L.S.N.E.D.

This week marked my hardest assignment yet.  Instead of using personal experiences or the book Dicey's Song as a case study to apply to the information we learned in our textbook we had to use an example from popular entertainment.  Three problems:

1. Popular is a foreign word to me.  I have never once been popular and I actually strive to not do the in/trendy thing
2. Entertainment is not a foreign word but it is a deliciously rare treat to read a magazine or watch a movie.
3. Add to the above fact the fact that this popular entertainment had to pertain to infants and you get the sum total of having no idea what to do.

Saturday morning (we have to post by midnight Saturday evening) I remembered the movie Babies.  I was able to finish and post my essay by 11:56 p.m.  I cut it a little close I think. 

 I recommend the movie.  It is beautiful and thought provoking.  However if you are squeamish about breastfeeding, maternal nudity or little naked baby bums this movie is not for you.

Family Friday

Ooops I almost forgot to post today.  Here is a quickie more of a place holder than anything else.  More tomorrow.
Ok I worked for 45 minutes arranging photos finding links and playing with words and then the power flickered and I lost it all.  I haven't had the heart to go back and do it all again.  Maybe tomorrow.
UPDATE 2/26/12
Family recap:
Aaron:I may need to add some spice to his life because not much is different from last week.  We did go on a date to the chiropractors and then Gracie's for nachos and a doggie bag.

White chocolate bag filled with mint chocolate mousse served with hot fudge sauce and whipped cream topped with a shortbread cookie....excuse me while I clean up the drool before the keyboard shorts out.

Sophie: Her highlight was Achievement Days at the church.  Girls between 8 and 12 meet twice a month to do various different activities.  This week they sewed felt dolls.  When Sophie is done I will post pictures.  Also she has had a grand time (as have we all) with the window markers my sister gave us.

Ben:We got Cars 2 from Netflix and Ben has been doing an awful lot of spy play.  It is a slight variation from war so it is sort of refreshing.


Jacob:Ditto^ Also we started a new program which I will talk more about on Tuesday, but Jacob has been my super star!  He has been so polite and helpful.


Noah: For some reason I thought my sweet, mellow Noah would cut me some slack in toddler hood, but no, he is definitely a toddler.  Every day, multiple times a day he dumps about a 1/2 gallon of water out of the dog bowl onto the floor.  I am seriously regretting not installing a drain in the center of the house since all the floors sink to the middle of the house.

Blueberry lips from the bread

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

I posted this photo because some of you will remember the boots that Jacob loved when he was Noah's age.  I had to hide them because he wanted to wear them all the time and they got really stinky.  There must be something about them because Noah does the same thing.  And yes...they are stinky.


Puppies: They hit two milestones this week.

1.  Bo has decided to tolerate and even play with them a bit

I took a string of pictures and in them the puppies are never in the same place and Bo is never in a different place.  I am pretty sure he was thinking, "If I don't move, maybe they will go away."

 2.  They love to wrestle with the kitten but this week they out maneuvered him.  I found them in a corner of their room with their mouths in a death grip on Sorrel Kitty's throat.  I intervened and saved the cat but he was a little loopy for a few seconds.

Wow!  They have grown so much!

Me: I am tired.  So, so tired.  I am very excited for vacation.  For this week my highlight was making bleuberry cream cheese braided bread.  A DELICIOUS recipe and a BEAUTIFUL loaf.  I made it for a friend but then we ate it so I guess I will just have to make it again...sigh, what a shame.

Reckless Recreation: Contra Dance

I think I need to come up with an alternate Wednesday topic.  It takes a lot to take pictures while trying to make dinner.  I will keep Wednesday as W.F.D.T.R but the alternate will be Wordless Wednesday.


Now for the Contra Dance, which I called a Contra Band for awhile.  It made me feel risque that I was going to a contraband where there was dancing.  Sometimes life is fun inside my crazy head.

My friend recently organized a monthly contra dance in Hardwick so if you ever want to try it out I highly recommend it.  There is usually a potluck of some sort, it is family friendly, and it is good exercise!

Right now Sophie and I love contra dances.  Ben and Jacob are warming up to the idea, I don't think Aaron will ever be comfortable with the dancing part, but maybe (and that is a big maybe) he will like the social part someday.  For now I am content going on my own.

As I reviewed pictures I kept thinking, "Oh there is Sophie...dancing with a 50 year old man...who is a complete stranger...............................This is actually a friend and he is not 50 so that makes it a little better...I think...

Sophie brought a friend to this dance, a much more comfortable dance partner.

Another male stranger but not 50 either

Despite the occasional "uh that is weird" feeling I just love the feel of a contra dance.  A group of people, friends, acquaintances, complete strangers joining together in unity.  Some people have great rhythm some are clueless but we all dance together without judgement.  It is a lot of fun.

This particular dance was in support of the migrant workers in the area.  Many did not speak very much English which was both fun and challenging.

 

See how much fun it is?

There's a 50+.  I also danced with him and he was a charming gentleman

Do -Si- Do!!

Swing your partner!

I happened to dance with this gentleman, Adam I think was his name, so not a total stranger right?

Recorder player extraordinaire Alana!!

Here is the "Contra Band"

I highly recommend you check it out.
 

Parenting Practices:Contest

I am going to post a photo that has to do with kids (since it is Parenting Practices Tuesday) Tonight I will choose the first person who guesses what it is correctly will win an 8-pack of my handmade photo cards.  Ready...

All entries must be in by 9:15 e.s.t. because I go to bed at 9:30.  At 9:20ish I will update the post with more pictures and a story to go with it.

Happy Guessing!!!
UPDATE
Congratulations to Pink Panda you guessed it.  Toilet Paper!!!

This is the original photo

The story behind it is that Noah has unrolled enough entire rolls of toilet paper that I can't justify throwing it away, throwing it in the  fire or using it for tissues so I have taken to re-rolling the rolls. Lots and lots of fun I tell ya!

I took pictures of it originally because I could see similarities to  this picture

Thanks for playing.  Pink Panda facebook me your mailing address  and I will get those cards in the mail!
  

L.S.N.E.D: Fourth Grade Brain Quest

Have you ever seen those fun facts fans that are grouped according to age level or grade?  Oh, hey I know, I'll provide a link and a photo!  See now, I don't have to use words to describe them.  How's that for efficiency?

                       

Last week on my mommy son date with Ben I bought a 4th grade Brain Quest.  In the store Ben began asking me the questions.  It all started out well and I was feeling mighty smart.  Then Ben asked the question, "Which country was Christopher Columbus from?"  

The options for answers were, Spain, Italy, or ...or...I can't remember the third option and Sophie took it to school.  

I confidently said Spain because of course I lived in Spain.  I am practically an expert on all things "Spain"ish.  

Nope......he was from Italy.  

Then red faced I muttered, trying not to sound cocky or stupid (how does one achieve that in one sentence?),
"Oh yea that's right but he contracted with Spain or something.  I know there is a Spain connection."

At this point the sales lady laughed and said something about not being on a quiz show.


Then in the car Ben asked another question, "Who gave the Gettysburg Address?"  "Hmmmm." I said thoughtfully.  Then gaining an inkling of confidence I haltingly answered,"Paul Revere??????  

To which Ben laughed and said, "No Mommy, Abraham Lincoln!"  

Duh!  I totally knew that, why couldn't I pull it out of my little brain?


The questions continued and each time my heart would start pounding in fear that I wouldn't know the answer.  When I got the answers right I would get a little thrill inside as I thought, "YES!  I got that one right.  Good job Lauren!"

I just think there is something a little but sad about me getting so excited over getting the answers to 4th Grade questions right.  

Good thing I'm going back to school cuz I sho need me som smarts!

Bust A Move Saturday:Confessions

 I can name every time I have exercised this winter.

1. ballet classes x2
2. walk run x1
3.  run x1
4. 10 minute run in my house x1
5. 4 minute run around the yard x2
6.  snow walk x1
7.  4 minute walk in the dark x2
8.  Zumba classes x2
9. 12 minute Denise Austin Workouts x3
10. Fat Blasting Yoga x4
11. 40 minutes Get Fit Fast Denise Austin x2
12. Contra dance x1

I have also done stretches almost every day.  Given that 5 out of 20 are under 10 minutes and hardly count and 3 out of 20 were only 12 minutes, that means that I have gotten a good cardiovascular workout 13 times this winter.  I should have gotten around 40.  There is room for AMPLE improvement.  

 Last summer I trained for and ran 2 5k's and lost 35 pounds.  I have gained back 10 this winter.  For normal people this is ok.  For me...every pound counts.  So there you have it.  My confession.  Please feel free to tell me how many fitness Hail Mary's I need to do.  But be gentle because I still think overall I am moving forward rather than backward.

June 2009

July 2009

September 2009

November 2009

November 2010 There is a large time gap here because I was pregnant with Noah and those pictures don't count

July 2011

January 2012

Family Friday

Well this is a little awkward.  Almost all of the pictures I took this week were of the dogs.  So a quick recap of the family:
Aaron is finally recovering from a pinched nerve that was further aggravated by a fall at school.  He had a meeting for the Regional Bargaining Committee where he was told that their group was furthest along in the process out of all the groups in the state.  They specified that it was his work that had facilitated their success.

I dusted off the running shoes and went for my first run in a long time.  I researched 5k races in the state and I have three I definitely want to do and two I would like to do.

Sophie has once again formed a group with her female schoolmates.  This time they are training for this years Girls on the Run Race.  Formal training begins in May (I think.)


Ben had an eye appointment where I learned that I misunderstood instructions at his last appointment.  He was supposed to be wearing a patch one hour a day on week days.  Oops...thankfully his eyesight remained stable.  We had a mommy son date and Ben got a new backpack.  The next morning he was up bright and early squirming with delight as he said, "I can't believe I am going to school with a new backpack!!!"


Jacob has been overjoyed this week with the addition of the rocker board that he love so much.  He also got a giant calculator for a dollar.  He uses those key chain grocery store sale thingys as his files which he inserts under the flip up screen.


Noah is talking up a storm.  He repeats just about anything you say (though not always intelligible.)  He has learned that he has a say in his sleep time but always gives in as long as Jacob says night-night.  He remains an incredibly appealing child.  Last night when I laid him in his bed I asked him if he pooped.  He looked at me like I was crazy, said, "nooo." and giggled like I had suggested the silliest thing.

Walking in mama's boots takes talent though it is not with out its challenges

C.U.T.E!!!!!

I think he almost makes my heart go pitter patter.

Loki has a very appealing look, but Diogi looks like a fox which is really cool and he has amazing turquoise eyes.  They are training very well.  I walk around with a bag of treats tucked into the waist of my pants.  That is my key to success.  Here they are anticipating a reward.

Black and White image from the above photo.  I entered this in my Photography Bootcamp for the theme of black and white.

That's the news from the Cornelius Chronicles at Craftsbury Cottage.