Rats

In response to Thany's lovely, heartwarming tale of her experience with a dead rat...I have to say, I like this rat a lot better! And yes, I did click on the words "Dead Rat". Blech!!

Enjoying The Dairy Air

I had a realization on our way to Wisconsin recently. Though we've visited America's dairy land many times, we've never taken the kids to tour an operating dairy farm. This is an opportunity that every kid should get to take advantage of. Our whole family are avid milk drinkers. I know our kids understand that milk does not originate at Wal*Mart, but I remember visiting a dairy operation when I was young and I wanted them to have that experience and to see firsthand where the milk they enjoy really comes from.

Steve's folks had recently attended, along with about 3,000 other people, the Rock County Dairy Breakfast, hosted at Funk's Fairview Acres, a dairy farm not far from their home. So when I asked Steve's mom about finding a dairy that would give us a tour, she immediately thought of the Funks and gave them a call.

Julie Funk welcomed us to their farm and took time to show us all around and answer all of our questions, no matter how silly (Steve told Amanda to ask if the brown cows gave chocolate milk). She explained that they are the third generation, operating a farm that's been in the family since 1917. They're a relatively small operation, but the emphasis is on quaility and they supply milk to Oberweis Dairy, which sets a very high standard. They milk about 140 cows a day, a mixture of Holsteins and Brown Swiss. Their kids also show the Brown Swiss at the county fair. Julie's seventeen-year-old daughter, Allison, also came out and helped answer questions. When asked by my eight-year-old if it was hard living on a farm, Allison emphatically stated that she loved everything about it.

It was a hands-on tour and the kids were allowed to not only pet the cows, but assist in the calves' evening feeding. Talk about an experience to remember!

And I'm sure letting the calves suck on their fingers is something they'll remember for a very long time!

When we declared that we had taken enough of Julie's time and proposed that we depart and let her return to her evening, she asked us to stay long enough for her to show the girls something special. She then led us into a building where she pulled out several tiny kittens. She handed one to each of the girls and allowed them to snuggle them for a few minutes under Mother Cat's watchful eye.


We then returned to the front drive to find the Funk kids excercising their show animals. Allison brought out a gentle Brown Swiss named Coconut and gave each of our girls an opportunity to walk her.

As we were leaving, Julie ran inside and returned with two cartons of Oberweis ice cream for us to take home. We thoroughly enjoyed it over the next few days. We also made sure we got to the store to buy a glass jar of Oberweis milk. It's expensive, but we could understand why. It's excellent milk. The high standards they hold their producers to results in an undeniably superior product.

Julie believes it's important for people to understand where the milk they drink comes from. She was happy to explain the operation to us and took a couple of hours out of what must be a very busy schedule to make sure we had a good understanding of how a dairy farm operates. Not only did she not charge us a fee for this grand tour, she sent us home with some tasty ice cream. If I knew of an award to nominate Julie for, I would. Since I don't, I will make up one of my own. I hearby award Julie Funk the Schubox American Spirit Award, for exemplifying the spirit of the hard working Mid-Western Dairy Farmer. Where would we be without people like the Funks?

Thank you, Julie!!

Road Hazard

This one's for you Crayl!

Do They Bite?

Spotted this ominous warning in a Chicago restroom...

One must always be vigilant when stolen purses are about, they can be a real menace!

Jamaica Mission

Having just returned to the Schubox from our incredibly busy but oh-so-fun two week vacation, I'm enjoying the opportunity to catch up on some e-mail and blog reading. Though I have a few things that I would like to write about over the next few days, my priority today is to share an important blog that I've been catching up with. My darling, sixteen-year-old niece, Haley, is currently in Jamaica on a mission trip and is posting updates on her activities there at haleygoestojamaica. I would like to encourage you to take a look at Haley's blog and, more importantly, keep her and the rest of the Jamaica team in your prayers.

Many thanks and blessings!

Schubox Photography

Kids are just too darn tech savvy. Mine have figured out how to take pictures with my cell phone. Unless I keep the phone in my possesion at all times it is prey to their little hands and artistic sensibilities and I later discover the most interesting photos stored away in the phone's memory. Honestly, do they think they won't get caught at this? I'm pretty sure I wasn't the one taking...

this adorable image of the napping baby doll, Bobby.

Ah, what mommy doesn't love one of these shots? They're SO cute when they're asleep!





But then, equal face time has to be given to Panda and Tiger...we wouldn't want them to feel neglected.

But, who the heck is this guy and when did my child take his picture?

Oh, wait...this next picture explains it. That was Scooby Doo's best buddy Shaggy. Right, I was letting the small person watch the movie that day. Ruh-Roh!

So I get the pictures of the beloved dolls, maybe even the Scooby Doo pics...but this one?? I mean, I know it's a bathing suit...but why? Just being artistic, I guess.

Then I arrive at the self protrait. Really, could you scold this kid for playing with your camera phone?

Me neither.

Just change his name to Superman...

Last night I dreamed that someone near and dear to me surprised me with the news that they had just had a new baby. As I gathered this tiny bit of human confection into my arms, stroked the silky blonde fuzz on his head and placed a kiss on his angelic little face, I asked his mother what they had decided to name him. Her response was "Clark"...

Now, I mean no offense to anyone who may know and love a Clark, or even be named Clark themselves. I really don't think there's anything wrong with the name. But, seriously, when was the last time you heard of someone naming their baby Clark? It's not exactly a wildly popular name right now. As a matter of fact, out of curiosity, I did a bit of research. According to the Social Security Administration the name Clark hasn't ranked in the top one hundred boy's names since they started keeping records in 1880. It's popularity seems to have peaked in 1881 at the 176th most popular boy's name in the country. In 2008 it was at #698. Really, it may be due for a comeback, who's with me on that?

Polite to the core, apparently, even in my dream I resisted the urge to ask Clark's mama "You mean, like Clark Kent?". When I enquired about a middle name, I was told they had decided to simply use a single letter as a middle name. Now, we have a friend who chose to go this route. But, somehow "T" as a middle "name" sounds way cooler than the letter chosen to serve as Clark's middle name..."F". So if Clark decides, when he gets older, that he's not keen on his first name...that pretty much tanks the option of going by his middle name instead.

Poor little Clark F. I'm so glad that was just a dream!