I Thought This Lava Lamp Would Be My New Best Friend

But alas, it is not.

See we have a little problem here with some of the children (namely the girl children) getting up at inhumane hours to play (namely 5:30 am).

There are several problems with this

1. 5:30 am is not an acceptable time to do anything except maybe give birth or catch a plane to someplace nice.

2. Once one is up they insist on waking up the other one (and no it is not the same one up first each day)

3. Once they are both awake, they then insist on waking up everyone else

4. They need more sleep than they are getting (and no it doesn't really matter what time they go to bed- although if they do go to bed later, they get up later too- like 5:45)

5. Everyone else needs sleep too

So I had a great idea that would at least keep them in their beds and quiet. I bought this lava lamp and put it on a timer.

It is the play light. If the light is on- you may get up and play. If the light is off- you get your behind back in bed.

So on night one we explained it and D not only seemed excited about it but she also made sure to explain the rules to K about 10 times before them went to bed. And much to my surprise- it worked.

And the next night it worked even better.

And the next night, it didn't work and it hasn't worked since.

Now they stay in the room but one has climbed in the bed with the other and they talk till the light comes on- which wakes me up and doesn't really accomplish the more sleep goal. We have come to realize that the fact they share a room a huge part of the problem. Therefore-

Coming Soon to a blog near you.....

THE GREAT ROOM MOVE

Weekend Wisdom

"Are gays and lesbians who remain faithful to their partners committing a greater sin than married heterosexuals who commit adultery?"

-Michael Eric Dyson

For 10 Years I Have Refused to Buy Them, Until

X caught me in a weak moment.

I seriously do not like shoes that light up. Ever since I worked in a science museum eons ago running the Electrostatic Generator Show and had to always remember to ask people if their shoes had batteries (as in "Before we start I want to make sure you don't have anything with batteries like light up shoes or a hearing aid or pacemaker .....")

Plus I find them annoying and well, kind of ridiculous (but I digress)

Anyway- last week was a trip to the shoe store and they had not only light up shoes, but Star Wars light up shoes and not only Star Wars light up shoes but Star Wars: The Clone Wars light up shoes. When he told me that he would rather get the shoes than go to the Lego store (keep in mind that since he had a gift card he had already picked out what he was buying a month ago) I knew he was serious.

So we bought the light up shoes.

The morning after the purchase this is the sight we awoke to...

I think that he didn't actually wear them to bed but I wouldn't swear to it

(On the plus side it does make him easier to find in the dark)

Wordless Wednesday

Autumn Moon Festival

Our local Families with Children from China hosted an Autumn Moon Festival celebration. It was great fun. We were able to sample Moon Cakes (the kids chose to forgo the traditional moon cake, and instead chose Moon Pies)

D's Chinese language teacher hosted a "dance party with the kids

Getting ready for the lantern parade.

And ending the evening with a lantern parade, complete with glowing lanterns

Weekend Wisdom

"Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it."

James A. Baldwin

She Has Been Waiting Years For This

D is finally old enough to play soccer (she missed the cutoff by three weeks in the spring)

Some of the shots from the first game

(at least from the time she was on the field- there were some tears as the game began- Apparently half the team started the game either crying or refusing to go onto the field)