Word(s) of the day

Star bell.

As described by Grace:
"Mom, I have a new word for Lucy. Star bell. It means cute cute cute cute cute. So you can say it without saying all the cutes. Star bell."

Oh joy

All four of us have strep throat.

I had to make some calls-of-shame to people we socialized with recently. And I still need to send the message out to Grace's class that she was apparently sicker than I thought she was when I sent her to school this week.

On a much happier note - happy belated birthday to Emma, the oldest cousin and only other girl cousin on my side of the family! I really do have your card downstairs waiting to be mailed!!

What a cool school

The picture sucks because it was taken from my phone, but we got to attend Family Supper Night at Grace's school and were treated to a mini-concert from Dallas' own Polyphonic Spree (a stripped-down version because the full band of 20+ people wouldn't be able to fit on an elementary school stage). The lead singer/creator of the band has three kids that go to our school. They did a great job of talking about all the different instruments they had up on stage (trumpet, flute, keyboard, cello, drums, etc.), sang 2 or 3 of their songs, and even sang a supposed improv song based on an animal thrown out from the crowd (pretty ponies eating grass).

Grace surprised me by going down by herself to sit with the other kids in front of the stage. Alex and I were about 8 rows back. I was even more impressed when I found out she wasn't sitting with anyone she knew because she wanted to sit right in front of the stage and all her friends were further back. I loved that my kids got an up close and personal look at a real live music show. I told Grace afterward that people pay money to see bands like that play, which is true because even though it was short and for kids, it was a professionally played show.

One of the local restaurants provided build-you-own taco dinner, and there were "math games" outside each of the classrooms. Poor Jim seems to have been hit by a big bad virus, so he wasn't able to make it. But the rest of us had a great time.

My sweet little ride

After waiting an hour and a half at the dealership, I was informed the repair to my car would take another 4 hours. Unfortunately that didn't jive with having to pick kids up from school on time (nor with the fact that my poor dog had already been in the kennel for 2 hours by then). So after a little back and forth they found this cute little thing for me to use for a few hours. The kids will be surprised when I pick them up (though Alex will probably complain because his Planet Heroes toys are still in my car). But, alas, I return it this afternoon.

Update: Apparently there is ANOTHER thing wrong with my car (thankfully covered by warranty), so I get to keep my little bug overnight. Grace wanted to know if we can buy it, or at least keep it until the end of January. I think Alex wants a bigger back seat so his sister doesn't touch his stuff.

Happy Birthday...

to my dear Sister-in-Law!

Go buy some purses from her - you won't be sorry.

I love you!!!

girl time

Alex went back to school almost a week before Grace did, which allowed us to have some quality girl time together. Much to Grace's delight we finally went and had our nails done together. She'd been asking me about it ever since finding out what the nail shop at Northpark was that we always walk past.


Grace got a manicure.


We both got pedicures.


Grace also picked up another set of Puppy in my Pocket dogs. It's nice that as my kids get older their toys seem to get smaller.


Even though she is a girl too, Lucy was unimpressed by it all.

Cabin in the woods

Jim has been badgering me to put some photos of our Thanksgiving vacation on the site, so I FINALLY got some off his computer to show off. We went to the Busy B Ranch in East Texas. It was a beautiful little cabin on a nice little pond not far from home. The ranch is also a hunting preserve, so there are lots of fences meaning no big wild animals (i.e. deer) to be seen. But plenty of lizards, birds, leaves, etc., to discover.


Our cabin behind the trees (LOTS of trees there). We pitched the tent too, but it was only used for the kids to play in.


The welcoming front door.


The porch swing. Our rule was no kids past the porch swing, simply because you can see there was no rail behind it, and there was probably at least a 10 foot drop off that side.


The view from our porch.


It doesn't take long for the Hutchinsons to bring their squalor to wherever they land.


Our little dock.


Jim takes the kids on a boat ride. I stayed back to keep Lucy company.


Alex protests having his picture taken.


Favorite activity any time my kids get out in nature - throwing rocks into a body of water.


We're going to the Ozarks for Spring Break. Longer drive but even better scenery!