Oh No, Honey, I Have No Idea Who Ate All Your Cookies

It is never a good sign when your husband asks, "What's with all the binge eating?"

Here is a list of all the delicious and not-so-delicious sweets I have consumed in the past 48 hours.

Three bowls of Cinnamon Life cereal--I had forgotten how yummy it is
75% of a box of Tagalongs (damn those girl scouts)
50% of a box of Samoas (damn them to hell)
20-odd Coconut Cream Hershey Kisses and a Vanilla Cream Russel Stover egg (damn the Easter Bunny too)
5-6 handfuls of apple-flavored fruit loop type cereal that I bought my self son as a special treat
1 apple fritter from the donut bar at Kroger
2 rock hard mini Babe Ruth bars that were totally not worth the calories
1 bowl of Pumpkin Spice pudding I found in the depths of my pantry, apparently leftover from Thanksgiving
Half a pan of homemade date bars--must save that recipe

The dimple factories in my thighs are working on overdrive. You would think that with all the medical know-how we have today, they could invent a pill that would miraculously eradicate those premenstrual cravings.

Happy Anniversary?

Today is the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq and to commemorate the occasion, I am participating in Blogswarm, joining with bloggers all over the world in voicing my opposition to the war.

I am opposed to the war for many reasons.

I am opposed to the war because it was waged unjustly.

I am opposed to the war because it was entered recklessly and unnecessarily.

I am opposed the war because I suspect it was premeditate long before George W. ever sat in the Oval Office.

I am opposed to the war because it has diverted our attention from real terror threats.

I am opposed to the war because it hijacked trillions of dollars that could have been spent here at home, rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, shoring up our infrastructure, educating our children, providing health care for millions of uninsured, funding scientific and medical research, funding alternative fuels, alleviating poverty, building low-income housing, funding job-training programs, the list could go on and on.

I am opposed to the war because the US only seems to intervene in foreign affairs when it benefits our pocketbook. Why no war in Darfur? Why no action against Saudi Arabia?

I am opposed to the war because it has sucked our military families dry and yet our government will not adequately support the soldiers when they return home broken and in need of long-term medical and psychiatric care.

I am opposed to the war because thousands of American children are growing up without a parent at home and thousands more will never know that parent because he or she died in Iraq.

I am opposed to the war because it has only encouraged and emboldened our enemies. It has served as fuel for radical factions to spread their message of hate against the US. We are now more hated than ever.

I am opposed to the war because the US never does what it promises in these countries. We never fulfilled our promises of civilian aid and reconstruction in Afghanistan, in part because we were diverted by this war.

I am opposed the war because it's constant coverage has made us and our children immune to horrific violence.

I am opposed to the war because it has weakened our image abroad.

I am opposed to the war because it has killed countless innocent women and children.

I am opposed to the war because it has destroyed hundreds of archaeological sites and treasures.

I am opposed to the war because it lines the pocketbooks of defense contractors who are arm in arm in with the administration.

I am opposed to the war because it is increasing evident that a military solution is not the answer. We need to intervene with aid and education, not bombs.

I am opposed to the war for all these reasons and more. How about you?

Go Read This Book!

If you are looking for a good read, go buy Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson. I just finished it last night and it is such an amazing story.

Greg Mortenson is an American mountain climber who spent time in a remote village Pakistan after an attempt to climb K2. He befriended the people there and wanted to do something to return their hospitality to him. Mortenson noticed that they had no school building. The students met outside, shared a teacher with other villages, and attempted to learn arithmetic and writing by scratching numbers and letters in the dirt with sticks. He resolved to find a way to build them a school. He returned home to the US, raised money, and launched what soon became a career of philanthropic work building and staffing schools, especially schools for girls, in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The story is incredibly inspirational because of the extraordinary obstacles that Mortenson has overcome and because of the unwavering dedication he has to his work. He lived out of his car for months, just to save money to get him back to Pakistan to build that first school. In that first village, he first had to figure out how to build a bridge to the village to even get the supplies to them to build the school. He has had to coordinate building efforts in places that have no phones or electricity and whose roads are out for months due to weather. He has had to win over hostile forces and religious groups and learn to function in a culture that is so very different from his own. He now is a loved and revered man, in a part of the world where few Americans can feel safe.

What is also so compelling about the story is that it is stunningly clear in reading this account that the only real way that the US can fight terror and Islamic fundamentalism is through education and economic aid. I learned something I had never read before about the state of education in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Back in 90's, Saudi Arabian fundamentalist groups sent money and men to Pakistan and Afghanistan to set up madrassas. Madrassas are the fundamentalist Islamic schools that train terrorists. The Saudis choose Pakistan and Afghanistan to do this in, in part because they knew that both these countries have no real national school system. Their governments are so poor that they can not afford to build schools everywhere they are needed. Furthermore, the majority of the populations can not afford to send their children to distant private schools and they are desperate that their children recieve some type of formal education. So, the Saudis swept in, established these cheap madrassa schools and people flocked to them because it was the only way their children could go to school. The teachers at the madrassas are often barely literate themselves. The schools are simply a front for fundamentalist training.

To make all this even worse, the schools chose the best and brightest of their pupils and send them back to Saudi Arabi or on for further "training", indoctrinating them in hate even further and then order them to return to their homeland and marry four wives and have as many children as possible to carry on the teachings. It is terrifying. This would have never been possible if these countries had vigorous educational systems in place.

And the people do truely want education. The men of the first village where he built the school actually carried roof beams and building supplies on their backs for 18 miles because a road was out. They walked 18 miles overnight just to get to the supplies, strapped them to their backs, and then walked 18 miles back home, carrying the supplies, a lucky few in tennis shoes, but many barefoot or with shoes made from animal hides. They weren't paid for this. They did it because it was the only way to get a school building for their children. These people want the schools.

One of Mortenson's agency's programs is Pennies for Peace and is suitable for schools to use to help raise money for his work. American children like it because they know they are helping raise money to help other children, just like them. I think I may start it up in my classroom next year.

Dear God, There Has Been A Mistake

To cap of the oh-so-delightful weekend, last night I found my first gray hair. Followed by ten, count'em ten, of its siblings.

I'm only 35!

And, I'm a redhead! We're not supposed to really go gray. We just kind of fade into a yucky color.

This should not be happening to me!

Needless to say, this morning I bought a box of haircolor and plan a dye job later today. Good thing I am going back to work in the fall. We'll need the extra money to pay for my salon visits from now on!

Yucky Weekend

I do not have much to say and here's why.

Friday: Spend exhausted and nursing a sinus infection, stressing over big Middle School Praxis Test on Saturday morning.

Saturday: Drive across town in the rain to spend 3 hours taking a standardized test in a room full of coughing, sneezing equally-sick people. Test went well. Time spent studying math definitely helped. Did better on Math than Social Studies--a first and probable last. Now kicking self for not brushing up on Math before the GRE. Could have done so much better if I had studied and not gone out drinking the night before.

Come home, brain-fried, hope to take Sweet Pea to see Horton Hears a Who, but Sweet Pea does not want to go. What??? Bummer.

Spent rest of day putting Ladybug in and out of timeout for pinching and hitting. Sweet Pea goes to bed with no stories after rudueness, defiance and refusal to pick up his toys. He screams for 20 minutes. Head hurts.

Sunday: Go to a new church. Liked it. Bright spot of day.

Get home, recieve a phone call to let me know that an immediate family member with a history of heart disease has experienced serious chest pains and dizziness over the weekend. Can't say more at this time. Don't want to face it.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll feel like a real post.

You're Going to Eat That???

Just the other day, the lovely Rima wrote a post wherein she mentioned her unabashed love for radish sandwichs. Radish sandwiches?? What is that, I asked myself? Ever considerate of her reader, Rima described the delicacy: Wonder bread, butter, sliced radishes.

No offense, Rima, but that sounds kind of yucky. However, who am I to judge? After all, my favorite sandwich is a tid unusual too.

For years I have been teased about my adoration of peanut butter and tomato sandwiches. They are scrumtious. My entire family eats them. We also have been known to enjoy pb and apple, pb and banana, pb and raisin, & pb and honey. You could probably put peanut butter on anything and we'd eat it with relish (not pickle relish, happy relish, though pickles and peanut butter is said to be quite tasty too).

I wonder what other wierdo sandwich recipes are out there? What's your favorite sounds-disgusting-but-is-delicious sandwich? Come on, play along.

The Good, the Bad and the Elephants

It's amazing how as mother, you can experience the highest highs and the lowest lows just in the span of a few short hours.

Today started out beautifully. The sky is blue, the sun is shining, it is warm. The perfect day to spend outside.

We had to get up a little early this morning to make it downtown for Ladybug's ear tube check. I was actually showered. Kids were dressed and at least one of them was fed. Traffic was fairly light. No problems.

Even the appointment went well, which was a nice surpirse. Ladybug has had several health problems in her short life of 18 months and has a resulting strong aversion to doctor's offices. She has an even stronger aversion to having her ears checked. I can't blame her. She had an ear infection for 6 months continuously and of course she associates ear checks with pain. This time though, she only cried at half her usual volume and for about half as long. She didn't even kick the doctor while he looked at her. And Sweet Pea did a great job of helping me and entertaining Ladybug.

Since the weather was so wonderful and since we were downtown and thus already halfway there, I decided to take the kids to the zoo. Sweet Pea loves, loves, loves the zoo. Of course all kids love the zoo, but his love for it is a little above average. Ever since he was very young, he has been entranced by animals. His favorite books are animal encyclopedias and he has an amazing bank of animal knowledge for his 3 and a half years. He can identify animals I have never heard of, such as echnidas and aye ayes. He knows which animals live where and is quick to point out any discrepancies in puzzles and games, like when the puzzle pictures a black bear next to a lion. He knows what they eat and how they use camoflogue. It will not surprise me at all if this turns out to be a lifelong love and he becomes a zoologist or vet.

We haven't been to the zoo in several weeks because of winter, so Sweet Pea was thrilled to be going. We arrived a little early, but the kids entertained themselves while waiting. Once the gates opened, we headed in and began our usual route. I had forgotten the stroller so I alternated between carrying Ladybug and letting her walk and she did a surprisingly well job of staying with me.

Sweet Pea's favorite animal is the elephant and so we had to go see them first. He had brought one of his stuffed elephants along to show the real elephants and was excited to see their reaction. Some workers were doing clean-up in the elephant habitat and we had to go into the elephant house to see the animals.

Inside the elephant house is a glass wall that looks in on the large elephant holding area. It is a cement-floored space with huge metal barred walls and doors. There were two elephants in the enclosures. One was standing in the back swinging his trunk back and forth. The other was pacing and periodically rubbing his trunk against the wall. We stood there a good 10 minutes watching them. After a few minutes, Sweet Pea said in a very sad voice, "Mommy, those elephants want to go outside." Then he told me he thought they were bored. It was such a precious moment. It was so affirming and heartwarming to hear my son's empathy for these animals and his sweet yearning for them to be happy. I was so proud of him in that moment. My sensitive and loving boy.

Just as we were leaving, the zoo keepers let the elephants outside and we stopped to have a snack and watch. The two giants literally ran out of the building into the open air and one let out a huge bellow with his trunk held high in the air. You could see how excited and happy the creatures were to be outdoors. Sweet Pea felt better now that the elephants seemed pleased and he enjoyed his snack while watching them.

We continued on through the zoo and at each exhibit, Sweet Pea lingered much longer than usual. He has always sped through everything, wanting to see and acknowledge each animal, but not spend too much time with each one. This time though, he really wanted to study them. He noted to me where each animal lived (grassland, jungle, etc) and asked detailed questions about them. He was so intent on each one. What a difference a couple of months makes. The visit was so wonderful and I was reminded of how much I enjoy these moments with my children and how I will miss them when I go back to work next year.

Around 11:45, both kids started to crash and we headed home for lunch. Sweet Pea doesn't like to eat breakfast and he had had several snacks throughout the morning, but he was starving. When we got home, I made their lunches, but it was too late. He had already reached the point of no return. He got very upset because his pizza was different from his sister's and threw a huge screaming tantrum. He threw himself on the floor, wailing, and rolled around for a good 15 minutes. I tried to pick him up and show him that his pizza was the same as Ladybug's, but he was too far gone. He caterwauled for the next 30 minutes and it was all I could do to get him calmed down enough for nap time. What a different boy he was from just an hour earlier, though it really was my fault for not having packed more snacks or leaving earlier than we did.

So, this morning was a study in contrasts, but that's OK. You have to take the good with the bad and in this case, the good certainly won out.