Samantha Pierce

Now that I've had a good a night's sleep as one can get with a 3 month old I am thankful for/that: I got to sleep in today. There are lots of hands to pass the baby to. There are lots of hands to help do the dishes. Food! There are lots of mouths to help eat the food. (If you're in town and hungry come on over. Somebody will be here who can get you a plateful.) Family and friends near and far. Heat pads that fit perfectly on the lower back. Ibuprofen to help out the heat pad. My dad and uncle's to do list. Apparently there was more stuff broken around the house than I realised. Gut wrenching, nose snorting, tear inducing laughter. Stories from the old country. Freedom and those who defend it. God's provision and grace. What are you thankful for?

Light Snow 15°F Feels Like 15°F The boys had to come home early from their after school program because of the weather yesterday. The antilock breaks got a good work out yesterday as I was coming back from grocery shopping. It was snowing when I went to bed last night and it is still snowing now. Current temperature is a balmy 15 degrees. For the first time it should be warmer on the ice in the rink than it is outside. It's going to be a fun day.

Despite the developing head cold I am thankful for/that: Crumple zones and reinforced passenger areas that will allow passengers to walk away from a car that has flipped a few times and looks like a balled up piece of tin foil. Laughter. Modern medicine that makes head colds a little more variable bearable. I don't know where "variable" came from. I thought I was thinking "bearable" as I typed. Thanksgiving.

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Today I am thankful for/that: Ethan: [ singing ] Hush little baby don't say a word, momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird. He knows more verses to that song than I do. Jewel actually stopped crying to listen to him sing. Baby giggles. The service and sacrifice of the men and women in the armed forces and their families. The technology that lets me pay my bills at home in bed in my pajamas. Thanksgiving is fast approaching. A hot meal on a cold cloudy day.

As a kid before I came to the States we always wore plastic versions of the corn poppy on Rememberance Day . The colour always reminds me of the blood sacrifice of the men and women in the armed forces. Thanks to you and your families for your service and sacrifice. The mottos. I had my sister translate these for me. Army Motto: This We'll Defend = Is nos mos vallo Marine Corps Motto: Semper Fidelis = always faithful/loyal Navy Motto: Semper Fortis =always brave/strong Air Force Motto: Above All = Supremus totus Coast Guard Motto: Semper Paratus =always prepared/ready

With a self identified black man having won the Presidency of the United States one would think that we would stop hearing about how racist America is. One would be wrong, at least according to Bill Moyers. In an interview with Terry Gross of NPR's Fresh Air Moyers claims that whites in the south who didn't vote for Obama did so because of racist beliefs. I waited in vain for the host of the show to challenge Mr. Moyers on his speculation about the motives of southern white McCain voters. Diane Rhem would never have let him get away with saying something so outrageous. As I sat in the car getting all indignant on the behalf of fellow McCain voters I thought, so this racist stereotype of the south is what post racial means? I also thought, what he couldn't think of ANY reasons other than racism why someone wouldn't vote for Obama? Finally I thought, what would he make of me a black woman who didn't vote for Obama and never entertained any fantasies of doing so? As ...

Through a combination of procrastination, lots of work, and sleep deprivation I've forgotten about half of my list this week so I'm gonna have to make stuff up as I go along. So today I am thankful for/that: Warm sunshine in November. It's going to make all the snow and ice that much harder to take when it finally does come but for now I'm loving the warmth. American democracy, gotta love it. The defenders of our freedom. I've discovered a new favourite food of Isaiah's, quesadillas. He calls them pizza but as they are cheap and easy to make at home he can call them whatever he wants so long as he keeps eating them. The boys are doing well in school, so say their teachers, therapists, and various support staff. All of the teachers, therapist, and various support staff that have helped the boys along in the past few years. So what are you thankful for?

Things are pretty sedate in the house this morning. Sis 1 and I talked this morning of our resignation to gracefully endure the next four years. Interestingly we've both been mistaken for Obama supporters this election season. She in a red part of the state and I in a blue part of the state. I'm not feeling the whole historical first black president thing. The President elect and I are too far apart ideologically for that. Anyway, to President elect Obama I say, good on ya mate and God bless America.

I've been meaning to share this bit of text ever since I read it several months ago. The following is an exchange between Sergeant Fred Colon and Corporal Nobby Nobs of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch from Thud! ( Wiki with spoilers, Amazon ) by Terry Pratchett. "War, Nobby. Huh! What is it good for?" he said "Dunno, sarge. Freeing slaves, maybe?" "Absol--Well, okay." "Defending yourself from a totalitarian aggressor?" "All right, I'll grant you that, but--" "Saving civilization against a horde of--" "It doesn't do any good in the long run is what I'm saying, Nobby, if you'd listen for five seconds together," said Fred Colon sharply. "Yeah, but in the long run what does, sarge?" The whole book is a good read. Leave it to Terry Pratchett of make ethnic and fundamentalist strife damningly funny.

So the long awaited long dreaded day is finally here. Get out and vote already and put an end to possibly the longest presidential campaign in American history. I'll be heading out as soon as the boys leave for school. I don't want to hear about 2012, unless you're talking about the Olympics, until 2012.

Today I am thankful for/that: * I got Isaiah to the bathroom before he threw up. Now he's busy devouring a book of dry rice chex. Hopefully they will agree with him better than the fruit and gelatin did. Baby Jewel's first laugh. She's only done it once so far despite my best efforts to evoke another cute little giggle from her. With Halloween almost upon us I don't have much longer to endure all of the silly horror Halloween TV programming. All of this "spooky" television is getting on my nerves. The end of this seemingly unending election season is almost here. I hope and pray that we don't have to put up with any of the foolishness that we've seen of late. What are for thankful for? * Halfway through this list I went to investigate the cessation of the satisfied crunching noises coming from Isaiah. I found him standing on the kitchen counter in front of the cabinet where we keep the cereal. I got him to say/sign, "I want cereal." I guess h...

Today I am thankful for/that: The new furnace. Never before in this house at this time of year have I had to wonder, "Why is it so warm in here?" Home mad apple pie. Small children crashing through piles of autumn leaves. Although, the kids aren't all that small any more. Books! I forgot two more for this week: The kids aren't waking up at 6 o'clock in the morning any more. The sound of a happy baby with a full tummy. What are you thankful for?

Hubby: [Looking out the window] Is it snowing?! Sigh, yes it is. You know you live in central New York when the question is not will it snow by Halloween but how much will it snow by Halloween. Nothing is sticking but it got Sophia excited anyway.

From Left Brain/Right Brain : An email from Amy Pisani – a thoroughly charming lady who runs the organisation Every Child By Two – made me nod appreciatively today. I’ll quote it in full: It has been quite some time since Every Child By Two (ECBT) has asked you to take action on an issue related to immunizations. I write to you today with an urgent request for your assistance in reaching out to the Oprah Winfrey Show to urge that she dedicate a show to the science behind the question of whether vaccines cause autism. More than fourteen credible studies have been conducted worldwide exonerating vaccines and yet the media and entertainment industry continue to frame this as a debate. ECBT and our public health partners have reached out to Oprah’s producers countless times without success. However, I recently had a lengthy conversation with one of the producers who recommended that we initiate a letter writing campaign by commenting within the Oprah.com feedback section of the website....

Today I am thankful for/that: Hot running water. I finally got the last of the paint off of me from last week's painting. Just in time for another round of scraping, patching, sanding, priming, and painting. Autumn leaves. The bright colours never fail to amaze me. My computer is back in good working order. Modern medicine, particularly those lovely pharmaceuticals that do away with the microscopic critters that like to take up residence in the human body and cause trouble. What are you thankful for?

What, does the autistic population of North America have a sign on their collective backside saying "Kick Me"? Dennis Leary seems to think so and takes aim with one of the usual sticks used to beat autistics these days. According to some book he wrote most autistics are just dumb and lazy with bad parents. Dude, put or shut up. Where's the evidence to support your claims? It doesn't help that there are those who screech (yes I said screech) about how vaccines and "toxins" poisoned and/or stole their child from them pouring their money into unproven treatments and cures. I think most carefully thinking people know a scam when they see one. Especially when so many of the people pushing the idea that vaccines are involved in autism (despite all evidence to the contrary) are so conveniently also pushing cures and treatments for what they claim is wrong with autistic kids (autistic adults don't seem to exist in their minds). People are right to push back aga...

When I was a kid (alright I was a teenager) I wanted a purple bedroom. That never quite happened so I gave my daughter a purple room for her birthday. I had to talk her down from a deep dark purple but she's happy with the colour she got. She insisted on a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and purple sprinkles. I couldn't find purple sprinkles so I got some extra purple icing instead. She was so excited about her cake that she sampled it before I got to icing it hence the odd shape. More pictures of the festivities are at My Picture Blog .

Check it our. I'm actually posting this on a Thursday. So today I am thankful for/that: New friends. Old friends. Family. Warm blankets on cool nights. A sleeping baby. Cute chubby knees on said sleeping baby. The creative talent of my children even if it means I've got to clean up whatever creative mess they sneak off to make. Love. The election season is almost over. What are you thankful for?

This installment has been a bit over due but I've been busy ya know. Anyway, here are a few things heard in the house since early August. *** Ethan: [ Curled up in a blanket on a hot summer evening. ] Do not distrub. Me: I think you mean disturb . *** Hubby recorded this exchange: Context: I was trying to get information out of Ethan about the song he was playing on the organ, and I eventually got out of him that it wasn't something he sang at school but was the dance practice song from Mickey Mouse. I asked him something else (I can't remember what), and he was his often-unresponsive self. Sophia chimed in, "Daddy, he doesn't hear you. You should talk to me about it." *** Sophia: Daddy! I'm busy! Said as hubby plucked her off of Ethan who she was using as a trampoline. He was a willing trampoline but we had to stop her on principal. *** This exchange took place while I nursed Jewel. Ethan: She's eating your skin! Me: No she's drinking milk. E...