Better Late Than Never...

Finally! Ethan's first Upward basketball game...from January 3. A mere 6 months ago.

I love his enthusiasm when his name is announced.

Big Red Truck

Yesterday after Bible school in downtown Steubenville, the kids got to see a fire truck, up close and personal. Thanks to Shannon, Jordan's mom, for this opportunity. Ethan and Lindsey want to be firefighters when they grow up. Until we take another tour somewhere else (preferably not a jail—they might want to be inmates!)

New Church

Our new church is finished, praise God! An open house was held last Saturday, with a dedication service the next day. It is beautiful, and about 30 percent bigger than the previous church that was destroyed by an arsonist.

Live at Franciscan U—Francis!

A black bear has been making the rounds in Steubenville over the past few weeks. He has been seen Dumpster diving on the grounds of Franciscan University and Catholic Central among other places. Franciscan University's summer students have dubbed him Francis (after St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology).

You can read the local newspaper's account here.

Stream of Consciousness Surfing

I'm starting to wonder if I have adult-onset attention deficit disorder.

Or maybe it's because I've been constantly interrupted for the past six years. I forget what I've been working on and pick up where I haven't left off—doing something completely different in a completely different room.

My online habits have become like that also. I'll do a little Facebooking, check my e-mail, head over to my blog, maybe go back to Facebook...

I'm a little amused at the randomness of my online habits. Here's where my eclectic stream of consciousness has led me the past few days:

• Indian Creek's website to read Board minutes. Disappointed that they haven't been added since February.

• Ohio BMV's site to read about historical license plates

• Youtube to watch a video of an air compressor alarm clock

• KOA Sandusky's website

• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh website

• National Aviary website

• Carnegie Museums website

• the Wilds

• TD Ameritrade

• Uhrichsville's water park

• Tuscora Park

• Justinespired's blog

And now, it's off to get breakfast while looking at VBS materials and changing a diaper.

Lots to Do in the Valley/Ville

It seems like every organization in Steubenville and Wintersville has planned an activity for this weekend. (How about spreading them throughout the summer next year, folks?)

So, pick and choose what you'd like to attend. Here are the offerings:

• Wintersville United Methodist's Strawberry Festival from 4-7 p.m. tonight

• Victory in Da Ville, a gospel music festival and car show with free food and games all day today at Brentwood United Methodist

• Thunder in the Valley at Treasure Island Flea Market, all day today

• Frontier Days at Old Fort Steuben until 6 p.m. tonight and tomorrow

• Colonial Baptist's open house from Noon until 4 p.m. today

As for us, we'd like to visit Frontier Days, but it all depends on Breadwinner's work schedule. If he has to work over, I'm not sure I want to venture there by myself with the three kids. We may go to the church's open house, though they will also be having a dedication service and potluck tomorrow.

Save Our Libraries!

I have heard that Thursday is the vote on the proposed biennial Ohio budget.

Go to saveohiolibraries.com to find out how you can help. 

I called Governor Strickland's office at 614-644-4357 and spoke to a "live" person. His voice mailbox is full for the other published number, 614-466-3555, though you can try that number again tomorrow.

Support Your Local Public Library

If you've never contacted the governor's office, here's a perfect opportunity.

Gov. Ted Strickland is proposing a 50 percent cut to public library funding—and these cuts will begin affecting libraries in July!!

Locally, this means that five library branches of the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County will close (Adena, Brilliant, Dillonvale, Tiltonsville, and Toronto). Bookmobile service will be eliminated, 35 people will lose their jobs, and there will be reduced hours at the Main Library and Schiappa Branch.

This would be truly tragic. I have been devotedly taking my kids to the library since my oldest, Ethan, was six months old. They all love attending Tot Time, Story Time, Play and Learn, and more. I appreciate being able to borrow books, magazines, and DVDs from any library in the OPLIN system.

If these branches close, I'm sure they will never reopen. Please don't let that happen. Call Gov. Strickland's office at 614-466-3555 and voice your concern. (Contacting your state representative or senator may also help.)

Because of the economic downturn, the library is busier than ever. I've frequently reserved movies and used to be shocked when I was, say, number 121 in the queue. Now I'm even more surprised: I'm number 1,097 for a movie a reserved last week.

Once again, I'm asking you to call the governor's office. Cutting library funding is not the answer to Ohio's budget shortfall.

The Joy of Growth Charts

I like statistics, random facts, and plain old trivia.

So it's no surprise that I'm fascinated with my kids' growth charts.

A few days ago I took all three to their well-child visits with their new pediatrician (sniff!). That was the first time I had tried to take more than two children. (They did well in the waiting room where there was a television. Caleb sang/grunted along to the Spongebob theme song—shudder!)

Our charts hadn't arrived from the previous office—even though I had signed a release IN PERSON nearly three weeks prior. Dr. Ray couldn't plot their heights and weights on their charts, so I had to do it at home.

Caleb has always been average. It wasn't a shock to see he was still at the 50th percentile in both height and weight for a two-and-a-half year old. He was 30.25 pounds and 35.5 inches.

Lindsey Leigh has always been above average, though she did gradually drop from her 85th percentile infant days. She hangs out in the 60th percentile for height (41.5 inches) and the 75th percentile for weight (41.5 pounds). It cracks me up when the kids weigh the same as their height.

Ethan continues to be near the top of the chart, which was a bit of a surprise considering he was only the fourth or fifth tallest in his kindergarten class. (One child was a whole head taller than Ethan!) On the rare occasion I have to carry Ethan, it's a struggle. And no wonder: he's 58.25 pounds and 47.5 inches—95th and 90th percentiles, respectively. (Another half inch and he can ride the big amusement park rides...)

It's nice to see the kids grow at a steady pace. My growth chart wouldn't amuse me at all. 

I'm the (sort of) Squeaky Wheel

You know those  money back guarantees promised if you don't like a grocery product?

I rarely take the companies up on their offers. But once in a great while—if a product is JUST THAT BAD—I make the effort to call or write. And it always pays off.

In February, I bought the Our Family brand of icing by mistake. I had tried it before and thought "yuck." But it was on sale, and I forgot how terrible it was. I began icing cupcakes for Ethan's birthday party and took a taste. Ugh. Like sugar-flavored Crisco. And it was so thick, spreading it took the top of the cupcake. Luckily I had a container of Duncan Hines icing also. Whew! 

So, I put the Our Family icing back in the fridge, intending to write a note to the company, because it was JUST THAT BAD. Three months later during a rare refrigerator cleaning I remembered.

Now, most of the Our Family product packaging says to return the item to the store for double your money back. This icing label said to write to the company. So I did.

A few weeks later, I received an apology letter from Nash Finch, the brand distributors, along with two $2 Our Family coupons. Next, I received a letter from the brand manufacturer with another apology. According to them, they couldn't reenact my experience because the code I gave them was for icing made in October 2005. (I don't see how this could be possible,  as "my" icing had a best by date of October 2009. Surely icing doesn't have a four-year shelf life. 

Anyway, yesterday I received a UPS shipment. Inside the box was two cans of icing.

Wow, they're really trying to make me happy! But I bet it still tastes and spreads the same.

Meanwhile, I have Kroger brand Corn Flakes ready to return. They were so bad I actually had to spit them out. And I love Corn Flakes.

So, the moral is: Speak up. Even though it takes months, do it. There's nothing better than receiving freebie coupons.

Now, I wonder what I'd get if I wrote in to compliment an item.

Summer Activities Abound

If you and your kids are bored this summer, it's your own fault.

I can't even begin to list all the activities in the area—and many are free. But I'll just list a few.

• If Hubby were off next weekend, I'd love for him to take Ethan to Deerassic Park in Guernsey County. There's a free Kicking Bear One-on-One Archery Shoot and Campout. Kids aged 5-15, with a parent, are invited to learn more about archery, go on hayrides, see the deer, and go fishing. Meals are even free! Deerassic Park is located on U.S. Route 22, near Salt Fork State Park. Pre-registration is required. I would go, if I knew how to set up a tent by myself.

• Many libraries offer summer reading programs. Our library offers the program for all ages—including adults. The kids are asked to read 10 books. For every two books read, they will receive a small prize. The more books/other reading material adults read, the more chances they have to win a stay at Mountaineer Racetrack and Casino.

• Our school also has a reading program. When the kids read 10 books, they will receive one from an author scheduled to speak at their school in the upcoming school year.

• Swimming lessons: Check your local pool.

• Vacation Bible Schools: These are ubiquitous this time of year. I always loved going as a child, and my kids love them, too. We'll try to limit ourselves to three this summer.

• 4-H: It's too late to join this year but if your kids aren't already involved, look into it. Older kids work on independent study projects and attend judging. Younger kids, Cloverbuds, participate in group learning activities.

• Science and math camps: Also ubiquitous this time of year. Here's an example: Kids entering first through third grade can learn about space, the planets, the Earth, and more at Wheeling Jesuit University in three 2+hour sessions for just $15.

• Start a play group of your own. This is the third summer for our play group. The past two summers we called it the "Alphabet Club," and we learned, of course, about the alphabet. This year we're changing it to "Neighborhood Bible Club." We had four moms and 11 kids at yesterday's meeting. And only about half of the moms were able to come.

Finding things to do isn't hard. And maybe you're so busy you're looking for things for the kids NOT to do. I don't have a list for that, but a small blow-up pool in the yard and lots of lemonade and popsicles for the kids just might do the trick.

Fun Times at Emerald Isle

Last week we had the good fortune of joining Dwayne's family on Emerald Isle, North Carolina. His mom and aunt rented a duplex for the extended family. Our kids had so much fun. Caleb and Lindsey loved the attention from their teenage girl cousins, while Ethan liked to hang out with the big boy cousins. With all the stops, it was a 12-13 hour trip but it was definitely a great investment of our time!

Caleb's mark on the beach.

Part of the fishing group: Uncle Ed, Zach, Malachi, and Hannah.

Splashing with next youngest cousin, Levi.

These two were not afraid of the water—at least not afraid of being right on the shoreline.

This is one of my favorite pictures. We bought $2 visors that read, "Emerald Isle Lifeguard." Only Ethan was excited about the hats, but I made the kids wear them for a picture on Bogue Inlet Pier.

To see more vacation pictures, click here.

Court of Decisions

Today I had jury duty for the first time.

It wasn't a fun experience. In fact, it was a terrible feeling to hold the defendant's future in my hands, knowing he would be a convicted felon if we found him guilty.

I was at the courthouse from 8:45 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. today and chosen as the tenth juror. Six potential jurors were dismissed with peremptory challenges. 

Perhaps the most unusual event of the day was the testimony of one of the prosecution's witnesses. He testified that he had known the defendant for eight years, but was unable to point him out. He claimed he could not see well and that his glasses had broken. The judge permitted him to walk in a circle around the courtroom so he could identify the defendant. He filed past the jurors and the prosecution's and defense's tables—not really looking at anyone! When he got back to his seat, he was able to point to the defendant. Another prosecution witness had several heated exchanges with the defense attorney. He kept saying, "Don't make me out to be a liar." 

We found the defendant guilty of the theft of catalytic converters valued at more than $500 and also vandalism.

The judge said many people leave jury duty saying they were glad they served. Not me. I did not like having the responsibility of determining someone's guilt or innocence

Unless I'm absolutely needed, I won't be called for jury duty again this month, and I am excused for one year from future service. It's been 12 years since I was last called; I hope it's another 12, at least, before I'm called again. 

Back to the Real World

Back to life, back to reality. Back to the here and now.

Mundanity? Craziness? Or maybe both? 

Thus far it's been both. 

Our family returned from almost a week's vacation on Emerald Isle, North Carolina. The weather, except for the traveling day, was beautiful. The ocean was so calm on Thursday we were able to take Ethan and Lindsey, wearing life jackets of course, in water up to their chests. Lindsey held a death grip on Cousin Amber, but Ethan wanted to "swim" to all of his relatives. 

We missed spending time with Dwayne's sister, her husband, and their older son, as well as Dwayne's cousin's husband and his older son who all had work or school commitments.

Dwayne said, and I agree, that this was one of our most enjoyable trips to the ocean. I think it's because our kids are growing up. The last time we went was nearly two years ago, to Hatteras Island, North Carolina. (The kids were 10 months, 2 years, and 4 years old. It was a lot of work, and unfortunately the ocean was extremely rough. We took the older ones to Pamlico Sound nearly every day, which they loved.)

We're not sure whether Dwayne's family will go next year or wait a few years again. If they don't go, we'll try to hit the Outer Banks again.

Making Sumer Plans...

This is too important not to mention. At least in my eyes.

If you have young children, Idlewild's the place you need to take them this summer. Most of the rides are open to all but hand-held infants. We've been there the last five summers and plan to go there again this year. The kids love Idlewild. We usually go at 10 a.m. when just Storybook Forest is open. The rest of the park opens at 11 a.m. As with other theme parks, a weekday is the best day to go. 

Check out these specials. (Sorry, I can't get the whole word highlighted.) For hotel packages, click here. And here are even more discounts. Why pay full price?

I love a deal!

Spellbinding Television

I find spelling bees spellbinding.

Last night's Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee was no exception. The spelling ability of these middle school children was phenomenal. 

A natural ability for spelling is not the only factor in becoming a champion. Interdisciplinary knowledge plays a huge role as well. If the child had taken French or Spanish classes or had a scientific background, that could be beneficial as well. Plus, all of the pre-teens seemed to have knowledge in our language's Latin roots.

Of the dozens of words the contestants faced, I could have spelled only five. "Avoirdupois" was a word I remember being in my spelling bee study book. The final word, "Laodicean," was another one I knew. (I came up short in my quest for the National Spelling Bee—I placed fifth out of 88 kids in the Columbus Dispatch qualifier.)

Watching the contestants compete was enjoyable. I was rooting for the homeschooled boy, simply because I loved the way he asked, "What does it mean?" when given a word.

If you like spelling bees as much as I do, check out Akeelah and the Bee. 

No Rest for the Weary

I'm tired. Plain tired.

I figure I've logged about 600 miles of driving since Sunday when I made the trip to Blacklick for my nephew Elijah's second birthday party. On Monday, it was off to Uniontown (near Hartville) to see my college roommates. 

Today, I took Caleb to see the GI specialist in Boardman. Caleb's diarrhea had disappeared for 7 months, but has been back for a month. Ugh. I wondered whether there was a connection with the antibiotic he finished in early April. (He's on an antibiotic again.) The doctor prescribed probiotic capsules that can be mixed in applesauce. He said if the probiotics would work, it would take a month. If that doesn't do the trick, then Caleb would need to have a camera inserted inside so the doctor could determine the source of the problem.

But wait, there's more! Ethan and Caleb both woke up crying several times late Thursday night. Caleb ran a fever during the day. And then Ethan's eye was mysteriously bloodshot in the morning. We were able to get an appointment with our pediatrician after her normal office hours (!), and she said they both had ear infections and Ethan had pink eye.

Next week's beach vacation is looking better all the time.

Memories...

This week as I was watching the finales of Dancing With the Stars and American Idol, I had a flashback.

Two years ago I was sitting in my sister's Columbus apartment watching the same thing, desperately trying anything to get my mind off my dad's surgery to remove two brain tumors. The news was worse than we thought: the tumors were metastasized, which means they originated from another cancer. And it was melanoma, one of the quickest, most aggressive cancers.

Tomorrow is Lindsey's preschool graduation program, which unleashes another bittersweet memory. Last year, my dad called the night before Ethan's preschool graduation program to say he was coming. He had found out that day that the cancer had spread to his lung and liver. 

Dad said he wanted to attend programs like this while he still could—and that was the last time.

I didn't even get a picture of him with Ethan wearing his graduation cap.

Ethan still remembers Papo; he was almost five-and-a-half when he died. But I know memories fade with time. We have many wooden ride-on toys and other items that Papo made for the kids that will help keep those memories alive, as well as lots of pictures. I hope Ethan will remember his papo and not just remember the stories we've told about him.

Meanwhile, I'm striving to create happier memories of the month of May. That could prove to be a challenge: Dad's first appointment with the brain surgeon was on my birthday in 2007. But May is a pretty month, with the spring flowers and trees blossoming. Some of the flowering bushes in the yard were purchased with birthday money from Dad, so looking for the beauty in life should be my new endeavor. After all, we know he is rejoicing in Heaven with his Father. What's sad about that?

LOST Questions But No Answers

The creators of LOST have really left us on edge this time. They gave us even more unanswered questions, too.

Just who, exactly, is Jacob? Is there a chance that he can rise like a phoenix from the ashes and defeat the fake John Locke? Who was the guy with Jacob at the beginning of the show? Is HE the fake John Locke?

Will the real John Locke please stand up? Or decompose? 

Ben was told by his dead daughter to do exactly as John Locke told him. Is Ben in trouble because the person he listened to wasn't really Locke?  

It appears that Ilana's crew are the good guys. Is Jack a bad guy now? 

Will the castaways, in fact, be rebooted to the LA Airport now that it seems Juliet has detonated the bomb? (And why didn't it go off, if Sayid rigged it to explode on impact?)

My guess is the castaways are doomed to relive everything, over and over, until somebody does something just right. (People are the variables, according Daniel Faraday.) That's what Eloise Hawking insinuated to Desmond, anyway.

I wish we didn't have to wait until January 2010 to find out.

Losin' Teeth Like Crazy

Ethan has lost three teeth in the past month. 

His newest gap was created while he was sleeping. He woke me up at 12:30 a.m. this morning to tell me about it—and to ask if he could put it under his pillow for the tooth fairy. In my groggy state, I told him it might be too late. Ethan said he'd do it anyway.

So, four hours later—after unsuccessfully trying to fall back asleep—I found two quarters to put under his pillow. He woke me up at 7:20 a.m., excited about his newfound income. (That's sleeping in for him; he usually gets up between 6-7 a.m.)

He has one more loose tooth, his top front tooth. He'll have to drink his food with a straw when that one comes out.

Big Cousin E is Profiled in the CD

Ethan, Lindsey, and Caleb's cousin, Eli, was featured in the Columbus Dispatch on Tuesday. It's a pretty nice Q & A write-up. You can read it here.

One answer made me giggle. I don't think the reporter reread what he typed here:

Q: What's your favorite team?

A. I like the Cleveland Cavaliers but I prefer college basketball. My team is the Kentucky Wildcats. My grandparents are from Kentucky. I've liked them since I was little.

I'm sure Eli has loved his grandparents since he was little. (The editor in me can't help but notice these things.)

Cutest Two Year Old EVER!

Is there anything cuter than a two-year-old?

Caleb full of questions, and Lindsey's whereabouts are foremost in his mind. "Where's Sissy?" he repeatedly asks when she's at school. "What's this for?" is another favorite question he asks when pointing to a pencil, or the refrigerator, or his shoes...or everything.

He's still hard to understand, as much of his speech is babbling. But he understands himself and will repeat the babble several times, with his unintelligible words in the same order. We love how he says things, from "die-poor" (diaper) to "howt" (help!) Caleb is obsessed with the scrapes on his knees. "Boo boo," he says. And when he had a rash, he kept saying, "itchy," then would point to my arms and ask, "Are you itchy?"

His affectionate nature is especially endearing. He frequently grabs my face and kisses me three or four times. He is quick to say "sorry" if he steps on a foot or bumps into someone. At Ethan's T-ball game last week, he bumped a girl sitting in front of us in the bleachers. "Sorry," he said, and kissed the back of her shirt.

In the mornings, I make him fill in the blank. I say, "You make me...." And he replies, "Happy!"

He definitely makes us happy. And blessed.

New Travel Document Requirements

I bet Canada will see a big decrease in American visitors. It's a quick vacation to a different country, but the travel document requirements will really hit travelers in the pocketbook. 

Unless you already have a passport or passport card, get ready to pay. Starting on June 1, you'll need a passport if you'll be re-entering the U.S. by air (and it's good for land or sea entries also). That'll set you back $100 per adult—good for 10 years—or $85 for kids under 16—valid for five years.

If you're entering the U.S. by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean, you can manage with a passport card. It's $45 for adults, valid for 10 years, and $35 for kids under 16, valid for five years.

So, basically, if you're taking a Caribbean or Bermuda cruise or traveling to Mexico or Canada by car, you can save some money by buying a passport card. But just remember these cards aren't valid for international air travel.

American travelers headed to Niagara Falls could stay on the American side and save a chunk of change—but we have always found the Canadian side to be more fascinating. Or at least it was 10 years ago when we were last there. We would probably spring the extra money to venture into Canada‚ but we'd wait until the kids would all be old enough to remember being there. For our family, the document costs would add an extra $195 to our expenses.

For more information, see the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative's website.

More Busy-ness

I'm not sure we'll ever stop running—and I'm sure things will be even busier when all the kids are in school.

Here's what we've been up to:

• Lindsey had Storytime on Monday.

•Ethan's school music program was on Tuesday. It was very cute, but the gymnasium was so dark that my digital photos are very dark. I took my old 35 mm camera with me also, remembering the "darkness" factor—but the shutter speed was so slow I'm sure I didn't hold the camera still enough.

• Caleb went to the doctor yesterday so I could ask her about his never-ending diarrhea. Yuck.

• We actually had the evening free yesterday; Ethan's T-ball game was canceled because of rain. 

• I'm not sure what we're doing tonight, but the weather is crummy so we won't be walking. I'll be probably continue to clean the house, something else that's never-ending. Or we could head to the library for Playtime.

• Tomorrow is my birthday. So that may involve dinner out a Buca di Beppo, since I received a promotional $15 gift card in the mail from them. And there's Playtime at the library tomorrow, too.

• Saturday is another T-ball game.

• Sunday is Mother's Day. Victorian Oaks called the families to request our presence. They want us to bring a flat of flowers and plant them with Mom and then go to their ice cream social.

• We have another Cloverbuds meeting on Tuesday. The theme is "The Wonderful World of Water."

I guess that's not THAT much. We haven't even started piano or gymnastics yet. :)

Like Father, Like Son

Caleb wanted to be just like Daddy, so he pushed his lawnmower, too—at a safe distance.

From Trash to Treasure

Aunt Kim and Cousin Amber were driving home from Grandma's one day and spotted a giveaway: a Barbie battery-operated car and a Dora bicycle, which they grabbed for Lindsey (and the boys).

Uncle David fixed it up and sent a video to show us his progress.

Derby Day

Today is the 135th Running of the Roses. 

I sort of look forward to the Kentucky Derby and its two follow ups, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, every year. "Sort of" because I don't really follow horse racing, but it's just something different to watch—and the women's hats are amazing. I read The Black Stallion series as a child, which chronicles the namesake's (and his son's) rise to fame through horse racing, and have been interested ever since. 

In horse racing, there's drama, suspense, sometimes comedy, and once in a while tragedy. And each year there seems to be more and more controversy about the ethics of horse racing. Last year Eight Belles was euthanized after finishing second in the Derby—she broke both front ankles. Drug use, with little monitoring, is also rampant.

This year's race already has a related element of tragedy. In late April, a riderless horse collided with "Miss Raspberry" causing fatal injuries. She died of shock before she could be euthanized. Though she was not a derby contender, the accident happened at Churchhill Downs, site of the Kentucky Derby.

Despite any controversy, the horses' athletic abilities are a marvel to watch. And the backstories of some of the trainers and owners are fascinating as well.

Check here for more Derby information. You know what I'll be watching this afternoon.

T-Ball Season Underway

Wintersville Rockies player Ethan Zifzal held his own during his first T-ball game last Saturday against the Wintersville Brewers. 

He was third to bat and hit the ball on his first attempt. He followed that with two more hits, not once needing to use the "T."

Sister Lindsey cheered from the stands from beneath her stylish sunglasses. Brother Caleb rubbed sunscreen in his eyes and was seen throwing his bag of goldfish crackers against the fence in anger.

The sun was brutal, but the players all managed a three-inning game. Their efforts were rewarded with a choice of pizza, pretzel, or hot dog and bottled water at the concession stand.

The Rockies will try to catch the Marlins tonight and cage the Tigers tomorrow, though many local fans are anticipating a rain cancelation.

A Pride Problem?

You get two rants for the price of one today. It's your lucky day!

Have you locals caught Progress Alliance's "Jefferson County Proud" television commercials?

Apparently the only people who are proud to live in Jefferson County are middle-aged white men. 

How about featuring a mom or even a star athlete?

Maybe they couldn't find any others?

This series of ads is almost as silly as the "Burb of the Burgh" ads a few years back. Is there anyone who really believes Steubenville is a suburb of Pittsburgh? 

Money Down the Toilet

A man delivered a little green flag to our home on Sunday. "Place it by the septic system," he instructed.

Ahh, the good old, defective septic system. Our neighborhood, along with 260 other households in the immediate area, has been plagued with sewer problems for years. In fact, the EPA mandated an overhaul repair back in 1988. The county commissioners declined to comply and finally agreed in late 2008 to start the work—when faced with litigation.

Meanwhile, the price we'll have to pay has only increased. Seven years ago (while pregnant with Ethan!) I attended a public meeting where officials laid out the options. The average cost was about $7,000 per property. A few years ago, the cost had nearly doubled to $13,000 a house. The last price range given was $13,000-$20,000 per property.

A few ambitious property owners have been working since 2002 to receiving grants. The USDA recently approved the project for significant funding—but the condition was the all property owners in the county would have to pay increased rates. So that was a no go.

The last I heard, the commissioners agreed to move forward with the project, even though funding was not secured.

Hmm. Where's Obama's stimulus money for the people who really need it? Nothing like completing a multimillion dollar taxpayer project in an area that never saw the so-called Clinton "boom" years and whose residents are losing jobs left and right.

Thanks, 1980s commissioners for nothing.

Saving Money

I'd love to go to bed right now.

But I'm staying up to make sure my photos upload correctly to the Costco Web site. It's not every day I can get my digital pictures printed for 9 cents apiece. I can't even get that rate locally. To get the cheapest, at 19 cents each, I'd have to have at least 95 pictures printed. That wouldn't be a problem, since I procrastinate on printing, but it wouldn't save me any money. 

I keep a running list of things I need at Costco and make the trip to Robinson once a month or less. Tomorrow I'll combine my Costco trip with a stop at Dick's Sporting Goods in hopes of finding Ethan some baseball pants. Dick's in Steubenville ran out, and the local sporting goods store wants $14 for a pair—more than twice what I would have paid at Dick's.

Saving money what I'm all about these days. Got my Tightwad Gazette and the new book from Beverly Lewis from the library, so I'm set for the next few days.

A Lazy Blog Entry

Here are some Easter pictures, a little late.

Evangelist in Town

Is God first in our lives?

That was the message from Dr. Tom Farrell, who spoke at Colonial Baptist Church tonight.

He will give a message geared toward women tomorrow and a talk on Bible prophecy on Wednesday. Both services begin at 6 p.m.

If you're a local, you won't want to miss his teaching.

No Prayer Allowed

Two students at a California college were threatened with expulsion after one prayed for a sick professor—with the professor's consent.

Read the full story here.

Of course, we won't hear this story from the mainstream media. (FOX News covered it this morning.) 

Only...

Only.... 

• 9 days until Ethan's T-ball season starts

• 12 days until our next Cloverbuds meeting

• 19 days until Ethan's very first school music program

• 45 days until the family trip to Emerald Isle, North Carolina

• 56 days until the Alphabet Club meets

Living La Vida Frugal

There's a lot most of us could do to save money. And we need to do that now more than ever. Cutting costs doesn't always mean sacrificing quality or quantity. In fact, it puts me in a pretty good mood when I know I've found a good deal.

Here are a few money-saving ideas to get you started. Feel free to post more.

• Refinance your mortgage. Interest rates are at an all-time low now, and you can drastically lower your monthly payments. If you can, continue to pay your former payment amount.

• Drop the comprehensive insurance if your car is more than seven years old and rethink add-ons like rental car coverage and towing costs. Also, increase the deductible on your home owner's insurance to $1,000. 

• Cancel your cell phone contract and go without or buy a pay-as-you go phone to be used only for emergencies. Fifteen years ago most of us did not have cell phones. Somehow we  survived. 

• Get rid of your cable or satellite television provider and, if need be, purchase a converter box.  (Apply for a government coupon worth $40 toward the cost.)

• Eat less. Seriously. I remember my mom saying that when times were lean, my dad would go without so my sister and I would have enough to eat. Most of us could stand to lose a little weight anyway.

• Instead of buying new shoes, have the soles and/or heels replaced.

• Make your own laundry soap. (Do a Google search to find a recipe you can live with.)

• Take your kids to free or low-cost activities such as those at your local public library. For a special outing, take them to kids' museums on half-price days.

• Stop renting movies. Instead, get them from the library. You may be on a waiting list, but you'll save some cash. And don't buy books either. Get 'em where you get your free movies.

• Don't buy anything unless it's on sale. Use coupons, but be vigilant: Most coupons are for nationally well-known brands. Even with a coupon, a store brand product may still be cheaper. If you don't like the store brand,  grocers will often return your money and/or give you a national brand for free.

• Buy kids' clothes at the end of the season for their next year's wardrobe. (I've been pretty successful with this one.)

• Do all your errands on one day to save time—and gas money.

• Open an online savings account. Our Capital One account offers twice the interest of our local bank.

Check out (from the library, of course!) Amy Dacyczyn's Tightwad Gazette for more ideas. 

A Hand-Me-Down Kinda Day

A week ago, I dug out the summer clothes I bought last year for Linds. I thought I had bought more. Yikes!

But today, I received the phone call that would alter her 2009 summer wardrobe forever. (I'm in a semi-hyperbolic mood.)

The mother of a girl a year older than Lindsey called. Could she could bring over some of her daughter's outgrown clothes?

Absolutely!

This mom has great taste—and many of the clothes she buys for her girl are from the Gap and Macy's. And they're in nice condition, too. (Not a hyperbolic statement.)

So this afternoon I dug through the two huge bags and found four gorgeous dresses, several pairs of jeans, many shirts and shorts, and even four gymnastic outfits. Dwayne and I had just been talking about how we'd like Lindsey to take tumbling someday.

Linds picked out the most girly dress of the bunch and wore it all evening. 

There are those who turn up their noses at hand-me-downs. Not us; we appreciate that Lindsey will give these clothes a "second life." After all, their first owner treated them very kindly.

Happy Resurrection Day!

Up from the grave He arose!

With a mighty triumph o'er his foes

He arose a victor from the dark domain

And He lives forever with His saints to reign.

He arose, He arose, hallelujah Christ arose!

Family Time

We don't mind sharing our kids. They're pretty good entertainment, after all.

Right now, Caleb is at Grandma and Grandpa's house, probably making "pppft" sounds with his tongue and scampering away. He has been calling us "Bad Mommy" and "Bad Dada"—hopefully "Bad Grandma" hasn't made it into his vocabulary. And Ethan and Lindsey are being doted on by Aunt Kim and Uncle David. Ethan, I'm sure, is talking their ears off, and Lindsey is relishing the attention. She loves it when Aunt Kim paints her fingernails and toenails and does her hair. (Did you have time to snip her bangs, Kim?) Kim and David have dogs, cats, horses, chickens, cows, and sheep so both kids will be mucking about outside today, too. 

I'm happy the kids have relatives who enjoy their company. I wish I knew my aunts and uncles better; we didn't visit them frequently when I was younger. 

It's a quiet day here today; even Dwayne is out looking for arrowheads (or more accurately, projectile points). I'm supposed to be cleaning the house, so I guess that's what I'll go do.

Anybody want to paint my fingernails or do my hair?

Cloverbuds Meet Here

Last night was the very first meeting of the Friends & Neighbors 4-H Cloverbuds. 

We had a great turnout for our first meeting—five children! Ethan was the only boy, so I hope to recruit a few boys. He does get along well with girls, too, which is nice. Cloverbuds is for kids aged kindergarten through second grade, so if you're interested give me a call. I know of three more who will start kindergarten in the fall and are ready to join next year.

Our Cloverbud lesson was "Reduce, Reuse, Recyle." I told them a little about recycling and where things go (landfill) if we don't recycle what we can. I held up objects like a glass jar, cereal box, and a can and asked them how we could reuse them. Then the kids sorted some recyclables into boxes for glass, paper, plastic, and cans. Next, we went into the kitchen where I had placed broken crayons on the table. The Cloverbuds picked out the colors they liked and put them into heart-shaped molds. I put the mold into the oven at 250 for about 15 minutes to melt the crayons into a new, bigger crayon. While they waited, the kids colored a sheet that told how a pop bottle can be recycled and eventually made into a jacket. Finally, we had Rice Krispie treats and green Kool-Aid (we were going green!)

We'll have our next meeting in three weeks and learn about "Our Country" or "Fitness," depending on which Cloverbud kit is available at the Extension Office. I made up the recycling lesson myself and will continue to mix my own lessons with the ones in the kits.

The kids seemed to have a fun time, and Ethan was in his element. He loves getting to play with kids his own age outside of school.

There are a lot of fun opportunities for the Cloverbuds including a two-hour "Horse Camp" in May (they'll learn all about horses and make a craft) and a day camp at the Jefferson County Fair in August.

Easter is Coming!

Today is Palm Sunday, which means that next Sunday is Easter. 

Many churches have special services between Ash Wednesday and Easter, the season that's called Lent. Last Sunday night I had the opportunity to enjoy half of a Lenten service at Piney Fork Presbyterian Church. 

Ethan's Great Aunt Anita conducted the ecumenical children's bell choir and drafted him into service. He held one blue bell and was instructed to ring it three times whenever Anita held up a card of that color. The other kids were watching for their colored cards to show up, too. 

The kids' rendition of "The Old Rugged Cross" was very sweet, and the concentration in their faces was adorable.

Unfortunately, Caleb was being his typical, ornery self: bouncing on my lap, making "ppp" sounds with his tongue, squealing. He and I slipped out during a prayer before the sermon. But I would've like to have stayed. A woman pastor from the local African Methodist Episcopal church gave the message. I haven't heard very many women preach, so I was curious. 

I grew up in a Free Methodist church in which we sang the Doxology every Sunday and frequently did responsive readings. We've sung the Doxology once in the eight years we've attended our current church and have never done responsive readings. Communion is not frequent, either. I miss those rituals. I think the feeling is that if they're done too often they don't mean as much. I can see that point. But I still enjoy the times when I think, "We used to do this when I was a kid!" (We don't have any plans to change churches because the pastor's sermons are powerful and the church members have hearts of gold. We are very comfortable there.)

 I challenge you to head out to church next Sunday and really listen to the message the pastor brings. No matter what church denomination you attend, we'll be celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Perfect Timing

In December 2007, a too-tall truck went under one of our local bridges, damaging the supports. Since then, the bridge has been one lane only, with traffic lights placed in appropriate spots.

The bridge leads to our elementary school, as well as to Smithfield and other small towns. 

A crucial bridge piece was on order and finally arrived this spring. You'd think ODOT could have waited two months until school was out before starting the project. After all, it's been nearly a year and a half. And several buses and dozens of parents transport school kids every weekday by way of the bridge.

But, no. Construction started Monday and will last about 65 days—taking us right up to the end of the school year. Perfect. So, now, we all must drive to the Harrison County line. This tacks an extra five minutes each way onto my trip. It's not too terrible, but you'd think they could've waited!

Euphemistic Mumbo Jumbo

We use euphemisms every day to soften our language, making it more agreeable—or in these more politically correct.

The Obama Administration gets the highest award for their use of euphemisms. President Bush's "War on Terror" is no longer a war. Instead it's now called "Oversea Contingency Operations." Terrorists are no longer terrorists but "enemy combatants." And best (or worst?) of all, acts of terror have now been deemed "manmade disasters." 

"Oversea Contingency Operations" sounds like a plan for travelers who have lost their luggage. And "enemy combatants" could very well be a term used in a paint ball game. The bank and stock market collapse is surely "manmade disaster," if I ever saw one.

When it comes to war and matters of national security, we need to sound strong. Why are we changing are language? Are we afraid we'll hurt the terrorists' feelings? Oops, I mean murderers' feelings. No, wait. I mean those who take lives.

Who are we trying to kid? The fawning media love Obama's eloquent speech. But they need to call him out for not being concise. 

All these weak euphemisms make me want to puke. I mean, worship the porcelain god.

From the Kid's Mouth

Last night we went to one of our favorite activities: Storytime at the library. It's for four-and-five-year-olds, but I let Ethan tag along a few times since he just turned six last month.

One little girl seems to have "issues" with just about everything that takes place there. Lindsey accidentally nudged her with her foot, and the girl didn't like it. I dropped a magazine on the floor and got an evil stare for at least 30 seconds. Somebody used the same color crayon she did. Throughout the program, the girl's father kept saying things like, "It's not that hard to be nice," "Don't be mean," but they had little effect.

When Storytime was over, we went to the kids' area and Lindsey and Ethan started playing with the new farm set. The little girl came over and started playing with it too, but loudly complained where my kids put the animals. "The chickens don't go THERE, they go HERE," she growled.

Sensitive Ethan came to me with tears in his eyes and said the girl wasn't being nice to him. Then before I knew what he was doing, he walked right up to the girl's father and said, "She's being mean to me."

I was shocked and embarrassed, to say the least. "That was embarrassing," was all I could say to the father. "That's okay," he replied. I think he knew what Ethan said was true.

When we got in the car, we rehearsed what Ethan could have said instead. One possibility: "I'd like to play with you but I can't if you're going to be mean." Ethan decided the next time he saw her, he'd give her three chances to be nice before he would say anything about her behavior.

The whole situation caught me off guard. Have any of you dealt with similar situations? What did you do?

Hassled By a Debtor Nation

Last night, DATELINE's whole show was about our country's high consumer debt and the tactics some debt collectors use to coerce debtors into paying up. It reminded me that debt collectors can latch onto innocent people, too. Had I known then that I could've complained to the Federal Trade Commission, I would have done it in a heartbeat.

A few years ago, our next door neighbors ran into financial trouble. First, the husband lost his job. Next, the wife had some health difficulties and ended up having to carrying around a portable oxygen tank. Because of her health problems, she had to quit her job as well.

We started getting phone calls from St. Louis on Sunday afternoons, asking if we knew Mr. X. The caller would never acknowledge his reason for calling. After the third call, Dwayne actually yelled into the phone to tell them to stop calling. (If you know my husband, you know he had to have been furious, because he is a calm guy.) Then a woman started calling on weekdays when I was home alone to ask if I could deliver a message to my neighbors, or if I could look out my window to see if their car was in the driveway. I received about a dozen phone calls, and I kept saying I didn't want to get involved. On a Sunday morning, a tow truck driver knocked on my door to ask if I had seen the neighbors. He said he even checked their mailbox.

The most disturbing occurrence was when two apparent investigators showed up in the neighborhood in an unmarked car. I had seen them next door, questioning my (debtor) neighbor who came right over to my house after they left. Neighbor guy said the men showed him a picture of a girl missing from our neighborhood. It had scared him that our neighborhood might not be safe.

Later that afternoon the investigators came to my backyard where Ethan and I were playing. "Have you seen this woman?" they asked as they flashed their sheriff's badges. The picture they showed was the lady next door!!! My heart dropped; I was afraid she had been killed by her husband. They said they were from the sheriff's office, showed their badges, and asked if we could talk. 

As we rounded the front of the house, they explained that my neighbor, Mrs. X, was not missing, but that they were concerned for her welfare and safety. They asked if I thought she really needed the oxygen tank, and if I thought she suffered from paranoia.

After they left, I started to question the men's story. I called the sheriff's office, and the dispatcher said no one from their office was out in my area that day. (Imagine my shock!) The dispatcher took my number and said she would look into it. She called back to say the two men had checked in with the sheriff's office to get permission to come here but she wouldn't tell me who they were or where they were from.  My best guess is that they were health or medicaid insurance investigators.

A few months later, I saw a marked sheriff's car pull into their driveway. A deputy handed them a letter. Sure enough, within a month, they moved out. And the debt collection phone calls stopped.

I still can't believe we experienced all that. My hope is that you—and your neighbors—take care of your personal finances. Even though we did, we still suffered the consequences because of our neighbors debts. 

Now, I'm wondering if it's too late to lodge a complaint. None of the callers would tell us what collection agency they represented. I'm sure others have gone through this, too. I pray it wasn't you.

Packing on the Pounds

I've been lazy all winter.

But it has to stop. Now.

Yesterday while shopping, we saw a former local sportscaster. He was barely recognizable because of his weight gain.

And today, while in my hometown, I saw my high school government teacher who looked as though he had gained 80 pounds in the past 17 years.

I don't want anyone to be shocked when they see me.

So I'm back on the wagon. I'll be losing some weight—starting Monday.

Ethan's Post

Today, Ethan is dictating my blog post.

"Can it be bathroom words? I like the word 'butt.'

Today I played with toy gears. I don't like bathroom words anymore. Wait a second, I'll mess it up. I played on the computer. I did a coloring sheet at school. I am six years old and my hair is red. I did a test.

I'm going to play Build-a-Bear workshop soon. That's all, so put a period at the end."

Keepin' Busy

It's been a busy few days!

• We did end up going to the Pittsburgh Zoo on Saturday. There were a lot more people than we expected, considering the chilly weather. Turn out, it was Mister Rogers's birthday, and kids got free admission. We also received a "Won't you be my neighbor" tote bag. 

• Lindsey went to a birthday party at Party Tyme Zone in Follansbee, where they had a room filled with inflatables. She bounced on everything there, and even got brave enough to climb the 12-foot high wall and slide straight down. Ethan says he wants to have his birthday party there next year. I told him to start saving his money: That place costs $175 for two hours, and the price doesn't include any food.

• I've been looking into some recycle for profit opportunities for Ethan's school. "Labels for Learning," offered by the Our Family brand that Riesbeck's sells, will give schools and other non-profits 5 cents for each UPC symbol. Terracycle will give these organizations 2 cents for each Capri Sun and Kool-Aid pouch and 1 cent for all other drink pouches. 

• I'm on my way to becoming a Cloverbuds 4-H advisor. I had my interview with the local extension agent today and had my fingerprints scanned for a background check. The last step is my attendance at an orientation meeting in April. Cloverbuds is a precursor to 4-H for kids in kindergarten through second grade. The club down the road is full, so I don't think there will be a problem finding members. I'm really looking forward to it!

• Finally, tonight is Storytime for Lindsey at the library, where I'll sign up Caleb for the next Tot Time session.

The Zoo Heading to the Zoo

I'm in a good offer-touting mood again.

This time I'm plugging the purchase of a family zoo pass. If you're a zoo-going family, it's a great deal.

Pending sunny weather tomorrow, we'll be headed to the (lofty sounding) Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. The gate price for our family of five would be $42. But we'll pay nothing. Or rather, we did pay something last June—when we bought a zoo pass from Oglebay's Good Zoo for $47. 

This will be our second trip to Pittsburgh Zoo, and we've also made a trip to the Good Zoo (which would've cost our family $24). Essentially, we saw $108 worth of animals for $47. 

The Good Zoo has reciprocal agreements with dozens of zoos across the country, which is how we're getting into Pittsburgh for free. If we get to make the Zifzal family trip to Emerald Isle this summer, we'll get free admission to nearby North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. If that trip doesn't work out and we end up on Hatteras later in the summer, we can get free admission to North Carolina's aquarium at Roanoke. Alas, the Columbus Zoo and the Wilds in Cumberland offer just a 50 percent admission discount with our zoo pass.

Oglebay's family zoo pass price has increased to $52 this year, but it's still a bargain considering Pittsburgh's family zoo pass sells for $75 with the same benefits. So go ahead, smell the animals, point at the spectacled bear from afar, and play on the zoo playground with glee. 

Late Season Skiing

'Tis the season for bargains...if you can spare a dime or more.

Adult ski lift tickets at Seven Springs are $26 this weekend, and kids under age 11 ski for free. There's also a BOGO snow tubing special. Click here for more information. There is also a "College Friday" special and a Thursday discount if you bring in a bag of dog food.

Skiing is, for certain, an expensive hobby. Cheaper if you own your own skis, of course. And now it's a little more scary, considering the recent death of actress Natasha Richardson, who died several days after a fall on a beginner slope in Quebec.

Still, it's fun and good exercise. Consider wearing a helmet, though.