M+B=E2O2

Books Kids & Photos

Someday I am going to get good at this blogging thing and post more often.  Maybe. 

I just finished reading the book Rain of Gold  by Victor Villasenor.  A group of us have created a book club and this was our first book.  It was one of the most beautiful, heart wrenching and heart warming stories I've read in a long time.  It is a nonfiction story of the author's parents.  Their stories and how the two became one.  Veronica Maria I don't know if you've read this book- but if you have not you MUST MUST read it.  You will love the stories of their childhoods in rural Mexico.  You will love the strong Catholic faith of the Mama's.  You will laugh out loud at the discussions Dona Margarita has with the Virgin Mary... Being the avid reader that you are, I'll guess you have read this but I just had to recommend it if not.  It is a story tellers story and as someone who has married into a family of Mexican heritage, I found it just so incredibly fascinating and fun!

Other bits and bites of our life

Emma started ballet last week.  She is absolutely beside herself with excitement over the whole thing.  Last Wednesday she put on her tights and leotard promptly after eating- a full 6hours before her class was to begin.  I had her change back into regular clothes but oh it was so so cute!   

Owen is preparing for his yellow belt test that will be on September 17th.   He has been taking Tae Kwon Do for nearly 10 months now and this will be his first formal testing.  He seems to be well prepared for it, he knows his philosophy, his forms and he is very attentive and focused in class.  When I was having a really really tough week last week with the kids (review my tweets on Twitter) I did tell him that this test was on the line for him.  behavior at home is as important as in the studio and the instructors really try to impress that upon the kids.  He would have to wait until December to test if I do not allow him this time.  He has made vast improvements (as have the rest of my crowd of kids) so it is looking like he will test as planned. 

My princess Olivia has a smoker's pack-a-day voice.  It showed up in the first days of July and has not left.  We saw an ENT a few weeks ago just to make sure all was ok.  It is.  She just talks too much.  *sigh* as if I needed a diagnosis to tell me that! 

The kids gymnastic teacher talked to me again about Evan.  When he first started there a year ago she was floored by some of his barely 3 year old abilities.    She really wants me to consider switching him to the Boys Academy so he can start learning more.  The age range there starts at 5.5 years (he is not quite 4.5) but she says he can do every thing that any of the kids there can do, along with a few other skills.  She really wants the "Accelerated Team" coach to see him.   That  group usually starts at 6.  He is very naturally athletic.  He seems to be one of those people that can just do sports.  He throws very well, runs very naturally and fast, and has the hips of his Latin father! But he is just 4.  For now we are going to continue in our low key, lots of fun, all kids together gymnastics class.  Come January, as he is on the closer side to 5 I will reassess our schedule and see about putting the boys on the boys team, Emma on the girls and figure out what to do with Olivia.   

I had a breakdown of sorts last week.  The kids seemed out of control, I felt more anger than happiness and I was just plain frustrated.  At the peak of it all I went into the kids rooms and cleared them out.  Everything but books went into bins and bags and into the attic.  Downstairs I left only the blocks, Lego's and other building materials.  I also took away all screen time.  Today is the day they are supposed to get screen time back.  We'll see.  I have really loved the difference in them the last few days.  Or maybe it is the difference in me? 

here are a few pictures of our recent adventures:

Evan using the camera

Me, My mom, Friend C, and sister heading to a wedding

Ben & Me with our goodest of friends C & G! (at the home of the Uncle of the bride in beautiful Carlsbad- breathtaking views!)

The beautiful bride (whom I used to babysit!)

Her Man  (both of these photos were taken as they were listening to her uncle sing a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria)

Academic chess at our Not Back to School Day at the park

Sharpie Tie Dying at NBTSD

Ice Blocking at NBTSD

 

 

An afternoon of sailing

Labor Day Luau

Book Tag

Ok Jenny I couldn't help myself on this one......

Book tag! Here are the rules...

• *Pick up the nearest book.
• *Turn to page 123.
• *Post the 5th sentence.
• *Tag 5 other people.

I picked up Laughing Boy by Oliver La Farge. 

"You, my friend, you must come."

I think that means that The Maxwell's need to visit us in Cali again!!!

So anyhow if you think this is fun consider yourself tagged...

I can't easily add an image of the book like Jenny did-  I'd have to copy it from somewhere, put in on my bucca (computer in Olivia-speak) and then upload it.  way too much work for someone as lazy as me.(see I couldn't even bother to press shift and capitalize my sentences.)

Mystery History

I've been reading The Hardy Boys books to Owen.  we are on the 3rd book now.  I never read them as a kid.  I never even read Nancy Drew.  I 'm not sure why though, being a detective was my hears desire form several years as a kid.  I devoured a series called "The Trixie Belden" books.  Same premise as The Hardy Boys  and Nancy Drew. There was another series I loved too along the same lines.  I think it was Meg something.  I want to say Ryan but we all know that's just not it! LOL!  I'm willing to bet I have one packed away somewhere in the garage.  I'll let you know someday if I remember.

Back to the Hardy Boys. Did you now that those books started back in 1927? That's the copyright date  in the first one anyway.  Really you wouldn't know that based on the Hardy's world.  Not really.  There is  a sweet innocence in them that is not in books like Goosebumps or the like. 

There are references to cars- Chet, one of the Hardy's chums, has a jalopy.  The boys each have a motorbike.  In the second book another chum has a small motor boat.  Missing from the books are computers, cell phones etc. but short of that it might be a couple of boys in any given time period. 

I love that the boys call each other fellows, that they refer to a girl as a favorite gal, and that they go for picnics and ice cream.  Now some of the huge clues that it is not set in todays world are things like the 17 & 18 year old boys are looked upon as helpful by the local police- they even are asked to help at times.  Their dad is a hot shot detective and that's all the credential they need to help solve a crime.

Like I said, they have a sweet innocence about them, yet they have enough suspense and action to keep  you turning the page. I see why they've been around and done so well for so long. Owen loves them. Evan tolerates them for now, he's a bit too young, so I read him a book of his choice before reading to Owen.  He listens though, mostly. 

Cook book giveaway

I don't often enter contests- but I'm a sucker for books and especially cookbooks. This one looks especially yummy.  I you are interested in making my chances to win more difficult trying to win too, go enter this week at molly-coddled.com

From the Publisher

Make room on your kitchen shelf-our biggest, most complete cookbook ever is here!

The Taste of Home Cookbook is jam-packed with over 1,200 family-favorite, classic recipes… plus all the cooking basics, practical tips and how-tos you’ll need to make every meal a guaranteed winner.

You’ll find over 300 main dishes alone, like succulent “Honey-Ginger Barbecued Ribs.” Hundreds of desserts are included, too, along with appetizers, sides, salads and more.

This sturdy hardcover, 5-ring binder book has 676 pages with more than 1,300 full-color photos! 9-1/8″ x 10″.

I'm done

I actually finished on Monday morning, but I have not (as usual) been able to get here.  I won't write any spoilers here but anyone who has finished DH (not your husband or mine- Deathly Hallows!) and wants to comment on it feel free to email me!   I ended up going to one of the release parties Friday night- my FIL pre-ordered the book but has yet to read ANY in the series so for the price of a coupla Captian and OJ's  we had h is book in our hands first thing Saturday morning.  We read all day Saturday then went and got the audio version because it was just too much for me to do it all in one weekend!  Sunday we took a break to go to a birthday party, then read (listened) non stop except to put the kids to bed. WE had to call it quits at 2 am.  I finished reading it before the kids got up Monday morning and Ben took the last CD to work and finished it in the car. 

I am now reading book 5 again (I started it again last week) WE saw the movie and I am keen to se what was left out.  Then I think I will start the whole series over again. 

Yes I am a nut.

Here Goes

I have (I hope) a bit of time to post.  Evan's still asleep though so this may change if he gets up and demands my attention. :-) 

Owen woke with a tummy ache- he is quite dismayed over it- he really wants to goto gymnastics today.  His buddy T was not in class last week, and even though we played at the beach with him yesterday he is very upset at the thought of not seeing him in class today.  Yeah he must be sick!

The lat two weeks Emma, Owen and Evan have been doing Swim Camp (really it is just lessons, but the program calls it "camp").   Owen was a little stressed at the thought of it-  he is definitely Ben's son.  When I first met Ben I used to tease him about how much he worried.  I'd never met someone who worried as much as him.  Now I have!  Owen just worries and worries about things. However with just a slight push, he moves forward and gets through what ever it is that he's worried about.  After minutes in the pool he was so happy to be there!  He told me when he got out that he loved swimming more than even sailing.  Sailing was the previous Sundays worry.  I took him out in a sabot and with in minutes he proclaimed his love of sailing.  Anyhow, back to swimming.  The class is more for fun imo and not one that really pushes the kids to reach the next level.  I knew that going and and am pleased with the ultimate outcome.  Both big kids can swim on their own and Evan was at least not terribly upset by the second week.  He mostly sat on the steps, but by the second week he'd let the pretty instructores take him out.  The big kids teacher is a guy Ben went to school with-  We've know him for years- so it was fun having them in Fred's class.  Yesterday was the last day and on Wednesday Fred told them they'd get to go off the diving boards.  Owen worried all Wednesday night.  When the time came however he  and Emma both marched out to the end of the 1m board and with out hesitation jumped in to Fred.  Emma was sooo proud of herself with each jump!  She has no fears that she voices, adn she is a fish in the water- she LOVES swimming.  After several jumps Owen noticed that there were littler kids than him going off the high dive (3m).  he took a trip up to the top of the ladder and then changed his mind, did another jump off the 1m board and then went straight to the 3m board walked out and jumped.  Very little hesitation!  He wanted to go again, but time was up.  I don't think I could be any more proud of him right now!!  Emma had no desire to do the high dive, and that is fine with me!  I love how much she loves the water and how good she is in it.  Evan came and watched the big kids do their jumps then was sad that he couldn't go back in the water when they were done.  He's so darn stubborn, he actually knows how to swim, but just didn't want to do it unless I was in the water.  So he just refused to do anything cooperative.  *sigh*  Oh well at least he sat on the steps with out fussing.  I am planning on signing them up for the fall class. it is just a couple days a week. 

What else....

Last weekend Ben had a conference in Carlsbad at a very lovely resort.  My parents came out and took charge of all 4 kids and Ben and I went all by our lonesome!! It was heavenly.  We left Friday around 11am and drove straight to a movie theater in Carlsbad. LOL!  We say a 4pm showing of Harry potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  It was AWESOME!  Both the movie itself and the very act of going to a movie!!  I did like the move a lot, I am now reading OOTP again to see what bits were left out.   This brings me to Book Seven- we are counting down the minutes!  Neither of us are gong to any of the book parties or anything, but I will be getting the book first thing Saturday morning, we plan to read it (me out loud to him) as much a s possible Saturday, then Sunday afternoon Ben's mom will be watching the kids to give us a few uninterrupted hours of reading.  Until the book is done, I will not be turning on a computer, TV or opening the newspaper.  I do NOT want this book spoiled for me.  I plan on cherishing every moment.  That means I won't be posting here again for a bit- I know my frequent updates keep you all going, but you'll just have to wait for a while!! LOL!!!  I spent most all day Saturday in the Spa area.  The "treatments'' were waaaaaay out of budget, but you could get a day pass for a reasonable price, so that's what I did.  it was very peaceful.  Next year we plan on taking the kids.  The  resort is super family friendly and I know the kids will have a Blast!!!  There are watersides, a spray park area, beach entry pool with a giant sand box area.  There is a kids club day camp or night camp so we can still have some alone time if we want and the kids room looks FUN.  I'm glad we had this year to ourselves though. 

My garden is Wild.  It is  is crazy wild.  The pumpkins would take over the entire yard if I didn't keep turning the vines back into themselves.  We have at least 10 pumpkins going, one if them is already huge.  We've been eating cucumber almost daily and I don't see and end in sight.  We've had one post of green beans and I just picked another colander full of them- I expect to pick at least 2 more.  Crazy I tell ya.  The tomatoes- OMG the tomatoes.   There are well over 100 of the green suckers on the two plants.  I don't know what I'm going to do with them all.  Salsa anyone?  I make a mean salsa- (ok disclaimer here- I can make it but it is MIL's secret recipe that I uses so she gets the credit there!)   

School.  I can't say that I envy any of you that are "starting" up right now.  The kids are just flying along, learning things at the most unexpected times.  In the car they are always learning things.  A favorite game lately is guessing if I'll turn Left or Right.  My car has a digital compass in the rear view mirror and that is something the kids are always looking at.  They are all really developing a sense of direction- always trying to figure out which way we will be heading next. 

We also cross a bridge often that is near an estuary.  Even Olivia shouts out "estuary" as we cross over.  The two big kids know what it is exactly the other two just know that it is an estuary! 

I've really gotten much more comfortable with our unschooling-ness.  I really feel strongly that my biggest objective in these younger years is to teach them manners, respect, how to behave in the real world and how to get along and play with one another and others they are with.  Any academics learned is a bonus.  It is amazing how often those bonuses happen too!  In chatting recently with my neighbor who has been a teaching for years I was given  more kudos for our methods.  She currently teaches Kindy and said if she could do it her way she'd do much of what I do-  exposure to all the basics(colors,numbers,abcs shapes), lots of reading,  arts, music and physical activity.  Lots of exploration and imaginative play.  No phonics or teaching kids how to read- unless they are asking for it, unless they are ready.  In public schools today kids are expected to read a a much earlier age than in the past.  Most kids, boys especially, are not developmentally ready to do it.  Being a lover of books and reading, I want my kids to love it too.  I did not become a fluid reader until the 3rd grade.  Until that point I struggled a bit,  teacher notes in my report card  make comment on how dismal my reading was.  By 5th grade I was reading Macbeth and Oliver Twist.  I remember both times of my life.  I remember HATING to read.  I don't remember when it "clicked".  I expect it just did at some point.  I see it happening all the time as Owen works his way through words.  He is teaching himself to read slowly.  Words that befuddled him several moths ago he can read with ease now.  If his journey to reading takes as long as mine I will be happy - I want him to have the same love- especially because he loves to hear stories so much. His MP3 player is filled to the brim with stories! any how, bottom line- we're happy in our educational methods at this time!!!

I mentioned sailer a bit ago- we've joined a local yacht club and it has been sooooo great!  We do not have and do not plan on getting a boat anytime soon-  it will be several years at best.  The club is family friendly, well established and has a great youth program.  I know many people there from my childhood, we had a sailboat for years.  The Club has  Friday night dinners, they serve food Fri-Sunday.  Sunday they have free food set out- really good stuff too.  It is a private facility so the kids are in an enclosed safe area.  We bought them life jackets and they are not allowed to go on the docks with out them.  I am looking forward to creating many memories with my family there!

Ok time to head to class- have to drop Owen off at the IL's, he ended up throwing up. 

I'll try to come back soon.  Once the book has been read. 

Poor Kid

Poor Olivia is sick.  I noticed that she might be getting sick on Sunday at my MIL's house.  We had a yummy BBQ over there with lots of family for Mother's Day.  Monday morning her eyes were glassy and a little poofy, but otherwise she was ok.  Not even very cranky.  I gave her tylonol just in case- she seemed a little warm.  In the wee hours of Tuesday morning however, things changed.  She developed that lovely barking seal cough the means one thing- croup.  Tuesday she was much the same as Monday. Maybe just a bit cranky though.  She seemed  for the most part, ok.  She hasn't been eating much though which makes me think that her throat is sore.  Last night she woke up often, barking and crying.  Poor little thing.  I just got back from the doctor (I LOVE our ped!!!).  He recommended a steroid shot- which we did.  It should bring her some breathing relief.  We go back to see him next week for  Evan's well kid, Olivia's well baby, and Emma's mid year blood work. 

Ben got me a couple of  amazing gifts for Mother's Day.  One I asked for the other I would have never dreamed of asking for.  Both should help me lose weight.  I got part one on Saturday at Costco.  I have myself my very own ipod now! Yay!  I've already put a few books on it (Freakonomics is what I am currently listening to- fascinating book!!) I now need to get music on it that makes me want to move, because gift #2 is a Spin Cycle- It arrives by Fed Ex any time between now and 5pm.  I have totally given up going to the gym, it is too difficult with the kids- plus they got sick every time we went.   The Gym membership will get canceled  and class will be held in my garage from now on.  I am really, really excited about it.   I also recently got a used Phil & Ted's e3 stroller on eBay- in orange, so I can  start walking again with the kids.  It was just too hard with Evan before, he would just start lagging after 1/2 a mile or so.  Now he can ride or walk, Olivia loves it and Emma, Owen and I get a good workout.  We walked about a mile yesterday, then went to a new park across the street from our housing tract.  There I was able to sit and watch the kids, look at the harbor, drink a Caramel light coffee from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and listen to my ipod.  Does it get any better?  hmm well a non light coffee would have been tastier but it is probably more calories than the 1 mile walk. 

On the walk home Owen and I had on interesting discussion.  Ironically it was about Hitler and the holocaust.  Guess I should have kept Paper Clips a bit longer.    It started because the 3 big kids all did a Hitler-like salute on the corner while we waited for the light to change.  I asked them what they were doing  and they said they were being the Statue of Liberty.  I told them they needed to make it look like they were holding a torch.  I briefly debated telling them about Hitler and his salute, then decided to go with the teachable moment and see where it lead.  Emma and Evan were not interested.  Owen, however, was very much so.  I have a feeling I'm going to have to study up on my history, particularly the history of war.  He loves hearing about battles.  So for the next 15 minutes or so I told him about Hitler and WWII.  I kept it as simple as I could, but honest.  He asked many questions.  "Is Hitler in Hell?" being one. I'll have to tell my dad about Owen's interest in war and history, my dad is very knowledgeable in that department.  I enjoy history, but I can't remember details too well. I think I'll be listening to some history and recording the History channel so I can keep up with my O.

The bike just arrived-  Olivia is napping, I have blogged.  Guess I need to go for a spin!