can you even imagine?

 As it is Election Day, I do want to touch on something:

This is the news story from last month, happened in a small city in central NY state.

"A son and father broke into a Syracuse home and brutally attacked the son's mother and her boyfriend, breaking her arms and leaving the man in critical condition, police said in court documents.

The two men beat them with a 45 pound workout plate, police said.

Edward Claudio, 43, and Ricardo Claudio, 24, forced their way into a home on Kellogg Street where Aminda Robles, 44, was hit with the workout plate, breaking her arms, according to criminal felony complaint filed in Syracuse City Court.  Robles is Edward Claudio's ex-wife.

The two beat Robles' boyfriend, Najhaliek Booker, 29, repeatedly with the same workout plate in the face and head, Syracuse police said in court documents. They punched and kicked Booker in the face and stomach before stabbing him in the back, stomach, and face, leaving a 3-inch cut on his face, police said.

Booker was transported to University Hospital where police said he was in critical condition.  He suffered bleeding inside the skull and severe facial disfigurement, police said.

Robles was also taken to Upstate with injuries not considered to be life-threatening, police said.

Ricardo Claudio turned himself in to authorities on Monday, admitting to the assault, police said. Bail was set at the arraignment, and he was sent to the justice center jail.  He has since been released, according to jail records.

Edward Claudio was later arrested early Tuesday morning."

This is one of the most horrific attacks, pre-planned obviously, vicious...that poor woman, can you even imagine what it would feel like to have both of your arms broken by a 45 pound weight plate?  The attack on Najhaliek was unspeakable.   He went to the ICU in critical condition, unimaginable, the pain must've been unspeakable.  

"He has since been released, according to jail records."

How is there any justice in this? Do his victims feel safe, having him released on bail? Does anybody even care?  It's just getting ridiculous!  In a small city north of here, the police department does a fantastic job, working their rear ends off, busting up these drug rings (they're selling heroin mixed with fentanyl!), and right back out the jail door go the criminals.  It's a waste of money, time, and it's dangerous, people want to live in safe places, but the laws in NY state make it difficult for local police to make a dent in crime.  The present governor thinks it's all a joke, and is claiming that the state is safer than ever.  

So go vote.  Wherever you live, think about if you want change, or if you're happy with things they way they are, and vote.   Politicians are mostly untruthful, selfish, corrupt, and one group continuously sniping at the other, but I'm thankful we still have the right to choose to vote for who we perceive as the lesser of two evils, ha.  

Things are getting bad in this world, and I am glad that my kingdom is not of this earth, but maybe we could have a little more time here, more time of peace...

Anyway.   We had a fun afternoon with Camille yesterday...

Sonja, Char, Cam

Those girls and their strawberry lemonade, with free refills...ugh.  I had water and Diet Pepsi...but I wasn't so wise in choosing my entree, no sir, I was like a 12 year old....those are loaded mashed potatoes...loaded with bacon and cheese with scallions on top...believe me, I only ate a bit of them...

Only a few fries too, but those honey-chipotle chicken tenders,mmm. So horrible for you, but so good.  The bad part is that we had the endless chips and salsa first, and their chips are hot and greasy, and salty, and sooooo good.  Just what I need, grease and salt.  Never again.  We only go here once in a blue moon, but never again.  I didn't say that while I walked around Target afterward with that dry-mouthed over salted bloat-y feeling, because it was Camille's birthday, and we were having fun.  I did ask them if people who normally ate food like that felt horrible afterwards, and they said yes, but it was just normal.  hmmm.

Charlotte Claire...

Sonja K.

We didn't get much in Target...Charlotte Claire got a 2 pack of Christmas socks for $3, Camille got some holiday Tazo tea and a new tank top,  I got plastic wrap and heavy cream, and one cute Christmas ornament, and some Method cleaning stuff.  

Some of the cute pics I stole from the other kids' Instagram posts:

From Charlotte Claire

From Sonja K.

From Evelyn Joy...(I LOVE that they're friends!)

From Jonathan (I also love that they are friends!)

And, I organized the pantry...my new can organizer arrived, I put it together and was rather surprised that it went so smoothly.  Now, instead of the cans being on the tops shelf where I CAN't see them, they're in a can organizer where I CAN't see them.   I thought I'd show you pics of my pantry so you don't feel so bad about yours, ha...my pantry is the entry closet that used to be a perfect picture of big family chaos, with coats and boots and and and....the door was redundant, you couldn't open or close it because of all the shoes in the way.  The hooks over there were overflowing with coats, jackets, sweatshirts, scarves, hats.  The shoes and boots and sandals and flip-flops...ugh.  We decided to make more use of the hooks inside of the front door, and to try to rotate the winter stuff to the hall closet, ect.,and make this closet into a pantry. So some fancy pieces of plywood made shelves, and there you have it...I finally put up a curtain, which is really fancy too, but at least you don't see all of our snacks when you walk in, unless it's a normal day, and the curtain is wide open...

What do you mean, "Are those the before pictures?"?!  ha.  See, feel better?   The can organizer is in the bottom right, it is actually accessible when you take the white snack bin out that's next to it.

It's a lovely day, and this evening there's activity club.  We'll be frosting cookies and doing ballet.  I'm bringing the sprinkles.    I think I'll bring "little things" too, the Calico Critters and Little Woodzeez.  

Ah well....it's a good day!