(OK - EXCEPT for the Gap sweatshirt on my nephew...)
Christmas Sketches
My brother-in-law Mark was taking photos as the kids opened presents the day after Christmas. He has an app on his phone that turns pictures into beautiful black and white sketch/renderings like this one. Doesn't it look like this came right out of a classic Christmas storybook?
(OK - EXCEPT for the Gap sweatshirt on my nephew...)
(OK - EXCEPT for the Gap sweatshirt on my nephew...)
Merry Christmas!!!
I know, I know - it has been too long. There is a lot that has happened around Owenland Park in the last few weeks. Where to begin? A friend of Devon's gave her a car a few weeks ago. That's right - gave her a car. This helped move up the date for the girls to move back in with their mom. And so, days before the semester ended, the girls got the best Christmas present ever - to be living with their mom! The house is much queiter - that is taking some getting used to.
The boys and I went to the Children's mass late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. We came home to a wonderful dinner. Mom made a lovely spinach, bacon and feta salad. John cooked up beautiful steaks and potatoes - it was yummy! Then we made cookies for Santa and took the boys outside to spread Magic Reindeer Food in the front yard. This food attracts the reindeer from hundreds of miles away so you have to sprinkle it and get in bed fast! John poured some into each of the boy's hands - Jack crossed out into the yard to spread his around, but Wy just dropped it on the walk way, brushed his hands and declared "We're done!" then he headed into the house.
Christmas was a bit of a gift giving marathon this year. The boys had us up early taking care of stockings. I made everyone take a break after that while I fixed pancakes and BACON!!! Then we took care of the Abels/Owen gift exchange and let the boys build a wonderful gingerbread train from Jeanne & Johanna. Then it was lunch when Devon and the girls came over, presents with them followed by a lovely ham dinner. Sunday brought Melanie and her crew. We went to mass, had Chinese for lunch and more presents. The afternoon brought John's sister Sue, her husband Steve and their young friend - and more presents! It really was a lot of fun and spread things out over lovely meals and conversations.
You can look through our Christmas celebrations if you head on over to Shutterfly by following this link http://owenlandparkproductions.shutterfly.com/ and then clicking on the December 2010 album.
I know this one is pretty short and impersonal, but I'm actually supposed to be running a rehearsal...Don't' tell my boss, OK?
Love and blessings to everyone! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
The boys and I went to the Children's mass late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. We came home to a wonderful dinner. Mom made a lovely spinach, bacon and feta salad. John cooked up beautiful steaks and potatoes - it was yummy! Then we made cookies for Santa and took the boys outside to spread Magic Reindeer Food in the front yard. This food attracts the reindeer from hundreds of miles away so you have to sprinkle it and get in bed fast! John poured some into each of the boy's hands - Jack crossed out into the yard to spread his around, but Wy just dropped it on the walk way, brushed his hands and declared "We're done!" then he headed into the house.
Christmas was a bit of a gift giving marathon this year. The boys had us up early taking care of stockings. I made everyone take a break after that while I fixed pancakes and BACON!!! Then we took care of the Abels/Owen gift exchange and let the boys build a wonderful gingerbread train from Jeanne & Johanna. Then it was lunch when Devon and the girls came over, presents with them followed by a lovely ham dinner. Sunday brought Melanie and her crew. We went to mass, had Chinese for lunch and more presents. The afternoon brought John's sister Sue, her husband Steve and their young friend - and more presents! It really was a lot of fun and spread things out over lovely meals and conversations.
You can look through our Christmas celebrations if you head on over to Shutterfly by following this link http://owenlandparkproductions.shutterfly.com/ and then clicking on the December 2010 album.
I know this one is pretty short and impersonal, but I'm actually supposed to be running a rehearsal...Don't' tell my boss, OK?
Love and blessings to everyone! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
E.R. and a 5 year old? Anyone? Anyone?
Earlier in the week Devlyn cut her pinky finger open on a Coka-Cola glass. Mom took her to the emergency room and God help anyone who has to sit for hours at a hospital with a 5 year old and nothing to do. Mom said Devlyn was "wound tighter than an 8 day clock." When the finally emerged from the E.R., Devlyn had 3 stitches and a removable cast. (The cast is removable as we need to change the dressing 3 times each day until the stitches come out.)
Devlyn is fascinated with her cast. For example, she sits at the dinner table and STABS the cast with her dinner fork: repeatedly with brute force.
How to eat a donut
First you eat the top part.
Then you put the bottom part down and ask for a new donut.
Then you put the bottom part down and ask for a new donut.
It's what we do.
Earlier in the week Mom and I took the 5 younger kids to pick up outfits for their Christmas concert and the holidays. I was talking to Mom about how frustrated I was with some project as we were pulling into a parking space. The kids were all yelling and my phone started ringing with work stuff. All I wanted to do was whine to my mom and we couldn't hear ourselves over the kids and my phone. Once we got in the store and grabbed a cart it was clear that Devlyn was going to be all over the place so I picked her up and plopped her in the cart. Then I turned and did a head count. I came up one head short so I counted again. Still one short. Then I had to run through names and faces from the oldest to the youngest and it was Wyatt that was missing.
I turned and walked to the front doors - no Wyatt. I stepped outside - no Wyatt. It took me all of 3 seconds to realize how LARGE that parking lot was. And it was pitch black outside thanks to Daylight Savings. In those 3 seconds I turned into a crazy screaming lady. I started running through the parking lot looking for the car and screaming "WYATT!!! WYATT!!! WYATT!!!"
Everyone in the parking lot stopped and watched me fly by them. I'm not even sure how I found the car because I certainly couldn't hear the horn (thank the Lord for key fobs) over my screaming. Miraculously, there he was, locked in the car, standing between the driver and passenger seats with his hands in his mouth and tears streaming down his face.
Can you imagine what that poor baby went through? He watched us close the doors and lock them and walk away leaving him there in the car - alone and in the dark. How long must it have felt to him that we were gone? I hauled him out of the car and squatted down in the parking lot hugging him and telling him over "I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry." And I see all the people who aren't moving anymore because they are watching me. All I could think was that I needed to let Mom know everything was ok, but I couldn't move.
Finally a very nice lady came over to see if we were ok and to tell us that if we were both ok, then everything was ok. Shaking like a leaf, I made it back into the store with Wy. Mom was there with the kids an a man who was ready to launch a code Adam if needed - though he did say some folks had told him they thought everything was ok.
A while later I was in the boys section picking out socks when Wy declared quite loudly "Mommy, I didn't wike it when you weft me all awone in the car just now."
Have you ever seen the Harry Potter movie where Professor Lupin teaches the students how to handle a Boggart? Boggarts are shape shifters and present themselves as whatever the victim fears the most: Harry's Boggart becomes a Demontor (they suck all the joy and happiness out of a person.) As Harry learns how to defeat Boggarts, Professor Lupin plies him with chocolate to help him settle down and restore his energy.
I'm sure you can see where I'm going: my Boggart is something terrible happening to one of my kids. Anyway, when we checked out, I picked up a load of chocolate to hand to the kids - and to myself. I really think the chocolate helped. (I will chalk that up to "Things a mom can learn from Harry Potter.")
We went home and put dinner on the table: of course the kids didn't like whatever it was I had fixed. Wy refused to eat any of it and I finally gave in and gave him something like a pop tart. Jack asked why Wyatt got the pop tart and not anyone else. What did I have to say about that?
"Because I left him in the car! And because Mommies apologize with food. It's what we do!"
I turned and walked to the front doors - no Wyatt. I stepped outside - no Wyatt. It took me all of 3 seconds to realize how LARGE that parking lot was. And it was pitch black outside thanks to Daylight Savings. In those 3 seconds I turned into a crazy screaming lady. I started running through the parking lot looking for the car and screaming "WYATT!!! WYATT!!! WYATT!!!"
Everyone in the parking lot stopped and watched me fly by them. I'm not even sure how I found the car because I certainly couldn't hear the horn (thank the Lord for key fobs) over my screaming. Miraculously, there he was, locked in the car, standing between the driver and passenger seats with his hands in his mouth and tears streaming down his face.
Can you imagine what that poor baby went through? He watched us close the doors and lock them and walk away leaving him there in the car - alone and in the dark. How long must it have felt to him that we were gone? I hauled him out of the car and squatted down in the parking lot hugging him and telling him over "I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry." And I see all the people who aren't moving anymore because they are watching me. All I could think was that I needed to let Mom know everything was ok, but I couldn't move.
Finally a very nice lady came over to see if we were ok and to tell us that if we were both ok, then everything was ok. Shaking like a leaf, I made it back into the store with Wy. Mom was there with the kids an a man who was ready to launch a code Adam if needed - though he did say some folks had told him they thought everything was ok.
A while later I was in the boys section picking out socks when Wy declared quite loudly "Mommy, I didn't wike it when you weft me all awone in the car just now."
Have you ever seen the Harry Potter movie where Professor Lupin teaches the students how to handle a Boggart? Boggarts are shape shifters and present themselves as whatever the victim fears the most: Harry's Boggart becomes a Demontor (they suck all the joy and happiness out of a person.) As Harry learns how to defeat Boggarts, Professor Lupin plies him with chocolate to help him settle down and restore his energy.
I'm sure you can see where I'm going: my Boggart is something terrible happening to one of my kids. Anyway, when we checked out, I picked up a load of chocolate to hand to the kids - and to myself. I really think the chocolate helped. (I will chalk that up to "Things a mom can learn from Harry Potter.")
We went home and put dinner on the table: of course the kids didn't like whatever it was I had fixed. Wy refused to eat any of it and I finally gave in and gave him something like a pop tart. Jack asked why Wyatt got the pop tart and not anyone else. What did I have to say about that?
"Because I left him in the car! And because Mommies apologize with food. It's what we do!"
I promise
Wyatt is very concerned about accidentally making a naughty hand sign. He keeps checking in to make sure which finger is which and which one is the naughty finger when it is up all by itself. "Mommy, is vis my middle finger? Ven I won't point it up at you. I promise."
Jack now makes nearly all decisions based on the "Eeny, meeny, miney-mo" method of elimination. If the process ends with a selection he is unhappy with, he then has to process how to play the game in order to land on the option he really wants. I generally let him go through this 2 or 3 times before I tell him he can't have anything unless he makes a decision as we don't have all day to work it all out.
Last week Jack brought his friend Dominic to see the show. Before the show we stopped at Union Station and the boys got to talk to the fireman in charge of the mini fire department museum. They tried on little kid fireman coats, hats, boots and gloves. They climbed all over the old fashioned mini fire engine. They took a ride on the kiddie train and ran like crazy kids through the train model train exhibit. We bought little propellers from the gift shop and flew them in the west hall. They ate chicken and fries at the Fritz's and then helped me get the lights, sound and props ready for the show. They had a great time at the show and made sad faces when we dropped Dominic off at home at the end of the evening. I'm super thrilled that he likes school and is making friends. I am very much looking forward to more play dates and budding friendships!
Jack now makes nearly all decisions based on the "Eeny, meeny, miney-mo" method of elimination. If the process ends with a selection he is unhappy with, he then has to process how to play the game in order to land on the option he really wants. I generally let him go through this 2 or 3 times before I tell him he can't have anything unless he makes a decision as we don't have all day to work it all out.
Last week Jack brought his friend Dominic to see the show. Before the show we stopped at Union Station and the boys got to talk to the fireman in charge of the mini fire department museum. They tried on little kid fireman coats, hats, boots and gloves. They climbed all over the old fashioned mini fire engine. They took a ride on the kiddie train and ran like crazy kids through the train model train exhibit. We bought little propellers from the gift shop and flew them in the west hall. They ate chicken and fries at the Fritz's and then helped me get the lights, sound and props ready for the show. They had a great time at the show and made sad faces when we dropped Dominic off at home at the end of the evening. I'm super thrilled that he likes school and is making friends. I am very much looking forward to more play dates and budding friendships!
The 12 Days of Christmas
The boys and I were heading down to Crown Center Friday after school to see Santa, get something to eat and then watch the show with Melanie and her crew. We were on the highway when Jack starts singing The 12 Days of Christmas. Instead of singing things like "a partridge in a pear tree" he inserted the things he wanted for Christmas. I was really impressed with his knowledge of the song and the list of things he wanted. Of course I can't remember any of it because I was too busy trying not to giggle. I was also fairly sure he would repeat it in some fashion for me once I was near a computer. This is as far as we got
Jack: On the first day of Christmas I want...Um, Mommy, I already told vis to Santa, weren't you wistening?
Jack: On the first day of Christmas I want...Um, Mommy, I already told vis to Santa, weren't you wistening?
Christmas Concert
We thought you might like to listen to...
None of the Owenland Park kids are in the band, and yes that is me giggling in the background. After the kids started their second number, a man I love but who shall remain nameless leaned over and said "I thought the first song was a joke."
This is one of Jack's school friends. This is the best picture we got at the concert last night. Everything else is dark or the Owenland Park kids are in the back row covered by antlers or other kids faces...
You can go to the shutterfly link on the sidebar and look up Christmas Concert 2010 if you want to see more pictures from last night's concert.
None of the Owenland Park kids are in the band, and yes that is me giggling in the background. After the kids started their second number, a man I love but who shall remain nameless leaned over and said "I thought the first song was a joke."
This is one of Jack's school friends. This is the best picture we got at the concert last night. Everything else is dark or the Owenland Park kids are in the back row covered by antlers or other kids faces...
You can go to the shutterfly link on the sidebar and look up Christmas Concert 2010 if you want to see more pictures from last night's concert.
Pinky Swear
Wyatt likes to make Pinky Swears now. He will hook his pinky around yours and declare a "Pinky Square". I have tried to tell him that it is a pinky SWEAR and he insists that it is a Pinky SQUARE. I have asked him what he wants to square about all he ever says is "ENGINES". Then he tells me that he wants a "Golden hammer and Golden engines" for Christmas.
HMPH!
Wy has taken to pouting. When he is upset with life he stomps his foot, throws his arms tight around himself and makes a "HMPH!" as loud as he can. If he doesn't get whatever reaction he is hoping for, he raises his elbows, slams them down on his chest and makes a mad "HMPH!" And if he gets sent to his room for being naughty he stomps, flaps and "HMPH!"s his way up each and every step.
One morning this week he was sent to his room where he stomped and "HMPH!"ed for I don't know how long before he yelled "I HATE MOMMY AND DADDY!" I quietly went to his room and told him he had hurt my feelings and that I would never say that to him. Then I went back to getting ready for the day and forgot all about it. A few hours later we were heading home from some errand and out of nowhere Wy said "I'm sorry I hurt your feewings, Mommy." I tried to tell him thank you and how proud I was of him right then but he just barrelled on talking about what we ate for dinner the day we had Noah's birthday party over the summer and how he wants "have vat dinner again, PWEATHE!!!" . I could not have told you what we ate that day if my life had depended on it, but Wy rattled off the whole blessed menu...
Saturday mornings
I love the sound of a Zerbert in the morning.
Saturday morning cartoons with Dad!
My butterflies. (They are making antenae with their fingers.)
Rudolf
Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer - styling by Wyatt
Rudolf ve red nose reindeers. REINDEERS.
Had a very shiny nose. WIKE A WIGHT BULB.
And if you ever saw it. SAW IT.
You would even say it gwows. WIKE A WIGHT BULB.
All of ve over reindeers. REINDEERS.
Used ta waff and call him names. WIKE BUH-NOCCHIO.
Vey never wet poor Rudolf. RUDOLF.
Join in any reindeers games. WIKE BUH-NOPOWY.
Ven one froggy Christmas Eve.
Santa came to say
(He pulls out his best deep Santa voice here.)
RUDOLF WIFF YOUR NOSE SO BRIGHT.
WON'T YOU GUIDE MY SWAY TONIGHT!
Ven how ve reindeers woved him. WOVED HIM.
And vey shouted out wiff gwee! YIPPEE.
Rudolf ve red nose reindeers. REINDEERS.
You go down in MIS-TOR-EE!!!
If one of us starts to sing the eccho at the end of each line and Jack doesn't want to do that version, he yells "NOT WITH THE ICK-UPS!" (I have no idea where that came from.)
Rudolf ve red nose reindeers. REINDEERS.
Had a very shiny nose. WIKE A WIGHT BULB.
And if you ever saw it. SAW IT.
You would even say it gwows. WIKE A WIGHT BULB.
All of ve over reindeers. REINDEERS.
Used ta waff and call him names. WIKE BUH-NOCCHIO.
Vey never wet poor Rudolf. RUDOLF.
Join in any reindeers games. WIKE BUH-NOPOWY.
Ven one froggy Christmas Eve.
Santa came to say
(He pulls out his best deep Santa voice here.)
RUDOLF WIFF YOUR NOSE SO BRIGHT.
WON'T YOU GUIDE MY SWAY TONIGHT!
Ven how ve reindeers woved him. WOVED HIM.
And vey shouted out wiff gwee! YIPPEE.
Rudolf ve red nose reindeers. REINDEERS.
You go down in MIS-TOR-EE!!!
If one of us starts to sing the eccho at the end of each line and Jack doesn't want to do that version, he yells "NOT WITH THE ICK-UPS!" (I have no idea where that came from.)
