My Love of Captain Ork

When I was younger, we read a book at school about a man who paints houses for a living but dreams of far away places.  When he sees a movie about Antarctica, he is so fascinated that he writes to Admiral Drake, an explorer there. Instead of answering the letter, the Admiral sends a large wooden box with holes punched in the sides. When Mr. Popper removes the outer boards, out jumps a full grown penguin. From then on, his days are filled with one adventure after another.

This book began my love affair with penguins.

I had a stuffed penguin that I slept with for years, and I named him Captain Ork.  (Ork being the sound a penguin makes)

Tonight, watching the Olympics women's ice dancing short programs, I was reminded of one of my favorite animals once again.

And by a little known fact I recently discovered about them.

The King Penguins have an organ above their eyes that convert salt water to fresh water.

So, they can drink salt water.

How amazing is that?!

All the answers we're looking for in science...are in the animal kingdom.

Seriously. 

Remy the Viking

This kid is so cool.

He has every NERF gun possible.

He's smart and sweet.

He's super athletic, but also loves video games.

He's a little tightly wound at times, but he's my sweet Remy.

Next up: Donny got his braces off! Woohoo!!

I have a whole new view of Canadians

My take on the Oylmpics Opening Ceremony:

The most vivid image I was left with after Friday night was a guy flying over wheat fields and flannel-wearing, tattoo-covered, grunge fiddling tap dancers.

Canada, you are strange, but in a friendly-dorky kind of way.

I was kind of disappointed Celine Dion didn't end up naked in a maple syrup fountain.

The indigenous dancers had to dance for an hour straight. Because we haven't done enough to them by taking their land and such.

And slam poetry? Wow. That was unique!!

Overall, it was a bizarre event, and really, really long.

Canadians are either really deep...or really high. Not sure which.

and all that money (30-40 Million!)  spent on the opening ceremony could have gone to something more impressive...like helping Haiti or some other third-world country.

That would have said a lot more, in my book.

But, I love the Olympics! And I love reading all the twitter commentary on it.

My Valentine's Day Plans

I'm taking my Valentines to get haircuts...because I can no longer see their eyes.

And then we're going to see a movie.

Probably the new Percy Jackson movie Lightning Thief. Because my older son and I have read all the books and LOVE the series.

What are your plans?

Mozart's body is missing & Polar Bears are Left-handed.

They aren't sure where Mozart's body is buried.

Polar Bears are left-handed.

Butterflies taste with their feet.

Cows have four stomachs.

Horses cannot vomit.

A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.

Most people cannot lick their elbow.

Which of those statements astonishes you the most?

Do you ever feel like this?

An aptly named abandoned boat!!

Actually, that's not my attitude at all.

I always care.

Perhaps too much.

I care about the now homeless people in Haiti.

I care about my family.

I care about the people I work with and our clients.

I care about what I want to do with my life and that it matters somehow.

Caring makes things harder.

and more challenging.

But totally worthwhile.

Coffee Bean Wars in the Grocery Store

Sometimes my children turn into wild heathens and go nuts in the grocery store.

I never know when it's going to happen.

We can walk into the store, and they are completely normal, well-behaving children...and then suddenly they turn into WILD THINGS!

They get coffee beans from the tray of the grinder and start having coffee bean wars!

Then I find the coffee beans in their pants when I do laundry...and on the floor...and they look like deer pellets, if you know what I mean.

Does everyone's children do this?!!

Ever seen Men fighting over Jewelry?

5 Things I've Learned From Watching Lord of the Rings.

1. Hobbits have great heads of hair and huge, hairy feet.  You know what they say about men with big feet.  But, strangely, the Hobbits aren't attractive in a sexy way, more in a aren't they cute, let-me-pet-one-on-the-head sort of way.

2. It takes Giant talking Trees a long time to discuss anything.
But they are awesome fighters when push comes to shove. 

3.  There's no Yellow Brick Road in Lord of the Rings.

4. Elves in Middle Earth are kind of sexy.  And they don't make cookies.

5. It's a movie about a bunch of cute guys, who fight really well, fighting over a ring.

Have you seen the trilogy?

Or read it?

Disclaimer:  I've only seen two of the three movies so far.
I plan to watch the third one by the end of the week.