The BIG Secret

So, for the most part, I pretty much write about all of the goings on in the Erim household because frankly not a lot goes on around here. But for the last 4 months we have had a BIG secret around here (and before anyone starts No I am not pregnant). Since September we have been looking into private schools for Greyson who starts Kindergarten next year.

For a variety of reasons, I chose not to discuss this whole thing while we were in the midst of it. For one, I was a bit paranoid that the schools might actually find the blog and figure out who we liked and who we didn't. Secondly, and probably the biggest, I was scared we wouldn't get in. Then what would I do? Having announced to the world when Raif and I decided to start trying to have a baby way back in the day I learned the hard way that some things aren't meant to be shared beforehand. I didn't want to have to answer the question "So where did he get in?" with a "Uhhh, nowhere."

But yesterday, in a very sorority rush move, all of the major private schools in Nashville mailed out their acceptance/rejection letters so that everyone would get them today (just an amusing side note they mail them on a Friday specifically so you get them on Saturday so you have two days to cool off before you go ballistic on the Director of Admissions) and so we are proud to announce that Greyson will be a BattleGround Academy Wildcat for the next 13 years. BGA is a great school and we are thrilled that he got in. Honestly, though I am just thrilled that this whole ordeal is over. For the past 4 months we have spent weeks pouring over brochures, taking tours of countless schools, narrowing our selection to the top ones, taking Greyson to various tests, being interviewed ourselves. Listening with happy faces as every single school would tell us "We usually have 150-200 applicants." Sweet and how many spots. "We have 64 spots." Fuck. "And usually half of those go to siblings." Double fuck. "And this year we have a tremendously high number of sibling applicants." Triple fuck. Then we waited and waited and waited. I can't tell you how many nights we sat up talking about where we wanted him to go and where we thought we would fit in best and what we would do if he didn't get in. Needless to say that I have been a tad stressed.

But now it is all over and we are proud to be part of the BGA family!

On a side note - I have to give a special thank you to one Susanna Roberts. My dear friend Sus, is a former teacher and she helped us sort through the schools to find which ones were the best. She prepped me on the right questions to ask to a) find out all the pertinent info on the schools and b) look thoughtful and intelligent when we talked to them. But more importantly she listened patiently to me on the phone as I hysterically lamented on how we weren't going to get into any schools in one breath and then in the next breath rambled on about how I had no idea how we were going to pick a school. If it weren't for her shoulder to cry on I don't think I would have made it through because if Raif had had to listen to me he would have thrown me over a cliff! SO THANK YOU SUSANNA!!

Now the next step is to figure out how to pay for it.....

Milestone

Today Greyson completed his last book in the first BOB book series. For those of you unfamiliar with the BOB books they are very short (usually 6-8 pages) books of extremely simple text for beginning readers. The first book uses sentences like "Mat Sat. Sam Sat" By the end of this first series we are up to sentences like "Now Pog and Pip do not hit!" He is doing so well - the last two books he pretty much mastered the first time through. Now we start with the second series for advanced beginners. Go Greyson!!

Confidence? Check.

We were listening to our books on tape this afternoon when the word 'masterpiece' came up.

Q: Mommy, what does masterpiece mean?

Me: Well when something, like a painting, is extremely beautiful and well-made people call it a masterpiece.

Q: Hmmm, OK..... So then all my pictures are masterpieces, right?

Why yes Quinn - I think they are.

Power of the Bread

This weekend was beautiful - sunny and 60 on Saturday and 65 on Sunday. Man that Sun Bread worked its magic. We spent the whole weekend outside running off as much energy as we could because winter is going to rear its ugly head again this week.

We slid

and rode

and threw

and attacked Daddy

and generally had a wonderful time. It is amazing how the kids' moods improve with a little vitamin D and the chance to blow off some energy.

Lucky Number 7

Happy 7th birthday Cooper!!

Fat Wednesday

OK, I know that once again I am a day behind. I fully expected to take the kids to school on Tuesday in their masks to hand out their much anticipated beads to their friends and teachers at school but Mother Nature had other plans. Yet another snow day caused sobs of disappointment around here when I told them we weren't going to school and we wouldn't be able to hand out necklaces. So we just moved the party to Wednesday and no one seemed to mind.

As you can see the kids had great fun handing out necklaces to everyone they met.


And as I sat there watching them I realized that before I know it this picture...

will soon turn into this picture.....

(yes that is my husband all the way on the right....)

Sick and Tired

I am officially over winter. This winter has been the rainiest, snowiest, dreariest one I can remember. Today we awoke to yet another snow storm and yet another snow day. Tired of it, I tell you. (It also doesn't help that my friend Cindy has spent the last month adventuring in Hawaii and every couple of days I get to see glimpses of warm, sunny paradise on her blog.)

So we decided to take matters into our own hands this morning, literally. Greyson, Quinn and I spent the morning mixing, stirring and kneading and voila Sun Bread....

Here's hoping our little bit of sunshine can bring that other big bright ball of gas out of hibernation.

Welcome Year of the Tiger

OK, OK I know that technically Chinese New Year was yesterday but that coincided with Valentines Day and I can't do two holidays at the same time. And admittedly perhaps we should have celebrated Presidents day today but frankly it was more fun to spend the morning coloring these happy tigers

and spending the afternoon making these Chinese lanterns


then to learn about the Presidents past. Perhaps I will save the history lessons for next year.

Happy Valentine's Day

A Star is Born

Last week Greyson's preschool class put on the dramatic performance Tacky The Penguin starring one Greyson Erim as Tacky. To be fair, he did land the role through the general Hollywood standard of drawing straws, however his teacher pulled me aside and told me she was so thankful that Greyson got the role because he was the one kid she knew would do justice to the part.

I didn't actually get to see the performance because unfortunately when either Raif or I are around Greyson turns into a shy little boy so Ms. Ashley thought it best I not be there. We were suppose to get a video of it but one of the teachers was stuck in Philly during the blizzard and thus they were short handed and there was no one to video. Thankfully, Mr. BiShaune (his teacher from last year) was kind enough to take some pictures for me.

So without seeing the performance, either live or on video, how do I know what an amazing job he did? Because EVERYONE I ran into when I went to pick Greyson up that day told me. Teachers, administrators, therapists - everyone I saw in the hall stopped me to tell me how funny he was and how he knew all his lines and what an amazing job he did. I also got several comments on how loud he was - for those who know him this shouldn't come as a surprise. I now know what it feels like to be famous and get stopped every second walking down the street.

In fact, the kids did such a good job that some people at school are requesting an encore performance. Hollywood here we come.

Tea Anyone?

Every year around Valentine's Day, the kid's preschool does a week long lesson in love, friendship, kindness (you get the idea) - the week then culminates in Grandparent's Tea. Each child invites their grandparents or special friends and has a party. Everyone gets all dressed up because, as you know, you always have to dress up for tea. My parents made the trek this year from Kansas for the event which was this morning. I really did try to get some nice pictures of my kids in their Sunday best but I have come to the conclusion that trying to get both of my kids to look nicely at the camera at the same time (not to mention trying to get my parents to actually smile) is about as easy turning lead into gold....Maybe next year....

Little Clouds of Heaven

What is the only redeeming part of February (other than your birthday Cindy)?? The miserable cold, yucky weather is a perfect excuse for enjoying a nice warm cup of hot cocoa. And what is the best part of hot cocoa? Why the marshmallow on top, of course.

This weekend the kids and I made some homemade marshmallows. Well I made them and they supervised. (Working with boiling sugar water is a little advanced for preschoolers, I think). But once I whipped them up the kids helped cut them into shapes (Valentine hearts of course) and were first in line to be testers. The day was blah and miserable - perfect for enjoying a nice cup of cocoa and some really good marshmallows.

Outside In

This Saturday instead of bringing a toy, the February Fairy brought a surprise event - an indoor camping trip. We put up the giraffe tent in the playroom, the kids got out their sleeping bags and had a slumber party. Greyson was a bit hesitant at first mention of it but once the tent was up they were both enthralled. They stayed up late giggling and playing with each other in the tent. Hopefully we will have as much success this spring when we try it for real outdoors...

Be My Valentine

Well so far February hasn't been the drag it usually has thanks to our little February Fairy. She comes every afternoon and has a little surprise in store for the kids when they get home. They are having a ball with it, though it seems that the actual hunt for the mailboxes (she hides them in a different place each day) has been more fun than what is actually in them.

We have also been kept occupied this past week with Valentine cards. I got these great cards at Stubby Pencil Studio (one of my favorite guilty pleasures). At less than a buck a card they really aren't that much more expensive than the ones you get a Target. Plus the kids can color them and they are big enough that both kids, who are still in the writing your name as big as possible stage, can actually fit their names on the cards. We are so going to have the best Valentines at school....

February Fun

I hate February. It is by far the most miserable month of the year and generally the coldest month here in Nashville. Spring seems to be a distant dream. There is nothing to do and by now the kids are getting major cabin fever which leads all of us to be big, mean, grumpy bears.

In an effort to lift us out of this February funk I have decided that we are going to have 'February Fun' this month. Every day until Valentine's Day the February Fairy is going to descend upon the Erim household and put a little trinket in each child's mailbox (providing they have been good of course). I am hoping that this might curb some bad behavior and occupy us every afternoon for a little bit. We will also be celebrating Chinese New Year this month as well as Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras and of course Valentine's Day. So stay tuned for lots of fun February adventures.....

Happy Birthday Justin Timberlake (and me too)

Sunday was my birthday (yay me). Another year older and wiser or more accurately older and more tired. You know you are getting old or the mother of two preschoolers when all you ask for for your birthday is to sleep in as late as you want.

Raif granted my birthday sleeping wish and even let me take a nap in the afternoon too. I got a beautiful set of (handcrafted by my children) mosaic stepping stones and a lovely dinner out. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday....

Let's Go Predators

Raif organized a Discovery Kingdom (Greyson's preschool class) outing to the Predators game on Saturday night. A nice group of families braved the snow and more importantly the crazy Southern snow drivers and made it out to the game. Greyson was in heaven being able to watch hockey with all his friends. And even better, Yohannes' mother is friends with the woman who does the Goal Girls' hair and so she got Gnash (the mascot) to come visit the kids at their seats. Greyson hasn't stopped talking about the game since Saturday.....

Evolution of Sledding

Keeping a child away from a hill of snow is about as fruitless as keeping a kid away from a big dish of candy. Friday morning the kids bounded outside and enjoyed some sledding. Of course we have no sleds so the kids had to improvise. First this....

Then this......




In case you don't recognize the 'sleds' they are the plastic tops to our recycling bins. Any self respecting Southerner will tell you that you don't need silly old sleds. You can use cardboard, cookie sheets - whatever is flat and handy.

Now the final evolution of sledding (which unfortunately I have neither video or pictures (though it might be better that way for the heart attack Grandma and Nini might have had)) came when Raif came back from Texas because as you can see the kids clearly aren't going fast enough or far enough for my darling husband. He took the bindings off my wakeboard and we used that as a sled. The board was so slick that with a minimum push I was able to careen my children all the way across the yard into our neighbor's yard where Raif was waiting to catch them lest they crash into our neighbor's house or car. Clearly this was the best sledding of the day.