It's a Zoo Out There!!!

This year for Grandma's birthday we went to the Brookfield Zoo. It was Memorial Day weekend....it was hot and crowded, but we had a great time!!

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!!

Hanging out

Grandma and Kids

Claudia and Jordan with their FAVORITE animal.... the zebra!

The Last Day of Preschool 2010

William

Walking to School

In front of the TLC sign


Walking to School

The Ice Cream Truck!!!!

The last day of preschool was so much fun! Our teachers set up all kinds of games for us to play in the church basement.... including a jumpy!!!!

Towards the end of class, the teachers told us that since it was the last day of school, they were out of snacks. "Rats," I thought. Instead of snack time, the class would go for a walk around the church.

As we walked to the back of the building, we heard music.... as in ice cream truck music! Could it be? It was! The ice cream truck parked in the lot waiting for all the kids.

Our parents were in the lot too... with their cameras! I saw Mom running in the lot with Claudia (who was crying). It turned out that Claudia split her lip open and Mom had to take her to the doctor. Claudia was upset because she missed all the fun playtime, but she did make it back for the best part... the ice cream!!!

Mom took a lot of pictures, cried and hugged me. I know she's happy for me go to the big school for kindergarten, but she keeps telling me to stop growing up... as if I can control that !

William

Spring Break 2010

Claudia and Aunt Christie

Target Practice

The kids in the helicopter

Target practice with Uncle Eric

Eric, William and Brian

Claudia, William and Cousins

Brrrr... the water is so cold!

We had a great vacation!

After we landed and got our rental car, we drove to the Mayport Navy Base north of Jacksonville, Florida to meet Brian's brother and family. They had to be there to check us civilians in (you can't get on the base without a sponsor) and stayed to have dinner with us.

William and Claudia were thrilled to see their cousins and had a great time playing in the sand with them. It's hard to believe that it has been a year since they played together. Claudia immediately began collecting all her seashells to bring home and William began digging a hole to China.

The best part of our beach vacation is that we practically had the beach to ourselves. We occasionally saw a few people as we were walking, but they were few and far between. A few times, a group of Navy men ran past us in little running shorts (I referred to this as my "Happy Hour"!). We also saw lots of dolphins, jellyfish, sand dollars and starfish and explored a few tide pools filled with amazing sea life.

The base was lots of fun to explore. There was so many ships docked there. I think we counted at least a dozen. We watched the helicopters take off and land and we drove around checking out all the buildings.

One afternoon we drove to St. Augustine and had dinner. After we finished our meal, we walked around the town checking out cannons, cannon balls and reading about the history of the town. We intended to go back and spend more time there, but I got sick and we didn't make it back. Maybe next year....

The second half of our trip was spent at Brian's brother's house where we were wined and dined. Eric and family took us to see the Jacksonville Naval Station where we explored different kinds of aircraft. We ate lunch on base and hiked to see the St. Johns River. We also visited Uncle Eric's airport where the Coast Guard's Hitron helicopters are. Uncle Eric let William and Claudia explore the helicopters and hold the big (unloaded) machine guns that they use to shoot at drug boats. We even saw one of the helicopters land.

William and Claudia want to add some of their favorite things about the trip.

William's Favorites:
holding the machine guns
Navy ships
parks
beach
swimming in the ocean
playing with my cousins
driving in Uncle Eric's Jeep
Aunt Christie's pasta

Claudia's Favorites:
dolphins
seashells
starfish
parks
Aunt Christie's homemade doughnuts
Sarah and Lucy
riding in Uncle Eric's Jeep
going out to eat

William's Preschool Graduation

The Graduate

William and Claudia

Mom (after crying) and William


Papa, William, Mimi

Grandma, Claudia, William

Dear William,

Today (May 12th, 2010) was your preschool graduation ceremony. We're so proud of you. You did such a fabulous job this year at school. Your teachers said you are hard worker, very bright, always asking questions, and always wanting to learn more.

It's hard to accept that you are growing up so fast. It seems like yesterday that you were born and we were holding you at the hospital. You were such a beautiful baby and now such such a handsome little boy.

Mommy and Daddy love you so much.

As a favor to us, please don't grow up too fast.

Love You,

Mom and Dad
xoxoxox

Crazy Alphabet Letters

Our lunch discussion consisted of wacky alphabet letters.

William: Why doesn't "W" start with a "D"?

Me: What?

William: It makes the "D" sound... "Double - U". Don't you hear the "D"?
It should be called "Wubble - U".

Me: I hear it. Good question.

William: (Stops eating and ponders) Letter "Y" should start with "WH" like the word "WHY".

We then go through the alphabet in search of "misspelled/mispronounced" letters....

William: The alphabet is crazy!

Teacher Gifts 2010

For end of the year gifts for their teachers, the kids painted terra cotta pots, planted basil and wrapped their gifts with a note wishing their teachers a "delicious summer". The gifts were a big hit!

Next year (just so I remember), I am going to try to include a few words describing their teachers as well as a small lists of their favorite school activities.

Mother's Day 2010

My Mother's Day gift from Brian complete with a poem:Dear Susan (Mommy),

A very heartfelt Happy Mother's Day

To you for all you do

For your love and especially your patience

If you were a lawyer, you probably would have sued!

Now that it's spring the thought did arise

There's something that's been missing awhile

But being green and sustainable,

Gas powered just isn't my style

But I saw the light, so to complement your whacker and mower,

The kids and I are happy to say,

Here's your very own handheld blower!

From your long-winded, blowhard husband,

Brian and your 2 Stihl-in kids (Stihl is the brand of blower)

My Mother's Day Gift From William

Claudia made me a beautiful hand painted notepad holder complete with pen and notepad to write down "important things".

The kids also made their anual poster complete with pictures, hand and footprints and poem. I'll take a picture and post it later (when I have more free time.. which might be next week!)

Uncle Eric and His Big Gun

The Military Channel thought my brother-in-law was poster worthy.

(Yes, that is really him shooting at drug boats)

Our Last 2 Weeks....

This spring, Claudia has developed a bad case of seasonal (we hope) allergies and asthma. She's been on an inhaler, one antibiotic and one steroid and now another inhaler. The week after she finished the antibiotic, she was still coughing so I called the doctor's office again and was told to take her in for a chest x-ray. She had bronchitis. Poor kid. Now she is back on the second inhaler, not coughing, but her nose if running like a leaky faucet.

William's been healthy. Yay! He is learning to ride a 2 wheeler. He's doing pretty good with cruising, but turns are an issue. The neighbor's hostas have taken a beating.

William (and parents) had Kindergarten Round Up last week. We went to his school, listened to the principal, teacher, nurse and PTO president speak about the school and then filled out 10,000 forms. William got to visit his classroom (there's only one kindergarten) and tour the school. He was really excited, especially when he found out that his friends, Zeke and Thomas will be in his class next fall.

We've been going on preschool field trips the last 2 weeks. William went to the nursery and planted a firecracker sunflower. This week he went to the bus barn and rode the big yellow school bus. This was lots of fun for him. Too bad he's going to be a walker for the next 9 years!

Today Claudia's class went to the library. She had a great time until she found out that she was not permitted to check out books during the field trip because "not all her classmates had Valpo library cards and therefore could not check out books". She thought the rule was wrong and protested with a growl. As if we aren't at the library regularly anyway.....

Both kids are still taking swim lessons twice a week. Both of them (especially Claud) have developed a mean backstroke. They can swim the length of the pool in record time (both follow in their cousin, Jordan's, footsteps). They are still working on the front crawl and sidestroke. Both love their swim lessons. Me too. After class, I shower them and then drop them off at the childcare room so that I can work out by MYSELF. I found the afternoon is the best time to hit the gym because there are only a few people there and I don't have to worry about running into anyone except for the young muscular guys who regularly hit the weight room.... makes the hour pass just a little bit faster.

Last week I had a locksmith here to replace a few locks. We needed a new cylinder on our back door and 2 new deadbolts on the 2 front doors. The guy showed up and started working. I noticed his fly was down and wasn't sure if I should say anything. I didn't, but was kind of creeped out. He must of noticed himself because he eventually locked up his own goods. What a relief! Anyhow... now I am the proud owner of 3 new locks and 6 new keys... one of which immediately went to my neighbor, Jeff, for safekeeping. If it wasn't for Jeff and my extra house key, I would spend a lot of time sitting on the back deck waiting for Brian to get home.

Next week Brian will be flying (via corporate jet) somewhere on the east coast (can't remember)for a meeting, staying at a lovely hotel, sleeping all night and eating yummy food with ADULTS. Hmmmm..... no jealousy coming from me.

The week after that, he will be traveling to Bloomington, IN for his final week of leadership development classes that he has been taking since January. Unfortunately, this is also the last week of preschool which means he will be missing Claudia's special play day and William's graduation. The kids are going to be crushed.

Lastly, Claudia informed me today that she wants to plant a guacamole tree in the yard. Sounds like a good idea to me.... as long as she also plants a chip tree and a margarita tree next to her guacamole tree. That would make for a tasty, carefree summer.

And then there's my joke of the day.... I was discussing laundry with Claudia's preschool teacher, telling her how much I hate carrying laundry up 2 flights of stairs. She said I needed a dumbwaiter. I told her I already had one and pointed to Brian. Ha! I crack myself up!!!

Oh, one more thing. I received my EOB from my insurance company. So far I owe the Mayo Clinic $2800.... and all they gave me was a pair of ugly hospital socks!

To My Neighbors....

Dear Neighbors,

Hmm.... Where to start...

You're a Buttmunch!

Since you brought it to my attention that you do not like my dogs and their barking, I believe that it is my turn to let you know what really irks me.

First, there's your teen son. He's an idiot. He is not perfect as you like to believe. The underage drinking parties (yes, there has been more than one) are getting annoying. Cops shining flood lights in my windows in the middle of the night is not cool. And running from the cops from his own home.... not too smart. Lucky for him that you have enough pull in our town to keep his name out of the paper. I bet the other parents weren't too happy when they read their kids' names in the Police Blotter minus your son's.

Also, he drives like Helen Keller ON CRACK. That "special" finger our neighbor gave him for almost crashing into his car on the corner is nothing compared to what I like to do to him. He floors the car every time he pulls out of the driveway, never looking for walkers, pets or other cars. He only turns onto the street at high speed and on two wheels. Perhaps it's time for a repeat driver's education class?!

That little landscaping business he's running is just peachy. He must be making enough money to buy all that beer for his buddies. But, that trailer he parks on the street.... It's an eyesore. Can't you store it with your other numerous cars?

Then there's your daughter. She is very popular. Did you know that when you go out of town, she likes to host sleepovers? Yup, as in overnight guests of the opposite sex. Funny... just when I start to recognize one guest groggily walking to his car in the morning, a new one shows up the next day. She definitely gives new meaning to community service.

Lastly, your home is ugly. I am not impressed that you have completely remodled, added on and put in $500,000 of marble. It's still ugly. You're landscaping sucks too. Ground cover on the parkway? Really? Did you think it would actually grow? And because of your addition, you chose to give up your backyard. It's not my fault that Snoopy's barking is amplified by your large brick driveway and the L-shape of your home. Bad call on your part. Brick does not absorb sound and the L-shape traps noise. Duh.

In regard to my dogs, yes, they do bark. They're dogs. They're terriers. It happens. Although it is generous of you to offer to purchase shock collars for my pets, it is not necessary. The older dog was abused by her previous owner. Shocking her for barking is equivalent to kicking her. Perhaps every time she barks, you can run across the street and kick her. It'll save you some money.

And I am so relieved that you stated that you are not irritated by my children, even though they make more noise than the dogs. I was afraid that you would offer to buy shock collars for them too.

Your comment about people walking down our street to visit with our dogs "because everyone thinks they are so cute" is true. People like our dogs. Our dogs only bark at people they don't like. Hmmm....

So... screw you neighbor. Your threats don't scare me. I don't care that you are one of our town's elite, that you are a member of every committee and board in town and I don't care how many generations of your family has lived here. You still suck and your threats are falling on deaf ears. My dogs will continue to bark. They will go outside. They won't be shocked for doing what dogs do. And that case of wine I sarcastically offered to send you to "take the edge off", you're certainly not getting it!

Your Neighbor