Where on Earth Can You Go Dressed Like This?

Where on Earth Can You Go Dressed Like This?, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Emma's answer is anywhere.
On Sunday she stood in her room for nearly 40 minutes agonizing over bunchiness, length, feel...
At the end of 40 minutes I had to carry her to the car because she hadn't even started on shoes.
Today, she came out dressed like this. She did it by herself. It took her about 10 minutes.
I said, "You look GREAT!"
"Let's get outta here!"
And we did.
Really, it was nice of us. Those poor people at Home Depot looked pretty bored.

A Man With Skills

A Man With Skills, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Me, "Um, honey?? We're locked in our house."
Honey- "What?"
Me, "I just moved the deadbolt and nothing happened."
Mike - "Oh, man."
Me, "Aren't you one those guys? You know, with skills??"

This is a standard joke at our house. If you don't get the movie reference then you don't see enough of Harrison Ford on your TV screen. You know, he's stranded on an island with some skinny girl I want to give a real cheeseburger and she's like, "aren't you one of those guys...with skills?" (pause)
"You know, you can send him out in the woods with a toothpick and a cottonball and he can build you a mall?" (pause)
"You can't do that?"
And he says, "No but I can do this" and makes that popping sounds with his thumb in his mouth.

You know, I really should try that little trick.
Does anyone know where I can find harrison Ford?

The movie is 6 Days, 7 Nights. Good for a laugh. So anytime something needs to be done around our house I have to ask my husband, "Aren't you one of those guys with skills?"
I get the long pause from him as well.

BTW - our door is fixed.

I'm Happy To Say

I'm happy to say that the snow is melting and I'm done obsessing over the weather.  I have something different to obsess over.  I'm actually okay with public speaking but I think I'm in over my head.  

Last year my husband just totally hit it off with the principal at my daughter's school.  She's in pre-school in the public school system.  I think the principal realized quickly that Mike is well spoken, cares about his daughter's education and she's just barely getting started.  He asked Mike to speak for the parents at Emma's elementary in front of the borough assembly meeting when they were working the budget for the current school year.  He did a great job, I wrote most of what he said, but he's a great speaker.  He's an amazing attorney.

Anyways, Emma's principal came up to me the other day and asked if I would do it this year.  I was so honored that out of the hundreds of kids' parents at that school, he asked me!  I said "YES!"

Really?  Me?

I have no problems getting in front of a ton of people and playing someone else, but to get up in front of a bunch of people, many of whom are our elected officials?  As myself?  Are you kidding me?

So, that'll be me, trying to "act" totally relaxed and non-nervous while I speak for ALL of the parents at my daughter's school.  I had to write out a script (which I hate when I'm speaking as myself) and I really should remember everything.  You know, because I'm speaking for everyone.

I hope someone, somewhere, will take note of this and reward me.  Maybe I'll just forward this post off to my husband and see what happens...

Anybody?

Anybody?, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Anybody have a current address for Mother Nature? Cause she's totally getting a nasty letter from my attorney.

Taken this morning. April 25th.

My Daughter

IMG_5331, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

My daughter is old enough to ride a big girl bike with training wheels in her pajamas.
My daughter is old enough to get herself ready for school.
My daughter is big enough to get her ketchup and get the correct amount ON HER PLATE.
My daughter gets out of bed in the middle of night to put on her costumes because she sleeps better when she's a princess.

Jack screams, "AAAHHH, AAAHH, UUHHH!!" when he needs any of those things. And you know what? It wasn't that long ago Emma was doing the same thing.

(Oh, do you like the mess in my garage?? I'm "organizing")

What a Lovely Picture

What a lovely picture, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

What a lovely picture of snow falling out your front window. When did you take it??

THIS MORNING!!!
OH YES!
And It's STILL SNOWING!!!
It's not even melting off the ground!

Does someone have a shovel?? Because I need to dig a large, deep black pit to hide in...

We Live on a Really Busy Street

Jake, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Jake - the dog.

4x4

4x4, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

This is my daughter trying to go "off-road" on her little 4x4. Well, it's not really a 4x4, it's powered by two legs that are way too long.
My dad would laugh and say that I deserve every minute of it.

When I was in high school I came home one day and when I got out of my truck the tire was making a hissing sound. I went in and told my dad that I thought the tire was going flat.
He came out to take a look.
I went inside to get a snack to bring out to help.
When I came back out there was a fairly small beat up birch tree laying in the driveway.
I stupidly ask, "What's that??"
The reply, from my father who can see through all forms of BS.
"It came out from underneath the truck."
Me, "Oh."

And you know what? That's really all he needed to say. I stopped taking my friend Laura home the "fun" way. On the four-wheeler trail. You don't have to follow all those pesky traffic rules when you're on the trail, right?

Really, that stupid tree ruined what I'm sure would have been all sorts of fun...

Seriously?

Seriously?, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

What was I thinking?? My neighbor Rebecca had a baby two months ago. She invited me for a run the other night. I foolishly went with her thinking that just having a baby would slow her down some. I was totally wrong. I used to run in high school, I wasn't fast but I could go forever. I can no longer go forever. We went nearly 5 miles and it's now three mornings later and I can still feel tendons and muscles long forgotten. I have been working out but it's just the same as running.
You can tell it's spring up here. I need to get the hose out and wash them off, you know, so I can go out and do it again.

YIPPEE!!

IMG_5362, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

I know, nobody actually says "Yippee!" But it's TOTALLY how I feel.
I'm on my porch, sitting in my fabulous hammock swing. You can see the much used grill to the right, my swing to the left. My son in the front and what is very sadly NOT my car behind my son.
Jack is not wearing a jacket.
Jack is not freezing.
This is what happy feels like.
Everyone have a FABULOUS day!!!

Turf For Tots

Turf For Tots, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

This place is nearly necessary here in the winter. For 10 bucks, both kids can run around, we can bring our own snacks and have picnics, and I can get a Tall Vanilla Steamer at the little goodie shop. Total heaven.

Both kids are in this picture, and are both amazingly still.

Sports Complex

Sports Complex, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Really, this place saves my life.

Sorting

Sorting, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Since I know we'll be selling our house this summer I just want it over with. The problem is that I would prefer not to be homeless. It's always hard when you know a change is coming, I just want it to be here. As soon as we can start our new house I'll be too busy to give anything else much thought. This is why I'm trying to get this house ready. I mean, June will be here before I know it, right? Right??

So I've started going through our house to get rid of things and pack away some stuff that we don't need all the time. It's amazing how much I have in the middle of my garage and how little it changed the amount of stuff I have in my house.
It really begs the question, "Who bought all this crap?"
And it answers the question, "Where does all our money go?"
Like I don't know.
It's totally shoes.
And gymboree.
And playmobil.
And WOW toys (our new fav).
And I don't buy cheap food.
And I apparently have a TON of crap in my house that I don't need.

My Totally Way Cool Awesome Brother

My Totally Way Cool Awesome Brother, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

entered his first kayak race. I'm sure I didn't use the right "term" but he came in 10th out of 50 or 60 paddlers! This isn't even the kind of kayaking he does! he just thought it would be fun. He's one of those super talented people whose bodies just get stuff. He rock climbs, he bikes, he used to slalom ski before either my sister or I (I was never any good), he snowboards and is fabulous on a snowmachine. Oh, he's also really nice and single. I think. Well, I know he's nice but I'm never sure if he's single or not.

He was also blogged on www.wondermidget.blogspot.com, if you're curious about the whole kayak racing thing.

Lowe's

Lowe's, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Lowe's just needs more fairies to push race car carts. Don't you agree??

The Truth

Since my boredom has taken over my life I decided to take marianne's suggestion.  Write about being the mom of two kids.

Yeah.

Before Mike and I had baby number two people were like, "two is so much easier!  They entertain each other and it's actually better than just one."  Words of inspiration to people expecting baby number two.

I know there are super-moms out there on like number 5 "and counting!!" but I'm SO not one of those mommies.

Two kids are NOT easier than one.  In fact, two are more than twice as hard!  I marvel at Aurelie all the time with her twins.

My mom says that it's the third one that puts you over the edge.  I plan on never finding out.  Her logic is that you have two hands, two parents, two is perfect.  (We tested that today at Lowes.  Mike disappeared in the lumber and I had to haul two kicking kids across the store.  Not as easy as I imagined.  Two hands is not enough.)  She says it's the third one that puts you over the edge.  So thanks a lot little brother... (I'm the middle, he's the baby)

Kidding.

Here's why two kids are WAY harder than one:

 - You not only have to entertain each one individually, but make sure that they feel like the other sibling is getting totally shafted.

 - You have to keep them from killing each other.

 - You have to convince them that the toy the other has, is not THE ONLY TOY IN THE HOUSE.

 - You have to be careful NEVER to say the words, "we'll go outside after your brother wakes up from his nap."  Because, he will be woken up less than a minute after those words are spoken.

 - When one sleeps in, the other doesn't.  Without fail.

 - As soon as one gets over the fever, the other one gets it.

 - There is no way to give one child a bath by themselves.

 - There is no way you're going to take a bath by yourself.

 - Finding a babysitter for one little girl is easy.  Finding a babysitter who can move in two directions at once and find missing polly pocket shoes is hard.

 

My best advice:  Put them to bed early, stay up late with your husband and worry about sleep later ;)

My disclaimer:  I love my two kids.  A house with 1 would have just felt empty.  For my friend a house without 4 would be empty.  For others, 1 child fills their home perfectly.  We love our kids and right now, we wouldn't change a thing.  Although we may keep looking for a volume control.  They really should come equipped with better directions...

My Life Isn't Interesting At The Moment but My Mom's Is.

My Mom, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

My dad takes amazing underwater photos so the pics I have of my mom on vacation are taken by my dad in full scuba gear below sea level. She is generally behind the camera which is why I find this photo so great.
I also hope that I too am my high school weight when I'm nearing 60..
They're on Little Cayman right now. All I can think is how warm it looks...
Oh, there are NO lizards outside of pet shops way up here and we obviously find them fascinating. I'm actually curious to see how her picture turns out. She's an amazing photographer.

Busy

Weather here still sucks.  I won't bore you with the details...much.  I think that by me saying that we still have snow and more has come since I last complained and there is probably more to come later in the week really says it all.

I haven't blogged because not much of note has happened around here.  Since last time I dropped a line this is what happened.

My parents left for Little Cayman (I secretly want their life)

I went out with a friend and our kids.

I finished drawing up the plans for our new house (SO nice to do something with my brain)

That's totally it.

More later.

If there's something to write about ;)

The Mommy View

The Mommy View, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

He still reaches for my hand when we're out walking because he likes the stability. I wonder how much longer that will last...

When He's Nineteen

Airing Out, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Here's Jack wearing Emma's panties. Let me explain.

He has the most sensitive skin and needs airing out time. We use big sister's undies to keep possible peeing a little more under control but still allowing buns to air out. (No, I did not do the wedgie on purpose, that's a hazard that comes from not being able to leave yourself alone when the opportunity to be naked presents itself)

Mike says that when Jack comes home at 19 wearing heels and a skirt we'll all know why.

Even Though

So...even though when I woke up not only was there still snow but it was 16 degrees.  Yep.  That's right.  So thanks to those of you who left nice comments about how your spring is sucking as well but TOP THAT ONE!  Oh, and Jack's been up two nights in a row with a fever.  

But, just when another day was going to suck me down I read this post.  It was written by a very cool mom who is not freezing her butt cheeks off today.  

Can ya feel the mommy blog love?

Thanks!  You're awesome!

SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS!!!!!!!

It snowed today.  A lot.  I'm too depressed about it to take a picture.

So, all of you in warmer climates.  I guess EVERYONE who reads this blog is somewhere warmer. Go soak up some warm sun for me will ya??

A Family Trip with Stanley

A Family Trip with Stanley, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

We've had Stanley for a while and finally decided he'd like to take an Alaskan trip to the family cabin in Petersville, Alaska.
The scenery is amazing and the lodge is close so brave Stanley joined us in the VERY crowded car.
(Note the dog)

Not Thrilled

Not Thrilled, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Stanley was not thrilled about his accommodations aboard the machine but he rode without complaint.

This Way

Funny Signs, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Even way out here, signs can mark the path.

Reduce, REUSE, Recycle

R, Reuse, R, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

Stanley was certain that the people who put up these signs for trail markers were trying to be environmentally friendly, I think they're just cheap. It makes for fun riding though as all the triangles are a little different.

Oh, and it's not supposed to really get out that we were following a trail since that's not the way we normally ride.

The Arrival

The Arrival, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

We finally arrived at the cabin but we couldn't see much until the snow cleared.

Somewhere in the Snow

The View, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

After arriving at the cabin, Stanley wanted to check out the view of Denali. It was a little windy so he had to use a small snowball to hold him down for the photo. I have lost Stanley in this photo but he is there.

On the Window

On the Window, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

He decided he preferred the view from INSIDE, on the window.
You'll notice he's missing a hand. It was an unfortunate accident while decorating easter eggs, but we totally fixed him.

Stanley - Final

IMG_4965, originally uploaded by kidsideup.

He DID NOT enjoy the ride back home. Even though we fixed his hand.

To see all the family photos of this trip click here.