Learning Languages

The Marine Corps has decided to offer the Rosetta Stone Language Learning courses to Marines for free! Right now I'm learning spanish. I learned a lot in Jr High and High School already, but now I'll know it better I guess. After I finish spanish I want to go right into a new language but I'm having a hard time deciding which one, so I'm going to put up a poll for everyone to vote on so I can see what YOU think.

I understand that Portuguese and Italian are supposedly really easy if you know spanish already.

I really want to learn something kind of interesting that not many people know, (at least not people i know) like Swedish or maybe Dutch, but if not too many people know it, how useful would that really be?

Anyway, vote and let me know what you guys all think!

-Shawn

Are you as stupid as I am?

My cousin was working on a school assignment and was having difficulty solving it. I took a look at the problem and I could NOT answer the problem. I felt SO stupid. I looked at it for a couple minutes, thought about it for a while, and then just gave up. I don't feel as stupid because my aunt couldn't figure it out either. Then, my uncle Robert sat down for 20 minutes and finally came up with the correct answer. Keep in mind, this question is in a book for grades 3 - 6.

Anyone who's interested, here is the question. You may want to talk out loud when thinking about the problem, or write down what you're thinking. I'll post the answer later, but let me know if you get the answer and let me know how long it took you to get the answer.

Question: What's in a Name?

The last names of Ruth, Scott, Talisa, and Walter are Ithling, Jacobs, King, and Latimer. From the clues below, match up the first and last name of each person.

1. King, who is Latimer's grandfather, is not related to Ruth.

2. Scott is 5 years old.

3. Scott is not related to Walter or Jacobs.

*remember, this question was in a book for 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th graders. Makes you really feel stupid.
- Michelle

Recruiter Graduation

This morning Shawn became an official Marine Corp Recruiter! He graduated with a class of approximately 300 other marines. The graduation was down on the Marine Corp Recruting Depot in San Diego. He looked so handsome in his dress blues. He now has 30 days of leave and then checks in to his new office in Moreno Valley, CA where he will be stationed for the next 3 years.

The 1st picture was taken for Gus Gus. Shawn is standing under a palm tree next to a street sign called "Samoa"

Time to "Baby Proof"

After Kiley and I got home from work/daycare, I put her in the den with a cup of milk while I went outside to get the dogs some water and food. I was gone, maybe 5 minutes and when I came back to check on her she had found my secret stash of money. I like to keep some secret money in the house for things like Shawn's Birthday or for vacation cash. I keep the money in a box with stripes and then inside that, another smaller box and then inside that is the cash. I don't know how she figured it out, but she was loving it! I guess it's time to start putting things up a little higher.






Then, while typing this blog entry, I look over at Kiley and she has managed to tip a basket on top of her and spill out most of the contents onto the floor. Its an easy clean-up, but the basket is going to find a new home...a much higher location away from Kiley's grasp.

No More Bottles

Kiley's Pediatrician just told us that she did not want Kiley drinking bottles anymore. THIS IS THE BEST NEWS EVER. No more buying formula, no more washing bottles! Last night, Shawn was doing the dishes, but instead of washing the pile of bottles in the sink, we threw ALL the bottles into the trash can. And, the trash man came this morning and took all the trash to the dump. I hope I never have to see another bottle in my sink again. We saved one bottle (just to be safe). You never know if Kiley is going to have a freak attack, so we want to have a bottle handy just in case.

She drinks out of "Sippy cups" now. She is supposed to drink 3 cups of whole milk a day. She seems to enjoy the milk. I hope this transition isn't too difficult for Kiley, but I couldn't be happier.

I packed her a lunch today without any bottles. Her lunch included a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some sugar free chocolate chip cookies, a juice box, some chex cereal, a pear, and some gold fish. I think she's gonna love it!

Kiley's Party

Tonight we had Kiley's birthday party. We started out with a nice dinner that Michelle's mom prepared, which was very delicious. Then we let Kiley have a cake all to herself. She was a little apprehensive at first but then got to business as you can see.




So proud of herself!



Then we let her open presents, and this duck from Michelle's grandma was one of her favorite things all night.



Thanks to grandma Steffy, grandma and grandpa ford, aunt Casey, Troy, Great Grandma Fleckner, Great Grandma Ford, uncle Joe Joe and Aunt Melissa, Pebbles Glodowski and Calie for all the great presents!

Happy 1st Birthday

Today is Kiley's 1st Birthday. We aren't celebrating her birthday until tomorrow, but thought I would share some birthday photos. We'll have more birthday pics posted soon.