Monday, September 27, 2010
Flag Football
Sam's loving flag football. There are only 6 guys on the team and 5 play at a time, which is great for learning. He plays center most of the time, because he's the tallest on the team and therefore the most likely to successfully get the ball through his legs. This week he nearly ran for a touchdown and made 2 tackles.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Little chefs
At the fall Just Between Friends sale, I picked up a Rachael Ray kids cookbook for cheap. Last week the kids and I looked over one of the first (and presumably easiest) recipes and picked one to make for dinner. Last night was our big night. Our menu was referred to as the dipper menu-- all things that you dip. We made chicken toes, veggie salsa dip and veggies, and peanut butter-caramel dip with apples. Yum. Or Yum-o, in Rachael speak.
I was hoping this might help them engage in the kitchen and also encourage them to try some new foods-- thinking if they participated in creation, they'd want to try. Experiment gone wrong when Sam tried a celery stick and it was super-bitter, for celery. Oops.
Sam was commenting about how messy the cooking process was. They were working on the chicken, which required Kate rolling chicken in flour and dipping in egg, then Sam rolling in the breading. Sam said, "If I'd have known how messy this would be, I'd never done it!"
He came back from washing his hands a few minutes later and added, "When I grow up, we are NEVER going to do any more cooking. It's too messy!"
Kate responded, "What are you going to do then, go out for dinner every night?!"
"Well, no. I guess when I get married we'll have to cook some, because it's good for the kids. If I have kids. You know."
So, we may not have succeeded in expanding our gourmet palate, but we definitely made an impression!
I was hoping this might help them engage in the kitchen and also encourage them to try some new foods-- thinking if they participated in creation, they'd want to try. Experiment gone wrong when Sam tried a celery stick and it was super-bitter, for celery. Oops.
Sam was commenting about how messy the cooking process was. They were working on the chicken, which required Kate rolling chicken in flour and dipping in egg, then Sam rolling in the breading. Sam said, "If I'd have known how messy this would be, I'd never done it!"
He came back from washing his hands a few minutes later and added, "When I grow up, we are NEVER going to do any more cooking. It's too messy!"
Kate responded, "What are you going to do then, go out for dinner every night?!"
"Well, no. I guess when I get married we'll have to cook some, because it's good for the kids. If I have kids. You know."
So, we may not have succeeded in expanding our gourmet palate, but we definitely made an impression!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The guys
My kids are early risers. That's okay, I am too. This morning I awoke to a frequent scene: each of them were in my bed with two of their guys (stuffed animals), and they were creating this elaborate story about the guys. Kate had Cinderella Kitty and Toodles the dog. Sam had Sharkey (a dolphin from Pizza Street) and Sealy (actually a seal).
Kate: Do you have your guys?
Sam: Yeah. I have Sharkey and Sealy. They live in the same ocean so they need to get to know each other.
Kate: You have two guys and I have two guys! We both have two guys!
Sam: Sharkey and Sealy are hiding in a cave from Godzilla. Your guys can come too.
Kate: Okay! [and she crawls over my trying-to-sleep body]
The guys hide and then off the whole group goes on another quest. Feet running down the stairs, laughing, dog following close behind.
I'm just so thankful for their play together. What a blessing to have two kids that actually like each other, most of the time. Sam is so generous with her, often commenting on her artwork from school or new songs and how great they are. Kate is in a constant quest to be Sam's best sister.
Other than being too early, it's a pretty great way to wake up.
Kate: Do you have your guys?
Sam: Yeah. I have Sharkey and Sealy. They live in the same ocean so they need to get to know each other.
Kate: You have two guys and I have two guys! We both have two guys!
Sam: Sharkey and Sealy are hiding in a cave from Godzilla. Your guys can come too.
Kate: Okay! [and she crawls over my trying-to-sleep body]
The guys hide and then off the whole group goes on another quest. Feet running down the stairs, laughing, dog following close behind.
I'm just so thankful for their play together. What a blessing to have two kids that actually like each other, most of the time. Sam is so generous with her, often commenting on her artwork from school or new songs and how great they are. Kate is in a constant quest to be Sam's best sister.
Other than being too early, it's a pretty great way to wake up.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
BMB: Attitude adjustment
My sweet sweet boy Sam has started acting not-so-sweet. Particularly when it involves my asking him to do something other than the one thing he wants to do. I can relate to that, but the attitude (often with a tantrum thrown in) is not helping. If we stick to a pretty steady routine (piano right after school, etc), he does better, but you never can tell.
This year, as a 1st grader, Sam has the ability to purchase "Extras" from the cafeteria. Extras, as far as I can tell, are the junk that the school feels bad for including in lunch and therefore asks you to be the heavy and decide whether or not your kid can buy them. We chose "purchase with cash from home", so that he wouldn't live on cheetos all year. I've been using the Extras as incentive, and this week I decided that I'd wait until he had a good day practicing piano to give him the money for an Extra at lunch.
Yesterday he almost did it. He went right downstairs and started practicing. Yea! I walked down to put something away and he starts bawling. I'm thinking, "What happened???!!!" I asked what was wrong and he was crying because his "favorite show" (not) came on TV at that time and he would never be able to watch again. Good grief. So I told him about my plan for the Extra money if he could practice peacefully. Bad choice, then he was crying about that too and how EVERYONE at school got extras ALL THE TIME except him.
Oh my. I'd also been planning to let him ask a friend to spend the night, but since he spent the 30 minutes I was home before a meeting crying and carrying on, I figured it wasn't a great time to reward him with that either.
See, I WANT to be the nice mommy and give him fun treats. Instead, I have to be a stick-to-my-guns mommy and withhold the goodies until he behaves better. Frankly, that sucks.
This year, as a 1st grader, Sam has the ability to purchase "Extras" from the cafeteria. Extras, as far as I can tell, are the junk that the school feels bad for including in lunch and therefore asks you to be the heavy and decide whether or not your kid can buy them. We chose "purchase with cash from home", so that he wouldn't live on cheetos all year. I've been using the Extras as incentive, and this week I decided that I'd wait until he had a good day practicing piano to give him the money for an Extra at lunch.
Yesterday he almost did it. He went right downstairs and started practicing. Yea! I walked down to put something away and he starts bawling. I'm thinking, "What happened???!!!" I asked what was wrong and he was crying because his "favorite show" (not) came on TV at that time and he would never be able to watch again. Good grief. So I told him about my plan for the Extra money if he could practice peacefully. Bad choice, then he was crying about that too and how EVERYONE at school got extras ALL THE TIME except him.
Oh my. I'd also been planning to let him ask a friend to spend the night, but since he spent the 30 minutes I was home before a meeting crying and carrying on, I figured it wasn't a great time to reward him with that either.
See, I WANT to be the nice mommy and give him fun treats. Instead, I have to be a stick-to-my-guns mommy and withhold the goodies until he behaves better. Frankly, that sucks.
Vanna White, the teacher
It's been a while since I've posted anything about Kate, so let me include this tidbit from Jo:
"Kate has been a hoot…she is the “teacher” to Lia and Alex. I got activities for “Shape Day”…while we were all in the kitchen, she had L/A find different shapes (decorations, cabinets, light switch covers, bowls, plates, etc.) The funniest thing was when she was going to different areas to point out shapes for the children…the “Vanna White” pose…including a little hip movement”!! Her shape activity included a Tangram Puzzle (different shapes that she could make pictures with). She is now looking at an Oriental Trading magazine while I check e-mails and she just said, “I am going to pick out things for me to get at Christmas.” (Sorry!!)"
Kate definitely knows how to use those hips!
"Kate has been a hoot…she is the “teacher” to Lia and Alex. I got activities for “Shape Day”…while we were all in the kitchen, she had L/A find different shapes (decorations, cabinets, light switch covers, bowls, plates, etc.) The funniest thing was when she was going to different areas to point out shapes for the children…the “Vanna White” pose…including a little hip movement”!! Her shape activity included a Tangram Puzzle (different shapes that she could make pictures with). She is now looking at an Oriental Trading magazine while I check e-mails and she just said, “I am going to pick out things for me to get at Christmas.” (Sorry!!)"
Kate definitely knows how to use those hips!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Maranatha Pictures. Finally
New camera. Pictures. Blah blah blah.
We had a great time, as usual. Actually, this was the first year for Stuart and me where we wished we were staying a little longer. Well, we always wish that, but this year we could have used a couple more days of relaxation! Here are a few pictures of our week:
We had a great time, as usual. Actually, this was the first year for Stuart and me where we wished we were staying a little longer. Well, we always wish that, but this year we could have used a couple more days of relaxation! Here are a few pictures of our week:
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| The kids couldn't wait to get out to the beach that first night! (or any other time) |
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| Ah, sunset. |
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| Kate's Granddad was a great sand castle companion! |
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| Boys being boys! |
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| Boys on the beach |
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| Our not-so-great family pic |
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| Tired girl |
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| Sam and Doug enjoying their morning coffee |
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| Lindsay's biggest fan |
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| Kate loved the Petting Zoo this year! |
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| Handsome |
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| "Oh mom, do we HAVE to?" |
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| Little Miss Sassy |
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