Happy Birthday... Dad?!

My son is admittedly an addict. I've heard that in AA, there is a twelve step program and one of the first steps is admitting that you have a problem. Well- my son doesn't know any better, so I will say it for him. He is addicted to "Elmo's World" (and admittedly anything else that looks, sounds or smells like Elmo- and a word to the wise- the "Tickle Me Elmo" that was the huge seller this Christmas is quite possibly the most annoying toy on the face of the planet. Daily I consider throwing it outside to the neighbor dog and letting him bury it for me). We never miss the show- and thanks to the PBS programming available in our area- we never have to.

Yesterday, we took our customary places in our big old armchair with a snack in hand (string cheese for those that are interested), and we were ready for the next installment of the little red monster's show. We learned about birthdays and everything that went with them. Elmo showed us about parties and getting older and cakes. It was a thrill a minute. At the end of the program, Ty turned to me and asked me more about birthday cakes. He wanted to know if everyone got a birthday cake. Then he asked me if we could make Dad a birthday cake. I told him that it wasn't dad's birthday and was about to tell him no. But then I stopped. It's cold outside and frankly Ty and I are getting a little tired of each other and the daily routine. What better way to break the monotony than by making dad an "un-birthday" cake? It was like a scene from "Alice in Wonderland" or something- we were pulling out cookbooks and flour and aprons like it was going out of style.

I let Ty pick out the perfect birthday cake for his dad, and he chose a two layered white cake with chocolate frosting. Simple enough right? It was suprisingly fun. I am always in awe of what simple pleasures can be had from the dumbest of things. Ty is facinated when it comes to the kitchen and helping me. Yesterday though- I let him take the lead. He measured the flour all by himself- three cups- which he counted all by himself. He poured in the vanilla (maybe a little too much- but hey- it was a vanilla cake, really what could it hurt?) and added the eggs one at a time. And he helped me make the frosting- there was a lot of chocolate melting over the stove- so his help here was a little bit more limited since I didn't want the day to end with us running over to the hostpital with 3rd degree burns. It was such a fantastic smell... The smell of chocolate!!

Anyway, we assembled the cake and decorated all before dad got home. Needless to say, dad was little confused when Ty's greeting for him was "Happy Birthday." We explained our day though and dad was very excited to get his unbirthday cake for dessert.

It was a fun day- someone remind me later to not be so uptight and bake more cakes for no

reason.

A Matter of Opinion

Andy Rooney can be kind of a dork at times, but every once in a while he hits on something that sounds just about right. I can't tell you when this was broadcasted- but I like it.

I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Ent ertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.

Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game.

I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, which is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU LISTENING MARTHA BURKE ?

I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion.

I have the right "NOT" to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.

When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling; it is the Law of Probability.

I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English! My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.

I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word "freeze" or "stop" in English, see the above lines.

I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business. We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and open to their interpretations.

I don't hate the rich I don't pity the poor I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That doesn't stop you from watching them.

I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.

It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary, and say "NO!"

I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip ring heals.I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me French fries!

I am sick of "Political Correctness." I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa ; so how can they be "African-Americans"? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe I am proud to be from America and nowhere else

Just for Grandpa

Okay- I apparently neglected to put up "the best one" in regards to pictures from our President's Day weekend adventure at Bear Lake. Grandpa emailed me and I figure I better rectify this before I get any more emails!! When we were at the cabin, Grandpa and Ty went for a ride on one of the snowmobiles and came across this HUGE snow cave that some kids had dug in the mountains of snow. Ty thought it was so much fun to crawl in and out of. Anyway Grandpa- this is for you!

Dad's Little "Helper"

In the massive manual of "Life", there should be a chapter called "Stuff they just don't tell you beforehand." For example, sewing is more ironing and pinning than actual stitching; toilet seat position will be the least of your marital worries; and oh, by the way, home ownership is really about home repair. The home that we bought in Montpelier is about 50 years old and is in really pretty good condition. When we bought it we felt that we were swimming in fiscal wisdom, good fortune and artistic liberation. Before the ink had a chance to dry, however, we discovered that the house offered incontestable proof that the universe has a sense of humor. Apparently the previous homeowners thought that silicone caulk was the best way to hold anything together. And I mean anything.

Okay- the reality is things aren't that bad. Shaun and I have had to have a sense of humor about the whole thing because all in all- we do love the house. Shaun just never thought his ability to fix most things would come in so handy. He's thinking about starting a plumbing business on the side since he's gotten so good at it! Yesterday though- he and Ty set to work installing an under the cabinet radio in the kitchen for me and fixing the threshold on the backdoor. Okay- really Ty just sat there with a tape measure and an apple while Shaun got down and dirty, while I did the incredibly tough job of supervising.

For the Love of EVERYTHING- Make it STOP

I always loved winter- the snow was so beautiful and it made everything look so clean and white. Plus the skiing- it was just a great time of year. I loved it. Key word there- LOVED. I think I hate winter and I think I hate snow. And I'm beginning to hate Montpelier because all it does here is snow. I swear to you- it never stops. Ever. I suppose I should be grateful- it means we'll all have drinking water this summer and Bear Lake will be nice and full. Can't we just fast forward to that part? Maybe I'll just have to find somewhere else to move to next winter (I'm starting to sound like some 60 year old lady- you know one of those "snowbirds"). On the bright side- Ty likes to play out in it. A lot. Too bad it's deeper than he is tall. This means that when he wants to go and play out back- I have to put my snow clothes on too so that I can blaze a trail for him around the back yard. The last time we did this- the snow came up to my mid-thigh and sometimes up to my hip. That's pretty darn deep. This last picture is one of Ty trying to follow my tracks through the snow to get to his swingset (also covered in snow- but for some reason Ty likes to try and dig the swings out- I think he thinks that if he can get it unburied that he can use it. Good luck kid).

Out of the Mouth of Babes...

This is a picture of Ty when he was about 3 months old and obviously sound asleep. He was so little compared to what

he is now- it's crazy to look at these old pictures and to look at how much he has grown and developed. Yes this is a nostalgic post. It really hit me today that we are going to have another kid. A little late, I know- but all of a sudden we're this family. It's wierd. Anyway, Ty is such an imp lately and literally has diahrea of the mouth. There hasn't been a quiet day in our house for months. And that's okay, because for the most part- he keeps us laughing. Case in point:

Ty was having a much needed haircut a few weeks ago. His hair was shaggy long and had these wierd divots in it- so I thought I would just shave it all off and start from scratch. I pulled out the clippers and cut his hair. Ty doesn't mind because he thinks it tickles- so he just giggled all the way through his trim. Once I finished, I swept up his hair and put it all in the trash. Then I showed Ty the garbage and told him that all his hair was in there. He looked at the hair for a minute then took my hand and led me into the bathroom. He asked me to hold him up to the mirror, so I did, knowing that he just wanted to have a look at his hair. Ty looked in the mirror for a second then said "Put me down." So I did then followed him back into the kitchen where he pulled out the garbage and pointed to his hair, "Mama, put my hair back on now." Whoops. It was so funny though that he would put it all together.

Anyway, I'm hoping to stay more on track with the blogging thing and keep you up to date on what else the little chatterbox has to say. I'm finally starting to feel a little bit better now so hopefully it should happen!

President's Day Weekend

For the record- I am in protest. I am so sick of the snow and the cold. Al Gore can stick his global warming in his ear.

That said however- we had such a fun weekend this President's Day. We spent the weekend at my parents cabin in Bear Lake. It is now only a 45 minute drive for us to get there rather than a couple of hours like it used to be. We met my whole family there for the entire weekend- how fun is that? Saturday we (and by "we" I mean everyone else. Since I'm el prego, I got stay at home and get lunch ready. Woo hoo) went snowmobiling for several hours in the mountains behind the cabin. Then on Monday everyone went skiing at Beaver Mountain (again- I made lunch). Ty had such a gas- since he's the only grandkid/nephew, he is the center of attention everytime we go anywhere with my family and he just ate it up!

Ty also got to go sledding with grandpa, uncle Dave and aunt Nat. The roads up there are kind of steep so the ride is really fun. Ty went down with Dave and yelled back at him "This is fun!" It's probably a good thing that they never went down in a blaze of glory because I think all the "fun" would have gone out the window.

We all had fun though and we're looking forward to doing it again next year!