Our date

Zander and I had a date today. We haven't been out of the house much this week and I couldn't face another day here. Zander of course would have been happy to stay here all day, but we needed to get some exercise. I told him if he went to the mall with me and walked around for awhile, we would go to Chuck E. Cheese. I don't know what I was thinking. I hadn't been to the mall in over a year so there were alot of stores that I wanted to check out. We walked and walked. He spotted one of those jumping things. I have no idea what it is called. There are bungee cords over trampolines. He had a ball. He jumped so high that he was at the second level.
Next we went to Brookstone and checked out all of the massaging chairs. Zander tried an ear massage. You can see from his expression that he thought that was really cool.
Next we went to Chuck E. Cheese as promised. I forgot that everyone had been stuck inside for over a week and they all must have had the same idea that I did. It was so crowded that you really couldn't even play the games. He didn't mind though. We earned a few tickets and was able to get one of those huge colorful suckers. He was a happy camper. It is nice to be home.

Snow

We have had 3 major storms so far this Winter. That doesn't sound like alot but we are not used to that much snow and ice. Last weeks storm was by far the most fun. We had around 10 inches of perfect snow. This picture is from day 4. We went over to my cousin Marty's house and used his hill. I have never been sledding like this and it was fun. We used to ride inner tubes down Mom and Dad's front yard when we were younger, but this was a serious hill. You can't tell it in these pictures but it was very steep. It took forever to walk back up after you slid down.
This is one of my favorite pictures. Zander was exhausted and the last few times down, Summers just threw him over his shoulder and walked back up. We all had a great time, but I am ready for Spring.

Peter and the Wolf

Zander's class and the 2 other kindergarten classes presented Peter and the Wolf with students from the School of the Arts. The School of the Arts dancers had the lead roles and then the children acted out the story with them through dance. There were live instruments helping to tell the story. It was really a good show. I couldn't figure out how they were going to tell the story with near 60 children, but they did and all of the children were involved. Zander made it through the show without correcting anyone. He sat against the wall beside of the main wolf until it was their turn. He kept talking to him and the wolf had to keep telling him to be quiet. Imagine that. Here is a link to a short video of Zander's performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kt2VCbOASM

Workermen

Zander's class will be doing the play Peter and the Wolf this week. They needed a tree for the play and asked Summers to make it and some steps. Zander was so cute. He went in his room and got all of his power tools and put them in his tool case and took them outside. He also got his safety googles and put them on. He was so proud that he was strong enough to lift the wood and help his Daddy. Shortly after these pictures were taken, the two children from next door came over with a blue print that they all have been working on for a dog house for Wanda. I wish I had thought to take a picture of it. It was very well thought out and a pretty good diagram. They sawed and hammered and had a great time that is until Zander ran over the little boy with arctic cat. Summers had had enough at this point and it was time for Daddy's helper to come inside.

Snowman

Once a month, Zander's class hangs up artwork over their hook in the hall. This month was a snowman. Bet you can't figure out which one is Zander's. Grandma Sandi, we need some art lessons! He was quite proud of it and the fact that his had a yellow hat and looked different than the rest. He is just as unique as his snowman. This week he will be the wolf in the production of Peter and the Wolf. I can hardly wait to see his interpretation. Pictures to come soon.

No TV???????

I was taking Zander to school this morning and we were talking about his Daddy not feeling well. He asked me if he got sick would he have to stay in bed all day. I told him that when you have the flu you don't feel like doing anything but staying in bed or sleeping. I started telling him about when I was his age and sick and he couldn't believe it. He asked me if I watched TV while I was in bed and I told him that we didn't have TV's in our rooms back then. CiCi would take me to the couch and let me watch TV, however, there were only 3 channels and there were only grown up shows, no Noggin! Then I told him that you had to get up and turn the knob to change the channel.
Next he asked me if CiCi pup DVD's in for me to watch. I tried to explain that there was no such thing as DVD or VCR. He said, "I bet you were glad you could play your video games!" He couldn't believe it when I told him there were no video games. He was quiet the rest of the way to school, I guess contemplating how horrible my childhood was. Strangely enough I don't think of it that way. It was a simpler time. I remember when I was sick and couldn't go to school and my parents had to work, Granny would take me with her to the tobacco barn and I would lay on the tobacco bags on a quilt all day while she sacked the tobacco. I can still smell the dust to this day as I think about it.
I wonder what things like pay phones etc. that our children will never know?

Possum

We were coming home from Mom's tonight and Zander was very quiet in the backseat. The conversation went something like this;
Mom:  Zander are you asleep?
Mom: Zander are you asleep? Waits for a few seconds.
Mom: Zander are you playing possum? (Still no response)

After a minute or so, Zander said, "I am not asleep, I was ignoring you."
Mom: Oh, that is why I asked you if you were playing possum, that is what they do."
Zander: Really, they ignor their moms too?
Mom: No, (laughter) they pretend to be asleep or dead.
Zander: Oh.

Christmas Day

We are blessed. I have been quite depressed the last few weeks and not looking forward to Christmas. Our finances have been such this year that there wasn't any money for presents. We were able to buy Zander the 3 things that he "ordered" from Santa with money that he received from Grandma's. I was watching this video later on Christmas Day and I realized that I was crying. I looked under the tree at the few things that he had and was sad. But, then I realized that he was happy and I should have been happy also. After all, we made it through another year without losing any family members. I then read the obituaries for two young people that we knew that were to be buried this week and thought about their families and  children and how sad they must be this Christmas and probably each Christmas to come.
It made me think about New Year's Eve the year that my Grandfather died. It was the first year that I didn't go to my Grandparents house that night with the rest of the family. I chose to go out with some friends instead. I got the call about 11:15 telling me to come to the hospital. They waited until we were all there and right around midnight they came in and told us that he didn't make it. Every year on New Year's Eve we all gather and instead of it being a joyful time, there are very sad undertones to the whole evening, but we are all together. It is never easy to lose a loved one, but it is especially hard to lose one on a holiday.
I went on to Uncle Steve's house and smiled as I looked around at all of the family members that could gather there on that day. (We missed you Aunt Jennifer and family) The kids had a great time playing together and the grown ups ate way to much, watched Christmas Vacation 2 times and had fun playing Pictionary. It was a great day after all and I am very thankful for my family.
Oh, about Zander's order. When I took Zander to see Santa this year, he got on his lap and Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas. Without thinking he said, "I would like to order, a Megatron, Optimus Prime and a green light saber." I have tried several times to tell him that you don't place an order with Santa, you tell him things that you would like to have and he decides what to bring you. But when anyone asked what he wanted for Christmas, he continued to say, " I ordered........". It was really cute. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to everyone from our family.

For you Mom

Sometimes in life, well most of the time, it is the small gestures that makes it all worth while. This has been a tough year for us as it has for most people and I haven't exactly been feeling the Christmas spirit. Summers and Zander got supplies together and made me this beautiful wreath. They put it together and Summers let Zander decorate it with what he wanted. He chose gold balls, feathers and black scratch off paper. I don't know if you can see it all in the picture but it was perfect. Then he wrote "To Mom" on a peice of paper and put it on the wreath. It is really special and Zander was so excited to give it to me. Merry Christmas!

Snow Fort

This is the snow fort or igloo. It took about 3 hours to build and we were all so tired that we took a big nap when we came in. We made it on Friday and part of it is still there the following Tuesday. Check out the video on my youtube channel, friendsmiling66

Big Snow

This is the first big snow that we have had since Zander was born. It snowed really hard yesterday. He played outside for a little while. This morning there was at leat 6 inches when we woke up. We ate breakfast and then got dressed and went outside to play. We went in search of the perfect hill and tried several but didn't find the right one. It was really hard to walk. There was so much snow that at times it came over my boots which were almost to my knee. At one point the snow pulled Zander's boot right off.
We went back to our yard and decided to build a snow fort. It was alot of fun. Pictures to come.

Farm Day

 

Zander's class was studying about farm animals. The teacher asked for the children to come to school dressed as their favorite farm animal. This is my quick attempt at transforming Zander into a duck.

Mom, I'm Hungry

 

Zander was still hungry at bedtime. He knows the only snack he can have is an apple. He didn't quite make it all the way through the apple. How sweet.

Confused

 

I took this picture 3 weeks ago. It is a single bloom on one of our azalea's in front of the house. Zander noticed that it was there. What is really stange about it, is that it is the only one on 7 bushes and none of the others even have a bud on them. I looked at it again this morning and it still looks the same as the day I took the picture. I don't understand how. We have had ice and frost several morning and for the last 3 days we have had nothing but rain and high winds. It usually only rains one time and the blooms get ugly and fall off. I wonder if there is some significance of this bloom?

Paisley

For the last year or so, Zander has been telling me that he is going to marry me when he gets big. I have tried several times to explain to him that I am his Mom and someday he will grow up and choose a girlfriend and then get married. There have been times that this has upset him terribly. He says he doesn't want to move out of our house or marry someone else. Sometimes he even cries.
Well, yesterday he came home with this picture. When I asked him about it he looked at me like he had done something wrong. I said, "Zander, do you have a girlfriend?" and he said, " Mom, I think I've found her, I think I will marry her." He looked like he thought I was going to be really upset. I had to walk in the other room and laugh. How sweet, the first of many I am sure.

Kindergarten here I come!

 

 

This is Zander waiting outside on his first day. Do you think he is excited? He was very disappointed that he didn't get to take the Star Wars bookbag. The school implemented a no book bag policy. This is an art school so we looked at the fountain, the spiral walk and the planter that is made from glass rocks, dominoes and lots of other little trinkets.
Then we went inside and waited for 15 minutes before we got to go to his room. I was amazed at how many things they expected him to do when he arrives. Let's see, wait outside, go in the meeting room and wait. Remember to take your lunch box and your water bottle with you when they call your teacher's name. Get in the right line (which he hasn't done yet), line up, put your lunch box on the right hook, take out your snack, juice and milk money- get back in line, give the teacher a hug, put up your water bottle, sign in, put your snack in the snack basket and then sit down to do the morning task. Whew, I am tired just trying to remember it all!
He did great! He gave me a hug and told me bye. I did great too.
PS. Today is day 4 of kindergarten. We were running late today and I asked him if he wanted to get out of the car in the car rider lane today and go in by himself. He of course said no, but with a little encouragement he did. He came over to my window and gave me a hug and said, "bye Mom." I watched him skip to the door, walk on the spiral and go inside. I did fine until I started out of the parking lot and then I cried all the way to work. How silly, I know! My baby is growing up. Oh yeah, he was left on the playground by himself again today. Story for another day.

Kindergarten open house

 

 

This was open house night.Zander checked out the room with some of his classmates. I thought that we would learn about school procedures etc. tonight but really didn't come away with anything. I think it did put him at ease though. Kindergarten in 2 days!

Kindergarten visit

 

 

This is a picture of Zander meeting his teacher during a special visit just for him. I think they got along great. He really seemed to like the room. It is really hard to tell if he is excited.

Star Wars Camp

 

 

Zander also got to attend Star Wars camp for a week. He had so much fun! Yes that is Darth Vader and Boba Fett was also there. He wanted it to go on forever!

Blue hair

 

 

 

Blue hair, yes blue hair. When Zander got his last haircut it turned out to be shorter than it ever has been. He wanted it to be spiked and we found some blue get to put on it. It definately spiked it but the blue is hard to see. He really enjoyed it and wants it to be like that everyday.