Friday Funnies/Friday Firsts

Something funny...something new.

I'm trying out the new "video" feature here on Blogger to bring you this week's combined edition of Friday Funnies and Friday Firsts. (And, on the subject of firsts, I've added a new "Shoutbox" to my sidebar. Have fun using it and don't forget to sign the guestbook.)

They're a bit blurry, but I hope these silly sketches bring you a chuckle or two.

Boys Will Be Boys

Toss out any and all magazine articles and scientific studies that tell us both genders are exactly the same and any differences are learned. A lot of money can be saved on these meaningless studies.

Here's an example of male sexism that has never been taught/learned at our house:

As I've said before, I'm a huge fan of Jude Cole and his music...as are my kids.

Today, we were discussing some of the words from the song "Joe" in which Jude sings, "Go to church on Sunday morning...come home and beat my wife."

The song is all about a man who does things he doesn't want to do -- and doesn't understand why he does them in the first place. The kids originally thought the line continued as, "Come home and feed my wife." Since that has a nicer sound to it, we've kiddingly kept that as the lyrics.

I reminded Edward of that today when we were talking about the word, "beating," and said I'm sure he'd much rather feed his wife.

Our little 6-and-a-half-year-old laughed and said, "I'm not going to feed my wife."

Stuart and I looked a bit perplexed until he continued, "She's going to feed me."

Then he remembered he isn't going to have a wife (*wink-wink* Come back in 20 years to see if anything's changed) so the whole conversation was moot.

My scientific conclusion? Boys will be boys and are born with such thoughts... We need to teach them otherwise.

Wow! Think of all the money I've just saved the government in having to figure that out.

The Last Flight of a Hero

I don't usually post this sort of thing, but this came in an e-mail from Dr. James Dobson, incorporating another e-mail that has been circulating recently on the Internet. (It has been verified as true.) I found it especially moving...and particularly convicting. Read it and pass it on. We truly need to rally around and pray for our troops...no matter how we feel about war! And the e-mail didn't come with his photo. I found it on Google images so that we could put a name with a face and see that he was a real person -- not some name in a story.

*************************************

It was written by Stuart Witt, a former Navy pilot who now manages an airport in Mojave, California. It concerns the war in Iraq and particularly, the shameful way in which our culture is infatuated with the latest celebrity scandals while our true heroes -- the men and women in uniform -- are often ignored.

Mr. Witt was in Maryland on Feb. 16 to attend a Navy ceremony. As it so happened, his return flight from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles was also carrying the body of 1st Lieutenant Jared Landaker, a Marine helicopter pilot from Big Bear, California, whose helicopter was shot down in Iraq.

Mr.Witt's commentary is written in the form of a diary; and although it is rough in places and contains a few technical terms familiar primarily to pilots and military personnel, I believe the sentiment behind what he has written will shine through. Here, then, is Stuart Witt's "Diary of a Last and Final Flight Home."

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Diary of a Last and Final Flight Home

Feb. 17, 2007.

0350: Curbside at 24th and M, Washington, D.C.

Sixteen degrees with a light breeze. Going home after my second week of freezing temps to my home in Southern California. Fly my aircraft, ride a horse, climb a mountain and get back to living. I'm tired of the cold.

0425: Paying the taxi fare at Dulles in front of the United Airlines counter, still cold.

0450: Engaging the self-serve ticket machine, and it delivers my ticket, baggage tag and boarding pass. Hmmm, that Marine is all dressed up early . .. ? Oh, maybe . . . hmm, "Good morning, Captain, you're looking sharp."

Pass security and to my gate for a quick decaf coffee and 5 hours sleep. A quick check of the flight status monitor. UA Flt 211 is on time, I'm up front, how bad can it be?

Hmmm, that same Marine, he must be heading to Pendleton to see his lady at LAX for the long weekend all dressed up like that. Or maybe not?

"Attention in the boarding area, we will begin boarding in 10 minutes. We have some additional duties to attend to this morning, but we will have you out of here on time."

That Marine Captain now has five others with him. BINGO, I get it, he's not visiting his lady, he's an official escort. How I remember doing that once, CACO duty. I still remember the names of the victim and family, the Brunos in Mojave . . . all of them, wow, that was 24 years ago. I wonder if we will ever know who and why?

On board, 0600: "Good morning, folks this is the captain. This morning, we have been attending to some additional duties, and I apologize for being 10 minutes late for push back; but believe me, we will be early to LAX. This morning, it is my sad pleasure to announce that 1st Lt. Jared Landaker, USMC, will be flying with us to his Big Bear home in Southern California. Jared lost his life over the skies of Iraq earlier this month, and today we have the honor of returning him home along with his mother, father, brother and uncles. Please join me in making the journey comfortable for the Landaker family and their uniformed escort. Now sit back and enjoy our ride: We are not expecting any turbulence until we reach the Rocky Mountains; and at that time, we will do what we can to ensure a smooth ride. For those interested, you can listen in to our progress on button 9."

Up button 9: "Good morning, UA 211, you are cleared to taxi, takeoff and cleared to LAX as filed."

From the time we started rolling, we never stopped. First Lt. Landaker began receiving his due. Four hours and 35 minutes later over Big Bear Mt., the AB320 makes a left roll and steep bank and then one to the right . . . Nice touch, Captain.

Five minutes out from landing, the Captain says, "Ladies and gents, after landing I'm leaving the fasten seatbelt sign on, and I ask everyone in advance to yield to the Landaker family. Please remain seated until all members have departed the aircraft. Thank you for your patience. We are 20 minutes early."

On roll out, I notice red lights, emergency vehicles everywhere. We are being escorted directly to our gate, no waiting anywhere, not even a pause. Out the left window, a dozen Marines in full dress blues, Highway Patrol, police, fire crews all in full dress with lights on. A true class act by everyone, down to a person from coast to coast.

Way to go, United Airlines, for doing the little things RIGHT, because they are the big things; air traffic control for getting the message, and to all law enforcement for your display of brotherhood. When the family departed the aircraft, everyone sat silent. Then I heard a lady say, "God bless you and your family; thank you." Then another, then another, then a somber round of applause.

The Captain read a prepared note from Mrs. Landaker to the effect of, "Thank you all for your patience and heartfelt concern for us and our son. We sincerely appreciate the sentiment. It is nice to have Jared home."

After they departed the aircraft, I found myself -- along with 30 others from our flight -- looking for a window. Not a dry eye in the craft. All of us were bawling like babies. It was one of the most emotional moments of my life. We all stood silent and watched as Jared was taken by his honor guard to a waiting hearse. Then the motorcade slowly made its way off the ramp.

I have finally seen the silent majority. It is deep within us all. Black, brown, white, yellow, red, purple: We are all children, parents, brothers, sisters, etc . . . we are an American family.

Early in our taxi out from the gate at Dulles, the gent next to me (a Fairfax city council member) and I were talking to the flight attendant and mentioned that we had sons serving on active duty. We commented, "What do you say? How tragic, they must be devastated." The flight attendant said many of the passengers had told him the same thing, so somewhere in the flight he shared his tidbits with Mrs. Landaker. Our flight attendant had been struggling with what to say, to find the right words, so he told the Landaker family about passengers who were parents of service members who connected with their grief as parents.

After I collected myself, I stepped back to their row, two behind me, and introduced myself to Mr. Landaker (a veteran of Southeast Asia as a tanker) and Jared's uncle and brother. What a somber moment.

Their Marine Captain escort was a first-rate class act. He had been Jared's tactics instructor and volunteered for this assignment. As he said, "Sir, it is the least I could do, he was my friend and a great stick. He absolutely loved to fly. It's an honor to be here on his last flight."

1115: On my connecting flight, my mind raced. How lucky I was to have had an opportunity to fly my father to Spain and ride the carrier USS John F.Kennedy home in 1981. The same year Jared was born. How lucky I was to have my father on the crow's landing when I made my final cat shot in an F-14.

Jared's father never had that chance. Jared was at war, 10,000 miles away. When Mr. Landaker and I were talking, he shared with me, "When Jared was born, he had no soft spot on his head and doctors feared he would be developmentally challenged. But, he became a physics major with honors, high school and college athlete, and graduated with distinction from naval aviation flight school! He was short in stature, but a Marine all the way."

Visit his life story on line at bigbeargrizzly.net. Bring tissues.

Feb. 7, 2007, Anbar Province, Iraq. 1st Lt. Jared Landaker, United States Marine Corps, hero, from Big Bear, California, gave his life in service to his country. Fatally wounded when his CH-46 helicopter was shot down by enemy fire, Jared and his crew all perished. His life was the ultimate sacrifice of a grateful military family and nation.

His death occurred at the same time as Anna Nicole Smith, a drug-using person with a 7th-grade education, of no pedigree, who dominated our news for two weeks while Jared became a number on CNN. And most unfortunately, Jared's death underscores a fact that we are a military at war, not a nation at war.

Until we become a nation committed to winning the fight, and elect leaders with the spine to ask Americans to sacrifice in order to win, we shall remain committed to being a nation with a military at war, and nothing more. (And possibly no funding if Congress has its way!)

1st Lt. Landaker, a man I came to know in the skies over America on 17 Feb.2007, from me to you, aviator to aviator, I am unbelievably humbled. It was my high honor to share your last flight. God bless you. Semper Fi!

*************************************

The following month, Mr. Witt attended a memorial service for Lt. Landaker at Camp Pendleton in California. His desire to honor this true American hero should be an inspiration to us all.

Whatever your views on the Iraq war, it is clear that our men and women in uniform deserve our utmost respect for their willingness to put their lives on the line in defense of the freedoms we hold dear. It is to our shame that, as a nation, our attention is routinely fixated on Paris Hilton's jail time or Britney Spears' underwear (or lack thereof) -- while in Iraq and elsewhere, some of America's best and brightest are paying the ultimate price to keep us safe.

Do we truly believe that the latest celebrity scandals and the next episode of American Idol are more important or more newsworthy than the stories of the brave soldiers who are risking life and limb to keep the U.S. safe from terrorists? I pray it is not so.

As you and your loved ones go about the last of your late summer activities, I hope you'll take some time to pray for our nation, and especially the men and women in our Armed Forces.

Most of them would shun the media spotlight and reject the label of "hero," and yet heroes they are.

We owe them every ounce of gratitude we can muster.

Futur-Aaaa!-ma

I found this little "gem" over at Penny Keating's blog. It's frightening to think that this girl represents our future generation.

More Amusings Monday Musings

Happy Monday to you! And Happy "First Day of School" to everyone who is starting today! We start next Tuesday.

The weather finally broke from hot and humid to cooler and less humid, which means we can open up the house again! Yippee! It's so nice to have the windows open and smell the fresh breezes. I'm still not sure who decides what smells make up "fresh breezes" in air fresheners. They never smell like the air that comes in when the house is open.

I've added in a "cute" photo of the Chaucer kitty...don't be fooled by his relaxed composure though. He's definitely settled comfortably into our house during the past week or so. I think the atmosphere has unleashed the devil-cat inner "kitten" in him. He tears around the house at warp speed and attacks anything in sight. I thought it might be the catnip toy he found in the basement...so I threw it out a few days ago. Whoops! There he goes! A striped flash. Guess the catnip isn't the culprit. It's all him.

I put a new video on the sidebar player. This one is from The Last Goodnight, a band we saw opening for Rocco et al. earlier in the month. Their first album comes out tomorrow. We saw the band members milling about in the audience during the concert. They have an interesting "look" -- *grin* -- but we really did enjoy their music.

I haven't heard about any more delays in 24 production....so maybe they'll really start in a few weeks? Only 4 1/2 months until the premier. Of course, Kiefer was sighted in New York late last week so... We've watched nearly half of The Closer - Season 1. We love it! Kyra Sedgwick does a fabulous job. Prison Break's second season comes out on video next week.

You gotta love Babel Fish and its online translations. I found this headline on a photo from an Argentinian magazine cover: Areceli: de Kiefer me sedujo su timidez. I typed it in the translator and got: Areceli: of Kiefer it seduced its timidity to me. Hmmm...what exactly does that mean? I guess she was "seduced" by his shyness?

Heard this weekend from the 6-and-1/2-year-old: When he said he needed a bathroom really badly...I suggested going outside to use a tree. He giggled and looked incredulous, saying, "What? Are you crazy?" Then he ran off with a laugh to tell his sister the "crazy thing" Mommy suggested. Gee...I thought that was a rite of passage for boys. Glad mine is too "couth" for it.

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT
• fast scribbling
• biplanes
• finding little creatures in tide pools
• jumping rope
• chatting on the front stoop

* * *

You have to wonder who came up with the songs and chants we used to sing when we jumped rope.

"Cinderella, dressed in yellow, went upstairs to kiss a fellow. Made a mistake, kissed a snake, how many doctors did it take? One, two, three"....and so it went until you tripped over the rope.

"Bubblegum, bubblegum, in a dish. How many pieces do you wish? One, two, three..."

Or "A my name is Alice And my husband's name is Arthur, We come from Alabama, Where we sell artichokes. B my name is Barney And my wife's name is Bridget, We come from Brooklyn, Where we sell bicycles. C my name is _________ And my husband's name is ___________ We come from __________ Where we sell ___________. (Continue throughout the alphabet)." We used that one more with a bouncing ball.

Or "Bluebells, cockle shells, Eevie, ivy, over; I like coffee, I like tea; I like the boys, and the boys like me. Tell your mother to hold her tongue; She had a fellow when she was young. Tell your father to do the same; He had a girl and he changed her name."

I found this site with jump rope rhymes on it and realized how much we learned while we played. It wasn't organized. No one told us we were "using our knowledge." It wasn't incorporated into the school program, or even mandated by the Department of Education or NEA.

It was just plain ol' playtime...jumping rope on a sunny day.

Sigh. How much our kids need to learn...

Remember Me?

A beautiful tribute to our troops...and a good reminder that we need to remember them.

"Ad"ing Some Fun

Found these goodies over at BennyBlog. This video is the second version of the commercial, played in Brasil. Definitely worth a watch, or two.

Now if only we could afford one of the cars...

Do you think the cars come with their own private Kiefer?

Friday Funnies

I couldn't decide which of these three short, funny commercials to post, so I give you...all three. Enjoy! And have a funny Friday!!

Oh, My Darlin'

We are a family full of bunnies.

I've had a pet bunny (or two) since I was 11 years old. Even in college, where it is forbidden in the dorms, I had a pet bunny (I did eventually get permission from the dorm's RD)...

So when Stuart and I married, he knew I came with a bunny (or two).

At present, we have six bunnies. The current group started with Bonny and Clyde, the two Himalayan Netherland Dwarf bunnies I bought at the Reading Fair three years ago. (I couldn't decide which one to purchase...so in the end I bought both of them. Oops. *grin*)

We bred them a year later and got Bubble and Squeak, our two girls. Then about six months later, we bred them again for Emily to have a 4-H project and got Earl Grey and Clementine, the boys.

Since all the kits were born in a Clementine box, I wanted to call one of them Clementine. Bubble and Squeak fit their names from the start. Enter the second litter -- both boys. Hmm...I didn't really consider it a boy's name (Think: the "Clementine" song...) until I read the history of the fruit. So we used it, but since Emily named his brother Earl Grey (after her favorite tea) we decided Clemmie needed a more noble name so he's officially Sir Clement of the River Tyne.

Clemmie is a veritable "lovebug." He often reminds me of other bunnies I had in the past. He gives kisses and has a very docile personality, loving to cuddle and be petted.

Until...

He's around other bunnies.

Then he a real boss!

We recently had a 4-H trip to a mental hospital. We took the younger boys. There Clemmie hopped around the table, nudging the other bunnies and even a guinea pig. Then he mounted Earl Grey.

I'd recently read that when an animal does this to another of the same gender, he/she is trying to show dominance. I've explained that to the kids, thus avoiding a rehashing of the "birds and the bees" chat which one has had and the other is too young for, but I hadn't tested it out on the public yet.

One of the patients who was mildly retarded seemingly knew all about the "birds and the bees" and began shouting at Clementine, "No sex! No sex, Clementine!"

About six pairs of eyes widened as the younger 4-H kids thought about what he said.

I quickly explained to the man that Clementine was just dominating -- or trying to boss -- Earl Grey...not make babies.

To which he then shouted, "No bossing, Clementine! No bossing!"

Clementine paid him no heed, and by the time we got home was his quiet, demure self again.

A "Winn"ing Movie

Don't you love it when you pull a movie off the shelf, thinking it might be a real "goody," and you're right? We caught an especially "goody" family one last night.

Because of Winn-Dixie.

When the film came out a few years ago, I bought the book to read and then share with Emily. I got about halfway through it and put it down, forgetting about it. Emily spotted it on my bookshelf and asked if she could read it. Since I hadn't finished it and I knew there was some sad content in the book, I hesitated. She had a hard time with anything sad in books. But then I gave in. She came down later on and lifted the book high in the air and told me how much she loved it.

So when we spotted the DVD on the shelf in the library I couldn't resist. I'd been eyeing it at the store but wasn't sure it was one I wanted to own. There's no doubt in me now. It's a true classic; one that I would like to own and watch again and again.

The message is so refreshingly positive and sweet. The little girl and her father move to a small town in Florida. She's very lonely but in no way depressed. She finds a dog and names him Winn-Dixie (for the store where she found him), and he helps her to make new friends all over the town....friends she might not have met without him. My favorite line: "I didn't find Winn-Dixie...he found me. He knew I needed him."

And it's so nice to see a respectful child character. She is so kind and caring about the older characters in the film, especially her father, and it works. It isn't cheesy or put on. It's genuine because she loves them. (Take that, Nickelodeon!)

It had all the elements a family film should have and left us laughing and crying at the same time.

A definite winner!

An "In-Tents" Night

The kids chose "having a sleepover in a tent" as their second "prize"/incentive for their Summer Bridge books.

Since they finished the second section just before we headed off to vacation, we decided to postpone fulfilling it until we got back.

So last Thursday night, Stuart popped up the fullsized pop-tent in Emily's room and watched as her room "disappeared" for the night.

The kids piled in with thousands a couple of blankets, myriads specially-chosen few stuffed toys, and sleeping bags and....

Chatted until I finally went up around 10 p.m. and told them it was time to sleep (they're such early risers!). No doubt the chatting continued via whispering for a while longer...

Still, it makes us pleased that they enjoy each other's company so much -- a blessing we hope they always enjoy.

Amusing Musings on Monday

Happy Monday to you! Another week begins...as another month nearly finishes.

We start school in two weeks. Hmmm...I guess I'd best get cracking on our schoolroom, huh? Emily starts 5th grade and Edward is going into 1st grade. Wowzers! I can hardly believe that!

I was invited to teach a journalism class again at our homeschool learning group this year. I'm excited as it gives me a chance to share a true passion of mine with the kids (and pay for our kids to be in the learning group). Now, let's hope I get some students.

Let's see...Monday night wings with another episode of The Closer. Stuart just finished watching the first season of Prison Break. I re watched some of it in between snoring. Season 2 comes out at the beginning of next month, but we're debating the costs of renting it versus buying it. It's not a show that I care to own, but... Still, Season 3 starts September 17th. We're hoping for one of Blockbuster's good coupons....or maybe we'll join an online video service temporarily. Hmmm...imagine the possibilities...

Speaking of new seasons...we heard that production on 24 has been delayed another two or three weeks. Makes me wonder if they'll be able to get it done by mid-January. They're usually a month into production by now. Grrrr.

Found the above funny photo tidbit on Amazon.com the other day. Can you spot the error? How can you offer an calendar of this actor (or any famous person) and NOT spell his name right on the cover art?? I'm just saying.

We had our 4-H picnic on Saturday. Emily enjoyed spending the time with several other club members and getting to swim in the frigid swimming pool. The woman who hosted the picnic has a bulldog kennel so we got to spend some time cuddling with an 8-week-old puppy. She was a-dorable! When Emily said we should get one for Buster to have a friend, (winking) we told her to ask how much they cost. Her eyes nearly popped out when Diane told her $2,500. Still, the puppy was fun to play with.

Our new friend, Chaucer, has been enjoying his new abode, we think. He certainly has made himself at home. "Mi casa es su casa" seems to be his motto at the moment. Now if I can just get him to stop trying to be my "turban" at night. *grin*

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• a day with family

• homemade macaroni and cheese

• gardens of the past

• rainbows reflecting off mirrors

• making forts

* * *

The kids have enjoyed making forts under their beds this summer. Earlier in the season, Stuart's coworker gave us an IKEA bunkbed exactly like Emily's bed (except hers is the loftbed version) so now both kids have a place to make a hideaway/playplace.

They've only done it a handful of times, but each time it brought back memories of doing the same thing as a kid in my room and the basement rec room.

My sister and I had huge closets (I say huge because I was small) in the room we shared and made "homes" in them, journeying the short distance across the room to visit each other and "have tea." It was fun to knock on the closet door and be welcomed inside amongst the shoes, clothes, and doll things.

In our basement rec room, we would disassemble the chairs and use the cushions to make tunnels and tents. As long as we left things the way they started -- ie. neat and tidy -- we could do whatever we wanted down there.

That included me getting "married" three times by my sister and her friend!

"Ah, I remember it well..."

Hello, Kitty!

Friday brought a new family member to our house.

After recently losing our sweet cat, Abigail, to old age and disease, we felt a void in our house.

But we were heading out on vacation and didn't like the idea of a new cat adjusting to our home without us.

So we remained cat-free...until Friday.

A dear friend and former colleague named Susan writes a pet blog for the newspaper and alerted us to the "Free to a Good Home" program that our local Humane Society has been hosting. The shelter is inundated with kittens during the summer months and uses the program to place older cats (ie. age 1 and up) in good homes.

Enter our cat-less family.

We'd been perusing Petfinder.com for cats and kittens since that's where we got our dog, Buster Brown. There were plenty of adorable and worthy choices available from shelters and rescues on there.

But since the kids and I were already in the city on Friday getting Emily some dance shoes, I decided to travel uptown to the Humane Society...just for a look.

Needless to say, about an hour and half later, "Jeffrey" (the shelter's name) "Chaucer" (our name), a 3-year-old, stray, tortoise-shell tabby cat, came to live with us.

He's having such a "hard" time adjusting...and spent most of his first two nights in bed with us -- on our faces, pillows, bellies, backs...anywhere he deems a nice comfy spot that might get his head scratched, as well.

Though they said he was a stray, he's extremely friendly and loves to be loved so he obviously had a family at some point in his life. He's also quite keen on the dog and rabbits.

We think he's a nice addition....and we'll definitely keep him.

Friday Funnies

I just got these in an e-mail from a friend and thought they fit the bill for Friday Funnies. They certainly make you think.

WHY?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off t he table, you always manage to knock something else over?

In Winter, why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my FAVORITE...... The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

Future Events...

One of my favorite "B" movies is Plan 9 from Outer Space. Now, while Ed Wood meant it as a "serious" masterpiece, the filming, script, and continuity errors make it the complete opposite. (Sorry, Mr. Wood in the great beyond, but thanks for some great laughs.)

Anyways...

The narrator finishes the prologue by saying, "Future events such as these will happen in the future."

Nothing like being redundant and stating the obvious, huh?

Still...

I was reminded of that line this morning when I was watching/listening to my two sproglets at breakfast. As they ate and chatted together about nothing of consequence, I fast-forwarded 20 years and saw them as adults, sharing a fun moment together, each laughing at the other's stories, appreciating each other.

It's hard to remember that kids are humans from birth. When they're tiny they seem to be so dependent on us that they're more like little toys or even robots. We dress 'em up and sit 'em down and expect them to learn/know the rules from the first time we explain them.

Ha.

That would be nice, but it also would take away their sinful nature...and their human-ness.

I remember reading a line in a parenting book: "Walk a mile in their shoes." That was convicting, especially since I want them to fill my shoes already...know what's expected and do it.

As my kids grow older, I am reminded of how I felt at their particular ages. (Funny how memories can be distant and forgotten until God brings them to mind as a lesson for us...)

Sometimes when I back off far enough away to really observe my kids, I see that what I perceive as little pieces of my heart walking around are, in fact, whole new people with their own thoughts, dreams, and personalities.

Can I truly control that? More important, should I try?

Of course, I am the disciplinarian in their lives...the one that keeps them on the "straight and narrow," so to speak. But in doing that, I need to be careful to control behaviors -- not squash any part of who they are.

Okay. Okay. No advice columns or band wagons or soapboxes here. Just an observation I made this morning as I looked at my kids.

I sat back and saw the people they are becoming....and realized afresh how much I need to enjoy that.

Then "future events" really will be fun and exciting!

Elizabethan Times

Here are the photos from our trip to see the Elizabeth II ship and hands-on adventure museum.

Un-Mettled Monday Musings

Phew! What is it about the few days after coming back from vacation? I always feel like I need another vacation.

Happy Monday to you! Nearly the middle of August already!

Our boy turns 6 1/2 tomorrow! He's very excited about his "half birthday" -- a silly, but fun, tradition we started when Emily turned 6 months old. I cannot believe that he is halfway to turning 7...and Emily is nearly 10.

Tempus fugit!

Let's see...what to muse about today...

We had a wonderful vacation, despite the heat index staying at or around 110 everyday. Certainly makes you thankful for A/C!!

Edward became a "surfer dude" literally overnight. He decided that he enjoyed jumping in the waves, and he and Emily loved the boogie boards we bought. At one point he was squealing and laughing and having such a great time that he said, "This is so much fun! I was missing out!" Emily has always been our "fish." Since the surf was fairly calm, we took them both out further in the waves. She was thrilled to bob up and down with the waves. She began to swim underwater this year and could hold her breath for 8 seconds...quite an accomplishment for someone who never before shut her mouth underwater. We think she finally "gets" it.

My mom treated us to a trip to the Elizabeth II ship and museum. It was such fun! There was an excellent movie showing the Indian tribes and their relationship with the Englishman who arrived by ship. And there was also a hands-on "adventure" museum. We were able to walk around an exact-scale replica of the Elizabeth II ship and wander through a re-enactment settlement. (I'll post photos tomorrow.)

We drove home overnight on Friday and arrived back in W-town at 4:15 a.m. An hour later, we were all "crashed" in our beds and slept until 9:30 a.m.

Ah, well. Back to "normal" life...

I found a video of the Citroen ad Kiefer Sutherland did in Brasil. It's very good! I heard that there are several versions out there. I'll post others if/when I find them.

Five months until the new season of 24 starts? We hope... We haven't heard whether or not they've actually begun filming it yet. Judging by the number of "Kiefer sightings" I keep reading about...I'm guessing not. Oh, well. We'll enjoy other shows in the meantime.

Another episode or two of The Closer tonight. And I reserved season 1 of Prison Break at the library to watch with Stuart. The second season comes out on DVD in early September, and the third season starts a few weeks later.

I put a new video on the sidebar player. I've never heard any of Belinda Carlisle's songs before, but I liked this one, especially because it fits the summer theme. It makes you want to get up and dance in a rainstorm. Okay. Okay. Dance inside maybe. Enjoy!

School starts on September 4th...three weeks from tomorrow. Egads! Both kids are excited, I think. I have mixed feelings... I enjoy the empty calendar and having less extra-curricular activies and no strict schedule. Once school begins the busyness will start, as well.

The bank across from us decided to chop down all the trees and shrubs around it. Now we have a real "good view" of the main road nearby. *Sigh.*

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• cutting yourself some slack

• low humidity

• marble statues

• sautéed mushrooms

• a spectacular view

* * *

The difference in the humidity level between this week and last is amazing.

Last week, you felt like you were walking in a sauna when you breathed outside. I know it's Summer and all, but...

We were all discussing moving to San Diego where the humidity is non-existent and the temperature very moderate.

Of course, the cost of living is much higher...but sacrifices...

Vacation Photo Fun

A few photos from our vacation in Nags Head, N.C....

Vacation Is...

...packing way too much stuff...

...overloading the car...

...laughing and sighing, wondering "Are we there yet?"...

...arriving much later than anticipated...

...rushing to put tootsies in the ocean...

...breathing in the fresh sea breeze...

...watching dolphins play in the early morning sun...

...walking along the shoreline...

...jumping in the waves...

...building sandcastles...

...slathering on sunblock...

...paddling in the pool...

...melting in the sun...

...realizing SPF 4 is not a "starter" sunblock...

...playing games with family...

...eating way too much...

...taking photos of kids in the waves...

...reading 700-page books virtually undisturbed...

...snoozing in the sun...

...getting up early -- staying up late...

...having no schedule...

...seeing lightning flash over the water...

...hearing the rumble of thunder...

...repacking way too much stuff...

...re-overloading the car...

...leaving as the sun is setting...

...praising God for a fun time...

Vacation is...over.

*sigh*

Friday Funnies

I found this funny tidbit on Penny Keating's blog. Enjoy!


Jack Bauer rings PC technical support...

The following takes place between 9:18 a.m. and 9:21 a.m.

Jack: My name is Jack Bauer; I work as an Agent with the Counter-Terrorism Unit. I’m having difficulty with this laptop you sold me, and it’s imperative that it works. It’s a matter of national security!

Support: What seems to be the problem?

Jack: The machine won’t boot, it contains information that might stop a terrorist incident, the chemical formula of a cure for cancer and people’s lives depend on me.

Support: Was the machine dropped or has it got wet?

Jack: I believe it was struck by .762 calibre copper jacketed round at a range of approximately 426 yards by a Lithuanian hit man, named Viktoras Skarbalius. And the bullet is lodged between the F2 and F3 keys. It is also slightly damp, as I left in it an airline locker with the severed head of Colombian drug dealer overnight. Please hurry, lives are at risk!

Support: Do you have your warranty information handy?

Jack: Er…no…is that important?

Support: I’m sorry we need to confirm that the computer in question was under warranty and the software on it was fully licensed.

Jack: Damn it!!!!I haven’t got time for this!!! People will die if you don’t help me - NOW!

Support: We’ve found some copies of the documents, but I’m afraid you’re not covered for attempted assassination or the bleeding of a 3rd party. We can arrange for the computer to be collected and repaired if you can give me your credit card details.

Jack: (silence)

Support: Sir, are you still there?

Jack: (silence)

Support: Hello?

Jack: I’ve traced your location using a re-tasked military satellite. I’ve got your exact position within 20 feet. If you don’t tell me how to get this computer working in the next 30 seconds I’m going to ring the President and get him to order a tactical nuclear strike on your location. Do…you…under…stand?

Support: Must I remind you that our phone calls are recorded for training purposes.

Jack: I don’t care. We have a national security crisis, fix my laptop NOW or DIE!

Support: OK, but I want immunity from prosecution, signed by the Secretary of State, $10m in untraceable barrow bonds, and a real girlfriend.

Jack: Grrr….DAMN IT!

Support: That’s the deal, take it or leave it!

Jack: OK, OK…how fast can you get to me? That information is vital in the fight against America’s enemies!

Support: How does 24 hours sound?

Jack: (the unmistakable sound of a semi-automatic pistol being cocked)

Burn, Baby, Burn!

I've never been a patient person.

To me, " a watched pot never boils" means toss out the pot and throw the water in a microwave.

Around age 10, I got interested in drawing horses, and I wanted to draw them perfectly NOW. No practice necessary. Same thing went for learning to play the flute.

Ergo, patience is not a virtue for me.

So suntanning is not a treat for me as it might be for other people. I'm no "beach bunny." I'd almost rather burn than spend countless hours trying to turn my skin a beautiful golden brown. Notice, I said almost.

Much has been said regarding the numbering system on sunblocks and suntanning lotions. I've never really figured out how one is supposedly better than another when my mother's dermatologist told her that anything over 15 spf is about the same. Hmmm....

Now, before anyone sends me links to articles on the differences noted above, it doesn't really matter too much to me. We spend a total of one week at the beach. That's only 168 hours. And of those hours, we spend maybe 16-20 hours in the sunshine. Not really enough time to fry too much.

Okay. Okay. Unless we come to the beach in the middle of a heatwave.....

Oh, well.

To Swim or Not to Swim

Hmmm....that is the question.

We arrived at our vacation destination with the forecasters' promises of less heat than at home...sunny skies...and cool breezes.

Okay. Okay. We know it's August and that isn't necessarily a reality. (But it did sound nice.) Heat and strong sunshine are.

So do we slather up with suntan lotion, or just stay inside?

Well, yesterday we opted for the latter. The "real feel" heat index was 110 F.

Hmmm...not rocket science, right?

Better temps today, we hope?

But we did make a discovery about our "late bloomer" this week: He loves the ocean afterall.

After dragging him kicking and screaming -- literally -- into the water at the end of our vacation last year, he started out this year by going in as soon as we took our first morning walk together.

The answer? Turns out he wasn't keen on "swimming with the fishes"...or their poop.

When we explained the God-made filtration system in the ocean, all was swimmingly well with the world...and our boy.

Lost and Found in Roanoke

We went to see an outdoor play called The Lost Colony last night -- which was, as you might imagine, about the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke. (For those of you who are rusty on your history lessons, click here to learn more.) Fantastic in every way.

What was especially excellent was how much the dramatization brought to life the brief history of America's first colony. So much so that Emily began to cry after the Indian chief was killed, not because it was so realistic (which it and the other battle scenes were) but because she remembered the true story from us visiting the actual site of the Lost Colony last year. She kept saying through her tears, "This really happened. This really happened."

Lest the audience be sunk into complete depression through the story of the doomed group of settlers, the playwrights inserted some comic relief by way of a slightly drunken old Londoner who swore off his drink to join the last group going to the New World. Perfect. He was silly and kept the audience laughing despite the sadness.

And we had some comic relief of our own when Emily declared upon seeing Queen Elizabeth I coming out, "She looks just like in Star Wars." We're guessing she was comparing her to Queen Amidala.

I guess she found a way to link past and present. Not a bad comparison.

Monday Musings While Melting Away

Happy Monday to you from Nags Head, N.C., where we are enjoying an all-family week of vacation, melting tanning in the sun. (Oops!...did I say tanning? I guess that's passe these days...nevermind...see On Getting a Tan and More On Tanning for more on my feelings on sunbathing.)

Anyway, we're having a fine time dusting sand from all of our belongings, slathering sunblock on our appendages, and relaxing after our 11-hour drive to get here...more on that in a bit.

A new week in a new month! Time is flying by as per usual. Only 5 months and a bit until the new season of 24. Woooooo-hooooo! Good news is that most of our other favorites are returning in September. So not much longer for them.

So back to our journey....it took us 11 hours to do our normal 8 1/2-hour trip....due to traffic. Since we usually come off-season we weren't expecting the throngs of OBXers driving down with us. Afterall, it's "our" beach, isn't it?

Okay. Okay. Only kidding there.

We did know that there would be more travellers due to the time of year, but we were blessed with clear roads until we were 6 miles from Nags Head...then it took 2 hours to drive those last few miles. The car wasn't really happy...the occupants were melting in the sun...and the kids kept asking "How many miles now?" (They were warned not to ask "Are we there yet?")

Still, we made it safe and sound and that's all that mattered.

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• swimming with dolphins

• old books in original jackets

• a soft beach towel

• seizing the day

• the waves on a meringue pie

* * *

Appropriate five happy things for our vacation week, huh?

Yesterday when we took our first morning beach walk, we looked over the most serene ocean to see...dolphins swimming and dancing in the sun. What a treat!

The sun sparkled on the waves, and the pelicans flew and dipped and flapped in a cool ocean breeze.

Makes a person really thankful for God's creation...and for vacation.

*****NEWS FLASH!!!!*****

The Tooth Fairy finally visited -- over 2 weeks late. She came to our house with a book, golden dollar, and card for Edward. (See Friday Firsts and Update.)

And not because he placed his first official lost tooth under his pillow....no, no...our shy guy couldn't do that. He didn't even want to part with his tooth at first.

So we started to spin a story...we just wanted that tooth...

The woven web began when we explained that the Tooth Fairy returns baby teeth once we become adults (So hand it over?)...and that if he didn't put the tooth under his pillow soon she was just going to come and find it herself (Come on! Come on!).

Edward finally relented...but he didn't tell us right way. He just said he knew she'd come and take the tooth off the top of his desk...leaving the goodies behind.

I guess he was right....*grin*

Gotta love that Fairy! You gotta wonder how she always knows...

Friday Funnies

Remember these? A compilation of one of the funniest series of bud commercials. Have a funny Friday!

Bleary-Eyed But Buzzing

Wow!

Wow! Wow! Wow!

What a show!

Last night, we headed to Philly in the 90-degree humidity to see another Rocco concert at the Fillmore Theatre on South Street. (I'll add videos as soon as I upload them to YouTube and post an entry with just photos later.)

It was EXCELLENT...as usual! (How do you convey this to rock stars? We enjoyed ourselves so much!)

To say we're pooped would be putting it mildly. We didn't get home until 2 a.m....and that was due to the 1 a.m. traffic jam on the Schuylkill Expressway. Egads! My poor sister and brother-in-law, who stayed with the kids, were stuck waiting for us...I hope they know how much we LOVE them. *smile*

One thing we've noticed in the five concerts we've attended is that they usually don't start on time...unless they're at the Fillmore. There they are prompt. The concert was slated for 8 p.m. and started at 8 on the dot. The three opening acts each got 30 minutes with 15 minutes in between to reset the stage for the next group.

Matt Duke opened the show, followed by Sara Barielles, and then The Last Goodnight. All were excellent! (You can listen to some of their music for free on MySpace. Just type www.myspace.com/[whichever musician you want to hear])

It took a bit longer to set up the stage for RDB, but they started at 10:30-ish and played until midnight! We got there early enough to get great seats about 15 feet from the stage, so apart from a "numb bum" and tired "babysitters," we could've listened all night!

They added a new player, Brett Bixby -- we weren't sure if he's a permanent member of the band or just a friend joining in for the tour -- who played the keyboard, various guitars, and several of the misc. percussion instruments. Apparently, he's Rocco's good buddy from Long Beach, Ca., and single....as Rocco so sweetly pointed out to the audience much to the embarrassment of Brett. (Maybe Rocco's not Brett's good buddy anymore?) Anyway, he was a nice addition.

So with my mind buzzing and my ears ringing and my head replaying all my favorite Rocco songs....I'll bid you adieu...and collapse on our bed....

Photo Fun in Philly

First stop: Jim's Steaks for din-din


Me: melting posing outside the Fillmore

Rocco headlines this time! Hooray!

They have some interesting upcoming acts...

Us: Self-taken outside the theatre whilst waiting in line.

A Philadelphia "gum" tree -- eeew!

The sign Stuart knocked down whilst we waited...

(Can you tell I was bored?)

A "arty" look at some Philadelphia architecture

Their banner -- something new for this tour


Rocco!! A bit blurred -- he wouldn't stand still! The cheek!


Rocco and Dave play "at" each other -- very cool!


One more of Rocco. A bit darker, but I was trying a different camera setting.

Happily Burdened

Anyone can carry his burden, however heavy, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, until the sun goes down. And this is all that life really means. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

We're off to see Rocco and co. in concert in Philadelphia tonight.

To say we're excited wouldn't even begin to describe our feelings.

We've seen them live four times so far; three times on the big screen in their rockumentary; and a few times on TV from the DVD of their rockumentary.

But no matter how much we've seen them, they're always excellent! The songs they play vary from fast and loud (I mean really loud) to soft and slow. They give a great show.

Funny really, since I've never ever been much of a rock music fan. I'm a lover of classical music and show tunes and movie soundtracks. You know, the "soft" stuff. None of that comes even close to rock music...especially much of the stuff done by Rocco Deluca and the Burden. (Check out their music on these K-Swiss ads.)

Still, if there's one thing I've learned in life, it's that we're "burdened" to be flexible, and it is a beautiful thing. You learn so much about yourself and discover wonderful, new interests.

In that way, I'm happily burdened...and excited to watch my new interest.