Spelling Bee Hangover

I don't think I'm cut out for spelling bees, my friends. I just can't do it. What, you ask? No, I wasn't IN a spelling bee. Jack was in a spelling bee. But just WATCHING a spelling bee was too much for me. With each kid who came up to the microphone, I tensed up (will they get it right?), worried (oh no, that's a tricky one, I don't think they're going to get it right), and then cringed (ah, crap, they got it wrong). Then I had to physically stop myself from running up to them on the stage and hugging them and telling them that it's ok, it was a really tough word. Each and every time, people. Through like 9 rounds and 30 kids. I swear, I might have had a mild heart attack at one point. And then Jack came up - and did I mention how rock-and-roll he's been through this whole process? Undefeated through classroom after classroom competition until he made it to the top 30 in the middle school. And then made it to the top 9 in the final competition - and then accidentally spelled the plural instead of the singular of "casualty," and, well, became one. Which is ironic, since he knows a lot more complicated words, and turfed it on a plural vs. singular. But, rock-n-roll that he is, Jack was just fine with his performance - which is a lot more than I can say, since I was sweaty and exhausted by the end of this. So I'm not sure if I'm, I mean, Jack, is going to do any more of these things. I just might not be able to take it.

Thankfully, the same week, I had a nice, calm experience with Ellie's honor roll ceremony - all the kids 'won,' no one was sad, and therefore I was able to maintain my sanity. You know, until the next time one of my kids has to compete or perform or, you know, function, and I go into a full-scale breakdown.

But anyhoo, congratulations to my kids - and my condolences that you're stuck with a loony mom.

Easter ... Kind Of

Poor Jack and Ellie had a sick, sick mom on Easter morning, and a dad out of town. So we'll just say that their Easter was .... low key, to say the least. We did manage to decorate some Easter eggs (while I coughed and hacked the whole time), and I managed to throw together a REALLY pitiful egg hunt (sorry kids, I know it was pitiful). Luckily the Easter Bunny still had his act together and the kids had a good Easter stash in the morning, but really, Mom's energy level petered out pretty quickly after that. We went to a church service in the morning, and then ... well, folks, there ends Lydia's ability to function. We then spent the rest of Easter on the couch (well, that's where I spent it at least), eating finger food (and Easter candy, of course), watching movies, and moaning (that would be my contribution). But the kids were awesomely low-maintenance, and just hung out with Mom throughout the day with no complaints.

So...the best Easter ever? Yeah, not so much. But I got to spend it with my kiddies - and Easter candy - so you know that can't be too bad.

Meet Amelia

Here's Ellie, preparing for her presentation on Amelia Earhart. I just had to post this since, come on, that's just the cutest little Amelia I've ever seen. You may not admit that out loud, but you and I know that you agree. It'll just be our little secret.

P.S. - Jack is doing Thomas Edison for his living history presentation. I'll post a photo once I have it, but I don't think he'll want us to call him cute. But you know he will be. You may not admit that out loud, but you and I know that you'll agree. Again ... our little secret.

Old School ... Belgian Style

I have to be honest, sometimes around here, there aren't a lot of activities for the kids. As a result, Jack and Ellie have become very good friends with their iPads. That's why we love Madam Isabelle's camp - she has it every summer and also at Spring Break, and the kids went this most recent break.

There's really nothing complex about Madam Isabelle's camp - it's quite old school, actually - the kids play in the woods and build forts and sit in a treehouse and feed donkeys and cows and baby chicks and just PLAY. Like I said, old school - with a Belgian twist, since most of the kids are locals and only speak French. Which means that Jack and Ellie had to learn quickly how to say clay and dirt and sticks and all kinds of woodsy words in French. And they did just fine - although they are quite happy when a British kid or two shows up. They'll be doing a few weeks of camp at Madam Isabelle's camp again this summer, and I'm looking forward to dirt in my entryway every evening as evidence that my kids played hard.



Jack and Ellie's fort - apparently they became quite adept at preparing clay for building, and built a little business trading prepared clay for other goods and services - economics, baby!

making waffles in Madam Isabelle's kitchen

Kinda Sorta Colorful Run

My kids have done the Colorful Run each year we've been here, and each year, I'm yelling on the sidelines - not to run faster, but to get more dang color! I mean, it's the COLORFUL Run, so you should end up .... COLORFUL, people! But Ellie likes to dodge the people with the paints, darn her fanny. Jack doesn't avoid it, but I don't think he EMBRACES it as he should. Embrace the color, my children, embrace the color! Maybe I"ll run it next year and show them how it's done. Wait. Did I just offer to run? OK, scratch that. I'll just keep yelling it from the sidelines.

Berlin, Baby

The kids have their Spring Break right now, and the first week, we decided to head over to Berlin. I was really excited to tour some of the WWII and Cold War sites and learn more about the history there. And for that reason, I'm really glad we went - the history there really is fascinating. The rest of it, though? Hmmm. Don't tell my German friends I said this, but Berlin? Not my favorite. None of the awesomely beautiful architecture you see in the other European cities, a LOT of construction going on (much of it to repair things that have been damaged for decades), and not my favorite food. But I'm still glad we went, and as has been the case in every city we've visited, lots of nice people.


Of course, one of the first things we had to do was to find a McDonald's, as we try to do in every new European city we visit. Jack is convinced that Germany has the best McDonald's

No matter what ancient or exotic city we are visiting, Ellie's first question is "is there a pool in the hotel?" Yes, Ellie, this time there was

Please meet East Berlin's Ampelmannchen, the little traffic light guys. You can buy all kinds of ampelmann souvenirs around the city.

At Berlin's Brandenburg Gate

Just to prove that I was there. See? I was there.

At a Holocaust memorial

There are bears all over Berlin - there's a story behind it that dates back to the founding of Berlin, and then Communism, and then gummi bears, and ... yeah, I didn't follow the story very well - but just trust me, lots of bears

Near part of the Berlin Wall

Here's Checkpoint Charlie

We of course did a food tour - you knew food would be involved if I'm there, right?

Yeah, I still don't like beer.

But this was yummy - it's called flammkuchen, and it's quite yummy, danke.

But currywurst? Nein, danke.

A lot of graffiti - but this was actually owner-sponsored graffiti

Hello, little people on a big bench!

Schnitzel? Eh. It was ok.

Danke, Berlin!

Lydia + Driving = Bad

Narrow Belgian country roads and farm fences = 1
Lydia = 0