Clouded Behavior

I’ve been tracking sun spots (on my handy app, of course) for the last 14 months in the hopes that I would make it out for a long weekend to the arctic circle and catch the aurora borealis (AB). Kids, of course, were in tow and I had figured we would go to Alaska, merge the timing with the Iditarod Dog Sled competition and see 11 year climax of sunspot activity manifest in brilliant Northern Lights while listening to ‘Under the Milky Way'. Dog sledding in the day, tracking in the night and while I came close three times to pulling off the trip – made it all the way to Manitoba, the more I researched the more I wanted to see the AB from a nice, Norwegian hotel where room service wakes you up to catch the fabled light show.

I had this amazing suite that overlooked Niagara Falls however I always miss the Crew. 

I am not sure if I am losing my optimism,  but I could see the alternative version of this trip where I am sitting in a very cold truck, so cold the air burns your nose as you inhale acrid, dirty snow smell sitting on hard, cracked, green vinyl, eating frozen granola in the middle of northern Canada, waiting in vain for the AB, hesitant to wear headphones in case a serial killer has tracked us for the last 300 miles while trying to disengage from a half-hearted discussion about the existence of alternate life forms with some odd dudes who use the word dude too much. The metaphorical power of clouds.

Driving home from the office

Tings on his perch.

In reality, I am finding a plethora of studies on weather and behavior. In our family, my mother firmly believes in “Captain of your soul, Master of your fate” philosophy and Dad & B prefer to be left alone on cloudy days.

B seems to have fun when I actually drag him into playing cards. 

This year, I have missed the sun and hazy, warm laziness I attribute to the summer months.

It’s been ‘go, go, go’ and then ‘go’. Oddly enough, there does seem to be conclusive evidence that during the maxima of sunspot activity, human behavior is stimulated. 2012 was predicted to be the climax year of the 11 year cycle. I can imagine solar flares, invisible to the human eye, jabbing their way through layers of thick clouds and igniting all the cells in my body. A booming voice in the sky shouts ‘Activate’! (a la Wonder Twins) as I spin around like a Mario-cart character and ‘Go!’ shooting off over the hills. And so we have gone – we moved homes, we got new jobs, started new schools, had a lots of lovely house guests, and gardened our hearts out, including plenty of bouts with poison ivy.

Fun! Fun! Fun! Go! Go! Go!

We had high hopes for summer.

First day of summer vacation.

First time in the Jacuzzi

Year 1 optimism of having a pool had us making excited pre-summer plunges. Tings and I would dare each other – he was definitely the instigator! I couldn't let him down and both of us were hoping the other would call chicken as we nervously got closer to the edge. We don't back down! We plunged into cold water!

Birthday plunge! In lieu of his body, Hun's signature move is to fling his trunks into the pool! Little guy likes his creature comforts.

The pictures below are a deceptive indicator of how often we have been in the pool. However even with the limited run, we are addicted. We love it.

Rocking the Pool in the Summer of Rain

Fact is, Atlanta is on pace to have its wettest year since 1879.There have been few rain free weekends.

There are, fortunately, ways to cope, of course.

 #1 : I suggest drinking plenty of pina coladas. That seems to help most things.

#2 : Make use of rain gear by actually going out in the rain. That's Tingu calling to the wild in the first picture. I think Hunie was mirroring my expression!

This epic walk in the rain took ages as Hunie and Nani named every anthill colony on a two mile walk. They seemed to follow a Chinese restaurant trend: MudPalace I, MudPalace II, Green Forest Colony, Green Forest Colony IX....

#3: Catch and deposit toads into lego boats and watch them float through the “monster waves” of the pool.

We kept having to fish this little frog out from the saline water, I mean lava. The lego man was equally annoyed.

#4: Experiment – at least it is partially supervised. Every now and then there is a rather large flood...on the plus side the washing machines are right there so the boys just strip down and carry on -

#5 : Teach the Nana how to take ‘selfies’

#6 : Sit and be mesmerized by the rain.

#7 : After all that contemplation, be inspired to climb the walls. Literally.

This was redacted and no longer allowed - I need an erase function on the kids.

#8 : Get some culture : Enjoy a afternoon snack of banana chips, coffee while Nani & Nana teach chess

#9 : Continue a locked-down blog that no one reads anymore! : )

The 7 P's

Due to some poor planning on my part, I was away for the kiddos first of school. I tried to compensate by performing out-of –the ordinary tasks to ensure all was well in the hands of my very capable husband :  I ironed shirts, pre-filled and crafted monikered back-packs,  and left out hair care products to ensure neat and tidy appearances. I anticipate two of the three will be fulfilled, surprisingly haircare is not B’s forte,  and am keeping my fingers crossed for a first day of school photo. 

Pictures delivered

In order to catch the much anticipated school bus, the little guys had to be at the bus-stop  at an ungodly 6:55 am.

2012 : First day of KG, part II for Tings. Hunie took it in stride that he got to ride this year but I know he was super psyched.

Kiddos aside,  B & I were dreading our morning routine modifications to accommodate this 40 minute school bus ride and tried to encourage Tings to drive with us to school which is about 1 mile away from the house. He promptly and rather precisely  responded that he was “aiming to wake up at 5:35am” to which Hunie immediately responded that he intends to wake up “ very, very late” to which I respond, “Sorry, Dear, will be out of town”. And that’s how we rolled on August 12^th, 2013.

Me in the Ozarks; Guys in the Halls

While I try not to reminisce too much on the past, it seems like the first day of school just elicits a foray down memory lane.

Tings closed of his second round of KG due to private/public school transitions. He was unimpressed by the transition down though he seemed to enjoy  and quickly adapt to the largeness of his new school. He had freedom to buy his own school lunches (charged up way too many ice cream sandwiches!), go to the large library and was indoctrinated in Covey’s 7 habits. He won the leadership award. B and I took great restraint in trying not to embarrass the heck out of him. His first real competitive award !

Intrinsically you know your kids are growing and reaching every single day and yet when I look back over the summer, I am still amazed and surprised at the stuff I can now do with Tingu. The revelation that we are in that phase where for the next decade or so we’ll enjoy the same things (perhaps? please?!). B can take him to the movies and geek out to every superhero, Harry Potter bit out there, we can read Lord of the Rings, discuss Indiana Jones feats and other slightly less mature topics (!) with equal interest, play games and even watch the little buggers cheat!

"I am reading" by Tingu. Personally, I would have titled this " I am reading, while doing an Irish jig in a toupee holding bananas"

 I know we are in the glory days and yet, I can see the surliness in Tings that will undoubtedly manifest in the years ahead to morph into full fledge teenage drudge in about seven years. 

I asked if he needed anything : "Yes, can you get me a cocktail?" 

Hmmm  - as mentioned, let’s go back to reminiscing:

 Playing slap jack at the fire pit – nothing like S’mores and whiskey. Whiskey is B's, for the record.....

Thought Hundawg would be the cheater? Nope –  the golden boy, you know, just leans over a bit too much. 

Hold your cards close Hunie!

Perhaps appropriately, Tingu also insists on being the banker in Monopoly, which he calls ‘Napoli’  and shuns the usual pieces in favor of the ‘Golden Kiwi’ to represent himself!

Golden Kiwis and toupees - a banker, you shall be dear boy!

This is also the summer where Hunie lost the last of his toddlerese and embraced boyhood. He shunned trains for Legos, race cars and transformers. His jokes and magic tricks however are still woeful – 

Hunie showing us his hands, "Close your eyes." We do. He sits on his hands. "Ok, open, look my hands are gone!!". . He knows it is equally bad too. But gives us his most dazzling smile ...and....we all melt. Magic trick achieved!

Hunie then, now and to-be??

Though he always thought he could swim, Hunie actually could this summer, albeit without hands, which were always holding water torpedoes, water guns or an arsenal of other pool gear (or his body parts, yes, those..)! 

The cutest little Schmigels

The boys also invented a few of their own games in this Summer of Rain. Whereas Huns used to follow Ting's lead, the little guy is striking out on his own - challenging Tingu's rules and making up his own version of things: 

Undiwars

As much as Huns loves throwing his undiwear off, the boys have been even more obsessed with purchasing stylish(!) undies, briefs, boxers and the coveted underwear box sets, which are desired above most toys. This is slightly worrying however while, I would hope this speaks to my future fashionistos, I think it is really just plain and simple ammunition stock piling as there are few things better then ambushing a poor, unsuspecting grandparent with a torrent of ….undies. It never fails to amuse!

Picasa cropping is brilliant!

Sand Diego

I knew this was the house for us when I found there was a dance floor, a workshop with a dedicated spray painting room and Sand Diego. An empty lot next door deposits massive piles of sand - much to the chagrin of B & I but to the amusement of the kids. They spend hours making roads for ants, hiding treasures and creating dirt bike bumps and paths. Huns will jump onto his little bike and go speeding down the driveway at tops speeds, training wheels wobbling with tension, barely missing bushes (sometimes he crashes right into them)  until he screeches to a stop (or gets stuck) in the sandpits of Sand Diago. His bike wheels spinning wildly and stories abounding of getting caught in the pits!

Huns takes me for a spin! (Yes, it was fun! No idea how he can pull me...ask Tings)

...banker! joking.....

Fort Building

Hun-dawg also established his edge over the Tings in engineering creations :

Love your mother. They are the only ones who will ever boldly declare such feats (as above) as engineering creations....and usually only if you are the second  kid. The first better be figuring out what is the neuronal basis of subjective experience in the next 15 minutes. I am counting ... in sanskrit...

and reluctantly demonstrated his memory prowess  - which happens to be very good when he actually is motivated to apply himself. I've found his current weakness is Cool Ranch Doritos thus we spend many an hour sitting in the pantry memorizing presidents while he oogles Doritos. 

Ask him to name the first 10 presidents ; wave cool ranch Doritos at him till he responds.

Tingu, poor guy, is so big he collapses most of the forts. Hunie has upped the fort-building ante at by adding sundials and other architectural interests to his forts!

Shadow Wars, Hide & Seek Tickle Chase and ten thousand variations of the game provide hours of loud fun!

We love to sneak up and scare each other!! Yes, me the most  -  as the boys are always admonishing me, "Not to scare them." Oh it is so much fun!

Two little boys hiding with a wuwuzela.

Tingu continues to carve a very nice path of his own – somehow striking a balance between 6 and 36.   Our little professor is always teaching us all to be more patient and gentle - with each other, with him, with Hunie. Forever Hunie's champion, he petitions heavily for Hunie in every respect.

See, told you, contemplating the subjective experience...

 and is still the biggest nighttime chitchatter around. 

He thundered into our room the other night at 2am, plunked himself down in  front of the window and started identifying constellations to himself… "Orion’s Belt, Leo, The Big Dipper"…. I joined him after a bit and we ended up having a every memorable night camping in various rooms of the house trying to glimpse the Perseid Meteor Shower. Finally we went out to the balcony to watch it. Even then Mr.Chitchat was discussing the fact that the crickets were too loud. He finally quieted down and we had a lovely time laying under his constellations, in the comfort of the balcony both of us tucked into one sleeping bag, watching the meteors (we only saw 5) and discussing how far into ‘outer space’ we could see.

while I like to think this a glimpse of the Perseids, I think my arm just slipped while taking a picture....

After a while, all we could see were more and more stars until it was to the point that I didn't know which ones were real and which ones I imagined but it didn't really matter because it was beautiful : snuggled in a sleeping bag, outside in the middle of the night, on my balcony, with my little guy.

Going back to that moment before school started, as I left for my trip tot he Ozarks, said my good bye to the boys, Huns looked up, his 'Super S' T-shirt covered in the primary-colored letters of his name intended for his backpack  and haphazardly said , ‘See you’ and Tings just grabbed my leg in a hug and turned his sweet face up momentarily and said, “Peace Out’. That was it.  I always wanted them to be self-sufficient but must say it is sadly sweet. As the school year starts and we all shake off the remnants of summer, I wonder what the year will bring and what I want from it. No more bad planning, else it will all be over before I know it.

Look where you are going, sweeties and remember the 7 P's: Proper planning and preparation prevents piss-poor performance.* 
*Adapted from your Daddy.