Adventures in Room Cleaning (or "Given the choice between staring down a load of terrorists vs. Getting Raven to clean her room: terrorists, easy.)

So, I need some advice. How do I get Raven to clean her room. Imagine my room as a kid, and multiply that by about five. I have tried everything: No TV until your room is clean, we can go to the park if you clean your room, time out, spanking, "throwing away" her toys. Still nothing. I am at my wits end. What do I do? Mommy Kelly suggests helping her clean it. Good idea dear, one problem. it winds up I clean the entire room!! I realize this is revenge on my not cleaning ways as a child, but COME ON!! Isn't there a statute of limitations on that?!? There has to be. In other news, we got Raven into Eugene Field Elementary Eugene Field. Hopefully she will do well here because if first impressions are all those teachers look at, yeah, neither of the Kindergarten are going to want anything to do with our daughter. Another dance season is over, and in other news I think it is safe to announce that Raven Kelly is heading for dance team. Its not the Dance Moms dance team, thank Heavens, its just a rec team. I don't think I could deal with our daughter the Diva if she were on a dance team where they would go to Nationals. Now, before I go on, let me say that I love Raven, but OMG, there are times I wish that she would just listen to me when I tell her to do something for instance clean her room. Other than that, the weather has finally turned around, but do not tell Mother Nature that because apparently, every time she hears it coming from me, its like she says "Oh really, here have about 30 feet of snow there, Sioux Falls." Anyway, that is about all that's going on here in the Falls. I will see most of you in about two weeks assuming we don't get lost somewhere between here and Fayetteville (my moneys on getting lost in Charlotte). From the "shh don't let on to Mother Nature that we are aware of the nice weather" tundra, this is Daddy Kelly saying I love ya'll and see you in a couple of weeks.

Back to School or (Ack! Why do I have to get up soo early???)

Hey guys, so the monster has gone back to school. She is now going to Harvey Dunn Elementary for this year, which is named for an an artist up here, Harvey Thomas Dunn. Why that's important to anyone reading this, I dunno, but you know me.  The kicker is next year she is going to be going to a completely new school for Kindergarten. So she went to Anne Sullivan for two years, will be going to Dunn this year, and we're not sure what the other one is for next year, but we know it won't be Dunn. Don't know about anyone else, but I am going "???" I don't understand why she had to change schools from Sullivan really. I mean, i get the fact that they decided to make it a closed school for children around that area, but I mean, WTW (what in the world) Not really much else to say. Still kinda warm up here, but I'm sure that's the case everywhere, so not really much of a surprise.Well, from the "Ok, is it normal for it to be almost 100 degrees this far North?", this is Daddy Kelly, saying I love you and Talk to Ya'll later. Forgot to mention, her Soccer thing definitely could have went better. There was a playground right next to the field, so when she saw that, she wanted nothing to do with soccer.LOL

Sioux Falls Adventures in the Summer OR OMG! How could a place that is so close to Siberia get so !@#$#@$# hot in the Summer!

So, I'm back. It only took two months, but here I am. I am at the moment trying to stay off of my foot because I injured it. Yeah, apparently, a broken piece of plastic or something going into your foot causes it to bleed, very much bad. However, it was quickly bandaged by my loving wife, and we are back on our way lol. So TKD did not work out. Raven had three classes and the teacher pretty much bailed. Our AC quit working, so maintenance brought another one, that one did not work, so he brought a third one, which apparently seems to work, since it was not hot in here. Ravens first soccer practice (yay, yet another thing I actually have to go OUTSIDE for :: Full body shiver:: I don't do well in the sun :) ) Hopefully next week, I will have my regular computer back, because this computer I am currently on is about to drive me up the wall. And, yes Carl, I was patient. :D Thats about it. I will try to post a little bit more often throughout the summer. From the, "OK, seriously? It goes from -60 degrees to 600 degrees up here" tundra, this is Daddy Kelly saying I love you and talk to ya'll later/

Warning- Complaining ahead, but it is 3am so India- Delta- Charlie

Good evening, or maybe I should say morning considering it is three in the morning. First off, because I really have to get this off my chest. AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! @#*@^&#&*^$&*#$. Sorry to turn the air blue like that, but at least virtually, now I feel better. Now, the air currently looks like a blueberry because, as previously mentioned, it is 0300, and I have a four year old who is nowhere near being ready to go to bed. I made the mistake of letting her take a nap today, because apparently, she doesn't feel good. Now, her temperature is normal, she is active, (as evidenced by the fact that it is about time for roosters crow, and she is still awake. Did I mention it is 0300?) That is not three in the afternoon, that is when it is still dark. Right now, my butt should be sleeping, not constantly telling Raven that it is time to go to bed. First, at about midnight, she was hungry, and made a very impassioned plea (translation: I'm currently waiting for CPS to knock on my door because we are starving our kid. The way she was screaming, I'm pretty sure they could hear it from their headquarters in DC. At least, I'm pretty certain.) so I give her a cereal bar, she eats half of it, and asks to watch TV. Now, I will admit, I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I ain't that stupid. So I told her no. Ya'll I think the British CPS heard that one. So then, I get her calmed down from that (and no not by letting her watch TV). Suddenly, she wants cereal. Now, allow me to note here she only ate half of the cereal bar, so I will let you let you guess what my answer, and her reaction (oh, look, there's a chopper from the Russian CPS landing in the front yard. Huh, didn't know her lungs worked that well) In other news, and I will probably hear laughter from all of you at the irony of this, our little future black belt in Tae Kwon Do earned her first patch, which was for, of all things, "Attention" or basically following directions. I'll wait for your laughter to die down. :: humming Lacuna Coils Trip the Darkness good tune BTW:: ok, everyone done. Okay. She had to do the various stances for TKD to earn said badge. I'll have to shoot some pics of her in her uniform once she gets her first belt. In other news, her ballet recital is next week, specifically on the fifth and sixth, so hopefully those go well. However, she will not be at Ultimate Dance next year, starting Mid May, I believe, (and, Angela correct me if I am wrong) she will be going to a place called Balleraena which is in Sioux Falls. Ultimate isn't bad, but for the money she is shelling out (she being Angela, BTW), you'd figure that the owner would be the one teaching the class, not high school students. Maybe its just me. So anyway, it is 0348 and the wee monster has finally gone to sleep, so I am going to do the same. Angela, if you read this before you leave to go with your mom, if we are not awake, DO NOT WAKE US UP! If you do, the air will resemble a blueberry again, because much cursing will insue, and I will look at you funny. I am not kidding. From the hmm okay, this whole 40s temperature is getting ridiculous tundra, this is Daddy Kelly saying I love you and Talk to Ya'll later.

BTW :: In the Comic Book Guy voice from the Simpson:: Longest... Post... Ever!

I can't think of a clever blog title

Hey everybodeee, So Raven is out of school this week for "Kindergarten Transition". What that is, your guess is as good as mine. Therefore, Monday, we are going to work with Mommy, Tuesday, we are going to the aforememntioned park and possibly check out the Tae Kwon Do place which is much closer than the first place, Wednesday, see Tuesday except the TKD place,  Thursday, Dance Class and Park, Friday, Park, and the weekend "???". Anyone see a pattern forming here :) I think she has inherited my hollow leg, cause she is eating and eating and eating. The anti bike crusade continues, getting a little concerned now, not quite sure what the deal is. Thats about it. We have caught a cold snap, so it has been cold here recently. From the "holy cow, is it supposed to be 41 degrees in the middle of March" tundra, this is Daddy Kelly saying I love you and Talk to Ya'll later.

Adventures at the Park OR "Raven, stop climbing up the slide. Raven, don't throw dirt. Raven, its time to go."

So, first off, Happy Belated St. Patricks Day to all of you except Mommy Kelly (haha!) We went to a parade yesterday downtown (translation: we walked a couple of blocks to get to the parade spot. It is so cool living practically downtown, some times). The past few days, since Wednesday with the exception of today, Raven and I (and in the case of yesterday, Mommy) have been going to a little park a couple of blocks from the apartment. It has a swing set, and one of those plastic slide sets like you see in pretty much every public park (with the exception of Mazerick.) Today, we went to the zoo, and had fun until Raven started to get tired, because with tired, she got whiny and crabby. She has been enrolled in three zoo classes this summer, starting with Big Cats, Dancing Dinos and Zooper Heroes. Not quite sure what they are about, but, hopefully, she'll like them. In other news, we might be letting her do Karate instead of soccer,  if we can ever hear back from the Martial Arts Center that we called. As an update on her "big girl bike adventures", she did not want to ride it on Thursday or Friday, I am hoping that it is merely a temporary setback,  and she will want to do it Monday. Thats about it. From the "its getting warmer all the time" tundra, this is Daddy Kelly saying I love you and Talk to Ya'll later.

Spring has come to the Frozen Tundra

So, Spring has arrived, (or rather as close as it gets here in South Dakota) which means that Daylight Savings Time has begun which means, both Raven and Daddy are very grumpy in the morning. (DST kicks me in the caboose every time it changes for abourt a week. Resetting my internal clock, I guess) Ravens symptoms include but are not limited to: sleeping longer (yay for me :) ) whininess (not so yay for me because it conflicts with one of my symptoms), and failing to listen to basic commands: for example, this morning, we had a fun time getting her ready for school. "Raven, you gotta get your shoes on", "continues playing with her toy" "Raven, don't you want to go to school?" "continues playing with her toy" Suddenly, from in the bedroom, the call of a wild Mommy Kelly is heard, "Raven its time to get your socks and shoes on so you can go to school." "Okay" and she gets up, and lets Mommy put her socks and shoes on. One day, when Raven is older, she will be able to ask me when exactly I went bald, and I will tell her that it was when shen was four because she made me rip my hair out. Although, and I want to say this on the record, Mother, thanks for not killing me when I used to do this exact same thing. Just thought I'd put that out there. Raven has finally stopped driving me bananas, and if you have read this blog, and still believe that, I got a piece of oceanfront property here in South Dakota that I will sell you, real cheap. In other news, we got Raven a big girl bike and she is learning to ride it. Here is the bike and helmet. Thats about it. From the frozen thawing tundra, this is Daddy Kelly saying I love you and Talk to Ya'll later.