Tuesday, January 27, 2009

My New Track Bike!

A long time ago, on a race track far, far away, this 89/90 Yamaha FZR600 raced and made someone very happy. Then that someone became bored with it's charms, and shuttled it off to a new home. It made it to the track a couple more times, but work and duty called so mostly it sat alone in a dirty, dusty farm building. This past weekend we rescued it from it's hiding place under the tail end of a John Deere Gleaner in a barn in Kansas. Welcome to our motorcycle family, FZR!

With Ron's motorcycle expertise and patience, spare change for parts, and my unflagging encouragement ("Is it fixed yet? What's that part for? When can I ride it? What cha doin' now? Can I sit on it? When can we paint it?"), it will soon join us at track days in and around the midwest. This is my track bike. Yea!
(This project made possible by my husband's inability to shrink from a motorcycle challenge. Thanks, honey!!)

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Meet Joe Biden's Teeth

Show Your Smile and Get Free Gum!

A Defining Moment

inauguration
1569, from Fr. inauguration "installation, consecration," from L. inaugurationem (nom. inauguratio) "consecration, installment under good omens,".... -Dictionary.com


My son's 5th grade class will be watching today, even eating lunch in the classroom so they don't miss a thing. I wonder if years down the line he'll recall this day every time he eats Pringles and a bacon sandwich?

Where will you be watching?

Friday, January 16, 2009

Triple Dog Dare Snares Another One

When it's this cold out, simply saying "it's cold" is the ultimate understatement. Frigid, stupid chilly, gelidity, deep freezer, the Most Not-Warm Day Ever, etc. are better descriptors, but still don't get the whole "I'm freezing my identity off" conditions across. I often jokingly tell the kids "don't stick your tongue on anything metal today!" (we love A Christmas Story!). Having grown up in a home with metal ice cubes trays in the freezer, I know the hazard and bizarre circumstance of having a body part frozen to an inanimate object. Funny at first, but then "ou-ouch." And your instinct to pull away quickly - NOT GOOD.

But it looks as though not everyone recognizes the danger: Triple Dog Dare Snares Another

Monday, January 12, 2009

Walking the Walk

We're so lucky - we live close to our elementary school. Yes, my kids will miss out on the daily routine of bouncing to and from their education on vinyl bus seats, but I'm OK with that. 

Each morning my husband walks our kiddos to school. Each afternoon I walk them home. It's great to get out and see the neighborhood, interact with the other parents, and embrace the elements! Even bad weather (snow, rain, wind) isn't so bad when you're bundled up and walking with people you know.

Walking to school is a great deal, too, in that it eliminates unnecessary vehicle traffic in the neighborhood, cuts down on exhaust fumes in the vicinity of young lungs, and, of course, shrinks gas costs as short car trips are not very fuel-efficient. I wish everyone had the opportunity.


Our local grocery is right down the road so we walk there, too, provided we don't have a huge shopping list. The kids are so used to it, they ask "do we have to take the car?" if we head for the garage instead of the sidewalk. We love it!

Check out out KUDL's new web page, 1Thing. Our wonderful partner, Bridging the Gap, has great ideas for cutting down on emissions and getting healthy. Check out the Walking School Bus info, too. It's a great way to do good for our world, and get in some kid time while you're at it.

Do you walk in your neighborhood? How are you cutting back on your carbon footprint?

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Family pictures

It's a time-honored ritual, a societal rite of passage, or an instrument of torture if you are a 10-year old boy. It's The Family Photo Session. Each year my attempts to corral the herd and snap a decent pic are met with sighs, groans, and agony over shirt color and hairstyle. 

Every year we park ourselves on the quaint "gentlemen caller's bench" by the front door and smile. This year we were able to snap a respectable family shot with just a few attempts. I was thrilled.

Not to be outdone, our presence was requested at the queen mother of family photo sessions by the Queen Mother herself, my mom. No self-timer-scramble picture on her watch! She hired a professional to capture our likenesses for posterity. 

Surprisingly the kids were OK with Grandma calling the shots instead of mom (OK, not surprising). Dressed in semi-coordinating fabrics, hair neatly combed and smiles at the ready. Snap! Flash! Rearrange. Repeat. Thirty minutes later, no blood had been shed, no major drama ensued, and no spirits were crushed. 

Can't wait to see the proofs! Bunny ears can be PhotoShopped out, can't they? :)