What child is this???

Chris has been playing football with a few friends at lunch.  At the beginning of the week, words were exchanged between a couple of them.  Not directed toward Chris but at his one friend.  Apparently Chris pushed him down and sat on him.  Not hitting though.  Then the other friend layed on top of Chris.  And, surprise, surprise, the bottom kid got hurt.  All three of them were sent to principals office.  They each had a chance to give their story.  The end result is that all three of them have to take their lunch to the principals office for three days and then sit in the office during recess.  My kid in the principals office???  What the heck?  Oddly, the school never called or sent a note home.  So you may be asking yourself, how in the world did you find out?  On the second day of the punishment, Ron and I were at the school for Payton's Christmas party.  As we were leaving, Chris' class was coming out of the lunchroom so we waited to say hi to him.  And my very observant husband asked where his coat was.  At this point, he looked down and said, "I don't want to talk about it."  Parents always have a way of find out :-)

Yes, there's a Santa but I'm not so sure about Rudolf

Over the last month, the kids have been arguing like crazy about whether there is a Santa or not.  Chris, of course, is starting the drink the Kool-Aid offered by the kids at school and on the bus.  He often blurts out at dinner in front of everyone that there is no Santa.  Payton still has dreams of presents so she will immediately argue that there is definitely a Santa (and a tooth fairy and an Easter bunny).  Her argument is that her friends told her that there was a Santa.  Plus her friends are bigger than Chris so they are smarter than him.  Makes sense if you think about it.  So I'm not sure how much longer we will get to enjoy the kids eagerly waiting for Santa.  For this year, we still get to enjoy it.

On the other hand, Payton has told us that there is no way that Rudolf exists.  Her reason is that reindeer can't possibly have red noses.  Santa, yes; Rudolf, no.  Crazy.

Unexpected Visitor

When the kids got off the bus today, we had an extra visitor!  Payton had invited the little girl from the next street over to play but it was a secret so they weren't going to tell her mom.  After quickly returning the girl to her panicked Dad, we had a talk about not doing that anymore and provided to invite her over to play for real sometime.

Kindergarteners!!!!!

They don't need me anymore

Both the kids took the bus to school today.  Payton decided she didn't need me to drive her to school on her first day of school.  In fact, she didn't even need me to walk her to the bus stop since she had her brother.  I thought I was prepared but I still got a little teary-eyed as the bus drove away.

First Day of School

Today is the first day of school at West Salem Elementary.  Second grade for Christopher and Kindergarten for Payton.  Christopher ran off to the bus this morning with no worries.  Payton had a one-hour Kindergarten orientation.  We had to pry her off us to get her to participate in the activities.  She'll do better tomorrow.  I hope.....

Chris' 8th birthday

I overheard Chris on the phone talking to his Grandpa Jim...  "My Dad got me a bike ramp and the next thing I knew I was flying!"  It was a good day.

Payton's request

Today, as we were driving to daycare, Payton asked to roll down her window.  She then yelled out the window, "Hi God!  Can you please tell Hailey that I love her?  Thanks God!"  How sweet is that?

Payton finds a rock at the park

We are definitely playing this one at her wedding.  You're going to want to turn up the sound to get the full experience...

The Playdate Outfit

Since I enjoyed sewing those twirly dresses for Payton so much, I've been kind of interested in doing some more sewing.  But the question was always what to sew?  Finally an opportunity presented itself and I knew I just had to try it.  I've been reading The Cottage Home blog for a while since she always makes such cute things for her girls.  She decided to do a sew a long to help explain things to beginners.  Readers voted on a project and the winner was Carina Gardner's Playdate Outfit (which was not Payton's first choice).  So she started a 5 day tutorial series that began here.  It took me longer than 5 days but I'm pretty happy with the results.  Now if I could just get Payton to stand still long enough to get a good picture.  Here are the decent ones I was able to snap real quick...

I know it doesn't twirl so I'm not even sure she will wear it but I'm hoping she will since it's pink.   

Here are some more pictures of just the outfit.  I was able to learn how to do quite a few things that I've never done before:  lining, button holes, and top stitching.  Plus, I've gotten to learn a lot more about fabric and our local quilt shop, Olive Juice Quilts.



So what is my next sewing adventure?  I have the material to make the dress that also came with this pattern.  In fact, I was able to find the exact heart fabric that the pattern shows.  The dress is exactly like the top, just longer.  And I'm still trying to figure out what I can make for Chris.  There just aren't as many boy things that aren't plain.  I've been thinking of pajamas but we'll see.



Chris' latest mohawk pictures

It's a fountain, it's a bird bath, it's a...

While we were in Valparaiso, IN, this weekend, I took Chris, Payton, and my niece, Grace, to visit my Grandma Ruth since everyone else was busy building the new deck for Bill and Karan (which turned out really nice).  On our way back to Bill and Karan's, I drove through Aberdeen.  On one of the streets, there is a huge fountain.  Right now it isn't working so the kids started to talk about it.  Here's how that lovely conversation went...

Chris:  Mom that fountain doesn't have any water in it.  Maybe it's not a fountain anymore.
Grace:  I think it's a fountain.
Chris: I think it's a bird bath or a bird feeder.
Payton:  I think it's a butt.
Grace:  Butts aren't that big.
Payton:  My mom has a really big butt.

Nice kid, huh?

Princess merchandising

Payton needs new sandals.  Since I was at Kohl's I bought a bunch of different sandals to bring the store to her.  I was explaining this to the cashier.  But I also told her that I knew which ones she would pick since there was a pair in there with Disney princesses.  I said you could put princesses on a piece of garbage and she would want it.

Sure enough, she saw the princess box and claimed those were the ones she wanted (without even trying them on).  Luckily, they fit. 

So I tell Ron about the conversation with the cashier.  Completely unaware that Payton has been listening, I hear her yell out, "I don't like princess garbage!!"  But I'm sad to say, I bet she would.

Chris' new haircut

I think the picture pretty much speaks for itself.  It's only hair, right?  It will grow back, right?  I agreed to this for the summer as long it was gone in time for school pictures.  I've never seen a little boy more excited in my life.  He was bouncing around the house all morning asking if it was time to go get his haircut.  And then when he went to bed that night, he thanked me ever so sweetly.

The bathroom at Red Lobster

Saturday, we went to Red Lobster for my birthday.  Yummy!  While taking Patyon to the bathroom, she says, "Mom it smells weird in here.  I think it smells like princesses were in here.  Or maybe a leprechaun."  Interesting....  I always imagined princesses and leprechauns would smell much better.

Lent

Since this is the first year that Chris is in CCD, we talked about Lent and how you usually give up something.  I'm giving up pop and candy.  Chris wavers back and forth between pop and candy.  It usually depends on what he wants at the moment.  If he's wanting candy, then he's giving up pop.  If he wants pop, then he's giving up candy instead.  Payton was going to give up her beloved cheeseburgers.  Then she had the best idea yet.  Friday, she announced, "Mom, for Lent I'm going to give up snow!  Let's tell Santa!"  I am all for this idea.  Although, I'm not sure what Santa has to do with it.

I made a dress for Payton!!

I’m so excited about my latest creation.  Payton only likes twirly dresses these days (as some of you already know).  It’s been hard to find them in the store that twirl *enough*.  So I found a pattern and made her one.  It turned out great and she actually likes it.  I’ve knit and crocheted her things over the years that she won’t even wear.  This she didn’t want to take off!  I’m so excited.  The top of the dress is a t-shirt that you just buy from the store and alter.  Here are some of the pictures….

It was so quick and easy, I’m going to make her 3 more.  Here are the fabrics I’m going to use.  Payton really likes the yellow one so that will be next.

Hot Babies

Today, Chris told us that called 2 girls on the bus "Hot babies."  Ron said that when someone says that they think that person is pretty.  Chris turned up his nose and said, "That's not what I meant!"

Payton has what????

Here is my little Payton...  after 3 hours of picking nits from her hair.  That's right.  Payton was sent home from school today with lice.  LICE!  I only found 2 live lice, so that's good, right?  She got it from her bff, Hailey.  They tell me at school that the lice like the kids with clean hair.  So at least my kid's one of the clean ones.  Now, we are just crossing our fingers that they are all gone. 

Here she is after we took out all the pins.  Starting to look a little cranky.  But I completely understand since I felt pretty cranky too.  She was so good though.  And we get to try it all again in 7 - 10 days.

Payton's hypothesis

Every week, Payton gets homework from her 4K class.  There are tasks to accomplish, questions to answer, reading from a parent, and coloring on it.  One of the tasks this week is to put a cup of water in the freezer and look at it the next day to see what happens to it.  So last night, we did just that.  This morning, she got it out of the freezer and told us all that it had turned to ice.  So my next question to her is, "What do you think will happen to it if we leave it out on the counter all day?"  Her hypothesis (the new word the kids have learned from watching Dinosaur Train) is that it will turn to Jell-o.  Hmmm, really?  Maybe she knows something I don't.  So we'll see what happens :-)