NASCAR is back

Well, my Sunday afternoons are now spoken for. I think that it drives Roger crazy. I guess that it could be worse. I am willing to record the race and watch it later - I am not quite that obsessed. I find the whole NASCAR culture fascinating. Check out the NASCAR website for details on drivers. I don't know that I would ever want to go to a race - too much drinking and yelling. Yet, it would be so much fun. We might attempt a local racetrack... Eli likes the fast cars - imagine that? We are still Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson fans. We really like all drivers except Tony Stewart...

Thanks for reading.

Cyndee

Now I am only half blind

Just a quick update on my surgery. Everything went well and now I can see without contacts or glasses - but only in one eye. I am participating in a study which only allows one eye to be done at a time. I should be able to get the other eye done in May or June. So, I now wear a contact in the left eye and nothing in the right - nobody is the wiser. The scratchiness has gone away, so I am feeling better about the choice to do this. I was a little worried when my vision was a little blurred and the itchiness. I am glad that has past.

It feels strange to be able to see without assistance in the middle of the night, etc. I think that this is something that I could get use to. Roger noticed one odd thing - the lens in my eye reflects the light if hit just the right way - sort of like I cat eye. It kind of grossed him out - I guess that I don't blame him - that would be weird.

Thanks for the prayers!

Lense implants

Well - just a shout out to let you know that I will only be half-blind starting tomorrow. I am going under the knife to get my right eye lense implant put in. I am very nervous and scared, but also excited to be able to see without glasses or contacts. Please pray for the surgeon and a quick recovery. I am planning on returning to work on Thursday....

Cyndee

Roger speaking spanish

Charity is taking Spanish 1 this year. She really likes it. I know enough basic words to understand her for now. Roger is convinced that all you need to do to speak Spanish is just add an "o" on the end of an English word- and for some words that works. For instance, telefono.

We decided to sponsor a child through Compassion and picked a child from Guatemala since I had gone there a couple of summers ago with my church. Our child named Dany wrote us a letter in Spanish and Charity translated it for us (even though the translation was on the back for us). Roger in his braveness tried to join the conversation saying, Esta bien - mucho gusto. Which mean "I am good and like it very much". Charity and I just laughed and laughed. My husband is such a good sport and laughed with us. Good times.

Cyndee

Eli Dusting

Okay, so dusting is my least favorite household chore. I tend to leave it until you can spell your name in the dust on the table. Eli was trying to fit into the Saturday morning routine. I usually get the laundry going then pay bill, Roger does the floors (vacuuming and mopping), and Charity will usually clean the bathrooms (for a price). So, Eli asked for the dusting spray and rag and started to dust everything he could reach. It really didn't last long, but it is amazing the lengths a child will go to to fit in.

Rodeo

Well - we decided to venture out into the cold and go to a rodeo. Yes, the rodeo was inside a nice warm coliseum. Well, it was sort of warm. It was at the Xcel Energy Center where the Wild hockey team plays. So, under the dirt there was refrigerator pipes keeping us on the cool side.

I went to a rodeo when I lived in Colorado. This was a big deal at the end of January. I think that I went on school field trips there (mom, does this sound right?). This rodeo on Friday was just three events - bare back bronco riding, saddle bronco riding and bull riding. The bull riding is always the most exciting. What is it about the greater chance of death that draws a crowd? We went as a family and had good cheap seats. Roger found it fascinating and kept asking me why they got the score they got. I didn't know anymore about it then he did. I was learning as I watched. Charity even found it slightly entertaining.

This is definitely a sub-culture, similar but different to NASCAR fans. They like their beer and are patriotic to a fault - maybe a lot more like me than I want to admit. The women behind us had a few too many $6 beers and screamed the whole night, but overall I think it was a hit. We might even go to the high school rodeo event down the road come summer...

Thanks for reading
Cyndee

A true Minnesota February

For those of you reading that don't live in the northern states, we are finally getting our cold snap. The temperature this weekend is not suppose to get above zero. I have found after living here for 16 years now (originally a Colorado native) that Minnesotans pride themselves on how cold it gets. We definitely are missing the snow this year, but the cold is back. I don't know that this part of the country would mind if we did experience a little bit of global warming.

So, as a science teacher, I try to find some fun things to do outside when we experience these cold temperatures. Here are a couple of things to try if the weather get to about 10 to 20 below zero.

- Bring some boiling water outside in a cup and throw it into the air. You make an instant cloud as the water instantly condenses.

- Blow bubbles. The cold air freezes the bubbles. If they land without breaking, you can poke them and see them shatter like glass.


Try it if you can, but bundle up!!

Cyndee

Fighting in the car

I have the privilege (or punishment some days) of picking up the kids after work from daycare. The fall is pretty easy because Charity is in swimming and Roger picks her up from the pool on his way home. The spring is similar with Charity being involved in Synchronized swimming after school.

This time of year is hard. Charity rides the bus to the high school and does her homework while I tutor kids after school or grade papers until about 4pm. We then drive over to get Eli from daycare - and then the fighting begins. Now, keep in mind that our house is literally only about 7 minutes from our daycare. I don't know how they can get into it. So, we as parents have tried to provide the best environment to keep them from fighting - mostly so that I can keep my eyes on the road and not end up in the ditch.

We know that kids will fight given the opportunity, so we tried to eliminate that opportunity. We bought a car with three rows so that they could have their own seat and avoid the whole "he is on my side of the car" or the classic "he is touching me". I often wonder how a 13 year old and 7 year old could have enough in common to fight about, but they know each others buttons and push them at every chance they get. We also have a DVD system in the car - but they fight over which DVD to watch! What happened to good old watching out the window and counting out-of-state license plates? The world has definitely changed!

Okay, so I am venting a little here. I just get frustrated when the screaming begins at 4:15pm every day in the car because they both want to tell me about their day and nobody wants to listen. Or, Charity is playing with her cellphone recording our conversation or taking goofy pictures. Yesterday, I just stopped the car and got out. I just couldn't handle the noise and distraction anymore. I basically gave myself a timeout. I was having a parenting crisis and needed someone like super nanny to help me.

Don't misunderstand me - most of the time my kids are wonderful in the car. They listen to music or watch a DVD without hassle. The car ride is generally a relaxing thing - except for that after school time. Hungry, tired siblings in a car together is not a good thing! Luckily my car drive is only 7 minutes....

Cyndee

True blogger

I would not classify myself as a true blogger - I don't naturally think that certain happenings in my life would be a good blog topic. I do that naturally with scrapbooking - I take pictures to match some stickers that I own. It just fits my storytelling style - more visual than words I guess. Regardless, I find that blogging is more for me than for my readers. It is a faster and easier way for me to get my feelings in an electronic form than to hand write my thoughts.

I am slowly learning about the whole blog process, but you will find that my blog page is fairly simple - without many bells and whistles - which in a strange way reflects me perfectly. I enjoy those that have the fun sidebars and can add special features - it just doesn't fit me. So, Thank you to those that keep reading this to just stay in touch and find out what is going on in my head.