It Feels Like Vacation

Things we did today:

-Ice skating lesson with J. He loved it. And the instructor was bowled over by him. Some of his comments were, "It's amazing." "He's extremely athleted." "He's very talented." and much shaking of the head each time and widened eyes he asked J to do something and he just did it. He couldn't believe he'd only been ice skating a few times. Passers by were saying how good he was and the coaches comment was, "I know. It's amazing." You should've seen me. One proud mama.

-Dragon Boat Festival at Town Lake. Dell, Samsung, the Austin Police Dept., as well as the Asian Cultural Center here all had teams. Races were going all day, as well as many Asian dances. A beautiful setting on Festival Beach with the ice cream vendor and Dell handing out free water. The kids loved the karate show.

-BBQ by the pool. We sat by the pool while the kids played in it for an hour or so and then came home to eat.

I Feel Like a Girl Again

I had my hair consultation today and I loved her so much she ended up cutting it and styling it. Cute, cute, cute. I kept the length just trimmed the stuff that was straggly. And framed my face a little more with the hairs around my face. It looks beeyootiful. Oh and I found that just as I thought the shampoo I am using is really drying out my hair so I got what she recommended and it wasn't as expensive as I would've thought.

It's oatmeal and honey, mmm.She also did, well, that area that bugs us girls, right above the lower lip. Yeah that. And I have an appointment for my eyebrows next week. Yay!!! Oh yes, and I got my nails done yesterday. Ahhh. I feel pulled together, stylish, girlie again : ) .

Things To Do In Santa Cruz

Our personal favorites...


Small plates at Soif. You feel like you get a $100 meal for $15. That's just the appetizer though... afterwards we would go get


Chicken quesadillas and a $2.50 delish margarita at El Palomar Taco Bar (walk through Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company to get there or go through El Palomar next to the bar).


An apple pie apple at Marini's.


A Root Beer Float at Cafe Limelight.


Breakfast on the sea at Aldo's for a beautiful setting and good food. Usually we'd bike down there on our bikes to enjoy a Sunday or Saturday morning breakfast.


Incredible breakfast food at Walnut Avenue Cafe. There are so many places to shop and browse if you happen to catch them on a Sunday morning and get a 45 minute wait.


Petroglyph was our all time favorite family past time this year. You can paint pottery for hours. Once you start you really can't stop, it's a strangely relaxing hobby.


Further up Hwy 1, approximately eight miles past Davenport turn left into Greyhound Rock State Park area. A gorgeous beach and some fun rocks to climb. If you go at low tide you can get on the actual Greyhound Rock where seals sunbathe.


The Farm on Soquel across from Cabrillo College in Aptos for lunch with a friend or a picnic at the beach. The Mediterranean Chicken sandwhich is out of this world with fresh mozzarella and herb bread. My hubby loves the tri-tip as well. They're also a great stop for breakfast on any random morning. The best thickest French Toast and excellent bacon and egg croissant sandwhiches. They also have great Cafe Au Laits.


Pacific Edge Rock Climbing to take the kids. $7 on the boulder for however many hours you want, no repelling training necessary. We were always surprised how long we were there.


Crows Nest UPSTAIRS to spend an in expensive evening watching the sunset. Or sitting inside next to the fire pit on a cool evening or outside they have heaters next to the building that work wonders. Downstairs is fancier, not as good of food and pricier to boot.


Stockton Bridge for a special evening out. Their Peach drink that I wish I could remember the name of is so very yummy.


Peachwoods is my all time favorite for a special occasion. Their artichoke cakes and peach fritters are out of this world. My favorite part is their 4 course dinner, starting with the soup or salad complete with chilled gold forks, the peach sorbet to cleanse your palette, and the peach iced tea. Each of their many clocks does something completely different and fun at the top of the hour.


Riva's on the wharf for Cardinal Margarita's, fried zucchini, and Chocolate Hazelnut gelatto. Their other food is decent too if you want to spend an evening on the water.


Pizza My Heart for pizza and salad, they have a $7 pizza, salad, and soda deal that will feed two.


Mr. Toots for coffee in the cool summer mornings spent at the beach in Capitola.


Saturday mornings at the Farmer's Market in the Cabrillo College parking lot. They have the most amazing stuff there. My favorites were the Kawasaki (sp?) farm for cucumbers, and there was one on the corner of the very top row next to the exit that I wish I could remember the name of, but they always had the best stuff for the most inexpensive prices. Blood oranges, strawberries, you name it. Felton Farmer's Market was always a blast as well - they have Hawaiian shaved ice on Tuesday afternoons and roasted corn. Yum!


Ice cream at Polar Bear in Capitola. Perfect after a long bike ride, or after a hot afternoon at the beach. My favorite was Where Have You Bean All My Life? It's actually coffee with ground up coffee beans.


Pizza and salad at Kianti's. Their Friday and Saturday night show of Riverdance like dancing from their waiters and music turned up extremely high, then the owner's nephew flipping pizza dough in the air, behind his back, and alcohol being thrown on the fire. It's quite a production. And the best part was the kids being entertained with their own roll of pizza dough to play with. Their outdoor seating is perfect for an afternoon of people watching.


Cakes at the Buttery. Their sandwhiches are yummy, too, and their pastries. Further down if you feel like walking is a lingerie shop that I wish I could remember the name of. The owner is extremely friendly and used to own the flower kiosk downtown for years before she sold it and decided to open this in her Seabright neighborhood.


The Santa Cruz County Fair for small town fun. If you're ever visiting in fall, this is so much fun. My kids still talk about the Sea Lion show they had.


Twin Lakes Church for our souls. Pastor Renee Schlaepfer is so wonderful he's actually been to the church we go to and love out here and we tell people how much we miss him and then tell them who and they say "Ooooh, now I get it."


The Boardwalk for good ol' entertainment and a really fun date. Several times B and I had the chance to escape here for a ride or two, just us, when they wouldn't close til' late at night in the middle of the summer. It was like being a kid again. The Giant Dipper always gives me a headache but is a must ride. They have a new twirly ride that I rode and screamed the whole time. The guy across from me was laughing his head off at me and said he didn't know if I was laughing or dying on there.

I've had this post sitting in my drafts forever and figured it was about time to draft it and get it out here for anybody vacationing in Santa Cruz anytime soon. And it's making me miss there so. very. much.

Early Bedtime

When told that they need to stay in bed because "We are parents, and you are children." by B, S says, "I'm a parent, too. Because I'm 4. And I had a birthday."

I asked him later. "Are you a parent because you are 4?" and he said, "Yeah. And I had a birthday." He is sooooooo sweet.

Speaking in Chinese

My kids are watching Stephen Crow's Shaolin Soccer. It's subtitled and they don't read yet. That well any way. 'Nuf said.

College Days

I'd say I was going back but I've never really been in the first place. Unless volleyball and piano count. Don't ask me what I was thinking.

I went in today to take the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) placement test for our local community college and meet with an advisor. Reading and writing I aced with no problem. I knew that would happen, that's my love, talent, whatever. She was surprised how well I did on the math portion considering what I told her about my highschool math history - which is embarrasing to admit, but zilch. Nada. Except for a book called Algebra The Easy Way that I'm reading with J, and only the first three chapters and mostly just the story of that. She said I had a natural bent based on all I picked up from reading a book. Who would've thunk. She advised taking two courses, along with my 20-30 hours a week job of homeschooling and parenting and relationship with my hubby. It was nice she understood all these things. I won't be able to take the 16 week course and she still recommended two courses for the 12 week course. She said given she's known me all of five minutes from what she saw that I appear capable, motivated, and bright. She said she thinks I'll be able to handle it, get off to a good start and want to continue on. Sounds like a plan to me.

The college process has been really exciting, intimidating and overwhelming for me all at once - I ended up in tears when I was there last week. That's a long story though. Now the first steps are done and I'm getting really excited about this possibility. I'm inclined towards getting an Associate of Arts, in teaching if I wanted to narrow it down. I've wanted to do that since I was little but at this point it doesn't sound very exciting and I'm thinking I'll concentrate my courses elsewhere. If I end up teaching I'd prefer a private school any way and at this point not a whole lot of them require a teaching major. Any ideas on what else would be intriguing? Based on your thorough analysis of all my postings of course : ) .

I won't be registering until the fall so I don't have to pay out-of-state fees as I'll be a legal resident then. Given that, I have lots of time to sit back. Read some more. And figure out what other course I'm going to take besides math. Psychology looks interesting.

Now I'm off to be a more attentive audience for J's and S's plays they're coming up with. Mostly consisting of lines such as, "Try harder, you're acting like a girl!"

College Days

I'd say I was going back but I've never really been in the first place. Unless volleyball and piano count. Don't ask me what I was thinking.

I went in today to take the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) placement test for our local community college and passed with no problem. Except for the math. This is a little embarrasing to admit but I have never gone through ANY algebra courses. At all. Ever. The only thing I've done is recently started reading Algebra The Easy Way with J which has introduced me to a few of the concepts, and even then mostly the storyline and not the descriptions as those get too involved at this point for little man. I aced the writing and reading part. Hahaha the secret power of blogging. Actually, I love that area. I'm good at it and I know it. I can edit til' my face turns blue and still enjoy it. Writing? I'm good at but the problem is I can edit until my face turns blue. I have to wait on the score for the essay so we'll see what that says.

After testing I met with my advisor. She was surprised how well I did on the math portion considering what I told her about my math history. She said I had a natural bent. Who would've thunk? I didn't even tell her we're just up to chapter 3. She advised taking two courses, along with my 20-30 hours a week job of homeschooling and parenting and relationship with my hubby. It was nice she understood all these things. I won't be able to take the 16 week course and she still recommended two courses for the 12 week course. She said given that she's known me all of five minutes from what she saw that I appear capable, motivated, and bright. She thinks I'll be able to handle it, get off to a good start and want to continue on. Sounds like a plan to me.

The college process has been really exciting, intimidating and overwhelming for me all at once - I ended up in tears when I was there last week. That's a long story though. Any way the first steps are done now and I'm getting really excited about that and this possibility. I'm inclined towards getting an Associate of Arts, in teaching if I wanted to narrow it down more. I've wanted to do since I was little but at this point though itt doesn't sound very exciting and I'm thinking I'll concentrate my courses elsewhere. If I ended up teaching I'd prefer a private school any way and at this point not a whole lot of them require a teaching major. Any ideas on what else would be intriguing? Based on your thorough analysis of all my postings of course haha : ) .

I won't be registering til' the fall so I don't have to pay out-of-state fees as I'll be a legal resident then. Given that I have lots of time to sit back. Read some more. And figure out what other course I'm going to take besides math. Psychology looks interesting.

Now I'm off to be a more attentive audience for J's and S's 'plays' they're coming up with.

Something to be Said

There IS something to be said for regular beauty appointments. Hair appointments out in California? Like clockwork. Helps she was the best and always knew exactly what I wanted even if I didn't know what it was I wanted. I even finally got an easthetician (sp?) who was just as incredible. And what a freakin' difference. Compare Picture A and Picture B which I'm not posting but if you really care to see you can go check on my Flickr website these two photos Picture A, Picture B. With Picture A being thrown together for a friends birthday party, and this taken a couple hours after the party's started and we've already walked around the Boardwalk with the wind blowing in my hair. Picture B gussied up to look pretty and THIS is what I get. That's it. That consultation for a hair appointment is turning into a hair appointment immediately. And the eyebrows and the other stuff we women do (if you can't tell by the picture don't ask)? Before. It makes a difference!! This is a good thing : ) .

You're It

I got tagged! By Ms. Courtney with a FUN one. Before I go ahead though I just have to ask the blogiverse in general, what is up with everybody updating within the last few hours or so?! I love it. Allison with her sweet happy post, Girl with her oodles of baby cuteness, Courtney and My Life is Brilliant with their taggedy silliness, and Cecilia with her ever present grace and poise? Well, here we go:

Five Movies You Can Watch Over and Over Again:

1. Sabrina
2. Shall We Dance
3. Hitch
4. Guess Who
5. Moulin Rouge - I had this as Narnia cuz I couldn't think of a fifth but then I heard "Entertainment" today and remembered I can watch this one over and over. And over.

Five Embarrassing Songs You Know All the Words To:

1. ...none... I really don't know ALL the words to ANY song 'cept Jesus Loves Me, as you'll find out later.

Five Memorable Halloween Costumes:

1. Peter Pan's... girlfriend? I had a miniskirt and tights. I was 8.
2. Roly Poly... actually I had wings so I was a butterfly but when they started to hurt I took them off and was 8 months pregnant with S so I said I was a roly poly.
3. A fairy... MAC did my makeup complete with rhinestones, my MIL did my hair complete with glitter, and I wore lingerie for my fairy dress. My wings got torn up in the bar that night from all the dancin'
4. Legolas for my hubby. My sister and I made him a hooded cape that he is in love with and would wear all the time if he could.
5. J as a giraffe. The cutest little costume ever that people couldn't stop talking about him wherever we went. Oh Mommy look there's the giraffe!

Five Celebrities You Believe May Secretly be Aliens:

1. David Spade
2. Joaquin Phoenix - at least in anything but Walk the Line
3. Britney Spears - does she count as a celebrity?
4. I'll go with Outside Oklahoma's Martha Stewart - got to be
5. And Courtney's Tom Cruise - what is up with him?! I remember when I used to love him.

Five Occupations You Could Never Hold:

1. President - that wasn't obvious was it?
2. Mortician - I would fall over dead myself
3. Sales - tried it, can't deal with the rejection
4. IRS - nope.
5. Hairstylist - who knows how people keep their hair, ewww

Five Books You've Recently Read Outside of School:

1. How Your Child Learns and Succeeds, Cynthia Tobias
2. Circle of Grace, Penelope Stokes
3. Something Borrowed, Emily Giffin
4. Grandfather's Journey, Allen Say - made me cry
5. I've got a list from our bookpass at church that I want to read...

Five Ways to Perfectly Spend an Afternoon:

1. Biking with my family - J on his two wheeler, S in his trailer behind Daddy's bike
2. By the pool, new skirtini and halter, all three boys playing with all our fun new pool toys
3. Exploring a road yet to be discovered
4. Painting at Petroglyph... if only it was closer
5. A walk on the beach

Not Your 5 Favorite Foods, But the 5 You're Most Likely Eating:

1. Turkey Sandwhiches
2. Salad from Rudino's
3. Fruit, usually apples and bananas
4. Trader Joe's If a Fruit Walked Into a Bar's
5. Bluebell ice cream, I'm an ice cream snob - it has to be Blue Bell or Polar Bear

Five Lines You Blatantly Stole From a Movie, TV, a Commercial, or Song:

"Say what?" from Wayne's World
"Pain, lots of pain." Knights Tale
"Give hope to men, save none for ourselves." Lord of the Rings
"Okay pumpkin?" Hitch
"No, no, no. For me seven times was the charm." from My Cousin Vinny

And those were courtesy of my hubby, I shot out the names of movies he likes and he gave me quotes. I have self proclaimed movie amnesia and couldn't remember a line from a movie for the life of me. Except I really love "That could've been messy." from Sky High only because I've seen the movie five million times with my kiddos.

Five People Who Must Immediately Respond:
(Don’t worry “immediately” is relative)

1. Clearcandy Daily, Cecilia
2. Beautiful and Brilliant, Allison
3. Beth, Daily Dose of Me
4. Laura, Love this Life
5. Alyssa, Alyssa's World

Depression

Gosh this sucks. I feel like I am a horrible ass Mom. My kid tells me how mean I am, how I never play with them, how we don't go and do things, how he has no friends. My sister is telling me what a basket case she is, a mental case to be exact. My neighbor conjures up happy memories of childhood yet is pregnant with a super vain boyfriend who doesn't appreciate all that she is. And I'm starting to believe it all. I am a horrible Mom. I'm mean. I never play with them. I don't do anything right. I am a failure.

The Pull

It's so nice to just sit on the computer and drown out all the little noises behind me. Those five loads of laundry I folded this morning? Not staring me in the face anymore, I deserve this little jaunt. My leather sofas I rubbed down with oil, nice and shiny next to me. No I'm not sitting on them. Little S coloring on an envelope for Daddy's birthday. Life skates by when I have my head buried in the computer. Sometimes it's really, really nice.

The Non Communication Communication Age

Warning! Major self analyzation to follow.

Something about email and text messaging puts me so at ease. I can contact the people that I know and love, let me them know exactly my point and be done. No formalities, no okay I'll call you later, just short and sweet. Of course when it comes down to using the phone with people it makes me stricken with fear!! I'm not sure why, but I have never been a big phone person. Now if somebody is not very good at email I will pick up the phone all day long. But if they are one to check their email at least once a day email is my sav-, okay well not quite that. So why is it that the mere thought of arranging a get together via the phone makes me quake in my boots? And when did this happen? I certainly have been phonaphobic in the past, but last year I was far from. In fact people thought it was strange that I would return their emails with a phone call - I just had so much to say!! Do I have less to say now? Less that I want to share? Less that I want to talk about? Do I desire to talk less in the first place? Or is that I think my life is boring, not worth talking about? No gorgeous beach, no cliffs to wonder, no downtown Santa Cruz that always has the crazy night life to talk about, no trendy shopping that just makes me super happy just to window shop, no Petroglyph to sit at and paint for hours with the Kids Cave that the kids would go in and watch a movie and come back out and paint and with people that had tears in there eyes when we told them we were moving. Maybe I am missing some of the deep relationships that were developing in Cali before I left. Some of the ones that I thought would become that way here aren't quite there yet and some of them I thought would be there someday probably aren't going to at all. It takes a LOT to develop a friendship. And this whole South Austin North Austin thing, thirty minutes apart seeming like way too much to travel - I'm not even going to go there. Although I have one sweet friend who I just realized has made the distance each time we've gotten together to come all the way up here. Well. There. I warned you. Major self analyzation. Any comments or answers although I may just be answering myself with my own questions, are welcome.

An Easter Picture or Two for You

My Verandah Garden
So far there's basil, tomato, jalapeno peppers, and a sugar baby watermelon in our little verandah garden and then the flowers with all their gorgeous colors.


The boys Easter baskets that B and I made for them.


The ferocious dinosaurs have escaped the easter baskets!!

Swimming Back

Lately I've been, well, home. It's been nice. My plants are happy, my house is happy, I'm happy. My kids are a little lions gone wild, but I'll be focusing more on getting THEM out now for things that help get their energy out and don't make Mommy so irritated!

We spoke to the people with J's school. It looks like they have a program where he can shadow the 1st grade curriculum with us just doing it at home. Yay! Accountability. Hehe. AND he can do the 2nd grade math. THIS will be interesting. They are aware of the fact that he may not be able to do the reading though and are already talking about an assistant for him, or if possible me being able to be with him. Hopefully we will have him up to speed by August though. We are doing the same math program at home, so I've been having him write the numbers in words so he recognizes those and then pointing out the words as I read them so he knows where I'm reading. B also mentioned word problems work a certain way, i.e. and means add, gave means take away, etc. so I'll be paying attention to how those work in our program and point them out to him. His nice lady is so supportive and was called for an interview where she really stressed the need for him to be in 1st grade. Apparently they took that to heart, because what they came up is exactly what we were thinking. He is way past 1st grade math and wouldn't be challenged enough. So 2nd grade math is great, if we can work around the reading part.

We have no plans for Easter. The one family, my sister and her kiddos, that we do have her went out of town, so we don't have family around and that kind of makes me sad. Usually I've made a big feast in the past but I'm just not in the mood to do that this year. J REALLY wants to go to church, apparently they have some suprise there. So we'll probably do that and then it would be nice to spend the day outdoors. I can deal with Subway on Easter : ) or Olive Garden would be fun, yum. Hope ya'll have a very blessed Easter and a wonderful time with family and friends, or, if you're like us, just yourselves : ) !

Dreamin'

The strangest dreams have been disturbing my otherwise peaceful sleep lately.

I'm in a boathouse, somehow I end up in the water and the tide catches me and takes me out, but not too far and I try to swim back, but I get caught in the tide again, the only way to get back is when it releases me I walk back along the dock, a narrow ledge along the building that leads back to the boathouse.

Last night was an attempt to navigate the windy, peaceful road leading to my childhood home that had turned into a slippery, muddy ditch. As I walked up the road turned ditch I grew up driving every day my steps kept slipping in the mud.

Somehow these dreams seem to have something to do with getting back somewhere. Where doesn't really matter, just back. Which is symbolic, because that's where I seem to be right now. I've stopped hanging out so much with a friend of mine who is so sweet and I love to death but whose views don't line up with mine and that throws mine off. Especially with as much time as we are inclined to spend with each other!! So now the fog is lifting, the sun is peeking through, and I'm starting to refocus my vision, my priorities. It's working. Slowly. Like a narrow ledge. Or a slippery ditch.

I feel a wonderful sense of pride

Girl From Florida has just gone through her pregnancy and had her first baby girl. And I've been there every step of the way. Wow. What an amazing feeling. I am SO proud of her.

The Hormone Hostage

This was too funny, I had to post it.

The Hormone Hostage knows that there are days in the month when all a man has to do is open his mouth and he takes his life in his own hands! This is a handy guide that should be as common as a driver's license in the wallet of every husband, boyfriend, or significant other!

DANGEROUS: What's for dinner?
SAFER: Can I help you with dinner?
SAFEST: Where would you like to go for dinner?
ULTRA SAFE: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: Are you wearing that?
SAFER: Wow, you sure look good in brown!
SAFEST: WOW! Look at you!
ULTRA SAFE: Here, have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: What are you so worked up about?
SAFER: Could we be overreacting?
SAFEST: Here's my paycheck.
ULTRA SAFE: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: Should you be eating that?
SAFER: You know, there are a lot of apples left.
SAFEST: Can I get you a glass of wine with that?
ULTRA SAFE: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: What did you DO all day?
SAFER: I hope you didn't over-do it today.
SAFEST: I've always loved you in that robe!
ULTRA SAFE: Here, have some more chocolate.

13 Things PMS Stands For:

1. Pass My Shotgun

2. Psychotic Mood Shift

3. Perpetual Munching Spree

4 Puffy Mid-Section

5. People Make me Sick

6. Provide Me with Sweets

7. Pardon My Sobbing

8. Pimples May Surface

9. Pass My Sweat pants

10. Pissy Mood Syndrome

11. Plainly; Men Suck

12. Pack My Stuff

and my favorite one

13. Potential Murder Suspect

Makes me wonder what women (and men!) did before chocolate!

About that Last Post...

Apparently I mixed drinks. Something you are not. ever. supposed to do. I was a very, very sick puppy the next day for about half the day. B drove us to our old home town with a stop by Target for their bathroom and their $1 spot where I found the boys a bunch of dinosaur stuff for their Easter baskets. We went to Brother's Bakery for coconut macaroons, chicken salad sandwhiches, tomato basil soup, and iced tea. We stopped by our old haunt, the health food store for my female comfort, and nasaline which B has FINALLY started using and having success with, yay! We drove by our home and waved hi to our tenant who wasn't there, had our favorite sno cones and enjoyed the drive home.

Who Am I?

I am hopeful.

I am passionate.

I am a gardener.

I am an artist.

I am a mother.

I am a wife.

I am loyal.

I am nice.

I am thoughtful.

I am caring.

I am drunk.

I am sad.

I am depressed.

I am thinking.

I am wondering.

I am confused.

I am full of wonder.

Boys and Girls

We are watching our neighbor's dog this weekend. Her boyfriend comes and stays occasionally which he happened to today. S discovered this while he was outside whistling, a very loud noise he makes, and thought he heard her in there. I told him he could go knock and see.

He comes back and says, "There IS a guy there!" I said, "What guy?" He says, "M's"... then after some deliberation of searching for a word "boy."

Shower Time

"Mommy... Mommy, Daddy, could J not come in here because I need my space.", via Shawn in the shower.

Some pretty views from our table tonight as we enjoyed margarita's and enchiladas by the lake.

Decisions, decisions

Okay guys I need your help deciding. I have credit to spend at Delia's and I'm torn between these three in either the top print or bottom color:



this:



or this:


What do you think?


Update: I’ve made up my mind on the top one with the halter and skirtini but in the bottom color. Done and ordered. Yay! Thank you!

On the Back Porch

A friend came over this afternoon. I had caprese, veggie chips, and organic apples all set out, only thing is she can't eat tomatoes so B and I had the caprese, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil from my verandah. Yum! We discussed art, marriage, moving, and bible study all in the heat of Texas on my back porch. She could only stay for an hour, but we made it worth it.

Tonight we had a dinner that I was a bit apprehensive about, but it ended up a blast. We met at a GREAT place for the kids with two couples from our church. S and I played outside for a bit, I am just not a group person and I was plenty content to stay outside and play with him as long as he wanted but B finally bribed him inside with ice cream so in I went. And ended up having a great time talking and chatting. One of the girl's husbands, who are in our small group, proposed to her via skydiving. How fun is that! The other we'd had dinner with previously and they are so much fun. Her husband is wonderful with the kids. We'd gone over there for dinner and he sat and played XBox with them. Tonight he started talking to J even before we sat down asking him about his haircut. They had a balloon man at the restaurant who made a dragon for S and was supposed to make one for J but somehow got rattlesnake with sugar in his tail that makes him go 'shake, shake' out of me saying dragon. Which J was NOT happy about, he can't stand snakes. But Fun Guy makes up this story about how the dragon turned into the snake over time and J was playing with it like no tomorrow. We ended up being there a few hours and all wanting to do it again.

Have to tell some cuteness here. When S is telling us he's scared he says, "I'm scary." such as, "I'm scary in my room." or when we say he can turn the light on, "I'll still be scary." It is soooooo cute. I just remembered, tonight S wanted to play the race car game so J sat below him holding the pedal down with his hand while S played the game.

I spent way too much time putting up new pictures tonight - this one is from when we went swimming the other evening so go check 'em out! If you can't see the ones of US : ) email me at sundrops at gmail dot com.

Academy Schooling

B and I have been debating on whether to send J to a school this year. Really debating. There's a place in town, actually at our church, that has a part school part home school environment. He'd be there two days a week and home the rest, with the same curriculum, same stuff. It would give him the opportunity to get the education that a place with (almost) limitless resources, many brainstorms, and the collective ideas of a bunch of cute little kids, that he can't get at home. We've asked him if he wants to go, and he says, "Well it's your choice." LOL We had to dig a little deeper, but, yes, he wants to go. Actually he talked about going to school five days a week until we told him he wouldn't get to do the math he WANTS to do. Whatever happened to wanting to do what we do? He talked about that. About how he would have to do more reading at school, which is the point. Actually the reading part we'd still do at home, he'd be going for math and science and some extracurricular activities. the decision hasn't been made. We're still debating pros and cons. It is definently on our minds at this point!