Published on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 by Katherine I have figured out a wonderful way to keep children occupied while grocery shopping.  Are you ready for this one?  A week ago I was alone in a local grocery store and heard a man call out a surprised expletive (let's just say it rhymed with "oh spit!") while pointing in my general direction.  I turned just in time to see a rat piddle paddle across the floor (tha...

Published on Saturday, January 10, 2009 by Katherine Why have so many of us adults forgotten to believe?  Last night, my soon to be eight year old told me how to make it snow.  Yes, she learned in school how to make it snow.  And she believed.  That is the beauty of children.  Their innocence, paired with their ability to be open to new ideas and concepts.  Somehow the word got out yesterday that there is a...

Published on Sunday, January 4, 2009 by Katherine Yesterday something I have been avoiding for about 8 years finally crossed my path.  It was inevitable once I gave birth to my third child.  It had to be.  And it came.  I had to enter the doors of.... <hold your breath> Chuck E Cheese.  The last time I was in there, my first (and only, at the time) child was having a blast. (I, on the other hand, was cr...

Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by Katherine Remember the picture of my son who fell asleep with his hand in the Doritos bag?  Apparently, this kid can fall asleep just about anywhere.  When his body deems it time, he will plain fall out.  This is him at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas day.  We had just arrived at Grandma’s, when he made a failed attempt at getting to the couch before falling a...

Published on Sunday, December 28, 2008 by Katherine Christmas Fail.  Let's set it up for you.  The only thing my oldest wanted was the Guitar Hero World Tour game.  Expensive, yes - but that was all he wanted.  When pressed for more ideas, he simply said, "I don't need anything else Mom... you don't have to get me anything."  My little boy has grown up.  Two months ago, before I had purchased anything else - I...

Published on Friday, December 19, 2008 by Katherine Yesterday I had a few minutes to kill before I picked up my daughter. Across the street from the school? An Asian market – yes! I love shopping in this store. I always purchase Panko bread crumbs, candied ginger, and occasionally noodles for Pho soup. With Christmas (and my mother) on my mind, I visited the furthest aisle, containing wonderful Asian dishes and...

Published on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 by Katherine Brussels Sprouts are packed with Vitamin C and other healthful ingredients.  But to apes, they sure pack a punch in another way!   In Dudley, the Bornean orang-utans often enjoy local veggies in harvest, donated by nearby markets.  Recently, they have been enjoying fresh Brussels Sprouts.  So much so, that they are tooting their horns in celebration of the Bruss...

Published on Thursday, December 11, 2008 by Katherine Yesterday I went to Curves and plunked my gym bag down on the bathroom floor – ready to change into my workout clothes.  As I was closing the door I heard a strange hissing sound.  Hisssssssssssssssss….!  Hmmm, what is THAT sound?   I stood for a second, trying to pinpoint the unusual sound.  Hisssssssssss…!!!   And then it hit me.  My young son had ...

Published on Thursday, October 2, 2008 by Katherine I live in a well established neighborhood that is a nice mix of both young couples and elderly folks.  Some of these older residents have been there forever.  Most are active, friendly and look out for everyone else.  But there are some that have nothing better to do than worry about their neighbors are up to.   Fortunately, our next door neighbor is one of the ...

Published on Monday, September 29, 2008 by Katherine Me and my big mouth.  This is my latest and one of my greatest.  Picture me in an elevator full of women, with a young man standing in the corner.  He said to everyone in the elevator, “Excuse me, have any of you ladies caught a buzz?”  There was TOTAL silence.  No one spoke!  So I finally said as clear as a bell, “Ex-CUSE ME!?!?” (with a bit of attitude...

Published on Friday, August 15, 2008 by Katherine Can you help to name these shrimp-like creatures?  While we were at Little Island in Sandbridge, located in Virginia Beach, we found these tiny little creatures holding on to the seaweed that was connected to a pier piling under the water. Then we saw they were also out of the water, crawling on the actual piling.  They were longer than shrimp - half like shrimp, ha...

Published on Saturday, July 19, 2008 by Katherine   While in Corolla, NC, we saw an animal that was very unusual.  We were five houses from the beach, with open space behind us.  In this open space we often see deer, fox and feral cats.  There are also rabbits and snakes.  But we have NO idea what this animal was!   When we first saw it, we thought it was a red fox.  It had short legs, and my moth...