Scout’s season came to an end. Jim Z. (the assistant coach — mind you) couldn’t have been happier, whereas, Scout was bummed. He loved TBall, and can’t wait to do it again next year. Mother Tucker threw an awesome TBall party, where we honored some really enthusiastic and incredible coaches. Meanwhile, Micah and I were entertained from some fellow fathers who were a little less than excited about “the actual game of baseball” which should be “an embarrassment to our country” -OR- how their kid just didn’t really have the passion for sports that their dear old dads do!
Scout got to sign three coach’s balls. Too bad for the late comers that he took about 1/4 of the ball with his handwriting!
Icka was in heaven with messy pizza and Kate - her idol.
The afternoon was finished off with a tunnel for the coaches. I honestly think on eof Scout saddest parts about the end of the TBall Era is that he won’t run through a tunnel every Saturday.
Micah is out of town, and Scout made his way to my bed in the middle of the night. When Icka woke up in the morning, she immediately came down to my bed and joined us. When she did, Scout and Icka did their usual love fest in the morning. They exchange a few kisses, then one starts with “I love you.” Then the other answers with “I love you too much.” And then after a few of those back and forth, lately they have added in….”I die in your arms!”
This morning, Icka said it to Scout first, and then Scout said, “Oh Icka — I die in your arms.” And then they cuddle and are just sweet for a while. I absolutely love it, and could watch it over and over again. But when Icka starts to “dog kiss” Scout by licking him, things start to turn, and then I have to offer breakfast before the lovers serve each other with divorce papers.
There are no birthdays on the horizon for our family, and the last was over a month ago. But that being said, my weasels are constantly talking about birthdays lately.
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No matter what it is — a book, a toy, an outfit — when Icka sees something new for the day, she exclaims to everyone, “I got dis for my birfday!” Which is never the case. Especially when it is Scout’s stuff she is referring to. But her claims are constant — all day long!
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My kids are always singing Happy Birthday to each other.
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Yesterday, on the way to Scout’s last TBall game, he was being a real stinker in the car. As a result, he accumulated a five minute time out once we got to the fields. He was not happy about that because, “the first part is the funnest part!” He asked for another chance, but never got it. He was getting more and more upset, and then went into the following conversation with me:
S - “If you don’t take away my time out, I am not going to get you anything for your birthday.”
M - “What a bummer…..that’s okay, Daddy and Navy will still get me presents.”
S - “I am not going to let you pick out a sugar cereal to have in the mornings.” (A traditional birthday present my kids get.)
M - “I bet Daddy will still get me one.”
S - (Once he realized taking my present away wasn’t fazing me…) “Actually, I am going to get you something for your birthday.”
M - “That’s nice.”
S - “It is going to be a huge stack of work that you are going to have to do all day long.” (Referring to the homework sheets I have him do each day to make his brain smart.)
M - “That’s a great present….you are going to help me make my brain SO smart!”
S - “It is going to be harder than you think.”
M - “Then I might be the smartest girl in the whole world!”
S - SILENCE
S - MORE SILENCE
S - “Can I have just one more chance.”
M - “I don’t think so bud.”
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I am not — and never have been a beach person. I certainly like to look at it, but something about the sand and salt water makes me feel filthy the entire time. But this Memorial Day, my bosom buddy Britni had me thinking differently. Good company, good food, perfect weather, plenty of shade, almost nobody else there and well-behaved kids all had me loving the beach. So I guess when the stars align, I actually am a beach person.
Micah started off the day digging up a pool for the kids to play in.
But then I turned it into a boat with masts and a sail.
The kids were into it. Especially the pirate sword fighting that we had to put a pretty quick stop to.
So I sidetracked them with a “who can find the biggest sand crab” contest. Who knew that a bucket with some sand and water and a bunch of sand crabs could entertain Icka for a really long time!
We ended up on a couple of walks down the beach. Usually the kids initiated them, and we had to run after the wanderers.
All in all — it was a really fun Memorial Day.
When Belly asked to make Navy over into a geisha, I said, “have at it.” This is all while knowing that she had swim lessons just a few hours later, and the pool would remove any damage done. That was my thought until I saw this:
Is this geisha, or FREAK!
This angle improves it a bit.
Here, she is trying to get into character.
The hair really sealed the deal.
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Like I said, we were heading to the pool soon after. But unfortunately, I had just enough time to squeeze in a car wash before swimming. I knew I would look the fool with this little girl at my side, but that is sort of my M.O. So we headed to the car wash. The Asian lady behind the counter (possibly a geisha in her previous years) was baffled. So we went out and waited to hear the guy honk and then wave his towel. When that happened, I took the kids over, scooted the seat in the second row forward to get Icka in the third row. Can you imagine my horror when I found that the plastic piece under the seat in my two week old car was gouged and slashed?!!!
They probably didn’t know I take care of my things (due to the current status of my daughter), and wasn’t about to sit back and let this slide. After the assistant manager, the “real” manager and the owner all explained to me why it was MY fault, I unloaded. After explaining to them that it came in perfectly, that it was a simple seat to slide back, that they had incompetent people who could have easily asked the owner to slide the seat, that “Cafe Auto Spa” had insurance for situations just like this, that the assistant manager already admitted to their mistake, that I wasn’t going away until it was resolved, and that my dad was a retired attorney who had nothing but time on his hands, I saw some movement. Too bad that movement was a guy trying to “fix” the problem. I wasn’t aware of what was going on until I stopped him from sand papering my plastic piece. I flipped! The owner told me that sand paper is how you “fix” the problem. I said, “Yeah right! That is how you temporarily cover up the problem.” About thirty minutes later, and once the owner realized I wasn’t walking, he finally asked if a really nice car wash for free next time would cover the problem. I told him that a replacement piece would cover the problem — and NO LESS! And that he should throw in the car wash also!
I am proud to say that I have one replacement piece ordered.
That’s right — NEVER mess with a lawyer’s daughter. ESPECIALLY an ambulance chaser’s daughter!
I gave Micah a fishing excursion off of Newport Harbor for Christmas. The idea is that I would go with him, but me sickness never subsided, so he finally went without me — and with his dad. He said it was great. He had been checking out the fishing reports, and the numbers were terrible. But once he was on the boat, they headed over to a spot that delivered. He caught about 10 skullpin (it’s a rock fish), and he had them fillet them on the boat.
I’ll admit, I am kind of a snob in the kitchen, and re-filleted them.
Then Micah cooked them up for some dinner-time fish tacos.
Again — the snob came out in me, and I let everyone take a bite before me. When they all were oohing and aahing, I took a bite of mine.
The verdict — Delish!
When NayNay arrived to our house for dinner, she was wearing her grey and white striped T shirt. Scout immediately asked where his exact same shirt was. I thought he would avoid it as it was in the dirty clothes. But a few minutes later, they both walked down with their striped shirts, dark pants and matching Ugg boots. Scout was the proudest little man as he announced for everyone to “LOOK AT [THEM]!”
Scout got me to tie this band around his head, and called himself a Strippling Warrior the rest of the evening.
He kept it on when we headed out on a Sunday walk to the Honeysuckles.
We’ve been talking about going to the Honeysuckles for a while, and Scout was really excited to Show Icka what they are all about. Too bad that we must too late in the season, because they didn’t have any nectar in them at all. We tried new ones, we tried old ones, and just right ones. Oh well….next time hopefully.
We kept looking at Icka with a really full mouth. She wouldn’t open it, but when we were trying to get her to taste some nonexistent nectar, we finally saw what the big mouth was all about. She had Billy Bob teeth in the whole time.
After the Honeysuckles, my little Strippling Warrior and we walked on.
Each year, we get so excited as we see all of the fair rides being set up around the corner. This year didn’t disapoint, but the fact that my kids were sick and kept me home most of Saturday was a bust. I wanted to go back and back again. But luckily, we made it out Friday night, and took the Seastrands for a bit on Saturday night.
Our first trek over — and as usual, Nonnie was right there with us, but she was snapping the shot.
On the way, I asked Scout if I could hold his hand. (He has been in the stinky stage lately where if I ask, he loves to do opposite.) But this time, he immediately held out his hand to me and said, “Sure…happy Mother’s Day to you!” Maybe he is making up for not singing to me on the REAL Mother’s Day.
We tried our hand at the bottle toss, but it was a no go on all levels.
My kids were so excited about the rides. Icka hasn’t really ever been on rides, and she proved that she is a dare devil. Scout, like usual, was tentative at first, but ended up being a kamikaze by the end of the night.
Navy was the only one who braved the “Fun Slide”. Her dad took her up with the potato sack.
And then I saw her come down by herself.
DUH — Dad, you were supposed to be on that sack with her.
Maybe you forgot she is two!
Luckily he came to her rescue, and gave her a little shove to the bottom.
Needless to say, she didn’t want to go on the slide any more.
But the Bumble Bees were a hit.
Like two little lovebirds on a date!
How stinking cute!
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So the next day, we were so excited to go again, but when Scout woke up with a raging fever, we had to cancel swim lessons, cancel T Ball, and cancel the fair. But when the afternoon rolled around, and his fever had been gone for a few hours, we decided to take him over for a few minutes. I mean it is kind of hard to resist as we hear all of the screaming children outside our windows. So the Seastrands came along, and we hit up the fair again.
Can you tell Scout was under the weather?
But Icka was full force once again.
In fact, as she saw the bottle toss again, rather than play the game, she just stole the prizes.
Scout and Icka were both loving the little kid roller coaster! And doesn’t it look like these two are meant for each other.
We had some fair food on our way out, and bid our local fair farewell.
Until next year!
I was making quesadillas for the kids lunch the other day. As I turned to the stove, and had my back to Icka for moments, she had made her way to the block of cheese and gone to town. Of course she did.
My camera was on the next counter, and the little pest didn’t even flinch when I got my camera out to snap pictures for evidence.
She made some serious headway in about fifteen seconds.
Here is her smile as her mouth is full of cheese.
Don’t worry any up and coming dinner guests……I will avoid serving mac n’ cheese anytime soon.
But please note — I cut off the tainted part, and let it melt between a few tortillas for Icka’s lunch.
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