Summer Projects: The Girls' Room: French poodles...almost finished!

Things Done...

1. Move out old stuff!
2. Move in new stuff from craigslist (includes the two paintings, the two duvet covers (Little Bit's not shown), pillows matching theme, boxspring, new twin bed for LaLa, etc.)
3. Purchase needed items (new twin sheets, use crib sheets from nursery from LaLa's decor, etc.)
4. Use what we had (crib (matched perfectly!), changing table/dresser, bookshelf, toy box, table and chairs, etc.)
5. Paint (opposing walls are different colors)
6. Hang pictures
7. paint eiffel tower (chalkboard paint)
8. paint ceiling (darker shade of sky blue)
9. paint clouds on the ceiling (if you look closely, some of the clouds take special shapes...a teddy bear, mickey mouse ears, the letter c, the letter s, a flower, etc.)
10. organize closet

Still to do...
1. Put sheets and bed ruffle on crib. Little Bit's nursery decor was brown/pink so it did not go with the new room. However, LaLa's nursery decor was pink and green...matched well! See, good thing that I save everything!
2. Make curtains with the fabric that came with all of the wonderful craigslist goodies! It's not enough to do both windows. Instead, I put up Pottery Barn curtains that I had bought for LaLa's old room. They work for now until I can make the new ones. My girls like it dark when they sleep. I plan on using that striped fabric that you see on the bed in one of the pictures with solid dark pink. I'm trying to think of something I could embroidery on the solid portion of the curtains...poodles? french saying?
3. Hang LaLa's collector's shelf beside her bed. (I'll have to tell you about that later! It is like the ones from pottery barn, but they are a fortune! I made it out of trash...basically!
4. Hang LaLa's "princess" valance above her bed. It's from the nursery that both of the girls had from newborns. I want it to follow them as they grow up.
5. Pull out all the 18 month clothes from the closet and drawers. When I started this project in April, Little Bit could still wear them! Now, I have to pull them out just about the same time I finally finished!
6. See that white tall floor lamp? We had this lamp post in our front yard...until the contractor (from our kitchen remodel) hit it with his monster truck. It is unfixable. I plan on sweet talking my dad into using the "shell" of the lamp post that I would not let Robert throw out to make that floor lamp look like a lamp post in their room. I'm not even sure if that's possible!

LaLa's New Bed...hasn't even fallen off...YET! I love the sleigh bed! I love that it matches the crib so well! I couldn't have planned it if I would have tried!

First,, do not look at the curtains...still have to do that. Now, look at the Eiffel Tower out of chalkboard paint. The girls love it, but I have this thing about chalk EVERYWHERE...so I have to hide the chalk! Little Bit draws on EVERYTHING if you don't watch her closely!

I love this table in their room! I might paint the top with chalkboard paint too. Why didn't I put a table in their room forever ago? We use it all the time!

Close up of her duvet covers...cute, huh? I can't wait until Little Bit can use hers on her bed, but then again...I'm not ready for her to be loose at night! That's the fabric that came with the bedding. I love all the colors that it pulls in!

I need a new changing pad cover, but I am hoping to potty train in early fall. This is the changing table/dresser from the girls' nursery. I spray painted that previously white shelf, and of course, LaLa had to put her new ballet trophy on display! (Oops! I still need to post pics of my little ballerina!) I had the girls silouettes done a few months ago. I plan to frame them and put them up here as well. And, yes, they have a television in their room. It keeps me sane...they use it for rest/nap time. It only plays dvds...no cable.

A new sign to welcome the girls into their new shared room!

LOVE the details on the bed! Did I mention it matches the crib?! Ahhh...wonderful luck! All of these wonderful pillows came with the beds, bedding and such! LaLa puts them in special spots every morning...she may be a little type A like her mommy!

That's the ceiling...clouds.

Toy box...found at as a "display item" of a boutique going out of business. It's the same cream color as the beds. It's where I hide the toys they leave all over the floor!

There is no more space in this room, but I desperately need a spot for the books, books and more books that the girls have. They inherited a lot from my teaching days. I don't have any floor space...hmmm...any ideas?

I'm so close to finishing...I just need to mark off those last things on that list!

If you ask LaLa, she loves her new room because it's not just for her sister and her to share...they're best friends too! I hope they stay best friends forever!

Summer Projects: My Girls' Room: Charlotte's Web & Growing Up Too Fast!

I'm writing this post for two reasons. First, I am posting to share all the work and ideas that we did in my girls' new room. Second, I am posting because one day when I print my blog out for my girls to remember our little things everyday, I want them to remember how  much they loved each other's company. Each of my little girls had their own room that I spent time working to make it special and individual. However, in November, LaLa began to insist that she had to sleep with her sister as you may remember here. Well, after a few weeks of sleeping on the floor, we moved our guest room bed in the nursery so LaLa would at least have a bed to sleep in at night. The nursery was quite small, and the girls were getting bigger every day. By March, we realized that this sleeping situation seemed to be sticking around our house. Now, both girls really enjoyed each other's company at night and during naps. They even began sleeping better!

We decided to change LaLa's unused room into the girls' new room they would share. It is the largest of the four bedrooms upstairs (excluding ours). It currently had a four poster queen size bed, a dresser, etc. Since two little girls were going to share, we had to look for furniture. We were right in the middle of the remodeling our kitchen...remember here, here, and herewhen we were in the chaos of our kitchen and everything else in the house started falling apart?! I began to peruse Craigslist in January, but I was looking for something very specific.

After looking and calling around for several months, I happened to come across cute bedding on Craigslist. It had poodles and a French theme. The perfect colors and idea for a "sister" shared room that varied in ages! Here was the bonus...the seller even listed McDonough as her location...very close to me! I contacted her and didn't hear anything for several days. It was actually someone that I knew. She has four kids of her own. She has been involved with all kinds of things (like owning and running a successful baby gym business!) and has completely amazed me with how she juggles it all so well! She mentioned that she had two twin beds for sale as well. Now, I had in mind something....like bunk beds (but were nervous about my girls' ages) or loft beds, or a carriage bed...but I knew I was really limited with my resources too!

I looked at the beds...and looked...and looked...and asked everyone else what they thought about them...I deep down already liked them...A LOT. However, a friend's husband could make the beds in my "head" for about the same price. I could get the beds, but then I would not have all the bedding that I fell in love with! Or, I could get the bedding and have to wait a few months to save up for new beds. I made an offer on everything...and didn't tell Robert. She totally worked with me...within very close of where I was trying to get...pricewise! Then, I had to tell Robert. After the initial shock, he was okay. I couldn't even go the day we planned to pick up the beds because our sitter canceled and one of the girls were sick! I was so excited!

The girls helped choose the colors and shared ideas. It has been a slow process getting it all done, finding mattresses, moving everything out, and moving stuff back in the room. Now, the closet has both of the girls' clothes. We have another twin bed that is at my parents' house waiting until Little Bit needs a big girl bed, along with the mattresses (who knew mattresses were so expensive?!), and her new matching bedding.

Before we could start in the new room, we had to paint over the "charlotte's web" mural that I painted in her room when she was little (sigh, wipe a tear). A friend and I painted grass around the room and the ceiling light blue. Both of my girls loved running up to the animals and saying their names and sounds. I had to leave the room when Robert painted (three coats!) primer over it! First, before we picked up the new beds or anything, I had to snap a picture. Oh, sweet LaLa, if you only knew the time and love I put into your "big girl" room! I'll miss seeing you and your little animals, but I am so excited about your new room that you and your little sister will make many, many fun memories!

I'll post more tomorrow.
I have to go hug my girls...
feels like I painted this just yesterday...
time is going by way too fast!!!

Enjoying the Backyard...Refurbishing our Swing

Our backyard has this gradual slant to it. We never use this back corner in our yard that is shaded by large trees in our neighbors yard. In order to take advantage of space, Robert moved the swing in this back corner. (after trying it several other places...I'm visual!) It looked kind of lonely back there. We added jasmine plants on both sides of the swing. Hopefully, they will start vining around the swing eventually. Plus, they smell so good!

Covered in rust...this swing needed some TLC. It was a gift Robert and I got my grandmother. Since it was hers, I couldn't just get rid of it and get another. It has lots of memories of swinging and talking with her.

Magic Wands...

After just the first coat, it made a great difference. We put brick pavers around the jasmine plants and planted various plants that had color to make small flower beds. This has turned out to be one of my favorite spots in my backyard. Now, the girls and I can make our own memories swinging and talking in a part of our yard that we never used. If I could just figure out how to make new cushions, I would be set!:)

Any Complaints?

My first thought on complaints...I don't complain. I just listen to complaints. Ummm...then again, that's not quite true. I just went upstairs where my husband had bathed the kids (don't give him too much credit yet...I was cleaning up dinner and making his lunch for tomorrow). I "tagged" him out as he brought them into their room to get their jammies on and teeth brushed so he could go play work in the yard with some new yard tools. After prayers were said, books read, multiple requests granted and denied, covers tucked and so on, I finally left the girls. I entered their bathroom to replace their toothbrushes from the counter, and I discovered clothes on the floor, the tub still filled, toys littering the floor and the tub, shampoo open in abandoned in the tub of water.

Did I complain? Yep...marched my five foot feisty self outside and tried to yell my complaints over the weed eater only to find that he still couldn't hear me between his singing and the IPod turned up to unbelievable decibels. Then, I complained that he is too old to be listening to music that loud. (My husband suffers from the delusion that he is a teenager at times rather than a man in his thirties...most of the time~emphasis on most~ I love that about him.) However, after discovering the bathroom mess was not a moment where that love for his lust at youth was inspired!

Did it do any good? Nope...not at all. Did I exemplify a servant’s heart? Nope...not at all. Did I feel better? Nope...maybe for a minute. Actually, I probably could have cleaned it up faster than going out to complain about it. Then, I find myself wondering where my kids learn to complain...about it being too hot, or being bored, or some food they don't like. I guess tonight I answered my question. I also remembered a Bible verse that I haven't thought of in a long time.

Do everything without complaining or arguing (Ph. 2:14).


By the way, I went outside to snap a shot of him with my camera during his yard work and loud music escapade. He didn't even bat an eye. Without even inquiring as to why I was taking his picture, he stopped, looked at me, let me take the picture, and continued singing and weed eating.

What can I say? Thanks God for the lesson!:) Seems like I'm learning several this week...

A Mama's Blessings...focus on the Good Things

Blessings...

I was just talking to a friend last night about some of the things that I posted yesterday. During our conversation, I realized that there is definitely drama in all of our lives. Whether it is mama drama or day to day drama or drama in our relationships...we all have drama.

Despite all of our drama, we all have blessings—Blessings that get pushed to the side and often forgotten because the drama and urgency of the day to day takes over. So, I am taking this day...this moment...to focus on the good things.

As I began writing this post, I remembered a blog that I genuinely enjoy will often do the same thing. The author, Erin, will periodically devote a post to the good things in her life...or her favorite things. Whatever they may be...when I have read her posts on good things, it has made me stop and focus on my good things as well.

I should really stop and do the same thing...talk about the good things...more often.

Good health...definitely at the top of my list.

These moments...with my girls.

My dishwasher...really love my new dishwasher. I do not even have to prewash my dishes...seriously! Also, it has several compartments...even a perfect compartment for sippy lids. A mom must have created this dishwasher. The dishwasher also has a sanitize option...now, I will never need that bottle sanitizer again! It is so, so, so very quiet too! Ah...sweet dishwasher.

My house...love my "right now" house. Of course, I'm always looking and wishing for what I want "one" day, but with the economy the way it is lately...I am blessed to have the security a home offers for me and my family. I love this picture of our house when it snowed.

My parent's (live a couple miles away) swimming pool...really enjoying it this summer!:)

Yep, I'm blessed.

Summer Sanity?! Random Ramblings...

I need ideas for keeping our summer fun and my sanity in check. We are, actually, having a super fun summer! We have been staying busy, playing, and enjoying each other. Schedule and routine has been the key for us so far! I should turn the television off a bit more, but I have to clean my house and make dinner sometime (right?!). I just cannot figure out how to do all the stuff I WANT to do with having the kids around ALL the time. When I say that out loud though, it sounds somewhat selfish. Not sure?

I miss blogging...desperately, miss blogging. My hubby misses me blogging. The way he has it figured out is the more I blog...the less I need to talk about EVERYTHING in my head to him!:) So, if your husband thinks you talk a lot and if he gets that glazed over look periodically, I highly suggest blogging. When I do have a few minutes to myself on the computer (now, kids are watching barney on tv!), I usually end up trying to get my blog fix on my blogs that I follow. I just HAVE to know what is going on in their worlds. Some blogs are my encouragement for the day...as a mom...as a woman...they send me these motivating ideas to keep my focus throughout the day. I think this is why blogs have gotten so popular for women...just my opinion.

What's even funnier? I could care less if anyone reads them. Honestly, I forget that whatever I write ends up on the Internet world. I love comments though...ahhh...so someone else is out there and doesn't think I'm kooky!:) Then, I will be at church or visiting some friends for a kid play date, and someone will mention something they saw on the blog. Ugh...my mind begins to randomly recheck past posts to see if I wrote anything in particular...something where I was ambitiously rambling. I have to be cautious that what's in my head doesn't immediately go onto this computer! Regardless, summer is definitely getting in the way of blogging. I guess that is understandable!

When I do something, I like to do it all the way. 100% devotion to the project. Thus, my frustration with not blogging consistently! I just tend to do too many things at one time. Then, I get crabby and stressed and overwhelmed in my home because I'm stretched too thin. I forgot a lot this past year that the REASON that I chose to be a stay at home mom is for the benefit of my kids. However, I would spend spare minutes devoted to all these other activities for church or preschool or people in general. (Not a bad thing...just in moderation!) I enjoyed it for the most part, but my family suffered. My energy and time was zapped. They only received the left overs.  I have been a crazy woman fighting for simplicity this summer...convincing myself that we do not have to be on the go all the time. Now, if that would just rub off onto my expectations for myself, I would be set!

I received a couple emails about my calendar for my house when I was out of town (Again, that wonderful moment when you know you are not the only crazy mommy out there.) I'll post my calendar soon! I don't know if it will help or make you laugh, but I will post it regardless!:)

It's nice to know that someone is curious about my craziness in order to help their own chaos! More mommies need to be more open about our struggles and chaos with others! I don't think we would be as hard on ourselves...if we REALLY, genuinely knew what other moms were going through each and every day.

Okay...that's my random ramblings for the day! Thanks for listening!

Little Bit...a FULL moon...

Little Bit has this issue with removing her clothes at any and all opportunities. She will remove her clothes and diaper and hide them somewhere. My only solution that works is to put pull ups on her. They tend to take a bit longer for her to figure out how to remove it. Once she figures that out, I'm out of ideas?! Let me know if anyone else has ideas! This is how I discovered Little Bit an hour or so after I had put her to bed. Her pants and diaper had been tossed out of her crib. She was sound asleep. I guess from a mama's perspective I can say...at least she was asleep...that's more important than being half naked!

Since I am sharing Little Bit memories and thoughts, I am sad to say that she is no longer calling her big sister LaLa. I know sad, right? She can now actually say her name, Charlotte. It was so sweet as she tried to say it and came out with LaLa. She is still known as Little Bit to most around here, and that name just fits her perfectly. She is such a bundle of everything in this little body! Amazingly, after months and months of trying to get her to say her name, she finally said it a couple weeks ago. She says it pretty quickly, and it is still hard to understand unless you are listening for it. It is still quite cute though! She is really growing up! I think this (her being able to say the real names and not her "baby" names she created) has really made me realize how much she has grown up. Where has my baby gone? It is exciting and sad at the same time. Hard to explain...

When did you realize or what made you realize your little one grew up without your realizing it?

Two Mommies and Three Little Ladies Going to the BEACH!

I'm packed. I'm ready. I ask myself everytime I get to this point..."why did I wait until the last minute?!" Actually, I had everything in my head that I needed to pack. I bought food, snacks, and beach things days ago. I had some stuff put out here and there. I made a list. I printed out the directions. I printed out the weather for the next week. I closed up any house and family details. I have a restaurant bag for the kids. I have snack boxes for each kid. I have a bookbag with car toys for each kid. I have bag and bag and bag ready...YET...here it is 12:35 in the morning and I just finished packing except for a few last minute things to throw in the bag in the morning. Oh yeah, it is morning already. Did I mention my friend and her little girl that we are going to the beach with plans on being here at 5? FIVE. IN. THE. MORNING. 

Between finishing preschool, working on my summer cleaning list, LaLa's dance practices and recital, and entertaining my girls...I genuinely figured the packing would all just come together! Maybe my friend will not notice if I just sleep ALL the way to Florida! I'm sure she can handle three little girls and driving...right? Well, she might not even be my friend anymore if I go that route! I'll post pictures of LaLa's sweet recital pictures soon and lots of fun and adventures from our trip!

Hopefully, the beautiful beach will not be ruined with oil...ugh...that's an entirely different rant for a different day!

Enjoy your weekend!
Tammy

Lightning Bug Adventures

A priority this summer was to hunt and capture some of those magical lightning bugs that have started to grace our backyard. It's not truly summer until you have your lightning bugs lighting up your room on a hot summer evening. The way these little bugs light up as they fly around is magical and such a testimony to God's creation. I love that He wanted us to enjoy and be mesmorized over His handiwork of creation.

When I was a child, we simply used mason jars with holes punched in the lid. Obviously, times have changed. LaLa has this little "bug house" that is meant to retain her bug creatures. Fancy, huh? Honestly, I think the mason jars worked better! We had to really pep talk those little bugs into agreeing to enter the bug house.

She and Little Bit enjoyed the little bugs lighting up their room until they fell asleep. I think they were upset for a while and refused to light up for quite a bit...the bugs not the kids! Robert let them go shortly after so the bugs could continue their adventures. While LaLa was looking for lightning bugs (or "lighty" bugs as they called them), Robert and I took turns pushing Little Bit in the swing in the backyard. It is basically a baby swing on a huge tree. The swing is usually the first thing friends want to do when they visit.  They are able to swing super high and still be secured with straps. Of course, Little Bit had been playing in the sandbox and is filthy! If there is sand or dirt around, she can find it!

Now for the best question of the night...how do "lighty" bugs light up?

Hmmm...good question...go ask your daddy!

Now, I guess I have to go google the answer!;)

The Second Child Syndrome?

Uh...oh...I'm caught?! Run, run...hide...close my eyes. I can't be in trouble now!

Poor Little Bit simply looks pitiful in this picture! I snap pictures of my girls several times a week. The blog is great for holding me accountable to take pictures regularly. (Add that to the great reasons for blogging). Now, Little Bit is well taken care of, but she is a wild little monkey! She has no fear. She thinks she is as big and as tough as her big sister. She will climb anything. She makes the strongest willed child look like a piece of cake. She does everything with her whole heart. She loves her big sister like crazy. She copies her. She watches her. She adores her.

Little Bit sings songs...any song. She loves to dance. She skips or gallops rather than just walk. In fact, she rarely walks anywhere. She rarely goes in the direction you want her to go. You will often see me walking our neighborhood with my girls, yet Little Bit must be strapped in the stroller or attached to one of those kid leashes (at least it looks like a puppy backpack)! She loves to play with dolls as babies. She loves to dress up. She walks better in princess "high heels" than I do in my high heels. We are working on sharing because her current favorite word is...MINE. She loves M&Ms...I mean loves them. She loves her dogs...when they do not run away scared of her. She loves to swing. She loves the park. She walked really, reallly early...even though I did not encourage it...at all.

Little Bit is the second child. With LaLa, I made sure she never left the house without being dressed just perfectly. I always had the diaper bag packed. I had a stash of toys for restaurants. We planned our day around naps and days around her schedule. She never played with markers...or even art supplies for that matter without 100% supervision. Have you ever heard of Baby Wise? I lived and breathed that book with LaLa. If she spilled something on her clothes, I changed her immediately. Well, take another look at this particular picture and notice the arrows!

She is still so cute, but looking at this picture, it made me realize (once again) how I have changed as a parent. Do you see the arrows pointing at the spots on her shirt from lunch?! Did I change her? NOPE...we weren't going anywhere, and that would have been more laundry! Do you see the arrows around her little face? That is (once again) the result of a marker that she managed to snag from her big sister's stash. Fortunately, they are non-toxic because she colors on herself in her attempts to create her art! Despite the fact of the label declaring it is "washable". It is not. Markers on skin take several washes and a good day to get it off completely.

Do you notice her eyes are closed? Well, this is because I had just discovered the markers (with their tops off) in a trail straight to the culprit. Let me also mention that no matter how much I hide these stinkin' markers, she still FINDS them! What does she do when she knows she is in trouble? She finds a spot and closes her eyes. You see...in the mind of a one year old...or at least in the mind of my one year old...if she can't see YOU, she believes that YOU can't see HER! I continue to say, "I see you. Open your eyes. Did you get the markers out?" She never moves or opens her eyes. I give up and begin picking up the trail of markers and tops to hide them in an even more difficult hiding spot. She slowly opens her eyes and peeks to see if she is in the clear.

Oh well, choose your battles...yeah, she is definitely the second child!

Our Summer List...What to do this summer?!

I finally remembered to take a picture of our summer list. My mom would let my brother and I choose one fun "trip" or activity per week during the summer (water park, etc.). She would put it on the calendar, and we would look forward to that special day. It made summers fun and exciting! When I was a teacher, I would do this project as a writing activity at the end of the school year. It was always fun to see what the kids were looking forward to doing during their summer break. I would make my own list before my own children. I was facing several weeks of not teaching, and I wanted to make the most out of my summer and time off!

Now, it is a lot of fun to do it with my own children. We have been brainstorming for several weeks now. In fact, when we went to Panama City a couple weeks ago, we began the list. Each item was highly debated as of its importance to be included. Every family member made suggestions, but most of the items came straight from LaLa. She also made several ideas on Little Bit's behalf. Little Bit would agree or disagree with a YES! or NO! and thus our list making went on and on until it was finished!

It becomes easy to become lazy and let the summer and free time just slide right by you. Time goes so fast when we are adults! I want to make sure we take the opportunity to make memories. One mom mentioned that she wanted to be "intentional" with her time this summer. That is a great way to describe our goal. We want each moment to count! Of course, we do plan on having some of those lazy days along the way as well!

(By the way, I add this page to their scrapbook(s) at the end of the summer with pictures. It just makes it easier to go ahead and place it on a 12x12 piece of paper so it's ready to go!)

What do you plan on doing this summer? Have you made a summer list with your kids? Post a picture or your link!

Fastest Way to Clean Out Closets?

This is Robert. This is my husband over a decade past his highschool graduation. If you did not know him then, he will be the first to tell you and share with you his memories of his glorious time with his football team at Dalton High School. If you let him talk too long about these precious memories, he might even bring out these enormous scrapbooks the mothers of the football players made.

Have you ever just gotten completely overwhelmed with things you want to do in your house? Maybe some things you want to decorate or organize or clean? I do...often! Well, as I've mentioned in the past, I am on my clearing through my house binge (I go through these periodically!). My kitchen remodel began the inspiration. Then, I realized I was simply at my wit's end on STUFF! I'm tired of stuff. My house felt like it was shrinking. In fact, my house is not shrinking. Our stuff is growing. My husband and I felt just fine in our house prior to children. We even had room to spare! Then, LaLa came...more stuff. Then, Little Bit...even more stuff. It's either stuff gets organized and cleared out...or we move out and our stuff stays in the house! I went room to room with a pen (okay, a pencil) and my "list" notebook (my spiral notebook designated for lists). As I went in every room, I considered how I could better use space. Did I love or have to have these items?! Do I need to paint something? Is there something that I have been wanting to change or decorate? I wrote details of what needs to be accomplished in every room...in every nook and cranny.

I have a list. I have a calendar. I combined them. It's not as overwhelming because I focus on just that day or week. I have a mission. I am making progress. In fact, I cannot be stopped...yeah right! Has my little family not realized that I have a LIST on my CALENDAR? Did I mention it is written in pen?! Yeah, I knew that would really get me focused. When my family is around (believe or not...my husband is as bad as my children!), it takes me longer to get through my list because we have to stop and reminisce on each and every item! For example, the football helmet from Robert's glory football days in high school and my cheerleading megaphone from high school. I didn't even know we had these items still!

The first picture is Robert "trying" on his helmet and telling LaLa about what it meant to play football and how wonderful he was as a football player. ;) I convinced him to let me snap his picture assuring him that when he is in his old age wouldn't it be cute to still have it?

Now, on to the second picture (keep in mind...this is totally interrupting "the" time devoted to my mission). This is Robert TRYING to get the Helmet off. Hee Hee...laughed hard...really hard! Didn't quite fit like it used to fit in high school! Snapped this picture illegally without his permission during his efforts to remove it.

Now, LaLa gets her turn to try on her daddy's old helmet. It's, of course, huge on her. She also yells into my megaphone periodically to mix it up a bit. Hmmm...makes me wonder...in her future will she be a cheerleader or a football player or neither one? If you ask most people, she probably has a good chance of being either one! She's pretty tough for such a cutie!

You may ask...where was sweet Little Bit? Well, she WAS sleeping until LaLa got a hold of the megaphone!

Off to finish the next room...maybe we will not get quite as distracted with our high school days on the next one!

Preschool Memories

I haven’t shared any “inside” information on LaLa’s end of the year party last week. If I was this broken up on LaLa moving on to K4, what am I going to do when she graduates from kindergarten…or high school…or college?!


Here are some of the fun things we did for the end of the year…

These are cards that we made for each student so they would have their friends' personal information. All of the parents signed a release at the beginning of the year allowing me to create and share a student directory for the parents. I would not share personal information without being sure it was alright with everyone...so always check first! Hopefully, this will encourage the preschoolers to keep in touch over the summer. They made some wonderful little friends. I always made books for my students when I taught, and I always included my address as well. I loved receiving and returning letters throughout the summer with them.

These were just water bottles that we found at the dollar store. LaLa and I cut out the kids' first initial using my Sizzex (which is one of my all time favorite scrapbook toys). Just a tidbit of a secret...I use 'shelf liner' rather than the 'cricut' vinyl to make the letters. It works the same. Plus, you receive a lot more for a better price! I just look for good quality vinyl liner.

 

LaLa's Preschool teacher's end of the year gifts. Now, she is ready for the beach...plus, she likes (amazing there are still people out there that like it and have time to do it!) cooking! The students also worked together to make their teacher and teacher's assistant flower pots out of their handprints and a scrapbook filled with their "thoughts on their teacher". I forgot to take pictures!

Prior to the party, the students had the opportunity to enjoy a field day of sorts. LaLa's favorite part was the "jumpy house". She also played with chalk, bubbles, beanbags, and hula hoops.

I love their little shirts. Aren't they cute?

Party time...picnic style!

Each parent sent in an "outdoor" item to go in the kids' goody bags. Here are some of the things that were included: the shovel and pail, a backpack, a bucket hat, bubbles, chalk, a bug catcher, a bug net, plastic bugs, a magnifying glass, a float for the pool, etc.. Now, LaLa has seen this bucket sitting on her classroom's shelf for several days, she has been chomping at the bit to get her "end of the year bucket". You would have thought it was pure gold. Every single day, she would ask if today was the day she received her bucket! Then, we got it home, and I think I intervened a gabillion times when Little Bit and LaLa were not wanting to share the items. Obviously, they both liked all of the items!

I know I wasn't the student this year. I wasn't the teacher. I had a marginal part as just the mommy. However, on this last day, I wanted to pat myself on the back...and I still just might. This is the first year that I realized the parents' full perspective on the school year. Despite the marginal part, it is still a great deal of work as the mommy of the student. A lot of juggling your role as mommy and letting someone else have the control...ups and down of learning and behavior...your little one loving and disliking school from day to day...knowing how to handle a situation to not having a clue how to really handle it...learning when to say yes and when to say no to people...letting go (did I mention that yet?)...juggling picking up, dropping off, volunteering, schedules, and all while you have another little one very dependent on you...

see, a great deal of work!

If I ever go back to teaching, remind me to give the mommies and the daddies a certificate of hard work at the end of the school year and not just the students!:)

I felt like we completed the school year successfully. Our first one...my first one...ever...as a mommy. I survived it...successfully...and LaLa did too, of course!

Ugh...

Can you tell that I've been playing with my blog last night...late into the night? I do not think I have ever yelled at an inanimate object for such an extended amount of time. It is, actually, quite addicting. I want my banner to spread across the entire page. I also would like the center column to be wider. Why in the world is the end columns so wide when they serve absolutely no purpose? Most of the sites that assured me that they could remedy my problem...involved html codes and such. Scary for me. I'll keep working on it. My husband continued to ask why I invest so much time playing with my blog. Well, first of all, it's fun. Second, it's currently the only family scrapbook that I have up to date!

Aren't the pictures in the banner just great?! Not so bad for my itty bitty not-so-smancy camera! I think I went through the Picasa tutorial a dozen times! I love the picture of the girls facing away looking at the lake...so sweet. I just love pictures that catch that "moment"! My favorite is the one of Robert being "superman" for his girls! The girls were also showing their muscles and their unbelievable strength to save the world in the picture. Of course, I cropped them out and left Robert in all his glory...hee hee! Heck, if I worked as hard as he does to train for races and such, I'd show my "muscles" and "super strength" all the time! Better yet, I can't figure out how to change the pictures in the banner even if I wanted to! So, he's stuck seeing it anyway!:) That makes it even funnier!

Well, I shall be back to play around some more with these blog features! If anyone has any tricks, let me know! You may save me some sleep deprivation!

Tammy