Working on Fine Motor Skills

When Riley informed Charline that plucking stickers off a sheet and adhering them to paper was "practicing fine motor," we just about lost it. What 2 year old says something like that!? Obviously one who not only has a teacher for a mom, but who listens to every conversation within earshot, even when he seems to be playing with play-dough with the other preschoolers.

Now he likes to tell us that when things aren't working out the way they should, it's because his "fine motor skills aren't working." I'm not kidding.

Fortunately, his fine motor skills were working pretty well a Jun Sushi on mom's birthday. Also known as "the place where we take our shoes off." The restaurant is one of our faves, right outside mom and dad's neighborhood. They have the tatami platform where you do actually take your shoes off, but thankfully the tables are set over holes in the floor so that you sit with your legs dangling under the table instead of cross-legged. This is Riley, eating rice with chopsticks, left-handed, of course!
First you scoop...
Then you eat!

Stax and Stax and Stax

What happens when Steve goes out of town for work, there's a big sale on Lay's Stax at King Soopers, and Missy and Charline get a six pack of Hornsby's Cider? Well, a whole lotta Stax eatin' gets done! Charline introduced us to the beauty that is Sweet Thai Chili, Salt and Vinegar, Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream and Onion, and Tomato Basil Stax. It was stax-tastic, I must say! Riley loved the spicy Thai Chili, but was not a fan of "the red ones." (ie. Tomato Basil)
We lined those bad boys up like shots and had at it.
My artistic representation of gluttony at its finest...

Snow crazies!

What could be more fun that making snow angels in the yard! We've gotten a bit of snow over the past couple of weeks, and it's been so cold that a lot of it is still around. Steve took the opportunity to teach Riley how to make snow angels a few days ago. Then it was tackle time!

My too cute man!

I haven't had much time to blog lately, although lots has been going on! The site's been slow for uploading, and I haven't got the patience! However, I LOVE this picture! It completely captures Riley's personality. What a ham!!! More to come soon, I hope to get some done over winter break!

Trading Orientally

So, when the grocery store checker at the Safeway store where I've shopped for the past NINE YEARS asked me what my "language" was (English), no, my "native language," (English, you ignorant hosebag), I had to laugh. And I began to think about stereotypes. Since there aren't a whole lot of Asians in these parts, and of course there's that dead horse thing again, my friends and I have obviously taken this joke to the extreme. I have no real explanation that would make sense, it just makes sense to us. It's always amusing to see the reaction of strangers (or parents at the Skate Party), when Charline or Jenn pipes up, "Would you speak English, you know I don't understand your NATIVE LANGUAGE!" To which I inevitably respond, "I'm Filipino, man!" I know, you really have to be there...

At my school, there are always catalogs in the lounge with teachery-type things, knick knacks, etc. So, when I'm not doing kung-fu, eating rice, or driving poorly to do someone's nails, I like to look at the Oriental Trading catalog because they have a lot of really high-quality bric-a-brac that probably don't have lead in them, right?:

But wait, shouldn't it really be this?:
Now that's offensive.

Kinda like that Asian-themed birthday party some of my cousins might remember the night after Keith and Holli's wedding! The girl in the hat is someone we don't know, but the other Asian folk are Peachie and Brian, my cuz'z! HA! Some guy decided he wanted an "Asian" birthday party, so they all dressed up. Felicia was beside herself!

Hee hee! By the way, that would be DRUNK Brian. ;)

Living the Good Life

Brad and Nicole treated a big group of us to a weekend getaway in Vail. The ladies spa'd and the guys played in the gym all day with the kids. The weather was gorgeous, and we found a great park nearby for the kiddos. It was a great break from the "same ol', same ol'!"

Swings!
Walking the rocks with Aunt Nic.
The park had really neat wrought iron fences
Going home through the Eisenhower tunnel!

Go Broncos?

The Rockies gave it a valiant run, but in the end, the Sawx were too much. We attempted to turn our attention to the Broncos, but alas, they...suck. Guess it's time to say GO NUGGETS!
Riley hopes that the Bronco Robe Magic will help out the donkeys, but it doesn't seem to be working very well.

Our Own...Personal...Poet

Charline, our ever creative BFF decorated the lounge bulletin board for the month of October as only a Massachusetts girl can. Poetry that effectively kills off the 80's. Read on:

Colorado has more than just mountains

This was the sunrise the other morning after dropping Riley off at school. The sun was HOT PINK, it was absolutely amazing!
What a beautiful place we live in.

Pain

Maybe if I had some cool skates with pink flames on them, I wouldn't have fallen on my arse and injured my back at the Skate Party tonight. Or perhaps I shouldn't have tried spinning with some of my students...after all, it's been a good 18 years since my "hanging out at the Skate Rink" days. Ahh...skating to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Vanilla Ice, M.C. Hammer. Those were the days.

Guess I undid my fabulous hot stone massage I got last weekend. Hoping to get pics uploaded and the blog updated this weekend, got lots of pictures from Vail, Riley's Halloween party, and some other fun randomness!