Typical bedtime conversation

Tonight was a classic bedtime conversation night. Nothing out of the ordinary. Charlotte and my conversation started with her confessing the rule she broke at school, then roamed from the reasons you donate blood, to the reasons behind cremation. We talked about her love of a lamb stuffed animal she covets at school and her plans to earn it, and about John and I taking showers together. She had me sing her (three times) the Jamaican Farewell Song, and then wanted to know where exactly you go when you start your next life, and then wished out loud that someday soon her rash will go away. I never ask her much of anything at bedtime, all subjects ever listed are things she originates.

My darling Charlotte: Thank you for being so INTERESTED in life and thank you for not wasting too much of your time being interesting. I see amazing things happening resulting from your amazingly inquisitive mind. Never stop being curious.

Love you.
-Mom

Happy St. Patty!!!

Charlotte was being a bit stubborn (wow shocker!) about posing for this. Are you diggin my hat??


My cute St. Patty's day princess was running past me and I got her!!! Muuuahahahahaaa!


Lucas and Isabella pose in their tie dye shirts we made (see earlier blog posting)


Here is a pic of my class posing in their tye die shirts we made yesterday. It's a whole lot different making them in buckets than in a washing machine...whole lot different!


Here's our baby girl Violet posing in her cute tie dye onesie she made with us.

Too sexy for my tie dye

The kids and I decided to do a little tie dye in prep for St. Patty's day. Having some old white, stained shirts in mind we set out to JoAnns Fabrics for some green RIT dye. The result??










Here we have the whole Friday Night crew (Sara's kids added) checking out their tie dye progress.






Violet may only be 22 mo. but she is very much part of our group activities. She decided where her rubber bands would go and walked around carrying it saying "MINE!" if she even thought we were coming too close to it. In the picture below she is getting her shirt wet and ready for the dye.



Here she is carrying it to the washing tub full of green dye.

James Dean Lucas

I just uploaded these pictures and just about died. I could just see him 15 years from now as a James Dean-esque ladies man. Wooooah nelly. Lucas, you are one cute dude!

Flower Fairies

Charlotte was gifted the neatest project for her birthday recently. Cereza & her family gave her a flower fairy making kit. In about 15 minutes we made two beautiful fairies and learned about wire working and glue. I think I had just as much fun as she did. Lucas did too although he will kill me in a few years for writing that. He has really mature hand eye coordination so did a lot of the wiring for us.

Musical Circus

We found out about an event being held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and went this morning with the kids. It was really cool! They have about 30 professional instruments set out for kids to try. Today we found out Lucas is a natural on the trumpet!!


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And speaking of learning something new...I did NOT know John played clarinet & trumpet as a child.

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John sat with Charlotte for a while as she discovered her inner violinist.

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And she also tried the clarinet as well.

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Can I be like Michelle Duggar?

I am inspired every time I watch the show "18 kids and Counting". And before it was called that it was called "17 kids and Counting" of which I was obsessed too.

Can I please the patience of Michelle Duggar?? Please???

She is an amazing women, with the patience of a saint, who never yells, and she has EIGHTEEN CHILDREN! All of whom she homeschools! And they are completely debt free, live in a 7000sf house, are very frugal, and have the most incredible set a morals I have ever seen. I inspire to be like them as parents and love the book they wrote.

It is so heartwarming to see other parents striving to do an incredible job, pushing aside modern (yet warped) conventions of parenting, seeking tradition & ignoring what other people are doing to brave their own trail & set their own standards.

I applaud them and continue to be INSPIRED!!

Don't worry, I'll watch the road mom

While driving home from Auntie's house tonight the following conversation took place between Lucas and I:

"Mom turn around and look at my toy owl."

Allie: "I can't honey, I have to watch the road for safety."

Lucas "Don't worry Mom, I'll watch the road for you to make sure you don't get in an accident. Now turn around, okay?"

LOL

Luke never ceases to amaze me with his mature and sound logic.

Bathing in the sink

Hello cutie!! Every Friday these days you and I are buddies (along with Isabella, Lucas and Charlotte). I love your Friday night dates so you and I can hang out and finally sneak in some bottle and cuddle time. (Don't tell you mom!!)

xo, Auntie

Charlotte's first day of Kindergarten!

March 2nd was your first day at our school and your fist day of "kindergarten." I quote because you are only 4 my sweet girl and not quite doing kindergartner's work but you will be soon!

You are so cute in your little purple school chair & I LOVE being able to peek on you whenever I want. I didn't realize how much I missed you now that I have you.

You are getting along really well with your teacher and the other children. I have been nervous about that point, to be honest. You don't always get along well with small children, I think their lack of manners and maturity annoy you. LOL But my worries were for naught. Yesterday when I came to get you, you were swinging on the swings with Finn having a ball and you asked me if he could come over. You two were too precioius.

Luke and I are soooo happy to have you near us all day.

Love you Charlotte!!!

xo, Mom

Old but cute kid video

Here's a cute but old kid video. It's from May of 2007.

Saving $26

I am ALL about saving money wherever whenever. It occurred to John and I that we could save mucho dinero if we learned to cut John's hair ourselves. For about two years now we have just been using a #2 on the clippers and going crazy. Recently Charlotte has decided to try her hand at it. Thank you Charlotte!!!





And now for this weekends pics.



Here's Luke's "after" picture. It was a bit scary there when I was half way done with the job just using a #8 on the clippers. I kept looking over my shoulder at my mom making a nervous face and she would stifle her laughter. But with a little bit of #6 on the sides and then a nice slathering of gel, preto! A beautiful little man emerged.

Whenever we make a fire Luke calls it a "fireparty."

We decided to have a fire party tonight and while we were at it roasted marshmallows too!

Oral surgery

Tonight I needed my mom to perform oral surgery. You see I kept being harassed by a pesky popcorn kernel. I know you feel me on that one.

While I was laying down and we were getting the flashlight all set up Charlotte asked what we were doing. John passed by and said "Oh just taking mommy's brain out" really casually. Without missing a beat Charlotte says:

"Oh. I hope you don't die mommy"


(Charlotte: Will you pl-eeeeease be a stand up comedian?? Professionals work on their timing for ages to get it perfect and that just seems to come naturally to you my cute girl.)

Cinderella comes to clean our house

Charlotte was recently given a Cinderella outfit that has the ballgown on one side and the "work dress" on the other. I got up early today and started cleaning and she yelled "wait! I have an idea!" and ran and changed into this, grabbed a rag and started helping me. Totally adorable.

Then she got bored after 3 minutes and went off to color.