We have been posting John and Betsy's best quotes of the day (QOTD) on Facebook, but I wanted to share them here as well.
J: (Deep sigh) "I feel like I have been in a war, and I just got defeated."
J, leaving the gym: "Wow, that was more fun than I expected."
B: "Mama, I love you. Do you know why?" Me: "Why?" Betsy: "Because Daddy told me to and because you have money in your car."
J: "Mama! I slept late! I woke up at 6:43 instead of 6:40!"
J, after I asked him to carry his backpack from the car "Ugh! I have to do ALL the work!"
J, making paper airplanes "Dad, I want to tell you about lift and gravity playing tug-of-war"
B: "Daddy - Mama said food makes poo poo"
J: "Dad! Boys don't wear jewelry except for in Kenya"
B, playing dress up: "Sometimes Mama is the queen and I am Snow White and you are the Prince and Bubba is the... the... horse."
J, playing Rock Band: "It's Sunday, so we should probably play Livin' On A Prayer"
J: "Sometimes using words make me hiccup. I'm going to say 'Yes' in sign language."
J: "I'm trying to be patient but it's not working"
J, at dinner, after I asked him what he wanted to pray for: "My friends, our good food .. oh, and I want to pray that you'll remember next time that I like mushrooms in my spinach quiche."
J, after completing a time out: "Mama, I need to let you know that my heart is just a little bit broken because you put me in timeout." And the outburst that landed him in timeout? "Looking at the answer pages is NOT cheating! There are NO winners or losers in WORKBOOKS!"
(I should note here that Betsy really does say funny things, too.)
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
The Graduate
He made it through kindergarten! (And so did we.)
We couldn't be more proud of our sweet boy and his kindergarten year. He loved school, loved his teacher and friends, learned a bunch, and really made the whole transition to school-age as easy on us as we could have ever hoped.
He completed the full year -- all 175 days -- with green check-plus reports for behavior, which we are pretty happy about. At the year-end awards night, he was presented with two certificates from his teacher. His Academic Achievement award was for Critical Thinking (for all those Apollo schematics, I'm sure), and his Christian Character award was for Acceptance. His wonderful teacher told us that he was a good friend to all of his classmates, and that makes us the most proud of all.
Today, the Lower School celebrated with a really awesome swim party at a local pool, and then we kept the party rolling with a LONG stop at Chick Fil A (along with the Parkers and a good number of his classmates). Tonight he told me that he could give me a big "First Grader" hug goodnight, and he fell asleep quickly, ready to tackle the summer.
Unfortunately, he has never known the meaning of sleeping in, so I'm afraid I'll still have early wake up calls. I wonder if First Grade is old enough to start making the coffee each day ...
Congratulations, Bug! We are so proud of you!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Skeetos
I was snuggling with Betsy last night as she was going to bed, and after she was quiet for a few minutes, I thought she was almost asleep. Then all of a sudden she spoke up.
B: "Mama, what is God going to do about the skeetos?" (mosquitoes)
M: "Um, I don't know, sweetheart."
B: "I think he's gonna kill 'em."
Ah, my sweet girl, drifting off to dreamland. With visions of sugarplums and mosquito annihilation.
B: "Mama, what is God going to do about the skeetos?" (mosquitoes)
M: "Um, I don't know, sweetheart."
B: "I think he's gonna kill 'em."
Ah, my sweet girl, drifting off to dreamland. With visions of sugarplums and mosquito annihilation.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Six, Going on 60
To John, on his 6th birthday --
Happy birthday to my sweet, funny boy. Oh, you are funny. And oh, you are sweet. You make us smile and laugh and melt each and every day.
Today was cool and sunny and gorgeous, much like I remember this day 6 years ago. Or like I choose to remember it, since I was in the hospital from before sunrise until two days later and really have no idea what the weather was like. It was the perfect day to celebrate a birthday.
We started off your morning with Star Wars pancakes -- I hadn't told you about buying the molds, and have been saving them for today. Then Betsy and I came up to school with Chick Fil A for lunch, and I came back in the afternoon with cupcakes for your class. We had dinner at home (more on that in a bit) and ice cream cake, followed by the presents you couldn't wait to open. I think you had a pretty good day.
I feel like you have grown up so much this year, and I'm sure that I've said that every year, but this time it really does seem like you have crossed the line from babyhood to young childhood -- real, school-age stuff.
A quick recap of some of the things you've done since turning 5:
-- You moved back to the U.S. and took the whole repatriation process in stride. You didn't bat an eye about leaving China and arriving back in Austin. You just walked right into Kerbey Lane at 2 a.m., looked around, and got right back to life in Texas.
-- You spent the summer doing all kinds of really cool things like traveling to Destin, attending Family Camp, and really working hard at learning how to swim (and you're almost there!)
-- You made new friends and reconnected with old friends
-- You began making your way through an impressive reading list -- Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Hobbit, and the first two Harry Potter Books, not to mention a huge stack of Magic Tree House books. Your appetite for reading is incredible!
-- You started Kindergarten, and you rocked it. :-) You love school. You've only missed two days because of illness, and at least to my knowledge, you have never once complained about getting up and going.
I'd say it's been a pretty busy year. And it has been a lot of fun. There are just a few things I want to note, in hopes that you'll laugh one day to think about yourself at 5-turning-6.
You are so exact in the way that you speak, carefully choosing each and every word that you want to say (and sometimes starting and stopping several times before getting a single sentence out in entirety). But the best part is that when you do finally manage to spit it out, it is most often a very kind and thoughtful thing that you're saying. Especially to your sister, and to me and your daddy. You have always been sweet, and now you just have more vocabulary to express it.
You are certain of what you want. Case in point -- your birthday dinner this evening. For the record, it was YOU who decided that your big meal would be a rotisserie chicken, broccoli, and plain noodles. Not me. I was all set to take you to Chuy's, Phil's, whatever you wanted. But you wanted rotisserie chicken.
You spring out of bed each morning as soon as the alarm goes off. We joke that you throw off the covers with one hand and smack the alarm off with the other. You are often dressed and in our room before you are really awake. Saturday mornings are the best, because you get yourself into your full uniform -- including shin guards -- before the sun is up. Even if your game isn't until noon. We love this about you but sometimes wish that you would apply the same initiative to getting ready for bed, when it takes you 30 minutes to change into your pajamas.
Your obsessions are fierce and a wonder to behold. This time last year we were knee-deep in Transformers and I truly never thought I would see the end of it. But then you discovered Star Wars, and I thought, no, this might be worse. You found a Star Wars Visual Dictionary at the library and digested each and every word, making us laugh (and thoroughly annoying your friends) as you insisted that you use proper form in your light saber battles. ("No, you're supposed to use Parry 4. PARRY 4!!!") And then, then -- I let you watch a shuttle launch, and your love for NASA was born. I've stopped saving each and every Saturn V diagram that you've done at school, because MY WORD there are a lot of them, but I love that you love them. I love watching you learn everything you can about the different things you love, and listening to you tell us about them.
Along the same lines, your memory is incredible. (You get that from me and from your Nana, I'm sure. ;-)) I am always shocked at the details you remember. Over Thanksgiving, we had a short layover at DFW on our way home from Minnesota, and you and Betsy stopped to play in the little airplane-themed playground. You climbed up on top of the play airplane and proceeded to give the pilot announcements and safety demonstration, very nearly verbatim. Tonight you reminded us that Conner, a little boy in your 3-4 year old class in Shanghai, shared your birthday.
You are an amazingly patient big brother. I know I have said this before, but I am just more and more impressed with your love and consideration for your little sister. Because she sometimes can be a pain, I'll give you that. (And sometimes you deserve it.) Thank you for taking such good care of her.
We are so thankful for you, and so thankful that we get to be your parents. You really are, as your daddy often calls you, our special little boy. I can't believe you're 6.
We love you.
Happy birthday to my sweet, funny boy. Oh, you are funny. And oh, you are sweet. You make us smile and laugh and melt each and every day.
Today was cool and sunny and gorgeous, much like I remember this day 6 years ago. Or like I choose to remember it, since I was in the hospital from before sunrise until two days later and really have no idea what the weather was like. It was the perfect day to celebrate a birthday.
We started off your morning with Star Wars pancakes -- I hadn't told you about buying the molds, and have been saving them for today. Then Betsy and I came up to school with Chick Fil A for lunch, and I came back in the afternoon with cupcakes for your class. We had dinner at home (more on that in a bit) and ice cream cake, followed by the presents you couldn't wait to open. I think you had a pretty good day.
I feel like you have grown up so much this year, and I'm sure that I've said that every year, but this time it really does seem like you have crossed the line from babyhood to young childhood -- real, school-age stuff.
A quick recap of some of the things you've done since turning 5:
-- You moved back to the U.S. and took the whole repatriation process in stride. You didn't bat an eye about leaving China and arriving back in Austin. You just walked right into Kerbey Lane at 2 a.m., looked around, and got right back to life in Texas.
-- You spent the summer doing all kinds of really cool things like traveling to Destin, attending Family Camp, and really working hard at learning how to swim (and you're almost there!)
-- You made new friends and reconnected with old friends
-- You began making your way through an impressive reading list -- Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Hobbit, and the first two Harry Potter Books, not to mention a huge stack of Magic Tree House books. Your appetite for reading is incredible!
-- You started Kindergarten, and you rocked it. :-) You love school. You've only missed two days because of illness, and at least to my knowledge, you have never once complained about getting up and going.
I'd say it's been a pretty busy year. And it has been a lot of fun. There are just a few things I want to note, in hopes that you'll laugh one day to think about yourself at 5-turning-6.
You are so exact in the way that you speak, carefully choosing each and every word that you want to say (and sometimes starting and stopping several times before getting a single sentence out in entirety). But the best part is that when you do finally manage to spit it out, it is most often a very kind and thoughtful thing that you're saying. Especially to your sister, and to me and your daddy. You have always been sweet, and now you just have more vocabulary to express it.
You are certain of what you want. Case in point -- your birthday dinner this evening. For the record, it was YOU who decided that your big meal would be a rotisserie chicken, broccoli, and plain noodles. Not me. I was all set to take you to Chuy's, Phil's, whatever you wanted. But you wanted rotisserie chicken.
You spring out of bed each morning as soon as the alarm goes off. We joke that you throw off the covers with one hand and smack the alarm off with the other. You are often dressed and in our room before you are really awake. Saturday mornings are the best, because you get yourself into your full uniform -- including shin guards -- before the sun is up. Even if your game isn't until noon. We love this about you but sometimes wish that you would apply the same initiative to getting ready for bed, when it takes you 30 minutes to change into your pajamas.
Your obsessions are fierce and a wonder to behold. This time last year we were knee-deep in Transformers and I truly never thought I would see the end of it. But then you discovered Star Wars, and I thought, no, this might be worse. You found a Star Wars Visual Dictionary at the library and digested each and every word, making us laugh (and thoroughly annoying your friends) as you insisted that you use proper form in your light saber battles. ("No, you're supposed to use Parry 4. PARRY 4!!!") And then, then -- I let you watch a shuttle launch, and your love for NASA was born. I've stopped saving each and every Saturn V diagram that you've done at school, because MY WORD there are a lot of them, but I love that you love them. I love watching you learn everything you can about the different things you love, and listening to you tell us about them.
Along the same lines, your memory is incredible. (You get that from me and from your Nana, I'm sure. ;-)) I am always shocked at the details you remember. Over Thanksgiving, we had a short layover at DFW on our way home from Minnesota, and you and Betsy stopped to play in the little airplane-themed playground. You climbed up on top of the play airplane and proceeded to give the pilot announcements and safety demonstration, very nearly verbatim. Tonight you reminded us that Conner, a little boy in your 3-4 year old class in Shanghai, shared your birthday.
You are an amazingly patient big brother. I know I have said this before, but I am just more and more impressed with your love and consideration for your little sister. Because she sometimes can be a pain, I'll give you that. (And sometimes you deserve it.) Thank you for taking such good care of her.
We are so thankful for you, and so thankful that we get to be your parents. You really are, as your daddy often calls you, our special little boy. I can't believe you're 6.
We love you.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
J&B, April 2011
What a pair, these sweet kids of mine. I am incredibly blessed to have such funny little people living with me, especially since they truly seem to cherish each other. (of course, they bicker. And argue, and sometimes make each other cry. But they also take time to say "I love you" to each other, and to do sweet things for each other, and there are few things sweeter than watching them together.
(And yes, maybe I'm just a little wistful right now because I am getting on a plane to Shanghai in 6 hours -- without them -- and impending absence does make a mother's heart grow fonder.)
John, my little big guy -- oh he is a hoot. This child who seems so big and tall all of a sudden and yet is the very, very smallest in the entire kindergarten. I can't help but think of him as so young and little, until the opens his mouth and tells me some minute detail about some distant solar system, which he memorized from some library book. Space is the current obsession right now (admittedly, one I have encouraged, and yes, brought upon myself) though he is still very into Star Wars and Legos. We are treated to daily hand-drawn diagrams of the Saturn V rocket, with explanations of the various stages of the launch and illustrations of trans-lunar injection. (And yes, he writes that on the drawing.) He can tell you the history of the lunar missions and the relative core sizes of all the planets. He makes me smile, especially when he tells me that he can't decide whether he wants to be an astronaut or a bone doctor. And oh, he is so sweet. So thoughtful and so considerate of other people, especially his friends and his sister. He will still insist on hugs and kisses each night before bed, and will still snuggle with me when he's tired, and lucky for me he has been playing so hard lately that he is very tired almost every single night. I can't believe he's almost 6.
And then, there's the girl. My sweet Betsy, our Twinkle, 3 going on 16. If this year is any indication, we are in for a wild ride come her teenage years. Her loves right now are her friends, her teachers, dancing (though you'd never know it by the protest she puts up each Friday morning before ballet class), dresses, and having her toenails painted various and hideous shades. I am tempted to call her manipulative, but that seems unfair, especially when her most effective tactic is to wrap her arms around my neck when I'm kissing her goodnight and say, "Mama, I need more of you. Will you please sleep with me? I'm sad when you go away." And then I turn to mush in her room and give in. How can that much sweetness be manipulation? ;-) We are having so much fun this year, doing our little routine while John is in school, and I know that it won't be long before she's off in school every day with him. She has more personality in her little finger than many adults I know, and the most expressive face - she has us laughing every single day with the things she says and her very effective way of communicating exactly what she's thinking.
Pictures of both of these cuties coming up soon ...
(And yes, maybe I'm just a little wistful right now because I am getting on a plane to Shanghai in 6 hours -- without them -- and impending absence does make a mother's heart grow fonder.)
John, my little big guy -- oh he is a hoot. This child who seems so big and tall all of a sudden and yet is the very, very smallest in the entire kindergarten. I can't help but think of him as so young and little, until the opens his mouth and tells me some minute detail about some distant solar system, which he memorized from some library book. Space is the current obsession right now (admittedly, one I have encouraged, and yes, brought upon myself) though he is still very into Star Wars and Legos. We are treated to daily hand-drawn diagrams of the Saturn V rocket, with explanations of the various stages of the launch and illustrations of trans-lunar injection. (And yes, he writes that on the drawing.) He can tell you the history of the lunar missions and the relative core sizes of all the planets. He makes me smile, especially when he tells me that he can't decide whether he wants to be an astronaut or a bone doctor. And oh, he is so sweet. So thoughtful and so considerate of other people, especially his friends and his sister. He will still insist on hugs and kisses each night before bed, and will still snuggle with me when he's tired, and lucky for me he has been playing so hard lately that he is very tired almost every single night. I can't believe he's almost 6.
And then, there's the girl. My sweet Betsy, our Twinkle, 3 going on 16. If this year is any indication, we are in for a wild ride come her teenage years. Her loves right now are her friends, her teachers, dancing (though you'd never know it by the protest she puts up each Friday morning before ballet class), dresses, and having her toenails painted various and hideous shades. I am tempted to call her manipulative, but that seems unfair, especially when her most effective tactic is to wrap her arms around my neck when I'm kissing her goodnight and say, "Mama, I need more of you. Will you please sleep with me? I'm sad when you go away." And then I turn to mush in her room and give in. How can that much sweetness be manipulation? ;-) We are having so much fun this year, doing our little routine while John is in school, and I know that it won't be long before she's off in school every day with him. She has more personality in her little finger than many adults I know, and the most expressive face - she has us laughing every single day with the things she says and her very effective way of communicating exactly what she's thinking.
Pictures of both of these cuties coming up soon ...
April 2011
Um, wow. Three months. I'm not sure I've ever let this thing lapse that long.
(Crickets)
Well, we've been having a lot of fun, and that will be my official excuse for not posting. Let's see, since my last post we:
- had our first Christmas in our new house, where I hosted my first Christmas dinner and no one gagged (at least in my presence) or suffered from food poisoning
- welcomed Alix, Tim, Owen, and Austin to town for a wonderful week of catching up and playing Angry Birds
- spent most of February and March criss-crossing southeast Texas for various wedding and birthday related events, plus the rodeo!
- enjoyed lots of fun weekends with friends, playing with the kids in the yard, talking walks and scooter rides, cheering on the YMCA NW Austin Tigers 2.0 in soccer, and gearing up for a busy summer
I'm going to try to give some highlights of each of these individually, but it may take me a while, and I seriously doubt they'll be in chronological order. Bear with me ...
(Crickets)
Well, we've been having a lot of fun, and that will be my official excuse for not posting. Let's see, since my last post we:
- had our first Christmas in our new house, where I hosted my first Christmas dinner and no one gagged (at least in my presence) or suffered from food poisoning
- welcomed Alix, Tim, Owen, and Austin to town for a wonderful week of catching up and playing Angry Birds
- spent most of February and March criss-crossing southeast Texas for various wedding and birthday related events, plus the rodeo!
- enjoyed lots of fun weekends with friends, playing with the kids in the yard, talking walks and scooter rides, cheering on the YMCA NW Austin Tigers 2.0 in soccer, and gearing up for a busy summer
I'm going to try to give some highlights of each of these individually, but it may take me a while, and I seriously doubt they'll be in chronological order. Bear with me ...
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Thanksgiving
It's 2011 and I haven't even posted Thanksgiving pictures yet. I am a bloggy slacker. Anyway, we went to Minnesota for Thanksgiving and it was as relaxing (and cold) a week as we've had in a long, long time. Many thanks (again, a month and a half late) to Nana and Grandpa for hosting us, and to all the aunts and uncles and cousins who gave us such a warm welcome.
Some highlights of the trip -- sledding and snowball fights for the whole 10 minutes that the kids lasted out in the elements, John's projects with Grandpa (a birdhouse and a paddleboat for the bathtub), a trip to Mall of America and the American Girl store (so that Sonja would have proper clothes for her Minnesota vacation, of course), and TWO movies -- Harry Potter for us, and Tangled for the kids.
Snowball fight with Daddy
Sledding (which lasted about half a run)
Betsy in the snow!
Grandpa and John are proud of their projects!
Sunset on the Tundra
Betsy tells Grayden all about Cinderella
Light Sabers!
The first official kids' table
Look at that happy smile!
One of my favorite places in the world.
Some highlights of the trip -- sledding and snowball fights for the whole 10 minutes that the kids lasted out in the elements, John's projects with Grandpa (a birdhouse and a paddleboat for the bathtub), a trip to Mall of America and the American Girl store (so that Sonja would have proper clothes for her Minnesota vacation, of course), and TWO movies -- Harry Potter for us, and Tangled for the kids.
Snowball fight with Daddy
Sledding (which lasted about half a run)
Betsy in the snow!
Grandpa and John are proud of their projects!
Sunset on the Tundra
Betsy tells Grayden all about Cinderella
Light Sabers!
The first official kids' table
Look at that happy smile!
One of my favorite places in the world.
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