Colloquium

Sunday Stealing: The “I’ve come to realize . . . ” Meme

JHS — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:01:43 +0000

This week’s meme comes from Ukok’s Place.

The “I’ve come to realize . . . ” Meme

1. I’ve come to realize that my chest-size . . . is proportional to the rest of my body.

2. I’ve come to realize that my job . . . is perfect for me. I earn my daily bread doing what I was meant to do.

3. I’ve come to realize that when I’m driving . . . I use the time alone to think, analyze, strategize, and make important decisions.

4. I’ve come to realize that I need . . . peace, quiet, solitude, cleanliness, tidiness, order, structure, and organization in order to flourish.

5. I’ve come that realize that I have lost . . . my tolerance for a life that is not characterized by peace, quiet, solitude, cleanliness, tidiness, order, structure, and organization. I no longer have any patience with or ability to function in an environment characterized by chaos, drama, clutter or disorganization.

6. I’ve come to realize that I hate it when . . . I fail to listen to or disregard that “still, small voice” that speaks to all of us from time to time. I am always sorry when, looking back, I realize that had I listened and heeded that “still, small voice” things would have turned out better.

7. I’ve come to realize that if I’m drunk . . . someone has abducted me and forced me to drink copious amounts of alcohol. I rarely drink and I never get drunk.

8. I’ve come to realize that money . . . is merely a means to an end. Nothing more. Nothing less.

9. I’ve come to realize that certain people . . . don’t like me and that is their problem. Not mine. They can just put a bag over their own heads and deal with it. I have neither the time nor energy to waste caring about it. Because I like me and I have spent my entire life working to achieve a level of confidence, self-esteem, and sense of self-worth to be able to say that and mean it. You can’t please everyone and I am no longer willing to lose sleep over that inescapable truth.

10. I’ve come to realize that I’ll always . . . wish that time travel were possible so that I could go back and re-live certain turning points in my life and make different decisions. That desire is quite normal. But I don’t believe in regret, so when something reminds me of those times and events, I spend no more than a fleeting moment concentrating on them.

11. I’ve come to realize that my sibling(s) . . . does not care about me or my children, as evidenced by her behavior. She cares only about her so-called friends and social status, rather than her only family members. Last year, I realized that to continue attempting to have a relationship with her was destructive and hurtful for me. Every time I saw or spoke with her, I came away from the experience with the strong sense that she wanted me to feel badly about myself and my children — lesser than her and her children. Thus, I finally had to admit that my relationship with her was toxic and broke off all communication with her. After several months, I met her for lunch and tried to talk with her about our relationship, hoping that she might have missed me and could come to understand my feelings. It was a complete disaster. As I looked into her eyes, I saw for the first time that they were cold, unfeeling, and quite lifeless. At that revelatory moment, I realized that her eyes had always been that way and, during the months I had not spoken to her, I thought that I had missed her, but I was wrong. Instead, I had missed the sister I always wanted to have, but — I had to finally admit — have never had. Or, at least, have never had since we both became adults. I left the restaurant and when I got home, sent her an email telling her that I could not be involved in a toxic relationship with her. I am completely at peace with both the clarity I finally achieved and my decision.

12. I’ve come to realize that my mom . . . was the catalyst for my unhealthy relationship with my sister. She fostered competition and animosity between us, regularly pitting us against each other. The current status of our relationship is the inevitable result. I’m not angry with my mother . . . she was a flawed, bruised person — aren’t we all? — who did the best she could. I have never doubted that my mother always did what she thought was the right thing and, in light of that fact, find it impossible to hold onto any anger about her behavior.

13. I’ve come to realize that my cell phone . . . is no longer satisfactory. Now that the iPhone 3GS is available, you know I’m going to have to upgrade from my iPhone 3G!

14. I’ve come to realize that when I woke up this morning . . . I was grateful for my eyesight, just as I am each and every morning. Anyone who has survived the threatened loss of one of their senses will confirm that the experience is life-altering.

15. I’ve come to realize that last night before I went to sleep . . . was the second and, hopefully, last night that I will have to spend comforting and reassuring Sophie. She was distraught by the sound of fireworks coming from Lodi Lake and firecrackers being set off around town.

16. I’ve come to realize that right now I am thinking . . . that I should be starting on all of the items on today’s “to do” list rather than participating in this meme!

17. I’ve come to realize that my dad . . . was extremely intelligent and wise, even though he did not attend or graduate from high school. He had a droll sense of humor and, as it turns out, was quite prescient. If he were here, he’d have his hands on his hips, giving me his “I told you so” look. Who knows? Maybe he is.

18. I’ve come to realize that when I get on Facebook . . . I enjoy reading the updates posted by my friends, but I really enjoy logging on to see that I have new friend requests.

19. I’ve come to realize that today . . . is going to be a lovely day — not too hot — and should be followed by a typically cool summer evening.

20. I’ve come to realize that tonight . . . I will stay at home and, if I get everything on my “to do” list done, relax a bit by watching a movie.

21. I’ve come to realize that tomorrow . . . I will be meeting an old friend for lunch. I haven’t seen her in many years, but we reconnected on Facebook. I’m looking forward to seeing her and catching up!

22. I’ve come to realize that I really want to . . . conclude my current house-hunting adventure by signing a contract and closing escrow on the perfect home. Alas . . . I have no confidence that I will ever find a home that I both like enough to buy and can comfortably afford.

23. I’ve come to realize that the person mostly likely to repost this is . . . Bud.

24. I’ve come to realize that life . . . seems to move at a faster pace each and every year, just like all of the “old folks” told me it would.

25. I’ve come to realize that this weekend . . .will fly by and I will find myself back in the office next Monday morning, wondering how my two-week vacation could possibly be over so quickly. (See #24 above.)

26. I’ve realized the best music to listen to when I am upset . . . is something melodic, poignant, and inspiring.

27. I’ve come to realize that my friends . . . are a patient, loyal group of folks for whom I am extremely thankful.

28. I’ve come to realize that this year . . . is a watershed time in my life upon which I will look back on as the point when many things changed forever.

29. I’ve come to realize that my exes . . . symbolize lessons learned. ‘Nuff said.

30. I’ve come to realize that maybe I should . . . write in more detail here about the changes that are taking place in my life, but I am not yet ready to do that, largely because I’m not exactly sure what the future holds. Things are evolving, falling into place . . . options are being weighed, decisions made. The only thing I will say at this point is that the status quo has changed and will change even more in the near future.

31. I’ve come to realize that I love . . . my children more and more as they grow and mature. My appreciation of their wisdom, intellect, senses of humor, and the unconditional support they provide me grows each day.

32. I’ve come to realize that I don’t understand . . . why I didn’t understand a lot of things much earlier in my life. Sometimes I see a person, situation or event so clearly and realize that no one/nothing has changed except my ability to comprehend. I find myself saying, “Why didn’t I see that before? Has she/he/it always been like that?” Usually, the answer is “yes.” It’s like living in a V-8 commercial, complete with me thunking myself on the forehead, yelling, “Doh!” at myself.

33. I’ve come to realize my past . . .is just that. Past. Passed. Over. Finite. Kaput. No do-overs allowed. Move on.

34. I’ve come to realize that parties . . . are fun for short periods of time, but when I am done being around people, I am totally done and need to go home to experience some of that peace and solitude referenced above.

35. I’ve come to realize that I’m totally terrified . . . of very few things with the exception of something horrific happening to one/both of my children or my eyesight deteriorating to the point that I lose my ability to work and be independent.

36. I’ve come to realize that my life . . . has not turned out the way I envisioned it when I was a young girl. In most ways, it is better than I imagined it would be.

Click here to see the list of other participants and read their responses!

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Technorati: Sunday Stealing, The "I've come to realize . . . " Meme

On the same topic:

I get that sinking feeling . . .

JHS — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:01:02 +0000

. . .all over again when I think about it.

It was the summer of 1997. We were getting ready to leave for a relaxing vacation at our favorite destination, Pismo Beach. I was in the house finishing the laundry and packing the suitcases. BigBob went to the garage to get the car ready.

So the boys, who were then 10 and 5 1/2 years old, went outside to play. I reminded them to stay on the quiet circle where our house was located and not go out onto the busier street with which it intersected. There are two entrances to the circle from the more heavily-trafficked thoroughfare and plenty of room between the two to ride bikes. I also asked #1Son to keep an eye on his little brother, who was speeding up and down the sidewalk on his Big Wheels tricycle wearing a neon green Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles helmet.

The street that ran parallel to ours is also a circle, but it can be accessed in either direction from the busier street. So it is possible to turn left or right and loop around back to the main intersection.

After a short while, #1Son came in the house, breathless and red-cheeked from riding his bike, and asked, “Hey, Mom, where’s Mattie-Boo?”

I froze, but it was too soon to panic. “He went outside with you and you were supposed to be keeping an eye on him, remember? So why are you asking me where he is?”

“Well, I was riding my bike and he was on the sidewalk on his Big Wheels trike, but when I turned around and looked again, he was gone.”

I was certain that MattieBoo was out there on the circle and #1Son just didn’t see him. So I went out to the garage and told BigBob to go out on the driveway and see where MattieBoo was.

“I don’t see him,” was the response.

And then I felt it for the first time. That sinking feeling. Deep in my stomach. I felt a scream rising up from the innermost recesses of my brain, but stifled it.

“Well, he has to be out there. He went out with #1Son and I told him to stay on the circle.”

“I don’t see him, but I’ll go look.” With that, BigBob hopped into his car, leaving my Camry with oil dripping into a pan under it, and took off. I was confident that in a few seconds, he would be back, and MattieBoo would come peddling down the sidewalk with the sun bouncing off that ugly green helmet with the big smiling face of a turtle on top.

Instead, BigBob came back alone. And that sinking feeling was slowly giving way to full-fledged, oh-my-freakin’-god-where-is-my-child? panic.

I had not gotten dressed yet that morning. I was going to finish the packing while BigBob readied the car. Then we were both going to shower, dress, throw the kids in the back seat and hit the road, arriving in Pismo Beach just in time for dinner and some evening play time in the hotel pool.

So I threw on my really unattractive, but totally comfortable, fuzzy fuchsia bathrobe and headed outside. I no longer cared that the neighbors might see me with my hair askew and discover what kind of schmatta I puttered around my house in.

I couldn’t drive my car since there was no oil in the engine, so BigBob took off again in his car to search the adjoining streets, while I walked up and down the circle, hoping against hope that little green helmet would round the corner.

I contemplated calling the police, figuring that at 10:00 a.m. Monday morning in livable, lovable Lodi, they were probably just sitting around the donut shop gossiping and they may as well come help look for MattieBoo. By this time, he had been missing a good 30 minutes and my bathrobe was soaked with my cold sweat, I was breathing rapidly and shallowly, felt dizzy and thought I might pass out, but knew I couldn’t give in to the effect my fear was having on my body. I had to find MattieBoo. My baby.

So there I was with the cordless phone in my hand, ready to dial 9-1-1, pacing up and down the circle, calling out, “MattieBoo!” when the next door neighbor, a middle schooler, came home with some of his friends. He instantly knew something was wrong. “Did you see MattieBoo on your way home?” I asked him. “No,” but he and his friends took off immediately to join in the search. A few minutes later, they were back. “We can’t find him.”

Nausea set in. The world was spinning. I really thought I was going to lose it.

BigBob came back again and he was pale. He was panicking, too.

“You’d better call the police. I can’t find him anywhere, but I’m heading out again.” He named the streets he had searched, including the next circle over, but planned to retrace his steps. After all, if he was out there on his Big Wheels, he was a moving target. And if he wasn’t there because someone had taken him . . .

I refused to think about it.

Just then I heard sirens on the main thoroughfare a few blocks away. They sent a shiver down my spine the likes of which I have never experienced before or since. “Oh, God . . . please don’t let those be for MattieBoo.” A vision of that hideous green helmet lying in pieces on the busiest street in town flashed before me and I summarily banished it.

Without my car, I was powerless to do anything but keep pacing and call the police to assist. The dispatcher was professional, sympathetic and reassured me that an officer would be along shortly. “I’m sure he’s just gotten lost and we will find him, safe and sound,” she said in a comforting, if utterly unconvincing, tone.

It seemed like an eternity, but a few minutes later, as I stood there willing my knees to hold me up, I looked down the street to see BigBob’s car rounding the corner.

And in the front seat next to him, peeking up just above the dashboard, I could see something very green — and exceptionally beautiful.

I will never forget his little face when he smiled at me through the window of the car as BigBob pulled into the driveway. There was my MattieBoo with that enormous helmet encircling his gorgeous little bespectacled face. He was grinning from ear to ear.

The car had barely stopped when he hopped out and ran over to me, “Mom! I was riding my Big Wheels and Daddy came and got me!” He had no idea how panicked I had been or why I was crying uncontrollably. I grabbed him and refused to let go, carrying him into the house. I went straight to my bedroom and flopped down on the bed, still squeezing him while BigBob got his Big Wheels out of the back of the car.

“Mom, why are you crying?”

“Because I was scared to death. Where were you? We’ve been looking and looking for you.”

“It’s ok, Mom,” he said, taking both of my cheeks into his little hands. “I was on my way home. I wouldn’t leave you.”

Just then BigBob came in. “Where did you find him?”

“Oh, he was just riding along, completely unconcerned. When I pulled up, he told me, ‘I’m trying to get home, Dad.’” He had gone out onto the busy street and ended up on the next circle over.

Ironically, he had been riding around and around that circle, trying to get back onto ours. But the first few times BigBob drove through that adjacent circle looking for him, he was on the opposite side and did not hear BigBob calling him. The same thing must have happened when #1Son and the other boys rode their bikes over to that circle to search for him. Finally, BigBob got lucky, ending up on the same side of the circle at precisely the same moment as MattieBoo.

I let him go back to playing with his brother. They were both aware that I was upset, but completely oblivious, of course, to the extent of my distress or their father’s. I made them stay in the house the rest of the morning while I finished packing, BigBob completed the oil change, and we finished readying to begin our vacation, during which I never took my eyes off either of my babies.

Having learned his lesson about the neighborhood geography, MattieBoo never again left the circle without my permission.

There have been other moments since then when I have gotten a sinking feeling in my stomach, but, thankfully, none exactly like the one I experienced that day.

Originally published August 25, 2007.

Technorati: Ezine Articles Expert, Spin Cycle, Sunday Scribblings

On the same topic:

Carnival of Family Life: Celebrate America Edition

JHS — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:01:34 +0000

Family Crafts and Activities

Char Polanosky presents Patriotic Printables and Crafts for Independence Day posted at Celebrate It. A selection of printables and craft ideas with a Patriotic theme – just in time for parades, picnics, and camp.

Family Pets

Matt M presents The Pet Haven: Win A 5-Star Accommodation For Your Pet posted at The Pet Haven, saying, “PetSmart Hotels is giving away an overnight stay for your pet.”

Education

Meaghan Montrose presents Effective Learning Strategies and Study SKills- Part 4 posted at TutorFi.

Family Humor

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Empty Nest (Limerick) posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

jen from windy ridge presents Friday Harbor Outtakes posted at The Chronicles Of Windy Ridge. See what happened when a designer brought “12 kids along on a photoshoot.”

Jenny presents It’ll Never Happen To Me posted at the so called me.

Parenting Tips & Advice

OurBlogs presents Being Alert – Helping Them to be Aware of Drugs and Alcohol posted at A Guide to Raising Great Kids.

Len Penzo presents Does Anybody Know the Going Rate for the Tooth Fairy? posted at Len Penzo, asking if there is “a correct amount of money that the Tooth Fairy is supposed to give to your child when he or she loses a tooth.”

Onna holland presents Toddlers sleep posted at Toddler Craft. All parents know that getting children to sleep can be a challenge. Onna shares her solution.

Edwin Casimero presents Recipe to make Delicious Raw Beef Liver children will love posted at The Cure Manual, saying, “Recipe”

Family Relationships & Self-Improvement

SmallTownSim presents Day of Beauty (Part 2) posted at Joy’s Journey To Wellness.

Catherine VanWetter presents Orders of Love Within Family Systems posted at To the Heart of the Matter. “We are all born into a family that has a collective conscience, or soul,” according to Catherine. “With that comes both blessings and circumstances that we carry from generation to generation unless there is resolution.”

Donald Latumahina presents Assess Your Potential Before Taking Action posted at Life Optimizer.

Family Travel

GP presents Get Pumped to Hit the Road « Musings from Montana posted at Manely Montana.

GrrlScientist presents A Gift of The Adventure of a Lifetime posted at Living the Scientific Life. The author wants to travel to Antarctic to “be your eyes and ears on that snowy continent for one month.”

Family Finance

Barry presents Save Money By Reducing Waste posted at Associate Money.

The Dough Roller presents 0% Credit Cards -– A Massive List of No-Interest Credit Card Offers posted at The Dough Roller, a comprehensive list of credit cards that offer either 0% balance transfers, 0% on purchases, or both.

Miss Bankrupt presents Free Food from Family is Not Charity posted at Miss Bankrupt.

nickel presents Joint or Separate Finances? posted at fivecentnickel.com.

Finance Tips 101 presents Car Donations ? Knowing The Facts posted at Finance Tips 101.

Family Health and Wellness

Edwin Casimero presents Pushing the Cure Tooth Decay Protocol to My Children posted at My Family Health Blog.

Aparna presents Juices to work on you inside out posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming.

Thank you to all who participated in and supported this edition of the Carnival!

News About the Carnival of Family Life

Next Monday, July 6, 2009, Riley will be hosting the How We Spent the Fourth Edition at All Rileyed Up. Click here to submit a post for next Monday’s edition of the Carnival by 4:00 p.m. (noon) Pacific Time on Sunday, July 5, 2009. Be sure to include both the permalink to and relevant information about your entry. Should you have questions, the Carnival guidelines can be reviewed by clicking here before submitting your post.

Note: After next Monday’s edition, the Carnival of Family Life is going to be a montly, rather than weekly event, published on the first Monday of each month. If you are interested in hosting, use the contact form to drop me a note letting me know which month you are interested in hosting.

Technorati: Carnival of Family Life

On the same topic:

A Little Spice

JHS — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:01:00 +0000

“Jealousy is like a hot pepper.
Use it mildly, and you add spice to the relationship.
Use too much of it and it can burn.”

Ayala M. Pines
Romantic Jealousy (1992)

Are you a jealous person? In what ways? Toward whom? Are there any behaviors or characteristics that are guaranteed to bring out the green envy monster who lurks deep within your soul? Has your partner ever given you reason to be jealous?

When BigBob and I met, he was 34 years old and had one child from a previous marriage. I was 28. When we were getting acquainted, we did not deem it necessary or constructive to devote much conversation to prior relationships in which each of us had been involved except to the extent that previous experiences impacted current behaviors, opinions, outlooks. Neither of us is really “the jealous type” and we both believed that the only thing that really mattered was the future.

So I was shocked when the letter arrived.

Yes, the wedding date was set, the invitations had been mailed, the photographer and caterer retained, and the wedding attire purchased. I came home from work one afternoon and began preparing dinner. He was still at work, but I expected him to arrive shortly. I decided to check the mail where I found the usual assortment of bills, advertisements . . . and a curious letter from a local ambulance company. I say “curious” because it was a business-sized envelope with a preprinted return address, but no transparent window. It was addressed to “Bob” rather than the more formal “Robert,” the name under which business is usually transacted. And his name was hand-written rather than typed or printed. I figured that this was probably an invoice or correspondence of some sort and the secretary had just opted to write out the address in long hand because I recalled BigBob telling me about a former roommate who had taken ill and ended up being taken to the hospital via ambulance. So I opened the envelope.

There was no bill or business-related correspondence contained there. Rather, there were about four hand-written pages with which I was instantly intrigued.

The letter began with an apology and then launched into reminiscences of times spent together during the previous year. I no longer remember all of the details, but the woman who wrote the letter was, essentially, sorry that things had not worked out between them. She said that she missed him, thought about him all of the time, and was certain that if they gave it another shot, they would live happily ever after.

BigBob had never mentioned her by name, but based upon the details in the letter, I figured out that she was the woman who had briefly rented a house around the corner. They had become acquainted because she had a daughter around the same age as BigBob’s daughter, so the two little girls played together. In contrast to her written professions of unrequited love and longing, BigBob’s rendition of the story went something like this: “We went on a few dates. It was no big deal. She didn’t live there very long and, after she moved, we never saw each other again.”

Guys usually change the subject when the topic of former girlfriends comes up, shrugging relationships off as “no big deal.” For just a split second, I wondered if there was more to the story than he had shared with me — or if the letter-writer’s had only imagined or hoped that there was. One thing was clear: She was lonely and looking for love. But no matter what had transpired between them, I was reading that letter in our house, cooking our dinner, wearing the engagement ring he had given me and spread out on the desk where I sat reading the letter were a variety of items related to our upcoming wedding, including the remaining supply of invitations, notes about the menu for the reception, to-do lists, and appointment reminders for the required counseling sessions with the pastor, and tuxedo and dress fittings.

“What should I do with this letter?” was the question I asked myself. I thought about burning it and never telling him about it, but that dishonest approach would bring no satisfaction because I really wanted to see his reaction. After all, I told myself, if this letter is going to make him stop and reconsider our upcoming marriage, I want to know about his doubts now, not later. Deep inside, I knew that wasn’t going to happen, but in such intense situations there is sometimes a split second of doubt that precedes resumption of rational thinking.

So I resolved that I would definitely present him with the letter when he got home.

Next was the matter of my having read it. Again, I wondered: Should I admit that I read all of it? Will he be angry? Embarrassed? Feel like his privacy has been violated? We have always lived by a simple rule of thumb: Whomever gets the mail opens the mail. Obviously, he would know that I was lying if I shoved the letter back into the envelope and sealed it in an effort to make it look like it had never been opened.

And then my thoughts turned back to the woman who had written the letter. I began to imagine what it was like to be in her shoes. I wondered what she was like and, frankly, was a bit creeped out at knowing that she had been spending so much time fantasizing and dreaming about my fiancee. Curiously, though, the situation was also an ego boost because, after all, the guy was all mine even though some other woman obviously wanted him very badly. Badly enough to risk sending a revealing, soul-bearing letter that put her vulnerabilities on display and left her ripe for for the worst kind of rejection. She was obviously too afraid of rejection to just pick up the phone and call, even though there was no suggestion that she knew I existed, much less that we were engaged. I was in no position to judge her motivations or sincerity, but all indications were that she had reached out with her heart — and I concluded that she deserved some kind of response so that she would learn the truth and could have closure. Naturally, I also wanted to ensure that she never contacted us again.

But who should be the one to let her down gently? Before I really thought about it, I found myself dialing the telephone number on the ambulance company letterhead. When she answered, I calmly told her my name and said, “I live on _________ Avenue.” She gasped lightly, signalling that she comprehended the import of those five words without the need for further explanation. I quickly added, in a very matter-of-fact tone, “Bob Siess is my fiancee so I would really appreciate if you would refrain from sending any more letters to my house.” She mumbled “o.k.” and before there could be any uncomfortable silence, I said, “Thank you” and hung up.

Just as I put the phone down, BigBob came home from work. A few minutes spent
changing his clothes and unwinding, he asked the question people routinely ask each other on weekday evenings, “Anything interesting in the mail?”

“Well, as a matter of fact . . . ”

I told him exactly what had happened . . . that I read the letter and called the woman who wrote it, detailing our brief conversation.

He just stared at me, trying to process the information. “Where’s the letter?” he asked. I handed it to him, asking, “Do you want me to go in the other room so that you can read it by yourself?”

And then I learned that a little jealousy — especially in the form of one partner running off a potential interloper — can indeed add a little spice to a relationship.

BigBob took the letter from me and walked into the kitchen. I watched as he calmly but deliberatively ripped it into many small pieces. “Don’t you even want to read it?” I asked incredulously. “You don’t want to know exactly what she said? You can call her yourself if you want to . . . it’s all right with me.” He ignored my question and commentary as he continued ripping the paper. Then he opened the garbage can, threw all the pieces in, got himself a beer from the refrigerator, and tuned to face he. Looking at me with a big grin on his face, he answered all of my questions with just one of his own: “What’s for dinner?”

Originally published June 10, 2007.

Technorati: Carnival of Family Life, Spin Cycle, Sunday Scribblings

On the same topic:

Carnival of Family Life: Father’s Day Edition

JHS — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:01:40 +0000

Education

Super Saver presents My Wealth Builder: We’re Holding Our Daughter Back for Kindergarten posted at My Wealth Builder.

GrrlScientist presents TEDTalks: Robert Full Tells Us What He Learned from the Gecko’s Tail posted at Living the Scientific Life. Biologist Robert Full studies the amazing gecko, with its supersticky feet and tenacious climbing skill. High speed footage reveals that the gecko’s tail harbors surprising talents.

Family Humor

Rose presents Brian and Rose Plus 7, 470 Chickens, 8 Pigs, etc. posted at Learning at Home.

Jenny presents You Know You’re A Mother When posted at the so called me.

Riley presents Tree Hugger in the Making posted at All Rileyed Up.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Not An American Idol posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Family Finance

Money Savin’ Momma presents Want to STOP getting unwanted sales calls on your phone? posted at Engineer a debt free life. Momma things the idea is “brilliant” and cost-effective.

The Smarter Wallet presents Does Your Estate Plan Expect You To Die Broke? posted at The Smarter Wallet.

The Dough Roller presents Best 0% Balance Transfer Credit Card posted at The Dough Roller. Looking to consolidate high interest debt? “0% Balance transfers, as opposed to cash advances, offer a great way to save money.”

David presents Shop Online With a Disposable Credit Card posted at Credit Card Offers IQ. Why did it take so long for someone to think of this?

Michal presents A Bright Idea: Save Energy With LED Bulbs posted at Energy Saving Gadgets. “Energy Star-qualified LED lighting uses at least 75% less energy than incandescent lighting, so you can reduce your energy bill just by changing light bulbs,” according to Michal. Maybe. If I could just convince my kids to turn the light switch off in the first place.

Family Crafts and Activities

Vicky presents Kids Doing Too Much in School posted at Kota Medan City.

Stephanie presents Fun Father’s Day Ideas posted at Make It From Scratch.

Kerry Fletcher presents How to archive your children’s art posted at Houston Interior Decorating Examiner.

Keith Tusing presents Family Time vs. Computer Time? posted at CM Buzz.

Family Health and Wellness

Mina Irfan presents Surviving My Mother’s Cancer posted at The Universe Guru.

Aparna presents Bleaching your skin? Follow these do’s and don’ts posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming. Aparna focuses on some points to keep in mind and discusses the benefits of bleaching and necessary precautions.

Donald Latumahina presents Proven Principles for Managing Your Energy posted at Life Optimizer.

Organic Baby Wearhouse presents Johnson & Johnson Refuses to Remove Cancer Causing Chemicals from Baby Products posted at Organic Baby Wearhouse. “Last Friday a letter signed by 50 groups representing about 1.7 million people was sent to William Weldon, the CEO of Johnson & Johnson, asking the company to remove the cancer causing chemicals 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde from its products.”

Ashley Cook presents Juggling for Fun and Exercise posted at Healthy Living Tips,

Parenting Tips & Advice

Gerard presents Tips For Raising Happy Children posted at Happy Kids For Life.

Lisa Newton presents Soon To Be Empty Nester! posted at Savings With Sadie, saying, “Sharing how I will be handling being and empty nester.”

pankaj gupta presents Top 10 Genealogy Websites to know your clan posted at Pankaj Speaks.

Family Relationships & Self-Improvement

Kerry Fletcher presents City or suburbs posted at Houston Interior Decorating Examiner.

Krisdyn presents Bring the Spark Back – How to Save Your Marriage posted at A Beautiful Life.

Peter cantelo presents How To Make Sure Your Business Gives You Quality Of Life posted at vivavi.co.uk.

Mike presents Beware of the Double Dip posted at Great Depression Version 2: Bear Market and Economic Depression, saying, “The stock market may be up, but that does not mean the end of the recession is necessarily near.”

Michael Cohen presents Don’t Bet On A Soft Landing Into The New Normal posted at Debt, Economics, Boom and Bust>, saying, “There are those predicting a new normal of 1-2% economic growth. We will likely not ease our way into that sort of situation.”

GrrlScientist presents The Science of StoryTelling: Nobelist Paul Nurse Talks about His Personal Genetic History posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “This video is a fascinating look at Paul Nurse’s personal history .. Nurse, who is a biochemist, Knight, 2001 Nobel Prize Winner and President of Rockefeller University in NYC, reveals how, after 58 years, he finally learned the truth of his own family history.”

Family Travel

Jeannie Anderson presents Travel Advice and Resources from BabySafeTravel.com posted at The Adventures of Mr. Busypants.

Thank you to all who participated in and supported this edition of the Carnival!

Next Monday: The Celebrate America edition will be a patriotic extravaganza! For this upcoming edition, you may submit as many posts as you like so long as at least one is related to the theme. For instance, tell us about how your family traditionally spends July 4th, what you plans are for this year, your favorite Independence Day destination. Do you have a special recipe to share? How about activities that your family enjoys on the 4th? Is there a particularly memorable July 4th that you want to tell readers about? Special photos you’d like to share? The possibilities are limited only by your imagination, creativity, and collective life experiences thus far. Surprise and amaze the other Carnival participants and readers!

Click here to submit a post for next Monday’s Celebrate America edition of the Carnival by 7:00 p.m. (noon) Pacific Time on Sunday, June 28, 2009. Be sure to include both the permalink to and relevant information about your entry. Should you have questions, the Carnival guidelines can be reviewed by clicking here before submitting your post.

Technorati: Carnival of Family Life

On the same topic:

Sunday Stealing: The Finish the Sentence Meme

JHS — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:26:12 +0000

This week’s meme comes from Notbob’s Bits. Bob doesn’t recall the site at which he found the meme.

The Finish the Sentence Meme

1. I’ve come to realize that my last kiss . . .

. . . will truly be the last one for an indeterminate period of time. And that’s just fine with me.

2. I am listening to watching . . .

. . . The Fashion Show on Bravo. It’s the alternative to Project Runway. I’ve always been a fan of Isaac Mizrahi.

3. I talk . . .

. . . too fast and am notorious with court reporters who inevitably end up telling me to slow down when their fingers either burst into flame or go completely numb from trying to keep up with me. Early on in my legal career, I learned to keep an eye on the court reporter and if he/she looks like he/she is struggling to keep up, I make a conscious effort to slow down. I usually tell the court reporter at the outset about my tendency, that I will watch them for signals, and to feel comfortable verbally reminding me to slow down, if necessary.

4. I love . . .

. . . my two boys more than anything or anyone. Unonditionally. They continue to regularly make me proud — in big and small ways. They are the reason I get out of bed every morning.

5. My best friends . . .

. . . are people I have known for at least thirty years and yet I have surprised several of them with recent revelations. There are certain things in one’s life that you don’t talk to anyone about — not even your best friends — until the time is right . . . for myriad reasons.

6. My first real kiss . . .

. . . was shocking.

7. Love is . . .

. . . ubiquitous.

8. Marriage is . . .

. . . not for everyone. I believe that we do our children a huge disservice if we don’t teach them that and allow them to grow, explore, and make a choice that is appropriate for them and will make them fully happy in their adult lives.

9. Somewhere, someone is thinking . . .

. . . I wish my parents — primarily, my mother — had told me that I should not feel obligated to marry in order to be perceived as “normal” and accepted by other people and society, in general. I wish I had learned earlier in my life that being alone is perfectly fine, so long as that is what makes me happy.

10. I’ll always . . .

. . . have an emotional attachment to the home in which I live and will not sell it, but, for a variety of reasons, it is time for me to live somewhere else. So I am house shopping.

11. The last time I really cried was because . . .

. . . I felt trapped.

12. My mobile phone . . .

. . . is an iPhone 3G. And now I want an iPhone 3GS, of course. Here’s an interesting article about the new model: Seven Things You Need to Know About iPhone 3GS.

13. When I wake up in the morning . . .

. . . my first thought is always one of gratitude for my eyesight.

14. Before I go to bed . . .

. . . I take Zyrtec. If I forget, I will itch from my scalp to the bottom of my feet within less than 24 hours.

15. Right now I am thinking about . . .

. . . all the things that I want to accomplish today.

16. Babies are . . .

. . . a beautiful memory. In fact, this photo was taken 22 years ago today — Father’s Day — immediately following the worship service during which my oldest was baptized at the age of three months. Grandma Siess (Mercy) is standing next to my parents. Note how proudly my father held his second grandson. That photograph was taken on the very spot where I am sitting as I type this — right here in the corner of the living room in the Hickok Homestead where my desk sits now.

17. I get on MySpace . . .

. . . rarely. I created a page a few years ago when it was the big rage, but I never developed it and I haven’t logged on in ages. Can’t remember the last time. I wasn’t at all surprised when I heard a news report recently that Facebook is more popular.

18. Today I . . .

. . . have a long list of things I need to do, including laundry, a workout in the pool, and practicing my piccolo.

19. Tomorrow I will be . . .

. . . out of town on business.

20. I really want to be . . .

. . . finished with the whole home buying process and calling the movers as quickly as possible. Alas, it doesn’t work that way. It’s a slow process, as it should be, but it is exhausting and consuming.

Click here to see the list of other participants and read their responses!

Happy Father’s Day! Don’t forget that the very special Father’s Day Edition of the Carnival of Family Life will be live tomorrow. You can submit a post here until 7:00 p.m. (Pacific time) today!

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Friday Fill-Ins: Volume 9

JHS — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:46:15 +0000

1. All children alarm their parents, if only because you are forever expecting the very best for and from them, but bad things happen to all of us from time to time; plus, we are all human and flawed. I consider parenting to be the ultimate expression of “eternal optimism.”

2. Show me a good loser and I will show you a person who either lacks motivation and drive or has become adept at hiding his/her feelings of disappointment and failure.

3. Drinking Kahlua is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs at one time.

4. Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy trying to make the best decisions that they can in consideration of the fact that we are in completely unprecedented and, accordingly, uncharted territory and faced with the challenge of simultaneously dealing with multi-layered crises.

5. I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine assertiveness and tact.

6. It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, without a glass of good wine or some delicious vegetables in it.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to relaxing here at home watching Real Time with Bill Maher and most likely dozing off fairly early. Tomorrow my plans include water aerobics and stopping by an open house in my old neighborhood, and celebrating Father’s Day with the boys and their dad. Sunday, I want to do the laundry early in the day so that I can spend the afternoon sorting through the pile of mail on and organizing my desk, and getting ready for a busy workweek.

To read the responses of other participants, visit Friday Fill-Ins.

This Monday is the very special Father’s Day Edition of the Carnival of Family Life! You can submit your posts here by 7:00 p.m. (Pacific time) on Sunday, June 21, 2009!

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On the same topic:

Carnival of Family Life

JHS — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:01:01 +0000

Family Cooking & Recipes

Make it from Scratch presents My Favorite Pancakes posted at Make It From Scratch, a dish that’s actually “great for any meal!”

vegefood presents Spicy Chicken with Green Chillies posted at Vegetarian Culinary.

Crafts & Activities

Cyndi Lavin presents Painting fabric in a bag posted at Mixed Media Artist. “You can never know too many tricks for painting with kids,” according to Cyndi, who offers an effective way to contain the mess while ending up with some great-looking fabrics to use in your art projects.

Vera Lang presents 10 Free Printable Fathers Day Cards, Templates & More Project Ideas posted at Fine Craft Guild .com. Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21, 2009! This site will help you get ready.

Education

Erin presents Free Tutoring posted at Note from the Teacher.

Becca Glouzstein presents Principles of Empowerment to Teach your Children posted at Inspiration for Mothers.Com.

Family Humor

Dan presents Why I Love My Kids Wednesday – Dirty Q-Tips Edition posted at My Dad Blog, a humorous look at why that Dad loves his kids, dirty Q-tip surprises and all.

Better Homemaking presents Day of Beauty posted at Better Homemaking: Personal Development, offering a unique perspective on her beauty regimen.

Family Finance

The Dough Roller presents 0% APR Balance Transfer for 12 Months posted at The Dough Roller, a discussion of one of the last reamining 12-month 0% APR balance transfer deals.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents ETrade Online Brokerage Account: Top Broker Review posted at The Digerati Life. “Part of family finance involves managing your investments. Here’s a review of a popular stock broker for your long term investment accounts.”

The Dough Roller presents Balance Transfer Credit Cards posted at The Dough Roller, offering an “updated list of 0% balance transfer offers” that can be used to lower interest payments.

Family Health and Wellness

GrrlScientist presents Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder: The Newest Mental Illness? posted at Living the Scientific Life. The updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) may soon list a new mental disorder: Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder (PTED). Are you or a member of your family experiencing symptoms?

Parenting Tips & Advice

Elisha Webster Emerson presents Time is Money? O Yes! posted at My Inconvenient Body, all about how a new mother has learned the principles of time management.

Amy Hobbs presents The Package Deal posted at Amy Reads Good Books.

Kakie presents Book Review – Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys posted at Bur Bur & Friends: Community Park. The book explores the state of raising boys in modern society and tools for providing them “the emotional literacy to thrive.”

Emma presents Potty training, step 1 – choosing a potty posted at Baby-Log.

Julie presents Teen Depression: Is it More than “Just the Blues?” posted at More4kids.

Fiona Lohrenz presents Guidelines For Preparing A Day Care Safety Statement posted at Child Care Only.

Family Pets

Jake presents 3 Tips to Stop Dogs from Begging posted at Dog Training Pet. At our house, we gave up on this lesson many years ago.

Family Relationships & Self-Improvement

Jenny presents Grateful for All the Little Things posted at the so called me, a collection of the things that “make [Jenny] happy in life.”

Susan Gaissert presents The Winding Path of Mother-Daughter Love posted at The Expanding Life.

Catherine VanWetter presents Family Healing posted at To The Heart of the Matter, a description of an intergenerational healing process that “restores the flow of love and strength from our ancestors, those who came before us, to us.”

Carole Gold presents The Black Art of Control: How to Reclaim Your Power posted at Carole Gold, offering insight for her teenage daughter about abusive relationships.

Charles H. Green presents The Power of I’m Sorry: the Four Rs of a Trustworthy Apology posted at Trust Matters.

Super Saver presents First Trophy posted at My Wealth Builder.

Donald Latumahina presents 10 Essential Career Lessons From Terence Tao posted at Life Optimizer.

Leticia Velasquez presents The prayer of a little saint posted at cause of our joy.

Lucy presents Uncovering the True You posted at Lucy’s Life.

here to submit a post for next Monday’s edition of the Carnival by 7:00 p.m. (noon) Pacific Time on Sunday, June 14, 2009. Be sure to include both the permalink to and relevant information about your entry. Should you have questions, the Carnival guidelines can be reviewed by clicking here before submitting your post.

Technorati: Blog Carnival, Carnival of Family Life

On the same topic:

Tuesday’s Tribute: Friendship Lost

JHS — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:53:15 +0000

I thought, in my youthful naivete, that we would be friends forever. But 27 years later, I still don’t know why our friendship ended. Perhaps I should refer to it as a “purported” friendship or “presumed” friendship. If a friendship ends, does that mean it was never a true friendship (whatever that means), anyway?

We posed for a faux engagement photo on Christmas Eve, 1975. Steven was actually pointing to the mood ring I had just received as a Christmas gift.

I can no longer remember the first time I met him. I know that it was near the end of our high school years. We spent a lot of time together during the summer immediately following graduation. It was 1974 and we were excited about starting college. I spent my afternoons and evenings toiling at Straw Hat Pizza, making $2.00 per hour (that was the minimum wage then). My goal was to earn enough money to purchase a Fender classical guitar. I bought it just before school began in the fall and was relieved to abandon my pizza-making career in favor of resuming my studies. We spent a lot of late evenings at Lodi Lake — on the swings, walking around to the North side, lounging on the grass. And when school began, we car-pooled since our days began in the early morning and lasted until late at night when rehearsal for the latest offering from the Drama Department ended.

A couple of years ago, my girlfriends caught me off-guard when they found a photo of us in an old album and began reminiscing about my crush on him. I truly had no recollection of ever having any romantic feelings for him! Remarkably, I had completely forgotten that for a very brief period of time, I did entertain a few vagrant fantasies, but, in retrospect, they could only have been rebound-inspired. He was a gentle, sensitive, and considerate guy who sent me flowers on my birthday, opened the car door for me, and wrote a few poems dedicated to me. But his sexuality was never in question.

Which is what made the abrupt end of our friendship so shocking, illogical, and downright bizarre.

The details are sketchy, at best. But the way I remember it now, the year was 1982. I was living in Southern California, as was he. After studying costume design in North Carolina, he returned to California and began working in television and movies. He was living in the Hollywood Hills and invited me to his house for dinner. We were both in relationships, but spent the evening having a quiet dinner at the home he shared with his then-partner. I don’t remember what we talked about, but do recall that it had been quite awhile since we had spent time together and felt as though we no longer had much in common. So I do remember sensing that it was difficult to keep the conversation moving. I also remember that a movie was being filmed at a house on his street and, as we sat in the hot tub after dinner, we could hear crew members loading equipment into trucks that were traversing up and down the narrow street.

I never saw him again. I don’t believe that we ever spoke after that, although there may have been one or two brief telephone conversations. And then? Silence.

I asked a couple of friends and was told that he believed we no longer had anything in common. Our closest mutual friend conveyed that he felt I had “a problem” with his sexual orientation.

Which, of course, made absolutely no sense because I knew from the first moment we met that he was gay. There was never any doubt. It was never a secret. He was never even slightly ambiguous about it. My parents knew it. Our friends’ parents knew it. Nobody cared.

The most ironic part of this whole bizarre saga is that our closest mutual friend grew up, as did I, in a mainstream Protestant religion. But while I became a civil rights attorney fighting for equality for all persons regardless of their sexual orientation, she became a teacher in a parochial school. As I became less and less enamored with organized religion and eventually left the church altogether — primarily because of my former denomination’s refusal to ordain gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons or recognize and sanctify their marriages — she became increasingly involved in and committed to the teachings of her church. She prays that our mutual friend will be healed, i.e., become heterosexual as a result of the power of prayer. She believes that is a real possibility and that homosexuality is a sinful lifestyle. He continues to be her friend.

Me? Shut out of his life in 1982 with no explanation or rationale. He never expressed his feelings or afforded me an opportunity to respond. What did I say that so offended him? What did I do? Obviously, I will never know.

I reached out to him twice over the years, to no avail. I emailed him a few years ago, but never received a response. A couple of months ago, a friend directed me to his Facebook page. So I sent him a friend request and message, but he has thus far ignored my request.

This past Saturday, I was having lunch with several old friends, one of whom looked at me and said, “He accepted my friend request on Facebook.” Our eyes met and in hers I saw empathy, compassion, and puzzlement, as she shrugged her shoulders and added, “I don’t get it.”

I don’t, either.

Steven Zimbelman, this Tuesday Tribute is in your honor.

I have discussed with our mutual good friends many times that we are too old and have too much history together to let minor disagreements, slights or unintentional cruelties stand in the way of our continuing relationships. Our friendships are simply too valuable to let anything come between us.

Steven, I have reached out to you now a total of three times. I have publicly admitted that I have no idea what I did to upset you all those years ago. And, frankly, I still get angry every time I think about this situation because true friends don’t just turn their backs on their friends and walk away. I guess I must conclude then that we could never really have been friends in the first place. Friends tell each other when their feelings are hurt and offer their friends an opportunity to respond. Friends have their friends’ backs, standing beside them when times are rough, and celebrating their victories with them.

So it is your loss, at this point. You have missed out on so much since you chose to distance yourself from me. You’ve never met my fabulous sons, you’ve never been over to visit us here in the Hickok Homestead where you and I spent so many hours and had so much fun all those years ago, and you’ve voluntarily given up the chance to let me have your back and celebrate your victories with you. Those are things that I am really good at, as the rest of our old gang can attest. I am loyal, steadfast, and would never hurt anyone deliberately. I thought you knew that.

And just for the record: I have devoted my professional life to fighting for your civil rights. You’re welcome. Dude, your sexual orientation was never and is not now an issue. So get over yourself already.

And know that in spite of it all, I wish you only health, happiness, and equality.

Technorati: Tuesday's Tribute

On the same topic:

Carnival of Family Life: Sailing into Summer Edition

JHS — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:01:31 +0000

Family Cooking & Recipes

Mother Hen presents Healthy Squash Muffins! posted at Mother Hen.

Annette Berlin presents Spinach And Noodles posted at Craft Stew. The recipe, with quite a few changes, is based on one called “Greens and Noodles” from the Vegetarian Express Lane Cookbook. But Annette “made it a little quicker and a whole lot more garlicky.”

The Family presents Frozen Yogurt Peanut Butter Pops posted at Once Upon a Family.

Rani presents Banana Split Dessert posted at Christ’s Bridge.

Family Crafts & Activities

Nickel presents Free Summer Movies for Kids – 2009 Edition posted at fivecentnickel.com.

Super Saver presents Free Summer Activities for our Four Year Old posted at My Wealth Builder.

Mama Bear presents Get Outside Weekend! posted at I’ve Got a Little Space to Fill.

Jennifer presents Family Fishing Fun + How to Make a Cane Pole posted at Make It From Scratch, saying, “A fun and economical outing for the whole family.”

Stephanie presents The Secret Clubhouse posted at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood, an aritcle about “imaginations run wild.”

Char Polanosky presents Eight Things to Look for in a Youth Basketball Program posted at Sports Girls Play, providing tips applicable to any sports program.

Education

Dana presents Homeschooling, socialization and my daughter posted at Principled Discovery.

Family Finance

Finance Tips 101 presents Working Out A Family Budget Will Help You Save Money posted at Finance Tips 101.

jim presents Request & Check Your Specialty Reports Annually posted at Bargaineering.

David presents Discover Card Doubles Rewards for Military Families posted at Credit Card Offers IQ.

The Dough Roller presents Three Gadgets That Can Cut Your Energy Costs By 30% posted at The Dough Roller.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Balance Transfer Credit Card Tips, Facts and Traps posted at The Digerati Life.

The Smarter Wallet presents S & P Index and Crude Oil Market Trends: Next Steps? posted at The Smarter Wallet.

Pinyo presents Wealth Banes: 3 Habits That Will Ruin Your Finances posted at Moolanomy. “My dad told me a long time ago,” Pinyo writes, “that I will never be poor if I avoid three bad habits.”

Lindsay presents Have Squatters Entered Your Neighborhood? posted at Home Security Beat. Keeping your family safe starts with keeping your neighborhood safe. With the current foreclosure rate, empty houses are plentiful . . . and an easy target.

Family Health and Wellness

Mikkal Travvis presents How To Survive A Flu Pandemic posted at Bird Flu Pandemic.

Susan Gaissert presents A Hi-Tech Way to Lend a Hand posted at The Expanding Life.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Book Announcement: The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution. “While most of us have heard the phrase ‘use it or lose it,’ very few understand what ‘it’ means, or how to properly ‘use it’ in order to maintain brain function and fitness.”

Parenting Tips & Advice

Dan presents Flushing Toys Down the Toilet – Punishment Time posted at My Dad Blog, discussing “the joys of children flushing objects down toilets — and how to administer the consequences of a costly plumbing bill.”

Toni presents Let’s go for a 120-day maternity leave! posted at Wifely Steps, suggesting that readers “learn from one another how maternity/parental leave is administered in different countries.”

Julie presents To Hug or Not to Hug posted at More4kids.

Kevin presents The Marionette posted at Textual Intercourse.

Family Pets

Lucy presents Pets As Wedding Attendants posted at Wedding Tips. Believe it or not, including pets in weddings is a popular trend.

GP presents The Ingredients for Equine Success posted at Manely Montana, an examination of “life lessons learned from our animals.”

Kim Olovsson presents Death of a Hamster posted at 2funmoms.com. Have you ever been faced with a life and death situation involving a hamster?

Family Relationships & Self-Improvement

Dana presents A game of catch, a game of life posted at Simple Pleasures.

Robert Burton Robinson presents Saving Up to Buy Some Happiness posted at Mind Over Mania.

Family Travel

Jim DeSantis presents How To Stop Road Rage. What I Learned In Driver Friendly Texas! posted at On Line Tribune. “Taking a vacation to visit relatives is always fun and can be a surprising adventure when one is open to discovering all that the local culture has to offer,” Jim observes. “So it was for me in the Lone Star state of Texas.”

Thank you to all who participated in and supported this edition of the Carnival!

Click here to submit a post for next Monday’s edition of the Carnival by 7:00 p.m. (noon) Pacific Time on Sunday, June 7, 2009. Be sure to include both the permalink to and relevant information about your entry. Should you have questions, the Carnival guidelines can be reviewed by clicking here before submitting your post.

Technorati: Blog Carnival, Carnival of Family Life