Homework

The most wonderful thing happened the other day.  Our friend A (Misty's daughter) was at our house after school and offered to help M with his homework.  It was GLORIOUS.  He ran right over, sat down and finished in a snap.  The assignment was to write down all of the months of the year.  If he had to do that with Brian or I, it would have taken forever because he complains and doesn't try.  She helped him spell the months but otherwise he did it all by himself.  That's the frustrating thing for me.  I know the homework is easy for him, he just doesn't want to do it.  A sure is an angel ... she's 8, a huge help to me and the kids love her.  Maybe I should hire her to help him everyday.

Checking his work.

He never smiles when we do homework.

A cute one of the 3 of them.

The things they say ...

I gave M a big hug at bedtime and he squeezed me and said, "You're the best."  I hugged him tighter and told him that HE was the best and that I would never love anything more than my kiddos.  Then he said, "Aren't you forgetting someone ... like Daddy and Roscoe."  I of course, told him that I loved them too.  Then he said, "I love Santa, the Earth, and Mom and Dad the best."  In that order, by the way. 

The dinosaur book we read tonight had a photograph of a dinosaur that was laying in rubble with flames all around it.  He asked me if I thought the dinosaur was dead and without really thinking about it, I said it looked like it.  He looked at the picture and said, "If I was there, I would get a big fire hose and put all of that fire out" and I realized his voice was quivering a little and he was choked up.  Before I knew it, a tear ran down his cheek and he looked away.  I love the fact that he can be so sensitive and sweet sometimes.

Before bed he said he was going to get up EARLY in morning to come in and snuggle with me.  I giggled and said not early please but I have a feeling I'll be seeing him bright and early.

Aunt Sue's Glasses

My sister came up to visit last week and left her reading glasses here.  Well, the kids have been having a blast playing with them.  (Sorry Sue ... they're cheap right?)  M put them on, grabbed his sword and ran upstairs to see himself.  Thanks goodness my camera was handy because he was hilarious. 

Looking in the mirror.

He's such a crack-up.

Looks like he's up to bat but he's preparing to slice me in half.

Things have been good around here lately.  We finally (after 8 or 9 days) had a sunny day yesterday so the kids and I went over to Misty's house with the scooters.  They had a great time (as did I) being outdoors.  M has really gotten good at riding his Razor Scooter.  I may get him another one because the height of the handlebars isn't adjustable on the one he has and it's pretty tall.  K rides M's old Spiderman Scooter and loves it.  I don't think it bothers her one bit to be riding his hand-me-down.  She makes me a nervous wreck ... she doesn't have the best balance and yet she tries to do what the other kids do like barreling down the steep driveway.  She has no fear.

I'm packing for a weekend getaway to San Diego to visit Dyan this weekend.  I can't wait to see her, catch up and have some girl time.  Hopefully we'll also have warm, sunny weather.  Brian is staying home with the kids ... I'm sure they'll do something fun though.  I have the most wonderful husband in the world ... really I do.  We are a good team.  I finished reading Twilight the other day and am going to start reading New Moon as soon as I can find the time.  Misty came over and we watched the Twilight movie last night.  I liked it, it wasn't quite what I was expecting but good none the less.

Homework continues to be a struggle with M.  I told him this morning that his homework was going to be easy tonight.  He looked at me and said, "Just because it's easy for you, doesn't mean it's easy for me!"  He just has to write down what time he wakes up, has lunch, dinner and goes to bed.

Miscellaneous Jabber

K said one of the cutest things after I gave her a good-night kiss and tucked her in tonight.  She said, "I don't want to pull my covers up very high because it might wipe your kiss off!"  She is such a cute age right now ... I don't want her to grow up.  Can't she stay this age?  She entertains herself quite well, listens and will just about be excited to do anything.  I hope when she's 14, she'll still want to hang out with me but I won't hold my breath.  Most of my friends that have teenage girls say they start wanting to hang out with their friends more and you less at about 13 and I know that's a natural thing but it makes me sad.  We were cuddling this morning and I realized that I love her SOOO much, I even like the smell of her breath.  Kind of like puppy breath, you know?  I'm sure it sounds crazy ... I'm not crazy.  I know other Moms out there will understand. 

M's been a lot sweeter to me lately but man 5 years old is just a tough age.  He wants to control everything and we have huge power struggles but I do think he's starting to listen more.  My biggest battle is getting him to sit down and do his homework or read to me.  And then, once I get him to sit down ... he doesn't put the effort into it that I'd like to see.  The strange thing is that he's not like that at school.  So ... it makes me wonder ... is it something we're doing wrong.  I've tried rewards (which haven't worked) and we don't let him watch TV or play the Wii until after homework.  I've tried having him do it later in the evening, earlier ... and on and on.  Nothing helps.  I'm going to try harder to stay calm and not get frustrated.  I can actually feel my blood pressure rise during homework time.  How many more years of this?

K's favorite things .... animals, hot cocoa, hot baths, reading, her Littlest Pets, music, dancing, pancakes, coloring, christmas carols (still)  .... did I mention animals?  I can't wait until she gets older ... I'm going to find a horse camp or something to send her to. 

M's favorite things ... he has 3 favorite things hands-down.  Star Wars Lego and Indiana Jones Lego for the Wii and his legos.  He's really outgrown his transformers, trains and a lot of his other toys.  He also enjoys sweets, playdates with his friends, PB & J, apples, coloring, chocolate milk and his Nerf gun. 

K wakes up around 6:30 am or 7:00 am and I wake M up for school at 7:00 am but he'll sleep in until 7:30 am or 8:00 am on the weekends.  It's glorious.  They still go to bed around 7:30 or 8:00 pm depending on how tired we are.  We have the same bedtime routine we've always had.  We go upstairs to watch a show in my bed, books, teeth, bed.  Sometimes we do baths in the morning and sometimes in the evening.  Bedtime is easy - they hardly ever get up.  They occasionally still wake up in the middle of the night for various reasons.  K gets up quite often but I just walk her back to bed. 

Well, I'm going to dive back into my latest obsession.  Thanks Misty ... my house is messy, my laundry is piling up and I don't care ... I can't wait to see what happens next.

Talk to you later .... Melissa

Remember me????

Sorry for the lack of posting ... I don't know what's been going on with me lately.  I've been fighting off a cold and have just been lazy lately.  Called in sick to work yesterday.  I haven't taken any pictures recently either.  My problem is that I have too many hobbies and not enough time (and too many chores).  I am currently working on crocheting a scarf, Knifty Knitter, working on last years blog book and reading Twilight (after the urging of many of my friends).  So ... when I get a free moment, I have a hard time deciding what to do with my time. 

I have also been busy hanging out with my new neighbor and friend, Misty.  We have a lot of things in common and have been having a great time.  We talk daily and get together as often as we can.  They moved here from Texas in late November.  We met at the park just before Christmas and started hanging out and talking just after New Years.  She's a nurse also and her husband is in culinary school.  He's been busy cooking for us since we met and Misty even delivered ribs to my house one night when Brian was working ... perfect neighbors, huh?  They are fun.  Her daughter goes to the same school as M so we are able to carpool and our kids get along great.  It's made me a happier person, for sure. 

K's had the cutest things to say lately.  She started coughing again the other day and while sitting at the table said, "Dad .... guess who's back?  The germs!" 

It's a very stormy day here and on the way to school this morning she said, "I wish I could just go up in the sky and turn the rain off!" 

M said something funny also.  "Hey Mom, I NEED to watch Dinosaur Train now."  I asked why he NEEDED to and he threw his arms up in the air, gave me his crazy eyes and said, "Duh, I'm going to be a Paleontologist!"  Sorry ... research I guess.  While watching it he'll chatter about which dinosaurs are herbivores, carnivores or omnivores.  It's a crack-up.

Working today so I need to go and get showered.  What's a post without a picture??  Here are a few cute ones.

Snow Skiing

Brian was a brave soul last week.  On Tuesday he took M snow skiing for the first time.  They went to Soda Springs which is a very small resort but perfect for little ones to learn.  The price couldn't be beat for sure.  $25 per day for skiing, equipment rental and instructions.  M basically had semi-private instruction because there was only 1 other boy for the first few hours.  The only thing about Soda Springs is that you can't leave your child there while you ski but that was OK because Brian was planning to hang around anyway.  You can ski or tube down the hill and they even have a tube carousel.  The boys had so much fun, they decided to go again on Wednesday and take K.  I was working.  They had fun the 2nd day also but Brian said it was a lot harder with 2 kids (that both wanted to be carried at some point). 

Riding the "magic carpet" up to the hill.

M coming down the hill.  He did well and was able to turn and everything.  K loved it and wanted to go over and over.  She didn't know how to turn or anything but would just come straight down the hill.  I don't have any pictures of her skiing because Brian wasn't able to take them because he was too busy helping her.

M's making a small slice of pizza with his ski's.  As instructed to do so.

A big wave from K riding the tube carousel.  Cool, huh?  Her gloves are too big but do you think you can find kids gloves in January?  Swimsuits are out already!

M's turn.

They had such a good time, Brian wants to rent a cabin for a few days over spring break so they can ski again.  His buddy has a cabin 1 mile from Sugar Bowl.  Should I learn to ski?  Not sure if I even want to.  I think I'm more of a lodge (or casino) girl.  We'll see.  Maybe I can take lessons with the kids.

Welcome 2010

Welcome 2010 ... it's gonna be a good year, I just know it.  2009 was a pretty awesome year for us also.  We were busy, busy with many fun trips.  Washington DC, Las Vegas, Brian's fishing trip, San Francisco several times, day trips, many camping trips and more.  Brain got me a trip for Christmas (now I just have to decide where).  I'm thinking Hawaii ... something tropical and relaxing this time.  We already have a family vacation to Disneyland planned for February.  We're not telling the kids until we get there.  How cool is that?

A few days ago, we too the kids ice skating at the outdoor ice rink downtown.  M saw it recently and couldn't wait to try it.  Well, we had a good time but it definitely wasn't easy.  I'm not very good and the kids were terrible.  The only one that could skate was Brian (hockey player) so he was the one that had to take the kids around a gazillion times.  He ended up pulling a trapezius muscle and had to take Ibuprofen after.  K absolutely loved it and wanted to go over and over but then again she has no fear.  M and I - we're the careful ones.  By the end, he got the hang of it a little but I don't think he'd want to try it again anytime soon.

A great one of the boys.

A self-portait of the girls.

M's not so sure.

K said, "it sure is slippery."

Finally at the end, he tried it a little while by himself.  He fell once or twice but we didn't end up in the ED or anything.  All is well.

K's turn AGAIN.  See why he injured his back?

M's such a safe kid.  Yesterday he was eating an apple while sitting on my lap.  I tried to pull him down to lie him back on me and he turned around, gave me this look and said, "Mom, I can't lay back ... I'm eating an apple and could choke!!!"  Brian's taking him snow skiing on Thursday.  We'll see how that goes.