And Then It Was December

Ready or not, here it comes!

The tree has been decorated, thanks to two very willing

participants. They did a very thorough job making sure that

any ornament that we've ever owned, made, inherited

or given to us was hung on that tree.

The letters to Santa have been written.

There will be NO fighting over stockings this year!

And we're trying hard not to get caught up in too much of the

holiday hoop-lah and remember the real reason for the season.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Seasons Come and Seasons Go

Since I've last blogged, a few sporting events have come...and gone. Dal played his last year of little league football. It was sad to see this part of his life come to an end. It's been fun to watch this group of boys grow up together and to learn to win and lose together.

Michaela's soccer team moved up a division after finishing in the top two during Spring season. This was their toughest season. They've always had an easy time winning and it was hard to see them start the first half of the season with more losses than wins. It also made them grow and work harder and they ended the 2nd half of the season with some exciting wins that kept them in this division. I love watching this girl play.

Reagen wanted to play soccer again and surprised us by her speed (when she felt like it).

She's also doing gymnastics and loves it. She practices her handstands over and over at home. Usually in front of the tv when we are trying to watch it, but at least she's practicing.

What a Difference a Year Makes

This kid has grown up so much over the last year. It's hard to believe that only a year separates these two photos. Dal turned 14 on September 13th. He's such a young man. His voice is lower with the occasional crackle and he's shot up like a weed. He's gotten so strong and thinks it's hilarious to grab mike by the ankles and pull him off the couch. Mike gets so frustrated, all he can do is laugh. I had to add texting to our phone plan because all of a sudden he has a social life. He's even attended two school dances. It's fun watching him grow up and mature (well, maybe it's a stretch to call it maturing!)

Gap Tooth Grin

She's been wigglin' this tooth for months, so anxious for it to fall out, but a little afraid to actually get it out. A couple of weeks ago she came running over from Nana's house with it wrapped in a kleenex. She had finally wiggled the thing right out while she watched cartoons. She was so excited to finally get a visit from the tooth fairy.

Halloween 2009

Alien. That's what she is. I know my face painting skills aren't the best, not to mention my hair doing skills, but believe me, it's better than the plastic mask that came with the costume that she wanted to wear. I convinced her that she wouldn't be able to breathe through the tiny little air holes just because I was embarrassed of that plastic mask. Does that make me a bad mom?

Regardless, we had a fun Halloween. The kids loved carving pumpkins and it was the first year that I didn't have to actually do all the carving. Michaela took Reagen around trick or treating and Mike and I sat on the couch and ate Halloween candy. Does that make us bad parents?

There are no pictures of Michaela because she wore the same mask that she's worn for the last 3 or 4 years so just refer back to last years pictures. There are no pictures of Dallon because he's a little old to be trick or treating.

New Calling

What do you do when you get called as the YW President and you feel overwhelmed, under-qualified, and a little clueless? You surround yourself with strong, wonderful, and very qualified women. I'm excited and nervous for this new calling and so grateful for these awesome ladies that already have made my job easier. It's going to be a fun, crazy ride.

BTS

A special thing happened last night.  At 9:15 p.m. the house was silent, except for the rustle of an oreo package. The kids were tucked in bed and Mike and I celebrated quietly with cookies and milk because school was starting in the morning.  

It was lovely. No one doing cartwheels in front of the TV (Reagen). No one playing Spore on the computer (Dal). No one eating Grandma Sycamore's bread on the couch (Michaela). Did I mention it was lovely?

First day of school outfits were laid out. Fancy hairdo's were planned. Showers were all taken. It's a night we had been anticipating. We've enjoyed summer break, but these kids are ready to have someone besides us tell them what to do for several hours a day.

Morning came and the kids hopped out of bed and got ready in plenty of time. I quizzed Reagen about her bus number several times until I was sure she'd get home ok. Just to be safe, I wrote it on her hand. We took pictures in front of the house and the kids filled their backpacks with supplies.  

I took Dal first and dropped him off in the back of the school. It's not cool to have your mom walk you in to jr. high.  Michaela and I walked Reagen to her class and she was happy that one of her little friends was just two desks away. Last was Michaela. We made sure she could unlock her combo and then got her to class. 

As I walked back to the car, I thought about our celebration last night. We were giddy as we ate the soggy oreo's, but we got a little sentimental as we talked about Reagen being old enough to be in school all day. How Mike will miss meeting her at the bus stop at noon and spending a couple of hours with her before the other kids got home. How Dal has gotten so tall and changed so much in the last few months.  How Michaela didn't buy one shirt from the boy's department this year (we're making progress). We talked about how fast they are growing up and how they'll be gone before we know it. It all rushed back to me as I walked down the hallway back to my car. A tear may have been shed, but I wiped it away quickly before the janitor saw me.

After all that excitement, I went home and did what any other sensible mom would do...finished off the oreo's.

Reagen in Mrs. Jenning's 1st Grade class.

So excited for school to start, she's doing the happy dance.

Back to school sisterly lovin'.

Dal wasn't in the dancing mood.

Look mom, no boy shirts! We're still working on the shorts 

and shoes, but you've gotta start somewhere.

Shake your bootie!

Not sure what this pose is.

Note to self...

I've realized a few things this summer. 

• Make a disclaimer to pin on Reagen's shirt that reads, "My eleven year old sister dressed me and did my hair today. She doesn't really care what I look like."  Needless to say, she looks like a little orphan some days. The clothes I lay out are usually still laying on her dresser when I get home.
• No excuse for Dallon. He's almost 14 and still can't match his clothes. 
• That cute summer skirt has a little cotton liner under it. When you pull it up to go to the bathroom, you have to make sure and pull it back down or it will be bunched up around your hiney at work for several hours before you realize it. I really don't need the extra volume in that area.
• Young Women lessons given on Sunday should be prepared prior to Saturday night. 
• If they are prepared Saturday night, make sure and prepare the correct lesson.
• Sleeping until 9:47 am on a Saturday morning is a little piece of heaven that doesn't occur more than once a year. Realize that if you sleep until 9:47 am, you may wet your bed. (I didn't, but it was kinda close.)
• Remember what 9:47 am feels like when I'm getting up at 5:00 am for work. Be grateful for that once a year event.
• And last, but not least, horses slobber like no other when they are eating apples. Stay clear.

Doesn't it look like a little heart on his head?

Six!

Five is a great age. It's the age where you figure out how to laugh like sponge bob (it's trickier than you think), you get to be a picky eater, it's a time when jumping on the trampoline and playing with stuffed animals consumes most of your day. With just a quick yelp, you can get your big brother or sister in trouble in 2.5 seconds.

Although five is great, Reagen was excited to turn six. She gets to go to first grade and eat school lunch, something she's been looking forward to all through kindergarten. She couldn't understand why they sent her home at lunch time instead of feeding her. 

She's still my baby and the little sis, but man, she's gotten so tall with those long legs and big feet, it's hard to deny that she's growing up. She's learned how to tease her dad from the older two and she loves, loves, loves doing that. She'll torment him and then run to the "safe couch" where he can't get her.

She sings in the tub, in her room, while she's eating, everywhere we go. No song in particular, just little sing songy noises. She's a dancing fool, too. She's got some swing in those little hips. Don't know where the moves came from because they're definitely not from my side of the family. She'll spend hours drawing and coloring. She's decided it's ok to like Hannah Montana regardless of what Michaela says. She's our little sunshine, making us smile constantly.

Michaela helped me with a treasure hunt for R's birthday.

She drew pictures of places all around the house for Reagen to follow until she eventually found her new stuffed Cheetah. 
I tried a new dessert called cake pops found on bakerella.com.  They were so nummy, it's a new fave with the fam.
We had family over for cheesecake brownies, cake pops, and sheet eclairs. Thanks to everyone that made R's day special.

I had to laugh when I saw this picture on my camera...

Dallon snapped it of Mike the other day after Mike got home from the post office.  He just wanted to get on the computer for a minute, but just couldn't keep those eyes open...or his mouth shut. 

With 3 kids, 2 parents working, and no school, this place is a zoo!

Pipe cleaner animals courtesy of Martha Stewart crafts clearance price at WalMart. I thought it would give Reagen hours of craftiness fun, instead I spent a half an hour listening to how I was making them all wrong.

The Fourth

In order to have a great 4th of July, you need to do several things:

1. Get up really early and run a mile in the Ray Barrus Annual 5K Run.  Actually, you make your daughters run in this instead of you. You don't want to be embarrassed when you are beat by a bunch of kids.

2. Eat a nice cold popsicle afterwards to cool off.

3. Discuss the strategy of your run with your good buddy Ian.

4. Give the only willing participant a holiday hair-do. It's supposed to be a star.

5. Go to the 4th of July Parade.

6. Make sure you smile and wave at everyone in the 

parade so they'll throw lots of candy at you.

7. Have a barbeque in the afternoon under the shade of the trees with family.

8. Eat until you can eat no more.