What Are the Odds?

My daughter Neva seems to have somewhat of a lucky streak. At the young age of 6, she has already won prizes in about half of the raffles held at her school -- various cakes, easter eggs, a backpack.

The other day we received some scratch-and-save coupons in the mail for a local restaurant. If you presented the coupon to your server, you could save anywhere from $5 to $50 off the bill for your meal. We see these types of scratch cards more and more these days. Department stores, fitness clubs and now, apparently, restaurants all try to lure you in with the promise of big savings that you ultimately never see. I don't care about a 5% savings off my $30 purchase. That barely buys me a coffee for my efforts. The mystery and temptation around them, not to mention the "forbidden fruit" of scratching the card before you make your purchase, just frustrates me and I tend to ignore them and let the kids play with them.

And so it was with the coupons that came the other day for the local restaurant. Neva grabbed a penny and began unmasking the mystery. It was pure delight for her and pure torture for me.

Both cards revealed a $50 coupon!

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Earth to Milo. . . Come in, Milo!

There are times when I wonder if our children are really on the same planet as us. My 3 1/2-year-old son Milo can be so mellow and mild-mannered at times, you wonder if he has any concept of what is going on around him.

One morning when I took Neva, my 6-year-old, to school, I left the other two children at home with my husband Bob. I said goodbye to Milo, who was standing watching television at the time. When I returned 15 minutes later, Milo was still in front of the TV, standing in the exact spot I had left him.

"Hi, Milo. What are you watching?" I asked.

"Dora," came his reply, eyes glued to the set.

I left the room and went about starting my morning chores. About 5 minutes later, the show had ended and Milo came to the kitchen where I was doing dishes.

"Mommy!" he exclaimed, excitedly. "You're home!"

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

A Few Whiskers Short of a Catwalk ...

My 6-year-old daughter Neva insists on wearing her shoes on the wrong feet. She feels they look better that way. And she'll put on a summer dress in the dead of winter because the colour is to her liking. When it comes to colour co-ordination, Neva wears so many different clothes at the same time that she looks like a painter's palette after a frenzied artistic spurt.

Now Milo, who happily announces that he is now 3 1/2, wears his shoes in the house, but is hard pressed to remember to put them on when he goes outside. He does have his own couture moments. He'll rifle through two drawers of clothes to find anything with "Bob the Builder" on them and will wear everything he finds.

As for 2-year-old Willa, she's simply more interested in taking her clothes and diaper off.

Happy sweeping!

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

She Nose Shopping ...

When my oldest daughter Neva began speaking I remember marveling at all she had to say. Later as she began to form short sentences, I was regularly amused at the ideas she would connect together.

A few years later, my son Milo would begin to do the same and I was still enthralled. As if I had never before experienced a child learning to express themselves. And now my two-year-old daughter Willa is at that same stage. And I am still amazed by the coupling of unrelated thoughts that somehow make sense.

Willa and I were sitting together the other day, just enjoying each other's company when I tickled her nose and asked her:

"What's that?"

"My nose," she replied.

"Where did you get it?" I asked.

"Grocery store!" came her reply.

Happy sweeping!

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

"Have You Reached a Verdict?"

Among the cobwebs there sits a deep shelf above the cupboard by our front door. Its contents look down upon us with suspicious eyes, wary of what may come next. And my children stare back blankly, the pain of their losses evident on their furrowed brows, wounded tears still streaming down their cheeks.

It is here where toys are condemned to serve their sentence for their indiscretions. In one way or another, each toy has incited anarchy, a lawlessness whereby my children are forced to abandon the virtues of sharing, of kindness, of civility.

And so, for what may seem like a lifetime to a child, the worst offenders are banished to their prison awaiting our pardon as they quietly reflect on whether they will once again be brought back into our children's world, or find themselves being quietly kicked out that front door.

Happy sweeping!

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

You Ought to Be in Pictures ...

About a week ago, a neighbor of ours had taken a photo of my youngest daughter, 2 year-old Willa, as she puddled around wearing his boxing gloves. He enlarged it, then framed it and gave it to her for her second birthday. Willa was thrilled, and after hugging it for an afternoon, she gave it to me. So, I quickly tacked it on the wall in my office before anyone else thought of a better place for it.

As I was hanging it I was looking around at all the photos I have of my kids scattered here and there. I noticed for the first time that they are all the same 5" x 7" size. In fact, most of the photos we have displayed are that size.

And for two day it's really bothered me. Maybe because they are growing so quickly and I want to hold on to them just the way they are for a little bit longer. I really can't say, but I know I want to hang bigger photos of my kids.

Happy sweeping!

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Dinner Lament ...

We've three little chairs,
One for each of our cares,
In colors of red and blue.

Each child takes a seat,
When it comes time to eat,
Around their table askew.

Our youngest leaves first,
Complaining of thirst,
As she quickly marches away.

Our eldest declares,
As she stands on her chair,
Her dislike of tonight's entree.

Which leaves only one,
Our cheeky young son,
Who doesn't eat much anyway.

Each one leaves their plate,
In its uneaten state,
Their behavior in disarray.

Then I reach for the wine,
And Kathleen and I dine,
A mother and father alone.

It's evenings like this,
That in time we will miss,
When our children are finally grown.

Happy sweeping!

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Wearing Down the Dressers ...

The other day, I saw my wife Kathleen running all over our house chasing my two-year -old daughter Willa, who really didn't want to get dressed. This usually is not an issue, but Kathleen and I needed to pop across the street to retrieve some office furniture our neighbor had given us.

As things quickly degenerated, Kathleen naturally became more and more frustrated. Willa of course turned from a gleeful baby to a shrieking demonic apparition. Thinking I might be helpful, I gave it a shot. Bad idea. Willa was just not going to let us get her dressed.

We finally gave up trying and went outside for a breather and to figure out how to get across the street and pick up the furniture before someone else steals it from their porch. Moments later, my 6-year-old daughter Neva opened the door, a triumphant look on her face. And Willa followed behind, fully dressed.

Happy sweeping!

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Dog Daze ...

As many of you know, our household functions somewhere between the edges of chaos and anarchy. So naturally when my mother asked me if we could take her dog while she went of a vacation for a month, I jumped at the opportunity.

The first day was a little rough for all of us, but by the second day, my mother's dog regained her appetite and started to fit right in. She came to enjoy sharing her meals with my two-year-old daughter Willa who regularly ate the kibble and made off with dog's treats to return empty handed.

At 11 years old, the dog was quite set in her ways. So I was surprised at her tolerance with being mauled by the kids for days on end. She really took things in stride. She wasn't bothered by my 6-year-old daughter Neva regularly picking her up like you would a cat nor did she care when 3 1/2 year-old Milo and/or Willa would use her as a pillow.

So when my mother called to check in to see how we all were making out, I let her know everything was fine, her dog was fitting in quite nicely. I did neglect to mention that on the first day, we lost the dog briefly, and that a few days back, someone in our house had tried to paint it a nice shade of blue.

Happy sweeping!

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Cracker Caper ...

So I learned something today. I learned that my 1 1/2-year-old daughter Willa is sneaky. Very sneaky. In fact, she is the only one of my children that knows enough to go and hide when she's doing something she's not supposed to.

I saw her carrying a box of crackers earlier this afternoon but paid little attention to it since my wife Kathleen was intercepting her. She said "Willa, you can't have the whole box" or something to that effect.

Suddenly, Willa ran into my office and crawled behind the big chair we have in the corner. What's going on I thought as I looked to find her holding only the bag of crackers.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

We Like to Snooze ...

Probably the most enjoyable part of my day is when I put my 1 1/2-year-old daughter Willa down for her nap. It's nice to take a break and lie down and do nothing for a little while. But the best part is watching Willa get herself prepared.

It's pretty much the same routine every afternoon. Willa starts by searching around for her doll that she's named "Baby". Once found, she tucks it in beside me. Then she's off to find her other doll, also named "Baby". It too finds its way into the bed. Now comes her stuffed dog "Puppy" and her duck "Ducky" and finally she herself climbs in.

After flipping this way and that, Willa finally gets comfortable and asks for "Row Row" and I quietly sing: "Row, Row, Row your boat, gently down the stream ... " She chimes in with a few words here and there and we do this for three, four, sometimes five verses.

And then it's on to Sandra Boynton's Snoozers, the same story I've been reciting for months. Willa shouts with glee at the end, rolls over, throws her dolls and stuffed animals onto the floor then snuggles in beside me and falls asleep.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Driving Miss Crazy ...

Editor: After about a half dozen false starts on writing a story for this issue, I've finally decided to recycle one from a few years ago. This story was first published on June 18, 2002.

Lately I have been contemplating the wisdom of having car seats for the kids. Safety issues not withstanding, I wonder why they exist in the first place. The process of getting a child into a car seat is certainly a conspiracy to keep parents with young children out of shopping malls, libraries and other public places. Little wonder.

For my 2 1/2-year-old daughter Neva, the journey to the car seat begins in the front of our truck behind the steering wheel -- you know, the place where all the buttons are within arm's reach. After repeatedly lunging after her, I finally manage to wrestle the giggling Gertie into the back of the truck. Cornering her with my shoulder, I use my upper body to contain her as I struggle to harness her into place using both hands to adjust the straps. As I bang my head for a second time, it occurs to me that an engineer designed this chair.

A little ruffled, I climb into the driver's seat, close the door and start the truck. Quickly realizing the radio is on full volume, I turn it down, then turn off the windshield wipers, turn signal, air conditioner and rear window defrost. After replacing the contents of the glove box, I buckle myself in before readjusting all the mirrors.

Okay, ready to go ...

"Daddy, I gotta go pee."

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Sticker Shock ...

My kids have become sticker junkies. Six-year-old Neva gets a sticker for doing her school work. She uses them to make all the time to make art projects. My 3-year-old son Milo gets a sticker everytime he goes to the bathroom. And 1 1/2-year-old Willa has found that glueing them to her arm is wonderfully entertaining.

Did you know they come in a greater variety than almost any other thing on the entire planet? But what are you really supposed to do with them? You get a few hundred in a package, more if you get them in book form. I mean, there's only so many times Milo is going to go to the bathroom.

And then half of them don't stick to what you want them to stick to. Instead they fall off and become permanently adhered to the floor. The kids glue them to the walls, the furniture, even my computer screen! My kids are like little mice sneaking around the house leaving sticker droppings everywhere.

Their appeal is lost on me, but the kids, they like them even if I don't.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

The Mysterious Cocoon ...

Back in the summer, my 6-year-old daughter Neva caught a caterpillar. She found it in our vegetable garden and gave it a new home in a plastic magarine tub. She poked holes in the top and added fresh leaves every now and then.

Not long after the caterpillar spun itself a cocoon. It had attached itself to an old dried up leaf that had curled up into a tube. And every day Neva would check to see if it had turned into a butterfly.

As weeks passed it became clear to everyone but Neva that the magical transformation wasn't going to happen. She wasn't letting the simple passage of time dampen her enthusiasm. She checked almost daily, hoping and waiting.

Last week something mysterious did indeed happen. The cocoon disappeared and a moth took its place. I know that little elves had something to do with it; they told me they had made the switch, a moth in place of the cocoon.

What I imagine is that some day, maybe years from now, Neva will be reading this and say: "Hey, I remember that". And the elves and I will have been found out. Neva will then finally know that neither of the elves, nor me can tell the difference between a butterfly and a moth.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Weigh In!

I was thinking last night, as our sugar-filled children lay snug in their beds, limbs still jittery and twitching, how it was that special time for Moms and Dads to raid the Halloween treats! (Oh, we all know you do it.) But before you did, did any of you check out just how much was in those bags?

As soon as my kids got home, 6-year-old Neva instructed the two little ones to empty all the bags into one pile. Candy spilled off the table and onto the floor. So we sorted, tallied and re-bagged. And I got to wondering how much it all weighed. I mean, just how much weight will I be putting on when I eat all of this stuff, anyway?

So I dusted off the bathroom scales and here's what I got: 8.5 pounds! And more than half of that is in chocolate bars. Unbelievable! Especially since they only walked a little more than two blocks and visited probably only two-thirds of the houses!

I was interested in hearing from some of my family and friends with power-trick-or-treating older kids. (Ah, those were the days!) While most of them said it was too late to weigh, since much had been eaten last night already, one of my nieces (in a family of four) had 8.6 pounds alone. That's alot of candy! My friend "buys" her kids' candy, giving them a toy instead and sends the sweets to work with her husband. Although, she admits she sends only what she doesn't like.

However, a cousin of mine, who was out with her girls for almost 3 hours, put it quite well. She feels raiding her children's candy is her due for walking miles and miles with them to 'ensure their safety'. I couldn't agree more!

And with that, I'd better go. There are KitKats calling my name.

Happy Hallowe'en everyone!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

A Little of This, a Little of That ...

My 6-year-old daughter Neva has always had quite an interest in cooking. She’s helped in making dinner a few times and has made muffins with Mommy since she was a toddler. But her favourite recipes are the ones she invents herself.

I always make a point of trying each of her concoctions. Most have been bearable and some, like the lemon juice with water and a spritz of lime, were actually quite refreshing.

The other day, Neva was preparing her list of ingredients naming them as she set them out. A bit a sugar, some milk, so far so good. But when she added the lemon juice I had to draw the line. The curdled and lumpy liquid seemed to have taken on a life of its own.

It may have made a good science experiment, we could have kept it and named it George. But alas, the nameless mass would meet its end slithering down the drain.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Cereal Mystery ...

With three kids in the house there are few things that are predictable. Surprisingly when it comes to breakfast Neva, Milo and Willa, without fail, are eager to have a bowl of Rice Krispies. They love it. I don't.

The other night I was browsing through our bookshelf to find something to read to get my mind off the hectic day that was just winding down. I took my time and finally
decided on a good mystery.

I called to my wife Kathleen, "I'm going to read some Agatha Christie."

From the other room, my 3-year-old son Milo piped up with, "But Daddy, you don't like Rice Krispies!"

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Musical Hoops ...

I took my 3-year-old son Milo to a birthday party a few weeks back. It was held at a gymnastics club and boy did those kids have fun! Sending Milo into the gym was like letting a fox loose in a chicken pen. He ran wildly in circles, stopping briefly at every play station to take a quick look, only to run off in the other direction to find something new. Clearly, listening to the two girls who were trying to run the class was not high on his priority list.

The game was "Musical Hoops". Like Musical Chairs, the kids were to run around while the music played and then stand inside a hula hoop when it stopped. Before the teachers started explaining the rules, the kids were instructed to sit on the purple line painted on the floor. But Milo couldn't contain himself and was constantly being called after to go sit back down. He would sit on the purple line for all of two seconds before he was scampering off again.

So the music started and off they went -- finally something Milo wanted to do! And when the music stopped, all the kids ran to the hula hoops as instructed. All but Milo. He sat on the purple line!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

All's Well That Ends Well

I don't know much about sibling rivalry. My sister and I were 11 years apart so the two of us had little opportunity to spend all that much time together. Which is why watching my 3-year-old son Milo and 19-month-old daughter Willa interact is so fascinating for me.

Each day starts out with Milo waking up before either one of his sisters. He plays quietly even if his bigger sister Neva is awake. But as soon as he hears Willa's voice, he comes running into the bedroom to find her. He greets her the same way every morning, sweetly, gently and as if he is surprised to see her: "Oh, Hi Lilla Billa," he says giving her a big hug. They seem to be the best of friends.

So, what is most remarkable about their relationship? It’s how, at the end of the day, after Milo has pushed her over a dozen times, stolen her toys and repeatedly refused to respond to her even though she’s been calling him for 10 minutes, they make it to bedtime and again give each other a great big hug.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Oh Poor, Poor Me ...

It's been 2 1/2 weeks since my oldest daughter Neva began Grade One. She was so excited her first day that she forgot to say goodbye to us as she ran into the school. It took me a few days to come to terms with that oversight. By Thursday, Neva had brought home the school year’s first cold and shortly thereafter I took up my position in front of the TV moaning about how miserable I feel.

Thinking that it’s important to take an interest in what my kids are doing, I ask Neva everyday what she did at school. Her answer is always the same: "Nothing." But then the other day, I overheard her on the phone telling my mother all the exciting things she’s learning.

So being the clever rabbit that I am, I proposed to Neva that I go in and speak with her teacher and see why it is that she is not teaching my kid anything. Without hesitation, Neva agreed, leaving me eating my words.

All of which has left me wondering if my suffering at the hands of our educational system was only beginning.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Recent Studies Have Shown ...

The following study, released today, has scientifically proven that 2 children aged 3 and under, can, pound for pound, destroy more things than 2 fully-grown adults. This study was conducted under strict supervision by a man and woman research team who have spent the better part of 5 years logging their various findings.

In brief here is the study:

Went to the massage therapist …
Our 3-year-old subject Milo and his 18-month-old sister Willa used 14 paper cups to drink one fifth of the water from the water cooler. Another one fifth of the water found its way onto the floor, up the walls and sprinkled across half the furniture.
Children: 1 Adults: 0

Went to get adult researchers bangs trimmed …
The stylist’s shop was newly adorned with numerous glass vases, some towering over Willa’s head. The fish in the huge glass vase situated on top of the glass table, the one with the glass shelf at step stool height, was not necessarily the best place for Willa to go climbing.
Children: 2 Adults: 0

Went to hair salon:
Seems that glass has become the decorating item of the year. Those ball-sized glass bubbles really looked like they could bounce. Within 30 seconds, Willa and Milo proved they don’t.
Children: 3 Adults: 0

Returned home 1 hour after having left:
In a quest to beautify their home, Willa happily picked a few flowers from the garden pots on the deck. Most didn’t have roots.
Children: 4 Adults: KO’d

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

I Know This Because ...

Every once in a while I find myself repeating something that has been said to me. I suppose I do it in hopes that if I hear it enough times it will make more sense to me. Maybe it’s my way to reality check; to make sure that things are actually as they seem.

Today was one of those days. Sometime this afternoon my 3-year-old son Milo lost his chewing gum. My wife Kathleen spent the rest of the day looking for it and only after he had gone to bed did she find it. I know this because she told me:

"I found the rest of Milo’s gum. It’s in his belly button."

"I found the rest of Milo’s gum. It’s in his belly button."

"I found the rest of Milo’s gum. It’s in his belly button."

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

It's All Going Swimmingly ...

I'm not much one for swimming. I know how, I just don't
enjoy it all that much. And if you've ever seen me with
that garden hose you'd know I'm certainly not afraid of
the water.

My kids, on the other hand, love to swim. We've had them
taking lessons this summer and all three of them have done
very well. Another couple of days and they'll be done for
the summer.

Neva, my soon-to-be six-year-old, was afraid to get her
head and face wet when she started her lessons last spring.
She looked like a cat that's just been thrown in the water
but now, she looks and acts like a dolphin. She spends
more time under water than most fish.

Three-year-old Milo has also come a long way. He's the
youngest in his class and also the shortest, so the water
level in the pool comes to just under his shoulders. He
spent his first day of lessons climbing out of the pool
because he was so nervous about how deep the water was.
But now, he couldn't care less. He jumps right in and when
his lesson ends, he slowly ambles out of the pool.

And Willa too has been doing great. She goes with Mommy
and a bunch of other parents and their toddlers. She's at
the top of her class when it comes to blowing bubbles and
loves to be dunked under water.

It's fascinating to watch them and see how their confidence
grows. As I watch them with a great sense of pride, I'm
reminded that standing back a little and just letting our
kids do their own thing is sometimes the most rewarding
type of parenting.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Green Thumb? Green Somethin' ...

I have grown a wide assortment of vegetables in our backyard garden for years. And it seems that every summer one of my kids is obsessed with one form of produce or another.

One year, my oldest daughter Neva befriended a potato. It was her new best friend, except she kept losing it and getting a new one which too would end up lost somewhere in the house.

A few summers later, my son Milo's interest in the garden had more to do with digging than with veggies. He had a small front-end loader that he played with, usually between the broccoli plants.

And this year 18-month-old Willa is my newest helper. She especially loves to hide behind the plants and pick green tomatoes. No matter how often I show her the red ones, once I'm out of sight, she goes back to picking 'em green. I love her enthusiasm, she always shouts with glee when she gets one off the vine. I just hope she is as excited about green tomato cake.

Here's the Green Tomato Cake Recipe

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

This Way and That, Up, Down and All Around ...

It's odd the things that we take for granted, like seeing one's elbow for instance. It takes practice to get your arm and head coordinated, it's not all that easy. But when was the last time you thought about the first time you saw yours?

I caught my three-year-old son Milo looking for his the other day. He had scraped it on the sidewalk earlier in the day and now wanted to see the damage. He was bending his arm this way and that, tilting his head up, down and all around. He just couldn't get it sorted out, but he kept trying.

Afraid that he might get all tied up in a knot, I offered to help. I first had to try it myself, which took a moment before I could figure it out, I mean, how often do we look at our elbows.

When he finally saw his, I could tell how proud he was. He was intently investigating it with a look of satisfaction on his face. And me, well, I tried it again, this time with my other arm.

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

I All Done ...

We were visiting neighbours for a BBQ recently. All the
kids were playing and too busy to come for supper. When
3-year-old Milo finally came to the table, he happily took
a hot dog and sat down to eat. After only a few bites, he
spied the chocolate chip cookies for dessert, which most
grown ups, not having been too busy playing to eat, were
already enjoying.

"I all done," he announced as he got up to help himself to
a cookie.

"How about we put that on your plate to eat once you've
finished your hot dog?" I suggested.

"Not I want it," he reasoned. "It too big. I too little!"

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Silent Movie ...

The other night after dinner, as every evening, we all went
outside to enjoy the warm weather. And, as usual, it was
busy and loud, even if it was just my three kids. So, much
to my husband Bob's chagrin, I left the kids with him and
retreated to the quiet of the kitchen to finish cleaning
up the dishes.

From the kitchen window, I watched as Bob and the kids dug
in the vegetable garden. They'd found a pile of big rocks
and were digging deep to get them all out. Each kid had a
shovel, Bob was using his hands and all of them were filthy.
And they were having a great time.

And I stood there, staring and marvelling at my family.
There was Neva -- independent and confident -- who would
occasionally leave to ride her bike around the house. Milo,
still in his bike helmet, was happily flinging dirt
everywhere, his skinny little arms working hard. And Willa,
the baby, how she's growing! She was shaking her shovel,
eating dirt and sliding into the hole. What a beautiful
scene to behold.

And it was then that I realized, as I watched this silent
movie play through the window, how much more you appreciate
your family when you can't hear them!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Give Me a P ...

I wonder if there's such a thing as a phobia about causing some sort of phobia in someone else. Would it be a aphobiameaphobia?* Anyway, I've been wondering these past few days about my 3-year-old son Milo whose just begun potty training.

Most of the time Milo has a whole entourage with him when he goes to the bathroom. There’s Neva, his 5 1/2-year-old big sister, full of encouragement, cheering him on as he sits on the big people's toilet. His little sister, 17-month-old Willa, sits beside him on the potty, chanting "Peee, Peee, Peee ... " and Mommy is in there too giving him instructions to point it down. It's quite the circus but somehow Milo gets the job done.

What worries me is that when he goes to the bathroom by himself without his cheerleading crew, he pees on the floor. We’ll find him running around with nothing on and there's a puddle in front of the bathtub. Seems like he doesn't want to go it alone. I'm afraid that he'll never be able to go without 137 people coaxing him on.

So, if you see a little blond fella walking around alone and looking like he might burst, please take him to the bathroom. And bring your friends, lots of 'em.

* In fact there are such things:
Phobophobia - a fear of phobias
Phobophobiaphobia - fear of fear of phobias.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

I Quit ...

Hello Everyone.

Whatever happened to our newsletter you might be wondering, after all it's been three months. Well, let's see:

I gained 15 very unwelcomed pounds;
I perfected separate growls for each of my three kids;
I learned snarling at my wife is bad;
I realized chewing gum all day hurts;
I switched to caffeine free cola;
And
I replaced my 25-year pack a day smoking addiction 92 days ago!

It's been hell. Absolute hell. I've been sick for the past 3 months with non-stop colds, sinus infections, ear aches and now I'm getting over a mild case of the chicken pox.

But I haven't smoked. I haven't gotten off the couch either nor have I had the energy to go outside, but I am a non-smoker.

You may have noticed the new format of the newsletter. I've added a couple of ways for you all to spend your money. Please shop at our sponsors, it helps to pay for this newsletter and the therapy for my kids after witnessing me becoming a non-smoker.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Elbow Grease ...

Hello Everyone.

Our neighbor gave my daughter a Tupperware-like box in which to take her snacks to school. She thought Neva, being 5 1/2 years old, would like the compartments in it. I think she gave it to her because she had little use for a plastic container whose lid didn't fit properly.

In any event, for whatever reason, Neva thinks it's the greatest thing and always wants to bring her snack to school in it. The other morning she was packing up her muffin and strawberries and I heard loud banging from the kitchen.

"Be sure that lid goes on tight," I cautioned. "You don't want strawberry juice dripping into your backpack."

"It's on!" she said proudly. "You just have to bang it a few times with your elbow."
Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Bath Time ...

Hello Everyone.

It's funny what kids learn to do when they are still toddlers. When it comes to bath time, we have taught all three of our kids to throw their diapers in the bathroom garbage before they get into the tub. A good idea I might add, as diapers that end up in the tub weigh enough to hold an elephant down during a tornado.

So, the other day I was getting our youngest daughter, 14-month-old Willa ready for her bath. She loves the water and is always excited to get in there to splash and play but at that moment she was getting frantic trying to take her own clothes off. So I her undid the buttons for her to make it easier.

With the crises averted Willa easily pulled her feet out of her pants which she then promptly threw in the garbage. Off came her shirt and it too went into the garbage and then her undershirt and finally her diaper.
Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

New Identity ...

Hello Everyone.

I picked up my oldest daughter Neva from kindergarten the other day when I realized that I am no longer Bob. I am still me but it appears that I am not Bob.

Originally I was named Robert but in grade 2, I decided to go by Bob. And that short form stayed with me until, on a sunny afternoon last week, my old identity had run its course.

So here I am re-introducing myself as the man formerly known as Bob. You can call me Neva's Dad, everyone else does.
Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Ode to Spring ...

Hello Everyone.

Spring has sprung here in southwestern Ontario and yesterday evening we were outside playing with the kids. In a matter of minutes, the collection of children grew from our 3 to as many as 10 as some of the neighborhood kids joined us in our side yard. It was definitely noisy, but everyone, parents included, was grateful to be outside enjoying the milder weather.

In the midst of the melee, our new neighbor, who lives in the apartment upstairs, called down to me with a smile:

"Where did all the kids come from? Most neighborhoods just have groundhogs that come out to let you know it's spring!".

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

The Apprentice ...

Hello Everyone.

When I am doing project around the house I have always let my kids lend a helping hand. My 5 1/2-year-old daughter Neva especially likes to help whenever I have my tool box out.

I was painting the trim around a closet the other day and sure enough there was Neva, dressed in some old clothes eager to get her hands on a paintbrush. So, together we painted, Neva doing the bottom third, and me doing the rest.

We traded the brushes for small rollers and back again and for the next hour, Neva and I worked together painting the trim, and some of the wall, and quite a large part of the floor but mostly each other.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Backing Up is Hard to Do ...

Hello Everyone.

It's funny the things children pick up on that we take little notice of in our adult world. Take, for instance, my 2 1/2-year-old son, Milo. We visited the local drop-in center the other day and he instantly ran off to play. Knowing he was safe and happy, I joined up with a friend to chat.

When I took a look for him a little while later, I saw him driving himself around in one of those big toy cars. He stopped, looked over his shoulder and backed up, going "Beeeeep! Beeeeep! Beeeeep!"

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Rabble Babble ...

Hello Everyone.

When my now 5 1/2-year-old daughter Neva was beginning to talk we gave her lots and lots of encouragement. Which probably explains why she hasn't stopped talking ever since. Regardless, we are now at the same stage with our youngest, one year old Willa.

Seems to me that we may not be as supportive in Willa's speech development though. She tends to make a multitude of bizarre sounds that Neva never did. Ask Willa what a dog says and she answers sounding more like a car trying to start on the coldest day of winter.

She makes this really odd throat clearing sound when she wants something and hisses like a snake for no apparent reason. And when she is tired there is that ear-splitting shriek that makes you go instantly cross-eyed.

It's amusing to listen to her babble, full of grunts and croaks and other strange noises. If you stand a busy intersection during rush hour, you'll get a good feel for it.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Forget-Me-Not ...

Hello Everyone.

My 5 1/2-year-old daughter Neva was begging me to have a little friend of hers over for a playdate. She hadn't seen her in several months and she desperately wanted to have her come visit. For weeks all we heard was, "Can Sydney come for a playdate?" and then "How many more days until Sydney comes?" Sydney this, Sydney that. Sydney! Sydney! Sydney!

Finally, the day arrived and Sydney came to play. The girls immediately ran off to catch up. In the middle of their play, I overheard Neva saying, "Come here! Come here! Hey! ... What's your name again?"
Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

For Grampa (March 30, 1923 - March 8, 2004)

Hello Everyone.

It's no surprise that after being stuck in the house all day with three boisterous kids who couldn't go outside because it's too cold, that I remark to my wife Kathleen, "We should have bought a puppy".

Now I have given this some thought lately and I realized a few things. A puppy, when it gets a chance, will try to run away. So too, do my kids. And a puppy will stare at you blankly when you are talking to it. Just like my kids. The puppy will tear up the only important piece of paper I have on my desk, walk around chewing on my shoes and without a doubt, pee on the floor. Ditto for my kids.

So really, what's the difference between having kids or a puppy? Well, we wouldn't have gotten three puppies that's for sure and one other thing, Grampa would rather have had the kids sitting on his lap.
Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

You're Kidding, Right?

Hello Everyone.

I've always thought that I have a rather well developed sense of humor. Even after years of my wife Kathleen tilting her head sideways and staring at me with an "are you feeling okay?" look on her face, I still thought I was funny and clever. And then along came my joke-telling 5 1/2 year-old daughter Neva.

A few days ago she started to make up her own jokes and since then, she's been following us around all day trying them out on us. They're all loosely based the old standard "Why did the chicken cross the road?". For example:

"Why was the window broken?
Because he hit him in his bum and crashed through the mirror - Get it?! He hit his bum!"

As you can see her jokes really don't make any sense. It's how totally absurd the punch lines are that makes us chuckle. Meanwhile, Neva howls with laughter and promptly makes up another one.

Now I really believed I was a witty sort of fella until I realized something. I too was tilting my head sideways in utter confusion each time Neva told a joke.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Princess Pay, A King's Ransom ...

Hello Everyone.

My 5-1/2 year old daughter Neva has come to the conclusion that it's time for her to get an allowance. She started learning the value of money long ago when she played with Mommy's credit card as a baby. Even at that time I knew we were headed for trouble. She never wanted to give the credit card back.

Nearly a week has passed since Neva mentioned it for the first time. Since then she has decided that trading her time and effort for money is not just a noble deed but one worth about 5 bucks. Just to be clear here, she doesn’t mean $5 per week. No, little Miss Corporate Mogul here thinks we should pay her $5 for each chore she does.

So, it comes as no surprise that Neva is suddenly much more helpful around the house. I guess she’s trying to prove that she is worthy of such a lofty pay scale.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Father Nose Best ...

Hello Everyone.

Editor's Note: Sorry about the absence of the newsletter over the past two weeks, all 5 of us had our February cold. This is not to be confused with the January cold and the March cold which are different.

Each time one of my kids has a birthday it shakes me up a bit. Our youngest daughter Willa just turned one the other week. An entire year flew by and I can't account for the time between Willa's birth and her birthday. What have I been doing for the past 12 months?

During that time Willa's achievements have been numerous. She learned to crawl, walk and climb, spoke her first words, began playing with toys to name a few. I'm still doing precisely the same thing I was doing a year ago. Nothing's changed for me.

Eventually I realize that the sameness is maybe not such a bad thing. My life is predictable and with that there is a certain comfort. Unlike Willa, I at least won't be surprised to find out that when I have a cold, I shouldn’t lick my nose.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Going Bananas ...

Hello Everyone.

Back in December, my husband Bob asked if I wanted a banana tree for Christmas. Not the organic, fruit-bearing kind, but the wooden, fruit-hanging version that stands on your countertop. Although our kids are voracious banana eaters, I simply couldn't justify spending the money on a gizmo when a fruit bowl works just fine.

I relented this week, however, when the banana tree was in the clearance bin at the grocery store. I brought it home, put it together and happily hung a nice bunch of bananas on it.

Later that day I walk into the kitchen, only to find our banana tree empty and five loose bananas at its base, as if it had shed its leaves.

"What happened here?" I asked 5-year-old Neva, who was eating the evidence.

"I wanted the one with the sticker on it."

Banana tree for sale!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Bouillon Brigade ...

Hello Everyone.

A child's imagination never ceases to amaze and amuse me. From my toddler's use of an escargot plate for a steering wheel to my 5-year-old's "imaginary friend", Ian, the vinegar bottle. And a kitchen is a veritable make-believe wonderland for kids.

The other day, all 3 of my children showed me the many different "uses" of chicken bouillon. And none of them had anything to do with eating -- not surprising for my kids, really, but that's another story altogether.

It started when Willa, now 11 months old and into everything, discovered a box of bouillon packets in the cupboard. She shook, squished, twisted and threw those little envelopes like nobody's business. Then 2 1/2-year-old Milo picked up all those that were still flat and dealt them out to all of us. "Cards!" he happily declared. Finally, Neva (the bottle collector) came around collecting our "tickets" to the next show.

So the next time you're in the grocery aisle and you see the chicken bouillon, think of my clever kids. And then pick some up for me, because I have no idea where mine is now!

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Take Da Poll ...

Hello Everyone.

There is quite the controversy brewing in our household. It has pitted my wife Kathleen squarely against me. She stands firm in her opinion even though I know she is wrong. So I turn to you, our loyal readers, to offer your insights so that we may settle this dispute once and for all.

Baby Willa is 11 months old and she's been chattering away making all sorts of sounds for months now. Recently, I started asking her: "If you're Willa, who am I?" and she'd answer with "Da-Da". "Who's that?" I'd ask pointing at Kathleen, and Willa would respond with "sssth", which means fish as far as I’m concerned.

I understand that Kathleen isn't a fish. That's not the problem. My wife however denies that Willa's first word is "Da-Da". Kathleen tries, in vain I might add, to prove that Willa answers "Da-Da" to anything asked of her. "If you're a pickle, what's the time?" she asks. Willa answers "Duh-Duh," which clearly is not the same as "Da-Da". Try it, it's different. Da-Da, Duh-Duh. See?

Since all of you are sitting there talking in baby speak to your computer, please help us settle this once and for all. Is Willa's first word "Da-Da"? You know it is. Click the link below to register your vote:

Click Here to Vote

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Happy New Year ...

Hello Everyone.

I have heard that some people believe looking back on the year just passed is bad luck for the coming new year. For me, looking back has never created enough anxiety. While many people are making New Year's Resolutions, I have my New Year's Reservations.

So what does 2005 have in store for the ContestHound.com household? I suspect that we'll have the regular drama and chaos that most parents have. Our oldest daughter Neva will turn 6 and start grade 1 in the fall and Willa, our youngest daughter, will be a year old in February. Squashed in the middle is Milo, who often finds himself squashed between things, will turn 3 in late spring.

For my wife Kathleen, hopefully she'll finally be able to sleep through the night, something she hasn't done in almost six years. And maybe not take the laundry too seriously. And for me, I'll probably be doing what I do best: obsessing about worrying too much.

Here's wishing all of you a Happy New Year filled with promise and hope and the strength and courage to face whatever challenges may come.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

So You Say ...

Hello Everyone.

My 2 1/2-year-old son Milo loves to talk with loads of enthusiasm. He's really polite too. Hand him a pair of socks and he's sure to say "Oh thank you Daddy!". Here are some other Milo-isms:

chicken shake --> kitchen sink
do it, self! --> do it by myself!
Bava hab it dis --> Neva has this
eat it dis? --> eat this?
my puthle gether --> put my puzzle together
sgoob-gobber --> screwdriver
bluedy werger (or "varger") --> blueberry yogurt
home peepo --> Home Depot
sheh-shie --> french fries
Toma Chank-En --> Thomas the Tank Engine
kepich --> ketchup
peter putter --> peanut butter

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Keep On Moving ...

Hello Everyone.

You might think that by the amount of boxes in our house that Christmas spending in the ContestHound.com household was at an all-time high. Instead those boxes are what is left from our latest adventure.

Seems that we packed up absolutely everything we own and carried it across the lawn to the house next door. And with each trip, we kept seeing our neighbor doing exactly the same thing in the opposite direction. You see, we swapped apartments with the folks next door.

Which explains why the newsletter has been absent for the past couple of weeks. Speaking of absent, anyone know where I packed ...

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Say Cheese ...

Hello Everyone.

It's that time of year when many families go to get 350 wallet sized family photos that they send with their holiday greeting cards to their closet friends, many of whom they haven't spoken to in years.

My 2 1/2-year old son Milo sat patiently for 23 seconds. We got some great shots of 5 year-old Neva making faces and a couple of baby Willa crawling out of range of the camera.

The photographer had me lying on my side with Milo sitting on my legs. My wife Kathleen and Neva where in behind resting their arms on me and Willa was held in the arm that I wasn't using to support myself. Too bad we didn't get a picture of everyone tumbling around after I collpased under the weight.

And suddenly our session was over. Of the dozen or so pictures, we found one single photo that had all of us in the frame, looking at the camera and smiling.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

SHHHHH ...

Hello Everyone.

Recently I have been pondering the animal kingdom. Do their offspring make anywhere near as much noise as my 9-month-old daughter Willa? I would think that yelling at the top of their lungs would attract all sorts of unwanted attention. Willa fortunately only attracts the odd annoyed glances from passers-by.

The thing is, she's not distressed, it's more like she's talking loudly. Very loudly. At first I thought she was just trying to keep up with her older siblings, but then I remembered that my oldest, Neva, did the same thing when she was an infant. Now, Neva watches TV with the sound turned way up.

I have been trying to figure out ways to curtail the yelling. It may not be the best solution but, when her mouth's wide open, I can easily get a Cheerio in Willa's mouth silencing her temporarily while she chews it.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Food for Thought ...

Hello Everyone.

When my two oldest, Neva and Milo, were babies, I followed the book on infant feeding. I started with all the traditional and "accepted" baby foods and progressed methodically from pureed grains and veggies to lumps and chunks, carefully watching for sensitivities and allergies. New tastes and textures were not introduced until after the prescribed time period had elapsed, safely and uneventfully, since the last new food. Nothing passed my baby's lips unless I approved it first.

Then along came Willa. I was in no hurry to introduce solid food. Quite frankly, I didn’t have the time. So when I did give her her first food it was more out of convenience. I was eating a banana. So Willa had some. And since that "unconventional" start, nothing’s been the same. She refused a spoon for the first month or two, accepting only food by hand. I have managed to get through some of the standard fare, however, she just keeps eating more and more things that aren’t on the menu. She has eaten plenty of scraps from Neva and Milo’s plates: muffins, grilled cheese, pork chops. But more troublesome than that are the rather unorthodox items. Take, for instance, the gravel in the bottom of the plant in the bathroom. Or the red play-dough she was munching on this afternoon. (Boy was that a treat to clean up!)

Oddly enough, despite all my efforts to start Neva and Milo off right, they are rather picky eaters. Milo, now 2 ½, wouldn’t eat a vegetable to save his life. And Neva cries treason if there’s even so much as sauce fumes on her pizza or pasta.

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Another Day of Fatherhood ...

Hello Everyone.

There was snow on the ground when we woke up this morning. When my 5-year-old daughter Neva discovered it, she announced enthusiastically that school was cancelled, which it was not of course. Neva and I managed to scrape together a few snowballs and mercilessly throw them at one another before she went off to school.

My son Milo spent most of the afternoon singing an eclectic medley of the "Bob the Builder" theme song and the old club standard "YMCA". This led me to wonder if all 2 1/2 year-olds are tone deaf.

Baby Willa followed me around on and off for the better part of the day. When she is happy, she has a habit of scrunching up her nose and making sniffing noises. I guess now I know what it must be like to be a dog.

In other words, nothing out of the ordinary.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Something About Nothing ...

Hello Everyone.

Sometimes when I sit down to write the stories about my kids I end up going completely blank. Today is one of those days. It's not that I don't have anything to say, that's never, ever happened to me, but what I do have to talk about doesn't seem to be very interesting.

I had already had 4 or 5 false starts and now once again the page in front of me was blank. I made 17 trips to the kitchen, 4 to the bathroom, checked the mail, raided the kids' Halloween treats twice, tripped over a dozen toys and still the page waited for me to type something... anything.

I decided to go outside to sit on the top of the stairs to think. Just then the whole family returned home from grocery shopping. As my wife Kathleen carried the groceries in, Neva and Milo played outside. I was fascinated by how wonderfully they played together, like best friends, totally unaware that I was watching them.

They'll be fine when they grow up, I thought to myself.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Customer Service ...

Hello Everyone.

Banks should know better than to put their brochures so low that a certain 2-year-old little boy named Milo can reach them. But then again, perhaps they foresaw the outcome.

It was late in the day and for whatever bizarre reason, my wife Kathleen and I piled all three of our kids into the truck and went to the bank. We weren't in there a minute when Neva and Milo were off running amuck. Baby Willa sat on my lap as I slumped in one of those wonderfully comfortable chairs all banks seem to have.

I was really quite relaxed and totally engrossed in Willa's babble when I noticed Milo. Seems that he had grabbed a bunch of those brochures I was talking about and was politely handing them out as he made his way through the line-up of customers.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Green Thumb ...

Hello Everyone.

I do like gardening, but I don't take as much an active part in it as my husband Bob does. He has his books and seed catalogs -- the arrival of which brightens up his otherwise bleak and dreary February like nobody's business. He marks the pages with sticky notes and highlights his choices in green. (The pink highlighter is reserved for our 5-year-old daughter Neva's selections.)

He has his garden plotted out shortly after and knows what crops should be rotated where. He starts the seedlings in March and has them in the cold frame before we've even doffed our winter coats. He turns the soil by hand -- how else? -- and surveys the bricked pathways to see how it faired through the cold weather.

It's much more than a hobby for him. It's a passion, if a bit obsessive. And it's hard not to get caught up in it. But I must say, even I was surprised when, while scolding Neva for tracking dirt all through the apartment when she brought me fresh carrots she just pulled from the garden, I couldn't help but think as I shook her pants out in the tub:

"Wow! That's really nice soil!"

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Clever?

Hello Everyone.

What kids can do is often really amazing. Take for instance my 5-year-old daughter Neva and some of her accomplishments. Just the other day, she found three one-foot long tree branches and colored them completely with chalk. It takes some kind of patience to fill every nook and cranny, but that's what she did.

Then, a short while later, she discovered that if nobody's looking she can climb to the top of our bedroom dresser and jump off of it, landing on our bed. Without hurting herself! Even more impressive is that she likely jumped a number of times before we even caught on.

It takes some creativity and imagination to come up and carry out such endeavors. And yet, even though she has been told a hundred times, I am baffled as to why Neva still can't seem to wash her hands with soap.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Age Old Story ...

Hello Everyone.

As soon they start to talk, we teach our kids say how old they are. This is what I heard after my husband Bob taught that lesson to our 2-year-old son.

Bob: "How old are you, Milo?"

Milo: "Two-free-four."

Bob: "No, how old are you?"

Milo: "Two!"

Bob: "How old is Mommy?"

Milo: "Two old."

Me: "Milo's two years old? Good boy!"

Milo: "No, Mommy too old!"

When eight-month-old Willa starts talking, remind me to teach her myself!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Fall's Lament ...

Hello Everyone.

It's fall in our part of the world, the weather has turned rather cool and the wind, now coming from the east, sends a chill right through you. Leaves are falling from the branches that they have called home for an entire summer and the days are rapidly getting shorter. But the true calling of autumn is not found in the arms of mother nature, no, what really signals the coming of winter is the five runny noses that live in our home.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Tiny Bubbles ...

Hello Everyone.

"Can I play in the sink?"

Six simple words and, one would think a relatively benign request. However, it's something I always hesitate to agree to. You see, my daughter Neva (whose new greeting to people is, "Hi! I'm five!") loves water and, like her father and brother, water likes her. It also likes the counter and the chair she stands on and the floor!

Reluctantly, I agreed. It's only water, Kathleen, I reassure myself. And sure enough water is everywhere and Neva is soaked when I return a little later. She is "washing" the dishes on the counter with hand soap and a sponge. The floor is a mess of wet bubbles.

"Please use this tea towel to wipe up when you're done," I ask, pointing to one that is ready for the laundry anyway.

"I already used that one," she says, pointing to the clean one I just put out before dinner. Sigh. It's only a tea towel, I reassure myself again. At least she has already thought to wipe the floor, although where I can't tell.

"Well, please wipe up and come get in the bath. It's time for bed," I add before I go.

Minutes pass and there is still no sign of Neva in the bathroom. I go back to the kitchen to remind her to wipe up and get moving. And there she is, drying all her "washed" dishes and putting them away. The oven drawer is open to put the pie plates away where they belong. They are still covered in bubbles. She is drying some Tupperware with the tea towel she used to wipe the floor. It, too, is still mostly covered in bubbles when it goes in the cupboard.

I stop myself from correcting her because Neva is beaming and couldn't be prouder of the great job she is doing.

And neither could I. Bubbles and all!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Toy Training ...

Hello Everyone.

My 2-year-old son's train collection is growing at a rapid pace. He has no less than three hand-made wooden trains, a growing set of Thomas the Tank Engine trains, cars and track and a few odd lots of locomotives and freight cars.

Rather than stuff his trains in the green box where they normally would be kept, the other night I decided that a new, bigger home would be in order. So there were Milo and I cleaning up. I would put a few pieces in the new box, he would take out just as many. Eventually I got the better of him and managed to get them all put away.

Since it was now empty, I put his toy cars into the green box rather than having them strewn around as was generally the custom. Feeling rather pleased with myself I went off to bed.

Early the next morning I awoke to the sounds of toy cars being thrown onto the hardwood floor in our living room. One after another went crashing down in rapid succession. Milo was furiously emptying the new box of cars. I knew he had come to an end when I heard him exclaim: "Oh oh, choo-choo gone!"

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Beep, Beep ...

Hello Everyone.

Every time one of my kids does something strange I try to remind myself that it is only a healthy imagination at work. Most of the time I keep myself from tilting my head sideways, scrunching up my nose and staring at them. But there are times when I can only shake my head.

My 2-year-old son Milo stood in the kitchen earlier today spinning in circles four or five times. He'd then stop and go "beep, beep, beep". He did this a few times before we realized that he was doing an imitation ... of the microwave.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Oh, My Achin' Head ...

Hello Everyone.

It must be September since school started and we all are in varying stages of the first cold of this educational season. We'll be back later this week with a new story. Sneeze-ya-then!

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Meltdown Mania ...

Hello Everyone.

They say five-year-olds are very emotional and my daughter Neva, almost 5, certainly has her share of meltdowns. And every time it happens, my wife Kathleen and I come up with the most far-fetched reasons for Neva's overly emotional behavior.

We have always known that if there were an Academy Award for a Melodramatic Performance in a Non-Movie Role, Neva would win hands down. She has a lot of emotion and is not afraid to express it, albeit in an immature fashion.

Yet, this doesn't relieve us of the relentless fear that we are doing something wrong. We question and analyze each episode convinced that we are the cause. For us at least it isn't difficult to ignore the facts and come up with some reason that proves we are damaging our kids psychologically.

But then, as we have said before, you need to give your kids something to talk about in therapy.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Water Hazards ...

Hello Everyone.

We are back! After taking some extra time off this summer the newsletter is back, bigger and better then ever. Check out the Quotables Quiz in each issue (see below) and you could win a great book from the folks at HarperCollins.com. And of course, I'll be including more stories about my adventures as a father to three -- count 'em, three -- kids under the age of 5.

To get you caught up, my daughter Neva will soon turn 5, while my son Milo just turned 2. The newest edition, my second daughter, Willa, is already 6 1/2-months old!

It wasn't too long ago that my son Milo began taking an interest in using the potty. At first it was a family affair of sorts. Mommy would join Milo in our tiny bathroom, Willa in her arms, with Neva squeezing in shouting wild encouragement. I would take up a position at the door and excitedly join in on the melee.

Things have changed. Milo doesn't always announce his need to go any more. So it was no surprise when Kathleen found him alone in the bathroom this afternoon. However, she wasn't sure whether to congratulate him on going pee on the potty all by himself or to scold him for finding a straw in the garbage with which he was about to have a nice cool drink of water from, where else, but the toilet.

Hey, look at that, it's a ContestHound.com Newsletter!

Hello Everyone.

I imagine you've all noticed the absence of the newsletter over the past few months so let me apologize. As many of you know, we had another baby back in February. Suddenly we found ourselves with three kids: our oldest daughter Neva who is 4 1/2, Milo, our 2-year-old son and Willa who is now 4 months.

I had once been told that the transition from having 2 kids to having 3 is usually not as challenging as having the first or even second child. Right. There was a time that we believed our apartment was really spacious too and that turned out not to be true either.

In our little world my wife Kathleen and I are outnumbered. Neva is as independent, outgoing and dramatic as ever and Milo has developed his own strong-willed personality. And Willa spends her day eating, pooping, burping, sleeping and she's started to roll over. Every space has two toys to fill it, every TV show has dissenting views on whether to watch it or not, every plate has something on it that someone won't eat.

On the floor in the hallway there's laundry in the basket that needs to be folded or washed, no one quite remembers, and there's a pail on the balcony that once was full of garden snails but most of them have escaped. Countless craft projects, drawings and paintings covering the dining-room table spill onto the floor below and packages of new diapers, in three sizes, are pilled on the couch in my office.

And before we know it, the day has escaped and the assembly-line routine of bedtime is behind us. It's just Kathleen and me and the quiet. All there is left to do is everything else.

Some Important Changes

1. For the foreseeable future the newsletter will be published on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

2. Starting next week, you can play the Quotables Quiz where you can win prizes with each issue of the ContestHound.com newsletter.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

The Tooth, The Whole Tooth and Nothin' But the Tooth ...

Hello Everyone.

Well it was my wife Kathleen's turn to go to the dentist the other day and she took along our 4-year-old daughter Neva. Unlike last year, when Neva went with me, Kathleen did not have a kid crawling around the office floor barking like a dog.

She was so well behaved in fact, that the dentist gave Neva her very own flosser. This is a handheld thingy that looks like half of a wrench with some dental floss stretched across the opening.

For most of us I am sure that flossing our teeth does not rank very high on our excitement scale. But for Neva she couldn't wait to use it. Once home, she was literally jumping with excitement. Now, if only she had the same enthusiasm about brushing her teeth ...

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Grandpa ...

Editor's Note: We would like to apologize for the absence of the newsletter over the past 7 weeks. As you read this week's stories, I am sure you will understand that we needed to take some time to be with our families. --ed.

Hello Everyone.

There are times when life's journey can take dramatic twists and turns yet somehow we manage to plod on trying to cope. We had just celebrated the beginning of a new life with the birth of our third child, a daughter who we named Willa Kathleen.

Especially poignant, is that when Willa met my father-in-law he was lying in a hospital bed, clinging to life. Just 12 days earlier, Granny and Grandpa had been sitting at their kitchen table, toasting the birth of their 28th grandchild. Now, only months after having been diagnosed, the rapidly growing brain cancer could no longer be controlled. And in another 12 days Willa would bear witness to an entire life.

She was there with her Grandpa as his life peacefully came to a end. She was there when we celebrated Grandpa's life. She was there when his body was laid to rest. She was there.

B.Edmund Nelligan 1923 - 2004

We will walk with you,
holding your hand,
as you near the threshold
where the living may not pass;
until you are ready
to reach for the hand of God.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Introducing ...

Hello Everyone.

So if you've been wondering what happened to the newsletter last week, it unexpectedly took a back seat to trying to get some sleep. Seems that we had a baby 5 days early. In the ContestHound.com household the word early is rarely ever used so you can guess just how much we were caught off guard. Not that the extra time would have left us any more prepared mind you.

So without further ado, let me introduce you to my beautiful new daughter Willa, born Friday February 13, 2004 in our dining room. Astonishingly, it took us only another 3 days to give her a first name. We are still working on a middle name, which should come as no surprise.

And for those of you wanting to see some pictures, follow the link below. There is a really great shot of my 4-year-old daughter Neva holding her new baby sister only hours after she was born.

Pictures of Willa

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Smooch ...

Hello Everyone.

Countdown to Baby: 7 days
We are getting down to the wire ... a week or so before the still-to-be-named baby arrives.

Sometimes we parents find ourselves stuck between thinking something is so terrible and thinking that it isn't really such a good idea. Take for instance my 20-month-old son Milo who recently began giving kisses. After finishing our lunch today, he gave everyone a round of kisses. We were at McDonalds.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Kudos!

Hello Everyone.

Countdown to Baby: 9 days
Panic is setting in. We have just a little over a week before the newest ContestHound.com employee arrives. Send help ...

It seems to have been one of those days. I'm feeling big and uncomfortable, very tired and very, very hormonal. After all, I am about to have another baby in a few short weeks. So when bath time rolled around, I didn't have much patience left in me. I got 20-month-old Milo bathed quickly enough but his sister Neva was a different story. Apparently 4-year-olds can become hormonal by osmosis. She was being obstinate, and protested rather loudly when I told her to get out of the tub for behaving that way. What followed I won't recount, but suffice it to say, it was loud and there were tears involved. Neva's and mine.

Enter Bob. Calm, cool and collected, my husband ran interference. He quietly took Neva in to bed, got her settled down and to sleep. Drained, I got Milo a bottle of milk and lay down on the couch with him. Milo, however, doesn't fall asleep easily when he's had a daytime nap, so as soon as the milk was done, Milo was off. I barely had the energy to get up off the couch, much less chase him around the apartment and get him to bed.

Enter Bob. But this time I bribed him. See, he was stuck on a story for tonight's issue of this very newsletter. So I promised I'd write one if he'd put Milo to bed. It's been a half-hour and he's just coming out of the bedroom now. Did he get the fuzzy end of the lollipop this time? Depends on how much this glowing review of his parenting skills means to him.

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Comfort in Chaos ...

Hello Everyone.

Countdown to Baby: 12 days
Less than two weeks to go and we have yet to finalize a short list of names. Mind you, it wasn't until 6 days after Milo was born that we named him ...

As we get immanently closer to the arrival of our third child my fear and anxiety is growing. I suppose that's normal but that alone doesn't lessen my worries. There are the standard concerns about the baby's health even though nothing indicates there is anything wrong. And then the ever-popular one about the ability to cope with yet another mouth to feed. Contrary to popular opinion, running a couple of contest web sites is not a particularly lucrative occupation.

Generally being one step away from paranoia, I know first hand how common concerns are the foundations on which more unrealistic fears are built. My past experiences should help to alleviate those wild thoughts but that would mean I'd have to acknowledge that I am being unrealistic. I have found that when you are in the midst of an emotional crisis, reality has a way of standing on the sidelines.

Eventually I once again find myself back in the present and though the fears still exist, I know that as far as right now goes, at this very moment, the hundred or so outcomes I have imagined don't exist. And in that, I find reassurance ... comfort in chaos.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

So They Say ...

Hello Everyone.

Countdown to Baby: 14 days
We have been receiving lots of great names and in fact have even put some of them on our "consideration" list. Please keep sending us your name suggestions for either a boy or a girl.

Is it me or is everyone in this house crazy? What follows is selected exerpts from conversations in the ContestHound.com household over a period of 30 minutes.

Neva: "Milo made me sprain my ankle!"
Kathleen: "So, why are you holding your elbow?

Kathleen to Milo:
"You can take it to the living room or put it away." He was dragging a 3-step ladder around with him.

Neva: "Momma, what's for dessert?"
Daddy: "A nap!"

Neva and Milo: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" (breath) "AHHHHHHHHHH!" (breath) "AHHHHHHHHHH!"
Mommy and Daddy: "WILL YOU GUYS QUIT SCREAMING!"

Neva:
"Mom. Milo turned the TV off."
"Mom. Milo turned the TV off."
"Mom. Milo turned the TV off."
"Milo turned the TV off again."
"Mom, Milo did it again."

Milo: "Ahh Ahhhh Ehh Ehhh Whaaaa Whaaaaaa ..."
Translation: "I don't want to be put in my high chair for repeatedly turning off the TV."

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

So I Hear ...

Hello Everyone.

Countdown to Baby: 15 days
Thanks to everyone who has sent in suggestions for boy's names. Apparently, Bob seems to think we already have one for a girl. He's wrong. Please help us with some girl's names by replying to this email.

Milo had fallen asleep in the truck, so my wife Kathleen decided to stay with him while Neva and I went to the hardware store. We had parked beside the neighboring grocery store and Kathleen hopped out to grab a sales flyer to read while waiting with Milo.

Now I am a man, and I was in a big box hardware store, but I really wasn't that long. Honestly. At 4-years-old, Neva doesn't yet have the patience for a full-scale assault on a hardware store. So I was surprised to find that the truck was empty when we returned. I knew right away where Kathleen and Milo were. I wondered if she had poked Milo with the flyer to wake him so she could make a run at the grocery store.

Neva and I wandered in looking for Kathleen. We walked from one end to the other and back again, checking each aisle but Kathleen was nowhere to be found. Was I wrong? Could Kathleen have gone to the hardware store looking for us? Not a chance.

Neva started to call out: "Mommy! Mommy!" She wasn't too loud but it seemed to me that every woman in the entire store double-checked for her kids, just in case they had lost one I suppose. Even those moms who didn't bring their kids seemed concerned. Must be something genetic, I thought.

We finally made our way to the front of the store again where we found Kathleen and Milo, who had already been through the check out and were waiting for us. "I heard Neva calling," she said matter-of-factly. Imagine, in a store the size of a football field, full of kids and their parents, my wife not only heard the calls but knew that it was her own daughter.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Peace and Quiet ...

Hello Everyone.

Countdown to Baby: 16 days
Thanks to everyone who has sent in suggestions for boy's names. Apparently, Bob seems to think we already have one for a girl. He's wrong. Please help us with some girl's names by replying to this email.

As I sit here at my computer, Neva is watching TV and Milo is sitting on the floor quietly playing with his trains, "Woo-oo!" Sharon, Lois and Bram are singing in the background.

While it might not last long, for now the Gunther household is unchaotic. And I think I'll just sit and soak it in for a bit.

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Nap Time Races...

Hello Everyone.

Countdown to Baby: 19 days
A few of you have sent in suggestions for a boy's name. We are still looking for more names so please send us your suggestions! You can do so by replying to this email.

My kids often love playing together. Usually it involves a game of chase around the apartment where 19-month-old Milo starts out chasing after his 4-year-old sister Neva. She runs as fast as she can so that after a few laps, she's hot on his tail. This always surprises him. Milo then runs into the bedroom and they finish up by jumping on the beds.

In a way, I hate this game. I suppose I should count my blessings and watch my children enjoying each other's company instead of taunting one another. But, really, can't they do this during the day and not when I'm trying to get them ready for bed?!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

A-Door-Able ...

Hello Everyone.

Countdown to Baby: 21 days
We still need more boy's names. Please send us your suggestions!

There once was a time, not too long ago, when if we stood in our living room we could see clear to the other end of the apartment. I could speak to my wife Kathleen and get an answer regardless of where in our apartment I happened to be. And if both my hands were full with whatever I was carrying, I could easily navigate to any room without having to put anything down. Those days are now gone.

My 19-month-old son Milo has taken to closing doors. In fact, he closes every door in our home and not just once or twice, but all day long. He spends a considerable amount of time opening and closing doors, sometimes 10 minutes on a single door.

Which leads me to wonder if this behavior indicates anything. Could it foreshadow his future career: a prison guard or even a prisoner. Maybe he'll be a doorman at some fancy hotel in some far off city. Perhaps he is destined to become a locksmith. Yeah, that's probably it. It pays well, I don't think it's overly stressful and he'll never be stuck when he forgets his keys.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Honestly Speaking ...

Hello Everyone.

A few days ago, my 4-year-old daughter Neva and I were talking about what to have for dinner. She told me she wanted macaroni and cheese. No surprise there; she'd eat it every day if she could. However, since she might have that for lunch at Jill's, her babysitter, the following day, I suggested we have something else.

Neva was quite agreeable and went on to tell me that: "You're macaroni and cheese is better than Jill's." Okay, so it comes out of a box and she could probably make it herself, it's still nice to be complimented.

Then she continued: "But Jill's hot dogs are better than yours... She doesn't even burn them!"

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Clone Sweet Clone?

Hello Everyone.

My daughter Neva was playing this afternoon with her stuffed toys. They were all lined up against the bookshelf and she was sitting in front of them reading a book.

"These are my huns," she explained, using the term she reserves for "children". "There are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight girls and one, two, three, four boys!" The one in the backpack is the "brand new baby!"

"Wow!" I exclaimed, "that's a lot of kids."

"Yes, and this one's the dad," she said pointing to the one in the backpack.

"I thought you said that was the baby," I queried.

"Well, our first dad died, so we're growing a new one."

Hmmm... I guess we have a geneticist in the making!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Countdown to Baby ...

Hello Everyone.

I may have said this when my wife was pregnant with our son Milo, but honestly, I had no idea that I married a hippie. Just as she did with the birth of Milo, Kathleen has again opted to have a home birth. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but we only live 2 blocks from the hospital; the same hospital, I might add, where our 4-year-old daughter Neva was born.

We have the same midwife that we had for both Neva and Milo and we have the doula, who was there for Milo's birth, lined up as well. My mother-in-law will also be there and a close friend will help out with the kids and whatever else.

Our neighbors will be taking our dining room furniture so that I can move the bed into the newly vacant room. Kathleen feels it's the most comfortable room in our apartment, atmospherically speaking. It is warmer, larger and gets better light during the day.

So it seems that we are prepared. With the exception of any unforeseen complications, the latest and probably last addition to our family is set to arrive sometime around February 18, 2004 in our dining room.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

We Are Back ...

Hello Everyone.

Well after almost a month's absence, we are back with the newsletter. It began back at Christmas, when every one of us in the ContestHound.com household was sick. Kathleen had a terrible cold, made worse by the fact she's pregnant and can't take anything for her cold. Myself, I had some nasty virus as did my 4-year-old daughter Neva and poor Milo, he came down with pneumonia. It wasn't until New Year's Eve that we were feeling better.

And with the New Year came new legislation in regards to the distribution of email. I am nothing even remotely close to being a lawyer so I had decided to discontinue the newsletter. But over the past few weeks, as I thought it over, I came to the realization that this newsletter is a legitimate publication and you, my subscribers, have voluntarily signed up to be kept up-to-date on contests and the goings on in our crazy household. And with that, I changed my mind.

So, here we are again.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Safety First ...

Hello Everyone.


For my 3-year-old daughter Neva, her "maturity" has her no less attracted to the bright lights on the Christmas tree than her 6-month-old brother Milo.

Neva came into the kitchen the other day and took an oven mitt from the drawer. "What do you need that for, Neva?" I queried, as she tried to hide it behind her back.

"I need it to touch the lights," she said as she left the kitchen in the direction of the living room. "Now, remember, you can't be mad at me. 'Cuz I'm being safe -- I'm using the oven mitt."

Our Gift Giving Made Easy section lists 16 great place for you to save time and money. Shop Online ... everybody's doing it.

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

To Sleep, To Sleep ...

Hello Everyone.

You know, it's a crime that parents can tell time and young children can't. More specifically the offense is not that they can't tell the time it's more that they don't know when we parents are misleading them about it.

Like tonight for instance. It's already dark outside even though we just finished dinner. And my 4-year-old daughter is rather cranky and as a result, bedtime will be over an hour earlier than normal. I know this because I can tell time. She doesn't because she can't.

I know I am being a little dishonest but what am I to do? If I tell Neva that she's going to bed early, she'll put up a fuss telling me she's not tired, even though the slightest things are upsetting her. It's for her own good I keep telling myself, but I can't escape the feeling that I am deceiving her.

But of course, if her behavior worsens because she's so tired, I'll wind up getting cranky too and scolding her inappropriately. Then I'll feel even guiltier for something that can be avoided. So, off to bed it is.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Snooze Math ...

There is a certain type of math that completely escapes me. It really only involves simple addition and being able to tell time. But nonetheless, I never manage to get the addition to work out.

Take for instance my 18-month-old son Milo sleeping habits. He usually wakes up at around 7:00 a.m., has his only nap just after lunch for an hour or so, and goes to bed around 9:00 p.m. So on a normal day, he will sleep 12 hours give or take.

But occasionally, a day comes when Milo refuses to go to sleep for his nap. Then around dinnertime, he falls asleep for about 15 minutes, a catnap of sorts. Using simple math, if he sleeps 12 hours normally but on this day he has missed one hour, he should then sleep 11 more hours tonight. Makes sense doesn't it?

Not really, at least not for Milo. Not only is he an hour behind without his nap but he will somehow stay up an extra hour that night. A grand total of 2 hours of missed sleep by my calculations. Now you would think he'd wake up 2 hours later the next morning, but not even that works out. Bright and early at 7:00 a.m. the next morning, there's Milo, happy as a lark.

It just doesn't add up.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Planning Ahead ...

Hello Everyone.

I was just putting my 4-year-old daughter Neva to bed but she was very talkative and was having trouble settling down.

"Do you know who I want to invite to my birthday party?" she asked. "I want to invite..." and went on to list 5 of her friends from her Kindergarten class.

"Well, you know," I responded, "your birthday is a long way off and you might think differently by then." After all, her birthday isn't until September.

There was a long pause before she said, "Wait, I changed my mind, I want to invite..."

It's gonna be a long 9 months!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

House Cleaning ...

Hello Everyone.

Just a little bit of house cleaning today:

First and foremost, the winners have been chosen for the "Win an Autographed Copy of S.D. Tower's The Assasins of Tamurin Contest" so be sure to check your email to see if you won one of 11 copies of this exclusive ContestHound.com prize.

Secondly, if you haven't already done so, sign up for a free ContestHound.com myContest account so that you can keep track of only those contests your are interested in. Fast and simple sign up and easy to use to boot. [Click here to sign up]

Finally, if you missed Friday's edition, be sure to check it out. There is some very special news that you won't want to miss. [Click here]

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Taking Your Lumps ...

Hello Everyone.

It was a busy day around the ContestHound.com household. More work than time it seems. Taking a few short cuts to wring a few more minutes out of the day, I left my 18-month-old son Milo eating Macaroni and Cheese for dinner while I was working in my office.

Every few minutes I peaked around the corner to make sure he was still eating and that his 4-year-old sister wasn't distracting him. And each time I looked, he was still happily mushing around his ever-diminishing pile of noodles.

When Milo finally was finished, I was surprised by how much he had eaten. I went over to clean him up and as I lifted him out of his high chair I noticed a rather suspicious lump protruding from his belly. You have no idea how surprised I was to find all his noodles stuffed down his shirt and into his diaper.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Clever is as Clever Does ...

Hello Everyone.

Sometimes it is really interesting the clever ways children try to avoid going to bed. My 4-year-old daughter Neva decided tonight that she needed to know whose birthday was when.

"When's Mommy's birthday?" she began, after I turned off the light. I answered. "And Daddy, when is yours?" she continued. I answered again. Soon we had made it through the rest of our family and had begun with some of our neighbors.

"Neva," I said, "it's time to go to sleep."

"But just one more daddy!" she pleaded.

"One more then," I allowed.

"When is everybody's?"

"On their birthday Neva, on their birthday."

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Latest Web Site Update ...

Hello Everyone.

As many of you have already noticed, there are lots of changes going on at ContestHound.com. Be sure to visit the site and create you own personal myContests account so that you can keep track of only those contests you are interested in (check the link at the top of this newsletter).

Hopefully by the time the tomorrow's issue comes out, I'll be able to get back to writing the stories that you usually find here.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Alphab-b-b-bet ...

Hello Everyone.

Since starting school, my 4-year-old daughter Neva seems to have developed a strange speech defect. They're learning to read and, with that, the sounds of the letters of the alphabet. Now Neva walks around quite frequently, saying things like:

"Muh ... muh ... muh ... Mommy? Can wuh ... wuh ... wuh ... we huh .. huh ... huh ...have macarrr ... errr ... errr ... rrroni and ch ... ch ... ch ... cheese for duh .. duh ... duh ... duh ... dinner?"

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Wanted: One Bulldozer ...

Hello Everyone.

The other day I was tidying up a few things when I came across a pair of used roller blades that my neighbour had given me. Space comes at a premium in our humble abode and I was stumped about where to put them. My 4-year-old daughter Neva picked one up and instructed me to pick up the other and follow her.

"Where are you going to put them?" I asked.

"In the closet," she replied, as she stuffed the first one in. "That's where we keep all the junk that doesn't fit anybody anymore."

I guess it's time to do a little more re-organizing!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails ...

Hello Everyone.

While my 17-month-old son Milo climbs my desk to talk on the phone quite regularly, this time he slipped and hit his head on the way down. None of us were in the room when it happened and when I found him, although quite bloodied and clearly distraught, Milo had already moved to the living room and was watching television.

Once the bleeding stopped he was his normal self again, running and playing in the emergency room, making us wonder if we were wasting time sitting around waiting among all those other sick kids. Three and a half hours later, they glued his head back together and we were sent home with instructions to keep an eye out for signs of a concussion: excessive sleepiness, trouble walking, vomiting, etc.

Within a few short hours, Milo and his 4-year-old sister Neva were chasing each other around the apartment, laughing and giggling and squealing with excitement. Milo ended the day with two fresh bruises from bumping into doors, floors and Neva.

Looks like we've got ourselves a bumpy 15 years ahead of us!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Learning By Example ...

Hello Everyone.

We have an occasional problem with our outgoing and social 4-year-old daughter Neva visiting the neighbors without our knowledge. Since we know all our neighbors well, this is not a safety concern, however not knowing where she is obviously worrisome. She doesn't do this too frequently, but it's a rule in our house -- "no visiting without telling" -- that is being broken. Once we retrieve her, we read the riot act once again and she gets a "logical consequence" type punishment, like no visiting at all for the rest of the day. Still, we're not sure she's getting the point.

Well, the other day I asked Neva to call Daddy in for dinner. I thought he was out on the balcony. Neva came back in and started putting on her coat. "I can't find him," she informed me. She was obviously going to look for him. I reminded her not to leave the building without me and said I'd help her look in a minute.

As I was about to leave, Neva had returned and was leading her Daddy by the hand through the apartment. He looked guilty and abashed. Seems she had found him coming back from the corner store. "Daddy needs a time out for leaving without telling us," she reprimanded.

Perhaps our message is getting through after all!

Happy sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Housekeeping ...

Hello Everyone.

Just a bit of housekeeping for a Monday...

I am diligently working on the new design for ContestHound.com and it should be live in the next week or so. Look for some great new features including what I call "myContests" where you can save any contest on the site to your own little place. Should make keeping track of your contests much faster and easier. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Also, if you email provider/system has a whitelist, friend's list, approved address list or any type of email filtering make sure that you add webmaster@contesthound.com, that way, you'll be sure to receive the Daily Contest Update. You'd be surprised to learn that many of your emails may be filtered out without your knowledge, including this one.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com