Parker's Table Manners

Here's a pic from September 9th of Park sitting at the table eating his dinner by his own choice. Keep in mind, the vast majority of the time he's still in his high chair when he eats.

He drinks out of a regular cup, insists on a fork and uses it better than his sister's ever did, and routinely throws his food whenever he feels he's full.

We're trying to stop that of course.

Ditto his disgust for anything green and healthy. He'll tear up fruit and other colored veggies, but green just isn't his color.

He'll make a bad banker some day. :)

 

Regrets, of a Sort

This week Friday is my wife's 30th birthday, next Monday is YaYa's 5th, and two days later my wife and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary.

In mid November the whole family - minus Parker - will be taking a 10 day Disney Cruise down to the Bahamas. That, technically, is to celebrate all of those events. And YaYa has the obligitory birthday shing-ding this weekend.

Even so, I feel like a failure.

I would have liked to have thrown a big bash for the annivesary, and a nice one for my wife's birthday as well. After all, on my 30th she threw a huge surprise party for me.

I pictured a church ceremony where we at least acknowledged our vows, and possibly renewed them. And then a dinner afterwards where we took everyone that shafted us on a wedding gift with the notion that it'd last six months and rub their nose in it.

It's also high time I upgraded my wife's ring. Funny how it looked magnificent when I was 22 and she was 20 - and tiny and cheap now.

Alas, we're broke.

Every last dime is going to make sure we have enough spending $ for the trip and the excursions. In addition, we're perilously close to purchasing a house. And there's tuition,  WI heating bills, Netflix, the gym membership,etc etc to pay out of every check.

But here's my vow: sometime next year, probably on the heels of our tax return, I'm going to do it.

It might not be full scale; we might just have 30 folks share a dinner with us one night. And maybe we'll just have the priest mention us at mass.

But we will have a public celebration of ten (mainly) wonderful years together, and we will do something for her [belated] birthday too.

We might even work on that ring. . . .

I put this on the site a) as a reminder and b) so that there's some social pressure to live up to my promises.

Maybe you'll even get an invitation :)

 

Lost Post Week 2

Once again it took me six days to see the episode, so sorry for the late post.

Then again there's not much to discuss. It was a pretty straightforward episode, essentially an action-adventure story with a few revealing flashbacks.

My wife, who is slipping towards the 'enough with the mysteries' crowd, loved it and thought it was one of Lost's better offerings. On the other end of the mystery spectrum, I thought it was decent, but my attention lagged at times.

What we learned: that Jin (sp?) is far from the cold-blooded assasin we presumed him to be, and Sun is herself flawed. Aside from the fact she seems oddly oblivious to the burden her marriage has placed on her husband and is an adultress, she has a life-long pattern of letting others pay for her crimes/sins.

I'm glad she shot the woman on the boat (with provocation). Enough with the 'we are the good guys, you just don't understand' jazz.

You kidnap women and children. You drug folks against their will. You maintain a labor camp. You hanged Charlie. You abandoned the survivors to the wild when you had the ability to call for a rescue. You've imprisoned/threatened/mistreated the survivors.

Whoever you are, you ain't the good guys.

We also learned Ben's full (real?) name, saw a glimmer of the failed relationship between him and Juliet, and learned that they mean to turn Jack against the survivors.

I doubt it will work. He has the whole honor thing going for him, and in addition he a) has feelings for Kate - why I don't know and b) seems to have little to return to in the states.

Pretty lean show in terms of character development. I'm looking forward to tonights episode, although part of me was dissapointed to return to the Locke-Charlie-Echo world of the beach.

On a dimly related subject, nice to see the MLB footage and hear Joe Buck on the show, even if it was to show the hated Red Sox win their &%^* title.

In the current world I'm still hoping the Mets even it up and go on to win the NLCS. I maintain my position on the Cardinals: they are a boring, antiseptic team.

And look, I know my flaws. I know that in the heat of competition I demonize the opposition. That's why I'm trying hard not to say things like: Ron Belliard looks like the loathsome character of Eddie on That's So Raven, that DavidEckstein runs like he has a stick up his bum, that for being a 'genius' LaRussa sure seems inarticulate and creepy during the in-game interviews, or that Pujos is beloved in St. Louis because it's a town that worships steroid ridden first basemen.

But I didn't say any of that, did I?

All emotion aside, I find the Cardinals a dry and boring team, and not very good this year to boot. Baseball and its audience would be much better served by a Mets-Tigers Series, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Oh, and the A-Rod to the Cubs trade rumors? I hope they aren't true, as I'd hate to root against the guy. I don't think it'll happen tho' - ARod needs a title to overcome his mental block, and that isn't going to happen in Wrigley Field.

 

K5 Soccer

Soccer season is on us again, and as much as I dislike the dang sport my oldest is again an active participant.

There's a huge difference between her play from K4 to now. Last year she was three going on four and had a short attention span, no head for the game, and not a chance in hell of her little legs keeping up with the big kids.

Now she keeps more or less attuned to the action at hand in both practice and in the game. She runs just as fast as most of the kids, tho' not as fast as some, and seems to genuinely enjoy herself this year.

Alas, on offense she's not very good. She still hasn't grasped how/where to move the ball and really can't anticipate the play before it happens.

But as a goalie . .

The girl can play.

In the first game of the season she blocked seven of eight shots on goal, including some wicked scrums where I thought she'd back up or risk getting hurt. Not my girl! As soon as that ball approaches the goal she's right up on it, risking life and limb to shut down the play!

(one time she went down to one knee to stifle the ball right as it was about to be kicked. She grabbed it, got up, and promptly threw it in play - right into the head of an opponent!)

The next week (I missed it because of work, naturally) she shutout the other team for two periods. Then she was lifted and natch, her replacement gave up the winning goal.

Would it have killed my wife to count the shots-on-goal for her absent husband? Apparently so :(

Best quote: the mother of the second goalie yelled 'put YaYa back in' when her son let the goal go by.

This last week we played the same team that wallopped 'em last year, the all Spanish speaking, insanely loud and flamboyant team that turned the game last season into a world cup match.

[my mother gets irate when I say that, as her other grandkids attend that school, but I don't think anyone at the game last year would disagree with that assesment. It was NUTS]

The wrong team won again- but they failed to play any girls in the co-ed game, so let's see their win stand up to an 'anonymous' complaint to the Archdiocese - and it was a shellacking.

Midway through, with the score 5 -- 0, they finally put YaYa in the net. The other team turned it up a notch, as well they should, given that I overheard a mother say, with no sarcasm, 'oh good, they're putting in the super goalie'and she fared well.

Final tally for her time in the net; six saves, two goals allowed, one of which was bunk. The other team was out of bounds and our coach protested, but injustice abounds in K5 soccer. . .

What I enjoy most about watching her in the goal is the way her mind comes alive. She's so stiff on offense, but as goalie she'll slide to either side of the net when the ball is still halfway down the field, anticipating the play to come.

I've even heard her yell at her defenders to 'pay attention'.

Not bad for a girl that ended last season being called 'the worst goalie ever'.

Not anymore baby, not anymore.

 

One pic of YaYa

Moron Lauded on AOL's Welcome Page

I've pretty much abandoned the political aspect of this site in the wake of the '04 elections, but c'mon . .

 (BTW - if you live in WI vote for Mark Green and dump the bald free spending liar/crooked 'I adopted a kid for politcal gain' Gov. Jim Doyle on his behind).

I log on to AOL this morning and on the ever helpful 'welcome' page see a cute, freckle faced teenager.

A teenager who just happened to incur the wrath of the Secret Service for threatening to kill President Bush on her website.

The threats themselves were nothing more than the ill-conceived, stupid, and immature actions of a kid from California - where no doubt such statements make her 'cool'.

But she's a 'peace loving person'.

Riiight.

Anyhow, I don't think she meant actual harm, but I'm glad the Secret Service took her to task. I suppose I should be offended that they didn't have her parents there during the questioning (it isn't mandated) but I can't force myself to care.

The Mrs. says I would object if it hit closer to home and maybe I would. But I'd be angrier at my kid than the Secret Service.

Oh, and get this lovely quote from the kid:

"They yelled at me a lot," she said. "They were unnecessarily mean."

I have to take a deep breath and remind myself this is California, where the standard rules of human behavior and expectations do not apply. But c'mon - the guys paid to protect the President scolded someone who threatened to kill him and the girl has the gall to get all weepy-eyed.

Pleeeease.

If you aren't mature enough to understand you f**ked up, then don't do it in the first place.

At least our homegrown kooks have class. Here in Wisconsin a teenage boy was questioned for the same thing a week or so ago, and he didn't make excuses.

He went on TV, said it was a joke but a stupid one, and apologized to the people of his school, his parents, and his hometown.

But hey, we're just hicks from the sticks.

LuLu's First Day of School

[Note: for far too long I've refered to my youngest daughter here as "middle child', a term that's a little demeaning and soon to be innacurate. She's got a ton of nicknames in real life (Livvie Lue, Lu, LuLu etc), but LuLu  and Livvie Luseems to flow naturally when I write about her, so that's what I'm going to go with from now on]

This year marked LuLu's first year in school, a proud member of her K-3 class.

We agreed to send her to the same otherwise all African American school that YaYa had attended two years ago. We've since moved YaYa to another Catholic school, but the combination of a full day K3 program and strong academics made the trip across town worth it.

There was something different sending Livvie Lu out the door. It was certainly just as big a milestone and we love her just as much, but with two years of school under our belt we faced the day with more confidence. And as much as YaYa looked forward to school and wanted to go, LuLu's had two years of peer presure to make the trip a goal of hers.

And let me tell you, she looked darling:

Soon it came time to pack the kids up and hit the road. My apologies to Parker for the mis-sized pic.

The room was the same, the teacher different.

We stayed for a minute or two to let her get accustomed to the place, then made our goodbyes.

No tears, not from LuLu. And none from me for once.

But another one of my babies spreading her wings. I only get to take her to school once a week, on Wednesday's (the rest of the week the Mrs takes her and I take YaYa, as her school is closer to work) but I look forward to that time with her. And every day she comes running up to me after work with a big hug.

So far school's been a success (knock on wood). She even won a free JC Penney portrait at a parent/child night.

Oh, and her first progress report came in: she got good marks ('most of the time') in everything but 'dresses self' (that was a 'working on it'). In the academic progress area she can say the alphabet, recognizes letters, sounds, and shapes, can count to 13 and has a 'more than 3 minute' attention span.

And let me tell you, that girl knows her shapes almost better than I do. And not just squares and circles like my time in kindergarten. We're talking ovals, cylinders, triangles, diamonds and hearts.

Under teacher comments the following appeared: "LuLu is a excellent student. Her academics are great. She is a leader in the clasroom and enjoys helping others. She needs to work on talking out in class. She is a joy to have in my class everyday"

Good job LuLu!

 

The Last Day of Summer 2006

The last of summer for my family was August 27th. The next day school would start and we were determined to make the most of our last day together.

I am, at heart, a sincerely melancholy guy.

That day we'd been invited to a picnic in, of all places, a pet cemetary. I'd agreed to sponsor part of the daylong pet picnic/carnival and invited my in-laws and their service dog Zsa Zsa too.

Zsa Zsa finished near the top in musical chairs, btw.

There were several activites for pets, most of which kept our interest for a bit.

But the kids got antsy after a bit. And it's hard to concentrate when you're bombarded by hornets left and right.  BTW, I love this next pic:

Thankfully there was a (less than inspired) magic show for the kids, in which YaYa as usual volunteered.

and a makeup session:

[That thing on YaYa's belt is a candy dispenser the girls were in love with for a few days, before (of course) they lost/broke it.]

Afterwards we and the in-laws hit up Chuck E Cheese, where the kids enjoyed the last part of the evening, and the summer.

School awaited! . . .

Summer Gymnastics Camp

In mid-August both my girls were signed up for gymnastics camp at Midwest Twisters. Trouble was I got lost on the way there, then almost ran out of gas . . . then showed up only to find out I'd screwed up the date and was a WEEK early.

Well, they took 'em anyways, mostly out of pity. :) The girls did have to deal with a Dragon and Fairy Tale theme instead of what they'd orignally been scheduled to be in (a Chinese theme I think; frankly it all runs together. Naw, I got it right; I remember them bringing shields home that they'd made in the art section of the week-long class)

They enjoyed it a lot. YaYa in particular seems to love gymnastics and is a monkey around the house.

Maybe next year we can afford to send them every week. Who knows.

Lost Season Opener

My favorite show is back!

Of course, it took me six days to see the recording of the show so this post is a little dated (sorry about that).

BTW, to all those idiots in the world who criticize the show for not revealing it's secrets and claim they'll never watch it again:

   a) the mystery is what keeps viewers coming back

   b) viewers are what keeps the show on TV

   c) ergo, the mysteries won't be completely answered until the finale (if then)

And I enjoy the mystery. Keep clouding the waters all you want, it only makes me think about and enjoy the show all the more.

* * *

I've given up on my idea that the cast is dead and in purgatory. Not because I was wrong - the show is still about good vs evil, redemption vs damnation - but because I think it was a concept that's been abandoned as viewers began to heavily circulate the theory.

Holding to this redemption theme, note that Sawyer, ahole of the Isle, was caged like an animal (did you notice that the Other said the cages used to hold bears? The Polar Bear from Season One anyone?), Kate was promised two weeks of misery, and only Jack - a flawed but good man - was treated with what looks like (but probably isn't) sincere kindness.

I don't interpret Ben (Henry Gale's) 'good job' to Juliet at the episode's end as sinister. Under her watch Jack let go of a troubling, selfish obsession and thought only of his ex-wife's happiness.

Redemption.

Of course they'll be some romance hinted at between Juliet and Jack. Let's just hope the actress avoids a DUI so the plot has time to develop.

I think Ben/Henry is a wonderfully evil? addition to the show and I believe the tension between him and Juliet is real and will factor in to at least our perception of events to come, perhaps as Juliet 'converts' to the Losties cause.

Sawyer's nice for comic relief but the googy-eyes between him and Kate were a little nauseating.

[side note: I don't think Kate looked good in that dress at all. She looked very thick and block-ish to my eyes. Keep in mind I didn't  TIVO it and rewind endlessly like some freaks out there, so it might be a wrong impression, but ewww]

[note my nice Tim Gunn like quote there. The Mrs. and I have become big fans of Project Runway, gobbling up Seasons 1 and 2 on DVD while waiting for this years winner. My vote rests (pre Fashion Week) with Michael Knight ]

Lots of talk out there about the significance of the novel the book club was reading (Carrie by Stephen King) and how Adam's objections to its content fly in the face of the supernatural edge we expected from the Others. Can't argue with that conclusion.

I think the web-based paranoia about how Juliet grabbed a Talking Heads cd but it miraculously played Petulia Clark's 'Downtown' (a goof, something significant?) are idiotic. Half my CD's are mixed up and in the wrong case. If you grab Metallica off my shelf you're just as likely to hear Garth Brooks as Enter Sandman. If this is anything more than a production goof I'll be surprised.

All right, I'm stuck working again this evening but I'll try to watch the show when I get home (and tonight's  Project Runway and Clean House) and post about it in the next few days.

State Fair '06

This August we took the kids to the State Fair just down the road.

We listened to Ronald McDonald read the kids a story

posed for gimmick photos with Mr. Peanut (Planters was there celebrating their anniversary. Middle Child posed with a NASCAR car, me and Diddy posed for a sports magazine, and YaYa and the Mrs.danced on Broadway), and overall had a very enjoyable day.

[personally, I spent a large chunk of the day dwelling on some disaster at work that I don't even recall now. I'm such a crazy schmuck sometimes lol

That, my friends, might be my first recorded 'lol' in the history of Slapinions.

Dear God, what's become of me?]

After the storytime we went to watch a kids circus. They asked for volunteers to take part in the show, and naturally YaYa raised her hand and was picked.

Here's something new though: although she orignally hesitated, Middle Child raised her hand. She wasn't picked and it dang near broke my heart. She was upset too but wouldn't take no for an answer. She walked right up to the performers and tried to sneak her way into the show. It was left to the Mrs. to guide her back to her seat :(

Following the command performance we lined up to ride, of all things, an elephant.

At the last second Middle Child got scared and backed out, so she and I watched Parker, YaYa, and the Mrs. take a very unusal cruise.

Then we hit the most exciting part of the fair for me . . the creampuffs!

Following which we hit the indoor expos, where both girls signed up to do the power trampoline, with (again a surprise!) Middle Child leading the way!

They loved it!

We stopped to watch a kids dance troupe, and Parker and YaYa loved it

But Middle Child bugged out and I walked her around for a bit, grabbing a push-up pop in the process :)

We ate lunch, then hit the animal exhibits (fake cow, duh, but plenty of real ones. This is Wisconsin)

The kids continued an annual tradition of playing on the piggy bank slide

and played on a tire swing

[Interesting story, to a Dad at least: as I'll relay later, Parker loooovvves music. We stopped and listened to a marching band and he started rocking out; later he grooved to a bag pipe player who stopped and performed just for his enthusiastic young fan]

On the way out we stopped at Build-A-Bear's traveling exhibit, where YaYa and the Mrs. made her a bear who's name . . well, it slips my mind. I'll ask the Mrs. later.

As I said, a very enjoyable time :)

 

Bath Time

Oh, I know I shouldn't publish this. If I ever get famous and this blog is immortalized (who are we kiddng? you know it will be) then Parker will be highly annoyed at me.

But considering I routinely publish a pic of YaYa picking her nose (see above) at least the arguement won't be an original one.

Oh, and kindly notice the immense amount of bubbles (and a well positioned arm)required to, ahem, make this pic suitable for all audiences. :)