Something on our minds

Lately I've been thinking about D's educational future. See, D is smart. I hesitate everytime I say that because it sound so much like I'm bragging about my child. And I am proud of him, but really it is a statement of fact. It doesn't mean that other kids aren't smart or that there aren't kids out there smarter than D. It just means he is smart.
We are fortunate to life in a school district that has a lot of options for kids. Currently D is attending our home school which offers a Spanish/English Dual Language program. He is been learning some subjects in Eng and some in Span. This has been cool. He can now read in 2 languages.
However, a few months ago I applied to have D tested for the "Challenge Program" that our district offers. Honestly, I did it more for my curiousity than anything else. He's doing okay where he's at and I don't feel a great desire to drive him to another school everyday when he can ride the bus with his friends. It wasn't until I got the results back from his day of testing that I began to think maybe he would go into CP.
See, in order to qualify a child has to have a 90 or better on any one of 3 tests. D's lowest score was 92. Keep in mind, these aren't percent scores, these are percentile scores. So I started to think maybe CP might be a better place for him. I am worried about his love for school to diminish. It naturally does in most children anyway, but when everything is "easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy" he might start to wonder "what is the point?".
Roy and I went to a parent meeting at the school D would be attending. We met his teacher and learned more about this particular school's arrangement. It is an old school built in an open classroom style. After the meeting, I was feeling more and more like this is the place for D. I've also been asking parents of kids who are in the program and parents who opted not to put their kids in. I've been really trying to figure this out.
During this time, D has been going back and forth about what he wants to do. He is really sad to not go to school with his neighborhood friends. He told me the other day, "Mom, if I go to the CP I'll never see Fedya, Austin or Riley again!" Uh.... since they all live within a block of us I don't think that will really be a problem.
Today, the school had a meet and greet of sorts for potential students to come visit the classroom and meet some of the current students. We went. After we got back to the car -- an hour later -- D was literally bouncing. "I can't wait to go to the CP!!" So, yeah. I think that's our final decision. for now.

Easter in Pictures

We have a special arrangement for the Easter Bunny to come visit our house on Saturday. Everyone came into our room Saturday morning. I don't know why, we didn't have it pre-arranged. They just did. Here they are waiting for me to get the video camera.Since it is on video, I don't really have any pictures of the kids checking out their baskets or hunting for the 33 Butterfinger eggs hidden around the family room. It was fun. Just trust me on that. Here's K enjoying her sidewalk chalk. I won some free digital pictures from CatchaCharacter.com around Christmas time but of course, I forgot to get a good picture to use. So here's the EasterBunny, caught in the act!
D loves this picture. He opens nearly every time he gets on the computer. I think it is because it helps him capture the magic a little more. He is too logical to honestly believe in the Easter Bunny, Toothfairy, Santa Claus and such but he really wants to believe.
Of course, we HAD to dye eggs. We actually did this on Easter. Yeah, procrastination..... I made K take off her sweater. Good idea, no?
I found this egg painting kit at an after Easter sale last year and tucked it away. Of course, I forgot I had it until after I had bought some other dying kits. Still, we pulled it out. It was K's main method. She loved using the little rollers. A was asleep during the egg dyeing adventure -- not an accident! Still, it wouldn't be right to not include her in the picture frenzy so here is a shot of her enjoying a green bean from our Easter dinner.

We actually celebrate Easter week and talk about the last week of the Savior's life. There is so much to learn and teach. And every day the kids drew a picture of that day in the Savior's life. (ie, Palm Sunday: Triumphal Entry, Monday: Cleansing the temple, etc) Here is D's picture from Easter Sunday. He did it all on his own in the toy room. I was so pleased when he brought it up to show me. It is very well done.

For Science

Yesterday I caught K "dyeing eggs". She had filled some cups with food coloring and water. She would put an egg in the cup for a few minutes and then crack it over the garbage can. There was one fundamental flaw with this plan. The eggs were not cooked.

I quickly put a stop to this behavior. But apparently not before K had thought up a plan to make the eggs hard. I opened the freezer today and found an egg. In case you've ever wondered what a frozen egg looks like, here is a blurry closeup:

Why I hate flying

Whether you agree with it or not is not really the issue here. It is why I hate flying. TSA and the extraordinary security measures taken in the name of "safety". The last time I flew was Christmas 2008. I was tri-1 pregnant with A. Between the pregnancy hormones and pre-flight anxiety I threw up more that morning than THE WHOLE REST OF MY PREGNANCY COMBINED.

I arrived at the airport with 2 kids, a stroller (so I wouldn't have to carry an 18 month old), a carry on full of stuff to entertain 2 kids, car seats so the kids would be safe, my purse and my laptop. Imagine my joy when I had to remove the laptop from the bag, the child from the stroller, shoes from every one's feet and try to coerce both children to walk through the scary metal detector without touching the sides or me. Then on the other side I had to put shoes back on and pack everything back up ('cuz you can't hang anything on the stroller when it is folded up to go through security). This is why I spent the morning rushing for the toilet. The pregnancy was just fuel on an axiety fire.

I hate it. I think if someone gave me a pat down or tried to pat down my kid I would probably go postal and get arrested anyway. Or at least start crying and puking everywhere which would make me miss my flight anyway. So I guess I'll stick to the car.

Pictures I took while talking to my parents

The kids were looking so cute while I was talking to my parents on the phone. I tried to describe them but you know, a picture is worth a thousand words....

Uhh, I thought I got pictures of K riding her bike, but apparently not. Next time.

Your Honor, the evidence is overwhelming

The Crime:

The Accused:

The Unwilling Accomplice:

The confession:
"Mommy, I'm making snow!"

But wait, this looks very familiar.... where have I seen this before??? Oh, right.

D at age 2, changing his bear's diaper

It's finally here!

I've been waiting for months MONTHS I TELL YOU!!! for this shelf to be in stock at my IKEA. I have been saving my Christmas money (it has taken GREAT restraint to do so) so I could afford this shelf. Now it is here. It is set up. And now and I'm ready for another one. Seriously, I would love to two of these side by side down here. I have tons more books I would like to put on these shelves. I also want more boxes and/or baskets to put in the cubes. *sigh* I guess I'll have to start saving my pennies.

Yard Work

Yesterday, my friend came over and helped me get the lattice up around the porch. It took most of the day, but I feel really good about how it turned out. Then I planted my peas that I started inside two weeks ago. You can't see them really but they are in front of the lattice. I have 6 planters on the porch. (3 hanging and 3 big pots)

Today I hung some planters in the back.

All of my planters have strawberry plants in them. I got them from D's school fundraiser. The bag of 10 (I actually only got 9...) was $6. I hope they grow and produce strawberries!

I've also been weeding. This is one section where you can clearly see where I stopped weeding. My creepy-crawly quota had been filled there so I stopped before I actually touched a bug!! Worms I can handle -- literally. Slugs and beetles not so much.

Sweet girls

My friend Marissa took some pictures of the girls while we were at the park with them. (D was at the Hogwarts birthday party.) The pictures are too beautiful not to share!

Thanks Marissa!!

Favorite New Word

Bedlamites: ones creating and residing in bedlam.

ie:

(avocado mask -- good for bedlamite skin)

See also Bedlam:

I must be doing something right?

Today is day one of spring break. I think we are of to a roaring good start. I have spent the last 2 hours trying to pay bills and balance our finances for the month. The kids have spent the last 2 hours crowding me and being general nuisances. This culminated in D and K having a screaming, crying, hitting, pushing match downstairs which led to their general incarceration in their separate rooms. K went peacefully. She laid down on her bed and hugged her cat. D was screaming the whole way and grabbing and stair rails and such. He is now stomping around in his room, pounding on doors and walls and the like. His favorite mantra right now is, "I HATE MY MOM!!! SHE IS SO MEAN!!! I HATE HER!!!" We have been having problems with D using the word hate too freely but right now, I'm ignoring it. This seems the best course until he slows down. UPDATE: K has come out of her room and apologized to me and to D. The toy that started the squall is in toy time out for an indefinite amount of time. D is still in his room refusing to talk to or acknowledge anyone.

April Fools! and a story

I like to do fun things for April Fool's day. I'm not much for actual pranks although maybe when the kids get a little bigger I'll try some fun stuff. For now, I don't think it is worth it. I went ahead and made cupcakes this year. I got the idea from my favorite food blog, OurBestBites.com. First we have mashed potatoes and gravy. These look real enough that Roy thought I had really put mashed potatoes on a cupcake. Ew.

Next, peas and carrots. Again, D thought they were real peas and carrots and wouldn't eat one. Not even when his sister was picking the candy off the top and eating it.

Finally, spaghetti with a meatball. These are the least realistic, mostly because I don't have a piping bag to make the noodles with.

I also made red Jello and let it set in cups for the kids to 'drink'. Before dinner I had them out on the counter and K came in to get a drink. She picked one right up and tried to suck from the straw in the cup. Poor girl. It took her a few seconds to figure that one out.

D had the idea to make water look like apple juice to trick daddy. It probably would have worked if it wasn't for D being so excited about it. He kept telling Roy, "Daddy, we made you a special drink. It might be apple juice but it might be water! You won't know until you try it." You know, to really trick Roy I should have made apple juice.

While I was cleaning up and getting dinner ready, I let the girls play in the back yard. We have a fence all the way around with gates that are locked so they can't get out. As I was working, I noticed several cars slowing down/stopping at our intersection. I decided to go investigate since my kids were outside -- even though they were in the backyard, right? Heh. right.

A nice lady was holding A when I came out and asked if she were my kid. D was standing right there all non-chalant. Of course I said yes and took A. The lady explained that A had been walking in the field behind our house. I was concerned, thanked the lady and took A inside.

A few moments later went downstairs for something and noticed that K was not in the sandbox. So I started looking for her, not too worried since she hadn't been outside with A and D. After not finding her in the house or yard, I asked the neighbor boy who was playing basketball if he had seen her. He said no. We both started looking around the neighborhood. He found her in the trees behind the field behind our house. She had felt lost and was terrified.

Once I got her calmed down I was finally able to piece together the whole story. It involved about 50 rules being broken which provided a GREAT object lesson about WHY WE HAVE THESE RULES!

Turns out that D had gone in the backyard and unlocked the gate. (No-no #1). Then he had left the gate open for his sisters. (No-no #2). Then he had left the yard to go behind the house and his sisters had followed. (No-no #3). They both failed to inform me that the baby had escaped. (No-no #4). They walked a good 100 feet to the trees behind our house. (No-no #5). D left K in the trees when he came home. (No-no #6).

Fortunately everyone was safe. No one was lost or injured. It really could have turned out much worse.