doodlebugmom: January 2006

Monday, January 30, 2006

Tomorrow will be the second anniversary of the death of two of my daughters dear friends and classmates.

S got her license on a Friday. She and her step sister went out a drive on Saturday morning. They never came home. S hit a little patch of ice and slid into a old iron bridge. They never had a chance. I find some comfort in the fact they left this world together. S's dad was on the rescue squad and went on the call :(

They were best friends. They were the ones that got S's dad together with T's mom. They were both good kids, amazing athletes, sweet girls. My daughter has so many wonderful memories of them, our whole family and community does. The night of the visitation we stood in line for 5 hours. For this little town of 2000

So if you read this, say a little prayer for the families these two girls left behind. And all their friends and classmates, its still very hard on them.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/30/2006 11:20:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Saturday, January 28, 2006

We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time. ~Vince Lombardi

That sums up the last game of the 5th grade BB tournament today. J's team made a great come back in the second half...almost enough. Today's record was 0-4. Ouch. Seems they play very well, just could not pull out a win. One week left. I like this short season. I really don't think I could put up with the whiny fans much longer. I am not competitive. The dad of one of my daughter's teammates and I were talking between games. "The girls are not aggressive. They are so polite. That's not a bad thing...only in basketball."

I would be happy if she didn't go out again next year. Or ever. But I kinda think she will. I will bite my tongue. I hope.

****

The other two are at Winter Camp this weekend with Youth Group. But no snow. so no tubing or sledding. Non-frozen lake. No skating. They will still have fun. 15 or so teenagers along with a few fun-loving chaperones. Some junk food, board games, and dvds, very little sleep. I wish I had gotten to do stuff like that as a kid.
This was the big "Scholarship Weekend," where a few hand picked high school seniors go and interview for a full-ride scholarship to one of the schools on her short list. She chose to go to winter camp instead. Hard to know what to think. This school is losing its appeal? This is the last opportunity she has with MYF? Senoritis. Definately.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/28/2006 08:41:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Friday, January 27, 2006

from the USA today 1-27-06

While America will survive President Bush's term in office, the damage from his policies will last for decades. Consider: The invasion of Iraq was not just a giant blunder; it has also drained resources from the effort to catch Osama bin Laden, and the CIA warns that Iraq has become both a recruiting tool and a training ground for Islamic terrorists.

Bush obstructs efforts to stop global warming, which will inflict cumulative damage over the next century greater than any terrorist attack. His economic policies have been a disaster for ordinary Americans; wages haven't kept up with inflation and personal debt has risen.

Furthermore, Bush's lackluster economic growth is built on deficit spending. The billions of dollars he has added to the national debt will have to be paid back, with interest.

But the worst thing, in my opinion, is that Bush has turned the country away from the ideal of America. From his imperial view of presidential power to sanctioning prisoner abuse to his penchant for secrecy to the unprovoked invasion of Iraq, Bush has transformed the USA from President Reagan's "shining city on a hill" to one where might makes right and the ends justify the means. America will survive George W. Bush, but we may never fully recover.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/27/2006 11:15:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Bubbles

This is Bubbles. She is our "special" cat. She used to be normal, but one day last summer we noticed she was acting funny. And her head is no longer on her body right. Sometimes she will be walking along and just fall over. We suspect the dog broke her neck. She doesn't seem to be in pain. She is still quick, can sneak in the front door anytime its open. She does not care that barn cats are not supposed to be in the house :/ She loves the computer keyboard...walking back and forth across it when anyone is trying to use the it. She is a great snuggler. She just looks weird.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/26/2006 06:38:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Reach for the Stars

This weekend will be the 20 year anniversary of the Challenger exposion.

Hard to believe 20 years has passed.

I remember so clearly.

I was a newlywed. My husband had come home for breakfast and headed back to the barn to finish chores.

Turned on the TV. Seeing the white smoke. Hoping for the best. Being so sad when I realized there was none.

*************************

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/26/2006 02:53:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. ~Author Unknown

I work with the nicest man.

He is 72 years old. I never thought I would be friends with a man the same age as my father. But we spend a lot of days together. Working. Chatting. He brings his wife to work. She has alzheimers. Its a rotten disease. Countless times he has said to me: "I wish you had know her when she was well" I wish I had too. We talk often about her disease and his choice to care for her and not put her in a home. He sums it up by saying "For better or for worse...this is what its all about." Whether I think he is doing the right thing or not, I have to admire his love for her and his commitment to caring for her. He gets teary somedays and I do too.

Sometimes I resent having to put up with her. But I know her time with me is the only break he gets. If its 10 minutes to run to the hardware store. Or 2 minutes to talk on the phone. He can let his guard down for bit. I know I will never get rich at his job, and it will never go anywhere. But I feel I am here for a reason. More than money. I think God has put me here, and kept me here for a reason. Its not about money, but I feel richer in another way.

I worry about him too. His health is failing. He has had both hips replaced and had 3 knee replacements since I have been here. Today he just looked so old. In the 5 years we have been working together he has aged 20. They have both been without daily medication since the first of the year. They were getting their perscriptions from Canada. Their last shipment was seized by our goverment. Geesh. Heaven forbid this old man could take his cholesterol meds. And she really needs her medication. I guess its because of the new medicare drug program. But they have paid $800 for their medications. Meds that wont be delivered. They are getting by with some occasional samples from the doc. It should not be this way.

He worries about my kids as if they were his grandchildren. They never had children of their own. He talks about when he and his wife were dating. He tells me Army stories. Tales of his trucking days. He says stuff like "nervous as a whore in church on Sunday." He asks questions. I need to brace myself when his questions start with "If you dont mind me asking _______" lol! I have grown to love this man, like an uncle I didnt know it I was 35.

He came into the office the other day. Funny look on his face. Asked "do you know what Allegra is?"
"Yes, Its for allergies"
"Oh good. I got you a pen from the doctors office. I was worried it was that male stuff. Whats that man stuff called?"
"Viagra?"
"Oh yeah. Thats right. I bet they dont give pens for Viagra. They probably give better stuff"

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/24/2006 10:17:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Today little Miss J was finally feeling better! Yeah! She went outside and built a little snowman. Then inside to bake cookies. Ahh winter!

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/22/2006 11:31:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Friday, January 20, 2006

I found this on line tonight.

"Where's Waldo?" You know who Waldo is, right? He's the nerdy guy in funny glasses and a striped cap who's always lost in the crowd. The trick is, you've got to find him. He's always there on the page, somewhere. You just need the eyes to see where. Similarly, we need eyes to recognize God in the details of life. "He's lurking where you least expect Him. He's right there on the page. He's anywhere people are willing to see the whole world with eyes incapable of anything but wonder, and with a tongue fluent only for praise."

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/20/2006 10:28:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, January 19, 2006

I love this Rob and Bob paper. J is sick again, we are both staying home tomorrow. I hope she sleeps. I hope I scrap. There are crops at the high school library every other week now. I had to miss this week, I really want to go next time. Nice big tables to spread out and be messy.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/19/2006 10:24:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic. ~Jean Sibelius

My youngest daughter is in 5th grade. And its 5th grade basketball season. They played their first games this past weekend. They won one and lost two. They are fun to watch. And hard to watch. Most are not quite sure what they are doing. There are a couple of ball hogs. One really mean girl that stands a foot taller than the rest. Oh and some of the parents/fans make me cringe. Heckling the refs. We fans did get a warning. Come on people these are 10/11 year olds. And really, when one mom tells her kid she is an ignorant jerk for a bad pass in front of a gym full of people, makes me wonder how she is treated at home :(

It is a short season. It only lasts about a month. I am glad. My daughter doesn't say much. But she does comment about how mean the tall girl is. Really takes all the fun out of it. She did say BB is more fun at recess with the boys.

I have to give a lot of credit to the coach. She is a hometown girl. A natural athlete and I wondered how she would be coaching the girls. The other night after an especially rough practice, she took the girls out in the hall. Some of them were in tears. She told them. "These are your teammates. These are your friends. You friends will always be more important than any game." Way to go coach :) Too bad it goes over the heads of the one that needed that advice most.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/17/2006 01:12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Monday, January 16, 2006

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.~MLK

*A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

*I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

*I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

*In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

*I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

*Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

*The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

*A right delayed is a right denied.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

*If physical death is the price that I must pay to free my white brothers and sisters from a permanent death of the spirit, then nothing can be more redemptive.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/16/2006 06:53:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Friday, January 13, 2006

People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one. ~Leo J. Burke

A friend of mine and her husband had twins in September. My son has been helping then out after school a few days a week. I got to go one day last week too.

They are so darn cute! A girl and a boy. The girl has auburn hair and looks like her mom, the boy is a mini-blonde version of his dad. They smile and coo and gurgle. Awwwww!

I told her anytime she needed a break or just wanted to go to the grocery store alone I would be glad to babysit. My husband tells me not to get any ideas :/

Don't worry. I am not that crazy!

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/13/2006 01:04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Four

1. Four jobs I've had
* cashier in a grocery store
* worked in a men's clothing store (my dad and my hunny were very well dressed back then!)
* in a cheese factory (while very pregnant with my son)
* my current job selling dairy equipment

2. Four movies I'd watch over and over
* Miracle on 34th Street (the old one)
* You've Got Mail
* All of me
* Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

3. Four places I have lived
* I grew up on a farm
* moved into the upstairs of a house with 8 other girls for college
* one college roommate and high school friend lived in a basement apartment
* then I got married and moved back to a farm

4. Four TV shows I love to watch
* Dick Van Dyke
* Paula Deen (she is a hoot)
* Anything on HGTV
* Everybody Love's Raymond

5. Four websites I visit daily
* SSMB
* Yahoo games
* Yahoo news
* Blogs

6. Four places I have been on vacation
* Rutland VT
* Niagra Falls
* Chicago
* Minneapolis/ St Paul/ Mall of America

7. Four foods I love
* Turtles (the chocolate/pecan/caramel kind)
* Turkey
* Grilled cheese
* Homemade chicken noodle soup

8. Four places I would rather be
Right now I am home and thats the best place in the world for me
But some day I would like to visit
* New England, would love to see all the hisorical places
* The Grand Canyon
* New York City
* Seattle

9. Now tag four
* Val
* Steph
* Pirate
* Opie
I will check and see if you guys do this. It will be fun to read your answers. If you can't dont worry. I will not hunt you down!

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/11/2006 06:54:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Happy Birthday

Today my son turned 16.

Don't know where the last 16 year have gone.

He has his permit, but no license yet.

Driver's Ed got complicated this year when his teacher was diagnosed with cancer.

Mr L is supposed to be back, behind-the-wheel with the kids this week.

I don't mind putting off that jump in car insurance a little longer.

But I know he is anxious to be driving.

Independence.

And once track starts it will be nice that he can drive him self. No more living in my car waiting for him to be done.

So Happy Birthday A!

(And I feel much better today than I did 16 years ago.)

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/10/2006 10:30:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Monday, January 09, 2006

Wild Weekend

It was one of those weekends, one when we didn't know whether we were coming or going.
Saturday:
Oldest Daughter A was out the door befor 8 am for Honors Band. It's the best of the band members from the conference. They spend the day practicing and have a concert in the evening.

Son A and daughter J had doubles and singles city bowling tournament. 6 games in a row. Thats a lot of bowling. Both of them did very well. It was a good day to bowl 30 pins over average. Daughter A was a little bummed she had to miss out, but not too bummed.

I got home after dropping them off, there was a message on my answering machine from my dad. They were going to drive up. ! The weather is nice, and the ice had melted, it was a good day for them to come down our winding driveway.
So I called him back, I will tie up the dog, we will be home by 2:30 if we aren't here, we will leave the house unlocked so just come in.

What a frenzy of cleaning for an hour! I am not much of a house keeper, so it was a real rush job to get the the house in order. If it was just dad, I would not care, but his wife (I dont call her my step mom, thats too weird for me) has their home just beautiful. She always has her hair and nails done. I did not want her to see my house in its natural state (CHAOS!)

Then off to meet with our tax guy. The same guy has been doing our taxes for years. Farm taxes are so complicated. I gladly pay him to figure all the depreciation, capital gains, and losses, etc. He gets the big bucks to keep all that stuff straight and I appreciate that! He has a deadline of Jan 31 this year as some scholarship apps have to be postmarked Feb 1.

Then hurry back to town, pick up kids at bowling alley. Grab some lunch from the convience store and eat on the way home. Dad and Jean follow us down the driveway so we timed that well!

We had a nice visit. That was our Christmas this year.

They headed for home and then we went to the Honors Band Concert. I really enjoyed that. The kids did a wonderful job. I am such a proud mommy, even though my tall daughter was behind an even taller chick, so I could not see her very well and my pictures didn't turn out at all. She had a really good time, but when she got home she said her lips hurt. lol

We stopped at DQ for an ice cream cake on the way home. Daughter J got her cake and candles one day early. She didn't mind. (What kid would refuse ice cream cake!?). They we all got to bed late.

Sunday
Up to open Birthday presents! My baby is 11. I was thinking about the day she was born. It was in the wee hours of a Sunday morning. It was about -20 that night and I wanted the window open in the delivery room, after she was born my husband and the doc were happy they could finally close the window! I was way overdue and had been in labor since Friday night. I still tease her she is not in any hurry to do anything. She takes life at her own speed. Slow.

Then Sunday School and Church, after church out for brunch with my husbands family. There are 5 birthdays in January. We have one big day to cover them all. After brunch we went over to my in-laws house for Cake and Ice cream (not that we needed to eat again!) and looked at some old slides. Wedding pictures, baby pictures, they were fun to see them

I am soooooo glad the weekend it over and I could get back to work to RELAX!

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/09/2006 09:42:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Friday, January 06, 2006

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey

We have a new "company computer program" as of January 1st. Today I realized the name "Quickbooks" is not quick.

Oh its a great program. We have been using it for a year. But today was my first day dealing with our new setup. (I found nothing wrong with the old system...but I, being a peon, have no voice in the matter)

I spent the first hour doing my tickets, changing prices, adding a few missed items, re-adding customers that totally vanished in the changeover...a few glitches, but all were easily fixed. I spent the next 4 hours un-doing and re-doing the stuff the other office person did on Wednesday and Thursday. My job would be so much easier if she would just ask for help instead of doing it all wrong. UGH. I think I have that all straightened out.

Then a nice young Amish farmer came in to return some parts he boughht of Friday. Last Friday. Last Year. I am going to deal with that mess on Monday.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/06/2006 01:44:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Isaiah 40:31

2006-1-1

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." ~Isaiah 40:31.

I love to see bald eagles making a comeback in our area. Saw him on our way home from church on Sunday. Its not the best picture. My card was full on my new camera (I got video clip of the twins baptism...awwwww), so I had to use my old camera for this picture. It was really foggy that day too. Still I thought he was amazing.

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/03/2006 10:48:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Monday, January 02, 2006

Go Badgers!

The Wisconsin Badgers are playing in the Capital One bowl today. They are supposedly big underdogs. Auburn is supposed to dominate. I hope the Badgers pull out an upset.

There are a few ties to a couple of players to our hometown.

Go Big RED!

Update:

Wisconsin 24 - Auburn 10

A fitting farewell to Barry Alvarez

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/02/2006 02:02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Sunday, January 01, 2006

The Cost of Raising a Child

I got this in email today. Its long, but really nice:

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month, or
* $171.08 a week.
* That's a mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs, and
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watching Saturday morning cartoons,
* going to Disney movies, and
* wishing on stars.
* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness the:
* first step,
* first word,
* first bra,
* first date, and
* first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, So . . one day they will like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Posted by doodlebugmom at 1/01/2006 10:17:00 PM | Permalink | Comments