Whats her name?

Zachio has started back up at school. He just finished his second week and is enjoying it greatly. Seems to have a new friend every day! The other day I was trying to figure out how to pronounce his new teachers names. I was looking at the handout provided by the school and one of his teachers names was incomprehensible. Mrs. Alexandooooooooruuuuuu or atleast that is what it looked like to me. So I did what any sane person would do, I asked my trust side kick (Did I mention that he is only 3). He looks up at me with his big brown eyes and screams:

Mrs. Isaacalexanderdo!

"What? Mrs. What?" I ask?

Mrs. IsaacAlexanderdo! Isaac Alexanderdooo!

"Her name is Mrs. Alexanderdo" I reply as a small light goes on in my head.

Zachio's middle name is Alexander. So in his mind, Alexander always is preceed by Isaac!!! I wish the world was that simple!!!

Some pictures just need to be posted!

Secret Recipe?

Zachio and I took it upon ourselves to make this child-hood favorite? Any guesses to what it is? You all played with it as children. Some of you, me included even ate it on a regular basis.

Here is the pot after we cooked it. I learned that one should not use new pots when playing chemist with a 3 year old. (Brillo pads are magical!)

The proud baker/chemist.

Playdo! Homemade Playdo that is. 5 minutes of cooking and countless hours of fun.

Dressing himself: Erkel in the making!

Zachio insisted on getting himself dressed. Think he takes after Zadie (his grandpa).

My loving fatherly response!!!

Back in Action (or atleast the Country)

Unfortunately, the weather was only nice for the last 2 hours of my visit to Brazil. But I had a great time with a great friend! The conference was even good ! All in all it was a great trip - well worth the 10,000 miles and 23 hours of travel!






Daddio and Gina, together again at last! (Whats a decade between friends!)





The View from Gina's apartment.

How do beat the heat.

Currently it is over a 100 degrees with the heat index here in central Illinois. So in order to beat the heat this weekend, Zachio and I played in the sprinkler! Now if I can figure out a way to mow the lawn while keeping Zachio entertained I'd have it made.

So after cooling off with the sprinkler in the backyard. Zachio and I headed in. In an effort to keep the majority of the water outside and off the hardwood flowers, I covered Z in a towel and removed his suit while outside. Mind you with this technique there is absolutely no nudity- just a small child in a towel. Zachio - who can stand for none of this - quickly throws the front of the towel over his head - reminding everyone of the success of his Bris! With his head (and eyes) completely covered he bolts into the house in a full sprints. Until this point in time I never knew little boys ran on sprinkler water! After several minutes of me chasing the naked blind wonder through the house I finally get some undies on him (What does that say that it took me several minutes to catch a blind 3 year old.....hmmm....).

After I get him dressed, Zachio declares he wants to play hide and seek inside. I quickly agree (beats doing any chores). He volunteers to hide. Zach is at the developmental stage that if he cant see you - logically you can't see him. Check out the his hiding spot! Keep in mind that he is bellowing "YOU CANT FIND ME" as he is standing in the middle of the hallway.

As a mature adult I beat the heat in a completely different manner. Tonight I am flying to Brazil, where it is the dead of winter. It even got into the 50s last week!!!!. True when I started planning this trip 10 months ago, I had no idea it would be winter there now. So the only people in the tiny bathing suits that eveyone associates with Brazil will be Americans and European tourists. Such is life! I am going to Brazil to visit my good friend Gina and... go to a conference - for work - yes of course - you go to Brazil to work!

Good luck beating the heat - my suggestion is to hang out with a toddler - they always seem to know how to stay cool!

When you give someone a Mezuzah...

First they are going to hang it in their doorway.

Go for a walk to the park...

Play on the swings, slide down the slide...

Play fireman (there is a fire engine in the park), climb the ladder...

and go on a fire fly hunt!!!

PS - If you need a fire fly catcher - I know a really good one!

Thanks for the mezuzah!

Shelves

Before - you read this be forewarned - there are no pictures of Zachio and he is not mentioned!!

This past weekend I decided to clean out my garage. It being the recipient of the vast majority of moving casualties. Which I found out that when you move from a 23oo sq foot home to a 1500 sq foot home you generate a lot of them. So I started with putting the folded up cardboard boxes in the 200 degree attic. (Whoever thinks hell is subterrain has never gone into an attic in late July in central Illinois!) After developing a thick layer of protective sweat (ewww), I started on the rest of the "moving casualties", I nicely moved everything to the three sides of the garage. The yard stuff on the left, the old furniture on the back wall and the tools on the right. On right wall of the garage I inherited shevles that were attached to the wall. Being the organized individual that I am, I stacked a lot of my tools and junk on these shelves. After a few well spent hours I was done. I walked out into my driveway looked back at the garage and was pleased. This is good, I said to myself It looked like a garage should. Crap on the sides and room for 2 cars (The observant reader will note that I only have 1 car...keep tuned - Daddio will be living up to his name Cool Daddio - before you know it) .


The next morning I am eating my breakfast (a bowl of grape nuts) and I hear a loud crash. I cautiously open the door to the garage, and to my horror see that the shelves have fallen off the wall. Not only fallen but the screws that kept them attached to the wall had been ripped out- leaving gaping holes where shelves use to be. Although everything had come crashing down – the vast majority of stuff survived. Even my gold fish bowl survived the fall. I pick every up and move it away from my truck and went to work. Great way to start a work week!

After work I went to Home Depot and bought a box of 100 lb rated draw wall anchors. I spent the next 3 hours rehanging the shelves. Even got to use my drill and laser level.! Miraculously, when all was said and done all the shelves were level and sturdy. AnI when I say sturdyI mean STURDY. In fact, next time there is a tonardo, no cellar for me- i am huddling under these shelves.

As I was marveling at my first home improvement job at my new house, it dawned on me how similar my life these shelves are (No I haven't been drinking). When everything falls down around you - you have 2 choices - bitch and moan or go to home depot, buy bigger and better dry wall anchors and build it again. Sturdier then before!

To all of you who helped with the “new shelves” - a million thanks!