Sping Changes

While in the front yard admiring all the Spring flowers Mimi said:"It has Bizz-azz!"
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Way back in 2006 I saved up for Greg to get an iPod nano. That thing has not left his side for a moment (much like Yoda's bunny, only slightly more useful). Music, podcasts, a clock aaaaand that's it. No phone, camera or internet access. While commuting to Boston for years Greg got into lots of podcasts, and while studying (for years) Greg listened to a bunch of music. It has been a part of his day for almost 6 years. And although if he were married to a different woman who would be OK with him buying new tech products the moment they were released (meaning he would love to be an early adopter) he really hasn't complained in all those years about his iPod's limitations. Not a ton of space for all his music and podcasts.

A few months ago he talked about using his birthday money to buy a new iPod with more space for all his stuff. I talked him out of it and he bought a miter saw instead--YES! But in the news lately there are stories of iPods setting on fire, so they are recalling the iPods like Greg's, so he sent it back to Apple yesterday. I was more emotional then Greg, he treated it like taking off a band-aid, very quickly. The good news is he gets a bigger iPod AND the miter saw! Win Win!

I made Greg pose for a photo with his trusted friend. While snapping the photo, Parker jumped in with a laser. (The iPod is already wrapped up in the packing.)

Parker's Poem

Spring brings you lots of things. One of them is rain which grows the grain.

Hoopy Easter

Mimi:"Can you put the glowing on?"

She wanted to watch the cupcakes baking and rising.  

Ready for the hunt.  

Basically Parker and Mimi are too old for this already, but since they asked, we went for it. 

Parker received this bunny for Easter 9 years ago, he didn't mind it, but he didn't really care about it either.  Yoda adopted this guy and doesn't let it out of his sight most of the time. 

Here are the finished cupcakes!

Spring Break

I'm noticing all the Spring Break blog posts that other families are putting up and realizing that ours was a bit of a loss. All I really wanted to do was sit around watching TV and wearing pj's, but I thought my kiddos deserved more then that.  So I tried... a little.

Monday:

A quick hike around a local park.  Yoda was sad to leave and planted himself right there and wouldn't move.  Fortunately he's the kind of child that actually listens and starts running after you when you say, "ok, bye!", unlike Parker and Mimi when they were this age.  They would just give me a look that said:"yeah right, you wouldn't dare, hehe."

Then later that afternoon, after Yoda's nap, we headed to the zoo, we showed up at 4:30, it closes at 5, ugh. 

Tuesday:

The TV said perfect weather so we went to the zoo, again.  We had a great time, met up with daddy for lunch, then got SOAKED by a freak thunderstorm.  They were good sports about it though and they talked all about how great human skin is, that it protects us so well.  (my kiddos are so scientific) 

We even rode the zoo train.

Wednesday:
Since Yoda's nap was all messed up by the zoo on Tuesday, we decided to do the library in the am, and do something fun in the pm.  Haha.  He decided that a LONG nap was in order, he didn't wake up until most of the afternoon was over, ugh.  We played local, but Parker was excited to get new comic books from the teen section of the library.

Thursday:

Dentist, yes, during Spring Break.  I told you our Spring Break was a loss. 

Now it's Friday and guess what we're doing...pj's and TV--yeah!

Baby

Parker:"Who do I look like?"
Me and Greg:"Yourself"
Parker:"Someone at school said I looked like that Justin What's-his-name when my hair is like this."

Mimi has discovered the joy of spinning in circles until she is so dizzy that she has to lay down.  It's quite fun to watch.

After Yoda and I say goodbye to Mimi and the school bus we sit on the porch swing and enjoy the nice weather.  Here he says he would like me to sit next to him:"Next to you!"

Striped shirt

Parker:"It looks old fashioned out there. 

Me:"hmmm?"

Parker:"No I'm serious, it looks like an old fashioned picture out there."

 __________

The other morning I had cleaned a bunch, chased Yoda around a bunch, and needed to sit down for a minute.  I didn't close my eyes for more then a minute when Yoda got really close to my face and whispered that he was ready to get dressed.  

Yoda:"Stripe-e shirt..."

And here he is in his 'stripe-e' shirt:)

Have a striped day!

Alouette and Shamrock Floats

Mimi has been ridiculously curious about holidays lately.  She wants to know their history and what we do to celebrate them.  I feel bad disappointing her, how do you celebrate a holiday like St. Patrick's Day for a 6-yr-old?  Shamrock Floats = green sherbert ice cream + 7up!
Here's Yoda requesting "too much!"

Parker had his piano recital this weekend.  Very fun. 

Parker was actually a little nervous, it takes a lot to get him nervous.  He did pretty well, relaxed a bit and hammed it up in the end.

All the children have been singing and playing this song for months.  Here's 12 seconds of Mimi and Yoda having a go at it.

Project: Finish Projects on hold until my cold is gone...

Children running
Parker:"Wait, why am I chasing you?"
Mimi:"Because you want to tickle me!"
Parker:"Oh yeah!"
Continued running

_________

Mimi:"Your heart is kind of like a lunch box."
Me:"How?"
Mimi:"Well, when you don't love others, you loose your lunch."
*LAUGHTER!*

Project: Finish Projects, well half a project

It was a beautiful day so we all headed outside to play.  My play was a little different then the kiddos' play. 

The kiddos were on the swings.

And I was on sanding down my awesome picnic table for the first time.  It really needs more work, but this was a great start.  Here's the picnic table from a year and a half ago. 

Zoo

Me:"What animals do you want to see at the zoo?"
Yoda:"Dinosaur!"

Me:"Well, there aren't any Dinosaurs, but we could see a dragon?" (Komodo Dragon)

Yoda:"No, Scared!"

*Later*

Yoda:"Dragon!"

He didn't want to leave.  

 The Polar Bears were particularly fun this day!

Project: Finish Projects Continues

When we first moved in and painted the laundry room, I wanted to hang up these guys (the marionette puppet and mask).  Well, I finally did--it only took me 3+ years!  They add to the color in the place.  And it strikes something else off my list.

Project: Finish Projects

March is my month to check some things off my list. Especially now that the kitchen floor is finished, I can really work on and finish the kitchen. But even as I type this, my littlest distraction (Yoda) is trying to stop me from putting up this post. I'll do my best, we'll see.

Here's the first thing I worked on: a memo board for Parker's room.  He needed something to hang up random kid stuff.  Cork board=dropped pins=danger.  Therefore I decided on a magnet board.  But all the magnet boards I found were either too feminine for a 9-year-old boy's room, or too office-like.  So I found some ideas on-line, put my own spin on the ideas and came up with this thing. 

It started as a sheet of metal that a guy at the hardware store helped me find.  He found a magnet and started sticking it to stuff around the store.  This is for making pipe for venting, something like that, but more importantly it was cheap and flat.  First I trimmed off the folded end with my tin snips. Then I covered the sharp edge black duct tape.  Last I poked some holes along the top. 

Now I just have to hang it in Parker's room.  My hope is to have his room finished this weekend.   Here's to finished projects!