Little Green Thumb

Honor loves our plants. She has studied about plants - seeds, soil, sun, water - at school, and she is always bringing home seedpods that she finds. The school campus has many flowering (and shady!) trees, and the seeds get everywhere. Good hunting for my little nature lover. She brought home 3 seeds a couple of weeks ago. We placed them on a wet papertowel inside of a plastic bag and after a bit, the round seed she had, sprouted. She's very proud of her new 'baby'.

After letting it grow a few more leaves, we planted it in a pot. Honor has also been asking for more plants for her balcony. Each of our rooms has a TINY balcony - 3 feet deep at the most. Barely big enough to stand in, but room for a few pots. Most of our plants did not make it through the summer - that side of the apartment is full sun and they baked. Some were annuals anyway and it was time to switch them out. We went out this weekend and got a trunk load of new plants. I'll have to post some pics later. Brian picked out a couple for his balcony, but while he truly appreciates pretty plants, he isn't much into the work. Honor loves to give the plants 'love' though, and she helped me re-pot and arrange all of our new and old greenery. Nice to have some green again!

Time off

School has been out since last week for the 'Eid holiday. We've been enjoying the time at home - relaxing and just hanging out together. Haven't really gone anywhere, haven't wanted to. We've visited neighbors a bit, but for the most part, we've been lazy and anti-social. I think we've all enjoyed this bit of quiet family time. Brian and Honor have been playing so good together, they've had a few tiffs, but for the most part, they've been having a blast.

Mornings have been filled with playstation wildness, or cartoon marathons. This morning we watched a couple hours of Teen Titans cartoons. I have to admit, I am glad it wasn't Dora! She is great, but only in small doses. And while I like Sponge Bob, Honor had been stuck on the little yellow guy for a bit too long and I am starting to memorize all the episodes. Teen Titans is a great show. Basic good guys vs. bad guys, but with kids, so it isn't too dark. Good animation too. I also like watching the kids watch. They talk about the characters, joke around, etc. It's fun for me to see how they interact... not to mention how cute it is when they gather pillows, blankets and toys to 'nest' in front of the TV together... it's cute, but it is also very cooperative and mature.

Eventually the TV gets a break and they go play. Hide and seek. Pretend games (Brian is not much into make-believe, but he is very patient with his little sister). Legos... lots and lots of legos-mom-can-I-please-leave-it-out-I'm-still-working-on-it legos all over the place. Honor is just now getting good at building random things with the small blocks (vs the Mega bloc and other bigger sized blocks). Brian is enjoying the kits where he has to follow a diagram to create a specific model. Brad enjoys playing too. I'm only handy to have around when the blocks stick together because I have fingernails.



The kids have been playing a bunch of PC games too, which I prefer over PS2. More thought and strategy is involved with the PC games. Honor enjoys phonics and learn to read games. She also likes music games, and whatever her brother is into. Brian likes his webkins, and although he has pretty much mastered "Age of Mythology", and the "Titans" expansion pack, he still enjoys it. He's also been doing pretty good with that addictive "Fantastic Contraption" game. I think though, that his new favorite game is "Rise of Nations". Why do we let them play so much? Never thought we would be so free with computer time, but it is hard to complain about games that get 7 (and 5) year olds talking about Egyptian, Norse and Greek Mythology (and checking out library books on these subjects), and lately, the different 'age's of civilization. Medieval, classical, enlightenment, industrial, etc. as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the technology of certain nations during these periods.


Did you notice the nifty double computer station? This is part of the 'construction' I've been busy with for awhile now. The 'new' desk top computer is actually scavenged bits and parts of old computers. We're still working out the kinks, but it works well enough for the kids. Recycle, reuse! I am gradually trying to get our house in an organized and friendly set-up. I have re-done some things, and am still working on getting to other things.. but.. I am slowly getting there.

Here's the play area behind the couch in the living room. Both kids use it, but it is mostly Honor's space. She likes to 'pretend' and this is a great little play room that is not separate from where the rest of us hang out.
I managed to get the treadmill out of its dark, sad, little corner in the office, and out into the living room. Not very decorative, but I think it looks much happier now. The red carpet stored on it is temporary - I'm still working on getting that into the office.
The office. Well. This is the 'deconstruction' I am working on. If you squint hard and block out all that 'in-progress' junk, picture a sewing machine set up in the nook back there. Cool huh?
Looky! New bookshelves! We got two of them! It sure helps to have storage places when you want to organize something.
I've progressed a bit since these photos were taken. I see light at the end. The office has been an unorganized waste-of-space - even when completely 'straightened up' (as far as it went in its former incarnation) since we moved in. It was not an inviting place to work or play. I hope to make it a part of the family very soon now. Weight bench, trampoline. Floor space for taekwondo practice and other play. I want to move the kids' easel and art stuff in here. Set up my sewing machine(!), etc. We'll see how it goes...

So, how was your weekend and/or break??

Freedom Fur all

Unless they screw up again.

Gotta love our furkids, but it is frustrating when you cannot REASON with them or ask them questions. For some reason, when we went on R&R over the summer - one cat developed litter box issues and started leaving 'presents' around the house. Not urine, thankfully, but still NOT good! Why?! Different litter? Attitude about us leaving? (We've done it before!) They love the people who came by to watch them? Maybe it was a health issue? They are 11+ years old! It continued after we got back. What's up with that??

We can't ask them - they just look back at us and try to lead us to the fridge. Nor does showing them the mess, and taking them to the litter box work. We resorted to jail. Started out with strict confinement to the connected kitchen/bathroom area in the front - sometimes just the bathroom where their box is. Then they got out in the main part of the house with bedrooms closed... going back to confinement as needed. They were definitely confined at night. What a pain. Had to lock both cats up, when we knew it was just the one. Also, we like our doors open, and our kitties WITH us.

We've been working on this for 2 months now, and for the last two weeks, the guilty party has been very good. Yesterday, Honor pleaded for pardoning the cats and letting them stay out at night. We decided to give it a try. When we went to bed, we found Misty waiting in our bed, and Ramses snuggled up with Honor. I woke up with Ramses snuggled under my chin, sharing my pillow and under the blankets, Misty in his typical 'guard the hallway' position.

I sure hope this good behavior lasts... the kids like being 'tucked in' and kitty-guarded as they go to sleep (usually one cat per room), and I like waking up to purrs.