We had our 20 week ultrasound yesterday, and found out that we're having a boy! Riley was confused, since he was totally convinced that we were having a girl. He had his heart set on a baby sister. But, once we pointed out that with Owen, Ty and Tanner, plus a brother, he would have a whole basketball team, he was ok! He thought it was pretty neat looking at the baby on "TV."
Profile view...
Yes, that arrow is pointing to his little thingy. We're looking up from the bottom as if he's sitting on a pane of glass. This guy wasn't as shy as Riley was. It took a while to find Riley's parts, but this was one of the first views we got. I guess he takes after his dad!
Another profile view, from the other side.
Here's his little feetie!
The Ultrasound tech was sweet, and gave Riley a picture of his own of his baby brother so he can take it to school and show his friends. This is right after we got out of the office, before we went out for dinner.
All in all, it was a pretty exciting day! I am SOOO outnumbered...but that's ok!
Finally! Pictures from Riley's 3rd birthday party! There were WAY too many great pictures to choose from, but here are a few favorites. The day turned out to be gorgeous, which is always iffy during March in Colorado! Thank goodness for that, though, since we had 14 kiddos and 35 grownups! Everyone took advantage of the early spring sunshine to hang out outside and watch the kids have a blast!
These are Riley's very best friends...Ty and Tanner are the twins, and Bayley is...well, she's the boss. The four of them started at Bright Horizons together when they were all about 5 months old. Bayley was with them for 2 years, but doesn't go to BH anymore, sadly, since her dad doesn't work in the district any more. But no matter how many months go by without seeing her, whenever Bayley comes around, she is in charge of the boys! Some things just never change! Ty and Tanner go to school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and every morning Riley asks me, "Is it a Ty and Tanner day?" Sometimes it's the only way I can get him out of bed! The Birthday Boy with his awesome big cousin, Owen! Owen takes such good care of his little cousin! They are wearing eye black because they were playing baseball in the yard. This is a favorite activity when everyone is over. Owen has quite the swing...I think the kid owes us about a dozen balls that have sailed over the fence into the neighbor's yard. Who knows, maybe he'll be hitting them into the San Francisco Bay when the Rockies play the Giants about 15 years from now! Vaughn is another of Riley's school buddies. He REALLY enjoyed the cake and ice cream! I work with Vaughn's dad, Gordy, at Glacier Peak!
Too bad Riley's not a happy kid! He has SOO many people who love him to death! What a lucky little guy!
The big gift of the year was the REAL golf clubs from Uncle Keith and Auntie Holli. They are awesome! We've already been hitting the driving range. When he sets up to the ball, in order to get him to settle in, he takes a "Tiger Breath" before he swings. I told him to take a deep breath, he decided to call it a Tiger Breath! Too funny!
Since it was Riley's last birthday as an only child, we went all out. It sure was a great day! Lots of love and happiness!
For Easter yesterday, we had a great egg hunt at our house! Riley and Owen rustled up about 60 eggs total filled with candy, money, and of course regular eggs. Charline and Mom helped Riley color eggs on Saturday night while Steve and Dad were at the NCAA tournament.
After hunting eggs, we all went over to Keith's golf course for a great bunch! And of course, no brunch at the course would be complete without hitting a few balls on the range. We forgot Riley's clubs, but Owen brought his and was so sweet to share with Ri. They're left handed, so Riley had to adapt a bit. He didn't do too shabby, considering! Keith found a small club in the cart barn -- small for a grown up, but still taller than Riley! He whacked away at the balls with that one, though, and he was perfectly happy!
Below, you can see dad in his Sunday best, and Riley with the big wedge. As usual, he's got the tongue out, concentrating! He's got a pretty good swing!
Today, since we're on Spring Break, Riley and I took his clubs back out to Coal Creek and spent about 2 1/2 hours hitting buckets of balls, putting, and having lunch! I foresee a lot of that in the future!
Friday night we had an impromptu game night with the gang! We were parents of the year...Riley stayed up until midnight. The problem is, he doesn't get cranky when he's tired, he just keeps on playing, and he's so good, so when we have friends over, he's just part of the gang! Sometime around 10:30, Livin' on a Prayer came on the iPod mix...and a great Air Guitar performance ensued!
Twice a year at Glacier Peak we have Book Fair in our Library. They're always the same week as conferences. They're actually pretty cool, the kids get to shop for books, teachers get to make wish lists and our school makes money. Our parent group usually gives each kid in the school a $5 gift certificate to buy a book. Book Fairs are GREAT!
Our librarian, bless her heart, is a really sweet lady. And she LOVES the Book Fair. She loves it so much that she starts advertising it about 3-4 weeks in advance. Ok, so you have to get the word out, I understand that. However...there is such a thing as overkill. Here's what I mean:
Posters: at least 40; Flyers sent home: 2; Invitations to watch Book Fair DVDs/Commercials: 2,with subsequent reminders; E-mails: about 10; PA Announcements: including the ones before and after school for the staff, about 25, during the week of the Book Fair, there are usually multiple announcements within the course of one day. I'm not kidding.
So by the time the Book Fair FINALLY rolls around, we can't handle any more multi-media Book Fair information. Truly. It's become one of those dead horses we like to flog repeatedly. Every time there was an announcement, Dubs likes to say, "I got your Book Fair right here!' with gesticulations in certain areas. The day after the Book Fair ended, we go ahold of just a couple of the millions of signs. See below for the aftermath...
We got a lot accomplished on that Teacher Work Day....seriously! But we love the Book Fair! We get cool books, and fodder for jokes to last us until the next one..only 140 more days left to go!!!
Riley's been practicing his letters. He is able to identify all the letters in his first name, plus M and A (for Mama!), and can pick them out when they are in other words too! Poor guy doesn't have a chance, I'm always trying to teach him stuff! He's been interested in writing his name, and has been doing pretty well with tracing his first name. Today was the first time we've tried his whole name. I think he did pretty darn good!!! It was interesting too, he kept switching hands, but did pretty much the same with both. Maybe he'll be ambidextrous!
Ok, this is so damn hysterical. Filipino prison looks like fun!!!
Soulja Boy
You've probably seen this...
A little Sister Act for you...
I just like this one because it's called "Jumbo Hot Dog." What's not to like about that?
And now for some more 80's:
Here is a copy of an article about this whole deal. It's a rehabilitation program!:
By Hugh Riminton CNN
CEBU, Philippines (CNN) -- The sea of orange moves with an urgent rhythm as music booms in the early morning light. The dancers twirl in unison, every movement carefully choreographed.
Prisoners at the Cebu, Philippines, facility recently practiced a "Sister Act" performance.
1 of 2 But what's most striking about these dancers are that most are accused murderers, rapists and drug dealers. They dance their jig behind prison walls. They are led by a choreographer who is accused of mass murder. One of their biggest stars is a transsexual, awaiting trial on methamphetamine dealing charges.
Welcome to the Cebu Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines. Once infamous for its gang violence, the prison is now famous for its dancing prisoners. Their hard work has spawned one of the unlikeliest hits on the Internet -- a reworking of Michael Jackson's 1980s smash hit video "Thriller." Filmed by the prison boss, it has drawn more than 6 million hits on YouTube.
They've also posted several other dance videos with less fanfare, including performances of "Sister Act," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Radio Ga Ga." Watch the prisoners boogie down »
"We don't have dumbbells here. We don't have weights. We have dancing," prison overseer Byron Garcia told CNN.
And dance they do. Every able-bodied prisoner -- about 1,500 of them -- must dance. If they refuse, they lose certain privileges, mostly conjugal visits. Sometimes, the dancing occupies up to five hours a day. Garcia rejects claims he's abusing the prisoners' rights by forcing them to dance so many hours a day.
He says it gives them a renewed sense of worth and confidence, breaking them of their violent ways. He is convinced his prison is a model for prison authorities everywhere, an example of how to crack the plague of violent prison gangs.
"These men learned they can dance and still be men," he says. "It makes them work together, it makes them exercise and they learn self-esteem.
"They no longer feel like lowly criminals." A smile breaks his face. "Now," he says, "they feel like celebrity criminals."
Garcia took a gamble when he took over the prison three years ago. Gangs and corrupt guards ruled the prison. Serious violence broke out at least once a week. He sacked most of the guards and ordered the prisoners, first to march and then to dance.
"I had to ignore everything in the handbooks to do this," he says. "People in the United States tell me it couldn't work in their prisons." He shrugs: How can they know without trying it?
The prison boss says there has not been a violent incident in nearly a year and a half. "They are just not hostile anymore," he says.
Garcia himself has a hard-line pedigree in law and order. His father, Congressman Pablo Garcia, introduced the death penalty to the Philippines in the 1980s.
Many of his inmates could yet be sentenced to death if they ever make it to trial. Philippine justice moves so slowly that simply to be charged can feel like a life sentence. Most of the inmates here are hardcore suspects, facing murder, rape, robbery and serious drugs offenses.
But many could be innocent -- and many remain here, as many as 16 in a cell -- awaiting trial.
Leo Suico, who's accused of mass murder, says dancing means "we don't think of bad things." Fighting back tears, he says the experience has taught him "love" -- pure and simple.
That sentiment is echoed by other prisoners, including Wenjiell Resane. An accused methamphetamine dealer and self-described "she-male," Resane shares a single prison cell with a dozen transsexuals. She has been waiting three years for trial.
Resane is the star of the "Thriller" video in which more than 1,000 other prisoners took part.
"I tried being a performer before, but no one took any notice," Resane says with the mock bashfulness of the practiced celebrity. "Now, in jail, I have become a star."
The Michael Jackson role is performed with flair by 36-year-old Crisanto Niere, an accused crack dealer who has been waiting five years for trial.
He loves the dancing and laughs at his unlikely fame, but says the video has brought him a reward he once thought would be forever beyond his reach. His son, Christopher, has only known him as a prison inmate.
"He used to be so ashamed of me," says Niere. "Now when he goes to school, he tells everyone the dancer on the Internet is his father."
He adds, "It makes me proud that my son is proud of me."
They are now practicing for their encore, a thank you and acknowledgement to their Internet audience. It is the 1980s hit "Electric Dreams," chosen by the prison boss.
"These people are behind prison bars," says Garcia, who admits he uploaded the "Thriller" video to YouTube. "But with the Internet, we all can be together in electric dreams."
My Aunt Pauline "Topol", her partner, Aunt Jill, and their daughter Carmel were invited to take part in the annual Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco this year. This is a big honor! They were featured on the float presented by the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, which had the theme of "A Living Family Portrait - Three Generations of LGBT Family Love and Acceptance." Along with several other people, Topes and Jill represented the second generation and Carmel represented the 3rd generation. Despite the cold, rainy weather, they had a wonderful experience!
Profile view...
Another profile view, from the other side.
Another profile view, from the other side.
Here's his little feetie!
The Ultrasound tech was sweet, and gave Riley a picture of his own of his baby brother so he can take it to school and show his friends. This is right after we got out of the office, before we went out for dinner.
