All in a day

Occasionally people will say to me as Max is holding my hand and bouncing up and down: "Wow, he is always on the go". And YES, Yes he is. Yesterday was one of those days. Max was bound and determined to keep this mama hopping. Here is just a little recap.

-While I was folding laundry on the kitchen table he decided he was done with his partially eaten yogurt and thus threw it on to the pile of clean clothes.

- While I was taking the recycle out to the large bin , he filled a dump truck with dirty rocks and brought it into the house...and then proceeded to unload them in the downstairs toilet.

- Then while I was on the phone for something important Max had a run in with corner of the antique trunk resulting in a large scrape from his cheek to his eye.


- Just moments before walking out the door to get Jack from school I placed the fully clothed Max on the bottom step with a bag of fruit snacks and told him "sit" while i ran upstairs to use the bathroom. Now let me tell you thanks to being a mom I a quick pee. I was gone for a mere three minutes ...but alas that was enough time for Max. I found him stripped down to his shirt and diaper, running on a track made of foil around the house.


Oh, Max it is all in a day! It is a wild ride being mom to this boy and I wouldn't trade it for anything...but a nap every now and then, would be fun.

Vacation Day Two: Ice Skating

Inspired by the Olympics Jack has been asking to try his hand at ice skating. (He also asked when we could go ski jumping...)Today was the day. We hit the local rink,minus Max and happen to run into a few friends. I did not hold very high expectations of Jack. Ice Skating can be a bit tricky. But Jack ROCKED. He was patient with himself, persistent and uncharacteristically adventurous. He kept asking if we could stay longer. Long after the friends left there was Jack tooling around the rink with determination. Going longer and longer stretches of not hanging onto the wall. We had a great time together. He asked if we could return tomorrow. Unfortunately no, it is back to school. But we will certainly be rink bound again soon.



Jack and Pals sitting for just a moment


Watching the Zambonie...classic ice skating fun


Took just a short break to refuel with quality snacks



Out for the final lap..look how far off the wall he is.

Vacation Day One : Seattle Adventure

Jack has Monday and Tuesday of this week off and so we spent Monday on an Adventure in Seattle. We started our morning at The Pacific Science Center, then it was off to ride the monorail. From there we walked to Pike Place Market, enjoyed lunch at "Jack's Fish and Chips". I picked up a beautiful bunch of Market flowers, then it was back to the monorail and then home. The children are adequately tired out and it was a great adventure day. Tomorrow.....ice skating!

Our Valentines Gift to You

Last night Jon and I had the opportunity to celebrate Valentines with dinner out and attending a lecture. We were Seattle bound. We had tasty dinner at Lola. It was great to sit, enjoy some good food and just be with one another. Then it was off to a lecture at the Moore Theater with our small group from church. Our group has been studying the works of a man named Rob Bell. He was in town with his latest lecture, Drop Like Stars, and he did not disappoint. He is a great speaker, funny and profound.

So on this day of love, we would love to share with you the biggest laugh of the night. Rob shared a real college admissions essay written by a guy named Hugh Gallagher. Gallagher decided that his NYU admission application needed to stand out.....and well it did. Enjoy.

Essay: In order for the admissions staff of our college to get to know you, the applicant, better, we ask that you answer the following question: Are there any significant experiences you have had, or accomplishments you have realized, that have helped to define you as a person?

I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.

I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.

Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I'm bored, I build large suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.

I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don't perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number nine and have won the weekend passes. Last summer, I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat .400. My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me.

I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed several covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me.

I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago, I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a toaster oven. I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.

But I have not yet gone to college.

Bringin' Da Noise, Bringin' Da Funk

That is right folks our house is about the music as of late all in hope of getting Jack pumped up for his winter activity: Piano Lessons. Jack has always had an interest in music, he appreciates different style of music and he always seems to be boppin' to some tune in his head. Thus we thought piano lessons might be a good ways to tip the old foot in the proverbial pond.It also helps that our pastor intern's wife is a certified music teacher and had some availability. So today was the day. With freshly purchased music book in hand we arrived at Mrs. Alanna's School of Rock aka her home office/music room. The keyboard facing a terrifically decorated wall of musical inspiration. Jack jumped right in and as I listed from the hallway the two of them seemed to have a good time. Mrs. Alanna did her homework and at the end of the lessons I overheard her say "Jack, when we practice hard and learn the basics we can play all kinds of music. You could even play something like this...." Then she busted out the StarWars theme. Follow that with the presentation of a Pokemon sticker for his good work and piano lesson number one was a success. Now comes the reality. 5 days of practice.....we will keep you posted.


Jack is all set with his folder, ready for lessons.


Jack and Mrs. Alanna working on finger position.

Superbowl Sunday

This last week the Lyons Abode was plagued with the nasty sick head cold that has been making it's rounds. Each family member has battled the snot,coughs and gunk. But illness would not derail the enthusiasm we had for the Superbowl. Sunday morning Jack made his pick: The Saints, and then the boys set out to make decorations. Come game time with decorations on the wall and in hand we settled in to much a few snack and watch the Saints. It was a great game and a good way for this football loving family to say farewell to all those fun Sunday afternoons we shared this season. Now, off to baseball.

Oh the Joy of Being Max

The picture captures the essance of Max. Fully loving bathtime and being such a ham.We spent a good portion of the afternoon in the bathroom. Max in tub and Mommy reading stories. Good Fun.

Here is a little glimpse of all things Max right now:
- He is Passionate. Whether he be happy or sad it is all out , all the time. There is no mild Max. There is just Max.

- He is in a big kid bed, a big kid carseat, and playing with the notion of going potty on the big potty.

- He can open any door and can be absolutly silent when he is being naughty, thus we have busted out the door knob locks on all the doors.

- He loves to read. He will grab a book and stand in front of you saying "read me, read me".

- He talks non stop. New words everyday, and the kiddo does not have an inside voice.

- He enjoyes playing with his guys (playmobile people) and will have little conversations with them.

- He would be happy if the only thing you fed him was : turkey, cheese, apples and milk.

- He enjoyes playing games, coloring and playdough. He has done a great job of making circles and loves to glue and cut.