TokBox

It isn't often that I do a post about internet finds, but this was too cool to not spread the word. A friend emailed us the link (thanks Kendell) and after a quick and simple sign-up I tried it out with my sisters. Basically you can use your gmail/MSN/Yahoo Instant Messangers that you usually use to do your webcamming, but you can do it with MULTIPLE PEOPLE (the blog says 20 at once still works well). I can webcam with my parents, 3 sisters, and even grandma at the same time for free! Take a look at the blog to get the details. It was super cool! Let me know what you think: www.tokbox.com

2 stories

Whenever you lay down on the floor, C will snuggle in next to you and continue whatever he was previously doing. Today when we were making towers he nuzzled close and promptly turned and knocked my stack over. "Hey!" I exclaimed, "You need to ask before wiping out my tower!" (It was awesome, believe me.) He looked over his shoulder at me, shrugged, and said, "I not perfect Mama." He's been listening to this song(#5) and I'm sure it's where he got it from, but what a timely reminder from my just 2yr old.


For the last month Q and I have been watching a series recommended by my sister. Psych is a comedy about a guy that pretends to be psychic to be allowed to do detective work. Anyways, there was a Friday the 13th spoof (I don't do horror or suspense AT ALL) that I had Q mute and cover my eyes for most of, but it was still lingering in the back of my mind. So when I heard L calling for me after I'd put her to bed a couple of times already, I went upstairs a bit begrudgingly. She told me she was scared and there was something in her room. I reassured her that it was probably just the new mobile we'd made and hung from the light. "No," she said, "It's that thing right behind you!" When I looked over my shoulder and saw a dark looming shadow that shouldn't have been there, I screamed and started karate-chopping wildly. Q came dashing upstairs to see me in a laughing heap, next to a terrified little girl and a curious little boy -- and a helium balloon floated harmlessly around. I did put a night light in for the night. I'm not sure who was the most traumatized that night. Scary shows = not cool.

You've Had a Birthday, Shout Hooray!

And what a lovely day it was for little C. He started things out with a yummy waffle breakfast that he assisted in making ("I help, Mommy! I do it!"). Then we took him into the family room where he noticed... his new basketball hoop (from Nana and Gpa Pete)!


We had to tear him away so that we could take L to her LAST DAY OF PRESCHOOL (until the Fall -- she's still got another year to go). I should have gotten a picture of it, but one of the main highlights of the day was getting to ride in "Jeni's Van" (which is really Kathy's van, but that fact is lost on him). Jen and I took him and his buddy Sam to Galaxy Golf where for the next hour and 1/2 they played non-stop on the huge indoor playground (he couldn't get enough of the ball pit) and arcade. The boys LOVED the tokens, balls, tickets, and prizes involved in the game area.



After naptime he got to open lots of wonderful gifts from aunts, parents, grandparents, and of course, his big sister. There was just enough time to get a bit of playing in before his guests arrived.



He had a great time at the party playing with the balls, water, corn hole (because there is no reason in his mind to be outsidand without the boards set up), and of course -- all of his favorite Sams. I have no idea how it happened, but his closest buds are named Sam! Hilarious.

Yes the lines are straight, I'm sure it's just the camera angle.

Running back and forth between the corn hole boards

Life just wouldn't be as funny and crazy without his contagious laugh, tackles, or cuddles.

Happy Birthday!

Lullabies

Tonight I'm working on the post for C's birthday. However, as I was putting the kids to bed I thought of something I wanted suggestions on: bedtime songs.

Basically we sing the same songs to them every night so they might as well be songs that I enjoy singing and that have a good message since it's the last thing on their minds before they drift off to the subconscious. I had switched things up when I realized they were getting a dose of materialism in "Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird." And what's the point of "Rockabye Baby" anyways?

Our current line-up is:
- My Favorite Things (Sound of Music)
- Teach Me to Walk (LDS Hymnbook)
- My Heavenly Father Loves Me (Children's Songbook)
- O, Hush Thee, My Baby (I heard it on this CD and loved the end, "Hush thee my baby, hush thee my dear. Sleep little baby, have nothing to fear/know Heaven is near.")
- I am a Child of God (if they request a song in Spanish or Russian)

So what do you remember your parents singing to you? What do you sing to your kids? What songs do you think would make perfect bedtime lullabies?

Asian Festival

For the 2nd year in a row we headed to the grounds at Franklin Park Conservatory for the Asian Festival. Here are some of the reasons I love it:

1. Beautiful location
2. IT'S FREE!
3. Good food (lunch can be Indian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pakistani, Filipino, etc)
4. Fun Children's area with painting, crafts, dress-up, etc


5. Cultural entertainment the kids loved watching and dancing to


6. Sepak-Takraw (what I believe should become the new American sport -- AMAZING!!! Imagine a sport that is a mix between volleyball and hackey sack with roundhouse kicks to spike the ball. Wow.)

7. Bubble Tea (Basically a smoothie or slushie with huge tapioca balls at the bottom that get sucked up through a massive straw -- weird, but fun. You can buy them online fairly cheap. Boba party anyone?)