Fast Forward Future Shot

Blast from the future: I think I can see what Romes is gonna look like as a teenager...

Much Belated Bday Commentary

This is also a first day of K post (7/25/11). Here's a girl who's ready for K! She also had the first birthday of the year in her class (8/2/11).  If Laney continues in Chandler schools, she will probably ace that honor in future years as well.  She had cupcakes to share -- what a day!  On Day 1, I liked the part where she said "bye Mom, bye Dad" -- she wanted us to get out of that room so she could start her first day of school.

Happy Birthday to Romes!

Or, more accurately, Roman, his given name. He is amazing and my treasure.  They don't make them better than this!  Love my son!

Photo credit: LAST YEAR 7-2-2010.

...and THAT makes it all worthwhile...

A perfect finish to the refrigerator!
(not just this, but many many other things make it all worthwhile...)

Bad Mommy!

Just count the total pairs of shoes Mom left on the floor!  Bad, bad mom...
PS One more that isn't even in the picture...
PPS the answer is...7 total...

Easter's Here!

Hoppy Easter Everybunny!

Who's In?

 

Just another one of those days! Happy and thankful for time with my kids in the sunshine.

Tucson Highlights

Hello Tucson for a weekend getaway.  It has a lot of stoplights, but the Omni is awesome -- you can relax and think about nothing.  Also if somebody barfs, (because of a bad strawberry smoothie) on the artificial grass, they get out a wet-dry vac and groom that grass!  NICE!

Feet pic: MPG aka Superman, LEG, and the G-girls: SLG, HMG, and AJG.  The G-girls have remarkably adult looking feet though they are all under 13. This happens when your dad is 6-6. You are gonna be tall, and you will have proportionate feet.

Good to know: LEG posts a gratuitous picture now and then.

Lastly, the Ostrich Farm at Picacho Peak: FUN!  Feed ostrich, goats, deer, and rainbow lorakeets!  Little trivia:  1 ostrich egg ($18) = 2 dozen chicken eggs.  Hmmm...is that a good deal???? Caption: LEG trying not to look strained with wild birds crapping on her favorite Roxy flip flops.  FAIL.

Ostrich Festival 3-11-11

Ok, after Gilbert Days I'm getting the hang of the rip-off carnival tickets and rides...also thanks to the pay it forward lady who gave me 7 tickets on her way out!  We found a better deal on the carousel ride than Gilbert Days (see Laney smile, top): for kid alone, 4 tickets. For kid + parent, 5 tickets.

The petting zoo was free (unless you fell for buying the $1, $2, or $3 cup of food) and had the coolest hooved ungulates:  Jacob goats (with 4 horns!), a zebu, a yak, a long-horn steer, and a watusi (see second photo).  Say wah-TOOO-si, it's fun!  Note to petting zoo owners -- they're YOUR animals, YOU buy the food!! There were two particularly aggressive begging goats that were hilarious!

Follow-up edit: I was thinking maybe ungulates are all hooved, so that's redundant, and I checked, and it is redundant. Because ungulate means hooved.  Sigh...it's hard being a word girl.

Lessons learned:
A carnie in a clean shirt is still a carnie.  But fresher!
A 41 inch kid looks like a 42 inch kid in a fuzzy hoodie with the hood up.
"Free" is not free
The ostriches on display at the Ostrich Festival need to be easier to find.
I need a t-shirt:  "I survived the 2011 Ostrich Festival" but didn't see them anywhere!

Thanks Chuck Taylor - Still Cool After All These Years!

Converse One Star, All Star...Superstar!!!

We are officially retiring the 1st pair (3 strap velcro, we appreciate your years of service, but...it's over! moving on to laces and it's high time).  And for the girlies, here's how you look cool in pink high tops:

In closing, let me just add a big huge thank you to Tony Hawk for making my life easy in the morning. Throw any one of those shirts and some jeans on Roman with a pair of tennies and he's good to go for school!  YES! Chuck and Tony, you rule!

Nice Shirt!

So simple! So perfect!  It's kinda zen meets Sesame Street. But works for adults too. And under $5...I'm going to miss Target clothes deals when Laney gets to size 6 and the prices jump up (but I have well over a year to worry about that - she's still a 4).

Kid Snax from the Xmas Cookbooks

This is how they look in the book ("enlarged to show detail" of course!!!):

This is how ours look:

Martha Stewart isn't scared but not bad for the 4, 7, and 43 year old with a fear of kitchen messes! Lots of fun either way ...
PS How can Cool Whip come in "regular" and "extra creamy" -- really, don't we all want extra creamy???

Halloween 2010 Rocked!

Back to Rock Street for Halloween -- apparently, it's just the place to be. This year, Roman was not ailing (he noted that last year he had H2O -- ummm, I think he meant H1N1 not confirmed really but anyway...). So, here's a little rundown of the costumery. Nota bene, Lanes got to dress up Friday for school so there are some extras.  She also wore Romes old Power Rangers costume to Target one night last week and we joke trick or treated the dry cleaners and that night guy needs a sense o' humor ... I mean COME ON!
PS I didn't make the cube; his dad did:  awesome!

Bonus looks: Lanes showing her "Twilight audition face" - move over Team Edward!

Also, she can do Disney like nobody's business:

I mean, is that Minnie Mouse or what?!?!  And don't mess with Rubik; he will put you in your place!

Another great costume year in the books. This was FUN.

She's Got No Shoes On!!!

Lanes received the above toy for participating in a consumer research study. And I love that Polly has a blender and 2 fruit-garnished beverages in her GLAM-per (it's not a camper!). Good news: both front seats have a seat belt! Yah! Polly is safe in a collision. And...after the beach bonfire o' fun, Polly sleeps up top with a silver chandelier...how camp is that?!? I need to camp with a silver chandelier...seriously!

Further, may I add, Romes noted that Polly was shoeless after Lanes fell asleep.  Oh well, a good camping trip doesn't need shoes, right?!?! Also, he broke the accessory palm tree, and mom fixed it. I videotaped the evidence, but it was sideways. Not worth the upload. Work with me here.  Have a drink from Polly's Glamper blender; I'm sure she knows what she's doing on the mixology...

Who's Adorable?

Here are the darlings! September 2010, Kiddie Kandids back in business...we went on a Thursday. You do the math.

Happy 4th Laney Ry!

Magical Build-A-Bear birthday party: check!
Starring a host of gorgeous girlies: check!
Tie-dye cake that matches my dress: check!

What a birthday!
(belatedly blogged by beleaguered mom)

Phantom Meets Girl Style

When you put a kid in an adult sized mask -- it's WEIRD!

Check out the girl looking ready for Cirque du Soleil...or Halloween...or Mardi Gras.

Happy Early Romes!

When your bday is 7-2, take all you can get.  Little early but we have to celebrate when we can.  Almost 7 and beyond awesome! Also, when you're in the cage, live it up!!!

How bout the coolest kid you ever saw?

Photo credit: Boise June 2010. Jacket -- uh...army navy surplus?!?!

Sole 2 Sole

Foot on left: 43  Foot on right: not quite 7.  We will soooooooooooo be sharing flipflops within 2 years. YES!

Romes has had the cutest and most interesting feet since day 1. His 3rd toe is equally as long as his 2nd, which is quite novel.  Not sure where he got these feet, will have to look at the other side of the family someday.  Now I have to go look at Lanes' feet and see where she got them.  Definitely NOT my feet! Truly, I think she has the feet, eyes, and "don't cross me" attitude of Leura Connally Griffitts (my dad's mom).  Don't mess with Texas!!!

Good Morning Girl!

If you knew a little darling

Cornflower blue

And greeted her

Good morning

And she sang to you

And the bluebells rang

And you held her too

Sing good morning

Delaney Rylan

Darling sweet, sweet blue!