Super Sour Sibling Saturday

There's a reason why these two yahoos are in SEPARATE pictures today! This morning began with a great breakfast with my daddy. Mama is at the state DAR Convention so he's been a bachelor for a few days. He wanted to cook us girls breakfast this morning and since he's a fabulous cook, it was quite easy to get the girls out of bed and across the road. Breakfast was fabulous as is always the case, but that's where the pleasantry ended. I had planned a trip to the grocery store and some other errands in town but could not find my debit card. I remembered having it at last night's Relay for Life and I was afraid it was on the track somewhere so I had to cancel the card. In the midst of all this, my two children are screaming at each other and snatching each other around like rag dolls.

Yes. I know they don't LOOK like they are WWF caliber wrestlers but trust me when I say they are. I went three shades of crazy and sent them to their room and dared them to come out. I didn't hear a peep from them for at least a couple of hours. 

Funny how tonight I heard them cackling in the office and I went to inspect. I found the two of them, each with one leg in a pair of tights running around and around the downstairs together. If only us adults could be so forgiving. Mine will scratch each other's eyes out one minute and the next minute be ready to scratch YOUR eyes out for hurting the other one's feelings. Funny...this sisterhood thing is.

I have to give a shout out to my sweet former student, Emily. I got this in the mail today from her:

Other than her parents Jan and Joey, there is no one prouder of her than me! I taught Emily in middle school and my husband taught her in high school. She was and is such a joy. She is joining the Peace Corps and will use her agriculture degree to help struggling African nations grow more of their own food. Pete and I fought over the invitation. The conversation went something like this:

Pete: she showed her first steer in MY class.

Me: So what! I taught her first!

Pete: Well ....

Me: I took her to FFA camp first!

Pete: Well I got the invitation first and I'm taking it!   

Both of us wanted to take the invitation and tape it up at school somewhere as a reminder that every once in a while, a kid really makes it big, and it surely helps you get up and face another day teaching school when you believe you may have had even a small part in that success. It should also remind kids that great things happen to students who work hard. I had lots of students who COULD have done what Emily is doing, but she actually did it!  Good luck Emily! Change the world girl! 

And on a final note, we are irresponsible pet owners. We did not have Millie spayed in time and after a short lived relationship with my parents' Jack Russell Terrier, she had five puppies! They are  dascshund/jack russell mixes and there are 4 males and one female. PLEASE take one if you can! Addie and Ali have played with them every day since they were born and now they follow us around the farm. They need a good home. We have too many critters here already.

Hurray for Relay! Cancer Sucks!

We had a wonderful time at the Jefferson County Relay for Life tonight! I was captain of this year's team, and thanks to some great colleagues, we raised a LOT of money! The kids all had a blast together. Ali Grace and Addie enjoyed seeing some of their old friends from the Academy. 

All the kids enjoyed getting their faces painted. 

 Greg, our co-captain, and his wife Kristen, one of my bunko buddies!

The always cantankerous Mr Hildebrant, our assistant principal. He's such a pain but very good on the grill so we keep him around. 

He and Ms Benny, the other math teacher on my hall love to argue. They disagree about everything and they entertain us with their constant sparring!

A few of my students showed up tonight too! They worked hard on our LMS Relay banner. 

 Our fearless leader, Mr. Dasher. Boys never really grow up. I mean seriously! Isn't this the type of horseplay we are always fussing at the kids about??  :)

 The luminaries were beautiful tonight. It's amazing how many people have been affected by this disease.  

Cancer really does suck and I really was glad to be able to participate in Relay for Life with some close friends this year!

Sweet Dreams

Pete is gone to the FFA Convention. Whenever he has to be out of town, the girls usually sleep with me. This post was so late tonight because I wanted to get a shot of them sleeping.  Love them to the moon and back...BUT, they literally got into a fight IN THE BED.  Ali ended up stomping out and sleeping on the sofa. Ahhh the mother of girls. Love it. Most days.

Zoo Crew!

 Addie's K5 class went to the Riverbanks Zoo today! When I asked her what the coolest thing she saw at the zoo was, she said "Mary Dalton's mother!".  I thought that was hyterical! My friend Amber was at the zoo with her daughter's class from Thomas Jefferson Academy. Addie told her teacher that Amber was my cousin. Who knows where kids come up with the things they say! Thanks Amber, for taking this picture of Addie at the zoo!

Pete leaves tomorrow for the State FFA Convention, so it'll be just us girls for a few days. We're going to the Jefferson County Relay for Life event Friday night and we'll have to look and find some more trouble to get into the rest of the weekend! Heck, at this point I'm just hoping I can survive until the weekend!

A SUPER SPARTAN SPELLER

Hooray for Ali Grace! She won third place at the David Emanuel Academy spelling bee this morning. Unfortunately I couldn't go see her, since we were giving the CRCT. I was so proud of her! 

I think she was so nervous she peeled the nail polish off of her fingernails during the bee!

No one is prouder of kids than their grandparents! Nanny wanted to treat Ali Grace to dinner. Poppy and Daddy had a Cattleman's Association meeting and so the girls went out for pizza! Ali got to pick the restaurant and she chose Pizza Hut. I usually abhor Pizza Hut but it wasn't too bad this time. Ali enjoyed being the queen of the evening. 

I watered the straw bale garden tonight and saw my first tomato AND my first bell pepper! Woohoo!  Yes, I've reached the age where I woo hoo about my garden and you know what? I'm fine with that. 

Babies growing up is hard on Mama..

Ali Grace had to illustrate a picture of Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox. She is so creative. She gets that from her Daddy. I can't draw stick people. Seriously. 

Addie got her zoo tee shirt today. She cannot wait to go on her Big Buddy/Little Buddy field trip to Riverbanks Zoo on Wednesday. She really has enjoyed her year with her big buddy, Lauren. Lauren is a senior this year and once a month comes to do crafts and spend time with Addie. It was quite a blessing! Addie had a wonderful experience! The girls are both growing up so quickly and today when I pulled out Addie's zoo shirt from her bag, and saw it I had a good Mommy cry. 

Notice it says "Class of 2011/Class of 2023"  I thought about Lauren's mother, and although I don't know her,  I'm sure when she sees the shirt she'll remember when Lauren was once a Little Buddy and it will seem like yesterday. So not ready for that. 

 Aside from provoking tears, aren't these the cutest tee shirts you've ever seen?? They have all the kids' signatures Kindergartners as well as Seniors. I thought it was the sweetest idea!

"When you're a little kid you're a bit of everything; Scientist, Philosopher, Artist. Sometimes it seems like growing up is giving these things up one at a time.."

The Wonder Years

Blessings in Plain Sight..

The girls are always so excited to put on their new Easter dresses each year. This year was no exception!

Addie loves any dress that twirls when she spins!

Ali Grace looked so grown up today. (sniffle...)

Pastor David's sermon today encouraged us all to look for the blessings right under our noses. I think we all focus on the blessings we WISH we had or the blessings others have received. That's part of our shortcomings as humans I guess. Sometimes we need to be gently reminded that we're looking in the wrong place! I am so very thankful for God's provisions for our family and that He continues to bless us in so many different ways. 

After church, we ate dinner at Nanny and Poppy's and later that afternoon Ali Grace, in a state of spoiled rottenness, talked Nanny into frying some homemade potato chips. Ali loves them! They were not as good as fresh from the garden red potatoes, but until we are able to dig fresh ones they will do! 

The girls finished the afternoon helping Poppy feed the cows, horses and chickens.

And we ALL counted the days left until summer break when EVERY day can be like Sunday afternoon!

Work it girls!

This morning we woke up early and went to breakfast at Poppy's. The girls were excited about working cattle today. Addie really dressed for the occasion in a dress that was too small and on backwards. Whatever.  Ali Grace wore flip flops but she was anxious to be a part of the action.

Ali's job was to write the calf numbers on the ear tags.

Leon's job was...well I'm not sure Leon had a job. He is scared of cows. We all got a good laugh out of his antics today. While we worked cattle, Mama told him the story of Bill Pickett, the famous black cowboy who invented the rodeo sport of bulldogging (steer wrestling). She refrained from telling him that Bill Pickett died from a swift kick to the head by a cow until we were done. Ouch. That did not help Leon's cowaphobia. Actually I think Pickett was killed by a horse kick, but the cow kick razzed Leon a little more so we went with it. 

Pete worked behind the scenes, moving cattle into the chute.

almost finished...

My daddy, the "Trail Boss"! 

Juana helped me with the syringes and made sure I didn't kill anything by overdose. 

This is the calf that Leon let by... after mumbling a hundred times "please don't come toward me!". Even baby cows smell fear!   :)

Bo tried his best to get killed...

And by lunchtime, we were done. The cattle loved their new lush pasture!

Mama cooked lunch for the farm crew and we headed home to get dressed for the Easter Egg hunt at Kackleberry Farm. There was a big crowd there today!

They had a blast on the zip line!

The girls should sleep well tonight! Hope so since we'll be up early curling hair for Easter Sunday!