Support a Soldier

So, I don't know anyone who is over in Iraq right now. I know a few who have gone, but nobody there right now. While I have never supported this war, I of course, support our troops. But it is hard to know what to do (other then call for their immediate safe return) for the ones over there. Well, I found a great website that lets you do something. Its called "Any Soldier". Its a great site that lets soldiers post what they want (everything from magazines, to cookies, to phone cards, to underwear, to movies, to books, etc.) and when you register they will email you their address.

Duffy and I baked a few batches of cookies, and threw in some magazines, and some snack foods. Going out to a unit from DC today.

Easy and makes me feel like I am doing something...

Classes, scheduled activites on hiatus

So we decided that we will not have any classes or regularly scheduled activities for the summer. The kids are still young enough that we can get away with this, so we are going to! Their last classes were swimming and gymnastics this weekend. Now we are free until September.

This means we can work on going to the pool, geocaching, watching our house construction, etc. I can't wait! We started with a quick geocache after the last swimming class on Saturday. We went to find a cache we had tried once before. This time found it easy (note to self: follow the hints, not always just the GPS). The cache was at a nature center near our house, and the kids had the most fun stopping and watching a group of dragonflies appear to play hide and seek. Seriously. One would fly down into these bushes and wait. Then, after a few minutes, we'd see the others all flying around and eventually one would swoop down on the hider, and they would all go off until it started again. M was mesmerized. We had to pull her away, only by promising to go to the "cookie store" (aka Harris Teeter) for groceries. Gotta love the kids getting excited about grocery shopping!

Then we had a trip to the pool last night right after the last gymnastics class. Very relaxing, the 90-degree day had significantly warmed the pool. Everyone had fun, even big man, who loves splashing.

Here's to a less structured summer!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

So my brother pointed out that I have yet to blog on one of my favorite things -- baseball. Specifically, the Boston Red Sox. And what a great time to do it. Must gloat while I have the opportunity! The Red Sox are currently the best team in baseball, and have been since nearly the start of the season. They are 8 1/2 games ahead of their nasty rival whose name will not be mentioned, but begins with a Y (as in YOU) and ends in an S (as in SUCK!). Anyway, I have always been a baseball fan, and how can you not LOVE the Red Sox? (Josh, don't answer)

That said, we are a three-team baseball family. There is Her team (the aforementioned Sox), His team (the St. Louis Cardinals), and Their team (our local Nationals). We became season ticket holders from the first moment baseball returned to the Nation's Capital. Ok, we don't have a full season, or even a half, (we have 20 games), but we still count as season ticket holders. We have been to all (three) of the season openers, and many many games in between. When the girls hear the word "baseball" they automatically say "let's go Nats!". They can both sing "take me out to the ballgame" (even if some of the words are interesting). Big Man will be as enthusiastic, I'm sure, once he can speak.

There is something so relaxing, so SUMMER, about being at the ballpark on a warm day, drinking a beer, and taking in the sites and sounds.

My Gazillion Minutes of Fame

So in my job, I occasionally speak with reporters, and am sometimes quoted. Just last week I spoke to a reporter in Milwaukee for about 10 minutes. Of the 4-5 sentences she quoted from me, she uses the one where I spoke the word "gazillion". I was saying that there were a lot of things happening on an issues and I said there had been a gazillion. And, is if that was embarrassing enough, I get a call from a reporter from San Diego today, who left me a message that he saw my quotes from the Milwaukee paper and wanted to use me as a source for his article. I pray it is on the issue in question, and not on the use of the word "gazillion". My colleagues think its hysterical.

Renovation Week One - ahead of schedule - AHHH

So our renovation was to start this week. The contractors were supposed to do "site preparation" Mon-Thurs, and demolition was slated to start on Friday. That seemed silly -- why do demolition on a Friday only to leave for two days. We figured they would start on Monday, so we would have an additional weekend to clear out our existing living room (which will be removed to make way for the big great room). We figured wrong. They tell us this morning (Tuesday) that demolition will start on Wednesday. Ha ha. The room is about 1/2 cleared out. Apparently we won't be sleeping tonight. We will be going back and forth to the storage space. Such fun. Also, Direct TV is coming tomorrow between 9am-noon to reconfigure the satellite. Hope its on the earlier side, or their wiring might be gone!! Oops.

On the plus side, I will not complain about contractors that are ahead of schedule.

Food, food, glorious food

So this website shows what a typical family eats in different locations all around the world. It is very interesting, I think. Things I found surprising:

1) the family in Italy is so skinny - and LOOK at ALL THAT BREAD! My goodness! There have to be 20 loaves of bread in that picture!!!

2) how much soda the Mexican family drinks

3) I don't begin to have a guess where Konstancin-Jeziorna is. Not even the continent. (Hope I never get that one in our geography/world game, Duffy and dan!)

4) the family from Bargteheide spends over $500 a week on food??!! I didn't think Germany was that expensive.

Anyway, I was glad we weren't on there. Lord knows what we consume in a week, but I'm sure it wouldn't look good. There would be unbelievable amounts of yogurt. And a pathetic lack of fresh vegetables (although I did sign us up for a vegetable/fruit delivery service, so that should help).

Home Renovation (part 1 of MANY)

So in about a week we are beginning our home addition project. Well, we aren't -- our contractors are. While we were adept at completing our deck and our basement finishing, a two story addition with deck and porch were quite a bit out of our realm. Anyway, next week the contractors will demolish our existing Great Room. Nevermind that we bought the house largely on the basis of that room; its a goner. In its place should be a Great Room twice the size, and a master bedroom/bathroom above it.

Our existing upstairs has three bedrooms and one bathroom. With three kids, the one bathroom upstairs is just a killer. And while the girls LOVE sharing a room right now, I'm thinking that may not last forever. But the bathroom was definitely the primary motivation.

Anyway, we've been packing up and putting in storage much of what is in our Great Room to prepare to live without one for the next many months. We have also thrown out, freecycled, or donated LOTS of stuff. I would say at least 10 of the large green lawn trash bags worth. Its been very liberating.

I'm am sure the next many posts on this subject will be rants about the hell of renovations. But for now I am relieved to have gotten rid of so much junk, and excited that the work is about to start.