11/14/09 Stripes

It's pretty much futile setting clothes out for Katrina anymore. She picks her own and gets dressed in the morning anyway, unlike her brothers who need constant prompting to put on clothes that I set out for them.

She had a great time modeling her favorite outfit today: stripes.


Striped socks too.


Even a striped ponytail! (Dad's idea)



Why couldn't the professional photographer get this face?


(and Photo-shop out the syrup drips on her shirt!!)

My day started with a very nice run at Rancho San Antonio, over 8 miles on a lovely scenic route (they all are, really) that I haven't run in a long, long time. My back has been in really good shape lately, enough so that my ankles are becoming a problem again. But tendonitis is far, far more manageable and less chronic than the back problem.

This afternoon, I dragged the whole family out to a furniture store that specializes in "dinettes" since they were having a floor sample sale. I had no intention of buying anything; I just wanted to see how we'd all fit around a 60" round table, as my designer (I can say that now, "my designer" !) suggested, and also see if there were other options. I really like the guidance she gave me: "let's find the table first." Our space for a dining table in the kitchen is strange; very narrow but sort of long, and overwhelmed by the island. We had expected to eat in our actual dining room, so we really didn't pay enough attention to fitting a dining table in the kitchen -- and should have. Our dining situation really, really needs attention.

We fit pretty well around a 60" round table, though the distance between us gave it a sort of a formal feel I didn't like, but I guess we'd get used to. Or maybe it was just the formal and oddly purple finish to this particular table.


Then we came across this oblong table -- only 4" longer than our maximum, but still with rounded edges to make it easier to pass by. And, with chairs already upholstered in "microsuede" which is supposed to be great for dining chairs (durable, cleanable).

And the whole set marked down from over $5000 to $2000. I wish it were a darker color, but, it's such a perfect size -- and price -- that it's really hard to argue with. We're seriously considering buying it....though that sort of defeats the purpose of having a designer help put together the whole room. On the other hand, she pointed me in the right direction, and I have every intention of being led the rest of the way!

In the car on the way shopping, Julian suddenly burst out with a very surprising request, "Mom! I want to see an ART MUSEUM!" He said he read about an "art museum" in a book. These kids have been to a whole lot of museums, but almost all science, military, and hands-on sorts. Art? Seriously?! Why not just ask me to breathe underwater? But I'm really looking forward to fulfilling this wonderful request!

11/14/09

11/13/09 Play and sing

I haven't mentioned lately that we have a new pianist in our midst: Julian!

Our electronic piano has a feature in which it plays the background music and waits for the player to play the melody along with it. Gabriel discovered this and showed Julian, who's been teaching himself Mary Had A Little Lamb, sometimes for hours at a time.

Unlike Gabriel, Julian tries to sing along too. Gabriel won't have anything to do with singing and playing, though he sings and hums to himself ALL the time (to a fault, it's been an issue in the classroom since kindergarten).


Darling Dear Julian, however, had to go to bed early tonight after excessive rudeness while we talked to him about a "Poor" behavior report from his teacher this week, coupled with several timeouts at the CDC and basic obnoxiousness at home too. But he sure was sweet while he was playing piano today.

11/13/09

11/12/09 Come fly with me!

Katrina sings to herself ALL the time now. I caught some video, and to my amazement, she didn't "fly" into a rage when she noticed me. Later, she explained that she's an airplane (hence the exit):


I don't think Christina Aguillera has anything to worry about, but still, mundanely adorable.

11/12/09

11/11/09 Veteran's Day

No school, no CDC, no preschool -- so, no work!

Usually I go to work on Wednesdays, but not today. I had two appointments at home anyway, which turned into only one, but a useful one. I met with an interior designer to help tackle our strangely troublesome dining/family room. I think its biggest trouble is that it is a family room -- I think everyone will be happier when it's not Kid Central, and kids can make as much (well, more) noise as they want elsewhere.

After all, who wants to sit on a couch carpeted in Legos?



I took these photos a few days ago, when Katrina was busy with yet another building project. I think I took them because she spends more than half her time building things and putting things together. She loves her castle set and playhouses, and gets attached to the little figures, but she's overall more engaged by building-type toys and puzzles.

Well, good, I can relate to that. My mother says I was very much the same way as a kid. It makes up for the blond hair, which still weirds me out. It's perhaps silly, but it is interesting to see yourself in your children. Unfortunately, that includes the bad sides too!

11/11/09

11/10/09 Studio shots

The studio photographers that descended upon Katrina's school sure made certain parents wouldn't forget the day to view and buy photos! There was a sign up at the school for weeks, we got written notices, the kids were all sent home with reminder stickers on their shirts the day before, and we were phone-spammed with an automated reminder message. Seriously!

And after all that hullabaloo, there was only one person at the school taking photos out, answering questions and accepting payment, so it took a while.

Turns out, decisions on the shots were really easy. My dear daughter isn't all that photogenic -- or not all that cooperative for a studio photographer, I guess.


This is really not my kind of photo anyway, but the ones I get of Julian are irresistable. These are more obligatory. Don't get me wrong -- she's adorable to me, but I've seen -- and even taken -- much better pictures that capture her personality better.

More for the scrapbook!

11/10/09

11/9/09 Too much too late

Strange, strange work day; special work day tomorrow, planning meeting for holiday party tonight, up late cleaning up kitchen and making lunches. That's enough!

11/8/09 Shoe Day

No photos today -- sorry! How does that happen? It happens when our most noteworthy event of the day is shoe-shopping. I took the three to an outlet store, located in an outlet MALL, which instantly makes the experience horrendous for me.

Despite advance planning on where to park, it was still a headache finding parking, how to get into the mall, and finding the store (a Stride-Rite outlet). It was crowded, there was no one to help size the shoes, no entertainment for the kids, almost no place to sit for them to try things on. The boys were having a great time, and Katrina was a disaster, which means they constantly pestered her and she constantly cried, making the whole experience one futile reprimand after another. I'm sure half the people watching were thinking, "that little boy deserves a smack, why doesn't she do it already" and the other half were thinking, "that little boy is about to get smacked, good thing I have CPS on speed-dial."

In the end, though, I came away with six pairs of shoes, two per child, one in their current size and one a half-size up, ranging in prices from $20 to $28. Usually I spend almost the same amount I did today on just three pairs. I guess it comes down to the question, "If someone paid you $150 to take your three kids to a crowded mall on a beautiful day, would you?" Today, I took the $150. And, they all have new shoes before the old ones are completely shredded.

11/8/09