Singing a Silly Song

I've moved

2007-08-17T14:56:00.000-04:00

I am starting a blog at a new address. you can find me at shannonwentz.blogspot.com

More Pictures

2007-04-20T15:19:00.000-04:00

Finally

2007-04-20T14:40:00.000-04:00

Hello!
I still don't have my blog back completely to myself, but at least I finally figured out how to access it again. Somehow, John's e-mail account hijacked my blog! I finally sat down and figured out what the new password was.

Too much has happened in the past few months so I'll just put up more pictures for now.

2007-02-27T14:38:00.000-05:00

Mikalya's 1!!!

2007-01-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

I thought these cookies were appropriate for our "Cute as a button" 1 year old!Yummy!

Daddy's Girl!

2007-01-16T10:54:00.000-05:00

Can you say "Fake smiles?"

PRESENTS!

Christmas really means . . . lots of time in the van!

2007-01-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

Mikayla, SOOO BIG!

Family Christmas Picture

Grandma Wentz and Mikayla

2007-01-16T10:41:00.000-05:00

Preschool Christmas Party

2006-12-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

Last night was Luke's preschool Christmas party. Talk about an eventful evening!
The party took place in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian church, where his school is located. Because his school is a Co-op each mom has a different job, and mine is special events mom. Which basically means I get to arrive EARLY to the events. Which is quite the adventure when you attend ALONE with 3 children!

So, after giving explicit instructions on how the boys were to behave for the evening (that 1 mommy can't be in 3 places), we entered the hall of chaos and madness. Although the boys were doing the best to obey, it is very hard when all their friends are running around, jumping on the stage, and eating all the cookies and cupcakes they can find.

After the opening 20 minutes of appetizers the children were called on stage to sing their songs. Which amounts to approx. 40 3,4, and 5 year olds on stage. For their first song, they all held candles they had made out of construction paper. Unfortunately, before the second song, the little boy next to Luke, poked Luke in the eye with his "candle". Luke burst into tears and ran to his teacher. After a big hug, he bravely tried to regain composure and finish singing his last two songs. The next song was "Jingle Bells" and they all held bells in one hand as they sang. Because of his eye injury Luke sang his with one hand over his eye, fighting back tears, while shaking his bells and trying to sing along.

Before they went up to sing I told the father sitting near me that I was the "delinquent" parent who didn't even think to bring a camera, while all the other proud mothers stood around video taping their children.

After they sang, I told the same father that I now knew why I'd forgotten my camera.

The final HOORAY was Santa Clause. That part went fairly well, and I did have another mom take a picture of the boys with Santa.

I will post that picture as soon as she e-mails it.

Oh, and that leads me to the other unfortunate event . . . you'll notice in the picture that my boys are wearing batman, and Incredibles T-shirts, while EVERY other kid there was nicely dressed in their holiday finest. Christmas sweaters, dress shirts, even a few ties! And then my kid, standing out like a sore thumb, or should I say EYE.

Halloween

2006-11-10T15:16:00.000-05:00

Surprise, surprise, Logan was Batman

I dressed up as John (again)

His future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades

2006-11-10T15:04:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin carving fun

Our new swing set thanks to the Seeker's Sunday school class

The apple is simply an excuse to eat the caramel!

At the pumpkin patch

luke's birthday

2006-11-10T14:54:00.000-05:00

quick updates

2006-11-07T23:04:00.000-05:00

Mikayla: She is continuing to take a few steps and she FINALLY broke her first tooth through! It's been a busy week for her!

Luke: He is going to the allergist in the morning (Wednesday). We have always watched what he eats really closely because we've observed food sensitivities. Then, last Tuesday (Halloween) he had an allergic reaction to something. He broke out in Hives. Poor kid, they covered his face with welts and went down his arms, legs, belly, and bum. He was broke out in Hives until Saturday :( I initially thought he was having a reaction to his Halloween mask/costume, but his Dr. said it was more likely something he injested. Hopefully we'll find out tomorrow and he won't be too traumatized.

Logan: Not much new news here. He's currently healthy and growing. He was Batman for Halloween, of course.

John: SUFFERING! His back is hurting him so bad. I hope he gets the right help he needs to get better soon.

I have tons of pictures to post of all the latest happenings. Hopefully I'll get those up soon.

STEPPING OUT

2006-10-29T22:37:00.000-05:00

and tonight at around 7:45 p.m. she took her first steps! Now the real fun begins . . .

2006-10-08T22:01:00.000-04:00

funny times

2006-09-26T22:39:00.000-04:00

Tonight, while I was getting supper finished up I asked the boys to set the table. They were wrapped up in some game of imaginary play where they were traveling to other places. I repeated my request. Again, they failed to follow through. I gave specifics, get 4 placemats, 4 plates, 4 forks, etc . . . Then Daddy joined in and told the boys to help set the table. Luke responds with this, "Dad, Logan and I are actually in Kentucky right now and it's kind of hard to do from Kentucky."

Another funny question from Luke, "Mom, why can't I see my own face? I can see your face, but I can't see my own face, unless I look in a mirror."

And now I can't remember the other funny stories I was going to blog . . . so, until next time.

2006-09-14T16:40:00.000-04:00

Luke's first day of 4 year old preschool.
Luke holding his school bag and Logan with his belly button.

Luke posing for a picture

End of summer family day at Chuck-E-Cheese

Hey, I'm crazy token cup on my head girl!

Isn't she beautiful . . .

And she's off!

2006-09-01T21:52:00.000-04:00

Mikayla finally figured out the crawling thing last night (sept. 31). She's been able to get on all fours for quite some time, but when she'd push with her arms, she would end up pushing herself backwards. Then, she would do the splits and end up in a sitting position. Last night she figured it out and took off! She was down the hallway, into our bedroom, out in the play room . . . We put up the baby gate at the top of the stairs after the kids were in bed. My life will now take a dramatic turn. I've already warned the boys that she'll be into their things.
Other updates on Mikayla:
I think she says "mom" although it comes out "Mum, mum". I'll take that.
She can wave, and I am convinced she says, "Hi".
She can also sign the word "more". It's cute because she learned to wave and sign "more" at the same time and sometimes when we ask her is she wants "more" she waves. It's hard to believe she will be 8 months old in a few days!
I hope we can post the video of her crawling soon.

tuesday morning

2006-08-31T09:59:00.000-04:00

I really enjoy blogging silly stories and pictures that will make others laugh. But sometimes life throws in some curve balls. As I recount what happened on Tuesday, September 26th, know that we end up with probably the best outcome for this situation.

Tuesday morning my mom called me at 6:18 a.m. (You know it might be bad news when the phone rings that early in the morning.) She said my dad had collapsed in the kitchen. She heard him fall and went in to see what the thump was. He was having difficulty breathing, then he stopped breathing altogether. She had called 911 and they talked her through what to do. He "came to" before the recue crew arrived, although he wasn't fully alert. She was getting ready to follow the ambulance to the hospital. She said she would call from the hospital and let me know what was going on after they got more information.

I called my brother and let him know what was going on. Then I started packing for Mikayla and myself. I really didn't want my mom waiting at the hospital by herself. Then the phone rang and a lady from my parents church, who was at the hospital with mom, called and said, Your mom needs you. Your dad had a heart attack and she needs you. Thankfully I had packed so we only had to jump in the van and go. John came with the boys, since we weren't sure the exact situation and we only have 1 car so we didn't want John stuck in Springfield if we needed him.

That was one LOOONNNNGGGG drive to Peoria. On the way up we talked to my brother, Grandparents, and friends. Then we got another call from a family friend to let us know that they were taking my dad into surgery to have a pace maker put in and the surgery would last about an hour. I was relieved to hear this because I had such a vague idea of how serious the situation was and knowing he was getting a pace maker meant he was alive.

After we arrived I met mom in the waiting room. I should have known better than to think she'd be there alone. Close friends from the church were there with her. Then we waited for dad to finish surgery. It was very calming to be there and have the Doctors talk to us in person, instead of hearing news 2nd and 3rd hand.

The diagnosis was that my dad has "electrical problems" with his heart. It was not a heart attack, which would be muscle damage usually caused by blocked arteries or an unhealthy heart. Instead the heart also functions off of electrical pulses. In this case his heart "blew a fuse" and stopped beating. They said it was very good that the 2nd episode happened in the ER because he was hooked up to machines and the could document exactly what happened. They showed us the print out of his heart rate. It shows it slowing down and then it actually stopped for 20-25 seconds. This is the time when they thought he was having a heart attack. They were able to get the heart to resume beating by doing chest compressions. You can see the spikes on the chart where the compressions were being administered. By putting in a pace maker this should be prevented from happening again. They set the pacemaker so that if his heart rate drops below 50 it will stimulate the heart. Thankfully he can resume a normal life, (other than showing a card at the airport to avoid setting off the security gates, and a few other cautions). He is an avid bike rider and probably in the best shape of his life so it was shocking to hear that he was having heart troubles. But after a roller coaster of emotions it is good to be on this side of the ordeal and know he is going to be ok.

When you look back on a situation like this you can see SOOOO many things that we are thankful for. The emotion hits most when you are tempted to play the "what if . . ." game. What if mom had already left for work . . . What if he had been on a bike ride . . . What if he hadn't had a 2nd episode in the ER . . . What if they wouldn't have known to put in the pace maker and he would have had this happen again . . . and on and on it goes. But that is a futile game to play. Instead we need to play the "Right now" game. Right now I am thankful for this new perspective on life and what is truely important. Right now I am thankful that we live closer to my parents. Right now I am very thankful for our awesome family who is there for us when a crisis hits. Right now I am most thankful that God gives grace and mercy.

today

2006-08-28T21:13:00.000-04:00

today was the kind of day that makes me really appreciate whoever invented this:

Today, we were given a very cool toy set called "Pipe Works". It was made by Playskool in the 80's. It is a set of PVC pipe, joints, wheels and seats. You can build really cool things with it. We now have a wagon and a see-saw. VERY cool.

Then tonight as I was putting Logan to bed (and we often have" opportunities" when it comes to Logan going to bed) he stood on his bed and declared, "I don't want to take a rest!" then he ran out of the room, into the toy room, and sat on the futon. Because Logan often tests us on bedtime we have a discipline routine for him. After he was returned to his bed and I was going to explain some things, he looks at me and says, "Mommy, you broke my heart."
Man, he's good . . .

books and pictures

2006-08-21T15:19:00.000-04:00

I Re-read a book that had a HUGE impact on me the first time I read it, and had just as much of an impact this time, if not more. I wish the characters were real. I need to KNOW them. This fiction book illustrates the narrow road we walk as we claim to know where God is blessing us and leading us. I am reminded through this story that the people who may be closest to the heart of God are often farthest from the spotlight. I am reminded to be very cautious because we are all in dangerous proximity of walking a path that looks a lot like serving God, and when you are on this path you will get noticed for what You've done for god.

On another note, I am working on a HUGE project. Putting pictures into albums. With every move we've done I've sorted through pictures and put them in groups, but I've never taken the time to actually put them in albums. The best part of this project is going through all these pictures! I love looking through them all and reliving some great memories. So many people that I love! Today I was going through college pictures. Wow! If you are reading this blog, I probably have a picture of you. I'd be surprised if I didn't. Man, I wich we had a scanner so I could post a few of the best ones. I can't believe how many pictures I have from college. Maybe I could get John to scan in a few for more. If anyone who reads this blog is a college friend and you don't happen to have pictures of someone or something from college there's a good chance I may have one. If there's someone/something you might be interested in let me know and I'll try to get a copy.

I'm Rich

2006-08-17T14:01:00.000-04:00

So, there are half a dozen boxes of books in the basement that we haven't unpacked yet. I set out to see what order I could make of them this morning and while I was unpacking them I found an old birthday card. I opened it and found $25! Cool! Then while I was doing laundry I bent over to pick up some lint and dryer sheets that had fallen between the dryer and a ultility shelf and spotted a small wad of green paper, I picked it up, and unfolded a $10 bill! $35 in one day, who says being a stay at home mom doesn't pay?

The Flanders have moved in across the street

2006-08-03T21:05:00.000-04:00

So, we're playing with our neighbors and all their kids. I overhear Luke trying to lead the kids in a game . . . "Ok, I made a cross. Who wants to die on the cross? Who wants to die on the cross next? Guys! I made a cross, who wants to die?" The kids just stood looking at him, half scared of the kid who wants them to die.

so funny

2006-07-25T15:25:00.000-04:00

John and I are always cracking up at the things the boys say, but I am terrible about writing them down or remembering them, so here are two that I can remember from this week . . .

If you read John's blog, you know Logan has been sick. Normally we are beverage minimalists around our house, milk or water. So, I went to the store and bought some Pedialite for Logan. When I got home and was unpacking the groceries Logan came over and saw the juice on the counter and said (now keep in mind he has croup and sounds alot like Donald Duck) "Oh, thank you mommy!" (pause) "Mommy, when I drink this (pause) in my heart, I will remember you."

Today we were playing outside and when the boys went in the house and shut the door, they locked the door behind them. I picked up Mikayla to go inside after them and found the door locked. After BANGING on the back door, checking the front door, then BANGING, BANGING, BANGING on the back door again, I called John to see if he could come home and let me in the house. While dialing Logan opened the back door to go back outside. The poor guys couldn't understand why I was furious with them. They didn't even realize the door had been locked and that I was outside. I then went on to explain to them what had happened and that I was outside and couldn't get in etc . . . etc . . . When my speech was over Luke walked away then Logan came back and said, "Mommy, member that story- that story, where they climbed on the roof and made a hole so they could get in, member that?" I was laughing so hard at that image, me and Mikayla climbing up the side of the house trying to get in through the roof.

2006-07-22T21:31:00.000-04:00

2006-07-22T21:26:00.000-04:00

2006-07-21T11:55:00.000-04:00

vacation pics

2006-07-18T15:05:00.000-04:00

Quick update

2006-07-05T23:00:00.000-04:00

We will have pictures posted of our recent adventures soon.

To start things off we were honored to be part of the wedding for Elizabeth Stephens and John Gadsby on June 17th. John officiated the wedding and Luke was the ring bearer. Logan declared himself the ring tiger when he overheard us talking with Luke about his responsibilities. In case your wondering, a ring tiger apparantly crouches in the corner and growls at people who try to talk to him.

Next we headed to Columbus, IN to spend the night with the Doig's and attend church with them on Sunday morning. Thanks for your hospitality, you guys are awesome!

Then the real adventure began . . .
We went camping for 9 days and 8 nights in Brown County, Indiana. It was great and we will definately be camping again in the future. The pictures tell the stories best so we'll wait to elaborate until we get those posted. ALl the kids were great campers! They every slept through the thunderstorms. Yes, plural, thunderstorms. Other than a few days of unfortunate weather, which we have no control over anyway, it was a great relaxing vacation. We didn't do much more than stay at our campsite, eat and read.

We then headed to Louisville for the North American Christian Convention. Quite a change of pace after being isolated for over a week in a tent. It was very good to have over 2 weeks away as a family!

Finally we spent our 4th of July holiday selling funnelcakes in Sheridan, IL. Actually, John sells funnelcakes, and I work in the "Grab joint" selling other yummy fair food. If you've never had the chance to work it's something you have to experience to really appreciate what all it entails. There's nothing like intoxicated people trying to order corn dogs on their way out of the park, there's nothing like watching people wait in line for over an HOUR for a funnelcake, and there's nothing like getting to work together as a family . . . go team wentz!

The Wentztrichs

2006-06-14T16:42:00.000-04:00

More family Pictures

Overheard

2006-05-31T13:18:00.000-04:00

This morning we were in the backyard and Luke and Logan were playing in their Kiddie Pool. I was sitting in a chair when I heard Luke say, "God, I just love you so much. Thank you for this beautiful day. Amen." I was touched to the core and told him, "Luke that was so special! What made you say that?" He answered, "I was just thinking that in my head. When the sun was warming up my body, so I just said that."

I can't even think of a word to describe how I feel, if awesome weren't such an overused word maybe that would work . . .

. . . Awesome.

birthday pictures

2006-05-08T12:35:00.000-04:00

na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na . . . .

2006-05-03T14:33:00.000-04:00

BATMAN!!!

Logan turned "3" yesterday (may 2). And it was a Super day. Literally . . . he is way into batman right now. (Although we're not sure how he developed such an interest in Batman, he definately caught the idea somewhere along the line that Batman is a superhero who get rid of bad guys and that struck a cord with him.) So, he had a Batman party and the favorite present was a Batman costume. He opened that first thing in the morning and I didn't know if he would take it off for his bath that night or not. He had two of his new friends over and they had a great time. I'll post pictures soon. He funniest part was mid morning when he came up to me with his costume on and said, "Can't find my belly button". If you know Logan, this is a big deal. His belly button is his comfort, most kids suck their thumbs, use a blankie, etc . . . Logan puts his finger in his belly button.

Oh, and congratulations to Josh and Rachel on the birth of their 2nd baby, Ethan Walker! Born May 1st at 4:?? p.m.

More pictures coming soon . . .

event code

2006-04-25T10:51:00.000-04:00

if the link asks for an event code, it's "wentz"

Recent pictures

2006-04-24T10:42:00.000-04:00

Pictures

We recently got some pics taken of the kids, from a budding photographer here in Springfield. So, finally there are some updated pictures of Mikayla!

Pictures

2006-04-23T17:45:00.000-04:00

Below are a few pictures, most of them are of Cincinnati. Before we moved we drove around and took pictures of some places that will always remind us of our time in Cincinnati. Others are of a VeggieTales Live concert we went to with the kids. And lastly are some from a roll of film I found when we moved. I developed them and lo and behold, they are from last October and have pics from Luke's 4th Birthday and Halloween. So, if I keep going at this rate I should have pictures from Easter up by next Halloween.

2006-04-23T17:42:00.000-04:00

http://www.fotomat.com/home/UCCKIDSMINISTRY/9TITEI7R5DEY.EZP

2006-04-23T17:36:00.000-04:00

http://www.fotomat.com/home/UCCKIDSMINISTRY/9KIIEC7S8Y4R.EZP

2006-04-23T17:21:00.000-04:00

http://www.fotomat.com/home/UCCKIDSMINISTRY/9GILEB6B9IHL.EZP

2006-03-30T14:58:00.000-05:00

Down Time

2006-03-27T14:33:00.000-05:00

Down time? Is this you? Do I have a few minutes with NOTHING to do except read blogs and possibly even post on my own? YES!!!

And the reason is I am at my parents house. All 3 of the kids are napping, and since I am not home I don't have to unpack, do laundry, unpack, fix dinner, unpack, or clean. (Did i mention unpack?)

So we have moved to Springfield and I really like our new home. John spent the weekend painting the boys' room, while we were out of his way. We came up to Peoria to see VeggieTales live. The boys really had a great time watching the giant veggies sing and dance. It's funny how things that you may have thought were "cheesy" suddenly become magnificent when you look at the face of your child and catch a glimpse of how they see things. I remember experiencing this when Luke was around a year old and would go crazy for Barney. I thought Barney was annoying but then I saw someone I love, love something, and my opinion changed.

In other news Mikayla is growing and is such a wonderful baby. She is so happy and doesn't demand an excessive amount of my attention. She sleeps at night and I know this has helped make this whole transition so much better!!!

I hope to post some pictures soon. And when I get home I think we will have internet and maybe I will be able to post more often. But, I wouldn't count on it so check out John's blog first.

I've been tagged

2006-02-21T17:34:00.000-05:00

I guess I'm overwhelmed because instead of being productive I was reading blogs, saw that I was "Tagged" by KT, and filled out this list of info about myself.

Brief overview of our life.
8 days until we close on our house in Springfield
7 days until we leave Cincinnati
6 days until we close on our house in Cincinnati
5 days until our last Sunday here
4 days until . . . Saturday
3 days until our dinner with the Zent's
2 days until our last small group
1 day until our "going away party"
today is slipping away and I don't know how to soak it all in . . .

Four jobs I have had (in no order):
1. Women's Department at SteinMart
2. Work Study in the Seminary Office at LCS
3. Children's Minister at South Side Christian Church
4. Children's Minister at University Christian Church
Four movies I can watch over and over
1. Les Miserables
2. The Incredibles (no, wait that's my kids)
3. The Princess Bride
4. Back to the Future

Four places I have lived:
1. Tampa, Flordia
2. Cincinnati, OH
3. Covington, IN
4. Lincoln, IL

Four TV shows I love:
1. 24
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Survivor
4. Oprah

Four places I've vacationed:
1. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
2. Albany, NY
3. Stockton Lake, MO
4. Higbee, MO

Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Steak
2. Apple Pancakes
3. Mom's mashed potatoes
4. Mater Paneer (from Ambar, maybe it's on my mind because I had it for lunch today, YUM!!)

Four sites I visit daily:
1. www.mail.yahoo.com
2. www.wentz.blogspot.com
3 www.homesight.net/rss/floorplan/flyer/1086_956.pdf (At least recently)
4. many blogs

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. At my parents house
2. I'd rather be done packing
3. ready to say "goodbye"
4. at our new house (already unpacked)

Five people I am tagging:
1. Eric B.
2. Juliet
3. Aunt Nancy
4. Kim Hageman
5. Sabrina Camfield

long time, no blog

2006-01-13T18:53:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody!

I have ventured down to the basement to use the internet. Well, it's been 1 week since Mikayla Jeanne Wentz was born. She has been a wonderful baby. We are very blessed. We have so much going on in our lives right now, as most every knows at this point. In addition to having Mikayla we are also going to be moving to Springfield, Illinois the last week of February/first week of March. So things are very exciting around here. Thankfully my Grandma has been staying with us to help with Mikayla, the boys, and the move. She has been AMAZING! I have always looked up to her and now I have these precious weeks to soak up more time together. I know I will NEVER forget this time. We are in the middle of what could be a really stressful time, and she has helped make this time so enjoyable.

The boys are enjoying Mikayla as well. John has them saying, "Hey pal, that's my sister!" And although I don't know that John particularly likes the pink bows in her hair, I can't help but dress her up in all the cute clothes and accessories. I hope we download more pictures soon.

Hopefully I can post more soon, check out john's blog for more frequent updates, but I thought I'd give a small shout-out to anyone who still stumbles across this blog.

Logan, let's go tell mommy

2005-11-18T08:51:00.000-05:00

This morning, I hear Luke say, "Logan, come on. Let's go tell mommy." Then Lukes walks in the room (and I am anticipating him telling me something Logan did) and says, "Mommy, I swallowed a nail." What? A nail. I start asking him questions.
"What kind of nail, what did it look like?"
"I can't see it it's in my throat now."
"Does it hurt?"
"Yes"
"Where did you find it? Show me where it was, are there more?"
"It's in my throat now."
Hmmm, I'm not sure what to do, he's talking ok, and doesn't appear to be in pain, although he says his throat hurts. So, I call my mom and she says that I need to try and get more information from him and then call the doctor because it could puncture something. So I hang up and ask Luke some more questions.
"Luke, was it on the floor? Where did you find it? How big was it? Show me with your fingers how big it was."
He holds up his fingers for me, obviously not understanding my question.
So I hold up my thumb and forefinger and space them apart, "Was it this big? Or this big? Or this big?"
He looks at me and answers, "It was my toenail."
I never thought I'd be so happy to hear my son tell me he ate his toenail. Still a disgusting habit, but at least we don't have to get x-rays.

is it too early for christmas music?

2005-11-16T14:23:00.000-05:00

I questioned myself about whether it's too early to turn on the Christmas music, but I was getting ready to bake some Christmas cookies for a bake sale at Luke's preschool so, I dug out the Christmas music. And the verdict is . . . it is definately NOT too early for Christmas music. It was just what I needed this afternoon. It definately put me in the holiday mood. Now, I am so excited to go home for Thanksgiving that I can hardly get anything accomplished. So, now back to the music and the baking and feeling like the mommy homemaker that I really am not, but like to pretend to be on days like this.

pictures

2005-11-10T17:18:00.000-05:00

our halloween pictures didn't turn out too well, this is about the best we have. To the left is a picture of Logan playing in the leaves today

80's

2005-11-08T16:01:00.000-05:00

You know you grew up in the 80's when:

1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word "SIKE".

2. You watched the Pound Puppies.

3. You can sing the rap to the "Fresh Prince of Belair"...and can do the
"Carlton".

4. Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly sexy.

5. You yearned to be a member of the Baby-sitters club and tried to

start a club of your own.

6. You owned those lil' Strawberry Shortcake pals scented dolls

7. You know that "WOAH " comes from Joey on Blossom.

8. Two words: Parachute Pants

9. If you ever watched "Fraggle Rock".

10. You had plastic streamers on your handle bars...and "spokey-dokes"

or playing cards on your spokes for that incredible sound effect.

11. You can sing the entire theme song to "DuckTales " (Woo-oooh!)

12. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch

cartoons.

13. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.

14. You saw the original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" on the big

screen...and still know the turtles names.

15. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class

at school.

16. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt

in a knot on the side.

17. You played the game "MASH " (Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House).

18. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.

19. L.A. Gear....need I say more?

20. You wanted to change your name to "JEM " in Kindergarten. (She's

truly outrageous.)

21. You remember reading "Tales of a fourth grade nothing" and all the

Ramona books.

22. You know the profound meaning of "WAX ON, WAX OFF".

23. You wanted to be a Goonie.

24. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (some of us...head-to-toe)

25. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose

fell off and his cheeks shifted.

26. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.

27. You took lunch boxes to school... and traded Garbage Pail kids in

the schoolyard.

28. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.

29. You still get the urge to say "NOT " after every sentence.

30. You remember Hypercolor t-shirts.

31. Barbie and the Rockers was your favorite band.

32. You thought She-Ra (Princess of Power!) and He-Man should hook up.

33. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you

exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.

34. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes. (and like #24, probably in

neon colors, too.)

35. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you

are, but what am I ?"

36. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up"

37. You remember going to the skating rink before there were in-line

skates.

38. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide.

39. You have ever played with a Skip-It.

40. You had or attended a birthday party at McDonalds.

41. You've gone through this nodding your head in agreement.

42. You remember Popples.

43. "Don't worry, be happy".

>44. You wore like, EIGHT pairs of socks over tights with high top

Reeboks.

45. You wore socks scrunched down (and sometimes still do..getting

yelled at by "younger hip" members of the family.)

46. You remember boom boxes. .. and walking around with one on your

shoulder like you were all that.

47. You remember watching both "Gremlins " movies.

48. You know what it meant to say "Care Bear Stare!!"

49. You remember watching "Rainbow Bright" and "My Little Pony Tales."

50. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.

51. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.

52. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't

even flinch when people refer to them as "NKOTB".

53. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on "Saved

By The Bell," The ORIGINAL class.

54. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.

55. You just sang those words to yourself.

56. You remember watching Magic vs. Bird.

57. Homemade Levi shorts...the shorter the better.

>58. You remember when mullets were cool!

59. You had a mullet!

60. You still sing "We are the World".

61. You tight rolled your jeans.

62. You owned a banana clip.

63. You remember "Where's the Beef?"

>64. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' about

Willis?" (I just said this a couple of days ago!!)

65. You had big hair and you knew how to use it.

66. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't

you!!!

psychology

2005-11-07T18:50:00.000-05:00

The other day we were at the grocery store. As we were leaving I was letting the boys know that they had been very good while we were shopping. Then Luke adds, "Logan, I was so proud of you for going pee on the potty at the store!" "Mommy weren't you proud of Logan." While we were having this conversation I begin to be haunted by the voices of parenting advice. There is a train of thought out there that says you aren't to tell your kids how their behavior makes you feel. The idea being that kids shouldn't learn to perform in order to make YOU feel a certain way, they should learn to do things because of how it makes them feel. In which case the appropriate response is not, "I am so proud of you . . . " Instead it should be, "You went pee on the potty. How do you feel about that." or something along those lines. So, as I begin to fear I will warp my son into peeing only to ensure my happiness,
I ask, "Logan, how does it make you feel that you went pee on the potty?"
I get no response.
I ask again, "Logan, how do you feel, you stayed dry in the store."
Again, no response.
Maybe I need to give him options, "Logan do you feel happy that you went pee on the potty?"
"No."
"Oh, do you feel sad that you went pee on the potty?"
"No."
"Hmm, do you feel proud that you peed on the potty?"
"No."
"How do you feel that you went pee on the potty?"
"Bees"
"Bees?"
"Bees."
"What? You feel bees that you went pee on the potty?"
"Bumblebees."
By this time Luke is cracking up laughing. He knows that his answer doesn't make any sense, so he figures it's a joke. And I realize that my fears at warping Logan at this point by telling him I'm proud are unnecessary because he clearly isn't understanding where I"m going with the whole question.

Speaking of jokes. Luke announced to me at lunch that he was going to tell me his best joke. It went like this. "I was walking down the street . . . and . . . . I fell . . . into a pile of . . . . MUSTARD!"
I was laughing so hard that I think I confirmed his suspicion that this is definately his best joke.

2005-11-03T14:56:00.000-05:00

CandyFest went well. I'll post pictures soon. I decided to go as a sonogram. I cut out a box to look like a monitor and wore it around my middle. I printed a picture of a sonogram and placed it inside. On the back I made a sign that said, "It's a Girl!"

Sometimes as I reflect over the past few days and some of the antics that have gone on in my house I can't help but laugh. Here's a few to give you an example
Snapshots from the Wentz household:
Sunday morning, Logan took the eggs out of the fridge and broke them all on the floor.
Luke declaring on Monday night "trick or treating sure does make me tired"
Logan getting into a pad of purple ink, putting it in the toilet causing it to bleed all over his hands, and rubbing his hands on his face so it looks like he has a purple beard.
Logan drinking milk, right out of the gallon jug.
Luke sleep walking last night and confusing the office for the restroom where he peed on the little TV.
Never a dull moment . . . and I know, I know, it's only going to get worbetterse.

Candy, Costumes and Community.

2005-10-27T08:35:00.000-04:00

This Saturday is CandyFest, which is an event we host for the kids in our community around Halloween. I love planning big events and am looking forward to seeing this come together.

I am not sure what my costume will be this year. I posted a picture of my costume last year below. But this year, I'm just not sure. Especially being 6th months pregnant I'm not sure what would work. Any ideas? Luke wants to be a fire truck. Not a fire man, but a fire truck. I still haven't started on this yet. I have a good idea on how to make it, it's just taking the time to get it done. Logan gets to wear Luke's hand me down's so he will be Blue from Blue's Clues.

Community is really the heartbeat of our church. What we decide to do or not do is directly related to the impact it will have on our community. Which makes sense when you realize that nearly everyone who attends our church lives in our neighborhood. That is one of the missions of our church. It is highly encourged to become a homeowner in our neighborhood as we hope to not only have church in our building but have church throughout our community. We used to host CandyFest on the night of Trick-or-Treating, but then I realized that on the one night of the year that our neighbors actually come to our houses and knock on our doors I was pulling everyone out of their homes to help with CandyFest. This year we're doing CandyFest on Saturday so that on Monday folks from our church will be home meet those who are trick-or treating. We also have candy bar wrappers with our children's ministry information printed on them that you can give out. For those of you in Clifton, I'll have those for you at church on Sunday.

my costume last year

2005-10-27T08:32:00.000-04:00

catching up

2005-10-22T17:17:00.000-04:00

I really want to be a good blogger, but when you wait so long to post something it's hard to know where to start. It's been a very full month. I'll start with today and work backwards and try to cover the highlights.

Today: John is gone at the campus ministry retreat in Mammonth Cave, Kentucky. And thanks to Tracy Hale, John isn't the guy who almost left his pregnant wife and two sons home with no car. Thanks for your car Tracy! Now, we can all get to church in the morning.

Yesterday: I almost got to put Batman in "time-out". Logan, who is always trying to outsmart his boundaries, was standing on the arm of couch ready to jump to the floor. I told him not to jump off the couch and he looked at me and said, "Me, Batman!" So I said, "Ok Batman, if you jump off the couch Batman will be in time-out" Than he slid back down onto the couch and stepped to the floor. I never knew motherhood included punishing Batman :)

Last week: Saturday (october 15) was Luke's 4th Birthday. Monday was his "special day" at preschool. I was the snack mom that day and John got to come to class with Luke. The preschool teacher got quite a kick out of John. He had all the boys flying on a magic space bus to the moon.
Monday night was Luke's birthday party. His friend Sophie and Carl came over for the festivities. He had a train party and we put together his train track for his train table as his birthday gift.

Last weekend: The Lowery wedding. It was great because we got to see so many of our friends from college. It really was a blast from the past. Having so many people from a past place and time together again was wild. It really was a mini college reunion. I think there is a special kind of family that was formed between the people we went to school with. Getting together last weekend was not unlike reuniting with your family, you see people who know so much about you, but at the same time so much has changed and you're not sure how to catch them up on your life. Yet, on the other hand it doesn't seem to matter, you just kind of pick up where you left off. And then when you leave your family you hope that you are all able to get together again sometime, but you know that it isn't likely and you wish you wouldn't have taken the time you were together for granted. I hope that everyone there knows how deeply we love them and that if there is ever anything we can do to help or support anyone we would, cause isn't that what family is for?

In the past month: Luke started preschool. Which is the root reason I haven't posted in so long. I was waiting to develop the pictures from his first day of preschool.
School at UC started, which means John has been really busy.
We are back in our building (since the fire last Spring). We are so thankful for the stability that a location can provide.

In the future:
Next Saturday (the 29th) is CandyFest. Once that's over our schedules lighten up immensely and we can look forward to the Holidays and our new family member. Who by the way we have decided to name Mikaela. Although we aren't sure on the spelling yet. Maybe you could vote, which do you like better? Michaela or Mikaela.

It's a . . . .

2005-09-08T18:20:00.000-04:00

Girl :)
We had our sonogram today and the baby is healthy and looks great! And I am thrilled to welcome another female into my family. I can't wait to start shopping for girl things!

We returned from our vacation late Monday night. We had a wonderful time! The highlight was our camping trip. We went about 20 miles outside of Albany to a site called Thompson's Lake. The weather was beautiful and it was the perfect way for the boys to get out some energy. Unfortunately, Jonathan and Ashley's downstairs neighbors didn't appreciate the sound of little feet scampering across the apartment, so they had to tiptoe around. Getting outside was just what they needed for a few days. We did take notes on a few things that we wished we would have brought along or thought of before we went so that next time we're even more prepared.

Another highlight was on the way home, Luke was eating a banana, and about halfway through he fell asleep. I turned around and saw his forehead resting on the banana he was holding in his hand. When he woke up he thought his eyebrow had fallen off because it was smeared with dried banana goo and he couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. We explained to him what had happened and stopped to wash him up. Now every time he eats a banana he exclaims, "Banana's aren't for sleeping on!"

We'll hopefully post some pictures soon. until then . . .

A new keyboard!

2005-08-27T10:52:00.000-04:00

I should have posted about my broken keyboard sooner! A few hours after that post, a student from down the street dropped off an extra keyboard for us.

Other updates,

Baby is doing well. I'm halfway there, 20 weeks down, 20 to go. We will find out the gender on September 8th.

We leave for Vacation tomorrow after church. We are going to Albany, New York to visit my brother Jonathan and his wife Ashley. We are so excited!!!

When we get back we'll hit the ground running. Luke will start preschool. We will finally be back in our building! September 11th we return to our building, which also means our return to multiple services. We will have a 10:00 a.m., 11:15 a .m., and a 6:30 p.m. service every Sunday. September 11 is also our first KidStuf service at 5:00 p.m. Our playgroup also resumes on September 14. Then students return mid-September. We will definately not be bored this fall!

I had better get back to packing for our vacation. We'll have lots of updates once we return. Until then . . .

xcokwe on thwe kweyboarsd

2005-08-26T08:48:00.000-04:00

If you xcan rewads thisd, I'm imprwesdsdwesd. WEew sdpilt a xcokwe on our kweyboarsd ansd nowe mosdt of thwe kweysd arew sdtucxk togewthwer. I cxan't typwe, blog, cxommwent or IM. SDoon I will gwet a nwewe kweyboarsd. Maybwe tosday, John isd at a rewtrweat.

we got a van . . .

2005-08-22T18:01:00.000-04:00

WE sold the matrix and bought a van.
Here she is . . .

a few more pictures

2005-08-18T12:18:00.000-04:00

Here is Logan crying, even before he goes on the ride.
Below, you can see Logan Crying on the roller coaster ride.

Ye Old Funnel Cake Stand

a new post

2005-08-18T11:47:00.000-04:00

It's definately time for a new post. I don't know about you, but even I am sick of opening my blog and reading about a craving for onion petals. As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever want to eat an onion petal again. And I apologize if I have turned anyone else off from onion petals as well. Now, that's all I'm ever going to say about onion petals on my blog, ever . . .

As far as what else we've been up to . . . most recently we took a trip to Crown Point, Indiana to visit John's dad at the fair. And let me tell you, this is the ONLY way to go to the fair. It's like the behind the scenes tour of fair life. The best part was everything was free. Since John and his family have been working at this particular fair since John was like 5, they know almost everyone there. So when you walk up to order cotton candy, the people at the stand won't take your money. We all got VIP bracelets, that allowed up to ride anything, for free. Luke loved all the kiddie rides. On the other hand, Logan didn't have such a great time. The first ride we put them on was a pretty dumpy carnival ride. You sat in cars that went in an oval and then jerked you around the corners. Unfortunately, Logan hit his head against the side and got a good bump and small cut on the corner of his eye. I think that tainted Logan's view of all rides because from then on, any ride he went on that John or I couldn't ride with him, put him in tears. You'll see some examples in the pictures below.

the only way to go to the fair!

2005-08-18T11:36:00.000-04:00

random

2005-07-13T20:52:00.000-04:00

My latest craving: Onion Petals from Arby's

Just finished reading: Thorn in My Heart, by Liz Curtis Higgs

Predicting: A boy. at least that's what the nurse is predicting after hearing the heartbeat. She wrote it on a post-it note and stuck it in my file to see if she's right.

Celebrating: Making it through my first trimester without throwing up

Hoping that our new family service, kidstuf, comes together for this fall.

Recovering: from helping with funnelcakes on the 4th of July and Starter camp. Last week I went to bed at 6:30 p.m., twice! Yes, I slept for 14 hours on both Monday and Friday last week.

Camp

2005-07-13T15:48:00.000-04:00

Picture 60 kids going into first and second grade + a room "decorated" with cotton batting all over to floor (to simulate a snow covered ground) = A giant snowball fight!

That was how Starter 2 began. A room packed with screaming kids throwing snow at each other and I look around and think, "There is nothing that I love more than this!" And it's true, I love large groups of kids! John said on his blog that his other "spiritual gift" is inciting riots among groups of small children. And if that's true, than my gift is getting groups of young children to work together. And that's what these kids did, with the help of some incredible faculty, we pulled off what I thought might never happen.

Our theme was "Christmas in July" and for our camp we divided up into teams to put together a Christmas Play. We had a set design team, costume design team, props team, drama team, and singing team. And somehow between campfire, meals, swimming, and games we had about 3 1/2 hours to pull together a christmas pageant. And I was amazed at what these kids (and facutly)came up with in such a short amount of time and limited resources. We had a great set, creative props, adorable costumes, kids who leaned their parts, and sang their songs. In addition these kids made a video, took pictures, made cookies for parents, made a program, and constructed a ticket booth. I was impressed!

So much fun, and I was reminded that there is nothing I love more than large groups of kids! I think I have more control of 60 kids than with 2 little boys, not that I'm hinting at anything.

2005-07-13T15:47:00.000-04:00

Girls playing a game

2005-07-13T15:46:00.001-04:00

Kyle and the boys

2005-07-13T15:46:00.000-04:00

Tech Group (plus Luke and Logan)

2005-07-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

Singing Group

2005-07-13T15:44:00.001-04:00

Costume Group

2005-07-13T15:44:00.000-04:00

Drama Group

2005-07-13T15:43:00.000-04:00

Set Design Group

Hallelujah!

2005-06-22T08:21:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful morning! One of my favorite morning treats is a fresh warm bagel with cream cheese from Brueggers. On Tuesday mornings at 7:00 a.m. I meet two of my good friends there, and it's the one day of the week that I am excited to get up early. Since John's been out of town, I haven't made it to Brueggers, but today, my friend KT brought me my blueberry bagel with wildberry cream cheese and a cup of fair trade blueberry coffee. YUM!! We were supposed to hang out at my house together, but she had to go into work early, but she still dropped by with the "goods". The best part of the whole thing is that neither of my kids were awake yet! I just sat on the couch, ate my bagel, drank my coffee and watched the Today show. Luke woke up first, and it's always great to get some time with him by himself. Logan didn't wake up until five til eight! Hallelujah!!! He went to bed without a fuss, didn't wake up last night, and then slept in! I feel like a new woman . . .

Yeah, I know, but it's the little things . . .

One Week Down . . .

2005-06-20T15:33:00.000-04:00

. . . and one to go. We had a good time keeping ourselves busy last week, but I am definately tired now. We went to the zoo twice, to the park, to Carl's house (luke's good buddy), Luke went to the butterfly show with our neighbor and their daughter Sophie. We were joking that it was his first date, at least it was chaperoned :)

I am working today and our babysitter is watching the boys, and I have to be honest and say that it's very nice to get a break. Although I've been busy working on things, at least it's uninterrupted. No potty accidents, chocolate syrup, or pretzels to clean up (yes all real life examples).

I am the dean of Starter Camp 2 on July 10 &11 at Woodland Lakes Christian Camp. This is a camp for kids going into 1st and 2nd grades, and it is tons of fun! If anyone wants to help, let me know. Especially, any guys out there. You won't forget this weekend or the kids who look up to you.

I also found out that the Movie theater in Newport shows free movies for kids on Wednesday mornings in the summer. How cool is that? I am taking the boys with a friend of mine this week. One more thing to help the time go by quickly!

And nathan davenport is now blogging! toadaphilus.blogspot.com

Pictures!

2005-06-15T09:27:00.000-04:00

Link to John's blog, on the right, to see some pictures from his trip to Guatemala.

Update

2005-06-14T08:27:00.000-04:00

it's been too long between posts and i'm not sure where to start. but here's a general update on the events that have taken place in the last few weeks.

I had my first Doctor's appointment for this pregnancy. Everything looks great. The only awkward moment was when I was waiting on the exam table for the Doctor to come in and the song, "Pour Some Sugar on Me." was playing on the loudspeaker. I think any and all suggestive songs should be outlawed from the Ob/Gyn.

I had an early ultrasound to date my pregnancy. My official due date is January 12. That means I am currently around 9 1/2 weeks. It was amazing to see the baby already! Although it's about the size of a peanut you can see the heart beating and the arm and leg buds. I wish I could post a picture, but I don't know how.

We started potty training Logan. I am not a good potty trainer. Logan is doing well in spite of it. My goal is to have him trained before John gets back.

UC's graduation was this past Friday. So Saturday and Sunday we full of open houses for students. Several of our graduates are sticking around and I'm really glad we don't have to say goodbye to them.

John left for Guatemala yesterday morning. He'll be gone for two weeks. I was surprised by how sad I was when he left. I think it's hard to be so disconnected from him. I'm not sure he'll be able to contact me. He's hoping to find an internet cafe and post updates on his blog.

I am preaching this Sunday, because John and Troy are in Guatemala.

We are going to stay very busy this week, to hopefully make the time go faster.

Today we are going to the zoo.

5 years

2005-05-27T16:49:00.000-04:00

5 years ago . . .
my nails were manicured
my hair was styled
I wore the most expensive outfit of my life
my make-up was perfect
I held the hands of my future husband

Today . . .
My nails are chipped
my hair is, let's say, "natural"
I'm wearing an old t-shirt and pajama pants
I have on no make-up
I am holding my sick child

Juxtapose these two days and on the surface it may seem obvious which day was "better". But, today as I held Logan, cleaned up vomit, and gave him pedialite I am overwhelmed by the common thread between May 27, 2000 and May 27, 2005. That common thread is Love (or LUV). I wouldn't change a thing about my wedding day, but I can honestly say that 5 years later, it's even better.

Here we go again

2005-05-18T22:29:00.000-04:00

Yes, for those who read John's blog, another wild wentz is on the way. John and I found out two weeks ago that were are expecting our 3rd child. It looks like the baby is due around January 10th. We've explained to Luke and Logan that we are having a baby. This is one of the reasons we've decided to tell people that we are expecting. 3 1/2 year olds don't keep secrets very well :) Luke will gladly tell anyone that "Mommy has a baby growing in her belly. But, it won't be here until after Christmas, not until after it snows." He also thinks he is having a sister and that her name will be Curly. Logan just walks around lifting up his shirt, pointing to his belly and saying "bee, bee".
So far I feel really good. Hopefully that lasts so I can keep up with everything. And if I do get sick it has to happen AFTER John gets back from Guatemala.
John and I are both very excited. We love our boys so much and can't wait to have another child to love. Before I had Logan, I couldn't imagine loving a second child as much as I loved Luke. Then Logan came into the world and we experienced how God multiplies your love and gives you enough for both of them. Knowing that I can love that much again, is why I want another child.

Logan's 2

2005-05-03T13:50:00.000-04:00

Logan turned 2 yesterday. Although, I think he has been mislead to think that birthday's are much longer than 1 day. Last Wednesday we left Cincinnati and headed for the prairie. My mom was attending Ladies Day in Lincoln with my Grandma, so John dropped me off in Lincoln and I spent the day there. I had called Rachel (my best friend from college) the weekend before to see if she was going, and she took the day off and met me there. I hadn't seen her in over a year!!! It was a strange experience to be walking around campus together. I don't think most people who saw us realize that we aren't still always together. It was great to catch up, although all too brief. She has a little girl, Laney, who is almost 14 months old. The crazy thing about that is, Laney was born on my birthday, March 17th. I didn't get to see Laney, but I did see pictures, and she is soooo cute!

Ok, back to Logan's birthday. Thursday we celebrated with my Grandma. It was so nice to have time with her and not have a zillion other people around. Most of the time that we are around there are so many people that we barely get to spend time with anyone. That was probably the best part of this trip home.

Friday John's mom came up and we celebrated with her Friday night. Then Saturday we got to spend time with her. We flew kites, watched some soccer games, and played at the park. The kids had a blast, and even though Logan was very tired by Saturday morning, I know he loved every minute.

Yesterday we celebrated his "real" birthday with some of his favorite adults and 2 of his favorite friends. Oh, and yes, we do play the birthday song for Logan too. I'll try and upload the video if I can. It is so funny watching the kids dance.

2005-05-03T13:48:00.000-04:00

you know it's been a good birthday when your face is that dirty!

2005-05-03T13:45:00.000-04:00

who needs a bowl? i'll just help myself to the whole carton!

2005-05-03T13:44:00.001-04:00

Dancing to the Birthday song

2005-05-03T13:44:00.000-04:00

da, na, na, na, na, na, You say it's your Birthday!

2005-05-03T13:42:00.000-04:00

it's supposed to be a baseball . . .

2005-05-03T13:39:00.000-04:00

weee, i love the twisty slide

2005-05-03T13:37:00.000-04:00

Balloon head . . . that's your new name

2005-05-03T13:36:00.000-04:00

2005-05-03T13:35:00.000-04:00

Logan's 2nd birthday at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Snow Kidding!

2005-04-24T08:24:00.000-04:00

We woke up this morning to see cars, rooftops, and decks covered in snow! From 80 degrees to this! What's up with that?

2005-04-22T15:05:00.000-04:00

that's your mom when she used to tame wild ostriches on the frontier, boys...

2005-04-22T15:03:00.000-04:00

hello ladies, care to build a sandcastle with me?

2005-04-22T15:00:00.000-04:00

luke and logan

2005-04-22T14:53:00.000-04:00

Look at me, I was born with a crazy 2 on my hand . . . give me some candy!

2005-04-22T14:51:00.000-04:00

Logan

2005-04-22T14:46:00.000-04:00

We gotta get dad to Guatemala somehow!

Only in Clifton

2005-04-07T08:40:00.000-04:00

I stole this list from one of our students livejournals. I thought it was really funny. If you live in Clifton, or have visited please share your list . . .

So my roommates and I are bored, so we are compiling this list...

"YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN CLIFTON IF..."

1. You can throw furniture over the balcony and no one gives you a second glance.

2. At least once a month there is a group of old protestors holding up signs such as, "IRAQ-TILE DYSFUNCTION".

3. You have to go grocery shopping at Krogers in pairs.

4. You houses are so close together you can shake hands with you neighbor by opening your windows.

5. When May 5 rolls around, you fear for your car's safety.

6. You have seen the 3-legged possum at least once.

7. On a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday... you will see at least 10 cop cars drive by your house in the period of an hour.

8. The closest parking space to your house is next to a fire hydrant.

9. It takes 20 minutes to deposit a check at any bank.

10. It's common place to see people carrying random furniture across the kroger parking lot.

11. You see condoms (used) laying on the ground at the intersection of Short Vine and Corry.

12. The overly friendly squirrels scurry around the streets with whole pieces of pizza in their mouth. Squirrels eat pizza?

13. Rocks and gravel are considered lawns.

14. You can't go more than 10 yards without seeing an orange barrel or going over a GINORMOUS pothole.

15. The streets are so narrow that two cars can't pass each other without one of you pulling over.

16. 1 in 3 cars has a duct-taped window due to the search for pocket change.

17. Random piles of dog poo on campus or on the streets...

18. Trash in your front lawn is considered lawn ornaments.

19. There are more than 2 Indian Resturants in the vicinity of 10 ft.

20. You are still wondering what Acropolis Chili has to offer.

*i have changed a few of these and added my own.

God told me . . .

2005-04-06T08:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I took the boys to the park after Logan's appointment. The playground had 1 slide that was blocked by a giant peice of plywood. Since you couldn't go down that slide, Luke decided to go the bottom and try to climb UP. I told him not to climb up because that slide was broken. Then about 10 minutes later he ran up to me and said,
"Mommy, God told me to go up the broken slide."
Um, what am i supposed to say to that? Don't listen to God, listen to mommy?!?!

Barium Swallow

2005-04-05T15:02:00.000-04:00

Although it was a tramatic experience for Logan, the barium test came back and actually gave us some insight into what's been going on with him. He has reflux. That is why he wakes up coughing and wheezing so often. It's also why he throws up at random times, it's not because of an illness, it's reflux. So a combination of a "floppy airway" and reflux makes for what would be a "normal" cold for other kids a terrible experience for Logan. Hopefully we'll be able to get him on some reflux medicine and see if that makes a difference.

For anyone asking, "what in the world is a barium swallow?" . . . .
First, I was not allowed to give Logan anything to eat or drink 4 hours prior to the treatment. His appointment was at 9:00 a.m. so basically he couldn't have anything from the time he woke up until his appointment. My idea was that he would sleep late and we could close that gap as much as possible. Instead, he woke up at 6:15 a.m.! He cried all morning. He kept opening the refridgerator and pointing at the milk, as if to say, "Here it is mom, the milk, remember this, that drink I partake of every morning!" Then when we arrive they want him to drink barium (a liquid that is thick enough to be seen on an x-ray) while lying on the x-ray table. Now, Logan is tramatized from the whole finger incident this summer, so he basically starts SCREAMING the moment they call his name. They mix the barium with strawberry nestle quick, but he's not fooled. Finally they used a medicine syringe and squirt it down his throat. All this takes forever and they finally get the pictures of him swallowing. The rest they let him drink while I was holding him in the chair and then the took a picture of his stomach. The x-ray showed that he definately has reflux and that what he just drank had gone back up and out of his stomach.

Next we'll contact his primary care doctor and talk about what to do from here. . . . thanks for your concerns. I'm glad to see the light at the end of this tunnel.

It's a Beautiful day in the neighborhood

2005-04-04T18:25:00.000-04:00

I LOVE SPRING!!!

We went to the opening day parade here in Cincinnati. Although we had a good time, I must say I was disappointed with the parade. I guess parades just aren't what they used to be. It was fun to be part of the cincinnati tradition and it makes Cincinnati feel even more like home. The boys favorite part was the bus ride. We didn't want to fight or pay for parking, so we took the bus. The kids were so tired when we were leaving. Logan was riding on John's shoulder's and actually feel asleep on John's head! I wish we would have brought our camera,

Well, I need to go put the burgers on the grill.

Oh, and for those who have asked. Logan's allergy appoinment was good. He is not allergic to dogs, cats, trees, mold, or anything that we tested for. The Dr. believes he has tracheamalasia, or a floppy airway. He goes in for a barium swallow test tomorrow morning to get a better idea of how his airway looks. It is something he should outgrow. We'll keep you posted . . . .

UCC

2005-04-01T22:37:00.000-05:00

This Article

was written in response to a picture I noticed, when I was visiting my parent's in Mid-March. I glanced at the cover of the "Christian Standard" on their end table and thought, "That looks like my church". Convinced that it wasn't my church, I didn't think much of it, until I opened it and found another smaller picture with the caption "University Christian Church". I guess, since the "Christian Standard" is headquarted in Cincinnati, they snuck by and took a picture. I found this to be ironic, for several reasons, but the main reason was that the title above the cover picture was "What kind of church is this?" So I e-mailed them an answer, that I'm sure they never anticipated, "A burnt one!" The article above is a response Troy wrote in response to this ironic cover.

By the way, the cafe is set to reopen this Monday, April 4th (grand reopening Friday) I hope that some time everyone who reads this has a chance to come share a cup of coffee with us.

Easter Egg Hunt Saturday

2005-03-24T21:29:00.000-05:00

If you are going to be in Cincinnati this weekend and would like to help at the Easter Egg Hunt, let me know. It is Saturday at Fairview Park. Set up starts at 1:00 p.m the hunt and activities are from 2:00-3:30. I know you want to help!!! All the cool people are gonna be there!

2005-03-24T09:53:00.000-05:00

Luke, reading up on Revelation
Logan, reading up on 2 Chronicles

2005-03-24T09:52:00.000-05:00

activities

2005-03-24T09:51:00.000-05:00

Bible Party