Noses are for Booger Wipes

Preface: for those of you who don't know, in our family, when you wipe your nose, we call it a "booger wipe."

Me: Vincente, porqué precisamos os olhos? Vincente, why do we need our eyes?

Vincente: So we can see!

Me: Porqué precisamos os ouvidos? Why do we need our ears?

Vincente: So we can hear things!

Me: Porqué precisamos bocas? Why do we need our mouths?

Vincente: So that we can eat things.

Me: E para que possamos falar e beijar pessoas. And so we can talk and kiss people.

(Vincente starts giggling)

Me: Porqué precisamos os narizes? Why do we need our noses?

Vincente: (after thinking for a minute) So we can get booger wipes!

How to Train Your Dragon

... er, dog.

The puppies are getting a lot bigger, and a lot more obedient. They dig up the yard and chew on everything, just like a little baby. I’m not looking forward to training them to not dig up my yard at our new house, but hopefully we’ll figure out a way.

I’ve been trying to teach them how to fetch. They will both run after things, and Doc will sometimes pick them up, but neither of them would actually return the object.

So I turned to trusty Google, and I found a few suggestions – first I tried the suggestion of using a crushed plastic bottle (they like running after it, and the like picking it up – but they still wouldn’t bring it to me). Then I had the brilliant idea to put some of their treats inside the crushed bottle. Bingo. (I also tied a rope around the bottle so they would have something to grab on to – they’d been having a hard time picking up the bottle by itself). Once they realized that they couldn’t get to the treats without bringing it to me, they were hooked. Lucy kept getting mad at Doc because she could never get to it before he did. I ended up having them take turns (one stays in the crate while the other plays, and then they switch). That worked pretty well, and I really need to do it more often. They’re getting too attached to each other and will cry I leave one of them in the crate.

When we move back to Utah and get settled in I’ll take one out for a walk at a time, and do more alternating practice with them. I’ll also try to schedule vet appointments for one at a time (even though it’s more convenient to take them at the same time – it’ll be easier for me to manage and hopefully will help them wean from each other). Same with the dog park, and rides in the car.

We’ve also got to work on not waking up at 3 in the morning to go pee...

Favorites Part II – The Best Moments

From my previous post:

“In looking through 500+ photos I’ve taken this summer, I realize that I have two different kinds of ‘favorite photos’ – the first is my best photography. You know those pictures – the ones with good composition, good lighting, creativity – ones you might show off in a competition of some sort.

“Now, I’m not saying my photography is great– I’m working on it, it’s mostly a mild hobby. However, I do think I’ve taken some pretty good shots.

“My other kind of ‘favorite photos’ are the ones capturing a fantastic moment – no matter the composition, lighting, etc. They are the ones that make me smile because I remember what my kids were saying and doing at the very moment. I remember the way it made me feel, and I am grateful that I have immortalized that moment in picture.”

These, my friends, are the photos (and videos) of the second kind.

Inside the Tree on Kingfisher trail at Pinnacle Mt. State Park

The V&J Band (the Vince and Joss Band) Piano lessons with Grandma PamJoseline reading on a big floor pillow












At the playground – on the “castle”

  With Grandma’s plumeriasDancing with cousin Karyn – their favorite thing to do (in the background, “Enchanted” is playing... I think that’s where they get the dancing from)

The kids wanted some “dancing music” so I put on some CD of “romantic songs” – Vincent and Karyn dancing, and Joseline ... singing?

 

 

 

  Joseline dumped out the dog’s water dish, and this is what the kids decided to do with the waterYay slides!  This is me finally figuring out how to use the continuous shot mode on my camera – which probably contributed a lot to those 500+ pictures...Vincente cooking his lizard. Yum.

The kids filthy after playing at a park that had used tire stuff... it was probably actual used tires chopped up – dirt and everything. At least they had fun!  

Vincente’s favorite item in the dress up chest was the butterfly wings. This is the song that goes with the wings. more Vince cooking (this time it’s actual food, not a lizard)

Joseline after eating chocolate in the car on the drive out to Arizona The kids waving and still trying to hold on Joseline – not too happy to be riding on this sawhorse The kids playing with their beanie babies together in the back. Joseline wants to be doing whatever Vincente is doing. When he doesn’t mind, it’s absolutely darling.  There’s no school like the old school – even the puppies wanted a ride! I wish I’d snapped a picture of that! Then all they wanted to do was hid in the cool shade underneath (and get filthy). Dumb dogs. Cool dude – except that they are pink sunglasses and a Disney Princess scooter... but hey, he does look pretty suave in spite of the pink, don’t you think?

Vince pulling Joseline in the laundry basket. What I love the most is their hats. and the fact that Vince is actually doing something cool for Joseline (and that she is wearing brown Mary Janes with her pajamas – more on that later)

Playing hide-and-seek at the “Arizona house”

Favorites Part I – My Best Shots

In looking through 500+ photos I’ve taken this summer, I realize that I have two different kinds of “favorite photos” – the first is my best photography. You know those pictures – the ones with good composition, good lighting, creativity – ones you might show off in a competition of some sort. Now, I’m not saying my photography is great – I’m working on it, but it’s mostly a mild hobby. I do think I’ve taken some pretty great shot.

My other kind of “favorite photo” are the ones capturing a fantastic moment – no matter the composition, lighting, etc. They are the ones that make me smile because I remember what my kids were saying and doing at the very moment. I remember the way it made me feel, and I am grateful that I have immortalized that moment in picture.

So, without further ado, I give you my best photography of my kids this summer. Really nothing to scream about, but they are my favorite shots. (You’ll notice that most of them are outdoor shots)

All the following photos are taken with a Nikon Coolpix P60. Ones marked with a * were taken with my iPhone 3G.

  (f/3.6, 1/30s, ISO 80)(f/4.2, 1/200s, ISO 80) (f/4.1, 1/60s, ISO 80)  (f/8.5, 1/160s, ISO 80) (f/8.5, 1/500s, ISO 80)(f/9.2, 1/320s, ISO 80)  (f/4.2, 1/640s, ISO 80) (f/4.3, 1/400s, ISO 80)(f/10.4, 1/160s, ISO 100)  (f/4.3, 1/1200s, ISO 100) (f/4.5, 1/1200s, ISO 100) (f/4.3, 1/1200s, ISO 100) (f/8.5, 1/200s, ISO 80) (f/3.7, 1/8s, ISO 800) (f/2.8)*

Photography

We want to get family photos taken with our new house when we move back to Utah – maybe from my friend’s sister!

http://cristinelsonphotography.blogspot.com/

Check her out!

They Say It’s Your Birthday

Since Russ was unavoidably detained this year on my birthday, I threw myself a birthday party and celebrated with the kids. The morning of my birthday we picked up balloons, a cake, and a pot of Gerber daises.

Around dinner time I fired up the grill, and set up the webcam to capture the experience (for family history sake – and so Russ could feel like he had been there). Earlier I had put together a play list of great birthday music (including that birthday song by the Beatles). We danced and BBQ’d (in the rain!) and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

I grilled hot dogs for the kiddos and chicken for me, and then grilled some bell peppers and potatoes. I should have bought skewers, but oh well – you live and you learn. I have to say for my first time on the grill by myself I did a pretty good job!