Mommy's "Visited States"

Found this neat idea at my friend Jules' blog. (Hey Sis- did I miss any that I visited as a little girl?) create your own visited states map or check out these Google Hacks.

A Difficult Question

HL had a pack of feminine pads in his hand and he asked me "What are these, mommy?" "They're called pads. Sometimes girls need to use pads" "Why?" "Well.... I'm not sure how to answer that question right now. WIl you give me a minute to think about it?" ...a couple seconds pass, a very thoughtful look on HL's young face.... "Mommy, is it because girls don't have penises?" "Well, yes, as a matter of fact it is." And he was satisfied with that answer. Guess I better start thinking about how to answer those impending "difficult questions" already...

Why isn't this a front page story?

From Regime Change Iran: Richard Miniter, PajamasMedia asked why this past week's arrest of Iranian military officers in Iraq hasn't gained the attention of the mainstream media. A few excerpts:... I quite agree with Dr. Zin and Richard Minter. Why isn't the detention of Iranian Military officers not a front page story? He quotes the rest of the story. Go read it.

Another Essay

Here is the last essay I wrote for English 121 this year. Since we will soon be in '07, I thought it was appropriate to post something that might tempt a few people to commit to seeking professional counseling for their alcohol addiction in the coming year. If you promise to cut back in '07 and you can't follow through, it's a good bet your an alcoholic. At the very least you have a drinking problem and should seriously evaluate your drinking behavior. To those of you who think you might have a drinking problem, but are afraid to quit 'cause you can't imagine life without alcohol, I have a couple words of advice. First, life on this side is unimaginably better. It is difficult at times. Very hard. As a non practicing alcoholic, though, I have decided that I want me in control not the alcohol, and life is better for it. Secondly, do it now, it only gets worse from here. It makes for a long post so I moved it back to 1997 to symbolize when I quit drinking. I encourage you to click here: Another essay. If you missed it, here is the first.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas or a happy Jer's Day as the case may be. On Jer's day eve we celebrated my birthday with a delicious homemade chocolate pie and prime rib. Today we feasted on The Honey Baked Ham Store spiral cut ham and The Honey Baked Ham Store turkey breast. Simply the best! Thank you everyone! Oh, and as an extra special gift, Tony Romo threw a touchdown pass that sends me to the HIL Kind Bowl XII. RIGHT ON!

The Snow Tunnel

Dad and Hubby started, simultaneously yet in different locations, to create snow tunnels. They eventually got together and finished just one tunnel. One very small tunnel. The kids were hesitant about entering- HL crawled in a tiny bit, but reversed his way out. Only I was crazy (or is it stupid?) enough to brave the snow tunnel... My head is probably about a third of the way through at this point. And this is where my arms became pinned against my sides. Ever so slight panic at first, but I persevered. Stuck. Can't move my arms, can barely squirm forward. Nothing left to do but laugh. Hysterically. Made it! Hallelujah!! And in hindsight, I would even do it again. A definite adventure, one I will remember for years to come. Plus, I learned that I can squeeze through a tight snow tunnel- crucial info. Should come in handy one day.

Just sharin' some snow fun photos....

AW can barely be seen peeking over the snow tunnel. A very proud HL, in front of his snow "warrior". Made completely by him.

Blizzard of 2006

Sometime Tuesday, late at night, it started. And it didn't stop until Thursday around noon. Not a peaceful snow, full of grace. Oh no, it was a snow with purpose behind it; the purpose of snowing in any who live in its path. And it succeeded. We (our state) have thousands of people stranded in DIA still (one of which is our great friend), a pregnant woman who went into labor had to be lifted out of her house with a front end loader, the National Guard had to come rescue many people stuck in their cars in the middle of a major highway, and four of my coworkers were forced to stay in other peoples' homes. One enjoyable consequence is that I just enjoyed my very first snow day ever in the 6 years that I've been with the animal hospital. While I sat inside and stayed warm, all four of my boys went out to play (Hubby, HL, AW, and the dog). Hubby was as, if not more, excited than both boys put together. He loves this stuff. He spent three to four hours out there shoveling so we could get out of our driveway. I was feeling bad that I wasn't able to help him (we only have one shovel- only need one shovel ever), until I realized that he wasn't working at shoveling so much as he was building a snow fort! Here are a few shots from today: You can't really tell in this picture, but between me and the For Sale sign is a huge drift. Getting bundled to go play. He asked almost non-stop to go outside during the blizzard. "Daddy, I stuck!" Hard at "work" building a fort. Actually, in this picture HL is refining the gunport that Daddy created. After all, what good is a fort without access to your enemies? Here's the dog, scoring a nice of snack of walnuts. The very walnuts that our youngest tossed out for the hungry squirrels. That's okay, AW didn't mind throwing out more. Not one bit. And the aftermath.

Remember 2006

Here is a review of 2006 you won't find in the paper. From Mudville Gazette. (HT Instapundit) I especially liked this bit in response to Hillary Clinton's request to investigate military issue body armor. The Armed Services Committee did hold hearings - but prior commitments kept Senator Clinton from attending. She didn't really start the fire on this one, however. This (then-) new version of the armor uproar began when the organization Soldiers for the Truth obtained and released a copy of a classified military report detailing the vulnerabilities of the body armor (it doesn't protect every square inch of the wearer's flesh). The story was the biggest of the day in January 2006, and while now all but forgotten, the subsequent increase in successful sniper killings of US troops has been well covered. Emphasis added.

Potty Time

Finally got AW to sit on the potty! This was no easy feat, let me tell you. He was terrified of the big hole- which, if I were his size, would seem a bit intimidating. So, the other day he was begging for a popsicle. Mommy got smart. I said he could have his coveted popsicle, as long as he ate it on the potty. And he did! Hallelujah! We're moving in the right direction at last. By this look in his eye, though, I'd say he thinks Mommy's the one that got suckered....

Just Sharin'

... and here is the present for Tanner.

Just Sharin'

Look at the camera dang it! This is the best picture of the bunch... and also the 300th post.

Just Sharin'

MMMMM. Popsicles.

Merry Jer's Day to Ya

As you may know, my birthday falls on Christmas. Most people assume that it sucks. I have really enjoyed it, despite getting birthday pumpkin pie... Everyone goes out of their way to tell me happy birthday, and at all of the Family Christmas functions I go to, I generally get a cake and more presents. Top that! In fact, I enjoy my birthday so much I'd like to spread the joy. I would ask those of you who hate Christmas, for what ever reason, to help me celebrate my birthday. Send Happy Birthday Jer cards to all your friends and family, place Happy Birthday Jer gifts under your Happy Birthday Jer tree and don't forget to put up Happy Birthday Jer lights on your house, (I don't care for the all blue strands). Oh, and be sure to sing Jer's Birthday carols to your neighbors in the middle of the night. Traditional Jer's Birthday dinner includes: 7 layer bean dip, green bean casserole, cheesy potato casserole, your favorite stuffing, turkey, ham and rolls with lots of real butter. You can skip the funky Jello salad stuff. You'll also need generous helpings of your favorite birthday cake or pie, you'll need 35 candles this year. I do not drink anymore, but feel free to raise a glass or two or five of your own. If you raise five, stay the night where you are and sleep among friends. Merry Jer's Day to ya, and have a happy New Year.

If You Know an Alcoholic..

This information is found in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism FAQ. If you know someone who has a drinking problem this may help. Pay particular attention to the suggestion that if you get an alcoholic to agree to treatment you are ready to get in the car right then and go. Don't wait, 'cause us alcoholics can talk ourselves out of getting help pretty easy. Here is a national locator of treatment facilities from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. If you have a family physician, ask him or her where alcoholics can get help locally. Most importantly, be involved, the problem will not go away on it's own. You may not be able to force them into treatment, but you can help them accept that they have a problem. Don't protect the alcoholic by covering for them, they need to experience the full consequences of their destructive behavior. Without the help of My Bueatiful Wife I would have never sought help... Thanks Hon. If an alcoholic is unwilling to get help, what can you do about it? This can be a challenge. An alcoholic can't be forced to get help except under certain circumstances, such as a violent incident that results in court-ordered treatment or medical emergency. But you don't have to wait for someone to "hit rock bottom" to act. Many alcoholism treatment specialists suggest the following steps to help an alcoholic get treatment: Stop all "cover ups." Family members often make excuses to others or try to protect the alcoholic from the results of his or her drinking. It is important to stop covering for the alcoholic so that he or she experiences the full consequences of drinking. Time your intervention. The best time to talk to the drinker is shortly after an alcohol-related problem has occurred--like a serious family argument or an accident. Choose a time when he or she is sober, both of you are fairly calm, and you have a chance to talk in private. Be specific. Tell the family member that you are worried about his or her drinking. Use examples of the ways in which the drinking has caused problems, including the most recent incident. State the results. Explain to the drinker what you will do if he or she doesn't go for help--not to punish the drinker, but to protect yourself from his or her problems. What you say may range from refusing to go with the person to any social activity where alcohol will be served, to moving out of the house. Do not make any threats you are not prepared to carry out. Get help. Gather information in advance about treatment options in your community. If the person is willing to get help, call immediately for an appointment with a treatment counselor. (emphasis added by me) Offer to go with the family member on the first visit to a treatment program and/or an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Call on a friend. If the family member still refuses to get help, ask a friend to talk with him or her using the steps just described. A friend who is a recovering alcoholic may be particularly persuasive, but any person who is caring and nonjudgmental may help. The intervention of more than one person, more than one time, is often necessary to coax an alcoholic to seek help. Find strength in numbers. With the help of a health care professional, some families join with other relatives and friends to confront an alcoholic as a group. This approach should only be tried under the guidance of a health care professional who is experienced in this kind of group intervention. Get support. It is important to remember that you are not alone. Support groups offered in most communities include Al-Anon, which holds regular meetings for spouses and other significant adults in an alcoholic's life, and Alateen, which is geared to children of alcoholics. These groups help family members understand that they are not responsible for an alcoholic's drinking and that they need to take steps to take care of themselves, regardless of whether the alcoholic family member chooses to get help. (See Question 19 for referral to support groups.) You can call the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment) at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for information about treatment programs in your local community and to speak to someone about an alcohol problem.