Fried Power Port Samsung Galaxy S4

Last night Sweet Terror came into our bedroom and asked us to check all the smoke alarms. She was terrified that there would be a fire while we were sleeping. I kept asking her why she was suddenly so scared but she had no answer. We checked the alarm, showed her our fire escape plan, she said a prayer and we all went back to bed. This morning I couldn't get the charger to come out of my phone and then realized it was because it had melted into the phone. There are melty burnt marks all around the charging port. Sometimes I fall asleep while reading on my phone and it ends up under my pillow. I'm so glad I put it on the end table (with the charging port hanging off the edge, like I've been told to do) before falling asleep or Sweet Terror's fear may have become a reality!

Lazy day

Today is a lazy rainy day.

We Will Stand

All About Pablo

At my kids' middle school, every year I am asked to write a paper about my child for the teachers to better know them. This is the one I wrote for Pablo this year. (Mind you these are always written last minute because my homework skills are the same as they were when I was in school.)

Pablo is a quiet kid, was quiet even in the womb before he was born. I used to worry about him, but it soon became apparent that he is quiet because he is thinking of amazing things. His brain doesn’t work like most kids. His brain functions much like a computer. If he hasn’t been programmed for the information beforehand it won’t stick, but if you can figure out a way to make it make sense to him, he will never forget it and will understand it in ways most adults never will. Pablo is also a very visual learner/thinker. When I wouldn’t let him play video games he wouldn’t get upset, he just drew his own “video” games on paper. I can’t really explain Pablo to you because I’m still trying to figure him out myself. I know that he tries to do his best. He constantly sets goals for himself and works hard to achieve them. He practices when he feels he can’t do something good enough, and he keeps practicing till he gets it right. Pablo has a special knack for cheering up little children and being friends with mentally handicapped children, because he loves nothing better than to be able to make someone else smile. He sometimes gets teased because he has a hard time understanding senseless cruelty and he doesn’t want to fight back. He tends to see things in black and white and has to have subtleties explained to him in any unfamiliar situation. One could see this as a handicap, but I see it as the trait of a marvelous mind that has the ability to see things others can’t, and I think it could help take him farther in life than most people will be able to, if it is nurtured in the right way.

Pablo has a gift for art, and enjoys drawing anytime he can. He is trying his best to only draw when he isn’t working, and has gotten better at that. He has written several comic books and the depth of his thought process in creating them never ceases to amaze me.

My hope for Pablo is that he will continue to gain confidence in his own decision making skills and for others to see his true potential and appreciate it. I know that he will contribute many new and wonderful ideas to the world in his lifetime, and I hope he will always see himself the way I see him.

Cookie in a Nutshell

At my kids' middle school, every year I am asked to write a paper about my child for the teachers to better know them. This is the one I wrote for Cookie this year. (Mind you these are always written last minute because my homework skills are the same as they were when I was in school.)

Cookie is a very special person. I’m sure all parents feel that way about their child (as they should), but if you get to know Cookie I think you will see what I mean. She is the oldest of 5 kids, she is my first baby, she is a miniature me (only better than I could ever hope to be). Cookie was born older and more mature than some adults I know. She was smart from the very beginning, speaking early, reading early, and she has a memory that never fails to surprise me. But the extra something special about Cookie is her innate desire to do what she thinks is right. Whether it is being kind to someone who needs a friend, standing up for others, obeying her elders, getting her homework done, or just having fun, she always tries her best to do it “right.” When she was very little I was constantly having to tell her, “Mistakes are good,” because she would get very upset if she couldn’t make her letters just right, or if she colored out of the lines. She’s a lot more relaxed now, but still does her best to do what is important to her.

Cookie has set very high standards for herself and refuses to just “go with the flow” if the “flow” goes against those standards. This year she has chosen not to read one of the summer books assigned because it has a lot of bad language in it, but she is willing to read any other book in order to make up for it. Even getting good grades isn’t as important to her as sticking to what she feels is right. I hope, as you get to know her, you can see this side of her.

As for her personality, it depends on what side of the coin you see. On one hand, Cookie can be very shy, introverted and quiet. If she doesn’t feel a connection to kids around her she will tend to keep to herself. But if you see her with friends she feels comfortable with you will see the exact opposite. Cookie loves anything that is extremely silly. She loves to laugh and be goofy, she loves to tease and can dish it out as well as take it (if it isn’t mean teasing).

After 2 major moves Cookie was having a hard time feeling like she fit in at school last year. This year she has some friends and I think she is coming out of her shell again and showing a lot more of her true self.

(Tomorrow I will share the one I wrote for Pablo)

Who Needs Flowers?

Some husbands bring their wives flowers, but mine brings me something even better. When Mr, Hot wants to cheer me up he brings me bags, yes bags, of Subway White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. Sometimes I think he is trying to make me fat, but sometimes I don't care because I love these cookies. I've tried others out there, I've tried many times to make them myself, but there is nothing quite like the ones you get at Subway.

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Ah, sweet cookiness, I love you so.

Well, last night Mr. Hot came home with this little beauty: Blue Bunny White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie ice cream. Mmmmmmmm.

It can't take the place of a Subway cookie, but it still tastes super yummy. Thank you Mr. Hotness, I love you! But, just know, if I don't get the laundry done (yet again), it's your fault because you gave me this and I plan to eat it while watching some cheesy chick-flick today. Any suggestions?

Keeping Up With The Cardassians

While flipping channels yesterday I stumbled upon this old friend. Star Trek, The Next Generation was the Star Trek of MY generation. My kids swarmed around me and started asking all sorts of questions.

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"How can that guy see with that thing on his eyes?"

"Why is that guy all white and shiney?"

"Hey, that ship looks like U.S.S. Apple-pies from Veggie Tales!"

"Isn't this that show with the Speck guy?"

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Needless to say I was made painfully aware of a lack of Treky education in my home. Somewhere in heaven my father was shaking his head in disbelief. After all, dad was the one who got me hooked. He took me to see Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home in the theater. When he was sick with cancer I would sit next to him on his bed to watch Star Trek The Next Generation. I own all the original Star Trek movies on VHS (recorded off TV, of course) including a recording of TV episode 23: Space Seed where Kahn is first introduced. And I had a major crush on Warf in highschool.

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I had some serious catching up to do with my kids. I quickly set my DVR to record future episodes of ST The Next Generation. Tonight I sat down with Sweet Terror and Monster Man to watch one. Cookie came in half way through it and said, "Ew, who is that? Is she a Romu-thingy like on the last one?"

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"No, these are different aliens called Cardassians. You know, kind of like the Kardashians."

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And now I want this T-shirt:

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Does that make me a nerd?

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