Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Where Could You Be? (Or, Our Trip to the Invisible Zoo.)

**My camera is still traveling with my daughter on vacation, so these photos are brought to you courtesy of my very old cell phone camera once again.**

I took Junior to the zoo. He wasn't excited about going until I told him we would see a tiger. That got his attention! He signed "tiger" and growled intermittently the whole way there.

First we saw the black swans exhibit.

Black swan, black swan, where can you be?

It consisted of a big empty area with a fountain and a pond and one lone duck.

Then we came to the chimpanzee exhibit.

I see tan ropes, empty as can be.

It was empty and under construction.

The wild dogs were nowhere to be seen, either.

Wild dogs, wild dogs, where can you be?

So we kept on walking.

A sign said the next enclosure was where the Takin (Takins? Takinusses? Takini?) lived. I was trying to remember what a Takin was and wondering how to talk about this animal to Junior. Was it like a deer? A cow? A pig? What the heck's a Takin?

It didn't matter.

I think Google Search is needed for me.

The Takin had been taken.

There were no lions or bears or elephants or giraffes, either.

But there were some cages with inhabitants that intrigued my son:

Wooly Ring-Legged Painterman

Brown Tufted Mowdegrasseus

We watched those cage-dwellers a while and Junior was content, though I was kind of wanting a refund.

The trip got a LOT more exciting and ended up being worth every penny (read Part 2 here!), but still, I felt compelled to compose the following letter To Whom It May Concern:

Dear Zoo,

Please get some animals.

Thank you,

Jujyfruit.

One More Way To Start Your Day Filled With Energy & Purpose!

I discovered yet another way to start your day filled with energy and purpose this morning: Wake up with the realization that it is your kids' LAST FULL DAY OF SCHOOL before summer vacation begins.

Gotta run! The clock is ticking!

Spring Break 2009

I think mine will, too. Eventually.

I know many of you are far away in some sunny location for Spring Break, but just in case you are near a computer, I wanted to send my greetings!

We're having a truly one-of-a-kind vacation this year. We didn't travel anywhere, but we are having an unbelievable week right here at home! I keep forgetting to pull out my camera, but I did just take a few quick photos to post here and help preserve the memories.

First of all, you'd never guess we're still just at home. I mean, the view is incredible. My jaw dropped to the floor when I looked out the window yesterday! It's astounding.

Sorry, daffodils. I didn't know. IT'S APRIL.

We've had LOTS of R & R, with plenty of lounging around.

They usually had comfy nests of blankets and pillows. Don't worry.

We scheduled a few things, but mainly kept the calendar wide open and flexible and even canceled some previous commitments.

Can you decipher my coding system? Also, notice the ENTIRE WEEK of no school that occurred BEFORE Spring Break ever even started?? We are very lucky; we got TWO weeks off!

I've been relaxing a lot, too -- in fact, I didn't even bother to buy groceries and I've barely even had to cook a meal so far!

I promise they will all be thoroughly Cloroxed before I serve you salad or popcorn.

We've had lots & lots of family time; my husband has been home all week so far, and said he might just take the rest of the week off, too!

He was very sick, too, with a miserably high fever that wouldn't register. Oh, and by the way, I was just thinking the other day how lucky it is that he's not the one who bore the children. And also how lucky it is that he never reads this blog.

Even though we haven't even left the house, we've seen some amazing attractions...

I like to seal them up tight and secure for our archaeologist friends to find. It will give the Michael Crichtons of the future something good to write about.

...and visited some incredible places.

I love you, HDTV. (Especially when you have back-to-back episodes of "I Didn't Even Know I Was Pregnant")

Yep, Spring Break 2009 is definitely proving to be a week to remember!

Hope you're having a memorable week, too, wherever you are!

Boy, I can't wait to see your pictures!!

Domo's Big Adventure!

Guess what? My fingers are finally thawed enough to type! Now I can regale you with glorious stories of my sunny vacation...hopefully in a way that just makes you happy for me, or makes you smile vicariously; NOT in a way that makes you seethe with jealousy and want to kick me in the shin.

Boy, this could be difficult.

OK, here's an idea: I think I will let someone else tell about the week. That way you won't exactly picture ME at the other end of this unfair-yet-glorious jackpot of golden luck! Plus also you won't be haunted by pictures of me in my bikini.*

When we left for our trip, I kidnapped the little Domo guy off my son's dresser and left a note in his place. The note was written to my son from Domo himself, and it explained that he was sneaking into my suitcase to go off and see the world. (...but that OF COURSE he would be coming back because he LOVES living here!)

So, Domo ended up in Mexico and had quite an adventure. In the spirit of Flat Stanley, or, more currently, Bathroom Gangsta,we took lots of pictures and e-mailed some back while we were gone so the kids could see what Domo was up to.

I've put the photos into a little movie to tell all about Domo's vacation. Enjoy!



******

*OK, technically there is ONE partial picture of me like that. But there is no bikini. I kid about the bikini! I haven't even owned one since 1988!! (And, actually, those pictures would probably be postable. But you might not recognize me.) But these days? Well, these days a nice, modest tankini -- with skirt! -- bares plenty enough. I guess you might call it a momkini.

Back to the Real World

I just got back from vacation. I was here:

...and now I'm back here:
(sigh)

Back-To-School Essay: What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Ahhh, vacation...

It was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of these final days of summer. I've been strung a little tightly lately, and squeezing in some R&R at this particular time was, ironically, adding to my general pinchedness. But, of course, the trip turned out to be a good thing.

We stayed in an unassuming beach-side cottage with my side of the family (13 of us, in all). The cottage is a bit of a throw-back to the good old days: no phone, no tv, no satellite, no computer, no radio, no dishwasher. It has a general rustic feel that keeps things simple.

The cottage is located between two lakes. Steps and a path lead a short distance to the smaller of the two out the front door; out the back door, a steep & rugged path cuts straight over a hill and through the woods to the larger one. No palm trees or tropical fruits here; this is an area of ferns and pines and mossy, leaf-blanketed woods.

It's the kind of place where you are more likely to spot deer than crowds of tourists fighting for a patch of beach. The deer seemed to love the area around the cottage as much as we do. We spotted them daily, nibbling on leaves and daintily frolicking through the woods.

The kids did plenty of dainty frolicking of their own, while strengthening their cousinly bonds and building memories together. (They also did a LOT of fishing!)

We spent most evenings playing games. The week started out with silly rounds of Apples to Apples, but ended with nightly rowdy, cut-throat sessions of Up and Down the River. (By the end of the week, even the kids were playing that one!)

We all took turns planning and cooking meals and ate a lot of really great food. The grandparents stayed in with the grandkids one evening, and the rest of us went to a local restaurant...but actually the best food we had was all made right there in the cottage.

Eating all that good food was ok, though, because the four oldest kids and I did some jogging. Well, jog-walking, actually. Some. We set a goal of trying to run to this sign and back every single day (about 1 1/2 miles, roundtrip) and were surprisingly successful. I have not exercised regularly in years, so this was a pretty big deal for me.

We did have some rain, as feared, but nothing like the scenario in that dire forecast. The days were sunny and beautiful, quiet and relaxing, full of family and fun.

Now we're back, slightly weary and rumpled, but feeling good about ending summer on such a mellow note. The kids had a weekend to recover, then it was back to school for them (right after a small flurry of appointments and supply shopping and registrations). There are some other big changes just around the corner for us, which I will post about soon...but for now, let me just say that it's good to be home.

Aruba, Jamaica, Oooo, I Wanna Take Ya...

And if that post title doesn't immediately start the song playing in in the jukebox of your mind, you must be considerably younger or older than me...

The Perfect Photo credit here.
Now that I have removed the sitemeter bug and am able to post again, I'm gonna make an escape!

Yep, we're taking a little vacation. To a nice, sunny, beachy spot (though not actually Aruba or Jamaica).

There's one little glitch in the lounging-on-the-beach scenario I've been picturing, though.

Once again, there is a less-than-ideal local forecast for the special occasion:
And the extended version?:
I'm not exactly sure what I've done to offend Mother Nature so, but she really has been acting a bit spiteful towards me recently.

(Sigh) Ah, well. It will still be fun to get away, spend some time with my side of the family, and enjoy more scenes like this:
Bye, Internets! Be back soon!

The Countdown is On!

I had a huge flash of insight this morning -- I realized that the end of suffer summer vacation is only ONE PRESCRIPTION REFILL away!!

Fanny Pack News Flash!

I spoke to my daughter on the phone Saturday as she was heading home from camp. As we were talking, she suddenly said, "Hey, Grammy -- did you get my fanny pack from the cabin?" off to the side.

I strained my ears to hear the response from the background on that end...and, of course, it was a mildly surprised negative. That's right -- The Infamous Fanny Pack, highly sought after and debated, the main purpose of which was to keep her things close by and handy -- was itself forgotten!

"Well," I thought to myself, "I guess it really wasn't all that superior to more traditional toting methods after all. Everything was misplaced anyway...and they really do look pretty silly. No wonder they are all but extinct!"

I brought in the mail this morning and saw the cover of the July 2008 American Girl catalog. Un. Be. LIEVable. You can buy matching fanny packs belt bags for girls and their dolls?! "Does this mean they are nostalgic time-period accessories, or generally something the young kids these days are yearning for, like Webkinz, or a Wii??," I wondered.

Well! Imagine my surprise when the following magazine pages caught my eye while in the waiting room of the hospital for Junior's weekly Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy sessions later...

(click to super-size images)

LOOK AT THIS! They may be Stars, but they really are just like us...and some of them even wear fanny packs belt bags!! Ok, so maybe that makes them NOT like us, but I think they might be on to something and we should bring back the pack, too!

Of course, these are candid shots, taken while they are just slumming around. So these photos could just be the equivalent of Stars With Cellulite or Stars Without Makeup or Stars Caught Red-Handed!
But then I kept reading and came to the StyleWatch page. NO WAY!! Stars are wearing them on the red carpet! Stylists are adding them as accessories! Coach sells them for $128.00!!
And LOOK! It's not just Hollywood that's doing it. Fanny packs Belt bags are being worn on the PGA Tour! (Will Tiger Woods start promoting them in commercials??)

And, speaking of commercials, what do you see on the waist of this carefree model? That's right. Another one! Think about it -- you can have ZERO periods (all year long!), and no more bulky, cumbersome purses to carry, either!! (That right there is some SERIOUS freedom, ladies.)

So there you have it, people. It's official. Feel free to strap on those packs and move about with pride!

Turns out you are NOT the only one.

That's Quite a Belt You've Got There, Mister

Before my daughter left for camp, I mentioned wanting to buy her a fanny pack to take along. Well, let me tell you, that got some laughs. As well as a recommendation to go "look in the 80s".

But I maintained that it would be really fabulous because a)she could carry her camera, sunglasses, chapstick, etc. on hikes, b)keep her hands free, and c)not lose anything! Fanny packs may not be the most fashionable accessory, but I'm sort of admiring the genius of them again. (Shhh! Don't tell anyone.)

I found one, brand spanking new on a store shelf, believe it or not! And if you should decide to purchase such a handy little pouch, here are a few things you should know.

First of all, "Fanny Pack" is no longer in use (the WORD I mean -- quit laughing!). "Belt Bag" is the current politically correct term.

And secondly, less important, but perhaps even more shocking -- You can now buy them with a belt that expands UP TO 60 INCHES! I kid you not.

I guess they figure that if your waist measurement is bigger than that, you're probably not going to be hiking anywhere.

I couldn't picture exactly how big 60 inches is, though, so I googled "60 inch diameter". Let me show you what it looks like. (links provide photo credits)

This table.

The platform on this tower.

Possibly one of these hay bales.

And here's an interesting fact: there aren't even many Santa suits that will fit a 60-inch waist, but I did find this place that carries an XXXL that would just fit.

Remember several weeks ago when Japan issued new rules for waistline measurements of 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women? I don't think we'll be exporting too many of these expandable fanny packs belt bags over there!

But as far as wearing them here, on our average-sized selves, well...if you should decide to buy one, I promise not to laugh!

When 1 + 1 = Not Exactly 2

Tootsie left on a long-awaited road trip to Colorado with her grandparents last Friday morning. She was supposed to be experiencing this inter-generational, cross-country adventure with her cousin.

Sadly, that cousin was sick. Sick enough that she couldn't make the trip.

Before the final decision was made about keeping her home, there was a flurry of phone calls placed, messages and status reports relayed, wishes made, fingers crossed, and tears shed. It was a tough call for her parents to make, but ultimately had to be done. Her health was their top priority, and it just wasn't worth taking a chance.

Now, while there was great disappointment and frustration taking place during this time, something of a very different nature was added to this bubbling broth and was slowly stewing away in the back burner in our house: hope (albeit of a bittersweet variety). We realized our son, Bubb, could go in the cousin's place.

In less than 24 hours, we got everything lined up so that this could happen -- physician's signature on the camp health form acquired, return plane ticket held, "emergency" haircut received, new shoes purchased, bags packed. As the checklist was being completed, Bubb's hope was building.

Now let me just back up and say that Bubb...well, he just isn't typically all sunshine and rainbows; but throughout the preparations, I could literally see his shoulders straighten, his brow unfurrow, and his eyes start to sparkle. BUT! We were setting him up for a bad case of schadenfreude; his pleasure would be the result of someone else's misfortune. (To his credit, he never voiced anything like that; in fact, he was feeling really awful for his cousin.)

Then, with mere hours to take-off, it occurred to us -- he could go either way! We didn't need to make it dependent on anything. There was no need to add that additional pressure to the situation.

Our kids were excited and the final countdown was on! (And there was still the lingering hope that their cousin would be able to join them later.)

Well, the decision became final yesterday; she didn't make it.

But our two kids did. And while they are incredibly excited (and so am I!), it still feels like something's amiss.

When I picture that car driving off, I can see two heads in the back seat...but in this case, 1 + 1 doesn't precisely add up to 2.

How to Pack for Summer Camp

So here's an interesting discovery I made this morning: boys need very very little to survive at camp for a week. I knew as I was packing that I included more clothes than my son really needed for 5 nights away from home...but I was planning for the possibility of cold nights, hot days, rain, mud,...perhaps even changing clothes.

Near as I can tell, this little pile on the left represents the dirty stuff. (Oh, plus one towel...not sure if it was used for the beach or for a shower, though...or possibly for both?) The bag on the right is still largely filled with clean stuff.

And I have one other little thing I'm wondering about. Do you think this travel-sized toothpaste looks like it was used twice a day for 5 days? I'm thinking maybe not...

Ah, details, schmetails! He had a great time, so it's all good, right?

Drawing the Calves

Yeah, I'm still here. Been a little negligent on the blog front, though. Sorry about that.

The main reason for my absence boils down to this: summer vacation. No, I haven't gone on one -- I've just been filling my tanks and drawing the calves in preparation.

"Drawing calves" is my mom's saying. She was the daughter of a dairy farmer, and she recalls that before going on any family trips, her dad would have to go out and draw the calves (literally). He had registered Holsteins, which meant there were certain standards regarding coloration and markings that had to be met. Each calf had to be drawn from all four sides on special graph paper so that the percentage of coloration could be properly determined and recorded. It was one of those jobs that could really have been done at any time...but somehow was left until the last minute when it became essential. So while the family waited to leave, grandpa would be out drawing calves.

Similarly, as the school calendar days ticked off (unbelievably quickly, I might add!), I started remembering all the things I meant to get done. So I've been cleaning and going through closets and working in the yard and running errands and making phone calls and going shopping and reading and enjoying my freedom. Then there was also a camping trip in there, a 4-night/5-day stretch when my husband was out of town, various school events to attend, and a short bout of flu (yuck).

Basically, life happened. And instead of stepping out of my life to blog about it, I just lived it. (Plus, I was just too distracted by the ever-present tick-tock-ticking in my head to post.)

Anyway, school ended last week, and now I'm all ready for summer. Sort of. I mean, the calves are drawn and all...but I'm still not feeling fully prepared.

Summer has been hard for me the last several years. Long days stretch out before me, but I don't know how to fill them. The older two kids want to have friends over, go swimming, plan adventures, just do typical summer kid stuff. But Junior isn't on the same page; his behavior is such a challenge in unfamiliar or stimulating situations. He needs the routine and predictability that the school year provides. I end up feeling pulled in very different directions (while dreaming longingly of my own!) and disappointment and frustration abounds. Summers? They're just hard.

I've done what I can to prepare for the summer, both physically and mentally. I'm being proactive! I'm remaining optimistic! I've organized and cleaned and planned!

The drawings are complete. The itinerary is filled. It's time to head on out, folks. Wish me well.

Chaperoning 101

I spent the last 36 hours acting as a chaperone for a portion of my daughter's 5th-grade camp trip. It was actually quite fun, though rather exhausting. (Sleeping in a small cabin with 7 girls and 1 other mom in connected, CREAKY bunks while trying not to cough & sneeze all night is just not restful.) But other than the poor night's sleep, and a handful of kids out of the entire group that were just a little harder to appreciate, I really enjoyed my time there. Plus, I learned some important stuff.

For example, I learned marsh water may look really dirty and icky....

...but it's actually full of sphagnum moss and microorganisms that filter it quite efficiently, resulting in sparkling clear water you can drink. The process it goes through takes some time, but the results are impressive.

And I learned that Tootsie is not afraid of snakes, and can swing on a rope without falling, and has nimble fingers for macrame, and can paddle a canoe, and catch a fish, and is a well-mannered, smart, polite, independent kid that is easy to be around. Well, some of that I already knew, but it's always good to have my opinions supported. (and there has been a slight air of doubt surrounding one or two of those lately...)

I learned that my daughter has some really neat friends. Friends that I hope will carry over into next year when they enter the giant, overwhelming territory of Middle School together.

I learned there is an enormous range of shapes and sizes and maturity levels in her age group...and I realized that she is growing up. Fast.

It all got me thinking. We have marshy territory (so to speak) looming in our immediate future, and even though I know it can be a magical filtering time, I'm still having a hard time seeing past the potential ickiness of those teenage years to come. Murky waters of unknown depths with unfamiliar life-forms operating in an entirely different microcosm. Middle School! High School!!

I know that millions of people before us have gone down the very same path... but I'm just a bit anxious about where it might lead. What is up ahead?

I find myself wishing for a map. One of those really helpful camp maps that's labelled with distances, and difficulty levels, and time estimates, and dead ends, and short-cuts! One that has a list of what to pack, and expected weather conditions, and what to do in case of an emergency. After all, I've been through those parts before, but I'm not entirely convinced I know my way around well enough to safely lead someone else.

But, of course, there is no map like that. So I'll settle for the hope that we will be able to explore that marsh together, too, and that she will continue to let me chaperone -- quietly, watchfully, steadily in the background, ready to step in as needed.

Spring Break-ing Away, Part 2

(...and the story continues)

The nice weather held, and for two more days they continued with their Spring Break Camping Adventure. The kids went exploring together.

Bubb learned to split logs and how to build a proper fire. (neither of which can ever be done without supervision -- got that, mister?!?)

Tootsie finally learned to enjoy Tortellini Soup (which apparently tastes much better when you are outdoors, cold, and pretty strongly opposed to hot dogs). And she read some good books.

Pop relished in his freedom to lounge outdoors and listen to his beloved Cubs broadcast, with not much more on his To Do list besides 1)keep the fire going and 2)produce something to eat now and then. Did the Cubs win that day? I'm not sure... but for once, I don't think it really mattered to him.

By the third day, Junior was feeling better, so I decided to head back to the campground with him to join in the fun. He was happy to see everyone, and thrilled to be outside. He kept stirring up trouble making messes very busy.

We are down one camp chair now. Although there is some question as to whether that is actually due to Junior or to the gusting winds we had that day. I have my suspicions.

Everybody was pretty tired by evening, and I decided to head back home with Junior in hopes of a more restful night. One that involved a hot shower, cushy bedding, and heat. And possibly even sleeping in with such an empty, quiet house. Turns out Junior had a little wish of his own, too...

Yep. You guessed it.