once in a blue moon conversations

in the hustle and bustle of the daily grind, there are many conversations that need documenting... for future reference.  this is one.

me: oh, we almost forgot to take a peek at the blue moon!
nator:  let me get my shoes!
me:  graaaaaaacieeeeee!  
gracie: {just getting settled in her loft bed}  yeeeees?
me:  come here.

{insert jeopardy music as nator and mom wait for gracie to climb down mt. everest}

gracie: {singing -with a cheesy grin- as she comes out of her room}  what do you want from me?  what do you want from me?
me:  how appropriate.
gracie:  what did y'all want?
nator and mama:  let's go look at the blue moon.
gracie:  oh.

me:  i'm sure it's not blue.  it's an expression used because we are having a full moon twice this month.

{walks outside the front door}

gracie:  it's not blue. 
me:  but it's a full moon.
nator:  it's so pretty.  i'm sure neil armstrong is enjoying it from somewhere up there.
me:  i bet you're right.

{clearly impressed, gracie walks back indoors, while mom and nator enjoy the glow of the moonlight a little longer}

nator:  i learned on brainpop that the next one will be in three years.
me:  and that will put you at how old?
{mom cringes and might be sporting a frowny face}
nator:  fifteen.
{we console each other embrace in a big hug, then slowly make our way indoors}
nator:  but i'll still love you.  i might just have a little attitude.
me:  {laughs to keep from crying} let's hope not.

i mean... attitudes in this sweet girlie only come once in a blue moon.  let's not mess with that statistic.

kick your feet up & grab a cup of coffee

alternate titles:  life after the country music awards. counting blessings: roadside edition.  never a dull moment at its best.  god bless the good samaritans.  our nutshell life with a bowl full of nuts.

this is going downhill, so i'll stop.

*giggle*

would you believe that we have already enjoyed our {two} decorated christmas trees for a week and a half now?  still can. not. believe it's this time of year already!

sometimes i get the nikon out.  sometimes, the iphone camera.  but lately, it's been the video camera.  i know.  you can barely contain your excitement, right?  i have to admit... talking to the camera is a bit awkward, at times. ha.

we have a lot to catch up on via video.  feel free to put your feet up and grab that cup of coffee.  or tea.  imma tea gal myself.

{don't judge too harshly.  video is done in the worst lighting and most unflattering perspectives.  especially, the no-makeup-at-all-shots.  although, in this lighting, one can hardly tell when i do have it on.  ha!  have i ever told you that we can't see ourselves while recording?  that would explain a few headless video shots in past vlogs.  ha!}

{edit: yay! the entire video is working properly now.  due to my mad technical skillz. ha! and i also wanted to thank youtube for that ever-flattering freeze-frame. nice.} ;)

i know.  crazy, right?  i was nominated for best homeschool vlogger?  *giggle*  {thank you, sweet friend!}  i think voting ends nov 18th @ 11:59 p.m.  if you're so inclined, feel free to click on over to view all of the homeschool blog-o-sphere goodness.

and if you made it through the video, you'll be relieved to know that nator did make it to the bookstore for her much anticipated date.  dad was able to come, too! ;) 

i love that 11 year old.  11 on 11-11-11.  ;)

wishing you more moments of kicking your feet up, eating pumpkin cheesecake, yummy & delicious scents, christmas lights... and true happiness {as mentioned in the last 2 minutes of video}.  

have you unpacked christmas in your home yet?  

{pix of that to come soon} ;)

{grace} under the influence of hormones

when hubs called, i informed him that he almost lost a child yesterday. {of course, i'm kidding.  please don't get your bowels in an uproar (as pops used to say).  our kids are well taken care of.  promise.  just ask us.  not them.  ha!}  after he giggled {wait.  do men giggle?}, i mean... belted a manly chuckle, he asked what happened.

let me just say that when you have all girls fluttering about the house, some things are completely open to discussion... at any given moment.

and it had been a trying day.  it seemed that after several weeks of daytime theater rehearsals, simply jumping back into a 'school' routine was being met with several grumbles.  

*gasp*  i know, right?  

i confess.  we try to make school fun, but sometimes schoolwork can feel a bit dry when you're trying to just 'get through a few things'.  such is life.  i figure that's preparing them for the future, too.  not everything in life is a walk through the park, right? ;)

mama may or may not have given a speech on the privilege of education... and homeschool.  and the fact that "extra-curricular" activities (theater, dance, field trips, etc.) can be lessened if studies are met with complaint.  mama's not playin', y'all.  mama is tired from said activities, although great distractions when dad is out of town.

we consider homeschool a major blessing.   truthfully, non of us would have it any other way.   just felt the need to put that out there.  ;)

so, since we have such open communication, we were discussing how little things that normally bother you... well, reeeeeally bother you A LOT when hormones are running amok.  which may or may not explain why mama spouted an earlier speech {while tripping over toys, bedding, and cups} in search of a girlie's missing grammar workbook... only to be found where it was supposed to be.  on her shelf.  oi.

this ended in a group hug.  mama needed it.  maybe we all did.

{nator throwing water on one of her friends! this part of the play cracks. me. up.}

we made it through schoolwork {thankyoujesus}.  honestly, they enjoy our educational discussions and songs, once we dive in.  

before i headed downstairs, i noticed 6 or 7 cups that needed to be returned to the kitchen.  without giving a speech, i told them to bring their cups downstairs when they came down.

then gracie spoke one of the forbidden phrases one should not say when someone under the roof is slightly influenced by hormones.

are you ready for it?

"i'll be glad when your period is over."

wait...  did you *gasp* or *giggle*?

and this, my friends, is where grace steps in.

mama took a deep breath.  told gracie them were punishable words. warning noted.  then proceeded downstairs.  just walk away, hmama.  walk. a.way.

mama may or may not have dove into a dark chocolate bar for comfort.

i shudder to think what it will be like when all three of us are raging with hormones.  menopause around the corner anyone??  better yet, hubs {poor guy} should just enter the house initiating hugs and carting dark chocolate.  great idea, yes?

and i record these words because hubs told me to.  he thought it was stinkin'. hilarious.  as did i.  once i took 5 or 50 deep breaths.

good thing she's so cute.  you know, with that deep dimple of hers.

and her innate need to belt out the star spangled banner while showering also brings a smile to my face.

a mother's day survey

For fun, my mom likes to....

Nator: "love me. BIG Hug!!!"

Gracie:  "spend time with family."

My mom's favorite food is...

Nator:  "lazanya. yumm! :)"

Gracie:  "saled and almost everything."

Mom is good at...

Nator:  "cooking and hugging and kissing."

Gracie:  "everything but mostly teacher and a mom."

Together, my mom and I like to...

Nator:  "do history and science and (sometimes) watch movies together."

Gracie:  "play games, spend time with each other."

I love my mom because....

Nator: "she is my mom and she's AWESOME!"

Gracie:  "I love her and she's my mom."

Her favorite thing to do to relax...

Nator:  "take a long nap."

Gracie:  "lay down and be calm."

My mom always says...

Nator:  "I love you."

Gracie:  "Well do you want to go to school? or I love you."

My mom teaches me how to...

Nator:  "do EVERYThing."

Gracie:  "be smart and make good choices."

My favorite thing that Mom cooks is...

Nator:  "lasanyah and tostadas."

Gracie:  "Nachos."

What are mothers made out of?

Nator:  "A lot of good stuff and love (and a heart, lungs, a brain...)."

Gracie:  "love."

What's the difference between moms and dads?

Nator:  "Moms are girls and (some) go through labor."

Gracie:  "Moms are girls and dads are boys."

My mom helps me when...

Nator:  "we are doing crafts."

Gracie:  "I'm sick and school."

My favorite thing to do with my mom is...

Nator:  "watch movies, snuggle, and crafts."

Gracie:  "play with her."

The best advice my mom has given me is...

Nator:  "stay healthy so you can live a long life."

Gracie:  "that she thinks that I'll be the best person ever."

My mom doesn't like...

Nator:  "repeating things."

Gracie:  "me argueing with my sister.  100% true."

My mom's favorite color is...

Nator:  "red."

Gracie:  "red."

If my mom had a day off, she would spend it...

Nator:  "shopping or sleeping."

Gracie:  "she would get on the computer."

My favorite place to go with my mom is...

Nator:  "the LEGO store."

Gracie:  "Justice or Build a bear or really anywhere."

What has your mom taught you about God?

Nator:  "that He is always in our heart."

Gracie:  "alot of stuff."

The funniest thing Mom ever did was...

Nator:  "crazy dance in the kitchen."

Gracie:  "crazy danceing."

What would it take to make your mom perfect?

Nator:  "NOTHING!!!"

Gracie:  "get off the computer... and no school."

{insert mom laughter}

If you could give your mom anything for Mother's Day, 

what would it be?

Nator:  "love.  because all you need is love."

Gracie:  "a spa day."

Closing remarks:

Nator:  "I love you very much."

Gracie:  " I love you.  God made my mom 100,000,000% special. :)"

**********************************************************

mother's day was a wonderful day of no agenda.  

and having hubby home.  

he made us breakfast, gifted me with a beautiful "i love you" willow tree, and crosses 'from the girls.'  grilled lunch.  then we decided to hit the beach... again.  

without having made prior arrangements for jasmine, she got a nice splash of sand and salt water, too.  but mostly, she wondered why she was the only dog on a leash.  {that would be because we are responsible pet owners.}  thankfully, the temperature was still beautiful.

the waves were less choppy this weekend, but the seaweed was a bit much.  it kept spooking us every time it touched our legs in large batches under the murky waves.  *shivers*

with sandy feet and dog in tow, we headed home just in time for showers and bed!

a beautiful day.

morning conversation

the scene

me:  scrambling eggs, while putting together pancake batter for the morning breakfast routine.  mama is tired and feeling a tad overwhelmed.

girls:  sitting at the kitchen table, waiting to be fed like little baby birds.  thinking of ways to ruffle mama-bird's feathers.  i kid.  they were starting to bicker.



i'm sure this never happens in your home.  ever.



me:  "who's starting to argue?!  i do not want sibling disagreements this morning.  that is the most irritating sound in the world."  #grumpymuch?

gracie:  "who's starting to argue?  i'm not arguing.  *giggle*"

nator:  "we're having a sibling discussion with very strong opinions."

me: "hahaha..."

there's nothing better to break tension than witty humor and laughter.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine..."

Mom-Taxi Chronicles: Week 6

The mom-taxi started this week by attending a performance with area dance studio competition teams.  We were so proud of Gracie.  She always gets nervous right before a performance.  But her passion overrides her fear.

It was neat to see what the other teams have been practicing... and confirmed that we chose the right {modest} dance studio for us.  ;)

Nator's ankle/foot was a little sore last week.  Her teacher has been introducing the pedals to her.  I just love her hat.  Fun and colorful. :)



The temps dropped this week.  We loved it... even though playing outdoors was a bit limited.



No snow for us, but the girls enjoyed finding these, when possible.  ;)

Holding them was equally exciting... until you couldn't feel your fingers.  ha.



Gracie has been hopping in bed with me in the morning, wanting to take silly cell pictures.  There are some crazy-lookin' pix in the stack.  I spared you.  Well, maybe not from the crazy, no make-up, morning hair.  Sorry.


{let's hope youtube changes the still-screen like i told it to.  yikes.}

The look on Gracie's face was priceless, when she realized we bought her a new mattress.  It may be because she was completely distracted by this... 

 Gracie just wanted to know where the T.V. was.

Everyone liked these Tempur-pedic mattresses, except daddy.

We compromised on a Hampton and Rhodes, Altitude Plush.  King-sized.  It has the individually wrapped coils, which we think our old one mattress was lacking.

Every mattress we tried, hubs asked, "Do you like this one?"  I always said, "It feels so much better than ours."  He finally said, "They will all feel better than ours."  That was his way of saying... Pick one!  ha.

Shopping for a mattress just feels weird, yes??  You know.  The whole... trying out the bed part?  Or maybe that's just me?

And yikes.  Our eating out budget may consist of more beans and rice and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches... until we can replenish our budget for a family trip.  Oh well.  At least we'll all sleep better about it, right?  ;)

what happens in the mom taxi, stays in the mom taxi

After a day of school {hello history and science. we've missed you.}, and an evening of errands, we looked like this...

Jasmine was the first to hit the hay... on her new bed.  Of course, I needed to buy her something more posh to go with the master bedroom makeover I'm finally allowing myself.  ha.  I think it's safe to say, she likes it.

Gracie started dreamland within seconds of Jasmine.  She usually sneaks off to bed, this one.  Is there anything sweeter than a little one drifting off to sleep with one of their dolls?  I had to braid Julie's hair, just. like. Gracie's.  You know, so it wouldn't tangle while she slept.

Let me just soak up that moment.

Be still, my mama heart.



Nator.  I could just eat her sweetness for dessert.  I ended up sneaking her into bed with me since she was still awake at tuck-in-time.  Dad is still in Washington.  Tomorrow will be Gracie's turn, I'm sure.  She wears a mask at night, which comes in handy... say, if your mom is posting on the ol' blog really late and there's a glow coming from her computer. ;)

Wanna go for another ride with us? ;)



Over and out.

Mama needs some shut-eye, too.

But there won't be any pictures of that.  ;)

a day in the life

One thing that I love about my life is that each day is like a box of chocolates.  You just never know what you're gonna get.  I prefer the good chocolate days.  Just wanted to put that out there.

One day, you can find us window shopping at Target.  Dreaming of things we'd like to buy, instead of the things we actually need to buy.

One day, you will find us on a long voyage at the Space Center.

Painting canvas.




{you can find that tutorial here}

Or maybe you'll find me changing the litter box... or catching a mouse.

No pictures, please.

It's never a dull moment around here.

Today, I'm choosing to see the blessing in my day.  It started rough, taking hubs to the airport, and returning home before the sun ever made an appearance.  Goodbyes are hard.  And sometimes a tear or two are shed.

Thankfully, he made it there safely, and we had a chance to catch up on rest when we returned home. ;) 

And thankfully, the mice know better than to come indoors.  {If not, I can introduce you to Bella and Jasmine.  They would be more than eager to meet your acquaintance.}

Our goal was to create a video vlog {of sorts} of our week, but we just edited our car ride today.   Now that I think of it, it's really not all that exciting.  Don't feel obligated to click.  Really.



I sound tired.  I am.  And this is not the most flattering angle.  Really.  But I'm too tired to care. 

*yawn*

Oh... and some have asked about my decision to eat meat again after a year of going vegetarian. {if salmon doesn't count. ha!}  Have you ever seen Food Inc??  It was one of the many reasons I chose to go vegetarian to begin with... as well as a lot of other health research. 

But here lately, I've been reading a lot of Mercola's articles that argue that a complete vegetarian lifestyle is not best for everyone.  So... I figure if I add some meat occasionally {preferable organic... they have to treat the animals better, right?}, I'll be covering all my bases.

Have you ever gone vegetarian?  Have you ever gotten a ticket in a school zone?  Has a police officer ever spoken to you from his car on his megaphone thingy?  Do you bring your dog everywhere too? Does your dog have anxiety issues when left at home alone, like mine?  Do you have movie nights with friends or family when one of your peeps are out of town? 

The girls and I do...  I'm being summoned now.

*yawn*

Do you always politely cover your mouth when you yawn?  Are you yawning now, due to all of my *yawning*?

Nothing rings in the season of giving like a great wish list!

My girls have already begun their Christmas lists.  Psh!  Who am I kidding?  They have been talking about it all year.  You know, as soon as the birthday hoopla ends, it's all about Christmas.  Sometimes, the two overlap.

It's enough to drive a person insane, at times.  Other times, I'm simply thankful their imaginations are filled with such celebratory wonder and excitement.  Children have a way of making the season a bit more magical.

Honestly, all I truly want, I already have.

Family.

To love and to be loved.

But... if I were to make a lil' list, it would look something like this...

iviscents.  I'm a sucker for a {healthier} yummy scent.  I've had this bookmarked for some time now.  I mean, who wouldn't be tempted by birthday cake scent?  and milk + honey?  The soap, 'frosting' {aka, lotion}, and sugar scrubs.  It sounds like heaven... in a shower.  And it's wrapped in zebra paper.  Yummy + cuteness = sigh.

Speaking of yummy scents, I've heard everyone talk about their yummy-smelling Scentsy warmers for quite some time, and after smelling Granny's, I have scent envy.  Is that weird?  There is nothing like walking through the door to a wonderful scent to welcome you home.  After skimming the warmers, I liked several of them, but "Faith" caught my eye. 

I have a lampe berger that I love, but it has recently stopped working.  Boo.  Our favorite scent has always been the creme brulee.  Yummy.

I'm also a sucker for costume jewelry.  I can't say that diamonds are my best friend.  My husband breaths a sigh of relief.  This lil' lovely from Allora Handmade looks tempting.  The only problem would be picking a color.  I'm leaning toward the red or turquoise necklaces.  What do you think?  It's also time for another trip to Harwin in Houston for costume jewelry and purse finds!

Jo Totes.  It's a purse.  It's a camera bag.  It may be the solution to merging my purse with my Nikon!  Isn't the rosette cute?  I'm a practical girl, but love the whimsical colors, too.  I'm thinking the pewter is pretty posh and would go with everything.  Of course, who wouldn't love a lil' raspberry or teal?  ;)

Speaking of cameras, I've had my eyes on the 18-200mm lens forever some time now.  It would eliminate the need to change lenses as much, allowing dust to land inside the camera.  Or simply miss shots because the camera wasn't ready to go!   Those facts alone make it a need, yes?  ;)  From what I've read, it would also allow me to use it as a macro as well, eliminating another lens from my wish list.  So it's really a 'deal', too.  I kid.  It's an arm and a leg.

Speaking of an arm and leg.  And since I'm dreaming.  Mama needs a new ride.  I've never been a car drooler.  You know, I've never had a 'specific' vehicle I've always loved.   I just know when I see it, I suppose.  I just want something pretty.  Maybe {this time} mom-wagon in function - less in look.  And with working door handles, interior fabric intact, locks that don't spontaneously lock and unlock while driving, hesitate when starting, and blinkers that work.  Or maybe I could simply get those things fixed on mine?  Sigh.  I'm too practical for my own good sometimes.

A Master Bedroom Makeover.  Including new mattress set.  Really.  I've started it many times over the years.  Good Housekeeping says, "Your bedroom should be a serene oasis where the worries of the day melt away."  Ha.  Honestly, in our 'lived-in' look, it's the place where laundry gets piled for folding, and piles of paperwork and misc things go for future organizing {some day}. Not to mention, hub's work desk.  Its original purpose was for scrapbooking.  It was a nice thought.  Sigh.  I've taken to putting pictures in digital books.  Yeah, I should get on that, too.

By the time I clean the rest of the house, I'm too exhausted to care by the time I make it to the bedroom.  Exhaustion makes ignoring the mess easier.  A lil' too honest maybe?

Okay.  Back to reality.  How about cash for clothes?  Say... if you've found at least 20 lbs over the past 4 yrs, your clothes may not fit like they used to.  Boo.  Or better yet, how about someone schedule my gym visits for me... and carve out the time, energy, and encouragement for me to work off said 20 lbs.  Even better.  Harder, but better.  

And due to my practicality, I'll simply be thankful with my new Mac.  We are learning to understand each other.  Well, I'm having to be more understanding than Mac.  That's usually the way it works with gadgets and me.   The gadgets patiently wait for me to understand them.  I will simply think it a gift to make the last payment on this baby.  For real.


If you are wondering about hubs, his list would look something like this...

An iPad.  If money were no object, we'd buy one for each of us, but since it is... Hubby will be first in line.  {One day, Hun.}

and clothes...

I will be working on the girls' lists soon.  They have been circling and initialing our Target catalog like there's no tomorrow. ;)

* Just so we're clear, I am getting nothing {zip, zadda, zero} from these companies.  Just spreading the linky love and cheer.  However, if any said companies would like to make a donation to the Family Team, the Family Team would not be opposed, including car dealerships.  Just sayin'.

*********************************************

But again, truthfully, we have what is most important.

Each other.

The girls and I were reminded of that when we watched Letters to God for a movie night this week. 

There was a tender scene when the young boy asked his mom if the kids at school would make fun of him due to his baldness and fading eyebrows.  She spoke honestly and said, "Yes."  He wondered how he might respond to them, then it came to him...  He would react like Jesus would.

Nator:  "How would Jesus respond?"
Me:  "Good question.  How do you think Jesus would respond?"
Gracie:  "I know.  He would kick their butts!"

And with that, I close. 

But I will let you know that I have a giveaway in my next post.  Yay!  Tis the season of giving!!

Suburbia Met Country

After a day of visiting the beach and Galveston's Seawolf Park last weekend, it was time to pick up our furry family member from the sitter's house. 

Not the horse.  The dog.  Gracie wants a horse. 

One cat and one dog prove to be my limit.

Amen.

Although, I could be {and have been} a sucker for an abandoned animal in need of a good home.  This horse would not be one of our animal rescue stories.  'Vegas' is well taken care of by his owner, our dog sitter.

But Gracie was allowed to feed Vegas treats;  Nator opted out.  I can't say that I blame her.  Large animals {and some small} intimidate me.

He's a beauty.

You couldn't wipe the grin off of Gracie's face.  Unfortunately, he has never been ridden... and I wasn't about to volunteer Gracie to be his first.

The girls fed the egg laying chickens... and held the {soon to be} 'meat' chicks.

Nator held the black one.  She convinced herself that people certainly wouldn't eat the black one.

Right, Mom?  Ummm... Maybe not, Nator.

It helps us sleep at night.

They're cute, yes?   I was tempted to try the farm life.

For a moment.

When handing this chick back, it may or may not have fallen.  If this happened, the bird was indeed okay and happy to rejoin its siblings under the warmer.

Did you know that there really are green eggs?  {of course, you did}  And that truly fresh eggs have thicker whites compared to the runny store bought eggs?  And that store bought eggs are at least 30 days old?  And the white eggs come from younger chicks?  And although you will be reassured that hens really don't mind, they won't seem pleased to have their eggs taken?  And that p*op will cause you to rethink any temptation to adopt the farm life?  And storing eggs, narrow end down, will help them stay fresh longer?  Whew.

Interesting, yes?

Do you... or have you ever been tempted to adopt {even a small part of} the animal farm life?

Crazy, I know.

Who says {reality} TV isn't educational?

Me:  "...and this word is philanthropist. 'Phil' meaning 'love', and 'anthropy' meaning 'of human beings.'"
Gracie:  "Is that 'fist' or 'pist'?"
Me:  "It's philanthropist with a p, yes."
Nator:  "Yeah, I think 'pist' is a bad word."
Me:  "How did you know that?"
Gracie:  "What?  'Pist?'"
Nator:  "I don't know... I think 'The Biggest Loser.'"
Gracie:  "What does 'pist' mean?"
Me:  "Yes, well, it's not a nice word.  It's something unintelligent people say when they're upset and can't think of anything more... intelligent to say."  :-/

Thanks, Jillian.  I will be more focused on my penmanship when writing on the whiteboard from now on.

Diaries of a Young Mom in 2004

Gracie {age 2} and Nator {age 4}
Serving as pastors, and a mom of two precious littles, life was very busy.  {still is}  This mom managed to jot down a few memories in a notebook, she recently re-discovered...

January 2004
"Gracie started sitting on the potty.  I'm not sure, but it just might be an excuse to take her diaper off.  She's beginning to speak understandably."  

"I always tell the girls I'm going to eat them and nibble on their neck, bellybutton, armpits, ribs... always good for a belly laugh.  Today, I was 'eating' Nator's armpit and neck, making her laugh, so I asked her what I could eat next?  Her bellybutton?  She said, 'You had enough.'"  

"I just rocked both of my baby girls to sleep for  their much needed naps. (Monday is usually a recovery day from Sunday.)  Time is going by so quickly.  I wish I could keep my little girls little for a little bit longer!"

 {library fun}

"I was getting ready to leave for worship practice when all I had to do was get Gracie up and dressed... only to find that she (at some point) took her diaper off (as usual).  She was sound asleep, bed wet, and her onsie still snapped between her legs.  Funny!"

 {hugging her baby, she couldn't sleep without}

"Nator kept giving me hugs and kisses all through dinner at Olive Garden.  Gracie put her finger over her mouth and told Daddy to 'be quiet'.  There was a baby in a carrier next to our booth.  These girls are just precious, and I'm glad they are ours."

"Nator has hearts on her shirt with the words 'Old Navy' underneath.  She says that it says... Loves Mommy."

"I cannot get Gracie to keep her diaper on!  Ugh!"

"Nator's famous saying right now is... In 10 minutes."

February 2004
"This has been an exciting month!  Gracie proceeded to color all over herself with a marker.  Not once, but twice.   Then... {insert a stinky mess only a mother would clean}.   Boy, you can't turn your back on this one for a minute!"

 {finger painting with mom's favorite lipstick.  she stares at me to see what my plan of action will be.  grab the camera, of course! ha.}

"Nator somehow flooded the bathroom with toilet water using the plunger.  Water was even soaked in the carpet a couple feet into our bedroom."

{their innocent looks}

"Nator squirted Gracie's pre-measured medicine on me.  She was so sweet about it, it was hard to be upset."

"Gracie likes to pat people on the head and start playing Duck, Duck, Goose... by herself.  Too cute."

April 2004
"Nator said, 'I say I love you, Mom, and you say I love you, too, okay?  I love you.'  I replied, 'I love you, too.'  Nator responded,  'You did it, Mom!  Very good!'"

"Using plastic Easter eggs, Nator wanted me to help her make a Barbie cake.  The ingredients were: sugar, fruit snacks, oatmeal, grape-nut flakes, milk, strawberries, cool whip, and candles.  Oh, and she just remembered the icing!"

May 2004
"When Nator awoke, I asked her to go potty.  She said she couldn't because her pee-pee was sleeping..."

"I was holding and rocking both girls in my lap.  Nator was being a bit fussy, so I asked Gracie to go make Nator some (pretend) tea.  She said, 'No.'   Nator, starting to cry, said, 'Gracie made my heart broke.'  Later, I heard Nator tell Gracie to sit in time-out because her heart broke.  Sad, but cute."

"While Daddy was tucking Nator in one night, she asked Jesus to live in her heart.  A week later, while I was tucking her in, I asked her where Jesus lives.  She said, 'He's stuck in the clouds.'"

 {really... is there anything sweeter than sleeping babies in footy pjs?}

"I took the girls outside to swim.  Nator found a feather.  After I explained what it was, she held it up and said, 'Here bird!'  She wanted the bird to come get it.  I love the way she thinks."

 {gracie's famous "cheeeeeeeese" camera pose}

June 2004
"The first time the girls saw a beautiful rainbow, Nator was so excited.  She wanted us to go catch it!"

"For one little girl who used to hate clothes and shoes, that is now the first thing Gracie wants to do in the morning."

"I took the girls to the movies today.  One character was sad because they didn't have a mom.  Nator leaned over and said, 'I'm happy I have my mommy.'"

{when we could all fit in a basket}

"Last night, tucking the girls in bed, Nator grabbed my face and kissed me on my cheek, forehead, nose, other cheek, chin, and all over my neck.  She was too cute."

"I put both girls in time-out for about 3 minutes.  When they got up, Nator gave me a big hug and said, 'Thank you for getting me out of time-out.  When I grow up, I'm gonna be a mommy just like you are.'  If she was trying to butter me up, it was working!"

"During a day of taking the girls to the movies to watch Ice Age and run a few errands, I thought I might lose my sanity!  While waiting in line at customer service, both girls were in their usual spots in the shopping cart.  They fought over who got to hold the umbrella.  Nator bit the fire out of Gracie's arm, arguing over who got to hold the seat-belt on the shopping cart (probably learned that from Gracie).  Gracie spilled her Ziploc bag of cheerios all over the check-out aisle floor.  With sweat running down my face, I found myself on my hands and knees picking up scattered cheerios.  I'm thankful no one was waiting behind us.  I finally decided to just take the umbrella, which left both girls in tears.  I wanted to cry, too, but didn't want to draw even more stares.  They also decided to re-arrange the shelves and play hide-n-seek at the health food store.  I usually make it in and out of that store a.s.a.p.  Between all of this, the light rain, and the logistics of getting them in and out of the van, I was a bundle of nerves.  As soon as I unloaded the van, it was rest time!  I think I'm ready to retire the grocery shopping!"

August 2004
"Gracie buckled herself in her old car seat in the living room.  She dropped a cheerio out of the cup she was eating from.  No problem.  She picked it up with her toes, brought her foot to her hands, then popped it in her mouth!"

September 2004
"Nator said (when I gave her echinacea) this morning, 'When I get medicine, my sore throat runs away.  It says... ahhhhh!'"

 {starting pre-k}

October 2004
"... I just found the girls coloring their toes with colors, as well as the table."

{snow white twins} 

December 2004
"Just getting in from our family vacation from Branson, Missouri.  Nator told Gracie, 'I love you.  You're my little sister and I'm going to take care of you.'  Since then, Gracie has been telling everyone that Nator is going to take care of her.  Too sweet!"

{their first snow}

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This young mom, her children (and husband) survived the tales written and {many} unwritten of 2004.  They even lived to tell of adventures they would have in 2005...  but that's a post for another day.  

This young mom also learned the fine art of popping just enough popcorn into Ziplock bags, to entertain busy hands, while whisking through the grocery aisles... at speeds exceeding store limit, I'm sure.  There was no time to read labels.  If possible, that had to be done online, beforehand.  In the store, she was too busy finding room for groceries among toddlers taking residence in the cart.

She also learned the value of masking tape.  Yes, she got puzzled looks, as church nursery workers tried to figure it out.  An explanation would always follow, but she eventually got used to telling people that the tape was for the 2 year old's diapers.  It turns out, the diaper just needed a little reinforcement to make it 'strip-proof'.

This mama is also extremely grateful to {now} have a much better camera, less flowery comforter set, and the choice to homeschool.  ;)

Hahhh... Sweet, sweet memories of 2004.  Sometimes, I wish I could revisit those girlie days of baby-dolls and dress up.