My Shooting Star...

My little monkey is a crack-up...she makes everyone LAUGH...I mean LOL every day.

She's 4.5 years old.

She woke up this morning, and told me she had "THE BEST DREAM EVER!!!

Me: OK, tell me all about it!!!

Monkey: (gasping with excitement) Me, Mia and Sarah (her best friends) went to a FASHION HOUSE, and you made yummy chocolate milk for all of us!

She had me rolling with her joy...and I laughed and cuddled with her.

After we got on with our day, I had to pause and think...I get that she was hanging with her girlfriends, and they all love chocolate milk!!!

BUT what does a 4yo know about a fashion house??? And, then I laughed some more!!!

My dad has always said, "She's been 'here' before!"

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!!!

Happy 2010!!!

This was the picture we sent out to our IRL family and friends in their Christmas cards.

We now pass it on to our world-wide friends and wish them ALL THE BEST in the year 2010!

Snow Day Fun!

The DC area was hit by the shopper stopper blizzard 12 days ago. We were able to enjoy the snow for a week before the Christmas Day rain washed it all away. We did a lot of sledding and the kids got their first experience snowboarding.

Snow Angel Tank!


Fallen Monkey!


Queen of the Hill!


Here's Tank in his first attempt snowboarding!

The Shopper Stopper Storm of 2009...

Oh, boy, have we been hit by a snowstorm!

Last night we lost power in our home around 9:30p. Thankfully, we have gas heat so we were all warm through the night. The power came back on around 3a. I took this picture then. Please notice the car in front of our home.


This is that car NOW 15 hours later.


And, guess what??? The trunk of that car contains many Christmas presents that need to be wrapped and placed under the tree in 5 nights.

Pickles!!! (to be explained in a later post)

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!!!

Place mats...

My sister's mother-in-law bought me three of these Thanksgiving place mats last year because she thought these pilgrims looked like my children. What do you think?

Wii play...but I think I'm too old!

Today was not a great day for me...

...I tried to make it fun for the kiddees.

They had a blast kicking my butt on the Wii...

but, I think I blew out my knees!!!

Pitiful, I know!

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!

Can you see what I see???

No? I can't see anything either with a direct-on photo. However, here's what I saw when I walked out of our powder room.

This picture isn't doing it any justice, but I can see a self-portrait made by my sneaky Monkey. If you click on the picture, you can see it more clearly. This is what happens when a 4yo monkey takes a brown crayon and writes on brown walls.

Anyone have any good ideas on how to rub crayon markings off the wall without doing damage to the paint???

The O Line!

One of the greatest perks in living close to our nation's capital city is The National Zoo. And, the best thing about Our Country's Zoo, admittance is free!!!

Tomorrow will be the 15th of November, and our forecast calls for a SUNNY (we haven't seen the sun in a while) and a WARM (70 degrees) day. I think we are going to head to the Zoo for the 4th time this year.

We've made many trips to our Zoo since we've had kids. Our last trip was the first time we actually saw the Orangutans on the O-Line. We saw this O scamping above us...If he fell, he would have landed 15 feet from our picnic blanket.

Can you see what I see???

Yep, another sure sign that football season is over for the neighborhood kids!!!

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.

Veterans Day

To all our service men and women today and yesterday, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!

I remember the Fear...

In October 2002, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo terrorized the Washington DC area...21 days of sheer terror!!! Nine people were shot dead, some, just innocently pumping gas at a gas station.

I remember purposefully NOT going out and running errands/shopping and only stopping to get gas when I absolutely had to. I remember sitting in gridlock on the beltway when law enforcement shut it down after a shooting. I remember the fear.

Tonight, John Allen Muhammad is being executed for all those sad and senseless killings.

I hope some justice is now brought to the families of all the victims. Please say a prayer for all those who were murdered and their families who have gone on without them.

Spotlight on Banana

Tonight we are going to a pizza party at a local restaurant to celebrate Banana and her Super Stars soccer teammates. They had a good season, and it was great to see how much Banana improved and how much she loves playing! This is Banana's fifth season playing, and it's been her BREAKOUT season. She always has the love and support of her family & friends cheering her on, but she finally got a coach that she totally clicked with.

Congrats Super Stars!!! We're looking forward to the celebration tonight and to your final game on Saturday.