I Heart Faces | Anything But the Face

 

{Because of this shot, I’ve learned not to lend Zoë my “jewels” if I ever want them back.  See here.)

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Scavenger Hunt Sunday | Sky

1.  Sky

It’s been hazy and gray lately that I despaired of ever getting a nice sky shot,

but Thursday was a sunny day and we decided to take the kids to Ocean Park again. 

This is a balloon ride that they have there.  We’ve never been on it. 

The queues were just too long each time.

2.  Every Day

3.  Furry

Stuffed pandas at the souvenir shop at Ocean Park.

4.  Life

Zoë’s name is of Greek origin and means "life".

5.  Blurred

Here Zoë’s pretending to be a cowgirl (while on the merry-go-round).

The blurred motion is of her holding the brim of her {imaginary} cowgirl hat

and then proceeding to pretend to fling it off her head with a loud “Yee-haw!”

 

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Do head on over to Ramblings and Photos and check out other entries for Scavenger Hunt Sunday.

Some Days I Think I Have a Teen

 

 

…trapped in a 6-year old body.

He talks like one sometimes.

He acts like one sometimes.

This morning, I caught him doing this.

 

And then this.

And I felt like hugging him.

Which I did.

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Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Her First Bun

 

 

I finally managed to get hold of a “net” to secure Zoë’s ballet bun.

She’d been going to ballet classes wearing either a single ponytail or two.

Which is fine, because they are not that strict yet with her class.

 

But Zoë wanted to look like a proper ballerina.

So I had to learn how to make a proper bun tout de suite!

It’s not as difficult as I’d thought, but it is challenging for a little girl

to sit still long enough for me to put all the pins and clips in place.

(So, yes, she was sitting in front of the computer while I fixed her hair!)

 

 

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Pizza Party

Josh attended a pizza party.

While waiting for the party to start, he blew balloons.

Then let them zip and zoom across the room as the air rushed out.

His friends were letting the air out in each other’s faces.

Or blowing the balloons up (with an air machine) until the balloons popped.

They all thought it was hilarious.  Boys!

Then the party started.

Each one of them got a pizza pan.

Each one was given a hat and an apron.

They were taught how to make the edges of the crust…

pushing against the side of the pan, using three fingers.

Each of them got a scoop of tomato sauce.

They had to shake and tap to even it out.

Then the real fun began.

They decorated their pizzas with slices of ham, tomatoes,

pepperoni, mushrooms, and olives.

Josh didn’t like olives.

Then they sprinkled on the mozzarella.

Only Josh didn’t exactly sprinkle.

He painstakingly placed each piece of cheese, one by one, on his pizza.

Then they had a game of Pass the Parcel.

And he got a Sugus candy.

Sometimes it doesn’t take a lot to see this beautiful smile.

The servers came and numbered each of the pans before putting them in the oven to bake.

So that they’d know which pizza belongs to which child.

For the first time ever, Josh made his own dinner.

He had five slices of his own pizza and declared it dee-licious!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday | Chocolate

 

1. Chocolate

Who doesn’t love M&M’s? 

I remember, as a kid, I would pick and eat all the orange M&M’s first,

then I would make my way to green and red.

 

2. Numbers

The number pad to “call” for an elevator in our building.  You key in the floor you want to go to and it “assigns” you an elevator.  Once you are assigned an elevator (either A, B, C, or D), you could get to your floor only via the assigned elevator.  There are no buttons inside the elevator itself, so if you get on the wrong elevator, you’ll have to ride it back down to the lobby and punch in your floor again to get another elevator assigned to you.

 

3.  Canned Food

If I were to have a favorite canned food, this would be it --except for their Alphabet Soup.  I never liked it as a kid.  I still don’t like it now.

 

4.  Music

A sampling of the many CDs I have…

I think I might be the only one left who still has CDs.

They are taking up far too much space.

Maybe it’s time for an iTouch or some similar gadget…

5.  Stack

This was the easiest prompt ever.  There are stacks everywhere around here. 

I keep meaning to clean up and organize everything. 

As soon as everything had been sorted and organized – just! –

I’d have to repeat the process all over again.  It never ends.

 

 

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Do head on over to Ramblings and Photos and check out other entries for Scavenger Hunt Sunday.

Joy of Love | Days 13 - 17

 

 

With Zoë at home with the chicken pox this week, I haven’t really had much time to take photos.  Not complaining, though.  I love hearing her in the background as I work.  I love hearing her make up songs and put on “Zoë Shows.”  When I have to go out on errands, I love getting calls from her (she’s memorized both mine and Chris’ numbers) and hearing her sweet voice say “Hello, Mommy… {immediately launching into a speech about what she’s doing}…”

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13 – Routine

My computer is on almost 24/7.  It gets dusty.

I have to clean it often.  And the kids often offer to help.

They think my little brush is cute.

 

14 – Wedding Band / Jewelry

My wedding band and engagement ring on Zoë’s finger.

She gladly handed back my plain wedding band after I took the photo,

but refused to relinquish my engagement ring.

I had to resort to begging and bribery.

I just asked her now why she likes that ring.

Because it has the jewel on top, Mommy.

 

15 – Kiss

I LOVE this shot.  Josh is not the most lovey of kids, but when he is, he’s pretty sweet!

 

16 – Staying In

Sometimes Josh would ask to watch TV or play on the computer when he’s home.

Other times, he would just disappear into his room and read.

Guess which I would rather see him doing.

 

17 – Going Out

This was what Chris had the last time we went out.

I’m going to order the same thing when we go back to that restaurant.

That Caesar salad was really yummy!

 

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I was helping at Josh’s class yesterday when my phone buzzed.  It was Zoë.

Zoë:  Hello, Mommy.  What time is it at KoKo’s school?

Me:  Same time it is at home, Zo.

Zoë:  What time is it then?

Me:  It’s 9:45, baby.

Zoë:  Oh.  What is KoKo doing?

Me:  He’s writing.

Zoë:  What letter is he writing?….

Zoë:  Mommy, you know?  I want to be a princess when I grow up.  But not a real princess.

I wish I could record all these conversations I have with her.  I wish I could play back to her –when she’s 20 –her sweet little voice and all the funny stuff she says.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Pucker Up and Do Away with the Pox!

Sometimes you have to wonder if vaccines really work.

We had both children vaccinated against chicken pox.

Yet here we are… Zoë down with the itchies.

She’s still her usual self –lovey, cuddly, sweet and so full of life, –except with the itchies.

I guess it is a good thing we did get her vaccinated.

At least she doesn’t have the breakout I had when I got it ages ago!

Big Boy Hair Cut

 

 

He’s six.

And he’s just gotten his first big boy hair cut

at one of those 10-minute Japanese chain hair salons,

where they “vacuum” the hair off your neck and clothes

after they’re done.

 

I’d been the one cutting his hair since he was born,

but I always worried that I might cut too much off or

give him a premature bald patch

with the wrong flick of the wrist.

 

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Who cuts your children’s hair?

Who cut your hair when you were a child?

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Come link up and share your “today” with us at Communal Global!

I Heart Faces | Red

I love photographing Red. 

It’s such a vibrant color, so alive.

I love little Zoë in Red. 

What is Red?

Red is a sunset
Blazing and bright.
Red is feeling brave
With all your might.
Red is a sunburn
A spot on your nose.
Sometimes red, is a red red rose.
Red squiggles out when you cut your hand.
Red is a brick
And the sounds of a band.
Red is hotness
You get inside
When you’re embarrassed
And want to hide.
Fire-cracker, fire-engine
Fire-flicker red –
And when you’re angry
Red runs through your head.

Red is an Indian
A Valentine heart,
The trimmings on
A circus cart.
Red is a lipstick
Red is a shout
Red is a signal
That says, “Watch out!”
Red is a great big
Rubber ball.
Red is the giant-est
Colour of all.
Red is a show-off,
No doubt about it –
But can you imagine
Living without it?

~Author unknown

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Head on over to I Heart Faces for more {Red} entries.