Wonder Woman

I DID IT!!!!

I stuck with it for over a week and had lots of exchanges and help from tech support lines.  Ultimately, our computer is HEALED!!! WOO HOO!!!!!!

Plus, minus the year license we bought for new anti-virus software, I didn't have to pay any "geeks" an arm and a leg to fix our problem.  Not that I don't think they would be helpful! I just didn't want to fork over the big bucks for the assistance.  I'm glad I had faith in my tech skills, because in the end I WON!!!!  YAY ME!

NOTE: I am not being mean by using the word "geek" in my post.  If case you're not familiar, Best Buy calls their tech guys the GEEK SQUAD.  That was my reference.  I just wanted to explain this.

Keep it Simple

Our home computer has a nasty virus.  It absolutely STINKS!  It's a waste of our time and a real pain in the tush!  I'm doing my best to get it under control, and in the meantime I fortunately have 3 things... my laptop so I can still blog (ha ha   I'm JOKING!!!!!)

- but also I have my two kids!!!!!  They keep me sane - and focused on the actual IMPORTANT things in life!

Bombs Away

Okay... an update about my little Lydia. She's not so little anymore! YAY You may know, she's had a slow start and for her first nearly two years of life, she was a pukey pukerson. Yes, she barfed... OFTEN! Not just spit-up, but true vomit. Gross, I know, but at least YOU weren't the one cleaning it up every single day.
It was horrible, and my heart broke for her teeny little body.

SOOO now, after a few specialists, many diagnostic tests, and a handful of treatment plans- I think we've got her fixed! She's been off ALL meds for over a week now, and is doing perfectly! She's up to a whopping 22 pounds, and she's stretching out like a little bean stalk. It's a super exciting thought that she might be able grow like a healthy child now, and without any intervention!

Can you tell I'm excited about this!??!!
 So, here's a wonderful "related" photo I dug out for you.
 NOTE: My kids may be SO ANGRY at me someday for letting all of these photos surface; I just hope you forget about them before they grow old enough to care that they've been exploited.


Okay, so back to this photo...


Luke was NOT a spitty baby. Maybe an occasional dribble, but nothing outstanding. Except ONE TIME. One very MEMORABLE and completely NOTEWORTHY time. I fed him (probably OVERFED him) and as Craig held him, he supposedly made a strange breathy noise. Craig, fearing what might happen next, turned Luke to face away from his chest and then "BOMBS AWAY!" Funnily enough, even before my 'blogging' days began, I expected my family to hold frozen in ridiculous scenarios so I could grab my camera! It was extremely impressive all that burst out and splattered on the floor AND WALL. It was immense and I can only imagine- a GIGANTOR relief to his little baby belly!
We appropriately titled this photo,

"PUKEY LUKEY"

hee  hee  heeeeeeeee

Silly Nillies

I made semi-homemade donuts this morning (thanks for the idea, Amanda G.) and the kiddies gobbled up a bunch of them!  We DID have leftovers though... here they are.

Feel free to pull on your 'big girl' snow pants
and slide on over to share some!

Y * U * M * M * Y

A couple days ago, Luke told me he was,
"cold as South America."   He cracks me up at the new phrases he's attempting to piece together.

Lydia caught a glance when we changed at the
YMCA this week.  She announced LOUDLY,
"Mommy, I see your BUNS!"
I was so embarrassed, because let me tell you...
there were PLENTY of people within earshot.
So, "Hey Lydia! I SEE YOUR BUNS!"

A good friend (Jeff L.) regularly sends me great quotes, jokes and cartoons.  I especially liked the one for today:

HARDY HAR HAR

Lastly, here's a link to a video taken just yesterday of my silly nillies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a52zXS-CPv0

Smarty "Pants"

Craig makes it a regular practice to
yank off Luke's pants and THROW them
far across the room.  Of course, Luke pretends to hate it, but it's obvious he actually LOVES it and cracks up the entire time.

Well, this time Luke was READY for an attack...

he was super thoughtful as he dressed...

Here's Luke and his plethora of pants-

PREPARED FOR WAR!

GO LUKE!

Plus... words of wisdom:

(speaking from experience)

DURING A NIGHT WITH 

PREDICTIONS OF ACCUMULATING SNOW-

DON'T FORGET TO CLOSE YOUR

GARAGE DOOR!!!

Long Live the Queen

I don't often do this...

generally I try to keep my blogs personal,

however every so often I find something so super interesting

that I can't help but share!

This came through an email, so I quote,

"I was a little shocked by the pictures when it

penetrated my brain as to how long she's been around.

This old gal gives new meaning to the phrase

Long Live the Queen!"

"I don't know about you, but  I went 'WOWZER'

somewhere between Eisenhower and Truman."

Exploring... BOONSHOFT style

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

http://www.boonshoftmuseum.org

This is a terrific children's museum in Dayton, Ohio!!! We headed up there this week and enjoyed over four hours of educational playtime.
Sounds exhilarating, right?

Truly though… there are SO MANY ways to discover there! And ALL hands on!

Tons of make-believe environments (grocery store, boating, animal hospital, recycling station, landfill site, Lego construction, water station, fossil dig, climbing/slide tower, on and on and on). We visited nearly every area as the kids let their imaginations (and bodies) run wild!!

They were just so stinkin’ excited!

Side Note: I think I got a glimpse of what this summer might be like when we’re out and about at our favorite FUN places (Kings Island, The Zoo, etc.) See… Lydia is old enough to want to be OUT of the stroller, yet Luke is used to leading the way.

My peripheral vision got a workout-
to say the least!

Here are photos that captured my adventurers.

(you may be able to click individual photos to see them enlarged)

Crazy Static!

Luke's a real whiz if your DUCK is ever ill!

There's a cool TREEHOUSE wing,

for nature lovers and bird watching!

I had a little mishap at the water table.

There's FUN room with a huge digital color wall. You dance around to rockin' tunes and your silhouette is projected onto the wall in psychedelic patterns.

Lastly, we chose to enjoy a movie in their Planetarium Theater. It told the story behind the song “Follow the Drinking Gourd”-

an old slave song.

See... the words of this song echoed through the cotton fields, and as it turns out- it secretly described the map of the Underground Railroad. The chorus including the line “Follow the Drinking Gourd” was to instruct families to follow the big dipper, pointing to the North Star, in the night sky to lead them safely to Canada.

It was cool to hear the history and the song, and it was catchy enough that Luke sang it

LOUDLY and PROUDLY all the way to the car.

Quiz for Kids

I asked Luke these questions.

At the age of FIVE, here are his answers...

1. What is something mom always says to you?

"listen"

2. What makes mom happy?

"loving me"

3. What makes mom sad?

"when I don't listen"

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

"when you're a crazy monkey"

5. What was your mom like as a child?

"good"

6. How old is your mom?

"I don't know... 8?"

7. How tall is your mom?

"almost as tall as Dad"

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

"get things done, like sewing"

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

"do fun things... like mario wii"

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

"for mario wii"

11. What is your mom really good at?

"Connect 4"

12. What is your mom not good at?

"I don't think there's anything you're not good at"

13. What does your mom do for a job?

"I don't know"

14.What is your mom's favorite food?

"bagels"

15.What makes you proud of your mom?

"you get toys for me"

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

"mario"

17. What do you and your mom do together?

"Kings Island"

18. How are you and your mom the same?

"same skin color"

19. How are you and your mom different?

"I don't have very many freckles, and you do"

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

"you get toys for me"

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

"he loves me"

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

"Kings Island"

I loved these answers.  Some were funny, some smart, some horrible, yet some completely incorrect.  Nonetheless I loved them ALL!   Try it with the kids around you.