Not often do I actually impress myself...

I decorated this cupcake this week in my cake decorating class at co-op! How cool is that? I don't mean this to sound like I'm bragging, 'cause I'm not.... I really did shock myself that this turned out as well as it did. When it comes to drawing critters, an artist I am NOT. Plus, when I initially drew the horse, all the girls in my class tipped their heads sideways and said "What is that supposed to be?"

(Literally. Cocked their heads and looked at it cross-eyed. "Huh?")

But when I added the "grass" and then the suggested "grapes," it actually turned out really good. I was very proud. Too proud to eat it actually. It's still sitting on the counter :-)

Two down...And out.

I helped with this one... EW EW EW! Blech!

(What an awful picture... she'll hate me someday for this one... :-)

Ugh... Growing Up...

I'm so proud of my little Melia. She went over to play with the neighbor kids while we were outside this morning, but when she got to the group (they had friends over) one of them starting teasing another one about "liking her." She came back home.

I asked her why. At first she said it was just "too funny" over there. I pushed a little more, (with a pretty good idea of what happened) asking why it was "funny." She said she wasn't sure, but she didn't like the way it made her feel. She finally got around to telling me what they said, but I was just so happy that she left right away when she didn't feel good about what was going on, even if she didn't understand it.


Guarding her heart will prove to be quite the challenge I'm afraid.

I just can't control myself...

Isaac has learned how to plug one nostril and blow snot out the other one. Unfortunately, every time he does it, I get grossed out, and he thinks that's funny. Of course it is. Momma squealing? Hilarious. Not to mention slimy booger boy.

More Melia Memories: Cat Toys and Teeth

Melia drew this "mouse." She wanted to make a cat toy. Unfortunately, she quickly learned how fragile paper is when up against a kitten's claws. When she asked me what I thought of her mouse, I told her I thought it looked more like a rat :-) You know, because the "bad guy" rats always have bumpy noses and red eyes...

Melia lost her first tooth on Friday! She was brushing her teeth, and somehow knocked it out. She says she heard it bounce onto the bathroom counter, then to the floor, but we never did find it. Even after taking out the trap under the sink and opening up the vent, she really REALLY lost her first tooth :-)

$1000 and Spanish Names

As we're finishing up the $100K episode of America's Funniest Videos, Melia asks me "Do you know what I will do when I send in a video and win the $1000?" I have no idea, guessing buy an American Girl doll or.... a pony? She says "Go to a hotel! Because I love going to hotels!"

Today in the car, Melia's trying to say some things in Spanish. We're working on the numbers, and then... "Mommy, how do you say Kiera in Spanish?" I tried to explain that when you are using someone's or something's special (proper) name, it doesn't change. I could not explain it well enough. Then she asks, "How do they name their babies in Spanish?"
**Brooke, you wanna help me out here? ;-)**

An Argument I Don't Know How to Win...

Kiera thinks that she needs a new name when she turns nine. She asks me what we will name her... Her name choice? Melia. And when I tell her that we gave her name to her special when she was born, she starts to cry and says she doesn't like her name and wants to be named Melia.

The thing is, Melia is not nearly as spicy as Kiera. It just wouldn't fit. And besides, what then would we call Melia?

A Good Day :-)

Today, Melia spelled 15 words with the words covered up on Boggle Jr. Kiera matched 5 words. Our goal is to beat their individual scores each time we play- I am thrilled that they did so well this first time!

And...
My "Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day" (recommended by Kari) arrived today. Of course, it had to be a work day, but I'll get it started soon :-)

Oh, yeah, and another personal eating accomplishment. I've eaten green cabbage twice during this holiday season. I'm very proud of myself.

Random Christmas Pics

The kids in their fort, from Shaun and Andrea.

The fort from above. And yes, this was a "mommy-put-up" job, so I'm sure Daddy can do it better...

Melia tied her shoes for the first time that I actually saw her do it. She said it was the first time as well. (Or at least that day was the first time...)

One of the family pics this year...

Miss Jayden and G'ma Debbie

Isaac... the poster child for "BOY" stuff. :-)

I thought this was great. One of the those foods I just cannot eat... hard boiled egg yolks. Yuck. I got in trouble when I was "younger" because I stashed my yolk in Mom's fine silverware box... I'm not sure how nasty it was when she found it. :-) But it's in the same catagory as sweet relish- it just ain't goin' down.

And apparently, Isaac has the same problem....

Playing with Daddy at Lee and Darlene's house. He was in a head-butting mood this day.

Isaac hamming it up for the camera with G'ma Nae.

Cold Tea Party

This is kind of a long story.. because it's more than one. First off, we have Esther. She is spying on the the chickens who venture up onto our porch to eat our cat food. Wierd? I think so too. The chicken, I mean. Then yesterday, Kiera was desperate to have a tea party. To her, a tea party is out on the porch with real water (since I don't let them do it in the house.) We told her it was freezing cold (like 15 degrees...) but that she could do it if she really wanted. She quickly got out her tea party stuff and headed out to the deck. I got her a mason jar of water and a bowl of pretzels. Then we had trouble because Sissy didn't want to play. I looked out the door and Leo was eating the pretzels and drinking the water. So I took a picture...
Kiera was a bit upset by this until I told her that she could have a tea party with Leo and Kerzon (who had since escaped the house and pestering kitten). She was then happy with that.
Until that nasty chicken thought he would join the party as well.... Kiera tried chasing her off a few times.

And then all chaos broke out... At some point, the door was open enough for the spying, chicken-hating Esther to escape the house as well, and she took off like a shot after that chicken, with absolutely no regard for the fact that the chicken is twice her size....

Kiera then had to attempt to try to chase the wired Esther back in to the house... which took a while...