Survivorman-and Turtles!

There is a show we just started watching on the Science Channel called, "Survivorman".
The premise involves a man who is dropped blindly into various wilderness situations for seven days
and needs to live off the land, create shelter and find food-all to survive.

B, myself and the boys watched enthralled, cuddling on the couch.
It was all very interesting-until Survivorman announced he was hungry and was going to make a trap
to catch catfish, frogs or a...gulp...turtle!

Well, this didn't sit very well with Aaron, (who has a pet red eared slider turtle named Mr. Stripes).
"What do you mean he is going to catch a turtle? He's not going to eat it- Ahhwwww..."

"Maybe he'll catch a catfish" I said, hopefully. The next scene showed Survivorman's trap with, what else, a turtle.

Quick edit, and the next shot shows a turtle foot roasting over the open flames.

Aaron started to cry.

As the show progressed, Aaron dried his tears. Survivorman spoke about how the long, dark, cold nights made him lonely and he wished for his family.
"He should get a pet turtle!" Nolan suggested dryly.

B and I had a good laugh over that one.

Throughout the show Survivorman cooked various wild culinary delights such as frog, rattlesnake and the turtle.
But he was still hungry. He spoke about trying to catch a catfish, or perhaps a turtle, or another frog or fix the trap to accomodate another turtle.

"He said turtle two times!!!" Aaron said dismayed.

Mr. Stripes is a very lucky pet.

You Wish You Could Take Their Pain Away...

-For any parent who has had a sick child;
whether terminal, illness, the common cold
or watching your child get immunizations.

You would switch places in a heartbeat.

Right now Aaron has strep throat and he definitely
is not himself.
His throat is bright red with white spots, and his neck is
lumpy.
He's lethargic, but not cranky.
I love his spirit.

The View from Robin Way's Front Yard...

I love winter in California!
That was some cold rain.

Pictures of Aaron's Birthday Party

Thanks to everyone who made it such a special day for Aaron!

Here is a link to the pictures...

Happy Birthday Aaron!!

Seven years ago today my baby Spikes was born!

Happy Birthday Aaron,
We all love you!

Warning! The following link is educational and fun:

(The title is the link)

Be prepared to spend some time and trip out on
the illusions!
Lots of fun. Mr. Nolan found this site.

The matchstick game could be addicting...

Sometimes there is a comfort in nothing to say....

-Life has been good this past week.
Wait- I mean, it's been life.

Ups and downs, sometimes mostly downs,
but there is a comfort in knowing that it's normal.

If things were good all the time, how would you know how good it feels when it's really good?

You need the bad as a benchmark, a sort of indicator how to gauge the good times.

It helps to remind how lucky we really are, and how good we really have it.

I mean HOW GOOD we really have it...

God Bless,

Grandparents Day at Hope Lutheran 2006

Grandparents and Special Friends Day is a yearly tradition at the boys' school.
This year they were lucky enough to have Grandma Gayle and Grandma Leigh,
as well as cousins Kayah and Kush in attendance for them.

The children sang special songs and recited poems they wrote.
Nolan also read stories he had written about his grandparents,
complete with illustrations.

I feel so fortunate to have such loving, committed and truly caring grandparents in my children's lives.

So, for all of the grandparents: a heartfelt THANK YOU
for being who you are, and having such a profound and respected influence on them.
The love continues each day...

"What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor,
comfort, lessons in life.
And, most importantly, cookies."
~Rudolph Giuliani