Look What We Found...

...when we woke up this morning! There appears to be about 7 or 8 inches out there and it's still heavily coming down. Here in Northern Indiana, we tend to get a little something in the winter called "Lake Effect Snow." For those of you who don't live in the Great Lakes region, I'll let you goog it. For those of you who do, I know you can sympathize.

This is about what it looks like.

"When it snows, ain't it thrilling,
Though your nose gets a chilling.
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way
Walking 'In-di-ana' Wonderland."

Election Party '08

Any homeschoolers out there having an Election Party?

WE ARE!!!

As the results are coming in, Jacob is coloring his own results poster - and really having a blast with it! He was pretty thrilled to see them doing the same thing on tv at the Rockefeller Ice Rink.

In between stated results, we've been reading about funny presidential firsts - like Harrison being the first in the White House to get shocked, Nixon being the first to visit all 50 states and the first to China, Adams being the first to move into the "President's House", while the plaster walls were still wet!

We also wanted to make some Election Snacks, but since we had dinner late, we decided to just think of funny food names instead. With the given names, we are having a hard time. So far, we've come up with Palin-ini (Panini), Long John McCains (donuts), Palin-cakes (pancakes), Take a Biden of my Cake and for us, teachers, the Barack-a-tini (heh heh). Well, too late for snacks... but maybe not for the Barack-a-tini.

So many fun things to do - what are you doing?
Oh, and don't forget to let your kids vote online HERE!

You Just Never Know...

Yes. I am a coffee snob. (haha I just typed snoT - Froidian slip)
Coffee makes me happy. My husband teases that I keep Starbucks in business. But, you know, it seems to be the best, affordable, coffee that I can buy. I'm sorry. The other "affordable" coffees just don't compare. And really, it's not *JUST* about the coffee - I like going INTO Starbucks. People are interesting; the atmosphere is relaxing; art shows are great!
Life's little pleasures, and this is one of mine.

Yesterday, me, hubby and son, went out for a little bit of shopping. I wanted to quickly grab another pound of coffee while we were around Starbucks. There were 4 or 5 people in the cafe milling about. My husband says to me, "That's Forest Whitaker!" I was like..Whaaatt? No it's not. (he had his back turned) Sure enough, it was him stopping for a nice cup of joe. My social butterfly husband had no qualms about going up and introducing himself. So, we met and talked for a quick bit about the State of Indiana. He had been out in that area canvasing for Obama. I'm sure it is no surprise that he was a very fine gentleman with kind eyes and genuine smile. He even took the time to write this for our son.

You never know what you might find at Starbucks.
Just another reason why I keep them in business.

**If you need, yet, another good reason to hit Starbucks - they are giving away a free tall coffee to everyone that comes in after voting on Nov. 4th. If you stop at Krispy Kreme and show your "I voted" sticker, they'll give you a free donut. Hey!!! There's a free breakfast! Then, for lunch, head over to Chic-Fil-A and grab a free sandwich while showing your sticker, and follow that up at Ben and Jerry's for a free "voter" scoop of ice cream! What is this country coming to? Bribing our citizens with food when the luxury should just be the right to vote.**

Daddy-Time v/s Mommy -Time

We all need to have time with our children - I'm talking well spent, quality time. On the contrary, we need time to ourselves, BY ourselves too! Last night, was one of those times for all of us.

DADDY-TIME: On Friday, my husband got a phone call from a dear friend, telling him he was given four tickets to last night's White Sox v/s Red Sox Baseball game at Cellular Field in Chicago - two rows up from the White Sox dug out - did he and Jacob want to go? 'Nuff said!

My loving husband, the caring person he is, didn't want me to feel bad about staying home alone. (are you kidding? I relish these moments!) I told him to go...enjoy...have a GREAT time with your son - add to that "museum of memories" that we consistently try to create for him. As a devoted (and excited!) father, he left work early, got a backpack packed, grabbed Jacob and hit the skyway! Now, since Friday, Jacob has only known that he and daddy were going to do something special together - at this point in the car, he still didn't know for sure where he was headed.


Surprise!! Talk about one excited little boy! His first major league baseball game (that he can remember) AND first White Sox Game! Well, they ended up getting there a bit early, but that just added to the excitement. Good thing they WERE there early because as they were waiting, a limo pulled up and out walked Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), actor from Return of the Jedi (amongst many other flicks). He was there to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Kurt & Jacob walked right up to him and got to shake his hand! What an added surprise that was - oohh, just wait...it keeps getting better.

They finally got into the park, ate a hot dog "as big as your head," (according to Jacob) and there was Nick Swisher signing autographs - and holding babies and all of the other fun things great baseball players do. Anyway, he signs Jacob's baseball glove (now we have to buy another one before next season) and Kurt's ticket stub! Pretty cool for Sox Fans right? Well now, batting practice starts to wrap up - as Jermaine Dye jogs in, Kurt nods to him, he nods back and the next thing they knew - Dye tossed both of his batting gloves up to Jacob - complete with pine tar and sweat! Ahhh, can't beat the smell of schweatty leather, now can ya?

Not enough for you? Can't stand the excitement? Jacob ALSO got chosen to run around on top of the Sox dug out and throw t-shirts out to the crowd - along with getting to bring one home for himself!


After the game, just to wrap things up, Jim Thome tossed a brand new, major league practice baseball up to Jacob. For having free tickets, he sure came home with a lot of stuff - and more precious than that, a lot of great, Daddy-time memories.

MOMMY-TIME: "Wow! It's only two in the afternoon and I'm going to be by my-SELF until midnight tonight - what should I do? I don't know what to do! I don't even have to cook dinner! Hmm..I know. I think I'll drive BY MYSELF over to JC Penny - WITH the windows down
...and the radio turned up really loud."

MOMMY-TIME WRAPPED UP IN ONE SENTENCE: Got a $49 purse for $3.19 and a $7.00 Gyro plate, complete with fries and a pickle.


Good Times.