Tweenagers: Tip #1

Never handle a pot full of boiling water and corn on the cob while "discussing" an issue with your tweenager.

A cold shower, much aloe, 28 hours and many ice packs later, my left forearm resembles a bad sunburn.

Toilenated!

We've been toilenated! It's a beautiful sunny day and I looked out the back window to see toilet paper streaming from our little oak tree. Who did it?

RACHEL! She thinks it looks really cool.

Beans

I was talking to a neighbor lady in the grocery store this morning and must have distracted her significantly, because sometime during our little chat she fumbled her find and baked beans oozed onto the floor.

"Oops!" I said, "looks like you spilled the beans!"

Ha! Could ya ever set up a situation like that?! I mean, who gets to say that in a literal sense?!

By the way, my neighbor did not think the situation as funny as I did. I hope she'll still let me borrow her food processor later this week.

No Give-Aways

I'm not going to give away the ending, so you can keep reading (or not).

My predictions given in the previous post were not necessarily in line with book #7, but I must say that I was completely satisfied with JK Rowling's work. She thoroughly explained unanswered questions and gave this reader much to contemplate. I would definitely rank this series comparable with CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.

The themes of love, forgiveness, faithfulness and sacrifice were woven masterfully throughout the series. Well done.

Final Answer

Actually, this is my final prediction about Harry Potter and the ly Hallows:

Severus Snape will kill Voldemort in the final showdown, saving Harry and the wizarding world, intentionally sacrificing himself in the process. As an aside - I believe that Lilly Potter's sister, Petunia Dursley, is magical and that Harry will communicate with Dumbledore through his portrait.

I'm about to wake up Rachel to go purchase the book. I still haven't decided if we will buy one or two.

New Used Car

The Sentra had been acting up for three days. We nursed it to the auto mechanic shop and they drove it periodically through the day yesterday and it reportedly "runs like a champ." We told them to keep it until they figure out what's wrong.

On an unrelated note - Quinn walked to a neighbor's home to let their dogs out (as requested) but ran home worried that people might be watching him "break into the backyard."

"Like, what if somebody calls 9-9-1?! Then what would happen to me?!"

Ummm . . . pretty much nothing.

On another unrelated note - Rachel is at camp so the house is pretty darn quiet.

About Bob -

My friend called tonight and told me about her five-year-old son's imaginary friend, Bob. Yesterday her son and older daughter were arguing loudly about who should buckle Bob's seatbelt. To diffuse the situation, my friend's husband asked how Bob liked church that morning.

Laughter rang out as her little boy explained that Bob didn't get to go to church because nobody let him out of the van! His big sister then triumphantly rationalized that she did not need to buckle Bob's seatbelt because it must have been on the whole time since Bob never left the van.

It's True

I'm a sinner. And in case other kids in Quinn's Sunday school class were unaware of this, he made sure to tell them. He even reported the specific word I used Saturday night when I pulled down the new shade and it unfurled in my hand.

On the way home from church he asked me if he knew all the bad words now or if there are more he could learn from his Uncle Matt.

Family Reunion

I'm sure it's been more than ten years since this crew has been photographed together. Ed, Mike, Sharon, Pat and Cyndy - you're lookin' good! However, it did take a few times for all of them to look in the same direction. Not sure if it was eyesight, hearing or memory . . .

Home Tweet Home

Birdhouses made with the help of PaPa Wayne. Please disregard the air gun. It's use was under close supervision at all times.

Alabama Pictures

Happy Anniversary, Honey! Fifteen years strong. I love you.

They Love Swimming

Here is Quinn with his cousin, Owen. They braved the 70 degree temperatures to have a good ol' time at the local pool. Not sure if they are up to synchronized competition just yet. Still working on remembering not to breath under water.

All About Words

Quinn told me that he was reading a great book about how a knight and his SQUIRREL were fighting to save the kingdom from an evil man. I thought about it a minute before deciding that he must be talking about a SQUIRE. ("Oh, yeah," he replied.)

That's OK. Earlier today he reported that his sister was POSSESSED by baked potato chips. I think he meant to say OBSESSED. Maybe we ought to focus our dinner conversations on things other than Harry and Voldemort.

Disappointed

Overall, I was disappointed in the movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Where was the underlying theme of love being the most powerful force in the universe and thus the only thing that can conquer Voldemort? Where were the explanations by Sirius and Dumbledore about how some things are worse than dying and how some things are worth dying for?

I know these movies are being made quickly, but don't you think that audiences would sit three hours or more for a properly told story?

Her Shoes are made for Walking

. . . to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This will be the fifth movie and we plan on taking the kids. We have read the book together (twice, actually) and I think they are adequately prepared for the intense actions and emotions. Rachel thinks she is going to wake up at midnight and walk (7 miles) to the movie theater in order to catch the first showing. I think she's got a few details to work out in her plan.

By the way, I believe that Professor Snape, although mean and to Harry, is still on the side of GOOD and will actually sacrifice himself in order to save Harry and destroy Voldemort in the seventh book (which releases on the 21st). My second-choice scenario is that Neville will be the hero and sacrificial character. However politically correct it may be in literary themes to off Harry as he simultaneously destroys Voldemort, I just don't think that JK Rowling's child audience could handle that. I don't think I could handle that.

Is it Legal?

I picked up a hitch hiker this morning - but I didn't think it was a hitcher. I saw a very old woman wearing long pants and turtle neck shirt walking in 90 degree heat between the restaurant and the hospital. I assumed she must be walking back to the hospital to visit someone. I pulled over and helped her into the backseat (My children were horrified.). We quickly learned that she was not going to the hospital, but was hitching her way "back home," which was two states away.

Hmmm . . . an angel in disguise or a nursing home escapee?

Quicksand

"Papa! Stop! You're getting in the quicksand!" warned my three year old nephew as my dad stepped into his room yesterday morning.

"What?!" said Papa, "Who told you there was quicksand in here?"

"Mama did," replied Owen. "That's what the carpet turns into when the lights go out."

Interesting strategy for keeping your child in his bed all night, thought I.