Clothing Terminology

Just in case you ever need to help get my kids dressed, here are some helpful hints:
If you are changing Ben and he is yelling "PLUTO!" or "Goofy's Friend" that means he only wants to wear the diapers that have Mickey and Pluto, not the Micky and Minnie diapers.  This is problematic because the Costco pack is 1/2 and 1/2.  So whenever he isn't paying attention I sneak on the Mickey and Minnie diapers.

This is how Ben defines his clothing for the bottom half:
Shorts= shorts
Big shorts= pants

The girls have developed an interesting set of terms that describes the width of straps on dresses and tops.
The thin strap that most people call a spaghetii strap= noodle strap.
If it is a bit thicker, they call it= potato strap.  (No idea where that came from.)

We are also fairly specific about our food terminology.  Ben is currently having a tantrum because I suggested that he eat breakfast when what he wanted was a snack.  He wanted "window pretzels" but he wanted them in the Cars bowl and I gave him a regular bowl.  So the tantrum continues.

Spring Break Adventures

I basically think of myself as a boring mom.  All work and no play for the most part.  My motto is "work first, then play."  Unfortunately, sometimes that means no play.  (Which I don't mind at all, I love to work--but I feel bad for my kids sometimes.)
SO, of course we didn't do anything SUPER cool for Spring Break.  Derek was training to be a bike officer all week and working 4 nights at the Mariners and 1 morning at the synagogue.  I was pretty much on my own to create some Spring Break magic.  I was tempted to let them watch movies all week so I could split my time between training and studying for my personal training certification exam.  But I didn't...let them watch movies the whole time.  I did make sure we had a couple of spring break adventures.
On Monday Uncle Davey was still here.  We got to have a celebratory lunch with Auntie Jen just after she passed her Social Work Licensing exam.  We ate at 5 Guys and when we saw her coming in we all ducked down behind the bar seating and jumped up to surprise her.  Super fun (except that Ben was a pill the whole time.  I think he is teething and he throws a huge fit about taking IBU...when we got home he took a LONG nap.)
After we drove Dave to the airport, Paige moved in.  We certainly have a full house right now, and I LOVE IT.  She has already been super helpful!
We didn't have a huge adventure on Tuesday because I trained clients in the am and taught classes in the pm.  We hit up business Costco (I spend WAY more when I have the kids with me).  Then the girls did get to go shoe shopping with Paige, which they loved.
On Wednesday we went to Target (had pizza of course for lunch) and to the Mall play area (they have a new one).  We didn't stay at the mall too long because there was an annoying girl who wouldn't stop singing.  Libby was about to throttle her.  Then our swimming instructor had something come up, so I reserved a lane and took all 3 kids in by myself (with life jackets).  It was a bit of insanity.  But I am glad they all love the water so much.  I took Libby and Sarah to the YW activity with me so we could learn some fun braids.
On Thursday they had a playdate with one of their favorite friends.  Sarah told us that it was not a huge success though, because they didn't want to play her "Booty Shake" game.  We asked for an explanation and got the demo.  Cutest booty shake ever.  And apparently the rules are that everyone shakes her booty and the last one still shaking wins.  Adorable!
On Friday we went to University Village & Ravenna Park.  This was our stomping grounds when we were newlyweds (and when I first moved to Seattle).  So it was really fun to revisit.  It was also fun to use the gift card Mike gave me for my birthday.  Turns out I love Athleta.  And I could never shop there without a gift card.  Ravenna park has a huge sandbox.  So the kids were in heaven.  The sun was shining, so I was in heaven.  I let them watch a movie on Friday night so I could get some things done (new curtains hung and studying).  We did a little something fun every day!  I guess I am not such a lame mom...I would say it was a successful spring break!

Sarah got the "headband braid" at the activity

Sarah demoing her "Booty Shake" game

Ben horsing around

One of his new skills, stripping down and streaking.  Yesterday at the dance studio he was in the stall with Sarah.  She said, "Ben is taking his clothes off!"  I said, "Really Ben?" just as his shoes, shirt, pants, and socks all came sliding out at me from under the stall door.  Ugh.

On sunny days I sometimes let them climb out through the sunroof for the ride up the driveway and into the garage.  This is Ben's first time.  Not a bad pic since I just stuck up my arm and snapped.  

Fountain at U Village.  We all made wishes!

The girls wanted to pose with every mannequin in the store. 

Jumping into the sand.  

Ben immediately started burying himself.  

Easter FUN!

We dyed eggs on Friday evening.  I made 14 eggs, 2 for everyone.  I forgot how I myself want to dye 14 eggs.  But we made it through, having fun with only a few tears...

And lots of messy, messy hands.  (I bought a glitter egg dying kit, oops.  So my house is perma glittery.)

Saturday morning, the girls (sort of) helped me with the table settings.  Libby used "best guess" spellings on the name tags.  Alane for Alayne.  Briene for Brion.  Gramy for Grammy.  Etc.  It was awesome.  

After we ate, Sarah announced (after shushing us all) that she was casting members for a show.  You could feel the tension in the air.  Everyone was nervous.  She called on Paige, Rachel, Clark and Dave I think.  But Clark refused to leave the room to practice, so the show dissolved.  But Paige did get to be a palm frond and Geneva a bunny.  Sarah is going to be the director in the family.  Creativity and spunk!

Ben was excited to get the Easter Egg hunt underway.  But then he found very few eggs...

All the group waiting.

Ben was done after about 5 eggs.  

Sarah was very pleased with her 15...she got them quick!  Maren filled the eggs will all kinds of fun things, not just candy.  Tatoos, little toys, etc.  They were so excited!

Mini concert with uncle Davey.

Easter Baskets:  Hoppy Taws, Jump Ropes, flip flops and hula hoops.  Oh yeah!  Outdoor fun for all!

Sarah's also had Mac n Cheese that she has been learning how to make for herself.  Libby went right to this basket and then commented (of course) that she doesn't like Mac n Cheese.  Libby also came and whispered to me that she knows that I am the Easter Bunny, but not to worry, she won't tell Ben and Sarah.  

Ben's basket.  He told everyone for about a week that the Easter Bunny was bringing him a new "little hulk" because he lost his.  Score!  The Easter Bunny remembered.  Also remembered about the Captain America mask purchased for a Christmas gift and forgotten until Easter!

Auntie Ray Ray helping in the Easter egg hunt.  My favorite part about the Sunday morning hunt is that the girls refused to pick up the real eggs.  They would touch them and say, "Ew!  The Easter bunny is trying to fool us!"  "Don't get that one Sarah, it is a REAL egg!"  Funny!  I had to collect almost all the real eggs after Sarah's basket was full and Ben and Libby had lost interest.

Ben playing with Little Hulk and Ironman.  (His old Ironman got "dirty" meaning some of the paint rubbed off so he stopped playing with it.)

Egg dye SASS!

Easter Pics

I have been trying to get a family picture since last Christmas.  We did one last June that we ended up using for our Christmas cards, but I like to have one every Easter and Christmas.  I love pictures.  But the process of getting them is a bit grueling.  We were going to do the whole family last Sunday, but ended up only being about to do the kids.  This Sunday my brother was in town, so we did the whole family.  We got everyone looking in 2 pictures out of well over 100.  Not bad, right?

Where will you be in 10 years?

Libby was at a birthday party last Monday at the American Girl store.  They did some getting to know you games.  They asked a question:  What is one word to describe you.  All the other 6-7 year olds said things like "cute, pretty, sweet."  Libby said, "violent."  Yep.  Then they asked where will you be in 10 years.  Most of the girls didn't know what to say.  Libby was ready.  "Dating either a thief or a drug person."  I was across the mall studying for the personal training exam with some Macaroni Grill bread and caprese salad (heavenly), but one of the other mom's saved face for me by saying, "her dad's a cop."  OOOhhhh.  So that is why she thinks about violence and criminals.  We are going to have to clean up our dinner time conversation!
On the bright side, she read her first full Level 1 book.  All by herself!
If I could describe Libby with one word, it would be SASSY!

Pink Around the Rink... her first Level 1 book by herself.  (This is mainly because for once we had time to let her do the whole thing...)

Kids are KIDS!

           (This is at the park around the corner from our house.  It is down hill on the way there, but of course up on the way back.  They always forget this when they decide to ride their bikes there...lots of crying on the way home.)

In January, for Book Club, we read _The Happiness Project_.  I loved it.  It is so me.  Because of that book I decided to change the way I do my New Year's Resolutions a little.  Now, on the first Sunday of the month I review my resolutions and change focus as necessary.  I have a few guiding themes for the month.  Two from March were:  "What is the cheapest option I can be satisfied with?"  (this particularly helped with meal and party planning).  The other was, "What is the easiest option?"  I thought these two might conflict with each other, but surprisingly, very often they did not.  This month I decided to keep them both.  And to add to it, "Kids are KIDS!"  This is to help me relax a little in my parenting.  A little mess is fine!  And to remind me to take time to teach them to do things so that eventually I won't have to do it for them.  And to do fun things with my kids now and then.  This week was a good Kids ARE KIDS week.

I was able to smile and just enjoy the moments (or at least laugh a little):

*Libby took a loaf of (almost) week old banana bread to her teacher.  (She sneaked it into her backpack--I noticed it, and decided to leave it and do some explaining to the teacher before she tasted it.  So sweet of Libby.)

*Sarah was waiting for Libby to finish using the toilet.  Libby was taking too long so Sarah decided to go in one of those little paper cups you use for getting a drink after you brush your teeth.  Not super successful, but rugs wash, right?

*Ben says (frequently), "Not you mom, I am talking to DAD!" (or vice versa)

Last night Rachel was going to get him out of his high chair and he just pointed to me in very dramatic fashion.

*When Ben runs away when you want to change his pants...almost every time.

*When Ben said, "Mom, you are going to need to change me in a minute...I am going to poop."

*When Libby did backstroke the whole length of the pool! 

*When Sarah attempted to backstroke the length of the pool and ended up doing the bob up and down and need to be rescued.

When they played conference bingo...for 2 seconds or less

When Ben helped me cook this week, several times.  He loves to dip his fingers in the flour.

When Derek got Ben so dizzy that he couldn't walk (see below).
And when Libby and Sarah took of their shoes and played in the giant sandbox also known as a baseball field getting totally filthy.

I didn't get a photo when Derek let go and Ben face planted.

When I watched these 2 big kids play.

When we went to the children's museum on Monday when Libby had no school.  It was so fun to be altogether as a family for the afternoon!

When Ben wanted me to bury him in stuffies and take pictures (with the camera facing him).

When we played Wii bowling for our Friday night activity.  It was a good week!