Winter Swim Lessons

I like to have the kids take swim lessons in the winter, when they're all cooped up inside and needing a place to blow off steam. For the first time in their childhood, the boys were at the same level in their lessons, so I signed them up for a class together.

Ziggy told me each and every week that having his brother in the class is the Best Thing Ever and Gives Him Confidence and Makes Him a Better Swimmer. They have loved being in class together for the ten classes they have done. Campers will be advancing to the next level up, though, while Zig will continue at the same level he just took. No surprise there, as this was Zig's first time at this level and it was Campers' fourth time. It takes a while to "level up."

It's good to see the boys in the pool, loving the water and their teachers and the chance to move and groove.

The Flinstones Go To Town

While the Ma and Pa Senior were in town, our local community center held a family night. This just meant that the kids blew off some steam in the gym (or pool or skating rink) and the parents collapsed on the side.

Sounded like a marvelous adventure to me.

But let's take a look at the little Flinstone kids, who were doing an admirable job of hogging the Cozy Coupe toys:

And look! Sister Susie is coordinated enough now to play in one herself!

Okay, so she fell through the hole a few times. And could only go backwards.

But we're making progress, that we are.

And if you look carefully in the top right of this photo, you will see three of us lounging around on the sidelines: Ma and Pa Senior, and me.

Germs? What germs?

And just for the record, I would like Sister Susie to know that she did get to use a walker toy during her toddler-hood. Here's proof:

Granted, she can already walk and the toy belongs to the community center.

Details, schmee-tails.

(Blessed third child.)

But anyway, we took the Flinstone kiddios home and put them to bed, only to be followed shortly by the worn-out-from-all-the-spectating old folks.

Why? Because there's more fun to come.

Yes, We Like That Park, It Is Nice

Here's Campers, doing a daring climbing feat.

Notice he has learned how to stop and pose for the camera.

Unlike his brother, who instead knows how to shout, "MOOOOMMMMM!!! DON'T TAKE A PICTURE OF MEEEE!!!"

Either that, or he is just doing a great "Heil Hitler" pose.

But I caught him unaware, peeking out through his hood:

And here's the Campers, jumping up at the 10 foot pole. Why it's there, we don't know.

Family Volunteer Day

Because we are all about Free Fun, and Blowing Off Steam In Wide Open Spaces, we decided to celebrate Family Volunteer Day by cleaning up our neighborhood park.

We had considered helping to pack groceries at the local store, but visions of spilled eggs danced in my head.

But sticks, nope--there is no damage that can be done when two boys are asked to clean up a bunch of twigs.

Yeah, and I've got some oceanfront property in Ohio I'd like to sell ya, too.

Hey, look! It's the Zig! Looking normal! And cute!

And really, the kids didn't beat each other with the sticks. At least not that I knew of. I was on the other side of the park. (They were safe! They were with the Pa!)

Here they are, working together to carry a Really! Big! Stick!

I should also mention that in True Pacific Northwest Style, it started raining while we were at the park. No mind, though. We just stayed and did our work. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We soaked it up.

This was right before the Zig fell and covered himself from head to toe with mud. Well, I've always wanted to do laundry Every Waking Moment Of My Life, so that just made my day.

It was great to be outside, smelling the evergreens, and feeling the "spring rain," as I like to call it.

Then we came back home and watched an hour or so of TV to recuperate. We gotta have balance, ya know.

Just Needed A Place With No Walls

No kidding, Campers and I ran to the park this afternoon--we had that much cooped up energy. (The babes got a swift ride in the double stroller.) Course, we had to call in for a couple of oxygen tanks, but at least we burned a calorie or two in the trip.

Here the boys are, running towards the playground:

And Zig, who likes to spin and spin and spin, even past the point where I am too dizzy to watch:

And rock:

And I just thought this was a nice shot of the tree, and the ghost child in the blue swing, and the two boys who made it to the playground much sooner than me. You see, I was still gasping for air. But I could take pictures, yes I could.

Hooligans on Halloween

Superman, Buzzy Bee, and Spiderman:

Campers:

Ziggy:

Here Zig, Campers, and Pa are at the local Halloween party, where Pa and I "helped", as much as two people with three squidgy kids dosed up on decorated cookies can "help":

The boys each came home with a big bag of candy, which Pa and I are happily using as leverage for all kinds of good behavior. ("Oh, so you want to throw a screaming fit? Okay, we'll take out one piece of candy and put it in the trash.") I LOVE IT, THIS EVILNESS!!! I think Pa should have dressed up as the Demon Daddy Incarnate. And I went as myself, the Disgruntled Irritable Housewife and Mother of Three. I was very convincing.

Campers On Skates

Once Campers saw what "fun" his brother was having on skates, he decided he could try too. I must say, he was far more balanced than Zig. It might have something to do with the different energy levels. Campers intuitively knew to "play it safe" and keep his skates on the ground, whereas I think Zig was try to fly with them on.

Here he is on the carpet. Now, doesn't he look very Scotty Hamiltonish?

And lest you wonder what Sister Susie was busy doing during the skating fun, here she is, packing on some more Cheerio pounds:

Rag Doll Roller Skating

No words fully convey Ziggy on roller skates. "Rag Doll" is a good start. "Octopus" might be another.

(If you've remember that scene in "While You Were Sleeping" where Sandra Bullock is slipping all over the ice, THAT comes close to Zig on Skates.)

So here we are, at the home school play time at the local community center. During part of the time, the kids can skate on the rink. Well, neither of the boys have done such a feat, mostly because it always sounds like a lot of work and not a lot of fun for Pa and me. But TODAY, I must have taken my Crazy Pills, because I said "Hey, you boys wanna skate??"

Mmm-hmmmm. One mama. Two boys on roller skates. YOU calculate the potential emergency room bill.

Ziggy was the first to say "yes" to trying it out. As we swam, er skated one round, he kept hollering "I can't skate!! I'm no good at skating! I HATE skating! I wanna be done with skating!!"

All the while I was giggling like a school girl, because you haven't seen "funny" until you've seen Goof On Skates. I never knew the kid had so many legs.

So once I sat him down to be done with the whole skating routine, he said "I want to play skate some more!" Of course.

Here he is, just getting his skates on:

And here is the crazy mama in a rare, sane moment (and NO, I didn't push that other boy down, and YES, that is Sister Susie off to the side there, feeding her Boredom Addiction):

And now having a good laugh, with Poor Ziggy consistently holding on for dear life:

And then a less stressful skating moment for us all, practicing on the carpet:

It was a fun first skate. All we needed was some 80s music, some puffballs at the end of the skates (right, mom?), a limbo stick, and we'd be all set.

Yep. Still Bear Crawling.

Much to the delight of the home school crowd at the community center today, Sister Susie livened up that whole room with her silly tricks, speed crawling from one end to the other.

And I still got asked about my cute little baby "boy". Guess I'm going to have to pull out the pink or find a holy honkin' hairbow to tape to her head.

Quintessential Fall

Having a six-year-old is just tops. Campers does all the grunt work like pushing that silly merry-go-round while I stand back and read approximately two words in a magazine. Hey, two words is better than no words, I say. I take whatever freedom I can get.

Today was a "bee-yoo-tiful" (as Ziggy says) day, the best one we've had yet in our City Life so far. 70s and sunny, not a drop of rain in sight. So the kids and I walked a couple of blocks and had "recess" at the park. It's always good to start the day with recess, I say. You have to eeeaasseeee into that school work.

And speaking of our walk TO the park, one of our neighbors down the street stopped what she was doing and headed right toward us to introduce herself and chat for a while. That too is the norm for our city. Friendly, earthy kind of people. I'm enjoying that, recluse that I am.

And once again, aren't those trees just lover-ly?

In Absence Of Friends, A Stick Will Do

The boys have always been fond of sticks, and affectionately name each one "Branchy". I mean, if you are an introverted sort who likes to zone off into your own imaginative world, sticks are the way to go. They become airplanes and weapons and diggers and Dangerous Things To Poke In Someone's Eye When Mom Isn't Looking.

So Ziggy wanted to be sure that his Fan Club knew all about his new friend. He then hauled Said Friend home and started banging Said Friend on the side of the house whereby Ma then had to intervene and use her Megaphone Voice to inform the neighborhood about how Branchy is not to be banged on anything but the ground. The only thing missing from my sermon was the offering plate. Next time, maybe.

And might I mention that Ziggy is looking very Oregonian in his Columbia coat. That's just a little extra tidbit for ya, no charge for that one.

What I SAID Was, "Strike A Pose"

But I guess he heard "Pick Your Nose".

Regardless, we wanted to show you the big trees in the park. Big, tall evergreen trees, the likes of which I have never seen!

The Irony Of It All

At the neighborhood fall party, there was a lollipop tree, where if you paid 25 cents you could choose your flavor.

Yep, you guessed it.

Dum Dums.

Made in our old home town.

We probably smelled the candy when it was being made.

But you betcha, we moved all the way across the continent to PAY FOR one of them there Dum Dum Suckers! The boys were delighted.

Fall Family Fun Night

Walked the kids down to the community center where everyone and their mother and her cousin's hairdresser was there with their rowdy kids. So we just added to the volume and the chaos and had a great time.

Campers and Ziggy go through the inflatable obstacle course:

Campers and Ziggy ready to bounce their brains out in the blow-up elephant (and I guess I should buy the kids some bigger shirts too; gotta love those season changes):

Sister Susie getting a ride from her brother (who is such a great Big Brother; boy was *I* glad *I* didn't have to push that car around for 10 minutes):

Craft time:

And if you look closely in Camper's right pocket, there is a map of the city, you know, just in case he needs it for something.

That's What Brothers Are For

More fun at the community center.

Lights and Sirens

Campers, who liked the "police car" cozy coupe, because it made noise. Go figure.

Farm Boy Rides Again

Ziggy, at the community center, where several times a week they transform the roller skating rink into an indoor playground for the kids. Kinda makes sense given the climate.

There's Just Something Kinda Nice About This

Welcome! This is at the local community center.

Aren't the trees pretty??

Community Center, Part Deux

Saturday was such a lovely day that Pa walked the boys down to the community center to play on the slides and such. Was I taking a nap, or was I unpacking? You be the judge. Campers is shown in the picture above, doing who knows what to the steering wheel-a-ma-jig. Oh, maybe it's a talky thing? Well Pa is not around to ask so we are left to wonder.

Here are some more pics:

The Community Center

When you live in the city with a lawn that takes less time to mow that it takes to get the mower out, you have to depend on the parks for your blow-off-some-steam time. We are fortunate to have a great community center and park within walking distance of our house. Outdoor playground, indoor heated pool, skating rink, scheduled gym playtimes for the kids, homeschool groups, sports lessons, exercise equipment (what's that?), you name it.

Here's Campers, outside the community center:

And yes, those are evergreens, and yes, they are old and beautiful. The Pacific Northwest is known for its fir trees!

Here the boys are inside, playing in the 2' splash pool, and having a great time.

There's even a "vortex" that forces you through a maze-type thing--very fun according to Pa. And the water slide is in the background!