Wait'n on my Grandma

My mom came into town for Will's first birthday. Will met her in style wearing his Sunday best and gave her a red rose. Yes, I have too much time on my hand to think these things up. My sister calls it cruel and unusual punishment. I call it being a good grandson. I figure if we train him up right it will pay dividends when he has kids and I'm a grandma. (Not that, that is EVER going to happen!)

My Name's in Print!

Will and I use to go to the Austin Public Library's Babies and Books. It was a lot of fun and gave Will a chance to play with kids his age. Well, when we moved we kept driving down for it because our library didn't have a baby storytime. Finally, I thought what the heck I could do this. So I sent off an email to the director of the library and a month later we were set.

Well, last week the local newspaper showed up. She took some pictures but I guess they ended up on the cutting room floor because they're not here. Anyways, it's exciting so here's the article: 

Oh btw, attendance is so not "sporadic"! We had 1 the first week, 6 the second, and like 8 the third. (We've only done it 3 times so far) So NOT sporadic more like a slow start, but we're cook'n now. :) Oops! I guess I spoke too soon because there was only one there today :( I think it's the weather though. It's like 20 degrees which is like -50 in Utah/ Colorado speak. Will's sign language is already cancelled for tomorrow because all of their pipes are frozen. We think Danny's meeting is cancelled tonight because it's supposed to SNOW!!! 

Hello weather,

We live in Austin, TX. I think you are a little confused please try to sort this out before my toes freeze off. 

Thanks

Oh here's the article:

Library offering more and more

Wednesday, February 2, 2011 | Amy Fowler

The Leander Public Library isn’t just about books anymore. The library is starting several new programs this year designed to integrate it more into the community.
First Music Mondays
Library Director Priscilla Donovan said living so close to the Live Music Capital of the World always made her wonder what local bands were around that she didn’t know about. So she started First Music, or FM, Mondays. She said the title was as close to a musical term as she could get.
“I wanted to start it for my own selfish reasons” to expand her own musical horizons, she said. At the same time, she thought others in Leander might want to hear local musicians without having to drive to downtown Austin.
The first FM Monday will be 7 p.m. Monday, and she still didn’t have the details entirely hammered out on Friday.
“It’ll probably be two or three less known bands and then one of the bigger Austin names,” she said. “That’s sort of my nebulous thought of how it’s going to go. We’ll discuss the musicians themselves, the genres, what people want to listen to.”
She said she is open to suggestions — for bands, genres or format.
“If people have suggestions, bring those by,” she said. “If they’d like to come and play, we’d certainly find a way to do that.”
Baby storytime
Storytime helps children learn language skills and reading and allows them to spend time with children their own age. Youth Services Librarian Janki Makecha said that’s just as important for the 0-2 age group.
When she was approached by Jennifer Rich, a school teacher, about starting a storytime specifically for babies, Makecha said she was willing to give it a try.
“If somebody wants to try something, I am always willing to let them try it,” she said. “I think it’s good because it gives moms a chance to meet each other and get out of the house too.”
Rich said the storytime gives babies exposure to books and literature early, but is specifically geared toward the age group.
“It gives them a chance to play and interact with children their own age,” she said. “They can be crawling around and making noise and it doesn’t distract from the storytime.”
Makecha said attendance has been sporadic, but encouraging.
“Sometimes we’ll get a new storytime and it will be months before we get a regular crowd,” she said. “It just shows how much busier the library is getting, which is really nice.
Baby Storytime is 11 a.m. Wednesdays in the Children’s Room at the library.
Draw, Write, Now
Older children can develop their artistic skills with Draw, Write, Now, Feb. 16. The program teaches children about the Polar Regions. After the short lesson, children draw a picture and then write a story about the picture. The subject matter changes through the months.
“It’s definitely a different kind of an offering,” Makecha said.
Older programs
Makecha said while they are starting new programs, she is also working to grow some of the library’s older offerings.
She said the library has a specially trained dog in the library every week to help children practice their reading skills.
“It’s really awesome; there’s a lot of schools who would love to have a reading dog,” she said. But only a few children are regular visitors.
Another program Makecha said she hopes to see grow this year are the library’s teen gaming tournaments and year-round teen and children’s book clubs.
“I want this to be more of a community place for the kids to come,” she said. “I just feel like it gives them a good activity to do. … It’s a safe place for them to go and it’s a good activity.”

Ground Hog's Day!!!

So Danny didn't really know much about Groundhog's Day before he married me so... I thought I would give you all my 4th grade Ground Hog's Day lesson.

In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania there is a little place called Gobbler's Knob where Punxsutawney Phil lives. We'll his burrow is there he normally lives in the City library I think. Anyways, on the 2nd of February thousands of people gather around and watch for him to come out of his burrow. After Phil emerges from his burrow, he speaks to the Groundhog Club president in "Groundhogese"(a language only understood by the current president of the Inner Circle). His proclamation is then translated for the world. If he sees his shadow then it's 6 more weeks of winter. If he doesn't it means an early spring. It's legit you can go see it if you want to stand out in the cold all night. Anyways, here's his 125 prognostication 

Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd, 2011, at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, PA:

Here Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Groundhog Day, February 2, 2011
Punxsutawney Phil was raised from his burrow
By the call of President Bill Deeley.
He greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.

After casting an inquisitive eye towards thousands of his faithful followers,
He proclaimed that the Steelers are going to the Super Bowl!

Back to the business at hand...
He surveyed his surroundings carefully and found that there was no shadow around,
So, an early spring it will be.

Anyways, at our house this year we had dinner on the ground (for groundhog's day) and had chocolate groundhogs for dessert. I must say Danny was way more excited about dessert than dinner but he was a good sport. Well so anyways happy Groundhog's Day!

Stay and Play

A couple of elementary schools in our district sponsor a program called "Parents as Teachers". It's a free to us program that main mission is "Why wait till Kindergarten to Teach?". So lots of free stuff to help teach your kid and help them learn. SO Cool! Today we went for their Stay and Play  where they have a classroom full of fun toys the kids just get to play with. It's like a little mini children's museum. Only its free and just around the block.

They have a baby area but Will wanted to explore the whole place. This is where he ended up, sitting at the diner. They had a little doorbell to ring. He just sat there ringing the doorbell and slap'n the table, listening to the jukebox. I think he was trying to get some service, but by the time someone came to wait on him he had lost his patience and wouldn't give them the time of day :)

We do baby sign language on Friday so hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures of that.

Sorry if you get this twice I had to edit it because the spelling was driving me crazy!

 Ok so I pardon the tupperware shot, but we had already packed up Danny's lunch before I decided to take a picture. I'm posting this recipe because it was AMAZING, cheap, easy, and you probably have all the ingredients in your fridge right now.

2 Chicken Breasts (the big kind)

2 cups dried pinto beans

1/2 - 3/4 bottle green sauce
(The kind I got introduced to when marrying into the Rich family La sabrozita tomatillo salsa, find it in the hispanic food aisle not the salsa aisle)

2 jalapenos (just because I had them & they we're going bad)

4-5 cups water? ( I just threw some in)

Sour Cream (lots if you don't like spice aka Will, little if you do)

Throw everything in the crock pot for 3-5 hrs on high. Then shred the chicken (it mostly falls apart) and stir in some sour cream. Serve in some corn tortillas that have been lightly fried on the stove. Or it would actually taste really good in a taco salad, or anything really.

Home Teaching? It's ok the note says "Don't worry my wife made it" :)

 It's Carrot Raisin Cinnamon Bread with carrots from our garden.

Saturday morning we drove down to San Antonio to go to the temple so by Saturday afternoon everyone was ready to get out and enjoy the beautiful sunny day. Danny and Will planted some onions we got in the mail a couple of weeks ago. Did you know onions take FOREVER to grow? We have some we planted last fall that are still not grown. No instant gratification there.

Play'n on the Playground

 When Will is grumpy and won't let me get any work done we... go to the park. Ever since he was a baby and had colic going outside makes him SO much happier!!!

Does this look like a grumpy baby to you.