Recycling Tips

I can be a bit of a recycling Nazi and came across an article the other day with some creative recycling tips for things that many of us have around the house. For those of you with school-aged children, some of these would be great to get the school involved in to help donate to charity and raise awareness about recycling.

• Backpacks: Donate them to www.americanbirding.com. The American Birding Association uses them while tracking neo-tropical birds.
• Cell Phones: www.calltoprotect.org or www.recyclewirelessphones.com. The Wireless Foundation refurbishes phones for domestic violence survivors
• CFL's: check Home Depot
• Computers: www.mygreenelectronics.com, www.cristina.org, www.sharetechnology.org, www.nextsteprecycling.org
• Crayons: www.crazycrayons.com. Crayons are melted down and used to make new ones.
  
• Crocs: The company that makes crocs recycles and donates to underprivileged families. Send to: Crocs Recycling West

3375 Enterprise Ave.
Bloomington, CA 92316

• DVD's, CD's, Jewel cases: Swap them at www.zunafish.com or recycle at www.greendisk.com
• Eyeglasses: www.neweyesfortheneedy.com or drop them off at Target Optical or LensCrafters and they send them to www.givethegiftofsight.org.
  
• Formalwear: www.operationfairydust.org, catherinescloset.org
• Gadgets: mp3, PDA's, etc.--www.recycleforbreastcancer.org. They send you a pre-paid label, then recycle what you send them and donate proceeds to breast cancer charities.
• Glue: www.elmersgluecrew.com
• Hangers: call your local dry cleaner or laundromat about wire hangers, donate plastic hangers to local thrift stores.
• Hearing Aids: www.sotheoworldmayhear.org. Go to www.donateglasses.net/hearingaids for a collection center near you.
• Holiday Cards: www.stjudesranch.org. Abused and neglected youth cut off the front, re-attach them to new backing and sell. Much better than just recycling!!
  
• Juice Bags: www.terracyle.net/brigades. TerraCycle turns them into purses, totes and pencil cases (sold at Target and Walgreens) and donates 2 cents for each Honest Kids, Capri Sun, or Kool-Aid drink pouch, 1 cent for any other brand. Shipping is free and they send the money to a charity of your choice.
  
• iPods: take old iPod into Apple store and you get 10% off that day.
• Footwear: www.soles4souls.org
  

It Ain't Easy Being Green

One book I've read deserved a post in itself. I finished Gorgeously Green months ago, which I would recommend to anyone looking to go "green". However, after months of trying to do this we've discovered that it's not particularly easy and more importantly isn't cheap! So, we've experimented here and there and do what we can to help the environment and ourselves.
Here are a couple of things I've discovered over the last few months:
Things that suck:

• Diswasher detergent by Seventh Generation. Really sucks. I will give one more brand a try, but if it's not any better I'm giving up on it.
• "Green" toothpaste. We've tried two brands...Tom's of Maine, and one that was even worse and whose name escapes me right now. If you're going to do it, paste works better than gel. Our dentist said people who use them require more scraping at each visit too!!
• "Green" deodorant. I've only tried Tom's of Maine, and it was during the hot and humid TN summer, but come on. I may as well have just put lotion on my armpits.
  
• All of the organic shampoos and conditioners we've tried sucked. Of course, we didn't buy any of the super expensive stuff. I'm afraid of spending the money and hating it.
  

Things we love:

• G diapers are wonderful. They are a cloth diapers with inserts that are flushable (but really expensive)!! Or, you can toss them and the are 100% biodegradable. We haven't been vigilant about using these, however. Poopy diapers can get messy with these and now that Waylon isn't as predictable in his pooping we've stopped using them. Lazy, yes, but it makes mommy happier this way and that's always a good thing.
• Nature babycare diapers are wonderful and biodegradable!! I love, love, love them. They are difficult to find, however (at least in our neck of the woods). I found them at Target in Florida, but they aren't available here yet. Diapers.com has them too. The greatest thing about them is that they are reasonably priced....about as much as Huggies. I'm not willing to shell out the money for Huggies, but it's worth it for biodegradable diapers!
• Seventh Generation Chlorine-free baby wipes More pricey, yes, but not too much more.
• Dr. Hauschka skincare products are amazing. Very pricey, but for someone with extremely sensitive skin like mine it's worth every penny.
• Making your own kitchen cleaner is easy, really cheap, and works great. It's nice to know we're using a product that safe for Waylon to be around.

There are a lot more things both good and bad that we've tried, but it's late and I don't feel like racking my brain to think of any more. I'll update in the future when I think of any. I would love to hear about any "green" products or tips from you guys too!!

Book Update

When we were back in Iowa Jaime asked me to write about any books I've been reading. In my last update I was tackling some very thought provoking books (The Road Less Traveled and A New Earth). They are both incredible books, but require just that...deep thought. After a long day of work and taking care of Waylon I don't always have it in me. So, I have tossed them aside for the time being and enjoyed some fun page-turners.
Chelsea Handler's (Chelsea Lately and Girls Behaving Badly) humor is not for everyone, but I for one find her hilarious. I highly recommend Are You There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea and My Horizontal Life. You can infer from the title what the second book is about. She definitely holds nothing back! They made me chuckle out loud.


Another favorite author of mine is David Sedaris and I would recommend anything he's written. Again, his humor is not for everyone. I just finished When You Are Engulfed In Flames, which did not disappoint. Just like Chelsea Handler's books, it is full of short personal stories that made me laugh out loud.

I'm now reading The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson. Here's the synopsis written on the back of the book "Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, Erik Larson's spell-binding bestseller intertwines the true tale of two men--the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, striving to secure America's place in the world; and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death." The book can be a little slow at times, but it is fascinating. I knew nothing about the 1893 World's Fair, and most certainly had never heard about this serial killer.


Somewhere along the way I read the autobiography of George Jones that Cole picked up on one of his many trips to Nashville for work. Definitely some surprising things in the book, but it's probably not anything anyone reading this blog would care to check out. Just weirdos like Cole and me.
Happy Reading!

Another Ass-kicking Bedamned... It Was a Football Saturday

Tennessee football might be in the crapper, but it didn't keep Waylon from listening to his first Vol Network broadcast.  Well, actually, most of his "listening" involved donning of headphones that were not plugged into the radio... or anything else.  But hey, he's getting the basic idea.

We're gonna give it another try with the Titans today, since they are the only team of ours that looks halfway respectable.  By the way, Waylon slept through the Iowa game.  If the Ohio State game is any indication, Iowa might be able to compete for the Big Ten title this year.  At least that is Waylon's take on things.  

Summer Time Fun!

It's been a hot and humid summer, but full of exciting new experiences. Here are some snapshots of the season:
Waylon's "Naked Phase"....still think he's in this, though..

Fun on the boat (Waylon and Daddy, Waylon and Nonna, Waylon and Uncle Tim)


The Zoo! (Waylon, Waylon and his cousin Charlie checking out the Gorilla)

Waylon gets an attitude, and it looks like it's here to stay. If you'll notice, Cole's fly is open in this pic, which isn't surprising since that's the case about 75% of the time! You'd think that by the time a man hits 30 he'd remember to zip up his pants, but not my man!! He's all mine, ladies!

An artist is born!

Waylon learns to "goff"

And, finally, now that the weather is cooling off at night it's time for walks with Daddy.

Hope you all had a great summer too!!

This Ain't the Iowa Conference

Not that I have a real interest or anything, but I do think this is cool.  Today in the Buffalo Bills' 20-16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, running back Fred Jackson rushed for 17 yards and had 7 catches for 83 yards.  This wouldn't be noteworthy, except that he went to Coe College, my alma mater, a D-III school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  I haven't checked, but that has to be one if the more successful days on a record for a D-III player in the NFL.

W-I-O-WA

I can't believe I am writing about this, but... at the Stinsons', we are big fans of the Backyardigans.  The latest episode we have on demand through our crappy cable provider, Charter, is called "Newsflash!."  To our surprise, it has a decidedly Iowa flavor.  One "reviewer" describes it pretty well:

Tasha, Uniqua and Austin work for W-I-O-WA News (The "Corniest Station in the Nation"), which is a news station that usually ends up reporting on corn. Tyrone and Pablo are corn farmers who are so happy with their crop, that they keep sending in reports just to get on the air, but unfortunately it isn't considered newsworthy. They decide to make up some stories about aliens visiting their cornfields so that the news team will come out to investigate further and put their corn crops on their air.

Is it just me, or can you just not help singing these songs over and over again?!?!

Speaking of Iowa, glad the Hawks beat Iowa State!

Update: OK, this is scary.  I am not the only one who thinks this episode of the Backyardigans is blogworthy.  Iowa Geek has a whole post on it with links to Amazon.com, where you can purchase the music.  Actually, while you're over there, take a look around their blog.  It's pretty interesting, and they are fellow Dave Ramseyans.  (Is it possible I just coined that word?)

Last thing: Speaking of blogs and Iowa and what not, Suni and I love Flying Kites, the blog of Jenni Benesh's sister, Kim.  I have added it to our blog roll.  Suni and I are not the most creative people in the world, and we have really gotten some good parenting/family ideas from blogs like Flying Kites and similar blogs.

I have never even met Kim or her family, but I haven't missed a post in a long time.  The fact that I can be entertained by reading about the lives of people I don't know is a testament to those folks' creativity and writing ability.  I regularly read a blog to which Kim links and which has garnered a lot of attention,  The Pioneer Woman.  It is very nice to be able to keep up with those we do know and learn from those we don't.  Speaking of which, another blogger I don't know, Iowa Geek's wife, has a great blog about traveling with kids.  As we come across blogs we like, we will add them to the roll. 

Iowa Trip 2008

This is pretty much snapshot of Nirvana! After vacationing in the tourism hotspot that is the state of Iowa, Team Stinson is settled back in to work-a-day life in East Tennessee.

Our trip to Iowa this year was one of the better ones we have had! We got to do a bunch of stuff without ever really feeling like we were trying to squeeze in too much. After a long day of trial in Lewisburg, Tennessee, on Friday, August 1, we got on the road very late, only to be met with Nashville rush hour traffic.

Because I was playing in a golf tournament in Center Point on Saturday at noon, I was trying to push through and get to Iowa without having to stay somewhere overnight along the way. That hope was dashed as I watch the clock in the courtroom turn around and around. This realization was made worse knowing that Suni was having to entertain Waylon all day. We ended up having to stay in a disgusting hotel north of St. Louis due to the fact that Waylon began screaming at some point after we turned off the interstate and headed through Missouri. (We decided that we would never drive to Iowa again, but we’ll forget by next year just how hellish the car travel can be).

We made it to Center Point with half an hour to spare the next morning, arriving at Rolling Acres with the 53^rd rendition of the Backyardigans’ Fly Girl episode blaring on the DVD player. Suni and Waylon were off to see Grandma, and I hit the course with Tim, Seth Rosendahl, and Tim’s neighbor. Seth also appeared now and again, his fleeting presence always foreshadowing some strange occurrence [see next sentence]. After a lousy, but always fun, round of golf, replete with the thuds of entire golf bags hitting the ground and beer cans with mysterious holes in them, it was party time at the Whiteheads. Great stuff, as everyone had their kids there, and it was good to see everyone.

We stayed with Suni’s mom while we were back. Waylon loved the puppies and his first taste of Iowa corn [below, right]. We went to the Iowa State Fair, which is pretty much heaven on earth. Check out the picture below on the right – “Pork Chop on a Stick.” Need I say more? Waylon was a big fan of the turkey leg; I liked the deep fried candy bar. I hope that we make going to the fair a family tradition. It’s just a great atmosphere.

After the fair, we went to visit Nichole, one of Suni’s college friends just north of Des Moines. Her husband, Jay, cooked a great dinner. As you can see, Waylon loved playing with their two little girls. Grace took Waylon down the slide over and over and was just really good with him. I think Waylon got quite an education! All in all, it was a great day! Jonnie’s boyfriend, Dan, and I played golf the following morning at The Legacy, a very nice course in Des Moines.

We got back to Cedar Rapids in time the next day for me to hang out with the Whiteheads and, later, Brandon and Monica Hahn. (Mama crashed early). Our evening started off at the Hacienda, that great bastion of Mexican cuisine and a Cedar Rapids landmark. (Thanks for dinner and drinks, Tim and Jaime!) Then it was back to Center Point (or just “the Point,” in certain circles). We had fun hanging out, and I thought called a taxi to take me back to CR, but oddly enough, the driver that showed up to get me looked a lot like Jaime Whitehead. It was a very kind thing to do.

Another great day was spent up at Tim and Sandy Ford’s place up in Delhi, Iowa, on the Maquoketa River. It is always so much fun up there, and this year was no different. Waylon is doing much better with his life jacket now that it fits him a bit better. Here is Waylon with his Grandma on the boat.

The only sad part of the trip was seeing the utter devastation in the wake of the flooding from back in June. Words are simply inadequate to describe how bad the damage truly is. I could not bring myself to snap any photos at all, but there is ample supply on the web.

I will probably post some more pictures in the next few days, or hopefully Suni will. Thank you so much, everyone who made our trip back to Iowa the highlight of our year again!

Our Baby Has a Penis!!!

Otherwise known as "It's a boy!"

The ultrasound was music to my ears, or whatever. There is no mistaking the sex of this baby. We will try to put a still of the ultrasound DVD on here when I get back home from Memphis. I am very happy that Waylon will have a little brother. I am sure that is what my mom thought back in 1979, when she found out she was having another boy. Waylon and Horace will be almost exactly the same age difference as Aaron and I are. If the two of us are any indication, it will be an interesting journey.

In other news, Waylon recently took to repeating "Shup!" in a very loud voice. We had no idea what on earth he was saying. We do now. Suni was quite distraught when she dropped Waylon off at daycare on Monday and heard Samantha*, the problem child in the class saying "Shut up!" in a demon-like voice as she lashed out at someone with her hand. Needless to say, Suni made the connection. I am very proud of Suni, as she told the daycare manager that if we saw Waylon around this girl again, we would change daycares. Now, lest you think that is an overreaction, there is much more history that makes that a very sensible threat. This girl has been physically abusive repeatedly to Waylon and other kids and the daycare has kicked her brother and her out of daycare at least twice only to re-admit them somehow. This girl's 3-year old brother is known to call his teacher a "f#$%er," and use it in context. Who are these freakin' people?

* Names have been changed to protect the innocent child of the idiots who are raising her.

What the hell?

This has been a weird year. I came home from Nashville to see this scene in my front yard. This same scenario unfolded in our back yard only two months ago. Suni was home alone with Waylon (well, I guess that makes her not alone) when this happened. She tried to call me three times. I was in Nashville eating and didn’t hear my phone. She was pissed… yes, Suni pissed about someone not answering his phone… hmmm, very ironic. Thank God everyone is safe. That is really all that matters.  When I saw the four missed calls from the Missus in a row, I was more than a little scared.  Now that I know everyone is fine, I really would have loved to seen the look on Suni's face when she heard the crack of the tree splitting off. 

Names and what not...

Horace Update: So, here we are on “our” fourteenth week of pregnancy, and still no freakin’ name. Granted, we do not know the sex of the baby, but that is hardly relevant. I have been urging Suni to pick a girl name and a boy name. The obvious alternative is to select a name that's unisex. Someone suggested “Pat.” That ain't gonna work.

The most frequently asked question regarding the naming of ours second child is “Are you going to name him/her Hank, Willie, Merle, Kitty, or [some other old country music star]?” The answer is no, although I am doing some backroom politicking for Conway Twitty Stinson. Suni actually likes “Hank,” but she thinks that would be over the top. It would be.

Please take our poll (bottom right). I'll leave the boy name up for a month then put a "girl name" poll up for a month or so.

Night on the Town: I have to say a word about this. In Nashville on business, I had planned to go to a Verlon Thompson show over at the venerable Station Inn, a complete dive but maybe the best bluegrass venue in the country. My buddies and I were the first ones there and we took a table right up front. To my amazement, Guy Clark showed up and played the first hour-an-half long set with Verlon. Waylon Jennings is the only artist I like more than Guy Clark, and Guy is a close second. I was ecstatic. The Station Inn didn’t advertise the fact that Guy was playing, so there were no more than thirty people there. (The bartender told us Dierks Bentley dropped in like that a couple of weeks before). I got the chance to talk to him for a bit while he was out back smoking. I couldn't have been happier.

One Year Later...

With our Iowa trip on the horizon, I thought it would be interesting to post a couple of photos from our trip to Iowa last August. Here are a couple of Waylon and Grandma. It is amazing how much the little guy has grown in the past year.

I know that he will be thrilled to see his “brother” and “sister” again. Briggs and Mary are seen in the picture on the very top. Since these pictures were taken, Waylon has learned to talk, knows 15-20 different words, understands virtually everything, feed himself all kinds of food, and today he even told us he had to “poop” before pooping!! Despite having the same amount of time in which to learn, Briggs and Mary still do nothing but yelp at the top of their lungs, pee and crap all over the place, and probably eat the poop.

Here are two more: Waylon getting a bath and Grandma Jonnie’s and trying to tell his cousin Owen about classic country music. I don’t think Owen was interested. He’s really more into hip hop, apparently.

Ahh... Milk, Cookies, and Wonder Pets

Today has been a pretty uneventful, unproductive start to the weekend. Waylon and I did get to enjoy some Nila wafers and milk while watching the Wonder Pets on demand. (Today they saved the baby sea lions and the joey… again… for about the thirtieth time).

It is really hot here today, and is supposed to be in the 90s for the next few days. I wish we could summer in Nova Scotia.

Tim Whitehead has rejoined the land of the living bloggers, where he is lamenting the five happy years of his nine-year marriage. Happy anniversary, Whiteheads!

Despite the heat, Waylon apparently thinks it's winter. He's packing for Iowa, and I guess he thinks he will need his stocking cap.

He Gets It!

It has been a rare week in that I have been home every night. This has afforded me the opportunity to take Waylon to daycare in the morning and be home at a reasonable hour (today at the unbelievably early time of 5:45). Although I do not enjoy the screaming and clinging that characterizes the daycare drop-off, I have really enjoyed getting to be a part of Waylon’s morning routine the last few mornings. Unfortunately for you, this means I have something to blog about, so my long-windedness will continue to plague TeamStinson.com in lieu of my wife’s pithy posts. Sorry.

Waylon continues to amaze me with how much he comprehends. Yesterday, I had to buy some time to take a shower, so I basically just took him in the bathroom with me and talked incessantly at him about God knows what all. To my amusement, he listened and attempted to repeat many words. As I was about to step out of the shower, I decided to enlist his help.

“Waylon,” I asked, “will you please go into the kitchen and get your medicine?” (He is again on amoxicillin and we have been giving him Tylenol, as he has been running a slight fever).

Now, I must admit that I thought it was a long shot. You never know how much a 15-month old really understands because they are so limited in what they can communicate. But, I figured what the hell. To my utter surprise, Waylon got his now-trademark look of determination on his face and bounded off for the kitchen. I could hear his little footsteps trailing off as he ran into the kitchen.

Seconds after Waylon had disappeared from the bathroom, I heard a tremendous crash in the kitchen. Then silence. Just when I was going to run into the kitchen in my towel, I heard the pitter patter of little feet again. After about three footsteps, I heard something hit the floor and skid across the hardwood. Nearly immediately, the footsteps resumed. But, again, something fell to the floor. This process repeated itself until Waylon rounded the corner and I everything was clear.

He had understood my request for help, alright. He was juggling an armful of crap – both of his medicines, an enormous bottle of ibuprofen, and two medicine droppers. It was all just too much for his little hands and arms to handle, which explained the noises I’d been hearing. The crash, I discovered when I did make my way into the kitchen, was the entire contents of the medicine cabinet. If you are asking (a) why our medicine cabinet is in the kitchen and (b) why it is low enough for our toddler to reach… well… those are good questions… ones I am sure Suni will address in her next post, whenever the hell that may be.

As far as Waylon’s help, I was impressed. Maybe I shouldn’t have been. When it’s your first child, you really have nothing for comparison. I give Suni a lot of credit for teaching him things that are really beyond his age. She has always treated him, especially talked to him, as though he were a little man, and almost always, he lives up to those expectations. (And, no, honey, I am not saying you don’t let him be a kid. He’s 15 months old, for God’s sake :))

Wow, I never thought I would be gleefully writing about the day my son recognized a simple term like “medicine.” The fact is, however, that it was the highlight of my day… and, inexplicably, that fact doesn’t make be feel even the slightest bit lame.

A Word About Horace: In one of my recent posts, I referred to our next child as "Horace," which has drawn some concern from certain quarters. This is just as I planned. Waylon was named months before his mom brought him into this world. Everybody started calling the baby Waylon before Suni was even showing, and it stuck. That is the way I like it. I like to "know" my child before I know my child. (I am weird; I acknowledge that). We can't agree on a name for this one, and Suni does not share my sense of nomenclature urgency. Thus my plan: call the baby Horace until Suni agrees to name the kid. Horace has raised more than a few eyebrows... yet, Suni seems in no more of a hurry than she ever was. Now, it's either give up the ghost or ratchet up the seriousness with which I intend to call our child Horace. I always was a fan of the Odes.

Team Stinson Hits the Zoo!

Waylon has this animal book with pictures of probably a hundred animals. He can probably identify 25 of them. We’re not talking just doggie and kitty cat here either. This kid differentiates between the parrot and macaw, the chimp and the gorilla, and the Owl Moth Butterfly and the Giant Owl Moth Butterfly. (Okay, I made the last one up, but he really can distinguish among the others).

So yesterday, after identifying the duck for the umpteenth time, he got bored and gave us a look like, “Seriously, people, I want to see the real thing.” So…

Today we took Waylon to the Knoxville Zoo. We saw gorillas, elephants, red pandas, and all manner of fauna. Nonetheless, the runaway favorite was (drum roll)… this “lella” in the elephant pen. Actually, a close second was the ceiling fans in the same exhibit.

Waylon had Suni had a lot of fun in the Kids Cove, where they have a concrete “creek” where the kids can play. Unfortunately, Suni was asked to leave due to her violation of the second prohibition listed here on the sign [bottom left photo on the grid to the right]. (Just kidding).

Waylon had fun sitting on the “water-spitting” frogs. [Top left photo]. Much to his chagrin, however, he could not sit on both frogs at the same time. He came to this painful realization when this unsuspecting Asian girl hopped on one of them. She ignored Waylon’s persistent whines of protest. Right now the boy shares about as well as Jonnie drives, which is to say all people in proximity are in danger.

W really liked this cage and would have run back and forth through it ‘til hell wouldn’t have had it anymore. We were finally able to divert his attention with promises of food. We ate lunch at the Safari Grill, where Waylon ate one French fry and about sixteen ounces of ketchup.

Happy Fourth, Everyone!

Two things to say about today (and there is no cause and effect, whatsoever, here people): (1) Suni slept much of the day, and (2) It was a really good day.

Mama wanted some sleep this morning, so Waylon and I decided to go to the park. Horace is making Mama much sleepier than Waylon did when he was in utero. Halfway to the park I remembered that I freakin’ hate the park. All the little kids trampling mine makes me a nervous wreck. A backup plan was needed, so we went to my dad’s house, where we had a good visit, which was cut short by the fact that Dad and his family went to the Fourth of July Parade in Greenback, the little town where I was born and raised. I really didn’t have much of a desire to attend those “festivities,” a term I use here loosely. For you Iowans, think Walker, but maybe a little smaller. For New Mexicans, think Mesquite with a three-building downtown.

Waylon is barely 15 months old, but he already loves golf. I sawed a golf club off just his size, and he carried it around pretty much all day, swinging it as best he could at the grass. Golf balls are about his favorite thing other than light. I hope to foster a love of golf in my boy in the great hopes of preventing the scourge that is soccer. For any of you who want to regale me with all the great things about soccer, save your breath. It is the most boring regularly played sport, period. I understand it has its place, but it ain’t in the Stinson household.

I hope everyone is having a great Fourth. Our thoughts are still with those spending our nation’s birthday digging out from the flood mess. With all its faults, our nation is still the greatest on earth, and we are thankful for that. Please say a prayer tonight for those protecting the freedoms we all take for granted entirely too often.

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone!

Back to Iowa: Oh yeah, by the way, we are coming back to Iowa the August 1-10, and we hope to see everyone possible. We had hoped to head up that way this month, but schedules would not permit it. Hopefully we didn’t pick a time when anyone is out of town.

Where the F*#@ is Tim Whitehead?!

I'm sending out an APB...Tim Whitehead is missing. As many of you know, Timmy burst onto the blogging scene a couple of months ago, quickly making fans with his wit, dry humor, and dazzling slide show. My fascination with his blog started slowly, mostly because reading it made me truly realize how crappy mine is. I mean, seriously, who puts a poll question up as part of their first ever blog?! Then, he had the audacity to put up a slideshow....show off! Once I accepted the fact that Tim is a gifted blogger and I am not, I became addicted. It was like crack. As any dedicated fan, I stopped by Sober Moments every Friday (the once promised post day) and to my delight there was a deliciously funny post for a couple of weeks.....then nothing. I remained calm for the first week, telling myself the Whiteheads must be on vacation or Tim is sick and cannot muster up the strength to write. Then, as the weeks went on anger started to set in. How could he lure me in like that then pull the rug out from underneath me?! Who does he think he is?
Now, I know Tim is a busy man. He just received an incredible promotion at work, he has a very demanding wife (Cole made me put that, Jaime), and two adoring children, but for the love of God, Tim, give us a little taste of what we long for. Come on back to the blogging world. No questions asked.

Heartache

Our hearts have been broken over the last couple of weeks hearing about the destructive flooding in Iowa. We feel selfish and helpless carrying on with our happy life while so many are dealing with utter devastation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our family, friends, and their loved ones. Seeing pictures has been hard enough, so I cannot imagine what it's like up close and personal. It has made my and Cole's heart swell with pride reading articles and watching Iowans on the news. While many of those affected have lost almost everything, they still keep their heads up and say "I feel blessed because it could have been worse" or "I feel lucky to have such an amazing support system around me." Wow. It's a testament to the character of the people living in our beloved Hawkeye state. You honestly won't find any better. It's a place we are both more than proud to call "home".
One final thought...the recent levee breaks in Iowa and Missouri make me ponder the question "Does Kanye West think George Bush hates white people now too?" Ah, ignorance is bliss.

A thought from Daddy Stinson:

I think Suni’s post here adequately communicates our angst over the Iowa flooding, but I do feel compelled to add my two cents. I fell in love with Iowa when I first set foot on Hawkeye soil in March of 1996, and I can honestly say this flooding would be scarecely more heartbreaking to me if it were my own house underwater.

My love for the state and its people has always engendered curiosity among my fellow Southerners, and, try as I might, I have never been able to competently explain my affinity for the state most Americans confuse with Idaho. The reactions of Iowans to this flood have explained it for me. The matter-of-factness with which Iowans on the news react to questions about the flood are at once agonizing and humorous. One photo I saw posted somewhere is especially poignant: Two college-aged guys and an old man in a john boat are floating down what used to be a residential street, the oarsman having to duck to keep from hitting his head on an overhead traffic light. In the background are houses submerged up to their eaves and cars semi-floating in their watery graves. Yet, all three men have smiles on their faces that seem to say, “Wow, can you believe this shit?”

Even though the relatively famous blogger Tigerhawk has backpedaled a bit, I pretty much agree with his original post.

Jenni Benesh has a good post with several photos.

Update: Of course, all of this flooding comes on the heels of tornadoes. This L.A. Times piece captures the devastation felt by this little town when an EF5 tornado hit there last month, as does this heartbreaking video. Alas, here is a good story about Parkersburg, Iowa, from ESPN.com. that hints of hope in a town that, like so many of the flood-struck towns, have been changed forever.

Waylon's new "do"

Over the last couple of months Waylon's hair has begun to take on a life of it's own. He had sort of a Donald Trump comb-over in the front and a mullet in the back. Now, living in Tennessee we could get away with the mullet (just kidding, Aaron!), but I just couldn't do that to my child any longer. Waylon is fiercely protective of his mane, so cutting it posed a true problem for us. Well, last week Cole ran into the kitchen yelling for scissors...the opportunity had presented itself...it was time. Long story short...things didn't go as planned. Only one snip was made and out of it came Waylon with a rat tail! I know the 80's are doing their best to make a comeback, but again, I couldn't do it to my child. So, we broke out the clippers, used the art of distraction as best we could and now Waylon looks like a child that just finished chemotherapy! It has taken us a little while to adjust, but we actually do like it. It makes him look so much more grown up. I think I've been in denial that he won't be a baby forever. Good thing we have another one on the way (due in January). Just thought I'd slip that in to see if anyone actually reads the blog. :)

Scenes from the Beach

Well, to say our trip to Destin was less than we'd hoped is an understatement. The picture to the left pretty much sums up the vacation as a whole. Mother Nature did us no favors bringing high winds and tornando warnings, so we were stuck inside for much of the trip.
On the bright side we did get to stop in Tallahassee and visit my uncle Mike and cousin Dustin on the way, which was great. Here's a picture of Waylon and Mike.

We also got to spend a lot of quality time with Cole's cousin Brad, his wife Kelly, and their son Aidan. Aidan turned two the day before we left and had an adorable pirate-themed party. Here are my pirates. Arrrrr!

Waylon was hot and cold about the ocean. He loved it when we first got there, but was reluctant at other times. Overall, though, he enjoyed it, especially chasing the sea gulls. Here are a few pictures from the trip.