Dashing, Don’t You Think?

 

His new accessory, picked out by ME.

Jackson and the Science Fair

 

Jack had his science fair this week.  His project compared the heat retention of different colors of paper.  It was pretty thorough for a 6th grader, I thought.

This was nice!

I wanted him to pose with his board, but he’s 11, if you get my drift.  I was determined to sneakily get his picture if he wasn’t going to cooperate, dadnabit. 

Fail.      Again and again.

Well, the tiger was holding still and cooperating, so I just went with that shot.  But then he growled at me, too.

Here Jack is (not) holding his blue ribbon.  

You would think he would be proud of his work and accomplishments.  But again, he’s 11… going on 18? 

The weirdo Family

By Caroline

1. Our   Cousin   Ross    gave   Jack     a  email and he called him a weirdo, so i made up the Weirdo Family.  How cool is that? 2.This   is    Ross   100%  FUNNY!

 

3.  This  is 

Jackson     100%   nice  

4.  A   dog--  how  did  it   get    here  ?

5.  100%   beautiful   and   and   such  a  cutie   pie

100%   dirty   and   sticky  hahahaha      

This Week In Review

Caroline (falling out of the keep-it-secret mode—just tired of that nonsense) had to make a wheeled object for school this week.  She called it her Robot Van.  Best feature, I thought:  the sun roof.

 

Taxes are done!  Hooray!  First time for us to ever be done prior to April.

 

The typical goof-nut happenings around the house:

 

He wouldn’t exactly pose for me in the wig.  But yes, he would with the wig and beanbag chair with cowboy hat and puppy on top.  ???

Fun with static electricity.  Prior to this day,  Gary had apparently put this in my hair while I was snoozing on the chair while supposedly watching TV.  He was snickering and cracking himself up.  I’m thinking maturity might kick in for him around age….never?  And that’s ok with me ‘cause I like to laugh, too. 

Breakfast time.  Here you can get a sense of Grant’s concern with the old-timey look on the cereal.  “Mom, you better check the expiration date.  I think these are really old.”  

   

The double chin contest. 

Winner not pictured.  Do you think I’d actually include something less than flattering about myself on here? Oh, right, my bad hair day picture(s).  Never mind. 

Sam going to school.  He’s all Illini on us now.  Sam picked this hat out last weekend while I was at Kohl’s getting Gary’s new Val-Day accessory and is pretty much addicted to wearing it, the crazy cutie.  

No picture of Gary and his new accessory, but I will say he accepted it and has been wearing it.  I will get a picture soon so you can just see the handsomeness.

       Jackson made the honor roll.  Hooray!   Speaking of handsome, isn’t it so nice when he actually lets me take a good picture and you can see him and the handsome boy he is.  He’s at a friend’s house right now, but due to come back soon.  There’s either friends over here or he’s over at someone’s house.  While he’s gone, two others will call for him.  I think he is our social butterfly. 

Although this one doesn’t do badly herself.  Yesterday she went to a Girl Scout pj party

    We decided she was having an excellent hair day, so, of course we document that. 

 

It was finally a dry, sunny, decently-warm day yesterday so Gary washed the truck and van of all their winter salt and crud.  I was thinking of a before and after picture series but then he said:

“You know, there are some people who do the work, and then there’s some people who take pictures of those who do the work.”

Ooops, I better go!

Lunch Lady’s Personality Study

Quiz.

Match the lunch to the kid.

Lunch varies widely day to day.  Sometimes likes to take thermos with soup or macaroni/cheese or noodles, or sandwich.  Big thrill over fruit snacks and similar special add-ins.  Lunchbox and ice pack somewhat girl-y.

 

Varies little day to day.  Sandwich and a half: either pbj or ham with mayo and lettuce.  Strawberry banana yogurt and cheese stick, daily without fail.  Jello depending on availability.

 

Corndog *required*.  ‘Nough said? 

Another giveaway: extra juicebox to share with Sauce.

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free lunchbox but Casino Harrah’s name covered with tape.  Lunch contents have not varied one day since first day of school:  pbj, applesauce, juice.  Period.  No fun add-ins wanted or allowed.  Ever. 

Answer key:

 

Something new to try

I’ll add some Valentine theme videos to YouTube that you can watch. Here goes. 

Valentine’s Day

is kinda like Christmas for us.  It started a week ago when the kids received Valentines and gift cards from Aunt Deb and it’s kept on going through today.  

  G’s smiling ‘cause he didn’t have to pay for the McDonald’s meal, and D’s smiling because that’s one less meal to cook. 

Everybody wins!  Thanks, Deb!   See?

Happy kids!

 

This week we made Valentines for the kids’ parties. Here’s CGirl’s mailboxes holding two Hershey nuggets.  We made a bunch of those.   

Here’re Gr’s.  These held two Hershey kisses and we made 20-some of these, also. 

SBaby’s for preschool were store-bought Lego Valentines with suckers glued on.  Gotta say those went together the fastest and were the cheapest! But I wanted each kid chose their own style, so they picked what they wanted to give.  There were only two other homemade Valentines in the whole bunch they brought home from their exchanges.

Other miscellaneous events this week:

• The actual Science Fair
• Kitchen outlets and covers replaced.  Pretty?

• Current state/arrangement of the living room, just thrown in there for no good reason.

Today, G and I watched a movie together at 7 a.m., How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (my review: not that great) and then he gave me my Valentine present, a new clock radio iPod dock, just what I wanted.  I was getting a little tired of having to stand in the bathroom to get clear reception from the radio while lying in bed.  Yep.  Try it. 

Oh, and a bag of chocolates, thus, I am very happy today.

 

My gifts to my sweetheart:  a new accessory to wear (I’ll get back with you on just how that goes over) and I have bbq ribs in the oven as we speak.  Caroline made this lovely strawberry and Skittles cake for the family.  The Hello biscuits are long gone.  Maybe they should they be Bye-bye biscuits?

 

Gr brought this huge heart balloon home from his friend Chris’ house along with a heart tin of Hershey kisses.  This would be the same gift giver that, over the course of our kids’ friendship, has given me an Amy Grant cd, a bag of oranges and Asian pears, flashy blingy necklace with earrings, my winter hat to cover up my “teenager hairdo”, and let’s don’t forget the flip-flops and tank top for G on Fathers’ Day.  So that we have this floating  3 feet tall balloon in our house is no surprise.  It is in the laundry area in order to minimize the hassle. 

Gr: “DO NOT touch the balloon!”

Balloon got sent to the laundry area after I had heard this same statement yelled 20 times.

Here are our Valentines on display.  The kids say thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!

 

Boys did some wii’ing today.  Gr has been enjoying some of his Val-Day candy as you might notice by the blue mouth and SBaby has designed his own take on the straitjacket.  And yes, J actually let his face be seen in a picture.  Happy day. 

 

This mystery note showed up today. 

From Cuped. Who brought chotlet. 

Gr asks a very good question:  If it’s really from Cupid, why did he misspell his own name?

 

My gifts to the kids are yet to be opened.  I can opener-ed the bottoms, replaced the fruit with a $5 Target gift coin, and then glued the bottoms back on so it appears they are regular pull-top cans of fruit.  I think they’ll like the surprise.  And then they’re going to get some new clothes.  Not so likeable, I’m sure.

Happy V-day to all those we love!

Today I'm asking
If you'll be mine.
Please say yes,
Be my Valentine.