Every once in a while I find myself repeating something that has been said to me. I suppose I do it in hopes that if I hear it enough times it will make more sense to me. Maybe it’s my way to reality check; to make sure that things are actually as they seem.
Today was one of those days. Sometime this afternoon my 3-year-old son Milo lost his chewing gum. My wife Kathleen spent the rest of the day looking for it and only after he had gone to bed did she find it. I know this because she told me:
"I found the rest of Milo’s gum. It’s in his belly button."
"I found the rest of Milo’s gum. It’s in his belly button."
"I found the rest of Milo’s gum. It’s in his belly button."
Happy sweeping,
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Thursday, August 25, 2005
It's All Going Swimmingly ...
I'm not much one for swimming. I know how, I just don't
enjoy it all that much. And if you've ever seen me with
that garden hose you'd know I'm certainly not afraid of
the water.
My kids, on the other hand, love to swim. We've had them
taking lessons this summer and all three of them have done
very well. Another couple of days and they'll be done for
the summer.
Neva, my soon-to-be six-year-old, was afraid to get her
head and face wet when she started her lessons last spring.
She looked like a cat that's just been thrown in the water
but now, she looks and acts like a dolphin. She spends
more time under water than most fish.
Three-year-old Milo has also come a long way. He's the
youngest in his class and also the shortest, so the water
level in the pool comes to just under his shoulders. He
spent his first day of lessons climbing out of the pool
because he was so nervous about how deep the water was.
But now, he couldn't care less. He jumps right in and when
his lesson ends, he slowly ambles out of the pool.
And Willa too has been doing great. She goes with Mommy
and a bunch of other parents and their toddlers. She's at
the top of her class when it comes to blowing bubbles and
loves to be dunked under water.
It's fascinating to watch them and see how their confidence
grows. As I watch them with a great sense of pride, I'm
reminded that standing back a little and just letting our
kids do their own thing is sometimes the most rewarding
type of parenting.
Happy sweeping,
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
enjoy it all that much. And if you've ever seen me with
that garden hose you'd know I'm certainly not afraid of
the water.
My kids, on the other hand, love to swim. We've had them
taking lessons this summer and all three of them have done
very well. Another couple of days and they'll be done for
the summer.
Neva, my soon-to-be six-year-old, was afraid to get her
head and face wet when she started her lessons last spring.
She looked like a cat that's just been thrown in the water
but now, she looks and acts like a dolphin. She spends
more time under water than most fish.
Three-year-old Milo has also come a long way. He's the
youngest in his class and also the shortest, so the water
level in the pool comes to just under his shoulders. He
spent his first day of lessons climbing out of the pool
because he was so nervous about how deep the water was.
But now, he couldn't care less. He jumps right in and when
his lesson ends, he slowly ambles out of the pool.
And Willa too has been doing great. She goes with Mommy
and a bunch of other parents and their toddlers. She's at
the top of her class when it comes to blowing bubbles and
loves to be dunked under water.
It's fascinating to watch them and see how their confidence
grows. As I watch them with a great sense of pride, I'm
reminded that standing back a little and just letting our
kids do their own thing is sometimes the most rewarding
type of parenting.
Happy sweeping,
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Green Thumb? Green Somethin' ...
I have grown a wide assortment of vegetables in our backyard garden for years. And it seems that every summer one of my kids is obsessed with one form of produce or another.
One year, my oldest daughter Neva befriended a potato. It was her new best friend, except she kept losing it and getting a new one which too would end up lost somewhere in the house.
A few summers later, my son Milo's interest in the garden had more to do with digging than with veggies. He had a small front-end loader that he played with, usually between the broccoli plants.
And this year 18-month-old Willa is my newest helper. She especially loves to hide behind the plants and pick green tomatoes. No matter how often I show her the red ones, once I'm out of sight, she goes back to picking 'em green. I love her enthusiasm, she always shouts with glee when she gets one off the vine. I just hope she is as excited about green tomato cake.
Here's the Green Tomato Cake Recipe
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
One year, my oldest daughter Neva befriended a potato. It was her new best friend, except she kept losing it and getting a new one which too would end up lost somewhere in the house.
A few summers later, my son Milo's interest in the garden had more to do with digging than with veggies. He had a small front-end loader that he played with, usually between the broccoli plants.
And this year 18-month-old Willa is my newest helper. She especially loves to hide behind the plants and pick green tomatoes. No matter how often I show her the red ones, once I'm out of sight, she goes back to picking 'em green. I love her enthusiasm, she always shouts with glee when she gets one off the vine. I just hope she is as excited about green tomato cake.
Here's the Green Tomato Cake Recipe
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
This Way and That, Up, Down and All Around ...
It's odd the things that we take for granted, like seeing one's elbow for instance. It takes practice to get your arm and head coordinated, it's not all that easy. But when was the last time you thought about the first time you saw yours?
I caught my three-year-old son Milo looking for his the other day. He had scraped it on the sidewalk earlier in the day and now wanted to see the damage. He was bending his arm this way and that, tilting his head up, down and all around. He just couldn't get it sorted out, but he kept trying.
Afraid that he might get all tied up in a knot, I offered to help. I first had to try it myself, which took a moment before I could figure it out, I mean, how often do we look at our elbows.
When he finally saw his, I could tell how proud he was. He was intently investigating it with a look of satisfaction on his face. And me, well, I tried it again, this time with my other arm.
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
I caught my three-year-old son Milo looking for his the other day. He had scraped it on the sidewalk earlier in the day and now wanted to see the damage. He was bending his arm this way and that, tilting his head up, down and all around. He just couldn't get it sorted out, but he kept trying.
Afraid that he might get all tied up in a knot, I offered to help. I first had to try it myself, which took a moment before I could figure it out, I mean, how often do we look at our elbows.
When he finally saw his, I could tell how proud he was. He was intently investigating it with a look of satisfaction on his face. And me, well, I tried it again, this time with my other arm.
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
I All Done ...
We were visiting neighbours for a BBQ recently. All the
kids were playing and too busy to come for supper. When
3-year-old Milo finally came to the table, he happily took
a hot dog and sat down to eat. After only a few bites, he
spied the chocolate chip cookies for dessert, which most
grown ups, not having been too busy playing to eat, were
already enjoying.
"I all done," he announced as he got up to help himself to
a cookie.
"How about we put that on your plate to eat once you've
finished your hot dog?" I suggested.
"Not I want it," he reasoned. "It too big. I too little!"
Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com
kids were playing and too busy to come for supper. When
3-year-old Milo finally came to the table, he happily took
a hot dog and sat down to eat. After only a few bites, he
spied the chocolate chip cookies for dessert, which most
grown ups, not having been too busy playing to eat, were
already enjoying.
"I all done," he announced as he got up to help himself to
a cookie.
"How about we put that on your plate to eat once you've
finished your hot dog?" I suggested.
"Not I want it," he reasoned. "It too big. I too little!"
Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Silent Movie ...
The other night after dinner, as every evening, we all went
outside to enjoy the warm weather. And, as usual, it was
busy and loud, even if it was just my three kids. So, much
to my husband Bob's chagrin, I left the kids with him and
retreated to the quiet of the kitchen to finish cleaning
up the dishes.
From the kitchen window, I watched as Bob and the kids dug
in the vegetable garden. They'd found a pile of big rocks
and were digging deep to get them all out. Each kid had a
shovel, Bob was using his hands and all of them were filthy.
And they were having a great time.
And I stood there, staring and marvelling at my family.
There was Neva -- independent and confident -- who would
occasionally leave to ride her bike around the house. Milo,
still in his bike helmet, was happily flinging dirt
everywhere, his skinny little arms working hard. And Willa,
the baby, how she's growing! She was shaking her shovel,
eating dirt and sliding into the hole. What a beautiful
scene to behold.
And it was then that I realized, as I watched this silent
movie play through the window, how much more you appreciate
your family when you can't hear them!
Happy sweeping,
Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com
outside to enjoy the warm weather. And, as usual, it was
busy and loud, even if it was just my three kids. So, much
to my husband Bob's chagrin, I left the kids with him and
retreated to the quiet of the kitchen to finish cleaning
up the dishes.
From the kitchen window, I watched as Bob and the kids dug
in the vegetable garden. They'd found a pile of big rocks
and were digging deep to get them all out. Each kid had a
shovel, Bob was using his hands and all of them were filthy.
And they were having a great time.
And I stood there, staring and marvelling at my family.
There was Neva -- independent and confident -- who would
occasionally leave to ride her bike around the house. Milo,
still in his bike helmet, was happily flinging dirt
everywhere, his skinny little arms working hard. And Willa,
the baby, how she's growing! She was shaking her shovel,
eating dirt and sliding into the hole. What a beautiful
scene to behold.
And it was then that I realized, as I watched this silent
movie play through the window, how much more you appreciate
your family when you can't hear them!
Happy sweeping,
Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com
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