Baby Reaches Moon, Astounding Scientists and Civilians Alike

Shortly after breakfast, a nondescript spacecraft materialized in Dining Room. Upon inquiry, the astronaut aboard told me it was a slightly altered space shuttle that bears a curious resemblance to a baby jumping seat turned on its side. The nose of the shuttle is softer than normal shuttles' and has a control panel that appears to be made of bits of buttons and pipe cleaners. (The advances in science and modern technology are baffling, aren't they?) The mission of the space shuttle this time was to accomplish something never before even attempted by astronauts or cosmonauts: to take a human baby to the moon.

Astronaut Calvin explains the controls to me, pre-launch.

He welcomes his co-pilot, Baby___.

Though appearing nervous at first, Baby___ quickly settled into his role.

Astronaut Calvin informed me that the plan was to merely, "orbit the moon with the baby, since the moon is too dangerous for babies since they don't have much gravity." The baby, whose name cannot be printed here due to the requested  privacy of his parents, displayed a cavalier and adventurous spirit while in space. Brazenly radioing Mission Control, he requested permission to land on the moon! What could they do to stop him? Astronaut Calvin explained he was honored just to be in the baby's presence as his tiny body calmly but assertively took over the flight. As the shuttle orbited the moon, the astronauts successfully commandeered the Lunar Module onto the moon. Since Baby ___ cannot yet walk, they performed a Lunar Sit together, as Earth beautifully sank low into the sky.

Baby ___ radios for permission to land.

Calvin affirms Mission Control's consent.  

Moon sit

Aided by gigantic parachutes, and an immense amount of drama, including a small explosion in the fuel tank, the astronauts found themselves landing in the "Specific Ocean," where divers plucked them out of their module, to wild civilian applause.

Some emotion finally spreads across Baby ___'s face after
the historical landing and sitting.

Holding hands, the two prepare to enter Earth's atmosphere once again.

They wait patiently for divers to rescue them from their module in the ocean.

Baby___ modestly declined comment, but it should also be noted that he does not have many words in his vocabulary at this time.

Thursday Thesicle

At 6am, it's a long, treacherous crawl to Mom's room for a snuggle. 

"This tiger is sprawled 

so still and so flat

a question arises

when glancing thereat-

is he asleep?

to be perfectly frank

he looks more as if

he was creamed by a tank!"

(Calvin and Hobbes)

How Buzz Lightyear Underwear in My Purse Made My Day- and Other Little Happy Things

I've always had a bit of a poetic fascination and delight in the little things in life. I always get excited about that first moment in fall when you can see your breath, and the first tulip blooms of the spring- things like that. After Brian and I got married I wrote a poem about how much I loved waking up and seeing our slippers next to each other. Seriously.

But having kids makes me even more that way because they get excited about the little things too. And our day-to-day life is filled with little things.

I've been trying to keep mental notes of which little things make me happy after an experience the other day; Cal had a little mini accident in the bathroom at a friend's house. It wasn't a change-everything-and-hop-in-the-bath accident, or even a change-everything-below-the-waist accident. No, it was only a need-to-slip-into-a-clean-pair-of-underwear-and-go-on-with-my-life accident. And I was actually excited, because I had been carrying around this annoying pair of Buzz Lightyear underwear in my purse for about four months. I was vindicated! I was a prepared! Yessss! It rarely seems like I'm a mom prepared, but it did that day.

Another thing that has made me happy the past few days is our new dining room table. It's amazing. And my Valentine's tulips on top make it even better. We sold our other table that had big chairs and was just a stationary, standard table and bought one from Ikea that folds up into a tiny shelf. We bought respectable folding chairs at Costco and with those changes, our dining room has become awesome. When we're done eating we can fold the table down, or at least fold it halfway down, and open up the whole room. When the table is open all the way we can easily fit six chairs around it, and probably eight if we squished. Before, fitting five or six around our old table (which was almost the exact same size) was nearly impossible. Also- there are drawers in the table. Yes. Drawers. Six drawers! Simply exhilarating. They now hold kids bowls and snack containers, bibs, placemats, a I think one drawer is still empty! Props to my awesome husband for the selling and the buying and the moving that made our dining room much more user-friendly.

Half table

half table, different angle

Full table

Folded table- open room!

Here are some other little things that have delighted me lately:

• Newly ripped holes down low in the fencing around the construction site by our house. The boys can look through at the workers and the work without me picking them up!  
• Three nights in a row of no wet beds! 
• Little kindnesses I've experienced from people after my last seizure
• When Clark said the other day, "I'm sure happy that this family is getting another baby." 
• The peapod outfit that my friend Aimee dropped off for Peapod (picture below)
• Being woken up every morning by two happy boys who want to snuggle
• Baseball spring training starting

The boys love little things too. Cal notices the smallest details, it's astonishing. He remembers what clothes people wore the last time we saw them and things like that. They both often comment on how beautiful the weather is, the sky is, the flowers are, and that makes me happy. One day Cal used up several crayons coloring a piece of poster board different shades of blue and declared it to be his Beautiful Blue Sky. He wanted to tape it on the ceiling. It's been taped to our ceiling (with beautiful blue painter's tape) for probably around three months.

So anyway, that dumb pair of Buzz Lightyear underwear in my purse not only made me feel like a prepared mom, it also gave me some other things to think about being thankful for. Which reminds me, I need to replace that pair of underwear in my purse...

Cal's beautiful blue sky

This peapod outfit, complete with knitted hat, was a gift for our little Peapod!

We're Celebrating the Museum!

Today we visited the National Air and Space Museum- the Udvar-Hazy location. It was the first time we'd gone during their storytime, and I was pleased with it. They do storytimes more often at the downtown location, but it looks like most Fridays this month they have storytimes at the Udvar-Hazy museum.

Before we left to go the museum with my friend Susan and her kids, the boys put on their flight suits and begged to wear them. "Mom, we need to wear them because we're celebrating the museum!" they explained to me. All I could think of at first was that flight suits would mean another layer, but I let them wear the suits, hoping there wouldn't be an issue with needing to shed four layers including a one-piece flight suit in a second's time in the museum bathroom.

The story we heard was a cute one about a Mousetronaut and they did little art projects with popsicle sticks and space shapes. Afterward they got to hold astronaut food, touch an astronaut suit, try on a glove, and see an astronaut's diaper. The kids all enjoyed it.

They've always liked the museum, but today they were the most excited they've ever been about being there. They ran around showing their friend Philip the candy cane airplane and Space Shuttle Discovery. Clark pointed out that it looks like Discovery has ears when you see it from a distance.The glass elevator was a space shuttle blasting off. Oftentimes they were Jack and Jim, Apollo 13 astronauts, getting ready for space.  They talked the ear off a volunteer who showed them pictures from when a Buzz Lightyear toy went into space. One of the tour guides pointed out to his group as we walked by that today we were fortunate to have two real astronauts here. The tourists were delighted, and snapped pictures of the boys as they walked by, oblivious to the fact that what they were wearing was a little unusual (and about a size too small).

I love so much that embarrassment is something they haven't experienced yet. I wish it could be that way forever.

A flight suit just like ours!

I'm not really sure what's happening here...

Story!

Astronaut glove!

Clark and Philip check out the astronaut gear.

Push the buttons...

We love airplanes!

The Apollo 13 astronauts are blasting off on their mission!

Here is my review of the museum from last year.    

Small Family Living- An Inspiring Guest Post

Today I'm sharing a guest post written by a friend. I first met Lindsay about five years ago when she married a friend of mine from college. We've only actually seen each other a few times- once floating the Boise River together pre-children, once here in Virginia during newborn-phase, and then last summer in Boise in hardcore toddler/preschooler mode. Lindsay and I have several important things in common: she and her husband also have two boys, they also live in a small condo, and they are also from Idaho. 

As you know, we are forever trying to use our condo space more efficiently, and Lindsay and David's space is even smaller than ours. They are an inspiration! They make it look easy. 

Lindsay recently started her own blog, My Wild Idaho, chronicling her family's tales. I'm a fan. And I love the name. Read her post below, then read her blog, and then like her Facebook page!

She's also publishing one of my posts to her blog today so check it out here. Enjoy!

..................................................................................................

My husband and I are raising two young boys in 714 sqft. of space (plus a 12x8 storage unit). We love it and it’s challenging!

The background to this: When we got married we fell in love with a certain area in Boise, so we found a 450 sqft. basement apartment to rent. Neither of us owned much when we met, but moving into our tiny apartment required further downsizing. We loved our place but finally grew tired of living underground and “throwing our money away” on rent. We found a beautiful condo to buy in the area.  

            In the meantime, the economy tanked and we stumbled across a Dave Ramsey book. While we were already frugal, we started incorporating more of his financial advice into our lives. Living in our condo started out as a short-term plan but has become a longer-term plan. We changed our 30-year mortgage to a 15-year and have been making it work ever since.  Side note: condo living is not typical for most Idahoans. Idaho isn’t exactly short on space. Don’t tell anyone though. =)

How we make it work:

·         We are realistic about what we actually use and value.

·         We don’t frequent yard sales, thrift stores, store sales, or even Craigslist without a list.

·         Instead of storing unneeded items we sell them, donate them, or find a family that needs them more than we do.

·         We stay organized, using our space wisely.

·         We don’t own seasonal decorations other than Christmas ones, and we don’t own China dishes (or other lesser used items).

·         We get our light beige carpets professionally cleaned every year (very important to our sanity).

·         I do laundry often instead of buying lots of clothes.

·         We recently sold our TV (for many reasons) and made room for a play kitchen for the boys (the boys are playing with it/using it as a jungle gym right now.)

·         We have a queen blow-up mattress and complete bedding set stored under our bed. We can still accommodate those brave guests. =)

·         We even shop at Costco (an ever-increasing list)! (We just stagger the bigger purchases.)

·         We purge toys before Christmas/birthdays and keep only the boy’s favorites.

·         We purchase less and purchase smarter (quality over quantity).

·         We have a “give away” bag ready. When we don’t want an item it goes in the bag. Every couples of months we distribute the items where needed: thrift store, consignment, another family . . .

·         I use books to decorate. I already own them, I love them, and they have to go somewhere.

·         We practically live on our porch in the summer (Literally this summer. We plan to camp on it once in a while.)

Don’t get me wrong. We sometimes dream of an extra room, decorated in earth tones, where guests can stay, rest, drink the world’s best cup of coffee, and have great conversation (ha). We dream of a backyard where we can throw the boys the boys can play; where we can raise a puppy, build a tree house, grow a garden . . . (We do plan to grow some killer tomatoes on our porch again this summer). We dream of a big dining room where we can fill our family and friend’s bellies. A pantry. An extra freezer to participate in an organic beef share (Hello Scott Family). Maybe even a garage to park our car in (seems so extravagant!) and a desk to put our laptops (kitchen counter) and printer on (storage ottoman, not the most convenient to print something).

The benefits to small space living: It forces us to keep life simple; more family and friend time, fewer projects (all painting I did before having babies). No lawn to mow or yard to take care of. We have less space to heat, cool, clean, and decorate. It helps us value relationships and experiences more than what we do or don’t own. It also keeps us closely bonded, as we have no choice but to be in each other’s space. Our home is our haven.

~Related Posts: “Before” and “After” Photos.

Main living space

Different angle

Our bedroom

David and I share a standard size closet.

Laundry

Bathroom

Boys' room

Boys' room 

How to Make Space Shuttle and Astronaut Costumes

My grandma used to make Halloween costumes for me and all my cousins when I was little. I’m talking homemade, beautifully sewn, clever costumes that most of us probably still own. When she and my grandpa were out here this spring we took them to the Air and Space Museum where she bought Cal and Clark little astronaut flight suits. They were in heaven.

I thought it would be special to use those costumes that Grandma Bev bought for the boys this year. I used some balloons to make paper mache helmets and wrapped their rain boots in gauze. They also used the cereal box astronaut backpacks from their birthday party to complete the ensemble. Aunt Bean then went all out and made herself into a space shuttle! That’s right. So I responded in a less dramatic and simpler costume as space. She and I decorated a wagon as a moon rover for when we took them trick or treating yesterday at a super cool event that Reston Town Center does. It was safe, it was fun, and it didn't involve big kids in scary costumes competing for candy.

Here’s what we did for the costumes.

The boys ripped newspaper into strips for paper mache helmets.

 

We stirred water into a pile of flour until it was a good, gloppy consistency.

I wrapped the gloppy strips around the balloons and tried to
fight them out of the goop.

They hardened for a few days, and then we popped the balloons.

 

I cut them to fit their heads and painted them with white latex interior paint.

I poked holes for faces with a Dremmel tool and then stuck scissors
in to cut them out. (You could use anything sharp to start the holes.)

The edges were kind of jagged so I put athletic tape around them.

 

I wrapped rain boots in gauze and packing tape. This picture was
taken after their travels...the boots looked better before.

 

Printed two NASA symbols and a flag from the internet for the sides and back.
Hot glued them on.

Ready for blastoff!

Our first costumed experience was Gammy's office party. 

Aunt Bean used styrofoam cups with streamers taped inside for the
bottoms of the rocket boosters on her space shuttle.

 

Styrofoam cones for the tops of the rolled-up posterboard rockets.

The fuel tank is also rolled up posterboard, with a balloon on top.
The body of the shuttle is posterboard outlined in electrical tape.

She also printed out symbols and put sticky velcro to attach it to her white shirt.

 

I glued yellow construction paper on a black shirt in the shape of the
Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Orion to complete the scene.

The satellite on the wagon is folded posterboard covered in foil with pipe cleaners.
The solar panel (on the far side) is folded foam board.
I put squares of foil on the wheels and on the side.

Ready to find some candy!

The crew

We had to pose by the constellation sculpture.

Trick or treating in a wine shop? I think yes!



Met up with twin friends Christian and Luke, aka. Dinosaur and Shark



Jackpot vendor of the day: Red Velvet Cupcakery with warm chocolate cupcakes.
Best. Idea. Ever.