Abra Leah Snaps...

Day 133

2010-05-13T20:50:00.004-05:00

My mom had to bring Chloe with her to watch my sister's kids this afternoon and when Alyssa saw what Chloe was wearing she ran upstairs to change. When I got there to pick Chloe up Alyssa proudly announced that Chloe was her twin. Aren't they adorable?

(PS - Chloe has strep, but started antibiotics this morning and is feeling MUCH better!)

Day 132

2010-05-12T22:32:00.000-05:00

Chloe started running a fever Tuesday night and had to stay home today. She was asleep when I got home from class, but she was running a temp of 103.7 - into the tub she went. We were nearly out of ibuprofen, and she needs a cocktail of meds to keep her fevers down. Mike went to the store to find some, but they were completely sold out. None at HEB, CVS, or Kroger. He took a picture:

There has been some sort of recall on the name brand stuff, and I guess folks panicked and made a run for the store brands, too. Hopefully I'll be able to find some tomorrow or borrow some from a friend. I don't need her to start having seizures again. She will have to go to the doctor tomorrow - hopefully it's something they can treat and not a random virus.

Here's to another night without sleep. Feel better, Chloe baby.

Day 131

2010-05-11T20:58:00.000-05:00

My oleanders are finally blooming! I was worried that they wouldn't make it - they looked quite dead after this winter and it took them a long time to green up this spring. But, now they are covered with their gorgeous flowers and the back yard smells heavily of their lovely scent.

Day 130

2010-05-10T22:08:00.000-05:00

The kids love watching the hummingbirds as much as I do. I would guess we probably have about 25 or so of them in the back yard right now and they are always chasing each other away from the feeders. (I need to put some more out there so they don't kill each other.) You would think they kids would get tired of them by now, but they don't. This morning they were done getting ready for school and they just hung out there watching them while I finished getting ready. It was sweet how they were sharing the chair and not fighting - usually I worry about THEM chasing each other!

Day 129

2010-05-09T20:22:00.000-05:00

Just a few years ago I ached to have days like this. I prayed, longed, and wished to finally be blessed with children. I thank God (almost) every day for these two precious darlings. I know every mom thinks her kids are the cutest - but, really - mine are pretty dang cute.

They called me into the room, had me close my eyes, and then screamed, "Happy Mother's Day," and jumped aside to reveal their picture for me.

I'm trapped in the tower, but Chloe promises they'll rescue me before the dragon eats me for lunch. Now THAT is a Mother's Day gift.

Day 128

2010-05-08T19:51:00.000-05:00

I borrow my sister's dog, Bella, today for a school project I'm doing on operant conditioning. Her 3-month old shih tzu needed to learn some basic commands and a few cute tricks. My kids were thrilled that they got to play with her and she's even going to spend the night. This is the kind of dog we need to get. Tiny teeth.

Anyone have any puppies available?

Day 127

2010-05-07T21:13:00.000-05:00

This little guy (actually, I think it might be a female ruby throat) guards the hummingbird feeder closest to the porch. Any other hummer that comes close gets chased away with a loud, angry cheep. This is one of our dead palms, though, and it will probably come down next weekend. We're going to have to put another good-sized tree here or she'll have no perch from which to survey the land.

Day 126

2010-05-06T18:27:00.002-05:00

Just when we thought poor Chloe's luck couldn't possibly get any worse (what with her dog bite, first zit, and seasonal allergies) - she caught ringworm. On her neck. I probably brought it home from school (we have a kiddo who seems to have it constantly) on my clothes. Well, she can't have it exposed at school, so we put the medicine on and covered it with a bandage. Which, turns out, she's also allergic to. Just like her Mama.

We are having a rough Spring.

Day 125

2010-05-05T20:47:00.000-05:00

Psalms 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Some of our palms did not survive the horrible winter, but this one sure did - she is having babies. I'll have to transplant them soon so they have more room to grow.

Day 124

2010-05-04T22:27:00.001-05:00

When I was a little girl I actually had the Little Pony Castle (I wonder if it's in the attic, too). But, Chloe does fine making her own castles and kingdoms. She will spend a good hour setting up a scene precisely the way she wants it. She worked on this one all afternoon.

This is Pony Land - where (according to Chloe) "all the ponies are smart and pretty and know where to stand." Yes, that's my girl!

Day 123

2010-05-03T21:30:00.000-05:00

I promised Bradley a bubble gun if only he would wear his horrible recital costumes - and he did. So, today I took the kids out on the patio after dinner to play for a while Pretty much the most fun you can have under $3!!

Day 122

2010-05-02T21:33:00.000-05:00

Robin's Dance Studio Recital 2010 was a huge success! The kids danced beautifully and a great time was had by everyone. In our family we had Chloe and Bradley and their cousins: Alexis, Alec, and Meghan dancing. Chloe had 3 Girl Scout sisters and two neighborhood friends there dancing, too. Not very many routines went by that didn't have someone we knew in it - so it was a ton of fun. We celebrated at Chili's, of course since it's the kids' second favorite restaurant (after Rain Forest Cafe). I'm exhausted! Now we can rest until summer dance classes start!

Day 121

2010-05-01T19:38:00.000-05:00

Today in the wicked, bad, humid heat we had soccer pictures. After individual pictures, the kids had to sit on this bench until everyone was done and ready for the group picture. So, I snapped a few of my own while we were waiting. Hopefully Bradley puts on a better face for recital tomorrow!

Day 120

2010-04-30T21:20:00.000-05:00

This might be Bradley's favorite thing about soccer practice - collecting little sticks and flowers before practice starts. If we ever go camping, he will be the kindle king. He looks so bitty near that huge tree. We helped him climb it - his first time to climb a tree. He had fun, but was a bit scared since the tree is just so big. He told me later, "I will climb another tree. A smaller tree. A tree that won't eat me." Good plan, son.

Day 119

2010-04-29T21:41:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had rehearsal for recital (this Sunday!) and the kids were really patient through all the waiting. Katie said that if rehearsal is rough, recital will be smooth - so we are in for a perfect recital show!

Bradley had his two dances right at the beginning of the evening, so he got to hang out until everyone else was done. He stayed right by Alyssa the entire time and told me he would "always protect her." From what? "Dinosaurs, lions, and bugs with 14 legs." That's love, I tell you.

Day 115

2010-04-25T20:21:00.000-05:00

Today our Daisy troop used their cookie money to work on their service project. Each girl got to make a bear at Build-a-bear Workshop, but instead of keeping them they are donating them to the kids at our local Ronald McDonald House. Their troop leader made a bear for them to rotate every two weeks (and they'll earn the GSSJC badge "share a bear"). Aren't they adorable?

The folks at BAB are wonderful! They really worked well with the girls and each girl got a BAB patch for her Daisy vest. Most importantly, they learned how to work hard and share their rewards with those less fortunate. Chloe exclaimed, "Can't we buy a bear for every sick child in the whole entire hospital?" She even offered to give her own bears from home away. She's a precious child - her spirit is so giving. We are really blessed.

Day 112

2010-04-22T22:17:00.001-05:00

Matthew 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh.

My baby fig tree didn't die! I planted it from a teeny little sprout a couple of years ago and I was worried it wouldn't survive the horrible Winter of Doom we had. But, here it is - all green and ready for a hot, humid summer! What a great way to celebrate Earth Day!

Day 111

2010-04-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

I am so glad we live in a neighborhood that has a lot of natural areas untouched by earth movers. This is actually the view we get to see when we drive through the pharmacy in our subdivision. God really did bless Texas, y'all!

Day 110

2010-04-20T22:01:00.001-05:00

It's finally warming enough for my gorgeous irises to bloom! The first one peeked out this morning and I had to get a picture since I knew we'd be home late tonight. I'm sure this one will get picked as soon as Chloe sees it. Hopefully I can coax them into flowering again later in the summer like I did last year!

Day 109

2010-04-19T22:06:00.000-05:00

The kids all had a make-up dance class tonight, so Alec came home with us when we were done since my sister and Alexis still had to practice the Mother/Daughter dance. After my kids got ready for bed, Alec volunteered to read to them.

It was just as sweet as could be. My darling nephew has dyslexia and a reading disability and really struggles with reading. But, he was patient and read to his cousins sweetly. He stumbled over some words and Chloe was confused because it's actually a book she can read fluently. But she didn't say a word - just smiled at him and listened. It was a precious moment and I am so glad they are all so close in age. I know they will all be good friends through school.

Day 108

2010-04-18T17:55:00.000-05:00

I'm in the very long process of cleaning out the attic at the townhouse and I found several boxes of toys from when I was little and my kids are enthralled. Bradley is very confused as to why this club house looks very different from the club house he watches on Disney. I wish I could find the rest of the pieces - I'm sure they are in another box somewhere. I found my old Micro Machines, too, which have him amazed. (I was a well-rounded girl child.)

Chloe is excited about all kinds of old t-shirts she can wear. Oh, and she's been carrying my Rainbow Bright doll around all day. I wish I could find my Charmkins. I had a ton of them. She is also wearing my rad charm necklace. I'm going to have to get a picture of 80s Chloe. First I need to find some scrunchie socks in bright green.

Day 107

2010-04-17T22:23:00.004-05:00

This afternoon we took a long drive together trying to find some good fields to take some bluebonnet pictures, but the grass was really overgrown and it was hard to find them sticking out over the other wildflowers and grasses. Last year we were lucky enough to find a lovely patch not 10 minutes from our house, but no such luck this year.

This year the kids were both kind of grumpy and not wanting to sit among the flowers. Chloe was very concerned about "damaging the state flower" and informed me that we absolutely could not touch any of them because if the flower dies they won't grow back. Bradley didn't want to get dirty. Despite the weather, my little activist, and my obsessive I got a few nice shots. :)

Why would anyone want to live anywhere other than Texas?

Day 105

2010-04-15T22:36:00.000-05:00

Chloe has been blessed with so many people praying for her and sending her well wishes with cards and gifts. She looks at the cards every day and just loves them. She is doing much, much better - but still has some bruising and it still hurts, of course. I'm not sure what I thought it would look like by now, but to me it just looks awful. I keep praying for complete healing and restoration and I know it will take time, but God will continue to touch her. I know it was a complete miracle that her eye did not get damaged, and she is covered and protected. It's just hard for her Mama to see her with those big ol' scars.

Day 101

2010-04-11T17:05:00.007-05:00

Today Chloe's Daisy Girl Scout troop took a trip to the KPRC station - Houston's Channel 2 news. Khambrel Marshall led the tour for the girls and they all had a great time. He showed them how he analyzes the various computer models to determine his weather forecast and showed them how he makes the report on the computer for use on the blue screen. They got to sit at the anchor desk and explore the set. It was just incredibly cute! I wish Chloe's face wasn't a strange bluish tint in this picture, though!! It's like she got into some of that Wonka gum!

Day 100

2010-04-10T13:49:00.002-05:00

Today was supposed to be Bradley's first soccer game and we were glad it was going to be overcast and cloudy rather than blazing hot. But, those clouds decided to have a party and drench everyone. Our parade was canceled and we started our pre-game practice in the rain. We would have played through the rain and mud, but then it started thundering (turns out I have a couple of kids on my team who are terrified of thunder) and lightning and it just wasn't safe to play. We'll make up the game this week in better weather. Despite being pretty wet, Bradley sure looks cute, huh?

Day 99

2010-04-08T21:59:00.001-05:00

The bruising seems to be calming and she's not nearly as swollen anymore - but still in pain. And, to make it worse, now she's itchy. Poor thing! We go back to the plastic surgeon tomorrow and hopefully he will clear her to have fun again. Tonight she went to dance, but just watched from the sidelines. It was cute because she was doing all the moves, but from her seat. What an ordeal this has been! I hope we have a very, very boring summer.

Day 97

2010-04-07T22:02:00.002-05:00

Chloe got Sea Monkeys from the Easter Bunny and today we finally had the chance to add the "eggs" to the purified water. The kids are excited and can't wait to feed them. They are pretty disgusting little creatures. (The sea monkeys, not my kids.) Hopefully we won't kill them right off, or spill them. Yuck.

Day 96

2010-04-06T20:09:00.000-05:00

Isn't she the cutest little red-headed baby ever? Alyssa will be three in August and she is a complete doll. Like her mama and Titi she talks constantly and says the most hilarious things. The other day she announced, "Well, I died." When my sister asked her what she meant she said, "We played the game and I died. " My sister let her know that she was, indeed, still breathing and alive and Alyssa exclaimed, "I'm alive? ALIVE!!!! I like to be alive."

(That dress, by the way, was Chloe's when she was four!)

Day 95

2010-04-05T22:13:00.000-05:00

After all the happy Easter stuff from yesterday we had a whole lot of trouble. Chloe was getting ready to feed Zeke around 5:45pm and he just snapped - he turned and bit her. Mike was right there and started screaming for me - I ran over, saw all the blood and grabbed a kitchen towel, put it on her face, and carried her to the foyer. There was so much blood. I told Bradley to get me the phone so I could call 911. I also had him get a blanket because she was shaking uncontrollably and I was worried about shock. He was a trooper and obeyed without question. After I got off the phone with them I called my sister and told her to come over immediately.

Erin, the EMTs, and the police all arrived at the same time. Chloe was stabilized and they said we could transport her to the ER or they could take her. Erin, Matthew (my brother), and I decided to take her ourselves. Mike waited behind to talk to the police and for my mom to watch Bradley.

We were at the emergency room until nearly midnight - and they couldn't close the wounds. They gave Chloe some Demerol and flushed the wounds out, packed them with antibiotic cream, and covered them. She had to start on an antibiotic before they could be closed because of the fear of infection from the dog's mouth (turns out they are NOT cleaner than ours). They also wanted plastics to work on her, and not just the ER doc.

This morning we went to the plastic surgeon's office and got her wounds flushed again. At 1pm she went in for plastic surgery. The surgery lasted about 30 minutes and she did beautifully. She has some external stitches and some subcutaneous ones. The smaller wound was glued and the other was left open. She was an angel for the nurses and only got mildly ill from the anesthesia. The anesthesiologist actually said he was interested in taking Zeke (because Lord knows I cannot keep him after this).

After I got Chloe back home, my sister stayed with her so I could take Zeke to Animal Control for his mandatory rabies test and behavior assessment. He was a complete angel the whole time, showed everyone all of his tricks, and stayed right next to me. They couldn't understand why I didn't want such a great dog.

Check out the 35 stitches on my daughter's face.

Chloe will miss all of this week from school (including her much anticipated kindergarten field trip to the zoo). Please keep her in your prayers and praise God that her eye is okay - there is actually a small puncture on her eyelid and those other ones right there next to it. It's a miracle that she is okay. She is very upset that we are getting rid of Zeke. She told me, "Jesus says to forgive and I forgive him. He made a bad choice, but you should forgive him."

Sorry, baby, but he has to go to Puppy Jail.

Day 94

2010-04-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter, everyone!

The kids had a great time finding eggs this morning and now we are off to church. We'll have dinner at my sister's house this year. Can't wait to relax and not have it at my house! Earlier Bradley told me, "Mama, don't be sad. Jesus DIES." I told him I know and he said, "But don't worry, every Easter He comes back to life!" Ah, theology for the very young.

Remember, He is risen! Hallelujah!

Day 93

2010-04-03T19:33:00.000-05:00

Poor Zeke has outgrown even our big garden tub, so now he has to take showers instead of baths! He does really well, though, and likes to try to catch the water spray in his mouth. Tonight he rolled around in goodness knows what and he needed freshening up - badly!

Day 92

2010-04-02T22:25:00.000-05:00

It's soccer season in the Cross house! Bradley had his first practice this evening and it was pretty cute. I'm coaching and there are 8 players on my team: 2 girls (one who has Down's Syndrome), 6 boys (3 who are really good, and 3 (including Bradley) who would rather spin and pick flowers than kick the ball. It's going to be a long, but really fun eight weeks!

Day 91

2010-04-01T21:29:00.001-05:00

When we got Bradley's recital costumes last week he let me know right away that he did not approve of the sparkle and shimmer. In fact, he threw them on the ground and declared he would NOT be wearing them. So, I had to ~~bribe~~ use positive reinforcement to get him to wear them. I was prepared to offer a cool (but $20) remote control race car he had expressed interest in a few weeks ago, but then he said he would only wear the horrible costumes if I bought him a bubble gun. Yep, a $3.50 bubble gun from Target. Woot!

I told him he had to wear the costumes only 4 times: once to try them on, once for pictures, once for dress rehearsal, and once for recital. Today was picture day. Let me tell you, the pictures are stinking precious! (You can see all of the proofs HERE or by checking out my photos on FB.)

Since he's the only boy, all the moms of the girls in his groups wanted to take his picture with their daughters. It was just adorable, and he finally started smiling towards the end (after the hundredth person had proclaimed his cuteness). I can't wait for recital!

Day 90

2010-03-31T21:00:00.001-05:00

"When the summer comes there will be curtains and fountains of roses! ...Now the Spring has begun - perhaps, perhaps..."
Mary Lennox, The Secret Garden

The Spring really has begun here in Houston. We did lose several trees and plants - the cherry tree, three palms, the hibiscus... I need to start searching for what we will replace them with. But, the roses survived and they are absolutely lovely. The irises also survived and should start blooming in the next couple of weeks. I adore gardening!

Day 89

2010-03-30T19:33:00.000-05:00

Dressing up - it's not just for special occasions. Today when I was making dinner, the kids were playing in their playroom. When I called them down Bradley announced, "Here comes her royal hieney - Princess Chloe!" And, just as he said, there was Chloe all decked out in her royal regalia. I think her ladies-in-waiting need to invest in an iron, though!

Day 88

2010-03-29T20:16:00.000-05:00

We dropped some berries off at my sister's house this evening and we heard a familiar knocking. Woody (our local woodpecker) is back in action ready for Spring! This telephone pole is right in front of my sister's house and you can hear Woody pecking away at it from all over the neighborhood. He must have a lady bird near by, as they are monogamous. He is a Pileated Woodpecker and must be working on a new nest. The kids enjoy watching him work and do his drumming on the poles. It's really nice to live in an area so filled with wildlife.

Day 87

2010-03-28T17:55:00.000-05:00

Today for their Daisy meeting, our girl scouts got to dye eggs and have an egg hunt together. We talked about all the different uses for crushed egg shells (fertilizer, snail and slug deterrent, garbage disposal cleaner, you can even make chalk with them). They had a great time and are really in the mood for Easter!

Day 86

2010-03-27T13:00:00.000-05:00

This morning we all got up early to go strawberry picking! The haul was fantastic and I've got strawberry crisp in the oven as I type this. We pick blueberries every June, so we were expecting a lot of hot, sweaty work. But this was completely easy - the farm is extremely ordering and neat (two of my favorite qualities in a working farm, you know) and the picking is simple. The kids had just a few rules: stay next to mommy and daddy, don't pick the green ones, and don't pick the blooms.

They did great and we finished so quickly that they didn't have time to get bored. The farm also has a lovely little market with locally grown produce (and oh my gosh - AMAZING pickles!). They also have the most delectable fruit pies you have ever tasted - hot out of the oven.
Next door is a little store that processes meat and sells smoked sausage and such. The kids shared a sausage on a stick and couldn't wait to get home and eat some berries.

I think we'll go again in a couple of weeks!

Day 85

2010-03-26T23:01:00.000-05:00

Can you believe this puppy isn't even 9-months old yet? (He'll be 9-months on April 1st.) He weighs 90 pounds and is still growing. He's up to 3.5 cups of food in the morning and again in the evening. We split it 1/2 puppy, 1/2 adult and he gobbles down every last crumb. I don't remember Barrett eating that much!! I'll be glad when the weather is nice enough to take him out to the dog park so he can play with some dogs his size.

Day 84

2010-03-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

This was at the door today. Mike was like, "Do you have something you need to tell me?" Um, heck no! No clue why I would get this in the mail, but I'm going to bring it to someone at the kids' dance studio who just had a baby! Mercy - what is the mailman thinking?!

Day 83

2010-03-24T21:57:00.001-05:00

Chloe decided that the walls needed more Easter cheer, so she set to making a slew of decorations. This one is my favorite, though. Isn't the bunny adorable? She loves raiding my craft room for her supplies, so it's a good thing I always have a ton of card stock available. I like having all those things on hand - from glue and glitter to buttons and bows. The kids also have a large collection of markers, crayons, and colored pencils. Lately Chloe has been wanting to cut everything else, but I keep the scissors out of reach since I still haven't quite gotten over when she cut her own hair a couple of years ago!

We are starting to feel better, and I'm glad I don't have class tonight or I would be miserable. Somehow Bradley is still perfectly healthy (praise God!) and the rest of us are on the mend. Let's hope we stay that way!

Day 82

2010-03-23T17:55:00.000-05:00

Sorry, there is just no picture today because I have a fever of 103. Just pretend there is a picture of me and Chloe curled up in a heap of pitiful.

Day 81

2010-03-22T15:52:00.000-05:00

Wow. That's just about all I can say. Wow.

Chloe, Mike, and I all have strep. We started feeling a bit run down yesterday (and Chloe ran a fever) - but overnight we were smacked with misery. We all tested positive today, so it looks like we'll have to shield Bradley from the cooties. I need to go back to bed now. What a great way to start the first week back to work after Spring Break. Ugh.

Day 80

2010-03-21T20:46:00.000-05:00

Nothing beats capturing the bad dinosaurs and making them clean up their room, huh? Bradley really started getting interested in dinos this summer and we are growing quite a collection of toys and books related to them. We've always like the books in the "How does your Dinosaur..." series and our dinos always seem to do all those very bad things. So, we keep putting them in jail. No wonder they are extinct!

Day 79

2010-03-20T20:11:00.001-05:00

Today we went to a bridal shower for my sister's husband's brother's future bride. She'll be Lexi's new Aunt, and Erin helped host the shower. Lexi looked so precious in her springy new outfit. I cannot believe how she is changing recently - looking more like a young lady and less like a little girl. It kills me! She'll be in middle school next year, which is just mind-boggling. I don't know how the years went by so darn quickly! Today she was wearing heels and walking just fine in them and as I watched her I recalled pictures of her trying to toddle around in dress-up shoes. (Those hard plastic pink shoes that every little girl wants, but struggles to walk in.) Here she is looking tweenish, but still just as sweet. Such a blessed girl who brought so much change to her mama. Lexi was the unexpected miracle who really set my sister's life on the right track. We are completely blessed to have this child in our family. I know she will do incredible things as she gets older. I just don't want her doing them so soon!

Day 78

2010-03-19T19:07:00.003-05:00

Today Katie came over to do a homework project for her photography class (imagine that!) and needed to use Chloe as her model. She was quite willing to comply. Is it cheating that I didn't take this picture? It WAS taken with my camera, though, so it's not really cheating. Let's stick with that, okay?

In this photo she was playing with depth of field and I think she did a good job - except for the tree that looks like it's coming out of Chloe's head! Hopefully she'll get a good grade because she had to do a lot of work!! I always wanted to take a photography class - maybe some day I'll take a continuing ed class at the junior college. Like, some day when I'm not coaching, teaching, in grad school, chasing a puppy, and wrangling a 4 and 5 year old. Yeah, then.

Day 77

2010-03-18T18:58:00.000-05:00

I mentioned that we took Zeke to the vet yesterday because he needed a vaccine and a general check up. Turns out our little guy weighs 86 pounds. Crazy, huh? He is looking great - his heart sounds fine and he's growing at a good pace so he's not straining his bones. The vet said he probably won't be done growing until he's almost 3 years old. He's only 8 months old, folks. That's a lot of growing left to do! The vet also said we could feed him 1/2 puppy food and 1/2 adult food. He gets 4 cups in the morning and 4 in the evening and still acts like he's hungry. How much do you think he'll eat by the time he's full grown? Perhaps we should buy stock in our dog food company?

Day 76

2010-03-17T20:44:00.001-05:00

Today was crazy busy. First, I took my kids to the dentist to have their teeth cleaned. (After a multi-day battle with the insurance that probably gave me an ulcer.) They both behaved exceptionally well and sat still for both x-rays and cleanings. Chloe, apparently, has something called a "cross-bite" and will definitely need braces once she has all of her permanent teeth. Bradley is looking good, so far. Neither have any cavities and we are doing great with their brushing and flossing. W00t! We go back in six months instead of a year this time.

After we were done at the dentist's office, we stopped by Target for a snack and some quick shopping because we needed to get Lexi and Alec so they could go with us to take Zeke to the vet (for fun). After that, we took Zeke back home, packed a picnic dinner, and headed to a local park. We spent about 3 hours just hanging out at the park. The kids had a fantastic time, and they got to burn a whole lot of energy. Mike met us there after he got off of work so he could watch them play for a while and then went for a long walk with us.

Before we left the kids just had to roll down the big ol' hill. They rolled down several times, and were covered in grass stains, stray weeds, pollen, and dirt by the time they were done. But, it was completely worth it because they were just so darn happy. When we got home they showered, read a couple of books, and crashed for the night. I can't believe this week is over half way over!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! (Which, by the way, Bradley thinks is "Patrick's birthday." Patrick from Sponge Bob. )

Day 75

2010-03-16T20:08:00.000-05:00

Ever since Saturday night, Bradley has been playing with the shopping bag from my sister's birthday present. He is wearing it as a backpack and has little treasures and such in it. I hope he doesn't decide he needs a designer backpack - although this one is rather nice. But, the reason he says he loves it is "all the great letters all over it." So perhaps he is more of a Signature style kind of guy? Lord help us!

Day 74

2010-03-15T18:57:00.000-05:00

Yeah for not having to go to work this week! Just one of the many reasons I love being a teacher. We get to spend quality time together and get a taste of what our summer break will be like. Today the kids helped make their own fruit salad for lunch. They use their own little safety knives (you can get yours HERE from my fabulous Pampered Chef consultant), which they love. We compared the sizes of the seeds in the various fruits and talked about the different weights and shapes of each one. We weighed them with our kitchen scale to see if our guesses about which weighed more were right. I think that cooking with your kids provides one of the best ways to teach math - they have fun and don't even realize how much they are learning (and, of course, you can't eat worksheets!). Just look how proud they are! I think I'll let them help make dinner, too.

Day 73

2010-03-14T19:42:00.000-05:00

Had to get a couple of things from Wal-mart this afternoon so I brought the kids with me but boy was Chloe ever in a bad mood. Just one of those moments where she was not following directions, was making poor choices, and knew it - so she was being rude to her brother and to me.

I used to like taking pictures of the kids when they were crying as babies, not because I'm cruel, but because those big fat tears and huge mouths are just part of growing up. I don't ever want to relive the hell of colic, but I want the kids to see pictures of themselves even when they weren't prepped and prettied for photos. This picture is kind of like that. So when Chloe is dealing with her own hellion daughter, I can just pull this out and smile.

Day 72

2010-03-13T23:30:00.008-06:00

My sister's birthday was Thursday, so we got together today to celebrate. Lexi, Chloe, and I went shopping together this morning and bought her a new Coach bag (large signature Brooke in black/silver) and treated ourselves to some new things, too. (New Easter clothes for me, Bradley, and Mike - Chloe got an adorable dress from one of my friends so she is already set.)

Everyone came to our house for dinner and the kids ran around and had a great time together, as usual. We adults kept ourselves busy trying to rule on Rock Band, which (of course) we did. Well, sometimes. Then, after all the kids were in bed Erin, Lexi, and I watched Mama Mia! because I had never seen it and it's Erin's favorite movie.

Another spectacular day with the family. I was going to add "and no one got hurt," but that's not true. Chloe was holding a toy in her mouth (obviously against the rules), as captured accidentally in the photo below.

Then, Alec went to grab the toy and when he pulled it out, well, there was much blood. Chloe's very looose tooth became an extremely loose and dangling tooth. Note the look of fear in her eyes in the photo below.

After she rinsed her mouth out for a while, my sister covered the tooth with a tissue and simply twisted it right on out of there. Gross, yes. But, no more icky tooth ready to fall out any moment.

Let's hope the Tooth Fairy remembers to come tonight! (Yes, her teeth are coming in all kinds of crooked - the kids go to the dentist on Wednesday, so we'll find out then what she thinks.)

Day 71

2010-03-12T21:16:00.004-06:00

Today is Friday and the start of our Spring Break! We don't go back to school until March 22nd, so I hope we get a lot done and have a fantastic time off. This evening we had a picnic outside on the patio since it was so nice out (a bit chilly, but still pleasant) and Mike was working late. The kids each found a shape in their popcorn (like finding cloud animals, only edible).

Chloe was first - she found her Moose and made a big scene of marching the moose to his demise as he was gobbled up by the "moose-eating monster from Not Texas." (That's a scary place, you know.) Bradley really wanted to find an animal shape, too, but was not having much success. Then, he found this one and proclaimed that it was an Octopus - but I realized that he was only partially right. It's totally an Octorok! I bet you've never found an Octorok before, huh? (And no, I didn't know it's name but I knew it was that crazy little rock spitting thing from Zelda. Mike told me the name right away, though, when he saw the picture.)

I think our break is off to a great start!

Day 70

2010-03-11T21:13:00.000-06:00

Today was the Spring Open House at the kids' school and many of the 5th graders were selected to be Living History Statues - they each had a character to play and had to deliver a speech when their "button" was pressed. Lexi was Louisa May Alcott and she did a great job!

I got to tour Chloe's classroom (and the set-up was too cute), but I didn't get ANY pictures of it. I feel really bad, but I was also chasing Bradley around and trying to keep Chloe from over-exploring her room. I still don't have a single picture of her with her teacher - I have got to get that done before the school year is over!

Day 69

2010-03-10T22:44:00.002-06:00

The trees are still looking good - but what about my grass? Is it going to get back to it's normal, lush state? Look at this picture of my yard from last summer. Please tell me I can save my grass. What should I do? I fertilized in the fall and again in January. Help!

Day 68

2010-03-09T20:08:00.000-06:00

I just love my kids' art work. Chloe says that this is her, in her Daisy vest, but with puff sleeves "because puff sleeves are my most favorite kind." I absolutely agree!

Day 67

2010-03-08T20:03:00.001-06:00

After dinner Mike and I were doing the dishes and the kids were running around playing. I turned and saw poor Bradley lunge forward and completely forget to put out his arms to stop his fall. His head hit the tile floor with a sickening "thud." I got to him in half a second and swooped him up to the couch while Mike got ice. We left the ice on for 15 minutes, let him rest for 5 minutes and put it back on for 15 minutes. This is what it looked like even after all that ice. He's got a fat knot and it's starting to bruise. He's pretty tough, though. He only cried for a couple of minutes and then he was still - watching Gabba while I held the ice on the bump. Poor little man, he says he has a headache and I don't doubt it! Hopefully it won't be so bad tomorrow. He said I could call him "Rhino Boy," so I guess he's comfortable with the new addition to his features.

Day 66

2010-03-07T18:56:00.000-06:00

Today kicks off the Girl Scout Birthday Week and to celebrate our Daisy Troop had a sweet little tea party. The mom who hosted did an AMAZING job with the set up - she used real china place settings and beautiful cloth napkins. The girls had tea, lemonade, weency tea sandwiches, fruit, and cupcakes.

It was just precious. They were all dressed up in their Sunday best and they used their very best manners. It was funny because we could tell how hard it was for them to restrain themselves! Hopefully we can make this an annual tradition because it was a lot of fun for the moms and the girls.

Happy Birthday, Girl Scouts of the USA!

Day 65

2010-03-06T19:51:00.000-06:00

Our neighbor's grandson, who is Chloe's age, moved in with her a few months ago, but the kids haven't really seen him because it's been too darn cold to go outside. He has pretty severe autism, and she keeps him close to her at all times. When Chloe was playing with Zeke she heard him talking and she climbed the fence to see who it was. He saw her and ran over to the fence. He does quite a bit of echolalia and usually sing-songs to himself. But, when he saw Chloe he said, "Hi, Girl," very clearly. She climbed down and went to peak through a knot hole in the fence He stuck his finger through and she did the same. They linked their fingers and giggled for a while before he went off to play with his ball again like nothing had ever happened. I'm going to have to set up play dates for them this summer because I think he really needs to be around my kids. God had a plan when He sent him to live next door to us, I think. I can't wait to see how their friendship grows.

Day 64

2010-03-05T21:46:00.002-06:00

Mike mopped the floor on Saturday, so this really isn't too bad, right? Chloe LOVES this dumb, dumb dog. She will roll around with him and cuddle him no matter how much he stinks or drools on her. Bradley is more apt to stick him in his house and walk away than to love on him like this. Chloe still says that some day he'll be a "REALLY Great Dane!" I hope so, too, because right now he's kind of a Not-so-great Dane. It's just the constant whining. He wants to be within 2 feet of us at all times and it's just not feasible. He'll grow out of it, won't he?

Day 63

2010-03-04T21:42:00.000-06:00

My grandmother has been staying with my mom since early November and it's been incredibly hard for everyone. Tata (for abuelita) is not an easy person to get along with and she is mean more often than not. I know that part of it is her age and decline, but part of it really is that she is not a very happy person. Chloe asked, "Why is Tata always grumpy?" Poor thing! I feel badly that I didn't get too many pictures of my kids with her because she would just refuse. Since she is leaving for California tomorrow I ran by my mom's house on the way to dance class with the kids. I made her sit with them for a couple of pictures so they would have something to remember her time with them. I'm not sure if they'll get to see her again...

Day 62

2010-03-03T21:38:00.002-06:00

My kids LOVE when I record them and then play it back for them. They crack up and ask to see themselves over and over. I hope I'm promoting good self-esteem and not narcissism! Classes started again tonight, so I was lucky to get home in time to tuck them into bed. It makes me sad when I miss our evening rituals of books, prayer, and snuggles. I wonder if it affects them - in 20 years they'll talk about how I wasn't there ONE NIGHT a week. Just like I harp on the time my mom gave my favorite Holly Hobby tea set and Raggedy Ann kitchen set away. I'll forgive her someday. Maybe.

Day 61

2010-03-02T21:35:00.000-06:00

Look at this cutie boy. When do you think I'm going to have to cut his hair? I just can't bear to cut it yet! I love all those soft, precious curls. I took this picture as he was telling me a story he made up about Zooming Cars in a dark cave filled with sharks. Scary stuff, huh? He definitely has a great imagination!

Day 60

2010-03-01T21:32:00.002-06:00

The kids have finally been able to play in the back yard now that it's not miserable out. I tried to get Bradley in this picture, too, but he doesn't stay still long enough for me to catch him when he's outside. He's going to be doing soccer soon and so he's been chasing that ball around as much as he can. Chloe has really taken to climbing things - the fence, trees, walls... I just hope she doesn't break something! Look at those bare toes. She's a country girl at heart and there isn't a single bug that scares her.

Day 59

2010-02-28T19:22:00.000-06:00

The weathermen have all promised (and swore on their barometers) that we will have no more freezing weather this season - which means we can pretend it's really Spring! The trees are blooming and everything is turning green again. Even though it causes my allergies to careen out of control, I love all the little buds. I hope all my trees survived the snows - I don't know if a couple of my palms or my fruit trees survived. We will see in the next few weeks. I can't wait to get into the dirt!

Day 58

2010-02-27T20:23:00.001-06:00

Too young to go camping? Scared of bears? Try an indoor campfire! All you needs is some sticks, red and orange card stock, and some campfire food and you are set. Oh, we also made a tent with a king-sized sheet. The kids even took a nap by the fire while Mama and Daddy rested on the couch. What a great way to relax after a fun time at Chloe's school festival!

Day 57

2010-02-26T19:07:00.000-06:00

Here in Houston we love our Rodeo and every Friday during rodeo season it's pretty much a fact that folks can dress Western-style at work and at school. Last weekend at the garage sale I picked up this adorable dress from my friend, Leslie, just for this purpose. My poor girl doesn't have any boots, so she had to make do with her trusty (Velcro) shoes. Bradley let her borrow his Woody hat, and her outfit was complete. Isn't she a sweet little cowgirl?

Day 56

2010-02-25T23:58:00.000-06:00

I love my Katie-girl, even though she drives me crazy. She called me the other day to see if she could BORROW some craft supplies for a project. Tonight she drove to my house (from College Station, mind you) to do the work. I always forget that "coming over to borrow something" is translated to "oh my gosh, Leah, I completely need your help with this because I'm going to totally panic." So, we stayed up entirely too late (on a school night) to work on her project (which is due Saturday). Good times, eh? Just like when she was in high school. (Memories....) She'll head back to Aggieland tomorrow and hopefully get good points for her (our) hard work. I should totally claim her on our taxes.

Day 55

2010-02-24T16:56:00.000-06:00

Chloe is so proud of herself - she can now tie little knots and bows. It will only be a matter of days until I am tied to the furniture because if there are any loose ribbons, strings, or laces nearby, Chloe will find them and tie them. She came downstairs after she was supposed to have been in bed for over an hour just to show me her grand work of art on her pajama tie.

She hasn't worn shoes with laces since she was two, so we never really sat down and learned how to tie shoes. A note came home from school a while ago that said that the teachers were no longer going to help tie shoes after Winter Break. Can you believe that? I guess the teachers are pretty tired of bending over by this time of the year! We had a moment of panic (and guilt!) because we've never taught our kids this important skill. So, we practiced for a while and now she's a pro. We're still sporting the Velcro shoes, though, because Mama cannot stand undoing all those tiny triple knots!

Day 53

2010-02-22T18:49:00.001-06:00

Mike has been working some late nights since he has a huge project in the works, so on those nights I don't feel as driven to make a big family meal. (Is that bad?) The kids LOVE having picnics in the living room, so I don't mind letting them every now and then. We made peanut butter sandwiches together and then sat down to watch some Gabba. Is there a party in your tummy?

When I was a little girl, my mom used to make elaborate picnic parties for us complete with basket and blanket. I need to get one of those baskets. Did you ever have picnics like that when you were young? What are some of your best picnic memories?

Day 52

2010-02-21T19:51:00.000-06:00

Today we were privileged to attend the Naming Ceremony for darling baby Matthew. His mama, Sharon, and I have been friends since way back in 2003 when we were both struggling through infertility. We were blessed to be pregnant with our first two AND our second two kids at the same time. She got to do number 3 as a solo act!

Matthew is an absolute doll and it was fun to finally hold him. My kids (and Sharon's girls) behaved well and it was a lovely way to gather their family and friends together to honor their heritage and give the baby a blessing. We feel honored to have been a part of it.

Day 51

2010-02-20T20:13:00.000-06:00

Y'all, this dog is huge. The vet said he'll continue to grow (slowly) until he is around 2. That would be 17 more months of growth. It's a good thing his manners are improving!! I'm not sure how much he weighs now - we'll have to take him in a couple of months to find out. He is nearly too big for the garden tub so looks like he'll start taking showers soon. I think he needs a saddle.

Day 50

2010-02-19T21:18:00.001-06:00

Today Alyssa came over for a bit while I was hanging out with my mom and we spent some time outside so we could all get some fresh air. I gave her those little music shakers to play with and she decided that it was grand fun to shake her booty to the beat of the music. Then, she kept looking back at it as she was wiggling around. She's ready for Soul Train and my sister is completely doomed.

Day 49

2010-02-18T21:22:00.002-06:00

The kids are always exhausted on Thursday nights because they dance until 7:30 and we don't get home until around 7:50-ish. They are usually in bed with lights out by that time any other night! Tonight I told Bradley to go to his bed, then went to go get Chloe's medicine and when I came back to tuck him in he was already sound asleep. Doesn't he look like an angel? All sweet, innocent, and happy to be cuddling his lovey dog.

That little red dog has been his obsession for the past couple of months. He named him "Barfy." I asked him what "Barfy" meant (because I don't think he's ever even heard the word "barf" let along know what it means) and he said, "That's just his name. He needed a name and that's what it is!" He gets that skill from his father.

Day 48

2010-02-17T21:42:00.001-06:00

I got out of class early tonight (always a happy thing) and went to James Avery to pick up my Valentine's Day present from Mike. I've been wanting a charm bracelet for many years now, so I was so excited to get this one. He started off with three charms - one for Chloe, one for Bradley, and one for teaching. Didn't he do a great job? I wonder what other ones he'll get in the years to come. I love it and can't wait to add more charms.

Day 47

2010-02-16T18:30:00.000-06:00

The Functional Math class at my school made dog treats for their fundraiser and Zeke LOVES them. (This one is peanut butter and they also made oatmeal. Buy some today!) But, he's such a good dog and is really learning to "leave it" on command. He left the treat while I went to get my camera, waited while I took his picture (several times what with his blinking and such), and even waited when I forgot to tell him to "take it" when I put my camera away. Sweet boy! Of course, there was a rather large puddle of drool near the dog treat. Yuck! (He's 7 months old now, by the way.)

Day 46

2010-02-15T19:21:00.001-06:00

Today Alec let Bradley borrow this vehicle which he has dubbed the Rocket-truck-train. It is, of course, unstoppable. There are two buttons on top - one makes it rev (loudly) and light up the flames on the back. The other screeches, "Start your engines!" and then actually makes the car roll for a few feet. Bradley told me it is his favorite and his best and, "it's super fast, faster than lightning, so it's always Right on Time AND Really Useful and never cross." Watch out, Thomas, you're in trouble!

Day 45

2010-02-14T20:17:00.001-06:00

206 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies - that's how many Chloe sold. Today we put all the orders together and she went out with Lexi to deliver the ones to the folks in the neighborhood. We have a ton for my work and my sister's work, too. We'll be delivering them this week -so have your money ready! Thanks for supporting this cute little Daisy.

My mom is feeling better and I'll take her to the doctor tomorrow (thank goodness it's a holiday and I'm off of work). She asked for her cookies and I told her she couldn't have them until she promised not to scare us like that again! What a weekend.

Day 44

2010-02-13T19:05:00.000-06:00

Today has been a day of recovery for everyone - Mom is resting and Erin is taking care of her. I have some sort of stomach bug (probably picked it up at the hospital last night, I'm clever like that) that is making me miserable. Thank goodness my kids are good at entertaining themselves.

Here's a picture of my Hippo collection that I mentioned the other day. It started off with a big red hippo my cousin, Debra, made for me when I was a baby. Then I got a squishy purple hippo when I was like 7. That was pretty much it until Mike started buying them for me. Then, everyone started getting them for me. The big one on the right was bought at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans the summer of 1993 - we had to carry it back to St. Charles on the Street Car. The huge one in the middle was from my brother a couple of years ago for Christmas - he somehow got it into a tiny box and when I opened it it just burst out all over. I have quite a few and I'm running out of room for them!

Wouldn't it be great if that was all I had to worry about?

Day 43

2010-02-12T23:54:00.000-06:00

I only took two pictures today and both were with my cell phone camera at the hospital, where my mom spent her evening.

My sister called me around 4:30 and told me she thought Mom was having an allergic reaction - she was complaining of swelling so she was going to keep an eye on her and she gave her some Benedryl. I stopped at a friend's house on the way home from work so Bradley and I could pick up Chloe's boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. I heard my phone ringing, but ignored it so we could get the car loaded. When we were ready to go, I looked at my phone and my sister had called 9 times. I called her back and she said she was taking Mom to the emergency room because she had started complaining of chest pains and difficulty breathing. Her blood sugar had jumped from 91 to 195 in less than 20 minutes and her blood pressure was high. She gave her an aspirin and they were en route - and she left her kids at her house. I quickly picked Chloe up from extended day and dropped her and Bradley off with Mike and then left to go get Erin's kids. I got there quickly and took the three of them back to my house and started getting dinner ready for everyone when Erin called again.

My Mom had started slurring, drooling, and couldn't move anything on her left side. She stopped at the Missouri City Police/Fire headquarters and they called for transport. The fire fighters worked on her until the EMT pulled around from the back of the building and then they took over. They all thought she was having a stroke and took quick action and headed for the ER. Erin was on her way and told me I needed to come immediately. I told Mike what was going on, told Lexi to help with the kids, and rushed to the ER, too. It's about a 20 minute drive and it was crazy rush hour traffic through Sugar Land, but I got there in about 15 minutes. On the way there I got hold of my brother, Matt (who was at work), and told him what was going on. Meanwhile, Erin called her husband at his work and he was on his way to pick Matt up.

We all rendezvoused at the ER and just waited. They made us wait for over an hour before we were allowed to see her. It was incredibly stressful and frustrating because my Mom doesn't know all the meds and such she is on so we were worried that the doctors and nurses wouldn't have complete information. Once we were finally able to see her someone in scrubs came in and was very short with us and didn't introduce herself or anything. The blood they had drawn when my mom first arrived was still sitting on the counter. It turned out the rude woman was actually the attending MD. She insisted it was nothing to worry about - a reaction to her blood pressure medicine (something about ace inhibitors?). We had more questions and she just cut us off. She mentioned getting more tests, but they never did because the blood was still there. She also told us that my mom's blood pressure never got over 120. Oh. Okay. Check out the screen, lady. It's funny how it seemed that the hospital was going to run more tests until right about the point we told them she didn't have any insurance. Then everything was fine and we could just sign right on the line.

She released Mom with orders to stop taking her blood pressure medicine. Tonight Erin, Matt, and I will stay up watching her because her bp is already high. We'll try to get her another appointment on Monday. I have to go to bed - I am completely exhausted.

Day 42

2010-02-11T22:00:00.002-06:00

I just can't enough of Chloe and Bradley's art work. This morning before we left for school, Chloe was working on this little guy. Isn't he cute? It's the first time she has drawn ears like that, where they actually look more real rather than just two circles on the head. Wouldn't he make a cute stuffed animal? He kind of looks like some sort of koala. Mike thoroughly believes that Chloe passed him up in artistic talent a while back. He's probably right - if you ever come over to play Pictionary you don't want to be on his team. Trust me.

Day 41

2010-02-10T20:55:00.000-06:00

What could be more snuggly than a big ol' hippo hug? I have this collection of Purple Hippos - I don't know what it is about them, but I love them. Did you know that real hippos are the most dangerous animals in Africa? It's true - they kill more people than any other animal. Crazy, I know! This hippo, though, just wants to smooch on cutie Alyssa. I have very tame hippos. I'll have to take a picture of them soon. :)

Day 40

2010-02-09T20:49:00.001-06:00

Chloe has been trying to work on her Take Home Science project for several days - but it's all about shadows and it has been nothing but overcast and gloomy (if not raining) for the past several days. This afternoon when we got home from school we took a quick picture so we could get the "afternoon" data part of the project done. She was quite impressed with how big she could make her shadow stretch. (Please ignore my crazy, messy patio!) Hopefully we'll have some sun tomorrow morning so we can do the "morning" part.

Day 39

2010-02-08T19:41:00.000-06:00

I think my kids are on to me. This morning they were arguing over who was going to get their picture taken for the computer! They decided to share the limelight this go around.

This is them right before they got on their jackets to leave for school - Chloe's hair is already escaping the braid it was in, Bradley has who-knows-what on his shirt. But, they are all smiles and ready to have a great day. Let's hope it lasts!!

Day 38

2010-02-07T19:37:00.000-06:00

While watching the pre-game stuff today there were some shots of Rabid Crazed Fans all decked out in face paint and such. So, Bradley drew his own version - meet Rainbow Head Man. He wants the Saints to win, by the way.

Day 37

2010-02-06T21:56:00.000-06:00

How cute is this? Alec and Chloe are both sporting some big ol' gaps through which to slurp macaroni. Both of them will need braces in a couple of years - at least they can be awkward together. They love each other dearly and I'm glad Chloe will have her cousin to look out for her since Bradley will be two grades behind them. I only wish Chloe had some of his darling freckles!

Day 36

2010-02-05T21:50:00.001-06:00

Tonight we had one of our Family Dance Parties and wore the kids out before bed. Bradley is so much more dramatic with his dancing than Chloe. She is still pretty impressed with booty shaking and is starting to do more "real" dancing with her chassés and little primitive leaps. Bradley throws himself into his "moves" and it's hilarious to watch. I think his expressions says it all, though. Lost in dance. I can't think of a better way to end this crazy week!

Day 35

2010-02-04T20:41:00.000-06:00

I try not to let the kids drink too much water at the dance studio or their class time gets interrupted by frequent potty visits. Tonight, though, Bradley was already done with his classes and we were hanging out waiting for Chloe to finish hers and he was SO SO thirsty. "My tongue is so sad and thirsty," he wailed dramatically. Who can argue with a sad tongue?

The problem is, Bradley is not quite yet an expert at using a water fountain. He inevitably gets soaked and really doesn't imbibe much water. That doesn't change his love for that big, loud fountain of fun, of course. When he drinks from a fountain, he laps at the water like a puppy. I've tried to explain how to kind of suck the water, but he insists that his way is best.

And so I had to change his shirt, clean the floor, and clean the wall after he was done. But at least his tongue was happy.

Day 34

2010-02-03T21:12:00.003-06:00

Chloe's love for Zeke is true love - no matter what he does, she loves him unconditionally. Bradley, on the other hand, is much more sensible. If Zeke does something wrong, Bradley will let him know it was dumb. He's not afraid to discipline him, and will let us know if he needs to be in time out. But, they also play differently. They are rough and tumble with each other and enjoy romping around together. I think they will be grand friends as they grow up together.

"The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic." ~Henry Ward Beecher

Day 33

2010-02-02T20:01:00.005-06:00

Today was the Big Day! During Circle Time (on the big rug, no less) Chloe "wiggled and wiggled her tooth until POP. It just came right on out." She got a special little tooth-shaped box on a string to wear and keep her tooth safe. But it seems there was a box malfunction and my poor girl LOST her tooth during Extended Day. They searched and searched, but couldn't find it. Chloe is, of course, quite upset about everything. But, she wrote a letter explaining the whole situation. So, hopefully the Tooth Fairy will be okay without collecting the tiny white gem.

She also drew her a couple of pictures. The first one is "Of the Very Day My Tooth Came Right Out of My Mouth at my Favorite School!" And the second is "A Picture of the Famous Tooth Fairy on a Rainbow." (click on them to open in a new window)

I still can't believe she's old enough to be loosing teeth. You can see in the top picture that the tooth next to the one she lost is about to come out, too. Her first two precious tiny baby teeth. The ones that bit me (only once) while nursing one morning before work. The ones we used to clean with a teensy soft finger brush while she sat in her bath seat. Those sweet little nubs that caused such gassy agony when they were trying to come up. And, oh, the drool that gave her a rash on her chin for weeks. How on earth has time gone by so quickly?

Day 32

2010-02-01T20:07:00.004-06:00

I've mentioned before that we are a book reading family - we read together every night for 20-30 minutes. This is such a special time and one of my favorite things that we do together.

My kids are on a Mo Willems kick right now, and I love it because his books are so much fun to read. We have all of the Elephant and Piggie books (looks like there are several more coming out this year!), almost all the Pigeon books (we are missing The Pigeon Gets a Puppy), Edwina, Knuffle Bunny, Knuffle Bunny too, and Time to Pee. The kids have all the Elephant and Piggie books memorized and act out the scenes from them - it's hilarious. My favorite is probably There is a Bird on Your Head because I love the way the kids act it out - they use funny voices and move around the room pretending to be the characters. I think Bradley could have a career as a cartoon character some day! :)

I'm going to start doing a Monday Memories Link on here every Monday so we can maybe have some audience participation. :) So my Monday questions are:

What books do you like to read with your kids? What was your favorite book to read as a child? Join the fun and share your memories!

My favorite books that my dad read to me were the Shel Silverstein poetry books. I memorized most of them when I was really young. Later, I read and re-read all the classics (I had a large collection that someone had given us - hardbound with 2 novels per book, one on one side and you flipped it over for the other one. I wonder where those are now.). As a tween I fell in love with Anne of Green Gables and still enjoy snuggling up and reading them again. I don't really read as much now for my own pleasure (other than craft magazines!). Can anyone recommend something good that doesn't have sparkly vampires in it? :D

Day 31

2010-01-31T20:01:00.000-06:00

Remember when we were kids they had those Grand Prizes where you could run through a toy store for 5 minutes and get whatever you could fit in the cart? I wanted to win that - but at an office supply store. My daughter inherited my love for all things crafty and her obsession with markers is not so much an illness but a result of my dominant genes.

Both Chloe and Bradley love to color, draw, cut, paste, paint... and this marker/chalk board is one of their favorite things. I got it several years ago from Lakeshore during a back-to-school sale and it only cost $12!! They still have them, but not for $12, sorry. Anyway, Chloe spends hours drawing and writing on this board, so her markers often dry out - or some cousin or friend pushes to hard on them and the tips get mangled. So every few months or so I get her new markers and each time it is like Christmas. She lines them up by color and tries them all "oohing" and "ahhing" over the colors. It's pretty cute (like getting new Copics!).

She's been writing a lot of great sentences on her board lately, too. It's been fun to watch her progress from 3-word sentences to big ol' run-ons. Yesterday she wrote, "I like my family bee kus they are my family and I love them and they love me bak bee kus we are family." [sic] I was going to take a picture, but she erased it and moved on to drawing Fancy Shoes. Yes, she is definitely my girl.

Day 30

2010-01-30T21:35:00.001-06:00

The kids and I were looking through the 365 pictures so far and they were both wondering why there are never any pictures of me anywhere, in any pictures, ever. Well, it's because I always have the camera! Poor Daddy cannot be trusted to take a good picture if his life depended on it. (Last Christmas I had the flu and was in bed the entire day, so Mike had to take the pictures. I have never seen so many pictures of blurry elbows and extreme close-ups.)

I read over and over in all the scrapbooking magazines that we moms cannot remain invisible - we need to get pictures of ourselves now and then. So, here is a quick pic of me as I usually look on the weekends: t-shirt, frizzy hair, and just a little bit of make-up. I need to 'shop out those worry lines, huh? Yikes! But, at least my kids will be happy because they think their mama is beautiful, worry lines and all.

Day 29

2010-01-29T21:01:00.000-06:00

Today is Mike's birthday, so everyone came over for cake and ice cream after dinner. Perhaps a bit too much of the sugary stuff was consumed because the kids went bonkers. Somewhere in that tangle of arms and legs is Chloe, Bradley, and Alec. Alyssa wants to be part of the fun, but is not crazy enough to jump into the fray - she prefers to work from the outskirts and just toss pillows at the crowd. Hopefully everyone will sleep late tomorrow!!

Day 28

2010-01-28T20:14:00.003-06:00

I have a feeling this might be Project 365 cheating, but these were the only pictures I had a chance to take today! :)

When Chloe woke up this morning and dragged her sleepy self into my room to get ready I had the outfit hanging up ready for her. She saw it right away and broke into a huge smile and said, "I completely love it!" I think that's a good thing.

She refuses to tuck her shirts in, but it still looks pretty darn cute, huh? She's doing these new poses and such when I take a picture of her and it cracks me up because until about a year and half or so ago she refused to smile in any non-candid photo. Starting at about 15 months there are no posed pictures of her with a smile. We call them collectively her Pensive Period. I'm sure glad that's over - although with her recent dramas and tantrums I think that tweendom will bring more angst and pensive photos! This IS the child who once declared in a fit over some injustice, "I do NOT want a Happy Meal. I want a sad, angry meal!"

Lord help us! (But at least she'll LOOK good!)

Day 27

2010-01-27T22:59:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is Spring picture day at Chloe's school and she had planned on wearing this cute little Valentine's Day skirt I made her a few weeks ago, but we couldn't find it. I mean we looked all over the place - in all the closets and drawers, all the rooms. We cannot find it. So, I told her I'd make her another cupcake skirt so she can still be sweet for her pictures.

While watching my DVR'd American Idol from yesterday and today I made this skirt and embellished the shirt. The skirts are EASY to make - I make them all the time, as you can see here. I even came up with a "recipe" so you can make your very own skirt in less than an hour, too. The shirt, on the other hand, was a new experience for me.

Every time Target has little shirts on clearance I get some because I always hope I can do something with it. This shirt, for example, was $1.25 and you just can't beat that! I cut the little cupcake from a scrap of the skirt fabric and adhered it to the skirt with bonding web and then stitched around the edge by hand. That sounds easy, and next time it probably will be, but it took me over an hour because I had never done it before. I need to learn how to do the stitching better, but I'm happy with the result and I know Chloe will love it. (I'll get a pic tomorrow.)

Now I'm off to bed because I stayed up way too darn late!!

Day 26

2010-01-26T21:48:00.000-06:00

Today after school Chloe spent about 20 minutes running around the backyard with Zeke, and by the time they were done they were both exhausted. She absolutely adores this dumb dog no matter what he does. The other day she said, "Mom, Zeke nipped me. Someday he'll be a really GREAT Dane, but right now he's still learning." Yes, Chloe - he is currently a not-so-great Dane.

She has always been a nature lover - from leaves and flowers to assorted many-legged creatures. She has her two little gerbils she takes care of and such, but this dog - he is special. They snuggle together, and she sings to him and tells him what basically amount to Social Stories about how he can behave more appropriately. It's pretty darn cute, even though I think he has selective listening when it comes to his understanding of desired behavior outcomes. I wonder where I put my copy of Don't Shoot the Dog. Poor Zeke will be in ABA boot camp this summer so he can earn his Greatness.

Day 25

2010-01-25T20:35:00.001-06:00

Isn't this the cutest set of siblings (well, second cutest)? :) My darling nieces and nephew were over for a little while this afternoon and so I made them pose for a quick picture. Look at that red hair! Isn't it funny how much personality can show through in just one little photo? That little glint in Alec's eyes - he totally wants to jump around instead of sit still. Little Alyssa with her big ol' cheese grin. And my very-nearly-in-middle-school tween-aged Lexi, laid back and still so sweet. I love being an aunt - I highly recommend it!

Day 24

2010-01-24T19:25:00.000-06:00

Mmmm, puffins! Pankcake muffins, y'all - what could be sweeter? These little breakfast bites are incredibly easy to make and you get all the fun taste of pancakes, without standing over a griddle for an hour! Here's my recipe:

2 cups pancake mix
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup water
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup syrup
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.
Generously spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray.
Mix all the ingredients together and whisk just until the lumps are gone (don't overdo it or your texture will be all wrong).
Use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture into the muffin cups - I don't do the "1/3rd full" rule - I fill them almost to the top so they have that nice puff.
Bake for around 10 minutes.
Pop out of tin and serve with syrup for dipping

You can try other varieties. Check out the famous Bakerella's version HERE.

Now I just need to try a gluten-free version so *I* can eat them, too!

Day 23

2010-01-23T18:25:00.001-06:00

Bradley had a wonderful morning playing with his friend, Carson, and then he took a rest on the couch. I went to wake him up to get ready for a birthday party and he was burning up. Poor little guy is just miserable. He is an easy patient when he's sick - he's sweet, calm, and very compliant. He's usually a really obedient kiddo, too - but he is full of energy. Always laughing and being silly - and when he just wants to lay down and won't eat it's just not my Bradley-boy. It always breaks my heart when my kids are sick. Get better, baby, mama misses your smile.