Going to the Zoo

The mom of one of the boys who used to go to Nicco's school e-mailed an invitation to a spa party, with no obligation to buy anything of course, just come hang out and relax. Ish. Not wanting to be a complete jerk, I lied about my plans for the date of the party then suggested we get the kids together at the zoo some time soon. Some time soon was today. Nicco and I arrived and waited for a few minutes, then decided to just go on in and call to let our friends know where we were. She didn't answer her phone and she never called back, and we never saw them. I fear we may have had a small miscommunication because I said let's go on Friday the 26th. Nicco and I were on our own to enjoy the zoo.

Nicco loved following the map. He located each habitat on the map and made sure we were looking at the right animal.

He loved the tiger. We went back to visit him a couple of times. He was pacing and even growling, so that was cool.

There were really cool little statues all around the zoo grounds.

They have giraffe feedings at 10:00 and 2:00 every day. I didn't mention this to Nicco, because I didn't want him to be disappointed if he didn't get to do it. It is spring break here, and when I saw the group of kids wanting to feed the giraffes, I decided to just skip it.

This zoo is quite a bit smaller than Denver's zoo, but it is really neat. It was a little surprising how close you were to the animals.

Checking out the zebras.

And the rhino

He chased after these little ducks and wanted to pet them. I told him that's probably not a good idea. I guess he was not scarred for life by his prior goose and emu attacks.

This polar bear refused to jump in and swim, in spite of Nicco's pointing and scolding.

These birds were so loud, it was a little painful on the ears.

Nicco said "Even when I close my eyes, the noise doesn't go away!"

Here are some of the cool animal statues in the park part of the zoo.

Skipping along the path on our way out.

I feel bad that we missed our friends, but we had a good time. I like watching my little monkey.

Car Talk

I always ask Nicco about his school day in the car when I pick him up. He even usually tells me something about his day. Today, in a small deviation from the norm, he asked me what I did while he was at school. I told him that I made a smoothie, talked to Aunt Di, and did the dishes. He listened to my boring list then said, "Let me guess. You didn't play wii."

Public Service Announcement from Nicco

Watch Out for Steamrollers

If you get crushed by a steamroller, your bones will be flat. Your guts will be flat. You won't exist.

Because you'll be dead.

And So It Begins

Spring time. We have little white balls that will soon be blossoms popping up on the orange and grapefruit trees. Sadly, the lemon tree needs major surgery to survive, so says our landscape friend. We are lucky, apparently, because when citrus trees are in nurseries they are frequently grafted with lemon trees. So people get upset if their orange tree dies in a freeze and they have to cut it down to a stump and when it grows back, it produces lemons. I guess if our lemon tree grows back, it will still produce lemons.

It is also that little window of beautiful weather when it's not too chilly and not too hot to have the windows and patio doors open. Which means bugs. The other day, a little flying bug came in and made itself at home in our lampshade. Frankie went out of her mind crazy trying to climb the narrow pole of the lamp to get to it. Another day, there was a little flying bug buzzing around above the cabinets in the kitchen, which also made her totally nutso. She leaped from the island (bad kitty, she's not supposed to go up on the island!) to the top of the fridge. Even though it was naughty, it was a pretty impressive leap. She has a good eye for bugs, which leads me to believe she will be a mighty huntress of scorpions.

I got up early-ish this morning and while my two boys were still sleeping, I took out the trash and finished up the dishes that were left soaking in the sink. The dishwasher was open as I was arranging and rearranging, trying to fit the last couple of dishes inside. Suddenly, a startled Frankie jumped and bonked her head on the door of the dishwasher and I felt a tickle on my foot. I looked down and there was her prey, a nasty little scorpion on my foot. I jumped and squealed but managed to get a big shoe to squish it in spite of my panic. Frankie spent several minutes carefully circling the spot where it died, and several minutes licking her paw. I think it may have stung her.  If it did, it either wasn't a bad sting, or cats are immune after all. She's a little cautious and defensive this morning, but showing no other signs of poisoning or swelling in reaction to the sting.

So, a few things. One, she DID spot the scorpion and possibly saved me from getting stung on my toe, doing dishes, unaware of its presence. Two, she tossed the little bugger right onto my foot! Three, she may not have come out of her first scorpion encounter unscathed. The way she was circling it and keeping her distance after I killed it makes me think she learned to stay away from them. Darn. I guess we'll see. In any case, it's time to get the exterminator back.

Getting "Old"

On the way home from swim, Nicco said, "When my Papa's a grandpa, I sure hope he still knows how to play Mario." His musings about grandpas and old age went on..."Will my Papa be old when he's a grandpa?" I told him it depended on when he becomes a daddy. He said, "Well, you know, my Grandpa isn't old, he's just silly."

The moral of this story is if you ever feel like you're getting old, tell yourself you're just silly. It works on so many levels.

Signs of Spring

Yesterday, Spring Fever struck our house. Nicco and I saw a quail pair bobbing along a wall on our way home from the grocery store. I pointed them out and said "The Quails are out, it must be spring!" Nicco got excited for the fresh new season, so we went on a "Signs of Spring" walk around the yard.
This is the sadness in our yard, leftover from our winter freeze:

I am not yet convinced that our little lemon tree will survive. I plan to nurture it with loving care, but I'm not known for my green thumb.

The organ pipe cactus died a little. Apparently, we can just chop off the frozen dead part and it will regenerate.

We did discover some signs of spring in the midst of the winter sadness and death:

Green stalks in the center of the palms,

Fresh, green baby leaves on the other two citrus trees,

Green poking through the limbs of the ocotillo, and even some little green leaves,

One blossom!

I raked up a couple piles of dead leaves. Other than picking weeds and skimming the pool, this is the first actual yard work I've ever done. I hope my husband is proud of me!

This is what the boy did while I raked leaves. Lounging on the hammock isn't necessarily a sign of spring, just ask Papi!

And, little miss Frankie stared longingly out the window, wishing she could join us in the fresh air.

This Totally Makes Up for the Snow

It is 72 degrees, a very slight breeze, we're sitting on the patio watching the sun go down...

Again, with the Naughty Words...

Nicco L-O-V-E-S to play games. All kinds of games. It drives me bonkers, because he's totally bi-polar with games--when he wins, it is the highest of highs with peals of laughter and jumping and squealing. When things don't go his way, it is the lowest of lows, and nasty little tantrums ensue. He cries and screams and hits things and throws things and calls himself and whatever game he happens to be playing all sorts of names, like "loser" and "doody head" and "shabadoodle."

Today he was playing a game and he made a mistake that almost pitched him into the depths of despair, but knowing I will turn it off and take it away for a week if he cries and throws a tantrum, he contained himself and just muttered a single insult. "Urgh!..." he said, "I'm an organic hippie!"

(I am not making that up.)

P.S. This morning, Frankie was chasing Nicco (who was dragging his soft blankie behind him...) down the hall. When she jumped at the blanket and got his foot, he cursed at her saying, "Leave me alone, you little skeleton!"

P.P.S. Add "fergus pants" and "ficus" to the list of insults.

P.P.P.S. Nicco has a few "cr" words too: crumb, crud, crap, and cratch.

Potty Talk

Nicco was sitting on the toilet singing "I'm a little naked head. I'm a little nudie. I have a bum."

It reminded me of the time when we were living in Arvada (I was probably Nicco's age, if not younger) and I ran down the hall either to or from the bathroom singing "poopy and pee pee, poopy and pee pee." I got in trouble. I don't know how my mom managed to stifle her laughter long enough to scold me and make me feel like I was in actual trouble for saying "naughty" words.

Getting Closer...

62 degrees in the pool today. That is 8 degrees away from swim time!

Weather Update

At 8:00 this morning when Nicco was still not out of bed, I went to his room to gently nudge him. I didn't want him to miss the snow, and knowing that it would likely be gone by lunch time (who's laughing now, suckers!) I whispered in his ear "I want to show you something." He sat up and I opened the blind on his window. He squealed "SNOW!!" and jumped up, put on shoes and socks and a jacket, and we hustled on outside.

"I guess it does snow in Tucson," he said. "Like Littleton a long, long, time ago. It could be Christmas, you know."

"I can make a snowball and we can have a snowball fight. How do you make snowballs again?"

The greatest accumulation of snow was on the hammock. Nicco didn't quite know what to do with all that snow...where to start!

He threw a couple of snowballs and made a handprint.

His hands got cold, so he attempted throwing snowballs with his hands in his pockets. "That didn't work so well," he observed. 

After about 5 minutes in the white stuff, Nicco was ready to go inside for some hot cocoa. I turned up the heat and we snuggled up in blankies.

And sure enough, by lunch time, all that remained of our "storm" was a dusting on the mountaintop.

And it is supposed to be 85 next weekend.

So there.

Seriously?

I just want to know what we did to deserve this. (Stop laughing, jerks!)

If it isn't all melted by the time Nicco wakes up, he will be thrilled!

Kindergarten Round Up; AKA Let the Indoctrination Begin!

*Disclaimer*

My sisters and I went to public schools and were successful and happy. All my nieces and nephews go to public schools and are successful and happy. I was a public school teacher, daughter and grand-daughter of public school teachers. I believe that teaching is a noble profession. I believe that public schools are mostly fine. I fully expect Nicco to have a happy and fulfilling experience in his school, both educationally and socially. I also believe that there are some inherently wicked practices in the public school system, which is why parents must be attentive, involved, and prepared to counter propaganda with truth.

Today was kindergarten registration. Holy cow, when did my kid get old enough for kindergarten? We had a doctor appointment before the registration extravaganza, and on the road between appointments I told Nicco we were going to his new school to sign up. He said he didn't want to go to a new school because he would miss his old one. Nicco is pretty easy going and adaptable, but that doesn't necessarily make change easy.  He was listing all the reasons why he should stay in his old school, until we pulled up at the new school and he saw the big open field and the exciting, new playground. We read books in the office lobby and filled out forms on the computer. We had cookies and juice in the library and walked through the courtyard from one room to another. Once we finished up and headed out, Nicco said "I want to start my new school now!" I guess he will be okay with the transition after all.

I was amused at the efforts of all the different staff members along the way to push full day kindergarten. If I were a working mom and needed day care, it is a pretty inexpensive option. But on a pure and direct comparison between full and half day, full day is not remotely worth the extra money.

They had this flier posted up in at least 3 places, plus it was enlarged and set up on a couple of easels, in addition to its prominence on the website:

What is the Difference Between Full Day and Half Day Kindergarten?

Full Day vs. Half Day

* Full: 50 minutes of art, music, and P.E. per week * Half: 25 minutes of art, music, and P.E. per week (I'm thinking the park, riding bikes around the neighborhood, swim lessons, coloring, singing in the car...)

* Full: 50-80 minutes of computer time per week * Half: 25 minutes of computer time per week (Nicco has WAY more than 80 minutes of computer time per week. I'm such a good mom.)

* Full: lunch with recess at school * Half: no lunch or lunchtime recess at school (Again, park, bike, play dates, and I'll skip Michelle Antoinette's approved lunch, thank you very much!)
* Full: all school assemblies * Half: limited school assemblies (Okay, so there's not much I can replace assemblies with at home, but I'll go ahead and skip the school spirit/cult love fest)
* Full: overall Painted Sky school awareness and confidence * Half: limited Painted Sky school awareness and confidence (Painted Sky school awareness and confidence? I'll take God, Country, Family, and Personal awareness and confidence.)
* Full: multiple field trips *Half: one walking field trip (We do our own field trips. Regularly. Added bonus: one on one attention! Stay as long as we want! Leave when we're ready!)
* Full: afternoon recess, snack, and social opportunities (Starting to sound redundant here...park, bike, play dates, I'll approve and provide my own snacks, thanks.)
*Full: interaction with other kindergarten classes (Not worth $1300)
*Full: buddy class activities (we have pen-pals in Colorado)
*Full: opportunities for repeated academic skill practice (AKA time fillers, my bet is on worksheets.)
*Full: increased instructional time (Really? Looks like half day kids miss a lot of food and recess and computer time to me.)
*Full: morning Reading Club 20 minutes per day (How about Mommy and Daddy reading stories before bed?)

*Full: afternoon reading intervention opportunities (What if my kid doesn't need intervention? I guess that is where the "opportunities for repeated academic skill practice" come in.)

Average Exiting Skills in full vs. half day:

* Full: 50-80 sight words * Half: 25-30 sight words (Check.)

* Full: reading level 3-5 *Half: reading level 2-3 (Good enough for a kindergartener, I'd say. Also, I'll make bets that Nicco will manage to reach level 3-5 without extra lunch and recess time at school)

*Full: writes 3-4 multiple related sentences *Half: writes one simple sentence (Taking bets?)

*Full: fluent recognition of numbers 1-100 *Half: fluent recognition of numbers 1-20 (Nicco can already recognize, write, and name numbers fluently up to the thousands. He's brilliant, I tell ya.)

*Full: extended and enriched science and social studies *Half: basic introduction to science and social studies concepts(Redundancy alert: I'll skip the indoctrination, thanks.)

*Full: addition and subtraction including mental math facts *Half: introduction to concepts of addition and subtraction with manipulatives (That's what M&M math is for!)

When I went to check out the school a few months ago, the ladies in the office had the audacity to tell me that full day kindergarten "is just better for the kids." Look in the mirror, tilt your head to the side, look your reflection right in the eyes and put on your most condescending, self-important, know-it-all tone and repeat "it's just better for the kids." and you'll see what I saw. My response was "Well, at $1300 per kid, it's certainly better for the school."

We are entering the brainwashing machine known as public education. Public education doesn't know what it's in for.

Presidents' Day

*Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.

*Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got possession.

*Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth.

*Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master

*If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times ready for War.

*Be courteous to all but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence; true friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to appellation

*To contract new debts is not the way to pay old ones.

*Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.

*America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

*Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable - a most sacred right - a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world.

*As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.

*Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.

*Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.

*I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.

*If you call a tail a leg, how many legs has a dog? Five? No, calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.

*Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.

*Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as a heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism around your own doors.

*My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for:
*defunding Obamacare
*defunding Planned Parenthood
*defunding the Czars
*Governor Walker of Wisconsin (stand strong!)

It's just the beginning, patriots, but it is a good one.

In Which I Brag About My Brilliant Son

Okay, maybe not so much brag as mark a *milestone.

Some time last year, Nicco started sounding out words on signs and around and about his environment. So being the absolutely magnificent mother that I am, I decided to go ahead and capitalize on that interest and nurture some learning with the book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons." (It's fantastic, by the way. Very easy, very logical, smooth transitions from simple sounds to more complicated blends and basic sentences to full page "stories." So even if you aren't a Magnificent Mom like me, you can teach your kid to read.) We have just a few more lessons to go to reach 100, at which point we will go Tango with the Rango in theaters March 11th as a reward for hard work and accomplishing a goal. (and to get Mama's Johnny Depp fix, albeit in cartoon form.)

Nicco continues to read street signs and supermarket signs as we go about our business. A few weeks ago on our way to swim we passed Ace Hardware. You all know what their logo looks like, right? Nicco was a little baffled when he read "Triangle-ceh? That's a weird word."

Also a couple weeks ago, Nicco wanted to stay in bed and read stories instead of getting up and watching TV (see, I am a Magnificent Mom!) I pulled one of my childhood favorites, Little Gorilla, off the shelf and Nicco read the first page, just as naturally as could be. Then he read the second page and his eyes got wide and he exclaimed "I can read!" I already knew that, of course, because he's been reading his lessons for several weeks. I think he only thought he could read from his lessons, not real books.

This morning, he brought Green Eggs and Ham in the car with him on the way to school and instead of listening to his Phineas and Ferb soundtrack or morning talk radio, I listened to the boy read a whole book to me. He even fluctuated the tone in his voice, reading with expression. It was delightful. He was proud and pleased, and so was I.

*Guess what! I know that some kids read earlier than others, some before kindergarten, most during, some later. I recognize that my brilliant son is not so much brilliant as normal. Probably above average, but still well within the VERY BROAD spectrum of what is normal at this age. That said, Yay for Nicco!

Happy Times Day!

(Thanks, Grandma!)

We have dinner reservations at the fanciest restaurant in town, Patrice bought me a dozen beautiful red roses and a box of chocolates. Now I know he loves me!

Kidding. We don't fall for the scam that is Valentine's Day. We are so rebellious.

For those of you who do, may it be a happy one and may all your loved ones know you love them today.

Keeping Cool

It's getting close to hot again...80-ish out on the patio. Nicco took a little bike ride twice around the block then put on his new hat to cool off.

It has a little solar panel on top that powers a mini fan in the visor. I don't know how effective it is at cooling down the wearer, but it is effective entertainment for the boy.

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

In honor of Family/Personal History Month, and because my uncle happened to send this picture today, I am sharing a vignette from my family's past.

This is my dad's cute little mom, his cute little sister Carol, and my cute little mom sometime in the 70s, I'm guessing, based on the likely relative ages and attire of the ladies. Someone in my family can correct me if I'm wrong. I love the fuzzy slippers they are all wearing!

I showed the photo to Nicco and he said "Your mommy doesn't look exactly the same as she does now." Funnily enough, I kind of think she does. I bet my dad thinks she does too. I'm guessing, based on how he looks at her and how he talks to and about her, that he still sees her exactly as this silly, smiling, beautiful young lady he fell in love with. (Again, go ahead and correct me if I'm wrong) 

Black History Month

February is black history month. Did you know that? Guess what...we're opting out. In this interview with Mike Wallace in 2009, Morgan Freeman wrote every black history assignment Nicco will ever need in his upcoming years in the public school system. (And it isn't plagiarism if he credits the source.)

"Black History Month you find....
"Ridiculous. You want to relegate my history to a month? What do you do with yours? Which month is white history month? Come on. Tell me."
"Well...uh...heh heh...I'm Jewish."
"Okay, which month is Jewish history month?"
"There isn't one."
"Oh, Oh. Why not? Would you want one?"
"No."
"Why not? I don't either. I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history."
"How are we going to get rid of racism?"
"Stop talking about it. I'm going to stop calling you a white man, and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace, you know me as Morgan Freeman."

Irony/hypocrisy alert: The race baiting hustlers/propagandists/brainwashers in the government, media, and education system want to feel good about being tolerant and inclusive and equal, so they set aside a whole month to focus on ONE race, EXCLUDING everyone else. Do blacks deserve a special month because of the shame and disgrace and suffering of slavery? They might want to ask the Jews about suffering and slavery. I think they can relate. So, when IS Jewish history month? Oh yeah. There isn't one. When is Scandinavian history month? French history month? Oh. Right.

Some animals are more equal than others. (George Orwell, Animal Farm)

P.S. I propose Family History Month. That way, it really would be all inclusive. And more meaningful, by the way.

Super Sunday

This is what happened the last time I watched the Super Bowl and cared...

So those of you who aren't still basking in the former glory of John Elway, enjoy the game.

Hippity Hop

Nicco has recently rediscovered the hippity-hop he got for his birthday a couple years ago. He's been having fun bouncing up and down the hallway and all around. It was especially nice for him the past couple days when it was too cold outside for running-bouncing fun. Not quite as nice for me. Or Frankie. Poor Frankie.

We made cookies this afternoon and while I was putting a new batch in the oven, he came walking up to me with the hippity-hop between his legs, then turned half around and asked me, "Does this make my bum look big?"

Why yes, yes it does. And, where on earth did you hear that?

Winter

I've been hearing from friends and relatives, mostly in Colorado and Utah, who are freezing and cold and tired of winter and ready for spring and sunshine. I just wanted to let you all know that I hear ya! It's cold:

(Tucson, 9:00 a.m.)

I have to wear socks, for heaven's sake!