Yesterday we met with our weekly playgroup, The Explorers. The group is made up of seven 4-year-old boys. Thankfully, there are two other boys with younger sisters so Laine has her own playmates at these meetings. The moms take turns hosting the playdates, either in their home or in a public place, and they set the mood for the playdate by deciding if it will be active or more mellow. Yesterday the kids got to make rockets out of paper towel rolls and construction paper then take them outside and throw them. Jared loved his rocket so much that he carried it everywhere with him for the rest of the day and even slept with it. The rocket has fire (orange crepe paper) coming out of the bottom and by this morning it was looking pretty tattered.
The moms in the playgroup come from all over, with only two being native Texans. We all have different backgrounds and came together just because our boys are the same age. This really makes the group a fun mix and gives us lots to talk about. What I love the most about the group is that the moms really are crazy about their boys. We trade stories of embarrassing potty moments, obsession with all things that have wheels and the general amount of mischief that boys get into with big smiles on our faces.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Catch-up Day
Today was one of those “catch-up” days that are never too much fun. I gave the house a deep cleaning, paid the bills and ran to the post office. The kids were great about helping and entertaining themselves while I was busy. In the afternoon Jed took them to a new park that is very close to our house. They had a blast and all three came home with pink cheeks and big smiles.
At dinner every night we ask the kids to name their favorite part of the day. When I asked tonight Laine smiled at Jed and said, “going to the park with daddy.” Jared agreed and then after a minute said he had a second favorite thing. When we asked what it was he said, “playing here on the earth.” Then he asked if earth was the biggest planet and I told him that Jupiter is the biggest. He thought about that and then said, “yeah, but it isn’t as big as the sun.” At that moment I looked at Jared and knew that he truly is his father’s son. I love watching Jared furrow his brow in these pensive moments and say something that I can imagine a four year old Jed saying. Thankfully, Jared doesn’t love the word testicle as much as his father did when he was young. But, that is another story.
At dinner every night we ask the kids to name their favorite part of the day. When I asked tonight Laine smiled at Jed and said, “going to the park with daddy.” Jared agreed and then after a minute said he had a second favorite thing. When we asked what it was he said, “playing here on the earth.” Then he asked if earth was the biggest planet and I told him that Jupiter is the biggest. He thought about that and then said, “yeah, but it isn’t as big as the sun.” At that moment I looked at Jared and knew that he truly is his father’s son. I love watching Jared furrow his brow in these pensive moments and say something that I can imagine a four year old Jed saying. Thankfully, Jared doesn’t love the word testicle as much as his father did when he was young. But, that is another story.
Monday, August 27, 2007
A weekend of exploring
On Saturday we went into downtown Austin to look around. The downtown area is famous for its nightclubs, funky shops and trendy restaurants. Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World and there is always someplace you can go in the city to hear just about any kind of music.
We strolled up and down the streets and eventually headed to the Capitol building. It sits at the top of a hill on Congress Avenue and seems to look out over the rest of the city. We stopped on a bench in the shade to relax and look at the statues and the gardens surrounding the Capitol before heading into the actual building. Besides the amazing air conditioning (which was reason enough to go there), the Capitol had several small historical exhibits to keep us entertained. The kids stood in the middle of the floor and looked up at the high dome with their mouths open. They walked up and down the huge staircases and counted the stairs (Laine: sixteen, seventeen, twelve, seventeen). Then we found a sandwich shop for lunch before heading home.
On Sunday the kids and I went to a new church. We have been trying to find a church that we like and I think we found it with this one. The music was upbeat and the sermons short and uplifting. Laine actually cried when it was time to leave and I figured that was the best endorsement I could have asked for. Both kids have talked about how much they are looking forward to going back next Sunday.
Today we went to the pool with friends and played for almost three hours. Jared and Laine are both little fish and love swimming. We all have deep tans and the kids seem to get blonder by the day. Afterward we came home and watched their favorite video: Stranger Safety. This is a goofy video (produced by John Walsh) that has Safe Side Superchick telling the kids how to avoid dangerous situations. There is a part in the video where the kids get to yell out, “help, this is not my mom!” when they playact what to do if a stranger tries to get them to go somewhere with them. The kids love it and want to practice this part all the time. Jared even practiced when I was helping him get into the car this afternoon and I had to remind him not to do it in public less I get arrested.
We strolled up and down the streets and eventually headed to the Capitol building. It sits at the top of a hill on Congress Avenue and seems to look out over the rest of the city. We stopped on a bench in the shade to relax and look at the statues and the gardens surrounding the Capitol before heading into the actual building. Besides the amazing air conditioning (which was reason enough to go there), the Capitol had several small historical exhibits to keep us entertained. The kids stood in the middle of the floor and looked up at the high dome with their mouths open. They walked up and down the huge staircases and counted the stairs (Laine: sixteen, seventeen, twelve, seventeen). Then we found a sandwich shop for lunch before heading home.
On Sunday the kids and I went to a new church. We have been trying to find a church that we like and I think we found it with this one. The music was upbeat and the sermons short and uplifting. Laine actually cried when it was time to leave and I figured that was the best endorsement I could have asked for. Both kids have talked about how much they are looking forward to going back next Sunday.
Today we went to the pool with friends and played for almost three hours. Jared and Laine are both little fish and love swimming. We all have deep tans and the kids seem to get blonder by the day. Afterward we came home and watched their favorite video: Stranger Safety. This is a goofy video (produced by John Walsh) that has Safe Side Superchick telling the kids how to avoid dangerous situations. There is a part in the video where the kids get to yell out, “help, this is not my mom!” when they playact what to do if a stranger tries to get them to go somewhere with them. The kids love it and want to practice this part all the time. Jared even practiced when I was helping him get into the car this afternoon and I had to remind him not to do it in public less I get arrested.
Getting settled into the new house
Rather than continue my previous Japan Blog I have decided to start a fresh one. I think this new chapter in our lives deserves it own Blog.
First, a bit about the move and settling in. Jed arrived in Texas on the morning of Saturday, July 7 with our car and the moving van (driven by my brother). The kids and I arrived late that night. The following morning we went to Ikea and spent four hours picking up our new furniture and the rest of the day unpacking. On Monday we had the cable and phone companies come to set up our utilities, our major appliances were delivered, and professional assemblers arrived to put together all that Ikea stuff. By Thursday we were completely unpacked and settled in, right down to having pictures on the walls. Five days may seem fast to put together a house, but then again we have moved so often that we are pros at it. Not to mention that we have been dreaming about being in our own house again for three years and couldn’t wait to make that a reality.
Jed continued working for Dell through the end of July and I set to work making new friends and getting the lay of the land. I now feel like I can navigate our city fairly well (which can be tough because there are lots of streets that don’t appear on Mapquest because they are too new) and have even figured out the how to use the one-way streets that run parallel to the freeway. I’ve joined several mommy groups and even started one for other California moms.
We absolutely love our neighborhood. All of the houses are brand new or in various stages of being built. In the time that we have lived here there have been seven families move onto the street, four of them from California. There is something really fun about all of us being new and building this neighborhood together. Everyone smiles and waves at each other. I put the sprinklers on in the front yard and the neighborhood kids came over to play with Jared and Laine. I take cookies to new neighbors and go next door if I need to borrow an egg. It is everything we had hoped it would be.
First, a bit about the move and settling in. Jed arrived in Texas on the morning of Saturday, July 7 with our car and the moving van (driven by my brother). The kids and I arrived late that night. The following morning we went to Ikea and spent four hours picking up our new furniture and the rest of the day unpacking. On Monday we had the cable and phone companies come to set up our utilities, our major appliances were delivered, and professional assemblers arrived to put together all that Ikea stuff. By Thursday we were completely unpacked and settled in, right down to having pictures on the walls. Five days may seem fast to put together a house, but then again we have moved so often that we are pros at it. Not to mention that we have been dreaming about being in our own house again for three years and couldn’t wait to make that a reality.
Jed continued working for Dell through the end of July and I set to work making new friends and getting the lay of the land. I now feel like I can navigate our city fairly well (which can be tough because there are lots of streets that don’t appear on Mapquest because they are too new) and have even figured out the how to use the one-way streets that run parallel to the freeway. I’ve joined several mommy groups and even started one for other California moms.
We absolutely love our neighborhood. All of the houses are brand new or in various stages of being built. In the time that we have lived here there have been seven families move onto the street, four of them from California. There is something really fun about all of us being new and building this neighborhood together. Everyone smiles and waves at each other. I put the sprinklers on in the front yard and the neighborhood kids came over to play with Jared and Laine. I take cookies to new neighbors and go next door if I need to borrow an egg. It is everything we had hoped it would be.
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