Restarts... errr

I am a member of an online forum, which I totally love. I have met some amazing people on the site and have gained some invaluable information and received priceless advice. But, tell me, why in the world do they set their restart at 3 in the afternoon? It catches me and kicks me off every single day. Which, of course, begs the question, why do I continue to get on the site every day at 3? Hmmm....

Luck, in my family?

Everyday on the way to school, we listen to a morning radio show. This particular show has a trivia question for kids 13 and under. Not one, but BOTH, of my children have answered this question correctly, winning family tickets to the local zoo. Cool huh? What kind of questions did they answer? Disney movie questions. Now really, I am a good mom and closely censor and monitor what my children watch. They haven't won by knowing the answers necessarily, but by being good at deciphering mom's clues.

Taylor won about 2 weeks ago. His question was, "In Disney's Alladdin, what character disguises himself as a flamingo to get the lamp?"

The kids did actually know this answer, but first I had to translate the question into pre-primary school language. I turned it into, "In Alladdin, who pretended to be a flamingo to get the magic lamp?" Well, right away, my bright, can-remember-everything, almost-six-year-old answered, with the correct response. (I'll let you guess the answer. It's no fun if I just give it away.) So we called and actually got through. I was stunned and told the deejay to hold on while I handed to phone to Taylor. Because he has a slight lisp, the deejays had a difficult time understanding his name, but they got a kick out of him telling them that he is five and a half! He answered the question correctly and they asked what radio station made him a winner. He answered with no hesitation!

So, last Wednesday, we are on our way to school and the question came on. It was, "What kind of animal is Figuero in Disney's Pinocchio?"

They didn't know this one. In fact, I'm not even sure if they have seen Disney's Pinocchio. But they had no problem identifying mom's "meow." Taylor asked if we could call again and I thought maybe we should give Tacey a turn. He agreed, while she himmed and hawed about whether or not she wanted a turn. She finally decided that she did. I then proceeded to dial, having absolutely no hope that we would actually get through. This time, however, I was smart and turned on the speakerphone! If you have ever talked to a 3-year-old on a phone, you will understand how difficult it is to understand them on a landline, much less a cell! Not to mention, my daughter's unconventional name. Therefore, it really goes without saying that they got her name wrong. But "Casey" answered the question correctly and won tickets to the zoo. In fact she even answered, "What radio station made you a winner?" with no hesitation!

The point of this story? Twofold: one is to make you smile. And two: whose children are these? I have absolutely no luck and don't think I have EVER won anything on the radio in my entire life. I don't know if these children were switched at birth, but I am charging admission if you would like to rub their heads before you go buy a lottery ticket!

One car

Due to the current state of the economy, our family has made the decision to live with only one car until we can purchase a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV). We are currently looking into the GEM car. Did you know that they come with hard doors like a car now? It's pretty cool. The cost to have one is minimal, $60 a year for insurance, $20 a month for electricity. they plug right into any standard 110 volt outlet. I really can't wait to get one. The convenience of two cars without the expense.

How has it been to only have one car? Nice, difficult, inconvenient, environmentally responsible and financially liberating. It has been a definite transition. But I am really enjoying not having to pay an additional $1000 a year in car insurance and $300 a month in gas. That's right, my beloved Denali cost me over $300 a month, just to drive it.

SLO City to Sea

One week ago today, the San Luis Obispo City to Sea Mini-Marathon started, without me. That's right, four months of training down the drain. Why? If you read my previous posts, you'll know that I pulled my right hamstring while playing in a charity softball tournament during our vacation in August. I was so disgusted with not being able to train at my regular pace that I sat on my ass and ate for 6 straight weeks. I totally negated the 15 pound weight loss that I had worked so hard for. Actually I only gained 10 pounds, but still. I have been finding it very difficult to get back into the training mode now that I can walk without pain and I don't have an ice pack attached to the back of my leg for 6 hours a day. Well, that and the next SLO City to Sea is almost a yar away. A goal that is far out. I guess I will just have to find and set a more immediate goal. Any suggestions?

Not to mention that Septmeber 1 came and I gave up cigarettes, cold turkey. I feel like I am a hard core addict, "49 days clean and sober." But I guess in some ways, I really am. With the weight gain, it just feels like such a hollow victory.

Lost

Sometime in the last couple of weeks, the monitor on my desktop computer went out. I am really frustrated because I have no way of downloading my pictures, uploading pictures or printing anything. I guess I could go hook up my printer to this laptop, but really, that is way too much work. Not to mention, my printer is out of the $45 color ink anyway, so what can I print in black and white? Certainly nothing useful. Of course there is also the option of purchasing a new monitor, but in case you didn't notice there is a recession/depression (depending on your definition of the latter.) Anyway, I would really like to share some fun things that we have been up to lately, but alas, I am lost without my slow-processing desktop.

To my blogging friends

To all of my blogging friends and those of you that I have met through blogging. I was enjoying reading and commenting on your blogs. But my comments on your blogs, much like my own posts, have been sporadic at best. I apologize for my absence. It is nothing personal, just me being a busy mom of two kids. I doubt that I will ever have the chance to catch up on your past posts, or be able to comment on your past posts. At best, I may be lucky enough to view any fun pics you've posted. At any rate, I hope to be spending some time veiwing your blogs again soon. I hope your summers were as eventful as mine.

Hit or miss

So my blogging has been hit or miss at best for the last few months. I kinda miss having an outlet to vent what is on my mind. I'm sure you would like a run down about what has been going with us. So, here it is...

We had a very busy summer, spending time at the library story time and craft days, play dates, two sessions of swim lessons, soccer camp and vacation.

The kids participated in the local library's youth reading program. For every ten minutes that they spent reading, they colored a bug caught in a spiderweb. For every ten bugs they colored, or one hundred minutes, they got a prize. Story time was a great way to spend some time out of the heat with most of the stories revolving around the library's summertime "Catch the Reading Bug" theme. Of course the crafts following story time and for the craft days involved making something buggy, like a bug catcher box or a buggy hat.

We had many play dates, including a fair play date. It was a fun to go on all the rides with our friends. It made waiting in line much less boring. I took the kids on one of those fun houses with a slide and ended up with rug burns all down my left leg. Josh and I took advantage of seeing three major artists at the fair: Stone Temple Pilots, Alan Jackson (where I went "back to my roots" and was barely recognized by one of my friends, check out my myspace, myspace.com/slbivin, page for pictures) and Matchbox 20. They all put on amazing shows. The crowd provided us with additional priceless entertainment. Josh stepped right into the middle of a fight on his way back to his seat during the STP concert. A couple was caught having sex in a porta-potty during the Alan Jackson concert. The guy was actually trying to pull up his pants after being handcuffed, while the cops were removing him from the fairgrounds. Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 quipped about watching a couple kids try to get over the fence to the group's bus.

I sat visiting with the other parents, one of whom I knew from an online support forum, while the kids went through Level 1 swim lessons. Taylor easily moved to Level 2 after the first session. Tacey stayed in Level 1 but enjoyed a semi-private lesson, since only two children signed up for the group lessons. She was even fortunate enough to get a private lesson twice during the two-week session. She received so much individual attention that her instructor recommended her for Level "Pre-3" next summer. The little fishies could easily live in a pool.

Soccer Camp was a joy. Someday, I'll get pictures posted, maybe. Okay probably not. Anyway, the kids went to a British Soccer Camp coached by three young British soccer players. This was the only camp that actually offered a session for children under 4. While she couldn't wait to go to soccer camp, Tacey sure put up a fight about participating. Finally, I got fed up with her attitude and fits and made her play or sit in the car. It seemed to work because she went and had a good time. Taylor earned the nickname "The Weapon," because he wasn't afraid to attack the ball regardless of how big the person with the ball was. He took on anyone, including his coaches, despite being the smallest and youngest kid in his camp! The coaches were wonderful. I think that they have seen more of the US than I have! Taylor's camp was split up into European teams. Taylor was on Team England. He won extra points for his team by making the biggest English flag. Then they scrimmaged each other in a World Cup tournament. Team England won the World Cup! Go England!

After a very busy July, we had about 10 days to gear up for vacation. It was a nice vacation. We spent quite a bit of time in Maxwell, swimming and visiting with my dad and family. Again, I have some wonderful pictures of Grandpa and Grandma swimming and playing with the kids, but I will probably never find time to post my past pictures. I'll have to just post pictures going forward.

I was actually able to continue my training throughout the busy summer and vacation. All until we played in a charity softball tournament. We played three games back to back in 100 degree heat. The kicker was that we were playing on turf, which was about 15 degrees hotter than the outside temperature. So, during our third straight game, I beat out a ground ball to first. On an error by the first baseman, I turned it into a double and half-assed slid into second base. Well, on the next play, I headed to third. Four steps off of second base and my right hamstring tightened up so much that I couldn't walk, much less run. The opposing team showed a little class by letting me get to third and get a runner. That night, I could hardly move my leg. I pulled my hamstring, thus ending my quest to participate in the SLO City to Sea Mini Marathon 2008. Two days later the back of my right leg was completely black and blue from just below my butt down through the middle of my calf. If you remember what I looked like after I was hit by the car in 94, it rivaled that. I lost two weeks of training and when I was able to pick it back up, I couldn't train at the level that I had left off on. So... instead, I gave up. And ate. And ate. And, hey, I ate so more. Over the course of my training I had managed to accomplish my goal weight loss of 15 pounds, 10 of which I have since put back on. Now, I start back at square one.

The remainder of our vacation was spent in San Diego. Again, due to my pulled hamstring, we weren't able to take advantage of the incredible family activities in San Diego county. Hmm... maybe next time. But we did have a wonderful visit with Josh's side of the family.

I think that is about it for our summer. Stay tuned for "Chronicles of The First Day of School."