I bet you all thought I fell off the face of the earth. Surprise I'm still here. There has been a lot going on, as I am sure there has been with you too. I'll make an attempt to catch up eventually. For now, enjoy this little clip of Lil H playing soccer. It is a video created by the church where we did Upward Soccer. Lil H is wearing a brown coat with pink piping. You'll see her about four minutes into the video and then at various times throughout. Enjoy.

Upward Soccer 4&5K Highlights from Johnson Ferry on Vimeo.

Valentine's Day Extravaganza

We had fun today. I played beauty shop with Hannah. I should say that I had fun. She pretty much complained the entire time. First, “Mom, you’re pulling my head back.” Second, “Mom, I don’t want to turn my head that way.” Third, “Mom, I want to watch TV.” This last statement should be made with a whine and pout on your face and repeated multiple times. Fourth, “Mom, I’m sliding out of my seat.” And fifth, “Mom, I want to be done.” All of that was just for the rolling of her hair. For a girl who loves to be all pampered and prissy, she sure does complain a lot.

I thought I had a pretty first class beauty shop. I set up a TV tray with a 7Up (which she never gets) and I offered it in her very own cozy (not cuzy(sp?) or cozy(?) – she pronounces it cozy – as in sitting by the cozy fire)! I served her PBJ cut into small slices so she would not get it on her face. I cut up the strawberries and served them with the sandwich.

Time for to step into a “Time Machine”. Have you ever used the pink sponge rollers? They look something like this.

When your mom puts them in your hair, you look like this:

 

How about hairdryers, do you have one? I bet it doesn’t look like this:

Note:  This hairdryer is called the Lady Schick Time Machine

Once your hair is rolled, you sit under the hairdryer, and you look like this:

Yes, you may gawk at me, I made my daughter sit under a hairdryer that I’m pretty sure I sat under and I know my mom sat under. I figure if I’m going to put my kids in therapy I might as well add this to the repertoire of reasons.

Actually, I was amazed when my mom told me she still had a dryer like this, not to mention shocked when she called to tell me she had retrieved it from the attic and plugged it in and it STILL WORKED! At the time she called I was in the dollar store purchasing the lovely pink rollers. They had black but why would I get black? Pink is so – well, you know.

Now, here is the question of the year: Do you remember when a woman would roll her hair then she would put a scarf on it. Why? Surely she didn’t think it looked better!

Believe it or not, this was exactly what Lil H asked me. I’m sure it was to hold the rollers in place; keep the head warm because the hair was usually rolled wet; keep the hair in the rollers in case the woman decided to drive her 50’s or 60’s convertible; or perhaps it was just to hide the unsightly rollers. Personally, I wouldn’t leave the house either way.

When one puts a scarf on her head over her rollers, it looks something like this:

 

Remember how I stated I would not go out in public either with or without the scarf? Well, we did. I was so bright when I ordered the corsage I made the pick up time for 4:00. Hellloo, that would be prime primping time! So, we had to make a quick run to the store to pick up the flowers. Fortunately, Lil H is not aware of my never go in public with a scarf on your head while wearing rollers phobia.

The end result of all the work and mental anguish was worth it.

Tonight is the Father/Daughter Dance. So we spent the day making straight hair into curly hair.

Daddy and Lil H had a great time. They danced and ate and visited with a few friends. And Daddy got her home before she turned into a pumpkin.

Big I was not left out either. He and I went out for our traditional dinner of Chinese and then off to Chuck E Cheese (or Chunky Cheese depending on who you ask in my house). We were going to go jump on inflatables but the place was closed. So Big I had to make due with video games. We had a great time. He presented me with a rock or “crystal” as he calls them and an I Love You Mom note. Very cute.

Yes, it has been a while. There are many reasons, but we will not go into them here. Now don't fall out of your chair (you'll look silly and will not be able to finish reading this fascinating post) but I'm going back to Christmas.

This clip is from the dress rehearsal for the play we had at church. It's the Snowflake Dance. My batteries were dead the next night so I do not have the actual footage from the play. If nothing else this will give you an idea of what the girls were supposed to do. All of the kids involved actually did well that night. Everything went like clockwork. Believe me, I was beginning to wonder if anyone was paying attention during our rehearsals.

Big I and Lil H looked so nice for the event. Their first event which required them to wear black and white!

Time to Decorate

I cannot believe what we got done today. I did not set out to get a lot done. As a matter of fact, I ignored the alarm clock this morning. Big I is not feeling well and I have learned (the hard way) that is better to just take it easy on some school days. So, I came up with Plan B. Get up late, eat breakfast, clean a little, and decorate the house for Christmas.

My plans to sleep late were foiled by Lil H…that’s usually how it goes. We ate breakfast. Big I woke up not too long after I started breakfast. He was sure grumpy and seriously emotional. His usual behavior when he is sick.

I began laundry (I know this is TMI!) and then decided to start the Christmas decorating in the den. Now, personally, I like Christmas; however do not always like to decorate every single inch of the house. I just do not feel like taking all the day-to-day stuff down (and figuring out where to put it) and then put up all the Christmas stuff. I think it’s because at some point I have to take all the Christmas stuff down, figure out how it all fit in three storage totes, and then figure out where I had all the day-to-day stuff. Maybe I just have too much stuff!

Now one can decorate for Christmas easily if there is silence, and no disruption, but little people love to help and they love to look at all the exciting NEW sparkly stuff. Thus, decorating can take all day if your not careful. But then we do it because they love it.

Here are the results of the decorating. We will start in the den. As you can see, my decorator, Lil H put her eloquent touch on the festivities. What a sense of style, class, and all around ability to manipulate her Barbie!

I think Santa Barbie needs some pants, but I was informed that she was wearing a short skirt. I have two comments on that (1) at least she is dressed Barbie - they are usually found with NO clothes in the toy basket; and (2) don’t EVEN think you will dress that way my dear Lil H. You will not like mommy if you try! You will also not be leaving the house EVER!

I don’t know why Big I will not smile when I take his picture. I either get this look or some crazy look! Just the age I guess. I remember a certain nephew who used to do the same thing….OH wait he still does it! Hey “J” I’m talking about you!!

Now this little clip shows how decorating the tree went. I was so proud of Big I. He not only put on the branches, he also opened them up. I did not even bother to go behind him too much BECAUSE I dislike fluffing trees. Then he helped with the lights. We were able to get the lights on the tree in record time. And because he helped, they are actually evenly distrubited.

As you can see Lil H provided the dancing entertainment. All she needs is a little music and a mirror (and in this case a ladder). Just too funny. AND this is my first time capturing them without them knowing it!

Happy Birthday Big I

We had a great birthday party for Big I. He had two friends come over. Fortunately, both boys had sisters close to Lil H's age so she had friends (and the boys had girls to terrorize). I just love it when that happens!

Our theme was "bowling". I did not find a lot out there to support Big I's choice of party. We could have gone bowling but with the guest list being so large and consisting mostly of family, I decided to keep it here at the house. I improvised (actually, the idea came to me about two hours before the party). Thanks mom for all the construction paper you gave me earlier this year. I wondered what I would ever use it for.
Now these could be bowling pins or they could be glass jars of milk. That could be a bowling ball or it could be a head with no mouth. You decide.

We also made the cake. Most of you know the kids started the tradition of making our own birthday cakes about two years ago. You might be conjuring up ideas of beautiful cakes, however, let me ease your mind, I am NOT a great designer of cakes. I have seen pictures of a few of my friend's cakes that are just great (all frilly with twirls and froofroo fondant decorations). I am currently attending the school of "Ace of Cakes" on the Food Network. However, let's just say that I'm not exactly good with fondant. I'll stick to icing. And Ace of Cakes would laugh me right out the door.

I thought Big I would want a bowling ball cake and was relieved when he described a sheet cake. I decided we needed a little fondant though - you know we needed a bowling ally. So what to do with the rest of the fondant. Hmmm, well we needed people. Thus, the day before the big party I sat the kids down and tested the skills they were supposed to learn three years ago - you know Play Dough skills.

I did not realize Big I was so creative. I mean look he made little French, gangster bowlers. Actually the hats are supposed to be hair. We tried to stick toothpicks in them to make them stand. I'm just glad there was enough fondant left over to make a bench for them to sit on. He was excited and proud of his creation and the cake.

Now Lil H also made a few figures (and two cats). I had decided to mount them on the side of the cake. However, as I picked up each one their heads fell off. The cats lost their legs. A few lost their bodies. Since the fondant was hard and I was out of time I just had to pitch them. I should have taken pictures but I forgot.

Happy Birthday Big I!

Learning to Write

Home schooling is difficult for me (and I guess others too).  There are doubts and questions.  Questions like:  "Is he where he should be?"  "How do I motivate him?"  There are the what ifs that creep in and add to the doubt. 

There are days when I just do not see the progress.  There are days I want to just quit.  Then I get a glimpse of progress, a snippet of encouragement.  I see him trying or taking a step or finally grasping a new concept or even a concept that we have gone over 100 times!

Now the little "song" below is something he wrote today.  The spelling could make one wonder what I'm teaching but the fact that he came up with this all by himself, wrote it on his own, and from his heart - well, like any mom - it makes me want to cry. 

I can work on the spelling - he's a little confused with the "i" sound because he knows that "y" sometimes says the long "i" sound.  I have seen him spell it correctly.  The question is, do each of us think that way.  Do we like God because he is "our" God?  Is he "our" God?  I sure hope he's yours. 

Ultimately, my encouragement really should not come from seeing progress...sometimes we don't see progress.  We rarely see the "big picture".  My encouragement needs to come from God - for He does not go up and down like waves in an ocean. 

Today I was frantically trying to get Lil H to move it along as she changed into her dance clothes - IN THE HALLWAY - WITH CLASS ROOMS AND LITTLE EYES ALL AROUND and I was trying to corral three other little princesses in order to get them to dance so they could change - things were chaotic.  I made the comment to another mom "I don't think I have control here".  Her response, quite profound - That's good - that's just were God wants you.  She's right.

Conversations of Little People

Lil H: “Remember that choir teacher I had?” [No breath is taken at this point to allow someone to answer]. “She actually had short hair and things, bumps on her face.” [At this point I just don’t know what to say…but I’m thinking about things on one’s face, I don’t know anybody with things on their face – except the usual, eyes, nose, mouth, etc]. “They were big bumps well not bumps just, you know, those things. She was short…blah blah blah blah” [I drifted in thought for a moment – they call that tuning it out – but this is what I was envisioning – look familiar]

Big I: “Short like us?”

Lil H: “No, tall but you know short. She was old, not real old just kinda old.”

Me: “What kind of things on her face?”

Lil H.: “Those dot things”

Me: “You mean freckles?”

Lil H.: “Yeah, freckles, those round dot things. She had big ones. My choir teachers used to leave and that lady would come in. My choir teachers put me on the bookshelf and I didn’t want to be on there I was kicking.” [I vaguely remember this. I’m thinking it was probably a time out or breaking up a disagreement…NO! Surely not my Lil H in time out – say it ain’t so].

After that I sort of just drifted into my own world of laughter about the whole dot face thing. I think there was more conversation between Lil H and Big I but I was too busy wondering exactly how she remembered things. Now that’s a scary thing!!