Christmas Cruising

This Christmas, I made a spur of the moment decision to join my friend, Mechiel, and her family on a seven day Western Carribean cruise. The kids were super excited about it. Can't you tell in this first picture? They weren't terribly thrilled with the time it took standing in line to embark...

Our cabin was quite tiny, but it made it all the more cozy for us.

The first couple of days we were at sea. There was attempt to swim in the pool, but it was wicked windy. The kids swam for a few minutes anyway of course.

Mechiel and I pampered ourselves with a massage and facial.

Our first stop was Jamaica. Anna, PJ and Dorian went snorkling (Brennan called them the "Snorks"). Mechiel and I, even though we were hesitant, took Ella and Brennan of the ship and into Jamaica. It was going to be very costly to take the bus into downtown and I really wanted to get Ella's hair braided. We ran across a young girl who said she knew someone who could do it. That she would just walk us through the gates and get it done. Sounds good, right? We follow her, and get lots of looks as we are walking. We walk, and walk, and walk, through empty shops and behind buildings. I have to admit, I was feeling a bit nervous. I turned back to look at Mechiel. She was walking a lot further behind. I thought maybe we were walking too fast for her. Finally we got there, and Ella got her hair braided by a nice lady named Paula. I did a little bracelet shopping in the store behind them. Later, Mechiel confessed to being scared too. I said, "Oh, so you were going to let something bad happen to me and the kids?!?" Being such a good friend, she said, "No, I was going to go for help if something happened to you!" Thanks Mechiel...nice to know someone's got your back.

Brennan waited so patiently. The Jamaican ladies kept saying how cute he was. Anyone who knows Brennan, knows how tough that kind of talk is for him. He's very shy, but secretly, I think he loves it. I asked him if he wanted his hair braided to, but he refused. He did get a bracelet though and enjoyed saying, "Mon" after each of his sentences.

Once back on the boat in Jamaica, we had lunch and got this cute picture

of the kids with Jamaica in the background.

Each night there were different towel animals in the room. The kids took turns each night, not without arguing of course, with having the towel animals on their beds.

Here's Brennan with the frog.

Anna and I went on an excursion in Grand Cayman. We got up close and personal with the sting rays. Since there's no dock in Grand Cayman, we took a tender in. From there we took a bus ride and then got on a smaller boat. After about a 25 minute ride, we were ready to meet "Bubbles" and her friends.

Anna was a little skittish at first. The sting rays were very large. Believe it or not, and I don't have pictures to prove it, I touched one too. I even got a full body massage from one of the sting rays. Then, the guide told me if I kissed the sting ray, it would bring seven years of good luck. Who doesn't need luck? Besides, everyone was doing it.

I caved to the peer pressure and kissed it. It was pretty gross...

Another Attempt At Family Pictures

Attempting Family Photos

Believe it or not, this is the best of of all of us. It's tough to get everyone looking where they are supposed to and smiling at the same time.

I'm not liking this picture, but I'm adding it anyway. Most of you know, I've been working my tail end of at the gym since August. I still look like the backside of a bus...but there are improvements...

There Is No Laser In Rock, Paper, Scissors...Is There?

Today, while running errands with me, Brennan and Ella were playing rock, paper, scissors. You know the one. I'm listening to them, but not really listening, when all the sudden I hear Ella say, "Well laser burns paper!"

Halloween 2009

Did we celebrate Halloween early this year? It certainly crept up on me! Since my middle name lately has been "Procrastination" the kids' costumes were purchased and put together Friday night. Usually, I am the type of mom who pieces together costumes, but not this year. Anna was a skeleton, Ella was a witch and Brennan was some Bakugan character...all courtesy of Target and Walmart. Even so, they were cute as can be and so excited about the day. Brennan woke up Saturday morning and immediately wanted to wear his costume and started asking when it would be time to go at about 7:00 A.M.

Saturday morning the kids were playing outside when our sweet neighbors called them over. Not only did they have a new puppy to show the kids, but they also wanted to carve pumpkins with them. The kids had such a fun time carving their pumpkins with the exception of Ella not enjoying reaching into the pumpkin to get all the "stuff" out of the inside. She's my, "I don't like to get dirty," girl.

This year, we were invited again to join the Lange family and their neighborhood in their annual Halloween Hayride. We went last year for the first time and had a wonderful time. Ella also had a friend who gave us an invitation to their family's Halloween get together. Decisions had to be made. Although I hated to separate our family that night, I agreed to let Ella go to her friend's party while Anna, Brennan and I headed out to Sugar Mill.

For the kids, the day seemed like an eternity of waiting, but when the time finally arrived, we all got ready and headed out for some fun. One of Anna's friends joined us that night so we picked her up. After that we dropped Ella off at her friend's house. Then we were off for our hotdogs and hayride.

The tight-knit neighborhood is set just outside city limits. After visiting a bit with everyone and letting the kids run around and play for a few, we loaded up the trailers and started the hayride. This experience is quite possibly the best way to trick or treat...at least for the parent. Parents sit on the bales of hay, driver stops at intervals, kids run and scatter like little ants up and down the driveways and then race back to the trailers. This goes on for a good 3 to 3 1/2 hours. You can imagine the exhaustion that the kids feel about half way through.

Other than it freezing (not really freezing but we felt like it was even at 58 degrees) it was a close to perfect night. As soon as we got home, I turned on the fireplace, the kids got ready for bed and set up a pallet on the floor in front of the fireplace. Within minutes they were all three asleep. The kids had a fabulous time. And that's what it's all about.

One Week Later

It was Brennan's turn at Ridemakerz. Anyone who knows this handsome little devil, knows that he tried his level best to keep from breaking out into a smile. During this event, it was tough for him. He had such a good time and loves his new ride.

Happy Unbirthday to Anna

Anna's birthday is in March. Less than a month after Jon passed away, Anna had her 8th birthday. I was in no frame of mind to plan and execute a party. Sweetly, Anna understood this and agreed to wait till summer when things were less stressful. Sadly, they weren't much less stressful and I talked her into waiting some more. Normally, Anna is not a patient child, but for whatever reason, she was patient in this situation. Embarrassingly, I found myself a year later, making excuses to wait until summer for Anna's 9th birthday party. Summer came and went. Finally, I was just embarrassed of myself and decided to make something happy for Anna's birthday, even though it meant doing it in September, 6 months after I postponed her second year of parties.

One Friday night in September, Anna, along with two of her close friends from school, her little sister, her cousin and myself, headed to Pearland for an evening of unbirthday fun. Where was Brennan you ask? He was with his Nana, sick with the flu. Poor baby, but how could I have postponed again? The show had to go on.

Our first stop was the food court. The girls couldn't have possibly chosen the same restaurants, right? That would have made life too easy for me...haha. But it was okay, I certainly didn't mind and they enjoyed eating, visiting and playing together.

Quick meal and then it was off to the main event...RIDEMAKERZ! If you know about Build-A-Bear, you can grasp the idea of Ridemakerz. This very cool store, is a place where you go and get to Build-A-Car. The girls had a fabulous time picking out their make, model, color of car, wheels, and rims. After that, they started putting the cars together. When the cars were all put together and the remote controls had been added in, the girls decorated their cars with stickers. Once stickers were added, there were 5 newly made cars zooming around the store as I was checking out. All I could think about was how much fun Brennan would have had and I determined right then that I would be bringing him back as soon as he was feeling up to it. I toyed with the idea of just putting a car together for him, but making it is more than half the fun. I couldn't take that away from him.

From Ridemakerz, we all headed to the food court for some Dip-N-Dots. Only one of the girls chose birthday cake as their flavor, but they all had a taste of that one. Again, there was more visiting, eating and playing around, along with a mess or two.

By this time, the mall was winding down and it was time for us to head out. Before heading back home, we had to stop off at my sister's house to drop off my niece. The girls were chopping at the bit to drive their cars some more, so I parked in a court close to my sister's house and gave them about 5 or 10 minutes to drive them underneath the street lights. There was so much squealing and giggling that I thought the neighbors might be irritated with us, but there weren't any complaints.

We loaded back up and headed home. The guests were all going to spend the night, but when we found out Brennan had the flu, we chose not to share that love. All the girls got dropped back home and my girls and I rushed over to pick up Brennan. I brought him a key and told him about my plans to take him there as soon as he was feeling better. His response..."I feel better right now!" Again, poor baby, but his sisters were sweet enough to allow him a ton of driving time with their new Ridemakerz cars.

Isn't it still true that it's better late than never? Happy Unbirthday to Anna!

Bedtime Surprise

One evening, the kids had gotten to bed at a decent time, and I was able to take a hot bath and relax for a few minutes. After I got through and was ready for bed, this is what was laying on my pillow. So sweet.

Exhaustion

Although this is a picture of Ella after her first full week of kindergarten, it depicts exactly the way everyone at our house felt Friday night. It was a good week, but it was exhausting. Let the "Rat Race" begin!

First Day of School

Like everyone, the first day of school exhausted us all in the Greene House. I'm just going to post some pictures and I will write more about our first day later.

Let's start with my baby...who tells me he's not a baby anymore. Brennan started prekindergarten today. Here he is with his teacher. I lovingly packed him a special lunch for his big day, but look at his lunch....he got a tray lunch!

Bren and me...I didn't have much time to see him off to his new class so as I went to pick up my students at the same time he was having lunch.

My sweet Ella...my kindergarten girl...sitting at her desk coloring. She had a great day.

And last but not least...my big fourth grader, Anna. I'm so excited that Anna is in the same grade that I teach. Of course I will not be teaching her, but we will be able to go on field trips together and other activities as well. Then next year she'll be off to middle school. She was so sweet today. She actually asked me if I would move up with her next year. For those of you who know Anna, this was a shocking statement to hear from her. She's so much like me...I might think it, but don't always express it with my words.

AND THE WINNER IS...

Rockin' Robin!

Be on the look out for us Crazy Greenes to head over your way to deliver your Bath & Body shower gel, lotion and hand sanitizer.

Everyone else will be receiving a small hand sanitizer as well...Anna just couldn't stand the fact that only one person would get a prize.

Fake It Till You Feel It

FAKE IT TILL YOU FEEL IT! For many years, this has been my motto my melancholy days. The last couple of days I've felt that way. Today ends day 2 of my attempts to "fake it till I feel it". In fact, a couple of times today, I would have sold my children cheap if a circus had been in town. Thankfully, those feelings didn't last terribly long and I found myself, once again, so in love with my children that I feel like my heart would burst right out of my chest.

This evening, I mustered the emotional strength to take them to the fountains in downtown. They only had an hour to play (thank you Sandra for putting the time they closed on your blog) and it was empty most of the time we were there. While the kids played in the water, I sat in the shade listening to music and watching the kids enjoy themselves. The kids made me smile most of the time we were there and were successful in lifting my spirits tremendously. It's quite bittersweet since I would give just about anything for Jon to be able to watch them as they frolick in the fountain. In fact, the last time I took the kids out there, Jon spent his lunch hour with me under that same shade tree and picnic table to watch our little ones. He is just that kind of man...a family man through and through. I feel like we've all been cheated out of so many pleasures in life. It's one of those times that I've mentioned before that makes me want to act like a 5 year old and start screaming, crying, stamping my Mary Janes and shouting out the injustice of it all.

Instead, I continue to fake it. I must find the faith and courage to count the blessings that I still have and not focus on what I no longer have. Without further whining...here are three of my greatest blessings...