My Birthday Weekend

Still trying to catch up here!

Last Friday, I turned the dreaded 39. A decade ago, I was thrilled to leave my 20s behind and enter my 30s. This time around, not so much. Maybe it has something to do with my hairdresser telling me that highlighting really isn't an option anymore before me because I have too much gray. Maybe its Alex announcing to his class that we can't have any more children because "Mommy's too old to have babies now." Maybe its because I can feel the exhaustion of life more days than not. Who knows... let's just put it this way... I"m not looking forward to May 20, 2012. I just might be celebrating my second year of 39 on that day.

Still, I put on a happy game face and tried to have a good time. It helped that my mom, aunt, and grandmother came into town. And it helped that Carl picked a pretty incredible birthday cake out for me.

Alex's soccer team participated in another soccer tournament on Saturday, the 3x3 tournament. The games are shorter, so they played all four games in the morning. They came in third place, and were pretty excited about their victories!

The other fun event of the weekend was that Mom, Auntie Cheryl, BeBe and I all went to check out the Renegrade Crafts Fair. It was very cool - all the vendors definitely do their best to Keep Austin Weird. It might have been a bit TOO cool for BeBe, who didn't quite know what to think of all the tattooed individuals.

But we picked up some fun pieces of jewelry and other funky items, and I couldn't help but do a little jig every time I would spot the hottest item at the Fair...

FASCINATORS!!

They were everywhere!

The legacy of the royal wedding lives on, even in the heart of South Austin.

And while the Renegade Fair may have been too much for BeBe, she couldn't help but laugh at this Leslie wannabe who biked in front of our car at a red light.

Evening of Expression

As we gear up for the last day of pre-K for Ryan tomorrow, and the last day of first grade for Alex, I realized I am wayyy behind in my blogging. May has been a CRAZY month! Last week, we had an "Evening of Expression" at Spicewood for the First Grade.

Alex and the rest of the First Grade danced and sang, and expressed themselves (sadly, no one did the Madonna song. I kept waiting.)

First, their Spanish and music teachers had combined forces, and taught them all some songs in Spanish. It was cute, but since I studied the always-useful-in-Texas French, I have no idea what it was about.

Then each class performed. Alex's performed a song based on Shel Silverstein's 'The Boa Constrictor.' They did a great job! We were so proud of all of them, especially because I know how nervous they were.

This night was also a chance to take a look at Alex's prized Spicewwod PYP binder.

The one I get to see ONCE a year, which comprises his best work from the year, and which I don't get to take home UNTIL May 2015.

 Yes, its been a year since I learned that this binder stays with him at school for six years, and no, I'm not dealing with it any better than I was last May.

Thus the contraband photos, round two.

Books, Books, and more Books

What a difference a year makes!

It was less than a year ago that I was bemoaning Alex's non-enthusiasm for reading, and taking pride in the fact that The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books seemed to be turning things around.

Well, as we come to a close of his first grade year, I have to take a few Mommy pride minutes to brag about just how far he has come. He now had three favorite authors, Jeff Kinney (of Wimpy Kid fame), Ron Roy (the A-Z Mysteries) and JK Rowling (Harry Potter).

Last week alone, Alex read six chapter books: Kidnapped at the Capital, the Lucky Lottery, the Panda Puzzle, the Zombie Zone, Captain Underpants and the invasion of the incredibly naughty cafeteria ladies from outer space (aka Captain Underpants #3), and Naruto: the Boy Ninja .

 



Each one is around 100 pages (give or take), and while there are varying amounts of drawings, and sometimes no more than a few sentences per page, but still... He read six chapter books last week!!!  I can't help doing a massive happy dance at how successful my attempt to be the mother of a  reader has become. :)

He's also read the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Most of it he read by himself, although I did read a chapter here and there - but mostly because I've been dreaming about this moment ever since 1999, when I first started reading the HP books (and well before Alex was even a little egg growing in my tummy). Now that's a REAL book, with only one small drawing at the beginning of each chapter.



And he and Carl have been making their way through The Lightening Thief.



We're so proud of our little reader!


Now if only we could get Ryan to catch up...

Pinewood Derby

Recently my sons embarked on a much anticipated and long standing tradition in Cub Scouts: The Pinewood Derby. "Why would Ryan be doing a car to since he's not a Scout", you say? Well ask him if' he's a scout and see what his answer is ;-)

I still remember working on my derby cars many years ago with my father, and I wanted the same experience I had with my father with my sons.

So construction began with much anticipation. Alexander was excited and enthusiastic and Ryan was just thrilled he was being included. Alexander has drawn up a plan and knew in has head what he wanted to do, including having a "Big Red" car.

Construction began with a trip to Poppa's house to use the band saw. Alex couldn't believe he was using such a dangerous tool!

Eventually 3 members of team danger left with 30 fingers, so we did OK, and the boys did a great job.



 
Ryan couldn't believe he was able to spray paint. More got on the car than him, so that was a small win.

I also discovered that Ryan likes putting holes in things ;-)


Alex did a great job weighting and then weighing his car. He knows all about gravity, friction, and over coming frictionand the car weighed a perfect 5 oz.

So we survived the experience and had two raceable derby cars. Danger Daddy did a "bit" of tweaking when all scouts were in bed, to see what we could do about some speed. ;-)

Anyway, the roadsters were ready:

Alexander's "Big Red"

 Ryan's "Police Car"

And race day arrived:

At the end of the day, Ryan had the second fastest sibling car (out of 5-6), and I'm pretty sure the winner was way over 5 oz. Next year, so will Ryan's sibling car ;-)

After some fun races, Alexander's car emerged as a continual winner. He survived all the way through the last heat and took home 6TH PLACE! out of about maybe 70 scouts. So the day was won and Team Danger left happy.

And then I was asked this on the way home: "Daddy, next year can we try to win?"