I did it...last year my lil sis Andrea put one waterballon inside another and I had to try, it was hard, but it's that cool? Ooops...those water balloons were made in China. I'll give you the whole scoop on China, at the end...
Thank you, Susanna, for taking so many great photos! I made some fabulous pink icing...pureed 5 strawberries, added about 3 cups of confectioners sugar, a stick of softened butter and milk until it was a nice consistency. It was delicious!
Eating crepes (filled with yogurt) in her new tiara! Yesterday, Olivia put on the seatbelt over her booster herself and commented,
"It's hard being 5." Usually I'd help her, but I'd been telling her that she is going to do it all by herself when her birthday comes!
Olivia with Rob's sister, Sarah, and Brianna, whose
7th birthday party we went to this afternoon! It was really fun (she had a super cool pinata), a perfect day, sunny, but not too hot...
China -although I think capitalism is great (if you see something that's a great price, why would you buy something similar at a higher price?)...I do want to think & buy more locally! Especially if it's just American, Ohio made would be even better (like that cheese), think of the cost really being more affordable because there is little gasoline used in transporting the goods, it's made here! A friend sent me this (as an email):Are we Americans as dumb as we appear or is it that we just do not think?
While the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American markets, the media wrings its hands and criticizes the Bush Administration for perceived errors. Yet 70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese
should be suspended.
Well, duh.....why do you need the government to suspend trading
privileges????
DO IT YOURSELF!!
Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong), simply choose another product or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, however you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.
Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer.
Easter is just an example, the point is... do not wait for the government to
act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.
If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast!! The
downside? Some American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign
stockpiles of inventory.
* Downside?? Is there a downside?
The solution?
Let's give them fair warning and send our own message. We will not
implement this UNTIL June 4, and we will only continue it until July 4. That is only one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th
of the total, or 8%, of their American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.
Remember, June 4 to July 4. You might try it for always.
Send this to everybody you know.
Show them we are Americans and NOBODY can take us for granted.
If we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of
our lives,WE DE SERVE WHAT WE GET!
Pass it on, America !!!
Instead of doing fancy origami, we folded fans...and it was a perfect day for that, HOT and humid! We don't have central air either! I actually like being in a "natural" environment.
Veggie burgers, tuna-noodle salad, plenty of sweet fruit, a yummy shrimp mango dish, sticky Thai rice and sushi! 
Help yourself!
4 generations: Hannah with Daddy, his mom and her mom - 2 of which...
... share a birthday, so we went to spend the day with her! One turned 7 and the other 98!
There was a slide there TALLER than the kinds they make nowadays...the sort that was on the playground when I was a kid, each step says "American" and it's super-slippery and fast!
3. The kitchen sink (honestly, I had to clean it up, before I took this pic)...
4. The toilet:
5. My favorite shoes...are my Clarks from Rob (for Christmas), they're super comfy & cute (minus my swollen ankles....it's humid here)!
10. Dream vacation destination? Hawaii...
So, "a 
