Staying Alive

I enjoy helping my kids do their homework, reading to them, and taking time to explain the hows and whys of their curiosities. I'm  a little too excited about it most days. Then there are days where I wonder if I can handle listening to Eva stutter through another story or if I'll survive arguing with Xander that 7 + 8 does, in fact, equal 15 and not 16. Sometimes, I just need a break from reading, writing, and arithmetic.


Instead of pretending to be overjoyed by yet another math problem or story about Lad and the Fat Cat, I decided we would do a new science experiment. I thought I was excited until I saw the kids practically doing cartwheels! We happily gathered all of our supplies: water, food dye, vegetable oil, corn syrup, a bowl, and a large glass. (It was suppose to be molasses, but we didn't have any in the house.)


Eva mixed the water and food dye together while Xander carefully measured out 4 tablespoons of the mixture into the glass. Then we made our hypotheses on what would happen when we added in the oil. I could have made a lot of money on that bet if I actually allowed the kids to gamble. I should keep that in mind next time. "It will mix together," they stated with a great deal of confidence.


No. It didn't. As surely as 15 was the answer to Xander's math problem, water and oil still do not mix. But what about corn syrup (or molasses)? "It will float! It will float!" At least I knew they were paying attention. I should have gone double or nothing for cleaning their playroom, but instead, I let Eva measure in 4 tablespoons of corn syrup.


As surely as Kit, Lad's fat cat, has six kittens, the corn syrup being a more dense liquid, sunk to the bottom, sending up little air bubbles. They tried to change the outcome by adding more of everything quickly and stirring rapidly. Although it did look mucky for a couple of minutes, all the liquids did eventually separate themselves by density. Corn syrup on bottom, colored water in between, and oil on top.


I can't wait to show the that raisins will both sink and float in lemonade and I think ginger ale. But first, I'm taking bets.

Hail

It was the weekend before Memorial Day. The average high is in the 70s, warm enough to wear shorts during the day and a sweatshirt around the fire at night. But not this year. This year it continues to be unseasonably cool. On average, we are in the mid 50s and on a really good day, we make it into the 60s. For everyone but Xander and I, this seems to be ideal. The two of us are ready for the sultry summer's of the south but would be pleased with a few mild days.


We thought we had found that today. A nice low 70s day. Eva was running around in her new pink dress. Xander was in shorts and a T-shirt as was his father. I had my usual its-only-in-the-70s jeans and T-shirt combination. We were getting ready to have a swinging contest. It was finally warm enough for the rush of wind not to freeze me to the bone as I pumped the swing higher into the air.


Instead, we halted at the screen door as the walls shook with the rebounding sound of thunder. Water immediately spilled from the sky as if someone was ringing out a sponge. And then came the all too familiar clunks of ice pellets hitting wood, metal, and plastic. It was a beautiful 70 degree day and we were watching a hailstorm.

Carnival!

 Dear Fran, Amanda, and other Followers from the East side,

The carnival was up in the mall parking lot last week. As a matter of fact, they just left on Sunday. You know what this means. Spring is here and so are the carnies. More interesting than last year, I swear! How can they not be? Anyway, seeing the glowing lights of the Ferris Wheel reminded me of each of you.

The children begged as usual, day and night, "Can we please just go this one time?" It's never one time, is it? It's every time we drive by which is practically every time we leave the house. History truly does repeat itself. Does it surprise you to hear then that Jeff promised to take them? I didn't think so.

Of course making THE promise ushered in the cold winds, rainy days, and generally poor timing of a trip on the one nice day we had. Still, the children and Jeff felt betrayed. I suggested we take them for just a couple of rides, a sugar and grease loaded carnival snack washed down with either an overly sour or overly sweet glass of lemonade. The elephant ear dripped butter and made little white clouds of powdered sugar every time a piece was torn off. The lemonade was strong enough to put hair on your chest.

I am beginning to appreciate this chapter in our lives even though it plays out every spring. It's funny to see Xander race off for the gigantic slide and fun house... the two places he avoided for fear he'd loose his life or our hands in the crowd. Eva, fearless, brave Eva is now the one who cowers at the site of the spinning tea cups and prefers the circular path of the motorcycles and circus horses of the carousel. It is a chapter that marks time.

All that just to tell you that the carnival has once again arrived.

With Great Affection,

Heather

Baby Mason's Baptism

I don't have any pictures. Against what I usually consider to be my better judgement, I didn't pull the camera out once during our visit with Jeff's family for Mason's baptism. In many regards, it was lovely to just be in the event without wondering if someone will ever turn around or if I'll be lucky enough to get something besides a well rehearsed smile. It was nice not to feel obligated to download pictures and get the sent off to the appropriate parties.


It wouldn't have happened if there wasn't someone from the church taking pictures of the event, including posed ones afterward. "You'll get copies of all of them," I was told. I'm sure I will. The problem is I don't have them now, or last week, or during any other barely free minutes when I could have used them. I have nothing of my own to put up here in order to say congrats to the family and there blessed little boy, Mason!


I guess just those few words will have to suffice.

Los Tres Cerditos Ópera

Xander came home all excited that his class was going to put on another play, The Three Little Piggies Opera. He didn't know when, but knew it would be a huge production. "Mom, we are making costumes and scenery and everything!" he intoned when I asked about it.

"Who are you going to be?" I asked just as excitedly.

"I don't know. They haven't picked yet." A few weeks later, I asked when the play was because I hadn't heard anything about it. "I don't know yet. They haven't told us." A few weeks later, I asked again. "Soon. I am sure. We are almost done learning all the songs.

Later that week, he brought home a newsletter. I happened to catch the title "Sandburg Stars" and read under it. It seemed all the kindergarten and first graders would be involved in the play. Half were doing it on a Tuesday and the other half on a Thursday. I searched for Xander's class, but couldn't find it. "Are you sure your class is doing the play too?" I didn't mean to doubt him, but I had read the article four or five times and could not find his class listed anywhere.

He looked irritable. "Of course we are! I told you we are working on costumes and everything."

"But Xander, it isn't listed in this article and all the other classes are?" There I was, a full-fledged doubting Thomas. I showed him the article. "Can you find your teacher's name because I can't." He looked diligently, but to no avail. His teacher's name simply was not there. "I'm sorry honey. Maybe you guys are just helping another class get ready and you'll get to do it next year."

Sadness settled over all his features. "No. We are doing it too." He walked away.

A week or two later, I was helping at the school and talking with Xander's teacher about how disappointed he was about not doing the play. "We're doing the play as far as I know," she said.

"Oh. I looked in the newsletter and they had every class listed except the two DLI classes." We discussed this at length.

"I'll have to talk to the music teacher to find out. I'm sure it was just a typo though." And that is how we ended the conversation.

That Friday, Xander's music teacher found me. "I'm so sorry for all the confusion. I wanted to let you know that Xander's class is doing the play." She handed me a few pages of paper. On them was listed the particular things each specials teacher had been doing with the classes. Sure enough, the DLI classes were listed as doing the play. It was official.

Still, weeks passed. Having found out about the play in February, I was surprised that it wouldn't be performed until mid May. Xander's excitement grew as the date approached. "Did you know they are only going to pick 7 people between the two classes to have solos?" he said the second of May.

"What do you mean?" I asked, sensing something was not quite right.

"I mean only 7 people are going to be in the play." His confidence in the matter was high.

"Are you one of the 7 people?" I asked, still unsure of what he meant.

"I don't know. They haven't told me yet." There was that phrase again. It seemed no one knew what was going on with this play.

"So, if you are one of the 7 people, what do you do?"

"Sing a song. But only 7 people out of two classes get to do it. Everyone else just watches, I think."

"Do you want to be one of the 7 people?" I asked, slowly catching on. He was talking about solos, I was pretty sure. It was an opera after all.

"Yeah, I do! But only 7 people cal so I don't know if I'll get to do it or not. She's picking the best singers."

He continued to fret and worry over the next week. He told me that one of the songs was very funny and that he wanted to sing that one, but wasn't sure he could do it without laughing. He told me that some people would sing two songs and some people would only sing one song. There would still only be 7 people singing. He thought the rest would just be watching.

Another week passed and the show was only 10 days away when Xander came running out the doors. "I get to be one of the 7 people!" he yelled and jumped up and down.

"That's awesome!" I said. The three of us hugged and celebrated. "We'll have to practice at home so you'll be already for it." He became quiet.

"I don't want to practice," he said, his fingers in his mouth like they always are when he is nervous.

"Why not? I thought you wanted to be picked." I was confused.

"I did, but I don't want you to hear the song. I want you to be surprised." He seemed uncertain if he could tell me that piece of information. He put his fingers even further in his mouth and stared down at the sidewalk.

"Okay. That's fine. But you should still practice. Actors are always practicing. You could sing in your room with the door shut so I won't hear you." I wanted to hear him sing. I like helping him learn lines and act things out. We have a lot of fun with it. But I understood him wanting to surprise us too.

"But you know," he had stated walking again. "I'm kind of nervous. I'm not sure if I can sing in front of all those people."

"Hmmmm. I don't know how to help you with that buddy. Practice will help so you don't forget your song, but I don't know what to do for singing in front of other people." We had left the school about a block and a half ago.

"Okay. I'll practice in front of you, but you can't tell daddy the song."

"Are you sure? You could practice in front of daddy or Eva instead."

"No, I'll practice in front of you." And he did. We set up a little singing ring, similar to the concept of The Voice. A hula-hoop on the carpet in the living room served as the stage. The two green chairs were the judges chairs. We took turns being the singer and the judges. Xander belted out his song just like they do on the show. He literally warbled through the whole song.

"Why don't you try singing with your regular voice?"

"No. This is how she wants me to do it. Like a real singer."

I understood the desire to sing like a professional, but that is not what immediately came to mind when he was singing. "Well, maybe you could try it just once so I can hear the difference."

"No. That's okay. I am going to do it like that." And he did. Just like that. Warble and all. His teacher approached me when I picked him up later that day and expressed surprise that he was so nervous. I laughed and shared with her the comment about wanting to sound like a real singer and that his teacher told him to do it like that. I told her I decided not to get involved in that decision. As long as he was happy with it, then I was  too.

With all that confusion, uncertainty, and practice, he finally had the play. We videotaped it! The trouble is, we can't get it to upload here. So, check out our photo site. I am going to try the video uploader they have and hope it works.


Update: It worked! The video is uploaded on our photo site. You can use the links on the top right to navigate directly to it.

Blessed

Last weekend, we attended my niece's baptism. The event itself was quite lovely and she looked precious in the gown. With each added name, I feel a little more joy and excitement about handing it down to my children or perhaps grandchildren. Having completed the first row (7 names and dates), I can sense the history that the gown will one day hold. A family tree, of sorts, in bright white. I think my grandmother would have been thrilled to see the genealogy.

Of course, with such a grand celebration, we were able to spend some time with out immediate family. As Jenny said, "This is where it would be great if we all lived closer." We played Tee Ball with the kids, went bowling, had a few hands of cards, and generally just enjoyed each other. It reminded me of some of the positive times of my childhood. Games of Red Rover and Hide and Seek with the four of us and our cousins in the front yard (and occasionally corn field) of our grandparents' house. Large dinners with the stereotypical meat and potatoes meal of farmers. The world before us and an army of cousins and siblings standing next to us.

Yes, it would be great if we all lived closer.

Coaxing Spring Out

The days are warmer, the skies are bi-polar, everything is in place to say it is Spring. But no one seems to really believe it. The universe is pulling the biggest con of our generation and it seems we may all be the victims. Where is Spring really at?

In order to encourage it to arrive, we spent Friday digging up the dirt and putting down the roots of what we hope will be strong plants. First we finished weeding and spreading mulch. Then we pulled out old roots from the small boxes around the children's swing set and the little pots in the screened-in deck area. New soil was mixed with the old, but no depleted soil. Impatiens were moved into their new homes, watered, and balanced on the window sills.


The kids were dirty. Xander's hands were coated black and Eva looked like she was wearing war paint. The sink was muddy. We were all smiling. It was after Mother's Day so fear of frost had recently been passed by.



And then Spring played it's game again. Last night, we had a heavy frost. The strawberries are still flowering and the Impatiens don't appear to be dead. But now Spring is telling us it will be in the 80's. Do you think she will come and stay if I bring out the short sleeve shirts and shorts and pack away the sweaters and coats?

A Bigger Bike

Xander was reading the stories and saw the one about Eva taking a long bike ride. This made him very sad because there wasn't any mention that he also has learned to peddle his new bigger bike. So, please accept my apologies for not relaying this information to you as quickly as I could have.


Xander has outgrown his toddler bike and is now riding a big boy bike. It is blue and so tall it has a kick stand! A very exciting feature for him. His goal is to not be using the training wheels by the end of the summer.


Can you believe it? Xander wants to lose the 'safety net'! It looks like my little boy is getting bigger as well.

Diversity

Diversity is a wonderful thing! The more ideas, thoughts, and experiences we have, the richer our lives are. This extends to many things: philosophy, religion, ethnicities, races, etc. It also extends to bird species, at least as far as our backyard is concerned.


We've had more than our fair share of Robins. (A month or so ago, I shared that we had more than 2 dozen in the front yard and another 30-40 in the backyard all at the same time.) We've seen our Sparrows nesting in the front window. Crows and Blue Jays are also prolific as well as the occasional Owl. However, we have not seen these yellow beauties until recently.


There seem to be 2 of them that like o bathe in the fire pit after a good rain. They are a joy to watch hopping around on the oxidized copper and splashing in the dirty water. Charlie and Hazel love the sight of them as well, although I am quite certain that they would prefer to chase them.


I can't quite figure out what kind they are. American Golden Finches perhaps? If so, we will be making a trip to the pet store for a decent bird feeder since they love seeds and aren't too afraid to fly near.

Bike Ride

Eva has accomplished what she set out to do. That is to say, she has learned to peddle her bike! It was a battle at first. She tried, but didn't succeed as quickly as she would have liked and wanted to give up. I had to give her a little kick in the pants (quite literally) to get her over the stoop. Once she took her bike outside with a little not so gentle prodding (see kick in the pants), she fared much better and began to enjoy the rhythmic pattern.

That was on a Tuesday ( I think.) The next day, she begged to go on a bike ride "away from the house." So we did. A long, long way away from the house. We rode from our house to the park, about 3/4 of a mile away. She needed a few more of those kicks to make it up the hill, but she persisted! And she made it.


We played at the park for about 10 minutes, before I was frozen and begging to leave. Finally, after what seemed like a year in a freezer, she agreed to go to the dollar store. It seemed like it was a good short distance from the park. I could actually see it from the sidewalk bordering the park. It would have been perfect if I hadn't decided we should go to the mall instead so we could buy Jeff the last piece of his birthday present. Tack on another 1/2 mile for the little wheeler.


The mall was warm! I was very happy about this! Eva was happy that the store we needed to go to was just across from Aunt Annie's pretzels where we bought pretzel sticks and lemonade. Even better was the indoor playground that sat just a bit further down, creating her own personal Triangle of Heaven. Having finished snack, she climbed, jumped, and ran around the play area.


I prodded her to go because it was surprisingly late and I was going to be late for my appointment. I volunteered to take pictures of the graduating 4 year olds in their caps and gowns at the preschool. Aboard her bike again, she peddled to the preschool, about another 1/2 mile away. It was a bit warmer... or maybe I was a bit less frozen.... so the walk/ride was more enjoyable.


I took the pictures in 15 minutes. Offering to let Eva join lunch bunch, I was disappointed when she declined in favor of riding her bike back home.I didn't know how she was going to make it. She had already ridden her bike nearly 1 and 3/4 miles for her first outing. Assuming I would be carrying her and her bike a good deal of the distance, we left the preschool side-by-side. 


She made it all but 3 blocks from home. I carried her bike and required her to walk the rest of the distance. Her legs were so tired, she walked as if they were made of jello. I know this feeling from initial workouts or difficult coaching sessions after some time off. She couldn't stop tripping over her own feet. After less than half a block, I found myself carrying her, the bike, my purse, and my 50 pound camera. (My camera doesn't weigh that much, but it felt like it did by the time we made it home.)


Things were relatively good for the next half block. A block from home, my arms felt like they were going to break and it began to rain. Ugh! But we survived and she slept really well that night. I would have too if I had her short legs and peddled almost 3 miles on my first time on the sidewalks of the city!

Bird Update

The baby birds have been hatched for about 2 months now. And we've seen remarkable things in that time! My favorite was Momma bird feeding her babies. It was so much like the cartoons, but without the bright colors. Two little bird heads sticking up from the mud and twigs of the nest, little yellow beaks opened wide and pointed straight up. It prompted the reading and rereading of "Are You My Mother" by P.D. Eastman (one of Dr. Suess's many other names.)

Thy also took flight. We saw a few little flaps now and then, but missed the actual take-off. We still see them, or at least we thing it is them, running in the front yard looking for worms and flying into the tree branches in the front yard and then to the roof. Their nest is no longer hanging in the front window. Our neighbors are grateful. I actually miss watching Momma flying back and forth and the peeping little babies.

Next year, I am going to buy one of the butterfly kits or an ant farm. Or maybe yet this summer. After all, I expect Jeff will be more proactive at removing future wreaths.

Young Author

When I was in third grade, I think, I wrote a story about a family and their dog. I don't really remember what happened in the story or who the characters were, but I remember some of the illustrations. My favorite one was of the kitchen. It had an orange counter, bright yellow walls, a blue sky that peaked through the curtains surrounding the window over the sink, a black and white checkered floor, and a table with two chairs. God help anyone who decorates their kitchen like I did in that book. I was very proud of my story and rightfully so. I won the Young Author's Award for it. (I think one kid in each 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade class won.)


I remember sitting on the gym floor with all the other winners. It was all very exciting! A recognized author in 3rd grade. I was inspired and to this day I enjoy writing. I still receive some recognition and I am excited that my short little stories are chosen. It's kind of like the thrill, pride, and anxiety of my inaugural award all over again.


I am telling you all of this because I have found something else that brings me just as much joy. Xander has also started to write little stories. I see the accomplishment and pride he feels and wonder if that is how I looked sitting on the gym floor. I gush over his stories, always moved by the plot and the twisty directions it goes. I smile back at him, pride filling my heart as if it was my own story. He's put a few some of my writing blogs and I've shared one or two on this blog.


Now I am sharing with you his first (Spanglish) chapter book.... all 3 chapters of:

 SUPR MAN SAVS THE SIDI FROM THE LLOCR 

Superman Saves the City from the Joker

Chapter 1

SUPR MAN WAS CHASING THE LLOCR UP A BILDIING. THE LLOCR IS

Superman was chasing the Joker up a building. The Joker is

CHRIING TU BLO UP AL UV THE BILDINGS. THE LLOCR BIING MIN TU THE ATHR HOSIS LLUS TO BE MIN

Trying to blow up all of the buildings. The Joker [is] being mean to the other houses just to be mean.

BUT THE HIT HIM. THE JOCR WAS CHRIING TO BLO UP SUPERMANS HOWS. BUT THE JOCR WUS COOL. BUT THIS ISNT THE END.

But then [he] hit him. The Joker was trying to blow up Superman's house. But the Joker was cool. But this isn't the end.

Chapter 2

THEY STARTID TO FIT THE JRAGIN WITH THER WEPINS, SERS AND SORD AND GUNS INTILL THE JRAGIN WUS SCER SO HI FLU AWE FRUM THEM.

They started to fight the dragon with their weapons, spears and swords and guns until the dragon was scared. So he flew away from them.

AND WAL HI WAS CHASING THE JOCR THEY BOTH RON INTO A JRAGIN IN THE WUS. THE JOCR

And while he was chasing the Joker, they both ran into a dragon in the woods. The Joker

WAS MOR SCERD OV THE JRAGIN TEN SUPRMAN. SO HI STARTID TO RUN THE OTHR WEA AND HE WAS RUNING THE OTHR DARECSU FUM SUPERMAS HOWS.

was more scared of the dragon then Superman. So he started to run the other way and he was running the other direction from Superman's house.

Chapter 3

BUT THE JOCR ESCAPT FROM JEL. THEN SUPERMAN FOWND HIM. WIN HI FOWND HIM HE CHAST HIM

But the Joker escaped from jail. Then Superman found him. When he found him he chased him

AND HI COT HIM, THE END. XANDER

And he caught him. The End. Xander.