stop theif

We need a bit of advice here.

The entire family is 99.9% certain that one of the kid's friends is a budding kleptomaniac. On top of attempting to entice one of our own children to go "steal some candy from the basement," we found a few things missing when this particular child went home.

These are not big things, or expensive things - just things that we know somebody had to have taken.

For example - two of the knobs on our kitchen drawers have been unscrewed and are nowhere to be found. Bearing in mind that even a 6.0 earthquake would not have simultaneously unscrewed two knobs on adjacent drawers - these things are on pretty tight, they HAD to be unscrewed by somebody. And even if we DID accept the earthquake theory, the knobs would still be laying on the floor - right?

And then there is the little matter of a cutting blade - not a big deal, just a tough to replace part of a paper cutter. We all know it was there when the kid got here (I used it), and it was not there when the kid left.

Our child has since said, "I don't really want that kid over any more," - a request with which I am more than happy to comply.

But the question remains . . . how do we handle the situation? Obviously we can buy more knobs - that isn't the issue. The issue, is that when Rico agreed to call the child and nonchalantly ask if they had seen any loose knobs, this child, without missing a beat instantly replied "No, no, no, I didn't take anything."

Not "what knobs?" or "I don't remember seeing anything like that" or "that's weird" . . . . just, "I didn't steal anything."

Soooo . . . we could use some advice. Feel free to comment here, or just leave your opinion on the poll in the upper right.

(Oh - and in case we are keeping track, which a grudge holding mother would never do . . but just in case the rest of you are - this child happens to come from the same school where the principal insisted there are no "bad kids - no bullies, no thieves" - Just troublemakers like Punk - grrrrrrrr)

update

Quick update, because there is really no time for much else:

• In case you haven't heard - it's a girl, and unfortunately we still call her Yoda.

• Huge projects at work (at least huge for somebody carrying a bowling ball as she dances throughout the day)

• Just colored Easter eggs - and dropped three.

• We are super thankful for the park in our backyard - AND the prepaid cellphone, which works much better than a whistle

• Punk is reading Artemis Fowl, I am reading Fablehaven 5, Rico is working on Stick Figure, and Kooka is reading about wild plants.

• Piano lessons for Punk are going wonderfully! His teacher says he is a quick learner, and he often practices for an hour at a time with no prompting. EIther he loves it, or is coming down with something.

clothes

This is getting a little old.

I have never been a good at being pregnant - but I promised that if I ever had the good fortune to have a third child, that I would relish the whole experience.

Whatever.

Aside from the all-day sickness, virus that morphed into leg paralysis, and inability to do my job properly - there is this little nugget, that I have never been able to avoid:

All maternity clothes fall into one of two categories: a)Suburban businesswoman trying to look professional while hiding an over-inflated beach ball under her smartly buttoned oxford . . . or B) Mother-to-be who never gets off of the couch, eats cheetos all day, and is content to take her kids to dance class wearing hot pink leggings and an oversized Pooh Bear T-shirt.

MY GOD!

And even when I do manage to find something without a screen-printed Tweety Bird, it is still revolting. There is absolutely nothing available that does not make me look like a) a nerd b) a slob or c) a druid from a George Lucas production.

I suppose that if I were willing to spend $76 dollars for a t-shirt, I could manage to look respectable for the next 4 months, but I can't bring myself to do it. Besides - even those shirts seem to take a crude delight in pointing out the obvious. A white tank I found, simply reads "Oops!" Another actually says "Sex Ed Dropout," while a third plasters a red foil star boldly across the navel proclaiming it's wearer to not only be pregnant, but apparently, also . . . a Sneetch.

I am just going to keep stuffing myself into my regular clothes as long as I can.

peep show

Punk and Kooka have asked me to post this here in a shameless effort to garner more votes:

They - along with their dad & uncles & grandparents, created the "Peepling Brothers Circus" for a contest held by the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You really should go vote for them - at least once - if not more. Last time I checked they were in 2nd place - and the first place one is reallllllly bad. Please go help them out - vote HERE.

no time

I want to write here - I really do, but our daily schedule isn't allowing for much free time. Between the 3 of us needing to be at three different schools, at three different times, in three different cities, in addition to homeschool stuff - it's a bit of a stretch.

Sorry - I'll try to get back here soon.

random

Random shots from our recent road trip (in no particular order)


The view from the car on the Monongahela incline in Pittsburg


Punk at the gift shop in Ford's Theater.


Kooka sinking subs at the Spy Museum.


Punk at the Mouse House cheese shop in Wisconsin Dells.


Our jail cell booth at the Safehouse restaurant.


Three of us at the top of the incline (notice Punk's relieved smile)


Punk and Kooka entering the spy museum.

10

Punk: I am really going to miss being 10.

Rick: Why? Don't you miss being 5, and 8?

Punk: Yeah - but everyone always makes comparisons to an average 10 year old boy, and it's so nice to be able to relate and say, 'Yeah I know exactly what you mean.'"

finally

So we are just getting home, just settling back into some sort of normalcy, when one of my children pulls out a map.

"I want to go to Texas next," she says. "Or maybe New York." She is completely, absolutely stone-faced, serious. She looks up at me expectantly, like I already have the hotels booked and the itinerary planned.

IS SHE KIDDING?

I haven't even emptied the cooler. I haven't even emptied the VAN! Our simsuits are still drying in the shower - no lie.

But I know how she is. And unfortunately, have to take complete credit/blame/whatever you want to call it - because I am exactly the same.

Tonight we took the time to color a US map. We colored all of the states that she has visited in bright colors, and colored the others gray. Typically sunny Punk took a gander at the map and said, "Whoa - look at that - I've been a lot of places for a 10 year-old."

Kooka agreed, but was then quick to point out all of the places she had yet to knock off the list. "Holy Cow!" Punk exclaimed, "You're supposed to see them all before you turn 18 - not see them all in one year!"

But this is typical Kooka - typical me, to look at her list, and only see the undone. She has such a hard time acknowledging her accomplishments - and is always looking to what she's left unfinished - much like myself.

She said that when she's done with the states - she's moving on to countries.

Hopefully she'll take me with her.

And hopefully she'll be paying.

great american roadtrip 2.0 - day 9

Finally - we are heading towards home.

We are exhausted, and still feel the itchy burn of chlorine embedded in our skin. Punk cannot believe that we can't see the Washington Monument anymore, and Kooka says she misses DC. I miss bubble tea and seeing history everywhere I go. Rico misses the adventure of having something new every night.

But Wisconsin Dells is fun. We HAD to stop at Wizard Quest - which as Kooka said, "Is so much fun - even for a businessman Rick."

Pictures later - but for now - rest.

the great american roadtrip 2.0 - day 8

Not much to report.

Today was another drive.

First we stopped at the Rainforest carwash to give Turk a bath. The tiki head outside beckoning to us was Punk's favorite part.

We cruised through Chicago - but not without stopping for deep dish pizza at Gino's East - where they not only encourage you to write on the walls, but they give you the supplies to do it.

Our stop for the night was Wisconsin Dells, where we splashed until 9 at the Mt. Olympus Indoor Waterpark.




The kids outside the Rainforest Carwash - near Lafayette, IN.

punk and kooka's visited states

visited 23 states (46%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

the great american road trip 2.0 - day 7

A long, long, long day in the car - but it all worked out.

We passed through West Virginia and Ohio, working through schoolwork, chapter books, games and MadLibs before we finished the day in Indianapolis, where we hit the motherload.

We stopped at Mug & Bun - a 1941 drive through diner, where Punk found the root beer to end all root beers. He proclaimed it "Epic," and said that when he is president, or a famous actor that he will only drink this root beer. Furthermore, he said he was going to buy some, age it in our basement, and pull it out on his wedding day, and tell his bride that "2010 was a very good year."

It was that good. No surprise since they make it on site. It was smokey and smooth, with an aftertaste of vanilla caramel - unlike anything any of us had ever had. We also had handmade onion rings, which Rico, Kooka and I agreed were the best we'd ever had.And finally, Kooka and I finished our hunt for the best mac&cheese in the USA. We found it right there at the Mug & Bun - deep fried mac&cheese wedges! AMAZING!

After dinner Rico took us all duckpin bowling - where he soundly kicked our collective behinds.

More swimming, more cable TV, and we are out for the night.