Stinky?

Peyton: "Mom, you smell like teaching."

Musical Gifts

Me: "Girls, just so you know.... any sort of musical ability you come away with doesn't come from the Groshong side of the family."

Libby: "I already know that. Daddy, please stop singing!"

Will You Marry Me?

Libby found these cute rings in our latest copy of Family Fun Magazine and asked if we could make them. I happened to have the supplies on hand, so we made one to see if I could actually pull it off. It turned out great and we plan to make more for Valentine's Day.

The one we made was sitting on the table at dinner, so I grabbed it and said to Shane "Daddy, will you marry me?"

Mr. No Imagination raised his brows and replied, "We're already married".

Isn't he fun?

Peyton chimed in, "I want to mah-wee Libby! Libby, will you mah-wee me?"

Libby answered, "I already told Michael I'd marry him. But you can be my neighbor?"

I thought the neighbor gesture was a sweet little consolation prize. Peyton, however, looked like a second child whose older sister beats her to the punch every time.

Sick. And a Little Tired.

I took a half day off of work today because I've had a cold, or another sinus infection or some combination of both. Again. I can't really tell the difference anymore. Normally I just work through it. But last night I sat up with Peyton for a while after she came into our room and said her "tummy is full". In the past that has translated into "I'm about to throw up", so when you wake with that kind of alarm, it's hard to get back to sleep. Peyton's fine. I'm tired, stuffy and whiney.

When Shane and the girls got home I noticed Libby sounds stuffy now too, and she says she has a cough. Then, she proceeded to tell me that she and Peyton will need separate water cups at bedtime tonight because, "I'm sick and I don't want to get Peyton sick too."

Peyton, not wanting to be outdone by any of us says, "No, I'm sick! I'm sick too! I have the same cough as you, Libby!" (fake cough, fake cough)

Libby looks across the table and says, "Uuuuummmm, Yeah. That's not the same cough as me."

Bloggers

I'm putting up the link to a post on a blog that my friend Debra introduced me to. For a while I was obsessed. The blog is called Momastery. It's beautifully written by Glennon, a mother of three who is blatantly imperfect. Even though I don't know her, I love her. Read it. Also, Debra's blogging too, but you're not allowed to call her a blogger even though technically.......well, you know. I know her, and I love her. Read this too. And please don't use her blog to solicit free medical advice, because you may ruin my opportunity to do exactly that.

Snuggling

We had a family (of five) snuggle in our bed this morning and if that doesn't constitute buying a king size bed, I don't know what will. Included in that is a (roughly) ninety six pound lab who seems to feel entitled to my pillow. When Shane reminded them, the girls ran to the window to check for Snowmaggedon only to be disappointed by nothing more than wet pavement. It did snow shortly after, but nothing stuck. Here's hoping for some white stuff in the morning. If not tomorrow, I could live with Tuesday. :)

Shane took this picture on Friday night. I love it because usually I'm on the other side of the lens and I love that he captured a moment with me and my babies. Except, look closely. They're not babies....

Reminder

Last fall I was eligible for a new phone and decided to make the leap to a smart phone. I wanted the iPhone. I went to our wireless provider to get it. But the techy-smart-twenty-something behind the counter waved a Droid in front of me with a bigger screen and convinced me it was better. I took the bait. I took my new phone home and didn't like it.

Shortly after, Shane became eligible for a new phone and (because he's awesome) he said to me, "I'll take your phone. You can get your iPhone." And I did. Awesome.

Last week I updated it. And by I, I mean I plugged it in, and it updated itself. Since updating it, there appeared a new icon on the screen called "reminders". It's exactly what it sounds like. You type in what you're likely to forget, and your phone won't let you. I opened it, played with it a bit, typed in an insignificant reminder, decided (since I use a calendar app) I'd probably never use this one and closed it.

Fast forward to just before noon today when Libby and I were standing at the front door waiting for Peyton to change her clothes again, before we could walk out the door. Mind you, clothes are an issue in this house. They are our issue. Things have gotten better, but sayings such as "No, you can't wear a leotard to Costco. Okay, yes, you can wear it if you add a tutu. Not that tutu. Because it's too big to buckle you into your car seat, that's why. And please take off your ballet slippers and put some shoes on." These exasperation filled conversations are not uncommon. They're less a conversation and more of a barking of orders while pleading with them to please move faster.

We were right in the middle of such an episode today when my phone made an unfamiliar sound. Not a text. Not an email alert. Something new. I took it out of my bag, put in my passcode and got my reminder.....

Bossy iPhone.

Coincidence? Hardly.

Rockin'

Look what I found in my picture archives today.....

For Those About to Read....We Salute You.

A Pledge

I often have students in my class raise their right hand and repeat after me something they need to improve on, such as "I (state your name) will walk in the hallway without touching anyone." or "I will try my best in my writing even when it's hard for me. Even when it's excruciatingly difficult, I will struggle. I will think. I will write my ideas. I will try my best." Stuff like that. It's always a little comical the first time I do this because when I say "state your name" they repeat it back verbatim.

Today, I tried it at home with the girls after their bickering wore on me. It went, "I (state your name) will not fight with my sister." It worked. Not because of the commitment that is required when you take a pledge, but because learning which was their right hand and concentrating on my words provided enough of a distraction that they forgot what they'd been fighting about.

After my pledge the girls wanted to say their own. Libby's was "I love my sister. I love my grandmas and my dad. I love my grandpa. I love that we have a house to sleep in that keeps us nice and warm. I love my family."

Not bad.

Then, Peyton followed with, "I LOVE MY FAMILY! I love my dog. I love my Juju. I love my grandpa. I love my mom. I love my sister. I love my zoo. I love my dad. I love playing things. I love being in my house. I love my house and my cozy bed to sleep in. I love reading books. I love when Grandpa Dad is here. I love watching t.v. I love Mick Jr. (Nick Jr.). I love my sister. I love my dad. I love my bean bag." At this point she started looking around the room for things to add. "I love my Dora chair. I tooted (laughing hysterically) I tooted. I tooted. I tooted. I tooted. I tooted......" and she wandered off cracking herself up.

I'll take it.

Despite cold temperatures it got sunny for awhile today. So, after a morning of sewing while the girls stared at the t.v. we went to play at the park and then met Bebo and Uncle Bones for frozen yogurt. Libby has been dying to go to the new self-serve frozen yogurt place and meeting Dave and Becky there was a bonus. Becky is done with chemo (woot woot!) and has her surgery to remove the lump in her breast tomorrow. It seems like she is so far from here. Time has flown. Well, for me it has, but I realize I'm not the one fighting cancer. Anyway, if you're the prayin' sort, send one up for our Bebo tomorrow. Our family will tonight....

Fall Recap

The bad news is that having a camera and computer down seriously cramp my style and cost money to fix. Bummer. The good news? My computer is fixed if only after a complete mental meltdown wherein I thought I'd wiped my hard drive of all of my data. Years worth. Work stuff, music, photos. All of it. I (literally) cried for joy at the Mac Store when the "Macologist" found my data and simultaneously became my own personal super hero. Mr. aMazing Mac Man. Not to minimize Shane's role. He stood supportively by my side to pick up the pieces if the results had been different. And he was the one who delivered my camera to be fixed yesterday. Here's hopin' I'll get the same results with that repair.

With a working computer and my phone I was able to organize the last few months worth of pictures and even take some new ones. Here's our fall in review....

Fall at Autzen

One of Libby's friends from school invited her to a princess glamour birthday party. When we first arrived, Libby wasn't having anything to do with having her nails painted or her hair done. She eventually let me paint her nails. After realizing that having her hair done in an up do was the ticket to getting the tiara, she agreed to that part too. In the end, she loved getting girly and celebrating with her friends.

Shane threw his back out last month. Reeeeeally out. Needed-a-walker-to-get-around-the-house-kind-of-out. I got this shot while the girls and I waited in the waiting room at Urgent Care, each of them entertained by technology. I have a picture of Daddy with his walker too, but thought twice about reliving that here. FYI, Shane's fine, but it took a week and some muscle relaxers to get him straightened out.

Lil' Chef

This picture was taken on Libby's birthday. Peyton was somewhat unimpressed with it not being her birthday.

Libby's five! She loves the presents part.....

....but still hates the singing part. We didn't even sing. This was a response to the notion that we might.

She loves the Mud Pie....

....but not the sharing of the Mud Pie. Oh my.

Presents from Grandpa Dad and Grandma Margie after dinner out.

Peyton

Peytie gets busy with some apps in my classroom....

....and loves her "ipod" she made with an Altoids tin. Thank you Tracy!

On our way to the Christmas parade.

Working like crazy to get caught up before vacation starts.

We went to the Bookstore to get our picture taken with the Duck in hopes that this would make a great Christmas card. Not so much. See the fear on their faces? Look how stiff Peyton is, and Libby's smile could not be more fake. I'm not even supposed to be in it. We tried.

Grammy Jane was a more cooperative subject.

Peyton watches Grammy Jane get her picture taken. See, Peytie? He didn't eat Grammy Jane.

Total focus.

School Christmas Program

Hunting down the perfect tree.

Tyin' 'er down. Apparently though, he tied it too tight. As the story goes, when he took it off the car, it had a spring loaded effect....

....and the top had to taped back on. Is he still my handyman if he's the one who broke it? I think yes.