Marriage

Like many loving kids, Burl and Ivo have both toyed with the idea of marrying me. I've declined citing my current marital status as well as our close blood ties. Ivo is over it. Burl, however - and sweetly - insists that "you're supposed to marry someone who is beautiful who you love. You're beautiful and I love you, so I'm gonna marry you."

Fine Fine Fine. Burl took his show on the road - explaining his plans to Ryan, who after the obvious objections asked, "What about me?"

Burl told him that "you can be your own grandpa."

It's called Hip Hop

Ivo heard this the other day and said "THIS is the kind of music I LIKE!!!"

nature nurture not-it

A couple days ago Burl was running around, doing cool moves, baiting anyone and everyone for wrestling and somewhere along the line, he repeatedly proclaimed, "I'll do it when I'm dead!!!"

I thought it was hilarious and amazing that he'd have this idea - cribbed or original - and think it bore repeating. A clear and strong memory I have of my father is his very similar refrain, "I’ll sleep when I'm dead." Obviously a weird little echo there. I told this to Burl. Dinner table discussion ensued, ending with Ivo asking, "Does your dad have an accent?"

Where to begin? "And how!" I told him. And then I corrected the verb tense.

Am I old-fashioned because, even in the digital age, I like 2 spaces after a period?

Pictures from 4 Feb 2012. We walked through the golf course to a nighttime sliding party. VERY FUN!!! The weekend weather was so nice, we went again on Sunday.

Boba Fett-ish

Here is a link to a cool picture of Boba Fett - and there are a few links below the picture that look interesting.

Here's directions on how to draw Boba Fett.

But I can't find a good mask - I'll try later:)

Groundhog Day

February 2nd is Groundhog Day. Here's a story about the lore of the groundhog and his shadow.

Ground hogs are also called woodchucks. You can see some pictures here and here.

How much woods would a woodchuck chuck
If a woodchuck could chuck wood?

He'd chuck as much as a woodchuck could chuck
if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Treehouses

Man builds Ewok village in Oregon!!! There are many pictures of tree houses and suspended rope bridges. There is also a video.

Here are some pictures from the fall of 2011. It was a nice warm fall.

We did a lot of gardening this past fall. We planted 5 little giant globe cedars. We had to water them every day.



We went to Hunter Brothers' corn maze.

January is almost over...

But not without a little dental surgery - or, more precisely, dental work done while under anesthesia - since 4 year olds, like Burl, don't sit thru 1.5 hours of work...

Here are Burl's new front teeth - He has a metal crown back there which he says feels weird. Ryan and I drove Burly to the Oromocto Public Hospital on Friday just ahead of a province-wide school closing storm. We drove home into it. 10-15 cm of snow followed by 5cm of ice pellets.

We played in the snow Saturday.

Went to a Slammer's game - at least the opening of it - for Burl to join his pre-school mates singing the national anthem.

Here's a video of Burly singing:

burl 290112
Here's a video of Ivo from 2009:

Ivo OCanada Hockey
Ivo made up the word "ninjotic" back in December:

ivo nijotic

Many months later...

Yes.
The blog has been directionless... and un-piloted.

But - a new direction is revealing itself. I want the blog to be a portal and repository of all things Ivo and Burl are interested in. Something they can drive.

So, Ivo wants to learn about "ancient cities." Burl is into infinity.

Look for links and pics soon...

Here is a video of Ivo and Burl on Xmas morning 2011. Ivo knows his ski goggles enhance his coolness. Burl is offended to receive cool-making goggles, complaining, "I'm already cool."


Ivo 251211 by thehoneybees


Here is Burl lip-syncing to Darth Vader:


burl starwars sync 210112 by thehoneybees

Ivo and Burl love Grocery Store Wars:

Lost Cities Photos - from national Geographic. These are pictures of the ruins of ancient great cities. These cities were "lost" to people for hundreds (sometimes thousands) of year. They were rediscovered and excavated by archeologists.

Here is a link to a great site about ancient Greece. There are sections on city states, mythology, and even some games.

Here is a fan-made video for They Might Be Giants' Infinity.

Here's something about counting to infinity.

oh yea...

I'll be posting a video of Burl being trampled on the bouncy thing... at the zoo...

what it feels like to lose your child at the circus

We lost Ivo at the circus. When I say “we” I mean, "Burl and I." Lost Ivo. At the CIRCUS!!!

Now, I don’t want to blame Burl, but he did have to pee, after we got back to our seats from intermission...

It is every mother’s dream to lose her child at the circus. It took 4 days shy of precisely 6-1/2 years for me to contrive a scenario in which Ivo and I would find ourselves separated by a line of not-quite-compliant performing baboons. As the reality that these seats, filled with other blond kids, were our seats … and Ivo wasn’t there was sinking in… I was scanning-the-crowd, I’d asked him 3x if he wanted to come to the bathroom with us – and he was having a good time with the group of kids… and he is 6-1/2 and has been doing a little being-in-public-by-himself stuff – and it’s all gone well so far. But, ahhh , the CIRCUS!!! I am freaking out now – but I wasn’t then. I was in FIND-HIM mode, and I knew I would.

I admit to having had a concern that he might attract the untoward interest of an animal larger than he. I was scanning, picturing him in my head; his blue shirt with #7 on it and a bull embroidered over the left chest and exactly how his hair was – I figured I’d spot those first. I was looking/prowling the stairs, eye on Burl. It was dark. The spotlights were starting to dart around the arena. The rave music throbbed. I decided I could move faster without Burl. I asked the woman next to us if she would keep Burl for me. Burl said fine. I was calm I turned to go and saw the Ringleader, standing in the spotlight with a little boy in a blue shirt with the #7 on it and a bull embroidered over his left chest. His eyes were pointing to the floor in the tremendous light. It looked heavy on him. It looked like he was trying to see out. He looked bright and I thought, “perhaps Ivo is a volunteer-participant from the audience.” I had struggled to hear clearly, the mic was sooo loud, the music, all beats and lights. I was wondering how Ivo was doing, if he had wanted to volunteer or had it been an accident? had he answered a quiz-style question correctly? The ringleader said something about “lost boy,” “mother,” “he’ll be at the sound system.” Had Ivo realized what he was doing?

The woman next to me said she’d watch Burl and I walked up a flight, over and down a flight, was passed by a baboon at the end of a family of marching baboons. Crossing the arena floor, I approached the sound system, not seeing Ivo. The thought of the loose baboons and the whatever-else animals there were returned. Where could he be? I had just seen him… in the spotlight. Long seconds later, he was behind the sound tech. The technician’s back was to him. The circus was not set up to mind errant waifs. Ivo was really on in own, in the center of a strange cement land full of circus animals. He was freaked.

We didn’t make a big deal of it. It’s fine now. I think this is like earthquakes. I know someone who was hit by lightning twice in his life. I do not know anyone who has had their house fall down in more than one earthquake. I will not lose him at a circus ever again. Ivo will not lose his way at a circus. He will never again windup standing in the middle of a one-ring circus, under the bright lights with the cheesy, preposterously dressed, booming loud ring leader. We have a better understanding of crowds, lights, excitement, impulse control and both of our judgments.

There is more to tell of tball, father's day and others - but not now.

more soon

Just finished a paper. Big transition time of year. Lots of goood. Burl and Ivo and Ryan are awesome

more soon

ok - it's under control

Boys in bath 12 May

Well, nothing to freak you out and motivate like thinking you've lost a diary you kept for more than 3 years...

thank goodness it's back... something about "unusual activity on yr acct" and so google/blogger deactivated my old blog - which I had to access thru and old email/pw and then google texted me a code to enter... kinda cool.

Things are fine -but they could be better... the weather is depressing - and aside from a constant battle to avoid succombing to depression - in general, I have an end of times kind of feeling... there are so many things that are up in the air - and I don't know on which side the coins will land or whether or when... There's an unsettling crisi-tunity aura - though, probably a lot of it is in my head... and if the sun ever shines again, I'll forget all about these crappy weeks which followed an over-long, unneccessarily cruel winter... I hope so...

Over memorial day, the boys and I (and mabe Ryan) are going to Maine to see my uni roommate and her family... They'll be in Boston for her huz's 20th uni reunion. It's the year of our 20th too - so, we're having a private reunion - and I can't wait!!!

I'm taking a summer course on Myth/archetypes... it starts on the same weekend - but should be ok.

Blue sky pics from mother's day - last sun I can remember - and short lived!!!

I made a hair appointment for Friday afternoon - I'm this is what I think will help me out of the funk.

omigosh my old blog is gone!!!

I'm gonna cry!!!
o no o no o no o no o no~~~

Spring Firsts

Many FIRSTS on this first day of SPRING!!!

• Ivo's first loose tooth FELL OUT - We're awaiting the Tooth Fairy tonight!!!


The first pic is Ivo with tooth this morning. The second is without tooth this afternoon!!!

• Burl had his first HAIRCUT - When he looked in the mirror, Burl said, "I look like someone else!!!"

The first three pics are Burl with all the hair he's ever grown - including dreds in the back. The last two are Burl with his new do!!!

We had a playdate with a classmate of Ivo's and Ryan's friend, wife and 8 year old came to visit. They confirmed that hottubs are AWESOME - which is what I've been saying for a couple weeks. And now we're going to get one!!!

YAY!!!

The weather is changing - it's feeling Springy. There's melt and dead grass and even some intrepid green things poking up through the muck. Exciting!!! This has been a very hard winter - mostly because of the incessant viral attacks on Ivo and Burl. Also, the obscene amount of snow. Ryan and Gail hiked into the camp yesterday - over a meter of snow... but looking good!!!

We skyped with Mike, Jenny, Maddie, precious little Nolan and Mom - how fun! We are planning to invade their space next winter - that'll ease the winter suicidal tendencies:) So exciting:)

Burl has invented a new super hero - Gliderboy!!!

I'm starting week 8 of a 9 week semester. So far I've written 3 papers - one more to go - the final. Then taxes. Then HOTTUB!!!

This week, I'm going to a conference in Fredericton - it was great last year - and I expect this year to be even better - especially cuz I'll get to hang out with Lindsay at least 2 nights:

It's so good to have good news in the midst of the horrors occurring on this crappy planet... Japan earthquake, tsunami and, yes, multiple nuclear meltdown which worries me that I'll soon be unwittingly feeding my kids radioactive food - maybe food-labeling will improve? Sure, why not... And the start of another unwinnable, never-ending war - this time in Lybia. What about Bahrain, Yemen, Syria and the rest of the Middle East kleptocratic dictators...

HOTTUB

Back!!!

It is my hope anyway.
I make many hilarious and inciteful observations every day - so does Ivo, so does Burl - and you're kidding yourself if you think Ryan's not in the action.

I am de-linking the blog from fbk - though I enjoy fbk - there are too many people - and some of them live closeby... Unnerving to my former bloggy self...

We have recently made out March break reservations - the kids are excited for a little Crystal Palace.

Ivo can read. Burl can write.

I am working on my MA.
There is a ridiculous amount of snow.

Back to School

Drat!!! I missed August!!! Ahhh!!! Boo!!!

Ok. Let it go...

We had a great summer. The school year returned the week before laboour day for Ryan and the Tuesday following Labor Day for Ivo. Both school boys are adjusting 0 though neither seems to have time to eat his lunch... But, that'll come:)

Burl has been adjusting to the change - the change which denies him school entry and deprives him of Ivo... It's been weepy.

Overall, this has been the hardest week in recent memory... Lots of overwrought emotions; screaming, weeping, tantrumming - quite challenging. Feeling optimistic though:)

Speaking of optimism, we celebrated Gail's bday yesterday - FUN FUN FUN!!! The weather was beautiful, we all went out to dinner and had ice-cream cake:) Boys loved it!

Here are a couple videos from Labour Day weekend...

Ivo finds yr lack of faith disturbing...

Ivo finds yr lack of faith disTURbing!!!
Uploaded by thehoneybees. - Videos of family and friends from around the world.

Burl is standing on yr foot

Burl - I'm standing on yr FOot
Uploaded by thehoneybees. - Videos of family and friends from around the world.

Handheld video games in da house

Ivo and Burl have been playing computer games online for YEARS - Ivo since he was 14 months-ish - gotta check ld blog... Burl same-ish -

On the way home from Cleveland they got a d$ and a leap$ter. Ivo loves his. Burl "when-do-i-get-da-play?" is also in love with the d$. Both are cool with the leap$ter but Burl has not embraced it as thoroughly as Ivo has embraced the d$. Burl likes what Ivo likes. When he lets himself, he likes leap$ter.

Anyway from before the handheld game days, Ivo playing a starwar$ video game, wearing earphones - for the first time...


ivo earphones starwars game
Uploaded by thehoneybees. - Videos of family and friends from around the world.

Burl at t-ball practice... waiting to bat. He is oft overheard remarking, "dat too lo-ong." Very sweet Burl. Who likes to be called "Dash" and asks me to cheer "Go Dash GO!!!" while he's running the bases. He would like this cheer to be perpetual!!! Incessant, even. "What incessant mean?" he asked.


Burl: when is it gonna be my turn?
Uploaded by thehoneybees. - Explore more family videos.

This was taken at the beginning of July...

Link to Ivo & Burl May 2008 in Taiwan - photos and commentary...
Burl is 14.5 months and Ivo is 3 years 4.5 months.
It's interesting because Burl now wears the Incredible$ shirt and calls me Elastigirl - elaborately detailing who in real life is who in the movie. It's fun. He thinks Arun and Bryce should be JackJack:)

JULY is the Busiest Month

Or maybe it's August? September?

Overheard on baby monitor just now:

Ivo: Do you know what your "buttocks" is?
Burl: No.
Ivo: It's you BUTT!!!


There is a lot that isn't being documented, I admit. I'm making notes... I've got half-written things... But I just don't have the wherewithal I had when I was forced to sit, nursing, for hours... I could type. I could even do that thing...ummm, think? Yes, think!

Unless Ivo and/or Burl are using the computer - I don't turn it on before they go to bed. On workdays between 4:30- 8pm - I don't use the computer. Mostly. Pretty much.



We had such a great visit in Cleveland with all the Schaeffer sibs and offspring - we stopped in Montpelier to see Nicolle and Arthur's still new digs. We've got Brooklyn to look forward to and lots more Cleveland time to come!!!

I'm posting some videos that Ivo and Burl want to share with their cousins Mikey, Ally, Maddie and Arun and all their other cousins and friends. Ivo and Burl are addicted to TMBG -everything!!! It's great fun!

• I am a Paleontologist
• Dr Worm
• Roy G. Biv - super huge favorite!!!
• Science is real
• The Sun is a Mass of Incandescent Gas
• 7

Ivo and Burl also have a few skateboarding videos especially for their hero, Mikey:

• element skateboarding
• how to skateboard for beginners
• how to skateboard: lesson 1 - leads to more lessons
• 360 ollie

I will be posting more pics on fcbk asap.

I will also be removing the link to this blog from my fcbk profile very soon... this may/may not increase the blogging - not sure:)

Mirrors

At the science museum 7 June...

Happy Sad Happy

Imagine having always been strapped into a car seat...

Now, imagine NOT being strapped in!!!


Born freeeeeeeee!!!

From the community centre park to the camp - no seatbealts required...

happiness

delight

bliss

hope

Planted a crimson king maple tree in memory of Patty on the third anniversary of her death. A wonderful way to remember and cry and reflect and be together with forever fornow