Wrap It Up- March 2014

Bill and the boys will be home soon after their long weekend trip to Atlanta.  I didn't want to post I was home alone all weekend, but was it super awesome to be in a quiet house with no one to take care of for 72 hours.  I contribute my days of child-free livin' for serious productivity.

What went down in March?

-More snow days bringing the total to 9 for this academic year.  If we have snow in April, plan on Armageddon
- Weekend trip to Boone, NC to hang out with Brian, Sarah + kidos, go snow tubing, and be a family
- Began soccer for both boys
- Finished two books and started a third
- Started Summer Camp/Camp Mommy master spreadsheet. Secured several sell-out options for Ben early
- Finished 2nd round of summer teacher institute applications.  I won't need to meet April deadlines as I have been accepted into TWO, yes TWO! national programs!!  I'm hoping to do both and not have to choose. ahem... Bill.
- managed to meet fitness goals getting to the gym a couple of times each week and weekend kickboxing
- Road Atlanta road trip for the boys to see Grandmommy Pam, Aunt Kate and Uncle James
- Massive toy clean out of the playroom, Ben's closet, and the downstairs toy box
- Finally binge watched my way to finishing Breaking Bad.  I managed to abstain from all spoilers since it aired in the fall and it was worth every, final crazy scene.  It *might* tie Six Feet Under for best series finale ever.

Ready for sunny days, warmer temperatures, flowers blooming, and bidding goodbye to Winter.

Favorite picture of the month, what else than a bear hug from the Universe.

 

Plans, no plans, it's all good

While I didn't run out of the building aka George Costanza during a fire, I will say I looked at my student teacher and said if you even think about doing work until Monday then I'm calling the cops on that "brights and tights party" you are planning for the weekend.  Don't ask what a "brights and tights" party contains.
All I can say is it is not for the over 30 crowd.

I have a little over 120 essays to grade and 33 multi-part projects before grades have to be posted on the Monday we return, but I have a FULL week to get it done.  So what's going down at Casa Vinson during this much sought to hang on to Spring Break week.

- Exercise- Spring clothes are tight.. hello running and TRX last night, kickboxing today, and basic training class tomorrow.  The boys may be loving the Y child care next week while I attempt to get in some much needed exercise

- Massive toy purge.  "make sure you show me what you decide to toss/pass" said Bill.
Bahahahahahah! No. 

- Trip to Atlanta for the boys and Bill and an overnight beach trip for the boys and me.  Dividing and conquering the kids is a beautiful thing, people.

- Categorize freezer ahead stash and try to get at least 10 meals cooked and frozen to get me to end of the school year.

- Finish the TWO, yes only two, books I've been working on all March

- Buy tickets for Full Frame Documentary Festival.  SO many choices, so little time.

- Finalize Ian's 4th party prep.  Score that the train is reopening at Durham Science and Life and now has a private train option for parties.

- Meeting friends for meals and conversation

- Get caught up on Good Wife after trying all week NOT to hear the bombshell of a plot twist dropped last Sunday. When NPR dedicates a story to a TV show I expect to be crying in a fetal position knowing my man is at the center.

Happy weekend all. I'll see you on the other side of toy armageddon.  

3 Year Old Mantra

Is it really and truly almost Friday?!  Did I not wake up each morning thinking "it's Friday!" only to realize it was Tuesday.  One of the hardest years of the academic years is typically midterm week/end of the quarter week.  I've been a grading machine at night trying to cut down on what will be relegated to being graded over the break.

Bill also has been driving my car to work and the kids to school for the last two days as he's been on a last minute decision to do a bunch of work to his car pre taking the boys to Atlanta.  I've been graciously riding with a coworker, kind enough to stop and pick me up mega early.  She likes to be at her desk working by 6:30am to get in a bit of time before the buses arrive.  Needless to say, I VERY glad tomorrow is finally Friday and by end of school day, the start to a hard fought spring break begins.

I digress, to tell you that I should have know this week was going to be nuts when on Sunday we checked out the new Target near our house.  I've never, ever been in a Target where there are employees standing around the entrance whose sole purpose was to give our stickers to the kids.  Granted I'm sure it beats mixing the Slush Puppy dispenser or once again cleaning out a dressing room of some tween girl and 900 swimsuits discarded.  One very lucky new Target employee got the extra special effort award for helping out the Vinson clan.

Ian is the typical 2nd child in that he wears almost exclusively hand me downs (many that were also hand me downs.)  He doesn't care, as coming home with bark in his hair is some type of "good day" badge of honor.  BUT, he has been asking, ok begging for a pair of light up shoes.  His normal shoes are so worn out that he kicked the soccer ball at practice and the shoelace broke and the shoe hit the back wall.  I told the boys on Sunday that after church that we would hit up the new Target for C9 athletic shorts (also on sale) plus some shoes (on a BOGO sale)  We are leisurely looking through the shoes when Ian starts picking up every pair of light up shoes, bringing them to me and telling me that he didn't want his old shoes, he wanted lights.

As he has no concept of a shoe size or that there is a difference between adult and children's he began opening every box telling me that these were good shoes, and these were bad. When I finally corral him to try on shoes we settle on a pair that fit and shoe last into summer.  Thinking we were about to leave I go to gather the boys up only to find that Ian has wandered to the next aisle over and is running away into main thoroughfare of the store.  Ben and I go after him, and bring him back explaining that he cannot take off.  As we leave the department I realize he is in his socks.  When I ask him where his shoes are, he points to the aisle of boxes, all closed and beckoning me to come look through them in search of his shoes.

Honestly, for a few seconds I thought just how bad would it be to leave the old shoes behind.  I mean they were just old, not covered in mud or dog poop.  But, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a box filled with some kid's old shoes so we kept looking.  The Target Extra Effort Award goes to the very nice older Target employee who helped us finally after about 20 minutes of looking through every box before finding them.

My guess is that Ian thought he was going to wear the new shoes out of the store as he pitched a fit when I made him put on his old shoes on to leave.  And leave, we did.

On the way home Ian told me that he, "was going to be a little bit good today, and a little bit bad today."

My answer, "well, you've had your chance to be bad, so you are all out of time to be bad, only time to be good!"

Weekend

It was almost like by Friday afternoon, the Universe smiled and said, "here, enjoy a beautiful spring day, you've earned it."

After a whirlwind of pick ups, drops offs, soccer practice, Friday night collapsed into an easy dinner, bedtime for the boys and House of Card for the adults.  Most of Saturday I shuffled from another soccer practice, soccer game, getting a mani/pedi, grading papers and prepping the final week of school before spring break.

Sunday was much the same with only heading to church for an ongoing amazing Lent series that I haven't wanted to miss.  How is it this church continues to reinvent itself in it's approach to what you think you know?

I ran into a fellow colleague going in who has since left my school but is still in the teaching profession.  We both were laughing at how much of each other's stuff we keep borrowing and how much easier it was to share best practices when we were across the hall. Is that is the beauty of the Internet? You continue to know someone you no longer really physically see.

The major highlight of the weekend was Laura's 40th birthday party on Saturday night.  I had a great time celebrating a good friend.  It was amazingly themed and planned to the hilt with details a plenty.  It was especially great getting to be around so many amazing women, all with some relationship to the lady of the hour.  Add seven dozen cupcakes, SO much food and drink, and great gift giveaway of other's favorite things.  I think many of at the party would say, our lives are better because happenstance let our paths cross.

I'm heading into the last week before Spring break.  With Bill taking the boys solo to Atlanta for the weekend to meet up with him mom, brother, and sister in law this week is is on tap for wrap up, move forward, clean out, and sit back.

March Love List

This Friday post brought to you a beautiful spring day on tap for the weekend.  After a *snow* day this week it is CRAZY that this weekend is expected to be beautiful and warm!

March, while I'm not much of a bracket kinda girl I will say I love you for other reasons:

1. Spring flowers!  I could not resist creating a couple of new arrangements for the front porch.  I'll take that "that's a nice arrangement" from an employee at my favorite garden shop compliment.

2.  Good Wife- Season 5!  Oh brother has this season been SOOOOO good. Desk-clearing rage of betrayal good.  Me love you Will Gardner/Knox Overstreet, such a long, long time.

3. Daylight Savings Time- So I'm back to getting up, driving to work and teaching the first part of the day in the dark, but YES to getting home with time to play outside.

4. My amazingly awesome student teacher.  I have hope and faith in the next generation of teachers. Every Friday I've left her a "you got through another week note/little gift."  After a particularly rough week with students and discipline I am leaving her this to find later today.

5.  Party People in the HOUSE!!!  Tomorrow night I'm going to a 40th birthday bash for my dear friend Laura C.  Back when she originally told us about the theme, "Favorite Things," I almost immediate thought of one of my favorite places with favorite things, Chapel Hill's A Southern Season.   I put together gift bags from my favorite BLUE Q with some NC specialties including:  Moravian sugar cookies, rosemary almonds, cheese straws, and the amazing coffee they serve at their restaurant, the Weathervane.

I love Southern Season and wanted to share a little NC goodness if any out of townees get my gift.

Happy (beautiful, spring) weekend!

Going on 8 or 18?

My 7 soon to be 8 year old is secretly a teenager in disguise.  No, I'm not talking about the vast amounts of food that I am secretly happy that he consumes, of the fact that his feet smell to the point that his shoes stay outside, or even his penchant for potty humor (I share it.)

Nope.  He is as lazy as any of my current 2nd semester seniors who believes that "good enough" is just fine. I am totally ok that if he puts for effort and thought into his work and the end result is messy handwriting, cramped lettering, and shorter than an average 2nd grader sentences.  But, Ben will outright say, "that's all I'm going to do," or play the "the teacher said it was extra work we didn't have to do it" time after time.

I told him a couple of nights ago,  I bet she wrote out two pages of math problems just for kicks and then said do them if you want." While overall he has had a good year with some yellow days with a single number of red days, but I also know he has to be reprimanded daily for listening instead of talking.  Man, he is just like his mother!

I've always been a B/C student who worked my butt off to overcompensate to make good grades and stay with my friends in honors classes.  I do admit I have done my time in detention, but usually for being late or being a sidekick in laughing and joking in class.  When it came to work I would have never told my parents, "that's all I'm going to do."  Frankly I would have not said about 90% of what students say today to me or tell their parents as evidence of the emails I get and thought my parents would have been ok with it!

Ben only earns screen time if all work is complete and I have signed off after reviewing with him.  Around Christmas he began to bring home work not finished in his Friday folder and I asked his teacher if I could have him redo the work over the weekend before he did basically anything else he wanted to on the weekends.  Since grading is different on the elementary level, I asked that if there as a late penalty that she please assess it, but if the only punishment is missing out on fun, then that was punishment enough.

I wanted Ben to learn the lesson that if you misuse your time, there is a consequence.  The weekends Ben has "forgotten" the Friday folder at school, he got zero tv or DS all weekend as punishment.  I make Ben write a note to his teacher with a list of the work he is turning in with the line, "thank you for letting me turn in my work a second time" I appreciate the time I know she does not have to take any work a 2nd time to be returned graded.  We've talked about what a "2nd chance is" and how there are times we get a 2nd chance, but many times we only get one chance to get it right.

I also had him retype an assignment as his written version was so unreadable that another attempt would likely have just lead to more frustration for all parties.  He loves to type on the computer so had him use word processing and showed him how to use some of the formatting tools and spell check.  Man, did I ever tell him that spellcheck is the best.thing.ever.

I'm all for him being an average student if that is the best he can do, but I am not ok in any way for him thinking that "good enough" is the answer when it comes to school work. This is more than a "I can't focus" issue for him, as his teacher and I agree he can do the work especially when we break larger tasks down with a list to prioritize.

Instead of getting mad at him we go over when we are going to finish up work and I let him know that I will sit with him for as long as he is willing to work.  Normally, I'm grading papers of my own so it is a good mirror that I have to finish my own work before I do anything "fun."  Can you say that cleaning up the kitchen and making lunches is "fun?"

Ben told me after I wrote another whole page of new problems to complete after he missed all but one problem, "I bet you are the meanest teacher ever and your students hate you." My answer, "yep, I bet some of them do, but many of my students want to go to college and have a good job so they have to make a choice to do the work or have a consequence."

As Ben told me recently that biggest reason that he wants to go to college is that you don't live with your parents, I told him that if he did his work, he would get his dream.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Do you see what I see in the recycling bin yesterday?

Did you guess a little potty?

Winner, winner chicken dinner!

This very excited installment of Tales from the Little Potty, Volume 2nd Child  brought to you by one very relieved mom to be putting a milestone of potty training behind her.

I'll take cleaning the toilets between the cleaners every three weeks to ensure "bus station bathroom" is not the first thought while crossing my threshold.

I'll take a daily reminder to raise the lid, clean up after yourself, aim is a good thing to never clean out another little potty.

I'll take waking up at 4 am to the hallway and hall bathroom lights a blazing, only to turn over and go back to sleep.

While Ian is still in a pull up at night, many nights he is dry and takes care or taking himself to the bathroom WITHOUT ASSISTANCE for most of the time.

SO.MUCH.AWESOME.

Wait for it, wait for it, yep... closed again

If someone had told me that in the 3rd quarter we would be out a record 9 days (traditional schools, year round lost 2 additional Saturday make ups) I would have slapped yo' face and told you to go home.
Guess what?

I'm at home again for another snow day.

Overnight the hovering right at 32 degree rain froze over and what was a 3 hour delay became a full on you are closed.  I'm all for safety, especially since people in the South cannot drive in winter weather, but this is just crazy.town.  Yet me yell that, CRAZY.TOWN.

Last night when all surrounding schools called for a 3 hour delay around 9 pm it was like a bad Oprah episode of, "and YOU get a delay, and YOU get a delay, and YOU get a delay!" Sadly, most of us knew that there would be no 3 hour delay and school would eventually be cancelled.

At my school we were to be giving the ACT today.  This is was a make up from the last attempt when guess what, we had a snow day!  At this point the only released make up day is over spring break on get this, April Fools Day!  As the ACT is required by State law to be taken by all high school Juniors, as it it counts towards school composite scores and teacher evaluations, I really don't know what will happen.

So are there some silver linings in yet another day at Camp Mommy- the extended home edition?

1.  Ian's daycare has remained open for at least of most of the nine days.  Yes there have been early closings, delayed openings, and a couple of days outright closed, BUT the director decided to stay open for President's Day giving back one of the closed days.  Thank you Ms. Pam and Ms. Amy, no really THANK YOU for being a voice of reason for working parents.  And yes, I AM one of those parents who takes their kids to day care when it is open, even if I am at home.  I love my kids, but I also love getting something done in a semi-quiet house.

2. My Principal decided to allow us for the first time ever to use time we worked at Spring open house, the rising freshman curriculum night, and AP Night.  Originally he like in years past said that these required hours that normally run 5-8 during third quarter are just part of our daily job, but given that we have 72, yes 72 hours to make up of missed instructional time he allowed it.  A major misconception is that snow days are free days for teachers, nope.

If you can come in and your Principal opens your school you can trade off time towards time being missed. Every hour of lost instructional time has to be accounted for for payroll purposes.  Luckily, he opened school most days for at least part of the day so we've packed snacks, video games, ipads, and trucked it in.  He's also opened the school on Saturdays to also allow teachers to make up time and not have to take unpaid time.  Sadly no time working outside school grounds can be counted so no working in pjs!

3. Ben is easier to have at school than Ian.  Hands down.  He loves talking to the retired military guy that I share my classroom with this year.  A real, live solider who has shot a gun.  Ben was all-in.

4.  I have an amazing student teacher who is flexible, has seen all her planning to be dumped for more planning only for yet another day at home.  She gave up drinking for lent and I just laughed.  My attempt to give up cursing lasted I think a couple of days.

5.  The kids who are taking the AP Exam on May 13th for the most part will commit to making up work on their own if I give them a modified plan for review.  While I didn't have the numbers taking the test I wanted, the ones that are are motivated.

6.   This school year is almost 75% finished.  If you have any knowledge of what has transpired this year in NC public education I see the light at the end of the tunnel and I am running full steam to finish up this year.

Here's to a school like no other.  

Soccer!

Friday night was the start of spring soccer season.  I've asked Ben for the last couple year if he was interested in playing, but he said no that he only liked playing at school in the after school program. I think his lack of skills finally came full circle, as this fall he asked if he play for the next season.  I checked around with several of the area programs and settled on one that plays all games and hold practices within a 5 min drive of our house.  It helps that our neighbors have played for the same league the past year and reported that the coaches were great and tried to do as much one on one with the kids.  

SCORE for this very busy, working mom. 

We lucked out with a weekly Friday late afternoon practice day as it is typically the only day I leave school before 5.  Being on Friday it allows us to get home, do dinner, and not have to rush to do any homework when we get home around 6:45.  Our game schedule includes a mix of games with most in the 11am/noon time frame.

This schedule also works well as Bill and I can split up the kids with one of us doing the game, and the other taking Ian to Little Kickers soccer practice. 

At the game, when Ben played goalie for part of the game the other team scored. He was very upset with himself and his pre-game conceited "we're the best" quickly disappeared.  I appreciated a very nice email from his coach thanking Ben for trying his best and that everyone has a first game.  A couple of the other kids go to school with Ben and one of the parents is the school speech pathologist and recognized Ben.  She commented that the coach is a great with kids and while the games are competitive, the focus is on skill building and working as a team.  

Later Saturday we love, loved, loved being outside on a perfect spring day.  We headed to our neighborhood playground and tennis courts after some serious bike riding. After such a cold, rainy and snowy winter it was welcomed to spend the day with the windows open and most of the light hours outside. 

*Dirt on the face and flower on the head, thanks to your brother were optional*  

Frozen on Friday #3

For my March Freeze Ahead recipe I'm posting one of my staples, a semi-homemade marinara.  What I love best is the versatility of this sauce.  It works with basic spaghetti, ziti, stuffed shells,lasagna, or just an all purpose red meat sauce. The ricotta gives it a bit of richer texture but can be omitted.

12 hour Crock Pot Marinara

Ingredients-
1 package of Italian sausage
3 jars of your choice pasta sauce
2 cloves of garlic
1 chopped onion (chop according to how much you want in a single bight)
4 tablespoons Italian seasoning
dash of salt and pepper
1 large container of skim ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Brown Italian sausage, remove casing and chop finely.  I usually run through a food processor to give it the consistency of ground beef.  In a large crockpot, empty all three jars of the sauce, add the meat, onion (can brown along with the meat), garlic, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper.  Set on low and cook overnight.

In the morning, allow the sauce to cool for at least 30 minutes and stir in the ricotta and Parmesan cheese.

Makes 10 cups of sauce.  I normally bag 2-3 cups in a large freezer bag and freeze flat to stack.

Thank you Universe!

Friday I drove the boys over to Boone, NC where we had a planned meet up with Uncle Brian and his significant other of the last 18 months, Sarah.  This was the first time I have met Sarah and all I can say is that is made my heart sing with joy to see Brian so, so happy.

I wish I had a picture of them in matching green hospital scrub pants, dancing in the kitchen to Brian's mix of R&B classics while making breakfast early Saturday morning.  Instead I was drinking coffee overlooking this amazing view and thanking the universe for his happiness.

We left Friday in some crazy rainy/icy to the west weather with a car piled high with snow gear, pool gear, coolers, and bags a plenty.

Sarah's kids, Lilly, age 12 and John, age 6, also joined us for the weekend. Ben led the boys in some all-boy craziness, first up in the indoor pool.  And later in a pillowfight/pretend snowboarding off the bed.

Yes, there were some quiet moments like playing chess and with the Lego train set we brought mainly for Ian, but all the boys seemed to love.

I got to hang out with Lilly and help her with a school project on WWII she had to finish.  It was fun being around an almost teenage girl, especially one that I didn't teach.  What strange territory as we talked about New Direction and I pretended that I might know something about teenagers. I commend Brian for how he was around a 7th grade girl, so relaxed and natural.

Saturday we headed to Hawksnest Ski Tubing for the afternoon.  I stayed close to Ian "no fear" Vinson who did well until the end when he was exhausted.  Ben and John raced, and Brian led us in several trains of tubes going down.  I didn't take my bigger camera and appreciate that Sarah forwarded some quick iPhone photos she took.

Saturday night we grilled out as it was sunny and much warmer.  We had a big family meal and got the kids to bed before hanging out by the fireplace chatting.  Almost a perfect picture from the day, minus some kids not looking at the camera.

I love this guy, so so much.  I could not be happier for him after meeting Sarah and her kids this weekend.

Weekend in pics

Really, really overdue car maintenance.  Collective GROSS!!!!

 Kid Jam Friday night at church with Science is Fun for Everyone.  How cool was the chalkboard wall  outside the main gathering space filled with equations.

Lego Kid Jam with Dad while mom was at kickboxing, girly girl shopping alone, and working on round two of summer teacher seminar deadlines in a quiet house

I think Bill took pics, but I forgot to ask him to send me the best of the lot.  Bill's comment was that it was bigger and busier than when he took Ben solo in 2011.  Score to a free adult ticket to LegoLand.  With no Disney this summer we might do a long weekend this fall in place of a larger family vacation.  

Brunch outside and shopping Southern Season with an old friend

Another Beautiful Weekend Day 2 brought to you by happiness rolling down hills

Followed by epic car racing in the playground sand

*Note no pictures of grading that never left my car

Wrap it up - February 2014

 A busy month filled with some non-busy days due to the snow.  One of the things I love about snow days is that outside life stops, no 5:15 am wake up calls, no rat race days rushing to pick up at schools, just time to play and be lazy.

So what went down in the shortest month of the year.

- Finished up round one deadlines for summer teacher institutes/workshops
- Read three books including two audiobooks
- Two trips to Charlotte
- Met up with Brian at the Carolinas Aviation Museum
- Met up with high school girlfriends for a overnight spa weekend
- Three snow days spent sledding, snowman building, watching the Air Bud franchise
- Saw two Oscar contender movies in a movie theater
- Did two date nights and a family birthday celebration for Bill
- Made the first cut for the 2014 Raleigh-Durham Listen to Your Mother Show. I had to decline an audition spot as I could not commit to the required table readings if I made the final cast.  I would consider resubmitting next year and will for sure plan to see the show in May again.  So good!

Favorite picture of the month, from round two of snow and ice.  Kids love snow in a way no adult can.

Almost Wordless Wednesday- The mini Don Draper edition

What to you get when you take 21 seven and eight years old producing goods for an Economics fair?  Ben's choices using his classroom money:  bookmarks, a blue boat made of Popsicle sticks, a fan, multiple rainbow loom bracelets, homemade crayons, a key chain, several pictures including a classmate that was selling them BOGO! I love a seven year old entrepreneur!

The paper plate on the left is a "bad dream catcher."  Ben went into intricate detail about how it works and how we needed to hang it by a string over his bed.  I also loved the white triangle in the top left corner that was a "claw."  Nothing says 2nd grader than someone peddling claws for sale.  Ben was especially proud that he sold out early with some kids buying 2 of his LED throwies at a time. He told the slogan he created and was saying as people came by his desk to draw them in.  He asked if we could use up the leftovers to make a few more to give to his friends in other classes.  Thanks 2nd grade teacher team for sparking some creativity and some pint sized Mad Men.

Callin' in Bill

Happy 39th Birthday Bill! Cupcakes and plans for dinner out were left before I walked out this morning.

A big, huge thank you to the birthday boy, man, man-boy, whatever for taking on Ben's recent Enterprise Activity/Economics Fair for his 2nd grade class.  Before you say, "are YOU the one that tapes a diaper, paycheck stub, and a Target bag to your classroom board to teach the Circular Flow of Money in your desire to make every last one of us economic nerds? Why yes I do, but Bill jumped on the chance to help Ben pick something tech related he could create.

Hence the LED throwie that Ben mass produced for the Economics Free Enterprise Fair at school today.

The assignment was simple, the students have been earning classroom money for the last weeks to spend at the fair.  Each student had to mass produce 15 like items that could not be food or candy related.  Ben's teacher gave out a project sheet with suggestions, Bill almost immediately thought of something that Ben's fellow 7 and 8 year old peers would want to part with their dollars to buy.  Ben had already told me of some of the items HE planed to buy including a tomahawk made of sponges and a bad dream eraser that he assured me would work on adults too.

The project uses the following fairly cheap materials:  10 mm diffused LED in multiple colors, 3 V lithium battery, 1/8 " thick nickle and copper plated magnet, and a roll of black duck tape.  We didn't use the conductive epoxy that is optional and substituted duck tape for strapping tape.  Bill spend around $20 online for all items and created a test version before pitching to Ben.

Bill helped Ben assemble each throwie and then bagged each with a message printed on cardstock that included how to use the on/off switch, replace the battery, the online project instructions, and a warning that the magnet was strong and not to allow small children to handle.  Way to go Bill for being his own Consumer Product Safety Commission!  The process took about 2 hours to create all 15 and bag and tag them for the Economics fair.

I was really proud of Ben for the amount of help he put in without whining about having to spend part of the weekend doing school work.  I was really proud and appreciative of Bill for taking this on without complaint and picking something that was truly a joint parent/child project.  Double win all around.

A Girl Scout Classic Medley

No matter what happens or where life takes us there will always be four lifelong friends that the old Girl Scout song applies. 

"Make new friends..."

Brownie Troop 79- 1981

"But keep the old..."

EHS Senior Day- 1993 

"One is silver and the other gold..."

Family meet up at the lake- Summer 2013

Someone commented the middle picture was the one we all communally had framed in sparsely furnished freshmen dorm rooms.  No matter what happens I know that I can just pick up the conversation where we last stopped.

Love you ladies, for all the years behind us and all the years to come.

xoxo-
Dorothy 

February Love List

Ahh February... shortest month of the year and so far a second winter blast.  Yes YOU Winter, are making the Love List.

1. WINTER- Sheer joy that is building snowmen, snow motorcycles, snow racing tracks... you get the picture.  Three and seven year olds don't see missed work to make up, bundles of wet clothes, the potential for car wrecks, or cabin fever, they just see FUN. This second round of winter weather was perfect for packing into snowballs for a monster neighborhood snow battle. Does it help my feelings that the last three missed school days are being made up with a single converted early release day? Does it defy reason that there seems to be a slush fund of hours student HAVE to make up that have suddenly been produced?  I don't care, we will have a full week of Spring Break given no more weather related absences.

Can I get an AMEN?!

2.  "Special Bath" With more time at home we took a "special bath" several nights to warm up cold bodies. It is pure joy when I turn the whirlpool jets on is crazy amounts of laughing from the boys.  I keep finding Ian in our bedroom many a night buried under the covers after sneaking out of his own bed. When I asked why he is again in our master bedroom, the answer (usually sleepily), "I like looking at the special bathtub" which is visible from the bed when the bathroom door are open.  

Three year old logic, for real. 

3.  Cupcakes, especially those from Sugar Mama's.  I'm heading out of town tomorrow and guess what is going as a hostess thank you... you guessed it.  I told her to surprise me with a variety knowing whatever flavors included will be a little bit of dessert perfection.  My friend Eileen, the owner, recently celebrated 500 likes on her FB page.  I couldn't help but comment that I am so, so happy that this is a dream realized for her.  

4. Winter Olympics- Ben is obsessed with watching events on fast forward the day after.  Snowboarding?- Yep,  Ski Jumping?- Why not,  Bobsledding?- I've seen Cool Runnings?  Family movie night?

5.  Uncle Brian!!! We are 2 for 2 in 2014  monthly meeting up in a mutual New Year's resolution to see each other more. Sunday's trip to Charlotte was perfect, a leisurely drive over, lunch at a kid friendly venue, and then almost 3 hour of chatting and making sure Ian didn't escape onto the tarmac.  We also celebrated Brian's 36th birthday with what else... cupcakes!  Next month we are renting a condo in Boone and are going snow tubing before the season is over.

I love, love, love this pic taken on his fall trip to SF.  He oozes awesomeness!

6.  Friends who hijack other people's Facebook posts.  

While snowbound my high school girlfriends responded to the following innocent question, "where do you go in Greenville (SC) to find a prom dress" with the following thread.  Mostly these are all inside jokes between us that have lived on thanks to social media.  Today's memories brought to you by memories of a prom date that had to open his sunroof to fit uh... someone's high early '90s hair.

Even more awesome is that we are meeting up tomorrow at Melissa's lakehouse for a planned overnight meetup as three of four of use have birthdays within one month.  On the agenda?  Facials at a local spa, deck sitting with expected warm weather with cocktails in hand, and lots and lots of reasons that nearly 40 year old friendships rock.  

Thanks February, you really were a month of love even if most of it was enjoyed frozen.

Off Season Camp Mommy Road Trip- Carolinas Aviation Museum

Sunday the boys and I met up with Uncle Brian in Charlotte at the Carolinas Aviation Museum. I had bought a 20.00 Groupon back in the fall that allowed us admission for two adults and two children.  Technically we wouldn't have paid for Ian as children under 5 are free,  but we still came out ahead.

The exhibit is near the Charlotte-Douglas Airport and while they don't have a raised observation deck (like we do here in Raleigh,) from the outside area you can watch planes arrive and depart.

This was the perfect amount of museum for a good 2-3 hours visit and day trip.  The museum is housed in a refurbished hangar once privately owned for the Wachovia fleet of planes.  The major focus is the "Miracle on the Hudson," the infamous flight lead by Capt Chesley Sulleberger in which 155 lives were saved after an emergency landing in the Hudson River.  There are about ten other helicopters, planes, smaller planes, and lots of displays about the equipment.  The boys were in Heaven.

The actual plane that landed on the Hudson river is intact and on display.  There are multiple related exhibits about the mechanics of how it landed successfully in a river.  Ben, my disaster loving child, was beside himself first at the number of planes but also the story of the plane crash and the heroes involved in the rescue.  It was the perfect opportunity to talk about how little actions can lead to heroic decisions.  

Other highlights included an ejection seat from an F4 Phantom.  Needless to say it took a bit of convincing Ian to let someone else have a turn.  The boys also really enjoyed the model cockpit.  Overhead from my brother Brian,

"you and Bill should build one of these in your living room.  I bet you could leave for a good two weeks before they noticed you were gone."  Ask what they were playing?  Did you guess disaster in which Ian had to put out a fire?  Did you guess yelling and screaming of "I'm on fire?"  It helped that no one was around to witness this spectacle and we did reel it in when another family showed up to test out the cockpit.

We visited this museum at the right time of year as I believe summer in the un- airconditioned hangar would have been really hot.  Brian and I kept laughing at the biggest ceiling fans throughout, wondering what was written on the face of the fan.  It wasn't until I zoomed in with my camera that we laughed even harder.

While the museum is very kid friendly, we also saw many older people, many with US Veterans insignias.  They have a great selection of posters showing the history of aviation and flight.  Ben picked out a poster showing all types of tanks of past and present.

The Carolinas Avaiation Museum is a must if local for a day trip to Charlotte.  Check it out!

Hours

Monday-Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:

10am - 4pm
10am - 5pm
1pm - 5pm

Admissions

General:
Students age 6 to 18:
Children 5 and under:
(with family visit only)

$12.00
$10.00
Free

Spring Break Sponsorship- Wrap it up!

A busy weekend including a road trip to Charlotte today to see Uncle Brian and tour the Carolinas Aviation Museum.  More tomorrow for my local friends as this was a must do day trip with kidos, especially those in love with planes.

In the meantime we are back at school tomorrow for what I hope will be a full week.  After this many days home with the boys, I can wholeheartedly say I feel for Jack Torrance in The Shining right about now.

Whoever is continuing to shake a snow globe, please stop.

Thanks-

Spring Break Sponsorship Day 3 - You Sweet Thing

Ben and Ian woke up to Valentine's Day cakes.  Be the awesome mom I am... ahem... let them eat them for breakfast but then refused when they were going bat sh#t crazy just trying to get clothes on them to get out the door. Since school was out again today for both boys we decided that we would venture out for a bit and get out some energy.  First stop, a local bounce house for the first slot and least germfest time of the day.

Today we also sent out a couple of special Valentines.  First up, since I didn't manage to get Valentine cards to my mother in law before the snow hit, I decided that we would send a video card.  It just happened that over the Christmas holidays I found a box of old letters including a elementary V Day box filled with old Valentines from what looks like 3rd or 4th grade.  I just couldn't toss them so I showed them to Ben and we decided to use them to write messages to Grandmommy Pam.

I found an easy to sing (for Ian) song online and we practiced.  This is a screenshot of the final result:
I intended to post, but Bill reminded me that since we used commercial music in the background we didn't want YouTube to take it down.  Alas, we sent it privately to Pam.

Since today is ALSO my brother's birthday I decided to also create a similar video card for him as well.  I had to personalize Brian's card with lots of inside jokes and the worst cards of the lot.  I personally liked this one:

The boys and I are heading to Charlotte Sunday provided the snow continues to melt to meet up with Brian to celebrate his birthday plus visit the Carolinas Avaiation Museum.  Happy Weekend all, may you dig out from the snow and enjoy some time back in the real world.