The TSA Screening & Pat Downs

Let me start off by saying that my opinion is based solely on the fact that I have flown a total of 2 times in my entire life and that the last time was 9 years ago, November 2001. I was on a small plane headed to Freeport, Bahamas, and by small I mean there were 3 seats on each side of the plane.  But this was still right after 9/11 and I was still a little very scared to be on the plane - but more so of the fact that there was turbulence than of a security threat. 

I am understanding of the new regulations (even though I think it can lead to further violations elsewhere) and this is why:

• If someone came into a room full of people and said that someone in the room had a bomb strapped to them that was not made of metal - I'm pretty sure everyone would be willing to do whatever in order to prove that they were "free and clear".  Let's move that situation to the airlines - who wants to blow up in an airplane? If there is a possibility that someone could get on an airplane with me that has a bomb on them - THAT is a violation of my constitutional right just as much IF NOT MORE THAN proving my innocence. I would rather go through imaging if it meant that my flight was safe.
• The airlines are offering us a service and they have a responsibility to keep us safe - plain and simple.  As the terrorists get more creative - the TSA is going to have to increase its security to match them.

But I also disagree with the regulations for a few reasons but let me share in all CAPS that my first reason for agreeing with it SHOULD OUTWEIGH ANY DISAGREEMENT IN MY OPINION.

• Apparently this imaging is new and not well tested - I wonder how many smokers are complaining about this? Since when do people care that something is not well tested about its long term effects - OH, only when they don't like it. And how many times does the FDA approve something and then realize 20+ years later that its not good for you after all? (OK maybe that didn't help my argument in the way you'd think). I'm not saying that we shouldn't care about the long term effects - please don't take this the wrong way.  I think members of the tea party people are using this as a reason for their "cause".  Further testing should absolutely be required! 
• This is a violation of my constitutional right - well so is being blown up at 20,000 feet.  'Nuf said.  
•  I don't agree with the private pat-down rules.  You can request a private pat-down yet there is no one else to supervise the pat-down and no video tape to make sure nothing inappropriate is done.

I recently asked a frequent flier his opinion on the new regulation (part of his opinion: "I've seen the actual scan of a screen, and it's really not a naked picture of someone. There are shadows and shapes discernible, but you can't see the person's flesh. I compare it to getting an MRI or CT scan") and he led me to a respected blog which led me to an article on how the Israeli's conduct Airline Security and I absolutely think that the United States needs to adopt something similar identical.   You can check that article out here.  What are your opinions? What would you do? Would you refuse? Would you go through, no hesitation?

Family "chip" In

I almost drove myself off a cliff a few weeks ago, almost ran off somewhere far far away, almost dropped the kids off at a strangers doorstep only to bail - do you get the picture? The kids were DRIVING ME NUTS!!  I don't know what it was but their behavior had me going crazy - it was the worst it had been in a long time.  Hannah is in the midst of the terrible 3's and Emma is approaching tweenhood - attitude and all.  It seems like I'm always on them for something and it's draining and exhausting.  I always talk of doing more positive reinforcement, but it never lasts longer than I want.  So I finally put my words into action and we created those "buckets" shown above.  All it took was some creative thinking, a trip to the dollar store and some supplies from the craft closet, plus my supply of poker chips (hence the family "chip" in).  

Here's the lowdown:

• They earn a token for GREAT behavior.  It has to be something worth earning - helping someone out with something without being asked, coming home on green from school, using manners without suggestion consistently, doing what they're told the first time without a fit, you get the picture
• They lose a token for bad behavior.  Coming home on yellow or below, back talk, hitting or any other aggressive behavior, throwing a fit, etc.
• Their ENTIRE bucket gets emptied for lying.  

If you noticed, they each have a bucket and then there is a family bucket.  Matt and I decided we needed to spend more one on one time with the kids and I really needed some alone time with Emma to hopefully steer the attention seeking bad behavior into attention seeking good behavior.  Wednesday nights are now for our individual dates with the girls.  Matt and I will swap weeks with the girls (one week I'll go with Emma and he'll go with Hannah, the next we'll switch).  Based on how many chips they have earned throughout the week determines our "date".  A certain amount for ice cream, a certain amount for for dinner out, etc. etc. Then each of their buckets get dumped into the family bucket and once the family bucket gets full - we'll do something super spectacular as a family and since it takes a bit longer to fill that one up - it'll be bigger than usual!  

Emma has embraced the idea and tries her best to earn tokens!  Hannah doesn't fully understand the concept, but still loves getting tokens!

 

Turkey of Thanksgiving

Each year (OK, for the second year now), we sit down with the kids and talk about what we're thankful for!  I made another turkey since I couldn't find the one from last year and on each feather we took turns writing something we were thankful for. 

Emma is thankful for:

• Heather (yes, she wrote my name, but then wrote mommy under it)
• Sister
• Love

 You can see how much her handwriting (and spelling) has improved in just one year from last year!

Hannah wrote a bunch of H's on her feathers then translated to me that she is thankful for:

• Grammy
• Her Friends
• Mommy
• Daddy

Emma was pretty salty that Hannah didn't list Emma - it was funny!

Daddy is thankful for:

• Good health for us
• Being able to take care of our family
• A loving and caring wife (as he rolls his eyes, just kidding...)
• When they listen, the kids 

He had to explain the last one several times.  He is thankful for the kids WHEN they listen - that one was funny too but if you've experienced our household the last week or so, you'd be thankful too!

Finally, Mommy is thankful for:

• Daddy's job 
• Our health 
• Our salvation through Jesus

In the middle of the turkey, I usually try to list a scripture that is about Thanksgiving.  This year is Psalms 100:

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
 ² Worship the LORD with gladness;
   come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the LORD is God.
   It is he who made us, and we are his;
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

 ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
   and his courts with praise;
   give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
   his faithfulness continues through all generations. 

What a beautiful scripture!  I love how it shows how and and why we should come before with Lord with Thanksgiving and reminds us of God's enduring love and faithfulness.  

What are you thankful for this year?

Thomas Leopold

Proud Aunt with Thomas before he fell back asleep

His Proud Mama

Proud Papa

The little miracle himself!

Round Hill Farm

Hannah had her first field trip on Friday - both the 3 and 4 year old classes headed to Round Hill Farm to enjoy the pumpkin patch.  It was cold and windy and more of a farm than a pumpkin patch.  We looked at some farm animals, played on some playgrounds and waited (a very long time) for a tractor ride to a pumpkin patch where Hannah picked a very small pumpkin very quickly and we then had to wait a very long time again for a ride back.  We were then free to go home, but Hannah wanted to play some more before heading back.  Here are some pictures of our time: 

Both classes before we got started

Playing in the corn box

Holding onto her Pumpkin on the tractor ride back

"C'mon Mommy, follow me!"

It wasn't the most exciting day ever, and Hannah kept asking when we were going to the Pumpkin Patch (I guess because we had been to a different one last weekend), but it was so great to be able to spend the day with her and be a part of her first field trip!

He's HERE!

He's here, he's here, he's REALLY REALLY here!  My sister had a scheduled c-section at 39 weeks this morning and delivered Thomas Leopold at 8:04 a.m..  He is 7 lbs 10 oz and 19 inches long.  

This truly is a miracle as she was never expected to make it full term - we've had so many people praying over her and the baby. PRAISE GOD!!  I'll post some pictures when I go visit which will hopefully be this Friday depending on when they get home from the hospital!!!

**I've been asked not to post anything on facebook while they are still in the hospital, so please don't post anything to my wall about this most wonderful, miraculous event**

Desperately Seeking... a Lady Bug??

It's the middle of October and I think the high was about 92 degrees but I was Christmas shopping anyway!!  The girls have been wanting Pillow Pets for almost a year now, at least it seems that way!  They are stuffed animals that fold open to become pillows - they are actually pretty neat!  Emma wants a unicorn and Hannah wants a lady buy:

I tried to order them earlier this year for Easter but the ladybug, apparently, is very popular!  She was constantly sold out.  The girls forgot about them, I forgot about them and then the infomercials surfaced again and as did the constant "requests" for PILLOW PETS!!!  A few weeks ago we (me AND the girls) noticed they were now selling them at Walgreen's and Wal-mart, but since I was trying to now make them Christmas presents, I told the girls we could add them to their list. 

I kept forgetting to go back and get them while they were both in school, so today while Emma was in school and Hannah with her Grammy, I made a trip to Wal-mart. But they were no longer in the front of the store in giant boxes for everyone to see.  I checked EVERY toy aisle, twice - nothing.  Too hungry to walk all of Wal-Mart, I decided I would just go to Walgreen's and see if they still had any left.  On my way out, I passed the home decor section, the blinds, and it hit me - check the pillow section!  There they were along with a lady who had the LAST lady bug pillow pet.  Besides the one she had, all that was left were 2 dolphins, a few cute penguins and some dogs.  She asked which ones I was looking for.  As I recanted the story for Matt later, I told him there was a small part of me that wanted to slowly walk past her cart, tell her the lady bug one, grab it and bail!  Ha, ha!  She did tell me that she saw lady bug ones at the K-mart in Charlottesville - Lady, I REALLY want to go get these for my girls, but I'm not driving that far for a stuffed pillow when I can order them online (or steal it from your cart!).  

So off I go to Walgreen's where there was a large assortment of Pillow Pets - just no lady bug!  I grabbed the unicorn and tried to call my mother in law to see if Hannah would like a bumble bee since she really wants to be one for Halloween, but I couldn't get a hold of her.  So I pay for the unicorn and decide to go home and just order the lady bug online.  I had to pre-order one like one of those psycho mom's wanting a singing/dancing Elmo, but hey, they are cute and cuddly.  I also needed to spend $5.01 more in order to get free shipping so I ordered the cheap ($4) mascara by Maybelline that actually works the best and a $1 package of tissues just to get free shipping for my darn lady bug pillow pet.  But I can rest easy, she's on her way - and the girls are going to be so excited!!  I can't wait to give them to them!

All that for a Christmas present!  Have you every done anything crazy for one of those TOP Christmas toys? 

And just a few minutes ago, I ordered the husband the best Christmas present ever (besides a flat screen tv - sorry honey).  I'm so excited to give it to him - I don't know how I'm going to wait until Christmas.  I love finding gifts that I know people with just absolutely LOVE!!  It makes giving gifts that much better and isn't that what it's about??