We Do Things

ONE ON ONE TIME IS IMPORTANT

The Dad and The Girl headed out for some Daddy/Daughter time. They went to The Dad's old haunts in and around Hollywood. The Girl swears now, to never do drugs or become a prostitute.

I think that trip was well worth the gas money.

 

They enjoyed a fine lunch.

I can't tell you how rare this look of pure joy is these days. It almost makes me forget about her yelling at me because I'm stupid. Not that she would ever say it out loud, but she conveys her message fairly well.

 

The Dad drove her by the Nickelodeon Animation Studios. This made her day.

She now wants to become an Anime animator.

Even though she is adamantly opposed to taking animation classes.

Sigh.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY

IT IS THE SOLDIER

It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

(? Charles M. Province)

Thank you.

HOW TO KNOW HALLOWEEN IS OVER

If you thought we cleaned them up after seeing that, think again.

 

My parents will be glad to know, they are cleaned up now.

Environmentalists will be happy to know, they are in our compost bin.

GARAGE SALING

We have recently rediscovered our inner red-necks and have been garage saling. Or is it sailing? I guess it depends on The Dad's driving.

I would like to politely ask all of you garage sale hosts to make BIG signs. That point in the correct direction. Also, please take signs down after garage sale closes.

Oh, and for you maniacs? Please find an actual spot to park your car which does not include either the middle of the street or the host's driveway.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Also, if your great-great twice removed, elderly aunt dies and she just happened to be a knitter who did not use acrylic yarn. Call me. I am still looking for my treasure.

Oh, and I'm sorry about her passing.

The Kids love to garage sale. It means we'll be having donuts for breakfast and they get to play DS in the car for a few hours. No pesky momma making them clean their rooms first.

See, pure bliss.

Also, The Girl loves when we purchase items too large to fit in the back of The Tahoe. Then, she gets to ride in the front with the seatbelt, while The Mom gets smushed in the back with her new $25 desk.

Happiness. She is actually reading. Not wasting her mind on numbing video games.

We didn't find much this weekend, but as I mentioned, The Girl scored a desk.

 

Which may or may not contain her mess. I'm taking bets if anyone is interested.

I also scored something that I never even knew I needed until I saw it. $3 bought me this almost pristine, vintage, hamper.

 

Isn't it beautiful? Wait, it gets better.

Look at those handles. I am in love. Who knew love could be so cheap?

See that nose? That dog nose? The Dog's nose?

Let me show you some of the outtakes here because Lord knows when The Camera comes out, it must be to photograph the most gorgeous Lab in the entire world.

 

This one is much safe than the 5 pictures before, all with his butt facing us.

After losing my temper with him, he decided to show the proper respect.

 

That's right, dog, bow down to your Master!

Please ignore those gigantic dog fur mounds. I'm lazy and I have a gigantic dog.

 

Seriously, just get out of the way now.

HALLOWEEN, IT CAME AND IT WENT

Alien Princess.

 

Alien Princess*  being pushed around by Alice Cullen.

 

*please note, this is actual pretend angst on The Girl's face. I know it is hard to tell the difference, but this time, it is pretend.

All of The Girls

 

The Trick or Treaters

 

Luigi being a pest. And why did I let him? Because I recall this picture taking event all too well.

 

I'm learning to take what I get.

Who says we adults can't learn from these pesky kids?

Again, it was made obvious that The Boy is the last child in this family.

I failed to get a decent picture of him dressed up. As an archer. Who is not Robin Hood.

 

Although, I seriously think he would have raked in a ton more candy if he had been Robin Hood.

 

LOMBARDI RANCH 2009 EDITION

As parents, we are feeling the crunch. Our years at Lombardi, the local pumpkin patch, are numbered.

When we first started our family tradition to Lombardi, The Girl was itty bitty, The Boy wasn't even yet.

Those first yearly visits were stressful, crowded, hot, and worrisome. Trying to keep track of toddlers in a crowded pumpkin patch is not as fun filled as it sounds.

Over the years, like everything else, our trips have become a lot easier. Almost too easy.

Trips that used to take half a day, now take half an hour. Or could, if us parents didn't stretch it out to try and recapture those magical pumpkin patch days of the past.

The Boys now go off on their own and buy their own snow cones. Able to find us parental units in the crowds of strollers and stressed out parents.

 

The ever too honest Boy received the change and promptly told the lady that she had given him too much change. He had only given her a $5 bill. She had given him change for a $20.

Except, he had given her a $20. My $20...

 

We caught occasional glimpses of The Girls, searching out the perfect pumpkins. Now too old for the firetruck, police wagon, and other climbing paraphernalia. 

Boredom, they face is pre-teen.

 

The Boys are still able to find a few minutes fun. Now, instead of us yelling at them to share and take turns, we're yelling at them to watch out for the little ones and to remember that it is really for the little ones.

Are they too big now?

 

Maybe not.

Hopefully not.

I do know they don't fit on top of the giant pumpkin as easily as they used to.

 

At least they're not yet tall enough to simply stand next to the pumpkin. They still have to climb up it.

 

Yes, there might have been yelling and threats involved to get them all up there.

They quickly learned that traditions are traditions and nothing can change that.

 

When they come home from college, we will be cramming them into this pumpkin.

Yes we will.

And onto the haystack pyramid.

 

That, they still fit on.

Happy Fall.

Even if it was 98 degrees outside. It looks a lot cooler, doesn't it?

HIGH GREEN

The Boy tested for his High Green belt.

He is now entering the phase where belts take longer to get to.  He has to actually work hard to move to the next level now. 

It is one of those great parenting experiences to watch him become serious about his sport. As much as he loves baseball, Jeet Kun Do is his sport.

 

Where else do you get to spar with cute little girls?

 

And nobody gives you a lecture about being a gentleman?

Actually, he really dislikes sparring with this particular girl. She's not much of a hard hitter. It is good for him though. Instead of focusing on his power, he has to focus on his control.

Ahh, life lessons in martial arts?

 

He's always happy to get to the 'real' sparring. With the men.

Even during testing, instruction doesn't stop.

A proper elbow.

Then your new belt. High Green.

 

The best part though is spending time with Best Buds.

 

A new belt for TGFFBoy as well, High Yellow.

A WHOLE MONTH? SERIOUSLY?

Can any of you really believe that I've gone a full month without sharing my sarcasm, wit, and beauty?

Yeah, me too.

I'm not sure where to even begin, so I'll get it rolling again with The Girl's Birthday Post.

The Girl turned twelve. And she got grounded. All on the same day. Why we are running for Parents of the Year. How did you know?

The Girl is officially above themed parties. I thought I would miss all the planning and prep that went into my elaborate themes. I didn't. I was thrilled.

She invited a few of her bestest buds over and I took them to see Where The Wild Things Are. Which we all loved.

Then, we all returned back to The House for presents.

Joy

Cake

 

And proof that I can still be cool with the pre-teen crowd.

 

I bought this shirt for her. They all loved it.

I rock.

The End.

Except for the part where the next day, her actual birthday, The Dad and I had to sit her down and ground her because she was a total bitch to her friends at her party and the following day.

We rock.

The End.

RANDOM FUNNIES

The Dad was outside the other morning hosing out the garbage can because it stank like dog poop and other fabulous garbage can-ness.

An old lady walking by yelled across the street, "Do you work the second shift?"

The Dad pulled his head out of the garbage can and asked her to repeat herself.

She repeated the question and he explained to her no, that he worked from home.

She then replied that her husband used to work second shift and he used to do stuff around the house in the mornings as well. She complimented him on doing "housewife" chores.

Obviously, this lady has never walked past this house before. Otherwise, she would know that hosing out the garbage can is not a "housewife" chore. I consider that one on the list of man chores.

I've been using that comment all week to tease The Dad though, so it was good for something.

The Boy has a history of being bullied at school. The entire reason we put him in Jeet Kun Do. In first grade, a wonderful human being choked him on the playground. The wonderful staff at the wonderful school did nothing. We decided that next time some wonderful human being attempts to choke The Boy, he will be able to kick that wonderful human being's ass from one side of the school to the other. Two years of martial arts training has provided not just that ability, but also a ton of self confidence.

This year, The Boy sits right next to Mr. Wonderful Human Being in class. The Dad and I were worried at the beginning but took a wait and see approach. I am SO glad we did. The Boy is handling himself and Mr. Wonderful Human Being like a pro. Besides, we would have missed out on the stories that make us laugh until a little bit of pee comes out.

Yesterday, I was taking The Boy for a haircut and he was telling me about his day. He was put into a group project with Mr. Wonderful Human Being and another Just Awesome Child. The Boy started out the conversation by saying, "Today I saw something I never wanted, in my whole life, to have to see."

Of course, I had to make him tell me what it was! My thoughts were going wild, were the High School kids mooning the Elementary kids at lunch again? (Yes, it happens, way too frequently)

No, better than that! Mr. Wonderful Human Being was wearing a basketball jersey.

I wracked my brain trying to figure out why that was so horrid that it scarred my child for life.

He then explained to me that every time Mr. Wonderful Human Being moved his arms the sight near about blinded and killed The Boy.

Two words...Man Boobs...

Nine year old Man Boobs no less....

The Boy also mentioned how nice it would be if Mr. Wonderful Human Being bathed or showered regularly...

Lovely visual eh?

We don't encourage The Boy to belittle other people. We always encourage him to give people a chance, to look beyond, to turn the other cheek.

This day however? All I could do was laugh. I might have even guffawed.

Mr. Wonderful Human Being is having the tables turned on him. He's always been much larger, taller and otherwise, than his fellow students. He's never quite fit in and instead of trying to fix that, his parents and the school staff made excuses for him. We should all try to understand the bully. Feel sorry for the bully.

Now, everyone is starting to even out size wise, so Mr. Wonderful Human Being is finding his tables turned on him. The other kids aren't scared of him, they aren't bullying him, they're IGNORING him...

I can't blame them for finding a few chuckles at his expense along the way.

F4F: PLAY FOOD FROM SCRATCH

When I first took up knitting, I had visions of projects that my future held. When I first started knitting, just barely a year ago, I felt lucky to finish a scarf. I kicked out a few projects for Christmas last year, but nothing that really thrilled me.

This year, is much different. I spent the past week teaching myself how to knit with double pointed needles and circular needles. I feel that there are very few patterns that I would be unable to work my way through.

I am proud of myself!

I started by using circular needles to knit up some crowns.

I am donating these to The Boy's school for his class basket for Carnival. His theme is dress up.

I just hope Monkey is willing to give them up. He seems to enjoy being King of the Jungle.

Now that The Kids are mostly raised, I have time on my hands. Time to spoil The Other Kids in my life. The Littlest Niece is almost two, it's time for her to enter the world of play food.

Corn on the cob anyone?

 

Or do you prefer junk food? Donut?

Make sure you have some fruit with that.

Maybe a slice of pizza?

 

Or perhaps make yourself a glass of limeade?

 

All of these patterns I found at Ravelry and they are all free! Love that! I can't believe how realistic this food looks. They all took just around one hour each to knit. 

I have some ice cream cones, broccoli, and lots of fruit lined up. The Littlest Niece will be cooking up a storm in the coming year!

I can't wait to taste her yummy concoctions.