Big yea to Ashley for winning the President's Outstanding Academic Excellence Award!

And to Chloe for Honors in Sight Word Mastery

Relay for life

I joined a relay for life team with a woman at work. I need help raising some money. Click here to donate. If you don't know what relay for life is, click here. I suppose you know the blog is getting lame when it is used as a solicitation tool.

Hey, I remember that!

There was a really interesting article in the June issue of This Old House, where they asked readers to send in their memories of places from the past.  Readers remembered things like the slap of the screen door on a hot summer day, the smell of wool mittens drying on a radiator, and working in vegetable gardens (all memories I have, also).  What are your memories of places you have lived in from your past?

Besides the above mentioned memories of the house in Minnesota, I remember the stepping stones that went from the back porch, behind the house, out to the west sidewalk.  When I was five and six, I can remember how much I enjoyed jumping from one stone to the next.  I would explore the back yard, where there were all kinds of peony bushes, hollyhocks, lilacs, tulips and violets in the spring.  I liked going back to the rhubarb patch with my siblings and eating raw rhubarb stalks dipped in sugar.

I loved my whole neighborhood, and how close we were to the park and to Albert Lea Lake.  The blocks were lined with old trees, shady and cool in the summertime, and it was always an adventure to explore.

So what are your memories?  I know your dad had so many neighborhood stories to tell.  Someday he'll have to write a book.  I look forward to hearing from all of you about your former homes.

BIG THREE-OH

Meridth Gimbel is 30 years old on May 16th!  

I think it's really interesting that Meridth is having her first baby at age 30, when I had my LAST baby at 30.  It just goes to show how the times have really changed.  Back in the olden days many girls got married right out of high school, and started their families right away.  No women are older and much more prepared for childbirth and rearing.

Meridth, we love you, and are so excited for this next phase of your life.  You will be an awesome mother.  You are so much more informed and prepared than I ever was!  I like to think of what it was like for your family all those years ago when you were born, and how excited Megan was to get a little sister to play with.  It must have been like having a new (live) doll.  

Here's to the next thirty years (to quote country artist Tim McGraw), and we are glad we get to be a part of it with you.  You Rock!

Love,  Ed and Claudia

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Mother, there is no other!

Hawkins in the New York Times

Richard co-authored an opinion piece in the New York Times that was published today.  Click here to read it!  Go The 'Chard!

“Everybody’s plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic,” Andy Warhol.

I just posted an article on our blog about the disturbing effect of plastics on small children/infants if you're interested.

Yippee!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to the coolest and best looking teacher we know.

Much love,

Meridth and Edward

Happy Anniversary

We missed Margie and Brandon's anniversary a little over a week ago (sorry you guys), but today as I was getting ready for church, I dressed in the same outfit I wore at Edward and Meridth's wedding, in honor of the occasion.  I told Ed, "I was wearing this outfit six years ago!" and he said, "Is that bad or is that good?"  I'm not even going to try to interpret what he meant (!) but I did find these pictures of the cute couple in my files.  Can you believe they've been married for six years?  WOW!  Congratulations!  Here's looking forward to the next six years (and the end of military service by then, too), and the soon-to-be new little granddaughter.

Love,  Claudia and Ed

Quoth Hamlet...

"When sorrows come, they come not as single spies, but in battalions."

Looks like I'll have to buy my G8 GXP used.

What I did on my summer vacation...

Looks like Dad's going to have plenty of time to think about it.

Sorry Dad, that's totally stinky.

The Rumors are TRUE!

Okay, before you all have to make that call home, yes, Dad has been laid off for eleven weeks.  General Motors announced today that they were laying everyone off at the plant for the next eleven weeks (starting May 4th).  He doesn't have to be back at work until July 20th, and even then, he has to take his five weeks of vacation before the end of the year, or he loses it.  I know he is going to take the week of July 20th off also, because he wants to be able to spend some time with baby Nora.  At last discussion, Nora was going to stay with us for a few days while Mom attends some classes at SU.  Now Grandpa can enjoy Nora too!

We'll probably have to take some time off when Rusty and Meridth have little Ushie.  We'll have to save our pesos so we can fly out!

So anyway, expect long visits this summer.  We'll have to pack our own Aerobed to save on hotel bills. And, of course, road dog food rules!

Claudia and Ed

The Raccoon Mafia

Yesterday morning at about 0445 I was on my way to work driving south on the CA 1 when a raccoon darted in front of my car. I hit him. I was a bit bummed out about it at first, but after remembering Dad's past run-ins with these guys, I didn't think twice about it.

Until this morning. Our recycling had been ravaged and raccoons had pooed on my Subaru. Although there are raccoons a'plenty in our neighborhood, they'd never bothered us until last night. Coincidence? I'm sure.

"We gots a message from Rocco da Mask! Dat palooka you whacked was made. There's gotta be consequences!"

Happy Birthday Radar

Radar is a very sophisticated one-year old. He's pretty excited cuz that means table scraps today.

Egg Roll

If this doesn't make you love our President, then I don't know what will.  

Go through the slide show, it is like a J Crew advertisement.  

ADORABLE.