St. Patty's Day

Lots going on this beautiful, sunny, nearly 80 degree (yes... eighty degrees!!!) St. Patrick's Day. Colby made districts in the Cub Scout pinewood derby, so, after a breakfast of obligatory shamrock pancakes, the day started out with that. His little blue race car came in first in two heats and second in another heat. Good showing, but not quite good enough to place. His car was deemed "mostly likely to be a future Nascar" or some-such thing. Regardless - he was happy. 

Afterwards, since it was at the same highschool, we hit "Family Fun Day".  Face painting, games, crafts, and swimming.  Cupcakes, candy and cookies for lunch.  Good mom, good mom.  No surprise they were more than a little antsy at church afterwards!!

March Madness - Chassell Style

There is a sorry dearth of recreational opportunities for young boys around here... unless you happen to be in hockey - which is then life-consuming for approximately 9 months out of the year.  We tried cross country skiing the past two years, but neither boy was much of a fan.  Winter time, no hockey, no skiing, leaves....well.... cub scout swim night twice a month and not a whole lot else.  So my husband had the BRILLIANT idea of begging the elementary school basketball coach to let the boys practice with the team.  The SIXTH GRADE team.   Technically, they're allowed to start practicing in the 4th grade.  The boys are about half the size of most of the other players, but it doesn't seem to stop them.  They work hard, and have come home pleasantly calm and EXHAUSTED.  It's awesome. 
I'm really excited that they get this opportunity.  I forsee many an evening bleacher-bound for this mom and dad!!  Bring it on!

The Big Thaw

So, nearly 60 degrees today.  In March.  Wasn't it last week we had 3 snow days?  I can't keep track at this point.  All I know is that snow is a-meltin', mom's a-smilin', and the world is full of mud mud mud mud.  The kids and I took advantage of the beautiful day to play a little baseball out in the yard.  Sometimes hard to find a baseball in the snow.  Maybe we should spray paint it orange.  These boys and their "Calvin and Hobbes" rules....I swear 1st base was a snow bank a good city block from home plate.  SHEESH!  Our baseball diamond was about six times regulation size, consisting of a snow bank, a sauna, and an oak tree....but I'm all for any game that makes the boys run run run all that energy out!!  Maybe I should rethink my "committment-phobia" in regards to Little League this spring.....

Career Day At School

Today is Career Day at school, wherein the chilluns dress up in their dream job attire.  Both boys wanted to be "Mechanical Engineers".  OK.  So.... I suggested dressing up like Dad does to work, in a polo shirt and jeans.  That didn't go over so well.  Then Quinn wanted to be a baker - and we DO have an apron, but no chef's hat.  Scrap that idea.  Colby wanted to be a scientist, and we realized that the problem is... the things they want to be don't require any specific attire.  I don't even have a lab coat for them at this point - having thrown it away years ago.  That left career choices that we actually HAVE costumes for:

1. Astronauts (but, given that those were from kindergarten, would be much much too small, and much much too hot)
2. Cowboys
3. Superheros (don't think that'd necessarily apply)
4. A Monk (Star Wars Jedi Knight robe repurposed)
5. A police man
6. A commercial airline pilot

So, yeah.. the police man and commercial airline pilot won.  Even though the shirts were dirty and a bit too small.... they worked.  Quinn kept saying "Details, Mom!  Head to toe details!  That's how you win a costume contest!"    OK.  So Colby took a stuffed jet with him, and Quinn took a toy walkie talkie and a toy gun.  Details.  HMMMPH.

They do look pretty good, I have to admit.  The boys rarely play "dress up" anymore like they did when they were little, and I was contemplating getting rid of all the dress up clothes.  I guess I'm glad I procrastinated!

Blue and Gold Banquet

Quinn and Colby are officially Wolf Cub Scouts after tonight, having earned their Wolf badge.  Big night, big night.  Reagan, for some odd reason, lost all sense of shyness in a single evening, and was wandering around the room, egging on miscellaneous school-aged boys, and standing with mom up front during one part of the ceremony. 

Spring, Where Art Thou, Spring???

Day after the "big blizzard of 2012".  I hadn't been outside at all yesterday, but needed to get to the mailbox to post some bills, so ventured out today.  HOLY COW.  There is a snow drift as tall as me in front of our house!  Not "snow pushed there by the plow" snow drift, but "snow put there by God Himself" snowdrift.  Honestly, if I stood behind it, you would not see me at all.  And I am 5'7".  These pictures hardly capture the sheer height, but let me assure you...that's alot of snow.  I don't know what official snowfall was in one day, but with the blowing, those roads couldn't have been much fun.  Good thing we were at home in our jammies ;).

Let the dig-out begin!

Leap Day

This year, Leap Day was truly a bonus day all the way around.  We were hit with a massive snowstorm, so school was cancelled.  Which meant we all spent the day in jammies!!  There were no piano lessons, no cub scouts, no swimming, no homework, no obligations whatsoever.... for an ENTIRE DAY.  A totally free, unencumbered day.  What to do, what to do. 

I tried to get the boys to clean their rooms, but that failed miserably, because... as they rightly pointed out.... it wasn't Saturday, and that's "clean your room" day.  So instead, the kids played the piano for hours on end, colored their lenten calendars, danced to 80's throwback music with their mom, dressed up like a princess (well, the little one did), made get-well cards for a sick friend, baked chocolate chip cookies, and watched a Harry Potter movie. Quinn even cooked dinner for us all (quesadillas), after which we all climbed into Mom and Dad's bed and watched "How It's Made" until bedtime. 

And the best news of all is that the plow trucks couldn't keep up with the storm, so we have ANOTHER snow day today!! Third one this week.    My house? Not gonna get clean.  But we sure do enjoy snow days around here!!!  I feel another pajama day coming on.