1-31-13

There are several advantages to being a substitute instead of a full time teacher.  The main advantage is that I get to take the days off that I want so I can be there when my kids are recognized for being awesome.  Today, I was there for Payton.  Even though Payton has been on A-Honor Roll every quarter, she still loves to get the certificates.  Her intelligence is only enhanced by her beauty.  I am so proud of the young lady she is becoming.

 

This day was made even more special since Mimi was there too. 

Its that time of year again.  Mardi Gras!!!  I love participating in the Mardi Gras traditions that are part of our city's history.  We love shaking our booties to the music and catching moonpies.

1-30-13

These pictures look strangely similar to the pictures from yesterday.  That is because they are still reading and I am still driving. There is one difference from yesterday. This is on the way to school instead of on the way home. I hope they finish the series soon, so I can get caught up on the lastest middle school gossip. 

 

 

What is the best way to end a night at the church cleaning?  With Dairy Queen, of course.

1-29-13

Some of my favorite times during the day are taking the girls to school and picking them up from various activities.  That is usually when we get caught up and they excitedly tell me about their day.  I love this uninterrupted time that is normally free from distraction.  Well, they are both deeply engrossed in the Maximum Ride series.  So this is what our car rides have looked like the past couple of days.  Thankfully, Payton has a friend that has all of the books in the series and doesn't mind loaning them out.

 

My attempt to have dinner at the table as a family every night has been pretty successful.  Bryan is expressing his opinion about a new recipe.  It is just a pretty basic chicken pot pie recipe with biscuits on top instead of pie crust.  It was a huge hit. Everyone at it until it was gone.  I love it when that happens.

1-28-13

 

Guess what today is!  The 100th day of school.  So we celebrated by counting out 100 M&Ms.  Hayden wanted to make sure that everyone knew that it was actually the 98th day for Taylor and Payton so they should not get 100 M&Ms. 

1-27-13

This batch of cookies may not seem like that big of a deal to the average person.  But for me, it was a huge chocolate chip cookie break through.  Over the last several months, I have attempted to make chocolate chip cookies multiple times and they have been a disaster every time.  I tried different recipes.  Butter vs. Crisco.  Bought new baking powder.  Added extra flour.  Lowered the cooking temperature and increased cook time.  Nothing helped.  I figured that since I had started working I had lost my ability to make a good cookie.  So, I jokingly told Bryan today that if my cookies didn't turn out, I was going to have to quit working.  Well...good news!  I don't have to quit my job.  The cookies turned out and all is once again right in the world!

 

 

We have enjoyed Sunday dinner with Mimi and Opa the last several weeks.  I hope this becomes a long standing tradition.  We love hanging out with them.  Especially when Mimi has surprises like King Cake. 

1-26-13

We love lazy Saturdays.  No plans.  No where to go.  Just hanging out together.  Today that included a little time spent with family.  The girls love their cousins.  They were excited to have Emmy come over and play.  We missed having Julia come over because she was taking a nap.  So when we dropped Emmy off, Payton and Julia spent a few minutes snuggling each other.  So sweet!

1-25-13

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

 

Its finally here!  Mardi Gras!  Friday night and great weather means that we head downtown for the parade.  The Conde Caveliers did not disappoint.  We caught plenty of beads and moonpies to last us...until the next parade. 

 

1-24-13

Many of our evenings are filled with homework.  Tonight was no exception.  Taylor tries very hard to keep her grades up.  Math was a struggle last quarter.  Her B in math kept her off of the A-Honor Roll.  So her goal is to get an A in math this quarter. She has a Geometry test tomorrow so she and I spent a couple of hours at the dinner table studying, working practice problems, reviewing formulas, reteaching me some geometry, talking to a fellow classmates mom to compare anwers, and going back through old homework to review.  I think she is well prepared.  Hopefully she will do well and the missed sleep will be worth it.  



1-23-13

I love that Taylor and Payton are finally in Young Women's together.  Tonight was New Beginnings/YWIE.  All of the girls set up a display about one of their value projects they had worked on over the past year.  Taylor's display was about her Individual Worth project.  She has used her time in Mobile's Singing Children to complete that project.  Since Payton has just started in YW, she didn't have a project to display.  So she set up a display about herself.  These girls are turning into such beautiful young ladies.



 

Hayden just couldn't resist and had to jump in the picture.

 

The real reason we came to the activity was to see one of our favorite babies.  She wasn't feeling good so she was extra snuggly. 

1-22-13

Today was the much anticipated first trip to the orthodontist for Hayden and Payton.  Of course, they are both in need of braces.  Hayden has a more immediate need than Payton. After seeing the orthontist and discussing the courses of treatment, the financial coordinator office manager person came to break the news to us......Braces Aren't Free!  They aren't even cheap.  So Bryan and I spent the evening looking over the treatment plans and figuring out what our options are.    

 

 

 

We did make time tonight for a very intense game of Disney Headbands (thanks Benhams for the awesome gift). 

 

Payton was mad that after three rounds she still couldn't figure out who was on her head.

 

 

 

 

1-21-13

Hayden insisted that she had to borrow my phone tonight.  I didn't pay much attention to why she needed it until I came across this picture.  She just wanted to take some pictures of her beloved dinosaurs.  She got several for Christmas presents to add to her collection.  After Christmas, I cleared the books and DVDs off of this shelf so it could be completely dedicated to dinosaurs.  She has spent more time playing with them and arranging them now that she has enough space. 

1-20-13

This morning before church, the girls got up and started watching TV.  We don't have a "no TV on Sunday" rule but I do prefer they not turn it on before church.  So I told them to find something more productive to do.  They still had a little time before they needed to get dressed.  I was pleasantly surprised when Taylor chose to be more productive by reading the scriptures.  Her Sunday School teacher has challanged her class to read the entire Old Testament this year and she has taken the challenge seriously. 

 

1-19-13

Bryan and I went to an early movie this evening (early=cheaper).  When we got home, we found the girls huddled up on the couch together watching the iPad.  I guess the fact that there is a much larger TV upstairs is totally lost on them.

1-18-13

This is what the average afternoon looks like around our house.  Look closely though.  Can you tell what makes homework a little less dull lately?  Yes, Vera Bradley pencils.  Homework is much easier to endure with stylish pencils.

1-17-13

My beautiful fluatist!

Payton had her Winter Band Concert tonight.  It was so fun to watch her play and hear the music she has been perfecting over the past couple of months.  There are 3 different Beginner Band classes and they each have a couple of 1st chair flutes.  We have always joked with Payton that she is 1st-1st chair flute.  We were pleasantly surprised to see that she was seated in the 1st chair spot when all three bands were combined for the concert.  We had a perfect view of her for the entire concert.

 

 

Payton may have had the largest cheering section.  Bryan, the girls, and I were joined by Mimi, Aiti, and Grandpa for the concert.

1-16-13

Hayden had an Honors Program today for the 2nd quarter.  She proudly brought home another A-Honor Roll certificate.  I was subbing so I was unable to attend.  After shedding a few tears about it, I assured Hayden that we were extremely proud of her.  Given her new found love of legos, I was happy to reward her hard work with a Batmobile lego set.

 

1-15-13

Our evenings are pretty much the same.  Dinner, homework, showers, pack lunches, iron uniforms, etc.  I iron the same uniforms everyday but this night we had some variety.  Tomorrow, Payton has a Scholastic Challenge meet and Hayden has technology team.  This means they both get to forgo the usual uniform and wear their respective club t-shirt. It may not seem like that big of a deal but any change from the normal white shirt is exciting around here. 

 

1-14-13

No picture today.  Bryan picked Taylor up early from school because she was quite sick.  She spent the rest of the day sleeping on the couch and huddling up with a bowl.  I came home from school with possibly the worst headache of my life.  After some tylenol, excedrin, time with a pillow over my head, and some moments hugged up to the porcelain throne, I felt much better.  Life went on as usual though.  Bryan made sure the girls did their homework and made dinner.  My family really is the best!

1-13-13

This baby isn't the only reason we go to church every Sunday.  But getting to hold her is usually the highlight of our day.

Sunday night means breakfast for dinner at Mimi and Opa's and a game to finish the evening. We brought Buzzword (thanks Benhams for the awesome gift) and had an awesome time playing it.  The girls are at an age where they are so fun to hang out with.  Opa even played with us.  It maybe because we practically forced him to.  Or because he can't say no to his precious granddaughters.

As with every visit, Hayden and Grandpa spend an ample amount of time wrestling and hanging out.  They are two peas in a pod.

After visiting the gun show, Bryan spent most of the evening researching guns, ammo, ammo-reloaders, etc. 

Any picture I can get of these girls snuggled up and getting along is worth keeping.

1-12-13

Time to celebrate with our favorite almost-four-year-old.  Thankfully these girls aren't too old to hang out with this cute little guy.  Pump it Up parties never disappoint. 

1-11-13

In celebration of Alabama winning the National Championship game, the girls were allowed to wear Alabama t-shirts to school today.  Now, do not get crazy.  They had to be in complete uniform but could wear anything Alabama related over that.  They were even allowed to wear Alabama ribbons...GASP! 

 

 

Another aspect of this photo cannot go unnoticed. It is the abundance of Vera Bradley bags.  It has become quite an obsession with these girls. Lunch boxes, purses, backpacks, wallets, kindle cases, etc. It is a small way for them to show there personality while wearing a uniform.

1-10-13

Payton and Taylor have both joined the chess club at school.  Payton joined immediately when the club began.  Taylor wasn't even remotely interested until she had to attend with Payton one afternoon when I didn't have any way to get her home.  She was hooked after that.  Payton asked for a chess set for Christmas and has since been trying to teach Hayden how to play. 

 

1-9-13

Most afternoons are consumed with after-school activities and homework.  Today, the girls had a little bit of free time so they did what any kid their age would do.  Check Facebook and eat cucumbers.

 

Here is my favorite snuggly girl in her usual form.  Wearing pajamas and acting goofy.  These pink pajamas go in every single load of laundry I do.  Hayden puts them on every day after school and wears them all weekend unless we are going somewhere that is not appropriate for pajamas.