More Missing Teeth

So, it's that time again.  That time where I get to take cute pictures of my kids with gaps in their smiles.  And once again, they have matching missing teeth.  Well, almost matching.  They are exactly opposite.  At any rate, they are still adorable.  Especially when they smile!

And then they giggle and laugh and ham it up for the camera.  And I, of course, can't resist taking those goofy pictures too.

Who, my kids?  They are never goofy...

Drip Drip Drop

As often happens in this area, not too long ago we had one last snow. 

That one last snow that happened after the trees were beginning to bud and flowers were starting to bloom. 

That snow that lasted for almost an hour before melting away completely. 

Yeah, that snow. 

Pretty spring snow.

Rather Amusing Really

In most places once your flowers start blooming, you know that winter is gone and spring is here.  Not so in this area.  Beware, optimist.  Flowers don't mean that the clouds, snow, and rain are gone. 

Of course there are those of us that love weather no matter what is coming down. 

So, yes, I'll admit.  I loved having 3 inches of snow come down after many flowers were in full bloom.  It made for some lovely photos.

What Happens When there is Sunshine

First off, we unzip or totally lose the jackets and sweatshirts, sunshine means that it is warm, right?  Then we take our bikes, unicycles, and scooters to the skate park (a block away from our house).  Once there, we procceed to have all kinds of fun with friends!

Trying to get up the gumption to go up the ramp and then back down.  He didn't make it this time, hopefully next time.

Showing off the awesome skill that is unicycle riding.  Check out that grin!

Catching air coming over a ramp.  Serious Skillz!

And she did it!  She got up the guts to go up, and then came back down!  Built up some good speed and a huge smile.

Science is Fun!

So, thanks to a science book and kit, the kids love doing science stuff (like any kid would if given half a chance).  Their experiment this time was rather smelly.  And I mean that in the best pickled-pigs-feet kinda smell possible.  They started out the experiment with an egg.  Since we have our own chickens they decided to use a brown egg, "to see it better."  Ok, no problem.  So into the glass went the egg.  And then into the glass went enough vinegar to cover the egg plus a little more.  Overnight there were some definite changes.

The egg was covered in bubbles, as if it was sitting in boiling water.  And the bubbles were rather rapidly rising and dissipating, only to have many more follow.  It was really like watching the egg boil itself.  That evening, at the approximate 24 hour mark, the vinegar was drained off to be replaced with new vinegar.  And now the real waiting began.  Now it would sit for a week.

At the three day mark there were some more cool changes.  The most obvious being the color had completely leeched from the shell and was in threads over the egg.  The bubbles continued.  And the egg was starting to swell slightly.

At the end of the week, the bubbles had completely stopped.  The egg had swollen up to what seemed like twice it's size.  And the shell was completely gone.  All that was left keeping the egg from running everywhere was the thin "skin" that is between the shell and the egg.  Pretty cool!  I'm not sharing a picture of the shell-less egg, you will need to do the experiment to see it. 

Single Wheels

So as you all know Mr O and Peaches can unicycle quite well.  They have both made the team and have worked really hard to level up.  As I have said before, to make the team one has to ride the entire length of the gym unassisted.  It's a long long way.  These kids have my utmost admiration for getting up on a unicycle, and they are awesome for learning how to ride.  It takes a lot of effort and concentration.  It's just totally amazing to watch them get up and ride around on those one wheeled contraptions!

So right before Christmas one of the kids (I don't remember which one) asked if I was going to learn now that they were both on the team.  Wouldn't I get bored during practice with nothing to do?  So I said, sure, I'll give it a try.  So it began.  Last month, when we came back to school after Christmas break, I took the challenge.  Oh my word it is really hard!  I have fallen on my butt on several occations, bruised up both shins quite well, took a pedal to the calf muscle just last practice, but I'm getting better!

I started out looking a lot like this:

Can you hear the reverberating kerthunk?  LOL

But now, I can ride about 1/3 the length of the gym.  WooHoo!  I'm gonna make the team!  (eventually...) 

And something that just makes the experiance so much more fun, is that I've been helping a lot of these kids on the team learn how to ride, how to do different tricks, and just have been encouraging along the way.  So they, in turn, have been very encouraging to me.  Telling me I'm "doing great," and "just on more try," or "your doing better!" "Keep it up," and so many more.  It is a delight!  I love how something as simple as effert can bring out the best in us all.

And wow is that fun and a total rush and a complete workout!  My legs are sore, my stomach feels like I've done about 1000 sit-ups, and my arms... well, we won't go there.  Suffice it to say, I'm out of shape, but I'm swiftly getting back in shape. 

Wow... I haven't posted for forever...

So, I have a life.  Forgive me.

Mr O and Peaches have gone all out with school.  Both excelling in reading, science, and math, with language being something to suffer through.  Books are now toted everywhere.  If they have forgotten it on the way out the door to go grocery shopping, we have to wait.  I love it!  Homework is usually done without complaint and quickly.  I'm not too eager for that to change, though I know it will.

I spend 3 (sometimes 4) days each week volunteering at the school.  Mondays are in Peaches' room.  Wednesdays are Mr O's, and Thursdays are spent in Mrs B's kindergarten.  I grade papers, help students with assignments, give tests, help with reading, and in general be another adult on hand in very very busy rooms.  And there are the Popcorn Fridays that I help with, and Movie nights, and other things that I get called in to help with.  I love it!

I am so thankful for the teachers that we have.  Our kids love learning and love school.  And that is because of the teachers.

So, besides that, I'm just pluggin along doing the normal "mom" stuff: laundry, dishes, cleaning house, breakfast lunch and dinner, helping with homework, paying bills, etc etc.  You know, life. 

This past weekend was a weekend that I'd like to forget though.  I tell ya, Monday has nothing on what happened over the weekend.  To start it off, Mr O got sick.  Nothing to concerning, just low grade fever, general ickies.  He kept it together until after the unicycle show on Wed, then he slept for pretty much two days straight.  Not to be outdone, Peaches brought lice home.  I didn't notice until Sunday at about 6.  So Handsome made a quick run to the store for lice shampoo, and I began washing everything.  After 2 loads of laundry, the washer starts flashing an error message.  Oh great, one more thing.  Thankfully it was an easy fix (the filter needed cleaned), but that was at 10:30.  So, Handsome got the machine running again, Mr O is back in school, and Peaches has very very clean hair (we also spent nearly an hour combing through her hair for the eggs). 

And I'm still somewhere in the middle of about 15 loads of laundry.

A weekend like that would drive anyone to drink... Chocolate milk!  Of which I've had 4 glasses already today.  Hee hee!

Gotcha!!