The Clausen's

Fletcher's New School

2009-09-14T15:48:00.004-04:00

To say that we are thrilled with Fletcher's new school would be an understatement! He is very content and things are going very smoothly for us all.

Examples of what makes the Children's Schoolhouse so cool and the right place for Fletcher this year:
There are 4 students in his class. How's that for a ratio?!
The teacher is amazing!
So far the boys (all 4 are boys) have made homemade play dough in the kitchen (measuring, stirring, cooking, kneading, etc.), constructed a wall from wood, sand, and water (real construction), made a trench and constructed a bridge over the trench (engineering!), and planted a vegetable garden.
The learning is very cooperative and already the boys have formed a special bond.

It's all hands-on, practical learning based on the students interests! It is exactly the right thing for Fletcher for this year!

We are blessed to have found this school!

Camera Bag

2009-09-07T09:12:00.007-04:00

I added an application on my iPhone called Camera Bag that takes the original photo and transforms it into other formats. Helga is my favorite so far.

Busy Days

2009-09-07T09:04:00.003-04:00

Yes, we're still here. Just been very busy lately. Fletcher starts a new school tomorrow and I am working part-time. Fletcher's school is a co-op so we've already put in a lot of time in the past few weeks. I will be working at St. Alban's as a preschool teacher for the 3's. School starts tomorrow but I have also already put in a lot of hours. Of course, Ed's 7-on at work fell in the same week. He and I feel like we've just been trading off and passing each other in the doorway. Things should calm down some once we establish a routine.

In addition to a new school, Fletcher has started swim lessons at Huntersville Family Fitness and Aquatics center and will be taking drama on Monday afternoons.

I will be a Parent Volunteer at Fletcher's school on Wednesdays so I will get to spend at least one day a week with Fletcher at school. His class is 4 boys, that's it! They have a new teacher who has some great ideas for projects to do with the kids that really take it from start to finish. I think this year will be a wonderful expereince for Fletcher. Just pray that we can find something just as great for next year!

Cousins

2009-08-01T16:31:00.005-04:00

Here are a few photos from our last day in NJ. Fletcher was very sad to leave and cried when saying 'goodbye' to his cousins. Can't wait to see you guys in November!

We had some 'real deli food' on our way out of town and it was so yummy! Perhaps the best sandwich in the world: fresh prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, fresh ricotta, and sun-dried tomatoes on a crusty roll!

Seaside Heights, NJ

2009-07-29T10:03:00.003-04:00

We headed "down shore" on Tuesday and had a great time playing in the sand, jumping waves, walking along the boardwalk, riding the sky lift, and eating some boardwalk grub. The shore is so unlike the NC beaches, but is great in it's own kitschy way.

Visiting Great Gram

2009-07-29T09:57:00.003-04:00

We had a great visit with Great Gram on Sunday. We enjoyed lunch, a visit to the quilting room where GG spends a lot of her time, and a wonderful visit in her room. The kids asked lots of questions about photos and GG enjoyed telling the kids about them. Fletcher really loves his Great Gram and sticks really close when they are together.

American Museum of Natural History

2009-07-29T09:46:00.003-04:00

We've had a great time here in NJ! On Monday we went into NYC with Aunt Cathy and Emily and Caitlin to visit the AMNH. We took the train and the subway to reach our destination. Love some public transportation! The museum was great! We saw dinosaur fossils, the exhibit of American Peoples, Ocean Life, and of course, the Gift Shop. We could have easily spent 1 0r 2 more days because there was so much we did not see. Grampa rode the train home from work with us.

Grandfather Mountain

2009-07-29T09:39:00.003-04:00

Last week Fletcher and I went to spend some time with Mom and Aaron and we all headed to Grandfather Mountain. We had a fun day!

Updated Fitness Blog

2009-07-17T19:32:00.002-04:00

I'm trying to post to my Fitness Blog at least once a week so keep checking in!

'Mommy's Song'

2009-07-17T19:27:00.003-04:00

This morning Fletcher composed a song for me:

"Mama, back in old western times
You did not exist
But I think you're the best mom ever.
And I love you so much, Mommy.

Mama, back when dinosaurs lived
You did not exist
But I think you're the best mom ever.
And I love you so much, Mommy."

How wonderful is that! He accompanied himself with guitar and wanted to me to write down the musical notes as well but I do not know how to write/read music. Fletcher proceeded to tell me how to write music. How does he know these things?

I have the sweetest boy ever!

Lake Norman

2009-07-12T10:24:00.003-04:00

Fletcher and I needed to get out of the house after a rough afternoon and so we picked up some food and headed to the lake. We sat on a bench by the water and ate dinner while enjoying the lake breezes and watching boats and kayaks paddle by. We then headed to the 'beach' where Fletcher created sand sculptures and made 2 new friends, Malia and Christian. (Fletcher was covered with dirt and was soaked by the time we left and rode home in his underwear.) It was a lot of fun, beautiful, and just the right way to end the day.

Fletcher at Age 5

2009-07-11T08:35:00.003-04:00

Fletcher had his five-year well check yesterday and is a healthy boy! He weighs 46 1/2 pounds and is 44 1/2 inches which puts him in the 75-90 percentile for his age. His vision was 20/20 and they checked his hearing which was fine.

Fletcher loves science especially electricity, doing experiments and creating inventions. He likes nature and enjoys being in the woods and tromping in the creek.

He loves books and has a passion for non-fiction books about science. The library and the bookstore are among our favorite places.

Fletcher is very loving and, in his own words, is "a big fan of babies" and also loves animals.

Fletcher is a smart guy with a large vocabulary who is always coming up with new ideas and always has something to say or a thought to share.

We are so proud of our son and the person he is becoming.

Check Out my Fitness Blog

2009-07-06T15:51:00.001-04:00

I updated my Fitness Blog today, so check it out!

July 4 at the National Whitewater Center

2009-07-06T11:28:00.005-04:00

After trying to come up with a plan for the 4th, we decided to head to the US National Whitewater Center for active family fun and fireworks. The whitewater center is only about 20 minutes from our home but this was our first visit. It is pretty amazing! There is lots to do but we settled on Eco Caching: we rented a GPS and navigated our way through the wooded trails to find cache boxes where we stamped our adventure passport. There is a learning curve for using the GPS but by the end of our adventure Ed was getting the hang of it. We found 4 of the 23 caches hidden. We will definitely be returning to complete our adventure! We loved it and may have found a new family hobby!

The Harrington's joined us for fireworks in the evening. The kids had fun playing together. The fireworks were really cool, but didn't last long enough for us.

Hope you all had a great holiday!

Hamster Lost and Found...

2009-06-28T15:45:00.003-04:00

and lost and found. Thursday morning we got up, got ready, checked on Fuzzy...no Fuzzy! Fuzzy has become an escape artist lately and has escaped from his home 2 times in 3 days! Ed has been the 'hamster tracker' and tracked Fuzzy down both times but we couldn't figure out how he's getting out. All doors closed, nothing out of place. We thought he had to be getting out from his ball and put some tape where the ball attached to the cage, but he got out after that. Last night I caught him with his head poking out his dome, so we taped that closed as well. But the biggest mystery is how he is getting from the bookshelves where his cage sits to the floor. It has to be at least 2 1/2 feet high! Does he jump? We may be investing in a glass aquarium soon. I've got too much to do to worry about lost hamsters!

Symphony in the Park

2009-06-28T11:14:00.003-04:00

Last night was Symphony in the Park at Baily Road Park in Cornelius. We love this event! This year there was an (bad) Elvis impersonator as the opening act followed by an awesome performance by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra called 'That's Amore": Italian composers and music. The conductor is so cool and these concerts are always family friendly and fun! We took a picnic and had ice cream, played football, saw some great fireworks, and found a frog. Good times!

More Party Pics!

2009-06-27T12:12:00.002-04:00

Thanks again to Dawn for capturing the special day! My only complaint: there are no pictures of Dawn!

Children's Museum in Winston-Salem

2009-06-27T11:39:00.001-04:00

Friday I took Fletcher and Nickolas to the Children's Museum. It was awesome! The boys had a great time in the Krispy-Kreme doughnut factory, the grocery store, and at the outdoor play area. By the end of the day Fletcher was Nickolas' "best friend" and Nickolas was Fletcher's "cousin" so I say it was a good day!

VBS: Beach Party!

2009-06-27T10:59:00.002-04:00

Fletcher and I had a blast at VBS at St. Alban's this week. It was great beach party fun with food, music, crafts, stories, science and games each night. We are looking forward to a service, picnic, and swimming at the lake on Sunday as the culmination to VBS.

Fletcher in Disguise

2009-06-27T10:20:00.004-04:00

Fletcher is so funny! He found these little black plastic pieces from the Gator box and thought they would make great eyebrows! He asked me to tape them on to his own eyebrows. He is so funny! I love that boy!

Father's Day

2009-06-27T09:50:00.005-04:00

We celebrated Father's Day at my cousin Melody's home in Fort Mill. We had a great time with family including my Dad, enjoyed Jeff's delicious burgers and lots more yummy food. Fletcher got showered with birthday gifts and even got a John Deere ride-on Gator from his Pawpaw!

But the highlight of the day was Gavin, Melody and Jeff's son. He is the happiest, cutest, and sweetest little guy! He and Fletcher were totally smitten with each other this visit!

How lucky I was to spend the day with my two favorite Daddies: Fletcher's and mine! Hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day!

Thanks, Mel and Jeff! Can't wait to see you guys again soon!

(Busy) Camp Week

2009-06-20T19:41:00.005-04:00

Fletcher had a great week at Superhero Camp at Children's Theater of Charlotte at ImaginOn in Charlotte. They sang songs, made art, and participated in drama activities based on picture books each day. On Friday Ed, Gramma, and I got to watch a presentation in which the kids performed some really cute songs, shared their favorite piece of art from the week, and acted out Baron von Baddie and the Ice Ray Incident in which Fletcher was a superhero (imagine that?). It was great! We were so proud of Fletcher and celebrated with a sweet treat from Reid's afterwards.

This is Fletcher's 2nd year attending summer camp of CTC and both have been great experiences for him. Perhaps drama will continue to be an outlet for him in the coming years!

What Makes Gramma's so Cool?

2009-06-14T11:38:00.006-04:00

It could be their unconditional love or...that they'll do all the stuff that Mommy's and Daddy's don't have the time or patience for. Like using wood and power tools to built a trap to capture an imaginary 'bad mouse.'

Race For Cure

2009-06-14T11:26:00.004-04:00

On Saturday morning Ed and I participated in the Race for the Cure in Raleigh, NC from Meredith College Campus, down Hillsborough St., through older neighborhoods where kids would squirt runners with hoses, and back to campus. It was a wonderful walk and was very well organized. We met some great people. The final number of participants was around 22, 000. Boy, was it hot! But we finished in under an hour. Our plan in to do at least a couple of more of these this year.

Old Stomping Ground

2009-06-14T11:09:00.005-04:00

Ed and I headed to Cary/Raleigh on Friday and went to NC State on Friday afternoon and walked around. I had not been there since leaving NCSU in 1993. It was kinda weird being there and remembering that 'freshman' feeling. But fun to walk around campus.

The Knight of Kennellot

2009-06-14T10:56:00.006-04:00

Fletcher and Gramma created a 'suit of armor' complete with helmet and shield and then we all painted some scenery with a castle, moat, and forest. Fletcher and I then acted out a play for Gramma and Daddy in which the brave knight (Fletcher) defeats the evil knight (Mommy). We had fun presenting our play and are planning to video it soon.

Open Up the Coconut

2009-06-14T10:48:00.003-04:00

Banging it on your head? Bad idea. Shoot it from a cannon? No cannon.

Find the nearest elephant and say “For Goodness Sake”
Won’t you sit down on my coconut until the shell breaks?!”

You can swing your favorite hammer down upon a penny nail
That’s what my Gramma told me and she says it never fails
You get a crack started then you pull it open wide
Now everybody’s eating up the Coconut inside!

More Photos from the Day

2009-06-08T07:50:00.001-04:00

Here are some more great photos of Fletcher's party by Dawn. Thank you, my dear!

Fletcher is 5!

2009-06-07T17:41:00.003-04:00

We celebrated Fletcher's 5th birthday with a Hawaiian Beach Party at the Sandlot in Davidson on Saturday. He has been talking about having a Hawaiian Beach Party since Christmas and it was no disappointment! We had a wonderful time with friends and family. There was a lei craft, sand box fun, limbo, cupcakes, pinata, and a mountain of gifts! I think Fletcher really enjoyed himself and has loved having his family here to share his big day. Fletcher was very fortunate to get so many wonderful presents and he has spent the entire day today playing with all the wonderful things he received. Thanks to you all for celebrating Fletcher's birthday with us and for your generosity! Thanks to my wonderful friend Dawn for capturing the day in photos. We are so proud of Fletcher and love our boy so very much! Happy Birthday, sweet sweet boy!

Fountain Fun

2009-06-02T18:31:00.003-04:00

In addition to our neighborhood pool, we have another great (free) place for water fun nearby: the fountain at Birkdale Village. It's a popular place this time of year and a lot of fun. Because it's self-contained, mommies can chat or read People (who me?) while their children run and play in the water. We have been 3 times in 2 weeks and it has been a lot of fun for both Fletcher and I.

What's the Matter?

2009-05-25T13:05:00.008-04:00

Fletcher and I have enjoyed reading What's the Matter in Mr. Whisker's Room? by Michael Elsohn Ross which follows a group of students as they explore matter with the guidance of their cool science teacher Mr. Whiskers. Through exploration and discovery the students learn 'big ideas' about matter: everything around us is matter and all matter takes up space, we can find out about matter by using our senses, matter can come in different forms, matter can change from one form to another, all matter has weight, and some matter dissolves in other matter. This is a cleverly written book that my 5 year loves and understands, however, I do leave out some of the commentary from a few of the students (regarding snot, not sharing, etc.) as we read but this doesn't impact (or should I says positively impacts) the story. There are directions in the back of the book for conducting the explorations yourself.

Today Fletcher and I made Oobleck:7 tablespoons cornstarch and 4 tablespoons water. Oobleck changes forms almost instantly from solid to liquid and then back again and demonstrates the 'big idea' of how matter changes form. Pretty cool!

Photos above: making Oobleck, Fun Dough, and Gloop.

What We're Reading

2009-05-24T14:42:00.004-04:00

Have I mentioned my child is really into science and experiments?

Here are his current favorite books:

Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin
Electricity and Magnetism Fundamentals: Funtastic Science Activities for Kids
Transformed: How Everyday Things are Made
Inventor McGregor
Gizmos and Gadgets: Creating Science Contraptions that Work (and Knowing Why)

Thank goodness of the public library!

Summer has Begun!

2009-05-22T18:12:00.003-04:00

Fletcher is officially ready for summer! He has been planning for a few days to fill the pool, drink lemonade and relax in the pool. Mission accomplished!

Saying Goodbye to St. Alban's Weekday Preschool

2009-05-22T17:57:00.003-04:00

Thursday was Fletcher's last day as a 'preschooler.' He has attended St. Alban's for the past 3 years. We had a rough year, but are thankful for the love and support of Mrs. Meg and the staff. On Thursday, Fletcher's class sang songs and recited poems for parents and were presented with stones with their names and the trait which the teachers felt most described each student. Fletcher's is inquisitive. Imagine that! Afterwards they celebrated with pizza. Yum!

Shining Hope Farms

2009-05-22T17:35:00.003-04:00

Well Monday was our last day of PT at Shining Hope Farms. Fletcher has really enjoyed his time spent there and loved the horses very much! We are hoping to be able to let him take riding lessons at a local stable this summer or in the fall to foster his interest in horses. Fletcher enjoys riding but also the work that goes along with horseback riding like mucking stalls and cleaning hooves. Here are some photos from our last visit on Monday.

Pick-up Truck

2009-05-17T17:37:00.003-04:00

I've been eyein' this truck in Cornelius sitting on the side of the road "For Sale" for some time now and drove past it today with my wonderful friend Danielle who shared my enthusiasm for its fabulous -ness. So we stopped and snapped a few photos. Love the color and the rust. Loved it even more that it was unlocked and that we got to sit inside. Can't wait to see the ones she took with her camera!

Botanical Beauties

2009-05-11T11:29:00.002-04:00

Some of my favorites from yesterday!

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T17:30:00.005-04:00

Hope all the wonderful mother's I know had a Happy Mother's Day! I sure did! My mom came on Saturday and on Sunday we headed to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden near Gastonia. But first I got showered with some wonderful gifts: $$ from Mom and Aaron for a pedicure, earrings from Ed, and a book titled "Mommy Super Love" from Fletcher. The book is the best gift ever! Filled with photos of Fletcher and I over the past 5 years and lots of love, it made my heart melt.

The gardens and fountains at DSBG were beautiful! We enjoyed a picnic on the lawn under a tree near the Orchid Conservatory before exploring. Mom and I loved looking at all the plants and flowers. Fletcher loved the fountains and the willow maze. I don't think Ed loved any of it, but he was a good sport for Mother's Day. It was a great day!

Birthday-palooza

2009-05-10T09:07:00.005-04:00

We celebrated with Isabelle on Thursday with cookies with pink frosting and sprinkles. Happy 5th birthday, sweet girl! We love you!

Saturday Fletcher attended a birthday party at Latta Equestrian Center for his school friend Caroline. There were ponies, face painting, a hayride, and cake. Fun! Happy birthday, Caroline!

Fletcher

2009-05-03T11:37:00.001-04:00

Here is Fletcher's school picture taken in March, age 4 3/4.

Busy Weekend

2009-04-27T16:20:00.009-04:00

Dinner at Jeffery's
Ashe County Cheese

Todd General Store
New River
Cub Creek Park

Friday night was Date Night: Fletcher to Rollie Pollies, Ed and I to Jeffery's in Mooresville. Good! Saturday morning we headed to Wilkes where we picked up Mom and Aaron and headed to Ashe County County Cheese where we witnessed the cheese making process. Cool! We then drove to Todd General Store and had a picnic by the New River. Beautiful! Sunday we made a short trip to Cub Creek Park where Fletcher played on the playground and had fun by the creek. Hot!

Saying Goodbye to Kitty Kitty

2009-04-24T08:29:00.003-04:00

Our fish, Kitty Kitty died on April 3. We continue to mourn the loss of Kitty Kitty. He was a good fish and we loved him for his 3 1/2 years as our pet.

Kitty Kitty joined our family when Fletcher was 15 months old in Septembeer of 2005. I had just left my library job and had begun staying home with Fletcher and keeping a little girl named Caroline. The kids and I were reading books, etc. about pets and took our first field trip to PetSmart in Morresville where we looked at all the pets and came home with a beta fish. On the way home we were talking about what his name should be and Caroline suggested Kitty Kitty and the kids got the humor in that and the name stuck.

Fletcher has hard a difficult time with the permanence of the situation and that we can't keep Kitty Kitty. I've explained the fact that what made Kitty Kitty so special is not there anymore, but this is a difficult concept for a 4 year old. Today we went to MegArt and made a plaque in memory of Kitty Kitty. It seemed to help Fletcher.

Doing Our Part

2009-04-22T16:28:00.005-04:00

If you know Fletcher then you probably know that he is a bit of an "eco-warrior." He is passionate about recycling and preaches the virtues of composting frequently. Today Fletcher and I went down to the woods near our house where the little creek is. Our goal was to pick up trash. I really did not think we would find much but were (unpleasantly) surprised to fill our 2 plastic grocery bags rather too quickly! Lots of bottles and cans. We will plan to go back with more gloves and larger bags for more.

My new goal is to keep plastic grocery bags and plastic gloves (both recyclable) in the car so that when we stop at a park to play we can fill up our bag with litter before playing. I did this at the little park on Glendale near our house a couple of weeks ago and succeeded in filling my bag while the kids played.

When we got back home today we sorted the litter we picked up into trash and recyclables. Afterwards, we planted sunflower seeds and poppy seeds in our little garden. Last year we grew a beautiful sunflower and we are hopeful for at least one to make it this year!

Happy Earth Day!

Roger Day!

2009-04-18T16:26:00.005-04:00

Parachute boy flies over the world!

Wicked air on the bouncy slide!

Admittedly, I am a huge Roger Day fan, probably more so than Fletcher, perhaps even a groupie. Tonya and I agreed that we may each have a little tiny innocent crush on Roger! Hey, I can admit it! Anyway, today we headed to Myers Park for a kids' carnival featuring Roger Day and lots of fun carnival stuff. It was a great day to be outside and we had a great time! On the way home we stopped at Tijuana Flats for lunch and then a much needed grocery store trip. Can't wait until the next Roger Day event in NC (Concord in July, ImaginOn in November)!

Little Boy Growing Up

2009-04-13T18:22:00.001-04:00

I am proud of Fletcher for many reasons and for his many accomplishments, most recently staying dry throughout the night for 7 days straight! We had never pushed this because it is my belief that this is a hard thing to master. But when I bought Pull-ups last, Fletcher and I decided that when those ran out we would not buy any more. He was ready and has done great! So proud!

Happy Birthday, Ed!

2009-04-13T16:28:00.001-04:00

Today is Ed's 41st birthday! Happy Birthday, baby! I love you so very much! Hope you have had a great day and wishing you a terrific year!

Cutie Cole!

2009-04-13T16:25:00.002-04:00

Cole is my friend who comes to play with me on Mondays and Wednesdays. Today we made bunny ears. So cute! Could not resist posting this!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T16:03:00.003-04:00

We had a wonderful Easter and hope that each of you did as well! We awoke to find that the Easter Bunny had indeed hopped right down Hill St and left Fletcher a nice basket of seeds, gardening gloves, a picture book, and eggs filled with candy! I made breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast. Yummy! We then went to the 11:00 service at St. Alban's. In the afternoon Fletcher dyed Easter eggs with Grandmaw and Uncle Aaron and had an Easter Egg Hunt in the grassy area in our neighborhood. We thoroughly enjoyed our Easter weekend with family!

Easter at Latta Plantation

2009-04-13T15:47:00.004-04:00

On Saturday Mom, Aaron, Fletcher and I (Ed had to sleep) went to Latta Plantation for an Easter Egg Hunt and other Easter activities. Fletcher enjoyed his hunt and was old enough to go by himself. He also sat with the Easter Bunny (yes, he has holes in his hat for his ears: a burning question of Fletcher's), petted the baby lambs, and made a lamb craft. We saw our school friends Conner and Grace with their cousins which was a nice surprise! We braved the wind and had a picnic there as well. It was a great day!

Date Night!

2009-04-13T15:44:00.003-04:00

Ed and I rarely go out just the 2 of us, so we took advantage of Mom and Aaron coming on Friday and had a date night. We enjoyed shopping at Northlake Mall and dinner at PF Changs. It was great to spend time together and we really enjoyed each others company! Love my man!

Fletcher did great for Mom and Aaron and enjoyed having them to himself. Thanks guys!

Blue Hand Group

2009-04-13T15:42:00.003-04:00

Cam and Fletcher were working on an Easter project when they decided to paint themselves! Silly boys!

Easter Egg Hunt at School

2009-04-13T15:33:00.003-04:00

Fletcher's class had an Easter Egg Hunt the week before Spring Break. The children has made their own 'Easter baskets' from square tissue boxes. Since it was raining the kids hunted for eggs in the church narthax. After finding 6 eggs each the class played a fun game and sang songs together.

Outdoor Art

2009-04-13T15:24:00.004-04:00

Great art project to do on a nice day when you want to be outside: take a large piece of paper (such as brown newsprint) and tack it to a wall or tape it to a fence or a tree, have various colors of paint in small containers along with brushes, sponges, rollers, etc. and let the kids go for it! The big kids (Fletcher, Isabelle, Cam, and Logan) as well as the little kids (Cole and Jonah with Super Fletcher ) all enjoyed this activity and it occupied them for quite some time! Fun!

Playing Hookie

2009-03-10T18:00:00.003-04:00

Fletcher is my alarm clock but he didn't wake this morning until almost 9 a.m. So seeing as how we were going to be really late for school and I had nothing on my agenda for today, Fletcher and I played hookie and went to the Charlotte Nature Museum and Freedom Park instead. What a wonderful day! I looove that part of Charlotte and could sooo live on Queens Rd or East Blvd! We enjoyed the museum where Fletcher (as usual) made some new friends whose company we enjoyed the rest of our visit. He also petted a corn snake named Duncan! Later we headed to Brixx on East Blvd. where we noshed out-of-doors. Then it was back to the Nature Museum where we unloaded Fletcher's bike and pedaled over to an around Freedom Park. It was a great day for the park: we played at the playground, Fletcher rode around the lake, and we enjoyed watching others nap on the lawn and playing Frisbee. On our way home we stopped at the Target in the new METropolitan shopping center in Midtown. All in all we had a great day. I'm sure I have Spring Fever!

Ed and I

2009-03-07T07:45:00.003-05:00

Ed and I never seem to make it into many pictures so I made sure yesterday to get one of Ed and make him take one of me. He we are. Aren't we good-lookin'? :)

Yes, There was Snow Earlier this Week

2009-03-07T07:30:00.003-05:00

Yesterday afternoon the Clausen's headed to the athletic park in Huntersville for playground fun, bike riding, and walking. The weather was perfect! Looking forward to a repeat today!

The swim team from MAC was at the park running laps and my charismatic child decided to high five each one of them as they crossed the finish line. I know what you're thinking, Tonya, and we made him wash his hands with sanitizing cloths as soon as we got to the van!

Fletcher got a haircut yesterday and still had that "fresh-from-the-barber" look. It's looks better after a wash last night.

More Snow Day Fun!

2009-03-02T18:03:00.004-05:00

This p.m. we ventured out and went to Tonya's for some more snow fun with Emma Kate, Jack, and their friend, Jane. They have a sled and a great hill for sledding. Jack enjoyed playing with Ed and decided he was a great target for snowballs and the other kids joined in! I took my turn on the sled which was fun until we caught some air and landed with a thud on the pavement: ouch! Below are some photos I snagged from Tonya's FB page. Thanks for the photos and the fun, Tonya and gang!

Snow What Fun!

2009-03-02T13:57:00.003-05:00

We got some real snow last night (4 whole inches)! So this morning we headed out into the snow for snow angels, snowman, sledding, and more snow fun!

Comments

2009-02-28T08:58:00.001-05:00

I love all the comments! Keep them coming! This is sarcasm!

We're In!

2009-02-25T15:53:00.004-05:00

Well, we didn't get our first choice (Children's Community School in Davidson) but we did get our second (and it was a close second) in schools for Fletcher for the fall: The Children's Schoolhouse Cooperative Preschool! Fletcher would have gone to Kindergarten had we "won the lottery" with CCS but over 400 children for 38 spots is not great odds. So we opted to give Fletcher "the gift of time" by giving him one more year and Transitional Kindergarten. The Children's Schoolhouse has an open curriculum and Fletcher will love it there and we are excited for the year to come! The only drawback is the hours: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. I am now trying to determine what kind of work I can do around Fletcher's school day. And because it is a co-op, I have to be there at least one day a week as a Parent Volunteer. It will all work out. I have faith.

Now, what do we do this summer??

Mint Museum: Pop Art

2009-02-14T16:34:00.004-05:00

Today we went to see the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Mint as this is its last weekend here in Charlotte. It was wonderful! Fletcher made Pop Art Flowers then we explored the exhibit which included many works that I had never seen: Endangered Species series, Jews series, and Cowboys and Indians series. All were wonderful and not the blonde bombshell and soup cans (well there was the one soup can) that we have come to associate with Warhol. I have a new found respect for his work. After the museum we had lunch at Wolfman Pizza. Yummy! Great family fun!

Valentine's at Latta Plantation

2009-02-14T16:12:00.003-05:00

Fletcher and I enjoyed ourselves at Latta Plantation's Valentine's event yesterday. We love Latta and Fletcher proved yesterday how much he has learned and remembered from all of our visits there.

Fletcher is a natural-born talker and people-person I sometimes have to go outside of my comfort zone because, truth be told, he is more of a people-person than I am. Our visit to Latta on Friday was no exception: he did his own demonstration at he wooden work bench, convinced a group of girls to help him train the chickens by pretending to be foxes (for the hen's own protection), asked 2 boys to help carve a stump into a statue of him while he posed, fed a horse from his hand while pretending to be a horse trainer, and composed a Valentine's poem which he eagerly shared with anyone who would listen.

"Flowers are red.
Violets are blue.
I hope you like me.
I like you!"

Love my Square Peg

2009-02-14T16:07:00.003-05:00

Someone recently called my child a "square peg" and I was not insulted at all. I am learning more and more everyday to embrace my unique and wonderful son for who his is. After all, we have taught him to think, question, to talk. We would not want him to take things at face value, to follow the crowd, to be like everyone else. However, the world is not always easy for those who don't "go with the flow" or question the whys and how of this world. It my mine and Ed's job to help our "square peg" find his square hole in this round-holed world. It is a job I cherish!

To the Sandlot!

2009-02-10T15:01:00.004-05:00

Fletcher and I knew that the beautiful weather today called for a visit to the Sandlot in Davidson. So after picking up Fletcher from school we headed that way with snacks and camera in tow. Since it is right across from Fletcher's preschool we luckily found some other school friends playing there as well. Can't wait for more spring-like days and more fun at the Sandlot in the weeks to come!

Wonderful Weekend!

2009-02-08T18:32:00.005-05:00

You'd never know this weekend that we had snow earlier in the week! It was Spring-like and beautiful! Fletcher and I enjoyed making valentines at home and then a birthday party Friday night at Rollie-Pollies (one of Fletcher's favorite places!). Saturday we all visited the Children's Schoolhouse, a prospective school for Fletcher for the fall, and it was great! Saturday afternoon, while Ed napped, Fletcher and I headed to Ramsey Creek Park on the lake. It was wonderful! Fletcher dug in the sand, found clams, turned over rocks, and all the things that a boy should do! Sunday was church, making valentines at CAP, and a play date with Emma Kate and Jack. All in all, it was a near-perfect weekend!

2nd Snow Day

2009-02-08T18:28:00.003-05:00

We had snow on Wednesday. Ed was home and we all enjoyed getting out together into the snow!

Funny Story

2009-01-27T07:53:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Fletcher's weekly therapeutic horseback riding lesson. He loves it! Along with PT Fletcher is learning some riding skills, helps to feed horses, and has even mucked a stall. It gives him a great sense of pride. The therapists also stress respect for all people and the animals and teach the children to thank their horse after each ride, which Fletcher always remembers to do with a rub and a pat on the nose. Well yesterday, Mrs. Carolyn said "Give Marley some love," which at our house means kisses, so that's just what Fletcher did...puckered up and kissed Marley right on the mouth!

O' boy! I'm trying to laugh about it but can't help wondering what you can get from kissing a horse?

By the way, if you are looking for a charitable organization to donate to this year, I can not think of a more deserving organization than Shining Hope Farms. They help children with all kinds and levels of disabilities with therapeutic horseback riding. They have many expenses including horse care, farm maintenance, PT's and Speech Pathologists, etc. We feel very fortunate that Fletcher benefits from all they do.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Day

2009-01-25T16:31:00.003-05:00

WINTER WALK

I like the days in winter
when paths are packed with snow
and feet make creaky footsteps
wherever footsteps go,
and
I like days in winter
when snow lies soft and deep
and footsteps go so quietly
you'd think they were asleep.

By Aileen Fisher

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2009-01-25T16:02:00.004-05:00

Today Fletcher and I headed to Central Avenue in Charlotte to soak up some culture for the Lunar New Year. We loved it! It was so much fun! We followed a troop as they went from business to business to scare away the bad luck. We heard drums and firecrackers and were given an orange (good luck!). We met some really nice people. We're going to try to go to Davidson College later tonight for more celebrations. Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Reflections on a Day

2009-01-21T08:01:00.012-05:00

I spent more time in front of the TV yesterday than I normally do in a month, but it was worth it.

I was struck by so many poignant moments: Obama's inaugural address, the benediction by Rev. Lowery, the children, the songs performed at the Neighborhood Ball that will forever have new meaning to me, and on and on. I am grateful for Emily and her play-by-play on Facebook and am so proud of she and Shaun and happy for Cam that they were there. I was just as glued to the computer and am grateful for the technology that brought so many people together on this day to remember. I am glad it was a snow day so that Fletcher and I could be home together. I will forever remember Fletcher asking me to dance as the president and the first lady took the dance floor for the first time to Beyonce's rendition of At Last.

Never have so many people voted in an election year, never have so many people attended an inauguration. Let our country, with the guidance and inspiration of our new president, break another record in the coming weeks, months, and years: never have so many people cared.

I am proud, awed, inspired. YES WE CAN!

I urge everyone to visit ServiceNation.org to pledge your time and efforts to better our country.

Birdseed Biscuits

2009-01-18T15:52:00.005-05:00

We've always made an effort to bring the birds to our (very tiny) backyard. We've made pine cone and peanut butter treats many times but today made birdseed biscuits for our feathered friends. I found the idea and recipe in the February Family Fun magazine: mix together 3/4 cup birdseed, 1 tablespoon flour, and 2 tablespoons water. Spray metal cookie cutter with cooking oil and place it on a foil covered cookie sheet. Pack mixture into the cutter, inserting a straw near the top to make a hole for ribbon. Bake with straw in about 1 hour at 170 degrees. Here's our finished product. So cute! Hope the birds enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Gavin!

2009-01-18T11:32:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was baby Gavin's 1st birthday! Gavin is the son of my cousin, Melody and her husband Jeff. Gavin is the cutest, happiest baby and we were so glad that we got to celebrate the special day with family!

Catawba Science Center

2009-01-18T11:15:00.003-05:00

On Saturday we were heading toward Hickory for a birthday party (see next post) and decided to make a day out of it by going to the Catawba Science Center first. Well, we got a later start than we intended and only had about an hour at the museum, but enjoyed our time there and plan to head back very soon. Fletcher enjoyed the Inventors Workshop and the Spin: Science of Rotation exhibit best. We look forward to seeing a show at the new planetarium and exploring the aquarium more on our next visit.

More of Danielle's Photos

2009-01-17T11:34:00.002-05:00

Christmas Card Photo

2009-01-17T09:00:00.003-05:00

Photo credit: Tonya Harrington

Playground

2009-01-15T15:38:00.003-05:00

Carousel

2009-01-15T15:29:00.002-05:00

Sunday at the Museum

2009-01-12T15:12:00.005-05:00

Yesterday Fletcher and I took at trip to the Schiele Museum and Planetarium in Gastonia. We had a great time! It was our first planetarium experience and Fletcher liked it so much that we saw 2 shows. We have been to the Schiele Museum a few times before and I'm always struck by how each visit is different as Fletcher gets older. This time our favorite exhibit was the Hall of North Carolina Natural History where Fletcher and I played "I spy with my little eye...." as we explored and talked about each diorma. We also enjoyed the Hall of the American Indian where Fletcher was interested in how the Native Americans made things. It was a very enjoyable visit and we are looking forward to returning soon! It is days like yesterday that make me think homeschooling would be so fun (and days like today that remind me why it wouldn't!).

Enjoy Life While You're Living It

2009-01-10T09:51:00.002-05:00

This New Year I resolve to enjoy the things we have now. This has been on my mind for a few months now. I had photographs and other art in the attic waiting until we had a new house to put it in. After we did some work around the house, I decided to enjoy these things now, in the present, in the home we have now. I have clothes I bought because I liked them, but have never worn because "I'm just running errands today" or "I'm just hanging with the kids today." But I am vowing to wear what I want because it will make me feel good. I vow to use the good china on a Tuesday night. I vow to live my life for today and not for some day in the unforeseen future.

Family Photos by Danielle

2009-01-07T11:07:00.005-05:00

Update: I've only had a few minutes to look over the disk but here are some of my favorites so far!

Take a look at Danielle's blog and her Flickr pages for Clausen family photos! I'll post my favorites soon. Thanks so much, Danielle!

Getting the New Year Off to the Right Start

2009-01-04T14:54:00.003-05:00

Well over the past few days I have cleaned and organized our bedroom closet, the downstairs closet (it was really bad), and the laundry room, plus random drawers and my address box! It feels good to at least start the new year off with things in pretty good shape. Who knows how long they will stay that way! It seems like home organization is a constant work-in-progress! Next I need to do some paper filing and computer files reorganization and work on my time management (less screen time for sure!). For that I feel that I really need and iphone to keep me on task (which doesn't support my less screen time does it?). Don't you agree?

Uptown Charlotte

2008-12-31T17:39:00.004-05:00

Today, Linda (MIL) and I dropped off Ken (FIL) at the library to work while we took Fletcher to see the Leonard Bearnstein Orchestra at Founders Hall. We then hopped on the LYNX train to the Green to watch other brave souls ice skate. Hopped back on the train to ImaginOn. We then met Ken at Brixx Uptown where we enjoyed a great lunch. I love uptown (now that I don't have to go there 5 days a week!) and love that Fletcher is comfortable there and knows the landmarks. We enjoyed seeing all the Christmas decorations at Founders Hall and other uptown locales.

Family Photo Fun

2008-12-31T17:20:00.006-05:00

We had a great time with Danielle on Monday when she drove in from Durham to take the Clausen Family photos! It was a great experience and very laid back. After photos we all went to Lancaster BBQ in Huntersville. Yummy! Then back to our house for more family fun! So glad to see you Danielle and spend the day with you! We had fun!

Later we headed to the 'grassy area' for football and tug-o-war with the kids followed by dinner in (thanks, Dad). A great day! Can't wait to see Danielle's photos and I'll share with you all asap.

Fletcher loves his cousins (as do Ed and I!!) and was thrilled to be able to spend the day with them, much of it hugging them. Most of the day he had to have one on each side! Cathy and Louis, we are so glad that we were able to see you for Christmas as well as Ken, Linda, and Gram.

Christmas Day

2008-12-26T10:47:00.002-05:00

What a wonderful day we had! I awoke before everyone else, followed shortly by Fletcher who got everyone up. We headed downstairs to see that Santa had come! We all had a great time watching Fletcher open and enjoy his gifts and open gifts of our own. We ate ham biscuits for breakfast then looked in our stockings. I took a Christmas morning nap (the best gift of all) and awoke just in time for Mom's wonderful chili! The rest of the day was playing, eating, and napping. We really enjoyed our fun and relaxing Christmas day! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!

Christmas Eve

2008-12-26T10:30:00.003-05:00

On Christmas Eve we hung out at home and cooked then headed to Northlake Mall for a visit with Santa, lunch, a little shopping, and playing in the play area. The mall was packed and we waited for what seemed like forever for Santa! After returning home we cooked and ate some more before getting ready for Santa! Fletcher put out Chex mix, cheese, and quiche for Santa, cheese for Santa Mouse, and reindeer food for Santa's reindeer. We had a great day together, but will skip the mall next time!

Photo Gallery Wall

2008-12-20T12:29:00.005-05:00

The inspiration from Pottery Barn:

The process:

The finished product:

After, Finally!

2008-12-20T12:12:00.004-05:00

New pendant lights:

Looking from back door to front door through hallway and office:

Office to living room:

New stove and microwave:

New counter top and back splash:

Kitchen:

I am not good at interior shots so I am still not satisfied with the pictures here. Things don't look much better here than they did in the before pictures, which just means that you all have to come see how much better things look in person for yourself!

Haircut and Singing Bears

2008-12-16T16:29:00.004-05:00

I took my other son :) to get a haircut after school today and then we enjoyed the singing bears at Birkdale Village. While Fletcher danced the hula to Feliz Navidad, Cam watched the bears with a mixture of awe and terror. Yes, he liked it. No, he did not want to go any closer.

Fletcher at the Reigns!

2008-12-16T10:25:00.002-05:00

Fletcher is still enjoying his afternoons at Shining Hope Farms, although Mrs. Delane has realized that Fletcher needs new challenges frequently. So yesterday they introduced reigns and Fletcher will be learning how to hold the reigns and control the horse with them. He will also start mucking stalls soon, too. Yesterdays session was also special because we brought Christmas presents for the horses: apples and carrots! Fletcher loved the chance to feed Marley ('our' horse), Hami, and Oreo and wish them a "Merry Christmas!" and the horses seem to be very appreciative! We feel that all of Fletcher's experiences at Shining Hope Farms have been positive ones and it is amazing to see him interact with the animals.

Disco Elves

2008-12-14T10:44:00.003-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Perhaps not the best choice of photos (because Ed has my computer as usual) but we're good for a giggle! Elf Yourself and email it to us. I love these! Merry Christmas!

We Love a Parade!

2008-12-07T17:53:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the North Meck Parade! We have attended every year since Fletcher was 1. We always enjoy BBQ at the American Legion first and then walk up to Hwy 115 where we stake out our spots along with Tonya and family. This year it was a cold but still enjoyable.

Done!

2008-12-06T18:51:00.002-05:00

Our all-consuming household project is finished and we survived the mayhem. Well, the contractors are gone anyway. An they did a great job (D&D of Huntersville)! The paint is dry and the dust has mostly settled and we are enjoying our "new" home. No pictures have been hung back on the walls (as much as I love photos in my house, it's hard for me to think about hammering holes into my "new" walls) and closets are still crammed with stuff that goes elsewhere, but for the most part we are feeling settled again. I think we'll get everything ready for Christmas (tree up and a wreath on the door at least) before decorating the house for every day. Pictures of the finished project coming soon.

Not in Kansas any More!

2008-11-29T19:35:00.006-05:00

Before

During
Today the flooring is going down which is very exciting, except that we had to move all the movable furniture upstairs and all the stuff (toys) that was in the furniture, etc. upstairs as well. I am going crazy because we are trying to stay upstairs out of their way and there is so much work to do but not anything I can do right now even though it looks like someone has taken my house and put it in a blender!!!

And it is very difficult to keep a 4 year old boy occupied in his room when there are men with power tools downstairs! Yesterday Fletcher and I went to a movie just to get out of the house and today went to MegArt, Target, and the library which wasted about 3 hours, but we still spent about 5 other hours of the day in his or my bedroom which are crammed full of furniture! Aaarrgh!

After the floors are complete we can move stuff back, except that next comes paint, which means that the furniture can go back into the rooms where is belongs but that the furniture in all rooms must be away from the walls.

It will all look so nice when it's done and I will be so happy to get things back to where they belong so we can begin enjoying the changes!

Progress?

2008-11-12T18:16:00.002-05:00

They say it gets worse before it gets better, right? Well that is the case at our home right now. Yesterday I took down the sconces in what we pretended was the dining room for a long time, as well as the chandelier. I put up a new light fixture that Ed can not conk his head on every time he gets up from the desk. Today I removed another wall paper border, this time from the laundry "room." I also removed the old caulk and re-caulked the downstairs toilet. I removed all the shoe molding from the kitchen and entry area to prep for new flooring. I am pooped, the house looks like a disaster, and I can't wait for the new stuff!

Magazine

2008-11-10T11:03:00.005-05:00

Fletcher is in print again! Charlotte Baby and Child is a local publication that my friend Danielle is the art director for. She put Super Fletcher in it again this time. Take a look!

Shiner

2008-11-10T10:53:00.002-05:00

Fletcher got into a altercation with a piece of furniture last week and got his first black eye. He had a cut and a bruise the first day and a blue eye the following day, with varying shades throughout the weekend.

Fletcher's "New" Room

2008-11-10T10:40:00.003-05:00

Fletcher's got a new bed! He has wanted a bunk bed for sooo long and now he has one and he loves it! With the addition of the new bed and a "space" theme we have done some decorating in his room also: new bedding, hanging photos, hanging planets, moving furniture, etc. He said yesterday "I may have the coolest room, EVER!" It is so good to have a place of your own that you really enjoy being in.

Obama Rally

2008-11-10T10:26:00.003-05:00

Most of you probably know how involved Ed has been in this election year: volunteering at the local Democratic headquarters, canvasing, handing out materials at polling places, etc. He has had the opportunity to see Obama in Charlotte 2 different times, but something came up each time so that he was unable to go. But last Monday, Obama was at UNC Charlotte and Ed stood in the rain for the opportunity to hear him speak. It was a wonderful experience for the day before the election. We are thrilled with outcome of the election and our President Elect. We are hopeful for the future and excited for our country!

Halloween

2008-11-10T10:18:00.003-05:00

Fletcher created his own costume for Halloween from a cardboard box and household items. He was a Robot complete with lights, antenna, and buttons. We had so much fun putting the costume together and Fletcher enjoyed trick-or-treating with Daddy around the neighborhood.

Household Projects:UPDATE

2008-11-03T17:00:00.002-05:00

Update: Ok, so we've have sunk our teeth into projects and we're off! While we do need new furniture also, we've decided to invest in improvements that will add value to the house.

1. We have chosen new granite counter tops with under mounted sink and extended island to be installed on 11/18 (as it turns out, granite is cheaper than other solid surfaces! Who knew?)
2. Removed wallpaper boarder in the kitchen today while kids rested (bye, bye fruity boarder!)
3. Got Fletcher the bunk bed he has wanted for about 2 years over the weekend and got it put together on Saturday. Fletcher is lovin' it and his room is now his favorite place! He didn't want to leave the house on Sunday.
4. Have gotten rid of at least 6 pieces of furniture that we had been saving for "our next home" (that in the mean time was taking up valuable space in our current one!).
5. Having upstairs carpet cleaned on Friday.
6. Collecting estimates on flooring installation (downstairs), painting (entire interior), and lighting (2 new pendants over the kitchen island).

To save $$ we will be doing a lot of research on the internet and as much of the work that we can ourselves like tearing out the old counter tops and tearing up the old carpet and vinyl downstairs. I'll keep you all posted and will add photos of progress when we have some. Wish us luck!

I have wanted a new home for a while now, but to no avail. So my latest scheme is to do some stuff to our current house to make it more livable. We've been here 8 years and things are ready for repair/replacement but we've continuously said that we'd wait and do all the fixing-up when we were ready to sell, but now I think we should go ahead and make plans for projects so that we can enjoy the new stuff, too. So here is my wish list of things to do around the house:
New floors entire downstairs: laminate hardwoods
New carpet on stairs and upstairs: frieze or berber
New paint in entire house: neutral golden shade and white trim
New kitchen countertops: solid surface with integrated sink and larger island surface
Fletcher needs a real bed (sleeping on a futon and has wanted a bunk bed for a long time) and Ed and I need new bedroom furniture as well (same stuff I got when I moved to Charlotte in 1994)

Ed says we will not take out any kind of loan to do any of this which means it will happen very slowly. I'll keep you posted. Who knows what order things should be done in? Should the floors be before the paint, etc.?