Pathetic

After a crazy weekend I decided to be a good mother and fulfil the promises I have been making to my children over the past week. One of those promises was to make the plastic volcano from the dinosaur toys into a working volcano. Can you see the excitement and complete confidence in my volcano-making abilities on the their faces?

So I've been to school, I've made the baking soda/vinegar volcano many times and the one time my peeps are really depending on me, I fail, miserably. I just don't know where I went wrong! I chose an appropriate bottlenecked cup to hold the ingredients. I drilled a hole in the top of the volcano. I used Play-Do to direct the lava out of the volcano. I used the appropriate ingredients. Where is the margin for error here?!?

I tried again and again to make it work. I went through all the white vinegar in the house and moved onto cider vinegar which then smelled up the house. What up?Jake has given me about ten friendly reminders throughout the afternoon and evening about my failed volcano to help keep my spirits up. Thanks buddy, I'll remember this when you are a teenager.

Catan: It's a Soft "C"

Well that's Erik's theory anyway and who among us is exactly surprised over that? We are know how deeply and passionately he loves "bored" games.

We LOVE to have the Hunt's over and play Settlers of Catan. We are Catan evangelists and have spread the message of Catan throughout 3 states now. I'm pretty sure that last comment bordered on heresy... The thing is, we almost always end up in a huge debate over the rules because dear Klaus didn't fully foresee how sinners could manipulate what he wrote into what they want it to mean. Wow, I'm surprised I haven't heard this in a sermon illustration before!

Once Brad and I ended up on the Catan website in a forum fighting over the meaning of the Commercial Harbor card, there are still some sticky spots with that. This time the problem comes down to the attack of the vicious barbarians and my question for my fellow Cataners is this:

Let us assume there are 4 players and the barbarians attack and win. Players A and B have 3 knights each. Player C has 1 knight and Player D has no knights but his only city has a metropolis. Who, if anyone, loses the city?

Think carefully and say that I am right. Good day to you all.

Easter Chaos

With Erik out of the country until the day before Easter, celebrating in the traditional Christian American fashion just didn't happen this year. Our holiday was essentially napping and bumming ham with the Hunt's, who we dearly love to bum meals off of because they are fun and cook good stuff. We did, however, end with a HUGE Catan controversy that threatens the future of our relationship but that's another blog for another day.

I did take my camera with me but never managed to get a good family shot due to laziness. "Point and shoot" actually requires more energy than the phrase seems to entail. I did take a few pics at the park the day Erik got home. The kids were so excited to take Daddy to a new park we visited while he was away. They call it the "spider web" park. It may have something to do with our unending fascination with Spiderman. What is that?



Today I officially moved Libby out of her crib and into a big girl bed. It really helps with all the bed training stuff if you let them fall asleep in the car and then just lay them in the bed. No problems with them repeatedly climbing out when they are unconcious and no, it's not cheating. Write this down new moms!

Accomplished

Like just about every other female, one of my favorite books of all time is of course Pride and Prejudice. One of my favorite parts of the book is conversation where the characters are deciding what skills a woman must have to be considered "accomplished." If you have read the book, and actually remember the scene then I think you'll agree that I have absolutely none of the many skills mentioned. Pitiful.

In case you are wondering, here is the list: paint tables, cover screens, knit purses, music, singing, drawing, dancing, the modern languages, extensive reading and "something in her air..." How did calculus and cupcakes not make that list?

Anyway, the point is I attempting some of the feminine arts and trying to learn to sew. Project #1 was a reversible pinafore that sort of wraps around for Miss Libby Lu and here is the model.

That is the only pose she would strike unless I gave her candy, she's a bit of an unorthodox model. The dress is very far from perfect and here is most of the problem.

Since the straps are a "tad" uneven the back of the pinafore has a little habit of gaping open when she moves her arms and thus showing the world her rear. Don't you just want to pinch those chubby little arms though? So cute!

I will end with this: To the experts, please don't laugh to my face. I can only go up from here. You have no idea how high I can fly.