And the winner is...

Me! (really, when you see what the answers are...I'm totally the winner here)

But the winner of the Special Prize is Mark (see below with cute wife and cute baby). Who is related. Which is why he won. See comment below:

"It had to be Ryan with the Romney OCD gene doing the midnight cleaning right?"

Yes, those Romneys have quite the "things must always look nice" gene going on (have you ever seen Mitt with a hair out of place? No.) So, it was kind of a trick quiz. I knew you would assume that the mom did all the cleaning stuff...not this mom.

So the answers are:

Whisked child into the bathroom and commanded child to not move until instructed to do so?
1. R--a little gruffer in the middle of the night than we'd like him to be (but he makes up for it later on).

Thought "Dang! No Pilates class tomorrow" (due to sick child staying home from school)?
2. J--I swear, always my first thought is "How is this going to screw up my day tomorrow?" : Bad mom (see Celia's post today)

Immediately pulled out the following item and cleaned the whole carpet, rinsing 3 times, at 1 am. (Prompting Emma to say upon awakening, "I saw the carpet cleaner and knew ___ must have been up cleaning someone's throw up last night.")?
3. R--Oh yes...shocking, I know! I would never be as thorough as he is, so he prefers to do it. Really.

Wondered if he/she could avoid coming into contact with barfer(or any other potentially germy member of the family) for the next 72 hours?
4. R--Also completely freaked out by germs when any of us are sick....won't sleep in the same bed with me after he finds out I'm sick (like the kiss we had an hour ago didn't already infect him?)

Constructed this elaborate blanket/tablecloth pathway from sick bed to toilet, complete with buckets along the way for stray barf?
5. R--I always have to make fun of this particular anal-ness.

Drew a bath and comforted sick child?
6. J--this is really the only thing I am good at due to #7

Retched and retched and retched while trying to at least contribute to massive clean up going on?

7. J--I have a sympathetic barfing response. It makes me pretty un-helpful during these episodes.

Wondered how soon he/she could return to bed, before spouse felt gypped?
8. J--I'm kind of just standing around watching Ryan clean, and so I wonder when I can sneak off to bed without being a complete jerk.

Instituted a "barf training class" tonight before putting children to bed, lest someone else come down with the bug overnight?
9. R--He's been doing these for a few years now. Maybe overkill but definitely hilarious.

Refused to allow starving child near any food the next morning until lunchtime, while other parent tried to plead starving child's case?
10. R--Probably because he's the cleaner-upper, he's a lot more paranoid about their eating anything...whereas I operate from the notion that "Food makes everything better."


So, should you ever have this happen at your house...we've prepared this special "BARF TRAINING" video. Feel free to use it for your kids.



So congrats Mark! I had a girly prize in mind, but we'll figure something out for you! Thanks for playing!

Barfing Response Quiz

So here's a picture of the culprit:



Story Problem:
He stumbles into the room last night, saying his tummy hurts and trying to figure out where to go, and we are too tired to put it together soon enough and yep! barfs all over the carpet by our bed.


Instructions:

In the comments section, please number your answers 1 to 10. Indicate a J (Jessica) or a R (Ryan) depending on who would have responding that way to the above-mentioned incident.


1. Whisked child into the bathroom and commanded child to not move until instructed to do so.



2. Thought "Dang! No Pilates class tomorrow" (due to sick child staying home from school)



3. Immediately pulled out the following item and cleaned the whole carpet, rinsing 3 times, at 1 am. (Prompting Emma to say upon awakening, "I saw the carpet cleaner and knew ___ must have been up cleaning someone's throw up last night.")



4. Wondered if he/she could avoid coming into contact with barfer(or any other potentially germy member of the family) for the next 72 hours.

5. Constructed this elaborate blanket/tablecloth pathway from sick bed to toilet, complete with buckets along the way for stray barf.



6. Drew a bath and comforted sick child.

7. Retched and retched and retched while trying to at least contribute to massive clean up going on.


8. Wondered how soon he/she could return to bed, before spouse felt gypped.

9. Instituted a "barf training class" tonight before putting children to bed, lest someone else come down with the bug overnight.

10. Refused to allow starving child near any food the next morning until lunchtime, while other parent tried to plead starving child's case.

TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR ANSWERS AND BONUS "BARF TRAINING" VIDEO.

(There will be a prize...so put your thinking caps on.)

Quick Quote #14 or What Seth is Doing Now

(I decided to combine this update on all of Seth's accomplishments with last week's Quick Quote, because I was scared Paige might complain of that my Quick Quote trade does not count as a blog. She's kind of intimidating that way.)

So here are new things that my cute cute 2 year old has been doing lately.

Whenever we get in the car Seth asks, "Turn a usgick (music) Mom!" Which used to be no problem...but since it was ripped out of the dash by big mean robbers, and we haven't replaced it yet, I always have to tell him "It's broken." Which he then repeats back to me, what I just said, "It's bwoken, Mom?" which is another thing he's really into lately...

Repeating everything you say. At least 4 times back to you...and usually in the form of a question. "It's time a nap, mom?" "Yes, Seth, it's time to nap." "It's time a nap, Mom?" ad nauseum. But it's very amusing to hear the adult things come out of his mouth. Last week he was playing with our dancing Dora doll, and I hear him say "Bamos Bailah mi?" (which is baby for "Vamos a Bailar conmigo?" which is Spanish for "Want to dance with me?") So Seth is bi-lingual...thanks mostly to Dora which is another thing he's really into lately...

Dora. And Elmo. And it's really just so cute. "Whewuh is Emo, Mom?" is the question he asks before every nap...and I have to go find it and lay it down next to him. He loves Do-ah and Beyoots and Dow (the cow) and packpack and asks me as soon as Emma and Gabe leave in the morning..."Time a watch Doah TV now, mom?" which is another thing he's really into lately...


The DVD player. Which apparently he knows how to work. I went upstairs during previews and ran back down to press play and caught him toddling over and pressing the "twangle" (triangle) himself. I'm so proud. And he sings along "packpack, packpack, packpack, packpack", which is another thing he's really into lately...

Singing songs. "How 'bout a sing sunbeam one, Mom?" "How 'bout a sing witch one, Mom?" "How 'bout a sing noman one, Mom?" "How 'bout a sing monkey one, Mom?" But when I start singing "his" song ( "I will" by the Beatles) he says "no sing that will song, Mom!" because we always sing that song before he goes to bed, which is another thing he's really into lately...

He's into NOT going to bed. I really cannot calmly discuss that for the last three days he's woken up from his nap after only 45 minutes. And I probably shouldn't tell you how long I made him cry, because kids who are 2 need to sleep longer than 45 minutes! And he also has been waking up at 6:45 am...but he does go to bed easily, after his cute prayer which is another thing he's really into lately...

The cutest prayers in the whole world. With the cutest little sing-song voice. I must admit there are many vain repetitions, but we don't care.

Other things: Asking "who was dat?" whenever I hang up the phone. Asking "what's wrong, mom" when I'm obviously mad at people. Telling us his name is "Sephy Bai-oh" (which is what Ryan and the kids call him. Saying "Ah don't wike it, mom" with a shaking head whenever he's offered any food besides fruit and candy.

So he's cute...and you probably haven't read this far unless you are related. But some things must be recorded for the mission farewell talk (although Celia reminded me a few months ago that they don't have those anymore.) So maybe we'll just break these out when he brings his first date home?

Sunday Summary 10/28/07

Some of this week's highlights include:


Here's me showing you my new camera. (A normal person would not publish a picture that included such disgusting hand prints on their mirror. But I am kind of lazy and just want to get this post done, so sorry, Mom--my mom is much neater than me and did teach me to clean mirrors. She just didn't realize how long it takes to upload pictures on to blogspot.)

Here are the participants prior to the Primary program. They all did really well (unfortunately...it would have been way funnier if someone had picked their nose during their part or something.) Emma sang a song with a group of girls and did an impromptu part when someone didn't show up (with inflection and everything). Gabe had his "I can be a good worker like Jesus, etc. etc." part MEMORIZED. And Jane tried to say her line, into the mic, with rest of her class, except she got boxed out by Edie. No hard feelings, Albrechts, I'd just suggest a FHE on sharing or humility. And Seth did his part from the audience, by re-singing, LOUDLY whatever song the Primary had just concluded: "I will go, I will GO, I will go, I will GO!" (Nephi's Courage). OH Yeah...if you look closely, you will see the bunny ears trying to make an appearance.

We got invited to Johannes' birthday party...seen here with his fabulous mom.

All of our neighbors and kids carved pumpkins, bobbed for apples and decorated Halloween cookies. It was a perfect Fall Fest.

No week is complete without the soccer games. Gabe made his first goal, although he claims it's his sixth. We are very proud of his soccer accomplishments, as well as his inflated ego.

Friday was crazy hair day. Enough said.

We also had a fabulous time playing games with a bunch of friends on Saturday night. I only had to tell Ryan once to stop hounding his teammate who wasn't moving fast enough on "Catch Phrase". Plus also there was a lot of yummy food. So the night was pretty much a success for both of us.

Another week...another seven posts. Thanks for making this journaling worthwhile!

We like to do things 50/50 around here.

(#1: notice the 4th of July attire circa 2004...and #2: how could I look so much younger just 3 years ago?)

So I've heard that on your 100th post, you are supposed to put 100 things about you (or maybe I just made that up and wanted more attention for myself?) But 100 is hard and since Ryan contributes 1/7 of the time, I'm making him do 50 and leaving 50 for myself.

Ryan's Fifty--(read them, they are so interesting!)

1. Think of myself as a marketing genius.
2. Prefer T-shirts to any other type of shirt.
3. Never wear black.
4. Love ice cream in almost any form.
5. If I could live anywhere for a year I would want to experience China.
6. Love higher end compact cars (Audi A4 and Vlovo S40 are my current favorites).
7. I think life should be fair and it bothers me when it is not.
8. Can’t remember names to save my life.
9. Could live on nothing but bread and various cheeses (perhaps I am French).
10. Have poor hand-eye coordination
11. Have good endurance
12. Tan easily/quickly.
13. Remember historical/scientific facts pretty easily
14. I will either die from Parkinson’s or Melanoma … both are pretty much a sure thing at this point, it just depends which one gets me first.
15. Competitive by nature (it is in the Romney blood)
16. I have attractive feet
17. Enjoy good science fiction (unfortunately it is hard to find)
18. If I had it my way I would eat one huge meal a day at about 3:00 pm.
19. But since I think that is not very good for me, I try to eat 4-5 small meals a day.
20. Believe that honesty is the best policy.
21. I still nurse a secret childhood fantasy of going through special forces (preferably Navy SEAL) training.
22. Enjoy the mental exercise in a good argument, but hate the stress of a real one.
23. I have only gotten an F once on a Semester report card (I think). It was in book reports. My teacher conducted oral book reports and I believed that since they involved no writing that they needn’t involve any reading either, other than the reading of the summary on the back cover as I approached Mrs. Jones’ desk.
24. Hate being an unwarranted inconvenience to others
25. I wouldn’t trade my “Haytown” upbringing for any other
26. Believe that increased kindness and social sense improves every human interaction
27. I would never hunt unless it was my only means of acquiring food.
28. Most often recurring nightmare involves being hunted by Nazis (the many concentration camp films my Dad showed me when I was about 8 really did a number on my subconscious).
29. Hate watching sports (why watch others do what I would rather do myself)
30. I can’t sit still.
31. Love to joke and laugh at myself as well as others.
32. Like to think of myself as more capable of being objective than most.
33. Really enjoy having the hottest wife there is.
34. Think that it is a sin to not care about the environment
35. I am almost always too hot and rarely uncomfortably cold.
36. I believe wholeheartedly in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
37. Would be willing to pay $1000 for each inch I could adjust my height upward. I think 6’1” is my ideal height.
38. I hate wasting anything. I don’t waste food, or hardware, or money or anything if I can help it.
39. I actually take pride in not having the nicest (car, clothes, house, etc.) I would seriously start to hyperventilate with joy if Jessica ever came to me and said “I think we ought to downgrade our (fill in the blank).”
40. My most enjoyable college class was a survey of feminist theory.
41. Favorite Comic Book Hero – Spiderman (not really a fan of the movies though)
42. Constantly have to do battle with bad breath and dirty ears.
43. I have an obsessive craving for order that I actually have to fight back to live a happy normal life.
44. Against my mothers wishes, and for only 1 week I proudly owned a wore a half-shirt (circa 1987)
45. I wish I would have been one of those boys whose moms made them take clogging lessons as a kid, for the sheer comedic value that it would be today to be able to break into a wild clogging routine in unexpected places and circumstances.
46. I really enjoy the love of siblings. We get each other in a way that no one else really will. We have been each others worst enemies and best friends at different times. We know each others pasts and witnessed each others metamorphosis. I love that connection and because of it, I love being around them.
47. Cereals I love but almost never get Captain Crunch (w/o those gross berries), Quaker Granola, Coco Puffs, Grape Nuts, and Cracklin’ Oat Bran.
48. I don’t like not knowing almost anything.
49. I get most mad at being laughed at in a mean way and being physically confronted in any manner.
50. Given the choice between a day by myself and one with my kids, I would pick the day with my kids 9 times out of 10.

Jessica's Fifty:

1. I can always find something to say about anything.
2. I Love cookies so very very much and really hate the idea of eating less than 5 at a sitting.
3. I Can really appreciate art of any kind, but feel very inadequate at actually doing any of it.
4. I have good hair.
5. I read more than almost anyone I know.
6. I have a complete need to follow rules/recipes/instructions as a way to absolve myself "I followed the recipe exactly, it's not my fault if it didn't taste good."
7. I love to cook. I am a good meal planner and what I make tastes good...but am not good at improvising with food (see #6).
8. I really find children and what they say and do so funny (runs in the Nelson side of the family.)
9. I would choose no other life or circumstances than my own. I am blessed with the ability to be content.
10. I love to teach.
11. I am very bad at physical organization. A messy closet makes my heart pound because I have no idea how to fix it.
12. I like almost everyone and don't hold grudges.
13. I have to work hard on not talking about people (rarely done mean spiritedly...I'm just curious and talkative and it's a bad combination).
14. I love numbers and percentages and figuring stuff out that has to do with statistics.
15. I like SUNNY.
16. I am getting neater and neater as I grow older.
17. I bite and pick (nails, hair, kids' growths).
18. I am way too open. And really think everyone else should be too.
19. I love games. Especially trivia and right brained ones...but I'll play anything. Except Acquire. 20. I love music--listening to it, playing it, dancing to it and singing it.

21. I have bad skin...prone to wrinkles and zits and paleness.
22. I have a close relationship with my father. We talk easily and often.
23. I have the best in-law (mother, father, sister and brother) situation in the whole world.
24. I love red.
25. My favorite thing to do with my kids is go places.
26. I am the road trip queen.
27. I want to be with my husband more than anyone else 99% of the time.
28. I am a girl person...as opposed to a guy person.
29. I love to exercise.
30. I love that my church gives me the oppurtunity to bear testimony of its truthfulness often.
31. I love my calling in Primary.
32. I yell at my kids too often...but it is getting better.
33. I'm controlling within my family. Outside my family I can easily curb it, because hello! I want people to like me.
34. I ask my husband for blessings, like, once a month.
35. I love fried foods.
36. I love all foods actually. I, only, kind of don't like mushrooms, but I've had recipes with them that I think are yummy. I pride myself on liking everything. Also, I don't like oysters.
37. I start going stir-crazy if I don't have a date or an exciting party planned on the weekend.
38. I kiss my kids alot.
39. I was blessed with really obedient children.
40. I think my husband is very sexy, especially when I watch him make others laugh and when he knows stuff.
41. I have an addictive personality. I can get sucked into things easily--food, TV, books, blogging--and only survive because I am also self-disciplined.
42. I value my long term friends more than I ever thought I would.
43. I hate crafting. (Projects, again!) but will make cards if surrounded by food and talking or TV.
44. I learn so much from watching my mother around my own children.
45. I find myself having more and more in common with my younger sister (by 13 years) and am getting so excited about it!
46. I would love to serve a mission with my husband.
47. I am a morning person. I get, truly, 80% of my life accomplished before 1pm.
48. I love love love backrubs.
49. I love talking about the gospel in everyday conversation.
50. I am an optimist. I always think I will never go gray (I am), never have anything bad happen to me, and always shocked when anything bad does happen.

Thanks for the indulgence. Let us know if we missed anything.

Hard at Work

After I got to work today I realized that most of the office had taken the day off. Those who did not take the day off, found various reasons to leave. By noon there were only two of us left at work. When Emma and Gabe were small I brought each of them to work with me one day so I thought today would be the perfect opportunity to keep my promise to Jane that "someday" I would bring her to work with me too. So she has quickly caught on to what daddy does at work (pronounced wook).

1. Take a seat (Find a chair since dad's office only has one ... roller chairs are better than chairs with legs)



2. Work on the computer (use Microsoft Paint to make "pwetty pictuwes")



3. Look up important information (Surf the net to http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/)



4. Collaborate with co-workers (visit only other employee who stuck around because she has a bowl of mini Snickers on her desk ... er um ... I mean because we thought she would like to meet Jane).



5. Test system hardware (Rustle up speakers to listen to audio content on the Sesame Street website).



6. Troubleshoot hardware malfunction (Find out that the speakers won't work because the PC Jane is using doesn't have a sound card).



7. Coffee Break (hot chocolate in our case).



8. Do paperwork (Color pictures printed off sesame street website with 3 different colored highlighters and a red and blue ballpoint pen).



9. Tidy up the office (After spilling a bottled H2O all over the desk, mouse, leather roller chair and herself, Jane learned how handy it is that dad keeps a Gym towel in his office).


10. Call it a day (When asked if she was ready to go home Jane said "hey ... I want to color some more").

(returning from a hard day at work, coats slung over shoulders--oh yeah...bought the camera today)

I'm just happy knowing that now Jane will understand how hard I work to bring home the bacon.

Who's Got Spirit?

You want to talk about Holiday Spirit? Oh, we win. (Unless you are talking about decorating the house, because that falls under the heading of Projects, and I don't like them--see Awesome post of last Wednesday)...but if you are talking about traditions, food or clothing--I got you beat. As you continue to read, I'm sure I will highlight the holiday celebrating we do around here, but today I would like to concentrate on Holiday Shirts. (Because I finally borrowed Penny's camera this morning and took a picture in this year's Halloween Shirts):

These are the Romney Family Holiday Attire Guidelines:

1. The children wear the Holiday Attire for the month prior to the following holidays:

Valentines Day (can be worn after, cause hearts are year round)

Halloween

Christmas

2. The children wear the Holiday Attire ONLY on the day for the following holiday:

St. Patrick's Day

3. The children wear the Holiday Attire on and anytime after (but not before) the following holiday:

4th of July

Easter (dresses, etc.)

4. The husband must wear the Holiday Attire on the following holidays:

4th of July

St Patrick's Day

Christmas Eve (a red or green shirt will do)

5. The mom will wear the Holiday Attire as long as it is stylish and she has money left over in her holiday budget:

We take pride in our festiveness and our cuteness. Don't even try to compete.

Okay, this one's for real...

We have a crying disease at our house.

I seriously have 2 kids that cry all the time. Okay, not all the time, like they lead miserable existences, but like, if they don't get want they want, then they just cry. And cry. And cry. And cry.

Until, I honestly cannot remember what they were crying about in the first place. Seriously. I will realize that Seth has been whining and crying in my vicinity for upwards of 30 minutes and I will try to figure out what started it. And half the time I can't even remember.

This is what I've tried:

1. OBVIOUSLY: addressing the problem. With the 4 year old, she's usually just mad because she has to do a job, or can't do I want, so she begins to wail. And I usually can't give in so what then? With the 2 year old (despite above average verbal skills) he usually can't or won't tell me, what the problem is...

So this doesn't work all the time.

2. I try the Positive Parenting method of: only reinforcing the GOOD behavior--so I just ignore them. I pay no attention and hope it goes away. But the next 20-40 minutes of having a whining sobbing snotty blotchy kid in your ears, is really REALLY hard to take. (And then I go to #4) I do try to notice and compliment when they react without crying, but it doesn't seem to be working.

3. Ryan sends them to their rooms ("If you need to cry, you need to do it somewhere else.") It sort of works, but I feel like I'm stifling emotion and teaching them they can't express themselves? And plus, half the time, I don't want to stop what I'm doing to remove them. And then I just hear them crying from up there anyway.

4. Yelling "STOP CRYING RIGHT NOW!" Guess what? That doesn't really work, either.

So any ideas? Send them my way. If you don't want to put in in the comments section (OR YOU AREN'T COMMENTING WHEN YOU VISIT--how rude!), you can email me at jessicaromney@hotmail.com.

Thanks!

The warning has been brought to you by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

I've got a troubling announcement to make. It seems that here at the Romney house...we have a disease. It is rare and un-named, but worrisome nonetheless. We've taken to labeling it

Bunny-earitis.

It has struck poor Jane the hardest:

Symptoms seem to include bony finger-looking nodules that grow out of her head (resembling the ears of a bunny) whenever a camera opportunity presents itself. It doesn't seem to cause her much pain, but MANY times she seems highly irritated by it.

It seems to be very contagious. Those we love and spend time with seem to present the same symptoms, without any warning:

We don't know where WE caught it ... but we suspect the dirty Daines:

Luckily enough...Gabe has been immune to the disease (It seems to strike everyone and everything but him).

Until recently.

We've done our best to warn you. All we can hope is that this dreaded disease doesn't strike you.

Quick Quote #13

We were driving in the car listening to "Little Mermaid". It was Ursula's song. Jane comments: "I love this one, Mom." Mom asks: "Why?" Jane replies: "Because sometimes I just like to follow Satan's way."

Poor unfortunate soul.

Sunday Summary

(This is a big old copy from my friend Celia. This is how she assuages her guilt at blogging like crazy. Not that I have guilt. Not that I blog like crazy. I just thought this would be nice to do.)

Emma had a soccer game, activity girls and piano, as usual. She also elected me as her illustrator for her Terracotta Warrior book. (I was so honored. I love doing homework.) I ran into her teacher at school last week and she was glowing about the similes Emma was coming up with: "As white as the pearls and diamonds my mother wore on her wedding day." She has just started really enjoying chapter books (yay!) and reading into the night...she felt very proud when she finished two in one night last week. And also she got 100% last week on her spelling test (thanks to her father's Nazi quizzing: "Are you sure?! Cause if you're wrong, you're going to bed." Truly.), and 100% on her spelling pre-test (obviously trying to avoid any special daddy-daughter time)this week. Emma also got a clothes shopping date this week...she's such a fun shopping buddy.

Gabe got invited over to his favorite place this week (the Daines' house). He hadn't finished his homework and was about to die of sadness, as his sisters were ready and leaving, so I took him over there and made him promise to do it before he played. He did. (Is that the most unbelievable thing you've ever heard?)

He also didn't think he needed to wear shoes to Emma's soccer game , "cause I'm not playing, Mom", which I discovered halfway there. It was 50 degrees and raining. Of course people were horrified and glared at me...like I purposely didn't put my kid in shoes? I'm hoping he learned his lesson through frostbite. He played later that day and did well.

He was also unfortunate in the game of Life this week...salesman, making $20,000, yet still landed on the plastic surgery square, as well as opting to sponser a golf tournament. But he decided to be a good sport, and continued playing (with tears running down his face) until the end of the game. How sad/sweet is that?

Jane looked forward all week to our "date" on Friday: "Mom, what if I forget to get dressed on Friday for our date?" "Mom what if I'm still sleeping and you leave on our date?" "Mom, what if you take me to playgroup with Seth and don't take me on our date?" Luckily, we avoided all those possibilities and truly enjoyed our morning together--and got the cutest stuff.

Jane lost Bunker Bear (the fun toy they send home from preschool to stress Moms out) 4 times over the weekend, but managed to find him, by knocking on our neighbor's door at 7am and retrieving him. Phew.

Seth does nothing...and everything. He's talking like CRAZY. I honestly cannot believe the stuff that comes out of his mouth. Right now, he's in my face (literally) asking, "Hey, mom, where's dad...he's talking a pone?" He loves nursery and runs away from us when we try to pick him up. He's obsessed with his ow-eys, Dora, and his little plastic horse. He gets dragged to everything and anything and is a pretty good sport.

He was really appreciating the sacrament today...as he went back for a second handful of bread and blew bubbles into the water cup. When he was done with that, he enjoyed the choking hazard/noise-maker that is the not-returned plastic cup.

We enjoyed the end of our visit with Greg and Christy. We slept little, ate much and enjoyed talks and games late into the night.

Ryan put the finishing touches on his Masters' Thesis defense (boring!), and took the kids to the school movie night on Friday. And didn't purchase Jessica a camera.

Jessica went to "Sisters in Service", a night sponsored by a woman in the area. We attended a cooking class and then spent the night putting together napkins and quilts for the local community center.

We went to a play at the local community college for our date on Saturday. We tried to seem educated and appreciative of the social commentary that "Antigone" was. But we were mostly bored. We came home, made cookies and were not bored by "The Office" and "Survivor". Judge if you must.

.

Maybe this is boring for you, but this is what I'll pull out years from now, when my kids come home from their therapists and want to discuss my blogging obsession. ("Stop your whining...here's proof I was involved in your life.") Thanks for indulging/vouching for me.