Bronwyn 6.75 years

1. What is your happiest memory?   Getting my ears pierced.
2. Why do you like being a kid?  Because I get a lot of presents on Christmas.
3. One word to describe you would be _______.   Hilarious.
4. What advice would you give your parents? To let me do what I want.
5. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why? A cat because my big brother is allegic to cats.  (evil laugh) and a Pug.
6. What do you like to do for fun?  Play jump rope; swim; play with my friends.
7. Tell about a funny time in your life.  Painted my face with lipstick with my friend Lauren.
8. What is your favorite thing to do? Why?  Go swimming because it is fun and go to Disney.
9. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?     Have a sleepover.
10. What do you love most about your sibling?   Absolutely nothing.  The only thing I love is that he gave me his phone.  Okay he's hilarious.
11. What was the nicest thing you did for someone?  Went to see my friend dance in the Nutcracker.
12. What do you think you will be when you grow up?   Music teacher or gymastic teacher or ballet teacher or a person that works at Disney.
13. What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.  One thousand bucks.  I'd spend it on toys...because I'm a kid.
14. What do you think makes a person good-looking?  Putting on lipstick.
15. Name two things you would do if president?   Tell Jack he has to move and tell mom to let me do what I want.
16. What is the grossest thing you can think of?   Jack.

Jack Interview 10.5

1. What is your happiest memory?   Either the time I got Roblox, time I got Minecraft or the day me and some friends formed Savaje Skool (everything spelled wrong in Savaje Skool!)
2. Why do you like being a kid?  Because kids don't have to worry about jobs or taxes or anything. They can just sit there playing Roblox or something.
3. One word to describe you would be _______.  Hmmm... a few years later... mah-jes-tic
4. What advice would you give your parents? Eat belgium waffles more often, they taste really good. 
5. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?  I would be a pug because pugs...are pugs!
6. What do you like to do for fun? Play Minecraft, Roblox and/or play with Jackson, Sophie or Davis.
7. Tell about a funny time in your life.  Why is this so hard...um...that one time...when...I.......(giggle giggle)....PASS.  (coming back to it)...(still nothing)...the time where I stood on a table at recess at school and announced the class schedules for Savaje Skool.
8. What is your favorite thing to do? Why?  Just read question #6 again.
9. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?     eh hmmm...question 6.
10. What do you love most about your sibling?  "cricket noise; cricket noise; cricket noise...The thing I love most about my sister is her brother.
11. What was the nicest thing you did for someone?  Got a new phone and gave my sister my old phone...does that count?
12. What do you think you will be when you grow up?   Either an engineer, game developer, or professional waffle taster.
13. What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it. credit card (with no limits); I have a credit card with no limits I could do whatever I want!
14. What do you think makes a person good-looking?  They look good and they have good looks (hysterical laughter)...
15. Name two things you would do if president?   Bribe the public to reelect me and change the national animal from the Eagle to the Pug (or Narwhal).
16. What is the grossest thing you can think of?   Seriously, I just ate. 

Part Art + Party Party: The Art Party

Beautiful Bronwyn has turned SIX!

Time to celebrate with an ART PARTY!

A team of helpers (called...family...) put this party together--and it was so much fun!  

THE ACTIVITIES

Roll of paper + masking tape + sticker frames + craft letters  = perfect welcome activity!  So inviting, isn't it?  Bronwyn and Minni helped me put it together and Pop Pop and Daddy helped ensure it stayed together.  

It was a hit!  

How could it now be?  Sanctioned drawing on the wall...sweet joy!

So sweet as everyone drew pictures wishing Bronwyn happy birthday.  Having the activity in the central hallway worked beautifully--as any time a child needed a break from another activity she/he gravitated back to the art wall. 

Have you ever been to a paint party before?  Bronwyn wanted to do a kid-sized version of the commercial activity.  We hired a company to come in and lead this activity because a) the supplies are too expensive to buy outright.  b) we had no idea how to organize without mass chaos.  c) I can't draw or paint.  HA!

 It was a good decision.  The easels were super sturdy!  The pre-drawn owl saved time and provided the perfect template for the kids to paint!

Bronwyn was able to pick the template.  She really wanted the spider...but after a little influence she decided most 6 year old girls weren't going to hang a black widow dangling from a web in their room.  Shocking...I know.

THE FOOD

One of my favorite parts of throwing a kid's party is the themed food.  Bronwyn and I picked everything out together--and I really enjoyed planning the details with her!

Bronwyn and I loved the pinwheels on the mirror for a whimsical touch.  We used her art-themed picture books for decorations.

   As art is really about personal expression--we did our best to keep with a theme of individualization.  Bronwyn came up with idea for everyone to have her/his own cupcake.  Palette plates are a Pinterest inspired idea!   To keep with the   we purchased coloring placemats and coordinated the letter to each child's name for a personalized touch.

Seriously super easy.  Packaged rice crispie treats + popsicle stick and dipped in chocolate.  Use the good chocolate--makes it so much better!  The Dad's of the guest ate these up!

This is the best picture I have of the chocolate treats--using a candy mold.  Paint cans made the perfect holder for the cake pops.

Did you notice the boxes tied with string and a crayon?  Inside are a few nibble for lunch (there's fair bread in there somewhere...???)

Yummy!
Hope all your wishes come true, sassysprout!

THE GAMES

Also known as...creative ways to burn off all the sugar!

Jack was my game helper--and we set everything up together.  We did a kind of scavenger hunt puzzle thingy with string.  Each girl was assigned a color.  She found her string and then followed it to the end.  It ended at Bronwyn's clubhouse where the gift bag waited (small bag of art trinkets; as the canvas art was the real take home gift!)

An art version of pin the tail on the donkey...a portrain of Bronwyn!  Each child was assigned a body part and had to draw it while blindfolded.  Was more fun for me than anyone else!

No party is complete without the group silly face picture.  Bronwyn is blessed to have so many friends that you see at her party year after year and so many new friends as she begins her new journey in school!  Thank you Pop Pop for capturing all the memories with your beautiful photography.

Jack Interview 9.5 years

1. What is your happiest memory? Me being born so I can have all the other happy memories.
2. Why do you like being a kid?  Because being a grown up has too much responsibility.
3. One word to describe you would be _______.  Hugalicious.
4. What advice would you give your parents? Remember, always lock the door before you leave the house.
5. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why? I would be the cheetah so I could run faster than everyone else in my class.
6. What do you like to do for fun? Play Minecraft; Scribblenots; and Legos.  Also play with Bronwyn.   
7. Tell about a funny time in your life. Let's see...When Sophie and I made up the Stinky Fairy novel.
8. What is your favorite thing to do? Why? My favorite thing to do is...maybe play Minecraft because there are so many different buildings to build and it is a very creative game (insert from Bronwyn--you should say play with Bronwyn!)
9. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends? Play Minecraft..wait as in friends like Jackson or friends like Sophie? (both).  Play Minecraft with Sophie and Star Wars with Jackson.
10. What do you love most about your sibling? I love Bronwyn because she is super nice and plays with me a lot. Bronwyn licks him.  Ewww...now give me a bit of your cake.
11. What was the nicest thing you did for som eone?  Gave Minni a foot massage.  Was it gross?  A little.
12. What do you think you will be when you grow up?  An engineer or an ethical hacker, one of those.   
13. What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it. 20 dollars a week so I could save it up and get a new iPhone.
14. What do you think makes a person good-looking? No food on their face; no eye shadow (wait I real eye shadow every day???!!!!)  Sorry.  I mean the really intense kind.  Nice hair.
15. Name two things you would do if president?  The first thing--I would get rid of poverty.  Second thing I would buy 3000 Lego Sets. and also super scribble nots.
16. What is the grossest thing you can think of?  When I had diarrhea.  It smells worse than it looks.  

Bronwyn Interview (5.75 Years)

1. What is your happiest memory? Do you know my happiest memory?  Wait...was it when I was a baby and you were never mad at me.  mmm...and when I went to the pool party.
2. Why do you like being a kid?  'Cause you don't need to have a baby if you don't want to yet and because I didn't go into Kindergarten yet.
3. One word to describe you would be _______. Bronwyn.
4. What advice would you give your parents? Remember to wipe when you go potty.
5. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why? A Lion so I can eat everyone's head off.
6. What do you like to do for fun? Play with Jack and do rough housing.    
7. Tell about a funny time in your life. Well, this was a prank and a little bit funny for me--well, really funny (wait!  You don't need to write that!!...wait you did it again.  Why do you write what I actually say?)  Jack put the catsup thing under the toilet and it looked like I got blood all over me and I had to take a shower or was it a bath?
8. What is your favorite thing to do? Why? To have play dates.  NO!  To go to the pool because it is fun to swim.  It just is.
9. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends? Play chicken (a game).
10. What do you love most about your sibling? Hmm...rough housing, no we already did that one...he is funny.
11. What was the nicest thing you did for someone?  At the pool party I said Lucy can sit with us to eat her cupcake.  
12. What do you think you will be when you grow up?  Hey mom...spell Hurry UP Bronwyn you are taking to long.  Hmmm..  what does Jack want to be for his.  No, wait...I want to be an artist because I'm good at drawing but we have no more paper...Huh..pfthhhh!  
13. What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it. 10 dollars.  20!  To buy a robot Jack so he can stay home and play Minecraft and so he doesn't need to go to school.
14. What do you think makes a person good-looking? Brush teeth.  But don't use too much makeup or you'll look like a horrible monster.  
15. Name two things you would do if president?  Everyone goes home until it is Christmas (huh.  why would you do that?)  because it is funny.
16. What is the grossest thing you can think of?  When I was crying so bad all the boogars came down my noise and I was leaking gunk.  Now excuse me for a second (runs to the television).

This is How I Shake It!

Bronwyn signed up for dance lessons a few months ago...she started past the cut off for entering the recital (and ordering costumes).  However, another dancer dropped out so B got to use her costume and take her spot.

Bronwyn loves dance lessons...she loves the water fountain at the studio, the change of ballet to tap to jazz shoes, and socializing with the other dancers.  She tolerates the actual physical dancing as it seems a requisite for the rest of the package ;)

Recital night was this week!  She went to rehearsals and had a blast.  She asked if more people would be in the audience for the recital--a case of stage fright was her fear.  

What do you think?  Those hips do not look frightened!  Her father however did ;) Enjoy the show!  Congrats beautiful Bronwyn!

Jazz (crowd favorite)

https://youtu.be/NKjoxAx6C1w

Ballet (my favorite)

https://youtu.be/bz95aRJDHgM

Tap (her favorite) 

https://youtu.be/xV3U6m_2zDw

The Right Note

This past weekend was the annual Christmas Piano Recital.  Kids practiced for two weeks.  Friday was their rehearsal with Ms Sarah--best. piano. teacher. ever.  Bronwyn barely was able to make it through her practice--as her special recital skirt had yet to arrive and she was very distracted by any moving object outside that could, potentially be a mail truck carrying her special skirt ordered for this important occasion.

It finally arrived.

Whew.

It gave her the super powers she hoped for as she not only hit every note but played each note beautifully.  Now, one might argue it was the PRACTICE that set her up for success.  But, both she and I know differently.  After all, check out the skirt.

Jack had his own magical charm to help him tickle the ivory with feeling and precision.  The mighty bow.

Clearly position so to help stimulate that frontal lobe prior to performance.  Bronwyn was pleased it matched their outfits ;)

Let's check out their performance.  First up was Miss Bronwyn (5.25), playing We Three Kings.   Click on the link below:

Bronwyn Christmas Piano Recital 2015

Did you see her Adele impersonation towards the end.  That's our Bronwyn!!!

And here's Jack (9.0) playing Up on the Roof Top.  Click on link below:

Jack Christmas Piano Recital 2015

Clearly, he was channelling Santa's inner frustration--as Pop Pop explained to me...it must be very difficult getting up on the roof top.  Not to worry Jack, you inherit your 'focus' face from your mom.  One of many things I will apologize to you for now, and most likely for the rest of my life.  xoxo.

I love sitting down and playing the piano--it always fills my bucket.  Robert Schumann said it best...

“When you play, never mind who listens to you.”  

But today--we got to listen to you.  And your Mom and Dad couldn't have enjoyed it more.  Thanks for sharing your music with us.  You both sounded great!!!  Now, let's get Santa down from the roof top before he slips and falls.  

Jack's NINE!!!

That's what Bronwyn said upon waking,  "Jack's 9!!!"  Indeed he is.  What a second...

He's halfway until 18!  

 Not.  Ready.  Yet.   

We're  kind of fond of this little boy and super proud of the little man he is becoming.  As excited as he is about turning 9--even he agrees being 8 was super cool.  He racked up at least 1000 hours of Minecraft play with his friends; rode his first upside down roller coaster; went on a hike to a waterfall; continued his obsessions with Lego's with at least a moderate level of passion; grew about 3 inches;  started and completed the entire Harry Potter book series.

What better way to usher in year 9 then with a little magic borrowed from his favorite book series?  With 12 of his closest friends (11 friends + 1 sister, who may or may not be considered a 'friend'), Jack had a blast at his birthday party this year.  Considering we did potion experiments--I use the term 'blast' with great hesitation :)

First order of business--Daigon Alley to get all your wizard school supplies.  What?  You don't have any wizardry money?  Good grief, muggle.  No worries, Jack opened up his Gringott's vault and shared his Galleon with all.  What's on the shopping list for a Harry Potter Birthday Party?

1.  Owls.  The kids made pets out of paper bags.  Owls are like magical postman (meaning they get you the mail without running down your mailbox).  Just kidding (we love you mr. postman...heh, heh).  The kids really got into their owl bags--perhaps because we let them know they doubled as their favor bags.  Super fun and cute!

2.  Spell books.  Flourish and Blotts had spell books ready for everyone with the most popular spells and a few curses, yikes!

3.  Cauldrons.

4.  Wands.  Now everyone who has watched or read Harry Potter knows the 'wand chooses the wizard'; and so we blindfolded the wizards-to-be to match them with their perfect wand.  Jack was thrilled with his cousin to the elder wand ;)

You may not think me pretty...
No matter aesthetics, the kids thought the sorting hat was the coolest thing ever!  We sang the song (or rather read the poem) and then the hat did its magic.  Dad hid a bluetooth device into the hat and stood off in the corner with his iPhone.  He downloaded some recordings of the sorting hat--so when Jack and his friends placed the hat over their ears, Dad pressed a button and the hat came to life.  Some of the kids really bought into the magic.  Now the hat takes your wishes into consideration--but ultimately this thinking cap knows best.  The houses:

Ravenclaw:  Jack, Reid, Trey, Jackson
Hufflepuff: Owen, Colin, John
Gryffindor: Patrick, Carter, Jacob, Devin
Slytherin: Bronwyn (oh my!)


We donned our house badges and went off to our classes to start earning house points.  Who will win the house cup?  Ooh...the suspense.

School is in Session.  A sample of Hogwarts classes awaited all of our potential first years.

1.  Charms Class.  Before casting spells we all had to get comfortable with our wands.  We each had a minute to use wands (chopsticks) to get as many magical items (marshmallows and candy corn) out of a cauldron and into a cup.  Points were awarded based on how many items landed in your cup.  These kids were ready for some spells after this warm up act!

2.  Wand Duels.  Once the kids understood they would be dueling each other--they all ran back upstairs to find their spell books.  They studied as hard as they do for a Friday Spelling Quiz and picked their favorite spells to wage against their opponent.  Jack tried to obliviate his own mother's memory.  John took control over Own and made him 'fart'.  Oh boy.  and Reid sent a flock of birds over to peck Devin's eyes out.  Great fun.  Great, great, fun.

3.  Potions Class.  Professor Snape was off finding some more Gillyweed--so Professor Mom stepped in to lead this class.  Each student had a potions book to follow.  We went over rules--stressing how important it is not to sample any of these ingredients as we certainly don't want to grow a rat's tail or anything crazy like that.  The kids made Forgetfulness Potion (lava lamp) and used the leviosa charm to levitate balloons (the old baking soda and vinegar trick).  Two other potions were in their book--Pollyjuice (green volcano made in the cauldron) and Felix Felicis (good luck potion which we could drop into tiny bottles made into necklaces).  Kids loved this activity very much.  Matter of fact, we kept Potions Class around for the entire weekend--Jack, Bronwyn and I continued to finish all the potions in the book and had a blast (literally as a few balloons full of vinegar and baking soda went blasting around our basement...oops!)

Quidditch Anyone?  As if our neighbors didn't already think we were a bit crazy...now they certainly know we are.  When else will you see 12 boys on broomsticks racing around a Field?  Priceless, right?  In their houses, we did 2 relay races.  The ole' 'push a gourd with a broomstick' race (much harder than it looks!) and 'run as fast as you can with a broomstick between your knees without falling' race.   Somewhere in there we were interrupted by Hagrid as he lost his magical creatures and they boys had to hunt them down--Ravenclaw won (as they were the only team that figured out reading the clues would help them find the creatures versus running around the yard searching wildly while screaming!  HA!)  Then, once the boys proved they could be trusted with 12 broomsticks on the Field at the same time--we broke out the balls and played Quidditch.  WHAT.  A.  BLAST!

We calmed them down, by transitioning to Defense Against the Dark Arts...a.k.a. beat the dementor with a stick until it poops candy ;)

Inside to clean up.  Looks like Chambers of Secrets took over the bathroom.  Spooky.

FEAST in the Great Hall was the reward for everyone.  Slytherin Hot dogs; Pumpkin Pasties; Hufflepuff Popcorn; Broomsticks; Owl Feed; Veggie Crudites; and Fruit Wands were just some of the tastes.  The showstopper was Fortune Drinks and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.  Professor Trelawney left a fortune card on our plates--whatever color our drinks turned equated to our fortune.  Jack's future is full of happiness.  Whew.  We played a game with the Flavor Beans.  Each student picked the colored jelly bean the spinner landed on.  They had a 50/50 chance of getting a delicious bean or something rather peculiar.  Jack ate grass clippings;  Jackson had fruity tooty; poor Reid had BARF!  But the worse was Jacob's stinky socks--we all went hunting for the toothpaste Jelly Bean for him after we got a whiff of that.  YIKES!

What better way to wash down the beans then with a few sweets.  We made all the sweets ourselves except for the cake (thanks Whole Foods) and sent most home with the kids in their owl bags.

After everyone left, Jack looked at me with awe in his eyes and said, "Mom, that party wasn't very good."  BOOOOO!  "It was AWESOME!!!! Beyond AWESOME!!!"  Well, easy to have an awesome party when you have such an awesome kid to inspire you.

Happy Birthday Jack.

Now just wait until you turn 11--and get your Hogwarts invitation for real ;) ;) ;)

Boo to You

We cleaned a dozen spider webs off the house; planted mums; and saw the thermostat drop to the 50s in the morning.

Fall

Is 

Here

No better way to usher our favorite season in then a pumpkin celebration day.  A new tradition is born ;)

Bronwyn cleaned out her pumpkin

Jack enjoyed the squishiness

Beginning of October and already carving pumpkins!

While Dad carved, Bronwyn decided sharpies and small pumpkins were more her speed.

Likewise!

Excellent carving Dad!  Didn't have heart to tell him it wouldn't last until Halloween!

A week later.  Oops.

Bronwyn sported a different Halloween tattoo every day in October.  Look who learned to do tattoos herself.  

Scary Zombie returned.  Here's Bronwyn posing with who she calls her THIRD GRANDPA a week before Halloween--before we went over to our neighbor's Halloween Party!

Finally, after a month of celebration All Hallow's Eve is here!

Bronwyn as Mal (Malificient's daughter) and Jack as a Storm Trooper of sort (guess we will learn who this dude is 12/19 when we see STAR WARS!!!)

Moments before the Trick or Treating begins!

The kids had a wonderful Halloween!  Jack came home and gave me his bag to give to the Halloween Witch--he ate all he wanted while running door to door.  Bronwyn on the other hand--eyed her huge pile of candy and then her small pile of peanut candy and said "Does the Halloween Witch have a peanut allergy?"  Nice try Mal!

Spook ya later!

Happy Fall!!!

Jack's First Official Book Report

Due this week is Jack's first book report.  He will give an oral summary of the book report in first person and even dress as his character.  He chose to report on a book we was reading, America's Paul Revere.  Here's his work...typed 100% by Jack himself.

America’s Paul Revere

By Esther Forbes

            Hi I am Paul Revere when I was your age I went to school just like you. (Not this school OK.)  You might say it would be really cool to go because you get a cake if you are smart, but if you’re bad they will shake you till your teeth rattle and you would be bored out of your mind because you only learn ABC’s. Anyway and no I am not dumb you get out of school when you are 13. When I was 18 my Dad died, so I became man of the house and became a silversmith plus I had to take care of my family. I was like the best silversmith in all of the 13 colonies. After I did all that silversmith stuff for a few years I volunteered to be In the French-Indian war. I didn’t get paid as much but I knew it was the right thing to do. I was a Lieutenant,you need to be responsible and a good leader to be that, but 4-star General would be better. When I got back the economy was bad.  Silver was a luxury and not many could afford it.   So, I taught myself how to be a dentist and engrave copper so I could afford food for my family.

I got interested in politics and joined the Sons of Liberty. England was also getting poorer so they started enforcing old tax laws to bring in more money.  I felt that there should be no taxation without representation and so did the others in the Sons of Liberty club. I realized that trade was important to Boston and if England taxed Boston then Boston couldn’t do as much trade! England sent over soldiers to make sure people were paying their taxes.  They were called redcoats or regulars. The redcoats didn’t like us and we hated them. The leaders of Boston, including me knew a fight would break out sometime. Well my prediction came true in about a year. It was snowing and I thought nobody riots in a snowstorm. Later it stopped and people came outside. They were more mean then usual. Wise people stayed inside. A solider knocked down a barber’s boy and people thought the redcoat killed him. A fight broke out. Three men and one boy were killed. I exaggerated about it to get people angry ohm. Next!

England removed all the taxes except for a tea tax.  I still felt it was unfair and so did a lot of others.  We called ourselves the Whigs.  England brought a ship of tea to Boston but we refused to allow them to unload it.  After 20 days the tea would have to be sold at an auction, but the Whigs would not allow that to happen.  So, we dressed up in funny costumes and dumped all the tea in the harbor.  I was leading one of the groups that dumped the tea. After we dumped the tea we cleaned the ship. This was a protest not a robbery.  As soon as I got home I was asked to get on my horse and ride to New York and Philadelphia to tell them what happened.  I accomplished the ride in only 11 days, which most people thought impossible. 

England punished Boston and the punishment was much bigger than we expected.  They blocked our harbor with lots of war ships.  They also brought lots of British soldiers.  You couldn’t turn around without bumping into one.  The Sons of Liberty meetings became much more secret.  We made up a spy system where British soldiers couldn’t even sneeze without it being reported to me or another leader. Using this spy system we found out that the redcoats were going to steal all the militia supplies in Concord. I told the rest of the spies to shine one lantern in the Old North Church if by land and two if by sea. John Hancock, Sam Adams, and I got on our horses and at midnight we rode everywhere and warned the minutemen. Once I got to Lexington I got caught!  They said if I made an insult or tried to run they would, well...blast their big rifles.  But, they were the ones to be captured by the minutemen so they ran off and joined the rest of the group.  Before they set me free they took my horse (why not my lantern?) Since I was in Lexington I went to help John Hancock and Sam Adams.  But, John Hancock left a trunk with papers somewhere and we had to get it back before it fell into the hands of the British.  As I carried my half of the dangerous trunk, the British arrived.  There was a bang and the cries of wounded men; the first shot of the revolutionary world was fired.

After the revolutionary war, I went back to being a silversmith and also made bells.  And no I did not make the Liberty Bell if you are wondering so please don’t ask that question.  I told my children to get back because if the bell hit them their head would ring louder than the bells do.  I also made some copper, and did you know the Paul Revere Copper Company is still around today.  I will always be known as the man who yelled “the redcoats are coming” but I was much more than that.  That’s why I wrote this book report.  I’m America’s Paul Revere!