Everything's Sweeter with Honey

Ever since we were shopping for Easter clothes and Big Sissy spotted this cute golden retriever at the department store, she has been obsessed with "Honey." I'm not one to buy everything the children want, but she reeeeeeeaaaaallly wanted Honey. So I told her she would need to start doing some chores to earn some money. She's 5, so it's time, right? Two months, two lost teeth, lots of bed making, and some benevolent donations from grandparents later, Honey became part of our family today. She feels proud of her hard work, and I'm proud of her for hanging in there. Honey is welcomed by proud W*bkinz siblings Lila and Grassy. Welcome to the family!

Ballet Class

The girls have been taking ballet since the fall. They started in a homeschool class, but it started at 9:00. Since it was only 30 minutes long and we were usually 15 minutes late, we got on a waiting list at the seminary where we used to attend. It's in the afternoon AND it's free. Awesome. The teacher is wonderful with the girls--firm but fun. This is a snippet of the 3-year-old class. They do their stretches by "making pizza" and then "putting their toes to bed." So cute! They will be having their first recital in a few weeks, so stay tuned more more media coverage.

Dotting our I's

We're all ready for the change in season. Little Sissy is tired of sitting inside learning her letters. Mommy is tired of being inside at all. So today we did "school" outside. The girls' assignment was to make letters out of things in nature. Little Sissy made a capital I all on her own, then I helped her find a "dot" to dot the little i. When we were done, I asked if I could take a picture of her "i's."

"Sure," she says.

Not those eyes, silly. The i's you just made.

Sports Illiterate

You thought that said Sports Illustrated, didn't you? That's why all the hits. hee hee. No. I was just thinking how funny these past couple of weeks have been in our family. We have an oooooold TV and had to get the converter box once the rest of the world went digital. We have now gone through both of our free ones, and currently have no working television. I can't say that I miss it. I can still watch movies on the weekend. The kids are missing PBS a little, but they have plenty of movies to keep them occupied. Hubby, on the other hand, is having a little trouble during this madness called MARCH madness. Except for the night of Final Four, when he got to hang out with his friends so they could all yell at the TV together, he's had to usurp my little laptop and watch live coverage. That means I'm trying to get my work done during commercials and half-time. And in the meantime, I have to pretend I care about whatever he's yelling about.

Tonight, though, when he used the strong word h-a-t-e about Duke, I asked how he could possible hate a team. I mean, really...what have they ever done to him? (Besides the fact that I distinctly remember him not letting me throw away a hideous blue and white striped shirt when we got married because it was his DUKE shirt!) Boys are so confusing.

So he tried to explain. "They've always been the rival of my team. You know...like who was the rival of your high school?"

Hmmm. I'm stumped.

Oh, nevermind. I'll ask your brother.

Old Enough to Know

Big Sissy lost her first tooth today. She's only 5, and that seems way too early to me. But I think I just don't want her to grow up. The new tooth pushing in seems WAY too large for a small child. I think that will be an issue for the orthodontist in a few years. But it is a huge deal. She acts older now, and wiser. Tonight we had this conversation:

Mommy, don't you think I'm old enough to handle the truth now?
What do you mean?
I mean about where the Christmas stocking presents come from. I'm 5 years old, and I've already lost a tooth. I think I'm old enough to know.

Wow....[stunned]

And also, is the tooth fairy real or pretend? I'm thinking pretend because why in the world would someone want all those children's teeth?
Me: Maybe she lives in a really cool castle made out of teeth.
Big Sissy: That's gross.
Me: You're right. That is gross.
Big Sissy: And also, I'm a big girl now. My head is very heavy when I sleep. There's no way a little fairy could lift my head up to get the tooth out and put money under my pillow.
Me: Maybe she sprinkles magic fairy dust on you to lift you up for a minute.
Big Sissy: Or maybe it's all pretend.
Me: Maybe. But can we keep pretending for a while? Isn't it kind of fun?
Big Sissy: Only a little.

This girl is way too practical. Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts. And yet every night she wants to hear an adventure story about Lila (her favorite Webkinz) and Honey (the Webkinz that is waiting for her at Dillard's when she earns enough money from making beds and losing teeth). Growing up is confusing!

Grosser than Gross

What's Gross? Germs.
What's Grosser? Germs on McDonalds' playland.
What's Grosser than Gross? My 2- and 3-year-old licking the playland.

What's Gross? Feet.
What's Grosser? Wet socks.
What's Grosser than Gross? Picking up wet socks and starting to put them on your child only to realize than are not even ours.

Hello. Welcome to McDonald's. May I help you?
NO. I have to go home and disinfect my family. Thank you.

Awkward Family Photos

It is soooo hard to get a good photo of our whole family. It's partly the ages of our children. But there's also my tendency to close my eyes when someone counts to 3, the overdramatic nature of my children, etc. You get the picture. We did get some great Easter photos, but here are some of the more...well...awkward ones.

Reverse psychology backfires. He won't tell them not to smile again.

But then...he can't really tell them to smile either.

There are no words for this one. It just makes me laugh.

Apparently no one noticed his one pant leg being hiked up. In every photo. He sure is cute, though!