While the beach itself was windy yet entirely entertaining for the kids, we also got to throw our money away in the pit of a game room at the condo, which the kids thought was one chaotic interpretation of heaven:

Conveniently enough, there was a bouncy haven blown up across the street from the ice cream place one night (no pictures of Henry sliding down - he was too fast):

We went out for ice cream on the night of Henry's birthday since we had the cake earlier in the week (again, no picture of Henry eating his as he devoured the scoops of strawberry on a cone. Svea took her time, of course):

We walked the strip of shops during the day, enjoying the sun as the buildings sheltered us from the wind. Henry and Svea enjoyed the sculptures:

Happy Spring Break 2010!

Spring Break Twenty Ten!

We took a last minute trip to Panama City Beach for Spring Break 2010.



Henry and Svea loved it - Brian and I were a little chilly.



They played in the water until their lips were purple, then we would head to the indoor pool.



Just as awesome as Spring Break '09 and...



...Spring Break '08...



...if not more educational since we were in PCB along with all the crazy college aged. But what can beat the beach, even when it's chilly and full of crazies?

Not much.

Henry is Six!

Flag football + Inflatable goal post + Crimson cake with White icing and football players on top + "Believing" that everyone there was an Alabama fan = Perfect afternoon to celebrate Henry!

Henry, Sk8ter Boy

Somebody got a new skateboard for his birthday...

My New Favorite Story

"Suddenly Spiderman heard a noise! It was..."

"...Batman. And then Spiderman said, 'Oh. Batman, I heard you.'

Then Spiderman and Batman they went to lunch."

(DISCLAIMER: Henry wrote this story last month and Brian and I have been giggling over it ever since. I realize that putting up something of this nature on the blog can invite a lot of judgement...like how well my just-turned 6 year old can spell compared to maybe your own child...who perhaps is 4 years old but is already mastering the touch pad on your laptop. I posted it because no matter how competitive we can be with our children or nieces or nephews, the site of our beloved children's handwriting and expressions of imagination are the most beautiful sight to our eyes and melt our hearts no matter what phase of development. So I'm not bragging or displaying any literary delays, just loving this for what it is: a story about Batman and Spiderman from a boy who really believes in them.)

OMG like LOL and all.

When Aunt Beth comes to town...the iPhone has apps for the kids...

Hooray for Gymnastics Birthday Parties!

Sunday Morning Thoughts, Losing Teeth, Playing in Snow. Whew.

Henry has decided that he wants to sit with me in church on Sunday mornings instead of joining the other children at Children's Church.

This is just fine with me since it's about the only time in the week he is still long enough for me to cuddle him for half a second.

He'll draw on all of the offering envelopes and then make an elaborate baseball game on his bulletin. Then he'll stop for awhile and just when I think he is listening, he'll look at me and ask, "What happens if you eat the sun?"

Towards the end, he'll usually pull his hair a lot and say, "I don't like my hair. I want it OFF."

At least he's honest.

And did I mention he lost his two front teeth this week? Awesome. Or as he says now, "Awethome."

We also had some snow recently and Henry had a great time making a snowman:

Then smashing it:

Svea found the snow to be cold and wet, and the indoors to be warm and dry. She prefers warm and dry.

Smart kid.

She Always Says the Right Things...Mostly Kinda.

Svea: Mom, I am NEVER going to eat earwax.

Svea: (playing with her workshop and measuring the height of something) Mom! The measure is enough!

Svea: Mom! Let's play Hide and Seek! I'll be Jesus!



Svea: (after I had hung her clothes in her closet) Mom! Look! All of my clothes are on hookers!

Svea: (learning to play I Spy) I spy that white truck!

Svea: Henry, MY mom works at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Whaaaaaat?

Svea is also interested in repeating herself until you look at her and respond. Apparently, there is not a limit to how many times she will repeat herself. Once, in the car, she was calling Henry's name over and over again and then telling him the same story repeatedly. He was looking at her, blank-faced. When she was done with some cycle of her tale, he stopped her and said, "Svea, my brain is thinking about something else right now." Then he turned his head and looked out of his window.

If only we were all so honest.

100 Days...

Last Tuesday was Henry's 100th day of kindergarten. To celebrate, all the children dressed up like they were 100 years old. Henry was so excited and planned his entire outfit, practiced a bent-over walk, and made everybody call him Mr Smith.

We do not know any old men named Mr. Smith, for the record.



Pops let us saw off part of one of his canes, Sugar lent us a tennis ball, I, Husband sacrificed his 3-D glasses from seeing avatar, and I let him borrow my eyeliner pencil to draw all the face lines and stubbly beard. Svea gave her approval.



When I took him to school that morning, he got really nervous when we pulled up into the drop-off line. He said, "Mom! I don't want the cane and glasses anymore!"
I looked around and there were NO OTHER CHILDREN dressed up. I even saw kids in his class walking in normal clothes. I panicked that we had gotten the wrong day and ruined Henry's self esteem for life. He was going to be called Gramps or Geezer until high school and it was MY FAULT.

Like a good parent I told him he HAD to take the glasses and cane in and please get out of the car. Which he did.

After stressing all day about it, when I picked him up he still had his glasses on and cane in hand and he was grinning, laughing about all the students who had worn their bathrobes to school and even a shower cap was on one girl's head! Mom! A shower cap!

So hooray for Mr. Smith and dress-up days at school...even if this kindergarten gig is stressing me out.

Spidey Skills

I started this blanket back in October for Henry for his Christmas blanket gift. I got the pattern from my friend Alex and want to recommend it to Stacy, but only after she completes her degree and get more than 5 hours of sleep at night.
I thought I could complete this web by Christmas Day...but it was more like A Little After Epiphany.
Whatever.

Henry decided it was fine as a blanket, but he would rather have it as a rug...so it's on his floor. Where he walks on it.

And plays knights and army and football games on it. I want to explain the intricacies of the crocheted chevron stitch in-the-round, but for some reason, he doesn't care about that.

Oh well. Go Spidey Blanket Rug! You are well-loved by my sweet Spidey son!

JPW

While (mostly) every other kid dresses normally, mine needs to be John Parker Wilson at all times.

(I mean occasionally he is Greg McElroy or Julio Jones. And, no, he does not care that JP graduated. I asked.)

The Brigade

Hooray for TerraCycle and the CapriSun Brigade!

On the outside of the CapriSun box is information about a company called TerraCycle. They take rinsed-out CapriSun pouches and recycle them into backpacks, pencil holders, clipboards, etc. So cool. They even recycle oreo cookie package wrappers and old chip bags.

Again, so cool.

When we entered the soccer season last year, and started packing lunches and snacks for school, and CapriSuns began to litter our lives, TerraCycle came to the rescue!

What's even cooler than how already cool they are, they donate 2 cents to an organization you choose PER POUCH. I picked the default tree-hugger-love-the-earth organization they support, but hopefully can move my 2 cents to raise money for Henry's school.

Especially since his rocking kindergarten teacher is getting all the kids in his class to save their pouches every day and sends them home in a ziplock for me to rinse and mail in.

TerraCycle pays for the shipping and you mail them in once you have a hundred. Here's my envelope with 150 rinsed, flattened pouches. Yes, I am a recycling overachiever.

No School Yawl

When there is no school for whatever reason, sometimes I call my friend Stacy to see what's going on up in her 'hood.

Last Monday, I convinced Stacy to pack up her three kids and meet us at the park.



And it was awesome: weather, play, fun for all. We even had a whole conversation or two.



Henry needed some good tackling from Luke, Svea needed some good swinging and imaginary role play with Caleb.

And little Paul needed to fall down a lot.




That's Caleb, the tie-dye monkey.

And Paul after one of his many dives in a puddle.

And Svea and Caleb sharing the swing:

Thanks for a great play date Luke, Caleb and Paul! Best Monday yet in 2010.

Art in the Kitchen is the Best

Awesome hanger for recent artwork that is perfect for our kitchen:

Thanks Aunt Merpha!

Rock Band Garage Guitar Hero

Or something.

So we have Guitar Hero. And I don't know how to play it. But I, Husband is pretty awesome at it and the kids saw him play it once and now they have invented their own game of some Rock Star Wonder Something.

The only song they really play is "We Will, We Will ROCK YOU" and I'm not sure where they learned that song actually.

At least they take turns with the instruments...



...and they swap up rooms sometimes and haven't even fallen off of Henry's top bunk yet.



Sugar was rather unimpressed:



Rock on, fellow blog readers.