Sunday Sound Out

First off, I want to thank all my readers who took the time to send Austin a card or letter. I'm really impressed that so many of you spent so much time looking up, writing out, and printing off information about your towns. Thank you for all the pictures, cards, information, nice compliments,and offers of a place to stay if we ever get the chance to visit!


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A special thanks to Paulette for the "Keep Austin Weird" t-shirt from Austin, TX, and to Charlene for the plastic bear containers of honey and mustard from Hillsboro, KS, and to Rebecca for the Mardi Gras beads from Baton Rouge, LA.


For those who have inquired - yes, you can still send a letter. This is an ongoing project that will continue until May. Our address is...
Dawn Meehan
PO Box 66274
Chicago, IL 60666

OK, here are the answers to life's pressing questions...

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 :( - Kristy
Ah yes, there comes a time when, because of your age and weight, if you choose not to swallow a pill, you'll need to drink 1 1/2 cups of liquid penicilin. So, it's a good reason to teach your kids how to swallow a pill. I was horrible with this as a kid. My mom had me practice by swallowing dragees. Then I moved up to Red Hots. I've also heard that swallowing a pill with a little pop works because the carbonation helps so that you don't really feel the pill going down. It's hard when it's a time-release medication that can't be cut in half or broken or chewed at all. Maybe another reader has a good idea that could help. Good luck!

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. Brenda
LOL! Funny you should say this. Joe and I went on a cruise for our tenth anniversary. It was my ideal vacation. Lying in the sun, drinking rum, and doing nothing more strenuous than reading. My husband, on the other hand, was so bored he ended up asking the maintenance guys if he could help fix leaky faucets, broken pumps, and the hydraulic winch. Needless to say, that was his first and last cruise. We talked about going for a little weekend getaway, but I'm sure you can guess how many people offered to watch the kids.

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. - plainprecious
I haven't forgotten about the other requests for meal/shopping/cooking/budget ideas. I will get to it soon. Promise. All I'll say now is that if my kids don't like what I've cooked for dinner, they're free to make themselves a sandwich after they've at least tried a couple bites, but I will not make multiple meals.

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??? - FLmomto4
LOL! Well, I have no idea what other people do, but I shave every day because I'm just insane that way. I never want to see a Chia Pet growing out of my legs.

Do they make a red food coloring like that? I've been hoping for something that would actually make white frosting into red frosting ever since the Pink Spiderman Birthday Cake Incident of 2005. - Amie
Ooooo! Ooooo! Ooooo! I know this one, Mr. Kotter!


Use powdered colors! They give your icing a much deeper color without diluting it. Or you can also use a packet of cherry Kool-Aid to color your icing. I don't recommend this if you're covering a large area of cake with it because it tastes funky in my opinion. Another great way to darken your icing so Elmo, Lightning McQueen, and Spiderman aren't pink is to make it up a few days ahead of time and let it set in your fridge. It'll darken up a bit over time.

Hi Dawn, Oh My gosh...What a mess! Were there faces red for along time too? Was this in the summer months? It could have looked like a really bad sunburn. Or did the kids have to go to school that way? LOL..Oh and I think I saw that chair at the goodwill store. - Kristine in Michigan
It was really dark, their skin stayed stained for days, and no it wasn't in the summer. It happened when Austin was 3 and Savannah was 2 and it was the first day of Parent's Day Out at my church. It was fun taking my muti-colored children there that day.

Loved reading your FAQ Dawn! The rum is in the mail.... VanDerHoekArt
Woooo Hoooo!!!!!!!

thanks for spelling "definitely" correctly. it really bugs me when people don't. bugs me to the point that i, without meaning to, lose a little respect for said people. i realize that's weird. - Chunk
You're welcome. Thank you for capitalizing correctly. ;)

I too have a clotting disorder and am pregnant again and doing the blood thinner shots everyday. What clotting disorder do you have exactly? - Ramilin
I have Prothrombin gene mutation.

So, where are the pictures?!? -another mom
Patience, young Jedi. I just had them taken. I should get them next week.

Are you ready for the snow tomorrow? Kathi S.
Ugh. We've had so much snow this season already. I hate snow. I hate winter. I hate cold. Have I mentioned that I'm moving to Aruba yet? Speaking of snow, here are some pictures...

Austin & Savannah in the snow fort they spent 3 hours making.


Looking up from inside


The outside

Dawn, I hope you included your husband in a few photos - it would be nice to have some family photos for later in life - that include everyone!!!!! We take professional photos each year of our son, but every other year, it is also a family shoot - with us in it also!
I can't wait to see your book - and your beautiful photo! - Pam (Seattle)
Nah, not in these pictures. I wasn't thrilled with the way they turned out and I didn't buy any actual prints anyway. I just bought the rights to two pictures. We do a family photo every couple years and Joe is in all the pictures with the kids because I'm the chief photographer.

My resolution was to go on a "no pepsi" diet. Figuring if I cut out those calories I wouldn't have to do a real diet. It has been amended to "no pepsi before 8 p.m." I really need it for my rum drink. You can't drink rum straight, right? - Patty, MD
You can't? Seriously? Aw man, I've been doing it wrong.

Dawn wrote: "11. I will finish things that I start.
This is now, "I will finish things that I start within a"
Within a what??? Don't leave us hangin' girl!!! : P - Becca
Oh sure, I'll be happy to finish this in just

In a land dominated by those of the female persuasion I feel it my duty to be the advocate for Joe. Give him the hard working man more of your time. Swap him with the "girl friends" place on your list. And be sure to tell him that I'm on his side. - Rick
As much as I'd love to spend an evening listening to Joe's "if a monkey bit you" questions, you might remember that I have 6 kids and cannot leave them home alone.

A question for Sunday: Who are your favorite authors? - Georgetta
Does Dawn Meehan count? LOL!
I really don't get the chance to read very much. I wouldn't even say that I have any favorite authors. I've always liked Mark Twain though.

What a NEAT outfit!??! Where did you find something like that?? Lowa
It's cute, isn't it? I got it here.

That was adorable. What a happy girl Brooklyn is! She reminds me of my own youngest who is 22 mos. I *LOVE* this age. I was trying to remember if you've ever said how old Brooklyn is? - Polly
Brooklyn will be two this month. And "happy" isn't quite the adjective I'd use to describe her. Stubborn, spoiled, and cranky are words that fit her a little better.

I haven't been checking out your side
adds for a while. Imagine my surprise when I ran into the section for all those awards you have won.
How long has that been there? - korkie
Those aren't actually awards. At least not yet. They're nominations. Go ahead, click on them, and vote for any and all categories if you're so moved. :) Thanks!

Now, I'm off to watch football commercials.