g is for greta

When my brother Shane comes to town, there are always lots of fun activities in the works. He is so good about planning things for the kids to do. I don’t think my kids would have seen half of the things they have if it wasn’t for his trips to Ohio with his family. Here’s some of the highlights from this year’s trip:

Linesville Spillway–The fish pile up on top of each other waiting to get a bite of day old bread.

Conneaut Lake Park–A bit rundown since we went as kids but still lots of fun for our kids!

We were there on a bargain day and got all day wristbands at rock bottom prices. The kids took full advantage.

Mason and Ethan really liked this ride. Mason was partial to the Larry boat. I think he misses our friend Larry that moved to Utah. Sigh.

Roman and Corinne rode this FOREVER! They would jump off, run around the gate, and get back on.

I love Ethan’s face in this one. Ha!

Mason wouldn’t even get off of this ride. There were no lines so he just stayed on. I think stopping the ride was just to give the guy a break from holding the button down.

We also celebrated my nephew Roman’s birthday with a six foot sub.

The kids had a blast riding 4 wheelers and just being together.

We took up a few pews at church on Sunday.

Thanks for coming, Shane and family!

-g.

I want the kids to be more active. I asked Corinne to pick one activity to do this summer. She said, “Dance.” I searched the internet and called numerous dance studios. Most require the student attend for a full year and charge tuition even if you move/quit. Lame! I found one offering a summer course and jumped at the chance. Corinne is taking an 8 week class. It is a sampler: 2 weeks each of ballet, jazz, hip hop, and tap. Last night was her first class. She was so excited to get ready.

The first class was ballet. I am not a fan. That said, Corinne did great! I was really impressed. She listened to the teacher and did the moves just right! It brought tears to my eyes. (I’m emotional, okay?!) She has been on cloud 9 ever since. She is already counting down the days to next week. I’m curious to see how she likes the other types of dance.

-g.

The fam left for Hartford immediately after Corinne got off the bus on the last day of school. The kids stayed there for a week after Tony and I came back to Columbus so that I could fill in for someone vacationing at work. That made this the first week with them at home. Now I have to figure out how to fill our days. Seems like I need to come up with a destination for every morning. Stretch that out until lunch then come home to eat. After lunch is a brief playtime until Ethan naps. Then it’s all downhill until Tony gets home (if he’s in town).

Any ideas for a fun outing? Where do you take your kids? For inspiration, here’s some pics from a recent trip to the zoo:

-g.

I can’t believe it! I WON! Okay so 1500 people won, but that’s not the point here. Scroll down a few inches and read the post about screaming for ice cream. Well, Edy’s must have heard my scream because my street is about to PAR-TAY! I guess a release form is in the mail. Once I sign on the dotted line, oodles of ice cream with all the party fixings will be on the way to my front door. Unbelievable. Guess I can’t say I’ve never won anything now.

Don’t you wish you lived on my street?

-g.

A friend just sent me an email that referred me to this website. It’s good for 2 free kids’ games of bowling EVERYDAY during the summer! I’m in shock! At the end, you can buy a pass for 4 adults to bowl with them for $23.95. Amazing deals! You have to pay to rent shoes, but really…a bargain!! Check to see if a bowling alley near you is participating. Yipee!

-g.

We all scream for ice cream! I just found out about a cool contest put on my Edy’s/Dreyer’s ice cream. They are giving away 1500 neighborhood ice cream parties. The only stipulation is that you have to invite me if you win. If you don’t live within driving distance, I am willing to half airfare with you!

-g.

Tony just left to go help someone from church load their moving truck. The kids are bathed and in bed. I’m bored out of my mind and came across this on my sister-in-law’s blog. I figured…why not?

So far the bold items is where my life has taken me…what about you??? {post this on your blog!}
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars–on the trampoline as a child. Fun!
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis–probably should have left it alone now that I think about it.
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on a train–at least I attempted to. The people in our car smelled like BO and were drinking warm beer. One of the worst nights of my life!
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice–been to Venice but was too cheap to pay for the gondola ride. Pretty lame in retrospect.
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied –Before kids. They are sucking us dry!
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted–does a caricature in Paris count? That guy was a con artist.
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris–didn’t go to the top but took a nap in the grass near the bottom.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Tied a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book–Not a book but I did co-author a dry article comparing floss types in a respected dental journal. Can you say nerd?
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life–I married Tony. Not sure if that is me saving him, or him saving me.
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person–I’m not sure actually. Too many trips to national monuments as a child to remember them all.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy

…BUCKEYE FEVER, that is!!!! Tony and I took Corinne and Mason to their first OSU football game on Saturday. It was the Spring Game where two captains pick teams and play each other. The weather was summerlike (by that I mean full sunscreen and lots of whining due to heat). The tickets were only $5 for adults and the kids were free. How can you pass that up? You CAN’T! We headed out to meet up with a pal of Tony’s from work and her other half.

It was a long walk from the Battelle parking lot to the beloved stadium for the munchkins. Mason livened up the trip by pointing out every “daffodil” (aka dandelion) and “wishing flower” (dandelion in the seed stage). Corinne was more into why there were planes flying overhead with advertisements. It was like a commercial in the sky according to her. So clever!

We all needed a drink when we finally got to our seats. The kids chugged theirs.

(Sidenote: I was trying to get a picture of both of them drinking, but Corinne stopped right when I got the camera. A few seconds later she picked up her bottle and put it to her mouth. After I took the picture, she says, “I didn’t really take a drink, Mom. I just knew you wanted a picture with both of us drinking at the same time.” Ha!)

About 5 minutes after settling in, I hear Mason say, “I’m done with this.” I assume he means his drink. He says, “No, not my drink. THIS!” and waves his hand around. I knew we were in for it then. Blasted sun. I had to perk them up so I pulled out some props.

The kids had been painting the morning of the game. This is what Corinne came up with all on her own:

Tony was SO proud! She said she knew that OSU wasn’t playing Michigan but that Michigan could be the team you want to lose. In this case, gray. The girls wore red and cheered for Scarlet while the gentlemen wore gray and cheered accordingly. She is too much sometimes!

Once we found some empty seats in the shade, the kids (and adults) were all smiles. The kids loved getting into the cheers during punts and the O-H-I-O around the stadium. I gave a brief tutorial on spelling out O-H-I-O with our arms.

O-H-H-O. Good thing I’m not a teacher. It was a good time had by all. Mason was declaring it the best day of his life by the time we left. By the time we got to the car, however, they were ready to get a Frosty and move on with the day. Deep down, I think we converted them to Buckeye Football. Their lives will never be the same.

-g.

As some of you know, Tony is assigned to a job this year that has him traveling away from home often. I have been praying for something to keep the kids entertained and me sane. Friday was the day that it all worked out. After dinner, we had the kids go look out the front window. This is what they saw:

Papa Tom and Abuelita were able to get this AWESOME playset from a builder in Cleveland for pennies on the dollar. They were nice enough to take it apart, drive it to Columbus at a snail’s pace, and then put it all back together again. Do they love my kids or what?!

It took 6 men and removing a portion of our fence to get it to the back. I think it was in about 3 locations before it came to rest in its final spot.

The kids were all over it for HOURS until we drug them inside for a quick bath. The rest of the post will be pictures showing what bliss looks like.

I thought that perhaps since this prayer was answered, I might also get my desire to have my kids sleep in late the next morning due to playing so hard. No dice. My luck had run out. They were up EARLY the next morning sitting in front of the window talking about their playset. Mason still checks every morning to make sure it is still there.

Thanks, Papa Tom and Abuelita!

-g.

I struggle often with new things for the family to do while stuck indoors. The weather keeps teasing us that it is warming up, but then we go right back into rainy days.

Here’s what I like to do:

Is that not totally disgusting? I am not in love with my 1980s kitchen flooring. I would say our relationship is not even on good terms. However, I do not like filth. Eventually my clean-freak self manifests and I scrub the floor. This time I experimented with my carpet scrubber. I was amazed at the difference! It looked so clean…until the kids ate lunch.

The kids like to play in Ethan’s bed. I let them do this for weeks before getting a picture:

Something about their activity being fun enough for a picture flipped a switch in their brains. They started jumping on the mattress and playing rougher. No more playing in the crib. It’s a bummer, too, because it kept them busy for a LONG time!

Corinne is very girly + Mason looks up to his sister = DISASTER! I was painting Corinne’s nails when Mason hunted us down. I have painted his nails in the past, and Tony was not thrilled. Mason loved it, though, and went off to beg Tony to let him do it again. Daddy is such a softy! I turned it up a notch by letting them paint their nails themselves.

Then I let them each paint one of my feet. Corinne is the one on the left; Mason on the right:

Much to my chagrin, Mason was better at it! Ugh! I’ve got to take him outside and throw a football or something. I’ll be back later.

-g.