Ritchie Wrap-up

Whose Child is This?

2008-12-13T13:33:00.002-06:00

Today my daughter spent the morning doing torque experiments with different household items and reading a math book "for fun." Not even sure what else to say about that. Laiken, apparently, is a little bit of a geek... :-)

Love and Marriage

2008-11-10T22:37:00.005-06:00

My boys have marriage on their minds. Nolan announced during dinner last night that he was going to ask his girlfriend, Evah-luv, if she wanted to get married. His "girlfriend" is also 3 and is in Nolan's preschool class. Nolan is in LOVE with her. He talks about her constantly, he thinks about her, and he can't wait to see her when he gets to school. I have never had a child this enamored at this age with a friend of the opposite sex, so I find it mostly amusing and just a little worrisome.

Carson told us that he has to get married by the time he is 23 because if he waits any later, "all the good choices will be gone." Now, I don't know what a "good choice" consists of in the mind of an 8-year old boy, but I'm guessing it has something to do with how much time his wife will spend playing Wii or watching sporting events.

On the heels of all this marriage talk and following the recent Red Ribbon Week, this is the rest of the conversation that occurred last night:

Carson: What happens if you marry someone who does drugs?
Laiken: (rolling her eyes) Why would you do that?
Me: That's what we mean when we talk about making good choices. It would definitely be a better choice not to marry someone who does drugs.
Carson: Well, what if she started doing drugs after you get married? I would be OUT of there if that happened.
Me: Well, God would want you to at least try to help your wife get better if you could.
Laiken: Yeah, because you are only supposed to get married once.
Carson: Well, I would give her 2 weeks and then I would be gone.

Note to Carson's future wife: God may love you unconditionally, but apparently Carson won't.

If you see my daughter...

2008-11-07T23:49:00.002-06:00

please tell her to clean her room.

Halloween

2008-11-07T23:35:00.005-06:00

I know that I am biased, but I think that Nolan is the cutest Batman ever. He was really into trick or treating this year which made it so much fun. Carson wasn't going to dress up this year, but then decided he was going as the Scream character (he, of course, hasn't seen the movie--he just wanted a scary costume). Laiken wanted to wear one of my old costumes to dress up as a twirler. We took the kids all over the neighborhood and then headed over to the Tokarz's for an unbelievable Halloween party complete with a haunted house, hayride, and cook-out. That family really knows how to celebrate Halloween!

Student Council Inductions and a Blue Ribbon Day

2008-11-07T23:10:00.003-06:00

Last week, Laiken and Carson were inducted into their positions on Student Council. Carson ran for and was elected as his Class Representative. Laiken was elected Student Council President. As a bonus, both of the kids were chosen as Blue Ribbon students at the monthly awards ceremony. Happy day!

Great Wolf

2008-11-07T23:01:00.003-06:00

We played hooky on the day of 9-week conferences at school and instead took the kids to Great Wolf. Laiken and Carson both took friends this time and we took Nolan for the first time. So MUCH fun! The place was practically empty. I only had one moment of feeling like I was a bad parent for not going to the conferences, but it passed pretty quickly.

He's A Boy....

2008-11-07T22:56:00.003-06:00

and proud of it. Here is a self-portrait that Nolan recently drew. Notice that apparently his arms aren't that important, but another body part was... I'm not sure what the frown is about--I'm sure a therapist could have a field day with this one.

Key West

2008-11-07T22:18:00.008-06:00

One of the reasons that I am so behind was because Farrel and I took off to Key West for a week and I have been playing catch-up ever since. Farrel had a class on the island and I tagged along. My wonderful parents were troopers and took care of the kids for the week. We have left the kids with my parents before, but never during the school year. So, many thanks to my mom and dad for getting everyone where they were supposed to be, helping with homework, doing bedtime routine, and making sure everyone stayed clean and fed. Since I knew everything was taken care of at home, Farrel and I were able to have a great, relaxing week. Well, Farrel had to go to class during the day, so I probably had a better time than he did. Most of my week was spent just like this:

Nights were spent trying local restaurants, taking a sunset cruise, watching street performers, and taking in the craziness of the festival that was going on.

All was great until we had to load onto the 9-seater plane on the first leg of the trip back home. I was fairly certain I was going to die on this thing:

Fall Sports

2008-11-07T21:41:00.007-06:00

I swore that I would not get behind again, but that just seems to be the norm for me here lately. Most of the last 8 weeks have been spent on the ball fields-soccer and baseball. If we were not at practice, we were at a game.

Carson played rec baseball and soccer. The baseball season was not great and we limped through with a team of very young players. Although it was a 7-8 year old league, we actually ended up with some 6 year olds and Carson and one other boy were the only 8 year olds.

It.was.a.long.road.to.the.last.game... Carson played really well, though. Playing primarily shortstop, he made lots of outs and really has a knowledge of the game that allows him to see the big picture. It must be all of those hours of ESPN paying off. He does LOVE the sports.

Unlike the baseball season, his soccer season was great! His team got second place in their division. They learned to run different plays and realized the importance of passing the ball up the field. Carson is so excited about continuing with this team next season.

Laiken started playing academy soccer with FC Dallas this fall. I don't love the drive to Pizza Hut Park for the practices, but Laiken loves the team and is really challenged by the workout. We have had a great time watching her skills continue to increase. Her team won and tied about as many as they lost, so all in all, it was a good first season. We start indoor this weekend, so I am looking forward to the climate controlled comfort as we watch the upcoming games.

Here is Nolan spending his time getting ready for when he can be on the field, too.

M.I.A.

2008-09-13T22:29:00.003-05:00

That is how I have felt for the last few weeks. Between getting back from our vacation, celebrating Laiken's birthday, school starting, and my promotion at work that is requiring more hours, I have had no free time. I finally got a grasp on a few things this week and am starting to get caught up. We are all settled back into our school routines; soccer and baseball games have started; and each day runs according to the color-coded calendar on the wall--so we are officially out of summer mode. :-(

Back To School

2008-09-13T21:48:00.005-05:00

As usual, the summer ended too quickly and we were all forced back into a routine of schedules, appointments, and obligations. We were kind of ready for the transition back, but as always, more than a little reluctant to give up our free time together.

The kids all got great teachers again this year and have lots of friends in their classes. We are so excited about everything that they will be doing and learning. I'm not sure how it happened but I now have a fifth grader. I clearly remember almost not being able to leave the building on the first day of Kindergarten, so I am not certain how so much time has passed between then and now. Neither she nor Carson needed me to walk them in this year, but of course I did anyway and I got my first day of school pictures. I am thinking that Laiken will ban me from walking her into middle school next year and I will deal with that when the time comes. I was doing fine on this first day of school until she announced as we walked through the doors, "Well, this is the last time I will walk through these doors on the first day of school." And, then the air left my lungs.

A few days later, as Nolan was off for his first day of preschool, I realized that in a few years I will be a 38 year old Kindergarten mom. I will be doing a field trip to the zoo when I am 38....sigh....

Birthday--Part 2

2008-09-13T21:04:00.009-05:00

While Carson has always been a fan of smaller birthday celebrations with a few close friends, Laiken loves the big parties. This year, we planned a joint party with one of her oldest friends, Kaitlin, who turned 10 about a week after Laiken did. Laiken and Kaitlin were in the same Kindergarten class and have been close ever since. It was great that they got to celebrate this special birthday together.

The girls then (age 5):

The girls now (age 10):
We rented out the Thunderbird Skate Center for the night, invited all the friends we could, and watched as our daughters celebrated their final birthdays as elementary school students. It was a really memorable night.

Laiken Turns Double Digits

2008-09-13T19:10:00.010-05:00

Laiken's birthday this year was long-awaited because she finally turned 10. I remember when I turned 10 and I can recall thinking that was such a great milestone because my age was finally a double digit number. Apparently, the appeal is the same today because Laiken was very excited to see her big day finally arrive.

On her birthday, we met Grandma, Papaw, and Joe for bowling and then lunch at Brio. It was Nolan's first attempt at bowling and there were times that his ball was rolling so slowly that it would stop on the lane. We laughed as he discovered the hand dryer and then used Joe's towel to try to clean the floors.

After lunch, we came back to the house for cake and gifts. Laiken got some new American Girl stuff for her doll and as she opened the gifts, the dichotomy became obvious. She is balancing between wanting to be all grown up and wanting to still play with her dolls. Laiken is such a great daughter and a wonderful person. She is headstrong and independent and has a love for life and for people. She has so much self-confidence and self-awareness. I remember holding her in the hospital after she was born and thinking that nothing could be more perfect. She's not perfect, of course, but I still have that same feeling of awe when I hear her talk or see her smile. As much as I don't want her to grow up, I am excited about getting to know each layer of the person she is becoming.

Gulf Shores Vacation

2008-08-25T22:23:00.015-05:00

We set out on our drive to Gulf Shores on August 7, and went as far as Baton Rouge before stopping to spend the night. You can easily make the drive to Gulf Shores without stopping, but after we had Nolan, we started breaking it up a little bit to make the trip easier on him. So, it's about 8 hours to Baton Rouge from Dallas and our kids are such great travelers that we only had to stop one time for a lunch/bathroom break. The joke is that I am more likely to need to stop than the kids are!

We spent Thursday night in Baton Rouge visiting an open-air mall and having dinner. The cooler weather there was a nice surprise from what we had been enduring at home and the kids were so happy to be out of the car (so was I!)

On Friday, we ate breakfast, filled the car up, and left to finish the drive. We were about two miles from the Louisiana/Mississippi border when Farrel asked if we should stop at the Stennis Space Center and tour it. He thought it would be a nice surprise for Laiken. Well, most of you who know me know that I don't do a lot of spontaneous events. Since the NASA welcome center is located right on the Mississippi border, I had about 5 minutes to decide and I did something very uncharacteristic and just went with it. I'm so glad we did. We have made that drive so many times and have never taken the time to stop. The people at the visitor center were so nice and gave us refreshments before loading us on a bus to take us into the space center. Stennis is where all of the engines are tested for the NASA program. If you visit at just the right time, you can sit on bleachers and watch as an engine goes through a test. We did not get to see an actual test, but we did get to tour the facilities and see some other cool things. There are 10 NASA sites in the U.S. and Laiken is determined that now we need to visit the other 8. I'm not thinking that I'm going to be planning my vacations around NASA sites... well, maybe to Florida....

Riding the bus to Stennis:

Posing by a real rocket engine:

Laiken pretending to walk on Mars:

We got settled into our condo on late Friday afternoon and the rest of the week is a sandy, sunny blur of water, more water, lazy days, and fun evenings out. Here is a sampling of how we spent our week--

Plenty of pool and beach time:

Waiting to ride the ferris wheel at The Wharf (At this point, Nolan was not so sure that he was going to ride--notice the look on his face!)

And here he is, a few minutes later, very happy to be riding!

Eating at the marina that same night:

After long days in the sun and water, the kids would wind down with a movie and popcorn. You will notice that there are three twin bed across this one room. We had booked a condo that had a kids' bedroom with two twin beds and a little bonus room with a twin bed in it for Laiken so that she wouldn't have to room with the boys. Well, the first night, we spent part of our time moving her bed into the boys' room so that they could all be together. I was a little aggravated, but also a little happy that she was realizing that things did tend to be more fun when they were all together.

Carson and Laiken begged us to let them go parasailing. We finally consented, thinking that they wouldn't really do it. Of course, they did it. Farrel and I only let them go up the minimum height of 400 feet and they were able to go tandem, which for some crazy reason made us feel a little better. Carson said next year he is going all the way up--800 feet. He has no fear and I'm not sure that's a good thing. They loved it and couldn't quit talking about the view!

Mid-week, after a fabulous dinner at Lambert's (seriously, if you are ever in the area, you have to go), we made our visit to The Track. Nolan was old enough to ride the go-carts this year and we convinced him to go, despite his aversion to loud noises.

He acted like he liked riding the go-carts, but I think he preferred the little kid rides much better.

Carson was a trooper and volunteered to ride the little train with Nolan so he wouldn't have to ride by himself.

I don't love miniature golf, and usually, I will let that be an activity that counts as a Daddy/kid event; but, I went this time and we laughed so hard watching Nolan that I was so glad I didn't miss it!

We spent several nights at the water's edge catching the crabs. We caught some of the big Blue ones, but Nolan loved getting the little Ghost crabs. They brought these up to the room before taking them back down to release them.

And the trip ended with the obligatory visit to the souvenir shop. I'm not sure how many years we have to travel to the same place before we can skip buying souvenirs, but we went again this year and I just cringed at the boys' purchases. A side note to this story--

Before I was a mom, I had this list of things that would not happen when I was a mother. One of the mandates was about toys. I had decided (pre-children, remember) that my kids would not have gender-biased toys. My girls would have fire trucks and my boys would have dolls and, naturally, because I presented them with a spectrum of playthings, they would love all their toys equally and not be tainted by society's perceptions of their abilities, likes, and dislikes based on nothing more than their genders. Furthermore, there would be no toys of violent nature in our home. Now this included, but was not limited to, guns, knives, arrows, and violent video games. I think that Carson was about 2 when he first put his index finger out and made a shooting sound at me. I was shocked, horrified, and scared. "Where would he get that?? Why would he want to shoot me? We don't shoot at people! He shouldn't even know what a gun is!" I spent a lot of time wondering where I had gone wrong and my parents and Farrel laughed at me, happy that Carson was going to be normal despite my best efforts (in their minds) to seriously mess him up. He did have a doll that he liked for a little while; but, mostly, he liked his "boy toys." So, back to vacation...

Carson bought himself his first toy gun at the souvenir shop when he was about 3. He used money given to him by his grandparents. Laiken was 5 that year and could not resist a pretty pink gun that came in a holster that just fit around her tiny little hips and so she purchased that one for herself. (Don't miss the irony here--my daughter bought a toy that was not in any way gender biased, but bought it in pink--apparently, I was 1/2 successful in my madness.) That is the only time Laiken has wanted a gun, but Carson has bought one for himself every year we have gone to that souvenir store. Like some weird rite of passage, Nolan was ecstatic to use his money this year to buy himself a gun. It just warms a mother's heart....

It was a fabulous week and, as usual, we were not ready to come home. The kids said we need to stay two weeks next year. Twist my arm!

Kid Swing Golf Tournament

2008-08-25T22:01:00.007-05:00

July rounded out with Carson and Laiken going to camps hosted by the school district. Carson took an "Olympic" camp and spent the day learning about the history of the Olympics and participating in all kinds of sporting events. Laiken chose a math, science, engineering camp. Now, you could not have paid me enough to take that kind of camp when I was her age. My dad was a mechanical engineer for T.I. when I was growing up and he wanted me to love all of that stuff and I just could never find a passion for it. I tried... I even took Calculus classes in college thinking I could learn to love it enough to make it my career, but I just couldn't. Maybe the gene skips a generation because Laiken does love her math and science.

The Monday after the camps wrapped up, Carson got to play in a golf tournament at Stonebridge benefiting the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital. He raised $350 dollars for the event. His team got first place for their age division and Carson got awarded the longest drive award for the boys. It was such a great event and he is already looking forward to next year. He has also convinced Laiken that she needs to play, too. Farrel is so happy that he can barely stand it--you know, anything to justify spending more time on the golf course!

Accepting his award for the longest drive:

With his award for his team placing first:

Safety Town

2008-07-23T20:27:00.005-05:00

While Laiken and Rebekah were learning about how to be good babysitters, Carson, Nolan, and David were riding around outside Safety Town. This was the first year that Nolan has gotten to ride his bike there and he was so cute on the little streets. He did have some trouble figuring out which side of the road he was supposed to stay on but once he got the hang of it he was able to follow the arrows.

Trip to Houston

2008-07-23T18:23:00.009-05:00

Farrel had a lot of overtime to work during the last few weeks, so the kids and I headed to Houston for a few days to pass the time and visit with family. Our first stop (which ended up being our only stop) was at my cousin Lisa's house. The kids had a blast playing in Colby's clubhouse and swimming in the pool. I was just happy hanging out with Lisa and Justin and getting to enjoy some adult conversation. The plan was to leave Lisa's on Monday and head to my other cousin's house; however, on Saturday, Nolan spiked a 104 fever and we decided it was probably best not to spread his germs to another home. Lisa was gracious enough to break out the Lysol and assured us that there was nothing Nolan could give her kids that they had not already been exposed to at day care. Fortunately, no one else got sick and Nolan ended up feeling better by the time we were coming back into Dallas. We joked that he must have just been homesick!

The boys standing guard at the treehouse:

Laiken escaping the boys for some peace and quiet in the pool:

On Monday, we were able to meet up at NASA with Stephanie and her kiddos for a very fun day of exploring and learning. As most of you know, Laiken's life dream is to be an astronaut and to be the first person to walk on Mars. While we were there, we learned that the president has challenged NASA to put someone on Mars by 2030. Laiken quickly determined that she would be 32 at that time and now wants to get in on that trip.

Carson was excited to try all of the new climbing and bouncing activities that they have recently added. Here are some pics of the fun:

Fishing on Texoma

2008-07-23T18:13:00.004-05:00

Farrel surprised Laiken and Carson by planning for all of them to go on a guided fishing trip on Lake Texoma. Laiken was not sure that she wanted to go since it meant that they would be on the lake for 5-6 straight hours. Much to her surprise, the time flew by and she and Carson are both ready to go again.

They caught 45 fish. Here they are with some of the biggest ones:

Carson is 8!

2008-07-23T16:21:00.005-05:00

Carson and Laiken always have such a hard time waiting for their summer birthdays. Most of their friends have birthdays during the school year and my kids hate being the youngest in their classes. I can't imagine what it is going to be like in high school when they are last to get their drivers' licenses! With my September birthday, I was always one of the oldest in my class and I loved it, so I do understand why it must be frustrating to wait. A few weeks ago, the wait ended for Carson and he turned 8 on July 7.

Carson celebrated this year with his dinner of choice, Chili's, and then cake and ice cream at our house on the night of the 7th. Then, on the 8th, Farrel took Carson, Laiken, Jake, and Dylan to the Rangers game to round out the big event.

Carson got a Wii for his birthday and some games to go with it. Here is a video of him opening up the game he wanted most. When is the last time you opened a gift that had you this excited?

So, Carson is 8 now and a big boy for his age. Sometimes, I forget that he is only 8 and I am too hard on him. He is such a sweet kid who can and always has been able to read my moods better than Laiken does. He is energetic and curious and, at times, mischievous. He loves practical jokes and a good laugh. I worry a lot about how well I am doing raising my boys. I try to imagine what their future wives will think about the job I did. And then just imagining my sons married makes my heart hurt a little. Carson used to cry when he had to be separated from me. He was content standing with me in the kitchen or helping me fold laundry just to be near me. Those days are gone. He is busy with other things and I can barely get him to stop long enough to give me a decent hug. The big affections will return someday for another girl, but the days when I was the center of his world are gone. That's normal, I know, but I'm just not sure how it happened so fast and I'm a little sad that I didn't stop to fully appreciate the time when he was all mine.

Poor Macey

2008-07-07T23:58:00.002-05:00

The other day, after seeing a Golden Retriever that he thought would make a great pet, Nolan looked at me and said, "I tink we bedder take Macey back to dat dog bus." We adopted Macey from the mobile SPCA unit. Nolan remembers going onto the bus to sign the paperwork and thought that we needed to turn her back in. I told him that Macey wasn't going anywhere. Nolan on the other hand..... I'm just kidding!!

What Time is It?

2008-07-07T22:39:00.006-05:00

Well, if that line doesn't bring a song to mind, then you have not had a High School Musical-obsessed child in your house for the last year and a half. Just because we had not had enough of the HSM mania, Laura and I took the girls to Fair Park on Sunday to see the theater version. We had gotten the tickets back in November, but just recently told the girls that we were going. They were so excited and could not believe that we had kept the secret for that long! We managed to inject a little adult time into the evening by stopping at Brio on the way and enjoying a GREAT dinner. At the show, the girls had the best time and saw every single dance move thanks to the orchestra-level seats that put them front and center. After the show, Laiken and Alli snagged a few autographs and then had their pictures made with "Troy." The girls were giggly and giddy about that experience which is always strange and funny for me to watch. Who let my daughter start growing up??! It was a great night and, no, it wasn't Les Mis or Miss Saigon, but it was still a really good show.

Back Home!

2008-07-07T22:30:00.006-05:00

Susan and I went to pick Taylor and Laiken up from camp on Friday. They had a blast and are already talking about going back next year. Laiken got the "Best Camper" award for her group, so she was really excited about that and the girls talked and talked about the activities, the other campers, the food, and anything else that Susan and I could pry out of them.

I was so happy to see Laiken and get my girl home. The testosterone level in the house was becoming unbearable. I love my boys, but all the jokes about bodily functions and the constant ball-playing and yelling in the house were wearing me down. I was ready for Laiken to get back home and restore the balance!

On Saturday, we met my mom and dad and my aunt and uncle for lunch. Afterwards, Farrel took the boys home and Laiken and I spent the afternoon getting pedicures and haircuts. I love, love, love that I have a girl who likes to get sweaty and dirty while playing soccer and exploring creeks and then can turn it all around and be a girly-girl, too.

Camp Deer Run

2008-06-30T18:30:00.005-05:00

Laiken left for sleep-away camp yesterday. This is the third summer that she has gone away to camp for a week and she was so excited! The last two summers, she went to Camp Huawni which is located down near Nacogdoches. This year, she was old enough to go to Camp Deer Run and her friend, Taylor, got to go with her. Carson was really bummed because you have to be 9 to go to this camp. We reminded him that next year he would be old enough to go, too. We go back to pick her up on Friday. I can't wait to hear about all of their adventures!

Ready to go:

In front of their cabin:

Checking out the horses:

Saturday with Kasey

2008-06-30T17:57:00.007-05:00

Kasey was in town this week visiting her brothers and I was lucky enough to be able to have all day Saturday to spend with her. We did all the girly things that you should get to do with your best friend. We started with shopping--I'm not sure when the last time I walked a mall was, but it was really nice to get to go and not have to stop for a carousel ride! We had great salads for lunch and never even had to consider what might be on the kid's menu. Then, we went to see Sex and the City. I think we were some of the only people who had not yet seen it and we were so glad we went. It is the quintessential friend movie and some of the scenes are so real and so representative of periods of a life-long friendship that we found ourselves more emotional than we expected to be during the movie. There were, of course, a few gratuitous scenes that I could have done without, but really it had so much to say about all the little life events (and the big ones) that would never be the same if you didn't have your best girlfriends in your life.

Later that day, we came home for Kasey to visit with Farrel and the kids. They were all so happy to see her and it was then that I felt a pang of what we missed on a daily basis by living so far away from each other. It was a great day filled with so much laughing and talking that my throat was sore. If only we had made it to the airport on time, it would have been a perfect trip! Sorry again, Kasey--apparently, I didn't want you to leave...

Signing (and singing) at Church

2008-06-26T22:31:00.003-05:00

For the last month, Laiken has been going to sign language classes on Wednesday nights as part of her youth activities at church. Most of her friends chose to do chorus, but she was more interested in learning to sign like the interpreters do for our hearing impaired members. One of the interpreters volunteered to work with the children and this Sunday, they got to sign the song, As the Deer, during worship. Laiken was excited and nervous but the strange look on her face during the song is the result of the mouthful of expanders that she just got put in last Wednesday! She was still having trouble talking, much less singing; but, really, what is so cute is her hands-- so just try to focus there.

Big Fun on the Weekend

2008-06-26T21:23:00.010-05:00

Well, both Laiken and Carson had big events this past Friday night. My friend, Monica, said the other day that she was getting a little envious of her daughter's social calendar. I had to laugh because I've been feeling a little bit the same here lately.

For those of you who do not have to keep up with the new releases of Disney movies and all things preteen, let me catch you up. Friday night was the premier of Camp Rock starring THE JONAS BROTHERS!!!!! (The capitalization and exclamation points are intended to indicate the level of drama that is expressed when that phrase is uttered by 9 and 10 year old girls.)

When Laiken asked to have some girls over to watch the movie and spend the night, her list of girls to invite quickly grew to 11 friends. Apparently, none of her friends travel in the summer, so everyone was able to make it! :-) I was a little worried about space--for those of you who have seen my little house, you know why I was worried. Luckily, girls this age don't take up much space and no one seemed to notice that they were shoulder to shoulder during the movie.

We had pizza and ice cream sundaes. The girls talked and talked and talked, mostly about the movie, their favorite Jonas brother, their favorite Jonas Brother's song.... When I chimed in that my favorite was "What I Go To School For" my daughter looked at me with a face that indicated that she was wishing that a huge hole would open up in the floor and that I would just drop right through it. "MOM! STOP IT!!" Apparently, we have reached the point where I am supposed to pay for food and drinks, provide entertainment, and then scuttle into a corner so as not to embarrass her.

The movie started at 7:00 and the girls counted down (along with the help of the counter that Disney so conveniently provided.)

After the movie, we were lucky enough to be able to walk to Susan's pool and swim for an hour so that the girls could burn off all of their energy before we settled in for the night.

All ready for bed at 11:30 and the last few fell asleep at 1:15. Whew! It was a great night and Macey and I finally recovered by Monday afternoon sometime (look how she is cowering in the picture above).

While Camp Rock was going on at our house, Farrel and Carson were at Beaver's Bend for an overnight camp out with the other guys in Farrel's family. Carson was so excited to have this time with Dad to himself. They got to canoe, kayak, sleep in the tent, and enjoy the wildlife. Carson caught a turtle that he wanted to bring home. (Dad said "no" so it stayed put--thank you, Farrel!) Besides the COLD water, they had a great time and are ready to go back. I think Laiken, Nolan, and I are joining in next time!

Here's the turtle:

Farrel and Carson in the canoe:

Thinking that maybe he can touch that deer.... (also, feeling like he's about 1/2 grown because he's getting to drink a whole Dr. Pepper right out of the can--can you tell Dad was in charge???)

Manning the kayak all by himself:

Father's Day

2008-06-21T20:23:00.003-05:00

We had a very nice, quiet Father's Day to celebrate two of the most important men in my life. What a lucky person I was to have such a great dad growing up so that I would know what kind of dad that I wanted my kiddos to have.

Here's Farrel relaxing with the kids (or trying to)...

And at my mom and dad's later that day...

And Joe and I with Papa...

Camps--Week 2 & VBS

2008-06-21T19:46:00.006-05:00

The second week out of school didn't slow down any as we went to the next round of camps in the morning and to VBS in the evenings. This time, Carson was playing baseball at the Boyd Baseball Camp and Laiken was practicing soccer at Boyd's Soccer Camp. The perks of these camps were that the high school players helped out. Carson and Laiken loved spending that time with the older kids and with the Boyd coaches. Laiken got awarded Best Dribbler and, with her partner, won the 2 vs. 2 championship. Carson put so much into his 3 hours that we picked him up red and sweaty every day. I guess by all accounts it was a great week.

This year's VBS focused on the lessons from the story of prodigal son. Laiken, who apparently had never really paid attention to the story before, came home after the 2nd night of VBS and said, "That story is getting really good! The guy has run out of money and all of his friends have turned against him." I hope she paid attention to how it ended. :-)

Camps--Week 1

2008-06-21T16:37:00.005-05:00

During the first week out of school, Laiken went to Girl Scout Twilight Camp. She had a great time doing all of the activities and meeting the other area Girl Scouts. We had to make "swaps" for the girls to trade to put on their hats. Well, you know how creative I am, so I really struggled with this. Laiken had lots of great ideas that required about 72 supplies each and a minimum of about an hour worth of production to make each tiny swap. Since we had to make about 200 of the swaps, I was all about simplicity. We finally agreed on the following ones--creative enough to meet Laiken's standard, easy enough for me to round up the supplies.

I did let Laiken take all of the creative license that she wanted while decorating the bucket that she had to carry around all week. This is what she designed:

Carson spent the evenings that week at the FC Dallas Soccer Camp. I really have never known any kid with more endurance than Carson. His energy level at the end of playing is the same as it is at the beginning. Every night, we had to wait for him to come off the field after taking just a few last shots or dribbling down the field one more time. Of course, he was star-struck, too, at getting to see some of the players. This is the second year for this camp and I think it was even better this year. Maybe that's because it didn't rain every night like it did when he was there last June!

Nolan spent a lot of time just hanging out and telling me that he "is old enough to do doz camps." I'm guessing that next year, I'll be booking camps for all three of them!

End of Year Parties

2008-06-16T22:56:00.003-05:00

Well, I have been a little sad about writing this post because as much as I love summer and was ready to have the kids home with me, I was also sad about my kids having to move on from the teachers that they have both had this year.

Carson was fortunate enough to have had the same fabulous teacher since the last 9 weeks of his Kindergarten year. Mrs. R is all he has ever known. She was a long-term sub in Kinder, then hired by the school to teach first grade. Carson was in her first grade class and then lucky enough to move up with her when she was asked to teach second grade this year. It is rare that a teacher gets to know your child so intimately. Mrs. R knew all of Carson's strengths and weaknesses. She knew exactly what to do to get him to do his very best and she loved him. Our lives have been entwined with hers for the last 2 1/2 years and to say that we will all miss Carson being in her class is an understatement.

For Laiken, 4th grade was a year of tremendous growth. There were increased academic expectations and increased responsibilities. This year was also a much more social year than past ones have been. Close friendships were solidified and we were so lucky that Laiken surrounded herself with such an awesome, positive group of girls. Laiken was also blessed with one of the most dedicated, professional teachers that I have ever known. Mrs. B has been such an inspiration and friend to Laiken and I really can't imagine Laiken not having Mrs. B's influence on a daily basis. Mrs. B expanded Laiken's knowledge of and love for math and science. But more than that, she encouraged Laiken to think, to question, and to challenge herself. Mrs. B took the time to get to know the students and she appreciated all of them for their unique personalities and strengths. Mrs. B was open and honest with parents and students alike. She is one of those teachers that we will still remember years from now when we are revisiting memories of Laiken's elementary school years.

To close out the year, the kids had small parties in the classrooms and I held back just a few tears wondering how it is possible that next year I will have a 3rd and a 5th grader.

I'm back!

2008-06-06T23:34:00.002-05:00

I didn't intend to take a hiatus from blogging, but these last few weeks have been crazy. Nolan finished preschool, my parents left on a cruise (which has left me without a babysitter!), Laiken and Carson have had all of their end of year stuff going on, and Laiken has been having tests run to see what might be wrong with her digestive system. Since school was over yesterday, I am now able to take a breath and get caught up on some things. Here are the highlights of the last few weeks. Tomorrow, I will do a recap of the end of year parties. Hope everyone is doing great. Let the summer fun begin!!

End of Year Musical

2008-06-06T23:10:00.005-05:00

Fourth grade was the year of the recorder. Over the past several months, I have heard "Hot Cross Buns" played on said recorder more times than I care to count. To make matters worse, Nolan likes to pretend that he can play the songs that Laiken is playing, so very often, he will try to entertain me throughout the day as he "plays" music for us. Sam's does not sell a large enough bottle of Advil to counteract the headaches resulting from the tremendous amounts of noise that have been going on in my house and in the car. (Yes, the car, because I was an idiot once and told Laiken she could practice on the way to school. Notice I said 'once'.)

The culmination of all of this practicing was an end of year musical at the school. You have never heard Ode to Joy until you have heard it played on plastic faux instruments by a group of 4th graders! No, really, it was cute. The kids were all very excited about the event and the finale of This Little Light of Mine sung while the kids waved glow sticks was absolutely adorable. Here is a very short clip of it:

Here are Carson and Laiken showing off their art work that was on display for the event. Carson created a dog out of recycled materials and Laiken made a wall hanging using an antiquing method.

Nolan Turns 3!

2008-06-06T22:22:00.005-05:00

On May 24, we celebrated Nolan's 3rd birthday in a very small get-together at the very commercialized Peter Piper Pizza. Nolan loves to play the games and he had a great time feeding tokens into the machines. I was pleasantly surprised that we had the place to ourselves for the first hour we were there. I'm not kidding! It was absolutely great (well, as great as a kids' pizza place can be!!)

Nolan's due date was June 1, 2005. When he was born, Laiken was finishing up her 1st grade year and Carson was in his final few days of preschool. Carson's preschool was scheduled to have field day on May 24 and I wanted to go up and help and take pictures, so I was determined not to go into labor until the 25th. Because Carson had weighed 9 pounds, 11 ounces at birth, my ob was not going to let me carry Nolan any longer than the 25th. I was scheduled for an induction that day and besides, how cool would 5-25-05 have been for a birth date!?

The night of May 23, I started having what I had hoped were just some pains. Farrel went to sleep and I remember lying in bed trying to convince myself that I was not going into labor. Remember I wanted to be at Carson's field day the next morning and this was messing up my whole plan!! You all know how much I need for everything to be scheduled and planned out! By 1:30 a.m. on the 24th, it was obvious that I was in full labor and I had to wake Farrel up so we could get to the hospital.

Nolan was born at 10:30 a.m. on the 24th and weighed 9 pounds, 6 ounces. Despite my best laid plans, Carson went to his field day with my parents while Nolan entered the world on his own terms at the time of his choosing.

Last Day of Preschool

2008-06-06T22:06:00.004-05:00

Nolan finished up preschool on May 22. I'm not sure what kind of joke it is to end preschool a full two weeks before the older kids get out, but let me tell you, I was not quite ready to have my little sidekick with me all week long! I still had a huge laundry list of errands to run, gifts to buy, and housework to get done before Nolan got out for the summer. Next school year, I am going to be working on my time management skills!

NTCA finished the year with a field day and Nolan was so happy about that because he wanted to "pway dose games wike Waiken and Cawson did at deir school." We were assigned to fill water balloons and he could hardly wait to get to throw them at his friends.

So, his first year of preschool has come to a close and I can hardly believe it. The time has flown and he is such a different kid than he was just 9 months ago. I remember when Laiken and Carson were this age and how fast the time has passed. I will remind myself of that as I am answering his zillion questions a day!

It's HOT...

2008-05-20T20:59:00.004-05:00

The temperature in my home right now is 86 degrees. No, our AC is not broken, well at least not that I know of. Yes, I am hot.

I could turn on the air, but that would be admitting to my husband that I couldn't make it as long as he could without turning on the AC. And, you know me, I am way too stubborn to do that! Most of our friends have been running their ACs for weeks, but we are holding out. Yes, we are insane.

A few years ago, Farrel and I started playing a game to see how long we could go before turning on the AC for the summer. You know, once you turn it on, you can't turn it back off because you become so quickly acclimated to the cool air. Last year, the goal was to see how low our electric bill would be if we could wait until June 1 to turn on the air. Our bill was $70! We laughed when we saw the bill--mission completed--and promptly turned on the air and reveled in the fact that we could move around without sweating.

So, you are thinking to yourselves, "Boy, those Ritchies are hard up for entertainment!" I agree...we should leave this hot house and go to a movie or something, but it would just require too much effort in this heat.

Girl Scout Party at the Zone

2008-05-20T20:55:00.002-05:00

The Girl Scouts from Laiken's troop met up last night at The Zone for their end-of-year party. They had pizza and played laser tag before calling the year to a close. Thanks to Alicia and Karla for a great year of fun and activities!

Last Day of Speech

2008-05-20T19:44:00.014-05:00

Yesterday, Nolan had his last in-home speech therapy session with Miss Andi. Andrea has been coming to our home twice a month since July to work with Nolan and it was bittersweet that yesterday was her last visit. The progress that he has made in the last 10 months has been nothing short of a miracle.

When Nolan turned two last May, he had a vocabulary of five functional words and there were days that he would not even say those. Most of our interactions were spent with him breaking down into a tantrum while I tried to figure out what he wanted. To say that there was a lot of tension is an understatement. I am a teacher by training and I could not help my child learn to speak. The frustration and guilt that I felt from my inadequacies are hard to describe. All kinds of things went through my head....autism, hearing loss, emotional and/or learning disorders...

At his 24 month check-up, the pediatrician finally agreed that Nolan's language development was significantly delayed (something I had known since he was about 15 months old). Although I already knew Nolan was delayed, there was something about the official diagnosis that was hard for me to process. Due to the fact that Nolan only had speech delays, the doctor felt we could rule out autism, but hearing loss was still a possibility. Fortunately, two extensive rounds of tests conducted last summer indicated that he has normal hearing function.

In September, on the recommendation of the pediatrician and the audiologist, we enrolled Nolan into the same preschool that Laiken and Carson had attended. I had intended to keep him home with me one more year, but the doctors felt like it might help jump start Nolan's speech. I often wondered during that first month of school what kind of mother left her child in a strange situation with no ability to verbalize what he needed or wanted and no ability to tell me what had happened while he was away from me. The guilt ran high and there were days, amidst his tears and tantrums, that I almost took him back home with me.

By mid-October, we began to see a shift. Nolan became comfortable with Andi and looked forward to her visits. He was crying much less on school mornings and his teacher was indicating that his participation in class had increased. And, miraculously, he was finally developing a vocabulary and creating sentences. His speech was very robot-like, as if he was startled by and unsure of his own voice, but the verbal ability was there. Almost overnight, he could name things all over the house and ask for what he wanted. A month or so later, he was able to tell stories of what had happened during his day, he asked for certain things for Christmas, and he began singing. The progression since then has been like a flood-gate opening: all of the talking, singing, rhyming, and babbling that had been bottled up for over two years just started spilling out and hasn't quit since.

No one could ever explain to us why Nolan took so long to talk. Doctors and specialists used the all-encompassing, "Well, he's a boy and sometimes they just take longer..." excuse. That explanation was like nails on a chalkboard to me. I wanted to understand what was happening to my child and how to fix it. Blaming his condition on his gender seemed inappropriate and artificial. Nolan turns 3 on Saturday and by all indications, he is a typically-developing child. He astounds us now with his vocabulary. His memory and observation skills are eerily keen. He makes unusual comparisons that surprise us and he has this great sense of humor that keeps us laughing all the time. He is a little spoiled, very stubborn, and extremely active, and thankfully, I can hardly remember a time when he couldn't talk to us.

Almost Summer!

2008-05-18T21:31:00.003-05:00

This afternoon found us at Lifetime enjoying the pool with the Wright, Jones, and Grimes families. It was so great to be back out in the sun, watching the kids play and getting hot enough to finally brave getting into the water that is still COLD! Monica said, "I forgot how much I was missing this!" I totally agree. I love, love, love being at the pool with friends and now I am seriously counting the days until summer break. I do have to say, though, that seeing Marcy and Angie in their swimsuits makes me wish that I had been working out and counting calories as diligently as they have!! I'm starting tomorrow.... :-)

And since, somehow, we forgot to get a picture of me and my sweet kiddos last week for Mother's Day, here's the one we took after church today:

Go Stars!

2008-05-15T09:52:00.005-05:00

Farrel got on StubHub yesterday and got some tickets to take Carson to the Stars playoff game last night. With 3 losses going into last night's game, the tickets were a little more plentiful as many Stars fans had already given up hope for a win. Carson was ecstatic to be going and I hid the little bit of disappointment over the fact that apparently this was a father-son event. They got home around 10:15 and Carson was crazy with excitement about the Stars 3-1 win. He thinks we should plan on driving to Detroit this weekend to watch game 5. With gas prices what they are, I think he can forget about that plan!

I Jinxed It!

2008-05-13T11:44:00.006-05:00

Kasey and I have been friends since 6th grade when she moved to Van Alstyne. We became life-long friends, sharing in the years of middle school angst, her parents' divorce and remarriage, her mother's crazy mood swings circa 1987, countless moves due to one thing or another, and more life events than I can even begin to recount. In the 24 years since we first met, we have only spent 3 and 1/2 years living in the same town, but the friendship, unlike most, is not bound by physical proximity, but by a shared history and a deep understanding that only comes from knowing someone as well as we know each other. Growing up, Kasey and I were almost total opposites. She was outgoing, confident, and a daredevil. She didn't follow any rules and I spent a lot of my time with her worried that I was going to get in trouble. Her house was crazy. She had two older brothers and a younger sister and someone was always coming or going. Her parents were funny and irreverent at times, but loved big and open and, at times, fought big and open. Being a part of Kasey's world was my parallel universe, literally, and I loved it.

Kasey and I have a running joke that many of the things that have happened in her life could only happen in the Harris family. To that end, we have laughed and cried on more than one occasion about whatever current drama has infiltrated her life. This week, I made the mistake of saying to her, "Things sure have been quiet with you lately." I'm not kidding that less than 12 hours later, she was calling me with revelations that she should not have had to hear which resulted in a 3 hour talk at Starbucks with her ex-husband. There are not many things worse than having to endure a lengthy emotional talk in a public setting, but I'm hoping that it helped with the closure. And, for what it's worth, K, I'm really sorry and I will do my best not to jinx you again.

Mother's Day Weekend

2008-05-13T10:47:00.003-05:00

We spent most of Saturday at my mom and dad's. I am really lucky that my parents aren't just my parents, but my friends, too. I think a lot of people never get to experience that as adults and I am really fortunate that my relationship with my parents is what it is. We talk, we spend time together, they are influential people in my children's lives, and have always been my biggest supporters. Oh, we disagree sometimes and we have sarcastic dialogue that, at times, substitutes for what might really need to be said; but, considering you can't choose your family, I think I couldn't have been luckier to have these people in my life. So, Happy Mother's Day to my mom--my role model for the most demanding, most rewarding role in my life. My brother and I didn't always make it easy for her, but she always loved us regardless. She always helped out at school, hosted countless sleep-overs, parties, and dinners with our friends, maintained a home for her family who never did enough to help out and make her job any easier, and from the time I was 10 years old, she worked full-time. I didn't know then what it took for her to do all of that, but I do now and no amount of thanks could ever be enough.
As for Sunday, my family couldn't have been sweeter to me. Cards, gifts, dinner at Cantina Laredo, and a completely relaxing day made for a great Mother's Day! Thanks to Farrel and my little dumplings for loving me so much.

Field Day

2008-05-13T10:29:00.003-05:00

Laiken and Carson's school has THE BEST Field Day every year. It is really well-organized, with lots of different games and races and loud music playing in the background. The P.E. teachers even include several water games (which the kids love, of course.) I usually volunteer to help, but I took a break this year. I'm guessing that next year I will be working a station again since my kids were crushed that I did not sign up to help. When I ran down the list of everything else that I HAD helped with this year, Laiken said, "Well, we still wanted you to work at Field Day." Sigh... I did go up and snap a few pictures and my kids were having such a great time that they barely missed me volunteering!

Trying to Get Some Sleep

2008-05-07T13:12:00.002-05:00

After we moved Nolan out of his crib into a bed, he did really well with the adjustment. He stayed in and slept there all night and still continued to have good naps during the day. Now, the new has worn off, and since he and Carson share a room, Carson has been having to deal with more of it than is fair. On several nights, Nolan has gotten Carson out of bed to get him a drink or to put the covers back on him. At bedtime, Nolan will often stand beside Carson's bed, refusing to get back into his own bed without intervention from me and Farrel. Last night, Carson apparently quit fighting it because this is what we saw before we went to bed:

This morning when Farrel asked Carson why he let Nolan get in bed with him, Carson said, "At least he quit fussing and went to sleep." Poor, sweet boy. He is such a great big brother and we are definitely going to have to get some stricter bedtime policies in place for Nolan.

Gladney Night at Six Flags

2008-05-07T12:53:00.004-05:00

After a long week of TAKS, we headed out to Six Flags and met up with some other families for a night of fun. If you have never been to Six Flags during the Gladney Fundraiser, then mark your calendars now for next year's event! This was our seventh year to go and we have never been disappointed. Your ticket cost goes to support Gladney's amazing adoption programs and the whole evening is family-oriented. The best part? The park is closed to the public, so there are no crowds!! We rode the Shock Wave 4 times without leaving our seats (could have stayed put for more, but that was about as many times as my head could handle it!) For the big rides like Titan and Texas Giant, we waited through one cycle before boarding. The kids are so spoiled to going on Gladney night that when we had to wait about 10 minutes to ride one of the more popular rides, they started grumbling about the "long wait."

Cartoons with Nolan

2008-05-07T12:44:00.006-05:00

I realized today that the opening song for Little Einsteins says, "We're going on a trip on our favorite rocket ship..." Really?? These kids have access to so many rocket ships that they can designate one as being their favorite? I am feeling a little gypped--I'm still waiting on the jet pack that was supposed to be available to everyone by now, much less a fleet of rocket ships to choose from as my mode of transportation.

Nolan's New Wheels

2008-04-29T20:52:00.010-05:00

Ever since we gave Laiken and Carson a 4-wheeler for Christmas, Nolan has felt a little left out. A few weeks ago, my mom and I were bargain hunting and came across this great ride-on for nine dollars. It needed a battery and no one could assure us that it would work, but it was in such great shape that I figured I would chance it. We bought a battery, got it all charged, and it works perfectly! We let him try it out today. He can maneuver it really well--so well that he was cracking himself up while intentionally running over his daddy's newspaper.

TAKS Day

2008-04-29T12:53:00.005-05:00

The state tests continued today. Laiken wasn't nervous--just ready to get them behind her. She wore her "Most Likely to Save the World" t-shirt for the occasion. I think it was a subconscious reminder to everyone that she has much bigger things on her mind than passing a state mandated test. She will be taking the Math test today and the Reading test tomorrow. Each day, after the students finish, they can not have anything on their desks, not even a book. There is no recess, no specials class, no trips to the library, and if students need to go to the bathroom, they have to be escorted. Laiken was not excited about getting through the ordeal. The reward? We get to enjoy the Gladney Fundraiser at Six Flags on Thursday night! I'm thinking that will help make the TAKS testing nothing more than a bad memory!

I was a little too late....

2008-04-27T21:26:00.008-05:00

this year to get good Bluebonnet pictures. Every time I thought about going, it was either raining or we were heading to soccer or some other activity. I packed the kids up this afternoon and found a little patch with the last vestiges of blooms for the year and snapped a few pictures. The kids grumbled, of course. They do not see any reason why I should drag them out every year and plop them on the ground with bees and ants simply to take pictures among our state flower. I can't really explain to them why I feel so compelled to get this annual picture. I think it has something to do with the brief period of time that we get to enjoy the sight of the flowers--a metaphor for the whole experience of having children (Wow--that was deep, huh??). I also think it has to do with my dad's profound love for this state and for everything associated with Texas. He asked me to take Laiken the year she was born and get a picture of her in the Bluebonnets. She was 9 months old at the time and the pictures were adorable. Every year since then, I have retaken the pictures. Some years, we have had fabulous fields to snap in; other years, like this one, we have had a little tiny group of the flowers. The kids asked me how long they have to do this and I told them that they would take Bluebonnet pictures every year until they left for college. I was not very popular after that! So far, I have 9 years of photos that, eventually, I will use to make a beautiful collage. Don't laugh, Monica--I will get the pictures printed someday!!

Yummy!

2008-04-26T22:53:00.002-05:00

I made treats to take to Laiken and Carson's classes this week for Student Appreciation. Not to be left out, Nolan helped himself to some of the leftover cake batter--one of the simplest joys of childhood!

1,000 Words

2008-04-20T16:58:00.007-05:00

My little brother, Joe, has always believed that second place was nothing more than first loser. Needless to say, he takes his sports competitions seriously. On numerous occasions, his reactions to a loss were out of proportion to the event itself and sportsmanship was nowhere on the radar. (I love you, Joe; but, you know it's true!) Apparently, this genetic trait, lying somewhere dormant in me, was passed on to my oldest son. We have watched more than one game where Carson has let his emotions take over, where we have had to threaten not to let him play anymore until he can be a more graceful loser, and where we have had to remind him that you can't win them all. It has been a constant struggle for us as parents to navigate these emotions and to teach our son to channel them appropriately.

The other day, I opened up a file of pictures that had been sent to me by one of the parents on our soccer team last fall. This picture was taken after the team endured a particularly difficult loss. Carson finished the game red-faced both from playing hard and from being mad. He was holding back tears as Farrel quietly reminded him to remember what was important. It is one of the most poignant pictures of my children that anyone has ever snapped and it captures a whole story in the one little frame.

Great Wolf Again

2008-04-14T21:12:00.007-05:00

We had so much fun at Great Wolf on New Year's Eve, that we decided to go again while the kids were out of school for the long weekend. We were happy that the Woodalls booked, too, and despite a few customer service issues, we had a great time. Susan was a good sport and even rode "the scary rides"!! The place was packed--apparently, everyone had the same idea we did--and we ended up seeing several people we knew. I saw a friend from high school and, let me tell you, there is nothing quite like catching up with someone while you are dripping wet and wearing a swimsuit! I mean, I love catching up with old friends, but I would really prefer to do it while I am fully clothed!! :-)

Back to the Majestic

2008-04-14T20:32:00.004-05:00

Thanks to a generous grant from Target, Carson's class got to take another field trip to the Majestic to see Henry and Mudge, a musical production. I had a group of 4 boys who were very well-behaved despite the fact that the actors sang almost every word of the entire play! Afterwards, we went to the park to let everyone fill their bellies and run off some steam. It would have been a perfect idea if it hadn't been for the high winds and intermittent rain!! Oh well, the kids had a great time, even if the chaperones were grumbling a little bit.... who, me, grumbling????!!

Umm...it's a race car??

2008-04-02T22:23:00.003-05:00

Nolan went grocery shopping with me on Monday morning and he rode in one of the car baskets. When he had to get out, he told me that he wanted to come home and make a race car. I thought he would forget on our drive home, but no such luck. I started looking for some supplies and managed to help him make this:

Nolan had a lot of fun "driving" around the house the rest of the day. When Carson and Laiken got home, they just looked at it. Laiken, my very crafty, creative child was mortified. "Mom! Is that the best you could do?" she asked. Even Carson laughed. In my defense, I did try to get Nolan to let me put a racing stripe on the side but he didn't want one.

Trip to American Girl

2008-04-02T22:10:00.002-05:00

On Sunday afternoon, we headed to the American Girl store with a bunch of friends for a fun afternoon of shopping and dinner. Uncle Joe gave Laiken a very generous gift certificate at Christmas and she had been planning for months what she was going to buy with it. Of course, her list changed when she actually got in the store and was able to look at everything. Yes, I think we looked at every single item in the place! I just had to shake my head as she paid to have her doll's hair done. Looking at the pictures later, Farrel started laughing and said, "Look at the ladies' faces--they look so serious about fixing doll hair!" It's true--they did! Laiken and the other girls had the best time. We were practically the only ones in the store--I'm not sure how we lucked out like that! After several hours of watching dolls' hair being styled, trying on clothes, and finalizing purchases, we all went upstairs for a nice dinner and even better conversation. Thanks to everyone for an unforgettable day!

Night at the Museum

2008-04-02T22:03:00.003-05:00

Laiken's Girl Scout troop got to spend the night at the museum on Friday night. They had a great time and spent the evening doing all kinds of hands-on science learning. Thanks to Alicia, Karla, and Cecilia for planning and chaperoning!

Blue Ribbon Student

2008-04-02T21:47:00.002-05:00

On Friday, Laiken was named the Blue Ribbon student for her class for the month of March. It was a great beginning to a big weekend. She is a great student and we are so proud of her.

Dancing with Nolan

2008-03-25T20:04:00.009-05:00

I was folding laundry tonight and had the t.v. on in the background. Idol was recording on the DVR, so I had turned the channel to something else. I don't normally watch Dancing with the Stars, but that is where I stopped tonight. Farrel was at work, Laiken was at soccer practice, Carson was watching a basketball game on the t.v. in our bedroom and Nolan was helping me with the laundry. I had my back to the t.v. when I hear Nolan say, "Watch me dance!" Well, after watching him for a few songs, I had to video a little bit of his "show." Near the end of the video, you will notice that he abruptly stops. Carson walked into the room and I think Nolan got a little self-conscious. But, it was great entertainment while it lasted. Check out these moves...

Easter Weekend

2008-03-25T13:37:00.009-05:00

Saturday was so beautiful that we spent the whole day at my Mom and Dad's enjoying an early start to Easter. Mom fixed a great lunch, as usual, and the kids opened Easter presents, had an egg hunt, colored eggs, went fishing, and played soccer. We had such a great time and the kids came home exhausted.

They woke up early on Sunday, though, both to get ready for church and to see what the Easter bunny had left them!

Over the Break...

2008-03-25T13:15:00.007-05:00

As fast as Spring Break began, it was over. We had a great week that included a trip to the library, playdates, skating with friends, going to the park, and visiting with family. We also managed to use the rainy Tuesday for a little housework. No, the kids weren't thrilled about that, but they helped anyway and we got it done.

One of the huge events from the week was that Laiken donated 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love. This is the second time that she has donated her hair and even though I knew that she was growing it out for that purpose, it was still hard for me to take her to have it cut. I love curling and braiding her hair and I knew that I would miss it. We had DeAnn Purdy do the honors. DeAnn has known our family since Laiken was 5 years old and it was so nice that she was able to help with the transformation. She did a fabulous job and even though I almost cried, which in turn, almost made Laiken cry, everything turned out great and the new 'do is too cute! When I later told Susie how crazy I had acted about the whole thing, she reassured me that Laiken could work it out in therapy later on! She's right...just add it to the list!

Before:

After:

Bummer

2008-03-18T21:04:00.004-05:00

I know that some of you like Point of Grace's song, How You Live, as much as I do. The link in my playlist quit working today so I had to do some investigating to find out why. Due to copyright violations, Warner Music had it pulled from all public share sites....oops! I have a few friends who are experts in snagging music for free, but I'm thinking I'll probably just pay to download the album. Or, you can visit the Point of Grace website to hear the song and see the video.

Spring Break!!!!

2008-03-15T22:17:00.010-05:00

Yes, I am excited!! It is no secret that I LOVE to have my kids around with lots of unstructured time to fill!! Late nights, sleeping in, movies, skating, plenty of time outside, and story sharing are what I love best about spring break, summer, and holidays. I know we are expecting some rain this week, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that most of the weather will be good.

We started our break with a trip to the park to feed the ducks and geese. It's always funny to see the kids negotiating how close they can get without getting pecked. We also saw several turtles and the kids insist that they saw a "huge rattlesnake." Now, I'm not saying that they did or didn't....I'm just saying I didn't see it myself.

After we fed the ducks, we fed ourselves at Gatti's. The kids wanted to sit in the little room with the big t.v. and I gave in. We were the only ones in the room and there was a show on Nickelodeon that my kids don't watch. I still screen everything they see and the list of approved shows is pretty short. The show on yesterday was The Fairly Odd Parents. After about 5 minutes, I was completely regretting that we had chosen to sit in front of the t.v. I asked the lady behind the counter if she could change it to the Disney Channel and she told me that they didn't get that channel. ????!!! So, instead of moving 5 kids while they were eating, we sat through it and I ran damage control the whole time. The cartoon--yes, cartoon--had a male main character who was pregnant and in the hospital trying to deliver the baby, a female reporter who was scantily clad, and more images of violence and rude behavior than I care to count. I tried really hard to come up with one redeeming quality about the show and just couldn't find one thing. I didn't plan for our simple pizza dinner to turn into a deconstruction of a "kids" show, but that's what happened. I'm just not sure who the target audience is for this program. There were commercials for some fairy Barbies, so I'm guessing they expected young children to be watching. Really?? I mean, really!? There are so many little girls watching this show that Mattel felt compelled to pay for ad time?? Luckily, all the kids with me were very adept at picking out all the horrible things in the cartoon and their abilities to recognize bad behavior and inappropriate images at least made me a little happy.

Open House

2008-03-15T21:55:00.006-05:00

We had Open House this week at Laiken and Carson's school and, wow, what a reminder it was of the great school our kids get to attend. The kids were happy to show off their work, interact with their friends, and have their teachers brag about them. The teachers and staff at our school are some of the most loving, hardest working, most professional people that I have ever known and our kids are so blessed to have them in their lives.

Here is Carson showing off some of his work to Laiken:

Granny and Pap-paw Ritchie came to share in the excitement this year.

And, finally, what the kids loved the best--the pet snake in Laiken's class!

Snow x 2!

2008-03-13T22:46:00.004-05:00

The kids were ecstatic to have two delayed starts at school last week due to the snow. I've never bought into the whole global warming scare and with the cold, snowy weather this week, I'm buying it even less. I know, I know...somewhere the ice caps are melting.... but, here, it looked like Christmas!

It's March???!!!

2008-03-03T23:42:00.003-06:00

Around 6:00, the snow started and it is now 11:45 and the snow is still coming down! It is beautiful outside. Everything is blanketed in white. Around 10:00, we started to wake the kids up to see it, but then thought about how much work it would be to get them back into bed, so we let them sleep. They'll see it in the morning and then the fight will be on to get them to school when all they will want to do is stay home and play in it! I can't say that I would blame them--this is, after all, a pretty rare occurrence.

Our Feeble Attempt at Western Day...

2008-03-03T23:10:00.006-06:00

I admit it, I have never been one for wearing cowboy attire. Don't get me wrong--some people really wear it well and look cute in the whole boots, hat, jeans, and starched shirt. I grew up with lots of friends who dressed in all of the attire. We grew up in a rural area and the boots and hats were standard for our school that was heavily populated with FFA members. I know what makes a good "western day" outfit, but my kids have never owned boots, hats, or the right kind of jeans for that. So, when they were supposed to dress like cowboys/cowgirls on Thursday, this was the best we could do:

I know....Carson's shirt from The Children's Place and Laiken's "cowboy" hat from The Gap are not really cutting it, but it's what we had. They both thought they looked cute and I'm not sure that they even know that they were not really looking very western!

Happy Birthday, Monica!

2008-02-28T13:42:00.003-06:00

One of my best friends celebrated her birthday this weekend. Too bad we forgot the camera and had to rely on the cell phone for pictures. We had two desserts to commemorate the event and couldn't decide which one was better.... Lots of laughs and some real estate shopping afterwards made for a memorable evening!

Spiderwick

2008-02-28T13:35:00.004-06:00

Carson and Laiken have been reading the Spiderwick books and could not wait until the movie came out. Last week was a little crazy, so it was Sunday before we made it to the theater. I had not read the books, but I really liked the movie. It was VERY intense and I noticed Laiken and Carson were kind of huddled together at one point. I leaned over and said, "Were the books this scary?" They both looked at me with wide eyes and shook their heads. Neither of them woke me up with a bad dream that night, so I guess they're getting old enough to handle it. But, I must say the image of that big scary goblin thing was in my mind for the rest of the day!

It's Cookie Time Again!

2008-02-28T13:26:00.004-06:00

I volunteered to be the cookie mom for Laiken's Girl Scout troop this year. There are 12 girls in the troop and they sold almost 1800 boxes. With help from family, Laiken sold over 300 boxes. The troop also put in an order for about 200 more boxes to sell at booth sales. This is what 167 cases of Girl Scout cookies looked like in our garage:

Didn't get to order yours, yet? Let me know...I can hook you up!

3-Peat

2008-02-28T13:17:00.003-06:00

On Friday, the kids' school had elections for Junior Student Council and Carson was elected as his class representative. This is the 3rd year in a row that he has been able to serve on StuCo. He was very excited and we were proud of him for doing such a great job on his posters and his speech. He is so happy that he will be getting to go to the meetings with Laiken and we are happy that he will be learning some more leadership skills.

I Feel Pretty...

2008-02-20T21:50:00.005-06:00

I remember the days when Carson was 2 and Laiken was 4 and Carson idolized his big sister. He played with Polly Pocket and Barbies and would dress up in her Disney princess clothes and clomp around the house in her high heels. She was his best friend and he wanted to do anything that she was doing. By about 3 1/2, Carson had outgrown some of that and had moved on to cowboys, pirates, and Star Wars.

Nolan likes Laiken, but having a big brother has kept him from blurring the gender lines quite so much. Tonight, though, after seeing Laiken with some curlers in her hair, he insisted on having a few himself. He wanted me to put them all over his head, but we finally agreed that four was enough. Ten minutes later, we took the curlers out so he could go to bed and his naturally curly hair had already formed little ringlets! I know what you're thinking...if his hair is long enough to wrap around a curler, he probably needs a haircut. I know, I know....but I am really kind of enjoying his crazy little head of hair and all those curls. I'm afraid that if I take him in for a trim, the stylist will cut off too much and then it would change his whole little baby look.

Saturday Skating

2008-02-19T21:12:00.004-06:00

We started our rainy Saturday morning at a skating party to celebrate Adrienne's 10th birthday. I can't believe these girls are all turning 10! The girls had a great time and were completely worn out by the time the session was over.

School Dance

2008-02-19T20:39:00.003-06:00

While Farrel and Carson were at a basketball game, Laiken, Nolan, and I made our way to the school dance on Friday night. Laiken and her friends danced the night away while Nolan enjoyed some snacks in the cafeteria away from the loud music.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T12:13:00.007-06:00

Today marks the 20th year I have spent with my Valentine. The first few years, he was my high school sweetheart and then, eventually, my husband. Farrel and I have very different personalities. He is laid-back and rarely worries about things that he can't change. When he has the kids for the day, they might or might not eat on a regular schedule, whether or not they brush their teeth will always be a gamble, and you can bet that bedtime will be at least an hour later than it would have been if I had been home. Farrel knows everybody and is as comfortable talking to a city or school official as he is our next door neighbor. He is one of the hardest working people I know. He encourages me to make time for myself and will gladly adjust his schedule so that I can have time to recharge. He loves my parents, my brother, and my extended family and has never complained about attending a family event. He was happy when I chose to give up my career in order to be a stay-at-home mom. He also encouraged me to finish my Ph.D., knowing that someday I would go back to the work I loved so much. He kept me sane when I was expecting Nolan and raising my other two precious kids while the project of my life, my dissertation, mocked me with deadlines. More than once, he told me he knew I would finish, even when I had serious doubts about my own abilities. He is a genuinely kind person who, after all this time, still likes me--not just loves me because I am his wife and that is what he is supposed to do--he really likes me and for that and so much more, I love him.

Farrel has never forgotten a Valentine's Day. When we were young, it was cards and flowers and little pieces of jewelry that I still have in a keepsake box. After we got married, he would make plans for restaurants or send beautiful bouquets to work. Always, I would get hand-written notes in elaborate cards telling me how much I mean to him. We spent 7 years married without children and then added our 3 little Valentines to our family. We don't get to take little get-aways any more like we used to, but Farrel still remembers to make the effort. Today, it was lunch at Petra while Nolan was at preschool. We laughed and caught up and remembered why we have chosen to spend the last 20 Valentine's Days together. Much love to you, my sweetheart, and to my little sweeties, too. Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

It Fits

2008-02-13T12:54:00.005-06:00

Laiken and I had some fun this weekend going through some of the things packed away in my cedar chest. She particularly liked modeling my old twirling competition costumes. When I was in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades, my activity of choice was baton twirling. I don't even know if anyone still teaches baton or takes baton lessons, but when I was little, it was a pretty big deal. There were competitions all over the place and my mom handmade all of these elaborate costumes for me to wear. She added each bead and rhinestone by hand and that was before the invention of the Bedazzler, so completing a costume was extremely time-consuming. Looking back, I can't believe that my mom was the same age that I am now when she was making those costumes. I couldn't even begin to construct something like that. I think it had probably been at least 10 years since I had even looked at those costumes and it was so strange to realize that they now fit my daughter. It was a very surreal experience.

Daddy-Daughter Dance

2008-02-11T22:47:00.000-06:00

This was the fifth year that Laiken has attended the Daddy-Daughter dance with Farrel. I was a little surprised when she wanted to go again this year since, technically, she was too old for the event. Luckily, she had a whole group of fourth grade friends who weren't ready to give up this special night, either. My hope is that she always wants to go to a dance with her dad! It would save us a lot of worrying!!

As soon as we got all the girls off with their daddies, the moms got to enjoy some grown-up girl time with a great dinner and lots of laughs at Cristina's.

Honors from the City Council

2008-02-11T22:29:00.000-06:00

Carson and his fellow second graders were recently honored at a city council meeting for artwork that they completed in their classes. The art depicted historical homes around McKinney. We have the most amazing art teacher who continually works to make sure that the kids' creations are seen and admired by others. The kids felt so special receiving their plaque and seeing their artwork hanging in City Hall.

Hannah Montana

2008-02-08T07:35:00.000-06:00

On Sunday afternoon, Monica and I stood in line for an hour with Laiken, Kaitlin, Alli, and Alessia hoping to get good seats in the theater for the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus movie. It was a crazy experience. There were people there who had gotten in line an hour and 40 minutes early. After paying $16 a ticket just to see the movie, I felt like someone should have sent a car to pick us all up and then escort us to our seats! We managed to get great seats, the girls had a really good time, and I got to laugh at Monica's insightful commentary regarding the Jonas brothers.

I'm It!

2008-02-05T22:26:00.001-06:00

I've been Meme tagged. Thanks, Stephanie--I know what you are thinking--if you have to put yourself out there, so does everyone else!! :-) I'm not supposed to overthink my answers--very hard for me!--but, here goes:

Complete the phrase with the 1st thought in your head:

I know.... who I am.

I believe... in God.

I fought....for what I thought was right.

I am angered....when people act like hypocrites.

I love....my family.

I need.... periodic vacations and changes of scenery.

I take....my responsibilities seriously.

I hear.... all of my kids talking at once.

I drink....iced tea on my way to pick the kids up from school. It's my caffeine boost for the afternoon!

I hate.... when I don't have enough time to do everything that needs to be done.

I use.... schedules, lists, and day planners!

I want .... my kids to grow up and be happy, productive adults who make the world just a little better.

I like.... when people make amends.

I feel.... stressed when I don't know what the plan is!

I wear .... comfy clothes.

I left.... home when I was 18 and moved to Okinawa right after getting married to Farrel. Crazy, I know! I can't believe that my parents didn't tie me up and keep me from getting married at that age.

I do.... too many things at once.

I hope.... for a better world for my kids.

I dream.... almost every night and sometimes even remember the details.

I drive.... an environment killer. My daughter is insisting that we buy a hybrid.

I listen....to my kids' stories after school.

I type ....much better than I did in high school. Typing was the only class that I almost made a C in!

I am ... getting a little calmer as I get older.

I wish .... I had a bigger house and a pool in the backyard!! Come on, I love my life, but it's Texas! Doesn't everyone want a pool???

I regret.... Wow! Probably too many to list. Biggest regret...not staying in California for a year after Farrel got out of the military to see if he would have loved the civilian job he had been offered there. We loved California but we LOVE Texas and thought we needed to hurry and get back home. We were so young--we should have stayed for one more year. Now, we don't know what we might have missed.

I care....about the details.

I should.... take more time for myself.

I am.... more outgoing than I used to be.

I said.... Please stop talking so loudly.

I wonder.... what college my kids will choose (and which college will choose my kids!)

I changed.... after I had kids.

I cry.... less now than I used to--Usually only at sad movies or when I think of how much the kids have grown.

I lose....my cell phone in my purse all the time!! Maybe I need a more organized purse.

I leave....little notes in my kids' lunchboxes.

More than you want to know about me?? Probably!
O.k., I tag Christy and Amye. Let's see what they have to say!

It's Nolan's Turn

2008-02-02T22:48:00.000-06:00

For the last couple of years, our church has been using one of the bulletin boards in the children's hallway to spotlight the two year olds in our congregation. They started this after Laiken and Carson were already past that age, so Nolan is the first of my kiddos to be on the board. His display will be up for the month of February. I can't believe that he is old enough to be on the 2 year old board! It was very strange to see this collage of pictures, showing him as a tiny baby in our arms all the way to the "big boy" he has become, smiling and laughing and full of life and joy. My sweet, sweet little boy.

Learning to Serve

2008-02-02T22:27:00.000-06:00

Every year, our church hosts a Valentine Banquet for our congregation's senior citizens. The gym is decorated for the night and includes candlelight, plenty of red and white decorations, and a lighted archway. The 3rd-5th graders are responsible for greeting the adults, helping them find a seat, taking their drink orders, serving their dinners, and talking with seniors as they enjoy their meals. It is a wonderful event and the perfect opportunity for the kids to give back to the Christian men and women who serve as role models and mentors. Laiken was honored to have been a part of this special night.

Playing Basketball

2008-02-02T22:17:00.000-06:00

Carson's basketball season is in full swing. They played their 3rd game today and won 13-10! Carson made a basket and has become a much better ball handler since last season. He seems to have a natural ability for just about any sport he plays. He has his mind on football for the fall and I am desperately trying to divert his attention to other things.

"That's So Sad..."

2008-01-31T19:43:00.000-06:00

As I start this story, let me say, Laiken is a good kid. She is creative and conscientious and kind and respectful. Having said that, often, she is not organized and her personal belongings frequently end up being everywhere except where they are supposed to be. The disorganization finally caught up with her.

Over lunch today, my friends and I had just been bragging to each other about how we did not have to stay on our kids about their schoolwork. We were so happy that they took responsibility for getting their homework done and being such good students. Just by having this conversation, I think I jinxed Laiken.

She got in the car today and I knew immediately that something was wrong. I looked in the rearview mirror and asked, "How was your day?" She immediately started sobbing and said, "Horrible! I got a color change." My stomach started hurting. I don't think Laiken ever has gotten her color changed before and I was afraid to even ask what had happened. I didn't have to wonder long as the story spilled out of her between crying and nose sniffling. Apparently, she had been looking over her homework in the gym before school started and somewhere between the gym and the classroom, she lost her homework papers. Not turning in your homework equals lost recess and a color change. A color change means that you forfeit your beloved leader badge for at least 10 days. A lost leader badge means that you don't get to sit at the lunch table with all your best girlfriends and chat and laugh for the duration of the lunch period.

My heart broke for her. She deserved a color change and she will never forget the lesson--her homework will probably never get lost between the gym and the classroom again! But, it is so hard to see your child that sad. On top of being sad for her, I was disappointed and, yes, a little angry because I have told her SO many times to do a better job keeping up with her stuff. On the tip of my tongue was a great, impassioned lecture about how her disorganization had finally caught up to her, about how I wished she could pay attention and make sure that she had all of her stuff, about how many times had we talked about this. But, just as soon as I was going to get on my soapbox, I caught a glimpse of her tear-stained, puffy-eyed face in the mirror and knew there was nothing I could say that would make more of an impact than what getting her color changed had already made.

I thought about what I had just re-learned in Love and Logic and, with all the empathy I could muster, just said, "That's so sad. I know you are really going to miss sitting with your friends for the next 10 days." Then, I shut my mouth and, wow, was that hard to do! She started reading her book and we headed to the library and by dinner she was ready for me to share some stories about how I managed to get in trouble at school when I was her age. She laughed and said, "You definitely would have lost your leader badge!"

New PJs!

2008-01-30T14:05:00.000-06:00

Laiken and Samantha finished their sewing class on Saturday. Their pajama pants turned out really cute and I am absolutely amazed at their new skills!

Pizza, Bingo, and More

2008-01-30T13:24:00.001-06:00

The girls were headed off on Friday night to a fun night of Bingo hosted by Dana, but enjoyed some pizza before we left.

Laiken, Megan, and Rebekah won lots of prizes and then Laiken went home with Megan for an impromptu sleepover. With Farrel at work and Nolan sleeping in his bed, Carson wanted to watch the Mavericks game. It was late and it had been a long day, but I kind of liked having him up with me. I don't get to spend a lot of time alone with Carson. Imagine my surprise when I looked over and found him like this on the couch:

Carson falling asleep during a sporting event--that has to be a first!

And That's Nolan!

2008-01-23T23:05:00.000-06:00

Nolan decided tonight that he needed to wear a Pull-Up on his head. He kept it on there for about an hour, running around the house and laughing like he was the funniest guy ever. I figure that with the lack of success that we are having with potty training, he might as well wear it on his head!!

Wish I Had Thought of That...

2008-01-23T22:54:00.000-06:00

I really wish that I had been the one to invent Webkinz. Just about every playdate involves logging on to check accounts and see what friends have sent messages or gifts. I don't think I can name one kid that doesn't have a Webkinz--somebody really hit a niche with that idea. Wish I had thought of it first!

Field Trip to the Majestic

2008-01-23T22:46:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, we made a very chilly trek to the Majestic Theater in Dallas for a field trip with Carson's class. We went to see a puppet show with a variety of renditions of Aesop's Fables. The performers did all kinds of puppet shows and explained to the students how they made the puppets and what kind of techniques were used. It was like a show within a show! My favorite was The Fox and the Grapes done in shadow puppetry. Carson said he thought he liked that one best, too. Really, my favorite part was watching the kids as they walked into the Majestic and were overwhelmed by its architecture. They oohed and awed as they made their way to their seats. I remember feeling the same way the first time I walked into that theater.

Choo-Choo!!

2008-01-20T23:55:00.000-06:00

We made the annual trip to the Plano Centre today to see the miniature train displays. This is something that Farrel usually takes the kids to do as a special "daddy-kid" day, but at the last minute, I decided to tag along. I'm so glad I did! I don't think that I could have imagined how much the kids enjoyed seeing the displays. Carson wants to start collecting toy trains and setting them up around the house. At this point, I am thinking the only available space for that would be the garage and I don't think I'm agreeing to park my car outside just yet. Laiken said again that she really wanted to grow up and create displays with miniature items as her career. (She repeatedly goes between that and being an astronaut.) I'm not sure what the demand is for "miniature experts," but, of course, we told her that would be a great career. And, Nolan, well, he would have stayed all day if we would have let him. After having to practically drag him out, this is what he looked like as we were trying to leave the parking lot:

A Little Entertainment from Nolan!

2008-01-20T21:23:00.000-06:00

Nolan loves to sing so I thought I would share a video of him singing some of his favorites. During the Elmo song, you will notice that he says "Elmo is a dufus." The words, of course, really should be "Elmo loves his goldfish." Carson thought it would be funny if Nolan sang it with the word "dufus." By the time we realized that was what he was saying, Nolan had been convinced that he was singing it correctly. And so is the nature of the relationship between brothers.

Random Thoughts

2008-01-18T13:41:00.000-06:00

My friend and I used to collect quotes in high school and write them down in books so that we could reread them when they applied to our lives. We would post them on the walls of our rooms and later, as I began to teach, I would write one on the board every morning just to give my high school students something to ponder while I took attendance and got class rolling. This week, two of my favorites came back to me:

"Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where a backbone ought to be." -- Clementine Paddleford

and

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You, too? I thought I was the only one." -- C.S. Lewis

My best friend, my life-long pal, Kasey, and I were Seinfeld fans before the show was ever popular, when the ratings were so bad that no one could have predicted that it would be the phenomenon it ended up being. I remember sitting on the phone with her in high school while the shows were on and laughing at the episodes, each from our separate rooms and separate houses. We followed each season and have often referred to particular times in our lives as "something that would have happened on Seinfeld"--those kind of weird, surreal moments that are only funny because they just should never happen. One of the episodes that probably everyone has seen is about Festivus, the made-up holiday where everyone gets together and airs their grievances for the past year. Probably everyone should do this at least once if for no other reason than the insight about oneself it can provide.

Happy Day!

2008-01-15T21:31:00.000-06:00

It's amazing how when you finally get in the mindset to expect positive, you get it back in so many ways! Today was so great. The weather was perfect. Nolan didn't fuss when I took him to preschool. Carson came home with good news about choosing to go above and beyond on his school work. Laiken played two songs on her recorder and got two brightly colored lanyards for her efforts. Nolan threw his arms around me and said, "Mommy, you my bes frien!" (aww...that one really got me...four months ago, he wouldn't even say "mommy," much less make an entire sentence.) We sold Carson's old bedroom furniture, so now we can officially start redecorating. I got to start my day with a fun breakfast at Cafe Brazil with my friends before we headed off to a great session of Love and Logic. And, I got to end my day laughing with Farrel as the new season of American Idol begins. So blessed!

Hmmm....

2008-01-13T20:07:00.001-06:00

The other day, Carson said to Farrel, "A mule is half horse and half donkey?" Farrel told him that was right. So, Carson said, "Well, why don't they just call it a 'hordonk'?"

Umm, well, because, thankfully, they decided to call it a mule.

The Playroom is Almost Done!

2008-01-13T19:46:00.000-06:00

Back during the summer, we started talking about putting our house on the market. With 3 kids and only 3 bedrooms and about 1900 square feet, we are out of space. But, we decided to wait until the new middle school zones were announced before we made any decisions. So, we started doing some painting and organizing, both to get the house market ready in case we decide to sell and to make it more livable for us until we move. Over the last week, the playroom got a fresh coat of paint and has been cleaned out. Nolan helped put the new toy organizer together. Now, we just have to get the toys off of the floor and into all of the new baskets...
The playroom was pretty easy. Next is the boys' room, which is long overdue to get remodeled because you know I can't make any decisions about what to buy. We are going with a sports theme and I am looking for cute, inexpensive ideas if anyone has any to share.

This Time It'll Be Pajamas

2008-01-13T19:32:00.000-06:00

Laiken and Samantha were back in sewing class this weekend. They started a 3-week course in beginning sewing and the finished project for this class will be a pair of pajama pants. Of course, by the time we bought the material, the pattern, the thread, and the elastic, this pair of pj's will easily be the most expensive pair she owns!

"I love you too much to argue..."

2008-01-08T14:59:00.000-06:00

I took my first Love and Logic class several years ago at church, but old habits die hard and I still typically revert to lectures or, on really crazy days, yelling (read here, screaming). So, I was back in class with some some of my best Mom pals today to refresh my skills. The presenters make it sound so easy and the whole concept is soooo logical! Now if I can just keep my mouth shut long enough to actually implement the skills....

It's Almost Over...

2008-01-05T20:39:00.000-06:00

Well, the countdown back to school has begun and the kids are a little bummed and so am I. We do love our unstructured time! Farrel and the kids go back Monday and I start back on Wednesday. Is it wrong that we are already counting the days until the upcoming 4-day weekend??

The sports seasons are also starting again. Carson had basketball practice today and Laiken had soccer. After they finished, we headed to Grandma and Papaw's to visit with Richard, Angie, and the kiddos. The weather was so great that it was hard to believe that it is January.

Nolan Needs a Haircut!

2008-01-05T19:44:00.001-06:00

The first order of business after Laiken and Carson get back into school is to get Nolan in for a haircut! This is some of the craziest bedhead I've ever seen.

Very Happy New Year's!

2008-01-03T11:48:00.001-06:00

This year, we spent New Year's Eve at the brand new Great Wolfe Lodge in Grapevine. The place was amazing and everyone had such a great time. The main attraction is the indoor waterpark, but the resort also has an interactive game that kids can play throughout the hotel, an arcade, a spa, a kid's spa, restaurants and a very kid-friendly atmosphere and design. There is also an outdoor water park that will be opening later. The kids didn't want to leave! Thanks to Angie for keeping it on her radar and to Farrel for finding such a great deal on the rooms! Thanks, also, to Grandma and Papaw for letting Nolan have a calmer, quieter New Year's at their house!

Yesterday, we were talking about resolutions. Carson calls them "revolutions." Kind of appropriate considering they are intended to turn something in your life around. 2007 was a year of "revolutions" in so many positive ways. When you pray for God to increase your positive thinking and behavior, you shouldn't be surprised when He does just that, even if His method is a little different than yours would have been. Laiken's '08 resolution is to keep her backpack more organized--a very worthy goal! Carson's is to "play all the sports he can"--I don't really think that will be much different than what he does now! Mine is to enjoy all of these new blessings and to lose the last 15 pounds that I am working on losing. Farrel is still thinking about his, but I'm hoping they involve getting some painting and other projects done around the house!! :-) I hope everyone has a wonderful new year!

Sunday Afternoon Fun

2007-12-30T21:38:00.001-06:00

Many more days like this and we wouldn't even have to think twice about moving back to the country. Warm weather, great friends, loving family, and an activity that requires wide, open spaces make me a little homesick.

Enchanted

2007-12-29T22:03:00.000-06:00

I wasn't expecting much when Laiken and I picked up Adrienne this morning and headed to the theater so that we could see Enchanted. We met Monica and Kaitlin there and, in my head, we were going because the girls wanted to go--I didn't anticipate being really entertained.

Go see this movie! All right, I am by no means a movie critic and I really don't see many movies, and a lot of the movies that I do see are intended for a much younger audience, but take my word for it--this is a funny, touching movie. Monica and I laughed through most of it and the parts that weren't funny were so emotionally touching that the scenes would bring a few tears to your eyes. I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The movie has so much to say about choosing to feel potential pain and anger in order to have a real meaningful relationship with another person; but, that message is mixed with all of these funny and ironic moments about the disparity between the fairy tale world and the real world. It's really good--grab your kid or borrow a kid and go and see it.

After the movie and lunch, the girls spent the afternoon jumping on the trampoline, playing Kaitlin's Wii, and putting on a "fashion show." This is a great blackmail photo for when they are older....