lisamoe

Ok, the trip to Six Flags over Texas this weekend. We got there before the gates opened and when they opened the ropes we ran in to try to go on the Titan, which is a steel coaster about 255 ft. tall. It was closed however, because there was a severe weather watch from the national weather service. Same with the Texas Giant (a wooden coaster 143 ft. tall.) We let the kids ride a couple of small rides and then they closed every single freaking ride in the park! We all had to go in the theater for the Spongebob 4D ride and wait out the weather, as it had actually started storming by then. The kids were whiny about not getting to ride anything and R and I were worried that it would be like this all day, but eventually it cleared up and by noon they had most of the rides going again, aside from the big coasters. We took the kids on the Runaway Mine Train, which is a classic small coaster and Jesse (9) loved it of course. Dingo (5) thought it was scary, which is just bizarre as he's ridden Space Mountain, Expedition Everest and the Tower of Terror with no problem at all, but whatever. He rode the Mini Mine train a number of times though and loved that.

We rode several of the small rides like the swings, the train, the sombrero, the Mine Train again, and the Yosemite Sam Gold River (a boat ride) while waiting for the coasters to open. We let the kids play some ganes too and Jesse won a giant Bugs Bunny that we then had to haul around the rest of the day. We rode the Runaway Mountain ride too, which is somewhat Space Mountain-like. It's a twisty indoor coaster in total darkness and was great fun. You can't get a good impression of how high it is when you're in the pitch black, but I understand it's just about 50 feet tall. We actually rode the Spongebob 4d ride too, which was a lot more fun than just using it as a weather shelter. It was a pretty active simulator 3d kind of ride/show.

They finally opened Titan at 3:30 and we left Jesse watching Dingo on the Sidewinder (a scrambler type ride) and gave him $20 for concessions and inbstructions where to meet us while we waited through the 30 minute Titan line. Titan was just awesome. It's the tallest coaster I've been on and that first drop was just exhiliarating. (Before that my tallest coaster was the 205 foot Mamba in Kansas City, I think.) It ran you back up through more really tall drops and curves and was just well worth the wait to get on. Very scary and fun! I would have gone again immediately if not for the line. R had had a chili dog for lunch and didn't feel entirely well after we rode though, so we retrieved the kids and went off to ride more kiddie rides and shop a little. By late afternoon, the lines were starting to thin a little and R volunteered to watch the kids on their rides while I went off to ride Batman: The Ride, as he still was not feeling like riding another coaster. Batman is one of those rides where you're suspended under the track in seats with your feet hanging down and it turns you over a couple of times, plus has about three areas where you corkscrew around the track. I loved it of course and have never been on that style of coaster before. After I met back up with the boys, Jesse and I went to ride Judge Roy Scream, which is an older wooden coaster about 67 feet tall that I remember from my own childhood. It's just about Jesse's speed right now. He won't go on the biggest coasters, but he does fine on wooden coasters under 100 feet. We went back to the mine train area after that and let the boys ride their respective mine trains several more times.

We were getting pretty much ready to pack up and leave then, but it turned out R and the kids wanted to go up in the Oil Derrick observation tower and since I don't really like heights like that (funny, huh?) I ran off to see if there was a line at the Texas Giant while they went observing. There wasn't and I got to walk right up and get on the first train. I have ridden the Texas Giant before, but I guess I had forgotten just how much it rattles you around. VERY rough ride, even for a wooden coaster. I guess because it's faster than most wooden coasters I'm used to or something. It was fun and exciting, but I just felt jarred by the end of it. I was pretty much ready to go after that. R's pedometer said we had walked almost 9 miles and it was almost park closing time, so we made our way up to the exit. I'm disappointed we didn't get to go on La Vibora, which is a bobsled style coaster and Jesse said he was willing to ride with me. I've been on it before, but I wish he'd gotten to go. Still, after a very disappointing morning, we had a fabulous afternoon and evening and I feel like we got our money's worth even if we missed a few things. The kids seemed very happy with the day.

So anyway, Mr Freeze and Flashback were closed for the season, and we missed another big ride or two, but I did make it on Titan, the Texas Giant, Batman: The Ride, Judge Roy Scream, and the little classic Runaway Mine Train which is a nostalgic favorite of mine, and that seems like a pretty good coaster day, no? If you want to look up stats for any of these coasters, there's links at http://www.aceonline.org/census/parkDetails.aspx?id=2093

So I just got a call from young Jesse on my Mom's cell phone. He's very excited and saying "We're at that consignment sale you sent us to right now and guess what I bought for $30?!?" I say "New slacks to wear to GG's funeral?" which is what I sent them to the consignment sale for, and he replies "No, a TUXEDO! I've always wanted one!"

Um, so now my 9 year old has a tuxedo. We don't EVER go anywhere that one needs to wear a tuxedo, unless they've instituted a new dress code at Burger King since last time we were there. Am I now obligated to take him out to the Warren Duck Club just because he bought a tuxedo?

We're going to the zoo right after work tonight. I hope he doesn't show up in that tux, but I'm not taking any bets.

Today at Campfire, the kindergarteners (Dingo is a kindergartner as of today!) and first graders were playing Simon Says.

Leader: "Simon says look happy!" (Kids look happy)
First kid: "Simon says run in place!" (Kids run in place)
Second kid: "Simon says look mad!" (Kids make angry faces)
Dingo: "Simon says act like a black hole!" (Kids look around, puzzled)
Leader: "Dingo, I don't think they understand what you mean, can Simon tell them to do something else?"
Dingo: "Simon says eat a big worm."

Clearly, Dingo is off to a rousing start at Campfire this year. Jesse, while more cooperative and also clear on the concept of black holes, was entirely unable to make a simple mobile from a coathanger, string and beads. You know how smart he is, but he just can't cope with crafts. If it has popsicle sticks, yarn, glue or involves scissors, it's very likely going to be a big frustrating mess. He's more of an idea man.

Somehow, Jesse managed to find a Bill and Ruth's sandwich shop today that's run by a nice Japanese couple who also sell nice fresh sushi and miso soup there. You never know where my kids are going to end up any given day. I made a creamy chicken noodle soup for dinner, but the kids were too full from the excursion to Bill and Ruth's to eat anything.

I dyed my hair back to dark brown tonight. I was getting too much contrast between my roots and the ends, which have been dyed a variety of light reds, so I figured I'd dye it all back to something darker to match the roots and then start over with red again when I dye it next and hope it goes on more evenly. It's a shock to look in the mirror and see the change. I'll try to get a picture of it for your perusal, but even if everyone hates it I'm probably going to leave it this color for a while.

After my hair dye fest, the kids and I played Cranium Conga and did some Mad Libs tonight. I should have been folding laundry, as I've got a huge laundry problem brewing here, but playing with the kids was more fun and laundry will still be there when I get to it, right? Dingo's still got a fear of zombies going on so I'm letting him fall asleep in here on the couch while Jesse reads and I check lj. I'll carry him to bed after he falls asleep.

I'm really sleepy and was just kind of lethargic at work all day. I still don't think I've caught up from the weekend. I was up really late Friday and then the next two nights I just didn't sleep well for whatever reasons. I'm going to try to go lie down in a hour or so and see if I can't shake this fatigue by tomorrow.

So more yay! I had written to another high school friend of mine about the reunion and she wrote back this week with an update on her life and now we're exchanging emails. She and I were close in high school and she was one of my bridesmaids when I got married the first time. I saw her at her own wedding and one time after I think, but not since then, even though she just lives near Joplin which is less than 2 hours away. She has two little boys too, one just Jesse's age. Anyway, it's good to be back in touch with her. That's three old friends that have stumbled back into my life within the last two weeks. I guess it was just the right time.

Today I started a new thing with the kids. I've been a little overwhelmed with going back to work and still trying to keep the house up, so I'm leaving the kids a short list of chores that will help me out on any day that they aren't already busy with field trips or something. I know it's going to be my Mom that has to prod them into doing it, but hopefully they'll get more used to it soon and will do it on their own. Today they're to take the trash out, move the clean clothes out of the dryer and put the washed ones in it, put the potatoes and carrots into the roast I left slowcooking, and wash their hair. That seems like a very small amount of stuff, but even that much that I don't have to do or supervise will help me out. And time they're doing that is time they're not messing something else up, lol.

After we went to The Barnyard last night, I went and bought a new slow cooker. I got a big 6 quart one with a locking lid and big handles that don't get hot so you can take it to potlucks. I'm hoping to cook a slow cooker meal a couple of times a week because it's great to come home to dinner already done and I can also cook a lot healthier that way than I do when I fry stuff to get it done quick. I'm going to use those crockpot liners too and see how I like them. They seem like a good idea. Oh, and The Barnyard was a real stinker. My kids said they liked it "ok," but they didn't ask me if we could get it on DVD or ask to go back, so I know they weren't crazy about it. It's probably an adequate kids movie, but *all* the funny stuff was already in the commercials, the music was overall mildly irritating, the fact that all the "boy cows" had huge pink udders was distracting throughout, and though the farm animals were animated well, they were so poorly concieved that you sometimes couldn't even tell what kind of animal they were supposed to be. I'm glad we only paid $2 apiece.

Ok, guess I'd best find some work to do.

Today at work I was just trying to keep busy. I found some things to do though and got to talk to some of the other staff. I grow ever more convinced this will be a good job for me. Jill called me this morning and we laughed so hard on the phone about dumb stuff. We're going to lunch tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it a lot; it probably goes without saying that I miss her. Then in the afternoon moonpack_alpha texted me about going out to Caz's tomorrow night. So a full day of girl friend fun, yay! I feel loved. :-)

This evening Dingo and I did some shopping and then put on mosquito repellent and played in his little pool til dinnertime. Jesse's at R's for play practice again so Dingo and I have had a nice time hanging out together. After the play is over, R is going to take Dingo to do some with just him to even it out. They both love having Daddy all to themselves for an evening.

After Dingo goes to sleep, I'm going to go take a warm bubble bath and read magazines. It's been a good day and a calm evening.

I knew we had wasps hanging around the back door, but hadn't done anything about it so far because they weren't buzzing us or anything. But tonight two got in the house and Dingo stepped on one and got a very bad sting on the ball of his foot. After an emergency trip to Walgreen's for sting relief gel with a very sad 5 year-old, I searched out the nest and committed some wasp genocide, for which I do not feel a bit bad.

Today Mom and I took the kids to OKC to the Omniplex. Jesse got to hold a tarantula as big as his hand. He was very brave about it. I was brave to stand nearby and take a picture of it. Dingo got to play with lots of science exhibits and we all got to see the IMAX movie Fighter Pilot which was very good and exciting.

We went because the kids wanted to take a couple of day trips before I go back to work. We may go back to Eureka Springs too. Last time Dingo wasn't feeling well and it made the whole trip kind of a drag, so we'd like to try again and I won't have any more weekdays free for a while after the 17th unless I have more flextime than I'm anticipating.

Ok, off to get some stuff done.

Yesterday the kids and I and R and a_spirited_soul and her kids all packed up in her van and went to the Castle RenFaire in Muskogee. I risked being mocked and wore my non-authentic but still cute faire dress. My boys wore the wizard hats they got at the Norman Faire and when we got to their friends' house to pick them up, the other little boy had a matching wizard hat so they looked very cute together. I got my hair braided first thing, which is pretty much my favorite thing to do at a faire. We went in the maze, watched an acrobatic/juggling act while we fed all the kids, then we shopped a little and took a carriage ride. We sent the kids in the first carriage and we grownups rode in the second one. Apparently the children's horse farted during the ride, which was pretty much the highlight of the faire for them, I think.

We went in the Castle and sat for a while to cool off and while there saw moonpack_alpha and ikol83. I'm always happy to see them. R ran all the kids through the catacombs while we were in the castle. They wanted to go in the torture chamber too, but the Moms in the group vetoed it as inappropriately grisly. After that we ate a little more, shopped a little more, got my Mom a gift, got the boys wooden swords (What were we thinking?!?!) and the girl her face painted. After that we bought fudge and left. Amazingly, our sunscreen held out, everybody made it to the privies as needed and there were no serious injuries, even with the wooden swords, so a good day, no?

Upon return to Tulsa we went out to dinner at Shogun with R's sister's family. His older niece is like 6 feet tall now I think. She's about 14. The 12 year old is marginally taller than me now. His whole family is so freaking tall. I kind of hate just standing around with them anyplace, because I feel like a child. Anyway, the dinner was great, though after all day out in the heat, it was a little warm sitting at that hibichi table. (Hahaha, jorjedatoy I typed hitachi at first instead of hibachi, and you know how painful it can be when I get those two mixed up, lmao.)

Today is busy busy getting ready for our trip, so I'd best get to it.

Dingo and I walked over to our polling place to vote today. They gave him an "I Voted" sticker. He's very proud of it. Jesse learned some about Leonardo da Vinci today. We did a little shopping and a little playing and a little snacking and that's been our day.