Babygirl with HoneyBear
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Convening with Nature
We decided to brave it…our first camping trip with Babygirl. The monstrous, suffocating heat this summer drove us to escape to Raccoon Holler, in the mountains of North Carolina. My family has been camping there since I was little. Probably 30 years! Mapgeek and I have…ahem…let’s say “fond” memories of Raccoon Holler (30 degrees, high winds, a tent in the Christmas tree farm) from several years ago. I don’t think I’ve ever been so cold camping in all my life. And Granddaddy P assured us that it was going to be chilly. To me, that meant 70’s in August in the south. I packed accordingly…one sweatshirt. No jeans since I was 4 months preggers and hadn’t bothered to shop for cold weather pregnant clothes. And, of course, Babygirl didn’t own anything for cold weather in her current size.
We left Atlanta Wednesday morning so we’d get there before dark. Being pregnant and with a toddler, Mapgeek and I decided not to “rough” it and slept in the Taj Macamper with my parents. It’s basically a 2-bedroom (with king-size beds!) portable house complete with a kitchen and bathroom. Plus, there was a TV, complete with a new DVD player and an Elmo video! Lots to keep a restless toddler entertained and out of the rain and mud.
We setup the pack-n-play in the kitchen area, hoping Babygirl would sleep in it. Which she didn’t. The problem is being in a campground with a screaming toddler. You know the neighbors love it. So, we put the munchkin in the king bed between us and she sort-of slept. The next night, we put her on the end of the bed that’s surrounded on 3-sides by the camper walls. Babygirl thought that was the best! She and her Granddaddy smooched through the screens all evening. Eventually, she would lay down with all her animals and pillows and sleep. Of course, we all had to go to bed when she did, so we got lots of sleep.
The first night a front came through. And Granddaddy P was right….it was COLD! Low 50’s that night, plus it rained. We ended up making the Walmart trek to West Jefferson for warm clothes for Babygirl and long pregger-pants for me.
Luckily, it was warmer in the day. Mapgeek and I finally got to canoe the New River. Zaloo’s Canoes hooked us up and off we went. It’s been years since I rented a boat where I was handed and paddle and was told go. Boat rentals usually involve a how-to-paddle and safety lesson. It was nice to be out on the water, though a little boring after a while. Luckily, we started a little early because it started raining right when we were getting off the river. It seems like it rained almost the entire weekend and it was chilly. A very nice change from the heat of Atlanta.
Because of the rain, we ended up doing lots of shopping-type activities. We went to a cabin store outside of Boone, where Babygirl scored a big stuffed bear (Honey Bear). We also spent one day in Blowing Rock. Luckily, it was during a brief reprieve in the clouds and rain. Blowing Rock consisted of buying a stuffed owl for Babygirl (did I mention she LOVES stuffed animals?), who immediately learned how to hoot, eating ice cream, and playing in the park. Our other notable adventure was touring the cheese factory in West Jefferson. Let’s just say….gross! I didn’t need to know how they make cheese.
I was pleasantly surprised how much fun camping was with Babygirl! Though, I don’t think I’d enjoy it in a tent. Especially if it rained. I stressed for a month about how we were going to handle the sleeping issue and it was nice to know that she could sleep with us if necessary. And with less fuss than trying to get her to sleep by herself in her pack-n-play. I’m looking forward to going again, though next time it will be four of us. Wonder how much a Taj Macamper costs??
We left Atlanta Wednesday morning so we’d get there before dark. Being pregnant and with a toddler, Mapgeek and I decided not to “rough” it and slept in the Taj Macamper with my parents. It’s basically a 2-bedroom (with king-size beds!) portable house complete with a kitchen and bathroom. Plus, there was a TV, complete with a new DVD player and an Elmo video! Lots to keep a restless toddler entertained and out of the rain and mud.
We setup the pack-n-play in the kitchen area, hoping Babygirl would sleep in it. Which she didn’t. The problem is being in a campground with a screaming toddler. You know the neighbors love it. So, we put the munchkin in the king bed between us and she sort-of slept. The next night, we put her on the end of the bed that’s surrounded on 3-sides by the camper walls. Babygirl thought that was the best! She and her Granddaddy smooched through the screens all evening. Eventually, she would lay down with all her animals and pillows and sleep. Of course, we all had to go to bed when she did, so we got lots of sleep.
The first night a front came through. And Granddaddy P was right….it was COLD! Low 50’s that night, plus it rained. We ended up making the Walmart trek to West Jefferson for warm clothes for Babygirl and long pregger-pants for me.
Luckily, it was warmer in the day. Mapgeek and I finally got to canoe the New River. Zaloo’s Canoes hooked us up and off we went. It’s been years since I rented a boat where I was handed and paddle and was told go. Boat rentals usually involve a how-to-paddle and safety lesson. It was nice to be out on the water, though a little boring after a while. Luckily, we started a little early because it started raining right when we were getting off the river. It seems like it rained almost the entire weekend and it was chilly. A very nice change from the heat of Atlanta.
Because of the rain, we ended up doing lots of shopping-type activities. We went to a cabin store outside of Boone, where Babygirl scored a big stuffed bear (Honey Bear). We also spent one day in Blowing Rock. Luckily, it was during a brief reprieve in the clouds and rain. Blowing Rock consisted of buying a stuffed owl for Babygirl (did I mention she LOVES stuffed animals?), who immediately learned how to hoot, eating ice cream, and playing in the park. Our other notable adventure was touring the cheese factory in West Jefferson. Let’s just say….gross! I didn’t need to know how they make cheese.
I was pleasantly surprised how much fun camping was with Babygirl! Though, I don’t think I’d enjoy it in a tent. Especially if it rained. I stressed for a month about how we were going to handle the sleeping issue and it was nice to know that she could sleep with us if necessary. And with less fuss than trying to get her to sleep by herself in her pack-n-play. I’m looking forward to going again, though next time it will be four of us. Wonder how much a Taj Macamper costs??
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
I did it again!
I've got so much to write about and I can't seem to find the time. So, I don't write. Shame on me! I want to tell you about our camping trip to North Carolina in August, our semi-impromptu family reunion in Indiana in September, and Babygirl's first football game. Plus, there's all the updates about how much our little girl is growing! Did I mention that she started "school" in September?
Curleygirl v3.0 is growing away. Pregnancy the second time around has been very similar to the first time, though it seems this little girl is more active that Babygirl. If that's possible. Only 8 weeks to go, so we are all home for the holidays this year. Did I also mention that our good friend 'Nato is also home for the holidays? All the way from the madness commonly known as Iraq. Yay!
And then there was this wonderful pseudo-concert that Mapgeek and I went to the other night. It was at Big D's house and featured Francis Dunnery. British folksy, jazzy type music. I have lots to say about how good Mr. Dunnery is and what an interesting and inspiring performance he gave. More on that too...
For now, here's a couple interesting links I picked up on Boortz today:
Now that the country is going to San Francisco hell, I thought it time to re-evaluate.
The World's Smallest Political Quiz
I'm a conservative libertarian (big surprise).
40 Things That Only Happen in Movies
I have hope of moviestardom! I just need to find my comb...
Curleygirl v3.0 is growing away. Pregnancy the second time around has been very similar to the first time, though it seems this little girl is more active that Babygirl. If that's possible. Only 8 weeks to go, so we are all home for the holidays this year. Did I also mention that our good friend 'Nato is also home for the holidays? All the way from the madness commonly known as Iraq. Yay!
And then there was this wonderful pseudo-concert that Mapgeek and I went to the other night. It was at Big D's house and featured Francis Dunnery. British folksy, jazzy type music. I have lots to say about how good Mr. Dunnery is and what an interesting and inspiring performance he gave. More on that too...
For now, here's a couple interesting links I picked up on Boortz today:
Now that the country is going to San Francisco hell, I thought it time to re-evaluate.
The World's Smallest Political Quiz
I'm a conservative libertarian (big surprise).
40 Things That Only Happen in Movies
I have hope of moviestardom! I just need to find my comb...
Friday, August 25, 2006
Atlanta Adventures
Our annual picnic for my company (formerly Mapgeek’s company), was at Six Flags! That’s hard to pass up when tickets, parking, and food are paid for by the company. Especially since tickets are $50 apiece!!!! And add in $15 for parking and who knows how much for food. It’s so expensive. One interesting observation is the clientele that ventures to Six Flags. Lots of trashy-looking people in lots of wife-beater shirts (men shouldn't advertise underarm hair, especially if they are gonna be sweating – yuck). I assume we have lots of rich people in Georgia to be able to take all their little ones to Six Flags.
We got there in the morning, which was determined after the fact to be the best time to go. However, with the eager waiting for Curleygirl 3.0, I didn’t get to ride anything. But, Mapgeek took Babygirl on her first merry-go-round ride! She loved it! They sat in the car part, rather than on the horses. She’s still a little small for that.
The day after the Six Flags picnic, we packed up the family and went to the Aquarium for Granddaddy P’s birthday. Babygirl loves watching the fish! An interesting observation is how different the crowd was from the Six Flags crowd. I only saw one wife-beater shirt and lots of well dressed and pretty much well behaved people. We all had a great time seeing this wonderful exhibit. I definitely prefer this to Six Flags.
We got there in the morning, which was determined after the fact to be the best time to go. However, with the eager waiting for Curleygirl 3.0, I didn’t get to ride anything. But, Mapgeek took Babygirl on her first merry-go-round ride! She loved it! They sat in the car part, rather than on the horses. She’s still a little small for that.
The day after the Six Flags picnic, we packed up the family and went to the Aquarium for Granddaddy P’s birthday. Babygirl loves watching the fish! An interesting observation is how different the crowd was from the Six Flags crowd. I only saw one wife-beater shirt and lots of well dressed and pretty much well behaved people. We all had a great time seeing this wonderful exhibit. I definitely prefer this to Six Flags.
Monday, August 07, 2006
What will they think of next
Boy oh boy! It is the age for being a parent! Kid distractions at every turn. I have to say, Babygirl will definitely be a TV-watcher. It's the only way to get stuff done. Pop in a 30-minute Elmo or Barney video and you can vacuum, do laundry, fix your lunch, etc. I haven't experienced the Terrible Twos in the grocery yet. Hopefully, Publix will have these things by then!
Fireworks by Smokey (pun intended)
Our next grand adventure was going to the lake house in Kingston, TN for the 4th of July. We headed up there for four days of fun, hillbillies, lots of food, fireworks, and mayflies. The whole clan was there including my grandmother, parents, aunt, her husband, my brother and sister-in-law, and us. Big party with lots of food. LOTS of food.
Granddaddy and Grandmommy bought Babygirl an insane pool-type thing. It had a slide, it squirted, it had moveable parts. Insane! She had a blast with it. We also took the Munchkin out for her first boat ride. The grandparents rented a pontoon for a couple days, which has gates and railing all around. We put a munchkin-sized life jacket on her and away we went. And, she loved it.
The highlight of the trip was firecracker night, which was the 3rd this year (except for some neighbors down the river that thought lighting huge rockets at 2:00 am the night before was a good thing). As it was last year, you gotta love legal firecrackers in hillbilly country. All the rednecks shoot some amazing stuff out over the river. Including us! We all setup our “watchin’ place” by dragging all the deck chairs down by the river. Granddaddy and Uncle Peewee proceeded to light what turned out to be, by comparison a puny stash, out over the river. In between our rockets, we watched an amazing show of booms, and swooshes, and lights directly across the river. Sleepy Babygirl sat on my lap the whole time and flinched and then clapped appropriately. About a half hour later, we realized that it got really light across the river. Then we realized the locals lit something up. Lo and behold, we got to watch half the hillside burn in addition to the awesome fireworks show. I can only imagine that next year’s show will be a disappointment.
Granddaddy and Grandmommy bought Babygirl an insane pool-type thing. It had a slide, it squirted, it had moveable parts. Insane! She had a blast with it. We also took the Munchkin out for her first boat ride. The grandparents rented a pontoon for a couple days, which has gates and railing all around. We put a munchkin-sized life jacket on her and away we went. And, she loved it.
The highlight of the trip was firecracker night, which was the 3rd this year (except for some neighbors down the river that thought lighting huge rockets at 2:00 am the night before was a good thing). As it was last year, you gotta love legal firecrackers in hillbilly country. All the rednecks shoot some amazing stuff out over the river. Including us! We all setup our “watchin’ place” by dragging all the deck chairs down by the river. Granddaddy and Uncle Peewee proceeded to light what turned out to be, by comparison a puny stash, out over the river. In between our rockets, we watched an amazing show of booms, and swooshes, and lights directly across the river. Sleepy Babygirl sat on my lap the whole time and flinched and then clapped appropriately. About a half hour later, we realized that it got really light across the river. Then we realized the locals lit something up. Lo and behold, we got to watch half the hillside burn in addition to the awesome fireworks show. I can only imagine that next year’s show will be a disappointment.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Hilton Head 2006
So I think it will be a long time before Mapgeek and I have a vacation again. As told to me by a friend, when you have kids “vacations” become “family trips”. Gone are the days of sitting by the beach/pool, reading a trash-mag and sipping a fruity drink. The beach now consists of running up the beach after the baby, running down the beach after the baby, distracting the baby from poking sleeping sunbathers, distracting the baby from taking off with other kids’ toys, etc. We had a great time watching our little girl discover the beach and all the joys of sun, sand, and water. She loved it! As if we had any doubts….
We’re still competing with naptime, so our days consisted of getting up around 7, eating breakfast, and heading to the beach. Then it’s back around 11 for naptime and lunch. Then back to the pool in the afternoon for an hour before the second nap. I felt like we were on the move the entire time. It’s hard work entertaining a toddler! The weather couldn’t have been better though. Mid-80s all week and no rain while we were there. Of course, then we get back to Atlanta and it’s been 95 ever since. We’re definitely ready for fall here.
We’re still competing with naptime, so our days consisted of getting up around 7, eating breakfast, and heading to the beach. Then it’s back around 11 for naptime and lunch. Then back to the pool in the afternoon for an hour before the second nap. I felt like we were on the move the entire time. It’s hard work entertaining a toddler! The weather couldn’t have been better though. Mid-80s all week and no rain while we were there. Of course, then we get back to Atlanta and it’s been 95 ever since. We’re definitely ready for fall here.
Is it August already?
Wow ok so I said when I started this blog that I’d NEVER let it lapse. And here it’s been almost 3 months! So sue me. It’s been a busy spring and summer so I’ll try to catch you guys up in a few hopefully interesting installments.
May was slammed as it is every year, falling right on the tail of our anniversary. My wonderful husband, Mapgeek, after a brief respite from anniversary responsibilities (and a great one it was!), gets to suffer through Mother’s Day and then straight into the gauntlet that ends with the annual trek to Hilton Head Island in the beginning of June. This year was a little longer and included six family birthdays, Father’s Day, and our annual BBQ. To top it all off, his lovely wife (me!) was contending with the First Trimester Blues. Yes, you read right…we are now expecting Curleykid v3.0! More on that later.
Moving right on to Babygirl’s first birthday….we had a wonderful party for her and invited our immediate family, a few close friends, and a few of Babygirl’s friends. Babygirl was a charmer, as always, and a little social butterfly. She did all the appropriate cake mushing and playing that one should do on their first birthday. And then she crashed hard for a long nap. And I did too!
May was slammed as it is every year, falling right on the tail of our anniversary. My wonderful husband, Mapgeek, after a brief respite from anniversary responsibilities (and a great one it was!), gets to suffer through Mother’s Day and then straight into the gauntlet that ends with the annual trek to Hilton Head Island in the beginning of June. This year was a little longer and included six family birthdays, Father’s Day, and our annual BBQ. To top it all off, his lovely wife (me!) was contending with the First Trimester Blues. Yes, you read right…we are now expecting Curleykid v3.0! More on that later.
Moving right on to Babygirl’s first birthday….we had a wonderful party for her and invited our immediate family, a few close friends, and a few of Babygirl’s friends. Babygirl was a charmer, as always, and a little social butterfly. She did all the appropriate cake mushing and playing that one should do on their first birthday. And then she crashed hard for a long nap. And I did too!
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Monday, May 08, 2006
Ren Fest 2006
I’m so sorry! It’s been far to long since I’ve updated my blog. It seems like there is so much going on. Our springs always seem to be so busy. Busy, busy six-toothed Babygirl is keeping me hopping. I do think it’s easier once they start to walk. Then you don’t have to worry about putting them down somewhere.
Let’s see – on the Babygirl front – she loves to be chased! Mapgeek or I will “chase” her and she gets so excited. She tries to walk fast, flaps her arms, and laughs and someone tries to get her. Of course, she always get so excited she falls down. It makes me laugh just thinking about it.
We took her to the Renaissance Festival this weekend. We met Biff, JD, and Biff’s daughter, Freckles (and the cutest freckles ever!) down there. Biff, Freckles, and I have been going off and on for a few years. Anyways, Ren Fest is hilarious. All the local nerds get dressed up in their best D&D outfits and show up speaking Old English. The weather was beautiful and there was plenty of park-like areas for Babygirl to run around. Lots of food including roast turkey legs, fried dill pickles, and kettle corn (though I couldn’t find the corn this year, dangit). There’s also shows including a real live joust!
Babygirl loved this big dragon (i.e. person in a dragon suit) at the entrance. Wasn’t scared a big. She just wanted to touch it. There was also a Mother Goose exhibit where you could sit and talk to “Mother Goose”, which was a big white goose named Maggie. There were 2 other geese and a duck. Babygirl LOVED it! She even got a hug from Maggie. We also went to the petting zoo part too. There were rabbits, geese, sheep, lambs, goats, pigs, and lots of loud roosters. Babygirl especially liked the rabbits and lambs. Of course, by the time we left, 3 hours later, Babygirl was crankkkkkk-eeeee and immediately fell asleep in the car. Sweet thing.
I’ll try to post some pictures shortly!
Let’s see – on the Babygirl front – she loves to be chased! Mapgeek or I will “chase” her and she gets so excited. She tries to walk fast, flaps her arms, and laughs and someone tries to get her. Of course, she always get so excited she falls down. It makes me laugh just thinking about it.
We took her to the Renaissance Festival this weekend. We met Biff, JD, and Biff’s daughter, Freckles (and the cutest freckles ever!) down there. Biff, Freckles, and I have been going off and on for a few years. Anyways, Ren Fest is hilarious. All the local nerds get dressed up in their best D&D outfits and show up speaking Old English. The weather was beautiful and there was plenty of park-like areas for Babygirl to run around. Lots of food including roast turkey legs, fried dill pickles, and kettle corn (though I couldn’t find the corn this year, dangit). There’s also shows including a real live joust!
Babygirl loved this big dragon (i.e. person in a dragon suit) at the entrance. Wasn’t scared a big. She just wanted to touch it. There was also a Mother Goose exhibit where you could sit and talk to “Mother Goose”, which was a big white goose named Maggie. There were 2 other geese and a duck. Babygirl LOVED it! She even got a hug from Maggie. We also went to the petting zoo part too. There were rabbits, geese, sheep, lambs, goats, pigs, and lots of loud roosters. Babygirl especially liked the rabbits and lambs. Of course, by the time we left, 3 hours later, Babygirl was crankkkkkk-eeeee and immediately fell asleep in the car. Sweet thing.
I’ll try to post some pictures shortly!
Monday, April 10, 2006
Immigration 101 (cont'd)
Ok, I found a great site, Rapid Immigration, with everything you'd want to know about immigration. I think it's very interesting how our rules and social attitudes evolved. Basically, the US limits immigration to 700,000 per year. And there's quotas from different countries so that one country doesn't have all the slots. If there weren't the limit, millions would immigrate here and the country would have to absorb them all. If that were the case, there wouldn't be enough jobs for everyone and there would most likely be rampant poverty which leads to more crime, etc. Sounds like a good reason to me to enforce laws against illegal immigration. Plus, I thought everyone else in the world hated America?
Significant Historic Dates Affecting US immigration
Naturalization Act of 1790 - Stipulated that "any alien, being a free white person, may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States"
1875 - Supreme Court declared that regulation of US immigration is the responsibility of the Federal Government.
1882 The Chinese Exclusion Act - prohibited certain laborers from immigrating to the United States.
1885 and 1887 - Alien Contract Labor laws which prohibited certain laborers from immigrating to the United States.
1891 - The Federal Government assumed the task of inspecting, admitting, rejecting, and processing all immigrants seeking admission to the U.S.
1892 - On January 2, a new Federal US immigration station opened on Ellis Island in New York Harbor.
1903 - This Act restated the 1891 provisions concerning land borders and called for rules covering entry as well as inspection of aliens crossing the Mexican border.
1907 The US immigration Act of 1907 - reorganized the states bordering Mexico (Arizona, New Mexico and a large part of Texas) into Mexican Border District to stem the flow of immigrants into the U.S.
1917 - 1924 - A series of laws were enacted to further limit the number of new immigrants. These laws established the quota system and imposed passport requirements. They expanded the categories of excludable aliens and banned all Asians except Japanese.
1924 Act - Reduced the number of US immigration visas and allocated them on the basis of national origin.
1940 The Alien Registration Act - required all aliens (non-U.S. citizens) within the United States to register with the Government and receive an Alien Registration Receipt Card (the predecessor of the "green card").
1950 Passage of the Internal Security Act - which rendered the Alien Registration Receipt Card even more valuable. Immigrants with legal status had their cards replaced with what generally became known as the "green card" (Form I-151).
1952 Act - Established the modern day US immigration system. It created a quota system which imposes limits on a per-country basis. It also established the preference system that gave priority to family members and people with special skills.
1968 Act - Eliminated US immigration discrimination based on race, place of birth, sex and residence. It also officially abolished restrictions on Oriental US immigration.
1976 Act - Eliminated preferential treatment for residents of the Western Hemisphere.
1980 Act - Established a general policy governing the admission of refugees.
1986 Act - Focused on curtailing illegal US immigration. It legalized hundred of thousands of illegal immigrants. It also introduced the employer sanctions program which fines employers for hiring illegal workers. It also passed tough laws to prevent bogus marriage fraud.
1990 Act - Established an annual limit for certain categories of immigrants. It was aimed at helping U.S. businesses attract skilled foreign workers; thus, it expanded the business class categories to favor persons who can make educational, professional or financial contributions. It created the Immigrant Investor Program.
USA Patriot Act 2001 - Uniting and Strengthening America by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism
Creation of the USCIS 2003 - As of March 1, 2003, the US immigration and Naturalization Service becomes part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The department’s new U.S. Citizenship and US immigration Services (USCIS) function is to handle US immigration services and benefits, including citizenship, applications for permanent residence, non-immigrant applications, asylum, and refugee services. US immigration enforcement functions are now under the Department's Border and Transportation Security Directorate, known as the Bureau of US immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE)
Significant Historic Dates Affecting US immigration
Naturalization Act of 1790 - Stipulated that "any alien, being a free white person, may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States"
1875 - Supreme Court declared that regulation of US immigration is the responsibility of the Federal Government.
1882 The Chinese Exclusion Act - prohibited certain laborers from immigrating to the United States.
1885 and 1887 - Alien Contract Labor laws which prohibited certain laborers from immigrating to the United States.
1891 - The Federal Government assumed the task of inspecting, admitting, rejecting, and processing all immigrants seeking admission to the U.S.
1892 - On January 2, a new Federal US immigration station opened on Ellis Island in New York Harbor.
1903 - This Act restated the 1891 provisions concerning land borders and called for rules covering entry as well as inspection of aliens crossing the Mexican border.
1907 The US immigration Act of 1907 - reorganized the states bordering Mexico (Arizona, New Mexico and a large part of Texas) into Mexican Border District to stem the flow of immigrants into the U.S.
1917 - 1924 - A series of laws were enacted to further limit the number of new immigrants. These laws established the quota system and imposed passport requirements. They expanded the categories of excludable aliens and banned all Asians except Japanese.
1924 Act - Reduced the number of US immigration visas and allocated them on the basis of national origin.
1940 The Alien Registration Act - required all aliens (non-U.S. citizens) within the United States to register with the Government and receive an Alien Registration Receipt Card (the predecessor of the "green card").
1950 Passage of the Internal Security Act - which rendered the Alien Registration Receipt Card even more valuable. Immigrants with legal status had their cards replaced with what generally became known as the "green card" (Form I-151).
1952 Act - Established the modern day US immigration system. It created a quota system which imposes limits on a per-country basis. It also established the preference system that gave priority to family members and people with special skills.
1968 Act - Eliminated US immigration discrimination based on race, place of birth, sex and residence. It also officially abolished restrictions on Oriental US immigration.
1976 Act - Eliminated preferential treatment for residents of the Western Hemisphere.
1980 Act - Established a general policy governing the admission of refugees.
1986 Act - Focused on curtailing illegal US immigration. It legalized hundred of thousands of illegal immigrants. It also introduced the employer sanctions program which fines employers for hiring illegal workers. It also passed tough laws to prevent bogus marriage fraud.
1990 Act - Established an annual limit for certain categories of immigrants. It was aimed at helping U.S. businesses attract skilled foreign workers; thus, it expanded the business class categories to favor persons who can make educational, professional or financial contributions. It created the Immigrant Investor Program.
USA Patriot Act 2001 - Uniting and Strengthening America by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism
Creation of the USCIS 2003 - As of March 1, 2003, the US immigration and Naturalization Service becomes part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The department’s new U.S. Citizenship and US immigration Services (USCIS) function is to handle US immigration services and benefits, including citizenship, applications for permanent residence, non-immigrant applications, asylum, and refugee services. US immigration enforcement functions are now under the Department's Border and Transportation Security Directorate, known as the Bureau of US immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE)
Immigration 101
I’m sure you all are as curious as I am about the hoopla that’s going on with the immigration reform. I’ve been hearing it on the news and apparently the “Mexicans” went on strike recently (are “Mexicans” the only immigrants?). I got to thinking about immigration and have lots of questions.
1. Can a person from Guatemala one day just say “hey, I think I’m going to move to Florida this week”?
2. What’s the criteria for immigration? Do you have to have a job lined up? How are you supposed to find a job if you can’t come here to look?
3. I hear stories about people being deported. Or maybe that’s just on TV. If deportation happens, who decides who gets to stay and who has to go?
4. At what point in history did the US government decide to stop or severely limit letting people in?
5. What exactly is the big deal about this immigration reform? Sounds like the government is actually going to enforce existing laws.
And I do understand some of the bigger picture. If we didn’t slow the influx of immigrants, communities wouldn’t have time to absorb so many without a lot of problems (see Katrina Victims for an example). And, I totally resent having to pay, through taxes, for services for non-taxpayers, including welfare junkies and illegal immigrants.
I’m going to do a little research and let y’all know what I come up with. Please feel free to respond if you know the answer to any of these.
1. Can a person from Guatemala one day just say “hey, I think I’m going to move to Florida this week”?
2. What’s the criteria for immigration? Do you have to have a job lined up? How are you supposed to find a job if you can’t come here to look?
3. I hear stories about people being deported. Or maybe that’s just on TV. If deportation happens, who decides who gets to stay and who has to go?
4. At what point in history did the US government decide to stop or severely limit letting people in?
5. What exactly is the big deal about this immigration reform? Sounds like the government is actually going to enforce existing laws.
And I do understand some of the bigger picture. If we didn’t slow the influx of immigrants, communities wouldn’t have time to absorb so many without a lot of problems (see Katrina Victims for an example). And, I totally resent having to pay, through taxes, for services for non-taxpayers, including welfare junkies and illegal immigrants.
I’m going to do a little research and let y’all know what I come up with. Please feel free to respond if you know the answer to any of these.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Baby Action
Oh my gosh, Babygirl is walking! It apparently started last weekend when she “let go” and stepped a couple of steps for her Grandmommy P. Then on Monday, we stopped Big D’s house while we were out walking. Babygirl saw Remy (the French bulldog) and let go of my hand and took two steps to Remy so she could tackle him. Best baby-dog ever, by the way.
Mapgeek and I are babysitting Bandit, aka Track Star, my brother and sista-in-law’s cat, while they are away. Babygirl LOVES this cat. Best baby-cat ever, by the way. You’ve never seen such a cat. He loves to be around people and just follows us around the house. And he purrs and snuggles up against Babygirl, all while she’s pulling his tail and grabbing his collar. Anyways, she walks to him constantly. A few steps here, a few steps there…
We also attempted to start swimming lessons this week. More for Mommy’s sake than Babygirl’s. We’re taking swimming at a local dive shop, SeaVentures, that happens to have an indoor pool. We’re also taking with one of our fellow Stroller Striders and her son. I got Babygirl all suited up in the brand new swim diapers and the cutest new bathing suit, when Sister Stroller Strider walked in and informed the 12 of us (6 mommies and 6 babies) that class was cancelled. Someone threw up and no one could enter the pool for 30 minutes. Basically our entire class time. All 12 of us were very disappointed and the mommies were discussing the fine art of drinking pool water and barfing, when the throw-up boy’s mommy apologized. I felt so horrible for her because it really wasn’t that big of a deal. I mean, sure the dive shop is refunding us for that class, but who’s to say Babygirl won’t be the upchucker next week.
Lots going on here in the fine town of Roswell. More to come!
Mapgeek and I are babysitting Bandit, aka Track Star, my brother and sista-in-law’s cat, while they are away. Babygirl LOVES this cat. Best baby-cat ever, by the way. You’ve never seen such a cat. He loves to be around people and just follows us around the house. And he purrs and snuggles up against Babygirl, all while she’s pulling his tail and grabbing his collar. Anyways, she walks to him constantly. A few steps here, a few steps there…
We also attempted to start swimming lessons this week. More for Mommy’s sake than Babygirl’s. We’re taking swimming at a local dive shop, SeaVentures, that happens to have an indoor pool. We’re also taking with one of our fellow Stroller Striders and her son. I got Babygirl all suited up in the brand new swim diapers and the cutest new bathing suit, when Sister Stroller Strider walked in and informed the 12 of us (6 mommies and 6 babies) that class was cancelled. Someone threw up and no one could enter the pool for 30 minutes. Basically our entire class time. All 12 of us were very disappointed and the mommies were discussing the fine art of drinking pool water and barfing, when the throw-up boy’s mommy apologized. I felt so horrible for her because it really wasn’t that big of a deal. I mean, sure the dive shop is refunding us for that class, but who’s to say Babygirl won’t be the upchucker next week.
Lots going on here in the fine town of Roswell. More to come!
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
Our Stroller Made the Web!
We had a great time visiting 'Manda in Charlotte last weekend for St. Patty's Day. A "local" photographer (she had a heck of a New Yoook accent) asked Manda and McCallen to pose. More later!
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Viva Las Vegas!
Ah, so much to write about! We’ve had a busy week. We all made it to Vegas and back this week (we all = Mapgeek, Babygirl, myself, Grandma C, Grandpa C, and Markyjo and Niknik).
Air travel and Babygirl
Let’s start off talking about airplane travel and a baby. There’s just so much STUFF that you have to take along with a baby. We checked our 3 suitcases (2 small ones for Mapgeek and myself and 1 big one for Babygirl). We carried-on 2 backpacks, a car seat, a stroller, and a baby. We had it all packed perfectly to lug around. Mapgeek had a backpack (with a laptop, video camera, and digital camera) and we put the car seat in a bag with a shoulder strap. A little heavy, but manageable. I had the diaper backpack and the baby in the stroller. Then we had a couple jackets in the stroller’s underneath basket.
And then we get to the security checkpoint. We literally had to unpack Mapgeek’s backpack, the car seat, and the stuff in the stroller’s basket. Babygirl had to come out of the stroller, which was then sent through the scanner. The computer, cameras, and the jackets had to be put in bins to go through the scanner. The two backpacks had to go in bins to go through the scanner. And to top it off, we had to take off our shoes to go through the scanner. *sigh* It’s quite an ordeal. Then we got to pack it all back up to get to the plane.
Babygirl did excellent on the plane. We left around 6pm and I had a few bottles ready for her to suck on when we took off and landed, just in case she had problems with her ears. I never noticed any issues with her except being sleepy and being too wound up to go to sleep. The only negative in getting to Vegas was a brief layover in Dallas. Since we were flying about the time that Babygirl goes to bed, I was hoping she would sleep the entire flight. Unfortunately, the layover ensured a power nap between Atlanta and Dallas and then full-on go-mode baby.
When we got to Vegas, Grandpa C had a limousine waiting for us (yay Grandpa!) so we loaded all 7 of us and all our STUFF for the quick jaunt to the Flamingo Hotel.
Ok, now about Vegas…
Day 1
We got checked into the hotel pretty late. Luckily, we had the forethought to get adjoining rooms with Grandma and Grandpa C. Everyone went out gambling, and Mapgeek and I put Babygirl in her crib (got one at the hotel) and hung out next door. We ordered room service and watched TV. We were all exhausted, so it was a brief evening for us.
Day 2
Babygirl was up and going at 6:30am, so the three of us got ready for the day, which takes 2 hours. We met the family and headed downstairs to one of the restaurants for breakfast. The Flamingo was the first hotel that we were introduced and it was astounding at first look. It seemed like the casino wrapped around and every corner you took was another entrance into it. Which was pretty much the case. Near the main restaurant, there was an exit into the hotel’s courtyard, which had wildlife exhibits and gardens. There were penguins, flamingos, lots of ducks, turtles, and huge coi. A river-type thing ran through it all. Babygirl loves animals, especially the penguins. After breakfast, Mapgeek, Babygirl, and I spent a good bit of time outside at the Flamingo. The weather was gorgeous, but a little cold to take advantage of the four pools.
The three of us walked across the street to Caesar’s Palace. We quickly realized that the Flamingo was nothing compared to some of the other hotels. Caesar’s was unreal. Gaudy, excesses like you wouldn’t believe, and HUGE. We grabbed lunch at the Hyakumi Sushi Bar in the hotel. Probably the best sushi I’ve ever had. YUM! It’s interesting to me that the hotel developers spend an unbelievable amount of money to build this inside city and then try to make it look like outside. The Forum Shops in Caesar’s looked like a European city. You walk down cobblestone streets, with stores on either side and look up and it looks like a blue sky. At the end of one of the streets was a big Roman-looking fountain and an aquarium. Needless to say, we spent some time there so Babygirl could yell at the fish.
After Caesar’s, it was back to our room at the Flamingo for Babygirl’s naptime. Again, thankfully we had adjoining rooms because she won’t sleep if someone is in the same room. Grandma C volunteered to sit with the napping Babygirl so Mapgeek and I could try our luck at gambling. We got some quick lessons from Grandpa C and Markyjo, but lost anyways. Tried out the slot machines, digital blackjack, and digital poker. Not brave enough to expose our ignorance at any of the tables.
Dinner was with the entire family at a Mexican restaurant, Taqueria Canonita Restaurant, in the Venetian hotel. The Venetian is again, one of the hotels with excess. There’s a river running through the hotel and you can take gondola rides. Unbelievable. We ended up cutting dinner short because Babygirl was fussy. She doesn’t seem to like to sit in one place for long. As long as you move with her, she stays relatively happy. So, Mapgeek, Babygirl, and I headed back to the Flamingo to put her to bed.
After dinner, Grandma C sat with Babygirl for an hour so Mapgeek and I could try gambling again. Old pros by this time, we pretty much stuck with the nickel poker so we would lose our money slower and get a couple of free drinks and wind down.
Day 3
We were up again at 6:30am. This time, we were ready before everyone else, but still dealing with a baby that doesn’t want to be in a stroller or held. Knowing that she’d never sit through breakfast, Mapgeek and I decided to grab a quick bite and head to the Mirage Hotel to see the lions. Our quick bite ended up being $12 bagels in the Mirage at a deli. $3 apiece for bagels, and $3 apiece for cream cheese. Each of the cream cheeses that we bought was enough for 4 bagels. I wish the deli woman had said something, as it was obvious we didn’t need that much. Ah well, live and learn.
The lions weren’t out while we were there, so we continued to keep moving and headed back into the Forum, just in time for Babygirl to fall asleep in my arms. Back to the Flamingo for a nap. And as typically is Babygirl, she woke up when we got back and was raring to go again. We headed off to lunch at Margaritaville, which is in the Flamingo. The highlight of lunch was watching the volcano inside the restaurant erupt.
After lunch, we spent a few hours in our hotel room, letting Babygirl play. Mapgeek dozed off and I got bored after a while, so Babygirl and I headed back to the wildlife exhibits at the Flamingo. Mapgeek caught up with us and we headed over to the Bellagio Hotel to see the dancing fountains and the gardens in the hotel. Apparently, the Bellagio is the crown jewel of the hotels in Vegas. It was just as ostentatious as Caesar’s Palace, though without the Forum shops. We saw the Dale Chihuly flower sculpture in the lobby and the botanical gardens in the Conservatory. It was gorgeous! We then went outside in front of the fountain and caught one of the shows. Babygirl loved it!
Dinner was with Markyjo and Niknik at an Italian restaurant in the Paris Hotel. The Paris is where they stayed on their honeymoon. Again, another amazing hotel, though we didn’t spend as much time in this one. After dinner, Markyjo and Niknik watched Babygirl for an hour so Mapgeek and I could gamble again. We wandered aimlessly around looking for ways to lose our money. Stuck mostly with slots and poker.
Day 4
Grandpa C rented a car, so after breakfast at the Flamingo, the family loaded up and drove out to see the Hoover Dam. It was an amazing thing to see. It wasn’t as wide as I thought, but was definitely as deep. Lake Mead apparently serves Las Vegas’s potable water needs (and all its excess) and the dam supplies all the power for Vegas (and all THAT excess). As I continue to write this journal, I realize that everything in Vegas is huge and excessive. People must lose a lot more than the $30 that I donated. :)
We got back around lunch time and Mapgeek and I grabbed lunch at a deli counter in the Flamingo. Afterwards, we tried to entice Babygirl to nap, which she wouldn’t. So, we headed back to the wildlife exhibit at the Flamingo. Yelled at the penguins for a while before dinner. Dinner on this last night was the highlight of our culinary experience in Vegas (except for maybe the sushi). We ate at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, Spago, in the Forum. And we got to see the aquarium one last time. After dinner, Grandma C sat with Babygirl so Mapgeek and I could “donate” another $30 to Vegas.
Home again, home again, jiggity-jig
The trip home was pretty uneventful. Luckily, it was a direct flight home and Babygirl slept for at least the first half. When we got home, she was excited to see her toys and was even excited to see her crib. And when I put her down that night, she immediately curled up and stuck her thumb in her mouth. As did I…
Air travel and Babygirl
Let’s start off talking about airplane travel and a baby. There’s just so much STUFF that you have to take along with a baby. We checked our 3 suitcases (2 small ones for Mapgeek and myself and 1 big one for Babygirl). We carried-on 2 backpacks, a car seat, a stroller, and a baby. We had it all packed perfectly to lug around. Mapgeek had a backpack (with a laptop, video camera, and digital camera) and we put the car seat in a bag with a shoulder strap. A little heavy, but manageable. I had the diaper backpack and the baby in the stroller. Then we had a couple jackets in the stroller’s underneath basket.
And then we get to the security checkpoint. We literally had to unpack Mapgeek’s backpack, the car seat, and the stuff in the stroller’s basket. Babygirl had to come out of the stroller, which was then sent through the scanner. The computer, cameras, and the jackets had to be put in bins to go through the scanner. The two backpacks had to go in bins to go through the scanner. And to top it off, we had to take off our shoes to go through the scanner. *sigh* It’s quite an ordeal. Then we got to pack it all back up to get to the plane.
Babygirl did excellent on the plane. We left around 6pm and I had a few bottles ready for her to suck on when we took off and landed, just in case she had problems with her ears. I never noticed any issues with her except being sleepy and being too wound up to go to sleep. The only negative in getting to Vegas was a brief layover in Dallas. Since we were flying about the time that Babygirl goes to bed, I was hoping she would sleep the entire flight. Unfortunately, the layover ensured a power nap between Atlanta and Dallas and then full-on go-mode baby.
When we got to Vegas, Grandpa C had a limousine waiting for us (yay Grandpa!) so we loaded all 7 of us and all our STUFF for the quick jaunt to the Flamingo Hotel.
Ok, now about Vegas…
Day 1
We got checked into the hotel pretty late. Luckily, we had the forethought to get adjoining rooms with Grandma and Grandpa C. Everyone went out gambling, and Mapgeek and I put Babygirl in her crib (got one at the hotel) and hung out next door. We ordered room service and watched TV. We were all exhausted, so it was a brief evening for us.
Day 2
Babygirl was up and going at 6:30am, so the three of us got ready for the day, which takes 2 hours. We met the family and headed downstairs to one of the restaurants for breakfast. The Flamingo was the first hotel that we were introduced and it was astounding at first look. It seemed like the casino wrapped around and every corner you took was another entrance into it. Which was pretty much the case. Near the main restaurant, there was an exit into the hotel’s courtyard, which had wildlife exhibits and gardens. There were penguins, flamingos, lots of ducks, turtles, and huge coi. A river-type thing ran through it all. Babygirl loves animals, especially the penguins. After breakfast, Mapgeek, Babygirl, and I spent a good bit of time outside at the Flamingo. The weather was gorgeous, but a little cold to take advantage of the four pools.
The three of us walked across the street to Caesar’s Palace. We quickly realized that the Flamingo was nothing compared to some of the other hotels. Caesar’s was unreal. Gaudy, excesses like you wouldn’t believe, and HUGE. We grabbed lunch at the Hyakumi Sushi Bar in the hotel. Probably the best sushi I’ve ever had. YUM! It’s interesting to me that the hotel developers spend an unbelievable amount of money to build this inside city and then try to make it look like outside. The Forum Shops in Caesar’s looked like a European city. You walk down cobblestone streets, with stores on either side and look up and it looks like a blue sky. At the end of one of the streets was a big Roman-looking fountain and an aquarium. Needless to say, we spent some time there so Babygirl could yell at the fish.
After Caesar’s, it was back to our room at the Flamingo for Babygirl’s naptime. Again, thankfully we had adjoining rooms because she won’t sleep if someone is in the same room. Grandma C volunteered to sit with the napping Babygirl so Mapgeek and I could try our luck at gambling. We got some quick lessons from Grandpa C and Markyjo, but lost anyways. Tried out the slot machines, digital blackjack, and digital poker. Not brave enough to expose our ignorance at any of the tables.
Dinner was with the entire family at a Mexican restaurant, Taqueria Canonita Restaurant, in the Venetian hotel. The Venetian is again, one of the hotels with excess. There’s a river running through the hotel and you can take gondola rides. Unbelievable. We ended up cutting dinner short because Babygirl was fussy. She doesn’t seem to like to sit in one place for long. As long as you move with her, she stays relatively happy. So, Mapgeek, Babygirl, and I headed back to the Flamingo to put her to bed.
After dinner, Grandma C sat with Babygirl for an hour so Mapgeek and I could try gambling again. Old pros by this time, we pretty much stuck with the nickel poker so we would lose our money slower and get a couple of free drinks and wind down.
Day 3
We were up again at 6:30am. This time, we were ready before everyone else, but still dealing with a baby that doesn’t want to be in a stroller or held. Knowing that she’d never sit through breakfast, Mapgeek and I decided to grab a quick bite and head to the Mirage Hotel to see the lions. Our quick bite ended up being $12 bagels in the Mirage at a deli. $3 apiece for bagels, and $3 apiece for cream cheese. Each of the cream cheeses that we bought was enough for 4 bagels. I wish the deli woman had said something, as it was obvious we didn’t need that much. Ah well, live and learn.
The lions weren’t out while we were there, so we continued to keep moving and headed back into the Forum, just in time for Babygirl to fall asleep in my arms. Back to the Flamingo for a nap. And as typically is Babygirl, she woke up when we got back and was raring to go again. We headed off to lunch at Margaritaville, which is in the Flamingo. The highlight of lunch was watching the volcano inside the restaurant erupt.
After lunch, we spent a few hours in our hotel room, letting Babygirl play. Mapgeek dozed off and I got bored after a while, so Babygirl and I headed back to the wildlife exhibits at the Flamingo. Mapgeek caught up with us and we headed over to the Bellagio Hotel to see the dancing fountains and the gardens in the hotel. Apparently, the Bellagio is the crown jewel of the hotels in Vegas. It was just as ostentatious as Caesar’s Palace, though without the Forum shops. We saw the Dale Chihuly flower sculpture in the lobby and the botanical gardens in the Conservatory. It was gorgeous! We then went outside in front of the fountain and caught one of the shows. Babygirl loved it!
Dinner was with Markyjo and Niknik at an Italian restaurant in the Paris Hotel. The Paris is where they stayed on their honeymoon. Again, another amazing hotel, though we didn’t spend as much time in this one. After dinner, Markyjo and Niknik watched Babygirl for an hour so Mapgeek and I could gamble again. We wandered aimlessly around looking for ways to lose our money. Stuck mostly with slots and poker.
Day 4
Grandpa C rented a car, so after breakfast at the Flamingo, the family loaded up and drove out to see the Hoover Dam. It was an amazing thing to see. It wasn’t as wide as I thought, but was definitely as deep. Lake Mead apparently serves Las Vegas’s potable water needs (and all its excess) and the dam supplies all the power for Vegas (and all THAT excess). As I continue to write this journal, I realize that everything in Vegas is huge and excessive. People must lose a lot more than the $30 that I donated. :)
We got back around lunch time and Mapgeek and I grabbed lunch at a deli counter in the Flamingo. Afterwards, we tried to entice Babygirl to nap, which she wouldn’t. So, we headed back to the wildlife exhibit at the Flamingo. Yelled at the penguins for a while before dinner. Dinner on this last night was the highlight of our culinary experience in Vegas (except for maybe the sushi). We ate at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, Spago, in the Forum. And we got to see the aquarium one last time. After dinner, Grandma C sat with Babygirl so Mapgeek and I could “donate” another $30 to Vegas.
Home again, home again, jiggity-jig
The trip home was pretty uneventful. Luckily, it was a direct flight home and Babygirl slept for at least the first half. When we got home, she was excited to see her toys and was even excited to see her crib. And when I put her down that night, she immediately curled up and stuck her thumb in her mouth. As did I…
Friday, March 03, 2006
Taking my babygirl gaming
Oh my gosh! When did I turn into a nerd?!? Is it a function of the times or is gaming really still considered “nerdy”? Mapgeek and I have been gaming together ever since we started dating (and before, but not together). Lately, we’ve been primarily doing the MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing games). Great acronym for us engineer-types. We’ve been playing World of Warcraft for over a year. Since I was pregnant, we’ve been playing these two trolls. I play a mage and he’s a warrior. It is funny to me that we’re still not to the highest level in the game, yet we’ve been playing these chars (characters for the non-nerds) for over a year. Guess it has something to do with the 5 other chars I’ve been playing too. We tried out Everquest (aka, Evercrack), which people said was a great one to play. We didn’t like it as much. It seemed too tedious to get ahead.
Anyhow, I wonder if anyone that regularly reads these posts is a gamer too…
We’re off to Vegas tomorrow. Got a plane ticket for Babygirl too. Mapgeek and I each took a carry-on suitcase (though we checked them) and a backpack to Spain for two weeks. This trip, we’re taking our two suitcases, a huge suitcase for Babygirl, a carry-on for Babygirl (aka, The diaper bag), a car seat, a stroller, and I’m sure we’ll end up with at least one more carry-on (since we can…we DID buy three seats ya know). It’s amazing how much stuff a baby can take. Clothes, blankets, burp clothes, bibs, diapers, food, bottles, formula, etc. Good thing the dog is staying at home.
Anyhow, I wonder if anyone that regularly reads these posts is a gamer too…
We’re off to Vegas tomorrow. Got a plane ticket for Babygirl too. Mapgeek and I each took a carry-on suitcase (though we checked them) and a backpack to Spain for two weeks. This trip, we’re taking our two suitcases, a huge suitcase for Babygirl, a carry-on for Babygirl (aka, The diaper bag), a car seat, a stroller, and I’m sure we’ll end up with at least one more carry-on (since we can…we DID buy three seats ya know). It’s amazing how much stuff a baby can take. Clothes, blankets, burp clothes, bibs, diapers, food, bottles, formula, etc. Good thing the dog is staying at home.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Monday, February 13, 2006
Takeover 2030
Is anyone else nervous about Muslims? I know I am and it's not because of any racist (the fundamental belief that one race is better than another) or bigoted thoughts. I'm nervous because there seem to be a lot of Muslims (radicals?) out there that absolutely hate me and want me dead. At all costs - including the death of their own. And everything ticks them off. It's a catch-22 for all Westerners - no solutions except for death. I haven't heard of any Muslims propose a plan for co-existing. A profound quote from the Mona Charen op-ed piece from Friday - "[Muslims] want to live in Europe and reap the benefit of the civilization Christianity, rationalism and enlightenment have created -- but they despise it and hope to destroy it." Read her column about Bruce Bawer's "While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within."
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Teen Using Restroom Falls Out Bus Window
LOL! Ok, the news is interesting today. How exactly does *this* happen? And can you imagine the shock of other cars on the road?
(disclaimer: ok, it's not really funny, but...)
(disclaimer: ok, it's not really funny, but...)
Clean water in Iraq
A topic after my own heart! A soldier in Iraq is helping to upgrade a couple of water treatment plants (WTP’s for all yall that don’t know) in Iraq. Someone once told me, that water and wastewater treatment were the most important health advances thus far in human history. What a concept….no bad stuff in what you ingest and no sewage in the streets.
And I still believe that we are doing a lot of good being over there. Just think, these people will have clean water! Does anyone really think Saddam would put money in the budget to update WTPs and infrastructure??
And I still believe that we are doing a lot of good being over there. Just think, these people will have clean water! Does anyone really think Saddam would put money in the budget to update WTPs and infrastructure??
One of the last
So, Atlanta, and the black community, buried Mrs. Coretta Scott King yesterday. It’s sad to lose such a great lady. One of the last figureheads in the fight for equal rights. I wonder how the equal rights movement would have turned out if her husband had not been killed at such an early age. And, is anyone surprised? More anti-Bush during Mrs. King’s funeral yesterday. However, I guess if you make your life political, then you should expect your funeral to be political. I sure am tired of hearing about “WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION” and “KATRINA VICTIMS”. *sigh*
Sunday, February 05, 2006
A little perspective puh-leeze
Boortz was discussing the latest on the Muslims being offended about a cartoon of Muhammad. I liked his summary of some of the highlights of the recent past. Let's not forget who is also doing great in the offending category.
• Muslims fly commercial airliners into buildings in New York City. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslim officials block the exit where school girls are trying to escape a burning building because their faces were exposed. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims cut off the heads of three teenaged girls on their way to school in Indonesia. A Christian school. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder teachers trying to teach Muslim children in Iraq. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder over 80 tourists with car bombs outside cafes and hotels in Egypt. No Muslim outrage.
• A Muslim attacks a missionary children's school in India. Kills six. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims slaughter hundreds of children and teachers in Beslan, Russia. Muslims shoot children in the back. No Muslim outrage.
• Let's go way back. Muslims kidnap and kill athletes at the Munich Summer Olympics. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims fire rocket-propelled grenades into schools full of children in Israel. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder more than 50 commuters in attacks on London subways and busses. Over 700 are injured. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims massacre dozens of innocents at a Passover Seder. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder innocent vacationers in Bali. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslim newspapers publish anti-Semitic cartoons. No Muslim outrage
• Muslims are involved, on one side or the other, in almost every one of the 125+ shooting wars around the world. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims beat the charred bodies of Western civilians with their shoes, then hang them from a bridge. No Muslim outrage.
• Newspapers in Denmark and Norway publish cartoons depicting Mohammed. Muslims are outraged.
• Muslims fly commercial airliners into buildings in New York City. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslim officials block the exit where school girls are trying to escape a burning building because their faces were exposed. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims cut off the heads of three teenaged girls on their way to school in Indonesia. A Christian school. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder teachers trying to teach Muslim children in Iraq. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder over 80 tourists with car bombs outside cafes and hotels in Egypt. No Muslim outrage.
• A Muslim attacks a missionary children's school in India. Kills six. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims slaughter hundreds of children and teachers in Beslan, Russia. Muslims shoot children in the back. No Muslim outrage.
• Let's go way back. Muslims kidnap and kill athletes at the Munich Summer Olympics. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims fire rocket-propelled grenades into schools full of children in Israel. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder more than 50 commuters in attacks on London subways and busses. Over 700 are injured. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims massacre dozens of innocents at a Passover Seder. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder innocent vacationers in Bali. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslim newspapers publish anti-Semitic cartoons. No Muslim outrage
• Muslims are involved, on one side or the other, in almost every one of the 125+ shooting wars around the world. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims beat the charred bodies of Western civilians with their shoes, then hang them from a bridge. No Muslim outrage.
• Newspapers in Denmark and Norway publish cartoons depicting Mohammed. Muslims are outraged.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Indianapolis - Take 2
Wow! Didn’t I say I was going to update more often? Our life has finally settled into a routine of sorts, so needless to say…I’ve been busy! The weekend after going to the lake, we headed up to Indiana to see Mapgeek’s extended family. This is the trip we attempted in November, but had to reschedule due to sick family. MLK weekend, so we didn’t have to take any precious time off. We left Friday afternoon and went to Nashville and spent the night in our favorite Holiday Inn Express (hello wifi!). Had our Krystal’s and Guinness date, though Babygirl wasn’t as accommodating this time. She gets distracted trying to sleep with Mommy and Daddy trying to watch TV or surfing the web. We got up early Saturday and drove the rest of the way to Indianapolis.
We got there in time for a late lunch with Mapgeek’s grandparents, which is who we were there primarily to see. Luckily, Mapgeek’s uncle and aunt were there to go to lunch with us at the very close-by Mexican place. It’s interesting that as our favorite relatives get elderly, the more nervous we are about transporting them. Especially with Babygirl. We are especially grateful that there are relatives there, used to the situation, that can make time for us too. We headed back to our next favorite Holiday Inn Express to let Babygirl nap. Then back to the grandparents for an evening hello. Needless to say, Saturday was busy. Sunday was even more so….
We got up and took breakfast to Mapgeek’s Grandparents. From there, we drove the hour+ out to Terre Haute to visit the family farm. Babygirl got to play with her older cousins and we got to visit the aunts and uncle. Babygirl LOVED playing with the girl cousins. Seems like she’s around boys much more often. From Terre Haute, we drove the hour and a half back through Indianapolis to Franklin to see the other aunt and uncle and cousins. Also a good time. Then back in the car yet again to drive the 45 minutes back to the hotel. Lots of car time. Babygirl was a trooper as always. We fed her at the appropriate times and she took her naps in the car in between stops. I think we might have the hang of this. We all slept great that night.
Monday, we ate breakfast again with Mapgeek’s Grandparents and the hit the road for the 9 hour trip home. We were worried that Babygirl was going to be hard to travel with for 9 hours straight. But, she was even better on the way home, then she was from Nashville to Indiana! We stopped periodically to walk around and she seemed to sleep a good portion of the way. Kudos to the Britax carseat! Did I mention before that Babygirl outgrew her infant seat? I wasn’t expecting to buy another carseat at 6 months, but after finally figuring out how to install it, it is working out great!
Well, we made our first of many long car trips and survived. Next up….an airplane ride to Vegas in March. Not sure how that’s going to work with all the baby gear…
We got there in time for a late lunch with Mapgeek’s grandparents, which is who we were there primarily to see. Luckily, Mapgeek’s uncle and aunt were there to go to lunch with us at the very close-by Mexican place. It’s interesting that as our favorite relatives get elderly, the more nervous we are about transporting them. Especially with Babygirl. We are especially grateful that there are relatives there, used to the situation, that can make time for us too. We headed back to our next favorite Holiday Inn Express to let Babygirl nap. Then back to the grandparents for an evening hello. Needless to say, Saturday was busy. Sunday was even more so….
We got up and took breakfast to Mapgeek’s Grandparents. From there, we drove the hour+ out to Terre Haute to visit the family farm. Babygirl got to play with her older cousins and we got to visit the aunts and uncle. Babygirl LOVED playing with the girl cousins. Seems like she’s around boys much more often. From Terre Haute, we drove the hour and a half back through Indianapolis to Franklin to see the other aunt and uncle and cousins. Also a good time. Then back in the car yet again to drive the 45 minutes back to the hotel. Lots of car time. Babygirl was a trooper as always. We fed her at the appropriate times and she took her naps in the car in between stops. I think we might have the hang of this. We all slept great that night.
Monday, we ate breakfast again with Mapgeek’s Grandparents and the hit the road for the 9 hour trip home. We were worried that Babygirl was going to be hard to travel with for 9 hours straight. But, she was even better on the way home, then she was from Nashville to Indiana! We stopped periodically to walk around and she seemed to sleep a good portion of the way. Kudos to the Britax carseat! Did I mention before that Babygirl outgrew her infant seat? I wasn’t expecting to buy another carseat at 6 months, but after finally figuring out how to install it, it is working out great!
Well, we made our first of many long car trips and survived. Next up….an airplane ride to Vegas in March. Not sure how that’s going to work with all the baby gear…
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Be jealous all ye city slickers
So I’m writing this from the comfort of the lake house. We loaded up the family (2 parents, 1 kid, 1 dog) in the car on Friday and drove the 3 hours up to Tennessee. It’s so quiet up here. I got all bundled up this morning to take the dog out. It was almost dawn, so it was just barely light. It was so quiet that I thought I my hat was on down over my ears blocking out the sound. When I took off my hat, I realized that there wasn’t ANY sounds. No birds, crickets, the waves on the shore. Nothing. And then the next door neighbor coughed and scared the bejeezus out of me. He was on his back porch, sipping on his coffee, looking at the lake. A true Maxwell House moment. What a life.
The house itself is awesome. It’s on Watts Bar Lake just outside of Kingston. Since Granddaddy P lives here during the week, the house never gets that vacant, dusty, dead bugs in the sink kind of feel. It’s a 3-bedroom, 2-bath log cabin that’s only a few years old. The kitchen is huge and has tons of counter space and nice appliances. Plus, my parents have stocked it with all the comforts of home. Coffee maker, satellite, wireless network. You know, all the typical things you think of when you think “log cabin”.
TVA controls the lake and dams, so the lake is low for the winter. Where the house is, the yard and lake bed gently slopes down. When the lake level is low, the water recedes a pretty good distance and the docks are all out of water. So no fishing. And I was so looking forward sitting out on the dock in 30-degree weather waiting for a fish to nibble.
Mapgeek and I brought our computers (obviously, since I’m writing from here), and got some good gaming time. And we cooked and ate and grilled and ate some more. Babygirl had fun in the wide open floors with the toys we brought and also got to chase the dog. The dog is the only one that didn’t seem to have fun. He gets so picky about eating in a strange place. I think that we’ll be back up here soon. I hope. I’m looking forward to the spring when we can enjoy the outdoors.
The house itself is awesome. It’s on Watts Bar Lake just outside of Kingston. Since Granddaddy P lives here during the week, the house never gets that vacant, dusty, dead bugs in the sink kind of feel. It’s a 3-bedroom, 2-bath log cabin that’s only a few years old. The kitchen is huge and has tons of counter space and nice appliances. Plus, my parents have stocked it with all the comforts of home. Coffee maker, satellite, wireless network. You know, all the typical things you think of when you think “log cabin”.
TVA controls the lake and dams, so the lake is low for the winter. Where the house is, the yard and lake bed gently slopes down. When the lake level is low, the water recedes a pretty good distance and the docks are all out of water. So no fishing. And I was so looking forward sitting out on the dock in 30-degree weather waiting for a fish to nibble.
Mapgeek and I brought our computers (obviously, since I’m writing from here), and got some good gaming time. And we cooked and ate and grilled and ate some more. Babygirl had fun in the wide open floors with the toys we brought and also got to chase the dog. The dog is the only one that didn’t seem to have fun. He gets so picky about eating in a strange place. I think that we’ll be back up here soon. I hope. I’m looking forward to the spring when we can enjoy the outdoors.
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