My Favorite Valentines

This is why I love my three valentines:

Dave:

1. He will wear the pink tie I bought him.

2. He gave me two Kohl's gift cards this morning for Valentines even though we have never remembered to give each other anything in years past.

3. He LIKES to go to the Daddy-Daughter dances with the girls and even has fun while he's there.

4. He is CRAZY. He gets the girls all wound up before bed or before he leaves and I get all mad, but really, it's fun.

5. He is athletic. He especially likes to show his skills doing a split-leap in the middle of the Kroger aisle for all to see.

Amelia:

1. She is 100% her own person. She just does what she wants to do and dresses how she wants to dress.

2. She is kind. She is nice to everyone, and sometimes I even have to tell her that she doesn't have to be so nice to mean kids!

3. She is such a good big sister.

4. She is a great back-tickler and has long fingernails that she takes great pride in.

5. She's smart and really thinks about things and wants to know how everything works.

Mikayla:

1. I never have to worry about how she is doing. She always tells me!

2. She gives the best hugs and kisses. Sometimes she doesn't let go.

3. She is always sweet about going to bed.

4. She is very compassionate. She loves her friends and will stick up for them even if it means getting in fights on the playground with girls that are being mean to one of her friends. She has also shown so much compassion to her best friend Kristen with Leukemia.

5. She is artistic. Maybe it's the whole left-handed thing, but she's a great dancer, singer and artist.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Best Play Dough

I was trying to think of something new to do for Amelia's class party. Then I remembered PLAY DOUGH. I used this recipe all the time for preschool, and it is awesome so I wanted to share it:

3 Cups Flour

3 Cups Water

1 1/2 Cups Salt

2 T. Vegetable Oil

1 T. Cream of Tartar

1 Pack of Cherry Kool Aid (or whatever color you want it) I tried Pink Lemonade to make some of the balls pink, but it wasn't bright enough.

The secret ingredient is the Kool-Aid. It makes the play dough a vibrant color and makes it smell good!

Heat it all in a skillet (or even a big pot would work). It's hard to mix it all together and it's super hot, so scoop it up on wax paper and let it cool for awhile and then knead it all together.

Store in bags for up to a week or more. I made balls for each kid so they can play in class and then bring some home, but you can put it all in one bag. The recipe makes four nice size balls. I like it better than store bought play dough, and it's even fun to make!

A Tribute to Hannah/Miley

We had so much fun at the Hannah Montana movie tonight! I secretly love her show and her music. I even listen to the CD when the kids aren't in the car.

I also heard a very informative conversation. Mikayla wanted to watch Hannah Montana before school, but Amelia explained it all to her: "Mikayla, let me explain something to you: The reason the Hannah Montana show is not on in the morning is because Hannah Montana is still sleeping."

I'm glad she wasn't asleep during the movie, because we would have missed out on a great time. Mikayla is still convinced that she was in the theater with us. I'm sure the 3-D glasses only added to the confusion.

On another note, I am so disappointed with the Georgia results for Romney. When I was voting this AM, only two other people were there...an 80-something year old couple. So, I really hope it wasn't an instance of people just not getting out to vote.

Peace. Love.

February Goals

Okay, I am totally copying Jessi's idea, and even her picture, but I really wanted to get myself organized this short month and get some things accomplished, so I am going to list my goals for this month and hold myself accountable!

1. Fire Marshall Fight: Start gathering moms, arguments, petitions and figure out what it's going to take to reverse this absolutely ridiculous Forsyth County Fire Marshall and his crazy rules about what a school cannot have. Make an appointment to speak to SOMEONE who can change this or at least put up a fight with me.

2. Lose those #$^%^ five pounds that I put on in December.

3. Update my emergency backpacks and plan three days of meals and put them on the storage shelf. Also, replace the water storage (a year overdue).

4. Be a better wife.

5. Get rid of current credit card because we never use the companion ticket because they make it too hard to redeem and find a card that has good rewards.

6. Trim those rose bushes that I didn't do in the fall, but find out how to do it first and if it's too late.

7. Clean up the backyard...get rid of sand table, organize toy bench, new pad for the trampoline, clean playhouse and get new flags for the putting green. Oh, and buy a new grill for Dave...seriously, if you saw ours (the same one I wheeled down the street three years ago from neighbors who had it out in the trash) you would see why. Hey, also look at a new umbrella and seat cushions, but if they're to expensive then that doesn't count against my goal!!!!

8. Start violin lessons or at least find a teacher.

9. Finish 2007 scrapbooks and start 2008's on line.

Okay, I know this was such an interesting post, but at least I have it written down so I can start working!

HELP!!!!

Okay, y'all who read my blog, I need help! Mikayla wants to have an "Annie" birthday party, and I don't even know where to start. Every one of you who reads this post has to leave me an idea of what I can do. I mean, there are no Annie plates, napkins, games, etc. because, well, Annie isn't really that cool. So, I need your help...BAD.

I thought about having the girls make heart lockets (necklaces) and I can buy Mik a red Annie dress from a mom who sews them on Ebay, and I guess I can use red napkins and plates, but can you help me???? PLEASE!

Overheard in January

Kids say the funniest things. Sometimes it's all I can do to not bust up laughing. Not a day goes by that my kids don't say something that is hilarious (although they don't mean it to be!) I try to remember it all, but this is a sampling of this month's family discussions!

Amelia: When I grow up I want to be a hairdresser or a car wash girl!
Amelia: I want to start a new fun thing. From now on everyone needs to wear their fancy clothes to dinner.
Amelia: I can’t believe I have such a long weekend because of Luten Knee Chino. Me: WHAT???? Amelia: You know Mom, Luten Knee Chino Day on Monday. (Martin Luther King , Jr. Day---I finally figured out after much thought.)
Mikayla: I love Doritos so much, I love them as much as my American Girl Doll, maybe more.
Mikayla: DO YOU WANT ME TO HAVE A BAD DAY?????? BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DAY BUT YOU KEEP RUINING IT FOR ME!!!!!!!!!
Mikayla: Mom, my tap shoes were very tappish today.
Mikayla: Is it tomorrow yet today?

These photos are from our Daisy Fashion Show! The girls got to choose their favorite dress up outfit to wear. Amelia painstakingly put hers together for about an hour the night before. I'm not sure what she was, but she was FABULOUS!

Check 'em Out

I'm not one to wander around in bloggy world. I don't check people's blogs that I don't know...really for no other reason than I don't have the time. If you check my sidebar, they are all friends, sisters or cousins, and that's who I have time to keep up with! Some of the friends are from Utah and have moved away like me, some are still in Utah and have been friends forever, and some of the friends are from Georgia. I love all of them and check their blogs at least weekly. Anyway, there are two that I want all y'all to check out:

Tauna: My cousin's wife; (Please read her story about McKay and then check out the video that she has linked from another family.) She is inspiring and beautiful and one of the sweetest, happiest people I've ever met.

Candice: I met Candice 12 years ago (I can't believe it has been that long!) Dave and I had just been married and had moved into married student housing at the U. Brittany, Candice and I all traded around visiting teaching when we were there and became friends. Then we bought a house and moved away to Woods Cross (where Audri is) and a year later Candice bought a house TWO houses down from ours! She has an amazing story. You would never know the trials that she endured as a child. She has built a successful business, has amazing kids and an awesome husband. She is talented, artsy, outdoorsy and just all-around fantastic. Anyway, start reading her recently published story. Start with #1.

I don't know how to link their blogs, so you'll have to click on my side-bar.

I've Been Tagged!

Christy tagged me, so here I go:

What's his name? Dave, AKA: SUPER DAVE or SUPER D!

How long have you been together? married 11 1/2 years

How long did you date? 3 years

How old is he? 36

Who eats more? Me, absolutely

Who said I love you first? me, Valentine's Day, 1994; He was mad though because he wanted to first!

Who is taller? Dave

Who is smarter? We are both smart in completely opposite ways and in completely opposite things. I have a higher IQ though, so my answer is ME! ;)

Who does laundry? Me, always

Who does the dishes? Me, almost always

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Dave

Who pays the bills? Me, always

Who mows the lawn? Me, but Dave edges

Who cooks dinner? Me, always (except spaghetti and weekend breakfasts)

Who drives when you are together? hmmmm, that's split equally. If we need to get there fast, then me for sure!

Who is more stubborn? Me, except for I forgive A LOT quicker than he does, so I guess he's more stubborn in that way.

Who kissed who first? Me, at my dorm-room doorstep

Who asked out who first? Dave, a night of country dancing and Domino's pizza

Who proposed? Dave, after a couple of years, on top of the DIXIE mountain

Who has more siblings? I have three, and he has four, but we both have two sisters.

Who wears the pants in the family? Day to day stuff: Me, Long term stuff: Him

Okay, I tag: Little D, Megan, Michelle, Tauna, Kate, Jessi, Audri, and whoever else will play!

Georgia Snow

It's true! After four years, it snowed! And I'm talking white, fluffy, crisp, clean SNOW! I was so happy that I almost cried. I had a permanent smile frozen (literally) on my face. We were coming home from gymnastics Wednesday when it began. The girls called Nana to tell her. They were so very excited.

By 7:00, it was collecting on the ground. We got all bundled up and played outside until almost 11 P.M. We built a snowman and made snow angels, had snowball fights, and just ran around! All the kids were out. Parents were running in and waking up their kids so they didn't miss it! I think how different this is from my childhood in Utah, and it kind of makes me sad. The kids were so happy to see snow. Some of them had never even seen it before. The neighbor boys built an 8 ft. snowman using all the snow in my backyard and most of hole 15! It was so fun to watch them. Our job was to do the head, but Amelia decided she wanted it for her own, so we made that the body of our own snowman.

Of course school was canceled the next day...2 inches of snow will do that in Georgia. So, Dave called me in sick. Yes, that wasn't a typo. He called and let them know that I was sick, and since the kids don't go to daycare, he had to take care of them. (It might have been a little protest too for all those moms at his work who get to take days off because their nanny is sick or their daycare is closed, or whatever, but he doesn't have that excuse because "his wife stays home.") Then, we bundled up and went sledding down the craziest hills we could find on the golf course. (First, we ruined poor Miki's backyard with a nice, sloping hill.) Then we went to hole 12, where it was straight downhill. Dave and Mikayla went over the cliff and got pretty banged up, but we were laughing the whole morning. (Dad, didn't I break your rib with my HEAD doing the same thing about twenty years ago?)

I'm so glad we got out there because by noon, every ounce of snow was gone. I just relived my childhood in one night and morning. It refreshed me enough to get me through the rest of this cold, snowless winter.

American Girl Dolls

Is there a better toy in the world than American Girl Dolls?

Nana bought the girls their dolls for Christmas and we have not had ONE day since then that they haven't played with them, carried them around and changed their clothes. They love them so much!

Today Amelia put Nicky in her backpack for Show and Tell. When she got home, I was outside waiting for the neighbor to bring her home. She had Nicky in her arms and told me that Nicky was very scared in her dark backpack, and she had to get her out and just hold her.

Mikayla puts her doll in outfits and then matches her own to them. I am writing this post, but I won't even post it until I get a picture of what "Emily" does at ballet. Seriously, she gets her all dressed and then stands her up at the window to watch. It is so dang cute.

Anyway, they use their imagination. They are learning to coordinate clothes (ya, it's a big deal in our house and needs a lot of work). They are learning to be compassionate. They are learning to share (not one fight over the shared clothing). They are learning the value of a dollar (After finding out that one pair of shoes cost $10 at the AG Doll Store, Amelia said, "You mean, that's more than two visits from the Tooth Fairy?????" and then decided she'd wait on them. They are learning to keep things organized (they keep everything in their AG backpacks and don't want them mixed in with their other toys. They learned that they might have the coolest Nana in the world for buying the dolls for them.

And what have I learned? Well, I've learned that if you spritz their hair with water and rub it with a dryer sheet, their hair looks BRAND NEW. I've learned that boots are harder to put on than shoes, so if we're in a hurry, tell the girls that a certain pair of shoes is "more fashion" than the boots. I've learned that 4 and 6 year old girls have no clue if clothes are authentic AG clothes, or rip offs from a mom that sews them and sells them on Ebay. I've learned that Coconut (Mik's dog) is every bit as important to her as her doll is. I've learned that dressing the dolls in new outfits and putting them in various places around the house while the girls are at school makes them think that their dolls were home playing with me while they were gone. I've learned that you can buy the cheap dolls after Christmas ($5.75, $22.00 before Christmas) at Kroger and take all the clothes off them and the extra clothes and accessories they come with and give the dolls to Goodwill and I spent less than I would have on extra clothes, even on Ebay.

And thank you Mom for the best toys in the whole world!

Carpool Etiquette

This is not my car, but it might as well be...

Okay, I admit it, I'm a soccer mom. I am a start-hauling-kids-at-7:45AM-and-drive-back-and-forth-until-5:00PM Soccer Mom, although there is no soccer being played, just elementary school, preschool, Jazz Dance, Ballet, Gymnastics, Playdates, and Girl Scouts, oh yeah, and the marathon birthday parties that parents are expected to sit through...the entire four hours.

I am grateful for carpooling neighbors that pick up some of the slack, but until you've sat in a car-rider line after school for forty-five minutes before school even gets out, just so you can be one of the first 20 moms there, while entertaining a preschooler, and then still wait a good ten minutes for them to get out, you just don't realize how hard it is...and how grateful you are when it's someone else's turn.

That brings me to a new GEORGIA carpool etiquette rule, that I have a hard time with. Growing up, I was involved in even more things than my kids are, and the moms always took turns. The mom came in her house-robe and slippers, even some loose curlers on a really early morning and pulled into your driveway and HONKED. That was your signal to load it all up and get out there FAST. We didn't have music; we didn't have TV's, and we sure as heck didn't have seatbelts, let alone carseats to shuffle around. The mom drove us to our destination and we THANKED her for the ride. It wasn't expected; it wasn't demanded; I think we were grateful that we were able to get there.

I've noticed a few differences in these here parts. First, it is NEVER okay to honk, seriously. That means, you may sit in someone's driveway for a good ten minutes before they come out, unless you want to venture out of the car and knock on the door and let them know you are here. You just sit, and wait, and wait. Meanwhile, your kids are taking off their seatbelts, their shoes, and unloading their bookbags. Second, no one says thanks, ever. No one says, "Man, thanks for getting up and getting us to school so that we didn't have to catch the bus forty-five minutes earlier and walk down the street to the bus stop and stand there in the cold." Not even a "thanks for the ride." Third, I guess because it is such a hassle, no one really wants to do their fair share of carpooling. When one mom does more than everyone else, it's just expected...after all, "she doesn't work" or "at least I don't have to do it" or whatever. They just don't have the "Carpool Bible" that we seemed to have in Utah, the rules that every mom knew and followed, and no one complained about.

So my fellow Georgians, listen up because Utah's got it right on this one:

1. It is always okay to honk when you are picking up a kid, and I would much rather you honk at my house than make me check out my window every two minutes.

2. No child under 12 should ever sit in the front seat, ever.

3. Once in the car, sit down, shut up, and do up your seatbelt.

4. Make it even. For every one time someone drives your kid, you should drive theirs. If you have two kids in the same carpool, then you should drive twice as many times. (I know my mom did two mornings before we could drive to Hi-Lo's..at 4:55 in the AM!)

5. There should be no fight about seats. Again, sit down and shut up; we're all going to the same place.

6. The TV does not need to be turned on for a ten minute drive to school.

7. The driver chooses the music, and the passengers are lucky if it's something they like, but they need to be quiet about it...even suggestions are not allowed.

8. When bringing a kid home, it's okay to let the kid out of the car and expect them to run up to their house and go inside. We do not need to wait for the parent to run out before the seatbelt can even be removed, especially because of the fact that we can't honk, and we'll sit out there for ten minutes before the mom comes out.

9. Always be home when it's time for your kid to be dropped off.

10. If you have to trade days, then do it a few days before...even those of us that don't work have busy schedules.

10. Always be on time.

11. Always say "thank you" and I mean a SERIOUS thank you. "Thank you Mrs. Chaunette for taking time out of your busy day to drive us to school and to be cheerful and for letting us listen to Hannah Montana the whole way." Or even just, "Thanks for the ride." I haven't heard it yet, but I'll wait patiently.

Meanwhile, for those of you that can honk freely where you live, lay one on for me...LOUD.

Dreams

I was just telling my dad about how much more enjoyable bedtime reading is now that my kids will read/listen to chapter books that Dave and I actually enjoy reading! Junie B. Jones is the greatest. She is a modern-day Ramona Quimby.

Anyway, I recently had a conversation with Jessi about her girls watching Harry Potter. I was telling her what whimps my girls are...they are afraid of Cinderella because of the stepmother, Nemo because of the shark, Enchanted because of the dragon, etc. We are safe with Little Bear, Barney, and The Big Comfy Couch (or whatever that's called)...seriously.

So, getting back to Junie B.... On Monday night Dave had gone to the gym and it was 8:30. The kids had been asleep for about 45 minutes. Amelia woke up screaming "MOM!!!" and crying. I ran upstairs and tickled her back and changed her pajamas (they were soaking wet from sweat and tears). I knew she had had a bad dream, but she couldn't remember it or didn't want to talk about it. She had fallen asleep again, so I started walking down the stairs. Then she yelled to me, "But Mom, what if they make a mess when they cut Mikayla's hair???" It then dawned on me that we were on the Junie B. where she plays "hairdresser" and cuts her hair. She ended up having a full-blown nightmare over it. I mean, it's Junie B...really????

My guess is it will be another fourteen years before we can sit down and watch Harry Potter as a family.

Oops!

I was trying to do something exciting with my blog, and ended up making a mess of things...deleting posts, erasing names off my side bar, so we're all stuck with the pink.

Can someone tell me how to do a cute header or whatever they're called???? I could live with the pink if I had a cute header. Can you?

Dealing With It

When Amelia was young, I dressed her every day. She wore little dresses with matching accessories. Later, I would spend hours putting little ponytails in her hair, french braiding and curling her hair. But something happened...about two years ago Amelia became a "fashion girl" and everything had to be "total fashion." In preschool it meant her wearing the same terribly mis-matched outfit for four days in a row (or sometimes more) to the point that her teachers called it her "uniform."

Amelia was finally big enough to fit into Limited Too clothes, so I totally splurged on a ridiculously expensive outfit to celebrate her increase in size. The problem is, she won't wear the outfit together. The shirt that you see in these photos was the shirt that looked so cute with the jeans, headband and matching little brown suede jacket. However, she now pairs the paisley shirt with camo pants and a striped scarf. The colors aren't even close to matching, not to mention the patterns.

I like to say she gets her fashion sense from Aunt D. But as a mom, I've just realized that I have to make her feel as fabulous as she does in those outfits. So I swallow my pride and don't worry that I might have the worst dressed kindergartner in the school. I see the other little girls wearing dresses and matching outfits and perfect hair, and Amelia just doesn't care. Now, don't get me wrong, she totally cares what she looks like. She spends fifteen minutes laying out her outfit and picking her jewelry and shoes, but you will never see the same outfit on another kid. She thinks she's "the most fashion" of all, so I just have to agree.

When does this stage end?

Divas and other Ramblings...

I love that my kids are out of school! We have had way too much fun! We made a list of everything the girls wanted to do over the break, and we have done almost all of them. These are pictures at "Catch Air" which was item number seven on our list of things to do!

One day during the break a mom took my kids ALL day long...I'm talking from 10-5. I didn't even know what to do with myself. It was a much needed break. But speaking of that, should I feel bad saying that? Is it bad to need a BREAK from your kids?

I love to hang out with them, but they do wear me out a little bit. After I haven't seen them for a little bit, I miss them and I'm so excited to see them and much more patient with them. What do you think about that?

And on an end-note... Here are some recently overheard comments from my divas:

Amelia: “I am not living there!!!!” Me: “What????” Amelia: “When I’m in college I will not live away from my family!!!”

Mikayla: “Mom, I really love markers, but I’m not going to marry them.”
Mikayla: (pointing to her ribs) “Mom, what is this bump?” Me: “Those are your ribs.” Mikayla: (laughing) “THOSE ARE NOT YOUR RIBS; YOU EAT RIBS!!!!”

Happy New Year! Oh, and if anyone cares, the canceled GE party (yes, the big fancy one that I look foward to all year long and bought my outfit to wear in October so I was ready for it but then wore it twice to other parties once it was canceled) is now back on...tonight. I'm not sure how you have a Christmas party on January 5, but if it saves GE money to have a holiday party the month after the fact, then they will do it. So a big thank you to Miki and her designer closet that goes on and on and on and to her very generous willingness to loan dresses to her poor, fashionless friend. I'll let you know how it goes!

Ornaments

I wanted to take a minute to post the girls' ornaments over the years. I've never thought to take photos of them, and I thought my blog would be a good place to document them. This year the girls chose their ornaments at the Festival of Lights. This is the same place that Dave and I ended up arguing over the amount of time it took for them to choose theirs!Amelia 2007 (Photo isn't good, but it says "Cheer" on it.)Mikayla 2007Amelia 2006Mikayla 2006Amelia 2005Mikayla 2005Amelia 2004Mikayla 2004 Amelia 2003 Mikayla 2003 (First Christmas)

Amelia 2002

Amelia 2001 (First Christmas)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!

Dave is 36 today! Wahoo! I am so grateful for him and for all he does for our family. We have been married eleven years, and for eleven years I have felt like the luckiest girl in the world to be married to him....even during the hard times, the good times are so good that they overshadow the difficult. There is no one on earth I would rather be with.

I love that he is crazy, even though sometimes it drives me crazy.

I love that when I met him there wasn't a "girly" thing about him and now I watch him do the best ponytails ever, explain to his mom exactly what High School Musical is and who is in it, and even play Barbies.

I love that he never gets mad at me over things that I would come un-glued over...like denting the car for example.

I love how much he is respected at work. Dave is not a "bossy boss" and everyone loves him so much. He does everything he can for his people to get "exposure" to those above, even if it puts him in the shadow a bit. He puts in extra time so a lady who works for him could go home to India for the holidays; he has helped another lady battle cancer, divorce and still trying to hang on to her job. He is never flamboyant, and as a result it has gained him respect that I am amazed by every time I meet someone he works with.

I love that when he cleans out his closet he carefully makes a pile for the five boys across the street of anything "cool." Then I love that he gets excited when he sees them wearing them (which is all the time!)

I love the way he loves me and our kids.

I love the way he makes breakfast when we are camping.

I love that he makes the bed every day.

I love that he knows so much about everything. He can talk to anyone, in any position and make them feel completely comfortable.

I love that when I don't understand something (usually history, investing or politics) and he can explain it so that I understand it.

I love that he trusts me with all the finances and never questions or second-guesses my decisions.

I love that he works hard so I don't have to and I can be home to raise my kids.

I married my best friend, and I am so blessed to have found him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVEY!