60 second update

• The cuddler is finally into potty training! Apparently, I just needed to bribe him with candy. We’re starting slow, but he is learning.
• Lily is graduating out of her swim class at the end of the week into a more advanced one!
• Received yet another letter from the IRS telling that they will need another month to review the four pages of documents for my refund. Was really hoping to get if before I filed for 2011 taxes, but that doesn’t seem likely.
• Summer is going by way too fast for my liking and I haven’t accomplished as much as I hoped I would by now.
• I have read about 30 books. (I read fast) Thus explaining why I haven’t accomplished much so far.
• My back yard looks like a wild meadow. I really need to mow today while the sun is still shining.
• Although time is moving quickly, the weather has not really been that summer like. It’s getting to the point where I’m glad I didn’t waste money on summer clothes for myself.

New Car

If the IRS ever decides to pay my tax refund… or officially denies me, I’ll be purchasing a car. I’d buy one now, but I could get a much better deal with that wad of cash and why not wait? After all, the IRS keeps stringing me along with 30 day promises. It would be so nice if I could do that with some of my bills. Just string them along indefinitely, with no penalty.

In the meantime, I’ve been window shopping for the past six months.

What do you drive? The ever-popular mom van? Lots of room, but limited gas mileage? An SUV? Safe, tough, cool mom type?

Netflix, kids and movies

I’m sure you’ve heard about the Netflix price jump.. even if you aren’t a subscriber. People are more upset about this than the economic woes of our government or dumbing down of our education system (even more!). Shocking, I know.

It makes me wonder exactly how much TV people are actually watching, examining how much we are… and is it time to cut back? I’ll admit it. TV is some times the only thing that saves my sanity. Then again, it doesn’t. My son’s current obsession with Dora means there is a lot more whining to watch Dora at all times  of the day, thus almost forcing me to buy Dora movies. Or maintain a streaming movie membership.

How much TV do you let your kids watch? None? A couple of hours? Not sure, because there is a TV in every room, including their bedrooms?

When I was a nanny, (seriously, I was just like Jo Frost. So good! And so bad with my own!) the kids I cared for watch a maximum of two hours – and NO video games during the week. As pre-teens, people. I was that good. Now, not so much. Am I the only one?

Summertime, and the living is easy.

We survived our first vacation of the summer. Of course, the first night had me declaring that we would never leave home again. Both kids were just too keyed up to go to sleep, even though they were really, really ‘I’ve-lost-my-mind-and-can-no-longer-function” tired. As was I. For the rest of the trip, my goal was to ensure that they were so tired by bedtime that they just might go to sleep at a normal time. It must have worked, because they not only fell asleep at a decent time, but did so while sleeping in the same bed!

Now we’re back the usual schedule of eat, swim, eat, nap, eat, swim, eat. With some bike riding thrown in.

Lala finally did figure it out. Now, every time someone rides by on a bike, she points out that the rider is “moving their feet up and down, just like me!” She is incredibly proud of her herself for figuring out how to make the bike move. I’m sure that steering will come along soon too! At least, hopefully, before a major injuries occur. A major plus living on a flood plain is that everything is relatively flat…because steering and braking may be a problem.

The Cuddler turned three yesterday. Although I still call him my baby, he’s not. Fully into the “I do it!” stage, he’s becoming quite independent. So far, it’s displayed in his refusal to do anything. No go on the big potty! No pick up toys! No watch Elmo! No! He’s also developed an obsession with Dora. I don’t know it it’s the interactivity of the show or what, but somehow it totally sucks him in. I’m drawing the line at buying him Dora clothes, though. The high heel shoes are plenty.

Wordless Wednesday

Riding a bike

What age is best for riding a bike? It seems like kids are getting them younger and younger these days – and they’re made smaller and smaller.

I mentioned before that the cuddler was receiving a bike for his birthday. My mother purchased one for Lala last week and so I gave the kids the bikes yesterday. I figured that they would be able to get more use out them if they had them at the beginning of summer, and we could avoid the whole ‘birthday present jealousy’ thing. Also, I apparently have patience issues.

While both were excited to see the bikes, that wore off pretty soon. Apparently watching others ride a bike is not as easy as riding it yourself. Learning how to ride a bike is not as easy as “riding a bike”, apparently.

Any tips on teaching them? Both have training wheels so balance isn’t an issue… just getting the concept of pushing the pedals forward to move the bike forward. Maybe they’re just too young? I don’t think I got a bike until I was in grade school, which is when most of my friends seemed to get them as well.

Fourth Of July

Lala and the cuddler are still trying to understand the concept of “birthday party for America”, but they do know something is up since Grandma is still visiting (instead of heading home for work on Monday) and every five minutes there’s another loud firecracker bang!

We’ll be enjoying fresh stawberries, treats galore and hopefully some time in the pool before ending the day with fireworks.  Not too many fireworks… “we” don’t like the loud bangs and find the noises pretty scary.  Sparklers it is!

Happy 4th!

Family Garden

The best thing about summer? Besides popsicles, watermelon, swimming in the lake and BBQ? Produce from the garden!

Two of the easiest things to grow are lettuce and zucchini. And let’s be honest… you don’t even need to grow your own zucchini. Just make friends with someone who does and you’ll be set *wink*

To grow lettuce you don’t even need a yard. Just a big pot. Personally, I’m a bit lazy, so I buy my plants (starts) at the local famer’s market and then plant in the pot. Lettuce is a “cool” weather plant, so it’s not a huge fan of heat. It likes a lot of water, as well. Around here, where it’s not EVER that hot and rains enough that I barely own a sprinkler. (and no AC, so not worth the expense. It would get used about two days a year), I can grow lettuce all summer long. When we want a salad, I just go out and pick a few leaves. That’s it. Totally easy. No running to the store. No going bad in the crisper.

Even if your area isn’t quite so temperate, I think that planting in an area that gets a bit of shade during the day and watering on a regular basis, you could grow it for awhile during the summer. And trust me, you will cry when you have to go back to store-bought.