Road trip

We took the most amazing road trip in July 2012. Started out with a 4 am wake up to drive to Memphis. I thought that the kids would eventually fall back asleep. Thought being the key word. 😩
When we stopped for lunch I gave the kids some 'vitamins' that made them sleepy and they slept the rest of the way. We did the corny very touristy stay at the heart break hotel complete with a heart shaped pool. Visited Elvis' home and Sun Record studio too.
Next was Lexington, KY just for sleep. Then on to D.C. We saw everything! I must say seeing the world through your children's eyes is the best thing. We walked a lot. I will never forget D.C. When you ask the kids what their favorite part was, they say the hotel. However, I did splurge on a great place that was totally worth it!
Next was Gettysburg. Which was just finishing up a re-enactment to the kids were able to see some soldiers.
Then we visited friends and family in Pennsylvania.
Headed to North Carolina for rest at a cousins, Georgia to an Uncle and Aunts to get out on the boat, swim and play with distant cousins.
And ended in Alabama to see Josh's little sister.
I must say I did warn the kids and explain, just when you think we've been in the car too long, it will be longer still. And seriously only heard, "are we there yet?" One time only.
This was fun.

Presidents

James was obsessed with presidents. Knew so many random facts about them it was astonishing. At the end of his kindergarten year he dressed up as Abe and read The whole Gettysburg address. It was awesomeness.

Future bride

This happened. And I'm so glad. I had this bad idea in my head about my wedding dress. Mainly because I was the ripe old age of 19 when I picked it out(no taste). However my mom and I got it out that day and Scarlett was obsessed. I must say changed my whole mindset. That dress is pretty. And she looks just delightful in it too!

Catch up

One of the original purposes of this blog was to help me document life with these kids. So I'm going way back here in the photo files, so things may be hazy, but these kids are just too cute.

So....

It's been a bit. Let's see if I can catch you up to speed. I have a 7 year old 2nd grader. And a 6 year old kindergartner. Um, that's too big. Sloooooow down life.

6 years old.

My baby boy is 6. And it is good. A few days after this birthday, we noticed 2 loose teeth. Yay!
No party is complete without a Civil War cake at Chuck E. Cheese.

So far this month he has memorized all the U. S. Presidents, and we're jumping head first into superheroes.

New Orleans

I had a lovely client get married in New Orleans on St. Patrick's Day. So Josh and I headed that way a few days early and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Lots of seafood, walking, and people watching. I will be back.

awesome dad

I bought these iron on printer pages. Every time I tried to print a picture it melted the paper.
Later after reading the fine print: not for laser-jet printers.oops.

Que really talented Dad, that can draw just about anything that is requested.

James is fascinated with Presidents. Or maybe the word is obsessed. We all know who was president when we were born and who was president in 1875. As well as which president got stuck in the bathtub.
And what assassinated means.

All I know is thank God for fabric markers, and an amazingly talented Dad!

lets get dressed!

She's getting big enough to dress herself, so I let her have fun.
I love the tights with just a regular shirt, and rain boots. Simple, yet playful-practical.

Help me find it

As a mother, there are a few things that I hate to do. One that seems to be a reoccurring theme in our home is: "I can't find it, will you help me find it?".

Now I feel as though, 'I'm not the one who has lost something, why should I find it?'
I strongly dislike scouring the house looking for this one said priceless for the moment item that is lost!

This morning, that's exactly what happened. Wake-up to James asking me to help him find his Harry Potter glasses. Why do you need them? I want to wear them to school. o-boy. I asked him where did he already look? only in the playroom. I suggest he try his room too. With that I'm left hearing, "I did, I need you to help me." What that really means is: "Would you just go ahead and find it mom, you always do, besides, I don't want to."ARGGG
So I pull open the drawer and Wa-lah! There they are. So I hand them to him. He smiles, "Thanks mom!"

Later that morning, getting ready to walk out the door I spy Harry Potter glasses on the floor. sigh.

This is what I conclude. My kids are only 'making' me find things because at that moment that item that is lost, its so badly wanted that they can think of nothing else until that item is found. Once that item is found, they're over it, that want for the item is diminished as soon as it is found. So I'm on this awfully frightening merry-go-round of:  find-it! yay, you found it! find it AGAIN!

help.

You smell good

I've gotta get this story down while it's fresh.

While riding bikes in the driveway, James tells Scarlett and
I of a "bully" at school. He was calling James, smelly James-smelly James. And Scarlett scoffs, you take a bath! You smell good. Let me smell you. ( smells his hand) you smell deliciou---YOU SMELL LIKE HAIR!

I think that is a great thing. And I especially love that she is sticking up for him and encouraging him. What a great girl she is. (A few days later we ate lunch with James at school and Scarlett is on the prowl for this "bully"- she asks James where he is, James explains that he's eating lunch alone cause he got in trouble. Her reply is, Well that's good.)

Phone thief

I love when I let this little one borrow my phone and she takes all these candids.

daddy love

love 'em!

I accidentally stole it.

When James got home from school yesterday I found a rock in his backpack. I thought nothing of it and just put it back. To me it did not look special. It wasn't shiny or sparkly. Just a brown rock.

While I was at work, I believe James explained to his dad that he took the rock from his science center at school because he really wanted to show me. oops. Josh explained that because James did not ask to bring the rock home, that it was stealing. Que the tears and devastation.

James was so afraid of his punishment at school. They have good behavior -green, moderate-yellow, and bad-red.

James has been on green since the first day of school! (Woot) He just knew that he would have to move it to yellow since he did something wrong. Dad explained we didn't care about the yellow, as long as he told the truth.

While walking to school today James held tight to that rock. Explaining to me that he accidentally stole it, and what he was going to tell his teacher. I told him there's no such thing as accidentally stealing something. He should know from now on, if he really likes something he should just ask to bring it home, etc.

We couldn't find his teacher this morning, so I'm not sure if she's even there. I left him with the rock telling him, what he should do.

I'll keep you posted.

pet party

I highly suggest you have one of these parties...the fewer the people, the better.(in my opinion) And maybe 4 is a little to young still. But I do know that this little birthday girl loved it! The bunnies are great, and so fluffy.

Happy birthday to my 4 year old little baby girl!

Tinytailstoyou.com

Oh I love being a girl!

How fun is this? Dress up all day everyday.
This itty bitty bikini top is for an infant she just really wanted to try it on.
She says oh mom I like it!
James calls it a booboo cover.

First day

Just a report on James first day. While waiting to pick him up. I'm feeling more like a mom than usual. I have experienced several stages in my kids lives where I feel more like a mom than other times. One other was when the kids were being rambunctious at bed time and I had to tell them to settle down or else. Just these weird pictures of me doing something that I may or may not remember my mom or dad doing, then bam it's me, I'm a parent, weird.
So I wait. Tell them who I'm picking up. Wait. Make it all the way to the front of the line. Notice a slew of kids standing outside but my child is not. Yikes! I see the principle she asks who I'm picking up. James......then I see James teacher go inside 5 minutes later out comes James with a monster grin.
Hops in the car and away we go.
Mom some kids ate in the cafeteria.
Well where did you eat?
In the cafeteria, butI want the schools lunch!
Really? Well I'll look into that. How was your day?
Good. I have 2 new friends. And a new girlfriend.
Oh boy. That's great.
What did you do after lunch?
So and so was having a hard time listening today. But he was helpful so it was better.
Oh.
I ate all my lunch. But some lady threw my chips away before I was finished. I said hey! I was gonna eat those!
Well make sure if you still want your food to put it back in your lunchbox.
Yeah.

I couldn't get much out of him after that. Just a few things scattered throughout the day. I do know that I heard not a peep from his room as soon as we shut the door. Kindergarten must be tiring.

So helpful

I've got help watering plants and cooking dinner. What more could a girl want?

Halloweenmyface

It's an app. Pretty hilarious!