needing to get recharged

FIVE!

Yesterday was Rachel's big 5 day! She woke up and when I asked her to get dressed she said, "Well...it might be hard to find clothes that fit me...I'm FIVE!"

We filled the day with a few of her favorite things:

• IHOP's pancake smile for breakfast out with Dad
  
• cereal straws for snack (brilliant marketing by someone who basically is reselling those pirouette cookies made by pepperidge farms)
  
• a trip to Build-a-Bear where "Cheetah Girl" was born (Rachel has no idea who the Cheetah Girls are, but often will call her animals "girl")
  
• lunch at Chick-Fil-A...we had to buy Caroline her own kid's meal!
  
• grocery shopping at Harris Teeter--a child's dream grocery store, including her own little shopping cart and free balloons
  
• a delivery from the fedex man--he came to our door when we were doing our photo shoot and delivered a birthday present from grandma
  
• picking up Eliza and Seth from school to go swimming at the new Warrenton Rec Center, woo hoo!
• macaroni and cheese and rolls for dinner
• chocolate cake with chocolate frosting
• telling us her wishes already came true when she received the horse Littlest Pet Shop set and a Webkinz!

Rachel is such a crack up! She was counting down the days until her birthday for at least 10 days or so, and all day long she kept saying, "I can't believe I'm 5, I can't believe I'm 5! It's my birthday already!" She told strangers everywhere we went that today she was 5 and that it was her birthday. She was wished happy birthday from the neighbors, the people sitting next to us at lunch, the staff at build-a-bear (obviously!), the fedex man, the administrator at the school, a few life guards at the pool...and I'm sure that's not everyone!

We now have not 1, not 2, but THREE kids that are ages 5 and older. Whoa, where did these years go??

this is worth a listen

This is totally my LIFE! The song rang so close to home--had me laughing, tearing up and empathizing with this Dad who truly KNOWS what life with kids is all about!

Especially the last minute of the song is so sweet...something I need to keep in mind! Take a listen...

okay, finally a minute for 8 random facts

I'm not going to put a lot of time and effort into this post, so whatever's on my mind tonight will be what you get...you'll get a taste of my stream-of-consciousness. Here goes...

1. I own a 2-piece halter top swimsuit. Don't faint. It's the biggest-kept secret I have (had). I had about the biggest laugh of my life confessing this to Traci last month!
   
2. I usually go throughout the week without make-up. Make-up seems to be a Sunday thing for me now...James can't tell the difference, and I have no time to fuss on these things much during the week.
3. I am absolutely PETRIFIED of singing solos. Never have enjoyed my own voice singing alone. Today they asked me to even sing in a duet at Ward Choir. I told them I just don't do those. PERIOD.
4. I'm contemplating having jaw surgery. I've been to the orthodontist recently and he recommends it, though I have to have a full assessment ($240) to know what absolutely would be the best for my mouth. I got Mom's tongue thrust and Dad's receding jaw. Wicked, wicked, wicked!
5. I will go back to school for a master's degree sometime in the next 30 years. I just keep changing my mind what I want to do. Here are some of the different things I've wanted to study: social work, marriage and family therapy, speech pathology, family law.
   
6. I get really nervous to have my haircut. I have this weird scar on the top of my head from an excision that I had done 8 years ago, and always have to explain it to the person cutting. I have not had a haircut since last October.
   
7. I hate the feeling of getting out of the shower. I don't like to be wet and cold, so I stay in for a long time. Sometimes the thought of getting out of the shower will make me opt not to get in.
8. I really like being the mom to girls. Growing up I always wanted to have a family of all boys, and now I'm just loving being a mom to girls. I understand their thought processes a little better than boys'. It's fun to have a lot of GIRL POWER in the home.

That was actually easier than I thought. There are probably dozens of things people don't know about me...mostly things I choose NOT to share!

off to a good start

We're almost finished with 2 weeks of school. It was hard to start school right after returning from the beach, but for the most part, we've had a good transition into 1st and 3rd grades. Eliza had to get her first 3-ring binder and REAL loose leaf paper for the year...we're growing up!

Now, if we could only figure out a good seat for Seth on the bus. He ended up sitting next to a "friend" from his class last year who last week took a boy's lunch box and farted on it, stinking up the entire bus. He told me it made him sick. So, today as we walked up the hill to the bus, he told me he was already feeling sick about sitting next to Jake again. So, I got on the bus and talked with our wonderful bus driver, requesting a change of seat for the poor boy. Boys will be boys, but I don't need to subject Seth to a year of these kinds of bus rides...

Funny thing. Caroline is seriously afraid of the bus! Every morning (with the exception of today, because we got ON the bus with E and S) she bursts into tears when the bus pulls up and the kids get on. I guess from her perspective, it's a loud, huge yellow machine that eats her brother and sister each morning. SCARY!

And just for the sake of recording...I have to tell you about the Cougar fan that we're raising! Saturday morning came and the first thing out of Seth's mouth was, "Today is BYU football!" After breakfast, I asked the kids to clean their rooms, since we were having a few couples and their kids over to watch the game that evening. After hearing my request, Seth turned to me and said, "Why do I need to clean MY room? They're coming over to WATCH BYU football. No one will be up in MY room!" I've decided this boy is getting his first BYU shirt for Christmas.

And one last thing...I LOVE fall! It's so exciting to see the humidity go back down to normal ranges--to walk outside and not feel a wall of humidity/heat push you back inside. School starts, football season, changing leaves, time to make homemade soups. FALL is WONDERFUL!