Since there was no school today, one of the pizza places on base offered a "make your own pizza" party for kids.  The event wasn't super exciting, but the kids got a kick over being able to make their own pizzas (even though they do the same at home... I guess its different doing it in the restaurant).  The fact that they were making pizzas rather than sitting in school sure didn't hurt, either :)

Our morning routine at home during the week begins between 6:15 and 6:30, when we all lay around mentally battling our will to rise for the day.  We are all dressed by 7:00, which is when I promptly put on a cartoon for the kiddos to watch while they eat breakfast.  I've learned this is a good method to get their butts into gear in the morning...knowing that they will miss out on tv time if they aren't dressed and have their beds made sure gets them moving!

I have been expanding the kids' animation repertoire by schooling them in the great cartoons of late 80s and early 90s.  Lately in our cultural crash course, Muppet Babies, one of my favorites from when I was younger, has taken center stage.  My kids love the cartoon, and have since learned to appreciate the real Muppets (before, they refused to watch them because they were "creepy" in an uncool way).

The reason to my near pointless backstory is that not only did I have to school my kids to love the Muppets, but in order to appreciate what I'm sharing with you today, I made them listen to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody a few times prior.  They needed to understand that the song is in fact a classic and every red blooded American should know it.  After I pounded that truth into their impressionable minds, I let them watch the following video.  I'm sure most of you will come to appreciate this masterpiece as much as I have - its flippin' awesome! (Mama?  Maaaaamaaaaa??)  Just be sure to let the little'uns know that the Muppets did not originally produce this song.  That will be the kid that ends up on Jeopardy and loses because of a Queen trivia question :)

Here I go again with a blog lull, which is sad since I actually have quite a few things lined up to write about!  So until I slow down and write again, here is a little eye candy for you ladies.  He's soooo dreamy!

Alex's desk at school on parent orientation day. They can bring a book from home for down time. And yes, they are back in public school for now :)

Wow, so I realize that is a major spoiler, but I'm assuming most of the free world already knows this vital fact by now!  If not, a thousand apologies!

Anywho, the kids' bedtime is at 8:30 each night.  I give them the option for lights out right away or to read in bed for an hour.  Lance generally takes the slacker's way out and chooses to go straight to sleep (though I'm working on instilling a love of reading in him), but Alex is actually negotiating for more reading time at night!  She's always been my little book worm. :)

Tonight I allowed her to stay up a wee bit past 9:30 "lights out" since she had only a chapter and a half left of book 6 of Harry Potter.  Knowing how intense the ending is, I let her finish it instead of leaving her hanging wondering how exactly the book finishes.  And wouldn't you know it...she's going to start book 7 tomorrow!  The Deathly Hallows.  The summation of all things Harry Potter.  And seven more books than I've ever read of Harry Potter.

Yes, I admit that I still haven't gotten past the first book.  Nothing against the story or the writing...its just one of those unfortunate things that always ends up on the back burner time and time again no matter how many times I try to get around to it. Much like my laundry.  Or my photo-organizing project.  Or Alex's baby blanket (yes, her baby blanket).  I don't know whether I should be proud or ashamed that my nine year old daughter is about to beat me to the Hogwart's finish line.  I think cheering her on sounds much more fun than self-misery.  :)

Her next series, she's decided, will be the Chronicles of Narnia.  I'm asking her to take a short hiatus from series books and read a handful of other novels first (she picks a few, I pick out a few).  I have a few in mind sitting on our bookshelf I'm going to suggest, but do you have any childhood favorites?  Do share!

I got a kick out of this picture (and that HAIR!). Terrible quality, I know, but that's what happens when you decide to take a picture of your son laying in your lap with your iPhone. In the dark. On a bus.

Please, ladies, he's already taken, so please don't start calling at all hours for him, or banging on my door for a piece of him.  There's only room for one stupid lamb in his life - his mama :)

The kids had so much fun helping out and made their own cookies for themselves.  We used gummy bears to make the relish and onions, and above you can see Alex taking a break from school work to slaughter a few dozen albino bears.