Halloween Observations

Halloween really is a strange holiday. You dress your kids up and haul them around to stranger's houses to collect normally off limit piles of candy on a school night. Having survived another Halloween, I thought I would give my perspective.

1) Halloween, for me, is the most stressful Holiday of the year. That's right, even more stressful then Christmas and figuring out the perfect gift for (insert relative name here) or hosting a houseful of picky eaters for Thanksgiving. I understand that I create my own stress, but I just like my kids to have unique and clever costumes. Preferably coordinating with each other. Although I will say, as they get older and more opinionated, it is actually easier when they are specific about what they want to dress up as. Although, I will say, my ideas are usually cuter.

2) I buy way too much candy, way too early. Put it this way - last year I didn't make it out of the Target parking lot before ripping into one bag. In my defense, it was lunch time and no kids were present to see. This year we used candy as potty training bribery for the coveted "number 2." All I can say is that after 3 weeks of this, Chloe is 100% trained. I know how to motivate another female, and that is with chocolate.

3) The Reese's Lovers assortment giant bag that I bought this year was clearly defective. I noticed that all the Fast Break bars were gone from the bag when I poured it into our bowl, though it clearly said they were part of the mix. What crooks. Ummmm... side note, Fast Breaks (should I have had some) are just awesome. There might just be some addictive narcotic in those things.

4) There is no better day of the year for Halloween to fall on then a Sunday. By the end of the weekend when my kids are tired and all off schedule, Halloween makes for the best nap day of the year on a weekend. Because the thought of not getting any candy and missing trick or treating is enough to get almost 3 hours out of both of them at the same time. Heck... all three of them. Jason even joined in.

5) I'm thankful for the social side of Halloween. This year the dad's were nominated to walk the kids around while the mom's sat in our chairs, bowl of candy in lap, by a fire pit and enjoying the sights.

6) Speaking of sights, grown men over 6 feet tall should not dress up as clowns. Ever. I still see you when I close my eyes at night.

7) It wasn't until I had kids of my own who had a pumpkin full of some of my favorite candy that I realized that my parents weren't really checking my candy for "razor blades" before I was allowed to eat it. For some reason my snickers bars and Reese's cups were always in the suspicious pile, and I really believed that you truly don't know your neighbors and the sickos who might be out there. All candy must be subjected to a full pat down and suspicious items must be quarantined.

8) After making our neighborhood round and getting the kids to settle down, there is always a Wave 2 of kids that come through, usually piled in the back of a truck carrying giant pillowcases. Most are at least 14 years old.

9) Claire's commentary, as she gave out candy to Wave 2: "Daddy, that boy just took twenty-hundred pieces of candy!" "Daddy, that girl didn't even say thank you!" "Daddy, he doesn't even have a costume on!" and "Daddy, they are walking in the GRASS!!" Before long, we flick the lights off, having had enough of Wave 2.

10) Between the candy sneaking in the parking lot, the potty celebrations and the razor blade searching, I can honestly say I am DONE with candy for a long time. I almost wish Wave 2 would come back to take the rest off my hands.

Happy Fall, Ya'll

I love Fall. Love the cooler temps, the leaves, the Holiday's - everything. We've been busy the past few weeks partaking in all the Fall activities, so here is a summary and some pics of what we've been up to.

In mid-October, Claire was out of school for 2 days for a Fall Break and Parent/Teacher conferences. We spent one day up at Skytop Orchard checking out their Apple Trees and pumpkin patch that are literally on top of a mountain in North Carolina, with awesome views every way your turned. Because the weather had been un-seasonably warm (yay for our new grass!) the apples were all picked and in the store to be sold, but the hay ride and other activities were in full swing. The girls had a ball checking out the giant spider, farm animals and riding behind the tractor.

We bought our pumpkin and 2 bags of apples - one for snacking, and the other for baking. The next weekend, we diced and sliced and whipped up some homemade Apple Strudel Muffins (recipe on the Skytop web page) which were just divine.

And the next weekend, Jason and girls went to work on the pumpkin scooping insides and carving a masterpiece, which ended up turning to much well before Halloween in the warm weather (yay, again, for the new grass!) I cleaned and roasted the pumpkin seeds for the first time. The girls liked the seeds, but to me they tasted too much like empty acorns - not that I've tried acorns, but it was how I imagined them to be. Not my favorite.

Even now a few weeks later, Claire is still talking about the trip to the mountains, and how she can't wait to pick apples next year.

Plants Have Feelings, Too

The evolution of our grass situation has been 10 years in the making. In our first house, there were a lot of trees in the yard and a complete forest in the back. Not a single blade of grass grew back there until we had 6 trees removed, stumps and roots removed, tilled, seeded, spread hay and lugged sprinklers and hoses all around. It was a TON of work, but we finally got a pretty good looking back yard. That yard was fescue grass which loved our shade and the cooler spring and fall temperatures. In the summer, it would fry. Eventually, Jason grew tired of moving hoses and sprinklers and longed for the day when he'd have that in ground irrigation system.


Fast forward to our current house - no trees or shade, but he now had his irrigation system. So we opted for fescue again, thinking that we could just water it a ton in the summer and it would survive even without shade. Because this yard was sodded, it was looking pretty good from the beginning.


All good things seem to come to an end, and before long the battle began. Through the next 3 years, we fought grubs, fungus, drought, native bermuda grass and over-zealous grass fertilization companies. We spent a fortune on treatments, watering, aerating and overseeding, weed pulling and professional fertilizing. Things would look pretty good during peak fall/spring fescue season, but it seemed like we were always starting from scratch in the fall with a full aerate and over-seed. Too say the least, it was frustrating.

The 2010 season started in the same way. Spring: grass looks like a rock star, thick and lush and dark green. Early summer: the monsoon starts, and combined with some overzealous fertilizing by our lawn service, we ended up with a massive case of fungus. It really looked like aliens visited us and left crop circles in our back yard. Late summer: rain disappears for weeks at a time. The grass scorches and dies out, and my water bill sees levels that would make anyone sick. Finally the day comes, Jason is done. Done with fescue and all it's high maintenance, and he is calculating his next move. He's leaning towards Bermuda grass, which we are not big fans of it's spreading nature, but it make the most sense because of the lack of shade and hot weather. So in mid-August, Jason turns off the sprinklers and tells the fescue good-bye. Time to die, and we'll take another path in the spring.

August 14th - struggling, but hanging in there

Late in August, we head down to the lake for a weekend away and return to a shock. The grass is dead. Every.single.blade. It was like something came through with a flame thrower and killed every spec of grass we had. Could the grass know what we were plotting? And out of spite, did it kill itself to punish us with razor sharp, dead prickles that would stay until spring? It was nothing short of bizarre.

August 30th - Dead. Same exact photo spot as Aug. 14th

One evening, still pondering the instantaneous dead grass syndrome, Jason was out in the yard with the dog before bed when he thought he heard... chirping. He runs in for a zip lock back and returns with some moth like creatures squirming around in the bag. After 15 minutes of googling, he declares the diagnosis: Army Worms. These vultures can kill your entire yard in a matter of days. Dead. Gone. And it was over, the grass had shown us who was really in charge. Because, you know, you can't bite the hand that feeds you. Plants, including our grass, have feelings, too, that need to be considered. And all that bad mouthing finally went too far.

Now I will say that Jason is not one to make decisions easily. Every choice has to be carefully researched to the fullest extent, and here we were faced with the end of the warm weather grass season with the window of opportunity closing up on us with an entire yard of dead grass skeletal remains. Landscapers were highly against seeding Bermuda (sod was recommended) and Jason was still struggling with the nature of Bermuda, and really wanted another grass that was only offered in sod form, but was more costly although tolerant to the drought, bugs and sun. Once he found out that sod was the logical path forward, he sprang into research mode and came to a decision: Zoysia it was, and it was going in on Friday. During his moment of decision making weakness, I threw in the request for a garden box with success! The grass and box were installed the following week. And all is now calm in the Verrett yard.

Cookie Tosser 5000

Ahhhhh Fall, back to school time. The time of year where leaves fall off the trees and money flies out of your wallet as schools ramp up their PTA fundraising efforts to provide for our students what the government has cut out. I don't even have to say how long it has been since I have been involved in an elementary school, but I did know that wrapping paper sales started early, and membership in the PTA is a big deal. I felt so supportive of the education of our children as I happily signed up for the PTA, wrote a donation check, roped both sets of grandparents into buying wrapping paper and signed up to be a volunteer in the PTA Fall Carnival at Claire's school - dubbed "Eaglefest." Besides volunteering at the actual carnival, pleading letters were sent home to support other areas - like sending in blown out eggshells or baked goods. I signed up to provide 3 dozen of my baked good finest, all individually wrapped and ready to be sold. I couldn't help but pat myself on the back for being such an involved parent.

After sneaking out of work early on Friday to make it to my 5:00 - 5:30 volunteer shift at the "Silly String" booth (whaaaat.....???) we packed up the family to head over to the school for the carnival. I figured the girls would like it - sure there would be a couple bounce houses and some food to keep them entertained while I did volunteer booth duty and my chocolate chip blondie bars were being sold. Slight underestimation on my part, the "carnival" rivaled the state fair with pony rides, choo choo train and several fair style rides - two spinning/make-your-stomach-churn rides and the big swing ride. I couldn't believe the size of this elementary school gig.

I checked into the volunteer table and Jason and the girls went out to scope out the ponies. The Silly String booth was down near the pony area, and I saw exactly what my job was going to be. For a mere 6 tickets (the exact amount of tickets also charged for a Chick Fil A sandwich, meaning a LOT of tickets) kids could purchase a can of silly string and blast it all over their friends, the ground and them selves. And that stuff was everywhere. In my 30 minutes of duty, I must have sold 500 cans of the stuff. We must have been the most popular booth in the whole fair. I was starting to wonder if anyone would have any tickets left for my blondies! After my 30 minute shift, I walked to the other side of the carnival to meet with with Jason and the girls down in the inflatable slide area - Claire's favorites. No sign of them. I walked back to the pony area... no sign of them. After giving them a call, Jason says they are in line for the 2nd time on the giant swing ride. I couldn't believe Claire would be so brave - I guess in part because she caught up with gal pal Abigail from her class and we all know that bravery triples when you have a buddy to pressure into things. The girls sailed around on the swings with big smiles and Jason tells me that the two already went on one of the spinning rides - kind of like the Teacup ride on steroids - and no one threw up or cried. Impressive! Claire and Abigail bolt off the swings and I hear one exclaim "let's go on THAT one!" pointing to the one Jason dubbed the Cookie Tosser 5000. It was a double sided, stand up ride that rotated while spinning the giant carts - both around and up and down, meaning you would be completely horizontal to the ground while 40 feet in the air and fast. Really fast. Almost a sure thing that someone would toss their cookies while on that thing. Screams were continuously coming from that ride from 5th graders and their older siblings. Claire and Abigail get in line, shorter then everyone else in line by about 2 heads.

I tried to talk them out of it, then gave up when I surely figured the ride operator would toss them for being short. It was a stand up ride after all, and these kids barely could reach the containment chain. They had a good 15 minutes in line to watch the screamers and think about the consequences of their choice, but in the end they made it on the ride. Everyone was all smiles, until the speed ramped up. I tried not to laugh because it really wasn't funny. But we stood there with Abigail's parents as we watched our first borns sail around on the Cookie Tosser in their matching hot pink "Stephenson's Spectacular Frogs" class t-shirts. They scrunched down their heads into their necks and just stared at each other with a look that knew the end was near. The ride duration wasn't that long, but long enough for their entire 5 years of life to flash before their eyes. Finally, it was over. Except the other side of the ride was unloaded first and Claire and Abigail were stuck in the horizontal position 40 feet in the air. Finally, Claire's frozen look defrosted and she started crying.

Yep, that's them - the 2 short ones in the upper right

After an eternity, the first cart was unloaded and she was lowered back to the ground. On shaky legs, she sobbed over to us clearly positive that the end of time was right in front of her. I whipped out a brownie/cookie hybrid from the bake sale and she pulled herself together. I never did see any cookie's tossed, but think that Claire certainly had her fill of the fair for the next few years.ht

Q&A with Claire (age 5)

Saw this on Face.book and I shamelessly stole the idea. I thought it was very cute!!

These questions were answered by Claire, September 26, 2010.

***************************************

1. What is something mom always says to you?

Don't make bad choices

2. What makes mom happy?

If you get green

3. What makes mom sad?

If I get yellow

**Editor's note... "green" is good behavior in kindergarten, "yellow" is not so good. Then red, then blue...

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

Tickling

5. What was your mom like as a child?

She played soccer

6. How old is your mom?

22

7. How tall is your mom?

16 feet

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

Love on each other

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

She sometimes leaves the house to go shopping

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

watching football games

11. What is your mom really good at?

Driving a car

12. What is your mom not very good at?

Working

13. What does your mom do for a job?

Makes things in a company.

14 .What is your mom's favorite food?

Chicken and rice casserole

15. What makes you proud of your mom?

When she gives me a lollipop

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

Z, Mr. Moose's friend

17. What do you and your mom do together?

Love on each other

18. How are you and your mom the same?

Because our hair looks the same

19. How are you and your mom different?

We have different shirts

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

By tickling me

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

When he's sleeping

22. Where would your mom like to go?

She most likes to go shopping

Super Star

Last year was a long year as I anxiously awaited the start to the Fall soccer season. As cruel twist of fate, Claire missed the cut off for CESA's U6 program by two weeks. Rules are rules, and you have to be 4 by July 31st to play the entire year. Just ask me, because I know. I sent a check, a filled in application and a copy of a birth certificate for her to play in the Spring season and we were rejected. So finally, we are IN as the oldest rookie in the U6 league.





For the 2nd time this year, we ran out and bought all the goodies - cleats, shin guards and little pink umbro shorts (yeah... she was supposed to get all that for Christmas. Until the reject call came, and it all went back to the store.) It all showed back up for her birthday this year.

Claire's coach is a high school senior gal who is headed to Clemson next year (yay!) and talked the kids into being "The Tigers" for this year's team name (yay again!!) She has 2 other high school sidekicks to help her coach, and all three of them are doing a great job. The practices are very organized and effective (note: see Game 1 results below) and the kids just love it.


After a week of practice, tonight was the first game - a 30 minute game that followed a 30 minute practice. Rules were pretty loose, and they divided the two teams up into 2 mini-teams so there were actually 2 games going on at the same time, and everyone got to play nearly 100% of the time. That makes for an early bedtime for all after running around in 94* heat!




The Tigers did great, and racked up goal after goal. Clearly the dominating 4 and 5 year olds in the league, they owned the pitch with exceptional ball handling skills, give and go's and speedy breakaways. OK... not really, it was really more like a cluster of bee's chasing around the ball, but The Tigers DID score a LOT more goals. Not that we counted. I'm just sayin'.




After the game, the kids charged over to the parents looking for the chosen ones who had a cooler that might contain the after game loot .... It was us! We were stocked with juice boxes and Ritz Bits crackers and the evening was wrapped up. Claire was just tickled that her parents were the snack parents of Game #1.




Red faced and juice box in hand, we headed home to start on dinner, homework, showers and... and... and....

Recipe: Shepherd's Pie (Easy!!)

Mashed potatoes, cheese and ground beef. Mmmm, sign me up! Here's another one guaranteed to produce leftovers, or obviously could be halved to serve a smaller or less inclined for leftovers type family.


2 lbs ground beef
2 jars beef gravy (we like Heinz Homestyle Savory Beef Gravy)
1 15 oz can peas and carrots
1 box Instant Mashed potatoes (2 pouches) - we like Betty Crocker Butter and Herb flavor
Onion - 1 medium chopped, or 1 cup frozen chopped
2 eggs
2c shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper and dried parsley, to taste



Preheat oven to 375*
Brown beef and onion in large oven proof skillet, drain
Cook Potatoes according to package directions (both pouches)
Mix 2 eggs into potatoes until blended
Mix gravy into beef, season with salt, pepper and parsley
Drain peas & carrots, mix into beef
Spread potatoes over beef mixture
Sprinkle cheese over potatoes
Bake for 30 minutes



This is great. Very loved in our house!

Recipe: Cheesy Beefy Bake

There isn't a man or child alive who doesn't like cheese with their beef. Here's a good one that sticks to the ribs and is an Italian themed goodie.



1.5 lbs ground beef
chopped onion (1 med, or about 1 cup frozen)
1 26 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/3 c sour cream
~ 2c Parmesan cheese
1c Bisquick
1 1/2c milk
Italian seasoning



Pre-heat oven to 375*
Spray 9x13 dish with cooking spray
Cook beef and onion in skillet until brown, drain
Stir in spaghetti sauce
Pour beef mixture into baking dish

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream and 1/2 c Parmesan cheese and 1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
Spoon over beef mixture

In medium bowl, mix 1c Parmesan cheese, Bisquick and milk
Pour over beef mixture

Bake 30 min

During the last 5 minutes, sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning



The kids and Jason love this. Unfortunately, my kids are sensitive to tomatoes, so we don't have it that often. But it's a great staple in the rotation!

'Tis the Season

for fried chicken, pop up tents, TV's and folding chairs, and a whole lot of ORANGE! Football season is back, and while I've learned to temper my expectations on the "big one" season, we still have a great time with friends enjoying the tailgate and football Saturdays.

This year is different. No longer can I rise at the crack of dawn to stir a simmering pot of chili or bake a batch of brownies before loading up the car and heading out the driveway in an orange blur without the kids noticing something fun is going on. Back in June, Claire casually dropped into random sentences that she was planning on attending the football games with us. All of them. And NO, she didn't care if they were hot, loud and long. She was going, and there was no other discussion needed. And with Claire in full tailgate planning mode, you can bet her little sidekick was also fluffing her orange pom poms.

The first game of the season (a.k.a. cupcake game #1) was Labor Day weekend, which ended up being a blissfully cool 87*. In one of my most intelligent moments of my life, I remembered during a Wal Mart trip to pick up battery powered spray fans which were the hit of our entire section and all those who benefited from their overspray.

The girls have had a ball at our first two games this year. They loved the chicken fingers and cookies, juice boxes and frozen lemonades. And the boys running down the hill and visiting the tiger down at the field wall. Next up is the Miami game on October 2nd. We're hoping the weather will cool off and bring us some real Fall football!

One note on a not so good part about football season..... and that is potty training your 2 year old. Porta potties and loud stadium bathrooms make for little success. And no brownie will talk her out of just going in her trusty pull up.

"Mommy... my bel-wee hurts..."

We went through many, many, many days of stomach issues with Claire. She was/is sensitive to dyes, heavy sugar items, tomato based products and the list goes on. She's a pretty good sport about avoiding the triggers - like requesting white icing parts of the birthday cake, or passing on juice for water instead. Chloe, thankfully, has more of the goat stomach from my side of the family. But tomatoes will do her in as well - thanks to my yummy cheesy beefy bake casserole she had a few days of runny poo and a painful bottom rash. But she's a trooper and was all fixed up with a little diaper "team" gooped on. Another thing about Chloe, since moving into her big girl bed was that she sleeps like a log on the left side of the bed with her head on the pillow. I don't think the pillow on the other side of her Full Size bed has ever been touched by her head. Until Friday.

Thursday was a special day. Even though Claire had another Yellow behavior report (green is good), Chloe had a rock star day with TWO pee pees in the potty. Jason was out at a client dinner, so the girls and I went to Chick Fil A to treat Chloe. Then we went off to Target for some big girl panties. Because she was so excited and couldn't choose, we left with three packs - Dora, Disney Princess and Hello Kitty. Spirits were high!

Friday morning, I go into Chloe's room to get her up for school and she is on the right side of the bed. The side that she never goes on. Oh wait.... I see why! Because there is puke all over her left side pillow! And it gets better... she is laying in a puddle of diarrhea that has leaked out of her diaper and all over the right side of the bed. Yuck. A call to my Mom and Dad and a Chloe bath later, Chloe is sprawled across my lap with eyes closed and thumb in mouth. My parents arrive and take over so I can get on to work. Mom takes over sick baby duty - all she does is sleep and throw up all day. They try a little water, throw up. Try a few crackers, throw up. Saturday arrives.... I try water, throw up. I try Pedialyte, throw up. Eventually, Chloe stops her waking and is just a limp, open mouthed, out of it little girl. She can't drink from her cup, and there hasn't been a wet diaper since sometime over night Friday night. The on call pediatrician asks several questions: ounces of liquid kept down in past 24 hours (zero), number of wet diapers in past 24 hours (maybe 2, but none in 8 hours) and sends us to Greenville Memorial's Children's Emergency Room.

Saturday morning

I carry Chloe's limp body into the ER fully prepared for the crowds of knife wound, drugged out crazies who all have active stab wounds bleeding on the floor. After being frisked by the 6'5" / 325 lb woman security guard at the metal detectors (see, I told you there were crazies in there!) I check in at the front desk and take a seat in the waiting area and check out the scenery. Wait... there aren't even any sick or hurt people here! A couple serene looking people with the yellow ER arm bands flipping through magazines. Ahhh... the US health care system. I guess some people on that Saturday needed some Excedrin for their headaches or a freebie pregnancy test. There was no one in that waiting room even close to the condition that Chloe was in. Thankfully, GHS has a separate Pediatric ER and they took us back only 5 minutes after we arrived.

The nurses checked us into an exam room and took Chloe's vitals. What a great ER - nice and calm, separation from the drug OD's, with ceiling mounted TV's with cartoons playing. Not that Chloe noticed any of that. After an eternity, the resident showed up and prescribed the stop-the-puking drug, Zofran. She said she didn't want to do an IV if she could help it (needles + little arms = bad idea) and called up for a pink Pedialyte Popsicles. By the Resident doctor crossing the threshold of our exam room, an alarm was triggered for the Lady from the Business Office to show up and try to solicit some payment out of stressed out parents. As I am holding my comatose daughter, the conversation goes like this:


Lady: Hello, I am from the business office. Your insurance has a 20% co-pay. Would you like to pay that now?

Me: My 20% co-pay is based on the negotiated rate, which we won't know until the claim is filed and processed.

Lady: OK, well all we would really like to collect today is $150. Would you be ready to pay that today?

Me: We have yet to have any treatment. Isn't it customary to pay once services are rendered? We can't even get a Popsicle delivered around here!

Lady: How about I come back in 30 minutes after you have been treated.

Me: That would be great. I'd love that we be treated in 30 minutes.

Lady: Actually, I don't think I'll be able to make it back. Take this paper, now security will let you out. We'll send you a bill.


2 Hours later, the Popsicle shows up. Chloe springs out of a dead sleep to devour it... only devour means gingerly lick until almost half is gone.

And she is sound asleep again. The doctor comes back - she's exhausted and not able to take in more fluids. We opt for the IV, and two HUGE nurses/bodyguards wheel in the IV equipment. A third one shows up to hold down this lethargic 26 lb child. Without the strength to really fight, Chloe wails "mommmmmmyyyyy, mommmmmmmyyyyy...." over and over until the deed is done, and the juice is flowing. She conks back out for the entire hour that the bag takes to dispense.

Lights out for IV time

Near the end of the IV, Jason shows up with Claire - who has been at home sleeping while my parents were keeping me company at the hospital. Claire looked like she'd seen a ghost when she walked in - she saw Chloe hooked up to the machines and not moving on the stretcher bed. I teared up when I saw her carrying a bulging grocery bag full of Chloe's favorite toys - her baby doll, her lovie "Nunny", her Dora purse and all three of her new packages of Big Girl panties. Not long after Claire and Jason arrived, the IV finished up and the doctor came back to check on her. While she wasn't any more awake, she had a wet diaper!! Hurray! We were sprung from the hospital and on our way home.

Sunday's position of choice

Sunday was the same - lots of sleeping, but in the 5 minute jaunts of Chloe waking up, I force fed her some cheerios and chicken soup. Finally, after hours of sleeping she woke up at 3:00 and on shaky legs was ready to play again! Monday, Chloe stayed home from school, but was back at it today on her way to full recovery. We think we need a do-over on that weekend but are so glad that she is feeling all better!

Introducing ... the Class of 2023

They have entered the building!



Monday marked the beginning of the newest chapter of our lives... the start of Claire's 'official' schooling. And no less, the first day of school was on her 5th birthday. Some parents might be concerned about their child being the youngest child in her class and being ready, but with Claire you don't worry at all. She's been what I call street wise from the beginning. In fact, a teacher (3rd grade) at Claire's school who has a son in her pre-school class was shocked to hear how young she was in comparison to her classmates. She described Claire as "with it" after searching for a while to figure out how to describe her. I just knew I didn't need to worry a whole lot about Claire venturing off into the world of big girl school. Chloe may be a different story....


It's a transition for all of us: now we have 2 drop offs to make in the morning, Claire brings a cold lunch every day instead of her usual leftovers from dinner and there is the afternoon nap to give up. I feel for her - sound asleep at 7:20 on the night of Day 2, after having the excitement of a birthday on the same day as a jam packed first day of school. Thankfully she didn't wake us at 4:30 AM, but still an early time to get up. I tried to time things to not be quite so hurried in the morning, but we still ended up later than I wanted. We did snap a few pictures in the driveway before heading off.









I had drop-off duty for both girls because Jason's car was full of the birthday party water slide that had to be dropped off on Monday morning. I took Chloe to school first, then we made our way sloooooooowly through the traffic to Claire's new school. The traffic was as bad as I expected, but we did make it before the 8AM start time, parked and both walked her into her new class. The teachers were great in introducing them to the routine of indicating their lunch plans with a popsicle stick (brought from home, buy hot, etc), putting their bag in their assigned cubby and sitting at their assigned seat. The kids were coloring while everyone was getting settled. With a few more pictures and kisses good-bye, we were on our way out leaving Claire behind with her huge smile on her face.










I worried all day. I thought about her at 10:30 which is her designated lunch time (!!!), 12:00 at recess time, 2:00 at dismissal time, and 3:00 wondering if she made it back to Goddard for after school. I zoomed out of work at 4:50 and was thrilled to find her playing with kids in the gym - successfully making it onto the correct bus! Whew!


After collecting Chloe, we headed over to meet Jason and both sets of grandparents for dinner at Claire's favorite restaurant, Red Robin. After eating and having the obnoxious group of 10 of the wait staff sing their version of Happy Birthday, we came back to our house where a gift opening session to rival Christmas morning for a family of 8 kids took place. After another round of cupcakes, the girls were ready to collapse into bed.





What a memorable day to celebrate a birthday and first day of school!

Party Time!

I can control a lot of things. But I can't control the weather. That didn't stop me from checking the forecast for Saturday at least 6 times per day all week leading up to Saturday. Every forecast said the same thing - rain. Cooler temps. And it's time for a break, right? After all, for the past 100 days of summer it's been over 95* almost every day - and the weather people actually sound a little excited about talking about drought conditions again because it just hardly ever rains. Especially in August - everyone knows it is just hot with an occasional afternoon pop up thunderstorm.

Unless you are having your 5th birthday party at your house with a rented water slide with 25 of your closest 5 year old buddies coming over to run wild in the back yard. THEN you can see the storm clouds rolling up. The quote on the Friday night and Saturday morning weather reports: "better not have any outdoor plans this weekend that don't involve an umbrella!" I laid in bed Friday night listening to the rain whip outside thinking about how to escape the torment that was coming to me. I considered locking the front door, shutting the blinds, and leaving a platter of cupcakes on the front porch with instructions to take one and LEAVE. Jason tried to make me feel better.... it's a water slide, right? Who cares if it rains! Save me from running the hose all day!

Thankfully the weather people did what they did best... try to ruin your weekend and they were WRONG!! HA! We didn't see a drop of rain from 6AM until 5PM. It was overcast for most of the morning, but it helped to keep temps down so us parents didn't pass out on the porch and deck watching the kids run around like maniacs going down that slide a few hundred times each.

Party Favors

Cupcakes!

Waiting for everyone to show up

Claire and her buddies had a ball - the slide was a big hit, pizza was served and the cupcakes were fabulous.












When the sun came out after everyone was exhausted around 2:00, we decided to turn the water off and let the slide dry out and pack it back up. It was still forecasted to rain on Sunday, so we didn't want to have to deal with shoving a wet slide in the back of Jason's SUV. Around 5PM Saturday night the rain started - flash flood warnings and all, it sure did rain! And good think we packed it up because Sunday's weather was terr... oh, wait.... It's 95* and bright and sunny today!!


That's OK, Claire is exhausted and napping now to get ready for her first day of kindergarten tomorrow - which happens to be on her actual 5th birthday!

You Know it's Muggy Outside When...

You know it's muggy outside when....

..... you hear water running in gutters and it's not raining

You know it's muggy outside when....

...... at 6:30 AM you can't see your neighbor's house in the fog/humidity/swamp, and it's only 20 feet away

You know it's muggy outside when....

....... the roads are soaking wet but it's been 6 hours since the last rain

You know it's muggy outside when....

......... you see mushrooms sprouting up in the grass, where yesterday there were none

You know it's muggy outside when....

......... You step out of the cold AC and your first breath feels like it's through a straw

You know it's muggy outside when....

....... A swamp creature shows up at your house at 7:30 AM looking for water. And your sweet daughter brings it a bottle.

***Here's to looking forward to lower humidity and temps for the Fall!