To Grandmom's house we went yesterday for Thanksgiving. No pictures from that, since I was too busy stuffing my face with, well, stuffing - three different kinds, thank you very much. Oh, and of course the pie and the cakes and the potatoes and the gobble-gobble turkey. So that pretty much took up MY portion of the day - eating. Meanwhile, the kids played country-hard outside with their cousins, Otis played country-hard outside with his Uncle Hershey, and Jared sat in a hotel room in Florida where he had to work. But don't worry, we saved some of Grandmom's pumpkin pie for him. And after all the gluttonous eating at Grandmom's, you'd think that would do it for us, right? You'd think wrong. Because we stopped on the way home at the McDonald's drive-through to get a couple happy meals and a large French fry for Mom. To be fair, it's not really that we were all that hungry (although we did manage to polish off all the food) - really, I was hoping for just a few minutes of quiet while the kids ate. Because as much as I love my kids, an hour and a half is a lot of time for the randomness of their discussions. Totally out-of-the-blue, random, where-did-that-come-from discussions. And the thing is, they actually expect intelligent responses from me. Like these.....
Jack: "Mom, in 'Thor 2: The Dark World' [Jack always must list full titles], why did their friend run around naked?"
...a bit later ....
Ellie: "Mom, one time when I went to Chuck E Cheese, and I went to the desk to trade in my tickets for prizes, there was no worker there to help me!"
....uh......
Jack: "Mom, have I told you the story of how Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse?"
Mom: "Yes, you have"
Jack: "Well, let me tell it to you again. I can tell it better this time."
.....if you must....
Jack: "Mom, my butt itches"
Mom: "OK, thanks for sharing"
....and I guess not TOTALLY unrelated to that...
Ellie: "Mom, I have a question"
Mom: "OK?"
Ellie: "Why did the poop hit the poop with the poop?"
Jack and Ellie: laugh uproariously at the sheer cleverness of that statement
Mom: turns the radio up higher
...but apparently not high enough to drown them out....
Ellie: "Mom, how did that guy in 'Delivery Man' (a movie about a sperm donor) have that many kids?"
Mom: "Hey, guys, let's go to McDonald's!!"
So on this Thanksgiving holiday, I'm thankful for the two brave souls who were manning the McDonald's last night, who saved me from an explanation of sperm donation, and several minutes of Jack and Ellie randomness.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
American Education Week
Otherwise known as .... where I take totally horrible photos wherein you can't even tell my kid is there.
So you'll just have to trust me.
Ellie was there.
And did a great job with all the Thanksgiving songs.
And looked really cute.
But you can't tell.
So just trust me.
I mean, you can totally see her, right?
I mean, it's clear as the nose on your face! Doesn't she look cute? Just nod and pretend you can see her
Then I learned to use the zoom on my camera - well, kinda learned how to use it - just in time to see her oh-so-happy face
But then they let us get up and take some close-up pictures - for like 35 seconds before they took the kids out. I'm gettin' there! I'm gettin' there! Move out of my way, all you helicopter moms!
There she is!!! I told you she was there!
So you'll just have to trust me.
Ellie was there.
And did a great job with all the Thanksgiving songs.
And looked really cute.
But you can't tell.
So just trust me.
I mean, you can totally see her, right?
I mean, it's clear as the nose on your face! Doesn't she look cute? Just nod and pretend you can see her
Then I learned to use the zoom on my camera - well, kinda learned how to use it - just in time to see her oh-so-happy face
But then they let us get up and take some close-up pictures - for like 35 seconds before they took the kids out. I'm gettin' there! I'm gettin' there! Move out of my way, all you helicopter moms!
There she is!!! I told you she was there!
My Initial Thoughts
My initial thoughts upon reading the kids' Santa lists....
After reading Jack's list - and especially seeing #9 - my initial thought is, are we SURE we can't have a favorite kid?!? Because I'm really liking the idea of Santa leaving me some king-sized Reese's peanut butter trees. Of course I'm not sure how I feel about having a realistic remote control tarantula around the house, but it could be a fair trade for some Reese's trees....
After reading Ellie's list, my initial thought is ... I have GOT to teach this girl about money, since this lists totals up to roughly the cost of my house mortgage. Curse the American Girl catalog!!
But you know, as Jack said, money shouldn't really matter. "I know the foosball table would be expensive, but don't worry, that' why I put it on my Santa list instead of asking you guys for it. That way you don't have to pay for it!"
After reading Jack's list - and especially seeing #9 - my initial thought is, are we SURE we can't have a favorite kid?!? Because I'm really liking the idea of Santa leaving me some king-sized Reese's peanut butter trees. Of course I'm not sure how I feel about having a realistic remote control tarantula around the house, but it could be a fair trade for some Reese's trees....
After reading Ellie's list, my initial thought is ... I have GOT to teach this girl about money, since this lists totals up to roughly the cost of my house mortgage. Curse the American Girl catalog!!
But you know, as Jack said, money shouldn't really matter. "I know the foosball table would be expensive, but don't worry, that' why I put it on my Santa list instead of asking you guys for it. That way you don't have to pay for it!"
Friday, November 8, 2013
Crazy Hair and Crazy Girl
Yesterday was Crazy Hair Day at school.
And in other crazy news, Ellie has told me that she would like me to start calling her "Ellie Bikini Mermaid Sorenson." And yes, I'm complying - with Crazy Girl, it's just best to ride these things out.
And in other crazy news, Ellie has told me that she would like me to start calling her "Ellie Bikini Mermaid Sorenson." And yes, I'm complying - with Crazy Girl, it's just best to ride these things out.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
So Very Disney
Here's the problem with going on a Disney Cruise. When you get back, everything looks just a little less magical. You've got four suitcases full of stinky clothes, you've eaten your weight in food, and you're sunburn, and you have to suffer the indignity of making your own food, making your own bed, and cleaning your own bathroom. And if that's not bad enough, when I went to bed last night? NO chocolates on my bed. What's up with that?!?
So we're in a bit of a post-vacation slump today. But that's ok, because we sure had a great week leading up to it.
First, we flew out to Texas - that's where the ship set out from. In what we'll attribute to a Disney Miracle, the kids behaved themselves on the flight (both ways!), and even managed not to kill each other on the drive from Houston to Galveston. We had a quiet night of pizza delivery and expensive hotel movies, and then boarded the ship on Saturday morning - and basically were pampered for the next 7 days. I mean, come on people, the waiters CUT MY KIDS' FOOD. Can you get more spoiled than that?
We had a couple days at sea, then docked in Key West, Florida. We did a little trolley tour that Jared and I liked and the kids hated. A fit soon ensued, so we didn't spend all that much time in Key West, and hurried back onto the ship to soak up some of that we'll-deal-with-your-bratty-kids magic that Disney offers. The kids loved their kids' club, and all the live shows they had. Not to mention, of course, all the characters that they got to meet.
The next day we docked at Castaway Cay, the Disney private island. It was beautiful, and had a ton of stuff to do. My favorite part was the bike ride around the island (although, tip to everyone, throw some shorts on before the ride, because riding a bike for an hour in your swimsuit tends to chafe, my friends). The kids loved the huge water slide they had, and Jared loved the snorkeling.
Our third port day was in Nassau, Bahamas. From there we took a short ferry to a private little cove called Blue Lagoon. The kids and Jared enjoyed the tubes and paddle boats, and I got a quiet day on the beach with a book and a Diet Coke (note to Disney executives - please consider adding Diet Dr. Pepper - it really is a travesty that it wasn't available).
After that came two more at-sea days before heading back to Galveston. We were so beat when we got to the Houston airport that Jared called the 'special number' that frequent fliers have and got us switched to an earlier flight - forget cranky kids, I wasn't sure that I myself could handle more time in the airport. So luckily, we got back into town with enough time to throw at least the nastiest clothes into the wash before hitting the sack.
Now we're back to our not-so-Disney normal lives. But we've got a few souvenirs, lots of pictures, and probably a couple extra pounds to remember the cruise by.
Wasting some time in the airport before taking off for Texas
.JPG)
On our trolley tour of Key West - before the tantrums started a-flyin' - I don't even remember the reason for the tantrums, but they were annoying enough that they ended with Jared and I throwing two ice cream cones in the trash and yelling something about spoiled, entitled, ungrateful children
Ellie and her friend Lila at Castaway Cay
Jack checking out the castle-building skills of his buddies before deciding he could do better on his own
On the ferry over to Blue Lagoon in the Bahamas
Look at that clear blue water - it's like a bathtub! Well, actually, probably a bit cleaner than my bathtub. Ellie enjoyed searching for sea shells. And for the record, I still haven't found them in our luggage yet.
See that little bum sticking up there? Yup, that's Ellie's preferred shell-searching method
Jack and Jared, heading off for a paddle boat ride
Now it's Ellie's turn
Jack enjoyed a long walk on the beach during Ellie's ride
This is the cozy little nook where I spent most of my time
Then it was time for the tube rides - well, for them (see previous note about me and a book and a Diet Coke and a cozy little nook)
So long, guys!
You think everyone was a wee bit tired?
And then came Halloween, Disney style - since it was a Disney cruise, we thought it'd be blasphemous to do anything but Disney - of course, this was almost foiled when Ellie threw a Disney Fit and decided that she wanted to be Princess Ariel instead - after much screaming and crying (on my part), we finally reached a compromise - Ellie would wear her original costume during the family activities
And then she could be Princess Ariel for trick-or-treating - and yes, she used her own money to pay for the extra costume
Luckily, Jack stuck with the program - thank you, Jack
Jack and Ellie with their cruise buddies - we went with my brother Peter's family, and then some old friends of theirs, so Jack and Ellie had lots of fun playmates - and trick-or-treating buddies
The kids got in plenty of swim time, between Castaway Cay, Blue Lagoon, and the three pools on the ship - of course somehow I got a total of one blurry, faraway picture - so you'll just have to trust me that my kids are there
Of course, when you're on a Disney Cruise, there are characters (and statues and pictures of characters) pretty much everywhere - since Ariel is Ellie's favorite, we of course had to stop for a photo here
As we speak, Ellie is amending her Christmas wish list to include all things Ariel
One of the breakfasts was a "Character Breakfast," where you got to meet a lot of the characters - here's Minnie
And Pluto
Jack and Ellie took most of these photos themselves - not bad for two kids hopped up on sugar and adrenaline
And of course the Mouse himself
(Jack's favorite was actually Goofy, but don't tell Mickey that)
The waiters made little napkin hats for everyone - I good-naturedly sat while they did mine, then 'accidentally dropped' it as soon as they walked away
Jack's favorite Goofy
And let's not forget the most important part of the cruise - at least from Ellie's perspective - the princesses - here's Snow White
And Ellie's all-time favorite, Ariel
Let's not forget Belle
And Cinderella
And Tiana
And of course our gallant princes, who patiently waited the hour that it took for us to get through the princess line
And now ... time for rest
And a very Disney Day to you all
So we're in a bit of a post-vacation slump today. But that's ok, because we sure had a great week leading up to it.
First, we flew out to Texas - that's where the ship set out from. In what we'll attribute to a Disney Miracle, the kids behaved themselves on the flight (both ways!), and even managed not to kill each other on the drive from Houston to Galveston. We had a quiet night of pizza delivery and expensive hotel movies, and then boarded the ship on Saturday morning - and basically were pampered for the next 7 days. I mean, come on people, the waiters CUT MY KIDS' FOOD. Can you get more spoiled than that?
We had a couple days at sea, then docked in Key West, Florida. We did a little trolley tour that Jared and I liked and the kids hated. A fit soon ensued, so we didn't spend all that much time in Key West, and hurried back onto the ship to soak up some of that we'll-deal-with-your-bratty-kids magic that Disney offers. The kids loved their kids' club, and all the live shows they had. Not to mention, of course, all the characters that they got to meet.
The next day we docked at Castaway Cay, the Disney private island. It was beautiful, and had a ton of stuff to do. My favorite part was the bike ride around the island (although, tip to everyone, throw some shorts on before the ride, because riding a bike for an hour in your swimsuit tends to chafe, my friends). The kids loved the huge water slide they had, and Jared loved the snorkeling.
Our third port day was in Nassau, Bahamas. From there we took a short ferry to a private little cove called Blue Lagoon. The kids and Jared enjoyed the tubes and paddle boats, and I got a quiet day on the beach with a book and a Diet Coke (note to Disney executives - please consider adding Diet Dr. Pepper - it really is a travesty that it wasn't available).
After that came two more at-sea days before heading back to Galveston. We were so beat when we got to the Houston airport that Jared called the 'special number' that frequent fliers have and got us switched to an earlier flight - forget cranky kids, I wasn't sure that I myself could handle more time in the airport. So luckily, we got back into town with enough time to throw at least the nastiest clothes into the wash before hitting the sack.
Now we're back to our not-so-Disney normal lives. But we've got a few souvenirs, lots of pictures, and probably a couple extra pounds to remember the cruise by.
Wasting some time in the airport before taking off for Texas
.JPG)
On our trolley tour of Key West - before the tantrums started a-flyin' - I don't even remember the reason for the tantrums, but they were annoying enough that they ended with Jared and I throwing two ice cream cones in the trash and yelling something about spoiled, entitled, ungrateful children
Ellie and her friend Lila at Castaway Cay
Jack checking out the castle-building skills of his buddies before deciding he could do better on his own
On the ferry over to Blue Lagoon in the Bahamas
Look at that clear blue water - it's like a bathtub! Well, actually, probably a bit cleaner than my bathtub. Ellie enjoyed searching for sea shells. And for the record, I still haven't found them in our luggage yet.
See that little bum sticking up there? Yup, that's Ellie's preferred shell-searching method
Jack and Jared, heading off for a paddle boat ride
Now it's Ellie's turn
Jack enjoyed a long walk on the beach during Ellie's ride
This is the cozy little nook where I spent most of my time
Then it was time for the tube rides - well, for them (see previous note about me and a book and a Diet Coke and a cozy little nook)
So long, guys!
You think everyone was a wee bit tired?
And then came Halloween, Disney style - since it was a Disney cruise, we thought it'd be blasphemous to do anything but Disney - of course, this was almost foiled when Ellie threw a Disney Fit and decided that she wanted to be Princess Ariel instead - after much screaming and crying (on my part), we finally reached a compromise - Ellie would wear her original costume during the family activities
And then she could be Princess Ariel for trick-or-treating - and yes, she used her own money to pay for the extra costume
Luckily, Jack stuck with the program - thank you, Jack
Jack and Ellie with their cruise buddies - we went with my brother Peter's family, and then some old friends of theirs, so Jack and Ellie had lots of fun playmates - and trick-or-treating buddies
The kids got in plenty of swim time, between Castaway Cay, Blue Lagoon, and the three pools on the ship - of course somehow I got a total of one blurry, faraway picture - so you'll just have to trust me that my kids are there
Of course, when you're on a Disney Cruise, there are characters (and statues and pictures of characters) pretty much everywhere - since Ariel is Ellie's favorite, we of course had to stop for a photo here
As we speak, Ellie is amending her Christmas wish list to include all things Ariel
One of the breakfasts was a "Character Breakfast," where you got to meet a lot of the characters - here's Minnie
And Pluto
Jack and Ellie took most of these photos themselves - not bad for two kids hopped up on sugar and adrenaline
And of course the Mouse himself
(Jack's favorite was actually Goofy, but don't tell Mickey that)
The waiters made little napkin hats for everyone - I good-naturedly sat while they did mine, then 'accidentally dropped' it as soon as they walked away
Jack's favorite Goofy
And let's not forget the most important part of the cruise - at least from Ellie's perspective - the princesses - here's Snow White
And Ellie's all-time favorite, Ariel
Let's not forget Belle
And Cinderella
And Tiana
And of course our gallant princes, who patiently waited the hour that it took for us to get through the princess line
And now ... time for rest
And a very Disney Day to you all
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