Student of Character

I couldn't believe it when we got the letter in the mail: Dear Parent, your child has been selected by his/her teacher as a Student of Character.

Brody? Mr. Pessimistic? Mr. Glass Half Empty? I mean, we knew he acted all quiet and nice at school, but I guess we didn't know how bad it really was. Did I say bad? I meant good.

We were really worried about Brody when he went off to kindergarten. Would he be able to do his work without bitching constantly? Would he be able to sit quietly and not have the last word? Well, he surprised us and became "the man" in kindergarten. His teacher raved about how he was a great class leader and how she wished that all the kids could be like him. Really? His first grade teacher has told us how quiet he is and how eager to please he is when it comes to his schoolwork. REALLY!!?? Brody, right? Brody Vesely?

Don't get me wrong. He's a well behaved, handsome, playful, and outgoing kid who loves to cuddle and still give me kisses at bedtime. But, seriously, he's really good at finding the negative in everything. And trouble follows him.

We are very proud of him and hope he continues being a great student and a great kid. But we've started a bail fund just in case.

LB 1103 Can Suck It

From the 10/11 News website (which wouldn't let me post the link for some reason): Nebraska lawmakers are set to debate a first-of-its-kind bill that would change the current foundation of abortion restrictions.

The bill (LB1103) scheduled to be debated on Tuesday would bar women from getting abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, based on the assertion that fetuses feel pain by then.

The current criteria is fetus viability -- the ability to survive outside the womb. While determined on a case-by-case basis, viability is generally attained at 22 to 24 weeks.

The bill would make it tougher for women to get second trimester or late-term abortions by requiring them to be near death or at risk of irreversible physical harm.

This really pisses me off. You all know I'm pro-choice. I love babies. I love children. I love that I can have 10 kids or no kids because this is America. I love that I can have an abortion if I decide that getting knocked up by my one night stand really wasn't the best idea. If I want to implant 8 eggs during IVF and have what equates to a litter of puppies I can because it's my right to be an irresponsible idiot when it comes to my uterus. But I better not need an abortion in Nebraska after 20 weeks unless I am "near death" or "irreversible physical harm."

This bill is poorly worded and unnecessary. Nebraskans are so caught up in restricting abortions, especially those after the first trimester, that they have lost sight of all the living, breathing, and suffering people in this state. Children live in extreme poverty, homeless shelters, abusive homes and all I hear from many Nebraskans is about how "those people" have kids and just want entitlements. They don't want to hear about all the shitty things that happen to Nebraska's children. They'd rather hold up their aborted fetus signs in front of Planned Parenthood (drive by 33rd and South here in Lincoln on Fridays and show your SUPPORT for Planned Parenthood). They'd rather cut funding for medical care for pregnant women. Yes, the legislature just did this. Shows how much they care about fetuses.

I'm so mad that I can't even put together a decent argument. I must go storm off and kiss my daughters. Good god I hope that they don't ever have to choose between continuing a pregnancy or putting off life-saving cancer treatment or something. I wonder of that would make them "near death" enough under this bill?

A Long Weekend in Norfolk

All four kids left for Norfolk Wednesday afternoon, and we didn't pick them up until Sunday night. They were so excited to go, and mom and dad were excited for some quiet time.

Some highlights of the kids' trip: eating a crap-ton of junk food, picking eggs and chasing chickens, Evelyn and Brody shooting their first guns, eating at Valentino's, watching Planet 51 and Where the Wild Things Are, and going in the hot tub. And Soren is now friends with Jacob even though, "him a boy."

Some highlights from mom and dad's time off: eating out every day, going shopping, sleeping in, not having to share, watching movies with swear words and blood, and having too many margaritas. And no one walked in on me while I was going to the bathroom.

After they came home Sunday, the kids were so tired. Soren didn't even make it to bed.

Can't Mess Up These Potatoes

My family and friends love these roasted potatoes. I make them often in the wintertime because once summer comes I won't even use my oven. I don't really have a recipe. I just throw stuff in. There are few important notes about my famous potatoes. I always use Yukon Gold, red, or red-skinned yellow potatoes for the creamiest flavor. Plain old potatoes will work, but they just don't have the same fluffy, creamy texture. Plain old Russets will work fine, but they're a little more firm and have a more earthy flavor. Always preheat the cookie sheet in the oven while the oven is heating. I always line my cookie sheet with foil and spray it with non-stick spray. I have forgotten this step before and have ended up with half of the potatoes stuck to the sheet. Such a waste.

So, here's the basic recipe. Figure out how many potatoes you need for your family. I need a ton. Leave the skins on and chop them into about 1-inch cubes. If you chop the potatoes too small they will fall apart.

In a bowl with the chopped potatoes pour in a good glug of olive oil, a good sprinkling of kosher salt, a few turns of freshly ground pepper, and a minced clove of garlic. I also sprinkle in garlic powder if I happen to be out of garlic or my garlic has gone bad. Sprinkle in some onion powder (nobody in my house likes big chunks of onion, so the powder is a great substitute), parsley or chives, and a big handful of Parmesan cheese.

Stir it well and dump it on the preheated, lined, and sprayed cookie sheet. My cookie sheet is a little full in the photos. I maybe should've used two. Oh well. Bake at 425 degrees for as long as it takes the potatoes to turn soft and fluffy. At the end, I turn on the broiler and get the potatoes nice and brown.



That's it. Colby says they're great leftover, too. Enjoy!

The Ignorance is Staggering

Since the passage of the health care bill I've been hearing on t.v. and seeing on Facebook a lot of people who are obviously disconnected from reality. I also read that 13 State Attorneys General are involved in a lawsuit fighting the law's constitutionality. Although "Obamacare" isn't perfect, it is definitely a start. We could've continued down a road that told the insurance companies to continue screwing us. We could've left America has one of the only civilized countries that didn't help provide health care to its citizens. We could've said, "Hey, my insurance is fine. Screw you and your uninsured ass." But we didn't.

I'm hearing people complain that they will now have to pay for other people's abortions. #1: if your insurance company currently covers abortions then you are already paying for other people's abortions. #2: under Obama's plan, if you don't want to pay for other people's abortions then you have the option to switch to a plan that doesn't cover anyone's abortions. SO SHUT UP ABOUT PAYING FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S ABORTION.

I'm hearing people complain that illegal immigrants will benefit from this plan. Right, like none of us ever benefits from the labor and taxes paid by hard working immigrants both legal and illegal. Sixty nine cents for a head of lettuce?? Thanks, Jose and Maria. Honestly, if this plan will cover the children of illegal immigrants, pregnant illegals, sick illegals, it's fine with me. I'd rather see them healthy and not passing god knows what on to my kids. Plus, they're humans and deserve some dignity.

I'm hearing people complain that, "Now I have to pay for all these lazy-asses who don't want to get a job." Want?? How about CAN'T FIND A F-ING JOB! Seriously? Do unemployed people not deserve basic health care? Obviously these nay-sayers would rather continue to pay for Mr. Wall Street's boner pills than give a dime to a "lazy-ass."

I'm also hearing people say that Americans are now being forced to buy goods/services. How un-American! Well, we're also forced to buy roads, police officers, mail carriers, snow removal, libraries, and Dick Cheney's boner pills. (Side note: I'm not sure where the boner pill angst is coming from. I have all respect in the world for boner pills.) We tell Americans all the time who they can/can't sell goods to. How is it different to tell them that they must buy into a system that will directly benefit them? It's like telling someone they have to buy water. Speaking of which, the whole clean water thing? Government does that. If people expect to be able to walk into an emergency room and not be refused care, then we ALL need to take responsibilty for that fact that we may someday need that service and pay for the damn thing. It's accountability, people. Make insurance affordable, expand Medicare/Medicaid, and people will have no excuse not to be accountable for paying their own way. Plus, they'll be healthier.

I just hope that we can work together to make a healthier nation. If we could all work together and encourage our friends and neighbors to eat better and exercise more we would all save on health costs.

My How You've Grown

Sixteen years ago a baby was born. He was cute, but he cried and cried and cried. He would be crying when I left for school, and he would still be crying when I got home. As he grew, he ate a lot and puked if he ran too hard. As a toddler, he would sit naked on the steps with one hand in his nose and the other on his crotch. He would sit on the toilet gagging at his own smell and ask whoever passed by to "turn on the fan!" He would tell jokes that weren't funny. He would mooch all my food. He talked nonsense and asked me to get him "bubby" (ice cream, but who would've guessed?).

Not much has changed.

Happy 16th birthday to my "little" brother Alex!



Oh, and HAHAHAHAHA. I got a car when I turned sixteen. Eat that sucka.

Preschool Update

It has been quite a long time since I've written about all the goings on of preschool. We have already come so far and learned so much that it would be hard to cram it into one blog post. We've learned the alphabet to letter M. We've learned about our country and our solar system. We've learned about the life cycle of a frog. I'm looking forward to gardening with the kids.



My little home school has meant so much to me. I'd never taught anyone to write his/her name before, although I probably should've. I like scouring the Internet for little projects we can do. It's rewarding to see how much the kids have improved their coloring and writing and cutting. I don't think I could ever handle a room full of preschoolers, but our 4 person crew is just fine.

When Evie goes off to kindergarten in the fall my heart will break. I know I'll feel sad when I see her empty chair at our preschool table. But I know that I'll have sent her off into the world already knowing things many kids in her class won't know (insert your own joke here about how much she knows about where babies come from and what boy/girl parts are called. hardy har har).

Spring Is Coming!!

Yesterday is was nearly 70 degrees outside. The kids and I went for a long walk, rode scooters, and played in the yard. Brody was even playing baseball with the littler kids. Tiger got to come outside and explore without just standing on the deck meowing at snow. They got to play in the sandbox for the first time in months. Evelyn insisted on keeping poor Jefferson on his leash, "walking" him around the backyard, and holding the leash while she played in the sandbox. Of course, when they came inside I remembered why I hate the sandbox. Talk about bringing the outdoors in. . .



And, yes, Evie is wearing Hannah Montana sunglasses and a replica of Snow White's dress (which are actually pajamas) over pants. That's how she rolls.

I also took the opportunity to check out the perennials planted last year. The catnip and oregano are greening up nicely, and the daisies in the front yard are sprouting little green chutes. I'm interested to see if the bushes we planted last summer will return to us this year. The dogs really enjoyed laying on them all last summer which wasn't great for the bushes' well being. I can't wait to start on our Spring yard projects: building a new play area for the kids, doing some landscaping, and planting the vegetable garden. I'm sure Colby does not share my enthusiasm. I can hear his bitching even now: damn garden, damn shedding dogs, damn sand all over, damn grass needs to be raked, damn dogs crap all over the place, etc. But I refuse to let him ruin my damn Spring joy.


Today, being good ol' Nebraska, the weather is cold, dreary, and rainy. Hopefully, the sun returns soon so the kids can go back out and finish their sand fights and scooter races.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Honestly, I have no idea who on earth St. Patrick is. I am confident of two things: he is a leprechaun and he likes green. No?? I must add that I do indeed have Irish ancestry, so it's kind of embarrassing that I know nothing about St. Patrick.

Our St. Patty's Day celebration included the traditional wearing of green. We also baked mint brownies, although I had to leave out the green food coloring because I couldn't find it. I know. Lame. Our brownies had three layers and were a little more time consuming than I thought. I suppose my four little leprechaun "helpers" were part of that. There were four kids who had to pour, stir, and taste, you know.




The kids checked on the brownies periodically as they baked.


I also took the little ones to story time per our Wednesday tradition. Thankfully, Reese's diarrhea didn't rear its ugly head. A girl can only be thankful for the little things.

Dade's Band Concert

Even though I had a headache and had to sit in crappy bleachers, I really enjoyed Dade's band concert. It was actually an all-city concert which included the bands and orchestras from the Northern part of Lincoln. The venue was a crappy old high school gym with cruddy acoustics and terribly uncomfortable bleachers, but it was fun to see all the kids playing their instruments.

Colby's dad and sister drove down from Norfolk. After the concert we all went to Ivanna Cone. I had the most delicious carrot cake ice cream! It even made my headache feel better.

When Grandpa Dean asked Soren if she was going to play (in the band) she said, "Yes." "What are you going to play?" he asked. "Puppies," she replied. The sound a squealing puppy makes might not be too far off from a few of the sounds we heard at the concert. Just kidding!

Can We Skip Today?

I overslept this morning because my goofy phone (which doubles as my alarm clock) lost daylight savings time momentarily and went an hour back. WTF? Luckily, we still had plenty of time to get Dade ready and to the bus stop. I've had a terrible migraine since 10:30 am. I should've known this day would suck.

My daycare girl has diarrhea. Not her fault, but it still sucks. She pooped her pants three times today. And by "poop" I mean SHIT EVERYWHERE. Poor thing. I can't help but feel a little sorry for myself, too.

To top it all off, Dade has a band concert tonight. Reminder: I still have a migraine. And he left his trumpet on the school bus. So, I called the school to see if the bus driver could leave it at the office (which closes at 4:30 pm). The school calls at 4:10 pm: the trumpet is there. "Okay," I say to the kids, "get your shoes on we have to go." But wait. Daycare daughter has crapped all over herself and neglected to inform me. And it's a 15 minute drive to school. You do the math. Nearly in tears, I call my lifesaver/friend Dede who drives over to the school to get the trumpet. She and her husband have bailed me out more than once. I don't know what I would do without them. Dade owes her poop clean up in her yard, which should be great for him because they have a St. Bernard and a black lab. Large poop and lots of it. Karma is a bitch.

So, I'm hoping a little caffeine and some more Excedrin will cure my headache so the rest of the evening can be more enjoyable. And I'm going to Ivanna Cone no matter what time it is and no matter what diet I'm on.

Biscuits and Gravy

My new effort to eat fewer processed foods has led me to try homemade biscuits. I haven't perfected them, but they taste pretty good. The taste is right, but they aren't fluffy and beautiful no matter how little I handle them. They look nothing like what pops out of the canister from Pilsbury which I'm sad to say is what my children expect when I say "biscuit".

Biscuits and gravy is one of Colby's favorite foods, but the kids had been reluctant to try it. We ended up making them all try some, and it turns out that they all really liked it. It's hard to please everyone at once, but biscuits and gravy did the trick.

Any advice on how to make the perfect biscuit would be greatly appreciated.

Weight a Minute

And I must add this: 163.8 lbs. is what I weighed tonight in my birthday suit. Woot woot!!

Johnny Weir: Too Gay for Figure Skating

I have a thing for gay men. I love the Logo network. I've seen every episode of Queer as Folk. I love watching drag queens. I love Lady Gaga. But my favorite gay celebrity by far is Johnny Weir. For those of you who aren't familiar with him, he finished 6th place at the Vancouver Olympics this year in men's figure skating. He is a three-time United States champion. He also has a documentary-style show on the Sundance Channel. He's also, for lack of a better description, flaming gay. He doesn't hide one little ounce of his gayness.

Now, one would think that being an elite athlete in men's figure skating would be the perfect job for a gay man. Seriously, does anyone out there ever think, "Gee, I wonder if that male ice skater has a girlfriend?" Hell no. Gay is the assumption. There is nothing wrong with that. It just isn't seen as a straight man's sport.

To make a very long story short, Johnny Weir is a very talented, championship-winning ice skater who is brilliant on the ice and draws huge crowds in the figure skating community. He was excluded earlier this month from Stars on Ice after it's sponsor Smucker's decided Weir is not "family friendly." Because he's a flamer. Despite the fact that Weir is putting his brother through college and basically supports his parents due to his father's medical disabilities, Weir isn't family friendly.

I know, I shouldn't be so naive as to think that gay/lesbian folks aren't still facing rejection simply based on who they love. However, I never, ever dreamed that a man would basically told he's too gay for figure skating.

I will no longer be purchasing any products with the Smucker's label. I know it isn't much, but I'll try and do my little part to stand up for my gay/lesbian friends.

Healthy Body Challenge Update

OMG! My weight today is 165.4 lbs. . . WITH ALL MY CLOTHES ON!! Last time I weighed myself I was also 165 lbs., but I cheated and took off all my clothes just for a little ego boost. I am so proud to be losing weight but still eating great food that doesn't come frozen in a cardboard box or from a can.

I'm keeping up with my gym attendance, which is probably the reason I continue to lose weight. I try to go four times a week plus swimming with the kids at least two times a week. I'm also very proud to have my children involved in a more healthy lifestyle. I don't want them to be the fat kid at school like I was, although these days there are a lot of fat kids at school. And why wouldn't there be with things like cheese sticks and tacos and french fries on the school lunch menu every day?

I think sometimes people think I'm a snob when I point out that maybe canned soup, Doritos, macaroni and cheese, and Velveeta just aren't the best things to have on your daily menu. They used to be on ours. I really just want people the understand that just because we have access to certain foods doesn't mean we should eat them. Just because some foods are "convenient" doesn't mean we should be putting them in our bodies on a daily basis. I guess if that makes me a snob (that and the fact that I won't go to Wal Mart) then so be it.

Band Heroes

Colby and I discovered the hours of fun that is Band Hero for Wii. We are the type of parents who like to include our kids in our fun. Ahem, mainly because with so many kids it's pretty unavoidable.

Our family band is called Robot Jockeys. I play bass, Colby guitar, and Dade sings. We also have drums, but none of us can quite get the hang of them. Tonight, though, it was the girls' turn to rock out. Soren is very serious and even has a great rocker face.


Dade's voice is right on the edge of puberty. Added to the fact that he doesn't know the words to most of the songs in the game, we've got two grown-ups who need to take an Advil before playing a gig with Dade.

Heaven forbid we should actually try real instruments. What fun would that be?

Saturday at the Skate Park

Thank goodness for the sun and 50 degrees! We were really starting to get cabin fever. We had a busy Saturday planned, but we just had to make time for some outdoor fun between dance, haircut, birthday party, and a trip to Omaha.

The kids had a great time running around the skateboard park, and Brody and Evie rode their skateboards there for the first time. There was mud everywhere around the park, but as long as we stayed on the cement we were fine. I was in a skirt and nice shoes, so I just stayed to the side and looked pretty while everyone else played.




With another week of 40 degree days, I am hopeful that Spring is just around the corner. The boys have spent lots of time in the yard picking up a winter's worth of dog poop. It's time for some nice, warm days to dry out the soggy lawn.

There's Something About Gabba

Every day at noon Yo Gabba Gabba comes on t.v. For those of you who haven't watched it, Gabba is a kids' show about having good manners, eating healthy foods, and generally being nice. There are lots of songs and trippy looking characters, but Teletubbies it is not, thank goodness. Although one character looks strangely like a dildo. . . Moving on. . .

Soren and Reese love Gabba. They both stretched out on the couch. Soren took off her pants. You can't see it in the photo, but Reese unbuttoned hers. I guess they ate too much for lunch. Or they just did what they had to do to get in the Gabba zone. For Miss Reese this always means her thumb and blankie.

This episode's lesson? Don't bite your friends. Soren has bitten all three of her friends since the episode. Proof positive that t.v. for toddlers is a sham. Then again, who's going to listen to a six foot tall dildo?

Yes, I took 5 Kids to the Eye Doctor

I think the title of today's blog is self explanatory. It took an hour. I survived. Barely.

After the eye doctor, I "treated" the kids to McDonald's since it is right next door to the optometrist. As if having five children at a doctor's office isn't bad enough, now I'm listening to four iCarly Happy Meal toys say over and over and over, "The meatball says yes." And all the kids had to poop at the same time. I only have two toilets, so you figure it out.

On the bright side, the sun is shining, and I'm pretty sure we'll be able to play outside after nap. Hooray!

Everybody Have Fun Tonight

Saturday night was family get together night at the Vesely house. I love, love, love the friends we've made in Lincoln, as well as old friends who've moved here. The evening started with the smell of grilling burgers and brats wafting in through the back door. After all the snow and cold, using the grill is a refreshing reminder that Spring is near.

We decided that a game of Band Hero would liven up the group. We all took turns singing and playing guitar. I loved hearing my friends and their kids sing Mr. Roboto, ABC, and American Pie. Hilarious!

Despite the small size of our home, I want this to always be a place where our friends can come. We can pack in here like sardines and sing until the neighbors call the cops.