As Bad As Sid the Science Kid

A couple of weeks ago I bought some birdhouses for the girls to paint and put on our deck. Last week they got painted, today they got a little mod podge (because let's be honest, everything looks better with mod podge), and tonight we got birdseed in them and got them on the deck.

Here are the girls putting the birdseed into the houses. The holes are very little and it was very messy. That's what vacuums are for. Right?

The finished product. I thought they turned out very well. The girls did so good painting and mod podging the paper on. I was totally impressed.

We nailed them onto the railing so those birds won't knock them off.

And this is my brag picture. I got this table and chair set at GoodWill for $30. It was their half off furniture day and I only hesitated a minute before buying it. I am so glad I did.

Oh, I guess I should explain the title of this post. The reason we put birdhouses up was because we saw it on Sid the Science Kid. Anyway the day they put the birdhouse up Sid wondered where all the birds were and was anxious about it. We put the birdhouses up two hours ago and I keep looking out the window to see if we have any bird snacking birdseed. What am I, five? So those birds better come or I will be mighty disappointed.

When we went to Wal-Mart to buy the birdseed we went outside to the Lawn and Garden area, and there were tons of birds flying around and chirping. Lauren said to me, "They are on their way to our house to eat our birdseed, because we have it now." I told her that maybe she should tell them that we have birdhouses at our house but she said, "No. They already know."

Things I'll NEVER Understand

1. I'll never get Z scores. I get the basic idea, but not really how they get it.

2. I'll never get why men act like a cold is the worst illness ever.

3. I'll never get why all parts of your body get bigger with pregnancy instead of just your tummy. (thighs, ribs, feet, buns). (And I'm pretty sure that my organs aren't getting moved to any of those places, if you used that as an answer).

4. I will NEVER NEVER get how the internet works, digital cameras or T.V. It does in fact kind of freak me out so I prefer not to think about it.

5. Geometrical proofs. I understand calculus proofs but geometrical proofs are like a foreign language to me.

6. I will never get how to wear red lipstick. Celebrities that are pale do it, but I can't get it to look right.

7. I will never get how tennis is scored. People have explained it to me, but it has been "a lesson in futility" (that's for you mom)

8. I will never get the sizing on baby clothes. If it says three months that should be when they start wearing it right? Apparently not.

9. I will never get what the big deal is with Kate and Prince William's wedding. (are those even the right names)? People are crazy about it.

Jeff is telling me that it is time to go to bed, so I guess my list will have to be prematurely ended, as I am sure there are many more things that I will NEVER get.

CAKE CUTTING REVEAL

HERE IS TEAM PINK

HERE IS TEAM BLUE

(THE WINNERS GOT THEIR CAKE AND ICE CREAM FIRST)

THE CUTTING

TEAM BOY WINS!!!!!!!

KENNA'S RESPONSE

LAUREN'S RESPONSE

OUR RESPONSE: WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HAVING A BOY!!!!!

Spring Break

Two weeks ago was Jeff's spring break so we headed south to somewhere warm. That's what you do for spring break right? We went to Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City. The water park is 85 degrees. I personally thought the water and air was too cold, but I am kind of a wimp when it comes to cold.

We headed out Wednesday after preschool and drove 30 minutes before Lauren said she had to go to the bathroom. So a quick detour to a rest area, a few moments of apprehension because of the strange toilets and we were on our way. The girls watched Sid the Science Kid and did really well.

We got to the hotel and while Jeff checked in, us girls waited in the car. When he returned the car wouldn't start so we could park. Luckily there was a nice man who came over and gave us a jump. We drove around for awhile scouting out places to have dinner.

The girls were so scared of going into the water park because it was so loud, but they relaxed and I think over the course of the two times at the water park they went down the kids slides 300 times.

The girls were sooooo good. They loved it. For the course of our trip there were no tantrums, no fighting, just happiness.

A couple funny side stories. We made a quick stop at Russell Stovers for some ice cream cones. It turns out that Russell Stovers is like the old people hang out place. Anyway I was eating my ice cream cone and a Katy Perry song came on and I kind of started dancing. Lauren looked at me and said, "Mommy do you need to go potty?" I said "No, I was just dancing." and she said "Oh, it just looked like you were wiggling." So apparently I'm a pretty lousy dancer.

Just one other really cute thing Lauren did as we were leaving Kansas City: She was so sad that we were leaving and asked why we couldn't stay in Kansas City forever. I told her that we didn't have enough money to stay any longer. And she said "OOOHHHH, I have money in my cup holder, you can use that." It amounted to all of 70 cents. Her enthusiasm is so affecting and so adorable.

She still talks about Kansas City and is saving coins to go. I didn't get very many pictures before our camera died, but here they are:

I think this picture is great. So this 1,000 gallon bucket dumps every five minutes and it isn't the heated water. It is freezing. I could stand in the kiddie pool and feel the cold mist come over. We all watched Jeff do this on a dare and then Lauren wanted to try it, and she did. She didn't like it and was a bit startled but was brave about it. She was also brave about the crazy water slide Jeff went on with her. She said she had fun, but it was a little scary too.

QUESTION

Dear Problem Solvers - I have a question that maybe you can answer. Why doesn't toothpaste foam. It drives me crazy when it doesn't. I feel like my teeth don't get clean. Is it the toothpaste that isn't foaming OR is it the toothbrush that isn't letting the toothpaste foam. If you have any wisdom on this oral care question please enlighten me. -Foamless in Nebraska

Perhaps I'm egotistical

Perhaps I am egotistical. Frequently in the last few months I have seen some sort of advertising or billboard or logo that I have, frankly, found hideous or lame. Who passed off these decisions. I certainly wouldn't have. I feel like I need to have a desk where I'll put seal of approval on all major redesign and advertising ideas. It reminds me of a quote from You've Got Mail where Joe Fox's girlfriend Patricia is talking about Kathleen Kelly "Her taste is flawless, if she likes it sells. PERIOD." Of course she was referencing books, but I like to think the same applies to me. (Hence the egotistical heading). Here are just a few examples. 1. Village Inn's new colors and signs. UGLY 2. A kitty litter ad where a cat looks like it needs to go to the bathroom and can't find the litter box. When I see that ad I think "so the if I buy this kitty litter, than my cat is going to pee on my carpet because it can't smell the litter box?????" 3. I sometimes go as far as criticizing roads and city planning. Like "why didn't they put an entrance here, that would make much more sense?" And of course the decision of speed limits. 4. The layout of some grocery stores. Bakers for instance 5. The pictures in cookbooks. The recipes sound good until I see the picture. These are just some examples that I can think of right off the top of my head. And every time I see something like this I think "YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED ME? DON'T YOU KNOW THAT MY OPINIONS ARE THE BEST." This post comes as no surprise to the people who know me. But for those of you who don't know me as well; don't be scared of me. I'm not as critical as I seem. I'll only tell you the truth if you want it.