Hey guess what?  This photo won the Wildlife category of the Homer Photo Contest, an annual amateur photo contest run by the Homer Chamber of Commerce.  At least, I think it was this photo – the man from the CoC said it was an eagle landing on the beach and I think this was the only one I submitted that fits that description.

Honestly, I entered the contest several months ago and don’t remember which photos I entered, or exactly what the “prize” is – but I believe they use the winning photos in the tourist magazine for the following season.  So it looks like one of my eagles will make it into real, live, bona fide PRINT.

I’ll add more detail when I talk to the man from the Chamber of Commerce, which should be sometime next week.

Puke sessions so far: 3

Urine analysis came back normal, so it’s not a UTI.  While it would have been nice to have an actual diagnosis, we’re glad for the result because if the test had come back abnormal they would have stuck a catheter in him for further testing.  One more trauma avoided.

But let me tell you, he was none too pleased when it was time to remove the plastic baggy that was (excessively) taped all around his wee-wee to collect the urine sample.  Even armed with adhesive-remover, it was an experience I hope never to repeat.

Also, did you know that if you Google “toddler back pain” you come up with two things:

1. A plethora of parents in forums inquiring about the same thing and not getting any answers
2. A long list of possible diagnoses that have VERY SCARY NAMES.

In other health-related updates, Jens had his CAT scan today and the doctor doesn’t think he will need surgery (PRAISE!) but does want to refer him to another doctor in Anchorage (who is, coincidentally, one of Jens’ extended relatives) for a second opinion.

Then I rounded the corner of the stairs and saw my husband in an enormous full-length arm cast, suspended from his neck.

In short, Jens was playing basketball in his usual kamikaze style and collided with another player.  When he landed on his arm, he severely dislocated his elbow and chipped a piece off the joint.

After popping it back into place himself and a trip to the ER, he was home and bandaged and in a lot of pain – despite hydrocodone, Tylenol, and the ibuprofen shot they gave him in the butt.  I got a preview of 60 years from now when I had to give him a bath and dress him, as he was unable to do much of anything himself.

The next day he went to an orthopedic surgeon who took more x-rays and determined that he was unable to determine the actual prognosis.  So Jens has to go back tomorrow (Monday) for a CAT scan.  They need to find out whether the piece of bone floating around in his arm is one large chunk or several smaller pieces, and from there will make the decision on whether or not he needs surgery.

Three days post-incident, he’s very swollen and still in quite a bit of pain.  However, he has gained a lot of movement and is able to wear just a sling and ice pack most of the time.

The kids have been very supportive.  Kaelin likes to help with the bandages and Koren asks him every day “What happen, Daddo?”  He’s very empathetic.  Today Jens accidentally banged his arm and as he was nursing his pain, Koren rushed over to offer his condolences.  “What happen, Daddo?”  Upon being given the recap, he offered, “Hugs are nice.  Kisses nice.  Hug it?  Kiss it, Daddo?”

It appears that Daddo will be well taken care of as he recovers.

This is shaping up to be a monumental historical election.  In the midst of all the existing political drama, now ACORN, the government-supported, left-leaning and somewhat controversial community organizer group, is being investigated for voter fraud.  AGAIN.  They are already under investigation for previous instances of such crimes in at least 12 states.

In some areas, over half the voter registrations turned in by ACORN belong to people who are dead, don’t exist, or didn’t actually register with ACORN to vote (such as the entire Dallas Cowboys team).  Multiple registrations have been written and signed in the same handwriting.  Phone numbers on the registration forms are all disconnected lines.  Addresses are actually commercial buildings. 

In short, it’s a very time-consuming mess for the people who have to try to sort them all out.

ACORN employees have been fired over the issue.  Yet the group dismisses the problem as, “attacks from groups threatened by our historic success…, motivated by partisan politics and often perpetuated by the media without full investigation of the facts.”

The McCain camp wasted no time in sounding the alarm on Barrack Obama’s affiliation with the group. 

And they should.  ACORN’s history of voter fraud is no secret.  Last July, ACORN settled the largest case of voter fraud in the history of Washington State.  ACORN has been implicated in similar voter fraud schemes in Missouri, Ohio and at least 12 other states.  Yet the Obama campaign paid them $800,000 to register new voters.  Apparently they didn’t specify that they were looking for REAL voters.

At the very least, it calls into question Obama’s judgment of character and affiliations, an issue that has been recently spotlighted with some of his other acquaintances.  One or two questionable past affiliations can be overlooked, as most politicians have them.  But there comes a point when it begins to cast doubt on the candidate’s associations – whether his intentional choices or his lack of discernment therein – and Obama has been having to distance himself from a lot of people lately.

While I’m not one to subscribe to the “guilty by association” mantra, I think McCain is right to call this issue into question with respect to Obama.  I would like to hear Obama’s reasons for singling out an organization with a shady history when it comes to voter registrations, and paying them to collect voter registrations.

While speaking at a children’s hospital yesterday, Cindy McCain stated that Barrack Obama has “waged the dirtiest campaign in American history.”  She said she looked forward to seeing her husband clear the record at the debate, and-

Whoa, whoa, whoa, BACK THE TRUCK UP.  Obama is the one waging the dirty campaign?

Regardless of political leanings, I think we can all pause for a minute to fully absorb the hilarity of that statement.

*blink* *blink*  Ok, moving on…

In other totally important news, Koren has learned a new trick.  He can now pull the pacifier out of his mouth, waive it around, and put it back in.  This provides him with endless amusement until he drops the paci and the world pretty much crashes down around our ears.

He drops the paci a lot.

And for that reason, the jury is still out on whether this new trick should be lauded or cursed.

And on the Kaelin homefront, I would just like to say that my daughter says some pretty funny stuff when she’s not really awake.  Last night I heard her calling, and when I walked into her room we had this conversation:

Kaelin: I.. I … I … I need … I need… I need … (sometimes she has trouble getting the words out when she’s sleepy, so I’ll spare you the additional 12 times she said that) I need da pee on the phjvgch.
Mama: You need … to pee on the potty?
Kaelin: No, I need the pattern.
Mama: You need the pattern?
Kaelin: Yes.
Mama: What pattern?
Kaelin: The flag pattern.  I need the flag pattern.
Mama: …
Kaelin: I need the flag pattern.
Mama: Is… that something you did at school?
Kaelin: Yes.
Mama: I think you’re dreaming.  Why don’t you go back to sleep?
Kaelin: Ok.

BabyCenter sends me all the latest news when it comes to parenting.  THIS JUST IN:

Fast-food kids’ meals shockingly unhealthy!

Kid’s meals at popular fast-food restaurants deliver more than a quick lunch or dinner — 90 percent of them have far more than a meal’s worth of calories and many are loaded with fat and salt too, according to a report released on Monday.
“Nearly every single possible combination of the children’s meals at KFC, Taco Bell, Sonic, Jack in the Box, and Chick-fil-A is too high in calories,” [The Center for Science in the Public Interest] said in a statement.

Ok, really?  Is there actually anyone on this planet that would consider this news? 
Who is the parent that reads that and thinks, “Well I’ll be darned, you mean all those greasy nuggets and fries I’ve been feeding Junior every day aren’t part of a balanced, nutritious meal?”  Because I would like to meet that parent and bop them over the head.