Monday, November 26, 2012

Faces

I sure do love these cheerful faces first thing in the morning.




A Funny Boy

Guess whose feet these are!
From the post title you can probably tell.
I was painting Blythe's nails the other day and I asked Brandt if he wanted his painted too.
He said yes, so he has blue toenails.

And speaking of funny, today Brandt asked, and this is a direct quote, 
"Can we put wild dogs in your bedroom?"
There's a question I never thought I would be asked.
It was in connection with his desire to make our house into a haunted house next Halloween,
but even still.
Who wants wild dogs in the bedroom?

Thursday, November 22, 2012

School Lunch

Last Friday, parents of first graders were invited to join them for lunch.  Earlier in the week we had been asked to indicate if we would be coming and if we wanted to buy lunch.  Brandt has never yet bought school lunch, he always has me pack him something, so I opted to go with him, but not to buy lunch.  I packed myself the same thing I had packed Brandt in the morning, and joined him just before their class went to the lunchroom.

Brandt never finishes his lunch, and sitting with him in the lunchroom, I had a revelation.  I now know why he never finishes.  It was absolute pandemonium.  There was so much noise and confusion and people wandering around, Brandt couldn't concentrate on his food if he wanted to.  I tried to talk to him and his four other classmates who sat by us, but it was so loud I had a hard time hearing anything they were saying.  They all look so little, too.  Most of them, including Brandt, seemed a bit at sea.

When Brandt was done (he ate more because I was there), he stood up and said, "Now I get to go play.  I go right out that door."  I said okay, wished him a good day, and sat to finish my lunch.  After a couple of minutes he came back in and said, "You can come outside on the playground if you want."  I took that as an indication that I was wanted outside, so I packed up my lunch remainders and went out.  I watched him play with his a friend from his class, Izaiah, and several other kids I didn't know.  He was a bit more confident outside.  When I got cold enough standing around, I said goodbye and walked home.  I think I will make it a more regular thing and join Brandt maybe once a month or so.  I think I will also suggest that soothing classical music be played in the hope that overall atmosphere in the lunchroom will be calmer.


One cool dude on the playground.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

We Go to Disneyland, Part 2

Tuesday, November 6: The day began early, again, but not as early as the day before.  Brandt woke just before six, and as we were able to enter the park early, we didn't have quite as many hours to fill before we were able to leave for another fun day.  By the time we cleared security, the line for entrance, and getting a wheelchair for my mom, it didn't feel like we were getting a really early start, but the kids were remarkably patient once we got going.  

We certainly had another fun day.  We went on two rides all together, everyone.  We did Pirates of the Caribbean where our family filled a whole boat, and the Jungle Cruise.  We rode, we walked, we played.  They were filming in the park on Tuesday, so parts of the park were closed.  We worked our way around them and kept our eyes peeled for Tom Hanks.  Here's the inside scoop I got from a nice park worker.  Tom Hanks is playing Walt Disney in a movie about the making of Mary Poppins.  I, however, saw no one famous.  

 

 
While we were waiting in line to get a wheelchair, the children were climbing around and Brandt was conducting.  I don't remember exactly what music was playing, but Brandt was leading with great flair.  Blythe was mugging for the camera.

Here was are, all of us, in front of the train station, clock, and Mickey flowers.
Back row: Mikayla, Guy, me, Kent, Christopher, Tysen, Eugene, Blake, Sharae, Sue
Front row: Brandt, Blythe, Griffin, Ava, Crew, Luke, Collin (in stroller), Makenna
It was sunny, warm, and beautiful. 

Eugene and his kids.
I'm not sure where Sharae is.

This is my score on the Buzz Lightyear ride.
I thought I had done pretty well, but I was comparing myself to Blythe.
I only got to level three.

Waiting in line for the Finding Nemo submarine ride.

With Makenna in the sub anxiously awaiting our undersea experience. 

Under the sea.

On Monday we happened upon the end of a Jedi training show that certainly captured Brandt's attention.  A whole group of children were wearing small brown capes and wielding light sabers against Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and several storm troopers.  Brandt was very keen on participating, as long as he didn't have to get on stage and fight either Darth.  Upon our arrival at the shown, we learned there had been a "disturbance in The Force" and Jedi training was cancelled.  I think Darth Vader probably got stuck in traffic.  Whatever the reason, the Jedi, Storm Troopers, and Darth Maul were still going to appear and be available for pictures.  We happened to stand at what became the front of the line, and so Brandt was able to have his picture taken.  He was super reluctant to go and do it, however.  It took me a minute to figure out why, when we had been standing waiting for 10 minutes, when the moment arrived, he didn't want to do it.  Well, turns out he was deathly afraid of Darth Maul.  With good reason, too, I might add.  Darth Maul was absolutely frightening.  I assured him he didn't have to stand with Darth Maul, and then he was fine.  So we got a picture with Storm Troopers, Jedi, and then quickly walked past Darth Maul, with me blocking Brandt.  I said, "We don't want anything to do with you," and Darth Maul gnashed his gross yellow teeth at me.  I was afraid too.  Although we did go back for Jedi Training again later in the week, we were a bit late and Brandt didn't participate.  He was, however, happy to just watch.

 
Jedi and Storm Troopers arriving.

Brandt looking confident.

And again, looking like Jedi material.
No photo with Darth Maul

 

At Tarzan's tree house.
When I was growing up and we went to Disneyland, it was the Swiss Family Robinson tree house.




On Pirates.
Notice how Brandt is standing up?
He was like that through the whole ride, yelling at pirates and singing,
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me."

Splash Mountain.  
Kent and Blythe are both behind me and you can't see them because of the light.
It was awfully fun!




 
Jungle cruisin'
The stchick on the Jungle Cruise is hilarious.
Bad pun after bad pun.
And our boat pilot was hilarious.

 

I took this picture because the pilot said the best picture was coming up.
Then, as we came around a bend, he said, "Here it is!"  
I clicked the camera and thought, 'This isn't spectacular,' when he said,
"No, the other side."
Then he was posing.

About 1:00, our little family left the park and went to the beach.  We took Grandma Sue, as well as Crew, Griffin, and Luke.  Crew had been a pill and Christopher offered me $10,000 if I would take him with us.  I said I'd be willing to do it for $7,500, or, for $11,500, I would take Griffin, too.  Luke wanted to come as well.  

As we drove towards the beach, the temperature began to drop.  By the time we got to the beach, it was only about 68 and foggy.  There is a pier at the beach and we couldn't see the end of it.  Inspite of the fog, the children loved it!  They dug in the sand, jumped in the water, looked for shells.  Blythe said, "Mom, help me find shells.  They need to be different colors and different shapes."  The boys chased seagulls and the adults let the water swirl around our ankles.  We stayed until the sun nearly set and everyone was cold.

Right on the beach front there was a donut shop we stopped at.  We each got a donut which we snarfed, in the shop, before the man who worked there had even finished boxing up the donuts we were taking back for the others.  They were delicious!  No picture, however.  The donuts didn't last long enough.









If Blythe's eyes weren't closed, this might be our Christmas card picture.

This is my purse underneath several towels.  
We put our stuff down and ran down to the water, and when we turned around,
six or seven seagulls were pecking away at something in my purse.
I ran back and chased them away, then discovered they got into the cough drops I had for Blythe.
Pesky birds!







Grandma Sue is looking for shells.



Hole digging.

Investigation.









Late in our stay, the sun came out briefly.
About five minutes is all.
But it was nice to see the sun on the surf.


Lovely.
Just lovely.

At the end of the day we returned to the park for Mickey's Soundsational Parade.  This is a fun parade with lots of Disney characters, upbeat music, and bright lights.  Christopher had bought his kids light sabers, so, when the light saber seller came by, our kids had to have one too.  Looking at this picture of the kids together, I am reminded about how much they like each other and how much they like to be together.  They had a great time being together all week.

Ava, Luke, Crew, Blythe, Griffin, Brandt

Our parade watching group.
Mom and Kent stayed at the hotel rather than coming back for the parade.
Mom's ankle hurt and Kent wanted to be alone, quietly.









Here we are buying ridiculously expensive light sabers.
We spent $10 for a cheap plastic toy that probably cost about 73 cents to make.

It's a picture of me!