Halloween "Treats"

As predicted, Halloween came and went and not a single trick-or-treater came to our door. I'm certainly not surprised, and not even all that disappointed. It just means that I have a huge bowl of fun size candy bars to consume over the next several weeks.

I tried my best to promote our household's chocolaty generosity. I had every exterior light on the house illuminated, and most of the interior lights as well. All in all, I thought our house looked rather inviting. But I guess our little corner of the world is just not a hotbed for Halloween activity.

...

Following the Halloween, "trick-or-treat" theme, this morning I made an interesting discovery in our garage. I was walking back from the barn after feeding the horses, when I heard a cat 'meowing' from inside the garage. We don't own an outdoor cat, so the sound of a cat in the garage was unexpected.

As I entered the garage, I looked up to discover the neighbor's cat perched in the rafters. Apparently this cat wandered into the garage the previous night, and had been mistakenly locked inside. I would have been OK with a few dirty paw prints on our vehicles, but this cat unfortunately left us a much more unpleasant, "treat".

At some point during the night, the cat got sick and regurgitated his dinner on my garage floor. Since this cat is allowed to wander outside, he probably gobbles up a wide variety of mice and other vermin. I couldn't quite recognize what chewed up animal was now splattered next to my car, but it couldn't have been in the cat's stomach for very long because it was still, "fleshy".

I'm sorry that I don't have a nice clean way of wrapping up this story of the neighbor's cat in my garage. Like many Halloween stories, it's just plain gross.

Too much supply. Not enough demand.

Every Halloween, I end up buying way too much candy for trick-or-treaters. I'm not sure why I fall into this pattern every year. I just always overdo it.

It's not like I don't have past experience to learn from. This is our eleventh Halloween living at this address, and in the past ten years, we've probably had a grand total of five trick-or-treaters come to our door.

We live in a rural area, so it's not like kids are going to casually walk past our driveway en route to visit the rest of the neighborhood. Our driveway is kind of long, so that can be a bit intimidating as well. Basically, the only way a kid is going to knock on our door, is if mom or dad drives them up to our house.

Which is why every year on Halloween, I start the night with a huge bowl of candy. And when the last few minutes wind down for the designated trick-or-treat time, the bowl is just as full.

So if you're in my neighborhood this Saturday, November 1st, between 4:00 and 7:00 PM, feel free to stop by our house to take your fair share of this bountiful harvest. If I'm impressed with your costume, you can help yourself to two handfuls from my big bowl of treats.

But if this Halloween is like every other year of the past decade, my family and I will be grazing on milk chocolate and partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil well into next year -- in fun size!

What would you have done?

The other day, I was driving westbound on I-94, a few miles east of Barker Road. It was late in the afternoon, toward the end of rush hour, so traffic was a bit heavy and slow moving. As traffic began to break up a bit, I noticed that the car ahead of me kept swerving out of his lane. (We were in the middle lane, so there was one lane on each side of us for him to veer into.)

It was obvious that this driver was somehow impaired and that he only had partial control of his vehicle. Through his back windshield, I could see the driver vigorously shaking his head back and forth. He was either trying to wake himself up, or sober up. Was he a drunk driver? Or just a guy who desperately needed a nap? Either way, it seemed like a dangerous situation.

As I followed behind at a safe distance, my heart rate began to speed up. It was one of those scenarios where you are just waiting for something bad to happen. Just as I was about to get on my cell phone to call 9-1-1, this driver took the next exit, and was soon gone from my sight. Hopefully he headed straight for a hotel, or a gas station to purchase an energy drink. The sooner he got off the road, the better.

If I would have witnessed his car sideswiping another driver, I would have felt terrible for not being proactive in reporting the situation. But what is the best course of action in a situation like this? Is it appropriate to dial 9-1-1 to alert the local authorities? Is it feasible to expect the cops to locate this driver in a timely manner?

If you had witnessed this driver swerving in and out of his lane, what would you have done?

Online Grocery Shopping

I don't like grocery shopping. I'm not sure why I developed this attitude, but there is something about this chore that has me looking for excuses to put it off for another day.

Going to the grocery store used to be a simple task when Jack was a baby. He would sit in the cart, content as could be. I could breeze through the aisles quickly, and complete my shopping in 30 minutes or less. But now that Jack is three years old, he has no interest in sitting in the cart, and would rather explore the store at his own pace, in his own erratic pattern. What used to be an efficient trip, is now a chaotic, drawn-out experience. So when I received a brochure in the mail the other day from a company offering grocery delivery, I took interest.

I've vaguely known about this type of service for awhile, but I never really seriously considered it for myself. I wondered, who is the typical customer for this type of home delivery service? Is it mostly people who can't physically leave their homes? Or perhaps individuals who don't have time to spend in a grocery store. Or, maybe it's people who just prefer to do all of their shopping online.

There are a number of companies online that offer home delivery of groceries. Because there are so many available, I have to believe that a fair number of shoppers rely on this type of service. Here are just a few:

PeaPod

NetGrocer

EthnicGrocer.com

GroceryWorks.com

PD Quick

Have you ever shopped for groceries online? Is the delivery service reliable? Can I expect a total stranger to be as particular as I am about picking perfect produce? And is there any real value to having your groceries delivered straight to your door?

If you have ever ordered groceries online, please share your experience.

I'm not convinced that online grocery shopping is the best option for me. But when I think about the hassle of chasing Jack around the liquor department of our local Pick N Save for 15 minutes, anything is possible.

Old World Wisconsin: Autumn on the Farms

This past Sunday, Jack, Jennifer and I attended Autumn on the Farms at Old World Wisconsin. The weather was unseasonably warm for mid-October. And although the day's events were supposed to represent the fall harvest, the warm weather made it feel more like a mid-summer festival.

Dozens of volunteers dressed in period clothing to give visitors an authentic look at how farming was done years ago. Here we found some of the lady-folk preparing a lunch for the hard working men in the fields.

As I stated in an earlier post, Old World Wisconsin isn't just a collection of old buildings. Thanks to the efforts of the volunteers, the experience for visitors is truly authentic. Recreating the daily activities of our ancestors is really an act of passion for these folks.



One of the reasons we decided to head to Old World Wisconsin, (besides the fact that it's a fun place to visit), is because my father-in-law, John, had his team of Belgian horses there for a demonstration in the fields.

Pictured below is John guiding a single-blade plow while "Duke" and "Dan" take care of the heavy pulling.



Here's my mom taking a picture of Jack and Jennifer standing next to John's team of work horses.


Jack and I exchanged a high five as we rest our feet for a few minutes. I don't think those folding chairs were accurately depicting the early 1900s.


With Jack wearing overalls, he resembled a little frontier boy of the time. His modern-day sneakers kind of ruined the look though.

Here's Jack looking all cool wearing my sun glasses.



This past weekend was the first of two consecutive weekends that Autumn on the Farms will be held. The final weekend will be August 18 and 19 from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.

If you're interested in seeing a draft horse demonstration, sawmill operations and steam powered tractors, then Old World Wisconsin is an ideal destination for your family this coming weekend.

Milwaukee County Zoo: Autumn Visit

Few Autumn days can surpass the beauty and comfort that we enjoyed today. With temperatures reaching the high 60s, it was a perfect day to go to the zoo.

Being the rapscallion that I am, I felt compelled to call Jennifer at work and describe the weather as "Perfect. Simply, Perfect". She, (not surprisingly), told me she hated me. (That's a little game we have between us. I remind her how great my life is. She reminds me how jealous she is of me. It's all in good fun.)

The leaves are now turning in southeastern Wisconsin, and with a sky as blue as can be, the scenery was exhilarating.

The zoo was really busy today, despite being a Thursday. If I had a dollar for every stroller I saw, well, let's just say I would have a whole bunch of dollars. And there were lots of dads at the zoo today as well. That was nice to see.

After cruising through our usual circuit: gorillas, flamingos, monkey island, the playground equipment, etc... Jack and I came upon a large group of peacocks. (In this picture, you can only see one peacock, but trust me, there were many more just inches away).

I don't know how many peacocks actually live at the zoo, but it seems that around every corner you can see both males and females. It bothers me to see kids chase after the peacocks. I wish their parents would teach them to respect the animals a little more.

As a special treat, we got to see the giraffes being fed from the observation deck. This ramp, as well as the privilege of feeding the giraffes, are relatively new features. This new giraffe habitat is a drastic improvement over the old one.












Here, Jack contemplates his strategy for convincing mommy to let him have a giraffe at home.













Regrettably, I got Jack excited about riding the zoo train. Unfortunately, I found out from a hand-written note on the train station window that the train wasn't running today due to "forestry problems". I'm not sure what that meant, but I had to find a distraction fast.

Fortunately, the carousel is right next to the train station, and Jack enjoyed his very first carousel ride. I was a bit nervous at first because I thought Jack might get freaked out once the carousel starting moving. To ease him into his maiden voyage, I had Jack ride a stationary giraffe. The next time we go to the zoo, I'll let him break one of the horses or exotic animals.

With all of Jack's running around during our 3-hour visit, he was dozing within minutes of getting back into the car. Cool air, lots of exercise, and a nice, long afternoon nap from your toddler makes for a pretty good day.

Dum Dums on the Carpet

For the first three years of his life, Jack had little interest in candy. But recently, he has started to develop a bit of a sweet tooth. And with that discovery, comes a new found interest in sampling some of the various sugary treats available in the world. One such example, the Dum Dums Pop.

Jack refers to Dum Dums as "lolly pops". And when he is handed an unwrapped lolly pop, he seems to find more enjoyment making a "slurp, slurp" sound, rather than actually tasting it. But after Jack has had his fill of the lolly pop, it is usually abandoned at a most undesirable location.

Here is a lolly pop left for dead on the carpet in Jack's bedroom.


With Halloween only a few weeks away, we are heading into the peak season for "candy accumulation overload". So, rationing Jack's candy intake will be very important. I don't mind letting Jack enjoy a bite size candy bar every now and then. (There are health benefits to chocolate, right??) But as a general rule, if more of the candy treat ends up on the floor than in Jack's mouth, I'll feel no guilt in throwing that candy in the garbage.

How do you plan on handling your kids' candy stash this Halloween? Will you limit how they consume the candy? Or do your kids show self-restraint?

Bed Jumping

As an amateur "blogger", I sometimes find myself surfing the internet in the pursuit of discovering blogs of interest. I am intrigued by the endless accumulation of subject matters that are out there. From the mundane, to the insane, blogs can be as diverse as the world's population.

Recently, I came across a blog that immediately caught my attention: BedJump.com.


As the name implies, this blog features photos and first hand accounts from 'bed jumpers' in various hotels and cruise ships around the world. (The blog is actually a sub-site of Hotels By City.net).


Captured in various poses of suspension, responsible adults suddenly revert back to their adolescence. Maybe it's something about those wild-patterned bed spreads that gives people a little burst of adrenaline.

It takes a fast shutter speed to capture a pose like this. No fear.


If you've ever stayed at a hotel and heard loud thumps coming from the next room, it may have been this guy.


Just because a business trip takes you away from your family, doesn't mean you can't have fun.


The "Superman" seems to be a popular pose.


As I scrolled through this site, I kept asking myself, 'Is this really funny? Or just a big waste of my time?'

I think I've formed my own opinion regarding this 'bed jumping' blog. What are your thoughts? Is a blog on 'bed jumping' funny? Destructive? Or simply a waste of time?

Lapham Peak: Autumn Visit

Autumn is officially upon us, and warmer days are dwindling. Today was a beautiful, sunny day, so Jack and I headed over to Lapham Peak to enjoy the weather.

The leaves are starting to turn on some of the trees, but the peak colors are still a couple of weeks away.

Jack was all about finding the most "off-the-beaten-path" trail. Here, we wound up by a small body of water. It was pretty stagnant, and not the most pleasant to look at. But it didn't smell bad, so it was tolerable.



The windmill was spinning slightly when we first arrived, but only minutes later, it was as motionless as the water.

Two things that got my attention as we walked the trails: squirrels and grasshoppers. The squirrels were busy foraging. (Hopefully they are not sensing a overly-brutal winter.) And the grasshoppers were just all over the place. Bouncing and flying in our path. I tried to get a closeup photo of one, but grasshoppers tend to scatter when you get too close.

This bee was a bit more cooperative.



The fresh air and the brisk exercise really took a toll on Jack. Fortunately, I brought a stroller with me, so Jack was able to climb aboard his chariot for the last half of our visit. It didn't take long for Jack to fall into a deep sleep.

What a great day.

Point. Click. Repeat.

Right about the time Jack turned three last week, he developed a strong interest in our desktop computer. Since then, its been difficult keeping him away from the silly thing.

I really don't mind that Jack plays on the computer. I think it's terrific that he is learning to work with a mouse. He's becoming a pro at moving the pointer around the screen, and "clicking" on the items that he wants to select. It's really quite an impressive feat for a toddler. He's manipulating the mouse better than many adults that I know.

How can a computer possibly capture the attention of a 3-year old? Jack is hooked on PBSKids.org. It's really a well-designed site. The site includes Jack's favorite PBS programs, and incorporates fun and simple educational games that relate to the theme of each show. For example, you can build sand castles with Curious George, visit the Neighborhood of Make-Believe with Mr. Rogers, or feed "letter" cookies to Cookie Monster on the Sesame Street page. Jack's favorite activity of late is going on reading adventures with Super Why!.

While it's great that Jack is developing his computer skills at an early age, I really think it's important that his time on the computer be limited and regulated. While I know there's no chance that Jack will start a profile on networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook, I don't want him thinking that 3 hours on the computer is part of our daily routine.

Besides, he may be sitting in front of computer for 40+ hours a week some day for his career. At this stage of his life, he's better off surfing our backyard rather than the internet.

Happy Birthday, Jack!

We had family over on Saturday to celebrate Jack's 3rd birthday. It was a beautiful first day of Autumn, so we were able to sit outside and enjoy the weather.

Now that Jack is three years old, he is starting to accumulate toys that are more than just fun, silly items. Some of the gifts that Jack received on Saturday will most likely be around our house for a very long time - which is a good thing.

Possibly Jack's favorite gift of the day was a Radio Flyer wagon, given to him from my parents and my siblings.

The engineers at Radio Flyer have made many remarkable improvements to the "little red wagon" over the years. While I am a fan of nostalgia, I really didn't want Jack to put up with a rusty metal wagon, with a tipsy front axle. Jack's new wagon is constructed of sturdy molded plastic and features swiveling front wheels (for stability). Additional features include fold-down seats, a small storage compartment, and six cup holders. That's more cup holders than my car has! The wagon handle is not connected to the steering mechanism, so kids are not tempted to send their wagon down a hill like a toboggan. That's a safety feature that I really appreciate. This red wagon will see uncountable miles at the zoo, and other field trips for many years to come.

A couple of other great gifts that Jack received from his aunt Leah were the board games, Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders. These two games are classics, and I'm glad they are now in Jack's collection. Both games offer Jack the opportunity to practice his counting skills, as well as color recognition and taking turns. I look forward to teaching Jack how to play these games, as they will provide many hours of quality family time.

Things that go "bleep bleep" in the night

About 48 hours or so. That's how long it took me to figure out exactly where the sound was coming from. Determining that the annoying little musical recording was coming from Jack's room was simple. But figuring out which toy was teasing me with random and unpredictable chirps and alarms proved to be the difficult part.

I first heard the sound in the middle of the night. In my half-conscious state, I thought it might be my wife's cell phone signaling that the battery was almost dead. But that theory was quickly dismissed. In a nearly pitch-black room, my eyes scanned up and down a six-foot shelving unit that holds dozens of Jack's toys. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of a flashing light or something that would expose the guilty culprit. No such luck. This search would have to continue after sunrise.

Maybe you've been in my situation before. If your kids have ever owned a small battery-operated toy that incorporates sounds and/or flashing lights, you know that the manufacturers include an automatic shutoff function. After sixty seconds or so of non-use, the toy shuts itself down to save battery life, even though the power button has not been physically turned to the "off" position. To get the toy to re-activate, you simply start playing with it again.

This is where the situation got really frustrating for me. The toy in question was blurting out beeps, bleeps and cheeps for no apparent reason. It was as if some phantom force was activating the sound mechanism, but only when I was in the hallway, or one room away. And since it wasn't occurring at regular time intervals, I couldn't just stand in Jack's room waiting for it to happen again. It was like trying to photograph a lightening strike. Even if you knew it was coming, you couldn't get your camera in position fast enough to capture the moment. It seemed no matter how patient I was, I was never in position to locate the instigator.

Finally, I got lucky. After strategically weeding toys off of the shelving unit, I focused my attention on a small basket that contained a number of miscellaneous toys. And just at the right moment, the toy went into its musical outburst, and I found my nemesis.

Turns out the culprit was a dinky little American Idol-themed toy that Jack probably acquired with a McDonald's Happy Meal. As I had assumed, the power button was left in the "on" position. The toy is designed to play music when you lift the character's left arm.

Why the toy was going off by itself is anyone's guess. But I can assure you, that toy's power button is now in the "off" position.

Jenny McCarthy on Sesame Street

One of the most enjoyable "kid" shows for me to watch as an adult has to be Sesame Street. Besides catching a glimpse of an animated short that was shown 30 years ago when I was young, I get a kick out of spotting celebrity cameos.

On Tuesday morning, one notable celebrity cameo was by Jenny McCarthy. In this particular segment, Jenny was pretending to be a bug. A variety of "bugs" actually, (butterfly, cricket, etc...). It was a cute segment, and if you only know Jenny McCarthy as a "Bunny", you might be surprised at her natural ability to present herself to children.


In reality, Ms. McCarthy is a mom to son, Evan, and has been a very visible spokesperson for the treatment of Autism. While some of Jenny McCarthy's acting and modeling work has been considered controversial, to see her on this segment of Sesame Street reveals her true personality. Putting aside all of the glamor that comes with being a celebrity, it is obvious that Jenny McCarthy's number one priority is being a loving parent to her son.


And if Jenny McCarthy is reading this post, feel free to contact me for a playdate some time.

The Children's Play Gallery

Our playgroup was supposed to meet at Wales Community Park this morning, but dark clouds rolled in, and threatened our plans. By the time Jack and I arrived at the park, it was beginning to sprinkle, so we had to come up with an alternative plan. Jenny, (a member of our playgroup), and I decided it would be fun to try an indoor activity instead. Jenny suggested we head up to Delafield to visit The Children's Play Gallery.

This turned out to be a really fun option. I had read about The Children's Play Gallery before, but had never taken Jack there. The Children's Play Gallery can be described as a playroom taken to the nth degree. I was impressed as soon as I stepped through the front door.

One of the first things that caught my eye was the multi-level, "Ship of Discovery". This structure resembles a pirate ship, and kids can climb a ramp to reach the main deck, and then climb a ladder to reach the upper level to "steer" the mighty vessel. Jack and I had lots of fun playing "peek-a-boo" through the many portholes.

Before you can even reach the Ship of Discovery, you'll walk past a number of fun activity areas such as a little stage for junior thespians, a marketplace for shopping-time fun, and a musical instrument area.

Other spots of interest at the "interactive museum" include an arts and crafts center, a station for molding "moon sand", a reading room, a dedicated toddler's play area, and a two-story playhouse, (complete with slide).

The various activities at The Children's Play Gallery are conveniently located all within one big room. This makes it easy for parents to keep a watchful eye on a single child, or even multiple children. And family bathrooms add convenience for extended visits.

After four hours of exploring The Children's Play Gallery, I was finally able to convince Jack that it was time to leave. And when I say "convince", I mean I was finally able to drag Jack out of the place. But Jack had so much fun, those four hours went by quickly for me too.

We will definitely look forward to more visits to The Children's Play Gallery in the future.

Grocery Store Adventures

Have you ever seen that guy in the grocery store chasing his 3-year old toddler up and down the aisles? Well, "that guy" is me.

Today's trip to the grocery store started out well enough. Even though Jack didn't want to sit in the cart, he stayed close to me and we made a fun little game out of gathering our fruits and veges. But that game ended as soon as we entered the "numbered" aisles. Jack's interest immediately turned to discovering all of the numbers hanging above the aisles. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that Jack has a strong interest in numbers. I just wish that his eagerness to count didn't involve an extended stay at the grocery store.

In situations like this, I don't attempt to fight Jack. I know that forcing him to comply to my wishes will only cause an embarrassing scene, and lead to a very unhappy little boy. So, I let Jack finish his numerical journey through the store, and by the time we reached the final aisle, Jack was ready to let daddy take control again. Which was great because in order to keep up with Jack's pace, I had to abandon our cart way back in aisle 3.

After reclaiming our partially-filled cart, Jack was 100% cooperative for the remainder of the shopping trip. He sat quietly in the cart, and I was able to collect the rest of our groceries in a very short amount of time. By giving Jack just a few minutes to satisfy his eagerness to discover something new, I was able to complete my task in a relatively efficient manner.

I guess it just shows that with a little compromise, we both will be happy in the end.

Poolside!

We've enjoyed a comfortably mild summer in 2008. While some people hope for 90-degree days to last the entire summer, I am content with temperatures in the 70s and 80s.

Today, just one day after Labor Day, temperatures in southern Wisconsin finally approached 90 degrees for the first time this year. To mark the occasion, I filled Jack's inflatable pool to let him celebrate the unofficial end of summer.


Jack was apprehensive of the pool at first. After all, this little pool has been sitting in the garage collecting dust since the summer of 2006. So it is not surprising that Jack wanted to feel things out first.

It didn't take long before Jack's interest peaked, and the fun began.

Jack really enjoyed splashing in the cool water.

What kid can resist draining the pool?

The next Michael Phelps...

Jack will undoubtedly be too big for this little inflatable pool by next summer, so the two of us will do our best to persuade mommy to put in a real pool!

Living in Wisconsin, the bad news is that a pool can only be used four months out of the year. But the good news is that I won't have to clean it for the other eight months of the year!

Fantasy Football Legend

Every year at about this time, countless football fans put on their "managerial hats" to test their abilities of drafting and managing a successful National Football League roster. Those who participate in and embrace this phenomenon, refer to their hobby as, "Fantasy Football". (The spouses of fantasy football enthusiasts probably call it something entirely different.)

The concept of fantasy football is actually quite simple; participants, (also known as "owners"), get together to "draft" real NFL players to their roster. Depending on how these NFL players perform during a game, points are allocated for various achievements, (touchdowns scored, yards gained, etc...). Each week during the NFL season, owners are paired up, and the roster with the highest point total, is the winner for that week. The regular season leads to a series of playoff games, and ultimately a league champion is crowned.

My wife actually gets a kick out of witnessing my involvement in fantasy football. As a stock analyst, Jennifer sees similarities between my strategies, and her professional, day to day activities. For example:
Jennifer invests real dollars in well-performing stocks.
I invest draft picks in players who are likely to score points for my team.

Jennifer researches new companies with a "good story" and high-potential upside.
I research "sleeper players" that I can pick up as the season plays out.

Jennifer's under-performing stocks get dumped.
My under-performing players get dropped from my roster.

The biggest difference between what Jennifer is doing and what I am doing is that her efforts bring home a paycheck. The best I can hope for is bragging rights among my fantasy football brethren. (As a side note, all trash talking within my fantasy football league must be delivered in limerick form. It is unorthodox, to be sure).

Why do so many guys get excited about fantasy football? The answer will come as no surprise. Fantasy football gives us a chance to actively show off our "expertise" in a sport that we are woefully under qualified to participate in. We know that we will never have the opportunity to be on the field with the likes of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. But by "drafting" these NFL legends and deciding when they will "start" or when they will be "benched", gives us the false sense of power that we so desperately crave. The word, "fantasy" in "fantasy football" is grossly understated.

Today, fantasy football leagues are not exclusive to men, as many women are getting into the pastime as well. And the technology involved with fantasy football has evolved drastically. When my league first started twelve years ago, we relied on the Monday morning sports page to search for player stats so that we could manually tally our scores. Now, internet sites are available so drafts can be conducted online, and scores can be automatically tallied in real time.

While I can't get into all of the details of what happens at draft night in my fantasy football league, I will say that it's a once-a-year event that is the epitome of "male bonding". The stakes are low, but the excitement level is high. And with the recently unretired Brett Favre on my roster, I can't wait for the 2008 NFL season to begin!

Trust the Midas Touch?

Rust holes in my resonator pipe. Doesn't sound good, does it?

But that was the diagnosis I received from the technicians at Midas this morning after I took my 1998 Honda Civic in for an 11:00 appointment. With the unpleasant rumbling sound emanating from under my vehicle, I was hoping the problem was with the muffler. I had purchased the muffler from this same Midas location three years prior. And since I still owned the vehicle, Midas would have replaced the muffler for free, (not including labor). So I thought this would be a cheap repair. Not so.

Turns out, the 3-year old muffler is in fine shape. But the resonator pipe, (which basically runs from the resonator back to the muffler) was thoroughly rusted out. The resonator sits just behind the catalytic converter. I think the resonator pipe is also known as the exhaust pipe, but since I have very limited knowledge of the underbelly of my car, I really can't be sure. But one thing I do know is that I am $418.72 poorer. But with a shiny new Resonator, (and pipes), my car does run much quieter.

Even though I can "hear" an improved difference since the repairs were made, it is difficult to convince myself that I got a fair deal. Mainly because after I got home, I took a closer look at my paperwork from the "muffler replacement" in 2005. It seems that in 2005 when the muffler was replaced, Midas also would have replaced the exhaust pipes. But today when the technician showed me the problem under the car, he pointed out rusty, you guessed it, exhaust pipes. (which today he called resonator pipes). The big expense on today's invoice was for the actual "resonator", which the technician didn't even point out to me as a problem. (Then again, maybe he did, and I just didn't realize it at the time).

I know this all sounds confusing. But whenever I leave an auto repair shop, two things are guaranteed: 1) that I'll have some buyer's remorse because of my lack of auto-repair knowledge, and 2) I'll have a lighter wallet.

But what can you do?

i'm lovin' it

Jack and I traveled to Middleton today to spend some time with my 11-year old nephew, Louis. The three of us didn't have any specific plans for the day, but we did end up going to McDonald's for lunch. We had a simple order; two Happy Meals, an Extra Value Meal #3 and a couple of beverages. Although I was carrying Jack on my right arm when I ordered, I really don't believe I gave the impression that my hands were too full to handle a tray full of food. Despite my self-confidence, a McDonald's employee behind the counter insisted that I seat myself and the two kids while he brought our food out to us.

Excuse me?!? Did I hear you correctly? Let me get this straight. You're offering to fill our order, pour me a Diet Pepsi, carry my tray, and then seek us out in the dining area? I was flabbergasted! I really did not expect to receive praiseworthy service in a McDonald's restaurant. No offense to McDonald's employees, but I've been to enough fast food establishments to know that this gentleman was acting above and beyond the normal call of duty.

By the time I got Louis, Jack and myself seated at a booth, our food and beverages arrived within a few seconds. Our order made it to the table without me having to risk a nasty spill and major embarrassment.

Perhaps this helpful employee is a higher-up manager with extensive customer service training. Or, perhaps he is just a guy who recognizes when a parent can use an extra hand. Either way, when it comes to receiving service like this, "I'm lovin' it".

New Shoes Blues

I'll admit it. I'm a bit of a pack rat. I tend to have a hard time growing out of things, and throwing them out.

I'm not a "crazy, out-of-control, save my own fingernail clippings" -type of pack rat. I just tend to hold on to things longer than I should - for fear of needing said items at some point in the future. I guess I inherited this trait from my grandfather. And now I think this behavior is being passed on to my young son, evidenced by his reluctance to move on to a new pair of shoes.

This past weekend, Jennifer took Jack to Famous Footwear to find replacements for his old Nike shoes. Jennifer specifically sought out shoes that looked similar to his existing pair; primarily white, with a blue swoosh. The only major difference was that the new pair had Velcro straps instead of laces. With practically identical sneakers, we were hoping for a smooth transition. We were wrong.


So far, I've only been able to get one of the new shoes on Jack before he notices my evil trickery. As soon as he realizes what is going on, Jack insists on putting on his old, beat up shoes. While I fully recognize that I am guilty of the same crime, (I usually wear clothes until they have been shredded to rags), a toddler should not be nearly as particular. In fact, a kid Jack's age should be embracing new shoes just as he would be captivated by a shiny new toy, or even the cardboard box that the new toy was packaged in. But this isn't the case.

So I'll keep working to somehow get Jack interested in his new shoes. (I honestly don't have a plan of attack yet, so this could be a tough challenge). But I guess like all phases in a kid's life, he'll grow out of this one involving his old shoes. I just hope his feet don't grow out of his old shoes first.

Social Graces

Attending a social gathering with a toddler in tow is somewhat like playing a hand of Blackjack. You never know what you are going to be dealt, and you know the odds are against you.

On Saturday, Jennifer, Jack and I attended a wedding reception that was being held at the residence of the bride's parents. Weather conditions were ideal for the outdoor event, with temperatures in the high 70s, and a slight breeze to defend against bugs. The hosts recognized that young children would be in attendance, so they had set up one of those big, inflatable, "bounce castle" things. While this bloated equipment offered adequate entertainment for most of the kids, Jack had other interests on his mind.

First on Jack's agenda was to get as far away from the rest of the group as possible. And since I am paranoid about letting Jack get out of my sight, this meant that I was separated from the main group as well. (The reception was held at a farm, so there was lots of room for Jack to roam). After Jack and I were off by ourselves, Jack preceded to amuse himself by pouring handfuls of gravel driveway through his hair. After I pulled him away from that mess, Jack found amusement in pacing up and down the sidewalk by the house. And after that, Jack thoroughly studied the landscaping of the entire grounds. Basically, Jack did everything he could to avoid contact with the rest of the crowd.

Was Jack misbehaving at this event? No. Was Jack disruptive or out of control? Absolutely not. But because he was more interested in wandering off to do his own thing, Jack missed an opportunity to interact with the other kids. Not to mention the fact that I missed the opportunity to converse with other adults. Our afternoon of potential social interaction turned into a much more private affair.

Working through this grace period of Jack's "social isolation" is just one of the (many) basic skills deserving attention. One positive step in this process is that we recently joined a playgroup. So far, our playgroup has agreed to meet regularly on Monday mornings, and I think that Jack will really benefit from this experience. As Jack becomes more familiar with the other toddlers in our playgroup, he will learn the value of friendship, and the importance of good social interaction.

And as a stay-at-home dad who feels socially isolated at times, this playgroup is a great opportunity for me as well.

Rewarding Good Behavior

The weather was incredibly beautiful today, so it was very easy to get ourselves out of the house to run a couple of quick errands. First stop was Friends of Nature to pick up some wild bird seed and a couple of bags of horse feed.

Jack really loves the Friends of Nature store because there are images of animals featured on just about every piece of merchandise. Each aisle is thoroughly entertaining for a 2 1/2-year old. I like to let Jack walk on his own, (as opposed to confining him to a shopping cart), because he loves to explore the store. The store isn't very large, so there is little risk of Jack disappearing from my sight. It is important to keep one eye on him though because at one point today, Jack tried to eat an ear of field corn that was part of a display in the squirrel section.

After we purchased our stash of animal goodies from Friends of Nature, we headed up to Target. As soon as we set foot in Target, Jack led me directly to his favorite destination -- the toy department. As I mentioned in a previous post, Jack loves to add to his Thomas the Tank Engine collection. Today's purchase was a little yellow engine named, "Molly".

While Molly is not one of the major characters in the "Thomas" storyline, this engine has a very distinctive paint scheme, and is sure to be Jack's favorite locomotive for a very long time. Or at least until our next visit to Target.

With Molly now in his possession, I was guaranteed that Jack would behave like a perfect little toddler for the remainder of this shopping experience. I don't want to give the impression that Jack is spoiled, or motivated by material things. My point is simply that Jack is smart enough to realize that good behavior can earn rewards. (In this case, the reward came first, but that's a mere technicality). This is a lesson that I'm more than happy to instill on my son; when you choose to behave and do the right thing, (now and throughout life), rewards may follow. On the other hand, if you choose to misbehave, there are consequences that are not nearly as rewarding as receiving a fun new toy.

Following my own fatherly advice, I decided that my good behavior of doing laundry today deserved one of my favorite rewards -- an iced vanilla latte from Starbucks. Hey, even big kids need rewards.

No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!

Every once in awhile, you come across children's books that are more than just silly literature. Some books actually offer valuable advice that young children (and adults) should pay attention to. An example of such a book is "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed".


I've read this book to Jack a hundred times. And up until last week, the educational value of this book was little more than a fun way to count to five, and maybe an illustration of what a monkey looks like. But last Tuesday, Jack was the monkey jumping on the bed, and he fell off and bumped his head. Hard. Jack has a high tolerance for pain, so after 20 or 30 seconds of hard crying, not surprisingly, he calmed down. But when he vomited about 20 minutes later, I feared that the fall could be more serious than just a bump on the head.

I immediately called Jack's pediatrician, and he recommended coming in for a check up. I was able to get an appointment by 9:15 am, but in the meantime, Jack vomited for a second time.

At Jack's examination, everything seemed to check out just fine. But should Jack vomit again, or show signs of dizziness, I was advised to take him directly to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. After we got home from Jack's pediatrician, Jack ate a healthy lunch, and had no problems keeping it down. But in the early afternoon, Jack just didn't seem like he had his wits about him. So playing it safe, I made the decision to drive to Children's Hospital. (I had never been to Children's Hospital, so I had to look up directions on the internet).

We got to Children's Hospital by mid-afternoon, and after a very short wait, we were able to see a doctor. Again, Jack checked out fine, (heart rate and reflexes were fine, no blood in the ears, pupils dilated properly, etc...). But since we were at the hospital, we all agreed to get a CT scan, just to get a look inside Jack's head.

It was when we arrived in the room that held the CT scan equipment that the most traumatic part of the day began. Jack is one of those rare kids that won't allow you to put a band-aid on him. So I knew that we'd have trouble getting him to sit motionless for a CT scan. Because Jack wouldn't lie still, he was strapped down with a blanket. This only made the situation worse because Jack was very scared at this point. Since we couldn't get a clear scan of Jack's head, and we wanted to avoid making the situation worse, we decided to skip the the scan altogether. (Our other option was to have Jack sedated for the scan, which we opted against).

After we left the hospital, Jack appeared to have no other negative affects from his fall. And thankfully, he has been acting normal ever since that day. This time, all is well.

Although the day was traumatic for all of us, valuable lessons were learned. For Jack; don't jump on the bed! And the lesson for me; as a parent, always be prepared for a medical emergency. This includes having access to emergency phone numbers, (pediatrician, hospital, and even poison control), and of course, knowing where the ER is located at Children's Hospital. Planning a course of action while you are calm and level-headed is always easier than waiting to react when an emergency arises.

Old World Wisconsin

Weekends are always treasured at our house because Saturdays and Sundays are the days that Jack, Jennifer and I get to spend the most quality time together as a family. (On a typical weekday, Jennifer is heading to work by 4:30 AM, and doesn't return until 6:30 or 7:00 PM.) So we try to keep weekends open to allow for impromptu field trips.

This past Sunday, we decided to make the short drive to Old World Wisconsin, which is located just outside the small town of Eagle. According to its website, Old World Wisconsin is the world's largest museum dedicated to rural life. Describing Old World Wisconsin as "large" is no understatement. There are more than 60 historic structures on the grounds to visit, all of which originated somewhere within the Badger state.

The structures are arranged in small ethnic- and period-specific "villages", with each village set apart by a short walk. This is what makes Old World Wisconsin a great destination for toddlers. Jack was able to burn lots of energy as we trekked from village to village. Finding smaller paths through the woods was a great adventure for Jack. He definitely wasn't afraid to explore.

Wood burning stoves are a common sight in the residential structures at Old World Wisconsin. Back in the day, I wonder how long it took for a toddler to learn to stay away from these "burn boxes". With small living quarters, and few safety precautions, I bet kids learned that play time was for outside only. But then again, kids of yesteryear had more responsibilities and chores to attend, so energy was spent in a more productive way.

This is not "instant" coffee.

One of the best attractions at Old World Wisconsin is the human factor. Dozens of volunteers add "life" to the period, and are there to share historical information with guests. Here's Jack playing an early rendition of "checkers" with a wonderfully delightful volunteer.


On many weekends throughout the year, there is a special theme to experience. On the day we visited, a World War I encampment was occurring. Other themes throughout the year include: Laura Ingalls Wilder days, Civil War Experience, Vintage Baseball, and many others.

Even though Jack is too young to fully understand the historical significance of a place like Old World Wisconsin, I believe that visits like this will help grow his mind. And with each visit in the future, Jack may gain an interest in history, an understanding of preservation, and an appreciation for those who volunteer to make it all come together.

Story Time? or Play Time?

For several months now, I have been wanting to take Jack to a "story time" at a nearby library. I felt this would offer an ideal setting for Jack to mingle with other toddlers, while at the same time, develop his ability to sit quietly while another adult read aloud. So today we attended "Storytime Read and Sing" at the Delafield Public Library.

When we first arrived at the library, I wasn't sure where the story time group was meeting. But I quickly came across a mom, Jenny, who was also attending story time with her young son, Andy. Jenny helped me find where we needed to gather, which turned out to be outside on the lawn. (The weather was fantastic, so it was nice to be sitting outside).

As story time began, Jenny offered Jack and me a seat on her blanket, (being a first-timer, I didn't bring my own blanket). I graciously accepted since there was still some dew on the grass. Other than the woman reading the stories, there were eight of us parents -- I was the only dad. The ages of the kids ranged from about 12 months, up to four years. All of the kids were well-behaved and attentive as story time began. But after we got about two pages into the first book, Jack decided he would rather be running around instead of listening to the story teller.

Great. I was the parent with the "wild kid". It's not that Jack was being loud and disruptive. After all, we were outside, and there was plenty of room for Jack to wander around without making too much noise. But I really felt that in this particular social situation, I had failed as a parent to teach Jack to sit quietly and pay attention.

Were the moms in the group looking at me as a "dad out of his element"? Or were they looking at me with empathy, knowing that it could just as easily be them chasing their kids on any given day. Early on, Jenny reassured me that there is usually at least one kid who decides to get up and wander for awhile. So that made me feel a little better. (Although I was still embarrassed when Jack stood in front and insisted on turning the pages of book number two).

Jack is a very mild-mannered kid, and his behavior in most public situations is better than average. I plan on taking Jack back to story time next week. He may decide that he wants to run wild again. Or he may decide to sit quietly and pay attention. I won't know until it happens.

One thing I'm sure of is that his attention span will improve as he's exposed to more story time gatherings. But I have come to realize that socialization skills are not a born trait. They are a learned skill. And it's never too early, nor too late, to teach them.

The Demise of Suzie

Most new parents will recognize this little green life saver as the pacifier that many hospitals send home with newborns. It's trademarked name is "Soothie". But around our house, the more personified name of "Suzie" evolved. For Jack, Suzie has been a close companion for 2 years, 9 months, 2 weeks, and 6 days. But on July 6, Suzie met her untimely demise.


I guess it is no surprise that this little rubber pacifier would ultimately wear out. After all, Jack has a full set of teeth, and what better way to exercise his muscles of mastication, than by testing the integrity of Suzie.

And just to set the record straight, the tip of Suzie did not break off in Jack's mouth. Jack had bitten through the tip just enough to reveal significant damage. For Jack's safety, my wife Jennifer removed the tip so that it wouldn't become a choking hazard. Unfortunately this moment occurred while we were in the car on our way to my parents' house, and Jack's other two Suzies were resting comfortably at home.

After the tip was removed, Jack had absolutely no interest in this particular Suzie. This presented a good news/bad news scenario. The good news was that perhaps this was a great opportunity to break Jack of the pacifier habit. The bad news was that if this was the wrong time to break him, then we were in for a long day.

As it turned out, Jack had kind of a rough day. He didn't eat much, he didn't get to nap at his usual time, and he fell on the concrete not once, not twice, but thrice. He's got the skinned knee to prove it.

By the time we left my parents' house, Jack was in a thoroughly sour mood. Suzie would have provided much needed comfort for the Little Guy, but since Suzie was out of commission, Jack had to suck it up like a big boy. And he did. Jack fell asleep in his car seat after only a few miles, and was out for the entire hour-long trip.

After we got home, we put Jack to bed for the rest of the night. He slept through dinner, and on an empty stomach. But with one of his two remaining intact Suzies to go to bed with, Jack will have pleasant dreams tonight.

Cushing Memorial Park

While browsing around MilwaukeeMoms.com on Monday, I came across a section listing various parks and playgrounds in the area. I live close to the city of Delafield, so Cushing Memorial Park caught my eye.


Cushing Memorial Park is a really nice park. While Jack and I spent most of our time at the playground area, I also saw a walking trail, a small beach, lots of shaded ground, a picnic area, and clean bathrooms.

The playground is built to resemble a large wooden fortress. This is by far the largest playground that Jack has ever played on. There were dozens of kids already playing by the time we arrived. But the playground is so large and expansive, that there is little fear of kids piling up on top of each other.

This playground includes just about everything imaginable; slides, swings, climbing ropes, multiple bridges, multiple sandbox areas, towers, tunnels, and balance beams. And the fortress is enclosed by a fence, so parents have an easier time keeping track of little ones. This equipment was built in 1999, and is in very good condition.

There were at least a dozen other parents that were at Cushing Park over the two-hour period that Jack and I were visiting. The only other parent that I really spoke to was Matt, who was with his 1-year old son. I was hoping that Matt might be another stay-at-home dad like me, but it turned out that Matt is a teacher on summer break. Nice guy who was also making his first visit to Cushing Park. Perhaps we'll meet here again over the course of the summer.

Cushing Park is a really beautiful place, and I'm sure Jack and I will be back.

Fieldtrip: Milwaukee County Zoo!

Playing in our backyard is not really an option right now. Thanks to the rain that fell a couple of weeks ago, millions of mosquitoes have hatched, and are living comfortably on our property. So I decided to take Jack into Milwaukee County for a day at the zoo.

The zoo was fairly crowded for a Thursday morning. Not entirely surprising considering it was sunny, and approaching the mid-80's. Great weather for being outside.

Jack wanted to see the monkeys first, but on the way, we stopped by the new Flamingo exhibit. I was a bit surprised that Jack remembered what these unique-looking birds are called.

Not long after that, the popcorn wagon was calling my name. I bought a small popcorn to share with Jack. Good thing Grandpa wasn't with us. This wouldn't have been nearly enough.

This rhino had just rolled in a wet mud bath to cool off. Jack is a big fan of rhinos.

But Jack's favorite animals at the zoo, hands down, are the elephants. Jack even carries a little plastic elephant to the zoo each time we go. It's a tough word for Jack to say -- "elephant" -- but Jack does a great impersonation of a trumpeting pachyderm.

It isn't a trip to the zoo if Jack doesn't get a chance to run around on the playground equipment. There are two pieces of equipment in the "Family Farm" area; one for little kids, and one for bigger kids. The playground was slightly crowded today, but nothing like it was about a month ago when we were visiting on a Friday. It was the end of the school year, and there were several field trips that day. Grade school kids were everywhere.

This kid was really hungry...

Mmmm... Rocky Road ice cream.
For some reason, Jack wasn't
interested in it, so I had to eat the whole
thing by myself.
Oh well, his loss.






The steam locomotive was heading up the zoo train today, so I took Jack on his first train ride. He really enjoyed it. And since Jack is a huge fan of Thomas the Tank Engine, he was thrilled that we were being pulled by "Donald".

After we pulled back into the station, they gave the steam locomotive a break, and switched to the diesel. So we got to watch them switch locomotives.

It was a great day at the zoo. In fact, Jack didn't want to leave. Our extended exodus involved me chasing Jack around the ape house for about 45 minutes, (our second trip to the ape house, mind you). But I finally got him into the car. After we got back home, Jack was ready for a good, long nap. ...And so was I.