We’re Baaack…

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Hi.

Still there?

Thanks to all who called and emailed to make sure that we are still alive and kickin’ over here. We definitely are – but just had to take a little hiatus for a few days to get everything under control. We’re close, soooo close.

So to get everyone up to speed, this soccer mom thing is kicking my butt. Apparently I cannot say “no” to anything, and apparently anyone who is the head of a committee has figured out that I cannot say “no,” therefore…I have been “volunteered” for just about everything. And between two different schools, ballet, soccer our calendar is always in flux and always crammed. And I’m tired.

Also our sitter had to leave the country to get her visa renewed, and did not return as of yet. So I have been interviewing sitters. Not a very fun job, but I think we have found a really good girl, and she starts next week. Just in time since I have several projects in motion and two more on the way.

Let’s see. Debby and Bill have been here since Friday, I think they are having a good time – I know the girls are loving having them here. They allowed Jamie and I to get away for a night last weekend so we headed to SF.

While we were there we did a potentially incredibly irresponsible thing as parents – we went on a Great White shark dive. I’m downloading the pics right now, and will fill you all in on the details perhaps tomorrow. (You’ve waited this long, surely you can wait one more day?)

Oh, yeah…and also?

Debby and Bill decided to tie the knot while out here in California. So we threw a wedding together and they got married, barefoot on a beach in Malibu this afternoon! It was pretty exciting – and more on that later, too!

Right now, I’m heading upstairs – very tired. I can’t really type or talk in complete sentences, so I’ll leave you with a photo of the girls and Nena frolicking in the surf after the ceremony today to tide you over. I promise I won’t let this photo be the only thing up to look at for a week.

Toes in the surf

Congrats Bill & Debby! We love you and wish you a very long, happy life together!

Un-Crafty Tuesdays

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I have to postpone CT this week and next. I just don’t have time to craft anything or post it in the next few weeks. (My mother-in-law will be here this weekend and next, so I don’t forsee any time to craft then either!)

But I know that Stacy has some goodies today, so go check ’em out. And as always, if you have something to share, let us know!

Super Em ~ Best Shot Monday

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Our very own superhero…

Super Em!

Em was awarded the “Super Cougar” award for the month of September. Super Cougars are good leaders in the classroom, exemplify good citizenship, are helpful to their teachers and classmates, and complete their work correctly and on time. (And have never had to sit in the “thinking chair” – which unlike the thinking chair from Blues Clues – is not a chair you want to be sent to!)

So pretty much, my girl is a “brown-noser.” I am so very proud of her. (I’m sure I’ve been called that a time or two in my life, as well.)

Well done, Ems. I’d say that is pretty good work, three weeks into school already kickin’ butt and takin’ names.

Stop by Tracey’s for more super shots.

Out of the Mouth of My Babes

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We have had a touch of the sassy molassys around the house lately. Mostly from one little three-year old girl who shall remain nameless.

She got sent to the steps for yelling “I don’t want that for dinner! I don’t LIKE red peppers!” (at the top of her lungs!) earlier this week.

When I went in to release her from timeout, we had this little conversation –

A: Mama! Mama! I DO like red peppers! Can I get off the step now?
M: I did not put you on the steps because you don’t like red peppers! I put you on the step for talking to Mama like that.
A: Oh. Ok. Can I get off the step now?
M: What do you say to me?
A: I love you, Mama? (Oooh, the girl is good.)
M: Noooo, you need to look at me in the eyes and apologize.
A: (Silence. Chirp, chirp. But a few tears welling up in the corners of her eyes)
M: You say, ‘I’m sorry for talking to you like that Mama.‘
A: I’m sorry for talking like that to you Mama.
M: I do not ever want to hear you talk to me like that again, got it?
A: (In all seriousness) I do not ever want to hear you talk to me like that again, got it?

Emma is cracking up in the living room, and yes, it was hard to maintain a “mad” look after that little stunt.

Cheeky monkey.

Idleness? ~ Theme Thursday

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I laughed out loud when I saw that this week’s Theme Thursday was idleness. Dear, sweet Stacy – so optimistically suggested that we find some idleness to shoot this week.

It is so not happening around our place this week, much to my chagrin. Poor J., when he walks through the door each evening – he doesn’t know whether he is going to get a completely wasted, staring off into space, brain-dead wife, or one in tears. It has not been one of my finer weeks, for sure.

So I went to the archives. These photos were from the week of Ad’s birthday. I caught her in a moment of idleness, just off in her own little world.

Uppy-down

Sweet cheeks

Just takin' a moment

Her new puppy, bear, blankie, favorite sundress, and a fresh Ariel tattoo. Just lying in the sun. So gorgeous.

This week has been a little “Addie-heavy,” I know. Perhaps I am subconsciously trying to make up for the “car door to the middle of her poor forehead” incident. But that is a story for another day when I have a little more energy to deal with it, and maybe a touch more of that elusive idleness.

Crafty Tuesday

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Prepare for the whining and excuses to begin. Starting….

Now.

I can’t believe I am going to even post this photo and call it my Crafty thing for the week. And not only do I deem it “not very crafty,” it is a horrible photo as well. But it is all I have time or energy for right now. So you get what you get.

While we were at Em’s soccer game on Saturday, the other team had really cute little matching ponytail holder thingys, made with ribbons of their team colors and also some cool ribbons with little soccer balls on it. When we were shaking hands with them, I slyly checked out how they were put together (it wasn’t too hard to be sneaky, most of them were 3 1/2 feet tall, so I just looked like I was leering at the top of their heads, that is not too creepy, right?).

So Em and I went to the fabric store and got pink, black, white ribbon – but they were out of the soccer ball ribbon. Apparently there are some die-hard, crafty, soccer moms out there who thought about all of this BEFORE the season started. So I’m still searching for soccer ribbon, but Em and I attempted to make a trial one tonight.

Really should have had Em model it for the photos because it really does look cute when it is on. Only need to make 5 more before Saturday.

While we were at the fabric store the girls picked out their Halloween costumes, too. Well, the patterns for them, hopefully, God willing, we will be able to feature an Alice in Wonderland and an Ariel costume here on Crafty Tuesday some time in the next month!

I’m afraid the material around these parts is going to be very, very light again this week. I’ll try to throw up a few photos to tie you all over. It isn’t for lack of blog material, oh there is PLENTY of that around here, but I have a few big projects going on, a babysitter who is out of the country (yes, she is home trying to get a visa to get back here!), and some other big stuff going on that I just can’t get into right now. But I will be back, don’t give up on me just yet!

Maybe someone else has some true craftiness to share with all of us today?

Look who is hanging around our house ~ Best Shot Monday

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Last week while we were getting ready for school J. and Addie discovered a little visitor in our courtyard.

What the...?

Addie checked on him before school, after school, and several times throughout the day. “Mama! He’s still there!” she’d screech.

He is still there!

What was it that created such a commotion?

Praying that he won't fall off the gate

This lovely little praying mantis is my BSM for today. If you click on the photo you can get a closer look. He was really, really cool. Since then we have seen two others in our garden – well perhaps this guy again and his friend!

Stop by Tracey’s to see who else is hanging around with some BSMs.

The WonderGirls Win Big!

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Not that anyone was keeping score, or anything!

We technically aren’t supposed to keep score in the U6 league, all the kids are just out to play and have some fun. But that doesn’t stop the parents (or the players!) from keeping a mental tally. And for the record, the WonderGirls had an amazing day.

We started the day off with our regular Bagel Saturday tradition. While we were waiting for our bagels, Emma, looking very perplexed, told me – “Mama? I don’t want to be in the show.”

After a bit of discussion and reassuring that the game (not show!) was just going to be in front of the parents – like practice only they got to play against some other girls, she seemed a bit relieved. But I did notice she was very quiet through breakfast. I think that she thought it was going to be on the big football field with the full grandstands like their opening day ceremonies were. And I think she had a little bit of the butterflies.

Once she got to the field and started running around with her friends, all the nervousness was forgotten.

During the game, they all looked really good. They were just the right amount of aggressiveness, and they all ran for the entire game. I was so impressed with Emma and her effort. I tease her because she has a bit of the “lazys” in her at times. “It is too far to walk to Ad’s school!” (Three blocks!) “My feet hurt, can I ride in the stroller?” And so on.

She shoots...

But on game day she ran her little butt off. I was so proud of her. And…she scored a goal!

...she scores!

(Note: This is her scoring her goal. J. was at the other end of the field and didn’t have my long lens on the camera. He was the photographer for the event since I was trying to help “coach.” And he got tons and tons of photos — nobody can make fun of me for taking hundreds of photos in a single day anymore! I think he had close to 400. We were out there for one hour. That is a lot of clicks! I didn’t get permission to show the other girls, so I weeded the photos down to just a few!)

Look at how proud of herself she was!

Oh, yeaaah!

Getting a little strategy from coach. I think holding your braids up like that helps in concentration or something.

Talking strategy

And then when the game is over the parents and spectators make this little tunnel for all the girls to run through, the girls thought that was pretty cool.

Winner's Walk

All in all, I think it was a fantastic first game. The WonderGirls at one point had scored so many goals (and the other team had scored none) that our Coach actually told the girls to “lay up” a little to let the other team get a few scores, too. And when one of the girls from the other team tripped and fell, one of our WonderGirls stopped to help her up – true sportsmanship in a little five-year old!

I could not be any prouder of our girls. And to see their faces when they were running off of the field, you could see how proud of themselves they were for getting out and playing so hard.

Makes all of the craziness that soccer adds to our week, totally worth it.