Boys Will Be Boys

Visiting Grandparents and Camping

2010-07-05T19:52:00.001-07:00

Playing in the river in the Smoky Mountains.

Our tent. We stayed one night which was fine with me (I forgot the pillows).

If you look closely in the center, you can see a snake that was in the river.

The kids love finding frogs in the yard.

Totem poles at Stanley Park in Vancouver with my mom.

A baby skunk in Stanley Park. We also saw a racoon very close up.

Playing at Stanley Park.

2010-05-31T11:46:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten Graduation!

Smokies Baseball Game. Costas' injured finger is in view.

Library Festival. We met SuperWhy!

Watering the flowers.

Proud of his block tower.

Hiking in the Smokey Mountains.

Picking strawberries at a hydrofarm.

Hydrofarms are eco-friendly and don't use any soil.

The Dinosaur Walk Museum.

Tired after all the fun we have been having.

Children's Museum

2010-01-12T12:49:00.001-08:00

Went to the children's museum in Chattanooga. It was tons of fun. Also, a couple of pictures from our latest snow. Since Costa has been back to school, there have been 4 snow days and 2 shortened days.

December pictures

2009-12-31T18:32:00.000-08:00

The snowy pictures are from November; our first and only snow this far. The other pictures are Christmas pictures.

Local tourist

2009-11-19T15:40:00.000-08:00

We pretended to be tourists this week and went to Dollywood and Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg. County residents got into Dollywood for only $5 and the aquarium was free with a can of food. Since we are new here, I still feel like a tourist. Dollywood was fun with a great Polar Express 4-D experience. The aquarium was nice with one of those glass tunnels with the sharks and fish swimming above and around you. I hope this will be an annual trip.

Animoto.com

2009-11-02T05:15:00.001-08:00

Halloween

2009-11-01T05:46:00.000-08:00

"Trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat. If you don't, I don't care, I'll pull down your underwear." This is what Costa wanted to say, but thankfully he just said "Trick-or-treat." It was raining, pouring at times. We had an umbrella, so it ended up being fine. The kids had about 80 pieces of candy each. Taeo would get to a house and just say, "Candy, candy, ..." It worked, he got candy.

Fall

2009-10-25T12:24:00.001-07:00

We went pumpkin picking in the freezing cold and also did a little corn maze. Spent $19 for 2 pumpkins - not happy. I should have left without pumpkins.

Fall here is beautiful. Similar to NH but later in the year. The kids love playing in the leaves. We also have fun trying to catch falling leaves.

We carved our jack-o-lanterns. Taeo didn't like touching the goopy stuff, but he loved the final effect. We toasted pumpkin seeds too.

JC Penney pics

2009-10-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

I am top of things and had Actaeos' two-year pictures taken.

Weird bug

2009-10-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

I found this bug crawling up the back of my couch. It was about 2 inches long. I have found its friends in my kitchen sink and crawling in the hallway. I like bugs but this too much for me. Maybe it is a kind of centipede. If you know, tell me.

Soccer

2009-09-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics from Costas' first soccer game. I mostly videotaped so not to many pictures, so I'll get some next time. He had a good time which is what it is all about.

Critters in our Backyard

2009-09-07T12:20:00.001-07:00

We've been in our house for 2 weeks now and we have already found a box turtle, two salamanders, and a handful of frogs. The kids are loving it!

The Zoo

2009-09-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

We've been to the zoo twice since moving here. They have some really great animals, including chimpanzees and gorillas. There is also a butterfly garden which is an enclosed space that we went in with butterflies flying all around us. There are also camel rides, which Costas enjoyed.

No training wheels!

2009-09-02T19:40:00.001-07:00

Last week Costas rode his bike without training wheels for the first time. Within an hour he was riding down the hills in the neighborhood. I just realized that my camera, which I bought 6 months ago or so, doesn't have sound with the video component. I'm really irritated that I didn't discover this sooner so I could have returned it.

First day of Kindergarten

2009-08-31T15:17:00.000-07:00

Costas had his first day of kindergarten last week. After his first day he said, "I was nervous about kindergarten, but it was actually fun!" He is doing really well and likes to report about the other kids not behaving. It's very important to him that he gets a green light everyday and a toy from the treasure box after a few green lights. He loves to ride the bus that picks him up at our house at 6:50am. He is willing to go to bed early so he can make sure the he gets on the bus. I'm hoping that he will continue to love going to school.

Last Visit to Zoo

2009-07-20T17:50:00.001-07:00

Our last visit to the zoo before we move. The giraffe was so close to us. Costas was able to touch a stingray. A highlight was seeing them feed mice to the gila monsters. Interesting and disgusting at the same time.

Funny video

2009-07-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

My kids watched this at least 20 times, cracking up.

Bob the Builder

2009-07-12T16:27:00.001-07:00

A great Bob the Builder exhibit at the Fresno Met. There were exhibits that kept both kids busy for many hours.

I'm Back!

2009-07-04T17:57:00.001-07:00

Trying to get some blogging done. Here's pics from the last 6 months. Costas' fifth birthday, Legoland, beach, aquarium, Yosemite, preschool graduation, etc.

Sick, sick, sick

2008-12-28T11:38:00.000-08:00

I took the kids to the doctor on Saturday to make sure that they didn't have an ear infection before we fly out on Monday. The doctor said that Costas has a double ear infection and they both have pneumonia. Pneumonia?!?! I didn't see that one coming. It is relatively mild so they are both on antibiotics and we have been cleared to travel. Should be a fun trip.

Christmas

2008-12-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

Ready to open presents!

Santa brought Actaeos a sports climber so he can have some fun at home.

Costas opened all of the presents. Actaeos wasn't interested.

Costas is now ready for a 16" bike. It was raining on Christmas day so he had to wait to ride it.

Costas loved his new digital camera. He is always borrowing mine so now he has his own. The present that he plays with the most is the Moon Sand.

Actaeos isn't thrilled with Cookie Monster.

Hanging out in the sports climber.

Santa didn't bring Actaeos any candy, but he sure would like some.

Go Tell It On The Mountain

2008-12-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

Our church Christmas pageant. Once again, my kid is the goofy one.

Santa

2008-12-22T20:20:00.000-08:00

This year, Costas really believes in Santa. We saw Santa at church and I'm pretty sure that Costas thought he was the real deal. Someone else took the picture and I'm disappointed in how it turned out, since Costas' eyes weren't open all the way. Actaeos was ready for a nap and not happy to be sitting with some strange guy.

Chrismas Cookies

2008-12-22T20:17:00.000-08:00

We made 3 kinds of Christmas cookies this year: sugar cookies, Russian tea cakes, and Peanut Butter Cup cookies. Costas is a great baker and does all of the measuring and mixing with just a little help. We gave cookies to neighbors, the mail carrier, and the fire station. The fire station gave us a tour of the fire engine as a thank you as well as some hats for the kids.

Christmas Songs

2008-12-22T13:42:00.000-08:00

Here's a song from the Christmas program that they do at school. Costas is always extra goofy when he knows there is an audience.

Christmas Fun

2008-12-13T10:51:00.000-08:00

We volunteer every year to ring the bell for the Salvation Army.

Making our gingerbread house is another annual tradition.

Costa was anxiously awaiting a float at the electric parade.

Random Pictures

2008-12-12T10:59:00.000-08:00

Baby Walking

2008-12-09T21:55:00.000-08:00

I was finally able to get a good clip of Actaeos walking.

Back to School

2008-12-09T21:54:00.001-08:00

I learned on Friday that I was accepted to graduate school. Yippee!

More Shaking

2008-12-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

Shake us!

2008-12-03T12:23:00.001-08:00

Christmas Survey

2008-11-22T18:15:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Christmas Edition of Getting To Know Your Family and Friends!
You know the drill. Get to bloggin'.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I only like wrapping paper for Christmas,; bags are OK for birthdays, etc.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Prefer real but we now have artificial.
3. When do you put up the tree? It's already up.
4. When do you take the tree down? After New Years Day
5. Do you like eggnog? Sometimes
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Belle stuffed dog (Snoopy's girlfriend)
7. Hardest person to buy for? All adults
8. Easiest person to buy for? Kids
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Any and all knickknacks.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Early November
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies
16. Lights on the tree? White
17. Favorite Christmas song? I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas (never had one).
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home. The only time I wasn't home for Christmas was on my honeymoon
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A star
21. Presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning with a present of new pajamas on Christmas Eve to be worn that night.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Not enough time to everthing I want to do.
23. Favorite Ornament theme or color? None
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Love my sweet potatoes.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I want every child to have a present to open on Christmas morning.

Thanksgiving Songs

2008-11-19T21:23:00.000-08:00

At Costas' school the kids sang some Thanksgiving songs. Here is video of one song.

Metropolitan Museum

2008-11-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

We went to the re-opening of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. There were some nice exhibits, but it was a little small to me. I snagged a picture of Costas in front of this cool feathered dinosaur before being told that there were no pictures allowed in the museum. I can take pictures at the Louvre, but not at our local art museum. Umm, OK.

A Day At The Park

2008-11-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

VOTE

2008-11-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already, go vote now!!! I waited in line for less tan 3 minutes and I took the kids with me. It was so quick and easy.

Trick or Treat

2008-11-03T08:37:00.000-08:00

We had a great time trick-or-treating. Costas was a king, and then he changed his mind and became a knight (the costume was reversible). He did a good job saying "trick-or-treat" and "thank you," although one time he said, "I don't like this candy" to the people who gave it to him. We quickly had a lesson in saying thank you even if you don't like what was given to you. After that, he did fine. Actaeos enjoyed looking at the decorations and later fell asleep in his stroller.

Random Photo Tag

2008-11-02T21:53:00.000-08:00

Open your photo program and choose the 6th file and then the 6th picture and see what you get.
This is what I got:

It's from December 2005.

New Background

2008-11-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

I was so tired of the purple background but I didn't want to change it because it is a hassle to save all the settings. I found this the website The Cutest Blog On The Block and it was so easy to change the layout. Now I change it for holidays too!

Jack-O-Lanterns

2008-10-28T20:26:00.001-07:00

Costas and I carved our jack-o-lanterns. He told me how to make the face and I carved it to his specifications. He took the picture of the completed jack-o-lanterns himself.

First Steps

2008-10-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

Actaeos took his first steps yesterday. First 2, then 3, then 4 steps in a row. He tried it a few more times during the day. He took more steps today. Yea!

Ranting

2008-10-28T12:14:00.001-07:00

We went for a walk tonight and a couple was walking while they were pulling their 2 year old (guessing age) behind in a wagon. Their daughter was watching a video on a portable DVD player. I couldn't believe it. How hard is it to interact with your child while taking a walk?

Baptism

2008-10-22T20:07:00.001-07:00

Into the baptismal font three times.

Oil is placed on his body.

His hair is cut three times.

More prayers.

His first Communion.

We had Actaeos' baptism on Sunday. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful ceremony. The godparents are friends of ours, Selene and Alex. We had a few friends from church in attendance and lots of children. It was small which was nice. The priest explained parts of the ceremony as he went along. Costas was able to stand right at the font when Actaeos was put into the water, which was sweet to see. Actaeos cried most of the time. Mostly it's because he has lots of stranger anxiety right now and doesn't want to be held by other people. The ceremony has many parts. For those of you who haven't been to a Greek Orthodox baptism (that would be most of you), I'll summarize the ceremony.

We walk into the church from the back while some prayers are said. We then take off the baby's clothes and immerse him (not his head) three time in the baptismal font. He is then anointed with olive oil that is applied to his hands, feet, ears, and mouth. Then the godparents put oil on his entire body. Three locks of hair are cut from his head. Then his new white clothes are put on him. He then receives Holy Communion for the first time. Next, we all walk around the font to celebrate. Each component of the ceremony has meaning and is rich with symbolism. I am so happy that he is finally baptized!

JC Penney Pics

2008-10-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

Zoo Boo

2008-10-19T19:36:00.001-07:00

The zoo has a fun event for Halloween. It is trick-or-treating at the zoo. Costas enjoyed getting lots of candy by saying, "Trick or treat, smell my feet." He learned that phrase from a book last year and has been waiting to use it. Actaeos enjoyed watching all of the kids dressed up. Costas won a ticket to a baseball game for hitting a baseball through a hole at the carnival section. We had a great time.

Movie Night

2008-10-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

We saw It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown at the mall tonight. There is a nice grassy area and we set out a blanket and enjoyed the movie. The weather was perfect. There was a candy eating contest to see who could eat the their candy the fastest (sponsored by the candy store, of course). I wasn't surprised when Costas ate his first because he is a candy junkie. He won a bag of more candy-just what he needs. We look forward to Zoo Boo tomorrow!

Happy Birthday, Actaeos!!!

2008-10-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

Today is my baby's first birthday. I am so sad that a year has passed by so quickly. I still remember the day he was born so well that I can't believe it has already been a year. Actaeos is such a happy little baby. I love him so much!

We had a cake today. He touched it and then didn't want to have anything to do with it. No crazy cake all over the face baby pictures. He had fun unwrapping his presents and actually did a pretty good job taking off the paper.

My New Photographer

2008-10-09T09:41:00.001-07:00

Costas borrowed my camera and took some pictures. I think he did a great job for his first time.

Park Day

2008-10-08T06:46:00.000-07:00

Sunday School

2008-09-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

We just had the first day of Sunday School. Costas has moved up to the preschool class. He seemed to have a good time. He went for communion holding the hand of another little boy. Very cute. I am teaching the toddler class, which is for 2 and 3 year olds. Actaeos is our mascot. The kids in my class are all so cute. I love the dresses the little girls wear to church.

Walking Together

2008-09-30T22:26:00.000-07:00

Costas likes to help Actaeos walk. He is standing on his own now and looks like he is ready to walk. Costas took his first steps on his first birthday. Actaeos is just a few weeks away... Sorry the video is sideways. Does anyone know how to rotate a video?

A Friendly Wave

2008-09-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

Actaeos loves to wave at people. It he gets eye contact, he will wave at you until you wave back. Only grumpy people don't wave back at a baby; and, sadly, there are lots of grumpy people out there.

Up, up, up

2008-09-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Actaeos loves to climb up the stairs. He has been doing this for a few months now. He also loves to go to the top of the stairs and drop things down. His favorites are balls and rolls of toilet paper.

Backyard Murals

2008-09-06T17:51:00.001-07:00

Costas had a great time painting a giant piece of paper on the back wall.

TP Baby

2008-09-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

Actaeos discovered a fun new activity. Unrolling toilet paper!

Preschool!

2008-09-04T13:51:00.001-07:00

One year ago I started this blog and my first entry was Costas going to preschool. Here we are again with another great year at preschool. Despite his look in the picture, he was so excited to go to school! He had no problem with me leaving. He has some friends from last year and new friends as well. We are looking forward to a fun year of learning and preparing for kindergarten.

Washington Trip

2008-09-01T10:59:00.001-07:00

Roller skating for the first time.

The rock wall at the park.

Actaeos' first time on a swing. He later fell asleep in it.

Julian and Costas checking out a fuzzy white caterpillar.

My dad and Actaeos.

We finally came back from our trip to see my parents in Washington state for 2 weeks. They live in the country so it was a great experience for Costas. We spent most of our time outside looking at slugs, spiders, and insects. We walked on little trails through the forest. My dad had Costas looking for "hondasaabs" which are little tiny people who take care of the forest. We went to a great park that overlooked Puget Sound. Costas enjoyed playing in the rain. It was chilly so we enjoyed wearing warmer clothes.
Unfortunately, while we were there my nephew, Kai, broke his leg. He has a cast on his entire leg and won't be able to stand for 7 weeks. He is the same age as Costas. Hopefully he will be able to walk soon.
We had a great time. We can't wait to go back next summer.

Notebook Experiment

2008-08-23T21:57:00.000-07:00

One of the sites that I enjoy visiting is momadvice.com. This is the site that has Freebie Friday, which is a great place to get lots of free stuff. Amy has a Notebook where she has hundreds of bookmarked links of crafts, ways to save money, and organizing ideas. She is encouraging others to choose something from the Notebook and post it on their blog.

Experiment: Make clay dough.

Experiment taken from pepperpaints.com. Notebook entry 07.31.08.

Materials needed: flour, salt, oil, and water.

Results: Costas and his cousins, Tierra and Julian, spent hours making beads, letters, and other shapes. It was a great activity for a rainy day.

Conclusion: The clay dough could also be used to make Christmas ornaments. Lots of fun for all ages.

Slugs

2008-08-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

There are lots of big slugs at my parent's house. Costas loves these slugs, even though they leave slime on his hands which is extremely difficult to remove. Notice the slugs on the stick he is holding and in his hands. Costas collected well over 100 slugs in a bucket and then fed them to the ducks. I had the lovely job of cleaning his hands. Yuck!

The Fair

2008-08-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

We went to the fair in Lynden, WA with Grandma, Kai, and Julian (my nephews). The kids had a great time on the rides. They also saw the farm animals.

"H"

2008-08-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

My letter is "H" so I choose the word "hands-on." We went to the Exploratorium in San Francisco for some hands-on science. A great place to learn and lots of fun.

Here is a fun challenge that Katie started called 26 Things. The idea is to take one picture for each letter of the alphabet through a game of blog-tag.

Here are the rules/directions:

1. If you are tagged, you are responsible for taking 1 picture of an item that begins with your letter. Be creative! Anything goes.

2. Post the picture on your blog.

3. Tag someone new with the next letter of the alphabet.

4. Since there are 26 letters, someone may be tagged multiple times. That is perfectly fine, but try to spread the love if you can.

5. If someone doesn't want to play, they should pass. Tag someone else in their place.

I am tagging Jo Ann - your letter is I!

Monterey Bay Aquarium

2008-08-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

We stopped at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on the way to San Francisco. It's a great aquarium.

There was a great jellyfish exhibit.

Actaeos enjoyed watching the fish.

Boyden Caverns

2008-08-13T16:50:00.001-07:00

Costas was nervous to enter the cave. He thought that a bear lived there.

He quickly got over his fear and enjoyed the cave.

He really wanted to wear these socks.

Afterwards we had a picnic near the river. Costas threw in rocks and Actaeos played with the sand.

Farewell Fishy

2008-08-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

We have had a pretty blue beta fish, named Fishy, for well over a year now. Today I went upstairs to take care of Actaeos. When I came downstairs Costas was hiding and there was water on the counter by the fishbowl. I then noticed that poor Fishy was resting on the bottom the bowl. Costas then admitted that he took Fishy out because it looked interesting. I was hoping that it would be OK, but the fish was obviously dying. At this point I am crying (pathetic to some, but it's a living being - WAS a living being). We then flushed Fishy down the toilet because I couldn't watch it suffer anymore.

What was most upsetting is that Costas wasn't sad at all. I explained that Fishy was a living being created by God and that we are sad when anything dies. I guess he didn't get it because he was pretty excited that we were flushing Fishy down the toilet. We did say a little prayer before we flushed it. Farewell Fishy.

2008 Summer Olympics

2008-08-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

The opening ceremonies last night were amazing! I let Costas stay up late and we watched them together. My favorite event is swimming (I used to be on the swim team in high school) and gymnastics. I'm Costas excited about the Olympics too. We made a medal out of playdough for him to wear. Go USA!

Making Pizza

2008-08-05T21:16:00.001-07:00

Our playgroup went to California Pizza Kitchen last week. The kids were given a tour of the kitchen and then they made their own pizzas with any toppings that they wanted. Costas chose pepperoni, sausage, and olives. Later, the kids ate their pizzas and were given soda. Because we are a non-profit group, the whole adventure was free. The manager and staff were really nice and friendly. We had a great time!

Middle Finger

2008-08-02T21:17:00.001-07:00

Costas and I were talking about things in the middle. He said, "Like this finger is in the middle," and he flipped me off. OK, he didn't know what he was doing, but his middle finger was distinctly up while the other fingers were down. Definitely no picture on this one.

2008-08-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Let me know what you think about this digital scrapbook. It took less than 10 minutes to make and that includes uploading the pictures.

Pump It Up

2008-07-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

Great Day (a local morning news show) was out at Pump It Up this morning so we headed over. It was free from 5am to 10am. We are up early anyways and Costas loves Pump It Up, so I thought it was a great idea. We waited for the baby to wake up, so we arrived a little before 7. There were raffle prizes (I didn't win) and food. When they were taping the show, Costas didn't want to be on camera because he thought he would disappear. Later, he got on for a little bit because he didn't know the camera was there. He had a great time playing for 3 hours. When we came home, Costas didn't want to watch himself on TV because he thought he would disappear and be on TV instead of in our home. I explained that wouldn't happen and we then he enjoyed watching himself on TV. Even Actaeos enjoyed bouncing around.

Baby Monster

2008-07-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

My mom wanted to see more pictures of the baby, so I am putting up a few. I entitled this post Baby Monster because that is what Costas calls Actaeos when they are playing together. Costas sets up his knights or superheroes, and Actaeos tries to eat them. It's great to see Costas finding ways to play with the baby. Actaeos loves to play with toys. He is able to throw a ball when a ball is rolled to him. He likes to stand, but isn't cruising quite yet. He loves to babble. He loves to give and get kisses. He is the sweetest baby!

Soccer

2008-07-21T15:39:00.001-07:00

Last day of soccer. Hurray!

Scattergories

2008-07-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

SCATTERGORIES......it's harder than it looks! Copy, erase my answers, enter yours, and put it on your blog. Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things. Nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Cassie
4 LETTER WORD: care
BOYS NAME: Costas
GIRLS NAME: Claudia
OCCUPATION: chemical engineer
A COLOR: cream
SOMETHING YOU WEAR: clothes
BEVERAGE: Coke
FOOD: cake
SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: comb
A PLACE : California
REASON FOR BEING LATE: Costas won't put his shoes on.
SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: cuss words

Copy and paste this onto your blog and do your name!

Summer Break?

2008-07-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

Summer is supposed to be relaxing, but I think I have too many things going on for Costas. Twice a week he has a soccer class (we always leave early because he is too hot). Once a week he has two other classes through the school district, and swimming lessons. Throw in playgroups with MOMS club and birthday parties and it seems as if we are never home. Then we have our usual errands to run. The worse part is the heat and air quality. It's been around 100 degrees (even hotter last week) and the air quality is horrible. It's even worse than usual because of all the fires throughout the state. We can't go to the park, or do anything outside. I really don't like summer. I can't wait for cooler weather.

On a nostalgic note, I have been watching some home videos from New Hampshire. I really do miss it there. We had a great house, with great neighbors, set in a beautiful forest. We picked berries in our yard, found bugs and snakes, and enjoyed nature just by going outside. I miss all of my friends there and Costas had some friends there that he could have grown up with. If you are a friend from NH, I miss you!

Hair Cut

2008-07-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

Costas received a new haircut, courtesy of Tom, while I was out. He used clippers and buzzed all of his hair off. It's taking me some time to get used to it; I prefer his hair a little longer. Costas said, "It's OK if they laugh at me. It will grow back." We went to a birthday party the same day and he was hesitant to let the other kids see his hair. He is fine with it now, and it will grow back...eventually.

Finally Better

2008-07-07T21:37:00.001-07:00

Costas was really sick last week and a few days later, I became sick. Not a little sick, but really sick. I had a high fever for five days and a horrible headache. I would get the chills so badly that I could barely hold a glass of water. The doctor did a bunch of tests and couldn't find anything. The next day I was coughing a little so she said I had pneumonia (never mind that my chest x-ray did not indicate pneumonia). I was put on antibiotics. The next day I went back because I knew that I did not have pneumonia and I saw spots on the back of my throat. I saw a different doctor and was diagnosed with tonsillitis and a sinus infection. Today is the first day that I feel OK. On a side note, the radiologist found a nodule on my lung, so I need to get a CT scan on Friday to see what's up with that. It should be fine, but I guess doctors like to be safe and cover themselves in case it's not.

VBS

2008-06-28T19:33:00.001-07:00

Last week Costas had Vacation Bible School. The theme was Power Lab. The kids did lots of fun activities and crafts that had to do with the power of Jesus, but with a science lab twist. The teachers and priests did a great job. Costas missed two days because of his fever. I thought he was better for the last day because he didn't have a fever in the morning, but later that day his fever went back up to 105. He still has a fever and isn't feeling well.

Sick Day

2008-06-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Costas had a fever of 106 degrees yesterday. We took him in the doctor but they couldn't find anything wrong with him (besides the fever, of course). It's down to 100 degrees today with Motrin and Tylenol. Hopefully he will feel better soon.

Pantry Raid

2008-06-25T10:10:00.001-07:00

I found Taeos raiding the pantry today.

Here's a picture of him with the vacuum, which I mentioned in an earlier post.
He only likes it when it's running; once it's off he ignores it.

Our Garden

2008-06-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

Tomatoes have arrived! We ate our first cherry tomatoes of the season today. What's great about our garden this year is that I didn't plant anything (except sunflowers). The cherry tomatoes reseeded from tomatoes falling to the ground. I keep meaning to plant some zucchini or butternut squash, which is Costas' favorite vegetable, but I haven't gotten around to it. The ground here is so fertile that I don't need to add anything to the soil. And, of course, I don't use any pesticides or herbicides. The plants are healthy and the vegetables taste great!

Sugar Pine Railroad

2008-06-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

To beat the heat today, we decided to go up near Yosemite for a train ride. It was a nice little ride on a steam train. The ride was slow and relaxing through the pine trees. The train blew its horn many times throughout the ride. I thought Actaeos would be afraid, but he just sat and listened to it. The train stopped at a creek where we were able to get out and play. Costas had a great time playing in the water, shoes and all. We were there for about 15 minutes before we had to head out. Once we were back, we had a little picnic. It was a nice way to spend a Saturday.

Hide and Seek

2008-06-18T14:50:00.001-07:00

Costas and played hide-and-seek today. I hid first and chose the closet. He eventually found me. I told him that I would count to 10 in the closet, since I was already in there. He told me that I had to go somewhere else because he was going to hide in the same spot. He gets the hide and seek part, but not the part where the other person isn't supposed to know your hiding spot. When I found him, he was so surprised!

The Vacuum

2008-06-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

A quick post while I am taking a break from vacuuming. Actaeos loves the vacuum. Whenever I vacuum he follows it around the house. Right now he is touching the vacuum and talking to it. I'd take a picture, but Tom has the camera.

JCPenney Pictures

2008-06-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

I'm really happy with the pictures from JCPenney's portrait studio. I took Costas for his 4 year pictures, but I also wanted a professional picture of the boys together.

Last Day of School

2008-06-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Friday was Costas' last day of preschool. The students all received a nice book from the teachers with pictures from the days at preschool. I wasn't sad since he will be back next year, but we will miss the kids who are going on to kindergarten. Here is a group picture and a shot with some of his best friends. Costas swings in the porch swing everyday after school. It is surrounded by a beautiful herb garden. It is a nice way to end a day at school.

I Want To Crawl!!

2008-06-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

I am speaking for Actaeos. He gets around pretty well, but he is trying really hard to crawl, as you can see in the video.

On a side note: Before the kids went to bed, I overheard Costas talking to Actaeos. He said, "You are my best friend. I only love you. I don't love Mama. I don't love Baba. I don't love myself. I only love you, baby." Ignoring the part about not loving his parents, I thought it was so sweet.

Cherry Picking

2008-06-02T11:33:00.001-07:00

We planned to pick cherries for Memorial Day weekend, but we didn't so we ended up going last weekend. The trees still had lots of cherries on them, even though it is the end of the season. Costas was able to reach cherries, so he was able to pick a lot of them. We picked about 5 pounds of cherries in a short time. It was only $1.50 a pound, which is a great price (they are $4 a pound at the grocery store). I made a cherry cobbler, which I took to the Sunday School picnic. It was tasty.

Small World

2008-05-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

I have met my goal of having visitors to my blog from over half of the states and twenty countries from every continent (except Antarctica, of course). It's the visitors from all over the world that amazes me and shows how the web can bring people together, even when far away.

My Monkey

2008-05-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

Today Costas reached the top of the refrigerator by standing on a stool, climbing up the front of the fridge by holding onto the handles, then grabbing the top of the fridge. I walked in the kitched just as he reached the top. The goal: candy.

Nice Hike

2008-05-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

The kids and I went on a hike during the week with some friends. The weather was just right. The trail followed a nice little creek. There were lots of ladybugs along the trail, and a caterpillar too. We had a nice time. (I don't like the picture of me, but the boys look cute.)

Hawaii

2008-05-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Before our trip to Hawaii, I asked Costas what he wanted to do in Hawaii. He said that he wanted to see a coconut tree. So, if you look in the tree, you can see lots of coconuts. Since Tom couldn't come at the last minute, my mom flew down instead and met us there. She surprised me by bring along my niece, Tierra. Costas had a great time playing with her. We went on a submarine ride that went under water to a depth of 130 feet. The pictures aren't great, but it was really interesting to be so far under the water. We saw lots of fish and a sunken ship. The hotel in Maui had a pirate pool which was a great place for little kids to play. Costas loved going down the water slide. My mom was able to spend time with Actaeos and Costas. Everyone loved the swimming pools, even Actaeos.
After Maui, the kids and I headed to Kauai. We went up to this canyon, which was beautiful. Unfortunately, there was vog (from the volcano) so it wasn't very clear. Here is a picture of the beach in front of our hotel. We saw a Hawaiian monk seal on the beach. There are only 35 of them left in the world.
Overall, it was a great trip. Costas loved the swimming pools, water slides, and the beach. The only hard part was getting there and back by myself. On the way home, we had a 1 hour flight, a 5 hour lay over, a 5 hour red-eye flight (I didn't sleep at all), then a 6 hour drive home (I stopped for short 5 minute power naps). We are happy to be home!

Chicken Nugget Comparison

2008-05-09T15:02:00.001-07:00

I always feel a little guilty because Costas eats chicken nuggets for lunch a few days a week. He loves them and I know he will eat a good portion. I always buy the Chicken Drumettes from Trader Joes which are made with white meat and are all natural, but I thought I would try out the Morningstar Chik'N Nuggets, which are made from soy protein. As for a taste test, Costas didn't seem to notice a difference, although he didn't eat as much of the soy nuggets. I preferred the real chicken. Then, I compared the nutritional guidelines and was surprised to find that the real chicken nuggets had less fat and calories than the soy (TJs: 150 calories/6 grams of fat; MS: 190 calories/7 grams of fat). The Morningstar also costs more. So, back to TJs for more chicken nuggets and all of the other food that we love there.

Sitting Up

2008-05-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

Actaeos is now sitting up without support for a short time. It's not his favorite position; he prefers to be on his tummy so he can get around. He likes his toys, but he prefers his big brother's toys, which he isn't allowed to play with.
Actaeos is getting bigger everyday. He also has another new tooth for a total of two.

Costas is 4!

2008-05-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

For Costas' 4th birthday, we had a knight birthday party. I sent out invitations printed on parchment paper, which were rolled up and tied with ribbon. At the party, I had lots of activities with a knight theme. The kids all received a blow-up sword and a cardboard shield, which they decorated with jewels and markers. Next was the dragon bean bag toss. Later the kids went to the backyard to search for the dragon's eggs, which were actually geodes. After find the eggs, I broke each one open to find the crystals inside. The kids all enjoyed waiting to see what their crystals looked like. We then went outside to hit, or slay a dragon pinata; Costas calls it a kinata. Lunch was served somewhere in between the activities, and included chicken wings and pizza. Next was the cake which I assembled that morning. I used 2 13x9 inch cakes. I cut the center out of the top layer. I used upside down sugar cones for the turrets, with flags made from construction paper and toothpicks. I used frosting for the moat door and fruit roll-ups for the banners. I took some of Costas' knight Legos and put them on top. It looked pretty good and it actually tasted good as well. Last, Costas opened his presents. He liked everything that he received. He said that his favorite gift was his skateboard, which he has been wanting for a long time now. I think the kids enjoyed playing with their swords most of all. When the kids left, they received goodies from Oriental Trading Company. There was a treasure box with stickers, sword bubbles, and castle frames. They also took home their swords and shields. When I asked Costas what his favorite part of the party was, he said "playing with the kids." I hope Costas will remember what a fun birthday party he had.

Baby's First Tooth

2008-05-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

Actaeos' first tooth just emerged. He sometimes bites when nursing, so he will now get a firm 'no' when he tries it now. I love baby picture with new baby teeth, but it's still too small to get a picture of it.

Go Green

2008-04-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for ways to help the environment, so I thought I would post some of things that I do to help. Maybe it will give someone else some ideas.
1. I use reusable shopping bags at the grocery store and Target.
2. I pick up trash when I am out on a walk.
3. I have energy efficient appliances, including a front loading washer.
4. I use cloth diapers.
5. I turn out the lights when I'm not in the room.
6. I recycle most everything and use the backs of paper and old envelopes for lists.
7. I use Method cleaning products which are non-toxic.
8. I turn off the water when I brush my teeth.
9. I have a tankless water heater.
10. I use a reusable water bottle filled with tap water.
So, those are good things, but I have a long way to go:
1. I drive an SUV.
2. I leave the computer on 24/7.
3. I like to have my house really cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Easter Highlights

2008-04-28T12:25:00.001-07:00

The Easter bunny brought the boys Easter baskets with lots of toys and candy. Then, Costas looked for eggs in the backyard. Later, we went to church where we ate roasted lamb. Then, an Easter egg hunt at church.

Happy Easter!

2008-04-27T07:55:00.001-07:00

Gymnastics

2008-04-25T20:01:00.001-07:00

Costas loves his gymnastics class. He recently moved up to the 4 year old class. The class is now in the main gym with the larger apparatuses. Costas favorite part is the bar. He loves to hang upside down. At the end, the kids jump into a foam block pit, which he also loves. Here are a few short clips of forward rolls, bar, balance beam, and springboard jumping.

Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-21T15:05:00.001-07:00

Kings Canyon National Park is only an hour from here so I thought it was a good place to go to celebrate Earth Day. We walked on the General Grant trail which is named after the General Grant tree which is the third-largest tree in the world. Costas had a great time hiking the trail, some of which still had snow. We walked through a downed Sequoia tree and crawled under another Sequoia tree. As much as Costas enjoyed the hike, the highlight of the trip was a cup of hot chocolate at the end.

Costas' Name

2008-04-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

Costas does such a nice job writing his name. He has to sign his name everyday at school.