Parking

Enjoying a little sunshine!

Notice anything really awesome? Maybe a big walking boy?

Courting

I took the kids to the tennis court to burn off some energy.

See?  Kinley Kournikova hasn't suffered much from her missed tennis lessons.

Ok, fine.  We may have a little work to do.  But we have a good time.

The Unabomber chased stray balls.

Celebrity sighting!

This picture just makes me giggle...

The Lucky Leprechauns

A few years ago, one of Kinley's friends told her all about "leprechaun traps". Groooooan.

She and Tanner just had to try to catch one! Kinley and her benevolent spirit came up with the brilliant supposition that maybe if they built an apartment instead of a trap, the leprechauns could be persuaded to stay of their own accord.

It has paid off handsomely for them. The leprechauns always leave long newsy letters for my kids about how kind they are to provide them such luxurious accommodations, how refreshing it is to not find a trap, how sorry they are that they can't live in our house year-round, why they would make terrible, tricky roommates, etc.

Every year they spend hours making their little houses. They leave treats and notes for them. This year Kinley's house had an art gallery and a big screen television.  I forgot to take a picture of the houses with candy scattered everywhere.  Use your imagination.

Tanner left a Lego man to greet them.  Oh, boy, you should have read what the leprechauns had to say about him!  He looks so.... inanimate, but apparently he has a GREAT sense of humor!  He's been invited to visit the leprechauns on their home turf over summer vacay.

Tanner created a separate outbuilding kitchen area.

This year, the leprechauns left growing foam animal pellets from the dollar store other side of the rainbow.

Until next year!

Rhodes Rolls Pizza Night

Our new favorite pizzas are little personal pizzas made on Rhodes Rolls.

The princess is an especially good dough roller-outer.

The mini monster likes getting in on the action too.

He has a good mentor.

Pizza.  It's a family affair.

Rhodes Rolls Pizza:
Thaw rolls on counter or microwave 4 rolls on a plate for 60-90 seconds.
Roll out on counter (don't forget to dust the counter with flour so things don't stick)
Bake on 350 for 7-9 minutes
Top with sauce, cheese, and toppings.
Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. 15-25 miinutes, depending on how thin your crust is.

Crusts freeze very well as future pizza shells.

Tennis Time

We signed Kinley up for another 4-week round of tennis lessons at the rec center and attended exactly one class.  I was bedridden with The Flu for one of those classes and we forgot (ahem) to attend two others. I'd like to blame my brainlessness on tax season, but the truth is that organized extracurricular activities are not my forte.

We had one very expensive night of tennis practice fun...

And tennis spectator-chasing less-fun.

A pinch of iPad play....

And our future champ is one small step closer to Wimbledon.

Sniff, Sniff

Tanner has been sick with a vicious mutant head-cold all weekend.  He shared it with me because misery loves company.

Mommies aren't supposed to get sick.

But if a mommy has to be sick, she is very lucky if she has a Kinley to keep the household running while Daddy is working and mommy is hiding under her covers.

In related news:  I don't think Tanner will be sneaking drinks out of public water fountains again for a very long time.  I think my point has been illustrated sufficiently, so I'll just let the phobia run its course.

Happy spring break.

Ride 'Em, Cow Kid!

Who needs a pony when you have a Kinley?

P&P

What is 5 hours, 23 minutes long and captivated my big kids Friday and Saturday night?

Now Kinley and Tanner have seen both movie versions of this classic tale and are in agreement that the BBC version is better than the Keira Knightly movie (though we all really like the Keira version too).

The brainwashing is well in hand.

Favorite moments:

1.  When Kinley flipped to the second disc, Tanner was confused, asking, "Why does it have two DVD's?"  Kinley quipped, "Now you know why it is called Pride and Prejudice.  We just finished up Pride and now it's time for the Prejudice!"

2.  As the movie ended, Crew yelled, "Ova!  Kiss!"  (Translation: Over!  Kiss!)

K-I-N-L-E-Y!!

We are SO PROUD of our little spelling champion!

After qualifying in the class round, Kinley took FOURTH PLACE in the Third Grade Spelling Bee Championship at her elementary school!  She has maintained an amazingly positive attitude while she has worked diligently to prepare for this event.

If you need to know how to spell "slantindicular", she's your gal!

Calling Daddy to tell him the great news!

Way to go, Kinley!!

Reader's Theater

Kinley is collaborating with some school friends to prepare for Third Grade Readers Theater in April!  Let's be honest: it's really just an excuse to get together with friends outside of school.

Chomp

For a little girl that has never had one single cavity in her life, she sure has cost us a pretty penny at the dentist office.

Last week one of her baby molars shattered right in her mouth during a movie, crushed by a tilted back molar. The dentist had to dig out the remaining pieces. Fortunately, her replacement molar is close behind so we don't need a space maintainer.  In fact, the x-rays say that she should start raining teeth in the next few months, a few years ahead of schedule.  Aye, aye, aye!!

Losing teeth is not her forte.  In fact, the only teeth that she has lost without assistance are the front four teeth. The rest have needed extraction for one unavoidable reason or another. She has her mommy's giant teeth and her daddy's not-so-giant mouth. It's going to be a very expensive combination--it already has been!  Fortunately, she's a great sport about it.  She doesn't even remember what it's like to lose teeth the old-fashioned way.

On a related note, did you know that you can order a frosty from Wendy's at 10:30 in the morning??

What's Love Got To Do With It? Got To Do With It?

Every Valentine's Day, Justin desires the predictable-for-him: clean house, home-cooked Meggie-dinner, and shiney shoes.  We deliver.  The shoe-shining part is especially exciting...

Kinley is the ever-patient mentor.

We love you, Daddy!

Hop on Pop!

Last week was Dr. Seuss week at school; for Hop on Pop Day the kids dressed up like their handsome Daddy!

Prayer Rocks

Kinley prepared and delivered a wonderful Family Home Evening lesson this week about prayer. For one of her chosen activities, she and Tanner created prayer rocks.

Tanner really liked making his rock, but he cried when he thought he had to sleep on top of it. I cried when he left it at the top of the stairs for someone (me) to trip on.  Prayer rocks are so complicated.

Sacagawea

When I watch enough episodes of Project Runway, I get delusions of grandeur. Lately I have had a secret desire to find out whether I can sew something other than diapers. When Kinley announced that she wanted to dress up as Sacagawea for her oral biographical book report, I saw my chance! Without saying a word to Kinley, I purchased the fabric, bubble-traced her nightgown, and sewed up the tunic while The Princess was at school. I would say that I just wanted it to be a surprise, but the truth is that I wanted plausible deniability if my sewing project accidentally turned into a ghost costume for Halloween. Or if I gave up and transformed the failed frock into diapers...

Fortunately, when she hopped off the bus, I got the "you're the best mom in the world" declaration that I was going for. She spent the afternoon designing the neckline, headband, and bracelets.

She made her own headband to match the neckline design.

Project Accessory, eat your heart out.

Sacagawea laced her own wolf purse.

She did a wonderful job with her report!

I was sad to realize that making your own costume is not exactly less expensive than buying it ready-made on Amazon.  But it was a lot more fun!  It seems that we are all set for Halloween. And she doesn't have to be a ghost.