Skating:part 1

Call me a bad mother but I find it funny when kids try something new and fall down.  I can't help it.....watching their faces is comedic relief. 

He had to laugh.  The only reason he got off the wall is because some girl he met dared him to.

She got off the ice complaining that her butt hurt.  Notice Morgan in the background hanging back.  She learned pretty quickly that if she was too close when Shannon fell she was going down too.

He was smart enough to go really slow when he finally got off the wall

Hannah never left the wall but she was happy to stay there

Cerah spent her time sneaking up on the others and scaring them so she could laugh when they fell

Morgan was happy to have someone besides herself that kept falling

Now they have all decided that it's moms turn to try it.  Good thing I'm the only one who gets to hold the camera.

Week in pictures

We recently had my sister and her family move in with us from Ohio while they try to find work.  So far it has been entertaining to say the least.  I thought I'd share some highlights of the week so far.

Here's Anthony - typical teenager

Morgan and Shannon. They do everything together and just the same.

This picture wasn't posed - I walked into the room, saw them lying there like that and ran and grabbed my camera.

Cerah and Kodi trying to put a storage stand together without instructions. 

They had to take it apart twice...

But they figured it out with help from the dog!

I had to take this one so I would remember what it looked like to see the guys working

because they are usually doing this.  they claim it's more fun

The cake Cerah and Anthony made for Valentine's Day.  Doesn't it look yummy?

It was

Dancing

What do you do when you can't watch t.v., have extra energy, and the music's up loud?  You dance!

I don't know that you could call this dancing but they were having fun

80's headbanging maybe?

Or a 70's acid trip - is there something I need to know about here?

This one's not so into the dancing

But she sure loves to be a hairbrush singer

Even Cerah decided to join in a little

Until she saw the camera

 

Let it snow

The view from my house yesterday morning:

The view from my house this morning:

I know the mid atlantic and the east coast got worse but for them this is unusual while for us this is normal.  In fact, we have had a mild winter here and I was really hoping it would stay that way.  This is still below the normal amount expected this time of year.  Maybe we will get lucky and there won't be enough snow to go around.  Meanwhile I will continue dreaming of warm sandy beaches, palm trees, fruity drinks, and sunshine.

Life lessons from my dogs

Enjoy the sunshine

Play in the fresh air

Keep your best friends close

Hog the remote even when you don't need it

Relax after a good meal

Keep your toys close

Know when it's a good day to laze around

Make anyplace a good nap spot

And take the time to show your people love

Wishful thinking

In the cold, dark days of this winter there are only my memories to sustain me.  Memories of happier times, of warmer times.  Well, pictures as well as memories but that just doesn't sound quite so dramatic does it?  Hmm, let me try it out.  In the cold, dark days of this winter there are only my pictures to sustain me.  Nope, if I have any hope of being a successful writer (which I don't) I must use visual images to grab the readers attention.  Ok, do over.  Forget that first paragraph.  Here I go again, I've got it right this time.

In the cold, dark days of this winter there are only my memories to sustain me.  Memories of happier times, of warmer times.  Memories such as these.....ahh, much better if I do say so myself.

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of  soda and pretzel and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
You'll wish that summer could always be here
-Nat King Cole-

Cabin fever

Cabin Fever has officially hit.  To combat this terrible disease the girls decided to pretend that it was warm enough to go camping.  We set up the tent for them - downstairs, of course, since it is finished! - and they got all their blankets out and made a nice bed.  Then they crawled in and played for awhile.

But being the girls they are they had to rough it while playing a girlie game.

Pink monopoly, game that keeps my children from arguing for minutes at a time, I love you.

I found this camping arrangement much more preferable to the last one we had.

Last time we were actually outside and had to stay there the whole night.  Granted, we were in our backyard since I didn't want to go far from modern conveniences, but Rob wouldn't let me cheat or give up and go back inside.  Trust me, I tried.  Every time I unzipped the sleeping bag he woke up.  Darn his light sleeping.  Any other night a train driving through the room wouldn't wake him up.  But I had my revenge.  Everyone was woken up by me bright and early at 5 A.M.  After all, if we're going to camp we are not wasting time sleeping instead of enjoying the great outdoors.  I'm thinking maybe next summer we will make it to a real campsite.  One with cabins.