the end.

It seems so cliche to say that time has flown, but it sure has gone by in a heartbeat.  The years are passing in an hurry and I am not ready for that. 

The K-boy graduated from kindergarten in 2008. 

He is about to give a goodbye kiss to elementary school.  Fifth grade is winding down with lots of projects and field trips.  

Next year we'll be facing sixth grade.  Sixth.  

Sigh. 

Time flies.

But, we'll be thankful for summer break. 

my fave.

By far, this is my favorite photo of the K-kiddos.  It happened on a whim three years ago while walking the campus of Baylor University.  

My favorite photo of my favorite little people.

And, I was doing my favorite job --- being mom.  

a blast from the past

This week, while looking for other things on a CD, I found a list I made about the kiddos.  It was dated March 7, 2005.   Eight years ago.  

The K-boy just turned 11 a week ago.  

I enjoyed looking at the list of things they were enjoying and doing and how life was back then.  So many things are still the same and some I had forgotten about.  


K-boyalmost 3 years old

• hates to have socks on and will pull them off of his and Keona's feet
• loves his sandals --- has even worn them all winter long with socks
• likes to play the guitar like Murray of the Wiggles
• loves to watch Barney and the Wiggles videos
• loves the new Hi-5 DVD and learned the secret fort club handshake in one night
• can do all the moves to the songs on the Hi-5 video
• has discovered shadows
• is too cute when he says "oh no, what to do?"
• called his cousin's name out while gathering firewood for the campfire --- "chance"
• can use the pedals on his tricycle
• can scream louder than a freight train
• loves to "bake" and help mommy in the kitchen, even if only eating the batter and frosting
• takes off his shirt about mid-evening and insists on sleeping shirtless
• puts socks on his hands to make a puppet
• can eat three eggs topped with cheese for any [and every] meal
• is expanding his vocabulary and talking in some sentences
• loves taking a bath
• loves watching out the window or door for the next train coming --- still
• loves to play outside
• loves to crawl into bed with his parents in the middle of the night

K-girl almost 11 months old

• loves to dig in the trash can
• loves to eat the food Kai drops off his plate and onto the floor
• eats baby snacks from the tray of her walker, much like a dog eats his food from a bowl
• has a radiant smile
• got her first black eye on March 2 while climbing on the ottoman
• runs quickly when she hears the dishwasher open and "helps" with the silverware
• plays with socks
• loves to eat off of mommy's plate
• likes cheese puffs
• loves to play peek-a-boo and dance
• learned to walk at nine months old
• digs in the dirt of TutuBabe's plants ---- fertilizer/dirt, medicine/aloe vera, salad/ivy
• loves taking a bath in the big tub
• hates being in the carseat, thus making her a horrible traveler
• can pry lids off of sippy cups
• chews boxes like a mouse --- Uncle Cliff calls her 'ratso'
• loves to cuddle, mostly when she wants to do so
• loves to be comforted by her mom when she's hurt
• says "hi" and can wave bye-bye

I will be working on a new list of their likes, dislikes and just things I notice about them each day.   It will be fun to look back on like this list.  

Such good memories.

doodlebug design : i love my kiddos

We all try to make the most of and get the most out of our scrapbooking products.   Here are a few simple ways to do that, all wrapped up in one layout.

• Use stamps with versamark ink to add a bit of texture and subtle color to the background.
• Don't waste the scrap paper around punched shapes. Trim the negative space and use in your project.

• Make a paper clip embellishment. Add a strip of washi tape around the clip and ribbon cut the end. Add a banner alpha sticker and tie on some doodle twine. Cute, easy embellishment.
• Use black ink and label stamp to make your own labels. Stamp on white cardstock and trim.
• Handcut a trendy shape [or use a digital die cutter].

 

I love that Doodlebug products are so very easy to mix and match from different collections.    In this layout, I have used product form the following collections: feeling groovy, haunted manor, sweet cakes and lovebirds. 

I mixed trendy dot and chevron patterns with this cutesy little car to capture the photos my daughter took along our road trip.

A banner sticker was perfect to add onto the stickpin used as the antennae of the car.  Trailing along the back of the car is doodle twine and hearts. 

I also mixed alphabet stickers -- colors, sizes and styles.   

Try mixing some older products with the new -- create a new embellishment.   

[ layouts featured on Doodlebug Design blog ]

The bestest Christmas gift this year happened last night.

The K-girl called us all into the living room and asked us to sit or kneel around the Christmas tree.  As we did, she began a prayer, wishing those that didn't have anything could get something and those without family would have someone to spend the holidays with.  And, then the K-boy joined in wishing everyone a good Christmas. 

Absolutely beautiful.  

Next time, though, I shall transcribe the conversation as soon as it is over so I don't forget their exact words.  The spoke them so very innocently and so very sweetly.  

Wishing you all a merry Christmas!  May you be blessed with family time, loved ones, sweet memories and lots of love. 

Peace, love and joy.

We took a trip to the beach for Thanksgiving and it was absolutely lovely.  We needed that little breather from reality and just needed some relaxation.  

There was a day or two that it was chilly, but that did not ruin our fun.  

It has been difficult getting into the Christmas spirit this year, mostly because the weather is so very warm.  It was springlike today when we put up the tree and strung the lights.  

But, these two cute K-kiddos brought me out of the funk and into the holiday mood.  

Such joy.

Geez, where has the month of November gone?   The days are slippin' by me quickly ... but, today I am gonna take in this little K-boy that has stolen my heart, all while he rests and recuperates from a nasty sinus infection.

We've spent a lot of November days resting and recuperating.

I've been sick with a stomach bug.  The K-girl was spent Friday at urgent care for strep, both kids were laid up on Sunday with fevers and resting on Monday.  A relapse for the son and he now has a sinus infection.   Yep, lots of sick days this month.

Thank goodness for vacation time and darn good health insurance.   Yes, both a blessing indeed.

• Listening to the son get comfortable in our bed for some rest.  "A boy needs his rest," he reminded me again today.  
• Planning a holiday trip to meet my nephew and play in the snow.  But, before then, I plan to go to the beach and sink my feet into some sand and the gulf waters.  
• Wishing the kiddos would mend, heal and be back to their normal little beings without sniffles and medications and hacking coughs. 
• Working on my Project Life album.   I have missed some weeks and still have some empty card holders for days I can't recall, but it is getting to be current.  I vow to complete it, and continue it next year, because the kiddos love looking through it and recalling different activities.  Totally worth it.
• Loving the cooler weather.  My fingers may be popsicles in the morning, my feet may resemble ice cubes at the end of the day, but my heart is warm always with the cool, refreshing air. 
• Giggling as I recall the situation this morning.  The K-girl wanted to wear a ruffly dress, but I demanded she put leggings on under it because it is so cold.  She did not want to and stated, "you're treating me like a child!"  Yep.  At eight years old.  I am in so much trouble. 
• Needing to fold laundry. Always.
• Creating a mess at my craft desk [that is an always, too].  The pile is filled with red, green and white and sprinkled with glitter and snowmen.  Fun.
• Making a mental list of things I want to make or give for Christmas.  Better late than never.
• Enjoying the slower pace at home today.   And some RutaMaya coffee.

The first half of the month has been swept away and I plan to enjoy the whirlwind second half that is left.  Lots of activities ahead, but I plan to take in all the little things and enjoy the moment. 

Boo from the Doodlebug crew!

... and from our crew!

Kids say the funniest and cutest and sweetest things, don't they?!

Heard from the K-kiddos in the last week or so:

On the first day of school, the kiddos decided I didn't need to walk them into school.  I was expecting it from the ultra-cool boy, but not my mini me.  When I voiced I was sad, she said, "Mom, I didn't want you to walk me into class because I didn't want to you to have to deal with the crowded hallways. They were really crowded." 

The K-boy and girl were discussing the weight difference between them on our drive home.  In a hurry, he said to his sister, "your fat's butter!"  We all giggled, then K-girl had a major meltdown.

Yesterday, as the K-girl bounced on her bed and bebopped around her bedroom, she was belting out the tunes for Everybody Talks.  They sing "it started with a whisper" and she sang "it started with a whipsteak!"   Loudly. 

I really should come here and jot down the funny things the kiddos say, as they say them, so that I can remember them all.  

The kiddos are busy taking in the last of summertime.  

a trip down memory lane

The hubs worked on the K-boy's computer yesterday.  Though he was unsuccessful in the fix, he dug up some old photos that were saved on disc.  While I looked through the handful of photos he sent, my heart was taken back to that moment in time.

The above photo was taken on a hot summer day about five years ago.   Five years.  That is a lot of days of change and growth from that photo to today and my kiddos have done just that.  But, I'd like to take a trip down memory lane, staring at and studying this photo of them.  

• The K-boy still loves red and plaid shirts.   When I was telling him of this photo and the red crocs he wore back then, he said he remembered them and wanted another pair.  
• That pursed up look of the K-girl is one I miss.  She puckers her lips now, but it is often followed by some foot-stomping off to her bedroom. 
• The son was wearing a wooden bead watchband that had a frog face on it.  He wore that thing out and still has it stashed away in his toy box.   And, to this day, he still loves wearing "bracelets" and watches.   
• K-girl had the cuuuuuuuuuuuutest pigtails.  She is beyond them at this point, but loves to put her hair up in a ponytail and messy bun.   
• These kiddos sit side-by-side still, in the car and on the couch.  I hope they are this close for many, many years -- though it does involve some bickering as of late.
• While we enjoyed the parade, these kiddos also enjoyed day dreaming and lots of strawberries.  The rest of us just enjoyed the summer heat.  Ha.

I intend to print this photo out and scrapbook it once again, reflecting on that moment in time.   I want to get lost in the memory that this photos brought back.  

he & she

I love these two cute K-kiddos to the moon and back, every single moment of every single day.

But geez! This sibling rivalry, bickering, fighting, whatever you wanna call it between him and her is just enough to send their momma through the roof and to that very same moon.

They look sweet enough, but beyond their beautiful skin is some major dosage of sass.

He and she.  They are so much alike, yet they are so different.

• He loves his sister and tries to direct her in the right way. She does not listen to her brother because she wants her way.
• She wants him to play a game with her right now. He doesn't want to play, but would rather relax.
• He loses his temper quickly, especially when his sister whines. She whines alot just to get at her brother.
• She wants use the computer, but he's been relaxing at it for awhile. He screams "noooooooooooo!" because she is screaming "yeeeeeeeeeeees!"
• He likes to joke around and play practical jokes. She does, too, but wants the jokes to go her way.
• She likes to be loud, very loud. He likes to have peace and quiet.
• He wants to play in his own world of pretend karate-choppin' kickin' swirlin' around. She wants to stop his world from spinnin' so she can play, too.
• She wants to hug on her brother. He does not want anything to do with that lovey dovey stuff.

I, their dear mother, wish for ear plugs while I call them front and center to reconcile their differences. To hush the bickering. To referee.

Then, I make them face each other, nose to nose ---- they laugh together and hug one another.

And just a few moments later, it starts again.

I know, though, that one day they will grow very grateful for one another and for the lovely childhood they're sharing. Even though it is full of this thing called sibling rivalry at the moment, it is still very full of a deep bond between those two.

So alike, so different.

He and she -- so full of love.

sunrise at the lake

Our family attended a Cub Scout family camp last weekend at Hord's Creek Lake, in a very unloved area of the lake park.   Long story short, there was a photo contest for the scouts in the categories of nature and scouting in action.

The above photo was taken by my son, 10 years old.   I looooooooooooove the photo.   While he did not win the contest, he sure won over his momma's heart a bit more.   Breathtaking what his young heart has captured, what he found important to photograph that day.

Always new things on the horizon --- think he needs a new camera.     

testing

Today, my fourth-grade son, along with other fourth-graders statewide, will be taking the writing portion of the STAAR test.  

I have never been a proponent for standardized testing within the public school system.  I know there has to be something for which to set the educational standards, but I do not support teaching the test, which is what our schools seem to be doing.  

Take a few moments to read this plea from a teacher.  Spot on.  

when you grow up.

At the dinner table last night, I asked the kiddos,

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"  

K-girl rattled on and on about being a rock scientist, not to be confused with a rocket scientist.  She was just excited about digging for rocks and looking for them, taking in every detail and then writing a book about the rocks.  Then she said she'd take it to a library for other kids to learn about rocks.  

The boy, hesitantly, said "a video game expert ... y'know, the ones that test games."   Simple and to the point.  Then, his sister said, "yeah, and you could test the games to make sure they are appropriate for kids and not too scary or too boring or too expensive.  You could test them and play games all day and andandnandnandnndand ..."  

I can see their futures will be none other than exciting for all of us.   It will be interesting to see what these sweet little people really turn out to be when they're grown up.

But, I am in no hurry for them to really grow up.   Not too quickly.  

back to school

Once again, the summer vacation has drawn to an end and the kiddos have headed back to school.  Again.  They were hesitant as they've been enjoying the relaxed schedule and sleeping in that comes with the sunshiney break.  

However, they have taken their new schedule in stride and have done remarkably well.  

I was probably just as anxious as they were for Monday to end.   I was ready to hear all about their day of school and how things went in their new classrooms.   I asked each of them, separately, "What was your favorite part of first day of school?"   K-girl was excited to say she didn't know because she liked it all.  But, the K-boy sternly said with a smirk on his face, "... when day care picked me up at the end of the day."  

I have come to the conclusion that is all went as well as could be expected.    They will ease their way into the new routine, make new firiends and enjoy new learning experiences. 

today

This is what the summertime day looks like at casa de chaos.  One cute K-girl smiling as she is probably into some sort of mischief.  And, the K-boy is probably just happy as can be with the computer now in his bedroom.   

As said by the hubs / daddy in charge:

Kona...she's talking....and talking....and talking. She wouldn't be quiet all lunch long. Amazing energy level.  ....and she's been buzzing around your craft table. Y'know...it's like keeping flies away from a picnic. It's not possible.

....the relaxing moments are few with Keona.  Kai, he chills.  Keona stirs the pot. 

the kids are in the process of waking up --- with a pillow fight.  

Ah, what a way to spend the day.

day 16 : long exposure

Two flat sheets, two chairs, couch cushions, pillows and blankets --- they are the ingredients needed for an afternoon of fun for the K-kiddos.  Except, this fort has been propped in our living room for a week now and the kiddos are loving it.  

The kiddos love making, playing and being in a fort.

I have fond childhood memories of building forts and couch cushion mazes.  All the cushions and pillows in the house would become one mismatched configuration from room to room.  It was hours of entertainment for my siblings and myself.   Loved it.  

I hope the kiddos remember these fun fort days, too.  

day 14 : eyes

The eyes are the windows to the soul. 

- English proverb

I love staring in the eyes of these beloved folks, the hubs and the K-kiddos.  I find myself wondering what they're thinking, what they'll see in the future, how they see things today.  When I look into their eyes I see the patience, dreams, mischief, playfulness, worry and love.

I see their soul.   I feel their love.