Cage Free Monkeys

Some people like to spend an evening with their husbands over a bottle of wine. I on the other hand opt to spend our time over a good IV of fluids to help bring my rediculous fever down. I could have gone to the doctor's alone when they insisted over the phone that I come in right now. But he came with me trying to make me laugh under the blue mask they put on my face out of precautionary fear.

The outcome was only a virus that just hit me very hard. Nothing that time, Advil, and some Ben and Jerry's wont cure.

Nothing beats bouncing on a bed.

What’s that saying about the best laid plans? We had a really nice day planned today. We were meeting about 5 other homeschooling families at the MOST for a morning of fun. We’d be leaving at noon so it would be a nice two hour block of time with friends. We were looking for something that would soothe our somewhat frazzled emotions with Dad out of town.

Well, saying it didn’t go as planned is really an understatement. After we paid for our admission (without anyone mentioning anything about a tv show) and started walking down the hall, we were greeted by a super cheery TLC producer who informed us that the TLC show “Table for 12” (described as a John and Kate Plus 8 spinoff) would be filming their season finally here and that we may end up on film and pointed in the direction of the little sign that if you enter you agree to be potentially on the show. Cool I thought-might be fun to see. Nope-not really.

So obviously there’s twelve in this family-fine, cool, good. But that wasn’t really the problem. It was the apparent 20 or so TLC camera men, audio people and producers that really mucked up the day. I do understand that you are filming a TV show, I do get that; however the little kids that are getting stepped on and pushed aside who actually paid to attend the museum don’t get that. About halfway through this I started getting a bit annoyed. We kept kind of moving to get away from the throng of camera people as Meg was getting increasingly scared of all the lights and the boom mikes and so on. We were in the cave section and doing some excavating when the entire production moved in and nearly swallowed my kids whole. The TLC people were so concerned with getting their shots that Meg got stepped on twice by camera men (who didn’t even budge I guess for fear of a shaky shot or something). My son got trapped in the excavation pit becuase the camera men all stood ontop of the stone miniwalls that surround the pit preventing him from exiting. He even said excuse me several times and nothing. I eventually had to lean in and pick him up and out over the camera man who didn't want to move since he was filming. Filming:fine--Blocking exit from scared kids not on the show: not fine. Then there were the two women who while following the clan stopped to have a conversation in between Michael and Meagan and the exhibit they were looking at (the kids were like three feet away so they could see it and they stood right in front of them). People stood in front of my kids while they were working on something , they stepped on my kids while filming and walking, and they bumped into and off of us like bumper cars.

There was a time when my kids thought the “library” was Barnes and Noble. You go, pick out a book, mom swipes that handy plastic card and –viola!--You have a new book. When they were younger I didn’t want to ever take them to the real library because I didn’t really think they could handle it. I mean think about it from a toddlers point-of-view. "Here Honey, Have a new book—do you love the book—isn’t the book great—what a super book—ok lets go give the book back!" Too much emotional drama for me, so I waited.

I’m glad I did. They now understand the idea of lending, borrowing and sharing. They have the necessary responsibility to care for and not lose something we are only borrowing. They understand it too as a way of economizing.

Michael is hooked on Judy Blume (as I was) and we just blew through the Pain and the Great One series. We are now venturing into the Cam Jansen Mysteries. Meg on the other hand enjoyed the Pain and the Great One but is a sucker for a good-old-fashioned SpongeBob book. Me? I'll take a good gardening book anytime.

Each time we go, they are in charge of checking out their own books which is all done through a great computerized self-check out at our library system. We are currently going weekly, or as soon as Mom can read the books at bedtime. Michael is usually begging for me to read 5 chapters a night which goes against my whole chapter-a-night offering. But I cave in, it is after all learning to love reading.

It’s a big question too. For those not in *the know* , CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. When you join a CSA, typically you pay a set block of money for a season to a farmer. Then each week, you are provided with a large bountiful bag or basket of varied produce and herbs all hand selected by the farmer. You in turn get very fresh produce, eliminate the middle man and all the mark ups, and actually build a relationship with the person who is growing your food.

CSAs can vary greatly and some include eggs or dairy too. The downside, if there is one in the CSA program, is that you get a variety of produce whether you like all varieties or not. This leads me to my dilemma: Do I join a CSA or not? This question has taunted me for two years.
We don’t have the most varied tastes over here and while I want desperately to join a CSA I fear wasting good food. I wonder then how much additional will I pay at the farmers market to supplement my CSA membership with extra amounts of the things we like. So should I join a CSA or do I just commit to weekly adventures at the Farmers Market (which I do love anyway).

Here are some of the CSA programs I am looking at.
Common Thread Community Farm
Wyllie Fox Farm
Stones Throw Farm

Seriously--it didnt look this big in the store. After looking at a ton of tents in super-sized super stores, they all start to look of average size until you bring it home and set it up in your family room.

This darling little tent is the Coleman Max Cabin tent and measures 10x14 and it 7.5 tall. Believe it or not--I was able to set up this beast by myself and the "help" of a six year old and a four and a half year old. But yes, I broke a sweat and will count it as my cardio for today.

The tent buying process was way too long and way too hard. I wanted something spacious (obviously) but I was really hooked on the superior weather features that seemed to go only with Coleman. I read every review known to man and think I made the right choice. I will just to be on the safe side, buy an additional tarp for the top to "help" the rainfly if needed. However if weather is that bad, we'd sleep in the back of the minivan on the air mattress which is where we camped before owning a tent.

We plan on doing about 10 trips this year in this tent (not counting our first camping experience in it tonight in the family room). Lets see how tonight goes....

(Sung in my best "It's Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas" voice...)

Its beginning to look a lot like springtime...

Everywhere you go,

Take a look at Home Depot, a shovel and a hoe

Lawnmovers and tillers on the go..

Its beginning to look a lot like springtime,

Seeds in every store,

But the prettiest sight you'll see is the bulbs that will be

Spoutin' by your own front door.

(ok, maybe I inhaled some of that fertilizer I was spreading today...?)