Sunday, January 27, 2008

Sunday Sound Out

Well I'm unsickish now. I have my voice back. Well, I don't exactly have MY voice back, but I do have A voice. I think it may be Roz's.



Here are your questions from this week...

From last Sunday's shout out.....

Oh, and a question for your next Sunday Shout Out: I don't hear a lot about Savannah or Lexington. Do they just not get in as much trouble, or is their trouble-making done on the sly? ~anonymous
They pay me for my silence. Actually, they don't get into nearly as much as the others. Anymore. Hmmm, I think I'll have to do a "Mischief Through the Years - a journal of pictures" sometime this week.

OK Dawn, Heres a question for your Sunday column. If you had an entire day to yourself home alone what would YOU do? Let me set the mood. The ENTIRE house is clean there are no clothes to wash absolutely NO work for you to do. How would you spend your time alone? ~plain precious
I hate hypothetical questions. After inventing a car that runs on dirty diapers, discovering life on another planet, and memorizing the periodic table of elements, I'd probably just sleep.

Florida? This is for fun, no school project attached to it? Wow can I have him for a son, he can use any of my spatulas for paintbrushes! ~Donna
:::snort::: Yeah, go figure. He has immeasurable amounts of time, energy, and creativity for things like that, but when he's assigned an actual school project, he'll wait until the night before it's due. Then he'll whine and complain and slap something together. The kid is thirteen years old and I still have no clue how his brain works. I was just talking to Angie about this. He's always been a weird kid. He never played with his toy cars or plastic animals. Instead, he categorized them. He lined them up around his room according to size or color or species or make and model. He's one of those smart kids who doesn't have a lick of common sense. He's in gifted classes, yet he walks to school wearing only a thin sweatshirt (It's been below 0 here this week). I love him to death, but like I said - he's a weird kid.

[I just read this paragraph to him; making sure he didn't care if I posted it, and he jumped up and said, "As a matter of fact..." as he ran to his backpack to do some last minute homework. :::sigh:::]

From Green Goblin Strikes Again...

OMG! How do you survive everyday??...YIKES! ~Nicki


What do you use to get the paint off...everything??? ~Kyddryn
Diaper wipes, of course! I love diaper wipes. I use them for everything. When (if) my kids are all out of diapers, I'll still carry them with me.

From You Just Never Know When You Might Need Green Ric Rac...

I have to ask...who's Vicki? ~Grandmother Goddess of the Garden
LOL! I was wondering if anyone would know what I was talking about. It's from the movie National Lampoon's Vacation. Cousin Vicki is stirring a pitcher of Kool Aid with her hand and Clark asks, "Can I help you with that Vicki? Please?"

Also - will you be doing any book signings in August or do we need to stalk you at the grocery store? ~Lucille
LOL! I'm not sure if/when I'll be signing books, but you don't want to follow me around the grocery store. Trust me!

I would make you soup too, but I can't cook. How bout if I bring you Panera soup? ~Manic Mommy

Oh I love Panera!!! Yum! (Anxiously awaiting my soup, Manic.) Speaking of Manic - there's still time to participate in her blood drive contest. Give a pint of blood, save a life, and win some money!

From Viewer Mail...

Do you have any from New Jersey? I will send you one if not. ~Robin in New Jersey
Someone sent me a can of hairspray from Jersey. What else would explain this?

Here's a question off the subject, possibly for your Sunday Sound Out...my husband and I are planning a baseball trip for this summer and the Cubs are on our list...what restaurants would you recommend we try in your fine city? ~SA
Hmmm restaurants in Chicago. See, here's the problem. I rarely go out to eat. Heaven on Seven has great hurricanes cajun food. A good place to get sangria tapas is Arco De Cuchilleros. I really don't know other places around Wrigley, but I'm sure I've got readers who do. Either that, or go to Metromix and look in the Wrigleyville/Lakeview area for ideas.

I see Bekah in Rincon, GA! Yay me! :-) It is so cool to see how much mail you have received. What is his classroom doing with all of this information?
They're going to sell it on the black market.
Is there anywhere that Austin has gotten a card or letter from and told you he wants to go there on vacation or move there? ~Bekah
Austin is ready to move to Florida, Joe wants to move to California, and I just want to go here.

No one has sent me anything from the Bahamas, but doesn't this look nice? It's been below 0 here for a good week. It gets depressing when you go months without seeing the sun.

I want to send a letter from where I live but I need the P.O. Box number. Can you give that to us again?
~anonymous
Sure! It's
Dawn Meehan
PO Box 66274
Chicago, IL 60666

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you're feeling better! Thanks for the humor. :)

Anonymous said...

I really don't know other places around Wrigley,

Is this because you are a GASPPPP, I don't think I can even type it....a sox fan? YIKES! Say it isn't so.

Dawn said...

Noooooo!!! Although Joe, Austin & Savannah are Sox fans. The shame. I found it especially hilarious that Austin played on the Cubs last year for Little League. LOL!

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

First, thanks about the blood!!! There's still more than two weeks that people can donate! Thanks for reminding readers about it! I've had a great turnout so far.

Next: OK, I missed the fact that Austin created those cute little orange trees and that mongo Florida map JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT!

The kid's amazing!

And we could totally go to Panera for our next lunch but there's a tiny problem--OK, two tiny problems--

1. There are always a bazillion kids and babies in there.

2. They do not serve wine.

I do like those bread bowls though, and soup and a bread bowl is only 14 points! : )

Sooooo glad you're feeling better????????? Really?????? I am???????? : ) LOL!!!!

Dawn said...

LOL! Manic, you're such a dork???

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

I am??

Goodnight.

Do you like my hat?????

Jennifer Foster said...

So Joe wants to move to California? Tell him that it isn't pronounced "California"...he's saying it wrong. It's "Kal-y-fohrn-ya" in his best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice. Then he can move here!

The Governator:
http://www.gov.ca.gov/

Unknown said...

"Ya fergot ta fill outcher paperwork"

Kristy said...

I have a question...mom to mom, more of a plea actually for much needed advice before I go insane. How do you get a 7 yr old to swallow a pill? Its Concerta for ADD so it cant be broken or chewed. I need help :(

P.S. I've tried putting it in ice cream and Making her drink with a straw.
Shoving it down her throat...not really, but wanted to!

Rick said...

Austin's "As a matter of fact..." moment made me do, more of a COL, (Chuckle Out Loud) rather than LOL , but it was a real, live, honest to goodness, COL. Not the kind that one types in just because that's what you want people to think that you did - but a real, live, honest to goodness one! Did I say that already? Anyway, I thought it was funny.


http://organizeddoodles.blogspot.com/

Suburban Correspondent said...

Dawn, you're new to this teenager thing, so let me explain. He's 13 - you can't figure out how his brain works, because it isn't working.

Have fun! And glad you're feeling better! My voice sounded like Marlene Dietrich's voice for about a week. Made it harder to get any real volume when yelling at the kids, but it did freak them out a bit.

Brenda said...

One of the best things my husband and I have ever done was going on a cruise to the Caribbean with Royal Caibbean. Our 25th is next year and we hope we can go on another one only to different islands. You and your hubby deserve to do that after your hectic year you are having! Just disappear for awhile.

Anonymous said...

I have baby wipes in my car and my home.
My kids ages: 16, 12, and 10.
Yep, we still use them.

Chelf said...

Roz's voice is good.

"Your stunned silence is very reassuring."

My brother has what he calls "morning bass voice", where he can imitate Barry White or Michael Clarke Duncan.

I still need to send you a postcard for Austin's project. Did you ever share a deadline? Does he have one?

tearese said...

Its strange how little mail you've received from the Midwest states. I wonder if people there are less likely to read blogs, or if they just have better things to do than play around on the internet? Hmmm.

Michael said...

I missed the part that Austin made the Florida for fun!!! Who does that?? Too funny.

I love Heaven on Seven!!! I think it's called the "feed me Johnny" or something, where the chef chooses seven entrees for you! That is amazing (although probably 200 points). Miss Chicago food :(

Aimee
http://shugfamily.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I love Heaven on Seven. Also, if you like a good steak try Gibson's. Good Italian food Rosebud's on Rush, or Gene & Georgetti's (sp??) I live in Chicago for 5 years while attending DePaul - I miss the wonderful food of the City.

Kelly said...

Dawn,

I used to be just like your son...great at school (in the gifted classes too), but little common sense. I'd like to think that I've become a little more street-smart and still book-smart.
I earned my Master in Library Science, and now I work in a Records department as an analyst...which is more technical than it sounds and requires knowing some of the technology behind our records software (so I get to organize and categorize here at work...wish I was able to do it at home, but 2 kids under 3 really doesn't give me the time I need!)

So...hopefully that helps you when thinking about your smart but clueless son. It can get better, and lead to a great career organizing and categorizing (and then teaching others how to do it too!)

Anonymous said...

LOL on having Roz's voice. At least you only have it after being sick. I pretty much sound that way every morning first thing, lol.

Anonymous said...

Dawn,
Believe it or not there will come a day when you do in fact have the house to yourself. LOL My daughter got her drivers licence this past year and she will on her own say hey mom ya want me to take the boys to the park or something!!! That is in fact pure heaven for me. Although I must say my house is never clean so I do clean and putter around but it is truly a nice feeling. I cant wait for the weather to get nice so that she can do this and I can take a leasurely bath without having the two little ones peeling their clothes off and hoping in with me.

Sunday sound out ? What is your favorite meal to make that everyone will eat. I have a problem in that with 5 kids I normally have one that hates whateer I am making and I make them something different.

By the way how is weight watchers going. I must admit I have drifted back into not exercising mainly because of the fact that my 3 year old finds it totally thrilling to throw toys onto the treadmill while I am walking and loves seeing them fly off the back while mommy tries despartly not to fall on her face. Oh I have emailed Richard Simmons about my diet and received a reply with an invite to appear on his radio show this Sunday!!! This ought to be neat. Tho I have warned him that he may need to block out the kids screaming in the bakground because the phone ringing kicks in their Gimmee gimmees.

Anonymous said...

Speaking as a gifted kid myself, I can assure you that the weirdness goes away. Almost.

However, the procrastination and the compulsive need to organize just for fun does not.

Anonymous said...

Your son sounds like me as a kid. Gifted classes, no common sense, even the categorization of toys. (Though in my case it was My Little Ponies and stuffed animals rather than cars and plastic animals.) Not to mention the reluctance to do actual school projects. ;-) The way I think of it now is that my "side" projects seemed much more interesting and important than something like a diorama. And thinking back on it, a lot of them were probably more educational.

:-)

Anonymous said...

LOL....baby wipes! I cracked up on that one. We had no idea how useful they were with our first child, but now with our pseudo-twins, we have learned that baby wipes clean EVERYTHING!! They are AMAZING!

Michelle Kemper Brownlow said...

you've been tagged my friend...see my blog!

HeyItsBeej said...

You did not include Lou's in the dining suggestions for that woman coming to Chicago to see the Cubs. For shame, Dawn Woman. For shame.

Signed,
She who is Lou's obsessed
and damn proud of it.


http://heyitsbeej.livejournal.com/

Anonymous said...

Hi Dawn... I too had that tendancy to avoid assignments in favor of my own creative ideas... someone on here said that their own projects were more educational than the schoolwork, and I completely agree. My kids are only 3 & 2 right now, but I am already doing things to stimulate their creativity, and I do not plan to send them to public schools. I wonder where I'd be today if my own imagination hadn't been squashed by the public school system.

morninglight mama said...

Glad you're on the way to getting better. But, c'mon, Roz voice is just SOO sexy, right? Your hubby must be going wild. :)

Anonymous said...

Glad you're feeling better. And thanks for giving me a wonderful idea of where to move when all my kids are up and out... FOREVER!!!

Now, I know that mom's are (supposedly) not allowed to get sick, but whatever do you do when your hubby gets sick? I know I can barely get through the day when that happens. LOL!

~Jenny

Lisa said...

I just walked into my daughters(ages 8 and 6) bathroom and they were making mouthwash, not one but 2 bottles, with cherry Kool-Aid packets! It had sprinled all over the counter as well, which is now a lovely shade of pink. But, it instantly reminded of your husbands fish and kool-aid concoction.

Melinda said...

I have an 18yr old and 7yr old just like Austin. I'd tell ya it gets better, but... well, ya know the great think is they're smart as a whip... LOL

Anonymous said...

Hi Dawn,

My son is also in the gifted category and he is weird as well. Other kids asked "why......." when they are little. My son asked "how..." How do they put the tar on the road? How do toenails grow? How do they get the sign on the signpost" If he was asked to write an essay, we had to move heaven and earth to get him to write more than 25 words as he knew he knew it and he didn't feel he should have to prove he knew it. He is still weird but I love him for his differences. He has the best sense of humour, is great at fixing things and can figure out maths quicker in his head than I can work it out on the calculator. I guess weird just goes with the territory.

Fiona in Fremantle, Australia

chris said...

Glad your better.
www.akiscb.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I have an 11 year old and a 38 year old husband and we buy wipes by the bag(huggies) and use them for everything from kid to car to hands to butts(don't ask)to pets dirty feet. They also make great erasers for those transparency markers.
Paula Thompson
www.caringbridge.org/visit/zacharyathompson

Amanda Pedro said...

LOVE the pic of your 80's hair. Like, there is nothing wrong with it, like, totally!
But was the excess hairspray used to calm the eyebrows?
Just a joke. haha

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed the Roz laughs tonight especially to the folks who actually typed the same lines I know so well! LOL! FUN!
Glad you're better 'cause we need you to entertain us!! :)
As I was shaving my legs this morning, I thought about needing to know how you fit that into your schedule. I'm SAHM of 3 school-age & 1 preschool and once a week is all the time I've alotted. Then there is a part 2 question: do people who live in such frigidity actually bother to shave their legs at all in the wintertime?? When it's cold here in Florida, & I'm just wearing jeans everyday, then who cares how unsightly one's legs get???
Considering you were so open about the easily "forgotten" visit to the Dreaded Gyn (that, for me, 3 yrs. still isn't enough time away from the cold jack...), then I'm sure you don't mind filling in us inquiring readers about leg shaving.?

Anonymous said...

Dawn - Has anyone ever talked to you about asperger's syndrome? My older son was diagnosed at age 10 - but we had suspected something since he was 6. He has no common sense or logic, poor social skills, needs to be taught rules, no common sense and more. Kids and adults with asp. get into a subject and study it so much they become an expert on the subject. I have 2 books I can recommend - or I could bring them to church for you to see.

Anonymous said...

Hey Dawn,

I've been reading your blog for a while, and I find you quite hilarious. =) I'm only 19, so I'm not going to have kids for a while (if all goes according to plan!), but I'm keeping in mind what you say to prepare for when that day comes.

Anyway, one of my friends send me this link. It's very amusing, so enjoy!

Colleen - Mommy Always Wins said...

"...I love diaper wipes. I use them for everything..."

HA! I thought it was just me. My house would never get dusted if it weren't for baby wipes.

Anonymous said...

Ok, so I've got a weird daughter too who reminds me of your son in so many ways! I receintly read "Personality Plus for Parents" and loved it! My daughter is still weird, but I think I "get her" a bit better now. I know, in all your spare time...
P.S. I LOVE your blog and really appreciate your humor..I wish I had the same talent! Thanks for sharing of yourself and your family!

Heather said...

Nancy- that link was hilarious!

I'm so glad to read that there are other people like my daughter and me! My mom thought I was "weird" when I lined up all my toys according to size, gender, etc (Cabbage Patch kids and My Little Ponies) and we all had a good laugh when my daughter did the same thing! Sorry, I can't offer you hope of the "weirdness" going away- I'll be 28 next month and still waiting on that to happen...

Anonymous said...

I remember, vividly, lining ALL my toys and both my sister's toys up in a row, varying according to height and color and whatnot.

Yes, I'm a bit neurotic. =)

Laura K. said...

I don't want to alarm you but your son (the one making Florida) sounds somewhat like my son who is only 4. He never really played with toy cars as normal kids, he lined them up, etc. He's obsessed with numbers, trains, and dogs and he has sensory issues with clothing and noises. He has a speech delay and was just diagnosed a couple months ago with a form of autism called PDD-NOS. Any chance your son has been tested? People laughed at us just thinking of our son being autistic because he doesn't fit the 'stereotype' but I assure you he is. So it's NOT always obvious.

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