Proud Mama bragging

Ceci: Mmmmm, broccoli. I smell broccoli.
Me: That's 'cause we're having broccoli.
Ceci: YEEESSS! (Opens door to outside and shouts) Henry, we're having BROCCOLI!

headphones, black boots, kitty helmets

Well, so here's my little tweener.  Can you believe this kid?

He has been hogging my old iPod.  I think at the moment this was taken, he was listening to Benny Goodman.  Followed by Flaming Lips.  A little bit of everything.  He is doing just fine, though.  Building and planning and working on his butterfly garden.  He is obsessed about getting a plant whose name I cannot recall at this time.  The Lowe's guy said it would be in at the end of February, so he asks every weekend if we can go see.  They have the FCAT writing test on Tuesday, which he is totally nervous about.  Nothing makes me want to homeschool my children more than the FCAT.  He was talking to us the other night about one of the strategies for the reading, and I got (disproportionately?) angry that they spend valuable class time on TEST STRATEGIES.  Nothing kills curiosity and interest in literature like a mnemonic designed to help you answer purposefully tricky multiple choice questions.  I digress.

We just try to balance all the sitting and mnemonics with lots of this:

We attended a grown ups only Valentine's Dance to go to a few weekends ago. It was expected to be great fun, but we had to leave early because I wasn't feeling so well.  But the picture turned out nice!

The kids new favorite thing to do is go to the skate park and skate around on their scooters.  The teenagers there just love all the little kids on scooters, and of course they censor their language to keep things appropriate.  (No.)  We try to go before the big kids get out of school.  Notice here, Malcolm is wearing giant black boots.  They are his "Luke Skywalker boots."  There is some Star Wars obsession floating around at the House of Kee.  It was bound to happen.  Ceci needs a new helmet, and she saw a little girl with a kitty helmet that has kitty ears.  Her heart is set on that thing.  I searched at Target today, but it didn't come in her size.  There was a 5+ size, but it just looked too small.  These people have big heads!  I will begin combing the Internet, I suppose.  Maybe by her birthday...

Well, other than that, things are going well.  Patrick is loving his job.  He's full of stories and anecdotes.  Just as he likes to be.  My semester is ho hum.  I have spring break soon, which is good.  I have just been thrifting and decorating as usual.  I will spend my spring break repainting and redecorating my bathroom.  Also, I am hoping to build a desk for the boys bedroom.  I know what I want, I'm just trying to make it more economical.  I have to go check out our used building supply store.  I want to make a simple desk with an industrial flair.  We will see how that goes.  

We are planning on a summer of adventures and getting excited about making that happen.  If anyone knows of a good, cheap place to stay in DC, let me know!  

"An old woman pushed us even faster than this."

Said my daughter after I told her that I was pushing as fast as I could.

Someone's been reading The Guinness Book of World Records

At the risk of overloading you with all the family dialogue, I relay the following conversation that happened in the car on the way to piano lessons today.

Henry:  The shortest person in the world is a woman.  She is only 1 foot 8 inches.  The shortest man is 2 feet 2 inches.  The tallest person is a man in China or something.  He is 8 feel 11 inches, I think.

Me:  Hmmm.

Ceci:  Mommy, how tall is 8 feet?

Me:  It's almost as tall as the ceiling in your bedroom.

Henry:  They all will only live to be about 35, the same age as you, Mommy.

Me:  Oh yeah?

Henry:  Their life expectancy is less because their bodies can't handle it.  And the air up there is more polluted.

Me:  Uh, did you read that somewhere?

Henry:  No, I made it uh, -er, uh-

 Me:  Or is it a hypothesis?

Henry:  Yeah, it's my hypothesis.

Me: It's a good one.

This is not his first hypothesis, and I'm sure it won't be his last.  I'm glad to see that as they get older, the conversations are still just as entertaining.

natural consequences, or how I plan to make $60

Recently, I splurged on a giant umbrella for something like $17.99.  I could have bought a helluva lot of stuff at Hospice Attic for that price, but nobody seems to give away working umbrellas, and the children had recently broken mine while playing some wild, imaginary, umbrella destroying game in the yard.  And there was a downpour when I was trying to leave Walmart.  And woman in her right mind wants to be in Walmart any longer than she has to.  So, I bought one.  Moving on.

Tonight, after the usual street fracas, we were bringing in the bikes, scooters, swords, tents, cars, and rackets that the children were playing with, and I stumbled across my brand new umbrella laying by the wayside behind some sort of structure devised of an old playhouse and a series of plastic Adirondack chairs and bicycle wheels that I lovingly refer to as Shit Mountain. (Not when the children are present.  Though I am sure they know the word shit.  They do go to public school, after all.)

 You see, when I bought that new, fancy $18 umbrella, I made it clear to all involved that its only purpose was to keep me dry.  If they wanted to walk next to me in the rain and find shelter in its giant wings, they were more than welcome to, but I would hold it.  Only I am allowed to open it, close it, wave it around wildly, and stab people with it.  Needless to say, I was aghast by my discovery behind Shit Mountain.

I marched toward the house and quickly demanded everyone join me in the living room.  I stood in the center of the room holding my fancy umbrella, and the conversation went something like this...

Me: (in teacher voice) I found my new umbrella in the yard.  I thought I made it very clear that no one was to play with this umbrella.  This umbrella cost me $20 (I included tax) of my own money that I work hard for.   If this umbrella gets broken, you will each pay me $20.  I will get $60 for my pain and suffering over the broken umbrella.

Then I systematically ask each child if they want to pay me $20.  They each say no.

Me:  So if this umbrella is broken, each of you will pay me $20.  Understand?

Hands go up immediately.

Malcolm:  What if we didn't break it?

Me:  Everyone is responsible.  If someone else gets it out, you tell them to put it back.  If they don't, you come tell me.  But if it breaks, everyone pays me $20.

Henry:  What if, say, I'm at tutoring and Malcolm or Ceci have a friend over while I'm not here, and they decide to get the umbrella out, and it breaks, but I wasn't here, so I didn't even know it was taken out because I wasn't here, so I couldn't stop it from happening?

Me:  Then you wouldn't be held responsible.

Malcolm:  What if a friend goes in and gets it out of the car and we don't know that they did it, and then it gets broken?

Patrick:  A friend isn't going to go in the car and get the umbrella out.  That is something one of you would probably have to do.

Ceci:  What if it's out, and they play with it?

Me:  The umbrella should always be in the car.  If you see it out, you should put it in the car.

Henry:  What if you ask us to go get it for you?

Me:  Then you go get it.  If I ask you to get it, that's different.  Let's all use our good sense here.

Malcolm:  What if you ask us to go put it away?

Me:  Then you put it away.  Pause.    Are we clear?

Everyone:  Yes.

Me:  Any further questions?

Silence

Me:  Good.

I fully anticipate making $60 off this deal.  It's only $40 if you take into account the cost to replace the umbrella, but I'll take it.  Am I saying I have no faith in my children to follow my directions concerning my umbrella?  Well, in a word, yes.

I am, after all, and optimist at heart...

News

New piano (a honky tonk/ player piano, no less!), new hobby (with instruction manual?), new glasses (for Patrick).

Now I have to learn how to spell Buccholz. Bucchholz. Buchholz. Whatever.

Today is the day we've all been waiting for.  Really, by we I mean Patrick.  And I guess he's only been waiting a couple of weeks.  Anyway, he is starting a new job today.  He had left Eastside after the 2010-2011 school year to work for... another "educational" institution.  He was looking for something different.  He got it.  I will just say it was not what he expected, and he did not enjoy it.  He has been job hunting for at least ten months, and right before the break, a high school position came up that he was interested in.  I'll spare you the boring details.  He applied, he was interviewed, he got the job, and he starts today!  He has gone from a ram to a bobcat in one fell swoop, and his commute, though longer than the trek to his laundry room office, is much shorter than his commute to Eastside. (He can fulfill his dream of riding his bike!)  More than anything, he is back to being Patrick.  He is too extroverted to work in a laundry room making phone calls all day.  I meant to take a picture of him all snazzed up, but in the morning mayhem, I forgot.

In other news, we bought a piano yesterday at the thrift shop!  It was a great price, which is good since it will cost us $100 to have it delivered and probably another $100 to have it tuned.  Ceci already takes lessons, and I would love to get the boys in on that too.  She has actually taught Malcolm a little bit.  I have to figure out exactly where to put it because it will have to stay in that place.  Anyone who has been to my house more than once knows my furniture doesn't stay in the same place long.  

I have to go get ready for work.  My allergies have been so bad that I have coughing fits every time I talk for more than a minute straight.  Not good when you're a teacher.  I also accidentally drooled on a student's desk yesterday. (I was going to say spit, but let's call a spade a spade.)  I was eating a cough drop.  It was embarrassing.

I'll leave you with that.

Back Like A Bad Penny

I have no expectations for readers after my year sabbatical.  I am back mainly for my children's sake.  I keep no baby books.  You will find nary a photo album in my house.  This blog is the only record of their childhood outside of their own memories.  This and the 12,000 pictures on my external hard drive.  That brings us to this post.  2012 in review.  Get some hot tea and put your feet up.  You're going to be here a while.  

I spent 40 minutes putting these 175 pictures in a particular order.  Not the order you will see them in.   That is Blogger's welcome back gift to me.

2012

We begin, as we do every year, with Patrick's birthday.  I made his all time favorite dinner, chili cheese dogs with cole slaw.  The kids set the table.

Malcolm seems to begin every year with a dental issue.  This year, it's shark teeth.  Last year, he had to have a tooth pulled and a "robot tooth" installed.

Patrick continued to work at home.  Shaving and bathing became optional...  

unless he had to to a live lesson.

Ceci's continued to think only of felines.  Look at the last line of this sign in sheet at the Devil's Millhopper sinkhole:

The House of Kee does not seem to vary it's activities very widely from year to year.  We visit local parks and hiking thoroughfares. 

We stay informed on current events.  

Henry peruses the Times' coverage of the tsunami.

 I take a once a year trip somewhere without the children and Hubs.  

Off to Virginia for to surprise Aunt Stephie for her 50th!

Henry builds amazing things.

A castle he built for school.  Our first real big kid school project!

And he gets in character.

Ceci's cat obsession continues.

We cultivate warriors.

Malcolm falls asleep.

Henry builds more things.

Ceci poses.

As always, it is a hard knock life at the HoK.  

But we make up for it on the weekends.

As I have mentioned many times, I have no great love for children's birthday parties.  I was excited that the children were on board with the idea of going someplace fun instead of having a party this year.  Ceci chose Weeki Wachee, a place famous for it's live mermaid show and spring fed beach complete with concussion inducing water slides.  It is an Old Florida theme park in every sense of the word.  

Malcolm falls asleep.  Again.

Ceci's actual birthday.  Lucky number 7!

Ceci continues to be obsessed with cats.

As is customary at the HoK, we spent much time with friends.  Some old...

Some new...

We also had many visits with Farmor and Grandpa, the first at Easter.

We got a cat.

My name is Boca.  I talk a lot.

And Malcolm fell asleep.  Again.

We rode bikes out front.

And just did the usual...

Mother's Day Tea at Malcolm's school

For Henry's birthday, we decided to try out the newly opened Legoland park in Winter Haven with some good friends of ours.  Patrick and Clark made it a point to coordinate their outfits.

And of course, Henry got an awesome gadget for his birthday.

9 candles!

Continuing with the matching trend, we spent a weekend in Orlando with my brother, Dad and Linda, and my Grandfather.

And spent some raccoon free time in the Moyer's backyard.

Memorial Day brought us to St. Augustine just in time for Tropical Storm B--?  I don't remember the name.

Ceci had a shining moment lecturing on one of her favorite books, Socks.  About, you guessed it, a cat!

She also almost mastered roller skating.  She definitely mastered the fashion end of it.

Malcolm graduated from preschool.

And scored a leading role in his school end of year play.

Nailed it!

We decided to class up the place a bit with our long anticipated purchase of an above ground pool.  About a month into it, I looked out the window to see a blob of what I initially thought was Spanish moss floating in it.  Upon closer inspection, it was, in fact, a dead squirrel.

Then began the summer, with its car washing antics,

shoe matching,

museum exploring,

and annual trip to Ft. Myers.  Usually we do this Memorial Day, but this year is was bumped back due to excessive May travel on, well, everyone's part.

On the way to Sun Splash Family Water Park!

Back home to continue our summer activities, which wouldn't be complete without Malcolm falling asleep.

many trips to Westside Park,

And, of course, bowling.

As always, there was much pool time,

and summer bike rides.

We spent the 4th at the UF bandshell for Fanfares and Fireworks.

Apparently, Patrick wore only one t-shirt this past summer.

As is customary for GAinesville, we said goodbye to some good friends.

Mc Coy's Going Away Party
July 4th

And said goodbye again that weekend in Orlando...

Nana celebrated her birthday with the usual cast of characters.

The children tried out some new looks.

We played seemingly endless rounds of Apples to Apples and Monopoly

In case you don't know how A to A works, the players put down a red card that they think best describes the green card placed on the table.  In this case, the green card said "Old."  The red were the cards my children chose.  

and celebrated Christmas in July.

The House of Kee saved it's insane road trip for a September wedding and instead flew up to the Jerz for a mini family reunion of sorts.

more matching shoes

toward the end of our THREE HOUR delay.  We were supposed to get into Philly at 10:50.  Instead, we left Orlando at 11:15.  This is why we drive!

We spent the weekend in my hometown.

With a visit to Aunt Claire's in Ocean City.

This was Patrick and the kids' first time on the Jersey Shore.  I spent every summer there as a child, and I could not wait to bring them.  I wish we could go every summer!

We rented this little guy up there.  Even though they had to squish in the back, the kids LOVED it.  Here they are sad to say goodbye.

This is in the Philly Airport.  Don't ask me where.  We almost missed out flight trying to find it!

P.S. I'm made of Legos.

Back at home, what summer would be complete without at least one sweaty night at Satchel's?

We did take an August road trip to Chattanooga.  On the way, we spent a night at a B&B in Atlanta called The Social Goat.  It was awesome.  You need to stay there.

Once in the Noog, we crashed at a friend of a friend's river house.  It was some quality relaxation time with the Huffines trio (soon to be a quartet!).

Simon, fan of nose-honking.

the instant before impact

We arrived home just in time for the first day of school.

Fourth Grade!

Second Grade!

Kindergarden! (sniff, sniff)

 As it always does, Malcolm's birthday kicked off the school year. 

His destination of choice was... the bowling alley!

Much to Henry's relief, the fall brought up tree removal.

He was more than a little worried that the old, dead pine was going to come crashing down on our house.

We attended only one United Downtown event this fall but got face painted as usual.

September also brought our anniversary.

Thirteen years!

Farmor and Grandpa came to visit.  And buy a house.  It was a week after Farmor's birthday, so we had a belated celebration.

The weekend after, we attempted something that only crazy people do.  The kind of people who drive from North Dakota to Florida in three days.  

We drove to Pennsylvania and back.

In five days.

Yes, five.

Driving Day 1:

Old Sheldon Church Ruins

Driving, Day 2:

Dinosaur Land,
White Post, VA

Dinner, Day 2:

(in Pennsylvania)

Not Driving, Day 3:

Of course, we found a pretty park to hike in.

At my cousin's wedding, the whole reason we went.

Driving, Day 4:

didn't upload any

Driving, Day 5:

didn't take any

Back home, Malcolm and I began a weekly Wednesday date to Sweet Dreams while the other two are at chess club.

Malcolm is truly Patrick's mini-me.

You can blame my Blogger absence on my newest obsession, Pinterest.

Speaking of grandmas, here is one of ours holding Malcolm.  It only took 5 years, but he finally fell in the fountain outside Moe's.  We took him to the car to remove his wet clothes only to realize he wasn't wearing any underwear.  Luckily, Nana had this blanket in her car.

In September, Ceci demonstrated that she is following in her mother's footsteps and sharing embarrassing family stories.

"When I was a baby, I'd bite my mom's bobs."
Yes, this was hanging in her classroom.

 Not only is she honing her writing skills, she has begun developing her musical ones

as well as her athletic prowess.

Though it looks silly, synchronized swimming is not for the faint of heart!

Malcolm, in the meantime, honed his Jedi skills.

"Use the Force" they say.  As if it's that easy.

Henry continues to develop skills I didn't know he even had.

Malcolm continues to do chores while packin'

One can never be too careful, apparently.

 And we all continue to amuse ourselves in our various ways.

 

Still BFFin it

End of an INSANE semester.

Never a clean face

"Cat's Rock"

Squeezed in a St. Aug trip in Dec.

At the new indoor bounce house place, Bouncin' Big.

4 apples a day keeps the doctor away

That's about all I got in me right now.  I'll attempt a Christmas post some time soon.