So Many of My Favorite Shows Cancelled

No wonder I stay with my old shows and don't like to try new ones. All the shows I like tend to get cancelled. After two of them on Showtime were cancelled after the second season -- Dead Like Me and Huff -- I refused to watch anymore on that channel and haven't. At least one advantage of the writer's strike is that a few shows seemed to have gotten a second life next season with new big premiere's planned for the fall. But for now I need to update the DVR to take off a few programs including...

Back to You -- I liked it OK and thought it went well with Til Death which is continuing for another season. I think this is the only show I watch on Fox.

The Bionic Woman -- I found this one kind of stupid but was happy to see them kill off Isaiah Washington's character before it was cancelled.

Big Shots -- I will miss this one. Sexy guys with women problems. Why cancel it?!?!?

Cane -- Again sexy guys. Decent story lines and exposure to another culture although I am not sure how accurate. But then again, how accurate was Sopranos?

Cashmere Mafia -- Too much like Lipstick Jungle which is not cancelled so I probably won't miss it too much.

Jericho -- I was so excited to see this one come back after it was cancelled last seaon. I think there is still a chance it may come back again on another cable channel. I hope so.

Notes from the Underbelly -- I loved the book. The show was OK. It was funny and light and didn't take itself too seriously.

October Road -- I watched this and then didn't watch this and then watched it again. It was OK but I don't think I will miss it.

Shark -- I really liked this show and James Wood too. I have the last four shows waiting on the DVR and then I will be sad.

Welcome to the Captain -- Too stupid for words. I don't know why I watched it.

Women's Murder Club -- I loved all the James Patterson books and really liked this show. I think I will miss it most of all.

All the shows are finishing up for the season and then no more new TV. Guess I will be catching up on some movies this summer. :)

Our Preschool Graduate

Cassidy graduated from preschool today. Jim missed the program as he is off boating with his college buddies but I went with both cameras and took video and pictures. Cassidy was adorable in her shirt and mortarboard. First the kids did the pledge of allegiance. Then they sang several songs. They each got an award. Cassidy's was for most affectionate. Finally they each got a diploma before getting to have some snacks.

Our family even got mentioned during the teacher's talk. This is the end of a half of a decade. The kids have been going to this preschool for the past five years straight and now we are done. It is kind of sad but also a little exciting. I will have all three kids in full time school next year and actually have the day to myself for the first time in over 8 years. Whatever will I do with all that time?!?!?

Nick's Good Day

Nick was chosen to have a piece of art exhibited this past weekend as part of the district's art fair. There weren't too many from his school which made it even more special. He brought home his ribbon for this today and was totally excited about that.

Here is a picture of him with his art. His piece is at the far right top -- the many colored hands.

Cooper Is Having a Good Week

And it is only Wednesday!

Monday he got a Hawthorn High Five. I too was not sure what the heck that was at first. What is means is that he was recognized by name during the afternoon announcements to the whole school that he was modeling good behavior for the other kindergarten students by getting in line and being quiet. He was very excited about the recognition and Nick was impressed too.

Tuesday Cooper got to go on a field trip to Kaleidoscope -- an interactive craft place downtown. He wasn't too impressed with that but was excited about eating his snack lunch at the park afterwards. I got to go two years ago with Nick but wasn't able to this year. Maybe next year.

No exciting news today but still a good day. But we are all ready for school to be over. Too bad for us as with all the snow days we had this year the kids are going until June 3rd!

Only A Mother...

...can listen to the same knock-knock joke 27 times without hollering "Nobody's Home!"

...will be a Scrabble partner with a kid who thinks "cookie" begins with "k".

...knows the location of every drive-through window in town.

...will try to hide a leafy vegetable in a cookie.

...can deal out emergency lunch money from the dryer lint filter.

...is limber enough to wrestle a fitted sheet onto the top bunk bed.

...invests fifty dollars in stale macaroons to help send the French Club to Disneyland.

...will attempt to grow hydroponic tomatoes in one night for a last-minute science project.

...can see across town and locate a missing show from her office desk phone.

...can switch from cook to catcher in an instant.

...seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.

A Mother's Dictionary

Just in time for Mother's Day!

• Dumbwaiter: one who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.

• Family Planning: the art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you just on the edge of financial disaster.

• Feedback: the inevitable result when the baby doesn’t appreciate the strained carrots.

• Full Name: what you call your child when you’re mad at him.

• Grandparents: the people who think your children are wonderful even though they’re sure you’re not raising them right.

• Hearsay: what toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.

• Impregnable: a woman whose memory of labor is still vivid.

• Independent: how we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.

• Look Out!: what it’s too late for your child to do by the time you scream it.

• Prenatal: when your life was still somewhat your own.

• Prepared Childbirth: a contradiction in terms.

• Bottle Feeding: an opportunity for Daddy to get up at 2:00 a.m. too.

• Puddle: a small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.

• Show Off: a child who is more talented than yours.

• Sterilize: what you do to your first baby’s pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby’s pacifier by blowing on it.

• Temper Tantrums: what you should keep to a minimum so as to not upset the children.

• Thunderstorm: a chance to see how many family members can fit into one bed.

• Top Bunk: where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies.

• Two-Minute Warning: when the baby’s face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.

• Verbal: able to whine in words.

• Whodunit: none of the kids that live in your home.

Busy May So Far

The kids had another sitter on May 1st as Jim and I had to go to a barbeque for his work. The weather was a bit scary with the tornado sirens going off while we were there. But they never went off at our house so the kids were fine. We were fine too as the tornado hit quite a bit north and east of us. The weather was bad again at 2:00 am with over 60 mile an hour winds. But again we were fine.

Friday was movie night at our house and I watched Back to the Future with the kids.

Saturday night was another night out for Jim and I and another babysitter for the kids. We went to the Grand Street Cafe on the Plaza for dinner. The food was excellent. We were home by 11:00.

Yesterday we went to the school district's art fair. Nick had a piece displayed. Then I went to the grocery store. Finally Jim had hockey and Nick had baseball practice.

Nick has practice again in about 30 minutes so I better finish up. Maybe I'll be back again this month with updates as May is shaping up to be another busy month.

April 2008 Highlights

Now I know that April was incredibly busy with many birthday celebrations.

We started by celebrating Lily's 4th birthday on April 5th. All the family was invited and luckily the weather cooperated. We had hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill and the kids played on the swing set and in the bouncy thing. We adults got to hang out and drink beer and enjoy the day. As Jim told Mark and Kelly later, it was the best kids' birthday party we had ever attended.

We were also supposed to go to a party for James, Lisa's husband, that day. But it was cancelled because James had to fly out to West Virginia for his grandmother's funeral. :(

The next weekend was Avery's birthday. His party was supposed to be on Saturday but was postponed until Sunday due to the weather. The whole family went to a party at Bill and Julie's house the night before and again there was barbeque and drinking. My sadistic sister managed to host an event again at which I was hungover. At least the miniature golf was outside in the bracing cold which helped. After mini golf my dad gave all five grandkids a set of their own golf clubs so we hit the driving range too. Then onto my sister's house for cake before finally getting to crash on the couch.



The following week was Cassidy's birthday. First we brought cupcakes to CDO on Thursday, April 17th. The next day we went to JCPenney for birthday pictures. My sister's boys were off from school so she tried to get their birthday pictures done too but they were not cooperative. Afterwards we had lunch and did some shopping before I had to pick up the boys. Saturday I hosted a tea party at a tea shop in Smithville. It was just the girls so Jim took our boys and Lisa's boys with my dad to the driving range. My mom, granny, sister and I went with Cassidy for tea and cake and dressing up. Lily was there too with her mom. Also Ayla from school was there with her mom. Larissa, our neighbor, was there with her mom as well. Afterwards we had cake at home with the boys. Sunday the 20th was Cassidy's real birthday. She got a big Fisher Price dollhouse from the family. Cassidy's birthday celebration continued on the 21st with cupcakes at her preschool and finally finished on the 23rd with cupcakes at her gymnastics' class.



Cassidy went to kindergarten round-up on April 21st and is officially enrolled in kindergarten in the fall. She is also going to two weeks of summer school this year.

I got to indulge in a pedicure on April 24th while Cassidy was in school all day. I went to a movie with my friend Stacy this month too -- Fool's Gold.

Our neighborhood garage sale started on Friday April 25th. Cassidy hit the sales and found some bargains. I got her a huge bag of clothes for $20 and Cooper a game boy for $10 with five games. I got Nick a bunch of baseball pants for a quarter each.

Later that day, Cassidy had her five year appointment. She had to get 4 shots which really hurt and then we went to McDonald's for lunch and ice cream.

Even later that day was Peace Festival at the boys' school. Both of them performed with their class and we got to see huge kites too.



We went to yet another birthday celebration the next day for Carter. It was a pizza party and sleepover. He had a few friends over and one was horribly obnoxious. I have never been quite so happy to be able to leave a party. Afterwards I took the kids over to Lori's house. The kids played while the adults enjoyed the new outdoor fire pit and privacy area. We got home around midnight but I still managed to get up with the kids and take them to McDonald's before we had to pick up Nick at 9:00.

Finally we closed out April with an anniversary celebration for Jim and I. We have been married 14 years. I got a sitter so that we could go out for dinner at our favorite Italian place, Garozzo's and then we went to Howl at the Moon at the new KCPL district for a couple of drinks before getting home at 9:00. We are such the party animals in our old age.

March 2008 Highlights

March was a long, wintery month with not a lot going on.

Jim and I took the boys to the opening night of the Brigade (arena football team) on March 1st. It was fun but I am not too impressed with the upper section of our new Sprint arena. It is VERY steep to get to the seats and they are tight. Jim barely fit and while he is a big man, he is far from the biggest I have seen.

The kids spent the night with MooMoo on March 8th so that Jim and I could celebrate another 40th birthday -- this time our friend Julie's. Luckily there was no family obligations the following day and I made Jim pick up the kids and drop Nick off at a birthday party at 2:00. I did manage to pick him up.




Nick had a school program on March 11th. He had a small part as a narrator.



The kids were on spring break from March 17th until the 24th. Lisa and James took their boys to Vegas to visit my sister but it was just too much money for us right now. Instead I took the kids to see Horton Hears a Who on Monday. We had a playdate with our neighbors, Larissa and Devon on Tuesday. We went to Power Play and made Easter Eggs on Wednesday. We drove with my mom to Omaha on Thursday and spent the day at their museum there. We spent the night and headed home fairly early on Friday.



Friday night I took Cassidy to see the Disney Princesses on Ice with my friend, Kelly and her daughter, Lily who is also Cassidy's very favorite friend and boat buddy.



We had a quiet day at home on Saturday and then were very busy on Easter Sunday, the 23rd. We had Easter baskets and an egg hunt at home. Then it was on to my mom's house for Easter dinner and another egg hunt. Then on to my dad's house for dessert and another egg hunt.




Finally on the 29th Lisa and I went to a charity brunch for my sorority. It was also an auction and although I had no luck, my sister managed to score Royals' tickets. Afterwards we hit the Plaza for some shopping and a late lunch at the Cheesecake factory.

Maybe I had a busier March than I realized. ;)

February 2008 Highlights

The biggest event of February was that my baby turned EIGHT! Nicholas or Nick as he is now known decided against a big class party or an expensive party (last year we went to the Great Wolf Lodge). Instead we had a small family party here on Sunday, February 10th. He got a larger than normal gift from us -- a Nintendo DS. I thought that would be an easy find but I looked all over the place without any luck before finally having to order it on line. I did manage to get it in time for his party and he loves it.




Cassidy and I went to the boys' Valentine parties at school on February 12th. I am not sure how I will be able to make it to all three kids' parties next year but I guess I will try.



Jim and I also celebrated with my good friend, Lori's birthday on February 15th. The kids spent the night with Grandpa while we spent the night in a hotel. There were about 20 of us prepartying at the hotel until 9:00 and then on the party bus until about midnight. It wasn't an early enough night though as we had to be at my sister's house by noon the next day to celebrate my Dad's birthday. I swear she plans these things just so I will be hungover at them.




We also had lots of snow in February. The kids missed three days of school. I did get out some though and was able to meet my friend Stacey on the 28th for lunch after my Lasic surgery follow-up. And Cassidy and I met my mom at Power Play for lunch the following day -- February 29th -- Leap Day and the last day of February.