Friday, May 28, 2010

too old for this

I recently bought a slip n slide for my water baby. She wanted to try it out yesterday so we hooked it up to the hose in the backyard and gave it a try. She loved it.


Her technique needs some work. She runs across the yard, stops, gets down on her belly, and doesn't slide very far.

So, I showed her how it's done.

It was fun. It was refreshing on a 92 degree day. I slid down it several times and only scraped my elbow once. This morning I got up and my ribs and abdomen hurt! I have discovered why the recommended weight limit is 110lbs. Looks like my slip n sliding days are over. Have fun Anika!

Monday, May 24, 2010

bugs

I'm not a big fan of bugs. I can handle some ladybugs in the house, the moths annoy me just a little, and mosquitoes and flies get swatted. In Germany the spiders were not poisonous so we just squashed them if they were in our bedroom at night or shooed them out the door or window. Here in New Mexico we have brown recluses and black widows which freak me out! Eric found a black widow a couple days ago on the garage door and yesterday he walked out the back door into a web. There was something large and brown in the playroom that needed disposed of as well. We also have cockroaches. They are mostly staying in the garage so I haven't gone after them. Yet. This morning I woke up to find ants all over my kitchen counter. I cleaned the kitchen really well last night, yet they still came exploring.

I recently won a few EcoSMART items through a friend's blog. Today seemed like a good day to try out the ant killer. It works great! Normally I would just squish them one at a time instead of using a chemical spray in my kitchen. EcoSMART is organic, plant based, and non toxic. The active ingredients are things like rosemary and cinnamon oils. It smells very strong, but it's not unpleasant. My prize (the Safe Home Bundle Kit) also included the insect repellent, flying insect killer, and the home pest control. I think it's time to try that home pest control around the doors and windows to keep out the spiders, earwigs (saw one last night), and cockroaches. These items can be purchased online or at retailers like Home Depot and Walmart.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Disneyland



During our trip to southern California we spent 4 days at Disneyland and California Adventure. I hadn't been since I was 13 and Eric and the girls had never been there so I had a great time showing them around. We went on everything that we could and the girls loved it! Pirates of the Caribbean scared Anika a little bit, but nothing else did. She liked the big rides. She is a tiny bit shy of the required 40" to ride Splash Mountain, but we got her on by stretching her a bit as we passed by the measuring stick. She went twice.


The Matterhorn was closed the first 2 days we were there, but a week later when we went again it was open. Anika took turns going with Eric and I and she must have ridden it 4 or 5 times. She liked to raise her hands and scream. Many of the rides have a parent swap or single rider option so Eric and I were able to take turns on the bigger rides without waiting too long in line. We both enjoyed the rafting ride at California Adventure and it was perfect when we would get too warm. He talked me into the roller coaster, but once was enough for me. Emily loved the carousel and It's a Small World.


While most little girls were getting dressed up in gowns and waiting an hour in line to meet the princesses my daughter got all excited over Winnie the Pooh and Lightning McQueen.


The girls both liked the Playhouse Disney Live show at California Adventure. It was interactive and lots of fun. I got to sit through it twice...


Ani drove the Autopia cars a few times. She's very proud of her driver's license. She tried to drive my car the next day. I pointed out to her that she couldn't see where she was going or reach the pedals so that would be difficult.


To save money on our visits to the theme parks we would pack a lunch and keep it in a cooler in the car. The diaper bag was full of snacks and water as well. If we had to eat in the park we would eat in a restaurant instead of from the snack stands where a Coke is $4. In California Adventure we found a place where they show you how to make sourdough bread bowls. They make them right in front of you and then you can eat them full of soup at the end of the tour. I think they were about $8 filled with clam chowder or cheese and broccoli soup. Another day we just shared an entree and drank water so it wasn't too bad.

Someday when our youngest child is tall enough for all the rides we'll have to go again.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

I need a vacation from my vacation

We had a fun 3 weeks in California and the girls and I drove back home today. Eric will be home Friday. We went to Disneyland 4 days, spent several days at the beach, visited Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, Mission San Juan Capistrano, and visited all of my grandparents and a few friends. I'll save details for when I have photos to post. Eric has the external hard drive with most of my pictures. Here are a couple from our 775 mile drive home today :)