Public Broadcasting needs you!

The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1 early this morning, which eliminates federal funding for public broadcasting. This is a blow to public radio and television stations across the country and the 170 million Americans who tune in every month.

But we are not giving up.

You have already had a powerful impact in Washington. We heard directly from Members of Congress that the hundreds of thousands of calls and emails in support of public broadcasting have created momentum that may yet save federal funding for this vital public service.

Now the bill heads to the Senate. We need to send a clear message to Washington: Funding for public broadcasting is too important to eliminate.

What can you do today?  Please reach out to your friends and family and encourage them to sign up at 170MillionAmericans.org and at Facebook.com/170Million over the coming week. This is going to be a marathon and we will need any many supporters as possible to prevail in the end.

Note:  Post text taken from  e-mail received from 170 Million Americans.

When K- opened the door to leave for school, she exclaimed, "MOM!  I SEE GRASS!"  I know, baby, it's been a good long while.

I opened the door and I could almost hear Smudge say, "MOM!  WE HAVE GRASS!"  Yes, baby, I know.  It has been quite a while. 



The geranium that I wintered over on the storm crock in the basement actually successfully wintered over!  It is the first success in wintering over a plant that I've ever had.  I have Julia to thank for this one.  She gave me this orphan from her yard sometime in October.

Mom, could you put that thing away?


Thaw things of today:
-  The mail woman was delivering mail while wearing a short sleeved shirt in 50 F.
-  I had our windows open for probably 4 hours this AM and early afternoon while the temperature was a lovely 55 F.
-  K- was begging to go without a coat because she was so hot.
-  The lawn is appearing.
-  The drive is puddling in areas where the gravel has park depressions from our vehicles sitting in the same places, since the ice had made vehicle parking spots for us.
-  Our bedroom window is still open and it is 9:48 PM on Thursday.  It is currently 54 F.
-  I just noticed that Saturday - Monday is calling for 38 F or so and eeek! snow on Monday.  Rrrrr.
-  K- went for a run up and down the walk today.
-  I didn't slide on any ice while walking with her.
-  I didn't walk through parking lot sludge while on my way in or out of Target.
-  Winter is dirty.  The last storm called for the city to start spreading cinders.  Environmentally friendlier and cheaper, but very dirty.  Add to that the pollution that was layered between bouts of accumulation and now it is all appearing all at once.  Well, that and piles of non-frozen dog poo.  Nice.
-  I drove with my car window down a lot today.

Smiles in my day:
-  Friends are coming for a play date tomorrow.  We have a conference compensation day, so we'll be spending time with friends that we haven't been able to hang with for a while.
-  Hubs making big plans with K- for President's Day on Monday.
-  Chocolate.
-  Planning the annual family Easter Egg Hunt today with my sister.  I used to do it for K-'s family, but most have kind of aged out of the egg thing, but I've passed my egg filling talents on to the kids of our family.  We have the traditional pot o' stone soup bubble on the stove while the men of the family go hide eggs.  We ladies dye eggs (or the floor) with the kids.  They run.  They hunt.  They hang together.  It's a good thing!
-  50 cent books on the Target dollar rack clearance.  K- loves new books.  You can't beat 50 cents for a new book!

Have a great weekend!

Legos as a learning tool.

Place value.  Oh. my. heavens.  Place value is a pain in K-'s behind.  Sometimes she gets it, sometimes she doesn't.  We wonder if part is being distracted and worrying about what she might be missing.  This evening her worry was missing Daddy's video game.  Since we deemed the educational help a lot more important than Clone Wars, she was a bit irked.

I had larger Legos that I used as tens.  I used those single dots that never ever do much for ones.  I went over the entire school work paper with her (front and back) and called Hubs in for reinforcement.  We told her it was like we were playing a game together.  (We weren't and she knew it.)  At least it was time spent together as a family!

You'd be glad to know that I think that the Lego work helped.  It's still going to be a bit of a long road.

Smiles in my day:
-  Awaiting my Chipotle meal (chicken burritos, black beans, salsa and something else).  Everyone is so excited!  Why not?  :)
-  Excited that the thaw we are experiencing might make the sidewalks passable for walking next week.  HOORAY!
-  K-'s love for Amelia Bedelia.  I grew up with my mom reading them to me and she reads them to me on a regular basis. 

Have a great day!

Twang

We're in middle America.  We're in the northern half of the state.  I don't understand why every store in town has taken to playing country music.  Here's something for all of you to know:

NOT EVERYONE IN OHIO LISTENS TO COUNTRY MUSIC.

Sorry, but it is absolutely dreadful stuff.  I was in the bread store and they were blaring it.  I was in Giant Eagle to pick up a prescription and it was playing.  You are put on hold.  What music is it?  Oh, let me think . . . COUNTRY.  I have to say it is no more wholesome than anything that I listen to.  I'm not suggesting that the music that I listen to be put on regular rotation on Muzak or anything.  I don't know that Cake, Ben Folds or the Cure are bands that are a complete cover for all.  However, there has to be something better than whiny, twangy country music.

YUCK!

Does store music drive you crazy?  I won't even be mad at you if you want all country all the time.  I just hope that the madness stops.

Smiles in my day:
-  K- is having a tough time with place values on tens and ones to 20.  She reported that though it isn't a perfect paper today, she missed 3 and "Not everything on the paper this time, Mom!"  We're working on it.  At least we made progress!
-  Hubs' work won Chipotle lunch for Thursday.  I've never had it and Hubs is bringing his home for me to have for dinner on Thursday night.  Yum, I think!

Have a great day!

Tales from the Trenches: We don't have big boy cable for a reason.

Several reasons, actually.

1.  Storm Chasers.  I'm a Sean Casey fan.  Hubs is a Reed Timmer fan.  We love Storm Chasers!
2.  Mythbusters.  I learned a lot of valuable information from that show!
3.  American Pickers.  We watched it for the first time this weekend.  On our veg-out session, we watched 5 hours worth of the American Pickers marathon.  I cannot believe what some people own.  I also cannot believe some people not letting go of things when people are offering you cash!
4.  Mike Holmes.  We love him and love what he does.
5.  Dirty Jobs.

Smiles in my day:
-  Flowers waiting for me when I got home.
-  A lovely dinner together. 

Have a great day!

Snowshoeing anniversary

Hubs and K-

Me and K-

We had a lovely anniversary Amish getaway this past weekend.  We always try to go snowshoeing and were kind of concerned that our typical place would be all melted.  Never fear!  There was still plenty of snow!

We had a great weekend and spent a lot of time just hanging out together. 

Happy 14th Anniversary, Hubs!