change of address

ok - so after 3+ years i have exceeded my free storage limit for photos on this blog.  i just can't bring myself to pay an annual fee for something i've been getting for free all these years, so i'm setting up a new blog address: http://oka-dokie-days.blogspot.com/  see ya there!

turning the page

when i turned the page on my custom-made calender this morning, i was greeted by these silly pictures of cousins horsing around.  it's a shame these kids don't get to see each other more often, but when they do get together they really make the most of it.  they also don't mind one bit posing for silly photos - or could you not guess that?

not only are we starting a new month, but we may also be turning a corner with big sister at school.  she ended first grade and started second grade below-level with her reading, but yesterday i got this note from her teacher:  

i just finished their reading testing last week. big sister did a great job. she tested at a reading level L which is on-level. in second grade, we want them to go through levels J, K, L, and end the year on M. she is right where she should be for this time of year. by march-april, i would like to see her move to a level M. (which I'm sure she will do!) i was proud of her! :)

and we are super proud of her too!

birthday time

donuts, hugs, kisses, and presents!  and that was just within the first 30 minutes of the day!  both girls told everyone that they saw that today was their momma's birthday.  they announced it to their classes, told everyone at daycare, and big sister even got her faith formation class to sing to me!  then later that evening she sang an original song she wrote especially for me.  it is quite catchy! 

 what a way to start another year. :-)

the elusive pop

our new cat pop has been increasing his exposure to us all week.  his favorite hiding spot was behind the tv in the living room until daddy blocked off his access.  i haven't quite figured out his new spot, but he often comes out and tolerates big sister's attention more than anyone else.  he is pretty active at night, and likes to hang out in our room and on our bed at night - not sleep, just hang out.  hopefully he will get more comfy in his new home and settle down.  soon. 

little sister has been coming home with color changes a few times per week due to her talking in class at inappropriate times.  this is completely opposite big sister, but how boring would it be if they both presented the same challenges??  and when little sister brings home sweet drawings like these, how can we stay mad?

new pets

last year we lost both of our pet cats to old age, predator in march and pandora in december.  they were both in their mid teens and it took some getting used to when they were gone.

yesterday we went to a shelter and adopted 2 new friends - pepper, a 2-year old male, and pop, a 3 year old male that came into the shelter with his brother. the brother got adopted first, which left pop sad and all alone. our hope is that pop & pepper become great friends.  so far, pepper is confident, friendly, and quite active & curious. he slept on our bed last night, while pop has been content hiding from us and has only been seen fleeing from the rooms we enter.  with a little time and tlc, we hope he comes to trust us.  until then, we'll enjoy bonding with pepper.  welcome to the family! :-)

winter break

today big sister came home with her class photo and a paragraph written all about how we spent the winter break.  i had no idea that the spontaneous trip to the donut shop with daddy and her cousins would make such an impression!  it's the little things, right? 

mid point

well, it's that time of year again - we are halfway thru the school year.  it seems like we just got started!  today, little sister came home with her class photo that she took back in november.  (big sister's will likely make it home next week.  her teacher is often behind on things...)  they also came home from the 1st semester awards assembly with a few honors, including perfect attendance, outstanding achievement in art, a workhorse award, and an outstanding reader award.  here's hoping the next 18 weeks are as successful as the last, but that they does not go by as quickly...

back to school

new year.

new semester.

new nine weeks.

after 18 days off - it's finally time to get back to it.

don't they look soooo very happy?? 

our annual card

one of my favorite traditions has become making and sending out our holiday card.  some have been easier than others to select photos for.  i try to stay away from the photo studio places this time of year and just do mini-sessions at home - it is less stress & less $$ this way!  thankfully, everyone is usually patient with me as i strive to get the perfect shot, but sometime you just take what you can get.  :-)



our "10 days" of christmas

days 1-4 were spent with one grandma...

 days 5-6 with some cousins...

 and days 7-10 with more cousins, aunts, uncles, & grandparents.

there was lots of gift-giving, treat-eating, and general merriment all around.

merry christmas!!

 santa found us in houston!  we were so excited to run downstairs this morning and see all the things he left.  merry christmas everyone!  we hope santa was good to you too!

houston holiday

 hugging a new frosty friend in cousins' front yard

while the rest of the world was doing last-minute christmas shopping, we spent the good part of the afternoon at the zoo.

 little sister rode the okapi on the carrousel, and big sister rode a wolf.

and at the end of the day, cousin j and little sister got ready for a duel!

christmas cookies

sift the flour, mix the butter,

roll the dough for the cookie cutter.

a white sugar star, a red christmas bell,

a brown teddy bear with a gingery smell.

christmas cookies taste so sweet.

they're fun to bake and good to eat.

big sister the artist

great work, big sister!
your work will be
in the school board
calendar from our school
in january!
awesome job!
signed,
the art teacher

a deal is a deal

in an effort to motivate big sister to play hard in today's game - i made her a deal: "score a goal and i'll give you $20." well, she scored 2. she was the only one to score in the first half, but by the end of the game the score was 7-1. i may have to re-think this deal for next week, or else start taking donations. :-)

mo money

 it happened last night at church class.  i thought she looked a little different when i picked her up, and i was right!  she handed me her other loose tooth wrapped up in a napkin.  and the tooth fairy visited once again (2x this week) and left her another 3 dollars and 4 quarters.  she said if we do the driving, she'll buy us lunch this weekend.  you've got yourself a date, little sister!

bye bye baby tooth

from super-wiggly, bending all the way forward and hanging on by a thread...

 ...to OUT!

little sister crawled into bed with me around 4:30 this morning, and then when we woke up, she said "mom, my tooth is somewhere in your bed."  she felt around and found it, and we put it into an envelope so she could take it to school and show mrs. R.  i told her to go see the nurse and get a tooth keeper necklace, which is what she was looking forward to getting all last week.  hope she makes it home tonight with the tooth so she can put it under her pillow.

she struggled with that tooth last night, trying to get it out, but scared to just pull it.  i offered to pull it for her, but she said no - she wanted the money and whoever pulls the tooth gets to keep the money.  smart girl!  so, she went to bed with a dangly tooth. 

pay day

big sister brought home 2 perfect spelling papers this week - 1 from last week's test and 1 from today's quiz. so, that means $$$ in her bank.

we are also expecting a visit from the tooth fairy any day now.  little sister is working on her 1st loose tooth.  actually both bottom middle teeth are loose, but the one on the right can bend all the way forward and is about ready for one good tug. 

and that means $$$ in her bank too...

(wonder how much they will charge me for a loan?)