Random Bits
Swim Lesson #3 completed. Hubby took him over this time because I had a nasty headache and just wanted to curl up and make the world go away. The thought of working out/swimming was not one for which I had enthusiasm at that time. He reported that while the young man was apprehensive about going, once there he was having fun. He had the same teacher from the first week for this one, leading me to believe that maybe he was much more reticent with the previous lesson because the teacher seemed a little less...laid back. We talked them into a nap with the promise of a MOVIE if they would but co-operate. It was a successful bribe - they reluctantly went to lay down for a bit. And after a quick dinner...the Movie!
Hubby had picked up The Spiderwick Chronicles. We solemnly asked the children if they'd be OK watching the movie even if some parts of it were a little bit scary, and they were both "YES!" They loved it! They were possibly wondering why Mommy was brimming with tears by the end (a very emotional bit in there) but at no point did they show any signs of being scared. And they and I agreed that we'd like a pet Griffon also.
Bookwise, I started reading the Rick Riordan series recently, another YA fantasy series. I like the premise - the old Greek gods are alive and well and Olympus follows the heart of Western Civilization, so it's currently tethered to the top of the Empire State building in New York. I also got a second John Scalzi book (sci-fi) and a ... I don't know how many now ... Clive Cussler book. Clive Cussler is the book form of Indiana Jones - popcorn books, if you will. I'm very much of the same opinion on enjoying books as I am on movies...I just want to be entertained, I don't require cohesiveness. So all three of these various series/authors don't disappoint.
Sunday we all went to Lifetime. The children were loosed upon the habitrail and we went upstairs for a routine of cardio and weights. After working up a nice sweat, we went back down to claim the children, put on swimsuits, and headed to the pool. Our timing was, as usual, impeccable. Not 10 mintues after we'd gotten there, the lifeguards went on their mandated break. We kept the children complacent with the purchase of a strawberry icee. The water felt a little cold this time, so I didn't jump all the way in, but I stayed in the shallows with Rachel while Ryan and Daddy practiced some swim moves. Ryan's still very uncertain about the water - he tends to get freaked out and stop kicking, which causes him to sink, which feeds his freaking-out-ish-ness.
I see the same kind of problem with his bike. After I picked them up yesterday, he was begging to ride his bike. I had left work early due to my lunch disagreeing with my stomach, and just wanted Tums. But after a nice curl up and be "Eh" for a while session, I felt able to go outside. I got the bikes out. Rachel was toodling all over on her trike...pedalling up and down the hill. We got out the elbow and knee pads and put them on Ryan, which he liked...and then we actually went to practice training wheel free biking, which he adamantly refused to do after the fist couple wobbly runs. I wonder - have we told him to be careful too many times now? He's scared of trying things?
So the followup to Rachel the Klepto - we found that she's been helping herself to snacks. This earned her a treats ban for a week when we caught her icing-handed. Ryan earned one too for pitching a total fit at bedtime over the weekend. Each night he's been asking if it's been a week yet, and even tried to tell me that a week = a day, and he should get treats now. It's a treat dangit, not a right.
So for the doozy tale of the week. Which actually happened before we went to Grandma's lakehouse, but I have to parcel out some of these gems, you know? Our friend G was going to be taking care of the kitties while we were away. While we were only gone a couple of nights and could normally just put out a lot of food and water, Manda has to have a pill twice a day now. So hubby was showing him our trick to getting her to eat it (hide it inside a moist kibble) and showing him where the rest of the food is kept. I noticed Rachel was boucing around clutching the front of her dress so I asked her if she needed to go potty. No, she replied, bouncing away, I'm snapping my panties! And she did, and started laughing like it was the best thing ever. Hubby and I kinda rolled our eyes at her and he and G went back to the matters at hand. A minute or so later, Ryan yells, "Look at me!" He's over on the couch, jumping up and down...sans pants and underwear. Anything Rachel can do, I can one-up? He was snatched off the couch, taken upstairs, put in jammies, and put to bed. Another one of those fine lines...No, I don't mind you running around in the buff upstairs for a few minutes after your bath...I most certainly do mind you making an attention play when guests are present!
Hubby had picked up The Spiderwick Chronicles. We solemnly asked the children if they'd be OK watching the movie even if some parts of it were a little bit scary, and they were both "YES!" They loved it! They were possibly wondering why Mommy was brimming with tears by the end (a very emotional bit in there) but at no point did they show any signs of being scared. And they and I agreed that we'd like a pet Griffon also.
Bookwise, I started reading the Rick Riordan series recently, another YA fantasy series. I like the premise - the old Greek gods are alive and well and Olympus follows the heart of Western Civilization, so it's currently tethered to the top of the Empire State building in New York. I also got a second John Scalzi book (sci-fi) and a ... I don't know how many now ... Clive Cussler book. Clive Cussler is the book form of Indiana Jones - popcorn books, if you will. I'm very much of the same opinion on enjoying books as I am on movies...I just want to be entertained, I don't require cohesiveness. So all three of these various series/authors don't disappoint.
Sunday we all went to Lifetime. The children were loosed upon the habitrail and we went upstairs for a routine of cardio and weights. After working up a nice sweat, we went back down to claim the children, put on swimsuits, and headed to the pool. Our timing was, as usual, impeccable. Not 10 mintues after we'd gotten there, the lifeguards went on their mandated break. We kept the children complacent with the purchase of a strawberry icee. The water felt a little cold this time, so I didn't jump all the way in, but I stayed in the shallows with Rachel while Ryan and Daddy practiced some swim moves. Ryan's still very uncertain about the water - he tends to get freaked out and stop kicking, which causes him to sink, which feeds his freaking-out-ish-ness.
I see the same kind of problem with his bike. After I picked them up yesterday, he was begging to ride his bike. I had left work early due to my lunch disagreeing with my stomach, and just wanted Tums. But after a nice curl up and be "Eh" for a while session, I felt able to go outside. I got the bikes out. Rachel was toodling all over on her trike...pedalling up and down the hill. We got out the elbow and knee pads and put them on Ryan, which he liked...and then we actually went to practice training wheel free biking, which he adamantly refused to do after the fist couple wobbly runs. I wonder - have we told him to be careful too many times now? He's scared of trying things?
So the followup to Rachel the Klepto - we found that she's been helping herself to snacks. This earned her a treats ban for a week when we caught her icing-handed. Ryan earned one too for pitching a total fit at bedtime over the weekend. Each night he's been asking if it's been a week yet, and even tried to tell me that a week = a day, and he should get treats now. It's a treat dangit, not a right.
So for the doozy tale of the week. Which actually happened before we went to Grandma's lakehouse, but I have to parcel out some of these gems, you know? Our friend G was going to be taking care of the kitties while we were away. While we were only gone a couple of nights and could normally just put out a lot of food and water, Manda has to have a pill twice a day now. So hubby was showing him our trick to getting her to eat it (hide it inside a moist kibble) and showing him where the rest of the food is kept. I noticed Rachel was boucing around clutching the front of her dress so I asked her if she needed to go potty. No, she replied, bouncing away, I'm snapping my panties! And she did, and started laughing like it was the best thing ever. Hubby and I kinda rolled our eyes at her and he and G went back to the matters at hand. A minute or so later, Ryan yells, "Look at me!" He's over on the couch, jumping up and down...sans pants and underwear. Anything Rachel can do, I can one-up? He was snatched off the couch, taken upstairs, put in jammies, and put to bed. Another one of those fine lines...No, I don't mind you running around in the buff upstairs for a few minutes after your bath...I most certainly do mind you making an attention play when guests are present!