Daniel is a VERY picky eater. There are only about 15 foods he is willing to eat. He tries nothing new. Chicken nuggets is the only "meat" he eats.
Anyway, one of his favorite foods is a cream cheese sandwich on cinnamon bread. He has been eating this for a little over a year and he does vary it. Sometimes he wants it toasted, sometimes open faced, sometimes cut in fours, etc. Whatever it is, though, it is a trend. He doesn't vary from meal to meal or from day to day. (And he does eat cream cheese sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner -- but, not all in one day).
Currently, the order is always "Cream cheese sandwich, not toasted, yes top." I got to thinking about the "yes top" the other day and wondered where that came from. And it made perfect sense. The opposite would be "Cream cheese sandwich, not toasted, no top." So it stands to reason that if he wants a top it would be "Cream cheese sandwich, not toasted, yes top."
OK, that's enough thinking for me for one day.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
There must be a better way
Today in New Jersey it is snowing. The forecast was for snow to begin at about 6 am, so I thought there might be no school. However, when we woke this morning at 6 -- no snow. I checked the website and there was no message posted about school cancelation, so I woke everyone and off they all went to school (except for Daniel who has a cold and has been hanging with me ALL week! Ugh!). By about 9:30 am the snow had started and I began to think early dismissal.
So, I, in my infinite wisdom, saw a small window of opportunity to run a couple of quick Christmas errands. Off I went in the snow to Bed, Bath & Beyond, Michael's and Target. While in Michael's my cell phone rang -- the automated message that school's are dismissing early due to the inclement weather. OK, no problem -- it is only 10:45 and Brooke and Kevin won't be dismissed until 12:15 -- ONWARD! As I am checking out, my cell phone rings again. Someone from MLK School is calling (mind you, I have no children at MLK) regarding Brandon (my friend Lana's son). They can't get in touch with her and want to be sure that someone will be picking him up. I tell them that I will get in touch with her. Call Lana on her cell. Two minutes later -- a call from Randolphville regarding Julia (my friend Jessica's daughter). They can't get in touch with her and want to be sure someone will be at the bus stop to meet her. I tell them I will get in touch with her and if I can't I will pick Julia up myself (Mark is at Randolphville, too). Call Jessica on her cell -- no answer. Call Jessica at home.
Now why, if Jessica is at home and Lana easily reachable on her cell, are they calling me? Well, it seems that when the emergency list is called they start with the emergency list and not the home and cell numbers for the parents. So, if you did not put yourself as the #1 emergency contact, then you aren't even called. But it doesn't make sense to put yourself since all of your contact numbers are listed on the "information" part of the form. Why would you put them again in the "emergency" section. Most people just assumed that parents would be called first and that emergency numbers used if parents couldn't be reached. WRONG!
At this point I decided it was time to give up my shopping and head for home, since I couldn't get anything done with my phone constantly ringing!
Anyway, to wrap up, in total I received 4 automated phone calls (2 at home and 2 on my cell), 1 call for Lana's son, 1 call for Jessica's daughter, and NO calls for my own children! BTW, my parents also received at least 1 automated call.
I think we need to find a way to streamline this process so that I can make more efficient use of what little time I have available on a snowy day when the kids are coming home early!
So, I, in my infinite wisdom, saw a small window of opportunity to run a couple of quick Christmas errands. Off I went in the snow to Bed, Bath & Beyond, Michael's and Target. While in Michael's my cell phone rang -- the automated message that school's are dismissing early due to the inclement weather. OK, no problem -- it is only 10:45 and Brooke and Kevin won't be dismissed until 12:15 -- ONWARD! As I am checking out, my cell phone rings again. Someone from MLK School is calling (mind you, I have no children at MLK) regarding Brandon (my friend Lana's son). They can't get in touch with her and want to be sure that someone will be picking him up. I tell them that I will get in touch with her. Call Lana on her cell. Two minutes later -- a call from Randolphville regarding Julia (my friend Jessica's daughter). They can't get in touch with her and want to be sure someone will be at the bus stop to meet her. I tell them I will get in touch with her and if I can't I will pick Julia up myself (Mark is at Randolphville, too). Call Jessica on her cell -- no answer. Call Jessica at home.
Now why, if Jessica is at home and Lana easily reachable on her cell, are they calling me? Well, it seems that when the emergency list is called they start with the emergency list and not the home and cell numbers for the parents. So, if you did not put yourself as the #1 emergency contact, then you aren't even called. But it doesn't make sense to put yourself since all of your contact numbers are listed on the "information" part of the form. Why would you put them again in the "emergency" section. Most people just assumed that parents would be called first and that emergency numbers used if parents couldn't be reached. WRONG!
At this point I decided it was time to give up my shopping and head for home, since I couldn't get anything done with my phone constantly ringing!
Anyway, to wrap up, in total I received 4 automated phone calls (2 at home and 2 on my cell), 1 call for Lana's son, 1 call for Jessica's daughter, and NO calls for my own children! BTW, my parents also received at least 1 automated call.
I think we need to find a way to streamline this process so that I can make more efficient use of what little time I have available on a snowy day when the kids are coming home early!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
This guy takes his job a little too seriously
I went to Lube Express to have my oil changed yesterday. Admittedly, it had been too long -- it has been on my to-do list since October or so. Yesterday was cold and rainy and I didn't feel like being in and out of stores, yet didn't want to be inside cleaning and doing laundry all day, so Daniel and I hit the McDonald's drive-thru and headed to Lube Express for an "in the car picnic."
Well it is a little tough to enjoy your lunch when the Lube Express guy, Matt, is ripping you a new you-know-what for not having your oil changed regularly enough! Yes, I know it had been 9,000 miles. But, what does he care? You would think he had birthed my engine himself and given it to me to take care of! He kept going on and on about the damage I am doing to my engine and that it is highly recommended that I flush the engine (for $99), and that I was more than a quart low, and that oil gets burned onto all of the engine parts, and on and on and on.
So, I call Eric at work and tell him "Hey, this guy and Lube Express is quite disturbed by the fact that I haven't had the oil changed in a while and highly recommends that we have the engine flushed. What should I do?" And Eric, of course, says "Don't do it." And I say, "Well, geez, this guy is really upset about the condition of the engine, etc., etc. He highly recommends that we do this." And Eric replies, "Don't do it."
OK, so I had to tell this guy "No, we'll pass on the engine flush." Given the obvious gravity of the situation, I expected him to cry. But, he took it like a man and told me that we were going to keep burning oil if we don't do it, but that is our decision. And next time he wants to see me in 3,000 miles.
Yeah right! Like I want to go back there again!
(Well, actually I probably will go back there again. I get these coupons for a $19.99 oil change and they are right there by McDonald's. It is just too easy. Let's just hope Matt isn't working that day!)
Well it is a little tough to enjoy your lunch when the Lube Express guy, Matt, is ripping you a new you-know-what for not having your oil changed regularly enough! Yes, I know it had been 9,000 miles. But, what does he care? You would think he had birthed my engine himself and given it to me to take care of! He kept going on and on about the damage I am doing to my engine and that it is highly recommended that I flush the engine (for $99), and that I was more than a quart low, and that oil gets burned onto all of the engine parts, and on and on and on.
So, I call Eric at work and tell him "Hey, this guy and Lube Express is quite disturbed by the fact that I haven't had the oil changed in a while and highly recommends that we have the engine flushed. What should I do?" And Eric, of course, says "Don't do it." And I say, "Well, geez, this guy is really upset about the condition of the engine, etc., etc. He highly recommends that we do this." And Eric replies, "Don't do it."
OK, so I had to tell this guy "No, we'll pass on the engine flush." Given the obvious gravity of the situation, I expected him to cry. But, he took it like a man and told me that we were going to keep burning oil if we don't do it, but that is our decision. And next time he wants to see me in 3,000 miles.
Yeah right! Like I want to go back there again!
(Well, actually I probably will go back there again. I get these coupons for a $19.99 oil change and they are right there by McDonald's. It is just too easy. Let's just hope Matt isn't working that day!)
Monday, December 15, 2008
Y-intercepts and slopes and graphs, oh my!
Yes, I am back on the topic of Algebra. This is going to be the year of Algebra. I just can't get away from it. Kind of like a recurring nightmare.
Last night, before the last of my party guests was even out the driveway, Brooke came into the living room and said "Can Caitlyn come over? We have an algebra assignment due tomorrow that we can't figure out and she thinks that if we work together we can get it." Well, as always, I was a good sport and agreed. So, in a blink of an eye, Caitlyn and her dad were at the door. I told her Dad that I would be happy to drive her home when they were done (I don't know what came over me!), but he said he had nothing better to do and would wait ("Would you like to help clean up my kitchen? I just had 36 people here for a party").
So, the girls settled in the living room to compare their work. And I sat down to try and help. I didn't even remember that y-intercepts and slopes existed and I definitely didn't remember that they could be graphed! But it is like riding a bike. Well, maybe not quite that easy, but I was able to help a little and an hour and a half later Caitlyn and her Dad (who had been watching the Giants-Cowboys game in my family room by himself while Eric put Daniel to bed -- he even let the dog out!) were on their merry way with the assigment done to everyone's satisfaction.
Gee, I hope we get a good grade!
Last night, before the last of my party guests was even out the driveway, Brooke came into the living room and said "Can Caitlyn come over? We have an algebra assignment due tomorrow that we can't figure out and she thinks that if we work together we can get it." Well, as always, I was a good sport and agreed. So, in a blink of an eye, Caitlyn and her dad were at the door. I told her Dad that I would be happy to drive her home when they were done (I don't know what came over me!), but he said he had nothing better to do and would wait ("Would you like to help clean up my kitchen? I just had 36 people here for a party").
So, the girls settled in the living room to compare their work. And I sat down to try and help. I didn't even remember that y-intercepts and slopes existed and I definitely didn't remember that they could be graphed! But it is like riding a bike. Well, maybe not quite that easy, but I was able to help a little and an hour and a half later Caitlyn and her Dad (who had been watching the Giants-Cowboys game in my family room by himself while Eric put Daniel to bed -- he even let the dog out!) were on their merry way with the assigment done to everyone's satisfaction.
Gee, I hope we get a good grade!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
For Moms...funny!
Follow the link below for an absolutely hilarious rendition of the Mom song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMhuAtyFCrw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMhuAtyFCrw
Monday, December 8, 2008
I'm a moron.
Wow! It sure has been a while since I posted here. Just a long run of days where I just can't get out of my own way.
Here is my latest "boob" moment.
This year, as always, Mark's school sold Entertainment Books as a fundraiser and, as always, I dutifully purchased one. I always have good intentions of taking advantage of tons of coupons and I am lucky if I remember to use the 4 $5 off Shop Rite coupons, which just about cover the $25 cost of the book.
Well, this year even that will be a bit of a challenge since when December 1st came around and I knew that the 2008 book had expired -- I recycled my 2009 book!
Maybe next time I will look at the date a little more carefully before I chuck the damn thing!
Here is my latest "boob" moment.
This year, as always, Mark's school sold Entertainment Books as a fundraiser and, as always, I dutifully purchased one. I always have good intentions of taking advantage of tons of coupons and I am lucky if I remember to use the 4 $5 off Shop Rite coupons, which just about cover the $25 cost of the book.
Well, this year even that will be a bit of a challenge since when December 1st came around and I knew that the 2008 book had expired -- I recycled my 2009 book!
Maybe next time I will look at the date a little more carefully before I chuck the damn thing!
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