It was one o'clock in the afternoon. My son came to me with a rather unusual request: "Mama, can you set up the telescope?"
"Dude, it's the middle of the afternoon. What do you think you're going to see out there?"
"Um, I don't know. Can you just please set up the telescope."
"Okay, but don't look at the sun. You'll damage your eyes.''
He agreed not to look at the sun, so I set up the telescope. He spent about fifteen minutes looking through the eyepiece. Then he came inside.
"What did you see?"
"Nothing but blue sky and tree branches," he replied. "I was hoping to see a meteor."
Oh. Better luck next time!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Spring Planting
The weather has been rather nice in sunny Cincinnati. At times like these, our thoughts turn to spring. My son's thoughts were definitely on spring. I found him in front of our house with a garden shovel and a packet of Forget-Me-Nots. He was busy digging holes.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Planting flowers," he answered. "I like gardening."
"Me too," I said.
I watched him carefully put the seeds in the holes he had dug. Then he covered them with dirt and patted them lovingly with his shovel.
"When they come up, they will be your Valentine's Day present," he told me.
Wasn't that sweet!
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Planting flowers," he answered. "I like gardening."
"Me too," I said.
I watched him carefully put the seeds in the holes he had dug. Then he covered them with dirt and patted them lovingly with his shovel.
"When they come up, they will be your Valentine's Day present," he told me.
Wasn't that sweet!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Fossil Mountain
"Mommy, take me to Fossil Mountain.....please!!!" Those were the words I heard today from my six-year-old son.
Fossil mountain, AKA Trammel Fossil Park for those of you who are familiar with the Cincinnati attraction, is a really cool hill that's loaded with fossils. Just about every rock you pick up has some sort of fossil on it - mostly ancient sea life that once lived in the area. Well, I still wasn't feeling good, but I just couldn't pass up an educational opportunity. So we trekked to the mountain.
My son was thrilled. He scoured that mountain and found all kinds of neat fossils. (He also found deer tracks which he followed into the woods.) He found all kinds of interesting rocks and minerals. He even went on a meteor hunt (no, we didn't find any space rocks, but it was fun looking). We spent nearly two hours on that big old hill.
By the time we were done, I was exhausted again. (The amount of coughing I've done in the last few days has been ridiculous!) I wondered if we should've just stayed home. But seeing how thrilled my son was, made it worth it, especially when he gave me one of his big grins and said, "I love you, Mommy!"
Fossil mountain, AKA Trammel Fossil Park for those of you who are familiar with the Cincinnati attraction, is a really cool hill that's loaded with fossils. Just about every rock you pick up has some sort of fossil on it - mostly ancient sea life that once lived in the area. Well, I still wasn't feeling good, but I just couldn't pass up an educational opportunity. So we trekked to the mountain.
My son was thrilled. He scoured that mountain and found all kinds of neat fossils. (He also found deer tracks which he followed into the woods.) He found all kinds of interesting rocks and minerals. He even went on a meteor hunt (no, we didn't find any space rocks, but it was fun looking). We spent nearly two hours on that big old hill.
By the time we were done, I was exhausted again. (The amount of coughing I've done in the last few days has been ridiculous!) I wondered if we should've just stayed home. But seeing how thrilled my son was, made it worth it, especially when he gave me one of his big grins and said, "I love you, Mommy!"
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Stupid Mama
I know, "stupid" isn't a nice word. But I was definitely stupid.
Most people, when they are not feeling good, stay home and do absolutely nothing. Me? I run around like a maniac, just because I have so much to do.
So today, I went to the store to get fruit for the school Valentine's Day party. Then I went to the school to drop it off. I didn't stay, because I didn't want to contaminate the kids (okay, so that was a little smart). Then I had to go to the post office to mail books to reviewers who are going to be blogging about my works as part of my month-long book tour that's coming up. Then I had to get a Valentine's Day present for my husband (I couldn't not do that, right?). Then I had to put a roast in the slow cooker (my family has to eat, right?). Then I made a cake (for Valentine's Day, of course). Then I had to pick up my son. Then he said, "Mama, I want to ride around the block on my scooter."
"You can't do that by yourself."
"Will you come with me?"
So then I pretty much ran around the block with my kid.
Now I'm sitting here, feeling like I'm absolutely going to die. My ears are ringing loudly, my body is aching, and I just want to go to bed.
I'm just so stupid.
Most people, when they are not feeling good, stay home and do absolutely nothing. Me? I run around like a maniac, just because I have so much to do.
So today, I went to the store to get fruit for the school Valentine's Day party. Then I went to the school to drop it off. I didn't stay, because I didn't want to contaminate the kids (okay, so that was a little smart). Then I had to go to the post office to mail books to reviewers who are going to be blogging about my works as part of my month-long book tour that's coming up. Then I had to get a Valentine's Day present for my husband (I couldn't not do that, right?). Then I had to put a roast in the slow cooker (my family has to eat, right?). Then I made a cake (for Valentine's Day, of course). Then I had to pick up my son. Then he said, "Mama, I want to ride around the block on my scooter."
"You can't do that by yourself."
"Will you come with me?"
So then I pretty much ran around the block with my kid.
Now I'm sitting here, feeling like I'm absolutely going to die. My ears are ringing loudly, my body is aching, and I just want to go to bed.
I'm just so stupid.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Ailing Accompanist
Sorry for the lack of a post yesterday. I was just too sick to type. Let me tell you my story. As you know, I've been fighting some kind of wicked germ. The other day it got my voice. Then it attacked my whole body. I had the shakes, a fever of almost 103, and aches. My head felt like it was in a vice, and my lungs felt like they were on fire. I was a catastrophe.
Well, unfortunately, that was the day I had to accompany my violin students for the Ohio Music Educators Solo and Ensemble Contests. I knew I had to be there, because they were counting on me.
I lay in bed until 1:00 PM, trying to rest as much as possible. Then I crawled out of bed, caked a lot of makeup on my face, so you couldn't really tell I was sick, and drugged myself with Tylenol and a decongestant. I hauled my sorry self to downtown Cincinnati.
Somehow I managed to make it through the day. (Fortunately I had only two students to accompany.) It wasn't fun trying to play with my head pounding and my body aching!
Then I hauled my sorry self home, threw up, and crawled into bed (after I brushed my teeth.)
Ugh! Let's hope I don't have to do that again!
Well, unfortunately, that was the day I had to accompany my violin students for the Ohio Music Educators Solo and Ensemble Contests. I knew I had to be there, because they were counting on me.
I lay in bed until 1:00 PM, trying to rest as much as possible. Then I crawled out of bed, caked a lot of makeup on my face, so you couldn't really tell I was sick, and drugged myself with Tylenol and a decongestant. I hauled my sorry self to downtown Cincinnati.
Somehow I managed to make it through the day. (Fortunately I had only two students to accompany.) It wasn't fun trying to play with my head pounding and my body aching!
Then I hauled my sorry self home, threw up, and crawled into bed (after I brushed my teeth.)
Ugh! Let's hope I don't have to do that again!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Lost Voice
It's never good when a mom loses her voice. That happened to me today. I've been fighting a virus for several days now, and the darn thing finally got me down. It stole my voice.
So there I was in the store, trying to tell my son to leave the Leapster display, so we could go home.
"Mom, I can't hear what you're saying," he said as he continued to press buttons.
"Stop playing with that, and let's go!" I rasped.
"Still can't hear you," he said. (Why do kids choose to be on their worse behavior when you don't feel good?)
I barked louder: "Let's go! I don't feel good, and I need to get home!"
Finally he pulled himself away from the toy.
Then I got home, and the dog was being obnoxious.
"Sit!" I commanded in my hoarse whisper of a voice.
The dog looked at me like I had three heads.
So here's to all moms who have ever had to conduct business with no voice: Kudos to you!
So there I was in the store, trying to tell my son to leave the Leapster display, so we could go home.
"Mom, I can't hear what you're saying," he said as he continued to press buttons.
"Stop playing with that, and let's go!" I rasped.
"Still can't hear you," he said. (Why do kids choose to be on their worse behavior when you don't feel good?)
I barked louder: "Let's go! I don't feel good, and I need to get home!"
Finally he pulled himself away from the toy.
Then I got home, and the dog was being obnoxious.
"Sit!" I commanded in my hoarse whisper of a voice.
The dog looked at me like I had three heads.
So here's to all moms who have ever had to conduct business with no voice: Kudos to you!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Bendaroos
"Mom, I'm bored!" my six-year-old son called.
"Okay, so you have more toys than Toys R Us, and you're telling me that you're bored?" I responded.
"Yep."
So I marched down to the basement with the little man and did some digging. We uncovered some Bendaroos. If you have no idea about what I'm talking about, Bendaroos are little wax-like sticks that can be shaped into various creations.
"Here, do something with these," I suggested.
My son sat down and went to work. Soon the little guy brought over his concoction. It looked just like a cheeseburger, complete with lettuce and tomato.
"That's great!" I complimented him.
"Mommy, you make something."
"Okay." I went to work bending and shaping those little wax strings. When I was finished, I had created an ice cream sundae, complete with whipped cream and a cherry."
"Mommy, that looks good enough to eat!"
"It does, doesn't it?" I said. "Maybe I should make a spoon." I fabricated a spoon and the two of us sat together "eating" our ice cream sundae.
"Okay, so you have more toys than Toys R Us, and you're telling me that you're bored?" I responded.
"Yep."
So I marched down to the basement with the little man and did some digging. We uncovered some Bendaroos. If you have no idea about what I'm talking about, Bendaroos are little wax-like sticks that can be shaped into various creations.
"Here, do something with these," I suggested.
My son sat down and went to work. Soon the little guy brought over his concoction. It looked just like a cheeseburger, complete with lettuce and tomato.
"That's great!" I complimented him.
"Mommy, you make something."
"Okay." I went to work bending and shaping those little wax strings. When I was finished, I had created an ice cream sundae, complete with whipped cream and a cherry."
"Mommy, that looks good enough to eat!"
"It does, doesn't it?" I said. "Maybe I should make a spoon." I fabricated a spoon and the two of us sat together "eating" our ice cream sundae.
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