mMM!

I was telling the kids about a horrible date I had before I met Michael.  They listened silently and soaked in the atrocity I described.  When I finished, Max channeled his inner black woman and asked,

"Mommy, at the end of your date were you like, 'MMMM?'"

First Snowman

I saw this outside the bus window:

Michael and the kids were making a snowman!  Most of the work was being done by Michael, who would ask Max to come into the bus to ask me for carrots.   Simone busied herself by throwing snowballs at Max.

When it came to needing arms for the snowman, Michael sent the kids out to find twigs.  One the run out there, however, Simone tripped and sunk her foot in the snow thus making her unable to hang out outside any longer.   

Max was able to pose with our new friend.

The little snowman didn't last long.  The next morning, Max, superfan of destruction, pushed him off the table.   Just to see what happens.  

The Number 3

Simone either has a gift of looking at numbers in a whole new way or she is bored out of her mind when she studies Math.

While doing multiplication sentences, she asked me,

"Did you know that if you turn the number 3 like this (clockwise), it looks like a butt!"


As she completed 2 x 3 = 6, she noticed,

"Hey, the 3 just farted!"

Aww Shucks

Tonight I was washing dishes when Max ran behind me and jumped onto the bench.  This is not unusual behavior; Max always runs and jumps around the bus.  He had also had some gummy bears which are stashed in a cabinet above the bench so it made sense that he would be running around to let out his energy.

Max just sat silent for a few seconds and then asked, "Mommy, did you know I was there?"

I admitted I knew he was.  Then Max said something I never thought I'd hear - even from such a mischievous boy.

"Aww Shucks!   I was trying to steal some gummies."

_________________________________________

I later told Michael this story in the presence of Max and we all had a good giggle.  Michael then said, "Max, you're just like your mommy."

Max then asked, "Will I have bunions, too?!?"

White February

Look what Nature bestowed on us two days ago!

The kids were so excited to play outside, but I wanted them to do schoolwork first.  But then I thought about what it would be like trying to teach while they squirmed in anticipation for going outside.  I decided to let them play first, study later so they could their curiosity out of their system.  

The first thing they did was make snow angels.  Then the hill behind our bus beckoned them and they tried everything to sled down it.  Ever the resourceful girl, Simone went to the recycling bin at the top of the hill and found some cardboard as a makeshift sled.  Unfortunately the snow wasn't packed enough and maybe the incline was not steep enough that the kids didn't really slide as much as they scooted down the hill with too much effort to make it enjoyable.  In the picture above, Simone is trying to push Max to give him momentum.  I don't think a proper sled would have worked because I saw another camper kid with a real sled heading farther up the hills behind the campground.  I think our hill is too gentle.

The kids were out there for probably 45 minutes.  Max's cheeks were so pink!

I never realized how wet kids can get in the snow.  When I went snowboarding, I did fall on the ground but I never got soaking wet because I didn't wriggle around in the white powder.  These kids were throwing it up in the air and exploring its feel by mushing their body and face in it.  Snow as a young, childless adult is fun.  Snow as a mom of young kids is annoying.

Luckily for the kids, the 5" we received will be around for a couple of more days.  

Birds!

I am in love with watching birds and I wanted to share this hobby with my kids.  For Christmas I gave them a large, squirrel-proof bird feeder into which you put seed cakes.  I was more excited about it than the kids.

I hung it under our tent that stood by the bus and sprinkled seeds around the ground to broadcast to the birds, "This way for food!"  

When I had set the feeder up, snow had not yet fallen and stuck around for the kids to play in.  I wondered if the cold and snow would deter the birds.  Fresh tracks told me that birds have an appetite equivalently ravenous as mine!

We've seen Juncos and Cardinals but they are too heavy or too afraid to try the feeder and just stick to the bird we spread on the ground.  Titmice come around a lot and they are polite to one another to take turns.  I had read horrible reviews that described how house finches will kill other birds that dare to go to the feeder.  Greedy bastards can't even share!  Luckily, there aren't any house finches near here and we haven't had to witness something so horrible.  There used to be Carolina Wrens that visited, but I haven't seen them around.  I hope it's not the titmouse birds scaring them away.

I saw Field Sparrows first poking at the ground, but then they started flying up to the feeder.  They're cute and all, but I've seen them in horribly large numbers at the Commissary and I hope their numbers don't increase so much here that the titmice go away.  I just love the latter's crown!

A Mourning Dove once tried to do the feeder, but it's neck was too huge to go through the openings.  It was brave, though, in that it hung on tightly to the cage while it swayed.  Other medium-size birds such as the Grackle and a Red-Capped Woodpecker have tried to latch on the the cage, but the swaying startles them and they fly away.

After 2 months, the suet cakes are almost gone!

Superheroes in Max's Eyes

Max has started getting into superheroes.  It began with his need to read about more manly characters, ones that were not ponies or sisters.  He had seen Spiderman when he was 2, but our recent lack of Netflix has caused him to search for other superheroes on the library shelves.  For Christmas I got him a little set of figurines that had both the good and bad guys.  Here is a burning question he had for Michael.

"Daddy, why do superheroes wear their underwear on the outside?"

One afternoon, I was sitting on the bed next to Max who was playing with his supervillians and superheroes.  I heard him doing a running commentary of their actions, but I didn't recognize the names he was using.  I asked him to clarify.


     The Green Lantern   =   "Greenie"

     Riddler   =   "Question Guy"

     Penguin   =   "Professor Fat Guy"

and the best interpretation ..............................
   
     Lex Luthor   =   "Weirdo"

Max's Birthday Party

We had not given Max a birthday party for his first 4 years because we saw how Simone was not really cognizant of what was going on.  Sometimes she would remember what happened on her 4th birthday and then other times she couldn't.  Max seemed as if he would remember his 5th birthday party so we threw him a small one.  We invited 2 families that we know from the base, but unfortunately one of the families got very sick and couldn't attend.  Fortunately, Max and his guests had a blast!

We rented a community center on the base and decorated it with Power Rangers per Max's preference.

I had met Jacob and Ava's mom Aleena when we attended a Homeschool Mom's Night In where we played a popular dice game called Bunco.  Our kids are the same ages so we started having playdates together.  

Max had not been eager to play the Pin the Key on the Power Rager game when I bought it at Party City.  After seeing it in the bus so much, however,  he warmed up to it and was excited to play it after we pizza.  

Because there were so few of us, each kid got to go twice!  If we had had more stickers, I bet the kids would have kept going.

This was the first time I didn't bake Max a cake myself!  We went to the store to hopefully find a Power Rangers cake, but they're not as popular as they were when I was a teenager.  Spongebob to the rescue, he wooed Max with his happy smile and colorful background.  

Max got a cool Rescuebot and monster truck from his friends.  Simone helped Max with the reading of the cards.

I hope he remembers this party as a fun one.  If not, we'll have these photos to remind him.  

Are You Excited?

The family is planning a vacation!  The kids will stay with Grandma & Grandpa and Michael & me will head to Colombia for a month to learn Spanish and be tourists.  The kids are so excited to see their extended family and Michael & I are excited to do adult things other than take care of our kids.

Simone asked me this morning if I was excited to be away from her and Max.   Truth be told, I am excited to not have responsibility, to be the only I have to take care of.  I didn't want to say yes because she might feel hurt thinking that I don't like her and Max.  No wasn't really truthful so I gave her a long "uhhhhmmmmm....."

She broke the uhm by saying, "It's ok if you say 'no,' Mommy."

Is it ok if I say "yes"?

Dinosaur Expert

Max has declared that when he grows up he wants to be a paleontologist.