Winter Blahs

Winter seems like it has been so long already, and Groundhog Day was only the halfway point. It's this time of year when I really wished we lived in the south, so the kids could go outside more often. They *seriously* need to get outside, because their running around inside the house is driving us nuts. Jordis made it outside one day to play in the snow. This girl LOVES winter.

We've been playing lots of games.

We've even had successful trips to the library. I quit taking both kids at the same time after an incident where I had to carry one of them sideways, kicking and screaming, from the back of the library to the car while said child was pulling my dress off. It was quite a show for this little town. But a few weeks ago I let them each get their own library card.

Now we're having successful trips where we cooperate, learn how to look for books on the shelves and *gasp* have calm bodies with indoor voices.

The kids have done some chillin' by the fireplace, which we also use to dry coats, hats and gloves.

This week Xander was out of school for three days due to ice and we spent 12 hours without power. You know it's bad when your kids get half naked and start trading fishing baits in your family room.

Mayday, mayday!

Musical Moments

The kids felt tortured had the opportunity to go to two concerts this past week. On Sunday night after Jason's softball game we took a picnic to Alum Creek Park in Westerville to listen to British Invasion. We first heard them last summer at the balloon show we went to where Jordis was really showing off her far out dance moves. It was a nice night and we thought the kids would have fun. They complained the whole way there but once we got some food in them and it was time to leave, they decided that they were having a good time.

On Thursday night Jason had to work so my mom accompanied the kids and me to Gallant Woods Preserve to listen to some steel drum music.

Xander wasn't keen on this event, either, but we did the best we could. BaDee tried to engage the kids in some dancing and we also let them take turns using the camera.


We also took them on a walk through one of the paths.


Since we had to park across the street we also got shuttled back and forth on a little hayride, which the kids loved.

Along the way we saw a deer and they also liked this windmill.


A trip to the library netted the kids some books about bears and sharks, and movies about manta-rays and crocodiles. They also painted birdhouses.

Can't to see what this week holds.

Last week's summer fun

We were pretty busy last week. Over the weekend we went to a wedding reception for my friend who got married last month in Florida. I had so much fun catching up with my friend, Vicki. We went to school together from 3rd - 8th grade and also played violin together in the orchestra. She moved right before high school so I didn't see her for years. Ran into her briefly about 5 years ago then had lunch this past winter. She's a music teacher now and so much fun to talk to.

Jason had school during the week which meant really LONG days for me. On Monday we went to a play date with about 20 kids. Yikes! My friend Liz was pretty brave to host that at her house. And somehow by the time we left I was co-leader of next years' MOPS group. That afternoon we went to the library to get books and movies.

The rest of the week we studied pandas and bats. On Tuesday we went to RAVE for the free showing of Kung Fu Panda. My friend Jen met us there with her little guy, Arjun a.k.a. Prom Date (he and Jordis).

The movie was a bit scary for the younger two, but Xander said he wasn't scared. Afterwards they spent quite awhile running up and down the ramp outside.

On Wednesday I had the kids signed up for a program at the park called Going Batty. There they got to make bat hats, color bat pages and read books. Then we took a tram ride where they told us that bats are mammals, sleep hanging from their toes, have babies called "pups," and are nocturnal (like Daddy). But we already knew that because we learned it from our library books.

Jason's mom was off of work on Thursday so she and his dad came to visit and I got to go to the grocery store by myself. For some reason it still took the same amount of time, I think maybe because I actually had time to read labels and am still getting used to where things are at our new Meijer. And because I have a knack for picking the s.l.o.w.e.s.t. checkout lane. My mom was off of work Friday so she joined the kids and me at the zoo. Our zoo doesn't have pandas, but we did visit the brown bears. They were having so much fun!

And of course we saw the bats.

The kids always have to climb on these animal statues and it's so hard to get pictures of them without someone else's kids running around and getting in the way.

On Saturday Jordis' friend down the street turned three and we were invited to her Dora the Explorer cookout. You'd never know by looking at them that Jordis is actually older, but Megan (even though her parents are each about the same height as Jason and myself) is in the 100th percentile for height in her age range.

The kids had fun eating hot dogs, cake and ice cream and playing in the pool and slip n' slide. We had fun socializing with other adults and getting to meet some neighbors at that end of the street.

What a busy week we had! And I spent no money on the kids' outings. The movie and the bat program were free. We have a zoo membership so I guess technically I "paid" for that trip, but it pays for itself in just a few visits so it's kind of free at this point. What is everyone else doing on-the-cheap for summer?

Jordis turns 3!

Our baby girl turned three on Monday.

This one.

*Sigh*

With her cute little voice and bright eyes she feigns innocence really well, but she has a trick or two up her sleeve. She's so much fun to be around but boy do we think we'll be in for it when she's a pre-teen.

She wanted to wear her Raggedy Ann outfit and go to the library, so that's what we did. Xander had chosen the last video rental so she picked Mulan for this week and then we went to the children's area and read a Dora book.

When Xander came home from school they got along really well. He showed her how to use his new computer and he also let her play with his Helmet Heroes.

Xander was looking forward to the presents more than she was. Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Sarah sent her a Lite Brite, too, so both of the kids have one now and don't have to fight over one. They're even different colors so we can tell them apart.

We got her some more Littlest Pet Shop stuff and Xan got her some pets to go with it.

She had asked for some of the Lemon Angel Bars from Easter, so that was easy enough for me.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!