Is that what they are called?
Here's last night - ready?
Chuck got up at 3am to tell the kids to go back to bed. They have, as you'll recall, picked up the really nasty habit of getting up at 3-4am most days. I always am the one to address this in the night, as Chuck is always the one to get up in the morning. The "real" morning.
Anyway, Chuck got up, told Jack to go back to his own room and told them both to go back to sleep. A bit later they were at it again. Chuck again beat me to the punch and got in there.
When he came back, I apologized for not hearing them, and promptly got dive-bombed by some insect. I brushed it off and tried to go back to sleep. Then I had one on my arm. Fine. I always freak out about insects when I think they are on me, but I was trying to behave so I stayed quiet.
Looking back on it, I also heard some sort of...well...fluttering sound, coming from near the window (which is 6 inches away from Chuck's side of the bed).
After a few minutes, Chuck whispered "are you awake?" and I whispered "yep" and he whispered "can I turn the light on?" and I whispered "sure." He turned his reading light on but I couldn't see past him and I think I had my eyes closed anyway.
He turned it back off and got up out of bed calmly. I got up too because I had to go to the bathroom. As I walked into the bathroom, Chuck goes "I'm going to vacuum some bugs up, is that okay?" and I was completely confused but nodded. I was even more confused because it was totally dark in the room.
This is 4am, by the way.
I said "why don't you turn the light on?" and he goes "I've seen enough." I said it again and he turned it on, and then I understood.
PILES of winged something or others all over the windowsill next to Chuck's side, and once the light went on, they all took flight towards the ceiling fan. They were all over the bed too.
OMG it was AWFUL. Are you squirming? Well good! I was too and now you all have to share it. So there.
Ryker came in, hearing the shop vac running. (4am, remember?)
I got him back to his room, then Jack back to his. I came out to the living room and started googling "there are insects flying around my bedroom." Flying ants, it turns out. I didn't know ants could fly. They can. Not well, but they can. Ryker's light went on. I went in there, turned it off, came back out. Jack's light went on. I went back, ordered Ryk into Jack's room, and declared a slumber party. We piled on to Jack's bed and I read them stories about flying ants off the iPad. Around 5am I let them turn a movie on because they couldn't sleep (I have no idea WHY) and I tried unsuccessfully to sleep myself. Chuck was 60 minutes into his 90 minute marathon vacuuming session and visions of flying ants danced in all of our heads.
Anyway, all's well that ends well. I met Larry the Exterminator, who is the greatest guy ever. Owner/operator and just a sweet older guy. He had a great time harassing me about my growing fear of bugs - telling me these ants had been here awhile, "watching" me. Thanks Larry.
I think they are all taken care of though. I will try to sleep tonight. Wish me luck.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Gala 2012
My third pass at a Gala at the museum. Each has had it's own challenges, and this was no exception. Keeps me on my toes. Here are some pictures:
The After Party
Shawn (the artist) inspecting his work
The Boom Boom Room - before guests arrived
Crowd shot
Scott (a member of the Gala Committee) and me
Front Steps
Annie, Julianne, Dan, Emily, me and Michelle after the party
Annie, Emily and me
Ryker is 4
I've done the birth story before, I won't make you all relive it. But my sweet boy is 4 years old today.
He looks so GROWN to me all the sudden. He's been getting so much taller the last few months, and losing the baby-chubbiness.
Here's a rundown of this moment in Rykerdom, for posterity's sake.
He's the sweetest thing - loves giving hugs and kisses, tells me often that I look beautiful as I'm getting ready in the morning, and genuinely worries about his big brother. He STILL cries when he thinks Jack is getting in trouble or is upset about something.
He's also hilarious. He loves cracking people up - making funny faces and dancing all around, even in public. He's a complete ham and, so far, very outgoing.
He asks very strange questions all the time that keep me on my toes. His latest was on the way to school on Friday. Out of the clear blue, he asks "What would happen if a giant baby sat on our car?" I was sure I hadn't heard him right. Jack stared at him for a sec, and then goes "A giant baby? That'd be YOU!" and cracked up laughing. Ryker laughed too, then paused, and then asked it again completely seriously.
He is convinced he saw a camel at Fort Snelling State Park yesterday.
He loves cookies and ice cream and pancakes and mac n cheese and Jimmy Johns (his birthday lunch). He loves baths and cleaning and playing with Lincoln Logs and watching movies and getting up at 4 in the morning. I approve of 4 out of 5 of those.
I'm completely mesmerized by how adorable he is - I could stare at him all day and be perfectly content. I often do, actually. He has beautiful eyes and a sweet sweet face.
So happy birthday to my sweet guy. I love you lots.
He looks so GROWN to me all the sudden. He's been getting so much taller the last few months, and losing the baby-chubbiness.
Here's a rundown of this moment in Rykerdom, for posterity's sake.
He's the sweetest thing - loves giving hugs and kisses, tells me often that I look beautiful as I'm getting ready in the morning, and genuinely worries about his big brother. He STILL cries when he thinks Jack is getting in trouble or is upset about something.
He's also hilarious. He loves cracking people up - making funny faces and dancing all around, even in public. He's a complete ham and, so far, very outgoing.
He asks very strange questions all the time that keep me on my toes. His latest was on the way to school on Friday. Out of the clear blue, he asks "What would happen if a giant baby sat on our car?" I was sure I hadn't heard him right. Jack stared at him for a sec, and then goes "A giant baby? That'd be YOU!" and cracked up laughing. Ryker laughed too, then paused, and then asked it again completely seriously.
He is convinced he saw a camel at Fort Snelling State Park yesterday.
He loves cookies and ice cream and pancakes and mac n cheese and Jimmy Johns (his birthday lunch). He loves baths and cleaning and playing with Lincoln Logs and watching movies and getting up at 4 in the morning. I approve of 4 out of 5 of those.
I'm completely mesmerized by how adorable he is - I could stare at him all day and be perfectly content. I often do, actually. He has beautiful eyes and a sweet sweet face.
So happy birthday to my sweet guy. I love you lots.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Shopping
I posted part of this on Facebook, but I'll do it again because is was THAT good.
Last night I got home before Chuck and the boys. They came running in -- Jack first, waving $15 in the air; Ryker following, wearing shoes, a tshirt and an oversized sweatshirt. No pants.
Jack screams "I got $15!!!!" and Ryker screams "I'm not wearing any PANTS!!!"
I got Ryk into pants, verified that Jack came by that money honestly, and we headed off to Target to SPEND IT! I remembered that Grandmommy had given Ryker $3 during a recent visit, so I gave that to him to spend too.
We spent 20 minutes in the dollar section picking 3 items. Ryker emerged with a squishy ball, a Superman book and a pack of Airheads.
Jack picked another Pokemon set. He's obsessed. It cost $20 but he told me he brought an additional $5 of his money to cover it. (The $15 was a graduation present from his former preschool teacher. He's back there this summer.)
We got to the 10 Items or Less check out lane and Jack wanted to be rung out separately. Fine. Ryker and I stepped up. I had added a few items, because who can go to Target and NOT come out with a piece of clothing and a new sheet set? Honestly...
So anyway, I tried to convince Ryker to give ME his $3 so I could pay with a credit card. He thought I was scamming him and refused, so the nice checkout man said he'd take the $3 and put the rest on the card. Ryker proudly handed over his money, and then asked him where it went and kept asking him for it back. We got all checked out, so it was Jack's turn.
By now we have a half a dozen people queued up behind us. Jack's total was $21. He put the $15 in cash out there, then dumped $4 and something in change on the counter. The line of people cracked up (some rolled their eyes but I chose to ignore them). He only had a total of $19 and I only had a one dollar bill and a twenty. So I handed over the twenty and the dude gave us change and I made the kids say sorry to the line and thank them for their patience, and off we went.
Just another Friday.
Last night I got home before Chuck and the boys. They came running in -- Jack first, waving $15 in the air; Ryker following, wearing shoes, a tshirt and an oversized sweatshirt. No pants.
Jack screams "I got $15!!!!" and Ryker screams "I'm not wearing any PANTS!!!"
I got Ryk into pants, verified that Jack came by that money honestly, and we headed off to Target to SPEND IT! I remembered that Grandmommy had given Ryker $3 during a recent visit, so I gave that to him to spend too.
We spent 20 minutes in the dollar section picking 3 items. Ryker emerged with a squishy ball, a Superman book and a pack of Airheads.
Jack picked another Pokemon set. He's obsessed. It cost $20 but he told me he brought an additional $5 of his money to cover it. (The $15 was a graduation present from his former preschool teacher. He's back there this summer.)
We got to the 10 Items or Less check out lane and Jack wanted to be rung out separately. Fine. Ryker and I stepped up. I had added a few items, because who can go to Target and NOT come out with a piece of clothing and a new sheet set? Honestly...
So anyway, I tried to convince Ryker to give ME his $3 so I could pay with a credit card. He thought I was scamming him and refused, so the nice checkout man said he'd take the $3 and put the rest on the card. Ryker proudly handed over his money, and then asked him where it went and kept asking him for it back. We got all checked out, so it was Jack's turn.
By now we have a half a dozen people queued up behind us. Jack's total was $21. He put the $15 in cash out there, then dumped $4 and something in change on the counter. The line of people cracked up (some rolled their eyes but I chose to ignore them). He only had a total of $19 and I only had a one dollar bill and a twenty. So I handed over the twenty and the dude gave us change and I made the kids say sorry to the line and thank them for their patience, and off we went.
Just another Friday.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Graduation
I love Kindergarten Graduation. What a hilarious concept. I think he stops graduating now until high school, right? As the principal kindly pointed out to all of us, Jack's class is the graduating class of 2024. The whole room gasped.
Today we all took our seats in the cafeteria and the kindergarteners all filed in. Jack was BEAMING. It was adorable.
They marched right up to the risers on stage and all stood there fidgeting and smiling and waving and swaying. They sang two songs and then got called one by one to receive their diplomas. Jack was the very last child called, and looked so proud walking to get his diploma, and then anxious to get the heck off the stage.
After that we had a reception in his room. His teacher made a slideshow of pics of them from the entire year, which she showed us but also gave to everyone as a present. It was so sweet to see the kids through the year, and even more sweet to see them sitting on the ground together WATCHING themselves, and singing along with the songs.
All of his work and his artwork were nicely put together for us to take home, and we started to look at that, but got distracted by taking pictures together, and with his teacher, and with Izzy, of course.
And then we were out of there.
It's been a big year. He's learned a lot - is a much better reader and writer and has found a love of math. He's also worked a lot on his emotions and controlling them.
I'm so proud of my big man. In 2024, do you think we'll all be sitting together watching our graduates fidget and sing This Little Light of Mine, then eat cookies and look at their artwork? It's a nice image, no?
Today we all took our seats in the cafeteria and the kindergarteners all filed in. Jack was BEAMING. It was adorable.
They marched right up to the risers on stage and all stood there fidgeting and smiling and waving and swaying. They sang two songs and then got called one by one to receive their diplomas. Jack was the very last child called, and looked so proud walking to get his diploma, and then anxious to get the heck off the stage.
After that we had a reception in his room. His teacher made a slideshow of pics of them from the entire year, which she showed us but also gave to everyone as a present. It was so sweet to see the kids through the year, and even more sweet to see them sitting on the ground together WATCHING themselves, and singing along with the songs.
All of his work and his artwork were nicely put together for us to take home, and we started to look at that, but got distracted by taking pictures together, and with his teacher, and with Izzy, of course.
And then we were out of there.
It's been a big year. He's learned a lot - is a much better reader and writer and has found a love of math. He's also worked a lot on his emotions and controlling them.
I'm so proud of my big man. In 2024, do you think we'll all be sitting together watching our graduates fidget and sing This Little Light of Mine, then eat cookies and look at their artwork? It's a nice image, no?
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