Hole in One

Annika scored her first golfing hole-in-one today.  True, it was a miniature golf course, but the excitement was palatable.  After that, the excitement waned and the whining began.  Too bad, it was supposed to be a fun outing with Ingrid and Annika.  But the girls were distracted by the go-kart races and boat races to pay much attention to miniature golf after a few holes.  The weather was threatening storms but nothing came of it.

Morgan, Erik and I were home getting Morgan ready for her first sleep over birthday.  Erik napped but Morgan was wide awake.  She helped me sort through wrapping paper.  We're cleaning out the bedrooms to get ready for new carpet.

Old Photo Friday

Morgan is attending a birthday party this weekend.  They are going rollerskating followed by cake and ice cream.  And finally, a few were asked to continue the party with a sleepover.  Morgan was asked (actually, Morgan's mom was asked).  This will be Morgan's first sleepover.  Morgan and Emily have known each other since they were babies at the same day care.

I'm wondering how much giggling will occur at this party.  What will they talk about?  What is a common thread for girls parties from the beginning of these social gatherings?  Probably giggling.

Here's today's old photo.  My great grandmother, Eva Springer, in a picture with her friends at her birthday party.  The photo has Eva's own handwriting describing the event and location.

Another Classic Annika Essay

Annika's daily school journal came home this week with her progress report.  Annika is doing well in school.  Her journal is very Annika-like.  It describes some of the mundane family life in the Chung household.  When the mundane is not enough, it's embellished a little.  In some cases, it's a whole lotta embellishment.  And some of the entries are true Annika style.  A bad dream included zombies and mummies shaped like Martin Luther King, George W. Bush and Abraham Lincoln.  Oh my.

Here's Annika's idea of American freedom.

"I'm proud to be an American because we have freedom cause We can go in hole-teles with a crede card cause we don't need to pay money and coponds.  And we have freedom to buy a house and have a tree to clam in you bake yard and then you want to see how you get down?  You jump off the tree."

Sick Child Alert

Annika's home sick today.  She has a significant cough - we're hoping it doesn't turn to croup.  On the comfort scale, she's at a 10 with dad pulling out all the stops.  They've read books together, played DS and now Annika is watching videos.  Not bad, especially having lunch with mom AND dad.  I stopped home with some over the counter relief and lunch between hospitals.

Cute Alert

He even looks cute in his sister's old pink pajamas from Japan.

Sell me your "Get out of Jail Free Card"?

Our first experience as a family playing Monopoly was short lived.  Not from the lack of attention or enthusium, but from a visitor.  Woody's friend Scott arrived from Los Angeles.  Scott has several properties in Arizona and sometimes has to come out to perform Landlord duties.

We were playing Monopoly when Scott arrived.  Erik was attempting to get in the action - and go after the banker's stash.

Harmony has been visiting since Tuesday, but decided to ride back with Scott and get home earlier than planned.  We had an early dinner/late lunch at a restaurant.  Ingrid thought Scott was very cool and decided she was going to sit next to him at the restaurant.  Scott and Woody have been friends for years, both growing up in Los Angeles.

After dinner and goodbyes, we drove home to finish chores.  I completed the 2009 Blog book and sent it off to the publisher.  Woody succeeded in moving his dresser and we *finally* selected carpet for the bedrooms and living room.  We will order after final measures on Tuesday.  For now, we need to get everything off of the floors as necessary for measurements.   Before the carpet arrives, we need to finish the baseboards and paint.  It's going to be a busy spring!

Old Photo Friday

Flashback Toys.

I was looking through eBay earlier to see what folks are paying for Spirograph sets these days.  The set I had from the 70's can fetch more than $30.00 if all of the gears are included.

Hmm.  Another thing I can't seem to find - paint with water coloring books.  They used to be everywhere.  Punch out paper dolls - also missing.  Where are these throwbacks of the 70's?

Simple great toys, now gone.

However, there is one toy that has come back under the flashback category - Rock'em Sock'em Robots.  I'll have to keep that in mind for the future.  I bet Erik would love it as much as my brother and Uncle Rick.

Have a good day.

Dinner and a Move

Woody and I had a great dinner at Outback Steakhouse tonight, thanks to our friend Kevin, and Woody's mom.  Kevin gave us a gift card for dinner and Woody's mom is here for the week.  Perfect chance to get away for a midweek meal.  But as any practical couple, we followed dinner not with a movie, but a trip to Lowes to look at carpet samples.  Still alone together, we got another task accomplished.

So what's the "move" part of dinner and a move?  Erik moves forward as of this afternoon.  Our son is officially crawling.  Off you go Erik!

Eye Protection

Annika announced she could no longer go to the bathroom without goggles.  She said it was to protect her eyes from splashing!??
  Uh...Yeah...I have no words.

Interior Decorating

I'm a little shy when it comes to decorating.  I don't trust my sense of style.  I know what I like when I see it, but I come up short trying to pull it off in my own home.  And so, I avoid it sometimes.  Choosing the right knick-knack and creating an eye appealing display needs careful consideration.  In Arizona, the added desert dust that permeates the indoors only adds to the display.  Whatever you create needs daily cleaning.  In some ways, it's better to avoid it altogether.

Personalizing your display - through photographs and memorabilia - creates a home.

So, if you don't have any knick knacks, and the photos are not in frames - because you can't figure out which ones look good - then it's best to use your ---kid?

Annika's 3rd Annual Valentine's Party

We're all tuckered out from Annika's party today.  The day started early with last minute details and cleaning.  It's correct to state the night ended late, too.  I finished the cookies at 2:15 AM and then did the dishes.  In a yummy, but not well thought out decision, we baked yellow crocker fish for dinner last night.  With rice and kimchi, we had a stinky house.  All of the windows were opened until about 1 AM.  Fish problem resolved, baking commenced.

Annika's guests included her neighborhood friends,  Kelly and Riley, her classmate, Grace, and family friend, Megan.  The girls decorated cookies, made candy necklaces, danced the shuffle, ate lunch and made ladybug Valentine's bookmarks.

Woody is cooking more Korean food for dinner - my Valentine's present.  Don't look for any flowers, chocolate or cards - it's not our style.

Fancy Ingrid Visits the Dentist

Fancy Ingrid had a check up this morning.  All is good with the three year old's teeth.  She certainly knows how to show some style in the chair.  Way to go Ingrid, best dentist behavior ever!

Valentine Pics

Time to get updated pictures of Erik - just in time for Valentine's Day.

These are the drafts - they edit, zoom in and center before printing.  It's a great place and we've had the same photographer for about three yeats now.

Old Photo Friday

My mom was able to get each the girls one of the new Sonicare for Kids toothbrushes at cost.  They arrived in the mail this week.  We will unpack them and charge them up this weekend in addition to showing them how to use the rechargeable toothbrushes with timers, turn them on and off, clean, and store.  Woody and I like them.  Perhaps we'll consider the adult version.  I had one years ago and liked it.

Today's old photo is one of my favorities.  My mom and uncle are brushing their teeth in their pajamas.  A little different from the new style of toothbrushes.

Homework that will never be turned in.

Less than 10 minutes into her "essay" draft, Morgan's homework faced the parental censor (me).  During school she was given a slip of paper with the title of one of the member's of Obama's Cabinet.  Morgan had "Department of Energy".
Morgan knew she had heard the title, "Secretary of Energy" before.  Politics are discussed in our house.  Without explaining anymore - here is an exact copy of Morgan's draft up to the point where I took it.

Who:  Secretary of Energy.  Steven Chu.
What: in charge of energy and who uses it.
Why:  I don't know.  But why does my Dad calls him a moron?

I told Morgan we need to edit her essay and when Woody came home from the store, we explained the nexis of our "moron" comment.  She said she understood.

Her next draft started well, but still required additional editing.  Here it the first part before the editing.

Secretary of Energy.  The name of the Secretary is Steven Chu.  I think it's weird that he thinks it is right to paint the top of our house white, so he can make it nice and cool and not that hot.  Secreatry Chu's job is to assist Americans with energy and to tell the President if it's all gone.

Oh my!

Ingrid's Learning Night and Conferences

Ingrid's learing night and campus dinner was this evening at Risen Savior Lutheran School.  This is the first preschool we've been associated with that has had formal parent teacher conferences.  Our entire family went for spaghetti and salad.  While waiting our turn to be seated, we got to look at some of the science and civic projects.

After dinner, with very helpful student volunteer wait staff, we walked the campus to Ingrid's class.  One half was set up for play and classroom viewing, the other side was set for conferences.  Ingrid is progressing very well.  With a late August birthday, she is the youngest in her class.  Her verbal communication skills are quite advanced as is her fine motor skills - any art project will get Ingrid smiling.  We will start working on math manipulatives to get her to understand sorting and other concepts while learning counting.