Friday, September 26, 2008

Not yet...

Ainsley came home from school today SO EXCITED because her bus driver gives out 2 $5 gift certificates each Friday to the two kids who have followed bus rules best that week. (I don't remember ever having a bus driver like that!) This was the first week of the give-a-way and she was the lucky recipient of a $5 Cold Stone gift card. She told Hudson, "so buddy, I'm taking you to Cold Stone to get ice cream for a special time for you and me!" ("aaawwww" moment) Hudson said, "But do you know how to drive the car?"

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Still MORE Hudson...

For a pre-school project (he is so proud that he has homework!) Hudson had to make a petal and decorate it with things that are his favorites and a picture. As we were filling it out I asked him his favorite color. He said, "All of them in the whole world EXCEPT pink and purple."

And another one:

I was in brushing my teeth and Hudson came in and said, "are these my teeth that already fell out?" (pointing to his teeth- Ainsley is in that stage where every tooth in her mouth is pretty much wiggly, and consequently hurts so there is LOTS of drama and talking about teeth falling out.) I told him, "no, your teeth will fall out in a year or two, you still have your baby teeth." He said, "No, these are not called baby teeth. They are just short teeth." I guess when you are 4 and a half baby is pretty much the worst thing you can be called!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

With this one post I may eliminate any social life we (or the Strandbergs) will ever have again...

What do you think 4 adults, out on a Saturday night, without their kids would be doing? Want to know what we were doing with Eric and Cyndi at 10pm this last Saturday?

I can't believe I'm going to tell you.

We were wandering around Walgreens, trying to figure out the best way to use a $10 off $40 purchase coupon with their rebates to get the most stuff for free. As I was walking back down the aisle, after searching out the correct size and kind of mouthwash to qualify for a rebate and Andrew and Eric were looking at their free chocolate, I did inform them that I felt I had a moral obligation to blog about this episode. After all, I'm always writing about the nutty things my kids do, it is only fair. I don't even want to tell you how much time we spent doing this....but gosh darn it, with enough plotting there had to be a way that Walgreen's would pay us to take their toothpaste and nail polish!

In the interest of not having you think we are totally insane I need you to know that we did play tennis and then go out to dinner before this little escapade. This is just the exciting stuff we do to end our evenings.

I'm expecting a rush of invitations to hang out with us....

hmmm... why isn't the phone ringing???

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Lots from Hudson lately

We were looking through Ainsley's book order, I told Ainsley and Hudson that they both could pick out a book. I love kids books, I suggested one about the Solar System that had great pictures, Flat Stanley, and a three pack of books by E.B. White (Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little and The Trumpet Swan). Hudson wanted Captain Underpants, Pokemon, and Sponge Bob. (Thanks so much for these options Scholastic) When I vetoed all of them he said, "But it is fine if you think there is inappropriate stuff in them, I just won't let yooouuuu (lots of emphasis) read them."

Saturday, September 13, 2008

High Aspirations

Ainsley talks about what she will do when she grows up frequently (nurse-and I have another story about that later-but I have to take a picture) and so Hudson also thinks about what he is going to do, because she brings it up all the time.

So Hudson asks me, "Do you have to go to college to be a doctor?"

"Yes."

"Do you have to go to college to be a garbage man?"

"No."

"Okay, then I'll be a garbage man."

I said, "Your going to go to college no matter what you do because it is fun, it is just preschool for bigger kids."

He says, "Okay, so I'll go to college and be a doctor, and I'll just be a garbage man on garbage days, what day is that?"

I've heard most people do have 3 to 4 career changes. I wonder how many flip between garbage men and doctors?

Friday, September 12, 2008

I don't know if that is really the definition of terrible.

Preschool is still going great for Hudson. He goes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday so Thursday and Friday mornings have been a bit traumatic. He doesn't quite understand why Ainsley and Daddy get to go to school every day and he doesn't.

He did come home on Wednesday with a problem. I asked him how school was and he said, "recess was terrible." Recess is all he really tells me about and he loves it so I was thinking that he must have gotten hurt, or someone was mean, you know, something actually terrible. I asked what happened. He said, "They don't let me stay out there long enough, it was terrible."

Thursday, September 4, 2008

A Time Such As This

Living with a Political Studies teacher who is a political junkie makes it impossible for me to not hear lots of political stuff. And for the most part I like it. But I've not been excited at all this year because I don't like John McCain. He beat out my guy Huckabee. Now there is Sarah Palin...I'm a bit conflicted because I think moms should be home with their kids. But...I love her. It is one thing for someone like me who has never been faced with a unplanned pregnancy, a child that is not "perfect" in the eyes of the world, or a daughter facing an unplanned pregnancy to be pro-life. But she is someone who has LIVED pro-life. I watched her on stage last night holding her clearly down-syndrome little boy and thought about how babies lives will be saved because of this family. I read her quote after they introduced their baby a few days after he was born and she said at first she was sad, but now feels blessed that God chose them to have this child. Even if she and McCain don't win the White House, if one baby is saved because of their courage that is much more significant victory.

If you watched her speech last night did you not think her youngest daughter holding the baby, then licking her hand to smooth the baby's hair down was about the cutest thing? One of my favorite things is watching Ainsley or Hudson do something nurturing for their baby brother. It is just precious.

I never thought I'd be excited to watch a Vice-Presidential debate. But watching her take on Biden...(Oct. 2) I think I'm more excited for that than I am for The Office season premier (Sept. 25 in case your wondering). And that is saying something.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

School Days

Here is your traditional back-to-school post. This morning I sent off Ainsley to her first day of 2nd grade. We followed that up with taking Hudson to his first day of preschool. And mom did fine, no tears even, thanks for asking.

There is something so cute about little kids with their backpacks. The thought of all the fresh school supplies in their backpacks makes me so happy. I think school supplies are one of the main reasons I became a teacher. I love new crayons, markers, brand new, sharpened pencils (especially if they are Ticonderoga-they really are the only kind of pencils worth having-I'm a pencil snob) and glue that has yet to get all gunky. It was REALLY hard for me to let Ainsley organize her own pencil box, I really wanted to do it. She really wanted to do it herself. I let her, but it hurt a little.



Ainsley was still okay with me taking her into her class, and even was okay with a picture in her room.



When I went to leave I asked her if there was anything else she needed. She said, "A hug." That is when I almost cried.

When she came home and was unpacking her (mostly uneaten) lunch I asked her if she read the note I had put her in her lunchbox. She said, "mom, about that, I don't really have time to eat lunch because I'm so busy with my friends. So I really don't have time to read notes from you." That was when I was glad I hadn't shed any tears over her leaving for the day.

And Hudson was okay with me taking his picture in his classroom as well, although he couldn't quite bring himself to tear his eyes away from all the stuff and kids in the class to look at the camera for 1/100th of a second.




When we were talking last night about good behavior at school and making good choices he said, "yeah, and I'll even leave my shirt on all day." Your teacher would probably appreciate that.

When he came home he told me, "I made new friends with everyone in the class, but I only know two of the new friends names so far." When we were getting ready for bed tonight he said, "I can't wait for next morning so I can go to school!"

Even though he wasn't going to school, Camden managed to acquire attention this morning as well. I had him in the stroller for both of the school drop offs for containment. He doesn't love that, so he would take off a shoe and throw it on the ground and then yell, "SHWWOOO" really loud so someone would pick up his shoe and talk to him. After the second time of that I just picked up the shoes and put them in the stroller bag. So then he would point to his barefoot and yell "SHWWOOO" again really loud to get attention for the fact that his mother didn't have shoes on him. It was great. (this whole little routine happened at both schools.) Here he is in the paring lot right after leaving Hudson. I put his shoes on and he instantly went to take them off again. Anyone know of a preschool for 20 month olds?

Monday, September 1, 2008

1968 was a good year

Last month we got to celebrate my parents 40th anniversary, and now this month we got to celebrate Andrew's parents 40th anniversary as well. Our parents weddings were only two weeks apart!

We celebrated by having a party for Jim and Arlene in their new house on Sunday. They invited some of their friends over for dinner. Everyone had a great time.









Our only trauma was when Camden locked himself in a bathroom. Typical. He was rescued by Andrew's lock picking skills pretty quickly. When someone asked him where he learned to pick locks, his response was, "we have to be pretty creative to live on one income."



Happy Anniversary Jim and Arlene!