Moolah got her first library card!

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I've been a neglectful blogger...

Moolah's first day of school. She's doing fantastic reading and being a "leader". She's learned to tie a bow (and her shoes). She's still as amazing as ever..

Ace is learning to use the potty and we took this picture to put in his "potty book". He's pretty good with putting yellow in the potty but still hesitant about the brown part...

Amanda came to visit and brought me a fantastic knitting & crocheting book from Iceland (courtesy of her "hotel boat" travels). There are some great crochet patterns in it and I didn't know how to crochet, so I learned and this was my first project.. a princess tiara...

I followed it up with a poncho in pink, purple, glitter, beads, flowers & fur... all of Moolah's favorite things.

Daddy found us honeycomb!

Plus blueberries and a car boat ride. Thanks for a fun adventure!

Today's Adventure

The Tooth Fairy is on her way!

Today's adventure arrived in front of our house

A big, loud truck and chipper working for the neighbor with a bonus of using Daddy's shooting headphones.

yesterday's adventure

Rose parade, a flower "quilt" in the square, and a train ride over the river and back... Somehow the seals were the highlight.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Moolah says

"Mama, can I watch the dinosaur movie again?"

"Tell me three things you like about the dinosaur movie."

"Well, I like the beginning - it's my favorite part..."

thinks

"Oh! And, I really like the middle.... and the end."

Mama has been a busy bee

Strider has been neglected while Mama has been working on the new business. But, I've got a logo and upcoming event to show for it - Parenthood Academy launched at BabyFestNW over the weekend with our shiny new logo everywhere (along with some great raffle items and a smart and sassy Headmistress).

What, that wasn't worth waiting a month for? OK, how about this...

"Moolah can hear just fine now"

or

"Watch what you say"

a true story

by: Mama

It was bedtime. Mama was tired. Daddy was tired. Ace and Moolah were tired, but denying it. Over protests, Moolah is instructed to put on her nightgown and Ace is instructed to get onto his changing table. Both complied (technically), with the maximum allowable dawdling for silliness. Mama managed to get Ace's clothes and diaper off and was attempting to get a fresh, clean diaper in place. Ace was laughing, squirming, and blocking Mama with feet, knees, elbows -- and both his hands -- which were fully occupied with the family jewels.

Mama, trying to maintain positive energy but really, really, really wanting to just get everyone in bed:

"Yes, penises are fun but right now we have to put it away."

Moolah, from the other room "Yes! Penises are fun!" Then she walks into the room and looks at her brother very seriously, and in her favorite role as "third parent", says "Ace, penises are fun."

Enter Daddy, looking at me over his glasses with bewilderment as Moolah continues her attempt to educate her brother.

Unable to find fault with the truth of Moolah's lesson, Daddy distracted her with princesses or fairies or cookies or something ... I'm not really clear on the details because I was still faced with a boy intent on remaining pants-less.

Moolah update

Moolah got tubes in her ears this morning. She passed the time in pre-op reading her new I-can-read princess book. She is reading tons and tons of words.

Surgery went fine. She's enjoying some sherbet now and then we get to go home. Mama hopes she forgets that its TV Turnoff Week (which has been a big topic at school) because I think the princesses would be very helpful while the anesthetic wears off.

Irish dance @ St Patrick's Festival

Not ideal photo conditions...

Moolah concentrated very hard! She enjoyed dancing and meeting the dancers.

Ace enjoyed watching...

Moolah tied both of her shoes this morning!

March 10 in History "Top 5"

5 1977 - Astronomers discover rings around Uranus

4 2006 - Mars rover enters Martian orbit

3 1844 - Louisiana purchase formally finalized in St. Louis, MO.

2 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell makes the first telephone call

1 1971 - Fred was born!

Happy Birthday to Fred!

Ace Lily and Moolah at the puppet show

Moolah's first "friend" sleepover

Moolah has slept over at the Royal Palace a few times, but had not been on a sleepover with a friend yet. She spent Friday night with new her best friend, Lily. They planned for a few days, including working on matching "lists" at school:

When I dropped her off on Friday evening, there was a big pile of clothes that Lily had outgrown waiting for her. All sparkles, velvet/velour, princesses and fairies. They immediately launched into a fashion show. She stayed until Saturday early afternoon. When she arrived home, she ran up the driveway in a new dress and said:

"Mama! I'm so glad to be home. I did not have a good time!"

"No? Really? When I left you were having a wonderful time with your fashion show."

"No. Lily was bossy. And, can we get Cheetos? And, can I go back really soon?"

Ace got to lead the adventure

Boats, bicycles, bridges, and a very cool trail ...

Memories from Mama's Childhood

Disclaimer and apology: this post will really only make sense to those of you who lived with Mama during her childhood. But, for those people, it will matter...

I am working at my local library today. I chose a comfy chair by the fireplace because it reminded me of the public library of my youth, and how the comfy chairs by the fireplace were for grown ups. Getting to sit there was a privilege...and a rite of passage (not quite the milestone that the tanning deck of the Bald Mtn pool. was... But a rite of its own).

I just leaned over to get something out of my backpack and saw that I have been sitting right next to this book...

I feel at home.

Happy Birthday to Auntie BSU

School Photos

These were taken before the holidays. I just came across the CD to share with you.

Teacher Jessie is in the middle. The other guides are Muriah (left) and Karen (right). Muriah is Moolah's favorite.

New BFF Lily is the tall blonde just in front of Jessie. She's standing next to first fiance, Sam. Since then, Moolah has been engaged to Jack (top row, 3rd from left), Michael (top row, 2nd from right), and Jonah, (top row, 2nd from left). BFF Lily doesn't approve of any of them. She thinks Moolah should only spend time with her.

Reduce, Reuse, Regift

Moolah: "Mama! Guess what! It's Teacher Jessie's birthday tomorrow!"

Mama: "Wow! How old do you think Teacher Jessie is going to be?"

Moolah: "Um, I think 16. Can I get her flowers from our garden?"

There are no flowers in our garden right now, but the flowers that Daddy and Ace brought Strider's girls for Valentines Day were getting a little scraggly, and I was already planning to propose that we clean them out and combine them. So, instead, I proposed that we make Teacher Jessie a new bouquet out of our flowers, then display whatever flowers we had left.

Moolah: "Yeah!"

I found two small vases, and she chose the blue one. Then we looked all around the bouquet and she pointed out one flower at a time. Mama trimmed them and Moolah arranged them. Flower arranging is a lesson at school, and she was very careful about her selection and arrangement. Ace watched, wide eyed. Moolah finished.

Ace: "My turn!"

So, Ace got the green vase and went through the same practice, pointing and saying "dat one". Moolah asked whether it was for Daytime Mama. Yes. Daytime Mama.

They carefully put their arrangements on the banister, ready for the morning. They checked on them several times that night, and again the next morning. Both started off their days delivering flowers to the women who care for them, glowing with pride and love.

Teacher Jessie Says

This week, Moolah is enjoying:

• Phonetic reading practice
• "Golden Bead" decimal system work with Lily
• Observing "salt map" lessons - sometimes helping others read instructions (the salt maps are very cool, I saw one through the window at pick up the other day)

My girl

Likes

• the Hobbit (finds Gollum quite interesting)
• Star Wars (thinks Darth Vader should fly because he has a cape)
• all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies (especially the first one that you can see the bones)
• Close Encounters (the spaceships are cool)
• The Dark Crystal (the bad puppets are ugly but just puppets)

Is still afraid of

• The Monster at the End of this Book

Ace enjoys it, though...

Moolah's school

Moolah showing us her math work at the open house last week.

Perspectives

It was bedtime. Actually, it was past bedtime. Moolah was in overtired overdrive. Mama was the only parent in the house.

Mama: "Please brush your teeth."

Moolah: runs in circles, jumps up and down, lies on the floor and kicks her legs.

Mama: "Please brush your teeth."

Moolah: Dances, dances, dances, sings a silly song, and brushes her teeth for approximately 3 seconds, then jumps up and spits on the counter.

Mama, brushing Ace's teeth and attempting to restrain frustration: "Please go get a washcloth and clean that up."

Moolah: dances away, does not return.

Mama, after a minute, with growing frustration: "Moolah, get a washcloth and clean up this toothpaste you spit on the counter."

Moolah: Returns with a small lap pillow that Grandma Simone made that Ace likes to use and begins to use it to wipe up the spit.

Mama, no longer restrained and calm. "NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! IS THAT WHAT YOU SHOULD BE USING TO WIPE UP SPIT??? I TOLD YOU TO GO GET A WASHCLOTH."

Moolah: Disappears

Mama, regretting her outburst, and realizing that the linen closet is open, and that Moolah probably looked there for a washcloth but that they were probably all dirty, goes to the living room to find Moolah pouting on the couch. "How can we solve this problem?"

Moolah, crying, mumbles something.

Mama: How can we solve this problem.

Moolah: more crying

Mama: You made a mess on the bathroom counter and you need to clean it up. What ways can you think of to do that?

Moolah, sobbing now, "This...... is..... getting..... ridiculous!"

Mama off guard and, remember, having already lost it once, laughs out loud. Hard. "Yes, I agree"

Moolah, crying even harder: "Why are you laughing at me."

Mama: "I'm sorry, but I agree, it is getting ridiculous."

Moolah: "Then why don't you stop??"

Mama: "I did stop laughing. I'm sorry. What ways can we think of to solve this problem"

Moolah, not comforted by Mama's apology: "NO! WHY DO YOU KEEP ASKING ME THAT SAME QUESTION OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT'S RIDICULOUS! AND, YOU'RE NOT EVEN HELPING ME TAKE DEEP BREATHS!"

We took deep breaths and settled on using a paper towel to clean up the spit.

Just showing off

These kids are just so stinking cute.

Where did they come from?

Certainly not these people ...

(this was the 2nd hot chocolate that landed in my lap in under 5 minutes)

Raptor Roadtrip

Aunt Lisa visited during the annual Raptor Roadtrip. Birdwatching, hot chocolate, donuts, and an opportunity for Daddy to aim his camera at interesting things (note, not all photos were taken by Daddy... most submissions are amateur).

Moolah got real binoculars and enjoyed them... and she shared with her brother when forced to...

Strider's boys...

Fun with Aunt Lisa ...

There were rails to climb on...

Mischief to be made:

The all-important hot chocolate:

Oh.. and some birds and educational information...

And... none of this would be possible without the fantastic Fred!