9/2/09

This Blog is on HOLIDAY . . . still

Several (2) of you have mentioned the shocking lack of sharing coming from the blog as of late. There are lots of reasons for this, but most of them come down to my daunting workload of extra-curricular activities - it takes a lot of time and attention in order to maintain my FarmTown acreage. However, fear not, for I will be bringing tidings of great excitement . . . soon.

Though all of the children have returned to school, I am refusing to acknowledge the impending end of summer until the last possible second. If you need me, I'll be out running through the sprinklers and chasing the ice cream truck.

Stay tuned . . .

7/4/09

Parenting Confession 1001

I have to confess one of my many areas of weakness as a parent: I can't draw with sidewalk chalk. Please direct your eyes at exhibit A below. This was supposed to be a frog. Jonathan mentioned its striking similarity to a frog who met a semi.

This masterpiece was supposed to be a dinosaur. It's possible that they are extinct as a result of embarrassment.

So obviously, any artistic talent I pass on to my family will be recessive. Fortunately, I still know how to operate a motor vehicle, locate a McDonalds, and read a story - all skills prized by your average preschooler. I think that we will muddle through.

7/3/09

Happy 4th of July!



Happy Independence Day!

We are so grateful for our freedom and to those who continue to preserve it.

7/1/09

Hulk Hands

Did you know they make green play sand? Those people at Crayola are pure geniuses.

I know this looks like the bargain basement sandbox, but really, I'm just trying to make it obvious to the neighborhood cats that this is not a rest stop.

An additional humorous bonus of the green play sand is that it sticks to Jackson's hands and makes them HULK HANDS! He didn't think this was nearly as funny as I did, but he prefers the Dirt Avenger as his personal super hero. You know the one with dual Swiffer Dust Phasers and a Dustbuster jet pack.

6/29/09

Best Buddies

This weekend the dog I thought would never grow up turned over a new leaf. She's just over two now. Everyone told us that she would be behaving better by two, but honestly, I didn't believe anyone. I am starting to see the light.






Sometime after this she snuck out in the backyard, gnawed on a brick, and later horfed in her kennel. Well, you can't expect her to give up all her vices at once, now can you.

6/10/09

"The best laid plans of mice and men . . ."

What I had planned for my evening tonight:
Race home, intercept child, send husband to meeting, prepare nutritious/delicious/FAST meal for the child, have "eureka" idea for creative play activity with child, bathe child and bid adieu for the night, complete painting project that has been in progress and on hold for no less than 2 weeks, perform organization and tidiness miracle on the homestead, receive husband home with love and joy, vegetate

What I got for the evening:
Raced home, intercepted child, sent husband to meeting, discovered that I am still a culinary disaster, extracted child from refrigerator, compromised on a chocolate pudding compliment to grilled cheese dinner (protein, dairy and carbs - look at the excellent balance there), discovered that child had not scheduled today as an eating day (I really believe he only eats 2-3 times a week; he seems fine with this. I'm just trying not to make up the difference myself), went out after the mail and discovered that the odd stillness indicated that perhaps the weatherman was not exaggerating about the "severe" storms this time, turned on TV, told child no less than 1 zillion times that he could not scream louder than the emergency broadcast signal, switched to weatherman, watched the sky turn an odd shade of green, called the husband to nonchalantly ask when he might possibly be able to come home, decided that the dog should go out, broke up a wrestling match between the dog and the child that started with the dog trying to drink out of his squiggly straw and ended with minor scratches and tears, corralled dog on leash, watched entire weather radar turn red, took phone calls from husband en-route that got cut off TWICE, completely lost power, decided it was time to hang out in the bathroom, had to find flashlights while hobbling around the house in the dark holding the child and dragging the dog, welcomed husband home to the dark bathroom with his happy little family, enjoyed some assistance in minor crisis management, decided we could come out of the bathroom, watched husband and child eat chips for dinner, dressed child for bed by flashlight (he has been mostly silent since the evacuation to the bathroom), cursed the blasted electric company, put the child in bed, realized that the smoke detector is beeping again because it has a low battery and this time it is the one in the vaulted ceiling that I don't have a prayer at reaching, sang the praises of the husband with extra height and more balance than me, read a book by flashlight, sent husband to bed at 8:30!, read book by flashlight until power came back on at 11!

My own little mini-drama! Sadly, the biggest learning here is that I am unequivocally dependant on my electricity. And that I have to get all the smoke detector batteries changed before they bite me again!

6/5/09

Meet the New Mouse in Town



This is Jackson with a few of his friends. These days he is pretty tight with "Mick" Mouse. Apparently, Mickey and Minnie had a few relatives Walt didn't want to talk about.