Happy Spring Everyone!

Our family has really been enjoying the warmer, Spring weather!  The kids have been busy just being kids.  Our oldest daughter is really into crafts such as jewelry making, knitting, crocheting and sewing. She entered a few things in an art competition.  She made a swan out of paper "foot balls."  Once she got up early one Saturday to have a garage sale.  She was tickled to make $3 for 5 hours of sitting out there!  The youngest girlies are our creative players.  They enjoy finding "pets" and will spend hours playing with them.  They've found some frogs and other critters so far.





Katie Bug's paper swan



Bee can't just climb the playground like a normal child..she likes the outside of it
because it's more challenging



Girlie girls having a hool-a-hoop competition









Painting outside on a nice day



 

Kung Fu Mama

Brandon and I had a little game we used to play that he called “Kung Fu Mama.” He would beg and beg, “Mama, Please?  Kung Fu Mama?  Please?  Please?” I’d cave.  I could never seem to resist that beautiful boy’s hazel eyes with the long eyelashes and his Russian accent, “Please?”

Kung Fu Mama was boxing MEETS karate MEETS football tackles MEETS wrestling MEETS Kung Fu and a whole lot of laughter.  He’d throw a gentle punch.  I’d slow motion block it and slide down for a tackle.  He’d spin around his leg with a perfect form back kick “Hi-yah!” he’d scream.  I’d grab is leg mid-air and he’d hop on one foot laughing and laughing.  “Cheating, Mama.  Cheating. No hold me foot.” “I’m not cheating, you cry baby.” “Me no baby.  Me man.” “You’re a man getting beat up by a girl.” He’d laugh.  “In English we call this ‘winning’.” Laughter.

On one particular Thursday, Katie decided to color a lovely picture of a whale in close proximity to our Kung Fu match.  I did a side kick.  Brandon jumped back to dodge the kick and his left heel crushed Katie’s black “washable” Crayola marker and splattered the entire contents on to the carpet.

Brandon’s mouth dropped wide open as he searched my face for an expression.  When I started laughing, he burst into this uncontrollable rolling laughter.  “Mama breakie your black marker, Katie.  Mama breakie.” Laughter.  I said, “No, Brandon.  YOUR heel broke her marker.” He scrambled through his desk drawer for tape and taped together the crushed marker then offered it to her as some kind of peace offering. "There, Katie.  It's perfect.  It's good as new" I said.  She was not humored in the least.  Katie did her typical annoyed “Grrrr”and gathered her things and walked away.  Brandon laughed, "Perfect, Katie. Perfect." (We later gave her a new black marker.)

Brandon and I laughed and argued back and forth a little while before Brandon ran downstairs and out to the garage to retrieve our steam-vac.  He stomped up the stairs, laughing and knocking the steam-vac against his legs and the wall (Goodness, I miss the noisy way in which he stomped up and down the stairs).  We filled the steam-vac with soap and began steaming the “washable” black marker.

Brandon had caught the giggles and could not stop laughing.  I’m not sure what he thought was more funny—his 30-something mother doing Kung Fu, the snarling glare of his little sister from the "perfect" marker, or the PURPLE stain now forming on the carpet.  Apparently, black washable marker leaves a PURPLE stain on the carpet.

When Tim got home that night from work, the first thing Brandon did was relay his side of the story, ‘Kung Fu Mama breakie the marker. Floor PURPLE!” Laughter.  Then I promptly set the story straight that it was HIS foot that stomped on the marker.

Nonetheless, it was fun.  I’m glad I said yes to his persistent invitation for Kung Fu matches.  I enjoyed his laughter.  And the purple stain is still on the carpet….Every time I walk by it, it's just a small remembrance of the fond times I spent with my precious blond warrior son.  I miss my boy so much.  I can’t wait to see him again some day.

One of Brandon's Kung Fu moves he would try to pull on me.

Such a tease, this boy!

Crazy boy

This is the best shot we could get...couldn't stop laughing long enough
to get a better one

 

Spring Break

Spring Break.  No plans.  Antsy kids.  I checked the weather for our current location (Overcast, rainy & 40-50’s).  I checked the weather for Florida where we used to live (Sunny & 80’s). Light bulb idea!!! A few text messages and phone calls for arrangements back home.  One day before Spring Break began, we finally decided we should go for it!!!!!! (Insert high-pitched girlie screams here).  The girlies and I set out for a little road trip to Florida.  I committed to an Internet-free, iphone-free vacation (mostly) and it was SO great to be away from the ball and chain (I’m referring to my iphone, not my hubby….just clearing that up for all you negative thinkers…haha).  The girls have put up with a whole lot lately so I made sure this vacation was all about whatever the girls wanted to do.  They must’ve thanked me a thousand times for taking them to Florida and we all wondered, “Why in the world did we ever move away from all of this paradise????”

We spent a lot of time at the beach.  We found some great seashells (which stunk up our Pilot).  We did some shopping (the girls spent all their birthday money, allowance and dog-sitting money in less than 4 days).  We ate some great food at the restaurants we miss. We had some ice cream (and 2 of us may or may not have lactose intolerance…resulting in gas..which we couldn’t blame Daddy for this time!).  We swam in the ice-cold pool.  We drove around with the windows down listening to music and singing to the top of our lungs.  We went to a zip line and obstacle course activity.  We went to see a movie called Croods (The girls liked it…I thought the movie was “ehh.”  This trip was all about the girls.)  We got to see our old house and even walk through it. 

I asked the girls what their favorite part about our vacation was.  Katie enjoyed me taking them shopping to the souvenir shops and craft stores.  Kylie enjoyed our 2-mile walk on the beach.  Haley enjoyed EVERYTHING especially the beach and sunshine.  I enjoyed quality time with the girls...and of course getting a tan.

We had a lot of great moments and there was a whole lot of laughter and giggling (only one of us laughed so hard we peed our pants and only one of us had soda come out of our nose).  It was really neat to see the girls relax and let loose, just being themselves.  It was so nice for me to not have to cook, clean or badger anyone to do anything.  All of us were in great moods for 5 days in a row!!!!  It was SO wonderful and it was a VERY much needed break from normal day-to-day living and stress. 

Anyway, we are thankful to have had a safe trip and for the opportunity to take a very much needed R&R!