Project 52 {43}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your memory.

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Here's the thing:  I'm in a conundrum.  Your memory is Ah-maze-ing.  Like, close to photographic.  I'd like to believe that it's just how great you are, but then there's this part of me that wonders if it's only because it has roughly five years of life to remember.  For now, lets assume greatness.

This week your classroom hosted Mother Goose (your principal).  It was your assignment to find a rhyme, memorize a line of it and come up with a costume.  Caution: Rabbit Trail:  Can I just tell you how much fun it was to see all of your classmates dressed up as nursery rhyme characters?  So much fun!  Everyone went way above and beyond to make sure they truly dressed the part.  But I digress (at least I warned you this time...).  Anyway, you chose to be Jill (of "Jack and Jill").  And you didn't just memorize one line, but all of the most common part of it (it wasn't till later we learned there was more to it - now we know).  We practiced it, and you even decided to do a curtesy at the end (naturally).  So you were one of the last ones to go (you got nervous - yes you, the lead in your ballet class because you couldn't stand anything less) got shy in front of kids you see every day.  I think Mother Goose did you in, it was like standing next to a celebrity - I get it.  But you got up, said your lines like a champ, took your pictures, and went back to your seat.  It was great - I was SO proud.  

So anyway... this memory of yours.  It's made me lazy.  You're like my Siri that never runs out of battery, and understands most everything I tell you.  I rarely have to repeat myself.  Your mind is a steel trap.  Can't remember how an event went down?  Ask Haley.  Want to know about a show you watched six months ago?  Ask Haley.  Seven things on my grocery list?  Tell Haley.  It helps that you're a pretty fallible liar too.  So long as you're paying attention, it goes right into your brain and that's where it stays for that moment forever from now when you (or I) need it again.  

I hope your memory stays as clear as it is now.  I hope all of the wonderful things you're remembering stay right there in your brain just as bright as they are today.  What a great gift you've been given.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {42}

My favorite thing about you is:

You're strong.

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Not necessarily physically, although to ask you, you'd say you're the strongest person in the world.  But strong in character.  To be strong in your character at this age is no small accomplishment.  You know right from wrong and in your world, it's pretty black and white.  There is good and evil, and you unfailingly fall on the side of good.  You're like a preschool superhero.  I should make you a cape.  

Everyday when we pick you up from school, we turn the music off in the car and do our best to have a good long conversation about your day.  What was your favorite part?  Was it a good day? What did you have for snack?  Did anything bother you?  With your sister this conversation almost always lasted the whole way home.  With Kale, if I can squeeze 5 minutes and anything more than one word answers, I chalk that up in the win column. The win column has very few points in it.  But Friday afternoon, you had lots to tell me.  

Here was (according to my memory) a recounting of the conversation:

Me:  So what did you do today?

Kale:  We went outside (a VERY common qualifier of a good day).

Me:  Oh yeah?  What did you do out there?

Kale:  I told *Boy* to stop teasing my buddy!

Me:  What was he doing to your buddy to tease her?

Kale:  He was saying mean words.

Me:  That's great that you saw someone being mean to another person and you told them to stop.  That's a very big boy thing to do.  It's important to stand up to people being mean to others.  Buddies or not.

Kale:  What does stand up mean?

Me:  Uhh...  You saw something you knew was wrong, and you did your best to make it right.  

Kale:  Oh, yeah.  I did that.  

I was so proud at that moment I wanted to cry.  Kale is significantly bigger than this other boy, and sometimes (at home) he forgets his words and uses his actions instead.  Jeeze, is that a montessori sentence or what?!  But this time, when it counted, he used his words and stopped the boy.  You hope as a parent that you're raising good kids.  On the whole, if I could pick the characteristics of my kids, cute and athletic would be pretty far down on the list.  Are they good people?  Hard workers?  Smart?  Do they make good choices?  That's what I'm after.  Someone, who, when I turn them loose to the big wide world, will contribute to the greater good.  Productive members of society.  Now, here's where I jinx myself:  I think we're on the right track.

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {41}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your smile.

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I drug my feet on what I was going to do for the Project 52 this week.  Nothing was really striking me.  All week we'd be working on this tooth.  Oh, this tooth!  It was loose, really loose, like nearly 180 degrees of lateral wiggle.  Here's how the conversations between the two of us went:

Haley:  Mommy, my tooth is so loose!  Look!  LOOK!

Me:  Let me see (reach my hand into her mouth to check on the wiggle).  [Side note:  Every time I would tell her Wiggle - my word vomit would continue Wiggle wiggle YEAH! - my brain is telling me that it's probably inappropriate to sing "I'm Sexy and I Know it" lyrics to my 5 year old, but I JUST. CAN'T.  STOP.  MYSELF.]

Haley: SEE?!  It's SO LOOSE!

Me:  SO JUST PULL IT OUT ALREADY!

Only we couldn't just pull it out because Jeff was gone for a chunk of this week and I knew he would want to be around for the festivities.  So it was like "Pull it out!  But don't pull too hard!"  So the tooth (literally) hung in there till Friday afternoon.  She was sitting on the couch with Jeff and he asked if she could twist it, and out it popped.  She knew she should be happy, but there were little tears just barely pricking the corner of her eyes.  

It's like she knew (as well as I did) that this was another phase in her growing up and she wasn't quite ready for it.  Truthfully, I didn't realize that I wasn't so ready for it either.  Every time I look at her, it's a different kid looking back at me.  A bigger one.  One that's missing teeth.  And that tooth that's right next to it, front and center?  That's on its way out too.  And thus begins yet another stage of growing up. 

And for the record... A) you must be financially prepared for the Tooth Fairy.  That means cash on hand.  These kids don't accept debit cards under their pillows (well... maybe, but I'm pretty sure within moments the entire American Girl store would be located in her room - and even for a first time around, that's a little excessive for the Tooth Fairy, also, I don't carry a debit card with the Tooth Fairy's name on it - and this girl can read my name.  Plot foiled.  B) She came quipped with a $5 bill folded up in the shape of a heart and a "receipt" stating:  name, date, girl, reward amount, and signed with a flourish.  One of these nights after bedtime, I'll design up something fancy, but for now, this served the purpose. 

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {40}

My favorite thing about you is:

You're cheerful.

Learned a lesson in uploading photos to the new computer this week.  

There is so much that I love about this picture.  First of all... her calves - Jeeze!  I bet that comes from all of her cross country as of late.  Second of all, the look on the other kids' faces; pure awe.  And they should be in awe of her, look at how high that kick is!  

So last week I spoke of how being active was important to our family.  Cheer camp was part of that, and I really think that Haley found something she loves here.  Once again this week, we're going to the AF football game and she assumed she'd be cheering.  Talk about disappointment when she found out she wasn't.  That was a moment of being not so cheerful.  

So aside from the obvious cheeriness (according to spellcheck not picking that word up, that's a word, who knew?!) pictured above, my two little ones are overall pretty darn happy kids.  They have moments of small disappointment, but, en masse; happiness.  They can find the bright side in all kinds of less than ideal situations.  I'm a naturally "look on the bright side" kind of person, definitely a "glass is half full" outlook around here.  Sure there are situations that require a Devil's Advocate (it's called being realistic about the situation and looking at all possible outcomes), but to focus on the negative brings a pessimistic view of the world.  Constantly looking for the downside of things only teaches negativity.  Is that how you'd like your children to think?  There's a positive to most everything and every situation.  Find it, concentrate on it.  You bring about what you think about.  So bring about good things, positive things, cheerful things.  A great attitude attracts others with happy hearts, and isn't that what we all want to be surrounded by?  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {39}

My favorite thing about you:

You're active.

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Over the past few weeks, active would be an understatement.  You go to school, and even at half days just four days a week, or 2.5 hours three days a week, that keeps us pretty busy.  But now that you're in school... oh boy.  There's been Landsharks, an elementary school cross country program that practices three days a week and has meets on Sundays.  Today started the Kids Fall Series, another series of cross country races that both of you do.  Then there's Daisies every other Thursday.  This week we signed you up for cheer camp through the Air Force Academy (2 hours of practice, plus a trip to the football game for you to cheer at half time - yeah, twist our arms, that was a sacrifice).  

We're just busy and I'm finding it difficult to say no.  Partially because I want you to have all the experiences that I had in school.  But especially because you're having so much fun and you're keeping your body moving.  I know I've said it before (and honestly, I'm too tired to find the link), but keeping your body busy is the best way to keep it healthy.  We do our best to make smart decisions about what we use to fuel your body and you're starting to figure it out too (Both of you think Soda is a bad word).  But keep moving.  Do a little everyday and you'll stay healthy for your whole life.

Here's the other thing.  Soon we're going to get cold here.  I saw on the forecast that snow is coming a week from tomorrow (we're still supposed to have one day this week in the 80's, but that's Colorado for ya!).  We'll be forced indoors for the winter and our only outlet will be our (all too sparse) trips to the gym.  Let's get it in while the getting's good!  We live in a beautiful state and have beautiful weather - let's take advantage.  

We do our best to set a good example for you.  You've seen us run a few marathons, some half marathons, gone with us on (lots) of 5K's.  I spent the greater part of the summer at the pool swimming with you guys (or watching you swim).  You know that we go to the gym in part to let you play, but also so that I can exercise and make my body healthy.  Having a healthy body is something that's important to our family.  I look forward to seeing what sports you pick out as your favorites and hope that it's something your dad or I did as kids.  But if you don't and you pick a different path, different from ours, that's okay too - we'll still be right there cheering you on.  Even if you turn out to be mathletes.  Hey, an active brain is just as important as an active body.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

And other happenings of the last week(+)

With the beginning of school, comes the beginning of activities, among happenings around here.  So many things I photographed this week and last that didn't make it to Project 52, but I still felt like they required a post of their own.  

First up, we FaceTimed with our BFF's a bit more than a week ago.  Seriously.  What did we do before technology like this?  Write letters?  But where was the instant gratification?  How did you know what their house looked like, what their backyard looked like, what the weather was right then?  How the kids sounded?  Begs the question, what are we living without right now?  It was great to see them.  The kids really missed each other (and so did the parents).  

We roasted marshmallows with turn-ey sticks and toes for props.  And OMG!  Look!  It's me!

We played with my phone in the great outdoors.  Mommy fail.  If he hadn't been completely and utterly bored waiting for his sister to race, this would have been totally unacceptable.  As it was, when she finally ran by he missed her, and she noticed he wasn't cheering.  So this weekend, he can just be bored to tears, let the whining commence.

Speaking of racing... We had our first Kindergarten Cross Country race.  Haley ran a half mile in 5:57!  For the record, that's faster than my marathon pace.  Our good friend, a first grader, won the half mile with a time of 3:31.  That's faster than my one mile pace.  By a lot.  

We took first day of school pictures in pajamas (Dad had to leave for work early).  And the smile was better than any other one I got that day with Kale.  

We jumped in puddles.  We finally got a day of rain, which left tiny puddles on the patio after school.  Puddles just right for putting on her (far too small on her feet) galoshes, grabbing her Tinker Bell umbrella, and jumping her heart out.  

School picture day came.  No uniforms were required, so long as the clothes were fancier than a normal uniform (so no jeans).  Something tells me I'm going to like this picture better than whatever was taken at school.

Aaaand... we did some more jumping.  My favorite is the bottom right.

Project 52 {38}

My favorite thing about you:

Is that you're back in school.

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Lets play "State The Obvious".  The reasons I'm loving that you're back in school are three fold:

1) Last week.  I'm happy you're anywhere but the hospital.  

2) You love school.

3) I need you gone to miss you.  

Yes.  Finally. Three weeks into September and both kids in school.  For this I'm thankful.  Ugh.  What a terrible mom, right?  But seriously... Aside from the 50% discount on responsibility, I appreciate the one on one time I get with each kid.  For about two minutes this fall, I thought I was going to get some time to myself three days a week (I had a mid-morning date with my garden tub - or more realistically, time to clean said garden tub), but that didn't happen when Haley got PM kindergarten.  So, if I can't have undivided time with myself, I'm thankful to have it with one kid at a time. 

This summer we spent a lot of time the three of us, which was great.  But we get sick of one another and need a break.  Yup, I said it, I get sick of my kids (and truthfully, they get sick of me too).  School is just the remedy to keep me from the crazy house - or a job outside the home.  I can't miss their presence around the house if they're not gone.  Why would you want to miss your kids?  Anyone asking this question isn't a stay-at-home-mom.  Because I can't use the ladies room between the hours of 6am and 7pm without the door being flung wide open, for starters.  For finishers, it's the three of us for most of the day (even with school), and I'm left out.  With just one, they're forced to come to me for entertainment and they entertain the crap out of me.  I get to know them better as individuals.  We work on school skills that need extra attention.  We hang out, run errands that are easier with one (so everything), and wonder what the missing one is up to.  

And once we're the three of us again, they have a million questions for the other - they hate not knowing what the other one has been up to/what they missed out on.  I love those conversations; I turn the radio off and just listen, because I'm in the same boat.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.