Sports Candy

Since the kids are home with me all day, I try to place a "limit" on TV time; I don't want to be a villian about it, but I try not to turn it on until around 4PM when I start dinner, unless I'm doing something where I really need to focus (painting, mopping, etc.), then I'll turn it on with a timer. Typically it's unplugged because those rascals know exactly how to turn it on and change the channels.

But there are some shows, that do teach good lessons, even if I don't realize it at the time. Cooper was going into the fridge this morning to get an apples for Ava and himself, and he said to me, "Mom, you know what this is?" "Yes," I replied, "a red apple." "No, Mom, it's sports candy, and it makes you big and strong." As he takes a big bite.

He got that from Lazy Town, a show that encourages kids to eat apples and carrots; the shows hero "Sportacus" "sports candy." The premise is the kids need Sportacus to help them be active and play outdoors rather than stay inside playing video games, the villian is Robbie Rotten who wants them to stay lazy. It's actually a great, healthy, show!

Alphabet Tales

Sometimes I Just Google Myself

What do you need?

Go to Google, type in (including the quotation marks) "[your name] needs". Post the results here.

Here are ten random "needs" for Heidi and Joey. See what you find for yourself!

Heidi needs a day off!
Heidi's needs for love
Heidi needs to finish her latest novel
Heidi needs prayer
Heidi needs to find where she fits in
Heidi Needs More Privacy
Heidi Needs Chocolate
Heidi needs help with her family tree
Heidi needs more experience before she can play with the big kids
Heidi needs to know

Joey needs a spanking!
Joey Needs a sidekick
Joey needs to stand up for himself
Joey needs no Viagra
Joey needs a red headed, cute and funny, version of himself
Joey needs money for new head shots
Joey needs to put a bit of weight on
Joey needs to either go home or back to real rehab
Joey needs some rest
Joey needs some good vibes

Rust Pond

In May, we visited our Aunt up in NH. The kids got to boat around Rust Pond, with Auntie Karen and Uncle Rich, and had a great time.

VBS is Over

Rather than subject you to the entire 4 minutes, here's a condensed 1 and 1/2 minutes of their commencement program. Unfortunately, some parents blocked the view, but Ava is in the upper right corner by the front right pew wearing a red grass skirt dancing away, and Cooper is just to the left, behind her playing a "yukelele."

Me for you and you for me!

It's great being brother and sister!

Slumber Party In Our Room

Lately, for no reason, the kids want to sleep together on the floor, slumber party style.

OK! Whatever makes them happy! We give them kisses, cover them up, and close the door! Nighty, night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite! Then, later, we sneak in and place them in the appropriate beds. Maybe one night we should put Ava in Cooper's bed, and Cooper in Ava's bed! See what happens in the morning!

Off to School We Go

Father's Day

Father's Day was Sunday, and what a good day it was! It started with the kids waking Daddy up (we thought about breakfast in bed, but right now they are just too little not to bounce around and get drink and food everywhere!) Then we came downstairs, had a breakfast of strawberry creme crepes, hashbrown omelette with green chiles, sausage, fresh fruit (nectarines, bing cherries, and cantelope), topped off with mimosas. The kids gave Daddy their presents to thank him for being such a great Daddy; they made him mugs at the ceramic shop on base so everyday when he has his coffee he can think of them! They also gave him handmade cards and certificates for 1 car wash (they'll need help, of course!) Joey got the idea how much we all appreciate and love him, that, to us, he's the best Daddy ever!

Summer School

Cooper and Ava will be attending their first Summer Camp/School today. It runs for one week, from Monday, June 16th through Friday, June 20th, for a half day from 9:00am-12:30pm. The theme is Outrigger Island. Each day will be filled with music, games, crafts, food, and more. This will be the first organized "school" type environment they've been in since last September, so it's going to be fun for them!

Eco-Dining Room

OK, so it's not really an eco-dining room, but it's green!

We selected Dutch Boy Dirt Fighter in Sleepy Hollow (2-G5). Very different from the red we originally envisioned, but it's modern, relaxed, and fits our style well. The photos don't depict the true color, but you'll see it on your next visit, hopefully. We completed it in a few days.

Here are a before, after, and close-up...

Around the County

Posted outside a local church:

"Truth Decay?
Brush up on the Bible"

"Need Exercise?
Walk with the Lord."

Happy Birthday, Dear Alex!

Paraskavedekatriaphobia

If you suffer from this, don't worry! There is only one this year! If you don't know what it is, then you don't suffer, and enjoy the rest of the year!

Click here if you must know.

Pre-K Assessment

Today we took Cooper for the Onslow County Pre-K assessment. It went fairly smooth, but we were told by someone who previously worked in the county school district that knows Cooper, that the assessment is hit or miss in selecting a a child for a spot. She also indicated that Cooper would most likely not get a spot because with his current skill level, he wouldn't have a developmental need.

For the last two weeks, it was weird, we had to refrain from going over alphabets, numbers, etc. with him because we didn't want to hurt his chances of getting in! Doesn't that seem backwards?

They told us they would notify us of the results of his assessment sometime in August, and that he would then be selected (or not) for a Pre-K spot.

It's like a catch-22; you want them to get into Pre-K; but you want them to be bright enough that, in fact, they weren't selected, if that makes sense! But the TA there told Joey there were also spots available in our school District that were not based on developmental or financial criteria, so that increases the chances of his getting a spot (depending on how many other children apply.)

Here's crossing our fingers!

Smithsonian Natural History Museum

On our visit to DC, I took the kids to the Smithsonian. Cooper, of course, loved the dinosaurs (rrrrrrr!) Ava, meanwhile, wasn't very taken by them. In fact, I think she was a little intimidated/frightened by their size (sort of like how she's scared of Chuck E. Cheese and Santa!) But, once we entered the Butterfly Exhibit, she came to life! She loved seeing all the beautiful live butterflies flying around, their sizes and colors! It was great!

Sewing 101

Last night, Wendy's Mom (visiting from Texas) was kind enough to give us a Sewing 101 class. She was a seamstress in a former life, so now, on her annual vacation to visit her daughter and family, she's been roped into, well, showing us the sewing ropes.
Cooper, Ava, and I trotted down with my sewing machine and fabric in hand, and set to work. Paulette went over all the stiches, but more importantly how to thread the machine!
Joey came to help me round up the kids and by that time, I'd made two cloth napkins (trying to go green and stop using paper.) I'm going to try to work on the rest so I have a set of 8 this week!
It was a simple project, but it got me acclimated to my machine, to sewing, and now I can sew on Joey's name tapes if I need to!

Next up, a dress for Ava!

Auntie Ari's Ride

Having fun in the back of Auntie Ari's ride...

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!!

Well, the temperatures here in North Carolina has been soaring, we've had record heat waves for our area. Today is forecast for 100 degrees, and that doesn't include the heat index, which will take us up to "feels like" 105 or 106 degrees.

Yikes! I've moved our park play dates to 0900 so the kids don't get heat exhaustion! Friday I took them to the park and they were soaked within minutes!

Sing-Along

(Hum "How do you Solve A Problem Like Maria" in your heads...)

How do you make her stay?
And listen to all you say

How do you keep a wave upon the sand?

Oh how do you solve a problem like Ava?

How do you hold a moon beam in your hand?

When I'm with her
I'm confused
Out of focus
And bemused
And I never know exactly where I am

Unpredictable as weather
She's as flighty as a feather
She's a darling
She's a demon
She's a lamb

She'd out pester any pest
Drive a hornet from its nest

She can throw a twirling dervish out of whirl

She is gentle
She is wild
She's a riddle
She's a child
She's a headache
She's an angel
She's a girl!!

(all at once)
How do you solve a problem like Ava?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Ava?
How do you hold a moon beam in your hand?

Writers Note: Ava is not *really* a problem as the modified song suggests, just perplexing, crazy, fun, and teaches us new things about her and ourselves *everyday*!!

Are We Short or Is This Thing Tall?!

At the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, elephant discovery.

Joey's Frocking

Friday Joey was frocked, officially now HM1, Petty Officer 1st Class.

It's a Good Day for Ice Cream

As we sat a few weeks back at Pack's roadside Ice Cream in New Market, Virginia, eating cones with sprinkles, Cooper looked at Ava and told her, "It's a good day for ice cream."

CrossFit

Our neighbor (and friend) Wendy is married to a Marine. She's a former Marine. And she's studying to become a personal trainer.

She's asked me a few times if I'd like to work out together in her garage gym. "Of course I do" I've said, and meant it. But somehow, we've never gotten around to it.

Saturday, she mentioned it again. "Sure, we'll set a time." Maybe that was vague?

Sunday, she gave me an actual date; let's work out Monday or Tuesday. "OK, sure, just give me a call and we'll work out the details."

Today, she called and said, how about this afternoon. Yikes! She's really holding me to this! While I've really wanted to (really, no joke!) I'm not even close to being half as fit as her!

OK, I say to myself, just put on those baggy workout clothes and go do it. The three of us traipse across the street. The kids make their way up to her daughters room, where she's waiting after Pre-K (Cooper and her daughter are only about a year apart.)

Children taken care of, we begin.

WOW! This is not bad! I can do this! Wendy uses the CrossFit circuit system, which uses interval strength training, in repeated intense sections for a timed period. For 20 minutes we did continuous reps of pushups, dips, box jumps, and squats (with a medicine ball.) I made it! AND I'm actually looking forward to doing this again, with Wendy guide me! Best of all, I don't have to go anywhere but across the street!

However, it's 7 hours later and I'm getting pretty sore...

Today I Love...

.. my husband. I always do, of course, but yesterday, he watched our kids AND my girlfriend's two children (her hub is away right now), so we could go out and see the move "Sex In The City." Without prompting. He offered, for no occasion or strings attached, to watch 4 kids, aged 2 to 9, for 6 hours while we went to the movies, went to Starbucks, and looked at paint chips. What a great hubby.