'cause I was tired of looking at the other picture...

Aw, how cute, you thought I was going to blog.  That's precious.

She's a Pre-Madonna (yeah, I made that up)

I know, it's called a "Prima Donna", I don't live under a rock.  But look at what this girl is wearing for her costume party.  If that ain't Pre-Madonna, I don't know what is.

Arrow of Light, 'cause he's good like that

Gavin moved up to the real, bona fide Boy Scouts last month.  But before he did, he received his Arrow of Light award, pretty much the highest award you can receive in Cub Scouts.  I'm not saying he did it all on his own, but he did it and there were not too many fights or tears shed over it.  We're really proud of him.  Next stop, Eagle Scout.  Wish us luck on that one.

Valentine-y Cuteness

When I see something cute, my first thought is, "I must copy that and make it my own."  So I did.  Cute or what?

Interesting observation

Cambria and Carson look so much alike.  They really, really do.  Our computer has facial recognition software and can identify people in pictures.  It's pretty accurate, however, this is what showed up today.

Every one of those is wrong and none of them is Carson.  I guess all my kids have interchangeable faces.

Sad, maybe, or maybe not...

Gavin turned 11 this month.  11?  No way.  That just seems way off.  It's not.  My firstborn, my young man, my big kid is 11.  My kids get a birthday party with friends every other year.  At least that's how we've done it in the past.  Things may start to change. Either way, this year was Gavin's year to have a friend party.  He really wanted to have it at the bowling alley on base.  6 lanes, a whole room FULL of video game stations, pool tables, ping pong and air hockey.  Pretty much a boy's dream location.  Because I knew we'd have to transport all the guests (because we have base access and most don't), I told him he had to limit the number of guests to 6.   3 friends from church, 3 from school.  He chose carefully and selected only those boys who were really HIS friends. Not my friends, not kids of my friends, but his very own friends.

As the RSVPs trickled in, (and by trickled, I mean, we got 2) I started to realize that this could be a disaster.   I just started feeling like Gavin's big party year was going to be a sad disappointment.  I quickly brainstormed to see who we could invite last minute, but Gavin didn't want to add more kids because these were the boys he chose.  We ended up with three boys.  2 brothers from church and a friend from school.  They did bowling and games and had a fabulous time.  I am so grateful they came.  So very grateful.  It could have been sad and disappointing, but I think it was ok.  Next time, I'll let him invite 10 friends.  Then when 5 show up, it will be great.

cookie pizza and other things that make me fail

I used to be a serious gym-aholic.  I went religiously, I even taught classes, I was was pretty happy with the way my clothes fit.  Then, I moved here.  I slacked off and then lost my motivation entirely.  My muscles vanished and my clothes were snuggish.  It was sad.  I was sad.  I enlisted a few friends into a weight loss challenge and we are going to look famous by the time we're done.  I type this here, so if you see me eating  candy, milkshakes, cheeseburgers, gravy, anything like that, you can call me out on it.  It's pressure, but I clearly need the pressure.  Don't make me cookie pizza.  I know that's kind of "my thing," but if you ever feel like you want to make one, don't.  It'll be better for everyone, and by everyone, I mean me.  'Cause that way I'll win the challenge and take my friends' money.  It'll be great.

Scouting: not for the apathetic

Gavin is 10, he's been 10 for 364 days.  In that time, he had the opportunity to earn his Webelos badge for Cub Scouts.  For 300 days, he had little motivation to do so.  He likes scouts, but was not motivated to really progress on his own.  Clint lit a fire under him and he trudged through more than half of the requirements over Christmas Break.  We're proud to report he finished it and earned his Webelos Badge at the last pack meeting.  Now he'll move own to real Boy Scouts and it will be more fire-lighting for Clint and I to get him motivated.  If Boy Scouts has amazing things like marble shoots and pinewood derbys, we may just be able to get him going.  I guess campouts and show-shoeing will be viable alternatives.  Congrats, Gav-o, we're proud of you!

Great Wolf Lodge-iness

I am someone who doesn't believe in pulling my kids out of school for things.  It's your birthday?  You're going.  There's a friend in town?  You're going.  We have tickets to Hawaii? You're going.  You get the idea.  Anywho, there's a place that is the stuff that dreams are made of right here in WA, but you'd be crazy to go on weekend.  Crazy.  It's like $100 cheaper to go during the week.  I mean, if that's how you roll, spend on, my friend, but we're way too cheap for that.  We've heard so many fantastic things about the Great Wolf Lodge and we really wanted to take the kids.  They are the perfect age for amusement park type venues.  Still young enough to enjoy the magic, but not too little to ride all the rides.  Perfect.

We decided to take them and keep it a secret until we pulled into the parking lot.  We're sneaky like that.  They were totally surprised and ridiculously excited.  It was fun.  Really, really fun.  I'd love to go back, mostly because it boosted my self image (there's always someone bigger than you in a smaller swim suit), but also because it was so much fun.  And yeah, I pulled them out of school.  Worth it.

The Happening Hoskins 2011

Boo.

Yes, I know it's January.  I would just like to illustrate what happens when you take a little time off.  Your kids get big.   Man, I miss those little babies.

This is how we do it.

Cambria played soccer for the first time last year and thought it was fabulous.   I love those commercials where the kid playing soccer gets a grass stain and the doting mother pours on a little Tide to wash it right out.  Puh-lease, here's what we, in the PNW,  look like after soccer.  Put THAT in your commercial.

Hiatus Over

Call it what you will (slacking, sabbatical, laziness, busy-ness), but I'm done.  Break over.  I'll blog, you'll read; it'll be like old times.  And since no post is complete without a picture, here you go.  Delight in this boy's crazy.

the season has ended

There are only a few kinds of candy that I really like.  That's not really a bad thing, but when Easter rolls around I have a real situation on my hands.  I like, no, adore Cadbury Mini Eggs.  Please don't misunderstand, the Cadbury Creme Eggs are vile and disgusting, I'm talking about the above photo NOT below.  They are creamy chocolatey goodness inside a crispy candy shell.  They are heavenly.  I am blogging about them to help me get over the loss of them until next spring.  I bid you adieu, my little bits of goodness, until next year.

grin

Carson will be 7 in a few weeks and has had the good fortune too keep all his baby teeth firmly planted in their original location.  It was causing him a great deal of distress because most of his friends had lost several and he was feeling a little left out.  Finally, with much fanfare and delight, he lost a tooth.  Well, not so much "lost," as had it removed by a pair of pliers, but let's not worry about the details.  Point is, there's a big hole in his mouth and he couldn't be happier.  A few days later, the accompanying tooth came out.  He talks with a lisp and he thinks he's awesome...or maybe awethome...