All abuzz

Our cute little 3-year-old can spell two words: his name and his name.

1. "S ... ... ... A ... ... ... M ... ... ... U-E-L," recited in this rhythm because the U-E-L, to him, is more of an afterthought that he only recently accepted and parroted --

and

2. "B ... ... ... U ... ... ... Zzzzzz ... ... ... Zzzzzz!"

So one recent afternoon I threw laundry and dishes aside (now, really, wouldn't the literal use of that expression be so awesome?!) to instead play a game with my little cutie and take pictures of him as Buzz. Funny -- he's only been wearing these green jammies EVERY day since Christmas, and I had yet to take a picture.

But since the game was -- what else? -- Toy Story 3 Memory, I was prodded. I don't want to forget what a kick this obsession of his has been. Oh, how we've laughed at our little "Buzz Lightbeer" and all of his magic buttons -- or is that "Litebeer?" Thanks, Mom, for this memorable gift. We've had loads of fun, and Samuel has learned lots about laundry timing. (wink)

Pretty slick

I don't know why, but skating at an outdoor rink is even more fun than indoors. We took our family to Midway Saturday and enjoyed a great time on the ice. A loud speaker blasted ABBA (awesome!) and other catchy tunes, and even "Achy-breaky heart" (groan) couldn't wipe our smiles. Emma and Elise were the only children who had gone ice-skating before. Kyle, certain he wasn't going to like it, ended up thinking it was uh, pretty cool. Samuel felt like a huge bag of flour on blades, but my achy-breaky arms managed to keep him upright. The only time he fell on his "butt-tom" was stepping off the rink. He's still talking about the zamboni "chine" that smoothed the ice.

Look in the background for Elise (in pink, on the left) and Kyle (in the middle.) Some people pushed strollers which I think is genius. I wish I could have done that, no passenger needed.

Concerning the zamboni, our family were the "tourists" who didn't know that when the music went off, you better clear off the ice. I found myself at the gate at the end of my lap and just followed the crowd. The kids informed me that the zamboni driver had to wait for James. Really? I asked. Sure enough, you can see a blue-coated figure behind Elise being escorted by someone else.

Photo of James: In the background on the right are sculptures formed of icicles. About a block behind those is the house where my father grew up.

James, like his Dad, used his tongue for balance. By his count he rounded the rink 20 times. He was a natural!

Every time James fell, he assured us he was just doing a trick.

So head on to Midway for a super fun time with your family. You may not have a grandpa up the road cooking a delicious pot of chili for when you're done skating, but the scenery and community feel can't be beat.

This just begs the question ...

... How do YOU do your best quality parenting?


I love our first-rate teachers, but this notice on the school calendar cracks me up.

Kyle speak

Polo shirt: "That thing you wear only on picture day." Context: Response given school-shopping when I tried to steer his purchases.

Jacket: Oops, my mistake. This word is not in his vocabulary, even on a below-freezing winter day. Nor is "long-legged pants."


Rubber spatula: "Child disappointer." Huh? "It's because kids are disappointed when you scrape out all the batter and there's nothing left for them to lick."

Happy Birthday, Kyle! I can't wait to see how you define being 15. I love you.