Summer of Awesome continues

On a rare trip into G-Town by myself, I caught sight of an unusual license plate and immediately launched into "stalk" mode trying to capture this rare sighting on film, jpg, whatever.  A Hawaii (!) license plate...in north central Texas.  These kind folks obligingly turned on one of the routes I can take to get home, luckily the one that has several stop signs.  I confess it never entered my mind until right now that it may just be a tad "off" to follow a random stranger just to get a picture of their license plate...my devotion to exploring and sharing my world on this blog just knows no bounds, I suppose.  You are welcome.

Actually, I do have bounds.  This stout fellow hopped in the kitchen door last week.  I don't know what exactly it is with the various frogs around here that they are driven to get into our house.  Once again, Loverboy was just exiting the shower when he heard Little Miss and Mama screeching, yeeping, and calling, "Frog!  Frog in the house!," repeatedly.  Note my restraint in only photographing the home invader, not our hero in his towel wrapped glory getting peed on by aforementioned home invader.  Once again, you're welcome.  By the way, this saucy fellow has taken up residence on the outside kitchen window sill nearest the door...just waiting for the next opportunity.

In other wildlife news, Zooniversity did a presentation at the library summer reading program.  Little Miss was sooooooo excited she got picked to "meet" one of the animals--the Texas prairie dog.  This was my favorite of all the presentations we've been to.  No snakes or hissing cockroaches.  There was an African bullfrog...they apparently reach the size of a dinner plate, have teeth, and are carnivores.  That did not help alleviate my developing  frog phobia, let me tell you.  To up the cute factor, there was also a desert fox and a sloth (which really didn't resemble my brother at all).

Little Miss is really into the reading part of the summer reading program.  The mushroom tent recently went up in the playroom (which devastated all the organizing progress that was underway, oh well) and it's one of her favorite places for reading.

Just yesterday, she got to pick a prize from the "first place" box at the library since she had over 360 minutes logged so far this summer.

We spent a lot of time there yesterday for story and craft time.

They made tissue paper mosaics after listening to a King Midas story, seeing a baking soda/vinegar volcano demostration after learning about Pompeii, and getting a quick lesson on various ancient civilizations (including some photos from the librarian's trip to Rome).  Good stuff.

After killing a few minutes in the neighboring park, we went back in to get our dose of Bieber Fever!  I don't know where exactly she came in contact with this virus, but she has caught it.  The movie (documentary?) was really pretty entertaining, and the library provided popcorn and drinks.  My favorite moments were 1) when Little Miss leaned over during some of the concert footage and asked why were so many of the girls crying, and 2) when one little girl who was interviewed said she was going marry Justin Beiber and Little Miss once again leaned over to tell me that girl was wrong because she was going to marry him, though he would have to move to Texas because she did not want to live in cold, cold Canada.  Totally worth the (free) price of admission.

Last Saturday Molly and the Nockinbirds went to Tanya Lu's (my co-worker) annual summer party.  Swimming for the kids, margarita machine for the adults, THE most incredible portapottys I have ever seen (they were even air-conditioned!), catered barbecue, a country band...if you ever get invited to one of her parties GO!

Little Miss particularly enjoyed meeting Tanya's granddaughter in the pool, and her cat, MoKitty, on the way to the (fabulous) portapotty.

We had a low-key Father's Day lunch with Molly and Papa, though I had to take a picture with Little Miss and her card for Papa before she would part with it.

Construction began this week on Molly and Papa's folly storage building/office.  Molly wanted foot/hand prints for the porch. 

Since she indulged Molly, Molly indulged Little Miss with lunch at her favorite taco shop.  And Little Miss got to sit at the bar, which her mean parents never  let her do when they go there.  I worry about that child...the first words she read by sight were "happy hour" and she has a burning desire to sit at every bar in every restaurant we go to.  Pray for me.

But the two toothpick chompin' gals had fun, so who am I to stand in the way?

Our weekly home art project was to finally use the screen print kit that she got for Christmas.  Hey, we got around to it in less that six months!

She came up with this herself.

Under all the glitter is the word "CHEER!"  They both turned out pretty well.

Frogs, parties, Father's Day, prairie dogs, Beiber Fever, bellying up to the bar, home made slogan t-shirts...the summer of awesome is in full swing.  Aloha.

Win some, lose some

The Summer of Awesome snowcone flavor contest continues.  Little Miss chose purple cotton candy, I went with cranberry pomegranate.  I called this one a victory for me.  Little Miss disagreed, but it's my blog, so I won.  Shnaaa.

In the lose column goes our first watermelon seed spitting contest...because I apparently bought a seedless watermelon. 

In the win column, Little Miss takes the prize for stickiest face...and neck...and hands...and elbows...and hair!? 

Another total win goes to...me!  And this amazing sourdough bread.  I've never been able to shake my yeast intimidation, but sourdough I can embrace.  I got the starter going ( I call him Zorba, since he began with greek yogurt) Sunday and today...

TWO loaves of deliciousness.  Loverboy and I tore into the first one before I could even think to get a picture.  If I can figure out how to work this into a whole wheat loaf, I'll never buy bread again.

I hope everyone is having a "Happy Summer" indeed.  This has been declared the Nockinbird "Summer of Awesome!" and so far, so good.  We've been summering since Memorial Day weekend, but I've been a bad blogger, I know.  Maybe I can back track a little every day--summer in review, from two weeks in.  We'll see.

There's been more fun with chalk.

And chalk portraits of Mama.  I do like that I'm saying "ha ha."  Gives me hope that Little Miss will remember my mamaing that way.

Lots of BFF loving.

And pulling out of old toys to use in new ways.  This Club Penguin fortress has been repeated several times.  Herbert the polar bear and nemesis of the penguins is isolated in the tower.

And the Nockinbird Peaches are beginning to ripen.  These trees are going to need a lot of work, particularly pruning so we can get to the peaches in the future.  The deer seem to have claimed all those that they can reach.  Most of the really good looking ones are higher up than we can reach with our ladder.

Ah, sweet harvest.

Emily is content with what she finds on the ground.

Is there any better time of year than summer?

Bubbles, peaches, sleeping late, random play, wet foot prints from watering...good stuff.

Singing a different tune

I always pooh-poohed the idea of "graduation" ceremonies for kindergarten...until last Friday.  "Precious" can't even begin to describe it.  Of course, Little Miss was the preciousest. 

She is going to miss Miss Stanley soooo much!

Here are all the girls in her class...the two boys had already whooped and hollered and taken off.

I wonder what we'll all look like 12 years from now at the "real" graduation.  Sniffle.

A cheerleader AND a dentist.

Singing, dancing, wildlife, and Happy Mother's Day!

What would Mother's Day be without running through a "water wall"?

Apparently it's fun on the bike, too!

Poor Molly slaved away on Mother's Day to make a sumptious lunch for the rest of us.  I would feel guilty, but she made fried green tomatoes, so I actually feel very happy and very full.

Thursday, Little Miss' school had International Song and Dance Day.  I don't recall the name of this one, but it hails from Bosnia.  Who knew?  And, of course, my battery gave up right after the song started.  It was over by the time I got it switched.  I know you're disappointed.  I apologize.

 

This was Little Miss' favorite, "The Chimes of Dunkirk."  She'll be glad to tell you the story that goes with the song if you ask, or can't get away quick enough.

As we were leaving the performance, Eagle Eyed Molly spotted this little fellow in the parking lot gravel.  I'm not sure of the legality of bringing wild animals home to keep as pets, so let's just say he's in a better place now.  With day-glo rocks and the whole cast of Spongebob Squarepants figurines to keep him company.  And he seems to like celery just like The WonderPets...in this unspecified better place.

Little Miss (and the rest of us!) were very excited that MawMaw made it up from Waco for the performance.  We may all lose our "Native Texan Cards," but none of us were in the mood for Mexican food on Cinco de Mayo.  But the burgers for Cinco de Grumpo's were delish.

Saturday, Little Miss and I had to run into town before the Kentucky Derby started.  Naturally, a snow cone was in order.  I just now realized I should have looked to see if they had a mint julep flavor.  Oh, well.  Little Miss was feeling adventurous and went with "cactus juice."  I had a few bites, but really couldn't pin down a specific flavor--just intensely sweet with a subtle suggestion of pickle juice, a whispering aftertaste of tart and salty.  Not at all unpleasant. Also very pleasant was a quick visit from Kerrville Kelley.  We hope to see more of her this summer as she travels the highways and biways (what are those exactly?) with her Casita!

Something unpleasant indeed occurred to me one night last week, however.  I'd retired early one evening and was snoozing away in Little Miss' bed (let's just say there are some snoring issues in the Nockinbird Nest).  You know how sometimes it feels like there's something in your hair, but generally it's just a breeze from the ceiling fan, so you smooth it down and go back to sleep (I really hope I'm not the only person that happens to!)?  I woke up with that sensation and went to slap down my hair...and I felt something cold and squishy!!!!  I shiver just thinking about it right now!  So in one motion, I sat bolt upright, made a loud "eep!" noise and tried to grab and throw what I envisioned to be a giant cockroach bent on eating me and my sleeping child (Why? I don't know).  I hopped out of bed, turned on the overhead light and began tearing off the sheet and quilt looking for this nightmare that had been IN MY HAIR!  Little Miss slept through this all.  And I didn't find anything.  I hadn't put my glasses on, but I knew whatever it was, I would have been able to see it.  I looked under the bed, around the room.  Nothing.  By this time I had almost convinced myself I'd dreamt it, or it had been Little Miss' hand hitting my head.  I heard Loverboy in the bathroom taking a shower, so, since I was wide awake by now, I shuffled in there to recount my rude awakening and look for support for my dream/hand to the head theories.  I'd pretty well talked myself down so I returned to the bedroom.  I thought I'd look around just one more time, but I'd turn on the softer bedside light.  As I bend down to turn on the switch, I saw something dark on the wall.  It looked big and weirdly shaped (no glasses on, remember).  I was wondering what on earth someone had splashed on the wall when it JUMPED!  Right onto my side of the bed.  To say I screamed would be an understatement.  Loverboy heard me from the shower with the door closed.  My hero leapt from his shower (naked, dripping) and charged into the bedroom where I was standing, pointing and yelling, "There's a frog in the bed!  Frog in the bed! Frog in the bed!"  He grabbed it and tossed out the back door.  Little Miss slept through it all.  After making sure I was frog pee/poop free (ick) and trying to figure out how this FROG GOT IN THE BEDROOM AND ONTO MY HEAD when it's just about the greatest distance in the house from any of the outside doors, I was able to go back to sleep.  Saturday, I moved a couple of rag/towels from the chair on the patio where Loverboy had tossed them and saw...

my nemesis lying in wait for me once again!

I'm wondering now though, if I shouldn't have just given him a tiny kiss...just to see, ya know?  I don't mean it.  I already found my Prince Charming...who else would have come to rescue me without even toweling off?

The Teacher Appreciation Day Puppet Show

These are snippets of the original puppet show Little Miss developed in appreciation of lil' ol' me for Teacher Appreciation Day.  Thrilling, yes?  I especially enjoyed the audience participation aspect.

Earlier, we spent some time reconnecting with our inner sidewalk chalk artists. 

Little Miss honored me with a portrait of....me!

A stunning likeness.  I guess my parents really got ripped off by the orthodontist when I was a kid.