spring break musings...

Ahhh... spring break. Remind me to schedule the entire week off next year. Jeff stayed home with Logan on Monday. He had some 'guy-time' planned. He was going to take him out to the farm to shoot some targets with the bb gun. (the bb gun that I was not aware that he was getting for Christmas.) But... it was wet, cold and I believe we had some snow on Monday. So they lounged around the house.

Tuesday, after a doctor's appointment for me, Logan and I spent a nice afternoon with Abby & Holly. And after several options for fun, we opted for "Aliens vs. Monsters." In 3-D no less. It was cute.

Abby wanted to go play laser-tag. To which Logan responded, "My mom can't hold the gun." (All because I truly can't hold a bowling ball without dealing with swollen knuckles for a week thereafter. I do think I could handle the laser tag gun.)

Wednesday, plan: Jeff-work. Me-work. Logan-Jacob's house. Actual: 7:20 am my cell phone has died. Voicemails I get on the way to work, 1. my assistant is sick 1. Jacob is sick. So, I turn around go back to the house, (before Jeff & Logan are out of bed) and take Logan to work with me. Revised plan: 1/2 day at work with Mommy. 1/2 day at work with Daddy. Revised plan 2: 1/2 day at work with Mommy then Mommy works 1/2 day at home.

Actual day: Logan and Mommy at work until 2:30 or 3:00. I do have to say he was very well behaved. But it does add a little extra stress to my day wondering how everyone, including my boss will react to him being there. Oh well, we both survived and he actually had fun.

Tonight he is spending the night & tomorrow with friend in Ohio. We will see what Friday holds.

a fume & a prayer

Have you heard the expression 'on a wing and a prayer'? Well last week, I decided to change it to... on a fume and a prayer. Let me explain.

Logan and I were heading over to the Western Hills area of Ohio, I exited I-75 at the Harrison Ave. Exit. If you aren't familiar with that area, the exit ramp makes a loop and goes up a slight hill. About half way through the loop my car begins to lose power and start sputtering.

"Oh no! I forgot to get gas."

Logan immediately said, "Want me to say a prayer?"

Well, we did make it to the gas station. The book for my car says the gas tank holds 19 gallons. I put 19.4 in at that BP station. Like I said, a fume and a prayer.

Wow it is 2009!

Well here it is, January 3rd, 2009. I can't believe that I haven't posted anything since April. Life in the Dodd household has been fun and busy, but fairly uneventful.

We went tubing last night at Perfect North Slopes, with a group of friends. Then had a late dinner at LaRosa's. It was fun, interesting taking a six year old tubing. He had fun, after he figured out there is life at the end of the hill.

The first time he rode down with Daddy and Mr. Steve. "It was fun Mommy!" he told me as we were heading up to ride down together. "I hope you don't mind screaming, 'cause I screamed a lot!" I didn't mind the screaming, it was the tears of fear when we jumped into our tubes to head down the hill together. I felt like such a mean mom (what's new) until his tears of fear turned into screams of laughter. Maybe this will become a regular January tradition.

This is a photo of our little archaeologist. He was excavating for lost Egyptian treasure. This is 'serious' work. (Can't you tell by the expression!)

out of the mouth...

Last night while I was putting Logan to bed, he asked, "Mommy, how did the first person get on the world if there was no one there to have him?" I answered by talking about how God created the earth and how he created man from the dust of the earth. "Can you tell me the name of the first man that God created?" I asked.

"Adam" he correctly replied.

"Do you remember the name of the first woman that God created to help man?"

He thought about it for a minute and then replied, "Stephanie?"

early morning at the dodd house

Friday night, Jeff and Ben Scott installed a new hot water heater. (The fun week really started on Tuesday night when our water heater busted!) Since it was a new water heater, Jeff and I decided it might be a good idea to finally invest in a carbon monoxide detector. Since we have NEVER had one in the house before last night.

We plugged it in around midnight, I crashed and about 4 am we were all jolted awake by the beautiful (tons of sarcasm) sound of the alarm telling us we had carbon monoxide in our house. Jeff and I decided, it must be a faulty alarm. None of us had any symptons and we really just wanted to go back to sleep.

We couldn't get back to sleep, so we decided to let the fire department come and give us the all clear so we could sleep. I called 911 and they told us to get out of the house. So, with all in our jammies and flip flops, we waited on the porch wrapped in an afgan. The EMT and a large fire truck pulled up in front of our house (no sirens! Yeah!) and a ton of firefighters roll out. To make a long story short, they found carbon monoxide in our house and headed to UC Hospital to get all three of us checked out (still in our jammies and flip flops).

OK, I can't make it too short, what's the fun in blogging if you can't rattle on! The good doctor at UC told the emergency driver to take Logan to Children's and bring the parents to UC. You can imagine how well that went over with us.

Luckily for us the EMT specialists, the doctors & nurses at Children's thought that was utterly ridiculous and they admitted all three of us.

So after about 3 to 3 1/2 hours at Children's we only had trace amounts in our systems and we were released. We called Vicky Litmer and she came to pick us up.

We had to call someone to come check out our house and find the source of the problem. But of course, no one can find the sourse of our carbon monoxide. The furnice and water heater (it is wondeful to have hot water again!) both checked out fine. And so far the dectectors are showing clean air in our house. A huge thanks to the Union Emergency Services for doing a fine job. What a great bunch of guys! That Chad Scott guy must do a good job training!

home again, home again...

Wow! What a great way to be welcomed home... over a foot of snow and a broken garage door! We can't get my car out of the garage. Which is very odd, since my brother Derrell had dreamed that we came back and our garage door was open and someone had tried to rob us!

We had a great trip. Disney is definately the way to cruise. It is not overwhelmingly Disney - Mickey Mouse, High School Musical and such is not everywhere! But the level of service and fun is all Disney! With just enough of the other stuff to keep everyone happy.

We boarded the ship on Sunday afternoon and looked around the ship to find:
1. three pools (one kids, one family and one adults only!)
2. a huge food buffet
3. our inside state room (small but adequate with TV - mostly Disney of course)
4. one jumbo screen by the pool
5. movie theater
6. theater for some great Disney shows complete with all the Disney magic ("Mom, how did they do that?" was Logan's favorite question.
7. Oceaneer's Club where Logan got to make flubber, hunt for Capt. Hook's treasure, dig for whale bones, build a beach and see a magic show.
8. More food
9. Spa aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh relaxation
10. game room
11. lots of ocean and so much more.


They pack a lot of fun into a 4 night cruise. We went ashore at Nassau, didn't tour a lot, we took a 40 minute ferry ride to Blue Lagoon island and had an encounter with a couple of dolphins.

We got to feed, pet, hug and kiss a dolphin.

And dance with a dolphin.

The dolpin didn't think Jeff was much of a dancer! The water was so very cold. I really had to force myself (& Logan) to get in the water. It was fun to see a dolphin that close. Such a fun (but bitter cold) experience.

The next day, Tuesday, we went ashore at Castaway Cay (pronounced Key), which is Disney's private island. Wow! I could have spent two or three days there. It was beautiful. This is where Logan got to do a treasure hunt, dig for bones and build a beach. (and get a little sunburned) Jeff and I took a bike ride around part of the island to an observation tower. (Logan was having too much fun with the club counselors and other kids to be bothered with Mom & Dad.) After lunch, we did make Logan go with us to the beach to try snorkeling. The water wasn't quite as cold, but it wasn't warm either. The snorkeling was a bit of a bust, we didn't travel far enough off shore. But we enjoyed the sun and sand for a while before getting back on the boat.

Disney characters would visit at different times for photo and autograph sessions. We didn't get to see them all and sometimes Mom didn't have a camera, but Logan would say hello anyway!

I will post more pictures when I can get out of my garage to have my 35mm film developed. (I know, I have to get into the 21st century and get a good digital camera!)

i'm going to disney & i lost a tooth

Hello everyone. It's a big week at the Dodd household. Logan lost a tooth on Wednesday morning. (See cheesy shot above!) My baby is growing up. He let our friend/neighbor Carrie pull it. He had worked it so much it practically fell out. He told Carrie, "I don't think my mommy is very good at it. She's never pulled a tooth before." Me and my big mouth, I shouldn't have told him that I had never pulled a tooth. Oh well. His first tooth was very exciting.

Tuesday night Logan and I ate dinner with Tammy, Emma & Michaela Martin. The girls are really growing up. Emma and Logan had a great time giggling and playing together.

The photo below is his, "I'm leaving for my cruise tomorrow" look. Yes tomorrow we fly out of Dayton for a 4 night Bahamian Disney cruise. Warm weather, sandy beaches and all the Mickey Mouse you can handle... what more could you ask for? Any way, check back in a week or so and I'll have a few pics to share.