Happy Father's Day

Brian had a great day hanging out with his little people.

After an afternoon of swimming, the day ended by going out to dinner with friends.  

Sleepy Heads

Brian and I found this scene this morning when we woke up.

Our poor little sleepyheads woke up early, came downstairs and proceeded to fall back asleep.  They had such an exhausting weekend.

Such cuties!

Dancing Princesses and a Water Boat Blaster

The kids and I went to see a local production of "The 12 Dancing Princesses" this afternoon.  It was our first experience with the Fort Bend Theater and probably won't be our last.  They put on an adorable play with many local kids from our neighborhood and close by.  Ashley was enamored with all the actresses playing the 12 princesses.  She couldn't decide which one was her favorite or which part she liked the best. Daniel loved the male antagonist who was quite a character.  Every time the actor was on stage, I could hear Daniel laugh from next to me.  Birdie was funny.  Each time the stage lights dimmed, she would ask, "is it over?"  It was difficult to tell, but I think she enjoyed her first play.   

Daniel wanted no part of having his picture taken with the actors after the play ended. The girls enjoyed seeing the actors up close.

When we arrived home, Brian had blown up Daniel's motorized water bloat blaster for the pool.  The kids got to take it for a spin around the pool before dinner.  They loved it! 

Tea Anyone?

While Ashley & Birdie were engaged in a pretend tea party today, I surprised them with a real tea party.  They weren't paying attention to me, so I got out my china, made heart shaped sandwiches, and whipped up a batch of peach tea.  When they saw me putting out a tablecloth and candlesticks they got very excited.  

After a few minutes, Daniel decided he wanted to join the tea party.  We did make him change clothes first, but his idea of a knight is a Jedi Knight.  I have a feeling there will be many more real tea parties in our future.

Sometimes the best things happen when you don't plan them.

Swimming before Dinner

Tonight the kids did a little swimming before dinner.  They were having so much fun that dinner got pushed back quite late.  And I enjoyed sitting outside reading my new thriller book from the library while they swam.  This is what Summer is all about.

Fun with Balloons

We tried a new science experiment today with balloons.  The goal is to stick a wooden skewer all the way through a blown up balloon using petroleum jelly without popping it.  The kids had lots and lots of fun attempting this experiment.

Kids just love balloons.  Ashley & Birdie spent most of their time just letting go the ones I blew up for her just to chase them around.  Check out the video of them.



Daniel and Ashley popped too many balloons to mention trying to get this right.  But, then Daniel finally got it right.  Yeah Boy!

Yeah for Science.

My Own Little Picasso

As everyone knows, Ashley loves to draw, paint and craft.  It is my desire to take her to the Museum of Fine Arts this summer for her to experience many different styles and types of art.  Last week at the library, I picked up a book about Pablo Picasso for her to see something really different.  

This morning she wasn't interested in reading it or going soon to the art museum soon.  She said she didn't want to look at art, just create it for herself.  You know me, I didn't let her stop me.  So, we sat in the car while Daniel was at swim practice and read the Picasso book together.  It was a biography written for an early elementary audience.  She was fascinated at the progression of his style, from post-impressionist to blue, to rose to cubism and beyond.  Every time we turned a page for a new picture she had an audible reaction.  We had a wonderful time sharing his story together.  

She seemed to really react to the fact that Picasso had so many different styles, was controversial and not entirely successful in the beginning.  It also surprised her that he created using different mediums, not just oil on canvas.  

While at home this afternoon, Ashley brought me a a new picture she drew based on what she saw in the book.  Her interpretation of The Old Guitarist from Picasso's Blue Period (seen above).  Telling me about the picture, she expressed so much of what Picasso's period represented.  She wanted to capture the essence of his painting, even including the accent on the hands and feet.

(She was a little sad that you can't see that the paper is blue in my photo.)

I was unbelievably proud of her.  It was amazing to see her world open through that book.

She posed "Blue" for this picture to best represent the period.

This afternoon we went back to the library for story time.  I chose a new artist book for her.  Leonardo Da Vinci.  Could there be someone more different in style than Picasso?  And he's an inventor - another of Ashley's favorite things to read about.  (We also read about Benjamin Franklin today. She LOVED it!)  Our library has so many books in the "Getting to know the World's Greatest Artists" series to choose from that we will be art experts by the time we visit the Museum.  

Summer Fun with Food

Summer has only recently officially just begun and yet we've been really busy with Summer Fun.  Lots of swimming, library story time, hanging out with friends and grocery shopping.   One of our goals this Summer is to try lots of new foods and engage the kids in cooking new menus.  

Daniel has been choosing random new fruits at the grocery store for us to try.  The first week he chose a coconut which he was so excited to open. 

The kids enjoyed watching Daddy hitting it repeatedly with the hammer.  Once it was finally open, everyone tasted a slice.  It was really not a hit.  The best part was Brian tasting the coconut milk and trying to keep a neutral face for the kids.  They didn't notice, but I was laughing.  

Next, Daniel chose lychee nuts after watching King Julian eat them on the Penguins of Madagascar.  I had to use Google to figure out what it was and how to eat it.  He and I opened one, saw the fleshy white inside and decided not to taste it.  Brian opened one and enjoyed it.  He said it tasted like a cranberry.  We all took his word for it.  

Ashley picked out a cantaloupe, dried pineapple, honeydew melon and cherries.  Nothing surprising with those choices.  This week I picked out mangos and Daniel chose kiwis.  It has been lots of fun!  It is always surprising that Daniel is more adventurous with his food choices since he is the least likely to like anything really new.  

After reading about a frozen pineapple pie on Faith and Family Live, Ashley and Daniel made it.  Too bad for Daniel - it had whip cream in it, which he hates.  The rest of us loved it.  Ashley has also made pineapple upside down cupcakes, pizza and hotdogs.  Daniel has suggested making homemade pickles next, while Ashley suggests homemade ice cream.

Bloody Tooth

Daniel has had four wiggly teeth for a few weeks with one getting really loose.  Yesterday morning he decided he was done with it and decided to pull it out since it was barely hanging on anyway.  So, I closed my eyes while he twisted and pulled.  And there it was - a bloody tooth and a big bloody hole in his mouth.  Boy was he proud!

Did I mention this all happened while in the mini-van sitting in the parking lot for swim team practice?  Yep, he walked proudly into practice a few minutes later with a still partially bleeding hole.  Yuck!  I do think he managed to show it off to everyone there.

So that night, he told me he had to write the tooth fairy a note to accompany the tooth.  This is his note.

It reads, "Tooth Fairy can you bring me lots of money PLEEEESE."  Yep, that's my son.  And no, the tooth fairy did not give him a bonus for the extra cute note.  She left her usual deposit of 8 quarters.  I think she was concerned that if she rewarded him he would work to pull out his other 3 loose teeth as soon as possible.

I have to post this picture of Daniel and the tooth also because of Ashley's face in the background.  She was totally grossed out by the whole thing.

3 teeth out for Daniel - a whole lot more to go.

Bowling Anyone?

It being Summer, we receive coupons for lots of fun things, like bowling!  So the kids and I went bowling today with cousin Alex and the Thiem girls.  The kids had the best time hanging out with each other and seeing who could get the best score.  Of course there were some tears.  First Ashley "got her feelings hurt" that she was not winning, then later, Daniel got upset that he wasn't winning either.  We had discussions about good sportmanship, trying to improve and just being here for fun!  By the third game the two of them were on cloud 9 and bowling much better.  

Jenny and I bowled on a lane with Laurie & Alex.  Believe it or not, we only got two balls stuck halfway down the alley, and at least three times the balls rolled all the way back to us.  Alex & Laurie were very independent, not wanting us to help them at all.  They were very cute and had a good time.

What they really need is Nana to come and teach them the proper way to bowl.

I'm sure this won't be the last time we bowl this Summer.  It was a great way to spend a couple of hours with friends.

Missing Good Friends

We said good-bye to friends this weekend.  Daniel and Marty met in preschool, bonded really fast, and continued to hang out through Kindergarten.  Laurie and TJ got to be fast friends this last year while in preschool 3's together.  Suzie and I got to know each other better after discovering we both love to read, sew- even though she is light years ahead of me in skills - and gab.

Suzie, Me and Sarah

Laurie & TJ at preschool Fun Day

Marty and Daniel at the end of Preschool

Acting silly at the movies

We will greatly miss their family but hope they will inspire us to visit them in the midwest one day soon.

On the Mend

Laurie went back to see Dr. D today to check on her pneumonia.  After examining her and listening to her chest, Dr. D said Birdie was on the mend.  Her chest sounded much better.  We will follow up with a new check x-ray in 2 weeks, but everything looks good.

Did I mention I took the other two kids in with us to be looked at?  I admit, now I'm a little paranoid.  Ashley has been complaining that her throat hurts and Daniel is trying to start a cold.  I mentioned to her that I'm feeling horrible also with a head cold.  First she tested Ashley for the usual suspect - Strep.  It came back negative.  She then gave both Ashley and Daniel antibiotics to fight whatever crud is making its way through our house.  

Let's keep our fingers crossed for a more healthy summer soon.

Sweet Angel

After all her sickness here lately, she just looked so peaceful last night sleeping.

We return to the Doctor tomorrow to check on her pneumonia, but today I noticed she sounded a little better.  Her usual coughing fits this morning were shorter and not as rattling.  And no fever all day.  Say a prayer she has beat this thing!

It's Pneumonia

After 10 days on antibiotics and breathing treatments, I called the Dr. office because Birdie just didn't sound much better.  Dr. D took a few listens to her chest and told me it didn't sound good.  She wanted us to head over to the hospital for a chest x-ray.  That was not good news.  

Thankfully, we didn't have to wait very long at the hospital, and Birdie did great getting her X-ray.  A couple hours later we got a call from nurse Kristie.  Birdie has pneumonia.  They have started her on a new round of antibiotics and breathing treatments. 

The really sad part is besides her horrible cough, Laurie doesn't really seem sick.  No fever, lots of energy, and generally happy.  We've been active and in the pool almost every day.  I do have a few friends who suggested to me that Birdie might have pneumonia after listening to her cough.  I couldn't even imagine something was that wrong with her when she didn't seem sick.  But maybe listening to them is what caused my mother's instinct to kick in and take her to the Dr. today.

We go back in a few days for Dr. D to listen to her chest.

Foot-Sitters

We have a new family event in our house.  It involves something called "foot-sitting" or if you are the person doing it, you are called a "foot-sitter."  The chosen child sits on Brian's feet and counts while he does sit-ups after coming home from a run.





The kids love to do this and many times it turns into a family event.  We all end up in the foyer taking turns doing sit-ups or counting.  Daniel got into the act this week - wanting to do as many as Daddy.  Brian was counting for Daniel and it went something like this..."98...99...99...99...99...99"  Daniel finally started laughing so Brian said "100".  Then it was Brian's turn.  Don't you know, Daniel did the same thing to Brian. "99...99...99...99"

If you walk by our house and look in our front door, you might just see us all on the foyer rug taking turns with sit-ups and foot-sitting.

Cooking Rocks

One of our goals this Summer is to get the kids more involved in the kitchen and preparing dinner.  Over the weekend, I sat the kids down with a Rachel Ray cookbook for kids called, "Cooking Rocks" to choose a few meals.  

The first one we tried was "Watermelon Sodas" which was basically watermelon slices with 7-Up in a blender.  Two out of three loved it.  Daniel, who can eat his weight in sushi, is our choosy eater.

Last night, the kids made "Ham and Egg Hawaiian Pizza."  They had a good time making it and ended up loving it.  I wasn't so sure about it.  It was scrambled egg, with ham, cheese and pineapple on a pizza crust.  A little strange, but not as bad as I'd thought it would be.  Next time I would probably have them use a different cheese.  Cheddar was a little strong for me next to eggs and pineapple.

Next on our list is "Candy Sushi."  They can't wait for that one.  I'm guessing it will be a sushi roll that even my girls will eat.

End of the School Year Illness

On this last day of school for the big kids, Laurie and I spent the day at Dr. D's office.  She has a wicked cough and seems to be starting a cold.  I debated taking her in or waiting for it to get worse first.  

It's a good thing I made the appointment since Dr. D heard wheezing in Laurie's chest.  Once again she is on the nebulizer with Xopenex and on antibiotics.  Gee, I'm glad I bought the nebulizer all those years ago vs renting one.