Nora's Birthday!

For Nora's birthday, she invited Anna and Kate to a fun day fluff. First I took the girls to Lil Divas and had their hair and make-up done. They posed for photos. Love Nora's finger on the chin. In fact, all three were perfectly comfortable on the runway. Nice.
Then we went to Build a Bear! This was a bigger hit, actually. Nora got a pink bear. Kate got a horse. And Anna got a Longhorn (that she referred to as a buffalo just to make her mommy crazy.) All three girls had the Hannah Montana theme song put in their animals. Believe me. This gets old fast.

Then we came back to the house for cake and ice cream and presents!

You Get What You Get

So, here's what you get when you spend 20 minutes upstairs cleaning Nora's room. Do you think he was going to set it on fire?

Memory Monday

So there's this story Sharon tells of a day long ago when Nora silently stood in front of her at one of Scott's and Alek's baseball games. And still without words, Nora TOOK Sharon's oreo cookie right out of her hands and ATE it while silently daring her with a look to do something about it. I just found this photo. Odds are it was the same day.

And.....

Ten points to the first comment correctly identifying Alek's new obsession....... come on. It should be obvious.... Lincoln is so last year......

And then there were none....

Walter is officially a preschooler. He started last Wednesday. He was nothing but ecstatic. The day before, we'd had Meet the Teacher. He played for the hour, and when I said, "Okay, time to go!" He nonchalantly said, "BYE!" Not a clingy kid really. Nope.

Walt, what did you do at school today? "Potato." What? "Potato." WHAT???? "POTATO!"

And then Alek said, "Mom, there's playdoh on his shirt." DOH!

Third and K

So, it happened. We took TWO kids to school on the first day this year. Can't believe Alek is in third grade. Third grade is the grade I was in when my school memories really start to become vivid. He's in third grade! Amazing. And Nora.... tiny baby girl no more. She sat up in bed two mornings in a row and "I get to go to Kindergarten!" were the first words out of her mouth. She left without a moment of hesitation or fear. She admitted she was nervous about "Meet the Teacher" the Friday before school started, but after she actually met the teacher, not a word that wasn't positive and excited!

Walking to School on the first day 2009.

Random Moments

I know. I've been a terrible blogger this summer. I think I've posted just enough so that Katie hasn't yet dropped me from her blog roll, but I've been warned. School starts in six days. Time flies..... except on those afternoons when they whine and fight and time stands still.

Alek went to Camp Invention the last week of July. It's a cool science camp, and the kids get to bring items to destroy and then use the parts, and any other parts they can scavenge to build the item of their choice. Alek built a rocket and launch pad. He insisted it would actually work if I'd just give him some cotton wadding, some gasoline, and a match. Ummmmmmm..... let me think...... ummmmmm.... No.

So Kathryn and Nora went upstairs for a bit. Kathryn had just painted Nora's nails, so we figured she would dress her up. Well, she did.... apparently as a biker. We were surprised.

Fifteen minutes later, all was right with the world again.
Walter is obsessed with our bathroom. For months now. It's exhausting. It has double doors that are hard to childproof. I bet he washes his hands 37 dozen times a day.



Hanging out with the bats, mosquitos, and cicadas.

HE CAN DO IT HIMSELF!

For some reason, Walter on occasion will run through the house in this cap screaming, "Cap Boy!!!" I don't know who taught it to him. Of course, if it's picture worthy, the other two hams have to get into the act.

Let's Have a TV Moment

First... Did anyone else see the photo last week of Don Draper (not Jon Hamm) on a Vespa? COME ON!!!! Someone at Mad Men is reading the Stuff White People Like blog. No way is that a coincidence.

Second... Seriously... how many times will they show poor Bill standing next to Eric? It makes him look PUNY. And did we all see that not only does Eric surpass Bill in a recent poll asking Americans (who are clearly in the know about such things) who the best new vampires are, but he also surpassed.... yes he did... Edward Cullen. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Anyone?

Third... I watch a LOT of cable TV. I've seen a lot. Come on... all the season's of Oz (who can watch that and then drink and drive? Beecher anyone? Schillinger? Yeah. Designated Driver, please). All the seasons of the Wire (Bodie deserved so much better). All of the Sopranos.... but what I saw on True Blood this week? COME ON. Even I'm a little shocked... and that's saying a lot.

And last, but oh so not least..... We've got the boys back! Vince! Eric! Johnny! Turtle! Lloyd! And ARI GOLD, Baby! BOOM! Entourage. What could be better? I get three more episodes... and then... this is the meaning of friendship.... I'm waiting until December to watch with Sharon. Slingbox, Schmingbox. We want to watch them together.

k.... I'm done. (And if you don't know who these people are.... YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED.)

When Bad Shirts Happen to Good Children

Can I Get An AMEN in here??????

Catching Up - Finally

So.... ummm... I lost the blog bug for awhile.......but I'm back now. Here are some catch up photos..... they start on June 11-15 and go back. I'll do the last two weeks in the next post.

On June 11, David and I took a trip. JUST THE TWO OF US. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? AND WE DIDN'T GO TO THE WOODLANDS. WE WENT ON AN ACTUAL TRIP!

We went to Duck Key, about half way down the Floriday Keys. It was lovely. It was relaxing. It was four nights without changing a diaper, making a meal, or doing laundry. There was a pool there.... a lovely, lovely, lovely pool THAT DIDN'T ALLOW CHILDREN AT ALL! Can you believe it????????? AND PEOPLE BROUGHT YOU ADULT BEVERAGES WHILE YOU READ A BOOK IN THE SUN!!!!! Honestly, I could have been on another planet. It was that foreign to me.

We took a sunset cruise.

We went snorkeling. David enjoyed it. Ummmm... I was excited about it until I found out we were going to a reef SIX MILES OUT TO SEA. Seriously? Okay, so I went. I got in the water. It was interesting. The reef was lovely. The fish were fun. And then my heart would pound in my ears as I would search in the underwater distance for that Great White to appear. It never did, but about 25 minutes of repeated sporadic and massive panic were pretty much enough for me. I watched from the boat after that.


The view from our room. My beloved pool. The ocean beyond it. Alas.

Alek was an acorn in his school play. He had lines. He was perfect. My battery died 2 seconds before his lines began. Nice.

I love going once a year to King's Orchard to do the blueberry and strawberry thing. Walter LOVED it. Nora is a veteran. It was fun. Susan and I were amazed at the strawberries. They are so much sweeter than the ones at the store. And they are a little warm from the sun. They taste like strawberry jam. Perfect.

Remember how a couple of years ago it was always Nora with Caroline's boys and Nora with Annika's boys? Well, now it's Walter with Katie's girls or Susan's girls. Poor Walt.

Water Days at the Preschool. Fine, Katie - everyone needs to read this. Ummmm... and look at this, I can laugh at myself. WHATEVER.

Nora loved Water Days, and frankly, I didn't hate it this year all that much.

The Mother's Day Luncheon

Every year the 4's classes have a Mother's Day Luncheon. This year's had to be rescheduled due to the Swine Flu Frenzy, but we got to have it. The kids make lunch, give us gifts, and sing songs. It's a HUGE deal. The kids work on it for weeks. They keep secrets. They practice songs. They learn movements and perform beautifully.

We get dressed up.

We do our hair in fancy do's.

We do NOT, apparently, keep our shoes on while on the playground earlier that day.

The May Ballet Recital.

Rainbow Pixies.

BRONZE eyeshadow. It was a "requirement."

May Brownies.

Easter Eggs!!!!!

(Look at his hands. Use a spoon? Are you kidding????)

What's that lovely sound I hear at 5:00 a.m.????

Katie, baby..... want to lead it for us?

Left, left, left, right, left
Get your boot camp left
Your left, your right,
Now pick up the step
Your left, your right your left.

It's time to get fit again.
(Gotta get fit again.)
Marching down the avenue
(Marching down the avenue)
Ten more days and we'll be through
(I can't wait til we'll be through)

Am I right or wrong?
(You're right)
Are we going strong?
(We're strong)

Sound off
(One, two)
Sound off!)
(Three four)
Break it on down now
(One two three four)
ONE TWO... THREE FOUR!!!!

Boot Camp, Baby!