Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Boredom

We are still safe and still not evacuated. There is a lot of smoke in the air so we can’t take it outside. This is a picture of our smoky sunrise.


We have been a bit bored stuck in the house all day. Yesterday my Grandma and I tied the quilt that I made this summer with my humanitarian quilting group. When it was finished I took it over to our local evacuation center/high school where it sat for about five seconds before being scooped up and taken into the gym. I had originally started the quilting group to send quilts off to far off places that needed disaster relief. Who knew they would be used for our own disaster?

My boys have also been very bored. However they have been a little less constructive in their activities. I found this in the boy’s room. My husband came in while I was cleaning it up and I asked him if he had seen it. He replied that he had and that he had taken a picture. So here it is:



Collin wanted his picture taken and I think he is pretty cute!


Schools here have been cancelled for the rest of the week. It is going to be a long, long week.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Fires

Just in case anyone was worried about us we are OK. The areas to the north and east of us are evacuated but we have not been asked to leave yet. My Grandma had to evacuate and she spent most of the day with us but has gone to stay with a friend in a safer area. My Bonnema also evacuated to stay with my Aunt. We will go there too if we have to evacuate tonight. Many of my friends have evacuated areas where there has been substantial damage and many people have lost their homes. Our hearts go out to those in danger and those who have lost their homes.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Smoke

The sky was its normal blue this morning but when I got out of church there was menacing brown smoke on the horizon. There is a big fire burning north east of us and the Santa Ana winds are blowing smoke to my house. I like fresh air so having all the windows shut is making me a bit stressed. I hate fires. They are the only major natural disaster threat we have here. This area is not as affected by earthquakes as other areas so they are not a big worry for me. The current fire is far from us and would have to burn through many houses first but the smell of smoke still puts me on edge.



Or maybe it is the Mario music that is making me edgy. Collin is obsessed with Mario and it is all he wants to do. I have limited it too weekends (although I think they play it while I am at class) and hearing that music over and over again is making me a bit crazy.



Saturday, October 13, 2007

The week in pictures

We have had a lot going on lately so I haven't had time to post. So here is the week in pictures:


There was an Ice Cream Party at Peter's preschool. I couldn't go because I have class but Des took them. I think this was their dinner.



We had Collin's friend Shayne over after school. The boys had a great time riding bikes in the back yard.




Collin drew his first picture that looked like something. I asked him to draw a person and this is what he drew! All his art in the past was mostly scribbles. It is nice to have some success with his goals. Peter is getting close to drinking out of an open cup by himself. The potty training still needs work. We had a few accidents yesterday.




Last night we did our kid swap. We watched our friend's boys so they could have a date. Next week we get one! The boys love having friends over. Collin was really upset when they had to go home.

Those were the highlights! I didn't get any pictures of myself taking my microbiology test, of Miss Vicky coming over (maybe next week) or of today's rain. We actually had a power outage as well and Des took video but it is all black. Surprise, surprise.

Never watch Barney again

We recently got cable TV and a DVR. I don’t really care about the cable but I really wanted the DVR. Mostly because I watch too much TV and if I record my shows I can go to bed earlier and watch them later. And I have watched much less TV. It turns out that when I go to bed earlier I don’t have as much time to watch TV and the shows just pile up on the DVR. I might never have time to watch them.

So far the best application has been with my kids. I set the DVR to record some of my favorite new PBS shows. Have you seen Word World, Super Why and Peep? They are really great (as far as children’s TV goes). Now there is no more whining about not wanting to watch what is on during the brief time I let them watch TV or having to listen to this months favorite movie over and over again. The best part is that Collin loves Super Why and has actually attempted to learn some letters. And I never have to watch or listen to Barney ever again.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Names

I spent an hour and a half in the Social Security Office yesterday waiting to change my name. Last year, after 6 years of marriage I finally changed my name at that same office. I did it because I needed to get a new driver’s license and they wouldn’t give me one because my full name wasn’t on my social security card. So I thought I might as well add my husband’s last name while I was there. I decided to hyphenate. I knew that it was obnoxious and kind of long but I figured it was a compromise between keeping my old name and dropping it all together. My husband actually thought it was silly and has never wanted me to change it at all.

After I changed it I discovered how very irritating it was. First it was really, really long. So long that it didn’t all fit on the college form or on the ID printed from said form. It is also weird sounding; two long last names don’t exactly roll off the tongue when you mash them together. When I make phone calls to my kid’s schools I have started introducing myself as Marie Hislastname. It just takes too much time to explain to frazzled secretaries that even though my last name is different I actually am Collin’s mom. After doing this for a while I realized that I could use my “married” name socially whenever I needed to even if it wasn’t the one on my driver’s license. So yesterday I went back to the Social Security Office and had the hyphenation removed. I am back to my maiden name and it feels great. So unless it is on a binding legal document you can call me whatever you want. I really don’t care. Unless it is Mrs. Hisfirstname Hislastname. That drives me nuts.

Oh! If you comment on my blog please don't mention any of our last names. Or where we live. Thanks!

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

I have a new nephew!

I have a new nephew! Conor John was born to James and Anne (James is Des' brother) he weighed 8lbs 7oz. Isn't he a cutie? I can't believe how big he is! Collin was only 6lbs 6oz and Peter was 7lbs. He is lovely and healthy looking.



Here is a picture of him with his proud Auntie Collette:



Monday, October 1, 2007

Street Fair

Our little neighborhood had a street fair on Saturday. We brought the boys and had a great time. Collin got to meet a fireman


and go up into a huge dirt moving machine.
I swear it was the size of a house. I think Collin really enjoyed it he is absolutely obsessed with trucks and firetrucks.



We walked to and from the fair. Peter fell asleep in the stroller and missed all the fun.

Peter's last day of Preschool

Peter had his last day of his summer preschool this last week. It was a special preschool that helped him talk more and catch up in the areas were he was a little behind. We really loved his teachers but he will be going to another preschool closer to our house and one of his old teachers will do home visits. This is a picture of Peter and Miss Anna.





I took a little video of Peter talking on the phone. First he says that we wants to watch the truck movie and then he gets a phone call.