Thursday, November 27, 2008

Giving Thanks: Kitty Edition

Message from Sienna:

1. I didn't have to spend my day running from that snotty-nosed boy that constantly pulls my tail and whiskers.

2. I figured out how to get my collar off when the owners were gone so I ran around the house naked all day.

3. When the owners got home they fed me a juicy, fishy can of wet food instead of that tired old dry stuff.

Hurrah! Happy Thanksgiving! I should catch another mouse for them tomorrow to show my sincere appreciation.

Love, the Cat

Giving Thanks

Today seems to be that day every year when we actually stop for a second to be thankful. Instead of listing major, grand items I am thankful for, here are my 10 simple every day thanks:

1. Fred. Whether it's following everything up with 'your mom' or 'that's what she said' he keeps me in stitches every day. He's also my very best friend and his looks aren't half bad either. Fred also takes care of our money so I don't have to think about it any more.

2. Elliot. Nothing beats watching him swim in the tub - I swear. I love his grins and even his evil little laugh. While I do wish his legs would grow longer I do love that he can wear the same pants for a year.

3. Sienna. Just kidding. I felt obligated to put her here.

4. Family & Friends. Whether its taking Elliot for a weekend or making me Texas Sheetcake and Corn Casserole, they know me and love me for who I am. I am also very, very thankful that Lisa is doing great and even made it home for the holiday. I also am thankful for a fabulous sister and wish she'd quit all of her jobs just so she can email me all day long. I love my friends - old and new. I am thankful that Katy is back and I am thankful for getting to babysit the highly sought after Kael.

5. Clean laundry. I just love having a drawer full of clean socks to pick from in the morning.

6. My car. It's a great place to store shards of Goldfish crackers and juice cups. And was a great ride for our October trip to Kansas City.

7. Food. All kinds, all shapes and all sizes. I love eating lunch with co-workers, eating dinner at home with the boys and am looking forward to Thanksgiving Dinner today. It's just a crying shame that NO ONE in Fred's family eats cranberry sauce.

8. Cranberry Sauce. How I love thee. I've always taken for granted that the gelatinous canned goody would be on the table - but these years it doesn't seem to make it. (Come on - it's easy! Pop open the can, cut along those lovely and helpful ridges and voila!)

9. Mail. Nothing beats good old-fashioned mail in the mailbox. While I don't get much, I am always surprised by creations from Team Craun and the Craunlets. It makes me smile - and makes me wish I would return the favor more often.

10. Everything Else. This includes the books I avidly read, the NintendoDS that I constantly play, the magazines I read and even the guy that created Sons of Anarchy on TV. There's too much to list here really, but one of my favorite things ever that I am continually thankful for are the fleece, footed pajamas that Aunt Donna got me a long, long time ago. I love them. I know I am leaving more out..... like my sewing machine, my newest cute brown shoes and that I have a roof over my head.

Happy Thanksgiving - and Tecumseh, here we come!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Definition: Philanthropy

Per Wikipedia:
Philanthropy is the act of donating money, goods, services, time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause, with a defined objective and with no financial or material reward to the donor. Although such individuals are often rich, people may perform philanthropic acts without possessing great wealth.

Per Anna:
Philanthropy is the act of giving some type of resource that, in the end, betters someone or something. A kind act. Even if the gift is small, the meaning and spirit behind it is huge.

(Possibly, the basis of Christmas 2008 at the Seckman house.)

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Sunday's Correlation

When your child eats dinner and slurps down two cups of milk you probably shouldn't rough-house him too much or he'll throw up down your back and all over the floor.

Learn your lesson, Fred?

Friday, November 21, 2008

Today's Correlation

I guess that when your child is too busy showing off at a restaurant and doesn't have the time or attention to actually eat their dinner, they'll be up at 5 a.m. starving to death.

Who knew.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Isn't There a Hotline?

I know there's a number to call when your spouse is abusing you.
And I know there's a number to call when an adult is abusing a child.

What number do I call when my lovely son jacks me in the jaw?

I was minding my own business when he asked me to sit and read him a book. (Sounded more like "sssit. booogkh.") He climbed on my lap and we proceeded to read the truck book from the Hatchell's for the millionth time. At the end he gave a maniacal little laugh. Then he laughed again, throwing his head back - directly into my mouth.

It took my breath away and as I was trying to console him (should the victim console the attacker?), my lip was swelling and bleeding. When I told him that mommy had an owie he kissed me and hugged me and clapped for himself. Yes, attacker, you did good.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Gyam-pah Yeeeeem!

Elliot's been working hard on people's names lately. Normally, the grandparents' names are kept in two parts:

Fred: Elliot, say 'Grandma'
Elliot: Gwamp-mah
Fred: Cindy
Elliot: Cienn-eee

Grandma Cindy and Great Grandma Judy were up yesterday visiting. Fred tried to get him to say Grandma Cindy but Elliot wouldn't budge. Finally:

Fred: Elliot, say 'Grandma Cindy'
Elliot: (Thinking then looks away.) Gyam-pah Yeeeeem!

We all died laughing. Gyam-pah Yeeeeem (Grandpa Jim) wasn't even there. I suppose that's his way of saying Hey, parents, I don't really feel like saying Grandma Cindy's name over and over just to amuse you so back off already.

My Slow Learning Curve

As I learned in my self assessment (posted last Thurs.) - there are times when I find myself fighting myself. I'm ready to give up my fight.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Today's Lesson: Anna

I have been seeing this quiz on other blogs I follow and decided to take the plunge. Let's see how close it came:

Anna, you are somewhat left-hemisphere dominant and show a preference for visual learning, although not extreme in either characteristic. You probably tend to do most things in moderation, but not always.

Your left-hemisphere dominance implies that your learning style is organized and structured, detail oriented and logical. Your visual preference, though, has you seeking stimulation and multiple data. Such an outlook can overwhelm structure and logic and create an almost continuous state of uncertainty and agitation. You may well suffer a feeling of continually trying to "catch up" with yourself.


Your tendency to be organized and logical and attend to details is reasonably well-established which should afford you success regardless of your chosen field of endeavor. You can "size up" situations and take in information rapidly. However, you must then subject that data to being classified and organized which causes you to "lose touch" with the immediacy of the problem.


Your logical and methodical nature hamper you in this regard though in the long run it may work to your advantage since you "learn from experience" and can go through the process more rapidly on subsequent occasions.

You remain predominantly functional in your orientation and practical. Abstraction and theory are secondary to application. In keeping with this, you focus on details until they manifest themselves in a unique pattern and only then work with the "larger whole."

With regards to your career choices, you have a mentality that would be good as a scientist, coach, athlete, design consultant, or an engineering technician. You can "see where you want to go" and even be able to "tell yourself," but find that you are "fighting yourself" at the darnedest times.

Quick Snippet

This morning Elliot wanted to help me pack my bag for the Food Day we're having at work. In addition to the food I planned on bringing, I arrived with the following:
  • Pumpkin stickers on the Cool Whip, and
  • A little bag of Hershey's Kissables.
He must have thought those were important.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Elliot's Dream... Coming True

He skipped right over Stage One: Getting to Know the Pumpkin and moved directly into Stage Two: Pumpkin Rolling. By this time next year I fully expect him to be in Stage Three: Competing for World's Best Pumpkin Chucker. Enjoy!

I don't know about you - but it's his diabolical laughter in the first clip that makes me continually re-watch this video!

Monday, November 10, 2008

My Apologies...

I'm sorry for making you think I'd create this great post about Halloween. In my head it was great. I even have the pictures. What I don't have is time. I never seem to have enough. I now present Elliot as Tigger:


The last two days I've been sick. Like puking sick. And what ticks me off the most is that I puked up my donuts from Sunday morning. I used to love them - now I'd prefer to not see them again for a long, long time.

Anyway. I never got around to the post and just now I got the pictures off the camera. I have just enough time to post those, post this and get ready before the boys get home and we go to dinner with Fred's friend. Phew. Oh and I haven't puked since yesterday so I'm going to survive.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

A Post is Coming...

I haven't forgotten Halloween. In fact, I have a humorous blog all worked out in my head and as soon as I have some free time I'll get the pictures off the camera and construct my masterpiece.

Until then.. know he was a cute, pumpkin rolling, num-num eating Tigger.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Here I go, Again

I'm so glad the political season is coming to a close.

This morning, a woman called the local radio show expressing her absolute love for having gotten her absentee vote. Why? So she could make an informed decision.

Yes. I'm serious. Because, and only because, she got her absentee ballot did she vote informed. She said it, not me.

Confused? Me too. You mean to tell me that in all other elections you abandoned your personal responsibility to inform yourself? That you voted on a whim because you liked someones name, they were a specific party, or because she was a chick? Wow. I'd rather you didn't vote at all.

So now you get your ballot early, google up each person on there and then fill in the dot? Seriously? The radio folks were praising this novel idea. You know what I think is a novel idea?

GET INFORMED. Read the paper. Surf the internet. Research them for yourself! I will admit when faced with two people I know nothing about, and its a race for some district judge or something, I tend to leave it blank. It's better than making an uninformed decision.

I actually reached over (after rolling my eyes and saying "Oh, come on!" out loud) and turned that junk off. I am not going to be 'that mom' that lets her kid listen to garbage in the car.

I'm done. I swear. That was the last one.

Taking a Moment

So it's been a while - in Anna blog-time, that is - since I've posted.

There's a reason.

We got news Saturday morning that some of Fred's family (in Missouri) were heading to a horse show and were in an accident. Without going into too much detail - they were hit head-on by a piece of farm equipment that somehow came off of the SUV that was towing it from the other direction.

Fred's aunt got the brunt of the accident and is currently in the hospital with numerous broken and fractured parts. The other two are banged up but okay for the most part. One of the two horses made it.

Our world just kind of stopped. Or, at least, halted. What can we do? How is everyone? And then back to what can we do? The answer: Nothing but wait and hope for a good recovery. I hate that answer.