"Guns for the Good Guys"

Ironic that I saw that particular slogan on a sign for a gun shop this evening on my way to the home improvement mega store.

"Guns for the Good Guys"

If only it were that simple.

It really got me thinking because earlier today my online friends and I had a discussion about guns and children and when was the "appropriate age" for children to own guns ~ for hunting purposes. Now, I don't have problem with hunting, per se. In fact, I know several people who do hunt. Some with guns, some with cross bows. I've had my share of venision stew (yum) and bear chili (not so yum). I understand the concept of guns=food for some people, I do. But, I do have a problem with guns in general and guns in the home. I have never shot a gun nor has my husband. Guns just scare me. To me, they have one purpose, and should never be in the hands of children.

When I was younger, in my early twenties, I was in two separate circumstances in public where I saw guns pulled (not fired) in anger. I think once you 've seen that (and after you've stopped shaking enough to realize what you've just witnessed) it's enough to give you a pretty strong opinion about guns. You think of how quickly life could be taken away.

"Guns for the Good Guys"

A few years later, a close friend, Brian, used a gun to end his life on New Year's Eve. He was twenty-one years old. The gun was his older brother's who was away for the holiday. Brian was high on something and found a way into that locked cabinet. The Shock. The Disbelief. The Guilt.

I look back on those circumstances, and all of the tragic stories you hear about children finding guns in their parents' dresser drawer or the friend who didn't know it was loaded, and it is enough to keep me anti-gun for the rest of my life.

I understand that not all people who carry guns are Bad Guys, I'm know for sure there are some Good Guys out there. In fact, I worked for someone for nine years who was an NRA member, if you could believe that! We tip toed around THAT subject, for sure. I still razz him about his "Christmas cards" from Charleton Heston.

I guess there are some things in life that I don't understand. Things that for other people are a reality.

For me, for my protection, I have a big, scarey, teeth-showing shepard-lab.

Hey, the Cable Guy is scared!

I did it

I survived my first holiday gathering at my house. Sure, we've had Christmas parties and Birthdays here but this was the first family Thanksgiving holiday hosted in our home.

I took Tuesday and Wednesday off from work to prepare. The house needed some cleaning. And curtains hung in the living room (it's only been 5 years). We live in a pretty remote area (pretty remote for Connecticut anyway) in that you can't really see our house clearly from the road and have a lovely view, but it was time none-the-less. Anyway, Tuesday involved curtains hung, bathroom cleaned, kitchen... well, I'm going to cook anyway, right? Then shopping for all of the necessities. Crazy people in grocery stores prior to a holiday, geesh. But I prevailed.

Wednesday I had to go to an unexpected funeral for a coworker. Sad story, very sad. And it ate up 3 hours of cooking time. *sigh* Not much I could do about that. I was pretty much up until well after midnight on Wednesday, and woke up at 7am to get the bird in the oven on Thursday. I was pretty proud of myself though; made everything from scratch. We hosted my husband's family and they brought over appetizers, turnip (because I REFUSE to cook it, ick!) and cookies (we needed a kid-friendly dessert). But everything else was me! Banana bread, pumpkin pie, cheesecake and chocolate pie all from scratch. Plus all of the Thanksgiving staples ~ turkey, stuffing, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes and gravy, glazed sweet potatoes, broccoli. My mother-in-law was pretty impressed. Although she really didn't eat much, but that's how she is, really. My sister-in-law had never had olive oil on steamed broccoli before, you'd think I'd invented it or something! Whatever.

It was a lot of fun and I'd gladly do it again. I loved creating a happy holiday memory for our daughter in *our* home, that was the best part! That, and other than making pasta for her last night, I haven't really cooked since Thursday! I did make Turkey Tetrizzini today which we will eat again tomorrow, it was so good, and used up a good chunk of leftovers. I just need to get these desserts OUT of my house. Tomorrow I am back on the wagon!!

Four weeks until Christmas!

Potty Suicide

A couple years back a good friend of mine shared her oldest daughter's potty training experience (her daughter trained at three and is now five and a half). She told me that it was the single hardest part of parenting thus far. Harder than nursing every two hours. Harder than the sleep deprivation. So hard, she said, that she often contemplated slitting her wrists. Joking, of course, but a little extreme, I thought. I mean, how bad could it be? Really?

Well, let me tell you. Just like most aspects of parenting, there are so many answers out there. Books for mommy, books for the child, videos, training pamphlets, you name it. Everyone with a child is suddenly an expert on the subject. Everyone knows someone whose child trained in two days at eighteen months. And I really thought that I would be one of those parents who would have an 'early' trainer. Not only was my daughter was curious about the potty early on, she even went on it last fall at eighteen months. She is (usually) very verbal about when she has to go. If it were only that easy. It seems the potty, like many things that toddlers will attempt, often becomes a Battle of Wills. They know HOW to do it. They know they SHOULD do it. They know if they DO it, they'll get to cash in that Gymnastics bribe. ("Yay! Bim-astics!") Heck, they even DO it ~ often for weeks without an accident. But then the next day, all hell can break loose again; as my car seat pad currently air drying in the living room can attest to.

We went on the potty right before we left our nephew's Birthday Party yesterday. We ran into Target to get a few things.

As we are leaving the store, I asked, "Do you need to go potty before we leave?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"What are you going to do if you have to go?"
"Tell Momma."
"Good girl."

We get in the car and we are at the traffic light exiting Target. "Momma, I have to go now." GRRRRRRRRRR. "Okay, let Momma pull into this restaurant. Hold it for One Minute, okay?" So I do mach-10 across three lanes of traffic to pull into Roy Rogers' parking lot, skimming passed an elderly couple, and screeching into the first open spot, only to jump out and find a WET carseat!

GRRRRRRRRRRR.

I know, I know. That's why they call it training. She's only two and a half. I know we'll get through this Battle of Wills, and I'm sure we'll have many more. And although I'm really not into pain and bleeding, I can still think about slitting my wrists, right?

Ten Days

Ten days until Thanksgiving.

Ten days until the season of indulgence. Turkey, stuffing, cheese and crackers, hot bacon and shrimp appetizers, wine, pumpkin pie, cookies, amaretto cheesecake, did I mention wine? .... ahhhh. And it really won't end until after New Year's.

I think of the damage that can be done in a mere six weeks and it's downright scarey!

So, I vowed today that I would do a 10 day detox. From now until Thanksgiving, when all hell breaks loose, I will be Good. Starting Monday morning I will drink at least 100 oz. of water and take my vitamin daily. Either lunch or dinner will be a big salad, loaded with greens, veggies and lean protein. I will eat sensibly the other two meals and limit ~ L-I-M-I-T ~ sweets!

I will also exercise atleast 5 times in the next 10 days.

All this, just so I could start the cycle all over again, January 2nd!

Care to join me??

How fun!

You Belong in Barcelona

When it comes to Europe, you don't want to decide between culture and fun. You want art by day and a big party by night. Barcelona is ideal for you. You can check out some Picasso, eat some tapas, take a siesta, and then dance all night!

What European City Do You Belong In?

56 Years Early?

Did you know that you could have your own "Rosie" now, in 2006?

For those of you too young to remember, the classic cartoon, The Jetsons, was set in 2062, a mere 56 years from now. The mom, Judy Jetson, had an efficient but wise-cracking Robot named Rosie to help her with the household chores.

Really, a Robot that washes your kitchen floors and vaccums your carpets! Now, in 2006. Who knew? iRobot offers several cleaning robots, most notable the Scooba for washing floors and the Roomba for vaccuming carpets. For about $300 a piece, plus a wealth of various add-on maintenance accessories, you could have your own "Rosie" to do your housework for you! But does she do a good job? Does she get close to the baseboards and in those stubborn corners? Does she move furniture and pick up the stray Legos and Little People?

While I must say I'm amazed at the technology (amazed that such products exist, really) I'm also of the mindset that some people will do anything to get out of doing a little physical labor.

And until "Rosie" scrubs toilets, makes lunches and picks up the dry cleaning, I'm not buying!

A Little Halloween

Yesterday was the first time in over two years that A's daycare teacher said she was 'awful'. Awful in the afternoon because she would not sleep for nap time. And afterwards, just plain did not listen like she normally does. She actually spent some time on "The Steps" (The Steps is the area directly behind the receptionist ~ a Time Out of sorts, away from the other children) because when it was time to go outside for play time, she was waving her coat around, hitting the other children. Nice.

Just what every parent wants to hear, huh? Especially when you have plans to go to Friendly's for dinner.

It's dark now when I pick her up. And when we got into the car to go meet daddy at Friendly's, she started her Dinosaur roar, exclaiming that it was Halloween again. I explained to her that Halloween was over until next year. Her response? "Well, Momma, it's still a little Halloween."

Maybe that explains her behavior? I can only imagine if she actually ate candy! Now that would be downright scarey!

I can only hope that today is a little LESS Halloween in A's mind!

At the End of Her Little Finger

Yes, that's where you'll find my husband most days.

Tightly wrapped around his little girl's finger.

After work on Monday, I got into my car to find not one, but two, shiny new blue balloons tied to A's carseat. (A couple posts back, I mentioned that our baby dinosaur had her balloon taken away at a Halloween Party. Apparently, that didn't sit well with Daddy.)

He's my best Friend, an honorable Son, a respected Boss and hard Worker, a spirited team Player and all around good Guy.

But if you need to find him, most days just look at the end of his little girl's finger.

May the Force Be With You

Grown men.
A Few Margaritas.
A Toy Light Saber.
The Riverwalk.

Can you imagine if YOUR Husband came home maced?

Your last Spring Break was HOW MANY years ago?