Yes, I skipped October...and pretty much all of November.

Top 10 Things We Did Since I Last Blogged:

1. Took very low quality pictures with Andy's cell phone.

2. Went to the Fall Festival at Cox Farms. Actually, the previous picture was taken there, although you might not necessarily associate oversized chairs with fall festivals. I can assure you there were hay rides and music and apple cider and pumpkin patches and cool temperatures, etc.


3. Took our last trip of the season to Williamsburg, VA. Sadly, no history lessons were learned other than how pirates would have built a miniature golf course.









4. Did not force Noah to celebrate Halloween. We did, however, let Lex brandish a toy knife with her pirate costume, which was probably not the best of ideas.











5. Celebrated Noah's 8th birthday. There were Andy's special burgers, cake, far too many presents and horrific renderings of "Happy Birthday to You" by Lex. Below is one of the presents (K'Nex) and a proud boy who claims to have helped build the coaster. It's fair to say he helped build about 2% of it.











6. Observed Veterans Day by bowling, which is apparently an event of monumental excitement. And let's just say that we were all better bowlers with the assistance of the bumper rails.


7. Went to a dinner theatre production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, featuring a talented cast and a spitting camel--good stuff. This was followed by a trip to FunLand for overpriced arcade entertainment.


8. Watched Noah level up in Tae Kwon Do, reaching Poom belt (half black and half red) by passing his form test and breaking boards with seriously dangerous looking spin kicks.


9. Paused to give thanks this past Thursday for a great year. Andy, Noah and I had a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal while Lex opted for leftovers from El Rey Tolteca. Later, we put up Christmas decorations, which the dog and cat have not yet destroyed...3 days and counting!


10. Had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Yesterday, we enjoyed a lovely family tea party, and today we enjoyed gorgeous weather at the National Zoo.

As always, check out the Photobucket album to view the latest pics (just click on the right sidebar Photobucket link).

Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. We can't wait to see everyone for Christmas!

It's been a festive couple of months at the Roussel Roost, with more festivities to come!

Try to remember the kind of September...

Well, it's back to school at the Roussel Roost.

Noah, now in Mrs. Smith's 3rd grade class, comes home each day with a ridiculously heavy backpack. He was thrilled to go back to school so he could have recess.

Lexa, in Ms. Nesbit's kindergarten class, loves the school cheer: "B-A-R-T, Bark, Bulldogs, Bark"(as she tells it). She also likes her principal, Mr. Cerrone, or as she says, "Mr. Roni."

Besides Noah and Lex having a breakfast both at child care and then at school one morning, things are going fairly smoothly.

Before school began, we took a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Andy took Noah to Montebello, where Noah was thrown off a horse and took a big spill during a strenuous hike. Luckily, there were no fishing accidents.

Lex and I met up with the guys at Wintergreen Resort and were treated to (among other things) a morning at the spa,
some rides on the ski slope chair lift,

and a breathtaking view.

We wrapped up the trip at Natural Bridge and checked out the bridge, the toy museum, the wax museum, the Indian village, and the caverns; however, we declined to go to Foam Henge or DinoLand.

While we were gone, the hermit crab cage remained uninhabited since Kermit II met his premature death just days before we left. Kermit had been a lively little fellow, often switching shells and nibbling on bits of fruit. I think Andy was most devastated by Kermit's death. They seem to have bonded.

Instead of shelving the habitat when we returned, Andy got a bigger one since Noah and Lex now each have a new crab. Why am I even bothering to tell this tale? Because I think the crabs like to have parties while we are out. I have, on several occasions, returned home to find mulch and sand tossed out of the cage as well as food/water dishes and climbing structures overturned and moved. These crabs are also very noisy chirpers. I never imagined hermit crabs could be rowdy. If they start inviting their friends over, I might just have to evict them.

We're coming out of our shells at the Roussel Roost.

Happy Birthday Caroline Superstar!

We hope you're having a fun birthday in New York. And Happy Birthday to Uncle Todd, who I can safely bet is not reading this blog.

Anyhow, we've been up to many things since I last posted. We had an excursion to Leesburg, VA in search of good Cajun food. Success! We will be returning to the Cajun Experience probably on a monthly basis. While in Leesburg, we also checked out the Leesburg Animal Park, where Andy fed a tortoise, Lex petted a serval and named a swan Princess, and Noah took a pony ride led by a girl with a Sweeney Todd tattoo. Questionable judgement on my part.

The next weekend, we were off to Gettysburg, PA to tour battlegrounds from the top of a double-decker bus in the blazing heat. Again, questionable judgement on that one. We concluded the trip with a visit to Boyd's Bear Country, where we predictably encountered a (three story) barn full of toy bears. Lex and Noah even put on hard hats and clocked in to the bear factory.

And that brings us to this weekend, during which Lex lost her first tooth and had to be informed that the tooth fairy was not going to bring her the $100 she wanted. We reminisced about Noah losing his first tooth in the Lazy River at Signal Bay Water Park. Noah had, incidentally, been to that water park this week, and one of his fellow campers scraped a leg. Andy figures between the blood and teeth, the Lazy River should be condemned.

Last night, we went to Maryland to see the Medieval Times show. Noah was an expert, having already gone on a group trip through the summer camp. His favorite part, of course, was eating with no utensils. Lex only ate a piece of garlic bread and half an apple pastry, but she was thrilled with receiving a white carnation, kissed and thrown to her by the Red and Yellow Knight.

Until the morrow we next meet, good friends and kin, I bid you farewell from the Roussel Roost.

While Lex finds the secret of the water fall, I'll post.

Well, I'd rather that Lex find secrets of waterfalls as opposed to making up books about getting married. Anybody willing to take her once she hits her teen years?

Anybody?

Lex was beyond thrilled to receive a card congratulating her on her performance in art class. We're not sure how "Art Lover" became a fan, but his handwriting does look suspiciously familiar (I'm winking at you, Grandpa Rick). Lex is convinced her art teacher, Ms. Sohaila, must have told Mr. Art about her. She also believes that Tinker Bell and the Tooth Fairy hang out together, so you can take that with a grain of vodka, as my boss would say.

Not much is going on today, other than a trip with our neighbor, Noah's friend Jakob, to the movies. Andy's been working all day, so I know he's devastated he had to miss Aliens in the Attic.

We ventured out farther, though, last weekend to take a day trip to Great Country Farms. The blackberry fields were closed because they had been overpicked, and the peaches we picked weren't quite ripe. However, the weather and scenery were lovely. And I got to try out my Christmas-in-July present, a Nikon digital SLR camera (I call her Niki). You can't get the full effect because I've reduced the file sizes for the web, but trust me when I say that Niki takes gorgeous photos! Be sure to check them all out at Photobucket.

The Roussel Roost is now brought to you in Technicolor.

It's not easy being colored the shades of the rainbow...or being flat.

(Click individual photos to enlarge, or view the whole mess of them through the Photobucket link on the right.)

Some of you may recall the Flat Stanley project my Nannie worked on for Noah.










Well, when we visited Monticello last month, we discovered Travelin' TJ. First, let me just mention that an impromptu visit to Thomas Jefferson's home in Charlottesville on our return trip from VA Beach was a brilliant idea on Andy's part. We hadn't been in about a year, and I thought GG and Grandpa Rick would really enjoy it (they did). So let me link a couple of pics of them before I reveal Travelin' TJ's recent afternoon at our house:

Grandpa Rick and the Grand-brats, um grandkids, pose in Jefferson's little garden outpost.

The cute couple takes a photo op in front of the house:

We almost all pose with Bronze TJ near the Visitor's Center:

Anyhow, Travelin' TJ has been on an extended visit to our house, and yesterday he finally agreed to pose for pictures.

Alexa introduces Travelin' TJ to the hermit crab and cricket. He thinks, "I was a bit more impressed by the prairie dog, elk and buffalo skins Lewis & Clark sent me":

Travelin' TJ gets up close and personal with Jiminy cricket, wondering, "Does everything in this nut house get a name?" (Oh yes, Travelin' TJ, everything is fair game around here):

Travelin' TJ next meets TJ Max, as we call him; you may know him as Tujague the panther-cat. Notice that TJ Max would be more impressed with Lewis & Clark's prairie dog as well--perhaps to eat it:

Finally, Travelin' TJ takes in a Tae Kwon Do demonstration by Noah, fresh from a belt test (you may be able to see the discarded red belt on the stair rail and cameos by Andy, Lex and Daisy):

The humor fell flat today at the Roussel Roost.

You're just too good to be true.

I heard Lexa generated a little fan base from her last music video, so I'll give you another one. What I really was trying to get her to do in this video was play some piano, which she had been doing for the previous 15 minutes or so. However, as we know, Alexa has her own agenda. So she created another on-the-spot composition. Note that she looks a bit squatty because she's sitting on a wee piano bench and that the background music is Noah playing Wii Mario Galaxy.



It was a sentimental Saturday at the Roussel Roost.

Lexa had the little disposable camera that couldn't.

Or, this is the camera that almost made GG harm her granddaughter.
Or, Happy Father's Day 2009.
Or, this is Part Two of the Espositos' visit.

I said I'd comment more on my parents' visit with us. Little did you know you'd be treated to photography by Alexa. You can click on the pictures to see them a little larger...albeit they're at low quality.

At the Basilica of the National Shrine:








On the Metro Red Line the day before the awful crash (I'm almost positive that's Lexa's index finger and that she is not inappropriately gesturing.):

At Tony Cheng's in Chinatown for lunch (Lex was experimenting with exposure):

At Arlington National Cemetery minutes before Lex drops the camera in front of the Tomb of the Unknowns (I swear Grandpa Rick looks just like his mother in this picture):

Noah happy to be playing Cooking Mama on the Wii:

The lovely photographer busy looking lovely after Mom takes over the camera:

It was an out-of-focus day at the Roussel Roost.

It's like a dream come true.

I wanted to help Grandma test out her video capability on her new computer. Alexa gave a special performance. After viewing her video, Alexa, in wonderment, proclaimed, "I sing beautiful." I wasn't as impressed, but you can judge for yourself:

The stars came out last night at the Roussel Roost.

Miss Daisy drives us crazy.

I will now take a moment to interrupt normal programming to bring you a reproduction of the email Daisy sent today to one of my friends, who had come with her family to have dinner with us last evening:

deer mis Shalini

i m so soree. pleez du not bee mad at mee 4 eeting ur shu. it lookt so tastee.

my famlee reely had funn last nite. wil u and Kiran and mr. Charles pleez com bak to vizit?

Luv

Daisy

Daisy was in the doghouse last night at the Roussel Roost.

Lights...Camera...Action--Espositos' Visit Take 1

I have so much to report on that I'll have to break it all up into a few posts. I'll just begin with whatever picture files I copied to my baby laptop.

1. Because Andy was working and it was raining the 1st Saturday that GG and Grandpa Rick were here, we went to the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum. As it happened, it was Family Day, with lots of interactive exhibits and meet-n-greets with pilots. We even watched the area Air Force rock band perform live. Most importantly, Alexa discovered her true calling; she now aspires to be a fighter pilot and kill bad guys. I am sure she will want to add a few sparkles to her uniform.

2. GG and Grandpa Rick came along to VA Beach with us. Here are the sun bathing beauties. Notice they are not on the beach proper but on a deck facing the beach. In Grandpa Rick's defense, he did hit the sand and waves with Noah and Alexa the night he and GG babysat--which is another story. The deck was also the site where Alexa played the tambourine (with absolutely no rhythm, might I add) in a band that was performing at our hotel.

3. Grandpa Rick listens to the longest version ever of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. Not pictured is Noah pouting at the adjacent table.

4. Alexa became practically inseparable from the plush "parrot" (bald eagle) GG got her at the VA Beach Aquarium and that Alexa officially named Bird-ittude Sam Roussel. That bird has a pecking problem and does not get along with Alexa's black plush cat, Miss Cattitude, because he thinks she is "too fancy."

5. Noah pets the sting rays then rides a dolphin at the aquarium. He also took in a 3D IMAX movie with the rest of us, which I've been told was boring. I disagree...I learned alot about sea mammals, like the flatulence problems of manatees, for example.

6. And of course, no visit anywhere would be complete without Noah developing a rash. Maybe he's allergic to running.

It was a spectacularly sandy few days at the Roussel Roost.

Your foot is in my pumpkin pie.

Sorry, people, I've got no pictures for you today; call me lazy bones.

Let me take a few moments here for some shout-outs for this week. Happy Birthday, Rex--Nannie Toni and the Krazy Krewe love you! Happy Birthday, Amy--have a rockin' time at your party! And, finally, Happy 5th Anniversary, Tams and Nick!

Switching gears, now...I love that my children are innocent enough to think that calling someone "bagel" is about the worst thing ever. It can, in fact, bring two children to fisticuffs. And for the dear child who likes to start ketchup wars on both students and teacher in his second grade lunchroom, calling someone "french fry" is just as blasphemous, apparently. The Ketchup King served his first lunch detention with the assistant principal today as he is a repeat condiment offender. I will be sure to keep him away from food flinging temptations at my bank's 27th branch Grand Opening tomorrow.

What I may not have control over tomorrow, however, is the shorter child. I've recently decided she is, indeed, a Muppet. Spend a few hours with her, and it will make perfect sense. Anyhow, we've been listening to Muppet Hits in the car lately. Lex loves the song "Upidee," which is utter nonsense. But it's the Muppets, so it's cool. The title of this blog is a line from the song that Lex loves to sing ad nauseam--in an obnoxious, affected voice, just like the song, and with ostentatious gesticulation. If she repeats that to our President/CEO at the Grand Opening, I may very well faint on the spot. I will keep you posted, but pray for us all.

It's a day full of "underwear with ham on rye" (and ketchup) at the Roussel Roost.

If she ruled the world...

...everyday would be both winter and spring.
Instead of talking, we would all have to sing,
And we'd sing of the joy that a pony can bring.

Okay, I don't feel clever enough this morning to reword an entire song. I need to save some creative energy for work, I suppose.

Anyway, last weekend, we journeyed a whole 40 minutes to Alexandria, where we lunched at the Warehouse Bar and Grill, strolled around old town and then took in a movie (Up) with our friend Caroline. Now I'm sure you're all wondering what is the proper attire for all of these activities, and Lexa would be happy to respond:

"A princess costume is a lovely choice for a weekend outing. It doesn't matter if it's too hot for polyester and long sleeves; it's more important to be fashionable. And your shoes should have sparkles, lots and lots of sparkles--I mean, like, 1 million sparkles. And yell if people tell you you're Snow White or any other person than yourself because you are yourself in a costume. Like, 'I am Lexa in a Snow White costume, understand?'"


See, I just know Alexa would use triple quotation marks at the end of a sentence because she's all about more.


Back to the post topic of "if Lexa ruled the world."


It would look something like this.








It was a frightening weekend at the Roussel Roost!

Grandma and Grandpa have arrived.

We're keeping Grandma and Grandpa busy this weekend.

At dance recitals...



























Trips to Mount Vernon...





















And a First Communion...






















It's been grand at the Roussel Roost.

Save the drama for your Mama.

The title of this post is a favorite saying of my office mate. I wish Lexa would heed this advice sometimes. Alas, she shares the drama with everyone. She was in performance mode again at the wedding she attended with me yesterday, doing several solos in the dance area and asking the d.j. if she could sing. Blissfully, he said there would not be enough time. So instead, she pestered some horses (the wedding was at a ranch) and then joined the flower girl, Grace, in creating potions to ward off monsters. Well, you know there must be monsters lurking around a country wedding.


The photo I've included was taken with my phone camera moments before the horse tried to eat the ribbons off of Lexa's dress. And, yes, I'll be taking the dress to the cleaners tomorrow because she's supposed to be wearing it to her brother's 1st Communion. I'll have to ask the bride if her dad and his wife still give riding lessons. For those of you who haven't heard, horse riding lessons are Lexa's incentive to quit sucking her thumb. Every morning following a full day and night of no thumb sucking, she receives a miniature toy horse; she'll get the riding lessons when she gets 3 weeks' worth of toy horses. So far this has kept her pretty motivated, especially since the horses get to dance on a daily basis in their disco play set. I'd love to explain what possesses someone to make such a toy, but I feel like I have no right to judge since I purchased the toy in the first place. Whatever...if it takes disco horses to get the girl to kick the thumb habit, I say keep the mirror ball spinning.

Noah was in a bit of trouble this weekend, so there's not much to report about him. However, I can say that my friend Caroline was impressed with his Wii guitar skills. Lexa was moody to the 100th power by the time we got around to Guitar Hero World Tour, so she did not join us as a band groupie like she usually does. She did compose a few songs today, though, including one titled "Help Me, Jesus, That Girl Is Crazy." 

Amen, Lexa, amen.

It was a typically dramatic day at the Roussel Roost.

I dreamed a dream...

In case you can't make out ye olde English, Noah is paying "The Cost of an Untidy Chamber" while Lexa is in the stocks "for Want of a Quiet Tongue."

Be sure to check out the rest of the pics at Photobucket.

It was a dreamy Mother's Day (in Busch Gardens-Williamsburg) at the Roussel Roost.

P.S. Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the mothers we love.

Laissez les...well, you know.

We attended Okras's Jazz Fest in Old Town Manassas this weekend. After about 3 crawfish, Noah decided mudbugs were not for him. He still had fun, though, utilizing his hula hooping skills.





Lex and I enjoyed ourselves as well. Note that Andy is conspicuously absent from the photos since he was called into the hospital as we were pulling into the festival parking lot. We brought him home some crawfish, but he missed out on the entertainment...especially the dancing and prancing and parading of Alexa and her friend Helena.



It was a festive day at the Roussel Roost.

By George, we love Mount Vernon.

Is there a more useless show on TV than Ghost Hunters? Please let Andy know, and I'm sure he'll season pass it.

Anyway, we put our annual passes to Mount Vernon to use yet again this weekend. Here's the storyline of our trip in pictures; see exhibits 1-4.

1. Alexa immediately took over photography duties upon our arrival. The only thing more ostentatious than her oversized pink digital camera was the pink, fur-trimmed Hello Kitty bag she used to carry the camera.

2. Noah, as we have come to expect, proceeded to pay attention to nothing. The important thing to note in the picture is the closest tree, immediately behind which is a medium-sized bench.

3. When next I saw Noah, he was mid-air, flipping head first over the previously mentioned bench. He later agreed to pose for a picture although his fall, accompanied by scrapes on and under his nose, had put him in a foul mood--hence the forced smile. Those injuries got added to a prior burn on his hand and allergy-swollen eyes. Yes, he was quite a sight.

4. We ended our outing with a relaxing and informative boat ride on the Potomac River. Look out, Spirit of Mount Vernon, there's a new showboat in town--Spirit of Alexa.

It was a photo-op day at the Roussel Roost.