Why?

Ethan has been sick for the past few days so I have been flakey. So sorry. In our absence, here are some thoughts to ponder.

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?
Why do banks charge a fee for "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars but check when you say the paint is wet?
Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?
Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?
Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?
Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?
Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?
If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?
Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?
Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?
Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?
Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?
Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?
How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?
When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, "It's all right?" Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, "That hurt, you stupid idiot?"
Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?
In winter, why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?
How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?
One last thought......
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you!

Apple Orchard

Ethan's kindergarten class went on a field trip to an apple orchard, and I went as a chaperone. The hour long (each way) bus ride was a little hard on the tush, but it was fun listening to all of the kids. They thought it was hilarious to have a bunch of adults on the school bus with them. We took a tour of the processing plant, and watched the people hand pick and pack bags of apples. We also watched them make apple cider, and of course we got to sample some. They had an area where the kids could choose their own apples, where they picked one red and one green apple.

Checker Champ

Ethan has always liked to play checkers. Here he is playing with his Grandma last March. It all started several years ago when he and Glen would go to the local coffee shop on Saturday mornings and pretend to play, since he was too young to really "get it." Well, somewhere along the line, he pretty much mastered it, and has since gone on to like chess even more. Losing to him at checkers is fine, but losing to chess is embarrassing. I really try, but somehow he really seems to see the moves ahead of time and in 7 out of 10 games, he beats me. Oh well. I like Uno better anyway.

It's all about Star Wars

Everything has been about Star Wars for the past few months. Living right next door to the library is pretty neat. We can go look at books whenever we feel like it. Of course he has checked out all of the Star Wars books they have. He went to a Star Wars birthday party this weekend and had light saber battles and drank Yoda Soda. He still loves his Darth Vader voice changer that Aunt Jude got for him during her visit last November. The light saber video game he got for Christmas is hard on the wrist, but challenging. I can't imagine what his next obsession will be.

Last Month . . .

This was back on December 1, 2005. It was our first snow. After Ethan got ready for school, he asked if he could go out and throw snowballs at Dad. The snow lasted for a few weeks, but was completely gone by the time Christmas rolled around. We were hoping to have a white Christmas, but it was not to be. It hasn't snowed or rained much since then. Everyone keeps telling us how it has been a pretty mild winter so far. That's fine with us, though, since our driveway could double as an airline runway. Ethan says he will help shovel when the time comes. We'll see.

The first in the series...

I have been trying to organize my digital photos for the past week or so. I am totally overwhelmed. Even though when I download them from the camera, they are automatically filed by year/month/date, I have so many I need to do something. I also have sub-files for events, but they, too, are becoming unmanagable. In going through them, I have found so many I forgot about since I haven't developed most of them yet. I am going to start posting my favorite pictures (pretty much all of Ethan).
This is the first. It was back in October of 2004. Ethan and Glen were doing some wooden pumpkin painting in the garage. He so rarely gets into crafts, I love this.

I'm a little sad. I just packed up a bunch of Ethan's books that he is no longer reading. We loved reading these so much, I'm sad to see them go. It is a good thing, because he's reading "real" books now and doesn't need these any more. These are the big board page books. His Aunt Jude got these for him before he was even born. She worked for the company that published them.
I'll probably remember the sing-song poems of these books forever, we have read them so many times. Now I have to memorize which ship does what and carries who from the Star Wars books he has now. That's a little more difficult.

The A to Z of Me

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I thought I would post this since I have no idea what else to write right now.

A-Age: 36
B-Bed size: California King
C-Chore you hate: Dishes – pots and pans specifically
D-Dessert you love: Lemon Meringue or Chocolate Silk Pie
E-Essential start your day item: Shower
F-Favorite actor(s): Sean Connery, John Cusack
G-Gold or Silver: Silver
H-Height: 5’6”
I-Instruments you play: None, although I have tried quite a few
J-Job title: Domestic Engineer
K-Keeping track of your day: Alarms on my cell phone
L-Living arrangements: House in the suburbs next door to a church
M-Mom's name: Betty (Elizabeth)
N-Not liking right now: Packing up all the Christmas decorations and lights
O-Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Giving birth (2 nights)
P-Phobia: Bridges
Q-Quote you like: Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
R-Right or left handed: Right, married to a lefty
S-Siblings: Older sister Judy
T-Time you woke up today: 11:00 – but it’s New Year’s Day! Everyone sleeps in, don’t they?
U-Unique habit: Standing like a flamingo (one foot rests on the other knee)
V-Vegetable you hate: Peas
W-Worst habit: Saying “Dude”
X-X-rays you've had: Ankle, Knee, Head, Hand (from an accident) and of course Teeth
Y-Yummy food you can make: Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
Z-Zodiac sign: Virgo