OH My How They Have Grown

Cast my memory back there Lord, do you remember when we used to sing Sha la la la la la la la la te da, my brown eyed kids.......

Yes the kids have almost finished their first year of school half in India, "you know we used to live there Dad", and the other half in Minnesota and they have not stopped being obsessed by the entire experience.

Jimmy

He has been growing (as usual) and experienced being the King in their Rumpelstiltskin 1st grade play. As you can imagine, he has emerged as quite the ham and quite unimpressed with his villagers. He also has jumped a grade in reading. He came home with what Dad thought was a name tag around his neck and when asked what was the name tag doing around his neck he replied " Dad it is not a name tag it is a reading license" so there.

Jimmy was featured as the " Student of the Week" in his class and created a photo and written display for the class. He likes pizza, his favorite color is blue, (no green...) and he loves his dog. Jimmy is looking forward to this summer because it will be fun and I can stay up late because there is no school. He will be taking pitch by coach baseball and going to a summer camp at the nature center and participating in his first ever Korean Culture Camp. Jimmy has created a sign for his room which states " No girls, no food and no Jewelry, no kidding". We will see about the staying up late thing....

Kay

The Pook has been really busy lately with trying to create as many pieces of art as possible out of what ever she can get her hands on. He room is a disaster zone and we rarely go in there. If we can not find something we simply ask Kay where is the item we are looking for and she goes and gets it, yea I know scary. She was very excited to be

in the signing concert at school. She could hardly sleep and first thing she did the morning of the show was call he friend Ella and ask her " Ella what are you wearing today" I kid you not see the photo:

There were several different outfits chosen and discarded until Kay finally announced " Dad is it springtime?" To which I replied " Well Kay yes it is " OK then I will wear this dress because it is colorful and that is what Spring is ...colorful, right Daddy?" She is 5 and it will be a long haul can you imagine Prom? The final touch was the shoes which were red because " you know Daddy the shoes can really make the outfit"

The one good thing about being the Pook as that you get to be center stage and Kay loved it. She is looking forward to summer because she "can dig worms in the yard and you can find caterpillars in that pile of wood behind the garage and put holes in Mom's Tupperware dishes and bring the caterpillars into my room" Kay will be also be attending the Korean Culture Camp and starting gymnastics in June. Look for Kay in the next Olympics because as Kay says " Sure why not"

If you come to visit us this summer a word of caution " Enter Kay's room at your own risk" Insurance disclaimer forms are on the center island....

William

Billy makes several trips to library each week and each time he checks out a book about cars. The last time we were there he checked out a book titled " Engine repair and replacement" you get the picture.

When young William is not chaging the oil on the family truckster or drinking chocolate in chocolate milk he is channelling Charlie Chaplin. He does a great job except for the not talking part. However with training and persistence Billy will prevail.

Billy as you all know is staying at home and being as he states " I am home schooled, right Dad". Bill and I have been working on reading and comprehension. I must say that the other day i think it all came together for Bill when he said to me " Dad I know why they call Spongebob Squarepants, Spongebob Squarepants?!" To which I replied why is that Bill? and his response was "Because he is a sponge!" It was perhaps my proudest moment. He also told Tracy the other day "My brain is thinking all the time. I cant stop it!"

This summer, William will be starting gymnastics with his sister and will also be attending the afore mentioned Korean Camp. Bill is looking forward to summer because it will be warm, he can ride his bike and follow Kay around digging for worms & catepillars. We are thinking the nature summer camp we signed them up for will come in handy.

So, there you have it, the latest update on the LoudAmerican children. Stay tuned for summer updates:)

Mothers Day

Thank you to everyone that made my Mothers SO relaxing AND fun... In particular thanks to Tom, he coordinated my day so that I could get in a long bike ride, get a pedicure, have a massage, drink lemon drop martini's AND eat Mexican food. And, he did all this while desperately trying to get his homework done, watch 4 kids (Jessie came over for a play date) and move brush out from under the trees. He is superman and I need to come up with something REALLY good for Fathers Day. (open to suggestions here, please send them in).

I love you Tom!

Each of the kids made cards at school. They are too perfect.

Jimmy's card - Titled My Mom

My mom is very fantastic.

She is a very good bike rider. Her favorite subject is reading. People think that my mom is a hard worker. My mom's skin color is light brown. She is not much of a TV watcher. My mom is an eater because she likes and loves salad. We like walking with mommy. We like to nap with her. My mom is really really fun. I love my mom

By - Jimmy

This included a hand drawn portrait of me with my hair sticking out since "that's how I look in the mornings". Nice:)

I was a bit worried about the "My mom is an eater" part, so I am glad he put the salad caveat out there... I love you Jimmy!

Kay's "booty" - I gots LOTS of booty from Kay, 2 cards, a hand drawn"book" and a home made tshirt. She took an old white tshirt of Tom's and a sharpy and went to town. She even sewed beads on the front. Take a look for yourself. I wore it to work today (ok, I wore it until I got in the car and took it off. I'll be putting it back on before I pull into the drive way tonight. BUT... she was so excited I was wearing it to work, I couldnt let her down....) Her card say "I LOVE YOU MOMMY" in letters about 4"'s tall and with a comment that I "make the best noodles. I love you Kay!

Billy gave me a homemade card that he also signed with a picture he drew of him and me together. He gave me some little pansies. He also gave me hugs and kisses all day. I love you Billy!

But, the best part came at dinner. We were talking about how old people were and Jimmy said:

"you are a LONG way from old Mom".

Who could ask for a better ending to a great day?!

MS 150 Training/Fundraising update

Its been a month since my post on the MS150 and its only a month until the event itself. Time Flies! I thought I'd give you a fundraising and training update as well as put another plea out there:)

Training - Going fairly well. I have been able to get out on my bike 4 times a week. Last weekend I did 25 miles on Sat and 18 miles on Sun, so I was feeling pretty buff. The mid week rides usually include the kids in the burley and a stop a Dairy Queen. I don’t get as much mileage in, but I am pulling an extra 75 lbs so I figure it evens out:) This weekend I am hoping for a 25 mile ride both Sat and Sun. NEXT weekend I am going to try and join Wendy on a 35 mile on Sat and then do a 25 mile on my own Sun. Wish me luck!!

Fundraising - THANK YOU to all of you that pledged already, your pledges have helped me meet my fundraising minimum required to ride, so that I is a BIG relief. However, I am still a bit away from my annual goal of $1000. SO, if you haven’t pledged yet, please do. Its easy and a great cause. www.ms150.com

In the meantime, Happy Mothers Day to all the mommies out there and enjoy this wonderful spring weather!!

There are no "surprises" left in my life

Now, I KNOW that I am hard to buy for. I am not a consumer. I hate shopping, I even dread the occassional Target run (yes, I made for a horrible buyer back in the day). I like my house empty and all the walls painted white. I could wear the same clothes for days, wash them and put them back on and be perfectly happy. I love not wearing jewerly, shoes and makeup. I am a Mothers Day gift nightmare. Knowing this, I asked for 2 very appropriate gifts - Lemoncello (for Lemon Drop Martinis) and a new paint job on my bathroom. I fully do NOT expect to get any surprises for Mothers Day or my birthday. Tom, on the other hand, keeps trying. He has some "plans" and he has a not very secretic posse in the kids. Our car conversation last night...

Kay - Dad, can we tell Mommy about her necklace yet or is it still a secret? (keep in mind, I am IN the car with them....)

Daddy - Kay, let's talk about it later, its a secret

Kay - Oh, that's right...

We proceed to talk about other things for a few minutes - school, Kay's spring sing, Jimmy's paly next week, etc...

Jimmy - Kay, tell me what the surprise is (he can be a little slow sometimes)

Kay - No, its a secret

Jimmy - oh come on, please please please

Kay - Ok, its something you wear

Jimmy - I know, we are getting Mommy clothes!! Hey Mommy, you are getting clothes for Mothers Day, they are something you wear so that makes sense

Kay - No Jimmy, its NOT clothes

Jimmy - But it makes sense, then tell me!!

Kay - (Pantomiming a necklace around her neck like its charades)

Jimmy - Oh, Oh, I know! Its a necklace!! Mommy, you are getting a necklace

Kay - Jimmy!!! Its a secret, now you've ruined :(

The moment passes. Hours later, at home ... I am looking for dental floss. We only have about 8000 mini sample size containers in the house from dentist appointments and I cant find a single one. I ask Tom...

Tom - I hid them

Tracy - Why?

Tom - Kay was using them for a project and using them all up

Tracy - What project?

Tom - Its a secret, you'll find out on Sunday...


So, it seems I am getting a dental floss necklace for Mothers Day. I am glad I am "in" on this little surprise so that I can react appropriately (so much for a diamond pendant) :)