3rd grade fun

March is Women's History Month and the 3rd graders had to do projects on an influential woman.  Adrienne got Janet Reno, who is a woman albeit somewhat ambiguously.

They gave her a book to do some research.  I made her stop running around the house in her dress up clothes long enough to snap a picture with it.  I told her to 'look confused.'

Every Friday Adrienne brings home a classroom newsletter.  Each week 2 kids get to be the editors and every kid tells them an interesting thing happening in their life that week.  The editors get to decide which 10 or so cool facts make it into the newsletter.  It's mostly fascinating stuff like "Jack has a swim meet" and "Emily is visiting her grandma this weekend."  Last month when Adrienne got to be the editor, one newsworthy bit was "Summer learned how to get more hair volume using only a brush."  Way to go, Summer.  Last week's included "Sara is going to Jamaica.  Todd is going to Target."  Heh.  It reminds me of my dad's response when people brag about their travels - "I was to St. Paul once."

The kids have spring break next week and I hear it's supposed to get into the 70's.  Yee-haw!

crayziee hair

It's spirit week at school and Thursday is crazy hair day.  The kids are always up for looking goofy so this gives them a real excuse.  Actually it's crazy hair and feet day but I wasn't sure how to crazify their feet.  We always buy boring plain white socks and they don't have quirky shoes, so they have crazy hair and normal feet.

six years of Nicky

Friday was Nicky's birthday.  He brought Twinkies to kindergarten.  Homemade treats are no-nos these days so it had to be something even unhealthier.  The teachers say non-edible birthday treats like pencils are fine to bring instead, but who wants to be the schmoe that brings writing utensils for everyone?
Nicky was a naughty little baby.  On his first night home from the hospital he nearly gave me a heart attack.  He gasped and choked on spit-up which led to a test at six days old that confirmed infant GERD (which all babies have to some degree but his was worse).

During his first year he took Zantac, but despite the meds his reflux gave him constant minor congestion.  He also had consistently goobery eyes that required antibiotic ointment.  And he knocked out one of his teeth with a vacuum attachment when he was almost 14 months old, but that's a tale for another day.
Anyway, we had supper at McDonald's for his birthday.  I'm not usually psyched to eat there for special occasions, but on a Friday in lent it's okay since their fish sandwiches are decent.

Except for Zach, the kids have lost the ability to smile naturally for the camera.  It's weird.  We went home and opened presents...

Yep, a Chia Scooby head.  It wasn't our idea.  The alluring cha-cha-cha-Chia! commercials must have snookered him.

Nicky initially said he wanted cheesecake for his birthday, but when we went to Sam's to pick out his treat, Daddy steered him towards this big double-layered chocolate chip cookie thing with some pirates on it.  That's okay, it was pretty good.  His grandparents all came on Saturday to shower him with more love and presents and drink coffee.

what to blog?

I've been feeling un-bloggy inspired lately. I was going to talk about Lost and how it's mostly been disappointing but I don't feel like it.

I don't live on a flood plain, so yay for over 40 temps and rain and melting snow, though it's kinda dreary.

I'll just post another pic of Zachary, who picked out all the peas from his sugar snap pea pods last night.

1st band mom brag

Michael's band teacher nominated him to go to the Southeast Minnesota Band Directors Association Beginning Band Festival in May.  Whew.  What a mouthful.  Michael said about 5 kids in band got nominated.  Applications are handled first come first served so we'll see what happens.

Otherwise, not much going on around here.  Waiting for spring.  The kids are sharing a nasty cold & cough virus with each other. 

 

 Zach bugs Bruiser who's trying to soak up heat from the floor vent

  

laundry 'helper'

maybe no one will see me

Ash Wednesday

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  2 Cor 5:21

I took Michael, Adrienne, and Nicky to Ash Wednesday Mass last night - a good way to kick off the season of Lent.  During the readings, Michael thought it necessary to suddenly tell me in a loud whisper: "I know this guy who can play the recorder with his nose..." but I cut him off and told him to save that story for later.  I'll have to remember to ask him to finish his tale later today.  It's one of the more interesting things he's had to tell me at church.

A Buffy Valentine

I got some action figures for Valentine's Day.  Nate got some 'Heritage' Dr. Pepper.  I guess we've been married long enough not to have to goof around with flowers and dinners out and such.

 

That's a Pez dispenser in Buffy's hand, and Mr. Gordo the pig with some holy water.

So, what else is going on...watched most of the Vancouver opening ceremonies.  Some of the songs & effects were pretty cool.    They might have gone a bit overboard with their emphasis of the First Nations.  I missed the torch lighting snafu.  I like the winter games more than the summer ones.  Most events are at least watchable, except that boring cross country ski + archery thing.  

PBS fan

Age is just a (big) number

With my birthday around the corner it's my time of year to feel older.  The gray hairs I've hunted down recently don't help.  You know how they say that the sense of smell provides the greatest memory recall?  I figure the sense of taste can't be far behind, because when I tried some throwback Pepsi (you know, the stuff with real sugar, not high fructose corn syrup) it was a blast from the past. 

 

I know I've tasted this real sugar variety before, and if the info I hunted down saying that the switch to corn syrup occurred in the mid-80's is correct, I'd have been around 7.  That I was a sentient being 25 years ago is a little alarming.  On another note, it's so silly how lots of things are advertised with the word 'real.'  Made with real sugar, real cheese, etc.  I was just at Cub, where I bought some real milk, real carrots, real beef from a real cow and some real wheat bread with high fructose corn syrup.  

Michael came home from school last week with a registration booklet for middle school...another reason to feel old.  And since when do middle-schoolers get to choose from electives?  Well, on closer inspection, his only real choice was to be in band, choir, both, or some other general music class.  Okay.  But when he's in eighth grade, he'll have more options, like beginning German, Spanish, or French, and various technology classes.  Wowee.

Anyway, if I make it to 80 or 90, I know I'll look back and wonder why I was such a whiny brat about birthdays in my 30's...right?  What'd you say?  I couldn't hear you.  Nevermind, I've been sitting here too long and my back aches.  Gotta go find the hot water bottle.