The Epic Sewing Project, and Walmart: Afterhours

A few months ago I was at a yard sale and I hit the jackpot. A 1950's pattern for a boys' Davy Crockett costume. All the pieces were there, and in the (almost) right size. And I got it for a whopping 10 cents! While the pattern was pretty simple (and came with no instructions) it seemed like it took forever. I suppose cutting all that fringe didn't help matters. 

Recognize that shoelace, Grandma??

However, the boy is incredibly happy to have his very own duds...

Complete with a real coyote tail hat. What would we do without the internet, people? I ordered that tail for $6 and paired it with some lovely fake fur from Joanns and voila! A hat! I'm now taking orders.

I also ordered this beaded medallion from the same seller. Pretty nifty! 

So now the kid can hunt in style...

And he is one happy camper!

And now on to my Walmart adventures. Last night I went grocery shopping after the kids went to bed. I generally try to avoid the Super-W on nights and weekends. There is a reason, after all, that there is a website devoted solely to 'the people of Walmart.' Alas, we were out of just about everything and I could wait no longer. Naturally being later in the evening there was a mixed crowd, but nothing too scary. As I was leaving,  I used the important life skills Jeff has imparted to me to spot a drug deal in the making. There were two guys in their late teens walking a little too close together. They were definitely violating the obligatory "I'm not gay" man-distance. If two girls were walking close together you would think nothing of it, but when two guys are walking shoulder to shoulder its a little weird. The one guy subtly but a bit too enthusiastically reaches over to his buddy and they made the 'exchange'. In his rush, he dropped the goods: a tiny little wadded up bag of 'the stuff'. Of course he picked it up really fast and they kept walking. It was at that moment that I really wished I had one of those signs the judges hold up to give ratings. I would have loved to rate the subtlety and finesse that (didn't) accompany their deal. If I were to rate it, I would have given them a '3'. Started out well enough, but an over enthusiastic hand-off resulted in a fumble which is not advisable when swapping illegal substances. It's not like they were swapping halves to a best friends necklace after all. Then I thought I should said 'Oh, let me pick that up for you!' but I don't have the nerve for that. Too bad Jeff wasn't with me....

SkyMall Delights

While I was on the plane, I amused myself by reading the SkyMall magazine. I was left to wonder: does anyone really purchase merchandise from SkyMall? I mean, it is a whole bunch of overpriced gimick-y nonsense. In fact, I believe they might make 'As Seen On TV' infomercials look reasonable. Here are some of the gems I found:

Portable Infrared Sauna The picture shows some sort of pop-up tent like situation, with a smiling head peeking out the top. It is unclear whether the tent actually allows one to stand up comfortably, but the model is smiling regardless. It can be yours for a mere $399.99 plus $21.25 shipping and handling.

The Porch Potty Rachel and Phil, I think Henry neeeeeeeds this. Below is the item description; they had me at 'scented fire hydrant'.

The Porch Potty gives you a clean grass area right on your porch, patio, or indoors. No more late night walks down the stairs or elevator to relieve your dog. Includes plush synthetic grass, scented fire hydrant, and outdoor self drainage. 

Pet Ramp/Staircase  Is Fifi is getting a little too old to leap onto your bed at night? Or perhaps you find that Fido has been packing away a few too many Beggin Strips and can no longer climb up? No matter! The Pet Ramp and Folding Staircase is here! Why make it hard for your pet to shed their fur all over your sheets? Let them walk right up in style and comfort! It's a steal, for only $179.99.

Hiccup Cure Sticks For only $19.99, you can have not one, not two, but THREE magical Hiccup sticks that are guaranteed to get rid of pesky hiccups in the blink of an eye. Is it just me, or are they charging $19.99 for three glorified popsicle sticks?

Protein Ketchup Do you find that you don't get enough protein from that triple decker hamburger you eat for breakfast every morning? Why bother eating eggs, beans, nuts, or meat...those traditional foods the rest of the world eats for protein. No! Start your day off right by guzzling down a tub of our specially formulated high protein ketchup! For only $1.82 per 1 ounce cup, you can get 15 grams of protein and two servings of tomatoes per serving! At $29.11 per pound, it is a great value for your money. Order yours today!

Justin Bieber Toothbrush I think this one is my favorite. You can choose from a toothbrush that plays Lady Gaga's I Was Born This Way, or two different selections from the Biebs. If they had one that played 'If I Was Your Boyfriend' I would so get it. Bieber fever!! Just kidding. I think that song is hilarious when he says 'I'll be your Buzz Lightyear'. Nothing like romancing someone with references to movies you loved when you were 8.

If anyone has ever ordered from the SkyMall, please 'fess up in the comments! :)

Community Concerns

The community my Grandma lives in is pretty awesome. It has everything...from doctors, physical therapy, dining hall, art/woodworking/stained glass/upholstery studio, indoor pool, golf course, beauty salon, cemetery and more. They even have their own church and the residents take turns teaching and preaching. One of the things that most humored/depressed me at Penney Farms was the reading of the 'Community Concerns' during Sunday School. The reading of the Community Concerns went something like this: "Please keep Bertha, Gertie, Bob, Cleatus, George, Bunny, Harold, John, and 54 other residents in your prayers, who are suffering from bunions/hip replacement/bursitis/heart palpitations/diabetes/black plague." I guess that is why Grandma always tells me never to get old. Then they go on to read a list of the people who have passed away in the last few weeks. Talk about depressing. The lady must have read off ten names, when she stopped and said 'My, we've had a bunch lately haven't we?' I guess when you get of a certain age, you just start to expect that to happen, but still... Later, we were getting situated for the church service. A lady a few rows ahead of us had a hat perched atop her head that had definitely seen better days.  A couple sat down behind us, and made a joke about sitting behind us to keep us in line. Then the guy leaned forward and whispered to Aunt Adrienne, 'Millie's* hat looks like it got run over by a truck.' I thought that was hysterical, but I had to stifle my giggles for fear of being kicked out. Poor Millie. She needs to hit up the Resale shop for a new hat.

**Name Changed**

Armadillo Hunt

And so it continues, my Florida adventures...the Armadillo Quest. I have always wanted to see an Armadillo. Grandma said that you don't really see them that often. Occasionally as road kill, but mostly just by the signs they leave behind, AKA the annoying little holes in Grandma's yard. I kept my eyes peeled on our excursions, but had no luck. Newsflash! Armadillos are nocturnal. Who knew? So a few nights I looked outside near the front door to see if I could spot one. Grandma suggested that I wasn't finding one because I needed to be calling out 'here, Armadillo, heeeeeere!' I think that was more a sarcastic attempt to get me to make a fool out of myself, but you be the judge. On Saturday night I decided to do a little walking. I happened to be in my pajamas and bare feet, but no matter. It was dark, and after dark in a retirement community equals ghost town. So I wandered about, looking for armadillos. Just on the off chance that one would be wandering around, I wanted to see it! On my walk, I spotted a few tree frogs and a toad. Not exactly what I was going for. I got toward the golf course and away from the lights. I figured that was the best place to look, though I was getting a little creeped out at that point, mainly because I couldn't see a thing. Then, I saw a shadow right behind me. Eek! I turned around quickly, expecting someone to be standing there. Instead, two street lamps were playing tricks on me, casting my shadow at varying angles. After that, I decided to call it a day and go back before I stepped on an alligator and peed my pants. I never did spot my armadillo.

P.S. I did ask Grandma if she would care if I took her golf cart out at midnight to spotlight armadillos, and she said yes, but I decided that sleep was more important than a misguided late night joyride in a golf cart looking for illusive armadillos. Beside, how would I explain that one to the security people?

P.P.S. There are a plethora of geckos down there, which I happen to think are cool but Grandma HATES them. Every time we go in and out, we have to make sure not to let any geckos in. She keeps a designated vacuum in her house for the sole purpose of sucking up any trespassing amphibians. Once the offender is safely stowed away in the vacuum bag, she covers the end of the hose for several days to make sure it doesn't get out before it dies. 

Kids Commentary Archive 3

J: What is parannoying?

Me: Paranoid? That means you are really worried about something.

J: Oh, I just call you parannoying to mean you are double annoying. (giggle)

J: Stay with me for more senses of humor.

Me: No, James, I don't want a wet willy. (at which point he wiped his finger off on his footies)

J (pointing at my ear again): How 'bout a dry willy?

K: (whispering as I tucked her into bed) This is going to sound really scandalous, but I love you more than underpants.

T: Will you snuggle with me? I'm not a fan of sleeping with nobody.

T: I can't eat my egg. It has egg flobber coming out of it. (apparently he doesn't like runny eggs)

Me: (singing to her) Sugar pie, honey bunch! You know that I love you! I can't help myself!

K: Oh, no! This is going too far! (shaking her finger at me)

T: Mom, this ornament is made out of ear wax!!

Me: Uh, no, that's BEESwax!

T: Now we're cookin' with peanut oil!

T: Grammy is not old. She is just a little rumbly. (wrinkly)

T: I falled in love with you Mom!

T: I want you, because you're toft and nuggly and I want to stay with you forever.

T: I go-ed poop and now my butt is tired.

Me: Tyler, did you know you are a gift from God. He sent you to us.

T: No, Jesus didn't send me. I came from Mexico.

J: I need a kids' Bible. I can't understand the ones at church. I can't stand Holly Bibles!

J: (in his END OF THE WORLD!! voice after his dominoes crashed) I've been working on this for minutes!!!!

J: I'm going to get that rabbit.

T: If you die my bunny friend, I'm not going to tolerate you!

T: Marshmallows are made from clouds.

T: I don't like it when they sing happy birthday to me (Cheyney-style). It's loud and it scares my ears. They need to calm down.

J: Katie, did you know this is a 50 caliber rifle? It can take out a buffalo. (his homemade toy gun)

T: Mom, I don't eat cannibals.

Me: What?!

T: I don't eat cannibals. They are gross and have icky stuff on them and they are dirty.

Me: (scratching head) You mean 'cantaloupe'?

T: Yeah, that.

T: (seeing a dead bee) If I could crack that bee open I could get honey out of it.

K: Hey, we should name one of our chicks "Martha Stewart"

Me: Why?

K: Because when she dies we can make STEW out of her!

T: Mom, I'm thirsty and I'm poopy.

Me: What? You're poopy!

T: Yeah, I'm poopy.

Me: Oh, do you mean poopy like tired or poop in your pants???

T: Like tired.

Me: Phew!!

T: Bacon powder?!?!

Me: No, baking powder!

K: Moms are like giant milk bottles.

Me: Why?

K: Because babies have to drink their milk out of their mom's boobs.

Me: Are these too small for you?

T: No, but when they get a little bit littler I will give them away.

K: Who painted those pink zebra stripes on you? (stretch marks)

Me: YOU! :)

T: Katie always mokes me. ('smokes' him...when they race)

K: I'm glad I don't live in my heart. It's all squishy and lumpy.

T: I didn't dream of robots last night. I dreamed of Lightening Queen, Thomas, houses, food, and Je-hus.

T: Someday you need to give me a map to South Dakota so I can go there on my shiny new bike.

T: I was checking on my baby doll and I heard your sound, coming to (check on) me.

T: Are you finking what I'm finking??

T: I'm building a dungeon.

T: Are you fettening me?! (threatening me)

T: (brushing my hair, which he loves to do for some reason) Mom, you're looking like Tinderewa!

T: I need to go poop, because I haven't gone in years.

T (telling us his memory verse): Be quick to li-hen, foe to peek, and foe to become an-gee, Tyler 1:19 (He thinks that when we say 'James 1:19 that he can substitute his own name)

K: I hate having stink eye Mom! (pink eye)

Me: It's New Years!

Katie: I'll wear my crazy glasses.

Me: I can wear mine too.

Tyler: (as if just thinking about the best way he can contribute to the party) Hey! And I can shake my booty!

K: Look at that tiny little car! It looks like someone shrunk it in the oven.

K: When we were at Katie A's house, all the kids were looking for salamanders and worms. They were freaking out about touching them, and I was like "Stand back everyone!" and I picked it up for them. (The apple did NOT fall very far from the tree on that one. :)

T: (after a giant praying mantis pinched him) He a bad boy!

Me: Does he need a time out?

T: Yeah, he need a time out!

T: Mom, don't eh-her, eh-her, eh-her go to Forida again!

K: I'm an Amish girl and this is my Amish scooter.

T: And I an Amish racecar!

T: I still a tiny little boy but I getting bigger.

T: You're nuggly, like a blankie.

T: (after just waking up) I want bacon. I mell it. (Can't pull one over on that kid. He sure did smell bacon.)

A Kindergartener on the school bus asked James today: Why are your teeth falling apart?

T: Dear God, help James not to be 'fraid and not to be 'caired at 'chool. Help all the butterflies to get out of him like this: (blows into the air). Amen.

K: It tastes like cotton candy, but without the sugar.

Me: So it tastes like....air?

T: Mommy bought us rotten candy!

Jeff: It's like eating a sweater.

T: This water bottle is melly. We need to wash it to get the tink out.

K: What part of the chicken are we eating?

Me: The breast.

K: Uh, we're eating the chicken's breast and touching it? That's weird.

T: I givin' you the tink eye, Mama. (the stink eye)

T: A little tiny noise came out of my butt.

J: Mom, my (bicycle) bell will never run out of sound!

T: Dad, we found a dead fish! (in the creek) And he gut were coming out and it was floating in the water like a hot air balloon high up in the sky.

J: I was thinking about someday how we might be famous.

Me: Oh, yeah?

J: Yeah, someday we might be famous because of your cooking.

K: I made you this drawing. It's a sour gummy worm and a cat's belly.

K: (after seeing a township car with lights on top drive past) Mom, someone's going to jail. I just saw a cop car and there were prisoners in the back.

K: (watching a 'snake' firework) It looks like the ground is pooping.

T: I like that. It nummy. It is good for my body.

Me: You guys are driving me nuts!!!

Tyler: Why are we driving you nut, Mommy? (he can't say the S sound)

K: You did that last time you were in a bar fight.

Me: (Where did she learn that???)

James: Hey, that's from Myth Busters!

Tyler: (eating plain flour while I was making cookies) I like this because it's nummy for my body.

Me: I gotta go put the chickens to bed.

T: They gotta go to bed?

Me: Yeah, they go in the coop.

T: So the kunk don't get dem?

K: Mom, what's the sun made out of? Is it just a big paper ball, and God puts the fire in it every morning and puts the fire out every night?

Me: Katie, where did you come up with the idea for your drawing?

K: Well, I had a dream about it, and when I got up I got it out of my mind.

K: Tyler, did you know that there is a lot of little holes in your head that the hair comes out of?

T: (to me) I fweeked you out. That was funny. Ha, ha, ha!

K: Mom, will you sew my hippy-potomus back together?

T: That was cwazy!

K: Sometimes I get the bunchies, and I have to pull it out and untwist it. (she means a wedgie)

T: (to the chickens) That not a good idea getting in Mommy's compost pile.

K: I want a piece of toast, not toasted.

K: Ah, they're passing out kids! (when we arrived at James' school)

K: I was going to take you to the Tower of Babylaunch, but I looked it up, and its closed because the towers are tipping over.

T: I want a marshroom! (marshmallow)

K: (getting up from her chair) Oh, my achin' wagon! I'm gettin' old.

J: I'm curled up in your lap like a cinnamon roll.

T: I burned my teeth!

T: I'm not sure how I feel about that.

T: That hurt my feeling.

T: I need hanitizer.

T: Popcones! Popcones! (pinecones)

T: Oh, no! I stepped on my foot!

T: Cut my finger off! (He meant fingernails)

K: I can't find one anywhere, so I think I'm going to look on Amazon.

K: On my last birthday, Mom.... (she meant her next b-day)

J: Katie, your next birthday isn't your last birthday! You keep on having birthdays forever, until you run out of birthdays and you die.

Adventures In Florida

Well, the party is over and I am back home. I had a ton of fun with Grandma, but I was happy to get back and hug my peeps. Grandma and I stayed pretty busy, and mostly out of trouble. Here are a few of our adventures:

• Shopping at Resale! Resale is a thrift shop type place that is run by the people in my Grandma's retirement community. It is open two days a week, and there is usually a line at the door when it opens. Everything is very cheap. And since I know the right people (wink, wink!) I got in for my own personal shopping experience. I scored a number of things, including a very nice leather purse, a rather large yellow polkadot sundress that I will cut apart to make a dress for Katie, some vintage flower buttons, a cut-work hand embroidered table runner, a pair of like-new Liz Claiborne dress shoes...all for a whopping $12! I later scored a really cute dress for $3, pictures to come. 
• Playing Wii with Grandma. There is a community room at Penney Farms that has a Wii, ping pong, air hockey, and puzzles. (Side Note: We did a 1000 piece puzzle, and I remembered how much I love to do puzzles!) The directions on the Wii state that if you still can't figure it out, call your grandchild. Well, wrong grandchild! I know not how to run the Wii. So we roped some stray teenager into giving us a little tutorial on how to play. Grandma pretty much shamed me at Bowling. Then I creamed her in Tennis. After exhausting the possibilities of the Wii (translation: we couldn't figure out how to get the boxing game to work) we went on to air hockey. Things were going well. By my incredible skills and magic luck I was way ahead. The game was pretty hilarious, as is. I mean, whose Grandma is cool enough to play a lively game of air hockey with them? Mine! And then it all took a turn for the...well, you decide. Grandma shouted 'Look! Look out the window! A giraffe!' Of course, when someone tells you to look, you look. In the second or two it took me to figure out that she had said giraffe, and that she was pulling my leg, Grandma made a very well placed score straight in the goal! Cheaters never prosper, Grandma! :) After that, we couldn't stop laughing at the whole thing. Here we are, scoring only by shear luck, when she fakes me out and makes a well placed goal straight in the slot. That one couldn't be replicated again if we tried. So while I was still laughing, Grandma scored TWO more goals! And she beat me! She took away every last shred of my dignity. I tried to regain it by beating her at Scrabble, but one stupid move cost me the game. I do have proof, somewhere, that I did beat her at Scrabble last year. She is a force to be reckoned with! She and my Aunt Lynn are Scrabble masters. Actually, we did decide we are evenly matched at those word games (we played Bananas too). We kept pretty close in score throughout each game.
• And since this post is becoming a whole lot of rambling, I shall sign off for now and continue rambling tomorrow, when I will fill you in on my valiant quest to spot an armadillo.....

Ridiculously Random

Last Thursday, the phone rang. I answered and was greeted by 'Megan? Hi, how are you?' The voice was unfamiliar and I was trying to figure out who the heck it was when she introduced herself. It took me a second, but I realized she goes by an actual letter of the alphabet, instead of a name. As it turns out, this woman had ridden in a car with my Mom to Kensington on Wednesday. My Mom was going to speak to a women's Bible study group down there, and this lady was also along for the ride. Confused yet? I was. So she tells me that she met my mom, found out I had chickens, got my number, and before the ink had even dried, she called me. She wants chickens, and she wants them now! So I told her about the chickens and she asked if she could come over to see them. "Sure," I said. "When?" To which she replied, "how about tomorrow?" Um, OK. That was fine with me. We kept talking and it turns out that she is also interested in canning, sewing, gardening, and other freak ventures. She even wants me to teach her how to make cheese! After 45 minutes of talking to a complete stranger, I finally just invited her and her husband over for dinner. It was all so random and ridiculous. At that point I had no idea if she was going to turn out to be an ax murderer or what. Although, come to think of it, I don't think many of those types also frequent Women's Bible studies in the rough part of Philly. So, anyway, crazy chicken lady and her husband accepted my crazy invitation and over they came. They turned out to be super cool people. The husband is a mechanical engineer also so the men-folk had that in common. It was all so crazy, but really fun, and she ended up riding to the farm with me today. I have her sold! I am pretty sure I need some sort of referral bonus. I keep getting people to join the farm! :) Now I have a new chicken/gardening/sewing/fellow freak to chat with. This could be fun, or dangerous, depending on your perspective.

P.S. Not that I have been blogging terribly regularly lately, but I won't be posting for a bit. I am going to Florida, by myself, to see my Grandma! Yes, Jeffrey the Great is watching the kids for most of it, and my Mom will take them for a day also. I am so excited!

More Tyler Park Pictures

And a bonus picture for you...even the littlest one brings a book to the WC. :)

Fun Pictures

My friend Michelle and I attempted to photograph our children yesterday. I saw attempted because, well, if you have kids you know what I mean. Getting three circus midgets to smile at the same time is nigh onto impossible. To top it off, yesterday was the day from H-E-double hockey sticks. The kids fought constantly and I was about ready to apply for early retirement. It was one of those days where your kids act like you never, ever discipline them and you expect Super Nanny to swoop in at any minute and tell you how much you stink as a parent. Today was much better though, and I have removed my ad for 'free children' on craigslist. Just kidding! No such ad was ever posted. Fortunately such rough days don't come around often. I was surprised we even got them to smile and act civilized, but we did manage to get a few nice pictures. Michelle and I decided to go back another day and try again. Her kids weren't terribly cooperative either. Next time there will be much bribery involved....

Don't you just want to pinch his little cheeks?! This is his 'say cheese' face.

Ben was doing a jig behind the camera, which of course the kids thought was hysterical. I love James' toothy grin.

I think this one is my favorite. I love it so much. 

See, look! You CAN get along! 

And here's my little sunshine :)

P.S. I edited these in PicMonkey, and while I generally eschew photo editing, it was kinda fun to play around. :)

The Truck

Our fancy-schmancy vehicle is working out quite nicely. I am very slowly learning the features and have hopes that someday I will not be scared to drive it. We had planned for Jeff to replace the brake line on ye olde Explorer and then sell it. Alas, the brake line that went bad was in the frame and borderline impossible to replace. The truck is not in stellar condition to begin with, leaving us with a pile of junk we'd almost have to pay someone to take. Seriously. Can't even drive it to the junkyard. So, it shall will be going off to the fine folks at Habit for Humanity, who will no doubt auction it off for enough profit to buy a light switch or perhaps even a door knob. I think the scrapyard is the Explorer's very near future.

The Tree

We have a Japanese Maple in our front yard. I love Japanese Maples. Their leaves turn such a brilliant red in spring and fall. Our tree isn't huge, but apparently this kind of tree is very slow growing. The trees on our property are at least 40 years old, according to our neighbor. Every time someone comes or goes from the house, basically anytime the front door opens, the kids run for the tree and climb it. They each have their own particular branch they like to climb. Tyler has recently decided that he wants to climb higher. Should I be surprised? In the photo, he is trying to climb into the little notch he likes to sit in. I am not quite sure of his tree climbing prowess yet, but he is. Aside from the chickens, the tree the other attraction when kids come over. The other day there were four kids up there at once, looking like so many monkeys hanging from the branches. 

Photo Dump

Mud Bath

Tyler and his newest chicken buddy

She sat there so long he actually asked if I could get her down. She didn't want to leave.

Farmer James and the corn he grew himself: Painted Mountain to be exact. 

Isn't it pretty? And check out my cool pint and half jar...which probably only interests me.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar balloons, which served as decor both for the baby shower and the birthday party

The Princess Castle Cake, which I hand carved myself...not! I have gotten a lot of mileage out of this pan.

The Discovery Space Shuttle cake, covered in black ants sprinkles

All the boys helping James open his presents

Katie was in a mood. Technically, she's been in a mood for about 3 weeks. But she was being goofy opening her presents so there are no decent pictures of her.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar dress I made for one of the babies

The Very Hungry Caterpillar overalls for the other baby

And now, drum roll please.................hold on to your hats! Secure your false teeth and sit yourself down! We have acquired a vehicle!!!!!!!!!! And as an added bonus, it has brakes AND air conditioning. I am pretty sure it will take me a long while to figure out all the fancy features, but it is ours.

Last Week

Last week:

• James started first grade
• James didn't want to ride the bus
• I was working on three sewing projects for birthday/shower gifts
• My dishwasher died (it's the end of the world around here)
• I was planning a double baby shower for two moms in my Bible study
• I was finishing up baby shower stuff
• Did I mention my dishwasher broke?
• Oh, and I decided I might want to plan a two-for-one birthday party for my kids, because, well...their birthdays are today and tomorrow.
• So I made cakes...three of them to be precise: a Very Hungry Caterpillar Cake, the Discovery Space Shuttle, and a Princess Castle
• We spent too much time driving around looking at cars
• I finished two baby outfits (pictures to come)
• I had a baby shower
• I did dishes, and more dishes (and then my blessed Mother did more dishes, and more dishes)
• I had a double birthday party for James and Katie (Happy Birthday, my loves!) 
• And the brakes on the truck went out which is just swell. But thank God they went out in the driveway when Jeff was driving. 
• And after all that, we managed to make a deal on a vehicle which we will be picking up Tuesday night.

This week better be uneventful. Very uneventful. I will post whatever pictures I managed to take when I charge up my camera batteries, because those went dead too. :)

Miscellaneous Part 945.3a

These photos were found on Jeff's phone. The kids must have been having a lot of fun clowning around. In other news, I present to you....the bullet point list. So original, I know.

• James was less than enthused to ride the bus today, because he was afraid that he wouldn't know what to do/where to go/what bus to ride. He got himself all worked up, despite my best attempts to get him to cheer up. I could get him to giggle momentarily by reminding him of the many times Tyler has come streaking out of the room (literally) in nothing but his birthday suit, shouting 'I naked!' But as soon as the laughs were over, it was back to sobbing. When we got to the bus stop he started to really get scared, then started to cry. The moms there were so nice and encouraging. One lady asked her daughter to take James under her wing and make sure he got to the right place. The girl was awesome. Here's this over-sized first grader bawling his eyes out and she was totally unfazed. She walks up to him and says very matter of factly, 'C'mon James, you're gonna sit with me.' He didn't calm down and she looked at him with a 'Buddy, this ain't my first rodeo' look, and declared in a firm voice 'I've been riding the bus for three years now. It's gonna be fine.' We managed to get him on the bus with this poor girl, and he tried to bolt but the bus driver told him he had to stay on the bus. That's when I turned around and started walking home...and I started crying. There is something so awful about seeing your kid screaming for you and walking away that I just can't take, even if the kid does need to put on his big boy undies and ride the darn bus. Hopefully tomorrow will be much better.
• We are still looking for a car. Annoying, but true. Large non-mini vehicles are not so common apparently. We are going start looking at Nissan Pathfinders too. I want to find a car, and I want to find a car now! No more dealing with creepy used car salesman and shady scam-artists. And I won't even get into the 'Your Credit Guaranteed! As long as you have a pulse, we'll sell you a car!' people. Oi!
• Today is my sister's birthday...Happy Birthday, Rachel!!
• Tyler is in to mustard. He wants it on everything. A piece of cheese? Check. A pancake with blueberry jam? Double check...eew! Today, in fact, for lunch he went rummaging in the fridge for the mustard. He brought it to me and asked 'what can I have on my mustard.' Fine way to plan a lunch, my boy!

That's How He Feels About That

James' first day went well. That is, until his teacher was going to put him on the bus because he is considered a bus-er. He freaked out. Fortunately, his Kindergarten teacher was around and knew what I looked like so he didn't have to get on the bus. Tomorrow, though...he's riding the bus for the first time. Oi! And my, oh my. It is CRAZY at the end of school. I really don't know how they make sure kids go to the right place. It was literally wall to wall parents and kids. We'll see if its like that after the first week. I hope not.

First Day of School/Air and Space Museum

Well, today is the first day of first grade...and if you get that Veggie Tales song stuck in your head, I apologize. It is still stuck in mine. James was barely nervous at all, just excited and ready to be back at school. May it continue! I still don't feel ready for the whole 'full day' thing...seems like a loooong time. I packed his lunch (homemade tomato soup at his request), made sure he had all his supplies and off he went. Off to big, fun first grade.

And in other news (or is this so delayed it counts as past history?), here are our pictures from the Air and Space Museum in Virginia. If you ever get a chance, you should GO! Admission is free, parking is $15 which is quite a deal for a carload of peeps. 

Really cool Blackhawk (I think?)

Space Shuttle

I think this was the first manned space capsule...don't quote me on that. From the 50's

Tail end of the space shuttle

This one was beautiful, wood and cloth

Hello, huge plane! (too big to fit in one single picture)

One of my favorites: Air-phibian (it can fly, then the wheels detach and it drives)

Spirit of Texas helicopter

The Real Space Shuttle: This one was amazing to see in person, and it is made up of small squares of material...it looks like a quilt up close.

Birthday Bash: Numero Dos

Ever since Tyler's birthday in July, he has been asking 'When are you gonna make my birthday?' It didn't take me too long to figure out that what he meant to say is 'When are you gonna make me another birthday cake?' He asks me every day, sometimes many times a day. Apparently the cake I made him for his actual birthday only left him wanting more. I was hoping to put him off til the kids' birthdays in September but I finally figured why not make the kid another cake? So, we did. Tyler loves to help cook. Almost every morning, he crawls into my bed and puts his little face in mine, where I open my sleepy eyes to hear 'Get me something to eat! Can we make pan-pakies?' The boy loves his pan-pakies, and he loves helping make them. He was also set on making his cake, so he sat on the counter and assisted in all manner of licking spoons, measuring cups and bowls. That's a tough job, but someone has to do it. We made the cake, decorated it with a gold (plastic) coin donated by Katie, and a few candles. Tyler wanted 'fire' on his cake, so he got it. He also requested we sing happy birthday to him, which we did in true Cheyney style. If you've never heard that, well...you're missing out. Loud. Off key. Improvisational melodies (or not). Did I mention LOUD? It's awesome. And Tyler blew out his candles, and we had cake. It was quite fun and random, and I think we might have to have a faux birthday party every now and then just for kicks.