Getting In the Groove

I always get a little overwhelmed when school starts back. I know it might sound silly, but it's just all the forms saying "sign your kid up for this" and "sign your kid up for that" and just the regular paperwork that comes with starting school. And this year, it is quite different having all those papers times two! Ya'll with more than 2 children, I don't see how you do it!!!!

Today was the first day that I didn't have that overwhelmed feeling. I was driving to pick up Lucy, and I thought to myself, "it finally feels like we have gotten into the groove of school." I don't have that crazy anxious feeling anymore...I can assure you this makes my husband very happy, and evenings go way better.

Lucy isn't quite so grumpy when I pick her up at noon anymore. I think she is finally okay with it. I have promised her that I will take her back to school for the pep rally on Friday, so for now, she is good to go. She is very quiet when I get her home from school. Not weird quiet, but just calm (that is until we pick up Macy!). She really seems to enjoy some quiet time. She has actually fallen asleep a couple of times on the couch, but bedtime is hard for her when she naps, so she busies herself "reading" and coloring. Lucy is picking up on reading very well, so it is neat to hear her sounding out words and actually reading...I am so proud of her! And coloring...oh my does this child love to color. She gets her markers out and her color books or paper and goes to town. She tells me everyday, "Mama, I am SO glad you got me this big pack of markers." *Ü*

Homework this year for Macy has been good. Mostly, we work on a few math problems and study a little for quizzes. She loves reading and learning...especially about science and history, and she loves language, so studying doesn't bother her at all. Math, on the other hand, still hurts her brain. I am not sure where she gets that from, as Jason and me both like numbers.
I am really into "The Help." I am loving it. When reading it, I seriously think of sitting at a table with the housekeeper we had growing up, Lily, and her telling me stories. My Lily passed away a few months ago...we loved her so much, and it was hard to lose her. Although things were WAY different in this book than it was when I was growing up, it just reminds me of her.

I know I mention how excited I am for Fall. I am every year. It is my very favorite time of the year. I found this little pillow the other day, and he is making me REALLY ready!!

Happy Wednesday!

Our Weekend

Our weekend was kind of a crazy one! We went to a girls' sleepover Friday night, and Jason had a guys' night. We had a blast, and it sounds like the guys enjoyed themselves as much as the girls did!

Friday, there were two packages in the mailbox...one for Macy and one for Lucy. They were from Bippy...which is always fun. You never know just what is going to be inside. One Halloween, we opened a box full of fun goodies, including rubber rats and plasitc spiders. Bippy didn't disappoint this time either. She sent the girls some fun school supplies, including this hilarious notebook for Lucy...

The girl does love some bacon, that's for sure. Check out this precious bandaids... Lucy and I went up to the church Friday afternoon to do some work in my Sunday School classroom. Remember my owl?
He got a home on my door. I was so excited to finally get my door done. I had some thoughts swirling around in my head as to what I could do, when this one hit me, and I knew it would be perfect. It says "Whooo wants to learn about Jesus." My kids loved it when they saw it this morning.

Our Sunday School lesson today was about Noah's ark. So, we mad handprint lions... And paper plate rainbows... I had to threaten the girls not to get undressed the minute they walked in the door from church today so I could take some pictures *Ü* There was lots of excitement for what took place tonight at church. Our kids have been taking a "Manners and Racing" class on Sunday evenings this summer. They have been learning about good manners, and we knew all summer long it would end with a pinewood derby car race.Okay not, let me say, that we were totally amateurs this time. We are way more into baby dolls and playing dressup around our house than pinewood derby cars. Some of the cars there looked professionally done...it was crazy! We were going for bright and girly.

Here is Macy's car...And here is Lucy's car, complete with a bow...So our cars weren't really fast at all. There were a few times when they barely made it across the finish line (or didn't make it at all...ha!) But it was all in fun. And fun it was. I think the parents had just as much fun as the kids did! Macy's car won "Most Colorful Car."Lucy's car won "Girliest Car." We had a great weekend. Looking forward to a good and busy week...with cooler temperatures...yay!

Friendships and Goose Eggs

Lucy has learned about friendship bracelets from Macy. Remember friendship bracelets? I do. I remember loving to make them and share them. A lot of things have changed over the years since I was my girls' ages, but some things like friendship bracelets never change.

Lucy got in the car asking if she could make a friendship bracelet for a little girl in her class. She has talked about this little girl since day one in kindergarten. She always says, "She is so sweet." Or, "She is so cute."

So we broke out the friendship bracelet making kit. Now, I used to make some cool bracelets with thread. I knew all the different techniques and threading patterns. I guess I have forgotten all that in my old age. But I still know how to braid, so I braided two little tiny bracelets. Lucy was happy. She sealed it up in an envelope...I am to give it to the little girl's Mom in the carpool line tomorrow. I explained to Lucy how some of the other children might get their feelings hurt if they don't get one too, so we'll do the handoff after school.

Lucy has recess right before I pick her up at noon. Today, she had a mishap with a pole on the playground. Another goose egg, bless her heart. Now we have two. This one is on the side...which means she was running while looking elsewhere. She has never been one to watch where she is going.
Hope you've had a happy and accident-free Wednesday!!

Nutella Cookies

Lucy and I decided to make Nutella cookies today. I found the recipe here (check out this blog...she is super cute and so much fun!) and have been wanting to try them. Ya'll know I love to bake, and I love to bake with my girls. Baking always brings up conversation...there is nothing more I love than sweet conversation with them. So as Lucy and I were baking our Nutella cookies, she tells me that this particular little girl in her class at school asked her if the pants she was wearing today were pajama pants. I asked her what she said. She said...

"I told her no, these aren't pajama pants. But I do sleep in them sometimes, so I guess they ARE pajama pants. Just kidding!"

I love her little old soul.

And I love her quick wit and that things like that just bounce right off of her. Both of my girls are like this right now (yes, I know that can change in the years to come). I love that they have confidence and don't let things like this bother them...because I know when I was younger, my feelings would have been hurt if someone had asked me if I was wearing pajama pants to school! These cookies are so tasty. They taste like little fudge cookies or something. If you are a Nutella fan, you will love these. And even if you aren't a Nutella fan (my husband is NOT), you might like these too...he did.
In case you can't read my handwriting, here is the recipe...

Nutella Cookies

1 cup Nutella

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350°. Blend all ingredients well. Batter will be on the stiffer side (will look sort of like really dark chocolate ice cream). Form into 1-inch balls (I used a scoop). Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle the balls with a little granulated sugar, then press flat with the bottom of a glass. Bake approximately 8 minutes. Allow to cool.

You could also be a goober and stack some of your cookies up, tie a ribbon around them, and take another picture. Or not.

Enjoy!!

Monday

I was so sad to learn that the Mother of a good friend of mine from kindergarten through 12th grade passed away very unexpectedly over the weekend. She had 2 boys...one my age and one a year younger. I went to a small private school, so we were all like brothers and sisters. The younger brother was always my biology partner...we disected many an animal together...and always had the most fun. And the first thing he said to me when I saw him yesterday was..."There's my biology partner!" It has been a long time since I have seen these boys, and it is so sad that a death is what brings you back together with those from your past. But it really is a beautiful thing to be able to be there for your friends from the past under these circumstances and have them be there for you.

So I picked up Lucy from school at noon today, and we headed over to West Point for the funeral. We stopped by Jason's office so I could change her quickly before we were on our way. She was an angel all afternoon...and let me tell you, it was hot. Like a hundred degrees hot. She was the only little one there, but sometimes you do what you have to do. We got back into town and had a little while before we had to pick Macy up from school, so we ran a few errands. It wasn't until we got to the bank and a sweet lady came over to compliment Lucy's outfit that I discovered the poor girl had 3 layers on...ruffle pants, the skirt she wore to school, and her knot dress. I never took the skirt off of her when I was changing her! She was roasting! I get the worst-Mom-the-day award!

I had to run in our mall to make a return. I found a couple of super steals! I found this precious pillow that has the exact colors that our newly inherited chair from Jason's grandmother. The chair is the most comfortable chair, but the fabric is a bit dated. This pillow just does something for this chair...I love it!

And we've been on the lookout for a little table to put beside Lucy's bed. We found the perfect little table and at a perfect little price.
We got it all set up in her room and put some of her special things on it. She was most excited that it had a drawer.

She quickly filled it with some of her favorite books and her t.v. remote control...

I love how cozy it makes her room look...

And speaking of cozy, this came in the mail today...

I love Kraft's "Food and Family." They have great, easy recipes that we always love. And this being the fall edition...oh...makes me SO ready for fall. I cannot wait!!

Over the Weekend...

I know this is silly, but so real and so me. Apparently (apparantly?) I dripped pink icing all over myself at some point late Friday night while icing cookies. I didn't discover it until Saturday morning when I got out of bed. We brought home leftover cupcakes from my birthday party Friday night. Guess what the girls had for breakfast Saturday morning? And guess who was bouncing OFF the walls for the rest of the day?They did settle down long enough to eat two bags of popcorn and watch some of "Soul Surfer."
I got another picture from my little artist Lucy. Usually, they say "S Mama!" at the top, but today it is just "S!"

One of my fun and very colorful birthday gifts...

This one is fun and smells good too...

We had a model shoot with American Girl dolls...

And made lots of colorful messes...

I cleaned up one of my own colorful messes...

And worked on something for my Sunday School classroom door. I cannot wait to get it all finished and hung on the door. I will post a picture of it when I am finished.

The girls made lots of pompom animals with googly eyes...

I am about to show you a bazillion pictures of pompom animals, but they are so cute!

Once again, I got no pictures of the girls all dressed for church. Boo. But I did get a couple of pictures of them sipping coffee this afternoon... Sunday afternoon coffee is the best.

We talked about Eve being tempted in the garden this morning in my Sunday School class. It seems that I am a bit obsessed with paper plate projects, and made yet another one with them today paper plate snakes...

Here's a quick picture of the girls before bedtime tonight...

Do you see Lucy's goose egg on her head? Right smack in the middle. Bless her heart...she was running after church tonight and did a face plant right on the sidewalk. Thankfully, everything was alright, but she sure had us worried there for a few minutes. I knew she was okay for sure, though, when we got home and she proceeded to sing at the top of her lungs for the rest of the night.

Hope ya'll had a great weekend!