Sunday, February 24, 2019

Dear Junie B. Jones, I don't like you but...

But R does. So for her (surprise) Valentine's Day outing was to Junie B. Jones the Musical. It was at the Raleigh Little Theater so... 


We headed to Raleigh for our dinner and show. I'm not telling where the surprise is until we go, so R was DYING to find out where she was going and it was especially exciting since she was first. 


Dinner request was tacos... Of course. So we went to Moe's. Soft taco. Ground beef. Cheese. Sour cream. Olives. Cucumbers. BLAH! Oh and she wanted queso dip and didn't want to share 


This picture basically sums up the evening. Gracious R was super excited to be there. She LOVES some Junie B. LOVES. 


Watching the cast scroll before the show and using an abundance of patience (not) 


How many more minutes???? 


When I was getting the tickets and looking at the schedule it just so happened that after the show we went to there were cookies and milk after the show - because the lunch lady makes cookies for the first graders. Anyhow that was a super fun way to end the night. 

R LOVED the show and we whispered about the characters and what books were being acted out (it is from Junie B.'s first grade year - not Kindergarten - which I was disappointed that I didn't get to hear her shout out MRS!!!!!!! throughout the show - that's what Junie B calls her K teacher.) We got home singing 'Top Secret Personal Beeswax' and sibs were most intrigued the next morning. 

As for me, a self-proclaimed Junie B. Jones not-liker, because she is sassy and the books aren't grammatically correct, etc etc - the musical was a lot of fun and I could totally see getting into the books even more after the musical. It was funny and engaging and a glimpse into the world of Junie B Jones. 

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

7QTs - Cheers to Chile

Linking up with Kelly ... Behind every SuperMom is a SuperDad waiting in the wings to take center stage


--1---

It is worth mention to start from the beginning... 


My trip to Chile was for work - but there was lots of fun involved so when people asked why I was going I said it was work-ish. Work but with frills. It was a privilege to go becuase my boss gave me the green light and when he asked me this time last year if I wanted to go to Chile - I didn't half expect that he was serious. So when he was serious, I had to seriously ask Lee his thoughts on me going - for nine days. He's left for seven days before on definitely non-work / fun / doing his own thing - and not that I keep score because keeping score in marriage will only lead down a nasty rabbit hole. He agreed I couldn't pass up the chance though that was before he knew his mom would be gone for 6 of the 9 days. More on that later. So here I sat in the airport praying for a snow-free, sick-free nine days of adventure. 


Cathedral in Santiago 


View of the city at dinner the first night. 


Horseback riding views


Crazy cactus


Okay evidence that I was actually on a horse


This is the horse that I rode for the 2 hour ride but I texted it to Lee and he was like.... 'Ummmm... That is a donkey.' So I rode a donkey - not a horse but I was on a horse for a few minutes before they switched me. 

---2---

We went to a copper mine and toured the town (but not the actual mine itself) 


There was a diaster in the mine (I think in the 40s) and this was painting representing it. 


There was a bowling alley!


Crucifix in the church - with the head pointing toward the mine (not the typical direction)


Outside the church 


Copper


Blue pools of copper 

---3---

VINO!


Wine tour and tasting


It was a fun time!


This is a chapel at the vineyard where the main final dinner was held 


It was gorgeous!

---4---

Food from the desert... After Santiago I was part of the group that went to the Atacama desert.


That hunk of meat!


Cactus flower ice cream!


Fries, onions, an egg, meat!

---5---

The desert.... 






Flamingos!




Little lizard among the birds


I think we were above 13,000 ft and this was in the middle of desert and my only successful pano. 

---6---

Then we went to the geysers super early!









The geysers don't get very high because the attitude - I think we were close to 14,000 ft ? 


It was SUPER cold outside but I got in the hot spring with a small handfull of other people. I really wanted to chicken out and not go because the outside air was so cold - I was in a hat, coat and jean. But I did it because of this




In the middle of desert!

---7---

Then it was time to head home but not without a short layover in Santiago




It was such a fun trip. There was no snow while I was gone but there was a fair enough amount of sickness. Lee survived parenting (with the help of Jibbe) and the sickness (with the help of Grammy who came to the rescue on more than one occasion). 

I was so so so glad to be home to the crazy : )  

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

The January Wrap Up

January ended... somehow. But not surprisingly. I knew that the two trips would make the month fly. Happily staying put for the month of February : ) 

I got home in time to help facilitate E's Native American project - which she had for nearly a month. The goal was to get it done BEFORE I left but of course that didn't happen and then get it done early in the week it was due but I can't say that happened either : ( 



If only she was smiling like that the whole time she worked on it - paper and diorama. People. There was a curious discovery made - the project was due a day earlier than she thought. Recurring theme of the project - read and regurgitate details in an organized and accurate fashion. I digress

M had wacky tacky day which is always fun - I've gotten pretty good at quick easy tackyiness.

 


M and A started swim lessons - finally. Hoping to keep those going through February - because soccer is knocking at the door - GASP!



Let's see, we survived (barely) Family Reading Night - which I don't have any pictures of because we barely survived it. No illness just a friendly reminder to yours truly that little people should not be out past their bedtimes. Last year, you my recall that M threw up right in the middle of it while I was home with the flu with C and A. Let's just say unless you go to school there, you probably ain't going - will be the motto next year.