Weekend in Review

I didn't mention it before, but Gus and I spent most of this past weekend in Palm Springs (well, technically Indian Wells, but it's all the same area)! We found an amazing deal on a hotel for one night, and decided it would be fun. On Friday, we drove up to my parents' house and spent the night there. Saturday morning, we left at around 9am and made the drive up and over the Pines to Palms Highway. It really is aptly named! And, honestly, it was one of my favorite (albeit scariest) parts of our trip. It just reminded me how many different climates there are in California, and how many different kinds of places you can see in just a few hours' drive. Massachusetts is beautiful. But, from what I've seen, it's very consistent. The entire state is green and forested and relatively flat. You don't get these incredible cliffs and rock formations and dramatic views! So, I tried to soak it in and etch it into my mind forever. And, just for kicks, I took a picture of my car's navigation screen. What this DOESN'T show you is how high those curves are, and how scary it can be, as a passenger!

I realized, too, that there is actually a sign near the top of the highway that says "Entering Big Horn Sheep Area." I had no idea that they lived in the wild in California. Not even the faintest clue! I have only seen them in the zoo before! Of course, that remains the only place I've seen them, as I didn't spot any. But you better believe I was scouring the terrain the entire time!

On the way there, just before the descent, we stopped at the observation area to stretch our legs. It was crazy to see just how abruptly the desert ended and became the oasis that is Palm Springs. And, can you see the winding road down the mountain? Crazy, I tell you!

Anyway, our time there was lovely. The hotel was amazing, and made more so by the $49 price tag (it's still considered the "off season"). We basically sat by the pool all day, went for a swim to cool off as needed, and enjoyed the quiet time. This hotel also had poolside drink service, which made it feel even more luxurious. It was definitely nice to have some down time.

We got back to my parents' house just as Maya was waking up from her nap on Sunday, and had time to walk the kids down to the park while my mom cooked dinner. And it was SO COOL! While they were playing, this massive hawk landed in the tree right above us. It was HUGE!!! The kids loved it, and it stayed there for quite a while, checking us out, before it swooped off over the community clubhouse and alighted on the chimney for a bit.

I took a bunch of random pics of kids at the park, and tried to convince them for the longest time to go and sit on the nice white wooden bench so I could get something a little nicer. But would they listen? Nooo... until, of course, I was distracted by the hawk! Next thing I knew, the little boogers were both sitting on the bench! This is the best photo I was able to snag...

...though this one is far more typical. Oh, Maya. She always has to do her own thing!

Anyway, it was a relaxing weekend for us, and I know the kids had a blast hanging with their grandparents. I just hope I can keep that feeling of relaxation with me over the next few weeks!

This is the song that never ends...

Do you know that song? It's one of those annoying car songs that little kids enjoy terrorizing their parents with on long rides. And as annoying as it is, it feels completely appropos right now.

sigh.

Long story very, very short... we clearly didn't hear back about the house we're trying to buy. We had hoped to maybe hear back by the end of last week. But now it's looking like we are at least three weeks away from an answer, possibly longer. Repeat after me: UGH!!!!!!!!

At the same time, we are still optimistic. We have a strong offer, and we are both head over heels in love with this house. It's "worth the wait," so to speak. Plus, the most uncomfortable part has already happened: I went back to work, after everyone thought I was moving. I've settled right back into my groove, and am in a really good place now. Test scores went up last year, and my current group of students is a really nice one. Truthfully, it went really well-- despite being a less-than-ideal situation. So I can keep on teaching for as long as I need to, now. I've already jumped over the biggest hurdle!

Anyway... November 1st marks the one-year anniversary of when we put our house on the market. We had decided beforehand to make the move, but we waited until after Nikos' birthday party to make our first official move. It's hard to believe that this process has already taken about a year, but I have to believe that things will work out, in the end. I just wish I knew when the end would be, you know?

I repeat: sigh...

Feeling Proactive!

I haven't posted about our move in a while, mainly because there's been nothing to post! And really, we have no update, though we've been told that a negotiator has been assigned to the short sale, some "good dialogue" has been happening, and we should hear something "soon." All nice, vague terms that we have heard before (back as early as May, even!). So... We're trying not to get our hopes up too much, though it's really hard not to!

In any event... At this point, if everything goes through, we will likely be moving to Massachusetts RIGHT as winter settles in. And, as you know, winter in New England is pretty different from winter in Southern California. Yes. Different. How's that for the Understatement of the Year? ha! Anyhow, it's okay... we can deal with it. We'll have central heat and lots of blankets. We will definitely fare better than the Pilgrims did during their first winter.

However, with that being said, we are woefully unprepared for cold weather when it comes to clothing. I'm not even worried about Gus or myself. He and I both have down jackets, and can deal with everything else. But the idea of my babies being cold is 100% NOT okay! So, after talking with a bunch of experienced cold-climate moms on my mommy message board (which I love!!! what an amazing resource!), I decided to bite the bullet and start stocking up on warm clothes for the kids. Worst case scenario, I will keep all the receipts and return them... But if we DO move, then we will at least be prepared!

Over the past few days, I've bought: a bunch of long-sleeved waffle-weaved shirts for layering, multiple pairs of jeans (some fleece-lined), snow jackets, and a few pairs of thick cotton tights for Maya (to wear under clothes as an extra layer). Both kids already have warm pajamas that should still fit. I just need to get them some snow pants, boots, mittens, and knitted beanies. But most of those things can be bought at discount/big box stores. Plus, a girl from the message board lives near where we are trying to move, and she says she knows of a great children's consignment store that is less than a 30 minute drive away.

In other words... We can do this! And my babies won't freeze! In fact, they are in greater danger of melting, since they both enjoy wearing their new snow jackets in the San Diego heat (though Nikos ran off before I could snap a picture). Crazy kids!!

He Writes!

Attention everyone: I think we are on the brink of a developmental explosion! For the past few weeks, Nikos has been coming home from daycare with various papers (mostly art projects) that have his name written on the back. Only the name hasn't been written in Bonnie's typical handwriting-- this writing was distinctly childlike. Still, I didn't know if Nikos had been doing it himself, or if Bonnie had been doing it with him hand-over-hand. Nikos said he was doing it himself, but resisted all my requests for a repeat performance. And, knowing my boy, I didn't push the issue. I knew he'd do it when he was ready.

And he was ready today, apparently! He sat right down at the counter and proceeded to write his name quite a few times! The first time, he wrote it too big and ran out of space. I took a video of the second time (below). He did better with his letter "K" the third time. But seriously? This blows me away.

Add to this the fact that the kid is getting seriously good at sounding words out, and is starting to draw more and more elaborate pictures, and I am just stunned. It's like everything is clicking in his mind all at once. He drew Gus a picture this afternoon of 5 different cars, all of which are easily recognizable and more complex than what he's drawn before. Each one is a different color, too, creating sort of an Andy Warhol pop art vibe. Amazing! Where did this kid come from, anyway? He's going to be writing novels by the end of the month, just you wait and see! :)

Sunday Fun Day

So, in case you couldn't tell from the title of this post, today was a fun day! I always forget how many great family activities there are around here in September. Last weekend, our little city celebrated itself and our country in its annual parade (which has since been renamed the Patriotic Parade, since it tends to fall right around September 11th). We were out of town at Colton's birthday party, but not to worry! The fun continues for weeks around here! Yesterday was the classic car show, of course, and today's featured event was a street fair.

So, of course, we had to go! We didn't stick around for too long, since it was close to noon and there wasn't much shade, but the kids had a blast nonetheless. When we got there, we headed straight for the fire truck. Both kids hopped right into the driver's seat and loved it. Such a HUGE change from the last time we went, almost two years ago. Just to compare, look at at my post from September 13, 2009. That was as close as Nikos would get, and he wouldn't let go of me! How times have changed! And now BOTH kids are really looking forward to the big fire station open house in a few weeks-- yay!


Shortly after they disembarked (which involved prying Maya's fingers off of the steering wheel and dragging her out), some high school kids came over and handed them some balloons. Balloons!! Something so simple, yet these balloons were ALL the played with for the rest of the day. Whatever makes them happy, right?

And that was our big event of the day! We spent the rest of the time playing inside the house and out in the yard, and both kids were in good moods all day. The house is clean, everyone is asleep, and life is good! Here's hoping for another speedy work week ahead!

Oh, but one last thing... Both kids have shown interest lately in seeing photos from when they were babies. They just love to snuggle up in my lap as I show them pictures on the computer, and I love telling them about what they were like. This morning, Nikos and I came across a picture from his first Christmas-- a picture of him with his beloved Bear, who was brand-new at the moment. Nikos almost didn't recognize Bear! This bear was fluffy and white, while the current bear is... well-loved, to say the least. Still, he thought it would be funny to "re-create" the photo of him holding Bear's paw, so here they are... Two photos, taken almost four years apart, of a boy and his (now-ragged) Bear!

I Love Saturdays!

Ahhh, Saturdays! I love them so! Sundays are nice, too, but they are always slightly marred by the thought of an impending Monday, so Saturdays definitely win out!

Anyhow... both kids stayed in bed until just before 7am, which was a lovely start to the day. After a leisurely breakfast and some quick housekeeping-type chores, Bill and Maria came for a visit! They were in town for a wedding, but wanted to stop by beforehand to see the kiddos. The kids were completely amped, as they often are when they see their aunt and uncle-to-be! Seriously, they were WIRED. And hilarious. It was so much fun to watch them!

We all went out to lunch together, then to go to a car show that Bill and Maria had spotted on their way to our house. It was the perfect activity for two kids who love cars (especially Nikos). Nikos declared that "the brown car" was his favorite, but I happen to know that he paid special attention to the red racecar and the hot rod with the flames on it. Maya loved the purple car, of course, as well as the one that looked like Doc Hudson from "Cars." I think we all enjoyed it, actually, and it was a fun, quick activity just a few minutes from home.

After Bill and Maria left for the wedding, I went to a local specialty market to track down some vanilla beans (our regular market didn't have them). Inspired by Pinterest (of course), I wanted to start up my own neverending batch of vanilla extract! Really, it's just two vanilla beans and vodka in an old soy sauce bottle that I cleaned out thoroughly. Everyone who posts about homemade vanilla extract says it's definitely the way to go over the store bought stuff, because it's cheaper and more flavorful. I will let you know in 6-8 weeks! Today, this is what my extract looks like. Mostly just vodka, ha!

Anytime I work in the kitchen, it's only a matter of time before one or both kids wander in and ask me about what I'm doing. For a while, Gus kept them distracted by offering them rides on his shoulders...

But really, they couldn't help me with the vanilla extract thing. However... when Nikos plunked himself down on the barstool, I was suddenly inspired to do some "supermarket science," (to quote my old Mr. Wizard book, which I practically have memorized!). First, we made clouds in a jar, talking a little bit about the water cycle (which I'm teaching right now to the 5th graders!). Nikos was mesmerized! Maya came and went, but was a little cranky from skipping her nap...

After that, we dropped the ice cubes into the water and used salt to raise their melting point and pick them up with pieces of yarn (this was very well-received by both kids). We mixed oil and water. We played with pepper floating on top of a (clean) cup of water, then breaking the surface tension with dish soap. Mostly, I just dug through the cupboards and showed them whatever popped into my brain! Maya was still pretty out of it, but cute as ever!

Finally, I busted out the food coloring, which is ALWAYS a popular activity 'round these parts. Both kids love watching the droplets of dye diffuse into the water, then stirring them around until they, ultimately, create a murky mess.

All in all, it was a pretty great day, with beautiful weather to boot! I wish every day could be like today! :)

2.5

I have talked to so many people who have said "it's the half years that are the worst," but I will admit-- I didn't really buy it! Why should being 2.5 be any different from 2 or from 3, in terms of behavior? But I would officially like to retract that opinion right now!

I have to say... Our kids get along amazingly well. They really do love each other, and they are close enough in age that they can play together (which they enjoy doing, thankfully). But oh. my. goodness. Maya, my sweet little girl, has apparently been kidnapped by aliens and replaced by a little gremlin. Ack! She is still as adorable and endearing as ever, but she is finally asserting her position as the two-year-old of the family. She doesn't throw tantrums or anything... Oh no! Instead, she knows how to push Nikos' buttons better than any other human on the face of the earth. And push them she does. Nikos will be peacefully playing with his toy cars, when Maya will come along and join him. No problem. Until she starts chucking them across the room, or grabbing a few and running off with them. Which she finds hilarious, while her big brother flips out. Ay, ay, ay!

I'm posting this because today was particularly brutal. From the time I got home from school until bedtime (sweet bedtime!), Maya was very intentionally driving her brother crazy. And spending a lot of time in time-out. Really, she's still a great kid, and I know it's just a phase... but my goodness. Mommy needed a glass of wine tonight! Here's hoping tomorrow is a better day...

Colton's Party

My adorable nephew won't turn one for a few more days still, but his birthday bash was yesterday! The four of us made the three-hour drive up to my brother's house, and the kids had a TON of fun. There was another little boy who was a few months younger than Maya, and both kids enjoyed running around with him. Not to mention seeing their cousin, their aunt and uncle, their great-aunt and great-uncle, and (of course) grandma and grandpa. I took a ton of pictures, and just finished editing my sixty favorite shots, haha! But I'm thinking sixty photos is a bit much for a blog post, even for me! Still, here are a few from our fun day...

The kids kept the birthday boy entertained while he waited for his cupcake

And then they sat nice and close to watch him open presents (so they could play with them as soon as he went down for his nap... haha!)

Colton liked the ride-on toy we got for him... I hope he gets years of use out of it (since Nikos and Maya both still play with that very same toy)

And, my one-and-only, super adorable nephew!

Despite being a very LONG day with a lot of driving, I have to say that it was a really fun one. Both kids were pretty much independent all day, and I had time to sit and talk with my family, including my aunt and uncle who I hadn't seen in a while. We ended up leaving just before dinner time, grabbed some fast food to eat in the car, and the kids fell asleep minutes after they were done eating. A successful trip!

A Little Adventure...

So, yesterday started out like any other day, but quickly headed south as soon as I got home from work! I was talking to my mom on the phone when the line went dead. I didn't think much of it, because our phone does that from time to time (and it's really irritating, by the way!). Still, I sat there for a bit, playing with the kids and waiting for the phone to start working again.

After sitting there for about 10 minutes, I suddenly realized that I couldn't hear the soothing hum of the air conditioner. And with the temperature hovering right around 100 degrees, that was a VERY bad thing! It then hit me that everything was off-- clocks, refrigerator, everything. It was so quiet without that constant electrical buzz we're so accustomed to!

Anyhow... Our next-door neighbor knocked on the door shortly thereafter to say that they had lost power. I started seeing other neighbors walk out into their driveways, as well, so I knew it was not just our house, at least! I made an executive decision to load the kids up in the car and head for the store. I figured that a store on the complete opposite side of town would SURELY have power. Right?

Wrong. I realized the outage was a little more widespread when all the stoplights were blinking red (and some were out completely). It took me three times as long as it should have to get across town, and then the store was dark. People were milling around the exit looking confused. Meanwhile, while all this was going on, I had been trying and trying to get through to Gus and my parents on my cell phone. I finally got through to my parents, who looked it up on the computer and informed me that at least 1.4 million customers were without power, starting in northern parts of Mexico, extending all the way up into southern Orange County, and going from the coast all the way to Yuma, Arizona. Basically, the southernmost chunk of the state was in a complete blackout!

Thankfully, my parents weren't affected (nor were Gus' parents)... but right then and there, I decided to hop on the freeway and drive up to my parents' house for the afternoon/evening. At the very least, we'd be able to feed the kids a decent dinner. At home, I didn't want anyone to open the refrigerator/freezer at all to (hopefully) keep the food from going bad. It was also nice to be able to watch the news coverage, look up information on the internet, etc.

Anyway... We drove back home at around 8pm, since the kids didn't have any of their lovies and wouldn't have slept well without them. After all, our original plan had just been to go to the store for an hour... it wasn't meant to become an overnight trip! So, we drove home. It was kind of a surreal experience! All the well-lit downtown areas were pitch black and completely lifeless. The stars were amazing, because there were no city lights to wash them out! Once we turned into our neighborhood, we saw that there were TONS of people outside, sitting in their driveways around fire pits, lanterns, etc. It ended up being this really neat sort of community-bonding thing! Even on the road, people were driving very slowly and carefully, stopping completely at all the dark traffic lights. Amazing!

At any rate... the County Superintendent of Schools announced that all public schools in the county would be closed today, though I only heard this "through the grapevine" and couldn't find anything out about my specific school district. Plus, the power finally came back on at 2am, so I wasn't sure if the plan had changed. I still figured we'd probably be closed today, but decided it was better to be safe than sorry. I drove to my school first thing this morning, and was greeted by this lovely sight:

(that's my principal by the way, hehe! I took this with my cell phone so I could send it to a few of my coworkers as evidence.) Three words: Three day weekend!!! And we had power, so I've used today to deep-clean the house so I can enjoy the next two days without worrying about chores. So exciting! Yippee! (and yay for power, too!) :)

Life Without Kids

We are currently childless, as the kids managed to get well enough to spend the weekend at yiayia and pappou's house. We know that they are having a blast (and most likely getting spoiled rotten), and it's been nice to have a little taste of freedom-- though we still miss them terribly. It's just that having kids is an entirely different lifestyle. You are constantly working things around their schedules (naps, meals) and their attention span. I could never spend more than 15 minutes shopping for clothes or shoes with them both around, because they would be DONE after that long. So, today has been sort of luxurious!

We started the weekend by attending Gus' coworker's wedding. The guy is very shy and kind of reclusive at work. So imagine our surprise when there were 500 people at the wedding! They are apparently very active in their church (they met in Bible Study), and so they invited pretty much the entire congregation. It was a lovely wedding, despite the repeated emphasis that the man is in charge of the woman, and that a wife should always submit to her husband's will, etc. That was a bit much. But, like I said, it was otherwise a very nice wedding. My favorite part was when the six flower girls and six ringbearers had to walk down the aisle, and half of them erupted into tears and wouldn't go. I think everyone had a good chuckle at that!

Anyway... After the wedding (which was in the morning), we spent the day working on various projects at home. Then we went out to dinner and a movie. We saw "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," which was really, really good! It was definitely a "Gus choice," but I have to admit that I enjoyed it. :) This morning, we both slept in (a rare, rare treat!), and I spent a few hours going shopping. Oh, the luxury of trying things on! It was fun. I also did our weekly meal plan and grocery shopping, which was less exciting, but at least all of my weekend chores are done. The kids are coming home tomorrow morning, so we'll be able to focus on family time all day. I can't wait!

Oh, and I also worked on an art project today! Not too long ago, I discovered the wondrous site known as Pinterest. It's basically a site where you can save/organize your computer favorites. It also saves a picture with whatever link you've chosen, and then you can write a little comment about it ("Must try this slow-cooker recipe!" etc.). Meanwhile, your friends (and really, everyone) can see what you've pinned... so the ideas are just flying all over the place. I am constantly getting amazing ideas from there, most of which I am saving up for when we move. I have, however, tried a ton of new recipes because of Pinterest. And I've found some winners, too!

But I digress... A few weeks ago, I saw this idea on there for an art project: get a canvas, paint it however you'd like, and then paint onto it the lyrics from your "first dance" at your wedding. While I don't plan to put this up until after we move, I wanted to make it now-- while I still have access to the awesome LCD projector in my classroom! So, that's what I did today. I'd already painted the canvas, but I went into my classroom for about an hour to do the lyrics (I had them in a PDF file). It's definitely not perfect, and my arm still hurts, but I love it!!!!! Behold my art project!

So, there ya go. This is what a child-free day will get you (along with a new shirt and some cute shoes). I sure do miss my little boogers, though, and can't wait to see them in the morning (after I sleep in). Yay!

A Whole Week?!?

Seriously, have I ever gone that long without blogging before? How did that even happen??

Well, I suppose the answer is pretty obvious. I'm working again, and teaching always takes a lot of time and energy-- particularly at the beginning of the year, when I am still getting to know my students, and they are getting to know me and understand my expectations. Setting yourself up for a successful year is a lot of work. Oh, and then there's Back to School Night, which is incredibly exhausting. It's funny. I have no problem speaking in front of the entire 5th grade (~90 students), but put me in a room full of about 30 parents, and I get SO nervous!! I think that's why I am always so tired afterward. I literally run out of steam! It went smoothly, though, and the parents had a lot of nice things to say about the class so far. So, yay for crossing another big thing off the checklist of major school events!

In the meantime... my return to work has meant, of course, a return to daycare. And germs (from both daycare AND school). Maya has already had croup (earlier this week), and Nikos seems to be experiencing a much milder form of it now. And Maya's still sick, with a fever that comes and goes, a nasty cough, and general fatigue. This, combined with the fact that Gus had an important meeting at work today, meant that I had to put in for my first substitute of the year-- in the second week of school! Yikes! It's never easy to have a sub, but it's especially hard when our classroom routines are still being established. Not fun, not fun.

Anyhow... The little sickies both seem to be doing a lot better. Just look at the photos from today! We'll start with the low point of the day. After her nap, Maya was completely inconsolable for about 30 minutes.

About five minutes after I took this, she decided she wanted to pretend to be a puppy, and she was happy the rest of the day. And really, they did alright for a couple of sick kids! They stayed in their pajamas and had a pretty low-key day, but Maya had fun playing the piano (safety first! I'm telling you, she's crazy) and both kids had a blast jumping on our bed for a few short minutes before they got winded and had to rest.



Maya's still coughing a lot in her sleep tonight, but the fact that she remains sleeping is an improvement! Here's hoping tomorrow brings happy, healthy kids who can enjoy the fun weekend planned for them. Fingers crossed!

Oh, and just for fun... Another one of Nikos' drawings. This one is a car, presumably with eyes (like the ones in "Cars," his favorite movie of all time). It amazes me that he can draw things now that are recognizable. To me, at least! I knew what this was the second he showed it to me. Go Nikos!