Spring Break - Day 5 - Around Town

Today we took advantage of the fabulous spring weather and spent it all outdoors. First we went to the Mesa Community Farmer's Market in downtown Mesa. We sampled lots of yummy things, and bought pasta, a piece of carrot cake (for Jay), cheese curds, and kettle corn. Then we walked down Main Street window-shopping and saw this fun traveling art exhibit.
After lunch we decided to go miniature golfing. I hadn't been in about 15 years, and the kids had never been.
It was really fun. The kids had no idea what they were doing, and didn't seem to care if they got bad scores.
Mr. Competitive (Jay) won, of course. Here he is doing his best professional golfer* impression for the camera after a hole-in-one shot.
It was a gorgeous day, and we had a great time.
Then it was off to Lombardo's for some more fabulous gelato. (I still couldn't have any.) Have you tried it yet?




*Not so long ago I would have said "Tiger Woods" but it turns out he is an idiot, and Jay is not.

Spring Break - Day 2

Today we took cousin Oliver with us and headed to the mall (I haven't been to a mall in ages!) and visited the (really expensive... what's up with that?) puppies at the pet store (the closest my poor kids will ever get to owning one), rode the carousel ($2 for one ride? Ugh!), got "Hot Dogs on a Stick" for the kids ($1 Tuesdays? Why not.), played in the kids' zone, waved to the "Easter Bunny" who had zero customers, went to see cuter-than-expected "The Princess and the Frog" ($1 Tuesdays? Sweet.), and ate at Pei Wei for dinner.

Wow, I just got all of that into one very long sentence.

I'm beat. Should we take it easy tomorrow?

Spring Break - Day 1

Jay took the week off and we are doing fun stuff as a family every day for Spring Break. Rather than leave town when the weather is so nice at home, we decided to stick around and enjoy it.Today we went to the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix. We ended up buying the annual membership since it was a better deal than just paying for one day. (We are looking forward to going back on hot summer days... a large air conditioned indoor space to play.... sweet!) My sister and her family met us there.
Jack had his first experience climbing a rock wall. He did really well, but got a little scared when he looked down just before he reached the top, so he had a little trouble getting down. I don't think he will want to do that again for a while.

(Jack lifting himself with the pulley)

There are lots of fun exhibits... 3 levels of hands-on stuff. We especially enjoyed the "Forces of Nature" immersion theatre where we all experienced a hurricane, tornado, volcano eruption, wildfire, and monsoon storm. I was surprised to actually get wet!

(The flight simulation)

We also really liked the live demonstrations of air pressure and fire. And we got a free visit to the planetarium for signing up that day. We had a grand tour of the planets with a very funny guide.

If it looks like we only took Jack, it's because Collin and Mary took off with their cousins, so we hardly ever saw them.

Fun day! Looking forward to another one tomorrow.

Finishing off February

Thursday night was the Cub Scout Blue & Gold banquet. Each boy was supposed to bring a cake he decorated with his dad. I thought Collin's turned out really cute. I helped by finding the idea on the internet, buying all the stuff, and making the frosting.

Friday night Mary and I went to see "Mary Poppins" (Broadway Across America).... it was so much fun, and the first time Mary had seen a production that big. A very fun show! Mary was absolutely delighted to see the other Mary actually fly across the theatre at the end. Very cool.
Saturday was Jack's last basketball game. He had been talking about it being the last game, and "the day I'm going to get my trophy, Mom." So, I was a little worried when I saw that they were giving out medals instead this year. (Because it's an Olympic year?) Thankfully, Jack was still thrilled.... even more so about the giant doughnut he received as the post-game snack.
Six-year-olds are pretty easy to please.

Carcassonne

My parents gave Collin this game for Christmas. Very fun! A great game to play together as a family... it's not complicated, moves quickly, and doesn't take too long to play.

Beau Jest

Last night I went with my sister to the Hale Theatre in Gilbert and saw Beau Jest. It was so fun! This is actually the first show the theatre produced back when this location opened several years ago... and I saw that one too. It was very well done, both times. A little romance, lots of laughs.... what's not to love?

It plays through February 13th, so there are still lots of opportunities to go see it. You won't be disappointed. Get tickets here.

Zoppé

Last night we went to the Zoppé Family Circus! It was so much fun! This is what you think of when you hear the phrase "The circus is in town," and what you see in old movies. It is a traditional Italian family circus, started in 1842. It's just a single big-top tent, intimate seating where you can see everything, lots of audience participation, hilarious clown antics, great talent, and tons of fun. I was very impressed.

If you have an opportunity to go, you really should! They are in town until January 4th (Chandler) and there are still tickets available ($15 for kids 12 and under, and $20 for adults). I think this is an experience my kids will not forget.

I had fun playing with my camera.... took a bunch of cool photos without a flash, lots of experimenting.

"The Invention of Hugo Cabret"

What do you get when an award-winning illustrator authors a book? A wonderful story partially told through drawings.

After reading a small blurb about this book in the Wall Street Journal sometime ago, I checked it out from the library for my son to read. I had no intention of reading it myself, but after I flipped through it out of curiously, I ended up spending the better part of the afternoon reading it from cover to cover. Don't be put off by the fact that this is a book for children (or it's length... yes 500+ pages, but many are pictures, or contain little text)... it's a great story and a very fun read!

"Kipper the Dog"

When Collin was a toddler, we discovered "Kipper the Dog." We all fell in love! I bought a bunch of video tapes, which have been well-used as each additional child fell in love with Kipper too. I frequently found myself sitting down to watch with them, because they are just so cute and sweet.

As we got ready for our garage sale last month, I pulled the old "Kipper the Dog" videos out of the back of the closet. My kids hadn't watched them for a couple of years (sadly, I don't have a toddler anymore), so I added them to the pile of stuff to sell.

When my kids (9, 7, and almost 5) discovered what was to be the fate of these tapes, they about cried, and begged me not to sell them. I actually felt relieved, for I hadn't wanted to sell them either; I discovered I had quite an attachment to them. The next thing I knew, my kids sat down and watched them all (each one is only about 30 minutes). I heard them in fits of giggles and just had to join them.

So, those old video tapes remain on the shelf with the DVD's. And I guess they always will.

Someday, maybe my grandchildren will fall in love with "Kipper the Dog" too.

Web

I just finished reading this wonderful classic to Jack. I read it to Collin and Mary when they were four as well. They all loved it as much as I do. What a lovely and touching story of friendship, loyalty, love, and sacrifice. I cry just as hard every time I read it. I hope this wasn't the last time. I suppose I can read it to my grandchildren.

Recently, Jack came in the house to tell me that there was a spider web on his bike. I was distracted, and merely replied with something like, "Well, just brush if off. It won't hurt you." After a pause, Jack went on to say, "Mom, spiders don't like humans... only pigs."

Magazines

I subscribe to too many magazines, namely this one, this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one, as well as the Ensign, New Era, and The Friend. I used to receive "Blueprint" as well (another Martha Stewart mag), but the publication went in the tank after less than a year. They still maintain the blog associated with it.

I subscribed only to The Ensign until after I was married. When I became a homeowner, I finally started taking "Better Homes and Gardens" at my sister's suggestion. I finally added "The Friend" once I became a mother (even though my first child couldn't even read yet), mostly because I was called to serve in Primary and needed it as a resource. And that was it for many years. I recently added "The New Era" because Collin was reading through "The Friend" too quickly, and it seemed like he needed something a little deeper.

So, now I have all 3 church magazines and it will stay that way. But somehow I added all those others! I had decided to quit "BHG" because it has gone seriously downhill over the years (it seems to be mostly ads these days) but they begged and begged me to stay, offering me 2 years for the price of one, plus a free gift subscription. I couldn't resist.

Several years ago I subscribed briefly to Martha Stewart Living, but cancelled after a year since everything was way too, you know, Martha-Stewart-ish. But they kept begging me to come back, and finally made me an offer recently that I couldn't refuse. Then they offered me a deal on "Everyday Food" (another Martha mag) which I know my sister-in-law likes, and well, yes, I took it. Ditto with "Blueprint." Uh oh.

I the meantime, I had already signed up for "Real Simple" to replace BHG. I enjoy it, and plan to keep it. But then my sister-in-law turned me on to "Domino" which is very fun, and I got a really good deal so once again I couldn't resist. Then the same publisher offered me "Lucky" which was much different than all the others which are mostly "domestic" in nature. But I thought I would try it out since it might help me figure out what to wear. (Could YOU resist a 12-month subscription for $10?)

This all happened within a matter of months. Yikes! What had I gotten myself into? I had justified the first few as practically a necessity since I was trying to get my house organized (when I decided we didn't need a bigger house, just use our space more efficiently), and they offered many good ideas which have been very helpful. I figured I would give them all a try and only keep the best ones after the first year was over.

The year came to an end and I really liked all of them and couldn't decide which to keep. Soooo, I renewed them all. Oops. Now I'm regretting it. But I still can't decide what to do. I still have several months to go on my second year, and I am reluctant to let any of them go. But I really do have too many to read.

So, I need some advice here. I am definitely dropping BHG, no matter what they offer me, and definitely keeping "Real Simple." (It fits my life the best.) But I'm undecided on the rest. I have a love/hate relationship with Martha, so maybe I should drop hers. That would be 2 more down. Domino and Lucky are tough. They are both really fun, but probably don't really fit me, but I would like to keep one of them, since I need some "style" in my life.

What should I do?

More of an obsession

I just finished reading this book. You probably already know that I am sort of obsessed with Jane Austen, and "Pride and Prejudice" in particular (I hardly lack for company, you know), so you won't be surprised to learn that I found it quite entertaining. It was not as revelatory as I had hoped, and much of the dialogue (which really couldn't be helped) was quoted directly from the original book. But the author stayed true to the story, for which I was grateful.

Don't Bother

Since I am an unabashed fan of Jane Austen, I am always eager to read any book that has anything to do with her. And so I picked up this book from the library without knowing anything about it. At the time, I didn't even know it had been made into a movie.

[I find that a great many mediocre books are made into mediocre movies. Since Jane Austen has a lot of fans, publishers and movie produces are probably just as eager as I am when they hear that name.]

Generally, I like to read books that have been recommended to me by someone I know and trust. I need to remember that in the future. I didn't really like this book... thank goodness it was short, so not much of a commitment.

I just couldn't relate to or sympathize with any of the characters. Their stories were all interesting enough, but I just didn't find any of them likable. Oh well. Besides that, there were too many gratuitous uses of the "F" word. Just plain stupid.

I don't think I will bother renting the movie.

Vacation Reading

During my vacation I read The Host by Stephenie Meyer. It was pretty good. Not fabulous, but entertaining, and actually pretty thought provoking. I have no idea whether the author intended to include any symbolism, but it was hard not to read those things into it when you know the author's religious beliefs. The story is really about what it means to be human. My mom and I had fun discussing it.Next I read These is My Words by Nancy Turner. I loved it! I highly recommend it. It's exciting and romantic, and clean. It's written in diary form, and the character is uneducated (hence the title) so it took a little getting used to, but once I did I was totally into the story. I was excited to find out there are two sequels.

Lost Love

I stayed up very late last night to finish reading the novel The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen. Even though I knew how it would end, I couldn't put it down. And even though I knew how it would end, I cried.

The book should probably be classified as a historical novel since a great deal of the book is factual. She writes in the voice of Jane Austen, which makes it a great read, but she fabricated a love story that will captivate anyone who claims to be an Austen fan.

It would make a great movie... much better than the mediocre "Becoming Jane." It would make a great companion piece to the excellent Masterpiece production "Miss Austen Regrets" on PBS.

Kids and TV

My parents were pretty strict about TV viewing when I was growing up. The TV (and I do mean "The TV"... it was the only one in the house) was housed in the basement, but the power was controlled by a switch upstairs in the kitchen. It was a crummy TV too; small and not very good reception. Most of the TV watching I did as a kid was at the homes of friends. (Yes, even "The Wallace and Ladmo Show.")

It drove me crazy at the time, but today I am very grateful that my parents were so strict about it. I have had some shocked responses to the fact that my kids are not allowed to watch television. Yes, it's true.... even PBS. Some have asked how we do it. Here is the scoop.

We have had the no TV policy for many years. When Collin (our first child) was about 2 years old, we started letting him watch PBS... things like "Teletubbies" and "Barney." But that didn't last long because I soon noticed there were some other shows on PBS they we didn't approve of ("Arthur" for one) so we just decided to quit it completely.

On our old TV, we simply deleted all of the channels from the remote control, meaning you had to punch the number in manually... otherwise there was nothing but the channel for watching movies... and we kept the remote in our closet and only got it out after the kids were in bed and Jay and I wanted to watch it. The kids never knew the difference.

Our new TV works differently, but all we had to do was program it so that all the channels (yes, even PBS) and all TV ratings are blocked unless you have the PIN, which the kids don't. They don't even ask to watch TV.... they are just used to it. Mary and Jack have never even watched PBS, and Collin was so young that he doesn't even remember watching it.

I always knew I didn't want my kids to watch commercial television (and not just because of the commercials) but I realized there was a problem with the concept of television itself.... there is always something on. (That's the problem I have with cable TV too.... too many options.) After one show is over, another one comes on, and another and another, and before you know it the child has watched it for hours and hours. A video or DVD has an end. Videos were even better because they had to be rewound before you could watch it again, where as DVD's can start over instantly. But thankfully my kids are beyond that stage where they want to watch something over and over and over and over in the same day.

During the school year, my older kids rarely even watch DVD's... they just don't have time. Sometimes Jack will watch a movie in the afternoon when there is no one else to play with and I'm working on something, or he is just exhausted and needs some down time (since he's kind of old for a nap).

During the summer they seem to watch a few more movies because it's so hot (and we don't have a video game system either, but that's another story), so they will put on an movie on a summer afternoon when they don't have anything else to do. But again, it's just one movie, and kids movies are usually less than 90 minutes, and I'm fine with that.

We have mostly Disney ones (including those great old ones like Pollyanna, Swiss Family Robinson, Darby O'Gill, and Mary Poppins, which are closer to 2 hours). We do own the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, but the kids are not allowed to watch them except (on rare occasions) with Mom and Dad (those are high up on our closet shelf) and absolutely no PG-13.

Obviously, it would be harder to institute this kind of rule in your home if your children are already used to watching TV. I'm very grateful that I started early. But if you really want to do it, you can make it happen... you will just have to be vigilant. Or you could do what Jay's parents did when he was a kid.... throw out the TV or give it away. Good luck.

The Wholesome "Bean"

Jay and I have a few TV shows that we enjoy watching together, but our children are not allowed to watch TV, period, which they don't, unless it's at a friend's house. (We don't have cable TV.) However, they are allowed to watch G-rated children's movies, of which we own plenty.... probably too many.

(Note: I despise PG-rated kids' movies. I would rather have my children see a PG movie that isn't for little kids, like "Star Wars" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark" than the ones made for kids, which always seem to contain an excessive amount of toilet humor, rude behavior, and back-talking children. ARGHHH!)

With the exception of the Pixar movies, which are great, there aren't really any that Jay and I would want to sit down and watch with the kids. But we have recently discovered that our children love to watch something that Jay and I enjoy just as much.

Mr. Bean.

If you haven't been introduced the joys of "Mr. Bean," then go to youtube and watch any (or all) of the clips of Mr. Bean episodes. You can't help laughing. And your kids will too. You gotta love anything that's funny and clean and that the whole family can watch together.
We purchased this DVD set, "The Whole Bean." We also enjoyed "Mr. Bean's Holiday" which I will probably purchase in the near future (only buy books and DVD's from Half.com... way cheaper!). By the way, don't bother with the "Mr. Bean Animated Series." It's just not that funny. You have to see Rowan Atkinson doing his stuff.

Ladmo Bag

OK. Since I guess there are some people who read my blog who wonder about a Ladmo Bag, I will give you the scoop.

In the early days of "The Wallace and Ladmo Show" they would draw names of children who sent in their name and phone number, and they would get to choose a prize from the "toy wall." But this was live T.V. and it took a really long time for some of the children to decide. So, they got the idea to throw a bunch of junk from their sponsors into a paper sack and just give them that instead.

Everyday there would be 2 or 3 children from the studio audience who would receive a Ladmo Bag, chosen randomly from the seating chart. It always contained the same kind of coveted junk. Jay actually made a list of what was in his:

- Red Vines
- Cheetos
- Doritos
- Lay's potato chips
- peanut butter crackers
- Pixy Stix
- Twinkie
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- Barg's Rootbeer
- Laffy Taffy rope
- Oreos
- Cheez-its
- Butterfinger
- Zinger
- signed photo of Wallace, Ladmo, and Gerald
- certificate for popcorn at Harkins Theatres
- admission to Mesa Historical Museum (where there is a "Wallace and Ladmo" exhibit)

And now you know.

Ho Ho Ha Ha Hee Hee Ha Ha.....

We had a very "entertaining" weekend. Friday night, Jay took the boys camping (Fathers-and-Sons outing), while Mary and I went to a "Family Fun Night" at the school to watch the amazing Craig Davis perform. (Way more fun than camping!) That was my 4th time seeing him perform, and I was just as blown-away as the first time. He combines comedy, magic, and juggling. He is very entertaining. For any of you who live in the area, if you ever have a chance to see him perform, take it! It's a lot of fun. My boys were so sad they missed it, but they had a great time with their dad.

Then on Saturday night Jay and I went to see The Citrus Valley Playhouse put on their "Tribute to the Wallace and Ladmo Show."* It was so much fun! And Jay won a Ladmo Bag! (Finally! He has been griping about that for years! I won one at a book signing a few years ago.) Please post a comment if you are the proud owner of a Ladmo Bag, or if you live with a nagging feeling that you will never be completely fulfilled because you never won one. (I'm truly sorry for you.)I guess you could call CVP the Arizona version of "A Prairie Home Companion"... except that it's way funnier, even if you aren't from Arizona. If you ever have the chance to see them perform, GO! I love this promo for the show. (This is for you Jen!)

* If you have never heard of "Wallace and Ladmo" then you obviously didn't live in Arizona anytime between 1954 and 1989. (Poor you!) It was the longest running children's television show in America. And it was like no other children's show. There has been nothing like it before or since.

Random Stuff

It's spring break for the kids. We spent a few days at the cabin, which was fun. There was a fair amount of snow when we arrived, but it melted the next day. At least the kids got to enjoy it before it was gone. Even though we went home, Collin stayed at the cabin for the rest of the week with his cousins.

Yesterday was Jay's birthday. He and I went out to dinner to celebrate.... sans kids! Hooray! He had to drive to Tucson today to speak at a convention, but he is on his way home... early enough for lunch. Double-hooray!

I got my haircut yesterday..... 4 inches off! People would never consider it short by any means, but it feels short to me because I have been wearing it long for the last several years.

The kids were watching our new DVD of "101 Dalmatians" and laughing their heads off. I couldn't figure out why until I went in and listened.... they were watching it in French, or "Francais" as Mary informed me.

Collin informed me recently that he and his best friend at school are making a movie. Every day at recess they work on writing the script. They are very serious about this and have every intention of seeing it through. I don't have the heart to tell them that it's not very realistic, but who knows.

We rented some DVD's from the library. What a great resource! My favorite one was "Howl's Moving Castle." If you haven't seen any of Hayao Miyazaki's movies, then you absolutely must! The others I have seen are "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Spirited Away," and I loved them both.