Betcha Didn't Know

Betcha didn't know a mother eats rice inside childrens' attics.  Or that witches on roofs love devils. 

 

When you have a second grader who aces every weekly spelling test since the beginning of the year, you start getting skilled at creating mnemonic devices. 

 

Meanwhile, Ross' gym teacher was featured in the Winterset Living Publication.  Ross was interviewed for the story.  His statement and picture is found at the bottom of the article.

 

 

Homecoming Parade

Maisie was chosen to help carry the kindergarten banner in the Homecoming Parade.  She brought home the permission slip on Monday and was beyond ecstatic. 

 

We counted down the days until parade day.  It's the little things...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Molly's Bike

Click the below link to see Molly's new ride.
 

 

Molly's Bike

 

Crazy Hair Day

Good ol' Homecoming week is in full swing in Winterset.  For instance, yesterday Molly and I spent time gathering broken strands of toilet paper out of our elderly neighbors' yards and wondered why on earth teenagers get such a thrill out of the sport.  On the flip-side, the toilet paper was clean, dry and for a split second I actually considered taking it home.  I changed my mind and dumped it in someone's recycle bin instead.

 

Today is crazy hair/hat day.  I wasn't sure the kids would participate, however last night I pulled out some wigs and everyone was on board.  Ross wasn't sure about wearing his wig this morning and stuffed it in his pocket.  He explained that with the wig shoved in his pocket, it looked like he had a huge wiener with hair coming out the side.  He's always been so descriptive.  Maisie, on the other hand was uber-confident in her hot pink wig. 

 

I walked the kids to school (with the wigs on their heads) and half expected them to chicken out.  But they didn't.  I sometimes forget that at 8 and 5 they don't have self conscience issues yet.  In 5-8 years, they'll begin to worry what others think... they'll worry that they might stand out .... they'll worry that it's uncool to participate in  'crazy hair day'. 

 

 

Today they want nothing more than to have fun during homecoming week. 

Today they don't care what others think and enjoy standing out. 

Today they wore crazy hair. 

Today they are 8 and 5.

 

His Other Love

At some point it occurred to me.  I'm not the only one my husband is madly in love with. 

 

Perhaps it became clear when he showed me the picture perfect shooting range he discovered, a bright green peninsula of land canopied by walnut, oak and hickory trees... or when he became obsessed with clearing brush, spraying stubborn multiflora rose and forging paths... or it could've been late Saturday night as he and I sat by the chiminea while the harvest moon shone down on us.  That's when he explained how happy being on this property made him.  And that's when it struck me.  I'm not the only love of his life.  He's got a thing for the great outdoors, being in the woods, the back holler.  Something about the air, the sounds, the freedom, the sky, the smells... could it be any more perfect?  The answer arrived Sunday when a discovery was made. 

 

 

 

There are fish. 

 

 

And with that said, I can officially say my husband is whipped.

 

Goosebumps

I remember it like yesterday.  Another Sunday would roll around and to spare myself some boredom or being forced to help Dad chop firewood, I'd hide out in my room with a book.  R.L. Stein was my author of choice.  I loved the horror and the drama of the entire series  (Next to Babysitters Club, of course).  Mom cleared out the fridge on Sundays so the only time I'd leave my room was for lunch as leftover bowls of spaghetti covered in saran wrap and meatloaf were microwaved. 

 

Therefore, it's no surprise that when Ross can't put down his R.L. Stein Goosebumps book before football practice, I feel a little nostalgic. 

 

Maisie has developed a love of reading as well.  I'm certain Junie B. Jones will be making an appearance in the near future...

 

School Pictures

Because I'm sure your dying to know how Lifetouch Photography is angling students heads these days....

How I Love Your Daddy

Sometimes I get so caught up in life, I forget to live in the moment.  For instance, I almost missed this one..

 

They didn't see me squatting in the gravel nearby, my rear end pointing towards the heavens...

I never knew how much I loved your Daddy, until I saw how much he loved You.

Husky Dog, Husky Dog, Eat 'Em Up, Eat 'Em Up

Maisie was not only a ballerina this week, she was also a cheerleader.  She was pretty pumped to cheer, yet I'm not sure she quite understood what she'd signed up for Friday night.

During the pre-game of the Varsity Football game, 94 girls took the stage to show-off their cheers.  I found the whole thing slightly hilarious and I'm trusting the photos to tell the story better than I can.

Maisie walked onto the track.  She looked nervous and small...

She did her best not to smile or look at us.  We kept yelling her name and waving.  Mike stuck his tongue out at her... only then did she crack a tiny smile.

Can you find her?  She's the adorable one in the center (turned away from us, of course)

This is her "I feel weird and I'm not sure what to do with my face" look.

I couldn't resist posting this one...

 

Or this one...

 

Afterwards, she asked me if Ross was going to cheer next.  We walked back into the bleachers laughing hysterically at the thought.

Ballerina

 

Maisie is finally a ballerina.  She has dreamt of this moment for months.  Actually, ever since she watched "Barbie and the Pink Shoes" last spring.  Of course we didn't know what type of shoes she needed to wear, so I sent her in sandals.  Luckily a more experienced dance mom was in the building with a spare pair of ballet shoes Maisie could borrow for the first class.  They were 2 sizes too small and I swore I could see a toenail jabbing out of the front, but Maisie insisted they felt fine. 

 

Walking back to the minivan after class, I asked what she learned.  She sat down on the sidewalk and demonstrated a 'bridge'.  I didn't realize ballerinas did bridges, but who am I to question it? I'm not sure, but I have a feeling she's gonna love dance.

 

Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion. 

-Martha Graham

Mouthguards, Lunch Boxes and Duct Tape

The elementary school "café" opened for visitors this week.  I called on Monday morning to make reservations both Monday and Tuesday.  Monday, Molly and I surprised Ross at school to eat lunch with him in the café.  We stood by the cafeteria doors and waited for him to come down the stairs with his class.  The surprised look on his face when his eyes met mine stole my heart a million times over. 

 

I can say the same thing about Molly earlier when she told me she already packed her lunch.  My curiosity got the best of me and I took a quick peek inside her backpack. 

 

I couldn't decide what I liked best, the fact that she packed sugar-free Kool-Aid concentrate, plastic bears,a chewed up sucker stick, or the fact that she did it herself.

 

Molly and I met Maisie for lunch in the café on Tuesday.  We were a couple minutes late because I discovered maggots growing under our trash can (outside) and I had to treat the infestation before we left. 

 

Monday night was Ross' first flag football scrimmage.  He was nervous, but once he applied his black face paint and adjusted his mouthguard, he was ready to play. 

 

The scrimmage lasted 30 minutes and felt like it ended before it started.  The future games won't be as brief, so I'm told.

 

Ross's team, the "Bulldogs" were playing against the "Cyclones".  Luckily for Ross' team, we came with a cheerleader.  Yes, the uniform is a 3T and is an ISU Cyclone uniform however, we were able to use duct tape to cover "Cyclones" and replace it with "Bulldogs". 

 

Were creative like that. 

 

Enjoy the photos from the big game.

In case you were wondering, the Bulldogs lost.  Ross later explained he was too scared to pull a flag, incase it wasn't the right flag to pull.  So he just faked it. 

 

Whatever works.

 

Pre-game jitters. 

 

Maisie strikes a pose while Ross holds Molly back.

 





Don't mess with his sisters.

 



Ross in position on the field.  Since the game didn't start until 7:30, they got to play under the lights.

The Bulldogs take the field.

I'm not positive, but I'd be willing to bet the majority of the team spent more time adjusting their mouthguards than focusing on the game.  As far as I'm concerned, that's exactly how it should be.  The joy of being 8.

 

 



Monday Smiles

Monday's with Molly

 

Falling

Maisie fell off the barstool in the kitchen for the bazillionth time this morning.  Mike and I dried her tears as we silently rolled our eyes at each other for her clumsiness. 

 

Little did I know that 45 minutes later she and I would have similar wounds.  45 minutes later I was running on a treadmill at the gym.  45 minutes later I was lost in thought and forgot I was running.  For the very first (and hopefully last) time ever, I lost my balance and fell off the treadmill. 

 

Definitely not my finest moment.  And to answer the most important question; yes, other people were at the gym. 

 

 Maisie's shins

 

My shins

 

Apparently, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Picture Day

T’was the night before Picture Day, and all was a fright

What to wear? What to wear?  Will I be able to sleep tonight?

Let’s lay out our clothes, our jewelry and bows,

Heaven forbid we didn’t paint our toes.

When just before bedtime, I heard quite a clunk,

Ross and Maisie’s heads’ collided and went bonk.

Maisie’s forehead was swelling, purple and round,

A goose-egg was forming and not going down.

When the next morning finally came,

All I could say, was thank God for bangs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cousin Visit

GG, Aunt Elisa, Cole and Zach drove to Winterset for a visit...

GG stayed busy reading the Berenstain Bears and filling water balloons...

Zach took a drink from the hose between balloon filling...

 

If you can't tell, the balloon toss was intense...

We couldn't get over Molly's expression with each toss. 

Whoops, missed it.

 

Missed it again.

I just noticed Maisie's shirt looks slightly 'lumpy'.  I forgot she was wearing a training bra this day.  It's a long story.

 

Zach and Maisie play hide-and-seek on the rock.

 

Cole joins them on the rock.

 

Meanwhile, Molly decided to push Zach in the swing. She likes to be the 'mama'.

And the goofball.