Can you see what he sees?

Tank borrowed Uncle Kev's sunglasses.

Click on the pic: From his right lens, I see me taking his pic and our beach cart.

I'm then blinded by his dimples and handsomeness!

Crazy Kid....

These were taken just after bath time last night...HILARIOUS!!! Tank can be such a crack-up!!!










♥ God, I love this kid...and my girls so much. ♥

A Work of Art....

Tank loves to draw, and many of his drawings amaze me. I think that is because whenever he hands me a drawing, I can instantly tell what it is. Take this picture for instance...

I can tell you that's a picture of Tank and his friends playing football...not bad for a kid in Kindergarten, huh? Do you notice the purple jerseys? Since his Vikings flag football team was UNDEFEATED last Fall, he is now a fan of the professional Vikings.

So, this morning Tank hands me his latest drawing...

...I had absolutely no clue what it was...I was totally stumped!!!

When he told me it was a drawing of our fireplace, I busted out laughing...


I think it's hysterical that he drew the Angel of Hope, the rubber duckie and the mouse. This drawing inspired to dress up the mantel...LOL! I mean, what is a mouse doing on the mantel???

Much better, right???

How we rang the New Year in....

The day of New Year's Eve was spent cleaning up the house and prepping for our annual New Year's Day Open House. We had to get a lot done so we could sit down and relax as we watched the VA Tech Hokies play the Tenn. Volunteers in the Chik-fil-A Bowl. Our plan was to watch the first half with the kids, then get them to bed during halftime (9pm). The girls went down fine, but the Tank was really upset. I let him stay up to watch the rest of the game if he was quiet and didn't let his sisters know. Check out the happy camper...

He was quite the trooper, and cheered whole-heartedly the whole game (ended at 11p). Mr. O, on the other hand, faltered...

We were THRILLED that the Hokies won the championship...37-14!!!

The game was over around 11p. Tank was ready to hit the hay...BUT...I strongly encouraged him to stay up an hour to ring/bang in the New Year. He totally didn't understand why I was doing this...and thought I was bonkers when I told him we would go outside and bang pots and pans at midnight.

He still thought I was bonkers when we first went out there...until we heard other neighbors parading around our 1/3 mile Circle.

He's still talking about those crazy neighbors. And, I love to watch his face light up when I tell him we are crazy neighbors too!!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

We had our first significant (6") snowfall two weeks ago. It all melted within 2-3 days as we had some mild weather. Tank and Mr. O did manage to build a snowman though...They built it on Sunday; and it was gone by Wednesday.

Our area is about to be hit by another snowfall tonight and tomorrow that can put that snowfall to shame. Forecasters are predicting 12-15". Brrr!!! Not to worry, though, we are fully stocked up all the essentials. I think this will be a good weekend to make some chili, do some baking, and wrap those presents.

Wordless Wednesday

Cute Hats...

My Auntie just moved up to our neck of the woods last week. She's super-loving and quite creative too. A few months ago, she sent the kids hats to celebrate the Fall season. I'm looking forward to see what she has in store for us in the holidays to come!!!

Pumpkin-head Banana!!!


Strawberry Shortcake KK!!!


OKAY, she definitely didn't make this one, but it's funny nonetheless!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Tooth Fairy

Poor Tank and Banana!!! They are 6yo and are the 3rd & 4th oldest children in their Kindergarten class. They are also one of the last children to have lost any of their baby teeth. Every morning they both swear to me that their teeth are wiggling. Our pediatrician told us when they were babies that they would probably lose their teeth later than average because their first baby teeth didn't come in until later than average at 9mo. Banana's first tooth came in July 3rd, 2004, and Tank's first tooth came in July 5th, 2004...or was it the other way around??? (I'll have to check their baby books, but the dates are right.)

For their sakes, I sure hope each loses her/his first tooth before they turn 7. A friend of mine's 7yo just lost another tooth. The Tooth Fairy found this note last night: "You are not REAL, but here is the tooth anyway."

Well done, Vikings! Well done, Tank!

Kindergarten...

Banana & Tank started Kindergarten this year. Our county's policy is very multiple-friendly. They will typically separate multiples unless requested by the parents to keep them together. When I registered them back in May, I requested that they be placed in the same class. I was very surprised when the official doing their paperwork balked at my request. I finally had to say, "Listen to me, I'm the mom, and here is how it's going to go." A week later I had the opportunity to speak with the principal. He was bothered I was given a hard time, and mentioned that keeping multiples in the classroom at the younger grades was more the norm at our school, as long as each child thrives and as long as they are not competing with each other.

So...Banana & Tank started Kindergarten this year placed in the same class. Here they are on the first day of school.

...waiting for the bus.

They never looked back...


Oh, how I cried that morning after they left!!! Where did my babies go?

The just LOVE Kindergarten, and they are EXCITED about school even now in November. I hear it each morning when they ask me how much longer will the bus be here at least 20 times. (They are in PM Kindergarten...the bus picks them up at 11:20a.) They are THRIVING. I see it by how much they are learning and reading. While in the same class, they are on different teams. They support each other when needed. Yes, they fight often like siblings do at home, but never at school. The feedback I've received from their teachers at their parent-teacher conference was amazing. I wasn't so sure they were talking about my children.

Yesterday, the kids brought home their very first report cards. I see it there as well; they exceed or meet every standard evaluated as of 1st quarter, Kindergarten.

I also see it upfront when I volunteer in the classroom. Today was my second time volunteering. The first time I met each student one-on-one outside the classroom testing them on patterns and coin recognition. Today, I worked inside the classroom putting workbooks together for the teachers. I got to sit there doing mundane, but important, work for the kids all while observing my children interact with their classmates. They forgot I was there after 5 minutes (...until I interrupted them to take their pictures).



Volunteering is awesome!!! I can't wait to get back there again. Much thanks to my sister for watching my little Monkey so I can get this special class time.

We ARE....

...the Fall 2009 CHAMPS!!!



Congrats to the Vikings and my main man, Tank!!!

The game was a nailbiter. We were down 6-0 at halftime, then tied up at 12-12. The amazing Eagles won the OT coin toss, and were finally stopped at the 10-yard line. Somehow, our amazing team managed to get the win. I wish I had my video camera trained on Tank after all the game-ending formalities. He ran, CRYING tears and all, across the field into his dad's arms, screaming, "We won, we won, we won."

Tank and the Vikings advance to the Semis...

Do you think we are excited about our Vikings team advancing to the semi-finals tomorrow morning???




The whole team played exceptionally well this morning. And, Tank scored on a 90-yard touchdown!!! Check him out...I cringed around the 50-yard line when I saw this HUGE kid try to mow down my boy.




Tank outran them all!!!

Fall Season is almost over!!!

Saturdays used to be spent running errands with the kids under tow...Now our Saturdays are spent schlepping all 3 children to each of her/his soccer games and also to Tank's flag football game. My kids have been playing soccer for two years already, but flag football is the new sport this Fall....And, Tank loves it! We lucked out that we didn't have many conflicts between his soccer and football games...but we had many conflicts where two children were playing at the same time and in different places. Mr. O and I just had to split up.

Tank's team is the Vikings, and they finished the season UNDEFEATED!!! Tank scored two touchdowns and also proved to be a worthy defensive player...Way to go, Tank!

This weekend is the championship tournament. They play one game tomorrow, and hopefully, two games on Sunday. No matter how it turns out, it will be a fun weekend!

Go Vikings....and Go Tank!

Fun at the local water park!!!

Here's Tank and KK sitting patiently in the pool.


Why, oh why, are they just sitting there???



LOL! I can barely make them out!!!

I Spy....

I spy a shark.



Click on the picture to see if you can too!

P.S. CoCo, you can comment but cannot participate!

Kids Workshops at Home Depot

We recently discovered that all of the Home Depots host Kids Workshops the first Saturday of the month. Mr. O and I took the kids there for the June workshop. The kids each received their own Home Depot smock as well as a pin depicting their workshop project. This month the project was a tool organizing kit for Dad for Father's Day. The kids get to keep the smock, and every time they go back for workshops, they add a pin to their smocks.

At first, Tank thought he should put his kit together with wood glue...that didn't work out so well. He looks cute though, huh?

Here's Banana showing off her decorated kit...

KK was happy observing and letting Daddy do all work (as you can see in the picture of Tank above)...

We were the neophytes there...It was great to be welcomed by families who have been do this with their children for a few years already. One little boy had almost 30 pins on his smock...impressive!!! Here's a closeup of the pin each of the kids received upon completion of their projects...
Upcoming projects for the kids are picnic caddies (July) and a message board (August). We'll be at the beach then, but if the weather is crappy, we are sure going to find a local Home Depot to pass some time by constructively.

P.S. I've since learned that Lowe's also hosts Build and Grow Clinics for kids every other Saturdya. You do need to reserve a spot though.

Best Family Pets...

When I was growing up, we didn't have any pets. If any one of us (siblings) asked for one, my dad would say, "Here, pet your dog/cat/hamster Ghost," and he would pretend to pat a ghost pet. You can imagine my surprise when my folks finally brought a loving brown lab into the family once most of the children (4 of 5) graduated from high school and college. When Hokie graced our presence, the baby of our family was 9yo. Hokie was Baby Brother's dog from the beginning, but very quickly, became everyone's pet.

When I was pregnant with Banana and Tank, I was on bedrest for 19w. Most of the last 5w of my pregnancy was spent at my parents' home "in case" I was to go into labor while Mr. O was at work. I know Hokie sensed how carefully everyone treaded around me. And, once he finally saw me on my feet and pacing with two mewling or howling infants, he pretty much stayed out of the way. However, if any of the babies' caretakers (trust me, there were many between me, Mr. O, Mim, Pop, CoCo and whoever was in the house) walked more than 10 feet away, he would sidle up and stand guard. Here's a picture of Hokie in his last days guarding Tank in late 2003/early 2004.


In Spring 2004, my sis and the Toad bought a home close by to ours. They had and still have a beautiful Bighon Frise named Bailey. Since I was home taking care of the twinkers, my sister dropped Bailey off each morning and either she or the Toad would pick him up at the end of the day. What a great arrangement...my family got to experience having a pet without all the expenses of "having" a pet. Here's a picture of Bailey checking out Banana...
Now, let's talk about the pets in my own household. I saw no reason for us to get any because we have pets in the family that we can adopt for a day or two, or even a week. We'll take them longer if we have to...but, shhh!

So, what's(re) the perfect pet(s) for young children? I think we found them!!! Banana & Tank are 5.5 and KK is 4. Just last month their Mim (my Mom) bought them their first fish tank. :)

All you have to feed these fish are 2 drops of dish soap in "clean" water. ;) Here's what happens if you don't refresh the water and feed the fish regularly. Instead of just floating, they sink to the bottom. That's my first clue that I need to clean out the "tank."

So, I clean out the tank. Instead of flushing the fish down the toilet, I wash them. :) I plop them back into the tank with 2 drops of Palmolive, and all is right in the world again!