McDonald's Fail

News Flash: If I am eating at McDonald's, it's not because I crave nutrition. I appreciate having options like salads, and occasionally that is what I will choose. In general, though: I am eating at McDonald's because I want something fast and cheap that will fill me up. I don't have a huge appetite, so a Happy Meal - burger and fries - USED TO be enough. Until today, when we stopped at the one at Walmart before doing some quick grocery shopping.

C., S. and I got Happy Meals, and discovered the french fries have been somewhat downsized:

There were all of, like, four french fries in there. That may be a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. It is accompanied by a packet of four tasteless looks-like-apple slices. No dipping sauce, no cookies. It seems McDonald's is going to force healthy choices on our kids by giving them choking hazards that make them associate fruit with styrofoam. Needless to say, this did not fill me up. It didn't even fill C. up, and he is a notoriously light eater. He polished everything off and asked plaintively, "Is there more food?" Poor kid! (Don't worry, this isn't a Dickens novel, we got him more.)

I did check, and you can request a 'regular' Happy Meal - if you know to do so. I'm just glad we hadn't gone through a drive thru and been stuck with the diet special.  Apparently, this started in July, and it has just now trickled into NM. McD's did it to appease what they say was parental pressure (i.e. the parent currently in the White House) to make the meals healthier.

Guess what, people? If your kid is fat, it isn't McDonald's fault. My kids eat there occasionally, and are quite healthy and active. They are that way because of choices I help them make, or that I make for them. Get who is making the choices there? Me, not the government, not the company execs wanting a PR stunt. Eating at a fast food place sometimes does not make you a bad parent. Letting your kids have junk food sometimes does not make you a bad parent. Letting them watch TV, get dirty, play with bugs, etc., do not make you a bad parent. Expecting someone else to make those decisions for you? Yep, that would do it.

Yes, I know, I can choose to go elsewhere, choose to double the fries, buy them an adult meal, whatever. And I will probably do all of those things. The point is, we already had the choice of apples vs. fries, and apparently somebody somewhere decided we weren't making the right choice. Does that worry or at least annoy anybody besides me?

Weekend Wrap-Up

A busy weekend! You know it's going to be an interesting one when you show up at work, and there is a line of fire trucks outside.

Fortunately, they were just there for a parade, marking the beginning of Fire Prevention Week. I just got my Class E driver's license (which I am not quite scattered enough to photograph and post online), so I can officially drive one of these, too. I haven't yet, but I CAN, and that's cool enough for the moment.

The big thing at the Library this weekend was our Open House, kicking off One City One Book and showcasing our new automated catalog. We also revealed the winning designs for our new library cards, and had self-guided tours highlighting some of the lesser-known areas of the library. Patrons could get a card for the tour, which was stamped at each station, and they could then turn the completed card in for a raffle ticket. Raffle tickets could earn them anything from movie passes to a haircut.

Miss Danica, one of our home schooling Mommies, was on hand to stamp cards and answer any questions about home schooling. Nobody had any, but she was there just in case!

Note the basket of yarn on the floor. In between talking with patrons, she was making hats like this:

Isn't that just the cutest thing ever? And isn't the hat adorable, too? Mr. L's first modeling gig, and this turned out to be the first hat sold! She has a shop on Etsy, but I can't for the life of me find the link, so try here for her Facebook page.

We also had a craft going for the kids...

or for the adults! (Which brings up a point I've tried to make several times - don't you think adults should have a craft time, too? We'd be so much more relaxed and focused! At the very least, we could point to something we had accomplished - "Okay, so I lost a major account, but check out my papier mache!")

And since the book for One City One Book is Tularosa, by Michael McGarrity, we had Mr. McGarrity himself on hand to lead a panel discussion about the history of the area, and to read an excerpt from his newest book. I missed that, because I had too many people needing help in the Children's Room - darn patrons! I understand he arrived in a limo, which seemed a strange choice to me - I would have found him a horse, myself.

In other weekend news, we have started working through the more-than-100-pounds of apples we picked last week. These included:

Johnagolds

MacIntosh (a little dusty here, but they shine up ruby red)

and Red Delicious. These are on their way to becoming

apple butter, while some of their predecessors are already

fruit leather. And apple cider. And dried apple slices. The Johnagolds are shortly to become apple pies - one for our new neighbors (a rare event, when there are only three other houses on your street) and breakfast muffins.

Of course, we are also looking forward to Fire Prevention Week

during which Daddy and I get to visit C's school and set things on fire. Or something like that. Fortunately, the long lost bunker gear has finally arrived, so I won't have to borrow L's outfit.

This morning of course we went to church. And I told S. to go pick out a dress to wear. Enough said (and yes, of course I let her wear it to church!)

We also stood on our heads a lot. Actually, this was just the computer being stupid (it's right-side-up on my camera), but it felt like this sometimes.

And last but not least, we answered the age-old question: "Does a bear poop in the woods?"

......

......

......

Yes. But only in the road in the woods.

That has NOT been properly digested!

It does look rather fresh, though. I think I'll go back in the house now.

So, how was YOUR weekend?

Home Again Home Again

Quick, Baby L. is napping, and Grandma has C. and S. at the zoo, let's see how much of a blog post I can get typ...oh, never mind.

Well, we are home at any rate, and getting into a schedule of sorts (in other words, we are learning the one Baby L. wishes us to follow). I had a few photos and thoughts I wanted to share before he turns one, starting with the hospital stay.

Why I Like the Hospital:

The people who work there. With a very few exceptions, the staff in the maternity ward are among the nicest and most competent I have ever encountered there - even the woman who was 'floating' from another department was terrific. I am not good at asking for help, and nothing makes you feel as ridiculously helpless as having your stomach muscles sliced open (not to mention being hooked up to twenty different tubes and beeping thingies). I know my family will hand me the book or cup or whatever is just out of my reach, but it's nice to have people on hand that you know are already awake, cheerful, and paid to hand it to you! Eases up on the guilt just a little bit.

The bed. Especially with the aforementioned stomach muscles, it is SO nice to be able to push a button and be moved (slowly!) into a sitting position. Plus, I didn't have to change the sheets. Or wash them.

The food. No, really! Other than one lunch (which my wonderful hubby replaced with Sonic fare), it wasn't bad at all. In fact, since S. was born, they started doing something I thought was really nice: the parents can choose a congratulatory dinner for two from a special menu - in our case rib-eye steak, baked potato, wild rice, cheesecake, and sparkling apple juice. It all comes wheeled in on a pretty little table with all sorts of fancy little touches and a gift. I wish I had taken pictures, but I was too ready to dive in. Here are some of the remnants:

Notice, not a scrap of food left behind!

The visitors. When people visit you in the hospital, they don't care how you look, and will, in fact, tell you how wonderful you look regardless of the truth of that statement. Definite plus. Of course, they aren't really looking at the Mommy, anyway. Some will even provide entertainment:

In the form of a strip tease.

Yes, this is the same child who was pole dancing earlier. Sigh.

The reason you are there. Not always a plus with hospital visits, but nothing beats taking hom a brand new little one. I keep having moments of, "Look, a baby! And we get to keep him!"

Mike thinks he looks like me. I think he looks like Winston Churchill.

See?

Of course, there are a few Things I Don't Like About the Hospital.

The people. As nice as most of them are, they are largely the ones in charge, and hospitals have some stupid rules and procedures. (I blame the insuance industry, though, not the staff.) Our family doctor isn't on the official pediatrician roster, so his initial check-ups were done by someone I have no intention of ever seeing again. (Of course, our family doctor is off galivanting in Mexico this week, but that's beside the point.) They take the baby off at 6:30 AM to run a hearing test that isn't done until after 11:00, then scold you for not nursing often enough. (Daddy did go get him back halfway through there, but all L wanted to do was sleep, and I figured he'd know if he was hungry.)

The bed. While the automatic lift is nice, hospital mattresses don't quite compare to real ones!

The food. It's great to have someone else cook it and bring it to you, but that's generally on their schedule, not yours, and definitely not the baby's. Inevitably it comes half an hour after you were already famished, and two minutes after the baby decided to start nursing. Passed over a lot of cold eggs.

The reason you are there. C-sections have their plusses, but the recovery period definitely has its down-side. Now that I can see my toes again, I want to be able to do all those things I have been putting off, but just maneuvering off the sofa takes more logistical planning than it did when I looked like a floundering sea lion. And then there's the other stuff they don't warn you about in sex ed - like how nursing brings on those contractions you thought you avoided, only you don't get an epidural this way. So not fair! (THIS is the kind if thing they need to teach about in sex ed, btw - I guarantee a drop in teen pregnancies once you get to hemmorhoids and bladder control issues).

The visitors. They are just that. Daddy, of course, could have stayed overnight, but we decided it was better for the other kids to all be home together at night with him. Daddy and I don't often spend evenings apart, and this was the first I've ever been away from S. overnight. I always kiss C. goodnight, even if he's asleep when I get home. And of course, they all wanted to be with the new baby (and possibly Mom).

In other words, it's not home, where I am very glad to be again. More later about how everyone is settling in, but for now - this took an hour to ype, and now that L. is back down again, maybe I can get the hamburger browned for di...never mind.

My Evening Plans

May not blog for a bit. I will be spending this evening in a strange bed with a much younger man:)

Had to Do It

It's a parental requirement, written down somewhere, I'm sure. You must at some point give the child a lemon or lime wedge, and record the results.

Fun with Sadism

Teenager approaches with her best "I'm such an angel you can't possibly say no to me" look.

"Mooooooom?"

"Yeeeeess?"

"What are your plans for Friday?"

"Um...work?"

"After work?"

"Why?"

"Welllllllll....Chet asked if I wanted to go to the carnival with him..."

"And you want me to go with you! That's so sweet, I would LOVE to!"

"NO! Nonononono. You can just drop me off at he carnival, and then later Dad can come and pick me..."

"Oh, don't be silly honey, your dad doesn't need to drive all the way back off the hill again. I don't mind at all."

"But...no..."

"In fact, why don't I bring Christopher? That way, we'll be an even number when we go on all the rides together."

Crickets. Wide-eyed stare of horror as she pictures standing in long lines with the boyfriend, while Mom tells a string of embarrassing stories, and little brother alternately glares at the boyfriend and asks things like, "Are you getting married?"

Hee hee. I don't know why people think having a teenager is scary, I'm quite enjoying myself.