Big Mama surf's too.

I was going to leave this footage off the blog but then I remembered I'm a total narcissist...

For the record I'm the only one in our family who made it to their knees, my sister stopped the video a little too soon though so you'll have to take my word for it.  All those summers kneeboarding on Lake Whatcom really paid off thankyouverymuch.

Opposites.

I found this on my camera and it made me laugh.  When one is happy the other is mad.  All.the.time.

100 big days

What's pretty much the hardest thing in the world to hear while you're trying to count? Someone else counting, am I right? Charlie's 100th day of kindergarten is tomorrow (but his mom looks like she just graduated from high school, can that be right?) and his teacher asked the kids to all bring in 100 little food items. So this morning Charlie's counting out his Crunch Berries and Annie's got her own pile because whatever he's doing she totally needs to be doing too and here's how it's going:

(talking at the same time)

Charlie: 42, 43, 44, 45

Annie: 1, 2, 3, oops I dropped one, 7, 8, wait, I'm going to start over, 1, 2

Charlie: 43, Annie! You made me lose count!

Me: Char, you were on 45.

Charlie: 45, 46, 47

Annie: 3, 4, 5, Mom! You count for a while. I'm going to eat some.

Charlie: (lots of eye rolling) 48, 49, 50, 51

Annie: Mom, why aren't you counting my Crunch Berries?

Me: Annie, just be quiet for once in your frinkin' life so Charlie can finish his project! I didn't actually say that, that would be mean. What actually happened is I helped her eat her Crunch Berries that had been handled numourus times and mostly dropped on the floor. It's no mystery why I'm sick and overweight again, these are dumb mom moves that I do everyday. *sigh*

best.office.party.ever

Let me start by saying we're a bunch of CPAs. Immediately you think that we're boring or that we think dumb stuff is funny, only the latter is true with this crew in this case.

This year one of the partners at our firm (below, on the left) suggested a couple of us wear the same dress to the party. What fun! I'm in. Below we're trying on a purple prom'y little diddy that was beautiful, but mine wouldn't zip (probably a dress malfunction, had nothing to do with my extra-large back). We tried on like 10 dresses and decided on a one shoulder peacock inspired number. We figured if we're going to do this we're doing it big.

The dresses were a hit and everyone (keep in mind we're in a room full of CPAs and their significant others who love the CPAs) thought we were awesome, not clique'ish or exclusive at all, just pure awesome. At least that's how I remember their reaction.

I couldn't get enough of my naked shoulder. It was just so freeing to have it out there.

After the official party at the SteamPlant we went to the Starlight Lounge downtown. Where we proceeded to continue drinking way to much and I started dancing (that's me below, dancing).

Our firms owner came out with us to the 'after party' and actually asked me where I learned to dance like that. 'Ummm...I was born with moves this good?' was all I could think of. I mean it's true really. Some people are just born with really great moves.

a story about basketball

This is going to sound crazy but some 4 and 5 year olds are awesome at basketball. Charlie had his first practice and game yesterday, also Matt's first day as coach. The little guys on his team blew us away with their dribbling and defensive skills. All of them had such spirit and tried so hard, it was great to watch.

The other team blew us away with their amazing ability to hug the ball tight to their chests and run down the court. They also had this sweet move where they would run (holding the ball, rarely dribbling) towards their own hoop, realize there were 5 kids guarding the basket, think better of it and turn around and just shoot the ball at the un-guarded basket (also known as our basket).

Final score (we're not supposed to keep score, but we do):
Purple team - 6
Black team on Black team's hoop - 2
Black team on Purple team's hoop - 4

Charlie's game was by far the funniest sporting event I've ever witnessed. Can't wait for next week!

Maybe next time I'll put the camera away before I go downstairs for another beer.

Last night after Charlie's soccer game we had a few of his teammates over so we could drink beer with their parents. I mean so the kids could play.Perhaps next time when I turn on a movie and tell them to be good and leave the adults alone I'll actually put my camera away. Annie got ahold of it and documented the events taking place upstairs.

the movie

no one watching the movie

the photographer

one of Charlie's buddies

Marie and the Mermaid

Annie's not actually going to be a Mermaid for Halloween but the other day she felt like wearing her extra costume around and posing for pictures with Marie (her special kitty she earned at Disneyland by going on all the scary rides like Space Mountain and Tower of Terror, we don't just buy our kids souvenirs like normal parents, we torture them first).

this is what happens when I leave my camera in plain sight

(that reminds me: need to remember to make sure Annie wears shorts under her skirts)

Naughty and Nice

Nice.

Still nice.

Kind of naughty.

Now I'm glad they can talk. Because they make me laugh.

Annie: When we were at Grandma from the Lake's house we watched (singing) Poor Funyan!

Charlie: IT WAS PAUL BUNYAN!

Annie: without missing a beat or acknowledging him And he had a cow named Babe.

Charlie: IT WAS AN OX ANNIE!

Annie: And there was a cat named Sassy.

Me: That was a different movie though right?

Annie: I don't know.

She's got to be so tired of everyone correcting everything she says. I'm with Charlie though, the details need to be correct or it's just irritating.

Sometimes I wish they couldn't talk.

In the car today...

Annie: Mom, are my legs fat?

Me: NO! Your legs are perfect!

Annie: No, they're fat.

Charlie: Everyone's legs are fat at the top. Mine are fat too. Mom's are the fattest. Mom's are really, really fat.

Did you really need to put 2 "reallys" in there Charlie? Like I don't already have a complex.

Video Proof

As promised...the famous videos of my brave kids riding sheep.

The first one is Charlie.



My favorite part is at the end when he walks right by us and doesn't even look at us. Guess he was mad.

The next one is Annie. It's super long, skip to the end if you don't want to stare at a the arena for 2 minutes.



I don't know when I made the shift from being a decent mom to being a terrible one happened. But these videos are proof that the shift has been made. I just hope my kids will forgive me someday.

The story of mutton bustin'.

If you're not familiar with "mutton bustin", perhaps because you were raised somewhere other than Eastern Washington?, let me start with a brief run down of what goes on.

Kids under 55 pounds are dressed up in helmets and protective vests and are placed on sheep. Said sheep, or mutton, are released from a shoot and the kids are timed on how long they can stay on the sheep. It's cruel and only the worst parents sign their kids up and take pictures, videos and laugh.

So this weekend at the Benton Franklin County Fair the Rings and the Finnegans were those parents. We signed up not only 4 year old Wild-Man-Caden (my nephew), and 5 year old Won't-Let-My-4-Year-Old-Cousin-Show-Me-Up-Charlie, but we also signed up 3 year old Clueless-Annie.

So now I'm officially a terrible parent. A terrible parent who chose the easy route and let her 3 year old sign up for what the big boys were doing rather than make a hard? parenting decision and tell her no. Hindsight is such a bitch.

They only had room for 15 kids so everyone interested put their name in a hat and the 15 drawn got to ride. Lucky for us (us being the parents wanting to be entertained, not the kids) all 3 of the kids got chosen.

Sadly I can't get my videos to upload on to the blog. I may have to back them up and try from a different computer. Maybe I'll try that tomorrow.

So because I was video taping the events I have no pictures of their actual rides. You'll have to actually read my typing to get the play by play.

Caden
Caden was up first. Not just first of our 3 kids but first of all 15. His sheep goes out of the shoot and just stands there. Technically Caden's ride lasted 30 second which was basically a world record. Sadly, it didn't count.

They pulled Caden off and put him on a new sheep. New sheep ran crazy fast across the rink and Caden only lasted about 2.5 seconds. Quite possibly the longest 2.5 seconds of his life. He took a face full of sawdust like a total champ on his way down.

Because his ride was less than 3 seconds he didn't get a score and was sent on his way with sawdust stuck to every sweaty spot on his body and a blue ribbon. Did I mention it was 98 degrees out while they were doing this? Holy moly it might have been the hottest day I've been alive for.

Charlie
Charlie was 3rd to ride (out of the 15 kids). Charlie made it all the way across the rink like a pro. He fell at the very end but when I reviewed the video it kind of looked like the crew pulled him off the sheep, he maintains that he fell though.

Charlie got a score of 80. The score was based on his control of the animal and overall technique (hold on for dear life or be trampled by a wild sheep?). Because his score was so high he was asked to ride again as a finalist. Yay?

Annie
Annie was 11th to ride. The wrangler asked her about 20 times if she was sure she wanted to do this. He checked and double checked her waiver, walked by us a bunch of times giving us every opportunity to pull her out, and then finally opened the gate releasing the sheep.

He said over and over before she started 'she's our littlest cowgirl folks, this Annie from Spokane is a brave one'. Not that she's not brave, because she is, but I think what she really was though was unaware. We explained she would be riding a sheep, she got to watch 10 kids before her ride the sheep, but I still don't think she really understood what was about to happen.

So the sheep took off and Annie fell after about 2 seconds but kept hanging on. Great entertainment for the crowd that's not her family that loves her. Scary for her family that was watching and was immediately thinking holy crap what have I just done to my child!
After she finally let go the wrangler ran over and picked her up she was crying and mad and covered in sawdust. I ran over and got her and she was saying in between sobs 'I was so scared', 'the sheep went so fast'. Then she looked over at the pony rides going on next door and all the happy kids riding the ponies and she goes 'they're not falling off'.

That's when it hit me that she thought the sheep was just going to walk along slowly in a circle and she was going to get a nice little ride on a cute little sheep and she would be like Mary and her little sheep would be white and snow and everything would be nice. Instead of that fantasy she got the ride from hell on an angry gray sheep who ran like hell across a rink didn't care at all if she got dragged and trampled.
So we get her calmed down and my mom and I decide to take her to the bathroom since Charlie's second ride shouldn't be for a few more minutes. She goes to the bathroom and as I'm wiping sawdust from all the places that sawdust should never be Matt calls me on my cell and says Charlie's suiting up for his second ride right this second.

So we run out of the bathroom and race back to the mutton rink. Charlie's got his helmet on and he's ready to go and right as we get within earshot we hear the wrangler say over the mic that Charlie has changed his mind and won't be riding.

Of course I'm not about to make him after what I just saw the 3 of them go through, but I did want him to finish what he signed up for. Plus it turns out that he's good at this and how cool would it be if my boy who has never been a dare devil in his life sweeps this thing and wins a belt buckle? I mean, I'd buy him a belt for sure!

Anyways, so he comes over and he's crying because he's embarrassed and he thinks we're mad and disappointed and I ask him why he didn't do it and his response was that he didn't want to get his new shirt dirty (my mom had bought all 3 of them 'I survived mutton busting' shirts). Not 'I didn't want to die'. Or 'getting dragged by a sheep through sawdust praying I don't get trampled isn't actually fun'. But 'I didn't want to get my new shirt dirty'.

So that's the story of mutton bustin' for the Rings and Finnegans. Later we found out that all 6 finalists who rode got a trophy. When I told Charlie that he said he would have done it if he knew he'd be getting a trophy. I'd say oh well, next time, but I think we all know there will be no next time for the Ring kids. Caden Finnegan...he may have a next time, but the Ring kids are just glad to still be alive.

The End.

Future Mathlete

Charlie: Triplets are when there's 1 boy, 1 girl and 1 half-boy and half-girl.

Me: There's really no such thing as a half-boy and a half-girl. There would either be 2 boys and a girl, or 2 girls and a boy.

Charlie: No. That's not real. You're teasing me.

Me: It is real. I'm not teasin'.

Charlie: But that's not fair?

Me: I know. Being a triplet isn't fair.

Kind of scary how math oriented his brain is sometimes. Things have to be even or they don't make sense.

Another example: yesterday we bought a 3 pack of swimming goggles. He said to me "1 pair will be for me, 1 pair for Annie, and we'll save the last pair in case we have another baby." Never entered his mind that 1 of them could just have 2 pairs. (And for the record there's no other baby coming someday.)

Monkey took my camera.

Annie's new thing is photography. Her favorite subject is her own feet....
Today, while downloading pictures onto my computer, I found that she's branched out. It's really not a bad picture of her doll house.
Nice work Little Girl!

Something to make you smile on a Tuesday.

GI Party Was a Success

Charlie and his friends had a blast at Savageland today. We told the kiddos this climbing structure was a fortress and we had several missions outlined for them to complete. They were at the perfect age for it and took it super serious. The last one was timed and those kids moved so fast it was awesome. I guess they thought I was serious when I said you have to complete this mission in under 2 minutes to earn your prize.

Charlie's cousin Caden and Miss Annie were the only ones not so on board. Caden asked what a mission was. Annie didn't ask, she just disappeared into the fortress for about 15 minutes. When she finally came back she was super sweaty and had pretty much missed the pizza. She didn't get the come back part.

Anyways. This is the 3rd year we've done friend parties for Charlie and this was probably the best. He's old enough now that he kind of has a certain crew at his 2 schools and he just wanted to invite his 3 best brosefs from each school (and cousin Caden and our family friend Samee of course). It worked out great because the little boys he's bonded with are just like him. Mellow, smart, funny, caring. They're great. It was a great little party and the kids are so wiped out right now.

We put them to bed a little after 8 and told them we'd get Charlie's new toys set up so that when they woke up they could just play, play, play. About 5 seconds after I walk out of Annie's room she came out and started playing with Charlie's new Hot Wheels track. Matt and I gave her the 'what are you doin?' and she says 'I woke up, I'm ready to play'. So I explain to her that she hasn't slept yet. Then she says 'but I had a dream'. To which I replied: 'you had a thought. Good try. They're different.' Just when I think she's so smart...

Mini-Matt

Matt is a list guy. He makes lists on Fridays of all the projects he wants to accomplish over the weekend. So these last couple of weekends Charlie has gotten it in his head that he needs a list too.

I have no idea why my picture is sideways, or how to correct it, but I took a picture of Saturday's list.

1. Do Starfall (his kid website he likes to visit)
2. Help Dad (he looked for him in the garage, couldn't find him, came back in a checked it off)
3. Brush teeth
4. Go outside
5. Have lunch
6. Have dinner
7. Go to the YMCA
8. Go to bed (added after I took the picture)

As he accomplished each thing he checked it off just like Matt always does.

There are so many things I love about this list. I love that eating lunch and dinner are just things to 'do' and not things to obsess over like I love to do. Speaking of my obsession with food - I'm down 10.6 pounds since re-committing my life to Weight Watchers back in February thankyouverymuch. I love the new WW plan but that may be a story for another post (that, just like this one, will start out about my kids and end up all about me).

I love that his life is so simple that he has to write down 'go to bed'. I wish my to-do lists were that easy. I wish I could write that on a list right now, check it off, and go do it right now at 6:40 p.m.

I love that he rotated colors for each line.

I love that his 4-almost-5-year-old handwriting is about the same as my 30-year old brothers.

And I love that he told me he's going to start making lists every weekend just like his dad.

non-negotiations

Annie: I want to play for 20 more hours.

Me: How about 5 minutes?

Annie: Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you! (big hug)

You're a tough one Annie. Watch out world.

love hurts

From the next room I just heard the most awesome lecture:

Matt: Annie, you need to pay more attention to what you're doing.

Charlie: (crying)

Matt: In the last 15 minutes you've stepped on Charlie's neck, kicked him in the eye, and shut the door on his head.