Squirrels and Surprises

Attack of a Squirrel 

Okay, so it wasn't really a squirrel but it would add to my complete disgust with the furry creatures people find so 'cute'. BLECH! Haydn was jumping on my lap and I tried to hold him closer to me to avoid him bumping into a pregnant lady in the play area today. I'm not sure how, but I managed to scratch myself with my ring. At first I thought it was just the top layer, but then it started bleeding and now it is actually quite painful. It hurts to use my pinky. I showed it to Haydn, which he looked very concerned about. I asked if he wanted to kiss it and he looked at me like I was gross. He said "Yuck! No way!" I'll remember that when he wants me to kiss something gross. =)

Later today we had a play date at a friend's home. I was a little late and Haydn actually fell asleep on the way. He has been so tired and not feeling the greatest this past week (he fell asleep yesterday about 5pm and slept until 7am today) that I considered taking him home so he could nap. I'm VERY glad I decided to stay because it was a play date plus a SURPRISE birthday party. Those tricky ladies! I had no idea. Laura ~ you sure can keep a secret! I told Adam about  it and that I had contemplated coming home and he told me he wouldn't have let me. HE KNEW TOO! The funny thing about all this planning is: I have been working extra days these past two weeks and was possibly going to miss the play date. Apparently Adam had called my boss to see if he needed me for today and told him what was going on. Yesterday afternoon my boss called me and told me that he didn't need me for today which I was super excited about. I was going to ask if I could take a couple hours off to go, but this made it so much easier! Haydn had a great time, I had a great time, and I am so thankful for such wonderful friends. Quite a bit of planning had to go into this and makes me feel all the more loved. Thank you my dear sweet friends. What a wonderful birthday you have made this one!

Old School or New School

I am not shy about my disgust in technology. I think it has alienated people and caused us to be rather rude. You disagree? Let me ask you this...Have you ever been in a get together (dinner, friends over just hanging out, etc) and someone is either sitting in the corner texting or excuses themselves from the group to take that 'oh so important' phone call that probably could have waited until tomorrow to be handled? I have been in both situations. I have to admit, I am guilty of both of those too. There is a wonderful convenience of cell phones and being able to get a hold of someone who you might not have been able to if it were 20 years ago when nobody had a cell phone. However, I find it awfully disgusting seeing how many people use their cell phones DURING church...not just mine, but others I have visited. There really aren't that many people out there that are THAT important. Maybe if you are a doctor and are on call, a police officer/detective and need to rush to that emergency. But does a lawyer really need to take his cell phone to church...maybe for that criminal that took the detective/police officer from church? Does the guy who works in a Monday-Friday business office need his (or hers)? I hate going out to dinner with people and there is usually that one person who's cell phone is constantly dinging because they received yet ANOTHER text. Am I really that boring that you can't sit with me and talk to me for an hour without talking to someone else...upgrading your company to someone more interesting? Don't answer that! =) I remember a family get together a few months ago and there were about 8 people sitting around the table playing a game. At one point in the game, 6 cell phones came out. Seriously!?! Someone else pointed it out and everyone laughed. But do you see my point?

I'm not saying that there are not benefits to technology. I do benefit from unlimited long distance on my house phone and I can talk to any one of my family members for however long I choose at no extra cost. But is it really no extra cost? No...if I were to talk to say, my sister for hours on end (which is VERY possible) is it really free? I sacrifice time with my son, time I will not be able to ever get back. I can use the internet whenever I please and for whatever I please. I love that I can get ideas for my lessons I teach on Sundays from complete strangers. However, I often find myself on the dreaded facebook. It's great to get in touch with people from my past, but I haven't really been keeping up with ALL of them, just a handful.

This brings me to my real point...paper and bound books or electronic books. Which do you prefer? I personally LOVE paper. I have discussed this with my sister numerous times. She pointed out that there is something 'romantic' about holding a book and turning the pages. I feel the same way. I find this same feeling when I write in my journal. I can type much faster than I can handwrite, but there is something 'romantic' or as another friend put it 'Victorian' about handwriting. I handwrite my journal so that my children, grandchildren, and so on will have those books to hold in their hands and to see my handwriting. Handwriting can tell you so much about a person and their mood when they were writing it. I randomly receive cards from my grandmother. I save every single one of them as I LOVE to see her handwriting. It's so...magical. When I see it, it takes me back in time. My grandmother is one of those who will never use a computer. I respect her for that. I want my descendants to KNOW who I was. To have a feel for the pain I went through or the joys I was blessed with. Technology is so black and white to me. My journals are full of color.

I'm very curious to your thoughts on technology. I have heard from my mother-in-law that she prefers the paper phone book over the internet. She says she can't live without her cell phone, but I think she could. She doesn't use it to the extent that so many people do today. I think she's more 'Victorian' than she thinks.

Reading

I love days when Haydn wants to read. He's always been really good about sitting in my lap or next to me and letting me read to him. His imagination is taking him away lately. This morning he was laying on the floor with a book (Little Drummer Boy) and he is making up the story to go along with the pictures. He knows the story as it is one of his favorite books and Christmas songs. However, he doesn't let the story follow what he already knows. He had a parent telling the little drummer boy to "put those drum sticks down!" and the little boy complained that he didn't want to. Then he had Mary talking to baby Jesus in a sweet voice saying "I love you my sweet baby boy" (something I KNOW I have said to Haydn). It cracks me up to hear some of the things he has in the story line and then others I know he listens to everything I say. Ahhh...the joys of being a mother.

To Do or Not To Do

I have contemplated canning this blog. I find it more difficult to keep up with it now that Haydn is older and wants to do everything I do. I've looked at it in numerous ways...it's a journal, it's an easy way to update everyone (who cares) about what is going on in our lives, it's really easy to do, it's a missionary tool, etc. As those are good reasons to continue writing it, I have also found some negative things about it, which I won't list. So, I decided that I will continue to write this blog as it helps me to maintain my writing skills and all the above mentioned. I do have one question though...Is anyone out there reading? =)

Today, We Vote

I posted about 3 months ago about voting. It is ALWAYS important to vote, whether it is the primaries or the actual election. I strive to teach Haydn by my personal example. Children are influenced the most by their parents, and that is why I find it so important to be a good example in all possible ways (good citizen, good Christian, good parent/spouse/etc, good habits, etc). I am so glad that I have been able to take Haydn with me when I vote, so he can see that I take pride in my country and that I really do care about what direction it is going.
Today at our polling location, Kurt Bahr (running for State Representative) was there. It was kind of cool getting to see a candidate in person. Haydn loves stickers and was talking about his "I Voted" sticker all the way out the door. Kurt heard him and asked if he wanted another one. Haydn was excited about getting another sticker, and actually LET Kurt put the sticker on his shirt. Haydn doesn't even let the lady in Wal-mart or the cashier at Target put the sticker on him.

Train Tracks, Bridges, and Tunnels

You obviously know how much Haydn loves trains and train tracks. Recently my best friend and I have been going on walks on some trails through the park system around here. (We found that several parks hook up via paved trails, perfect for walking with children.) The trails go across rivers/creeks/water drainage areas, so the trails have bridges, or as Haydn calls them 'bridgeys'. It's pretty neat because we can get to so many different parks and avoid having to cross roads (in most cases). Anyhow, today we parked at one park and walked back to a park we've been to before and back. (Make sense? haha) There is huge tunnel that goes under the stairs at the park. Haydn loved it and I was able to snag this picture!

It's not very clear, but I think that adds to the 'artsy' part of it. He's very good at 'posing' and always looks like he is in the moment. Love it! I have such a cute little boy. (Unbiased comment there of course!)

Patty Cake, Patty Cake, Baker's Haydn

We have had a few cooking catastrophes. One is from these little personal pizzas using Pillsbury biscuits (or the like) and flattening them to be the crust of the pizza. We then add all our favorite pizza toppings to them. They're quite fun and easy to make. It is one of Adam's favorite dinners to make. He went to open a can of biscuits and it popped really loud and scared us all. He went to open a second can and it exploded all over our kitchen and dining room. As you can see, there are no salvageable biscuits left. It was very annoying at the time, but funny now that we think back about it. Adam called Pillsbury and complained about it too. He said his hand hurt where the first can hit.  We thought we found all the biscuits and parts and kept finding pieces days later on the walls, behind doors and on the cabinets.

Haydn has been helping a lot in the kitchen lately. I mentioned this before, but his interest in the kitchen started when we first watched Cake Boss. He loves to help stir and pour the ingredients into the bowl or pan. I have enjoyed his help too. He likes to eat the final product and is excited to see how all the ingredients turn into so many different yummy things. I need to get him his own apron too. He always wants to wear mine. Obviously you can see that mine is too big for him. Maybe he'll be a chef someday! 

Today I was in the mood to bake and make things...while just about everyone I know is announcing their pregnancies, I'll just bake cakes and pies. This is the first pie (other than pumpkin) that I have made. I tried to do a lattice crust, but didn't turn out so well. I think I needed to do a little more planning for it. In the food world, odd numbers are magic numbers, as you can tell, I didn't quite use odd numbers. Yes, some of the crust is burnt so next time I will cover it with aluminum foil to protect the crust from 'browning' too fast. We are also making homemade bread today to go with our homemade chicken noodle soup. I love the fall because you don't look or sound so crazy baking and making soups. Happy First Day of Fall Everyone!

We're going to enjoy this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!