An Enchanted Fourth

 The Watson clan spent the 4th of July enjoying traditional Enchanted Valley activities.  First, the children paraded around the parking lot & pool areas.

    


Where's Watson? (Find 4 of us in this photo.)

Desmond enjoyed repeatedly petting all
the dogs.  He was too distracted to march with the other kids.  

                                   Molly watched from the sidelines with a friend.

Lydia, Rowan & David played in the annual wiffle ball game.  After one turn in the outfield and one at-bat, Lydia decided the game was not for her.  We are proud of her for trying something new on her own, though!

Rowan was the surprise star of the day.  She hit the ball both times she got to bat (without the tee!) and made it to first base.  Unfortunately, Daddy was up after her and hit a pop fly for the 3rd out.

The Trouble With Making The Bed

Really, Target!?

Target's new grocery section is a big disappointment right off the bat. Individually wrapped potatoes, really? They were also selling a box of mixed fresh fruit covered in Toy Story ads. Isn't anything safe from commercials?

Farmers Market - $39

 

Lettuce
Spinach
Cabbage
Oranges
Lemon
Lime
Peaches
Nectarines
Apples (Pink Lady & Fuji)
Strawberries
Blackberries
Cucumbers
Eggs
Broccoli
Green Beans
Cherries
Tomatoes

I forgot to buy onions!!

Congratulations! You earned a bill credit.

I'm not quite sure how we managed to cut back 20% from the 20% we cut back last year, but, YAY!!

	Congratulations Jennifer. You earned a 20% credit on your PG&E bill!
		Thank you for participating in Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) Winter Gas Savings Program. By conserving your gas use this winter, you and other qualified customers saved money while helping reduce greenhouse gas emission.Make sure you look for your spring bill to see how much you've saved. PG&E offers year-round solutions to help you save money, energy and the environment. For more information on these programs including SmartMeter™ technology, visit www.pge.com/summersavings.
pge.com | privacy | disclosure

Day At the Beach 6.01.10 - Pictures by Molly

Lydia Loves to Read!

Lydia started reading about two years ago.  It still excites me that I taught someone to read!  (Although she didn't learn until she was good & ready.)  Now she is an avid reader.   She just broke all her previous records by reading 30 books in 18 days!  Yay, Lydia!

Here's the list of books...

Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook

Magic Tree House #2 - The Knight at Dawn

Magic Tree House #6 - Afternoon on the Amazon

Magic Tree House #7 - Sunset of the Sabertooth

Magic Tree House #8 - Midnight on the Moon

Magic Tree House #9 - Dolphins at Daybreak

Magic Tree House #11 - Lions at Lunchtime

Magic Tree House #16 - Hour of the Olympics

Magic Tree House #20 - Dingoes at Dinnertime  

Magic Tree House #24 - Earthquake in the Early Morning                
Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren

Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim's Birthday

Cinderellis & the Glass Hill

For Biddle's Sake

The Fairy's Mistake

Junie B., First Grader - One Man Band

Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl

Junie B., First Grader - Aloha-ha-ha

Junie B., First Grader (at last!)

Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy

Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal

Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket

Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine

Magic Tree House #3 - Mummies in the Morning

Magic Tree House #13 - Vacation Under the Volcano

Magic Tree House #19 - Tigers at Twilight

Magic Tree House #17 - Tonight on the Titanic

Magic Tree House #12 - Polar Bears Past Bedtime

Magic Tree House #21 - Civil War on Sunday

Magic Tree House #22 - Revolutionary War on Wednesday   

Defeat (An Over-dramatization in One Act)

Scene - A darkened stage.  A single spotlight comes on to show a woman standing alone.  The scenery far to the rear of the lighted area conveys the impression of a confessional but on a larger scale. When 'the boy' is mentioned, the woman gestures and a smaller spotlight shows a toddler in bed to the right.

The woman speaks loudly and clearly but does not make eye contact with her audience.

"My quest to right the transgressions of my disposable diaper using years has met with a small defeat in the form of a rashy bum.  After only one night back in a cloth diaper, his poor little behind was once again a raw, red mess.  My head hanging low, I made the long walk of shame down the diaper aisle of a store I'd rather not mention.  The boy now sleeps soundly, swaddled in plastic & polymers, his tushy free from painful sores."

Both spotlights go out at once and the stage is dark again.

(Don't get your hopes up Mom,  they're only for nighttime. ;)

My Fight With Borders - Update!

This morning I called general manager Doug Thompson again.  This time he was there.

I explained the events of Wednesday to him.  He told me that the manager involved had already told him of the incident.  Realizing that he was not familiar with homeschool laws, he looked them up.

As a result, Borders in Elk Grove has decided to be more lenient towards homeschoolers than they previously have been.

I received a very nice apology and a promise that my replacement educator's discount card is on its way to me in the mail.

I was completely ecstatic!  (I actually danced around the house singing, "I win, I win, I win!" for a while.)  I don't always get results when I start these battles, so it was nice to have confirmation that all my emotional outbursts are not wasted.  Fighting for the things I believe in, no matter how small, is a part of me I just can't turn off.

Yay, me!  ;)

My Fight With Borders

As you may or may not know, I recently lost my purse.  Most of the things in it were very easy to replace.  A few calls to bank and credit card companies and my new cards were rushed right to me. As of this Wednesday, I only  needed replacement Borders cards (their rewards card and educator's discount card) and a driver's license.

Easy, right?  Thanks to Borders, it wasn't.

Wednesday afternoon I went to Borders to do some gift and school shopping.  After about an hour I had 12 items piled in my stroller.  At the cash register I explained my plight to the cashier, fully expecting to fill out some paperwork and receive new cards.  To my surprise, I was told I would have to call an 800 number to replace my rewards card as well as come up with proof of being a homeschooler.  I would be eligible for no discounts and my purchases would not be credited toward my rewards.  The cashier was completely uninterested in helping me any further.

If you know me, you know I expect to be treated a certain way when I am spending money.  If I do not receive the treatment I expect I take my money elsewhere. (I haven't been in a Subway since they refused to give 3 year old Molly milk with her kid's meal instead of soda.)  Consequently, I left my intended purchases at the register and left.

I quickly decided to go back into the store and speak to a manager.  I just couldn't believe that a long time customer would be treated this way.  Surely the manager would realize that a discounted sale was better than no sale at all?

I was wrong again.  After a long wait, a manager finally came to speak to me.  I restated my problem including that I had no proof of homeschooling my children.  He explained to me that as a homeschool parent the state provides me with curriculum and has to monitor me and make sure my children are "...up to par...".  He also informed me that IF I were a homeschooler the state would issue me proof of that.   Surprisingly still calm at this point, I asked him how familiar he was with home schooling in California.  His answer, "Not very".

Thinking I could educate this man regarding the legal ways to homeschool in CA (It is possible to join a group with an i.d. card, I had one from San Francisco in my lost purse.  The state does not issue homeschoolers i.d. cards.), I began explaining the various methods.  I was wasting my breath.  The manager repeated to me that I had to have proof.  I asked him if the receipts with my name &  address that I had filled out with each purchase over the last 5 years were proof.  He said, " You expect me to search through thousands of receipts to find those?  We box those up and send them to corporate."  (Too bad there isn't a convenient way to store, sort and transmit large amounts of information in these dark ages.)  I lost my temper when he said, "If you can't understand that you have to have proof, then I can't help you."  I assured him I would spread the word of their unfriendly treatment and left the store again.

After getting home and doing some research I came across this on the Borders web site.

Homeschoolers in states without certification should contact a manager at the store for instructions on how to document your status as a homeschooler.  

Apparently the Borders Corporation better understands that there is more than one way to homeschool. 


I obtained the name and phone number of the local general manager and placed my call to him early this morning.  His day off.  I'll be calling back tomorrow.


http://www.yelp.com/biz/borders-books-and-music-elk-grove?rpp=40&sort_by=rating_asc

I ♥ Jamie Oliver

Well,  I love the mission he is on to improve the quality of food served in schools.

Wave and I watched every episode of Food Revolution and were amazed at what we saw.  Not having children in the public school system made it a little less disturbing for us, but it was still very shocking.

I was most appalled at the flavored milks being offered for lunch.  As a parent, I would be extremely angered if a school official were encouraging my child to drink sugar milk.

If  you believe it is time to change the way children are taught to eat in this country, take a moment to sign the petition.  http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition  If you don't care, at least take a second to look at the map.  I find it fascinating to see the states that have higher numbers of folks who are behind this cause.

Can't Get Enough Of Me?

Well, here's more!
http://thethingilearnedtoday.blogspot.com/

MomGyver

Molly wanted to go shopping for her birthday today.  We left the house about 1:30.  I had my shopping bags, my purse, my coffee, water bottles for each of us,  a leotard for Rowan to change into later and supplies to do her hair.  I did not have the baby bag.

Unfortunately, I didn't notice this until Desmond pooped.  Across town.  At 4:30.  No where near a store that sells diapers.

I really didn't want to drive to a store and buy disposables.  We have been using them at night to keep Des from getting a rash, but I am hoping we don't have to buy more than the one package.

I had also been in 6 stores by this point in the day, and couldn't stand the thought of loading everyone in the car, driving,  unloading & loading up again.  I still had to feed 5 children and drop off Molly  & Savannah before going to the gym.

My other options raced through my head...

Leave him in the stinky diaper. -  No, his skin is way too sensitive.
Let him go diaperless. - No way!  We won't be home for at least 3 hours.
Find something in the car to use as a diaper. - It's just been cleaned out and only the things we need are in it.
Buy something to use as a cloth diaper. - That's it!

I scanned the shopping center and decided to try World Market.  As soon as I entered the kitchen section I came across  flour sack dish towels.  They'd definitely work & I'd love to have them, but I didn't want to pay $10. I perused the cloth napkins, but they usually have to be washed before they have any absorbency. Then I spied a microfiber dishtowel.  It claims to "hold 7 times it's weight in water".  It's also on sale.  50% off $5.99.  Yay!

Molly helped me change Desmond with the wipes I keep in the van.  We reused the diaper cover he had on  and one of her plastic shopping bags for the dirty diaper.  Then we were on our way...

I have to say, I am totally proud of myself.  I handled the situation without compromising my principles with needless driving and buying of disposable products.  I would rather have not bought anything at all, but at least that dishtowel will be used for years to come in our home.  Yay, me!

Anyone else have a MomGyver story to share?

24 Hours of H E Double Hockey Sticks

Wednesday morning Rowan started throwing up.  It didn't seem like such a big deal.  She would puke then play.  Puke then eat.  Puke then bounce around the house in her  normal, happy way.

Thursday, she was fine.  We went to gymnastics, ate tacos (try to forget about the tacos while you read the rest of this) and watched Survivor just like usual.

Here's where the 24 hours start and where Rowan gets her new nickname from Daddy, Typhoid Rowan.  (Beware, I'm gonna say puke a lot.)

Around 11:30 pm, Desmond started puking.  In his bed.  In his sleep.  Wave and I cleaned him up and changed the bed.  Des went right back to sleep.

In 15 minutes we went through the same routine.  Ugh.

This time Desmond wouldn't go back to sleep so easily.  Lydia was still awake, so she came into my room and played with him a little.  After a bit, he fell asleep in my bed...and woke up puking.

We changed our bed.  I laid down extra blankets under Des just in case.  Then Lydia started puking!

Des moved off the blankets and puked some more.  Lydia went to bed and puked all over her bed and Rowan's (Yay, bunk beds!).

I'll spare you all the details and cut to a couple of sheet changings later.  I have Lydia and Desmond in my bed.  Wave is sleeping in his office.  I have left the light on because I  am tired of turning it back on every 15 minutes or so.  It is 6am and I really haven't slept yet.

Then it hits ME!  I run to the toilet and... you know.  Then Lydia wakes up.  Have I said, "ugh"?  How about a double ugh for the puke traffic jam.  Lydia pukes on the floor, I puke in the sink.  I cover the mess with a towel and leave it for the morning.

By this point, I guess my body had had enough.  I slept for 2 whole hours.

When I woke up, I felt like I'd been beaten thoroughly  AND sleep deprived.  My only hope was that Wave could take the day off of work.  Unfortunately, he had also succumbed to the  virus.

Most of Friday is a blur to me.  I know I was hot and achy.  I know I spent most of it on the couch.  I know I was too weak to lift Desmond.  I know I couldn't eat or drink.  Lydia and Wave were pretty much in the same state.  Desmond was feeling much better, but not quite 100%.

Luckily Molly was here to save the day.  For all the trouble that girl gives me, she really shines when it comes to helping out when I am sick.  She took care of us all all day long.  She did it all without being told to or complaining.  She stripped beds, did laundry, changed diapers, brought us water and medicine, gave baths & cleaned.  I don't know what we would have done without her!  I feel so grateful to her for her loving, caring attitude towards her family.

Poor Molly saved the day, but was not spared for her kindness.  Around 9 or 10pm, just as Wave and I were starting to feel better, she fell prey to the vile sickness.  By that time I felt okay enough to help her out some and take over with Desmond.

This morning, everyone except Molly felt normal.  Lydia even felt well enough for gymnastics.  Molly seems to be doing alright, she asked for donut holes and hot Cheetos first thing this morning, but couldn't eat them after Wave bought them for her.  I wouldn't have even asked at that point yesterday!

By this time tomorrow, I'm sure we will all be back to normal.  The house needs major bleaching and ants took full advantage of our lowered defenses.  The piles of laundry need to be folded and put away.  I am just glad to feel well enough to take care of it all!

(Just in case you didn't get enough...puke, puke, puke, puke, puke.)

One Year of Desmond

My baby boy is one today. He is such a nice, easy going little man so far. I really, really love him!
Thanks to all of you who sent gifts & cards or came to see Des today!

My History With Birds

As a child, I liked birds.  We had 2 cockatiels for a long time.  One even whistled when it heard the words "pretty boy".   


 I rescued a parakeet or two who had careened into windows and injured themselves while playing the roles of free-birds in Dad's fair displays.  They survived reasonably well as pets.  


My memories with birds turn dark with the doves.  My family kept a large cage of them on the porch outside the house.   To me, it seems we had them forever.  Really, I don't know how long they were there.   At some point, the doves started to mate too closely and quite a few deformed chicks hatched.  These chicks fell prey to the many cats we had and were caught right through the cage and dragged out.  Maybe my subsequent run-ins with birds are some sort of karma.


Around the age of 12, I spent all my birthday money ($100!) to buy a cage for a dying dove.  I kept it in my room, but it died very quickly.  I dragged the cage around throughout my teens and early twenties.  I really couldn't tell  you how many birdie souls were lost in it.

My troubles with wild birds started about 15 1/2 years ago.  I woke up one morning to find a juvenile heron perched on a curtain rod in Molly's bedroom.  I was alone and had no idea what to do about it.  After many fruitless phone calls, a neighbor finally threw a blanket over it and took it outside.  


Exactly one week later, I awoke to find a scrub jay in my house.


Around that time, I saw a turkey attack a man.  (He totally deserved it, don't tease a turkey.)  It jumped up on his chest and started beating it's wings in his face.


Several years later at the San Francisco Zoo, a low flying duck grazed my head as it flew away from a misbehaving child.


There was the time in Golden Gate Park when I screamed my head off at a flock of pigeons flying in my general direction.


A year or so later, I called the police on a mocking bird.  I thought it was a house alarm.  


A couple of months ago a large bird slammed into my windshield while I was driving.  It hit hard enough to make feathers stick. I think it was a hawk. 


About a month ago a Masked Lovebird flew around our backyard for a while.  It was in no way terrifying, but why us?


Saturday night, Wave found this thing perched on a chair in our back yard.  It really freaked me out at first.  My initial, totally irrational, thought was that it was a snake coiled up on the back of the chair.  


When my eyes adjusted to the dark, it became obvious it was some sort of bird.  But what kind of bird?  My mind when first to the more distasteful types of birds common to this area.  Juvenile Turkey Vulture?  Baby Turkey?  Could it belong to the neighbors?


I was terrified of what it might do if it were startled!  Wave didn't want to walk past it the second time.  We let him in through the front door


Actually, it did nothing.  It sat and sat and sat.  Then it tried to fly and couldn't.  We put the cat inside so they wouldn't hurt each other.  It managed to fly/climb onto the fence where it sat and sat and sat some more.  It was still there when I went to bed.


I looked at a million pictures on the internet trying to figure out what kind of bird it was.  I couldn't find a thing that looked like this.  Any ornithologists out there?


I am to the point now where I can be near birds without screaming hysterically.  I can appreciate birds from afar, but I keep a close eye on pigeons (not trustworthy!).  I'd even like to have chickens someday.


I wonder if this much unintentional bird interaction is normal, though?  Do you have crazy bird stories?

Learning To Sew

I have been trying to teach myself to sew.   It has been a long and frustrating battle!

I am threading challenged in the most severe way. Reading the manual was no help to me.  Wave finally had to thread the darn thing for me!

After many fits & unladylike words, I can finally thread the machine by myself.  Des is modeling the things I made today.

The diaper cover is made of micro fleece given to me by a lady Freecycler. It, unfortunately, has already failed its purpose.  It didn't hold in the wetness like the other homemade micro fleece cover I have.  Sewing friends,  should I add another layer?  Is the material only water resistant on one side?  Help!

The baby legs are made from a pair of socks I picked up for 98 cents at Target.  I just cut the extra fabric from the heel, sewed it back up, cut out the toes and hemmed the now open end.  I am super proud of myself for thinking to use a zig zag heel to make the opening stretchy!  So far (15 minutes!) the leg warmers are successful.  Only time will tell!