Friday, April 27, 2007

For Women Only

If you're a guy, you don't want to read this and you definitely don't want to follow the link.

I saw my family doctor yesterday, and we think we figured out the cause of the frequent UTIs. I have a cystocele. The doctor wasn't sure whether I would require surgery or not, I'm being referred to a specialist. I hope not as the surgery (according to what I've read online) sounds pretty awful, it would require a 2-6 day hospital stay and a 4-6 week recovery time.

Miscommunication

This is not made up. I heard this while I was making French Toast this morning.

Pauly: Now we're going to fwy it in the fwying pan.
Roger: NO! We can't fwy. We don't have wings to fwy!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Bob got horse traded!

Bob got traded out of the position he was hired for. So he's going to be working first shift, and not as much overtime! The guy in that position is currently getting about 18 hours of overtime a week. So a nice chunk, but it will probably be do able. Bob is happy!!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Rosemarie is just hilarious. NOT!

Rosie just got done nursing, then started coughing (due to post nasal drip, I think) and threw up on me, and some on the keyboard. Afterwards, she looked at me, then looked at the vomit, and started giggling, "Hee, hee, hee." Yes, Rosie, that is SOOO funny.

Yes, I cleaned it up before posting this.

Monday, April 23, 2007

While I was reading the NFP Forum, "just for a minute"

  • Rosemarie managed to open and eat an entire tub of Arbonne facial Cleansing Cream
  • The boys discovered that if they enlarged that hole in the windowscreen a little (OK, a lot) they could climb outside.
I swear I was only on there for a minute!!

Sunday, April 22, 2007

While at the park after lunch. . .

Me: It's time to go home, Roger. We need to rest, everyone is grumpy and out of sorts!
Roger: Out of swords?? I'd like a red sword! That would be a good present for me.

Friday, April 20, 2007

The Hair Clip of the Empire!

While he was supposed to be going to sleep for his nap, Roger was playing with my black hair clip. It was flying around and shooting things, and at one point he said, "Luke Skywalker is dead!" Finally Rosie fell asleep and I could concentrate on him, so I took the clip and told him, "I have to take my hair clip away so you can go to sleep." Roger yelled, "No! It's the Hair Clip of the Empire!"

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Bob's New Job

Bob's been really enjoying what work he's been doing now, but he's still officially in the training phase. Since he finished his sheet metal plate tests early, they've been having him work in small parts buildup until next week, when his training group has more classroom time. He's been enjoying this, except everything he's heard about the position he's been hired for is awful.

He had a very good plate test going in, and did very, very well on the physical ability tests. Which means he was placed in the most difficult, physically demanding position. Moreover, right now the section he's going to be in has several "shops" on 12 hr days, 7 days a week. (Of course, this is why they're hiring new people, so it shouldn't be like this forever, they just increased production) And apparently, the morale is non-existent. When he's told people where he's going to be, their response has been mostly "I'm sorry. Maybe it's changed since I heard last." Not what he wants to hear.

So, we could probably use prayers over the next several weeks that we can all deal with whatever we have to do. He's planning on putting in a transfer to a different job position anyway, so he can work with one of his friends, but he'd probably still have to work this for several months.

On the bright side, we should be able to build up savings and make headway against our debt!

Blog changes --

good, bad, neutral??

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Unconditional Parenting

I made a special trip up to the central branch of the Wichita Library on Monday to pick up a copy of Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn. I had heard about this book before, as I've read a few things by Kohn about schools and education. He believes that the school system, force learning and grading discourages children from actually wanting to learn. I could definitely see that. He's not a homeschooling advocate, though, but a "fix the system" advocate.
I thought this book, and the whole idea of unconditional parenting, which he believes should not involve punishments or rewards was pretty extreme. I've known others who advocate "no punishment," and I know that they don't believe in catering to their children, or refusing to set limits on behavior, and I generally think the discipline techniques they advocate work, but I didn't know why they were so set against punishment.
When someone on one of my forums, whom I respect greatly and who is generally a very level-headed, intelligent person, recommended this book I was intrigued. Several of us have since borrowed or bought the book and have started a "book club" style discussion about it. I have not yet finished the book, but I have been very pleasantly surprised and impressed by the book as a whole.
Kohn argues from two perspectives: first, and fundamentally, the most important thing that children need is to know that they are loved unconditionally by their parents, and he believes and punishment and rewards interfere with that, especially what he calls "love withdrawal" techniques like time out. Even if parents don't intend to do so, these techniques can give the impression that children are loved only when they are doing what the parents' want. Second, Kohn cites a great deal of research that show that punishment and rewards don't work, even in the short term, and in the long term interfere with children's moral development, what we Catholics might call formation of conscience.
The research is really what sets this book apart. This isn't just some guy arguing for his philosophical beliefs, although those certainly play a part, but he also cites numerous studies that have been done on discipline and parenting over the years to bolster his position. He does have some practical ideas in the second half of the book, which I haven't finished yet, but I've read better "practical" ideas from the same perspective. What I haven't read is such a good argument for this position itself.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Brownies

We got a brownie mix while grocery shopping this morning (the result of one hungry mommy shopping with 2 hungry preschoolers), and I left it out on the table so that I wouldn't forget to make it. Later this afternoon, Roger comes running into the the bedroom where I'm talking with Bob, clearly distraught and carrying the inner bag from the package, containing the powdered mix. "Mommy!" he yelled, "the brownies are broken!"

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Dean Koontz on Beauty and Faith

Faith & Family magazine had an interview with the novelist Dean Koontz, and I loved what he said at the end of the article:
I can walk in the rose garden, watch the joyful capering of my dog, and see the indisputable work of God. The key is beauty. If the world is merely a complex and efficient machine, beauty is not required. Beauty is, in fact, superfluous. Therefore beauty is a gift to us. If we were soulless machines of meat, the survival instinct would be all we needed to motivate us. The pleasures of the senses -- such as taste and smell -- are superfluous to machines in a godless world. Therefore, they are gifts to us, and evidence of divine grace. The older I've gotten, the more beauty, wonder, and mystery I see in the world, which is why there are ever more of those three things in my books.
The last issue of Faith & Family (which my office receives) started this new series of interviews with celebrities, and I think it is very interesting. They haven't made the "obvious" selections of people who wear their faith on their sleeve. Last month was Cary Elwes. I didn't know either of them was Catholic! The series asks the celebrities to talk about their families (of origin, so far) and how they have influenced their faith, and how their faith influences their work.

Anthony Wiggle's new Baby

I'm sure you're all interested in seeing a pic of Antonio Carlos Field, Anthony (Wiggle) Field's newest baby. Miki's in the background of the pic, but she looks gorgeous! I wish I looked that good any day, let alone right after having a baby.

Here's another one.

Friday, April 13, 2007

My National Security Gag Order

Maybe you all have seen this since it is a few weeks old, but I just found it today. Scary stuff.

Friday, April 06, 2007

I found the David Tench episode with the Wiggles!

I'm sure you were all waiting for this. I feel a bit sorry for the guys, but I thought it was really funny. Some on the WMB were offended. They obviously have inferior senses of humor.

Here's the first bit.
Here's part two.

edited to add: Oh yeah, this is NOT appropriate for small children.

How do you get from New York to London?

According to Google Maps: check out step 23

If this link won't work, follow these directions:

1. go to www.google.com
2. click on "maps"
3. click on "get directions"
4. type "New York" in the first box (the "from" box)
5. type "London" in the second box (the "to" box)
6. scroll down to step #23

Thursday, April 05, 2007

This is disturbing

On one of my forums, someone posted a link to this story about four fifth graders who were arrested for having sex in their classroom, in front of the rest of their class. They are being charged with obscenity, and a fifth student (who acted as a "lookout") is being charged as an accessory.

The article didn't mention that anything was being done to the school. The children were alone in the classroom, and the school administration found out about the incident from the sheriff, in my understanding. I guess that there was some mix-up, and the teacher was in an assembly and there was no substitute. I don't know that the school could even be held liable, historically public schools haven't been held responsible for much of anything. In cases where the school is more obviously wrong, like this one, they still argue that they aren't responsible for the safety of children in schools. I just wonder if this were a private organization, like a Sunday School or camp, if some adults would be getting in trouble, too.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Palm Sunday

I just wanted to point people toward this post on Amy Welborn's blog that contains pictures of Palm Sunday celebrations from around the world.