HAS BEEN

I saw in this morning's paper where Skid Row is going to performing at the Lincoln Theater in Decatur in January. I said something about it to Chris, and he commented, "Why? - - Do you want to go?" I responded that perhaps I would, if this was 1990.

Far be it from us here in Central Illinois to actually offer a concert of a group when they are popular . . . . no, we prefer to book them about 20 years after the fact, when they only have the one loser member of the actual group remaining. Perhaps in a few months, we can get Rick Springfield to come back to town. . .

Sorry Skid Row, you're about 20 years too late. . . .

and I couldn't even consider it with Sebastian in your midst!

SHE'LL HOOK YOU UP

This morning, Aleita found part of her pirate dress up stuff in the car on the way to school. She was in the back seat, happily playing with it as we made our way to Decatur. Her favorite part of the dress up kit is not the eye patch or the pirate hat . . .no. . . for her, the best part is the hook. It has a small handle to hang onto, and is covered by fabric so when she holds it, it gives the appearance that she has a little black plastic hook for a hand. It is oh-so-awesome. Normally she doesn’t get to play with it for very long because she starts hooking things she shouldn’t, such as her sister.

Today though, since Maggie was not in the car, she was free to hook to her heart’s content. I had to laugh though, at the dialogue she had with herself about her activities. She actually made up a little tune to go along with her ramblings. It went something like this:

“I’m a hooker! I’m a hooker! I’m a great big hooker. I am the best hooker in Blue Mound. No one is as good a hooker as me!”

So there you have it. We all want our kids to strive to achieve great things. Mine is currently the best hooker in Blue Mound. Somehow I don’t think they make a bumper sticker for that one.

HAPPY TEARS

This morning as we were getting ready for church, I heard Aleita asking Chris what "happy tears" were. I am not sure where she heard the phrase, but for some reason, it had intrigued her. When Chris explained to her that even though people usually cry when they're sad, that sometimes, people are so happy that they cry and those are "happy tears."

She then wandered into the bedroom where I was getting dressed and told me that she had never cried happy tears. "Have you ever cried happy tears?" she asked.

I smiled as I recalled happy tears that I have shed. I told her that she probably wouldn't cry happy tears until she was a little older. I told her that the day I married Daddy, I cried happy tears. I told her that the first time I held her and Maggie at the hospital, I cried happy tears. I told her that the day we adopted each of them, when the judge declared the adoption granted, I cried happy tears then as well. I also explained that sometimes I have laughed really, really hard and that made my cry happy tears too. (She then inquired if I cried "happy tears" on the day that we brought the dogs home as well. I assured her that though I was indeed happy at bringing the dogs home as little puppies, that it wasn't quite a tear-inducing moment for me.)

Thinking about this reminded me of an article I read several months ago about tears and crying. I looked it up online to refresh my memory after all the talk about happy tears with Aleita. The basic gist of it is that scientists found that "happy tears" and "sad tears" have two very different chemical compositions. They found that happy tears are pretty much just brine and water - saltwater, basically. But they found that sad or angry tears contained chemicals and enzymes that the happy tears did not. The scientists concluded that in addition to the hormonal or stress release that can be felt after a "good cry" when you're hurting, it is also beneficial because it assists the body in flushing toxins out of your system. Interesting, huh?

Apparently whoever told little boys that they shouldn't cry didn't know what they were talking about!

ONE OF THE DAYS THAT I CRIED "HAPPY TEARS" - -

the first time I held Aleita at the hospital when she was born

I'LL TAKE 'EGO CHECK' FOR $400, ALEX. . .

Last night, I was in the kitchen working on dinner, but could hear the TV from the next room. The show Jeopardy! was on, and I thought I was really kicking ass and taking names, having been able to answer five of the last seven questions correctly. Before I could hear any more questions and further improve my ego, Aleita came in and asked if she could watch a show. As I went in the living room and grabbed the remote to put something on for her, I noticed that one of the contestents on Jeopardy! looked awfully young. I stood and watched for a moment, just so I could verify what I had started to suspect - - Yes, you guessed it . . .it's Teen Week on Jeopardy! Ego? Back in check. . .

MAGGIE MAE IS EIGHT TODAY!!!

How time flies!

Maggie, Summer 2002 - age 18 months

Maggie, November 2008, age 8

BIRTHDAY TREATS

Maggie's birthday is coming up next week on Monday. Kim, the woman who runs the after school program that Maggie attends at our church, asked Maggie what she would like for snack that day in honor of her birthday. Maggie had to think about it before she could get back to her. After careful consideration, Maggie decided on Cheetos and root beer floats. She was quite excited about her decision.
That night, we are having family over for a simple supper of chilli, veggies, cake and ice cream. After having had Cheetos and root beer floats only a few hours before, I am guessing Maggie will be enjoying her birthday with a side of indigestion.

CHRISTMAS, 1958

'Tis the season to . . . receive a bunch of catalogs. I am sure that the postal employees everywhere lament the coming of the Christmas season. In addition to having to tote the cards and packages shipped, they are also bringing armloads of catalogs. Just by judging from the amount that we receive, I can only surmise that most American households are being bombarded by the retailers. One of the catalogs we received in today's mail was from Lillian Vernon. This catalog is the third we have received from that company in the last two weeks. As Maggie was working on her homework, I sat at the kitchen table with her and leafed through the catalog. Apparently the Lillian Vernon is still under the impression that it is 1958. Need proof?
Check out the following pictures, taken straight from their catalog:

The following are toys that are apparently acceptable for boys to play with. I guess in Lillian's world, boys can aspire to be:

DOCTORS

POLICEMEN

FISHERMEN

BASEBALL PLAYERS

HOCKEY PLAYERS

Meanwhile, for the girls in "Lillian's World," there are apparently far lower expectations. Girls can aspire to do the following:

COOK

DRESS UP IN LACE AND SEQUINS

WORK AT MCDONALD'S

CLEAN THE HOUSE

I kid you not, the caption by this picture states, "She'll feel like the queen of clean."

Thank you, Lillian Vernon, on behalf of the working women of America for working so dilligently to set up back about 50 years.

HERE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TARGET HAS 90% OFF ALL THEIR HALLOWEEN STUFF. . . .

Chris says I am a bad dog mom and that I am torturing Dandy by doing this. Hmmm. . . perhaps he is right, but seeing him in that bumblebee outfit caused me my biggest laugh I have had so far today. I think it was worth the 50 cents I spent at Target.

LINE LEADER

Last night at dinner, Aleita was talking about her favorite jobs to be assigned at her daycare. Each day, the kids take turns being helpers. They are given various “helper jobs,” such as calendar helper, table cleaner, weather helper, floor sweeper, etc. By far, the coveted job at daycare is being the line leader. Aleita explained that everyone wants to be the line leader and that it makes her really happy when she gets to have that job.

She then mentioned that when Nick is the line leader, he cries sometimes. I said, “Why does he cry?”

She rolled her eyes and said, “Because I pass him because he’s too slow. Then he cries.”

I said, “How does that make you feel when you’re the line leader and people pass you? Do you like it when that happens?”

She looked at me in confusion, then answered very seriously, “No one passes me when I’m the line leader.”

I can just picture my little Aleita body slamming the kids into the wall should one of them try to sneak past her while she is the line leader. No, I doubt very much that she gets passed.

FYI, OH WEARER OF THE BACKWARDS SUN VISOR. . .

If you are one of those guys who likes to turn your sunvisor around backwards and wear it on the back of your head instead of the front, I have news for you. It serves no purpose. It doesn't make you look cool. Perhaps you think it is a really happenin' fashion statement, but it isn't.....turn it around, dude....we are all having a laugh at your expense.