Fancy

Showing off their new haircuts, suckers in hand.

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

I almost titled this one: "Hyland Family: This Blog Post is For You"

Maggie:  Mommy, look!  I playin' cribbage!

(I'm teaching her how to play Double Solitaire next).

Finally...Ice Skating

We probably make it to Coral Ridge Mall at least once a week, probably more frequently in the winter.

As many times as we've been there, we've never been ice skating.

This weekend Cate, Ben, AND Maggie had their chance---thanks to the help of my Aunt Lisa and cousin Steven who were in town visiting for our annual Hyland Family Reunion.  Lisa and Steven were incredibly patient with Cate and Ben. 

After about 15 minutes on the ice, Chris was ready to call it a day.  I think the kids would have kept going if there had been an adult with the energy to keep circling the ice.

They're already asking when we can go again!

 Cate and Ben on the ice

 Maggie's motto:  "Anything Cate and Ben can do, I can do."

 Cate starts to get the hang of it.

Hamilton County Fair

We ended our stay in Webster City last week with a trip to the Hamilton County Fair.

I initially thought that Maggie would be content to ride the small motorcycles that simply turn in slow, lazy circles.

She was not.  She insisted on riding every ride that Cate and Ben died and cried pitifully when she did not meet the height requirement for a given ride.

Feeling sorry for Maggie, I agreed to take her on the "Dizzy Dragon" since she was allowed to ride if accompanied by an adult.

Big mistake.

Cate and Ben LOVED the ride but were sorry they had to share their dragon with me and Maggie.  Maggie put her head in my lap for most of the ride and wrapped her arms around me.  I felt nauseous for at least the next hour.

Back to School!

Cate:  I can't believe how much stuff you need for first grade!

RAGBRAI in the WC

 Butterfly girls

 Posing with the "giant corn guy"

 The kids had fun counting all of the painted bikes on display to celebrate RAGBRAI

Spiderman gets a haircut

The highlight:  Thirty RAGBRAI riders and support people stayed at my parents' house on Tuesday night.  The kids loved all of the extra attention.  I think the team bus was here about 35 minutes before my kids had the riders pitching them wiffle balls, sharing their pizza and, their absolute favorite, letting them take (very cold!) outdoor showers.

Mags

The princess-flapper-dance contestant gets ready for the Hamilton County Fair parade.

As you might expect, she received numerous compliments on her attire.

I think this was good strategy on her part as several parade participants went out of their way to put candy in her bag.

Candy Overload

To kick off the county fair, a giant parade snakes through downtown Webster City.  Despite the heat, there were over 200 entries this year and we stayed until the bitter end. 

I could not figure out how they could possibly have 200 entries in this parade until I saw that every rescue vehicle, every 4-H club, and every antique tractor in the county had an entry.

The kids received so much candy that towards the end of the parade candy piled up at their feet. They were too hot and tired to make the effort to pick up the candy and put it in their bags. 

I can't say I blame them.  When we got in the car to go home at 7:30 the thermometer read 102 degrees.

Hot.

The Library

The kids and I are spending a few days at my parents while we have some hardwood floors put in our living room and dining room. 

We picked a good week to visit Webster City as there are a lot of activities going on---the city will host RAGBRAI for an overnight stay, the Hamilton County Fair is underway and more.

Yesterday we visited the Kendall Young Public Library and my kids are already begging to go back.  We read books, played with puppets, entered a star decorating contest, colored raccoon masks, and played board games. 

Triathlon Fever

Last Saturday our Parks and Recreation sponsored a kids' triathlon.

Cate and Ben participated and loved every minute of it.  The 5-6 year olds swam the length of the pool (20 yards), biked around the playground (.5 mile) and then ran around the playground (.5 mile).

At the end Ben said, "It was my first medal and my first triathlon!"  Cate is already asking to do another triathlon.  

 Before the triathlon

 Ben running

 Cate sporting her medal

"I runnin'!  I runnin'!"

  Our neighborhood triathlon crew, athletes and cheering section

Watch Out for the Deer

Last night Maggie called me into her bedroom, where she was supposed to be sleeping.

I walked in and as I bent over her bed to talk to her I noticed a big bulge in her t-shirt.

"Maggie," I said. "What's in your jammies?"

"What?" she said innocently.

I reached into her t-shirt and pulled out a disposable camera, her bink, and a barrette.

"Honey," I said.  "Why do you have these things in your shirt? I think that'll make it hard to sleep."

"Oh," Maggie replied, matter-of-factly.  "I no want deer to get them!" 

Identity Crisis

"I look just like Bubby!"

Maggie has mastered the art of getting dressed (and undressed) all by herself.

Not content to choose items from her own closet, she prefers to raid Ben's and Cate's closests.  This means she is quite literally falling out of her (borrowed) clothes 90% of the time, crying because, "Cate's undies no stay on me!"

Never a dull moment, I tell you. 

Everything Old is New Again...

A few weeks ago Cate came home from our neighbors' house literally bursting with excitement.

"MOM!  We watched this great show,"  Cate said excitedly.

"What was it called?"  I asked.

"I don't know," she replied.  "But there were three brothers and three sisters.  In the one I saw, the middle brother built a volcano!  Do you know what I'm talking about?"

And I did know what she was talking about.

In fact, I could vividly remember watching this very same episode of the Brady Bunch myself years ago.

Ever since that day (and ever since I figured out how to use the DVR) Cate and Ben have watched an episode of the Brady Bunch each day.

I have to admit that I much prefer the Brady Bunch to Bob the Builder or, God help me, Calliou. 

It really is a wholesome show and I'm pleased that the message is usually one that I can wholeheartedly endorse:  If you have a problem, you can always talk to your parents.  Honesty is the best policy.  Apologize if you make a mistake.  Stealing your rival high school's mascot (a goat) will probably end badly.

Cate's only complaint about the show is that after I explained that it was filmed in the 1970's and the actors who play Bobby and Cindy are now grown-ups she realized she will never get a chance to be on the show. 

You Know You're Dealing WIth a Third Child When...

You know you're dealing with a third child when you say, "Oh Maggie.  I love you to the moon and back."

And your third child replies with, "I love you to the POOPY moon and back!" and then laughs hysterically.

Vacation!

We spent last week in Stowe, Vermont. 

It was truly a week of simple pleasures:  the playground, the candy store, bike rides, swimming, building forts, Uno, playing baseball, miniature golf, boating with friends, and fireworks.

Maggie, who had never stayed up late enough to see fireworks before said, "It like a rainbow in the sky!" 

We can't wait to do it again next year!

On our way!

Showing off their new shades.

Happy 4th of July!

"I look just like Spider Man!"

Maggie goes tubing.

Riding bikes

Last day in Stowe

The Big Game

Ben loves t-ball. 

He likes to hear about his team's upcoming schedule and yesterday he asked me, "Hey Mom.  Who do we play tomorrow?"

I checked the schedule, "The Giants."

I could see his face become very serious and he frowned slightly, thinking.

Finally he asked, "How big are they?"

And then I realized he thought that instead of playing a rival t-ball team who happened to be named "The Giants" he thought they might actually be playing giants.

"Oh Buddy," I said.  "They're little kids, like you.  Their team is just called the Giants."

A look of relief spread across his face, "Okay Mom."

And he ran off to play.