Snow Day

What a wintery snow day!

If you look REAL close you can see some sleet on the steps.

Over 1/2 of our blood family lives in places like Jefferson City, MO and Natick, Mass. They understand snow and the effects of it. Me growing up in MO and Matt growing up in Mass always find the people from Arkansas funny around the wintertime. Friday there was call for sleet and snow in the forecast. For a little while, there was sleet in our area. All of a sudden the schools are shutting down, which means our daycare shuts down. So we're calling parents to come pick up their kids and trying to get all the employees with kids sent home first. I called Kellie and told her to get Emma when she got the call to get Isaac. (since she was off and on that side of town) I am so glad I did that though. It took me 55 minutes to get from my exit to the next exit a mile away! once I got over the bridge I could go the speed limit again and finally made it to the restaurant where she'd eaten lunch with Kellie and Isaac. I got the kids home fine. It wasn't even raining, let alone sleeting, by the time I was close to my house. I put them down for a nap. 3 hours later I went to check on the "bad weather" above are the shots from our back porch. :) now that's a "snow day" if I ever saw one! :) 

While I was at a standstill in traffic I was busy texting Tanya and mom. Tanya and I remember walking uphill in a foot (or 3) of snow barefoot to get to the bus to go to school in MO. The kids these days have it so easy with their snow days! 

To be fair, there was some bad weather in the surrounding area around Little Rock, and there were several road accidents because of the icy roads. But the statewide crazies that happen anytime snow is in the forecast makes me laugh! 

It reminds me of when I was preggers with Emma and working at Children's hospital daycare. They have a policy where a few people sign up and stay all night at the daycare if there's really bad weather in the forecast. Since the Drs have to come to work weather the weathers bad or not we needed to be there to take their kids for them. I misunderstood  the policy and went home for the night. Saw the schools were closed but know I was on "snow patrol" so I got into my SUV and drove carefully to work. I didn't drive 5 miles an hour like some not so smart people. I just drove a little slower and much more cautiously. When I got there my boss asked where I lived. I said "Maumelle" (all the way across town). A couple of days later she made an announcement over the intercom to the effect of "no one should use too much snow and ice to get to work" as an excuse if Marti can drive across town just fine! :) Apparently some people had called in that only lives a few blocks over. Though they'd probably never been taught how to drive on snow and ice. For that I give thanks to my mom and Po-po! 

Garrett's gum

Emma got a gumball machine from aunt Tanya for her birthday. Actually it's turned out to be a great present. Emma can go get a piece of gum anytime I say it's ok without me having to go get it down for her. Well, as any of you with siblings knows what one does the other wants to do too. I have decided Garrett's too young for gumballs. So he gets "his ball" too (2 skittles). Usually I have the skittles bag up pretty high. Lately I've gotten lazy and left them on the counter where I can tell Emma to get Garrett a ball when she gets hers. Great most of the time but the other day he was able to reach the bag himself. This is what walks into the LR to greet me . . . . 

How many gum balls can one 22 month old fit into his mouth and let drool rainbow drool out of it? . . . 6 . . . at least

Chad be waiting for the call

                           

Backstory: We have our accidental death insurance on Matt through our friend Chad. 

Real story: When Matt went outside yesterday to sweep leaves and branches off the roof. The kids were standing at the door watching. Emma asked "what's daddy doing?" I replied "helping mommy get the accidental insurance" Matthew didn't find it nearly as funny as I did! ;) There was a few moments once he was done that I was wondering if I'd have to make the call when we were deciding on how to get back down off the roof. But never fear i didn't have to make a call into Chad this time. 

Curly Hair

Emma told em yesterday she wanted "curls hair like Abbys". For those of you who do not know our Abby, she has naturally very curly hair. 

Me:  God made your hair straight and abbys hair curly and that's the way it was. 

Emma:  "I still want curly hair"

Me: "well you are too young to use a curling iron on your hair to get it curly"

Emma: I can use those green things like you"

Me: my hot rollers? No. they get real hot on your head.

Emma: I won; cry

Me: you cry if i try to blow dry your hair on high instead of low. they are too hot.

Emma: But I really want curly hair. i don't like my hair being straight (isn't that always the way.)

Me: Well we can try to braid  you hair when it's wet and maybe it'll dry a little curly.

Emma: (big smile) yeah I want to do that.

Me: Ok we'll do it tonight.

Here's her "curls" this morning. Not much to look at but she was soooo proud to have curls like Abby!

Another 3 months

For those of you who are keeping track . . . My mom went into the DR yesterday and they have decided to try another 3 months without chemo for her. The last 3 months went well. She had a lot more energy, was healthier in general, and her cancer areas didn't grow at all off the meds. Please continue to pray for her continued good reports and good health. Thank you to everyone who has been praying already. They have worked!

Another 3 months

For those of you keep ing track of these things . . . 

MY mommy

I was watching a video on a friend's blog where her little girl was saying something about "mommy" , meaning the mommy who was taking the video, not me. Well Garrett heard the video going on so he came over and watched it. When it was done he looked at me and said "MY mommy, MY mommy" and paused looking at me for affirmation. I laughed and said "yes baby. I'm your mommy" he clapped his hands and walked off. Apparently he just needed to be sure that other little girl wasn't trying to swipe his mommy.  How cute is that?!

The games children play

Most children play games. They play house, store, school. They pretend to be in their favorite movies or TV shows. **backstory** we went to my friends house (also a coworker) to watch her two kids, close to both my kids ages, a few nights ago. Emma and her boy, Casen, hit it off. They played "dorthy" and watch The Wizard of Oz. It was cute. A few days after that Emma had a day off school so went to daycare with me and got to spend the day with Casen again. Yesterday it was overheard by his teacher he was playing with a friend saying "You be the wicked with . . . I'll be Emma . . " Yes he wasn't playing House he was playing "Emma" . . That's how you know your super cool! If all your little friends want to pretend to be you! I found this very funny and cute!

girls night

the other night emma and mommy had a girls night. we rented a movie, popped popcorn, sat up in mommys bed and snuggled. emma felt so special. mommy liked the bonding time.

God answers prayers

Mom went in today for tests after being off chemo for 3 months. They found out "nothing had changed" which is actually good news. This means nothing grew while being off treatment! She goes in Monday to find out what to do from here. Thank you so much for your prayers thus far. Please continue to pray for her, especially Monday. Thanks so much! God answers prayers!

washing dishes

Emma has been wanting to help wash dishes lately and I saw this idea on a Dr.Wally video. I let her and Garrett "wash dishes" at the table while I washed dishes at the sink. I went into it knowing the table and floor would be soaked so i didn't blow up when it happened over and over. ;) They had a bast.

creative or working storage solutions

HELP! I am looking for ideas for keeping the clutter tamed. Comment and let me know (with pictures when possible) what you are doing that's working to keep your

closet

kids closets

kids toys

kids rooms

living room (with or without kid toys)

all in working adult order. Wether you have regular boxes or more creative ways of storing things I need help! I don't want to go out and buy things that won't work the next day. I do have to tame the clutter ASAP though!



for tanya . . . we straightened up!

Mommys reading corner

kellie look at my desk!

a view of our upstairs living room

the new toy container for the upstairs living room

for mom, a view of our front door. I plan on adding 3 hooks on the wall in the corner for the kids to hang up coats and throw down backpacks to help contain that clutter.

I cleared out a bunch of extra coats for the kids, added a bag hook and now they can throw shoes in there as well.

In need of a valium

Friday after I got off work at 2 there was a free party at Oogles and Googles. I was already on that side of town so Kellie was going to pick up emma and Isaac and meet Garrett and I there. It was from 3-5pm. Krista worked over there near it so I volunteered to bring Cauy with me from daycare and she could just meet us there when she got off. Still no problem, just one extra kid. Then I asked Rachel if she was going to take her kids over. She said she didn't think they were going to make it. So being the crazy insane person I am I then volunteered to take her 2 kids as well. So now thats 3 extra kids to a party place. I looked at my car and then requested to take Rachel's van! She let me thankfully. So here I am driving with 4 young children yelling and laughing in the car, trying to find a building. We find it and have to park a block away. We jump out of the van, link hands, and walk towards the building. They are all very excited and wound up at this point because they all like oogles and googles and they are out without their mommies. Kellie drives by and begins to wonder "who is that crazy lady with all those young kids . . " then she sees it's me and laughs. What a true friend! We make it inside and within 2 minutes the adults are very overstimulated! There is face painting, crafts, loud music to dance to, games, dress-up, and cake! We last about and hour until Krista shows up. Then we get out as fast as we can drag the kiddos out! I called Tanya on the way home asking if she could score me some valium. she has yet to send me any . . . . .


look at my stamps

scrapbooking night

This past Friday night Matthew and Casey met Kellie, all 3 kids, and I for dinner at Senors. Then the hubbys took the kids home for the night while Kellie and I went over to PV for a scrapbooking night. There turned out to only be 5 people including Kellie and myself but it was still a bunch of fun and very successful trip for us both. I can't wait until next month when we have another night to which hopefully more people will come and it will be even more fun! It was nice to get to go out without either kid, with other grown ups, and to do something fun that mommy enjoys. Thanks you Matthew and Casey for helping us to be able to do this! It has also renewed my interest in scrapbooking. :) I have so much fun doing it especially doing it with other close friends.

Best Friends

By the title you'd expect this to be about Isaac or Jojo (if you know either of my kids) but no here's what I was told happened at CAC the other day.

Emma was looking into  the teacher break room (across the hall from her classroom) and saw Mandy H. She then tells Mrs. Workman "Mandy is my best friend!" 

I find this very sweet. And now Mandy is sooo much cooler with a 4 year old as her best friend! 

*** side note*** Mandy is pretty cool and has been ever since we first met her now almost 8 years ago. She is also an awsome babysitter! I'm waiting on her to quit college and come be my line-in nanny! 

1st report card

Emma got her 1st report card today. It's not a "work" one it's more of what skills they know and can do kind of one. The three indicators are W- working on it, G- good, NA- not applicable. I am proud to say my just turned 4 year old got a "G" on everything except two items . . . guess what they are . . . remember what family she's in (Granny, Mommy, Tanya, Meme)

- waiting her turn to speak in a group

- listening quietly to stories

I feel a "talks too much" report card coming in her future . . . just like all of the above mentioned women!

I am proud to say she got a "G" in (not all areas are mentioned here)

- expanding vocab

- dressing herself(jacket)

- make good use of free time

- all the gross motor areas

- using crayons, glue, blocks, scissors, puzzles, painting

- manipulating zippers, buttons, snaps

- have appropriate control over her feelings (are they sure on this one?)

- play and share with others

- only seek my fair share of the teachers attention

- ask questions

- follow directions

- participate in group singing

- learning to repeat rhythmic patterns

- use art materials properly

Needless to say Daddy and Mommy are very proud of our little girl!

WICKED