3 Kids Stories from last week

Ross: Today I heard Ross count to five probably at least 5 times!

Annalina: The secretary at the school said "I have a story for you". I knew it must be Annalina! She said Annalina had a rope during recess and was working on the ground. The secretary asked her if she was making something (I can't remember what it was). Annalina said "No, it is a TRAP!" The secretary wanted to know what she was trying to catch? "A Praying Mantis" The secretary thought it was very funny that she was trying to catch a bug with a very long rope in a circle. The secretary told the principal to be careful there was a trap over there!

Gabriel: We were in the mall walking and Gabriel said "You're a good mommy." I said "Thank you Gabriel". Then he said "You're a good mommy because you love God."

White Senior Belt Gabriel!

Gabriel was VERY excited tonight that he passed his while senior belt test. He kept saying "Yes!, Yes!" Annalina did not pass but she is getting there and Gabriel is supposed to tutor her. She'll get there soon I'm sure!

The kids had to go up in front of everyone for their test. I would have been very intimidated at that age doing that!

Annalina the Advocate

The other day we were in a unique situation with only one car working and a tow truck on the way, a sick dog who wasn't drinking and needed to go to the vet (had a previous day SPRAYED diahrea around the laundry room), a sleeping kid who was very tired, and 2 kids that needed to be picked up from school. I stayed home with the sleeping child (AHHHH) and Babe tackled the others. He was a little late picking up the kids from school. Later the lady waiting with them told me what Annalina said. Annalina was standing with the lady telling her life story. Mr. Tucker came by and asked what kids were left (of course ours!) and he said "call the parents". The lady explained that she had just seen Brian a few minutes ago at an intersection and that he must be doing something. The lady started ushering Annalina to the office to call and Annalina (having heard all this) said "My Daddy would not forget to pick me up!" The lady thought it was pretty funny. I've seen Annalina challenge a 10 year old that she felt was picking on Gabriel!

 The story the lady told me of Annalina reminded me of the time when we lived in England and we were invited over to a home where the husband was Sicilian (he was hilarious) and the wife British (graduated from Oxford with a degree in languages. She was reserved in public but one on one was quietly humerous). As they were getting the table ready the husband asked me if I wanted ice and Gabriel (knowing that he was addressing me) thought he said "you are not NICE". Gabriel snapped back "My Mommy is a VERY nice lady!!!" The man started laughing understanding the misunderstanding and saidin his thick Sicilian accent "Yes, your Mom is a very nice lady!" I know kids shouldn't snap at adults but it sure did me a lot of good!! That meal was a lot of fun. They had 4 kids and lived in a postage stamp. We were crammed around the table with kids making noise, talking, etc. It was wonderful.

On the way home from school Annalina was telling us that her teacher picked her up and pretended to hang her on a hook (which she thought was funny). I asked her why and shesaid  because she thought the class would think it was funny. I asked her if she herself had laughed and she said "No, Mrs. Jung likes her class quiet". Hmm, logic would say it probably would have been ok to laugh in that situation! 

Mrs. Jung did however on the 3rd day of school promote Annalina to the 1st grade because I told her how yesterday at breakfast Annalina came to the table and said to Gabriel "We get to go back again today Gabriel!!" Mrs. Jung just loved that. On my way out of the office I could hear her telling the others that Annalina is the youngest in the class.

Sing Song Duo?

I called Babe at work today and asked for LT Lysne but he wasn't there. They asked if I wanted to leave a message and said No thank you that is ok. Later a guy Babe works with told Babe that he thought that his wife had called because she had a "sing song accent" and you have a sing song accent and are happy and he said he thought we must go together. Interesting.

Weapons Flashcards

Yesterday, before church Gabriel and Ross were sitting at Annalina's scrapbook table working. After awhile Gabriel came out and showed me that he had drawn a picture of different weapons on 3 x5 cards and he went through the cards showing me each weapon he had drawn. After he had showed me Ross held up his 3x5 card which he had scribbled on and said "water gun"!!! I thought that was hilarious!! Gabriel had asked him questions like What weapon should I draw Ross and Ross would say "weapon". It was cute and a boy thing!!!

Gabriel starts 1st GRADE!!

He is not unhappy in the first picture just serious. Then his friend Ashby wanted a picture taken with him. He was ready for school to start. He read a little over 1000 pages the beginning of the summer and then the move happened. He loves learning.

My Second Baby Leaves the Nest

Today was the first day of school for Annalina. It is definitely going to require more time in the morning with 2 going to school. Annalina is a slower starter in the morning whereas when Gabriel gets up he is awake and ready to go but Annalina was excited! On the way to school she said "I put on my good brain" and she told Gabriel to put on his brain and he said "click" like he was turning it on. Gabriel was telling Annalina what they could do during recess and said something about her getting help from a first grader she said "I don't need help". Annalina for you!

She is quite a bit smaller than alot of the kids but she got a lot of heart and will be fine. She did a great job as school started and took if very seriously. One mother said "she is really listening!" That's good!! Mrs. Jung read the Kissing Hand book and I went over and kissed the palm of her hand. She seemed ready. A parent from the 1st grade class obviously was in that class at the start and told Brian that Gabriel had "done a great job". That was so kind of her to tell him knowing we needed to be in the other class.

I started watching one of the 2nd grade teachers little girl. She had a really rough time but I prayed and asked the Lord to show me how to handle it and he did. With each book that I read I could tell she got more comfortable. I started teaching her to write her name today. She is a four year old. She is funny. Ross was being goofy and she said "maybe you should put him in the cage" talking about the dog crate! Ross wasn't being bad just active! I thought it was pretty funny.

If at first you don't succeed plead another way

Yesterday when Ross got up in the morning he said "hungry too". He wanted to eat breakfast. I was going to make breakfast later but Ross felt he REALLY needed to eat so he pointed at Gabriel and Annalina and said "Kids hungry". I thought that was pretty funny and decided that it was indeed time to eat breakfast!!

The Blind Lead the Blind

Yah, Ross' armour is on backwards and around his neck but he felt tough and apart of the action and that is what counts! The second picture of the boys with the trash cans on their heads reminds me of a few weeks ago when Ross was walking around with that same trash can on his head and causing problems I believe with his sister. I called to Babe that "Ross had issues" (I know not something I should have said and I learned this quickly!). Ross proceeded to walk into our bedroom where his daddy was (with the can still on his head) and say to his daddy "Issues, Issues". Yes, we got a good laugh!!

How to beat Fallon Summer Heat!!

Brian heard at work today that is was 105 degrees. Didn't seem to bother the kids! Ross, unfortunately, was napping during the fun!

Sonja at 7 1/2 months and 90 lbs.!!

Sonja is enjoying a new toy which she very quickly ruined! But she enjoyed it! Gabriel was enjoying hanging out with her!
 

Appreciation

Annalina's room has looked like a tornado went through it because I had not gotten in there to organize it since we moved in. She cleans her room but she really neaded me to get the organization started in this new room. Since Babe is home I finially got to it. Annalina walked in after I had worked on her room for a good bit and she said "It looks nice, Thank you Mommy!" AHHHHHHHHH. Such a sweet girl.

Speaking of tornados. One of the 2nd grade teachers said that the Kindergarten teacher said the other day "Well, I'll have Ross another year in my class. He's the human tornado." She said this in a humorous way not a derogatory way. But that just gives a glimpse at the joy of Ross. He is a joy and everyone just loves him. What a character.

First Sparring Matches

The kids ENJOYED their first TaeKwonDo sparring matches!! It is no kidding kicking and punching! Good thing Annalina had learned the block!! They both really enjoyed it even though they were thoroughly beat which is understandable since they have only been to about 4 classes!!

Last of our Tahoe trip . . . .

Top picture: Babe with the kids at the resort pool we had access too!!

Bottom picture: Gabriel and Annalina enjoying their last trip to the beach!

Our last morning in Tahoe I went out on the balcony to eat breakfast and Gabriel came out to join me. When he got outside he said "This is a nice day. You can smell the pine and listen to the construction." Just got love that kid. I found this hilarious! He was right it was a nice day and it was wonderful to smell the pine but YES you could definitely hear the construction at a resort not to far away!! 

Fun on top of the mountain

Pictures from our time up on the mountain and then a picture of the kids looking at the lake on the way down. Ross, along with Gabriel and Annalina, enjoyed climbing on the rocks but he also enjoyed chasing the chipmunks around up there!!

August 5th

Went to a place called Heavenly to ride a gondola up the mountain and get amazing views of the lake!! Ross wanted to ride the "dola" "again". The kids loved the ride and the view which I was happy to see. They also enjoyed roaming around up top on the rocks, etc. It was a GREAT view up there!

August 4th BEACH DAY

Spent time soaking in the sun at the beach and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the sand! Gabriel and Annalina found a bone while digging which they were excited about! They also found minnows and caught one which Annalina called a "zoomy little fellow". 

Afternoon consisted of roasting marshmellows and making samores and taking it easy!

August 3rd

We went bike riding on the trails near the Lake! I loved it fresh air and sunshine and family! I said many time that i LOVED IT while we were riding! I had to teach Gabriel bike courtesy, etc. He was a trooper and listened well. He had 2 BIG wipe outs and didn't cry just got right back up! People got a kick out of it!

We did share food at a Rosie's cafe in Tahoe. Excellent food. Annalina was singing very cute songs in the car! ? The kids caught carpentar ants in our condo and made an ant cage and Annalina decorated the cage with toys. From time to time they would give me the count of how many were dead and how many were still alive. Nice.

In the evening we spent time on the beach!

Am I good at picking restaraunts or what?!!!!

So we are at Tahoe and want to go out for dinner. I see this little restaraunt with an area to eat outside. Nothing big or overly fancy or so I thought. We are seated and we get the menu I said to Babe "Do you notice something?" There were NO PRICES!!! Bad sign!! We all ordered water and just pizza (2 of them) it was a little over $40 good thing that was all we ordered! Pictures above were taken at that resteraunt. We used our kitchen at the condo more after this!

August 2nd, 2008

Thankful Babe was back we headed to our vacation destination--- Lake TAHOE!!!!!

The condo which Gabriel started calling "the hut" for some reason was away from the lake up in the mountains in a pine forest. I immediately thought the smell of pine therapudic and remenisent of my time up at Camp of the Pines in Colorado which over looked the Great Divide. I just started letting down and I got so tired and conked out on the couch and had a great nap. The windows looked out to the pine forest. AHHHHHHHH! Just what I needed!

The kids loved the condo too it had stairs which made for great new games like riding chair cushions down them, etc. We had also brought up some plastic dinosaurs and the game became that Annalina would tell Gabriel how much the dinosaur (she would line the dinosaurs up) was worth in points (75 points whatever) or if the dino was a "loser" or as she would say it "wooser". Gabriel took a ribbon and wound it around a plastic palm tree (toy about 2 1/2 inches tall) and used it to swing around and hit the dino's and try to knock them down! They had a marvelous time with that game! Ross enjoyed throwing balls down the stairs.

August 1st

I decided to change our hotel for this night. The last hotel besides having tacky decor blue walls, purple chairs, and a curtain like a circus as you entered the room area it didn't pass in "family friendliness/appropriateness" (keep in mind this RENO) so we checked out and needed to pass time until our check in at the next hotel. I found a Clay Canvas shop where the kids and I could paint clay stuff. Gabriel and Annalina enjoyed this but I must say it was stressful for me as I had ROSS which is like having a bull in a china shop shall we say (don't let the calm picture of him above deceive)!!!! Nevertheless, we made it!!! And got some neat keep sakes. Gabriel's dragonfly looks like a alien  and Annalinas butterfly is what we call "mono puffy yellow eye". I made a plate with each of the kids  hand print on it. It is fun to joke about the creations!! The kids get a kick out of it.

Our new hotel was FABULOUS and newly updated. Flat screen tvs on the wall etc. The kids and I went to a GREAT restaraunt in the hotel called Rosie's Cafe. I just loved it but we had to leave quick when Ross pooped his pants and it was smelling things up and I didn't want that around other people ruining their meals. As we walked to find the waiter for the check Ross made a mad dash into the waiters work area squealling with delight at his hilarity! A waiter caught him and probably got a good wiff of him but was in good humour about Ross!!! Thankfully!!

We went to the amazing indoor pool with a waterfall!!! That was fun!! As we were leaving that pool an elderly couple said to me "you have a beautiful family" then the kids got to talking with them. They were both retired military and a really sweet couple.

Babe came in late this night. The next morning he took the kids to the pool hence the "Lysne soup" picture at the very bottom of the pictures.

Our trip story begins... on July 31st

The kids and I took off last Thursday on our own mini vacation up in Reno as we waited for Daddy to fly in.  Above are pictures from the hotel. Yes, I let the kids jump on the beds and have a ball!! They played what Gabriel called "jump tag" from bed to bed. And Annalina came up with a "speeding bullet slide jump"!! Sounds cool, huh?

After all that fun the kids and I watched the X Games with BMX bike tricks and skate boards. The kids LOVED it! We also got to see some Bull riding on another channel. That was fun!

Friday morning Ross got up and went over to the table where I had put the brownies we had made before we left town for our trip and I heard him say "bekfast, bekfast". Yep, we had brownies for breakfast. A true vacation!!!

After our nutritional "bekfast" we went down to the pool and swam. We had a very nice time the weather was so nice for it. I bought the kids swim vests to help me out some. Ross pulled out $50 the other day at the store, second time he's done that. He pushes the $50 cash button when I am checking out of the store and they can't reverse it!! Anyway, extra cash for vacation and stuff like pool safety stuff! An elderly man swimming laps in the pool stopped swimming just long enough to say "you have well behaved children".

Misc. about Daddy coming and going

When Babe came home about 2 weeks ago Gabriel said to his Daddy that he was glad he was home and that "I knew you would come back". That is a comforting thought!!

Saturday night Babe tucked Annalina into bed and I could hear him telling her that he would be flying back next Saturday and that we would come pick him up from the airport. Annalina very matter of factly said "I don't worry about that Daddy". What a personality. I don't need to worry about it so I won't!!!!

Babe's workups for cruise are done! Hallelujah!!! This week he is at an Intel conference. Then he will be home some weeks with us before cruise.

True Quote

"There's nothing that can help you understand your beliefs more than trying to explain them to an inquisitive child." --Frank A. Clark

A few weeks back Brian was watching a war commentary on the War of 1812 and Gabriel asked "Why are they fighting when the Bible says we are to love our enemies?" Brian explained to him that the Bible was speaking personally not country against country. I was thankful that Gabriel was analyzing what he was watching with what he knew Scriptures to say! I may have already blogged this but the quote above is right kids will want to know WHY about what we believe!!