How does a kindergartener do a jump-a-thon...

...when she doesn't know how to jump rope yet? Like this:



Grace's school had their Jump for the Heart event a couple weeks ago. The scene in the gym that day was barely-controlled chaos. And was virtually impossible to get a decent picture with all the activity, but I got a few to share. Thank you to everyone who donated money - she had a wonderful time!Waiting patiently to receive her individual rope after doing the team jumping.


Grace in action.


Alex was NOT pleased about being there, and by the end of the hour was quite ready to go home.

Kate, Grace and Pablo. Kate is one of her best friends, and Pablo is the special-needs child that get mainstreamed into her class for a few hours each day. All the kids love him.


Having the after-jump apple snack with friend Elizabeth.

Finally!

I was starting to wonder why my irises were the only ones in town not blooming.


Many more to come...

Happy Bunny Day!

Grace decided a couple weeks ago that March 20 is Bunny Day. Nothing to do with Easter; she just decided that bunnies need their own special day. So she's been counting the days until Bunny Day arrived. Lucky for me that Bunny Day fell so close to Easter this year, because I was able to get a bunny-shaped cookie cutter. So Grace had bunny-shaped toast this morning and bunny-shaped quesadillas for lunch. Special in her lunch was some bunny-shaped marshmallows. She had already decided that we needed to have carrots with dinner. And I was going to get creative and make a bunny cake or cookies for dessert tonight, but ended up running by the grocery store and just picking up some cupcakes with a plastic bunny ring stuck on top of them.

So even though nobody else realized it to truly celebrate, I can wish you all a Happy Bunny Day - next time March 20 rolls around you should all be ready.

Six Flags!

Last weekend we made our second Texas Cousin Visit to Six Flags trek. We hit the park on opening day, which we discovered a couple years ago is THE day to go - the weather is not beastly hot, and the crowds are not there yet. If you can put up with workers going a little slower than usual (some are still learning the ropes), you are blessed with being able to ride some rides more than once without having to go back through line.

This was Alex's first visit to the park and, other than a couple of the really small rides at the State Fair last year, his first time to really ride amusement park rides. Both my kids LOVED it, and can't wait to go again next year. Part of the joy may have come from being with the cousins, though poor Emma got stricken with the flu that morning and had to stay back at the house with Gramma and Grandad.


We walk in and our greeted by Looney Toons characters, which my kids have pretty much no idea who they are (except we have a Tweety pez dispenser so they are slightly aware if him). Alex wasn't too sure in this photo about being next to a big costumed guy.



All of us minus the two dads on one of our first rides (love the joy on both my kids' faces). We all enjoyed the kiddy rides, except Max hit the point where he was actually too big for a couple of them and had to just watch.



Alex waiting in line with Jim to go on his first-ever roller coaster ride. He had a slight look of fear on the first big downhill, then a look of excitement on his face for the rest of it.



Grace with her favorite riding buddy.



The view from our ferris wheel gondola.



I had to put this picture in, just to show my sister squeezed into this ride that was clearly not made for adult behinds. It's the one ride I told Jim ahead of time that I refused to ride, because I remembered how uncomfortable it was. Oh, and the kid on the end next to Grace was just some random kid that rode with our group.



The Mini Mine Train ended up being Alex's favorite ride of the day. A prime example of getting to have multiple rides without having to go through the line again. It was the only "big" coaster he was tall enough to ride on, so I think he will have a blast once he reaches 42" and has access to a whole new set of roller coasters out there.



Alex and his favorite riding buddy.



And for those of you old-timers from Six Flags, the spinning tamales are still a part of the train ride (as are the politically-incorrect Mexicans across the tracks, and the Indian encampment farther down).

What a racket

I took Grace to see the Junie B. Jones play at Casa Manana last weekend with some friends of ours. Fun to see, especially since the story was based on one of the books we have here and have read. And fun to go to Casa Manana, which I probably haven't been to in over 20 years.

But frustrating, because like just about every other person in America I purchased the tickets through Ticketmaster. Oh, I suppose I could have tried to call the box office directly, or had the parents trek over to the theater, but I simply clicked the "buy tickets online" button on the website. I didn't realize until after I'd received the tickets in the mail (and my friend was writing a check for hers) that listed on the receipt was the face value for the 5 tickets being $55. However, the total bill with fees and all ended up coming to ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. It is absolutely insane that I paid double for tickets simply because I purchased through Ticketmaster. And that was with just general mail delivery.

Jim said he's run into the same thing lately when buying tickets for some live music shows he's attended with some of his friends. I've always been bugged by Ticketmaster fees, but now I'm going to go out of my way to try to purchase directly from venues. It will be a pain in my ass, but it needs to be done.

Rock on

I love my iPod. I don't know how anyone can get along without one.

Jim and I were playing around with his iPhone a couple months ago, sampling Led Zepplin songs because they finally released them for download on iTunes. As we heard more and more songs we loved, we realized we should just buy the missing albums we didn't have in our library (because, "Hey, we're grownups and we can do that if we want to"). So Led Zepplin I, II, IV and Physical Graffiti were added to our household. We already had Led Zep III and Houses of the Holy, and really no other LZ album matters other than those.

So I'm in the car today on the way to pick up kids from school, listening to a couple songs from Physical Graffiti, and it suddenly struck me how great it actually was to be grown up. I was listening to a wonderful album that I have always wanted. But back in high school (when I listened to so much Led Zep with my good friend Jana) and in college, I could never bring myself to buy the album because it was a DOUBLE album. That cost could never be justified, and I envied friends of mine who had it. But now it's mine, and I'm a 40-year old woman rocking out on the way to pick my kids up from school. Kind of pathetic, but I don't really care.

I am thankful every day...

...for my dear, sweet husband. Lately it has been every time I run my disposal or open the dishwasher after running a cycle. The fact that he thought to look online to solve the non-draining dishwasher problem (and find the simple solution) rather than me having to get a service guy out here makes me smile.

Little girls

Had three extra kindergarten girls here this afternoon. At least the first 15 minutes here was taken up by the girls upstairs all chanting at the top of their voices "(Someone) and (Someone) sitting in a tree; k-i-s-s-i-n-g..."

For the record, tree-sitters are Grace and Aaron, Kate and Wesley, Audrey and Jared and Elizabeth and Matthew.

Sneaky

Grace is growing up. I finished reading to her tonight, kissed her good night and turned out the light. After brushing my teeth and going to bed, Alex started calling me. When I got up to take him to the bathroom, I could see through the crack in Grace's door that she had pulled out the Itty Bitty Book Light she got for Christmas from Grandma and Grandad and was getting in one more chapter of Junie B. Jones. Sneaky girl.

Word(s) of the day

Star bell.

As described by Grace:
"Mom, I have a new word for Lucy. Star bell. It means cute cute cute cute cute. So you can say it without saying all the cutes. Star bell."

Oh joy

All four of us have strep throat.

I had to make some calls-of-shame to people we socialized with recently. And I still need to send the message out to Grace's class that she was apparently sicker than I thought she was when I sent her to school this week.

On a much happier note - happy belated birthday to Emma, the oldest cousin and only other girl cousin on my side of the family! I really do have your card downstairs waiting to be mailed!!

What a cool school

The picture sucks because it was taken from my phone, but we got to attend Family Supper Night at Grace's school and were treated to a mini-concert from Dallas' own Polyphonic Spree (a stripped-down version because the full band of 20+ people wouldn't be able to fit on an elementary school stage). The lead singer/creator of the band has three kids that go to our school. They did a great job of talking about all the different instruments they had up on stage (trumpet, flute, keyboard, cello, drums, etc.), sang 2 or 3 of their songs, and even sang a supposed improv song based on an animal thrown out from the crowd (pretty ponies eating grass).

Grace surprised me by going down by herself to sit with the other kids in front of the stage. Alex and I were about 8 rows back. I was even more impressed when I found out she wasn't sitting with anyone she knew because she wanted to sit right in front of the stage and all her friends were further back. I loved that my kids got an up close and personal look at a real live music show. I told Grace afterward that people pay money to see bands like that play, which is true because even though it was short and for kids, it was a professionally played show.

One of the local restaurants provided build-you-own taco dinner, and there were "math games" outside each of the classrooms. Poor Jim seems to have been hit by a big bad virus, so he wasn't able to make it. But the rest of us had a great time.

My sweet little ride

After waiting an hour and a half at the dealership, I was informed the repair to my car would take another 4 hours. Unfortunately that didn't jive with having to pick kids up from school on time (nor with the fact that my poor dog had already been in the kennel for 2 hours by then). So after a little back and forth they found this cute little thing for me to use for a few hours. The kids will be surprised when I pick them up (though Alex will probably complain because his Planet Heroes toys are still in my car). But, alas, I return it this afternoon.

Update: Apparently there is ANOTHER thing wrong with my car (thankfully covered by warranty), so I get to keep my little bug overnight. Grace wanted to know if we can buy it, or at least keep it until the end of January. I think Alex wants a bigger back seat so his sister doesn't touch his stuff.

Happy Birthday...

to my dear Sister-in-Law!

Go buy some purses from her - you won't be sorry.

I love you!!!

girl time

Alex went back to school almost a week before Grace did, which allowed us to have some quality girl time together. Much to Grace's delight we finally went and had our nails done together. She'd been asking me about it ever since finding out what the nail shop at Northpark was that we always walk past.


Grace got a manicure.


We both got pedicures.


Grace also picked up another set of Puppy in my Pocket dogs. It's nice that as my kids get older their toys seem to get smaller.


Even though she is a girl too, Lucy was unimpressed by it all.

Cabin in the woods

Jim has been badgering me to put some photos of our Thanksgiving vacation on the site, so I FINALLY got some off his computer to show off. We went to the Busy B Ranch in East Texas. It was a beautiful little cabin on a nice little pond not far from home. The ranch is also a hunting preserve, so there are lots of fences meaning no big wild animals (i.e. deer) to be seen. But plenty of lizards, birds, leaves, etc., to discover.


Our cabin behind the trees (LOTS of trees there). We pitched the tent too, but it was only used for the kids to play in.


The welcoming front door.


The porch swing. Our rule was no kids past the porch swing, simply because you can see there was no rail behind it, and there was probably at least a 10 foot drop off that side.


The view from our porch.


It doesn't take long for the Hutchinsons to bring their squalor to wherever they land.


Our little dock.


Jim takes the kids on a boat ride. I stayed back to keep Lucy company.


Alex protests having his picture taken.


Favorite activity any time my kids get out in nature - throwing rocks into a body of water.


We're going to the Ozarks for Spring Break. Longer drive but even better scenery!

A little Christmas cheer

I've got a few holiday-time pictures to share.

We made our annual visit to Santa with Grandma Bonnie this year. We went back to Willow Bend in Plano since it is usually less crowded than the madhouse Northpark has become.


Alex had been talking all year about getting to ride on Nu Nu again (if you ever watch Teletubbies, you know the character). The mall has about six of these little rides next to the play area.


Grace chose the Mustang to ride. She looked stylin', but got out about halfway through the ride. She's finally reached the age where it is "too boring." They only go back and forth, so I have to agree with her.


Both my kids after seeing Santa. I'm surprised we got Alex to smile for this one. After meeting Santa and telling him everything he wanted (and neither kid crying!), they each received a little puzzle as a gift. Alex then proceeded to bawl his eyes out. I finally got the reason out of him - he said "But Mama, I wanted a cool cool gift." Poor little guy thought that crappy cardboard puzzle was all Santa was going to give him that year.


Grace likes to pose herself for pictures now.


This is Grace (in the middle) with her friends Sarabeth and Amanda as peacocks in the church Christmas pageant. Peacocks and butterflies in the show are explained as being the "exotic" animals that came with the wise men. I think it is just a way to keep a lot of little girls happy without making them all angels once they outgrow (either in size or desire) the chicken/duck/cow/donkey/sheep costumes.


Alex had his Christmas show for school on the last day before break. His class sang Jingle Bells. You can see Alex above singing his heart out - one of the only ones in his class that did. Joy of joys, this was the first year he went up "on stage" and didn't cry!


A winning smile from my little guy after doing such a great job.

Woo hoo!

No accidents today! I had to explain to Alex that we take off our Spiderman underpants at night ("But Mommy, they aren't wet") because we have to change them every day just like our shirts. I hope tomorrow goes as dryly as today did.

Better?

Only two accidents today.

But we're taking no chances tomorrow. Pull Ups for both church and grandparent's house.

Lots of laundry

Alex started wearing underpants today.

He went through five pairs. The last pair was close enough to bedtime that he could go straight into the tub and then into a pull up.

Sigh.

Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Busiest mailing day of the year?

Or so trumpeted the newscasts today. But I stopped by my friendly neighborhood post office this afternoon around 1pm and spent all of about 5 minutes there mailing my two packages. The lady behind the counter did say it had been crazy earlier in the day. Guess I just got lucky.

And to the Ohio clan - your package should arrive via Priority Mail in a few days.

Leaf-jumping photos, plus a few others

We seem to get an inordinate amount of leaves in our front yard from our one (admittedly large) ash tree every year. To the point where there is always an annual moment when Jim and I can look down our street and every other house has a fairly empty lawn, while ours looks like someone exploded a tree in it. But it always provides us with a wonderful day of leaf pile jumping each year.


Alex about to jump.


Grace about to jump. Love this action photo Jim caught. Anyone else think she looks a lot like Emma?


This and the next couple photos just show in the kids faces how fun such a simple activity can be.






This was Grace almost entirely covered in leaves. She said she was being a "skeleton head."


Now for a few other random pics:

This was but a drop in the bucket of our pecan haul from the three trees in the back. We don't know how much of it is due to weather conditions and how much is due to the addition of a dog scaring squirrels away.


Grace DESPERATELY wanted to teach Lucy to jump through a hoop. I think Lucy was just plotting which one of my plants she was going to dig up next.


Alex is now in a big boy bed. And today we had the milestone of going 24 hours without peeing in his Pull Up (he went on the potty - don't want everyone to think he just held it). We're going to try the big switch to underpants when school is out for the holidays. Lord help us.


I just noticed this cluster of medications on the counter this evening. Pretty much sums up the state of my house these past few days. Luckily both kids tested negative today for strep, though Grace does have an ear infection. But I think we are all going to survive.