Chef cape

This morning Josie was asking where her chef cape was. After a few moments of talking it through I realized she wanted her apron. No wonder she loves Tim's cooking- she thinks he's a super hero! 

It's that time again!

Snow is on the ground and the tree is up. Must be time for....Thanksgiving! 

If only it were two weeks later

If the events of this day in 1984 would have fallen 2 weeks later I would still be the big sister AND my birthday would come before his. Instead he burst my bubble and threw my perfect little six year old life into a tailspin....but I wouldn't trade him for the world!

Happy Birthday Teddy!

Just call Tim

While Josie and I were driving home from school today we started talking about dinner plans. 

Josie: Mom, are you going to make that squash tonight? 

Me: Sure! That's a great idea. 

Josie: Do you even know how to cook it? 

Me: Actually, I've never made one before but I'll figure it out. It's pretty easy. 

Josie: Just call Tim. He knows how to cook. 

Me: I'm pretty sure its something I can figure out how to do. 

Josie: Call Tim. Or go to the computer and do the search thing with the word squash. I really want it to taste good. 

Me: I think I can handle it Josie. 

Fast forward 90 minutes.....

Josie: Mom, this squash is really good! Did you call Tim?

Me: Nope. I told you I thought I knew how to do it.

Josie: Well, its good. And I'll eat it again tomorrow night. But can Tim make it for Thanksgiving?

She's crazy!

This was less than 12 hours after she was throwing up....

And this was.....I have no idea what this was. 

And so it begins...

This morning Josie came in with some random outfit consisting of many colors, an alligator and stripes. Of course Brent deferred to me when the "does this match?" question came up.

I applauded Josie's choices but suggested that different pants may look nice with that particular shirt. Josie gladly accepted my suggestion and changed pants.

Then she came in our room with a pink barrette in her hair. It was in nowhere near a proper barrette location nor did it nicely hold the hair in a particular style. Think bedhead with a pink bow.

Again, I applauded Josie's styling effort but suggested that a more traditional use of the barrette would be appropriate. This time she did not care to accept my suggestion and continued to create more crazy hairstyles, asking if each one was better than the last.

In the end I won (as mom's usually do) but Josie scolded me for never letting her wear or do anything "fun and interesting". And while I may have won the stripe pants and barrette battle for now, I dread the day she tells me some strange piercing or tattoo is fun and interesting. I'm not prepared to handle a permanent fun or interesting addition to my daughter's sense of style.

What its all a"bout"

Meet Jen. She's your normal, every day, do it all wife, mother and friend. Super creative. Excellent cook. Kind, loving and a heart of gold. PTA member. Community volunteer. But slap a helmet and knee pads on that girl and you get Green Eggs and Slam.

You see, Jen has never played organized sports. N-e-v-e-r. Nope, no twice a week practices. No games won or lost at the last second. No grueling running drills to make up for your lackluster performance at the last game. Nada. But since the start of summer she's been busting her butt at least twice a week to get ready for her moment of glory. The first bout.

Crowds came out in droves to support my girl. Green hair and Seuss hats were everywhere! We even had a green mullet on our side. And lots of cute little kids with signs.

And some obnoxious grown ups with signs. 

And my little Slam skated her heart out! She was not afraid of falling. She was not afraid of a smack down. She should have maybe been more afraid of defeat (since that's what ultimately happened).

And after all that skating she signed autographs! And partied until the wee hours of the morning.

And after all was said and done I was left thinking that I love nights I can't remember with friends I can't forget.

That's you Slam- you amazed the heck out of me. You are unstoppable.

Trust me

Grandma says: We're going to put you in the mouth of this fish. Trust me, it will be real cute.

 Grandma says: Just move a little to the right. You are almost too big to fit.

 Grandma says: Now stick your butt further back in the mouth. And please stop whining.

Grandma says: Josie, please relax and just ignore that tooth jabbing in your leg. Trust me, this will be great.

Grandma says: Josie! Come on now. We've almost got you shoved in this here mouth. Now smile!

Mom says: Please stand next to the nice fishy and give me a big smile. Trust me, your grandma is nuts!

Trick-arrrgh-treat!

Our little pirate was at it again this year. 

Is that really how a pirate would pose? 

With ninja Connor! 

 

Josie's teacher

 Trick-arrrrgh-treat! 

What's with the glowing teeth on great-grandpa? 

 And a new rule was in effect this year: 

for any house they forgot to say thank you they needed to skip the next two houses. 

And it worked!