Unwanted Guest - Posted by Chris

Today, Lisa and I decided it was finally time to move the crib and changing table out of Ian's room. He hasn't used either in sometime and to be perfectly honest we've been kind of procrastinating on this work. Once everything was prepped, Lisa and I began moving everything into the spare (unfinished) room above our garage. Suddenly Lisa let out a little scream and ran from the room. She had discovered a dead bat.

We don't know when the bat had died and as a point of full disclosure we had problems with bats last summer. Let's hope that this is the last. Guess I'll call the exterminator tomorrow and see if there is anything he wants me to do.

Flashback Friday - Schoolhouse Rock Edition - Posted by Chris

Here's this Friday's Flashback.

From Lisa
Schoolhouse Rock - I'm Just a Bill



From Chris
Schoolhouse Rock - Conjunction Junction

Cool Web Site - Posted by Chris

I ran across this web site on Friday and thought I'd share. The web site has various articles on recycling and saving energy, however I think one of the best features is a search tool for finding locations to recycle everything from batteries to motor oil.

Check it out at http://www.earth911.com

Flashback Friday - Posted by Chris

Lisa and Chris proudly present our second Flashback Friday. Today's flashback is a tribute to Saturday nights and the late Ricardo Montalbán. Enjoy.

The Love Boat



Fantasy Island

Movie Quotes - Answers - Posted by Chris

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Gandalf: "You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun! Go back to the shadow. You shall not pass!" - Gandolf

Blade
Blade: "We're gonna play a little game of twenty questions. Depending on how you answer, you may walk out of here with a tan?"

Bridge over the River Kwai
Commander Shears: "I'd say the odds against a successful escape are about 100 to one. But may I add another word, Colonel? The odds against survival in this camp are even worse."

Cars
Mater: "Nah, not me, Flo. I'm on one of them there special diets. I am a precisional instrument of speed and aeromatics."

Citizen Kane
Charles Foster Kane: "Rosebud"

The Godfather
Don Corleone: "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Yoda: "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."

Saving Private Ryan
Paratrooper Mandelsohn: "We missed our drop zone by about 20 miles, ended up way over by Bumville or some damn place. "

The Princess Bride
Inigo Montoya: "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Norrington: "Gillette, Mr. Sparrow has a dawn appointment with the gallows. I would hate for him to miss it."

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Knight: "We want a shrubbery!"

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Walter Donovan: "Germany has declared war on the Jones boys."

Trail of the Pink Panther
Insp. Jacques Clouseau: "Look, I know what I mean, you lunatic. Now do you, or do you not have for me, the 'massage'?"

The Matrix
Morpheus: "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."

Bonus
Roman Holiday
Princess Ann: "Is this the elevator?"
Joe Bradley: "This is my ROOM!"

De-Cabled (almost) - The Plan - Posted by Chris

In an effort to cut our monthly bills, Lisa and I have begun researching our options in reducing our cable bill or de-cabling. Where does this idea come from? In part from Jeff MacArthur's blog, Decabled and also thanks to our cable company's ever increasing prices.

Our experiment, if we go forward, won't completely cut cable from our home. Where we live, the cost of Internet access from DSL or Cable is roughly the same. Additionally we will need some kind of local television access which is necessary for general news and weather alerts (sorry weather.com but nothing beats Jerry Hodak telling us exactly where the bad weather is headed.) I realize that I can get broadcast television channels from an antenna, however with the digital television transition just around the corner, we would need several converter boxes as we don't own any digital televisions.

Here's where we stand right now. We currently get Internet access, digital cable tv and home telephone from our cable provider, Comcast. We are considering dropping home telephone and reducing our digital cable to limited basic cable (i.e. only local channels); Internet access would remain unchanged. This change would save us about $72 per month or $864 per year.

The obvious question is, how would we replace the services that we are losing. Well, our home telephone would be replaced by cell phones (which we already pay for) and possibly Skype. As for television, we would still have network channels, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and PBS and most of the remaining shows that we would no longer receive are available via the Internet. The key population in our household that would be most affected is under the age of six. The loss of channels like Noggin, Disney and Nickelodeon would most likely cause some initial strife, however since our kids are young I'm sure they will easily adjust if we provide other options.

If we move forward with our plan, I'll post more details regarding our efforts and how our plan is working.

Something New - Posted by Chris

I decided to try something new with the comments on the blog. All new posts will have a new comment system called, DISQUS. One of the benefits of this new comment system is that you can now use your Facebook login (if you have one) to post comments to our blog.

We'll see how it works, post some comments and let us know.

Flashback Friday - Posted by Chris

Lisa and I have decided to try something new. Each Friday we'll post something from our memories of growing up. Hopefully for everyone from our generation and older these posts will bring back fond memories of your own, for everyone younger probably a good laugh. Enjoy.

From Chris

Mr Microphone




From Lisa

Faygo Boat Song Commercial

This one is definitely a regional thing, but I'm not sure just how far outside Michigan it went. For those who remember though, I hope it brings back some good memories. Now I could go for a Red Pop. :)

Movie Quotes - Posted by Chris

Disclaimer: I stole this idea from my nephew, Nathan.

Below are 15 (plus 1 bonus) movie quotes from some of my favorite movies. See how many you can guess. Feel free to enlist the help of family and friend however please do not cheat and use the Internet. I'll post the answers next week in the meantime please post comments with your guesses or even just how many you think you got right.


The List
1) "You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun! Go back to the shadow. You shall not pass!"

2) "We're gonna play a little game of twenty questions. Depending on how you answer, you may walk out of here with a tan?"

3) "I'd say the odds against a successful escape are about 100 to one. But may I add another word, Colonel? The odds against survival in this camp are even worse."

4) "Nah, not me, Flo. I'm on one of them there special diets. I am a precisional instrument of speed and aeromatics."

5) "Rosebud"

6) "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."

7) "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."

8) "We missed our drop zone by about 20 miles, ended up way over by Bumville or some damn place."

9) "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

10) "Gillette, Mr. Sparrow has a dawn appointment with the gallows. I would hate for him to miss it."

11) "We want a shrubbery"

12) "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

13) "Germany has declared war on the Jones boys."

14) "Look, I know what I mean, you lunatic. Now do you, or do you not have for me, the 'massage'?"

15) "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."

BONUS
Princess Ann: "Is this the elevator?"
Joe Bradley: "This is my ROOM!"

Good Luck

Dry Spell - Posted by Chris

For about two months, Lisa has been the exclusive contributor to this blog. This is due in part to her attempted NaBloPoMo and my being very busy. I decided it was time for me to start posting again.

In December our blog took a dramatic dip in the number of posts. The obvious reason would be the holiday season, however I think another culpit is to blame; Facebook. Why Facebook you might ask? Well traditionally Lisa and I have used this blog to communicate with friends and family. In December we both discovered Facebook (or rather joined the millions people who found it first.) As a result we've used Facebook to communicate a lot with our family and friends. I realized today that neglecting our blog is unfair to everyone who has followed but might not be one of our Facebook friends.

So starting today, I'm going to challenge my partner (both in blogging and marriage) to see if we can both post at least once per week. Hopefully we can do better however two posts a week is better than two a month!

Snow Day! - Posted by Lisa

It looks like this is the end of the storm, but with cold temps and more snow expected on Sunday, Monday, and Christmas Eve, I *think* we have a decent chance of having a white Christmas. What do you think?

Stepping off the front porch


Our mountain (all the snow plowed from our cul de sac - note there was NO mound of snow there before today)


View from the top - Ian


View from the top - Christopher

Got Snow? - Posted by Chris

To be fair about 3 inches of this snow was already there before today's snow storm, however we still have 5 hours before the Winter Storm Warning is finished.

5 years ago tonight... - Posted by Lisa

Five years ago tonight, Chris and I (and half our family, it seemed) were settled more-or-less comfortably into an LDRP suite awaiting the birth of our first child. I will never forget our excitement and anxiety to know that in a matter of hours, we would become parents for the first time. We knew his gender, had selected his name, had seen his slightly distorted image on 3D ultrasound; the only thing left for us was to stare into his face and hold him in our arms.

After about 12 hours of labor, Christopher David was born via c-section at 3:06 am. Having had aspirated meconium and having low blood sugars, he was kept in the special care nursery and Chris and I were unable to hold him until several hours after his birth. I was bit drugged up following my surgery to think straight (and have looked better too ;). But I do remember gazing at him in wonder as I held him for the first time, awkward as it was with both he & I connected to IV tubes and other wires. It didn't take long for the "mama bear" protectiveness in me to surface. Before long we couldn't even believe there was a time where Christopher was not a part of our lives.
Now, 5 years later, I am still awed by him...by the amazing boy he has become and is becoming. I am so proud of my loving, kind-hearted, bright, inquisitive, and friendly little boy. He is well-liked by his teachers and friends at preschool, well-loved by his many family and friends, an adoring and adored big brother to Ian, and so very cherished and loved by Chris and I.
So Happy, Happy 5th Birthday, Kiddo! You have brought more joy to your Dad and I than words can ever say. I hope I can always be the Mom you deserve. I love you!!

xoxoxo
Love, Mom

Note to self re: making the gingerbread house - Posted by Lisa

Christopher and I like to make a gingerbread house as our little pre-Christmas tradition. Well, "make" might be a bit too strong of a word, since we actually purchase a kit and assemble it. Even so, it's still something that we like to do together.

This past Friday, Christopher and I (and this time, Ian as well) made a gingerbread house again. It's not a masterpiece, by far, but considering that our last one actually fell apart, I think it turned out alright.

Even so, there are a few points I'd like to remember when we go to do this again next year, so I write this as a reminder note for me to read when the time comes.

1. Open all pieces, including candies, before starting and set them aside (in dishes, if appropriate). Just makes the process easier.

2. Decorate the walls and roof before assembling the house. The icing anyway. First of all, it is much easier to squeeze icing out onto a flat surface. Secondly, it is best not to fiddle too much with the structure of the house for a while after the walls have been "glued" together.

3. The kit only provides about 1/4 the amount of icing you will truly need! Buy or make more before starting this project!

4. Keep plenty of wet cloths and dry paper towels on hand within easy reach. The icing gets EVERYWHERE.

5. Resist the urge to lick the icing off your fingers. Sugar buzzes are no fun at 40. See #4 for alternative options.

6. Make sure you have stepstools ready and in place for both kids (if necessary) before starting. The Little Tikes picnic table does not make a good last minute replacement. :)

7. Put on the Christmas music and HAVE FUN! Remember to enjoy this moment with your children, as they won't be like this forever.

I think that about covers it. I may add more if something else comes to me, and I also welcome suggestions from all of you. What kind of traditions do you/did you enjoy with your children during the holidays? Any words of wisdom that you have gleaned from the experience?

Miss me? - Posted by Lisa

So, yeah, I started out the month of November with a bang, and ended it with a fizzle. Sorry 'bout that. I've been told by Chris' mom that there has been at least one mention of my lack of posting in the last two weeks, so I figured I'd better write something.

We've been kept pretty busy lately, with work (I did two more days of private duty nursing since the last post), Thanksgiving (had Chris' parents over for dinner), shopping (I actually braved the stores early on Black Friday with my sister), putting up Christmas lights in 15-25 degree (F) weather (brrrrr!), and preparation for Christmas and Christopher's 5th birthday coming up this week (how did that happen?). As Chris' cousin Heather recently put it, life is hectic, but good!

In other (somewhat mundane) news, Christopher is looking forward to his first birthday party invite for a school friend. A little girl at preschool has invited the class for a McDonald's playdate this Wednesday (our McD's has an indoor playscape). Ian has been bladder trained now for a while, which has been wonderful. We're still waiting on him to grasp the concept of telling us before he has gone #2. He's young yet, we know, but the washing machine and bottle of Resolve carpet cleaner will get a bit less of a workout once he's past this phase. :)

So that's a little bit of what's life's been like around here lately. Nothing too exciting, but good nonetheless.

p.s. If I haven't yet bored you to tears, and you're still reading...since I'm finding out that there are more people reading this blog than those who actually comment, I'm issuing a challenge. Post a comment on our blog! :) Everyone reading this, whether I know you in "real life" or not (or whether or not you've commented before), please leave a comment. I'd really like to see just how many people, and who, is reading this blog. Hope to hear from you!

Pain in the sass - Posted by Lisa

Mr. Ian has become quite the mouthy boy lately. Not sure why exactly. Is it a response to my recent work outside the home? His age? Our stellar parenting? Whatever the reason, His Royal Sassiness needs an attitude adjustment for sure.

Some of his gems include:

"NO, I will NOT eat my dinner!"
"I don't WANT my corn dogs cooked!"
"It is NOT time to go!"

But today, one of his sassy moments had me stifling back laughter. After dropping off Christopher at school, I had to carry Ian kicking and screaming out of the classroom (and away from the toys) back to the car. As I struggled to put him in his car seat, he yelled at me "You get a safety violation!" (click on link and view a video for explanation)

It may not be intentional, but at least he has good comedic timing. :)

Well, I'd like to never do *that* again - Posted by Lisa

I was doing pretty well on this posting every day thing, but it took one thing to get me to stop. Getting sick. I mean, really sick. Let's just say that Chris and I both spent waaaay too much time in the bathroom Thursday night/early Friday morning. We're just praying that the boys stay healthy...'cuz that was not fun.

Aside from that, now we're trying to climb out from under the mess our house has become. Like I said in my previous post, I haven't yet become re-accustomed to balancing working outside the home with the work at home. So between that and needing to sterilize all the recently contaminated surfaces in our house, it has become a daunting job. Right now we still only have the stamina to conquer a little at a time, between small meals and rest periods. But we should have everything back to normal (and non-infectious) by Thursday when Chris' parents come by for Thanksgiving dinner.

On a final note, we'd also like to congratulate Chris' Aunt Susan on her recent retirement! We hope you enjoy this well-deserved time for yourselves!

Life of a working mom, part II - Posted by Lisa

Our house is almost out of control. I admit that it can tend to be that way, even on a good day. But really, Chris asked me tonight if the dishes in the dishwasher were clean or dirty, and I could only respond "I don't know...I haven't been here in three days!" For the record, they were dirty.

Laundry is either piled up, dirty, in the laundry room, or piled up, clean and unfolded, in laundry baskets around the house. I'm worried that the boys might not have clean underwear, and must wash some before heading upstairs.

We haven't eaten a home-cooked meal at home since...ummm...Sunday maybe? I can't even remember what it was. Chris made a run to Meijer's this evening, so thankfully we now have food options that the boys may actually eat for lunch, as well as lunches for Chris and I.

I just read through 35 unread blog posts on my Google Reader. I normally don't have more than 5 unread posts at any one time. I have commented on only one of them. I also haven't read or posted to my favorite message boards in days.

I listened to Harry Potter some yesterday and last night, but remember only part of it, and fell asleep for I-don't-know-how-much-of-it.

This post sounds much more negative than I feel. I actually am enjoying (very much) the work in these past few days, though I do look forward to my upcoming 3 day weekend. I look forward to taking the boys to McDonald's on Friday for lunch like I've been promising them. I also look forward to (maybe) getting the chance to sleep in, and not having to pack lunches and set aside clothes the night before. And even though I don't look forward to the immense task of cleaning the house this weekend, I do look forward to getting it under control again.

Whew! I had forgotten just how draining it can be to work outside the home!

The life of a working mom - Posted by Lisa

As I am now, at least temporarily, back in the ranks of mothers who work outside the home, I am rediscovering what it is like to need "filling in" on what your child has been doing all day.

At lunchtime, I decided to give my mom a call to check in. After only 3 hours away, I needed an update! My mom happily reported that she and Christopher had just put a cake in the oven. At the end of the day when I got back to their house, I learned that they had all taken a trip to the mall, and the boys got to visit Santa Claus. Of course, they were both very excited. Ian enthusiastically told me that he talked to Santa Claus and asked him for a "little red guitar." Christopher, not surprisingly, had asked for Star Wars Legos. No pictures with Santa, apparently, but what was most important was that they had a great time.

I'm so happy that they are enjoying themselves, and thankful to know they are being watched by people who love them so much! Thanks, Mom & Dad!

So tired... - Posted by Lisa

Today was the first of 6 days that I will be doing private duty nursing for my parents' friend. I won't go into detail about it because of patient confidentiality, but I think the day went very well. In fact, her daughter called tonight and asked if I could stay 8 hours for the next 3 days (instead of 6 hours), and also asked if I could be there an additional half day next Monday. My parents were more than happy to babysit the boys, so it's a go!

It isn't hard work, and I was only there from noon to 5:00 today, but I am still wiped out. A little earlier tonight, I glanced at the clock and was surprised to see it was only 8:30. My body felt as if it was closer to 10:30. I'm so glad to have this opportunity to get back into the workforce, and under such pleasant circumstances. Heaven knows that in this economy, we need it!

I should get going for now. I want to listen to Harry Potter for a little while before falling asleep tonight. Good night!