The Milwaukee Wave has cut ties with Keith Tozer, their coach of 21 seasons and the winningest coach in North American indoor soccer history.

Junie just lost her top front tooth!

Junie is reading "A Fly Went By" (a childhood favorite of mine) to me as I work on the computer.

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The Younger Kids Learn about 9/11

A week or so ago - the night before we played with the Play-doh - Lisa discussed the events of 9/11 with Junie and Smiley. While both were interested, the subject clearly bothered Smiley and I haven't heard him ask many questions since then. Junie, however, has continued to inquire about it, so today I took her to the library and borrowed two children's books on 9/11. While it is well past her normal bedtime, I can hear Lisa reading one of the books to her now. LK keeps interrupting to ask questions . . .

Flight 370

 CNN is reporting that Flight 370 has been found and that "all lives are lost".

CORRECTION: the report now states that it's last known location has been determined from satellite data and that it was too far out in the ocean to have landed anywhere safely. Hmmmm....not quite the same thing as 'found', so why all the certainty?

Quote

 "This isn't about privacy; when you post content online, you give up the right to privacy. This is about propriety; it's about having manners, knowing your place, and respecting boundaries. Just because someone posts wedding pictures doesn't mean you criticize the bride's dress" - Ruben Navarrette, Jr.

 Our van is at my mechanic's house getting repaired. I had a nice walk home and now hope to sit on my butt until its time to walk and pick it up.

Angelcakes and LuLu

 

 A train rumbling past during my walk home

 Turn down the what? ?

LuLu and Angelcakes

 

 Turn down the what? ?

Our van is at my mechanic's house getting repaired. I had a nice walk home and now hope to sit on my butt until its time to walk and pick it up.

Here's a train that came rumbling past during my walk home.

Yuck

 

Russia invades Ukraine

 While the media fawns over the admittedly sad - and literal - loss of a passenger jet, buried beneath that ever present headline is a moderately sized article that will tell you about Russian forces storming two Ukrainian naval bases, seizing that nation's sole submarine, and claiming the two bases as Russian territory. What does Washington say? "The White House reacted by urging Russia to open talks with the Ukrainian government." Ah, shades of 1938, no?

 "I can't wait to relive this all later on Facebook"- -Mike Ste---e.

 One of the stops on my birthday. 

 It was disgusting how Anya and Mondo treated Natalia yesterday on PR: Under the Gunn. Shame on them both.

Argggh!

 Kids sick, heading home early. G'damnit

NOTE: this was a (sensible social) lie. They weren't "sick" - the school discovered LuLu and Junie had head lice, and our emergency contact (Grandma J) wouldn't pick them up once the school called to let her know LOL

- 2024

Two Pics

Dan has always taken the best pictures of me...but they always show waaaay too much cleavage. If I took the pic it just magically wouldn't appear, lol.and the second pic he took. I wish he would have taken all my school pictures growing up, lol... Lisa

 This has been a trying day, a "close up shop and go home" kind of an experience. I think I jinxed myself by putting that motivational quote on my FB wall today. Anyway, details later.

OTOH, I did earn a B on my Civil Procedure midterm, ensuring that I can earn no lower than a 'D' in the class. That's even if I earn a zero on the final, which is a performance, knock on wood, I think I can surpass.

And the Gosselin's are back, this time restylized as "Kate Plus 8"

St Paddy's Treats

Junie with her box of St Patrick's Day treats for school

DWTS

 We watched the season premiere of Dancing With the Stars last night. Some quick thoughts: I'm not liking Erin Andrews brash style of hosting, I think Billy Dee Williams danced like he was already in the grave, the ice dancers are gonna be tough to beat (as is Danica McKellar), Drew Carey will do well but finish in the quarter finals, and Candace Cameron Bure, who I never NEVER thought was attractive before, was not only a great dancer but gorgeous! All in all I'd rate the dance level a 7 and the show itself a 5 . . . you can do better DWTS!

Three days later, and I'm still genuinely upset that Tomasz Adamek lost a decision to Vyacheslav Glazkov. Glazkov deserved the win, since he owned nearly every round, but it's tough to see Tomasz Adamek drop to 49-3 and descend in the rankings.

 It has been hard, this self-imposed boycott of all things MLB. I have found myself reaching for a Baseball America, nearly clicking on my bookmark to Baseball Think Factory, tempted to re-enlist in my fantasy league . . . AND THEN. Then I see four dozen stories about dog named Hank that the Brewers have used to seduce the brain dead media to show interest in their second tier product, and the way the locals lap it up and line up in droves. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. It'd be enough to boycott the sport right there

Russia's Aggression is Rewarded by Washington

 Russia has graciously decided to allow the Crimea to be annexed, and CNN.com bears the headline "Russia: Crimea is now part of us. Period." Meanwhile, the Journal-Sentinel is running an editorial saying that Obama is correct, and that economic sanctions are the best chance to reverse the situation . . . Well done Mr. President. It might not be Munich, but it's close. Chamberlain would be proud.

Quote

 

Play-Dough Forts

 A mixed day so far. Smiley got playdoh from Junie for his birhday, and yeah, he's too old for it, but it meant a lot to LK. I explained to him that life is all about meeting his obligations, and one of those obligations is to protect his sisters feelings in this situation and tip his cap to how much she loved him, so I sat down with the two of them and improved a game.

Each of us took a handful of fire and police action figures, made playdoh defensive positions for them, then took turns launching catapult bombs at the other side (playdoh balls flung from a spoon). It was a BIG hit, and in the end Smiley asked if we could buy him more Play-doh! LOL

Then PD and I hung up the birdhouses we got for our respective birthdays. That was the good. Then . . . .

I had all four kids "help" me clean the upstairs hallway, and it quickly devolved into a pathetic rats nest of screaming, crying, whining, and laziness. I tossed out their TV and the stand, and busted apart and hauled away their communal chest of drawers. Not out of anger - it was due to go - but it certainly took away some stress. The hallway still looks like sh*t, but it's a start.

Today in Danny Land

I was disgusted by Anya and Mondo's poor sportsmanship on this past Project Runway: Under the Gunn. Their behavior towards Natalie was pathetic. Go Team Nick!

Oh - and  Julius Peppers is now a Green Bay Packer!

That's Neat

David Brenner

RIP comedian David Brenner, age 78

 I was disgusted by Anya and Mondo's poor sportsmanship on this past Project Runway: Under the Gunn. Their behavior towards Natalie was pathetic. Go Team Nick!

 Julius Peppers is now a Green Bay Packer

Catch with Smiley

 Playing catch with Smiley in the alley

YaYa's First Date!

 Today was YaY's first ever date, a walk to the park and library with Vaughn, her school boyfriend of the last few months. It's quite the milestone, and we're proud to see our little girl continue to mature and grow!

A loving quote from LuLu

Said dear sweet LuLU on our walk yesterday: "Hey Lauren, I just stepped in some dog poop. Come here and eat it off my shoe, it'll improve your breath."

A Facebook Question

 Hmmm. Apparently I inadvertently gave permission for an app to post on my behalf, simply by virtue of watching a video on a friend's wall. Any idea on how to ixnay said app?

Junie's 1st LIbrary Card

 Today I walked with my girls down to the library to clear up their fines and get Junie her first ever library card!

LuLu with her souvenir from the MIley Concert

 

Angulo-Lara

I watched the Angulo-Lara fight tonight, and it was an entertaining and eve boxing match. I also watched Ali-Liston I, and whatever happened in their rematch (*cough*fix*cough) Ali was punishing Sonny from the start in this one, and IMO he quit just to avoid visiting the canvas.

LuLu Goes to See Miley Cyrus in Concert!

 It's official - tickets for tonight's Miley Cyrus concert are in hand!

Painting the Ljving Room

 Painting the living room

 Happy 9th Birthday Smiley aka P Diddy Wee Diddy, aka the best son a man could ever have! You're halfway to being a grownup now

The Minecraft Cake

 The Minecraft cake Lisa made for Smiley's birthday

 Just finished my Civil Procedure midterm. On the way out of the building I ran into the Dean who asked me how I'd done on the exam.

"Eh", I said. "I've had better nights"

"Well, you survived," he replied.

"That remains to be seen," I said. "I'll get the score next week."

"You'll make a great lawyer," he said. "You refuse to commit to any definable position."

 

Mass and a Grumpy YaYa

 Ash Wednesday Mass with Team Slap

Miss "I don't want my picture taken Dad. UGH, you're the worst Dad ever". AKA

Calm down YaYa. Your parents are your biggest fans. You will not understand for years...but someday you will. - Dale C

You can almost hear here thinking [que "Gone With the Wind" theme music] "as God is my witness, one day I'll put you in a home. - Fred Bryan

Still pretty even when pissed. - Lisa

Creating new starts, doing better. Realizing we're not here forever. Feeling remorseful/repenting... good messages, even if you don't go to mass today. I don't remember going to Ash Wednesday services growing up (mostly ev Lutheran church), but all these years raising Catholic kids has made me appreciate the message of Ash Wednesday. - Lisa

Kinda the Reverse for Me, But . . .

It's Fat Tuesday. Have you had your paczki today?

The Last Voyage

This morning Lisa and I watched "The Last Voyage" a 1960 Robert Stack film about the sinking of a passenger liner.I saw it as a kid on TV and loved it, and after rewatching it 30 years later I can say: I had great taste. 

What makes the film extra special is that the crew *actually* set a defunct passenger liner on fire and flooded it during filming. None of the "special effects" are effects, it's really a ship on its way to the bottom of sea, and that lends a brutal urgency to the cast. Watch it!

I'm Just Saying

I don't begrudge the forays into the Oscars or other routine b.s. - heck, I live for pop culture and gossip - but I would like it very much if you would take just a few minutes today to read up on what's going on in the Ukraine. 

The Russian military has entered that country and looks poised to occupy the Crimea. Putin has openly taunted the European Union when they objected, China is in "agreement" with the action, and the White House is offering up noisy but empty threats in return.

None of this is good, and it's something that deserves more attention than its been getting in the US. Please, pay attention.

 Divergent tickets go on sale tomorrow. *cough* Mom and Dad *cough* - YaYa

My Thoughts

Why waste time being upset that someone you dislike dislikes you too? If the bugger's opinion was worth anything to begin with, you wouldn't dislike him in the first place.

The Youngest Besties :)

YaYa's New Jacket!