International Bread Day

Kids were supposed to bring any kinds of bread for everyone to try. Brandon asked me days in advance to go get Russian bread, so the day before the event we drove and got 3 different kinds (altogether with our favorite Batonchicki).

I was not surprised when Brandon got home and said that barely anyone liked it, it was harder and tasted very different. Interesting how they eat chemicals enhanced bread and like it and the one that is actually healthy for you, was not to their liking.

I still like Russian one the best! :)

Big Advisors

I was going to HACC to meet with students with disabilities to give them hints on how to look for a job and how to keep it. On the way to drop the kids off at school I asked them what they thought I should tell those students.
Kyra:
- Well... Tell them to come prepared, stay concentrated and not to fool around (exact words)
Brandon:
- Not to come for an interview in pj and do spell check of their resume.

I have to say I am so super proud of them! They did not only listen to me talk about being employed but also, they actually listened to me. I keep talking to them about that and about work ethic and I hope by the time they are ready to work, those qualities are in hard in their heads!

Brother and Sister

Brandon and Kyra were in the shower. Kyra was finishing up doing her hair and Brandon was waiting for her to finish so he could get it. Jimmy was standing at the door so he heard their conversation.

-Brandon, is all soap gone from my hair?

- No, you still have a lot, here, here and here. 

Jimmy yelling:

- Kyra, are you just about done?

Brandon:

- No, Dad, she still needs to rinse her hair. 

Then Jimmy hears:

- Kyra, would you me to just rinse your hair for you?

Oh, my sweet, caring, thoughtful boy! I love him so!

Donkey Basketball

School kept rescheduling this even over and over and finally that was the day. Kyra really wanted to go because Ms. Dentler is one of those teachers playing basketball on a donkey. Neither of us wanted to go besides Kyra so we told her if she could find someone we know to go with, she can go. The Kissingers were one of the family who could take Kyra along. She had a blast. Looks like Owen and Maddy had fun too. 

Kyra said they let them ride a donkey afterwards, I guess it is two fun things in one :)

Puppies Rolling

Every. Single. Day. Those puppies are rolling on the floor having fun. 

Our Catcher

Still needs a lot of practice for catching but at least he tried it this year. :)

Weather

I cannot believe that tomorrow is May. It seems like weather turned from winter back to fall. It is still cold and so rainy and chilly and yucky. I can hardly believe summer is on the way. I am ready for steady runs. Not the ones I can fit in the day with no rain. Come on, spring, show up!

Go Or Not To Go Right Now

I told Brandon that I was thinking of going to visit my parents. Never mind both kids have been begging for me to take them.

I asked him if he cared if I did not come to his 3 baseball games. He said yes, he cared and he would like for me to come. Deal. Then I will be looking at the tickets for the beginning of school year!
Love him!

Brandon's Birthday Party

This year it was so relaxing! I did not plan anything, I just let the boys (and Kyra) play. I was very surprised how little time they played Minecraft! They played four squares, basketball, baseball, just chilling.

 We grilled/cooked lots of food - burgers, hot dogs, home made french fries (this Mom made them), etc. Boys stuffed themselves and were full for the cake although each of them tried it. I have to say as much great our first Stampy cake was, as much dissapoitment this professional cake turned out to be.

We ate some of it anyway and I brought the boys to their houses 2 hours later than their expected times. So fun!

Arguments

Okay, in addition to deciding whose underwear is supposed to be whose when they were, may be 2 and 3, and arguing about whose snotty bag was it when both of them were sick, today they argued about who calls each other Poop more.

And this is the life we are living! :)

BRANDON IS 9!

First thing Kyra yelled to me this morning:
- Mommy, we have 9-year old!!!! (yes we do!)

Brandon really liked the decorations, he just kept looking at each of them. He wanted to miss school but this year that day was a late picture day, so no missing this time.

I was so excited to give him another surprise. I came an hour earlier than his pick up time and drove him to Twin Kiss for a milkshake to remember late that it was Tuesday and it is not open on Tuesdays! Bummer! We drove to Rita's but it was not what we were both hungry for. Brandon said "Thought, is what counts". Thank you!

We played ball in the house until Jimmy got home, we ordered pizza and Pop and Nan came with a few more presents. I would say, as always, Brandon made out pretty well.

He got a bike, rebounder for baseball, 3 Lego sets, Xbox that he really wanted to play Minecraft, 4 games for Xbox, poster, crayons.

Here is the cake, made by someone from Jimmy's work. I am not a fan of American cakes but this one was very, very yummy. Fresh, made from scratch, fluffy, amazing cake!

9 year old is my boy now! Love him to pieces!

Getting Ready For Birthday

After busy weekend and game on school night, I let Kyra stay little bit longer to help me decorate. We put all the clutter away, put brick walls on, decorated the table with table cloth, confetti and what looked like red, white and blue diamonds and Minecraft banner. 

Here are some pictures from Minecraft on that wall to make it more real. I liked how Brandon looked at each of them and made comments :)

Hallway 

 Another piece of wall (what completely covered light switch) :)

 Jimmy blew some balloons and we were ready to go for the next day! :)

Package From Overseas

Yip, huge alphabet, huge Russian flag color bag, 4 books to read by themselves when they know letters, orange socks for Brandon, orange pen with Russian flag, spy pen that you can writes with invisible ink and you can see it with looking with flashlight on it, a fancy pen and coin wallet for Kyra and, of course, lot of candy. :)

Easter Egg Hunt

After going for brunch with cousins and grandparents, kids had Easter Egg hunt right here in the middle of our development. Pop and Nan hid 42 eggs and filled some of them with money, some with candy. I wish we timed them because I betcha it took them less than 2 minutes to get all the eggs and another two minutes to open them up and count money. They were about 30 something dollars richer. Thanks to Nan and Pop
On the move

 Where, where did Pop hide that bad egg???

Last Hershey Bears Game Win

They do ham shoot out at the last game. Surprise/nor surprise, Brandon won it. He hit the puck so well that.. well.. we have ham now :) Proud of him!

Cousin Meet

The DC Bibbs came here for Easter and got cousins together for a little bit. 

They came to watch Brandon's baseball practice. Very nice of them! (Jetta Speck is in background)

Love, love this picture of two girls!

Pink Fluffy Unicorn

There is this song on Youtube - "Pink Fluffy Unicorn Dancing on Rainbow", and girls in Brandon's class, apparently, call him Fluffy Unicorn. On the first picture Olivia, lacking pink marker, used orange to draw him. On the second page girls were arguing who gave him his name first. :) So funny!

Cookie Makers

Brandon had a bunny made out of cookie in class with Mrs. Weimer but when we went outside to play on school playground, girls knocked it down on accident. Brandon did not throw a fit, he just asked if we could get the ingredients and make it at home. Of course!

Big blue is mine, small blue is Kyra's and white with lots of chocolate is Brandon's :)

Older/Younger Twinner

Kyra:
- Mommy, did you know that if twins are born, one of them is older than another?
Me:
- No way! :)
Love her so much!

Good Friday All Three of Us Are Off

I requested off that day to spend with the kids - the only day they had left from Easter vacation. Kyra had a sleepover at Emma's, Brandon called Corey Baker to see if he could come with us to Palmyra bowling. He could :) I took all three kids there. Brandon, as before, did not want to get bumpers and then started pouting that he was not winning because Corey and Kyra had bumpers on.

Since kids are crazy about the song Pink Fluffy Unicorn Dancing On the Rainbow, all the kids decided to be Fluffy :)

Overall kids were a good sport, cheering on each other, it was a lot of fun, Brandon turned around after he got a few good shots too! I took them to Palmyra playground afterward where me and Becky met for clothes exchange. We all had our first picnic of the year on the playground, drove home where boys played half hour of video games and then we went to school playground.

When Jimmy got home he took the kids to play baseball  at school. What a busy, physically active day for them!