I wasn't sure I was going to make it through Halloween, especially since it began October 1st at our house. But we did it!
With the time change occuring after Halloween this year, we started trick or treating by daylight. In less than an hour, the sun went down, and everything was at least 10 times scarier.
"Let's skip the rest of the houses, and go home," suggests Vinny.
Fall Festival at Vinny's school happens about one week before Halloween. The senior Harry Potter went wandless because, "they aren't allowing weapons."
"I'm sure a wand would be fine," I assure him. "A wand isn't really a weapon."
"Mom, everyone knows a wand is a weapon," says Vinny.
We could all learn a lot from kids. They take pleasure in the simple things like digging holes, WITHOUT SHOVELS. Whereas, for me just looking at this picture is starting to make my back hurt.
"Look what I brought back for you," says my Mom, upon returning from a Las Vegas AARP convention.
"I'm not reading it," I say.
I don't read many parenting books, so why would I read a book on Parenting my Parent? I'm already pretty good at that, according to my Mom.
Is she really worried about me taking care of her, in her old age? Because if she is, she probably should have brought me a better gift. Besides, she got the book for FREE.
"Hey Vinny, I have a new book for you to read!" I say.
I fall in love easily, but even I'm surprised how fond I am of this little guy. Praying Mantis, named for his prayer like body position, is so cute and adorable. Some species of Praying Mantis can even rotate there head up to 300 degrees.
"So we can get one, right," ask all three boys.
"No, no, no!" I say.
Good thing my crushes are fleeting and short lived.............
Briar chillin' in the tree waiting for some dogs to pass by.
I love hanging out with Briar, and of course his person, too. But Briar and I are kindred spirits. He enjoys being outdoors as much as I do. I get so much joy watching him explore.
The part I love about Briar the most, is the effect he has on people. Astonishment fills all who see him walking on the beach and hiking in the forest, or playing high school volleyball.
"What is that cat doing here?!"
"Is that your cat?!"
"Wow, a cat hiking in the forest, how cool!"
"Does he really follow you?"
Yes it's very cool and he really does follow us.
In fact, Briar is so cool he's on twitter now. What does Miley Cyrus know anyways? Twitter isn't some contest about amassing millions of fans, and then quitting. Twitter is all about connecting with real people, or in this case, a cat.
I've been out of Trader Joe's Kosher Sandwich Pickles for a week. A sandwich is NOT a sandwich without these delicious pickles. Sometimes, I even wrap a pickle around a piece of chicken for a mid day snack.
Surfing in freezer water is probably considered strenuous exercise. I stay busy, by catching lots of waves, because I don't like going to the gym.
After a surf, I boost my immune system with Emergen-C, an electrolyte, vitamin C and B powdery mixture. (Mix packet with glass of water) Just in case, the article in the New York Times is right.
The waves were pretty good today. Enough waves for everyone and then some.
This surfer was bummed to have his session end with, NOT one, BUT TWO flat tires. Does any car have two spare tires???? NO!
His tires were flattened by a fellow surfer for some lame reason. Because there isn't a good reason to let the air out of some one's tires, ever.
"Wow, that's really lame," I say.
"Yeah," says the surfer.
"Why would someone flatten your tires?" I ask.
"I dropped in on a guy out there," he admits. (Dropped in: means to cut off surfer who has the right of way.)
"Did you apologize?" I quiz trying to make sense of the lash out.
"Yeah, I did," he says.
Like I tell my kids to use their words, surfers need to use their words to work out their differences, instead of resorting to physical violence. Surfers play on one of the best playgrounds ever created, maybe it's time we all learn to share and take turns.
If surfers can't get along what hope is there for the rest of the world?
"Hello, my name is Honey Crisp," says the apple. "I'm the best apple money can buy. And you're going to need a lot of money if you buy me without fertilizers or pesticides."
These apples make other apples look, taste mushy and soft. I like my apples like I like my men, hard, crisp and slightly tart.
The book is a terrific, wildly popular, kids' book. The way I see it is, the movie was made for grown ups who loved the book as children. "Wild Things," isn't for MY kids, wild as they may be.
How do I know this, if I haven't seen the movie? Is it because I'm psychic? Well, it started with that. I could tell from the previews it might not be appropriate for MY kids.
Then there's the PG rating. PG stands for parental guidance, which means if I take MY kids to this movie, there will be some, "'splaining to do Lucy!"
Next, there's my movie scout, who has actually seen "Where The Wild Things Are." Here's what he had to say about his movie experience. (Oh and he doesn't have kids.)
"Children were crying the entire time, totally surreal. Kids were taken out constantly, but some kids were stuck there with stupid parents."
He loves the movie (and the book). His review sealed the deal for me, "no kids." After all, there are lots of great movies out there, that are inappropriate for MY kids.
"So, "Where The Wild Things Are," is a kids' book, but not a kids' movie?" asks Vinny in dismay.
Visual cue, the Ear Grab, means use your inside voice.
My husband has a LOUD, booming voice. I'm sure this serves him well, most of the time, when he needs to be heard over a sea of middle school kids.
However, in our house his voice is providing the equivalent of a complete training course in LOUDNESS. In other words, because he is the role model for our kids, he has role modeled LOUDNESS to them.
Yes, I live with three noisy boys. Usually for me this isn't a problem, I just put my ear plugs in, or listen to my MP3 player and I'm happy. But I tend to miss a lot of the conversation.
Obviously LOUD Training can work against a kid in public. And as many times as I utter, "Gio use your inside voice," his decibel level always goes right back up to LOUD, after two or three sentences.
Tired of saying "lower your voice," with zero success, I consulted an expert in the matter, Miss Mary Ann, from MY Romper Room. (I didn't know there were other hosts of Romper Room.)
Anyways, Miss Mary Ann recommended a visual cue, such as grabbing my ear when Gio is talking LOUD.
"You need to explain to him when he talks LOUD it hurts your ears," says Miss Mary Ann. "And when you grab your ear, it means he's talking LOUD."
Well, Internet, I'm happy to report the visual cue is working! It took about a week to notice a difference. The great thing about a visual cue, is I can use it from across the room, especially YELLING across the room for Gio to lower his voice, would be counter productive.
Give it a try, let me know if this works on your LOUD kids.
Oh I almost, forgot this visual cue works on LOUD husbands, too!
The secret to getting kids to drink water.............
Internet, are you ready for this?
Drum roll please..............
"Mommy can I have some lemonade," asks Gio.
"Yes, of course, after you have a glass of water," I reply.
"But I don't want any water," Gio says whining.
"You don't have to drink any water," I say. "You only have to drink water if you would like some lemonade."
"Oh, okay," says Gio giving in, grabbing a glass of water.
So in review, every time my kids ask for something to drink, unless it's my coffee which they only get when my back is turned, they have to drink water first.
Period.
I never make an exception because one exception leads to a billion exceptions. And it becomes their choice to drink water or not. Then, when they make the choice they are responsible for the consequences, not me, this may be the best part of all.
We watched this 10 times in a row. I don't know what's funnier the baby Panda sneezing or the Mom's reaction. I might have to watch it 10 more times to decide which one is funnier.
I'm listening to Sugarland's new album, Gold and Green. Apparently those are Christmas colors because this, Internet, is a Christmas album.
Yes, it's seriously messing with my brain to listen to Christmas songs before, Thanksgiving Halloween. But I'm a dedicated fan and I will do anything for a fresh spoonful of sugar.
Here are the links to all 10 songs on the new Sugarland album, Green and Gold, I only got to listen to each one a few times before amazon.com started yelling at me to, "buy the darn song already!"
Yes, I'm one of the 5% who still pays for music.
My favorite track so far is #9 "Little Wood Guitar," give it a listen y'all! Have to add "Coming Home," a bluesy track (4), to my favorites list, too.
Internet I'm pinching myself, AGAIN. This property butts up to Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch in Carmel, California.
It looks like some where in Europe, not that I've ever been, but I've seen pictures. And I will probably have to go soon. Long story, but nearly all of my husband's relatives are in Germany.
It isn't that I don't want to go. It's the getting there that is hard for me. The flying in the plane forever and ever that gives me a panic attack. Besides, I really love my home. And looking at these pictures who wouldn't?
Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch, where we know Briar Kitty spent at least one night. But there are probably more nights we don't know about.
Some people may have missed this video, which I wasn't going to post, because it's freaky. But then Gio explained it to me, and it made sense after all, I think.
"What in the world is that dog doing?" I ask.
"He's attacking his leg, because it's (the dog's leg) trying to take his bone," explains Gio.
And off we went to the beach, one of my favorite playgrounds. I almost feel as if I tricked them into going. But, of course, I didn't. They love it just as much as I do. Phew!
Yesterday, my friend and I took a quick afternoon trip down the coast for a surf, though I'm sure my husband wouldn't describe six hours as quick. Thank you, honey! Anyways, along the way I took some pictures.
"How many times did you pull over to take pictures?" asks Stefan.
"Only once," I say laughing. "But it didn't really count because we were stopped for road construction."
Yes, these pictures could be so much better, but all I had was my phone. Thank goodness, something is better than nothing. Besides, the driver thinks she is Speed Racer, and she was also itching to surf, so these shots actually came out half way decent when all that is taken into consideration.
But that isn't the point. The point is every day I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming up this beautiful place I call home. Amen.
