Saturday, September 8, 2012

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

I started doing what I call Sing, Sing a Song Saturday.  I'm going to post one song on Saturdays that the boys or I like. 

The song may be part of a movie, a kid's video or just a song we like. It may or may not include words. I'll try and include why we like it and/or the history of the song/singer.

This is a pretty interesting video.

It's a nostalgic video. It fit my mood from my Grandmother passing yesterday.

The band is called Seabear. They are from Iceland. Every band I've looked up that is from Iceland has a very story like quality. The song is called I Sing I Swim.

Friday, September 7, 2012

My Grandma, the Boy's Great Grandma


Traits of my Grandma (in no particular order):

She made us pink kitty sweaters and silky blankets. We carried the blankets all over the house.

She tended her own garden. I was amazed as to how fast she could cut the steams off of fresh green beans!

She fixed us wonderful home cooked meals.

She made us popcorn for a nighttime snack.

She always had the cookie jar full of small homemade sugar cookies. Maybe it was just for when we came, but I thought it was always full.

She was the best shanghai rummy teacher and player. She was pretty good at playing Rummy Cube and Chicken Scratch (a game with Dominoes).

She loved going to garage sales. She picked up a lot of great finds. Mostly she went for fun.

She loved babies and little children. They loved her.

She was Mica's best friend when he was a few years old. He even said so.

She had the best bubbles in her hair. Mica thought her tight, white curls were bubbles.

She had a lot of titles: Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Dorothy and my Grandpa called her "Dot." I misspelled her name most of my life. I thought it was Dorthy. It's ok because I called her, "Grandma." 

She was a good nurse. All of her daughters must have looked up to her because all four became nurses to.

She kept her house clean. She had a blue room and a pink room, where we slept when we stayed with her.

She kept a baby buggy, and a metal doll house for us to play with.

She kept all our letters and notes.

She paid for us to go to a movie when we visited. That was when movie prices weren't so expensive.

She made me an angel food cake for all of my birthdays; if we were visiting. I didn't have the heart to tell her I disliked angel food cake. It reminded me of eating a sponge. It was nothing against her cooking; I just don't like angel food cake. I always felt like it was the thought that counted.

She had the ability to raise one eyebrow, which said a lot. We knew when she disapproved of something. We also laughed about that raised eyebrow. Guess who else says a lot with his eyebrows? Isaak does! I think we might of made too much fun of her because she started plucking her eyebrows.

She came to our house, and my sisters and I waited at the window until her and my Grandpa arrived.

She watched Days of Our Lives, Johnny Carson and Dallas.

She was up before everyone else to make breakfast.

She always had hard candy for us in the car. Her favorites were rootbeer, butterscotch and coffee candies.

She helped us dye Easter eggs.

She bought us sweet tart candy for Easter time.

She was selfless.


Imagine how we felt when we found out she had Alzheimer's disease. The last ten years have been tough. She's at peace now. I love you Grandma!

Just before I learned of her passing today I saw these sweaters, which reminded me of something she would make:


I wish the boys would have known Grandma the way I knew her. At least Mica called her his best friend. For a little while they were at the same level. She grew down, while he grew up. Such a beautiful person she was!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Our Crafty Little Slob

Isaak has a new hobby. It is to take the paper labels off all the crayons.

Source
Daddy thought at first he was doing this to add the papers into one of his collages. NOPE! He just liked tearing them off. He's not a fan of labels I guess.

He also colored on our wood floor with a Sharpie.


The floor must of needed some more grain in his eyes. When Daddy said something to him Isaak responded with, "How did you know?" It didn't come off with a Steam Vac. It did with fingernail polish remover.

Last night Isaak was talking in his bed. I heard him say, "Red, blue indigo, violet...I love all the colors." He's told me for 1/2 a year he loves all the colors. At least he doesn't discriminate.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Who Knew?

I don't think anyone including myself knew I was ok at bowling. I haven't bowled since I was in high school. I have to admit that I used to joke to others that I thought it was such a silly sport. Knocking down pins didn't seem too sport like to me. It's a game in my mind.

Well I got more than a few strikes. Who knew? Aunt Angela gave me dirty looks. In a ha ha kind of ways. LOL Mainly because I'm the one that doesn't take the sport seriously at all. I won one game and Aunt Terra won the next game. That was against Daddy (Travis), Grandpa Spiehs, Aunt Terra, Uncle Tyson and I. Aunt Angela's clan played a lane of their own. The little kids played a lane of their own.



Aunt Terra wanted the whole family to go bowling for her birthday. I was ok with the idea. It just seems like we've been swamped because of Mica's birthday, school starting, company and Daddy has two art shows coming up. The whole family went bowling; I think we all had fun.

The boys thought it was so cool they got to wear special shoes. In fact Isaak was a little mad when we had to return them.




Isaak kept throwing the ball.

One time when I wasn't paying attention, he bowled down someone's lane! YIKES! I missed that one. I guess they glared at us. I thought by showing him the correct lane throughout a whole game, he would have known the drill. I was wrong. See the other lane where that guy is bowling? That's where Isaak decided to bowl later on.


 Isaak liked bowling. He just didn't like waiting until his turn to bowl again.


Isaak kept wanting me to watch his ball go down to hit the pins. Well that took like 5 minutes! It seemed my turn to bowl was about the same time as his.

"Look Mom...watch my ball!" = 5 minutes


After all that waiting...he knocked a few pins down. He was so excited!


 Mica liked bowling. He tried to bowl with a stance.


Just like with everything Mica was in a hurry. He couldn't wait until it was his turn. When it was his turn he wanted to hurry up to bowl. Then it was all about waiting once again.

He's in a hurry to get things done!


 Waiting for his next turn.


Then there's Grandpa Spiehs. He never bowled before, EVER. He was just as much fun to watch as the kids.


 He got it!


Guess who cheered everyone on behind us? Emerson of course. He did that by spitting up all his food on Grandma Spiehs.


Maybe bowling is a sport. Carrying around that big bowling ball certainly wore out a little 4 year old!

We came home and he crashed on the couch. A nap was something he refused to do for 2 days previously.


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

WW: Kobe {Linky}

We went to Kobe Steakhouse for Daddy's birthday. The boys found it very entertaining.

I love their signage!


Their waiting area isn't too bad either.


 Their food is yummy! It's pricy, but it lasted us two additional meals.


 Mica and Isaak thought it was funny catching food in their mouths.


 Isaak thought the steam was pretty cool.


They were obsessed with the cocktail umbrellas. I don't think they've every been introduced to them.

Isaak said, "Mommy it's raining in here." He put his umbrella above his head.


Mica with his prize umbrella. Look at Daddy! He looks like he's singing. His expression cracked me up! We laughed at his expression for 5 minutes. I said, "It looks like you are singing that song that Kermit sings,  'Why are there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side...'"


Finally I couldn't resist...on the way out I took a photo of their restroom entrance. Mainly because my students have to design an environmental graphic; signage for a company.



Be sure to link up your WW.


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Sunday, September 2, 2012

Bubble Ride CD Review and Giveaway

I am really excited to share with you a children's CD called Bubble Ride by Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys.


I knew as soon as I saw the cover that my boys and I would enjoy this CD! Yes I do judge books, movies and CD's by their cover. I always wanted to do illustrations for children's books and CD's!

Mica and Isaak love listening to music. We listen in the car and when it's time to pick up toys. Picking up is much more fun when music is playing!

The tracks on his CD are lively and fun.


Bubble Ride By: Vanessa Trien and The Jumping Monkey Includes These Fun Tracks:
  1. Moomooheehawbaabaaneigh
  2. Peacock Walk
  3. Spinning Around
  4. Tickle Monster
  5. One Fine Day
  6. Train Dance
  7. Bubble Ride
  8. Yo-yo Song
  9. Hey Ho
  10. Mama Dada Blues
  11. Deep i the Jungle
  12. What Am I to Do
  13. Free to Be You and Me
  14. Bye Bye Song
My kids like trains, spinning around in circles, bubbles and Mica had a thing for peacocks. This CD really fit their interests!

Do you want to win a Bubble Ride CD?  Fill out the form below. In the mean time visit their fun page for some really cool activities to do.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: The opinions on the post are my personal take on the product. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I am not compensated to provide my opinion except for receiving the products themselves to test out. I received a CD of Bubble Ride to help with this review/giveaway. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review.

Disclaimer

The opinions on this blog are my personal take on products and topics relating to motherhood. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.

I am not compensated to provide opinions on a variety of topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. If I claim to show knowledge of certain topic or product I will only endorse products or services that I feel, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

If you have any questions about this blog, or want to get in contact with me please email me at: anapeladay@gmail.com