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Friday, May 9, 2014

Phoned-In Frozen Party

When you're a pastor's kid and your birthday falls on Good Friday,

I'm sorry but your celebration suffers.

She can add it to her therapy manifesto.


Ashlyn turned 7 a few weeks ago.

She had two requests.

A trampoline park and Elsa plates.

Ask and ye shall receive.



Before we get into the party I planned in five minutes,

let's talk Ashlyn at 7.



She's smart.

Determined.

Tall.

She's missing most of her front teeth.



She talks non-stop.

She loves first grade.

At her annual IEP meeting with the school district I learned of a group of boys she orders around.

A special needs posse, if you will.

"Edwin, please get my FM."

"Joey, please tell me when Mrs. Savory (her speech therapist) comes to the door."

"George, I need my lunch, please."

Her teacher made sure to let me know she always says please.

Like that makes it OK.



She is one strong (and bossy) cookie.

We love her so much.

We also love the rainbow discipline chart.

And bedtime.

More for the manifesto.



Back to our party of the century.

I booked the place online.

Ordered a cake and balloons from Safeway.



Hijacked a favor idea from a friend who hosted a Frozen party a few weekends before.

And her leftover, two-week-old cotton candy.

That she drove 400 miles up Highway 5.



So. MUCH. therapy.

Conceal don't feel.



And you know?

I don't think anyone noticed.

And I was reminded once again.

It's not about the details.

It's about the company.

Kids love old cotton candy.



Happy Birthday, Ashy girl.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Banana Slugs, Marie Antoinette and the World's Best Cookies


A pretty new blog makes me actually want to blog.

Take that, Soviets.

Last night, we attended Kayla's JUNIOR HIGH orientation.




I can't hardly believe it.

But I am really excited for her, too.

I survived my awkward years.

I loved them, actually.

Mostly because I didn't realize I was awkward until later.



She went to Outdoor Ed last month.

I asked her to write a post about it and this is what she came up with:

"Outdoor Education was awesome.  But the fact that the beds were hard and had waxy, plastic coverings made it feel like you were sleeping on melting candles.  I saw two varieties of deer, bats, millipedes, pigs, a scorpion, a junco, a stellar's jay, nine banana slugs (including the one I put on my nose) and a lot of moths."

And I think I'm just going to leave it.

It's camp in a nutshell.

Waxy beds and banana slugs.

She is my favorite writer.

End of fifth grade calls for lots of fun activities.



Marie Antoinette took names during a class History presentation.

"Why so serious, Kayla?"

"You'd be serious, too if your head was chopped off, mom."



She looked like a tore up Dolly Parton by the end of the day.

I didn't realize wigs need hair spray.

And the two-sizes too big dollar store bridesmaid dress didn't help.



It's milestone central around here.

She has two teeth.

She crawled for the first time on Easter Sunday.



And she slept through the night.

Once.

She's babbling a TON.



Good news.

Ashlyn's not blind.

Bad news.

She lied to the school nurse during her routine eye exam.

And again during a second follow up.

"I WANT glasses, mama."

"They're cool."

No.



Hope ditched Wednesday service for an impromptu church BBQ.

My favorite.

It was 87 degrees in April.

Also, my favorite.



This is me doing my child's homeschool homework while they are at public school.

I'm sure there is so much wrong with all of this but I can't really put it in words.

I do know that peregrine falcons are the fastest animals on the planet.

And my girls rock the public speaking triangle.



One last thing.

I need you to make these cookies.

I'm on my 17th batch in as many days.

Really. 

You won't be sorry.

Well, you might be a little sorry.

Blame the Russians.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Behind the {New} Name.


It sparked a little idea in my head to change my blog name.

And then life happened.

And I was overwhelmed at all that would be required to make the switch.


So it remained on the back burner.


And then Russians hacked my blog with questionable ads.

So I took it as a sign from the heavens that it was time.

My grandmother told me it was time, too.

"Honey, thank you for such a sweet story about Holland's birth.  But why are you selling Viagra?"

I'm blaming Putin.


Anyhow.

I'm so excited about this change.



More excited than she is about sweet potato puffs.

And thankful to my friend Katy for understanding my little vision.

And creating this most beautiful new design.

Without me even having to say much.

She is brilliant.


If you subscribed to my old blog and want to continue receiving posts, you'll have to resubscribe.

I'm sorry.

Take it up with Vladamir.


You can click on the "behind the name" tab below the header to read more.


When God is doing one thing, He's doing a million.