corie - the sitcom

puzzle girl

2010-03-15T15:26:00.003-04:00

Meg has taken a liking to assembling puzzles, just like her big sis. A perfect diversion from the TV and knocking-down her brother's Legos.

the boy is now 6.

2010-01-27T22:01:00.006-05:00

Henry turned 6 last week... we celebrated with a Lego cake, a bowling party, lots of his friends and lots of Legos. He got the book "Paul Revere's Ride" from Uncle Chris and re-created it with, you guessed it, Legos. Greg was able to read it to him from memory... because his dad read it to him so often. Oh Hen, six is going to be a fun year.

And FYI, this is the 4th time I've blogged about Henry's birthday. Go ahead, check the records there on the right! ;-)

10 things that make winter more tolerable.

2010-01-27T12:36:00.007-05:00

1. coffee
2. my van's seat warmer
3. sunglasses (for that God-awful glare when you drive)
4. Christmas (but that's over now...)
5. baking cookies or...anything!
6. snowy paws instead of muddy paws
7. Greg taking the kids outside to sled
8....

ahhhh yeah. I can't think of any more.

Meg the entertainer...

2009-11-12T14:24:00.003-05:00

Here's Meg singing "Woody Woody Woody" her own song from Disney's Toy Story....

haunting 2009

2009-11-04T15:34:00.002-05:00

just some pics of the little ghouls...

little fashionista.

2009-10-02T16:17:00.000-04:00

camping with 'da troop

2009-10-02T10:55:00.006-04:00

Troop camping is a highly anticipated event if there ever was one. I took the troop to Camp Merrie Woode for 2 nights a few weekends ago... when it was actually warm and sunny!

To sum it up, it was fun, tiring and relaxing all at once. We earned our Outdoor Cooking Badge, so as you can imagine, we did all of our cooking outside, which is why I booked us a cabin, so at least I could sleep inside.

The girls chose the menu which included: Hobo Campfire packets, S'more Pancakes, Walking Tacos, Tin-foil oven Brownies, Lasagna in the Dutch oven, Banana Boats, Eggs/Sausage/Hashbrowns/toast over the fire.

Some skills we worked on:
- build, tend and put-out a fire
- cook over a fire using a skillet/foil/sticks
- light, assemble & cook on a camp stove
- make a tin-foil oven, and then bake something in it (our brownies were pretty awesome!)
- eat whatever you make "because that's all there is honey"

I'm already planning our next trip... probably going in the winter and staying in a cabin too!

a rosey surprise.

2009-09-16T15:52:00.002-04:00

These showed-up on my doorstep yesterday. An early anniversary gift maybe, or just because?
thank you honey...

highchair demo.

2009-08-21T10:04:00.005-04:00

Just a little demo of Meg and her new toy from Gran and Papa.

the littlest princess is now 2.

2009-08-19T22:33:00.010-04:00

And so the twos have begun...she's becoming quite the little dancer, singer, baby-doll lover, sorter, fighter, story book hound, imitator, picky-eater, mess maker, dumper, streaker, swimmer, hugger, kisser, dreamer.

She's loads of fun. My little buddy Meg....happy birthday princess.

oh Henry!

2009-08-18T15:17:00.005-04:00

Henry has once again started flag football (he's in the 4-5 year-old league). This is the same league where last year the kids were quite entertaining to watch as their actions barely resembled any sort of organized football. Many of them ran the wrong way, were easily distracted, pulled-off their own flags, pouted/sat down and cried in the middle of the field, picked dandelions, just hilarious stuff, you name it...

And so the comedy of pee-wee football lives on, beginning with last night's conversation I overheard:

Coach: "Can you believe that my son has already been playing football for 6 years!" (his 12 year-old son was there helping out)
Henry quips back: "I've played for seven!"
Coach: "How old are you Henry?"
Henry: "I'm five."

and this man actually sent home plays for the kids to learn...

beachy kids.

2009-08-05T12:34:00.008-04:00

One of the best things about where we live is the accessibility to water. In South Bend, all you had was a river that you'd never think of swimming in, or an hour ride to Lake Michigan or some other lake... located in Michigan. But now that we live here (at Lake Bella Vista) we get to use our neighborhood beach anytime we want. Its free, the kids love it and its right down the street. There are also other kids down there for ours to play with. (Henry will play with any kid, Maddie usually has a few girlfriends who are down there too... and Meg is a minor celebrity when we arrive and is known as "Meggie" by all the other little girls.) Not to mention all the wholesome activities encountered... jumping off the dock, spraying your sister with your water gun, getting buried in the sand, playing "shake-n-bake" (rolling in the sand, jumping in the water, repeat...), building sand castles, catching fish with your net, swimming under water for the first time (which somehow just didn't happen in 3 sessions of swim lessons) and an overall feeling of summertime laziness for myself while I'm watching beach antics unfold.

And if we get sick of our beach, there are about 7 other lakes in a 5 mile radius that we could go to. And of course, the big Lake at Grand Haven, Muskegon, South Haven... etc.!

Well, considering today is getting pretty hot, we'd better be getting our suits on. ;-)

tooth fairy time...

2009-07-28T21:06:00.004-04:00

Henry lost his first tooth today. I had to explain to him that he would grow another, bigger tooth and that eventually all of his teeth would fall out, one at a time. This was big news, and even though he's seen Maddie lose her teeth, it probably never dawned on him that it would happen to him.

... and as he looked in the mirror he said, "Awww, cool Mom!"

first pedicure.

2009-06-25T16:46:00.002-04:00

...after all, baby's first pedicure is a milestone, right?

Start of Summer (aka S.O.S.)

2009-06-16T16:09:00.003-04:00

Here are some snaps from our Start of Summer parade and carnival...highlights:
* Sat in the drizzle until the parade started... but the weather eventually cleared-up.
* Maddie handed-out candy and marched in the parade with our school. (she also helped paint the Assumption Eagle float with her class)
* Henry collected about 2 lbs of candy from Rockford's gutters, misc bookmarks/literature, 3 necklaces and one t-shirt.
* Kids rode the big ferris-wheel, bumper cars, motorcycles, went through the fun-house and attempted the climbing wall.
* Ate cotton candy.
* Ate cotton candy flavored Hawaiian Ice.
* Ate much more carnival food than desired.
* Made/painted free t-shirts compliments of our local toy-store.
* Meg zonked-out in her stroller.
* Ended-up having a nice, sunny afternoon and worn-out kids!

Maddie, Meg and their carriage.

2009-06-10T15:14:00.005-04:00

My girls' new hobby involves Maddie pulling little Meg around like she's a princess; and Meg sitting there like royalty with her juice and blanket waving at people through her little, plastic windows. Let's just say it keeps them both busy, getting a little exercise and bonding time too.

Festival of the Arts

2009-06-07T20:28:00.005-04:00

Today Greg took the kids downtown GR to the Festival of the Arts so I could catch up on some work, and this is what they brought home! (see caricature above... pretty cute, hey?) They also ate a lot of junk food, listened to a few bands, watched some dancers and did a few crafts. Now I wish I would've gone too! Maybe next year...

Maddie's wax museum

2009-06-03T23:54:00.018-04:00

Here are some shots from one of the neatest projects Maddie has had assigned to her so far in her academic career... a Presidential Wax Museum. Every year the 4th Grade Wax Museum has a different theme, this year was U.S. Presidents. The school gym was divided-up into organized, little sections with red, white and blue paper chains with a "wax statue" in each section. And it was clear that the students had thoroughly done their research. They were all dressed-up as either their president (or first lady/child) and presented their information whenever someone walked up to their display.

Maddie was Jenna Bush, complete with a Texas Rangers baseball cap, speaking about her father George W. and his life and times in the White House. She did great! Not only did these kids learn about history, researching & writing, they touched on costuming, role playing and public speaking. And you could tell everyone put a lot of effort into it... Jackie Kennedy had her pearls on, FDR sat in his wheelchair, Grover Cleveland's wife wore her wedding dress...since she was the only first lady to get married in the White House. (see, I learned something!) Henry even shook Abe Lincoln's hand!

The whole thing was just totally inspiring... and I can't wait to see what the 4th grade teacher cooks-up for next year's class.

busy busy Meg.

2009-06-03T00:06:00.002-04:00

this is how I spend my days... just trying to keep up!

"Team Ripple"

2009-06-02T21:23:00.004-04:00

Greg picked up a fun, new bike attachment today for him and Henry... the Trail-a-bike. It attaches to Greg's regular bike with a simple bracket and after a mini-training session, they were cruising up and down the street, around the block and "places I've never been before Dad!".

Now they just need matching jerseys and they're ready to hit the bike trail. Too Awesome!

going to the big school.

2009-06-01T23:49:00.005-04:00

Our little Henry graduated pre-school today! I could tell he was so proud to get his "diploma" as he marched across the classroom with his friends. He announced to his buds Jake and Evan, "Now we're going to the big school!"

I suppose that's better than the "big house", right?

Waiting for his name to be called.

Jedi's in training.

the degree.

such angels...

a delivery from Mya and Grandpa!

the Robins are back.

2009-06-01T23:42:00.005-04:00

Our little Robin family is back, although in a different shrub this year. We are all having fun peeking-in on them when the mom and dad go for worms. Meg always wants to check on them when we're out there, but we don't get too close. (Mrs. Robin didn't like me photographing her babies either... after all, they've only hatched last week.) And it just occurred to me that I'm going to have to keep Kirby out of the backyard when they're learning to fly...

Slip-n-slide

2009-05-27T22:18:00.002-04:00

Just a glimpse into our weekend...

May recap...

2009-05-21T21:35:00.008-04:00

Maddie's first Piano recital. She played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"... she was wonderful!
Meg's first haircut... multiple lollipops helped us succeed, and we kept her curls in the back!

Camping with our Girl Scout troop... awesome time!

Mother's Day... planting flowers with my little helpers.

piano progression...

2009-04-29T20:00:00.009-04:00

Maddie's piano lessons are going great. She has advanced enough that she is now using the pedals... oooh. And she actually practices more than the required minimum of 30 min.a day! Even at 6:30 in the morning, like she couldn't just wait to get up and jam on the ivories! ...so I guess that means she likes it? Although she totally denies it.
I love being right. :-)

I'm nuts.

2009-04-29T13:25:00.003-04:00

yup, that's me right now....

when I actually have time to ponder and pontificate, you'll see it here first. hopefully soon.

just meg.

2009-02-21T11:23:00.002-05:00

here is just a little video of Meg... doing Meg things.

"fireflies"

2009-02-20T17:03:00.005-05:00

Maddie's doing great at piano so far. Just after 4 weeks of lessons, she's reading music, counting her beats and playing like a little pro! The piece she's playing here is called "Fireflies".

happy 1/2 birthday Meg.

2009-02-20T16:50:00.006-05:00

Here's the half-birthday girl. She got the gift of piggie-tails.

Happy 5th Henry!

2009-01-21T22:32:00.008-05:00

Clearly, Henry is THE party dude.

Christmas morning.

2008-12-25T13:24:00.007-05:00

Santa brought everything they asked for... an iPod for Maddie; Clone Trooper helmet and blaster for Henry; and a new kitchen set for Meg. Big smiles and squeals of joy all around.

Henry and the Sugar Plum Fairies

2008-12-23T19:03:00.004-05:00

...a sampling from Henry's Christmas production today.

mmm... cookies.

2008-12-23T09:37:00.003-05:00

Christmas cookie time! And to quote Henry, "Mom, we make the BEST cookies!"

I agree.

piano lessons.

2008-12-18T13:08:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to get our oldest to take piano lessons willingly, but only the youngest is interested.

crack!

2008-12-16T10:48:00.008-05:00

Sometimes, Meg just sits cutely at her little table and yells, "crack!".

Which means: "Mother, I'd like some goldfish crackers and a cup of milk."

We speak the same language.

seeing Santa.

2008-12-14T16:35:00.008-05:00

Well, last week we went Greg's firm's x-mas party and got to have a little visit with Santa. Maddie had the honor of being one of his elves and helped pass-out presents to the kids on Santa's "nice list". Henry jumped-up on his lap and had an in-depth conversation with him about Star Wars. Meg thought he was pretty scary, screamed at him and wanted a quick get-away. She was not pleased.

didn't happen.

2008-12-08T13:47:00.003-05:00

I tried getting a photo for our Christmas card out in the newly, fallen snow... it just didn't happen.

our tree.

2008-12-05T22:44:00.003-05:00

the tree is up! and we're getting in the Christmas spirit.

obsession.

2008-12-02T22:49:00.003-05:00

here's a good use of the internet... my friend Kathy is obsessed with Pespi Light circa mid-80's. If you remember this product or have any info to share, please post it here. Oh, and she still has an unopened can from 1987... just waiting for an offer to come through from a foreign soft-drink collector someday.

disco elves.

2008-12-01T20:22:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

my own drummer.

2008-12-01T13:00:00.007-05:00

snow day activity... taking the "Classic Dames Test"

Apparently, I'm a Katherine Hepburn... "You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. "

oh, so true.

take it, it's fun: The Classic Dames Test

snow day uno

2008-12-01T12:19:00.001-05:00

Today is our first snow day for this school year... we're trying to be productive, but it's so easy not to be.

Meg's words.

2008-11-18T22:27:00.008-05:00

Our littlest one has been pretty talkative, here's what she's been saying:
baby, baby, babeee
bow (as the one in her hair)
crack! = cracker/cookie
mama
dada
milk
poon = spoon/fork
bee = blanket
kitty
RAWR! = dog/tiger/lion
no no
ball
ba ba = bottle
oh-oh!
mo? = more
mmmm... = this tastes yummy
tank too = thank you
taco taco = tickle tickle

cheers

...and in the photo, she's talking on the sodoku game like its her cell phone.

a good idea?

2008-11-17T14:38:00.005-05:00

I brought up our kids' table from the basement... for Henry and Meg to color at... or play restaurant with.

Meg had other ideas for it.

Honoring Our Vets

2008-11-17T14:12:00.007-05:00

Have you thanked a Vet lately?

To honor our Vets, Maddie's 4th grade class invited the veterans in their lives to participate in a celebration at their school on Veteran's Day. They were asked if they would like to share their experiences with the class, in small groups... and the kids had made apple pies to share with their guests. Maddie invited her Grandpa Ken, who was in the Navy... so Grandpa and Mya came up for the celebration.

The pie was great, and everybody had a good time. Especially Maddie, who was thrilled to have her Grandpa there just for her to share with her friends.

That night, we all went down to the Veteran's Memorial Park in Belmont, where Maddie's class sang the National Anthem, with bells and all. The memorial service was very nice... and very cold! But well worth it.
The 4th grade class.

The Vets.

Grandpa Ken sharing his photos and memorabilia from his Navy days.

4-year-old logic.

2008-11-10T23:44:00.008-05:00

So Henry and I were reading "Peter Pan" for bedtime and our conversation goes like this:

Henry: "Mom, why does Captain Hook have a hook and not a hand?"

Me: "I think a crocodile bit-off his hand, so now he has a hook instead."

after a long pause....
Henry says, "Did he used to be called 'Captain Hand'?"

I started laughing: "Uh, I don't know Henry... but that makes sense."

And then Henry realized he made a funny... now we both crack-up just walking around the house saying "Captain Hand".

The Force was with us.

2008-11-03T11:03:00.009-05:00

Maddie, Henry and Meg are all becoming experts at begging for candy from the neighbors. Our temps were in the high 50s, so the weather was perfect for haunting around the block. Maddie created her own Hippie costume, complete with a homemade, fringy vest. Henry was the fiercest, 4-foot Darth Vadar around with his red "light saver". Meg also channeled the force as Princess Leia. I was (according to Henry) "just a girl Jedi"... so he had someone to sword-fight with. We were accompanied by my neighbor Amy and her dog Tommy, who was a barking pumpkin. Dad handed-out candy and drank beer. We definitely went the distance and everyone was thoroughly exhausted that night. They slept soundly and dreamt of all their candy, I'm sure.

political sidebar.

2008-10-30T11:05:00.008-04:00

WTF. Please if you're sick of all the political sludge oozing around, just raise your hand right now at your computer.

Thank you... I feel your pain.

This was the headline posted today on Yahoo! News:

"Bono: World has a stake in upcoming US election"

I find this disturbing on many levels.
1. Rockstars who speak at humanitarian award dinners hosted by Starbucks have all the answers.
2. Bono is a proven philanthroper, but not a US citizen. He's from Ireland. So, he should just shut-up and keep giving his money to Africa, because they really need it.
3. Sadly, I read the news from a source that's named after a cowboy expletive, and care enough to comment.
4. And apparently, the US controls the world... ergo, as a US citizen, my vote can send mankind into a downward spiral. Or not.

No pressure.

fall walk

2008-10-15T19:05:00.002-04:00

here we are out on a little walk enjoying the fall colors.

apple pickin'

2008-10-14T13:57:00.005-04:00

Just picking some good Michigan apples. The kids loved it and I think they ate more apples that day than ever before.
Maybe we'll do it again this weekend...

Grand Haven Beach

2008-10-14T13:54:00.003-04:00

Maddie strolling the beach at Grand Haven... on a Girl Scout outing with Mom.

new photos to stare at...

2008-09-23T11:36:00.004-04:00

Maddie turns 10.

pics from our 12th-anniversary/winery weekend.

Henry and Meg at the park.

send 'em off!

2008-09-04T11:25:00.001-04:00

Henry's 1st day of Assumption Preschool

Maddie's 1st day of 4th grade.

The big 1.

2008-09-01T22:21:00.005-04:00

Meg turned 1 while we were on vacation up north in Leelanau. She got to spend her first birthday touring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park, opening presents, and walking her new baby-doll around in her new doll-stroller. Little Margaret is quite the big girl now with her teeny purse, bow in her hair and pink walking shoes.

She did top-off her day with a nice, big piece of Birthday cake, most of which did go in her mouth. She knows the good stuff is not to be wasted.... that's my girl.

another mermaid in the family.

2008-07-22T10:45:00.002-04:00

meg LOVES the water... and had a lot of fun with Maddie and Henry at the beach yesterday.

just call him Hank.

2008-07-16T21:43:00.015-04:00

So, T-ball has begun.

Granted, this is a class for 3-5 year olds, but Henry is taking it very seriously. He's excited to finally be on a "team". Have a real coach who's a cool, college guy and not just a lady like his mom. He's learning how to throw a baseball, field & catch with his glove and run the bases and bat while wearing a helmet.

And he's lovin' every minute of it.

You never know, maybe someday he'll earn the name "Hank", the name of all great ball players. But he can just be our Henry too, and that's just fine by me.

some summer pics

2008-07-12T20:58:00.005-04:00

after her school's Field Day...

Kids in the sprinkler...

Maddie at camp...

S.S. Badger - Big Ship. More Fun.

June. Where did it go?

2008-07-11T16:50:00.003-04:00

Yeah, I don't know where June went, but it flew by pretty flippin' fast.
Here's the short list:
- Maddie finished 3rd grade.
- we made the trans-Lake Michigan passage via the S.S. Badger from Ludington, MI to Manitowoc, WI (http://www.ssbadger.com/newhome.aspx) Big ship, more fun.
- Cousin Dan tied the knot with his squeeze Stacey
- Gran turned 60.
- Maddie was deposited in South Bend for Notre Dame girls Basketball Camp
- We bought a new '08 Dodge Caravan (my dream of further mini-van ownership has been fulfilled)
- Maddie experienced a 3-day overnight bible camp. Ned Flanders was the camp director there.
- Meg started day care in the Wobbler's room (since my workload picked up tremendously)
- Saw the Whitecaps play after an hour rain delay. Kids had fun though.
- Greg logged 90+ miles on his bike (go G!)
- I officially became a Girl Scout leader for Maddie's 4th grade troop
- more stuff happened... but I can't type forever here.

July? a blur thus far.

Tour de Leelanau

2008-06-04T09:33:00.011-04:00

Greg and I always wondered why everyone goes "up North"... and now we know. Our Memorial Day weekend was driven by curiosity, more specifically a European-style bike road race, The Tour de Leelanau.

Being the cycling enthusiast, Greg always wanted to see a real road race, and I thought it was just a good idea for everybody to get out of town. So we got ourselves a hotel room at Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City for two nights and took a mini-vacation. (we surprised the kids when we got there) Of course, the kids loved Great Wolf (their camp-style bunk bed room with their own TV and the water park just down the hall) and we all had fun driving around Leelanau county watching the bike race at various points, cheering them along. We also got a taste of the countryside mixed with the maritime feel of the Lake Michigan shore.

In fact, we liked the area so much, we booked a cabin for a week in August on Lake Leelanau. Score!

We also discovered that Henry could spend all day on the beach throwing rocks into Lake Michigan, and Madeleine doesn't like to watch bike races in the rain. Meg is easy, she likes everything. Most especially the little fountains at the water park, where she would crawl up to and get drenched head to toe. Another mermaid in the family, like her sister who also could spend all day in the water. (The best thing about the water park is that it made all the kids dog-tired. They were passed-out by 8pm.)

Tour de Leelanau... a pretty great way to begin the summer.

spring it on.

2008-05-21T10:10:00.007-04:00

an amazing variety of tulips at Meijer Gardens

Grandpa Ken showing Meg around the Gardens

Henry with his many band-aids...

happy sisters in Holland, MI

Maddie's troop bridging to Junior Girl Scouts

sugar reconnaissance.

2008-05-18T23:31:00.028-04:00

Let's just say when the Ice Cream truck visits our neighborbood, those kids are on it.

All the neighbor kids go into recon-mode when they HEAR the truck entering our subdivision a mile away. It plays the insane, repetitive music of "Popeye the Sailor Man" (and as the song plays over and over and over and over... it hypes them up for their sugar buzz. Like Pavlov's little dogs.) They don't always know which direction the truck is going to come from, so they send out the older kids on their bikes, as scouts. Somehow gaining an organizational force of a small infantry unit, they comb the surrounding streets, hunting down their source of sugar.

When the truck's position is located, they report back and wait.

As it turns the corner (approaching at a glacial pace), they descend upon it like locusts, shrieking and wielding their dollars, knowing that in moments their planning and waiting and excitement will have paid off.... for a frozen, sugary treat.

The Truck still delivers the tried and true: push-ups, bomb-pops, Mickey-mouse ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches, snow-cones and sundae cups with the wooden-spoon-thingy. Nothing too fancy or special. Just fabulous in itself, because you tracked it down and bought it with the money you earned, or begged Mom for... (not that Mom doesn't have a whole box of ice cream bars in the freezer. Maybe I should just hand them out through the window of my mini-van for dramatic effect...)

And for about 10 minutes, my kids get along, and eat in jubilant-peace. Probably plotting what kind of treat they're going to choose the next time the Truck comes 'round.

lil' stinker.

2008-04-28T16:11:00.005-04:00

Well, I thought I'd be a safety-conscious mom and install a baby gate at the bottom of our stairs, because at 8-months of age, Meg can climb to the top of the stairs if we let her. And now that the gate is up, she's still insisting on getting up on those stairs. See exhibits A and B above (on two separate occasions). And once she's kneeling on there, she yells up the staircase as if to say, "who put this here? I once was able to explore these parts freely..."

Also, when someone leaves that gate open, she's quick as anything to get over there and begin her ascent. To top that, Meg is also walking along the couch and anything she can support herself on. So I'm thinking she'll be taking some steps by herself very, very soon.

a heathen no more.

2008-04-17T00:41:00.006-04:00

Just a quick update from this past weekend. Meg received the Sacrament of Baptism at our church on Saturday. Ray and Danielle made the trip out to be present as her godparents (even when their flight was cancelled at the last minute they figured out a way to get here, which involved driving from Chicago! ugh.) Also visiting the newly baptized babe were Gran, Poppa, Freddie, Mya, Grandpa, Amy, Brett, Brittany and Bev. (so, we had a full house)

Little miss Meg was all in white, and was quite attentive and mesmerized when Father Vu spoke to her in a gentle voice as he performed the Baptism. No crying at all, which was surprising since she fussed with all the new faces in our house to see her. Although Meg did enjoy tasting her uncle's beer (she tried to share her bottle with him too) and she warmed up to Danielle with some peek-a-boo. We all played a lot of board games with the kids, and ate a lot of food... so overall it was a great weekend.

And on a side note: Poppa bought Henry his first car. Henry is now revving around the front yard like its a golf course, driving the dog insane. Just replace the divets Hen.

Kirby vs. nature

2008-04-03T15:02:00.007-04:00

As the dog in the family, Kirby has it in his mind that he is king of the beasts. Ruler of all the smaller, lesser creatures in his electrical-fence kingdom. Typically, he'll sense a bunny/squirrel/large bird/mole/toad, and bark to be let out, to chase it out of the yard or under the deck. He'll bark at it some more, warning them to never return or fear his wrath. (I don't think he's ever actually killed anything, but I have seen him toss a toad once...) This is what he does. He's a dog.

But today, nature came over to laugh in his furry face. (see photo) He couldn't even muster a growl. All he could do was quiver and look at me, as if to say, "This isn't right. Why must I face this humiliation? You could let me out the front door and he'll never know what hit him..."

Ahh, Kirby. So close. Yet so far.

up with the gates!

2008-03-25T16:18:00.003-04:00

hoppy easter.

2008-03-24T15:08:00.008-04:00

well, we had a busy and fun-filled weekend. Maddie and I saw High School Musical on Ice, it was pretty cool. We made a bunny cake and Hot Cross Buns for Easter Day. Henry had a great time coloring eggs and decorating them in his own way. Meg even had some fun crawling into the Easter baskets whenever she got the chance.

egg decorating... so artsy.

Henry's 3-eyed "monster egg"

Here's Meg tearing-up the Easter basket.

I even made Hot Cross Buns. It only took a mere 4 hours to complete, but they were pretty darn good. (It inspired Greg to play the song on his recorder, if he still had it)

mmmm. bunny cake.

Mom, I'm coming to get you.

2008-03-16T22:16:00.004-04:00

Yeah. There really is no stopping her now.

Stuff about moms.

2008-03-13T09:50:00.003-04:00

This was sent to me, and I almost peed my pants. (although Greg did not find them as funny... probably because he's not a mom.) I could almost hear Henry say some of these zingers...

Why God Made Moms
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you Your mother & not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did Mom need to know about Dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because Dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.

What's the difference between Moms & Dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but Moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Amen to that! -CR

Cutie-Patootie.

2008-03-05T16:18:00.006-05:00

At 6 months, Meg is a very busy baby:
- Rolling herself into corners, and getting stuck
- Rocking on her knees
- Doing the army-crawl around the living room
- Sitting up in her high-chair
- Eating mushy fruits and veggies
- Eating her toes
- Singing to her blanket
- Flirting with the baby in the mirror
- Wrestling her toy-turtle
- Practicing her super, Kung-foo grip on our necks
- Making goo-goo eyes at Daddy
- Smiling at her big sister and brother

February update.

2008-02-27T21:47:00.016-05:00

• Meg likes the snow, as long as she is bundled up.
• Greg does not like the snow.
• We bought a snowblower.
• I went to the 3-D Hanna Montana movie with Maddie and her friend. No chance of an Oscar there.
• Henry and Greg road-tripped to Notre Dame, and Henry saw his first fencing meet.
• Maddie's team won their first basketball game... she scored 10 points, with her Hoosier side showing through.
• Henry discovered Valentine's Day, he didn't remember it from last year. "It's my first one Mom!"
• Michigan broke its record with 90+ inches of snow for this season (and winter isn't over yet)
• Henry is Star of the Week at school, he took in his "Jack Sparrow" pirate book to share.
• Meg got 2 teeth.
• Maddie went inner-tubing with her brownie troop.
• Kirby was groomed, then rolled in all the fresh snow.
• Henry completed his soccer class, now he's starting another session of the "sports sampler".
• I went to the dentist.
• Greg went into a ditch. (His car has been at the shop for almost 4 weeks.)
• Meg went to the doctor and got 4 shots.
• We signed Henry up for our church preschool starting in the fall.
• Girl Scout cookies have arrived.
• Greg and I went to Fort Lauderdale for 4 days.
• Gran, Poppa and Freddie came to watch the farm while we were away in Florida. THANK YOU!!!!

the end.

she's thinking about it...

2008-01-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

Meg is rolling around the house, scooting backwards on her back and just may be thinking about crawling. Some day in the near future.

sisters.

2008-01-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

Meg just thought it was way, too cool to hang-out with her big sister under the blanket.
They chatted for quite a while.

Arrrrrgg, parents beware!

2008-01-27T15:06:00.000-05:00

Here is Captain Henry and his crew of surly men.

So, Henry had his first big-kid party with his friends from school... the fellow pirates were: William, Jack, Calvin, Sterling, Logan, Garrett and Nicholas. (there are 2 kids missing from this photo..) I was a bit surprised to see so many kids show up, since only 5 called in their RSVP (that would be the rudeness of the parents, not the boys). Doesn't RSVP mean anything anymore??? Now I feel old for some reason. Greg had to take Maddie to her basketball game during the party (and Meg too), thank GOD that my neighbor/friend/saviour Amy came over to help me with the madness. She was so great cleaning up the kitchen and taking pictures... yea Amy!

Actually, the boys were very well behaved as much as 3-4 year-olds could be. The boys wore their bandanas, brandished their balloon swords, ran wild and played with Henry's myriad of Playmobile toys instead of having organized games. For lunch they had mac-n-cheese, chicken nuggets and fruit salad... all of Henry's favorite things. (He actually doesn't like pizza, because that would make things way too easy.) And of course he was thrilled to have a pirate birthday cake to share with his buddies. He was very gracious opening his presents, inflicting the appropriate "Awesome", "Coool" and "Oh My GOSH!" for every one of his gifts. Henry is very easy to please.

When it was over, he asked if they could all come over again tomorrow. Um, no buddy... let's wait for mom to recover.

5 month Meg.

2008-01-23T22:22:00.001-05:00

Here's our little miss smiley, round eyes, drooler, toe-pointer, gets stuck in the corner while rolling, baby sissy.

Henry turns 4.

2008-01-23T22:02:00.001-05:00

Well, Henry turned 4 this week... and he's taking it all in stride. He was so excited all day to have cupcakes, get "happy birthday" sung to him, and open presents. He was singing "happy birthday to me" all day long. After opening his presents, he happily combined them all in instant play wearing his pirate eye-patch, a Doctor's smock, holding a pirate sword and carrying a toy pager... all while zipping around the house on his new Spider-man scooter.

Birthday party with his friends is on Saturday. (Theme = pirates!) We'll see how that one goes.

p.s. I've been meaning to do a Christmas recap... but it seems so long ago now. Perhaps I will anyways.

Let the countdown begin.

2007-12-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

Here we are, less than one week till Christmas... and just about everything is ready.

All the shopping, wrapping, and baking is done. I do have to say that Henry has been quite the little helper. He peeled the tape off the roll when we wrapped presents. He decorated the cookies by shaking all the sugar toppings everywhere. He stuck the return address lables on the envelopes for the Christmas cards. And he was instrumental in picking out what went on the gingerbread house this year. Everything is "I"ll help you Mom!"... which has been nice. (Maddie was a big help too, her job was to watch Meg and kept her smiling.)

This afternoon we have Henry's class sing-along and tonight we have Maddie's school concert.

Tomorrow I need to pack, clean and check all my lists twice before we leave for Wisconsin.

visiting the Big Guy.

2007-12-04T12:49:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday we went to Greg's Christmas Party for his work, this was the family party that they have every year. It was done very well, they had it at a country club and it was well-attended. There was a clown, doing balloon sculptures, an air-brush tattoo artist, a magician and a craft area. Even the buffet was for the kids with grilled cheese sandwiches, jello, pasta, chicken fingers and french fries with an ice-cream sundae bar for dessert. There was some "adult" food, but the grilled cheese won me over. There is also a firm party for the grown-ups next weekend...

Well, needless to say, all the kids were thrilled when Santa and Mrs. Claus made an apprearance, so they could give him a list of demands and nod in agreement that they'd be good for the next few weeks.

Henry was promptly in line to see the big guy. With a big grin on his face, he asked him for a Pirate Ship. And promised that he'd be good... and he was for a few minutes until I asked him to stand next to his sisters for a photo, "No Mom, I'm going to bark like a dog over here in the corner..."

Maddie asked very seriously for "The American Girl Doll 'Nellie'"... Santa said he'd look into it.

Meg asked Santa for a nap, since she just had a bottle. I'm not sure what else she'd like, but I think that Santa can read baby's minds.

Then we spent the rest of the day decorating our Christmas tree while watching movies with the kids.

Elfed.

2007-12-04T12:37:00.000-05:00

watch the kids and Papa doing a
crazy elf-dance...

little Polish girl.

2007-11-27T15:28:00.001-05:00

Today I went to Maddie's school for her Heritage Day Festival. Each child in her third grade class picked a country of their heritage to celebrate. Maddie chose Poland.

She made a little doll showing what a Polish peasant would wear as an immigrant from the early 1900s. Her doll is also wearing a babuska. (She even looks more Polish with her plaid school uniform pants underneath.) They also wrote a report after researching their country.

Natalie (Ireland), Maddie (Poland), Eliza (Poland, and who speaks Polish!) Margarita (Mexico)

We were treated to a few international songs and dances, and were even invited to come up and dance with them! Yes, I did it too.... it was fun!

We even had a little Thanksgiving. Each child also brought a dish that represents their country. We made Polish Tea Cakes, practically everyone asked me for the recipe. Also on the menu: Polish sausage, cabbage rolls, Irish soda bread, cheeses, German chocolate cake, potato pancakes, leek soup, shortbread cookies, pecan cookies, sauerbraten, homemade tortillas, pazzelles and many other good things I can't remember.

I'm so glad that Maddie invited me, I really enjoyed their performance and treats! This was a pretty cool project for the kids, even though it was a lot of work. I'm sure they learned more by tasting/singing/dancing and wearing their heritage, than by just reading about it.

turkey day.

2007-11-27T09:22:00.001-05:00

So, we had our own little turkey day here in Rockford.

Gran, Poppa and Fredddie came over from Waukesha to stay for a few days and help us celebrate. They arrived on Tuesday, and helped me hunt down the right kind of sausage for the stuffing, and cook & bake all the traditional fare that were requested for our feast. We pulled-out the good china and even had namecards made by the kids and Gran. Everything was delicious (of course!) and we enjoyed our full-bellies after our three desserts. (pumkin pie, pecan pie and apple-caramel cake). We even had visitors, our neighbors Brett and Amy joined us for dessert(s).

An in a sad turn of events for the weekend, my Grandmother passed away on Saturday. My folks left early to make arrangements and I will be traveling this week for the funeral on Thursday.

helping dad.

2007-11-18T09:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we finally decided to do some leaf clean-up (we weren't really putting it off, since fall came late this year.) We had an amazing amount of leaves in our yard for not having any trees actually on our property. (Blowing them back into our neighbor's yard did come to mind, but they were out raking too.)

So Greg got to use one of his favorite outdoor appliances, the leaf blower. Not only does our leaf blower "blow", it also "sucks" like a vacuum. And yesterday it really sucked because it broke, which left Greg to use his least-favorite tool, the rake. And for the short time that it was working, Henry would stand in front of it with all the blowing leaves, running through the leaf piles, hindering progress and having a whole lot of fun.

After all was done, a sense of accomplishment was reached. Then we enjoyed a family trip to the grocery store to shop for dinner which Maddie picked out of an Emeril cookbook that Greg got at the library for her. Since she's been fickle about dinner lately, we suggested that SHE choose some recipes that she would like to try and help cook them. She chose Chicken Parmesan and a Cinnamon-walnut Shortbread for dessert. Both were easy to make and were delicious. She declared that she LOVED them, even though she "doesn't like" cheese or nuts. Naturally, if I had made Chicken Parmesan, we would have heard "ick". Small victory for us, since sometimes dinner can be a battle.

Meg @ 12 weeks

2007-11-15T10:27:00.000-05:00

here's Meg... wide-eyed and ready to go. She has a little runny nose, but otherwise all happy.

rock on.

2007-11-12T15:50:00.000-05:00

Henry has a "gym" class at the YMCA every Monday morning... its a Sports Sampler class that lets the kids try different things, before you sign them up for soccer and then after one practice they tell you they hate it (we've experienced this firsthand). Today's sampler: rock-climbing. True, not your typical activity, but it is the year 2007 and no one else in our household has gone rock-climbing, so this is a Ripple first for us.

He was pretty tentative at first and even said, "Mom, this is not a sport". Perhaps to dissuade me from letting him do it, or maybe he wanted to know who was winning or how you keep score or something. But he did go up a few times about 6 feet high and had fun coming down on the harness. (the whole wall was 2-stories high and one little girl was more than halfway up... she sure showed those boys how it was done!)

He ended up having fun and can't wait to do it again. They do offer a class for 3-5 year olds for rock-climbing, but can you imagine what your kids would be climbing up at home? (the banister, the bookshelves, the dresser, Maddie's loft... maybe I could permanently outfit him with a helmet.)

So next week is T-ball... something more traditional in the sampler rotation where you can keep score and get ranked among your peers.

Henry says...

2007-11-05T14:57:00.001-05:00

...on Friday AM, when we leave the house.

Hen - "Mom, why is the grass white?"

Me - "That's frost, it means that its cold outside"

H - "Cool. I like frosting. Can I touch it?"

M - "Sure Henry, go for it."

H - "Hey, its cold! I like it!"

M - "Wait until it snows."

halloween recap.

2007-11-01T10:40:00.000-04:00

Well, our luck ran out with the good October weather this week as it began to rain about 5 minutes before we went out Trick-or-treating. Luckily, both kids wore something on their heads to keep the drops off, and Henry's costume actually was like a raincoat.

We went around the block once and both kids had a blast. Meg and Greg stayed back to hand-out candy. And when we got back, we reviewed the loot and sugared-up for bedtime stories. (trades were made, as Henry cannot have gum yet. They got all good stuff with no boxes of raisins or religious literature. One neighbor even handed out those mini-cans of soda. Mmm. liquid sugar.)

My costume editorial:
Okay, our kids were a witch, a firefighter and an angel. Three great, traditional cosutmes. Right? Remember when you would go as your hero, something scary or your favorite TV cartoon character? Well, if you're over the age of 13, it now appears that whatever you can wear (or not wear in some cases) qualifies as a halloween costume. Wear your dad's boxer shorts, and nothing else. And what are you exactly? Okay son, I know you want some candy, but you needn't degrade yourself. Or wear some kitty-cat ears with a short skirt and thigh-high boots... is your hero a pole-dancer? I feel like I should be handing out condoms instead of candy... perhaps some literature on good-taste or maybe you're the one who should get the boxes of raisins, toothbrushes and pennies. (Not the little kids who have been dreaming of this night for two months.) And if you want to TP my yard in return, my border collie will herd your inappropriate excuse for Halloween mockery right out of my yard. Am I judgmental? Yes. Well then, don't come up to my door half-naked asking for food.

my little punkins.

2007-10-30T23:00:00.000-04:00

Greg took Henry and Meg to get pumpkins and apples from the farmstand this weekend. So we had some carving-time on Sunday. Henry insisted that his pumpkin be "super scary"... so it has big, pointy teeth. Maddie was very specific about all the cuts made to her pumpkin, including the vampire fangs. I gave Meg a happy, smiley pumpkin. Sorta just like her.

And some of the Honey Crisp apples became caramel apples. Yum-o, especially when topped with M&M's.

monster mash.

2007-10-27T19:22:00.000-04:00

Today Maddie and I had some good 'ol wholesome, fall fun. We headed up to our local Girl Scout camp with her brownie troop for the annual Monster Mash.

As you can see, we went on a hayride (which was jumpy/bumpy) but it was nice to be out in the woods with smell of fall leaves in the air around us. We also decorated gourds, went through their haunted house (about 5 times), had a scavenger hunt and trick-or-treating around the campgrounds. Not to mention a healthy snack of carrot sticks and celery, with ranch dip dyed red (like "blood" I suppose?) mmm... healthy.

The girls had a blast. And we proudly boasted that our troop had the most witches (I went as Professor McGonagal, so I counted too!). There were other groups with several Hannah Montanas. But as our girls pointed out, you can have several kinds of witches, but only one kind of Hannah.

Ahh, witches unite!

Meg @ 9 weeks.

2007-10-24T09:39:00.001-04:00

Meg just had her latest check-up and is doing great. She checks in at 11 lbs. 7 oz. and 22 inches long. The doctor says she eats as much as a 4-month-old... what a shocker, she is a little chow-hound.

She was also subjected to all those nasty shots. Henry did not like them hurting his baby sister to say the least. He kept telling her to be brave like he was. (he just got a flu shot on Friday) Some early sibling solidarity showing through there.

Not much else new here... getting ready for Halloween next. Although it was 75º here this weekend (thus, Meg's little shortie outfit), so it doesn't really feel like next week will be November.

attack of the spiders!

2007-10-18T17:02:00.000-04:00

This year, I was lucky enough to get a big box of spiders in the mail from my Dad. (Awww, thanks dad!)

And consequently, my porch has become their new lair. Perhaps they'll snag some whiney neighbor child in their web.

Wishful halloween thinking.

all clean.

2007-10-16T11:34:00.000-04:00

At 8 weeks, getting a bath is no longer a scary thing, but fun and relaxing for Meg. (it also gives her those cute little curls)

good-bye summer.

2007-10-12T09:11:00.000-04:00

On October 7 it was 88º here in Michigan, so we decided to make it down to our beach for the last time this season. Even Meg dipped her little toes in the lake. Can't wait for summer to come again.

fun with Jess and Max.

2007-10-11T12:39:00.000-04:00

We had a nice visit from my very good friend Jessica and her little boy Maxwell. They drove up from South Bend and spent a few days with us when Greg was out of town last week. It was great catching up and playing with the kids, since we never get to see each other anymore.

Maxwell and Meg share a birthday (he just turned one). He's a cute little guy, and we were saying how him and Henry look enough alike, that they could be related. They played together really well, and Max eagerly followed Henry around everywhere. (just like a little brother!)

We went to the zoo on Friday and enjoyed the 85º weather... and the kids got to visit the tiger and meet the new lion, brush the goats and laugh at the swimming penguins. Meg slept, and was pushed around in her carriage mostly, looking like a doll in her summer dress. Needless to say, both moms were tuckered by the time we left for home, and thankfully, so were the boys.

Hopefully we will see each other soon and let the kids run wild once again.

some good advice.

2007-10-02T22:09:00.000-04:00

So here it is. 25 cubic feet of modern refrigeration. Its almost too large to photograph.
It also came with the attached warning, "Don't place live animals in the refrigerator."

Um, thanks for the advice.

5 weeks of Meg.

2007-09-27T15:03:00.000-04:00

She's getting cheeky, don't you think?

Henry the cyclist.

2007-09-27T14:39:00.000-04:00

Henry and I have been taking his bike (and Meg's stroller) over to the bike trail in Rockford to get our exercise while the weather is still un-frozen. It's a nicely-paved trail that has playgrounds (with restrooms!) along the way that we can stop at. It even goes by a coffee shop so I can get my caffiene fix, and a cookie for Henry. As you can see, he typically zooms up ahead of us (but stops when I yell, "Henry, wait up!" or "Don't run into that nice lady!") And when there is a stop-sign, he always obeys, unlike many licensed Michigan drivers.

Its really cool to spend time with the kids like this. (Just thought you'd like to know.)

Kathy's visit: Before and After

2007-09-24T15:11:00.001-04:00

subtitle: Chicks with saws.

Okay, My very best friend Kathy came to visit this weekend. I love her for many reasons. One of them being that she'll fly across Lake Michigan just to play with my kids and hang-out with me for three days. The other is that she always lends her expert advice (and labor) on home improvement/repairs and remodeling.

On Friday, when she arrived, I was saying to her "Hey Kath, I have an idea of how I can get a bigger refrigerator into my kitchen, how much do you think it will cost me?"

And Kathy's answer was "$10 and a case of Diet Coke".

Yes, for $10 in plywood and the correct amount of caffeine, Kathy was able to remove the top cabinet above our old fridge (because, how useless is that cabinet anyways?), slide the remaining cabinetry over to the left, and re-cut the crown moulding. This will allow us to put in a new, larger fridge on the right, which we could desprately use, and which never would have fit in the old, miniscule space otherwise.

Moving the refrigerator also solves a traffic-pattern problem in my kitchen, because if someone is standing in front of the refrigerator with the door open, then nobody can get in or out of the doorway to the living room.

So, props out to Kathy, already back home by noon on Monday. (mmm, when will she return to Rockford, and I wonder which project will "pop up" then?)

And now, I get to go appliance shopping! (also, I'm totally motivated to finally remove the old wallpaper border and repaint the kitchen now that there is a void where the cabinet used to be.)

p.s. - the $10 in plywood was used to level out the gap in the hardwood flooring, since they laid the hardwood around the cabinet base that we moved. We also borrowed my neighbor's compound-miter saw for cutting the angles in the crown moulding and base trim.

The middle child.

2007-09-20T14:38:00.000-04:00

And then there's Henry. (You'd think that we didn't have another kid with the latest blogs being about the girls.) Trust me, we wouldn't forget Henry.

He's becoming the typical middle child. Sweet and sassy. Small, yet big. "Mom, I AM a BIG BOY... I don't want to get dressed by myself!" And still very charismatic and charming. He just began soccer, and does a very good job at listening and participating, so far. And he's doing great with Meg. No real outward jealousy, he usually just runs by and says "Hi, baby Meg!" and does his own thing.

"Awww", you're thinking. Right. Don't let his cute ways fool you. He's devising many tactics to make himself known around the house, one which includes him taking off ALL of his clothes. Yes, ALL of them. And he just stands there in the middle of the room. (its really hard not to laugh!)

Its the full Henry.
(sigh)
Really, laughing is the only thing to do. ;-)

To Libby Lu hell and back.

2007-09-19T15:11:00.000-04:00

Ok. Let's just say that overall, the trip to Libby Lu was entertaining and fun for Maddie.

But not for her mother.

There were several moments where you had to tell yourself that "I love my kid, and this is fun for her." And just wonder to yourself what could happen next.

Case in point:
1. Guest arriving at our house 30 min. late... which dominoed into me picking up other girls late. I hate being late. This is an omen.

2. Being stuck in traffic on the way to the mall isn't fun for the driver, but fun for the party-goers reencacting High School Musical and Hannah Montana episodes. (what should have been a 45 min. drive took and hour and a half because of the construction on the highway.)

3. Arriving late to our Libby Lu "scheduled appointment" was a nearly a disaster since they were booked for the entire day. We were "squeezed-in" for a 1 p.m. and I was given a stern look of utter distain from the platinum blonde behind the counter.

4. After completing their makeovers, Chelsea says "Mrs. Ripple, I don't feel so good" and pukes right there in the store.

5. Deciding to take Chelsea home (after giving her a Younker's bag to barf in for the car) became the longest car ride ever. The poor girl was still getting sick (yet remained glittery). I called the other parents saying that we'd be late since the other girls still needed to eat lunch, it was already 2:30.

6. Although it wasn't Maddie's first choice, we went to Corner Bar in Rockford for lunch. (who wouldn't take a bunch of 8 & 9 year-olds to a bar?) Afterward we strolled around and got some ice-cream. This was pleasant except for the fact that while goofing around, Maddie dropped her bracelet into the river, and retrieved it, so now she's wet and cold.

7. I call it a wrap and take everyone home. Please, no more for Mrs. Ripple.

We finally get home by 5:20. I announce that I'm going to take a nap.
And I didn't wake up until 1:00 a.m. to feed Meg.

Turning 9.

2007-09-14T09:41:00.000-04:00

Maddie turned 9 this week on the 12th. "Her last year in the single digits." as Greg puts it. Of course she has been nine since she's been 4, so next year she'll probably turn 15. We had a cozy, family celebration on Wednesday, with cupcakes and shrimp-poppers. Gourmet, I know. But kids don't want gourmet, they want what they like. Could that be the true definition of gourmet?

On Saturday, I'm taking her to Club Libby Lu with 4 of her girlfriends for obnoxiously-cute makeovers into cheerleaders, divas and princesses. And afterwards we are going to walk the mall and get lunch. "You gotta show off your new look mom!"

I'm taking Tylenol in advance for this one.

more Meg...

2007-09-10T19:21:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd post some photos showing all her long, dark hair... since I'm sure it will fall out soon.