Tech junkie...that funky junkie

(I think Tori will be the only one to get that title)

I was talking to someone yesterday about the fact that sometimes I would not like to be accessible 24 hours a day via e-mail, facebook, cell phones, etc. Sometimes I like to go away and be away without any interruption. Yes, I realize I can just turn off the phone and not check e-mails, etc but I feel the need to do this in case I miss something. Am I the only crazy one like this?

You know I love a good straw poll so get voting, people!

The King of Wishful Thinking

Here's Luke with a baby bunny that Lindy has. She brought them over for the kids to play with one day.

I have a hard time lying to the kids about Santa. I know it's part of my parental duty/right but I still don't enjoy it. It feels like one giant joke on little kids to me (I know, I'm just weird like that) so I try to be evasive while providing the least amount of details possible. The following conversation took place the other day in my house.

Luke: Can Santa make whatever he wants in his workshop?

Me: Why?

Luke: Can he make things he sees on TV?

Me: Why?

Luke: I really like the holder that puts just the right amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush.

Me: I would say your best bet would be Grammie.

You had me at OxyClean. You...had...me...at...OxyClean...

So Luke (both kids, really) has been watching more Nick and Nick Jr lately. Prior to this, they watched Noggin and Disney exclusively. Noggin and Disney do not have commercials at all but Nick/Nick Jr advertise products like toys, cleaners, etc. The concept of commercials is fairly new to them but they have caught on pretty quick...especially Luke.

His new favorite product is the Touch N Brush (click me to view the product). I can't even explain how bad he wants this thing. He's even asked for it for his birthday (no he's not getting it).

He definitely soaks up what he sees. Yesterday he came into the kitchen as I was cleaning and this conversation took place.

Luke: You know what you need?

Me: No, what?

L: OxyClean. It penetrates for a deep down clean.

M: Oh really?

L: Yea. Have you seen what it does to wine stains?

Oh no!

Ella's sick on this, the first day of her first full week of school. I took her temperature this morning and it was 102. Her eyes got a little misty when I told her she had to stay home today. Never fear, though, her friends Dora and Diego are helping to soothe her.

This is one of those little details you may not notice...

(You're looking for about second 15 in the video)

Aron and I went to the ill-fated USC/OSU game last weekend. It was a great time even though we lost.

This is always one of my favorite parts of going to an OSU football game. During the Star Spangled Banner, a group of ROTC guys/gals put up the flag. There's one ROTC guy (shout out to my former ROTC Dad) that comes screaming down the ramp with the rope holding the flag. I never noticed until I sat down close to the field my freshman year. All those guys off to the side pull the flag up with their rope then one singular guy comes sprinting down the ramp to seal the deal by winding the rope around a hook on the pole. Aron thinks I'm a dork but seriously, it's one of my fave parts of a game. Watch for it the next time you go.

(Note to those who are sticklers for detail: the ROTC guy came from the side of the field and not down the ramp before the stadium was renovated a few years ago.)

The kids loved feeding this horse (with permission from the owner)

(that you, Will E Buck?)

With all the school excitement...

I forgot to post some pix of our kids going to our local fair...(BTW, thanks to Grammie for our ride money)

Seriously, kids. All the other ones are empty. Why you gotta all cram into one?

Hi Ma!

And down the stretch they come!

I'm not sure who looks more scared, Aron or Luke (wuss)

Yeeeeee-ha!

Vrooom

I shouldn't laugh at this but I can't help it

For those of you who may not know, the pre-school we send the kids to is part of a local Christian school. Part of their curriculum is learning a bible verse each week. Here's Luke reciting his.

(For those of you playing the home game, he's looking for "Genesis 1:1," not Jennifers 1:1)

First day must-haves

For a kindergartener's first day you must have the following:

**backpack (Hello Kitty-check)

**first day outfit (plaid skirt, coordinating shirt, black ballet flats-check)

**hair brushed into the perfect style (three braids pulled back into a medium sized ponytail- triple check and check)

**lunch (Hello Kitty lunch box with a heart shaped PBnJ, cheesy Sun Chips, apple, and juice box along with a note from your Mom about how awesome you are - check, check, check, check, checkity check)

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas: Grammie edition

The culprit in question would be the one on the right (same rule goes for you, Mom. If you purposefully take a crappy picture, I'm going to put it on the blog). The one on the left is my Aunt Pammy...when I talk to my cousins, I get the impression she is about as tough with her grandchildren as my Mom is with hers

Somedays I wonder who is in charge when I have my Mom come over on Tuesdays to watch the kids when I go to work. I tried to make cookies with Ella last week. When we got to the part when you put in brown sugar, I watched Ella put her entire hand into the bag and come out with a big paw full of sugar and she started to eat it. I asked her what in the world she was doing. She laughed at me and said "Grammie lets me do it when she's here."

Oh ho! She does, does she?

So then yesterday I called my Mom while she was watching Ella (Luke was at pre-school so it was just E and Gram--never a good combo). They were laughing like fools and I asked what was so funny. She said they were making cookies. Then Mom shushes me and says "Don't drop it off your spoon, sweetie pie."

Spoon? Drop it off your spoon?

"ARE YOU LETTING MY CHILD EAT BROWN SUGAR BY THE SPOONFUL, MOTHER?!?!"

"Maybe. Ok, yes."

The icing on the cake of this story, you ask? The curtains in my living room were ripped off the wall when I got home. The culprit: Luke. What did he say to Grammie after he did it?

"I thought it would hold me, Grammie. I reeeeeally did think it would hold me as I swung around. Sorry"

What was the discipline for ripping my curtains down?

I think you know the answer to that one.

First Day of School: Ella edition

Well, it's official. It's been coming for weeks now and it's finally upon us.
Ella's first day of Kindergarten!!

Here we are going down the hall to the Kindergarten wing.
Here is her desk. Of note, she's sitting by 2 boys--not sure how I feel about that.

Here she is looking very excited.

Here's her teacher, Mrs. Porter.

Here's the last minute goodbye with the pesky, little brother

Here's the official first school outfit.

We may not be able to win the game, but at least our band can beat up a cameraman!

OSU Sousaphone player dots the cameraman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EevMBTQpV4U

If you don't want to watch the whole thing, you're looking for approximately 2:45 and 3:20 into it.

Back to School--Luke edition

"NO! I do it! I'm a pre-K boy!
"See? I told you I do it!" (even though he's sitting in his sister's car seat)

Here we are! Pismo Beach and all the clams we can eat (only my brother will get that reference)

Gotta hold Mommy and Daddy's hand on the way in!

The obligatory spit bath on the way in.

He gets his own hook and everything! Last year he had to share a hook.

On Tuesday, it was Luke's turn to go back to school. Ella doesn't go back until Wednesday (I know, I know her school is super late in starting. I'm sure there's a reason for it but have no idea what it is). He's in pre-K now (Do yourself a favor: DON'T try to say he's in pre-school. He gets very offended because he is big enough to be what he calls "a pre-k boy" and does not take kindly to mixing up the two). He's going to be there 3 days a week. On Fridays, he'll even eat a lunch there and take part of a nap before Aron gets there to pick him up.

I'd like to say that things went smoothly with the drop off. I'd like to say that there were no tears, no crying, and no tantrums. I'd like to say I was millionaire but this would be as true as the other previous statements.

Here's the thing. He was supposed to have the same teacher from last year, Mrs. Michele. However, Mrs. Michele had to have surgery the week before school started and wasn't quite up to coming in and dealing with 10 pre-schoolers. 'Scuse me. 10 pre-K'ers. So, when he walked in there and she wasn't there, it was a bit of Luke confusion. There was another lady, Mrs. Mack, who was taking her place. If he knew the words "bait and switch" I'm sure he would've used them. If he knew bad words, I'm sure he would've said them. To say he was displeased would be an understatement. A HUGE understatement.

So that's why we don't have any pix of him in the classroom or with his new teacher or with his soon-to-be friends. He's definitely pretty strong willed when it comes to doing things he does not want to do. Again, strong willed being an understatement. I'd like to say that he gets that from Aron's side of the family but that would be one of the biggest lies of the year.

Le sigh.

Nutrition be darned!

( Look at how tired she looks...)

I try to be conscientious about what the kids eat on a daily basis. But sometimes......just sometimes, at the end of a long vacation....you just gotta feed them Doritos for dinner. Yes, it was a big bag and yes, they did get their own and yes, they did eat it all.

Great Recipe

Ella and I made some tasty cookies this afternoon. They taste like a peanut butter version of Kashi Oatmeal and Dark Chocolate cookies (I *heart* them a lot). Here goes.

1.5 c peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
4.5 c quick cooking oats
2 t baking soda
1 c mini chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter, and sugars. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine oats and baking soda. Gradually add to creamed mixture and stir in choc chips.

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.

(P.S. Yes, I realize there's no flour in this recipe.)

Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone...it's a secret

Mr. M has requested I no longer post his secret on the blog. I *heart* Mr. M, therefore, I will.

So much to say....so little time

For those of you who know Grandpa Steve...is it just me or does he really look like him in this pic? Alice, what do you think? Mini Steve?

True conversation that took place in my house:

Luke: Hey, can I be done with dinner?

Me: Yea, I guess so. You did a pretty good job.

L: Can I go in the living room and play with my balls?

M: Uuuuuuuuuuuuum.

L: (running into the living room and coming back) These beach balls? Can I play with these in the house.

M: Yes. Yes, you may play with your "beach balls."

Whew. That was a close one. For those of you who have been around Luke for any period of time, you know that this story could have easily gone another direction.