This package, pictured below, is a constant temtation for Henry. I keep it in the drawer with the measureing spoons, and today when he opened the drawer, he said "Cool. Eat it" I got him to tell me it was the cheesecake that looked yummy, but you never know what a two year old is really thinking. I purchased 4 boxes of this stuff this summer, after realizing that jello has no nutritional value. (What? It's made out of cow skin, but has no protein?) This box here says that the 2 grams of protein per serving does not make it a significant source of protein. Is this in response to Atkins diets? Dumb mothers wanting to make their kids eat jello for unfounded reasons?

Anyway, to make a boring story shorter, I made orange juice jello with pineapple this morning, modeled after a Martha Stewart recipe in which she uses freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. I found it to be just short of nauseating, but Henry devoured it. Maybe he just liked the pineapple?

Problems for the Rhinelander School District

The proposed cuts for this year's school district budget include reducing the High School Music dept. to 1/2 choir position and 1/2 band position. I really can't imagine how this scenario could function...who is willing to get paid half a salary for a job that (theoretically) takes a full 40+ hour week in the districts I've been a part of. Are they not doing lessons? Could someone fill both positions? What kind of loony bin did we move to?

Children's Museum with Rudy

My friend Carrie and I, both relatively new to the Northwoods, both have a year pass to the Children's Museum in Eagle River. Carrie, Rudy, Henry and I visited the museum together last Friday. This museum *might* be bigger and better than the old (or current?) Madison Children's Museum, which Henry and I played at this summer right before the onset of hand foot and mouth disease...but I digress. I think the museum is pretty good, especially for being in the boondocks where it's every man for himself and no one wants to pay for anything that will help the greater good. The Madison Museum has a beautiful two story wooden structure and better ambiance, but Eagle River has loads of Melissa and Doug toys, a fishing pond, a reading tree, and other things that Henry and I enjoy playing with together.