You Don't Have To Go Home but You Can't Stay Here

So normally the ducks leave once the pool is less pond like and more pool like but...

We come home from an art show having promised the kids that if they stopped whining about how hot it was at the art show they could go swimming when we got home. They are in their suits within 30 seconds of walking in the door and are headed out (with the dogs) when we notice there is a duck in the pool. No biggie, they usually fly away when the door opens but then we see she is not alone. Eight very cute ducklings are swimming behind her as if they own the place. After about 10 minutes we realize they are quite comfortable and aren't planning to leave on their own anytime soon so B goes out to "encourage" them to leave. Of course, the ducklings, who had no trouble getting into the pool, are too small to get out of the pool. So B makes a step and a ramp and eventually out they go, only to walk to the outside of the pool fence and get comfy in the bushes WHERE THE DOGS CAN GET THEM. Now I can't think of much I would like to deal with less than one of those ducklings becoming part of the food chain in front of my kids. So we try to wait out the ducks. After about 30 minutes A comes in and says "you can let the dogs out, Dad says the ducks are gone from the bushes" I look out the door- the ducks are gone from the bushes because they are back in the pool!! So the whole "encourage them to leave" starts over and they leave the pool and go right back to the bush (ducks are not the smartest animal in the world) B decides it's time to really encourage them to leave so he gets Nevada (65 lbs) on the leash and out they go to motivate momma duck to take her babies elsewhere. Momma duck sees the dog coming and pretends to be injured flapping and flailing so that the dog follows her. Meanwhile the ducklings all run back into the pool. Finally though B did shoo them into our neighbors yard and they haven't been back since.

One of These Things is Not Like the Others

Our local Families with Children from China group provides year round classes for the children in various Chinese arts (music, dance, etc) D is in their version of "Mommy and Me". It is an introduction to some basic language, songs and for the last year or so X has attended the class sporadically as well. He was actually in the class last year. This year the children performed the things they have learned. D was all ready in her princess costume when the teacher realized it was only DW and one other child from the class and we weren't too sure that either of the girls were going on the stage willingly so the teacher recruited X and some other (slightly older) graduates to go up with the little ones to dance. So again, it was X surrounded by a bevy of Chinese girls. He was loving it- up there hamming it up performing to his favorite song from the class. (sorry there aren't more "group" photos to give the feel of the whole performance but I try hard to not post identifiable photos of other people's kids)

We're Baaaack.......

The computer is back with a new logic board, new keyboard and who knows what else- it is running as hot as ever, but doesn't seem to care anymore.  So I guess we are back in business.  So here it goes, to catch everyone up on the busiest two weeks......

Computer Issues

Apparently my computer is going through the electronic version of "the change" and is having issues with overheating. So it is off to the shop tonight to get a new fan (or something) before the service contract runs out on Tuesday. So for the next week or so, we will be picture free for sure (and possibly not posting at all) But please check back soon...

And since I just heard someone in the playroom say "X you can't fly" I am sure we will have lots of fun stories when we return....

Happy Birthday A

Here are the pictures from A's NINTH birthday (I would have posted them sooner but they were playing hide and seek in my hard drive, the rotten little electrons).

Next year will be double digits (which sounds a lot more exciting when you are approaching the big 1-0 and not the big 4-0 like some other people here)

He didn't want a cake "cause I don't like cake" so he compromised on the decorated chocolate chip cookie, which apparently he also doesn't like. Not that it matters- I just needed something to stick the candles into for these photos. And, although A wasn't a big fan (who knew?) I liked it but sadly, so did the dog.

This is a book about the new favorite show in my house "Emergency"- yes the one from the 1970s. In a bizarre coincidence A had, not a few hours before opening the presents, said that he wished someone wrote a behind the scenes book about Emergency. Now if he could just wish I win the lottery.....

Things I Wouldn't Know if I Didn't Have Kids

That ice cream sprinkles are as much, if not more fun, without the ice cream

Last night I used up some grant money I had remaining from a work grant to buy (among other things) toppings for ice cream. The program I received the grant to do concludes with a parent/child pizza and ice cream celebration. I had alot of grant money so I thought I'd buy some extra of the things that can be stored long term (like ice cream sprinkles). I was in the process of sorting out the grocery bags when the phone rang. After about 5 minutes on the phone I realized, mid-sentence, that no one was yelling "Mommy, Mommy" and climbing all over me. Now you know why. That is 3 large bottles of sprinkles with a jar of crumbled Oreo cookies for good measure. And B wonders why our central vac canister seems to get full quickly.

On the plus side, K's occupational therapist wants her to start practicing putting small items into bottles and I did have an uninterrupted phone call.

Looking for a Good Cause???

This is our agency's program in Ethiopia.  They try to keep families together if at all possible, and if not they find loving homes for the children who need permanent families.  They do so much with very little, but the need is so great, and ever growing in light of the global economic decline as well as an increasingly serious famine.  They are a great agency and you can be sure contributions will help the children and families who so desperately need help right now.

http://www.holtinternational.org/ethiopia/famine.shtml

From Famine to a Bright Future Rescuing Children in Ethiopia We have committed to help more than 3,000 needy families get back on their feet and STAY TOGETHER. In addition, hundreds more children have lost their families and need loving homes. With the completion of our first full year in Ethiopia, this is our fastest growing program because of the HUGE NEED. Loving families have stepped up to adopt 70 children so far. Our goal is to find forever homes for at least 150 more children this year. Few of us can take the huge step of adoption, but all of us together can help rescue these children! Our clinic is the only medical facility in a region of 250,000 people.Besides stabilizing children coming into our care, the staff helps desperately poor families and connects them with services to help them stay together. Your gift today helps keep starving families together and finds loving homes for children already abandoned. 1 out of 8 children die before the age of 5 in Ethiopia for lack of basic food and medicine. No wonder desperate parents are bringing their children to us. Hunger is driving many families to give up.They want a brighter future for their children, free from starvation and sickness.