Just stuff

I think I finally figured out the root of my computer woes. My anti spyware program was bogging down the system, especially after the most recent update. Stupid program! It's a good thing it was free after the rebate, or I'd be pretty upset about shelling out money to slow my computer to less than a snail's pace. On top of that, P has advised that he would rather have me play Wii than work on the computer. So with the green light to play to my hearts content, I have neglected you. Sorry! Besides, there hasn't really been much to write about.

We finally decided to enroll C in private kindergarten next fall, which is a full day, as opposed to public kindergarten which is only 2 1/2 hours a day. Since we've seen so much progress with her lately, we think she may actually be up to a full day after all. Our hope is that she'll get lots of extra attention this year so that when she starts 1st grade she'll have the confidence of being one of the "smart kids". I really like the teacher she'll have for kindergarten, and several of the preschool kids from her current class will be in her new class. I think it will be less overwhelming to be at the same school as opposed to the new, huge, K-8 school they are building two blocks away from our house. On Friday her preschool teacher stopped me to say how proud she is of C and the amazing progress she has seen in her this year - both academically and especially socially. It's so nice to know that others can see the same positive changes we have.

Summer is quickly filling up with activities. We have a week of vacation scheduled for June in which we have planned to go to Utah. I'm excited to see everyone and do some of the activities I've planned, but I'm still less than thrilled at the thought of the drive. Last week we had some really hot days here, and the knowledge that it will be that hot every day in Utah is also daunting. I still haven't gotten P to commit to exact departure and return dates, so I can't book our hotel yet. It's frustrating to have so little time together to be able to actually plan things out. Vacation time is right around the corner, so I guess we really need to get this settled. Besides a trip, the girls are each signed up for six weekly dance classes, swimming lessons, and if there's room in the session we want then C will be going to a two week safety camp. So much for sleeping in. Not that that's an option with these two anyway!

I'm still smiling smugly to myself for pulling a fast one on the girls last Friday. P was trying to find a babysitter so we could go out to dinner with a work contact (snore) and then catch a movie afterwards. He couldn't find one on short notice so we scrapped dinner plans, but he did get his parents to come over for a few hours. Normally the girls are awesome for babysitters, but for some reason they just won't stay in bed for P's parents - which frustrates them enormously. We always seem to come home at 10 or 11pm to find the girls wide awake and knee deep in quiet mischief. So I suggested that we go about the evening as usual and put the girls to bed ourselves. We stuck around long enough to send them back to bed a second time, and then we scooted out to the movies. When we returned, they were sound asleep in the appropriate beds and grandma and grandpa hadn't heard a peep. They still don't know we snuck out ; ) I'm quite pleased with myself for hatching such a brilliant plan. We're going to have to use it again. And again. And again. Oh, and we went to see Iron Man. I'm not a fan of the comic book based movies, but P really wanted to see it, and it had good reviews so I agreed to go. It was an exceptional movie. Very engaging. I didn't look at my watch once.

Enchanted

I've been counting down the days to the DVD release of Enchanted today. I loved this movie! It was corny. It was funny. It was sweet. It was romantic. And it was a musical. C'mon, what more could a girl ask for?! Part of what made it so delightful was to see Disney poke some good natured fun at their own formulaic princess movies. My favorite parts were seeing where the main character, Giselle, found the material to make each of her dresses. (Think Sound of Music, but far more visual.)

I took the girls and Grandma at Home to see Enchanted on Thanksgiving Day (while our husbands worked at the restaurant). It was M's first movie in a theater and C's second (her first was Ice Age 2). C was absolutely entranced, and M clearly enjoyed the movie but, as usual, had a hard time sitting still. I felt a little bad because M kept bumping the seats in front of us where a pair of nice ladies were sitting. After the movie I apologized to them for the jostling. They assured me they were fine, and said how much fun it was to see the movie from a child's perspective (based on the comments the girls made during the film). For instance, when Giselle was wandering the streets of New York in her fluffy white wedding gown, C repeatedly asked me with great concern whether her dress was ruined. And M laughed so hard at the antics of the squirrel that even the most stoic adult would have to laugh along too. (Remember opening night of Peter Pan in Finding Neverland?)

So as soon as I get off work tonight, I'm off to pick up a copy. I'd highly recommend you go do the same!

Grandma and Grandpa are in town!

My parents are retired and live at the beach. However, between dad's church responsibilities and mom's doctors appointments, they seem to come into town pretty regularly and often will stay a night or two with us. The girls LOVE when they come. They do love both sets of grandparents (P's parents live just a 1/2 mile away, so we see quite a bit of them), but after they've clarified whether it is Grandma and Grandpa At The Beach or Grandma and Grandpa At Home we have much squealing and jumping. It is certainly gratifying to see how much they love their grandparents, and I know it does much for them too to be met with such a high level of enthusiasm. However, the best thing about when they come to town is that they usually suggest P and I go out and leave the kids to them. Wahoo! You don't have to ask me twice!!!

We decided to go see a movie. I know, how creative is that? But this is one of our favorite past times, and now the number of movies we actually see in a theater are few and far between. Luckily for me, P didn't ask me what was playing (meaning he'd get a say) but rather what did I want to see. Maybe it was because he felt so guilty because the last movie we saw was his choice and we both hated it (I Am Legend). I decided to pick something that he probably wouldn't have agreed to had he been given the opportunity to weigh in. Yes, I am that kind of wife.

So we went to see Juno. The only reason it was even on my radar was because there had been much discussion about it on my adoption group lists. It's about a 16 year old girl who gets pregnant, can't go through with an abortion, so she makes an adoption plan for her baby. I have to say that I loved it! It was funny, sweet and irreverant. I bawled through much of it, much to the chagrin of my husband - but he should be used to it by now. Movies with positive adoption themes always tug at my heart strings. I still tear up at the end of Meet The Robinsons, and I can't tell you how many times I've seen that now. Anyway, back to Juno, I would highly recommend it for adults if you are not super easily offended. P kind of grudgingly admitted that he liked it too, although he was distracted by the teenage vernacular that we are apparently totally out of touch with!

P has teased me mercilessly for years for my waterworks display at movies and even TV programs (but so far, no commercials). I try to discretely wipe away my tears so he won't notice, but even my eyes welling up is cause for jest. Well, now I am happy to report that I am not the only crier in the family. C cried at her first movie recently. Actually, she cried the first two times she saw it. It was A Little Princess, and it was at the end when Sarah's father didn't recognize her. Well, crying isn't really the most acurate term. My sensitive little girl literally wailed the first time she saw it. (I would also recommend this movie for anyone with young girls.) I sure look forward to crying through many a movie with her as she gets older!