Between Ebay and clearance racks, I was able to get long sleeved shirts for Luna for about $3/$4 each. They're all layerable and I have enough that if some become "playclothes" she doesn't look like the ragpicker's child at school. Finding pants that fit her is rough chewing. They're too short or too long or too big at the waist or the butt or too thin to really be worthwhile in the winter. I flat out refuse to spend $10-$20 a pair for pants for her. I'm in the $5 pants world. If that. Ebaying for pants isn't working out well.
The issue when getting winter clothes for Mike and I is that our sizes or tastes are so specific I don't have a lot of play when it comes to price. I think it's going to be more of a building a wardrobe kind of deal. One or two quality items every few months.
The three of us went to the playground on Sunday. We'd missed Saturday and I was sad because the wind was whipping crazy and it would have been great kite flying weather. We fed ducks and Luna took her purple stuffed monkey with us. She'd send the monkey down the slide and yell out "I will save you, Monkey!" and then slide down to fetch her toy. I got into the act and started trying to catch Luna on the slide. After a while I went to go sit with Mike and she got to play around without my interference. I saw her playing with a steering wheel, facing away from where I was sitting, so I snuck over to the slide, knowing that's her next place to be. She played with the wheel for a little longer, then called out "HellooOOOo!" Mike replied "Hi Luna!" I had to stay quiet or give away my evil plot. Without a beat Luna called out "Not YOU, Daddy...." She knew. I was busted. It tickled me so bad I started laughing until I couldn't stand. I'd underestimated the 4.5 year old again and she caught me.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Cheap fun is good fun!
Luna spent this morning watching the lights on the xmas tree, munching on Corn Pops and yelling at the kitten who was gleefully whacking things off the tree and onto the floor. Lil Princess OCD has been valiantly collecting the ornaments as they hit the ground and replacing them on our semi-sad little tree, muttering "I can't remember where this one was...."
It was seriously chilly when we got up. Monk, Mike & I spent the morning snuggled under an electric blanket watching educational cartoons, bed taken over by critters looking for warmz and snuggles. Mike and Monk went outside and played ball, tag and lightsaber war. She helped me make potato soup. When the mailman came, I hopped to get it and Chef Luna poured pepper into the soup. The top of the pot was black when I returned, just a bare minute later. It came out creep up on you spicy, but still pretty good.
Pops has been trying more and more to interact with her. He even came out to wait for her to come home from school the other day. He sends me to pick up lolipops for her every once in a while. She's been digging the ring pops lately.
After dinner, she needed something to do so I pulled a balloon out of my stash and tossed 6 pieces of dry cat food into it. The cat food weighed down the balloon a little bit and made it more manageable and more noisy. Both things she enjoyed greatly. Talk about cheap fun. Max 15 cents to keep her moving and having a ball.
It was seriously chilly when we got up. Monk, Mike & I spent the morning snuggled under an electric blanket watching educational cartoons, bed taken over by critters looking for warmz and snuggles. Mike and Monk went outside and played ball, tag and lightsaber war. She helped me make potato soup. When the mailman came, I hopped to get it and Chef Luna poured pepper into the soup. The top of the pot was black when I returned, just a bare minute later. It came out creep up on you spicy, but still pretty good.
Pops has been trying more and more to interact with her. He even came out to wait for her to come home from school the other day. He sends me to pick up lolipops for her every once in a while. She's been digging the ring pops lately.
After dinner, she needed something to do so I pulled a balloon out of my stash and tossed 6 pieces of dry cat food into it. The cat food weighed down the balloon a little bit and made it more manageable and more noisy. Both things she enjoyed greatly. Talk about cheap fun. Max 15 cents to keep her moving and having a ball.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Getting ready for the holidays!
This year, since Mike, Luna and I are in our new pad with Oupa and pretty much starting the family groove, we've been talking about how to handle the holidays.
Kinda in the land of suck because Luna's digital camera died. It did well and took quite a bit of abuse. My camera was stolen from the car last year, so I have no way to take pictures right now. Worst case scenario, I get a toss away camera and have photos developed and put on CD.
We did a black friday jaunt and got Luna's xmas handled for under $50. A little of this and that. Not a giant haul, but enough that with some stocking goodies she should be happy. I don't want her to start thinking that xmas means a ridiculous amount of crap she's probably only going to be excited about until the paper hits the floor.
Mike chose an electronic drum kit for her. It has a headphone jack and a plug so she can jam along with her mp3 player's music. The towel thingie that we got for her would be the perfect Ouma gift, so I still need my gift and Oupa's gift.
I talked to Mike about our tree options and he wants to do a real tree. I agreed. I don't think he understood until we talked about it that we're setting the traditions for our family. Not my traditions or his, but ours. I made some kick ass playdough from a recipe in the family cookbook. Luna and I made ornaments for the tree. We're going to make quite a few things for the tree this year. I like her thinking that everything doesn't have to be store bought.
Our chum Wadean made Thanksgiving dinner and had us over to enjoy it. I'm going to invite them over next year.
More to come!
Kinda in the land of suck because Luna's digital camera died. It did well and took quite a bit of abuse. My camera was stolen from the car last year, so I have no way to take pictures right now. Worst case scenario, I get a toss away camera and have photos developed and put on CD.
We did a black friday jaunt and got Luna's xmas handled for under $50. A little of this and that. Not a giant haul, but enough that with some stocking goodies she should be happy. I don't want her to start thinking that xmas means a ridiculous amount of crap she's probably only going to be excited about until the paper hits the floor.
Mike chose an electronic drum kit for her. It has a headphone jack and a plug so she can jam along with her mp3 player's music. The towel thingie that we got for her would be the perfect Ouma gift, so I still need my gift and Oupa's gift.
I talked to Mike about our tree options and he wants to do a real tree. I agreed. I don't think he understood until we talked about it that we're setting the traditions for our family. Not my traditions or his, but ours. I made some kick ass playdough from a recipe in the family cookbook. Luna and I made ornaments for the tree. We're going to make quite a few things for the tree this year. I like her thinking that everything doesn't have to be store bought.
Our chum Wadean made Thanksgiving dinner and had us over to enjoy it. I'm going to invite them over next year.
More to come!
Friday, October 2, 2009
And then this happened...
I walked into Luna's room after putting in some speakers that she could hook her MP3 player to. Lil kid was mad rocking out.
This is what it looked like. Yeah, it's Lady by Styx. Her current fav tune....
This is what it looked like. Yeah, it's Lady by Styx. Her current fav tune....
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Luna's New School Experience
Ok, so we started at a school that was definately sub-par. When I can watch the workers and realize that I could do the job of two of them better than they are currently doing and at the same time, it's time for a new school.
The first school was a 6 mile a day walk. This new one is not quite two miles a day. It wasn't on the list when I was choosing schools the first time or I'd have picked it. I feel a little guilty that I'm not doing as much of a walk as I was, but I'm happy to not have-to do 6 miles a day rain or shine... On Fridays we both walk, rather than going in the Jogging Stroller. On the way there we take Sunny, when I go pick Luna up, I take Brynne.
OMG our first dog walk was too funny. Sunny did the whole walk at the end of her leash, pulling me like it was time to take a drag. Luna had lots of fun trying to walk next to Sunny and do her little girl with her dog stuff. Brynne got freaked out about a block from the house and was scared to death. She almost knocked me over a couple times trying to become part of my leg when she heard a loud noise or saw a people. Yellow chicken pit bull, says I. When we got to the school I sat in the front waiting for Luna to come out with Brynne curled in a ball in my lap. She'll stay home if I have to carry her. I am not traipsing a mile carrying a pit bull who's too chicken to go for a walk. Just not gonna.
There are more kids at Child Prosperity (what the hell was Sanji thinking when she named it THAT?) than at Every Little Step. The teacher told me that they got quite a few kids from ELS. I'm really really happy with the curriculum and teaching style.
Luna and I were bathing together and I was asking her about her day at school. She couldn't name a single child. At the last school, sure I could understand it. Other than one little boy, all the kids had names of more than 7 letters that were a bit of a mouthful...Tasnishira and Ontheroad (for example) which were being pronounced by ebonic soft palates and reinforced by a teacher with a heavy asian accent. Good luck understanding your own name, let alone anybody else's. I haven't heard or seen the names of any of the kids in the new school.
Anyway....
She couldn't name a single child. Said that she didn't do art or write or draw or play with kids. This set off mad Mommy Alarms. I talked to the teacher about it. Basically what she said is Luna couldn't care less about the other kids. She knows her stations and when they change and what she is supposed to be doing and does it. She walks away most often when others try to engage her in play and is happy just playing by herself. Occasionally she plays with others but if they start being bad, she rolls out and goes back to doing her own thing. This has caused her to get treats because she's the only one who doesn't get into trouble when the rest of the class acts up. She's not anywhere near the badness.
I'm glad she doesn't feel the deep need to befriend everyone regardless of their behavior or is such a tool other kids don't want to play with her. Hopefully, once she gets more comfortable she'll find somebody she likes.
It's strange after Gwen's kids. The boys all had such crazy socialization problems. Fanya at least was semi-discerning about friends. I'm not saying they're bad kids or anything. I'm just saying the boys had serious socialization issues. I wonder how much of tribe issues has influenced her. I worry that losing the kids she was raised to think were her siblings will bring problems. It hasn't presented yet. Here's hoping she got out undented.
The first school was a 6 mile a day walk. This new one is not quite two miles a day. It wasn't on the list when I was choosing schools the first time or I'd have picked it. I feel a little guilty that I'm not doing as much of a walk as I was, but I'm happy to not have-to do 6 miles a day rain or shine... On Fridays we both walk, rather than going in the Jogging Stroller. On the way there we take Sunny, when I go pick Luna up, I take Brynne.
OMG our first dog walk was too funny. Sunny did the whole walk at the end of her leash, pulling me like it was time to take a drag. Luna had lots of fun trying to walk next to Sunny and do her little girl with her dog stuff. Brynne got freaked out about a block from the house and was scared to death. She almost knocked me over a couple times trying to become part of my leg when she heard a loud noise or saw a people. Yellow chicken pit bull, says I. When we got to the school I sat in the front waiting for Luna to come out with Brynne curled in a ball in my lap. She'll stay home if I have to carry her. I am not traipsing a mile carrying a pit bull who's too chicken to go for a walk. Just not gonna.
There are more kids at Child Prosperity (what the hell was Sanji thinking when she named it THAT?) than at Every Little Step. The teacher told me that they got quite a few kids from ELS. I'm really really happy with the curriculum and teaching style.
Luna and I were bathing together and I was asking her about her day at school. She couldn't name a single child. At the last school, sure I could understand it. Other than one little boy, all the kids had names of more than 7 letters that were a bit of a mouthful...Tasnishira and Ontheroad (for example) which were being pronounced by ebonic soft palates and reinforced by a teacher with a heavy asian accent. Good luck understanding your own name, let alone anybody else's. I haven't heard or seen the names of any of the kids in the new school.
Anyway....
She couldn't name a single child. Said that she didn't do art or write or draw or play with kids. This set off mad Mommy Alarms. I talked to the teacher about it. Basically what she said is Luna couldn't care less about the other kids. She knows her stations and when they change and what she is supposed to be doing and does it. She walks away most often when others try to engage her in play and is happy just playing by herself. Occasionally she plays with others but if they start being bad, she rolls out and goes back to doing her own thing. This has caused her to get treats because she's the only one who doesn't get into trouble when the rest of the class acts up. She's not anywhere near the badness.
I'm glad she doesn't feel the deep need to befriend everyone regardless of their behavior or is such a tool other kids don't want to play with her. Hopefully, once she gets more comfortable she'll find somebody she likes.
It's strange after Gwen's kids. The boys all had such crazy socialization problems. Fanya at least was semi-discerning about friends. I'm not saying they're bad kids or anything. I'm just saying the boys had serious socialization issues. I wonder how much of tribe issues has influenced her. I worry that losing the kids she was raised to think were her siblings will bring problems. It hasn't presented yet. Here's hoping she got out undented.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Luna's First Day of School
We got up a little late for school, but made it on time.
Pops took a couple photos for Me before we left for school.
She did really well and didn't have the epic freak out I was expecting. Yayyyy!
There are only 10 kids in her class, two boys were there when we got in. I have no idea what the entire class looks like, though. Her teacher is Ms Violetta. She has a really heavy asian accent. Hopefully, Luna won't pick it up the way Steele picked up the spanish speech structure from his stint at Pre-K.
Personally, I'm pretty ragged out from the walk. It'll get easier though.
Her first day. *sniffle* My baby's gettin grown.
Pops took a couple photos for Me before we left for school.
She did really well and didn't have the epic freak out I was expecting. Yayyyy!
There are only 10 kids in her class, two boys were there when we got in. I have no idea what the entire class looks like, though. Her teacher is Ms Violetta. She has a really heavy asian accent. Hopefully, Luna won't pick it up the way Steele picked up the spanish speech structure from his stint at Pre-K.
Personally, I'm pretty ragged out from the walk. It'll get easier though.
Giving the monkey some love before school.
Photo Op!
Sunglasses, Mp3 player, water & chariot.
We're ready to roll.
This is the main crossroads in Deland.
Her first day. *sniffle* My baby's gettin grown.
*** Just in case you don't know, if you click on the photos they get big.*****
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Daddy and Luna
I got some photos of "Quality Time With Daddy"
Proud Papa and his Gamer Girl.
He's explaining something...
Tired Monkey being read Nursery Rhymes by Daddy.
He even makes sound effects.
Proud Papa and his Gamer Girl.
He's explaining something...
Tired Monkey being read Nursery Rhymes by Daddy.
He even makes sound effects.
Fun & Good Times before bed.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Luna's room
We were going to put Luna in the middle bedroom, but she's having issues sleeping in her room. I moved her into the front room, so I can open the door and she can see us. Little steps to getting her independent.... Wadean's husband Jessie is going to come over tonight to install the circa 1960 smiley face ceiling light for me.
I found a sleighbed on Craigslist for $25. I was amazed. The thing is solid wood, wonderfully kept and a very expensive chunk of furniture. Wow. Cool!!!!!!!! Got it home and it was under an inch too large to fit the way I wanted it to. *sigh* We got it in, though.
I'd taken back from Fanya a lamp that Mom gave her, but it lived in her closet. She never used it. It's got a painted roses and beaded glass shade. I'd hung her little bats - they'd been over her crib when she was a baby. Her purple moon mobile got some space. I've taken out all the toys and put them into the middle room, but I left her full as it can be bookshelf.
I used an old yellow butterfly sheet that was left at the house by one of the ex-roomie's mostly homeless buddies to make curtains. I also raided an old Pops topsheet. He rarely uses the topsheets. They'd end up on the floor for Molly to sleep on.
I got out my creative hat and went to Walmart and spent about $15 on iron on stuff, fabric paint and red fabric. I'd cut off some shorts for Fanya and used the leftover stripey fabric in my build.
This is what happened....
Monday, August 10, 2009
Crazy Cat Lady
We've got a feral colony in the backyard, some kittens, Dad's cats and my kids.
It's a screaming buttload of cats. My current count is 21, with maybe 2 more that stop in for a bite and roll. I'm trying to catch one who's pregnant before we have more kittens. I've been fixing anyone I can catch without a trap, but it's about time to start considering buying a trap. When I'm done with it, I can give it to the lady at the feline rescue who is posting the kittens for giveaway and fixing them at no cost. At this count, I have 11 who need to be fixed.
When I showed up, I brought my cats:
Buster (fixed)
Sabby (fixed)
Grey (fixed)
Lola (fixed)
Cleo (fixed)
Dad had his cats:
Angel (fixed)
Dora (boy)
We got kittens from the ferals, they've been domesticated enough to even be ok with our dogs!:
Rosencrantz (Rosie) - getting fixed this week
Guildenstern (Gil) - getting fixed this week
Then there were more kittens:
Polly (girl - she's domesticated and the runt. She likes being an indoor cat)
Wolly (boy - semi-feral)
Doodle (girl - semi-feral, working on domesticating her)
Allah (no idea, way too feral - but next on the bus for domestication)
Dae (girl - semi-domestic)
The ferals I've been naming and getting fixed and shots:
Frankie (now semi-domestic & fixed)
Nia (pregnant!)
Tanner (boy)
Grady (girl)
Adelaide (girl)
Houdini (fixed)
Gizmo (boy)
It's a screaming buttload of cats. My current count is 21, with maybe 2 more that stop in for a bite and roll. I'm trying to catch one who's pregnant before we have more kittens. I've been fixing anyone I can catch without a trap, but it's about time to start considering buying a trap. When I'm done with it, I can give it to the lady at the feline rescue who is posting the kittens for giveaway and fixing them at no cost. At this count, I have 11 who need to be fixed.
When I showed up, I brought my cats:
Buster (fixed)
Sabby (fixed)
Grey (fixed)
Lola (fixed)
Cleo (fixed)
Dad had his cats:
Angel (fixed)
Dora (boy)
We got kittens from the ferals, they've been domesticated enough to even be ok with our dogs!:
Rosencrantz (Rosie) - getting fixed this week
Guildenstern (Gil) - getting fixed this week
Then there were more kittens:
Polly (girl - she's domesticated and the runt. She likes being an indoor cat)
Wolly (boy - semi-feral)
Doodle (girl - semi-feral, working on domesticating her)
Allah (no idea, way too feral - but next on the bus for domestication)
Dae (girl - semi-domestic)
The ferals I've been naming and getting fixed and shots:
Frankie (now semi-domestic & fixed)
Nia (pregnant!)
Tanner (boy)
Grady (girl)
Adelaide (girl)
Houdini (fixed)
Gizmo (boy)
School time!
Luna is finally signed up for VPK, it starts Aug 31st. It's near Freedom Park, but on the boulevard. Mapquest says it's 1.4 miles from the house.
After realizing that asking the kid to walk 5+miles a day would not be a nice thing to do, I started plans to build a rickshaw. Mike's pop was gonna help on Sunday, but he found a jogging stroller on Craigslist - Orlando, but located in Deland for like $45. The rickshaw was gonna cost 30, so why not avoid the work and just buy it? We did. She let us have it for $40 and it's a $200 unit.
I've found the rain shield on Ebay, it's gonna cost us another $30 to get it.
This week we are starting the school wake/sleep schedule. It's really really really hard for me. She's got mommy's natural aversion to getting up early. This morning after grabbing my principals and not begging for more time, I started trying to wake her. It took two dogs, two parents and actual lifting of the child to accomplish. We walked about a mile and a half to Wadean's and back this morning. I want to do stuff like that two or three times a week to get my legs ready for the real deal.
To keep her happy, I'm getting her a new set of headphones just for her MP3 player. She can rock out on the way to school. It's gonna be neat. I hope she sings as I walk.
Hopefully, walking a few miles each day will help me lose my giant rear end. I'm trying to keep the idea of a gift of weight loss & earth friendly behavior rather than a whine-fest of not having a car. Wonder which idea will happen in the rain....
After realizing that asking the kid to walk 5+miles a day would not be a nice thing to do, I started plans to build a rickshaw. Mike's pop was gonna help on Sunday, but he found a jogging stroller on Craigslist - Orlando, but located in Deland for like $45. The rickshaw was gonna cost 30, so why not avoid the work and just buy it? We did. She let us have it for $40 and it's a $200 unit.
I've found the rain shield on Ebay, it's gonna cost us another $30 to get it.
This week we are starting the school wake/sleep schedule. It's really really really hard for me. She's got mommy's natural aversion to getting up early. This morning after grabbing my principals and not begging for more time, I started trying to wake her. It took two dogs, two parents and actual lifting of the child to accomplish. We walked about a mile and a half to Wadean's and back this morning. I want to do stuff like that two or three times a week to get my legs ready for the real deal.
To keep her happy, I'm getting her a new set of headphones just for her MP3 player. She can rock out on the way to school. It's gonna be neat. I hope she sings as I walk.
Hopefully, walking a few miles each day will help me lose my giant rear end. I'm trying to keep the idea of a gift of weight loss & earth friendly behavior rather than a whine-fest of not having a car. Wonder which idea will happen in the rain....
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Luna's first dance class
We got there and the teacher was late because the schedule had changed and she hadn't gotten the memo. Whee! While Monk, I and a full dozen moms and kids waited, I had a chance to take some photos.
Grandma and Grandpa
Mike's Mom and Luna messing around in the yard for a photo op.
Mike's Parents and Luna.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Mike, Luna and Alvin
Alvin the kitten was wired up and came to play on the bed. It was cute enough to send me for the vidcam. I think I may be about to shoot something else with lightsabers. brb.
Luna and the guitar.
Steele got a guitar for his birthday and Luna was entranced. I found a tiny one at a local thrift shop and did some minor fixing. Today, she picked it up and started playing with it without me having to ask her. I tied her pick to a string because she kept losing it in the hole in the guitar. Handy thing, that string.
Luna and my Amanda
15 years of friendship later, Amanda still comes over to hang out at Pop's house.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Baby Kittehs
Theodore is the one in the bug. It's the dog's water bowl. I guess he was trying to get his point across that they needed water. The striped kitty is Alvin.
Luna in her Sesame Street Toque
I think we were baking cookies and she found her chef's hat. Tee-hee!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Bubba, Brandon and Luna
Mike and I took Luna over to see her cousin, Brandon.
Bubba has a hot tub that they play in.
Pops and Luna
Got some photos of the rest of the family.
This is Dad at the nursing home/rehab he's at currently.
This is Dad at the nursing home/rehab he's at currently.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Video of Luna Tap dancing
Got her new leotard and skirt in today. Ballet shoes still en route. She was so excited. I tried to take photos of her, but she wouldn't stop dancing, so I just made a movie.
Welcome to Luna's Blog
Ok, so it's not just Luna, it's the whole new family. Basically, I needed a place to put movies of Luna and stuff.
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