Mmmmm

Do you have an Andy's Frozen Custard in your town?  If not, you ought too.  It is heaven on earth during a hot August day.  The girls think so too.

Basket Case

With school starting it occured to me that exactly one year from now, we will be sending our little on off for her first day of school.  As I told Jeff this, I started to tear up.  He found that quite humorous. After all, it is still another year away.  Yes, folks, I'm afraid I will be a real basket case.  It pains my heart.  Not because I will be scared for her.  In fact, I think she will enjoy it quite a bit.  I know she'll adapt quickly and enjoy being in a learning environment for the bulk of her day. The kid loves everything about learning and being around other children(which I love).  I can't wait to hear about the new kids she meets and I'm curious to learn what circle of friends she chooses to hang with the most.  I pray that those friends will be well grounded in their faith and respectful of adult authority.

I guess there will be a grieving process this Mommy may have to go through.  A little separation anxiety, if you will.  I feel so incredibly blessed to have been able to spend almost every waking moment, day in and out, with this precious little one for all of her life.  I feel so fortunate that I have not had to drop her off at daycare.  Rather, I have been able to share in all her firsts, teach her the correct way to behave, instill a passion for learning and creativity, teach her how to show care and concern for others, and most importantly, instill an understanding and love of her creator and Savior  This is not to say that these things can not be taught by others at daycare, but in my opinion, I am my child's best and most influential teacher.  It will be a little tough handing those reigns over to someone else.  I will always be her Mama and teach her what I can on her time off, but for the most part, she is going to be beginning a whole new education of life away from me.

I will miss hearing her say funny things. I will miss hearing her laughter in the house while she's gone. I will miss seeing her galavant around the house like a wild person, prance around in her princess dresses, bust a move to Micheal Jackson, and put together a million puzzles.  I will miss hearing her to try to speak spanish as she watches Dora, sit down to color and draw all on her own accord and get excited about crafts with Mommy and learning time with Mommy.  I will miss her complementing on my awesome snack making skills.  I will miss listening to her wild ideas. I will especially miss watching her play with her little sis.  Part of me will be grieving for Bren's loss of her buddy. 

When she was first born, school seemed so far away. It seemed as if she would stay in each stage she was in forever, and then before I knew it, she was on to another stage.  It felt like I would be able to be with her forever.  I know I will adjust and we will find a new norm.  Until then, I am going to try to savor every last moment.  As one year will pass all too quickly.  Sigh!  My baby girl is growing up.

Dada got dunked

Last Friday I was so pooped I declined Jeff's offer to all go to the YMCA for a summer carnival.  I told him I would stay back with Bren and he could just take Kadyn.  After all, I didn't want to put a damper on potential fun for everyone, so off they went just the two of them.  I guess they had a lot of fun.  Jeff volunteered to let Kadyn try to dunk him in the dunk tank (pic above).  What a great Dad!  She was successful.  He came home sopping wet.  He also came home with a whole bunch of baked goods.  He took advantage of the end of the night clearance prices.  Most went in my freezer as we don't exactly need to all those sweets all at once, and I know we would if they were just lying around all the time.  Here are some pics of their fun.

Another one down

I have made a goal to make one Christmas present a week until they are all done.  I think that's a reasonable goal.  So far I've made 5 1/2.  The latest is a little armband pouch for cell phones, keys, or an ipod.  It will come in really handy for this special someone when she works out. I'm almost thinking I need one now, although I need to make it out of a sturdier material next time.  Luckily, I am able to post a pic because the gift recipient A. already knows what I'm making her...and...B.  Never reads my blog.  So here it is.  It was a little more difficult to make than I expected.  Mostly because it is hard to sew on such tiny things.

Giving all the glory

Ever since I have graduated college (and even in Highschool and College) I have been working with children.  First it was school aged children, then it was babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.  Needless to say I have had the opportunity to see all kinds of different behaviors.  Some children I have adored and could only hope my own would turn out similar to those.  Others were my worst nightmare. 

It wasn't until I had children of my own that I really started analyzing why certain children behaved the way they did. More and more I find myself thankful that I have been given the children I have after my experience with others.  I realize that the way my children are are a culmination of a lot of things which include their unique design by their creator, the environment they are in, and the way we raise them.  I have had some rough patches where I have second guessed my parenting and felt a failure and feared that my children would turn into those kids I that I dreaded working with in earlier years.  However, throughout those times, I was always trying to seek the wisdom of God to get through.  And to no surprise, he came through everytime.

Currently we are in a pleasant stage with both girls.  Bren can be quite demanding at times as she loves to whine, but I'm trying to get a hold on it, and God has strengthened me to keep my cool about it as it is really exhausting when she behaves that way.  I know there will be more rough times ahead in parenting, but overall when I look at my children, I just feel proud and blessed because they are such good girls.  They are respectful, loving, funny, polite, smart, witty, creative, and just plain awesome. 

I figure there are two types of parents.  Those who look at other people's children and wish theirs would behave like that, and those who are so thankful their kids are the way they are.  I am so glad to say that I am the later.  We don't leave the girls with others very often, but when we do, they always have such positive kind words to say about our girls.  The term "angels" has been used more than once when describing our girls.  It can be easy to take all the credit, but deep down I know there is NO WAY they would be the precious little angels they have become without that hand from above teaching me how to do this.  So God.....to you be all the glory.  You're the best mentor a parent could ever ask for. 

Preschool Jam Session 2010

The dancing sure is cute, but it's what happened in the midst of that that had me cracking up.  Oh, silly kids! Click on the little box to see.

From 2010-07-28

Yah right Kadyn

For the record, I did not spank Kadyn for this BUT....I did let my mouth run a little and used that threat if she should ever do this again.  I guess I was envisioning her writing on my walls when I said it and panicked.  If you read my post about spanking you would know that I was hoping to never spank ever again and find alternative ways to discipline.  Here's hoping she never does this again, so I don' t have to explain to her why I am not going to make good on that threat or be tempted to.  I'd like to think the consequence I gave her was enough to make her think twice next time.  She was at it for quite awhile.  You can tell by my questions in the video I felt a little guilty about making the spanking threat.

Anyhow...after I cooled off about the fact that she wrote on my floorand tried to get her sister in trouble for it by lying, I actually had to hold back my laughter because after all...it really is ridiculous that she thought she'd get away with that.

From 2010-07-30