Soccer mom

It's official! Aiden had his first soccer practice tonight! Too bad Radley didn't get to see it (he's at JLS) because it was great! When we first got there, he ran off to the field with his friend where a few boys were calling his name. So he knows kids from kindergarten there. He surprised me by jumping right in and running the drills--passing the ball back and forth with his partner, Moritz, and then taking a shot at the goal. I've got to say, I was so proud of him for jumping in like that! They practiced drills for about 45 minutes while I watched Ava play on her blanket and chatted with the sideline folks--one of which was Bianka cuz Fabian was playing on the other side of the field. Bianka and I ended up talking most of the time, so I didn't have my full attention on the field like I wanted to. Anyway, when there was about 15 min. left, I noticed Aiden lagging behind and sticking his fingers in his mouth like he does when he's insecure. One of the coaches tried to see what was up, but when he picked him up, Aiden started crying. He was just so exhausted from his big day, kindergarten, Bianka's and playing at the playground, and then soccer practice which ran right up to his bedtime :P I felt so bad for him when I asked him if he was just so tired and needed a rest, and he cried out, "Yeah...Waaaaaaa!" Anyway, then we drove his friend Moritz home (my friend Astrid's kid) and they were in the back seat chatting away in deutsch and I was just really happy for him and amazed at how he's officially a big boy now. Back when we were potty training him, we used to always use his desire to play soccer with the big boys as motivation for getting him to go on the potty, and look at him now! It's a proud day :)

Mmm...Smells like...

Okay, so why do we despise telemarketers and rebuff door-to-door salespeople and yet fight to get invited to these Pampered Chef, Tupperware, Discovery Toy parties, etc? Well, I don't, but I know a lot of people that do. Anyway, it's like we're lining up with our wallets open, begging them to sell to us. I went to a PartyLite party tonight because my friend was hosting and I had fun at the first one that my other friend was hosting. Last time--at my first party--I won some tealight holders during a game, so that was motivation: Free Stuff! And tonight, I actually won two 6-packs of votive candles, so that was super lucky! And I did have fun. But I'm sitting there, looking through the catalog, feeling like I have to buy something (and I expected this ahead of time, so that was okay), and thinking, "Holy crizap! This stuff is crazy ridiculous expensive." Yet, I put myself down for 4 items knowing I was getting ripped off. I chose to get ripped off. Why? We are such suckers for these parties that it becomes worth it to us through some warped perception of value. I don't know...I just never figured myself for the type of person to buy into it so willingly. My reasoning is, I have a good time, help out a friend, and get some fun stuff for lots o' money :) Whatever. It's ridiculous.

Some wild animals aren't crazy like martins

A couple years ago, Rad snapped this photo of a gorgeous pheasant in our backyard. We see these every now and then around this time of year. I like them better than martins, who it seems are out to get me...

Creepy martin

I just had a close encounter with a martin--a wild weasle-like creature about the size of a mediumish fox. Anyway, I had just blown out a candle in the darkened kitchen, ready to go upstairs to sleep, and I glimpsed a martin running along the sidewalk. You don't see them that often. The biggest evidence they've been around is your car won't start cuz they've eaten the starter wires and stuff. They like car wires. Just climb up under the hood and eat the coating off. Weird as hell, but whatever. Anyway, it ran under our across the street neighbor's car and I was curious to see it better, so I opened the front door. Right away, it poked it's head out from under the car and looked right at me. Then it started running for me! I just stood there a second thinking, "What, does it want to come in?" Then I slammed the door shut and ran and jumped up on the counter in the kitchen so I could look out the window at the ground. Well, I didn't see it. I thought maybe it went under Rad's car for a snack (he's at stick-fighting with my car), I grabbed his keys and activated the alarm with the remote so the horn would honk and scare it away. I still didn't see him run. So I don't know where he is and I'm a little creeped out by how he looked at me and ran at me...Like he's waiting for me now...out there...until I open the door out of irrepressible curiousity...

Sugar and Spice?

I thought it was boys that were supposed to eat the glue and dirt and stuff. Ava has developed this annoying obsession with shoveling a handful of dirt from a particular potted plant into her mouth. She'll do it several times a day if I'm not vigilant in keeping her away from it. I refuse to move it--she needs to learn what not to touch/eat. Aiden never touched a plant when he was that age. But Ava is much more reckless, fearless, uninhibited, dirt-loving--whatever you'd like to call it. I call her crazy. When she's eating dirt. Or dirty girl. Or Miss Piggy. Otherwise, she's snow white, baby girl, or pretty baby :) But those just don't fit when she's chowing down on some good, black potting soil.

spring blizzard

Happy Spring Break to us...We're having a blizzard. Come on!! There was no snow during the winter but now in the spring there's plenty. I saw a fireman escorting a bunch of school kids up the road to our village. Their bus must've plowed into something. That's when you know it's a blizzard! Ugh. Guess we'll be sledding today!

Not right

Aiden's world is not right. Due to the ocurrence of a few events (i.e., the chocolate milk tsunami of Feb. 08, beer bottle topple and crash during some party, orange-juice dump of April 08, various Ava-leaks during air-out time...) Radley and I decided to rent one of those carpet cleaners to clean several carpets in the house. Since I did all the actual cleaning, Rad was responsible for replacing the displaced furniture when I was done. He decided to switch the love seat and couch in the living room. It does give us more walking room in the living room, but it doesn't work perfectly for our typical sitting arrangements, so it probably won't stay. Much to Aiden's relief. He was all upset that Radley had switched the sofas and kept telling him "Daddy, it's not right!" and when Radley wouldn't listen to him, he got me to fix the situation. But much to his dismay, I told him let's just leave it for tonight and see if we get used to it. "But it's not right!" It's okay, Aiden, really. "No, it's not right..." Sigh...The black and whiteness of a preschooler's world.