Patriot's Day in Kent County

Thursday I took the boys on a Library trip to the East Greenwich Free Library. As we got out of the car and headed toward the library our ears were met by the colonial sound of the fife and drum! It was patriot's day and the Kentish Guard was performing their annual reenactment of the March on Lexington. (I love living out here!) We had just missed the beginning of their march so we hung out in front of the library while they circled around a few blocks and ended next door to the Library at the Kentish Guard (1774).

The boys were loving it. Max got to see some real SWORDS and guns. He kept running ahead to keep up with their march. Both were standing and marching along the library's wall trying to keep time with the drumming and Sam kept asking "Dose Piyets" (Are those Pirates?)

Breakfast Cook Off

~6 and 3/4 years ago Em told me she would cook eggs benedict for me. I, @ the time, had never had Egg's B before. (Subsequently, I have had it twice at The Beach Chalet and Chou Chou, both in San Francisco). So this morning she decided she was ready to give it a go.


As she began she wanted me to look up how to poach an egg (neither of us has ever attempted to poach an egg, we thought Mormons weren't supposed to) and pulled out her outdated lame cook book, "How To Cook Everything." I then went to my cooking bible for advice, "The New Best Recipe," from Cook's Illustrated. (Everything I have ever made therefrom has turned out excellent.) Thus began the cook off to see who could make the best poached egg!



I had great faith in my book and its editor Christopher Kimball, my cooking god. Fast forward a few minutes and lots of trash talking and we had a wonderful creation. To be honest with all involved, Em's eggs did end up looking better and I had to eat my words, as well as the eggs! I was slightly disappointed* with my eggs shape (the taste was exquisite though), as it had a little too much feathering.
(Mine is the one on the egg's right, Em's is on the left)


It was a supper yummy breakfast and my wife rocks!



*At which point she told me I shouldn't worship false gods! (She's funny too! sometimes)
*I still hold true that my cook book is better, I just need a bit more practice with my method.

Happy Easter again-A bit of tradition

One of my favorite paintings I saw in Jerusalem was at this church on the mount of olives. It is the Russian Orthodox Church: Church of Mary Magdalene.

I searched for an hour trying to find an image of the painting, but it can't be done. (The nuns were very adamant about not letting me take a picture at the time.) Anyway it is a beautiful picture of Mary standing before Augustus Caesar holding a red egg. The story behind it is as follows:

Before the egg became closely entwined with the Christian Easter, it was honored during many rite-of-Spring festivals. The Romans, Gauls, Chinese, Egyptians and Persians all cherished the egg as a symbol of the universe, of the earth’s rebirth at springtime. With the advent of Christianity the symbolism of the egg changed to represent, not nature's rebirth, but the rebirth of man.
Christians embraced the egg symbol and likened it to the tomb from which Christ rose. Saint Augustine first described Christ’s Resurrection from the dead as a chick bursting from an egg. This symbolism was enhanced in the Christian East’s celebration of Easter. At the end of the Paschal Liturgy, the faithful exchange paschal greetings and the priest and the faithful present each other with red eggs. Wooden eggs are sometimes suspended from hanging lamps and chandeliers, and often the faithful decorate wooden eggs with icons and hang them from the vigil lights in their homes.

THE FIRST EASTER EGG-According to tradition, Saint Mary Magdalene, who had patrician rank, gained an audience in Rome with the emperor after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. She denounced Pilate for his handling of Jesus' trial and then began to talk with Caesar about Jesus' resurrection. She picked up a hen's egg from the dinner table to illustrate her point about resurrection. Caesar was unmoved and replied that there was as much chance of a human being returning to life as there was for the egg to turn red. Immediately, the egg miraculously turned red in her hand! It is because of this tradition that Orthodox Christians exchange red eggs at Easter.

I don't know about the truth of any of this*, however, it was a magnificent painting and a great story of her witness of Christ's Resurrection.

*Michael: Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject, so you know you are getting the best possible information. (The Office Michael Scott Season 3, Episode 18: "The Negotiation")

Happy Easter

We did our secular Easter celebration on Saturday: some toys, Easter candy, egg hunt all followed by a gourmet Ebelskiver breakfast. This was in hopes of turning a little more focus onto Christ and the Resurrection on Sunday, but I'm not sure if that worked. It at least extended our celebration an extra day.

Emily rose again to new heights in preparing a wicked awesome dinner for us and the Montoya's (minus Diane and Jaren who were still in the hospital following the latter's birth). An awesome ham, au gratin potatoes, rolls, homemade strawberry jam, (I made great sweet potatoes). All prepared with one oven, served hot and on time!!! It was a great Easter and we even attended a baptism.

Question and Answer

Last night Max asked mom "Why is daddy so angry tonight?"

Well the answer is that I am standing in the bathroom picking up a clump of poo that just fell out of your brother's pants and I don't want you in here to step in it!!! I'm not angry I was just firm about you not coming in the bathroom while I cared for poopy pants. Plus, I have woken up at 5am the last two day to work in the OR and then go back to the clinic until 6 pm. So I'm a little tired and a slight edgy, but I do love you and don't want you to step in the poop. =]

April Fools!!!

At my childhood home we had an enormous oak tree in the back yard. One year, when I was about 6 or 7 or 8ish, it became infested with caterpillars and their associated cocoons. By infested I mean millions on the tree and on the ground. So one day my friend Rachael and I decided to collect a pail full. What does one do with a pail full of caterpillars on april fool's day? Well we decided to place them in the bed of my sister who is visually impaired. We thought this was a great idea, however, luckily for Fris mom went into turn down her bed before she went in to nap. So mom ruined our joke but looking back on that now it may have been for the best. (
Caterpillers do make a mess when left by themselves under the covers).

Other good April 1 ideas:

If your wife can sleep all morning (which I assume most could) let her. Then turn all the clocks forward 4 hours and wake her up in sync with the second general conference session so she thinks she missed the first one. (This provided only a few minutes of disorientation since I didn't get to change one clock in the bedroom when she woke up.)

If your wife is OCD and needs her IKEA plates in rainbow order (which I assume not many do) as well as her clothes. Turn all her shirts inside out and mix up the color order. (I couldn't bring myself to do this one this year since she had just got her closet "in order," and didn't want to waste a week of her hard work. Maybe next year.)

CUTE

Max likes to wake up in the late night and come find us downstairs watching TV. It's probably some of the sweetest times with him since he is calm and cuddly. Saturday night he found us watching Devil Wears Prada (not too bad as far as chick flicks go). I looked back to see him sleeping cosily on Em's beautiful belly.

Sammy's First Quote

(As I got out of the shower)

Sam: Dat your peanut?

Dad: Yeah.

Sam: It Big.

Dad. Yeah.

Sam: Mine small?

Dad: Yeah.

Sam: Ohhh.

Cool Runnings!!

It's March and we just got our biggest snow storm (kinda pathetic, but it's still been really cold). This time it didn't melt right away so I got to play with the boys!!!! We made a cool sled course, but Sam wouldn't go down it. =)

THE Magical Moment

I never really considered Disney Land/World all that magical, fun sure but not magical, nor do I have a whole cork board covered with memorabilia from 99 trips to Disneyland as a kid (EM does)...Howevaa...

We woke up before 6 am to go to the airport...Landed in Orlando...checked into the hotel...and proceeded directly to Disney World Magic Kingdom. Needless to say the boys were a bit worn out having had no nappers. Max was focused only on going to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and became sadder/moodier with each delay. Finally, we made to Pirates and Max and Sam loved it! (Sam was also scared of it just standing in the line. He is a mild scaredy cat). I figured it may just go down hill from there (and it did a bit as Em made us go watch the lame Tiki Tiki Room show). But after a little nourishment from Pecos Bill's fabulous hamburgers we happened upon Splash Mountain.

We walked by it and since Max heard loud screaming coming from the ride he was immediately interested in going on it. He turned out to be taller than 40 in.!!! (He is also taller than 44 in and got to do space mountain) Max and I proceeded to run through the path right up to the ride with no line to wait in!

A little background on this ride: It is themed after the stories of Uncle Remus Brer Rabbit. I remember from my childhood my father telling me stories of Brer Rabbit and said Hare being flicked into the Briar patch. I loved the stories and it is a great memory I have of my dad (even despite almost being dropped as a young child into a large Blackberry bush by said father and older brothers, who thought it was a good idea to perch me on the end of a long ladder and hang me over said HUGE bush to pick a few berries). So I was prepared to tell Max the story as we went along the ride.

The magical moment happened on this ride. He morphed from a cranky little PUNK into the happiest boy on earth. His smile was so big that his lips were curling up and was laughing hysterically. The bubbling enthusiasm was very contagious and soon I was smiling and laughing at nothing with him. At the end of the ride the attendant let us stay on and ride it again.

It was such an awesome transformation to watch in him. His happy face was priceless. I can't write how happy it made me to have gone on that ride with him. It combined a great memory of my childhood story time with my dad, with an awesome experience with my son. I also bought a Brer Rabbit Treasury book for my souvenir and have already read the whole thing to him.

It truly was magical for us both.

Incredibles Vacation Photos

Beautiful Destin Beach!

The Perfect Dessert

As I was preparing to come home tonight I was thinking to myself: Self, what would be a great treat for us tonight while we catch up on some of our favorite shows (Heroes and V-Mars)?
(I had had great aspirations of working to the wee hours on my research proposal but after a long day of torturing small children I was a little beat).

I then thought of the wonderful Girl Scout cookies we recently received, then thought of the ice cream we bought recently as well. Suddenly a wonderful conjoining of ideas occurred and resulted in scrumptious Thin Mint Milk Shakes!!!!!!!!!!!!! They were thick and delicious. A perfect dessert to sooth my tired brain, which fired it last synapse to come up with the idea.

Thank you Girl Scouts!

From the Mouth of the Max (i.e. Maxisms)

Here are few funny things Max has said recently:

I brought him home teaching with me the other day. My companion is originally from the Philippines and has an accent. While he was teaching our family Max looks at me:

Max: "What language is he speaking?"
Dad: "English."
Max: "Do you speak English?"
Dad: "Yes, and so do you."

Later, I was teaching him how to say You are beautiful in German. (Du bist schoen)

Max: Does mommy know how to say that?
Dad: I'm not sure, I think I've taught her that. I sure think she's beautiful don't you?
Max: Yeah she is, but her tummy is getting too big.

He was sitting on the toilet the other day:

Max (in a strained voice): My [boy part] hurts!
Dad: Why?
Max (still in a strained voice): I don't know.
Max (no longer strained): It's teeny tiny.

Today after church:

Max: Dad these are the things we can play: pirates, marbles, games...
Mom (interrupting): And give mom a kiss!
Max: No mom! I'm spending time with Daddy right now!!

Dat hav Cow Meok?

For years now people have been quoting (i.e. Mocking) my adorable now 5 year old asking if a food or drink has any dairy content. Well, Lisa and Beth (two of my sisters who like to mock him), he now need not ask that question.

Yesterday he had another allergy test (still pending some lab blood tests) (did I ever tell you that I used to be a phlebotomist for two weeks!) and is now only allergic to those nasty cats and nasty dusts. His allergy to cow milk and associated derivatives, beef, dogs, and beef dogs did not register on this test! It is very nice to know that our limited food products have become more liberated (not that he'll eating anything aside from corn dogs and dino nuggets!).

Naturally, being such kind parents that we are, we aren't going to tell him about the disappearance of the dog allergy, as we do not want to be bombarded by "Can we get a dog, pwease??" questions. Cruel? Maybe, but can you blame me? We might let him know he can have cow milk things, but we're still undecided.

P.S. He will be getting tubes placed in his ears for the third time on Monday.

Chutes and Ladders

After nap time this evening Max, Sam and I played a barrage of games: Candy Land (Max's favorite), followed by a few rounds of HI HO! Cherry-O, a couple tries at Chutes and Ladders, and finally Sam's favorite: Cranium Cariboo.



It was after Sam and I won the the first round of Chutes and Ladders by taking first place in the dog show, ("Best in Show" if you will,) and part way up the longest ladder having successfully helped a cat down from a tree, that I saw a problem with this game. Sure it teaches children the a valuable lesson in the consequences of our actions, the exercise of our free agency, as well as the rewards from good choices. (I think Max actually thought I was mad at him when I exclaimed "Uh oh, you colored on the wall again!!", but then I smiled and then he smiled.) But have you ever really considered what values are being imparted by the examples in this game?



Case in point:

Let's begin with the biggest Ladder. You can move from square #28 to #84 by doing something as stupid as climbing a tree (without a ladder) to help some cat that was dumb enough to climb the same tree. Why, I ask, is it such a great thing to climb trees? I'm sure the kid's mother told him not to climb it!? Why move forward 56 squares for this and only 10 for baking a nice cake, or only 16 for cleaning the house?


Soon Max will think he can either spend all of his Saturday mowing the lawn (22 squares), baking (again 10 squares), actually eating his healthy food (a measly 8), and finding mom's purse (20); or just go outside and climb the forbidden tree to get the neighbors cat, to which he is allergic. I mean really, what would have happened had he fallen out of the tree?
Answer: If we look at the trend of the chutes: he may become hypothermic (I hope they revive Meredith Grey) from falling through thin ice (-22), break a window with a baseball (-20), or graffiti something (-20).

Following these pattern's I'm sure he'll only lose about 5 squares or so. It's not a bad gamble then to try to save the @#%! cat, and have all of Saturday left to slide down all of the other chutes without losing much ground.

Or you could spend all your time with said cat and win the pet show and simultaneously win the whole freakin' game!

Basically, the trend that I have come to recognize in this game is "Help control the pet population; have your pet spayed or neutered." I guess if you are nice to animals you'll do well in life, even without a high school diploma. Don't worry about homework, hard work, or kindness to other homosapiens, just focus on cats and dogs (yes, bandaging a rabid dog will get you one space further than if you help the lady recover her stolen satchel).

Well, it is a fun game, but I can't help but wonder if Hasbro is getting a kick back from the Humane Society and/or Bob Barker. At least they give you 38 squares for planting a seed and you could stretch it and liken that one unto faith, but who are they kidding? What are the odds of getting a "one" on your fist spin? (A: 1 in 6)



P.S. I think pulling on a cats tail should be a ladder rather than a chute!

Finally SNOW...well a little at least

Friday morning, while Em was out getting her glucose tested, I got to stay home with the boys for a couple of hours! Luckily when we woke up it had snowed and was snowing!! So, with great excitement we got bundled up and went out and put Max's sled to work. (He's only had limited time to use it since Santa dropped it off).

And of course we finished it all off with a little H.C.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

There are two types of people in this world...those who love dogs and those who don't.

I rarely watch the news, but last night I was watching it while performing a little dental hygiene. I 'm glad I did, watch the news as well as floss, because this following story came on (and I got the plaque out of there). It will either make you cringe and cry or lol:

They say every dog has its day, and one local pooch had one heck of a day. This is truly an amazing story and one that is playing out more often around the country because more and more people have paper shredders at home.
Riley is a 7-month-old mutt who got himself in a real jam this weekend.
Riley's owner Dorothy Itle says, "He was hovering over the shredder and I kept trying to push him away and he stuck his tongue out. I still shudder just thinking about it"
Dorothy rushed Riley to the animal ER in West Toledo. "I knew it had to be serious the way he yelped. All I could think of is that I have to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible."
Animal Emergency and Critical Care Dr. Kittsen McCumber says, "The shredder makes noise, the dog goes to check it out, he sniffs it and licks it, and his tongue starts feeding through the shredder."
Riley underwent a complex surgery. Amazingly Riley was eating and drinking just eight hours after surgery.

I have to admit that my response was a loud guffaw and continued laughter. I slightly apologize to any who may be offended, but it was funny.

My Answer to EM

I know you can read my thoughts, boy: Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow. --Homer Simpson

No More Binky!!!!

Here is one of the reasons why we have finally gotten rid of Sammy's pacifier: anterior openbite. I've conceded the fact that you can't be a pediatric dentist if your own son has a binky all the time and can't bite a chip with his front teeth! We'll have to see how long it takes to get those front teeth together.

Chocolate Fondue and a Cream Puff

NOTHING SAYS "HAPPY NEW YEAR" LIKE FONDUE!!!!