It's a wild and crazy day of popping bubblewrap here

We're all still in our pajamas. I think we'll get out of them some time today... In the meantime, TubaDad is playing with "my" new computer (I laugh when he calls it my computer even though I didn't ask for a new one and was perfectly happy with the old one), I'm reading a library book (Debbie Macomber's Wyoming Brides), and the girls are sitting on my lap and popping virtual bubble wrap here (you'll need to scroll down to the link that says "pop some virtual bubble wrap now" and we checked "manic mode" so the bubbles pop as you mouseover them, no clicking needed).

Ro's high score so far was 37 seconds:

I pop bubble wrap at 5.30 bubbles per second! I popped 196 bubbles in 37 seconds flat at www.Virtual-Bubblewrap.com! Can you beat my score?

Ree's high score is 1 minute 12 seconds:

I pop bubble wrap at 2.72 bubbles per second! I popped 196 bubbles in 1 minute and 12 seconds at www.Virtual-Bubblewrap.com! Can you beat my score?

And my high score is 14.8 seconds:

I pop bubble wrap at 13.24 bubbles per second! I popped 196 bubbles in 14.8 seconds at www.Virtual-Bubblewrap.com! Can you beat my score?

TubaDad's high score is 11.6 seconds (damn, I cannot believe that I can't beat him!):

I pop bubble wrap at 16.90 bubbles per second! I popped 196 bubbles in 11.6 seconds at www.Virtual-Bubblewrap.com! Can you beat my score?

It might sound boring, but man after a crazy-hectic October, it feels wonderful to have one whole day where TubaDad isn't traveling and we don't have a single commitment on the calendar. We can stay in our pajamas ALL DAY if we want to. And we just might.

So, can anyone beat TubaDad's score?

PS: Here's a pic of the girls (with a smidge of help from TubaDad, heh heh) installing memory on the new computer. TubaDad has apparently given up on his dream that I'll embrace the Macintosh and now says he's going to build a "smokin' fast" pc to replace our old one. For those technical folks who care, he has gotten an ASUS motherboard, an Intel i7 950 processor, 12GB of memory (which he swears even I can't max out with my simultaneous Photoshop, Lightroom, Lumapix, web browser, and Pinnacle Videospin apps), and an Intel X25-M solid state drive. There's also an LG 27" high-contrast LCD monitor.

Fashion Friday

It's Fashion Friday, time to check out the latest in four-year old fashion and see what the girls choose to wear.

For this first set of outfits, Ro is on the left and Ree is on the right. I like how Ro punched up her seemingly straight-forward matchedy-matched outfit with bold striped kneesocks and rainbow ponies (her "bestest" hairdo). Ree went for the girls' fave polka-dot tee (they fight over this one every time it's clean), wanted her sky-blue velour pants, but they were in the laundry, and settled (kind of disgustedly) for the plain black ones. But she made sure she was still stylin' with bold stripey socks and pink glitter Mary Jane tennis shoes. I guess even at four she knows that it's the accessories that make an outfit memorable.




For the second set of outfits, Ree is on the left and Ro is on the right. It's kind of funny that they complemented each other by both choosing tie-dyed shirts as their top layers (the purple one was purchased at Goodwill and the pink one was a hand-me-down from a couple of years ago). In this pic, Ro is having a crying fit because she poured a bowl of cereal, ate a little bit, then changed her mind and wanted a different cereal, and when I told her no she ignored me and dumped it in the trash then couldn't believe it when I said "Oh well, I guess you don't get any then." Yep. Oh and the hair—well it was their choice.


It was my turn to play in the closet today, so for this week's mama's-choice fashion, here's what they're wearing as I'm typing. Ro is on the left, and Ree is on the right. They're in rock n' roll tees from the boy's section of The Gap, little tan corduroy skirts, and nice, warm tights (our weather actually turned a teeny bit chilly in the past few days). We talked about the bands on their tees and then listened to a few selections on YouTube this morn. Ree was rocking out (she's quite a dancer, that girl), and Ro preferred the more mellow songs.


By the way (in case anyone's curious), I usually snap these quick fashion pictures as we're on our way out the door to somewhere. I ask the girls if they want to take a photo (or they just tell me "Take a peeshur, mama!!") and then they choose the location. I snap a few and then we head on out. We don't usually have fashion photos if we're staying at home because the girls stay in their jammies or dress-up clothes all dang day. And sometimes I do too. :-) Happy Friday!

Winner Chosen: Wonder Bread giveaway

Anne J has been chosen as the winner in the Wonder Bread giveaway. Read more.

Fall project #1: some unique wreaths

We went on a really long leaf hunt yesterday and collected all different kinds of fall leaves and funky tree bits. The variety was really cool and the girls had fun running from yard to yard with their little buckets.

This morning, we dumped all the leaves and stuff onto some cookie sheets, and baked them at 200 degrees for 45 minutes to make sure any resident bugs or eggs were good and dead. We got that little gem of advice off the internet. (Ro is in the blue-striped jammies, and Ree is in the white and pink ballet ones.)




Then we got some heavy paper plates (we used the cardboard Chinet ones), traced circles in the middle, and cut out our wreath backings. At this point Ro decided to make a fall wreath like we had planned, and Ree (as usual) marched to the beat of her own drummer.




We used a hot glue gun to stick leaves, acorns, and lots of fun stuff to the paper plates.



Ro's fall wreath came out really cute!


Ree made a wreath form, then went hog wild with brightly colored paper strips and ribbon that made us all grin. She also used up two whole bottles of Elmer's glue, but we don't really need to talk about that. Her wreath was so Ree, and we love it!




The contrast between their creations is my favorite part—the two wreaths are about as different as Ro and Ree, and that makes me smile.




Then it was craft-free-for-all time. I don't know what all they were doing, but it occupied them for about two hours, which is always a good thing in my book. Go BobBob!





Thanks for all the fall craft ideas. We still have a big ole pile of leaves, and BobBob and the girls are out collecting acorns as I type, so look for more craft pictures soon. And if you have any other ideas, please share!

Collecting fall leaves one minute, and swimming the next

Odd fall weather we're having. The girls carved pumpkins wearing tank tops and sunscreen, and now it's so hot again that Ree said "We might as well go swimming, mama." So we did. Yesterday, and then again today. We were the only ones at the pool, but I'm thinking that's because folks were giving more credence to the calendar than the thermometer. I know I've never been swimming in November before.

Here are a few pics taken with my purse camera. Ree is in the yellow and orange goggles and Ro is in the pink and purple ones. The girls wanted to make sure I told daddy what they'd been up to, they were so excited. So TubaDad, here's what we did while you were at work yesterday and today.























That last picture cracks me up, they were kicking so hard that the water looks like churned ice. They've been doing a lot of swimming without the vests, but I don't have many pictures of that because I am busybusybusy when they're swimming wild and free.

Oh, and we're collecting leaves because I told the girls we could make some fall garlands with them. Should have looked up some instructions before I mentioned it -- is it even possible? Guess I'll have to go Google it. If you have any other neat decorating ideas/projects that the kids could help with, please share. Because I'm thinking that if the weather continues like this, the only way it'll look like fall around here is with some nice, festive decorating.