Another airline problem - again!

Well that last post obviously didn't work. That stinks. Will have to try that again soon 'cause it was so cool!

So my mother in law is here. For some that would be a bummer, but for me, LOVE it! She's just so easy going and really is so good with the kids. She'll do anything the kids want including playing make believe games for...forever! I swear the last time she was here, my older daughter had her playing fairy make believe for three hours non-stop. I can maybe last 30 minutes. She is the energizer bunny of grandmothers. And she'll wash dishes AND get up early with the kids AND buy dinner too.

She had some trouble getting in on the airlines with her flight being cancelled. She had to go to a different airport altogether. It made us have to change our plans to pick her up and drive an extra two hours to pick her up. Of course it wasn't a big deal...we would have driven further to get her, but it just goes to show how unreliable airlines are becomming. I think this is how the airlines are going. I think its going to get to the point when we expect the flights be cancelled and when everything is smooth it will be a minor miracle. It's so annoying. We spend hours planning and making arrangements for our trips and then WHAM...it never seems to go right. I'm afraid we're going to get to a point when we have to build a day onto either end of a trip for the airlines screwups. It will end up costing more...messing up vacations non stop. It's so frustrating.

This was my day today.

Just discovered this great new site. Here's a summary of my day:

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Want to make one of these. Check out wordle.net. So cool!

She WILL learn how to ride her bike

So tonight we FINALLY made some headway with teaching my daughter how ro rider a bike. She's been so negative and down about learning to ride and although she is almost 7, she keeps fighting it. I don't know how it has become such a big "IT" that she has to overcome. She seems like she finally was able to overcome her own self doubt to try it. One thing I did while she was trying and pedaling was to repeat over and over for her "I can do it". I chanted it over and over and over when she was on the bike. And it really worked. I saw her lips mouthing the words as she pedaled and the few times she fell. She was SO thrilled and proud of herself and I am just tickled that she is finally interested. I can't even tell you what agony we've gone through with her to even just try.

So tomorrow...we'll go back again. Unfortuantely we can't really practice in our yard because it's too sloped and our driveway is a bumpy mess. We have to go to a local school that has a great basketball court that is surrounded by flat grass. It was just what she needed. So tomorrow we will go back. Our goal is to have her riding by next weekend so we can take a family bike ride...finally!

Our hometown had a parade today for homecoming days. It was pretty fun. Nothing is like a small town parade. Even the Govenor was there and all sorts of politicians. There were some cute floats. The usual preschools marching, the cub scouts, and garden clubs. One of our favorites is the Shriners. They have these motorized little cars that go up and over (on tracks) a carrier vehicle while driving. They zip around and slow down to high five all the kids on the side of the street.

And of course, there was plenty of candy. No longer can they whip it like they did when I was a kid, they have to hand it to the child. Safety...I guess. Seems like they could gently scatter it on the street. So long are the days of diving for candy and being beemed of the head. The candy dispersers are about 25 feet behind their float because of long it takes. Anyhow, one thing I thought was pretty cool is they handed out ice cream sandwiches and ice pops. My kids were in their glory. Ate as much candy as they wanted, an ice cream and icepop. Got a few stickers and pencils too.

One thing that drives me nuts is parents that don't monitor their own kids. There was one little girl who was so greedy and keep snatching up all the candy. I know her Mom who was standing right next to me and she was totally oblivious. Shocking. There is nothing worse than wanting to put another parent in their place. All she had to do is say to her daughter that she had to share. This little kid is going to be a monster when she grows up if she continues like this. I can't just believe she stood there and watched her child just be a selfish brat. Grrrr...nothing is worse than a parent who won't do their job and parent.

Ok. Enough rantings for tonight.

I Love Money reality show- is this for real?

So I'm watching this show on VH1 called I Love Money. Holy crap. Are these people for real? Is this show for real? These people all have stupid nick-names like "23 pack, Boston, Chance, White Boy, paymaster,". It seems like they are competing for $250K.

They are having sex together, doing raunchy competitions, and the drama...oh my. Catfights, crying, cussing, and dramatic music strategically placed. This is the most pathetic group of people I have ever seen. I guess these are the type of people producers just live to find for these types of reality shows.

Now, I have to admit, I love reality TV. I watched Survivor for years, the Bachelor, Who Wants to Marry A Millionaire (remember that one?), Real World, Top Model, and more. But this show has to take the cake for the most gratituious, pointless show ever. They must have had the contestents sign a waiver that said they would do "anything" on TV to be filmed. How can someone get this desperate and lack all sembalance of self respect? Do they really think it will bring them love, money, and fame as the promos suggest?

God forbid if one of my kids ever did something like this. I would think I totally failed as a parent. I wonder if these parents are actually proud of their kids?

Today I saw Oscar the Grouch...'member him?

My kids needed a TV break today, so I turned on the tube and the only appropriate kids show was Sesame St. I knew it was still on but it had been a while since we had seen it. Not only did we see the classic characters (Grover, Oscar, and Big Bird) but some of the humans characters were the same as when I was a kid over 25 years ago. I think her name was Maria. She looked great and still had that creative sparkle I would think you need to be on Sesame St.

One thing I though was hilarious, is Oscar the Grouch now has a lady-friend. Yes...believe it. I think her name was the Grouchette. I swear that's what I heard while watching dishes. At any rate, I can't believe that Oscar has a girlfriend. In today's episode she imagined she was the Grouch Princess and her parents just accepted that she was always going to be a Grouch. As much as I love my kids unconditionally, if they were a Grouch all the time, I don't know if I'd be sane. But of course, it was a kids show and so it was all cutesy. The kids loved it. I have to admit, I did too.

So next time I'm in a bad mood, I think I'll be the Princess of Grouch. Why not?

To honor this occasion, I found this great video of Oscar singing his classic song:

Where is the sentiment from my daugher?

So the bear has not been found yet. We actually forgot to call the hotel (bad parents). She hasn't been asking either so I guess that's good. She's outside building a fairy house with her sister so this would be a perfect time to do it. Of course though dinner is a-cooking, and blogging is a-waiting...so I'll just put it off a little longer. I actually AM a great Mom, but I think she'll be ok if it's lost. Out of sight, out of mind. We used to have a "spare" one in case she lost it because this bear used to be her lifeline. She slept with it everynight, it comforted her when sick, she played endlessly with it. It kinda breaks my heart that she got over it so fast. I bet it will hit the fan when we have to admit that it IS actually lost, or the next time she is sick. I don't even know where the "spare" one is now...and she wouldn't be fooled anyhow. The spare has a chipped nose and is WAAAYYY to clean and nice looking to fool her. But maybe she would be ok with it. I feel awful...I think I'm having a harder time than she is with the fact that it might be lost.

I had my precious Coco bear for years. In fact, I even had my high school portraits taken with it. That is embarassing to admit now, but back then it seemed sweet and dear. I was a sentimental fool. Somehow my parents didn't think there was a problem with their 18 year old posing with a beat up teddy bear, but there you go. Must have been where I got my sentimental streak. So I ask you...what's wrong with my daughter that she doesn't seem to have it as well? Maybe that's an important life skill to have...to move on.

God knows I have needed that over the years. Wished I learned it at seven.

We lost her teddy bear, ok The Secret, work now!

So, back at home and just trying to get back inot the swing of things. I didn't think jet lag would bother me, but boy, am I whipped. I want to think I'm still pretty young, but flying from CA to the east coast really killed me. We slept in to 11 today which is hard to believe since I haven't done that since college. I feel like I could do it again tomorrow. Thankfully the kids went to bed earlier tonight.

The bad news from the trip is my daughter's favorite stuffed animal was lost. We have had that bear for 7 years and it's traveled all over the country with it. So somehow, we left it behind...somewhere. We've been calling the hotels we stayed in. But if you ask me, they could care less. I don't have much faith in a entry level hotel worker really taking the time to check the lost and found box for an old teddy bear. I try to have faith in my fellow man to do their job and to care about their fellow man...but I think the cleaning maid just tossed it. But I'm practicing the secret and thinking the last place I need to call tomorrow will say, YES! Thankfully my daughter has been pretty easy going about it. Of course we will have to see what happens if (shhushhh) God forbid it isn't found. It WILL be found. It WILL be found. It WILL be found.

So we are at my cousin's house in San Jose. Beautiful area, but I could never live here. WAAAYYY too crowded and too much noise, pollution. Livin' in the boonies definitely has some advantages.

But today we did stop by an Indian restaurant and had a delicous meal of Chicken tikka and naan bread. Oh, do I miss Indian and Pakistani food. When we lived in Virginia we got our share of it, but now, not so much. Again, a big downfall of living in nowheresville.

So we have one more day of our trip before heading east. I'm ready for my own bed and space from the kids. As much as I love them, I definitely need my break from them as well. Being together 24-7 over the last 3 1/2 weeks has been enough. I'm ready to send one back to daycare and the other to camp for a couple of weeks.

But I do love travelling with them and seeing new things....just give me a little time and space before we do it again!

Saw Peregrine falcons playing in Oregon

So we have just spent four days touring the Oregon coast. Amazing. Beautiful. Mysterious. Stunning. Inspiring. Breathtaking. Awe-inducing. Can't even think up enough words to describe how amazingly beautiful the coast is. We were fortunate to have great weather and could see for miles on the endless beaches. We saw pelicans, cormorants, oystercatchers, and sea lions hanging out on rocks. We also came across quite a display by three peregrine falcons at Cape Mears and learned a lot from two bird watchers who have committed to watching these soaring creatures. We saw three immature falcons actually in play mode, hitting each other and practicing how to dive. They were screaming and what an utterly wild sound they emitted. Loved it. Saw raw and wild.

I'm grateful my daughters were able to see this and hopefully someday will realize what a treasure this trip has been.