Ten on Tuesday

1. I still think Cinderella is the prettiest Disney princess. Maybe it's because she seems to be the only one I can relate to. She just might be the reason I like to clean.

2. I'm exhausted. Truly exhausted. If I didn't have the girls to care for, I'd be in bed. Instead I will be getting up from the computer and ironing. See, Cinderella!

3. Abby asked for some alone time in her room. She is playing school. Have I
mentioned I love that girl?!

4. Lauren wrote him a love letter. Five actually. I only let her give him one; the one without her great grandma's return address stickers all over it!





5. I'm a good snuggler. And I'm happy to step up to the task. I can thank hours of Lauren's crying for that. Poor little toddler at school today....

6. Poop stinks. And other people's poop is the worst! I just might prefer the smell of manure.

7. I took a picture of Lauren's foot. I don't want to forget.

8. Pizza anyone? As it turns out I have a cousin, Vinny. He'll be delivering tonight if I can ever get my ironing done. Not so much Cinderellaish, I'll admit.

9. Being a bus stop mom has introduced me to a whole new set of comrades. Where did all of these people come from?!

10. I HATE THIS HEAT! Never mind that Abby continues to get out of school two hours early each day because of it. I hate it! Bring on the snow. Throw a blizzard at us, but please wait until after we've gone to Minnesota and back for Christmas. I don't care, just take away these 90 plus temps! Jeez. Enough already!

I Let Her Go

I remember vividly the day we left the hospital with Abby. They let us take her away from that safe environment, and after a short drive there we were at home on the Air Force Base with a baby. A little girl whom I was responsible for in every sense of her being. She depended on me for everything.

But now she's five. And today I let them take her away from our safe environment, and after a short drive she was at school, not far from another Air Force Base. The little girl I was responsible for was now in someone else's care. I am depending on them to look out for her, to teach her, and help her grow.

She woke up on her own this morning. And when she arrived in the kitchen sporting her pink elephant pajamas & her crazy bed head, she was happy as could be to be starting kindergarten! No muss, no fuss.... we breezed through breakfast and got ready without a batting an eye. She was a girl who knew where she had to be and was determined to get there.

After our first-day-of-school pictures, we were off to the bus stop. One by one parents and little people showed up to take part in the morning's congregation. As the crowd widened she said her good-byes and jumped into her social circle. I was busy conversing with other moms & grandmas, so when it came time to get on the bus she did it with little fanfare.

And that was it. Just after 8:30 and she was gone. I let her go, in the care of someone else, and she was on the bus headed for kindergarten!

Lauren & I headed to our own school, and when our day was done, returned home and baked fresh chocolate chip cookies. Once again the crowd gathered in the hot afternoon's sun to collect the school children. When Abby got off the bus she rushed right into my arms and asked, "Were you waiting here all morning?" Love that girl!

She told me she learned how to read today. Great! That is about all she had to say. She was hot, tired, thirsty, and in serious need of refueling. Good thing I had plenty of cookies, grapes, milk & water on hand.

{Abby, The Kindergartner}

{Abby & Lauren}

{At the Bus Stop}

{Abby Gets on the Bus}

{Front & Center.... And Off to School}

{Off the Bus}

{Our School Girl is Home}

{My Kindergarten Cookie Monster}

Abby's first day of kindergarten is in the books. She loved it! And I'm glad she did.... now when do I tell her the school will be closing two hours early tomorrow due to the excessive heat?

Darn Ohio!

Lauren's Song

I've mentioned it on a couple of occasions that Lauren enjoys breaking out into song. Her own songs. Unique compositions, often changing lyrics to suit her mood. This is a video I downloaded off of her camera. She laid this track down tonight. It is just one of many. The latest of which she is carrying on about the boys she loves. But for now she is still devoting her love to her Lizzie Doggie & Rocket Blanket, at least on this video.

The video is grainy; mostly of her mouth, and ironically a bit of her neck. But her voice is priceless!

(Pause the play list on the right column of the page before playing video.)

Flashback Friday

Lauren's latest weakness of the heart takes me back to the days when all of her love belonged to her favorite hockey player.

August 2007

{Lauren and Shane}

December 2007

{Lauren and Brian}

April 2008

{Lauren and Brandon}

July 2010

{Nick (second from the left) and Lauren}

Dressed Up

This morning the house was alive with the sound of music. Again. Looking back, I'm guessing this may have been the reason for her lyrical exuberance on the first day of school. She met her love on my first day of work, and she knew her heart was his.

She wore a dress, just as she told me she would last night {See Laurens' Beau: www.lifewiththelovelies.blogspot.com/2010/08/laurens-beau.html}. She went into her closet and picked out her fanciest one, no doubt to try and catch his eye. It sounds like Lauren may have some stiff competition, as she is not the only one who sees her young beau as the dreamiest boy in the preschool class. But none of that really matters. He is a nice young boy with a kind heart, and cute to boot.

Of course, as you may suspect, the dress came off as soon as we were home and there was no chance of running into Connor. "It's only for school," she told me. But I know in her heart, it's only for Connor.

{Lauren Wears a Dress to Preschool}

Thank You Thursday

1. To the guy sitting in his office, sportin' the powder blue Twins shirt: Thank you for your genetic donation & contribution that yielded our two beautiful and spirited little girls. I literally couldn't have done it without ya!

2.Thank you for those little pieces of home that make me smile. It's a small world when locked in a tight-knit private preschool in the middle of Ohio you find someone else who has lived at & loved Hanscom and another with family in Duluth. {smile}

3. I appreciate the opportunities that have come my way. For the people who believe in me, and for those who see and bring out my potential. You are teachers and givers. You are what makes the lives of others rich.

4. Thank you for the nudges that force me to overcome uncomfortable situations. I'm talking specifically about diaper changing here.... I am more grossed out than I was before I had kids of my own, when it comes to changing other kids' diapers. But I have no choice. I'm not saying I don't conveniently avoid it. I'm working on it.

5. Thank you for the time in my day I spend with "the big kids". While it is brief, I get to eat lunch with Lauren each day at school. And I supervise the older children in the afternoon. I do love working with kids! {I'm thankful for that, too!}

Lauren's Beau

Preschool, Day Three. And already Lauren has a crush. He is the only one in the class who is blonder than she is. The lucky fella is Connor. Just saying his name sends her chubby cheeks a-smilin'. She even suggested she is going to wear a pretty, pretty dress tomorrow. She says it's for me.... I'm sure it's for Connor.