"summer" school

You know what I like to do in the middle of the summer in Arizona when it's super hot and you can't even walk out without feeling like you're about to burst into flames? I like to send my kids back to school. Yes, today was their first day back to school. I do feel sorry for them because it is sooooooo hot outside right now, but I have to admit I love this year-round calendar. It doesn't allow them time to get bored either at home or at school.
We went supply shopping this past weekend, which I love. Well, I hate the crowds, but I love new supplies. I remember getting a big new box of crayons and reorganizing them all. With my kids, the big thing is choosing a new bag or backpack. That seems to be about as important as naming a child or something. That's the only part I dread.
This year, it was a breeze! Simone Legno of tokidoki fame designed a line of school supplies for Target. Brianna saw this messenger bag and went straight for it. No messing around. That's just all kinds of awesome!

What I loved even more is that she's getting a tokidoki-ish looking bag and I'm not paying the tokidoki price. This bag was $20.


feeling: OMG it is soooooo hot outside!
listening to: The Dead Weather (Treat Me Like Your Mother)

knock knock. who's there? KGB.

The art of the knock, knock joke is completely lost on Alec. He just doesn't get the concept. Brianna tried to teach him for a while even providing one of her own for him to use. Here it is as she told it to him . . .
Knock, knock
who's there?
buck
buck who?
buck, buck. I'm a chicken
Here's what he turned it into . .
knock, knock
who's there?
buck
buck who?
chicken to eat at my house and stay home
See? Lost cause. He loves them, though and what's more is that he thinks his versions are hilarious. I, being the mom, have to force smile/laugh at his jokes. Brianna, on the other hand says they're not funny, then he says they are, they fight, well, you know the rest.
This past Friday, Alec had two friends over. One is his age, one is a year older. They started telling knock, knock jokes and they all told them the same wrong way. See, what I now get is the longer and sillier it is, the funnier it is. Oh, and it really helps if it ends in something about a butt or a fart. Some of their jokes were something like . . .
knock, knock
who's there?
Anakin
Anakin who?
Anakin who doesn't know how to use a light saber and then he tried but he fell on his butt
Bwah, ha, ha, ha!!!!!! They would burst into laughter and went on and on for a few minutes. I was laughing too because of the fact that none of them knew how to tell a proper knock, knock joke. Well, they thought I was laughing at the actual jokes and went on. -sigh-
Here's the kind I like . . .


feeling: I wish I had a maid
listening to: Seether (Careless Whisper)

wanted: fake cake

Jenn's posts always make me laugh. It was for a different reason today, though. I'd just been talking about fake food a few minutes before I read her post and then I see that she has a picture of her kid holding fake food. Hilarious!

Let me explain. . . My mom gave us a crystal cake stand that I absolutely love. Right now it is displaying some cookies I baked yesterday. That's just it; I feel like it always has to have something. Rodrigo was saying that we should get one of those fake cakes like they have in model homes for when we don't have something fresh baked.

me: (laughing) yeah, we should. You know people use fake cakes for weddings
Rodrigo: huh?
me: yeah, they make a fake wedding cake and only the bottom layer is real so they could cut into it, then they send it to the back and just slice off some sheet cake
Rodrigo: OK, but a wedding cake wouldn't fit in there
me: (laughing) I know, I'm just saying. I don't know where I'd get one, though
Rodrigo: a fake wedding cake?
me: no, just a fake cake for the stand. Where do they buy those?
Rodrigo: we should just into a model and take one

Both of us just laughed.

We weren't being serious, but I started thinking seriously about it. I don't think I've ever seen a whole cake at those places. Just slices like they have in restaurants. I started wondering . . . where do they get those?
Of course, when I don't know something, I always ask Mr. Google. I was shocked to see the results. There are sooooo many fake food manufacturers. I'm having a blast looking at all the fake desserts I'd like to display in my stand. Just now I was looking at all the pictures I took in model homes and Alec came up behind me.

Alec: what are you doing?
me: looking through pictures
Alec: of me?
me: both of you playing with fake food
Alec: oh yeah, look they're I'm making eggs
me: yes, you are
Alec: and there's Brianna in front of a giant cookie
me: what? a giant cookie? -pause- Bwah, ha! ha!

It turned out to be this picture . . . . .

What might be nice wall decor for us equals a giant cookie for a kid.

feeling: I need to start packing
listening to: U2 (Magnificent)

same old, same old

When we were moving to Arizona, I was very excited at the fact that I would be able to stay at home. I imagined I'd have just loads and loads of left-over time. Yeah. That's not the case. I'm am absolutely grateful that I am able to stay at home. I don't know how I'd manage to throw in work with all my running around. Right now work would definitely take away a lot from the kids.
So, if you ask me how I am the answer is busy with the kids.
What have you been up to? Stuff with the kids.
What's going on? The kids.
Anything new? No, just things with the kids.

I am a taxi driver, events coordinator, builder, hauler, chef, planner, doctor, tutor, designer, stylist and dog trainer. My services are free of charge other than hugs and kisses. I'd get into the specifics of all the activities we've been up to lately, but I'm afraid your head would fall off. Without the details, we've been up to OOTM practices and competition, choir practice and performances, karate practice, district fair, school carnival, school volunteering and finally a lovely bout of fifth disease (this went around the whole school and included Alec).

They're on a two week spring break now and I finally had time to breath for a bit. We're leaving this weekend for a SoCal holiday. I'll try to post some more before we leave because I've been driving around and I get all these ideas of things I want to post about. When I have time, I have no ideas. When I have no time, I have about 75 million ideas. Right now I have to get back to typing out a manual for my housesitter/dogsitter/mom. (There are lots of instructions to our techy home).

feeling: I hope I don't forget something
listening to: Beck (Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat)

Happy Inauguration Day!

Finally! Don't ask me how many times I cried. The kids were really excited today. They wore their shirts all day long. Alec asked me if he looked like Barack Obama once he put it on. I answered no and he looked really disappointed almost on the verge of tears. I explained I hadn't gotten a good look and told him that yes, he definitely looked like Obama. : )
Look at the cake they decorated. It looked really nice. The kids had some then Badger helped himself to some too -- A Christmas Story style. He's lucky I'm in a really good mood.


feeling: the sun is shining, the birds are singing, strawberry fields forever
watching: coverage of the inaugural balls

am I a bad parent? . . . . 7,249th edition

Alec loves this movie! When I friend told me that a bunch of artists had redone the soundtrack, I bought it immediately. Now he loves this soundtrack and I end up feeling like a toad for having my kindergartner listening to the likes of Marilyn Manson and Korn while I have a ten-year-old that listens to all the popular Disney artists. Is that super horrible of me?
I have to admit it's pretty good, though. Find it here or itunes, of course.



feeling: excited!
listening to: Jack's Lament from above album

my kids talk too much

Some of you might be wishing your babies would talk already. I remember those days. It' really not like that anymore.

At the table the other night . . . . .
Alec: Maaaamaaaaa! (even though I'm right next to him)
me: what?
Alec: I finished all my dinner
me: that's good
Alec: now the food is having a party in my tummy
me: (laughing) yeah
Alec: they're having a game
me: oh yeah?
Alec: they're trying to see who can turn into poop the fastest. That's the winner (pronounced vinner).
me: oh, uh, (fake smile) how, uh. . . nice.
Alec: yeah, it is nice.


At a meeting for a extra curricular club . . . . .
Brianna's friend: why is your blouse so long?
Brianna: -scoffs- it's a tunic. It's supposed to be like that. Don't you know anything about fashion? (walks away)
me: (eyes wide open, mouth wide open at a complete loss for words)
- we had a talk at home about rudeness-

Picking Alec up from school . . . .
Alec: I know what that sticker says ( a bumper sticker)
me: oh yeah?
Alec. yes. it says McCain.
me: yes it does
Alec: who put that sticker on there?
me: I suppose the owner of the car (I know whose car it is too, I just didn't tell Alec because we have regular contact at the school office)
Alec: they like McCain?
me: yes, of course, and they put a pretty sticker. Isn't that nice of them?
Alec: no! Don't they know McCain turned into a troll?
me: What?!?! (looking around hoping no one heard)
Alec: yeah, I saw it on TV, he turned into a troll
me: please don't say that
Alec. OK. . . . . . but it's true.
-as it turns out, when I was making dinner, Alec was hanging around and there was a segment where a certain show was comparing McCain to gollum. I really need to change the channel once in a while. I sooooooo don't want to be influencing my kids or having them say stuff like that at school.-

Brianna after school . . . . .
Brianna: everyone liked my haircut
me: I'm glad, Bird, your hair looks very pretty
Brianna: yeah I know. Even though it's shorter now, I still have the prettiest hair in my class. I think maybe in the whole school.
me: uh . . . . .
Brianna: I don't make it up, all my friends told me too.
me: (thinking): great
- I don't know what to say to her sometimes. I want her to be modest, but it's kind of hard to change someone's mind when all their life you're telling them they're beautiful and smart.


feeling: I wish I had a mute button for the kids sometimes
listening to: J0n@s Brothers (Lovebug)

yvett the bad snack mom

Both the kids have to take their own snacks to school every day. They don't have a snack schedule where they take turns having one kid take enough for the whole class.
Here's the set-up . . . . Alec is in school for 2 hours and 45 minutes. That's all. Not all day. There's also a list of acceptable snacks that they can take. You know, healthy snacks and such. I send the same kind of snack for both kids. Brianna happens to have her snack time at the same time that she has reading group, so it's always something small. I send fruit and/or cereal bars, trail mix, cheese & cracker packages, gummy fruit, mini rice cakes, you get the picture, right?
So I was shocked to see that the kids in Alec's class were taking lunch bags full for snack. They're taking meals for snack. I feel like a total jerk sending my child with a little fruit bar while other kids are having sandwiches, carrot sticks, fruit and a juice box for a "snack". WTF? They only have about 10-15 minutes for snack. Alec could never eat that much in that time. Plus he's already had breakfast and mid morning snack at home. As soon as he gets home he has lunch. Am I a horrible mom for thinking he'll be fine without a meal for less than three hours? (Here's the part where you tell me that I'm not horrible). They have little cubbies where they place their snack in. Poor Alec places his little snack while other kids put their whole bag. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Now I don't know what to do, again. Do I ask about it? Should I just send lunch too even though I know he won't eat it all? Do I just leave it alone? Do I make an issue of it (I mean, other than blogging about it?) If that's how it's going to be, I'm going to show up at Alec's snack time with a plate of warm fideo and a quesadilla or some chicken soup and homemade bread. I'll out-snack them all. -insert evil laugh here-

feeling: it's soooooo hot
listening to: Cracker (Low)

gross-out eggs

By far, my kids' favorite way to eat eggs is "banana eggs". It's a pretty simple recipe, really. You take a banana, eggs, (I use three), a teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a tiny bit of salt and blend everything until it's super smooth with no lumps. Then you take that mix and fry it up in a pan like scrambled eggs. They LOVE it. They have it with toast and chocolate milk and are in eggy heaven.
Me, uh, not so much. It tastes good, but the look of it grosses me out. I play it cool in front of the kids. I'm sure the last thing they'd want if for mama to be all "eww" about food. That's their job. But, really, the eggs end up looking like undercooked ground beef. Ugh, I'm getting the dry heaves just thinking about it. I'm not kidding.
Neither Rodrigo nor I like them just because of how they look, but the kids love it sooooooo much and even ask for more. What should I do? Do you think I should add some food coloring? Would having colored scrambled eggs just make it worse? Should I just leave well enough alone? I keep thinking of what to add but everything I come up with would turn it totally unhealthy (chocolate, gelatin) Should I skip the vanilla? The cinnamon? Help!


feeling: busy reading emails from school
listening to: Muse (Starlight)

post-partum five years too late

The kids just finished the first two weeks of school and they LOOOOOOVE it. Me, not so much. I'm going through Alec withdrawal. It wasn't so bad when Brianna started school because I had preemie Alec at home. Now it's just me and Badger. The silence is driving me crazy.
I know I'll get used to it. I mean, he's only gone for three hours a day. I have a list of things I want to do (organize pictures, make scrapbooks, finish the garage, paint our bedroom and downstairs bathroom, make the loft into a cool office, etc.). It's just so quiet with no one yelling "mama" every few minutes. I'm tearing up just thinking about it. Can you imagine the wreck I'll be when they go off to college?!?!?!?!?!?

feeling: Badger isn't great company when he just naps
listening to: MGMT (Time to Pretend)

back to school

Let me tell you about how I almost strangled Brianna at the store last week. Here's the set up . . . . . all of last school year she was complaining about not having a messenger bag. She had chosen a really cute backpack but wouldn't wear it like a backpack. All year the morning conversation included something like this . . . .

me: put on your backpack
Brianna: it's too heavy
Brianna: if only I had a messenger bag -sigh-
Brianna: I hate backpacks, my back is going to hurt if i wear it
Brianna: if I had a messenger bag, I'd wear it every day

You get the picture. This went on and on and on. We'd looked for messenger bags during the school year too, but the kind she wanted are seasonal. She'd have to wait.
So when we were looking for school supplies, there was about a million messenger bags there and we let her pick out whichever one she wanted. She looked around for a while and finally chose a backpack with Marie from the Disney cuties series. I feel like I saw blurry at that moment and imagine me swaying. All the nagging I'd heard about a messenger bag and she was picking a backpack. I felt my blood rising and knew I'd turned red. If I were the hulk, I'd have transformed at that moment. I went on to say something like "YOU ARE PICKING A MESSENGER BAG RIGHT NOW!", through clenched teeth. It's funny to me now but I really was mad then. Rodrigo was sort of like "let her chose whatever she likes" but I wouldn't hear it. We were standing there for about a half hour while she tried on about a million bags. Seriously. Serenity now. I told her to pick whatever she wanted, but I wanted NO whining about her choice.
She chose a messenger bag. It passed the test yesterday because all her friends also have new messenger bags. Now that they're in fourth grade, they're too big for backpacks. Oy vey.



After school, we were walking to the car when Brianna came upon a friend who is now a 6th grader. He said, "Hi Bree. It's a pleasure to see you". I'm not kidding. They chatted for a little while in a way that I never talked at that age. They might as well have been speaking in a British accent saying something like "Fancy seeing you here". In any case, my daughter and her little friends are growing up fast. -gulp-

Alec's day was a little different. He started his first day of kindergarten. He has a Spiderman backpack because, according to Brianna, there's nothing wrong with little kids having those things. His teacher is super nice and super patient. He was excited about making new friends. I think he might've been a little nervous too but as it turns out, about half of his t-ball team is in the same class. Some other kids are kids we know from the neighborhood. When they walked into class, they had to find their names and draw a picture of the people that live in their home. He drew me and Rodrigo holding hands because "we're always holding hands". That's not necessarily true but that's what he told his teacher, the classroom and all the parents that were still there. Nice. I guess it beats him saying that we fight or something. The year is starting off with a quick review of colors, so the whole classroom will have to dress in a certain colors each day for the next two weeks. Today will be red day.





feeling: old. my babies are in school
listening to: The Bravery (Believe)

F*CK!!!!!!

Yeah, that's right. That's what I feel like yelling recently. Let me tell you why.

- Alec's tooth: He went to the dentist last week and was referred to a specialist because he has a pretty big cavity. He got scheduled for a pulpotomy and crown for late next month. I received a call yesterday from the dentist's office telling me that someone had cancelled and they could take Alec today. Of course I wanted to get it over with, so I said yes. Someone from the anesthesiologist's office called me later to give me the procedures as far as meals and such. They told me what he could and couldn't eat, drink and wear. We hung up. A few minutes later they called back saying that she'd forgotten to tell me I also had to take $750. WTF? Just like that she said it all casual-like. I told her I had already paid for half our cost at the dentist's office and she informed me that was just for the doctor. This was for the anesthesia. All in all I'd have to pay $954 for a baby tooth. Today. That's just what isn't covered by the insurance. I had to cancel for today and told them I'd call back. It just didn't seem right. I left with Alec to a pre-k picnic, practically got heat stroke then came back and started with the calls.
It turns out the insurance does cover for kids under seven but that particular dentist "doesn't bill to insurance". Again, WTF? I had to reschedule with another specialist but we only get two dentist visits each per year. That was two. This next one isn't covered, but the procedure will be.

- Badger: He got neutered on Friday. Friday afternoon he was sort of out of it. Saturday morning, the stitches started bleeding. Oh wait, I already wrote about that. So anyway, we have to keep him from jumping or running. The problem is, well, he's a frisky puppy. We were told we should keep him in his crate (which we did end up buying a short while before, by the way) as much as possible. I feel like a horrible puppy mom. Like I have a child in a cage. I know it's for his own good, but I hate having him in there for so long. We take him out frequently to "do" but each time he's out, he starts getting all crazy and jumping around. Oh, and he has that cone on his head which he hates. Poor thing. He must hate us.

- Me: I feel like I'm running around all the time. I need some "help me focus and give me energy" vitamins. Today I had some unexpected errands and I made a quick stop at the grocery store. I got home, placed the bag that had nothing but eggs in it on the kitchen island. It fell and the eggs broke. Because I am crazy or something, I decided not to waste some of the eggs that could be salvaged and bake a cake. I did. Then I get a call from Brianna at school asking where I was. I was late to pick her up. I thought her club meeting ended at 3:30 today when it really ended at 3:00. F*ck! I usually take about 5 minutes to get to her school but today I took like 30 seconds.

Ahh. . . . I need to take a deep breath.

feeling: overwhelmed
listening to: Alec talking, talking, talking and talking about Star Wars

crazy, crazy

It's been a crazy two weeks or so. I feel like I don't know if I'm coming or going. In the time since I last wrote . . .

- started puppy kindergarten and we've gone twice
- Alec had a dentist appointment and was a total nightmare
- Alec had to be seen by a pediatric dentist specialist
- Brianna had test week
- Brianna's class has to be transformed into Germany for a carnival this Friday
- Alec had a pre-k show where he sang
- Brianna started book club
- Brianna is going to be in a musical which she's been rehearsing for
- Badger got neutered
- Badger's stitches started bleeding and had to go back to the clinic
- set up a neighborhood watch with a detective

I feel like a driver for the kids. I think I know how my mom felt when we were kids. It seems that I'm always taking someone somewhere or picking someone up. Now with the dog, well, we drive him around too. The school activities wouldn't affect me, but since I volunteer at the school, these things involve me too. This coming week, we have . . .

Monday: let all the neighbors know about the meeting time and place for the watch
Tuesday: pre-k picnic which I'm helping chaperon then book club in the afternoon
Wednesday: puppy training
Thursday: a doctor appt. for me
Friday: Spring carnival and school musical
Saturday: follow-up appointment for Badger

Besides all the coming and going, I was planning a Harry Potter birthday party for Alec. I had made owls to carry invitations and was well within plans for the other things when he asked me if he could please have a pirate party instead. How could I say no? I mean, I felt like the first choice was really because of me. So now I'm going crazy trying to find all sorts of pirate party ideas.
Also, Brianna wants to start taking yoga lessons. There was just no way because she'd have school, book club then yoga that starts at exactly the same time book club ends. I hated having to tell her no, but there's no way I'm going to be speeding trying to get her from place to place. She understood but wants to take kids culinary classes now instead.
Back in February, Alec's class started working on a Flat Stanley project. Alec was in no way interested in the project until he saw the flat kids starting to come back. He finally made a flat Alec and wants to send it "very, very far away". So we tried to reach a friend we have in Amsterdam to no avail. I left an incoherent message to someone's number who may or may not have been Ani, and asked Jenny. She agreed but I feel like a horrible person because she's busy, sick AND I gave her the total wrong information. (I said we had to make a journal when in fact it's the person you send it to that makes it then sends it back to the school) I'm sort of embarrassed to correct it now.
-groaning- Well, I have some phone calls I need to make now. I need to talk to some moms about the 3rd grade end of year picnic and teacher appreciation week. I wonder when mom appreciation week is? I need a total massage or retail therapy ALONE. Ahhh. . .

feeling: like I have too many things in my head
listening to: U2 (Heartland)

yvett the evil mom

Rodrigo and I are going to hold a family meeting today where we will present the kids with this new chore chart . . . . (click on it to make it bigger)




Happy April Fool's Day!

feeling: tricky
listening to: Against Me (Thrash Unreal)

yvett the horrible mom

A friend of mine and her kids were over yesterday. We've become fast friends because her older son and Brianna are in the same classroom and Alec and her younger son are in the same classroom. Plus, we live less than a block away from each other. We hadn't seen in each other in about two weeks so it seemed like were dying to talk to each other and the kids were dying to play together.
The little ones had been playing in Alec's room, the older ones on the Wii, then they all decided to go outside. They were out there for a while and the older ones decided they wanted to play some more on the Wii. The little boys stayed outside playing. Because I am a terrible mother, I didn't think anything of it. A few minutes later . . . whack . . . a LOUD scream . . . then Alec at the door . . . blood EVERYWHERE . . . I ran to him with my friend Sara closely behind . . Alec was holding his head and when he took his hand off and saw all the blood he started crying and screaming. Brianna and her friend started crying and screaming "Oh my God" over and over. I grabbed Alec and took him to the bathroom leaving a trail of blood through the kitchen and hall. I started cleaning him up but really I just wanted to see what had happened . . what was going on? It turns out that he and his friend had decided to play golf using a baseball bat. Alec stood too close behind and got hit in the head. You know how when you get a hit in the head or the nose there's soooooooo much blood? Well, four year-olds don't know this until they see it. In the family room, Brianna and her friend kept crying. I calmed her down by asking her for help. She went and grabbed some face towels for me. Alec's little friend was outside FREAKED out thinking he was in trouble and also crying. I knew my friend felt terrible. I imagine I'd feel the same way if it had been the other way around and it very easily could have been. The cut on Alec's head looked to me like it was deep. Then he said he wanted to lie down and I knew I had to take him to the hospital.
I really don't know how I even got there. I felt like I was in a sort of daze. The whole way I just kept talking and talking to Alec making sure he wouldn't fall asleep. I called Rodrigo and he met us at the hospital. Now, I have this image of emergency rooms filled with people waiting and moaning, but we didn't have to wait at all. They took him in right away, of course, and started doing all the initial tests and paperwork.
Lots of time and things passed but this is getting to be a much longer story. . . . Alec had his skin glued together. Instead of stitches, they used that skin glue. He had the staff laughing with his golf with a baseball bat story and by the time we were ready to leave, nurses were giving him cookies and chatting with him.
After we were all home, our moms called and the kids in bed, I started crying. I felt like the worst mom in the world. Rodrigo was really comforting and understanding. He thinks this is one of those "boys will be boys" kind of things, but I still think that I should've taken better care of him. My poor baby is going to have a scar now. Aww. . . .
So, that was my day yesterday. How was yours?

feeling: lousy
listening to: The Bravery (Believe)

busy week, busier weekend

The kids are on Spring break now for two weeks. Two long weeks. Two long, long weeks full of noise and "mama, mama, mama". They wake up with an "Ok, entertain me" sort of attitude, so I'm going to have to think of something to fill the days and not break the bank. Luckily, it's nice enough now that I could just throw them out. (insert evil cackle here)
Brianna had a busy school week last week because this weekend, she competed in this. They had a dress rehearsal/parent performance on Wednesday, nine performances and practice on Thursday and competition on Saturday. Her team had been working on this since October, so it was a lot of work and practice. When she was first picked, I was walking around like a peacock, since they had to interview and she ended up being one of two third graders picked out of the school. Yes, my genius daughter. I made her. It was the first time for her school and their coach, so we were all super proud that they got third place! Rodrigo was a judge and he loved it too. He was amazed at the kid's creativity. Click on here so you can see an overview of this year's problems. Brianna's team chose problem #5 and Rodrigo judged problem #2. Both very cool. They both absolutely want to do it again next year.
So now you'll excuse me but I have two riled-up kids and a puppy I need to wrangle.

feeling: busy
listening to: Cracker (Low)

Valentine's Day 2008

Alec has asked me to be his Valentine. He said he's having two this year: me and a little girl from his pre-k class. She's getting a big Spiderman valentine. I get Venom. If I could record all the things Alec says all day, I'd have my own version of kids say the darndest things.
Yesterday, Alec and I were in the car . . .

Alec: Dada doesn't eat blood
me: What?!
Alec: Dada. He doesn't eat blood.
me: What do you mean? Who said that?
Alec: Dada did. He said that at work he doesn't eat blood yesterday. There was a doctor and they gave Dada a band-aid.
me: Oh! He DONATED blood yesterday.
Alec: Yeah! He doesn't eat blood.
Here the conversation took several more minutes while I explained what "donate" meant and that it really isn't "don't eat".

Later, both kids were in bed. They had been for a while. I'd left little heart things in their rooms so that they could find them this morning. Maybe two hours after I'd put him in bed, Alec surprised us . .

Alec: That was very nice of you. The heart.
me: Thanks, but why are you still awake?
Alec: I had to get up
me: Why? It's very late and you should be asleep
Alec: I had to. I smelled heart.
me: BWAH! Ha! Ha!

So, anyway, the kids are having parties at school today. I'm Brianna's class room parent, so I'll be there. Anyone have any exciting plans? Happy Valentine's Day, all!

feeling: happy
listening to: Alice in Chains (Heaven Beside You)

Brianna and the Bee

My daughter won her school spelling bee today. She'd won the classroom one not too long ago. The only other thing I have to say about this is that afterwards I couldn't leave the school because my head was soooooo big I couldn't fit through the doors.
She will be participating in the district spelling bee late next month. I took a look at the site with practice words and, uh, yikes! At age 8, I was picking my nose and learning how to tie my shoes (yes, I'm exaggerating) not learning how to spell percolate, insidious, trajectory or ambivalent. Aww, my baby.


feeling: super proud
listening to: The Bravery (Believe)

the elf story

Ooh! I just realized that I had promised to write about our elf and I completely forgot. Ok, here it is. . . . .

So, I was on websites looking for various Christmas decorations that I could make and such when I stumbled upon some little plush elves that were for sale. Next to them, there were some stories that people have shared about how they had the elf "arrive" at their home for the holiday season. Alright, so you have to know that right now is an amazing time with Brianna. She is still young enough to believe in Santa and elves and fairies and all that but she is old enough to know how to read, like and understand scavenger hunts and most importantly understand what is going on. So, I found a template for a letter from Santa. It basically says (not verbatim) . . . I'm sending you an elf to stay with your family until Christmas, he will watch you to make sure you're good, he will write reports to me, and he can be mischievous so things might be out of their place sometimes. I placed the letter, an elf passport (which I also found a template of online), a little notebook for the reports and some candy canes in a package. I put it next to our mailbox and put a bow on the mailbox. When Brianna read the letter she was really excited. I didn't buy the little stuffed elf but she really believes that there is an elf in the house. She was running around looking for signs of him and concluded that he is in the attic (because Rodrigo hadn't closed the attic door properly). So now I leave signs of elvish mischief right before I go to bed. So far, we've placed the sofa cushions on the stairs, placed random kitchen objects on Brianna's dresser, put some towels in the middle of the hall, emptied some of her sock drawer onto her carpet, you know, just random things. Oh, I'm also writing the elf reports and leaving the notebook in various places like under the tree and on the top of the washer. What I've done is made a sort of points system where the elf takes the things the kids have done during the day and either adds or deducts points. What takes me long is trying to write in the elf print I'm faking to make my writing unrecognizable.
My mom thinks it's hilarious and that the kids will one day need therapy because they're having to walk on eggshells since an elf is watching them. Rodrigo goes along with it but is being funny by saying dumb things like that he's going to call animal control. Alec couldn't care less. All he wants to hear about is Santa. Brianna is the one who is taking this very seriously. She even leaves little treats out in the night (which I put away after she goes to bed and am required to leave a little thank you napkin). I think it's cute, no?

feeling: COLD!
listening to: Katharine McPhee (O Come All Ye Faithful)

lots o' stuff

I'm living in a sort of daze. I can't believe Thanksgiving was already a week ago. Ok, so I want to write about some things . . .

- About Thanksgiving:
My mom, dad and grandma came over and spent it here with us in Arizona. They arrived last Tuesday and stayed until Sunday. It was nice to have them here. I especially loved that my grandma came and got to see the house. I ate too much. Everyday. With my parents here, Rodrigo and I were actually able to go out and do something by ourselves. We went to watch this movie and got to do a lot of shopping without the kids. Yes, we did the early shopping and risk getting trampled thing.

- About my parents:
They couldn't get over the weather and kept going out for walks. I personally thought it was finally getting chilly and was wearing sweaters. Meanwhile my parents were wearing shorts and skirts. Well, my mom was wearing skirts. My dad wasn't. :P

- About the kids:
The kids are crazy spoiled and it gets worse with the grandparents here. They were going everywhere with my parents and really pushing the limits of what they can get away with. That said, whenever they have their own kids, I'm spoiling those to get revenge for now. (insert evil grin here)
Brianna's grade had a field trip here last Wednesday. I got to chaperon and spend a lovely day with 75 million third graders. I'm kidding, it was actually really nice. The weather was not too hot or cold and each parent was only in charge of three kids. We got to go at our own pace and just try to complete a scavenger hunt. My group was just interested in being silly. See? (Brianna in pink)



- About the Na_ _ _ Mo's.
I didn't do them this year. I knew all the things I was going to be doing this month and there was just no way I could write a novel and/or post an entry every day. Plus, I'd have to go out and do all sorts of cool things to make my life seem a lot more awesome than I really am. Or lie. I signed up for the NaBloPoMo last year and apparently I'm still on the randomizer. So if you're here checking in to see if I'm really doing it, I'm not. I'd love to, but I can't.

- There's a lot of other things that I want to post about. I screw myself for taking so long in between posts. If I make some time while I'm checking emails and such to throw in a short post, I'll get it done. I have to tell you guys about our elf in the house but that deserves it's own post. Tomorrow. I PROMISE!

feeling: too rushed
listening to: Radiohead (Fake Plastic Trees)