Sunday, September 28, 2008

Opinions Please

I have a friend that has recently expressed an interest in creating a clothing line. That is a dream of mine, but I lack the skills necessary to do it. So, when she told me she was interested, I was so excited about the idea, and have probably become completely annoying. I LOVE to shop, especially for my girls. It's hard however to find cute items of clothing that are unique. I typically always shop at the same stores because they have cute clothes and it's easy. The only problem is they are the same stores everyone else shops at too. I'm always looking for something different, but it's hard to find and if you are lucky enough to find something, it costs a fortune. Anyway, below are a couple of things that my friend whipped up this afternoon for the girls and I was completely excited. I am soliciting your opinion on whether or not you think these are items that she could sell. I definitely think so, but I'm a little biased. So, if you have girls or know little girls, would you be willing to buy things like this, and if so, what would you be willing to pay? Please help me out here if you have an opinion. Thanks!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Southern Belle

Skylar wants to thank you Ryan and Tracy for the Southern Belle costume! Both girls love to play dress up, so this was a great addition to their costume trunk.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Five Already?

As I start to write this happy little post about the last 5 years, I'm struggling to fight back the tears. You know when you have kids that they will bring joy to your life, but I don't think you can ever fully comprehend the depth of that joy until you experience it. In some ways it seems like an eternity ago that she was this tiny little thing that I had no idea what to do with. In other ways it seems like it was just yesterday. I know we are always told how fast time flies, and it most certainly does. At each new milestone, I always think, this is the best. I never think it can get better than it is at that particular moment, and I never cease to be amazed that it does. It's been amazing to watch her grow and her little personality develop into an independent little girl. We are truly blessed with an amazing gift.

So, all that to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY SKYLAR! We love you! Skylar's hospital picture at one day old.
Skylar on her 1st birthday. This party was a pink poodle party. At the time she liked dogs, but I wanted something a little more feminine so we went with the french poodle theme. I think this one may have been my favorite, especially the cake.

Skylar at her 2nd birthday party, which was a purse party. I remember she was obsessed with all things girly from the very beginning, especially with purses.
Skylar cheesin' it up in her princess convertible on her 3rd birthday which was a princess jumping party.

Skylar on her 4th birthday at her Princess Tea Party.

Skylar at her 5th birthday party that you are probably tired of reading about.

Monday, September 22, 2008

The After Party

The party was fun, but we still had time left to spend with the family. We took the opportunity to capture a few more photos while the grandkids were all together and healthy. On a whim, I threw the Hungry, Hungry Hippos game in as one of Skylar's birthday gifts. I wasn't really sure she'd like it, but it seemed like something every kid should have at some point in their childhood. Anyway, after the party they played it all night long. It was a much more active game than I had anticipated!
Papa and his grangirls with their hillbilly teeth. The teeth were apparently a request on the Saturday morning shopping trip. It seemed a little out of character for my girls, but maybe their loosening up a little.
Grammy Tammy, Papa and their girls. Once again, impossible to get everyone looking, but this one isn't too bad. All the girls definitely love their grandparents. Great Grandma Del with her girls that she can't help but spoil.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Lillian Mona

Last week was extremely chaotic, and amidst the craziness I didn't even post about the birth of our new niece. I have no pictures because she is far, far away in Oregon, but you can catch a glimpse of her on Lily's Pad. We are so happy she was such a healthy baby and that the whole family is home and doing well. Congratulations Ryan and Tracy! We can't wait to meet Lillian at Christmas.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Skylar's Pajama Party


We had a great time at Skylar's 5th Birthday party. We ate pizza, cake, ice cream, opened gifts, played in the playroom, danced to Hannah Montana, painted fingernails, watched a movie and ate popcorn, all while wearing our pajamas of course! Thanks to our friends and family that help make birthdays so special! I'll have to post more about my eldest child turning 5 on her actual birthday which would be next Wednesday.

Gift Bags, Paper Goods and Bday Cake


There are a few things that I have issues with, and as Skylar's party is coming up this evening, I've been reminded once again about my obsession with party supplies and birthday cake. Let's start with the cake. For every birthday party, I always have what I think is a great idea for a birthday cake. However, when I try to explain my idea to the bakery, and they try to relay it to the decorator, it never fails that I am disappointed. This year is no different. My child would be perfectly happy with a cupcake, yet I can't seem to let the whole cake thing go. I also get very frustrated about trying to find gift bags, wrapping paper, and paper goods. I always see cute things when I'm out looking, but when I'm actually looking for something specific, I can NEVER find what I want. Again, like my 5 year old cares about any of that, it's just this weird thing I have that I know is insane. It really stresses me out when I can't find wrapping paper or gift bags that coordinate with the party. I have talked myself out of letting it ruin my day, and we are looking forward to a great pajama party tonight, despite the cake and other party stuff! BUT, if you know of great websites, or stores that may help me with this obsession, please let me know!
(In case you were wondering, the thing that upsets me about this cake is that it was supposed to have black dots on the top layer so it would coordinate with the zebra print. I also thought the zebra print was poorly done. I had a zebra print cake for my birthday that was cute, but this to me just looks like V's going up and down the cake. Am I crazy?)

Monday, September 15, 2008

Fashion Critic

One of the joys of teaching are the funny and occasionally insulting things that kids say. Today one of my second grade students looked at me and said, "Your dress looks like something off of What Not to Wear." I thought I looked ok, but I guess I'll think twice before wearing my red dress over leggings again.

I Could Bite Your Nose

The girls get along pretty well for the most part, but they definitely have their moments. I did however think it was funny that I heard Skylar tell Londyn on multiple occasions yesterday how cute she was. They were comments that just popped out of her mouth before she even realized it. It's very out of character for Skylar, which is what made it seem even more adorable. Anyway, while we were eating dinner, Skylar looked over at Londyn and excitedly said "You are just so tiny and cute". Then, when we were walking around the block, and they were in their wagon, I heard her lean over and tell Londyn "You're so cute, I could just bite your nose".

Sunday, September 14, 2008

If I Write It....

..It WILL happen. If I write it, it WILL happen. If I write it, it WILL happen. I WILL lose 10 pounds by Nov. 8. I WILL excercise regularly. I WILL eat healthy and stay within my points allowance. Ok, it's official. It's in print. I'm committed. You are responsible for holding me accountable. Thank you for taking on that responsiblity. If it doesn't happen, I'm totally blaming YOU!

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

I read this book to the girls this afternoon before coercing them into take a nap. It's about a donkey that found a magic pebble. As he was carrying the pebble, he ran into a lion and got very scared. He couldn't think clearly, so he ended up wishing to be a rock. He could no longer walk, talk, etc., and his family missed him very much. In the end, his parents went to have a picnic in the field and used the rock as their table. His dad ended up finding the pebble and placing it on the rock. As Sylvester's parents were reminiscing about their son, Sylvester could hear them and wished to be turned back into himself. I'm sure you get the gist. Anyway, after reading the story, I was trying to talk to the girls about how it would feel to be a rock and not be able to talk or go home to your parents. Skylar quickly informed me that that would never happen in real life. When I asked why, she responded by telling me that she's never seen anyone turn into anything like that, and magic isn't real. So much for the questioning and higher level thinking skills (for you educators out there). Must we be SO literal at the ripe old age of 4, heaven forbid we use a little imagination. No fantasy for Skylar, we're moving straight to nonfiction, and I think we'll focus on self-help.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Parents of the Year

In the photos below, it looks like everyone is having a good time at our family dance party. We were exposing our children to the music of Michael Jackson. We've had many living room dance parties, and none have ever ended with injury. I'll just say, when they say that you shouldn't swing your child around by their arms, it's true. At one point, Londyn wanted us to swing her, so Kevin grabbed her arms and I grabbed her ankles, and we were swinging her back and forth. Seemed innocent enough. When we were done with her, Skylar took her turn. It didn't take long to recognize that Londyn was acting hurt. She is a bit dramatic,so we didn't give it much thought. I went back to work for a while, and Kevin called and said that Londyn was still wailing about her arm hurting. I told him she would be ok, but to make her feel cared for. So, he wrapped a dish towel around her arm, gave her some tylenol, and put her in our bed. When I got home she was sleeping, but her arm was as stiff as a board. Even upon waking up, she wouldn't move, and cried if you touched her arm. We figured she wasn't faking and that we should take her to the doctor. Sure enough, we had pulled her elbow slightly out of place. The doctor popped it back in, and she was fine. The pain vanished immediately. I am thankful it was just a minor injury, and was easily taken care of, but it still makes you a little uneasy telling your physician that you pulled your child's arm out of socket having a dance party in your living room.



I Suppose I'm It

I was tagged by Melinda to list six random things about myself which is something very out of my comfort zone, but I wouldn't want to let anyone down and I have absolutely nothing else to blog about, so here it goes:

1. I have absolutely zero rhythm or musical inclination of any kind. I can't sing, dance, sway or even clap to music. It has caused me many embarrassing moments throughout my life, but I've learned to cope.
2. I can eat more than anyone I know, and I can do it quickly. I'm an obese person in an average size body. When we sit down to dinner, I am always the first person done. The comments that my children make at the dinner table are "Mommy always has a happy plate", "Why does mommy always win", and "Mommy you are the hungry monster". It's not even so bad at home, but when you go out with other adults, and you have completed your meal and everyone else is just getting started, it's a little awkward.
3. I drink gallons of liquid a day. I have to have something to drink all day long. It ranges from Diet Dr. Pepper, water, crystal light, etc. All zero calorie drinks of course, but I like to have something in my hand every minute of the day. I've just recently recognized that everyone else in the world doesn't do this.
4. I'm horribly unphotogenic, and I don't like most photos of myself. I have actually destroyed many pictures from my growing up years because of how awful they were. There are virtually no pictures of me from about third through seventh grade. Now, thanks to the digital age, I can take hundreds and usually find one or two that I'm satisfied with.
5. I am obsessed with taking photos of everything. My family gets quite irritated that I make them pose for photos every time we are together. I know they'll thank me someday for documenting our lives.
6. I have major committment issues in the way that I can't break them. If I have said I'm going to do something, I go to the ends of the earth to follow through. If I can't or know I shouldn't, it causes me great distress. I do this even about things that are not important and that no one would acutally care about.

Well, there you go, six random things about me. That was tough. I started out not being able to think of enough. Then, once I got going I began to realize how weird I really am, I had a hard time narrowing them down! Anyway, I think I'm supposed to tag six more people. I'm not sure how to link them, but I'm going to try. The lucky winners are: Brooke L., Erin H., Faith , Shannon K , Jessica L., Tammy W.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Who Shot Elvis?

I was teaching a group of third grade gifted students yesterday. We had finished our lesson, and the students were working quietly at their desks. Our unit theme this year is the decades, so I was letting them listen to some 50's music as they worked. As I was perusing the room, I overheard a table of boys talking about Elvis. The first boy said"Did you know Elvis drank too much and died?" The second boy said, "No he didn't, he got shot at a concert." The next boy at the table said, "Oh yeah, that's right, he got shot by John Wilkes Booth." That ended the conversation. They all nodded in agreement and continued working, as if it were a completely obvious statement.

Monday, September 8, 2008

It's Not My Business

This is a completely random post about the conversation I just overheard between Skylar and Londyn. I just thought it was kind of funny, you may or may not. These silly little things are what bring a smile to my face at the end of a long day. Anyway, Skylar is in the bathroom and someone obviously has forgotten to replace the toilet paper that has been used up. I hear Skylar begging Londyn to go get her some toilet paper so she can finish going to the bathroom. Londyn mumbles something, and Skylar continues to beg. Then Londyn shouts, "I TOLD YOU, IT'S NOT MY BUSINESS!" I'm not sure where she heard this phrase, but it made me laugh. I gathered that Londyn would not be going to fetch the toilet paper, so I thought I'd better help Skylar out and not make her suffer any longer. I may need the favor returned someday, and I'm pretty sure I won't be calling on Londyn.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

A Lazy Night

We had a busy morning and afternoon, but were able to enjoy a relaxing evening at home. I always love the times we can just hang around the house and have no obligations. The girls got to enjoy a few of their favorite activites which included........

A little coloring...

A little work on the computer....
And a little time outside...

And now, the girls are tucked tightly into bed and I am enjoying a movie.

Thanks Gramommy and Grandaddy!

Thanks for the swimsuit cover-ups that you sent. The girls loved them, and they had a swim party to attend today, so it was perfect timing. We hope you had a great time on your trip! We're looking forward to seeing you at Christmas!


Friday, September 5, 2008

Friday Night Lights

Kevin really wanted to go to our hometown football game tonight. Both of us grew up in small schools that didn't have football teams, so it's never been that big of a deal. However, around here it's quite a big deal. It was an absolutely amazing evening, and the girls were excited, so I went along with the idea. I'm sort of a dork in the way that if we're going to to to a game, we're going to be dressed for the part. So, the girls were all decked out in their BA black and gold bows, I had on my colors, Kevin didn't fit in, but the rest of us looked the part. Broken Arrow was playing Union, a major rival that they play for the opening game every year, and haven't won in 21 years. Anyway, we were going to arrive fashionably late, but little did I know that was the plan for everyone else in town as well. I knew these games were huge, but seriously, there were lines of traffic forever, and once we got into the parking lot there were no spots available. I was trying my hardest to maintain a positive attitude and have a fun evening with the family. (I'm not exactly known for my patience, so this was challenging.) We drove around for an hour, finally parked along the road and then walked a mile to the stadium. When we got to the corner, I pulled out my camera to take a picture of the girls with the stadium in the background. Because if I accomplished nothing else tonight, I was going to get a picture of them all decked out ready to support our tigers. Well, that was another plan that was blown as I realized that I was carrying around this massive camera, but I had forgotten to put my memory card back in after downloading yesterday's photos. Just what I needed to perk up the evening. We proceeded to the ticket line where I saw a couple of my students which did cheer me up a little. I love seeing them outside of school, and the fact that they like me enough to want to say hello. When we finally paid for our tickets, I noticed the sign that said "Maybe Standing Room Only". Oh joy! We walked a mile, waited in line and now we get to watch the game standing. Still determined to enjoy the evening we walk in and stand around watching a little bit of the game. We were there for about two minutes before the girls started complaining about everything imaginable. It's too cold, I can't see, I'm hungry, I want to sit down, hold me, were just a few of the many words that came from those whiny little voices. They did enjoy the cheerleaders and band performance, and Londyn was very concerned as to why the players kept hitting each other and falling down. We watched one quarter and the half time show before deciding we couldn't take the standing and whining any longer. We quickly began our journey back to the car. I guess it wasn't as much fun as the girls thought it would be, I'm not sure what they were expecting, but apparently something different. I am proud to say though,that I never became angry or agitated and I was even able to enjoy a few minutes of the game. It's always fun to see everyone come together to support the hometown team. Even though it wasn't the perfect evening, I have to admit, I still had a little bit of fun. I heard on the radio later that Broken Arrow won, breaking the 21 year losing streak to Union! What a great accomplishment! (too bad we weren't there to see all that happened.) We'll definitely have go again sometime.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Back to Dance!

The girls were both very excited to get back on the dance floor this week! This will be Skylar's third year, and Londyn's second. You would think that having two girls 16 months apart that I would be able to save some money by using hand-me-downs, especially when it comes to dance shoes. That would not be the case with these two. When I went to purchase their dance stuff, they measured at exactly the same shoe size, which resulted in the purchase of 4 new pairs of dancing shoes! Let's just hope their feet don't grow before their spring recital, what are the chances?


Monday, September 1, 2008

Invitations

Part of my weekend agenda was to get invitations to send out for Skylar's birthday party. I found some really cute ones last weekend that were shaped like pj's, but when I went to order them, I realized shipping alone was going to cost $9.00. I was only ordering like 12 invitations. I thought that was a little absurd. I looked at Hobby Lobby and a few other places, but found nothing I liked. I was also cutting it close time wise to order something else online. I'm not a creative or crafty kind of person, but I decided to try to make them myself anyway. I think they turned out okay. I couldn't put as much wording as I would have liked, but I think the main points are covered. She wanted a pajama party and a zebra cake like mine, so I thought her in her zebra pj's would be appropriate for the invite. More importantly, I saved myself about $30!