The line of the night

Jamie and I were having a serious discussion about our finances tonight. I asked him exactly what debt we had (credit cards, cars, mortgages) vs. the state of our assets (real estate & stocks, etc). He mentioned the van and I asked about his car--he told me he paid cash for it. I looked at him and said, "You paid cash? Why didn't you pay cash for mine then? Oh yeah--we got 0% interest, that's why." And he said, "I took that cash and invested it." And I said, "What's it worth now?" And he said, "A lot less than 30K." To which I replied, "Who'd have thought that a Toyota would be a better investment than the market?" Oh well, you win some and you lose some. Thank God we've got a few decades to recover.

I'm looking at a few charts regarding long-term investing. The market was basically flat from 1906-1924. It went up the next five years and then crashed. There was a slow recovery, but it was basically flat from 1937-1949. There was an increase between '49-'66, then it was basically flat until 1982. There was a sharp increase between 1982 and 2000, but it's been largely flat since then. Of course there are peaks and valleys on this chart, but if you look at the big picture, the market always goes up. I get this. So my main economic worry right now is that Obama is going to get elected. And I would like to point out that his policies are largely similar to those of Carter. Anyone remember the economy under Carter? Aye yi yi.

My dad is hoping Obama gets elected--he thinks if things go to hell in a handbasket w/Pelosi, Reid, and Obama in charge, he'll see Republican leadership for the rest of his life. But this "soccer mom's" biggest fear is National Security. The first WTC bombing happened under Clinton's watch. The second was planned during his administration. He could have had Osama Bin Laden and didn't take him.

Michael Collins (IRA leader) favorite saying was "The goal of terrorism is to terrorize. It is the only way a small group can take down a large country." Our enemies understand this and will use it against us. John McCain will keep us safe. Barack Obama will not. I truly fear for the safety of my family under Democratic leadership...but our safety has been largely forgotten because of the economy. Which is a shame b/c another terrorist attack would further decimate our economy...

Happy Post

So, despite Cassie waking up 6:30am this morning (YIKES), we had a great day! Chase spent the night w/Grandpa Bill last night and when he got home from breakfast w/Aunt Mikki and fam, I put Cassie down for a nap. Jamie and Chase took Sherman for a run (Chase rode his bike). Then the boys fixed the grill (b/c Chase discovered that the ignitor that wasn't working had a dead battery--who knew?) and Sherman and I did some obedience work. The boys left for baseball & I fed Cass lunch. Then we headed to the game. Chase had quite a cheering section: Jamie, Cassie, Sherman, & me, plus Grandpa Bill, Grandpa Jim, Grandma Mary Ann, Aunt Mikki, Uncle Bud, Hayden, Brady & Brewer. He was five for five at his last five at bats--it was his final game (well, double header) of the season. I think they won both games--it's kind of hard to keep track when you're juggling multiple conversations, a puppy, and a toddler though. Hayden LOVED Sherman and would like Aunt Christi to buy her a puppy just like him for her bday. I offered her Sherman but her Mommy wasn't too cool with that. ;)

When we got home, Cass took another nap (two naps--woo hoo) and I took Sherman roller blading while Chase biked. Sherman is blessedly EXHAUSTED and sleeping on the floor. The kids are sleeping and Jamie and I are watching the Tigers stomp the Huskers. Woo hoo! I think he finally understands why I live to exhaust the dog now...

51 to 10. I think they can take Chase Daniels out of the game now... Go TIGERS!

Alexander's Horrible, Very Bad, No Good, Rotten Day

I think that is the title of one of my favorite preschool books. I had a day like that today. Chase is going through a challenging phase right now (which is my polite way of saying that he's being a royal pain in the butt). He doesn't listen. I swear that kid is me, with Jamie's looks and a penis. It is SO frustrating. I mean, me as a man?! Bad news, people. It is bad news.

I remember spending much of my childhood in la la land. I remember hearing my dad tell me not to step off a step in a jacuzzi at the Holiday Inn in Junction Springs, Colorado. I also remember doing what I wanted to do (as opposed to what my dad TOLD me to do), stepping off that step, going under super hot water, and damn near drowning in a jacuzzi (who makes a jacuzzi five feet deep anyway?). Somewhere in heaven, my mom is sitting on a cloud, watching me pull my hair out and laughing her ass off. Seriously. Because as my dad ever so gently points out--the traits of Chase's that drive me the most crazy are the ones he inherited from me. I think that's what frustrates me the most, I don't want him to repeat my mistakes. Even though I know he has to learn from HIS mistakes, not mine. But it's so hard to watch.

And Cassie? She's Chase, part 2. Another one with Jamie's looks and my personality (including the temper). She's tougher about certain things, but the drama. Oh the drama when you tell her "no." I remember when Chase was a baby and I asked my mom when parenting would get easier. She said "Never." Mom was right...

Cycle break

Sherman presented an interesting challenge today. He was napping peacefully on the kitchen floor when it was time to put Cass down for her nap. Since he didn't get his usual outside time this morning b/c of rain, I decided to leave him loose instead of kenneling him like I normally would. Chase was on the couch watching cartoons, so I figured he couldn't wreak too much havoc while I put Cassie down for her (one, she takes one now) nap.

When I was almost finished putting Cass down, I heard Chase shrieking and carrying on. I wasn't too worried b/c he's such a drama queen. So I finished and came downstairs to find him on his way upstairs and Sherman on the couch (a huge no no). Sherman wanted to play. And he hasn't figured out yet that Chase isn't another puppy, so he plays w/Chase a bit differently than he plays with Jamie or me. He approached him while he was lying on the couch and began chewing his hands. Chase freaked out and Sherman hopped up on the couch, encouraged by all the freaking out. The second he heard my voice, he was off the couch, but mama was not happy. He'll be back to see Miss Kari this week. I know he's just being a puppy, but in five pounds, he'll outweigh Chase, so my puppy needs to be controllable...

I had a mini-meltdown, walked him twice tonight and watched him play w/his neighborhood buddies. The best thing is talking to my neighbors who have a 2 year old golden though b/c their mellow girl was once nuts like Sherman (and I remember when), so they give me the "this too shall pass" perspective. And they like to remind me that he's nothing compared to raising teenagers! ;)

Jamie wants his laptop. I'm hoping for one for Christmas...if the economy hasn't melted and we're not destitute, of course.

"Birthdays"

So Cassie was 15 months old on Thursday and Sherman was 5 months old on Friday. We went to Chuck E. Cheese in CoMo w/my sister and kids on Friday (just b/c Chase is on cycle break and Mik is on maternity leave), so Shermy went to Kennelwood for a little refresher training course w/Miss Kari. Pics of our Chuck E Cheese adventures are on Mikki's page (www.hodgefamilyhappenings.blogspot.com).

When I took him in, I explained the challenges we were having. I've been ridiculously consistent w/his training. I'm a type "A" anal retentive housewife--I'm so consistent w/his training that I drive Jamie bananas. He doesn't think it's a big deal if Sherman's legs hang over his bed. I'll correct him 10 times in as many minutes for that b/c his legs aren't allowed to hang over his bed. IDK why, I didn't make the rules, but it's my job to follow them so my dog is well behaved and not a 90 lb out of control monster in a few months. Not to mention that the amount we've already spent on training is a small fortune, so I'm not going to waste that money, I'm going to do what I was told to do.

When we went to pick up Sherman, Miss Kari was walking him. The first thing she did was explain that while she knew I'd been consistent, often the dogs don't misbehave for her b/c their owners aren't quite as consistent at home as she is at school. IOW, they aren't as consistent as they think. But Sherman proved that wasn't the case and did EXACTLY what I said he would. In a perverse way, I was pleased to be right. So he's going back for a weekly "refresher" for the next month to reinforce what I'm doing at home. I was really pleased with him today, Kelly came over to pick up Dylan and I put him in a down/stay. Even though his tail was thumping like mad, he only tried to break the down/stay once (I was standing on his lead, so he couldn't actually get up) and then held it for a reasonable length of time before I freed to him to greet Kelly. He didn't jump on her at all and was quite respectably behaved for a five month old pup. I think the day training is good b/c while I work on his commands all day in a practical sense, the intensive training he gets there really hammers it home, KWIM?

In other news, I had Cub Scout Den Leader training today. Cass was up at 5:30am screaming, IDK why. She fell back asleep on me, but I didn't sleep much after that (go figure, I only had 25lbs of toddler on my chest) and then had training for 7 hrs today. Chase had baseball today, so Dad watched Cassie for a few hours. I do not know what we'd do if we didn't have Dad to help out--I guess I wouldn't get to volunteer quite as much... I'm actually looking forward to this Den Leader thing, scouting is actually quite a bit like sororities (except I'm working with first grade boys instead of college women) in regards to programming and community service, so it isn't quite the odd fit you'd think. I think we're going to have a GREAT year!

I'm off to bed. Sherman is wiped out on the floor next to me, so I suspect he'll be happy to retire to his crate for the night, and my bed has never looked so good.

I love self-medicating. My thyroid meds WERE out of whack. I'm on my placebo week of pills and better now. That means I'm stopping the BCPs. And if one more person warns me about infertile people who've conceived accidentally, I'm going to graphically give details about our infertility...I haven't conceived w/o medical intervention since 2000 and neither of my intervention-free, natural pregnancies were viable. The older I get, the more intervention I've required. Jamie and I are both of the opinion that if we wind up with an "accident" then we'll accept it for the blessing it is. But the chances of that happening are slim to none, so we're not losing sleep over it. In the meantime, I've had six months to remember why I quit the pill a decade ago and if there is a silver lining to six years of infertility hell it's that I shouldn't have to worry about birth control when I'm NOT trying to get pregnant.

Famous last words...right?;)

So I may be in a better mood. Two reasons (1) the rugs are back in front of the back and garage doors (they had to be moved when we got Sherman b/c he would eat them) and Sherman isn't trying to eat them. That's serious progress on his behavior b/c that means he's learning what he can eat (his toys) and what he can't eat (everything else). (2) Jamie pulled out all the overgrown shrubs in the front landscaping this evening. That's HUGE. Now I can figure out what I want to do w/the new retaining wall! And I'm going to plant a ton of bulbs for spring, I love tulips and daffodils! I've hated the front landscaping since we moved in...I'm so looking forward to doing something I like out there.

The Cowboys are playing and losing to Green Bay. 6 to 3. That does not make me happy. I like Green Bay, but I love my Cowboys. Cass and I were watching the start of the game and I had to laugh that the girls were watching football while the boys were outside landscaping. My boys need a touchdown. Oh, and Cass likes Cowboys football just as much as mama and big brother!