Smile

While this picture does exhibit 2010 Halloween costumes, the real reason for this post is to show off Greta's 'smile'. Cracks me up.

Dr. Tessa

We've been asking Tess for a month what she was going to be for Halloween. She didn't know. When we made suggestions such as a princess, a baby, a mommy (all things she loves and pretends to be) with each one she answered an unconvincing "I guess".

But last week I asked her if she wanted to be a doctor and she screamed delightfully "Yes!". Unfortunately she was sick for the next five days and so shopping for a costume didn't happen. This morning we ran over to Total Scrubs and thankfully they had toddler-sized scrubs--how cute is that? She was thrilled (and so was I because I could check that off my list with one stop!)

On the way home she listed the things we needed to get for her doctor kit: "One of those pressure things, some band-aids, some medicine, a crutch, a stethoscope, a shot, some charts." I was surprised at how much she knew! We came home and put a kit together. We had an expired baby Tylenol bottle that we dumped out & rinsed out then filled with Kool-Aid. Just today we finished off the fluoride vitamins so that bottle was washed and filled with candy. I gave her a medicine syringe for a shot and I gave her a box of band-aids. We printed off some growth charts and I distracted her enough to not ask for a 'pressure thing' or a crutch.

She's been on top of the world today: trick-or-treating at Tom's work then giving everyone in the family check ups. During a conversation earlier today she said, "I'm not a baby doctor, I'm a sister doctor". I asked her what kind of doctor that was, she said, "A pediatrician".

Here are some pictures from Greta's check up:

Greta getting a shot.

Greta acting the part: Oww! That hurts! Tessa getting a band-aid. (She insisted that everyone get a band-aid!)

Giving medicine.

Listening to the heart.

So delightful and fun! (BTW, her scrubs and doctor kit are sleeping soundly next to her. )

Shopping Momma

Greta is starting show preferences it toys. Besides coloring and crayons she loves having a purse on her shoulder and pushing strollers or shopping carts around. When I ask her if she is a Mommy she nods yes. Too cute. The tiara in this picture is just a bonus. . .

Curls!

After a bath and a little gel we can get Greta's hair looking really cute in the back: However, it only takes a moment in the car seat or a nap to rub it all out. So she's usually only got cute hair for a couple of hours a day since I never get back to fixing it--that and I can never get the same look without washing it again. Some days I almost don't want to put her down for a nap because I know the curls are going to go! Silly me.

(Wasn't I lucky to have Jonny for a week?)

She's Learning!

An Avon catalog arrived and since catalogs are one of Tessa's favorite things, it could not be thrown out. However, there were some immodest pictures in it. I tore some out, but there were some on the back of 'some cute girl stuff'. So Tessa she thought of a way to take care of that.

Then she found a picture of a guy without a shirt on and she promptly tore it out. (love the disgusted look!) Some Barbie's weren't fully covered either so we took care of that.

I love that she is understanding and willing to modify to meet standards.

Time Travel Anyone?

For Cache's broadcasting class he had to make a "how to video".

He did 'how to time travel'.

I have yet to see the video so I can't share the secrets, but I do have a few pictures of the video being made. The time machine is still in my garage, but apparently you need crystals for exiting this period. They have been returned to their owner so even after I get to see the movie, I won't be able to experience this phenomenon. Too bad. It looks fantastic!

Spot the Difference

Or maybe I should say spot the similarity.

Picture A, on the left, is taken 2 months before Tessa turned 2.

Picture B, on the right, is 1 month before turning 4.

Either way, the same pair of 6-9 month pants are sported in each picture (that Tessa snuck out of Greta's drawer and wore all over town today!).

I was going to retire these pants since both girls are well past the size and winter is approaching. . . but I can see that at least Greta may get another year or so out of them. They are one of my favorite pairs!

Sneaky Peeky Spying

{To quote Junie B. Jones!}

Cache made a periscope for the Carpentry Merit Badge. He and Tom were caught (by me) peeping over the fence! (But it's not like we haven't seen it. . .the kids hop the fence all of the time to retrieve balls.)

If there is a will. . . there is a way

Many almost-4-year-olds can open a fridge, but because of Tessa's size, she hasn't ever been able to. It has been a blessing! But her ingenuity took that problem up and solved it! Take a look:

(She uses the same method to open the van door.)

First Thing This Morning

The request was put in: "Mooooom, can we go swimming?"

It's a legitimate request since they are all ready--all by themselves even.

Alas. . . our list is long today so it can't be squeezed in.

Cross Country

Caleb has been running cross country this year. I'll admit I've had to give myself frequent pep talks so I could allow him to be gone so much--they started in June with 3 days a week but by the end of the summer they had practice twice daily. (I've missed him!) However, after I started going to races, my song changed a little. . .I became very impressed that his coach could take a kid who had no background in running and bad legs (his feet are overly pronated and one leg is shorter than the other--so an unusual running motion) and helped him become as good as he has become this year. I was impressed all year, but in his last race--regionals--he took 12th out of about 100 runners in the JV race (he's a freshman). Not too bad! In the race pictured here, AF's JV team took 2nd amongst about 15 other school's Varsity teams. (The coach was giving the varsity runners too hard of work outs in preparation for Regionals to let them run that race.) But more important than all of that, I've seen Caleb grow in mental toughness, discipline and experience success in something so difficult. This is so good for him!

Lessons in Texting

Cache is an unusual teenager. And I am thankful. Lately he has been making sure my texting learning curve is heading in the right direction.

With Cache's bedroom right next to the storage room it is sooooo very convenient to send a quick text asking him to bring me something I need for dinner making. I loved this new convenience until he said to me, "Mom, we're in the same house. If you want to talk to me, come and visit." I get it. Lesson 1: Texting shouldn't replace interaction even if it is more convenient and we already talk a lot.

After sending him a text something akin to 'thx', he replied: "Mom, the English language is being corrupted because of texting." Lesson 2: Spell and punctuate correctly.

I mentioned to Cache one day that I had texted Caleb during school. It wasn't a time sensitive message and I don't do it often, but it was just something I wanted answered at some point so I sent it. His response? "What kind of mom are you? You are just adding to the problem." Lesson 3: Make sure I'm setting the example. Cell phones are hindering education and when I text my child during school it sends the message that texting during school hours is acceptable.

One final lesson from a member of our stake presidency: "Being trivially connected has great consequences." Definitely food for thought with the ease and overuse of texting among teens. (I also appreciated the direction given in conference on this.)

Having kids with cell phones puts a greater responsibility on me to teach correct usage, etiquette and accountability. Thankfully my oldest has me heading in the right direction.

"Does You Need Caleb?"

The phone rang tonight and Tessa insisted that she answer. (as is frequently the case) Caller ID said 1-800-Service so she got to answer. I could tell that it was a recording so I left the room. When I came back I heard her saying, "Does you need Caleb? He speaks Spanish." (As good as an energetic student in 2nd year Spanish can.)

I'll Be Glad. . .

When the Tessa-trying-to-potty-train-Greta stage is over.

It consists of finding Greta (multiple times a day) sans glasses and clothes hanging precariously on the toilet with Tessa hovering nearby.

Next comes coaxing Greta back into clothes. . .locating glasses. . .

and convincing Tessa that Greta isn't quite ready for potty training.

Sounds simple, but those really aren't the easiest of tasks and

it has grown old

quite

quickly. . .

My Murals

Besides putting time in on almost everyone's paintings I also did 7 of my own. I didn't intend to do that many, but in the end I wanted the whole fence completed and everyone else was less energetic about that goal than me.

My first one didn't win me any popularity contests with the kids, but I'm forever a teacher and firmly believe that walls and visuals should teach and remind. (The kids' complaints sounded something along the line of "Mom, how come all of your murals are 'churchy'? What they don't realize is that the reminder is just as much for me as it is for them!)

Sister Beck's talk in April 2010 conference spoke to me. She talked about navigating successfully through life with the help of the spirit. ("with personal revelation, [a woman] can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently.") I loved the image of navigating with a map.

A little piece of Americana. . .

After doing Tessa's ABC mural I decided I wanted something representative of my teaching years. I chose a few of the safety tips from the dust cover of Officer Buckle and Gloria. The book came out shortly after I began my teaching career and I used it every year for many different activities. It still is one of my favorites.

I wanted to do a throw-some-paint-on-the-fence mural. . .(something abstract that I didn't plan out that would be a color explosion). I had a large space on the back fence that was assigned to me, but I wasn't confident with my paint-throwing skills so I opted to do a planned-out scrapbooking look. Not super happy with this one, but it's too much work to change. . . In the curvy lines I stamped quotes: Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections. **Happiness is a habit. Cultivate it. ** Smile! ** Our greatest joy comes from developing love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. ** Love---no matter what.

This is the one I've gotten the most comments on. . . and it was one of the easiest to do. . . and one of my favorites. I love how it captures each of us.

(To create it, I took pictures--consecutive shot setting--of each of us, printed them and traced the outline of them onto a sheet protector and then projected them up.)

In the end I had a large area that still needed paint and since it was off in the corner I decided to throw some paint. . . .Amazingly, I'm fairly happy with how it turned out.

(Whew. . . now onto blogging the other things I'm WAAAAYYYY behind on. . .I'm sure you're happy to moving onto a new subject too!)