It's Getting Hot Out There

Eighty degrees? Eighty!?

It's good outside weather, at least. Monday, Patrick got a lesson in weed identification.

The boys got a lesson in Tree-Ball-Removal.

Tuesday, Shane chased Patrick's car up to the house.

Raheem showed up, as well. We spent the remaining daylight outside. I may have invented a game where someone gets hit with a ball if they mess up. That's what boys do, right?

Nova wasn't home, so I attacked some bamboo in the back yard. Patrick runt herded and showed off.

Carrie got home later. We ended the night with some Sonic the Hedgehog.

Old games are brutal!

I wish it wasn't 80 in the house, but I don't miss winter! It's fun to have Patrick around, too. Shane loves having someone to tell jokes to (not that the make a lick of sense!).

Go With the Flow

What do you do when exiting your standard car door fails to spark the excitement that once moved you?

Living the Dream

I always wanted a joystick + throttle combo growing up. I couldn't afford one and my parents weren't paying, though. By the time I got a job, Wing Commander and TIE Fighter were horribly dated.

Fast forward to adulthood: Carrie bought a Humble Indie Star Wars Bundle for $10 and ordered a joystick off Amazon. 

I haven't had a chance to play, but it'll be fun to get nostalgic at some point!

End of Winter?

Spring cleaning has begun! 

Shane has amassed a large collection of clothes through Nana's thrift store shopping and Christmas. Shane's grown and we needed to clean house.

Two boxes later, it's more manageable. Shane was loathe to part with anything. He perked up when we said it'd make room for "new clothes that would fit him" (which will also be used!).

After church, we went to check some thrift stores for a new set of dresser drawers. The ones in Shane's room are older than me. The Habitat Restore was closed and we ended up at a coffee shop nearby.

Who knew they had a play area?

Did you notice Shane's ankles, as well? He wanted to wear those pants oooonne more time.

Carrie liked the rules.

Shane behaved! The espresso worried me more than the puppy.

Saturday Night Out

We visited Shane's friend, Dylan, tonight. It was an early Saint Patrick's Day celebration! 

The boys were thrilled. The house exuded energy. Sometimes, you had to duck.

Eventually we settled everyone in for some electronic stimulation. Talking and eating became a real possibility for the adults.

Carrie got to share her kombucha.

She also got to help Shane with Mario Kart. He was really bad.

We decided it's time to step up his video game training at home!

Dylan wanted Shane to spend the night, but that would have to wait for another night. The boys got along so well it may happen sometime in the future. We don't have any gerbils to torment now, either.

Where is He?

Waldo - because some things are timeless classics.

Carmen Sandiego is next.

Back on the Wagon

Today was my first dental check-up in Charlottesville.

"What are you into, man?"

I think my dentist was a hippie.

Family In Town Alert!

Patrick started an externship at UVA Hospital. Shane's thrilled he's in town!

So am I. It's good to see him again and he entertains Shane. I've never turned a rhyme into a ragtime tune!

Watching DIfferences

Shane's TV experience is so different from mine growing up.

Me:

Watched the same episodes over and over.

Episodes were frequently out of order.

I had to wait and watch at network designated times, rent a tape, or watch a recorded episode on tape (VHS).

Sometimes watched parts of episodes because I got to the TV late or that's all that got recorded.

Anything on TV had commercials.

Shane:

Watches episodes in order.

Sees an episode once, maybe twice, and then Carrie and I are ready for the next.

He'd rewatch them more if he could.

Episodes stream on demand. No more missed moments. Pause and start when ready.

Has access to any show at any time....if we'd let him.

I limit Shane's TV to less than 2 hours a day, because I want him to stay active. Some TV is great (and a parent lifesaver), but I don't want it to be at the expense of playing, interacting, and wearing himself out for bedtime.

Barn Day

Is it Spring yet? The high was 69 on Sunday.

Guess where we were.

Grandma and Grandpa were coming to see Mira and go to lunch. It was my job to keep Shane clean enough he didn't need a shower in between. Not the easiest task at a barn. Especially with an adventurous five-year old.

The haystacks were the cleanest fun we had.

Grandpa and Grandma arrived in Bucket 1 later.

Grandpa told me about their visit to Hobbiton in New Zealand while Grandma and Shane coached Carrie.

Then it was Shane's turn.

Horse's Thought Process

Who is this wild mini-biped? He does not smell of apples.

Are you seriously going to put him on me?

There better be apples later. Lots of them.

I took one quick pic before I had to walk along. Shane wanted Mira to jump (She didn't).

I don't know who enjoyed Shane's ride more: Shane, Grandma or Carrie.

Mira was okay with it. There were apples.