The Midway is a gigantic, beautiful ship that, if Josh was writing this blog, we could tell you all about. But I'm a girl and was mainly interested in the brig and sleeping quarters. They're both pretty cramped.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
San Diego Deux, Part Trois
We had intended to spend our last day at the aquarium, but after driving past the giant, ominous battleship USS Midway repeatedly, we decided on a detour.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
San Diego Deux, Part Deux
On our second day in San Diego we headed to The New Children's Museum. It's really a beautiful place, and I plan to make it part of our vacations every year until Dash is 18.
They figured out a way to make a Segway just a touch more geeky. It's made of wood, is powered by standing on the wheels and called a "Legway."
Rock climbing wall. Not a giant success.
I dunno. Astroturf gardening? Grass puzzles?
Bubbles!
OK, I don't know how I could possibly describe the awesomeness of this room. It's covered, floor to ceiling, in mattresses,
and filled knee-deep with pillows silk-screened to look like tires.
Dash is in there.
See?
They had an old Bug that they let the kids paint with tempra. I have absolutely no idea why. But the girl running the thing was awfully sweet and she gave me a gorgeous hunk of the peeled paint to take home. It's striated and beautiful and is now living in Dash's room. I'll try to remember to take a picture.
Dash isn't that into getting his hands dirty so he was done in about three minutes.
They also had a printmaking class that was way, way over Dash's head,
but he just carved his little figures into his little waxed cd like a trooper.
Using the press to make the print.
Tada!
It was a lovely day except for the 45-minute screaming fit that took place right after we left the museum because I refused to carry him the three blocks to the restaurant for lunch. Parents passed by us with that look of, "I'm sorry, I've been there, but thank God it's not me this time," while Dash just screamed and writhed on the sidewalk. The fact that he was allowed to accompany us home after that performance speaks only to Josh & my dedication to the fucker.
Final day next!
They figured out a way to make a Segway just a touch more geeky. It's made of wood, is powered by standing on the wheels and called a "Legway."Rock climbing wall. Not a giant success.I dunno. Astroturf gardening? Grass puzzles?Bubbles!OK, I don't know how I could possibly describe the awesomeness of this room. It's covered, floor to ceiling, in mattresses,and filled knee-deep with pillows silk-screened to look like tires.Dash is in there.See?They had an old Bug that they let the kids paint with tempra. I have absolutely no idea why. But the girl running the thing was awfully sweet and she gave me a gorgeous hunk of the peeled paint to take home. It's striated and beautiful and is now living in Dash's room. I'll try to remember to take a picture.Dash isn't that into getting his hands dirty so he was done in about three minutes.They also had a printmaking class that was way, way over Dash's head, but he just carved his little figures into his little waxed cd like a trooper.Using the press to make the print.Tada!It was a lovely day except for the 45-minute screaming fit that took place right after we left the museum because I refused to carry him the three blocks to the restaurant for lunch. Parents passed by us with that look of, "I'm sorry, I've been there, but thank God it's not me this time," while Dash just screamed and writhed on the sidewalk. The fact that he was allowed to accompany us home after that performance speaks only to Josh & my dedication to the fucker.
Final day next!
Three
I won't lie. Dash has been a challenge lately. He questions everything, he spits, he ignores us and throws tantrums like he gets paid to do it. He's been so horrible to Josh that I sometimes wondered if it was really a phase or if he would spend the rest of his days pretending he only had one parent.
But then a day like today happens and it just washes everything away.
I got sick in San Diego, so Josh let me sleep until 10 am. I honestly can't remember the last time I slept that late, but I know for a fact it was before Dash. While I slept, the two of them had pancakes and built Lego fortresses and battleships and got to know each other again. When I finally toddled out of bed they were happy to see me, but not too.
Later, we had to run to the store for a few things and Dash wore his Spiderman costume and was the cutest thing on this Earth and the next. I actually forgot that he was dressed funny until I saw other people react to him. It was all very sweet and weird and just the kind of thing to remember the next time I'm about to throttle him for insolence.
After his nap and a visit from Aunty and a water balloon fight, we decided to throw a blanket down on the lawn in the backyard and play "fixer" (what he calls it when we play with his toy tools) and, later, restaurant. Dash and Josh wrestled over wooden chocolate cake and had a sword fight with fake bananas. I threatened to ask them both to leave my establishment for their bizarre behavior, but they just laughed at me.
When it was time for bed, Dash asked if we could sleep outside. We had to tell him no because it's still a little chilly out, but we did bring more blankets out and, after changing him into his footy jammies, we did his milk and storytime out there. All three of us, cuddled under the bright yellow moon, reading about Green Eggs and Ham and enjoying the last weekend of our vacation.
It was a lovely, lovely day. We don't fool ourselves into believing this is what life will be like from now on. He's still three and a little spoiled, but just knowing that there can be days like this, that they're on the horizon and will pop up when you least expect them, will give us the courage to carry on.
But then a day like today happens and it just washes everything away.
I got sick in San Diego, so Josh let me sleep until 10 am. I honestly can't remember the last time I slept that late, but I know for a fact it was before Dash. While I slept, the two of them had pancakes and built Lego fortresses and battleships and got to know each other again. When I finally toddled out of bed they were happy to see me, but not too.
Later, we had to run to the store for a few things and Dash wore his Spiderman costume and was the cutest thing on this Earth and the next. I actually forgot that he was dressed funny until I saw other people react to him. It was all very sweet and weird and just the kind of thing to remember the next time I'm about to throttle him for insolence.
After his nap and a visit from Aunty and a water balloon fight, we decided to throw a blanket down on the lawn in the backyard and play "fixer" (what he calls it when we play with his toy tools) and, later, restaurant. Dash and Josh wrestled over wooden chocolate cake and had a sword fight with fake bananas. I threatened to ask them both to leave my establishment for their bizarre behavior, but they just laughed at me.
When it was time for bed, Dash asked if we could sleep outside. We had to tell him no because it's still a little chilly out, but we did bring more blankets out and, after changing him into his footy jammies, we did his milk and storytime out there. All three of us, cuddled under the bright yellow moon, reading about Green Eggs and Ham and enjoying the last weekend of our vacation.
It was a lovely, lovely day. We don't fool ourselves into believing this is what life will be like from now on. He's still three and a little spoiled, but just knowing that there can be days like this, that they're on the horizon and will pop up when you least expect them, will give us the courage to carry on.
Friday, May 01, 2009
San Diego Deux, Part Une
We just got back from our second annual San Diego vacation. We started at Legoland and I came to a serious conclusion about our family: we are giant nerds. GIANT. But we're awesome and we have more fun than I ever expected (five years ago) was possible without a guest list and vodka tonic.
Trying to hang onto him for a picture is like trying to hold a greased pig.
No funny comment except, OMG, fucking cutie!
He's pretending to fight Darth Vader, but we all know he's from the dark side.
He takes after his parents.
See?
If Ogre was watching, he'd be all, "NERDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and then he'd crush a beer can on his head.
Rides.
More rides.
More, more rides.
You get the drill.
Happy in the gallows.
Sad in the gallows.
I am your king and you will bow to me!
Did you know they had a water park at Legoland? We did not. But Dash was thrilled to learn that he could acquire a pair of fill-in swim trunks for the occasion for the low, low price of $14.99.
Oh, and they have a driving school that issues "licenses." I am proud to report that even among other three- and four-year-olds Dash is the...
worst
driver
ever.
As the day wound down Dash stopped for a quick nap.
And then he was refreshed for all the pirating and marauding we had on deck for the rest of the day.
Trying to hang onto him for a picture is like trying to hold a greased pig.No funny comment except, OMG, fucking cutie!He's pretending to fight Darth Vader, but we all know he's from the dark side.He takes after his parents.See?If Ogre was watching, he'd be all, "NERDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and then he'd crush a beer can on his head.Rides.More rides.More, more rides.You get the drill.Happy in the gallows.Sad in the gallows.I am your king and you will bow to me!Did you know they had a water park at Legoland? We did not. But Dash was thrilled to learn that he could acquire a pair of fill-in swim trunks for the occasion for the low, low price of $14.99.Oh, and they have a driving school that issues "licenses." I am proud to report that even among other three- and four-year-olds Dash is the...worstdriverever.As the day wound down Dash stopped for a quick nap.And then he was refreshed for all the pirating and marauding we had on deck for the rest of the day.Teacher Appreciation
The love for craft tote bags continues.
I used Wonder Under and some scraps of fabric to make apple silhouettes with each teacher's initial in the center (Dash has three teachers throughout the day).
These and the three dozen doughnuts I'm bringing for the entire staff on Monday ought to start teacher appreciation week off right.
I used Wonder Under and some scraps of fabric to make apple silhouettes with each teacher's initial in the center (Dash has three teachers throughout the day).
These and the three dozen doughnuts I'm bringing for the entire staff on Monday ought to start teacher appreciation week off right.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Craft Hope
We don't have a ton of extra money around here for charity. We give what we can, most regularly to St. Jude and Heifer International. But you always want to do more. Luckily, I spend a lot of time reading blogs. And luckily, many of the women who write those blogs have the resources and wherewithal to gather the mama-troops to do good in a more creative, more heartfelt way than just writing a check (not to belittle check-writing--I think that's likely what charities want more than anything else).
My point, and I do have one, is that I have recently happened upon Craft Hope. It is, in Jade's words, "a faith-based, love-inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those less fortunate. It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world."
Although we clearly are not a religious family, (and even if we were, I don't think we're the same religion as other contributors to Craft Hope) I think all mothers live mainly on faith and we'd all do whatever we could to make sure that babies and children everywhere have not just what they require in terms of food and shelter, but what they need, in terms of love and kindness.
So, (I do carry on, I know) the current project is for us mamas to make dolls to send to the Casa Bernabe orphanage in Nicaragua with Eren of Vintage Chica. Please read this post for more information because every time I try to summarize it here I start crying. So, you know. Go there.
Anyway, I made some dolls. I've never attempted anything like this before, and I may have been a touch ambitious, but I did my very, very best. And I hope if you have a few scraps of fabric, a sewing machine and a couple of hours to spare, you'll join Eren & Jade in their quest to make the world a little better, a little brighter for those who have far, far less than we and ours.
I made a total of seven dolls, so I rocked an assembly line like Ford, yo.
OK, maybe not exactly like Ford since I got to eat strawberries & drink coffee while I worked.
Dash & I drew some hearts onto red fabric and I stuffed the cut-outs into each doll. I hope, hope, hope they carry with them some of the love and goodwill our family feels toward the sweet doll recipients.
Because they wanted the dolls to resemble their new mamas and papas, Eren & Jade requested that they have brown eyes and hair.
Here they are. I made three girls & two boys. The girls are wearing dresses from the sweetest fabric I could find. The boys are rocking baseball jerseys & red pants.
The pattern is from Black Apple, via Martha. The pattern calls for you to paint the face once the doll is finished, but I was fairly certain I'd eff it up, so I painted the faces before sewing them up. Good thing, too. I screwed up about five.
As I was digging through my stash for fabric, I happened upon some sweet orange and yellow felt, so I made a doll for our favorite little redhead, Erin, and one for Dash.
Here they are all together.
And again, being studious.
Here is the part where I would joke about how I bit off more than I could chew, blah blah blah. But that would sound like complaining, and I am absolutely nothing but privileged to be able to participate in this project, so no. I won't complain. I will, though, mention to the novice sewer (like me) that maybe seven is a lot of dolls to get right. Try two to start.
My point, and I do have one, is that I have recently happened upon Craft Hope. It is, in Jade's words, "a faith-based, love-inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those less fortunate. It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world."
Although we clearly are not a religious family, (and even if we were, I don't think we're the same religion as other contributors to Craft Hope) I think all mothers live mainly on faith and we'd all do whatever we could to make sure that babies and children everywhere have not just what they require in terms of food and shelter, but what they need, in terms of love and kindness.
So, (I do carry on, I know) the current project is for us mamas to make dolls to send to the Casa Bernabe orphanage in Nicaragua with Eren of Vintage Chica. Please read this post for more information because every time I try to summarize it here I start crying. So, you know. Go there.
Anyway, I made some dolls. I've never attempted anything like this before, and I may have been a touch ambitious, but I did my very, very best. And I hope if you have a few scraps of fabric, a sewing machine and a couple of hours to spare, you'll join Eren & Jade in their quest to make the world a little better, a little brighter for those who have far, far less than we and ours.
I made a total of seven dolls, so I rocked an assembly line like Ford, yo.OK, maybe not exactly like Ford since I got to eat strawberries & drink coffee while I worked.Dash & I drew some hearts onto red fabric and I stuffed the cut-outs into each doll. I hope, hope, hope they carry with them some of the love and goodwill our family feels toward the sweet doll recipients.Because they wanted the dolls to resemble their new mamas and papas, Eren & Jade requested that they have brown eyes and hair.Here they are. I made three girls & two boys. The girls are wearing dresses from the sweetest fabric I could find. The boys are rocking baseball jerseys & red pants.The pattern is from Black Apple, via Martha. The pattern calls for you to paint the face once the doll is finished, but I was fairly certain I'd eff it up, so I painted the faces before sewing them up. Good thing, too. I screwed up about five.As I was digging through my stash for fabric, I happened upon some sweet orange and yellow felt, so I made a doll for our favorite little redhead, Erin, and one for Dash.Here they are all together.And again, being studious.Here is the part where I would joke about how I bit off more than I could chew, blah blah blah. But that would sound like complaining, and I am absolutely nothing but privileged to be able to participate in this project, so no. I won't complain. I will, though, mention to the novice sewer (like me) that maybe seven is a lot of dolls to get right. Try two to start.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
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