Picture Day'(s)?

Picture day one:

I call Kim the photographer. She says "I can do it tomorrow, Wednesday." I say, "Wow, great!" She calls back and says, "Whoops, I forgot. Dentist appointment tomorrow." I say, "oh well." We decide on next Monday at 4 p.m.

Next Monday Morning:
Picture Day Two:

There is a fair amount of weeping from a certain girl getting up, getting ready. We are all behind and it is only 8 a.m. Grace is finally dressed. I take a look at her and exclaim:

"Grace! What did you do to you EYE?!"

She replies, "Oh, just some of that crusty stuff got in there from the other eye."

I call Kim and ask her if she minds if we come with pink eye. She agrees. So I start calling trying to figure out how to treat the pink eye. (Do we have to go to a doc.? Can I use the medicine that's expired 4 years ago?)

Brittani calls and asks if we are still doing pictures. I start to tell her we are working on it, trying to decide.

Right about then: Emma cries and runs for the bathroom.

I call Kim. Cancel.

Then remember. I think I prayed last night... "If we should just not try to do pictures tomorrow, just make it so we can't."

Silly me... I'm glad .....I guess!

(Clara had a great day. Jumped on the tramp. Threw her clothes off and ran naked through the house a few times)

About a week later......

Picture Day Three:

Saturday. Picture time: 3:00

7 a.m John goes to work. Pretty stressed. Saying "well...I'll try to make it."

8 a..m. I take my shower. Dry my hair.

9 a.m. Emma and Clara have breakfast.

10:00 Emma and Clara get into one bath. Grace in the other.

10:20 Clara has a little accident in the tub. Emma flies out of the bath.

10:20 I call Laura who is coming over to help us get ready. Tell her not to rush. We are behind .. a little.

10:30 I empty the tub. Clean it. Bleach it.

10:45 Grace gets out of the other tub. Emma gets in and I wash her from head to toe.

11:15 Laura arrives, plugs in her hair straightener. Pulls out lots of nice clothes for everyone to wear. Fancy boots, great jeans, sweaters, etc.

11:30 Clara gets into the bath.

11:45 I call Brittani to see how she's doing getting her and Isaiah ready. She is shocked because the day before John told her we just couldn't do the pictures. She has made plans with other people all afternoon. Feels very frustrated. Doesn't even know what to wear.

12:00 I start to wash Clara. A favorite neighbor, who moved last year, stops by to wish us Merry Christmas and chat for a minute. Laura washes Clara's hair, gets her out, dries and puts a diaper on. She comes and clings and whines while I talk to the neighbor. I send Laura over to help Brittani.

12:25 I start to get Grace dressed. Clara runs around in just a diaper.

12:50 Brittani, Isaiah and Laura come back to get ready. Laura flies into action. Straightens Grace's, Emma's hair. Helps with my make-up while I argue that it's too dark. I get used to it but Grace says (in a very shocked voice) "MOM! You look so different!"

1:00 Isaiah falls asleep in the middle of the living room floor.

1:15 I put Clara down for a nap. She just plays and yells around.

1:30 Laura tries a few outfits on Emma, finds a cute one. Emma says, "Mom, I can't wear these pants. They are too big." I say, "Hurry, put on your boots and then you can play computer games."

1:45 Laura helps Brittani decide what to wear. It's a little tricky but gets figured out.

1:50 I fix a big plate of chicken nuggets. The kids eat them and play computer, giving us strange looks once in awhile.

1:55 Laura helps me figure out what to wear. I tell her, "I'm just not wearing skinny jeans. I HATE skinny jeans!" She says, "I just want you to try them." I try them. I really don't like them. I try my own. Laura says nope, too short. I put her skinny jeans back on. She has me put on boots. I like them a little. Laura reassures me that they are great. Brittani reassures me that they are great, and yes, modest. I try to get used them.

2:00 Kim calls. I say we're planning to make it by 3:00 but not sure we can. She says ok but no later than 4:00.

2:15 Laura works on my messy hair. Straightens it. Then parts it in a new place. I tell her I never part it over there. She works hard and then tells me it will go down a little before the picture. I am a tiny bit worried. Brittani looks doubtful and then impressed. I decide I actually like it and Brittani decides to have Laura do hers.

2:45 Laura Straightens and fixes Brittani's hair. I get up Clara up, dress her, wipe her up, start working on her hair. Laura is sweating.

3:00 It's snowing pretty hard. Wet snow. Laura starts ferrying people out the cars one by one, insisting that Brittani and I go one at a time with the umbrella and no kids or bags, to protect our hair. She brings everyone else out and all our bags.

3:15 We drive through really messy snow. Stop to get gas for Brittani. John beats us to Kim's.

Clara eats cheese and chicken nuggets. Gets cheese on her cream tights.

3:20 We arrive at Kim's. She gets her things together and rides with Laura. We go to the picture taking place. Everyone gets out shivering in the snow and posses. Laura flaps the umbrella wildly behind Kim and helps everyone stop crying and laugh for the pictures.

4:00 We all climb into our cars. I take off the skinny jeans and put on my own too short jeans. We all drive off in a cloud of relief and gratitude at having gotten the job done!

(Grace feels like throwing up and Emma's tummy hurts pretty badly- the flu has still been hovering around our house).

Thanks Laura! Thanks Kim! Thanks John, Brittani, Grace, Emma, Clara, Isaiah! Wow is that it? It seems like there were a lot more people involved that day! Oh, Yes, Thanks Kevera and Annie for spending a week trying to help me find something for everyone to wear in the pictures.

It's Easy to Please ...a Four-Year-Old!

I made a scrumptious dinner tonight at 6:30 p.m.

1. Scrambled Eggs (with a little cheese because Annie says that helps).

2. Hot Cocoa ..because it's cold and slushy outside and we were just out at the library.

3. Toast, brown, with loads of butter (yikes).

4. Bacon. Half flubbery for John. Half CRISPY for me.

5. Grapefruit.

6. Oh, and applesauce because Clara couldn't wait for scrambled eggs.

Now, I didn't feel that luxurious about this meal, maybe I should have. I know it's not bad. It's nice food. Just not a classic dinner for my meat and potatoes man.

So Emma brought me joy when, upon examining the plate of microwaved bacon, exclaimed with a hungry, happy grin....

"Is The STEAK Done Yet?"

The Love Transfers

WE had a little trauma this weekend. Poor little Clara put her finger into the hinge side of a bedroom door as it was being shut. The tip of her right, middle finder was nearly amputated. She was very brave. After a minute we had it wrapped in a towel and she stopped crying. We drove straight in to the ER and she talked about the lights and things on the way in. She did amazingly well in the ER too. They gave her a couple of tiny shots in the base of her finger to numb it so she cried when they did that but actually held it in mostly. After waiting quite awhile for x-rays they worked miracles and sewed that little finger back together. She didn't cry or struggle at all while they did it. They had her wrapped in her little quilt but she didn't even try to get up or anything. The nurses and doctors said she gets the golden pediatric award for the year because she behaved so wonderfully. They said they often have 3 or 4 people restraining toddlers when they have to do something like this.


First, when we arrived at the ER someone noticed us and waved us right back, no paperwork. I was very touched by the humane-ness of that.

I was feeling so very sad and sorry for Clara, thinking of the pain she was in. I was shaking and traumatized. The nurse got us into a room, checked her finger as I sat and held her. She said, "I have a blankie for her."

She then brought Clara this beautiful handmade blanket.

It had obviously taken quite a few hours to create, this blanket, a lovely patchwork. I was so surprised at the love that I felt from the sweet person who carefully labored to create something that might lend comfort in a stranger's moment of pain and need. A personal touch of kindness.

And it did just that.

We had something to wrap around my little hurting baby and my aching heart.

The love transferred.

I wish I had a way to let that hardworking, artistic, and kind person know.

I felt it.

These two blankies were at home waiting. One carefully handcrafted by Aunt Sandra just for us and the other purchased by Grandma Terri and sewn for us by Janis Forbes. The love transfered here too! All night long, cozy in her bed. Thanks for the love!

Halloween!

Grace started out the festivities a couple weeks before Halloween when she was invited to a Halloween birthday party. After working on the princess get-up idea for a week or two, she had a change of personality and decided to go with the witch experience. Brittani graciously came and painted her lips and nails black and gave her a good witchy hair-do. I was so grateful as I was plum out of black nail polish....

Grace had a fabulous time at her friend's party. I enjoyed hearing about how wonderful her friend's house was, how she had a tv and radio/cd player/ Hanna Montana player, bunk beds, etc. right in her very own, private room. I also thought it was amusing when I asked if she like the friend like the "My Little Pony" present we gave her and Grace said, "Yes, because she used to collect My Little Ponies but her mom got rid of them all when she was at school."

We had a fine time with John's power tool carving pumpkins.This was Grace's happy face pumpkin.

This is Emma's pumpkin -with help from Dad...

Brittani's cool scariness pumpkin -carved by the artist herself...
Clara's pumpkin carved by in her honor by Gracie....
and last, surely you know who's pumpkin this is. I drew this up thinking it was good and scary/crabby looking. Grace then took a look and said, "Mom, that's the face you do every year." Hmmm... I'm wondering if I've been a little stressed out the last few years. ;)

We found we had three busy dogs on our hands for Halloween this year!

and one quiet little cow! So cute.

They had great fun at our church "Trunk or Treat" on Friday and then went to a few houses to get a little more sugar on Saturday. I employed the "eat it as fast as you want" method and Grace and Emma had their candy gone by Sunday night. Thank goodness they didn't have that much!

It's Personal.

On Sunday, John, my darling husband, decided it was time for some personal interviews.

I always had them as a teenager with my dad. It was just a few minutes alone with Dad to discuss life, unload any worries, and maybe plan something fun to do together later. They were a life-saver for me in those troublesome teenage years when I didn't feel like talking, let alone talking to a parent, about maybe something weird that was bothering me. It was nice though, just getting things off my mind and hearing Dad says something like, "I think that's very normal" and I would challenge you to....". Helped me through some tough times.

(My very first interview didn't go that well, actually. I was about 8 and was fussy and pouty. But, when I found that we were actually planning a bike ride together and that was it, well, I cheered up and started thinking of what I would ask to do with Dad next. Just a little encouragement encase you try it and the first time it's a disaster.)

Clara got her interview first. John took her into her room and I heard him talking to her and then he sang her a little song. Then, I think, they fell asleep in the rocking chair. Everyone seemed happy about that. I asked John what they talked about because I was so curious. He said, "Oh, we talked about what she does at home, with you, while Grace is at school. Stuff like that."

Emma was next, later, after dinner. She was so delighted to get to talk to Dad for a few minutes, to have him all to herself. They planned a Daddy-Daughter date for Tuesday night. Chinese food and a movie. (I was a little jealous)

Grace was last. I have no idea what they talked about but they planned a date for next week. She was a little unamused that Emma got to go first.

Later I was just tickled and asked John "WHAT did you talk about??" I was so interested in what they might have had on their minds.]

"Well, it's personal. I can't really tell you" was his reply.

I'm charmed to think that John kept their thoughts "confidential" even though I am pretty sure they consisted of pretty innocent things like, "what are you going to be for Halloween' or some such thing.

They seemed to be charmed too.

Tripping!

Did you know,

I got to go on vacation with this good-looking guy?!

and this little darlin'.... as well as this happy snacker....

this pretty sweet heart..... even, this beautiful young lady...

and this tiny cherub.

And The First Red Ripe Taste of Summer Goes to....

I thought I would take a lovely photo of Clara holding the first fruit of summer.I handed it to her and as I prepared to take the picture, she got down to business.

She really was serious about it.

And,

after about 10 minutes of focused munching, since she was done...

she left the last bite for me.

It was pretty tasty!

1st Day of 1st Grade!

8:00 A.M. Ticonderoga pencils.. Where's the sharpener! Out the door... Not too nervous.

I loved walking in the front door of the school and hearing Mr. Oldenkamp, Grace's Principal, (who used to be my principal when I taught in Parma), saying sweetly to some 1st graders who seemed to be wandering... "Come with me, I will show you right where you will line up when the bell rings. Who's your teacher? "

Grace seemed to be very comfortable with her friends, running into each other's arms, hugging as first grade girls do, discussing important matters as they waited in line.

This is Grace's teacher. She had about 35 kids in her line. Thankfully they weren't all hers. I thought the smile was a indication of a good sense of humor given the experience. Mr. O showed some good humor too! I did notice that the other 1st grade teachers seemed pretty happy with their short lines of about 10 students.

Grace and Katie laugh at Mom taking pictures from the hall as they sit down at their new desks!

Grace rode the bus home without telling me so when I went to pick her up she was already gone. Very funny.

When I drove up and found her walking home from the bus stop, she wasn't interested in riding with me.....

She's too big for that.

PRAY TELL!

And WHAT, pray tell, is THIS?

I was fairly interested to see what the explanation for this was. I found Grace in the room with the door shut and this lovely sign posted. Emma wasn't ruffled, in fact, she seemed rather happy about it . Perhaps, I misunderstood it.

The Camping Trip .... But not for Long.

We loaded up on a wed. Planning to drive into the Trenity Lakes and camp until Sat.Wed. was perfect. Very nice temp. Not too much wind.Tons of wild flowers.We had a great time setting up, eating, running around. John went fishing a little. Didn't catch anything but it was beautiful.

Wed. night we had some interesting thunderstorms but stayed pretty dry in the tent.

Thursday wasn't too bad but a little chilly. John took the girls on a lovely hike until the thunder brought them back to camp.

John and Grace did a little fishing... It rained off and on.... Finally we decided to make run for it and go home... about 5 p.m. I think.

John and I packed up in a downpour. John patiently loaded everything up while the rain dripped off his hat.

We were sad to abandon nature and go home.but we knew we had better find somewhere a little drier to sleep.

And the girls had a fabulous time waiting in the truck.

I hope we can do it again next year!