merry christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

blank boxes on the calendar

Today is a blank box on the calendar. I am soooo thankful for blank box days! As you can see, there aren't many of them! Hopefully we'll get school finished for the week, some laundry, and some housework completed, too. If we're really lucky, I'll actually cook dinner and we'll enjoy a family movie night. Too bad Hubby can't take the day off and enjoy it with us!

fly-ing through my thankful list

Okay, so this one might seem a little... strange. But it's the truth. I'm thankful for this little "tool." Lately we've had what seems like a plague of flies around our house. I'm not exactly sure why or where they are coming from, but we've been killing them left and right.

Imagine me standing in the kitchen, armed with my pink fly swatter, waiting for one to light on the counter... or table... or a kid. I can be very stealth and my swat to kill ratio is pretty good. I'm ready for the little boogers to move on, though. Enough is enough!

veterans

Today is Veterans Day. And I am thankful for the men and women who selflessly serve and fight for our country's freedoms and the freedoms of other countries, too. Thank you to those who put their lives on the line for America. Thank you to their families for they sacrifice much as well. We've attended the 4th of July celebrations at Ft. Hood many times over the years and it always strikes a chord when the families of those serving stand in honor of their husbands, wives, sons, and daughters who are in places like Iraq or Afghanistan. After the horror that occurred on that base this week, I am again moved by the sacrifice that these men, women, and families are making on my behalf. So thank you veterans. Thank you to those currently serving. I am thankful for you today!

mobile blogging

Right now I am sitting in a parking lot, waiting for SuperGirl to finish gymnastics, and hiding from the general public. I have spent the whole day in my comfy clothes, teaching school and doing housework.

I should be reading Treasure Island for my book discussion class next week but decided to see if I could figure out how to blog from my iPhone. I am a master of procrastination and finding things to do other than what I should be doing. I can see clearly why my little "apples" haven't fallen far from the tree...

I digress...

So here I sit, being thankful for my iPhone. Just think of the things I can blog about... If only I can figure out how to put pictures on, too.

{this blog post was blogged on the run from my iPhone!}

coffee with special edition creamer

Seems silly to be thankful for something like this, but when paired with a quiet house and a little time to myself, I am giving thanks for a cup of coffee with my favorite creamer. Perhaps it is because it is available for a limited time. I gave up coffee a few weeks ago and started drinking tea... until these little guys started popping up in the refrigerated section of Kroger. I just couldn't help myself.

Lately I've been trying to get up a little earlier. I didn't "fall back" on my bedside table clock to help fool myself into thinking I wasn't getting up as early. Rising a little earlier around here does have its advantages. It's just me, my coffee, and blessed quiet. I've been reading my Bible more and getting a little work done so I'm not as stressed during the day.

So there you have it. Creamer. Yesterday it was my family, today it's creamer. Who knows what I'll be thankful for tomorrow?

counting my blessings

November is the month of Thanksgiving. We used to keep a running list out at this time of year for the family to list the things they are thankful for. I'm starting a little late, but I hope to list a few of the things I'm thankful for between now and Thanksgiving.

At the top of my list are these people.

My husband is a godly man, wonderful father, honest businessman, and faithful friend. He works hard to provide for his family and never complains. He is forgiving and merciful and I am so thankful God brought us together.

Misty is a fun, sweet girl. She is smart and a joy to be with. I realize she is growing up entirely too fast and that our time is limited. It is such a bittersweet feeling... it's wonderful seeing her grow into a godly young woman, but my heart aches when I think of her moving on. It has gone by way too fast.

Mackensie is the most tenderhearted, kind little person. Gone are her chubby little cheeks and in their place is a beautiful young lady. She is quiet and yet very strong. She's growing up, too, and it's been incredible to see the person God is making her into.

Gracie is my baby. She likes being the baby. She can try me like no one's business but she can also make me laugh until I cry. I wonder often what God has in store for her... and I ask her often if she'll just live with me forever. She says yes, but only until she gets married and then maybe she'll live next door.

These are my greatest blessings. Each one brings such joy into my life and blesses me in a different way and I am so, so thankful for them.

I love you!

thursday 13

Did you know that in the teen brain there is a process that occurs, called "pruning"? It occurs mainly in the areas of the brain which control, among other things, organization, multi-tasking, goal-seeking behaviors, and self-control. This "pruning" is a cleaning out of nerve fibers and the unused connections between these fibers are ELIMINATED.

This explains so much.

This post is for me. To remind myself, with 13 sweet little reminders, of how much I love my 13 year old gift. This girl is fabulous. But she's 13. And we're experiencing some "pruning" in her brain right now... but at least I know that her brain REALLY IS FRAGMENTED. And it's not just my imagination. It's a scientific fact. And it's because she is growing up.

This phase will be gone all too soon, won't it?

wordless wednesday - friends

10 on tuesday

My friend Erin did a list similar to this last week, and since there are some strange things on my desk at the moment I thought it would be a good time to copy... so here you go... 10 things on my desk RIGHT NOW.

1. iFlip. My absolute favorite toy. Bought it off of woot.com.
2. A peeler card that is going to expire in 7 days. I'm feeling the urge to use a bunch of the coupons but I don't think my system can handle Papa Johns, McDonalds, Burger King, Sonic, Kolache Rolf's, and Ben & Jerry's in such a short amount of time. Well, maybe if I used the Kwik Kar Lube and Tire...
3. Two pairs of scissors and a pink ruler.
4. A big red button that says, "Ain't gonna happen" when you press it. It's annoying but effective with the children.
5. Luggage tags.
6. A picture of my mom as a child.
7. A molar.
8. A letter from Malawi and my World Vision child. (I love getting these!!)
9. My All About Him Christmas planner. I am terribly behind on the planning, but I'm making headway with my gift shopping.
10. Three fortune cookie fortunes which read, "Failure is the mother of success" and "You will move to a wonderful new home within the year" and "A new challenge is near." I don't know if this means some wonderful things or if I just eat too much Chinese food.

juggling act

This picture is from a quick trip we made to Galveston with my parents... but this guy reminds me a little of me. It feels like life is a balancing act around here.

There is school to be taught, activities to be taken to, work to be completed, laundry to be done, a house to clean, meals to be made, bills to be paid, and all the other stuff that makes up life for us around here.

Some days, I feel that even though we are busy, we are balanced. Other days, it feels as though I am standing on a house of cards, with a few missing, and I've just been handed a couple of juggling pins.

The past two weeks have been horrible because my sweet girl has been sick but it's been nice to be "stuck" at home. As nice as that forced break was, though, I'll be glad to get back to the daily balancing act of life here in our family.

Here's to a balanced, happy Monday!

weekend wrap up

Saturday was the big double header day for Upward Soccer. We had games scheduled from 9:00 AM until 2:30 PM. There were hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch and people everywhere! Last week was very warm and humid but this week it was overcast and cool. It was perfect weather for sitting outside for hours...

Game one. Vikings vs. Rams. SuperGirl was feeling better this morning after a very long 11 days of being sick and she BEGGED to play. I told her she could play one quarter but when we arrived, they only had enough players to play but no substitutes. Her dad talked to the coach and they decided to play her in the back field as much as possible to keep her from getting over tired. Playing kept her warm enough, but when she was on the sidelines, poor SuperGirl got a bit cold. Would you just look at this display is sisterly love? Summer gave up her very warm sweatshirt for SuperGirl. And she even sat down in the cold grass to keep her company while she wasn't playing.
Her first game was a little sketchy. It took SuperGirl until the fourth quarter to remember how to play or something. It seemed it all kicked in then and she started doing a little more playing and a little less prancing around. Hey, who's that on the other team? I think CK was taking it easy on her... they are friends after all!

Hey, look! There's DK and DK! So, who's the coach and who's the assistant here?

Game two. Cardinals vs. Giants. Pickles was IN THE GAME this morning. She was shouting helps to her teammates and getting after the ball. I was pleasantly surprised to see how aggressive she was being, especially since it was before noon. She doesn't like to do anything before noon. I wonder where she gets that from? My favorite part of this game was when Pickles kicked a hard ball out of bounds... right into Summer, barely missing Grammy. That made for some excitement!!

Pickles has a great coaching staff. What this guy lacks in wardrobe (t-stip hat), he makes up for in spirit and enthusiasm! I love listening to him cheer on his team. Thank you, Coach Sample!

Pickles played hard and was looking forward to some burgers and another game later in the day. She's learning to give it everything she has while she's on the field. That's good for her.

Game three. Vikings vs. Raiders. SuperGirl really had it together by this game. She was actually going TO the ball instead of chasing after everyone who was going for it. I still worried a little bit about how much she was running but she seemed to be doing just fine. Must have been the hamburgers for lunch!

Part of the fun of playing Upward soccer is getting to see and play with so many friends! These two spent the whole game smiling and giggling with each other, a carryover from Pickles's game. They are so cute!!

And if SuperGirl doesn't get a white star for this little act of service, I'll be really surprised. When they stopped the game for ES to tie her shoe SuperGirl marched herself across the field and announced, "I'll tie it for her!" Nevermind that she'd just learned to do that for herself this past week when she was home sick. And yes, she is 7 years old and just learning to tie her shoes, but give me a break, she has two older sisters who tie everything for her and years of shoes with no laces (think high heels, flip flops, velcro shoes, and sandals), so it's a wonder she even knows how!

The game went on and SuperGirl played as hard as she could. I kept waiting for her to tire out but she didn't. I was so happy so see her bouncy and healthy again. And I was really enjoying the afternoon outside... sitting with my mom and watching the girls play.

Then, just about half way through the final quarter of game three, a storm started to drop big, fat raindrops on us. I had a golf umbrella and settled myself in my chair, ready to enjoy the rain. Hubby came running across the parking lot and told us to gather all our stuff and get in the truck. And within five minutes, the skies let loose. We were all safe in the truck, mostly dry, watching families scramble to get in their cars... soaking wet. Game four was cancelled so we went home and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.

It was a good thing we all napped during the afternoon storms, because around 11:00PM Saturday night, SuperGirl's rash and itches came back. And we were up for several hours during the night dealing with that again! By morning, she was fine and we are all looking forward to the games of next week!

hives

Hives, hives, hives.
Splotchy hives, itching hives.
Transient, cropping up hives,
On the back, the front, the legs and face hives-

Those are just a few.

Inflamed hives, irritated hives,
Red polka-dotty hives,
Itching, scratching, excoriating hives,
Big pink hives, too.

Benadryl for hives, Prednisolone for hives.
Don't forget the Caladryl lotion for hives.

Last of all, best of all.
All gone, no more nasty hives.

10 on tuesday

Ten things about being sick...

1. Drinking 7Up, Gatorade, or Sprite as often as they want.
2. Eating whatever they want, just so they'll eat, including Shrek soup, Jell-O, and popsicles for breakfast.
3. Nasty medicine.
4. Chocolate cake after medicine.
5. Veggie Tales, Dr. Seuss, and Sesame Street.
6. Sleeping with Mom & Dad.
7. Staying in jammies all day, every day.
8. Piles of pillows and soft blankets on the couch.
9. Staying up late and sleeping all day.
10. No school.

i don't know how they do it

parents of chronically ill children, that is. supergirl has been sick for a week now. in that short period of time there have been ups and downs. a diagnosis and getting better and then a setback and nothing but questions. we have seen or talked to four different doctors. and while i know sweet supergirl is not chronically ill or even seriously ill, my heart is breaking for her.

the medicine we got tonight "tastes gross" is "horrible" and she "just can't take it" at all. we tried tonight for an hour before she finally got the medicine down. she was in tears. i was in tears. daddy was worn down. she's more splotchy than before. and i have a migraine.

just looking at her sweet little face all covered in red splotches makes me weep. we had to go to a few public places today and it was all i could do to keep her face covered or hidden from others. the lady in walgreens actually asked what she was having an allergic reaction to.

tonight, after getting the medicine in her i gave her an oatmeal bath and then rubbed on soothing aveeno lotion to help relax her and help her sleep. just looking at how much of her body is still affected surprised me. and when i went to brush her hair, she looked in the mirror and gasped at her own reflection. what a dagger to the heart...

tomorrow we have an appointment with her regular doctor. hopefully the medicine we got tonight will have a significant impact on whatever this is that is going on in her little body. pray it goes away. pray she regains her appetite. pray she is her normal, happy, healthy self again real, real soon.

the patient

What a week it has been around here! Early last week, SuperGirl came down with a bout of gastritis. It went on for two days and she was unable to get much food or fluid into her already very small body. On the third day, she just seemed to feel really, really bad so I decided to take her in to see her doctor. After a couple of lab tests, they determined she was dehydrated and decided to give her some IV fluids.

It was at this point that Momma started to get worried. She'd had a flu shot in the not so distant past and it was nothing short of a disaster. The screaming and yelling and carrying on was HORRIBLE and I just didn't know how it was going to go over, putting a needle in her arm and leaving it there... I pulled the nurse aside and told her about the needle fear and she was very sweet and gentle, calling in reinforcements and explaining what she was doing without using the word "needle." SuperGirl was very brave (and very sick, which probably helped) and the nurses got her all settled without any trouble.

Poor thing. She just kept holding my hand. And putting my hand on hers. She watched a bit of cable TV which was quite a treat and we enjoyed a very quiet 90 minutes while her body rehydrated. We finished up at the clinic and headed home where she promptly got sick again and we decided that living on Gatorade and watching Veggie Tales for another few days might be okay.

Later the next day, she decided that eating might be on the agenda for the day. This made me happy, knowing that wanting to eat was half the battle. What did she ask for? SALAMI. Really? That is not something I'd think a person who hadn't eaten in three days would want. I told her to think of something that would be good for her tummy, maybe something with high water content (like applesauce or 7Up?). She said, "Mommy, salami has water in it."

Really? Hmm... Okay, SuperGirl, you're going to have to think of something a little more healthy than that... peaches, popsicle, crackers, toast, banana...

"Mommy. I want cheese wrapped up in salami."

She wasn't going to win this one. So I made her some soup and served it up with crackers and Jell-O. Even with being a bit hungry, she didn't eat much. We decided that playing soccer on Saturday would be out and that maybe a couple of days of recovery would be just what she needed. She was okay with that and Saturday proved to be uneventful.

Until Saturday night. She broke out with some kind of rash that rapidly progressed to cover her entire back and chest. It was almost like a vest. Her eyes swelled a little bit and she itched. We called the nurse line and were told to give her Benadryl and check her again in the morning. Momma barely slept and SuperGirl slept rather fitfully. We woke tired on Sunday morning and the rash was practically gone. But in a matter of an hour, there was the rash again... in a different place.

We made a trip to the urgent care clinic and were told it was not strep but not much else. That visit was probably one of the worst I've had as far as waiting and not being taken care of by the doctor. (BTW, I have lodged a complaint about the care.) We came home, took more Benadryl and have decided to wait this thing out.

SuperGirl is now covered practically from head to toe with the rash. She has taken three naps today (thanks to the Benadryl I'm sure) and is trying her hardest not to scratch. I've listened to a Dr. Seuss video four times now. I think I'd rather return to the Veggie Tales marathon we had earlier this week!!

So, if you've gotten all the way to the end of this post, please say a prayer for SuperGirl. Poor thing looks and feels terrible. I feel awful because I can't make it better for her. And I'm trusting that God is in control because I feel so very out of control here.

saturday fun

Saturday morning means Upward soccer around here. This week we started the day out with a trip to Chick-fil-A for breakfast before hitting the fields. It was very foggy out and we were hoping it would burn off before game time. This morning was also picture day... the muggy weather was wreaking havoc with a certain player's hair. We made a quick stop at Target on the way to the fields so we could re-do her hair. Chick-fil-A and Target all before noon. What a great day!! Pickles played at forward and goalie today. She does a lot of running a little bit of kicking and it all makes me very tired.

Since SuperGirl was so sick this week, she didn't play with her team. She did get her picture made and spent the morning in her uniform, watching her team warmup and play a bit. She was even snack girl for the day. Being near her team was important to her, even though she still isn't quite up to par. As the morning heated up, she found shade under an umbrella, camped out in her SuperGirl chair.

Having only one team to cheer on today proved to be much easier than last week when we were watching two teams play at the same time. We had great seats, on the 50 yard line, which was great until someone got recruited to be a line judge. Upward for us is a family affair whether it's basketball or soccer. Of course, there was a second judge behind me. You can't see him, but his name rhymes with Nubby.

I heard things like, "You're supposed to raise the flag and point it at the goal when it's a kick towards the goal."

Oh. Really? Because the referee only said, "If the whole of the ball crosses the whole of the line raise the flag." He said nothing about pointing.

And then there was the helpful advice of, "I can't hear your flag when you raise it. Use more force so I can hear it whip." Okay, Mister. You're fixing to get a whipping with this flag if you don't cut it out!!

It was a good morning. Both teams won 2-0 and we were ALL sweaty when it was all done. After the game we headed home with Grandmom and Grandad and then to lunch at Uncle Henry's (and Aggie Game Day Trifle for dessert). We got to visit with Uncle Henry, Aunt Ruth, Richard, Stan, Laura, Caitlin, and McKenzie, too. It's always fun getting together with family!

Later on, some of us went on to the game to cheer on the Aggies and some of us went to the mall. Guess where I went? What a fun Saturday!!

aggie game day trifle

My sweet mother-in-law gave me a trifle bowl for my birthday. (She also gave me some cool red Kitchenaid accessories and some very yummy recipes for trifles...) I think she must have sneaked a peek at my wishlist. A wishlist that no one knew existed!! She was very surprised to learn that I'd been wanting one.

Well, this bowl has been sitting on my counter for three weeks, staring at me, begging to be used. And in a moment of creativeness, I had an idea... an ORIGINAL idea for once. I would make an Aggie trifle. Maybe I started a new tradition around here... I mean, with chocolate cake, cheesecake pudding, Cool Whip, and raspberries, I can't go wrong, can I??

Here are the ingredients:

• Red velvet cake (this was my original idea but couldn't get it so I used a chocolate cake mix and a bunch of red food coloring to make it maroon)
• Cheesecake pudding (2 boxes, I used the sugar free kind)
• Cool Whip (8 oz., thawed)
• Raspberries (I used frozen, but fresh would be good, too!)

Layer squares of cake, pudding, Cool Whip, raspberries. Repeat but end with Cool Whip and garnish with raspberries.

Gig 'em Aggies, and BTHO UAB!

ADD with a side of OCD

Does anyone else have this problem?

Yesterday I was making lunch. While getting out the lunch meat I decided to clean out the refrigerator. Yes, at the same time. In the process, I found some molding cheese in the deli drawer and remembered that Summer needs some moldy food for her biology class last week.

I thought I'd better check the class email but the phone rang and it was my neighbor, looking for packing tape. Gee, I know there's some around here somewhere... Pickles joined in the search and found it on her dad's vanity in the bathroom. (Sounds like someone else around here has ADD... who left that there???) Neighbor taped up her package and flagged down the mailman while I corralled the dog and kids back into the house.

A quick check back at the computer confirmed that some mold was indeed necessary so I made a note for the cheese ("Do NOT throw away. This is a biology experiment.") and returned it to the refrigerator shelf.

English muffins for my sandwich were put in the toaster and then I returned to the purging. I found three old containers of cream cheese and threw them in the trash (no mold here, though!). I pulled out a few more items and disposed of them while waiting for the muffins to toast.

I fixed my sandwich and ate, while helping Pickles with her Latin, then proceeded to put up our dirty dishes. At this point, I remembered the dishes in the dishwasher were clean and decided to put them away so I could wash the lunch plates and have a clean, empty sink. (I really, really like a clean, empty sink.)

Half way through the dish-putting-away I came across Summer's water bottle so I dutifully took it to the water bottle basket in the pantry. It was here that I noticed two opened boxes of graham crackers and decided to transfer the packages to two plastic, airtight containers. (There's nothing worse than stale chocolate graham crackers.)

Then I remembered that I wasn't done with the dishwasher!! So off to finish that little chore and put the dirties in I went. Next to the sink were two empty plastic containers that needed to be rinsed for the recycling. I grabbed those and started rinsing...

And then I remembered the three cream cheese containers I threw in the trash. (Here's where the OCD comes in...) I couldn't stand the thought of those three containers sitting in a landfill forever when all I had to do was clean them up and recycle them, especially when I just rinsed out a few other recyclables. The thought became so overwhelming that I DUG THROUGH THE TRASH to get them out for washing.

I know. I have a sickness.

The containers were emptied, washed, and put in the recycling bin. The dishes were put away and the sink cleaned.

That's me... Saving the environment one (or three) cream cheese container(s) at a time.

thursday 13

1. Today is this sweet little guy's first birthday. The big O*N*E!!
2. We celebrated a little early, because he was in Texas visiting his family.
3. He's going to be a big brother in about five months.
4. His eyes twinkle when he laughs.
5. He gives the sweetest hugs.
6. He loves to feed his food to the dogs. Any dog.
7. He walks around, drinking his bottle out of the side of his mouth.
8. He doesn't know how to walk... he RUNS.
9. He barely crawled, and started walking at 9 months.
10. This little guy squeals when he's happy.
11. He was very crabby the day of his birthday party, but he turned on the charm for the guests and no one saw an inkling of grumpiness.
12. He was a little timid about digging into his cake but once his momma gave him a taste of the icing, he went to town!
13. He lives entirely too far away. And I love him like crazy.

Happy Birthday Baby C!! We love you!!

blasted facebook

It's ruined my blogging. My journaling has been reduced to status updates like...

• "is opening the windows."
• "whodunnit? it was the mother... with the missing book... in the closet. i win."
• "tomorrow is the first day of fall!!"

To be fair, I shouldn't blame it all on Facebook. Twitter has a hand in it, too.

• "Said goodbye to Colin, Min, Ryan, and Nannie. Drowning sorrows at Container Store."
• "Waiting to help jump a stranger's car... They (3 guys) can't figure out how to open the hood. Ha!!"
• "Driving through Houston with a plastic bag stuck to the grill of my car."

Really, there is more to me and my life than these piddly little status updates. But life has gotten so busy and I haven't made time to get my thoughts in order for blogging. It's sad, because blogging helps me remember... a moment, a feeling, a funny thing said or done. I have found myself thinking in short phrases instead of stories and complete thoughts.

And I don't like it. I'd like to remember more about funny things like changing that stranger's tire. Or moments of missing my precious family who lives so far away. Or the laughter and frustration over finding a lost book. I'm so busy that I'm not feeling. And I want to feel those emotions...

happy... sad... lonely... silly... sentimental... in the moment... noticing the little things and then exploring what makes me feel the way I do about those things...

Maybe I'll be better about this blogging thing. Maybe not.

One thing I do know... this felt good!!

did you know i'm a songwriter?

It's the most wonderful time of the year
With the yell leaders yelling
And everyone telling you "This is the year!"
It's the most wonderful time of the year.

It's the hap-happiest season of all
With those new Aggie meetings and old Aggie greetings
When friends come to call
It's the hap-happiest season of all.

There'll be tailgates for hosting
Beef brisket for roasting
And people dressed up in maroon
There'll be old football stories
And tales of the glories of
Our time there long, long ago.

It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much towel twirlin’
And boys kissin’ girls
When the Aggies are near
The goal line of that bless’d Kyle Field.

There'll be tailgates for hosting
Beef brisket for roasting
And people dressed up in maroon
There'll be old football stories
And tales of the glories of
Our time there long, long ago.

It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much Hullabaloo
And some Farmers Fight, too
When the Aggies are near
It's the most wonderful time…
It's the most wonderful time…
It's the most wonderful time…
It's the most wonderful time… of the year!

because everyone should know how to...

summer nights

We went out for ice cream tonight. Hubby said it was either go work out or do something fun with his family. My head hurt too bad for working out, but I thought maybe ice cream would help me feel better. Chocolate is the cure-all, right??

So we grabbed our little coupon card and went to Maggie Moo's. Summer had a dance intensive tonight so we made a little detour to get her picked up first. SuperGirl's hiphop teacher works at Maggie Moo's and she was hoping.hoping.hoping Miss Connie would be there. She was not disappointed... but she WAS very shy. The minute we walked in, she got super quiet and wouldn't even talk to Miss Connie! The most we could get out of her was a little wave. It was really cute...

Five ice creams later we all sat down to eat at a little table in the corner. Summer had her usual, mint chocolate chip. Pickles had chocolate with sprinkles. Hubby and I each had a large bowl of yummy-ness. And SuperGirl had blue cotton candy with M&M's. (Gross.) This was the blue ice cream. You know which one I'm talking about... blue. BLUE! By the time we were all done, we were joking that SuperGirl had bluetooth. (Oh, what a bad joke...)

We enjoyed the time together, catching up on what's new at the dance studio (this was Summer's first dancing of the summer) and how everyone was. The talk turned to friends and school and the like. Hubby was telling Summer how neat it would be to be a college freshman her senior year. He was really talking it up until he realized she'd only be 17 and going to college.

His next comment was something along the lines of, "I don't know if I want my 17 year old daughter going to class with a bunch of college guys..." I was thinking much the same thing, though she will likely be doing that as she is a year ahead in many subjects!

And SuperGirl, sweet, to the point, not one to mince words, SuperGirl, put it all in perspective when she asked, "Why, Daddy? Do you think the boys will want to kiss her?"

Really... can someone please tell me where she comes up with this stuff?

conversations with supergirl

Hey Mom. This is a picture of Daddy at his house when he was a little boy.

Oh, it is? How do you know it's him?

See the ball here? Right here? The yellow one?

Yes...

Well, it's a picture of Daddy!

Oh. So you know it's Daddy because there is a ball in the picture?

Yes. Boys like dinosaurs and balls. It's Daddy.

Oh. I see.

{{Leaving the room giggling...}} He told me it was him.

prank wars

Round: 2

Victim: Summer
Prankster: Grammy

Prank: Grammy leaves the following letter in Summer's mailbox. (I hope you all can read it... it's good!)

Summer swears it was unfair. Her prank didn't "hurt" Grammy. This prank "hurt" her insides for a good bit. Five minutes after the prank, I asked her if her heart had stopped pounding. I got an emphatic, "NO!" She wouldn't even talk to Grammy for a good hour or so. Tee-hee. Silly girl, don't mess with the Grammy.

Score: Summer - 1 Grammy - 1

{Please know that Summer and Grammy are just fine. But Summer is scheming... round 3?}

prank wars

Round: 1

Victim: Grammy
Prankster: Summer

Prank: Summer sticks a Post-It note on the bottom of Grammy's mouse. She calls Grammy into the office saying that an e-mail she was expecting has come. Grammy sits down to read the e-mail and her mouse won't work. She bangs the mouse. She clicks the mouse. Finally, she turns the mouse over and sees "Gotcha" written on the Post-It.

Winner: Summer

silly quote of the day

"So Momma, when you die, can I have the coffee maker?" ~ SuperGirl

wordless wednesday - love these girls

grandmom voted...

Last night I was making dinner when SuperGirl came rushing in. With a very quiet, worried voice she said, "Mom... I have to tell you something... I think Grandmom voted for Obama."

I put down the spoon I was stirring with and looked her in the face. She certainly seemed genuinely worried! So I asked her, "SuperGirl, what in the world makes you think Grandmom voted for Obama?"

And she replied, "Well, I was looking on Facebook and I saw Grandmom's picture. Next to her picture was a picture of Obama in front of the White House and it had... A GREEN CHECK MARK next to it!!"

I had a inkling what she was referring to... and this was it...

10 on tuesday

When I left yesterday morning, I had three girls. When I returned home, I had two girls and two boys! I got to hang out with Sweet Baby and his big brother yesterday. When they went home, I was EXHAUSTED. We had a lot of fun, and now I have even more respect for his momma. I am now convinced that I am too old to have any more babies. So. After our day together, I thought I would share what we did.

Here are 10 things I did yesterday with Sweet Baby that I never did with three girls.

1. Banged blocks together. For 15 minutes at a time.

2. Built block towers and crashed them down - giggling, squealing, running, crashing.

3. Broke up a tug-of-war over a stuffed monkey - between Sweet Baby and the dog. They each had a monkey leg in their mouth! (Sorry, AW.)

4. Retrieved Sweet Baby from the inside of the dog kennel where he was... eating a dog toy. (Again, sorry!)

5. Banged on the garage door to see how it sounded.

6. Banged on the bricks to see how THAT sounded.

7. Banged on the car doors to see how loud that was.

8. Banged rocks together, trying different sizes, and then banging them on the concrete.

9. Run rocks through dead plants like cars.

10. Banged rocks on the cat to see the sound it would make.

We had such a fun day. The day started off with donuts and ended with pizza. I think there might have been a trip to Sonic happy hour and chocolate cake in there somewhere, too. And maybe popsicles?

I didn't know for the bulk of the day that we had shoes in the bag so we'd been keeping everyone indoors - too many stickers in our yard. Once I realized we had shoes, we headed outside where we explored the flower beds, watered the plants, played in the hose, played in the dirt, and got very sweaty. We ended our day with a cold drink in the rocking chairs and then a loooooong bath. Someone slept really well last night... and I don't mean Sweet Baby.