This Week...

... the kids got custom made pizzas ...



... we made gingerbread cookies ...



... Dora contemplated the Story Garden gorilla ...



... we painted leaves with friends ...



... and Bakugan got a new home (for a few hours, anyway.)

By the way, I used one of those Facebook stats applications this week, and discovered that "..." (or, "dotdotdot") is my word most used in status updates. Yes, I do love dots. 

What I Love This Week

Theo is crazy about superheroes. CRA-ZY. (His teacher asked me last week which he likes more: superheroes or Bakugan? And oh, lady, please don't ever make him choose.)

So, a few weeks ago, we were shopping and I let him buy a Justice League Unlimited DVD because it was $7 and he's so cute. I typically don't let them watch something without viewing it first, but hey, Justice League! How bad could it be? I settled in for a viewing with Theo and Clark, and it was a titch more violent than I was comfortable with, but all was going well until a horrifiying scene where Aquaman - not the friendly, wussy Aquaman of our youth, but instead a bad-ass, bearded brute - CUTS OFF HIS OWN HAND to save his infant son who had been chained to a rock, speeding toward an active volcano. WTF??? This was like something from a twisted horror film, not a children's cartoon. I gasped, Theo didn't quite get what happened, so I actually had to explain it to him. He ends up getting a cool hook-hand at the end, but still ... a bit too disturbing for me.

During our next trip out, we picked up this:



and, boy, was that $20 well-spent. SIX hours of age-appropriate superhero fun for the whole family. Exactly how we remember them, the ten-minute episodes bookended with magic tricks, puzzles and PSAs. Plus Zan and Jana, speaking out against teenage hooliganism (Hazing! Hitchiking! Drag Racing!) It took Dora one viewing to point out: "They ALWAYS turn into an eagle and a bucket of water!" and now she laughs along with them. We usually save DVDs for car trips, and one disc buys us three hours of reverent quiet in the car. We've since picked up the second volume, all three kids are loving it.

The Waiting Game

I have a tiny supply of tricks to pull out when the kids are bored when we're out waiting ... at the dr's office, at a restaurant, in the car. One staple is The Letter Game, which is kind of like a simplified version of Scattergories. (Name something you can wear that starts with S), and so on. Our go-to restaurant game is Five Things. Pull five objects from around the table together. Have a kid look at it for a few minutes, close eyes, take one away, guess what's missing. Super easy and it can last a good ten minutes with variations (take away two things! have Dad be the guesser! and so on.)

Our recent trip to the Statue of Liberty involved some waiting. Lots and lots and lots of waiting. About 4 hours, to be exact. The kids did great overall, but we definitely had some tense moments. When we reached the statue and realized it was going to be ANOTHER wait to get in the museum, it was time to pull out the Silly Face game. Requirements: a camera and children who like to show off. I snapped a pic of each kid making a silly face, we reviewed the evidence and voted on which face was funnier. Apparently, my children find the tongue to be a critical component of physical comedy.

Emotional Me

Okay, so I have a big soft spot for lots of children's movies. I bawl like a baby when Big Bird sings about "One Little Star" and during the last line of Charlotte's Web ("Charlotte was both." - oh, please, hand me a tissue) and when those stupid Muppets sing that stupid goodbye song while Taking Manhattan.

I put on a bunch of kid-friendly music this morning for Clark and I to listen to while cleaning. I don't know what it is about this particular CD, but hello! heartstrings! tugging! Almost every song had me weeping. (Except the Boys II Men song ... skip right past that one.) 

All I Really Need (bawl!)
Beautiful Boy (weep!)
Before You Grow (OMFG, sob, sob, sob!)
and it goes on and on ... Happy Adoption Day, Family Tree, On Children, The Babysitter's Here ... truly, if you have children and feel the need to have a good cry, put on this CD and go for it.

Pinata

My favorite part is the moms in the background shielding children from the crazy girl with a stick.

Sesame Part 2

The kids and I made another trip to where the air is sweet (not really) last Sunday while Jeff enlisted help from our friends to move furniture back around the house.



Snuggling up after the lazy river.



Ralph's World rocking the house. The kids were not too impressed, but I threw my VS cotton bikinis on stage. Just kidding - but I really enjoyed the show. I don't get to see live bands all that much anymore!



Karate poses - photo by Dora.



Theo took pics all the way back to the parking lot. This is my favorite.

Will Power: A One-Act Play

Me: Hmmm. I have five minutes and nothing to do while waiting for the laundry to dry. Clark is playing downstairs. Hey! Is that a Snickers bar in the freezer?

Body: Don't do it. You'll regret it.

Me: You always say that!

Body: Because you always do.

Me: Not this time! I need this Snickers bar! I've earned it! Do you know what a tough day I've had?

Body: But you don't eat junk food anymore remember? We're all done with that?

Me: Screw you! I want it I want it I want it!

(Five minutes later)

Me: Dude, I totally regret that. Why did you let me eat that?

Body: I told you so.

(the end.)