Living, Loving, Learning

Front Porch Originally uploaded by perceptmaker . This week, I happened to tune into the Tom Ashbrook show On Point and this was the topic (exerpt taken from his webpage http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2006/06/20060628_a_main.asp ): "In the era of cell phones, email, and MySpace you might think that Americans are more connected to their closest friends than ever. But in fact, they're more alone. At least that's the conclusion of new research. According to the new study, one in four Americans say they have no one to talk to about their personal problems. Twice as many people as two decades ago. It's an alienation exacerbated perhaps by long, lonely commutes, longer work hours, two-career families, and the rise of the Internet. The fear is that this growing social isolation is fraying Americans' emotional safety nets -- even threatening their physical well-being." Besides this being good news for a number of my parents that make their living in being paid to l...

Chanley and I took our kids (hers: son Jake and daughter Casey) to a Spray Park in Clarkston yesterday. It took the boys a little while to warm up to the idea but they both ended up having an awesome time. These boys LOVE to hug...it is their way of saying "I am having a really great time playing next to you!" It is so funny when it happens, especially when a third of the time they fall over mid-hug. After a picnic lunch we played at the playground. Here are some highlights:

I have contacted most everyone who is reading this blog about this very important issue. I feel that public T.V. and public radio are well deserving causes of federal monies. Right now Congress is debating cutting major funding from these programs. A friend of mine just sent me these links and I think they are really good material. "First for info on the issue you can go to: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/ entertainment/jan-june97/arts_3-10.html for a transcript of a debate containing almost all pertinent points. Second, here is a video of Mr Rogers in 1969 defending his program and the need for federal money for it. President nixon wanted to cut a 20 million dollar endowment for funding in half due to the high cost of the Vietnam war and Mr Rogers spoke to defend the need for federal money. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sd7TcVH670 " Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street were major educational opportunities for me as a child and I want them to continue to be available to my childre...

Yeah...Griffin LOVES to camp! I was sure those genes ran deep, but it is good to witness it. We just went for 1 night at a state park only minutes from our house. We just wanted to see if Griff would be down with being filthy all day, manage not to throw himself in the fire pit and enjoy howling at the moon. He did!!! We started at the beach/picnic area, and in the heat afternoon we moved to the shade of our campsite. We had some friends stop by to enjoy some brewskis and a little bluegrass jam for a while. Sunshine loved every minute of our weekend and gave us many smiles that I know translates into "it's about time we get back to the basics!" in her smooth Jackie Brown voice. Griffin enjoyed his first s'more and first sparkler. His absolute favorite activity was eating ice out of the cooler...it was better than a t.v.!!! He never let a piece go to waste and probably injested a cup of dirt that covered the dropped pieces. It was really good family time!

On Sunday, we all packed it up and headed off to our local waterpark. It was Griff's little buddy's birthday and there was a whole slew of kids with us. At the beginning, Griffin thought we were nuts for trying to get him to play in the ice water but by the end he was having a good ol' time. The best and worst part of the day all came from the lazy river. For Griffin, the river was a terrifying, frigid, eel infested, man with a chainsaw chasing you, type of experience. For Mama it was a blissful, tranquil oasis of relaxation. Different strokes for different folks!!! Griffin was all about the wave pool and the birthday cupcakes!!

Here Comes the Sun Originally uploaded by Shoshin Seishu . May 19, 2006, student Jean Rohe delivered this speech at her college graduation ceremomy directly before John McCain spoke. I think she has a insightful, refreshing voice and I want to share it with you. You can read more about Jean Rohe and the fall-out from this speech at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jean-rohe/why-i-spoke-up_b_21358.html "If all the world were peaceful now and forever more, Peaceful at the surface and peaceful at the core, All the joy within my heart would be so free to soar, And we're living on a living planet, circling a living star. Don't know where we're going but I know we're going far. We can change the universe by being who we are, And we're living on a living planet, circling a living star. Welcome everyone on this beautiful afternoon to the commencement ceremony for the New School class of 2006. That was an excerpt of a song I learned as a child called "Living Planet...

Well, on this overhyped day of 6/6/06, I feel as though we have a possessed soul living among us! It's official, there is no turning back, Griffin is a TERRIBLE TWO! I know, I know....I recently told a friend "I don't believe in the "terrible twos". That must just be bad parenting and no child of mine will ever act like that." Yeah, well, I was wrong!! All the symptoms are there.... the need to scream "MINE" and grasp to his chest anything that happens to definately not be his but be within his grabbing range; the ability to spin, wriggle and dodge any attempt on our part to manipulate his body, i.e. getting in/out of the bathtub, in/out of carseat, in/out of highchair; the absolute necessity that he sit down after breakfast each and every day to watch Elmo and his bunch of merry puppets or become a whining, shreaking beast complete with the gnashing of teeth. Yesterday, he focused all his energy in making sure every last grain of sand in his sand/...