Family of Four

1+1=2

2012-02-14T21:23:00.000-08:00

As your child approaches that "school age," it's hard not to think about where you'll want to send him/her. It's hard to choose which path will be the best one for him/her to follow...public or private? Will it be your neighborhood school or will you opt in and transfer to a district where you teach? It's difficult to judge whether starting young or waiting until age 6 is the right thing to do. But at the end of the day, Kindergarten sure does sneak up you even when you know it's coming and you know it's time and you know your child is more than ready. It still doesn't make it any easier to wrap your head around. Frankly, it makes me feel a bit sad and often wondering how my little girl is growing up so fast.

As a teacher, I often have found myself weighing the pros and cons of half day vs. full day, age 4 1/2 or age 6, public or private, go with friends or start somewhere fresh, curriculum, state test scores, demographics, philosophies, mission statements, parent involvement, and so much more. In a sense, we have been lucky that this has snuck up on us. Thankfully, we were able to choose the path we felt would be best for Brynn and our family fairly quickly. After an Open House visit, discussions with our daycare director and Vice Principal, and some e-mail exchanges, we decided that private school was the right choice. Teaching in a couple of different public schools and peer tutoring w/ my Leadership students at a local elementary school within my school district helped me reach that decision without feeling too guilty about it. Yes, I am a public school teacher. Yes, I believe that public school education can be and is valuable. Yes, I believe that it's important to expose our children to a variety of experiences. I believe that there are times when the Catholic Church's view is a bit skewed. But at the same time, I am willing to give private education a shot. It's a small school, small class sizes, and the cost is significantly lower than daycare. They have before and after school care, so I don't have to figure out babysitters or a new kind of daycare arrangement. It feels like a little community, and in a sense, like a small town. Everyone is helpful, friendly, and genuinely nice. It didn't feel like it was all about the money or who had this or didn't have that. It just felt very friendly and welcoming. It felt right. I knew that they would take care of Brynn in a way that would make her feel special and loved. I felt connected before we even became a part of the school. And most importantly, we love the values that are instilled in the children early on. It just makes a lot of sense at this point early on in her education.

She is ready. This girl is reading. She exhibits and uses many different kinds of math skills...she can add, subtract, identify and create patterns. She socializes well with others and loves her teachers. She is studious and listens well. She remembers what she has learned and can apply it to other situations. This girl can write all of her letters upper and lower case. She can write her numbers 1-100. She can recognize numbers higher than 100 and can count for days. She is ready for full day Kindergarten. She says she is ready for "church school" as she refers to it.

What are we a little apprehensive about....um...
--Uniforms.
A. They're not too flattering.
B. They are not very fashion forward.
C. There aren't many options.
D. They're actually kinda pricey.
E. They don't allow boots. Seriously? Not even Uggs? :(

--Fund Raising and Parental Volunteer Expectations
A. I'm a teacher too.
B. Dj travels.
C. There never seems to be enough hours in the day.
D. I advise ASB. It takes a lot of my time.
E. No family close by and hoping I don't have to rely on sitters when there are parent meetings.

She'll attend testing next week, so it will be interesting to see how she does. I know she'll do great, but of course, it's hard to be a child when your mom is a teacher. I wonder how she'll compare to other students. I know she's MORE than ready, but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing/hearing the results.

I hear that once your child enters Kinder, that life just gets really REALLY busy. Is this true? I guess we shall see. Until then, here's to hoping that she'll love her new school and her brother will be able to function without her next year, as they will be separated for the first time in 4 1/2 years. That might be at the same caliber of heartache as walking her into her classroom for the first time.

Pinterest is addicting

2012-02-12T17:45:00.002-08:00

We all love Pinterest, that's certain. I have found several "hits" on this lovely website, as well as a couple of disappointments. A recent hit includes this lovely dish below: Chicken Lo Mein. This recipe can be found on the Disney Family Fun Magazine/website. If you are a mom and love to do crafty things, this magazine is pretty awesome, and I highly recommend subscribing to it. I read it now on my iPad digitally--bonus! I have also pinned it on my recipe board if you're interested. The prep time takes quite awhile, but once it's all put together, it's a lovely dish, especially if you are a Chinese food fan, like me (and the rest of my family).

I love that I can save cool ideas all in one spot vs. bookmarking a shitload of them on Safari in my folders. Sometimes it takes me forever to look through the bookmarks to find what I am looking for and it's super irritating. One miss so far was a baked potato recipe that we tried....took all day to cook in the crock pot and it ended up being a flop. I deleted that one off of my pinboard to say the least.

Baylenisms #650, 651

2012-01-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

I lost track of what number we are on. This his is seriously the funniest kid EVER. Love his sense of humor!

Mister Mister loves to wear sweat pants. In fact, if it were up to him, he'd wear them every singe day. all day. 24 hours a day. He loves him some "comfy pants."

When we get home from school/work, he immediately asks if he can change into comfy pants. This day was no different.

B: "Mom, can I go change into some comfy pants?"

M: "Sure, just put your jeans in the dirty clothes."

He comes downstairs in sweats.

M: "hahaha You're such an OLD man!" (me teasing him)

B: "No, I'm a GOOD man!"

LOL

The next one happened quite some time ago when we were traveling back to Iowa for the holidays. We had just pulled up to the airport in the shuttle and were piling out, gathering all of our suitcases, etc. B2 carry little suitcases w/ wheels and attached to each one is a neck pillow. Baylen's frog pill kept falling out/off of his suitcase and I picked it up before we left outside of our house and told Baylen that this thing was going to fall off everywhere we went and it would be a problem for him. I smiled about it and he just grinned.

Anyway, we're outside of the airport ticketing area when Baylen grabs his little suitcase and starts pulling it toward the airport. All of a sudden, the froggy neck pillow falls off.

M: "Baylen! Grab your frog pillow, he fell off again."

B: Smiles Big, picks it up "Ugh! I'll just carry this DAMN THING!"

LOL I know I shouldn't laugh or even be proud of the fact that my Mister said "damn," but it was too funny. And I know he heard it from me. I am not always good about using clean language around my kids and I tend to use damn now and again. Yep...that kid hears everything.

Snow and Cabin Fever all in a matter of 48 hours

2012-01-19T15:37:00.000-08:00

Snow is a rare occurrence in our neck of the woods, but when it comes, the city usually shuts down and we have all-day news coverage. People freak out and we just sit back and smile...although, I must admit that all-day TV coverage is definitely annoying and over-the-top.

Two days of snow=two snow days in a row. I'm not necessarily complaining about them, except for the fact that I have a plethora of projects to grade before the end of the semester, which was supposed to be today. Oops. Oh well...all other high school teachers in my district are probably feeling the same pain.

We took the kids out yesterday to take advantage of all of the fluffy white goodness. They were thrilled and had the best time running, jumping, sledding, throwing snowballs, and building a snowman. Today, however, is a different story. Freezing rain split a tree in half outside in our backyard. Ice means no going outside b/c it's just too dangerous. :( When kids are prevented from going outside, cabin fever ensues. Thus, new kinds of pretending take place in the form of a police officer arresting a wiener dog accompanied by a Disney Princess. Cabin fever also takes shape in the form of Dj walking in on the kids playing yesterday witnessing Baylen literally licking the fur of his stuff cat. Um yeah...haha we need to break out of here fast, but at this point, it doesn't look promising. It's snowing buckets again on top of the ice and people are losing power all over the place. S-N-O-M-G.

Christmas at our house

2012-01-16T13:31:00.000-08:00

I never had a chance to post about Christmas at our house. The kids had a blast opening gifts and finding out what Santa brought them. This year, Santa tried really hard to avoid going overboard (did pretty well with that compared to last year or two years ago) and tried and save a few more dollars on certain items...he did REALLY well with this.

The favorite items?
-Pet Shop Rescue Center
-Batcave

Of course.

Thank you.

2012-01-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

A life. A legacy.

Cha Cha Cha Changes

2012-01-15T22:11:00.000-08:00

We've spent this entire weekend re-organizing parts of our house, toys, and the kids' room. After much debate, the toy box is now going to Goodwill. We purchased some new organizers for all of the toys both in the living room and up in their bedroom. It has made a big difference. The toy box was cracking on the inside anyway and that's the last time I'll ever buy one from TRU...too expensive, yet cheaply made. Hmph. This is yet another reason why we need to look closely at the benefits of in-sourcing within the U.S. Maybe the products would actually last???

Again, after much discussion, it was decided that it was time for another major change. Today, we took down the toddler beds. Baylen is still a little young for a twin bed, but at the same time, Brynn is really outgrowing her toddler bed. It was time to upgrade. Their room is not really big enough to have to twin beds side by side or even across the room from each other, so we decided to look at bunk beds. Dj found a really nice one at Costco, and a few days later, he invested in a friend with a truck and a second pair of hands to lift the item in and out of the store and into our garage. Piece by piece, we carried it upstairs. Nearly 7 hours later, the entire thing was completely put together by Dj with my help. I even had to help him pick up the top bunk and place it on top of the bottom one with big metal rods sticking out. It was a challenge and I almost gave up. Luckily, I was able to boost it up on there. Wheww! not easy!

A part of me is a little sad to see that crib leave the room. It's been in there since 2006. Time just keeps ticking by. I hope the transition isn't too hard on them. I hope Brynn doesn't forget that she's on the top bunk and tries to get out of bed forgetting where she is. The more I think about it, the more I need to just stop thinking about it, because I freak out.

After both of us went on a bedspread search and about had a cow over how expensive bedding is, we settled on a couple of quilts from LON and PBK. I could not justify spending $60 each on bed sheets yet, so those came from Target for 1/3 of the price. Needless to say, we'll be tracking their longevity or lack thereof. We were sure spoiled spending less than $30 on one crib sheet, toddler bedding, etc. so the sticker shock about did me in. I want them to have cute stuff, but jeez...it's so overpriced!

B2 was pretty excited about their new beds and bedding, and hopefully, they'll adjust pretty easily. The twin beds seem so much bigger than the little toddler ones. It's hard to believe we are making the switch already. Let's just hope they work out.

Next up on the organizing trail: THE GARAGE....*cue DUH DUH DUHHHHH music* That place is a pit again! We need to have a garage sale!

Guess what birthday theme we're planning for Mister Mister?

2012-01-14T21:56:00.001-08:00

I'll give you a couple of hints:

capes, super powers, masks, web slingers, and oh so much more...

The holidays are over

2012-01-09T22:01:00.000-08:00

Top 10 2011 Holiday Memories (in no particular order)

10. It was so warm this winter, we played outside.More than once.

9. Mary found her BM and FG dresses!

8. The grandkids were able to spend some quality time together and had a lot of fun. Check out the cute ISU tutus I made for Calleigh and Brynn in one of the pictures below!

7. Everyone was spoiled this year!

6. I was able to catch up with some great friends!

5. We were able to see both sides of the family this year.

4. Dj and fit in time to exercise.

3. Kids were great on the flights to and from!

2. I read 3 books for pleasure.

1. We were able to cheer on ISU as a family even though they lost. Seriously...Steele Jantz? Ugh. I will never understand that decision.

It's getting festive around here!

2011-11-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

We were able to put up our tree and all of the decor (minus the outdoor lights...coming soon) on Friday afternoon. The kids loved helping put up the tree and opening all of the ornaments. Every year, I keep saying I am going to buy ornaments that have some sort of color scheme, but then I cave and we put up all of our ornaments we love that range in age from 1979 to 2011.

We purchased some new crystal-lit garland to place above our fireplace as well as some new JOY letters, which I picked up at a craft show a while back, although, I think they also have a shop on Etsy.

Tea Party

2011-11-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

She invited all of her babies to a tea party this evening. I think fun was had by all, including two dogs (Sugar & Pepper), a bear, and Wolfie. Kanani even played her guitar for everyone.

Update List Style

2011-11-26T20:12:00.000-08:00

1. The kids had their school photos taken and they are super cute...and super expensive.

2. Our Christmas cards are in early...YEAH! First time ever! Hoping to get those in the mail next week.

3. Brynn is rocking Pre-K and is one of the best readers in her class! I must say, this child is quite brilliant! ;)

4. Brynn is learning how to spell out quite a few words due to her learning various word families. Now, she is also sounding out how she thinks words are spelled (like Cougar, she spelled it 'Kugr' the other day on her OWN...phonetic spelling already!)

5. Baylen is doing "fine" in Pre-School according to his teacher. She said he needs to work on his listening skills. This is not a new revelation to his parents. He loves school, and knows almost all of his letters and can write his name very well on his own.

6. Baylen is in love with Lego toys and Transformers...and his beloved Cars cars.

7. Spritz is back and in full force. He's working better than "Santa's watching" threats.

8. The iPhone Santa App is working even BETTER.

9. The kids will get to go see Santa this weekend at their school for a pancake b-fast and then get a pic with Santa. They are stoked!

10. We loved cheering and destroying our voices last weekend during the ISU/Okie State game! :) WHOOHOO!

11. I ran 6 miles today for the first time...prepping for the 10K in two weeks w/ the hubs. I lived to tell about it, which means it's doable. My fingers are crossed that the weather isn't terrible, even though all signs are pointing to rain, since that's all it's been doing for days now.

12. We enjoyed a long holiday break and now crave Christmas break! Come soon, please!

13. The kids are asking for everything for Christmas and Santa is pretty much done buying for them. Only one more thing to get for Brynn from AG and we're complete! Now...on to Dj!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T19:51:00.001-08:00

from our little turkeys to yours! We are very thankful for all that we have been blessed with and all of the blessings that continue to come our way. We hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Baylen's daycare-created hat held up much better than his sister's. Her pilgrim hat accidentally landed in the recycle bin and then we tried to use her Native American headgear, but unfortunately, the feathers were badly smashed unbeknownst to mommy or anyone else who rides in mommy's car. Needless to say, we tried our best to salvage the feather headdress, but for the most part, we were unsuccessful.

What plans did you have this year for Turkey Day? We ate at home and made a traditional dinner for the first time in a lonnnnnng time. Usually, Dj makes reservations somewhere and I eat steak for Thanksgiving instead (which I prefer). However, someone who recently turned five and learned all about Thanksgiving meals and how many people celebrate, requested that we make turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce at home this year instead. And, when your little beloved asks for something as simple as starting up this particular almost 400-year-old tradition, one can't refuse the request. After a hefty grocery bill, we gathered all of our "fix ins'" and made a delicious Thanksgiving meal. Instead of cooking a large turkey, we purchased a small Jenny-O turkey breast, which was the perfect size for our family of four.

We spent the morning at the Muppets movie and then after dinner, I spent from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. Black Friday shopping out and about. It was fun but the mall was crazy at midnight. However, I was able to find some great deals and gifts of all sorts, so that's always a good thing. I spent the majority of my time waiting in long checkout lines, but in the end, it was fun and my adrenaline served me well by keeping me awake all night long.

First Musical

2011-11-19T15:27:00.000-08:00

After seeing a sign for this on our way to pick up Brynn's dance recital tix this a.m., I was very excited to check out ticket prices and possible dates for the show. Needless to say, Brynn and I will be going to see her first musical and one of her mommy's favorites. I know she'll enjoy it and recognize one of the songs from her dance recital last year. Personally, I'm looking forward to singing along w/ the songs and reciting some of the words (if I can remember any!)

We are looking forward to going to our first musical theatre show together. Next year: The Nutcracker.

It's that time of year already

2011-11-12T17:57:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that Christmas is around the corner. This year, I have found it easier to buy for Baylen, but much harder to buy for Brynn. I think once girls and boys turn 5, it's just hard to figure out exactly what they like. The thing is, she actually likes a lot of things...American Girl, My Little Pony, dollhouse stuff, Littlest Pet Shop, Leapster games, drawing, coloring, and Barbies. I think that is what makes buying for her this year so difficult: she's into SO MUCH. Dj claims she has too many toys, and maybe that's the case, although, most of them fit in bins or contain thousands of little pieces, so it doesn't seem like she has stuff all over the house. The other interesting thing about this girl, is she doesn't play with just one toy...she moves from toy to toy to toy...one night it's AG, the next it's LPS, the next it's MLP. One never knows what kind of mood she might be in.

I know she will be happy with anything we buy for her, and maybe it is more about buying things like "experiences" vs. actual items. Or, maybe it confirms my worst fear: this girl is growing up.

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

May the force be with you!

The kids received many wonderful compliments on their costumes this year. They agreed to dress as a duo yet again. I hope they continue to agree to this fun idea for awhile. Maybe it will last until they are too old to do it anymore...one can hope, right?! :)

Brynn's wig was hysterical! At daycare on Monday morning, the director was giving them a hard time and teasing them about who they were dressed as, and finally, Brynn said, "Hey, do you know that this is not my real hair? It's a wig!" Then Baylen chimed in, "Yeah, she has two hairs!" It was pretty cute!

Luke and Leia had a great time Trick-or-Treating in a fun little neighborhood that's just perfect for little ones--hardly any traffic, friendly and generous neighbors and only a few ToT'ers. Leia was on a mission to knock on as many doors as possible, while Luke followed, just as excited for awhile, and then slowly started to lose momentum. Leia was in it for the long haul. Both ended up with a pumpkin-full of candy.

Every kid needs a pair of these...

2011-10-25T20:15:00.001-07:00

We had to stop by the Dollar Tree after work/school today to see if they had some paint for our pumpkin painting competition that's on Thursday. No luck, but, of course, these two always find something they think they need at this place. :) They were giggling up a storm this evening!

My Girls

2011-10-25T20:11:00.001-07:00

These are my ASB girls and I at our formal dance in October. :) Our theme was Catch Me in a Dream...Liner :) (of course, it's aviation themed b/c well...you know!)

Her Favorite Outfit

2011-10-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

Great Grandma Ruth: this is by far, one of Brynn's favorite outfits. She has worn it every week since she opened it. :) Thank you!

Another first

2011-10-19T20:00:00.001-07:00

I finally took a leap and signed up to sell my bows at a craft show which will be held at a nearby school in December. The entry fee was a bit expensive, so I hope there are enough people coming to the fair who will want to purchase my items. Now, I get to spend a lot of time crafting, crafting, crafting. I can't wait for the weekends! :)

I AM DONE!

2011-10-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

I finished my last class tonight and am officially done with my Master's Degree! It feels so amazing. :) 18 months spent reading, taking quizzes and tests, writing weekly papers, and posting on discussion boards. ALL DONE. :) NO MORE. I can't wait to get my degree in the mail.

Another accomplishment was running and finishing a 5K today in 28 minutes...fastest 5K to date and it was completely unintentional. A fun day, nonetheless.

Guess Who's coming soon?

2011-10-07T22:18:00.000-07:00

YIPPEE! We are super excited!

Update

2011-10-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

I know there have been a lack of posts lately...super busy trying to finish up my Master's...THIS IS THE LAST WEEK!

It seems like the fall is always so jammed packed with activities, as we have something going on every single weekend. It's been exhausting. If it's not one or two birthday parties in a weekend, it's work stuff or a dance, or hanging out with friends.

The kids have their Halloween costumes ready, I just need to fix the length on both, try them on again, and make sure everything will work out the way we envision it. The kids are going to dress as another famous duo, and this time, after given several choices, they agreed upon a very FAMOUS duo. It will be cute if I can get their costumes to work out and fit correctly, since they are a bit big.

Brynn swears she has a loose tooth, and it's a little loose, but has a long way to go. I still think she's pretty young to have a loose tooth already, but perhaps that's denial talking.

The kids are coming home pretty tired at night after long days in pre-school and Pre-K, as well as dance. Brynn has outgrown naps for the most part, but does sneak one in on the weekends every once in awhile and about once a week at school. That has taken a toll on her and she's ready for bed quite early most nights. Both are waking up at the crack of dawn on the weekends, yet we can't pull them out of bed during the week...go figure.

Brynn just had three inches cut off...her hair was soooo long. It looks nice and healthy again. Baylen has been keeping out of trouble at school even though many of his male peers are still getting into trouble. I hope this continues and I am surprised he behaves so well at school.

Our first dance is this weekend and unfortunately, we had a big issue with the DJ. We don't have one for our semi-formal dance tomorrow night. It's a bit sad but in the end, the kids didn't work on it far enough in advance, and as a result, the rush to find someone else just didn't pan out the way we hoped. So, they are going to play music with iPods and dance mixes they put together on CDs. Hopefully it will all work out. I do feel bad about the whole thing, but there wasn't much we could do about it except learn from it and have them book DJs WAY in advance. The district has a set of guidelines that every business must follow and certain paperwork that needs to be completed, which includes a background check and finger printing...big process but after all of the child safety issues our district has had, it makes sense.

School has been absolutely CRAZY and I am trying to hang in there. The kids are pretty great, and I my first observation happens already next week on Tuesday. I hope it goes well...new administrator, so who knows what will happen. He seems nice enough but is a bit hard to read. He has a science and math background, so that might be an advantage on my end.

The hubs and I have been keeping up pretty well with our Y membership and exercising. D. has been running quite far, reaching over 7 miles in one run last week. He looks great! I am keeping a pretty steady pace around 4 miles but this week have had to scale it back to 3ish miles a run b/c I haven't had enough time to do more than that due to daycare closing and work commitments after school. We are running a 5K together on Sunday--our first.

I am signing up to sell bows in a craft show in December. I am excited to start crafting again on the weekends at night once the kids go to bed to prep for the show. My website was very busy in the early fall and I need some time to make more stuff.

A good thing that's coming up? VEGAS! :) Can't wait!

He's loving it.

2011-10-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Baylen has been going to pre-school for the past month and is really enjoying it. His class is dominated by testosterone, so the teacher has to keep things moving and keep them busy. Apparently, there's been a group of boys who have been getting into trouble quite often and the director has had several meetings with their parents. Thankfully, Baylen has not fallen into that category (at least yet) and has been behaving/listening very well. It's weird because I have sort of seen this shift in him since he started pre-school--he's been acting out less, listening more, crying a little bit less at home, sleeping in his bed longer hours during the night, etc.

He loves writing his name and wants to write all of the letters. He loves to color and draw and is getting really good at coloring--for a 3 year old BOY, I am very impressed. He colors inside the lines almost every time now, which he is very proud of.

He moved into a new class in the fall with a new teacher. I wasn't sure how this transition would go, because last year, he loved Pricsila SO much and developed a big crush on her. He said he was going to marry her and was very protective whenever she was around. It was super cute. But, then he moved on to a new class and really liked Yancy right away. She's really sweet and has a lot of energy and patience and keeps those boys busy!

Every day, they grow up on me

2011-09-28T23:18:00.000-07:00

These two are really growing up. It is crazy to see Brynn having "adult" conversations and matching her tone of voice and facial expressions w/ her stories and emotions. They have opinions about everything, they know so much, and have little conversations with each other. It's amazing how "sophisticated" these two really are.

For example, today, Brynn made the comment that one of her teachers "wasn't cool" like her other teachers...um...where did she get this from? haha

Then, when I asked her if she wanted to wear her Justin Beiber shirt tomorrow, at first, she said...'Mommm! Ugh NO because my friends will say that he's my boyfriend and that it's weird!" UMMM okay! hahaha All of a sudden turning five means we have to believe what everyone else believes and worry about it when we're not believing it! LOL

I wonder how Bay will do w/o Brynn once she heads off to school next year.

We saw him. We heard him.We were inspired.

2011-09-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

and it was amazing, as I hoped it would be.

The protesters were kind of annoying, though and really intimidated the kids. It was supposed to be a luncheon from 11:30-1:30 and we didn't get home until almost 5 p.m. tonight...Obama didn't actually speak until after 3 p.m. so that was a bit of a long day of just waiting.

#5

2011-09-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

Another sneak peek @ Bee's party...

Face Bday Banner

2011-09-22T21:48:00.001-07:00

Very fun to make...took me awhile to figure out exactly how to hang, but worth all of the time and effort. :) (and wasted paper)

More on this on my craft blog...So NOT Martha

Another trip to AG

2011-09-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

For B's 5th Birthday, we promised to take her to the American Girl doll store to pick out a "tall doll." She had been asking for Kanani for the past three months, and decided if that's what she wanted, then we would buy it for her. What a pretty doll she is.

We loved going to the AG store during the week when it was NOT busy at all. Brynn pretty much had the store to herself and was delighted. As soon as the door opened, her eyes lit up and she took off running into the store. It was quite a sight. We ate at the little Bistro after her shopping spree. The waitresses sang her "Happy Birthday" all the while she was smiling ear-to-ear. What a special day for her.

This costume is seriously creepy

2011-09-20T22:29:00.000-07:00

Most kids' costumes are not too bad, but this Sonic the Hedgehog costume is really whack. Seriously, it kinda creeps me out. I think it's mostly the eye makeup.

SO lucky

2011-09-20T22:21:00.001-07:00

I get to see Obama speak for the second time since he started running for the Democratic nomination. He will be here this weekend and I get to go! :) WHOOHOO! I won't reveal too much on here other than I am ecstatic and can't stop thinking about it. Although I wouldn't consider myself to be a staunch Democrat, I am a big supporter of Obama and what he has been trying to do since he's been in office. I think he has a lot of good ideas and has not always been given credit where credit is due and blamed when it hasn't been his fault. This is not a post intended for getting in any political arguments, just a post full of elation and admiration. I feel so fortunate that I get to attend a fund-raising dinner that costs $10,000 a table. The opportunities that have been presented to me the past two years have been incredible. I need to pinch myself.

Fun had by all

2011-09-17T23:35:00.000-07:00

On Brynn's real birthday, I snapped a couple of pics outside before they went into school. Someone is kind of in love with his cape. and his shoes. When I picked him up that afternoon, his shirt sleeve was ripped, and he had spilled Otter Pop juice (red) all over one shoe. *sigh* This kid. haha

Brynn wore a cute little feathery hair clip and I paired it with a cute little crown comb that I had given to all of the little girls who came to her party. It looked really cute together and the daycare director asked me if I could make something similar for the girls to wear on their birthdays at school. I told her I would try. I did have some luck finding some ostrich feathers on a strand at JoAnn's, but it was over $20 a yard. I didn't need a yard, but I certainly wasn't going to pay for it there. I'll search Ebay next.

BTW: on the 15th, these two had their check-ups at the doctor. Baylen is over 42 inches tall and weighs 38 pounds. He is in the 90% for height and weight. The doctor's comment: "He does NOT look like a 3-year-old." Um yeah. His other comment, "Where is he getting his height from?" hahahahahaaaa

Brynn weighed in at 36 pounds and about 41 inches tall. I was shocked she was at 36 lbs. because at home, she weighs in around 32-33 pounds. Not sure which scale is off, but she was wearing a heavier dress that day, so who knows?

Ponies Ponies, Oh My!

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

This summer, the kids and I traveled back to daycare to ride the ponies. Our favorites were back again this year, and B2 enjoyed their little rides. This is one thing I really love about their daycare--all of the opportunities they get to do things like this...both for fun and educational enrichment.

Watch out...he's got a light saber

2011-09-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

our walls have already felt the wrath of this weapon. haha

this is a little sneak peek re: our kids' famous duo Halloween costumes this year. :D

Birthday Party Preview

2011-09-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

These were taken from the little camera, so some of them are still a bit blurry...getting kinda tired of this little camera b/c for some reason, it has not been taking good photos inside lately. Luckily, we had two big, fancy cameras taking most of the pics, so I hope we have some good ones to pull from those.

The Princess-themed party was a big hit. The girls loved their princess tutu purses/bags and the boys loved their capes. Overall, a fun day had by everyone. More pics to come soon!

First day of Pre-School & Pre-K

2011-09-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

I am so mad this photo turned out blurry...SIGH.

However, Monday was the kids' first day of pre-school and pre-K. Both were ecstatic and had a great day.

Happy Birthday, my dear

2011-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Happy 5th Birthday, Brynna!

When I look back at these past five years, it seems like it flew by, but the more I think about it, we have worked hard to enjoy as many of those days as possible. You have grown into a very sweet, yet opinionated little girl. You like others to know how smart you are, and want to know the answer to everything. School/learning is right up your alley.

You remember things better than I do...you always have.

Singing, dancing, drawing, coloring, painting, pretending...these things define you--a girl who appreciates (and immerses herself in) the fine arts. You are learning how to read and tell me day in and day out what you want to be when you grow up. Right now, you keep telling me you want to go to the moon or be an architect. (Your words, your ideas...you have always been that way--formulating your own meaning of the world and shaping your steps.)

Talking our ears off 24/7 is your preference. So much to say, so little time, right?!

Dressing up--in dresses, cheerleading outfits, costumes, jewelry, gloves, hats--anything and everything you can get your hands on. You'll even wear costumes to the grocery store adding those ridiculous Disney Princess high heels that fall off every time you move a foot. But it's all good. That's just you.

Gentle with animals--that's you.
Taking care of others--yep, still you.
Hugging, telling us often how much you love us--all you.

This sweet, tiny little person full of wonder, gobs of love to give, curiosity, resilience, helpfulness, and so much more.

Happy 5th Birthday, to YOU, little one. May all of your wishes come true.

ISS Downlink

2011-09-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

The first day of professional development, we were able to view the downlink at the International Space Station (ISS) at the Museum of Flight. It was AMAZING. Many of our students were able to ask questions live to the astronauts and all of them were interesting to listen to. It was definitely one of the best hours I have ever spent in PD.

Pretendin' some more

2011-09-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

These two love to play and pretend and make believe. I love that they love to wear costumes galore! :)

First Day of School!

2011-09-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

Today I started back to work "for real." The kids showed up and we had a big assembly. Our mascot was revealed and I was part of a cute teacher skit, as well as the ASB dance. It was a fun day. I have many fantastic kids this year, I can tell already!

I snapped a pic of the kids today too, even though it's not technically their first day of Pre-School and Pre-K yet...in a couple of weeks I'll do it again. Brynn was not very excited to get her photo taken and I think it had a lot to do w/ the fact that she woke up tired and cranky, plus today, one of her good friends started Kindergarten "without her." Poor thing! She is really having a hard time with it. I feel so bad.

a Name...What's in a Name?

2011-08-30T23:16:00.000-07:00

Well Mister Mister is growing up on us and insisted that he learn how to write his name. He has been writing it for quite some time, but I don't think I ever publicly shared this milestone on the ole' blog here. This kid is "secretly" smart. He doesn't necessarily rub it in or announce to the whole world how intelligent he is, but it "slips" out now and again when we least expect it. He is always trying to point out numbers and letter he sees EVERYWHERE and is always asking what things say or how to read them. He enjoys trying to write his name on anything and everything these days. I am so proud of him. :) I hope he isn't a typical boy and hides that he likes school or even grows to dislike it. Most boys are hard to motivate in a traditional setting...

It's a Zoo out there...

2011-08-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

We returned to the zoo after a brief 1.5 year hiatus. It was fun to go back but not so fun when everyone decided to use their Groupon coupons the same weekend that we did. Parking was a nightmare. However, we were forced to find something down the way and ended up getting a spot nearby on a side street.

There was a dinosaur exhibit I wanted the kids to check out, as well as giraffe and elephant feeding. We missed the elephant feeding, but did catch the end of the giraffes. I tried to snap a photo of Baylen feeding the giraffe but he ran up there and fed it to him so quick, I couldn't get the picture in time. Brynn did the same thing but I was able to get it the second time she fed him. The kids enjoyed all of the animals, especially the lion, elephant and giraffes.

They were not too sure about the fake dinos and as you can see in the T-rex photo, that's as close as I could convince them to stand near him. They didn't understand he was a robot. LOL

Tutu Bags

2011-08-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

They are almost finished...just a bit of tweaking on the Snow White bag and I need to finish the Ariel bag...voila! :) I am very pleased w/ the outcome so far. I know her little friends are going to love them.

Big Milestone

2011-08-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

As Miss Bee approaches her 5th birthday, she has reached a big, important, yet very personal milestone: staying dry at least part of the week when she wakes up in the morning. This little one has been wearing a pull-up at night for a long time. She is a heavy sleeper and just can't seem to wake up when she has to go potty in the middle of the night. On the mornings when she wakes up dry, she is SO proud of herself. After all, her little brother has been wearing underwear to bed all night long and has stayed dry for a long time. It's not easy when your little brother AND most of your friends can wear undies to bed. We are thrilled, to say the least, however, we are trying to take it one day at a time. She asked to wear underwear to bed the other night and we allowed it, but she ended up having an accident during the night and then tried to cover it up by "changing" before she came in and crawled into bed with us one early morning. She ended up confessing that night before bed b/c she knew the sheets probably needed to be changed. She wants so badly to wear underwear every night. With at least a couple of days of celebration each week, it's definitely a good start.

It's so interesting to see how each child adapts differently to potty training and how it affects them throughout their childhood in different ways.

Proof that TV is influential

2011-08-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

I walk into their rooms last night to help them get dressed b/f we take off to go to the Y and the kids are "sharing" mardi gras-like necklaces proclaiming that "we are giving each other the Power of VETO...." Um....yeah. haha Thanks, Big Brother.

sneak peek

2011-08-16T22:56:00.000-07:00

Boys' favors for Bee's party:

More on my craft blog...they are looking super cute! Baylen wants to keep all of them. ;)

Super Hero Action

2011-08-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

Look who's having fun pretending?!

Fun times with friends

2011-08-15T15:21:00.001-07:00

Brynn has missed her friends all summer. Finally, they reunited yesterday at a much-needed and overdue play date. They had a great time.

Meet (from L-R): Colby, Brynn, Elsa, Matilda, Baylen & Hudson

Hudson has chickens and the neighbor's rabbit who comes over for a visit plus a great back yard and fun toys.

Holy Shoes, Batman!

2011-08-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

Bay is the proud owner of a new pair of Converse All Stars. :) He is in love (with Batman and these shoes).

Krissy's wedding

2011-08-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

The wedding in Missoula was beautiful. So was Krissy, of course. We met a lot of wonderful new friends and had a lovely time at the lodge. Congratulations, my friend! I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you and Rick. :)

Vacation

2011-08-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

was super fun. Lake Chelan is beautiful. 235 days of sun a year. We all had a great time. My parents, sister and her family, brother Kevin and his family, and Daniel all drove from IA to meet at our beautiful lake house. A week was too short! We spent time on the beach, at the pool, running around the lake, canoeing, rented a jet ski, swimming, eating lots of home-cooked meals from everyone, rented a pontoon, mini-golfing, water park/water slide fun, tanning, drinking, shopping, getting pedis, and quality family time. This was our first real vacation somewhere nice since we went to Estes Park and Great Wolf Lodge...usually we spend all of our $ to go back to Iowa. I love love love vacations. This next year, we have a bunch planned...starting first with Las Vegas in the fall! Can't wait!

We are recovering from our lovely vacation...

2011-07-31T12:34:00.001-07:00

We'll be back soon!

Mister Mister is Missin' his Papa

2011-07-21T23:50:00.001-07:00

He asks about him every.day.

*Mommy also threatens to call Papa at least once a day to tell him how naughty Baylen has been. Mister Mister does not approve.

Missing Iowa Part Two

2011-07-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

Yep, Still Missing Hot Iowa. (not the tornadoes, though) (items and people missed are listed in no particular order)

Grandparents

The Tractor Rides

The Beep Beep

What Kevin does best. haha j/k

Uncle Danno

Our Cousins (incl. Jackson who isn't in this particular photo b/c he was in-utero)

The Hot FAIR

Mommy's Friends

The Great Grandmas Who Spoil Them NON-STOP :)

Auntie Mary

Uncle Aaron

The Trampoline

The Zoo

Kevin in prime form

No Iowa Trip This Summer...

2011-07-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

We're off soon for new adventures with high hopes to make new memories...no farm visits this year, *sigh* which my kids are missing BIG time. Here are a just a few photos from last summer to remind us of all the fun we had.

A new interest

2011-07-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

This guy is really into Transformers these days. His dad is in Heaven, that is all I can say. :)

It's for the DOLL!

2011-07-18T22:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's all for the doll, but really, it's for this sweet little girl who has been asking to go to the store for over a month. She was so excited to check out everything inside. Guess who wants a big doll for her birthday? Uh huh. You guessed it. Our fingers are crossed that Kanani will still be available by the time September rolls around.

Bee had a great time wandering around looking at all of the fun little dolls, outfits, accessories, and more. She asked to have her twin, Kaya's hair done at the salon, so we let her do that. Kaya came out with some cute looking pigtails, that is for sure. Kaya also earned herself a new t-shirt, a new little outfit, and some new undies, thanks to B's daddy, who loves to spoil her. After all, it was a special little treat. She was very upset that we had to leave the store by the end, but it was closing, so it was definitely time to go. We assured her she could come back sometime and we'd take her there for a birthday lunch at the bistro to celebrate and let her maybe pick out a doll for her birthday. A big smile spread across her face. Sounds like a plan.

She woke up this morning and asked, "Mom, can I buy some accessories for my doll at the store tonight?" (No one has been talking to her about that word...she must have heard it and figured out how to use it correctly.) I thought that was super cute.

And of course, we took this guy along, who was not exactly the best behaved in an all-girls store, but what do ya do? :) I think he touched every single thing he was allowed to touch in there, pulled the doll wagon around, broke the swinging door off of it at least twice, pushed doll strollers around (or rather RAN and pushed them in a big circle) and probably stepped on someone's feet in the process, all with a big, ornery grin on his face. It's like he knew he was going to misbehave. Gotta love boys. ♥ Dj's comment later: "Maybe next time, you could bring Brynn up here by yourself and Baylen could stay home w/ me." hahahahaha

K's shower

2011-07-17T22:06:00.001-07:00

This weekend, I helped host a bridal shower for a dear friend of mine. It was a lot of fun to see K and R again. We have known each other for 10 years. :) Love these two girls.

Memories

2011-07-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

I always want to try and document who my kids really are and what they were like when they were little so I don't forget either. This is proof of the logistical thinking of the one and only Mister Mister...I was in the kitchen getting something ready and I walked in to see this...I asked him what was going on and what he was doing. He said, "Oh, these cars are ALL racing, mom." I said, "Oh, that's fun...who's that on the side?" He replied, "Oh, that's Chick Hicks' Pit Crew. But all of the cars are using Chick Hicks' Pit Crew because they don't have their own. He is sharing his Pit Crew." I smiled and said, "That is so nice of him to share...they are going to busy helping all of those cars, aren't they?" He just nodded and continued racing.

This kid is so in love with the Cars characters and knows all of the cars by name. He has seen the Cars movie more times than I can even count. He quotes lines from the movie. He pretends and acts out scenes w/ his cars constantly. And we host many car races at our house. Lightning McQueen usually wins, although every once in awhile, a new car purchased from Target shocks the crowd and pulls out a victory.

Check out this little Miss

2011-07-13T16:51:00.000-07:00

She is stylin' today. We found these darling shoes (thanks to my friend, T. for telling me about them) at the Nordy's pre-anniversary sale and had to try them on. Of course, we walked out of the store with them in our bag. They were too cute to pass up and on super sale, I might add.

These will be super cute to wear for her 5th Birthday/5 years old photos in the fall with a multitude of outfits. They are a bit big yet, but she seems to be fine wearing them. I have a couple of way cute props that we're going to throw in the mix as well for year #5 photos and I'm SUPER excited about it. Bee asked if she could wear this for her birthday party in Sept. and of course, she was delighted to hear the answer but added, "Mom, can you get me a 5 birthday shirt?! I can't wear a 4 shirt when I'm FIVE!" haha

The cute black and pink skirt came from G'ma Jeriwan.

Today...

2011-07-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

my kids wanted to hang out in costumes. So funny.

Update on Soccer

2011-07-12T21:16:00.001-07:00

I don't think I posted these pics after they were taken...Baylen's soccer pictures--team and individual. He started liking soccer by the end of the season and really got in there by the end.

I think he might like baseball/t-ball better, though, so we might try that next year. We'll see.

He is sneaky smart

2011-07-10T23:09:00.001-07:00

This kid is sneaky smart. You think he doesn't know what's up and then he surprises you with stuff like this:

Yep, he wrote his own name all by himself; age 3; July 5, 2011.

Feathers

2011-07-10T23:07:00.000-07:00

Brynn and I had a feather put in our hair. Brynn pulled hers out "on accident" so she said today so we'll have to get it put back in. Normally, they can stay in for months. So we'll have it re-attached and she promises she won't pull it out again. :) Mine is still in, along with some purple streaks underneath my newly summer colored hair. I have to go back in to get the purple touched up b/c it needed more time to process.

Little Ballerina

2011-07-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

It was really fun to watch Bee dance this time around because she did really well. She didn't have to look at anyone else to know her steps, she looked confident, she had rhythm, and did many of the moves with correct form, which is more difficult in ballet class. Next year, we will find out if she will add jazz into her ballet and tap lessons each week. If so, the daycare will still take her to dance on a different day of the week, but then I will have to pick her up. It all depends on if the teachers think she is ready for jazz, which is a bit more complicated. Plus, she is a year younger than all of the girls in her current class, so we will see what they decide. She is so sure she will be taking jazz next year, so I hope that if they decide not to put her in the class she isn't heartbroken. Whatever happens will be fine. :)

A Boy and his Cars

2011-07-07T13:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, he even sleeps with them lined up. He doesn't steer far from his first love.

No caption necessary.

2011-07-06T15:37:00.001-07:00

Seriously, this is our son. To the T.

(no this picture was not planned...I loved that I was able to capture his personality with the snap of a button.)

"What would you like to order?"

2011-07-06T15:29:00.001-07:00

Our kids know what it means to go out to eat. They love it. They ask to eat out at least once a week. We encourage them to order something other than mac n cheese every time. Most of those times, we fail. :) However, lately, we have a couple of servers on our hands...and chefs...and bartenders. It's pretty hilarious. Ms. Bee is the queen waitress and is very polite. She will ask what you want and tell you what she has in stock. She will tell Baylen to make it, he'll whip it up, and they take turns serving. So far, I have been served a BLT, soup, a Diet Coke, a beer, corn on the cob, cookies, and a meat sandwich.

Brynn writes the orders down on her little notepad and spells them correctly as I give her the sound of each letter. She's a pro!

The best part? These waiters even give me THEIR credit card (AKA an old Starbucks gift card) to use when I pay...can't go wrong with that kind of service!

Last Day of School

2011-07-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

The last day of school for the kiddos was Monday, June 27th. They will resume in late August because we are starting school earlier this fall.

They are enjoying their time off and away but we are experiencing some challenges regarding schedules and keeping everyone busy. Each summer is a new learning experience. Today, we ran to my school to fill out some paperwork, ran to the outlet mall to pick up a couple of things, Baylen napped, Brynn rested (AKA played), and then we went outside and they ran through the sprinkler then rode their bikes. It was a good day. :)

So what has changed in a year for each of them?

Brynna
-knows all of her upper and lower case letters and sounds
-can count beyond 100
-is adding and subtracting numbers 1-10
-is learning how to read site words
-is learning how to spell
-sings a ridiculous amount of songs (both kid-friendly and those she hears on the radio)
-is really into pretending...lots of role playing
-has become pretty independent...doesn't like to ride in strollers or carts much anymore, although she's physically little enough to fit
-speaks several words/phrases in Spanish
-knows what state and city we live in; knows the teams we cheer for: Cyclones, Huskies, Mariners, Sounders, etc.
-knows and can recite her phone number and who to call in an emergency
-can tell me LOADS of things she learns at pre-school and school in general..she is a sponge
-can name quite a few of the planets
-has a lot of friends at school and they all want play dates
-gets along with all kinds of kids at school
-wears her heart on her sleeve...when she has a bad day at school, tears flow as soon as I pick her up and we have to talk it out...usually her feelings are hurt by something or someone
-loves to dance and is super excited about adding jazz to her ballet and tap next year
-claims she will be a singer and a dancer when she grows up
-is a tattle tale
-knows everything
-has a little bit of attitude
-has an opinion about everything
-is very sweet
-says "I love you mom" at least three times a day just because
-gives lots of compliments..."I like your shirt, mom. I like your necklace, it's SOOO cute!"
-likes to shop
-wished she could have played soccer w/ her bro this season
-can color in the lines and loves to paint and craft
-loves My Little Ponies, American Girl doll stuff, LIttlest Pet Shops, Disney Princess stuff
-enjoys dressing up in a variety of costumes and you will see her wearing them to the grocery store at times
-loves to wear dresses
-has an opinion and likes to pick out what she wears
-loves to cook
-hates to clean up
-says her bro is her best friend
-will play into wrestling w/ her bro and messing around w/ him
-totally gets jokes and will laugh and laugh when something is funny
-claimed she was going to move to a different house because she didn't like me telling her no.
-told her father that she didn't like this family anymore because he wouldn't let her watch her iPod
-told an American Army soldier, "Thank you for serving our country" the other day and it totally made his day. :)

Baylen:
-knows at least half of his letters of the alphabet
-can spell his name
-is secretly smart...he messes around and then something brilliant will come out of his mouth and you're like..."Wait, what?" haha
-can remember everything physical he did at school but nothing academic (sometimes he will remember one or two things)
-can ride his big boy bike all by himself and get on and off of it by himself
-can name a couple of planets; knows what country we live in
-is in LOVE with his teacher, Priscila. He claims that he is going to marry her. She loves him and spoils him at school.
-talks constantly
-tattles
-is Mr. Clown--he likes to be Mr. Funny Guy and most of the time, he is super funny :)
-laughs when he's being disciplined...not sure how we are going to get through this stage
-Mr. emotional: he whines and cries quite a bit
-Mr. tough...can get through some pretty crazy cuts/injuries with some crying but doesn't usually drone on about it for too long
-loves to be clean/take baths/take showers
-loves to wrestle
-liked soccer by the end of the season and really improved from start to finish
-loves to run around and be outside
-knows the names of all of the Cars characters and then some
-would eat all day long if I let him (I let him :D)
-would eat an entire bag of Doritos if I let him (I don't let him)
-runs laps around our house when he's feeling wild and getting tired
-loves fruit
-has a bit of attitude he learned from his sister and will talk back sometimes
-spends more time in time out than his sister
-doesn't know when to stop
-likes to pester Brynn
-also is a tattle tale (thanks to his sis, who led by example)
-Mr. Charm: is figuring out how to get what he wants by turning on the charm...things like, "Mom, I like your hair. Can I have some fruit snacks?" or "Mom, you look pretty today. Can I watch my iPod?" He's too clever for his own good.

Here are pictures of the kids on their first day of school and their last day of school.

Brynna:

Baylen:

Both:

Happy 235th, America!

2011-07-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

From my little minis!

Disney Princess Dodgeball

2011-07-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

I played in a Disney Princess vs. Staff dodgeball game at my school about 3 weeks ago and it was a lot of fun. I have more pics to post, but here are some very pretty princesses who played...gotta love high school boys. They will pretty much do anything to get a good laugh. We had so much fun and I was laughing so hard i was crying!

The staff dressed up too, and I'll try and post a pic soon. I dressed as a nerd.

As you can see, we have Pocahontas on the left, two unknown princesses, Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Snow White, Cinderella (kind of), and Sleeping Beauty. These guys were a riot and of course all of them had their chests stuffed. Pocahontas wore a dream catcher and Ariel had a shell bikini top. LOL

Brynnisms and Baylenisms

2011-06-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

So many funny -isms lately, I cannot write them down fast enough.

Last night at the dinner table, we were talking about something (not sure what it was, exactly)

Brynn's response to our conversation: "Yeah, mom, we got there just in time!"

Me: "Yep, we did."

Baylen (with a light bulb look on his face): "Hey...it's Just-in Beiber time!" and he just laughed and laughed like he had said the best joke in the world.

It was supppper funny! Brynn and I were cracking up along with him. He is too clever for his own good!

***************

Today on the way home, Brynn is singing a Britney Spears song w/ the radio.

All of a sudden...Brynn: "Mom, when I grow up, I want to be a singer!"

Me: "Okay, honey, that sounds great!"

Later the Ne-Yo song comes on and Pitbull starts singing (no one has ever told her this...)

Brynn; "Mom, it's Pitbull on the radio!"

Me: "Um yeah it is!!!"

******************

P.S. these kind of pictures tick me off. They always try and get them to jump and get their photo. They never turn out. Jumping pictures are super cute when you're older like in high school (b/c that is their thing), etc. or maybe if your kids are older and can actually jump high enough so the camera can catch it.

Super Funny

2011-06-27T23:44:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I have two Facebook accounts. One is my adult acct. and the other is my teacher acct. The teacher acct. just has posts and reminders about homework and it's super clean. Sometimes I remind kids to bring items they need for class or answer questions or send reminders to my ASB kids. It works pretty well. Sometimes I get invited to events b/c the kids will just invite everyone in their Friend list. This was in my invite box yesterday and I had a little laugh!!! I love the line about not needing any wood b/c there would be so many assignments to burn! LOL Cracks me up!

**Disclaimer: this is not my handwriting...students from my previous school created the invite and TONS of kids were going. Super hilarious. Also, sorry if you don't like foul language...my former students...well...let's just say they use foul language more often than not. I still find it quite funny.

Goal Accomplished

2011-06-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

I did it. I ran 3.3 miles today. I have been hovering around 2.50-2.75-3.0 for the past two weeks but just running out of energy by the time I would almost get there. Today, I just ran and I didn't think about it. And I made it! It felt great! I hope by the end of the summer to make it up to 5...if I can do it. We will see. In the meantime, this past month, I have ran 29.62 miles total. :) I love my Nike Plus and how it keeps track of how far I've gone. I am not a huge fan of running, but it's growing on me. I'd rather run and play sports at the same time. However, it's keeping me in shape and that's all that matters. Maybe next year if I am still keeping up, I'll try a 10k or a half marathon...we will see! Not promising anything at this point. The good thing is that summer is here (only one more day of school left) and then I can spend lots of time trying to get to 5 miles. As of now, I'm working out 5 out of the 7 days of the week and sometimes I even get in 6 days. Dj has been working out too, so we take turns. It's been a good habit to work into our daily routines. Maybe next fall, I can run in the mornings before I get ready for school...but that whole not a morning person thing doesn't really work so well for me.

For now, I will relish my fabulous 3.3.

This guy...Baylenisms #10, #11

2011-06-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

This photo describes this guy's personality to a "T."

This guy is ridiculously funny. Like he's naturally goofy and LOVES to be Mr. Funny Guy and the Class Clown at school. Great. haha

Baylen is sitting on the stairs and Dj is putting on his shoes.

Me (coming down the stairs): Ewww! What is that smell? It smells like cat poop!

Baylen (laughing): says nothing.

DJ: I think it was Baylen...I don't know, though. He told me it was him.

Me: Did you let one, Bay?

Baylen (laughing): hahaha Yes.

Me: That is nasty! You reek! haha

Bay (laughing): hahaha It was juicy!

Gotta love boys! I have no idea who is teaching him this vocab, but I can only blame daycare at this point!

#11

Brynn and Baylen are fighting...

Baylen: Bwinnah, you are a weinahwr!

Brynn: Baylen, that's not nice! Stop calling me a weiner!

MOMMMMM! Baylen called me a weiner for no reason!

Baylen: But she took my cars car, mom!

Me: Baylen, did you call Brynn a weiner?

Baylen: (nods his head, giggles)

Me: You better apologize. That's not very nice. (Yes I was able to keep a straight face)

Brynn (chiming in as usual): Yeah, Baylen. That's not nice to call people names. You shouldn't use potty talk either! That's not nice!

Baylen: (smiling) Sorry I called you a weinahwr. (then he chuckles)

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

To all you dads out there, especially my own father and the father of our babies. Thank you for being wonderful examples for your children.

Results

2011-06-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well, after yesterday's visit to Children's, I think we both walked away feeling better. I will copy her diagnosis from the doctor later, but the gist is: it has something to do w/ her first ribs more than likely. We are supposed to monitor it and watch it. If Bee experiences any numbness in her arm or hand, or it falls asleep often, or one hand is cold and one hand is warm, then we need to return to Children's. The doctor does not want to do surgery at this time if he doesn't have to. He said she is young and if it had to happen, the older she is, the better. Since the area the lump is located in is sensitive and full of nerve endings and blood vessels, because she is so small, it would more than likely be a complicated surgery. Dr. A. did admit that this was the first time he'd seen something like this.

Regardless, we are relieved to have a more specific idea of what is wrong and what we need to look for and pay attention to.

Dance Dance Dance

2011-06-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

We are already at the end of another dance season. It doesn't seem possible, but Miss Bee is dancing tomorrow night in her 6th recital. She has come a long way since the first one. Although the smallest and youngest girl in her dance class, she did SO well this time and has all of the moves down better than some of her classmates. Usually, she is the one struggling a bit as far as coordination. Ballet is a better fit for her to show her grace and finesse. She doesn't have to look at the other girls to remember what to do...She really knows her stuff this time around. I was so proud of her. She was just beaming afterwards. :) Love this girl and her willingness to be good at everything. :)

**video would not post to site so will try again tomorrow. It's also up on Facebook.

Back to Children's we go

2011-06-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

We are heading back to Children's to see a General Surgeon tomorrow. We're not sure what we will find out, but we are looking for more specific answers as far as a plan of action or what they want to do about Brynn's lump.

I don't know who is more excited....

2011-06-09T22:00:00.001-07:00

Brynn or me?! :) I think I am excited for her. FINALLY! WE ARE GETTING A STORE!

One of the saddest stories I have read

2011-06-02T20:49:00.001-07:00

Read the first post called, "A Letter to Owen" from this blog. Then, don't read backwards, but flip back to her older blogs and start from the beginning of Owen's story, which is around May 20th-ish of this year.

Bawled by eyes out. Literally. This story is so freaking sad that I can't even write anything more. You just need to read her blog. As much as you can. And then, go hug your babies.

http://bissingfamily.wordpress.com/

They are so big

2011-06-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

A mom at our daycare is trying to open her own photography business and spent some time taking a bunch of pictures to jumpstart her business. She did such a great job. Anyway, the parents loved all of the pics and she was able to capture each of the kids and their personalities. Love these two she took of the kids.

Pretty soon, they will be home w/ me for the summer. Lately, B2 has been spending a lot of time just messing around w/ each other: wrestling, jumping off of things, jumping on beds, hiding under blankets, throwing stuff, and just messing around. It's funny to watch it happen but also grinds on my nerves when I stop them from doing something and then five minutes later, they have moved on to mess around w/ something else.

They are pretty funny and have so much to say about everything and anything. It's so fun to listen to their conversations and intuitions about the world and how they think it works.

Yep I made these

2011-05-31T22:04:00.000-07:00

Cake pops are all the rage and I had to hop on the bandwagon and test them out. My oh MY they are fantastic!

Check out my craft blog, So Not Martha for the step-by-step directions.

Prom

2011-05-31T20:25:00.001-07:00

Prom was at the EMP this year and it was a lot of fun. Next year, Dj is coming with me. He stayed home to watch the kids so we wouldn't have to pay a babysitter two weeks in a row. The weather held out until about midnight and then I ran through pouring rain to my car. it was a beautiful event complete with cookies on a stick, caramel dipping that included cookies, fruit, graham crackers, etc. and nuts, butterfinger mix, marshmallows and more to sprinkle on top. It was a pretty nice spread.

Prior to the event, the staff who agreed to chaperone met up at Old Spaghetti Factory downtown. It has been years since I've been to this specific location...the last time was pre-children. HINT HINT. The great thing about OSF is that it's decent food and cheap. Like really cheap. LIke you can get bread, salad, your entree and ice cream for $12. Seriously. It's almost like Fazolli's cheap but the food is not quite as good in my humble opinion.

The kids were pretty good at the dance (we had to break up a few "sex scenes" on the dance floor) and they loved the venue.

I only remembered to snap a couple of pictures. Here are two of nearly the same pic. with my friend, Bonnie from school. She is our bookkeeper and has been so wonderful to me this year and helped me out as I stepped into the new role as ASB Advisor. She just accepted a job with TFA in Las Vegas, so she'll be leaving us at the end of the year. She is so knowledgeable and has been in our district for a long time, so I am not sure who will be able to fill her shoes...

These two pics were taken towards the end of the night.

Grrrr Baby

2011-05-30T23:50:00.001-07:00

Okay, so either we have additional animals in the house or two babies who are pretending they are dogs, bears, lions, or any other furry friend who enjoys growlingl. Lately, Baylen is all about the dramatic play and making the funniest, yet realistic faces. Brynn will follow suit w/ the faces now and again and finally, I was able to snap a couple of them on camera last week. They will crawl on their hands and knees and chase each other, pretend to eat each other, and growl for what appears to be minutes on end. Whenever Baylen morphs into whatever beast he's claiming to be at that moment, all I can do is giggle. He tries so hard to be as realistic as he can. Kudos to this kid.

Ugh

2011-05-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

I hate cold sores. I really despise them. In fact, of all of the things in the world that might deserve being hated, nothing comes close to my abhorrence for these ridiculous sores. I woke up to notice one popping up this morning underneath my bottom lip and since then, it's ballooned into this ginormous mass of blisters. Ugh. They are so ugly. It itches. It feels swollen and huge. I dread that it will last almost a week no matter how much medicine I put on it. I have been lucky to avoid them for months, and now I get one this week and it's the size of Texas. I guess it's stress and a lack of sleep, but that's been all too familiar, especially this year, so not sure what this one is about. I wish it would take its ugly self and go away. It's so embarrassing when these little effers emerge. I wish I could just cut it off...or at least cover it up with makeup, but that makes it worse. Blah. Yes, I am having a pity party for myself and my swollen, nasty lip and feel the need to post about it tonight. Grrr.

I turned 32

2011-05-26T21:12:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, I celebrated my 32nd birthday. It was a pretty good weekend. This year, I will finish my Master's program and complete all of my graduate credits. I will enroll and take a history class on WWII. Both of my children will be in pre-school; Baylen will start his first year and Brynn will be in Pre-K. I will be teaching high school students in my second year at AHS and begin my 11th year in education. This summer, Dj and I will celebrate our 8th Wedding Anniversary. My entire family is coming out for a vacay in July and we're going to the beach. So many things to be thankful for.

I remembered

2011-05-17T22:05:00.001-07:00

Driving home today, I flipped on the radio and it triggered my memory. I remembered what the kids were talking about yesterday that made me laugh.

The song lyrics came across the radio yesterday, "Today I don't feel like doing anything. I just wanna lay in my bed..." blah blah

Anyway, the part of the song where he sings, "...put my hand in my pants..."

All of a sudden, Brynn shouts from the back seat..."Put my hand in my pants?!" and giggles, then said, "That's disgusting!"

Baylen is dying laughing. Just hysterically giggling.

I'm smiling and laughing in the front acknowledging those were indeed the lyrics.

Brynn then added, "Baylen does that!"

Baylen responded..."Yeah I do!"

OMG

Brynnisms #26 and Baylenisms #15

2011-05-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

This was a funny conversation we were having on the way home today.

Do you ever have funny convos with your kids and think that something they said was super funny and then when you try to remember it later, your mind goes blank? Well, that's what happened to me today. CUE VIOLIN MUSIC.

Here's what I do remember about today's convo:

Me: Hey, guys, look at all this poop all over my car. I parked by a tree and the birds pooped all over my car today.

Brynn: What kind of birds? Was it a crow?

Me: IDK for sure.

Brynn: Maybe it was a robin.

Baylen: Crows have big poop. haha

Brynn: Eww! That's disgusting.

Bay: What do dinosaurs eat? Do they eat fish?

Me: Yes. And they eat other dinosaurs or plants.

Bay: Ew. That's disgusting. I don't like plants.

Brynn (matter-of-factly): Well, Eagles eat little bunnies. That's why we don't see any around. Because the eagles are eating them all.

Hmmm no wonder we haven't seen any bunnies around lately.

Spirit Days

2011-05-13T22:57:00.000-07:00

Doesn't Mister AKA SuperMan crack you up? He is such drama and has the funniest faces. Don't let his pouty face fool you; this is his regular morning routine...something makes him angry and then he turns against the world. I tried my best to get him to crack a smile, but to no avail.

We had a Spirit Week (my idea that I presented to the daycare director) and the kids enjoyed dressing up each day. We had pajama day, princess and hero day, sports day, college team day, and red, white & blue day.

Here are a couple of pics from Spirit Week. I didn't snap one of PJ day...unless it's on my phone. I'll have to check. Princess Day was the hardest day for Brynn because she didn't know which princess she wanted to be. First, she chose Snow White, then switched to Tiana, and finally settled on Ariel. She was serenading her teachers with, "Part of Your World" all day long, apparently. I'm sure it was music to their ears. ;)

Phyllis Tashlik's famous words

2011-05-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

Phyllis Tashlik is probably not well known in anyone's world except if you are reading her educational articles for a specific Master's class like I am. Anyway, she writes about alternative assessments and the importance of looking beyond the state/standardized tests as the only means to measure a student's progress. This is my passion. This is my forte. I am in the zone when I read her articles and find myself nodding, yelling out..."Right on, sista!" or simply smiling. She is so right. My favorite quote from this week's article..."We run the risk of valuing what we measure [rather than] measuring what we value" (p. 3). We as teachers know what our kids can do and where they struggle.

A standardized test does not measure the whole child. It does not measure where a child begins and where they end. It does not measure that a divorce might have taken place or the death of a parent occurred a month before the test. Those tests do not measure maturity levels, their ethical decision making (or unethical) or the ways in which they engage in class discussions. They do not gauge a child's innovative abilities or ideas, or creativity. And they do not measure a child's will and motivation level to get out of bed every morning despite the fact they may not have anything in the house to eat for breakfast or for dinner that night when they get home. So where are our state and national leaders when it comes to our real priorities? Are all of these tests in the best interest of what our kids need the most?

Okay, I'm stepping off of my soapbox now.

You Are My Heart

2011-05-07T23:19:00.001-07:00

(A student of mine painted this for me recently so I could hang it in the kids' room.)

Look at these two...sweet babies that they are. I know B & B aren't babies anymore, but I call them that often because they are growing up on me way too fast. B2 are just as excited about Mother's Day as I am. :) Their personalities shine through and no captions are needed for these two photos. Little pieces of sunshine and energy and brilliance. Bright, loving, sweet as honey with a hint of spice now and again. With shining eyes, giggles galore, and sparkling smiles...so full of life. So full of love.

Indeed they are. My Heart.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-07T23:14:00.000-07:00

to my mom. I love you so much, mom and I am so fortunate to have you in my life. You have always been there for me and supported every decision I've made, goal I've set, and dream I've aspired to reach. I know that when we were growing up, you often put us before yourself. Thank you for giving us everything you could and so much more.

Happy Mother's Day! I'm sorry we are not closer to celebrate together.

The demise of B.L.

2011-05-03T19:37:00.001-07:00

I honestly don't know how I feel about this. Part of me feels glad that they found him and they have put this to rest. Another part of me feels like we should continue to be afraid...maybe even more afraid than we were prior to his demise. Mixed emotions also range around the fact that he was shot, dead and he did not have a weapon in his hands (according to new reports I read online today). While I have limited knowledge on what happened and the methods in which he was even found and things that transpired afterward, I am wondering why they didn't try to get him alive. Maybe that would have been worse. Perhaps his capture would have caused uproar and groups of people attacking our country just to get him out of jail. I don't know. Maybe it's supposed to be this way. I know he did horrible things. I obviously don't like or support him, nor his past actions, and I am certainly not sticking up for him. But I still have mixed emotions about this whole thing. Additionally, I worry about the picture of Americans rallying and cheering after news of his death...I wonder how Muslims in the Middle East viewed the jubilation...do they think we're evil? Do they think we are ignorant or heartless? Do they want revenge? Are our children any safer? Hmmm...I just do not know what to think at this point.

Easter Pose

2011-04-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

I try and get a cute Easter pose each year and these two were full of crazy smiles.

Brynnisms #25

2011-04-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

All week, our daycare is having spirit week. Tomorrow is Princess/Hero Day. Brynn and I were discussing what she should dress up as and I was trying to convince her to wear a princess dress like her Tiana one or Rapunzel.

Brynn: Mom, I want to dress up as Wonder Woman instead.

Me: I thought you said you wanted to dress up as Tiana. Did you change your mind? Why? You could wear a crown w/ your dress if you were a princess.

Brynn: I want to be a hero instead.

Me: Are you sure? It might be kind of cold to wear that costume.

Brynn: Well, fine! I'm going to dress in an old BOOT then!

Me: Did you just say an old boot?!

Brynn: Yeah. An Old Boot. I'm wearing an Old Boot. So there!

She is so Miss-Know-It-All these days, I tell ya! :0

Happy Easter 2011!

2011-04-24T18:36:00.001-07:00

Dying Eggs

2011-04-23T19:44:00.001-07:00

We spent Thursday night making bunny-shaped rice krispie treats w/ chocolate ears for B2's teachers and a few of my friends at work. We also spent time dying eggs. The kids enjoyed dipping and picking their colors.

Bay's favorite part of soccer

2011-04-23T09:22:00.001-07:00

Can you guess what it is?

B's first sleepover

2011-04-23T09:21:00.001-07:00

Brynn wanted to invite her friend, E. over for a sleepover at our house. Brynn has stayed at her house once already and had a great time, so we wanted to invite her back. E. was thrilled to ride home w/ me when I picked the girls up from daycare a couple of Fridays ago. She was very polite and both girls, along w/ Baylen, had a great time. Bay had sort of a hard time being the odd boy out for awhile, but he adjusted and we tried to make him feel included and keep him busy. We made bracelets, ate cupcakes, made our own pizzas, and watched Tangled. The girls went to bed around 9:30 and didn't stir once. They were beat. :) All in all, it was a fun sleepover. :)