off with the training wheels!!

After trying out a small 2 wheel bike with no training wheels at a friends house we took Heather out to a parking lot to try out her own bike without training wheels. We picked a parking lot with a slight slant so that she could get some momentum and focus on balance and pick up speed without pedaling too much. Jeff got a good workout running alongside and trying to help her balance. She got pretty good speed going down the slight incline but didn't get too scared and really did great. Jeff was really good at helping her balance and keeping up her confidence. When I ran alongside I was so nervous I almost didn't let go at all! She did the same stretch up and down probably 8 times before she actually fell (with a few frustrations in between but no falling). She freaked but only for a minute and was willing to get back on and keep trying. I ran with her on a flatter stretch for a little bit towards the end. She did really great and is ready to go again--not without a parent nearby though...The biggest blunder was that we brought the video camera with a full tape and no empties! Oh well. I didn't realize the camera was in the bag so the only still shots have me running in them (and Jeff did all the work1!)

Before bike riding we went to play foosball at a bar type of place. Charlie LOVES it and gets so serious about hitting the ball. Jeff and I can make the game go on for quite a while so it doesn't cost too much to play for as long as we want. Our friend Chad went with us and played with each of the kids once and with Jeff in an adult vs. kid game. The kids won of course and actually worked well together.

busy weekend

After my spa night on Friday we spent saturday morning in the sun while Heather and Charlie had T-ball. I went and got us pool passes and swim lessons and then we relaxed for a bit. Last night we headed over to a friends house--with a beautiful view--for pizza that the kids got to help make. It was nice and the kids all got along really well. Heather worked on riding a bike without training wheels. The first attempt made without our help and then a little coaching from our friends dad. She was really excited so we plan to go out tomorrow and try it out. This morning we got up and the kids were rearing to go so we headed out to get doughnuts for breakfast--almost as good as McHappy's for those Athenians and then to the nearby beach. It wasn't crowded but it definitely wasn't an original idea. Heather and Jeff found some shells while Charlie worked on a sandcastle and Cameron worked on getting as much sand on him as he could. The kids had a great time. Jeff dug a hole for cameron to sit in and a pool for Heather and charlie to fill up. The kids had a great time despite the frigid water. Cameron did not like being washed off in the ocean at the end of the trip but loved the sand and didn't eveen try to eat it until the last 15 minutes or so we were there.

happy birthday to me!

After a great mother's day I was happy to have a great birthday as well. Wanting to give me LOTS of time to celebrate Heather and Cameron got up at 6:30 ;-). After getting Heather off to school Cameron took a nice nap and charlie worked on a project which gave me an unexpected few minutes to myself. The boys and I headed in to Paria to get some tomato seeds and other garden necessities for our small flowerbed. Unfortunately Jeff had a lunch meeting so Charlie and I enjoyed lunch on our own. When Heather got home from school we opened presents "with my mom and dad" on skype which was fun. The kids also gave me their cards which had a patio set and wii fit inside (well OK just pictures). I had pre-planned dinner to let jeff off the hook and attended a spouse's dinner where I was suppsoed to win fabulous prizes but instead brought home a bath soap set--happy birthday to...Heather?! The kids called out good night and Jeff fixed the angel food cake (that he made) and raspberries, ice cream and whipped topping for desert--yeah!! I also got to celebrate Friday night with a "spa night" that the family services was putting on for spouse appreciation day...I got a foot spa, parafin wax for hands, 5 minute massage, head massage with a weird thing and a eyebrow wax. Since I had never done that it was interesting--probably not a repeater for me as I didn't really notice a difference... It was fun to spend time with just ladies--no kids--and be pampered a bit.

softball and fences and sales oh my!

We had a busy weekend with everyone having activities to do. Saturday started out with Jeff and our friend Andy putting up a fence in our yard. They dug holes and filled with concrete while 6 kids played around them. I took stuff up to the flea market to try to get rid of stuff and make a little money as well. While I did that Jeff took Charlie and Heather to run a 1/2 mile "kids run" on the track. They both did great for the first lap and Charlie petered out for the second while Heather raced on. Jeff coaxed Charlie into a second lap and they earned their t-shirts. The afternoon was filled with more fence building and two more kids added to the mix. Dinner was a bit hectic with so many kids (can't imagine how jon and kate do it every night). Sunday we started out the day finishing the fence (which looks good) then jeff got the call for sotftball. From 2-7 with an hour break he played 4 games and got some good hits and catches in. The kids and I watched, played at the park, drew pictures, and ate stadium food (hot dogs and chips). Yesterday (Monday) the boys and I went on a long walk and enjoyed the morning at the park. When we got home we dug holes and planted our bushes for the yard and Heather and i took some time to read in the fading sunlight.

Happy 8 month birthday Cameron!!

Cameron is 8 mos old today. He's still a pretty happy guy and with so many playmates who wouldn't be happy. The kids still want to play with him lots and he isn't quite mobile enough to get into their stuff but as evidenced below he's starting to get where he wants to go--slowly. Today he got up on his knees and elbows so I don't think it will be long until he's moving faster.
He's not that fond of eating food from a spoon but if we can get stuff into his mouth he's usually pretty happy to chew it up and swallow. So far he's not that thrilled with green beans or peas but fruit and corn and sweet potatoes get met with a smirk once they get in. His new face is a crinkled up nose which is pretty funny. In conjunction with his dad he can make some pretty funny mouth noises but not on camera (probably because I am on the other side cracking up which makes him laugh and ruins the focus on the mouth noises). This is the best we've got so far.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy mothers day to all. I was greeted with--don't get up mom followed by an extra bit of time to play with cameron in bed and rewarded with breakfast (which the kids ate with me) in bed. Then downstairs, flowers, a clock radio, book of Terceira, ceramic tile made by Heather at school, and cards galore. It was a really way to start the day. We then went to the mother's day brunch on base (just OK--but I didn't have to cook!) and enjoyed the day at the beach looking for shells. We found some tiny, tiny treasures and it was fun just to get out and enjoy the nice day. That evening we headed back to our friend Chad's house to go to the bullfight which was fun. We stayed for a few wild ones and then left before the one who tore a hole in the cardboard covering the porch--ahhh! It was a great day and we all had fun ;-)

busy week!

We had such a busy week last week the kids are still exhausted! Heather had a great time at two sleepovers the last two fridays and was exhausted--but actually fairly well behaved--the next day. Last Saturday they kids had t-ball and were pretty worn out by the time we went out to dinner with some friends at a restaurant on the water (what isn't here?!). Sunday we went to a Brazilian restaraunt that has been nicknamed "death by meat" because they have a traditional Brazilian salad bar and then bring around like 8 different kinds of meat to complete the meal. It was really good and I was pretty brave to try most of the things which were described to us by our portugese friend as "a different part I don't know how to translate". I figured he probably knew heart, stomach, and brain so it seemed safe!

Monday Heather and Charlie had a "babysitter" while Jeff played softball and I went to a meeting. One of Jeff's friends was brave enough to come have popcorn and watch a movie with the kids who were just fine. Tuesday Heather went to AWANA on base and loved it--it was their next to last meeting for the year so she will probably get more involved next year. The rest of the week was filled with softball, t-ball, and the usual playgroup and library but it felt like every day we were running from place to place. Last night we went to another bullfight in the street. The house we were standing on seemed very secure, up on a 4 foot wall with about 15 feet of grass between the railed porch and brick wall. It was great until the bull jumped up on the grass between the wall and the porch. Heather and Jeff stayed outside out of range--but not within my comfort zone. Charlie, Cameron and I watched the rest from teh house and had a great view of the bull in the grass in front. It was a fun way to spend the evening.

bullfights and sleepovers

Charlie and I managed to get out for another walk today. Our reward was three baby kittens that were sooo cute and apparently living in the rock wall between a cow field and the road we were walking on. Had I been able to catch one it might have come home with us :-). After some good excercise Charlie played at the park with a few friends and Cameron enjoyed the baby swing which he is big enough to swing in slowly. He has a big smile on his face and laughs the whole time. Heather came home from school eager to go to her first sleepover. She went off happily and it's almost midnight and we haven't heard from her so she must be making it to sleep at least. The boys and I went with a friend to a bullfight in town. Luis (the homeowner) has a house that overlooks the street and we hung out with some of his friends on the porch overlooking the street. Bullfights are held weekly if not nightly here throughout the summer but this was the first that we had heard of. The "fight" really consists of a social activity during which they let a bull out on the street, "held" by ropes and men dance around in front of it and run for cover the moment the bull takes interest. We didn't see any real "fighting" or tossing of people so it was a nice gentle introduction to the season.