These Chairs

What you see, are 10 empty chairs.  At this point there is no explanation, they are just 10 empty chairs.  And without further explanation, they remain 10 empty chairs.

But, there are a minimum of 60 women that will beg to differ.  These chairs are not empty, they are full.  Six to a chair, if not more.  This simple row of chairs is overflowing, standing room only doesn't begin to describe the emotion.  And not one of those attempting to occupy these chairs is concerned with actually sitting.  They just want to be there.

These 10 chairs...

They are for a funeral. 

And while WE can not be there physically.  We are there in spirit.

A friend lost her husband to War.  He was a medic, he was in combat to help others.  Not just our own, but those fighting us as well.  He went out to save lives, didn't matter whose life it was.  His goal was to save it.  Even if it cost him his own. 

And it did.

These 10 chairs represent the families who serve side by side, day after day, knowing the value of what could be lost.  These 10 chairs represent the true value of what it means to be an American.  They are not fancy, not even close to being comfortable.  But they are tried and they are true, and they stand strong to support us all.

These 10 chairs represent the spirits of families, friends and patriots.  They hold the memories, experiences, and the fears of those who carry the same burdens in their hearts.  The sacrifice that comes with these chairs is heavy and real. 

These aren't just chairs.

This is a repost from last year.  Not a day goes by that I do not think of my dear friend and her family, and the sacrifice that her husband and many others have made for us.  This post is in memory of SSG Brian Cowdrey and all who have paid the ultimate price.

Medical School VS Real Life Experience

I want to know what is going on upstairs.  But then again.  I don't.  All I hear are large thumps and explosions and the occasional scream.  It is days like today, where I am convinced we should convert the basement into a very well padded room, and just leave the kids down there.

I do know that Moops is itching for a trip to the ER.  It has been almost a year since our last latenight excursion to a poorly lit hospital.  Then being treated by a Dr that I am pretty sure was moonlighting as a quality control specialist, by sampling the pharmacy.  Last year we also got to tour the Largest Burn Center in the United States.  I remember feeling horribly guilty as a parent, when I walked my 4 year old into this impressive building.  Patients from as far as West Texas were flown there for treatment.  Fire Fighters were common, an arsonist on occasion. And then me, this horrible Mom who was not fast enough to catch her little man before he planted all 10 tips of his fingers onto the glass of our fireplace. 

That guilt was downgraded though, shortly after our arrival, just as we situated ourselves into the waiting room and encountered at least 10 other little kids also being treated for burns.  One little girl was attempting to makeover her hair, using her Mom's flat iron.  Another kid pulled a pot of boiling water off the stove and onto himself.  And a teenager, his Dad had to explain his wounds to me.

His explanation: "This is what happens when you sniff paint and smoke a cigarette simoutaneously".

He then pointed out that they were using his college savings to pay for his treatment, since it was pretty obvious college was not a realistic opportunity at this point in his sons' life.

I think that Dad was pissed.

This year I think Moops is interested in touring the Orthopeadic facilities in our area, as he seems to have a need to climb and then leap off of tall buildings.  There is also a possible trip for head trauma, and he has discovered running without looking where he is going.  Twice this week, he and a wall collided.  Both times he blamed the wall...  And we could also find ourselves at the chiropractor or Spine Doc, since he has also seems to have inherited my Mother's insatiable addiction of moving furniture.  Multiple times this week, I have found furniture relocated, and could not recall moving the pieces myself.  Like, the couch from the playroom, making its way into the kitchen. 

Here is Moops attempting to climb over the side of an inflatable ship.  It's at least a 6 foot drop on the other side.  You can rest assured, the ENTIRE facility heard me yell at him to get down. 

Perhaps this is Moops' attempt to widdle down his specialty when he goes to Medical School.  At least that is how I can justify it for now.  It's kind of like touring Colleges with your teenager, but far more expensive and stressful.

Speaking of injuries.  Alex had a run in with a mat earlier this week.  He smashed his nose in pretty good, and is now sporting a low level raccoon look.  It didn't help the head cold he has been dealing with either.  And for the last 2 days, he has been miserable.  The bridge of his nose is slightly swollen, his sinus' are compacted, and the weather can't decide whether it wants to be warm, cold, dry, wet, happy, or sad.  I got to write his teacher a note promising that he is not an abused child, just clumbsy.  I always struggle with those letters, because I always feel like a neglectful parent writing them.

Dear Ms C.

Please disregard Alex's raccoon eyes.  I can promise you that he has not been beaten or abused.  Rather, he tripped over his own feet and face planted into the mat at Jiu Jitsu.  I have witnesses if you need furher verification. 

It's similar to the one I wrote for him in 3 rd Grade.

Dear Ms G.

Please allow Alex to skip PE and anything requiring the use of his Right Arm.  Alex insists on playing football, and got himself sacked by a very large scary looking 7 year old.  As a result, he dislocated his shoulder.

P.S.  If he seems a little off and giddy today, that would be the Tylenol with Codeine he was given at the ER.

And then there was that time for Izzy, in Second Grade.

Dear Ms E.

Izzy will not have any reasonable use of her legs for the next several weeks.  As she chose to remove all protective gear, before tackling the very steep hill we live on, using her bike.  As a result, Izzy has successfully scraped the top layers of skin on the inside of both her legs. 

None of these are as extreme as the one incident involving our neighbor's kid.  They had one of those kid sized crotch rockets, and the kid lost control and found herself in a head on collision with the brick siding on their house.  The poor kid literally broke her face, and then had to wear a special helmet for almost 3 months. 

Fortunately, Ike is not nearly as adventurous as his older siblings.  He is more of a risk assessment analyst. He watches what they do, and then doesn't repeat their actions.   He is a brilliant boy!

Here he is sporting the uber safe Groucho Marx Glasses I got him while in Texas.

Flashbacks

Izzy has PE this grading period.  It has required the purchase of a locker, appropriate gym attire, extra deodorant, and Izzy changing in a confined space with 100 of her not so closest puberty stricken friends.....

And being that Izzy had a full 9 weeks of Health Education preceding her new class schedule.  She is fully aware of all that happens in this petry dish we refer to as the gym locker room.

And she is none too happy about it.

And Neither am I. 

I have already had to argue with her over leg hair.  I remember having the same argument with my Mom around this age, verbatim...



I remember PE and the locker room.  I also remember being a very late bloomer.  And thanks to flash backs, I now remember WHY training bras are exceptionally important to 11 year old girls in middle school.  It's not necessarily to hide what you have, but more to hide what you don't!

Remember 16 candles?  I so remember that movie. 

I shudder to remember the awkwardness of it all.  I remember the strong desire to change in one of the shower stalls, and avoid any and all akwardness.

That's when notes from home started became routine procedure as well.

And the paranoia that sets in with the anticipation of what "all" the other girls already deal with.  And then when you finally do get it.  UGH.  It's even worse!  It's the start of perpetual paranoia, the stocking of feminine hygiene, and the smuggling of midol. 

And it is all down hill from there!

It's amazing how the brain shuts those memories out, until it is necessary for them to come flooding back in.  I shudder just reminiscing.

So, I guess we will be shopping for appropriate undergarments far earlier in life than I had anticipated.  I was kind of hoping to have become senile before I had to actually acknowledge that my little girl was on the verge of puberty. 

And to think.  I have 3 boys to follow up with.....  It maybe time for a role reversal for The Hubs and I. 

Good thing, there is wine on this planet.  I may need a bottle, box, gallon jug; at the end of the day.

Things I Forgot And Now Have To Learn All Over Again

1.  Dividing Fractions.  I hope when the time comes, we can afford a tutor for the high school years.  I barely graduated then, it could be disastrous for my kids if I have to repeat Chemistry or Calculus again.  I can handle "F.O.I.L.", but that is about as far as I am functionally....

2.  Never put your life on hold.  Not for kids, a job, or to clean your kitchen.  Kids should be a part of your life, but not something that consumes life.  Your job, well it should simply afford you to be able to live.  And your kitchen, well, it's gonna get messed up in 5 minutes anyways.......

3.  All those incriminating photos you have of your kids.  Just remember someone has incriminating photos of you too!

4.  Life repeats itself.  30 years ago The Hubs was kept home from school, because he was sick.  In turn he missed the field trip to the farm.  Today, Moops is at home because he is sick.  He too is missing his field trip to the farm.  I think this is an obvious lesson for our family, We are not farm people.  We are city people, and we should embrace our fate.  

5.  Remember all those cheesy songs that kids used to make up?  Well, someone needs to stop the cycle.  "Jingle Bells Batman Smells" is one song that does not need to carry on from generation to generation....

6.  Middle Aged Syndrome seems to be a life long affliction.  Don't ask me how I know, because The Hubs would be upset if I told him that he has the rest of his life to fret over getting old.  I know this because that is what I told Alex this morning, and he pouted, much like The Hubs does when I am brutally honest with him. 

7.  What Goes Around Comes Around.  Karma has a list from when I had my own phone line as a kid.  I'm hoping if I make a public apology now, perhaps Karma will knock a few off the list.  And in turn, I will get a reprieve in the crank calling.  It's one of those experiences where there is serious truth to the statement that it is "better to give than to receive"......  Although, I know that is probably not the intended interpretation.  I am also using this as my argument as to why Izzy can not have her own cell phone.  It is my grand attempt to keep Karma from infiltrating her adult life. 

8.   Just like when you were a kid.  A big box and some cheap toys goes a lot further than all that expensive crap you are afraid to let your kids play with, because when college comes around you are hoping to sell it as mint condition collectibles in order to fund their education.  Shoot, maybe I should "help" my kids with their math homework in high school.  Then college wont be an issue.

9.  That smell in your car, the one that went away magically as your kids became potty trained and got off the bottle.  It comes back during puberty, as B.O.; deodorant is supposed to help, but not so much. 

10.  All those hours you slept as a teen and young adult, and for many of us it irritated our parents.  I get it now.  It starts out when your kids are babies.  They go to great lengths to tire you out, so by the time they are toddlers you are not as quick or sharp as you once were.  By the time they are in school, you are still cleaning up from when they were toddlers, so then they start to test those boundaries that you thought were secure.  Next thing you know, they are teenagers, your freshly stocked pantry is bare, and there is some scary looking 8ft giant in a dress named "Balthazaar" at the door ready to pick your Daughter up for her date.  Or, you are the proud parents of Balthazaar!  They're catching up from all of their efforts to break you.

Im Proud Of My Kids

And I know I do not say it enough. 

I'm proud of the fact that even though they push my buttons, those are the only buttons they push.  I haven't had to explain to any firemen, why they needed to rescue us from a perfectly functioning elevator yet.  I haven't had to pay an online purchase not made by me yet.  And I haven't had to pay for any new landscaping for our neighbors.  So, I consider myself lucky.  VERY lucky.

And then there are moments like this afternoon, where Moops was reading to me.  And I immediately realized I could no longer lie to him about things I didn't want to explain, because now the kid is literate.  And unfortunately, he is really good at reading too.  Ugh.  The fact that he can read ingredients on packaging is going to make my life very very difficult, since Captain Crunch does not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup.  So, I can't use that excuse anymore when it comes to telling him no.  In all honesty, I just think it smells bad.  That is why I don't buy it.  The same for canned soup.  Yeah, I'm weird, I know.....

And then there is Alex.  He is a cool dude, and he is weird too.  He is the clone of Alex P. Keaton, and he doesn't even know of the show, and the character is fictitious.  Yet, here I am with Alex P. Keaton as my son.  I should do a side by side comparison of their pictures.  It would be freaky.

Alex has encountered some bullies at school.  And instead of getting all upset about it, he is very pragmatic and well 'inconvenienced" by them.  Yes, he used the word "inconvenienced".  He also used the word "irregular" when describing their sense of humor.  He is 10, if you are wondering. 

We discussed it yesterday, and it was agreed that I would call the principal and let him know what is going on.  The only glitch was, Alex did not want to be pulled out of any of his "academic periods", he would prefer that he see the principal during his specials hour.  I kid you not.  I swear, I can't make this up.  If it were me, I would have been praying to be pulled out of Math. 

So, I called and spoke with the principal, and then informed him that Alex didn't want to be pulled out of class, until specials.  I'm thinking the principal assumed that it was my preference.

That is until he met Alex.......

Now, please note.  I'm a third person narrative in this situation.  But I am also the Mother Ship for Alex......  So, I can be sure I'm pretty accurate in my interpretation.

The Principal, in good Stepford Fashion, waited until specials to speak with Alex.  And from what Alex has shared, they had a relatively intellectual conversation going.  In fact, Alex was basically capable of extracting the Principal's entire life story from him, and shared it with me.  And they went way back with Alex's history, all the way to when we lived in Podunk.  Which so happens to be where the principal is from.....  And I'm sure, as they had this conversation Alex sat with his legs crossed, and had this whit about him that only Alex P. (or U in his case) can pull off. 

Meanwhile, back in the Valley.  There is Izzy.

Poor Izzy.  There is a boy in Alex's JiuJitsu class that is crushing on her pretty hard.  I'm talking serious first love crush here.

And well, we carpool. 

And he was trying soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hard to get her to crush on him too. 

And she was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo not biting.  Thank Goodness.

At one point, he said "I think you are flirting with me".......

And she replied with "no, Im just talking, I don't flirt".....

WHEW!  times 50!

And then there is Ike.  And today, he had a meltdown over the fact that I did not pick the grocery cart he wanted me to pick at Target. 

For an HOUR.  He fussed.  And we were only at target for like 15 minutes....... 

Poor kid. 

One Of THOSE Days

Or maybe week, It's only Wednesday.  Tomorrow is Grocery Day.  Then there is still Friday left in the line up...

Monday the kids were home from school.  Although it was also Columbus Day, according to the school calendar it was technically a "furlough" day.  I think our PTA should set up a fundraiser in which Furlough Days can be funded and we can then send our kids to school.  I will admit that I enjoyed sleeping in though.

Yesterday I did something I had not done in 10+ YEARS.  I went to an in person interview.  And it sucked!  President Sleazeball was conducting the interview, and when my Stepford Bred behind stepped foot into his office, it was pretty obvious that this job was not going to work out for either of us.  It's OK, I'm not really bummed.  The job was definitely not what was initially advertised, and I am most definitely not the right person for the job.  BUT, it did take some time to wrap my brain around the whole experience.  Because it sure was a doozie.  I will say, I do prefer the computer screening process all that much more now.  While my eyeballs are permanently singed, and my brain is no longer cognitively viable, I can say that working through a computerized assessment is far less traumatic. 

That whole experience was followed up with just a series of daily nondescript child related events.  Ike is very heavily involved with his goal to fully secure our house using only Legos.

Honestly, it is a very functional approach to home security.  Unfortunately, it prevents more than just burglars from getting into the house.....  And the damn things fall into the floor vents, and I find myself fashioning different tools in an attempt to fish them back out of the vents.  I need to put mesh screening on the vents again.

And you know what is kind of creepy.  When your door is shut, and slowly ooze in Legos, like in a horror movie when someone finds themself trapped by gelatonous slime that is coming at them to claim their life.  Legos have the same effect, when coming from under a closed door.  That is until, you open the door and kneeling there is your 4 year old with a "what, Im innocent even though Im need deep in incriminating evidence in the middle of the crime scene" expression going.  It's similar to "deer in headlights", or "husband caught eating what you planned to make for dinner in 20 minutes" looks.

Le Sigh...

There was then Academic Reinforcement.  AKA.  Moops had homework......

His teacher always raves about how great a student he is.  Something about being ahead of the class, this apparently is a 1st Grade Skill that he has mastered as a Kindergartner.  Pride doesn't begin to describe what I'm feeling.

Izzy had homework too. 

I don't know about you, but the only Ethics I was learning in 6th Grade had to do with whether or not I should tell the teacher who it really was that put the moldy sandwich into the class nerds' desk.  It was the Principal's kid of course, and I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to end up with a moldy sandwich in my desk......

DNRs and Life Support Issues were left to adults.  But then again, in California kids can now get vaccinated to prevent the development of cancers contracted through sexual intercourse without their parents permission, at the age of 12.

Then after Dinner I decided I needed a soda.  I haven't had one in well over a week, and being the "health" concious fool that I am, I opted for a 20oz soda from the vending machine instead of the $0.99 2-Liter from the store.  The vending machine ate my $1.50 and I ended up going home without my High Fructose Corn Syrup and Caffeine fix. It's a conspiracy, Im convinced of it!

 Le Sigh. 

I should have stuck with wine.

The Mall, MMA and Rye Bread

We took the kids to the mall today.  It's like herding cats through a mine field.  There is always at least one going off on a tangent, another voicing their not so pleasant opinions, and another that has figured out a way to climb up your leg and perch itself  somewhere on your head or shoulder.  All the while, you have to maneuver about in order to avoid everyone that absolutely insists on walking head on into you.

It's safe to assume that we did not stay long.  We have a method.  I shop, The Hubs takes the kids to the kiddie corral.  And we meet up when we are done, and proceed to listen to our kids express their desires for over priced cookies and pretzels as big as their heads. 

We don't do this often, we usually wait long enough in between trips to forget just how it really goes down.  Then one fateful weekend, when we don't have anything planned, one of us loses all sense of sanity and suggests a family trip to the mall!  This weekend, it was me who lost all sense of sanity. 

I have this really cool feature in my van, and never really realized just how awesome of a feature it is until today.  I can fade the volume on the radio from front to back, and in doing so, control just how much of my kids noise I subject myself to.  Genius!  And yes, I know Im a tad slow.....

Random.  I know.  Bare with me.

Anyways, on the way home, after successfully fading the commotion in the back and replacing it with the music of my generation....  The Hubs and I had a lovely conversation, about MMA.  Ah, yes, Mixed Martial Arts. 

At first, I wasn't too keen on the concept of MMA.  I will admit, the influence of Stepford has affected me deeply.  And well, sometimes the stigma is hard to shake.  But, Im now getting into it.  First, it is never a dull day at the Dojo.  Dependent on what class is going on, and who is there.  It can be quite exciting.  And second, its' better than football. 

Please, I mean no offense to those of you that prefer the pigskin.  I just honestly could not get into it, but I think that is because I never found a group of football fans that focused on who was gonna get hurt first.  If there was a way I could bet on that, I might get into the sport..... 

Alex played football for 3 years, and those 3 years were hard on me.  Every game, I would pad him up, and hope like heck it didn't end with a visit to the ER.  He fortunately caught on quick, and never tried to hard to end up in the heep of players all laying on the ball.  And the one time he did get hurt, it was because he attached himself to the guy he was supposed to block.  And being that the kid had 50 lbs and 4 ft on Alex, all he did was brush him off like you would a fly.  Alex learned to aim for below the waist after that game.

Just an FYI.  If you show up at an ER with 4 kids in tow, you get bumped up the triage priority pole pretty quick.  Im pretty sure we trumped the heart attack victim that evening.  Lady with 4 kids in exam room 2, get her processed and sent home STAT!

So, I guess if the ball wasnt the focus of that game, I would be more into it.

After our lovely conversation, we made a milk run.  And with that, we also needed Rye Bread.  The Hubs likes his rye bread, and so its a must in our house.  Unfortunately, I grabbed the wrong brand, and did not notice until after I had already paid. 

And being that I just could not see myself heading over to customer service to exchange said bread, with a straight face.  I brought it home, hoping The Hubs wouldn't notice. 

He did. 

My bad.

Things I Appreciate......

1.  Alex wearing his JiuJitsu clothes to school.  Sure, he may look like he wore his pajamas to school.  But from my perspective he not only assisted in keeping my mountain of laundry from peaking at an elevation higher than Everest.  He also boasts the desire of efficiency, thus saving time for us both.  There are some other members of this household that could learn a lesson in laundry frugality from him....

2.  Conversations with my Grandmother.  I have learned a lot from my Grandmother, and she has often been a voice of reason, when I lost all of mine.  She can carry a great conversation, on anything.  We can talk about kids with "AC/DC".  She tells me what her kids did when they were young, and makes me feel better about the childhood I put my parents through.  And she listens to my rants, then swears that laundry will get better when all of my kids actually move out of the house permanently.

3.  When Moops rewards me with 5 kisses on my elbow, when I do something that pleases him.  Why my elbow?  I think that has to do with how tall he is in relation to me.  Heck, I like that my kids still like me sometimes, even more so when its not brought on by bribery on my part....

4. I appreciate the fact that I am still bigger and stronger than all of my children.  I have met some of the kids' friends, and it is a sobering realization when you are greeted by a 6ft tall 9 year old.  And a bit more startling when you meet her 4 foot 11 inch Mother.....

5.  I appreciate The Hubs, because he has learned to live with me and still swears he loves me.  Even when I don't fold and put away his clean laundry...

6.  I appreciate that housework is patient, and will still be there for me when I finally do get around to it.

7.  I appreciate my Smartphone, even when it makes stupid mistakes with its' autocorrect feature.

8.  Baby Pictures, they're great for sedating a heated moment between Mother and Child.....

9.  I like that photoshop exists and you can make your house cleaner than it really is!

10. I appreciate the vastly diminishing opportunities in which I am able to out wit my kids.  It's the occasional reminder that I do indeed still have a few functioning brain cells left, and that not all is lost quite yet!

Happy Frieday!

Confessions Of A Dojo Mom

These pictures and videos were taken over the course of the last few weeks.  Moops and Ike are too young to start actual classes, so they just mimic what they see on the Dojo Floor. 

Meanwhile.  Back at the house on the hill.  Izzy was watching some TV and some how managed to jam her toe.  Yeah, welcome to my world.......

 "bored to death"

 "It was a masacre"

 "for some a gruesome death...."

 Moops channeling his inner ninja, or something like that.....

 They watch a lot of those slow mo martial arts movies

 It got a little heated, so they were put in time out....

 Moops on one foot.......

 Today they went for some grappling....

 Ike seems to be a natural......

Now for the live action version....

Then they got a second wind........

Finally, I decided they had had enough.  Well, actually Moops had enough.  Ike could have kept on going.....

So, I declared it time for a little alphanumeric fluency drills......

Izzy style.

Fairy Tales

Growing up, I always wondered how they were thought up.  Especially some of those Dark Grimms Fairy Tales, those dudes were twisted.

And then today happened.  Now, it helps to know, we watched a Norwegian Movie lastnight called Troll Hunter.  It was actually a pretty decent film, at least what we have watched so far.  We still have 15 minutes to go, The Hubs was too tired after his Stick Fighting class yesterday to make it all the way.  Think of it as Blair Witch meets Jurassic Park, all in Norwegian. 

Some things we have learned though.....

1.  Trolls either turn to stone or explode when exposed to UV rays.  So, if you ever find yourself in the dense dark woods or on a remote moutain top in Norway late at night, be sure to have a super bright flash bulb on hand.  And if you choose to hunt trolls, sleeping in a tanning bed slathered in sunblock seems comforting.

2.  Trolls LOVE to chew on old tires. 

3.  Trolls sound very much like a semi's horn

4.  When Trolls mark their territory, it looks like Slimer had his fill and ended up puking ectoplasm all over a tree.

5.  Lot's of Downed Trees are not only a sign of Tornados, but also traveling Trolls.  This would explain an episode that occured back in April of this year.  We woke up to no power, at least 20% of the trees in our region downed, and my Aunt on a plane from Texas to the Great State of Georgia, where we had to dine by  grill and endure cold showers. Im starting to think we may have a troll in them thar hills.... 

6. Mountain Trolls like to chuck boulders are Woodland Trolls.  And Vice Versa.

Hmmmmm can't remember much else.

Anways. 

We started our day first at an apple orchard.  Where we picked lots of apples, ate too many and the bought some apple cider to finish it all off. 

 So, I am mildly distracted.  But I wanted to share my Son's effort towards putting clean dishes away......

 It's Friday, and it has been a LOOOOOOONG week. 

 Here is Izzy, with Pixil.  Pixil is my Sister's new Fur Baby.  Pixil thinks she is a lap dog.  We are planning her intervention.

 Ahhhh, Back to the Apples!  It's Apple Season!

Here is Ike, with the First Apple!  We will get to the trolls in a moment.  I promise.

Izzy picking Apples.

 We like apples...

 A lot!

I know you are thinking we went overboard.  But in all honesty, we will be lucky if this lasts us 2 weeks.  Tops.  I swear!  Im not exagerating.

 Now to Red Top Mountain, which is a fantastic State Park righ along Allatoona Lake.  I promise.  The Troll story is coming.....

 Im just gonna force you to look at pictures of my kids first....

 There was a playground, right along the cove.

 Moops REALLY REALLY wants to conquer the monkey bars.  Unfortunately, he was born with short arms.....

 Ike likes to slide, then climb back up and slide again....

 You know, we probably have a $1000 worth of toys.  And yet, any chance he gets, he goes for a stick....

Ahh, here we go.  There are rocks like this all over Red Top Mountain.  The Hubs explained to Alex and Moops all about how these rocks came about......

They used to be trolls, you see.  And they were exposed to sunlight and turned to stone. 

Im pretty sure they weren't buying it, until we came upon a whole bunch of downed trees....  Which The Hubs explained shows that Trolls were in the area.

And as luck would have it, just as he explained that. There was this inexplicable roar.  Which of course The Hubs took as a "Troll"...... 

Most likely they didn't buy it.  But, we had a blast with it anyways.  And well, if they ever find themselves in Norway, on a remote mountain or in dense woods, they will remember what we told them, and then totally freak out!


In other news.  Im addicted to our new dryer sheets.  They are nothing new, or extra ordinary.  I just got tired of the scent of our old dryer sheets, and now I am enjoying the scent of new ones.  They are even brand name, as opposed to the usual store brand I tend to buy.  Lame, I know.  But, sniffing my shirt and enjoying the new scent has been something I have done a lot of lately.  You'd think I have issues.  Ok, well maybe I do.  The Hubs would probably agree, as he caught me sniffing my shirt earlier this evening and just could not make heads or tails over what I was doing.  Tomorrow will be great!  I intend to wash our bedding, and then use our new dryer sheets.

Friday's Bucket List On A Saturday

Yesterday was a doozie.  I added a day in Moops' class as a volunteer.  Friday is testing day, they test these kids on a lot of weird things.  Like, on several occasions I observed kids doing a series of random actions, then returning to their teacher, and being praised.  And when I say random, I mean random.  Like one kid walked in a circle, tip toed across the room, and then patted his head and said good boy.  And a little girl came up to me, shook my hand, walked in a circle and then jumped up and down 3 times.   And there was another little girl who went and drew a heart on the blackboard, moved a chair and then clucked like a chicken.  I'm telling you, not knowing what was going on, it really threw me for a loop.  The teacher caught on though, and then explained it to me.

There were other things that happened in Kindergarten as well.  Like the kid whose mom bought him scented markers.  Oh he was really good about sharing with everyone.  And when he came across a scent he really liked, he was diligent about making sure everyone got a good whiff.  He finally approached one little girl, tripped and proceeded to impale said scented marker into her nose. Now, there is a Mother out there wondering why her little girl came home with a blue nostril.   And knowing this little girl, her version involved fairies and chocolate......

And then there was the little boy, with a very thick southern drawl.  Oh he was fun.  At least 3 times today I found myself unknotting his shoes.  Even every single time he said it was his Mother who didn't know how to tie shoes.  Once I saw him sitting on the carpet, untying his shoes and then knotting them up.  And then he would come to me with the same story of how his Mom can't tie shoes.  Then he would tell me "I would tie my own shoes, but I just don't have the time"..... 

There was then Lego time, where I introduced one kid to the concept of sky walks, and how they could connect all of his lego buildings together.  He told me I was really smart!  He made me feel good, especially after the whole marker incident.....

I have been in Kindergarten 4 times now, and am now past the age of 29..... That kind of exposure, it does something to your brain.  Fortunately, I am not as bad off as the Mom sorting books in the library.  I'm pretty sure she is on some kind of valium/liquor/illegal stimulant cocktail.   She was far too giggly to be sane, or sober.

My time in Kindergarten was followed up with Friday Afternoon Follies.  One being Izzy's discovery of a new talent.  Yes, I am now the proud mother of a girl who has learned to squeeze her cheeks in a manner that causes a slapping sound!  Ivy League, I tell you.  I see Ivy League Potential there.