The Fun Fair

Every year our elementary school holds a "Fun Fair."  We always make a few donations, but oddly enough, something always comes up and we aren't able to go; not that I'm complaining.  Most school fairs, carnivals, etc. are overcrowded madhouses that leave parents frazzled and kids disappointed.

This year, I wasn't planning on making any special effort to go to the Fun Fair, but at the last minute a desperate plea for junior high school volunteers was sent out, so I encouraged Ashley and her friend to volunteer to work a shift.  Basically, she and her friend manned a carnival game for a few hours and gave out prizes.  In turn, they were given a free lunch and punch card to play the games after their shift.

Of course, since Ashley was there, I took Paige over to play.  It was crowded but not overcrowded.  The teachers graciously push all their classroom furniture to the side and allow the games to be set up in the classrooms which really helps with flow of people.  Usually at events like this every activity and every person is stuffed into the gym.  In this case, the gym which is huge at our school (double courts) was reserved for concessions and inflatable jump houses.

I was also pleasantly surprised at the reasonable prices of all the activities.  It is a PTA fundraiser but I didn't feel like I was getting nickeled-and-dimed.  For about $10 Paige got to play all the games, jump on inflatables eat lunch and cotton candy, get a "rock star" hair-do from the local kids hair salon, and leave with some decent prizes.

Needless to say the kids had tons of fun.  Now, I kind of feel bad for not going the past two years.  (I'm also convinced that the parent volunteer who organizes this thing is a saint!)

Homemade Security System

This is our driveway leading into our house:

This is the back patio leading to our backdoor:

Both are a DEATHTRAP.  Solid ice sheets that scream, " go ahead, walk on me and break your leg or crack your head open!"

Of course with windchills at -20, there isn't a thing we can do about it.  For now, I am just considering it a homemade security system---Chicago-style.

If you would like to know how to get some of these for yourself, here is the process:
-first you need a little snow, perferably the heavy wet kind,
-follow that up with some freezing rain,
-then go for 4 or 5 days of freezing temperatures, you gotta get some subzero thermostat readings,
-add in some wind, creating windchills at -20 or more,
-don't forget to have some school kids walk on it for a few days to really pack the ice or even better drive your car over it every day.
-finally, don't worry about salting your driveway, it won't work and you'll just end up tracking all those lovely salt crystals into your house.
ENJOY!

MLK Family Holiday

Since we all had Monday off, we decided to get out of the house for a little fun (and use up some gift cards we had lying around.)

Paige really wanted to go to Airtastic, an indoor place filled with all sorts of inflatable toys.  The girls "tuckered" themselves out sliding, climbing, and jumping.

After this, the girls were hot and tired and so even though it was freezing outside, we stopped by 7-Eleven for Slurpees.  Then we hit the library for some books and DVDs.  Afterwards, we had an early dinner at Tommy Nevins Irish Pub. 

Then it was home for a low key evening.  Ashley, Dave and I did a few chores to get ready for the next day, while Paige played with a friend...not sure how she got out of the work, but she's got some stuff waiting for her today!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.

-----Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here is the birthday card Paige made for Martin Luther King, Jr,:

Sometimes when we have always lived one way, we forget that there was once another, more terrible way.

An Extra Day Off

The girls only had a 1/2 day of school on the Friday before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day so they had some friends comeover that afternoon for lunch and some girl time.

After pizza, brownies, and some apples, the big girls got busy playing Just Dance2 on the Wii.

 Just Dance2 is almost as much fun to watch as it is to play.

Meanwhile the little girls did what little girls do: pretend, laugh, scream and chase each other...there are also a lot of Barbies and stuffed animals involved.

2011 Reading List

I've been in a bit of a reading funk lately.  I have been re-reading a lot of books like Harry Potter the Deathly Hallows and Les Miserables, but I also haven't been as motivated as a reader either.  Total books read for this year is 75...down a little from last year.

I have given up some of my usual reading time to my new little hobby of watching documentaries.  I told Dave that since I have always had more of a interest in non-fiction, I'm the stay-at-home mom who watches documentaries instead of soap operas.  I have to say there are no bon-bons involved but it is keeping me from books.  On the other hand, ask me about the Milton Hershey boarding school, segregation in Mississippi in 2008, honor killings in Jordan, hair weaves, or Edie Beale and have I got some information for you!

Anyways, I'm hoping an enticing new to-read book list will be just the remedy I need.  So I am going to start with the Chicago Tribune's 10 must-read books of the year.  Here they are:

1-How to Read the Air by Dinaw Mengestu
2-William Trevor: Selected Stories
3-A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
4-The Shallows:What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr
5-I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman
6-Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
7-Agents of Treachery edited by Otto Penzler
8-The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
9-Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny
10-The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

I don't know if I will make it through all of them but numbers 1, 8, and 10 have piqued my interest, so did 6..but then I read it.

2011

Happy New Year! 

Sickness kept our family home for New Year's this time around, no pictures of that.   But both girls managed stay up until midnight thanks to a couple of movies from Redbox. 

As for 2011, not making any resolutions.  2010 was very good to our family.  We had a lot of fun, did amazing things, had some great adventures and made lots of good memories.  This year I can't ask for more.  I'm just going to try and be a more grateful, wise, and loving person, no small order.