A.W.O.L

(Disclaimer..this post was originally written for
Sunday August 19th...but the pictures would not load
so now its a day late.)

I am happy to report that we have not fallen off the face of the planet. 

We are alive, well and still residents of this fine solar system of ours.

I will admit to being A.W.O.L from blog posting.

My excuse (and all together truth) is that it is oh so hard to

find time to sit in front of a computer when you are busy having tons of summer time fun!

I apologize to those who's sun rises and sets on the daily/weekly/monthly ramblings from our family.

I know...I know some of you folks check daily...maybe even hourly for posts about our household. 

We love you all but if that is the case...you need a better hobby....or just come live with us for a while..

Trust me...you won't have the time to check here for new photos and hilarious words of wisdom.

So since my minutes are numbered,  not only do I have to help run a household

but this electronic device I am typing on has been reserved later tonight

for a fantasy football draft....

I really better get on with it.

Tonight is suppose to be a night of Sunday blues for me

(its not the fantasy draft as most people would think)

Tomorrow I start work.

Seems early right?

Yeah, its an extra training and it means that this is it.

Full time work from now until June 2013.

(with a few breaks of course)

While we have been missing in action we have had many days

of laughter and family time.

Here are some photos from a family trip up north
and a friend trip to a waterpark.

 Enjoy!

 

 

 

D.O.T

Dear Department of Transportation,

     When the pretend play of young children mimics what they experience on EVERY major road in our area you know there is a problem.  Please...please...for the sake of these young impressionable children don't taint their opinions of our fine state and all it has to offer by holding them hostage within their vehicle.  Also it would be a great public service if you could spare the sanity of the adults traveling within the family vehicle.  The alternating torture of mind-numbing children's music and sibling bickering is enough to drive any reasonable individual over the edge.  In closing, please examine the attached photo carefully and think of those young ones who now believe one lane on the road is for cars...and the other construction vehicles.

                                                                                                 Sincerely,
                                                                                                   One Mini-Van Mom

P.S.  This photo is not a set-up.  It's the real deal.  Please give us a break! (pun intended)

                                                                                                     

One of the many reasons...

that I love this boy...

is that he has the amazing ability to make us laugh

without even trying.

case in point:

The other day I finally gave in and laid on the couch

to be his patient for a little doctor's office pretend play.

Like many families we have one of those play doctor's kits

equipped with the basics.

It's going to be hard to portray the story here as I can't

write out his facial expressions.

I am hoping the words are enough.

Sam:  "Mom hold still while I check your heart"

(using stethescope around his neck and not in his ears)

listen...listen...listen

Sam: "Be quiet I am listening to your heart!"

listen...listen...listen

Sam: (eyes scrunched real serious-like)

"Yep, Mom your heart it has a bad throat.

A real bad throat from eating too much breakfast!"

note to self...maybe this is the new description for heartburn??

Sam:  "Mom, now look at me.

I want to check your eyes!"

look...look...look

Sam: "Ooo Mom, you have something in your eyes!"

Me: "Oh really?  What do you think it is?"

Sam: (again eyes scrunched real serious-like)

"It looks like you have peanuts in there Mom!"

I struggled not to burst out laughing when

from the peanut gallery across the room (pun intended)...

Natalie: "Mom you don't have a penis.  You are a girl!"

Me: "I know Nat, he said I have PEANUTS!"

pause...pause...pause

Natalie: (as she comes running)

"Oh, can I have some?"  : )

___________________________________________________________________

When trying to take his photo today

I asked him to give me some of his different faces.

This is what I got...

 

silly

sad

mad

and this is what I got when I asked for the

"I love you Mama" face

These days he is getting wilder

the running, jumping, screaming

are just a few things we try to tone down at times.

He wants to be indepedenat at most things...

"I a big boy, I do it MYSELF!"

Though when we suggest, coerce, enforce toliet training..

"I too little, I can't do it.  I don't know how."

hmmm...how convenient.

I chuckle inside as he tries to wrap us

around his little fingers.

His genuine humor may win us over...

or at least me..

especially when on a crazy morning of trying to bake cookies

with three kids I hear from the other room....

Amelia:  "Sam, do you want to play house with us?"

Sam: (enthusiastically) "Oh Yeah, I do.  I want to be the Dad"

pause...pause...pause...

Sam: (serious tone)  "I will be the Dad.  Natalie you can be the Mom.

And Amelia you can be the Honey."

You've got me wrapped litle boy...

I love you to infinity and beyond.

Tanzania, Africa

Where have I been?

Lately home...actually.
for oh almost two weeks now.

Sorry that I taken so long.

I'd blame it on jet lag...

or catching up with my kids...

or I could make up things like........

I had to put the house back together

after 13 absent days.

The last statement is not even close to true

as my husband is utterly amazing.

The first two were the case for a while.

But now lately I have just been having summer fun.

Back to where I've been.

hmmm.
(see title of post)

Why?

Mission trip.

Safari opportunity.

Bonding with my Mom.
Life-long dream.

The travel was long.

The scenery surprising.

The work rewarding.

and the dream fulfilling.

I couldn't have asked for more.

There is no way I can sum it up here.

A taste I can share.

and if you need more....

well just ask!

 Believe it or not...this is Tanzania!

 Village of Bomalang'ombe

How women carry water

and boys play with toys.

Bomalang'ombe village children.

(and hats we gave them)

Students from the secondary school...the mission site.

They are digging a trench for a water pipline.

400 student assembly in our honor.

Market in the larger town of Iringa.

Children in the village of Mtasi.

Mitasi luthern church

where we attended service in Swahili.

Tanzanian science and math posters!

Painted on the side of a primary school.

 Students at the school making greens for our lunch

 (not their lunch...our lunch)

Preschool children waiting to see the mzungus

(translation: white people)

Swahili world map

on side of primary school

Our dining hall at the lodge

in Ruaha National Park

Now this looks like Africa!

Elephant river crossing

Natural lawn mower right outside our room.

This one was for Amelia!

Looks like I thought!

This one is for Natalie!

This one is for me!

Lions eating a giraffe.

(notice how close we are)

Safari Girls!



Little Boy Dreams

Little boys have many dreams.

Some that could become reality.

Some that are so out there that only another solar system, galaxy, and

dimension could make them come true.

Others just happen by chance.

Those are the best kind.

The unexpected dreams.

A few weeks ago we needed a sitter for Sam.

A very giving friend offered to take him

on the same night as her neighborhood block party.

And what of course makes a block party complete....

(besides Sammy's best friend along side him)

fire engines!

for those who don't know Sam 

he has been obsessed with trucks

since he was about one.

So a fire truck...

a ladder truck...

up close...

and a ride in it...

a little boy's dream come true.

He did get a real ride.

No car seat

 but instead strapped in 

like a real fire fighter!

__________________________________________________________

Speaking of dreams come true.

Today I leave to fulfill one of mine.

I'll be gone a while.

I'll miss my kids like mad.

But as I told them this morning...

i'll be back...

with photos to share

and stories to tell.

The End

Well...

its done.

The big K.

Wow.

So hard to believe.

One of our great joys this past week was attending their

end of year performance.

The challenge...quieting their brother who wanted to sing

loudly along with some of the songs.

The girls love their school, their teacher and they have

changed so much in one year.

 Even though I am a teacher I am amazed

by what some people can do in one school year.

Kindergarten is not my thing.

And thank heavens there are great people like their

teacher who have a passion for what they do and are great at it.

We considerate our family so fortunate to have found a

wonderful place for our girls to grow and learn.

The school the girls attend has partnership with a nearby

nature center and their outdoor stage was the perfect venue.

 Every student had a special part in at least one song.

They also made their own props.

 Amelia was so proud of her bunny song.

In the days prior she kept telling us, 

 "and this one part will just make you crack up!"

(True to her words...she did...see the evidence above)

 Many action filled songs

 Natalie as a "Speckled Frog"

with a party blower for a tongue!

 Giving her Dad the Natalie look

 Group Shot

(notice the girls are not next to each other)

 Singing with her friends

 Singing her heart out...the only way she sings! 

(funny note:  the flower is on the head of the girl behind her)

Natalie and Amelia-

You Did It!!

Now you are officially first graders!

Throw out the old and "swing" in the new...

The metamorphosis of Sam's big boy room is almost complete.

Yes, I am the nerd who threw in science vocabulary...

mostly to make my sister groan, my brother chuckle

and my husband roll his eyes. 

These days I find pleasure in the small things.

And actually poking fun at myself is highly entertaining lately.

You see this is the last week of the school year and I am

constantly vascillating between wanting to jump off the cliff of insanity

to laughing hysterically at the craziness that is my life.

But that is a whole other post...people...one well if my brain

ever starts working at...oh at least 75% capacity..

well I may be able to compose it someday.

But for now an end to the rambling and on to the "change" in Sam's room

(the definition of metamorphosis is there in quotes for my non-science geek of a sister)

The room transformation started at the end of March and finally reached its

end phase in the past few weeks.

The early stages- the side is off the crib but

baby bedding still prevails

Glider and baby gear

And now......drum roll please.....

A "big boy bed"

(and added bonus of 100% nukie free)

Out are the animals and in with our "swinging" new theme.

A theme designed around Sam's personalized autographed jersey.

Finishing touches of a replica 1965 pennant and

original 1987 Homer Hanky.

Now you may or may not have noticed the "almost" in my

original metamorphosis statement.

(those of you scientists out there surely were observant and

noted that minute detail)

What's left in the room's change??

hmmmmm....

I'll give you one guess.

Striking out on ditching the diapers

for the time being.

Hopefully by fall we finally hit a homerun!!