Easter Morning

After many attempts to add more pictures to this post, I am just going to leave it at this. This is what the Easter Bunny left for the kids for Easter morning. Then the kids had an egg hunt to follow time spent digging through their baskets. Phoenix enjoyed dumping out his box of band aids and eating animal crackers for breakfast. Kira enjoyed her Littlest Petshop animal. The coins that Kira found during the hunt she is calling her Japan money. In March, they had "banking day" at school where they discussed the value of money and how much of the money that it takes to buy certain things. They sent home a paper explaining that to the parents and encouraged the parents to start planning for the Chitose exchange that 5th & 6th graders do. It is an experience where the kids go to Japan in 5th or 6th grade for a few weeks as an exchange program. Every other year the kids from the Chitose school come here too. So Kira is saving up her money to buy a plane ticket to Japan and spending money while she is there. If she finds loose change, she also claims it as "Japan money."

I found it!!!

"Daddy, daddy, I found my long lost nostril!" said Phoenix. When playing the "where's your nose?" game, Phoenix used to touch the end of his nose. One day, he missed the end of his nose and that finger just slipped up his nostril. since then his finger goes straight up his nostril when anyone says "nose" or "knows."

Signs of Summer

In Alaska, several things clue you in to the summer season. Break up is over, and summer has begun. Here are a few things I saw today indicating the beginning of summer.
1. The sun was shining and Kira asked if she could wear shorts and a tank top to school today.
2. Bright white and yellow lines have been painted on the road. (I am trying to remember what significance of those lines with regards to my driving.)
3. A pressure washer disguised as a truck was washing our street off.
4. I pulled up to a friends house and their boat had snuck out of storage taken my usual parking spot.
5. The line at the car wash was longer than the line at the post office in December.
6. As we walked to the park this afternoon, our neighbor was out staining his deck in shorts and a tank top in our sunny 56 degree weather.
7. Dandelions popped up next to the house. (Our grass is still brown and we still have a pile of snow out front.)
8. I killed a spider.
9. Kira has freckles across her nose from batting practice in the backyard with Daddy.
10. Someone walking their dog picked up their dog's poop-- since it didn't instantly disappear into a pile of snow.

Just adorable

1-Phoenix frequently dumps the toys out of the red box and climbs inside for a nice cozy seat.

2- This is Phoenix's "aahhhh" I have just taken a refreshing drink face. This it the same face he makes when he laughs to show approval, but not complete amusement (one little "ha" usually comes from the back of his throat.)

3- He is coming for the camera to see. He is obviously concerned that he is not the one taking the pictures.

One step closer

I am finally downloading pictures from the past 3 weeks. This is a big step in getting a new posting since so much has been happening in our lives. Starting with the most recent events, we have had half days of school, guard duty weekend, for Patrick, Ladies' Night at church, parent teacher conferences, Cherry Blossom Festival (pictures to come), taxes, and Easter. Wow, when I type it out like that, it doesn't seem like we have been that busy; but in reality, that all combined with the boring daily stuff that I would dare put in here for fear of boring people so much that they would quit reading the blog, it really has been a busy few weeks. So today I tuckered the kids out with a trip to the zoo and I have a few minutes to myself to download pictures.

Thankful Thursday

Thirteen things today that I am so grateful for:
1. My loving husband got up with Phoenix when he started screaming 22 minutes before my alarm went off.
2. Kira woke up in a good and playful mood.
3. Phone calls with family.
4. The high today is going to be 44 degrees. (yeah! more snow melting)
5. I have had time to do dishes and laundry (with the help of a few sweet little people.)
6. My computer didn't crash near the end of making a 7 picture post.
7. I have a place in my house to safely burn yummy smelling candles.
8. A single bath will remove most blueberry stains from small children.
9. I had 30 minutes of uninterrupted silence during nap time.
10. The strawberries that we bought actually smell like strawberries. Yum!
11. Packing peanuts.
12. Phoenix running to every chunk of ice I scrape off the driveway and earnestly trying to stomp it to little pieces with his tiny little feet.
13. Friends who are more like family than you can imagine... unless you have met them, then you know.

Out for a Sunday ride

1. OK... I am ready to get this pony ride started.

2. I still have the no handed riding mastered...oh starting to wobble.

3. Giddy up, giddy up. Why is my pony continuing at the same pace?

4. Phoenix is back there screaming. What is wrong with him?

5. I love my pony.

6. You're not a natural brunette?! I found blonde. Don't try to deny it.

7. I am so lovin' the pony ride.

Phoenix's pony ride

Sunday we dicided to go back for another pony ride. This time we waited until after naps so that Phoenix would be able to participate in this childhood experience. We stood in line for about 20 minutes; the kids were happy eating dorritos in line and just looking around.

As soon as I set Phoenix on the pony, the screaming began. I dug in my pocket and found a pcaifier. The screaming continued. I thought that if I could comfort him until the ponies started walking, he would be fine. The screaming rallied. Finally the ponies started walking and Phoenix calmed down for 2 turns around the circle. He started to scoot my direction on the saddle so I lifted him back to the center of the saddle. The screaming followed. I guess he thought that I was picking him up. I thought that if I hugged him a little and could comfort him, he would calm down. The screaming persisted. The owner/trainer of the ponies asked if I wanted him off the ponies. I wanted to try one more circle. He calmed down a wee bit. I tried to get him to look at Patrick for a photo opportunity. The screaming returned. I took the owner up on her offer to take Phoenix off the pony. In the blink of an eye, she had unbuckled Phoenix, taken him off the pony, and swept him into my arms. The screaming ended.

Petting Zoo

Saturday at the car dealership, they also had a mini-petting zoo set up for the kids. As soon as Kira entered the gate, she was greated by a hair eating goat. The goat practically attacked Kira for a bite of her hair.

Pony ride

We had an experience this weekend of pony rides and a petting zoo. Of course this all took place in the parking lot of a car dealership...a Ford dealership. That fact did not deter us from braving the salesmen and Ford cars surrounding us so that our daughter could ride on the ponies and pet fluffy animals. As you can see, Kira loved it. We ran errands Saturday morning with the promise of a surprise later in the day. When we decided to eat out (bagels at a local bagel shop), Kira was excited and thought that was her big surprise. After telling her that her surprise had not yet happened, she became ecstatic that she was getting two great surprises in one day. By the time that we arrived there, Phoenix had fallen asleep so we divided and conquered. Patrick took Kira to the ponies (because he is way better with the camera than I am) and I stayed in the truck with Phoenix while he slept (no use in trying to hold Phoenix sleeping while we stood in a line.)

1. Kira is so excited about riding a pony that she gave a real cheeser of a smile and showed her gum to the world too.

2. Look Daddy, no hands.

3. What just happened back there? Eeewww! Something stinks.

4. How Kira spent most of the time during her ride: petting the pony.

5. One last lovin' before the ride is over.

Side note:

Kira's reaction to "eating out" in a bagel shop made me think about our parenting. We have had many discussions with Kira about the whole idea of being thankful for what you get. Sometimes her cavalier attitude about her toys, clothes, and activities that she gets to participate in just makes me crazy. Some examples of comments:

Mom: Be careful with that toy. Playing with it that way might break it.

Daughter: Well, if it breaks, you can buy me a new one.

Mom: We are here looking for PJs for your brother.

Daughter: But I never get anything new.

Mom: What about the new dress shoes we got for you yesterday?

Daughter: That is not clothes. I need new clothes.

Mom: Because the entire wardrobe full of clothes at home belong to whom?

Daughter: They are mine, but I have worn them before.

Daughter: (Holding a picture of herself at the Little Gym) I really need to start going back there.

Mom: Some day. Right now you have swim lessons.

Daughter: That is only one day a week though. Think of all those other days. And Saturdays.

I started wondering if giving things to Kira without her understanding the values of it was having an affect on her perception of "deserving" things as opposed to being thankful for them. I suppose that some of her lack of knowledge and self-focused behavior is age appropriate. (I know some adults who are more self focused than our kids, but that is no excuse not to expect more out of our kids.) We have been more aware of praising Kira when she is thankful for what she gets and reinforcing that she doesn't get to complain about things that are given to her. When Kira was truly excited about eating out, I had the joy of seeing how Kira is maturing.