Friday, May 16, 2008

Capture Cincinnati!

Is Back!!! Go Vote for me!





Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons.

The other day I had Stacey outside playing with her chalk. I couldn't help but to try a more "artistic" approach.




I just realized that this is the first picture I have posted on here that was taken with my new camera. My Nikon D80! I LOVE IT!!!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Just a Mom?

A WOMAN, RENEWING HER DRIVER'S LICENSE AT THE COUNTYCLERK'S OFFICE,
WAS ASKED BY THE WOMAN RECORDER TO STATE HER OCCUPATION.

SHE HESITATED, UNCERTAIN HOW TO CLASSIFY HERSELF.

'WHAT I MEAN IS, ' EXPLAINED THE RECORDER,
'DO YOU HAVE A JOB OR ARE YOU JUST A ...?'

'OF COURSE I HAVE A JOB,' SNAPPED THE WOMAN.

'I'M A MOM.'

'WE DON'T LIST 'MOM' AS AN OCCUPATION, 'HOUSEWIFE' COVERS IT,'
SAID THE RECORDER EMPHATICALLY.

I FORGOT ALL ABOUT HER STORY UNTIL ONE DAY I FOUND MYSELF IN THE SAME
SITUATION, THIS TIME AT OUR OWN TOWN HALL.
THE CLERK WAS OBVIOUSLY A CAREER WOMAN, POISED, EFFICIENT, AND POSSESSED
OF A HIGH SOUNDING TITLE LIKE, 'OFFICIAL INTERROGATOR' OR 'TOWN REGISTRAR.'

'WHAT IS YOUR OCCUPATION?' SHE PROBED.
WHAT MADE ME SAY IT? I DO NOT KNOW.
THE WORDS SIMPLY POPPED OUT.

'I'M A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE IN THE FIELD OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN
RELATIONS.'

THE CLERK PAUSED, BALL -POINT PEN FROZEN IN MIDAIR AND LOOKED UP AS THOUGH
SHE HAD NOT HEARD RIGHT.

I REPEATED THE TITLE SLOWLY EMPHASIZING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WORDS.
THEN I STARED WITH WONDER AS MY PRONOUNCEMENT WAS WRITTEN, IN BOLD, BLACK
INK ON THE OFFICIAL QUESTIONNAIRE.

'MIGHT I ASK,' SAID THE CLERK WITH NEW INTEREST,
'JUST WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR FIELD?'

COOLLY, WITHOUT ANY TRACE OF FLUSTER IN MY VOICE, I HEARD MYSELF REPLY,
'I HAVE A CONTINUING PROGRAM OF RESEARCH, (WHAT MOTHER DOESN'T)
IN THE LABORATORY AND IN THE FIELD, (NORMALLY I WOULD HAVE SAID INDOORS
AND OUT.)
I'M WORKING FOR MY MASTERS, (FIRST THE LORD AND THEN THE WHOLE FAMILY)
AND ALREADY HAVE FOUR CREDITS (ALL DAUGHTERS). OF COURSE, THE JOB IS ONE OF
THE MOST DEMANDING IN THE HUMANITIES, (ANY MOTHER CARE TO DISAGREE?)
AND I OFTEN WORK 14 HOURS A DAY, (24 IS MORE LIKE IT).
BUT THE JOB IS MORE CHALLENGING THAN MOST RUN-OF-THE-MILL CAREERS

AND THE REWARDS ARE MORE OF A SATISFACTION RATHER THAN JUST MONEY.'

THERE WAS AN INCREASING NOTE OF RESPECT IN THE CLERK'S VOICE AS SHE
COMPLETED THE FORM, STOOD UP, AND PERSONALLY USHERED ME TO THE DOOR.

AS I DROVE INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, BUOYED UP BY MY GLAMOROUS NEW CAREER,
I WAS GREETED BY MY LAB ASSISTANTS -- AGES 13, 7, AND 3. UPSTAIRS I COULD
HEAR OUR NEW EXPERIMENTAL MODEL, (A 6 MONTH OLD BABY) IN THE CHILD
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, TESTING OUT A NEW VOCAL PATTERN.
I FELT I HAD SCORED A BEAT ON BUREAUCRACY! AND I HAD GONE ON THE
OFFICIAL RECORDS AS SOMEONE MORE DISTINGUISHED AND INDISPENSABLE TO
MANKIND THAN 'JUST ANOTHER MOM.'

MOTHERHOOD!
WHAT A GLORIOUS CAREER!
ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A TITLE ON THE DOOR.

DOES THIS MAKE GRANDMOTHERS
'SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATES IN THE FIELD OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN
RELATIONS' ?

AND GREAT GRANDMOTHERS 'EXECUTIVE SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATES?'
I THINK SO!!!

I ALSO THINK IT MAKES AUNTS
ASSOCIATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

What have they been feeding her?

So last night Stacey spent the night with Grandma and Grandpa. Today I got an email:

Something a little strange happened here sometime
during the night. I'm at a loss to explain the how
and why, but I think you're going to need to get
a bigger car.

After seeing the picture I have to agree!

Maybe a bus?




(You can click to see the image larger)