The Wolf Pack

OK, you didn't guess did you? We went to the Great Wolf Lodge. It is about an hour away and we figured that at least it would get us away for a bit and would be fun for the kids. What we didn't count on was that we would actually have fun to0.

We arrived just before lunch and looked around and scoped out all the things to do. There is the main attraction waterpark, an arcade, a spa area for girls, and throughout the lodge there is a MagicQuest game set up(You buy a wand and game time and then walk around finding the right clues and gaining gold, power, runes and become a Magi at different levels).

We ate then went to our room which was when D and M needed a nap. I took the bigger 2 out and we played the MagicQuest game for a while; mostly they just wanted to wave their wand at all the different pictures, chests, crystals, etc and see what they all did. It was frustrating E because he just wanted to rush from one area to the next to be first while G was meticulous about making sure he tried his wand on everything in an area before going on. G was racking up points and gold like crazy while there was no reward for E rushing through. After nap time we hit the waterpark.

They keep it nice and warm so it felt like the beach. There is a large area that is shallow for small kids. M wore a life jacket, but the other 2 didn't. There is another area that has a wave pool (E's favorite) and a deeper pool for water basketball and other games(we didn't do this one). They have big slide that goes around in tubes outside that you ride rafts on; G has promised to do it with me next time.

In the center of the waterpark is a large 'fort' that has all kinds of water stuff including a large bucket holding 1000 gallons of water that fills and dumps every 2 minutes. None of the kids wanted to do this and I couldn't get enough of it. To see all that water rushing down was really cool. On the fort there were twisty slides that came down and around and around from 2 stories up----G just kept sliding and sliding. The life guard at the top always looked nervous and whistled down to the life guard at the bottom that there was a little kid coming who might need help, but every time he came whizzzing out of the tube with a huge smile on his face. Too funny!

It is a resort so once they have you there you are a little limited on food options unless you want to load up and head out into the little town this is in. We opted to just stay in and eat at the restaurant there. At the dinner buffet we let the kids go hog wild and eat whatever they wanted. They all ate some dinner and then ate lots of dessert.

We went to the story time and then played in the room until everyone collapsed. The next morning you know everyone was still tired since the boys all slept until 6:45 and then when M did get up all he could say was "I tired, I tired". Here are all the boys in bed . We had breakfast, played in the arcade, and went swimming one more time before leaving. It was a terrific way to begin our week of Spring Break. E and G were just tickled that they got to go and we let them try everything there that they wanted. M was just worn out and I think D and I were too, but in a good way. Here's M as soon as we headed home.

Hope everyone has a great week!!!

love and hugs, B

Where Are We?

I will give you a hint. Tonight at dinner E said he thought this was heaven: waterpark, buffet dinner and an arcade. We are having fun! I will blog more when we get home.
love and hugs and try the big slide, B

Picture Catch Up

OK here goes the picture catch up. There is really not much to it.
Spring is on the way. I planted about 250 daffodils last fall and it looks like they all will come up. There were no bulbs when we moved in. Bradington Bunch-- when you see our yard there remember there was nothing that bloomed there before we moved in. Here it was not so bad. The yard had basic bones of shrubs and trees so I get to fill in with bulbs and perennials and occasionally kill a tree that is just to ugly to be allowed to go on wasting space in my yard.
Primrose and English daisy. Next year I am not wasting my time and money on pansies when I can have these beauties all winter.

On my last Saturday before my class ended I sent the boys out and they came back with a garden. Supplies in the van above. Garden box assembled below and filled and ready to plant with delicious veggies. We also have fruit trees (apple, pear, and plum and fig)

Finally... the kids friends may not be allowed over again. Their parents sent them over looking all clean and lovely and they went home covered in dirt and grass stains from head to toe with my apologies to all the parents. Here is what the parents missed in between; there are 5 boys in this pile. A good time was had by all except the moms who had to wash the clothes.

love and hugs, B

Class is Almost Over!!

I am going into my final day with a 99.8 average (don't even ask me about the .2--- I dismissed a 900 word count assignment with only 870 words--- kick me). I am so happy to be out of this class. All assignments turned in. I have promised the kids ice cream for another A.... I really hope I get it....and soon... I love ice cream.
This weekend D made us a garden box for our vegetable garden. He and the boys were ready to plant seeds, not yet. I will post pics tomorrow when I am on the PC. We haven't moved all my programs to the laptop yet.
love and hugs, B

From Before They Were Born

When you are pregnant you have strange cravings and things you don't even want to be around. Researchers also say that the baby hears what you hear and has a sense of what is happening in the 'outside world'. They also say this affects their development. Now I am asking, do they remember. Does it set their tastes?
E--- While pregnant I ate cottage cheese every day (I ate like a pig for all 9 months).I could not eat green vegetables-- they tasted like grass. There was also a famous incident with a 13 x 9 pan of Rice Krispie Treats. Song of choice when E was born U2- Beautiful Day. E loves cottage cheese and rice krispy treats and the other night at dinner he said he didn't want his peas because they tasted like grass (I did not even remember that aversion until he said it and I almost fell on the floor). D and E could listen to U2 all day.

M--I ate Reeses Peanut Butter cups and loved Shredded Wheat (breakfast and lunch a lot of days).I also had the thing the first 3 months where I could not eat a food twice. M hates leftover night. M loves sweets and every morning when he goes in to get his cereal and bowl in the pantry if we have Shredded Wheat it is in his little hand.

G-- I have never eaten so many salads as when I was pregnant with G. While I still had a slight Coca-Cola habit, it was less than usual. Well, there is a reason we call G our little Vegetarian; not a meat eater, but give that kid a salad and watch him go. Not a fan of the fizzy drinks either-- when we offer a special drink he chooses fruit punch or chocolate milk.
Here is the strangest thing: I was scanning through radio stations in the van today and I hear a cry of "Go back, I love that song!" It was Depeche Mode's new song. Guess what I loved to listen to while pregnant with G?
love and hugs and beware of what you eat and listen to while pregnant-- it will come back to haunt you, B
PS You know we live in the country when I had to go deliver shoes to E at school because his shoe went over the fence at recess and no one could go over to get it because they have a mean goat.

Is it raining? No, rain doesn't bounce.

Woke up.... snow. Half inch on the ground and coming down fast. By 10 it was switching over and we had about an inch. Rain. Sun. Cloudy. About 1 as we put all the kids down for a rest time the sky opened up, the wind arrived and we had hail sideways for 10 minutes. Then rain. Then sun. Then rain. Then small hail for 5 minutes. Ended the day with sun.

Good news of the weekend---- wireless laptop.. I am no longer chained to the desk in class. Now class can move with me. One week left in class. This one has not been as fun and informative. If I wanted to read the whole book and regurgitate it back in my own words, I would have done it on my own. This class is a really expensive monologue. So why am I starting to think of pursuing my Masters??? I must be crazy. The boy next door who is babysitting and being mother's helper while I write papers would totally encourage it so he could make even more money. Who would have thought a boy babysitter would be so perfect? We would love to adopt him. He is a terrific high school role model for our boys.

Question of the Week: Spring conferences are optional. So why did we get a teacher requested conference for E? D and I have been trying to figure this out. What makes us more concerned is that I asked the teacher in an email if it was regarding academics, behavior, or bad language (cursing on the bus is the big thing). She hasn't emailed back. What does that mean??????!!!??
Let me know if you have heard anything.
love and hugs,
B

M to the Maximum

Back to Class!

Hey Everybody!
I did get a 97.87 on my first class and I was extrememly excited about that, I have to warn you....... I am headed back to class this week. This time I thought hard about what to take and decided rather than stretch my limited time and brain power and do something new I would go for something I already felt fairly confident in. I am enrolled to begin a Language arts class on Tuesday sooooooo you may not hear from me for a little while. 3 weeks, 3 credits--- who can argue with that? I learned from the last experience and have already begun my reading and know to save my discussion comments so there are enough to count and not just make conversation in my online class without the motive of getting credit for it. I have read ahead in the book and am ready to conquer without so much work this time. I am really excited about this class though and can't wait to see what I can learn.
One note on the weekend (please don't cry Bradington.... OK cry, I know you all too well)-------G is registered for Kindergarten!!!! He was so excited to go with me and we toured the K rooms on Friday with his preschool and it actually made me homesick for going back to teach Kindergarten. Little G will be hopping on the bus before we know it. Don't cry, it's a good thing.
love and hugs and they do have to grow up some time, although the time with G has been too quick, B