goof off week, days #3,4,5

Day 3
We went to the ceramics shop. This brings back wonderful memories for the 3 oldest; we haven't been since Roo was born. Everyone picked a piece to paint. Poor Roo was done in lightening speed, so we set about re-painting his dragon. He faithfully repainted that thing until the colors were just right. He now has a beautiful patchwork dragon. The others were carefully painting their Father's Day presents. Oh my, after 2 hours I was beyond bored. So now ~I'm ~ the one whining "when can we go?" This is what happens, I suppose, when you get older!

Then we went to a friend's home for Rosary. This is when I realized that I misscheduled the goof off week. Pooh and Tigger were anxious to get home and 'do some work' Pooh is taking a class at the local Community College. It is only 5 1/2 weeks long, but they squish a whole semester's workload in. Tigger was in his last week of an online essay class. He had to write 3 essays this week. Bad planning on my part. Sorry!

Day 4
Pooh and Tigger are mostly working, and Piglet, Roo, and I are goofing off. It just isn't the same without them! Too, I remember yet another reason that this was a mistimed so-called at-home-vacation week. Pooh's graduation party is on Saturday. We've done virtually nothing but send out invites. Panic!

Day 5
We are preparing for Pooh's graduation. She has lots of great ideas...LOTS. Well, this was a day of work and paring down the ideas.

Even though the end of the week was less fun than the beginning, I am still glad we 'goofed off'. We need to plan it better, but I can't wait until next time!

-kanga

goof off week, day #2

Feed the Ducks!

We went to Feed the Ducks at the Arboretum. Roo and cousin X. found out that, yes, ducks and geese will peck at you if you don't move fast!

Piglet and Tigger enjoying the day.

Kanga and nephew A.

Me and A. watching the wildlife.... kids and animals!

Tigger and Piglet's favorite animal to feed, the squirrel. They did get him to come very close, only to be scared away by Roo and X.

Afterwards we went to the 'Cows' and I took more pictures. Enjoy!

RATTLESNAKE

in our backyard...no kidding....

I don't know if you can tell, but this guys is pretty big. And now, I am not so keen on sending Roo out to play by himself. Though he tells me, he thinks the snake is pretty cool.

cousins

The cousins, A. and J., came to visit while their mom was at a wedding out of state. A. stayed overnight and the next night J. also slept over. Apparently, he was pretty excited to be a homeschooler for the day and he energized Roo and A. to do school too. However, we normally do not start school in the 7 o'clock hour before breakfast.

While they were here, we laid 3 pallets of sod. Mostly me, Tigger, and Piglet, while Pooh made us lunch and lemonade. These 3 guys were very excited at the beginning, but then it digressed into them making forts and moving rock. Though, we do need them to move lots of rock! Pooh took them to the pool to cool off. This picture is after the pool and bath, but obviously I am just taking a quick break from the gardening. Whew! It was a lot of work, but the backyard looks good now!

Roo sure loves his cousins. Well, we all do, but it is especially wonderful for him to have kids his own age ready to play in ways that he wants. You know, hours of endless make-believe and silliness in a way that is impossible for those of us who are all growed up. I am so grateful that he gets to share his childhood with all his cousins!

-kanga

eins, zwei, drei...Dortmund!!!

I can't believe I am coaching soccer again! Roo is playing his second season and now we are the Dortmund team. So, every moment is a teaching moment and so the kids must chant things in German before each game...teehee...our best good luck charm is screaming, at the top of their 5 year old lungs "eins, zwei, drei...DORTMUND!" Hey, if I knew the real cheer, I would teach it!

Here is the team warming up for the game.

Go, Roo, Go!

A Knight's Birthday

Roo turned 5. He loves knights and the whole medieval time, so we tailored a party for his brithday. Saturday was perfect, in the 70's, weather. We decided on 'quests' for them to earn their knighthood!

First, the kids made shields. We made 'knightly' names for them like 'Sir Seth the Sixth' (this one was my favorite! ) or 'Sir Frank the Fearless' etc. and they decorated the shields.

Then, we went upstairs which was filled with balloons. 288 of 'em....soar cheeks and a dizzy head...but well worth it! I don't know how I thought that the kids would be able to ignore all the balloons and listen to intructions for their next quest. Duh! They went nuts for a while, and then they needed to try to get across the perilous balloon infested ground, dodging the balloons being lobbed at them from their fellow knights. If they made it outside and touched the dragon, they earned a tunic.

Then we went outside for them to shoot an arrow at the dragon (pinata). If they hit the dragon, they earned a sword. Again, I don't know how I thought that they would ignore the great outdoors to do the quest! Anyway, enough hit the target to get the swords.

I then put the lone maiden in our party in the soccer net, which was made into a castle (thank you Pooh and Piglet for finding tall, perfect boxes for castle posts) In theory, they would free the maiden after getting by the dragon (this time, C. Robin) the older kids did so, but the younger ones kept going after poor dragon. He later said it was like being swarmed by ants...only they had swords!

I knighted them (I dub you "Sir Xavier o' Lake" ) The kids solemnly kneeled down for the ceremony. And then they killed the Dragon (pinata) and got booty (chocolate coins).

At some point, they were thirsty so we went in for cake.

We sang, Roo blew out the candles, and the kids ate the castle cake.

My sis then read a book to the troops, which settled them a bit...or me =) Thanks A-L!

Whew!

It feels like it went that fast too! I think the kids enjoyed themselves; I know Roo did. He's been reminiscing ever since.

I figured out that the part I like best of parties is the preparing. I like remembering too,... oh and I loved watching the kids delight in the moment.

-kanga

one yes

Yesterday morning as I sat down with my piping hot cup of tea, settling in for my morning reading, I heard pitter patter upstairs. I love that little time in the morning to myself, so I really didn't want it to be true.
"Roo?"
" Morning, mommy. Will you come play with me?"
Did I mention that I love that little time in the morning? to the point of selfishness most times. "Yes," I replied despite myself.
We didn't do anything important. He dressed in his bear costume and he wanted me to be a wild cat. We played for a short time before I needed to make breakfast and start the day, but what a major difference for Roo. I do beleive he felt love and appreciated all the day through. He was fun, considerate, thoughtful. And he was so easy to redirect...even just a quick look or smile by me could get him on the right track.
Just one little yes. Who gets your yes today?
kanga

flu

Something might be wrong with me, but when my kids are sick I love them a little bit more.
So, Tigger was the first one to get it. He didn't really let us know that he was sick, but after practice and a game (16 points, no less) he was wiped out. Then he let on that he isn't feeling well (fever, bones ache, tired, etc). Pooh was just bedridden and HOT! Roo woke up early yesterday with what I originally thought was a bit of a temperature...'til I took it...103! Yikes. We went to the Dr. (thanks to my sis A-L who was wise and emphatic that I take the kids in)
'Twas almost impossible to get an appointment. Roo got in first and a positive flu diagnosis was made. Tigger's doc was double-booked all day, so was every other doc in the office. The nurse found one in another office (last double booking in Austin, I think!?) These 3 are now on Tamiflu, which should help shorten the sickness and reduce the symptoms. Piglet has, what I think is, a general cold.
Ah, but the part about loving them just a bit more. They are quiet (rare in the hundred acre wood!), thoughtful (when not asleep =)), snuggly (well, maybe not Tigger), and warm. Maybe I am understating the warm part, and maybe it wouldn't be so nice in the summer....but I haven't been cold in days! But seriously, I do love my lil sickies. They aren't complainers and how many more chances do I have to mother them? I don't know, so I'm making the most of it!
kanga

lost luggage

As if 12 hours in airports or airplanes wasn't enough, American Airlines also lost a suitcase. It contained all of my, C. Robin's, and Roo's clothes for the week and a half that we were to be in Utah for Christmas. I was in a state of denial, continually thinking that they would find it and soon we would have our things.
C. Robin finally convinced me to go shopping, at least to have more than one outfit. We bought bare minimum (2 outfits for 10 days...thankfully we were at mom's so we could do wash!) I was sad, especially when I realized that there were certain things that are irreplacable... a wool sweater C. Robin gave me when we were dating, Roo's advent calendar, a Royal's T-shirt last year's version, etc....sigh... I consoled myself that all these material things pass away and I shouldn't be attached. I did cry, though, when I realized that the stockings that I cross-stitched for each member of the family was in the bag. Luckily I was mistaken! but what a fright.
We are home and I am satisfied that the airline will never find the luggage. I must go shopping to replace some things that I need. 'Tis been almost a month. Did I mention I'm not a big shopper? But Roo does need more than shorts and sport pants.
And then ****riiing, riiing*****We get a phone call, and unbelievably they have found our bag!
Apparently it had a piece of tape on the back that had C. Robin's first name...only...on it, and the employee remembered that someone with this first name had lost a bag.
Can you believe it? They found it!!!! Woo hooooooo!
-kanga

what's in your ear?

Wanting to check out what the wind has done to our backyard and get my youngest out for some sunshine, Roo and I went on the trampoline this afternoon. He made up several different games: 'shock' because of the static electricity...ouch!, 'running contest' was one of us running about the edge and the other rolling to touch/ tag the other, and then his favorite, the 'why' game in which he asks an inordinate number of questions that have an equal chance of his already knowing the answer but all start with the word "why".
In an effort to dodge the 'why' game, I peered into his left ear and gasped. "oh my, you have a monkey in your ear" This elicited squeals of delight from little Roo. We decided that the remedy must be jumping together 27 times. 1,2,3,4.......26,27. Roo then wanted to know, "What's in my other ear?" Which there was a Banana Boat, and we had to jump 32 times to get that one out.
Then he was onto my ears. You can't believe there was an elephant (61 times), and elephant boats (21 jumps), and even a whole elephant family (100 jumps, which to Roo must've seemed like 1 million!).
The wonderful thing about an almost 5 year old is that he can do the same thing and continue to be amused...ad infinitum! The sad thing about moms is that they have to make dinner.....but at least we had some fun in the sun.
Roo thinks we need to go out tomorrow again because he thinks there is lots more in his ears!
-kanga