Life Culture

Abortion was first instituted in Poland in 1943 by the Nazi occupiers, whose stated goal was to exterminate the Slavic peoples under their control, and continued under the Soviet Communists. Throughout the Communist period, lay pro-life activists worked hard to retain a deep sense of the sacredness of human life under successive totalitarian regimes. Today, a dramatically dropping abortion rate in Poland is the payoff of the concerted work of those activists, says the vice president of the Polish Federation of Pro-life Movements, Antoni Zieba.

Polish law allows abortion in cases of rape or fetal abnormalities. Although Poland and Spain have similar abortion laws, in 2006 Spain reported 98,500 abortions, while in Poland that same year, there were only 360 abortions. This marks a massive reduction from the 1990's, when the number of abortions was 100,000 a year. During the Communist period, it is estimated that the total number of abortions was over 600,000 a year.

Zieba explains this disparity simply, saying that Poland enjoys a pro-life culture, so even though the law allows abortion, few Poles would consider it. He attributes this to the extensive apostolic work of lay Catholics during the Communist period and continues during Communism's decline. "Within the structures of the Catholic Church, we have engaged in intense activity in defense of the life of the unborn." Zieba pointed out that, while most of the world has been convinced abortion is the key to women's emancipation, in Poland, through the work of the pro-life movement, it is still remembered as a tool genocide popular with racist and inhumane totalitarian regimes.



Thoughts? I wonder what Obama would think of this. Considering he could say something similar. His ancestors can say they were mistreated by racists and kept in mini totalitarian regimes (southern farms) and seen as property, not humans. Yet, he is the most pro-abortion president this nation has ever had and has already started to change legislation regarding stem cell research. Yet, the most abortions done in this country right now are in the African American, low income, communities.

Too bad, unlike Poland, we can't learn from our past on that one. Obama may just lead the way too.

More Chicken Updates

Okay, I know you are all sick of this topic. I am about done with it too. But I still have gimpy chicken in a box in my bedroom. It's still kind of consuming my time and efforts at least for a few more days.

I have posted some before and after pictures at the bottom of this post. The before picture is not pretty. It isn't disgustingly graphic or anything, but if you are squeamish, you might think twice before looking. I posted them on my Facebook page with the same warning, and people seem to not be squeamish. But I think it might be worse for me because I saw it up close and fresh.

The only new thing we have noticed is how Lizzie drinks water. The fact that she is drinking water is important. Birds in general need lots of water and can become dehydrated easily. So I have put water in her box, but not sure if she is drinking it. But what is funny, if I am holding her and put it in front of her, she cranes her neck like a duck and puts almost her whole face in the water and drinks deeply. The kids think this is so funny. She didn't do this out in the yard, I am wondering if her craning has something to do with her neck. But, hey, she is drinking and letting me handle her and staying relaxed.

My dad, who grew up on a chicken farm, told me she should be just fine within a week. He also told me the finer points of how to use my new pellet gun to kill rodents and get rid of raccoons.

Why am I showing these? Well, I am pretty pleased that in just a few days she is doing so well. I am quite amazed in fact. I am an animal lover and have never given aid to an injured animal before, so this is an accomplishment for me. And I never want to repeat it again, because the initial stress was gut wrenching.

Lizzie right after the attack.

Lizzie yesterday, with my little helper who loves to see how she is doing.

Yesterday up close. Looking not so bad!

Where that feather is sticking out on the back of her head is her worst gash. It's deep and hard to clean. I don't mess with it much because it opens up pretty easily.

Sitting quite relaxed on my arm. Yes, her box is under my sewing desk.

Lizzie Update

Whewie, what a crazy last 36 hours. Here is the "story":

Four thirty in the morning on Sunday morning, I could hear my husband get up to let the dog out. I heard the back door open. But what was unusual was her instant fierce barking that woke me up, but not enough to get up.

Five minutes (sure, we'll go with that) later, the hubbie comes and says in that voice all wives know, "Honey.....ummmmm......a raccoon got into the coop and got one of the chickens." I honestly don't remember the exact course of events after that. I know that in my mind, I knew she was a goner. Chickens have very few defenses and raccoons are vicious.

I know that over the next two hours, I got a few updates from my husband while I tried to go back to sleep. I know that sounds selfish, and it was. I was beyond tired that night. I had worked 18 hours on Saturday and had a long Sunday ahead of me. But as much as I tried, I couldn't fall back to sleep. I just had a raw feeling in my gut thinking about what happened to my favorite chicken. Ticked off that a raccoon got into my coop made up like Fort Knox. And so on....I got up.

It was six or so when I got up and the sky was beginning to turn slightly light. Again, not sure of the course of events but my hubbie had spent those two hours trying to figure out how to put Lizzie out of her misery. We don't have guns that rural families have. We use tree trimming tools, and don't have an ax. He was a little beside himself trying to figure out what to do for her to take away her suffering.

Like I said in the initial post, I pictured a disemboweled chicken, so I didn't want to see this part of the show. But once the sun came up, and I got my caffeine going, I asked what she looked like. I heard that she could walk and flap, she was bleeding, but didn't seem to have broken bones. Just really bloody. I asked the hubbie to put her in a box and bring her inside. He brought her into the garage, I honestly think he just wanted to not have to deal with her. I don't blame him, he just went head to head with a raccoon and saw her in it's clutches.

Okay, I put on my brave face and went out in the garage and brought in the box. Honest to goodness, I was petrified to see what I would find. I opened the box in the kitchen, and saw my little Lizzie. Words can't describe how messed up her head was. She was cut up badly. Lots of pretty deep lacerations, but nothing life threatening, like a deep cut to the throat. She obviously put up a fight. She was very quiet. I don't know much chicken first aid, but I know if she is frightened much more, she can drop dead from shock. But I realized, she could survive this. So I closed the box and did what I do best.

I went online. My favorite backyard chicken website is www.backyardchickens.com. Went to their message boards and pleaded for help as well as looked at a lot of other strings of folks who have chickens attacked by predators. Folks, what happened to Lizzie is nothing! There are some pretty horrible stories of what raccoons can do to chickens, and it's awful!

Got some chicken first aid help, and got some pretty valuable raccoon advice. One thing I had a hunch would be correct, the raccoons will be back to this food source (my coop) until the food source is exhausted. I have two other chickens! I will be making some coop repairs in the next few days and locking up the chickens at night.

After setting up Lizzie for the day, I went to work for ten hours. When I came home it was pretty late, but decided to try to clean up her wounds a bit and put some neosporin on them (chicken first aid from the message boards, no kidding). Again, put on my brave face and took her into the bathroom to see what I could do. I tried to wash her head, but the blood was exceptionally crusty. As I held her, no kidding, she cooed at me!! It broke my heart! So I put her in the bathtub and dripped warm water on her head to soften it up. Yucky yucky bloody water drained off her, but I was able to get to the wounds. I put peroxide on them and dressed them in neosporin.

Here is what seriously freaked me out. She was absolutely lethargic. I am putting burning peroxide on her and her eyes are closing. I couldn't figure out if she was dying or falling asleep. I held her for quite awhile wondering if I would hold her while she died. I also could feel her body shivering occasionally, so either she is cold or she is fighting an infection. Ugh!

I put her back in her box and laid a heating pad on the box to keep her warm. I just knew I would open the box in the morning and find a dead chicken.

Nope! I opened the box this morning and her head perked up and she was perking her head out of the box looking around. I found out later that truly, when chickens are tired, they fall asleep in the middle of anything. Since I was doing this at about midnight, her body clock says it's sleep time and doggone it she will sleep. I also found out that is probably the best time to dress her wounds because she won't flap around and fight me. Just picking her up at lunchtime to look at her today, she was definitely fighting me.

So, when she did poke her head out of the box this morning, she looked pretty doggone good. She wasn't dead! The neosporin and peroxide definitely promoted healing through the night.

Another thing, last night when I was examining her all over last night, I noticed a weird puffed section of her skin. just above her wing but below her beak. Just like a balloon had been blown up under her skin. A few feathers had been pulled out there, but not many. I honestly thought that could maybe be internal damage of some kind. I also thought it could just be bruised skin too, but it was weird and a bit alarming. I could bandage wounds, but internal stuff, not so much!

This morning that puffed up spot is only about a third the size it was last night. Much better! She has acted more like a chicken today. She is moving around in the box and bock bocking a little bit. Yesterday, she was laying down and not holding her head up much. Today, she holds her head up and is looking around, and even holding her tail feathers up. Chickens are a lot like dogs in their body language--head up and tail up, they feel good. Head down and tail down, they don't feel good.

I have never nursed an injured animal back to health, but I am feeling pretty good she'll pull through this. Considering that 36 hours ago we were trying to figure out how to put her out of her misery, this is quite an accomplishment for this city girl!

What else did I do yesterday? I bought a pellet gun with a scope. I can't wait to use it.

Trauma...

One of our chickens, our lovely youngest hen, Lizzie, was attacked by a raccoon last night.

Long story, but thanks to our barking dog, the raccoon didn't make the final blow. But, now we have a raccoon who knows how to break into our coop and has the taste of fresh chicken on it's mind.

A few new policies are in place until we can get some extra security put in place. The chickens will be locked up in their boxed enclosure at night. They go in there at night anyway, but the door isn't closed and locked. It will be now. Honestly, I think that raccoon got into the box and pulled her out because the chickens stay inside when it's dark. Also, this morning, the sun is out and the other chickens haven't come out yet. I think they are a little freaked out too.

I'll give some more details later. I have a long day of work, a headache, and a big trip to Home Depot to make my coop like Fort Knox, although I thought it already was.

Lizzie is inside the house in a box. She is quite shaken up, and quite bloody. All the backyard advice I read about says she will probably make it. At four this morning, it was very surreal to figure out what to do for her. Once the sun came up and we could assess her better, we decided to see what we could do.

I couldn't go outside to see her and was trying to picture how bad she was based upon what my husband was saying. His first descriptive words when it first happened was "mangled". I pictured a disemboweled hen. Later on, it turned into "cut up pretty bad but she can walk". Okay, well, let me take a look. He put her in a box and we brought her in. Her head is cut up pretty bad. The coon was going for her head for sure. There has been much bleeding, but it has stopped. I think our barking dog prevented the final bite that would have decided this issue for us. Anyway, she is in a box, in the house, resting quietly.

Get this, the hubbie is going out of town all this week too. Wish me luck!

Conversations With Myself

I don't get them often, but I do have them. I have done this before where I share with you what my initial gut, internal, response is when I read a headline or even the title of a piece of spam. The collection is getting large again. Here goes:

Spam headline reads:

Interview With Jesus Extra 20% Off Ends at Midnight - Save Now!

Now, can Jesus clear the temple and crack a whip virtually? If anyone could, He could. Stand back!

Cleanse Your Colon of Excess Weight

Sure, but that isn't where my excess weight is.

Turtle Wax Ice--Stop Waxing Start Icing

Okay, the image in my head is really disturbing. I don't want to click on this spam to see if they are talking about bikini wax or car wax.

Sell Your House to Us!

Ummm....no.

Hi!

Bye.

Viagra or Cialis solution for your problems. (all kinds of grammar issues here)

Trust me, Viagra and Cialis won't cure my problems. Can you put more money in my bank account, pay my credit card bill, and make sure that my retirement fund is funded? That would be a solution for my problems.


Headlines:

Michael Jackson Sells Never Land to Corporation

Seriously, can we be done with Michael Jackson already?

Virtual Affair Leads to Real Divorce for UK Couple

Oh my word!

Scientists Investigate JFK Conspiracy Theories

Can we let the man rest in peace, please?

Prince Charles Wants to Speak Out as King: Biographer

Don't get too crazy, Charles. Careful now.

Unhappy People Watch More TV

Yeah, so?

Lily Tomlin Wants Dallas Elephant Relocated

Really? Where? Someplace that probably looks an awful lot like a zoo.

As I get ready to go to bed after being thoroughly discouraged by current events, my final thought to myself, "Jesus, come soon!"

I Actually Had a Little Time

I actually had some time to finish a few projects this week. Our church holds one of the biggest independent bazaar's in the city annually--and it is tomorrow. Last year, I was a yarn guru, and crocheted about four afghans, several doggie sweaters, and several stockings. I didn't start anything in the last few months. This afghan I started last Christmas and rushed through it this week. The stockings were done awhile back too.

The bazaar is tomorrow, so I am dropping them off this morning. Been a little busy lately! But if you want to go to a very cool bazaar in the north east section of my town, and get some really great quilts, woodworking, food items, etc. let me know, I'll give you the particulars. It is not a vendor bazaar. It is a all homemade, handcrafted items. It is very nice!

Also, note! Kathi (see under homeschool families list) has a recipe for Kielbasa and Corn Chowder. We made it last night, and it was a hit. Thanks Kathi for a great recipe!

BH's Birthparent Letter

Hello Birthparents of BH, November 2008

It is that time again! We have had such an adventurous summer and fall, we have much to share with you. There are lots of pictures attached this time, mainly because we have had so many activities since we last wrote you a letter.

In June, we attended our city’s children’s parade, and had a lot of fun. BH and JM certainly enjoyed squishing themselves into one lawn chair. The picture we got of them was priceless.

It also shows a really nice dynamic. BH and JM are definitely brothers. BH is very consistent to pray for his “brudder” every Sunday in church during prayer time. They look out for each other, share toys, fight over toys, copy each other, bug each other, hug each other, and all the things brothers do.

This summer we also acquired a used trampoline. That was the best thing! Both boys have a lot of fun jumping on it and getting out their boyish energy. BH is incredibly cute because of how little and bouncy he is. We hope you enjoy the pictures we included of that.

We also took a trip to Colorado at the end of August to visit some of AM’s family. BH talked for weeks beforehand about how excited he was to fly on an airplane. The last time he was on an airplane was when we brought him home from XXX. Anne Marie grew up in Colorado and it was a joy to show her sons the places she played as a little girl. Both boys got the chance to fish for trout, see the Olympic Training Center, visit family, hike in the woods, and go on a train ride.

We also had one of our “firsts” on that trip. You can see in the pictures the boys playing in a fountain. At one point, both boys slipped on the slippery surface. BH took a spill that bumped his head, and he sprung right up and was mad about falling. A few hours after that, he was vomiting. Of course, we took him to the emergency room immediately, and he was checked out thoroughly and was fine. That little trip marked the “first” trip to the emergency room for our family. We are glad it turned out to be nothing to worry about.

BH has also started preschool this fall! Where did the time go? He was a little nervous at first, but loves it now. He even asked the other day, when being picked up, “Can I go back to school?” Several of his classmates are close friends now. You’ll see a little blonde girl in several of the pictures. She is our pastor’s daughter, and they are almost the same age and are in preschool and Sunday school together.

They also act like a little married couple. She gets kind of bossy and orders BH around. After too much of that, he ignores her and walks away.

We also had an incredibly fun day in October going to one of our favorite pumpkin patches with our pastor’s family. The kids climbed a hay tower, picked out pumpkins, rode a little cart of cows, saw farm animals, went through a corn maize, and had a very fun day. Having BH’s little friend there was very fun because they stuck to each other like good friends.

We also took our annual day to the local apple orchards up in the hills. Again, another wonderful fall day, and we have included pictures from that as well.

Because BH is getting older, he hasn’t had any need for doctor’s appointments these days. He will get a check up on his fourth birthday. His shots are all up to date. We have definitely noticed that he got taller. Suddenly jeans he wore before the heat of summer are way too short for him as the weather gets colder.

What does Ben like? He likes macaroni and cheese, pizza, apples, oranges, lemonade, orange juice, hash browns and Halloween candy. He is a great sleeper and still takes a good nap in the afternoon and sleeps through the night. While he still has a few accidents at night we are working on having him wear big boy pants all the time, including at night.

BH is such a comedian! He knows how to joke around and make things funny. He knows how to give the right little grin to get his way. He loves to cuddle, hug and give kisses. BH has wonderful verbal skills, and we think he is a bit ahead of the average three year old. He speaks well, and has a great vocabulary. AM’s aunt, a former educator, was shocked to hear him count backwards from ten. He is definitely a smart little boy, and loves to color, figure out things, play with stickers, books and crayons.

We wish you and your family a very warm Christmas season as we reflect on what God has given us this past year. Of course, we look at our children and are so thankful for the adventurous year we have had with them. We pray you and your family have a blessed Christmas this year. Please know that we are thinking of you this Christmas season.

Lovingly,

M, AM, JM and BH

I am feeling it....

I am feeling the economic crunch finally. Why?

My personal business is going great. I can't ask for better. My numbers are even to last year's. But everyone else around me in my business is tanking, and honestly, it's not the business. It's the people around me giving up that this business can bring in an income before they have even tried. But that's another story....

But where I am really feeling it is in our budget. Suddenly, the utility bills are higher, food is higher, everything is not just a few cents higher. I am not kidding, when gas fell this last week so much, I sighed a huge sigh of relief. Suddenly filling up my minivan is under fifty bucks for the first time in over a year!

I am finding myself thinking of ways to cut back, and here is what is on the chopping block in our budget:

**BH's preschool. It is $130.00 a month. That is dirt cheap for preschool, but that is also $1300 out of our annual budget.

**Me not going to my company's annual training conference next summer. I have gone ever since I started this business eight years ago, and the training and tools are unmatched that I get when I go. It is also a $1000 expense to go, and I anticipate that being higher because of airfare.

**JM's piano lessons. Right now, we love them! I love that he is getting it and he is actually trying to read music out of the hymnals on Sunday. It is $82 a month, which is just under $1000 a year.

**One nice thing that has already been cut. My husband's annual winter trip to the east coast to visit his doctorate advisor. That is going to be done differently this year, so that trip is already gone. That was about $500 each winter to do that.

**I know my hubbie will need to make one or two more trips to Europe for his doctorate. Honest to goodness, once that expense is gone, it means two things. The $1200-$1600 cost of that trip will be gone. PLUS, it will mean he has his doctorate, and his pay will hopefully increase.

**Eating out. My hubbie's birthday was yesterday, and we had a coupon to Red Robin. It didn't make a drop in the bucket. Most of Red Robin's menu items are $10 a plate. We also won't be ordering what used to be our favorite pizza anymore, Pizza Hut. The last time we ordered it was icky pizza and it was expensive. Eating out won't be happening as much anymore. If we can cut out $100 (two trips to a restaurant a month at Red Robin's prices), that is a $1200 annual savings.

**We also rediscovered the library this last week. Got the kids a library card. Did you know they let you borrow books for free? No more of my $12-$15 paperbacks, again times out two books a month times twelve months, the library saves me $360 annually.

Okay campers!! Give me your input! What are you cutting!

Does This Look Familiar??

What is in common with all these pictures? They are past Christmases of ours where my husband and our brother in law has spent most of the time undoing wires, using wire cutter to get the toys out of the packaging, and cutting through plastic and boxes. It's a new thing called "Wrap Rage", and I have experienced it along with anyone who has small children.

No more. Hopefully this trend will catch on, click here. Please be sure to watch the video AND also click below to the pictures people have sent in showing the gouges on their hands, frustration, etc. from extracting kid's toys from packaging. We actually did a modern art sculpture one year with all the wires. If I find it, I'll submit it.

Okay, Just One More Thing and I'll Be Quiet

I was absolutely in awe as I watched the day after votes come in and watched how three states succinctly turned out and voted for marriage being only for heterosexual couples. After years and years of fighting this kind of issue in the state I live in as well as watching it get fought in other states, I knew it would be a matter of time before we got to swallow another pill of unholiness.

Can I just say congratulations to my friends in California? Nice job! That was not a narrow margin either. It was a David and Goliath fight, and David won. There was a huge bazillion dollar budget on the pro gay side of that fight against a million dollar budget on the pro traditional side. To God alone be the glory. He fought that for California and it was breathtaking to watch.

Yahoo's news in the last twenty four hours is astonishing to me. They are not all pro Obama, pro gay marriage, pro socialism like they usually are. Here is an interesting and thoughtful response to what happened in California.

I encourage you to watch the YouTube ad they have linked on that article with Gavin Newsom basically bragging about how you don't have a choice, you will be pro gay marriage "whether you like it or not". Whoever did the marketing on that hit the nerve that I have been feeling tickled for too long. It is one thing to be tolerant of other's ungodliness, but it's another thing to have it forced and mandated down your throat.

I am also glad to see that Hollywood will need to tuck their tales between their legs and be a little more tempered on this issue. The majority of their audience doesn't agree with them, and they need to think twice about what they say in front of a camera. Personally, I don't watch what the camera puts in front of me from such celebrities.

Brings Up A Good Point

Kristina made a fabulous comment on my "Election Day" post a few days ago. She is right! There is definitely a contingency out there that thinks Obama is going to pay for all this and suddenly all their expenses will be subsidized.

Interesting thing happened to me election night. I was at a candle party with predominantly Spanish speaking, green card immigrants. I have never been in this situation before, and it was weird for my first time to be on election night. I had a few of the gals who were bilingual help me out, and from a candle point of view it was fine.

But, when I arrived, they had their TV on to a Spanish channel that was covering the election. After the candle party, they turned the TV on and announced that Obama had won. The entire room jumped up and clapped and cheered loudly.

Why? This lady says it best. Seriously, they think that their rent, gas, food, etc. will be subsidized. And there is a lot of joking going on about how we are headed for a socialist state. And you know what, I am not laughing anymore, it actually does frighten me now.

The morning after wake up pill.....

No this isn't about abortion, but get ready for that future post. Obama being the most pro-abortion, pro-infanticide president ever elected. Pro life advocates need to shed a tear for the millions of lives that will be lost because of Obama's pro-abortion policies coming down the pike.

I have sat all week watching my homepage, www.yahoo.com, support Obama in it's coverage. Made me want to barf. I expect nothing less.

I just find this front page report they put up today absolutely appalling. It is the actual reality of what Obama just signed on for, as well as ourselves. Click here.

What is even more interesting, is the thoughtful commentary below the article. Take a look at what your fellow Americans are thinking regarding this upcoming presidency. They are not happy.

Woulda been nice to see this reality article posted on yahoo about five days ago, for several hours, not just tucked away in a financial blog not on the homepage.