Some Good Work

Anna made a rollercoaster out of chalk. She loves to either draw fireworks or rollercoasters. Or rainbows.

Jonathan painted this alligator. I, for one, am VERY impressed with it.

He also colored this. I can't believe how much progress he has made with coloring and writing. Every Friday he brings home a folder packed full of his work from that week. I am very pleased with his school and his teacher so far. He is learning so much and says school is a very happy place. Except for "this one kid that hits me everyday." But he seems very nonchalant and indifferent about the whole thing. And it's not like he is coming home with black eyes or anything.

This says: I am free and happy.

Anna showing off some of her work from preschool this week. She LOVES preschool and loves all of the drawing, coloring and painting she gets to do there. The other day she brought home a very neat painting she had done using golfballs.

Anna showing off another painting.

You can have some of my fries, Daddy...

Anna wore her new jammas out that she got from Aunt Lara. She kept pouting and saying, I look stupid! As if I had made her wear her pjs out!

Dooley girls. Anna always wants us to sit on one side and the boys to sit on the other.

Dooley boys.

Last night we went to 5 Guys and the kids just wanted fries. The burgers are good, but the fries are better. So we ordered 2 large fries, assuming that would be enough for a family of 4 to share. I placed one cup in front of Jon and one cup in front of Anna (the cup is almost as tall as Anna, I think). Jonathan saw that we didn't get any fries, and he generously said, You can have some of my fries, Daddy! (He is so sweet. Everytime he hears us refer to anything about money, he will say, you can have some of my money. I have a lot.)

As it turned out, we should have just ordered 1 large fry for the four of us to share. They give crazy portions there, and there are always lots of bonus fries in the bottom of the brown paper bag. Before we went to 5 Guys, we drove all the way down in Palm Bay so I could deliver some Avon. We never go down there, and the kids complained like we had been in the car for hours. Jonathan said, Are we in down town? I said, I really don't know. We are in Palm Bay. He replied, Oh, is this where the pyramids are? I laughed and said, No, we aren't in Egypt. Can't drive there.

On the way back from our looooong journey to PB, we stopped at the pet store. It took Dave and I 15 minutes to select new food for the gerbils. We keep trying to figure out what they will like. Who is to say what a gerbil prefers? We just want them to be happy! I think we both like them more than we thought we would. They are very amusing for us all and really very little work. And they don't stink. Anyways, while at the pet store, we were told about the Hamster Ball Derby that is taking place next week. Gerbils and other small pets are allowed. Jonathan wants to enter Speedy. They put the balls on a track and the pets race. Jonathan thinks Speedy has a good chance because he's really fast! They even gave us a little training schedule to follow before the big race. When we got home, the gerbils were very happy with their new food. I think what it is is some cat food, some dog food, some bird food, and some trail mix thrown together. And maybe they also threw some people cereal in there also. And some garden mulch.

20 Things

20 of my favorite things: (things that I love that can be bought)
1.) Reese's peanut butter cups (and all their holiday variants, like eggs or pumpkins.)
2.) Pretty toenail polish. OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress is my alltime fave.
3.) Purses (quantity, not quality)
4.) Gerbils. I rather like them, as I just found out recently. I love their little twitchy noses.
5.) TV on DVD
6.) Text messages... I'd much rather text than talk.
7.) My green Rainbow flip-flops
8.) Swiffers (and a shark steam mop makes me even happier)
9.) Cellos (specifically, I love hearing Dave play the cello, but that can't really be bought...always been my favorite instrument. Very convenient that I married Dave.)
10.) Banana Pudding
11.) Dinner I don't have to cook
12.) Lipgloss. Lipgloss. Lipgloss. Lipstick. LipAnything. Love.
13.) Hand sanitizer. Germ-X wipes. A little bit of artificial safety and protection from germs to keep me sane.
14.) US Weekly magazine. Or any of the even smuttier, less based on reality ones, like InTouch and I even buy Star sometimes. I don't even like People, because it's too respectable.
They are terrible magazines that punish people for their celebrity, but nothing makes me happier than seeing a photo of a celeb biting into a hot dog or picking up their dry-cleaning. I can't explain it, but I know I am not alone.
15.) Starbucks. I pull up at the drive-thru and just breathe that fragrant coffee air. Love that place. Grande nonfat toffee nut latte, please. I wish I could have one every day...
16.) Internet/ATM banking. I can go years without setting foot in a bank, and this makes me so happy. For some reason, have always hated setting foot in the bank.
17.) Movie tickets. I really love going to the movies.
18.) Ballet shoes for Anna. The sight of her in her little ballet getup is just the most precious thing. Worth every penny I pay for those overpriced tiny shoes and tights.
19.) SunPass, totally worth not having to stop and get money out for tolls, and then have to merge back into traffic afterwards. Feel a little smug and superior as we fly through the toll lanes.
20.) Books, sometimes I love just owning a book and not having to worry about how long it takes me to read it... If it is mine, then I can fold the pages over, get it all wet in the bathtub, take it to the beach. None of that library book guilt and obligation.

The Most Pressing Questions of Our Time

I started to type in the word "why" this morning on Google. I can't even remember what I was going to search for, because I was so amused at the questions that popped up in the auto fill menu. These are, apparently, Google users most burning questions:

Why is the sky blue?
Why do men have nipples?
Why did Michael Jackson's skin turn white?
Why do dogs eat grass?
Why did I get married?
Why is my poop green?
Why did the chicken cross the road?

The question that most intrigues me, I think, is: why did I get married? What a bizzare question to type into a search engine. Getting married is such a personal choice, and Google can't supply a universal answer. Google isn't all-knowing, people! Maybe you got married because you didn't want to be alone, you were pregnant, you needed health insurance, you were in love, you wanted to wear a pretty white dress... I wonder what possesses someone to type this question into Google. Are they up late, after a bad marital squabble, and at their wit's end, they can't figure out how in the world they got themselves in this mess, and they don't want to admit to anyone else that they really can't think of any reason why they ever got married, so in desparation, they decide to Google?
Why did the chicken cross the road? Is someone really wanting to know, or searching for jokes to tell? I was not aware that chicken jokes were still a cultural phenomenon. I thought they went out about 1989, but maybe chicken jokes are a phase that all kids go through. Or maybe, deep down, there are a lot of folks out there who think that there really was an important, historical chicken road crossing, and that the chicken had to have had a motivation...
As for all the green-poopers out there, I think this probably falls under the category of things people are worried about but are too embarrassed to ask their doctor. I am guessing it has something to do with what they have eaten. As a mother of two, I have seen all colors of poo, and the varying hues can almost always be traced back to what they ate. Anyone else who has experienced a blueberry diaper, knows what I'm talking about!
Now I really do wish I could remember what I was going to Google. I got distracted. But I am certain my question was not one of the above!

Happy Birthday, Uncle Cory!

My brother Cory's birthday is tomorrow! We hope he has a great birthday! The kids worked hard to make him birthday pictures. Jonathan wrote the message all by himself, and he drew a picture of himself, with a scorpion and some other bugs at the bottom. Anna drew him some fireworks and told me what to write down for him.

This Week (A Preview)

After an entire week of being really sick, I think today I feel cautiously better. The kids definitely seem better! They got to spend the night over at Nona's house. Today is a school holiday for students. I have an appointment (just a check-up) with the rheumatologist this AM. He is supposed to repeat my bloodwork this time. Hopefully there has been no significant change with that. I really expect it to be the same. I also start my new job today. About a month ago, I got a position with a company as a tutor,which I have really enjoyed so far, and today I start a new assignment with them. I am supposed to work with a small group of middle-schoolers after school to help them with their homework. To tell you the truth, I am very nervous. Am I smarter than a 5th grader? What about a 6th or 7th grader? I am hoping that I will be able to help them with their homework. Just me being insecure, as always.
So this week brings our family back to the swing of things, school all week, work all week for Dave. The kids have not been at school for 10 days! Of course, that includes weekend and holidays. But it is definitely time for them to go back.

In Defense of Gerbils

So! I have to say, I'm not loving the negative feedback on my gerbils and their tails. Is it their fault they have tails? No. You know how when people have newborns and you might notice that they are a little ugly but you (because you are a socially adept human being) say, Ah! So cute! So happy for you! Well, this is just like that, except for my gerbils really are ugly, because yes, they are rodents, and yes, they have tails (THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN!). I could have chosen some darling hamsters that really, really don't look like rats, but they are infamous for biting their owners. I was tempted, because, yes, yes, the long tails on the gerbils freak me out a little too, and these hamsters were more round, fat and furry and had no tails. But I went with the gerbils. And one other point, is that these gerbils are not exactly photogenic. They are much cuter in person. I think you really have to see them in person to get a sense of just how cute they really are. You should see the two of them huddled up in their little house, sleeping side by side. And if you want to see a rat, go to your local Petco. They had a rat there that was so big it looked like a wharf rat. Its tail was completely hairless (my gerbils have furry tails! Fur=cute) and about an inch in circumfrence. It also had giant rat balls draped over the side of its water bottle, upon which it was perched, asleep. Rats are not gerbils. Gerbils are not rats. If anyone is suggesting that we were duped into buying two baby rats, then I would have to say you are wrong. My gerbils are much, much too dumb to be rats.

Introducing Speedy and Ballerina Dooley!

Today was finally Pet Day. Jonathan has been waiting five Fridays for this day! We set out to Incredible Pets (our local, air-conditioned pet store that is so big it is almost as satisfying as a trip to the zoo!) with our minds made up. Jonathan and I talked last night and we decided on gerbils. I was happy when we went back to Incredible Pets because they still had the same sweet brown baby gerbils. I was charmed by them on a previous visit because they were snacking on mini pretzels. I have gone in and petted them a few times and they seem exceptionally tame. And at $9.99 each, can a pet get much cheaper? We told them we wanted two females and I am hoping and praying that the two employees that checked their parts were correct. I really don't want a lot of gerbil babies on my hands. That would be such a ridiculous problem to have! The two gerbils were put in little carrier boxes, and we made our way home. Anna held her gerbil, Ballerina, in the box in her lap, and Jonathan held his gerbil, Speedy, in his lap. They kept sticking their little noses out of the breathing holes! So cute! And to those of you who will read this and cringe (or possible shriek in terror!) I have to say, rodents ARE CUTE! Come on.... Mickey? Minnie? An American Tale? That adorable little mouse with ill-fitting clothes? Gus and all his little mice friends from Cinderella? Ratatouille? I am sure there are other examples!
Anyways, we got them home and set up in their cage. They seemed happy to see each other, like they were genuinely glad to be reunited. (Hopefully as friends, as sisters, and not long lost lovers...) I tried to paint on Speedy with a magic marker (non-toxic) so we could tell them apart, but it didn't work. I think if I owned a Bingo marker it might work. Anyways, the kids and Dave think they can tell them apart. Speedy has more dark fur on his back and I think he is a little smaller than Ballerina. (By the way, aren't my kids amazing? Can you imagine more perfect names than Speedy and Ballerina for pet gerbils?) The kids are thrilled, and kept saying how much they like their new pets, and saying thank you. I am so happy for them! After being housebound all this week with this bad virus, I am grateful for this happy occasion for the kids. Making it through your first month of school is a big deal and deserves a noteworthy event to mark it, I think! So far, Speedy and Ballerina are ignoring their assorted playthings and chewtoys and concentrating soley on escape. I am going to get them both those ball things so they can run around the house. I really am concerned my Mom might never come visit us again. I guess we can always go to her house, right?


Dave at Incredible Pets holding our new pets.

Ballerina and Speedy at home in their new cage!

Jonathan and Anna waiting to pick out their gerbils.

Anna and Jon both have a gerbil, Dave has everything else. He's a good man. For letting us have rodents even though I know he isn't completely thrilled about it.

Jonathan with Speedy outside of Incredible Pets.

Anna with Ballerina.

On the way home with our new furry friends.

Speedy stretching up to get a good look at his new surroundings.

Jonathan posing with Speedy.

I think they like each other.... So cute!

Anna's Photography

We've been housebound since Sunday with this virus we have all had (except Dave). I was so sick the other day that I did not really care much about what was going on. Anna got my camera down and took a whole bunch of pictures. I think it is kind of neat to see the world through her eyes, and I am sort of proud that she can operate the camera as well as she does! I am interested in what she chooses to take photos of: her brother, toys, dolls and backpacks. She likes to get real close to her subject. Jonathan is camera-shy and normally trying to block the camera. Anna has baby dolls and she has named them all. One is named Ella (after her baby cousin), one is named Ballerina (which is actually a beautiful sounding word), and the other is Taco Rico (my personal favorite!)

Talk to the hand? Does anyone remember when that was The Thing to say?

Jeremy Morgan helped Dave install this shelf with hooks when he was down from NC. I was worried for a long time that it would pull out of the wall with too much weight, but now I load both backpacks, two of my totes, and my purse on it without thinking twice. Apparently, they really did know how to install the shelf! I always find tasks like this to be really intimidating and therefore I assume that no one else can do it. I really should have more faith that other people aren't as dumb as me.

Anna's magnet board in the hallway. The kids both have magnet boards from IKEA next to their bedroom doors. They spend a lot of time hanging special stuff up on their boards. Jonathan always has his just so and gets very upset if Anna messes it up.

This is baby Ella seated on the chair. Over the past weekend, she got a new doll, which she named Strawberry. Her babydoll Ella is still her favorite. We got a birth announcement in the mail with a gorgeous photo of Ella on it, and Anna keeps carrying it around and saying, "Oh, Ella is sooo cute!" And I keep saying, "Yes! But put that back! It's going in the scrapbook!" I should just make her a color photocopy of the announcement.

Speaking of scrapbooking, I am going to try and get caught up from Summer of 08 until school starting this year. All this weekend! I think I can do it. I think we are going to be shut in still the next few days... I might as well do something with my time. That is a lot to cover: Kentucky trip 2008, school starting 2008, Jonathan's birthday, Halloween, Anna's birthday, Christmas, then some highlights of spring 2009, then Kansas trip 2009 and some other summer pics (like from swim lessons), and then school starting! Sounds easy, right? The problem is, when I start going through all the pictures to upload some to print, I see so many cute ones and great memories that I start getting more and more printed out, and then I wind up with three times as many pictures to get in the albums. But now I am over a year behind, so I really just need to focus on major events to get caught up. We'll see how that goes.

Anna

Anna gets herself dressed most days. Yesterday, she chose navy blue leggings, her peace shirt, and her favorite headband. She also does her own hair, can you tell? To add to her look, she put both feet inside one of Dave's boots and made a peace sign. She is so silly. And fashionable!

Papa Larry's New Place

My Dad relocated from New York back down here to Melbourne. Dave and I are glad he is closeby now. Tonight is his first night in his new apartment home. I hope he is comfortable there. He is over there getting the cable and phone turned on now. So far, the cable box was defective and they left to go get another one, and everytime he tries to call me or I try to call him we get cut off in under a minute. Gotta love Bright House, I guess! Hopefully both issues will be worked out today. Moving is always full of frustrations, it seems.

The Joys of Parenthood

"Hey, Mama."
Me, putting my sandwich down, just about to take my first bite of lunch.
"Yes, Jonathan?"
"Where are the wipes?"
"What wipes?"
"The wipes in the bathroom."
"Oh," I say, casually, picking my sandwich up and taking a bite, "We ran out. Why do you need them?"
"Because I accidentally farted and then I saw poop in my pants."

This was after I got my feet and legs splashed with vomit outside the store. We thought Jonathan was feeling better, so we ventured out, and that was a mistake. We took him to Petco, to check out the rodents. After he got sick, he said, "I think it was that nasty pet smell that made me sick."
What are we doing now? Anna, Dave and I are sitting around the kitchen table finishing our lunch. Dave handled the bathroom situation for me, while I so helpfully sat here and blogged about this.

Cousins @ Starbucks

After a long day of school, nothing hits the spot like a fizzy fruit juice drink (sort of like a soda, what are they called, Izze?). I had to take them away when we got in the car. Having glass bottles while in your carseat just doesn't seem safe to me!

Trystan taught Jonathan to say, Cheers! and clink glasses. Trystan is 4 and Jonathan is 5. So cute how they both have Skechers on.

Anna and JoJo (Justine). Justine got a Frappucino, and Anna had a milk box (that is NOT her latte in the foreground. I would not want to see my little Anna Banana under the effects of espresso!). Justine is in 6th grade this year, and Anna is 3 and will turn 4 in December. I can't believe how old they are all getting!