CPK

That's short for California Pizza Kitchen. Our kids went on a field trip there yesterday with their pre-K class. They got a tour of the kitchen, got to make their own pizzas and saw where everything happens. Their very favorite thing? Screaming as loud as they could while standing in the refrigerator! They even demonstrated in the video below:

Field Trip from Kim on Vimeo.
I love that their class goes on so many field trips. They love every place they go, no matter where it is! It doesn't hurt, either, when they get food while they're there...especially pizza!

...I had to add one more piece to this post. Part of why I included the video was for their voices. And the word California. Or Calnifornya. Whichever way you might say it. There are just some words that the kids say that I wish I had an audio version of and in this case, I got it!

The Cricket in Times Square

We have begun a read aloud as a family: The Cricket in Times Square. Honestly, I haven't read it before. Crazy, right? I know. This is the first chapter book we're reading to our kids and so far I think they like it. They're not too thrilled with the fact that there aren't so many pictures in it, but they like the story and love the animals in the book. I love reading it with/to them because it's fun for me as the teacher to see how they respond to stories. Like tonight when we were reading...A was trying to figure out how much time had passed and she asked me to look back in the book. (Yea! Look back and re-read! Good strategy!) At the end of the chapter I asked them what they thought they would find next. C said a cricket and A thought the cat. Both good predictions! I love watching their faces as they think about what they're hearing. I also love talking to them about the book while we're reading and after we've read. I hope the things we're doing now will instill a love for reading as they grow up!

Spring...PULEEEZ!

Did you like that? Hope so. That's my 4-year-old-self pleading with the weather (Ahem, God), to change to spring. But, I don't think that's happening any time soon, seeing as how there is more snow scheduled to fall this week. A girl can wish though, right?

We really wished to see some sign of spring this weekend, and got it! The kids participated in Kids in the Garden at our local garden store. They have kids free Saturdays the first Saturday of every month. This month they were planting! Hooray! They did just what I was ready to buy. So, thanks for that!

First they had to pick what they were going to put on the outside of their pot. Both picked some sticky things to put on as well as some drawings they made.

Then it was on to the dirt. It smelled sooo good! Is that weird? Well, it did.

Step three was planting the bulbs. There were five to plant, and as A reminded me, "Mommy, just put it in and twist it two times." She followed directions!

Then they added a bit of wheat seeds to the top of the dirt-to add a bit of greenery for the top of the dirt, I suppose.

Finally they added water.

All in all it was a great day for planting and they loved every step along the way! The best part for me was on the way home when I heard A say, "Mommy, I just can't wait until we can plant a real garden in the summer." Me too, Honey, me too!

It's normal

It's perfectly normal to eat dinner in your swimming suit in March when there are still mountains of snow on the ground, right? A & C seem to think so. That's what they did last night. They are starting swimming lessons on Wednesday. Mamma Jo got them some new swimming digs and they were so excited to wear them that they didn't want to take them off. Why fight them on this, right? Dinner was had with C having just his dinosaur swim trunks, no shirt as he wanted to be sure that is how he will be able to swim at swimming lessons (usually during the summer he has a swim shirt on for the sun). A ate with her favorite of 2 new swim suits and would have probably slept in it if we let her.

Please, oh please spring and then summer...when are you coming?!?

Friendship

At church this morning the message was about friendship. Well, it was more than that, but that was the basic theme. The story was from Luke 19:1-10 where Jesus invites Zacchaeus down from the tree and tells him they're going to his house. Zacchaeus was a tax collector and wasn't thought of highly by his friends and others for his ways of collecting taxes. Regardless of this, though, Jesus still calls out to him using proximity (as he is close to him, calling him by name). Affinity (shared interests) is shown through this story as well, as Jesus and Zacchaeus go to share a simple meal together. Why give you the back story on this you ask? Well, because.

Because our pastor asked us to think about our own friendships. How did those friendships come to be? Was there someone who, like Jesus, came into your life like He did to Zacchaeus, just at the right time? Was there someone who made a difference in your life to perhaps send you down a different path than the one you were currently on? I thought about this in my own life and wondered about it for a while. When thinking about my faith and friendship in this situation, there is a specific friend that comes to mind.

We were friends at the beginning because of proximity-because we were in middle school together and in a lot of the same classes together. Then our friendship became more because of affinity. We liked the same kinds of things and as we got into high school, shared similar interests. She showed me things I didn't know about faith and God. It was really because of her that I know much of what I know about me and my faith. She shared her favorite Christian songs with me. She helped me with what is could look like or sound like to pray. She was a true friend all the way around. Even now, as we both have families of our own, she continues to be that friend. Although we may not see each other as much as we'd like or talk as much as we wish we had time for, I know she'll always be there for me. I know she cares about me like I care about her. Just knowing that helps. As life changes, I know she'll always be there.

This is what I took away from today's message: remember the friend that was there for you-whenever that may have been-and PAY IT FORWARD. Find someone you can do something similar for. This is what I'll try to do in the future. Maybe not today, but someday.

Saturdays

I was trying to come up with my "write for a bit about anything" topic and was struggling. So I went to the Slice of Life blog where I'm posting all of these posts for the month of March and came across Michelle's post about Saturdays. I was inspired! So, here is my list for what I love best about Saturdays (at this point in the year):

knowing I get to sleep until 7:00

knowing I can stay in bed until 8:00 if I choose (thanks to the kids being able to play with each other, with the occasional, "Look what I drew, Mommy!" in between)

cinnamon rolls-thanks, J!

KARE-11's morning news program

college basketball-too bad the Gophers have been losing

PJ's until 10:00

cozy clothes

no shower (the truth is out!)

afternoon naps-only if the kids do...my days are definitely numbered here!

lunch or dinner out

family outing to...(fill in the blank; I can't stay put for long on a weekend)

perhaps a glass of wine

maybe a date night with J to a favorite restaurant

Saturdays aren't such a bad day, really. They do go by so very fast! That's why I love each and every one!

Timberwolves Game

So Sunday we went to the Timberwolves game. It was the kids' first time at any basketball game other than C's games through the YMCA. It's a bit different, right?! The kids did a great job sitting and watching the game, which made it really fun.

At first we were up in the "nosebleed" section and a bit in the dark.

After the first quarter we got up and moved to some different seats, because as you can see from this view,

there were a few empty seats. So then we had this view:

A little better, don't you think? C was really quite comfortable in his seat. He liked all of the leg room and the fact that there wasn't anyone in front of him, so he didn't have to worry about where his feet were.

There were many things to keep them occupied at the game, which is why we were able to stay all the way to the end of the game! First was the howling. They didn't understand why everyone was howling during the free throws. We explained that it was so the other team might get distracted and miss the shot. Then they asked why it was howling and not something else. So then came the lesson on what a timberwolf is and why our team name is as such.

The kids really liked the music that they played during the time-outs or even during the game. By the end of the game they were trying to dance crazy to try and get on the big screen. It didn't work this time-maybe next time. 

The main thing they were consumed by was snacks. If you know our kids, they are obsessed by snacks, especially A. The first thing A had her eye on was cotton candy. She was making eyes with the vendor and we told her she had to wait. Well...this little girl must have made some face, because as he made it to the top with all of his pink cotton candy, all of a sudden a bag plopped in my lap from up above! He smiled and moved along. Funny thing is about A, she doesn't like to try new things. Our kids haven't ever had cotton candy, and she did not want to try it! Crazy! C tried it, but could take it or leave it. We ended up giving it to the person behind us. So, treat #2 was a blue snow cone.

I'm not sure our kids have had these either. We're a mostly ice cream family, you know! They loved these, but they were awfully hard to eat. Clearly they had had enough to change their tongues to this alien-blue color!

One last bit of fun to share happened when A and I went to the bathroom. While we were gone the cheerleaders/dancers came out on the floor to perform. They were in their third or fourth outfit and these are some of the things C said to J:

Daddy, I like the cheerleaders with the yellow hair.

(Apparently he has already decided he likes blonds.) and then...

I like their bottoms in these shorts.

(And apparently C has already picked what he likes best. Ugh!)

We had so much fun at the game, and I think we would definitely go again! The best part of the game was the fact that the Timberwolves won! Let's just say this isn't something that has happened too often this year.