Friday, October 21, 2011

7 Quick Takes - 4


--- 1 ---

On Sunday afternoon we will be leaving Stillwater, OK. We will be making a quick stop in eastern Kansas. At the end of August, we were at a Jellystone Park outside of Kansas City. The treekids all had so much fun playing and doing activities and hanging out with Yogi Bear. If some other possibilities don't pan out, we'll be considering visiting Yogi again, if they have room!!
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Let's just say that Bump was a little LOT afraid of this character just like he is around any of these ginormous cartoon characters!! Who dreamt up putting people in big costumes for children? All of my kids have been terrified by them. Sheesh... and all in the name of FUN!!!

--- 2 ---

The tree kids saw this bug, a katydid, on the wheel of our trailer! They were so excited and wanted a picture to share this "leaf bug" with the world.
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--- 3 ---

We are potty training. Did you notice in yesterday's photos of Bump? He really likes his "Buzz & Woo Underoos"! He is rockin' the potty end of things. Other numbers are better left... uh, not so much in the potty chair, still. He gets so excited about making a deposit and we get all excited and clap and give high fives. But, when he NEEDS to go he doesn't want to sit there for his other number. I have tried bribes - chocolate, and the irony is not lost on me, but it isn't working. Any ideas? I think that once he does it a couple times, he will see how easy that is... or that is my hope!! Oh, well... we're getting there - someday!

--- 4 ---

This past summer when we were in St. Louis, I thought it would be fun to try to hunt down the house that my family lived in when I was about Bud's age. So, after some googlemaps and mapquest help, I found my way to a neighborhood that looked SO different than I remembered it. When we lived there it was a new neighborhood with a dinky trees in front yards. AMAZING what about 25 years will do for a tree!!
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So, "Hi, old house! You were a fun place to live where we had to hit our TV with a wooden spoon to turn it on; the wooden spoon rested on top of the TV as if it were a bowl of potpourri! You were a fun place to learn about a vacuum seal forming between pan and pan lid and the pork chops left between. Ah, and a place to see first hand what happens to a mother when she doesn't get her normal routine of caffeinated coffee (yikes, do not deprive a caffeine addicted mother... ever!).

--- 5 ---

The other thing learned at that old house: the meaning of "NO SOLICITORS." I was selling fruitcake for a school fundraiser. I was trolling the neighborhood for fruitcake purchasers. My very shy self knocked on EVERY door up and down our street and the street behind us. While I was waiting for someone to answer my knock, I saw the sign and sounded it out carefully so that I could ask my mom about the word when I got home. The lady of the house smiled at me and told me that she did not need a fruitcake this year. She was very kind, thankfully! I had to go find that house! It, too, grew itself a great big tree! (And the "No Solicitors" sign is still on the storm door!)
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--- 6 ---

When we were in San Antonio earlier this month, we visited The Basilica of the National Shrine of The Little Flower. It was October 1st and they were having quite a celebration! We met two lovely ladies who took our picture and walked with us to the church hall while we waited for our taxi to pick us up. Right as we were about to leave a Mariachi band entered the hall and the kids were super excited and then, crushed to have to leave. Although, riding in a taxi was a BIG treat that they thought was so cool!
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I couldn't get over how elaborate their alter was! All the details... beautiful.
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--- 7 ---

When in San Anotnio, we Remembered the Alamo and went for a visit. We also visited the IMAX and watched a movie about The Battle at the Alamo. WOW! I recommend seeing that! That was very informative and the treekids liked the HUGE screen - up close and in the middle! Bump even watched the whole time (with a bag of popcorn to keep his hands a little busy) and loved seeing the horses on the screen.
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That's all for me... for more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Kids in the Digital Age

I walked away from my perch with my "big" camera to take pictures of Blossom riding her bike on Monday. When I stepped away, someone picked up the little Flip Video Camera
that we have and when I turned to see, he smiled "cheese" at me!
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As I walked closer, he did a little tap dance thing (that told me he was NOT ready to give up the little treasure, yet!) and smiled an impish grin...
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I sat in a squat to be closer to his level for a picture and he showed me a bit of monkey see, monkey do!
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I laughed a little watching our Bump... what a treat he is! He of course had no idea that he was so funny over this.
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And went after me with his camera again! But, it strangely was not making any pictures on his screen. Hmmm soon enough he will find all the appropriate buttons to get it up and working.
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But, for now, he'll just be my sweet little baby who is growing up WAY TOO QUICKLY!
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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Neigh he he he

We had a great time when my mom and dad were here! I was able to get a few videos and thought this was great fun. I would share a video of Geemah with the treekids, but she kept putting her hand in front of the camera. She was all "done up" and everything. Rats!! Maybe next time she will smile and kiss one of those grandbabies of hers instead!! :)

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Finding her Balance

Being 6 really IS so much fun!! Blossom has been wanting to ride without training wheels for several months, now. She has tried and tried, but is very afraid of falling and getting hurt. She does NOT do blood on scraped up knees or elbows, so... fear was winning. Sunday afternoon, she said she really wished she could ride her bike and the training wheels just kept slipping and when you depend on them, if they slip you just go down! So, I took them off! I lowered the seat as low as it would go and told her to just get around by pushing her feet on the ground for a while. (Yes, I did try holding on to the back of the seat and running a bit, but she pedals so darn fast that I can't keep up! So, scoot she did!) The pedals were getting in the way, so I unscrewed them from the connection. So, she scooted around and loved it. Monday morning, with new resolve, she and Branch reattached the pedals. Blossom got on and could make her way and stay up right for about 2 or 3 go rounds of her feet. But, with some serious cheerleading, she realized that she really was riding, but putting her feet down when she got scared! So... she grit her teeth and away she went... serpentine style at first!
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And then... the inevitable. A big spill.
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I was worried a little about how she would react...
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Her determination was so strong that she did the exactly best thing to do... If you fall off, get back on and try again!!
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It was rough, all those starts and stops...
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But, it wasn't long before she REALLY got it and kept going!!
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Of course, once that happened... she was off and riding all over the RV park and having the greatest time. Achievement!!
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And now she rides like the wind... and it has only been 18 hours since her feet went around without the training wheels!!!