Hoodswains Rally w/ Barack Obama

(click to see this 1st picture larger)

There is so much to write it is hard to find the words. The Hoodswain's had an incredible day. Gone is that feeling of being completely alone and out numbered in Texas. Not only did we "Stand" for Barack Obama, but we walked and walked and walked for Obama. We took the train downtown avoiding the deluge of cars trying to see him. It was the freedom train from Plano...packed with like minded people going to see Obama. There was such short notice I was surprised to see so many were able to respond. Quite a day for Democratic Texans and Obamicans alike.

The lines weaved throughout the Reunion Arena parking complex finally turning around at the very top of the complex. Dallas skyline is the backdrop as we snaked our way down into the building...this long line of people happily walking, walking, and walking for Obama. We were lucky enough to actually enter the building and get to see him in person and hear him speak! Over 3 thousand people had to stay outside in an overflow area--talking with several who did just that...they were happy to just be there and had no complaints.

I kept it together--no tears! Quite impressive to our Zoe! She expected me to be waterworks the whole time. What we enjoyed most is the solidarity between every kind of person imaginable: white collar, blue collar, the obviously wealthy, the obviously poor, high heeled & Jesus sandled, conservative dark suited & liberal prairie skirted...& the Hoodswains. All rallying around saving this nation from way too many years of a vegetative state.

On the way home we ate at the Irish Pub near the Angelika. We always enjoy our visits there. The day was inspiring--left us feeling hopeful again and not as cynical as certainly Bruce and I had become. Take 2 Obama's and call me in the morning! Peace out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULES!

Jules turned 3 on February 7th. He had a great day and had a lot to be proud of! He uses the potty with ease...he flys through the air like the greatest of super heroes. We are having so much fun with him. We gave him some new Fireman/Superhero boots which also amazingly double as rain boots! Very handy for all the dangerous situations he may find himself throughout the week. The quilt top on the table is a top Mom made for my cousin Scott. It is so pretty and made a very cheerful table topper for Jules' Birthday surprise. Mom and Dad gave Jules a fire engine that is by far his favorite toy! We gave him Melissa & Doug wooden: curious George puzzle, sandwich making set, fire truck puzzle and a game where you put 4 crazy animals together with the roll of a die. His cake was the Backyardigans (He loves music & this the Backyardigans really deliver).



We all went to eat Spaghetti at a "restaurant" which rounded out a perfect day for Jules. Especially when you factor in not 1 but "2" trips to a park with Poppy!!!! All in all a very good 3rd Birthday. Now I turn 40 on May 23rd...and I want to let everyone know in advance that I expect to do the exact same things on my special day!!! LOL Really though...I will want a little more alcohol & fireman strippers, but the boots are great!

Fixin’ the Kitchen-Update

It is moving along slow & steady. Bruce, (hereto after known as ST), is very thorough & precise in each phase of the project. Pay off…Anxiety-Free Sleep. Good News Everyone! The internet really does make your life easier! ST has used the internet to answer questions of all sorts. With blogs, chatting, FAQ pages, & instruction sites you can explore all aspects of projects & materials. By reading up on each phase ST has managed to avoid most common mistakes & rectify the mistakes that “snuck” through.

Let there be light...Lights are coming along nicely. Flexible tracks are on the way. 2 Murano glass style pendants previously purchased for Mstr bath but unused will hang from track. To defray costs we'll put more spot lights on the track a little later. More can lights will soon go in directly over the sink & in front of the pantry & frigo. Getting all wiring in place is the immediate goal. This picture shows the new window, too! Smaller, cleaner, energy efficient, & get this...acutally opens! Now thats an improvement!

A/C duct will go into newly directed air vents. These were moved back a couple of feet when ST raised the ceiling. The new duct is insulated flexible type that will be so much better! With these things in place…the actual tearing out of the remaining cabinets can be completed. Then all walls can be finished (remaining drywall, taping, mudding--finally painting!!!). Colors in the room are black wood cabinet bases, white/stainless steel/frosted glass upper cabinets, brushed aluminum handles, lighting, shelving, etc. & counters will be some kind of grey speckled w/black & white granite of some kind (covered in next paragraph). Floors will eventually be a light colored wood. We are thinking the walls in this room should be a kind of aqua that feels like sea glass. What shade that will actually be??? Still Searching!?!. The ceiling will be a very luminescent pale almost white shade of same color. That ceiling color will also go down the hall/laundry area on ceiling & walls alike.

The new cabinets are in the house (still in boxes). ST will shift dishwasher to new bar side of U shape kitchen arrangement. This corrects a couple of mistakes the current DW placement has been causing w/kinked drain pipes. Lastly, some kind of counter will be put onto the new base cabinets.

Biggest surprise: kitchen counter choices. Real Estate Fact: You never want to spend more on your house than the value of the property. Most all homes in our price range have Formica counters. To that end, early on ST chose that route feeling the extra money could definitely be better spent in other areas. Actual quotes are showing Formica to cost only slightly less than Granite! That’s how housing markets start to change expectations in what buyers actually buy. Aggrivated that we didn’t really want to spend more than $1500 to $1700 on counters. Sure Granite is nice, looks great on home sale flyer, too. However it does stain & scratch easily. Alternatives: Corian Family and Silestone Family. Both are impervious to stains and scratches but twice to three times more expensive (budget just wont allow). Just when Formica came out with the coolest designs & edge treatment--POW--they now need to reconsider their pricing! We have to pay more for Granite to worry about it holding up. Having said all that--I am excited to see how pretty it will look and we will take care to seal it.

February 5th - Diaper Diaries

Dear Diaper Diary, Feb 5, 2008

I’m going to go ahead and post this Diaper Diary. If you want to read through them, you might go to the first one dated January 25th and come back to this one last...

As of today, he ran to the loo a little late a few times through out and after the official Poo day, but, seems to have a real handle on it now. He goes on his own now and afterwards announces the fabulous outcome. We celebrate--say good bye to the refuse--get stickered up and occasionally when the sticker line is full we get to choose a prize from the dwindling “Prize Bag”. We have started saying, “See Ya, wouldn’t want to Be Ya!” as the official good bye flush. Today we did the switch from the little portable potty to using the big potties with a step stool. He liked getting to use the big potty--so we are "In Like Flynn". I am well impressed with this boy. I am enjoying the freedom from diapers more than I can say! Jules is enjoying the Joy of Independence! He has grown a lot this past week. On Thursday, he turns 3. How fast they grow. I know he owns this accomplishment--Last night, Bruce was telling Jules a good night story that went something along the lines of...Once upon a time there was a little boy named Jules who was a super hero who drove a motorcycle, had lots of animals, went swimming with his friends...and Jules chimed in, "and he peed and pooped on the potty!"

Now, that the potty is conquered, lets see about some part time preschool? I bet Jules would “Fly” there, too. It’s great being a parent. We get to feel Joy in the little things and Great Joy in the Big things! E.T. looks pretty happy, too!

February 1st - Diaper Diaries

Dear Diaper Diary, February 1, 2008

Well, I can’t believe it! Today we had touch down. Yes, that’s right Poo touched down on that well appreciated potty chair! I had to hold back the tears. In reading this from the beginning, I am really surprised it was as difficult as it was and at the same time so easy. He is very proud and there were lots of Huzzahs in the Hoodswain House! He had managed to hold it in all day until 6:09 and I guess even the most rebellious of the rebellious have to go eventually! We had a constant Jules Potty watch. We couldn’t let him sneak off. But, eventually, I saw he just couldn’t hold it in and I ran him in there and Whew! What a relief. Less than a week! Now, I will see if he continues--I will still keep up with reminding or asking if he would like to try to pee or poo.

January 30th - Diaper Diaries

Dear Diaper Diary, January 30, 2008

Well, I let him go to church play time. He wore a pull up (I know…not a good idea) But, I didn’t want to subject a volunteer at church to dealing with dirty cloth underpants. We took him to the little bathrooms adjacent. Hot Sell! He was all into those tiny potties and sinks. We let him stay and impressively, he did not soil his pull up. They said he went the potty every few minutes--he was so excited. He did accidentally pull the pants up wrong once and managed to wee a little on his clothes. But that is an actual accident. When we got home he managed to sneak off and poo in his underpants just after I put them on him. AAAAAAGGGHHHH. Sneaky fella!@#?

January 29th - Diaper Diaries

Dear Diaper Diary, January 29, 2008

Still doing the same…He pees without fail on the potty. No #2, though. He seems to get the process and is proud of it, but when I mention the Pooing, he reminds me, “I Pee on the potty, not poop! I’m going to sneak out of the house tonight for more small rewards for the Prize Bag. I think I need to up the anti if I want him to really be motivated to let #2 know who #1 works for. I’m sticking to not going out anywhere till he poos so far, but, I am waffling on him missing out on Wednesday night play time at the church. This is 2 hours that Mum and Dad get some fine one on one time. Well, see. Last night I picked up lots of matchbox cars and individual play dough cans. Not much motivates my boy more than play dough and any mode of transportation! And when exasperated, I can open a can of playdo for a quick sniff…mmmmmmm…I wonder if I could develop a room freshener that is O’de Play Dough. I am going to let him see the bag and choose prizes when he gets to the end of a row on the sticker chart…or…if he poos. If he poos, well, I’ll buy him a real “mode of transportation”. So, Now starts the dangling of play dough and toy airplanes, cars, and yes I found a blimp, folks!

January 26th - Diaper Diaries

Dear Diaper Diary, January 26, 2008

We are doing pretty good on starting that timer after each “Potty Show”. But sometimes we forget and that is when we have had little accidents. We have managed to miss Pooing in the potty each time so far and its frustrating. That’s the thing about poo, while it is the easiest muscle to work and technically easier to poo than pee on a potty, it is the muscles they can also withhold use of till that sneaky few seconds you are not looking straight at them and then like a flash they have become the secret poo-er. Times like this I really do regret not just doing this at a more obedient 2 years. I was really nervous about it this time round with Jules and didn’t want to do anything wrong. My hesitancy has perhaps not paid off. It will be harder for him since he is more independent and can choose No much more easily. They are so much more compliant at 2—if you say it is the best thing they pretty much believe you. What can I say, I wussed out. After reading my little book from a nursery teacher and reminding my self of the steps, just a week ago, I was well annoyed with myself for procrastinating us to 3 years. Either way, he will still get it—it just may take the full 10 days instead of 3. I am strong, I can make it, I can be patient. Jules is fine, its Mum that has to keep cool when rinsing out dirty pants and brushing poo off of bottom of her tennis shoe. Just keep in mind, Kids grow up sooooo quick that no matter how stressed out or tired you are it passes and you will remember the good stuff fondly and the bad stuff just cracks you up. He just wants to color and do fun stuff, for lords sake!

January 25th - Diaper Diaries

Dear Diaper Diary, January 25, 2008

Start of new diaper free days for Mr. Jules. He is excited about the challenge and is very excited about his Thomas the Tank Engine , Racecar, & Power Ranger briefs. So, far he is not very excited about pooping in the potty. Pee is just fine. We started our schedule from first waking moment to the potty and into briefs. Every 25-35 minutes the timer buzzes and we all shout “IT’S POTTY TIME” and our star goes to sit on the potty for just a few minutes. I ask if he is going to pee? Is he going to poo? So he knows exactly what is expected from these sessions. We have been reading books to entertain us. The guest bath has been renamed “The Jules Room” a place where art is explored in its many facets from books, poetry, singing, magna-doodling and of course just plain “doodling”. Mind you, so far just Pee Doodling. We are still holding out for the main show, Poo Doodling. Zoë made a sticker chart. We worked out each line is actually 19 boxes across. I don’t believe Monk could work with that system! However, Jules likes that Zoë made it for him.