Daddy, Papa and Me

Yesterday was Emma's first day of FIRST grade!!

We returned from Europe last week. We are back and full swing into our routine. I have a MILLION posts to catch up on...

so, you'll see them, somewhat randomly, starting today. At least one a day. Recounting our trips and the Hogwarts school, politics, weight loss, the Compact, etc.

Here goes nothing!

Ok, I'm trying again.

It seems this is just a F&^^%$# habit, decide to lose weight and get healthy (south beach, 48min/day, juice fast, Tae Kwon Do, elimination plans, whatever... the diet or behavior modification du jour), do it for a couple weeks and then...

stop.

and lose no weight, get no healthier, and beat myself up.

Ok, I'm trying again.

It is working, so far. I am getting a better feel for good portion sizes, I'm definitely eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, I've changed some what I cook for supper. For example today we had Penne Arrabiata and green beans with feta, walnuts and basil. The feta was reduced fat and the penne was whole grain. It was 8 points total (I'm allowed 36 points a day) and the serving was definitely enough to make me feel satisfied. Yesterday I made a desert of rice pudding that was actually quite good! and it was healthy (skim milk, no eggs). So, it's helping.

And it's definitely not total denial. I figured out yesterday I could eat an ENTIRE pint of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey (my favorite) and use 25 of my 35 "weekly points" (these are points you can use to splurge a bit.

So, it seems to be working so far.

Well, it seems to have gone pretty well.

We got an email from two teachers from the class (there is one head teacher, an assistant and a learning specialist for the 25 students). They both said Emma is a delight, happy and adjusting well. She's in her element. Academically she is 'holding her own.'

Of course Emma told us the first day was a lot of fun but the teacher has been strict since then. We explained to her that this wasn't preschool/kindergarten any more... they are there to learn (and there are 25 of them).. but I suspect "strict" to Emma is actually pretty lenient in reality.

This all has a heightened importance because of our experience and decision made earlier this summer.

Well, I have soooo much to post, a million photos, several Hogwarts posts, etc. They WILL be done!!

Emma had her first violin lesson today. The school offers it after classes, so we signed up.

She has been asking to play the violin now for two years. I think that I played in my youth might have been one factor for her early interest, but she's never seen me actually play. It could also be that several of her friends from upper grades play, or well.. whatever it is, she has wanted to for 1/3rd of her life. In fact, at the Shakespeare festival we went to in Utah early this summer she saw a pink violin for sale and REALLY wanted it, as in, she still won't let us forget the fact that she wanted it and we didn't get it or lend her allowance to do so.

The school lessons are on Mondays, so sadly we had to cancel her Monday chorus class with her two friends. She didn't want to, but she wanted lessons more. Hmm, one indication she really wants to!

We really want to make sure she sticks with it before we invest in an instrument! So today was her first day. She really enjoyed it. Of course, one day of lessons doesn't indicate she'll stick with it, but it's a start. Now we'll have to see how long she'll stick with it when she realizes she has to practice every day (well, 3-4 times a week I think suffices :).

Could be fun.

Just might have to wear ear plugs the first year or two :D

On the last day of school last year, Emma brought home a bag of a bunch of stuff from her cubby. We were rushing off to our travels soon after and we thought the bag contained just old papers etc, so we put it aside.

Then today, cleaning and reorganizing, Guy found a note in the bag written by the teachers about Emma. The note was in a bag with a stone that had an engraving of a deer. Apparently, and we didn't know this, they did it for all the kindergartners who were leaving to 1st grade.

It said:

Very social, very aware of "fairness." Loves imaginary play, being with friends, music and singing, has worked VERY hard on speech and been VERY successful. Great artist and designer, especially work with colors. Beginning to find your way with our clas work and finding success with reading and number work. VERY kind, helpful, considerate to EVERYONE in the lass. Wonderful with the younger children.
Deer: love, gentleness and kindness.

It was nice to read it on such a day that was so perfect in so many ways (I was productive, Guy was productive, Emma was in a great mood.. as were we, etc, etc).

Just found facebook, thought I'd start to see if I can integrate my blog a little with facebook.

Just playing around at this point.

Hmm, looks like the race is heating up between McCain and Palin:

This was John McCain, late last year on why he was qualified to be the president:

I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time.

And here is Sarah Palin last night on why she is ready to be a 72-year old heartbeat away from the presidency:

Charlie, again, we've got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time. It is for no more politics as usual and somebody's big, fat resume maybe that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment, where, yes, they've had opportunities to meet heads of state.

We already know the don't agree with themselves, now we find out that they don't agree with each other either and think the other shouldn't be president.

Who will win? McCain or Palin?

(excerpt above from BarbinMD at DK)

The ruling "Republicans", and compliant conservative Democrats, have spent years deregulating the banking and insurance industry. They say it will free the market, increase wealth and save money.

Then, the now 'freer' banking system goes on a casino binge, and as with all casino binges, they come out on the other end with a huge crash.

Indy Mac, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae all crash and they need to be bailed out (Bear Stearns), covered (Indy Mac) or taken over by the federal government (Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae). This is ending up costing the federal government (ah, that's us taxpayers) into the _hundreds of billions_ of dollars.

A bit of prudent regulation might have saved taxpayers hundreds of billions. But of course I wouldn't expect that of a "Republican" government that will have spent over a trillion dollars on an unnecessary war and ran up a deficit to record levels by increasing spending while cutting taxes for the wealthy.

Then, AIG, hours away from total failure, is _BOUGHT_ by the Republican-controlled federal government for over 80 billion dollars and now it _owns_ an 80% equity stake in one of the largest companies in the world.

Nevermind the question of cost and where our government is getting these hundreds of billions of dollars (that's a rhetorical question), my question is...

Isn't it a bit of an irony.. but when did the Republicans become socialists?!

So, we, our friend and our family are contributing to the No on 8 campaign to save our marriage.

But where are all the "A-Gay" donations? Brad Pitt gave 100,000 (but he's not gay of course... one could only dream), but why haven't Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie ODonnell, Melissa Etheridge and other big names with piles of cash?

The religious right (and a heck of a lot of Mormons) has been pouring money and manpower into this. We who wish marriage equality to stick NEED help.

Where are they?

There are many who have contributed, and to those we are very very thankful, but there are some big names missing.

You can contribute to the No-on-8 campaign at our wedding registry here! (we are getting married in a month, more later on the blog)

Since Emma's middle name is "Marie" I'm going to rephrase the well-known poem. Marie, Marie, quite contraryyyyy.. How does your garden grow?..."


She's hit a contrarian phase. If you tell her the sky is blue, she'll insist it is purple. Tell her she's wrong and she'll say she's right, tell her she's right, and she'll say she's wrong. Add that to this irrational (ok, to me anyway) need to be exact, detailed, literal and precise (hmm, she takes after someone I know... who could that be?), and it sums up to be frustrating at times. It's a phase I'm told. Let's hope :D.


I argued with her about clocks the other day, she insisted the big hand was the little hand because it was 'thinner' and the little hand was the big hand because it was 'thicker'. When I pointed out that longer can be bigger and thus it's the big hand she said...


"No, that can't be right, you must not be a good scientist"


Then I realized I was arguing reality with a 6 year old and just cracked up laughing.


She wasn't happy about that. I'll try not to laugh next time.

First we bail out Bear Sterns, then we in essence NATIONALIZE Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and then AIG just two days ago.

Today the Republican administration is moved with billions up to shore up the money market funds which are bleeding now..

And this all is going to cost the government a trillion dollars. A trillion.

The Bush administration were inept in dealing with Katrina and the Iraq war. Apparently they aren't much better at the economy. Now, I get it, not all economic problems are any one president's fault, but an administration's policies can make them worse or better. Laisse faire deregulation of the banking system, huge tax cuts on the wealthiest when we were spending billions on a war and Republican instituted programs has hurt and made whatever bad situation we might have had worse. So, now we the people own failing banks and insurance companies are going to spend a trillion dollars to fix it all. A trillion dollars.

I think, on the merits, it was a draw. I think they both had good points and both had not particularly good ones. Being an Obama supporter of course I agreed with Obama more (thus I'm a supporter), but really, I could see where they were both coming from and thought as a pure 'debate' it was a draw.

But on perceptions?

I think Obama won hands down and the polls and the pundits show it.

On expectations. This was supposed to be Obama's weakest debate, but he came to a draw on the merits, thus on expectations he won. The undecideds saw him as good as McCain on foreign policy, not worse (according to the polls).

Obama came across smart and knowledgeable. McCain did too really, but whereas Obama also came across thoughtful, respectful, nice and calm, McCain came across as contemptuous, angry (he cussed a couple times!), and something else I can't pin down... he did not look at Obama ONCE, not once. Obama engaged him a lot, but McCain refused to look at him. DH and I noticed it within minutes of the debate, EVEN DD noticed when she said "Does McCain not like the way Obama looks?" That comes across like he was either angry, fearful, contemptuous or just plain petty. Ouch.

I think if I went back and read the transcript without the tone and look, I'd see a pretty even debate and depending on my political philosophy could have either given it to McCain or Obama.

But, as we can see from the polls and focus groups, people were judging it on perception and demeanor.