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Category Archives: Kids

Self-distancing Day 2

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Owen. Within maybe two hours of being home from a full weekend of camping with his scouting friends (and after a brief discussion about our new Covid Rules including Mythbuster videos on how germs travel), was whining and mopey: “Whoever started the coronavirus is stupid because I can’t play with my friends.”

Katie was sooooooooooo booooored allllllll daaaaaaay. Like she’s never had a weekend day without friends. I finally had to tell her if she told me she was bored we’d start cleaning and throwing stuff away.

I tried to have them help me make Brazilian bread for dinner and that went south almost immediately because no one listens to me or reads directions.

By the way they were delicious!

I honestly don’t know how I’m going to survive this.

Cheers!

Owen’s first solo scout camping weekend—Day 2

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“This was a full tub of sanitizing wipes — Proof we cleaned when we got here.”
“Lunch is now happening, after a bit of knife safety & sharpening skills.”
“Now it’s fire building time.”
“Many fires were made… some made more smoke than flame. One requirement to earn the Fireman Chit card that gives them ability to tend a fire at s Scouting event, Scouts must build a sustainable fire (that will keep burning after you stop adding sticks/fuel to it) that is lit from no more than three matches.”
“Tonight’s meal is either burgers with fried potato wedges, or Chicken Alfredo & salad. Or in some cases… a little of both (due to an abundance of pasta, and that all the potatoes were pitched as that didn’t work out at all.”
“After a fun campfire & s’mores/Cracker Barrel, it’s time for a few more games before bed.”
“Good morning! We ate, cleaned up, and are now working on Totin’ Chip which is learning about how to safely use axes, hatchets, and saws to cut firewood.”

No more pierced ears for Katie.

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So I’ve noticed something wasn’t right but have been avoiding checking out her ear because I didn’t want to deal with it…but I finally made her remove her earrings today and…this is what has happened.

She claims she has no idea how this happened (and it’s just one ear). I’m a bad mom because I noticed it awhile ago but convinced myself it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was—so it probably got worse.

I did seek medical advice and were told she really just needs to take them out and let them close and hopefully it will heal enough to not need surgery?! And maybe sometime in the future she can get them pierced again. We’re both a little sad.

But how on earth could she do this and not realize it? Baffled.

New scout parent orientation.

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So Owen’s first BSA meeting was tonight and it was also the required new parent orientation (two separate meetings for a total of about three hours). There was lots of talk on FEES FEES FEES and look at all this stuff to sell to earn money for your account. (I know there was more but really all that stuck with me was the fees.) Needless to say I’m already exhausted. And already tired of having to remind him to read his binder and read his book. Long story short we’ve told him (and reminded him a number of times) if he can’t remember on his own we won’t be doing this for very long. So stay tuned.

A new bingo night!

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Owen’s school had a bingo night this year. It wasn’t quite the event the elementary has, but we still had fun (we invited Anna and the boys)…and Owen won one of the rounds!!

Initially he chose a gift card for 30 minutes of jumping at a local place but after talking to him and explaining that it would cost us more money to use it (because Katie would like to go, plus we usually go for 2 hours), he asked if he could switch prizes and they said yes…so I guided him to a $20 gift card to a local ice cream place!!!

Another year, another epic box maze!

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Workers going up to take a photo from the top!

And Owen’s teacher was there! I got to talk to her for awhile and get to know her…and then she finally went in with her kids.

I had zero desire to go through it because I know it would kill my back…but then Heidi came over and basically guilted me into doing it (with another friend who was there) so I succumbed to peer pressure.

Yes we’re wearing knee pads.

Katie was our tour guide…and then we ran into Owen!

The view over the top!
A photo op in one of the rooms!
Heidi’s husband was working inside the maze and took this picture as we were exciting over section!
A slide down into a ball pit!
The boys were done.
The insane map of the whole thing!

Note: My back and wrists were so sore on Sunday and Monday that I had to drug myself quite heavily. I knew I should not have given in to peer pressure!!

Gramma Jean is here so it’s puzzle time!

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Tom hates them, Owen doesn’t love them, and Katie likes them but not enough to sit and finish a big one. And I enjoy them…and only do one when my mom visits!

So Owen generally has zero interest in helping with a big puzzle but he was all about the little ones tonight! (The emoji puzzle is from the Bingo Basket Katie won at William Halley ES in 2017!)

Almost done…

These mini puzzles are more Owen’s speed. They are really fun to do.

Adventures with Alexa and an 11yo

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Anyone else’s 11-year-old boy sit and ask Alexa what the most powerful Pokémon is? And then the second most powerful? And then the third, forth, and fifth? All the way down to like the fifteenth? Writing them all down? And then proceed to tell you all about it while simultaneously asking Alexa the exact questions again so you can hear her answer?

No? Just me?

Owen became a Boy Scout today!

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Getting ready to head out to the Blue & Gold bridge ceremony.

As part of the ceremony, all the scouts had to saw a piece of wood.

There was an Arrow of Light ceremony where parents present the scout with a homemade arrow with bands of color signifying all the things the scouts have completed. Unfortunately Owen was so new to the troop that he wasn’t able to get one, so he was the only scout not up front. But then they called him up separately and gave him a really nice introduction (among other things they said what a great addition he was to the troop) and I didn’t record it because I totally wasn’t expecting it!

And then they all did the pledge.

They each got a chance to say thank you as they crossed the bridge.

Owen getting his new neckerchief and scout book.

All new Scouts!

My brows are outside my box for Valentine’s Day!

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When you’re volunteering in your daughter’s classroom for a Valentine’s Day party, why not have pink eyebrows?!

Even though I knew I was putting pink in my eyebrows, it was really very disconcerting to see totally pink eyebrows so I decided to add some fake magnetic lashes to perk up my eyes a little bit more. I never would have done this a few years ago…so SeneGence has really helped me step outside my comfort zone.

I also went outside my box and used three (not two!) colors on my eyes today. Here’s to stepping outside your comfort zone!! #nofilter #tanfoundation #fawnfoundation #makesense #pinkhibiscusshimmer #shellglitter #champagneshimmer #shadowsense #plumerialipsense #pearlgloss #cherryblushsense #livinglippy

So Owen accidentally tried to kill us all and burn the house down.

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Here’s what having kids looks like.

Owen accidentally tried to kill us all and burn the house down.

Kinda.

I had left these instructions to reheat his cinnamon roll in the toaster on a metal tray:

“Take out and put on tray [that the note was setting on] and TOAST on 3-4.”

I was getting ready in the morning and smelled something kinda burning so I went to check it out and the entire kitchen and dining room was filled with smoke that made my throat instantly hurt. I don’t know why the smoke detectors were not going off. Owen had the sliding door open but it needed way more than that. Both kids were trying to tell me what happened as I was trying to open more windows and doors while choking on the smoke (neither one said it hurt them?!) and seeing if anything was actually on fire.

I initially thought he had put the plastic container in the toaster oven (he’d done it before, hence the note) but the oven looked fine. It took me a minute to realize he had put it in the microwave. On a plastic plate. For three minutes.

I opened the microwave and was blasted with the worst burning smell. Of course the roll was was burnt to a crisp and the plate had started to burn and warp.

I tried not to lose my shit because everyone was safe and there was no fire but still trying to figure out just why he thought that’s what I told him to do while also trying to impress upon him that this was a serious issue while also still fanning the smoke so the smoke detectors didn’t go off and freezing my ass off since I was barefoot in a robe (having just gotten out of the shower).

He’s a smart kid but like any kid doesn’t really pay attention. So he ignored my actual words and did what he thought.

So now all the windows and doors are open downstairs (it’s a balmy 23° today!) and I get to try to get the burnt plastic smell out of my house for the next week.

Owen’s birthday shirt…adventure.

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Owen’s birthday is coming up next week so I thought I’d make this awesome shirt I saw on Etsy. I only had one snafu but on the bright side I learned how to do something. Do you see it?

I posted this pic on Facebook and a friend pointed out that seconds and minutes were in the wrong order. Gahhhhhhhh!! So I learned how to remove vinyl…

And then printed more text and fixed it.

P.S. If you’ve thought about getting the Cricut heat press, do it. It’s soooo worth it.