Happy Birthday Tyler!

Okay, so I am a week late with this blog, but it includes pictures, which I haven't done before, so I get credit for that, yes?

For Tyler's 9th birthday, he wanted to take some friends to Castles n' Coasters. The mini golf opened at 10 am, but the rides didn't open until 4. We decided to aim for leaving our house at 2. His friends got dropped off around 1:30 and we had cupcakes and opened Tyler's presents, then off we went. Temp was 101 degrees on the way there. I had packed water bottles for everyone, which were 50% gone by the time we arrived at the park... Did I mention it was 102 degrees on the way there?

We started our game of mini golf, which, btw has almost NO shade. 8 holes in, as I am looking at 4 boys sweating their tails off with bright red faces, I was wishing Tyler was born in March...
13 holes in, I was starting to hear some complaints, and even though they had finished their first water bottle, and we had refilled and most of them had finished that one too, I was getting nervous about heat stroke! We decided to stop, get a soda, and sit in the shade for a few.

By then the rides were open, and we took a vote if we wanted to finish mini golf or go do the rides. Jacob and I were outvoted, so off to the rides we went! The very first ride we went on was the Indy cars, which only one of them was tall enough to drive, and which ended with the pit crew steering the car back to the "garage", so we decided the boys wouldn't try that again!

Then off to the bumper boats, then the log ride, which were both a welcome relief from the heat! (Lots of splashing!) There was no crowd to speak of, and the boys never waited in line. Sometimes the ride attendant didn't even make them get off the ride and re enter, they just stayed where they were and started the ride again. Too many rides to remember, but the bumper boats, bumper cars, roller coaster, and log ride were definitely among the favorites (and I'm not sure why there are no pictures of these rides, except maybe that I was riding them too, and forgot my photography duties!!)I have to say here how much fun I had with the boys, and how well behaved they all were. I was impressed with their ability to compromise with each other when one wanted to do a different ride, I was surprised by their compassion if one got nervous about riding the "scary" rides, and I was shocked at how much fun I was having with them. (So much so that I brought them home 2 hours later than I had told the parents--but I did call or text them all to check that was ok!!) I'd take this group to an amusement park again any day of the week! Happy Birthday Tyler!

So who's keeping track?

Well, my 10 year old apparently. We had a discussion about how sometimes songs that are appropriate for some people could be inappropriate for others (and the example was Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" is ok for Gabrielle and Tyler, but not for Evie because she doesn't need to hear the word "suck" used in that manner). And how sometimes adults slip up and say things they shouldn't say.

Gabrielle then informed me that the only curse words I have not slipped up and used in front of them "are the "f" word and the "b" word, and until a few weeks ago, the "s" word", but apparently I let that one fly recently. She said I don't swear often, but "WTH" and "dammit" are the ones I use if I'm going to slip...

Alrighty then.

True confessions, kitchen version, take 1

Since my friend can admit to having a "junk room" instead of a "junk drawer" ( and post pictures on her blog to boot!), I decided I can admit to what I found during a cleaning frenzy today. You know the bottom drawer under the oven? Well I pulled that drawer completely out of the stove to try to get to a dried liquid spot on the tile...and found that in addition to the dried liquid spot travelling at least 6 inches under the stove, I also had a treasure trove under there. I found:

• 2 super balls


• 1 nerf dart


• 1 plastic bowl to the kids play food set


• 1 large pearl bead


• 1 penny


• disgusting amounts of black dust


• multiple tiny glass shards from multiple broken glasses/jars/bottles

Yeh, guess I need to add that little area to a regular cleaning schedule--YUCK!!

How urban legends get started...

As I was brushing my teeth upstairs, I thought I could hear a ruckus starting downstairs, where the kids were getting their breakfasts. I went to the top of the stairs just in time to hear Tyler say to Evelyn, "You can't put the PopTart in twice in a row, the toaster will blow up." And then Gabrielle chimed in "No, you'll burn the house down."

Who are you calling old??!

So I was at the school early this morning filling ice chests for Sno Kones later in the day, and as I walk through the cafeteria, a little girl in Tyler's class runs up to me and gives me a hug. I said hello, hugged her back, asked how she was doing etc. Then as I am walking through again, this time carrying a full ice chest, her younger sister opens the door for me into the teacher's lounge. I thank her and she hangs around talking, and during the conversation says "Do you know my sister?" And I say, "I DO know your sister. She's in my son's class." To which she responds, "Mr. Lindner is your son???"

Ummm, NO.

Reason # 375 that I love my husband...

Because as we sat FOREVER in the parking lot trying to leave the Coyotes' game, he was watching an elderly couple looking for their car the entire time we sat (at least 20 minutes). As they looked more and more distraught and frustrated, he decided to hop out and help them, even though he is NOT a morning person, and would be getting up in just a few hours for Pat's Run tomorrow. Did I mention that they were wearing Red Wings gear?? Good thing he did as they were across the street from their car!

Hearing Check

So, as most of you know, I walk my kids (and three neighbors' kids) to school every morning. And every morning since they started riding ahead of me (when I was pushing a 1 month old in a stroller and they were on their bikes) they wait at the streets for me to come up and tell them it's ok to cross.

Evie is obviously no longer a one month old in a stroller, and now joins them in racing ahead of me on her hand-me-down scooter, which she thinks is THE best thing since candy. So yesterday morning they are waiting at the street to cross, and as I approach I say "Look both ways" and before I can complete my sentence, Evie yells out "The coast is clear" and all six kids bop into the street, right in front of a car.

Now mind you, this car was not super close, was not going fast, and I can't even say it was a near miss. But nevertheless, they crossed in front of a car, so on the other side I stopped them all and asked what happened.

The response?? Tyler says "You always say "look both ways the coast is clear" when it's okay for us to cross. We didn't know it was Evie who yelled it." Ummm, no Ty. What I have been saying for FOUR years now is "look both ways AND GO IF IT'S CLEAR."