Not Quite the Olympics

Gymnastics is officially over, and although we didn't exactly uncover any hidden gymnastics talents, the kids did well. They enjoyed it, but were also glad to be done.

Zaya particularly didn't like the stretching. He said it made his knees hurt. Probably an indication that he should do more of it.





I have to admit, I was hoping they would really love it. Gymnastics was my obsession as a child. They are their own little people, though, with their own personalities and talents and interests. I'm not going to be pushy, but I do want to make sure they have the opportunity to find where they can shine.

Maybe I should've found an entomology class instead.

Princess and the Pea

This is what a girl who is much too big for a nap looks like when she's had a busy afternoon of swimming, and then sits down with Mommy to read books.

Oklahoma Excitement

Like true Okies, we went to check out a field fire on our way home from the City. It was dusk, so the fire was all the more impressive.



I also wrote a little free verse about it on my other blog, if you're into that kind of thing.

It Is To Laugh

Here are some Zaya jokes. He's been making up his own this year. Be prepared.

Q: What do Oysters eat at Arby's?

A: Pearl-y fries. Get it mom? Curl-y fries - Pearl-y fries? Get it?

Q: Why are English people like fruit?

A: They live in Grape Britain.

(Actually that originally involved Arabs and A-Grape-ia.)

Q: What is a t-shirt's favorite food:

A: Roast Button. (Get it Mom? Roast Button - Roast Mutton? I got it from the Hobbit, chapter 2. Get it?)

Q: Why is a plant like a camera?

A: It uses photo-synthesis.

Q: Why do people in Mongolia (or China, depending on his mood) kick a lot?

A: Because they're Boot-ist.

There are others that I can't remember just off the top of my head. The conversation that takes place after the answers to Jokes #1 and 3 also takes place after every answer. If you don't break into absolute hysterics, he assumes you didn't get it.

He's also now the proud owner of a large trophy that says that his Junior High gymnastics team got first place. Actually, it's a trophy for "First Place in Asking if He Could Have an Old Trophy" while his gymnastics coach was cleaning out the old gym. He's as proud of that thing as he would be if he'd actually achieved something to win it.

Here the kids are trying to have serious faces. Why? Not a clue.

Outings

Last Friday, we took an impromptu trip to the East Place, one of the family farms nearby. We walked in the creek, made a campfire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. All activities being very dirty and exhausting. It made for a great night's sleep though, so it's all worth it.





Mim is dodging as bug.



While gathering firewood, we came across this tree. It must have some kind of fungus. It was rather nasty looking, and the mulberries were overly large and deformed. It reminded me of corn smut. Gross.





Art is holding up some of the zombieberries.

The next night we had a birthday party at Addy's house, and the next day we went to Canton Lake for a surprise birthday party for my mother-in-law. It was a fun weekend, but very tiring and sun-intensive. Also, we may not eat hot dogs again for a few months. Three days in a row was quite enough.

Lago Sycamore

This last Tuesday we went out to my parent's cabin. They've worked and worked on it over the last couple years, and it is now quite a few steps above camping, but rough enough that you feel like you're having an outdoor experience. Which is to say, perfect for escaping from your hot house and distracting your children from the occasional monotony of summer.

The kids love going to the cabin, and they especially love swimming in the lake, As long as they're wearing their floatie swimsuits, I love it too.

For some reason there were a lot of large feathers along the shoreline, and these became integral to the whole "playing in the lake" experience.

Ready...Aim...

Art bought a few more PVC connectors, and he and Mim now have marshmallow launchers as well.

Here are my three sharpshooters.



Believe it or not, Art shot a marshmallow at me that actually left a bruise on my leg. He prefaced this action with, "Hey, tell me if this hurts!"

Yes, it does, actually.

So he and the kids set up a shooting gallery. As you can see, it has a slightly medieval flair. I took this picture at the exact moment that the parrot was falling off the top of the castle after another extremely accurate shot by Art.



There are marshmallows all over my hallway, and I'm sure there are still some escapees in the living room and kitchen. If I'm invaded by ants, I will have to have a discussion with the infantry.

Funny Zay Quotes

Zaya told me yesterday:

"I had a thought. Happiness is better than the thing that made you happy."

When Art asked him what he meant by that he said, "The happiness is better to God than the actual thing that makes you happy. Like me and video games."

I told him that was his first proverb, which made him very excited.

In a less philosophical realm:

Today the kids had their first gymnastics class, which they loved. Mommies were not allowed to stay, but Mim handled it amazingly well, despite her initial tears.

As we walked in, Zaya said, "I think I like karate better than gymnastics." (Except he pronounces it 'carry-ah-tee')

I told him, "Zaya, you've never been to a karate class. You don't actually know anything about karate."

He said, "Yes I do. I know - Hai-Ya!"

And that sort of proved my point.

He was thrilled with his gymnastics class by the end, even though he's the only boy there.

Summery Fun

A few pictures of some of summer's crazy hedonism as displayed in the Teeson home.

Swimming at a friends pool.



Mim and Zaya could do this for a lot longer than Daddy, but, to be fair, Daddy could do this a lot longer than Mommy could. I don't know if I could do it once, actually, but he threw both kids in the air over and over.



This is what happens when Mommy says, "Zaya turn around and smile for the camera."

Art's grandma found a book for Zaya that is all about building your own marshmallow launcher. He was so excited and we had to run to Ace Hardware today to buy the parts. You haven't seen funny until you've watched a six year old run up to the Ace help desk and say, "Do you have any Schedule 40 PVC?" It was priceless.

Actually, it was about $6.50 for 10 feet of 1/2" PVC and a few fittings and caps. I'd call that cheap entertainment. I've happily fostered the idea (it's not quite a myth, there's some truth to it) that Mommy is grossly incompetent with all handy-man projects, so the kids waited patiently for Daddy to get home from work. After supper they built this marshmallow launcher and the kids (and Art) have been playing with it ever since.



At least it's not a video game.



Here's Mim, coloring a marshmallow for Zaya. She's more interested in the aesthetics of most of their enterprises. I'm assuming that's because of the XX chromosomes.

Tomorrow they have their first gymnastics class. The city of W'ville is offering a month of classes through their Parks and Rec. department. Both kids are very excited, and I suppose I'm a little excited myself, remembering my first gymnastics classes and what fun they were.