Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my birthday.

I was surprised when I brought up Google this morning and the "Google Doodle" showed a cupcake, a present, and ribbon. I thought, "What a coincidence. I wonder which famous person also has my birthday?" After all, Google is known for celebrating birthdays of celebrities.

When I hovered over the doodle, I was taken aback! It said, "Happy Birthday Steve!"

Google knew that it was my birthday and changed my Google homepage in celebration of me!

I have no clue what you other less-important people are seeing on your Google homepages, but for me, I'll take my cupcake and present! :-)

[By the way, if I click on the doodle I'm taken to my Google profile page.]

Levitation

I'm teaching my boy to levitate.  He's a fast learner.  In this picture, he's about 8 feet off the ground.  It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it.  Really--you just throw yourself at the ground and miss!

Mis-Hearing Commercials

My oldest daughter was really excited the other day.  She heard on the TV that they were holding a contest, the winner of which would be flown with their family to Hollywood to meet the star of Disney's Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus.

The reason she was so excited?  She thought she heard, "Many will enter, you will win."

I had to bring her back down to earth and explain to her that what it really said was "few" will win...

LICE SUCK!

My wife called me toward the end of my work day a couple of days ago to tell me that my oldest daughter came home with lice.

First, let me say that I have never had lice.  Nor has anyone in my family, that I know of.  Yes, there is a stigma about lice--people seem to think that if you have lice then you are a dirty person or at least have poor hygiene habits.  That is not the case in our house.  My wife is super-anal about keeping not only the house but the kids, too, clean.  And I mean eat-off-the-floor clean!

So when I heard that my oldest daughter had lice, I was floored!

We're not sure where they came from, though we had just bought some clothes from a consignment sale and the girls were trying them on before they had a chance to get washed.  That's my guess...no telling who had the clothes before the sale.

Of course, school is another option.  So is the YMCA.  The kids spend a lot of time in both places.

Anyway, we'll probably never know where they came from.

But now that people have heard that we've had lice in our house, there are the stories about how long it has taken people to get rid of them.  Hopefully we were extreme enough to prevent them from coming back:

• Everything, and I mean everything, that has material/is soft in all of the kids' rooms was bagged, awaiting a deep cleaning by our new washing machine (which has a "Sanitize" setting).
• All rugs were rolled up and put in the garage.
• Lice spray was sprayed everywhere (mattresses, carpet, rugs, and so on).
• Lice-killing hair cream was applied (before we read about all the dangers of this product).
• Lice combs were used.
• Vaseline was applied to the hair to smother anything that survived the cream.
• Tons of Joy disk liquid and Gojo cream was later applied to try to get the Vaseline out!
• Pillow cases and sheets were slept in once before being bagged (to be cleaned by said new washer).

Luckily, I escaped un-infected.  Somehow.  I know that the girls get in my bed while I'm showering in the morning before we all head down for breakfast on school/work days, so I'm surprised that I didn't pick up one or more from that!

Anyway, I just wanted to vent that LICE SUCK!  And they are expensive, too!  The chemicals we've bought has set us back $150 or more.  We also chose this time to replace our existing washer and dryer.  Our washer was fine, except that it had lost a few screws and as a result it rattled like crazy during spin cycles.  Our dryer was on its last legs, however, and was in desperate need or replacing (and had been for months!).  So we got the front loading ones.

No, we technically didn't buy them because of the lice,  but we thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and replace them now, since we were planning on it anyway.  Thankfully we had the money to do so, too.

Long story short: I'll never think poorly of people who have lice again.  It can (and does) happen to anyone!

Drought Saying of the Day

As you may have heard on the news (I know if you've watched the Weather Channel they've mentioned this, and I know that the Weather Channel is national--except for Los Angeles where the weather never changes), we're in the middle of a severe drought in the Southeast. The governor of Georgia called for a mandated 10% reduction of water usage, and we recently got a letter from Fulton County (the county we live in, and the supplier of our drinking water) that if they couldn't acheive the 10% reduction through voluntary measures then they would financially penalize the people who were not achieving the 10% reduction. So we're doing our part--the kids take baths in much less water than they used to, and then we save the water to use on the plants (both inside and outside). But the best thing I've heard for saving water is a saying that I heard my mother-in-law say:

If it's yellow, let it mellow, If it's brown, flush it down!

I laughed out loud when I heard that one! I'm not sure where she heard it, so I can't give the appropriate attribution, so if any of my 3 regular blog readers know, please tell me!

Careful What You Wish For!

I was just going back over some older posts. I really should be careful about what I write on this site... "That much closer to being a diaper-free family." Ha! As it stands, Ella only wears a diaper at night now, but Zack goes through them like they're going out of style!

Kidding Around

The other week, I was joking with Emmie when she was whining, "Whaaat's for diiiner?". With a smirk on my face, I said, "Food." Emmie whined again, "What kiiind of fooood?" Without missing a beat, Ella replied, "Meat." I think Ella is going to be a comedian when she grows up.

Zackary Clayton

Melissa and I and our daughters have a new addition to our family: Zackary Clayton was born last Tuesday, June 12th, at 6:07 PM. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 8.9 ounces, and was 19 inches long.

The delivery was relatively easy according to Melissa, who was able to pose for a picture shortly afterward: Unlike the previous two deliveries, the epidural actually worked, much to Melissa's delight.

The girls are, so far, happy to have a baby brother. Especially Ella, our youngest daughter. She is becoming the little mommy. Several times we have heard, "Give him to me." She loves holding him in her lap, and helping to give him a bottle.

Emmie, our middle daughter, loved rubbing her face next to his and giving him kisses.

Madeline loved holding him, too, at least until her arms get tired.

Here is a picture of all of my childred shortly after Zack was born. It is also a rare occasion that got caught on digital film: all my daughters are quiet and getting along with each other!

[In honor of Zack's birth, the site has gone blue!]

Out of the Mouths of Two-year-olds

"Boys have peanuts." -Ella, when describing the difference between boys and girls.

Recovered the Dining Room Chairs

Last week, maybe the week before, I finished recovering our dining room chairs. Here's what one looks like now:

Part of the fun was figuring out how they were put together in the first place, but that's something I've been curious about most of my life (I used to take stuff apart and then put them back together just for fun--I guess in a way I still do, like when I took Melissa's laptop apart to see if I could figure out why the sound wasn't working).

The seats were the easy part--only one piece of fabric plus some piping or cording (the round part around the edge which gives it that "finished" look). I sewed the piping myself, reusing the piping that came off the original covering so it was all the correct length already. I just cut a new piece of fabric the same size as the piece I took off, and then stapled it to the underside of the seat, being sure to stretch the fabric as much as I could in order to give the final seat a nice smooth finish. After that, I just stapled on the piping and then put the seat back on the chair, fastened with four screws on the bottom of the seat.

The backs were much more difficult. There were two pieces of fabric, one for the front of the chair where the padding is, and one for the back. I put the front piece on first, then the piping, then the back. The back of the back was the most difficult, especially with all the folding of the fabric to give the chair a smooth look (instead of ragged material where the cut was made).

The best part of the whole project, though, was that I got to buy a new tool. I got a Rigid stapler, which I have pictured here on the left. It was an invaluable investment! I started this project using my Black and Decker PowerShot stapler, but it just wouldn't cut it.

This stapler has many nice features, like the swivel connector where the air hose connects, and the trigger which is selectable between single shot and multiple shots. My only complaint is that sometimes it is difficult to see when you're out of staples--there is a small area that shows the last 5 or 7 staples, but I was working in an area that didn't have a lot of light and it wasn't always obvious that I was out...until the staples didn't come out any more!

I'm not sure that I'll have a need for the Rigid stapler any time soon, but I have it if I need it, or if my friends need to borrow it!

(NOTE: I tried looking for the PowerShot stapler on the Black and Decker website, but I couldn't find it.)

Dealing with Death

I was going to title this post, "Preparing for Death", but Granny died early this morning--about 2:15 am according to Melissa's parents. We knew that her days with us were few, but we didn't know how few. We last visited her on her birthday a couple months ago, and Melissa was planning on going back again tomorrow, but now we'll just head to Statesboro or Metter for the funeral later this week. What follows is a speech that Melissa's dad asked her to prepare in order to deliver it at the funeral. I am posting this entirely without her consent, but she sent it to me so I could give her an impression of it, and I think it is beautiful. Candid and beautiful. Let us know what you think:

I’ve thought about this day for quite some time. I knew it was coming, but you’re never really quite prepared. I think about Granny all the time. Especially these last 7 or 8 years. My mind always goes back in time to when Mark and I were little. I always remember certain things about Granny and they always comfort me. I so wish I could go back and relive some of these times. I remember she made the absolute best pancakes in the entire world. I remember the smell of her kitchen. The pancakes cooking and coffee perculating in that old perculator she had. I loved the smells and sounds of her kitchen. She made an endless stack of pancakes whenever we spent the night and I would eat as many as possible. She never complained about cooking more. I remember making endless trips to the laundry mat in her blue dodge. I can remember how that blue dodge smelled…it smelled like Granny , Papa, White Shoulders and her endless supply of trident gum. In the summer, there was also a slight scent of Skin So Soft. We couldn’t go through a visit to Granny without her coating with Skin So Soft. I remember how I loved playing house on the back porch of her trailer. I would sweep that porch all day waiting for Papa to come home. Granny and I would greet him with a big glass of iced tea in those dented glass ice tea mugs they had and he would drink his tea and smoke his Camel cigarettes. I loved his smell. He smelled like sawdust and Camels. I always remember that smell. I remember how I loved when Granny started cooking dinner. It smelled like heaven in that small trailer kitchen. I’d eat whatever she made. Until the day she tried making my mom’s german potato pancakes. Potato pancakes are shredded raw potatoes cooked in a skillet of hot oil. I knew that much. I knew there was going to be trouble that evening when I saw her mixing the pancake mix with potato flakes. I’m quite sure I ate those as well though. You never insult your grandmother’s cooking if you can help it! I remember going through her medicine cabinet and getting into her endless supply of Avon perfumes, lotions and other beauty products that were too tempting for a 10 year old to stay away from. I always remember thinking what does she do with all of this stuff. I think she had the same collection when she lived in The Summit. I was in high school then and remember thinking…what does she do with all of this stuff. I do remember thinking how good she smelled and how put together she always looked. It was my granny that really taught me the important of prayer. I didn’t realize at the time what she was trying to instill in me. She’d visit in Atlanta and that is where I was introduced to devotion. I don’t think as a 10 year old I realized that spending 30 mins on my knees in devotion while my friends were at the door wanting to play was going to influence my adult life. I just thought she was talking to Jesus and forgot were she was and kept starting over. Later on in life, when my Dad traveled for weeks and months, I would pray endlessly at night that he would be safe and come home soon. Sometimes, I would pray until I feel asleep. It wasn’t until several years ago that it occurred to me that Granny is the reason I do pray so much. It was also Granny’s influence that made me love the old hymns. I remember how she loved to hear me play Sweet Hour of Prayer, Rock of Ages and Amazing Grace on the piano. Fortunately, for you, I’m not playing them today. I’m quite out of practice. She sang these songs as long as I can remember and always knew the words. I’m quite sure even though her eyes may have been closed her last days here with us, she was still singing those sweet old hymns in her head and talking to Jesus. She had such a strong faith. I know in my heart that she left this earth knowing she was going home to Jesus. I feel quite sure that he had her wrapped in his arms these last few days and she was beaming on the inside. Her mind and body wouldn’t let her share this wonderful experience with us, but I know she was being comforted. She is where she has always talked about going. Her soul is at home where she belongs and has been yearning to go. She is finally at peace in her heart and her memory has been restored. Granny and Papa have touched all of her lives. I can’t mention one without the other. Now they are both together again. These are my memories of Granny and of Papa that comfort me. I know you all have your own and I hope they offer you comfort as well.

Catching Up...

There have been so many posts that I have thought about doing, but haven't made the time to do. Work has been crazy busy lately--I even worked 8 hours yesterday (a Sunday). Yikes! But my days on this project are numbered, so hopefully I'll get back to a normal routine soon. Melissa and I had an awesome weekend! Friday night was the John Mayer concert at Chastain Park, an amphitheater in Atlanta. Now I don't have any of his albums, but I've enjoyed what I've heard on the radio. We have some friends who thought it would be a good idea to go to the concert, get a table to sit at (that's one of the attractions of Chastain), have dinner there and then enjoy the show. So that's what we did. You can't really tell any detail from the picture here, but that's John somewhere in the middle. My camera phone works better with up-close pictures... Then we spent the night at the Homewood Suites in Buckhead, a couple miles from the amphitheater. I used some of my many Hilton Honors points for it--the ones I've been collecting while traveling so much over the past 3 or 4 years. Woke up and had a nice big (free) breakfast, and then picked up the girls and headed up to the North Georgia Mountains for our annual fall getaway. We picnicked at Amicalola Falls, which is where the approach trail is that takes you to Springer Mountain, the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. This is at least the 5th year in a row we've gone. (And since we moved to Alpharetta, the drive hasn't been as long, either, which is nice.) Our visit isn't complete until we go to Burt's Pumpkin Farm. I don't have any of the pictures we took there, yet (they're on Melissa's computer), but take a look at the web site, see the pictures of the pumpkins, and then imagine 1,000 all walking around, kicking up a little dust, and you'll get an idea of what our experience at Burt's was like. Reading the first part of this article sounds a little like our Saturday, only in reverse (Burt's Farm came first in the article). A couple of weeks ago I had heard that it was supposed to be peak leaf weekend this past weekend, but I think it is yet to come. The leaves were still pretty green, and only slightly starting to turn. Anyway, that's all for now. I still need to get some pictures up from Ella's second birthday, which was at the beginning of September. Like I said, I've been too busy lately!

The Youngest is now 2

...and we're that much closer to being a diaper-free family! Ella had her second birthday on Friday, and we celebrated yesterday (Sunday) at the neighborhood pool. The water was freezing, but actually ended up feeling nice after you got used to it. Two out of 4 cousins were in attendance--the Faulkner's couldn't make it due to sickness in the household, and we didn't think it was wise to expose the rest of us to whatever ailment they were sharing over there. Two out of 4 grandparents were in attendance, as well. My parents in Florida are planning a trip up here at the end of the month and so decided to sit this party out. I'll get some pictures online when I get them off the camera.

I Rode "Goliath"

Melissa and I took the kids--well, the older two kids--to Six Flags last Sunday. Had a blast! They removed the "Great Gasp", the ride where you go straight up, hoisted by cables suspended from a big tower, and then drop back down to the earth. In its place is the latest roller coaster: Goliath. It was pretty cool, but I was holding my glasses so that they wouldn't be blown off by 70 MPH winds, so I couldn't see very well (everything was very blurry, though even if I were wearing my glasses thing probably would still be blurry), but I sure could feel the ride. Oh, the picture above is a piece of canvas attached to a tree next to the queue line for the Log Jamboree ride. It's just the thing to do at Six Flags: put your gum on a tree for all to see! I joked with Emmie that maybe they would let her take it home with her at the end of the season... In this picture you mostly see the "Georgia Scorcher". Part of Goliath can be seen in the background (teal support beams and orange track). Most of the Goliath ride is outside of the park. You go over the entry/exit road, do some spins and humps, and then go back into the park to finish up. In fact, this picture shows the cul-de-sac where the parking log tram drops folks off at the ticket counters. Where you see Goliath in the background is actually outside the park. I also got to ride the "Batman". Again, I was holding my glasses, just to be safe. The best part of that ride is the queue line as you wait to get on the train (in which you are suspended from the track). It looks like you're walking into Gotham City, or at least the dump. Well done! Madeline's favorite ride was the "Gotham City Crime Wave", a ride where you're suspended in a swing and they spin you around and then tilt the top of the swing. At the end of the first ride they said you could stay in your seat if you wanted to ride again (the lines were very short at this time of the evening--about 7:30 or 8). She rode it about 7 or 8 times in a row! We got Emmie on the Canyon Blaster--her first roller coaster! This was also Madeline's first roller coaster last year. We also rode the Wheelie--but I don't think any of us liked it! The bumper cars were a hit, though, except Emmie complained that it didn't last long enough. We arrived when the park opened and we left when the park closed. That was a long day, but definitely a fun one!

New Glasses!

No, not me--Madeline.

Melissa and Madeline had eye appointments on the same day, one after another. The doctor, a friend of ours from church, let them look and see in each other's eyes.

We knew from an appointment earlier in the year that Madeline's vision was getting to the point (already!) where she would need glasses. We decided to wait then, but not this time.

One trip to Costco was all it took pick out a pair--Madeline saw them right away, too. They are light metallic pink (of course!) with little flowers at the edges--you can't really see them too well in this picture.

And already she has come home from school with one of the temples bent at a severe angle. She claimed that she didn't know how it happened. I was able to gently bend them back, though, so they're as good as new again.

I don't think the name calling has started, yet, but four eyes are better than two any day!

Emmie's Soccer Trophy

We signed Emmie up for soccer. To put it nicely, that was a mistake. She never really got into it. But I'll spare you the details, other than to say that the only way I could convince her to go to her last soccer game on Saturday was to tell her that this was the day that they were handing out trophies. So she's very excited in this picture! :-)

In Case of Emergency

First off, a belated "Happy New Year" to the 2 people who read my blog (and one of them is me :-). Anyway, just a tip I heard on the "Clark Howard Show" a while back: If you have a cell phone, put an entry in your phone book that reads "ICE". That stands for "In Case of Emergency". That way, if you're ever in an accident and need medical attention, the EMS folks can call the people on this list to ask about you--for example, if you have any allergies to medicines, any known diseases, etc. I put one in my phone, but I wanted it to be at the top of the list, so I put the number "1" in front of it. However, for some odd Japanese or Swedish reason, it appeared at the end of the list (Sony Ericsson evidently does not sort using normal ASCII rules in their cell phones). So I prefixed it with "AAA", instead.