Happy 34th Birthday, Colby!!!

We have a lot of birthdays clustered around the end of September and the beginning of October in our family. That means lots of parties, presents, and restaurant-cooked meals.

Per family tradition, Colby picked a restaurant for his birthday supper, and he chose Shogun. It's one of those places where they cook the food right in front of you. Right off the bat our chef lit a puddle of oil aflame on the grill sending Brody running away from the table. Brody ran away from the table again before the onion ring volcano. I knew he was a chicken, but I didn't know his chicken ran so deep. The rest of us had a great time watching the show. I tried a new sushi roll, and I think it might be my new favorite. We won't be going back anytime soon because, unfortunately, it cost us nearly $130 with tip to eat. That's my electricity bill right there.

My hubby has one more year before he's closer to 40 than he is to 30; one more year in his early thirties before he's officially in his mid thirties. Now, if only I could convince him that he's not 17...

First Grade Field Trip

For the first time ever, I tagged along on one of the kids' school field trip. Soren and I headed to the Pioneer's Park (Soren calls it "Chinese Park" because apparently pioneers and Chinese sound exactly the same. Whatever.) with three of the six classes of first graders. We've been to Pioneers Park many times, but it was still fun to hike through the trails with a guide. The kids were learning about habitats in school, and Pioneers Park is a great place to explore habitats.




I wanted a photo with Evelyn, but we had a little photo bomber join us.


I was really impressed with how well-behaved the 10 kids in our group were despite warnings from Evie's teacher that two of the boys in our group were troublemakers. I can't wait to go on lots more school trips!

Happy (gasp) 13th Birthday, Dade!

I am officially the parent of a teenager. I'm treading waters unknown again, and Dade is, as he has always been, the test pilot on our flight of parenthood. Thankfully, he's a great kid who likes to read and keep to himself. His Science teacher told us he's one of the most compassionate and respectful kids she's ever met. Yep, that's Dade. Although, I was hoping that he'd break us in a little with all the teenage drama so we'd know what to expect with the next three kids. I don't think he's gonna be "that kid."

He's such an easy to please kid, and he was happy to invite his family to eat with him at Valentino's to celebrate his birthday. He was happy to get books and clothes (and a video game) for his birthday.








He requested a Nutter Butter Blizzard cake from Dairy Queen, but unfortunately the freezer at the DQ closest to us broke down and most of the cakes melted. They didn't have Nutter Butter, so he had to settle for Oreo ice cream cake. I don't think he was too disappointed. It was, after all, still ice cream cake.


Although Dad is already planning what he'll do with Dade's room when he moves out to go to college, Mom is wondering what happened to my sophomore year in college when Dade was born. Wow. Thirteen years flies by awfully fast.

To my boy who is turning into a man. To my boy who loves his baby sisters and brother like crazy. To my boy who runs down the block just to hold the neighbor lady's baby grandson because he loves babies soooooo much. To my boy who has his Mama's sense of humor and his Dad's feet (Side note: our new favorite joke - if you say "beer can" in a British accent it sounds like "bacon" in a Jamaican accent). To my boy who wanted nothing more than a bag of Pay Day candy bars as a birthday present.... Happy Birthday!!!

Zoo Crew

We made (probably) our last trip to the Lincoln zoo for the season, and it was totally our best trip yet. My good friend J and her kids came to visit from Middle of Nowhere, NE. We haven't seen them in over a year, so the kids were really excited to see each other (and so were the moms).

Here are some snapshots from our reunion at the zoo:

L and Evelyn as a goat and alpaca.


I tried to take a photo of the kids in the eagle's nest, and another zoo visitor decided she wanted to be in our photo, too. Oh well. There's always room for a few more friends.


Soren and Evelyn with L in the dino egg. I can imagine that in a few years they won't all fit in there anymore.


The Butterfly Pavilion was closed for the season, but the kids still enjoyed the caterpillar.


Our last task for the day was enjoying the train. Colby rode with Brody and N, and I rode with Soren.




We are quite the happy little crew.

It Gets Better??

I'm sure most of you have heard of the nationwide anti-bullying campaign called It Gets Better. It's focus is primarily on the bullying of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered youth, but it's message isn't only important in the GLBT community. I just this morning read another report of a teenager who killed himself after relentless bullying by his peers because of his sexual orientation. This boy had sought counseling, and his parents spoke with school administrators about the problem. Nevertheless, the boy saw no light at the end of the tunnel. Can you blame him?

As much faith as I'd like to have in my fellow humans, my ability to find humanity is dwindling. Life in my little bubble of friends and family is really great. I'm sheltered from many of the world's troubles simply because of the people I choose to surround myself with and the people I've chosen to avoid. I can create my own little world, really. However, every time I think that maybe other people could be as content as I am, I read something like this. (Side note: maybe I should give up reading the news and watching tv). Unfortunately, bullying is an ages old problem, but I think America's current social and political climate is unbelievably dispassionate and actually makes bullying seem like the American way.

While so many of our nation's leaders are telling us that America stands strong because we have the freedom to make our own choices and choose our own destinies, our nation's people sink deeper into depression. It isn't just financial depression; it's mental and physical and spiritual. We look to our peers to hold us up, to support us, to encourage us, to love us. We expect our national leaders to exalt our people and promote our well being. Instead, our leaders point fingers at the less fortunate. It's okay to pick on people who don't have the political power to fight back. Isn't that what bullies do?

The only way to stop bullying is to stop the bullies. No matter what we do to intervene in our children's lives, no matter what kind of counseling they get, no matter how many times we tell them that we love them and that nothing is worth killing yourself or someone else - it isn't enough. It really and truly does take a village to raise a child because all the other people in your village influence your children in ways you might not even recognize. But what happens when your village is filled with insecurity and hate and fear and poverty?? Where do we find the compassion and love and humanity?

I really don't know the answer, and I wish I did. What I do know is that by modeling to your own children and your own family the qualities you admire and seek out, all those characteristics will blossom in your loved ones. I do know that the old saying that you make more friends with honey than with vinegar rings true. Know that it's okay, more than okay, to stand up to bullies (and you know that even as grown ups we see bullies all the time). If that means writing letters to Senators (which I've done with about 10% positive response), if that means voting, if that means voicing an opinion that you know is unpopular (says Little Miss Pro Choice, Gay-Loving, Feminazi Nebraskan), if that means writing a letter to the editor, if that means you piss off some people that you really thought you got along with - do it!

It's a great way for you to figure out who the idiots in your village are.

Chardonnay Cake

I love to read cookbooks, and I when stumbled across this recipe I knew I had to try it. The book was made for single ladies who are trying to be cosmopolitan and fancy, but I guess it'll be fine if this Nebraska housewife uses it, too.

Cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 c. sugar (for reals)
4 large eggs, room temperature
3.5 oz box of regular or instant vanilla pudding (side note: I could only find a 3.4 oz box...)
1/2 c. Chardonnay
1 c. whole milk, warned in the microwave for 20-30 seconds
1 tsp. vanilla (I only use the real stuff, not imitation)
3 c. cake or all-purpose flour (I used cake)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Glaze:
4 Tbl. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. Chardonnay

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan or 9x9 pan.

In a large bowl beat together all the ingredients butter through vanilla. In a separate bowl mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and mix just until moistened. Do no overmix. (Side note: my two baking mantras are: do not overmix and do not overbake.)

Scrape batter into pan and bake @50 minutes. Here's where individuality comes into play. The bundt pan I own is as old as dirt and is a little smaller than a normal bundt pan, I think. As such, I filled the bundt pan 3/4 full and then had some extra batter for cupcakes. Since I had never made this cake before, I didn't know how it would bake, and I didn't want to overfill the bundt pan. I baked the cupcakes about 18 minutes and the bundt cake about 45 minutes.



Make the glaze: While the cake is baking, combine all glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. WATCH OUT! Do not walk away from the glaze even if you have to wipe your child's poopy butt. It will foam up out of the pan. It will also help to use a "medium" sauce pan as called for in the recipe and not a "baby" saucepan which is all I had clean. Let the glaze simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until it reduces by one fourth.



When the cake has finished baking, remove it from the oven and pierce it several times with a carving fork. Or a bamboo skewer. Or a toothpick. Whatever. I set my bundt pan on a plate because I figured glazing would get a little drippy. Immediately pour hot glaze onto the cake and let stand 15 minutes. I did not pour all the glaze on at this point.



If using a bundt pan, carefully turn cake out onto a plate. I dumped the rest of the glaze over the top. Mine even came out in one piece!!!

I haven't had a chance to eat a piece yet because I am waiting for it to cool. I can't wait!

Who Cares?

I will admit that I did not watch in their entirety the potential Republican presidential candidates debate. I've seen large segments while viewing my favorite news talk shows, however, and what I've seen isn't encouraging.

First of all, Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann each have only half a brain between them. They are dangerous, dangerously stupid. They spout lies and portray them as facts. They are seriously deluded. They prove that good looks can get you far even if you don't have a brain to fill that pretty little head.

What I find most disturbing, however, is the audiences at the debates. Here is a room full of normal, everyday Americans cheering the over 200 executions performed under Rick Perry's administration. No need to point out that many of them were probably innocent or might have family and friends that love them dearly despite their crimes.

Then there is another room filled with normal, everyday Americans shouting "YES!" when a commentator asks Rand Paul if we should just let the uninsured die. That's right: let the uninsured die because this is a free country in which you are able to freely choose whether or not to buy health insurance and if you don't then too bad. What is wrong with these people?

I know what's wrong...no one seems to care anymore. I don't mean that people are ambivalent to the plight of others; I mean they just don't care about other people anymore. Period.

It's easy not to care about someone you don't know or about someone whose troubles are not your own. It's easy to pretend that bad things only happen to "those people." It's easy to dismiss the suffering of others.

But it shouldn't be.

Root Canal, Bitches

Well, I can cross "get a root canal" off my bucket list.

After suffering through a week of tooth pain, I headed to the endodontist for a root canal. Despite always hearing how terrible they are, it was actually not so bad. The most painful part?? The $900 cost of the procedure thanks to the fact that the only endodontist that could get me in before September 15th is not in our insurance PPO. So far this tooth has cost over $900, and I don't even have the crown on it yet. If ever there was a great time to swear, it's now: Fuck me. Insurance will probably reimburse me for $100, and my regular dentist (who IS in our PPO) can do the crown work. Looking at the bright side here, people.

So, without further ado, may I introduce my post-root canal smile in a photo taken right outside the endodontist's office:




Go ahead and laugh it up. Colby called me Sloth from Goonies (Hey you guuuuyyyyss!!!!). I thought I looked more like I had a stroke, but whatever.

I have to add that the endodontist made $900 for one hour of work. I'm in the wrong damn business. I'm signing Dade up for dental school.

Labor Day Weekend

It's hard to fit all we did over Labor Day weekend on just one blog post, but I'll try. The post is long but totally worth the time. Hang in there with me.

First, we headed to Norfolk to watch the first Husker football game of the season. We stayed over at Colby's parents' house, and now that Colby's sister has moved out they have three spare bedrooms to hold all of us when we come to visit.

Sunday was packed with fun. We went to Verdigre which, for those of you who don't know, is where Colby's parents grew up and where his grandparents still live. We went to a family farm to ride four wheelers and hunt frogs. I took a few quick photos of the kids (all of Colby's parents' grand kids) before they headed off to play.






We all took turns giving the kids a ride on the four wheelers. Colby's brother and his family was with us, and Colby's sister was there, too. Her hubby-to-be is as we speak somewhere in Afghanistan fighting for our country as a U.S. Marine. More on that in a minute.











Here's the view of Verdigre from the top of the farmhouse's lane:



And here's my Soren in her favorite place ever: on front of the four wheeler with Daddy



Colby even took his Grandma for a ride:



Frogging is a family affair that requires lots of manly tools. There were three generations of Veselys out frog hunting using spears and fishing poles and pellet guns.





Lots of frogs were caught, and rural Nebraska is a picture of nature's beauty. It makes me proud to be a Nebraskan (not the frog hunting, the scenery).



Soren and I hanging out while the men, boys, and the boy on the edge of becoming a man hunt frogs:



Brody was particularly fond of shooting frogs with the bee bee gun.



Right after I took this photo Brody said, "Watch out, Grandpa. I'm a horrible shot." Fair warning given and heeded.



Soren took a photo of me with Colby's sister after we hiked to the top of a huge hill:



Now, back to my Marine brother in law to be stationed in Afghanistan, Jacob. It is my understanding that Jacob shoots an AR15 as his Marine weapon of choice. Guess what? I shoot one, too. I'm officially qualified to be a Marine, right? Well, maybe I should learn to burn my own turds and eat Spam before I commit to Uncle Sam.

Here's Colby giving me a lesson:



Here's Colby molesting me while I get ready to fire:



And here's me getting ready, aiming, and firing the biggest frickin' gun I've ever seen:



Now, back to the frogs. We went back to Norfolk with a cooler full of frogs. My father in law and brother in law cleaned them, and my mother in law did what any good wife does: fries up the day's kill.




Despite my toothache (see the next post) we had a great weekend!!

Camping

The girls begged to camp all summer. Colby found the tent and set it up.

You get what you get and you don't make a fit.





They actually had a really nice weekend camping on their bedroom floor, thank goodness. Air conditioning. Running water. Plumbing. That's how I like to camp.