I signed us up for a membership at Lifetime Fitness today! There are tons of them around the country so I feel fairly confident that no one will be able to find my true identity through this bit of information and Ana over at Ramblings of a Woman asked. :)
I was a little disappointed at first because I was heading over this morning to start my One Week Free Membership Trial, thus putting off our actual commitment for another week. If I would have read the fine print on their website I would have know that the free week trial had to end on August 31st.
It would have been nice, however, when I called the gym this morning, if they would have told me that. They knew why I was coming.
It would not have altered my decision to go today if they had told me on the phone that I could not have a free week trial, and I would have felt they were more honest. Now I am scratching my head.
The best part about this place is there is not a contract. I do not have to promise to give them money for an entire year. We pay month by month. If I do want to quit and then choose to begin again, I will have to pay another membership fee, but I am planning to love it!
I after I signed us up, I picked up the kids from their child care area and we hit the pool!
The childcare area was great! There was an outdoor play scape, big overhead tubes to crawl through, an adorable miniature basketball court, computers where the kids could play games, and a place to do crafts. It looked fun to me!
DadOf3 even drove over during his lunch hour to check it out and pick up his card! I am hoping that we all go tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday to get a good feel for everything!
Princess was hopping mad this afternoon when she found out that the Prince and the Knight got to go swimming and she didn't. I told her that she gets to do stuff in school every day that they do not get to do but apparently that was no consolation.
Friday, August 31, 2007
By Request - updated pictures of Miney and Moe!
Here are some pictures of Miney and Moe.
<==Miney
<==Moe
I have neglected posting pictures of them lately and my Mom requested some new pictures so here they are!
We are off to the Gym!
The boys and I are off to the Gym! We are going to sign up for their 7 day free trial. This will be a good test to see how much we can realistically use the gym during the week. They boys can even be in their childcare area. I have heard great things about the childcare there. They have, of course, gym stuff, but they also have computer games. I will check it out and report back!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Swimming fun and potential work out time!
Man! Did we have fun tonight!
AB's mom invited all of the kids and me to meet them at their gym and go swimming. Let me tell you, this place was way fancier than the YMCA we have been flirting with joining.
It was gorgeous! It had both indoor and outdoor pools. Both of them are open 24 hours a day. The workout equipment is amazing. And, best of all, in addition to the monthly fee, for a mere $5 per kid per month, the little buckeroos can play in their childcare area for up to 2 hours per day PER PARENT (4 hours per day, not that we woudl do that)!
The YMCA charges $2 per kid per hour. That would add up fast if you go all of the time.
And since the purpose of joining a gym is to go all of the time so you can get into shape, it should really add up.
I am intrigued. So intrigued in fact, that I am planning to drag DadOf3 down there tomorrow night to check it out.
How do the rest of you moms out there work out?
When Princess started school last year, I had grand ideas about putting both boys in my jogging stroller and, well, jogging with them.
That worked almost as well as going to the grocery store and putting them side by side in one of those fancy schmancy car carts.
They do not sit nicely.
They do not keep their hands to themselves.
They scream at each other, pummel each other, and then take turns getting out of said cart and running away from me.
It is not a pretty sight.
At least with the jogger stroller, they are buckled in.
They would last about a mile and then start whacking on each other.
Hmm....
If I could talk DadOf3 into joining this gym not only would workouts be re-introduced into my daily routine but I would get up to two hours of "time off" away from the kids ever day.
I have never, ever in all of my time of being a mommy had regularly scheduled times away from my kids.
My ability to do something (work out, get a haircut, go to the dentist, go see the doctor) has always depended on my husband's ability to come home and watch the kids.
I joined Curves about a year and a half ago but their hours sucked - the latest I could start working out was 7:30.
We don't have family in town. I tell ya, count yourself lucky if you do have family available to watch your children!
To be able to work out again! Without bothering (begging, pleading, bribing) my husband!
That would be quite the dream come true for me!
And did I mention that they have a hair salon right there at the gym!
Heaven!
AB's mom invited all of the kids and me to meet them at their gym and go swimming. Let me tell you, this place was way fancier than the YMCA we have been flirting with joining.
It was gorgeous! It had both indoor and outdoor pools. Both of them are open 24 hours a day. The workout equipment is amazing. And, best of all, in addition to the monthly fee, for a mere $5 per kid per month, the little buckeroos can play in their childcare area for up to 2 hours per day PER PARENT (4 hours per day, not that we woudl do that)!
The YMCA charges $2 per kid per hour. That would add up fast if you go all of the time.
And since the purpose of joining a gym is to go all of the time so you can get into shape, it should really add up.
I am intrigued. So intrigued in fact, that I am planning to drag DadOf3 down there tomorrow night to check it out.
How do the rest of you moms out there work out?
When Princess started school last year, I had grand ideas about putting both boys in my jogging stroller and, well, jogging with them.
That worked almost as well as going to the grocery store and putting them side by side in one of those fancy schmancy car carts.
They do not sit nicely.
They do not keep their hands to themselves.
They scream at each other, pummel each other, and then take turns getting out of said cart and running away from me.
It is not a pretty sight.
At least with the jogger stroller, they are buckled in.
They would last about a mile and then start whacking on each other.
Hmm....
If I could talk DadOf3 into joining this gym not only would workouts be re-introduced into my daily routine but I would get up to two hours of "time off" away from the kids ever day.
I have never, ever in all of my time of being a mommy had regularly scheduled times away from my kids.
My ability to do something (work out, get a haircut, go to the dentist, go see the doctor) has always depended on my husband's ability to come home and watch the kids.
I joined Curves about a year and a half ago but their hours sucked - the latest I could start working out was 7:30.
We don't have family in town. I tell ya, count yourself lucky if you do have family available to watch your children!
To be able to work out again! Without bothering (begging, pleading, bribing) my husband!
That would be quite the dream come true for me!
And did I mention that they have a hair salon right there at the gym!
Heaven!
First Grade Day 3
Princess had a great third day of first grade. She was SO tired when she got home though, and she was down right ticked off to discover DadOf3 had taken time off to spend with the Prince. When the bus brought her home, DadOf3 and Prince were outside mowing.
To take her mind off of what she did not get to do, I suggested that she bake some brownies. She loves to bake. She loves to lick the mixing bowl even more!
The Prince invited the Princess, the Knight, and me to attend a baseball game last night. It unfortunately was rained out, but we didn't know that until we arrived. DadOf3 suggested to Princess that she take a little nap before we left. She was so tired she actually fell asleep on the couch!
Left Behind
Yesterday when DadOf3 came and took the Prince on his Special Day, the Knight was heartbroken. It is very difficult being the youngest kid. Princess gets to go to school. Prince will go next year.
And staying home with mom all the time is a poor consolation prize.
I'm not sure why I took the picture other than I can relate to the Knight's emotional outburst, being a younger sibling myself.
It isn't fair, but his day will come too!
Prince's Special Day
You may recall a while back, DadOf3 took Princess out for a Special Day at the end of July! They went to a movie, hit McDonald's and went shopping.
Yesterday, DadOf3 did the same thing with the Prince! He took a half day off of work, picked up the Prince and went to a movie and then hit McDonald's. When asked what he wanted to do next, the Prince said, "Mow the Lawn!" This may sound crazy but we have a riding lawnmower and the Princes loves to ride it! So DadOf3 came home with the Prince and mowed the lawn. Afterwards, they jumped into the shower and then headed to a store where DadOf3 proceeded to buy the Prince his very first baseball mit! My goodness, but he was proud!
Out of the kindness of his heart, the Prince invited Princess, Knight, and me to accompany them on the last venture of the day: a baseball game!
Unfortunately, it was raining too much for us when we got to the stadium. The Prince was sad but we ended up going out for pizza so that was a little bit of a consolation.
Daddies are so important in the lives of little boys (and little girls). I am very proud of my husband for taking time off work and dedicating it to each one of our children.
The Knight is next!
Throwback Thursday - our Honeymoon!
DadOf3 and I took a cruise after we got married. It was a very nice break after all of the work of planning a wedding. Here we are in front of our ship.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Day 2 of First Grade!
Princess had a great day at school once again! I remembered my camera so here is a picture of her getting off of the bus!
Yes, she is wearing a sweater as she is stepping off of the bus.
And yes, it was close to 100 degrees. I never did get a straight answer as to why she was wearing it, but I told her the sweater is for in the classroom only! Her teacher warned us in a letter that she keeps the classroom kind of chilly.
1st Grade is Great!
Princess came home from school last night tired but happy! She declared "First grade is GREAT!" and "My teacher is really calm!"
She did ride the bus home last night but I am ashamed to say that I forgot my camera. I will get a picture of her coming off of the bus tonight. I made cookies for her and finished up just as her bus was expected.
Today is Red Day in her class so we had to dig through to find something red. They have a color of the day every day so that could be challenging.
I am so glad that she had a good day! This morning she was very excited to go back to school. She did have some homework last night, and she wanted to read it 10 times so she would be able to read it really well today.
Monday, August 27, 2007
One Year Ago...
I was just going through some old pictures. Here is Princess's first day of Kindergarten!
The pictures of the boys show how much they have grown up in the last year too!
Wow!
Princess Enters First Grade!
I don't think I could have planned a better morning for Princess!
She requested that DadOf3 wake her up this morning. Because he was going to take her to school for her first day, I didn't send him up until 6:30. She woke up happy and came downstairs and, after getting dressed, ate some eggs for breakfast.
I got her up early every day last week so she would be used to the new early schedule.
She and DadOf3 took off in the truck around 7:20. DadOf3 called me just a few minutes ago with the drop off story.
Since parking was very minimal, he had to drive around a bit to find a parking spot. After they found one and started walking in, Princess spotted AB, her good friend from Kindergarten. Princess and AB talked the entire way to the classroom. DadOf3 had to keep scooting them along and AB's mom and dad had to keep hollering at AB to keep up with them!
Princess told me last night that she and AB would be sitting together this year. Since their last names are not anywhere close to one another in the alphabet, I doubted this and told her so. As it turns out, Princess was right! She and AB are sitting together! I am not sure how long this will last because both Princess and AB like to chat.
What a great day though! She meets up with one of her best friends on the way into the school and then gets to sit by him! How sweet!
I will write more after I debrief Princess after school!
:)
Friday, August 24, 2007
Princess's Last Day of Summer Vacation!
We have had a good summer. It is sad to see it come to an end, but we have made lots of fun memories.
To celebrate Princess's last official day of summer vacation, we had a popcorn party, at Princess's request. We watched Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses (yes, the boys actually do watch this with her!), ate popcorn and drank lemonade.
I think it hit home today for the Prince that Princess will be going back to school. Really, the Prince and the Princess need some time away from each other. They will end up getting along better in the end and I think the Knight and the Prince will play much better this year.
I am posting some pictures of our popcorn party.
TGIF!
What a Night!
We headed out around 5:00 last night and headed to Princess's school to find out who her teacher is for this year. It was a mad crush at the school, as people were lined up to read the teacher/class list. You would think that in this day and age, there would be a better way to announce these things!
Anyway, Princess was very happy with her teacher. We really do not know a lot about her but we met her and she seems very nice.
Princess was VERY excited that one of her best friends (AB) from last year is going to be in her class again. There were actually several of her good friends from Kindergarten in her new class.
We also were able to pick up her pre-ordered school supplies and t-shirts for the new year.
After spending a couple of hours at Princess's school, we came home. I had to turn right around again and head to a MOPS Steering meeting. This one lasted for 3 hours and we didn't even get to everything on the agenda! It was a good meeting with lots of information shared!
I got home last night around 10:30. Then DadOf3 got some good news! We have been trying to sell a duplex back in Iowa. Someone made a pretty low offer, so DadOf3 counter offered, and it was accepted! Yippee! Yahoo! Happy Dance Time!
We were up until around 1:00 because of all of the excitement.
Yawn! :)
Anyway, Princess was very happy with her teacher. We really do not know a lot about her but we met her and she seems very nice.
Princess was VERY excited that one of her best friends (AB) from last year is going to be in her class again. There were actually several of her good friends from Kindergarten in her new class.
We also were able to pick up her pre-ordered school supplies and t-shirts for the new year.
After spending a couple of hours at Princess's school, we came home. I had to turn right around again and head to a MOPS Steering meeting. This one lasted for 3 hours and we didn't even get to everything on the agenda! It was a good meeting with lots of information shared!
I got home last night around 10:30. Then DadOf3 got some good news! We have been trying to sell a duplex back in Iowa. Someone made a pretty low offer, so DadOf3 counter offered, and it was accepted! Yippee! Yahoo! Happy Dance Time!
We were up until around 1:00 because of all of the excitement.
Yawn! :)
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Tonight is the Night!
We are heading out in a few minutes to find out who Princess's first grade teacher will be this year! Princess is very excited and I have to say that I am too!
When I was in school, we didn't get to find out who our teacher would be until the very first day of school. I imagine that avoided a lot of parental complaints/student complaints when they didn't get the teacher that they wanted or they didn't get into the same class as so-and-so.
I do not know much about the 1st grade teachers. One was a Kindergarten teacher last year so Princess knows her.
We also get to pick up Princess's school supplies and school t-shirts. I hope they are cute this year!
I will update later tonight!
When I was in school, we didn't get to find out who our teacher would be until the very first day of school. I imagine that avoided a lot of parental complaints/student complaints when they didn't get the teacher that they wanted or they didn't get into the same class as so-and-so.
I do not know much about the 1st grade teachers. One was a Kindergarten teacher last year so Princess knows her.
We also get to pick up Princess's school supplies and school t-shirts. I hope they are cute this year!
I will update later tonight!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Throwback Thursday!
Oh wow. I have so much to say about this photo...instead I will just post! Happy TT!
I am on the far left, at 16 years old.
:)
Meme 3 of 3!
Meme # 3 --- I was tagged with a One Word Meme from Shana over at My Three Wisemans!
Here we go!
Where is your cell phone? Charger
Relationship? Married!
Your hair? Brown...
Work? Programmer.
Your sister? Funny!
Your favorite thing? Family!
Your dream last night? Winter...
Your favorite drink? Merlot
Your dream car? Convertible
The room you’re in? Living
Your shoes? Socks
Your fears? Safety
What do you want to be in 10 years? Together
Who did you hang out with this weekend? Family
What are you not good at? Confrontation
Muffin? Chocolate
One of your wish list items? Boat
Where you grew up? Iowa
Last thing you did? Groceries
What are you wearing? Purple
What aren’t you wearing? Shoes
Your pet? Kittens
Your computer? Laptop
Your life? Busy
Your mood? Happy
Missing? Iowa
What are you thinking about right now? Husband
Your car? Odyssey
Your kitchen? New
Your summer? Over :(
Your favorite color? Blue
Last time you laughed? Morning
Last time you cried? Forgotten
School? Bachelors
Love? Yes!
Here we go!
Where is your cell phone? Charger
Relationship? Married!
Your hair? Brown...
Work? Programmer.
Your sister? Funny!
Your favorite thing? Family!
Your dream last night? Winter...
Your favorite drink? Merlot
Your dream car? Convertible
The room you’re in? Living
Your shoes? Socks
Your fears? Safety
What do you want to be in 10 years? Together
Who did you hang out with this weekend? Family
What are you not good at? Confrontation
Muffin? Chocolate
One of your wish list items? Boat
Where you grew up? Iowa
Last thing you did? Groceries
What are you wearing? Purple
What aren’t you wearing? Shoes
Your pet? Kittens
Your computer? Laptop
Your life? Busy
Your mood? Happy
Missing? Iowa
What are you thinking about right now? Husband
Your car? Odyssey
Your kitchen? New
Your summer? Over :(
Your favorite color? Blue
Last time you laughed? Morning
Last time you cried? Forgotten
School? Bachelors
Love? Yes!
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Again, I will tag people a bit later when the kids are napping!
:)
:)
Meme 2 of 3!
One of my blogging friends Shana, has tagged me with not one but two Meme's.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meme # 1 --- 5 Old Posts from my blog
Link No. 1 must be about FAMILY
Link No. 2 must be about FRIENDS
Link No. 3 must be about YOURSELF, who you are, what you’re all about
Link No. 4 must be about something YOU LOVE
Link No. 5 can be ANYTHING you choose
I will tag people in a bit. For now I just want to get these up!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meme # 1 --- 5 Old Posts from my blog
Link No. 1 must be about FAMILY
Link No. 2 must be about FRIENDS
Link No. 3 must be about YOURSELF, who you are, what you’re all about
Link No. 4 must be about something YOU LOVE
Link No. 5 can be ANYTHING you choose
I will tag people in a bit. For now I just want to get these up!
Meme Catch Up! (One of 3)
I’ve been tagged by Deb at Mom Of Three Girls for this fun middle name meme.
Here are the rules:
- You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
- Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
- When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.
- At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
My middle name, like Deb’s, is
L – Loves kids. I love my three kids, my nieces, and my nephew more than anything!
Y – Yellow Bug Car. If I could choose the perfect car for me, it would be a yellow bug car. They just look so optimistic and happy! Don’t get me wrong, I love Otis our Odyssey, but a zippy little bug would be fun to drive around.
N –
I am still kind of new to this blogging business so I am not sure if I can find 4 people to tag starting with the letters of my middle name. I am going to follow Deb’s lead and choose bloggers with one of my middle name letters in their name, not necessarily the first letter though.
I tag….
KC at Mindless Chatter of a BusY Mom
Shana at My Three WisemaNs.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Falsely Accused and Vindicated!
What is stinkier than a poopy diaper?
What is more putridly powerful than baby vomit?
Last night after getting the Knight's head boo boo iced, bathing all three kids, and getting the Prince's rash taken care of, DadOf3 and I came downstairs and smelled it!
DadOf3 was very quick to blame our new little kittens Miney and Moe, and I cannot say that I rushed to their defense.
They can be stinky.
Their little box is stinky.
The food they eat is stinky. They emit fumes from their behinds that are way stinky!
After walking around downstairs last night, noses first, we located the smelly point of origin: the kids' toy box.
DadOf3 had seen Miney and Moe balancing on the edge of said toy box earlier that day.
Surely they were not coordinated enough to hover on the edge of the toy box and use it as a litter box?
Tell me it isn't so!!
The evidence against them was overwhelming.
We kept pulling out toy after toy saturated with stinky liquid.
It didn't look good for Miney and Moe...
...until we found it.
One of the Knight's sippie cups...
...filled with putrid, stinky, old, rancid milk...
had leaked inside the toy box.
Ick!
Miney and Moe were vindicated!
DadOf3 and I pledged to put all sippie cups in the refrigerator higher than the Knight can reach.
Did I mention the Knight's new trick? He can open the frig and get stuff out.
Ick!
Water Park!
We had a really fun time yesterday at the Water Park. It is really a pre-school type water park because there are no slides, just lots and lots of neat sprinklers!
Unfortunately, when we first arrived the water stopped sprinkling!! Luckily in this day and age, lots of folks had cell phones so someone made a call to the city and a city worker came out and tried to fix the water problem. It took them a good hour to get the water on and then it would only work for about 5 minutes and then turn off again.
While we were waiting for the city worker to arrive, our kids made their own fun! There was a drinking fountain that was still working so the kids took turns filling up their buckets and dumping the water over their heads! It was a really hot day, so this helped to cool them down.
After a while, we decided to eat our picnic supper and play on the playground equipment, still hoping that the water would eventually be turned back on.
Our hopes were answered after about an hour. The water turned on. While it didn't stay on like it was supposed to, at least the kids were able to get wet and stay cool.
The kids didn't want to leave once it was time to go. They were able to play for about and hour but they were so worn out from the playground, the heat, and finally playing in the water.
It was a fun day and we will be back again!
What a Night!
Yesterday was a busy day for us. We had some afternoon fun at a small water park here in town.
DadOf3 actually beat us home last night.
When we got home from the water park, things became chaotic. The Prince and the Knight tried to race up the stairs at the same time - the Knight lost and fell down two of the bottom stairs, hitting his head on the hardwood floor below. The Prince got a time-out for pushing past his brother and causing the fall. While in his room, he promptly fell asleep, having skipped his nap earlier in the day. After making sure the Knight was OK and feeding the Knight and the Princess because they were "super starving", DadOf3 went upstairs to get the Prince and have him go potty so he would not wet through. While he went potty, DadOf3 noticed a red, bumpy rash on the Prince's legs.
The Prince has very sensitive skin. My guess is that the water at the water park, treated with chlorine and other chemicals, caused the rash because after putting him in the tub and treating him with Cortaide, he is rash free this morning. Yippee!
Back to last night....
Because the Prince had a reaction to the water, we decided to throw the Princess and the Knight in the tub too. We normally doing this after playing in water anyway, but because it was so late we had opted out this time. Never again!
By the time everyone was bathed and fed and put into bed it was after 9:30 and DadOf3 and I had yet to eat supper. I quickly threw something together and we were eating by 10:00. It reminded us of our dating days when we never ate earlier than 9:00.
Whew!
I will post pictures and write about the water park in a bit!
DadOf3 actually beat us home last night.
When we got home from the water park, things became chaotic. The Prince and the Knight tried to race up the stairs at the same time - the Knight lost and fell down two of the bottom stairs, hitting his head on the hardwood floor below. The Prince got a time-out for pushing past his brother and causing the fall. While in his room, he promptly fell asleep, having skipped his nap earlier in the day. After making sure the Knight was OK and feeding the Knight and the Princess because they were "super starving", DadOf3 went upstairs to get the Prince and have him go potty so he would not wet through. While he went potty, DadOf3 noticed a red, bumpy rash on the Prince's legs.
The Prince has very sensitive skin. My guess is that the water at the water park, treated with chlorine and other chemicals, caused the rash because after putting him in the tub and treating him with Cortaide, he is rash free this morning. Yippee!
Back to last night....
Because the Prince had a reaction to the water, we decided to throw the Princess and the Knight in the tub too. We normally doing this after playing in water anyway, but because it was so late we had opted out this time. Never again!
By the time everyone was bathed and fed and put into bed it was after 9:30 and DadOf3 and I had yet to eat supper. I quickly threw something together and we were eating by 10:00. It reminded us of our dating days when we never ate earlier than 9:00.
Whew!
I will post pictures and write about the water park in a bit!
Monday, August 20, 2007
One week from today....
Dear World:
I bequeath to you today one little girl…in a crispy dress…with two blue eyes…and a happy laugh that ripples all day long…and a flash of light blond hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I trust you will treat her well.
She’s slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning…and skipping off down the street to her first day of school. And never again will she be completely mine. Prim and proud she’ll wave her young and independent hand this morning and say “Goodbye” and walk with little lady steps to the schoolhouse.
Now she’ll learn to stand in lines…and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called. She’ll learn how it is to feel hurt inside. And now she’ll learn how not to cry.
No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch an ant scurry across the crack in the sidewalk. Nor will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn to kiss lilac blossoms in the morning dew. No, now she will worry about the important things…like grades and which dress to wear and whose best friend is whose. And the magic of books and learning will replace the magic of her blocks and dolls. And she’ll find new heroes.
For five full years now I’ve been her sage and Santa Claus and pal and playmate and mother and friend. Now she’ll learn to share her worship with her teachers…which is only right. But, no longer will I be the smartest, greatest person in the whole world. Today when that school bell rings for the first time…she’ll learn what it means to be a member of the group…with all its privileges and its disadvantages too.
She’ll learn in time that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud…or kiss dogs…or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms…or even watch ants scurry across cracks in sidewalks in the summer.
Today she’ll learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. And I’ll stand on the front porch and watch her start out on the long, lonely journey to becoming a woman.
So, world, I bequeath to you one little girl…in a crispy dress…with two blue eyes…and a happy laugh that ripples all day long…and a flash of light blond hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I trust you’ll treat her well.
My sister found this last year and sent it to me. I do not know the author. It makes me cry every time I read it!Sunday Update!
Yesterday was a lazy day at our house and that doesn't happen very often. We skipped church because we were up so late on Saturday night. We all took naps after lunch. Before supper last night, we headed outside and played in the water. The kids had fun making "muddy soup", riding scooters, and playing baseball.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Weekend fun!
DadOf3 and I invited some friends over last night to play cards. It worked out really well.
They have an 8 year old girl and an almost 14 year old boy.
The 8 year old and Princess disappeared within minutes of their arrival and the 14 year old really wanted to play cards.
While I was away on my Girl's Gone Wild weekend trip, this family stayed with us. They were in the process of closing on the house they were selling and closing on their new house and were stuck in limbo, without a home for 5 days. I didn't plan to be gone while they were here, although a small part of me was glad to escape having visitors for several days (weak, I know). DadOf3 and the kids were good hosts and I was around for the last night of their stay. While I was away, DadOf3, the 14 year old and his parents played lots of cards! That is how last night came about.
It was a fun night!
Do any of you play cards?
Euchre is really big in our family. I am extremely glad that I learned how to play the game before meeting my in-laws because playing euchre with them can get plenty serious!
We taught our friends Euchre last night and we also played Pitch.
They ended up staying until right around 11:00. That meant that Princess and Prince stayed up until 11:00. It was not a pretty sight trying to tuck these two in! DadOf3 ended up laying down with the Prince and I laid down with the Princess until she fell asleep. DadOf3 fell asleep beside the Prince and I thought it would be cruel to wake him up to tell him to go to sleep so I just left them alone.
I came downstairs, checked some email, and read for an hour or so. It is rare to get an uninterrupted hour of reading....
Because of the late night, we skipped church this morning. The kids would have been awful to their Sunday School teachers.
Speaking of Sunday School teachers, did I mention that DadOf3 and I are going to be Sunday School teachers next year? It will be fun! It is only for a couple of hours one Sunday a month. We may or may not have Prince's class.
They have an 8 year old girl and an almost 14 year old boy.
The 8 year old and Princess disappeared within minutes of their arrival and the 14 year old really wanted to play cards.
While I was away on my Girl's Gone Wild weekend trip, this family stayed with us. They were in the process of closing on the house they were selling and closing on their new house and were stuck in limbo, without a home for 5 days. I didn't plan to be gone while they were here, although a small part of me was glad to escape having visitors for several days (weak, I know). DadOf3 and the kids were good hosts and I was around for the last night of their stay. While I was away, DadOf3, the 14 year old and his parents played lots of cards! That is how last night came about.
It was a fun night!
Do any of you play cards?
Euchre is really big in our family. I am extremely glad that I learned how to play the game before meeting my in-laws because playing euchre with them can get plenty serious!
We taught our friends Euchre last night and we also played Pitch.
They ended up staying until right around 11:00. That meant that Princess and Prince stayed up until 11:00. It was not a pretty sight trying to tuck these two in! DadOf3 ended up laying down with the Prince and I laid down with the Princess until she fell asleep. DadOf3 fell asleep beside the Prince and I thought it would be cruel to wake him up to tell him to go to sleep so I just left them alone.
I came downstairs, checked some email, and read for an hour or so. It is rare to get an uninterrupted hour of reading....
Because of the late night, we skipped church this morning. The kids would have been awful to their Sunday School teachers.
Speaking of Sunday School teachers, did I mention that DadOf3 and I are going to be Sunday School teachers next year? It will be fun! It is only for a couple of hours one Sunday a month. We may or may not have Prince's class.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
World of the Whys!
Just like his brother and sister before him, the Knight has entered into the "World of the Whys".
The Knight has actually been asking "Why?" for a while now, imitating the Prince and Princess. He started at (and I am not kidding) 18 months old. He didn't know what he was saying, but the word "Why?" started coming out of his mouth anyway.
If someone would ask him "Why?" he would answer "Because!" without missing a beat!
It was a game.
We would go back and forth...
"Why?"
"Because!"
"Because!"
"Why?".
Well, now that the Knight is officially 2 1/2, he asks "Why?" and actually knows what he us asking.
This morning the Knight was sitting on the couch beside Princess. He would ask her "Why?", and she would patiently answer him.
This went on and on for about 15 minutes until the Princess, in complete and utter frustration, answered his last "Why?" with "I am NOT going to tell you!" and stomped away.
This made me chuckle to myself.
The Prince and the Princess were both extremely trying at this age. They questioned everything. While it is really neat to watch your child discover the world around them and seek knowledge, at the end of the day I was plumb tuckered out!
And now our third child is entering into this phase.
Only he is asking questions of the Princess and Prince too!
I will not be the only one fielding questions and getting frustrated by this.
Ha!
:)
The Knight has actually been asking "Why?" for a while now, imitating the Prince and Princess. He started at (and I am not kidding) 18 months old. He didn't know what he was saying, but the word "Why?" started coming out of his mouth anyway.
If someone would ask him "Why?" he would answer "Because!" without missing a beat!
It was a game.
We would go back and forth...
"Why?"
"Because!"
"Because!"
"Why?".
Well, now that the Knight is officially 2 1/2, he asks "Why?" and actually knows what he us asking.
This morning the Knight was sitting on the couch beside Princess. He would ask her "Why?", and she would patiently answer him.
This went on and on for about 15 minutes until the Princess, in complete and utter frustration, answered his last "Why?" with "I am NOT going to tell you!" and stomped away.
This made me chuckle to myself.
The Prince and the Princess were both extremely trying at this age. They questioned everything. While it is really neat to watch your child discover the world around them and seek knowledge, at the end of the day I was plumb tuckered out!
And now our third child is entering into this phase.
Only he is asking questions of the Princess and Prince too!
I will not be the only one fielding questions and getting frustrated by this.
Ha!
:)
Friday, August 17, 2007
Sucked into the PTA
The last couple of posts have been for the grandparents and aunts and uncles. I will never get over how absolutely cool it is to take a picture of a morning activity and be able to share it with my parents, sister, and in-laws that afternoon. Yes, if I were more efficient, it could be done even faster. Still cool though!
This has been a week....
Monday I took Princess to her well check. She did great, was declared "Well!" (for which I am eternally grateful!), and survived the torment of the chicken pox booster.
Tuesday I went to a meeting that I am still scratching my head about....
Background: Princess's school has a big Festival every fall. As with any big event, there is a LOT of planning involved.
Last year I was a Kindergarten parent, naive (to a certain extent) and ready, willing, and able to get involved.
I signed up to be a Room Parent (a.k.a. Princess's teacher's lackey) and helped Princess's teacher coordinate other parents into action. I did my share of cutting, stapling, and chaperoning but I also signed up other parents to do these things.
Princess's Kindergarten class was great! When we needed money to do something, there were volunteers to give money. When we needed people to chaperon, there were people to chaperon.
One of the biggest benefits of being a Room Parent?? You get to know things before they actually happen.
I was "in the know".
I think I did an OK job of passing this information on to the other parents in Princess's class, but it really was nice to know things before they were going to happen.
Back to the Present: This year I was asked (suckered) into being the Festival Liaison. This is the person who takes thoughts and ideas from the Festival Committee and gives them to all of the parents at the school. ALL of the parents, not just the Kindergarten parents or the First Grade parents, ALL of the parents.
There are 5-6 classes PER grade K-5!
What have I gotten myself into?
What I really want to do is be Princess's class Room Parent. I know how to do this. I never, EVER had to get in front of the entire group of the school's parents and tell them what to do.
I can do this though.
I was a project manager in an IT business unit before I quit to have kids.
Lord knows I know how to boss people around after having three kids.
But these are adults. Not kids. And I have to ask. Nicely.
Because this is the
biggest.
fund.
raiser.
of.
the.
year.
They made over $30,000 last year.
This is serious.
So, on Tuesday night I attended a meeting for the Festival.
...
...
It was, in a (hyphenated) word, "high-schoolish".
There were 7 ladies there.
There was gossip.
There was "I am so fat" talk.
There was "lots of crap I don't want to spend 2 hours listening to".
I am from the school of "If you have to have a meeting, let's meet and get this crap done with as soon as possible."
Time's a wastin'!
I really do not want to discuss your hairstylist and why you don't like her anymore....
STOP GOING TO HER if this is an issue!!
Maybe I am not cut out for this job after all....
There were exactly two things that needed to be decided.
They were decided in the first 5 minutes.
This could have been done over email.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
This has been a week....
Monday I took Princess to her well check. She did great, was declared "Well!" (for which I am eternally grateful!), and survived the torment of the chicken pox booster.
Tuesday I went to a meeting that I am still scratching my head about....
Background: Princess's school has a big Festival every fall. As with any big event, there is a LOT of planning involved.
Last year I was a Kindergarten parent, naive (to a certain extent) and ready, willing, and able to get involved.
I signed up to be a Room Parent (a.k.a. Princess's teacher's lackey) and helped Princess's teacher coordinate other parents into action. I did my share of cutting, stapling, and chaperoning but I also signed up other parents to do these things.
Princess's Kindergarten class was great! When we needed money to do something, there were volunteers to give money. When we needed people to chaperon, there were people to chaperon.
One of the biggest benefits of being a Room Parent?? You get to know things before they actually happen.
I was "in the know".
I think I did an OK job of passing this information on to the other parents in Princess's class, but it really was nice to know things before they were going to happen.
Back to the Present: This year I was asked (suckered) into being the Festival Liaison. This is the person who takes thoughts and ideas from the Festival Committee and gives them to all of the parents at the school. ALL of the parents, not just the Kindergarten parents or the First Grade parents, ALL of the parents.
There are 5-6 classes PER grade K-5!
What have I gotten myself into?
What I really want to do is be Princess's class Room Parent. I know how to do this. I never, EVER had to get in front of the entire group of the school's parents and tell them what to do.
I can do this though.
I was a project manager in an IT business unit before I quit to have kids.
Lord knows I know how to boss people around after having three kids.
But these are adults. Not kids. And I have to ask. Nicely.
Because this is the
biggest.
fund.
raiser.
of.
the.
year.
They made over $30,000 last year.
This is serious.
So, on Tuesday night I attended a meeting for the Festival.
...
...
It was, in a (hyphenated) word, "high-schoolish".
There were 7 ladies there.
There was gossip.
There was "I am so fat" talk.
There was "lots of crap I don't want to spend 2 hours listening to".
I am from the school of "If you have to have a meeting, let's meet and get this crap done with as soon as possible."
Time's a wastin'!
I really do not want to discuss your hairstylist and why you don't like her anymore....
STOP GOING TO HER if this is an issue!!
Maybe I am not cut out for this job after all....
There were exactly two things that needed to be decided.
They were decided in the first 5 minutes.
This could have been done over email.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Friday Fun!
Last night we went shopping and found a new scooter for the Prince!
He has a three wheeled one right now but really wanted a two wheeled one. Because scooters help to practice balance we thought it would be a good idea to pick up one for the Prince. He was SO excited to go outside this morning and try it out!
I really thought we would have a couple of tumbles and spills before he got the hang of it but nope! He took to it like a fish to water. He was scooting all the way down the driveway and back like a pro!
Princess already has a 2 wheeled scooter and she was so happy that the Prince got one too. It was hot and muggy but we spent about an hour outside scooting this morning.
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