Dinnertime with the family is a lovely time for reflection.
Discuss current events. Plans. Hopes. The day.
Observe just how...uniquely...the kids react to italian dressing.
G, being her ever expressive self, declared that she didn't like salad. Table rules - ya gotta try everything. So a piece of lettuce with a dab of italian got the screwed-up yuk face. Ranch yielded slightly better reactions. ("Not as terrible", were her words if I remember correctly.)
C, at the wise old age of four, ate a bite of ranch without too much complaing. However, one lick of italian and declared he wasn't gonna touch the stuff. I insisted that he at least eat a bite and (no joke) the kid decided he'd rather gag it up and just about blew chunks on the table.
Score one for dad's wisdom on that call. <sigh>
Then there's J. The 2.5 year old. He not only dipped his lettuce in the italian and chewed enthusiastically...he fished the much masticated leaf OUT of his mouth so it could soak up even more vinegar goodness for a second go-round.
That's right.
Oh, it gets better.
He then asks mom if he can (get this) drink the dressing that was in his little dipping cup. (it was maybe a half a tablespoon)
By this point, our amazement was such that she gave him an affirmative. (while trying not to laugh in bemused, yet dumfounded, amazement.)
I hereby renounce any claim that I know anything about kids...
Monday, June 26, 2006
Monday, June 05, 2006
Building the fort..
C the Builder...
Can you believe this guy?
I'd like it _this_ high...
J in the castle stocks..
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Financial Wisdom
Grammy (J’s mom) related the following today…
*****
Today was my day to drive C to preschool.
He always chats with me as I drive. Today's subject was Buzz.
He had seen one when shoe shopping with mom.
I asked him how much it cost.
"Oh, probably $50 or $70. It has a real laser."
I told him that it was too much for me to spend.
I could only afford $5.
"Well, maybe it costs $5. Grammy, you can get $5 when your tooth falls out.
The tooth fairy will put $5 under your pillow and you can buy Buzz for me.
Upon this information we had a conversation about teeth.
I informed him that his teeth will not fall out until he is 6 or 7.
And that I was not wanting any of my teeth to fall out!
*****
Today was my day to drive C to preschool.
He always chats with me as I drive. Today's subject was Buzz.
He had seen one when shoe shopping with mom.
I asked him how much it cost.
"Oh, probably $50 or $70. It has a real laser."
I told him that it was too much for me to spend.
I could only afford $5.
"Well, maybe it costs $5. Grammy, you can get $5 when your tooth falls out.
The tooth fairy will put $5 under your pillow and you can buy Buzz for me.
Upon this information we had a conversation about teeth.
I informed him that his teeth will not fall out until he is 6 or 7.
And that I was not wanting any of my teeth to fall out!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
We're alive!
Mostly. Feb brought a bout of the barfing flu and double ear infection for G, ear infection for J, and misc other spring/winter crud for everyone else. We were all pretty wiped for a while.
Anyway, so J likes his apples. And insists on having a "whole" one. And he's pretty good at eating it, too.
The whole thing.
Well, not quite the whole thing. He did give his mom back the stem and bottom bit. But the rest of it was quite gone.
Good thing she removed the sticker first...
Anyway, so J likes his apples. And insists on having a "whole" one. And he's pretty good at eating it, too.
The whole thing.
Well, not quite the whole thing. He did give his mom back the stem and bottom bit. But the rest of it was quite gone.
Good thing she removed the sticker first...
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Tender thoughts, hard reality
Ah the rewards of being a parent....
Tucking the little cherubs into bed
Kissing them goodnite
Checking to make sure they're safe & secure before visiting your own slumber
Pausing to gaze on their innocent and peaceful faces before leaving the room
Turning to go & unwittingly stepping on something small, hard and excruciating plastic.
Trying to stifle a stream of colorful metaphor as you do your best to limp out quietly...
Forget about the $1500 security system. Just scatter a few handfulls of legos in front of each door and...Yow!
Tucking the little cherubs into bed
Kissing them goodnite
Checking to make sure they're safe & secure before visiting your own slumber
Pausing to gaze on their innocent and peaceful faces before leaving the room
Turning to go & unwittingly stepping on something small, hard and excruciating plastic.
Trying to stifle a stream of colorful metaphor as you do your best to limp out quietly...
Forget about the $1500 security system. Just scatter a few handfulls of legos in front of each door and...Yow!
Friday, February 10, 2006
Such CUTE dimples!
So J called me at work this morning, and when I picked up the phone she was laughing hysterically.
Apparently, C (who was sitting on her lap) had smiled and she lovingly noted to him "you have such CUTE dimples!"
His reply "mom, you can't see my dimples..!"
J replied "of course I can...don't you know where your dimples are?"
C (with all the authority a 4 year old can muster) replied "Of course mom. THESE (he pulls up his tee shirt) are my dimples!!"
Apparently, C (who was sitting on her lap) had smiled and she lovingly noted to him "you have such CUTE dimples!"
His reply "mom, you can't see my dimples..!"
J replied "of course I can...don't you know where your dimples are?"
C (with all the authority a 4 year old can muster) replied "Of course mom. THESE (he pulls up his tee shirt) are my dimples!!"
Monday, February 06, 2006
No if's, and's, or...
Ok, it's somewhat off color but...
So I'm changing J's diaper the other day. And I comment about his little bum. And C (who is standing right there watching) says "Yeah Dad. J has a little bum, and I have a bigger bum. And your bum is the biggest in the whole family!"
Uhh...thanks son.
In other news, no I don't know what Albertsons is doing. We're still in a holding pattern. They've opened up an internal site that'll have "transition news as it becomes available" but currently it's plastered with "Check back often for future developments!" tags.
At the risk of sounding bitter, jaded, and cynical, I've got a feeling the next time it's updated will be AFTER everything is said and done and we're all either roadkill or assimilated. (Hmm, at least jaded and cynical. 2 outta 3 ain't bad. =^) )
Seriously though, it's so far out of my hands it isn't even funny, so I'm doing my best to recognize it as such and keep moving. Oh, and polishing up my resume. And floating a cover letter to a few good friends for critiquing...
-a
So I'm changing J's diaper the other day. And I comment about his little bum. And C (who is standing right there watching) says "Yeah Dad. J has a little bum, and I have a bigger bum. And your bum is the biggest in the whole family!"
Uhh...thanks son.
In other news, no I don't know what Albertsons is doing. We're still in a holding pattern. They've opened up an internal site that'll have "transition news as it becomes available" but currently it's plastered with "Check back often for future developments!" tags.
At the risk of sounding bitter, jaded, and cynical, I've got a feeling the next time it's updated will be AFTER everything is said and done and we're all either roadkill or assimilated. (Hmm, at least jaded and cynical. 2 outta 3 ain't bad. =^) )
Seriously though, it's so far out of my hands it isn't even funny, so I'm doing my best to recognize it as such and keep moving. Oh, and polishing up my resume. And floating a cover letter to a few good friends for critiquing...
-a
Chocolate Chips and breakfast philosophy
As we muched our chocolate-chip bananna muffins this morning, G observed:
“It’s too bad we only eat three times a day.”
I reminded her that we eat at snack times too.
“Yeah, but those aren’t meals. Meals are when we eat HEALTHY food, not good food like at snack time”.
“It’s too bad we only eat three times a day.”
I reminded her that we eat at snack times too.
“Yeah, but those aren’t meals. Meals are when we eat HEALTHY food, not good food like at snack time”.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Tounge twister
C rediscovered the "Armor of God" costume today, and came upstairs fully decked out. He informed mommy that:
"I'm going to be a knight for a real night. I have to put on my knight clothes at the night and then I will be a real knight."
That's a mouthful, son.
"I'm going to be a knight for a real night. I have to put on my knight clothes at the night and then I will be a real knight."
That's a mouthful, son.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Did you know?
Did you know that if you plug up the vacuum hose with your thumb and the base of your hand, you can make really authentic “sounds of flatulence”?
And you can adjust the timber and tone by simply changing the angle of your hand in relation to the vacuum hose?
Neither did I.
Fascinating what 4 year old boys come up with when housecleaning…
And you can adjust the timber and tone by simply changing the angle of your hand in relation to the vacuum hose?
Neither did I.
Fascinating what 4 year old boys come up with when housecleaning…
Friday, January 27, 2006
Weekly nudist report
No news to report for today.
Well, except when my dear sweet wife went into the bathroom and found our youngest son (the two year old) squatting…on the counter.
Brushing his teeth. (with toothpaste. He was very proud of that part.)
Nekkid as a jaybird.
Fortunately, she grabbed a camera and got a snap. (for posterity. Or to frighten dates. Either-or)
Unfortunately, it was a <gasp> conventional 35mm, so I can’t upload the snap.
Drat.
Anyway.
Happy Friday!
Well, except when my dear sweet wife went into the bathroom and found our youngest son (the two year old) squatting…on the counter.
Brushing his teeth. (with toothpaste. He was very proud of that part.)
Nekkid as a jaybird.
Fortunately, she grabbed a camera and got a snap. (for posterity. Or to frighten dates. Either-or)
Unfortunately, it was a <gasp> conventional 35mm, so I can’t upload the snap.
Drat.
Anyway.
Happy Friday!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
The king is dead, long live the king!
As I’m sure many of you have read, ol ABS is scheduled to be sold. It’s a pretty much done deal, with about 6 months of regulatory hurdles to overcome, after which the “official” transition will take place.
You can find a pretty good description of what’s going to happen on Supervalu’s website. (look here). In short, a consortium led by Supervalu will buy the company and split it 3 ways. Supervalu will get about 1100 of Albertsons’ 2500 stores. The middle company will get all our stand-alone Osco and Sav-on pharmacies. And the third company – a real-estate holding firm – will get the remaining stores.
So where does this leave me? As promised, the down and dirty, the nitty gritty, the straight inside poop on what’s going to happen at Albertsons…
I don’t know.
Haven’t a clue.
Heck, we found out about it the same way most of you did – from the news. With at least 6 months of regulatory approval in front of us, and an estimated 1-3 years of transition time, I’ve got a feeling I’ll have a good amount of notice if/when my job goes away. Frankly, I’m guessing that what happens will be what happens when any buyout occurs. The buyer will peruse the buyee, keep what they think is valuable and jettison the rest.
Given that my job as an “Optimization Analyst” is to save the company $$ (and I’ve already got a not-insignificant bit documented) I’m in a pretty good position. But then again, who knows.
I will tell you this, though. I’m VERY excited by the fact that Supervalu has a “casual work environment” for “appropriate positions”. Yeah! No more slacks and button downs for IT folks! No more shiny shoes! No more getting your tie stuck in the paper shreader!
And with that lovely mental picture, I'll leave you.
That’s all the news from Lake Woebegone.
Where all the women are strong.
All the men are handsome.
And all the children are...the children are...oh crud J's gonna kill me...where ARE the children?!!
Gotta go!
-adb
You can find a pretty good description of what’s going to happen on Supervalu’s website. (look here). In short, a consortium led by Supervalu will buy the company and split it 3 ways. Supervalu will get about 1100 of Albertsons’ 2500 stores. The middle company will get all our stand-alone Osco and Sav-on pharmacies. And the third company – a real-estate holding firm – will get the remaining stores.
So where does this leave me? As promised, the down and dirty, the nitty gritty, the straight inside poop on what’s going to happen at Albertsons…
I don’t know.
Haven’t a clue.
Heck, we found out about it the same way most of you did – from the news. With at least 6 months of regulatory approval in front of us, and an estimated 1-3 years of transition time, I’ve got a feeling I’ll have a good amount of notice if/when my job goes away. Frankly, I’m guessing that what happens will be what happens when any buyout occurs. The buyer will peruse the buyee, keep what they think is valuable and jettison the rest.
Given that my job as an “Optimization Analyst” is to save the company $$ (and I’ve already got a not-insignificant bit documented) I’m in a pretty good position. But then again, who knows.
I will tell you this, though. I’m VERY excited by the fact that Supervalu has a “casual work environment” for “appropriate positions”. Yeah! No more slacks and button downs for IT folks! No more shiny shoes! No more getting your tie stuck in the paper shreader!
And with that lovely mental picture, I'll leave you.
That’s all the news from Lake Woebegone.
Where all the women are strong.
All the men are handsome.
And all the children are...the children are...oh crud J's gonna kill me...where ARE the children?!!
Gotta go!
-adb
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
It's a bird, it's a plane...it's a blog!
That's right true believers, (or not) we've decided to move into the digital era and BLOG!
(that's short for "web-log"...it's new, techy, hip, tren...nevermind)
Anyway. I've been looking for a way to get daily or weekly news, silly kid stories, etc out in a quick and easy way for J and me, so here t'is.
Laughed this evening. J came home from her "Bunco nite" (don't ask me, I just work here) just about bouncing off the walls as she'd "cleaned house" with the rest of those wild-and-crazy moms. Of course, she'd called ahead and asked me to start drawing her bath. ("Cabin boy? Yes, please draw me a bathe. And don't forget the margarita...WITH the little paper parasol. Don't forget the little paper parasol.")
So I start the bath. And she gets home, like, 2 minutes later. And is regaling me with tales of throwing bunco after bunco after 123 after...well, you get the picture. Insists on showing me her scorecard. (I "ooh" and "ahh" appreciativly) And then I head downstairs to check on something. Sixty seconds later I hear a shreek that most isn't the kids.
Running upstairs...of COURSE I'd forgotten and the bath had run. No, we didn't have niagra but it was less than an inch from the top.
But it gets better. Our hot water heater is...how you say...wimpy? Two 6" baths for the kids and it's more frigid then an eskimo's first date. (hey, this is my blog. I can be as cheezy as I want thankyouverymuch) To say the water is tepid is a compliment. So the cabin boy turns into the water boy and hauls six (yes, six) pots of water from the stove to heat up the bath.
You'd think this was the 1800's. No, if it was the 1800's I'd then have to bathe the rest of the family in the same water.
Tankless hot water heaters are suuuuure lookin good about now.
Next time - the life and times of Albertsons! (No, I don't know what's happening. Yes, we're staying right here.)
(that's short for "web-log"...it's new, techy, hip, tren...nevermind)
Anyway. I've been looking for a way to get daily or weekly news, silly kid stories, etc out in a quick and easy way for J and me, so here t'is.
Laughed this evening. J came home from her "Bunco nite" (don't ask me, I just work here) just about bouncing off the walls as she'd "cleaned house" with the rest of those wild-and-crazy moms. Of course, she'd called ahead and asked me to start drawing her bath. ("Cabin boy? Yes, please draw me a bathe. And don't forget the margarita...WITH the little paper parasol. Don't forget the little paper parasol.")
So I start the bath. And she gets home, like, 2 minutes later. And is regaling me with tales of throwing bunco after bunco after 123 after...well, you get the picture. Insists on showing me her scorecard. (I "ooh" and "ahh" appreciativly) And then I head downstairs to check on something. Sixty seconds later I hear a shreek that most isn't the kids.
Running upstairs...of COURSE I'd forgotten and the bath had run. No, we didn't have niagra but it was less than an inch from the top.
But it gets better. Our hot water heater is...how you say...wimpy? Two 6" baths for the kids and it's more frigid then an eskimo's first date. (hey, this is my blog. I can be as cheezy as I want thankyouverymuch) To say the water is tepid is a compliment. So the cabin boy turns into the water boy and hauls six (yes, six) pots of water from the stove to heat up the bath.
You'd think this was the 1800's. No, if it was the 1800's I'd then have to bathe the rest of the family in the same water.
Tankless hot water heaters are suuuuure lookin good about now.
Next time - the life and times of Albertsons! (No, I don't know what's happening. Yes, we're staying right here.)
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