What we've been up to

In a short summary, nothing major but lots of fun stuff going on for the last few weekends, therefore very little blogging time.  And not many pictures since everyone is moving too fast to sit still for a photograph.  I can't believe that it's August and school starts in three weeks.  Yesterday we all went to Target for school supplies.  We crossed everything off of the Kindergarten supply list (2 boxes of crayons, scissors that can't stab people, folders, 4 (!!) glue sticks, regular glue, 2 boxes of kleenex (for mom to use on the first day of school), a big boy backpack, post-it notes, ziplock bags (?), washable (yeah!!) markers, pencils, and a brand-new lunchbox).  Reina scored a new lunch box too because every time we put something in the cart, she'd shriek, "BUT WHAT DO I GET THAT'S NOT FAIR."  Kindergarten can't come fast enough for the little sisters of the world. 

Will is a little subdued lately and I think a little apprehensive about the change in school.  Academically, you can tell that he's very ready.  He's been reading more words and writing.  He's also discovered the joy that is "Angry Birds" on my Ipad and we've had to institute restrictions on how much time you can play computer games.  Hey, I got an Ipad!  I never mentioned that a few months ago.  I'd like to say that Glenn surprised me with a big, romantic gesture, but the truth is, I just wore him down.  But it was very sweet of him to order it online and get the fancy, shiny, new model.  I love it.  The kids love it.  Glenn loves it.  He's using it right now in fact to search for hunting stuff.  I think I need to password protect the Ipad. 

Both Glenn and I are busy at work and when we are home, that's busy too.  We've had birthday parties and barbecues and lots of chores around the house.  We have a little garden in the backyard this year that's growing tomatoes, strawberries, peppers and one ginormous pumpkin plant.  We also have a bunch of flowers, a brave little blackberry bush and a new chokecherry that we planted this weekend.  The yard looks better than it has since we moved in but those little plants don't grow themselves and we all spend a few hours every weekend keeping everything alive.  Just like the rest of the country, we are having a very hot and dry summer.  It's good weather for tomatoes (that needed to be watered everyday and sometimes twice a day) but that's about it.  The heat is not fun.  We don't have AC and you hardly really need it out here but there have been plenty of days and nights that I wouldn't have minded it.  Hopefully we will be seeing cooler weather soon.

So in a nutshell, lots of stuff going on and we are trying to squeeze every last bit of fun out of summer 2012.  Still on the to-do list:  more camping, Water World, State Fair, and last but not least, Will's first Broncos game!  Guess who's most excited about that?

The one where I write a letter of complaint to Reader's Digest

So I'm home with the kids again today. Reina has had a cold all week and until today it was one of those colds that makes her too sick to go to school, but not sick enough where she wants to lie on the couch and nap all day but would rather race around the house shrieking, demanding snacks every 10 minutes and wanting to help me type. I stayed home on Tuesday but made Will go to school for a few hours so that I could attempt to get a few work projects done. I've discovered that Reina likes having me to herself in the car. Before picking Will up at lunch, Reina and I ran a few errands and here's a sampling of the non-stop chattering that goes on in the backseat.

R: Mom, do you like clowns?

M: Yah, I like clowns. (I don't really but no point in adding to her list of Things Reina Doesn't Like which is long enough already. More on that later.)

R: Do you like cookies?

M: Yes, definitely.

R: Do you like coconuts?

M: Yes. (Someone learning all of the words that start with C?)

R: Look Mom, there's a castle!

M: Yes, that looks like a castle doesn't it. (It's actually a funeral home but we won't go there.)

R: Oh look another castle!

M: Yes that looks like a castle too. That's the Capitol Building!

R: The Capitol Building? What's that?

M: That's the place where people work, like how mommy and daddy have places where they work.

R: But why?

M: Well, that's just a place where people do lots of work. Hey look - a horse! (There's a statute of a bucking bronco outside of the Capitol.)

R: A horse?! I love horses! I ride a horse when I get bigger?

M: Yes, you can ride a horse when you get bigger. (Thankful to be done with the 'why people work' line of questioning.


Everyone went to school and work yesterday but Reina was a little droopy last night and her fever was back this morning so at some point I came to my senses and thought - ear infection. We dropped Will off at school for the morning again, despite his protestations of "But I'm sick too!" (Translation: I'd rather stay home and play with all of my legos and Capt Jack Sparrow and watch cartoons, thanks.) and headed to the doctor. Knowing the long wait that would be ahead of us in the treatment room, I grabbed a copy of the latest Reader's Digest because there are usually enough cat food ads and pictures of animals to keep Reina entertained.

Fast forward a few minutes later and we are flipping through the pages, looking at a cute picture of a baby monkey and its mommy and then bam! We turn the page and see this.

Yep, that's Kermit the Frog in handcuffs. Long story short, it was a jokey article about the year in review and how some website had a whole Occupy Sesame Street thing going on and blah blah blah. Reina sees that and FREAKS OUT! Why is that guy pushing that muppet?! Why is he wearing those things?! (pointing to handcuffs) What happened?!

I kept trying to explain that it was just a silly picture and Kermit wasn't really in trouble and I kept trying to turn the page. She would have none of it and her consternation was only interrupted when the doctor finally came in the room.

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I thought that would be the end of the story until Will came downstairs after his nap, while I'm writing this post, sees the picture and says "Why is Kermit going to jail?"

Darn you, Reader's Digest.

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P.S. Glenn is confused why I labeled this post "reasons why I need an Ipad." BECAUSE, if I had an Ipad, I could have taken it with me to the doctor's office and entertained Reina with educational games and activities that would not have freaked her out and scarred her for life. Like a handcuffed Kermit. Just putting it out there....