Saturday, January 21, 2006

Big Ben


Here's Ben's Kindergarten picture. Most, if not any of you have NOT seen it! Isn't he handsome? Check out the dimple!

I have a feeling he won't be an Olympic track star. Not with them ears! He didn't get them from me, that for sure!

*cough*Helen*cough*

It's hard to tell in the picture but he has really pretty hazel eyes.

We should have some nice family photos shortly. Helen's cousin Dirk, is a professional photographer and he's gonna hook us up.

Right after I beat the tar out of him at racquetball!

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Rockets!

I'd like to hear Helen's perspective on our rocket outing.... she's hesitant. Maybe this will encourage her.

Some new stuff.

We've had a busy week. We always have busy weeks but this felt busier than most. We some fun experiences... let me regale you.

Ben's school was offering discounted ice skating prices, so Helen thought it'd be fun. This adventure begins before we even left the house.

I'm at home with the kids, Helen is teaching a music lesson at a local school. The kids are watching their favorite show, Disney's Little Einsteins, while I play Star Wars Battlefront on the computer.

There's a knock on the door. The boys race to the door to answer it, while I race to the bedroom to put some pants on.

I come to the door, with pants on and there's a stranger. Apparently he came looking for our neighbors, but they're not home. Can he come in and use our phone? Sure.

At this point Helen comes home and we start to get ready to go, while stranger man finishes up on the phone. He tells us that all of his friends can't come get him... can we take him to a near by gas station... sure. He also tells us that he's been kicked out of his parents house... blah blah blah... now he needs to use the bathroom.

Quick mental check. Nothing valuable in there.

Sure... go ahead and use the bathroom.

He finishes in the potty and douses himself with a cheap generic spray on cologne. Thanks.

Everything else goes with incident and we deposit him at the gas station.

So we go ice skating. Can you imagine ME ice skating.... I think my sisters took me when I was young, probably 7-8ish and it was so much fun, I haven't done it since. Now I have to do it weighing 250lbs more while manning a 5, 3 and 1 yr old. I'm excited.

Let me tell you. Getting skates on a 1 yr old is no easy task but Morgan was insanely adorable in her tiny skates. Josh waited till his were on and we were ready to hit the ice to tell us he need to use the restroom. Helen and I thought we had planned the logistics, I would carry Morgan while we "skated", she would handle Josh and Ben would have to fend for himself.

Yeah.

We hit the ice and I'm instantly hit with fear of falling and falling on Morgan. That could be... problematic for her continued existence. So, we swap. Much better. Josh has 0, let me emphasis, ZERO ability to do anything other than flail his legs and hang by his arms limply.

But he's having fun.

We make it half way and stop to rest. Helen takes Ben for a lap while I rest.

They make the lap and we all hit the ice again. One more time around... one more rest. And we're pretty much out of time. We had from 730-930 and between getting ready and 2 laps, we have 30 minutes left. So Ben and I complete one more circuit while Helen takes the youngin's out to get ready.

Oh! You know what I failed to mention!? Before we hit the ice, the PTA was nice enough to have hot (lukewarm) chocolate. So all this happens with the kids buzzing on room temperature cocoa.

Skating with Ben, much easier than Josh!

We end the evening with Josh dumping a cup of now getting cold cocoa.

Nice. Let's get out of here.

We had fun. More fun that I thought I'd have. But my ankles were killing me. We'll go skating again.... next Christmas.