3rd day spring break

first lunch at "Budgie's" on 17th; yummy crepes -much better than the "boba's & crepes" place on Colorado & Mississippi. The service was friendly & my greek crepe was delish. Nikki met us too! Very exciting, of course. "Nikki! I love you!" as the littles clung to her legs.


the lady bug that wouldn't fly away



On the walk back to the carpark, we walked past these 3 awesome "boutique" apartment buildings:









I have got to swing by here again on a day that's not so sunny so I can get some better shots








the creator of these cool collages?


Oh, and this old building across the street; it's owned by P/SL and is set to be demolished to make room for a new building. Bummer it's not up to code and not salvageable. I hate to see these old buildings go away.


and then to this fab playground at City Park (I promised the girls on Monday that we would definitely go here Tuesday after lunch)

2nd day Spring Break

We intended to spend the day at the zoo. However, with the beautiful weather, it seems every other family in Denver had the same idea; as we drove past the zoo to find parking, we could see the throngs of people at the gate. Maddie exclaimed that no way could she deal with being around all those people. (It's nice that she's old enough to articulate this). We had to park on the west side of the zoo (where there is no longer an entrance). After 30 minutes, we had only walked about 1/2 way to the front entrance. The girls were whining about the distance and we hadn't even entered the zoo yet. I could see this ending badly, so I decided to stop and have a picnic at City Park lake. The girls enjoyed themselves, trying to skip rocks, sketching, people watching, bird watching. And there was no dealing with the massive crowd at the zoo.



If you click on this pic, you'll get a little better idea of the goings on at this pond on the south side of the zoo: So many cranes(?) flying back & forth & all around carrying twigs & whatnot to make their many nests.

1st day of spring break

a day in Boulder; first at "Horton Hears a Who" then to the playground at Nikki's elementary school alma mater

75% for the Sweet Sixteen

Not too shabby, despite the upsets. Darn Gtown for messing up the other side of my championship game. See, I always hope for that sweet matchup between Gtown & Pitt. Someday....

littles' Friday projects before school

Lib had this pair of cords with an irrepairable broken zipper. She loved them & asked to wear them...frequently. I told her they would have to go in the scrap bin & we could use the fabric to make something else. I sat down to work on some napkins that I've been sewing. I looked up from my table to see how Lib had interpreted my statement. I didn't get a snap of the "finished" piece. She had folded it in half, then half again. She wrote all 3 of her names -Olivia, Libby, & LaLa- one in each of the other three quadrants. She then gave it to Miss Kathy who exclaimed that she couldn't wait to have Lib in her class next year ("She is going to be here, isn't she?" "We don't know yet. We hope so.")




I had sorted out a pile of old papers & came across these old pics. Fi saw them & right away had an idea to make little books. She made three in all.


Click here for the rest

a few interesting "art-deco" details from the girls' school

a little Rennie Mac influence, no? Or maybe Mondrian. Too bad for the leftover tape that no one notices to remove


an old heater


this one looks better in person

current FO

the $2.99 skirt from the most recent Goodwill trip...& what I found in the pockets


"MOOOOOOM!!! Libby's gonna make Snow stinky!!"





Lib gets some help eating her "oapmeal" from Snow

messin' up my brackets

darn those #12's & #13's. I only picked 1 underdog this year (St. Mary's -Easter weekend -gotta go with a saint. But no such luck); My underdogs in the past have never made it out of the 1st round. Blech. Oh well, the only Sweet 16's I have to change are those two. Choosing between Villanova and Siena(?!?!?!?!) and W KY & San Diego (?!?!?!?!?!). Whatever. It doesn't change anything beyond that round. I hope. Yeah, I'm pretty sure.

so far I'm golden...

except for friggin' USC. Don't even talk to G about it; he's about ready to slap me for giving him grief. What can I say? It's not often that I get the opportunity to rag on him about his school's sport performance. I, on the other hand, have to hear it every season, every sport. Football season lately has been unbearable. But it's March Madness. And USC is no closer to winning the Big Dance than CU. Ha!

Go Pitt! (and did you catch that Duke squeaker?)

talent show re-cap

I took the wrong camera, so no good pics to post. I was quite pleased to see that it was indeed a talent "show" and not a talent contest. There was jumping rope, martial arts, tap dance, piano, singing -acapella & accompanied with cds. A virtuoso violinist, dulcimer while singing Beatles, gymnastics, joke telling, etc etc etc. And a conga player! Some acts were long & Maddie was near the end of the day. She She made her performance short & sweet -about 30 seconds! Maddie told me she had some more beats, but that the teacher asked that the remaining performers try to cut it short -to which Maddie obliged. She thought some people in the audience looked honestly happy to hear her & others were rude. I told her people were probably getting antsy. The 5th graders didn't even get to showcase their talents today; time ran out.

I heard there are 27 neighborhood kids applying for 20 ECE spots in the fall. We're not neighborhood. So I don't know where that leaves us. I also heard that letters of "acceptance" will be sent out next week. Keep your fingers crossed that we'll hear something positive (still waiting to hear about Fiona's kindergarten acceptance...again, I can't get into it right now. My blood will boil & I'd rather remain chill for the last hour before work). Lib is REALLY REALLY looking forward to going to school in the fall. Miss Kathy, Fi's teacher, invites Lib to stay with the ECE class frequently. So much so that Lib requests to stay almost daily. She raises her hand to answer questions & today Miss Kathy even called on Lib for "attendance". The only downside to our being in the classroom is that Fiona then wants to sit with me & that seem distracting to her ability to interact in class.

Now after spending another whole day away from home, I'm wishing I didn't have to work tonight; I have so much to do. Then again, my hours have been short as it is. I'm GLAD to be going to work. Even though it is close to 70 degrees outside right now. Speaking of which, why the heck am I even sitting inside here tapping to you?!?!?!?

the coolest 9 year old you'll ever meet

or what to do when insomnia kicks in & even if it hadn't, listening to a certain someone's sleep apnea would certainly prevent any hope of shut eye anytime soon.

Some snaps from St. Pat's night. First notice the one sock on, one sock off look that she sports on a regular basis. I think it's a sensory thing. She was the little kid who couldn't stand tags on her shirts & socks with seams. Loud noises would send her cowering under the desk.

Next notice that Madster's been doing funky head wrap experiments. This is one -that day's t-shirt not yet removed over her head but tied in the back in some elaborate manner to keep it tight. Tonight she had done something the same but different. During the day she's been using a viscose scarf (the blue one I purchased from a street vendor in Paris) ('cuz it's from PARIS & she is actually allowed to wear it to school).

She's been fascinated with making little movies on my camera. Mostly soliloquies & self portrayals, but absolutely fun to watch. I'll have to try to get some footage on here for yinz to check out. And she's just the past week taken to writing on herself at school. I think she's bored. I know she's bored, hence her self-admitted inability to pay attention in class.






Mad's also in the talent show tomorrow. 1:30pm she finally admitted. You'll never guess what she's doing. Never. Give up? Playing the congas. Seriously. She's recently been reacquainting herself with the magic of Bob Marley. Remember when she went through that phase when she was about 2 or 3? Right around the time that she proclaimed herself to be a "Beastie Girl". Anywho. The congas. I think she's playing "Three Little Birds". And you didn't believe me that she was the coolest. Or maybe eccentric is a better "definition". Right, I know, they're all cool in their own ways. I just love that she has the cajones to enter the talent show & play the congas. I love it. She is still mostly untainted by peer pressure & self-doubt.

Oh, and she's really been digging "The Daring Book for Girls" that I picked up at the library for her last week. However, she came home today & stated that "The Dangerous Book for Boys" is better because it shows how to break a phone book in two. (?????!!!!!????)

On a sad note, she took Polly in to school today to show her art teacher. She's been looking forward to doing this for over a week (they only have art every other week). Her teacher saw her coming with Polly & told her "No stuffed animals in school. Take it to your locker" (They had a lice problem at school with some students a few weeks ago & have since banned all stuffed animals). She wouldn't even let Maddie explain. Yeah, really. Talk about disappointing. You should have seen her face when she told me what happened. And yes, I will be emailing that teacher.

Wouldn't ya just like to slap some people some times? Hello! Wake up! Here's a kid who's so freaking creative but gets no recognition for it at school. I'm telling you, G thinks going to another school would be bad idea because another school might teach to the lower eschelon instead of encouraging kids to excel. This is a great school, I know, but I think it's not been a good match for a non-conformist like Madster. I know Maddie dumbs herself down because she's not at all competitive (unlike ultra-competitive sister Fi). When her earlier efforts went unnoticed, she gave up on being a "star" pupil. She's changed a lot since first starting at this school. She was also the child who was TEACHING HERSELF Spanish at the age of 3 -from a CD-rom game! And remember how she used to make friends wherever she went -at the laundromat, at the park, anywhere she could find kids her age.

I can't stand that most schools only recognize certain kinds of intelligence -i.e. math & reading. Reading is her strong suit between the two subjects. But I think I need to find an art magnet school. Or a science magnet school. There must be such a beast. Of course, she only has 1 year left. And 1st round choice ended on 31 January. Oh, and don't even get me started about that right now. I'll never get to sleep. Remind me tomorrow to tell you about that fiasco. I'll have to start some research now to prepare for middle school choice next year.

got picks?

Yep. and I certainly wish I had tickets for Pitt's game HERE IN DENVER TOMORROW!!! Ironic that Bobby Knight picks Pitt to win it all. Hmmmm. I don't know what to say. I've picked Pitt before -like maybe even last year- maybe even every year -and thus far have been sadly disappointed.

"Mom, I'm hungry...

I'm hungry all the way to heaven." So states DD#3. Could it have anything to do with the time (6:45pm; waiting for G to arrive with groceries). Or maybe the fact that we spent a good deal of time outside today -early afternoon before school at the playground outside of the Children's Museum with good bud Ams -and right after school at Wash Park with sisters & cousin Ro -and then again upon returning home in the evening with sisters & neighbor/friend.

It was a fantabulous last day of winter in georgeous Colorado. Want more pics to prove it? You know where to go

yearly doctor's visit

The littles had their physicals today. This morning, Fiona decided, "Let's go to the dentist, Olivia. The dentist doesn't give shots, right? Mom, I want to go to the dentist now, okay?" This from the girl who previously said she absolutely did not want to go to the dentist. (It takes a lot of cajoling to get her to open her mouth for the dental hygenist). Lib, on the other hand, was all for going to the doctor's (and the dentist...she is "the best little patient -even better than most adults", we've been told.) When we got to the doctor's office parking lot, Fi sat in the car, stalling, trying to figure out the gravity of the visit. "Mom, why do we have to go to the doctor's?" "So the doctor can see how much you've grown." "No, really mom, tell me the truth." "The doctor helps to make sure you're healthy." "No, mom. Tell me the real truth. Why are we here?" "I am telling you the truth, Fiona." "I don't want any shots, mom." Meanwhile, during the visit, Lib says to the nurse, "I want a shot" and "I don't need any hands to hold. I'm not afraid of shots". She was quite brave & straight faced during & after. Fi was so traumatized by the ordeal, I thought she would vomit from the shock of pain and the crying afterwards.

Frustratingly, what was scheduled for two 20 minute visits in a row, turned out to last an hour & 40 minutes! How is it when the patient is late, the office will turn the patient away AND keep the co-pay?!?!? Can I demand a refund from the doctor for cutting into the girls' lunch time before school??? (Here's a banana, Fi. Eat it in the car).

Most everything is going well. We have to schedule a visit with an audiologist for Lib; her left ear did not pass the hearing test. I wonder if this is why her speech development is slightly off? Most people still can't understand most of what she's saying.

science experiment

I found this in the minivan about 3 weeks ago. I took these pics a few days ago. If ever there was a case against wax & preservatives & pesticides on fruit, this is it.




how shiny & oddly pretty. Aside from the wrinkles & bit of discoloration, the wax has well preserved this little slice of granny smith



aha! no wax on the inside, hence the bits of rot. How long -or ever- will it take for the outside to catch up? Reminds me of the "Super Size Me" experiment at the end of the movie; the McDonalds' fries never rotted. Disgusting. I haven't eaten fries -of any brand- since viewing that scene. Bummer because I used to really like Wendy's fries. Next I will try washing the apple slice thoroughly & leave a slice out to test.

my new baby

Look! It's my birthday present! (well worth the wait!!) yay!!!! I was doing a happy dance the whole 3 days before I rode her home from the shop!! I haven't been this happy in a looooooong time! (btw, this is the best shop I've found in Denver. Knowledgeable & NOT snobby. Friendly & very helpful. As God is my witness, I will never shop at Performance again.)


So pretty


I shall call her "Althea" and she will be mine



I NEED more good weather. Now. Please.

some pics -more at flickr

the portrait of LaLa that Mad drew the other day


the first finished string bag


Mad made a stylish "gap" shirt for Polly


the ECE class made papier mache dinosaur eggs that "hatched" a teeny tiny dinosaur...very exciting


each of the girls wanted something special for Garrett's bday. Fi told me to get "the most scariest movie". This was on our list for "to buy DVDs". The girls asked G to pose like Jack



Lib wanted to get Garrett "a brand new blue soccer shirt"...& luckily we found exactly that



Madster claimed this as "her" gift to Garrett when she saw it



These were originally Mad's gifts until they were usurped by the Smash Brothers



who is this???