Pirate Dancing

The Children's Museum part two

...a firetruck and my favorite, a big pirate ship equipped with cannons and a fantastic green button that when pressed played a pirate dancing song! 

The Children's Museum part one

One of the many fun things we did in Stuart was to visit the Children's Museum. The bonanza of activities there included a tumbling beach, a grocery store, a vet's office ....

it's a bird, it's a plane ....

...it's A-Bear!

Bailey Backyard-agains

After relieving the babysitter this afternoon, Chris had his hands full! The Catbird and I were having fabulous sister fun while he entertained John with super slide fun (over "yes okay", and over "okay yes", and over.....) Gold star Uncle Chris!!

One step ahead

Allison really isn't into hand-holding.

"Let's Hit The Road"

"In addition to my car riding hat, I also have an official road tripping onesie. Here I am enthusiastically wearing it as we are headed off to Stuart for a visit with the Baileys! (Mommy says -Thank you Miss Trudy for this fabulous Airstream outfit!)"

"Getting to know you..."

Cousin Allison came to visit Miss Sally's for a week, giving the cousins lots of happy playtime together ... mostly (note invasion of personal space and hair touching.) After about 20 minutes John's territorial issues/diva frustrations roused it's typical 2 year old head. Allison apparently did not appreciate the outburst. This incident was relayed to me later in 2 brief sentences, first by my mother's comment "It was bad ...very bad!" and then by John "Allison crying, Allison crying alot."

But by the end of the week peace reigned aided by their shared interest in reading books, making loud noises .... and the administering of many mini cupcakes!

stirring up imagination

pretend food always tastes better!

"1, 2, 4..."

"now that I've mastered my ABCs I'm working on my 123s... it's a process"

Hot or Cold

John believes the air from the freezer vent blowing Allison's hair is in fact not "hot hot" but "cold." She verbalizes that it is indeed "hot" meaning a potential "no no."

Mistress of Disguise

"Where is Allison?"

"peek-a-boo!"

Arrggghhhh!

"I Smell Trouble" from the front...

and looking round back his hiney speaks the truth! There is "Trouble Brewing"

Robin Hood

"This is my car riding hat, care of Oupa. It's pretty spiffy with the feathers don't you think!"

Mecca

John in now going twice a week to the Church of Ascension's "Mommies Day Out" program. This is great for many reasons, my most coveted being that I went here when I was little (another ... the toddler free time is slightly heavenly.)

Happy 5 yr Anniversary!

I think I'll keep him around for another 5.

Ode to Eric the Great

a brief history...

the note that started it all given to me during lunch across a picnic table at Clearwater High School (in the top right corner, upside down, is his version asking me out for Valentines Day, men are such great communicators) ...

Senior Prom, a night of teenage shenanigans ...

the college era, which involved lots of keg parties, road trips and some heart break ...

a decade plus later our reunion and an adventure in Evergreen Colorado began ...

back in Florida followed by a marriage and a baby carriage...

In conclusion I'd like to say to my high school sweetie and soulmatie, thank you for 19 years of love. You are Great for so many reasons!

"If loving a new car this much is wrong, I don't want to be right!"

I have been the proud owner of 2 cars my entire driving history. I loved them both very much and drove the last vehicle to death, literally. So with the "not so clean house" in need of transport I found myself getting to purchase my very first brand spanking new car (an experience I highly recommend to anyone presented with the opportunity.) After Kelly Blue Book-ing, Consumer Report-ing, Car and Driver-ing, and yes Facebook-ing, the 2011 Honda Pilot sung to me and I answered her call. The aroma of her new car smell has me intoxicated, her hauling capacity has me dreaming of Costco Sprees and I have named her "Babe" the big blue mom mobile. Not to be left out, Eric the Great has been happily pressing buttons and studying the owners manual with delight.

Spring Cleaning

Recently my father sent me a New York Times article written by a self professed Chinese/Tiger mother about the different perspectives and parenting practices between an atypical stringent eastern household versus a general idle western family. Surprisingly I found myself nodding in agreement with the Tiger mom's theme of not giving up on your children and instilling self esteem through hard work and accomplishment. Though some of her more extreme ideas about, no sports or sleep-overs made me cringe, I wondered how Chinese/Tiger kids spend there free time since extracurricular activities are so frowned upon....

And then I found this brilliant answer in the above pamphlet, "Baby Mops!" There is no need for batteries so it's economical, it combines cleaning with exercising so it's efficient and is reusable so therefore leaves a low carbon foot print.

So I'm thinking I might try it on the cats if they are so obliged (who are we kidding) or John if he is feeling compliant, heck it might even make for an interesting Halloween costume. While "baby mops" may seem slightly crazy and admittedly very creative, I believe there is more than one way to clean a "not so clean house!" Eric the Great (my husband's self professed titled) would like to point out that crazy and creative is very much my style for preforming most acts of cooking and cleaning.

Signed, the Margarita/Dust Bunny Mother

balloon furry

i heart balloons

"toot toot"

Honk!!!!

"Oh how I love the wind in my hair and the bugs in my teeth as I pretend-cruise down the highway honking my horn with my mud flaps smacking the pavement... this is Johny Heavy Load signing off, ten four!"