Loving the smoothy

Ingredients: peach, mango, rice milk, coconut water, and ice.

We scored a deal with a Blendtec machine a few weeks ago and the kids are LOVING the fresh fruit smoothies.

Farming

We planted a square foot vegetable garden late in the Spring and we are now starting to get some veggies. Marcelo spotted the first ripe tomato.

It looks quite large in Marcelo's little hand but it is actually a cherry tomato!

My mom used to do this to me when taking pictures of me so I thought it only fair to do it to my children too.

Summer days

Last summer, Marcelo was drawn to this tree like a magnet. He wanted to climb it. And he wanted to climb it, I guess, because in his mind, it was little, like him. Of course, we told him that he was to do no such thing to this recently planted tree representing a substantial financial investment in our future shade. This year, Marcelo managed to get his horse stuck in the tree and then, of course, had to climb it to retrieve it. Peter quickly caught on and even aided and abetted him in this crime of nature. Boys. How quickly they come together amicably for such ideas.

"Hmm, I think I know something that might help."



"Here, try this."

"I'm almost there."

"Ah, forget it.  What if I just kick this thing while I swing on this limb?  That might be fun."

This is what happens when ...

... people get too serious about the art of dance.

Day Camp #1 Bugs

Last summer, Marcelo had a hard time when we would drop Sofia off at day camp at Thanksgiving Point. There was even a day, when he had finally had it and put his foot down refusing to leave. There was an altercation in the parking lot, someone got kicked in the jaw, a silent ride home, and a question for me when we got home, "Mommy, what are you going to do with me?"

This year, he's finally old enough (or close enough to being old enough) to go to his own day camp. I was very excited about being able to offer this to him until he started getting uncharacteristically clingy at dance class drop offs. I wasn't sure how it would go. He wanted me to stay at his side the whole time but I told him that just wasn't possible. I would stay until they were ready to head off to their camp destination. He was still very excited to go. He just wanted the mommy security blanket there too.

The day came and he cautiously joined the group of kids with big sister, Sofia, at his side. He looked back to analyze my location every 30 seconds or so. But the enjoyment of playing games with the kids while they waited for everyone to arrive was enough to overcome the separation anxiety. When it was time to get going, he just went right along with everyone else. I followed him down to the wagon and he just acted like a perfectly well-adjusted human being.

He had a great time. He wasn't poisoned with foods he's allergic to. He came home with an art piece and some meal worms which along with grasshoppers bother me more than spiders, snakes, and piranhas put together. But we allowed them to live on the kitchen counter, of all places, for several days.

This is what happens when ...

... I have to take a potty break, make an important phone call, prepare nutritious meals for the family, do laundry, change a diaper, or sit down for two minutes.

The kids are running away to the Hymalayas.

Preschool 3 Graduation

Marcelo started attending Little Scholars Preschool for 3 year olds in January.  Today was their little graduation party.  I'm not sure that he learned anything new during his time there as he had been studying the letters of the alphabet for over a year with Newman's Own Alphabet Cookies in all three flavor choices.  And, PBS's Super Why and Word World filled in the rest. But, he enjoyed the social life quiet a bit since the girl to boy ratio was highly in his favor.

There was a performance before the pot luck lunch during which the kids in his class sang songs and took turns taking the lead with the microphone. There were some interesting moments from Marcelo, some of which made me want to sink to the bottom of my seat but alas, that was impossible being on the first row.



Oh, my goodness, would I love a nap right now.

Finally.  "Ladies and gentlemen ... "  -"Why is this microphone so flipping high?"

Um .... something about the color RED.

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto . . . . . . . . . . . . . Domo

Shake it, Shake it
Shake Your Groove Thing, Shake Your Groove Thing
Yeah, Yeah