3rd Grade Rocket Launch

 Brooklyn's 3rd Grade class had a rocket launch last week.

I took the two little bambinos to watch.

But I should have left them behind.

Because they were kind of naughty.

They didn't have the patience to wait for Brooklyn's launch.

(Or any launch for that matter)

They were running around and messing with the water fountains.

Stinkers.

But that's besides the point.

Brooklyn built and decorated her rocket.

Pumped it full of air.

 Stood back, pulled the stopper....and....

Blast Off!

It was fun watching all the kids (and parents) get so excited.

I love going to these special activities.

I'm continually impressed by the number of parents who show up to be supportive.

I am not impressed though, by the 15 minutes of Jack pouting because he wanted to be a 

Rocket-Launching-3rd-Grader.

Life really isn't fair, you know.

First Day of School

Well, it's over. 

The busiest summer of my existence has come to an end.

Kind of bitter sweet.

I love, love, love having the kids home and being able to take a break from the regular routine,

but yet, I love having a routine so I welcome it when it returns.

To start the year off right I asked Jack to pack his lunch.

Independence is a good thing, I say.

But what does a 1st grader think he needs for lunch?

Nice.

I may have stepped in and helped a little.

With a couple of oh, I don't know, maybe a baggie or two.

And maybe swapped the would-be-petrified-by-lunchtime-tortilla

for a PB&J.

Throw in a few carrots (in a baggie??) and we'll call it a lunch.

Now just take out the creepy Addam's Family hand in the corner and it would be perfect.

Here's our guy headed off to 1st grade.

Unbelievable.

You see, my heart breaks just a little bit at the beginning of the school year.

My little people off growing up.

I get a little sentimental.

Until I drop off  "Mr. I've got this."

He reminds me that he's got the situation well under control.

He's ready to lead the way to his classroom and rule the school.

You go, dude.

Just put your bowl in the sink on the way out.

Brooklyn however, embraces my sentimentality (is that a word??)

She's excited for a new year, but is also a teeny bit nervous.

Unlike her brother, she wanted me very close by as she approached her new classroom.

The difference in their body language and expressions in the pictures above tell the whole story.

She will be just fine though - she's got a whole classroom full of friends

and by the look of that stack of books, lots to learn.

I'm positive that by the time I pick her up this afternoon 

she will be bouncing around excited about the upcoming school year.

Our biggest problem this morning happened on the way out.

Poor Bradley couldn't understand why he couldn't go to school with the kids.

If you look closely you can see a big alligator tear running down his cheek.

He starts preschool next week, but he was heartbroken that he wasn't staying at the school today.

If he had had any idea how sad I was feeling for him he could have asked for 

3 banana splits and a pony and I probably would have given it to him.

He settled for a trip to the library and a popsicle.

Here's to a wonderful school year!

This n That

Nothing too excited going on around the old homestead these days.

Just a little of this and a little of that.

But the everyday happenings are worth documenting, right?

First of all, the parent's in this house have finally given in to an extracurricular activity.

We've been kind of dragging our heels because
A) we like not having to be 1 million places,
B) it's expensive, and
C)  our kids were blissfully unaware that they were missing out on anything.

Sounds like the perfect conditions to pull a quick one, eh?

We thought so too.

But, I have finally decided that it is time to branch out a bit and try to "round out" these kids of ours.

And I'm quite glad I did. 

I feel like I've graduated to some new level of parenting.

For now, I smile as I hear small successions of notes
(over and over again)
while I am preparing dinner.

Soon I will not smile as I threaten to remove her left arm if she doesn't practice.

It's all part of the joys of parenting, right?

She is cute sitting up there with her make-shift piano.

And she totally staged this picture,

but wanted to make sure that it didn't look like she staged it.

That's a Motherhood Lesson 101 course in itself.

Making it look like you "caught them in the moment."

Even if you and I both know that you likely tortured the kid
and made them re-do that special moment at least 6 times just for the perfect picture.

She's ahead of her time.

~~~~~~~

Around here the blossoms are in full bloom (achoo!) and spring has definitely arrived.

Which means that the gardener at this house has to get to work!

He painstakingly spent a billion years building that beautiful

self watering garden box.

He has planted his little plants and takes great pride in whatever is growing in there.

He comes home from work and stands out there with his hands on his hips
just willing those precious little plants to grow.

And then he asks me which child put the tire marks through the garden

and whose "bum print" he can see.

I've already got 4 of them to watch,

I can't possibly babysit the garden too.

If those plants are going to grow around here,

then they better be tough.

~~~~~~~

Speaking of tough...

What does she think she is doing?

Oh ya know, just playing naked outside in the water bowl in February!

Sheesh.

I'm running around with a fleece jacket (cause I am a wimp)

and she's running around in nothing.

And for the record, it was the dog who left the "bum print" in the garden, not Aubrey.

~~~~~~~

About a month ago we got a letter in the mail that basically has ruined my entire last month.

It said something like this:

"Because we are mean, we want you to get rid of your trampoline

and only allow your kids to sit on little pillows in the corner.

Love, your Home Insurance Company"

Boooo on them.

I LOVE the trampoline.

My kids LOVE the trampoline.

And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it when Dave takes them out to jump while I am making dinner.

What kind of American family will we be without a trampoline?

I seriously might shed a tear.

And then put in a zip line from the second story into the neighbors pool.

See what the insurance company thinks of that one.  :)

~~~~~~~

On a serious note,

last week we had to say goodbye to our beloved and cute little Grandpa Bowen.

He was Jack's birthday buddy and was nearly 96 years old!

This guy was only about 5 feet tall, but was at least twice that in personality.

He was a darling little man with sparkly blue eyes.

We'll miss him,

but we are thrilled that he has been reunited with so many loved ones on the other side.

Potty Talk

I'm so behind on everything it seems. 

Or at least not finding the time to do everything  that I want to. 

Like post on my blog.

I think my new calling sucks all the creativity I have.

I've always been afraid of this calling.

That "Primary Chorister" calling.

But as it turns out, I haven't died.

Who knew?

The kids haven't thrown rotten tomatoes at me or requested that I please stop singing.

Hooray!

But still, my normal blogging time is being spent searching the right hemisphere of my brain
(and the internet)
for ways to frighten teach the kids.

And when I am not traumatizing other people's kids,

my own are traumatizing me.

Potty training.

Ugh.

Isn't there a summer camp for that?
I'm pretty sure that I am not the only one who would happily write the check for that one.  (Sarah?)

This boy definitely has not made it easy on me.

Just look at that face,

taunting me...

He is almost there though.

Which is a really good thing, because I am was getting desperate.

And a desperate mother is capable of doing absurd things.

Like paying her 7 year old to try and potty train the baby over Christmas vacation because she was just sure that at the rate we were going, the baby would be potty trained before the 3 year old.

10 bucks, she would have made.
And I would have paid more.
Much more.
Wouldn't that have been beautiful?
Too bad it didn't work...
Maybe summer vacation??!!
Brooklyn will have all kinds of time to be tethered to the toilet,
read stories, serve up juice, and just generally rot away in the bathroom.
That should free me up for all kinds of projects.  :)

First Day of School

I must be getting old. 

Look at these grown up kids!

I can't possibly be old enough to have a second grader!

I had to show a picture of her entire outfit

because she definitely put some time into planning it.

Yesterday at church, her and her friend Mia plotted matching outfits and matching hair.

This is of supreme importance, you know.

One must always match their best friend on the first day of school.

And this adorable little fellow is a new Kindergartner.

I didn't show you his entire outfit because that was a matter of some debate this morning.

Good grief.

The night before I told him to pick out some clothes.

He didn't want to so he told me to do it.

So I did.

Well, when it came time to get dressed this morning, 

he didn't want to wear the "grown up shirt."

The kids might laugh at him!

So he howled and moaned in his Superman underwear all morning until
finally he accepted the consequences of his previous choice

and put on that handsome devil shirt.

Of course, that might be the last time he ever wears it because

you better believe that he picked out his own clothes for tomorrow!

Summer Check-in

Well hello everyone.

I have completely checked out of the blogosphere for the last month.

I've been doing a little house shopping.

Oy.

It started out fun,

but considering I have to drive 50 minutes away every time I want to see a house,

and I've been looking for a month now,

I'm ready to just find one.

Well, not just one - I want the right one.

And for the right price.

Too much to ask?

ANYWAY, besides going crazy trying to find a house,

we've been having a great summer.

I just realized though, that I haven't taken many pictures.

Shame on me.

I do have a couple of goodies though

Here's my baby-cakes showing off her locks.

(She gets those from her mother)

Awesomeness.

The boys have spent hours in the dirt.

Seriously, how can boys be so dirty and gross -

ALL THE TIME?

I feel like I don't even want to put them in my bathtub

because my bathtub may never recover.

And then there's Brooklyn.

Ahhhh Brooklyn.

Now that she's kind of growing up, (sniff)

I'm feeling like I'm peeling back the next layer of parenting.

She's so fun and quirky and talkative.

I don't think her brain or her mouth ever take a break.

No really.

She doesn't stop.

Like ever.

On that note, wish me luck on my 14 hour road trip this weekend.

Dave asked me not to forget to pack the earplugs.

Spring Break, Part 2

Because the grandparents love us (and spoil us)
they treated us all to a day at the happiest place on Earth.

I knew about this trip for several months before
and I have to tell you that it was giving me anxiety.

Remember all those stories about Bradley getting lost?

In my mind I was calculating what Bradley plus Disneyland might produce.

And seriously, it gave me a fright.

BUT, I am proud to announce that he did awesome.

He didn't wander, he didn't hide and most importantly, we didn't lose him.

That's right - go ahead and give me a few 'Super Mom' points for that one.

The kids did great and we had a blast!

Stopping for lunch

Tinkerbell's line was like 3,000 times shorter than the princess'.

The only D-land celebs that really matter at our house. 
I know they aren't smiling,
but I want all of you to give proper appreciation for this picture. 
You have no idea what it took to get them to look at me. 
All the 'other' kids would walk up there and happily pose for a picture. 
The Bowen kids however, walked in there and had to look in Mater's mouth,
look for door handles,  try to climb on the hood ,
circle each cars entire perimeter and then give McQueen a loving squeeze. 
This is true love, my friends. 
I think those 2 minutes with McQueen made Bradley's entire life.

My sweet, sweet Babe.  She did not want to miss a thing.  
But she did just tell me that "It's a Small World" was her favorite.

Bradley enjoyed himself, but he wasn't too sure of the rides. 

I think he preferred to people watch and look for pre-chewed wads of gum. 

I asked him what his favorite ride was, but he couldn't tell me.

He did however, tell me what his least favorite was:

 Yes, for some reason the Carousel absolutely terrified him.

We tried to sit him on one of those evil horses which made him kick and scream in fear.

Weird.

But really, look at the closest horse in the picture.

It is a little creepy.

Hark!  Is that a smile?

I'm pretty sure he only smiled because he was trying to swoon me

into buying him that Woody Hat.

Nice try, partner.

Can you see my phone number "tattooed" on his right arm?

You gotta do what ya gotta do.

This trip was a new experience for Jack.  He has finally grown enough to ride the 40" rides.

Some of which can be a bit scary.

Have you been to Disneyland?

They have a ride called "Tower of Terror."

Basically they take you up 13 stories in an elevator

and then let you free-fall to the bottom.

Jack decided that he wanted to ride.

Suit yourself.

So the rest of the fam took him up while I sat with the little ones.

I was prepared with my camera because I was sure

he would be bawling when he came out.

But I was wrong.

They all came out busting up with laughter.

Apparently Jack was quite a scene on that ride.

His knuckles were white and his eyes were as big as baseballs.

Can you see him?

That teeny weeny fellow in the back.

This is a picture of a picture so the quality isn't great, but priceless none the less.

Such a concerned look on that little face.

Seriously though, does he look like he's big enough to be on that ride?

I held a small interview with him when he got off and he said he would like to go on the ride again.

Although as he walked away I noticed that his pants were wet.

I think that ride may have been a little too scary.

What an unpleasant surprise for the person who got the seat after him!

Brooklyn sporting 3D glasses for the Toy Story ride.

Brooklyn is the perfect age for Disneyland. 

She can ride everything (except to her dismay,  the BIG roller coaster)

and she loves it ALL.

The Fam

Um, are those really all our kids.

We look awesome with kids hanging everywhere.

Like it's all we can do to hang on to all of them...

Three cheers for a successful trip to Disneyland

and a HUGE thanks to Grammy & Gramps for taking us

and for helping us corral our small army.

How to buy a house

Remember this story about Brooklyn saving her birthday money for a house?

Well, she's at it again.

I was busy making dinner the other night when she walked in,

pulled up a stool, and looked at me with a little furrow in her brow.

"Mom," she said, "I know how we can buy a house."

"Oh really Brooklyn, how's that?"

Then she gave me that Duh, Mom! look and said,

"You need to stop wasting your money on grown up things.  Like toilet paper."

 Genius!

Why didn't I think of that?

Spring has Sprung

Just 2 posts ago I showed a picture of the boys playing in the pile of "snow."

Well, I am happy to announce that Mother Nature has shaped up

and given us the weather I've been waiting for!

Hello sunshine and warm weather!

These two spent a fair part of Saturday splashing around in that freezing cold water.

They were loving it.

I know it's going to be blazing hot, but I can't wait for summer.

I've been doin' a little dance every day

that I wake up to see the sun shining through the windows.

And Jack did a little dance when I told him that he could start wearing shorts to school.

Given the option, he will always choose shorts with cowboy boots.

Dashing.

Turning Tables

I LOVE hot showers.

Like really hot showers.

You know, like super steamy bathroom, red lobster skin hot shower.

And if I could, I would spend many many hours minutes in there.

Ahhh... Positively delightful.

Well, growing up, my Dad (for some unknown reason)

had an issue with my extensive blistering showers.

And on more than one occasion my water would suddenly turn ice cold.

How convenient for him, being a plumber and all.

It was harsh really.

It turns out he was concerned about something trivial like the water bill or something.

Well, as often happens, the tables turn.

And strangely enough my little Brooklyn loves really hot, really long showers.

And what do you know? 

Now that I'm paying the water bills, I find myself having a problem with Brooklyn's marathon showers.

Well, after repeatedly asking her to get out, my instincts kicked in.

I'm not as clever as my Dad
so I don't know how to make the water immediately go cold from other parts of the house,

so I just strolled in, stuck my arm in there and gave the knob a full turn.

She got the message.

I must admit that it was strangely satisfying.

As if I had found my place in the long line of parents who repeat their parent's form of child persuasion.

Here they are.  My parents.  Back in 1984.

And that there is 2 year old me.

Back when I was taking nice, long, hot baths.

A Kid: Week 6

That's gonna hurt.

Can you repeat that? Oh wait, please don't.

You have to know that my oldest child is about the sweetest child ever.

Really.

I take no credit for her awesomeness because she flat out came that way.

And I rejoice.

But, there might be one minor flaw.

Whoever installed the voice box put the switch on "Continuous Play."

Phew.

She.Does.Not.Stop.

No joke guys - we took a 6 hour drive to San Diego last year

and she seriously talked the entire drive.

I'm not sure she even took a breath.
I thought I was going to go insane.
By the time we rolled into the driveway I felt and probably looked something like this:

This is straight-up the scariest picture I've ever seen. 
That is some wicked awesome bed head -
And I'm sure she'll be super happy someday with this picture going public :-)

Here's Brooklyn's daily schedule:

Every night at dinner: talking (never eating)

Every night after dinner: talking

Every night when she is supposed to be sleeping: talking

Some nights while she's sleeping: talking

First thing when she wakes up: talking

AAAALLLLL Day:  talking

This is not a joke.

She clearly has a lot on her mind,

but I honestly can't tell you what she is talking about half of the time.
I think she just likes to talk.
Period.

Last night when I tucked her into bed she said to me,
"Mom, I wish that a grown up could lay in here with me and
answer all my questions until I go to sleep."

Tempting, but I'm afraid I'm suffering from some serious auditory fatigue.

Snaggletooth

Brooklyn does at least 50 triple back flips every time she gets a loose tooth.

And then she shows me how she can push her tongue into her teeth

which makes that loosie-goosie point in entirely the wrong direction.

Which really gives me the heebies.

Do you see that thing?

Bleck.

Thankfully, that puppy has recently popped out.

The word is that it flew out onto her jacket during her spelling test.

Sweet.
But between me and you, I think she was sandbagging making sure she would lose it at school.
All for one of these.

The Holy Grail of awesomeness.
It's amazing sometimes how alluring a small piece of
Made in China plastic can be.

A Kid: Week 1

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it must be like to be a kid.

NO insurance to pay, meals to prepare, legs to shave, laundry to wash or bills to pay.

Pretty much awesome, if you ask me.

One of my resolutions for the new year is to slow down the chariot

a bit so I don't miss the show.

Who knew every day was so full of fun and magic?

I've still gotta do what I've gotta do,

But do you know what?

The dishes will wait for me.

The laundry won't disappear.

No one will die if the train tracks are scattered on the floor...again.

The bathroom can wait another day.  (cleaning, not going)

The closet isn't really that bad.  (Ok, that one might be a lie)

And dinner will happen.

But my little midgies aren't going to stop and wait for me.

So, until I get tired of it, I've decided that I am going to share my favorite 

wild child picture of the week.

And you're going to like it.

And I think you're practically going to feel like you are 6.  Or 4.  Or 2. Or 7 months. 

Whatever the case may be.

Maybe there will be a story, maybe there won't.

Woot!  This is going to be fun.

I love this picture.

But I don't love the thought of all the dog hair and slobber.

Ick.

Oh wait, did I just ruin the moment?

Dah, I tend to do that.

Excuse me.

Scroll back up and picture an adorable 6 year old girl laughing til her belly aches

because she's being snuzzled by her favorite overweight pooch.

Priceless.

Mother of the Year

Someone come over here right now and give me a tiara, sash and one dozen roses.

Seriously, not only did I make Christmas treats for friends and neighbors 

(a miracle in itself) but I let the kids help.

(Despite the look on his face, I didn't force him to help)

Do you realize the implications of a decision like that?

Yeah, my kitchen is still bearing the signs of 2 underage cooks.

But please spare me and don't look too closely.

But the people did great.  

Stirring, ball forming, dipping, tasting - they did it all.

And I didn't even mind when they made powdered sugar clouds and spilt all forms of sticky gunk all over the kitchen.

Oy.  It was a mess.

Oh yes, there we go.

That's more like it.

Student of the Week

Does anyone know the child described in this paragraph?

I know I sure don't.

I know it says her name is Brooklyn, but if that is the case,

then there are definitely several  misrepresentations.

#1.  Admittedly, we don't go out much ever.

Therefore, Brooklyn has probably only been to McDonald's

once or twice in her entire life.  

And even if she did go regularly, she likely wouldn't want anything on their menu. 

Her exact quote (to me) is that she likes all the food at McDonald's

"except those little meat things."

#2.  Tennis?

Do any of your 6 year old's play tennis?

Or really even know what it is?

(Ok, maybe yours does, but mine definitely does not.)

#3.  She doesn't own a single Barbie.

I told her teacher we got a little chuckle out of Brooklyn's fabricated dream world.

She told me that Brooklyn kind of pulled McDonald's out of a hat

(as in "it was the only restaurant she could think of"). 

She kept insisting that her favorite place to eat out is 

VONS.

Where she sometimes gets to choose a fruit roll-up.

Maybe we should branch out a little.

I'm pretty sure I've succeeded in being the world's awesomest parent

if my child's favorite place to eat out is a grocery store.

How cool are we?

P.S.  Isn't she darling in her Christmas dress?!

(even with a freaky Santa octopus on her right shoulder and an

albino gingerbread man on her head?)

The Talented Brooklyn

Brooklyn has decided that she would like to develop some new talents.

And I must say that I am proud to have such a talented daughter.

Her new talent should come in very handy!

Hello!  She's asked many times to change Aubrey's diaper -

why have I not let her?!

Now we just have to master the dishwasher, the washer, and the oven.

Oh the possibilities!

Note to self: Teach the menfolk in this house a few new talents!

RIP Skuttles

Brooklyn's little world came to a stop this week.

Little Skuttles motor stopped - and he couldn't be revived.

No amount of AAA batteries could convince him to come back to life.

We held a small burial service for him.

Ya, that's right everyone - I just posted a picture of the inside of my trash can.

I'm just awesome like that.

Poor Brooklyn waving goodbye.

She loved  that little fella.

I guess it's a good thing Christmas is coming.

I think Grandma's got her covered.

Of course, this experience makes me wonder what it will be like

when one of our real pets dies.

Oh mercy.

Isn't it a little early for this?

My daughter is only 6.

And she is already clipping pictures of boys out of magazines and hanging them on her bedroom walls!

Older boys, no less.

I. Love. This.
Brooklyn, you have my permission to keep on clipping the "boys" out of the Friend magazine.
I eventually pull all your other art work off the walls, but these can stay there forever.