O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

(To the tune of O Christmas Tree)

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How I Dislike Putting Lights On Thee

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How I Dislike Putting Lights On Thee

The Lights Were Fine Before They Were On The Tree

But Once On, They Quit Working On Me

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How I Dislike Putting Lights On Thee

Now I shall go listen to "The Twelve Pains of Christmas" and know that I am not alone.

Sincerely,

The Disgruntled Decorator





Say What? Part 2

So a couple of weeks back I did a post called "Say What?".  If you don't remember it or didn't read it, you can go back and look at it.  In the first post, my son and I were in the bathroom and I addressed some questions he had.  Apparently, the bathroom is where life's most difficult questions are posed as he was back at it again.

This past weekend at a family get together, my son said he needed to go to the bathroom.  So I took him into the girls restroom.  While sitting on the potty, he noticed the receptacle hanging on the wall that is for feminine products.  Curious, as usual, he asked "What's that?".

His questions the last time were easy (or easier) to answer.  They at least had a short, simple, age-appropriate answer, but this?  "Um...trash", I answered.  Phew...he was actually satisfied with that.

After finishing up and going to the sink to wash our hands, he noticed the trash can on the floor.  He commented, "Ohhhhhhh...Two trash cans!".  When I gave him paper towels to dry his hands with, he insisted on putting one of the paper towels in the normal trash can and one in the "other" trash can.  He was very amused by this.

I have a feeling that the older they get, the more curious they get, and the more curious they get, the harder my job will become.

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

P.S.  As a funny side note, during dinner, we were sitting around talking, when all of a sudden I see out of the corner of my eye my son wave his arms wildly in the air and some unknown substance went across the room.  Wouldn't you know it that I had begun to take a drink right at that exact moment and began laughing so hard that I couldn't swallow.  So then I had to make the choice between trying to force it down and risk it coming out of my nose or spitting it back into my cup, which is gross.  The unidentified substance was later located some 10ft. away and appeared to be applesauce.

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Two of my favorite moments from this weekend:

1.  Upon returning home from a baby shower, I asked my son what he had for lunch (meaning, where did he go eat with Anthony and Anthony's family after church).  He kept mumbling something about beans, and I couldn't figure out what he was talking about.  Finally, I realized he was saying that they had "chi-beans" meaning that they had Chinese.

2.  I was listening to some Christmas Cd's I had checked out from the library.  Anthony, who was sitting in the room with me, asked, "does that CD have any Bing Cherry on it?".  I said, "Um...do you mean Bing Crosby?"  And then hysterical laughter ensued.

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

I Dare You Not To Smile!

Here are some recent videos of my kiddos!  You may note the goofy laugh that my daughter does in the first video.  My son used to do it a lot also, but then over time he stopped.  Since my daughter started doing it, he too started doing it again.  Mainly he just does it to get her to do it, because he thinks it's funny!  Even more interesting is that I actually used to laugh like that when I was little.  I guess they get it honestly!




Hope it made you smile!

Sincerely,
The Mother of Some Goofballs!

Lovie Love

My kids have some serious love for their "lovies".  My son's lovie, a monkey, is named Monkey and my daughter's lovie, a lamb, is named Sheepy.  I know, so original! 

The kids' lovies help comfort them when they are sick or scared and they give them something to snuggle in bed with when they are sleepy.  Yes, lovies are great.

It amuses me to see how much a part of my son's life his lovie has become.  He accompanies him to the bathroom, he sometimes eats with us, he plays with my son, and he sleeps with my son.  My son gives him drinks of his water, bites of his food, and takes Monkey's temperature when he is sick.  He reads with Monkey, watches TV with Monkey, and pushes Monkey in the stroller and swing.

Some parents are hesitant to allow their child to become attached to something, but I personally am not one of them.  It has been a lot of fun to see my son enjoy his lovie so much.  Monkey truly is his first best friend.  I know someday he will be much less attached to Monkey, and Monkey will take up residence on some shelf.  And then the day I realize that Monkey is not as important as he once was, I will realize (for the millionth time) that my little boy is growing up faster than I ever imagined.

Sincerely,
The Lovie Lover

Solution To: I Can't Count That High...I Ran Out Of Fingers And Toes!

Here was the original problem.

The four digits 5, 6, 7, and 8 are placed on separate cards. How many different numbers can be formed using one or more of the cards?



Here is the solution:

The answer is 64.  Now, like I said in the original post, you could have listed out all possible numbers...but that would have taken a lot of time.  Here is the mathematical way to approach the problem:

The problem states that we are to use "one or more" of the cards.  This means we can have 4 digit numbers, 3 digit numbers, 2 digit numbers, and 1 digit numbers.

For the 4 digit numbers:  If you were to make a 4 digit number at random using the given cards, how many choices do you have for the first number in the 4 digit number?  You have 4.  For the second number of your 4 digit number, you have 3 choices (since you can't repeat numbers).  For the third you have 2 choices and for the fourth you have 1 choice.  To find out how many options that gives you for four digit numbers (if you remember some math skills) you would multiply 4x3x2x1 = 24.

(For instance,  this is my blank number _ _ _ _.  For the first spot I have 4 choices.  Let's say I pick 5 for the first spot.  I now have 5 _ _ _.  For the second spot, I now only have 3 choices (6, 7, 8).  Let's say I pick 7.  I now have 5 7 _ _.  Now for the third spot I have 2 choices (and so on...).)

For the 3 digit numbers:  For the first number of your three digit number, you have 4 choices, for the second you have 3 and for the third you have 2.  So you multiply 4x3x2=24

For the 2 digit numbers:  You have 4 choices for the first number and 3 for the second number. So you have 4x3 = 12.

For the 1 digit numbers:  You have 4 choices for the first (and only) number in your 1 digit number.

Since you must take into account all possibilities, you add all you possible outcomes. 

                                                                       24 + 24 +12 +4 = 64

Tada!

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

I Can't Count That High...I Ran Out of Fingers and Toes!

Here is your problem of the week:

The four digits 5, 6, 7, and 8 are placed on separate cards.  How many different numbers can be formed using one or more of the cards?

Now sure, you could list out all the possibilities and then count them up; and that would certainly work just fine, though it would be a little time consuming.  Can you use your math knowledge to find the answer without listing all the possibilities?

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

Breakfast Bake

This is a super easy, super yummy dish that you can customize to fit your family's tastes.  Plus, the recipe makes two casseroles.  So you can make them both or freeze one for later.  LOVE IT!

Here's what you need:
4-1/2 cups seasoned croutons
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
8 eggs
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Here's how you make it:
1.  Sprinkle croutons, cheese, onion, and pepper into two 8 inch baking dishes (The recipe suggests greasing the pans.  I have always made them in ungreased glass dishes and never had any problems but metal pans might be a different story.)

2.  In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs.  Whisk in the milk, salt, mustard, and pepper.  Slowly pour over the two dishes.  Sprinkle each with bacon.

3.  Cover and freeze one casserole (if desired) for up to 3 months.  Bake the second, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

4.  To use the frozen casserole:  Remove the casserole from the freezer and place in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

View Printable Recipe

Simple.  Easy.  Delicious.  You can keep the core of the casserole the same and swap out toppings.  You could add mushrooms, spinach, etc.  Whatever your family likes.  We eat the casserole as stated in the recipe except that I normally add more bacon, because bacon is delicious.  Who doesn't like more bacon?

Just as a note, I would opt for plain seasoned croutons and not garlic croutons.  I thought that sounded like a delicious twist and tried it once...let's just say I never tried it again.  I love garlic, but there was just something not right about that!

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

And Another One Bites The Dust!

This past week, on the same day actually, someone adopted our dog and we had to have our cat put to sleep.  It was a very rough day!  Though it was hard to say goodbye to the dog, it really was a blessing for both us and our dog.  My son was pretty sad about it at first but seems to understand why we had to send him to another home.

The death of the cat is another issue.  He seems, at times, much less upset about the cat.  I don't think that it is because he loved the dog more than the cat, but because death must seem like such a vague idea to kids and they don't grasp the finality of it.

This really was my son's first experience with death.  At dinner that night, we decided to tell him about the cat.  Anthony explained that the cat was sick.  Then he said, "We had to have her put to sleep, she isn't going to wake up...she died".  I quick shot Anthony a glance and told him not to say that we "put her to sleep" for fear that he might be afraid that if he goes to sleep he will die.  Hmmm...perhaps we didn't prepare for this very well.  Maybe we should have talked about what we were going to say before hand.

So we basically told him that the cat was sick, and we took her to the vet (an animal doctor), and that there wasn't anything they could do for her, so she died.  We didn't get much of a reaction out of him; again, probably because he doesn't really understand it. 

We have had to explain it to him again and again.  Just yesterday my son was talking Anthony about it. 

He said, "Cocoa (our cat) died." 
Anthony said, "Yes, Cocoa died."
My son - "Why?"
Anthony - "Because she got sick and we couldn't make her better."
My son - "But I don't want Cocoa to die."

Seeing him hurting makes my heart ache for him.  Unfortunately, death is a fact of life...

Sincerely,
The Former Owner of a Zoo!

Solution To: That's Some Sum

Here is the original problem:

Use the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Place exactly one of these numbers in each position in the figure so that the sum for each row, column, and diagonal is 18.

Solution:



Now your answer might look a bit different and you might be wondering if your answer is in fact correct.  It most likely is.  The truth is that there are many answers that look different than this one but really, deep down, are the same answer.  It is just a permutation of the same answer.  Here is what you need to know.

6 must go in the center square.
3, 5, 7, and 9 must be located in the corner squares with 3 & 9 in opposite corners and 7 & 5 in opposite corners.
2, 4, 8, and 10 must go in the remaining 4 squares and be placed so that each row, column, and diagonal equal 18.

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

That's Some Sum!

Here is the problem of the week.

Use the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.  Place exactly one of these numbers in each position in the figure so that the sum for each row, column, and diagonal is 18.

Enjoy!  And Good Luck!

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

Fall Fun

The fall season brings with it a lot of fun activities for us to enjoy with the kids.

Ahh, yes...leaf raking.  This year my son found great joy in jumping in the leaves as well as burying Anthony and wrestling with Anthony in them. 

One activity we took part in this year was the Halloween Event held at Precious Beginnings Resale Shop in town here.  We really should have taken more pictures.  Many area businesses were there handing out candy, stickers, and trinkets to the kids as well as providing some cool activities for the kids to do.  My son got to paint a pumpkin, make his own bookmark, and check out a police car and fire engine.  There was a balloon artist there and, at my son's request, he made a sword for my son.  My son also enjoyed some homemade cookies and had his picture taken with a pumpkin lady.  He really enjoyed himself.

Another activity we did with the kids was taking a trip to Ramseyer Farms.  Every year they add more stuff for the kids to do there.  It is a great family activity.  Hmm...I hope I wasn't hoping for an accurate height...

The corn pit was a big hit.  My son loved digging in it and my daughter loved trying to eat it.  Yes, good times...except for the 13 year old kids who were trying to bury each other in the corn and were practically hogging the whole thing and clearly shouldn't have been in there when the sign stated it was for young children...but I won't mention that at all!

The straw maze.  My son actually lead the way and navigated it himself this year.  I don't know where my son learns the things he does but one day he was telling us about how sometimes they have straw on hay rides even though they are called hay rides and not straw rides and that straw is yellow and hay is kind of green. 

Racing a tricycle down the Ramseyer Spudway.

Is it too much to ask that a good picture be taken of me?

Is it me, or did my kid shrink?

The little girl was trying to make friends with my son...he thought that was funny! 

Driving a BIG tractor...he was in heaven!

Picking pumpkins.  Since we got there so late in the year we had to go all the way to the back of the pumpkin patch to find good pumpkins.  Let me tell you, it would be hard enough to walk by yourself in a pumpkin patch, why with the uneven ground and the vines that are trip hazards...but pulling a wagon and pushing a stroller?  Um...forget about it!  At least they got the experience of picking their own pumpkins instead of taking one off the pallets they had sitting by the exit...not that they will remember the experience...oh, never mind! 

Can I take the train home with me!?!

This was one of the play structures they built for the kids to play on.  So much fun!

My son in midair, exiting one of the slides on the play structure and landing in a big corn pit.  When we got home and undressed him for his bath, a whole bunch of corn fell out of his pants.  I would think that would have been more than a little uncomfortable, but we even went to dinner after our trip to the farm and he never mentioned having corn in his pants!

My son showing of the pumpkin he painted at the Halloween event at Precious Beginnings and the Pumpkin Turkey he made at the Historical Societies fall event. At the Historical Society event, he took a hay ride, made the pumpkin turkey, enjoyed some cookies, and listened to some live music. 

This is Anthony attempting to begin the process of carving the pumpkins.  He asked me how to go about it.  I told him I didn't know and that I think we only carved pumpkins one year.  He said that his family only did it one year as well.  Let me tell, after this, we both know why each of our families only did it once!

Last but not least, Trick-or-Treating.  This year the kiddos were Thing 1 and Thing 2 (the Cat in the Hat's buddies).  My son didn't remember much about Trick-or-Treating last year.  When I told him all about it, his face instantly lit up (especially when I mentioned candy).  The poor kid was so confused though.  The first couple houses told him to take something back to the stroller for his little sister.  So he would pick something out for her and take it back to her pumpkin bucket in the stroller and drop it in.  Other people though wouldn't mention anything about taking something for his sister.  So after he picked something out for himself, he would stand there and stare at them and wait for them to say something.  He is so sweet and thoughtful!

This fall has certainly been really busy, but also so much fun!

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M