Pulling Teeth

For the first time this year, I had Alex write his own thank-you notes for his birthday presents.

Last year I made him at least write "Alex" at the end of each note I wrote out. But we've been receiving a lot of these fill-in-the-blank thank yous from other kids his age recently, so we tried it out, too.

It took FOREVER to get him to finish them, but he finally did. He balked at writing some of the longer names. Thus, "Uncle Beau, Auntie Robyn, Laurel and Audrey" became simply "Laurel + Audrey." And the various gifts were simply abbreviated to "Star Wars Toys."

Still... I'd call it a success.

My favorite part, though, is that every time he would have to write out "Star Wars" (and he did a lot, since that's what most first grade boys give each other), he made a point to connect the "S" and the "T" at the top, just like it does in the Star Wars Logo.

Now that's attention to detail!

Art for Sale

After school on Wednesday, Alex did one of his favorite things: art. His two favorite pieces of art, done in the medium of Crayola crayons, were these two:

a hammerhead shark

and a house.

Alex was so pleased with his artwork that he made a picture frame for them. He found some wood in the garage, and went to town with a hammer and nails.

He then decided that the original Alex artwork was too nice to keep, so he decided to sell them.

Hence, the large "50 cents" (side note: how is there no 'cents' sign on the keyboard??) on each drawing.

Next, Alex put them out in the middle of the sidewalk, so that anyone walking by would have the chance to shop.

When it was time to go to soccer practice, he left them there to give neighbors more time to shop.

Alas, they were still there when we came back, so he wanted to go over to Mr. Jeff's house to see if he wanted to buy them. I persuaded him it was too late, but that we would try tomorrow.

To be continued...

Danger Scouts

Now I know why Carl has been so insistent on Alex joining Scouts, and being their Den Leader. Its basically a whole giant troop of Team Danger boys just waiting to do new and outrageously dangerous things that Safety Mommy would never sign off on them doing.

Like shooting guns.

Playing with fire (aka Flag Retirement).

Scuba Diving.

Racing cars built by non-licensed minor engineers (aka Boy Scouts).

And holding alligators.

Yes, that's right.

Holding ALLIGATORS!

Halloween Prep

Carl complained that the Halloween Blog background I had first chosen was too girly:

So we're going with a more Dangerous looking one.

Meanwhile, Ryan and I are getting the Halloween Decorations out while Carl takes Alex to the Scout Jam 2010 today.

Something for Everyone

On Sunday, Team Danger went off in all sorts of directions, and everyone had a great time.

Ryan joined Aunt Elaine, Uncle Drew, cousin Connor, Grandma and Papa ChooChoo (Connnor's name for Al) for a Day Out with Thomas in Burnet, Texas. He had the chance to play the Big Cousin and look after little Connor, including making sure he didn't get anywhere near the open window on the train.

Carl and Alex went to a Yard Battles  birthday party for a classmate of Alex's. Apparently you get your very own army sergeant, and they play all sorts of army games, with slingshots and water guns.

And I was pleased to see that other parents dressed their kids in camo clothes, too.

 

Alex thought this was pretty much the best birthday party ever, and declared he was doing this next year.

And he had so much fun that he almost forgot that he had wanted an army themed birthday party this year before I talked him into superheroes because I thought my little seven year old wasn't quite old enough for an army themed party.

Almost.

Meanwhile, I joined Felicia, Barb, Mollie, Lee Ann, Leah and John in Gruene, Texas for afternoon tea at the River House Tea Room, in celebration of Elizabeth Gaskell's 200th birthday.

Next to Jane Austen, she is my favorite author, and if you haven't read North and South or Wives and Daughters or the Cranford Chronicles or Mary Barton, or seen any of the BBC adaptations of the books, run, don't walk to the library and/or Netflix.

      


The character of John Thornton in North and South is right up there, neck and neck with Mr. Darcy and Edward Cullen in my book, and we have Elizabeth Gaskell to thank for creating my most realistic fantasy man.

So here's to you, Mrs. Gaskell.

LEGO Stickers

In addition to the Draw your own Wimpy Kid Journal Alex bought at his Book Fair, his #2 Desired Item was the LEGO Minifigure Ultimate Sticker Collection.





I wasn't going to buy it for him, but when we were walking aorund, two other boys in his class were there buying their own with parents looking a bit shameful. And when I heard my son confess to a friend, "My mom won't let me buy the sticker book because she says its not a reading book," and then see the other boy put his arm around Alex in commiseration, I lost all resolve. So last Friday Alex came home with the LEGO Minifgure Ultimate Sticker Collection.

Really, I don't know what I was thinking, buying one LEGO Minifigure Ultimate Sticker Collection. If a parent is foolish enough to buy such a thing, the parent should at least possess some brains to know that TWO LEGO Minifigure Ultimate Sticker Collections are required in a household of two boys.

   

Many fights and tears later, Alex had graciously given his brother 30+ stickers out of his book on Friday night. Mind you, Alex hadn't removed a single sticker from the book other than to give some to his brother. I felt pretty bad for him. So on Tuesday, we went back to the Book Fair and bought Alex a new LEGO Minifigure Ultimate Sticker Collection, and gifted the first one to Ryan.

And where did Ryan put his 30+LEGO stickers from his brother? He said he was putting them in his room, so, foolish Mommy, I assumed he was putting them on his drawing papers in his room.

But nooooooo ...

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Unicorn

I was thrilled to go out to California for my niece Laurel's 4th birthday party at the end of September. It was a short visit due to work and family conflicts, but it was absolutely magical seeing my precious nieces again.

Laurel is becoming such a beautiful young lady, and is absolutely enthralled with all magical creatures. I think she gets her love for fairy-tale worlds from her father and grandfather. Mom had sent a Barbie Nutcracker Princess book out with me for the girls, and I must have read this to her half a dozen times in four days. When we reached the part about Barbie marrying the Prince and becoming a princess, she would clap enthusiastically for Princess Barbie, and sigh contentedly, "I just love this story, Auntie."

 

Audrey is a talking and dancing machine. She is 2 years, and 4 months now, and she talks up a storm in the daintiest, sweetest little voice on the planet. I couldn't believe the complete sentences coming out of her mouth, in this high pitch little chipmunk voice. "Look! There is a hummingbird on the apple tree!" was particularly impressive - especially since she already can distinguish the apple tree from the other trees in her backyard, and can identify a hummingbird versus a regular bird. And she loves to dance, especially to the silly Halloween mummy toy Robyn bought that plays "Thriller." Audrey even did some break dancing moves! Sadly, I think she might have inherited this from her father. I'm still traumatized by Beau's rotten taste in 80s rap music in our youth.

Laurel had a beautiful birthday party with her friends, and they decorated their cupcakes to look like rainbows. They had a rainbow pinata to hit, and she loved opening all her presents. Everyone (myself included) jumped on the unicorn bandwagon. She's all decked out as the latest member of the National Association of Unicorn Believers.

(Laurel's bed used to be my bed when I was a little girl. Its just perfect for a little princess!)

During the weekend, we ate dinner at Dad's old favorite restaurant, the House of Prime Rib. Dad first discovered it during his seminary days in Berkeley, and we went their several times with him through the years. Laurel and Audrey had their very first Shirley Temple drinks, a favorite of mine from time past. It must be a girly drink, because no one ever offers them to Alex and Ryan.

We also went to a lovely park where Robyn was competing in See Jane Run, a triathlon to help fun breast cancer research. Despite her unfortunate flat tire during the bike section, she still rallied through and completed the race. The girls played in the lake, and since Daddy had neglected to pack bathing suits, it wasn't long before they were playing "neche" in the water. I was on little girl duty at the time, and at first I would only let little Audrey undress, not sure how it would go over with Beau and Robyn for their little four year old to be one with nature. Laurel was supremely jealous, and kept begging me to let her go 'neche.' Several phone calls to Beau later, her persistence payed off, and she was given the all-clear-for-neche status. Our little rainbow unicorn princess was in seventh heaven.

I can't wait to see them again, and hopefully it won't be too long away or else Alex and Ryan may never forgive me. I'm still in the doghouse for going without them, but its hard when little things like school get in the way.