Taking the Scenic Route

I do not have the shopping gene.  I really hate shopping.  Well, actually, I might like shopping if I had money, but I hate shopping when I don’t, but I need stuff.  Zane needs winter clothes, and since we are going to the State Fair, located in the same town as an Old Navy outlet, I have been looking around online to see prices and see if that is the direction I want to go.  (He has only had one season of clothes not from that outlet, and that was this summer..lol.)  The thrift stores around here stink..I can’t ever find decent clothes there.  Of course, I am picky.  Since he seems to be the same way I am about clothes…have to be comfy or he won’t wear them, and I hate logos.  If I am going to look at the same 10 or so shirts all winter, I do not not want them to have logos because I will get sick of seeing them, plus, I hate having my child as an advertisement for some company.  I have spent this evening looking on ebay.  Is it just me, or do the prices there seem a little high, especially shipping.  Most of the stuff I find there I can get cheaper at the Old Navy outlet for new for similar quality.   I don’t know. I just hate this.  Someday I will have money and actually like shopping because I won’t have to look over every seam and debate everything I pick up. 

 A part of me is really debating whether or not to cloth diaper this winter.  I probably will, but if I didn’t, I would probably not have to buy new pants, or not as many at least.  That seems like backwards logic considering the cost of a few pair of pants is still less than buying disposables.  I think my real problem is how tired I am of having the pants be so long for him just to get the butt to fit and I don’t have covers that fit very well.  I also haven’t seen any of the ON fleece pants that worked so well last winter, and considering Zane won’t wear the soaker I knitted for him, I am wary of knitting any more.  It might be better with a softer yarn, I think that the LTK yarn is just too scratchy for him, but geez, do I really want to go to the expense and effort of making longies when he might not wear them?  I actually think he would do fine in some Merino wool pants, but that is pricy for something I am not “sure” about….of course, I could probably sell them.  Heck, maybe I will sell his soaker shorts since he isn’t interested in them. His “good” bumpy night cover appears to have pooped out too.  It got a lot of hard use, but I really wasn’t expecting it to die.  It is velcro anyway and if he doesn’t have clothes over it, he rips it off immediatly…just like almost everything else.  It is also sort of annoying to have people comment that he is ‘quite the little chunk’ when he wears cloth because it makes him look a lot bigger.  He is so far from being a “chunk” it is really ridiculous, but he sure does look bigger when he has a cloth butt.  Now that he is out of “T” sizes, it is going to be even worse. 

One more related whine.   Is he really that big?  Doesn’t is seem ridiculous that a 2 year old needs size 5/6 winter clothes?  His size 4 fits him too well now, so I have to move up for the winter wardrobe.  When is the “doubling” going to stop?  When he was 3 months, he wore size 6 months, 12 months old, he wore 2T,  now he is ready for size 5/6 when he is between 2.5 and 3.  Now, with a disposable diaper butt, his pants move down a size, but he is so long waisted, that he still needs the higher size or the shirts are too short.  This kid is going to be in clothes meant for preteens by the time he hits kindergarten age if he keeps going at this rate.

I don’t even have any cheese to go with my whine.  lol.

I am also not pregnant, and I think that is adding to my bad attitude today.  *sigh*

Today Zane helped me put away the clean silverware.  I handed him the utensil and he put them away in the right place for me.  We also spent a good hour on the floor of the kitchen with a mixing spoon, a spaula, some chopsticks, and several different kinds of metal pans banging on them discovering different sounds with different sticks, and when you stacked or moved the pans around.  It was fun, but loud. lol.

Must see TV

Will be on A&E next Sunday

Here is the link

Reading the writing on the bottom of his socks.

“O” “L” “D’” “N”…..

Gimme Five!

‘Camera Tag” between Zach & Zane

Prince Charming with a hot sauce moustache

Caught you!  He opened the top drawer of the desk and decided it would make a good seat.  We have told him not to do this, so he knew he wasn’t supposed to be in there.

Personally, I think the worry about Kaz “missing” is a more than just a little silly.  Yvonne and Kaz had an arguement the last time they talked.  According the Kaz, Yvonne started criticizing the French the way so many Americans criticize the French (which I really don’t get), and it ended with Yvonne saying she would never speak to her again.  So, here we are, 6 weeks later, and when Yvonne couldn’t get a hold of Kaz when she wanted to, she starts freaking out, and now Grandma is freeking out.  *sigh* 

I really feel like she is fine AND dandy, at the same time.  I hope she calls so the family will stop it’s little rant.  I am sure that if Kaz knew, she would be amused.  She will not, however, be amused if Yvonne calls the police and she gets deported.

Kazandra is missing.   More accurately, she hasn’t been in contact with her mom & Grandma for about 6 weeks.  We are trying to remember if she has called us more recently, and we think she has, but can’t remember the dates.  (will be looking back in blog to see, but that will take some time).

She is about 5′2″ or 5′3″ and probably slender since she has been doing a lot of hiking and things along those lines. 

The last we heard, she was going to a Rainbow Gathering in Canada someplace, and possibly to live in a newly forming commune or intentional community up north.

There is a really good chance that she is just out of contact because she is in an area that doesn’t have communication with the outside world, but everyone is freaking out, so I wanted to see just how small the world really is.  She usually barters for services by doing tarot readings.  If any of my friends from MDC or the blog ring have seen her or have any info that might help us locate her, please let me know.

Oh, and Kaz…if you see this, call us collect!

You want to know a really freaky feeling?  Driving up to church Sunday morning and the parking lot is empty.  Did we scare away and entire church?  Rapture?  what?  Well, the sign on the window said they were going to have the service at some park…they wrote out directions, but no map drawn…there is no way I am going on a treasure hunt in a part of town I don’t know well to go to church.  I guess this falls in the catagory of “pay more attention”.  lol.

Ok, to continue the “100 things about me” list….

12.  Favorite color:  I hate this question.  People ask it all the time and I never know how to answer.  It really depends on what you are talking about.  It is easier to answer what my least favorite color is…that would be Orange.  It was my school color and I wore it at least 3 or days out of five (sometimes more) in high school because I was a cheerleader and on the drill team…we either wore our cheerleading uniforms at least twice a week, and often had to wear orange and black for other things during the week.  I never want to wear orange again…ever! The school had orange lockers, orange carpet, and orange walls.  I never want to see orange in my living environment either.  I am not a big fan of tan or brown either, unless it is a deep rich russet brown.  The two colors that make it to the top of my list most consistently are cobalt blue and forest green.  Well, actually, any color blue or green are good.  I also really like red, and I have to be careful in decorating that I don’t end up with an Americana look because I am not a real fan of that look….especially an issue in my kitchen where most of my stuff is blue/white, but I when I buy an appliance I struggle to decide whether to get red or blue…lol…not that I am faced with that decision very often.  Now, go into my living room and I have a deep purple/plum colored sofa and loveseat.  Plum was the color I choose for my wedding and I really like that too.  I also love bright yellow, but not as clothes (looks horrible on me).  My childhood room was painted the brightest, most glow in the dark yellow you have ever seen.  My mom tried to talk me out of it, but let me paint it that color anyway.  My wedding quilt from my paternal Grandma has yellow and green embroidery because that was what I liked when she made it.  My crocheted wedding blanket from my maternal Grandma is deep rose and dusty pinks on off white because that was my favorite palette when she asked me. lol.  Our bedspread is a salmon/rose/rusty color with forest green accents since that is what I was into when I got married.  I don’t think I will ever be able to choose my favorite color.

13. Infertility:  I have struggled with infertility and issues surrounding it for most of my life at this point.  I was diagnosed with Endo when I was 13.  That really ruled much of my life though my teens and early 20s…the pain, the surgeries, the treatments.  Planning your life around your period and dealing with issues more common for people 20 years your senior is difficult, especially when it is something you don’t feel comfortable talking about with peers…can you imagine discussing IF with a 13 year old?  Around the time I got married (and since some more surgeries) I really haven’t had Endo pain for quite a few years now and it has really fallen to the background of my life, but IF came forward.  My drs. don’t think my IF has anything to do with my history of Endo, but I am sure it doesn’t help.  Unfortunately, I don’t have any idea what the actual problem is.  The two times I was offered a d&c (where tissue would have been available to analyze) my insurance wouldn’t cover it and I couldn’t afford it.  (actually, the second time I opted to have a natural miscarriage instead since I wasn’t covered by decent insurance…only crappy student insurance)  It took me over 2 years of ttcing to even become pregnant…nfp, charting, clomid, robitussin, ect.  Finally, I got pregnant, and within a week to 10 days I miscarried…..once I got to the point where you go in to see the heartbeat, except there wasn’t a heartbeat.  My body should have aborted, but hadn’t yet…that was the time I got a d&c.  Zane was my 8th pregnancy, and I was so depressed by that point that I didn’t really beleive I would have a baby.  Pregnancy didn’t mean baby to me at that point.  It wasn’t until the dr. told me that “if he is born tonight, he has better than a 50/50 chance of making it” that I really started to enjoy the pregnancy and accept that I was trully going to have a baby.  It felt like a really short pregnancy.  I actually wasn’t really ready for the pregnancy to be over yet and was in denial that I was in labor for a while.  (He was just kicking REALLY hard…at an amazinly steady interval…hmmmmm).   I have had one miscarriage since Zane, that was the second time I was offered a d & c but refused and had it naturally.  I want to give Zane a sibling so badly.  I want another baby so much it hurts.  I see other people getting pregnant again so easily and it is hard.  I know it isn’t as bad a primary infertility, but it is still very painful.

14.  Favorite fiction:  The Mist of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Other authors I really like are:  Ray Bradbury, Michael Cricton, Kate Chopin, Jean Auel, Shakespeare, Stephen King (not his “slasher” books though), Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Peirs Anthony (no opinion on Xanth Novels, haven’t read), Orson Scott Card, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Janette Oke ….hmmmm, I know there are a ton more, but that is all I can think of off the top of my head.

15.  Favorite non-fiction:  Dr. William Sears, Barbara Coloroso, Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish, Laura Ingalls Wilder (she also wrote a lot of essays for magazines), about any author of knitting books, Christine Pirello, and the Frugal Gormet guy for cookbook authors, oh I wish I could remember them all…basically, I read a lot of parenting  & homemaking related books right now.

16.  Least favorite authors:  (I might read them, but it is usually torture)  Ezzo, Ferber, & Dobson are at the top of my “these people are nuts” list.  Dobson didn’t used to be there until I read one of his books, and see the titles of others….who wants to read a book called “Strong-willed child”… it makes the parent-child relationship sound adversaral from the get – go, no respect for the soul of the child.  I won’t even get into Ezzo and Ferber…I flat out think these two creeps need to be arrested for advocating child abuse.  I am not thrilled with Heidi E. Murkoff of the “what to expect…” series either.

17.  Favorite musicians:  James Galway, Barry Manilow, Depeche Mode, REM, , Amy Grant, Michael W Smith, Enya, Sting, Rich Mullins, Phil Coulter, Def Lepard, John Denver, Cake, Madonna, George Michael, Johnny Cash, Arrogant Worms, Raffi, Simon & Garfunkle, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Meridith Brooks, Greenday, Meatloaf, Celine Dion, Brian Adams, Shaman, Enigma, No Doubt, Sheryl Crow, Blues Traveler, Ben Folds Five, Weezer, Natalie Imbruglia, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Harry Connick Jr, B52s, Chicago, Smiths, Tears for Fears, Air Supply, Journey, Bette Midler, Beach Boys, Carpenters, Eagles, Boston, Dan Fogelburg, Peter Paul & Mary, Corky and the Jucie Pigs, Monty Python, and the entire scores of Into the Woods, Les Miserables, and Fiddler on the Roof.

18.  Food Quirks:  I love nuts, but I dislike nuts in things.  One of my favorite things in the world is fudge, but if you put nuts in it, I have to be pretty desperate to eat it. If I do eat it, I will suck all the fudge off the nuts and then eat the nuts once all the chocolate has dissolved.  It just seems wrong to put something crunchy and hard in the middle of things like fudge, brownies, candy, and bannana bread. Nuts are only good naked.  They do not belong on salads, or in soups, or in desserts, or in bread…no. It is just wrong.

19.  Food Quirk II:  I am allergic to onions.  If I work with onions I sometimes get blisters on my skin, if I eat a raw onion, I get blisters in my mouth and throat and usually start weezing and throwing up.  If I eat a something with just a little bit of onion, my symptoms range from throwing up to just getting a bad stomach ache and the runs.  Onions are not my friends.  Do you know that most people don’t think that green onions are onions.  grrr.  or leeks…have you ever seen a leek?  Does it not look just like a giant green onion?!?  No, I can not eat a leek, it is not an alternative to onion. 

20.  Food Quirk III:  I prefer the surfaces of what I eat and drink from to be white.  It is sort of hard for me to even eat off a colored plate, the food just looks wrong.  Cups with dark colors in them make me a little nuts too because I can’t see if it is clean or if there is somethng living in there.  When I told mom this as I was shopping for wedding china, she snorted in surprise…this is one of her MILs quirky things too.

21.  My wedding china.  I just love this set.  It has a really nice shape, an nice weight to it, it stacks nicely in the cabinet, silverware doesn’t make obnoxious noises when you are eating from it, and the pattern is subtle enough that I don’t get tired of it.  I use it every day.  When Zane started getting old enough to want to eat off of plates, I looked at the non-breakable Corelle dishes, but decided I just couldn’t do it.  I hate the feel of that Correlle stuff, the clicky sounds it makes when you are stacking it, and the horrendous sound of silverware scraping across it.  (I know, this is weird, but I have this “texture” thing).  I decided that I would just teach Zane how to handle it properly, and give him a different plate when he was too energetic to handle it the way I wanted him to.  So far, this has worked fine. Every day, when I wash dishes, I think of the people who gave them to me.  We only got 2 (count ‘em, TWO) sets of the silverware we registered for.  That was from dh’s Dad and step-mom.  Hopefully some day we will have the money to have more than two forks, knives, and spoons. lol. I still really want the set.  We also got a set of Oneida silverware from my Grandma…it is brushed stainless steel.  We actually had thought about registering the very set at Target, but decided not to.  It figures that Grandma would pick out exactly the set we liked without having to ask us…we have the exact same taste.  The other grandma gave me, among other things, a tea pitcher to match my china.

22.  As I mentioned in some of my earilier posts, I have a “thing” with textures.  When I walk around shopping for clothes, I feel everything. (actually, I reach out and feel almost everything in my envirnment, whether I am shopping or not) I won’t even consider buying something that doesn’t feel nice.  I end up with a lot of tshirts that way.  Oh, and I always have to cut the tags out of things.  If the tag leaves a little edge that is scratchy even after it has been cut out, I have been known to rip it out and resew the thing shut before wearing it.  There are some tags that are ok, but usually it is only on shirts where I can turn the tag up and hide the tag sticking up with my hair (what I do when I wear Zach’s shirts…I don’t want to rip out tags on his stuff).  I also can’t knit with acrylic yarns (unless I find one soft enough…still looking) because I find myself clenching my jaw and pulling my tongue up to protect my teeth..the feel is like the sound of fingernails on chalkboard.  I do fine with cotton and wool and even some that are blended with acrylic, but haven’t found any man-made fibers I can deal with.  I also don’t like the click or feel of aluminum needles..has to be wood or bambo.

23.  I have Fred Flinstone feet. Big and square.  I have an awful time finding shoes that fit and wear Birkies almost exclusively.  I have one pair of tennis shoes, one pair of black heels, Birki leather clogs, Birki PVC clogs, Birki sandles, and a tie up pair of Birkis.  That is my entire shoe collection.  Right now I don’t even have slippers because I wore holes into my only pair.  I am hoping to knit and felt a pair for myself this winter.

24.  I sing all the time, but I have a crummy voice.  I sing with gusto, and Zane seems to emulate that.  Hopefully, he will be blessed with a better voice.  I could have been a famous performer if I would have only had a decent voice..lol.  In musical theater, I could pull off the comedy singers..the people who had “character” voices, but I was never able to do it I had to sing straight because I just don’t have a nice full voice.  In high school, when my voice was well practiced, I could sing from tenor up to second soprano, now I tend to sing more tenor and some alto because my voice squeaks when I go higher since I don’t work in that range much.

25.  I can tell you the entire plot and probably the title of the episode if I see just 10 seconds of a Little House on the Prarie episode.  It is sad, but true.  I am a huge fan of Little House, even though it doesn’t follow the books much after the first season.  I like the books a lot more and had them memorized before I hit jr high.  You can’t imagine my excitement when I discovered a unit study (homeschool curriculla) focused around the Little House books. lol.

26.  Favorite tv shows:  CSI, Monk, Law & Order, Dr Phil, ER, Little House.  Former favorites:  Star trek, x-files, Fraiser, Mad about You, Rosanne, & MASH

27.  Favorite foods:  chocolate, cheese, steak (beef) pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and garlic sauce instead of tomato sauce, fondue, salty + sweet combos (chocolate malt with french fries dipped into it, saltines with chocolate frosting, chocolate covered pretzels), cheesecake, alfredo over cheese ravioli, Zach’s crabmeat manicotti, potatoes with butter, cheese, sour cream, and bacon bits.  I can never be vegan.  I should say, it would be very, very difficult for me to be vegan.  Dairy and meat are my two favorite food groups.  I try very hard to minimize them and eat more veggies, beans & rice, and fruits, but I struggle with it.

28.  I hum when I eat foods I enjoy.  I can’t help it.  I didn’t even know I did it until a few years ago when dh’s aunt told me…and she is right.

I have been reading blogs with lists of “100 things you might not know about me” (or something along those lines) and I thought that since Zane is down for a nap and I don’t feel like cleaning, I might try it.  So here goes…

1. I’m Christian, more specifically, Mennonite.  I don’t always agree with everything said in the sermons, but overall, my church fits me fairly well.  I do miss my church in Kansas City a lot…that was just the neatest congregation.  The church here in town that I like has it’s services at 9:30 in the morning and is across town, a good half hour drive from us.  Therefore, we only rarely go to our church because it is waaaaay too early.  We have been going to a Mennonite Brethren church instead because their services are at 11:00.  Still early when you have to drive across town (actually within a mile of our church), but not as insanely early.  We could go to the Saturday night services at the MB church, but it sounds like it is geared toward singles and I am not sure that it would be a good fit.  The MBs are a little different then the Mennonites,  (more evangelical), but if I can get past that, I enjoy the services overall.  I understand evangelical churches, but I am more into expressing my faith through service than preaching.  If somebody asks me about my faith, I am happy to share, but I am not going to push it on anybody.  I find it rather annoying when I run into people who say “praise Jesus” every other sentance like it is a Christain Terret’s Syndrome…I just find it as distracting as somebody who cusses constantly and I can hardly hear what they are actually saying.  To me, it makes me wonder if they are that insecure in their faith that they have to constantly remind themselves.  I think it is probalby a cultural thing.  I grew up around a community of faith and, although the people around me were VERY devout, they just didn’t verbalize it like that.  Asking somebody to pray for you, or verbalizing comfort or joy, or saying that you will pray for them was normal, but “oh, this sandwich tastes good ‘praise Jesus!’, was not normal. lol.
2. I am a pacifist.  Traditionally, this goes hand in hand with Mennonite, but that isn’t as true in many modern congregations, nor in my family…it used to be you couldn’t be in the military or work with a gun, like a policeman, and still be Mennonite (you will probalby never see a Mennonite president because a Mennonite *shouldn’t* also be a Commander-In-Chief and in charge of military forces).  I believe violence begets violence (he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword) on every level, from international politics to disciplining your child.  I honestly hope that there is no mandetory draft reinstated.  Zach registered as a conscientous objector when he was 18, but I don’t know if they would still honor that.  I tell you what though, in a lot of ways it sure would be the ‘easy way out’ as hard as the military has been recruiting Zach, but it goes against his belief system.  He already knows that there are some jobs he will not apply for because they are to help develop weapons and he can’t do that.  However, that is just us, we don’t have a problem with other people in those professions and have several family members who have served in the military and totally respect that choice.  In fact, Zach was concieved on a military base, and my Mom would have been a ‘military brat’ if not for the death of her natural dad, so we were raised to be respectful of military.  It just isn’t the path we are called to take.
3. I am pretty liberal socially because I believe that is how Jesus calls us to be.  He didn’t just hang out with the politically correct people, he hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors, and all sorts of the most feared, hated and socially ‘unacceptable’ people around and demonstrated love by defending them…the “he who is without sin can throw the first stone” type comments.  All of us have screwed up, and continue to screw up daily.  I know I am working to improve my self all the time.  I am a pretty much live and let live kind of person.  I am not understanding why so many Christains will only be friends with other Christians.  Having friends that only believe what you believe offers you little chance to learn and grow. 
4. I like Dr. Phil.  I don’t always agree with him, but I like his overall message.  I am most likely going to disagree with him on parenting issues.  He is against co-sleeping, for example.  The funny thing about it is when he was questioning a couple where one was pro-cosleeping and one anti-cosleeping he asked his usual “so, is co-sleeping working for you”…for them it wasn’t, and there needed to be a compromise, but I was able to honestly say yeah, it is working for me.  lol.  so, I don’t substitute his judgement for my own, but I do enjoy hearing his perspective.  I also am not a fan of strict Behaviorism school of psychology, but I think it has value and has aspects I agree with. 
5. I wish I had the money to be more of a hippy freak sometimes.  lol.  I know, that sounds hilarious, but I can’t even come close to affording organic foods, natural fibers, or to figure out which natural cleaners and detergents will work for me.  I do a lot of cleaning with just plain water, but when I need to really clean something, I turn to my collection of cleaners I have stored away (and I do say collection, because every time I move, I end up buying more cleaner to clean either the old place or the new place because what I need is packed…the last few months is the first time I have thrown away bottles because I actually used all the cleaner, but had other similar cleaners on the shelf so I didn’t need to purchase them)  If I don’t move for another year or so, I might actually use up all the cleaners I have and begin to experiment. 
6. My least favorite season:  Summer.  I really don’t like summer.  It is hot and bright all the time which makes me feel lethargic and seems to shut down my brain.  I think that is the main reason I am such a night owl, especially in the summer.  As soon as the sun starts setting, I get energy and can think and get things done, but during the day…blah!  I feel like the sun sucks every ounce of life out of my body.  The sun makes my skin itch and I live with a layer of lotion on me all summer just to cope.  It makes my eyes burn and I almost can’t keep them open at the height of the day.  It gets hot enough it is almost hard to breathe…this summer it at least hasn’t gotten as hot, so that has been a blessing. During daylight hours in the summer I stay inside with the shades drawn and the AC pumping in cool air just to stay awake. 
7. My favorite season:  late autumn.  Everything is so beautiful, the air is crisp and cool, I can start wearing snuggly sweaters and all is right in the world.  With a little allergy medicine, I am able to go outside and enjoy the color changes and the cool air.  There aren’t as many kids at the playground and Zane is able to play without being harrassed by other kids (the kids at the apt. complex playground throw sand, push, and say ugly things to him and eachother…so NOT what I want).  The public school kids are all in school and there aren’t nearly as many people around during the afternoon, so I am able to go about my business without having to deal with a whole lot of people.  Unlike summer, when clothes are worn only for modesty’s sake (and are completely irritating to the skin), in late autumn, clothes are worn for comfort, and that is so much nicer.  I love the feel of a soft sweater or sweatshirt in cool air.  The sun is lower in the sky and makes pretty shadows instead of just bleaching everything out, so everything takes on richer, more dramatic look.  I feel like I can conquer the world and have energy to actually get the things done in life that I want to get done.  I like winter too, as long as it isn’t just bitter cold…the scary “you can get frostbite in 30 seconds” type cold isn’t fun either, but in general, winter is really nice too.  Cold and quiet.  A blanket of undisturbed snow across the landscape is one of the most beautiful sights there is.
8. I also love rain, most of the time.  I don’t like storms, especially at night when you can’t see if there is a tornado heading towards you, but just plain rain I like.  When everybody else is pulling out umbrellas I am looking up to feel the drops on my face.  I can really understand Zane’s love of puddles, baths, swimming and showers…he got that from me.
9. My first strong memory:  a tornado that came through my parent’s farm when I was 4.  Sometime I will have to write all my memories of this day out, but for now, I will just say this:  my mom said that afterward my biggest concern was that my tricyle was caught under some tree limbs.  The first thing my dad did when we re-emerged from shelter, was pull the trike out for me.  Everything destroyed, and he took the time and cared enough about what was important to me to do that before anything else.  I have a great dad.
10. My first memory:  I only know it is my first memory because it occurs in a building that was destroyed by the tornado.  I can remember dad taking me out to see mom in the farrowing builidng.  It is a low shed/barn with pens lining the center isle.  We walked all the way to the back and on the northeast corner mom was sitting next to a sow that had just given birth and helping to clean off the new baby piglets.  The only light in the building at the time I went in there was the heat lamps above mom, so it made a yellow/orange glow over everything.  One of the funny things is that whenever I imagine the manger scene with baby Jesus, it has the exact same glow over him…totally illogical, but that is what stuck in my head for some reason.
11. Star Wars vs. Star Trek:  The age old question, which is better.  ok, so mayby only in nerdville, but I have actually been asked this.  I like Star Wars better.  I used to like Star Trek better and never missed a Next Generation episode, but I wasn’t thrilled with Deep Space Nine.  I probably watched about 70 or 80% of Voyager, but by the time Enterprise came around, I didn’t/don’t really watch it any more.  So many continuity problems as time went on and it just lost me.  The series really lost it’s punch when Gene Roddenberry died.  On the other hand, I really like Star Wars.  It is quite literally the only set of movies we “have” to see in the theater.  We took Zane with us to SWII, Attack of the Clones….of course it was only because it was during naptime and he slept through all but a few minutes of the movie.  (he was 4 or 5 months old) and during a matinee so it wasn’t so loud.   I won’t take him to the next one, because he will only be 3, but I can’t wait until he is old enough to share it with him.  It is such a great series.  The books are really good too and add a depth to the movies because you can “hear” their thoughts as you are watching the movie.

Zane’s awake…to be continued