An Extra Excuse ;)

Yeah, yeah, like so many others, I default to Facebook, but in an effort to have a backup for memories of what my kids have said and done (usually to throw me under the bus), I'm going to make an try and post them here too.

Let me start with updated info and pics.

Linus is now NINE.  How'd that happen?  She looks and acts like a big girl now.  She's an amazingly loving big sister.  She's a great student, and she's a tremendous help to me whenever I ask.  She is still full of energy, and when she loves something, she loves with all her heart.  She will be in fourth grade in the fall.

Lolly, who is rarely now called Lolly and often answers to Cakey or Bear, is three.  She's growing up way too fast!  Her humor rivals that of Linus, and she's completely aware of how funny she is.  If somebody stops her to tell her she's adorable, she smiles and says, "I know."  We're working on being a bit more gracious.  :)  She will be in PreK in the fall.

Helloooooo?????

Long time no post!

Hello to all. Not sure if anyone checks anymore, but I take a peek back at my blog on occasion, and I kind of miss blogging. And my memory...sheesh! My memory. Or lack there of. Each time I read an entry or two, I'm reminded of things Linus has done that I had forgotten. It makes me mad to think of what I might have "lost" in the past year and a half. Thinks like the fact that Lolly can't say sandwich, and instead calls it a dammit. ;) Or that when I took Lolly's temperature the other day, she asked me if she had Bieber Fever. Yikes! And Linus! My sweet Linus. You know she's been cracking us up for the past 18 months.

Time for me to get back to it!

A HUGE thank you to those of you who have continually checked in on me. When I'd see an email pop up here and there, it truly made me smile. They always seemed to come when I needed them most. Thank you!

My Amazing Dad

I'm having trouble going to sleep tonight. My mind won't give in and let my tired body sleep. I'm painfully aware that by going to sleep tonight, I'll wake up tomorrow, and with tomorrow's dawn brings the new part of my identity--the part I never wanted to have. This morning was the last day I got to wake up without a huge hole in my heart. I don't want tomorrow to come. I want to hold on to today as long as I possibly can. Technically it's already tomorrow (I tweaked the date stamp on this entry), but since I haven't slept yet, I can still pretend it's not. Today, I can say I saw my dad. I touched my dad. I kissed his forehead. I hugged him. It all ended today though.

Today my dad passed away.

Today my heart broke.

Today I woke up as a girl with a living father. Beginning tomorrow, and for the remainder of my life, I'll be a girl with a father who is no longer living. A girl who can never again hear his voice. Hear him tell me how proud of me his is. I can no longer watch him dissolve my girls into precious giggles with his antics. I am so thankful that I did have those opportunities despite the pain I feel right now.

As thankful as I am, though, I just can't give in to sleep. I want to hold on to today as long as I possibly can...

The day I got to be with my dad.

The last day he was alive.


To see what an amazing man he was, read here and here.

The Power of Seven

Linus had an amazingly good day today. She's my spirited child, and many of her days are spent bouncing from one thing to the next. Today she made an effort to enjoy life like only Linus can, yet do so in a calm manner. She did a fantastic job. Seriously fantastic. When we talked about what a great day she had, I asked her if she noticed the difference. Yes, she did. I asked her if she felt any different during the day. Yes, she did. I asked her how she felt different. Seven. Seven? Yes, seven. "I felt seven years old, Mama. Not six and three quarters, but seven!" Ahh, to look forward to counting each and every fourth of a year! :)

Happy 2010!

Happy New Year to everyone in blogland!

I'm hoping to get back to regular blogging. In the past I've used it as a way to remember the cute things Linus said. Lolly has joined the cute sayings now, and remembering for two is twice as hard (duh!), so I've GOT to write it down.
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We had a fantastic Christmas. Linus loved every. single. thing. she got. Lolly still has one unopened present. She only got five things total from Santa and us, so it's not like we went overboard. I simply forgot how long it takes my girls to open presents. They give each gift due time before moving on to another. Lolly thinks her world is complete with a phone, remote, and purse though. :)

Merry Christmas from my two favorite kiddos and me...

Linus, 6 yrs


Lolly, 16 months

Kids Live Here!

How to tell children live in this home:






Why, yes, that is a frog in our fan. Which one do you think is responsible for this?

By the way, the fan looks dusty, but I promise it isn't. I'd freak if I had dust blowing around!

Hello Again...Again!

Ok, trying again. Things are really busy here, but I'm petrified that if I don't make the time to blog, I'll forget the things my kids do. So, here's to another go at making an effort to blog and read blogs.
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Just in case you thought life might be easier at my house with Lolly than Linus, I present How to Know You've Lost the Sippy Cup War, Vol 1.

I've tried casually to introduce the sippy cup to Lolly a few times. She's less than thrilled with them. I tried again today. I believe this qualifies as a fail: I handed the sippy to Lolly. She handed it back, shook her head no and said, "bot bot."

More proof:
While Army, Linus, and I sipped on the most delicious milkshake ever (we split it, one sip in and we all knew splitting was a huge mistake!), Lolly was finishing off her lunch. She had a huge lunch--pasta, turkey, carrots, peas, and crackers. The kid can eat! Once she ate her last bite, she looked at a piece of bread and began her efforts to let us know she wanted it. In the meantime, I asked her to point to the light. "No, no, no" she said as she shook her head. I repeated, "Lolly, where's the light? Show me the light." Since "no, no, no" didn't work on me, she tried another approach. She lifted her palms, shrugged her shoulders, and made an "I don't know noise." Army then asked her if she wanted bread. Immediately she shook her head yes. After he gave her a piece, he asked her to point to the light. And she did. Then she laughed. Little stinker! She already knows how to bargain.
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A little Linusism:
Linus asked for cinnamon toast for breakfast. I'll admit I usually cut her sandwich into however many slices she wants (or even shapes when she was younger or on holidays). She asked for it to be cut into quarters. Since I knew that meant more chances for her to spill the cinnamon, I said no. She grinned and said, "Ok, then, how 'bout fourths?" :P