First Phone Call

I know I know...most six year olds have been chatting on the phone to their grandparents for years, but PK1 does not like to "perform" or be put on the spot.  This has been a source of great frustration to me but also a source of growth as I learn when to back off and when to help her get outside her comfort zone. 

She has this little friend next door who comes over all the time to play.  One day they realized that it was freezing outside and that they should call each other first to see if the other was available before suiting up and trudging through the snow for a visit. 

At first LNG (little neighbor girl) or I would make the calls.

Then I decided that PK1 should place her own phone calls!

Oh boy...she really didn't want to. 



But I said that I would not be placing any more calls to LNG and that if she wanted to play with her, she would have to place the call.  This was a fate worse than death for PK1.

She moped.

Then she went and colored.

Then she decided maybe she would do it.

I asked her if she wanted to practice a little bit with me first, which she did... from behind her hands.

After placing the call she was very pleased with how well it went.  I interviewed her here:


First Fone Call from Political family on Vimeo.

Guess who...

is having a birthday???

The Bestest Friend of PK1!

Born 6 weeks apart 6 years ago.

We thank God for blessing PK1

with such a special friend

and we have loved ALL our special times together.

Here are some highlights:

Collage

Would this be cute?  I am trying to redo the main bathroom (it is used by the PKs and guests).  Nothing major thank GOODNESS, just shower curtain, paint and maybe accessories.

("bathroom accessories" sounds sooooo 80's)

Sidebar..a cute old lady approached me at Bed, Bath and Beyond a few weeks ago.  She asked why none of the bath sets had the fuzzy toilet covers anymore.

I didn't want to offend her, but with my most understanding face on I said, "Weeeeeeell, I don't think people are using those as much anymore."  I cannot overemphasize how old and cute this lady was.  And her husband was standing behind her holding a TON of bathroom stuff.  He says, "not using them anymore?"  and she says, "No no That's ok...We can change!"

Classic.

So anyway.  I want to put a collage of pictures in the bathroom.  Do "we" like these?  Or are they not ok for a bathroom? They are from Etsy.com..my new addiction.  PD needs to stop working because I just sit home ordering things on Amazon and Etsy.

Sick Day

Poor PK2 has the pukes.

We are most assuredly dorks: Part II

This is back on tonight:

We are breathless with anticipation.

We like to eat this while watching because we think it is what they eat...only theirs is right out of the sea!

PD has been texting me all day with weird stuff like the numbers that recur on the show.

or "Live Together Die Alone", which is their slogan.

or "taller ghost Walt"  which is one of my favorite lines from Sawyer.

Then I realized that he was texting me every 108 minutes all day, which is also a theme from the show. 

My apologies to those who do not watch the show.  I will probably be normal again tomorrow.

Pigtails

PK2 really wanted two ponytails like her big sister. I was skeptical, but it turned out kind of cute. She got quite a few complements.

Water Park: the local version

Even though it was this today:

We were able to go here:

I love this picture.  It reminds me of when you hang on the side of the pool to talk to your  lifeguard boyfriend.  PD was in the hot tub, which PK2 loves, but was not old enough to get in at this pool.  So she just hung out there talking to him!

I actually liked this rec center WAY better than when we went to that indoor water park.  First of all, it was a lot warmer.  Secondly...it was cheaper.  Third, we could go home after a few hours!

I though PK1 would hurl, she went down the slide so many times.  I went down it myself, and thought it was pretty fast!   You had to be able to swim to the side from the bottom of the slide in order to be able to go on it and she was a total pro!  I was so proud of her and I can't believe what a big girl she is becoming.

This week was a little rough because PD worked most nights and it was literally sub-zero outside.  We girls were a little pitiful, hanging out at the gym a lot, eating weird random leftover stuff for dinner and watching Oprah together.  So it was really great to get to have a whole Saturday to enjoy together as a family. 

Look at these faces!

Our Chinese Brother

Guess who we got to see again?

He was cute and funny and chunky.

 He weighs 24 pounds at six months...  the PKs weighed that at 18 months!

His parent's say that he has stranger anxiety, but he loved us! 

OK, I did make him cry once.  I always have to get a little rowdy and playful with little boys and "get" them and say crazy stuff and blow raspberries to prove that I can be a cool fun mom for boys, but sometimes I get carried away.  I get this from my father. But the Chinese Brother recovered nicely and still loves me.  He knows where his bread is buttered!

New Year's Resolution 2009

There are a few things that I am always working on, that can't really be called New Year's Resolutions because I have been working on most of them my entire adult life.  They include, but are not limited to:

reading my Bible every day:

reducing the muffin top I have been battling since having the two PKs:

parenting with purpose:

and taming my tongue:

But the NEW resolution this year was to read more.  PD says this is not possible and thought I was being sarcastic when I mentioned it, but I am completely serious.  I want to read a bunch of books particularly on the lives of the saints and heroes of the faith.  John Piper and Beth Moore both suggest it as a way to grow spiritually.  I used to like to do this when I was a kid, but have not read one in a loooong time.  I am now almost done with John Paton.

It is unbelievable.  If someone made this story up, you would not believe it! 

I also want to finish this:

It gives the most thoughtful and precise answers to questions and accusations from people who think that Christianity is archaic or closed minded or just one of many choices.  I highly highly recommend it. 

OK, I have to go...when I left off my reading in the John Paton book, he had been hiding in a tree for two days to escape the cannibals!

Christmas Wrap Up Part III: Home for the Holidays

Well, three homes actually.

Christmas Eve we went to the most beautiful service at the Grandparent's church.  Afterward everyone came back to our house for cookies, snacks and to open a few presents.  PK 1 read the Christmas story aloud for us.

Christmas morning our little family opened a few gifts by ourselves and ate cinnamon rolls, then headed over to the Grandparents house.  There we had a beautiful meal and opened several hundred presents.

The day after Christmas we packed up and drove 900 miles to do it all over again with my side of the family.

My personal highlights were...

the Christmas Eve service.  PK I was sitting by me and listening to her sing the carols was so precious. 

Little Cincinnati cousin kept looking back at us until I asked him to come sit with us and he was just darling.  I would take that child home with me in a heartbeat. Just don't ask him to say "Nutcracker."

This beautiful meal on Christmas Day

Plenty of down time to talk and rest and eat all the things we love for almost a full week with my side of the family.


















Sushi with these guys who we would be best friends with even if we weren't related:

Watching these cousins play:

The made-to-order omelets, king bed and heated pool at Embassy Suites!

Watching the ones I love the most open this:

this:

and this:

and for those of you who still haven't had enough of the Polititcal family Christmas... a slide show:

Christmas 2008 from Poltical family on Vimeo.