Dodgers vs. Cubs

My Father has been a Dodger fan for as long as I can remember. My husband was born and raised in Chicago and has been a Cubs fan since birth. We always try to make it to a game when the Cubs make their way out west and this year was no exception. The two teams only play once this season and we were fortunate enough to get 8 tickets for a suite at the Saturday May 26 game. Even more exciting than the suite tickets, though, was the opportunity we had to actually go onto the field beforehand for some pre-game festivities. The kids participated in an autograph gathering and my Dad (celebrating his 61st birthday May 30) threw out the first pitch!


Such a beautiful park!


My sister, friend, husband and Dad posing with the Dodgers' relief catcher.


My girlfriend and I in the suite before the game.

Greggy Girl

I discovered this fabulous line of little girls' clothing a few months ago and have found two adorable outfits for my daughter to wear on our DisneyWorld trip/cruise later this Summer - one is nautical and the other, Pirate Couture. Visit Charlene May's site to locate stores that carry her line or check on eBay!

Lumpy's Run To The Wall

Someone I know is making his way from his home in California to Washington D.C. to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. He managed to somehow pack a digital camera and his laptop onto his hog and is updating a blog when he can - check it out and support him on his journey!

15 Years Ago...

...my husband and I went on our first date. It was a Sunday and he took me to the White Horse Inn in the San Fernando Valley. I believe it was at the corner of White Oak and Roscoe but have heard that it has since closed down. We moved in together exactly 6 months later and married three years after that. It's gone by so fast and - here we are - 12 years of marriage and 2 kids later...

Happy birthday, Debbie!

Have a great one, my friend!

29, right?

On This Day...

1889 - Adolf Hitler was born

1941 - Ryan O'Neal was born

1948 - My Mommy was born (Happy birthday, Mom!)

1949 - Jessica Lange was born

1971 - the United States Supreme Court upheld the use of busing to achieve racial desegregation in schools

1972 - Carmen Electra was born

1999 - 2 students went on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, killing 12 students and one teacher before taking their own lives

Oklahoma City National Memorial

It's hard to believe it's been 12 years...

Trip Planning #1

I love going on vacation. I love planning for vacations almost just as much. Maybe I'll look into becoming a Travel Agent in my next life...

Anyway - those of you who have visited me here for a while know that I like "detailed" trip reports and I'm sure I'll write one once we return in July. I thought it'd be fun to post here some of the pre-trip goings on as well and, today, I booked the hotel that we'll stay at the night before our early morning flight out of LAX.

A few years ago, we discovered the Renaissance Montura - a Marriott property very close to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and perfect for the night before those early morning flights out of town. We get a Park & Fly rate there (with our AAA discount) of less than $200. (I booked our room for July at $169 and will continue to check their site for the rate as, if they lower it, they'll adjust my reservation accordingly.) The Park & Fly rate includes a fabulous room (with amazing views of the airport runways but literally no airplane noise!) on the Club Level which allows us access to the concierge lounge that has beverages, cocktails, snack foods, hors d'ouevres, desserts and breakfast as well as 7 days of free valet parking while we are away! The parking alone is $21/day so the rate is incredibly reasonable! Also included in the rate is a limo (towncar) ride to the airport the morning of the flight. Can't beat that!

Mickey Mouse Here We Come!

It's official - we are taking the kids to Orlando this Summer for a week! We are all so excited. Our children have never been to Disneyworld and my husband and I have only been there once for a short period of time and, while we did spend an evening at Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney and enjoyed a nice dinner atop Disney's Contemporary Resort at The California Grill, we did not have any time to really explore the city or any of the Disney Parks. I am all about "memory-making" for my kids and I know this trip will be fantastic!

We are going to stay at the airport in L.A. pre-flight as we usually do when we fly out early. We'll then enjoy 2-day park-hopper tickets early in the week before catching a shuttle from our hotel (The Disney Yacht Club) to Port Canaveral where we will board the MS Disney Wonder for a 3-Day Bahamian Cruise. More details to come...

Spring

I love Spring... I have many azaleas and other plants that are so pretty this time of year. I thought it'd be fun to share some pictures from around the "casa de OnlineMom"!

In Memory of Dana Fisher (August 21, 1953 - March 23, 2007)

When my husband and I purchased our very first personal computer, it was October of 1992. We were so excited to finally have access to the "world wide web". We subscribed to Prodigy (Classic) when it became available and I immediately became hooked on their message boards. Dana was the first person I met online - my very first "online friend".

He was a chemist and computer-know-it-all who helped me with everything from e-mail to HTML and beyond. We made the switch from Prodigy Classic to Prodigy Internet together and stayed in touch even after they were long gone (bought out by SBC Yahoo in 2001).

We exchanged e-mails, instant messages, photographs of our families, online jokes and websites and even Christmas cards through the mail for over 10 years. We loved to chat about our families, NASCAR, technology, bowling, his job and their beloved puppies.

In early 2006, he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease) - news that stunned and deeply saddened me. He suffered tremendously and had to give up all activity very quickly once he lost use/mobility of his hands and arms. He passsed away on March 23, 2007 at home in West Virginia with his wife and family at his side.

On This Day...

1889 - Eiffel Tower Opens

1945 - Don Sutton (L.A. Dodgers) was born

1992 - John Gotti found guilty in death of Paul Castallanos

2005 - Pope John Paul II dies

Video From The Masters

They have live cameras set up Monday-Wednesday at the driving range and tournament coverage starts on Thursday.

I love Masters week!

212 Yards

That was how far I hit my drive on #2 today - my longest drive ever!

The weather here has been wonderful and I've been taking full advantage of it (hence my absence from the blog!). I've been golfing three times/week and absolutely loving it. It's so great to be at it again!

FORE!

I've started golfing again.

It's a sport that I spent time around my entire life. My Father has played (every Saturday and Sunday) for as long as I can recall and my husband plays once or twice/week as his schedule allows. I first picked up a club in 1995 - right after we were married. I was instantly hooked. I wasn't great - but I did seem to inherit my Fathers' natural swing and I definitely discovered a passion for it.

For a few years, I played regularly with a girlfriend - two or three times during the week. In 1998, though, once I became pregnant for the first time, I gave it up. I lost that pregnancy (as well as a few others) and my priorities changed as my husband and I struggled to start our family. My children were born in June of 1999 and June of 2000 and I didn't get back onto the driving range until 2002. Even that, though, was short-lived - life was just too hectic with two toddlers for me to get out and play with any regularity.

My kids are finally in school full-time (5 hours/day), now, and I have been thinking about picking it up again since last Fall.

Recently, I dusted off my Callaway irons and my Big Bertha driver and started visiting the range again on the days when I don't work in the classrooms. It's great to be back out there again! Starting next week, I hope to start playing at least two times/week. God help me! As much as I enjoy the game - it makes me absolutely nuts. I expect a lot of myself and have high expectations that I can't consistently meet!

On This Day...

1944 - Carole Bayer Sager was born

1945 - Mickey Dolenz

1963 - Kathy Ireland

1976 - Freddie Prinze Jr.

1971 - Joe Frazier beats Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden and retains heavyweight boxing title

1974 - Charles de Gaulle Airport opens in Paris France

1986 - Martina Navratilova is 1st tennis player to earn $10 million

On This Day...

1913 - Federal income tax takes effect (16th amendment)

1920 - Harry Caray was born (Chicago Cubs baseball announcer) GO CUBBIES!

1932 - Charles Lindbergh Jr. (20 months old), kidnapped in New Jersey

1944 - Roger Daltrey was born in Hammersmith London England, (The Who rocker/actor/producer)

1969 - Jim Morrison arrested for exposing himself at Dinner Key Auditorium

1988 - Pontiac announces the end of the Fiero automobile

2007 - At least 8 people at a high school killed when a tornado touches down in Enterprise, Alabama

Sunday NASCAR

We had a great time at our 2nd NASCAR race (The Auto Club 500) last Sunday. We didn't stay the night (like we did last September) - just going down for the day. The kids did great (despite the two long drives and all of the excitement) and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves once again. The race was great and the weather was much better - 40 degrees cooler than the 115 degree temps we dealt with over Labor Day!

My son was thrilled to meet Kasey Kahne and drive around the track with him once before the race started. He has yet to meet his favorite driver (Tony Stewart) but we're hoping to make that happen for him eventually!

I never would've dreamed - just a year ago - that we would ever have this much fun at a race! We really look forward to the two times each year NASCAR comes to southern California and are already making plans to go again in a few months!

On This Day...

1940 - Mario Andretti was born (race-car driver)

1979 - Mr Ed (talking horse) died

1983 - Final TV episode of "MASH" aired on CBS; record 125 million watched

1997 - North Hollywood Shootout at a Bank of America in California (I can't believe it's been 10 years! I lived just a few miles from the bank back in 1997 band will never forget how wild and scary the event was - with every minute televised for the world to watch.)

Bury Her, Already!

I'm sickened that a Mother would allow her deceased child to lay in a cold morgue for three weeks. I am sympathetic to Virgie Arthur's situation and her loss but she is the one holding up Anna Nicole Smith's burial and I am of the opinion that it has been more than proved that Anna Nicole wanted to be buried with her son in the Bahamas. To stop that from happening, like she is (there is talk of taking her appeal to the Florda Supreme Court now!), is just the most selfish thing I could ever imagine anyone doing.

Hypocrisy?

Got a good laugh out of this one...

POWER: GORE MANSION USES 20X AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD; CONSUMPTION INCREASE AFTER 'TRUTH'
Mon Feb 26 2007 17:16:14 ET

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization committed to achieving a freer, more prosperous Tennessee through free market policy solutions, issued a press release late Monday:



Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.

Gore’s mansion, [20-room, eight-bathroom] located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).

In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.

The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.

Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.

Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.

Gore’s extravagant energy use does not stop at his electric bill. Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year.

“As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk to walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,” said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson.

In total, Gore paid nearly $30,000 in combined electricity and natural gas bills for his Nashville estate in 2006.

For Further Information, Contact:
Nicole Williams, (615) 383-6431
editor@tennesseepolicy.org

Britney

I know that most are probably tired of hearing about Britney Spears' head-shaving/tattoo-acquiring escapade last Friday night. It's been on my mind, though, and I have decided to post (briefly) about it... I was very upset when I heard about what she'd done and mortified when I saw those first few pictures.

I do not think there is anything amusing or funny about what she did. I do not think her behavior was part of any "publicity stunt" and I do not think she's doing it because she is an "idiot" or "looking for attention".

My gut feeling is that she is a girl who is in desperate need of help - vulnerable, out of control and, most likely, under the (heavy) influence of either alcohol or drugs (or both). She is self-destructing.

Someone very close to me went through something similar a few years ago (although obviously not as publicly) and it was horrible. Most facilities will not keep someone against their will so - unless the person with the issues wants to, they cannot be forced to accept help. We were told that there was nothing we could do and that waiting for our loved one to "hit rock bottom and ask for help" was our only option. I feel for Britney's family right now - especially those two precious baby boys. I have no doubt that - despite her behavior - she loves her children. Whatever she is under the influence of is rendering her completely incapable of making sensible decisions and taking reasonable care of her children and even herself.

There are reports this afternoon that she has, once again, entered a rehabilitation facility voluntarily - Promises (in Malibu and not far from the home that she, probably hastily, put up for sale yesterday). I hope she is really ready to admit that she has a problem and that she is prepared to put forth the effort to get and stay clean and healthy.

Feeling "Lonely" on Valentine's Day?

Cutest thing I've ever seen! I love YouTube!

1 in 150

Washington, D.C., Feb. 8, 2007 -- This morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released, through its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the latest revised prevalence figures for autism. The report indicates that the prevalence of autism is now 1 in 150, up from the 1 in 166 figure reported by the CDC in January 2004.

Today's report states, "Findings from this first U.S. multi-site collaborative study to monitor ASD [Autism Spectrum Disorders] prevalence demonstrated consistency across the majority of sites, with prevalence statistically significantly (p<0.001) higher in New Jersey. Average ASD prevalence across all six sites was 6.7 per 1,000 children aged 8 years. These results indicate that ASDs are more common than was believed previously."

Speaking at a Capitol Hill briefing about the new data, Dr. Gary Goldstein, Autism Speaks' Scientific Advisory Committee Chair and President of the Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins said, "These new numbers provide a much more accurate picture of a disorder that has undoubtedly become a major national health crisis. Our dedication to finding critical answers about autism -- potential causes, better treatments and, hopefully, a cure -- must become that much more urgent today."

These new prevalence estimates are the first to come from multiple sites utilizing the same methodology for the same points in time. (Previous prevalence estimates have been from single sites and have relied on differing methodologies). According to the CDC, these data represent the most comprehensive effort to obtain accurate prevalence figures for Autism Spectrum Disorders to date, and offer important information about the prevalence of these conditions in multiple parts of the U.S.

As part of this study, six ADDM sites evaluated the prevalence of ASDs for children who were 8 years old in 2000 (born in 1992): Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina and West Virginia.

An additional eight sites determined ASD prevalence for children who were 8 in 2002 (born in 1994): Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin.

Anna Nicole Smith Has Died

I wasn't surprised when I heard at lunch today that she had been rushed to the hospital. The news of her death, though, absolutely shocked me. Poor Dannielynn... My heart aches for that child.

Vegas was a BUST

Our trip to Vegas for the Super Bowl was a bust. The man I married is ethical, hard-working, dedicated and fiscally responsible - all good things, I know - but, in this instance, they got in the way of my party weekend! (I'm kidding, of course.)

Caesar's Palace was great about cancelling our reservations at such late notice. I know they'd been sold out or months so I'm certain they had no problem finding someone else to stay in our room!

Going to the Grammy's Again!

Yessssssss!

We scored another invite to the Grammy's this year - I am so excited... Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Gnarls Barkley, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Police are all scheduled to perform at the Staples Center February 11. I can't wait!

Super Bowl XLI Commercials

The ads are such a fun part of the Super Bowl... This year, a 30-second space is reportedly being sold for $2.4M!

There is a video at YouTube (put out by Budweiser Media) that has snippets of all of the Budweiser Super Bowl commercials. My son is going to love the Mad Max (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) one but I think the "But He Has Bud Light" spot is going to be hysterical!

The much-hyped K-Fed commercial for Nationwide Insurance is actually pretty funny.

This one from GoDaddy.com was supposedly banned - too funny.

And, lastly, the pitched idea that won the NFL Super Bowl contest - I can't wait to see it!

Barbaro Euthanized

Such a sad story...

Autism on The View

According to my TV Guide, The View is going to dedicate an hour to Autism today. Toni Braxton (whom I believe has a child recently diagnosed) will be a guest. I don't usually watch the show but will certainly tune in. I am always happy to see the disorder receive attention in the mainstream media.

It looks like I'm going to have to tune in to Regis & Kelly as well - Rockstar Supernova is performing!

In My Thoughts And Prayers

Kelley Tuthill is a young Mom and television reporter in Boston who has taken her battle with breast cancer public. Read her diary and follow her progress as she fights for her life.

SAG Awards

Did anyone watch it last night? (Isn't everyone an awards show junkie like me?!) Anyway - Chandra Wilson won (deservedly so) for best female actor in a drama series for her role as Dr. Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy and her acceptance speech was absolutely adorable - I literally laughed out loud!

Weekend Ramblings

Well - it look like Tiger Woods is going to win the Buick Invitational. Again. My husband was down in La Jolla for most of the week beginning last Friday night (the night of the previously mentioned birthday party). He played in practice rounds at Torrey Pines (south course) on both Saturday and Sunday and then came home for a day and a half of work before leaving to go back down for a round in the official tournament pro-am on Wednesday. He was paired with PGA professional Ryan Moore who we were pleased to see made the cut Friday and, when he finished today, was tied for 16th!

We had a rather nice, quiet weekend at home. We leave for Vegas on Friday so I have been busy with laundry, lists for Grandma, house-cleaning, etc... We're looking so forward to the trip. We were invited to a Super Bowl party at Jet nightclub in The Mirage but haven't decided if we'll do that or watch at our favorite sportsbook in Vegas - Caesar's Palace. Regardless - it'll be great. I still don't think it has sunk in for my husband that his much-loved Bears are going to be there!

And to update on my sons' little "meltdown" at the birthday party a week ago... according to his teacher, not one child in attendance mentioned his behavior at s chool on Monday! I was so pleased - for him. He was so certain that he had "ruined" the party yet that definitely doesn't seem to be the case. I know that some kids make fun of him and have been less than kind but, the majority of them seem to accept him for what/who he is - for now.

Report Card Time Again

The year is already more than half over - hard to believe!

Report cards were sent home last week. We didn't have parent-teacher conferences this time around - they just sent them home with the kids in an envelope that we were asked to sign and return.

My daughter received an absolutely perfect report card. No tardies, no absences and no deficiencies. She received a + in every area. (Letter grades aren't done here until 3rd grade. Until then, the kids get a + for "meets standards", a checkmark for "needs assistance meeting standards" and a - for "does not meet standards".) I'm so proud of her - the only comment her teacher made was that she was a great student and a hard-worker. Such a good little girl...

My son received a super report card as well. I'm very proud to say that three areas in which he "needed assistance" last quarter have now been changed to "meets standards". They were: follows directions, completes work in a timely manner and works independently. Good for him! Three other areas where he "needed assistance" 1st quarter remained the same but they are all things that we are aware of and working on - handwriting, creative writing... Some of the math concepts introduced in the 2nd quarter earned him a "needs assistance" as well. That was a little upsetting since he had met all of the standards in math 1st quarter. The pace of the work has picked up a bit in the 2nd quarter, though. Some concepts they've introduced were giving him trouble until just recently when we (finally) discovered a method of teaching them which works for him.

Meals On Wheels

A friend of ours (whom we met through the local Rotary) found out that his wife has an advanced stage cancer in mid-December. She had surgery on her bile ducts before Christmas and will start chemo after she has recovered from that. A fellow Rotarian got a calendar out and assigned a night to those of us willing to make dinner for the couple. Our night is tonight and I've been cooking a new soup recipe (to bring over with some fresh french bread) all day.

The Lady's Chicken Noodle Soup
Courtesy of Paula Deen

Stock:
1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) fryer chicken, cut up
3 1/2 quarts water
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
3 chicken bouillon cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soup:
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery, with leafy green tops
2 1/2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup cooking sherry
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional
Seasoning salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crusty French bread, for serving


For the stock: add all ingredients to a soup pot. Cook until chicken is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove and discard bay leaves and onion. You should have approximately 3 quarts of stock. When chicken is cool enough to touch, pick bones clean, discarding bones, skin, and cartilage. Set chicken aside.

For the soup: bring stock back to a boil, add carrots, and cook for 3 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add egg noodles and cook according to directions on package. When noodles are done, add chicken, mushrooms, parsley, sherry and rosemary. Add Parmesan and cream, if using. Cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning, if needed, by adding seasoning salt and pepper.

Super Proposal

I just heard a story on FoxNews about this guy...

Interesting! Gotta love the internet!

Rumors of New Dancing Stars

Rumor has it that Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210), ex-NSYNC member Joey Fatone, Billy Ray Cyrus and Laila Ali (Muhammad's daughter) will be sparticipating in the next Dancing With The Stars season (starting March 19). A girlfriend and I were fortunate enough to attend a taping of the first episode last season and would love to go again!

XLI

Well - it's been decided! Bears vs. Colts for the Super Bowl in Miami - cannot wait for the game!

I look forward to the next two weeks - curious to see what the spread is and who is favored.

I love Vegas during Super Bowl weekend!

Birthday Party = Disaster

My beautiful son (who is 7.5 years old and Autistic for anyone who doesn't know) went to a birthday party for a classmate this afternoon. He's been incredibly excited about it since the minute the invitation arrived. I was excited for him - eager to get him some peer socialization (something we struggle with right now) outside the confines of his classroom.

The party was at a local warehouse that contains huge rooms full of blow-up bounce-house type toys. The place was great - very clean, well-staffed and organized. When we arrived, his eyes started spinning like a cartoon characters' might. He has had a tendency in the past to get easily overwhelmed but we haven't seen him in such a state in months. It's probably something we should've predicted - the excitement and anticipation of what he was about to partake in, the colors (red, purple, yellow, blue and green walls), the noise (children screaming with joy, music) and the brightly-colored mosaic tile floors and carpets were making even the most typical kids explode with excitement.

We stayed for a little while and reminded him about things like visiting the bathroom when necessary, not crying when the party was over and it was time to go, adhering to the rules of the facility etc... He was semi-receptive but definitely eager to break free and get to the fun. After about 10 minutes of watching him jump around like a monkey and feeling comfortable that he was safe and enjoying himself, we decided to take our daughter (6.5 and not invited to said party) out to dinner.

The little party-goers spent 40 minutes in one room with 5-6 play "bounce" areas, 40 minutes in a second room with more fun bounce toys and then the final 40 minutes in a private room for the actual birthday party (pizza, cake, gift-opening etc.).

We returned about 10 minutes into the third (party) session to find our son sweaty, discombobulated, red and crying his eyes out. He was not terribly coherent and obviously overwhelmed. The busy bustle of the party was going on around him as he cried in a heap on the floor. I went to him to find out what was wrong and he said that his balloon had popped. Seconds later, an employee of the company approached him with a replacement. He stood up but contined to cry. When asked why, he replied that he wasn't done playing. I explained that that portion of the party was over (an hour and 20 minutes wasn't enough for him!) and gave him a few minutes to try and re-group. The irrational and uncontrollable tears continued to flow so we decided it was time to leave. He was upset about missing the cake and even said to me at one point that he "knew (he) ruined the party".

..Oh how my heart hurts for this child..

I assured him that he didn't "ruin" anything and that his friends understood. He did not resist our early departure - as much as he might've wanted to stay, I think he knew that he was out of control and could take no more.

We didn't talk about it much after we arrived home as I didn't want to dwell. Perhaps tomorrow we will discuss what happened.

He's almost 8 years old and it's so disheartening to see him doing things that other children did at ages 3, 4 and maybe 5. I've learned that there are lots of things I can help him with (academics, sensory issues, social stories etc.) but what can I do to help him mature?

A few things upset me about tonight. Firstly, it's hard to see him act like that in public. It's been a long time since he has been this out of control. While I'll never enjoy it, I've grown accustomed to the stares and the (mostly) sympathetic looks from other parents and have learned to not let them upset me. (Reminds me of a t-shirt I came across online once that read "My child is Autistic - what's your kids' excuse?" Hah!) More bothersome, was the fact that I think he really realized that his behavior was out-of-the-norm. Until now, he's always been seemingly unaware of his odd behaviors and differences - and it's been a bit of a blessing. He was not oblivious last night, though - he knew nobody else in the room was acting the way he was but he just couldn't control himself.

I hate that for him. I worry about his self esteem and wonder if it might not be time to start talking to him about his Autism - making sure that he understands that certain things he does are not his fault and that a neurological problem he has is to blame. As much as Autism is a part of our lives (in my head and in my heart every minute of every day), it's not something we have ever really discussed specifically or at length with him. How will we know when it's time? What do we say?

SNAP

Finally - my 7.5 year old son can snap his own pants.

Despite years of private occupational therapy (from which he has graduated - hmmm...), he has a number of fine motor problems (zipping, handwriting, buttoning etc.) and has not been able to do his own pants until just recently. He didn't even want to try - getting frustrated after just a few attempts. Over Christmas break, though, he showed initiative - wanting to do it himself (despite being thin enough to pull up most of his pants without even un-doing them). It took a few days but his little fingers have finally figured it out. Now, he will un-do and re-do them ad nauseum - he's so proud and we are too.

I hate that things that come so easily to my daughter (and other "typical" children) are always such a struggle for him. Boy do we celebrate as a family when he passes another milestone, though - no matter how "late" it is!

We're hoping to tackle shoe-tying next...

Brrrr!

California is in the midst of a major deep-freeze at the moment. We've had temps in the 20's every night for a week - breaking 20-40 year old records. Every morning, we are waking to stories of burst (frozen) pipes at area restaurants, homes and apartment complexes and the devastation to local citrus crops has been horrendous. I read somewhere that citrus in California is a $1 billion/year business and estimates are that 80% or more of crops have been destroyed.

The temperatures haven't bothered me as much as I'd have thought. I do worry constantly about my next PG&E bill (I'm conservative with the heater in our home but gas prices are high here right now) and, at night, I wake with every little sound - wondering if one of our pipes is getting ready to burst. The kids (neither of whom are accustomed to such temperatures) haven't minded much either. They'd love for some snow to accompany the cold weather but we haven't seen a single flake!

This is just going to make the arrival of Spring that much sweeter!

Heartbreaking

Nikki Bacharach, daughter of Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson, committed suicide, the songwriter and actress said in a statement Friday.

Nikki Bacharach, 40, suffered from Asperger's Disorder, a form of autism. She killed herself Thursday night at her condo, said Linda Dozoretz, a spokeswoman for the family.

"She quietly and peacefully committed suicide to escape the ravages to her brain brought on by Asperger's," the statement said.

Nikki Bacharach died of suffocation using a plastic bag and helium, said Mike Feiler of the Ventura County coroner's office.

Born prematurely in 1966, Lea Nikki Bacharach studied geology at Cal Lutheran University, but could not pursue a career in the field because of poor eyesight.

"She loved kitties, and earthquakes, glacial calving, meteor showers, science, blue skies and sunsets, and Tahiti," the statement said.

Nikki Bacharach was the only child of Burt Bacharach, 77, and Dickinson, 75, who were married from 1965 to 1981.

It was the second marriage for both Bacharach, the Oscar-winning composer of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," and "What the World Needs Now is Love," and Dickinson, star of the film "Dress to Kill" and the TV show "Police Woman."

Bacharach has three children from other marriages.

No More 25-Cent Martini Lunches!

From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

In a day of surprise announcements, Mandalay Bay said it plans to close "Mamma Mia!" in late summer of 2008, and Commander's Palace, a spinoff of the New Orleans fine dining icon, said it will shut down Jan. 16.

"Mamma Mia!" is the third Broadway production to call it quits in Las Vegas, but the ABBA-based show will have lasted 5 1/2 years and 2,300 performances. "Avenue Q" lasted nine months at Wynn Las Vegas; "Hairspray" had a four-month run at Luxor.

It was not immediately clear whether Commander's Palace, which opened shortly after the new Aladdin's rebirth in 2000, was heading for another location, as rumored. Chef Carlos Guia confirmed the imminent closure of Commander's Palace in an e-mail.

Also announced Thursday, but not unexpected, was Celine Dion's end date at Caesars Palace. Her 4 1/2-year run will end Dec 15.

I've seen Mamma Mia! and am not upset (or surprised) about the fact that it's closing. I'm absolutely crushed about the closing of Commander's Palace, though! It is THE most amazing, wonderful restaurant - I love everything about it and am certainly hoping that it will just be relocating and not leaving the city completely. I have wonderful memories of their 25-cent martini lunches from the past 2 Summers. It's something we look forward to all year long!

Vegas-bound

We are going for the Super Bowl again this year. We did it a few years ago and had a blast. We're staying at Caesar's Palace this time. I'd hoped to see Celine Dion - she announced recently that her show there will be ending later this year - it appears that she is not going to be performing the weekend we're there, though - bummer. I hope the Bears make it through the playoffs to the Super Bowl. If they do, of course, my husband will have to make a decision between Vegas and Miami for the weekend!

Are you KIDDING me?!

Right after Thanksgiving, a neighbor of ours began preparing for what was obviously going to be quite a large holiday party. We live in a neighborhood where large parties (political fundraisers, company parties etc.) are thrown frequently and it's not uncommon to see rental companies, caterers etc. driving up and down the street. Preparations for this particular get-together, however, were the likes of which I have never seen before. They started the Monday after Thanksgiving and continued all week long - dozens of trucks and vans daily handling tent installation, generator set-up, decorating... Most of the companies (rental agencies, party planners) were from Los Angeles - a bit unusual - and I drove by every day just dying of curiousity. I had hopes that the resident (new to the neighborhood) would kindly invite his neighbors (customary, isn't it?) - but no such luck.

The party was held on Saturday December 2nd. We saw a tour bus with music equipment pull up and unload early in the day and then limousines, caterers (Wolfgang Puck) and VIP transport/protection busses later on. We had tickets to a Lakers/Clippers game that evening so we missed out on the actual event. When we returned home just before midnight, things were breaking up and we never did hear what exactly went on.

I had mentioned the party to the lady who does my nails at my appointment in mid-December and she was as curious as I was. At my next appointment - just after Christmas - she couldn't wait to tell me that she had spoken with a client who was there (or was it a client who knew someone that was there?)! Apparently, the story was that the music guest at the party that night was none other than INXS - a band I have loved and followed since I was in high school! I didn't believe her at first - it was just too bizarre. The more I thought about it, though, the more plausible it seemed. They were back in the U.S. after touring in Europe - even in California on the Thursday before (House of Blues) and in Indio (2 hours from here) on Friday just the night before. I came home (stunned) and did a bit of research. I couldn't find any specifics but it was common knowledge on a few of the online fan bulletin boards that they were at an "invitation only private party" Saturday night.

Oh. My. God.

What are the chances of that?!

J.D. Fortune, Kirk Pengilly, Garry Beers, and Tim, Andrew and Jon Farriss - right across the street from my house! And I wasn't there! I will forever be annoyed by that fact... Note to self: GET TO KNOW THY NEIGHBOR!

Year In Review - 2006

The Week In-Between

Our Christmas was wonderful. The kids had fun leaving cookies and milk (as well as "reindeer food" (dry oats & red glitter!)) out for Santa and his crew Christmas Eve and they enjoyed a fantastic Christmas day. I'd been working my tail off to get as many things done ahead of time that I possibly could - in hopes of actually sitting down and enjoying some rest on Christmas day. It was all for naught, however, as I literally did not stop moving from 6 AM until I collapsed on a heap on the couch at 6:30 PM (with a fever, chills and body aches - oi!). The meal turned out wonderful and the company was great.

The kids each received a new set of golf clubs (which we are going to get out and put to use as soon as my daughter and I are feeling better!). The family got a Playstation (2 - not 3) - our first video game system since the early 90's. We are enjoying it so much! Other well-received gifts include an Easy Bake Oven, a Marble Racer, various Hot Wheel cars and accessories, a whole slew of Disney's Ariel dolls as well as clothes, Leapster games, books and a few new DVD's.

I'm not planning anything huge for New Year's... We will have a few friends over for drinks. Baked Potato Cheese Soup, homemade bread and cheesecake are the only things I'm planning on making.

I can't believe it's time to say goodbye to yet another year!

Holiday Menu

We are once again having Christmas dinner here and I thought it'd be fun to post my menu. I'll put up recipes in case anyone is interested as time permits.

Breakfast: Made-To-Order Omelettes (a la Daddy!)

Appetzers: Spanakopita, Onion Tartlets, Pita Chips & Greek Feta Cheese Dip, Meatballs

Dinner: Homemade Cranberry Sauce, Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding, Homemade Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Spinach

Dessert: Pecan Pie, Individual Chocolate Molten Cakes

(Then - back to the gym on Tuesday!)

Happy Holidays!

Autism Speaks 2006 - Ornament

"The 2006 Autism Speaks Holiday Ornament (seen at left) is available from Bloomingdale's online and in selected Bloomingdale's stores. Autism Speaks will receive 40% of the proceeds from the sale of the item."

Live Lobster!

Now - I love lobster as much as the next guy and I have ordered food through the mail (a la Omaha Steaks) and admit to have been extremely pleased with my purchases. I think I would absolutely FREAK OUT, though, if I were ever to receive a LIVE lobster in the mail as a gift!

Lost Dad Found Dead In Wilderness

This story is incredibly sad. I was hoping against hope that James would be found alive - how tragic.

James and Kati

Update On Us

Crazy time of year...

I apologize (to anyone who cares) that I haven't been updating very regularly!

Let's see... When I last posted, my husband had just survived his first colonoscopy. I'm happy to report that all is well. One polyp was removed but a biopsy found it to be benign. He's free and clear for another 5-10 years and is very thankful that the test will not be something that is required on an annual basis. He agrees with what we'd read beforehand - that the preparation the day and night before is much worse than the procedure itself. Thanks to some wonderful medicinal help, he felt no pain (during or afterwards) and woke up from the whole thing with no memory of it whatsoever!

Our Thanksgiving was nice. We spent a few hours at a local Rescue Mission serving meals to local homeless before going to my Mother's for an early dinner. It was a great experience. I think it's safe to say that all 4 of us (even the children - young as they are) gained something from it. We've decided to make it an annual part of our Thanksgiving. It was emotional and a lot of work - but worth it. I urge anyone who reads this to look into helping out Rescue Missions in their area. I had no idea that many of these places serve not just meals on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas - but 3 meals a day 365 days a year!

The kids are doing well in school. They're actually doing incredible at school. I'm so proud of both of them. I'm starting to notice more obvious differences between my (Autistic) son and his peers and that's had me down recently - but we knew those differences were going to start becoming more evident sooner or later. Most of his issues right now are socially, I'd say. He's so awkward and has an air of immaturity about him that most of the kids in 1st grade are growing out of. He's such a sweetheart and, God bless him, is keeping up with the academics better than I ever dreamed he would. I want the world for him and try to be thankful for his srides and accomplishments and not dwell on the things he struggles with.

We're not certain yet but we migh be taking the kids on a trip to Disney World next June for their 7th and 8th birthdays. So exciting! We actually have a few potential trips in the works for 2007... Every year, my husband attends an industry convention and takes me with him. This year, it took us to Orlando. In 2007, it'll be Las Vegas so I'm excited about that. It's over Super Bowl weekend too - we love Vegas for the Super Bowl! We're also contemplating a long-weekend cruise (just the 2 of us) in early March.

I can't promise that I'll update daily for the remaining of 2006 but I will try to be better. Christmas is 3 weeks from today - that blows my mind! 2007 is almost here!

Goodbye, Greg!

I'm so glad my kids don't follow The Wiggles as much as they used to - they'd be heartbroken!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are taking the children to a Rescue Mission today to help serve a meal. It's the first time we've ever done this with them and, at 6 and 7, I'm not 100% certain that they're at an appropriate age. We're going to give it a shot, though, as we both feel it is important for them to start understanding that not all people are as fortunate as they are.

Afterwards, we will head to my Mother's house for football and, of course, some over-indulging of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

O.J. to discuss killings

LOS ANGELES - Fox plans to broadcast an interview with O.J. Simpson in which the former football star discusses "how he would have committed" the slayings of his ex-wife and her friend, for which he was acquitted, the network said.

The two-part interview, titled "O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened," will air Nov. 27 and Nov. 29, the TV network said.

Simpson has agreed to an "unrestricted" interview with book publisher Judith Regan, Fox said.

"O.J. Simpson, in his own words, tells for the first time how he would have committed the murders if he were the one responsible for the crimes," the network said in a statement. "In the two-part event, Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders he has vehemently denied committing for over a decade."

The interview will air days before Simpson's new book, "If I Did It," goes on sale Nov. 30. The book, published by Regan, "hypothetically describes how the murders would have been committed."

In a video clip on the network's Web site, an off-screen interviewer says to Simpson, "You wrote 'I have never seen so much blood in my life.'"

"I don't think any two people could be murdered without everybody being covered in blood," Simpson responds.

Simpson, who now lives in Florida, was acquitted in a criminal trial of the 1994 killings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. Simpson was later found liable in 1997 in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Goldman family.

Messages left with Simpson and his attorney Yale Galanter were not immediately returned.

My Lord - does the man have no shame?! This makes me ill.

"Hypothetically"? Hah! I, personally, am of the belief that he knows exactly how those two people were murdered.

Is Fox paying him for this interview? Is he getting paid for writing the book??

Flu Shots and Mercury

From The National Autsm Association:

Most Americans Surprised, Concerned that 90 Percent of Flu Shots Contain the Toxin Mercury

Health Officials' Aggressive Flu Shot Campaign May Disregard Safety, According to Survey of 9,000 Americans

74 Percent of Respondents Unaware Flu Shots Contain Mercury, 78 Percent Disagree with CDC About Vaccinating Pregnant Women and Children

PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- As health officials step up their effort to vaccinate Americans against the flu, a new survey suggests serious concerns over the toxin mercury, an ingredient in over 90 percent of this season's flu shot supply. PutChildrenFirst.org, a parent-led organization advocating vaccine safety, commissioned a survey of over 9,000 Americans to learn their plans for getting flu shots, their knowledge of its ingredients, and who they hold responsible for making sure vaccines are safe.
The survey revealed that the overwhelming majority of Americans were unaware that most flu shots contain mercury and that they would refuse a shot with mercury. (See page two for the key findings.)

"More than 75 percent of Americans feel a mercury-containing flu shot should not be given to a pregnant woman or a child, despite recommendations from medical authorities to do just that," said Lisa Handley, a founding parent of PutChildrenFirst.org. Her own son, Jamison, had an adverse reaction to a flu shot containing mercury in 2003. "I know firsthand how life-changing a flu shot with mercury can be, since our son began his regression into autism after his flu shot."

In 1999, government agencies called for the removal of Thimerosal, the mercury-based preservative in most vaccines. Then, in 2001, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that, "mercury in all of its forms is toxic to the fetus and children, and efforts should be made to reduce exposure to the extent possible to pregnant women and children as well as the general population." Despite these actions, 90 percent of this season's flu vaccines still contain Thimerosal, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are recommending the vaccine for pregnant women and children six months and older.

These recommendations come on the heels of recent studies that reveal new findings about the neurological effects of mercury and question the effectiveness of flu shots. Mercury, the second most toxic element after plutonium, is estimated to be 500 to 1,000 times more toxic than lead.

"A common myth is that Thimerosal is added to vaccines in 'trace' amounts," said Mike Wagnitz, who has over 20 years experience evaluating materials for mercury and is employed as a senior chemist with the University of Wisconsin. "The concentration of mercury in a multi-dose flu vaccine vial is 50,000 parts per billion. To put this in perspective, drinking water cannot exceed 2 parts per billion of mercury, and waste is considered hazardous if it has only 200 parts per billion. Is it really safe then to inject pregnant women, newborns, and infants with levels of mercury 250 times higher than what is legally classified as hazardous waste?"

Agreeing that mercury has no place in vaccines, seven states have passed Thimerosal bans in recent years: California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New York, and Washington. California is the first to have implemented the ban for the current flu season, but Governor Schwarzenegger temporarily overturned the ban on November 2 after a shortage of mercury-free flu shots led to pressure from state medical groups.

"Parents need to be informed about all aspects of their children's healthcare, including vaccines," said Deirdre Imus, President and founder of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center and co-founder and co-director, with husband Don Imus, of The Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer. "It doesn't make common sense to inject Thimerosal, a known neurotoxin, into the bloodstream of our babies."

This fall, two studies were published in leading medical journals admitting that limited data exists to support the effectiveness of flu shots. One study, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, noted that, "there is scant data on the efficacy and effectiveness of influenza vaccine in young children."

"So, not only is the flu shot's effectiveness in doubt, there is plenty of evidence revealing the devastating effects of mercury," said J.B. Handley, Lisa's husband and a founder of PutChildrenFirst.org. "Our health authorities are not being forthcoming about mercury's presence in shots and its toxicity to the nervous system. Our children deserve better."

"With everything we know about the dangers of mercury and the havoc it can wreak on young, developing brains, there is no excuse for any vaccine to contain mercury," said Lyn Redwood, RN, MSN, President of SafeMinds, a nonprofit committed to ending mercury-induced neurological disorders. "The survey reveals that Americans are overwhelmingly in the dark about what is in most flu shots. They do not want a known neurotoxin injected into their children, and they believe Congress and medical professionals must be more vigilant about keeping vaccines safe and mercury-free."

Key findings from the poll, conducted October 27-30 by Zogby International, include:

* 74 percent of respondents are unaware that most flu shots contain
mercury.
* After learning that mercury is an ingredient, 74 percent are less likely
to get a flu shot and 86 percent of parents say they are less likely to
get their child a flu shot.
* 78 percent of respondents believe mercury should not be an ingredient in
flu shots given to pregnant women and children.
* 73 percent believe the government should warn pregnant women not to get
a flu shot if it contains mercury.
* More than 70 percent agree that Congress, doctors and medical groups
(e.g., the American Academy of Pediatrics) should take responsibility
for ensuring that vaccines do not contain mercury.
* 80 percent of respondents and 82 percent of parents are willing to pay
the $2.50 additional cost for a mercury-free flu shot.

PutChildrenFirst.org is a parent-led initiative advocating vaccine safety and a division of Generation Rescue, a nonprofit organization providing parents with information on the relationship between mercury and its relationship to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Generation Rescue gives parents information to make informed decisions about treatment options and physicians. Generation Rescue is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit founded in 2005.

Bringing Up The Rear

My poor husband... He's spent he whole evening "preparing" for his very first colonoscopy tomorrow. His doctor has been urging him to have one done since he turned 50 last yea and tomorrow is the big day. Wish him (us!) luck!

Oh boy...

Almost a month since my last post? Where does the time go? October was a busy month for us with the school's jog-a-thon, Halloween preparations and parties, trick-or-treating and class celebrations. I'd like to say that November should be slower but I know it won't be! Thanksgiving and then, of course, Christmas, will be here before we know it.

The kids enjoyed trick-or-treating this year. My daughter was a genie and my son was a race-car driver. (Both costumes were from Gymboree and just adorable.) The kids were so cute - bubbling with excitement and absurdly thankful for every last piece of anything that was tossed into their trick-or-treat buckets. It's not my favorite holiday - but the little ones certainly enjoy it!

I've been busy preparing for something I hope to do well with on eBay... I've started making bracelets for little girls! I've researched a lot and have taken my time in learning and have found that I really enjoy this. I'm using only quality findings - glass beads (no plastic), Swarovski crystals, Grade A cat's eye beads and sterling silver (not silver plated) spacers and clasps. I'm going to start blogging about the iems I create soon and will post information here on that. Wish me luck!

The children finished their first quarter of 1st grade (already) and both received fantastic report cards. I'm so proud. They both have to work very hard to keep up with the math but their reading is coming along wonderfully. It's so much fun to witness them learn and grow!

I'm enjoying the heck out of my primetime television shows this Fall. Studio 60 is so incredible - it ticks me off that there is talk of it getting cancelled already. I wish the network would give it more time. I agree with the TV Guide writer who said that it might be "too smart a show" for people. They're talking about replacing it with Deal Or No Deal for heaven's sake. Gag! It's brilliantly written (Studio 60) and the acting is just amazing. I'll be sad to see it go. Amazing Race has been fun as has Survivor. I, of course, am loving Grey's Anatomy. What fun, last week, to learn that Dr. McDreamy has a McSister! I'm unsure about the way Dr. Burke's injury storyline is going but trust Shonda Rhimes and am trying to be patient. (Interesting gossip about Isaiah Washington's behavior on-set, isn't there?) I wsn't surprised when TR Knight "came out" a few weeks ago and was pleased to learn that he is apparently seeing an actor from another favorite new show of mine - Brothers & Sisters!

Internet Safety

John Walsh has teamed up with Julie Aigner-Clark (of the Baby Einstein phenomena) to create a new DVD that wil be available tomorrow. It is geared towards helping families (parents and children) learn about internet safety. I hope that all of my friends with school-age children consider picking it up and watching it with their kids!

Sunday Update

Wow - where did the week go? Things have been so busy around here...

(Ugh - as I'm typing this - first word is coming out that North Korea may have conducted its first nuclear test...)

We had a nice weekend at home. We kept busy but had no dinners, appointments or functions to go to. We enjoyed just relaxing at home with the kids. We baked a fantastic new bread recipe (see below), worked in the yard a bit and decorated the house and the porch for Halloween.

We watched the California gubernatorial debate and did paint touch-ups in and around the house. I enjoyed the Fox News 10-year anniversary shows today while ironing and the kids watched Willie Wonka (for just the 27th time). You gotta love Johnny Depp in that one... After the children went to bed last night, my husband and I caught up on some of the many television shows that we've had on the DVR for the past few weeks. We watched 3 episodes of ER (amazingly great show!), 2 episodes of Jericho (which we are warming up to) and 2 episodes of one of my favorite new shows - Studio 60. WOW is that a fantastic show. I'm a huge fan of Bradley Whitford and, like with West Wing, Aaron Sorkin has managed to do it again - the guy is a genius.

I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about possibly working part-time. I haven't had an "official" job in years (and the thought of resumes, applications and interviews makes my skin crawl) but still feel like I have some useful skills that could be put to good use. Even though the kids are in school 6 hours/day, I'd really prefer to do something from home or, at the least, something very flexible. (I don't want to give up the gym or volunteering in the kids' classrooms 2 days/week.) Two things I've contemplated haven't quite worked out. I have another two that I'm still working on. I'll post when (if!) there is news to share!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

3 cups white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 1 pound size coffee cans, or three 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill cans 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from cans or pans.

Happy 51st, Sweetheart!

The Day Fire

A fire being called 'The Day Fire' has been burning about an hour away from us since Labor Day. We were driving home from the NASCAR race in Fontana on the day it began and -fortunately - made it home just a few hours before the fire temporarily closed Interstate 5. (We've had to worry about freeway closures every time we've driven into L.A. this month - every time the wind changes, I-5 is threatened!)

They are saying that the fire is the largest and longest-burning in the history of the state. As of today, the fire has burned 144,884 acres and is 42% contained.

My husband was surprised to find his new car (a gorgeous, black 2007 Chevy Corvette) covered in ash yesterday evening but the smoke has made for some incredible sunsets over the past few nights...

Golf Legnd Byron Nelson Dies

He retired from golf at age 34 (after winning a record 11 consecutive tournaments in a row - somethig even Tiger hasn't done (yet!)).

Matt WHO?

What do these two men have in common? Not a whole heck of a lot... Their last names (Damon and Craven) do sound a lot alike, though - especially when spoken over a cell-phone on a windy day at the golf course...

Finally!

I've been waiting for Grey's Anatomy to start ever since the season finale last season. I'm so excited that tonight is finally the night! I've waited all Summer for the answers to my questions...

Will Izzie really leave Seatte Grace? Will He-Shepherd finally leave She-Shepherd for his true-love, Meredith? Will the handsome Dr. Burke be able to operate again? Will Christina stay at his side if he is unable to? Will Dr. McSteamy grace us with his presence again?

How many hours until it's 9 PM???

Knee Pads

Both of our kids were invited to a birthday party this afternoon - a rollerskating party. Sounds like fun, right? Unfortunately, neither of my kids has ever even touched a pair of roller skates - much less tried to maneuver a busy rink with them on their feet! They were both eager and willing to try, though - such troopers. Much to my dismay, 95% of the other kids were zipping around like little maniacs on theirs - while my kids frantically and hysterically tried to simply keep their balance. We did roller skates initially but someone suggested we switch to roller blades and the kids seemed to prefer them. It wasn't pretty - I won't lie - but in just the 90 minutes we were out there, I have to say that we did see marked improvement! More impressive than that was my son's determination. He definitely lags behnd his peers in the gross motor department - but he did not want to give up - he was determined to master them! He asked (and asked and asked and asked) for his own pair and we have decided to get them both some. I wanted to wait until Christmas (thinking they'd make a great Santa gift) but the kid wants them yesterday... Off to the sporting-goods store this weekend!

9th Annual AFI Golf Classic

Like last year, my husband will be golfing in the 9th Annual AFI Golf Classic again next week. It's being held at Trump National this year - it'll be his 2nd opportuity to golf at that fabulous course. He won't find out which celebrity he'll be playing with until that morning - he'd love the chance to play with Ray again!

Dancing

My husband surprised me last week with VIP tickets to a taping of Dancing With The Stars! My girlfriend and I are going this afternoon and we can't wait. Contestants this season include Vivica A. Fox, Joey Lawrence, Emmitt Smith, Jerry Springer, Mario Lopez, Sara Evans, Monique Coleman, Tucker Carlson, Willa Ford, Harry Hamlin and Shanna Moakler - should be a blast!

And - just for fun - take a look at the Vegas odds for the dancers! (My bet is that those will change a bit based on last nights' performances!)

Never Forget

The almost 3,000 people who died 5 years ago today and their families are on my mind...
I know I will never forget.

Fontana Fun

We survived our weekend at the races! We came home early Monday (missing most of the Labor Day traffic, thankfully) - tired and with our ears and heads still buzzing. The kids had a great time and I have to admit - I did too! The whole experience was much more enjoyable than I thought it'd be. The only bad thing about the weekend was the temperatures - it was hot as holy hell out there with little to no shade and blacktop everywhere. I was terribly thankful for the suite (and the air-conditioning) - which I did not venture out of often! My son (a NASCAR enthusiast and the main reason we decided to go) had an incredible time and we loved seeing him enjoy himself so much.

If The Rumors Are True...

...and Storm Large was kicked off of Rock Star : SUPERNOVA this morning, I'm going to be so sad! I've grown to adore her this Summer. I don't know if she was a perfect match for Tommy, Gilby and Jason, frankly, but hate to see her leave regardless. She's amassed quite a fan base during her run on the show and I have no doubt that she'll go far. My hubby and I have both agreed that we'd pay to see her perform! GO STORM!

Father's Age May Play Role In Autism

There was an interesting new AP story out yesterday regarding a possible correlation between a Father's age and the occurrence of Autism.

NASCAR: Here We Come

Tomorrow, my family and I will be attending our first NASCAR Race. I'm not exactly a NASCAR kind of person - knowing next to nothing about the sport at all until about a year ago. My 7-year old son has somehow become quite an enthusiast and since this weekends' race is here in California (at the California Speedway in Fontana), we've decided to take him down for it. If you ask him who his favorite is, he'll tell you "orange Home Depot #20 - Tony Stewart". Cracks me up. I'm going with an open mind - not sure if I'll like it or not but eager to experience it (at least once) nonetheless. My daughter feels the way I do - she is definitely pleased that Kelly Clarkson will be there as Grand Marshall, though!

We will be in the Team Chevrolet suite which is, from what I hear, quite spectacular. We look forward to seeing Jim Belushi perform as well as checking out the Chalet Village and my husband and son cannot wait to make good use of the pit passes they have!

Lost my iPod!

I'm so annoyed... I have (rather - had) a little iPod Shuffle that my husband won as a tee-prize at a golf tournament a year and a half ago and gave to me. I never dreamed I'd want one until I actually started using it - I grew to love it! Unfortunately, it was lost somehow last week. I had it Monday (at the gym) but couldn't find it Wednesday when I went. I've checked my car, purse, lost-and-found at the gym... It has simply fallen off the face of the earth!

My hubby - bless his soul - took pity upon me (he knows how attached I was to it) and has ordered me a new one. This time, I'm getting a regular iPod - the 60GB one that holds not only music, but podcasts, pictures and up to 150 videos as well! I'm such a lucky girl...

Update: When things fall off the face of the earth, they apparently fall into my laundry room. A day and a half after my Shuffle disappeared, that's where I found it! I brought it in from the car Monday - wanting to add a few newly-downloaded songs onto it - and set it down in there for some reason... Mystery solved!

1st Few Days Of 1st Grade

Monday August 21 was the first day of school for my kids. They were so excited about going. I was excited for them - anxious about how they'd handle the transtion, though, and the longer days. (Our Kindergarten was only 3 hours - 1st grade is a full 6.) My son had no issues early on - he eagerly ran into his classroom Monday morning, hung up his backpack and started coloring the picture left on his desk by his teacher. No tears, no fear, no clinging... Such a big boy!

My daughter, on the other hand, was a bit more nervous. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, she was placed in a 1st grade class with not one single child she knew. This year, our school had a large influx of children who graduated from a Montessori Kindergarten. Instead of dividing the Montessori kids up and putting 2 or 3 of them in each already-established 1st grade class, a new 1st grade class was created and they were all put in it along with one child from each of our schools' Kindergarten classes last year. (My daughter was the one chosen from her class.) The classroom was unfamiliar - the kids were not known to her - even the teacher was new (hired to teach the class just last Thursday!) and my poor little girl definitely felt out of her element. She put on a brave face and insisted that she was o.k. but her face (especially her eyes) told a different story. I hated leaving her - knowing how uncomfortable she was. She is a great kid, though - well-adjusted, friendly, social and popular... I knew (hoped) it wouldn't be long before she felt better about things. And - in fact - it wasn't long... My best friend (who teaches special-ed Kindergarten at the school) took a picture of her at lunch - happy as a clam with a big smile on her face - and sent it to me to ease my worries.

They both are noticing the longer days. They're exhausted when they get home and asking to go to bed before dinner! Things seem to be going as well as can be expected, though. I know (have heard, anyway) that the transition from Kidergarten to 1st grade is a big one for most. My son did cry a bit Monday afternoon but I was told that half of the class did. Both children are still enjoying it and are excited to go every morning so that's a good thing. I have learned that some of my son's stims (verbal "chirps") are re-surfacing as he copes with the new environment/children/teacher/curriculum/expectations. I cried for 2 hours last night over it. I know it's understandable considering the circumstaces but my heart just hurts for him. I'd like to help him find a more "socially-appropriate" way to regulate his anxety - I just don't know how (or if it's even possible at this age). Poor litle guy...

Both teachers seem to enjoy the children (they are personable little people - even if I do say so myself!) and my son's teacher has commented that she is especially impressed with the reading skills he's showed thus far.

Right now, I just wish I could fast-forward to October!

I was looking into swim lessons, gymnastics, tae kwon do, dance (etc.) for the kids as possible extra-curricular activities but I have decided to hold off for a while until both kids are comfortable and settled in.

Weekend Ramblings

I had a great birthday yesterday. My kids gave me cards (store-bought and homemade) in the morning as well as a bottle of this new cologne I've been wanting. I received a few birthday e-mails and was serenaded with Happy Birthday a few times.

After lunch, we attended a Meet-The-Teacher gathering at the kids' elementary school. We were able to finally meet their 1st grade teachers and check out their new classrooms. In the afternoon my daughter had a girlfriend over to play while my son and I baked peanut-butter cookies.

We had a baby-sitter in the evening and went out for Italian food with my parents and our best friends. My Mom surprised me with a few great gifts - a computer program I'd been wanting (Master Cook Deluxe 9.0) and three books on my Amazon WishList. My sister sent me a lovely bouquet of lillies and our friends brought me a huge basket filled with New Orleans foods (mix for beignets, gumbo, jambalaya and dirty rice) as well as bottle of Bacardi Hurricane Drink Mix and one of Emeril Lagasse's amazing cookbooks. I was completely surprised by my husband with a gorgeous peridot (my birthstone) necklace presented to me just before dinner. He told me that he and our jeweler had been working on it for a while and I absolutely love it - it's not like anything I've ever seen before.

I'm not a fan of getting older but had a rather excellent day regardless!

We did a lot of work in he yard today and took the kids for haircuts before having dinner at The Elephant Bar. Tomorrow (Sunday), we will take it easy and enjoy our last day with the kids before they start the 2006-07 schoolyear. I think we're in for another heat-wave so we'll probably spend most of our day in the pool. It's Hard to believe that the Summer is over already!

Happy Birthday to me!

Your Birthdate: August 18

You are a cohesive force - able to bring many people together for a common cause. You tend to excel in work situations, but you also facilitate a lot of social gatherings too. Beyond being a good leader, you are good at inspiring others. You also keep your powerful emotions in check - you know when to emote and when to repress. Your strength: Emotional maturity beyond your years Your weakness: Wearing yourself down with too many responsibilities Your power color: Crimson red Your power symbol: Snowflake Your power month: September

Other August 18 birthdays...

Actor Edward Norton born 1969
Actor Christian Slater born 1969
Actress Madeleine Stowe born 1958
Actor Patrick Swayze born 1954
Actor Robert Redford born 1937

Happy Anniversary

Those close to me knows how big anniversaries are to me. I celebrate (or, at least, acknowledge) anniversaries of just about everything.

Exactly one year ago today, I wrote my first blog post!

So Long Desktop...

Am I the last person on the planet to trade in her trusty old desktop for a laptop?

When shopping for a new computer a little over a month ago, I headed straight to the area of the store that carried the (goliath) desktop computers. My Best Buy salesguy, however, asked me why I would want a gigantic desktop when a streamlined laptop could do just as much - if not more. I let him pitch me and ended up buying an HP Pavilion notebook and signed up for 3 years of Geek Squad help ("just in case"). We also bought a new HP Officejet All-in-One, the necessary spyware and anti-virus programs and a wireless router. We were online and wireless within a few days! I love it!

Blue Man Group

We saw BMG last August while in Las Vegas (before they moved from The Luxor to The Venetian). It was an unusual but totally enjoyable show. I read this morning that they will be making appearances on the NBC Show America's Got Talent both tomorrow (Wednesday) night and Thursday night.

They are also going to be on tour this Fall. We hope to see them at The Arrowhead Pond in November for their How To Be A Megastar 2.0 show.

Edited to add: I did not see whether or not they were on Wednesday's show but I did manage to see them do Baba O'Reiley (by The Who) on Thursday - loved it!

Fallin' Asleep At The Wheel Again, Baby...

Tuesday August 8 - Tuesday afternoon, we packed up our car and headed east to Vegas for our annual anniversary trip. Like last year, we went with our best friends. They are so much fun. We stopped at the Bun Boy restaurant in Baker (where the "tallest thermometer in the world" claimed it was 120 degrees!) only to find out that they were "closed for maintenace" so it was gyros and greek salad across the street at The Mad Greek instead. We pulled up to The Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino at about 8 PM and checked into our rooms. At 9, we met in our friends' room for Jagermeister (and chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne - an anniversary tradition our friends started last year) while we watched the episode of Rock Star : Supernova that we attended the taping of last weekend. Once that was over, we went down for dinner (and more drinks) at the Micro Brewery Pub. We gambled a bit (slots, roulette and blackjack) and were back in our rooms and asleep by 1 AM.

Wednesday August 9 - We had a leisurely morning, enjoying our Starbucks and playing roulette while the guys attended a Craps lesson at the hotel. Once they were finished, we walked down the strip to The Aladdin Hotel for lunch and shopping. We had heard about the 25-cent martinis they have for lunch at The Commander's Palace and planned on taking full advantage of that. The restaurant was amazing. The martinis were incredible and the food was great. It's probably the closest I'll ever get to real New Orleans cuisine. We had (aside from the martinis) pecan crusted catfish, boudin blanc, beignets...

Feeling no pain, we rolled out of there and decided it was time to shop. We've been to the Desert Passages before and really like it. Where else can you shop and drink beer, Jello shots and/or Everclear all at the same time?!

After a day filled with indulging, we (somehow!) ended up at Caesar's Palace and had a late dinner (and lots of water) at The Cheesecake Factory before heading back to our hotel at around midnight.

Thursday August 10 - The guys had a 5:45 AM tee-time at Las Vegas National Golf Club so they were up and on their way early. My girlfriend and I met at 9:30 AM for Starbucks before heading to the gym and spa for massages. After another Craps lesson and some roulette, we all met up for lunch at the Micro Brewery Pub again and then drove over to the Fashion Show Mall for more shopping. In hindsight, my girlfriend and I should've gone and left our (exhausted) husbands at the hotel to nap. We were back in our rooms around 5 PM and spent a few hours recuperating and napping. At 8:30 PM, we walked over to the MGM Grand and had drinks and appetizers at The Studio Cafe before heading over to see La Femme. (My first nudie show!) We all enjoyed it - it wasn't the best Vegas show I've ever seen (Mystere will always be my favorite, I think) but it was fun. We gambled a bit more back at our hotel and were in bed by 1:30 AM. (My girlfriend and I were, anyway - I don't think our husbands came up until close to 3:30 AM - they discovered the fun of Let It Ride and Texas Hold 'Em!)

Friday August 11 - We packed, retrieved our Starbucks and were on the road by 10 or 11 AM. (Not before stopping at a roulette table one last time and winning another $125 though!) It was, again, a great trip - such a fun way to commemorate our anniversary. We are thinking about going for New Year's Eve later this year - in all of the 15 years we've been travelling to Vegas, we have never been for New Year's. We'll see... We'll certainly be back next February for a convention my husband attends every year - our reservations are already booked - another Super Bowl weekend in Vegas!

Rock Star

We went into L.A. for another Rock Star : Supernova taping today. We left early and headed straight for The Cheesecake Factory at The Grove. We enjoyed Godiva cheesecake and lemon drop martinis (the lunch of champions?) before heading over to the studio. We were there earlier than we were last time but could tell right away that things were "different". We were told by a P.A. almost immediately that they couldn't guarantee anyone admission - that the VIP list for the taping was long and they weren't sure how many more they could fit on set. (We later realized that it was some type of "family day" - Storm's Father, Ryan's girlfriend/significant other, Lukas' possi etc. were all present.) We did end up making it in - but we were in the very last group of 20 allowed to do so and didn't get in until - literally - two minutes before the first performance began. We were in the balcony this time - the suspended balcony - what a trip that was - yikes! Here is my (brief) summary of the songs and performances...

Dilana - Won't Get Fooled Again (The Who) - Loved it. Gilby played with her - they sang together (no humping!) - sharing a microphone and it all just seemed so "natural". She's a strong contender in my mind.

Jill - Mother Mother (Tracy Bonham) - She's such a pretty girl and she looked so good on the TV's in the studio... Her vocals, though, just do nothing for me. I always feel like she's screaming her head off - not singing.

Ryan - Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones) - Trippy and dramatic performance. I loved it! Dark, hairy hooded sweatshirt, black eyeshadow on his face... Killer.

Storm - We Are the Champions (Queen) - She was gorgeous and sang what I think is a difficult song fantastically well. I just love her. I still don't know if I see her singing for these guys - but I love her.

Zayra - All the Young Dudes (David Bowie/Mott the Hoople) - Holy crap. Miss Z came out in a skin-tight (we're talking painted on) gold lame one-piece outfit, what must've been 6" black stripper heels and a black top-hat. Wild, wild, wild. Like with Jill - her vocals just never do anything for me. She's fun to watch, though, and definitely provides "entertainment". Magni accompanied her on guitar.

Josh - Interstate Love Song (Stone Temple Pilots) - I like Josh but I have to admit that I am in the camp that believes he sounds a bit like Kermit the Frog... Usually. I loved how he sounded live tonight though - such a good song too. He's adorable and definitely has an audience - I'm just not so sure it's a Supernova audience. Tommy Lee surprised everyone by jumping up and asking if he could accompany him on drums. I think it was spontaneous too - his kit wasn't there - he just jumped onto Nate's... What a thrill to see him perform!

Magni - The Dolphin's Cry (Live) - Excellent. This was my husbands' favorite of the night.

Patrice - Instant Karma (John Lennon) - I liked it! She was strapped to her guitar again but did try to work the stage a bit anyway. I think her voice is great and I'd pay to see her sing... Again, though, I'm not sure I see her fronting this particular band.

Lukas - Creep (Radiohead) - What a great performance - vocals (he opened his mouth!), the House Band, the lighting... He redeemed himself BIG-TIME after his sub-par song last week. Wow. Lukas was incredible and has my vote for the encore Wednesday night. He's still my #1 pick to win this thing!

Toby - Burning Down the House (Talking Heads) - I hadn't heard that song in years - what fun! The performance was enjoyable for me - until he pulled a megaphone (draped in an Aussie flag) out! Ugh - been there, done that - saw it last season.

Listening To Today...

Rafael Moreira is an amazing musician. Listen to clips from his musical CD titled Acid Guitar. Don't be turned off by the name - I wouldn't classify any of the tracks as "acid". They're beautiful - melodic, jazzy - addictive!

11 Years

Today is the 11th anniversary of the day I married my husband. We will celebrate next week with a few days in Vegas.

We met in the Fall of 1991 and began dating in the Spring of 1992. We moved in together 6 months (to the day!) after our 1st date and were then married in Las Vegas (at Treasure Island) 3 years later. We've been blessed with 2 beautiful and very special children. Life is good!

You know who you are...

Come on out and POST A COMMENT TO ME! Nobody here bites! You can stay anonymous if you want to - pretty please...

The Toothless Wonder

The Tooth Fairy was busy at our house last weekend! My kids lost three teeth (and gained three dollars) in just two days! My son lost one Friday night (his 7th) and my daughter lost her 3rd and 4th on Saturday and Sunday. Much like her brother almost exactly one year ago, she is now sporting the crazed jack-o-lantern look. (School pictures should be fun this year!)