Who Let the Bug In?

This past weekend was monumental in several ways. The girls' friend Avery had a bike parade birthday party, which forced us to get on the ball with getting training wheels connected to a bike for Big Sissy. She is way too big to still be on a tricycle, and we were lax about teaching her to ride a bike because we had to hold on every time. First we couldn't find training wheels, then we found some but they were acting as a brake against the tires...FINALLY hubby had an epiphany the day of the party. He reassembled some things, and presto perfecto. Worked like a charm. So Big Sissy had her first day of riding a bike independently (with training wheels, of course). She felt like big stuff and had sooo much fun.

Little Sissy got to decorate her tricycle at the party and be part of the parade too!

I didn't have my camera at the actual party because Little Buddy had his first campout with Daddy. The church group went on Friday night but because it was storming and I had a 31 party that night, they waited until Saturday to go. They had some good male bonding time--nothing pink, nothing frilly, nothing sparkly. It was man paradise. They hiked, they threw rocks in the river, they slept in a tent. Nobody even saw the bug that sneaked in.

It wasn't a spider. It wasn't a June bug. It was the kind of bug that makes sweet little boys on their first campout VOMIT all over the inside of the tent.

And apparently the same bug hit our sweet little fancy tricycle girl the same night. No one even saw it coming. Sunday was spent resting, washing sheets and sleeping bags, airing out the tent, and making sure the bug was gone. It is. Thankfully it was short-lived and we can still enjoy our precious memories.

Everything's Sweeter with Honey

Ever since we were shopping for Easter clothes and Big Sissy spotted this cute golden retriever at the department store, she has been obsessed with "Honey." I'm not one to buy everything the children want, but she reeeeeeeaaaaallly wanted Honey. So I told her she would need to start doing some chores to earn some money. She's 5, so it's time, right? Two months, two lost teeth, lots of bed making, and some benevolent donations from grandparents later, Honey became part of our family today. She feels proud of her hard work, and I'm proud of her for hanging in there. Honey is welcomed by proud W*bkinz siblings Lila and Grassy. Welcome to the family!

Ballet Class

The girls have been taking ballet since the fall. They started in a homeschool class, but it started at 9:00. Since it was only 30 minutes long and we were usually 15 minutes late, we got on a waiting list at the seminary where we used to attend. It's in the afternoon AND it's free. Awesome. The teacher is wonderful with the girls--firm but fun. This is a snippet of the 3-year-old class. They do their stretches by "making pizza" and then "putting their toes to bed." So cute! They will be having their first recital in a few weeks, so stay tuned more more media coverage.

Dotting our I's

We're all ready for the change in season. Little Sissy is tired of sitting inside learning her letters. Mommy is tired of being inside at all. So today we did "school" outside. The girls' assignment was to make letters out of things in nature. Little Sissy made a capital I all on her own, then I helped her find a "dot" to dot the little i. When we were done, I asked if I could take a picture of her "i's."

"Sure," she says.

Not those eyes, silly. The i's you just made.

Sports Illiterate

You thought that said Sports Illustrated, didn't you? That's why all the hits. hee hee. No. I was just thinking how funny these past couple of weeks have been in our family. We have an oooooold TV and had to get the converter box once the rest of the world went digital. We have now gone through both of our free ones, and currently have no working television. I can't say that I miss it. I can still watch movies on the weekend. The kids are missing PBS a little, but they have plenty of movies to keep them occupied. Hubby, on the other hand, is having a little trouble during this madness called MARCH madness. Except for the night of Final Four, when he got to hang out with his friends so they could all yell at the TV together, he's had to usurp my little laptop and watch live coverage. That means I'm trying to get my work done during commercials and half-time. And in the meantime, I have to pretend I care about whatever he's yelling about.

Tonight, though, when he used the strong word h-a-t-e about Duke, I asked how he could possible hate a team. I mean, really...what have they ever done to him? (Besides the fact that I distinctly remember him not letting me throw away a hideous blue and white striped shirt when we got married because it was his DUKE shirt!) Boys are so confusing.

So he tried to explain. "They've always been the rival of my team. You know...like who was the rival of your high school?"

Hmmm. I'm stumped.

Oh, nevermind. I'll ask your brother.

Old Enough to Know

Big Sissy lost her first tooth today. She's only 5, and that seems way too early to me. But I think I just don't want her to grow up. The new tooth pushing in seems WAY too large for a small child. I think that will be an issue for the orthodontist in a few years. But it is a huge deal. She acts older now, and wiser. Tonight we had this conversation:

Mommy, don't you think I'm old enough to handle the truth now?
What do you mean?
I mean about where the Christmas stocking presents come from. I'm 5 years old, and I've already lost a tooth. I think I'm old enough to know.

Wow....[stunned]

And also, is the tooth fairy real or pretend? I'm thinking pretend because why in the world would someone want all those children's teeth?
Me: Maybe she lives in a really cool castle made out of teeth.
Big Sissy: That's gross.
Me: You're right. That is gross.
Big Sissy: And also, I'm a big girl now. My head is very heavy when I sleep. There's no way a little fairy could lift my head up to get the tooth out and put money under my pillow.
Me: Maybe she sprinkles magic fairy dust on you to lift you up for a minute.
Big Sissy: Or maybe it's all pretend.
Me: Maybe. But can we keep pretending for a while? Isn't it kind of fun?
Big Sissy: Only a little.

This girl is way too practical. Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts. And yet every night she wants to hear an adventure story about Lila (her favorite Webkinz) and Honey (the Webkinz that is waiting for her at Dillard's when she earns enough money from making beds and losing teeth). Growing up is confusing!

Grosser than Gross

What's Gross? Germs.
What's Grosser? Germs on McDonalds' playland.
What's Grosser than Gross? My 2- and 3-year-old licking the playland.

What's Gross? Feet.
What's Grosser? Wet socks.
What's Grosser than Gross? Picking up wet socks and starting to put them on your child only to realize than are not even ours.

Hello. Welcome to McDonald's. May I help you?
NO. I have to go home and disinfect my family. Thank you.