More Mad Skillz

We now have a professional photographer living with us.  Hayden is on the Yearbook Committee at school... and couldn't be more excited.

His application went something like this...

I want to be on the yearbook committee because I am a good photographer.  Plus, my mom works here so I'm here from 7:30-4:00 every day so I'll have time to work.  And, I can make people laugh.

So cute!

Mad Skillz

2.27.10

Well, it's been almost a week and I haven't blogged about Zoe's mad skillz with the scissors, so I guess I should....


First incident... seemed kind of ingenious! Using scissors to cut up her waffles.

Second incident was noted, but not photographed unfortunately... Snow White Barbie gets a trim. Snow White has black curly hair, which ended up in 1/2 inch pieces all over my floor. Looked like... well, I'm sure you can guess what it looked like. Note: I know it looks like her hair is cut here, but it's just a bad case of bed head. :)

The third incident went something like this....  As I was getting ready for church, Zoe asked me if she could have the scissors she got for Valentine's Day so she could cut up her paper, that she also got for Valentine's Day.  See... I'm a mom who pays attention and gets my kids things they want... she liked to cut, so she gets scissors... I'm soooo smart.  I give her the scissors, and go back to getting ready.  (Not one of my brightest moments...)  As I'm getting ready, I think to myself... wonder what she's cutting, because I didn't get her paper out for her.  So, I walked out to the kitchen and saw a little trail of blonde hair....Zoe!  What happened?  She sheepishly looks at me and says that she cut her hair.  Obviously!  I look at her and the amount of hair on the ground and think it's not too bad.... not a big problem, right? 

Then as we are throwing the hair away, after she so responsibly cleans it up (See, another good thing about my mom skillz... my kids know how to clean up after themselves!).... she says, "Look in the laundry basket, Mom." I look. I scream! And cover my face with my hands so she won't see me laughing.... I really wasn't sure weather to laugh or cry.... Look at all that hair!

  Well...  we have a discussion about not cutting our own hair.  Only Snow White's?, she asks...  Well, not even Snow White, my dear.... I comb it as best as I can... because now it has little feathery sides with sideburns and a few really short bang pieces.  Luckily she has a lot of hair and you can't tell too much... hahaha.  We got to church and her behavior there was about as bad as her hair cut... terrible!... We finally left and headed for the first open salon on a Sunday... at 10am....  The third one was open, thank goodness, and accepted walk-ins!  This is what we walked out with....  still with crooked bangs and a crooked back, which I ended up fixing.  Guess mad scissor skillz runs in the family....

She' still so cute of course.... however, my interpretation of her hair cut was something between Farrah Fawcett meets Dumb and Dumber....

Hoodlum

2.25.10

Two weeks ago I picked Zoe up from the Y childcare and the woman told me she was chasing people and pushing them.  The next time we went, she got in trouble again and had to go to time out.  Then, yesterday at daycare she missed out on going to the park because she was using unkind language, such as, "I'm going to chop your head off..." or , "I'm going to kick your eyeballs."  Great. 

So, I took her today to the Y because Jonathan has school... we had a long talk... or as long a talk as you can have with a 4 year old.. about how to be kind to other people, use gentle hands, speak nicely, etc.  I was convinced she understood.  Well, when I went to pick her up she was sitting on the couch with a book, and was trying to ignore me.  I asked the woman checking me out how she was... she answered with some kind of mumble about her behavior being a little off.  Ok... so, as I was getting Zoe, we started to turn around and I hear, "Ma'am.  Ma'am!  I need to talk to you about her."  Oh geez... turns out my little angel pushed a basketball hoop onto some kid, then stepped on another girl's fingers.  AND... they had to fill out a behavior report.  Seriously? 

So, as I'm waiting for her to get the papers, she tells me she's not really sure how to fill it out ... could I just wait a minute?  (Which could mean one of two things...1) There are really no behavior problems in the short hour kids are allotted in there, which means Zoe is REALLY bad... or 2) she's new or just dim.  I'm hoping for #2)  Really?  Because I'm starving and need to go home to beat my child.  I wait.  She comes back and is talking to me AGAIN about what Zoe did, who at the same time decides it's a good time to stand on the bench and yank my earrings.  "Sit. Down," I say in my ever so angry but polite because I'm in public voice....  Then the woman tells me that eventually Zoe won't be able to come for a whole week if she gets written up again.  Ok... so I ask how many times.  Once again, dim witted woman doesn't know and has to go ask someone... while I'm still waiting, still hungry, and still looking forward to going home with Zoe... Turns out it's three times, then she's out a week.

Hmmm.... what in the world do I do with a 4 year old?  Lectures won't work... I tried. No attention span.  Taking things away wasn't so popular either, especially since she couldn't even remember why. 

So, I already have a juvenile delinquent on my hands.  Watch out folks... we might be coming to a Y near you....

Shhhh.... it's Valentine's Day...

2.20.10

I know this is late, but I completely forgot about posting something about it. Then I saw the pictures again and about died..

The week before Valentine's Day, Jonathan told me he had something planned...a surprise. No matter how much I asked him about it, he was very vague and wouldn't give me any details except it had to be Friday night. There was only one other time that Jonathan planned something without me knowing... our last anniversary. And I ended up guessing most of it before we even started. So, even though Jonathan is soooo not the mushy gushy Valentine guy, I thought he might have something up his sleeve. And I love surprises.

I mentioned it to Leslie, who also said Bob had something planned for her. Hmmm...sounding a little fishy... but... it was Valentine's so, you never know. We joked and I said that I'd end up somewhere racing RC cars, while she dined at a 5 star restaurant or something.

Then... that night... I was checking email, which just happens to be Jonathan's email and I saw some Facebook comments. I was nosy, read them, then found out the secret. Leslie's husband, Bob, planned it all out... which included close girlfriends and their hubbies at the Yardhouse.

A fun time to be had by all....

And a fun converstation to be had by all. I won't mention the topic, but perhaps you can guess from the group photos?

Random Thoughts

2.20.10

I wanna take a picture, fold it in my pocket, and never let it fade away....

of Zoe and Hayden growing up.

I mean, seriously... Hayden will be in middle school next year! I don't even know what else to say about that.... except ...attitude, girls, phones, independence, going to school on his own (he's been coming with me since kindergarten!)...

And Zoe, is a laugh a minute. She and Hayden are complete opposites. Hayden is very reserved and conservative in his physical activities. Zoe would go skydiving today if we let her... then ask to do it again.

Things that make me go hmm... about Hayden.

1. He can program our home phones with different rings and label them.

2. He has wi-fi on his own CELL phone and actually knows what that means.

3. He constantly reads! - he hides in the bathroom to read and claims "I'm pooping!" so we don't check on him.... hides under his covers with a light and a book after going to bed.... and is actually reading Ink Heart, which in my opinion was an impossibly difficult book to get into.

4. He can be the best big brother ever, and possibly even a bigger antogonist also.

5. He has a Facebook page.

6. Still loves to have Jonathan snuggle with him at bedtime.

And "hmmm" thoughts about Zoe.

1. She cuts her waffles with scissors. More to come on what else she cuts with scissors....

2. When asked more than once to do something, she says, "Ok! Geez, Mom!"

3. Loves to wrestle, with her shirt off.

4. Loves to dress up in princess clothes, then wear them to her sitter's.

5. Can write her name, and knows most letters and words associated with them.

6. Loves to snuggle at bedtime... but never at nap time.

Death by Chocolate

Dear Chocolate Manufacturers of the World....

Thank you so much for all the delicious chocolate truffles, candies, kisses, etc. that bombard our Valentine (fake) Holiday. My giant rump thanks you too, as it now has more cushion to sit on.

#72 and #90....done and done!

February 15, 2010 (my dates are being left off.... and the comments are on top... no idea how this happened, or how to get the date back.... so I'm doing it myself....)

#72.... Fix or buy a new vacuum.

Goodbye old....

Hello new...

My parents gave me theirs that is practically brand new, but hardly used. I figure that counts.

#90... Take a Zumba class.

I did this morning at 8:30. It was comical. I have no coordination, let alone the skills to try and pull off some sexy Latin dance moves....

Update on 101 List:

I vetoed the Flylady (because you obviously have to be INSANE to be ableto actually follow her INSANE routine... she must be some stay at home wife -nonmom - who has nothing better to do than get dressed to the shoes and clean and organize) and opted for...

#65...brick the fireplace... since somehow it's cracked and drawn on... Zoe?

#66... organize pantry

#55...make my own cash budget wallet (hmm... time to break out the sewing machine)