First Grade Academia Marvels

May 2, 2013 by

I’ve decided I want to raise a geek. Seriously. Other parents can have their popularity and cheerleading contests because I don’t want my kid to get caught up in that rat race. The nicest teenagers I know are the geeks–they’re smart, respectful, have a great group of supportive friends and go on to have successful careers.

Bode is turning into a little geek and I couldn’t be more proud. He loves learning. I bought him an interactive Intelliglobe for Christmas and that boy is constantly drilling me on my continents, populations and ecology with his globe’s 18 touch and explore features, trivia and multiple choice challenges. He’s also borderline obsessed with getting to the very end of Raz Kids with its interactive ebooks, downloadable books, and reading quizzes. And math. Don’t even get me started with math. Everything begins and ends with numbers.

I don’t remember a lot about first grade. I was still pretty cute (that quickly changed a couple years later) and I was madly in love with Phillip Cutler who later moved to Texas (oh, the heartbreak). And that I got a lot of nosebleeds. Beyond that, first grade was pretty much a wash.

Last week, Bode had his parent-teacher conference and he led us around his classroom showing us his various projects, playing a math game and reading. It’s amazing to see how much his writing has improved since the beginning of the year–from one-sentence paragraphs to multi-page essays. He’s thriving in all areas and only missed one answer on the state-wide standardized BEAR test.

Jamie, of course, had to give him a hard time about that.

For reading, he’s currently testing out at the same level as a second grader at the end of the year.

Jamie joked he could take next year off. That husband of mine thought he was the parent-teacher stand-up comedian. Bode’s teacher wasn’t that amused.

We were blown away by it all but the kicker was at the end. Bode has been working on a research project on an animal of his choice: sloths. He sat us down to show us the PowerPoint presentation he had prepared on the subject.

Things have changed a wee bit since I was in first grade.

Filed Under: Bode, Humor

Why I will not be going to beauty school

April 30, 2013 by

I’m Florida-bound today and will be checking out the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village for Travel Mamas. I committed to the trip before I realized one very important thing: I would be missing the kids’ piano recital. I am particularly remorseful because it is Bode’s first one.

Fortunately, Aunt Lisa came to the rescue, as per this email chain from yesterday.

Lisa: Jamie, I know that Amber is out of town this week, so I’m a little worried how Haddie is going to look for her piano recital (and Bode too but we can’t do much for him J ).  This is not to offend you but you are a guy (that’s true).  Let me know if you need any help and I can stop by your place before the recital.  Are you offended now?  I didn’t think so. lol

Jamie: I have never been offended by having less work to do.  Especially when it comes to girly stuff.  Feel free to swing on by.

Me: AMEN, Lisa. I sent Jamie an itinerary for the week and included on it for them to dress nicely for the recital. I was also worried about Bode going to school every day with bedhead without me there to comb it down so I took matters into my own hands and tried cutting it for the first time yesterday. Those two bald spots on the side of his head will hopefully grow back soon. #NoLie

Jamie: No joke.  Our neighbor asked what letters were carved into the side of Bode’s hair yesterday.  She asked, “is it a G?”   I then began to explain that Bode is a big fan of the Green Bay Packers and that it was a G that he requested on the side of his head.”

Lisa: Oh no.  We are not Green Bay Packers fans in this family.  I’ll go buy him a hat!!! lol

Jamie: Lol  #savebodeshead

Hair grows back, right?

And for the record, I shaved that “G” for Great, which is how he’s going to do at his first recital.

===

Video of Bode’s recital

Video of Hadley’s recital

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor

Battling Out the Glory Days

April 23, 2013 by

Bode recently started soccer for the spring. He has been with the same group of boys for a few years so it’s always a joyous reunion when a new season rolls around. He is a solid player and usually scores every game because he’s really good at ball handling and dribbling.

What he is not good at? The Big Kick (as Jamie calls it). We found that out the hard way when his coach held him back as the Sweeper, whose primary job is to belt the ball upfield. Little dude would try to just dribble the ball past his attackers and it often backfired on him.

Thank goodness they’ll start to play on a bigger field with real positions soon. That kid has “forward” written all over him.

We recently went out for Chinese food and were trying to explain to Bode all the different positions in soccer with (what else?) sugar packets.

The problem with this is whenever we try to talk strategy, Jamie and I disagree on our old glory deals. Jamie boasts what a scoring machine he was and I always assert my soccer career was much more glorious than his (competitive, much?) with my near-foray onto Alberta’s provincial team before my busted ankle. Blah, blah, blah.

As we were battling it out in front of Bode, I told him, “I was center-mid. They called me “The Rover” because I was just so good I followed the ball wherever it went.”

Jamie interjected, “It is also called ‘being out of position.'”

 

 

Filed Under: Bode, Humor, Jamie

On Being Extreme Gamers

April 18, 2013 by

Bode has always loved to play games. We’re currently on hiatus from board and card games (but I’m sure they’ll resume when we have more time in the summer). He loves mazes these days and I bought him a book with hundreds of mazes and word games.

The other day, he came in to play hangman with me. I found myself holding my breath every time he asked me to play and I couldn’t figure out why I was feeling little pangs of anxiety.

Then it dawned on me: playing hangman with a kid who can’t spell. It’s the extreme version of gaming.

Filed Under: Bode, Humor

Let’s NOT Go Fly A Kite

April 16, 2013 by

I have frequently documented my dislike for all-things kites, particularly when it comes to flying the blasted things. Which, I hear, is kind of the point. Though I wouldn’t know because I’ve never gotten one airborne.

And yet every year when the Arvada Kite Festival rolls around I think, “Oh, let’s go see the kites! It’s a perfect spring activity!” Call it early-onset dementia.

We had a 2.5-hour window between Bode’s soccer game and a baptism so we high-tailed it over. We should have kept on driving because we drove around for ages trying to find a parking spot. Hey, Arvada Festivals Commission–let’s maybe rethink holding an event in a neighborhood with zero parking.

Knowing it’s a huge problem, they tried to shuttle people in from the community swimming pool a mile away but hey, Arvada Festivals Commission–when you say the shuttles are going to run every 10 minutes, make sure we don’t wait there for a half-hour before finally deciding to just walk out of sheer frustration. Oh, and it might help if your poor volunteer’s Walkie Talkies work.

We were ticked off by the time we got to the park almost an hour later but our spirits were elevated when we saw all the kites! We collapsed, exhausted, and watched them battle it out with the clouds. When the wind was calm, people lounged on the grass but the moment the wind picked up, it was sheer magic as all the kites fought for air space.

We grabbed some of our favorite treats from Granny’s…

Granny’s

…sat in front of the loudspeaker and when Billie Jean and Footloose came on, darnit if that Bode didn’t start break dancing for the crowd.

We should have left while the gettin’ was good.

The Arvada Kite Festival has grown over years and there was a petting zoo, vendors, food trucks, bouncy castles, hamster balls and much more. Bode wanted to go jump but then we passed the Booth of Doom: they were selling kites for $4.

“Mommy, can we pulllllease buy a kite?” Hadley begged.

Since it was a kite festival, after all, I said “yes,” forgetting that my relationship with those flying temptresses is much better at a distance.

Hadley ripped the packaging open and within moments, a gust of wind swept it away, dive-bombing a guy from a neighboring booth.

After apologizing profusely, we made our way out to the field but Hadley couldn’t get it to fly. We sought the guidance of a spectator who informed us our kite was missing the crossbar on the back. So, I headed back over to the Booth of Death, informed the nice sales guy, he tossed our kite behind him and gave us another one. Swell, right? Mere moments later, Hadley saw the wooden crossbar she had likely dropped from Kite No. 1.

“Oh no, we found it.”
“Don’t worry about it. I already trashed the other kite.” And he tossed it in the garbage.

So we took our  new kite out for another try. Almost immediately, a gust of wind swept it up, up, up, up and then down, down, down. It crashed in a marvelous belly flop, completely obliterating the back of the cheap kite. And guess what was busted? The crossbar.

Back to the Booth of Death we trudged. The man bristled when he saw me.

“Sir, do you remember that wooden crossbar we found from the kite you threw away?”
“Yes.”
“May we have that back?”

Without speaking another word, he handed it to me. I didn’t make eye contacted for fear of the daggers.

Hadley and Bode kept trying and failing. Hadley kept yelling at me I wasn’t tossing it upwards the right way, I was complaining right back to her that she wasn’t letting out the line quick enough and Bode kept getting tangled up in it all.

Our unflyable kite

You know all those nice images of how peaceful and soul-filling kite-flying is? LIES, ALL LIES.

As we were about ready to wrap things up, our line got ensnared with someone else’s and I. Was. Done. As the nice man tried to untangle it, I said, “Just cut ours off.” He protested, obviously not seeing the veins that were bulging out of my head or that we were going to be late for the baptism and still had to combat the transportation nightmares back to our car. “No, seriously,” I told him. “We need to leave so just cut our line.” He reluctantly did so and we were free!

As we dejectedly trudged back to the car, I taught the children a new word: “boycott.” And that, my friends, is exactly what we’re going to do the next time the Arvada Kite Festival rolls around.

Unless I have early-onset dementia again.

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Hadley, Humor

Utah: How I Love Thee (Mostly) and our Park City Family Vacation

April 4, 2013 by

My complicated relationship with Utah was reconfirmed during our latest visit for spring break. I wouldn’t go are far as to say it’s a love-hate dynamic but I always struggle between “I want to move back here” and “I’m so glad I got out of here,” the former attributed to the mountains and family and the later, to cultural idiosyncrasies.

But what could be better than hanging out reading books with Grandma in her beautiful, new finished basement?
Not to mention dying eggs and a fun Easter egg hunt with our darling cousins?And sneaking off to do this memorable hike on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail behind Red Butte Gardens wasn’t too bad, either.
Our spring break was about two things: Skiing at Park City Mountain Resort and family. Fortunately, we were able to combine them both by staying at Silver Star, a gorgeous three-bedroom town home at the base. The gift basket is courtesy of Resorts West. The Cheese Balls, thanks to us.
We like to keep it classy.

For four days, we hot tubbed, watched The Hobbit, grilled burgers, ate and hung out.

Ski School

That was just the indoor fun. The kids did ski school for a few days and Bode rocked his “Superstar” class.

Attempting Mary Katherine Gallagher’s “Superstar” pose

And Hadley graduated to an intermediate-advanced class. Her instructor told us she used to train the U.S. Ski Team, gave us her card and said that she “could work with her.”
Some parents would sell their soul if their kid had an iota of Olympic potential. We’re underachievers who said “that’s nice” and went back to eating our Cheese Balls.

Jamie had a stellar time on the mountain, with the exception of the day I got really ill from an allergy-induced sinus infection.

I, of course, have to get sick on every vacation.

Tubing for a Bruising

Then, there was Gorgoza Park. On our final night in Park City, Jamie’s sister and her family joined us for some fun at this adventure park outside of Park City. Our kiddos tore up the mini snowmobiles.Our 3-year-old twinnies are darling and sweet but oh-so fearful. They’re under 42-inches tall so had to tube the Lower Lanes, which is a good thing because they were sufficiently traumatized. For the first run, Ada went down with her dad without a problem while Berkley was HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. Jamie’s sister Tammy soothed her fears and even Ada’s pep talk about “being brave” didn’t help. After several motivational speeches, they eventually went down with Berkley screaming the whole way.

Then came the final attempt. The staffer at the top complimented Tammy saying “Most parents just throw their kids in the tube but you handled that just right by talking it out with her.” But this time, it was Ada who decided to freak out and refuse to go down the hill. After trying to calm her down, they all loaded up and had the staffer push them down the hill with Ada screaming the whole way.

“You mean, the parents do it like this?” Tammy joked to him.

I always knew I liked her.

For Fear Factor, Edition 2 we dragged Jamie’s mom up and down The Big Hill.

She initially wasn’t very happy but unlike Ada and Berkley, Adventure Grandma didn’t cry even once.

Family Ski Day

There are few things that bring me more joy than skiing with my little family and though we hope to keep them in ski school as long as possible, I love when we can ski together. A tradition at many resorts is to throw bead necklaces in the trees as you’re passing them on the chair lift. We purchased eight necklaces from the Dollar Store prior to our trip and were so excited to try it.

The problem: Bode lost two of them before we even left the condo. We also hadn’t calculated the exact moment we would need to toss them, taking into account the velocity of the chair lift, the angle of the trees and our sheer incompetence.

Translation: We failed at physics and I think only two actually made it into the trees.

There were many, many other adventures including skiing down the Adventure Alleys designed for kids, doing the jumps at the terrain park, the alpine coaster and Flying Eagle zipline.And then my very favorite moment of the entire trip: summiting the top of the McConkey Lift. Perched at the top of the ski resort, only intermediate and advanced skiers can access it and this was our first as a family.

Bode squealed, “I’m the king of the world” as he gazed out upon the endless sea of mountains. Then as he peered over the edge as he skied and he confessed, “I’m kinda freaking out” but went on to ski it like a champ.

His wasn’t the only breakdown. The day before, Jamie had taken me down double-black expert terrain at Jupiter Bowl when I was still recovering from the plague. There are no pictures of his indiscretion, which is probably a good thing because the less evidence, the better.

Hopefully, Ada, Berkley, Bode , Grandma and I will have forgotten those freakout moments by the time we return to have the time of our lives at Park City Mountain Resort next year.

Filed Under: Bode, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, Jamie, skiing, travel, Utah

The wizarding world of siblings

April 2, 2013 by

Not to discount parents who have only one child but I firmly believe some of life’s most important relationships are learned through sibling relationships–the good and the bad. As I watch my kids play, struggle, fight, make-up, sacrifice and love I can’t help but be grateful they have each other, even if they don’t always appreciate it.

When we are traveling and adventuring, they get along marvelously 95 percent of the time. They have to–all they have is each other. When they’re home, it’s an entirely different manner. It’s about territory, competition and stuff. Hadley is entering the tween years where so many things her little brother does annoy her (I remember them well). It doesn’t help that he is thriving in areas in which she is struggling, augmenting an already complicated dynamic. Sometimes she can be downright mean.

A couple of weeks ago my friend Jenn, even though she had a house full of kids, graciously offered to watch H and B while Jamie and I went to the temple. The next morning, Jenn told me Hadley threw a fit about Bode joining in a game, stormed off, vented, got over it and later joined in. I was U-P-S-E-T and her attitude had gone too far. Jamie and I met with her to discuss the consequences for her actions and gave her a chance “to make it up” to Jenn and Bode.

That afternoon, I canceled her playdate with a friend so she could make Jenn an apology card and some Easter cookies. I then asked her to think of three day’s worth of thoughtful things she could secretly do for her brother. She decided to start by cleaning his room.

Next, Hadley carried the cookies over to Jenn, rehearsing her apology. I was proud of her–She was willingly being accountable for her actions. As she walked up to the front step, she turned and WHOOOOOSH, the cookies went flying off the plate. She looked at me, ready to cry. I looked at her. “Let’s go home,” I announced. She was deflated and I jokingly reminded her of a story we had recently read in the children’s Friend, “Three Milk Shakes for Malachi.” She started to perk up. “Hopefully it won’t take me that many times!”

This time, she loaded up our personal stash of cookies, took them over, rang the doorbell and Jenn answered. Only she wasn’t alone. Jenn is the Bishops’ wive and our kindly Bishop joined her as well. Hadley faltered a bit before sputtering out her apology. They graciously thanked her and she raced away, beaming.

She tried really hard the rest of the day to be nice to him (no small feat for her). That evening as we were getting ready for bed, Bode entered his room for the first time.

“Wow, look at how clean it is!”

“Did you do it, Mommy?”

“No.”

“Did Daddy do it?”

“No, Hadley did it.”

“Was it Fat Kitty?

“It was your sister!”

“Or maybe it was a wizard?”

Something tells me this sibling dynamic will be a long, hard road.

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor

Bode’s first guest post: Disney World!

March 27, 2013 by

Bode was interviewed on the news at New Fantasyland

It has been a few months since we surprised the kids with our trip to Disney World. And the farther out it gets, the more I realize just how much I loved that place.

I had visited Disneyland a few times but what I relished about its Floridian counterpart (and was unprepared for) was its international flair. The Animal Kingdom’s Asian and African sections. Epcot’s Parade of Nations. Though they weren’t real, they were the next best thing in my book.

Last week, I was thrilled to finally be invited to one of the most sought-after tickets in the blogosphere: to the Disney Social Media Moms Conference at Disney World. This invitation-only event is in big demand. Not even kidding–women were practically crying and lamenting when they weren’t invited.  Disney makes it affordable to bring your family and I was ready for Round 2.

Until I looked at the date in May: It was the same time as Hadley’s three-day class adventure to a farm, an overnight field trip I am helping plan and chaperone. Bummer. Fingers are crossed I’m on Disney’s shortlist for an invitation next year.

As I was mourning about missing out, my sweet Bode brought home a three-page essay he wrote about his “most fun day ever” and (shocker), it was about Disney World. He got a perfect score on his paper for using lots of descriptive words. The kid is in first grade and I think he has a future in the business. So here it is!

This was the most fun day of my life! It was dark and early. One morning, my tan mom tried to wake me up but I was still sleeping in my blue, comfortable bed. Finally, I got out of my blue bed. Then, we went to the white airport. We went through the white security.

After I went through the white security, I went through a dark tunnel. To get through the dark tunnel, I went on the light train. There were different stops. I got off at Stop B. Right after I got off the white train, I went to find the white airplane. I waited for HOURS and HOURS. I was bored but I was EXCITED!

While I was waiting, I guessed where I was going. My sister Hadley got it right–we were going to the magical Disney World!

Finally, I got on the white airplane. I was on the white airplane for three hours. I was in the puffy, white clouds. The white airplane landed with a thud! I unloaded my green airplane suitcase. I followed the grey Mickey Mouse footprints. I waited in a very long line.

Finally, I was in the front of the very long line. Then, the magical shuttle arrived! After I got off the magical shuttle, I checked in. The place I was staying at was Radiator Springs in Cars Land. I went to get popcorn and a soda. Then, I went on some awesome rides.

As I said, this was the most fun day of my life.

Another first: that he called me “tan.” Thanks, Little Dude. It truly is a Magical Kingdom.

Filed Under: Bode, Disney

How to get your kids to appreciate you

March 25, 2013 by

Ingratitude. It’s the age-old battle all parents wage with their kids. But I have found the solution for instilling gratitude:

Leave them for a week.

I recently spent a week in Canada for some family matters. I arrived home to jubilant children who pelted me with their stuffed animals and doused me with hugs and kisses. Their excitement was augmented when I brought them their very favorite food in the entire world: Tim Hortons Timbits (thanks to Dad for enduring a 4 a.m. doughnut run before my early flight).

But with time, the children started whispering.

“Do you see that pile of dishes? It got to be this high!”

“I have no clean underwear. Have you seen all the dirty clothes in my laundry basket?”

And the worst one of all:

“THERE HAVE BEEN NO HOMEMADE COOKIES IN THE COOKIE JAR!”

Though I left a fridge and freezer full of healthy food, McDonald’s and pizza became the staples (though you didn’t see the kids tattling about that).

I won’t mention when I called 40 minutes after bedtime on a school night and they were waging a mixed-martial arts competition after watching Here Comes the Boom. In the background, I could hear Bode saying, “Daddy said we could have three cookies!”

Sounds like he coped just fine with his store-bought Oreos.

This is not a knock on Jamie…far from it. The dude was a single dad for a week while he juggled a demanding work schedule, Bishopric, homework, poor health and shuttling the kids to their various activities while making sure they were fed. I couldn’t have gone  home if my wonderful husband hadn’t generously stepped up.

But it was a wake-up for all of them that clean clothes don’t just magically appear, delicious, homemade food doesn’t make itself, and darn it, those dishes don’t wash themselves. Maybe that lady we call Mom does more around here than nag us to keep a schedule, do our chores and to make our beds.

Though apparently they got a bye on all those things last week.

They don’t know how really good they had it.

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor, Jamie

Colorado Life According to Instagram

March 23, 2013 by

It only takes a quick glance of the onslaught of pictures I’ve taken on my phone to realize I’m so far behind on documenting my life I’ll never get caught up. I’ve been wrapping up a couple of big campaigns and took on an additional freelance assignment in addition to everything else I’m juggling. But no complaints here. Whenever I start to feel grumpy about my lack of free time, I’m filled with gratitude that so many doors have been opened for me at Denver’s biggest media outlets and that the kiddos are happy and healthy.

That said, I told Jamie when much of it wraps mid-April, I’m hitting the trail. A lot. At the beginning of the school year, I declared this to be my “Princess Year.”  with the kids finally in school full-day. Welp, it never happened; I’ve just been too busy. But I’ve decided those final weeks before school lets will be my Princess Month. I’ll take whatever I can squeak out at this point.

What we’ve been up to lately:

Threw a going-away party for Bode’s teacher Mrs. Davenport who has been substituting for the last few months for his beloved teacher who was out on personal leave.I got choked up during my good-bye speech to her, even though I’d barely met the woman. Because I’m an emotional wreck like that.

One day when I met my deadlines early, I rewarded myself with a hike at Chautauqua, my favorite area on the Front Range.

Because I’m nice to myself like that.

Took this girl to the great outdoors to collect sticks for a class project we’ll reveal later.

I didn’t complain when I was left to do the compiling while this girl explored across Clear Creek on her own.

We kicked off Spring Break with Bode’s friend Nicky’s party at Mid-air Adventures, which was a ziplining and high-flying adventure. I was proud of both kiddos for doing the giant swing, which terrified them.Better them than me.

Though we thought winter was behind us, we got a big dump of snow this weekend so we, of course, had to play. I was impressed when Hadley proactively started clearing off Jamie’s car and Bode shoveled our neighbor’s driveway.


Though I ended up finishing both jobs, we’ll count this as “It’s the thought that counts.”

And finally, sweet Bode brought home the numerous projects he has been working on this term. He has been learning about goods/services and needs/wants in his economics class.
I don’t know if I’m more charmed that he has Heavenly Father under “My Needs” or homework under “My Wants.” #SpiritualGeek

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley
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