Chloe Poppins

Today’s festivities.

The new movie was a great family film and we all enjoyed it. The best part was when Claire turned to me and said, “Go help Woody, Mommy.” If only I could …. This is a hard one for mothers of older boys to watch (tears, tears, and more tears). And it your son is already in that 16 - 20 year old age bracket, take a box of tissues. You will laugh as much, or more, than you’ll cry… but you will need the tissues.

Some of my favorite quotes …

Toy Story Buzz to Woody “You are a sad and strange little man, and you have my pity. Farewell.”

Toy Story 2 Jessie “Sweet Mother of Abraham Lincoln.”

Toy Story 3 Mr. Potato Head “You would not believe what I have been through … tonight.”

Sam’s favorite line from Toy Story 3 (Buzz …upon reawakening from “Demo” mode) ….

“(sniff, sniff, sniff …. That wasn’t me was it?”

Claire reading to Buzz and Woody back in January

The bin of Toy Story Happiness

This is the garden before the 80 degree weather and all the loving attention from Wilson and me.

Before the dirt arrived.

This is the garden in process….

Moving the dirt into the garden.

The kids worked very hard with me to move the “composted topsoil” from the pile in the driveway into the garden.  Due to the low powerlines, the dump truck was only to get within about 8 feet of the garden.

Sam waits for another delivery of dirt.

Everyone worked really hard to get the garden in early this year.  This pictures were taken on Saturday morning, the first day of Spring Break.  The kids were actually anxious to get out of bed and start working. That never happens!!

As soon as I can get back out with the camera… I’ll post some after pictures.  Good News… after the birds ate the first round of bean and pea seeds we planted in egg cartons a few weeks ago, the second round … hidden in a box by the hose … has sprouted.  :-)

We just realized that this toy, Woody, will be turning 10 in a couple weeks. We hadn’t seen Woody, or Buzz for that matter, in quite a while. Like all toys, they somehow were forgotten amongst the iPods, Wii’s and other new toys.

At Christmas though, these toys were rescued from oblivion by Claire and her cousin, Piper. And since their return to the playroom, even Sam, Sophie and Wilson have enjoyed their presence. They did acheive a new level of playroom status this week. Woody and Buzz were invited to “Library Time” with Claire. She set up her spot and proceeded to “read” The Nutcracker to them.

The biggest laugh this week though came when Claire came out and told me “somebody’s poisoned the water hole.”

Wilson during the 2009 Baseball Season

Hitting the Grand Slam

Run, Wilson, Run….

WILSON: “You know, McKenna said she went to Hawaii for vacation.”

MOM: “That’s a long way for a five year old to go for vacation. That was a real treat.”

WILSON: “So, how far is it to Hawaii anyway.”

MOM: “Gosh, it’s a least a day and a half by air from here. First you have to fly to Los Angeles in California; then you have to fly half way across the Pacific Ocean to a small group of islands… and hope the pilot doesn’t miss (sploosh).

MARK: (Muttered from the other room quietly…”Way to go … scare him to death.”)

WILSON: “That would not be good.” (pauses… gives a thoughtful look, followed by a sly grin) “Get out your snorkeling gear.” (insert evil chuckle here) “ha ha ha …”

Good News!  School did start on the 11th, despite my best attempts to sabotage my own efforts.  We started with a “skeleton crew” and have been steadily adding a little bit more each day.  This week we have added Language Arts (Grammar) to the Literature we already had underway; and we added Latin.  For those of you who know me, this last one will be slightly amusing.  Other than English, the only other foreign language I speak is a little know mountain dialect of le francais known affectionately as “Henry French”.  I can read it, maybe even understand the basics, but let’s just hope I don’t get lost in Paris.

Mark did turn 43 on the 3rd, followed closely by Alex turning 30 on the 7th.  We hosted Piper’s third birthday this past weekend and had a blast.  Although I know her parents are proud of her extensive exposure to different cultures (She’s been farther from home than I have.), I believe I successfully converted her this weekend.  After several rounds of Carolina Girls by the Chairman of the Board, Piper is now a Carolina Girl (not to be confused with a fan of UNC - don’t want to get kicked out of the house).  After discovering this fascinating fact, she then wanted to know if Grandma, and Sophie, and Claire, and Mommy were Carolina Girls too.  Obviously, it goes without saying…. Aunt Chloe is a Carolina Girl!

Dancing Carolina Girls

I had quite a surprise today.  Let me set the scene for you. Wilson and I were talking in the kitchen and working on lunch while the iPod was “shuffling” in the background.  Imagine my surprise….

STING: “A hundred million bottles [pause] washed up on the shore.” ……

WILSON: “That’s a lot of bottoms.”

MOM: “What did you say?”

STING: “Message in a bottle…..”

WILSON: “That’s gross.” [said as he stands with his ear to the iPod radio]

MOM: “What?”

STING: “Message in a bottle…..”

WILSON: “Oh, he’s saying bottle. I was wondering why he was singing about messages and bottoms.” [said completely seriously as he exits stage left]

Well, I’m a little late.  Finally I’m posting the pictures of Wilson’s 7th birthday.  He had a great day and really enjoyed having Uncle Alex and his family visiting over the weekend.  Grandma and Grandpa arrived on the weekend and stayed until the afternoon on the 16th; Grandma even got up early to eat birthday “Ice Cream” cake with the rest of us.

The last two weeks have been FULL of fun camp activities:  one week of half-day soccer camp, followed by a week of full-day Pony Camp for Sophie and half-day LaCrosse Camp for Wilson.  Sam took a week off and spent the mornings at home with Claire and Mom.  He did get a special outing on Wednesday with his good friend, Zach.

Crazy Hair Day at Soccer Camp

Sam takes aim at the goal in a drill with Hannah.

Wilson and his orange socks.

Sophie runs back to the tent.

Wilson enjoying LaCrosse camp at the YMCA.

Sophie turns her horse, Tigger, around the barrel in the corral at Friday’s horse show.

Claire enjoyed her first trip to a farm, and really enjoyed seeing Sophie on the pony.

We ended Friday with an “Island Party” for Sophie and several of her friends.