Tonight's Reading

Baths before dinner was the biggest lift for our evening. The girls ate leftovers while Woody trimmed the front patio foliage. They also cleaned the playroom earlier in the day. All in all, we had plenty of time to do some relaxing reading to all three girls. Well, two girls: Ingrid tuned out quickly.

Annika picked out a classic book, The Pied Piper, for our reading. It is so old, it was written in verse and required a lot of explanation. Both girls understood the moral of the story - it's best to keep your promises!

Edible Playdough

Anyone who knows me pretty well knows I get physically nauseated from the smell of commercial play dough. I can't even open a can without gagging. I made a list before I had children of items that won't make it into our house as playthings: Barney movies or paraphernalia, Barbies, and Playdoh. Barney bugs me; Barbie has too many small pieces and you now know what I think of Playdoh. I'm two for three on my list. I've learned that Barbie has benefits - like keeping the attention of my then 4 year old long enough for me to get things done in the house. Barbie still works. But the others - forget it!

Modeling clay has benefits for fine motor skills. I tried to reason with myself by thinking - my kids get enough play at preschool and every grade school brings out the pottery wheel for some grade.

I was happily surprised watching an episode of a family favorite show, John and Kate Plus Eight. They featured their six younger children playing happily with edible play dough. The recipe was recited quickly on the show. Woody, my mom and I each caught a piece of the recipe. I made up a batch yesterday and let the girls have a go at it this morning. What a success! And yes, some of the dough went into Ingrid's mouth before she caught on to the process of playing with the modeling dough.

So for those interested, here's the simple recipe. Mix together equal parts of:

Peanut Butter, Powdered Milk, and Honey.

I started with one cup each which was plenty for the three girls. I did use a little flour to get the dough into a more manageable state. Here's some of the play in action.

in·de·pend·ent Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [in-di-pen-duhnt]

–adjective
1. not influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinion, conduct, etc.; thinking or acting for oneself: an independent thinker.

2. Ingrid K. Chung

If ever there was an adjective that described my third child, this is it. I found a few synonyms also fit:

Synonyms:
absolute, autarchic, autarchical, autonomous, free wheeling, individualistic, liberated, nonaligned, nonpartisan, self-contained, self-determining, self-governing, self-reliant, self-ruling, self-sufficient, self-supporting, separate, separated, sovereign, unaided, unallied, unconnected, unconstrained, uncontrolled, unregimented

Ingrid lives and breathes the desire for autonomy. Obviously, at 19 months, she gets very little self government. It's still a dictatorship and she's the subject. That's what calm parenting is all about. We recognize her tantrums as a desire for autonomy. We headed off an early tantrum (about what I'm still unclear) with a diversion. Ingrid loves to push dolls in strollers, especially her two Bitty Baby dolls. This morning we had her out early to avoid waking others.

Laugh and a Movie

Saturday night was a great night to open the windows to the evening breeze and settle into a movie. We found a movie that was entertaining to all three generations - Evan Almighty. I watched the movie and watched the three girls enjoying it with their grandparents. The home theater captured all the great images and sounds. After the movie, the girls showed Harmony and Harabagee the dance steps they memorized from the Korean kids DVD they received last Thanksgiving. It has become a family favorite.

Here's a picture outside before the movie:

Morgan Update

Friday, March 28, 2008 - Morgan had fevers all day and stayed in bed, switching from TV to computers to magazines. She didn't have much of an appetite but really wanted to get out and play. Our evening plans were cancelled. We had planned to go to our favorite restaurant, Hodori, for Naeng Myun soup. Woody's parents are here. Woody's dad attended a seminar in North Scottsdale today.

Woody and I went and picked up Peter Piper Pizza and salad for dinner at home. We sat outside in the beautiful evening breeze. Morgan needed to get out and atleast sit in the sunshine.

Breaking News

Morgan was sent home from school with a fever and a cough. Bummer.

Tidbits and Tonight's Reading

Here are a few notes of the week:

• Ingrid is cutting two teeth - one last Thursday, and the other on Sunday. Yes, that's Easter Sunday. The teeth know no holidays. I think the new arrivals are called upper laterals (canines?) But no worries. Mom or Abanim will correct me if I got it wrong.
  
• Jelly Belly started selling jelly beans without artifical colors or flavors. They're not quite organic but on their way. We bought them for the girls and that's what was out on the hunt in the desert.
  
• Morgan's back to school after a 2 week plus break. Report cards came out, too. Good work Morgan. Keep it up.
  
• Annika is ready to be done with school. "I'm really getting a little sick of this building place. When will I go to Morgan's school?" Must be spring fever.
  
• Woody's parents arrive on Thursday. Woody's dad signed up for a dental seminar in Scottsdale rather than Los Angeles. Tax write-off combined with Grandkid visit. Good Work.
  

Annika asked for the "Sam I do not like it" book. Seasoned parents would know which story to take off the shelf. She helped with the reading and is starting to sound out simple words. Of course, the repetition in Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss is an easy starter book.

We continued the evening reading to all three girls - John, Paul, George and Ben, by Lane Smith. The book was a gift from Grandpa to the girls. Morgan retired to her room to read her latest school book, Viking Ships at Sunrise, by Mary Pope Osborne.

Happy Easter Everyone

Too tired to write this late in the evening, but here are some pictures from our Easter with our friends. The kids had a blast with the Easter egg hunt in the desert (literally)!

Egg Decorating Dèja Vu

There was something familiar with the egg decorating activity last night. Colored tablets, water, vinegar, cups, and one dozen hard boiled eggs were gathered. The traditional PAAS set included stickers and egg holders. The girls were very excited. This year, they knew there was more to the colored dye tablets when you mixed colors or dipped half of the egg in one color and half in the other. They figured out the correlation between the length of time the egg sat in the dye and how vibrant the color appeared when the egg was revealed.

But take a closer look at the pictures. Something felt eerily familiar about the whole activity. Can you see it?

Spring Break Reading

Morgan has done a fantastic job reading and playing during her Spring Break. Grandma made multiple walking trips with Morgan to do lunch at Paradise Bakery. They also hit Serenity Park, the school playground, and our neighborhood little playground.

For downtime, Morgan learned how to sew and made an embroidered dishtowel with a picture of an apple.

Grandma and Morgan also read books, together and silently. Morgan picked three books that she completed during her two week vacation: The Littles and Their Amazing New Friend, by John Peterson; Knee Knock Rise by Natalie Babbitt, and Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachan.

The Many Ways to Tell the Resurrection Story and Tonight's Reading

I miss the old days at St. James church in Savage. Good Friday included a felt puppet show church service for the children. Hot cross buns were served afterwards.

Morgan received today from the hospital a booklet and a carton of a dozen colored plastic eggs. Each page of the booklet told the story of Easter with a corresponding numbered egg that had an item to help with the story. We spent lunchtime reading the booklet and looking at the items.

The girls have a sticker set from Grandma and Grandpa that helps tell the story of Easter for them. They also have a number of Easter books telling the story of Jesus' death and resurrection.

However, the favorite family story book of Easter is not actually a book, but a collection of Sunday School booklets carefully preserved by my mom. Each weeks booklet continued the story from the previous week and after a year, you had a story book. Yes, I have every week's story page from my Sunday School classes when I was three (!!) years old.

I now read the stories to the girls. It makes me smile and reminisce many Good Fridays ago. I can still smell the Hot Cross Buns.

Tonight's Reading

Tonight I pretended to need a drink of water and asked Morgan to step in for me for reading time. We read the book, Curious George Flies a Kite, by H.A. Rey. It's a classic with wonderful illustrations. Thanks for the reading, Morgan.

Annika Loves Villa Villakula (and Trains)

And why not? She was named after the book. The girls watched The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking DVD that Grandma brought. It was a way to wind down from a pretty active day. I brought the car back from work and continued my work from home today.

Grandma and the older girls went to McCormick-Stillman Railroad park in Scottsdale for the afternoon. Click here for the official webpage. They had a blast. After a picnic lunch, they rode the merry-go-round and their first trip of the day on the train. The playground and free run area captured the girls attention after that. Grandma promised ice cream cones which capped the day. Another ride on the train and a view at the model trains ended the afternoon. They left later than expected and sat in traffic for the ride home. Annika didn't mind. She fell asleep mid-sentence with her lollipop still in hand.

Thanks for the fun Grandma!!

Tonight's Reading

Tonight we had a late dessert after watching TV and baths. I read a book called, Be Nice to Spiders, by Margaret Graham, while the girls ate. At some point in the book we noticed Ingrid raising her left arm in the air and making "ruhr" noises. We didn't understand her so she got louder and moved her arm around. I looked back at the book and the spider in the story was catching the flies in the elephant cages. A roar with her hands like claws confirmed that Ingrid was really, really following the story - the next page was about the lion cage. Yeah Ingrid!

Tonight's Reading

Three books were read - one by Mom, one by Morgan and one by Annika (!!!!). Grandma was quite impressed.

Morgan chose to read, "Green Eggs and Ham" to her sisters.

I read the classic, "And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street" by Dr. Seuss.

Annika read the Teletubbies Springtime Storybook.

Grandma's Here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday Haircuts

We finally got off our posteriors and took the girls to get haircuts for the spring. The girls were great. Ingrid had to sit in my lap but calmed down immediately. They even did some fancy hairdos for each of the girls.


Sunday afternoon was clear skies and great weather - perfect for playing frisbee and riding bikes.

The Telecommuter's Commute

A few weeks ago, I received a birthday card from my sister and brother-in-law. It made me chuckle when I first read it. Now I believe I am living it. It said:

Suburban Myth

Your birthday should be all about you.

After you've finished carpool, cleaning, laundry, school projects, soccer practice, grocery shopping, and making your own cake.

In bed, I was smiling. I knew this morning I was going to telecommute for work. I had everything I needed for a project right in front of me and no appointments on my calendar. Should be a breeze of a day, right? Wrong.

I still needed to get up, shower, get the girls up, dressed, fed, homework signed, school project packed, lunches made, shoes, jackets, purse, keys, load in car in carseats, and back out of the garage. All by 8:03 AM.

Then comes my daily bête noire, the bane of my morning. Here is the little bugger:

First of all, our house points mostly north. At certain times of the year, the slight degree tilt of the Earth makes our house point due north, perfectly aligned with the Pole, it seems. Why? Because from ~7:55 AM until ~8:25 AM every day, our garage door sensor is perfectly aligned with the sun, in the East. The garage door will not shut, not even with a plea. We've tried little shadow tents, tricks, anything to produce a shadow so the sensor thinks it's aligned with the opposite wall sensor and lets our garage door safely descend. Adjusting the sensor, even slightly, puts it out of alignment with the sensor on the other side.

So here's what a commuter, like myself, does every morning there's sunshine. We back the car into the driveway. Morgan gets out of her carseat and jumps into the front passenger seat. I use my body or the girls' kite to produce a shadow that shades the sensor but doesn't trigger it to assume something is blocking the sensor. Morgan hits the button. We wait until the door closes and then we're off. Now it's 8:05 AM - a huge difference for this commuter in the number of cars now lined up at the elementary school. After Morgan, I pass by one of the hospitals where I work for the 1st time out of 4 times daily. I drop off the younger girls and pass by the hospital again. This time, instead of getting on the freeway for my 10 minute commute to the other hospital, I continue south, dropping off the drycleaning, and finally pull back into the driveway. If it is later than 8:30, I don't have to worry about THE SENSOR and I can pull into the garage. Otherwise, I have to wait to shut it.

The only way to beat the sensor is waiting. Summer will be here soon, and, for this time of the day, the sun's rays will shift a few degrees north latitute as the Earth turns and the season changes. Only then will my 8:03 commute start time be safe.

Finally home again, I can turn on my computer, grab a drink and get set for work... Done with the morning commute of a telecommuter.

Any Day is a Good Day for Sushi

I wanted to find a reason for celebrating, a really good one. Nothing has come to mind. I am blessed with a great family, that'll be my reason. Our dinner idea with Morgan turned into a family dinner that was absolutely fabulous.

First, we went to a restaurant that has great sushi. Better yet, the sushi is delivered on a conveyor belt that passes around the sushi bar.

Second, they have great tea. There nothing more relaxing than a great pot of tea in front of you.

Third, our girls love it. The staff love them. There's a picture of my daughters at the cash register. The owners noticed my part Korean children and asked how they became so cute. I didn't need a mere second to answer - it's the Norwegian part. That led to questions about how we celebrated Ingrid's first birthday (a big deal in Korean culture). I pulled out the pictures and the owner loved the photos of the girls in their Hanboks. Now one of the pictures is very evident on the wall.

The Ostriches are Coming

Really. They are coming. All the way from Kansas. Just for the weekend. Just in time for Chandler's Ostrich Festival. (Click Here for Official Website)

Morgan had a half day school today because of conferences. We celebrated a successful student led conference by going to dowtown Chandler. The idea was an early dinner with mom and dad before we picked up the younger girls from day care.

We found out the restaurant didn't re-open until 5:30 for dinner guests. We wandered the downtown area for awhile and then Woody went and got the younger girls to join us. While downtown we noticed the creatively decorated paper-mache ostriches on display. Businesses had local artists decorate them, really well, with the proceeds going to city projects.

National Read Across America

It's time to read with your kids. There's always a reason to read to children, but today is the day for everyone to stop and participate in reading with kids. Work commitments prevented me from participating at Morgan's school. They finished celebrating a week of Dr. Seuss activities last week.

At home we read many books - little board books, Dr. Seuss books, touch and feel books, and finally Richard Scary's Mother Goose Rhymes (another one I don't have to read with my eyes open [SMILE]). We pretended to be some of the parts in the book. We acted silly. We learned something. We did something together.

Tonight's Reading

The Seuss reading week continues with the classic, The Cat in the Hat. The girls had the rest of the Danish compote while I read this book. All three girls maintained interest in the book. That's a good sign.

The Weather Report

By Morgan J. Chung.

Morgan finished flying kites and settled in to complete her report on weather, seasons, and climate. She chose summer as her favorite season and wrote about the differences in weather depending on where you live. We worked on the report all week, a little at a time. Today Morgan finished her graph and wrote the report from her notes. Nice work Morgan. Now she will have to memorize the report and present it at the end of this coming week.

Let's Go Fly A Kite

What a beautiful day! Sunny blue skies, slight breeze, excellent springtime temperature. Sorry for you northern folks - today is the day to be in the south.

The girls were itching to get outside today. Once outside, they switched from bike riding to scooter riding to running to grass activities. I played catch with Morgan; she's perfecting her technique and enjoys it. We took out our grass activity game packet that I bought when Morgan was a baby. It didn't take too much convincing to do three-legged racing with the girls - mom with Annika and Dad with Morgan. Ingrid ran solo but it was still a fair race. Then Ingrid wanted a turn and tied on to Dad for a spin. He ended up carrying her while she laughed.

After some lunch errands, we came back to let the girls fly a kite while Ingrid napped.