A Future Four

Today W kept asking me to help her write a story but I honestly had too much going on after school trying to prepare an activity for my classes tomorrow. So she sat down and wrote a story all by herself. This is all her own work and she spelled all the words herself. I love how she used the phonetic spellings along with the correct marking for the vowel sounds.

I have to admit I am quiet impressed that a 6 year old kindergartener can write so well. Once Mrs. Clark gets ahold of her and teaches her how to use "voice" she'll be all set. Look out 4th grade Writing TAKS.....she's going to get one of those seldom seen 4's!!!

Wavey-isms

Sometimes W's choice of words just make me laugh. Yesterday my mother called while I was out cutting the grass and she told her I was "lawn mowering" the yard. She actually very bright but sometimes she just makes up her own language.

And I had to include a picture of my house with my freshly "lawn mowered" yard. We have 8 oak trees in our front yard that 100+years old and although our house is the oldest one in the neighborhood that is still in need of updating, I just love it. It has such a laid-back, cozy feel inside with plenty of extra room for all of us. And notice the custom lattice fence that Jim is building for me to the left of the house. I didn't want a complete privacy fence since this is the only side that we get a breeze from in the summer. So he's building this fence one section at a time. I just love him since he always gives in and builds things the way I want them done.

In The Game

At first W couldn't decide if she wanted to be a girlie girl or a tomboy. After seeing how much M enjoys softball she's decided that she's going to go the tomboy route. It's really a good thing since she so athletic, coordinated, and everything she tries just comes so easily to her. Right now her coach has her playing second base and short stop. I'm impressed since this is her first year in this league and usually the younger kids are stuck in outfield which is so boring!

Her first game was today but with both girls having games at the same time, I just never got around to taking any pictures. Hopefully I'll have some game pics to post soon.

In Awe

While visiting Jim's parents in Stillwater, OK, I decided to check out the books at Hastings since M had finished the AR book she had brought with her on the trip. She was in awe of all the books in the children's section. I guess I've never taken her to a book store since she's become addicted to reading. She spent such a long time checking out each series of books. She found series that she had never read before and they are now on her list of future books to read. I wished I could get that excited about books. I am just not a reader....never was, never will be.

So M's new series that she's ready to couquer is Hank the Cowdog. She's almost finished all the Katie Kazoo and A to Z Mystery books so she was in need of a new series.

Now I can only hope that W is as excited about reading as M has become.

DS Face x2

M and W spent their hard earned report card money to buy their own DS for our trip to OK this past week. After seeing my students play them for hours during our six week party at school, I thought they might like them since it would be entertaining for them for the long trip, but I had no idea just how much!

I felt as if I only seen the top part of their face for the majority of the trip. Of course they were so involved in their games that they didn't even notice me....or the flash of my camera!

Cups

For a week or so I have been mentioning to M that it is time for her to start wearing a bra. She's only in 3rd grade but with some of her fitting tops she really needs one! So tonight while shopping at Wal Mart we checked out the beginner bras. She was checking out one that was padded and had an underwire. She was feeling the padding when the following conversation occured.

Me: "Michaela, do you know what that is called?"
M: "No"
Me: "Those are the cups."
M (with her brow nitted and a very serious look on her face): "I don't think I have cups."

I was trying to hold back the laughter to the point that I had tears in my eyes. Of course, she had no idea what I why I was laughing.

I love that girl!

You Know What They Say About Dynamite

The old saying about dynamite coming in small packages couldn't be more true when it come to M and her softball playing skills. She is by far the smallest one on the team but today at her first practice she really looked good. Last year she had a fantastic season with both fielding the ball and in her batting. She really came alive on the field. Her first year she hit the ball maybe 3 times the entire season and last year, she only struck out two times. Woohoo!!! Everyone remembered her because she was so tiny but could really nail the ball when up to bat.

I think I am going to enjoy her new coach this year. She moved up to PeeWee girls, which is 8-10 year olds, so the standards of playing will definitely increase. Her coach spent our 2 hour practice doing nothing but going over the fundamentals of playing. I was impressed and thrilled that she is now going to learn the proper way to play ball.

If you would have asked me two years ago if I though M could ever be an athlete, I would have quickly told you no way. But as one mom today said, M doesn't realize just how small she is compared to the other girls and it's certainly not going to stop her.

Round Two.....

W ran a high fever Saturday after through Tuesday of this week. I'm assuming she had the flu since it's going around at school. She never had any body aches but mainly just a high fever of 104* that would barely go down no matter what meds I gave her. Her fever broke on Tuesday and she was ready to go back to school the rest of the week. Tonight however seems to be a repeat performance of early this week. Once again she has a high fever and just wants to sleep. Poor baby.

Last Slice

Yum! I made this cake yesterday and in less than 24 hours this is all that is left. M even thought it was delicious! A parent at work made this for the teachers and we all though it was delicious so I had to find the recipe to give it a try myself. I was surprised when I searched for it online that only one person had posted the recipe.

So for anyone interested here's a very moist, rich cake that is super easy to make.

Stranger's Cake

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 (16oz.) container of coconut pecan frosting

Preheat over to 350*. Grease and flour bundt cake pan. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into pan and bake 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

It's a Dog's Life

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Turn up the volume~~~~~~~~~~~~

So you do think this what they meant by the phrase "It's a dog's life"?

Jazzy can snore. Out of all the Pekingese I've been privileged to share my life with, he wins the prize for snoring. He snores so loudly at night that Jim has to turn up the volume on the TV so that I can hear the movie. Of course he is always at my feet so the beautiful noise he is making is drowning out whatever the actors are saying.

But who couldn't love such a face! And besides, I wouldn't have met Jim or have my unique screen name if it weren't for these flat faced, bow legged, loud snoring furbabies!

Going, Going, Almost Gone!

That's normally what you hear at an auction, but in W's case it has to do with her teeth! From a distance you may not notice it, but she has been grinding her teeth so badly that her top two incisors are almost gone! I had to go back and look at some of her baby pictures to be sure, but she did have normal sized teeth for a toddler when we adopted her. To add to all of this, the dentist told us this past week that she has to have the top left tooth pulled in a few weeks since her permanent tooth is growing behind her baby tooth. This is causing two problems: #1 the top of her baby tooth is about to come through the top part of her gums, #2 her permanent tooth does not have the room it needs to come in correctly.

I can already tell Dr. Olson will be seeing a lot of us in the coming years!

Making the Grade

Seems like every week there is some sort of vocabulary test in one of M's classes. I've always felt the need to stay on top of things when it concerns her school work even though she always makes very good grades. Since she started school I've made cards with her vocabulary words and definitions on them so we can study together. I think I spend more time typing them into Excel, printing them on cardstock, and cutting them out than what it does for her to match them. She always gets them right the first time! Maybe it's just me needing to feel needed more than it is that M needs my help to make good grades.

Dancin' to the Bee Gees

I just had to add this video of M when she was about 2 years old. I love the Bee Gees....yes, I'm admitting that....and she would just crack us up at how she would stop and dance to Stayin' Alive when I played it. And those Mardi Gras beads, well I just can't help but think of this video everytime I'm around them!

Life in Bridge City

Here's the latest in first class homes for Bridge City. Almost every home in Bridge City has one of these in their front yard, and if they don't then it's only because it wouldn't fit and the family is living in one at a newly developed trailer park somewhere within the city.

This is my parent's FEMA trailer and looks identical to thousands of others that are parked in front of damaged homes in my town. Although not much to look at, they are such a welcomed addition to families while they are rebuilding their homes.

I just hope my hometown can recover from all that has happened here in the last year. We are all dreading hurricane season this year!

Yes, It's Blue!

I couldn't help but take this picture today while I was working in the yard. The sky was actually blue, without a cloud in the sky. Not gray or drizzling rain, just a bright blue sky. Wow, what a little color can do to life your mood!