cause and effect

i am not a big fan of all the popular forensic and crime shows that fill the time slots each night. i have watched them, and won't deny they can hold my attention, but they are often gory and regularly just plain downers. the shows reflect the less than positive sides of society for sure. but before you think i am writing off good shows without any reason - i will say that i USED to watch them. i found criminal minds, ncis and even csi fascinating. they were puzzles - but they were also intense .. all the time. i found that some nights i could not relax and go to sleep for quite a while. i found myself replaying the shows- but the characters would be people I knew. have you noticed how many victims in these shows are women who are out running? (so hey, my kids that run - don't have any routines - seems like routines are always a problem in crime shows).

so to get to the point of this rambling, i had been watching almost anything BUT these shows for quite a while - replays of gilmore girls always work for me - however i found myself too lazy to find the remote the other night and i watched a criminal minds episode again. okay - thought it was off my mind until last night when i babysat Austin at his house. While there, Katie came over with Reagan to run on the treadmill - Reagan needed a diaper change - slightly odorous - which was left in a little bag near the door. When Molly came home I told her I would dump it on my way out to my car. BUT.... and here is where the tv show comes in... when i went out to my van, there was a kid or young adult riding a bike around in the dark behind Molly's apartment - and he rode near the dumpster and sat there and put his hands in his pocket. The kid was probably trying to avoid doing any work - like all kids - but at that time - 9:30 at night - in the dark - riding near a dumpster (a locale in criminal minds) - i just decided to hop in my van and leave.

do you know what my van smelled like this morning? THAT is what crime shows do!

mid-week

mid-week. well technically not yet, but in a short time we will have arrived at the mid-week moment for a WORK week. theoretically half of my week's errands, workload, chores.... will have been done. so why is my list for the week still 90% full? does this reflect on the list itself or on my ability to get things done? i know one thing - i haven't brought the computer home for a few nights, and i DO get more done when 'IT' is gone. the temptation to check blogs, to answer emails, to surf the web, or even do office work is too strong for me when 'IT' is home. unfortunately, i think this particular problem may be genetic, as I know that OTHERS in my family cannot stop this computer addiction either. we need a 3 or 5 or 7 step program to cure this problem!

holidays with the family

i think the following pictures are pretty self-explanatory - Easter at the Brooks residence

more memory lane

I am trying to figure out whether my grandkids resemble their Miller parents as children. Do you see any resemblance? Perhaps in eyebrow shape, head shape, expressions? All seem to have the big eyes of their children - but what about other things? Look at noses - and head shape. Round? Oval? What about coloring?
And look how great grandpa and grandma enjoyed them!

Nick with grandma and gramps is 5 months.
Katie with grandma is 10 months.
In this pic, Nick and Molly are 3 yrs and 1 yr .
Katie and Steve are 5 and 6 months .
Nick with grandpa is again 3 months.
Molly alone is 1 year old here.

from the past

All of the family are genuinely trying to take a journey into the past and find out more about their extended families. In tune with that, I thought we might all enjoy one of the poetic moments of Grandpa Dale Firebaugh. I had this letter in one of those old 'sticky' page albums and cannot remove it without possibly ripping the letter - hence the odd look. Grandpa is pictured at the bottom. I THINK the date is 1948 - which would make Grandpa 20 1/2 at this point (I believe). He was in California with Dick Reynolds when he wrote this. I would love to hear more about this time if anyone has stories to share. As you can see, Grandpa was close to his mom. His poem says: Dear Mom, I may be far away, But I still can say, As though oh! so near! Be my valentine momma dear. Yous with love, Dale P.S. xxxx

one last for today

shh... really sleeping

don't they all look so innocent when sleeping?

and perfect.

which toy

do i want this time? can you see why big sister calls me chubby cheeks? they are perfect.