Monday, June 27, 2011

Boogers

On Friday, Ginny, CeCe and I walked Jorja to school for the last time this year.  As we were walking home after the drop off, I looked over and saw that Ginny had her finger knuckle-deep in her nose.  The conversation that ensued went something like this:

Me:  Are you picking your nose Ginny?
Ginny:  No, I just got a booger.
Me:  Oh, do you want a Kleenex when we get home or some help?
Ginny:  Nope, I got it.

At this point, she had the booger out of her nose and was now rolling it between her thumb and index finger.

Me:  What you doing now?
Ginny:  If you just roll them like this, they disappear.
Me:  Really!  Where do they go?
Ginny:  I don't know...they just go away. **a little more rolling**  See!  It's gone!

The only downside to these magic disappearing boogers is that you know they are 'disappearing' in the house too.

Speaking of boogers in the house, I walked downstairs today to see Jorja with her finger up her nose pulling out a big booger.  She then proceeded to attempt to wipe it on the carpet right there in the middle of the room.  Really Jorja?!  Couldn't you at least roll it first?  Or wipe it under something instead of right in the middle of the floor?  (I'm pretty sure that's what I did as a kid.)  At least try to hide it.  Sheesh.  Later.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Kindergarten graduation

Jorja had her last day of Kindergarten yesterday.  It's hard to believe she's done already.  Thursday afternoon, her class had their farewell/graduation program.  It was really good.  They sang some songs, played some instruments and had a slide show.  Then they got their diplomas.  Julie and I were both lucky enough to get the afternoon off and watch the program.  Here are some highlights:
Performing one of the songs

Getting her diploma

What's in this thing?

Jorja and her teacher.
Later.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Father's Day

Father's day began with Julie keeping the girls out of our room long enough to have a bit of a sleep in.  It must have been tough because you could just feel the excitement as they bounded into the room at 8:40.  It was a great way to be woken up though.  The girls all made me a finger painted wooden magnets, which are all very nice.  Jorja also made me a book mark in school that say 'My Dad Rocks.'  This was accompanied with a small container of rock candy.  Jorja tried to tell me they were just rocks because 'Mrs. B. told us to play a trick on our dads'.  Pretty tricky indeed.  The trick may have been a little more successfully played out if she and Ginny could have waited a few more seconds before they wanted to eat some. 

Then we went for brunch at Bonanza, which was really good.  We happened upon it by chance last week after church and liked it so much, the girls thought they should take me there for Father's Day.  It's a pretty good deal too - Jorja's buffet price is half an adults and CeCe and Ginny eat for free.  Can't beat that.

We just took it easy for the rest of the day.  I'm not sure how many times I was wished Happy Father's Day - quite a few anyway.  At supper Jorja asked if this was my best Father's Day ever.  It definitely was.

Yesterday Jorja had two birthday parties to go to - yes two.  One started at 1:00 and the other at 4:30.  It's quite the social life being in Kindergarten.  I always feel sorry for Ginny though - she feels left behind.  So we made a big deal of taking her out for ice cream while Jorja was at one of the parties.  She thought that was pretty cool.  She went to bed before Jorja got home from the second party, and there were a few tears as I was tucking her in.  "I miss Jorja." *sniff, sniff*  I said she would be home soon.  Then something else got her attention.  It must have been the angle I was standing at looking over her bed.  She said, "Dad, how come you have hair in your nose and we just have boogers?"  I said, "I have boogers too Ginny."  Then she said, "You have boogers and hair?" "Yes," I said.  "Hmm," was all she had to say to that.  I guess she was satisfied.  Later.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Waffles

Tomorrow is Father's Day.  I've heard a few rumblings that some crafts may have been made.  Actually Ginny told me.  Then I said "Shh, don't tell me.  Let it be a surprise."  So she whispered it to me.  I guess if you whisper it then it's a secret. 
 
One of my favourite memories of my Dad growing up was him making waffles.  These were no Eggo in the toaster kind of waffles.  This was a whole morning experience.  Egg whites were mixed separately and folded into batter, this bowl was added to that, oil was brushed onto the waffle iron.  He took it very seriously, and the result showed.  I think the amount of dishes generated drove Mom nuts, but that's a different story.

The waffle experience actually started long before the first egg was cracked.  It started in the living room at the record player.  We had one of those big console record players that was an entire piece of furniture unto itself.  You could take a whole stack of records and put them all on and they would just fall into place one after another.  Kind of the precursor to a CD changer I guess.  The record selection never varied that much from time to time - there were some alternates, but there were a few constants as well.  Johnny Horton was one.  Dad would always sing along, '..and when we touched the powder off the gater lost his mind...' and then he would chuckle.  Johnny Cash was also there.  And Waylon Jennings, Kenny Rogers, Petula Clark, Jeannie C. Ryley.  I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but those were some of the staples.  I hope someday my kids remember the music I play.

Then came the actual waffles.  We ate them a little differently too.  We put ice cream and warm butterscotch pudding on them.  They were/are awesome.  The entire morning's work was devoured in about 5 minutes, but it was worth it.  Looking back, the morning's work was where the memories were made.  Happy Father's Day Dad.

Time for bed now, because as much as I'd like to sleep in, it probably won't happen.  Later.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Carnivores

I've been working nights again this week, which I'm not a huge fan of.  I just took the girls to Dee's house and now I'm getting ready to snooze.  Hopefully.

The other day at supper time, we got on the topic of carnivores and herbivores.  There is a dinosaur show the girls watch that always says what the dinosaurs ate.  Anyway, it came out that carnivores eat meat which comes from animals.  I don't think Jorja ever really made the connection before.  Julie said that we are omnivores because we eat plants and animals.  With a shocked look on her face, Jorja said, "We don't eat animals!"  We then tried to explain to her that chicken does actually come from chickens, fish comes from fish (not the kind in the pet store though), beef comes from cows and pork comes from pigs.  She wasn't quite sure what to make of all that, but didn't ask any more questions, so we left it.  Let that sink in for a bit.  I guess I just always remember butchering chickens as a kid.  I'm not sure she's quite ready for that yet.

While we're on the topic of how things work, the other morning at breakfast Jorja asked me, "Dad, how do babies come out of tummies, because there is no way for them to get out?"  After nearly choking on my cheerios, I was getting ready to formulate some sort of answer.  Luckily, Cece needed to be attended to and I was able to change the subject long enough that we never went back to it.  Maybe I'll wait till Julie's there to answer that one.  Let Jorja try telling her that there is no way out...should be good.

Anyhow, I'm off to bed.  Later.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Trip to the farm

Today was Jorja's Kindergarten class trip to a farm.  I was lucky enough to be able to go along for the experience.  It all started with a bus filled with excited 5 year olds riding out to the farm.  Thankfully Jorja wanted to sit close to the front.  Back when I was young and cool, it always had to be the back of the bus.  Now that I am old and more concerned with not throwing up than being cool, the front is fine. 

There was a brief time to play in the playground area before it was off to the barns.  As luck would have it, I was put on goat duty.  That meant I was in the pen with the goats supervising the kids as they came in and out.  They got to pet the goats or brush them if they wanted.  One over-zealous young goat started chewing/sucking on Jorja's pant leg about two seconds after she came in the pen.  She started to cry, the poor little city girl.  I removed the goat, calmed her down, and to her credit, she still did everything else.  She brushed a cow and some lambs, went in a pen with a pig (apparently it feels 'scratchy' - not soft like the bunnies), and even milked a goat.  When I say milked, I mean each kid put their hand in there and Farmer Kathy basically did the work.  They each got one squirt into a little cup.

After the barn, they played in some straw bales, which Jorja enjoyed, but judging by the hand reaching into her pants, also got a bit itchy.  Then it was time to wash up and have a snack.  That was followed by some more playground time and then the bus ride home.  The bus was just pulling into the yard when one little girl said she had to go to the bathroom.  The parent who was going to take her then said, "Does anyone else have to go?"  Has she never done this before?  Did she never help in preschool?  That is not the thing you want to ask a bunch of little girls.  When they hear one is going, some sort of weird pandemic sweeps through their midst.  Needless to say, she had about twelve kids accompany her to the outhouse.  Eventually the bus did get loaded and we made it home.  Here are some pictures of the day...    

Brushing the lambs

Her one pull on the teat

How to get straw down your pants


Apparently her favourite part of the day?!  Did I mention city kid?

Just a chicken that was hanging out at head level - not a fan of that. 

Cautiously back in the goat pen after being attacked.
On the bus going home.
Later.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The real reasons to play soccer

Last night, Ginny and I took Jorja to her soccer game.  Sometimes I think her favourite thing about playing soccer is the Tim Horton's water bottle they get.  It's actually Ginny's favourite thing too, and she quite frequently helps herself to it when Jorja is on the field.  (Shh, don't tell)  I honestly don't know why that water tastes so good.  I also don't know why it took me two and a half seasons (and a lot of nighttime bathroom trips) to realize that I don't need to fill it up.  The nights after the past two games have been much better - half a water bottle divided by two girls makes for some much less full bladders.

Jorja's second favourite thing to do at soccer is play with Ginny while she's not on the field.  I usually have to find her and yell at her when her time comes to get back onto the field.  They play tag, hide-and-go seek (behind the two scrawny trees in the park) and last night they started wrestling.  I'm not sure where they picked that up, but they were rolling around having a grand old time.  Jorja's team was short of players yesterday, so there was increased playing time.  This cut into the real fun, so much so that I heard her volunteering to take a break on a couple of occasions.

I thought this year we had finally passed the dandelion fascination while playing, but I was wrong.  I guess the whole field of dandelions gone to seed was too much to take.  She did have to stop a couple of times to pick dandelions and blow the seeds off. 

All that being said, she did score another goal yesterday.  For the brief moments when she does focus on the game, she's actually not bad.  Don't get me wrong, I'm in no way trying to disillusion myself with the athletic prowess of my daughter.  That's just not where her interests lie, but if we can get her away from her drawing/colouring table long enough to have a little outdoor fun, I'll be happy.  Later.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Uncle Jon

I just got back from Superstore because we were getting dangerously low on diapers and wipes.  And they were on sale this week, and the new flyer starts tomorrow, so I thought I might as well get it done now.  And it's always nice to go by yourself when the kids are in bed.  Why is it that 136 Teddy's Choice (the Superstore brand) diapers for CeCe cost the same as 33 Pampers brand princess pull-ups for Ginny.  Granted Ginny only wears one a day for nighttime, but still.  Crazy.  Speaking of crazy, does anyone else find it funny that in the middle of the diaper aisle there is a rack of condoms?  I think if you're in that aisle, it's a little late for that.

Jorja came home from school yesterday with her monthly newsletter telling us what's happening.  There are only three weeks left of school!  June 24 she gets her report card and is done Kindergarten.  Where did that year go?  I am kind of excited because I'm going to go along on the class field trip next week to a farm.  Jorja said she is going to milk a goat.  That I would like to see.  I've milked a few goats in my day - I probably remember how.  Should be fun.

Jorja came home today and told us that she has a new love.  Yes, that is correct.  Apparently the boy from daycare is "the love of my life" (said looking over her shoulder and batting her eyelashes).  Sheesh.  I guess they're going to get married when they're older.  After Jorja said this, Ginny asked, "Is Uncle Jon married?"  We replied that yes, he was indeed married.  She looked a little sad.  "Would you have liked to have married Uncle Jon if her was available?" I asked.  She nodded.  I'm not sure which girl I should be more concerned about.

I've been trying to upload a video from the girls' piano recital last Sunday for the past three evenings, but it's not working.  Both girls did great and we were really proud.  It was a long afternoon though, especially for CeCe, but me made it and it was worth it.  Later.