Putting it together

My son LOVES Legos. And he's good at creating things with his imagination, like this supercool transporter that features Lego-Man, Indiana Jones and a few Star Wars Stormtroopers. Check out the nifty propeller too!



I have no creativity when it comes to Legos. I can make a building, a nice square little box but that's about where it ends. But I can cut out a pattern, sew the pieces of it together and create something that was once just a square of fabric, so I guess I'm not too bad off!

Male Bonding

We have a very nice neighbor, a young man who has custody of his daughter on the weekends. Since his daughter is the same age as my son, he brings her over to play on Sunday afternoons. The kids are still at an age where "playing" consists of chasing each other around the yard, not-so-patiently taking turns on the swing and my son tattling on his friend, always the "self-appointed cop".

My neighbor is great with his daughter, very engaging and interactive with her. When they visit, he plays soccer with my son, pushes them both on the swing and chases them around the tree in our front yard. Yesterday my heart actually ached inside after seeing my neighbor and son together because it was so obvious that my son is yearning for some male bonding. If my neighbor did something with my daughter, like spin her in the air, lift her into the tree, tickle her or push her on the swing, my son asked him to do the same. And my neighbor very nicely complied as he does every week. He knows that my son's father isn't really in the picture much and that my son is craving some male bonding and rough-housing.

When my neighbor got ready to leave, my son called out to him, "bye, love you!" And my neighbor smiled and said, "love you too, buddy!" *oh, my heart*

Thinking ahead

It has been over a month since my ex has called to talk to the boys. I have told him that it's up to him to call and keep in touch. The last time they talked was at Christmas, when he was here to visit.

In about a month and a half my divorce will be final. After nearly 4 years separated, the final chapter couldn't come soon enough.

In 2 months my son will play in his first Little League game. After how well he played in soccer, I'm looking forward to baseball season!

In 4 months it will be one year since the doctors told my dad that he had a year to live. So far he's doing well on the chemo medication and the side effects are lessening each month he takes the treatment.

In 5 months it will be the day we were supposed to take our big Walt Disney World vacation, cancelled when we got the news about my dad. Can't really plan a fancy vacation across the country when you get the "year-left-to-live" sentence :(

In about 8 months my little boy will be starting kindergarten. I don't even want to think that far ahead!

A Birthday Gift

My sister-in-law had her birthday a few weeks ago. I had bought a picture frame that would hold four 4x6 photos and my plan was to take some new photos of her son, my nephew, and give her the framed photos. But then she took the week off work and didn't bring him over for the week so I had no opportunity to photograph him! Yesterday turned out to be perfect weather and I was able to get some nice shots of him. He's a simply adorable boy but he tends to make that frozen smile that so many kids make and I had to catch him being natural to avoid the stiff face! Printed the best shots up on my new photo printer and put them in the frame, voila!

Here is one of the shots, what do you think?

Cough, cough

My poor little guy is sick again. He has a fever that comes and goes, a wet cough, he's a little more subdued (I don't mind that part! LOL) and he really wants to be snuggled (I don't mind that part either!). He's spent the week on the sofa, playing Wii and watching cartoons but not wanting to play outside or eat much. I can tell he's lost some weight and on a small child who is already on the slender side, it's noticable. His collarbone is a bit sharper and his eyes look even larger than usual!
His older stepbrother and I went to a school open house this weekend. It's a private Catholic elementary and I wanted to get the information about tuition and registration since my little one will be starting kindergarten this fall. I just know he's going to love going to school! He's a very clever and smart guy, though I still get nervous about his education since he's not gone to preschool. I think that once he gets into a school situation, he'll pick up the lessons very quickly, he really loves to learn. And I can't wait to see him in his adorable school uniform!

With him sick for so many weeks and us having wetter-than-usual weather, I've not taken new pictures in a while. Here is one from a few years ago (and a few cameras ago too!). You can buy this shirt custom sized on Etsy (see link on left)

Back at WW

After discovering this week that my mom and I weigh exactly the same, we decided the time has come to actually do something about losing weight. No more talking about needing to eat better and get more exercise, we decided to put our money where our mouth is and signed back up for Weight Watchers. We did the program 6 years ago and then I got pregnant and we quit. I was able to get almost all of the baby weight off after my son was born but over the last 5 years, portion sizes have been slowly increasing, exercise has been declining and the weight has been adding up.

Getting back to the meeting this week was great. The program has changed a bit for the better. My mom was shocked to learn that because of her age now she gets fewer Points than she did in the past and now she'll have to better manage her eating. My dad went to the grocery yesterday and picked up some yogurt and lettuce upon my mom's request. He came back with yogurt that has 4 Points! Yikes, I'd rather have a bowl of ice cream. And the lettuce was iceburg, zero nutritional value :( We'll have to show him our Points Finder and how you need to look at fiber, calories and fat, not just if the item says "low fat".

In any case, we're off to a good start...looking forward to losing at least a pound this week!

Peaceful Protest

This weekend my boys & I went to Balboa Park to watch a puppet show at the Marie Hitchcock theater and afterwards we walked over to the botanical gardens. On our way, we encountered a protest that was going on down the esplanade. There was a mixture of American flags and of another country, which I didn't recognize, and hundreds of people carrying banners and posters. Judging from the signs I guessed that they were protesting the war in Gaza. There was someone on a loudspeaker relaying a chant and then the crowd was repeating after her. There were police walking alongside the protesters and officers on horseback as well. My sons and I stood under an archway and watched these families march by as they waved their flags and shook their banners. My oldest asked what this all was and I explained that it was a protest, that when there is something you don't agree with you are able to peacefully protest in a public place. He asked what they were protesting and I said that I think it was the war in Gaza. At that moment I felt so sadly out of touch, not able to give him a more knowledgable answer about exactly why they would be protesting. I mean, I've seen brief bits about this on the news and online but I really don't know enough to explain it. My son wanted to stand and watch the entire protest. After the crowd had passed we went into the botanical garden, the sound of the passing crowd quieting as they kept walking.

A Happy Collaboration

I am over-the-moon to have collaborated with Angela of dandelionavenue on this Bluebird of Happiness set. Angela made the gorgeous smocked outfit, I painted the matching tote and Tracy of creme*de*la*gems made the sweet jewels. You can see everything up close and in detail by clicking my EBAY link on the left.

The Boy with the big brown eyes

My grandparents are 100 and 101. Up until August 07, they lived at home alone but after my grandpa had a fall they required 24-hour home care. They live close to us but with all the winter illness we've not been able to see them for about 2 months, we've either had a cold or they have.
Last night my aunt called and mentioned that my grandparents have been asking why my son hasn't been over to see them, referring to my just-turned-5 year old. My aunt said, "they ask everytime I'm there, a few times a week, where is the boy with the big brown eyes? They love him so much, do you think you could go over and see them soon?"
Ever since my son has been a baby, he has happily sat next to his great-grandparents on the couch, chatted with them, and allowed them to kiss him and hug him as much as they want. He's never pulled away from them when they squeeze his arms with their bony hands or kissed them when they didn't even have their teeth in! They don't always remember his proper name, so they call him "the boy with the big brown eyes". And I know they just think that is so sweet that he will sit there with them, as do I! Occasionally he'll say something, like "Wow, Great-Grandma, you sure have a lot of wrinkles!" which just makes my grandma throw her head back and roar with laughter. Sometimes my grandpa will squeeze my son and hold his cheeks tight and just stare at those big brown eyes and my son will patiently wait and smile right back.
And so this weekend we will go over for a visit. My son will sit between the two of them and allow them to snuggle him for a while before he asks if he can go outside to play. And they will be happy, that they were able to share that bit of time with "the boy with the big brown eyes".

Wheeee, Wii!!!

What makes this child shout so enthusiastically?


What makes this one spin with joy?


And what put the giggling grin on the face of this child?


Why, the Wii of course! It's the first "plugged in" toy I've ever purchased my kids, they were beyond thrilled to have received it for Christmas. This weekend was spent bowling, ninja-fighting and battling Lego-to-Lego with Darth Vader, all via the Wii. I actually had to set the timer to remind them to get up and stretch, go the bathroom, and eat!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Sending my holiday blessings to all! Merry Christmas everyone!

Hot Toy

I've never been the Mom who buys the HOT TOYS for Christmas. Fortunately my boys are always pleased with what they do receive, which is usually plenty of board games, crafts and art supplies, books, and yes, even the new toothbrushes in the stocking! I rarely buy them anything that requires a battery or needs to be plugged in. I've never recieved a request for any terribly expensive electrical things...yet. Of course, they are only 5 and 10 and there is still plenty of time for that, right?

This year I bought them their first video game player. Other family members pitched in and have bought some of the accessories and some games. I think that the boys are going to flip out! They would never suspect that I would buy them such a thing. I'm dreaming of all the fun times they will have playing together (ha! I'm just hoping that they won't argue about what games to play and this will actually be something that they will do together!)

Doing the YMCA with Elmo (who I did NOT buy!)

Timing Christmas

For the past three weeks anytime anyone mentions the phrase "Christmas-time", my son goes through the same line of questioning.

"Is it Christmas-time?"

"Yes"

"Tonight? It's Christmas tonight?"

And then I launch into the same explanation, how Christmas-time is the "season" and the days and weeks leading up to and following the actual Christmas DAY are "Christmas-time". I understand his confusion, he doesn't go to school so the day-to-day lapse of time and a calendar isn't conveyed to him. He clocks his Christmas-time by watching the lights appear on neighboring houses, by the number of seasonal shows on Nick Jr and by the sudden appearance of wrapping paper that has just been pulled out of the closet ("What's that for Mom? Whatcha wrapping Mom? Can I just take one teensy little peek Mom?"). He doesn't yet understand that all the festivities account for the time, culminating in one beautiful day. But that it's not just the singular day that creates the Christmas feeling. He is slowly starting to appreciate the joy and warmth of the season, of the "Christmas-time", and not just the build up to that one singular day of gift giving and receiving. I try to keep things low-key and focused on the whole enjoyment of the season and all of the treats that come along with that, including the lights on houses, Rudolph on TV, making cookies and ornaments and of course, all that wrapping paper!

Here he is last year, anticipating the holidays in his darling reindeer jammies!

My Snowflake

Well, no dance recital for my boy, he came down with a cold that flattened him for the night. I'd gotten off work early so that I could get home in time to change and get him there before the doors opened. But when I got home he was snuggled up on my mom's lap, his face pale and forehead hot and he announced, "I don't want to go anywhere!" Poor guy. He fell asleep early and slept heavily all night. He was better the next day, of course, and crabby that I wouldn't let him play outside in the cold air. At least he wasn't sick on his birthday!

Here's my little snowflake a few years ago (oh my goodness those round cheeks!!)

Laugh Track

My son and I were watching one of those silly kid shows on TV the other night. You know the ones, lots of slapstick and corny jokes that kids love. There was some goofy plot that caused the audience to erupt with crazy laughter and my son looks up at me and says, "How come nobody laughs like that when I tell a joke?"

Here he is cracking himself up. He has his first dance recital tonight and I'm not sure how it will go. I know it will be crowded and loud and I'm crossing my fingers that he'll actually get up there. He's not particularly shy or anything but you never know, having not been in that situation before. We'll see! I'll update Monday.