The Godfather

Lately whenever I start my car the scene from the Godfather when Michael's wife turns the key in the ignition and the car explodes flashes across my mind. I don't really fear that my car is going to explode but I can't stop the image from flashing through my mind every time I start my car. Help!

On Your Bottom Pretzel Legs

On your bottom pretzel legs hands in your lap translates into sit down, cross your legs and put your hands in your lap at Laina's preschool. And yes she has Hannah Montana pajamas on. Terri let her buy them in a weak moment.

The Children's Museum

I took Laina to the Children's Museum on Friday while Terri shopped for things she needed for a bachlorette Party that night. I thought I was going to have a hard time entertaining her for an hour but we ended up being there for over two hours!

This room was called Under Construction.

Doctor Laina caring for a sick baby.

Yum! Laina makes delicious pizza.

Playing with the train set.

Aviator jacket and goggles.

I can't remember what the name of this room was but it was where some little boy hit her. She hit somone at pre-school a few weeks back so.........well, it happens!

Air and Space Room

Puppet Theatre

Arachnophobia: Part Two

The Naughty Kid

Bridget plays the problem child in this game of pre-school staged on our kitchen floor last Sunday. Laina, of course, is the teacher and is exasperated with this naughty child as she is trying to tell a story to her class. Laina finally takes Bridget home in her car (who is watching the other kids?) but Bridget shows up at school promising to be good. As I was video taping I felt myself feeling kind of sorry for Laina who really just wants to tell a story.

Food Exchange

The girls and I decided to have a food exchange. We all made one entree that was enough for everybody. Bridget made Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps (far left). Terri made Chicken Tortilla Soup, I made Penne Pasta with Shrimp (with the breadsticks sitting on top) and Sarah made Beef Tamale Pie (far right). We're all set for meals for almost the whole week!


Of course Sarah had to out do everyone and put these graphic labels on hers.

Agua

We have a water problem in Riverside. We have plenty of water--we just can't drink it, wash our hands in it, shower in it, give it to our dog, run our dishwasher or wash our dishes in it. What does that leave? We CAN flush our toilets. Evidently at one of the MANY construction sites in Riverside a pipe broke or leaked and 400,00-500,000 gallons of water drained out of our water tower. It's really hard to wash your hands with gallons of water from HyVee. It takes about a quart of water to wash your hands. I have been showering at my daughter's house in Iowa City for the past two days. Thanks Sarah. You may wonder what the many constructions sites are in Riverside. Coming to Riverside in the near future: a medical clinic, a liquor store, Scandanavian Interiors, Kum & Go.

TuTu Cute

Laina ready for her ballet class.

Demonstrating 1st position.

Next comes tap.

Bird Girl

Quite some time ago we visited Savannah, Georgia. If you can fall in love with material objects, which is questionable, we fell in love with Bird Girl. The statue was made famous by the best selling novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I had read the book long before we visited Savannah and admired the cover photo but never really thought of BUYING the statue until after our visit to Georgia. Barry purchased the statue and had it shipped to us where it has adorned our front garden ever since. There were four statues made from the original cast and one was used as a headstone in a cemetery. The stone block under the statue is a biblical quote from II Corinthians which reads: We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Bird Girl in our front garden.

Arachnophobia

Saturday Laina and I went over to Bridget's to check out her new furniture.

One of Bridget's friends painted on canvas for her.

Then we made these lollipop spiders. They were simple enough that Laina could mostly make them by herself.

We thought they turned out pretty well! Laina might give some to her neighborhood friends. If you want to make the spiders you can learn how to make them here: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10079

First she learned days of the week and now........

Months of the year!

Sign Stupidity

There used to be three identical signs in my parking lot at work. Now there are only two. There is an orange cone where the third one used to be. Why? I ran over the sign and leveled it. Why? I don't know. Thats the scary part.