it's spring maybe

In Beijing we used to celebrate Caitlin's birthday at the pool. This was Saturday. It's a good thing we planned a roller skating party this year.

I need help overcoming my self-destructive behaviors.  I can't keep myself from buying the themed cupcakes at the Smith's bakery.  The individuality of each little cake, the frosting in neon orange, pink, or green, the little plastic Buzz, Woody, Strawberry and Pupcake rings,sitting a top a perfect coil, it all entices my inner five year old.  So I picked up a couple of boxes to take to the party.  There are two problems.  This happened the last time too.  Before I get to the van, the once lovely frosting has slid and sloshed, something frosting shouldn't do, right off the top of the cupcakes.  And what might be worse, we eat them anyway.  I had to deal with psychotic episodes all day long, only one of them was mine, and I suspect they may have been induced by whatever gives the frosting that neon glow.

Ma, si va avanti.  As for the party, I was happy to take Caitlin, a couple of friends, and the siblings to Classic Skating.  I love that place.

Begging me for more tokens.

Ben and yellow cupcake.  See the new braces .

The cash box.

Caitlin's birthday song request. She likes Selena Gomez "Who says."

happy new year

Monday, December 26 I took the kids and some of their friends to Classic Skate. Sam requested Dancing Queen for me because I told him it was the quintessential roller skating song. There goes Ben.

Ben wouldn't stop to pose because they were playing Journey.

Tuesday Sam was my handy man.  He put together Caitlin's Tinkerbell Cafe.

It's been plastic cinnamon rolls and "What do you want to drink mom?" all week long.

I finally got around to cooking the turkey dinner I'd had planned for Christmas eve. Sam made some delicious mashed potatoes for us.

I asked Bethany to pose with the turkey but she said "No, that's disgusting. I hate turkey."  I guess it does look a little graphic.

Someone needed to pour his own cranberry juice.

I was grateful that Rob lugged the Bosch in his carry ons back from China.  So I went back to making cookies.  Chocolate chip on Tuesday, Snicker doodles Friday.

Back to snow and cold...

This was Wednesday.

Thursday we were excited to have a quick visit from the Sevys, our good friends from Beijing.

It was our first time to meet their adorable twins.

In the evening I took the kids and Grandma back to Pizza Pie Cafe.

Sam got a coupon for a free Cookie Monster dessert for being student of the day in December.

Now it's Friday evening..Happy New Year to you

classic skate

Last week Caitlin approached me in the kitchen with somewhat of a reprimand. "You need to stop thinking about the Jonas brothers," she said.

I wasn't aware that was one of my neuroses.

This week I felt like I wasn't keeping up so well.  The laundry room was nothing to celebrate and the general clutter seemed to reproduce spontaneously.  I was grateful for Grandma Martha's help.  I was busy with parent teacher conferences, birthday celebrations, and three great nights of Ben's middle school musical, Alice in Wonderland Jr.

Friday after school Bethany had a skating party with her friends at the Classic Skate.

Sophie was invited too.

 I was grateful for the fall colors. I took this from my bedroom window.  Didn't realize I had such a nice view of the park bathrooms.