Spanish lessons

Aiden and I had so much fun today in the car playing the game, "What starts with the letter ___?" It was right about the letter m when Aiden says something like, "ma-hoo-wee - that's Spanish." I know from recent conversations that his friend, Theodore, at school has been teaching him "Spanish." I also know enough about those lessons to remind Aiden that "just because you say something that doesn't make sense doesn't make it Spanish." He was not convinced. He decided to try it out again when we got around to the letter d, informing me the "dough-wee" was Spanish, too. Too funny.

Same time, same place

Today we went to the pumpkin patch we've gone to for a couple years now. Here's a couple shots from today, along with a comp photo from last year (1 year ago tomorrow!). It's fun to see the shots together to realize how much the kids have grown and changed in a year, yet see the similarities, too. We've gotten the pumpkins, had our costume pictures taken, and are just about ready for the big day! Especially after our fun Halloween playdate with friends yesterday, we are totally in the spirit of the holiday and can't wait until trick-or-treating on Saturday.

Parent Perspective

Last night I was watching Andrew help Aiden read an easy-reader book I checked out of the library. I had an ear out because, as a mother, I'm always curious to see how they interact, but, as a teacher, I wanted to hear what Andrew said to prompt him and how Aiden would respond. Listening confirmed what I already know about most parents - they don't really have a lot in their bag of helpful tricks beyond "sound it out" and just telling the word. Andrew shot me a look when I pointed out to him that letter-by-letter sounding out of the word "way" is "w..ah..yuh" - not going to get you to the end result. I kept my mouth shut after that, thanking God that I do have a spouse that wanted nothing more than to just sit and enjoy reading to and with his child. But it did leave me thinking a lot about what I saw. My husband is a smart man, yet I know from many experiences that this is pretty typical of how he reads with Aiden. On parent nights at school, teachers often give big program overviews and want parents to leave with lots of make-and-take activities they can do at home. But knowing my husband and the hours we work and what we do, I envision that the best thing I would want him to learn is just a few ways to guide Aiden when sitting on the couch at the end of the night having Aiden try to read to him.

Lisa Leonard Designs Jewelry GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Lisa Leonard Designs Jewelry GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Found another...Someone pass this to Andrew. :) Love the ring. Maybe will have to gift one to myself with "Aiden" & "Gracie."

Indian Summer Shirt and Skirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Indian Summer Shirt and Skirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Found this blog through another I read. Beautiful top and skirt! It's things like this that make me wish I had time to take sewing classes and the time and talent to make unique pretty things such as this. Maybe someday soon...

At least I tried, right?

I have been a long-time admirer of the blog Make-and-Takes, along with a few others that regularly inspire me to think, "Wow, I'd really like to do that if I had a lot more time and a little more motivation!" Andrew and I have had lots of conversations recently about taking a hard look at how much sugar and artificial ingredients Aiden and Gracie have been getting. So, I was inspired to try to make Strawberry Fruit Leather. Three ingredients, two steps - how hard could it be? Apparently harder than I thought. Was it cooking it in the oven that did it? Maybe turning the oven off and on in order to a) sleep and b) go to work? Maybe I just didn't have that magic I-make-homemade-snacks-for-my-kids touch. (above - Marie's version). Here was mine - so, so sad...



I am destined to feed my children fruit juice from concentrate, high fructose corn syrup, pectin, citric acid, dextrose, etc. Sorry, kids!

Enjoy -

Can't think of anything creative - why not copy an idea?

Thanks Jess and Ang -

A - Age: 32
B - Bed size: Queen
C - Chore you hate: Hard to pick just one...dusting??
D - Dog's name: nonexistant
E - Essential start your day item: Coffee
F - Favorite color: Green
G - Gold or Silver: Silver lately, but still like gold
H - Height: 5'3+
I - Instruments you play: Scary-sounding piano
J - Job title: reading coach
K - Kid(s): Aiden - 5, Gracie - 2 1/2
L - Living arrangements: 4 bedroom home with husband and kids
M - Mom's name: Gloria
N - Nicknames: Baby, Mommy, P.I.A.
O - Overnight hospital stay: Lucky - only twice - delivering children, once - on awful chair next to Andrew
P - Pet Peeve: hearing someone chew with their mouth open
Q - Quote from a movie: blanking right now. think more of songs from movies
R - Right or left handed: right
S - Siblings: 1 brother not too far away, 2 sisters close by, 2 half-brothers much farther away
T - Time you wake up: work days - 5:30ish, home days - when I have to (7:30 or later on a lucky day!)
U - Underwear: clean
V - Vegetable you dislike: beets
W - Ways/Reasons you run late: any way possible, it's really a way of life
X - X-rays you've had: teeth, knee
Y - Yummy food you make: Jan's lemon bars
Z - Zoo animals you like: meerkats

That's Not my Song...

Okay - my children are in a full-on music kick these days and it's so funny to me the songs that they latch on to. Here are their current top 5 scream-and-cry-if-you-don't-play-them-so-I-can-sing-and-dance-in-the-car songs:

1. Footloose (still the reigning champion after all this time)
2. Hooked on a Feeling (Ouga Chaka Ouga Chaka)
3. Brass Monkey (when Daddy is involved)
4. Fight for Your Right (to Party)
5. That's Not My Name - two clips from current video here, but funny. Is Aiden prepping for a cheerleading career? And, yes, Gracie spins until she's sick and can't get up.

Just the 3 of us

Andrew left before we woke this morning for his conference. Its so easy to not be minding the time ahead of me with the kids this morning. Although, it is only the first morning and not a work/daycare day! We've actually started to establish a few traditions and routines when he's on his work trips.

1. Dinner with Ang and the triplets. Ang already called and set it up for tomorrow. (Thanks for remembering!)
2. Aiden gets to sleep in bed with me. I love to have the company. (But I do always feel bad shipping him back off to his room when Andrew returns).
3. Breakfast for dinner - has to happen once each trip.
4. Bribing the kids that Daddy will have something special for them when he gets home if they are on their best behavior for me. (I'm convinced this is really how the souvenir industry stays afloat. Why else would anyone spend good money on that junk?
5. Things getting crazy enough for me to really realize what Andrew does around the house and with the kids. Makes me wonder if he times these things strategically....

Good thing I'm posting this now since I will probably need to come back and read this to remind myself of these things by about 9:00pm tonight!

Andrew, don't read this

Okay, I probably shouldn't admit this, BUT...At the end of the night when we're cleaning up kids toys and I rearrange Gracie's dollhouse, there is a small (okay, not so small) amount of satisfaction I get by putting the mommy alone in the bathtub while the daddy is upstairs taking care of the kids by himself!

Times they are a changin'

Kid note - I am totally amazed every day at how old Aiden is getting. This weekend really makes me realize it: first t-ball practice Friday night, last soccer game Saturday, birthday party Sunday. Today he picked out a beautiful huge fake rose at the Dollar Store to give to Ms. Diane for Valentine's Day next week - so funny. Last night before bed he was being a stinker and getting out, but still being too cut. This, of course, gets me into trouble when he knows I'm having a hard time getting mad at him. At one point - I'm not sure if it was what he said or did - but he walked out of his bedroom and I said to him, "Stop getting bigger!!" Andrew laughed and told me later that he was thinking the same thing at that time. It's exciting to see all the fun "big boy" things we have to look forward to, but really makes me realize how fast time really flies (and how organized I'm going to have to be now that sporting schedules are coming into the mix). Even scarier - Kindergarten Roundup is March 26th!!!! Lot's too look forward to, yet so many moments stop and enjoy.

momish

Those looking momish (pronounced /ˈmɑːmɪʃ/) are members of exclusive group of mothers, best known for boring hair cuts, plain clothes, and looking much older than their years due to the job of raising children. (The word "momish" is a term used by mothers; the non-mothers would refer to them as the "plain folk"). Variations of looking momish have been spotted for decades, the most popular being when dressed in the mom jean. (see above small) Similar varieties include the three quarter sleeve top, tie waist top, and maternity-style top when not pregnant (see ridiculous example at left). Remedies for feeling momish include indulging hair cuts and styles by a trained woman who understands, retail therapy to include something a going-on-thirty-two-mother-of-two wouldn't normally wear, and wearing of said clothing on evening out with no children and lasting past 10:00pm.

Off to a good start

Post #1! Ang will be so proud. I may take this in a kid direction, but for now, this is for me. I am trying very hard this year to be sane and hope this will help. :) Planning day at school today was a blessing for me to get started off with organizing at work. I dismissed concern for working for others (or shall I say, guilt about what I thought I SHOULD be doing) and got myself together. I am trying hard to think ahead of how to best use my time at home, but starting this might not be helpful in that area. We'll see. I've made that phone calls I need to for scheduling appts, another plus (oops - just remembered one more for Gracie...).

I am looking forward to VEGAS (1 week and 2 days till leaving) and will need to be on my game to get there without going crazy. From Sunday till we leave on Thursday, I will need to -
see Papa after he arrives from Buffalo
pack and deliver (hopefully) kid bags
take care of kids without Andrew from Monday on
pack myself for travel
WORK! and arrive at a respectable time each day

Wish me luck!