help please...

Just a quick little survey for those of you who have a daughter(s) between the ages of 7 and 10. What are you getting her for Christmas? I am having the hardest time trying to figure out what to get Kristin for Christmas. She's almost 8. She's too old for little girl toys and dolls but not old enough for "big girl" or tween stuff. Any suggestions? I've gotten a few things but am still short.

A Special Girl

The other night Grace woke up with a tummy ache. Ya. Uh, oh. You know what a tummy ache in the middle of the night means. So I was up for about 2 hours that night. Not because she actually got sick. (Thank you, God for that) because she didn't, but because I was worried that she would. I HATE the throw ups. HATE them! I know some people prefer that kind of sickness to a bad cold because it is over relatively quickly compared to a cold that can last for a week or more. Give me some yucky snot any day over a stomach virus.

I am writing, though, not to tell you about my irrational fear of throwing up but to mention a friend of mine. While I was up worrying about something as trivial and temporary as throwing up, my friend was laying with her 2 year old daughter as she took her last breaths. Hailey has been ill with cancer for about 2 years now. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer at 8 months old and since then has been in a battle to end all battles for her life. She lost that battle early Sunday morning. My heart and thoughts and prayers go out to Hailey's family right now. They are grieving the loss of a very adorable, tough little girl. There are many, many people grieving the loss of Hailey. Myself included. There is joy, however, in knowing that she is only gone from this world, that she now lives, whole again, no longer sick and suffering, with our Lord Jesus.

She may have lost the battle but she won the war and will now celebrate the victory forever.

Fall Beautiful Fall

Gosh, I love this time of year! It is so beautiful here now! Everywhere you look there are colors and more colors. Even parts of town that aren't usually known for their looks are picture book pretty. For the last week or so I have intended to get out and do a fall photo walk but just have not had the chance. Then it dawned on me as I was outside waiting for the kids to get home the other day that I can do my fall photo walk right in my own yard. We do have some pretty trees. Our yard is a beautiful mess right now.


There is a tiny part of me that for some reason can find the negative in all this beauty. Although I love when the wind blows to see all the colorful leaves dance to the ground, it is a tiny reminder that it's all going to be over soon. Fall is my favorite time of year and unfortunately also the shortest season. Just as the leaves change and the air turns cooler, they all fall off the trees. And then it's gone. Over. I feel a since of urgency to hurry up and get in all my fav fall activities before I've missed it. I can't believe we are only a week away from Thanksgiving! And then it's on to Christmas! I love it, but Wow! Where did the time go?


So while waiting for the bus today, I decided to take my chance and try to preserve a little of this beautiful season.


Thank you, God for your wonderful creativity!






This is our street. Just ignore all the trash cans out for trash day.
Home sweet home. Come spring, I'll have to contrast this picture with what our yard looks like then. We have about 20 azalea bushes in our front yard alone. It's quite the flower barrage in the spring.

So there you have it. My fall photo "walk." Though I didn't go too far, I think I still got some good color pics.

3 for 3

One day last week, I somehow managed to get myself signed up to be in all 3 of my girls' classes on the same day. And, yes, I pulled it off.

My day started at 6 AM as usual, so I could get up, get myself showered and dressed before having to wake 2 of the girls up at 6:30. Once they are up and dressed, we hustle downstairs for breakfast and the making of the lunches. Then we are out the door by 7:30 to get Kristin and Grace to school. Minutes before this, poor Elliott is plucked out of her slumber and strapped in her carseat since I can't very well leave her home alone. (my hus is usually gone before 7 AM).

Then Elliott and I return home, only to do the whole breakfast thing again. I usually have a few minutes here to check email before having to get Elliott dressed and ready for school. We are out the door by 9:15 (on Tuesdays and Thursdays).

I love Elliott's preschool. It's been the one both Kristin and Grace attended, each for 2 years. This is my 5th consecutive year at the Wee School (cute name, huh?). But, they don't have a car pool line. As much of a pain as it is to have to park, get out of the car, walk in to her class, wait until 9:30 on the dot (the teachers do not open their doors for business until exactly 9:30), I have come to appreciate it. It is by doing this and not just dropping off my kiddies, that I have made some good friends. I have always gotten to know all the kids in their classes and their parents. I have (and still do ) hung out with some of the mommies I have met and made friends with, outside of school. That being said, it's still a pain on a rainy, cold day, or when you have to bring in 3 kids only to drop off one like I did when Kristin was 4 and Grace and Elliott were around but did not attend.

Anyway, all that is to say, that I had to drop off Elliott precisely at 9:30 while I was also supposed to be at Grace's class at 9:30 to be center helper. I made it by 9:40. Fortunately, their schools are not far apart. So, I was center helper in Grace's class until 10:30. Then I had to run over to Kristin's class to put together their Thursday folders. That actually is not a big deal and only took about 20 minutes. I actually had about an hour before I had to get back to Elliott's school to help with her class's fall party.

The parents are responsible for planning and executing the parties at the Wee School through out the year. The teacher in me took over and pretty much planned and lead the whole party myself. I hope the other moms (there were 2) were not offended by my apparent yet unintended bossiness. They seemed ok with it.

Nevertheless, the party went off without a hitch. The kids seemed to enjoy it.

So then, I was almost done. Elliott and I got home, had about 45 minutes before having to go outside to wait for the bus (it drops the kids off at our drive way. How awesome is that!) and then more , albeit normal, chaos ensued with everyone home. It was a busy day. But a successful one.

I intended to take pictures as I went from class to class. Unfortunately, the only class I remembered to take pictures was the last one, Elliott's. And, I only got 1 pic. And, it is pretty not great. I have this point and shoot I keep in my purse at all times, you never know when you will need to take a picture and I don't trust the quality of my phone. But, I hate the point and shoot I have. It's junk. I have yet to take a decent shot with it.

Anyway, here it is.



I am glad I get to be involved in my kids' classes. I am a very big believer in, no matter what kind of school your kids go to, private or public, you've got to be involved. Get in the classroom. See what's going on. Meet their friends. Make yourself known. Get to know the teacher on a personal level. Everyone involved can only benefit from it.

Two Cats and a Princess

We had a fun Halloween. We had 2 black cats and Princess Belle. Evidently, I did such a good job assisting Belle with her hair and make up that one of our black cats declared that next year, she wants to be Belle.

I think this was our best trick or treating experience to date. No one ran away screaming because of a neighbor's dog. No one had to be taken home early because she saw someone dressed in a costume that was scary. No one cried. Everyone walked all on their own. No one had to go potty. No one lost a shoe. And the weather was PERFECT. You could not have asked for better Halloween weather. Cool, but not too cold. Clear skies. No bugs. Awesome.

Elliott did declare after a few houses that she thought they had enough candy, but I think she just wanted to go home so she could eat some.

Earlier in the day, after church, we all gathered out back to watch daddy work his magic on a pumpkin. He did a great job this year. Probably his best ever. The girls didn't care to get all messy with the squishy stuff, but they had a good time watching daddy do it.