Choosing Home

You'll notice to the right that I have added a new link for my wife. It's my geeky contribution to the Daily Castle. Choosing home is one of those blogs where ladies write about all the stuff they do with their kids and things they cook. Don't get me wrong; I like that my wife spends time with the kids and cooks and stuff. But how much can you really say about all that.

Julie, stop hitting me in the head!!!

O.K., well there are some helpful things there along with some other interesting links. But remember, just because we found some helpful stuff there doesn't mean you won't come across the occasional kook who's gonna say that youth group is bad for your kids; or you should start a homechurch; or quit your job, buy a farm, grow organic veggies, grind your own wheat, make homemade soap, and seal yourself off from the outside world. So don't say we didn't warn you.

PART JULIE MADE ME WRITE: Seriously, there are some very helpful and inspiring items at choosinghome.com. As with anything else, we can't endorse everything you'll find there but you can benefit from the good and leave the rest. We hope you'll find it helpful.

Happy Shamrock Shake Day!

It's St. Patty's Day.

Forget the beer. You can get that any day.

Run to Micky D's and get yourself a Shamrock shake! Mmmm. Green.

Great Times at the Lodge.

We took a couple days off this week and went to the Great Wolf Lodge. If you have never been there, it is basically a hotel with an attached waterpark. The girls have a great time. They love the rooms because they have their own little "cabin" in our room. They have their own TV with the Disney channel and Nickelodeon. Larry has a good time and I have an okay time. My enjoyment comes from watching the girls have a great time. Being more than a little on the chunky side I don't find enjoyment in walking around in a swimsuit all day. I read an article that said you should write down 100 memories from your trips. I'll not bore you with 100. Here's ten.

1. The kids first time to eat an Arby's sandwich on the way there.

2. Great Wolf Lodge should get Macs. Their network was down.

3. Because the network was down we were sent to three different rooms before we got the right one. NO discount.

4. Rushing water is really loud after awhile.

5. The whole park is like one big pumice stone. My feet are so soft.

6. The bottom of the lazy river is a good wart remover.

7. Claire loves waterslides.

8. She also likes to go off by herself and not tell you what slide she is on!

9. There are a lot of chunky moms that love their kids.

10. My children love hot tubs. Why don't they like baths?

More pictures can be seen at our homepage.

Attention Apple Geeks

You have to check out this post about the Microsoft iPod over at Scott's blog. Enjoy!

Just One of Those Days

Do you ever just have one of those days? One where nothing seems to go right and your running in circles and yet nothing is getting done. Yep, it has been one of those days!

Thursday is the only day I officially have to drive Susy to Allen Park for school. Larry is at a meeting so I have to get all three girls up and out the door by 8. It helps if they are all dressed too. I know this doesn't sound all that hard, but we are NOT morning people.

This morning we were in the van at 8:03. The road looks a little icy, but I assume there is school because Susy's school NEVER calls off for weather. As I hit the highway it starts to rain ICE! Traffic is crawling at 30-35 mph. I think to myself I should just go home. This is ridiculous. There shouldn't be school today. What is that principal thinking?! We continue on and I cheer as we pull into the school parking lot at 8:25. Not bad for inclement weather!

But something is wrong. There are no other cars pulling into the lot late like me because of the weather. In fact, there are no tire tracks in the ice in the parking lot. I groan.

There is no school. It's cancelled. The girls groan. We could be sleeping. We could be sitting at home in our jammies watching Arthur. UGH!

So we go out to breakfast. Nice save Mom.

After breakfast it is to Sam's club which is always fun with two or three kids. At least they got a free lunch of fish, polish sausage and spicy chicken wings.

We come home and the house is a disaster. I ask the girls to clean up. Two hours and several reminders later they are finally finished. But not until after someone stopped up the toilet and then flushed. Let's just say a lot of bleach was involved in the clean up.

After that kind of day (okay, it wasn't so bad) a mom has to have a "I can't stand to even think of cooking" meal. Here is mine.




Don't laugh. They are actually both very good. And ready in 8 minutes. Throw a veggie on the side and your good to go.

The house is clean, the laundry is put away and everyone's belly is full.

It's just another day.

Ace!

We went and watched one of our teens play in her last volleyball game last night. She did great and her team killed the other team!

My theory: The other team was from Hamtrammick and it is hard to jump with Paczki in your belly.

Scams R Us

I was reminded today of why I don't go to Toys R Us. I can't remember the last time we were there. Susy got a $1 gift card in the mail for her birthday in September and we never used it because we haven't been to Toys R Us. It is so overwhelming the amount of toys there. And there is always some crying kid. Oh, wait that was my kid. Sorry.

Claire got a gift card for her birthday so we were forced to go to Toys R Us. So after we browsed about 20 rows of toys we finally decided on some Star Wars action figures (Daddy would be proud) and a stuffed dog. Susy brought her allowance along so she was getting a stuffed tiger and Emma was adding to her cavity and Pez collection. So far so good. We pay for the goods and go to the car. I kept thinking to myself there is something wrong with the bill. It shouldn't have been that much. And I was right. They charged us $5.99 for the stuffed animals instead of $4.99. Sweet! I got them on the scanning law!

What is the scanner law you ask? Most people know about the law, but sometimes stores try to rip you off (like today). Larry and I learned about the scanner law about 10 years ago when we were in a Rite Aid and they overcharged us 20 cents for a bag of Oreos. We were shocked when they handed us $2.20. No, the manager who was not happy about giving us the money, said the law says if something is clearly marked and we scan it for another price and charge you more we must pay you 10 times the amount plus the difference. Cool! Of course I am such a freak that I look for things that are mismarked so I can make a little money. That would be the scammer law!

But today I wasn't trying to scam. I just happen to catch their mistake. So I say to the girls "Let's go get some money!"

There was one person being helped at the customer service desk so we had to wait. After about 5 minutes I started to wonder if this was really worth it. As soon as I opened my package and laid those little animals on the counter one of the three ladies at the counter starts to get upset. They aren't talking to me and I am trying to explain my problem with the over charge. They aren't listening to me. They go on about who is restocking these and why are they mismarked and then two of them (the managers) take off to hide in the glass mirrored office. The nice lady who has no authority is left looking at me like now what do I do. She starts to refund me the $2 for just the overcharge. So trying to be as sweet as possible after being ignored and waiting 10 minutes I ask "What about the scanner law?" Oh, she has to ask one on the managers who just ran away about that. So off she goes to the mirrored room to ask the managers who I know are watching me out the window and mad that I know what the scanner law is.

She comes back saying something about 10 percent of the price and is going to give me $2.20. What?! So I repeat the scanner law to her and she says yes I think that is right, but thist is what the manager said. I ask to talk to the manager. When I am finally helped the only thing the manager says to me is "You get 10 percent." That's it. No explanation. No apology for the overcharge. I tell her I believe the law is 10 times the amount overcharged up to $5. She knows she is busted now but she is going to argue with me. Thankfully her Co-manager is there and says yes it is 10 times the amount not 10 percent. Again no apology. I think Manager #1 has worked in retail a little too long. Or maybe she has been overstimulated by the hundreds of toys at Toys R US. I think it is time for some service training!

So after 20 minutes we ended up with $12.12. But not until I filled some forms out in duplicate and promise to not tell any one else about the scanner law so they can continue to rip off innocent people.

Thanks Toys R Us for the free toys. I don't think I will be back.

Claire?

Happy Birthday to our little Claire Bear!

She looks just like her mother doesn't she? She hears this all the time. Her mother's daughter. The day she was born I was so thrilled to have a child that looked like me. Emma is a "little Larry." And I got tired of hearing that. So Claire was a Martin. She has my temperament and mood swings. I can't imagine what she will be like at thirteen. Larry picked her name out. He just liked it. It is a perfect fit for her. It means "brilliant or clear." She has clear blue eyes. When she was a baby I would call them brilliant. Not only are her eyes brilliant but her mind is also. Of course I am a little biased. Sometimes the things she says are so deep for a little one. And sometimes they are really funny. She loves to read and draw and is a tenacious worker. She will practice until she gets it right. And most important of all she loves to learn about God.

Happy Birthday Claire!

Olympic Fever

We have all been sick. We have the stuffy nose, fever, achy body, coughing maybe a sore throat thrown in for good measure cold. That means all lot of laying around and watching TV. More than usual at least. Thankfully the Olympics are onand I don't have to resort to watching Days of our Lives and we live close enough to Canada to get the CBC. They have what seems like 24 hour coverage of the games.

A few things we have observed about the Olympics this year.

1. The luge is very dangerous sport. And this track should be nick named Yes, I want a concussion.

2. All hockey arenas play the same organ music between plays. I thought I was watching a game at the Joe.

3. Apollo Ohno needs to shave off that little piece of hair on his chin. Give it up already!

4. Snow boarding Rocks!

5. The Winter Olympics are more dangerous than the Summer.

6. Detroit 2018!!! Of course we would have to build mountains and make snow but I know we could pull it off!

Ten in The Corner Pocket

Today Emma, Claire and I met Larry up at the Little Cafe for our weekly business meeting. We ate breakfast and had our spelling test. While we were reviewing our math facts the Mayor of Dearborn came in to get a bite to eat. We then had a short lesson on Civics and networking as Daddy wanted to talk to the Mayor about Coffee News. After we finished eating and testing we played a game of pool in the back room. I think every school curriculum should have a semester of pool. Billiards teaches a lot about math and science.

Next year I'm thinking darts.

Happy Birthday Laynie!

Happy Birthday to our good friend Laynie. Today she turns the big one one. Or eleven. Have a great day and thanks for reading our blog!

Super Bowl Thoughts

So , the girls and I ended up watching the last half of the Super Bowl last night. Larry ran off to a party with a bunch a Steeler fans. He said everyone including the dog had a Steelers jersey on. These people are fanatics! Claire especially enjoyed the game even though she didn't get to watch the end. Bed time is at 8:30. We watched part of the halftime show. They were totally grossed out by the Rolling Stones. Why is that old man running around a stage and skipping? Why is the stage shaped like a mouth? (It WAS?) Wow. That guys arms really jiggle a lot when he claps his hands in the air like that. Where did the football field go? Why are all those people jumping around like that? I kid you not. This is what they said. We couldn't hear the songs over all the questions being peppered at me. Which was fine with me.

Claire woke up this morning and said to her Dad that the Steelers won 14 - 3. That was the last score she saw so she assumed they won. She said Football is fun to watch when you know who you are cheering for. I could go on and wax eloquent about how that applies to life and how crazy it is to worship football but I'll let you do that for yourself.

The best part of the game is of course the commercials. My favorite one was done by the NFL. The sappy one with Jerome Bettis and his parents in front of school buses at the end. It literally brought me to tears and I don't even like football.

The media milked that story for all it was worth, but it really did make the game more enjoyable to see him win.

And did anyone catch Carmen Harlem's commentary about Detroit after the game? I had to turn the channel. Ugh!

Signs of the times

Why do Churches feel the need to put pithy saying on their signs? It just makes them look desperate.

Guitar Lessons

Susy is really good at strumming. She's got pretty good rhythm.

They have a great teacher! He even gives quizzes which they love. Weird kids!

Throw Another Log on the Fire

Guitar update:

Claire now knows two chords and can go back and forth between them slowly. Pretty good progress for two days.

By the end of the week she should be playing Kum-ba-yah.

And the Beat Goes On

Larry is teaching the Emma and Claire how to play the guitar. Strum. Strum. Strum. One of the many benefits of homeschooling is you can play the guitar ALL day long! I think Claire has that ONE chord down now! Strum. Strum. Strum. Strum. After about 100 times we all banished her to the back room to practice. Strum. Strum. Strum.

Arghhh!!!! More chords please!

I Want to Go to Detroit! [Say it like Will Ferrel in Elf.]

Wow. After watching this, I want to go to Detroit!

Feel the Force

As I sit here thinking about doing the laundry since my New Year's revolution was to do laundry on Tuesdays and Friday I have to smile as I listen to Larry playing video games with the girls.

Larry: "No, Susy. You're Anakin. Emma's Princess Padmé."

Susy: : "Is Padmé's last name Armadillo?"

Larry: "No, That's an animal."

I would stop the children to help me do the laundry but they are all playing so nice together.

Minty Fresh

The girls love to hear stories about when they were little. I know they are still little, but they like to hear about stuff they can't remember.

One of my favorite crazy kid memories is of Claire. When she was just 18 months old she loved to chew gum. I, of course, did not give her the gum. It was the grandparents. My dad kept a stash of gum in a drawer in their kitchen. Being a smart kiddy Claire figured this out. One day she took a large pack of spearmint Trident and snuck downstairs with it and proceeded to eat almost the whole pack. That's about 20 pieces of gum. (This was when she used to swallow food whole. I kid you not she wolfed her food down. The things I would find in her diapers!) So she didn't actually chew the gum. I wasn't too worried about it. I figured it would all come out in the end.

About two hours later Claire needed her diaper changed. It was the best smelling diaper I have ever changed. It was minty fresh! I guess all that gum made her gassy because the rest of the day she kept cutting the cheese except it was more like fresh mint cheese.

Let There Be Light!

And all of Michigan rejoiced as the sun finally broke through the clouds after three weeks of hiding!