Perspective....Another view

Sometimes my kids do stuff and all I can do is say awwwww.......

This was my to-do list for last weekend. Everything got completed except for number 10 since that is an ongoing thing.

Have a safe, happy and fulfilling Thanksgiving!

Use, Change, Re-Use Again and Again

Mini-Me2 had a project at school. Take something you would normally throw away and make it into something you would re-use. Of course the example given was to take a soup can and make it into a pencil/pen holder. Well, she decided she wanted to do something different. Our first project was to take plastic store bags (Wal-Mart, Kroger's, etc.), cut them in strips, make plarn (plastic yarn) and then crochet a bag that is waterproof. Not a new idea by any means, but effective in using up 40-50 bags. Here is a pic of it:


Well, since that project only took about 4 hours to do, she decided we should do something else. Sooooo....a few years ago, I was able to go to a dry cleaners sale (where they sell all the stuff that hasn't been picked up, or whatever, to make more room in their dry cleaner place) and got a Famous Designer sheet. Well, it has been gathering dust in the garage since then. We decided to make a stocking out of it, since it is close to Santa Time. I washed it, and then we took a piece of newspaper, drew out a stocking pattern, cut out the stocking (with lining) embroidered it with monkeys (similar to what she has in the classroom for decoration), personalized it, and made a stocking that can be used not only during the holidays, but year round in the classroom:

Vote for Lily the Chinchilla!

Mini-Me2's pet chinchilla is on Animal Planet's website, Wall of Fame! Please vote for her so she can have a chance of getting on TV!

The Classics, Revisited

This morning we spent a little time as a family, watching TV. And lo-and-behold, Barbie is coming out with a new movie. Barbie and the Three Muskateers. Since it had been a few years (27) since I read the novel (partly in French for French class), the brain started clicking. And clicking. And coming up blank. It clicked some more and I still couldn't come up with the names of the Three Muskateers. While Mini-Me 2 was snuggled up with her daddy, and I didn't figure she would understand what I was really asking anyway, so out loud I said "I can not think of the Three Muskateers names!". To my amazement, Mini-Me2 said "That's easy.". Huh????? My 7 year old knows the names of the Three Muskateers????? "It's Mickey, Donald and Goofy Mom...". The duh was implied by the way.

And just because you were curious...their names were Athos, Porthos and Aramis.

Whew!

We are back from our trip to visit Grandma & Grandpa. We had such a WONDERFUL time! Mini-Me 1 & 2 went on a boat ride and fishing, we went to the zoo, played tennis and waterballoons, played on the Wii, ate Monical's Pizza (The Best!-And yes, I did make it home w/out eating any of the leftovers, but hubby still hasn't eaten it so it's fair game now!), grilled out, watched bunnies, chipmunks and 8 point bucks in the back yard (tried to get a pic and all I got was his glowing eyes!), fed the ducks (twice!), fed the birds and watered flowers, went shopping at the mall and started getting school stuff (is it that time already??????), caught lightning bugs (which made it home alive believe it or not!) and had a picnic by the lake. It was so wonderful! Thank you MIL for everything! We already miss you bunches!

Various Pics from our trip:

Being Cute


Being Cute


Being Silly


Reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban


Camels


Meercat


Kuckaburrow (?Cucaburrough?)


Bikini Tree

Ewww.....

I love to cook and bake. Make things that are not only good for you but that taste good too. Recently I made homemade strawberry jam (Can I just say it is YUMMY!). I encourage the kids to "cook" and make things on thier own. So Mini-Me2 just had to make herself a sandwich. I know she knows how to do this. Without help. But I was a bit slow on the uptake because I delayed in intervening because we didn't have any sandwich meat (she will not eat PB&J-gets that from her Daddy). She was already eating her sandwich. I was a bit wary, but asked anyway.....

"What'cha eating there honey?"
"A sandwich."
"What kind of sandwich?"
"A really good sandwich! Want a bite?"
"What's in it?"
"Mayonase, cheese and pickles! YUM!"
"No thanks honey, you go right ahead and eat your sandwich."

Ewww......

Here are some pics of the chinnys I took the other day.

Is it hot in here?

This is Ollie Otter. He is one of the mascots for Tennessee's seatbelt education that is done in schools. Isn't he a cutie?!? It's ME! But don't tell my kids! And the suit is REALLY padded...that part is NOT me!


This is Ollie during the start of the program.


This is Ollie with one of our special students that wears her seatbelt everyday!



And this is Ollie being mobbed by the kids after the program. Rock star groupies have NOTHING on these kids. See the ones on the bleachers running down them to get to Ollie?

What was that noise???????

As I'm sitting here, I am pondering the noises I'm hearing. It's sort of a very soft hummmmmm. Every once in a while I hear a drop from the coffee maker plop into the coffee pot. There is a bird chirping outside. Oh, the dog just sighed. Man...who knew that there were so many quiet noises when there are not 2 children around! This is GREAT! See, I took a day off. Being a nurse for many years, I had gotten into the abysmal habit of NOT taking days off. But I now get 2 personal days off to use each school year. So I took one today. I was supposed to be going to the zoo (chaperoning little animals while they look at little animals) but alas, it is/was raining so the trip has been rescheduled. Darn. So I get to sit here, update my blog, drink my coffee in peace and quiet, and enjoy. I told hubby that I was going to "piddle" today. I might do some laundry. I might do some embroidery (actually, I should do some embroidery as I have another commission to do next week and would prefer for the jobs not to stack up). I WILL do some knitting. I'll probably watch a movie (Johnny of course!). But I am going to soak up the peace and quiet while I can. And have another cup of coffee while I'm at it.

Like Father, Like Daughter.....

There are moments in life where all a parent can do is laugh. We, as a family, have a tendency to go through microwaves about every 2-3 years. Well, the one we got 2 years ago has now died. You can turn it on, but it doesn't heat anything. My guess is that they don't like having rice cooked in them on an almost daily basis. All that steam and what not. Anywhoo.....It died. Hubby is planning on taking it apart and trying to fix it. (In other words, I have time to research which one I want to get at the store!). Now, it died the other night (Tuesday...after the rice got done cooking!) and we have tried heating various things in it with no success. Today, Mini-Me2 wanted to heat up some french fries. She put them in, hit the time, and hit start. When it beeped and she opened the container, what did this perfect litte sweetheart utter??????

"WHEN IS THIS DAMN THING GOING TO WORK?!?!?!?!?!"

I had just taken a sip of Coke Zero, and let me tell you this....it takes extreme concentration and control to not blow Coke out your nose, nor to inhale it and choke. It does make your eyes water to do this, but so did the diaphragm spasms from trying not to laugh after I actually swallowed the Coke. Now, being a "good" Mommy, I had some choices to make fairly quickly...1) Chastise her for her improper language usage, 2) Crack up and make her think it is OK for a little girl to talk like this, 3) Find out where she heard it or 4) Exit the room carefully and laugh myself silly in private. I chose options 3 & 4.

"Honey, what did you say?"

"When is this thing going to work?"

"Is that all you said?"

"No."

"What else did you say?"

"Damn."

"Where did you hear that word?" (Although we use "colorful" language, we are usually very good about not saying THOSE words around little ears.)

"Daddy."

"Hmmmm......."

The scary part is she actually used it correctly in a sentence while she imitated her Daddy's temper. Mommy is too easy going to have any sort of temper at all....and if you believe that have I got a deal for you!

Not by the hair of my Chinny Chin Chinchilla....

Well, they are here. Yes they. Two. Cage mates that didn't do well being seperated. At first we had Ande and Glimmer. Then our names changed to Prince & Princess. Then Willie & Fudge, Whiskers & Lisa, now we are at Whiskers & Lily. It has been those names for over 24 hours now so I'm hoping they will stick. They are adjusting well to being in their new home. The girls are beyond themselves. We had to take pictures on Saturday and print them out on Sunday so we could have them to take to school on Monday for share time. Once I get picures downloaded I'll post some. They sure are cute though!

I didn't quite catch that....can you repeat yourself?

You will never guess what I did today! Go ahead....guess.....OK, I'll give. I've been putting together a cage, and a water bottle holder thingy, and 2 food bowls that get screwed in to secure them, and putting together a chinchilla house (made out of wood), and watching as Mini-Me2 just about wets herself cause her daddy said she can get her chinchilla TOMORROW! Did you know that a young girl can ask the same essential question ("When are we going to get my chinchilla????") 8,479 different ways? "When are we getting up in the morning mommy?", "What are we doing after we eat breakfast?", "We don't have to go to the store in the morning do we?", "Will daddy be here or will he already be at work when we go to get the chinchilla?")? Amazing what kids can come up with when they want to.

It is Friday night, and on Fridays and Saturdays, the girls get to stay up a little later since there is no school. Mini-Me2 is already ready for bed at 9:00, wanting "everyone!" to go to bed, so that she can get up in the morning and pester me about when we are going to get her chinchilla. Just watching her get everything ready for her pet is so cute!

I did get a cool techy type thing for her too though. I thought it was neat...it is a little electronic device for small animals, that clips on the outside of the cage, that sounds an alarm when it is time to feed, clean the cage, play with your pet, and give them a treat. If you don't press the right button, then your pet gets a mark taken off their "happiness" meter. I thought it was a neat way to make her more aware of her pet, rather than me or daddy coming behind and doing something for her (course we'll keep a watch out on her anyway).

Well, more tomorrow after we return from the great chinchilla safari!

I know, I know.....

My step-half-adopted-brother-in-law was razzing me the other day that I "never" post on my blog anymore. PPHHLLBBBTTTTT. And no, you don't get any damn cornbread either.

Now that that is taken care of (tee hee hee).....

We just got back from spring break, and while it was very nice to be off for a glorious 10 days, it was not all leisure time. In fact, little of it was leisure time. In fact, I worked harder last week than I do at work. We moved furniture out, in, around, and then did it all over again. But it was worth it! See? See how pretty it is now? (Don't look at the walls, they haven't been painted...yet.)



Now, on to a "scientific" type post/blog/question. Most educated people know that, over time (lots and lots and lots of time), drops of water can wear a rock away. Using that same deduction, how long do you suppose it will take my youngest Mini-Me2 to wear her father down and let her get her own pet? Since it's been going on since Christmas, I'm figuring he has about another month before he caves. The whole story is amusing though. I love animals. I have had many different and varied pets over the years. There are some that I have problems with (mice, spiders, birds) and some I don't. Mini-Me2 started around her birthday, that she wanted a pet. She started asking for a gerbil (No), then a hamster (NO!), then a guinea pig (HELL NO!). No to a rabbit and bird too. Then she asked for the "not quite so easy for Mommy to say no to" pet. A chinchilla. I have to admit, I was intrigued with her request. I have had chinchillas in the past, and they are very clean (no shedding or parasitic bugs like fleas), have a long life span (10-20 years), and are just the cutest things! Well, over time (aka-daily) Mini-Me2 has gotten Daddy to consent to go and look for them and the phrase "probably after Easter" has actually escaped his mouth within her hearing. I haven't wanted to remind him of that, I'm sure she will. So, we went to a local pet supply/pet store that sold chinchillas and took some pictures for Daddy to see what a chinchilla is. I don't think he'll be able to resist. Do you?