Finally Ready

Darrell and I were woken up this morning by our sweet little girl who came into our room and proudly announced, "Daddy I'm ready".

For what you ask?

Well the last 3 or 4 days the conversation in our home has consisted of a mixture of Lianna complaining about her loose tooth bothering her, and Darrell teasing her about pulling it out. However, we promised that we wouldn't do it until she was ready.

So with a proud smile, she climbed into our bed, tissue paper in hand, and waited for Daddy to begin. He reached for some floss and quickly realized it would be difficult to maneuver it around the base of Lianna's tiny tooth. I (the ever resourceful mommy) start digging in my sewing kit for some thread. I suddenly hear Lianna exclaim, "oh!" I turn around and sure enough Darrell has a tooth wrapped in tissue paper in his hand and Lianna proudly displays the new window in her smile.

Of course, I took pictures!

Expanding Horizons

Even at 31 years old I am still learning new things everyday. Yesterday I had a profound food breakthrough. But before I explain you need some previous history.

See D and I have been trying to eat lighter, healthier, low calorie meals. So we've been trying new recipes and have recently realized that fish purchased in the freezer section at the grocery is not half bad and much more affordable than the market. So a few months ago we tried fiery fish tacos. So Yummy! Except for the key ingredient that I was unable to find. I replaced it with cabbage (I had extra and was trying to use it up), yuck big mistake.

I kept wondering what jicama (was pronouncing it jikahmuh) was and weeks later found myself in Arlington at On The Border. Low and behold there was a salad with salsa that included raw jicama. I ordered it and loved it. I had heard it was much like a cross between an apple and a water chestnut and sure enough... crunch and mildly sweet. Yum!

Fast forward to last weekend when D and I are planning our weekly menu. His parents are coming into town for the long weekend coming up and we wanted to plan some fun things to eat. Fish tacos! That's different. BUT what about the jicama? D is unable to locate it at our nearest Kroger so yesterday I took all three kids to the only other Kroger in town and sure enough right next to the ginger root is a selection of jicamas. Score! I am somewhat surprised by the roundness of this food but trust that it is labeled correctly, purchase my other items and head home. I do of course call Darrell and my MIL to celebrate my find.

Once home I realize I have no idea how to prepare this thing. So I turn to the laptop computer and google it. No less than 47,000 hits. Really? Lots of people know about this thing? Sure enough I locate a video. Perfect! I'm a visual learner. A chef with a strong accent walks me through the process and now I'm set. Saturday we're having fiery fish tacos with jicama. Oh and according to the chef lady I've been pronouncing it wrong all along. It sounds more like 'heekumah'. Oh well.

Easter - long overdue

Okay, so Easter was like three weeks ago or something and I'm just now updating my blog with pictures. I'm sorry it's been so neglected. No excuses.

We spent the long weekend in Mississippi with D's Grandmother and Aunts and Uncle. It was lots of fun. The kids L-O-V-E riding the four-wheelers!

Enjoy!

Little Ballerinas

For those who don't know, Lianna started taking ballet with Gobel's School of Dance in January. For those who know we are on baby step 2 please have no fear... it was important to Lianna's Gram that she got involved in different sports, activities and such when she was old enough. :) Please feel free to hold us accountable though. Anyway, I thought some of you might enjoy seeing our little ballerina practice her dance for the recital they'll be performing in May.

Lianna was actually commenting to me before this class, that she didn't want to go because they were learning a dance and it was hard. :) I explained that if she kept going it was get easier and easier and soon it would be SO easy! She agreed to go, and after class said it was easier. I love having such an agreeable child. God has spoiled me rotten. I know, but then again, I AM his favorite. :D

I believe the teacher called this a jete'

Attitude maybe? Ah! Can't remember them all.

First position
And again the jete'

Mommy.... mommy.... mommy

I'm sure we all went through this stage, I vaguely remember Lianna doing this for a while, but now Brooks has started into it as well. Ugh! My dad used to say, Allison, you sound like a broken record. Well, my kids don't even know what a record is, but seriously... they sound just like one! The other day in the car went like this:

Brooks: Mommy...

Me: Brooks?

Brooks: Mommy...

Me: Yes sir?

Brooks: Mommy...

Me: I'm listening

Brooks: Mommy...

Me: Is there something you want to tell me Brooks?

Brooks: Mommy...

[pause] (by now I'd just given up)

Brooks: Mommy...

[pause]

Brooks: Mommy...

Canaan likes to play the game too.

One day we'll carry on real conversations with our kids right? At first I think, yeah, that'll be great, but then I remember it'll be conversations about why she can't wear the bikini to the pool party or why he can't smoke stogies until he's 18 or have a motorcycle.

Edited to add images of the kids from the same night this was written. We went out to play just as it was getting dark. It was last minute, so some were dressed more appropriately than other. :)

Notice his fancy belt he borrowed from Lianna, and his socks, but no shoes. Those socks were filthy by the time we came inside.

And My Favorite! He wanted to ride his sisters bike, I told him if he put on some shoes the pedals wouldn't hurt his feet. So... he brought me his boots. No socks or pants! Ha! Like any other momma, I put them on for him, then ran to get the camera.

So Blessed!

D and I decided the bunk beds my brothers grew up on just wouldn't work for our boys. It was not a set that we could separate out into twins, and even though Canaan was ready for a big boy bed, Brooks was not ready to be on a top bunk. Our wonderful friends blessed us today with these hand-me-down beds and chest of drawers that match the room perfectly. Check it out!


Notice the step stool for Canaan to climb into his big boy bed. And yes, he fell out of it after laying down for maybe 10 min. As I type, D is in the garage piecing together a guard rail.


Pay no attention to the two big kids hiding under the bed. I told them to get out of the picture... this was their solution.

Bummer

So Lianna didn't get into the Charter school. I really thought, given her personality, and her abilities so far, that she'd do very well there. Alas, God apparently has other plans. Sooo.... unless someone wants to fork over $250 a month for her to attend private school here, she'll be attending the public elementary we are zoned for. D and I were both raised in the public school system. I'm not really knocking our education, but I was hoping to protect my daughter from some of the things we struggled with. I guess, I just want to keep her safe in a little bubble for as long as possible. Is that bad? Is she really ready to face the world, the pressures of fitting in, and the realization that not everyone loves Jesus, at 5 years old?