There they go....

First day of school, yet again.

This one, of course, was a little different -- David's kids are working they're way through the system; between broken fax machines and bureaucratic shenanigans on the part of both Wake AND CH/C, it was down to the wire, but it looks like all is going to be well.

Grace is still somewhat in her Rock Star persona, she's loving being one of the big kids at the bus stop:


I've lost the ability to make Peter let me take a picture of him on the first day; he did allow me to give him a hug before he left (inside, of course, where there were no potential witnesses). Apparently middle schoolers (MIDDLE SCHOOLER! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?????) are just way to cool for pictures. Or parents. Or most everything, as far as I can tell!

So, off we go again for yet another year....

Rock Camp, Day one

No, not Camp Rock, Rock Camp.

Or, more specifically, Girls Rock NC Camp!

Yep, Grace is at Rock Camp. An organization called Girls Rock NC is putting on a Rock-n-Roll camp this week.

So, today was day one. Her Dad dropped her off this morning, so I didn't see her till dinner time. She is WAY psyched. This may be the most fun she's ever had.

Her band is called Sparkling Horses; apparently their Band Manager (i.e. camp counsellor) is a big fan of Sparklehorse, so they took their name from there. Grace is the lead singer, there are 4 other girls in the band: a guitarist/backup singer, a bass player, a drummer and a keyboardist. Grace actually knows the keyboardist from pre-school, so I'm kinda hoping they make it big, just for the wikipedia entries ("Cohen and keyboardist Rachel Cullen first met at 6 months in day care, but waited until elementary school to form Sparkling Horses")!

So, yes, she's have a great time. More Rock Camp updates later!

My girl has fashion sense!

Or, perhaps a sense of propriety.

So, I'm home sick today, and we're watching a home-made Star Wars marathon. We're in the middle of Episode II, where Annikan buries his mother. Ani's step-sister-in-law, the future Aunt Beru, is there, wearing the standard Tatooine uniform of very neutral (ie sand) colored tunic and leggings.

And Grace says?

"White!?!?!?! Why is she wearing white??? It's a funeral!!!!!"

And, yes, I did tell her that in some cultures white IS a funereal color!

My Girl is playing the Cradle!

Grace is signed up for a Rock Camp this summer.

Rock as in Rock-n-Roll, not geology, which is what her grandfather thought!

She goes to camp for a week (days only -- Mom is not ready for sleepaway yet, even if Grace is), then they play two shows -- one the Friday that camp ends, at a place in Pittsboro.

And one at Cat's Cradle, in Carrboro.

Cat's Cradle.

Cat's-stinkin'-Cradle! How cool is that?!?!?!

For those of you who don't know, Cat's Cradle is an indie music institution, at least in the south-east. It's been around in various Chapel Hill-Carrboro locations since forever, nearly (or at least 30+ years). It's provided a place for up-and-coming musicians to play, some of whom have even become famous!

It's also where I spent a LOT of time in college. Lots. Lots and Lots.

The Cradle is a bar, yes, but it was never part of the bar scene per se. It was one of the first bars to let underage kids in, so that they could see the bands (and oh, boy, you did NOT want to risk drinking with a fake there -- you'd get banned for life, and they meant it, and then where would you go to watch bands?). It went smoke-free several years ago, out of concern for both the employees and the bands who pass through.

The Cradle has a mystique. It has an aura. It has a presence.

And Grace is going to play there!

HOW COOL IS THAT???

Pretty Cake

I was out of town this weekend; a GREAT weekend in the mountains. As with all vacations, there was a little bit of sadness when I got home; I never want vacations to end!

But there, on my kitchen table (under a bowl so The Boys wouldn't eat it) was this:

What a pretty cake!

It's a flower cake that Grace made me at the birthday party she went to on Saturday!

I have a good kid

Well, actually, I have two good kids! But I'm especially proud of Grace today.

As anyone with more than a superficial interest in ACC (perhaps even college) basketball knows, last night was the first of this years Duke-Carolina games.

The Duke-Carolina rivalry is a passionate one. We hate each other. Truly. And, yes, if it sounds like I'm repeating myself, I have blogged about this before.

But part of the fun of the rivalry is that we DO hate each other. Both fanbases are passionate about their school, and convinced they do it right, even though only Carolina really does. And we revel in provoking each other (witness that last sentence!).

Now, for the most part in Chapel Hill, folks are UNC fans. But not all, by any means. A few of the teachers at the kids' school are Dookies, while I'm saddened by their choice, I do applaud their undying loyalty; they wear their Duke blue and their Devils proudly, particularly on the days of the Duke-Carolina game.

Well, one of the teachers who's a Duke fan decked himself out yesterday; undoubtedly at least partially to egg on the student body. He not only had on the pants/shirt/hat/socks, he also draped himself in a Duke flag and ran through the cafeteria.

He was soundly booed. Goodnaturedly (I hope), but soundly. And, yes, Grace as a good Tarheel, joined in...

...until she saw her friend Grace T (who, for some reason is known as Baby Bob). Baby Bob, who's also a Duke fan, was really, really upset by all the boos, and had started crying. My Grace immediately stopped booing, and tried to make Other Grace/Baby Bob feel better.

As much as I enjoy sharing my love for Carolina with my kids, I am far, FAR prouder that Grace realizes that it IS just a game, and isn't worth losing a friendship over.

But, yeah, I don't know if I'd've posted this if Carolina had lost last night! ;-)
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Well, it IS an appositive...

Grace's reading homework tonight was to read a blurb on Paul Revere, then answer some questions; all having to do with finding the appositive phrases. Then they had to write their own sentence that contained an appositive.

Grace's sentence?

"I am My Own Worst Enemy, the first song I played on medium, is my favorite song in Rockband 2."

Let's just hope her teacher isn't a Lit fan....

A good weekend

I haven't had many really, truly GOOD weekends lately; they haven't been hideous or traumatic (at least not TOO traumatic), but there have been high emotions, exhaustion, whininess, etc. And, yes, pretty much all from me, though some of the emotion (and certainly some exhaustion) has come from other quarters.

Anyway, THIS weekend was really, really good. Even great, I might say.

First of all, I had a lazy Friday evening of Pinewood Dery final steps and Rockband. Grace had a fundraiser at school for her drum line; Peter needed to get the wheels on his Pinewood Derby car, so came to my house to do that; we got the wheels on, glued on the figure, and then grabbed a bite to eat. Then David and I played Rockband! Nothing major, but a good, calm, non-angst ridden night.

Then Saturday was pretty much a red-letter day. Peter won first place in Most Original at his Pinewood Derby. Both kids lost their basketball games, true, but Grace learned to set a screen, and did it well! Peter had a great (personal) game: 10 points, 8 rebounds, a block and a steal (and a turnover, but we won't talk about that). After Peter's game, I headed to David's house where I watched UNC beat State (always a good thing), then we went to a Hurricanes game. The 'Canes played really well, and really HARD! Tons of checks, very aggressive play, and they won.

Today was milder again; I rang in church, which means getting up early (ugh), but putzed around with David, then made chicken wings, nachos and pound cake and watched the Superbowl with him and his kids. And the Steelers won, so Peter, and by extension his mother, is happy!

I like good weekends!
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My silly (but worldly) kids...

We were getting silly at dinner last night, and at one point I asked my kids the classic question from Stand By Me (or, for you purists, from The Body by Stephen King): "Micky's a mouse, Donald's a duck, Pluto's a dog. What's Goofy?"

They, of coures, replied, "He's a dog!"

So I said, "But Pluto's a dog. What's Goofy?"

Finally Grace got exasperated with her mother's stupidity, and (very patiently) said, "Mom. Micky and Minnie are both mice. Donald and Daisy are both ducks. Pluto and Goofy are both dogs."

At which point Peter cried out, "Hey, Pluto and Goofy are gay!!!"

More ways to embarass one's children

So, I was driving the kids to choir last night. It was a really nice night, temperature-wise, so I had the windows open. And, of course, was listening to the radio.

When Cameo's "Word Up" came on.

And, no, I don't know every word. But I think I still know as many as I did in the mid-80's!

So, there I am, radio blaring, windows open, singing at the top of my lungs:

"If it's music we can use it, give me the chance, we don't have no time for psychological romance. No romance, no romance, no romance for me, mama, come on baby tell me what's the word, word up!"

Grace just thought I was crazy.

Peter was appalled. I got a raised eyebrow from him, and then when we got to the "W-O-R-D UP!" bit, I think he buried his face in his hands!

It's SUCH fun to mess with them!

What happens when you have relatives in The Castro

Grace, Peter and I were watching My House is Worth What? tonight on HGTV. The first house was owned by two partners in San Francisco; they had bought and renovated a Victorian right before adopting a son, and were now wondering how much it would be worth.

A few minutes into the segment, Grace looked up and said, "I just realized something."

"What's that?" I asked.

"They're gay," says Grace, "I was wondering, and said, 'Hey, wait. Where do they live? San Fran!" (shrugs matter of factly)

I love my daughter!

My kids the political commentators

Peter and Grace have been quite involved in this years political races. Their Dad videoed them endorsing their favorite candidates.

Here's Peter's:




Grace, of course, is not quite as serious as Peter is.....

Why drummers shouldn't have kids

Or, at least shouldn't let them play drums.

Grace has joined her school's drum line (yep, they have a drum line, a dance squad and a step team in elementary school. Love it!); according to her, Mr Garret (one of the coaches) has declared that if they want to play snare, they need their own sticks. Wisely (imo) he has decided NOT to let 8, 9 and 10 year olds borrow his sticks!

So, I went out at lunch today to the local music store to buy her a pair of sticks.

I have to admit, I started with the Vic Firths and other good sticks. And, no, they're not expensive, but a little voice in the back of my head did say "Are you really going to pay 8 or 9 dollars for drumsticks for a kid???"

Then I saw the jar of cheap sticks on the counter. Three dollars a pair, they're still decent, seemed like just the thing for a budding percusionist. I even bought two pairs, figuring the chances of her breaking or losing a stick were pretty high.

Then I had to drive home.

With my iPod playing Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell.

With drumsticks in the car.

I was good, though -- I only used the sticks when I was stopped at red lights!!! (the rest of the time I just drummed on the steering wheel with my hands like I always do!) And, I even left both pairs of sticks at home for Grace, rather than taking one pair to my office!

The work in progress

Grace's bracelet in the planning stages...

Grace's Party

Grace's birthday party this year is at The Original Ornament, a make-your-own jewelry place in Carrboro.

Here's Grace and her friend Elena at the party:

I Made it!!!

Mondays are the craziest days in my week. I leave work at 4, drive 5 miles west to pick up the kids at school, drive 7 miles east (yep, right past my office) to get Grace to To Shin Do by 5, Drive 9 miles west (yep, right past my office again, school, AND my house) to get Peter to tennis by 5:30, then fly back to get G by 5:45.

It's definitely a race against time, but after 4 weeks, I think I've gotten it down; the trick was to get Grace comfortable enough at the Dojo so that she didn't need me to stay till her class started; that means (when the Good Lord's willing and the lights aren't red) that I can get Peter to his tennis lession 5 or 10 minutes early, which means I have a full 20 minutes to get back to Grace!

Here's a shot of my car clock when I parked outside of Grace's Dojo tonight (my car clock is 5 minutes fast, for the record) -- 2 minutes to spare!!!

Ah, the benefits of age...

Or, Happy Birthday Grace!!!!

Grace turns eight today. Wow.

She's with her Dad this weekend, so I called her this morning to wish her a happy birthday. As it turns out, I caught them while they were driving to have breakfast with Grammie and Grandpa Bob.

Grace's favorite thing about turning 8 (so far, anyway)?

She was riding to breakfast without her car seat!

You go, G!!!

Oh, thank goodness

It turns out that Raggedy Ann has SLIGHTLY curlier hair than Andy. All is well....

Grace's wake up call

Wednesday night, Grace asked if she could sleep with me tonight (Friday). I reminded her that she was with her Dad this weekend, but I figured the reason she wanted to was because her birthday is Saturday, so I offered to let her sleep with me last night instead, which seemed to work just fine.

As she was getting ready for bed last night, she asked if I would wake her up this morning with "Army Bear", one of her stuffed animals. This is one that plays a birthday song, so I said sure, even though I figured it would be a moderate nightmare finding in in Grace's room.

So, this morning after I got out of the shower, I went looking for "Army Bear." Now, Grace has a tendency to switch her animals clothes all around, plus she has the messiest room in the world, so I figured it might take me awhile. I quickly found a bear wearing camo, but he didn't have a noise maker. Then I saw more camo, but it was just a shirt with no animal attached. Finally I was reduced to picking up any animal I saw, looking for a noisemaker and listening to the song.

Finally, I saw him. A Frog wearing Hello Kitty pajamas. THAT'S when I remembered, it's not Army BEAR, it's Army FROG who plays the birthday song!

I woke her up to the song, and she was happy, but she didn't seem to understand why it was so difficult for me to find Army Bear, when he's actually a frog wearing pink Hello Kittie pjs!

C is for Cookie!

That's good enough for me!

Yep, it's that time again. At least twice a year, I make Oatmeal Scotchies. When I was a kid, these were my favorite cookies, and my Nana used to make them for me all the time.

Sadly, not being retired, I can't make them all the time (plus I'd be big as a house if I did!). I've always made them occasionally, though, and one year when I made them, Peter simply had a fit. He LOVED them.

At that point, they became the official School Birthday Celebration cookie, so now, at least twice a year, I make up a batch of Oatmeal Scotchies and take 'em to school.

So, today was Grace's turn. She helped make them last night, and took the birthday kid's perogative of having the first taste. Last April Peter added a new twist to the birthday shenanigans; he requested a Wendy's lunch, so Grace of course wanted one today (kids cheeseburger and fries and chocolate milk)

The kids in her class loved the cookies, and now they're in my office, tempting me!