More Star Wars fun

Think here's when I'm supposed to say:

Boys, do not play with your food!

But I need to lighten up, and these same kids who wear my patience thin with their whining and crying (it's not just from the baby) are also the ones who remind me to let my hair down...

Star Wars silliness
Jon and his version of Pod Racing, as he dares Ben to see who can toss the shelled edamame pods into the plate the fastest... ready, set, throw!

More Serious Fun
And during the boys' spring break earlier on, because there's only so much "Star Wars The Clone Wars" this mom should let them watch day in day out, and mesa tired alreadyeeee talking like Ja Ja Binks...

you bet I was smiling when they sat down to make movie posters of their favourite scenes =) ... (a bit of motivation helps, not always, but just as well not to make a habit out of it)!

Jon's is a character trait of Obiwan...


And Ben picked the battle between Obiwan and Darth Maul.

Before that: another movie poster Ben jumped at doing, home with Kait and me when Jon was gone for the day for chess...

"I hope I won't take longer than Jon at the tournament", Ben quipped as he coloured away with some help to draw Anakin and Count Dooku, whilst Kait was wriggling in my lap to be up and about. Ben added his own details like popsicle sticks for the lightsabers, and practised writing his ABC's by tracing over the letters for the summary he thought up. Then he presented it, as Jon would rehearse his school book reports with me, standing on the stool and using the fridge as the board. That same day, Jon came back happy also, having done well in chess.

These are the things they enjoy, and at the end of the most tiring day, seeing our children happy doing the things they like without putting up a fight, that's the real reward for us parents. And wouldn't it be great if they can do the same with basic, everyday stuff we should not have to keep reminding them about -- whether or not they are "in the mood"?

And not that the schools here are any less academically oriented, what we asked of Jon for last week's standardized testing (somewhat like year-end exams to gauge the standard of the students and school), was for him to go to bed early so he'd get enough sleep.

Only so much hounding I should and can do -- I tell myself (still). Especially with more to juggle now. If I don't, I'll go crazy.

Later: Drawing it out does for Ben what blogging it out does for me, with some not-so-great days this month.

Star Wars craze

It's the nth time for Jon, and the very first time for Ben, and...

look who they've got to join them in their Star Wars craze!


But babes...

do not try this at home!!!

Face the music

Boys and girls getting in step and grooving to Michael Jackson's "Thriller"...

It's the highlight from more than just square and line dancing going on during P.E and music for the second winter now!

How cool is that? It had Jon going to YouTube for the video clips, just so he could practise the moves every chance he got, before the performance in front of us parents! And he's still doing it, especially when he can catch a glimpse of himself in the mirror or some window!

If only he can be as thrilled over his homework, no doubt there's more to do, besides that chess takes up a lot of time and he's excited over his progress there, and we are for him, too. But schoolwork has to come first, and by now, I should not have to call him till the cows come home every day to sit down and get it done, or face the music!

Of course, such 'archaic' phrases just get blank stares from him, as if I hail from another planet... duh... But if you know what I mean that this mom only has so much patience.

Like a stress reliever, I do the Bunny Hop, a simpler dance the school taught to the younger children, including Ben. Picture me doing it with him, his hands on my hip, and me carrying Kait at the same time:

Right, right...
left, left...
jump forward, jump backward...
one, two three! (hop three times)

No, I'd better not jump too high, but yes, it's great for bringing on the giggles and chuckles! You must try it, too!

Facing the world...
Here I am still just working on the basics, asking the boys to be responsible for their own things, but I realise not that I didn't before, that the real world we live in does not wait for them to grasp those first before tossing challenges across their paths.

Do our children know how to react when they are picked on? Or when other children rope them in to bend the rules? It is staggering that the very young are already so streetwise.

However, mine don't always know how to respond or give the "right" answer we expect of them. And not that they can't be the instigators, but every time something like this happens, it prompts us to do what we can to teach and pray for our little ones to have the values we believe in. Easier said than done, but hopefully that'll equip them to face such situations.

Hold on tight!

Here's why Jon looks forward to snow, enough beautiful snow like this, every winter after coming here...
And Ben, too, as soon as he was big enough to do it. But he still prefers to whoosh down with someone... probably because it's double the fun, double the WHEEEEEEEEEE!!!

It's also really nice of busy fathers like Vern to make time to go sledding with their children, and doubly nice that we had the company of friends (inset: the kids altogether at a less crowded park than the famous Art Hill) that second snow day last week!

Also, because I have been counting more frustrations on a daily basis, I decided it'll do me good, extra good, to grab onto joys like this! The baby and night wakings do take the fatigue to a new level, besides the boys and their disobedience and fighting, and everyday stuff though I am sticking to the basic chores and errands, that already have my hands full.

What was lovely, too, was Kait having her first real taste of lots of snow when we went and checked out Art hill on the evening of the first snow day. For how rarely it snows here, we wanted to seize the snow while it lasted, and just in case the boys weren't going to get a second day off school!

Then, when I was juggling a heavily-bundled Kait and the (albeit handy, pocket-size) digital camera -- trying to snap pictures of Kait with her at arm's length, a kind stranger came forward and took a couple of shots of Kait and me! And she couldn't be more right when she left me with this reminder, "These are precious memories"!

Art Hill is the most popular sledding spot in St Louis because of the super long ride from the top of the hill outside the Art Museum (hence, its name), to the bottom just before the fountains at the Grand Basin start, and the view can't be beat! But because of the laborious climb back up, as a mom with young children, I vote for parks with gentler slopes!

A case in point: At Art Hill, Ben, oh Ben, in the middle of making his way back up, decided to plonk himself down on the wet wet snow and remove one boot -- exposing a bare foot to the cold, totally oblivious to the possibility that someone sledding downhill may ram right into us!

A few quick shots of the guys...


... and, away they go! And I was out of there with Kait! The sun was setting, the snow still coming down, and it was brr.. rry cold! No, the guys didn't play for long, and that was why the second snow day was the REAL BONUS!

We didn't go again after that, and the snow's melted away. But that's where blogs come in and freeze precious moments like these, yeah? =)

If you like, there are more "action" type shots from the boys' sledding fun the previous winter here, here and here.

'Sno way mommy is crazy!

Jon called me "crazy mommy" when I let him and Ben play outside, after it snowed the other day. Never mind it was just a thin sheet covering the ground.

Boys leaving trails in the snow...


... and Jon making snow angels, and surveys the three he's made!


Ben scooping up some snow, then scoots off to get more... before it all melts away!


It hadn't snowed again since, we don't know when it'll snow next, and it rarely snows here.

Count this as part of my "living in the moment" craze!

And, anything for my sanity, right?

It bought me some time for dinner to be done cooking in the slowcooker, the baby fell asleep comfy in the carrier, and the boys were quite a bit more cooperative that evening Vern worked late.

Left: Bundling up Kait, getting ready to go outside with the boys. (Good Jon took this picture... and I cropped it to remove our messes in the background ;p).

Dressup Fun

At the same time election signs dotted lawns here (and you'd know who's in whose camp), houses were also decked out with decorations for that yearly trick-or-treating that children would look forward to.

And while we watched from the sidelines Americans going to the polls to elect their president yesterday, our boys did get to be part of the dressup fun for Halloween last Friday. I'm glad we didn't have to miss out on it even though Vern was away.

Right: Jon and Ben with Princess Hope and Carolyn as Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, all ready to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night.

We don't live in the same neighbourhood, but it was really nice of Hope and Carolyn's mom to ask us to join them.

And so, we arranged to meet not at each other's place, but their friend's. On that particular street, not a single house wasn't decorated with some nicely carved out Jack o' lanterns. Chances were, no kids would be turned away when they went a-knocking on those doors for some yummy treat, often in exchange for a joke or two!

Here's how I carried Kait around that evening...


And she goes from awake... semi-awake.... to... semi-asleep... asleep! See what I mean, the sling/me as "walking sarong" does the trick?!

Once home, after all that traipsing, the boys were more interested in dividing up the spoils than talking to their daddy when he called us from out-of-town that night! Actually, they already snuck some to eat on the drive back... tsk, tsk, tsk!


So, Ben is a soldier...


Can you guess what Jon is dressed up as? You may have Ben's Tootsie roll! ;p


Meanwhile, hoping the other old trick of "out of sight, out of mind" will work to stop the sweet treats!

Are we there yet?

"Is baby coming?" asks Jon.
"I want her to come now!" wishes Ben.

The home stretch is one filled with eager anticipation, but don't we all know that babies come when they want to?

And I'm trying not to overworry, or be daunted already by how much more there is to juggle in the days ahead. But to look forward to the joy of being a new parent again.

Right: Earlier this month, a cheeky Ben who likes to place his hand on my tummy to feel the lil one's movements, has concluded, "Baby is nocturnal"! Referring to how the kicks, as I know them for awhile now, take place mostly throughout the night. As if Baby is already training me for the exhausting part of being a new mother -- the non-stop nursing and poopy diaper changing! But it only gets better, and better, yeah? =)

Meanwhile, we are in the last leg of summer...

Below: A mix of old and new experiences that Jon and Ben got to enjoy this month. Also like a reminder for me of some basic things that we can afford to have more of, whether I'm doing something for the umpteenth time or approaching it brand new...

Ask, "How can I serve you?"

"Serving in God's big backyard" was the theme for our church Vacation Bible School this year. At the end of each morning, the children took back with them a simple lesson of who we can serve -- our family, friends, neighbours, and the community, besides just the church and God, honouring Him in the different facets of our lives.

There are times when housewifey and motherly duties sap me, pregnant or not, and I get all grumpy and tell the husband he should be appreciative. I forget that loving = serving, without reservations, unconditionally. And there's stuff the man of the house does that's beyond me, like ending up having to install the dishwasher DIY when our oven conked out last week (I'll spare you the long story), that I too need to appreciate him for, and make it a point to say "thank you"!

Laughter, the best medicine

Leslie and Jay of "Laughing Matters" lived it up, by injecting fun into learning, as part of the Catch the Reading Bug programme at the library.

Not just for the boys, I could use the laughter myself. It was a nice little midweek break for us when temperatures soared, and I couldn't think of anywhere else to take them without venturing too far.


Try, try again... and don't stop practising

Ben waited for the weekend to roll around when Vern could go ice-skating with him and Jon. It's only Ben's second time at the rink, but no different from that first time last year, he put his best foot forward, and picked himself up whenever he fell down.

Jon, who had taken lessons before, was more confident on the ice. Still, he knew that without practice, we get rusty at doing anything we have grasped. However, ice-skating is something we haven't managed to make time for in awhile, because of crazy enough schedules.


Interest sparks imagination
Here's something that each boy especially likes this summer. And watching each child work on it like a pet project, it's true that interest is a key ingredient in sparking anyone's imagination and creativity.

Jon, and the Stargate -- inspired by the Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis shows on Sci-Fi channel -- he put together using recyclable stuff, and couldn't wait to declare open!



Ben and his drawings and stories to tell, like for this "flip the flap" book, that's a good opportunity to encourage writing of the alphabet as well...