Attention Parents

On Tuesday, I took my children to a museum and wonder of wonders there was an supervised young (toddler) girl...

This girl was flinging water everywhere and no mother, or adult around. Now I will admit that when I take all three DD to places, I cannot be with them all at once, but I do try to keep track of them. But when they were this young, I did try to stay closer to them, especially near water.

This child was not being watched. Many people were soaked by her water flinging and no one came to stop her and/or supervise her. Eventually, after I took a photo of her, the mother came in and said don't do that and then moved far, far away from her (into another room)!

Wednesday, when I took my daughters to another museum, a young boy decided to force himself between me and an exhibit, stepping (not once, but three times) on my sore and aching foot (arthritis didn't help me) and I was very irritated with the boy and his mother (who didn't care what her progeny was doing).

Today, (Thursday) I took my children to another place and while at McDonald's having a drink and some more play time, another mother told me about another child who was not being supervised and was doing some major harm.

Listen parents, your children are your responsibility. We other moms will help if you are trying and are being torn three different directions at once, but you need to step up and do the work!!! We will applaud you (yes I have been part of that scene when a dad used a very commanding tone to get the attention of his child who was screaming) and we will support you as you deal with your child's misbehavior. But don't expect people to be supportive of you when you are ignoring your children. Don't expect people to like you if they are being really horrible and you aren't doing anything to stop the problem! You need to step up and teach your children proper behavior. Today, a lady at the restaurant where I took my children for brunch told me how good my DDs are. She said that there are times where people bring their children in and they are so very bad that they are happy to see them leave.

My friends and I took our children to lunch at this same restaurant and someone treated our whole table of children (about 9) to a dessert! It was a special treat for the children. We did take them out as fast as we could before the sugar could cause major issues and took them somewhere to run it off, but they noticed and let us know that they appreciated the good behavior of the children.

Please, take notice of your children and watch them. Demand respect from them. Demand that they behave when they are places. Demand that they sit in their chairs. Demand that they use utensils and not show the food in their mouths! Demand from them what your parents demanded from you! Be the good parent! Be the strict parent and stop ignoring your children.

I found another LYS!!

I took my daughters up to the Columbus Zoo (OH) today. They love zoos. This zoo is so large that getting through it in one day just hasn't happened. We walk until we are tired and then we head for home (with a stop at a play place restaurant for good measure).

On the way home, I decided that I wanted to see what LYS's in the Columbus area had to offer and did a quick search on my cell phone (did I mention I have a new cell phone and carrier and I love my cell phone!) for LYS's in the Columbus area. It came back with this website Knitty Knotty showing all the current LYS's in the area. I went to the one closest to where we were at the time and it was fabulous!!! Thanks knitty-knotty for the great information!!! I went to a store called Temptations Yarns. Inside I met a woman named Michelle Hunter and she has a site (KnitPurlHunter) where she has videos on how to knit socks, knit socks using the magic loop method and many other things. She teaches classes at this store.

The store was wonderful...so much yarn, so little time! I had the girls with me which meant they were touching everything and wondering all over the place. I bought some yarn (I guess I'll have to change my counter again, but I just might wait until after I have another chance at another store first).

Maybe after Spring Break, I'll get around to posting the yarn for all to see. I found some gorgeous colors and it is so soft. Not sure if I will use it for socks or for hats or scarves....decisions.

Today, I also found another Burger King with a play land. My girls had a blast playing there! It was good for them to have a place to run and play for a little while. You see while the Columbus zoo has 3 play areas, only one girl is allowed to play there. The other two are too tall! They don't go by age, they go by height. My older two girls are over the height for playing...something is wrong with that thought if you ask me. It's like saying you are too old to do anything, once you are a certain height. They don't want to watch her play and it's not fair to them. So I make a point of finding a place where they can all play for a little while before the long trip home (although coming home from Columbus at 5:30 takes way less time than coming home from Cincinnati at the same time)!

Have a great night!!!

Some very Pretty March Days in 2011

We had some pretty days in March and when they fell on weekends, I took advantage and took my children out to get some fresh air. They loved and so did I. We went to the zoo many times and I was able to take some nice photos. I also took my youngest DD for a picnic with friends. Here are some photos from those gorgeous days.
A photo of a tiger. I love the expression on his face (I am guessing he).

A photo of a white lion. They are a gift from the magicians from Las Vegas who used lions in their act. I am drawing a blank on their names.

I love to watch the guerillas at the zoo. They are so interesting.

A flower that was already showing up when we were at the zoo.

There is a park near us that has a "spider web" for the children to climb on. At some point we looked up and most of the children at the park were on the web. It was so fun to watch them climbing around on it.

More spring flowers...beautiful yellows!

Gorgeous reds on the flower and the butterfly (this was indoors).

Squirrels were out and eating bulbs. This one let me get pretty close to take it's photo.

The zoo had it's fountain out and on.

Some days have been so warm that we have had our windows open and all three cats are in them!

March is almost over and then it is on into April. March 31st is Opening Day for Baseball and there will be parades and other activities in Cincinnati. So I will gladly stay away! April 1, is my anniversary. It will be 11 years that we have been together.

Spring Break is here and many people are already travelling. We are staying home. We will go places as weather permits, but we will stay home.

Make a note...April 16 through June 19 there will be the Butterflies of Brazil at Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati. Lots of fun. Love to look at all those gorgeous and in some cases exotic butterflies.

2nd Grade Music Concert

My oldest DD is in 2nd grade and her class put on a show for the parents. They sang some songs and did some dancing and played some instruments. It was a very good show. The children who participated (there are about 400 students in her class) did a very good job.

This was the dancing section...they sang Loobie Loo at the same time.

We have had so much happening. My friends and I take our children to places that they can eat together, that they can play together and we get to socialize together. So Monday, we took the children to McDonald's and we talked about how the parks here in Lebanon are hubs for drug sales. It is sad, that there is so much drug trafficking going on at places where children play!

Tuesday, I worked in DD2's classroom. I helped her teacher with paper grading and then she honored me, by asking me to write her a referral. She said that since I have known her for three years and have had two children in her classroom, she felt that I knew the most about her abilities. She is looking for a job because her job her is tenuous due to budget concerns.

Wednesday, the friends got together again, for a special lunch and to let the children play. I ended up teaching 5 children (4 girls and 1 boy) how to knit. One of the girls found a dishcloth that I had just finished and she wanted to give it to her mom. Then her cousin (the boy) wanted one also for his mom, and I offered to let him help me make some of the stitches. He took me up on the offer. Then his cousins (2 of the girls) wanted a turn. One of those girls kept coming back to try again and again. Then another girl wanted a turn and then my daughter wanted a turn. It was so great! My friends took pictures. They loved that the children making a few stitches in knitting. I offered to formally teach the children if they so desired.

Today, is Friday. At 3:45 p.m. begins Spring Break! It is 38 degrees F and Sunday we have been told to expect 3 1/2 inches of snow! Well my plans are going to have to change around. I have plans for Spring Break, they do involve visiting my mother-in-law who is in a nursing facility. My husband has been helping his brother pack up his apartment to move back in with their dad to help take care of him and then their mom when she is finally able to return home.

Good Friday All!

Prayer Shawl

Sometime ago, I mentioned that I was making a prayer shawl for a friend to give to mother's who lost their babies during or before childbirth. I just thought I would show off where I am at. This is also the shawl that fell out of my bag and landed on the ground.

Also, I finished a hat. Someone from church requested that I make some hats to be donated for a silent auction because some people liked the ones I made for my daughters so much. I finished one of those as well.

I also finished a dish cloth and a scarf (no photos yet), but I like when I am making progress. I will admit that on Sunday, I purchased more yarn (like I really needed more), but I did. I bought something with my mother-in-law in mind. I told my husband and he likes my choice and I will get to work on it posthaste.

Good Tuesday. Tomorrow, I will write about the 2nd Grade Music Concert for parents and maybe post some photos of all the little ones.

Memories of Disney

Between my sophmore and junior years of high school, my family and I went to Florida for a vacation. My mom was getting over her father's death. I was healing from a badly broken leg and badly sprained ankle. My sister (my youngest sister was not in the picture yet) was recuperating from a fall where she needed stitches. (My father says, I have one son, yet it is always my daughters that help me with my projects and they always get injured).

We went to lots of places. Homes that had gorgeous gardens (loved those). An amusement park that can also be found in VA. We went to the beach (not a fan...burning not fun). We went swimming (a lot). But we also went to Disney World. This was before Epcot (they were just starting to build it).

I hated every minute of it. I was pushed and shoved so much that I was in pain by the time we left. People cut in line (aka line jumpers) and it took so long to get on any of the rides and I think we only rode maybe 3 rides the whole entire time.
My memories of Disney are not good.

Now my daughters are watching all the "magical" commercials promoting Disney to try and get more people to come and visit. But I just don't want to go to Disney. I would rather take my children all other places, but I do not want to go to Disney. I hate the place. I also find that it costs so much to go that it is too expensive (in my mind) to take the girls. I don't want them to go one day and have tickets to go for 3 days knowing that I wouldn't mind going back, but if I spend that much money on Disney I want to get the most out of it.

I wish I could get them to realize that Disney doesn't even match up to Kings Island (here in Mason, OH). There are so many places that we could go and spend money better than Disney. Yes, I know Disney wouldn't be happy to know that my memories of the place aren't good, but that is what they are. I don't want to go back and I don't want to submit my children to that horrible place either!

It happened again....

Well the poor little girl who was just dropped off by her dad and then left alone at the church was dropped off again. She required help with her bible and reading the passage. Fortunately, one young girl had both parents there and they were able to divide to help her and their own daughter at the same time. But what was interesting was that another parent did the same thing. They just left their child at the church alone. When the program was over the parents weren't anywhere to be found.

The first little girl must have been told to pretend to leave the church after the class and then hide somewhere until someone came to get her. But I saw her dad coming up the walk and he had to search for her. The other girl's dad was out on the playground with the younger siblings. I realize that it is harder for people to go to church and these lessons when they have to haul the younger siblings along for the ride. But these classes are not easy for the children and this is a large group.

I took my children to the bookstore that is closing. We got some books for them. My oldest picked out a book on how to knit (for children). It came with some yarn, a crochet hook, a yarn needle and knitting needles. She sat and read the book the entire trip home and then sat down to work on a scarf (the only thing in the book that was all knit...the other things have purl and since she isn't ready to learn purl). She has been sitting patiently working on the knit stitch using some yarn that I had already wrapped. The other yarn is in skeins that have to be put on a swift and made into center pull balls. She has some definite design elements, but that is okay she wants to be a good knitter and make things for herself. I will not discourage her.

My other daughter got a book and kit to make "puppies" and she lost interest (over Harry Potter) and is watching tv. My youngest got a book where she could write in it. It came with a special pencil.

Time to get off and do some work. Have a good Sunday.

Why Is It...?

We have some very unhappy people at my church and they choose to inflict their meanness on others. As a result, I am not very happy at church. My DDs are all in First Communion training and learning about Communion and what it means and will mean to them. There is one lady, that when her daughter asked her why Daddy went home, she made some very nasty remarks about how "Daddy went to get some breakfast," and how "Daddy is going through menopause." I am sure you get the picture. Well to make matters worse, I have been coughing pretty hard for awhile and due to circumstances beyond my control (my insurance and my PCP cannot get along and so have decided to part ways) I have not been able to get any good medication (at that point). I had a very bad coughing fit and when it was finished, she made the comment (in church and in front of everyone) "Are you going to live or should we amputate?" Seriously, I did not cry from the pain in my sides from the coughing and I didn't demand that people go get me water or anything else for that matter. I just coughed until it was over and then she made her comment. I pointed out to her that amputating lungs would essentially kill me, so I guess I am not going to live!

Today, during the class, the instructor, points out that there are only 2 ceremonies that Lutherans truly believe are from God. One, Baptism because God through his Son commanded that we all be Baptized and it uses water. The second, Holy Communion, because God through his Son, said take and eat of bread and take and drink from wine during His final meal with his Apostles. So in our celebration we use bread and wine. She then began to argue that God did not command it, that Jesus did and that is not God. We then asked her does she believe that Jesus is the Son of God? She said yes. To which we pointed out that He is then part of the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and that Jesus being part (Son) is able to command that we do these things in His Name. She just wanted to argue faiths and beliefs. I am sure that next week will be just another argument with her.

Next up, Why do some parents feel that it is perfectly okay to take their children somewhere and then leave? Case in point, my Girl Scout Troop parents, drop their children in the parking lot (they don't even come in!) and then drive away leaving the children. They don't come in to get the children (generally) and they treat this as a babysitting service. Today, another set of parents, dropped said progeny off at First Communion and promptly left. They didn't stay with the class and they didn't care. They just went on their merry way. Class had ended and the young child was still there without any parents to be found! Seriously folks, if you can't bring yourself to care, your child isn't going to care when they are old enough to go on their own!!!! Church is a family affair!!! Not a babysitting service so you can go home and sleep or shop, fill in the blank. Fun part, I called mom's cell phone and she didn't even have it turned on!!! The instructor for the course stayed at church waiting for her parent(s) to finally come and get her!

Thanks for the time. Weigh in on why you think parents are like this. I would like to hear what you are thinking.

Darn It

Some time ago, I read something by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka YarnHarlot) where she said she darns socks...she drops them into the trash and says "Darn it." I loved that. So when I was trying to get my girls to start throwing away clothing with holes in it, I taught them to take the item to the trash and as loud as they can, say "Darn IT!"

As a result, they would tell me, "Mom, I have a hole in my...." I would tell them, "When we get home, darn it." They would tell me okay and depending on the article of clothing that needed darning, the "Darn Its" would be with little feeling (as in "darn it" to much feeling because it was their favorite piece of clothing, "DARN IT!!!!") I love hearing them when they are darning their clothing. It tickles my funny bone.

One time, DD told me, "Mom I have a hole in my sock." and since I had an extra pair in the car, I offered her the opportunity to darn her socks right then and there or wait until we got home. She said she wanted to darn them now. An older gentleman overheard the conversation and was surprised that I knew how to darn socks and that I had taught my children how to darn socks as well. Then he saw her take off the socks, put on the new socks, walk over to the trash can and with a lot of feeling say, "DARN IT! Those were my favorite socks!"

Yesterday, DD the youngest, had to darn her favorite pair of pants and as they went into the trash can, I heard, "DARN IT!!! Those were my favorite pants."

Thank you Stephanie for those wonderful moments with my children! I hope that they carry it on with their children also.

"Darn it."

Bad Day for Knitting

Yesterday, Wednesday, I took my knitting, picked up my daughter from school and then went to Burger King so she could have a play date. Now in my bag are lots of projects. A goddess knits cowl, a dishcloth and a prayer shawl that I have been working on to give to my friend, a nurse practitioner, who sometimes has to help a woman give birth to her dead baby. This prayer shawl would stay in her office until she needed it and then she would gift it to the patient. This is when tragedy struck...the prayer shawl fell out of my bag and landed behind the wheel of my car and then went across an area that people drive through and into the restaurant. I realized what had happened and I ran out to my car, collected my prayer shawl and as I am walking back towards the restaurant, someone is driving towards me. Now this person very kindly slowed down and waited for me to collect my yarn that trailed across the road and I was able to save my prayer shawl. I am grateful to that driver for not driving over my yarn. I am afraid of what would have happened if they had. I will, no doubt, wash it when it is finished and take a photo so everyone can see this prayer shawl that is definitely meant to be.

Now I need to go...I need to do some more knitting.

It's Tuesday?

Really, it is Tuesday...Today, I went to school and worked with DD2's class on finishing their pirate flag. I would show a picture, but there are two girls from the class holding it and I am not allowed to post their pictures because it is a violation of their privacy, but the flag turned out really cute. It is interactive and 3D. They worked really hard on it and they are proud of it.

Yesterday, I worked with DD3's class. I did math with them. Then I took my daughter and my friends took their children/grandchildren and we went to McDonald's to play for awhile. There were a lot of children there.

Yesterday, we got the news that the Master Cylinder (on my husband's truck) and something else (note I didn't speak with mechanic) rusted out and that is why he cannot drive his truck (I am vehicleless until he gets his back!). It will cost $787 before the discount (AAA - got to love it) to get it fixed.

I need to run some errands and then I will be allowed to knit for the rest of the day (until my daughters get home and it is time for homework). Have a good Tuesday....