Blog@ 3MalesandaLady.Com

I just updated the kid's blogs with a cool new look (their choices). When I was making sure every link looked right and the comments all showed etc. I noted a misspelling on Bethie's archive page. When I was clicking around on the others I took note on how well (or bad) each of us was in the regularity of posting... then I noted that 2008 (and this is the first of 2009) was a really bad time for me to update you all! oops, sorry!

Now on to the present, we are getting a new furnace and insulating the house so it is even more fuel efficient. We are switching from fuel oil to propane so hopefully it will not be as spendy as it was last winter. In doing so, I started spring cleaning inadvertently... you know, you need to get here or there, then decide to move the boys to their own room, then have to clean that room, if you give a mouse a cookie type thing.... only hopefully there will be no more cookies! tired of going through shoes, clothes, crafts, coats, and yes, I did find some maternity clothes still in storage (GONE NOW!). Looking for the end of the rainbow and how nice it will be when it is all done (hopefully soon!)

Stephen adjusted to middle-school well. He loves art and music. Is in choir and orchestra. Just started a new quarter and now it gets "tech arts" which is the new school term for the old school wood and metal shop. He received a cell phone for Christmas, and we are still learning on when to use it- like not when your "in school" and bored! And his new favorite- leave all your schoolwork at school that way you have "nothing" when mom asks you when your home. He has reading glasses and is doing fairly well given that there never is any homework

His allergy testing came back 100% negative. So now we are in the process of going back through things and retesting everything. The really great thing was that we added soy and peas back into his diet. He failed Grapes, and between peanut and rice one of them is still nasty but it took until he had both of them together before he reacted. We will check again in a bit to try and weed it out.

Gabriel has had a tough time with someone stealing his AR (accelerated reading) password, he is now on his 4th one this year! He is still my perfectionist and still the one to pitch in and say "can I clean this or that?" School grades are great, his teacher commented that he was really missed by the whole class when he was out for a week with the flu.

Bethie is still a princess. her new thing is that people are telling her she is "fat". She is not fat, in fact, she is perfectly normal according to the charts. Actually I am really surprised that it held off this long as girls are so "caddy" but still... She is doing very well in school- especially when you take into account that "girl talk" is more important than "teacher talk".

Hopefully I will not be as long updating y'all about whats happening around here and be better this year than I was last year. The main page does have my twitter box on it also, which I have been a tad bit better than posting here

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest man that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank GOD! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Where does the time go???

this summer was filled with kids, bored kids, fighting kids, giggling kids, kids playing ps2, kids riding bikes etc. meaning I had a hard time finding time to work... but school is right around the corner again, and then I guess I may miss them

Stephen- had a "medically good" summer- well when he wasn't sneaking foods- and even that seems to be less than he used to. Guess he is growing up. He spent the last week "learning" how to drive the lawnmower and we now have the most preened lawn around- and the most nervous mom still, as he loves to mow while watching this and that... meaning his eyes are not on the road- but boy is he having tons of fun!

Gabe has been very active. Somewhat taking after his big brother. I miss the calm quiet shy child! but still, he is very introspective and observant. His drawings have really gotten fascinating lately. today's drawing was "bird diving" a bird, eating a piece of bread while flying underneath a helicopter. I told him that that was a really great idea as I bet there is some human out there interested in bird diving too! (maybe you had to be there- but it really did look like a cool thrill seeker ride). Poor Gabe seems to be unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time of late. He took the bike ramps on the side and took a spill, he shut his finger in the jeep door (thank goodness it was hubby's which doesn't close as tight as mine!) and been the brunt of most sibling scuffles--- all in the past three days! he has scabbed knees, a bruised thumb and needed so many ice packs I lost count! hopefully with school starting that will turn around!

Bethie is Bethie. Give that girl a credit card and there would be trouble! she thinks the perfect dream is shopping in the worlds largest mall! she also would be a liability if she ever got a real cell phone. the house is going to be so quiet without her. She loves to be "grown up". we went school supply shopping- just us girls- and she had her purse and told me what was where. didn't want to go home or relinquish the cart. she is excited about school starting again so she can see all of her friends again. not a day goes by without hearing "so and so does such and such!

me- i am looking forward to having mommy time. got lots of ideas to get out of me that were brewing all summer long. Ya, I will miss the kids but I really do miss the ME time that the school year provides too. I am not looking forward to the homework battles, the "go to bed, you have school in the morning" and getting up to get them on the the bus- I did get to sleep in until 7 all summer.... But I have 2 shows upcoming that i need to get to work on supplies plus other stuff that i need to get working on that i told customers i would attempt to do... so the "me time" is needed....

I cannot believe it been this long since I last wrote. I have been BUSY working... way busy working. I got a huge order out the door in record time. I also battled/battling a cold/allergies... sinus and bronchitis I think have finally set in. Either way, its not fun.

Kids have been back to school for full weeks since I last complained, one more "no school day" and an early out then they are off for the summer and I will have to adjust working schedules again. Its finally getting warm enough out to finish some remodeling around here (thats a good thing!)

Getting Stephen ready for Middle School next year, Gabe was released from Speech, Bethie is writing words on every scrap of paper she can find. Kids are absorbed into the PS2, but I know their blogs will be updated as soon as school gets out- as the rule of blog writing before games will go into effect again!

End of the school year is the most hectic time- Stephen alone has a field trip, major test, special classes, another bonus field trip (saturday), all day orchestra concert, kickball tourney, etc. in 14 days time... wears ME out to think about it. The other 2 have just as much going on.

Boys took archery, now looking forward to golf (Bethie will join in), and VBS.... Plenty to keep us busy for a bit...

Here are a few vid's from his operetta. click each one, they will open in Quicktime.

Movie of Gabe pt. 1
Movie of Gabe pt. 2
Movie of Gabe pt. 3
Movie of Gabe pt. 4
Movie of Gabe pt. 5- (his speaking part)

Just last month I was thinking "when I was a kid we had a lot more time off for Christmas vacation (and Easter too), these poor kids, all they ever do is go to school" then after so many days of "planned no-school days" I am thinking that maybe we had more time for these breaks because we actually went to school on all of these other days! So after the 2nd 3 day weekend this month, I am very eager to get my kids back to school (ya, that sounds bad, but you didn't have them jumping all over the place worse than Mexican jumping beans!) I just want my Normal life back again!

today since I obviously couldn't take off and get to work, I spent the day working on the "end of the year tax/bookwork" things that need to be finalized before I submit them to be prepared for us. Yeah. (that was really really exaggerated enthusiasm!). between the "he hit me" and "I didn't do it, he/she is lying" I did manage to get quite a bit done. I would be done tomorrow IF I wanted too, and if the weather cooperates and the school system doesn't do anything stupid because of the weather, I will not have to and can do what I really want to do- get back to the studio after such long breaks!

So off to dream about the kiddos out of the house, and hopefully by morning my dreams will not be dashed!
~later!

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest man that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank GOD! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Doubt you will be able to see him- he is in the back, against the center panel, follow the left rail downward into his head. he is wearing his black suit. Apologies in advance, I used my phone to video these and sound quality could have been a lot better, and I wiggle when I hold the phone... SORRY!

again like in bethies, download then view in quicktime....
Stephen song 1- "bobby wants a pair of skates, sally wants a sled..." song
Stephen Song 1 part 2
Good King Wenceslas!
La Rejouvenance-French orchestral piece with different harmony's

Had to make these download links instead of playing automatically (they all played at once!).... click the links, download and open with Quicktime
bethie video 1
bethie video 2

watching tv this morning.... the early show specifically

on comes the story of "baby grace" and immediately following was a whole segment on "her parents played WoW" the highly violent game (their words not mine)... and suggesting that computer games caused people to do irrational things like killing their child without other causes.

Ummm, ok. Now a disclaimer, we dont play WoW, but... TV news has tons of violent images. why do I never hear "oh, they watch the news, that's why they killed someone" or they watched movies rated "R" etc.

This link would make me believe that games = murder. Since WoW has billions of subscribers (googling I found an 8 billion players at any time figure), the root cause of every murder (or at least over 50% of them anyways) statistically should be WoW players. Since I just heard that WoW contributes to the murder mentality.... I highly doubt that connection exists!

Now I think there would be more of a connection with coffee drinkers, soda consumers, how bout this one- 100% of all killers used the bathroom more than once a day! Now there is TV reporting with a definite statistical link!

Later,
tired of the TV grasping at straws, think I will drink some coffee and perhaps some soda and go to the bathroom (without killing anyone!). Perchance, these people were just mentally ILL???

P.S.
Don't even get me started on news reporting that Smoking= danger to children but Alcohol is socially accceptable.... ever hear of a drunk emotionally harming children, physically endangering kids and abusing them while putting their addiction first???? ummm.... ban smoking but allow more hard liquor adds on NASCAR cars! We need more children becoming alcoholics at an early age! hook em early! just think, tons of Jack Daniels/Bush/budwieser Die cast hot wheels in the hands of 5 year olds! Ya smoking causes lung damage and cancer, but have you heard lately on the news of liver damage/cancer from excessive drinking???? talk about causing an altered mental state connection!