Should old blogs be forgot....

End of the year. A time for resolutions to make the next one all the better. The western hemisphere way to state, "Time to start the next chapter." And a moment to reflect on the previous 365 days.

But a blogger has their history laid out behind them, so it should be easy. Except for the blogger who forgot how to blog on a consistent basis.

"Hello, my name is Jon. I'm a lapsed blogger."

What's crazy, looking back I can see that I've put up a heck of a lot of posts this year, but fell off the wagon after Alya's birthday. You know, when pictures and things are happening at a rapid pace I stopped letting everyone know what's going on.

So the first thing to not do is make a resolution to post to the blog every week.

I took a look at my first post of 2009 ("Happy New Year"!) and it was going to be a retrospective. It never got past January.

Instead the better resolution is to write.

It's a bigger concept than just a simple "blog more" and encompasses more than this family life blog. And it will make a general improvement on my communication skills as a whole. And perhaps it will reduce some of that late night game playing, because I'll be writing instead.

[Jon waits for the laughter to die down.]

Okay, I had to put a funny in there some place.

***

Speaking of writing, that's one of Alya's big things of the past months. She can write her name fairly well, knows all the letters in lower and upper case, and seems just a half step away from reading. My squirrel's verbal skills are growing and her reasoning is going even faster. "Do you remember when you flushed the toilet when I was supposed to do it?" or any other item of remembering past events. It's so cool to see her grow like that.

Marcus is busy doing his own thing. He is quite the instigator and often starts stuff up with a quiet action that would serve to get his sister in trouble if we were not nearly as observant. Favorite lines include, "I don't like that!" and "More [batteries, suckers, screwdrivers, etc]." But then he says, "Please." in the voice of an angel, so it's hard to say no.

Sasha and I are doing well. Work continues for both of us with driving intensity. Sasha's load has been increasing in her department and will continue a steady climb. This is good for Manpower as her department (NASA) takes orders for national accounts. So more work equals more money.

My department will reach a fever pitch this year. Already I have had to pull weekend hours, but now the big roll out is about to happen and that will not be a cake walk.

On the personal side, we've not made major changes. Alya and Marcus have both taken their first class at the zoo and are already signed up for another this spring. Alya begins gymnastics next month, while Marcus has a return to swimming lessons.

Both kids had an excellent Christmas with far too many gifts, but lots of extended family time to show both sides of the holiday. Pictures may go up someday.

***

Anyway, it's time for me to roll. We've got a New Year's Eve ahead that will have the kids doing all sorts of fun things with their cousins while the adults get to have a little normal conversation with cousins as well.

Best of health for 2010 and may fortune smile upon each and every one of you.

Signing off for 2009!

Jon

Run, Runner!!!!

"Run, Daddy! Run!"
"Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!"
"Rawr!!!!"
"Ieeeeee!!!"

Just another evening at the Casa de BSer.

It is kind of strange to have your kids telling you to run. But when your a geek like me and had previously told your kids how to quote the 70s science fiction movie Logan's Run (see the title of this blog post) then it's bound to come back at you.

In the basement, Alya and Marcus were both chasing me with their little foam guns that shot Nerf-like arrows and telling me to run while chanting "Shoot!" Funny, but a little disturbing.

So the best thing to do was to quickly duck behind the couch and roar right back as soon as they rounded the corner. Seems fair to me. The squeals and laughter was worth it.

And the reward? Two very tired and relaxed children, ready for bed after a dose of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - currently in progress.

---

However, as geeky as I am, I did not dress the kids up as anything bizarre. Instead, we went a very basic route - Zebra and Turtle.



They had a fantastic Halloween. As you might be able to tell in the picture, it was really cold here during the day. Heavy coats and bundling up in the wagon was mandatory.

We took a first trip around a neighborhood here in Brown Deer with the Roos family. Their daughter, Kaede, was dressed up as a witch and got to join in on the wagon fun as well.



Lots of giggles to be had there.

Then we had a second round that evening, with a Halloween party in Germantown, where the people really go all out. Lots of decorations, including a house that was actually a little scary for adults as well as a mini-bar with jello shots. Good times for all.

Anyway, a quick update before bedtime for the little ones.

Pumpkin time!

Last week, I took the day off to take help Alya's class out with a pumpkin farm field trip. Lots of fun as I minded Alya and her friend Sydney, who was also at the birthday party.

They had a great time, and special thanks to the hat that Grandma Nida got Alya for her birthday - it was toasty goodness for the little squirrel.

Riding the wagon having a good time, that's what the pumpkin farm is all about.

Alya and Sydney are... the Children of the Corn!

Marcus might not be a climbing boy, but Alya makes up for it in spades. She must have went up and down this wall five times - at a minimum!

The group photo!

***

Well I hope you enjoyed this week of pictures. I'm sure I won't post again until after Thanksgiving, but I'm glad to get this batch out at the least.

Thanks much!

Jon

On Sasha's birthday we went to Elegant Farmer with her Mom and Fran. Good time for all, with lots of yummy snacks.

Sorry there aren't any pictures from Victor's the night before. That was a hoot, in that Victor's sort of way.

On the tractor ride. We take it around the fields every year, but we never actually get off to get apples or pumpkins. Weird.

Marcus and the apple cider donut. Yummers!

Alya on the rocking horse getting assistance from Franpa.

And here we have Marcus being.... Well we can just call him being Marcus.

Monkey Business as usual

Just a few odd shots from around the end of September to the beginning of October.

 

Alya doing her best Monty Python impression.

 

And now Alya is the diva being driven around town.

 

Marcus takes top goofball on the cat post.

 

Football, how it's meant to be played.

Alya's Birthday Extravaganza!

Here's a whole stack of pictures from Alya's birthday weekend. Two parties, multiple cakes and a bunch of Disney Princess dresses.

Enjoy!

Flipping for Ribs

 

Marcus is known for being a picky eater. Sometimes he'll eat nothing but bananas and waffles for the entire day. However, this day in September was one in which he not only ate the rice and gandules I had made, but gnawed on the bones of the ribs Sasha had made for her first time. I don't blame him either, as those ribs were really good.

 

Meanwhile, Alya decided that doing flips off the bed was a good thing. Head down on the foot and kick the feet over - Boom! I brought more pillows down as she was just landing on her butt at first. Crazy girl.

Adventure Awaits!

In the old arcade game, Dragon's Lair, the attract mode would describe how fantastic of a game it was and wrap up with, "Play Dragon's Lair - Your adventure awaits!" Naturally, this phrase stuck with me.

But who'd of thought that a nature walk would turn into a genuine adventure?

Sasha had taken the kids into Brown Deer Park for a walk through the woods before, and this time we all went for the hike. We walked on logs, picked up sticks, climbed hills, interfered with disc golf games, and Alya had her first outdoor bathroom experience. Standard stuff for a walk in the woods.

Then our trail met this bridge:

True adventure!

And that kind of changed things. Alya was a little scared to cross it. I was nervous that some of the boards were weak. And the gaps were large enough that either of the kids could have fit through and there was some water under that bridge. A thrilling crossing, indeed.

Yes, we made it without incident. Yeah, it probably wasn't a big deal. But we still didn't take that route back.

Instead, we follow a trail that would "complete" the circuit and bring us out on the other side. Except that pesky stream the bridge had crossed was still around and still containing water. So this trail sort of gave up the ghost at a bend in the stream. No bridge in sight, nor stones to make an attempt at keeping dry.

It all kind of reminded me of Blair Witch Project. But neither Sasha, nor I are that stupid.

So she slowly herded the kids in the direction there "should" be a bridge, while I scouted ahead to make sure it was there.

I scampered along the stream bed, trying to spot our way out when I think I see salvation - a golf cart bridge that was perhaps 30 yards away. And then I saw what lay between us and the way out. The stream had forked, and this fork was cutting off the way out.

As I got closer, I could see the bed of the fork did not have any obvious water, but the question of mud remained. So I grabbed a nearby stick and started prodding the leaf covered bed. It was soft in spots, but otherwise dry enough.

However, when we had regrouped to cross it together, Alya balked and didn't want to walk along it. Maybe my speech about how to cross these things made it a little scary, but it was another experience that she didn't want to do along. So she was held and Marcus carried, and we made it across the bridge, out of the woods, and into the clear blue sky.

With two tired little children who couldn't bear to walk anymore.



We found adventure and triumphed. And it was good.

***

So, I've been really bad about blogging lately, and a lot has been going on with the family.

Alya had her 3rd birthday party, which was a three day celebration filled with cakes, princess outfits, and a few presents too. Good times for the little squirrel.

Sasha also had her birthday, which was a celebration that started after her brother's birthday party the day previous and ran off to a round of golf and a trip to Elegant Farmer for fall goodies.

And I went with Alya on a Pumpkin Farm trip with her school. Lots of fun for her and I, even if I forgot the rule of "Don't let the kids pick a pumpkin they can't carry."

Since all of this was neglected, I'm going to cheat for the following week.

Starting after this post on Sunday, there will be a picture (or two) and a short blog entry every day this week. Really. I mean it. I'm doing it right after I publish this one.

So come back and see the BSer thought of the day. I will not promise a big week wrap-up at the end, but the thought is nice.

Be seeing you,

Jon

Take a good hard look, 'cause we're sailin' on a boat!

Ah, Labor Day.

Since we do not have kids in school proper yet, it is merely the end of a season and an extended weekend. But we made the most of it, that's for certain.

The picture above, was taken Sunday morning on a lake near East Troy, WI. Sasha's Aunt Debi and Uncle Neal have a house there that they opened up to the entire Fuller family for Labor Day weekend. So we scheduled a time (the Fuller family is that big) and got ready to go.

But that's not the beginning of the story.

---

Sometimes life gets a little funny. Not funny "ha-ha", but funny "strange". I saw some new friends leave the immediate part of my life, and saw a bunch of old friends that I haven't seen in quite a while. This wasn't an "Out with the new, in with the old" plan - I didn't have much say beyond attending events, but it was weird.

The Battiste's (Ben and Jen) left Milwaukee this past Tuesday for Germany, as Ben was just posted there by the US Army. They've been a part of my gaming life for the past year, and have come over for get togethers as well. They had an hasta la vista (my term, not theirs) dinner on Thursday, but with Alya still under the weather, BSer representation was limited to me and Marcus walking into California Pizza Kitchen to say "Farewell" and wave a bag of burgers from Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Very brief, which is a bummer but thanks to the internet, contact need not be lost.

But in with the old! In this case, it was a Friday wedding for a co-worker friend of Sasha and I. It was a nifty ceremony, and a nice dinner, but the highlights for us were.... Conversations with Peter and Ann Marie, a couple that we used to get together with during my previous stint at Manpower. They had since moved out to Colorado and we had not really kept in touch beyond Facebook.

Then throw in a bunch of dancing (the wedding trifecta - Electric Slide, Cha-Cha Slide and the Cupid Shuffle - back to back to back) and it being a date night as my Mom watched the kids all added up to a fantastic evening.

And that lead to the next day and a lake house party!

---



This is what vacation living is all about.

Now I know I kind of lead up to this being the meat of the post. A Saturday through Sunday stay at one of the nicest homes I've ever stayed in, but the events were so laid back that in some ways there's not much to tell.

We all were able to chill out and enjoy the day. Alya and Marcus loved running around on the grass and hanging out on the pier watching the lake. We've been told our children are very mellow, and they certainly know how to take it easy.

Saturday's antics included, a big group bath for all the little (read under 5 years old) cousins in a large, whirlpool tub. Highlights include little cousin Devon (18 mo.) standing up to show how he can pee in the water. -Bath reset!- And the "swim off" between Alya and cousin Jack (4). Each of them were trying to out do the other. Very fun for all that were involved.

This bath time was followed up with a nice outside fire with around ten family that had lots of sparks and some roasting of marshmallows, which then became smores. Alya and Marcus shared a rocking bench for a brief stint until it was impossible to ignore bedtime any longer.

And both of them slept solidly through the night. Which was good because Alya took the top bunk in a room with two of her second cousins who were probably worried they would have middle of the night wakes ups. Instead, they were serenaded by Alya's morning song, which is a quite gentle way to be woken up.

Once we were all moving (and none too hurriedly, mind) the BSers and the Ratajczyks (Jenni and her two sons Jack and Devon) went out on the pontoon boat for a slow ride around the lake. A somewhat calm cruise - kids fine, water skiers a little less calm - that let us see the sailboats get out for the weekly race - probably the last of the season. We even tried to feed the fish, but they weren't that interested in tortilla chips.

Then we came back to shore - had a little lunch - and then the kids ended up taking a 3 hour nap! That's the kind of chillin' I'm talkin' about. Heck, I even grabbed 20 minutes for myself.

By the time we got home, the sun had set, our bodies were tired, and our day wasn't over.

Yep, Holly came by to watch the kids while Sasha and I went out for a second wedding of the weekend.

---

Wai-ken married Maggie this past weekend in a small ceremony at the Hotel Metro in downtown Milwaukee. Sasha and I managed to show up late to the reception thanks to a bonus trip up and down in the hotel elevators.

Anyway, I've know Wai since the fifth grade and we've been trying to get together a few times a year at minimum - plus lunches at El Farol. But also at the reception was two friends from high school (Chris and Mike) and one from the first grade! (Hey Eric!)

Since we were coming in at the tail end of a long day for everyone, we only got to chat a little bit, but it was good to actually talk with these guys that I hadn't seen in several years.

But one of the odd things that I came away with was that we all have changed. But sometimes it's hard to shake the memory of how things were, compared to where we're at now. I am fairly certain that I'm a different person now, and so are they. It's both interesting and a little sad that we don't know the changes we've all gone through.

But that is the nature of life, unless you keep your friends to a minimum, it is impossible to keep up with everyone. Lives change, we cross paths or journey together only to part at some point. And one can hope to meet up again and have things return to that level of comfort you once had.

A funny thing about meeting these friends again, I could find a parallel for each one in my current batch of "newer" friends. Maybe it's a gamer thing (and all of them were/are gamers) but it's like a group cannot abide with two people of the same personality type - but we're drawn to people who share a type of personality we've known in the past. Very strange.

---


Morning... BSer style

After all the crazy events, Monday was the calm we all needed.

Sasha, which help from the kids, put together a really nice breakfast. Then she mowed the lawn while I did house clean up and kid watching.

This was followed by another long nap by the kids and Sasha, which I did not partake in.

Then the evening was a gathering with Peter and Ann Marie (remember them?) and some of their friends, including my old boss from Manpower. It was a great, relaxing evening. Peter took the role of Grill Master to heart and whipped up some good sources of protein. Ann Marie took care of the logistics behind the scenes and we and another couple with their nearly-two-year-old waxed and relaxed.

It was a fine way to wrap up the weekend and a time of nostalgia, remembering days when we were in the same city and could visit more often. I guess we have a very good reason to see Colorado now.

---

Now if I was better at this kind of stuff, I'd re-read the post tomorrow before putting it up, but I'm not that kind of guy. It's late, I'm rambling, and I'm missing some of my friends.

Be seeing you,

Jon

Sitting on the steps - a Vacation done

 

Well we spent the weekend in the Dells and here's a group shot to prove it.

Okay, it's really the steps to the condo we stayed at, but it was a fun time.

Union Break

 

Just a quick picture post. Marcus has been working hard lately, so we had to unionize in order to ensure no one came down on us with child labor laws. Naturally this meant bringing him his tea at the appropiate times.

Slow blogging does not mean slow times....

Hey everyone, sorry it's been so long, but these days are just flying by.

Summer as a kid was a time of freedom. Do what you want, stay up as late as you can, cause a little trouble and have a few adventures.

Summer as a single adult was kind of just-another-season. Sure there were events that only happened in the summer, but it was generally just a tick on the calendar.

Summer as a couple, especially married, changed things slightly. Double the family gatherings, and those happened more often in the summer months.

Summer with kids, it's their freedom not yours. And it comes from the sun.

This is what found me and Alya in the park at 8:30 PM this evening.

The little squirrel fought and fought taking a nap today. And she really needed it. Marcus took a too short nap so he was in a state as well. Eventually, Alya gave up and too a nap on the floor - at 5 PM. Not good when we're trying to shoot for an early bed time.

Sasha made an excellent dinner, which we enjoyed while Alya slept. However, Marcus was drifting off while eating his dinner, so we thought "going down early!"

How wrong we were.

Alya woke up on the floor in a horrible foul mood. Meanwhile, Marcus fought going to bed like nobody's business.

And this is where it gets interesting.

I go ahead and take Marcus for a walk, while Alya takes herself into the bathroom closing the door.

And locking it.

Five minutes pass and my cell phone rings - it's Sasha asking how to get the door unlocked, as she and Alya can't get it open. I try to talk her through it, but something really seems to be wrong with the door, so Marcus and I rush home.

The door is seriously locked. And the release on the outside of the door isn't working at all. Alya's being very brave in the bathroom - and we're both so proud of her - as I'm getting a hammer and screwdriver and eventually tin snips to get the door unlocked and my little squirrel free.

Eventually, the cutting works things free enough that a few strikes with a screwdriver and a twist opens the lock - and breaks it in the process. The family is reunited and joyful.

But it doesn't end there.

See, Marcus had one screwdriver and then Alya grabbed the other. Now I would trust Alya with a screwdriver, but Marcus most certainly not. But take one away and the other must go too. With two overtired children, no good could come of this.

Much screaming, wailing, and thrashing of limbs (thanks Marcus) lead to the entire family piling into the car and listening to the children's classic album "Peter, Paul and Mommy" by Peter, Paul and Mary.

This results in Marcus falling asleep, but Alya just isn't going down. Late naps are the bane of any parent's life.

As we pull into the driveway, Alya asks about going to the park - which was the original enticement. So, Sasha takes Marcus into the house, and I go and take Alya to the park. At 8:30 PM.

Daddy paranoia sets a few ground rules as we head into Brown Deer Park.

"We're only staying a little while as the park is closing soon."
"Only a little bit of time on the swings and a few trips down the slide." "And the monkey bars?" "And the monkey bars."
"If Daddy says 'We have to go now.' that means we must leave right away because it is dangerous. Understand?" "Okay."

We got out of the car and headed over to the playground, which was partially blocked from the road by a truck and I saw three figures hanging out on the swings. But the voices carried over where that of young college girls talking grades and sports. Whew.

Alya had fun. She got time on the swings - with around 5 or 6 underdogs. Three trips down the slide. And a couple monkey bar runs - which consists of me holding her as she grabs the rungs. All wrapped up with howling at the moon. (Three quarters full is good enough for us.)

And then back home. Safe and sound and ready for bed.

Kind of.

See, as I finish up this last bit, Sasha's currently reading Alya some bedtime stories.

Yeah, late naps are really a pain.

Be seeing you,

Jon

Jedi Masters of July 4th

 

Yes, those are the BSer kids. And yes, those are lightsabers. Oh yes, they are swinging them in the house. But it looks so cool!

I never know from day to day what geek habits or traits my children will gain from me. Marcus taking to the lightsaber is no suprise, but I didn't know how Alya would handle it. The answer is: Quite well. They both make me so proud.

Actually, Alya has two Star Wars books that are in bedtime reading rotation. And both of them have a few Star Wars action figures, as well as having seen most of Empire Strikes Back and a few episodes of Clone Wars. So their education in the ways of the force continue quite well.

---

As for the 4th of July, we were brave souls and took them both down to the lakefront to watch the fireworks go off on the third - which is Milwaukee's biggest show.

Not only were they well behaved, but they also really enjoyed the fireworks. The only downside was that the show was over an hour long, and the kids got bored after a certain point. Explosions are great, but even a Michael Bay movie knows that there needs some pacing.

But since these fireworks just didn't know when to quit - both kids laid down and took a small nap by the end of the show. Yes, that's right - Alya and Marcus slept through the 3rd of July firework finale. Amazing.

---


On the 4th proper, we went to Sasha's Aunt Jan & Uncle Tom's house for their yearly picnic. Tons of fun for all, as they always throw a great party. Lots of family to catch up with and see how all the former little ones have grown over time.

Plus, with four dogs running around, it help in the continuing program to get Alya not quite so scared of dogs. Initially there was a lot of screaming as Cloe came up to say "Hello!" right off the bat. But by midday, Alya was pretty calm and by the end of the day, she didn't really seem frightened by them at all. More exposure is good.

Unfortunately, Marcus was not feeling so well. He was really under the weather all day long. And if you see in the picture above that Sasha is wet, well so is Marcus and that's all my fault.

On of the traditions of the 4th of July picnic is the water balloon toss. So, Sasha and I were throwing a small water balloon back and forth as the distance kept growing between all the contestants. Well the kids certainly didn't want to be left out, so Marcus was hanging onto the front of Sasha's legs.

When I made that last toss, I knew there would be trouble as I had accidentally put a bunch of spin on the balloon - which is a bad thing.

And my aim was true - which made it worse.

So when the water balloon arrived at it's final destination, it was in Sasha hands right in front of her chin. And when it burst, it went straight down on top of Marcus's head.

Yes, the scream from that boy's mouth was quite loud. But we couldn't help but laugh the scene. The poor guy.



Anyway, just a few pictures and memories to share from a very nice weekend.

Be seeing you,

Jon


---

Blogging like no one reads it...

The title is exactly what I've been doing with this blog for the past month plus - not doing anything. The problem being that lots of people who I care about read this blog, so I've been doing them a disservice. And for that I apologize.

Now - on with the show!


What's missing from this picture?

Lots of things have been going on lately in the BSer world, but I'm going to start with the life changing event.

We pulled the plug.

Or more accurately, we pulled the pacifiers from Marcus and Alya. (Those of you who follow us on Facebook most likely already know this.)

It has been about two full weeks plug free and the two children handled it quite differently.

The first thing that happened was on a Friday, Sasha had the kids pack the plugs up in a box to "Send to the children that needed them." Drove to the post office, and mailed it off.

Gone baby, gone.

Then Sasha took them to Toys R' Us and bought them a bicycle (Alya) and tricycle (Marcus) for doing such a good deed. Bribery works, right?

At nap time, Marcus went down with not too much of a fight.

Alya screamed bloody murder.

Sasha called me on the phone to share the joys of my daughter's plight. It was not pretty to hear.

Eventually, Alya asked for her woobie, a blanket, milk, and to be put in her car seat. There she managed to calm herself down. Although she had woken Marcus up and eventually it was a long car ride for both kids, and Momma, to get to an even keel.

That was 14 days ago.

The dust has settled for the most part. The biggest problem right now is that both kids have lost their primary means of settling down for sleep. Alya has rolled with it for the most part. Fine at daycare, but at home she now falls asleep in our bed and then gets carried into her own.

I think we kind of "broke" Marcus.


That boy used fall asleep at night so fast your head would spin. Two stories, maybe four, and then a little rocking and he could be laid down with his eyes open. Then he would be sawing logs like a the little man he is.

Post-plug-pull Marcus does not like to lay down in his bed. He doesn't even like rocking in his room. Currently, the only solution we have is to read stories in his room, then bring him out to the main room to rock in the recliner for 10-15 minutes. Our easy sleeping boy no longer owns that name.

In hindsight, we probably could have had Alya drop the plug and let Marcus keep it for a few more months. He was kind of moving away from it anyway. Instead, we pulled the plug, took a side off of his crib, and had him change rooms at daycare within a week's span.

So it's been rough, but the benefit is wonderful.

Plugs discourage kids from talking, and can inhibit some speech growth. Now both of them talk a heck of a lot more, and are telling stories and really using their voice.

Music to Sasha's and my ears.

---

I've got a whole bunch of things to talk about, but I'll leave you with this for now.

I finally figured out why I can eat at Qdoba (fast food-ish burritos) so much. Quick access to rice and beans. My Grandma Celia used to make rice and beans back in the day and I loved it. I could fill and entire plate with rice, cover that with beans, mix it all together and nearly eat the whole thing. A perfect "comfort" food.

Qdoba gives me that base of rice and beans, which doesn't taste as good as my Grandma's, but I enjoy the flavor all the same. It's probably a good thing the kids aren't fond of "burritos" right now. We'd probably go out to eat every "Daddy night".

Although, my track record really isn't that good at this point anyway....

Be seeing you,

Jon

Mother's Day and Fried Rice

It's Mother's day, and I will see if Sasha wants to do a guest blog today, but before that, I will sing her praises and how the day was special.

First off, it was a busy day that started off with a bath first thing for Alya. Her potty training usually gets her through the night, but last night was not one of them. So, I woke up with her and got her washed up right away and let Sasha sleep as long as possible.

Unfortunately, Marcus woke up soon afterward and they were both in quite a state. It's the kind of situation where one parent can handle them - but not in a quiet manner. Soon Sasha was out of bed and we all trooped downstairs for breakfast and a little viewing of Tinkerbell.

First Mother's Day moment, Alya and I came upstairs. I had her decorate Sasha's card, while I prepared coffee and cereal. Then we brought that all down for the enjoyment of Mommy. Yes, a very simple breakfast, but that's because....

We went to take a walk over to the park. This isn't a habit for us, but one that should start. It's a slight hike with the strollers, but the kid's playground at Brown Deer Park is a lot of fun and we don't go there enough. Plus, being there at 9 AM on a Sunday guarantees we have the place to ourselves.

The next thing was that we were meeting my Mom out for brunch at the Crocus Polish restaurant. We arrived at 11:30, with both kids having fallen asleep 10 minutes before arrival - early for nap time, but the park had tuckered them out. This is enough to make any parent nervous.

The food, while heavy and coated in lots of butter, was super delicious. Potato Pancakes that were slightly crispy and loaded with butter. Perogis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierogi) with various savory fillings and served with a little applesauce. A breaded pork chop that took a little to grow on me, but brought memories of weinerschnitchel. And a stuffed cabbage roll that was filled to the brim like a Polish egg roll. Wow was the food good.

The kids clung onto all three of us at one time or another throughout the meal. My Mom enjoyed having her grandchildren hanging on her - as all good grandmas do. I did my best to keep Sasha relatively child free, so she could enjoy her meal and Johnny Walker on the rocks. That's what Mother's Day is about, right? And I would say that our fears of misbehaving kids were for naught. And I'm good with that.

We came home and three of us crashed out to sleep. In order it was, Marcus, Alya (after some coaxing, as she said she didn't need a nap) and then Sasha. This happened between 1:30 and 2 PM.

Since we had a TV producer scout our front yard for shooting the remake of Little House on the Prairie, I decided that this would be the best time to get that done as well as clean up some of the weeds floating around.

(Although I had to buy off of iTunes the Incredibad CD - if you watched Saturday Night Live last night, you'd have an idea of the why. Look for the Digital Short for Mother's Day. Incredibly wrong, but incredibly funny.)

By the time I finished all that, I came inside fully expecting to find some family members awake. After all, it was 4:15 PM, time to get up. But not this day. All three were still snoozing.

5:00 PM - I was starting the prep work for dinner - beef fried rice - and Sasha woke up to say hi, followed shortly by Marcus. Alya really stretched things out.

(Interlude - "What's the theme of your 3rd birthday? Princesses?" "No, cake." - Sasha and Alya just now during Alya's bedtime routine. Franpa - you better be ready to dress up like a princess since that will be expected of you.)

Recently, I've been on a Chinese food kick - making, not buying - and it's been pretty fun. I made a dish that turned out a little poorly, but then I made pork fried rice and that went well. Tonight, I made beef fried rice, and it was really good - for fried rice. Once more and that recipe will fall into the locked position - I will be able to make it fairly easily.

The best part about fried rice to me, it's a leftovers meal. The trick is having leftover rice, but everything else is supposed to be stuff that is hanging around in the fridge. Fun, flavorful, and economical!

While I thought it was good, the judges really had to decide on the quality of my work. Sasha thought it was great. Marcus was reluctant at first, but soon started chowing down big time. Alya.... Well, Alya said she didn't like it right off the bat. So it never passed her lips and she had Kraft mac & cheese instead. Such is life.

Favorite quote "Alya, put on your underwear and come to dinner." BSers in action.

That's it for now. But I'll get some pictures up soon.

Be seeing you,

Jon

Black Leather and Blue Jeans

Yeah, it's been quite a while since the last update, but I hope that people enjoyed the pictures that went up over the week after Easter.

Some news from the BSer family, we no longer have a mini-van. Yep, the Honda Odyssey has returned to the dealership. We are now proud owners of a Honda CR-V. Black exterior with a tan leather interior, it's been a fun vehicle to return to the garage.

While Marcus isn't that impressed, Alya loves "her" new car. I don't know quite when it became her car, but the CR-V is Alya's car and the Accord is Momma's car. Kind of leaves me as the chauffeur, but I can deal with that.

But that brings me to the subject of this evening's blog. Clothes can make the man, or at the very least influence the attitude. Pius had a no jeans policy when I went to high school and that did have some impact on attitude.

When I work from home, I am not the kind of guy who can sit in his sweat pants and be all grubby. Clean, perhaps even a shave, just to keep the attitude in the right place when I get working.

So when I throw on my black leather jacket and a pair of blue jeans the attitude is slightly shifter. A touch more arrogant. A little more sass.

This feeling had been amplified each time I climbed into the Accord to head off somewhere on my own. Low to the ground, with a feeling of imaginary power (only 4-cylinders) Jon is feeling the "driving way".

Something that the Odyssey never generated, and the new CR-V doesn't provide either. However, the previous CR-V (which was technically my car) did grant that sensation.

There is no real answer as to where this feeling came from. I've always enjoyed driving, and have occasionally thought that I could be a good race driver. While not a NASCAR fan in any shape, I do love a good racing video game.

This does raise a little concern, as 40 is rapidly approaching and will I start looking at a sporty little fun vehicle.... Nah, who am I kidding.

---

On a different note, if you're on Facebook, check out the video Sasha posted a few days ago. Marcus got into finger painting this past Sunday. However, I don't think that paper is his favorite medium.



Be seeing you,

Jon

The Hunt Is On!

Yes, one of the best parts of Easter was the Easter Egg Hunt.

The participants were the younger cousins. Alya and Marcus were joined by their cousins, Jordan, Jaymin, Raven and Isabella, for the event of the day.

Cameron and I put 54 plastic eggs all over the yard, many filled with candy, more filled with toys, and a select few held money. Top prize, a golden egg with a ten dollar bill.

The kids were chomping at the bit to get out there, so we got everyone jacketed up and sent them kids out on the hunt. And each child had their own style.


Here we have Jordon and Jaymin going off-road right off the bat, leaving their sister Raven to fend for herself.


Alya took the careful and steady approach - just in case the egg would decide to bolt.


And Marcus... Well, he decided that digging for eggs would be his best bet.


Raven found the prized golden egg - that held a ten dollar bill. Although I believe she would have rather had the candy.


And that's what Raven and Isabella did when all done. In fact, all the kids cracked open their eggs and started eating. Good thing we did this all before serving Easter dinner!

Jon

Rockin' the Easter away

So this Easter I was a little sneak and I left out my Rock Band instruments.

Okay, left out is not the right phrase - more like, put fresh batteries in the guitar and left all the instruments out in plain sight to encourage people to play.

And the result - three generations of women playing a music video game.


Sasha, Susan and Alya playing Rock Band

Those are some cool women. And they were playing "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind and Fire - an excellent choice.

My personal fav in the funk - James Brown's "Get up (I feel like being a...)" Great song to jam out to.

Be seeing you,

Jon

The Easter Series - Part One

Hey all,

It's been far too long since my last blog post, so I'm starting a little photo series around Easter this week. Look for a picture or two each day with a little blurb to go with it.

This first picture is Marcus playing with his new shovel and dump truck that the Easter Bunny brought him. Sasha took the kids to the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center last Friday and both of them got a real kick out of playing in the dirt with shovels and rakes.

Later that day, Marcus was found making a zen garden in the sandbox.

A Boy and his....

Hello again. I know it's a odd event to have back to back postings, but I felt that a warning had to be put out there to all people who care.

Care about breakables that is.

You see, Marcus is all boy.

Both of my parents will relate stories of how I was a quiet child. Sitting in front of a speaker listening to classical music. Drawing pictures with much content. Have a babysitter take me to his college class at the age of four, and I was not a problem.

But my son is all boy.

The first sign, was when he whipped a ball across the room at the age of one. Wind up, move arm forward, and release. He has repeated this many times since, so weight of an object is now a concern if the item is small enough for Marcus.

Next we have his grip of steel. Markers, crayons, forks, spoons, cooking utensils - these are all items that once they fall into his grasp, it is hard to remove them.

The clincher is when something enters that tiny fist that has length. At first it was just a rod that served as the spool for a paper roll. Small, red and light plastic, we called it his lightsaber and just made sure he didn't smack Alya (or us) or anything breakable. Then he started going for the fireplace tools - which quickly entered a closet.

Today, my son showed how he's ready for the shaolin temple:


All boy. All kung-fu, baseball playing, lumberjack being boy.

And I'm proud of him for all that.

Now if only he can lay off the hard cider.



Be seeing you,

Jon