I'm not doing a victory dance yet, BUT 7 - 0 in the post-season?!?!?!?!!! WHOOP WHOOP!! Dare I say it, these kids' skills are reminiscent of a previous Penguin era circa early 90's. Can you feel the hockey gods smiling over the 'burgh?
30 April 2008
24 April 2008
and then there was Lib
"Gotta go fast! Gotta go faster faster Sonic Dix" (she insists Fi & I are saying it wrong when we say 'Sonic X')
She is the only 4 yo girl I know who will watch New Yankee Workshop -willingly- from beginning to end & periodically say "Wow! I wish I had that!" in reference to whatever big power tool is being utilized at the moment.
G broke down & bought her a Sonic XBox game -as if she needed any encouragement to play XBox.
Her current favorite phrase is "I like that song". I haven't figured out if there is any song she doesn't like. Does she say it indiscriminately? Or does she reserve it for the songs she really likes? Maybe I'll play something really crappy & see what she thinks.
"There's Ryan." (our next door neighbor's son) "He's so handsome. I'm going to marry him."
Today I had a doctor's appointment & was accompanied by both littles. They had crayons & a drawing tablet to keep them occupied. I was lying on the table in the usual position, both girls at my head -the better to hold my hand. I was talking to the doctor & not really paying attention to the littles. All of a sudden I heard this little loud whisper -from behind the doctor's shoulder- "hey Fi! come here & see she what she's doing!" Hahahahaha! (Fi was not so interested as Lib)
She is the only 4 yo girl I know who will watch New Yankee Workshop -willingly- from beginning to end & periodically say "Wow! I wish I had that!" in reference to whatever big power tool is being utilized at the moment.
G broke down & bought her a Sonic XBox game -as if she needed any encouragement to play XBox.
Her current favorite phrase is "I like that song". I haven't figured out if there is any song she doesn't like. Does she say it indiscriminately? Or does she reserve it for the songs she really likes? Maybe I'll play something really crappy & see what she thinks.
"There's Ryan." (our next door neighbor's son) "He's so handsome. I'm going to marry him."
Today I had a doctor's appointment & was accompanied by both littles. They had crayons & a drawing tablet to keep them occupied. I was lying on the table in the usual position, both girls at my head -the better to hold my hand. I was talking to the doctor & not really paying attention to the littles. All of a sudden I heard this little loud whisper -from behind the doctor's shoulder- "hey Fi! come here & see she what she's doing!" Hahahahaha! (Fi was not so interested as Lib)
22 April 2008
check out this incredible contest prize package
Wow! It's a knitters dream come true! My mouth literally dropped open when I saw everything included. And now I'm salivating at the prospect of winning.
21 April 2008
ramble on
I fried my phone yesterday. Freak accident that I couldn't replicate if I tried. I was deleting texts & had laid the open phone down on the counter while it worked. In the meantime, I had poured about 2 inches of water in a small, child-size cup to take herbal tinctures. The cup was on the counter beside the phone. I noticed a cutie -one of those super small clementines- in our fruit bowl that looked a bit overripe. I picked the cutie out of the bowl and fumble fingers dropped it INTO the cup. It displaced a good bit of water -but not much at all, really- onto the phone. ARGH! Crisis! I laid the phone in the sun to dry out to no avail. None of the buttons work except the on/off button. I can't call out. I can't dial. My phone rings, and I was able to talk successfully on it twice since.
If I don't answer, try again. I guess I'll have to carry it with me so I can answer it before it stops ringing. I haven't been able to get to it fast enough today & I can't push the recall button it to see who's called. Argh. I hate carrying it on my person all day.
Or you could just email me or contact me through facebook. That's kind of a pain, I know. But it's been kind of freeing, in a way, to not have my phone. And I don't know when I'll be getting a new one. At the AT&T store, the least expensive phone without a contract was $179. We just renewed our contract & the phone was maybe 4 months old. Bummer.
It's kind of like sunglasses. I've never broken an expensive pair. I've lost one pair, though. It was memorable, at least. After touring the Cardhu Whisky Distillery, and later walking a while down the River Spey in Scotland, I had placed them on top of the car while tending baby Madster. And then drove off without retrieving them. That was a bummer b/c they were a fine pair of driving Serengheti's that Denise had given to me as a birthday gift. Wah! Oh, and breaking an expensive pair. Yeah, I've never done it, but that isn't to say it hasn't happened. Witness this photo
This is what I found outside a couple weeks ago. I'd been looking & looking for my lovely Natives. They were barely a year old; I remember I bought them with my 20% coupon & my REI member kickback check. ARGH. I thought I had misplaced them. I knew I hadn't lost them, but for the life of me could not remember leaving them anywhere but the usual resting spot on top of the breadbox. We'll just call this reason #100 why I won't have anymore kids. Call me selfish, but I'd like to have some space to call my own. Some time. Some things that little fingers don't touch.
So yeah, the phone. I'm looking for G's old phone but the girls have been using it to play with & I can't find it. Go figure.
Get this: I took a whole back seat of toys to Goodwill the other day. It was refreshing. And there's a bit more space in the playroom. I told G that I will be occupying that room in 4 or 5 years. Maybe sooner. As they outgrow toys, I've got to let them go. Right now we have all of the little people on the kitchen floor, on their way to the garage, to wait for G's sister to take -or to donate to some other good cause. Maybe the church nursery?
And a little FYI, if you've made it thus far in the post: Maddie has a solo in her choir performance on Saturday, 26 April. Well, actually it's a duet. But it's exciting! 4pm mass, Most Precious Blood Church on Colorado & Harrison.
If I don't answer, try again. I guess I'll have to carry it with me so I can answer it before it stops ringing. I haven't been able to get to it fast enough today & I can't push the recall button it to see who's called. Argh. I hate carrying it on my person all day.
Or you could just email me or contact me through facebook. That's kind of a pain, I know. But it's been kind of freeing, in a way, to not have my phone. And I don't know when I'll be getting a new one. At the AT&T store, the least expensive phone without a contract was $179. We just renewed our contract & the phone was maybe 4 months old. Bummer.
It's kind of like sunglasses. I've never broken an expensive pair. I've lost one pair, though. It was memorable, at least. After touring the Cardhu Whisky Distillery, and later walking a while down the River Spey in Scotland, I had placed them on top of the car while tending baby Madster. And then drove off without retrieving them. That was a bummer b/c they were a fine pair of driving Serengheti's that Denise had given to me as a birthday gift. Wah! Oh, and breaking an expensive pair. Yeah, I've never done it, but that isn't to say it hasn't happened. Witness this photo
This is what I found outside a couple weeks ago. I'd been looking & looking for my lovely Natives. They were barely a year old; I remember I bought them with my 20% coupon & my REI member kickback check. ARGH. I thought I had misplaced them. I knew I hadn't lost them, but for the life of me could not remember leaving them anywhere but the usual resting spot on top of the breadbox. We'll just call this reason #100 why I won't have anymore kids. Call me selfish, but I'd like to have some space to call my own. Some time. Some things that little fingers don't touch.
So yeah, the phone. I'm looking for G's old phone but the girls have been using it to play with & I can't find it. Go figure.
Get this: I took a whole back seat of toys to Goodwill the other day. It was refreshing. And there's a bit more space in the playroom. I told G that I will be occupying that room in 4 or 5 years. Maybe sooner. As they outgrow toys, I've got to let them go. Right now we have all of the little people on the kitchen floor, on their way to the garage, to wait for G's sister to take -or to donate to some other good cause. Maybe the church nursery?
And a little FYI, if you've made it thus far in the post: Maddie has a solo in her choir performance on Saturday, 26 April. Well, actually it's a duet. But it's exciting! 4pm mass, Most Precious Blood Church on Colorado & Harrison.
14 April 2008
what's up?
While watching "American Hardcore" after work Satuday night (really Sunday morning), I was reminded of quite a few fun & memorable experiences from back in the day. And I realized that I hadn't been to a show in a very long time. Every once in a while I get online & look for upcoming shows, but don't usually make it out of the house (go figure). Or else it's been my luck that I'll find out about a band playing in Denver the week afer they've already been, etc. For instance, a couple weeks ago I heard that X was playing, but I was on my way to work so I couldn't go. Anyway, I was thinking about how I would like to go to some kind of hardcore/metal show. 'Cause it's just been too long. 'Cause it's something that I miss doing...one of those parts of oneself that slowly & insidiously gets pushed to the backburner -or completely off the stove altogether -after the 3rd & 4th kids are born.
Lo & behold my friend Sean happens to be in town for a long weekend. He tells me that he's going to see this Pittsburgh band on Sunday. Yay! perfect timing! By the time I got to the show this Boston band was onstage. I have to say, after having been out of the scene for 12 years or so, I couldn't have asked for a better performance. Street Dogs was really impressive. Their sound was unmistakable Boston. Indeed, I think I enjoyed them more than I did the headlining act (no offense to da 'burgh). AND I have to give a BIG thanks to someone Sean has tattooed (band member? roadie?) called Toby who got us into the show. HUGE Thank you!
No, I didn't get into the (meager) pit (wrong shoes for the occasion), but it was music to my ears (or rather, almost fuel for rebellion, had I been 20 years younger) to hear the security guard/cop tell the person in front of me at the entrance "there's no crowd surfing tonight." And it was a sight for sore eyes to see a few mohawks in the audience. Ahhhhhh...home.
I thought about bringing Maddie, just for the experience of it. It would have been fun- & I'm sure she would have enjoyed it- but I'm glad that I didn't: That would have ended my night out all too soon. Hey, I don't get out often; I've got to maximize the time I have sans kiddos when I can.
Thanks Sean, I needed that night more than you can imagine (well, you're soon to find out what I mean, hahaha!)
Lo & behold my friend Sean happens to be in town for a long weekend. He tells me that he's going to see this Pittsburgh band on Sunday. Yay! perfect timing! By the time I got to the show this Boston band was onstage. I have to say, after having been out of the scene for 12 years or so, I couldn't have asked for a better performance. Street Dogs was really impressive. Their sound was unmistakable Boston. Indeed, I think I enjoyed them more than I did the headlining act (no offense to da 'burgh). AND I have to give a BIG thanks to someone Sean has tattooed (band member? roadie?) called Toby who got us into the show. HUGE Thank you!
No, I didn't get into the (meager) pit (wrong shoes for the occasion), but it was music to my ears (or rather, almost fuel for rebellion, had I been 20 years younger) to hear the security guard/cop tell the person in front of me at the entrance "there's no crowd surfing tonight." And it was a sight for sore eyes to see a few mohawks in the audience. Ahhhhhh...home.
I thought about bringing Maddie, just for the experience of it. It would have been fun- & I'm sure she would have enjoyed it- but I'm glad that I didn't: That would have ended my night out all too soon. Hey, I don't get out often; I've got to maximize the time I have sans kiddos when I can.
Thanks Sean, I needed that night more than you can imagine (well, you're soon to find out what I mean, hahaha!)
11 April 2008
speaking of school
I've alluded to this on Facebook, but for those of you who don't know, here's the scoop. I'm looking for a new elementary school for the girls. Yes, we've been at the same school since Madster was in Kindergarten. Yes, the littles have been familiar with this same school since birth. Fi's been attending the ECE (Early Childhood Education program that DPS offers 3 & 4 year olds) at this school this year.
For whatever reason, DPS has made the citywide ECE program to be neighborhood preferential, instead of sibling preferential. So that, because we aren't neighborhood, but have choiced in (4 and 5 years ago), Lib doesn't have a spot in any of the 21 ECE openings next year due to 27 neighborhood kids applying. Oh, it gets better.
I never received any kind of announcement stating when the Kindergarten applications were due -or even that we had to fill one out- until mid- February. The deadline was 31 January. I handed ours in the same day as the ECE application due date, 22 February. Really, I wouldn't have found out about the ECE deadline but for talking with the ECE para one day while Lib was visitng the classroom. Even the K application didn't have any kind of due date printed on it. Of course the office says they did indeed give notice in the weekly newsletter. Hmmmm. I have every single newsletter I've received this year. I keep them for a little CYA, if you know what I mean. Well, let me put it this way, I have every newsletter that Maddie's given me out of her backpack this year. Which is to say, I don't have EVERY newsletter printed. There are a few missing.
We've been struggling with this for the whole school year, getting Maddie to turn in homework, getting Maddie to do homework, getting Maddie to give us paperwork from school. I'm sure we're not the only parents with this problem. Yet, the school sends paperwork home with ONLY the eldest child in a family. I did find ONE newsletter from 17 January stating that K apps would be available from 1 Jan unitl 31
Jan, or something to that effect. It was shoved in with some other papers in the garbage bin in Maddie's room. Wait, there's more.
So, we've handed in the paperwork right. But it turns out that when we handed it in, the folks at the front office didn't code it properly when they turned it into the choice office at DPS. As in, they didn't notate on Fi's paperwork that she had an older sibling already enrolled at the school. They said it was because "they have different last names". Oops. We've been at the school for 5 years. They know all of the girls. Well, now they conveniently don't, apparently. So then Fi's not on the list for sibling preference either. WTF. Supposedly they've corrected all that. But Fi is still on the "2nd round choice" list, which means we won't know until August whether or not she can go to this school. And no matter where we apply, unless it's our neighborhood school -which we won't be attending- she's going to be on the 2nd round choice list because 1st round choice is over.
Meanwhile, I've talked with another mom who also didn't receive notification of the application process, but heard from someone else the week before they were due. I've also spoken with our former K teacher who agreed that the whole lack of communication with current school families regarding K applications & choicing in stinks.
What to do now? Someone suggested I call the choice office & complain. Yeah, I might do that. Really, I'm tired of this school. It may look good on paper, but I find some of the attitudes unacceptable -the entitled, privileged, cater-to-me attitudes, the clicque-y-ness of the kids & the adults, namely. Really, it's amazing to me that when the school needs something, money or whatnot, they don't have any problem at all communicating that tirelessly. The school auction is the only fundraiser & is advertised & talked about for months beforehand. Obviously, that effort has paid off; the auction this year is the talk of the town, having raised nearly 6 figures.
But isn't the education of the children more important than that? Or rather, isn't the abilty to maintain a sense of community with ALL of the school's families (not just the one's who can spend big at the auction) more important? You know, watching out for each other's backs, making sure the children have a sense of belonging & stability -the way a community should do? Guess not. And do I really want my children to go to a school where making sure current students are properly enrolled for the following year garners a 6 line blurb in a newsletter but fundraising earns a full page as well as add-on pages for weeks on end.
For whatever reason, DPS has made the citywide ECE program to be neighborhood preferential, instead of sibling preferential. So that, because we aren't neighborhood, but have choiced in (4 and 5 years ago), Lib doesn't have a spot in any of the 21 ECE openings next year due to 27 neighborhood kids applying. Oh, it gets better.
I never received any kind of announcement stating when the Kindergarten applications were due -or even that we had to fill one out- until mid- February. The deadline was 31 January. I handed ours in the same day as the ECE application due date, 22 February. Really, I wouldn't have found out about the ECE deadline but for talking with the ECE para one day while Lib was visitng the classroom. Even the K application didn't have any kind of due date printed on it. Of course the office says they did indeed give notice in the weekly newsletter. Hmmmm. I have every single newsletter I've received this year. I keep them for a little CYA, if you know what I mean. Well, let me put it this way, I have every newsletter that Maddie's given me out of her backpack this year. Which is to say, I don't have EVERY newsletter printed. There are a few missing.
We've been struggling with this for the whole school year, getting Maddie to turn in homework, getting Maddie to do homework, getting Maddie to give us paperwork from school. I'm sure we're not the only parents with this problem. Yet, the school sends paperwork home with ONLY the eldest child in a family. I did find ONE newsletter from 17 January stating that K apps would be available from 1 Jan unitl 31
Jan, or something to that effect. It was shoved in with some other papers in the garbage bin in Maddie's room. Wait, there's more.
So, we've handed in the paperwork right. But it turns out that when we handed it in, the folks at the front office didn't code it properly when they turned it into the choice office at DPS. As in, they didn't notate on Fi's paperwork that she had an older sibling already enrolled at the school. They said it was because "they have different last names". Oops. We've been at the school for 5 years. They know all of the girls. Well, now they conveniently don't, apparently. So then Fi's not on the list for sibling preference either. WTF. Supposedly they've corrected all that. But Fi is still on the "2nd round choice" list, which means we won't know until August whether or not she can go to this school. And no matter where we apply, unless it's our neighborhood school -which we won't be attending- she's going to be on the 2nd round choice list because 1st round choice is over.
Meanwhile, I've talked with another mom who also didn't receive notification of the application process, but heard from someone else the week before they were due. I've also spoken with our former K teacher who agreed that the whole lack of communication with current school families regarding K applications & choicing in stinks.
What to do now? Someone suggested I call the choice office & complain. Yeah, I might do that. Really, I'm tired of this school. It may look good on paper, but I find some of the attitudes unacceptable -the entitled, privileged, cater-to-me attitudes, the clicque-y-ness of the kids & the adults, namely. Really, it's amazing to me that when the school needs something, money or whatnot, they don't have any problem at all communicating that tirelessly. The school auction is the only fundraiser & is advertised & talked about for months beforehand. Obviously, that effort has paid off; the auction this year is the talk of the town, having raised nearly 6 figures.
But isn't the education of the children more important than that? Or rather, isn't the abilty to maintain a sense of community with ALL of the school's families (not just the one's who can spend big at the auction) more important? You know, watching out for each other's backs, making sure the children have a sense of belonging & stability -the way a community should do? Guess not. And do I really want my children to go to a school where making sure current students are properly enrolled for the following year garners a 6 line blurb in a newsletter but fundraising earns a full page as well as add-on pages for weeks on end.
overheard lately, etc
while watching "Robots" (I LOVE the graphics & the creativity) I asked the littles, "So are you gonna be somebody when you grow up?" Lib responded, "yeah, I'm gonna be Nikki." Fi said, "Yeah, we love her". Hint hint, big sister...I think they miss you a little.
I banned all "character" dinnerware from our house. There hasn't been one argument over breakfast, lunch, or dinner since then...so refreshing!
Lib has been enamored with "Sonic the Hedgehog" as of late. She "is" Sonic. Only she. Everyone else has to pick a different character. Maybe this is good, considering she is usually the pokiest little -we may be able to use this to our advantage when trying to get her to pick up the pace. And yes, she knows he's a he.
The abacus has been deemed "boring" by both littles. So in an effort to work with numbers, I've set Fi to work on a number scroll. She's gotten to the mid-forties. Yeah, it's just number recognition right now. We'll add some physical counters next week. Oh, and she can tell time. That's right, the 5 year old can tell time -well, at least the hour & half hours. But hey, it's pretty darn cool.
And I love the fact that Fi wakes up & is "ready" to learn. The first thing she did today upon waking was write out everyone's name & count the letters to see who has the longest name (Madeleine wins, hands down). Some spelling, some writing, some counting, some addition. All at 7am. I pray that public school doesn't kill her eagerness to learn the way it has with Maddie.
I banned all "character" dinnerware from our house. There hasn't been one argument over breakfast, lunch, or dinner since then...so refreshing!
Lib has been enamored with "Sonic the Hedgehog" as of late. She "is" Sonic. Only she. Everyone else has to pick a different character. Maybe this is good, considering she is usually the pokiest little -we may be able to use this to our advantage when trying to get her to pick up the pace. And yes, she knows he's a he.
The abacus has been deemed "boring" by both littles. So in an effort to work with numbers, I've set Fi to work on a number scroll. She's gotten to the mid-forties. Yeah, it's just number recognition right now. We'll add some physical counters next week. Oh, and she can tell time. That's right, the 5 year old can tell time -well, at least the hour & half hours. But hey, it's pretty darn cool.
And I love the fact that Fi wakes up & is "ready" to learn. The first thing she did today upon waking was write out everyone's name & count the letters to see who has the longest name (Madeleine wins, hands down). Some spelling, some writing, some counting, some addition. All at 7am. I pray that public school doesn't kill her eagerness to learn the way it has with Maddie.
miscellaneous pics
an angel in our midst?
Lib gives her freshly painted & fired piggybank a few tactile improvements
sisters courtesy of Chucky E Cheese
thumbprint art inspired by this book
wow. really I'm speechless. A whole pig shoulder just for me. (easter leftovers, fyi). I've been waiting a whole week for this moment. Everytime you opened the fridge, everytime you got out that plate with the big 'ole bone o' meat. Everytime, waiting, biding my time...
nom nom nom...it's...nom nom...bigger than my...nom nom nom...head...I must be in doggy heaven....
(it took her all of 30 minutes, tops, to devour it)
Lib gives her freshly painted & fired piggybank a few tactile improvements
sisters courtesy of Chucky E Cheese
thumbprint art inspired by this book
wow. really I'm speechless. A whole pig shoulder just for me. (easter leftovers, fyi). I've been waiting a whole week for this moment. Everytime you opened the fridge, everytime you got out that plate with the big 'ole bone o' meat. Everytime, waiting, biding my time...
nom nom nom...it's...nom nom...bigger than my...nom nom nom...head...I must be in doggy heaven....
(it took her all of 30 minutes, tops, to devour it)
02 April 2008
OMG OMG and a vid
Jamie Oliver has a new Food Network show!
and this...from City Park playground last week. Perseverance pays off. She's been working on this for some time. All she needed was a set her size.
and this...from City Park playground last week. Perseverance pays off. She's been working on this for some time. All she needed was a set her size.
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