Is it Halloween yet?

I would like to state, for the record, that it is September 28, Halloween is over a month away, and tonight I purchased their Halloween costumes. What? You are surprised I didn't buy them the night before like I do with Christmas presents? I'm surprised too.

Macy is a pirate, and Kaylin is a skeleton. Not what they had originally said when we went to the store, but whatever. As you know if you've read this blog for very long, I am not a helicopter parent and I let them make their own decisions.

Macy worked on Happy Birthday and Mary had a Little Lamb at guitar tonight, and Kaylin had her first girl scout meeting last night. A friend from church and a friend from her class both joined her troop, which made her very happy.

Word on the street is I'm getting my white board sometime this week (finally). We've only been in school 6 weeks, in a brand-new million dollar building, but we've survived. I want to do something cheesy, like drape it in tissue paper or something.

A get-away

Bobby and I have always been "on the go" people--we don't like to just sit at home. We have been known to drive to Denver for a couple days with our good friends, or drive to Branson for a day or two, or just go camping 10 minutes from home. Once, when Macy wasn't quite one, we went to Midnight Madness for Mizzou basketball--yes, we took our not-quite-one-year-old to a midnight basketball practice. That's just the way we roll.

We decided to take advantage of the nice cooler weather to go camping Saturday night down at Lake of the Ozarks. We like to camp, but from July on it's just been too hot, so we were looking forward to a cool night in the tent, snuggled into sleeping bags. Why not? A friend teased us about it, but we love spur of the moment trips like this.

Except there was a 60% chance of rain that popped up Saturday morning. So, after watching the radar the entire way down (thanks, iPhone!) and discovering our campsite was at the bottom of a steep hill, we elected to pay a little more for a cabin. So much for a one last night in the tent!

The campsite had some ducks and were selling a huge bag of duck food for .25 cents. The girls had a ball feeding the ducks, and watching this one crazy duck they named "Mr. Quackers."

We also ventured to our favorite go-kart track; we've been going to this one for a few years. Lots of sharp turns. Macy was finally tall enough to drive, and she was so excited. She was a little shaky at the beginning and rammed into the side, but after a little assistance from Bobby, she was fine. According to Bobby, she never touched the brake--full throttle the entire time. She still never caught up with me and Kaylin, though. 

We are both so happy that both girls are so fearless and willing to try new things! 

We roasted marshmallow's, and Bobby built us a huge, roaring fire. Once the rain started in, it was so nice in the cabin,with the rain hitting the tin roof. The girls were going to sleep in the loft area, but with Macy's recent sleepwalking episodes, we were afraid of her falling down the ladder, so she slept on the futon. 

This morning we played mini-golf at the course on the campsite, then headed home.

Nothing wild or expensive, but a fun little get-away, and I hope the girls will appreciate these as they think back to their childhoods. 

The To-Do List

Originally uploaded by jenhiggins11

This was my to-do list for today. Notice everything is crossed off? Feels soooooooo good to get everything accomplished.

Working full-time while being a mother is very hard. I wouldn't have it any other way, though.

What do you think?

You like? All new pictures, new layout, new background, new font (yeah for my favorite font Georgia!) and a larger font for my ahem older readers. All done watching watching Glee tonight.

Just one of those days...

Got to school, and realized I did not have my purse, including my keys to unlock my door, and that I had driven to school without my license. Oops.

Then for some reason my school has water fountains in the bathroom. You don't have to go all the way into the bathroom, but they are in the bathroom. I was filling up my water when one of my students walked by. "Uh, Higgins, you're in the boys bathroom." Sure enough, I was. I walked out at the same time as another boy. Classy.

Then I hustled Kaylin around school to get her ready for Girl Scouts and then dance, only to get to Girl Scouts and realize that the meeting is NEXT week.

Boy, I was on a roll today.

Needs vs. Wants

As usual, at lunch today I asked the girls what they had learned in church that morning. As usual, I didn't get much, other than Macy's class had talked about needs vs. wants. Not sure how it related back to the Bible, but I'm sure it did somehow. She seemed to grasp the concept, and smiled a wicked smile as she said that a TV in her room was a need. We assured it was not.

Then at Walmart tonight, I was looking at sheets over in the clearance aisle, and she proceeded to pick up a decorative pillow. "See? A pillow is a need because otherwise it wouldn't be comfortable when you sleep," again with that same wicked smile. I assured her a pillow might be a need, but not really, and definitely not that ugly decorative pillow she was holding.

Earring Success!

Last night I attended a oh-so-exciting Girl Scout Cookie Training meeting,  where I sat and played games on my iPhone, and convinced another mom she needed a iPhone. When I came home, the girls descended on me: they wanted to change their earrings. Oh goodness. Let the weeping and gnashing of teeth begin.

When Macy wanted to change her earrings the first time, here is what happened.

Luckily, Bobby was home. He pulled the back off the earring while I held Macy's hand, and all went well. She put in new earrings, and I had to put the back on, but all was well. She changed them again this morning, and then again tonight. That's more than ever before, so I think she's going to be okay with her earrings.

Then it was Kaylin's turn. It wasn't pretty. Bobby pulled off the back (it's really hard to get the back off the first time) while I basically held her down so she couldn't use her arms. She screamed, and screamed, and screamed bloody murder. I know this makes me a terrible mother, but I've been down that road with Macy, and I wasn't doing that again with Kaylin. That earring was coming out, and we were moving on. One earring was kind of stuck to the back of her ear, and it bled a little. But I got new earrings in, and we also changed them again tonight, so it's going okay. Thank goodness.

Tomorrow we're heading over to Zona to buy some new fun earrings. So glad this is working better than last time.

On another funny note, last night Bobby and I were sitting downstairs watching TV. The girls had ben asleep about an hour. We hear someone yell "Done!" then Macy appears at the top of the stairs. She points her finger straight up in the air and says, "I'm done!" Bobby asks her something, and she mumbled, then went back to bed. Love it when they sleep-walk--pretty funny stuff. They get it from their dad. :)

Reading Workshop--Poetry Style

Today I did a Reading Workshop with my students. Some of them didn't bring books, so they had to borrow one of mine. I have a weird eclectic collection of books that I've picked up along the way. One boy picked up a book of poems by Jewel (the singer). I thought that was odd, but didn't say anything to him.

About 10  minutes into the reading, he looked up at me with a puzzled look on his face.

"But this is all poems," he said.

"Yes, T_____, it's a poetry book, "I said.

He continued to look at me.

"That means it is just poems, no stories," I tried again.

"Oh." He says, still looking puzzled.

Is it hard to understand what a poetry book is? Apparently.

Tuesday randomness...

Our dog Gabriel has picked up a new habit--wanting to go outside all night and roam the yard. (Notice I call him Gabriel when he is in trouble, and Gabe when he is not.) Two nights ago, Bobby was at the fire station and Mr. Gabriel drove me crazy all night--barking at the door, then I'd let him out, and he wouldn't come back in. Around 3:00 in the morning I had to go INTO THE BACKYARD  to get him and bring him in. Not going to lie--I said a prayer before I went outside that there were no bogeymen in my backyard at 3:00 am. I did get attacked by a huge spiderweb.

Dad's Guardian Angel was looking out for me yesterday, when I was almost in a pretty bad car accident. I was shaking so hard I couldn't take a drink from my cup afterwards. Bobby's shift was on duty, so he would have been the one to find me. Not a pretty situation.

How about those Chiefs yesterday? Woo-hoo!

Bobby played in a golf tournament yesterday with some friends, and THEY WON! I was hoping for money or gift card pay-outs, but alas, it was just another round of golf for him. :)

The girls are doing well; nothing exciting to report from them. Macy has suddenly gotten on a roller-blade kick, and was outside all weekend roller-blading. Then she complained that her ankles hurt. Duh.

Girls Night Out with my posse tonight--very excited about hanging out with them.

That's all for now!

Good things in Life

The good thing about the night after a sleepover, a night when all the kids fell asleep after midnight?

Sound asleep by 8:10.

What an embarrassment to society

At church last night, the girls worked on a sheet where they had to list their family members, then describe him/her.

Kaylin's:

Mom--fune (funny)
Dad--cool
Macy--fun

Macy's:
Kaylin-nice (apparently she crossed out weird. How nice of her.)
Mom--immbericing (embarrassing.)
Dad--burpy
Me--sweet

I asked Macy about it when I was tucking in her. I asked if I was really that embarrassing that she had to use that to describe me. Her response? Yes. I asked what I had done that was THAT embarrassing. Apparently when I ran through the sprinkler at Girl Scout camp (when it was 105 degrees and all the other moms were doing it too) and that I have been taking a Zumba dance/workout class embarrasses her beyond belief.

Such joy to look forward to as she gets older, and more opportunities for embarrassment come up.

Macy's paper also said that if she could have a different name, she'd pick Ashley. Kaylin would pick "Talr" (Taylor). Why didn't we think of those names?? :)

Such fascinating things to learn on the "Diary of an Obedient Kid" page.

Road Trip

Yesterday we took a day trip to visit Bobby's 90-year-old grandmother who was recently moved into a nursing home. It is 4 hours away, sometimes more depending on stops.

We spent about an hour cleaning stuff out of her house. She's lived in that house for I have no idea how long--50 years? And it showed. We pitched ALOT of stuff, and filled up a couple trash bags full of old-lady clothes for Goodwill. She used to embroider and needlepoint, so Bobby's sister and I split up some cool pillowcases and blankets. The boys were useless, just wandering around saying "I don't know what to do." We only got one room cleaned out. I think a dumpster is being planned for another visit.

Then we ventured over to the nursing home. Grandma Velma is a spry, feisty little lady who is in REALLY good heath, just unfortunately her mind is slipping away. She couldn't remember our names, but at least did remember that she knew us. She was excited beyond belief to see us, even though she had to ask three times what my name was.

I had forgotten to discuss with the girls what the nursing home would be like, and they handled it really well. They didn't stare or laugh at some of the residents lined up in the hallway with their wheelchairs that weren't in as good of shape as Velma, and patiently answered Velma when she asked them repeatedly what grade they were in or what their name was.

Here they are with Great-Grandma Velma.

Macy played her guitar for everyone, under some coaxing from us. She was a little embarrassed to play, but she's only had three lessons; no one was expecting Taylor Swift. 

We headed home after a quick trip to Walmart (what visit to Salem, MO is complete without a visit to their Walmart) and arrived home about 10. The girls and I got to sleep in this morning, but poor Bobby didn't.

2 funnies from Kaylin:

At lunch she was eating her mac and cheese with her fingers. I told her to use her silverware, and she looked at her silverware, looked up at me and said "My silverware is broken." Then she grinned. 

When cleaning, Kaylin said she'd found a "butt jammer". No one could figure out what she was talking about, and she couldn't find the "butt jammer" again. Then someone found a shoe horn, and she goes, "There's the butt jammer!" Ummm....I don't want to know. 

Friday randomness

Tonight the girls had a couple friends over to watch the oh-so-exciting Camp Rock 2, and when it was over, we all walked them home since it was a beautiful night, and just a 5 or 7 minute walk. On the way back, the girls both put their arms around my waist and we walked like the whole way home. So, so sweet.

I am about 5 days behind in trying to read the Bible in 90 days. Starting school has killed me, which I knew it would.

I have a stack of 100 essays that need to be graded and I have no desire to start them, but know I must.

My newspaper students launched our new website today--check it out here if you are interested. They still have some work to do, but it's a great start and I'm very proud of them!

I'm still Macy's Brownie troop leader, and our first meeting is this Wednesday after school. AND I have the first two meetings planned out, which is a HUGE woo-hoo for me!

Poor Kaylin's allergies are a mess, and she coughs so much at night. Allergy medicine everynight for her!

Bobby's been working really hard helping Jesse get the winery ready for the first wedding tomorrow (Saturday). I hope it goes well!

Looking forward to a 3-day weekend!

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday, dearest Bobby.

My funny, handsome, calm, hard-working, loving, tall, sweet husband of mine has a birthday today!

Kaylin says she loves her dad "because he buys me stuff, he takes me to get ice cream, he takes me for walks and he's funny when he tells funny jokes, and he rides rides with me and he's good at playing basketball."

Macy says she loves her dad "because he's my dad, he rides roller coasters like the Patriot with me, he's funny, he coaches my basketball team, and he loves me!"

Happy birthday, sweetheart. Hope you enjoy your chocolate cake the girls made for you!