the central ny question is...

 April showers bring May flowers, but what about April snow?  It IS lovely, the house has that Christmas glow.  

Reading the news is depressing sometimes.  A mom of five who brought her kids to a resort in the Carolinas, and let the four year old go on a raft by herself in the lazy river behind an older sibling.  The small child drowned, while she sat in the hot tub. The mom is suing the state and the resort for not having a lifeguard.  What can one even say about this?  It's sad on so many levels, tragic...

I wonder if parenting has gotten worse because of the breakdown of the village it takes to raise a child.  Grandmas and aunties and cousins, neighbors...when I was a kid, the neighborhood ladies would actually come knock on the door, no phone call first, and my mother would have them in for coffee...I remember my mom also bringing my little brother and I for a walk, and we'd end up at someone's house, I still remember them stirring that sugar into their cups, and how we hung around and listened to the gossip.

It just seems that inappropriate discipline is given, with parents not realizing what their kids are capable of, or NOT capable of..a toddler getting a smack for trying to stand up in the cart, older kids being dressed down in public, as if their embarrassment doesn't matter.  When we were in Florida, a small boy, maybe two years old, was running away from his mama, which we all know is a two-year-old's favorite thing.  She wasn't having it. Upside down, that's how she scooped him up...but not for fun and teasing, she was yelling and spanking his butt.  It makes me cry, but Emily and I agreed it's probably not against the law to spank your child in Florida, what could we do, except say a prayer.  

Anyway, after the pool this morning Camille and I went to Aldi.  (Cam has been going to the gym while I swim).  We got things for Sunday, as we're having the family over to have a little Honoring Eleanor ceremony, or maybe a Telling Grandma Stories gathering.  Nothing formal.  I bought raspberries, grapes, celery and mini peppers, we already have carrots and cukes.  We'll have pepperoni and meats and cheeses with crackers, and brie, and jam.  I bought chicken drumsticks and thighs, I'll marinate them in lime juice, roast them in the oven, slather with bbq sauce, broil, and mmmm.  Kathryn is bringing Mac and cheese, and Evelyn pulled pork.  I also stopped at a local dairy and bought two half gallons of ice cream.  I feel off the hook now concerning making dessert, because we can have ice cream cones.  I do want to make the flourless chocolate cake, and some coconut cupcakes with buttercream frosting, but we'll see, won't we?  

Kathryn is coming over in a bit, with her little ones, and Margaret and Adrian and their three.  I'm making a pot roast...I browned it up in olive oil in the Dutch oven, then browned up some onions and garlic, added beef broth, red wine, a gravy packet, salt, pepper, bay leaves, a small can of tomato paste...it's in the oven at 300, will add red skinned potatoes and carrots soon.  

Well, here it is almost ten at night...the six grandchildren and older kids have left now, the house is quiet.  What fun we had though!  I made cookies with Achilles and Rhys.

One box of strawberry cake mix, two eggs, half cup of oil...baked on 300 for 10 minutes..they put sugar sprinkles and Easter M&M's on them.  I didn't have any, but they sure liked them.

Sweet baby Blythe, then Jamison, who just turned one, trying to open some drawers!

Grandpa watching cartoons with Achilles...

Ah well...it's been a day....I'm tired.  Have a good night!