A conversation with Ruby the other day:
Ruby: Is the king of England mean?
Me: There is no king of England right now. Only a queen.
Ruby: Oh. Squig said the king of England is mean.
Me: Well, Squig is wrong. There is no king. Just a queen. Her name is Elizabeth.
Ruby: Gasp! Cool!
Me: Her dad was the king, but he died and she became queen. Her husband is a prince because his dad wasn't a king.
Ruby: I bet her mom died too.
Me: Yes, but not very long ago.
Ruby: Oh? Dragons?
Me: No, not dragons, she was very old. I think she was over 100.
Ruby: Like, 200?
Me: No, more like 102.
(the Oh? Dragons? was stated in a very knowing way, as if it were the most obvious option)
Sunday, February 22, 2009
No, Not Dragons
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Fly on the Wall
Overheard in the car this morning:
Sam (talking about a book): But the one we've read is Aliens Don't Carve Jack O'Lanterns.
Ruby: That's crazy. There's no such thing as aliens. They can't carve Jack O'Lanterns.
Sam: Right.
Ruby: But monsters can carve Jack O'Lanterns.
Sam: Right.
Sam (talking about a book): But the one we've read is Aliens Don't Carve Jack O'Lanterns.
Ruby: That's crazy. There's no such thing as aliens. They can't carve Jack O'Lanterns.
Sam: Right.
Ruby: But monsters can carve Jack O'Lanterns.
Sam: Right.
Clean Streets
Okay, for some reason the street sweeper was back on our street today. I'm not sure why, and they haven't been here for months, but I'm not unhappy. John's going to find out why they were here all of a sudden so we can hopefully have them here every week. Like we used to.
As I'm sure none of my faithful readers (all, what two of you?) are aware, the county figured out that our neighborhood wasn't paying into the fund that pays for the street sweeping, so they stopped sweeping in our neighborhood. So, things were getting pretty dirty. Not garbagey dirty, just dirt dirty. The dirt near the storm drain was actually growing plants.
Anyway, everyone I talked to was willing to pay to get the streets swept, but it just takes forever for things to get done.
So, that's the short version. I didn't even do anything--my kind of neighborhood activism!
As I'm sure none of my faithful readers (all, what two of you?) are aware, the county figured out that our neighborhood wasn't paying into the fund that pays for the street sweeping, so they stopped sweeping in our neighborhood. So, things were getting pretty dirty. Not garbagey dirty, just dirt dirty. The dirt near the storm drain was actually growing plants.
Anyway, everyone I talked to was willing to pay to get the streets swept, but it just takes forever for things to get done.
So, that's the short version. I didn't even do anything--my kind of neighborhood activism!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration Thoughts
This post turned out to be more rambling than I had intended. And that's okay. It's my blog and I can say what I want. This is America and I get to do that.
I like inauguration days. I think they represent the things I like best about America. One of the things I like best is the peaceful transfer of power. The old president doesn't barricade himself in the Oval Office and declare that he's just not leaving. He finishes up his business, packs up and leaves. And the next president moves in.
Because really, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter who is in the White House. Presidents come and go, but what stays the same are the principles of freedom and democracy that live on in the Constitution. I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me, especially with the current almost cult following of President Obama. And that's okay. One president will be more popular than another, but the president does not make America what it is.
America exists outside of the White House. America is what it is because of the people and the idea that we as individuals choose and agree to abide by the principles in the Constitution. I was always sad when people said they were embarrassed to be an American because George Bush did this or George Bush did that. I never understood that. I am proud to be an American. What the president does or does not do does not change what America is and what it means to be an American. This is, what, the eighth president of my lifetime? And my outlook on life and my goals and hopes for the future have pretty much been the same through them (taking into account changing seasons of life, of course!)
I enjoyed the inauguration. I enjoyed the inaugural speech. I thought it was hopeful and inspiring and expressed many of the things I was feeling today. I don't depend on the President to make me happy. Who the president is or isn't does not change how I live my life. It doesn't change my outlook on life.
I'm optimistic about what comes next. The new president has a lot to live up to. People have placed a lot on him that I doubt any one person can actually live up to. I think people tend to forget that it's actually Congress who makes and passes the laws. The president may be able to influence what makes it through Congress, but he doesn't write the laws, he just signs (or doesn't sign) whatever can make it through.
I hope that the election of President Obama will encourage people to go back home and do something to make a difference in their homes and neighborhoods. Because that's what will make a real "change" in our country. People need to start caring more about what's going on right in their own neighbhorhoods. If you don't like how things are, don't complain and blame the president, just get out there and do something. We don't have much power to change things on a national scale, but we have a great deal of power and influence in our homes and neighborhoods.
And those are pretty much my thoughts. Inauguration days are happy days, always a new beginning. There are many things I like a lot about President Obama, and I think he has the ability to inspire the country to action, and hopefully that will lead to better homes, better families, better neighborhoods, and collectively, a better America. We can always be better.
Thank you, and I'm going to go now and figure out a plan to get the street sweeper back on our street. See? My neighborhood, my responsibility.
I like inauguration days. I think they represent the things I like best about America. One of the things I like best is the peaceful transfer of power. The old president doesn't barricade himself in the Oval Office and declare that he's just not leaving. He finishes up his business, packs up and leaves. And the next president moves in.
Because really, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter who is in the White House. Presidents come and go, but what stays the same are the principles of freedom and democracy that live on in the Constitution. I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me, especially with the current almost cult following of President Obama. And that's okay. One president will be more popular than another, but the president does not make America what it is.
America exists outside of the White House. America is what it is because of the people and the idea that we as individuals choose and agree to abide by the principles in the Constitution. I was always sad when people said they were embarrassed to be an American because George Bush did this or George Bush did that. I never understood that. I am proud to be an American. What the president does or does not do does not change what America is and what it means to be an American. This is, what, the eighth president of my lifetime? And my outlook on life and my goals and hopes for the future have pretty much been the same through them (taking into account changing seasons of life, of course!)
I enjoyed the inauguration. I enjoyed the inaugural speech. I thought it was hopeful and inspiring and expressed many of the things I was feeling today. I don't depend on the President to make me happy. Who the president is or isn't does not change how I live my life. It doesn't change my outlook on life.
I'm optimistic about what comes next. The new president has a lot to live up to. People have placed a lot on him that I doubt any one person can actually live up to. I think people tend to forget that it's actually Congress who makes and passes the laws. The president may be able to influence what makes it through Congress, but he doesn't write the laws, he just signs (or doesn't sign) whatever can make it through.
I hope that the election of President Obama will encourage people to go back home and do something to make a difference in their homes and neighborhoods. Because that's what will make a real "change" in our country. People need to start caring more about what's going on right in their own neighbhorhoods. If you don't like how things are, don't complain and blame the president, just get out there and do something. We don't have much power to change things on a national scale, but we have a great deal of power and influence in our homes and neighborhoods.
And those are pretty much my thoughts. Inauguration days are happy days, always a new beginning. There are many things I like a lot about President Obama, and I think he has the ability to inspire the country to action, and hopefully that will lead to better homes, better families, better neighborhoods, and collectively, a better America. We can always be better.
Thank you, and I'm going to go now and figure out a plan to get the street sweeper back on our street. See? My neighborhood, my responsibility.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Bread
I made bread today. Just plain old homemade white bread. Nothing special. It was pretty tasty, though! A little flat on the top, but still yummy and great with some homemade strawberry jam I had in the freezer.
I have plans to expand my bread making empire. Because it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be.
Thanks for the help Heather!
This is my somewhat flat loaf of bread. I think it looks pretty nice.
I have plans to expand my bread making empire. Because it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be.
Thanks for the help Heather!
This is my somewhat flat loaf of bread. I think it looks pretty nice.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Soup
I made an awesome soup last night for dinner. It was a thrown together at the last minute meal. I just used what I had and it turned out to be wonderful.
It was a chicken soup with black beans, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. I used herbs from the garden, onion and garlic to spice it up. It was so good, even little Ruby had three servings! And that's saying a lot, because usually she won't eat anything with beans in it.
I've discovered soups lately and found that they are very forgiving, tasty, quick and easy. You can toss in whatever meat you have in the freezer (I defrost and cook it first) along with the appropriate broth and some complimentary veggies and herbs and you're good to go. Or, you can skip the meat and just have a veggie soup. I usually use at least a little meat for the protein. It also helps to stretch a little bit of meat into a whole meal.
Plus, when you make them yourself, they are much tastier and better for you than store-bought. John can't even eat most store-bought soups because of his MSG allergy. Since the only soups he can eat are the really expensive organic kinds, we don't really eat a lot of canned soup.
Next up: I need to learn to make clam chowder and tomato soup. We really like Applebee's and Red Tractor's tomato soups, so I try to pay careful attention to what I'm tasting when we eat them.
And there you go. Soup. It's what's for dinner.
It was a chicken soup with black beans, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. I used herbs from the garden, onion and garlic to spice it up. It was so good, even little Ruby had three servings! And that's saying a lot, because usually she won't eat anything with beans in it.
I've discovered soups lately and found that they are very forgiving, tasty, quick and easy. You can toss in whatever meat you have in the freezer (I defrost and cook it first) along with the appropriate broth and some complimentary veggies and herbs and you're good to go. Or, you can skip the meat and just have a veggie soup. I usually use at least a little meat for the protein. It also helps to stretch a little bit of meat into a whole meal.
Plus, when you make them yourself, they are much tastier and better for you than store-bought. John can't even eat most store-bought soups because of his MSG allergy. Since the only soups he can eat are the really expensive organic kinds, we don't really eat a lot of canned soup.
Next up: I need to learn to make clam chowder and tomato soup. We really like Applebee's and Red Tractor's tomato soups, so I try to pay careful attention to what I'm tasting when we eat them.
And there you go. Soup. It's what's for dinner.
Monday, January 5, 2009
We Have Crossed Over To The Dark Side
For Christmas Santa brought us a Wii. And now we spend at least a little time every single day playing one game or another. Mario Kart is definitely the favorite. We've played with family in Utah and family in Massachusetts over the internet. It really is a lot of fun, especially with the steering wheel controller.
Of course, we love RockBand2. What a blast! I got the cheat codes off of the internet so we can open up all the songs. I just want to play for fun, I don't really care to get all the achievements and some of the songs have language in them that I'd rather not hear coming out of my kids' mouths, so we won't even be playing those at all (though, I think I'll run through a couple of them and see if they have the radio versions of the songs.)
The kids love Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. We've played it tons of times. We'll do it with me on vocals, the three kids on the drums (Squig on the red, yellow and blue drums, Ruby on the green and Sam on the kick pedal) and John on the guitar. We rock. We call our band Clawroxx. We're so cool.
There are Rush songs and Journey and Kansas songs that haven't been opened. You're supposed to play though the songs and "earn" the rest of them, but we're impatient.
The Wii RockBand store isn't open yet, so we're waiting for that so we can download some other songs we like. I looked at the list of songs that they have for RockBand, and there are some good ones, lots of Rush, but we can't get them yet. They promised it would be up the first week or two of January. We'll see, we'll see.
So, Wii. Big time waster, but I can tell it's going to be the master motivator. Sam's been grounded from it all day and I think it's killing him. Good stuff. Good stuff. Once school starts back up (Jan 20th) we won't be playing nearly as much. We do like to play as a family and take turns on the various games and parts. Lots of fun in any case.
The kids do have to have their rooms clean before they can play, and they also have to have some outside play time before they can play. Today it was raining, so we waived the outside play time. And we went to the library, so it wasn't a completely wasted day.
Oh, and I made a fantastically awesome lasagne with freshly grated mozarella and parmesan. It was fabulous. High marks from all diners.
Of course, we love RockBand2. What a blast! I got the cheat codes off of the internet so we can open up all the songs. I just want to play for fun, I don't really care to get all the achievements and some of the songs have language in them that I'd rather not hear coming out of my kids' mouths, so we won't even be playing those at all (though, I think I'll run through a couple of them and see if they have the radio versions of the songs.)
The kids love Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. We've played it tons of times. We'll do it with me on vocals, the three kids on the drums (Squig on the red, yellow and blue drums, Ruby on the green and Sam on the kick pedal) and John on the guitar. We rock. We call our band Clawroxx. We're so cool.
There are Rush songs and Journey and Kansas songs that haven't been opened. You're supposed to play though the songs and "earn" the rest of them, but we're impatient.
The Wii RockBand store isn't open yet, so we're waiting for that so we can download some other songs we like. I looked at the list of songs that they have for RockBand, and there are some good ones, lots of Rush, but we can't get them yet. They promised it would be up the first week or two of January. We'll see, we'll see.
So, Wii. Big time waster, but I can tell it's going to be the master motivator. Sam's been grounded from it all day and I think it's killing him. Good stuff. Good stuff. Once school starts back up (Jan 20th) we won't be playing nearly as much. We do like to play as a family and take turns on the various games and parts. Lots of fun in any case.
The kids do have to have their rooms clean before they can play, and they also have to have some outside play time before they can play. Today it was raining, so we waived the outside play time. And we went to the library, so it wasn't a completely wasted day.
Oh, and I made a fantastically awesome lasagne with freshly grated mozarella and parmesan. It was fabulous. High marks from all diners.
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